Xi's article on family ties, education, values to be published

Xinhua) 08:59, February 01, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, which stresses the importance of family ties, family education and family values and traditions, will be published on Saturday.

The article by Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will be published in this year's third issue of the Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

The article is based on a speech delivered by Xi in 2016 while meeting with representatives of model families across the nation.

Noting that the Chinese nation has always valued the family, the article stresses the importance of family civility and virtues and efforts to make Chinese families an important foundation for the country's development, national progress and social harmony.

It highlights the importance of family ties, saying that the future of families is closely tied to the future of the country and the nation, and calling on Chinese households to integrate their love for the family with their love for the country.

The article also stresses that great importance should be attached to family education, noting that such education should guide children to develop the trait of integrity, help them cultivate beautiful minds and ensure their healthy growth, so that they can be useful to the nation and the people when they grow up.

It calls on households to nurture and practice core socialist values, encouraging family members, especially the younger generation, to love the Party, the motherland, the people and the Chinese nation.

It also calls on all Chinese families to promote fine family values and traditions and sustain the good social ethos, and emphasizes the role of leading officials at all levels in taking the lead in this regard.

Efforts should be made to promote the forming of a new trend toward socialist family virtues featuring love for the nation, family and one another, devotion to progress and kindness, and joint contribution and mutual sharing, according to the article.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Trump says warnings given "very late" prior to the aircraft collision

Xinhua) 10:59, February 01, 2025

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said that there were some warnings prior to the midair collision of a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, "but the warnings were given very, very late."

At a press conference in the White House, Trump said he had heard "very scary tapes." "When the air traffic controller said, he was talking about, do you see him? But there was very little time left when that was stated," Trump said, adding that there is also "a pilot problem" from the standpoint of the helicopter.

Trump first reacted to the crash in a Truth Social post after midnight: "The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane."

Also at the press conference, Trump confirmed there are no survivors in the collision.

John Donnelly, chief of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, told a press conference at the airport Thursday morning that there are likely no survivors.

"We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," said Donnelly.

The American Airlines plane had 60 passengers and four crew members, while three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard the Black Hawk helicopter.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
A tiny disabled pensioner, who was given 330k in donations by good Samaritans after a vicious mugging appalled the nation, has spent the bulk of his cash by moving house six times in 10 years.

The assault on 4ft 6ins, six stone, Alan Barnes, 77, by drug dealer Richard Gatiss left the public so appalled that an appeal to raise funds rocketed.

Mr Barnes told MailOnline he was no longer in touch with 'Angel of the North' Katie Cutler, the then 21-year-old beautician who started the appeal - but that he forgives Gatiss for the attack.

In the 10 years since the mugging which left him with a broken collar bone, Mr Barnes spent the money raised on new homes to take him away from the Sheriff Hill area of Gateshead, Tyneside, where the attack happened.

However, he has now returned to the nearby suburb of Low Fell where he lives happily in a small terraced property on his own.

Mr Barnes refused to allow the mugging to rob him of his independence and he still goes out to do his own shopping despite being registered blind.

He also attends church and has even penned a song, The Rhyme, which he would like to release 'to make some money of my own.'

When asked whether he's been able to forgive Richard Gatiss, Mr Barnes told MailOnline: 'I think I have, yes. What he did was terrible and if it had been a worse injury he caused me that might have been different.

Alan, pictured this month, in his modest home which is sparsely furnished to give him fewer obstacles to negotiate as he moves around

Mr Barnes pictured with Katie Cutler, the beautician who spearheaded a campaign to help him that raised 330,000 - but they no longer speak

'I actually heard afterwards that what Gatiss did to me might have been a case of mistaken identity, that someone else might have been the target but I don't know.

'Terrible things happen in the world, just look at those three little girls who were murdered in Southport in the summer, so you have to put things into context.

'I was able to carry on with my life and I'm happy, I haven't let what happened to me 10 years ago stop me from doing anything.

'I like to go out and walk to the Co-op and stop to chat to people along the way and I still go to church, which is important to me.

'If you are a Christian then you have to be happy in life, that's the way that I see it. If you fully understand the holy spirit then you can never be depressed.'

The money raised allowed Mr Barnes to buy his own home for the first time in his life and in the next six years he had five addresses before settling at his present one.

He initially purchased a smart two-bed terrace for 150,000.

However, he was unable to settle into his new house, and moved several times since, including into a spacious newbuild overlooking the Victorian Saltwell Park in Gateshead, which he bought for 250,000 in 2017.

He sold that house for 205,000 in July 2020, making a loss of 45,000, and is now living in a smaller home close by, having never left the Low Fell suburb.

Mr Barnes still has some of his 330,000 fortune left, but insisted that he does not 'need much to be happy'

'I'm happy here, it's the best place that I've had and I find the people who live around here are really warm and friendly.'

Alan Barnes has spent much of his fortune on houses, having moved six times since the 2015 attack

Now, his modest home is sparsely furnished to give him fewer obstacles to negotiate as he moves around.

He says: 'I've had some really nice places, one of them was very large and overlooked a park but I found the road outside a little too busy.

'I'm happy here, it's the best place that I've had and I find the people who live around here are really warm and friendly.

'I still get recognised and people stop to say hello but I'm happy to say that for the most part the requests for selfies have stopped.

'I couldn't go anywhere after all the publicity without someone stopping and asking for a selfie. I didn't like it when it was a group of lads because they'd always want to put their arms around me - I didn't mind when it was the girls though.

'It's nice when people say hello. I was at the MetroCentre just before Christmas and a man stopped and called: "Look it's Alan." I thought that was nice.'

Despite vowing that he and Katie would be 'friends for life,' Mr Barnes says they are no longer in touch.

Mr Barnes says that his current home (pictured) in Gateshead is the 'best place' that he has lived

Pictured is the original rented property which Alan Barnes lived in before he was attacked

Mr Barnes outside the first home he bought with the donations - an Edwardian terraced home in Low Fell, Gateshead in 2015

The second home that Mr Barnes bought was a semi-detached, two bedroom property, which cost 115,000

He said: 'I don't hear from Katie now but I hope she's OK. She started the appeal that raised all that money for me and I will always be grateful for the generosity that people showed.

'I still have some money left but I don't need much. I have my home and I'm not a materialistic person, I don't need a lot to be happy.

'I have written a song called The Rhyme and I'd like to release it to make some money for myself.

'I sang it at the local Methodist church hall and it went down really well, especially with the kids. Every verse has a story that's about something in my life."

Mr Barnes, who has complex disabilities as a result of his mother contracting German measles while pregnant with him, had been moving his bins on an evening in January 2015 when Gatiss pushed him to the ground and began rifling through his pockets for cash.

He eventually left empty-handed after Mr Barnes cried out for help from his neighbours.

Gatiss was arrested due to DNA found on his victim's jacket and was sentenced to four years in prison for assault with intent to rob.

Sentencing him, Judge Paul Sloan, KC, said: 'Mr Barnes was vulnerable, there is no doubt he was picked on by you because of his vulnerability, it was in any view a despicable offence."'

After the attack, Katie Cutler's fundraising campaign gained support from all over Britain and the world.

The disabled pensioner purchased this 244,950 two-storey property in November 2018 but said that he would rather live in a bungalow at the time

The OAP told MailOnline that he is now 'happy', and has not let the 2015 attack stop him from enjoying life

For her part in helping him, Katie Cutler, from Greenside, Gateshead, was branded the 'Angel of the North' by the public and was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's 2015 Birthday Honours.

However things soured for her in the aftermath.

She was left with a bill of almost 7,000 by a PR firm which she asked to help with fundraising and to set up a charity to continue helping people.

The charity did not make it off the ground and Ms Cutler was threatened with court action. In 2016, she lost to PR consultant Claire Barber and was ordered to repay her 6,200.

Ms Cutler at the time vowed never to do any charity work again.

When approached by MailOnline this week she declined to comment.
Frustrated locals say their town has been 'swallowed up' by new regeneration plans as the 'last proper pub' is set to be demolished and the area surrounding it is now a ghost town.

Residents in Harold Hill, Romford, have said blue boards surrounding former flats and boarded up shops have taken over the town.

The last remaining beacon for the community, is the Alderman Pub.

However, the Alderman, which has a group of regular 'old boys' could be 'bulldozed' as applications have been made to knock down the pub as part of plans to regenerate Harold Hill.

Gill Pearce, 67, who has worked at the pub for 28 years, told MailOnline: 'It's got worse. I've seen so many changes and they're not for the better. There's no community anymore, it's all gone now it's really sad.

'I'm hugely worried. This little pub is a little hub, you get a lot of old boys who probably wouldn't see people and it's not just the drinking it's family.

'A lot of the people that talk about the pub say it's not the best decorated but it's the people that make it the pub everyone looks after each other.

'I hope the community stays together.'

Frustrated locals say their town has been 'swallowed up' by new regeneration plans, several buildings in the area have been boarded up

91 crimes were reported in the area in November 2024, 27 of which were violence and sexual offences

The Pompadours, a pub in Harold Hill that has been derelict for years. It's since been vandalised

Data published by the Metropolitan Police shows that Harold Wood, has high levels of crime in comparison to surrounding areas

Residents in Harold Hill, Romford, have said blue boards surrounding former flats and boarded up shops have taken over the town

Mike Crowhurst, 53, said: 'I've lived here for 25 years. I think it's terrible they're gonna knock it down. I come down here a lot and if this goes we're screwed.'

In 2018, Havering Council and Wates Group launched the 12 Sites Regeneration Programme, which will regenerate 12 housing sites in the borough.

The plan is to deliver 3,500 new homes and double the number of affordable homes on the sites.

The redevelopment is happening in phases and Harold Hill Town Centre is set to be complete in Spring 2033, delivering an estimated 478 homes - they are currently waiting for planning permission.

In the meantime, the residents who haven't been relocated have been left to live in a ghost town.

Tony Brennan, 41, told MailOnline: 'It's swallowed up, it's finished, you just get on. Those shops at the front they're done.

'It's been like this for years, it's never had a great name. But we all get on.

'But the good thing is you know everyone, every corner you know it's like alright mate. Course you get the odd trouble but that's anywhere.'

Tony Brennan, 41, said the towns been 'swallowed up' but everyone gets on as best as they can

James Pollock, 35, said people have lived in the area for generations and that the derelict buildings are probably unsafe

Most of the shops on the high street are boarded up and are set to be demolished in redevelopment plans

James Pollock, 35, added: 'That building was probably left for so long now it's probably not safe and considering how derelict it is now what's the point?

'A lot of the people who live here are people who have lived here for generations.'

Data published by the Metropolitan Police shows that the area Harold Wood, has high levels of crime in comparison to surrounding areas.

There were 91 crimes reported in November 2024, 27 of which were violence and sexual offences.

Part of the redevelopment plans include 'designing out crime', but residents say the area has got increasingly dangerous.

The Pompadours, a derelict pub in Harold Hill covered in graffiti, demolition of the pub has been approved

In 2018, Havering Council and Wates Group launched the 12 Sites Regeneration Programme, which will regenerate 12 housing sites in the borough

A spokesperson for Havering Council said: 'The recent Estate Ballot for Farnham, Hilldene and Chippenham Road housing estates recorded a 96.3 percent of the 49.8 percent turnout voting in favour for our vision for the regeneration, and is a significant demonstration of the community's trust in our vision and their desire for a better living environment.

'It includes three phases - the new Family Welcome Centre, Chippenham Road, and Farnham and Hilldene Estate.

'Until the demolition works begin, we continue to make interim improvements to make living and visiting the area as welcoming as possible.'

Sections of Harold Hill Town Centre have been boarded up and left empty.

Linda Lubin, 77, told MailOnline: 'I've been here 41 years. It was very nice, it has changed. People were friendlier. It felt safer. I wouldn't come out in the dark now.'

Her son, Darren Lubin, 56, added: 'It's alright if you keep yourself to yourself. Because of London more knife crime has come here.'

The town lacks any young residents and Unus Souner, 20, who works in the local 'caf' said most of his elderly customers died during the COVID-19 pandemic and since then he has had fewer customers.

The Alderman, which has a group of regular 'old boys' could be 'bulldozed' as applications have been made to knock down the pub

Linda Lubin, 77, told MailOnline she doesn't feel safe walking around the area in the dark

Darren Lubin, 56, blamed the rising crime rate in the area on 'London knife crime' making its way to Romford

Darren Wise, a Havering Councillor, welcomes the redevelopment.

He told MailOnline: 'I think once it's done it will be quite good, there will probably be a lot of new housing, new shops I would assume and I think it will look a lot better.

'The estate has been really run down I think over the years and it needs a bit of a revamp.

'I used to live just off the shopping centre where it's going to be redeveloped, I was there for 18 years and I've seen over the years it has declined and deteriorated and hopefully the development will improve it.

'There is a good community, there's a lot of people who work together and there is a general consensus of community I would day. Generally it's got quite a strong community Harold Hill.'

Residents who haven't been relocated have been left to live in a ghost town

The regeneration plan will deliver 3,500 new homes and double the number of affordable homes

Unus Souner, 20, who works in the local 'caf' said most of his elderly customers died during the COVID-19 pandemic

Another community hub is Saint George's Parish Church, where people can go for a meal, tea or coffee every Monday and Tuesday.

Assistant church warden, Susan Dewhurst, 65, told MailOnline: 'I've lived here about 40 years maybe longer. Since I've been around here we've had people upend a lamp post it and put it along the road. It used to be really scary to go to the shops but it's not as bad now.

'On the whole it's a nice community, I know a lot of people and a lot of people know me and since coming to this church, I've been coming here all the time since I moved in the area I've done mother and toddler group, pre-school and a girls club.

'It's getting too much, all the shutting down of things.'

Assistant church warden of Saint George's Parish Church, Susan Dewhurst, 65, tea and biscuits are available at the church every Monday and Tuesday

Harleen Kaur, 43, owner of Cilios Beauty, is excited for the redevelopment and thinks it's time for change

The 'last proper pub' is set to be demolished and the area surrounding it is now a ghost town

Part of the redevelopment plans include 'designing out crime', residents say the area has got increasingly dangerous

But some residents are welcoming the changes, including Harleen Kaur, 43, owner of Cilios Beauty, a salon in the town centre.

She told MailOnline: 'They are demolishing the whole area and building it all. When I signed the lease they told me and asked if I still wanted to sign.

'Every few months the developers come to the library and update us. They're going to take one block, build it up and transfer the businesses there. So they're going to plan it one by one.

'I think we need that change because change is happening everywhere and it will bring more value to the place and at the moment it's all leaning from the flats.'
A furious pub landlord has blasted jobsworth national park planners after being threatened with legal action over a decking area.

Nigel Fawcett forked out more than 3k when Covid hit so customers could socially distance on picnic tables at his 295-year-old Yorkshire Dales watering hole.

He was permitted to install the outdoor seating outside the Street Head Inn in picturesque Bishopdale, North Yorks, without planning permission when regulations were relaxed by the government in 2020.

But now planners at Yorkshire Dales Park Authority say the structure is illegal - and have warned Mr Fawcett he faces court action and a hefty fine unless he demolishes the structure.

Mr Fawcett, 68, told MailOnline: 'Its just massively petty. The decking blends into the countryside, its not overlooking anyone and it means customers can sit out with a pint and watch the sun go down over the beautiful countryside.

'Before we put the decking up, there had been wooden benches on the same site for 32 years and no-one had ever complained about them.

'No-ones actually complained about this decking - there have been no objections from anyone. If there had been, Id probably be able to understand why Ive got to tear it down.

'People have loved sitting out there with a pint, taking in the views.

Nigel Fawcett forked out more than 3,000 when Covid hit so customers could socially distance on picnic tables

He was permitted to install the outdoor seating outside the Street Head Inn without planning permission

Now planners at Yorkshire Dales Park Authority say the structure is illegal - and have warned Mr Fawcett he faces court action and a hefty fine unless he demolishes the structure

'Its just the people who run the Park who have got it in their heads that its no good.'

Mr Fawcett, a farmer who has run the Street Head Inn for 22 years, applied for retrospective planning permission only to have the request turned down on landscape grounds.

Despite there being no objections from neighbours or interested parties, in its ruling, the national park said the feature was an incongruous and alien feature in the open countryside, harmful to the protected landscape of the National Park.

Mr Fawcett told how the small decked area, comprised of six picnic benches, offer customers sweeping views across the Dales.

The green-painted timber is accessed by crossing a rural 60mph B-road, which planners said represented a safety risk. He has been given until March to remove the structure.

Mr Fawcett, who employs five full-time and eight part-time staff, said: 'Ill have to take it down because the last thing I want is to go to court and a fine, because that will add insult to injury.

'Times are hard enough for pubs as it is. Labours increase in business rates and national insurance contributions will cost me an extra 90 every day from April.

'Pubs are in decline with all the costs and I think the Park should be helping us generate income, not hindering us.

'Weve expanded our space to make income and they just want to decrease it.

'What gets me is that they shout about supporting rural businesses, but when push comes to shove, theyre making life even harder for us.

'Theyre a law unto themselves - they have been for 40 years. Do they not want people to come to the Dales and enjoy the views?

'If theyre not careful were going to end up as a museum around here, where people drive through, carry on, and wont have anywhere to stop off for a pint or some food.'

Rejecting an appeal, the Planning Inspectorate said that while the timber decking was of a low key nature it was highly visible at the side of the road in the beautiful natural landscape.

The report added: Its presence will be even more noticeable on a good day when in full use, as the area will be popular with walkers and cyclists who will congregate at the facility for refreshments.

This incursion into this previously undeveloped and unspoilt area fails to conserve and enhance the landscape and scenic beauty of the National Park.

Inspector Louise Crosby concluded: 'I appreciate that the public house is a community asset that provides employment and thus benefits the rural economy.

Mr Fawcett, a farmer who has run the Street Head Inn for 22 years, applied for retrospective planning permission

Mr Fawcett said he was perplexed by the ruling, adding that the decking had been used to host parish council meetings

'However the business will still be able to operate just without the custom from this seating which is likely to be mainly during summer months when the weather is fine, in any event.

Mr Fawcett said he was perplexed by the ruling, adding that the decking had been used to host parish council meetings and recently a carol service.

He said: 'If they think its an alien structure, then God help us all.

'What's the issue if people want to come and enjoy the Great British countryside and sit outside with a pint? I dont know why they are so stubborn about it.'

A Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority spokesperson told Mail Online it was 'working closely with Street Head Inn to find a resolution satisfactory to all.

But Mr Fawcett accused the authority of 'kidology', saying he had not heard anything from park bosses since receiving an email telling him he had until March 1 to remove the structure.
Claudia Mayor is a loving mother whose three teenage sons are at the heart of a horrifying story that has appalled and divided Sweden.

In the early spring of 2023, the boys launched a cold-blooded attack on a Middle Eastern migrant who had raped the 15-year-old girlfriend of their younger brother.

It left the 26-year-old migrant hanging lifeless from a rope on a forest tree.

Claudia has never spoken publicly before about the crime, which bore all the hallmarks of a modern-day lynching. It led to the teenagers, then aged between 16 and 18, being convicted of murder  although the convictions were dropped on appeal when the court could not decide exactly how the man died.

But this week, the 46-year-old housewife agreed to talk to the Mail at her small house in Uppsala, an hour's drive from the Swedish capital. 'When I heard what the boys had done to this man, it was beyond belief,' she told me. 'I slapped each of them hard.'

'But,' she added, 'I understand why it happened. Our country is changed and Swedish girls are not safe or protected from the strangers who have been invited in to live among them. Look around you. It's not mostly Swedish faces any more. There are many Arab ones from a different culture. It was not like this when I came as a six-year-old child migrant with my parents.'

Claudia's story  of which we will hear more later  is not the only one where mass immigration is being blamed for the catastrophic transformation of this once-peaceful nation into one of terrifying criminality.

On Wednesday night, an anti-Islam campaigner and atheist who had sparked violent protests in Muslim countries by burning the Koran outside Stockholm Central Mosque last year was shot dead in his flat near the capital.

Nine-year-old Luna was dragged into woods, beaten, raped and strangled with her own shoelaces in the quiet northern town of Skelleftea in Swedish Lapland, leaving her disabled

Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee, 38, had been charged in August with 'agitations against an ethnic group' and had been due to appear in court on Thursday morning.

Following the assassination, Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson admitted: 'We have lost control, over a wave of violence'  an echo of comments from National Police Chief Petra Lundh, who talked of the 'brutality and ruthlessness that exists in organised crime'.

Last month, the Swedish government announced it will in future only admit newcomers who promise to make an 'honest living' and uphold the country's values as it tightened citizenship rules.

Over the past century, Sweden has been Europe's number one sanctuary for 'war weary' or persecuted people  Claudia herself came here, like others, to escape the fascist regime of Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet four decades ago.

In 2015, as huge numbers of migrants headed to Europe during the Syrian civil war, Sweden welcomed 163,000 asylum seekers from the Middle East, a gesture that many today believe has provoked a national crisis.

The country that once boasted Europe's lowest crime rate is now facing rampant murder, gun warfare, a drugs crisis, illegal prostitution rackets, and a rape epidemic.

The rise in criminality is blamed by the centre-Right government on gangs disproportionately made up of first and second-generation migrants. A 2023 police report said there are 14,000 active gang members in Sweden, some of them children as young as nine or ten, with a further 48,000 people 'affiliated' to them.

Meanwhile, bomb explosions are an almost everyday occurrence. In 2024 there were 124 across the country. In the first 30 days of this year in the Stockholm area and Claudia's own county of Uppsala, there were 33  three taking place during my short visit as rival gangs threatened or actually targeted businesses in extortion rackets.

Stockholm's per-capita murder rate today is roughly 30 times that of London and half the suspects are aged between 15 and 20 amid a huge demographic shift over the past two decades.

Between 2002 and 2023, the share of the Swedish population who are either foreign-born or have at least one foreign-born parent increased from 21 per cent to 35 per cent, according to a report by government agency Sweden Statistics.

A rearguard action by the government means immigration has fallen  just 6,250 people were allowed in last year. Migration Minister Johan Forssell is now even offering migrants a 28,000 grant to return home.

It is an about-turn that chimes with the mood of the nation. 'What happened during the refugee crisis of 2015 was that our open-heart policy met a very tough reality,' Forssell said earlier this month. 'If you don't believe in boys and girls playing or swimming together, this is not the country for you.'

Ethiopian migrant Abushi Kamal, 15, had arrived in Sweden five years earlier with his family and had been investigated by the police for 'several sexual assaults' from the age of 12

Luna is now severely brain damaged as a result of the loss of oxygen to her brain from Kamal's attack. She is wheelchair-bound, and spoon-fed by her family

And perhaps the most deeply disturbing aspect of this 'tough reality' is that Sweden, once so safe for women, now has a rape rate just behind some Caribbean and Southern African hotspots.

One rape, of course, is too many  and in 1975 police received reports of 421. But by 2023, the annual tally had reached 9,300, the highest rape incidence per head of population in Europe.

A report last week by Sweden's Lund University said two-thirds of all convicted rapists are recent or second-generation immigrants.

One of the victims was nine-year-old Luna, whose parents will never recover from what happened to their daughter in the quiet northern town of Skelleftea in Swedish Lapland.

On July 7, 2022, Luna left primary school on her bicycle to ride the ten minutes home where her mother Emelie was waiting to give her supper. She never arrived.

Instead, she was pulled into the forest, stripped, beaten, raped and strangled with her own shoelaces by a 15-year-old Ethiopian migrant called Abushi Kamal who had been granted residence in the area the week before.

He had arrived in Sweden five years earlier with his family and had been investigated by the police for 'several sexual assaults' from the age of 12, although never put under lock and key.

Luna is now severely brain damaged as a result of the loss of oxygen to her brain. She is wheelchair-bound, and spoon-fed by her family including her little sister, aged six. Apart from uttering the word 'Mama' to Emelie, 34, she has not spoken since.

Emelie, a grocery store manager, has never given an interview before. But last week, as the migrant rape figures were released, she agreed to speak to the Mail from the family's home in Moro Backe, a nine-hour drive north from Stockholm.

She said 'a lot of migrants' have been settled in the town. But she and her husband, a care worker who does not want to be named, 'didn't think about it as a dangerous issue', she said.

'I am speaking out now because this kind of attack should not happen in a civilised country. I do not want Luna to be forgotten or the same thing to happen to other children like her.'

Luna now needs 24-hour-a-day support from carers. 'We are all living this with Luna every day,' she said.

A recent visit to Luna's grandparents took days to plan. 'But Luna did recognise them and she knew where she was. When her friends come round, she realises they are there and smiles,' added Emelie.

The family believe that Luna, who has developed epilepsy, can remember the day of the rape because sometimes she becomes 'inconsolable, sad, and upset... All the carefree happiness of childhood has been taken away,' said her mother.

The laughter of other children in the playground is thought to have hidden Luna's screams as she was dragged away by the rapist.

She was only discovered later in the afternoon when a boy told police he had found what looked like a 'dead girl's body' in the woods. 'No one heard or saw anything,' says Emelie. 'When Luna didn't come home, I went to the school in my car. I was frantic. I saw the ambulances and her bike on the ground. Then they told me what had happened.'

Claudia Mayor, whose three teenage sons were locked up for a fatal attack on a rapist

As for the teenage attacker Kamal, he is now in a closed psychiatric unit. His family have been moved out of Moro Backe by the Swedish authorities. But none of them has been deported.

Ludvig Aspling, a lawyer and immigration spokesman for the hard-Right Sweden Democrats party  now polling joint second in the country  is unsurprised that Luna's parents didn't think about the impact of mass migration on Swedes.

'Migration is still not talked about,' he said. 'There is almost a complete blackout by the mainstream media. Public broadcasters say high crime by immigrants is a 'racist myth'. Most people have no idea what is going on or how serious the consequences can be for them.'

For Claudia Mayor, those consequences could not be more serious. With the help of Claudia and her family, we have pieced together just what happened on that fateful day when her sons took revenge against the migrant who had raped the 15-year-old schoolgirl.

The migrant made his living selling alcohol to underage children. The girl, whom we shall call Jessy, was dating Claudia's 15-year-old son, and met the migrant to buy a bottle of vodka in February 2023 near her home in a village close to the city of Uppsala. He pulled her into his car and assaulted her as she fought him off.

She escaped and immediately reported the crime to local police who admit now, to their regret, they did nothing. One senior officer has said publicly that an investigation might have 'stopped a death'.

Angry at the police inaction, Jessy sought vigilante justice herself. She enlisted the help of her boyfriend's three elder brothers  and begged them to punish her abuser.

She then texted the rapist and asked him for another bottle of vodka. The trio of teenage boys were waiting to greet him in a remote forest nature reserve.

A commotion ensued. The boys had brought rope and masking tape to conduct what the prosecutor later said was an 'execution'.

The migrant was found hanging dead from a tree a week later, after his family alerted the police to the fact that he was missing.

Court evidence showed that Jessy sent text messages to her friends saying: 'They will meet my rapist. Hahaha.' Another from her phone after the hanging explained: 'He is now dead.'

The three boys were initially convicted of murder. Their 15-year-old younger brother and his girlfriend Jessy were found guilty of aiding and abetting the killing.

It was only after an appeal that the murder convictions were reduced to kidnap and assault charges. One brother, who was 18 and therefore an adult when it happened, is still serving a prison sentence. The younger boys and Jessy are on probation and picking up their lives.

The crime and its cause have divided Sweden.

Some have written on social media that the four boys and the girl 'deserve a medal' for meting out vigilante-style justice after the police failed to act. Others are more sympathetic to the hanged man.

When we spoke to the brothers this week, one admitted: 'We were headstrong. It got out of hand. We did not come to kill him, but to frighten him. To stop him raping any other girl again.

'The prosecutor painted us as '100 per cent monsters',' he added. 'He insinuated that the girl had not really been raped and she was making it up. That was crazy and cruel to her.

'When the migrant died unexpectedly, we were terrified. We checked his pulse but he was already dead.'

The brothers said when they first confronted the rapist in the forest he denied he attacked Jessy, saying they had got the wrong man.

'So, we went through his phone to identify him. On social media, he had porn pictures of children aged between eight and 16,' said one brother.

'When we proved he was the rapist and a paedophile, we tied him up and put the rope around his neck to warn him.

'He was sitting on the ground and he began to panic. He tried to get up and we pulled the rope. We didn't realise how fast you can die from that.

'We felt his pulse and it wasn't there. We nearly called the police. Then we thought we would make it look like a suicide and hung him up from a tree.

'We made a terrible mistake. We realise we took him away from his family and we are sorry for that.'

The brother felt the court had been harsh. 'People who were once friends no longer speak to me, thinking I killed someone,' said the teenager. 'It is very hard to start again.'

One thing the boys are all sure about  and now the courts have agreed  is that they did not commit a murder.

Indeed, many on social media praise the teenage brothers for punishing a migrant rapist.

Others, like their worried mother Claudia Mayor, would agree with the person who wrote on a Swedish website: 'This is tragic on so many levels. That a young, raped girl was not protected by police nor courts and was left to figure out her own form of justice, is so horrific.

'She was utterly failed by our society.'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has had a whirlwind two weeks in the job, winning legions of new fans for her putdowns and earning nicknames such as 'fake news grim reaper' and the 'spinmeister.'

She has appeared in the briefing room twice in the past week and kept up a steady stream of TV appearances.

The result has a slew of headlines complaining that Donald Trump is flooding the media with news, making it hard for factcheckers and opponents to hit back.

Leavitt says there's only one reason for the rapid pace in the White House press shop.

'I think the main driver for doing so much in such a short amount of time is the president's desire to deliver,' she tells DailyMail.com in her West Wing office as she reflects on a busy week in the spotlight.

He told his transition team he planned to sign as much as he could, as fast as he could, she continues, to show that he was going to keep his campaign promises.

'And so we've done a lot,' she says without the slightest hint of an apology. 'I think it's very difficult for the legacy media, especially the cable news folks, to keep up with all we are doing.'

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, is the youngest person to hold the post. She told DailyMail.com that Donald Trump was a president in a hurry

Leavitt arrives for her first briefing as White House press secretary on Tuesday

Her desk is covered with printouts, dotted with handwriting, as she prepares for her second briefing of the week.

She has to be ready to handle anything from follow-ups on the president's claim that diversity hires were behind the Reagan airport disaster, to the latest in Ukraine.

The job is one of the highest profile in the White Housesecond only to the presidentand as the face of the administration every wardrobe change or hair style is subject to intense scrutiny.

On top of that, she was a constant presence at the president's side during his first trip of his second presidency, flying with him on Air Force One to North Carolina, California, Nevada, and Florida over four days.

Grueling enough for anyone, let alone a 27-year-old mother with a six-month-old at home.

A day after flying back into Washington she gave her first White House briefing to the assembled press corps.

And she wasted no time in telling them what she thought of them.

'Americans trust in mass media has fallen to a record low,' she said straight off the top, as she announced plans to bring in new media and the sort of bloggers and podcasters who had been denied access in the past.

Leavitt is married to Nicholas Riccio, a real estate developer. She gave birth to their son in July last year, and was back at work within days after Trump survived assassination attempt

Leavitt with her assistants as she prepares to talk to reporters on the North drive of the White House, just outside the briefing room

Leavitt was at Trump's side during a four-day trip through North Carolina, California, Nevada and Florida. She is seen here as Trump fielded questions from reporters on Air Force One

It was all delivered with the sort of pleasant smile that suggested she was the matron of a home for the demented and the infirm, welcoming the inmates to a tea party.

Yet even the New York Times managed a backhanded compliment, describing her as 'steely and unflinching' in its headline.

And CNN's factchecker called her a 'spinmeister,' as if press secretaries down the ages have not avoided tricky questions or massaged the facts.

Another nickname arrived a day later, during a testy exchange with Good Morning America host Michael Strahan.

He probed her about plans to force federal government workers back into their offices.

'Is there any concern that we risk losing people with years of experience like doctors and let's say, scientists?' he asked.

Leavitt shot back: 'Well most doctors who work in actual hospitals and medical institutions have to show up in the office.'

It was a clear win for the youngest press secretary in history. Her supporters celebrated the victory online and dubbed her the 'fake news grim reaper.'

Video of the exchange went viral on social media, rapidly earning more than three million views.

On Friday she was back in the briefing room to send journalists home with a bunch of headlines. It is all part of a cadence that will see her in front of the media three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, unless the president is doing his own press conference.

Good Morning America host Michael Strahan grilled White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about Donald Trump's move to force federal workers back into the office

Leavitt was back in the briefing room on Friday afternoon. She expects to brief three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

She outlined plans for the Israeli prime minister to visit next week and previewed swingeing new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China at the weekend.

But in a sign of how this administration is light years away from the one that left office two weeks ago, she also had to defend the president's use of an expletive a day earlier.

There was even time to mock the media for their doubt that the Covid virus had leaked from a Chinese laboratory, now that the CIA had decided it was the most likely theory (albeit with a low level of certainty).

'Several years ago, when I was working in this press shop, and President Trump would take to this podium to brief the American people on COVID-19, he suggested that COVID very well may have came from a lab in Wuhan, China, and many members in this very room mocked him for that,' she said.

'Said he was spewing conspiracy theories. He was not. We now know that to be the confirmable truth.'

It was just one of countless barbs she delivered during the second week of the presidency, and her first week taking center stage.

And she told DailyMail.com not to expect any change of pace in the weeks ahead.

'Our team is made up of exceptionally qualified and hard working individuals who are here when the sun is rising and stay until long after the sun has set,' she said.

'And you know, I think we are delivering on what the president promised and doing exactly what the American people expected out of a Trump term.'
Starkly dressed in black and white and photographed in monochrome, Melania Trump appears intent on projecting not only stylishness but power and determination.

That was the common verdict on her official new White House portrait, unveiled this week. The photo was taken on January 21, the day after her husband's inauguration, in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House by Mrs Trump's favourite photographer, the Belgian Regine Mahaux.

It was clearly no accident that it contrasted sharply with the official picture Mahaux took of Melania after the 2017 inauguration. That earlier portrait was in colour, soft-lit and had the former model looking far more approachable with her arms folded and the glimmer of a smile.

This time, Mrs Trump  wearing a Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket, open-necked blouse, and Ralph Lauren cummerbund and trousers  is resting her fingers on a table, with the obelisk of the Washington Monument visible behind her.

This is a First Lady who, accused of being unenthusiastic and out of her depth last time, wants to tell us this time round she means business. If so, she isn't the only one.

US Vogue magazine, which regards itself as the ultimate arbiter in such matters, delivered its own verdict and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour didn't miss the opportunity to re-open a long-running feud with Mrs Trump.

Vogue fashion writer Hannah Jackson, giving her assessment of the First Lady's portrait, was merciless. Wearing a tuxedo rather than a blazer or blouse made her 'look more like a freelance magician than a public servant'.

Ms Jackson continued: 'It's 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 theatrics  even when faced with 248 years of tradition.'

Starkly dressed in black and white and photographed in monochrome, Melania Trump appears intent on projecting not only stylishness but power and determination, writes Tom Leonard

Ms Jackson twists the knife in further by noting that 54-year-old Mrs Trump, whose face in the 2017 photo was 'airbrushed into oblivion', 'regularly sends messages with her clothing choices', mentioning her infamous decision to wear a Zara jacket emblazoned with the words 'I Really Don't Care, Do U?' when she went to visit migrant children held in a Texas detention centre in 2018. (She later insisted she'd been referring to her critics not the children's plight.)

Ms Jackson observed: 'Now, attempting a no-nonsense businesswoman approach in her situationally inappropriate tuxedo, it seems Melania Trump still struggles with sartorial messaging.'

Was this a case of a writer going rogue? Far from it, fashion industry insiders said it was inconceivable Vogue would have lashed out at the incoming First Lady without its long serving and powerful editor-in-chief knowing.

At 75, Ms Wintour is just three years President Trump's junior and has been at the helm of the magazine since 1988. 'Anna approves every single word of that magazine,' a source told the Mail. 'This is Anna saying, 'We have nothing to do with that woman. She is invisible to us'.

'To say anything favourable about Melania would go against everything Anna stands for. She doesn't need to be associated with that regime. Effectively, ['freelance magician'] was dictated by Anna herself.'

Mrs Trump has yet to comment but yesterday Bill White  a friend of Melania, as well as Donald Trump's nominee for US ambassador to Belgium  said: 'We love and adore her. We have cancelled all our subscriptions to Conde NASTY [Vogue is published by Conde Nast]. I encourage everyone who loves America to do the same.'

Social media has also erupted in fury from Trump supporters incensed by the cattiness of the attack. Meanwhile, conservative commentator Todd Starnes lambasted the 'mean girls who run Vogue' and, contrasted the magazine's failure to put Mrs Trump on its cover when she was first in the White House with the endless times it has afforded that honour to prominent Democrat women.

Certainly, given this latest chapter in the feud between the First Lady and the first lady of fashion, it appears ever more unlikely Mrs Trump will appear on the fashion bible cover during her second term.

US Vogue magazine delivered its own verdict on Melania's new portrait and editor-in-chief Anna Wintour didn't miss the opportunity to re-open a long-running feud with Mrs Trump

Given this latest chapter in the feud between the First Lady and the first lady of fashion, it appears ever more unlikely Melania will appear on the fashion bible cover during her second term

But surprising as it sounds, there was a time when Ms Wintour and Vogue courted Melania.

Ms Wintour put her on the cover in 2005 just after she married Trump, a predictably lavish affair at his Mar-a-Lago palace in Palm Beach, Florida, which the fashion queen actually attended.

However, when Trump ran for the presidency in 2016, shrugging off his former Democrat leanings to embrace the Republicans, the couple came to understand why she's nicknamed 'Nuclear Wintour'.

According to Wintour biographer Amy Odell, towards the end of that year, Ms Wintour went to meet Trump at the couple's Manhattan home in Trump Tower and failed to let Mrs Trump know she was coming. Melania was reportedly 'so offended' she 'didn't even say hello' to Ms Wintour.

And while it is often claimed that Ms Wintour snubbed Mrs Trump by making her the only First Lady she refused to put on her front cover, Ms Odell reported that Vogue insisted it actually made two attempts to photograph her 'but in part since they wouldn't guarantee [her] a cover, Melania wouldn't do it'.

Considering Ms Odell also claimed that Ms Wintour was so upset by Trump's 2016 election victory that the famously glacial journalist cried in front of staff the following day, sceptics might wonder how hard Vogue actually tried to get the First Lady back in its pages.

Mrs Trump certainly believed she'd been snubbed, telling Fox News in 2022: 'They're biased and they have likes and dislikes, and it's so obvious.

'It was their decision, and I have much more important things to do  and I did in the White House  than being on the cover of Vogue.'

She put it in rather blunter terms in 2018 in a secretly-recorded conversation with her former aide and friend Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, in which she reportedly said: 'I don't give a f*** about Vogue or any other magazine. They would never put me on the cover.'

Meanwhile, Ms Wintour has been pointedly antagonistic towards Mrs Trump. In 2019 she gave an interview to The Economist in which, asked what she thought of the First Lady's fashion statements, she heaped praise on her predecessor Michelle Obama instead.

And when asked if only Democrat First Ladies graced her front covers, Ms Wintour sniffed: 'I think it's important for Vogue to support women who are leading change in this country.'

In the same year, Ms Wintour was asked about snubbing Melania Trump in a CNN interview.

'Those of us that work at Conde Nast believe that you have to stand up for what you believe in,' she explained.

While some have complained that Vogue should stay out of politics, Ms Wintour ramped up her efforts to root for the Democrats in last year's election.

She held private fundraising parties for Joe Biden and put his wife Jill on the front cover of Vogue's August issue. And just two days after Biden announced he was stepping down, Vogue endorsed Kamala Harris.

Even so, having Mrs Biden wear a 3,900 Ralph Lauren dress and similarly priced earrings for her Vogue photo shoot badly backfired as both Republicans and Democrats mocked the moneyed elitism on display.

Republicans may be counting their blessings, then, that Melania never has had that First Lady front cover.

She, on the other hand, may have discovered this week that there may be one thing worse than being ignored by Vogue  and that's not being ignored.

One suspects  either way  these days she really doesn't care.
The owner of a luxury jewellery shop has denied accusing a salesman of being in on a 1.4million raid hours before he took his own life, a court has heard.

Conor Thornton, co-owner of 247 Kettles on Kew Road, Richmond, was in New York when 70 'high-value' watches were stolen from the store on May 25 last year.

His store manager, Oliver White, 27, was reportedly held in a chokehold and bound with cable ties by two unarmed robbers.

Jurors at Woolwich Crown Court were previously told that Mr White died by suicide 'as a direct result' of the incident.

He was found dead in woodland in Shepperton, Surrey, the following day by a close friend after going missing.

Mannix Pedro, 37, and Junior Kunu, 30, have been charged with conspiring with others to commit robbery.

At least two others said to have been involved are at large - Michael Ashman and Kyle Bowrage.

Mr Thornton and co-owner Joe Riley gave evidence in court on Friday but both stood behind a screen to hide their identities from the defendants.

The court heard that the pair had both been in New York at the time of the raid but flew home immediately.

They arrived on the morning of May 26 last year, a day after the robbery, and quickly arranged two meetings with Mr White.

In a fiery exchange with Kunu's defence lawyer, Tyrone Smith KC, Mr Thornton was questioned about these conversations.

Store manager Oliver White (pictured), 27, was held in a chokehold and bound with cable ties during the raid at 247 Kettles store in Kew Road, Richmond, on May 25 last year

Watch salesman Conor Thornton pictured outside Woolwich Crown Court in London on Friday. He was denied accusing Mr White of being in on the robbery

Oliver White pictured with his girlfriend, Alana Dredge. She described it as their 'last photo together'

Mr Smith asked Mr Thornton: 'Would it be fair to say those meetings did not go very well?

Mr Thornton replied: 'What do you mean not very well?'

'Sometimes, someone has been working in the shop and they are an innocent victim of a robbery,' Mr Smith explained.

'Other people would put their arm around and console them and look after them.

'Were they like that, they weren't were they?

'I'd say they were,' Mr Thornton replied.

Mr Smith then asked: 'Well within a few hours of the meeting, Mr White killed himself didn't he?

'Is it right, people became critical of Mr White?

'No,' Mr Thornton replied.

'Really? This is really important,' Mr Smith said.

'Was it being suggested that this man may have been involved?

Mr Thornton denied this.

'The second meeting took place in the office didn't it?

Watch salesman Joe Riley outside Woolwich Crown Court in London on Friday

More than 70 'high-value' watches were taken and jurors were previously told that Mr White died by suicide 'as a direct result' of the incident

Amy Keane, the mother of Oliver White, pictured outside Woolwich Crown Court

'We have seen the CCTV (of the robbery), it is really good quality, is it right there is no CCTV of that incident that took place on May 26?

'Yes,' Mr Thornton said.

Mr Smith asked: 'Did someone remove the hard drive that covered the shop after the meeting on 26 May shortly before he took his own life?

'Both boxes were replaced after the incident,' replied Mr Thornton.

Mr Smith then asked: 'Who were they replaced by?

'The security consultant,' the shop owner replied.

Mr Smith asked: 'Are you aware nobody has seen the footage of that meeting?'

'No, but I am now,' Mr Thornton replied.

Mr Smith then asked Mr Thornton a barrage of questions about what the co-owners asked Mr White.

These included whether they asked Mr White why he let three men in who 'looked shady', why he had so much stock out and why he didn't call the police sooner.

Mr White confirmed all of these questions had been asked.

Mr Smith then put to Mr Thornton that he suspected Mr White of being involved in an 'inside job'.

He said: 'I would suggest to you that the reason you made the accusations like you did is knowing the watch business like you do, you are at a loss to understand why he acted like he did and the only conclusion you could draw was that this was an inside job, and you told him as much didn't you?'

'No,' said Mr Thornton.

Mr Smith then asked: 'Mr Thornton, did you accuse him of being part of an inside job on 26 May?

'No,' replied Mr Thornton

Mr Smith asked him: 'Did you have anything to do with the events of May 25 in your shop?

Mr Thornton denied this.

Mr Smith asked: 'Did you deliberately absent yourself from the country so you would not be there at the time of events?

Mr Thornton denied this.

The court also heard that Mr Thornton had known Mr White for over ten years and thought of him as a good friend.

Mr White had been working for 247 Kettles full time since the beginning of 2024 in a sales role.

Richmond-based watch dealer 247 Kettles posted this tribute to Oliver on Instagram

The Richmond firm said none of their security procedures were followed during the robbery on Saturday. Pictured: Another look inside their watch showroom

It is alleged that Kunu was one of the two men who robbed the shop, while Pedro planned the raid.

Alleged accomplice Kyle Bowrage had scheduled a meeting with Mr White so that all the timepieces they wanted were available, Woolwich Crown Court heard.

Jurors have seen CCTV of Bowrage putting Mr White in a headlock as he is sitting in an office chair.

Bowrage and another alleged robber Michael Ashman have since fled abroad and are on the run.

Earlier, the court heard 247 Kettles had received a warning from police in February 2024 that it might be at risk of a robbery.

None of the watches stolen in the robbery were insured, despite the business previously being a victim of theft three years earlier, jurors were told.

However, the store was equipped with CCTV, panic buttons, magnetic lock doors, alarms and a smoke system, but the watches were not insured.

Mr Thornton told prosecutor Edward Brown that the reason for the initial lack of insurance was that watches were 'something on the side' and 'so we did not take it seriously'.

When asked why, Mr Thornton said the company could not afford the premiums.

Mr Thornton confirmed that Mr White had been made aware of the risks identified by police.

Kunu, 29, of Mitcham, south London, and Pedro, 37, of Cobham, Surrey, deny conspiracy to commit robbery between February 28, 2024 and 26 May 2024.

The trial continues.
More troubles are being added to Barack Obama's plate amid reports of marriage difficulties - and a possible divorce - with Michelle.

The latest issue deals with his Obama Presidential Center. One of the main firms building the nation's first black president's library is being accused of racial discrimination by one of the project's black-owned local subcontractors.

It's been a rough year for Obama, who sat alone at Jimmy Carter's state funeral and at Donald Trump's second inauguration after wife Michelle broke with tradition and declined to attend.

Her absence revived rumors that the former first couple has or will split up, rumors they are trying to counteract with a united front.

But now the Obama Presidential Center, his long-planned library and community center in Chicago, could face even more delays over the federal lawsuit.

The center has been a struggle for Obama from the start. His library faced a lawsuit over its proposed location, ballooning costs and construction issues, meaning Obama will set a record for the time elapsed between the end of a presidency and the opening of a namesake museum.

Barack and Michelle Obama have faced rumors of a separation - above the couple at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024

Robert McGee, the owner of the South Side-based firm II in One provided concrete and rebar services for the center.

McGee sued New York-based Thornton Tomasetti in federal court this month, asking to be repaid for about $40 million in construction costs.

He claims that Thornton Tomasetti repeatedly changed the project's standards and subjected his company to 'excessively rigorous and unnecessary inspection' and extensive paperwork that 'impacted productivity and resulted in millions in losses,' according to the lawsuit.

And he accused them of 'racial discrimination.'

'In a shocking and disheartening turn of events, the African American owner of a local construction company finds himself and his company on the brink of forced closure because of racial discrimination by the structural engineer of record (Thornton Tomasetti) for the construction of The Obama Presidential Center,' the lawsuit says.

McGee 'never imagined that the Obama Foundation's structural engineer would single out a minority-owned subcontractor for unfair criticism and falsely accuse II in One of lacking sufficient qualifications and experience to perform its work, while, in the same letter, stating that the non-minority-owned contractors were sufficiently qualified,' the lawsuit noted.

Meanwhile, Thornton Tomasetti denied the allegations, sharing in a memo that the construction costs and delays 'were all unequivocally driven by the underperformance and inexperience' of the black-owned subcontractor.

In the February 2024 memo attached to the lawsuit, Thornton Tomasetti shared images of cracked slab and exposed rebar, telling Obama Foundation leadership that the Concrete Collective - which McGee's company was a part of - submitted hundreds of requests to correct its work in the field.

The firm said it spent 'hundreds of hours reviewing, analyzing, re-designing and responding to corrective work,' and that contractors caused 'a multitude of problems in the field.'

McGee, in the lawsuit, slammed back, saying Thornton Tomasetti's criticism, the suit said, was 'unfair' and falsely accused II in One of 'lacking sufficient qualifications,'

Obama Foundation spokeswoman Emily Bittner told the Chicago Tribune: 'If the Foundation believed that any vendor was acting with a racist intent, we would immediately take appropriate action. We have no reason to believe that Thornton Tomasetti acted with racist intent.'

Obama pledged to hire local workers, contractors, and firms owned by minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities to build his five-acre compound, which he envisioned as being a leadership training institute and community center along with a monument to his presidency.

Thornton Tomasetti has been involved in several high-profile public projects including Hudson Yards in Manhattan, New Orleans' Caesars Superdome, Las Vegas's T-Mobile Arena, Chicago's Navy Pier, and the visitor facility at the Washington Monument.

The firm was hired by The Barack Obama Foundation to serve as a structural engineer in the construction of the former president's center.

II in One has worked on projects like Millennium Park, the residential commons on the north campus of the University of Chicago and Kennedy King College.

Obama Presidential Center is reflected in the West Lagoon in Jackson Park in September 2024

Conceptual model of the Obama Presidential Center

The Obama Presidential Center has faced many delays.

It faced legal challenges to its plans to build in Jackson Park, an historic public park.

Obama pushed to have his center - which will be more than a traditional presidential library - built in the historic area, finally winning approval.

Ground was broken in September 2021.

Then, in 2022, construction of the library was halted for several days after a noose was found on site.

The center is being built on Chicago's South Side near the University of Chicago, where Barack Obama taught constitutional law, and just north of the neighborhood where Michelle Obama grew up.

The roughly $700 million campus is expected to include a museum, Obama Foundation offices, a public library and recreational space.

With the delays its budget has ballooned from its proposed $500 million to over $700 million. Obama raised the funds from private donors and his center will be managed by his foundation.

The eventual opening, previously scheduled for 2021 before the challenges arose, is poised to set a modern record for time between a presidency and completion.

Opening is currently scheduled for 2026.

Ronald Reagan's library opened just over 1,000 days after Reagan's last day in office. Bill Clinton's took 1,398 days. Those of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush averaged 1,653 days.

It is likely the Obama center will open more than 3,100 days since he was president.

Former President Barack Obama, second from left, is joined by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, left, former first lady Michelle Obama, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center in September 2021

The last time Barack and Michelle Obama were seen together was in early mid-December, over a month ago, when they stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles (above)

Jennifer Aniston publicly shut down 'absolutely untrue' claims by a US gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship.

Meanwhile, Barack and Michelle Obama seem determined to put on a united front in a bid to combat the rumors surrounding their marriage.

The former president made it clear that he and his wife are a team in a newly shared statement regarding the horrific plane crash in Washington, D.C., on Thursday evening.

While sharing a moving message to the people who lost loved ones in the tragedy, Barack, 63, used terms such as 'our hearts break' and 'Michelle and I send our prayers' - a subtle shut down of the ongoing speculation that they are headed for divorce.

Michelle, 61, re-shared his emotional post to her own account.

It came one day after the couple released another joint statement announcing that The Obama Presidential Center would be honoring Hadiya Pendleton.

Hadiya, an honor roll student, was murdered in 2013 just days after performing with her majorette squad at the second inauguration of Obama. Michelle Obama, then the first lady, attended her funeral.

The last time the pair was seen together was in early mid-December, over a month ago, when they stepped out for dinner in Los Angeles.

Photos from the evening show Michelle smiling at cameras as she headed out of the popular celebrity hotspot Mother Wolf - while her husband trailed behind, with a more serious expression.

Last October, actress Jennifer Aniston publicly shut down 'absolutely untrue' claims by a gossip magazine that she and Barack were in a relationship.

The rumor was compounded by the hosts of a popular pop culture podcast Who? Weekly, who claimed that the Obamas were 'living separate lives' while he and Jennifer were having a full-blown affair.

The Friends star told late night host Jimmy Kimmel: 'I've met him once. I know Michelle more than him.'
The US Army helicopter involved in Wednesday's midair collision with American Airlines flight 5342 had been practicing for the event of an attack on the capital.

Officials have confirmed that the three soldiers, who all perished, had been rehearsing a plan that involves the evacuation of the White House when their Black Hawk collided with the passenger jet just before 9pm on Wednesday night.

Defense sources confirmed the nature of the training exercise to CBS News, after internet sleuths had floated a theory online that it was doing exactly what sources say.

Theorists had flooded social media with claims that the chopper was carrying out an emergency evacuation route for the president as part of a Continuity of Government contingency plan.

A Continuity of Government mission (COG) in the US refers to a set of policies and procedures designed to ensure that essential government functions continue during and after a catastrophic event, such as a nuclear attack, natural disaster, cyberattack, or terrorist incident.

One of the five key aspects of a COG mission is protecting key personnel and infrastructure.

Pilot in charge Chief Warrant Office 2 Andrew Eaves and crew chief Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara were named on Friday as those on board the helicopter.

The third person onboard, a female co-pilot, has remained anonymous as the Army has refused to identify them at the request of the family.

Officials have confirmed that the three soldiers, who all perished, had been rehearsing a plan that involves the evacuation of the White House

The black box recorder from the helicopter, which contains both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data receiver, was found amidst the wreckage on Friday

Military personnel killed in accidents or combat are usually made public 24 hours after their families are notified, making withholding her name very unusual.

'At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time,' the US Army said.

OHara and the co-pilot's bodies have been recovered but Eaves is still in the water along with several of the airline passengers. Relatives are entitled to do this, it is extremely unusual, with the New York Times branding the decision to withhold the name an 'extraordinary step'.

Eaves, left, and O'Hara, right, were both on board the helicopter when it collided with the jet

Why the co-pilot's family requested her name be withheld, and why the US Army acquiesced, is unclear.

She had about 500 hours of flying of experience, which is considered a 'normal' amount, and her 'very experienced' colleagues had about 1,000 hours.

Earlier on Friday, a transgender woman called Jo Ellis was falsely-named as the woman on board the doomed Black Hawk.

She debunked the claim during an exclusive chat with DailyMail.com.

An investigation into what caused Wednesday night's collision with an American Eagle plane carrying 64 people is ongoing.

The two aircraft had collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river

The two aircraft had collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river

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The black box recorder from the helicopter, which contains both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data receiver, was found amidst the wreckage on Friday.

On Thursday night, salvage teams had managed to retrieve both of the black boxes from the American Airlines flight.

Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River below, with all 64 people on the plane and three on the chopper dying as a result.

Ronald Reagan National Airport, where the American Eagle jet was coming into land, also faces questions over air traffic controller shortages despite serving a notoriously-crowded airspace.

On Thursday night it emerged that one controller at the airport had been allowed to go home on the night of the crash, leaving their colleague with a much larger workload.

President Trump has also suggested diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) measures may be to blame for the tragedy, but he has not elaborated on his claim.
The owner of a vicious pit bull was arrested after her dog completely ravaged a man's mouth and ripped off his lips during a brutal attack.

An unsuspecting 43-year-old man and his wife were walking their dog in the 8400 block of Shooter Cove in San Antonio, Texas, when the gory incident occurred on January 28.

Trouble arose when the aggressive pit bull, owned by 39-year-old Veronica Elizabeth Polley, went after the victim's dog, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office (BCSO).

The man, whose identity has not been released, sprung into action and was able to save his dog before the blood-hungry pit bull diverted its attention to him.

The rampant canine allegedly dragged the victim to the ground before mauling his face, the BCSO said.

He was then rushed to the hospital with 'serious facial injuries' to his lips, chin and cheek.

Polley was arrested on Thursday, according to court records. Video from the sheriff's office showed her being escorted from her home by police in handcuffs.

She did not appear to be distraught by the situation.

Veronica Elizabeth Polley, 39, was arrested after her pit bull attacked a man walking his dog with his wife

The 43-year-old victim was able to save his own dog before the pit bull mauled his face and ripped off his lips

Her neighbors told deputies that the grey and white pit involved in Tuesday's incident has acted violently before. Police have reportedly reviewed video evidence that support these claims.

The BCSO told DailyMail.com that on October 31, 2023, they received a call that a grey and white pit bull from Polley's home injured one of her neighbor's small dogs. Police could not say for sure if it was the same pet.

The pit bull was taken into the custody of Bexar County Animal Control. The dog is still in quarantine as of Friday evening, a Bexar County representative told DailyMail.com.

'Were awaiting the court process to play out to determine our next steps,' she explained.

Animal Control found another dog in Polley's home, but did not take it into custody because 'it did not appear to be a threat.'

Polley, who is facing charges related to the attack, is still incarcerated as of Friday evening, a representative from the BCSO told DailyMail.com. Her bond is set at $85,000.

She was appointed an attorney during a court hearing on Thursday and will appear back in court in the coming weeks for an indictment hearing.

Residents of Bexar County expressed their strong reactions to Polley's arrest on social media.

The grey and white pit bull has been taken by Bexar County Animal Control and is in quarantine

'Praying for the victim who was attacked trying to protect his own dog. This is terrible,' one woman said.

Another chimed in: 'If you have a dog (regardless of breed) that can get aggressive, you have a huge responsibility to the community to keep them contained.'

'I hope they sue the hell out of her. His medical bills are going to be extensive,' someone added. 'The poor man is going to need reconstructive surgeries.'

In November 2024, an elderly Boston woman died after her own pit bull mix dog mauled her and attacked two police officers.

Jeriline Brady McGinnis, 74, was brutally attacked by her pet inside her Roxbury home while her husband sustained injuries trying to save her.

When police responded to the gory scene, they discovered a woman in critical condition and her husband with non-fatal injuries, the Boston Police Department told Boston 25 News.

McGinnis was taken to the hospital but died shortly after.

Polley faces charges related to the attack and is still in jail with her bond set at $85,000

Shocking footage of the scene showed the malicious dog attacking and biting two responding officers.

One of them shot the dog three times to stop the attack. Animal control took away the dog that was shot along with three other dogs from the multi-family home.

Due to its injuries, the pit bull mix was taken to an animal hospital and was humanely euthanized with the permission of McGinnis' son.
The legal team of child serial killer Lucy Letby is set to announce 'new medical evidence' from a panel of international experts that they hope could pave the way for a retrial.

Chaired by Conservative MP Sir David Davis, the panel will include retired neonatologist Dr Shoo Lee, who is expected to disclose new analysis at a central London press conference on Tuesday.

The evidence is said to be the unanimous findings of independent analysis by 14 neonatal experts.

Dr Lee was the top paediatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Canada for more than a decade, and founded the Canadian Neonatal Network, which includes 27 hospitals and 16 universities.

Tory former minister Sir David earlier this week used justice questions in the House of Commons to raise concerns on behalf of Letby's legal team who are seeking to reopen her case.

The former nurse's barrister, Mark McDonald, will also be present at the panel.

Letby, from Hereford, was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others, with two attempts on one child, when she worked on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.

After two trials, she is serving 15 whole-life orders, making her only the fourth woman in UK history to be told she will never be released from prison.

The legal team of child serial killer Lucy Letby is set to announce 'new medical evidence' from a panel of international experts that they hope could pave the way for a retrial

Letby, from Hereford, was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murders of seven others, with two attempts on one child, when she worked on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016

Her legal team last month said it would make a fresh bid to challenge her convictions on the grounds that the lead prosecution medical expert at her trial was 'not reliable'.

Mr McDonald said he would seek permission from the Court of Appeal to take the 'exceptional but necessary decision' to apply to reopen her case.

Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans said concerns regarding his evidence were 'unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate'.

Sir David, the MP for Goole and Pocklington, wants a retrial for Letby and said he believes it will 'clear' the former nurse.

A public inquiry examining events at the Countess of Chester Hospital following Letby's multiple convictions was launched, and findings by chairwoman Lady Justice Thirlwall are expected this autumn.

Tory former minister Sir David Davis earlier this week used justice questions in the House of Commons to raise concerns on behalf of Letby's legal team
An air ambulance carrying six people, including a young girl, has crashed in a residential area of Philadelphia causing chaotic scenes on the ground.

The Learjet 55 aircraft departed the Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday evening and been travelling to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before it lost control shortly after takeoff.

Doorbell footage caught the jet hurtling to the ground before exploding in a large fireball after less than a minute in the air.

The Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that there were six people onboard the jet. It is unclear if they managed to eject or were able to escape.

In their initial statement, FAA had originally reported that there was only two people on board.

The jet was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, and according to a statement from them was transporting a young girl who had been receiving treatment.

Four crew members had been onboard the flight, alongside the young girl, who remains unknown, and her mother. They were travelling home to Tijuana, Mexico.

They said: 'At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.

'Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground.'

The plane, a Learjet 55, had been travelling to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri after departing the Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday evening

Emergency services are currently on the scene battling the flames from the collision

Spokesperson Shai Gold told NBC Philadelphia that the company believe nobody onboard survived.

Gold said: 'The patient was sponsored by a third-partner charity to undergo life-saving treatment in the U.S. She did her course of care. She was going home.'

Police sources told CBS that there were several injuries being reported to them on the ground. It is not yet known whether there have been any fatalities.

Emergency services are on the scene battling the flames from the collision.

The aircraft appeared to hit several buildings and cars in the area leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

Shriners Hospitals for Children confirmed that the young girl had been one of their patients.

In a statement, they said: 'The patient had received care from Shriners Childrens Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened.

'Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action.'

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico confirmed that all people onboard were Mexican nationals.

Flightradar data says the plane had reached an altitude of 1,650 feet before reporting a vertical drop of -11,008 fpm.

Officials in the city said that police and fire crews are on the scene, with nearby roads being closed.

The jet was being operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, and according to a statement from them was transporting a 'pediatric patient'

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency are advising locals to stay away from the area.

Mayor Cherelle Parker spoke with reporters but said she was unable to confirm the number of fatalities in the crashed.

Parker also said that houses and cars had been impacted by the crash and urged people to stay inside while crews worked the scene.

CNN obtained audio between the air traffic controller and the plane after the collision, in which the controller asks: 'Medevac med service, northeast tower. Medevac med service, northeast tower. Are you on frequency?'

After a period of silence, the controller is then heard saying: 'We have a lost aircraft.'

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency are advising locals to stay away from the area.

Governor Josh Shapiro posted on X saying: 'I've spoken with @PhillyMayor and my team is in communication with @PhillyPD, @PhilaOEM, and @PhillyFireDept.

'We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly.

'We'll continue to provide updates as more information is available.'

Debris of the aircraft lies on the ground at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker speaks during a news conference following a plane crash in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman also said: 'I've been in contact with @Philly Mayor and awaiting further information on the tragic small plane crash in Northeast Philly.

'For folks in the area, please follow guidance from local officials and police officers.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared a picture of himself to his social media saying he had just briefed President Trump on the incident.

That was before President Trump posted on Truth Social saying; 'So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost.

'Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.'

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. The NTSB will lead the investigation.

A view of the wreckage from a small plane after it crashed in a residential area in Philadelphia

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash

In a 2018 profile of the company by Air Med and Rescue, Jet Rescue is headquartered in Mexico City.

They specialize in 'long-range critical-care air ambulance missions', according to the report.

On their website, they have highlighted several cases where they helped transport newborns with serious health issues.

The crash comes just days after an American Airlines passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter over Washington DC.

All 67 people in both the helicopter and the plane perished in the horrific midair collision.
Ofsted is pushing forward with plans to replace its one-word school scoring system with colour-coded cards that critics have compared to a Nando's spice chart.

The education regulator's chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver is launching a consultation on the new system, which will see schools in England assessed with one or two-word judgments across eight main areas.

Ofsted's colour-coded scorecard will range from 'causing concern' in red to 'exemplary' in dark green, according to the Financial Times.

It will replace the old set-up in which schools were given one-word overall judgments  'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate'.

Some have criticised this system for being too harsh and severely damaging to a school's reputation. An inquest in 2023 into the suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry found that an Ofsted inspection on her primary school had 'contributed' to her death.

Ms Perry, 53, took her own life after Ofsted downgraded Caversham Primary School in Reading from 'outstanding' to 'inadequate'. The review said the regulator's reaction to Ms Perry's suicide was 'defensive and complacent'.

Her sister Julia Waters said 'urgent lessons must be learned' from her death, a message which was echoed by the then education secretary Gillian Keegan.

At the time, Ofsted made some minor changes to reduce the pressure on school heads, such as delaying inspections by a day and developing training for all inspectors on recognising and responding to visible signs of anxiety.

Ofsted's colour-coded scorecard will range from 'causing concern' in red to 'exemplary' in dark green (stock image)

In November, senior figures compared an early version of the proposal to the spice ranking system used by food chain Nando's (stock image)

Ofsted will replace the old set-up in which schools were given one-word overall judgments  'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate' (stock image)

The Labour Government scrapped single-word grading last year following lobbying from teaching unions, which said the system put intense pressure on school staff.

The new scoring system will be the biggest change since Ms Perry's death, but some are still not happy with the proposed colour-coded overhaul.

In November, senior figures compared an early version of the proposal to the spice ranking system used by food chain Nando's.

And now a source said of the updated plan: 'It's still Nando's. It's still lemon and herb, extra hot.' They then predicted that the 'profession's going to go wild when they see these plans'.

They believe the new system will simply add more areas for schools and teachers to receive 'harsh' judgments and that it will be hard for inspectors to make evaluations across all eight areas in one 48-hour visit.

The eight areas are achievement, leadership and governance, curriculum, developing teaching, personal development and wellbeing, attendance, behaviour and attitudes, and inclusion.

The consultation for the plan is expected to begin next week.
A driver has been arrested after a man was killed and two children were rushed to hospital following a deadly collision in Adelaide.

A 48-year-old man is expected to be charged over the death of a 49-year-old man following a fatal crash on Uley Road in Craigmore, in the city's north, on Friday.

His white Holden sedan collided with a black Volkswagen sedan just before 8.30am.

The charges are expected to include cause death by dangerous driving and two counts of cause harm by dangerous driving.

The 49-year-old man in the black Volkswagen died at the scene while his two young passengers were rushed to hospital for treatment for minor injuries.

The 48-year-old man, from Paralowie in Adelaide's north, was granted bail.

He is scheduled to appear in court on March 17.

The 49-year-old's death marks the 12th on South Australian roads in 2025.

A driver has been arrested after a man was killed and two children were rushed to hospital following a deadly collision in Adelaide (a damaged white Holden sedan is pictured)
Lord Mandelson remained in contact with Jeffrey Epstein until at least 2012, emails show.

The new British ambassador to Washington was notoriously pictured shopping with the paedophile financier in 2005 or 2006 in a picture supplied by one of Epstein's 'sex slaves'.

Now newly resurfaced emails suggest Lord Mandelson kept in contact with the disgraced financier for many years. One email revealed in the FCA tribunal case is dated in August 2012.

It is a note Mandelson had sent to banking boss Jes Staley, formerly group chief executive of Barclays, about the 'future of the financial sector', which he also forwarded to Epstein, writing: 'Below is something I forwarded to your boy.'

Mandelson appears to have stayed with Epstein in New York in the same year. Epstein emailed Mr Staley in May 2012: 'Peter Mandelson here at 5  staying a couple of days.'

Lord Mandelson remained in contact with Jeffrey Epstein until at least 2012, emails have revealed

Newly resurfaced emails suggest Lord Mandelson kept in contact with the disgraced financier for many years

Mr Staley replied: 'If I get back in time, I will swing by.'

The photo, showing the Labour grandee sporting a 21,000 Patek Philippe watch and trying on a white leather belt in a fashion boutique, was taken in the US Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned a small private island.

There is no suggestion the peer knew anything of the accusations against his friend, and his spokesman has said: 'Lord Mandelson very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein.

'This connection has been a matter of public record for some time. He never had any kind of professional or business relationship with Epstein in any form.'
Ministers are planning a crackdown on recipients of long-term sickness benefits in a bid to get them back to work.

Hundreds of thousands of benefit claimants could lose up to 5,000 a year under plans being drawn up by ministers.

Earlier this week it was reported that more than 2.4million Britons are receiving incapacity benefits with no requirement to seek work, official figures have revealed.

An analysis by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed a huge surge in the numbers claiming higher rates of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC) in recent years.

In 2018 there were 1.6million people receiving those benefits without a requirement to look for work or prepare for work. This rose to 2.4million in 2023.

Now, Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is thought to be considering introducing tougher conditions on those who are on long-term sickness benefits.

A government source told the Telegraph: 'This Labour Government recognises that many sick and disabled people want to work, given the right support, but are unfairly shut out.

'We will bring forward big reforms that help more people into work, protect the most vulnerable, and boost growth  while putting the benefits bill on a more sustainable footing.'

Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is considering introducing tougher conditions on long-term sickness claimants

More than 2.4million Britons are receiving incapacity benefits with no requirement to seek work. File image

DWP found that around a third of the increase in those on the higher rates of incapacity benefits were due to changes in the welfare system, changes to the state pension age, or because of Britain's ageing population.

But officials acknowledged the majority of the large increase in claimants who don't have a requirement to seek work was not explained by these factors.

Ministers have previously admitted there is a problem with claimants getting 'stuck' on incapacity benefits.

Experts have estimated that existing claimants can be thousands of pounds per year worse off if they move into part-time work - or they can earn more by stopping work and applying for health-related welfare.

The DWP analysis was published as the Government revealed it had breached the welfare cap by 8.6billion.

The welfare cap was introduced in 2014 in a bid to limit the amount spent on certain social security benefits and tax credits, such as disability living allowance, child benefit and pension credit.

The Government has established a new welfare cap for this Parliament and Ms Kendall said DWP will outline a plan to ensure spending is on a 'sustainable path'.

The Conservatives said they had pledged at the general election to reduce welfare spending by 12 billion, adding Labour 'appears to be set on a different course' with a '42 per cent potential increase' in the welfare cap over the next five years.
Aerial footage has captured the chaotic and fiery aftermath of a Pennsylvania street after a small plane carrying six people crashed.

A twin-engine business jet had only just departed from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport seconds before it plummeted to the ground and exploded into a large fireball on Friday evening.

United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that there had been six people onboard the jet, which was a Learjet 55.

The aftermath of the catastrophe was captured on harrowing drone footage, which showed the chaotic scenes on the ground.

In the one-minute video shared to X, the busy street lined with homes and businesses was completely engulfed in massive, bright-orange flames.

Thick, dark plumes of smoke were seen saturating the sky above as dozens of fires continued to ravage the road below.

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides.

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were also captured ablaze as well as several cars parked along the street.

Horrific aerial footage captured the chaotic and fiery aftermath of a residential street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after a small plane carrying six people crashed and exploded

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides

A pilot, a copilot, a doctor, a paramedic, a pediatric patient and the patient's mother were all onboard the aircraft, which was a 'high performance' medical jet

The lit-up debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the neighborhood.

According to CBS, the debris reached as far away as Tyson Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

The fiery disaster was also captured on doorbell footage, which showed two unsuspecting people leaving their home.

Just seconds into the clip, a white orb is seen picking up speed before a bright light filled the sky - sending the witnesses into a bout of full-fledged terror.

The people in the video were heard letting out gut-wrenching screams as they rushed back inside to shield themselves from the disastrous wreck.

The blaring explosion, which sounded like shattering glass, was followed by an orange tint filling the sky above.

Around 6.07pm, the plane had just left the airstrip of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport to begin its travels to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The plane, which was a Learjet 55, had been travelling to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri after departing the Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday evening and crashed just minutes after takeoff

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were also captured ablaze as well as several cars parked along the street

Tragedy struck less than five minutes later when the plane lost control. Officials received their first call at 6.12pm informing them of the catastrophe.

Neighbors in the area told CBS that their homes shook when the plane went down.

A pilot, a copilot, a doctor, a paramedic, a pediatric patient and the patient's mother were all onboard the aircraft, according to NBC.

The pediatric patient was a girl who had just received care for a life-threatening illness in the United States and was returning to Tijuana, Mexico.

'All I can say is, the patient was sponsored by a third-partner charity to undergo life-saving treatment in the US,' Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told NBC.

'She did her course of care. She was going home,' he added. 'She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home.'

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance does not believe that anyone on the jet had survived the impact.

The cause of the accident is still unclear but described as extremely unusual, especially if the plane, which is considered a 'high performance' jet, was cleared to takeoff.

Debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the residential neighborhood

Neighbors said that they felt their homes shake when the plane went down

'It is very reliable,' Todd Sheridan Yeary, a former FAA air traffic controller, told NBC. 'It is very unusual to see what we've just witnessed.'

'Something happened rather catastrophically after the aircraft lifted off,' he said. 'We don't know exactly what that is.'

Air temperature around the time of the atrocity was 49 degrees accompanied with light rain, some fog and a wind gust of 30mph, according to National Weather Service data for Philadelphia.

Residents in the area were alerted that roads were closed near the mall. They were also warned to stay away from the flames and close their windows.
Iran has allegedly been covertly creating nuclear weapons with a 1,800-mile radius that could reach Europe based on designs created by North Korea.

The designed given to the Islamic regime by the authoritarian country reveal the middle-eastern state has been developing the nuclear missiles.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) revealed the details of how the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are growing their warhead programme, The Telegraph reports.

They have said two sites have been disguised as communication satellite launch facilities, but are being utilised to expedite the manufacture of the missiles.

It is believed they are controlled by Iran's nuclear weapons division - the Organisation for Advanced Defence Research (SPND).

Soona Samsami, a US representative of the NCRI told the publications that the Iranian group were 'masters of lies, deception and evasion.'

'For over two decades, they have used negotiations and the West's leniency as a means to advance their nuclear weapons programme, threatening global peace and stability,' she said.

'Tehran has never been as weak and vulnerable as it is today. The desperate Iranian regime is thus speeding up the development of nuclear weapons.

Iran has allegedly been covertly creating nuclear weapons with a 1,800-mile radius that could reach Europe according to designs created by North Korea

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)'s on 24 January 2025 shows soldiers firing anti-aircraft artillery during a military exercise in the Persian Gulf, southern Iran

'Now is the time to hold the regime accountable for internal killings, regional warmongering, and nuclear weapons development,' she added.

Around 22 miles away from the Iranian city of Shahrud, the first warhead base is located.

Here experts from the SPND and IRGC Aerospace Force have been working on a nuclear missile which would be able to travel 1,800 miles in a Ghaem-100 rocket.

Being able to transport such artillery in a fuelled rocket would permit Iran to target areas into Europe with countries such as Greece or its enemy state Israel withing range.

According to the Telegraph, there have been three successful rocket launches thus far, with test for the more advanced Ghaem-105 rocket set to happen over the next few months.

Past tests were carried out in the guise of being satellite launches in a bid to secretly carry out the trial, the NCRI have said.

Image taken by Google Earth show a concrete platform used in the experiments, with buildings nearby thought to be used for related research.

IRGC carrying out a military exercise in the Persian Gult, southern Iran on January 24, 2025

Another site is located around 43 miles southeast the city of Semnan is being used to produced Simorgh missiles inspired North Korean designs - similar to their 18-metre tall UNHA-1 rocket.

A large portion of the area are located beneath the ground to hide any work being done from intelligence surveillance, with the base slowly growing since 2005 as six new constructions being built in the last ten years.

To conceal the site further, the regime have called the location - the Imam Khomini site - as an ode to the country's space governing body, but are instead carrying out warhead tests.

Pictures distributed by the NCRI showcase a large area of the ground of the northeastern part of the base being dug out in 2019, with concrete foundations spotted being placed afterwards.

Other snaps from seven years prior show the structure showered with dirt.

The NCRI claim the SPNDs have seen an increase in the subterranean explosions from missile productions being monitores.

Press were once allowed to go to the site, where they saw IRGC soldiers sporting normal clothing, but only emerged with a few photos after images were taken by those working for the regime

Both locations have been are military bases and follow security regulations to avoid guests finding out the work being carried out at the sites.

Staff are said to come to the outer gate several miles away from the main site in private vehicles from several surrounding cities including Tehran.

After passing the checkpoint, workers are then ushered in via bus by the IRGC to as an extra layer to their maximum security procedures.
Tony Abbott has slammed the 'shocking failure' of Anthony Albanese's leadership after it emerged he was kept in the dark about a foiled terrorist plot for nine days.

It's been revealed that Mr Albanese found out about a caravan laden with explosives in Dural - a suspected terror plot against Sydney's Jewish community - on the same day as the public.

Police found the caravan on January 19 and NSW Premier Chris Minns was briefed on January 20 - but Mr Albanese wasn't told until January 29, the same day police leaked the story to the media.

When Mr Minns and Mr Albanese stood side-by-side at a January 21 press conference about the antisemitic firebombing of a Sydney daycare centre, Mr Minns was aware that a potential mass casualty terror plot had been foiled.

But the prime minister had no idea.

Mr Abbott, who also held the top job from 2013 to 2015, described the oversight as a 'shocking failure of leadership extending right to the top'.

'It's hard to credit that NSW police would uncover enough explosives to kill hundreds of people in a caravan belonging to anti-Semitic activists with indications that it was intended to kill Jews and that no one would bother to tell the PM,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'Either the authorities aren't taking public safety seriously or they know the PM doesn't take it sufficiently seriously so decided that he should be left out of the loop.'

Tony Abbott (pictured) has slammed the 'shocking failure' of Anthony Albanese's leadership after it emerged he was kept in the dark about a foiled terrorist plot for nine days

Police found the caravan on January 19 and NSW Premier Chris Minns was briefed on January 20 - but Mr Albanese wasn't told until January 29 (pictured is the police operation)

Mr Albanese had on Friday became agitated while speaking to reporters, refusing to say when he had first been told about the foiled plot.

'What's correct protocol is making sure that we don't speak about operational matters,' he said.

The revelation of Mr Albanese's nine-day ignorance of the terror plot, comes as a man is charged over yet another alleged anti-Semitic graffiti incident in Sydney's east.

NSW Police allegedly caught and arrested a man in the act of scrawling Nazi symbols on a wall on Anzac Parade, Kingsford, on Friday afternoon.

The multi-agency investigation into the caravan has now spread to Queensland, it was revealed on Saturday.

Queensland Police have confirmed they are supporting the multi-agency probe that began in NSW when the caravan was first discovered on January 19.

'The Queensland Police Service, Security and Counter Terrorism Command remains engaged and supporting the New South Wales investigation with all necessary resources,' a spokesperson said.

Police are still hunting for the ringleaders who may have recruited two people in the suspected anti-Semitic terror plot.

Mr Albanese found out about a caravan laden with explosives in Dural - a suspected terror plot against Sydney's Jewish community - on the same day as the public

Tammie Farrugia and her boyfriend Scott Marshall are in custody charged with unrelated offences, with police saying their arrests were made on the 'periphery' of the caravan case

Tammie Farrugia and her boyfriend Scott Marshall are in custody charged with unrelated offences, with police saying their arrests were made on the 'periphery' of the case.

The couple had posted on Facebook last month seeking a caravan.

Farrugia and Marshall have not been charged in relation to the caravan and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. But it's understood terrorism police are probing whether the couple have ties to bikie gangs or white supremacist groups.

Farrugia was arrested over an alleged anti-Semitic attack at Woollahra, in Sydney's east, in December, while Marshall was charged late last year with weapons and drug offences to which he has pleaded not guilty.

They do not appear to have any history of extremist ideology, which might support Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw's warning that overseas actors could be paying petty criminals to carry out anti-Semitic attacks.
The tomb of the late French Far-Right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen has been 'smashed into little pieces.'

It was attacked in the early hours of Friday morning - just two weeks after he was buried in his home village of La Trinite-sur-Mer, Brittany.

This was despite the local prefecture saying the Catholic church cemetery in which it was situated was under 'constant surveillance'.

Authorities in the Brittany region of western France said they were informed of the damage and police were investigating.

Mr Le Pen, who founded the Front National (National Front) party before it became the National Rally, died on January 7, at the age of 96.

His extremist politics earned him convictions for crimes including Holocaust denial and spreading racial hatred.

But political leaders denounced the desecration of his final resting place as 'barbaric'.

It was set upon with at least one sledgehammer and 'smashed into little pieces,' said National Rally MEP Gilles Pennelle.

The tomb of the late French Far-Right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen was 'smashed into little pieces' by vandals on Friday morning

The attack on the grave came just two weeks after Le Pen was buried in his home village of La Trinite-sur-Mer, Brittany

Authorities in the Brittany region of western France said they were informed of the damage and police were investigating

Jean-Marie Le Pen, France's National Front political party founder, embraces his daughter Marine Le Pen in 2013. He died on January 7, at the age of 96

'The cross on the grave was broken into several pieces,' he said. 'A large tool was used to destroy the Le Pen family's tombstones.

'This significant degradation was carried out by a person who respects neither the dead nor the living. This was a real ransacking,' Mr Pennelle added.

Bruno Retailleau, France' s Interior Minister, wrote on X: 'The degradation of the Le Pen family tomb in La Trinite is an absolute abjection.

'Respect for the dead is what distinguishes civilization from barbarism.'

Brittany authorities said in a statement that 'given the political sensitivity', the cemetery had been the focus of stepped-up police surveillance in the days immediately before and after Mr Le Pen's burial on January 11.

But the security was subsequently scaled down, the statement added.

Mr Retailleau confirmed that local gendarmes had launched a criminal investigation, and that surveillance would be stepped up.

Jordan Bardella, leader of the National Rally, denounced 'an unspeakable act, committed by those who respect neither the living nor the dead.'

The vandalism occurred despite the local prefecture saying the Catholic church cemetery in which it was situated was under 'constant surveillance'

Political leaders denounced the desecration of Le Pen's final resting place as 'barbaric'

The grave was set upon with at least one sledgehammer and 'smashed into little pieces,' said National Rally MEP Gilles Pennelle

A photograph shows the grave prior to the vandalism on Friday, which is being investigated

He added: 'I hope that they will be found and severely punished by the judiciary.'

A spokesman for the local Morbihan prefecture said: 'Given the exceptional nature of today's event, the Morbihan gendarmerie will reactivate surveillance of the site with alternating static and dynamic patrols.'

Mr Le Pen rests under a simple grey marble plaque engraved with only his first name and the dates of his birth and death, in accordance with his wishes expressed during his lifetime.

His daughter, Marine Le Pen, changed the name of the family party in 2018, in an attempt to move it away from extremism.

She slung her father out of the party for his anti-Semitic views in 2015. But the pair had reconciled in recent years.

Those who helped found it with Mr Le Pen in 1972 included former Nazi collaborators.

Like her father, she has been runner up in presidential elections, but is currently waiting the verdict on an embezzlement trial that could see her imprisoned and barred from standing from public office.

Mr Le Pen's extreme views won him staunch supporters but also widespread condemnation.

National Rally deputy Le Pen - the youngest of Jean-Marie's three daughters - sobbed outside the Val-de-Grace church at her father's funeral earlier this month

Supporters gathered outside a memorial service for Le Pen in Paris on January 16

Marine Le Pen was comforted my a fellow mourner outside the memorial service in Paris

He repeatedly denied the Holocaust and was convicted multiple times of antisemitism, discrimination and inciting racial violence.

Mr Le Pen made Islam and Muslim immigrants his primary targets, blaming them for economic and social woes in France.

Street parties had erupted in some French cities including Paris after Le Pen's death was announced, prompting right-wing Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to warn against 'dancing on a corpse'.

After burying her father alongside her sisters Marie-Caroline and Yann at the cemetery in La Trinite-sur-Mer, Marine Le Pen said she would 'never forgive' herself for expelling her father from the party.

'This decision was one of the most difficult of my life. And until the end of my life, I will always ask myself the question: 'Could I have done this differently?'', she said
Sir Tony Blair has called for the roll out of digital IDs and live facial recognition cameras to crack down on illegal immigration and crime.

The government must 'reorder' itself around the AI revolution and get behind new technology to make the country more efficient, the former prime minister said.

In an interview with The Times, he said he believed the public would be willing to sacrifice some privacy to take back control of immigration, crime and benefit fraud.

Among the applications for digital ID could be processing the 'vast flow of people coming through our borders', he said.

Sir Tony added that identifying people for medical treatment and finding out whether migrants are 'not entitled to be here' to prevent them claiming benefits were among the things it could be used for.

'It's sending a signal that there's no point in thinking you're going to come here and disappear into a kind of grey economy,' he said.

Bringing in digital IDs will help ministers get tough on populism, he also suggested.

'It will also flush out a lot of people who want to talk about issues like immigration or benefit fraud but don't actually will the means to get to the end,' Sir Tony said.

Sir Tony Blair has called for the roll out of digital IDs and live facial recognition cameras to crack down on illegal immigration and crime .

Among the applications for digital ID could be processing the 'vast flow of people coming through our borders', Sir Tony said (file photo)

Sir Keir Starmer, the first Labour leader since Sir Tony to have won a general election, has promised to embrace the technology and turn the UK into an 'AI superpower'.

His predecessor's think tank, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, is thought to be influential upon the Government.

'You've got to reorder the Government around this technology revolution,' Sir Tony told The Times newspaper.

He added: 'You should be able to have a state that is smaller, more strategic and providing greater efficiency at lower cost.

'That is the holy grail of governing, which people have always aspired to. Technology is the instrument that allows you to do it.'

Sir Keir must also 'take a firm decision that we're going for digital ID', the ex-PM said.

Ministers are already launching a digital 'wallet' which will allow people to store driving licences and other forms of ID on their smartphones.

Sir Tony has suggested the introduction of facial recognition cameras -despite privacy concerns

Sir Keir Starmer, the first Labour leader since Sir Tony to have won a general election, has promised to embrace the technology and turn the UK into an 'AI superpower

Science Secretary Peter Kyle has said 'nothing is off the table' in terms of what digital versions of Government-issued documents could be stored in the new app, which is launching in June.

But Sir Tony said ministers must go further, telling The Times the Government must be prepared for a 'big debate coming down the line' on the future on digital ID.

He added: 'This is is the political argument people should have - which is: how much privacy are you prepared to trade for efficiency? That's the real question around technology and public services.

'My view is that people are actually prepared to trade quite a lot.'
A young pediatric patient who had just undergone life-saving medical treatment in the US was heading home to Mexico on the Learjet 55 air ambulance that crashed in a fiery explosion in northeast Philadelphia on Friday night.

The aircraft, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, was bound for Tijuana, Mexico with a stop at Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The plane had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport when it plummeted into a densely populated area killing six.

The crash site, near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, quickly became engulfed in flames, with buildings and vehicles caught in the inferno.

Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, confirmed the heartbreaking news, stating how the young girl had fought tirelessly to survive her illness.

'She did her course of care. She was going home,' Gold said. 'She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home.'

On board the ill-fated flight were the girl's mother, a pilot, a co-pilot, a doctor, and a paramedic, each of whom had dedicated themselves to ensuring the child's safe return. But in a cruel twist of fate, the journey ended in disaster.

The Learjet 55, often used for critical medical transport, is a lifeline for patients like the young girl who was onboard.

The girl was a patient of Shriners Children's Philadelphia, the hospital confirmed.

A young pediatric patient who had just undergone life-saving medical treatment in the U.S. was onboard the Learjet 55 air ambulance that crashed in a fiery explosion in northeast Philadelphia

The plane had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport when it plummeted into a densely populated neighborhood killing six

Thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the air following the fiery crash

With sponsorship from a third party charity, the girls had traveled to the U.S. for urgent medical care that had given her another chance at life.

'Shriners Children's is heartbroken to confirm that one of our pediatric patients and the child's mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia this evening,' the facility said in a statement.

'The patient had received care from Shriners Children's Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened. Because of patient privacy concerns, we cannot say any more about the patient and her family at this time.'

The aftermath of the catastrophe was captured on harrowing drone footage, which showed the chaotic scenes on the ground.

In a one-minute video shared to X, the busy street lined with homes and businesses was completely engulfed in massive, bright-orange flames.

Thick, dark plumes of smoke were seen saturating the sky above as dozens of fires continued to ravage the road below.

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides.

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were also captured ablaze as well as several cars parked along the street.

The lit-up debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the neighborhood.

The fiery disaster was also captured on doorbell footage, which showed two unsuspecting people leaving their home.

Just seconds into the clip, a white orb is seen picking up speed before a bright light filled the sky - sending the witnesses into a bout of full-fledged terror.

The people in the video were heard letting out gut-wrenching screams as they rushed back inside to shield themselves from the disastrous wreck.

The blaring explosion, which sounded like shattering glass, was followed by an orange tint filling the sky above.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The devastation was immediate, with first responders racing to the scene near Roosevelt Mall as plumes of smoke filled the evening sky.

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management declared a 'major incident' and urged residents to avoid the area as firefighters battled the intense flames.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed his condolences on social media, assuring the public that all necessary resources were being deployed.

'We are offering all resources as emergency services respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly,' he wrote. 'We'll continue to provide updates as more information is available.'

The crash comes just days after another catastrophic air disaster, in which a passenger jet and military helicopter collided off Washington's Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people - the deadliest aviation accident in the United States in nearly 25 years.
Terrifying footage has captured the moment an out-of-control car swerved off the road and ploughed into a house in western Sydney.

A 29-year-old man lost control of his white hatchback and slammed through the front of the home on Whitford Road, Hinchinbrook, about 7.30pm on Friday.

The man and his passenger, a 29-year-old woman, were uninjured in the crash and the home's occupants were also miraculously left unscathed.

NSW Police are investigating the crash which was caught on neighbourhood CCTV.

Screeching tires can be heard in the video, which shows the white hatchback being followed closely by a white ute.

The hatchback swerves off the road and smashes into the one-storey brick house, while the ute, and then another car, continue driving.

Screams from residents can be heard and a neighbour is seen running to the aid of the crashed vehicle.

The hatchback left a huge hole in the brick facade of the home.

Screeching tires can be heard in the video, which shows a white hatchback being followed closely by a ute

The hatchback swerves off the road and smashes into a one-story brick house, while the ute, and then another car, appear to carry on driving

The male driver and his female passenger, both 29, were uninjured in the crash, and the home's occupants were also left unscathed

The hatchback made a huge hole in the home's brick facade and emergency crews could be seen removing it on Friday night in an operation that took hours

It took emergency crews several hours to remove the car on Friday night.

A neighbour from across the street, Engin Kara, said drivers often speed on Whitford Road and accidents are frequent.

'I live here and drive down this street every day for work, and every second day or something you see a fence knocked down for some reason  a car's gone through an intersection and into a house,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'There is no one that does 50km/hour down this road. It's always fast, fast, fast.'

He claimed a car had ploughed into the same property five or six years ago.

Mr Kara's daughter witnessed the crash, and said she heard a 'really loud bang' before the driver and passenger 'came out after in shock'.

'The (house owners) came out, thankfully fine too, they weren't in the room when it happened,' she said.

Officers attached to Liverpool City Police Area Command have launched an investigation into the crash.
READ MORE: Very surprising ways MAFS bride appeared in the media

The 'social enterprise' business helmed by a participant on the reality TV juggernaut Married at First Sight has debts of nearly half a million dollars, including unpaid superannuation to its employees.

Documents from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) show Wild The Lifestyle Co Pty Ltd - directed by Katie Johnston - was placed into liquidation on June 28 last year.

Ms Johnston, 37, described her job on Tuesday night's episode as being 'CEO of a social enterprise group of restaurants - we split our profits helping others who are doing it tough and help them with emergency food and emergency housing'.

The group known as EATS has a number of restaurants in southeast Queensland and Wild the Lifestyle Co was the business responsible for two Sunshine Coast locations at Eumundi and Sunshine Plaza.

Ms Johnston is not accused of any wrongdoing and EATS, which stands for Empowering All Through Support, is still operating despite the collapse of Wild the Lifestyle Co business.

According to the liquidator's report, the company owed $493,927 when it collapsed.

Unpaid superannuation accounted for $150,709, while $190,980 was owed to the tax office, and $141,174 was owed to Mercedes Benz Financial Services relating to loans for two cars - a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE300D and a 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC200.

Following the liquidation EATS Eumundi was sold to the company EATS Nambour Pty Ltd, also owned by Ms Johnston, while EATS Sunshine Plaza closed its doors.

MAFS bride Katie Johnston (pictured) described herself on the show as the CEO of a 'social enterprise' restaurant group called Wild The Lifestyle Co Pty Ltd

A company run by Ms Johnston as part of her group collapsed owing nearly half a million dollars (one of its venues at Eumundi on the Sunshine Coast is pictured)

Ms Johnston said she intended to repay the money.

'The repayment plan is in place and being maintained. Covid ruined a lot of businesses and continues to ruin people's lives as we struggle with cost of living and mass business closures,' Ms Johnston told The Sunshine Coast Daily.

The group still operates restaurants at Carindale, Kawana and Pacific Fair along with the Eumundi location.

Among the causes it donates money to are poverty stricken communities in Peru.

Ms Johnston was a finalist in the 2021 Young Business Woman of the Year Awards held by the Sunshine Coast Women's Business Network.

A year earlier in 2020, Katie revealed her devastation after discovering her Sunshine Coast restaurant had been robbed during Covid lockdowns, with thieves making off with iPads and cash.

And two years prior, Katie bravely penned an open letter in the local newspaper about bullies on Noosa's beaches, who had targeted her with hurtful comments, which received overwhelming public support.

She has been paired on MAFS this year with Tim Gromie.

The group still runs other locations and Ms Johnston said there was a repayment plan in place

He has been quick to establish himself as one of the shows 'villains' after a bizarre text he sent to a former MAFS participant was revealed.

He also complained to a producer he wanted to be matched with someone 'petite and blonde'.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Johnston's PR for comment.
The Federal Aviation Administration turned away 1,000 air traffic controller applicants due to its DEI policies despite a staff shortage, according to a lawsuit.

Complaints over the FAA's hiring policies have resurfaced after American Airlines flight 5342 collided in midair with a helicopter over Washington DC, killing 67.

In a suit filed in 2015, lead plaintiff Andrew Brigida, 35, claims the agency's obsession with DEI hiring was a catalyst in ensuring an accident was likely to happen - and reiterated this in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday.

The FAA dropped a skills-based system for hiring air traffic controllers and instead based it on a 'biographical assessment' under the Obama administration.

Brigida, who is white, alleged that he was discriminated against based purely on his race and was the reason his application was knocked back.

The Arizona state graduate was turned down for a job with the agency even though he had passed his training exam with full marks, the suit claims.

The FAA has struggled in recent years with staffing issues following pandemic-era layoffs and has yet to fully recover.

The lawsuit only compounds mounting criticism on the agency, especially after President Trump blamed DEI hiring policies on the cause of Wednesday's crash.

Andrew Brigida, 35, claims the agency's obsession with DEI hiring was a catalyst in ensuring an accident was likely to happen

Complaints over the FAA's hiring policies have resurfaced after American Airlines flight 5342 collided in midair with a helicopter over Washington DC , killing 67 people

Brigida, who now works for the agency as a program manager, told The Telegraph that years of diversity hiring meant it was just a matter of time before a major accident happened.

He said: 'You want to hire the best and the brightest for this kind of job because it is a very stressful job and it can take a toll on you, age you prematurely. You want to make sure that the people that are doing it are the best.'

Brigida added: '[Trump] obviously sees the issue at hand and if he didnt, Im sure people that work in the Department of Transportation and the FAA informed him that there is an issue with staffing and air traffic control and Im hoping they can work on it immediately.'

In Trump's first term, lawyers for the Federal Transportation Department argued to throw out Brigida's case.

They said that deciding to open up applications for more diverse candidates isn't solid enough grounds to file a discrimination suit.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act stops employers from discriminating on 'race, color, religion, sex and national origin'.

In a 2020 motion filed by the government, they said: 'An employer's decision to broaden the pool of potential applicants between rounds of hiring is not a personnel action cognizable under Title VII.'

They added that Brigida can't claim discrimination just because the new system no longer benefitted him.

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They wrote: 'Accordingly, even if Plaintiffs would have had an advantage if they applied under the old hiring process, Title VII does not give them a claim to seek to preserve that advantage.

'Instead, Plaintiffs must show that the hiring process in which they actually participated discriminated against them on the basis of some protected characteristic.'

His lawsuit against the FAA is still ongoing, with the agency and Department of Transport due back in court next year to fight it.

Following the horrifying scenes on Wednesday night, it has since emerged that there was staffing issues inside the control tower of Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The FAA have found in their preliminary report that it was 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

On Wednesday, an air traffic controller was left to handle both helicopter traffic and manage planes - which should have been a divided duty - according to The New York Times.

Those tasks are usually handled between two people from 10am until 9:30pm, according to the report.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

After 9:30pm the duties are typically combined and left to one person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor reportedly decided to combine those duties before the scheduled cutoff time however, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

Reagan National has been understaffed for many years, with just 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The situation appeared to have improved since then, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is nothing new, with well-known causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

In order to fill the gaps, controllers are frequently asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.
Haunting video footage has captured fiery debris raining down on a terrified child who was inside of a Dunkin' Donuts with his father at the time of the Pennsylvania plane crash.

'We heard a loud boom, came out, and everything looked destroyed,' the father, who wishes to remain unnamed, told DailyMail.com. 'Nobody knew what was going on.'

An air ambulance carrying six people, including a young girl, plummeted to the ground after less than a minute in the air and exploded into a massive fireball in a residential area of Philadelphia Friday evening.

The horrific crash caused chaotic scenes on the ground, including at a nearby Dunkin' where a father and his young son were at the time of the catastrophe.

After hearing a deafening roar, the pair walked out to a complete apocalyptic-like scene with no idea as to what just happened.

'We came out and it didn't look anything like it did when we went in,' the father said.

The nightmare just outside the doors was captured on shocking video footage, which showed small fires scattered around the parking lot and debris saturating every inch of the ground.

Blood-curdling screams can be heard from the young child, who appeared to be in absolute terror as he looked around at the aftermath.

Haunting video footage captured a father and son walking out of a Dunkin' Donuts to a completely apocalyptic-type scene after the Pennsylvania plane crash Friday evening

The video footage captured sporadic balls of fire scattered around the parking lot and debris saturating every inch of the ground

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were captured on a separate video on fire along with several cars parked along the busy street

'Lets go! Let's go!' the child can be heard screaming in tears.

The father told DailyMail.com that his son was completely shaken up. 'He didn't really know what was going on. Nobody really knew.'

Car horns were heard blaring for the entirety of the video as vehicles parked just outside the Dunkin' were littered with ash and debris.

Another man with two children were captured on video as they attempted to step over the sporadic flames on the ground to get into their own car.

The sky above was seen illuminated with a bright-orange glow as flames were seemingly roaring in the background of every angle.

'The fire went pretty far,' the father said. 'One direction of the road was completely on fire, the other direction wasn't. We got out of there as soon as we could.'

Around 6.07pm, the plane, which was a Learjet 55, had just left the airstrip of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport to begin its travels to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

Tragedy struck less than five minutes later when the plane lost control. Officials received their first call at 6.12pm informing them of the catastrophe.

A young pediatric patient who had just undergone life-saving medical treatment in the U.S. was onboard the Learjet 55 air ambulance that crashed in a fiery explosion in northeast Philadelphia

Debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the residential neighborhood

The father who captured the video outside Dunkin' told DailyMail.com that after they heard a deafening boom and went outside, everything around them was completely destroyed

Flightradar data says the plane had reached an altitude of 1,650 feet before reporting a vertical drop of -11,008 fpm.

Officials in the city said that police and fire crews are on the scene, with nearby roads being closed.

The aftermath of the catastrophe was also captured on harrowing drone footage, which showed the chaotic scenes on the ground.

In the one-minute video shared to X, the busy street lined with homes and businesses was completely engulfed in massive, bright-orange flames.

Thick, dark plumes of smoke were seen saturating the sky above as dozens of fires continued to ravage the road below.

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides.

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were also captured ablaze as well as several cars parked along the street.

The lit-up debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the neighborhood.

Several homes went ablaze following the horrific crash

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance does not believe that anyone on the jet had survived the impact

According to CBS, the debris reached as far away as Tyson Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

The fiery disaster was also captured on doorbell footage, which showed two unsuspecting people leaving their home.

Just seconds into the clip, a white orb is seen picking up speed before a bright light filled the sky - sending the witnesses into a bout of full-fledged terror.

The people in the video were heard letting out gut-wrenching screams as they rushed back inside to shield themselves from the disastrous wreck.

The blaring explosion, which sounded like shattering glass, was followed by an orange tint filling the sky above.

United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that there had been six people onboard the jet.

A pilot, a copilot, a doctor, a paramedic, a pediatric patient and the patient's mother were all passengers of the aircraft, according to NBC.

The pediatric patient was a girl who had just received care for a life-threatening illness in the United States and was returning to Tijuana, Mexico.

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames in drone footage as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides

'All I can say is, the patient was sponsored by a third-partner charity to undergo life-saving treatment in the US,' Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told NBC.

'She did her course of care. She was going home,' he added. 'She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home.'

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance does not believe that anyone on the jet had survived the impact.

The cause of the accident is still unclear but described as extremely unusual, especially if the plane, which is considered a 'high performance' jet, was cleared to takeoff.

'It is very reliable,' Todd Sheridan Yeary, a former FAA air traffic controller, told NBC. 'It is very unusual to see what we've just witnessed.'

'Something happened rather catastrophically after the aircraft lifted off,' he said. 'We don't know exactly what that is.'

The crash comes just days after another catastrophic air disaster, in which a passenger jet and military helicopter collided off Washington's Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people - the deadliest aviation accident in the United States in nearly 25 years.
Hedge funds are making a multi-billion-dollar gamble against the US economy, betting Donald Trump's presidency will result in a massive market crash that could devastate 401(k)s, pensions, and household savings across America.

Data from Goldman Sachs has sent shockwaves through financial circles, revealing a dramatic surge in 'short' positions against US stocks - a move that signals a belief the market is headed for a precipitous crash.

Throughout January, investors placed 10 times more bets on American stocks falling than on their continued rise, a staggering shift that reflects growing unease over Wall Street's future under Trump's leadership.

The timing of such financial revolt is no coincidence and comes just as the world witnessed a $600 billion wipeout in major US tech stocks earlier this week, driven by fears over Chinese AI rival DeepSeek, which disrupted the once-unshakable dominance of America's technology sector.

The Magnificent Seven - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla all suffered massive losses, leaving investors scrambling for answers.

The latest hedge fund moves mark a staggering reversal from just two months ago when Wall Street billionaires were pouring money into so-called 'Trump trades.'

Following his election victory, hedge funds rushed to capitalize on what they predicted would be a golden era for corporate America - buoyed by Trump's aggressive tax cuts, tariffs, and deregulation policies.

Hedge funds are making a multi-billion-dollar gamble against the U.S. economy, betting Donald Trump's presidency will result in a massive market crash that could devastate 401(k)s

Following his re-election, fund managers were riding high, convinced Trump's return to power would usher in a stock market boom

The optimism led to an unprecedented influx of capital, pushing hedge fund assets to a record $4.5 trillion.

Fund managers were riding high, convinced Trump's return to power would usher in a stock market boom.

But now in a shocking twist, those same hedge funds are now betting against the very economy they once championed.

And while hedge fund billionaires stand to make hundreds of millions from a stock market collapse, the real victims of this financial gamble could be everyday American investors.

Millions of workers rely on their 401(k)s and pension funds to secure their futures. Yet, as hedge funds place enormous bets on a Wall Street wipeout, these savings accounts could be the next to suffer.

The rapid shift in sentiment has raised red flags among financial analysts and sent alarm bells ringing on Capitol Hill.

'The increase in short bets against U.S. stocks likely reflects concerns about macroeconomic uncertainty,' warned Bruno Schneller, managing partner at Erlen Capital Management to the Daily Telegraph.

UBS analysts echoed the unease, with Karim Cherif, head of alternative investments, stating: 'As the new year unfolds, uncertainties persist regarding Trump's policies, the global economic trajectory, and central bank actions.'

The Magnificent Seven - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta , Microsoft , Nvidia, and Tesla  had all been riding high, but in the last week have suffered massive losses, leaving investors scrambling for answers

Chipmaker Nvidia, which soared in value last year, is down over 18 percent in the last five days and lost $589bn in value on Monday alone

Even Elliott Management, one of the world's most influential hedge funds with over $70 billion in assets, has sounded the alarm.

According to the Financial Times, Elliott executives believe Trump's policies are fueling speculative bubbles that could 'wreak havoc' if markets crash.

The message from Wall Street is clear: the market is on the edge of a precipice, and the fallout could be catastrophic.

Trump's presidency has been bolstered by a small but powerful group of hedge fund titans who previously saw him as a key to unlocking corporate America's full potential.

If a stock market collapse materializes, the very Americans who backed Trump's economic promises could find themselves on the losing end of a financial catastrophe.

One major catalyst behind this hedge fund-driven market panic is the rise of Chinese AI powerhouse DeepSeek.

The company's groundbreaking new chatbot, which launched last month, has shaken Silicon Valley to its core, sparking a massive sell-off in U.S. tech stocks.

DeepSeek's parent company, High Flyer, is a Chinese hedge fund that uses sophisticated algorithmic trading to place massive bets on market trends.

Liang Wenfeng, High Flyer's CEO and DeepSeek's mastermind, is at the center of this financial storm.

Liang Wenfeng, High Flyer's CEO and DeepSeek's mastermind, is at the center of this financial storm

DeepSeek claims that to get its chatbot up to its current standard required just $6 million of computing power  a fraction of its more-established rival ChatGPT

His firm's strategic bets, often placed at the exact right moment before U.S. markets suffer major losses, have raised suspicions of manipulation, insider influence, and geopolitical strategy at play.

If Wall Street's most powerful investors see more promise in a weakening U.S. economy than a thriving one, the consequences for American workers and retirees could be catastrophic.

Furthermore, if there's one thing Donald Trump has never tolerated, it's disloyalty - and hedge funds turning against his presidency could put them squarely in his crosshairs.

Trump's allies have already been warning of a crackdown on Wall Street excesses, and the latest short-selling frenzy may push him to take action against the financial elite who appear to be rooting for America's economic downfall.
Speculation mounts as the US Army refuses to release the name of one of the soldiers that was aboard a Black Hawk helicopter when it collided with a passenger plane.

Pilot in charge Chief Warrant Office 2 Andrew Eaves and crew chief Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara were named on Friday as those on board the helicopter.

The third person onboard, a female co-pilot, has remained anonymous as the Army has refused to identify them at the request of the family.

'At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time,' the US Army said.

OHara and the co-pilot's bodies have been recovered but Eaves is still in the water along with several of the airline passengers.

Relatives are entitled to do this although it is extremely unusual, with the New York Times branding the decision to withhold the name an 'extraordinary step'.

Why the co-pilot's family requested her name be withheld, and why the US Army acquiesced, is unclear.

Military personnel killed in accidents or combat are usually made public 24 hours after their families are notified, making withholding her name very unusual.

She had about 500 hours of flying of experience, which is considered a 'normal' amount, and her 'very experienced' colleagues had about 1,000 hours.

Rescue teams search the wreckage of a commercial airplane that collided with a military helicopter in Washington

Eaves, left, and O'Hara, right, were both on board the helicopter when it collided with the jet

Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp paid tribute to the trio, saying: 'Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time.

'Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident.'

Eaves' devastated wife, Carrie, said: 'I am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in DC.

'My husband was one of the pilots in the Blackhawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve.'

She has shared several photos of Eaves, one of which he was in uniform, and asked her friends to share any pictures they may have of him in his memory.

O'Hara, a father-of-one from Georgia, left behind a wife and a one-year-old son, and was remembered fondly by his his school as a beloved member of the rifle team.

His father, Gary, was watching television on the couch at his Midway, Georgia, home on Wednesday when he saw the news on the collision.

He told the Washington Post: 'I just had a gut feeling when I saw the story breaking.'

'His mother and I and his sister are just absolutely devastated to think we were talking to him just yesterday and we'll never have the opportunity to talk with him again.'

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Officials have confirmed that the three soldiers had been rehearsing a plan that involves the evacuation of the White House when their Black Hawk collided with the passenger jet.

It has also emerged that the helicopter involved in the collision might have also deviated from its approved flight path.

The New York Times spoke with insiders that said the Sikorsky H-60 helicopter was not on its approved route and flying higher than it should have been.

Approval had been given for the helicopter to fly no higher than 200 feet along the east side of the Potomac River, where it would have avoided the passenger jet.

The pilot of the helicopter confirmed sight of the American Airlines flight and was told to stick to their predetermined route and go behind the plane.

Sources said the pilot did not stick to the path however and was a half-mile off course as well as being at an altitude above 300 feet.

A senior Army official told The Times that the pilot of the Black Hawk had flown the route before and was well aware of the tight altitude restrictions and routes.

An investigation into what caused Wednesday night's collision with an American Eagle plane carrying 64 people is ongoing.

The two aircraft had collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river.

The black box recorder from the helicopter, which contains both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data receiver, was found amidst the wreckage on Friday.

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport also captured the moment the two collided in midair

Emergency response teams including Washington, DC Fire and EMS, DC Police and others, assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River

On Thursday night, salvage teams had managed to retrieve both of the black boxes from the American Airlines flight.

Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River below, with all 64 people on the plane and three on the chopper dying as a result.

Following the horrifying scenes on Wednesday night, it has since emerged that there was staffing issues inside the control tower of Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The FAA have found in their preliminary report that it was 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

On Wednesday, an air traffic controller was left to handle both helicopter traffic and manage planes - which should have been a divided duty - according to The New York Times.

Those tasks are usually handled between two people from 10am until 9:30pm, according to the report.

NTSB investigators with the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 commercial airplane that collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter

The FAA have found in their preliminary report that it was 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'

After 9:30pm the duties are typically combined and left to one person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor reportedly decided to combine those duties before the scheduled cutoff time however, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

Reagan National has been understaffed for many years, with just 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The situation appeared to have improved since then, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is nothing new, with well-known causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

In order to fill the gaps, controllers are frequently asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

DailyMail.com has also spoken with an air traffic control veteran who said the audio from the incident with instructions to the helicopter were 'very ambiguous'.

In the nearly minute-and-a-half recording, ATC operators can be heard asking the helicopter if the commercial flight is in sight.

Through muffled audio, more commands and confirmations are made between ATC operators.

The helicopter's path remained relatively straight while the American Airlines flight veered, and the two collided

One air traffic controller said to the helicopter pilot: 'PAT 2-5, do you have the CRJ in sight?'

Seconds later, the controller spoke again, requesting: 'Pat 2-5 pass behind the CRJ.'

The veteran air traffic controller, who has worked in six different airports throughout the country, said that if those commands were the Black Hawk's first reference to the plane, the instructions were unclear.

'It would have been very ambiguous as far as, "Okay, what plane? Well, where am I looking?"' he said.

'Whenever you give directions to people, we use the 12 points on a clock. Let's say 12 o'clock is north. If I say, "Look to your nine o'clock" that would mean look to your left or to the west.

'So, if I had a helicopter that was coming into my airspace and I wanted him to see an airplane, I would say, "PAT 2-5 traffic, nine o'clock, three miles regional jet inbound to the airport."'

He noted that air traffic controllers have a massive responsibility to give accurate and detailed information to pilots.

In an situation eerily similar to what happened on Wednesday night, a Republic Airways flight had to abort landing at the airport on Tuesday after a helicopter appeared near its flight path.

Flightradar data for the flight shows the plane had been travelling from Windsor Locks in Connecticut to the city and had to dramatically gain altitude shortly after descending on Reagan National Airport. It eventually landed safely.
The father of the youngest hostages taken on October 7 has been released from the clutches of Hamas - although no update has been given on his missing children and wife.

Yarden Bibas is the father of baby Kfir, who was only nine months old when he was kidnapped, and Ariel, who was just four at the time of the attack.

There was no word on the fate of Kfir and Ariel, or on their mother Shiri, who was taken at the same time. Hamas said in late 2023 that they had been killed by Israeli bombardment, but Israel has not officially confirmed their deaths.

Bibas was released to the Red Cross in a ceremony in the city of Khan Younis early this morning alongside Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, in the latest stage of the phased exchange of hostages between the embattled regions.

Each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers. Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage in an orderly handover, a contrast to the chaotic crowds that had surrounded hostages during a handover Thursday, angering Israel.

U.S.-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was later handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza Port. He was seen in a video released by Hamas last year and his wife was released in the first hostage-for-prisoner exchange in November 2023.

Ofer Kalderon's two children Erez and Sahar, abducted alongside him, were also released in the first exchange. Reuniting with his father and sister, video showed him clinging to them as he appeared to sob.

Israel is expected to transfer 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, Hamas said, while wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. When it opened, a group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children crossed for treatment.

Yarden Bibas is the father of baby Kfir, who was only nine months old when he was kidnapped, and Ariel, who was just four at the time of the attack

Collect picture from the Bibas family of Baby Kfir Bibas, and mother Shiri, brother Ariel, and father Yarden, held hostage in Gaza

Yarden Bibas, 34, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis

Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, was released in the latest stage of the phased exchange of hostages between the embattled regions

Ofer Kalderon holds up a sign with a heart symbol drawn on it, as he travels by helicopter to hospital

U.S.-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was later handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza Port, live television footage showed

It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

Hamas previously claimed that Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas were killed in an Israeli bombing.

Israel said it was assessing the allegation in November 2023, but has so far not confirmed the mother and sons' deaths.

Terror group Hamas released a horrific video at the time showing Yarden breaking down after being told that his wife and sons were dead.

Hamas did not offer proof to back up its claims and Israel's Defence Forces blasted the sick video as 'psychological terror'.

In a TV interview in June, then-Israeli minister Benny Gantz suggested that the government knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but that it could not provide details yet.

Israel has not officially confirmed the deaths of the two boys and their mother, but has expressed 'grave concern' for their fate.

There have been no proof-of-life videos shared of Shiri or her sons since their abduction on October 7, 2023.

Horrific video of the mother and her two young boys being taken away by the terrorists was met with horror worldwide due to her visible distress.

The image of the two young boys being carried by their weeping mother, Shiri, as they were marched from their homes was one of the most striking to be published in the early days of the Israel-Hamas war

Kfir Bibas, then just nine months old, was kidnapped on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists stormed the Nir Oz Kibbutz in southern Israel where Kfir lived with his older brother Ariel, their mother Shiri and father Yarden

Four-year-old Ariel was also taken captive as his family members hold out hope that he is alive

Bullet holes cover the bedroom wall of hostage Ariel Bibas, 4, at his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, Israel

The truce, which began Jan. 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

Hamas said this week that only 25 of the 33 hostages it plans to release are still alive. They will be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce's first six weeks.

The 33 names on the list are women, the Bibas family children, men aged over 50, and unwell and injured men.

Israel has accused Hamas of 'psychological terror' for naming the hostages but not actually confirming whether they are alive.

Whether hostages were alive or dead inside Gaza has been a heartbreaking question for waiting families who have pushed Israel's government to reach a deal to free them, fearing that time was running out.

Ofer Kalderon is reunited with his family at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel

Family of Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon react as they watch the broadcast of him being released from Hamas captivity

Released Israeli hostage Aviva Siegel embraces her son as she reacts to a footage of her husband, Keith Siegel, being handed over to the Red Cross

The Bibas family, father Yarden, mother Shiri, baby Kfir and four-year-old Ariel, were taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023 from Kibbutz Nir Oz

Yarden Bibas together with his sister and father aboard a military helicopter on their way to Sheba hospital in Ramat Gan

Watching from Kfra Saba, southern Israel, the family could be seen cheering and breaking down in tears as they watched the sight

The family embraced tightly as the news that they had been waiting more than a year to hear finally came through

Around 90 hostages are still being held, and Israeli authorities believe between a third and a half of them were killed in the initial attack or died in captivity.

An Israeli general revealed Monday that some of the hostages released from Gaza so far during the ceasefire had been held in Hamas tunnels for up to eight months straight, deprived of daylight and with little to no human contact.

Three Israeli civilians and four soldiers - all women - have been released so far in the ceasefire, and in return, Israel has released 290 Palestinian convicts and detainees.

'Some of them told us that they've been in the past few months, that they've been through the entire time, in tunnels, underground,' deputy chief of the Israeli military's medical corps, Colonel Dr. Avi Banov, told journalists online.

'Some of them were alone through the entire time they were there,' he said.

'Those who said they were together were in better shape.'

The hostages said their treatment improved in the days leading up to their release, Banov said, when they were allowed to shower, change their clothes and received better food.

(Left to Right) Israeli hostages Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev stand on a stage before being delivered to the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is greeted by a relative upon his arrival in Ramallah

Another is cheered upon his arrival after arriving on buses of the International Committee of the Red Cross

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is is hugged by relatives as he returns home

Members of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades gather in Gaza City to release Israeli hostages as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel

They appeared to be in good condition and smiling in videos on the days of their release.

Citing the hostages' privacy, Banov would not say whether any of the seven bore signs of torture or abuse.

Some had not received proper treatment for wounds sustained when they were captured during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and some showed signs of 'mild starvation', Banov said.

The ceasefire reached earlier this month after more than a year of negotiations is aimed at ending the 15-month war, which was triggered by the initial 2023 Hamas attack, as well as freeing hostages still held in Gaza in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The first phase of the ceasefire runs until early March, but the second and far more difficult phase has yet to be negotiated.

Talks on phase two are set to begin next Monday.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war, while Israel has threatened to resume its offensive until Hamas is destroyed.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

A member of the Red Cross team signs documents before Palestinian militant group Hamas fighters handover two Israeli hostages in Khan Yuni

A woman reacts as she watches on a screen at hostage square in Tel Aviv, the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip

Israelis gather at Hostages Square to watch the hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel on giant screens in Tel Aviv

Members of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades gather in Gaza City to release Israeli hostages as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel

Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Kalderon's family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

'Ofer is coming home!' they said, arms lifted to the sky.

Kalderon's two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they weren't able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

'We are sorry it took so long, Ofer,' said Eyal Kalderon. 'We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.'

Keith Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

There were sighs of relief and cheers in a living room where members of the kibbutz watched Siegel's release. Many of those in the room were family friends, who applauded upon seeing his face, while some teared up.

Crowds gathered as the hostages were ceremoniously brought onto a stage by masked Hamas gunmen

People watching a live stream report on a big screen on the release of three Israeli hostages, Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas

Israelis react as they watch a broadcast of the release of American-Israeli Keith Siegel

Siegel is one of the highest-profile hostages, now a household name in Israel after his wife Aviva Siegel, also captured in the Hamas attack, mounted a public campaign to bring him home after her own release from captivity in November 2023.

Speaking after his release, his wife Aviva said: 'The great day has arrived. Yes! I am happy. I am happy. there is no one happier than me. I am ready with everything and I'm going to meet him!'

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Netanyahu's coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefire's first phase.

Hamas says it won't release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Barclays customers are still facing ongoing problems with their online banking services, with thousands unable to access their funds 24 hours after the issues first began.

On Friday, the bank apologised to its customers, acknowledging 'intermittent errors' with their payment system and assuring that they were 'working to fix this as quickly as possible.'

However, Barclays customers have continued to report disruptions, with some claiming that they have been unable to access their accounts for almost a full day.

Many are turning to social media to express frustration, particularly since the outage coincided with January payday for many workers and the deadline for self-assessment tax returns, leaving some unable to make payments to HMRC.

Barclays has not explained the cause of the IT problems, or how many people are affected but according to outage tracking site Down Detector, there have been thousands of reports of service issues that have been logged since Friday.

In the early hours of Saturday morning, Barclays' website indicated that its app had begun working again but that issues persisted with payments and transfers.

Outage tracking site Down Detector, showing there have been thousands of reports of service issues that have been logged since Friday

It's one of the most popular banking apps across the UK, but it appears that Barclays is still down

One upset Barclays customer took to social media to share the impact of the outage, writing: 'Due to you Barclays I'm left without money.

'Had a food shop due for delivery this morning which now will get cancelled, leaving my four kids with no food. It's a joke as (it is) my money.'

Another added: 'How can I eat and keep warm if I can't get to my funds?'

Other customers expressed embarrassment, with one stating: 'Well I've just had to put all my shopping back in Tesco, never been so embarrassed in my life... as can't access my own money.'

In a particularly distressing case, a mother said she could not buy milk for her baby due to the outage: 'My four-month-old is out of milk powder and screaming for a feed and I still haven't been paid,' she wrote, 'I've been in tears for hours.'

While others blasted the bank and demanded compensation for the inconvenience, one business said: 'Disgusting @Barclays. We can't pay our staff. Everyone in the UK should charge you interest for every minute you are down.'

Another agreed: 'It is getting ridiculous now, nothing works it's been almost 24 hours and I've not been able to transfer or send money. If you don't fix this today I'm moving all my money to another bank.'

For updates on all of our services, please visit https://t.co/MHJIAM4Glp pic.twitter.com/8Bn5TNhCsR  Barclays UK Help (@BarclaysUKHelp) February 1, 2025

One said they would be stopping banking with the company immediately: 'This was the final straw for me. Loyal CA customer for 18 years. Completely inappropriate for a major bank to suggest food banks as a solution to its own outage.

'Looking forward to my current account switch completing.'

On top of this it was the final day for many to pay their tax bills. One leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg said this couldn't have come at a worse time.

Andrew Sanford, a Partner at the firm said: 'Tax was due today for HMRC self-assessment and interest will be due on any unpaid amounts on a daily basis. Meaning the failure of Barclays payment systems today has come at the worst possible time.

'Many taxpayers would have been waiting for pay day at the end of this month to settle their liabilities, or structured their finances to make the payment today, so this glitch could be very costly.'

Barclays has responded to several customers on social media, offering apologies and reassurance that the problem is being worked on. In one reply, Barclays said: 'I'm really sorry for the inconvenience caused.

'We're having some problems with our systems today and you may have trouble using some features in our app, online banking, as well as payments in and out of your accounts.'

Another message posted on Saturday morning read: 'I can only apologise for the ongoing issue that you are facing.

'I can assure you that we're working on getting this fixed just as soon as we can.'

Despite these apologies, customers are still waiting for a resolution. A Barclays spokesperson told MailOnline this morning: 'We're incredibly sorry for the ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers' accounts.

'Some may see an outdated balance, and payments made or received may not show. We're working hard to fix this issue, and customers should not try to make the payment again.

'Customers can use their cards and withdraw cash, and as soon as these remaining issues are resolved, we'll let our customers know. We will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.'
Thousands of people across the country have been left furious after energy providers sent them a 'back bill' for energy that was used more than 12 months ago.

This practice was outlawed by regulator Ofgem in 2018 but BBC Radio 4's Money Box reported 3,308 people complained to the energy ombudsman about receiving 'back bills' in the year to September 2024.

The actual number of people complaining about back billing is likely to be much higher because only cases that cannot be resolved by suppliers in the first instance get as far as the ombudsman.

Citizens Advice received 47,000 complaints about billing in general in 2023, rising to nearly 60,000 in 2024.

One woman, Hayley Jarvis, was shocked to receive a 5,768.09 energy bill in early January from two and a half years ago, covering a period between June 2021 and June 2022.

In a Facebook post Hayley wrote: 'All of this has caused me so much stress and worry. I feel so deflated.'

'I just don't think it's right these rules and regulations are there to protect the consumer and it just seems the energy company aren't following their own principles,' she told the BBC.

Another Brit, Matt Lynch, received a 1,665 bill out of the blue in November and was told by the company they would take it straight from his account by direct debit five days before Christmas.

Thousands of people across the country have been left furious after energy providers sent them a 'back bill' for energy that was used more than 12 months ago

Hayley Jarvis was shocked to receive a 5,768.09 energy bill in early January from two and a half years ago, covering a period between June 2021 and June 2022

He had moved out of his flat three and a half years prior and found the email in the junk folder.

It took both Matt and Hayley days of multiple calls and emails of complaint before these bills were cancelled despite the fact they should never have been sent in the first place.

The company that sent the back bills to both Hayley and Matt was E.On Next, which is part of the E.On group.

E.On told the BBC they sends out tens of millions of bills each year and that it has systems in place to stop back bills from being sent out.

But in Hayley's case the provider said human error had led to a back bill being sent out, adding it has apologised and is now reviewing its back billing processes to provide the best customer service.

Ned Hammond, Deputy Director at Energy UK, said: 'Figures from the Energy Ombudsman show a 27 per cent drop in billing complaints in the third quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, reflecting significant improvements across the sector.

'However, if you believe your bill is incorrect, contact your supplier as soon as possible so they can resolve it quickly and efficiently.

'Alongside the back billing policy, set by the regulator, energy suppliers have a duty of care to customers and are continuously working to improve practices.

'Getting a smart meter or submitting regular meter readings will also help ensure you receive accurate bills.

'Energy touches every home across the country and the industry remains focused on strengthening protections and delivering better service for all.

'With 95 per cent of the market now signed up to Energy UK's Vulnerability Commitment, the industry continues to prioritise support for those who need it most.'

Citizens Advice suggests that people impacted by this issue should write to or email the supplier to explain and has a copy of an example letter people can use as a template.
Spain's ambassador to Belgium 'will be sacked' for taking a 'siesta' while his boss gave an hour-long speech during a summit in Madrid last month.

Alberto Anton has been dismissed by Spain's foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares after he was filmed dozing off at the annual ambassador's conference, Spanish media has reported.

A short clip shared on social media shows Anton yawning and rubbing his eyes before he drifts into sleep in the middle of the meeting.

The ambassador can later be seen with his head tilted to one side as he enjoys his snooze.

While local media has reported on Anton's dismissal, Spanish Foreign Ministry told MailOnline that the ambassador to Belgium has not been removed and remains in his post.

But citing official sources, Spanish paper El Mundo reported that Anton has already been informed of his dismissal, which will not be effective until Belgium approves the move.

The foreign minister's response to the unscheduled nap is his latest move in a 'crusade' against his colleagues, Spanish outlet El Independiente reported.

Dubbed 'Little Napoleon', Albares has been accused of creating a 'climate of terror', having recently sacked seven senior officials over personal slights.

Spain 's ambassador to Belgium has been sacked for taking a 'siesta'during a conference

A short clip shared on social media shows Alberto Anton yawning and rubbing his eyes before he drifts into sleep

Spain's foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares has been accused of creating a 'climate of terror' among diplomats

'He notes things that happened 15 or 20 years ago: someone who did not greet him when he entered the office; a bad look or a phrase. He saves everything and ends up punishing you. Now he is trying to remember his entire career', an unnamed diplomat told the publication.

Another diplomat told newspaper ABC that Albares keeps a list of all the officials he holds grudges over.

'We call it the notebook of Monte Cristo and revenge is unleashed on all the names he has written', the unnamed official said.

Spain's ambassador to Croatia Juan Gonzalez-Barba has also fallen victim to the Socialist minister's latest firing frenzy after publishing an article defending Spanish King Felipe VI in newspaper El Confidencial.

Albares has come under fire over the yearsfor his alleged behaviour.

In one notable instance, when Queen Elizabeth died, Albares prohibited Spanish diplomats in London from commenting on the monarch's death.

He also reportedly berated the head of the Cervantes Institute in the British capital for speaking about the late Queen to Spanish media.

The Spanish ambassador to Belgium's sleepy mishap is not the first to happen in politics.

Jacob Rees-Mogg was mocked in 2019 after he was pictured lying down with his eyes closed in the House if Commons during a crunch Brexit debate.

Pictured: Alberto Anton, Spain's ambassador to Belgium

In the clip, the ambassador can later be seen with his head tilted to one side as he enjoys his snooze

The sleepy mishap happened last month at the annual ambassador's conference in Madrid

The politician, who was at the time Leader of the House of Commons provoked a mix of ridicule and laughter after he reclined lazily on the government frontbench as MPs tried to seize control of the Brexit process.

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer's new trade envoy to New Zealand said yesterday she had quit social media after footage in which she appeared to fall asleep in parliament re-circulated online.

The image of Welsh MP Carolyn Harris first emerged online four years ago, which she said 'opened the floodgates' to 'relentless abuse'.
NATO fighter planes were scrambled today amid a Russian barrage of drones and missiles on civilian, energy and military sites in Ukraine.

Harrowing footage showed residents in Poltava screaming after a strike destroyed ordinary apartment blocks triggering fires amid the debris of smashed buildings.

The wave of attacks by Vladimir Putin - which led to power cuts in multiple regions - came soon after Donald Trump announced in the Oval Office that his administration was actively talking to Moscow.

'We are having very serious discussions about that war, trying to get it ended,' said the US president.

On whether he had spoken directly to Putin, Trump said: 'I don't want to say that.'

The massive strikes may be a sign that Putin has no intention of ending the war on Ukraine which approaches its three-year mark this month.

As Putin's steps up its air attacks on Ukraine , he was seen presenting a bouquet of white roses to Russia's leading churchman - Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill - on the 16th anniversary of his enthronement.

The dictator is seen as enraged by a succession of attacks by Ukraine on his oil refineries including the loss of key Ust-Luga port to export fuel.

Harrowing footage showed residents in Poltava screaming after a strike destroyed ordinary apartment blocks triggering fires amid the debris of smashed buildings

The wave of attacks by Vladimir Putin - which led to power cuts in multiple regions - came soon after Donald Trump announced he was actively talking to Moscow

As Putin's steps up its air attacks on Ukraine , he was seen presenting a bouquet of white roses to Russia 's leading churchman - Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill - on the 16th anniversary of his enthronement.

The scale of the attack led NATO to scramble Polish and allied warplanes on the alliance's eastern front.

Putin sent strategic nuclear-capable bomber aircraft including Tu-95s and Tu-22s in the attacks, unleashing Kh-22 missiles among others.

Warsaw's operation command said: 'Attention, due to the attack of the Russian Federation performing strikes on facilities located, among others, in the west of Ukraine, the operation of Polish and allied aviation in our airspace has begun.

The duty commander 'activated all available forces and means at his disposal,' said a statement.

NATO fighter planes were sent up while 'ground-based air defence and radio-location reconnaissance systems have reached a state of highest readiness.

'The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas.'

The strikes in the morning hours on Saturday followed a Russian missile attack on the southern Black Sea port of Odesa the previous evening which damaged the city's historic centre.

'Russia's daily attacks on Ukraine are a signal that the aggressor will not stop committing its crimes,' Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram.

Ukrainian rescuers clearing rubble at a damaged residential building following a missile strike in Poltava

Firefighters clear the rubble and search for victims on the site a ruined apartment building following a Russian rocket attack in Poltava

'Last night and in the morning, Russia shelled Ukraine again: Odesa, Poltava, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia... The terrorist targets civilian infrastructure: residential buildings, educational institutions, cars.'

The ministry posted pictures on the Telegram messaging app showing the residential building with several top floors smashed and thick columns of smoke rising into the sky. Fire brigades and dozens of rescuers were going through the rubble.

The death toll from the strikes rose to six as the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky branded it as a 'terrorist crime'. Three were killed in Poltava, two in Sumy region and one in Kharkiv.

In Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, a drone crashed in the Kholodnohirskyi residential district, killing one woman and leaving five injured, said mayor Ihor Terekhov.

An ordinary apartment block was hit in Poltava with at least three people were killed and ten wounded as rescuers work amid fears of fatalities.

'Unfortunately, three people were killed. My condolences to the relatives,' said Zelensky.

'Each such terrorist act proves that we need more support in protecting against Russian terror.

'Every air defence system, every anti-missile is a lifesaver. It is very important that partners act, fulfil our agreements, and increase pressure on Russia.'

The massive strikes may be a sign that Putin (pictured) has no intention of ending the war on Ukraine which approaches its three-year mark this month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) shakes hands with US president Donald Trump (left)

Emergency power outages were reported in the Dnepropetrovsk, Kirovograd, Poltava, Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

In Zaporizhzhia, Russia launched dozens of strikes, including at least 18 Shahed drones, damaging infrastructure, a multi-storey building, and private houses.

Earlier in an attack on the historic centre of Odesa, the tsarist-era Hotel Bristol was hit and damaged.

Explosions were recorded in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnepropetrovsk, Poltava, Kyiv and Odessa regions.

The Vasylkiv military airfield, 25 miles south of Kyiv, was targeted, according to some reports.

Head of Zelensky's office, Andriy Yermak, said: 'Poltava, Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia - attacks on residential buildings, on civilians, are typical tactics of the Russian army.

'They also even wipe out villages in their own Kursk region with people, shelling them with KAB [aerial bombs].

'The true face of Russia is this. Murderers who have absolutely no respect for any leader in the world, or any other nation.

'There's only fear, which does not allow them to do the same in Europe. For now.'
A drag queen has been killed when a car crashed into a lorry, with his family paying tribute to an 'infectiously sunny' son and brother.

Gareth Stephenson, 35, was killed after his white Hyundai i10 collided with a lorry on a busy A-road on the A470 near Llanidloes, mid Wales.

The drag community has come out in mourning as they described the performer, who performed under the name 'Dynasty Blake', as 'a rising star, the power haus of Aberystwyth'.

Mr Stephenson had been a regular act in west Wales and the north of England, and had performed just two days before in Aberystwyth.

In an emotional statement, his family paid tribute to someone who loved 'all things dramatic' and 'lit up every room'.

They said: 'Words can't describe how much pain this devastating loss has caused our family and will, undoubtedly, cause the people that Gareth has met throughout his life.

Gareth Stephenson, 35, was killed after his white Hyundai i10 collided with a lorry on a busy A-road on the A470 near Llanidloes, mid Wales

The drag community has come out in mourning as they described the performer, who performed under the name 'Dynasty Blake', as 'a rising star, the power haus of Aberystwyth'

'Gareth lit up every room with his infectiously sunny smile and always knew how to make people laugh, whether that be through his love for singing, dancing and all things dramatic or just simply being himself.

'We know that Gareth was well-loved and will be missed by so many people.

'As a family we have been overwhelmed with the messages of support and love that we have received from so many people and we take comfort knowing that Gareth had such a big impact on so many people.

'We would like to take this time to thank everyone who was a good friend to Gareth. We are forever grateful for the impact you made on his life.

'As a family we will use this time to reflect on our memories of Gareth, we will laugh and cry together and will miss Gareth every minute of everyday.

'Gareth will leave a big hole in our lives and we can't even begin to come to terms with his unexpected passing. We would ask that people respect our privacy at this time whilst we begin to grieve for our beautiful son and brother.'

Police attended the two-vehicle collision between a white Hyundai i10 and a white lorry at 10.30pm on Sunday.

They confirmed that the driver of the small hatchback died at the scene.

Kiki Babs, who starred on stage alongside Mr Stephenson in the days before his death, posted a heartfelt tribute on social media after the news was revealed.

They said: 'Goodbye was too soon, we shall see each other again someday on stage. You might have to wait a while though. Take care Dynasty Blake (Gareth Stephenson)

'You was a pain in the a** at times but you always had a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone.'

A candlelit vigil, followed by karaoke and a DJ set will be held in Mr Stephenson's honour on February 9.

The event was shared on social media by his twin sister, Kim, who said he 'always loved being star of the show'.
The family of a Belfast father murdered while holidaying in Spain have gathered for his funeral just weeks after he went missing.

John George, 37, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing on December 18 after failing to board his flight back home to Northern Ireland.

The father-of-two had last been in touch with his family just four days prior.

Mr George's parents, Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, sisters Courtney and Caitlin, alongside up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, all travelled to Spain to be involved in the widespread search operation.

Members from K9 Search And Rescue Northern Ireland (NI), a volunteer canine search team, even assisted in the search for Mr George, while officers from the NI Police Service also liased with his family and Spanish authorities.

Mr George's body was later discovered on January 7, with his family saying that the results of a post-mortem examination by the Spanish authorities revealed that he had been stabbed and shot.

His remains returned to his mother's home in Belfast on January 28 in preparation for a funeral service. Mr George's father, Billy, previously said that his main focus was on getting his son's body home so that the family could give him a Christian burial.

A funeral notice for Mr George said: 'John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him.'

John George, 37, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing on December 18 after failing to board his flight back home to Northern Ireland

Mr George's sisters Courtney and Caitlin (pictured) were among those who carried the coffin at a funeral service held at St Luke's Church, west Belfast

Mr George, pictured with his brother Darren (left) and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, had last spoken to his family four days before he was reported missing

Mr George's father, Billy (pictured), previously said that his main focus was on getting his son's body home

Now, the beloved father has been laid to rest at a funeral service held at St Luke's Church, Belfast.

Today, mourners paid their respects by walking behind his coffin and also gathering at the west Belfast church.

Mr George's brother Darren, grandfather Joseph Hardy, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin were among those who carried the coffin.

A burial service is also set to be conducted in Blaris Cemetery, Lisburn. Both the funeral and burial had previously been delayed due to a second autopsy.

Describing his late brother as a 'happy-go-lucky guy', Darren had previously said the family 'knew something was wrong' when they had not received a phone call from Mr George within two days.

Reflecting on Mr George's life, Darren added: 'He was a very good boxer when he was younger, and was an all-Ireland champion. He's a normal, average guy.

'Don't get me wrong, John had his troubles: John was a drug addict, it took over John's life.'

Darren George also expressed great anger at what he said was 'people taking pleasure' in his family's suffering after malicious comments were posted online about his brother.

Mr George's parents, Billy and Sharon, siblings, along with 50 friends and wider family, travelled to Spain to be involved in the widespread search operation (pictured on their return)

The Spanish police investigation into Mr George's murder continues, with an international arrest warrant issued for an alleged suspect

Mourners gathered to pay their respects for the beloved father who was murdered while holidaying in Spain. An autopsy revealed Mr George had been stabbed and shot

In a previous statement released on Mr George's family's behalf, law firm KRW Law said that the discovery of his body had ended 'an extremely tortuous search process'.

The statement added: 'The family are both distressed but also relieved at this latest news.

'The family want to thank all who have helped and supported them over the last number of days.

'They now respectfully ask for some privacy to allow them both time and space to engage on the next harrowing stages on what is now a formalised murder investigation.'

The Spanish police investigation into Mr George's murder continues, with an international arrest warrant issued for the individual suspected to be responsible.

Earlier this month, a thirty-two-year-old Czech Republican man was bailed by a judge under strict instructions and is being investigated as an alleged accomplice in the murder.
This is the terrifying moment a man appears to get out a sniper rifle on an Elizabeth Line Tube platform while wearing full camo gear.

In horrifying footage he builds the huge gun and aims its barrel into carriages of the Elizabeth Line train at Whitechapel station.

Commuters can be seen getting out of his way and glancing him nervous looks as they queue on the east London platform, while he holds what appears to be a weapon at the ready in full combat fatigues.

British Transport Police later confirmed that the man, in his 20s, had dressed up with an imitation gun and was on his way to a film and comic convention.

But experts have hit out and warned that the idiotic behaviour is a 'surefire way to get yourself shot'.

The force arrested the man at his home and on suspicion of one count of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and one count of possession of an offensive weapon. He has since been released on bail.

Ian Drummond Smith, the Assistant Chief Constable for Network Policing for British Transport Police, said he 'agreed' with a post that said: 'This is a surefire way to get yourself arrested and potentially shot.'

In horrifying footage builds the huge gun and aims its barrel into carriages of the Elizabeth Line train at Whitechapel station

Commuters can be seen getting out of his way and glancing him nervous looks as they queue on the east London platform, while he holds the weapon at the ready in full combat fatigues

British Transport Police later confirmed that the man, in his 20s, had dressed up with an imitation gun and was on his way to a film and comic convention

Ian Drummond Smith, the Assistant Chief Constable for Network Policing for British Transport Police, said he 'agreed' with a post that said: 'This is a surefire way to get yourself arrested and potentially shot'

He is thought to have been attending the Comic Con event MegaCon Live at the London ExCeL on January 25 and travelled with a gun as part of his costume

The specialist firearms commander continued: 'High-jinx gone wrong here. Not an actual firearm. Male arrested at his home for imitation firearms offences. Items seized and he's currently on bail.'

The force said that they respond to every call about a weapon, and urged anyone travelling to dress-up events to keep them concealed.

He is thought to have been attending the Comic Con event MegaCon Live at the London ExCeL on January 25 and travelled with a gun as part of his costume.

The British Transport Police's Armed Policing Chief Inspector Martin Grayton said: 'Every year around Comic Con, we receive reports from people who have been alarmed by weapons being carried on the train.

'We assess and respond to every call we receive about a weapon. A police response can cause disruption and alarm to passengers and, if it's a prop, may mean that you've kept us away from more important incidents.

'For your sake and that of everyone else on your train, no matter how unrealistic you think they look, please keep your prop weapons out of sight while travelling.'

Reacting to the video on social media, commenters were left shocked as they watched the scene develop.

A person dressed up as Deadpool at the Comic Con in London

A woman dressed up alongside here dog today at Comic Con event MegaCon Live at the London ExCeL on January 25

The force arrested the man at his home and on suspicion of one count of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and one count of possession of an offensive weapon. He has since been released on bail

BTP said that they respond to every call about a weapon, and urged anyone travelling to dress-up events to keep them concealed

One said: 'Why is everyone so chill? Because if I'd seen that I wouldnt know if it was real or not Id be out of there!'

A second added: 'The problem is he isnt at comic-con, hes at an underground station. Hes also readying up as the train rolls into platform.

'For those passengers in the train a dude coming onto the train with his gun up is a terrible vibe.'

And a third commented: 'What an idiot. Mindless selfish and stupid.'
An ex-Tory MP who lost his seat has said he was routinely rejected from jobs by AI software after giving Rishi Sunak as his reference.

Ex cabinet minister David TC Davies, 54, began job-hunting after he was one of the Conservative MPs defeated in the general election in July last year.

He found he was being rejected automatically before receiving an interview due to his lack of formal qualifications, despite describing his last line manager as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The former Welsh Secretary had been getting turned down instantly, blaming the use of AI tracking systems used by many companies to sift through CVs.

He has since called on employers and organisations to rethink the role of AI when recruiting for roles.

Finding myself out of work after the election, I quickly received offers - but from people who knew me and weren't remotely interested in examining a modest collection of 35-year-old dog-eared O-level certificates, even if I could have found them!

I briefly entertained the notion of leaving politics and doing something completely different (as if!) and applied for several degree-level jobs only to be rejected instantly - presumably due to a lack of qualifications that a CV reader would accept.

Government guidelines on the use of AI in recruitment warn employers that at all stages there is a risk of unfair bias or discrimination against applicants.

David TC Davies, 54, (pictured) says the routine use of AI software in applicant tracking systems led to his rejection from multiple roles

Mr Davies put his old boss Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister, as his reference on job applications

Mr Davies continued: In one case I got a little further and received a form with the following questions: 'Name of last line manager?' I answered: 'Rishi Sunak.'

Job title of last line manager?' I put: 'Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.' '

Telephone number of line manager?' I have Rishi's number but certainly wasn't going to put it in the box. Result? Rejection!

After the election defeat, Mr Davies worked for Welsh Conservative MS Laura Anne Jones before becoming chief of staff in December.

On LinkedIn, he condemned the use of AI in scanning CVs and subsequently deeming candidates without degrees unqualified.

It seems wrong that people who may not have excelled at school or gone to university can be ruled out by an automated system that fails to recognise their subsequent career experience.

Mr Davies ran the day-to-day operations of his dad's company before being elected to the Senedd - the Welsh government - then to Parliament

Mr Davies explained he didn't do well at school and went to work in his late father's haulage business instead of attending university.

He ran the day-to-day operations of the company before being elected to the Senedd - the Welsh government - then to Parliament.

There are millions in this country who don't have a degree but have bags of common sense and years of experience.

So if you're hiring for degree-level roles, ask for one but allow candidates without a degree to explain why they're a great fit.

And importantly ensure a real person, not just AI, reviews the applications!

Mr Davies told the BBC the skills needed to drive lorries across Europe while working with his fathers company required a PhD in common sense, traits apparently wasted on AI tracking systems.

He added: Theyre going to recruit all the same sort of people.
A plastic piece of Lego which was lost overboard when a container ship was hit by a freak wave has been found in a beach clean-up 28 years later.

The small blue Lego flipper was lost when container ship Tokio Express was tipped by a huge wave in February 1997 off Land's End after the ship set sail from Rotterdam.

It lost 62 containers overboard during the storm including one that contained 4.8million pieces of Lego.

Nobody knows how the container opened but beachcombers have been finding Lego washed up on their shores ever since.

One of the plastic pieces was found more than 100 miles away by litter-pickers on Freshwater West Beach in Pembrokeshire - which featured in Harry Potter.

The beach is a favourite spot for Potter fans after it was used as a filming location of Dobby's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Oceanographers have been able to use the lost Lego to better understand ocean currents.

A study of the pieces by the University of Plymouth in 2020 suggested a Lego brick could survive in the ocean for as many as 1,300 years.

The small blue Lego flipper was lost when container ship Tokio Express was tipped by a huge wave in February 1997 off Land's End

Nobody knows how the container opened but beachcombers have been finding Lego washed up on their shores ever since



Among the items collected were microplastics including a Smarties lid from 1988-2005 (pictured above) and a blue Lego flipper

Up to 40 volunteers collected more than 30 bags of rubbish in the clean-up which was organised by Valero Pembroke Refinery.

The Lego flipper was one of 352,000 pairs to be lost - and only 121,000 of them were blue.

Pieces have been washing up along British beaches for years and have been found as far away as the Channel Islands, Holland and even Denmark.

Other pieces lost at sea included 97,500 miniature scuba tanks, 88,316 sets of tiny flowers, 54,000 pieces of seagrass, 33,941 dragons, 26,600 yellow lifejackets for mini-figures and 26,400 pieces of ship's rigging.

A spokesman said: 'Nearly 40 volunteers braved the winter chill at Freshwater West Beach for our first volunteering event of the year.

'Over 30 bags of rubbish were collected from the beach, which Harry Potter fans may recognise as the site of Dobby's grave.

'Among the items collected were microplastics, including a Smarties lid from 1988-2005 and a blue Lego flipper from a consignment lost overboard from the Tokio Express container ship in 1997.

'This flipper is one of nearly five million pieces of Lego scattered into the Atlantic, with 352,000 pairs of flippers lost-121,000 of them blue.'

Up to 40 volunteers collected more than 30 bags of rubbish in the clean-up which was organised by Valero Pembroke Refinery

A study suggested a Lego brick could survive in the ocean for as many as 1,300 years

Pieces have been washing up along British beaches for years and have been found as far away as the Channel Islands, Holland and even Denmark

The beach is a favourite spot for Potter fans after it was used as a filming location of Dobby's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Oceanographers have been able to use the lost Lego to better understand ocean currents

The Lego Lost at Sea project was set up by Tracey Williams and documents Lego beach finds on social media.

Last year a 13-year-old boy found a 'holy grail' Lego plastic octopus piece that disappeared into the sea from the same shipping container.

Liutauras Cemolonskas said that after two years of searching, he was 'happy' to have found the rare octopus and has collected almost 800 pieces of Lego that fell into the sea so far.

There were 4,200 Lego octopuses inside the shipping container and two were found in Cornwall last year.

The next beach clean-up is set to take place in February.
The Met police have confirmed that six people have been arrested as Tommy Robinson supporters invade the Stand Up To Racism counter-demo area.

The force added that this included an incident where a flare was set off, an arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at and four arrests in Whitehall after Stop the Isolation protesters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions.

Thousands of protesters from opposing sides gathered across central London, with one group marching in support of Tommy Robinson, while another held a counter-protest against racism.

The police deployed additional officers in a bid to keep the groups separated and maintain order.

The Robinson supporters, marching under the banner of 'Stop the Isolation' or 'Unite the Kingdom', assembled outside Waterloo Station before marching towards Westminster.

Before setting off from outside Waterloo station, the protestors sang 'Rule, Britannia!' and chanted 'We want Starmer out'. People at the front of the march carried a banner reading 'free political prisoners' and 'stop the isolation'.

Chants of 'We want our country back' and 'We want Tommy out' were sung as the demonstration set off, with protesters carrying flags bearing slogans including 'Free Tommy Robinson' and 'Stop the Boats'.

Protesters carried flags with 'Free Tommy Robinson' written on it, while others wore face masks of the political activist.

Some demonstrators were wearing 'MEGA - Make England Great Again' hats and 'I am Tommy' stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones.

Meanwhile, a protest organised by Stand Up To Racism started at St James's Street, south of Piccadilly Circus on their march to march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end.

Protestors gather for an anti-immigration demonstration organised by supporters of Tommy Robinson

There have been five arrests so far.



These include the incident where a flare was set off, an arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at and three arrests in Whitehall after Stop the Isolation protesters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions.  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) February 1, 2025

A supporter of Tommy Robinson wears a flag picturing him on his back

A woman carries a placard with images of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, a British anti-immigration activist known as Tommy Robinson, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, as counter-protesters take part in a demonstration against anti-immigration supporters

Thousands of protestors in support Robinson arrive at Westminster

Stand Up To Racism activists are seen marching through Piccadilly in London

Samira Ali, National Advisor to Stand Up To Racism, told MailOnline they believe 'the far is on the rise'.

They said: 'We know why they feel confident here in this country but we're here to stop them and we've done that before.

'We did it in August of last year and we know that thousands of people came out to say that the far right is not welcome. They are the minority.'

Before the attack, Ms Ali said that Tommy Robinson's supporters have 'known to be violent in the past'. Adding that 'this is a peaceful protest'.

'We think that actually our protest is one of the safest places to be in central London today. We have a safe march.

'We know that their side is known for violence, it's known for thuggery.

'They want to whip themselves up in a frenzy to say that they're trying to free Tommy Robinson.'

She said: 'Obviously we don't know what they're going to do' - but she hoped their demonstration can 'break their confidence and mean that we don't see the repeat of the racist attacks that we've seen over the last summer particularly'.

She added that SUTR believe Tommy Robinson has been 'emboldened by the likes of Trump getting back into office in the US, by people who want to whip up racism in this country like Elon Musk who has become Robinson's leading defender'.

Supporters of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson attend a demonstration in Westminster in February 1, 2025 in London,

Supporters of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson gather for a march to Westminster

Supporters of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson gather for a march to Westminster in February 1, 2025 i

Stand Up To Racism activists are seen marching through Piccadilly in London as far right groups gather in support of Tommy Robinson

People attend the Stand Up To Racism national demonstration on February 1, 2025

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Protesters marched to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge and assemble in Parliament Street, at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

The counter-demonstration has been billed by organisers as 'marching together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we won't let the far right divide us'.

Sign held by protesters up read 'Oppose Tommy Robinson' and 'Stop the far right' as speeches were made to the crowd at the rally.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted, and officers will be deployed to keep the groups apart, the Met said.

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Posting on X, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Both protests are now at their rally points at either end of Whitehall where speeches are taking place.

Protesters cross Westminister Bridge during a demonstration organised by supporters Robinson

A protest organised under the name 'Stop the Isolation' or 'Unite the Kingdom', in support of Robinson started outside Waterloo Station

A man holds a placard reading 'UK stop the rape of white children!'

Hundreds of people have gathered outside Waterloo station for the protest

A protestor wearing a face mask of political activist Robinson

A demonstrator holds a t-shirt with a message reading 'thank you Elon Musk'

One protestor dressed in a lion costume with a Union Jack shirt

Tommy Robinson supporters demonstrate in Central London

Protesters marchws to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge and assembled in Parliament Street, at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall

Many of the protesters, who are gathered next to the Wellington Pub, carried England and UK flags

Another sign reads: 'When will the government act for the British public'

'There is a significant gap in the middle of Whitehall with officers and barriers ensuring both groups are kept well apart.'

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: 'We will proceed to Downing Street. Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

'Deliver our message to the establishment.'

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: 'We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summer's racist riots.

'We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.'

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said: 'We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.

'We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

One protestor holds a sign reading: 'The only minority destroying this country is the billionaires'

Counter-protesters take part in a demonstration against anti-immigration supporters of Robinson

The protest organised by Stand Up To Racism will march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall

Signs are being held by protesters up reading 'Oppose Tommy Robinson' and 'Stop the far right' as speeches are being made to the crowd.

Protesters for Stand Up To Racism's counter-demonstration gather at St James's Street

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: 'We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate'

'Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.

'Our assessment for tomorrow's protest, based on the information available to us, is that an additional level of preparedness is required.

'What our officers are wearing or the protective kit they are carrying doesn't change their role at these events.

'They are there to ensure all involved can exercise their right to protest peacefully, without causing serious disruption to the life of the wider community and without risking the disorder that could take place if groups with opposing views come together.'
Pete Hegseth has kicked out liberal legacy media outlets from the Pentagon press offices to make room for conservative organizations during his first week as defense secretary.

The New York Times, NBC News, NPR and Politico have been giving their marching orders to evacuate their office spaces inside the Pentagon by Valentine's Day, a memo read.

In their place, three conservative outlets - the New York Post, One America News Network (OAN) and Breitbart News Network - and one progressive outlet, HuffPost, will move in for one year.

HuffPost, who does not have a Pentagon correspondent, did not ask for space inside the Pentagon, spokesperson Lizzie Gram told NBC News, but Gram remains enthusiastic.

'If the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the Defense Department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver,' Grams said.

New York Post will occupy The Times' space, while OAN will take NBC's office, Brietbart will occupy NPR's residence, and HuffPost will move into Politico's area.

Hegseth's office implemented a rotating schedule for outlets to use the office space, which each rotation lasting one year. The unprecedent move was announced on Friday.

Each yearly rotation will see one outlet from print, online, television and radio filtered out to 'allow a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps,' the memo said.

Pete Hegseth has kicked out liberal legacy media outlets from the Pentagon press offices to make room for conservative organizations during his first week as defense secretary

More than two dozen news organizations operate out of the Pentagon, including Reuters, reporting on the daily activities of the US military.

The New York Times told DailyMail.com said the move was a 'concerning development' as it was a 'move to expel The Times and other independent, fact-based news outlets from the Pentagons press spaces.'

'The Department of Defense has the largest discretionary budget in the government, millions of Americans in uniform under its direction and control of a vast arsenal funded by taxpayers,' a spokesperson said.

The Times is committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly. Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest.'

NPR told DailyMail.com it urges the Pentagon to 'expand the offices available to press within the building so that all outlets covering the Pentagon receive equal access.'

'More than 40million Americans depend on NPR for daily news about their communities and the world,' it said.

'This decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership, and with NPRs public interest mission to serve Americans who turn to our network of local public media stations in all 50 states.'

NBC News told DailyMail.com it was 'disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that we've used for decades.'

The New York Times , NBC News, NPR, and Politico have been giving their marching orders to evacuate their office spaces inside the Pentagon by Valentine's Day, a memo read

'Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has.'

NBC's office contains equipment that was installed by the news organization, including phone lines and cameras. The outlet doesn't know if it will be able to broadcast from the Pentagon once it removes its equipment.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Politico for comment.

Pentagon Spokesman John Ullyot said the new order is to 'broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents' Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalist value of working from physical office space in the Pentagon.'

'For over a half-century, the Pentagon Press Corps has benefited from working out of individual office spaces that provide coveted and open access to some of the Departments top military and civilian leaders,' the memo, sent to the Pentagon Press Association said.

OAN told NBC News it 'looks forward to having access to physical office space at the Pentagon and will utilize the accommodations full-time as soon as it's possible'.

OAN has been operating a bureau in Washington since 2013.

Despite OAN's excitement to finally gain access to office space, the Pentagon Press Association has issued a critique.

'Our resident press corps has greatly expanded over the years and we have always welcomed new members and will continue to do so,' a statement read.

New York Post will occupy The Times' space, while OAN will take NBC's office, Brietbart will occupy NPR's residence, and HuffPost for Politico's area

'We are, however, greatly troubled by this unprecedented move by DOD to single out highly professional media who have covered the Pentagon for decades, under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

'We have asked for a meeting and we will keep everyone informed.'

This comes after new Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, 27, announced the White House will welcome independent journalists, podcasters and social media influencers into the press room.

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.

She also 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.

'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.'

NBC News said it was 'disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that we've used for decades'

On Tuesday, Axios' Mike Allen got the first question followed by Matthew Boyle, the longtime political correspondent for Breitbart, the right-wing outlet that was previously led by Trump strategist Steve Bannon.

Donald Trump - who also attacked the media in his first term - will also continue to call out reporters he claims are 'wrong' in their reporting.

'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.'
Many can identify with the immense relief that accompanies downsizing later in life.

After years of slogging at the coal face and raising children, an empty nest can mean the chance to move to a smaller place with lower bills and experience the heady rush of freedom.

Sir Thomas Ingilby certainly knows the feeling: he recalls the moment of handing over the keys to his Yorkshire home as akin to 'a giant weight being lifted off my shoulders'.

'It was extraordinary,' the 69-year-old muses. 'I've never felt anything like it. It really was like a physical sensation.'

Then again, the weight in question was an unusually hefty one, given it came in the form of Ripley Castle, a vast and ancient estate that has been in Sir Thomas's family for 700 years and 28 generations and which he inherited at the tender age of 18.

That weight was not just the upkeep of the castle itself but preservation of a family legacy that dates back to the mid-1300s. From Catholic martyrs and Gunpowder Plotters to the redoubtable 'Trooper Jane', a female Ingilby ancestor who held Oliver Cromwell at gunpoint overnight in the castle library during the Civil War, the wealth of history here is immense.

Yet this year, if all goes to plan, a non-Ingilby (with 21million to spare) will take residence within these ancient walls for the first time.

'It's been half a century of responsibility and now we are ready for an irresponsible retirement' says the affable Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas and Lady Emma Ingilby are selling their family home Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, which has been in the family for more than 700 years

The family legacy dates back to the mid-1300s, and includes characters such as Catholic martyrs and Gunpowder Plotters

'It's been great fun living here, but it comes with huge challenges, and that's one of the reasons we're selling, because we had a list of things to do to preserve it and we've done it. We are leaving it in amazing condition.'

'It's been a wonderful family home,' adds Emma, 65, his rather glamorous wife of 40 years. 'But it's time for another family to enjoy it.'

The Ingilbys actually moved out two years ago  downsizing for them meant a five-bedroom Georgian house nearby  in order to allow their eldest son, software engineer Jamie, 39, some time to enjoy what would have been his birthright.

Along with his wife and two young daughters, Jamie, the current key holder, is ensconced in the castle's 11-bedroom private apartment until a sale is completed.

It will, Sir Thomas admits, be a 'bittersweet' moment for Jamie and his four siblings  cabinet maker Joslan, 38, Eleanor, 36, who works in finance, tax adviser Jack, 35, and 30-year-old Richard, who works in marketing in Vancouver.

Nonetheless, he insists they are also relieved to be relinquished from the burden of maintaining a Grade 1 listed castle and its 445 acres of parkland.

'Obviously, growing up, they saw the responsibility we had,' says Sir Thomas. 'We had a meeting before the decision was signed and sealed and they actually told us, 'Thank you', because they'd watched us over the years, and we'd released them as well as ourselves.'

It has been a long time coming.

The family line here dates back to the 1300s, when Sir Thomas's forebear, also a Thomas, married Edeline Thwenge and acquired the castle as part of her dowry.

The second in line  yes, another Thomas  was knighted when a wild boar charged at Edward III in 1357 while he was hunting and he intervened, saving the king's life. 'He was also granted use of a boar's head as the family crest,' says the current Sir Thomas.

Ever since, the Ingilby history has been intertwined with the ruling royals, for better or worse.

Take Francis Ingilby, a devout Roman Catholic who became the focus of a manhunt after being ordained as a Catholic priest in France during the reign of the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I.

The Tower Room boasts an intricate plaster ceiling and wood panelling

The Knight's Room houses artefacts from the castle's rich history, such as armour and weapons

'He was captured just outside York in 1586, and after a short trial was hanged, drawn and quartered on what is now York racecourse. He was just 36,' Sir Thomas says.

Just under 400 years later, in 1979, Francis was beatified by John Paul at the Vatican. 'So we nearly have a saint in the family,' says Sir Thomas. Full sainthood requires two miracles, not one.

Twenty-one years later, William Ingilby  who only two years earlier had entertained a visiting James VI of Scotland en route to England to be crowned James I  was involved in the Gunpowder Plot against his former guest.

'He allowed the plotters to stay at Ripley Castle while they gathered horses, but while he was later charged with treason he managed to wriggle his way out it. I think he probably bribed the witnesses, as they changed their story halfway through the trial,' says Sir Thomas.

During the Civil War, the Ingilbys were on the side of King Charles against Oliver Cromwell. When the royalists lost the battle of nearby Marston Moor, the then baronet William Ingleby escaped the battlefield and returned to

Ripley Castle, hiding in a priesthole while his sister Jane, nicknamed Trooper Jane for her derring-do, held Oliver Cromwell at gunpoint by the library fireplace overnight to prevent him searching for her brother.

'Isn't that wonderful?' says Sir Thomas. 'We specialise in strong women in this family. Emma wouldn't have let him go either.'

'Certainly not,' adds his wife.

Of course, no decent castle is complete without a ghost, and over the years a female figure dressed in 19th-century clothing has been seen, believed to be the spirit of Sir Thomas's great-great-great grandmother Alicia, who died from heartbreak after losing her two children to meningitis.

'Emma has felt her presence and a couple of people have seen her at the top of the staircase heading towards what would have been the children's bedrooms. She's very friendly,' Sir Thomas says.

Family portraits adorn the walls of the main staircase spotlighted by stained glass arched windows

The wood-panelled Library, centred around a stone fireplace, looks on to the parkland

Today, a portrait of Lady Alicia adorns the grand stairs, while those of her two young children Mary and Henry are in the drawing room. 'We are hoping we can rent them to any buyers, as we would like to keep her here if possible,' says Sir Thomas.

To this rich history, of course, must now be added the decades under his tenure, which started in 1974 following the sudden death of his father Joslan at the age of 66.

Sir Thomas was just six weeks into Army training when he got the call that he was the new heir.

At first, his relative youth was a strength. 'You feel immortal and you're not really aware of the genuine responsibility,' he says. 'It probably hit me about four years later, the enormity of it. And of course there's no training for it. You just have to get on with it.'

By then he had met Emma, the daughter of a former nurse and Army officer.

She once joked that she captured her husband's attention with her party trick of being able to crack two walnuts in the front of her dungarees without using her hands, but had no idea who the charming boy she had been introduced to as plain old 'Tom' was until she visited the family seat a few weeks later.

The couple married in 1984 and took residence in a castle that needed a great deal of TLC (Emma recalls steel girders having to be put in their bedroom as the floor was so unsafe).

'Two generations really had done very little, so we just took a room at a time,' she recalls. 'And it was a bit frightening, because the scales are just so big. Any mistake you make in a big room is a big mistake. If you get it wrong, it is very expensive.'

Early on, the couple realised they would need to be more outward-looking, opening the castle daily rather than Sundays only. Weddings and corporate banquets swiftly followed. 'We were washing up by hand after dinners for 500 people  every fork, knife spoon and plate. We were up till 5am on many occasions.'

Lady Emma claims her biggest allies are a stapler and a glue gun, and has climbed ladders while heavily pregnant armed with both, repairing everything from chandeliers to ceiling plaster.

'Everyone else does health and safety, but I just get on with it,' she says airily. 'Because you've got to remember that even though it's been open to the public, it's still our home, and would you let someone in your home if it's not looking great? Of course not.'

Sir Thomas remembers his wife serving lunch to a shooting party hours after giving birth to Joslan.

'She greeted the guests on arrival while having contractions, then when we came back in for lunch, she was serving out the food. I said: 'Hang on, there's something different about you.'

'And she said, 'Yes, I've just had the baby.'

The couple continued to diversify into retail and office space, as well as renovating the stables and carriage room into a full-time wedding and function suite.

There have been all kinds of antics along the way: Lady Emma recalls how letting a bath overrun one day resulted in the demise of a stunning Venetian chandelier on the floor below.

'The whole carpet was strewn with bits of glass. I had to go to Sir Thomas and say: 'Oops, I might have just broken a chandelier,' she laughs.

'We had a dinner booked in and had to find an emergency chandelier as we didn't think paying guests would take kindly to a single electric bulb.'

Their events, too, have provided a wealth of stories.

Sir Thomas recalls a recent Sikh wedding during which a grand white stallion carrying the bridegroom (it's traditional for the groom to arrive on a horse) scented a mare in season and bolted for the fields  his charge clinging on for dear life.

'The horse was eventually stopped by a quick-thinking rambler grabbing its reins,' Sir Thomas recalls.

Another time, a well-refreshed guest dived into the lake in search of the mermaid he had been persuaded was resident there by a member of staff, losing his Rolex watch in the process. 'I would have loved to see what he put on his insurance claim,' says Sir Thomas.

It was during Covid that the couple had their Eureka moment  for the first time in years they had had their home to themselves.

'Of course, there are evenings when we do sit down and it gets to you, because you put so much of your heart into focusing on the finish line,' Sir Thomas says. 'But we have still got some time, and our health and we want to go and do some of the things we want to do'.

That includes travelling and writing, including a history of those extraordinary ancestors.

The big question, of course, is who will buy the Ingilbys' extraordinary home?

The estate, which also includes a hotel, a village store as well as multiple acres of land, is available as a whole or in lots.

'It's only been on the market for a week, but there are several viewings booked in, which is nice,' says Sir Thomas. 'We have no idea who they are though.'

In any case, their attention is currently occupied by having two weddings to plan, that of their youngest son Richard and daughter Eleanor, both of whom are marrying in May.

'It feels rather lovely, as the family history here started with a marriage and now it will end with one,' says Sir Thomas.
A couple in Indiana accused of burning their child's bodies and making necklaces from the ashes have had the charges dropped while investigators continue to search for more evidence.

Steven Valle, 31, and Samantha Sebella, 25, were arrested in September 2024 after Valle allegedly confessed to friends about killing two children and burning their bodies in their backyard firepit.

In court on Wednesday, a judge dismissed the charges without prejudice, meaning prosecutors may refile the case at a later date.

The case was dismissed because there was 'no evidence that a crime occurred,' according to Valle's attorneys.

'The cases against Steven Valle and Samantha Sebella were dismissed today, with the State being permitted to refile charges if they obtain new evidence,' defense attorney Mark Van Der Molen told ABC 7.

'Working in concert with Sebella's talented attorney Brook Scheurich, we reviewed all material and have seen no evidence that a crime even occurred.'

'It is our hope that this dismissal will put an end to this matter,' he added.

However, Jasper County Prosecutor Jacob Taulman told Law & Crime they expect to refile the case once anthropologists continue to sift through ashes, debris and other material police uncovered.

Steven Valle, 31, and Samantha Sebella, 25, were arrested in September 2024 after Valle allegedly confessed to friends about killing two children and burning their bodies in their backyard firepit

'The cases against Steven Valle and Samantha Sebella were dismissed today, with the State being permitted to refile charges if they obtain new evidence,' defense attorney Mark Van Der Molen said

Jasper County Prosecutor Jacob Taulman said they expect to refile the case once anthropologists continue to sift through ashes, debris and other material police uncovered

He described the process as 'difficult and tedious' due to the small size of the material. Prosecutors are also continuing to comb through digital data.

'We do intend to seek justice in this matter,' Taulman told the outlet.

When deputies arrived at the parents' Wheatfield home on September 20, they found 'partial bone fragments' that a specialist in Indianapolis was able to determine as being human.

The couple were then taken into custody in October and charged with murder, neglect of a dependent causing death, abuse of a corpse, obstruction of justice and failure to report a dead body.

Authorities say the couple initially denied any knowledge of children being burned in their backyard fire pit when deputies found them at a hotel in Newton County on September 20.

The couple admitted to having one child with no birth certificate or documentation because the child was born at home, according to court documents obtained by Fox News.

The couple also denied ever having had a miscarriage or stillbirth. Jasper County Health Department records had no documentation that indicated Sebella had ever given birth.

But police still took their cellphones, from which they were reportedly able to uncover numerous messages that indicated Valle killed and burned multiple children.

'You killed my kids cause you are a f*****, you never loved me,' one message read, according to court documents. 'YOU KILLED OUR BABIES, I HAVE THERE (sic) DNA IN MY BODY FOREVER,' another message between Sebella and Valle read

When deputies arrived at the parents' Wheatfield home on September 20, 2024, they found 'partial bone fragments' that a specialist in Indianapolis was able to determine as human

'You killed my kids cause you are a f*****, you never loved me,' one message read, according to court documents.

'YOU KILLED OUR BABIES, I HAVE THERE (sic) DNA IN MY BODY FOREVER,' another message between Sebella and Valle read.

A third undocumented child was then taken from their custody, law enforcement said.

Then, on September 30, the sheriff's office, Indiana State Police and the Jasper County Coroner's Office, along with two cadaver dogs, descended on the Wheatfield home where they used to live. Valle and Sabella had reportedly been evicted from the property earlier this year.

The dogs flagged a fire pit and a pile of ashes near the garage, prompting investigators to excavate part of the backyard with shovels, and uncovering the bone fragments, according to Fox News.

By October 3, court documents show, Valle admitted that Sebella had given birth to a boy in 2018.

He told officers Sebella gave birth to the child while he was out, and claimed that when he returned home, he found Sebella passed out and the child was lying between her legs.

The child was not awake or breathing, Valle said, claiming he cleaned the newborn up, placed him in a blanket and put him in a box.

Police also say Valle told them the children had been buried for about three to five years before he dug them up and burned them in the firepit. He allegedly added he saved some of the ashes to make a necklace

Due to no evidence confirming a crime, both parties are not in custody after the dismissal of the case

Valle allegedly went on to say he buried the child in his backyard after three days because he 'knew the child wouldn't be coming back to life'.

The suspect proceeded to tell officers that Sebella got pregnant a second time and prematurely gave birth to a child in a bathtub while he was at work.

He said the child was dead and wrapped in a blanket when he got home and buried the child in the backyard near the first, according to court documents.

Police also say Valle told them the children had been buried for about three to five years before he dug them up and burned them in the firepit.

He allegedly added he saved some of the ashes to make a necklace.

As the investigation continued, officers learned that Valle and Sebella had been physically violent with each other and determined that Sebella did not take any actions to protect her two deceased children, her living child or herself from the violence.

Police also said she made no effort to notify authorities of the kids' deaths, burials or burnings.

Due to no evidence confirming a crime, both parties are not in custody.
 What happened on Friday?

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill cleared its first hurdle in Parliament.

The historic vote came nine years after MPs in the Commons voted against assisted dying in 2015.

MPs debated for four-and-a-half hours before voting on Labour MP Kim Leadbeaters Bill.

They voted 330 to 275, majority 55, to approve it at second reading.

 So what now?

The Bill will now go to committee stage where MPs can table amendments.

Also on Friday, a motion was approved to allow the committee considering the Bill to have the power to send for people, papers and records as part of its sessions.

Amid concern from some about the Bill being rushed through or not receiving enough scrutiny, Ms Leadbeater has said it could face another six months of parliamentary scrutiny, insisting: There is plenty of time to get this right.

The Bill will face further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until 2025 at the earliest.

 Will it definitely become law?

Only if both the House of Commons and House of Lords agree on the final wording of the Bill.

Some MPs have indicated that their continued support at a further vote is contingent on being assured of appropriate safeguards in the Bill.

Among them was Conservative grandee Sir David Davis, who told the Commons he would only support it at its later stages if it was given more time.

 How soon could an assisted dying service be running?

Ms Leadbeater has suggested an assisted dying service would not be up and running for around another two years from the point the law was passed, with even more consultation to make sure we get it right at that stage.

 Who would be eligible?

Only terminally ill adults who are expected to die within six months and who have been resident in England and Wales and registered with a GP for at least 12 months.

They must have the mental capacity to make a choice about the end of their life and be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish  free from coercion or pressure  to end their life.

 How would the process work?

The terminally ill person must make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, about their wish to die.

The process must involve two independent doctors being satisfied the person is eligible and the medics can consult a specialist in the persons condition and get an assessment from an expert in mental capacity if deemed necessary.

A High Court judge must hear from at least one of the doctors regarding the application and can also question the dying person as well as anyone else they consider appropriate.

 How long would it take?

There must be at least seven days between the two doctors making their assessments and a further 14 days after the judge has made a ruling, for the person to have a period of reflection on their decision.

For someone whose death is expected imminently, the 14-day period could be reduced to 48 hours.

 What safeguards are there?

It would be illegal for someone to pressure, coerce or use dishonesty to get someone to make a declaration that they wish to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer an approved substance.

If someone is found guilty of either of these actions, they could face a jail sentence of up to 14 years.

 Would doctors have to take part?

No. Doctors would not be under any obligation to take part.

Doctors who do would have to be satisfied the person making their declaration to die has made it voluntarily and not been coerced or pressured by anyone else.

They would also be required to ensure the person is making an informed choice, including being made aware of their other treatment options such as palliative and hospice care.

Doctors would not be under a duty to raise the option of assisted dying with a patient.

The Bill states that there is nothing to stop them exercising their professional judgment to decide if, and when, it is appropriate to discuss the matter with a person.

 What about judges?

It is not thought judges would have the same right to decide whether or not to take part in the process.

Although the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has suggested this might be something Parliament can consider.

Ms Leadbeater has said while it would be a new area of work for judges, they are used to making these difficult and complex decisions and being part of this process, citing current procedures around decisions on turning off life support machines for terminally ill people.

Former director of public prosecutions Sir Max Hill, who is supportive of the Bill, said High Court hearings to decide on applications could be held in public.

 Who would administer the medication?

The dying person must take the medication themselves.

No doctor or anyone else can give the medication to the terminally ill person.

It has been suggested it might be the case a terminally ill person might be able to take such medication by pushing a button.

 How many people are likely to use an assisted dying service?

Ms Leadbeater said evidence from elsewhere in the world where it is legal suggests assisted deaths account for between 0.5 and 3 per cent of deaths.

She said it is likely take-up would be in the hundreds, rather than thousands.

 Will there be any scrutiny of how a new law operates?

The chief medical officers in England and Wales and the health secretary would be required to monitor and report on the operation of the law.

The health secretary would also be required to report on the availability, quality and distribution of appropriate health services to people with palliative care needs, including pain and symptom management, psychological support for those people and their families, and information about palliative care and how to access it.
Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan got into a tense standoff over an array of hot-button issues as they shouted each other down on a rooftop in Saudi Arabia.

The two journalists and former TV broadcasters met in the Middle East nation this week to discuss topics including the war in Gaza and whether the US should be funding it, gun control and the legacy of Winston Churchill.

On the Israel-Hamas war, Carlson condemned the Israeli government's bombardment of civilians for over a year, which Morgan questioned as he said such bombing 'wasn't evil.'

Carlson said: 'If you're intentionally killing civilians, you probably shouldn't beat your chest and brag about it... maybe you can make the case that you had to do it, but you should weep.'

'Is it evil though?' Morgan responded, to which Carlson argued: 'To kill civilians on purpose? I think it is. Kids and children? Yeah.'

Morgan said he could see there being a 'moral right' to civilian deaths in wartime, saying: 'If there is a world war that threatens the entire world, yes.'

When Carlson called his view 'disgusting', he walked back and said it could be justified 'in a pure defensive action' as the two journalists sparred over the conflict.

'To intentionally kill noncombatants, women and children, I think we can say that's wrong,' he concluded.

Tucker Carlson and Piers Morgan got into a tense standoff over an array of hot-button issues as they shouted each other down on a rooftop in Saudi Arabia this week

One of the issues the two men sparred over was Israel's war in Gaza, as Carlson branded Morgan's argument that killing civilians can be morally justified as 'disgusting'

The two journalists moved onto the issue of whether the US should continue funding Israel's efforts against Hamas, after former President Joe Biden sent at least $17.9 billion in military aid since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks.

After Carlson repeated his calls for the US to stop supplying aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, Morgan questioned: 'Why do you support Israel against Hamas? Why do you support giving them billions of dollars?'

'I don't,' Carlson snapped back.

'I support Israel in the sense that I really like Israel, I brought my family on vacation there... but (I support Israel) only to the extent that it helps the United States.'

Morgan claimed this was a hypocritical stance given his criticism of aid to Ukraine, saying his support merely 'depends on which country'.

'I don't see a difference between (Israel's bombing of Gaza) and what is happening in Ukraine,' Morgan continued.

'This is a long way away from America, there is no direct involvement with America or no mainland involvement, and yet you think it's right that America support Israel, but you don't think it's right that America supports Ukraine.'

Morgan and Carlson argued over whether the US was justified in sending billions of dollars to fund Israel's onslaught on Gaza

A dictator is someone who ignores elections and rules by violence. Zelensky meets that definition but Piers Morgan loves him anyway.



(0:00) Why Is Piers Morgan Deeply in Love With Zelensky?

(20:58) Zelensky Is Getting Rich From War

(25:29) Should NATO Be Abolished?

(36:48) pic.twitter.com/7YAjdOE9z6  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) January 31, 2025

Later in their conversation, which ran for more than an hour and a half and was posted to X, the two men got into a heated exchange on the issue of gun violence in the US.

Morgan, who has argued against the ownership of guns and has condemned America's school shooting epidemic numerous times, acknowledged that their argument was based in 'cultural differences.'

'In my country, everybody used to have a gun in the old days, now very few people have guns, there are incredibly tight restrictions, and the consequence of that is that we have almost zero gun crime,' he said.

'But the problem we have is with knives.

'So, I'm not saying for a moment the moment you get rid of guns nobody gets killed, we have a knife crime problem epidemic in our country.'

Carlson said London was suffering from a 'people problem' and said knife crimes had surged in the city compared to the 1970s, saying 'the actions of the people are totally different, you have different people.'

Their wide-ranging conversation also turned to the legacy of Winston Churchill, with Morgan taking offense to Carlson's argument that Churchill didn't do enough in World War Two.

Their wide-ranging conversation also turned to the legacy of Winston Churchill, with Morgan taking offense to Carlson's argument that Churchill didn't do enough in World War Two

Morgan argued that Churchill was a significant figure because he 'defeated the Nazis', while Carlson question what his achievements 'preserved'

'People want to tell me Churchills an incredible guy. Really? Well, why didnt he save Western civilization?' Carlson said.

Morgan responded: 'He did save Western civilization! He defeated the Nazis.'

'Well, I know he helped defeat the Nazis with his friend Stalin,' Carlson said. 'Im not defending the Nazis. Im just saying, where is Western civilization? What did he preserve? Where is it? I dont know where it is.'

Morgan countered that Churchill died in 1963, the year he was born, as he said the impact of Churchill's defeat of the Nazis was significant at the time.

However, Carlson argued mass immigration had reshaped Western civilization beyond what Churchill saved decades ago.

'But the question was like, Wheres the victory? I dont understand. Like, everyone wants to yell at you for not loving Churchill. Okay, well, show me the victory  no its a theoretical victory.

'He beat Hitler. Great. Im totally for beating Hitler.'
The 5-year-old Michigan boy who was killed Friday morning when the hyperbaric chamber he was in exploded has been identified.

Emergency crews responded to reports of an explosion at the Oxford Center in Troy shortly before 8 am.

Authorities confirmed that the 5-year-old boy, later revealed by his family to have been Thomas Cooper, was deceased upon their arrival.

The boy's mother, who was near the chamber at the time of the explosion, sustained injuries to her arms.

Officials stated that the fire was quickly contained within minutes of their arrival, preventing significant damage to the facility.

Authorities have not disclosed the child's medical condition or the reason for treatment.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by police and fire officials. Crews successfully contained the fire to the room.

Annie Cooper has set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses, sharing heartfelt memories of her son.

The 5-year-old Michigan boy who was killed Friday morning when the hyperbaric chamber he was in exploded has been identified as Thomas Cooper

Authorities have not disclosed the child's medical condition or the reason for treatment

Emergency crews responded to reports of an explosion at the Oxford Center in Troy shortly before 8 am on Friday

'He was the smartest and cutest kid who liked to zoom, zoom, zoom,' she wrote.

Thomas had a deep curiosity about the world, asking to see pictures of germs and learning how things worked.

He enjoyed making field journals and had just started adding facial features to his drawings.

Before his passing, he excitedly prepared for the Lunar New Year, tucking a red envelope under his pillow, declaring he would have 'the best luck ever!'

He had planned to spend the money that day with his little brother.

'His favorite thing to do was 'super sonic mode'running as fast as humanly possible,' Cooper wrote. 'He loved nature school, rolling down hills, stomping on ice, and playing in the mud. He loved his mama and daddy so much.'

Minecraft was his favorite game, and he adored his Nintendo DS. His father had gifted him a Yoshi game the night before as a reward for trying new foods, and Thomas was looking forward to playing it after his treatment.

'He loved to sing, "I love mama, I love mama, I love mama so very much,"' Cooper wrote. 'And he always said, 'My mama is the best in the whole world.''

Thomas was described as being the 'smartest and cutest kid'

His mother said he had a deep curiosity about the world, asking to see pictures of germs and learning how things worked

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by police and fire officials

According to the Mayo Clinic, a hyperbaric chamber is an enclosed space that delivers pure oxygen at higher-than-normal air pressure.

This therapy is used for various medical treatments, including life-saving procedures, tissue healing, and conditions such as sudden hearing loss or low red blood cell counts.

Because hyperbaric chambers contain highly concentrated oxygen in a pressurized space, they can be extremely combustible.

'A hyperbaric chamber contains 100 percent oxygen, which is up to five times the amount of oxygen in a normal room,' said Troy Fire Department Lt. Keith Young.

'The presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible.'

The Oxford Center, which provides integrative medical therapies, has temporarily closed as investigations continue.

'There's going to be multiple jurisdictions and departments throughout the state that are going to be a part of this investigation,' said Young.

Meanwhile, social workers with the Oakland Community Health Network are providing support to first responders and medical staff who were at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing.
Devastating photos have emerged of the Philadelphia plane crash that killed six as American flyers are voicing their concerns over the back-to-back deadly incidents.

Large rescue and emergency crews were spotted cleaning up the wreckage of the Philadelphia plane crash outside of Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia on Saturday morning in pictures taken from the scene.

Scraps of metal, blackened debris, and personal items could be seen littering the ground.

A small air ambulance, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, nosedived to the ground Friday evening, engulfing the area in flames and killing a pediatric patient and five others.

It came two days after an American Airlines flight collided with an Army Black Hawk Wednesday evening over the Potomac River in Washington, DC, killing 67 people.

The two deadly crashes have left a lot of US citizens terrified to step foot on a plane.

'Guys, I have massive anxiety. I feel like the world is falling apart,' one woman wrote on X. 'I'm supposed to get on a plane to CA soon and for the first time in my life I'm petrified to fly.'

Another wrote: 'I have a flight [tomorrow] and Im never the type to get anxious ever really because Im not scared of flying but theres been so many plane crashes its making me nervous.'

Photos show large rescue and emergency crews cleaning up the wreckage of the Philadelphia plane crash outside of Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia on Saturday morning

A small air ambulance, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, nosedived to the ground Friday evening, engulfing the area in flames and killing six, including a pediatric patient

Scraps of metal, blackened debris and personal items can be seen littering the ground

'Im flying on Sunday, and Ive been on planes since I was a baby, but all this plane crash news lately has me feeling nervous,' a third tweeted.

'This Philadelphia plane crash has me so nervous of flying. Im getting married this yr man. Not the time for all these crashes. What in the world!!' a fourth added.

'All these plane crashes lately are not helping my anxiety about flying and I have a trip in a little over a month and I'm genuinely so nervous [about] it,' another concerned flyer tweeted.

A sixth shared: 'Girl, I dont even have a flight planned any time soon & I'm still nervous about flying right now. two plane crashes in two days is just way too crazy for me.'

The nerves come after the head of the FAA stepped down when Trump was sworn in and the president suspended hiring, a move former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called 'despicable.'

'President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe. Time for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again.

'As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We [the Biden Administration] put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch,' he noted.

Just a day before the DC crash, air traffic controllers were offered a buyout plan to resign with eight month's pay by the Trump Administration in an effort to downsize government.

It came two days after an American Airlines flight collided with an Army Black Hawk Wednesday evening over the Potomac River in Washington, DC, killing 67 people (pictured: rescue crews in the Potomac River)

Trump also blamed the DC crash on DEI - a policy the Biden Administration heavily pushed - for the failure of the crash (pictured: rescue crews in the Potomac River)

Trump also blamed the DC crash on DEI - a policy the Biden Administration heavily pushed - for the failure of the crash.

The president specifically name-dropped Buttigieg - who is gay - calling him a 'disaster.'

'Hes run it right into the ground with his diversity,' he said of the former transportation secretary.

The Philadelphia plane had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport before it plummeted near Cottman and Roosevelt Boulevards.

The little girl was on her return flight home after completing her course of care, Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold said.

'She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home,' she said.

Also on board the ill-fated flight were the girl's mother, a pilot, a co-pilot, a doctor, and a paramedic, each of whom had dedicated themselves to ensuring the child's safe return. But in a cruel twist of fate, the journey ended in disaster.

The deadly crashes have left a lot of US citizens terrified to fly. 'Guys, I have massive anxiety. I feel like the world is falling apart,' one woman wrote on X. 'I'm supposed to get on a plane to CA soon and for the first time in my life I'm petrified to fly' (pictured: authorities at Philly site)

The pediatric patient aboard the Philadelphia flight was on her way home to Mexico after completing her course of medical care (pictured: aftermath of Philly crash)

The nerves come after the head of the FAA stepped down when Trump was sworn in and the president suspended hiring, a move former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called 'despicable' (pictured: Philly crash debris)

The Learjet 55, often used for critical medical transport, is a lifeline for patients like the young girl who was onboard.

The girl, who is from Mexico, was a patient of Shriners Children's Philadelphia, the hospital confirmed.

With sponsorship from a third-party charity, the girls had traveled to the US for urgent medical care that had given her another chance at life.

All six of the victims were from Mexico.

'I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families,' Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said.
Chinese New Year celebrations have swung into full gear in London as Chinatown lit up to mark 2025.

Celebrations broke out in the capital to celebrate the Year of the Snake with traditional festivities bringing together the East and south-east Asian cultures to its streets.

The animal of 2025 is the snake, which in the Chinese zodiac symbolises wisdom, intuition, and transformation.

As the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle, it represents elegance and thoughtfulness.

Chinese New Year is celebrated by the Chinese diaspora in London's Chinatown district each year with a Lion Dance that attracts thousands of tourists and Londoners to the area in Soho.

Lion dancers visited shops and restaurants so bring them good luck for the New Year.

Chinese New Year celebrations have swung in full gear in London as Chinatown lit up to mark 2025

Celebrations broke out in the capital to celebrate the year of the snake with traditional festivities bringing together the eat and south east Asian culture to its streets

Even pets were not spared in the festivities, with a chihuahua being spotted dressed for the occasion

The animal of 2025 is the snake, which in the Chinese zodiac symbolises wisdom, intuition, and transformation

Crowds gathered in the capital as many onlookers took pictures and joined in the celebrations.

Even pets were not spared in the festivities, with a chihuahua being spotted dressed for the occasion.

The weekend will see events play out in the capital to celebrate the occasion.

On Saturday, there was were Lion dance persmorances throughout Chinatown from 11am.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, crowds will be able to enjoy the Chinese New Year parade from East of Trafalgar Square to Chinatown in the morning.

After this there will be various celebrations in Trafalgar Square, including speeches and Lions Eyes-Dotting Ceremony, and art and craft stalls.

There will also be cultural workshops and family activities in Leicester Square.

Millions around the world will be bringing in the Lunar New Year.

As the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle, it represents elegance and thoughtfulness.

Chinese New Year is celebrated by the Chinese diaspora in London's Chinatown district each year

Crowds gathered in the capital as many onlookers took pictures and joined in the celebrations

Map of the Chinese New Year parade in London this weekend

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.'

'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.'
A chilling moan was heard in newly released recorded conversation between air traffic control and the doomed air ambulance that crashed over Pennsylvania on Friday night.

The audio comes as it was revealed victims on board the small Learjet 55 plane included a young pediatric patient who was traveling back to Mexico after having just undergone life-saving medical treatment in the US.

In the minutes leading up to the crash, air traffic control was heard speaking with the air ambulance, including asking the pilot 'what frequency' they were on.

Social media debated the next part of their conversation, as sharp-eared listeners said they could hear one side saying the other was 'talking with the wrong people.'

A few seconds after that remark, an ominous moan could be heard coming from what several social media user believed was the cockpit. Officials have not revealed what caused the crash, and an investigation is ongoing.

After a brief pause, an air traffic controller asked, 'What's going on down there?', to which another dispatcher answered: 'We have a lost aircraft.'

'We're not exactly sure what happened, we're trying to figure it out,' they added. 'For now, the field is going to be closed.'

The crash came just two days after an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a US military Blackhawk helicopter over Reagan International Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday night, killing 67 people in a tragic incident with no survivors.

The back-to-back disasters have left America's flying public spooked, amid reports from aviation experts that the industry is rife with near-misses and errors.

A young pediatric patient who had just undergone life-saving medical treatment in the U.S. was onboard the Learjet 55 air ambulance that crashed in a fiery explosion in northeast Philadelphia

Debris was seen scattered throughout the residential neighborhood in Philadelphia where the air ambulance fell from the skies on Friday night

Shocking footage from the ground soon emerged after the plane went down, as at least six people - all from Mexico - lost their lives when it plummeted into a densely populated area in northern Philadelphia.

The aircraft, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, was bound for Tijuana, Mexico, with a stop at Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The plane had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport when it fell from the sky, tragically carrying the young pediatric patient and their escort following life-saving medical treatment.

The crash site, near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, quickly became engulfed in flames, with buildings and vehicles caught in the inferno.

Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, confirmed the heartbreaking news, stating how the young girl had fought tirelessly to survive her illness.

'She did her course of care. She was going home,' Gold said. 'She fought quite a lot to survive, and unfortunately, this tragedy on the way home.'

On board the ill-fated flight were the girl's mother, a pilot, a co-pilot, a doctor, and a paramedic, each of whom had dedicated themselves to ensuring the child's safe return. But in a cruel twist of fate, the journey ended in disaster.

The Learjet 55, often used for critical medical transport, is a lifeline for patients like the young girl who was onboard. The girl was a patient of Shriners Children's Philadelphia, the hospital confirmed.

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were captured on a separate video on fire along with several cars parked along the busy street

Thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the air following the fiery crash

The aftermath of the catastrophe was captured on harrowing drone footage, which showed the chaotic scenes on the ground.

In a one-minute video shared to X, the busy street lined with homes and businesses was completely engulfed in massive, bright-orange flames.

Thick, dark plumes of smoke were seen saturating the sky above as dozens of fires continued to ravage the road below.

Multiple homes facing the road were seen swallowed in flames as the bright lights of responding emergency vehicles blocked off the area on both sides.

Businesses near the Roosevelt Mall were also captured ablaze as well as several cars parked along the street.

The lit-up debris was seen scattered throughout the entirety of the neighborhood.

The fiery disaster was also captured on doorbell footage, which showed two unsuspecting people leaving their home.

A doorbell camera also captured the fiery disaster. The nail-biting video shows two unsuspecting people leaving their home at the same moment the plane exploded into a fireball

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance does not believe that anyone on the jet had survived the impact

Just seconds into the clip, a white orb is seen picking up speed before a bright light filled the sky - sending the witnesses into a bout of full-fledged terror.

The people in the video were heard letting out gut-wrenching screams as they rushed back inside to shield themselves from the disastrous wreck.

The blaring explosion, which sounded like shattering glass, was followed by an orange tint filling the sky above.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The three Israeli men who spent more than a year in Hamas captivity have been reunited with their families after their release earlier today.

Yarden Bibas and French Israeli Ofer Kalderon were handed to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel was released later Saturday morning in Gaza city.

The Israeli Defence Forces confirmed that both Bibas and Kalderon had reunited with their loved ones, sharing images and videos of the emotional encounter.

One moving clip shows Kalderon reuniting with his four children as they joyfully rush towards their father and leap into his arms.

'I didn't give up', he tells his kids, to which one of his sons responds: 'It's over Dad, you're with us.'

Kalderon's daughter Gaya can be heard telling him: 'Everybody's okay, everybody's alive', as the family continue to hug and cry.

A separate clip shows Kalderon reuniting with his brother.

'I'm not going anywhere', Kalderon tells him as the two siblings hug.

This handout picture released by the Israeli government press office (GPO) shows newly-released Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon being reunited with his children at Sheba hospital in Ramat Gan on February 1, 2025

Yarden Bibas reunites with his mother today at the Tel-Hashomer Sheba Medical Center

Israeli hostage Keith Siegel being delivered to representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by fighters of the Ezz al-Din Al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, at Gaza port in Gaza City today

Kalderon's brother can be heard telling him how much he loves him between embraces.

'I had to go all the way to Gaza for you to tell me that?', Kalderon jokes.

Kalderon was abducted on October 7, 2023, alongside his two children Erez and Sahar, but they were released in the first exchange.

Meanwhile freed hostage Bibas returned to Israel today without his wife Shiri and their young sons Ariel and Kfir, who were also snatched by Hamas 15 months ago.

He was seen reuniting with his father and sister in an emotional clip.

A separate video shows the father-of-two being hugged by his mother as she sobs into his shoulders.

Footage of Bibas reuniting with his loved ones is particularly raw given that the fates of his wife and children remain unknown.

Baby Kfir was only nine months old when he was kidnapped, and Ariel was just four at the time of the attack.

Hamas on February 1 released three Israeli hostages in the fourth exchange of the ceasefire deal

Two of Kalderon's children were also abducted by Hamas, but were released in the first hostage exchange in 2023

The release of three Israelis is the latest hostage exchange in what is a fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas

Kalderon can be seen reuniting with a loved one today

Hamas said in late 2023 that they had been killed by Israeli bombardment, but Israel has not officially confirmed their deaths.

Terror group Hamas released a horrific video at the time showing Yarden breaking down after being told that his wife and sons were dead.

Hamas did not offer proof to back up its claims and Israel's Defence Forces blasted the sick video as 'psychological terror'.

Following his release from Hamas captivity, Bibas' family issued an emotional statement today, asking the public to 'protect his soul' as he returned without his wife and sons.

'Yarden is home. A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months. There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice. Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete,' the statement says.

'Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity and returned to an unbearable reality.

'At this time, we ask: Protect Yarden, Protect his soul. Please respect his privacy and give him the space he needs so that his body and soul can begin to recover,' the statement says.

In a TV interview in June, then-Israeli minister Benny Gantz suggested that the government knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but that it could not provide details yet.

Bibas pictured with his mother, father and sister today at the Tel-Hashomer Sheba medical center following his release

Image shows newly-freed hostage Yarden Bibas together with his sister and father aboard a military helicopter on their way to Sheba hospital in Ramat Gan

Bibas aboard a military helicopter today on his way to a medical center following his release

Released hostage Keith Samuel Siegal, draped in an Israeli flag, arrives to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center - Ichilov Hospital today

Yarden Bibas is the father of baby Kfir, who was only nine months old when he was kidnapped, and Ariel, who was just four at the time of the attack

Collect picture from the Bibas family of Baby Kfir Bibas, and mother Shiri, brother Ariel, and father Yarden, held hostage in Gaza

Released American-Israeli hostage, Keith Siegel, who was seized during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, embraces loved ones as he is reunited with his wife Aviva, his daughters Ilan, Gal and Shir and brother, Lee, at Sourasky Medical Center

Siegel embraces his brother Lee following his release today

Israel has not officially confirmed the deaths of the two boys and their mother, but has expressed 'grave concern' for their fate.

There have been no proof-of-life videos shared of Shiri or her sons since their abduction on October 7, 2023.

Horrific video of the mother and her two young boys being taken away by the terrorists was met with horror worldwide due to her visible distress.

Footage of a frail-looking Siegel reuniting with his family was released later today, in which he is seen greeting his wife Aviva, his daughters Ilan, Gal and Shir and his brother Lee.

Bibas was released to the Red Cross in a ceremony early this morning alongside Kalderon in the latest stage of the phased exchange of hostages between Israel and Hamas.

Each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers.

Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage in an orderly handover, a contrast to the chaotic crowds that had surrounded hostages during a handover Thursday, angering Israel.

U.S.-Israeli dual national Siegel was later handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza Port.

Images of Siegel being handed over to the Red Cross showed the freed hostage looking pale and thin.

Separate pictures show him exiting a helicopter after touching down in Israel.

He was seen in a video released by Hamas last year and his wife was released in the first hostage-for-prisoner exchange in November 2023.

Shortly after Siegel arrived in Israel, a bus departed Ofer Military Prison with some 32 Palestinian prisoners bound for the West Bank.

Yarden Bibas, 34, who has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023, is escorted by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis

Crowds of well-wishers greeted the bus, cheering and hoisting the released prisoners on their shoulders in scenes of jubilation.

Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, was released in the latest stage of the phased exchange of hostages between the embattled regions

Ofer Kalderon holds up a sign with a heart symbol drawn on it, as he travels by helicopter to hospital

U.S.-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was later handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza Port, live television footage showed

Israel is expected to transfer 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, Hamas said, while wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

When it opened, a group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children crossed for treatment.

It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May.

A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The truce, which began Jan. 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

Palestinians who were emprisoned by Israel are welcomed by family members as they arrive on buses to the European hospital in Khan Yunis for check ups on February 1, 2025

Israel is expected to transfer 182 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, Hamas said

Wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing

Palestinians, who were released from Israeli jails on Saturday as part of the fourth batch of the prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas, are being welcomed by their relatives and citizens in Ramallah, West Bank on February 01, 2025

The freed prisoners were handed over to the International Red Cross from the Ofer Prison facility near Ramallah in the central West Bank, in line with the terms of the cease-fire and prisoner swap deal that took effect on Jan. 19.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

Hamas said this week that only 25 of the 33 hostages it plans to release are still alive. They will be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce's first six weeks.

The 33 names on the list are women, the Bibas family children, men aged over 50, and unwell and injured men.

Israel has accused Hamas of 'psychological terror' for naming the hostages but not actually confirming whether they are alive.

Whether hostages were alive or dead inside Gaza has been a heartbreaking question for waiting families who have pushed Israel's government to reach a deal to free them, fearing that time was running out.

Family of Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon react as they watch the broadcast of him being released from Hamas captivity

Released Israeli hostage Aviva Siegel embraces her son as she reacts to a footage of her husband, Keith Siegel, being handed over to the Red Cross

The Bibas family, father Yarden, mother Shiri, baby Kfir and four-year-old Ariel, were taken captive by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023 from Kibbutz Nir Oz

Watching from Kfra Saba, southern Israel, the family could be seen cheering and breaking down in tears as they watched the sight

The family embraced tightly as the news that they had been waiting more than a year to hear finally came through

Around 90 hostages are still being held, and Israeli authorities believe between a third and a half of them were killed in the initial attack or died in captivity.

An Israeli general revealed Monday that some of the hostages released from Gaza so far during the ceasefire had been held in Hamas tunnels for up to eight months straight, deprived of daylight and with little to no human contact.

Three Israeli civilians and four soldiers - all women - have been released so far in the ceasefire, and in return, Israel has released 290 Palestinian convicts and detainees.

'Some of them told us that they've been in the past few months, that they've been through the entire time, in tunnels, underground,' deputy chief of the Israeli military's medical corps, Colonel Dr. Avi Banov, told journalists online.

'Some of them were alone through the entire time they were there,' he said.

'Those who said they were together were in better shape.'

The hostages said their treatment improved in the days leading up to their release, Banov said, when they were allowed to shower, change their clothes and received better food.

(Left to Right) Israeli hostages Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev stand on a stage before being delivered to the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is greeted by a relative upon his arrival in Ramallah

Another is cheered upon his arrival after arriving on buses of the International Committee of the Red Cross

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is is hugged by relatives as he returns home

Members of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades gather in Gaza City to release Israeli hostages as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel

They appeared to be in good condition and smiling in videos on the days of their release.

Citing the hostages' privacy, Banov would not say whether any of the seven bore signs of torture or abuse.

Some had not received proper treatment for wounds sustained when they were captured during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and some showed signs of 'mild starvation', Banov said.

The ceasefire reached earlier this month after more than a year of negotiations is aimed at ending the 15-month war, which was triggered by the initial 2023 Hamas attack, as well as freeing hostages still held in Gaza in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

The first phase of the ceasefire runs until early March, but the second and far more difficult phase has yet to be negotiated.

Talks on phase two are set to begin next Monday.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war, while Israel has threatened to resume its offensive until Hamas is destroyed.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

A member of the Red Cross team signs documents before Palestinian militant group Hamas fighters handover two Israeli hostages in Khan Yuni

A woman reacts as she watches on a screen at hostage square in Tel Aviv, the release of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip

Israelis gather at Hostages Square to watch the hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel on giant screens in Tel Aviv

Members of Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades gather in Gaza City to release Israeli hostages as part of a hostage swap deal between Hamas and Israel

Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Kalderon's family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

'Ofer is coming home!' they said, arms lifted to the sky.

Kalderon's two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they weren't able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

'We are sorry it took so long, Ofer,' said Eyal Kalderon. 'We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.'

Keith Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

There were sighs of relief and cheers in a living room where members of the kibbutz watched Siegel's release. Many of those in the room were family friends, who applauded upon seeing his face, while some teared up.

Crowds gathered as the hostages were ceremoniously brought onto a stage by masked Hamas gunmen

People watching a live stream report on a big screen on the release of three Israeli hostages, Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas

Israelis react as they watch a broadcast of the release of American-Israeli Keith Siegel

Siegel is one of the highest-profile hostages, now a household name in Israel after his wife Aviva Siegel, also captured in the Hamas attack, mounted a public campaign to bring him home after her own release from captivity in November 2023.

Speaking after his release, his wife Aviva said: 'The great day has arrived. Yes! I am happy. I am happy. there is no one happier than me. I am ready with everything and I'm going to meet him!'

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Netanyahu's coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefire's first phase.

Hamas says it won't release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
A circus acrobat mother working seven days a week has said she was fined for taking her daughter on a two-week holiday outside of term-time, although she had no other option.

Performer Kelly travels the country with the circus every day, with only January and February off each year.

The 32-year-old was fined for taking her daughter out of school for a holiday to the Canary Islands in January, 2024.

She told the BBC: 'That January and February is super important to us, to have that downtime.'

Kelly's daughter attends one school from Wednesday to Friday each week but on Mondays and Tuesdays, she said, she is registered with other schools around the country so she can stay with her mum as she travels with the troupe.

Kelly, who works weekends, said her daughter 'loves' meeting new people all over the country as she follows the circus with her mother.

She added that children should be granted term-time breaks if their parents can prove that they cannot take time off during school holidays.

Kelly said although ensuring her daughter is in full-time education is 'tiring', it is nonetheless necessary and she disagrees with parents taking their children out of school whenever they want.

Kelly, 32, travels the country with the circus every day, with only January and February off each year

The mum was fined for taking her daughter out of school for a holiday to the Canary Islands in January, 2024

This comes as almost 500,000 fines were issued to parents in England during the last academic year for taking their children out of school without permission.

The number of families being fined for taking holidays in term time has risen as parents increasingly turn their backs on a week's education for their young ones in favour of avoiding exorbitant holiday prices during official school breaks.

Department for Education data revealed 487,344 fines were issued in 2023-24 - up 22 per cent on 398,796 penalty notices in the year before.

And numbers are noticeably up since the pre-Covid era. In 2018-19 just 333,388 penalty notices were issued to parents.

The vast majority (91 per cent) of fines issued in 2023-24 were for unauthorised holidays.

In September, school-absence fines in England rose from 60 to 80. A parent who is fined a second time for the same child within a three-year period will now receive a 160 fine.

The former Conservative government announced these hikes in February last year as part of a drive to boost post-pandemic school attendances.

The government said fines have a 'vital place in our system, so everyone is held accountable' for ensuring children are in school.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said school absences have become an 'epidemic'.
Abuja  Former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has cautioned the government against plans to scrap the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

He warned that such a move would have devastating consequences for universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Wabba's warning comes amid deliberations on tax reform bills at the National Assembly, which propose a reduction in TETFund allocations. The bill suggests that starting in 2025, only 50% of the Education Tax will go to TETFund, with the remainder allocated to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). It also outlines plans to phase out TETFund entirely by 2030, redirecting all education tax proceeds to NELFUND.

Speaking at the National Leadership Retreat organized by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in Abuja, Wabba emphasized TETFund's vital role in sustaining universities, particularly in infrastructure development and staff training.

"For some time now, the major funding for our universities and other tertiary institutions has come from TETFund, especially for critical infrastructure, which has become dilapidated. Even in training and retraining university staff, TETFund had to intervene," Wabba explained.

He added that scrapping TETFund would return Nigerian universities to "zero level," as the national budget is already inadequate to meet their needs.

Wabba noted that state governors and trade unions have also opposed the proposed scrapping of TETFund, recognizing its importance in sustaining higher education.

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"The budget system is already limited, with many competing demands. Education is critical, and it used to be one of the government's top priorities. We need to return to the basics and strengthen TETFund because they are doing a good job," he said.

On the issue of labour disputes, Wabba highlighted the need for strong collective bargaining as a solution.

"In the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) decent work agenda, prioritizing collective bargaining is essential. Once unions have grievances, whether at the branch or national level, the government should engage them in good faith and implement agreements. Workers do not want to strike; it is a last resort," he explained.

Wabba acknowledged that while strikes cannot be completely eliminated, they remain a necessary tool in some cases due to the attitudes of certain employers.

On concerns about internal sabotage within unions, Wabba assured that unions have mechanisms to address such challenges. Maintaining unity within unions is essential to protect workers' interests, he stressed.

Wabba addressed reports of reduced salaries for some workers, advising them to report such cases to their unions.

"If any worker's salary has been reduced, they should first report to their union. Salary is a legal agreement between an employer and a worker. An employer cannot unilaterally reduce a worker's salary -- that is illegal and unacceptable," he said.

Wabba assured workers that unions would escalate such issues to labour centers for appropriate action.
The mother of a young DJ who died from meningitis is releasing his last messages in a bid to warn youngsters of the telltale signs of the disease.

Professor Sue Astley Theodossiadis has published the final messages and calls sent and made by her 25-year-old son Alex Theodossiadis, who died five years ago after contracting meningitis.

The heartbreaking messages Mr Theodossiadis exchanges with friends and family detail his symptoms and show his condition deteriorating before a final message which read that he was 'in and out of naps'.

Mr Theodossiadis began displaying flu-like symptoms on January 16, 2020 and developed severe migraine headaches, leaving him unable to eat and confined to bed.

On January 20, he struggled to get a GP appointment at The Light practice, in Leeds city centre, eventually managing to book one for three weeks later on February 10, .

He visited the Shakespeare walk-in clinic on January 24 where he was given strong painkillers for his migraine-type headaches by a nurse practitioner who told the inquest into his death, held in 2021, that she did not see any signs of meningitis or she would have sent him to hospital.

A day later, Mr Theodossiadis was so ill his flat-mate - Leeds artist Sam Jeffries - took him to the A&E at Leeds General by taxi. He was later transferred to the city's St James's Hospital, where he fell and banged his head in his confused state.

He was put on a ventilator after he stopped breathing and subsequently died.

Alex Theodossiadis began displaying flu-like symptoms on January 16, 2020 and developed severe migraine headaches, leaving him unable to eat and confined to bed

Professor Sue Astley Theodossiadis has published the final messages and calls sent and made by her 25-year-old son Alex Theodossiadis, who died five years ago after contracting meningitis

Mr Theodossiadis was a fit and healthy young man who lived for his DJ work, for which he was developing an international reputation

Professor Theodossiadis, a medical imaging expert at Manchester University, was able to plot her son's declining state through the messages he sent to friends and family.

A timeline of Alex's final messages January 9 - Facebook message to his mother Sue 'I've been using these drops and my right ear has been totally blocked for 4 days now. Can't hear anything at all. So I went to the GP but they can't [see] me for free on the NHS till the end of the month. I've booked in for a private appointment tomorrow morning but its 70.' January 16 - Facebook message to a friend 'I've been the most ill I've been for YEARS. Tonsillitis and flu. Been eating a lot of codeine today. Sorry I lost my train of thought lol! Basically I felt like my body was about to fall apart then Marlon turned up with some codeine and I feel much better now.' January 17 - Facebook message to a friend 'And I'm ooook, feeling a bit better. My lips have chaffed so badly though they're a proper dry mess.They split in the night and I woke up with blood all over my pillow.' January 18 - Facebook message to a friend 'Just getting to bed. Not much of a flu now just a tight chest and horrendous cough. Managed to play my set and found it quite enjoyable despite being sober and a bit poorly.' January 18 - Facebook message to his mother Sue 'Been really ill this week and have struggled to eat anything the last few days. Have you any tips on how to get nourished. I just have like two bites then can't do anymore.' Sue advised to eat soup for nourishment and see a GP, and asked if it was flu. Alex replied: 'Yeah a combo of flu and tonsillitis.' January 19 - Facebook message to a friend 'I'm feeling relatively normal again! Got some food cookin and watching the footy.' January 20 - Facebook message to a friend 'Have you ever had a migraine? (have you been hit by one?) Yeah I thought I was clear and I've had the worst headache of all time since 3am lol. 'Whhhhyyyy (painkillers/water doing nothing? Only brief respite.' January 20 - A summary of phone calls between Alex and his mother 'Cleared the flu and tonsillitis. Then developed a really debilitating migraine at 3am'. We said that congestion could cause sinus pain and asked him where the pain was - 'centre left temple'. We suggested trying a decongestant - 'It's still going on now'. We asked if he had a GP - 'I signed up to the local one, there's no appointments till the 10th Feb.' We advised trying the NHS 111 website and entering his symptoms on the grounds that it would advise him to see a GP and he could use that to bump him up the list, and to go to a pharmacy to seek help. He agreed. Half an hour later he said 'Can I take aspirin?' and we advised he could, but stick to the instructions, also suggesting he take a decongestant. January 20 - Facebook message to a friend 'Have you ever had a migraine? I'm having one ATM and want it to stop more than anything in the world.' January 23 - Facebook message to a friend 'Feeling a bit dodge still like.' When corrected after confusing which day of the week it was, he replies: 'Lying motionless all week sure isn't great for sense of time.' January 23 - Facebook message to a friend 'I'm really struggling to eat atm. I went like four days barely eating and my stomach is just churning up anything I put in there. When asked if he was vomiting he replied: 'Nah I got to the yellow bile stage retching then been teetering at the edge of that for like three days.' January 24 - Facebook message to his mother Sue 'Am still incredibly ill. I went to the walk-in doctors just now. They've sent me to get some stronger medicine. Naproxen.' January 24 - Facebook message to a friend 'I've taken a turn for the worse (somehow) and have cancelled my set. Can't believe how mentally sh** I'm feeling.' January 24 - Facebook message to a friend 'I've been incredibly afflicted with the flu and migraines this week and it shows no sign of letting up. I really don't know how up for recording radio I am tbh so how would you feel about doing a two hour takeover? Aye I've cancelled tonight because I can barely stand up without getting a blinding headache.' January 24 - Facebook message to a friend 'Feeling worse if anything. These extra strong painkillers are doing fook all.' January 25 - Facebook message to a friend 'I'm in and out of naps.' Advertisement

Throughout the messages and calls, Mr Theodossiadis said that he suspected he had tonsillitis and flu.

He then developed a debilitating migraine, which left him unable to eat properly or leave his flat.

At an inquest into his death, Professor Theodossiadis said he had trouble booking a GP appointment before he was taken to hospital and had instead been seen by a nurse practitioner at a walk-in centre who only prescribed painkillers for the migraines he was suffering as a result of the meningitis.

She said she had rushed to Leeds from her home in Hale, Greater Manchester, with her husband, also Alex Theodossiadis - a consultant psychiatrist at Royal Oldham Hospital.

She said they later went home to eat because they were told her son's condition had not changed in the hours they had been there, a CT scan was normal and he was not being recommended for neurosurgery.

She said they would have stayed at the hospital if any of these three things had been different.

Professor Theodossiadis said they took a call at home from an 'incredibly panicky' nurse who told them they needed to get back to Leeds urgently.

Around 50 of their son's friends had gathered at St James's, where they found Mr Theodossiadis on a ventilator and they was told he had fallen, banged his head and stopped breathing.

She told the coroner: 'We found he was on a ventilator and showing no real signs of life we had just a few hours before.'

Professor Theodossiadis said this was a 'dramatic deterioration'.

She said: 'Our view is that Alex was very alive. He was poorly, but alive.

'He had a chance of life before he fell. After he fell, he had no chance of life.'

She also told the inquest her son was a fit and healthy young man who lived for his DJ work, for which he was developing an international reputation.

'It was his life; it gave him joy,' she said.

Professor Theodossiadis has been working closedly with Meningitis Now, a charity dedicated to raising awarness and devoted to research, to design a lesson for schoolchildren in a bid to raise awareness of some of the lesser known symptoms of Meningitis.

A resource pack will also be made available which aims to help young people recognise serious illness, and provides the knowledge to navigate the healthcare system on their own when they reach adulthood.

She told the Mirror staff at a walk-in clinic Mr Theodossiadis visited wrote that he had 'cough and cold' symptoms and did not recognise 'his most concerning symptoms including a new, debilitating headache' as possible Meningitis.

She added that she felt that 'all healthcare professionals, including receptionists, need to be aware of the difficulties young people have in explaining themselves' when they self present in clinics or surgeries, saying Mr Theodossiadis had previously only visited the GP with her when he was younger.

'He was so ill he couldn't even climb the stairs to his bedroom, but the duration and severity of his symptoms wasn't discussed at the appointment', she added.

Dr Tom Nutt, director at Meningitis Now, told the newspaper: 'Young people are an at-risk group of meningitis and research tells us that up to a quarter of 15 to 24-year-olds carry the bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis in the back of their throats, compared with one in 10 of the general population.

'It's important that young people have the confidence and the knowledge to understand what may be happening to them when they are unwell and to know when to seek medical help or the help of others.

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults.

The bacteria that causes the diseases are usually spread by close or lengthy contact. Most cases happen individually, but outbreaks sometimes occur in schools or where people share living space, such as university halls.

Many of the early signs, including vomiting, fever, aches, general tiredness and headaches, are also signs of less serious illnesses like colds and flu.

Symptoms develop suddenly and can also include a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it, a dislike of bright lights, drowsiness or unresponsiveness and seizures.

The symptoms can appear in any order, and those with the illness will not always get all the symptoms.

People with suspected meningitis will usually have tests in hospital to confirm the diagnosis and check whether the condition is the result of a viral or bacterial infection.

Bacterial meningitis usually needs to be treated in hospital for at least a week.

Meanwhile, viral meningitis tends to get better on its own within 7 to 10 days and can often be treated at home.

Most people with bacterial meningitis who are treated quickly will make a full recovery, although some are left with serious long-term problems which can include hearing or vision loss, partial or full, problems with memory and concentration, epilepsy, issues with balance and co-ordination, or in severe cases, amputation of limbs.

Overall, the NHS estimates up to one in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust previously apologised for the standard of Alex's care.
The Army Black Hawk that collided with an American Airlines plane was hundreds of feet outside air traffic control's predesignated, approved route ahead of the deadly crash over the Potomac River.

The Black Hawk was supposed to be following 'Route 4' - a known path at Reagan National that allows helicopters to fly at low altitudes below 200 feet to avoid commercial jets arriving at the Virginia airport - sources told The New York Times.

However, the military aircraft - which was marked as a PAT-25 - was flying above 300 feet and was at least a half-mile off course when it collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 on Wednesday evening, killing 67 people.

An experienced air traffic controller exclusively told DailyMail.com that the air traffic control (ATC) audio that emerged from the crash showed the operator's instructions to the helicopter were 'very ambiguous.'

In the nearly minute-and-a-half recording, ATC operators could be heard asking the helicopter if the commercial flight is in sight.

Through muffled audio, more commands and confirmations were made between ATC operators.

One air traffic controller said to the helicopter pilot: 'PAT 2-5, do you have the CRJ in sight?'

Seconds later, the controller spoke again, requesting: 'Pat 2-5 pass behind the CRJ.'

The Army Black Hawk that collided with an American Airlines plane wasn't following air traffic control's predesignated, approved route ahead of the deadly crash over the Potomac River

The Black Hawk was supposed to be following 'Route 4' - a known path at Reagan National that allows helicopters to fly at low altitudes below 200 feet to avoid commercial jets arriving at the Virginia airport - sources told The New York Times

The Black Hawk never responded and moments later, the two aircrafts would collide in a fiery explosion over the river.

Five current and former controllers told The Times the controller should have instructed both aircrafts to fly away from each other rather than just asking one to move from the other.

However, they recognized that it's harder to gauge distance at night and some wondered if the Black Hawk had mistaken a different plane in the busy airspace as AA 5342.

In addition, sources told The Times only one controller was dealing with both commercial planes and helicopters after one employee was sent home.

It is normal for one person to be in charge of both post-9:30 pm as airport traffic significantly decreases. However, the crash happened before 9 pm.

A preliminary FAA report, obtained by The Times, states that Reagan's control tower staffing was 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.'

When contacted by DailyMail.com, the FAA said it 'cannot comment on any aspect of open investigations' and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) - which is leading the investigation - will provide updates when it can.

A lot of air traffic control towers are understaffed and President Donald Trump blamed DEI not only for the crash itself, but for the FAA turning away 1,000 job applicants, alleging it worsen safety matters.

However, the military aircraft - which was marked as a PAT-25 - was flying above 300 feet and was at least a half-mile off course when it collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 on Wednesday evening, killing 67 people

In a suit filed in 2015, lead plaintiff Andrew Brigida, 35, claims the agency's obsession with DEI hiring was a catalyst in ensuring an accident was likely to happen - and reiterated this in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday.

The FAA dropped a skills-based system for hiring air traffic controllers and instead based it on a 'biographical assessment' under the Obama administration.

Brigida, who is white, alleged that he was discriminated against based purely on his race and was the reason his application was knocked back.

The Arizona state graduate was turned down for a job with the agency even though he had passed his training exam with full marks, the suit claims.

The FAA has struggled in recent years with staffing issues following pandemic-era layoffs and has yet to fully recover.

The lawsuit only compounds mounting criticism on the agency, especially after President Trump blamed DEI hiring policies on the cause of Wednesday's crash.

In Trump's first term, lawyers for the Federal Transportation Department argued to throw out Brigida's case.

They said that deciding to open up applications for more diverse candidates isn't solid enough grounds to file a discrimination suit.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act stops employers from discriminating on 'race, color, religion, sex and national origin.'

In a 2020 motion filed by the government, they said: 'An employer's decision to broaden the pool of potential applicants between rounds of hiring is not a personnel action cognizable under Title VII.'

They added that Brigida can't claim discrimination just because the new system no longer benefitted him.

Reagan National has been understaffed for many years, with just 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The situation appeared to have improved since then, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is nothing new, with well-known causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

In order to fill the gaps, controllers are frequently asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.
A former civil servant claims he developed a rare terminal cancer because he was exposed to deadly asbestos dust while working at MI5's London headquarters.

Stuart Beaton, 61, from Croydon, South London, is suing the Home Office for negligence after developing malignant mesothelioma. He has been told by doctors that he has only a few years to live.

The incurable cancer affects the lining of the lungs and is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos dust.

Mr Beaton had stated in his lawsuit that his exposure occurred during the 1980s while on secondment at Thames House, a Grade II listed building in Westminster that is home to the UK's intelligence agency.

He claims asbestos within the building was disturbed during renovation works which were not partitioned off, contaminating communal areas nearby, and fears his colleagues may have been exposed as well.

Mr Beaton believes the asbestos dust would have gathered in the stairwells, lifts and corridors of the building, which was 'in extremely poor condition'.

At the time of his exposure, the retired civil service worker said he had discussed the dangers of asbestos with his colleagues but was told by his manager, John Golds, that the risk remained low.

But two years ago Mr Beaton began to develop health issues and tests revealed he had lesions on his lungs, The Telegraph reported.

Former civil servant Stuart Beaton claims he developed a rare terminal cancer because he was exposed to asbestos while working at Thames House, MI5's London headquarters (file pic)

Malignant mesothelioma is an incurable cancer affecting the lining of the lungs and is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos dust

He is now suing the Home Office for negligence, claiming that it failed to provide him with protective equipment and clothing, to protect his work surfaces and to prevent exposure to asbestos dust.

The lawsuit, which is claiming 200,000 in damages, also states that he was misinformed over the risk from exposure and said that workers wearing contaminated clothes were allowed to use the same entrances, corridors, lifts and staircases as staff.

Doctors have told the now-retired analyst for the prison service that he had an incurable cancer which would knock 23 years off a normal life expectancy.

Impacted by breathing issues, Mr Beaton has undergone immunotherapy and has to have fluid regularly drained from his left lung.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops in the lining that covers the outer surface of some of the body's organs and is usually linked to asbestos exposure.

It mainly affects the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), although it can also affect the lining of the tummy (peritoneal mesothelioma), heart or testicles.

Around 2,700 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK.

More than 50% of cases are diagnosed in people aged 75 and over and men are affected more commonly than women.

The symptoms of the disease may not be apparent until decades after exposure. Pictured: An asbestos surveyor takes a sample of building material for analysis (file pic)

The symptoms of mesothelioma tend to develop gradually and will not be apparent until several decades after exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos was completely banned from building materials in 1999, but can still be found in many older buildings.

According to lawyer John Browne from Slater and Gordon, who is representing Mr Beaton, his client's condition will continue to deteriorate and he will need increased nursing care in his final months.

Mr Browne stated in legal documents: 'It is inevitable that his condition will progress, resulting in deterioration in his overall condition, with increasing breathlessness and pain.'

MailOnline has contacted the Home Office for comment.
The final resting place of Sara Sherif has been revealed after the 10-year-old was buried in a Polish village a thousand miles from the home where she was murdered in Surrey.

The schoolgirl was found dead in Woking in August last year with at least 71 external injuries including bruises, burns and bite marks on her body.

Her taxi driver father Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of her murder, with Urfan receiving 40 years in prison in December while Beinash received 33 years.

Now, she has finally been laid to rest at her funeral surrounded by fresh bouquets of flowers in a beautiful cemetery, with her surname bearing the name of her mother, Olga Domin.

Sara was described as being a 'cheerful little soul' who loved singing and dancing and one day had dreams of appearing on the X Factor, the Times reported.

During a ten-week trial at the Old Bailey, it emerged authorities had failed to identify Sara was at risk for years before her broken and battered body was discovered.

Sara was taken out of school in April 2023, and the violence against her intensified in the weeks before her death.

England's Children's Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has described it as 'madness' that an at-risk child could be taken out of school, and called for a change in the law so children who are suspected victims of abuse cannot be home educated.

The final resting place of Sara Sherif has been revealed after the 10-year-old was buried in a Polish village

Urfan Sharif, 42, was jailed at the Old Bailey in December

Sara Sharif's stepmother Beinash Batool, 30, pictured, was arrested at Gatwick Airport

Following the verdicts, the Department for Education said it is 'already taking action to make sure no child falls through the cracks'.

A spokesperson added: 'This includes overhauling children's social care and bringing in greater safeguards for children in home education so this can never be used to conceal abuse.'

Earlier this week the judge who handed custody of Sara Sharif to her father before he beat the 10-year-old to death was named in a landmark victory for open justice.

The judge is a renowned lawyer who has championed the right of judges to be able to work from home, including for court hearings, because she believes commuting is a 'complete waste of time'.

Judge Alison Raeside was the first sitting judge in the UK to take maternity leave.

The 66-year-old is married to a fellow circuit judge and has four children, all of whom have entered the legal profession.

Ms Domin previously told Polish TV channel Uwaga of Sara's father's abuse: 'Once, he tried to set me on fire, poured oil on me, but his cousin stopped him. He simply locked me in a room. Locked me in all day until the police arrived.'

Social services were called repeatedly after children suffered unexplained bruises, bite marks, scratches and burns, but Sharif managed to hoodwink them playing on his wife's vulnerability and broken English to blame Olga or even other children for inflicting the wounds.

Ms Domin recalled Sharif would even offer children chocolate if they hit her and he later encouraged a teenager to emulate his sadistic cruelty.

The convicted thief spent his time drinking and gambling, eventually leaving Ms Domin to fly to Jhelum where he secretly married his cousin in an Islamic ceremony before he returned to embark on a third marriage with Batool.

Sara was taken into foster care in 2014 after reports of children being burnt, slapped and bitten.

The schoolgirl, pictured with her mother Olga, was found dead in Woking in August last year with at least 71 external injuries

Sara, pictured, suffered an unimaginable ordeal at the hands of her father and stepmother

Judge Alison Raeside, pictured, was the first sitting judge in the UK to take maternity leave

But a family court decided to award Sharif custody in 2019 after Ms Domin was blamed for the attacks.

Her distraught mother told the Mail she had lost all faith in authorities in Britain: 'Did you think I was such a terrible, unfit mother?'

'They had Urfan's file, showing how violent he was, didn't they? If they had taken that into the system, Sara would still be alive.'

Sharif's abuse accelerated after he was handed custody, with daily beatings so bad that Sara was forced to wear a hijab to conceal her injuries.

Neighbours reported hearing 'gut-wrenching screams' and the sound 'like someone had been hit or smacked' coming from the home in Woking, Surrey where Sara was treated as a domestic slave.

Teachers noticed Sara's bruises as early as June 2022, but the scared pupil would pull down her hijab and brush off injuries as accidental.

When the school made a referral to social services in March 2023 about bruises on her face, the case was closed with no further action just six days later.

A month later Sharif was withdrawn from class to be home schooled and was never seen alive outside the home again.
Households in Scotland may soon be banned from getting a cat under extraordinary plans being considered to protect the countrys wildlife.

An animal welfare body set up to advise the Scottish Government has warned that pet cats are causing untold damage to populations of native mammals and birds.

And in a new report ordered by SNP ministers, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) discusses, as a possible solution, the extreme option of banning cat ownership in some areas where wildlife is most at risk.

The Commissions report also explores the controversial idea of setting up cat containment areas - designated parts of the country where compulsory restrictions could be put in place to prevent pet cats from roaming and hunting.

The report highlights that containment areas have already been set up in several parts of Australia - with strict rules meaning cats must be permanently kept indoors.

The only exceptions are if owners build enclosed outdoor runs for their pets - or else take their cats out for a walk on a lead.

Although the Commission stops short of demanding Scottish ministers implement these measures immediately, it does call for research to be carried out to explore introducing cat containment areas... and restrictions on introducing cats to households in vulnerable areas.

While even the most enthusiastic cat-lovers can sometimes be appalled by their pets blood-thirsty hunting habits - and the toll of captured mice and birds - the SAWCs ideas are sure to provoke a fierce debate.

TV presenter Jackie Bird owns three 'beautiful' cats

Charities warn that wearing a harness could stress cats

Last night the charity Cats Protection hit out at the possibility of a ban on cats.

Alice Palombo, the groups advocacy and government relations officer for Scotland said: Scotland is a nation of cat lovers. Cats are much-loved pets, and for many people, theyre part of the family. They are great pets, whether its providing companionship for elderly people or those living alone, comfort for people with health conditions or helping children learn important lessons in caring for others.

We believe everyone who is able to care for a cat should be able to enjoy these benefits.

She also warned against cat containment areas which force animals to stay permanently inside, saying: Ideally, all cats should have the choice to access the outside world. Cats need to be able to perform natural cat-like behaviours if theyre to live happy, healthy lives. These needs, like scratching and climbing, are more easily met in the outside world, where they can also enjoy the stimulation that comes with new smells, sights and sounds. While some cats tolerate living indoors, missing out on these vital experiences can lead to stress-related problems like spraying, excessive grooming or physical illness.

And she strongly rejected any suggestion that cats should be walked on a lead.

She said: Cats are very different from dogs and most will dislike being taken out on a lead. As highly independent animals, cats do not like being restrained, especially for long periods of time, so wearing a harness will likely be stressful for them. There are always exceptions to every rule, but in general, cats are not suited to lead walking and this can lead to them become stressed and developing behavioural or physical health problems.

The SAWC is an independent expert group set by the Scottish Government to offer scientific and ethical advice to ministers on issues relating to the welfare of wild and domestic animals.

In a new report called Responsible ownership and care of domestic cats in Scotland, the body highlights that cats can have a significant impact on wildlife populations.

It cites research showing that, in the UK, some 57 million mammals, 27 million birds and five million reptiles and amphibians are brought home to pet owners each year by their cats - with the overall annual body-count of killed wild prey possibly being as high as 700 million.

The report suggests one option might be a complete ban on people getting a pet cat in certain areas which are home to the most under-threat species.

It states: New housing developments in rural areas could have a stipulation that cats may not be kept in conservation-sensitive areas/other areas that have not had high levels of predation, especially with red-listed or amber-listed birds/other species.

The SAWC then discusses the possibility of setting up cat containment areas within Scotland - which would restrict cats movements.

It notes: Some countries already require cats to be contained all the time or seasonally to protect wildlife populations. This may be an option to reduce the welfare impacts of domestic cats on wildlife.

In Australia, for example, many areas promote a policy of containment, requiring owners to ensure that their cats do not leave the property, either by keeping cats indoors, providing outdoor runs or only taking them out on a leash.

The SAWC is now calling for further research into possible measures to protect wildlife from cats. In a section titled Compulsory containment of cats in vulnerable areas, it recommends that ministers should ask NatureScot to commission a report into the advantages and disadvantages for wildlife of introducing cat containment areas, restrictions on introducing cats to households in vulnerable areas and specific containment measures.

Yesterday the Scottish Government acknowledged the report and said it would fully consider the SAWCs recommendations.

JACKIE BIRD: We dont all like them, but we dont ban politicians!

Shes a self-confessed cat lover with three beautiful pets sharing her semi-rural village home.

And TV presenter and journalist Jackie Bird was highly sceptical about proposals for cat bans in Scotland.

As someone whose three cats generously allow me to share their home, I can only advise the MSPs considering this report to be careful what they wish for, she said.

Ill admit, not everyone likes them, theyre expensive to keep, difficult to pin down and occasionally like to intrude on other peoples territory  but we dont ban politicians.

As an animal lover, my cats predilection for senseless violence horrifies me. I rarely know whether Im entering my hallway or a scene from CSI Miami.

However, years of practice rescuing small, terrified rodents means my hand-eye co-ordination is second to none.

She added: On the suggestion that Scotland should follow cat curfew models from Australia, I can only say that if I lived in a country where a deadly spider could leap from the U-bend and bite me down under, Id have other things to worry about.

However, to ensure my household is united in our response to this blatant and unfair attempt

at cat cancellation I have given Willow, Malin and Mr Bailey

a print-out of this report to peruse at their leisure  or at least until I have to change the litter tray again.

Numbats are preyed on by cats in Australia

Strewth! They already have a ban Down Under

Cat curfews have already been imposed in several states in Australia  while the central government is also considering new control laws that would apply across the whole country.

As part of a cat abatement plan designed to reduce the destruction of native wildlife, ministers are exploring policies such as night-time curfews, limits on the number of cats per household  and even cat-free suburbs.

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek last year described cats as dangerous and ruthless predators and warned that several wildlife species  including the greater bilby (a long-eared rabbit-like mammal), the numbat (a tiny insect-eating marsupial) and the Gilberts potoroo (an endangered marsupial)  were being pushed to the brink of extinction.

Several local governments have already implemented restrictions, including in Melbourne, where some areas have a 24-hour ban on roaming cats.

The capital Canberra launched a crackdown on cats in 2022 to protect native animals  with cats banned from going outdoors unless they are on a lead.

Owners can be fined up to $300 (around 150) if their pet is found outdoors without a leash.

Although research has suggested that cats in Australia kill billions of wild mammals and birds every year, the problem is compounded by the fact that around 5.6 million feral cats roam the countrys vast areas of bushland.

As well as cracking down on pet cats, the government is spending millions of dollars on trying to eradicate feral cats, including plans to use artificial intelligence, drone-based thermal cameras and DNA tracking technology to identify and humanely eliminate the predators.
Children as young as 11 are being taught the risks and rewards of sending nude pictures to each other.

Lesson material compiled for Scottish schools delve into the murky world of sexting, the practice of swapping deeply intimate messages.

The teaching guidance for youngsters aged 11+ says perceived rewards may include feeling grown-up and sexy.

Among the number of risks that children should be aware of, according to the lesson plan, is that private images could end up on paedophile sites.

According to the law, any child under the age of 18 who sends a naked picture could fall foul of child pornography legislation and be charged with disseminating an indecent image of a child.

The Mail on Sunday covered the tragic case of a Scots schoolboy who took his own life after he was tricked into sending intimate pictures of himself to ruthless online blackmailers.

Last night, critics urged the lessons to be withdrawn immediately.

Children are being told about the murky world of sexting

A spokesman for the Family Education Trust said: Children under the age of consent should not be sexualised at school and have their innocence ruined.

Christopher McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education said: This material is alarming. It is likely to horrify most parents because it advertises to children the practice of sexting.

It normalises the practice by presenting it in terms of rewards and risks, pros and cons. This is iniquitous.

The controversial Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) programme, led by a mix of Scottish local authorities and NHS health boards and backed by the Scottish Government, points teachers towards a Reward Foundation resource which addresses the issue of sexting.

RSHP chiefs claim the programme helps young people respond effectively to romantic pressure.

Among the learning objectives set out in one lesson plan is that it extend[s] understanding of risks and rewards associated with sexting.

Youngsters are presented with a number case studies, including one which tells the fictional story of Cait and David, which they are encouraged to discuss in groups.

It reads: Cait, age 12, met David in a chat room online. David says he is 19 years old. David told Cait she sounds beautiful and would like to see her. Would she send him a photo in her underwear? Cait thought that was harmless enough. It wasnt any different to wearing a bikini.

It asks: What are the potential rewards for Cait and David? to which it supplies two answers: Cait: Feels grown-up, sexy, thinks she may be getting into a relationship. David: Gets what he wants, sets up Cait for further coercion or grooming.

Although it admits that Cait taking and distributing an indecent image of herself could be considered illegal, and advises against it, the guidance adds: If Cait sends it, she is not likely to be charged. Police are interested in the one with more influence by reason of age.

Last night Police Scotland refused to comment on whether or not this guidance was accurate.

However, a spokesman last night said it was important to raise awareness of online safety in order to empower children to recognise potential risks and report them.

The lesson plans also help children to navigate the world of sexting if they feel that a conversation has gone too far.

It suggests that if a boy asks for an intimate image of a girls breasts, she send back an image of two blue tit birds.

A Scottish Government spokesman said that equipping young people with the knowledge and understanding of important issues like consent, appropriate relationships and boundaries can be crucial in helping to reduce gender-based violence.

They added: While the delivery of RSHP education is for local authorities, the Scottish Government is clear that it must be factual and presented in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the resources make clear that generating intimate im-ages and sharing them is illegal for anyone under 18, even if there is consent.

Mary Sharpe, CEO of the Reward Foundation said: Children should learn about sexting at 11 years. Today 91 per cent of 11-year-olds in the UK have a smartphone. Puberty makes children curious about sex, take risks and experiment. They learn from pornography how to be coercive to obtain nude images of classmates. A third of child sexual abuse material circulating online is self-generated by children.

The Reward Foundations (free) lessons encourage critical thinking about the risks and rewards of sexting. We emphasise that sexting by minors is illegal. It is never rewarding in a beneficial sense, though may provide an ill-advised, short-term thrill.
With his big pink nose, wagging tail and boundless enthusiasm, hes the picture of canine cuteness.

But dont let those large brown eyes fool you, Scotlands most successful drug dog has snared more crooks than Columbo.

Eight-year-old police dog (PD) Hamish has been identified as the crown jewel in Police Scotlands canine unit, having sniffed out 47,055kg of various controlled drugs with a street value of 1,708,325.

The English Springer Spaniel is trained to find narcotics in searches of buildings, vehicles and open areas along with scanning people at transport hubs such as train stations, airports.

He is also deployed at major events, including Glasgows TRNSMT and Benbeculas EDF Eilean Dorcha festivals, to stop deadly drugs being peddled to music lovers.

Based in the north east of Scotland, he has been deployed across the country to assist with operations, with his efforts often regaled in high-profile court cases.

It is surprising to think then that life could have been very different for PD Hamish, who joined the force as a rescue dog on 15 March 2017.

The enthusiastic pup was donated to Police Scotland by a member of the public who contacted the force as they were struggling to manage him in the home environment.

Long paw of the law: Hamish is Police Scotland's top drugs dog

The spaniel found cocaine hidden in a wall

Following an assessment by officers, he was deemed suitable for initial training and passed his initial Drug Licencing test with flying colours in August 2017.

The force said it looks for key traits - resilience, willingness to work and a well-rounded character  when deciding what dogs will join its unit.

The animals selected must be suited to the specific role and demands of the job.

Speaking anonymously, PD Hamishs handler, who works with him in disrupting serious and organised crime, said: It was clear that he had the desired drive needed to be a drug detection dog. He has a natural system of search and a desire to work.

He added: His first recovery following his initial training was 67,500 worth of heroin and crack cocaine which had been hidden in a rural location on the outskirts of Peterhead.

PD Hamishs human companion is proud of all his four-legged friend has accomplished and is always quick to reward him when he comes up with the goods on a drug bust.

He said: PD Hamish is trained to sit when he detects drugs.

He has had some incredible recoveries such as nearly 2kg of cocaine hidden in a wall in farmland on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

This was a protracted investigation involving numerous police departments but without the nose of PD Hamish the drugs wouldnt have been recovered.

That particular bust led to the drug dealer involved being sentenced to four years in jail for his part in the smuggling of almost 250,000 of cocaine.

And how is he rewarded for his efforts? A steak? A bubble bath? A scratch behind the ear?

For PD Hamish a ball is the world, says his handler. A ball reward is delivered and lots of praise and attention of course.

He just loves to work and when he finds something and gets his ball he is delighted.

He is a very laid back and easy going dog. As a puppy and young dog he was a pleasure to train and develop.

And what is this pup wonder like when his day of crime fighting are over?

He loves to work and needs a job to keep him busy, active and burn off his seemingly boundless energy, says his handler.

PD Hamish is a loving dog and loves nothing more than scratches. He loves the water and enjoys a swim and some down time with his shift partner a German Shepherd called Luther.

He added: The rule is that on any of the dogs birthdays or if they get a really good result at work they all get a wee added treat like sardines.

And while its keen he is a very good boy, he isnt free from some minor foibles.

His handler explains that while PD Hamish has specially-made boots to assist with grip and provide protection during operations, he is prone to dispatching them.

He said: PD Hamish isnt a huge fan of the boots and he often flicks them off if given the chance.

And while hes happy to uphold the law, hes not averse to a bit of canine theft, as his buddy reveals.

When asked what toys his canine colleague likes to play with, he said: Just about anything that he can pick upbut a ball is the go-to or if he can pinch his brothers Kong he is delighted.
Its more than 20 years since they filmed the first instalment of a feel-good franchise that has become one of the best-loved British stories ever brought to the silver screen.

Now, as audiences prepare for the release of the latest Bridget Jones film, Scots actress Shirley Henderson has revealed the closeness of the characters is matched by the cast themselves.

Speaking ahead of the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which is being released on Valentines Day, Henderson discussed how special it felt to be working with stars such as Hugh Grant and Renee Zellweger again.

Discussing the longevity of the franchise at the films premiere in London, she said: Its just lovely for it to have lasted that long  the story  and that people are still interested. So, were really happy.

Just to be together is enough and were happy.

When asked if she felt she had formed a life-long bond with her co-stars, she replied: I think so, yeah. The minute were just relaxed and chit chat away. Its like it was yesterday the last time you saw each other.

Because its such a long time, it felt special. We really care about each other.

The 59-year-old actress, who was presented with the outstanding contribution to film and television award at last years Scottish Baftas, plays character Jude  friend of main character Bridget Jones  in the films.

Shirley Henderson is a huge fan of all her co-stars

Renee Zellweger and Leo Woodall are among the cast

Henderson grew up in Kincardine, Fife, and performed at local pubs, clubs and charity events.

When she was 16, she studied drama for a year at Kirkcaldy Tech before moving to London to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

In November she returned to her alma mater for a ceremony that saw her made a Fellow of the School.

While there Henderson, who has spoken of her shyness as a young star, issued advice to would-be actors, saying: Just go for it. It might not happen immediately, youve got to put a lot of work into it.

Youve got to believe in yourself. Its going to be tough. Youve got to break through that.

She added: Just breathe and see what happens. Youve got a whole lifetime.
U.S. government websites remained online and accessible on Friday, with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clarifying that media reports suggesting the sites would be taken offline were based on a misinterpretation of a memo.

The memo, issued on Wednesday, instructed federal agencies to remove references to 'gender ideology' from contracts, job descriptions, and social media accounts.

The message - issued in accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order mandating the government to recognize only two sexes - also outlined the steps for implementing the executive order.

Initially, a source had indicated that most government websites would go offline after 5 pm ET on Friday, later clarifying that the time was actually a deadline for removing diversity-related content.

An OPM spokesperson added, 'The memo may have been misinterpreted to mean we would shut down government websites that couldn't comply, but that is not the plan for continuing to implement this important effort.'

When asked earlier about the potential shutdown of government websites during the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content, Trump told reporters, 'I don't know. It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me.'

He continued, 'I think DEI is dead, so [if] they want to scrub the websites, that's OK with me.'

Since taking office on January 20, Trump has swiftly moved to dismantle federal diversity initiatives.

U.S. government websites stayed online on Friday, despite reports suggesting they would be shut down

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) clarified that a memo directing federal agencies to remove references to 'gender ideology' from contracts and social media was misinterpreted

Titled 'Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing and Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions', Trump's order reverse Biden's DEI executive order he enacted on his first day in office in January 2021.

Trump's order claimed federally mandated DEI initiatives 'not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity.'

'These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars, and resulted in shameful discrimination,' the order concluded.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), officials scrambled Friday to meet the 5 p.m. deadline to implement Trump's order that the federal government now only recognizes 'two sexes, male and female.''

The CDC removed much of its adult immunization guidance, which had included references to transgender and nonbinary people, as part of carefully considered vaccine recommendations approved by an advisory panel.

Pages that could not be immediately revised to remove gender references, such as those for transgender individuals, were taken down for reworking.

Hospitals, nonprofits and health departments were also affected.

Letters obtained by CBS News, sent to organizations receiving federal health funding, left some grant recipients confused.

The memo was part of President Trump's executive order recognizing only two sexes

One letter indicated that staff and communications would have to comply with the new rules, including removing pronouns from email signatures and eliminating gender references from websites, or risk losing federal funds.

Another letter targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, instructed recipients to 'immediately terminate, to the maximum extent, all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting' those ideas 'at every level and activity, regardless of your location or the citizenship of employees or contracts' supported by the funds.

This follows Trump's recent claim that diversity and inclusion policies contributed to one of the deadliest plane crashes in U.S. history.

On Wednesday night, American Eagle flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on a training flight as it approached the runway at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

There were 60 passengers and four crew aboard the PSA flight out of Wichita, and three members of the military aboard the Black Hawk.

All are believe to have perished after the search and rescue transitioned to a recovery phase.

Speaking at the White House, Trump addressed the collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., which claimed 67 lives, calling it a 'tragedy of terrible proportions.' He criticized the Black Hawk helicopter pilots, suggesting they should have been able to 'see where they were going.'

Trump asserted that the disaster was entirely preventable and blamed DEI hiring practices in federal agencies. He insisted he had 'pretty good ideas' about how the crash happened and vowed to prevent similar incidents in the future.

It was Trump's first time addressing reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room since taking office for his second term

He went on to claim that, unlike Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, he prioritizes safety over politics. In a sharp critique of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Trump called him a 'disaster,' both as a mayor and in his cabinet role.

'He ran his city into the ground, and he's a disaster now. He's just got a good line of bulls***,' Trump said.

Trump linked the FAA's diversity and inclusion hiring plan to the incident, arguing that federal agencies should prioritize intelligence over diversity.

He emphasized that air traffic controllers should be 'geniuses' and referenced an internal FAA report that described the workforce as 'too white.'

But the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended Donald Trump 's criticism of DEI hiring practices in government and revealed new details about the investigation surrounding the fatal plane crash in D.C.

The defense secretary appeared on Fox News to discuss the tragedy on Friday, revealing that the investigation was focusing primarily on the altitude of the plane and the Black Hawk.

We are looking at altitude, and the president was clear about that, someone was at the wrong altitude, Hegseth said. Was the Black Hawk too high? Was it on course? Right now we dont quite know.
President Donald Trump issued a major attack against a senior ISIS attack planner on Saturday, while also slamming former President Joe Biden for 'not acting quickly enough.'

Trump, 78, took to X on Saturday to issue a damning threat to the senior attack planner claiming the American military 'will find and kill' all members of the terrorist group 'who would attack Americans.'

'This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia,' he posted.

'These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians' he added.

The 47th president's post also slammed former President Joe Biden and his administration's handling of the terrorist organization.

'Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn't act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!' he wrote.

Trump did not name any of the people targeted or killed in the strikes, but ended his scathing post, writing: 'The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that 'WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'

President Donald Trump issued a major attack against a senior ISIS attack planner on Saturday, while also slamming former President Joe Biden for 'not acting quickly enough

Trump, 78, took to X on Saturday to issue a damning threat to the senior attack planner claiming the American military 'will find and kill' all members of the terrorist group 'who would attack Americans'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed the president's blistering message claiming that multiple individuals were killed in the strike and that no civilians were harmed in the operation - which took place in the Golis mountains in northern Somalia.

'This action further degrades ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump's leadership,' the statement from the Pentagon reads.

Also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS is a terrorist organization that emerged from the Iraqi insurgency following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

The organization rose to international prominence during the 2010s, particularly in Syria and Iraq, but now its presence is mainly restricted to parts of Africa, BBC reported.

The known terrorist group has since claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across the world in 2024.

Authorities have noted that the man responsible for the deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day - which saw a crazed ISIS supporter intentionally slam his truck into a crowd of people, killing 14 - was radicalized by ISIS.

However, while the President has issued several warnings to terrorist groups like ISIS, he has also insisted that the country should take a 'hands-off approach' to other foreign crisis.

Trump spoke to the ongoing conflict in Syria following the collapse Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime.

'We're not involved in Syria. Syria's its own mess. They've got enough messes over there. They don't need us involved in every one,' Trump told reporters on Thursday.

The organization rose to international prominence during the 2010s, particularly in Syria and Iraq, but now its presence is mainly restricted to parts of Africa. Pictured: ISIL fighters raising their weapons as they stand on a vehicle mounted with the trademark Jihadists flag at an undisclosed location in the Anbar province

A similar attack took place in 2023 when US forces killed IS leader, Bilal-al-Sudani, and 10 of his operatives in a remote mountainous cave in northern Somalia, an operation ordered by Biden, BBC reported.

The Somali branch of ISIS was formed in 2015 by a group of defectors from the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Shabab group - the largest jihadist group in Somalia.

In Somalia ISIS is notorious for extorting locals and mainly carries out small-scale, sporadic attacks, according to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

This story is developing.
An FCT High Court has adjourned the trial of a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, after taking one witness in the money laundering charges.

Justice Maryanne Aninih, in a ruling on Wednesday, said she could only take one witness as she had other things lined up after the prosecution sought to call five witnesses.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 16-count charge against Bello and two officials of the Kogi State government--Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha--on allegations they conspired to use state government funds to acquire properties in high-brow areas within the FCT and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, worth N110.4 billion.

The witness, Fabian Nwora, a property developer with Efab Property Nigeria Limited, narrated that he sold the property No 1 Ikogosi Street, Maitama to Shehu Bello but observed that the name on the sale agreement was Dr Bello Ohiani, not Shehu Bello.

Earlier, defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution had not made the statements on oath of the defendants available to the defence team.

Corroborating this, counsel to Oricha, Abubakar Aliyu (SAN), also called for the provision of statements.

The case was adjourned on April 3, 24 and May 6, 2025.
People living in remote parts of Scotland could see their travel options soar as academics explore the use of e-planes to provide vital transport links.

An electric powered plane, cargo drones and hybrid aircraft have already undergone test flights to and from Orkney and now theres a push to see how their use can be expanded.

Kirkwall Airport, Orkney, is the base for the UKs first operationally based low-carbon aviation test centre because it has all the operational constraints of an airport  scheduled air services, general aviation, oil and gas helicopters, military traffic  without being too busy.

It is also in a meteorologically and geographically challenging setting typical of the Highlands and Islands.

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is part of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment (SATE) partnership, which runs the centre with the aim of improving rural connectivity, support emergency provision, and develop new economic opportunities throughout the region.

A spokesperson for UHI said: The project has already extended to Shetland and will further extend to other airports in the Highlands and Islands including Inverness and the Western Isles in the future.

By flying, or assessing, these aircraft against real-world use cases in an operational airport and airspace environment, SATE partners have been able to get a better understanding of their true economics and capabilities.

The university is now looking for a company to explore the feasibility of electric aeroplane transport in the Highlands and Islands being used on scheduled airline routes, for offshore energy services, by the NHS and the Royal Mail, and for environmental surveys. The study would assess the social and economic benefits of low-carbon aviation technology for businesses, public services, and local communities.

The Airlander 10 has been tested on flights to and from Orkney

Andrew Rae, Professor of Engineering at UHI, said: By measuring the performance and true socio-economic impact of these aircraft, SATE partners will be in a position to explore the realities of the commercialisation of these services and help direct investment in sustainable aviation across the Highlands and Islands.

Public support has been a significant and highly encouraging element of the work, with the realisation that green sustainable aviation technology can improve the resilience of communities and businesses.

Improving connectivity while simultaneously reducing environmental impact is an objective worth chasing, and if it can work in the challenging environment of the Highlands and Islands, it can work anywhere.

Within the SATE project, a variety of alternatively powered and autonomous aircraft have been assessed, some physically, some virtually. They include hybrid aircraft  Ampaires hybrid electrical aircraft  Hybrid Air Vehicles airship Airlander, seaplanes by Cormorant, all-electric aircraft, hydrogen electric aircraft by ZeroAvia and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and autonomous drone aircraft by Windracers, Flarebright and ARC Aerosystems.

A spokesman for Ampaire, who manufactured the Electric EEL hybrid six-seat Cessna, said: The Highlands and Islands offered a unique opportunity to showcase sustainable aviation, and Ampaire is proud to have helped advance this vision. Following our successful 2021 flights in Orkney and across the UK, weve demonstrated the broad applicability of hybrid-electric aircraft in diverse, real-world settings.

In 2023, our flights in Alaska proved the technologys reliability in remote, rugged regions, while earlier operations in Hawaii highlighted its seamless integration into inter-island travel. Our larger Eco Caravan, with increased payload and range, has shown that scaling up sustainable aviation is practical and impactful.

Ampaires hybrid-electric solutions stand out by delivering sustainability benefits without sacrificing range or payload, addressing the challenges of regions like the Highlands and Islands. Importantly, our technology works with existing infrastructure, avoiding the costly upgrades required by hydrogen or all-electric approaches. This ensures operators can transition quickly and efficiently.

By taking early action to evaluate, learn, and adopt these solutions, the Highlands and Islands can be positioned to lead the way in meeting net-zero targets while maintaining economic viability and connectivity. Ampaire looks forward to supporting the region in demonstrating how sustainable aviation can benefit both people and the planet.

Windracers is also working with SATE, flying their pilotless cargo aircraft ULTRA between the islands of Eday, Westray and North Ronaldsay several times each week to deliver packages and medical supplies.

A spokesman said: We aim to demonstrate our readiness to operate a commercial drone service that can transport meaningful payloads reliably, cost-effectively and sustainably for the benefit of communities in remote locations, such as the Highlands and Islands.
This is the moment a burst water pipe wreaked havoc in a posh London neighbourhood on Saturday afternoon.

Dramatic footage shows a huge torrent of water, around twice the height of a double decker bus, drenching a busy street in Shepherd's Bush, West London.

Cars and buses were seen wading through the water while pedestrians were soaked.

The water pipe burst on the busy A402 next to Shepherd's Bush Green - a road that leads up to one of London's busiest roundabouts.

Thames Water said it was 'dealing with the incident' but witnesses described it as going on for a 'long time' and being 'hard to control'.

One passerby told MailOnline: 'I was soaked, I couldn't believe it.

'Cars were wading through it and it came over their wheel arches - it's clearly been going on for a long time but they can't get a grip of it.

'Children are playing in the spray and e-scooters are speeding through it - if they're not careful there's going to be an accident.

'It's one of London's busiest roundabouts so they'd better get a grip of it - and fast!'

This is the moment a burst water pipe wreaked havoc in a posh London neighbourhood on Saturday afternoon

Dramatic footage shows a huge torrent of water, around twice the height of a double decker bus, drenching a busy street in Shepherd's Bush, West London

Cars and buses were seen wading through the water while pedestrians were soaked

The water pipe burst on the busy A402 next to Shepherd's Bush Green - a road that leads up to one of London's busiest roundabouts

A spokesperson for Thames Water said: 'We're currently on site dealing with a burst water pipe in Shepherd's Bush Green, W12.

'We're doing everything we can to stem the large flow of water so we can fix the pipe as quickly as possible.

'We've ordered specialist equipment needed in order to start the repairs which has caused a slight delay.

'We apologise for any inconvenience or disruption this might have caused.'

It comes after five schools were forced to close and 40,000 homes were left without supplies following a burst pipe in Wales earlier this month.

The pipe burst at Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Work in Conwy in north Wales on January 15.

The water firm confirmed that only Conwy county had been impacted, after previously stating homes in some Denbighshire towns had also lost water.

Several schools and services were shut due to the incident, including five schools, two libraries in Llanrwst and Conwy, as well as Bordreinallt surgery.

Several Thames Water vehicles are seen at the scene of the burst water pipe on Saturday afternoon

Thames Water said it is 'dealing with the incident' but witnesses described it as going on for a 'long time' and being 'hard to control'

Cars and buses were seen wading through the water while pedestrians were soaked

Conwy Valley local, Martin Edwards, 60, told MailOnline: 'Bottled water could run out at the supermarkets.

'People won't just buy a few bottles they will buy more than what they need because they wont be sure if the water will be on tomorrow morning.

'The next thing you know, Aldi and Lidl will run out of water and theres not a lot of other places to buy water in Llandudno.'

The Welshman said they had not received any correspondence from the water firm about bottled water collection - only two warning texts that the supply was impacted.

'There is supposed to be a water bottle centre in Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay but that's quite strange place to have it considering there is nothing for the Conwy Valley,' he added: 'That's around 20 miles away!'
The Mayor of London has vowed to reinstate his 'he/him' pronouns to his X bio after blaming a 'technical error' for their quiet removal.

Today, users on X noticed that Sadiq Khan silently removed the gender pronouns from his account, which boasts 3.1 million followers.

Khan's previous bio read: 'Husband, father, and Mayor of the greatest city in the world. He/Him. Tweets before 9 May 2016 are from the previous Mayor.'

However it now has the same message describing him as the 'Mayor of the greatest city in the world' with no mention of his gender pronouns.

Despite some users assuming the quiet removal of 'he/him' was deliberate, he has since blamed it on a 'technical error'.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, told MailOnline: 'This seems to be a technical error, which we'll put right as soon as possible.'

But this isn't Khan's first gender row, as his staff were previously banned from using the phrase 'ladies and gentlemen' as part of a drive for inclusivity in 2023.

Civil servants working for the Labour London Mayor were also barred from describing migrants as 'illegal' and were instructed to refer to them as 'insecure immigration status' or 'undocumented'.

Sadiq Khan as vowed to reinstate his 'he/him' pronouns to his X bio after blaming a 'technical error' for their quiet removal

Today, users on X noticed that Sadiq Khan silently removed the gender pronouns from his profile, which boasts 3.1 million followers (pictured)

An image of the Mayor of London's previous bio, which included 'He/Him' pronouns

The inclusivity guide for City Hall also urged employees to scrap the use of 'asylum seekers', instead demanding workers say 'people seeking asylum'.

The 'woke' memo, previously leaked to The Sun,was blasted by Conservative critics who branded the document's contents 'absurd' at the time.

'This is the sort of nonsense that would be imposed on the whole country if Labour were ever to get into power,' Tory MP Tom Hunt said in June 2023.

'If you've illegally entered our country and broken our immigration laws you're an 'illegal immigrant' end of. No ifs or buts.'

In the guide's section on gender, staff were told: 'Avoid using "men and women" - say "people" or "Londoners".

'Similarly, instead of "ladies and gentlemen" say something that doesn't exclude non-binary people.'

The memo reportedly went on to describe the terms male and female as 'dated and medicalised'.

It also said that 'female humans are called 'girls and/or women', male humans are called 'boys and/or men'.

Pictured is an example of some of the banned phases issued to staff working for the London Mayor's office in 2023

In the guide's section on gender, staff were told: 'Avoid using 'men and women' - say 'people' or 'Londoners'

Tory MP Miriam Cates lashed out at the guidance and told The Sun: 'The idea that "male" and "female" are medical conditions is frankly absurd. This taxpayer-funded guidance is in conflict with fact, reality and the law.'

And on the issue of migration, the guide reportedly urges workers to not 'make a distinction between "migrants" and "Londoners".

'Remember, we are all Londoners,' it adds.

Unconscious bias training is mandatory for all new staff at the Greater London Authority (GLA). The GLAs inclusive language guide was last updated in April 2022.

A spokesperson for the GLA said at the time: 'This guide is about encouraging precision, offering recommendations and highlighting things for staff to consider, not banning words.

'London's diversity is its greatest strength and it is right that the language we use to talk to and about London's communities is as accurate, inclusive and representative as possible.'
Britain's FBI is probing disgraced ex-City minister Tulip Siddiq after travelling to Dhaka for a secret summit with Bangladeshi anti-corruption investigators, the Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Detectives from the National Crime Agency were told at last month's meeting that Bangladeshi authorities have amassed new evidence against the Labour MP as they investigate her over a controversial nuclear power plant deal.

The revelation raises the prospect of the British authorities looking into Ms Siddiq's bank accounts, email records and even summoning her for interview.

The ex-Treasury minister and four family members  including her mother Sheikh Rehana Siddiq  are being probed over claims that they embezzled 3.9 billion from the Rooppur nuclear power plant, which was built by the Russian state-owned company Rosatom with a 90 per cent loan from the Kremlin.

Ms Siddiq was pictured alongside Vladimir Putin at the signing of the deal in 2013.

Official sources in Bangladesh said the NCA team offered to investigate Ms Siddiq in Britain to 'bring about a prosecution' by the Bangladeshi authorities through an international agreement.

Last night, sources in Bangladesh said the NCA may also be trying to gather evidence to bring a prosecution against the Hampstead and Highgate MP in the UK.

British nationals who are found to have received money abroad as bribes can be prosecuted in the UK under the Bribery Act 2010, and jailed for up to ten years. Bangladeshi officials, who spoke anonymously, said the NCA requested the meeting, set up by the British High Commission in Dhaka.

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq is now facing an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA)

Ms Siddiq's aunt, ousted Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013

It is the second visit the agency has made to Bangladesh since Ms Siddiq's aunt, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, 77, was ousted as prime minister in August after weeks of violent protests.

The former despot  who was described as a 'role model' by Ms Siddiq  has been accused of extrajudicial murders and human rights abuses while in office. Her regime is also accused of looting almost 13 billion out of the country annually during her rule.

During its first visit in October, the NCA offered assistance to the new Bangladeshi government in its efforts to recover the stolen billions that were suspected of being siphoned off by Hasina's allies to countries like Britain.

But during the meeting, the NCA team of three asked specific questions about Ms Siddiq, who resigned last month, weeks after the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that she was being investigated over the power plant deal.

Days later, it emerged that Ms Siddiq received a two-bedroom flat in London's King's Cross area as a gift from a British property developer linked to her aunt.

The Mail on Sunday then revealed how she had lied to this newspaper in 2022 when we asked her if the flat was a gift.

An aerial view of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh. The ex-Treasury minister and four family members are being probed over claims they embezzled 3.9billion from the facility

The NCA offered assistance to the new Bangladeshi government in its efforts to recover the stolen billions that were suspected of being siphoned off by Hasina's allies to countries including Britain (file photo)

Miss Siddiq denied the claims, saying her parents bought the flat for her, and threatened to sue.

The Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh is conducting at least two other criminal investigations into Ms Siddiq and her family. She denies the allegations against her.

Labour said: 'Absolutely no evidence has been presented for these allegations. Tulip Siddiq has not been contacted on these matters and totally refutes the claims.' A Labour source said that no one from the NCA or the Bangladeshi authorities has contacted her yet.

The NCA and Home Office declined to comment.
King Charles has released a heartfelt statement on the Washington DC plane crash that killed 67 people.

The crash on Wednesday night left no survivors between the plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and a Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers on board.

As of Friday afternoon, 41 bodies had been pulled from the Potomac River, including 28 that had been positively identified, Washington DC fire chief John Donnelly Sr said at a news conference.

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace on Saturday, the King said he is 'profoundly shocked and saddened'.

Charles said: 'Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims.

'I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.'

The two aircrafts collided when the plane was coming in for a landing at the airport next to Washington.

Investigators looking into the cause of the crash are reviewing the data from the helicopter's black box along with information from two flight data recorders and a cockpit voice recorder from the plane.

King Charles has released a heartfelt statement on the Washington DC plane crash that killed 67 people

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport also captured the moment the two collided in midair

Officials are examining the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control, after the helicopter apparently flew into the American Airlines plane's path.

Wednesday's crash was the deadliest in the US since November 12 2001, when an American Airlines flight collided into a residential area of Belle Harbour, New York, just after take-off from Kennedy Airport, killing all 260 people on board.

Earlier today, a chilling 'conspiracy theory' about the Black Hawk helicopter in DC was revealed to be true.

The US Army helicopter had been practicing for the event of an attack on the capital.

Officials have confirmed that the three soldiers, who all perished, had been rehearsing a plan that involves the evacuation of the White House when their Black Hawk collided with the passenger jet just before 9pm on Wednesday night.

Defense sources confirmed the nature of the training exercise to CBS News, after internet sleuths had floated a theory online that it was doing exactly what sources say.

Theorists had flooded social media with claims that the chopper was carrying out an emergency evacuation route for the president as part of a Continuity of Government contingency plan.

A Continuity of Government mission (COG) in the US refers to a set of policies and procedures designed to ensure that essential government functions continue during and after a catastrophic event, such as a nuclear attack, natural disaster, cyberattack, or terrorist incident.

Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River

Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River

Rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River for survivors after the deadly plane crash

One of the five key aspects of a COG mission is protecting key personnel and infrastructure.

Pilot in charge Chief Warrant Office 2 Andrew Eaves and crew chief Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara were named on Friday as those on board the helicopter.

The third person onboard, a female co-pilot, has remained anonymous as the Army has refused to identify them at the request of the family.

Earlier this week, a full list of the DC plane crash victims was revealed, including a TikTok skating star, a famed athlete couple, and all four flight crew members.

The deaths of figure skaters Franco Aparicio and Olivia Eve Ter, 12, were confirmed on Friday, bringing the total number of confirmed skaters up to 11.

Many of them, including Spencer Lane, 16, and Alydia and Everly Livingston, 11 and 14, were traveling with their parents, who also perished after an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk collided in Washington DC on Wednesday evening.

Famed Russian skating couple Evgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 56, alongside other coaches also tragically lost their lives in the crash over the Potomac River.

The bodies of all four flight crew members - including one who was mere months away from a promotion and wedding - were also recovered from the debris on Thursday.

Bodies of two of the three soldiers who were flying in the helicopter have also been recovered.

The Federal Aviation Authority said that the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Runway 33

The plane was being operated as an American Eagle Flight by PSA Airlines for its parent carrier American Airlines

Two of the Black Hawk Crew - Ryan O'Hara, 28, and Andrew Eaves, 39 - were identified. A third and final crew member's body was also recovered, but the Army did not release their name per the family's request.

American Airlines Flight 5342 had been approaching Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night when the crash occurred, officials said.

Sixty-four people - 60 passengers and four crew - were onboard and all died, officials said. At least 41 bodies have been recovered, DC Fire Chief John Donnelly said.

'We will work to find all the bodies and reunite them with their loved ones,' he said at a Thursday press conference.

US Figure Skating has confirmed that several skaters, coaches and their family members were on board the flight, and had been returning home from the National Development Camp, which is held in conjunction with the national championships.

'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available,' the sport governing body said in a statement.

American figure skater John Maravilla, as reported by RIA Novosti, said: 'I don't want to name names, but there were around 14 figure skaters on the plane, not counting their parents and several coaches.'
The former head of the Covid Vaccine Task Force has condemned the government's 'own goal' in slashing a grant to help AstraZeneca expand in the UK.

Dr Clive Dix said the company, hailed for its fast rollout of the Covid vaccine during the pandemic, had been poised to deliver huge benefits for the taxpayer by boosting its manufacturing base.

Instead, because ministers had decided to cut a 90million subsidy promised by the Tories  reportedly by 40million  it had abandoned plans to invest 450million at its site on Merseyside.

Dr Dix accused ministers of a 'fatuous argument' by claiming subsidies had to ensure value for the taxpayer.

He claimed the country was now in a worse position to produce vaccines than when the pandemic emerged.

'It is extremely disappointing and very perplexing,' he said. 'The Government had an open goal here... but they've ended up scoring an own goal.

'I would have thought, given the UK has a very poor manufacturing base for vaccines, and AstraZeneca was willing to build something worth half a million in terms of investment, that some sort of grant could have been worked out in a few days.

'I've just given evidence to the Covid Inquiry about how we need to build relationships with the industry so that we build our manufacturing capabilities in preparedness for pandemics.'

Dr Clive Dix said the company had been poised to deliver huge benefits for the taxpayer by boosting its manufacturing base

The decision by AstraZeneca to abandon its plans in Speke follows recent announcements that it is investing 2.8billion in the US, 1.2billion in Singapore and 450million in Canada

The decision by AstraZeneca, Britain's most valuable company, to abandon its plans in Speke follows recent announcements that it is investing 2.8billion in the US, 1.2billion in Singapore and 450million in Canada.

It is a major embarrassment to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who last week name-checked AstraZeneca as one of the country's 'great companies' in her speech on growth.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Dr Dix added: 'If you invest a small amount as part of a much bigger investment the benefits are huge to the taxpayer.

'You're going to employ more people, employ people to build the buildings. It's silly to start thinking this is wasting taxpayers' money.'

AstraZeneca said its Speke site will continue to produce flu vaccines.

The government insists a 'change in the make-up of the investment' proposed by the firm led to the reduced grant offer. A spokesman said: 'All government grant funding has to demonstrate value for the taxpayer and unfortunately... it has not been possible to achieve a solution.'
Ukraine's front could collapse in just six months, ministers have been warned. Senior figures in Ukraine's leadership have raised the alarm as they urged Britain to increase military support or face a 'nightmarish scenario'.

A collapse of the front line could leave Europe exposed as well as embolden China to seize Taiwan, MPs have said.

The country has 'as little as six months' of fighting power left, sources with knowledge of intelligence briefings coming out of Ukraine said.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative party leader who met senior Ukrainian officials on a visit to the front line and Kyiv last week, said: 'The stark truth is, we haven't spent enough.'

He said: 'The pessimistic prediction [by a key Ukrainian official] is based on his country's dwindling stocks of munitions, particularly shells for the 155mm field gun, which can hit targets 15 miles away. Ukraine simply cannot compete. For every round that they fire, Russia fires at least four back.'

Last week Foreign Secretary David Lammy was given the shock warning. Insiders also said the Prime Minister will likely have had similar briefings from his National Security Adviser.

Defence sources have also expressed concerns that promised equipment and resources have been hit with delays and delivery problems.

And Ukrainian MP Oleksii Honcharenko also said on his Telegram channel of government discussions: 'If nothing changes, the front line may begin to collapse and there will be problems.'

Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of a rocket strike on a residential building in Poltava, Ukraine on February 1, 2025

amaged cars parked on the street in the city centre after Russian attack with missiles on January 31, 2025 in Odesa

Rescuers help elderly residents leave their homes after a Russian missile attack in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

Writing in today's Mail on Sunday, Sir Iain says a senior Ukrainian intelligence officer told him bluntly: 'Ukraine is losing the war. For all the Russian losses [estimated at 1,500 soldiers a day], Ukraine is losing ground daily.'

When Sir Iain asked how long the country could hold on for, the intelligence officer replied: 'At worst six months.'

Sir Iain adds that this predicts: 'As schoolchildren in the UK are breaking up for the summer holidays in July, Russian tanks will be smashing through Ukrainian defensive lines.'

The MP passed the stark warning to Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy in a meeting last week.

He says that if the front line collapses, 'it's easy to imagine Putin's forces ploughing across the fields of eastern and central Ukraine unopposed, with Kyiv in their crosshairs. Zelensky would have to negotiate a ruinous peace, cleaving his country in two and would likely be forced into exile so the Kremlin could install a puppet government in Kyiv.

'Victorious military parades would trundle through Red Square while the citizens of Ukraine face a bleak future under the jackboot of their murderous neighbour.

'It's a nightmarish scenario for the West, given the vast sums spent supporting Ukraine.'

An estimated one million people have been killed or wounded in the war, which this month will enter its fourth year. Ukraine has been losing territory in the east.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative party leader who met senior Ukrainian officials on a visit to the front line and Kyiv last week, said: 'The stark truth is, we haven't spent enough'

Firefighters are at work to put out a fire that broke out in a heavilydamaged residential building following a missile strike in Poltava

Ukrainian firefighters and officials conduct an extinguishing work after Russia strikes a residential building with a missile in Poltava

Residents clean rubble of a building following a missile strike in Poltava on February 1

At least three people died and ten others, including a child, were injured as result of the shelling, according to the State Emergency Service report

Firefighters extinguish a residential house damaged by Russian drone

A damaged car lies in the yard of damaged residential building after Russian drone attack on January 30

Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of a damaged residential building after shelling in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine

Last month the UK Prime Minister travelled to Ukraine and met President Zelensky where they signed a 'landmark' 100-year partnership

Former Conservative security minister Tom Tugendhat claims Putin's (pictured) 'designs don't stop at Ukraine'

Last month the UK Prime Minister travelled to Ukraine and met President Zelensky. They signed a 'landmark' 100-year partnership. As a 'statement of our intent for the long term in relation to our commitment to Ukraine'.

During the visit Sir Keir said: 'We're now a long way into this conflict; we mustn't let up. It's very important we ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position.'

Former Conservative security minister Tom Tugendhat said: 'Russia's war against us has seen sabotage, murders and fraud. We know Putin's designs don't stop at Ukraine, but failure there would encourage his violent ambitions and put us all at greater risk.'

Conservative MP and former Foreign Affairs Committee chair Alicia Kearns said: 'Ukraine is consistently underestimated, yet they've survived yet another winter under-resourced and under-supported. Europe seems to be forgetting Ukraine is its frontline. Its indomitable spirit is not enough  we must give them more to defeat this terrorist imperialist, and now.'
The two pilots involved in the Pennsylvania plane crash and a doctor that was on board have been named after the tragic incident killed all six on board, including a young girl.

The Learjet 55 aircraft was piloted by Alan Montoya and co-pilot Josue Juarez as they flew the unnamed girl who had received 'life-saving care' from a Philadelphia hospital on Friday evening back home to Mexico.

Doctor Raul Meza was also on board, according to a post on X by Mexican emergency service XE Medica Ambulancia.

The pilots, according to outlet Milenio, worked for the Jet Rescue company and were also transporting the girl's mother.

'At the moment we know that our head of neonatology, Dr Raul Meza, was part of the crew of the XA-UCI air ambulance belonging to another company where Dr. Meza also provides his professional services,' XE Medica Ambulancia wrote.

The service added that Dr. Meza had studied medicine at UNAM and graduated as a pediatrician and neonatologist from the National Insitute of Pediatrics and is a physician assigned to the NICU at ISEM Atizapan.

The identification of three out of six victims comes just a few hours after chilling audio between the plane and air traffic controller emerged.

In the minutes leading up to the crash, an air traffic controller was heard speaking with the doomed air ambulance, including asking the pilot 'what frequency' they were on.

The Learjet 55 aircraft was piloted by Alan Montoya (pictured) as they flew the unnamed girl who had received 'life-saving care' from a Philadelphia hospital on Friday evening

Co-pilot Jesus Juarez (pictured) as flying in the plane with Doctor Raul Meza while they transported the girl back to Mexico with her mother

Photos show large rescue and emergency crews cleaning up the wreckage of the Philadelphia plane crash outside of Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia on Saturday morning

Social media debated the next part of their conversation, as sharp-eared listeners said they could hear one side saying the other was 'talking with the wrong people.'

A few seconds after that remark, an ominous moan could be heard coming from what several social media users believed was the cockpit.

Officials have not revealed what caused the crash, and an investigation is ongoing.

After a brief pause, another dispatcher asked, 'What's going on down there?' to which another the air traffic controller answered: 'We have a lost aircraft.'

'We're not exactly sure what happened, we're trying to figure it out,' they added. 'For now, the field is going to be closed.'

The Learjet 55, often used for critical medical transport, is a lifeline for patients like the young girl who was onboard.

The girl, who is from Mexico, was a patient of Shriners Children's Philadelphia, the hospital confirmed.

In a statement, the hospital said: 'The patient had received care from Shriners Childrens Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened.

President Trump posted on Truth Social saying; 'So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. 'Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all'

The Learjet 55, often used for critical medical transport, is a lifeline for patients like the young girl who was onboard

'Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action.'

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico confirmed that all people onboard were Mexican nationals.

In a statement, the hospital said: 'Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action'

Flightradar data shows the plane had reached an altitude of 1,650 feet before reporting a vertical drop of 11,008 feet per minute.

With sponsorship from a third-party charity, the girl had traveled to the US for urgent medical care that had given her another chance at life.

'I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families,' Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy revealed on social media that he had briefed President Trump on the incident.

That was before President Trump posted on Truth Social saying; 'So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost.

'Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.'

The jet was being operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, and according to a statement from the company, was transporting a 'pediatric patient'

A view of the wreckage from a small plane after it crashed in a residential area in Philadelphia

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash. The NTSB will lead the investigation

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash, with the NTSB spearheading the probe.

The crash comes just days after an American Airlines passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter over Washington DC.

All 67 people in both the helicopter and the plane perished in the horrific midair collision.
Angela Rayner waged a private battle to stop 'that nonce' Prince Andrew from ever standing in for his brother the King, it was claimed yesterday.

The Deputy Prime Minister reportedly fought to get the Duke of York removed from the official list of deputies to Charles if he was abroad or incapacitated.

According to Get In, a new book on Labour's journey to power, Ms Rayner could not accept any deputy role for Andrew over his controversial links with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

She allegedly said: 'I'm not going to vote to keep that nonce on I can't go back to my constituency and say, 'Yeah, I support that'.'

The reports came as the Duke of York faced claims of 'selective amnesia' over his contacts with the disgraced financier, who was found hanged in his prison cell in 2019 while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking charges.

Court documents revealed that Andrew had sent an email to Epstein to 'keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!!' in February 2011, despite having insisted in a BBC interview that he had broken off contact with Epstein in early December 2010.

Following Charles's accession to the throne in September 2022, there were calls for Andrew and Prince Harry to be removed as 'counsellors of state' who could deputise for the King. Get In claims that Ms Rayner  then in Opposition  focused on stopping Andrew from assuming that role.

An adviser reportedly said: 'She was very actively reaching out to the Palace, the upper echelons of the civil service. And said she thought this was a huge problem, and that the Government needed to address this, and that she would offer cross-party support to make sure it happened.'

Angela Rayner privately battled to prevent 'nonce' Prince Andrew from standing in for the King

A new book has revealed that Ms Rayner fought to get Prince Andrew (pictured) removed as one of the counsellors of state who can deputise for the monarch

The aide added that Ms Rayner was 'not anti-monarchist' and reportedly summed her view as: 'I know how difficult it is to be in a big, dysfunctional family.'

In the event, the law was changed to add Princess Anne and Prince Edward to the list of counsellors of state, in what was seen as a diplomatic way of avoiding Andrew standing in.

Labour's doubts

Labour's doubts over Sir Keir Starmer's leadership burst into the open last night amid claims he 'was not driving the train'. In a scathing verdict apparently delivered shortly before last year's General Election, one aide reportedly likened him to a passenger on a driverless train on London's Docklands Light Railway (DLR), according to Get In. Advertisement

And in Get In, which is being serialised in The Times and Sunday Times, journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund report that Ms Rayner was privately furious that Andrew would still technically be on the list, telling her staff, 'I'm not going to vote to keep that nonce on'.

She then apparently made her views known in a Zoom meeting with then Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, but reportedly emerged from the meeting 'chastened'. An adviser said: 'She never, ever spoke about the royals like that again.'

The book also reports that Ms Rayner was furious to have been left off a list prepared by party Chief Whip Sir Alan Campbell, of leading Labour MPs who took the new oath of allegiance in the Commons immediately after Charles took the throne.

Ms Rayner reportedly said: 'I must have been missed', but the book claimed that 'Rayner's exclusion was intentional'.

Last night one Labour source told The Mail on Sunday there was 'no list' to swear allegiance.

Ms Rayner addressing a reception to celebrate recipients from the New Year honours list in the North West region. The Deputy PM was reportedly furious that the Duke of York officially remained on the counsellors list

Andrew famously told Newsnight host Emily Maitlis in 2019 he had stopped seeing Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) in December 2010, but that account was thrown into doubt amid reports he had sent a 'keep in close touch' email to the financier in February 2011

He added that if Ms Rayner was 'disinvited, she disinvited herself'. Separately, sources close to Ms Rayner said she had fully supported the Counsellors of State Bill in 2022.

In his famous 2019 Newsnight interview, Andrew told Emily Maitlis he had stopped seeing Epstein in early December 2010, when they were photographed walking through Central Park. He added: 'I never had any contact with him from that day forward.'

But yesterday, that account was challenged over reports that he had sent a 'keep in close touch' email to the financier in February 2011.

One of Epstein's victims, Marijke Chartouni, said: 'Andrew has selective amnesia when it comes to his friendship with Epstein.' There is no suggestion that Andrew  who did fly on the financier's private jet  was an accomplice of Epstein.
Britain could rejoin Brussels' Net Zero climate scheme as part of Sir Keir Starmer's moves to 'reset' Brexit, diplomatic sources have said.

As the Prime Minister prepares to become the first British leader since Brexit to attend a meeting of the European Council's 27 EU leaders tomorrow, sources said the UK was in discussions to re-enter the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which sets a cap on the amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted by certain industries.

UK officials in the Cabinet Office dubbed 'The Surrender Unit' are also discussing entering the Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area, in what Chancellor Rachel Reeves hopes will stimulate the sluggish economy.

As part of the talks, Brussels is demanding that Britain partially reintroduces freedom of movement by allowing 18 to 30-year-olds from the EU to move to the UK for a few years, paying the same university fees as British students.

However, some No 10 strategists, led by Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney, fear the symbolic move to unwind Brexit will present a political 'gift' to Labour's opponents in the Conservatives and Reform.

Sir Keir failed to mark Brexit's fifth anniversary on Friday, and today will host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks at Chequers.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch on Saturday night said she was setting Sir Keir 'five tests to protect Brexit': No backsliding on free movement or compulsory asylum transfers; no new money paid to the EU; no reduction in our fishing rights; no rule taking, dynamic alignment or European Court jurisdiction and no compromise on the primacy of Nato as the cornerstone of European security.

Discussions to re-enter the EU ETS, a cornerstone of EU climate policy which the UK left in the wake of the historic vote to quit the EU, come amid a Cabinet rift over Ms Reeves' backing for a third runway at Heathrow, which Energy Secretary Ed Miliband once threatened to resign over. He has been conspicuously quiet since the announcement.

Kemi Badenoch (pictured) said she will set Sir Keir Starmer 'five tests to protect Brexit' amid reports that Britain could rejoin the EU Emissions Trading System

The Prime Minister, pictured with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right), will be the first British leader since Brexit to attend a meeting of the European Council tomorrow

Sir Keir's chief of staff Morgan McSweeney (pictured) is among those in No 10 who fear any symbolic move to unwind Brexit would be a political 'gift' to Labour's opponents

Labour's opponents are likely to criticise any move which could allow Brussels to set Green levies for British companies as part of the Net Zero target.

The Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area is focused on so-called 'rules of origin' for products, but critics say that it could have a 'cascade effect' by becoming a form of customs union, which would complicate efforts to strike a trade deal with President Trump.

Ms Badenoch said: 'Five years ago, the Conservatives broke the deadlock and got Brexit done... Keir Starmer and his Labour party opposed us every step of the way.

'Now they are trying to reopen the divisions of the past and edge us back into the EU. So I'm setting Keir Starmer five tests to make sure he doesn't undo Brexit.

'These tests will ensure we seize the opportunities of the future and use our independence to grow the British economy. Under my leadership, the Conservatives will always stand up for Britain and fight for our hard-won freedoms.'
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans visits South African National Defence Force troops in the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid rising conflict.

analysis

The death of South African soldiers on a Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has sparked fierce debate about the deployment of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers there. Some, including political parties, have questioned whether the soldiers were adequately trained, equipped and supported. Lindy Heinecken has spent decades researching the South African military in peacekeeping operations and has interviewed hundreds of soldiers about their experiences and the challenges during deployment. We asked her for her insights.

What is South Africa doing in the DRC?

The country is part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), which includes troops from Malawi and Tanzania. This deployment followed approval by the Southern African Development Community in May 2023, in response to the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC. The South African National Defence Force is leading the mission.

Their mandate is to support the DRC government, a member of the 16-member SADC group, in restoring peace, security and stability. The fact that the mandate states that it is to support the DRC government in combating armed groups that threaten peace and security in the eastern DRC implies that this is not a peacekeeping mission.

The legal basis for the deployment lies in the SADC Mutual Defence Pact, (2003), which states that

Any armed attack perpetrated against one of the States Parties shall be considered a threat to regional peace and security and shall be met with immediate collective action.

The mandate gives them the responsibility to protect civilians, disarm armed groups, and help implement the August 2024 ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, brokered by Angola as part of the Luanda Process. This agreement aimed to provide a more secure environment, and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. This is in line with the United Nations' responsibility to protect victims of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

Read more: South Africa to lead new military force in the DRC: an expert on what it's up against

The M23 rebel group, which is supported by Rwanda, has committed a wide range of atrocities in the eastern DRC which can be traced back to the 1994 genocide.

The impact on civilians has been devastating. While pinning down an exact number is difficult, it's clear that the rebel forces operating in the eastern DRC, particularly the M23, pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region, and the safety and security of civilians.

The rebels are implicated in mass killings of civilians, rape and other forms of sexual violence and attacks on camps for internally displaced persons. The M23's atrocities have been condemned by the international community. The United Nations and human rights bodies have called for an end to the violence. They also demand accountability for the perpetrators.

In sum, South African soldiers - alongside Malawians and Tanzanians - are in the DRC to assist the Congolese army in combating the armed groups and to protect civilians from violence and human rights abuses.

Are the soldiers adequately prepared and equipped?

Many questions have been asked about whether South African troops on the mission forces are adequately trained and equipped. Critics claim this deployment is suicidal.

South African soldiers are well-trained and have served in numerous peace operations. Their extensive deployment means that they have accumulated valuable experience. They have been part of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DR Congo, Monusco, almost since inception in 1999.

Monusco forces are still present in the DRC, but in the process of withdrawing. Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi requested they leave because of their perceived ineffectiveness.

Nonetheless, there are some valid concerns about the South Africans' current level of preparedness for the DRC mission. Not least given the complex political situation. There are over 100 diverse armed groups involved. And the terrain is difficult.

The combination of budget cuts, resource limitations, and the complex nature of the conflict raises questions about the South African National Defence Force's ability to effectively achieve its objectives, and ensure the safety of its personnel.

The force takes its own equipment on missions to ensure it is self-sufficient and can meet its specialised needs. The problem is that this equipment is old, leading to shortages due to maintenance problems. This affects the force's ability to carry out its duties.

Budget cuts for defence over the years, to less than 1% of GDP compared to the global average of 2%, have severely affected the military's ability to maintain equipment, conduct training exercises and modernise its force. This has led to a decline in overall readiness.

South African troops in the DRC lack essential resources, including adequate air support, attack helicopters and modern equipment. This limits their ability to respond quickly to threats and provide close air support for ground troops.

Despite having one of the most capable air forces in Africa, it is unable to deploy its Gripen and Rooivalk helicopters because they have not been serviced and lack spare parts.

The use of older equipment has also been less effective against the well-equipped M23.

Besides being outgunned, the regional mission is also out-manned.

The SADC mission in the DRC was authorised to have 5,000 troops from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania. The actual deployment has fallen far short of this number. As of late January 2025, only about 1,300 troops had been deployed.

Read more: Rwanda's role in eastern DRC conflict: why international law is failing to end the fighting

Where to from here?

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There are concerns in the DRC about the presence of multiple foreign forces, given the relative ineffectiveness of these interventions.

There are also questions about the legitimacy of the mission. Rwanda has opposed the deployment, saying that the SAMIDRC, and specifically South Africa's involvement, undermines regional unity and cooperation.

The best approach to peace and stability in the DRC requires a concerted effort by regional actors - the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and the Southern African Development Community - to address the underlying causes of the conflict. This requires political dialogue with the regional actors, the UN, the international community and, most importantly, the Congolese people.

Read more: DRC conflict risks spreading: African leaders must push for solutions beyond military intervention

As for South Africa, it is time for some critical reflection on the future roles of its military. The equipment shortages and challenges it faces raise serious concerns about the defence force's ability to carry out its core mandate of protecting South Africa, its territorial integrity and its people in accordance with the constitution.

The tragedy in the DRC highlights the dire need for the South African National Defence Force to be redesigned, modernised and funded to become more effective and capable, ready to meet the immediate challenges it faces (like ageing equipment) and ensure the security of South Africa.

Lindy Heinecken, Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology., Stellenbosch University
Thousands of Aussies are being warned to get to high ground or evacuate the city by midday as north Queensland battles heavy rain, flooding and strong winds.

Widespread rainfall fuelled by tropical lows around north Queensland has led to warnings of dangerous and life-threatening flooding reaching up to two storey floors after a days-long deluge.

Heavy rain continues to impact areas of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and North Tropical Coast, extending from Mackay to south of Cairns.

The rainfall has been fuelled by two tropical lows, which are unlikely to form into cyclones.

An emergency warning was issued at 5am on Sunday for the Hinchinbrook Shire with authorities warning residents to stay in place.

'Get up as high as you can where you are. There is dangerous flooding,' it warned.

Another emergency alert was issued for greater Townsville, with residents of Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea warned to leave by midday on Sunday.

It's believed the flooding may exceed levels experienced in March 2018 at Ingham Pump Station, Halifax, Gleneagle, Abergowie Bridge and Gairloch.

Flooding in Townsville is pictured after the city was hammered by a days-long deluge

Residents in north Queensland have endured another night of heavy rain with falls between 200mm and 400mm falling across the region (pictured, residents fill sandbags in Townsville)

Thousands of Aussies are being warned to get to high ground or evacuate the city by midday as flood waters inundate north Queensland (pictured)

Thousands of Townsville residents have been told to evacuate their homes by 12pm Sunday

However, cyclonic-like rain totals have lashed Townsville and surrounds with forecasts of 200mm to 400mm expected through Sunday into Monday.

The forecast falls come after isolated seven-day totals of more than 900mm hammered the North Tropical Coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the weekend rainfall could lead to flooded homes, businesses and properties, landslides and further road closures.

'We're likely to see widespread falls of anywhere from 200 to 400 millimetres almost on a daily basis, with isolated falls in excess of 900 millimetres possible,' senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said.

'We could even be talking about places in excess of one metre over the next few days. That is an incredible amount of rainfall.'

A severe weather warning is current from Innisfail to Ayr, south of Townsville.

A disaster declaration has been made for both Townsville and Innisfail.

Authorities have deployed further resources to the state's north with the Australian Defence Force assisting on the ground.

A man is pictured wading through waist-high water in north Queensland on Saturday

Water levels rising at the lakes in Idalia in Townsville on Saturday

Heavy rain continues to impact areas of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and North Tropical Coast, extending from Mackay to south of Cairns (a Weatherzone map is pictured)

'The next 24 hours it is absolutely critical that you listen to emergency services and stay alive to the alerts,' state disaster co-ordinator Shane Chelepy said on Saturday.

'We are dealing with a dual event here.

'We are dealing with flash flooding from the heavy rain, but we are now seeing impacts from those major riverine systems which will bring riverine flooding into those communities.'

Townsville experienced its largest rainfall weather event in 120 years in January and February 2019.

About 3,300 homes were damaged by floodwaters and about 1,500 homes rendered uninhabitable.

Prepare-to-leave warnings were issued on Saturday for six suburbs in the city - Cluden, Hermit Park, Idalia, Oonoonba, Railway Estate and Rosslea.

An evacuation centre is open at Heatley for affected residents.

Local worker Matthew James said he had seen first-hand how much damage torrential rain could produce.

'I still now am seeing places that have either just finished being repaired or completely refurbished after the 2019 floods,' he told AAP.

'So you can imagine if you lived in one of those houses that flooded, you'd probably be thinking now you might be in trouble.'
Fresh doubts were raised about the conviction of 'killer' nurse Lucy Letby last night, with the bombshell revelation of police notes suggesting the jury was misled over key evidence.

The documents raise serious questions over the courtroom claim that Letby was the common link between all the suspicious incidents involving babies at the Chester hospital where she worked.

And the dramatic development comes as an expert cited by the prosecution prepares to go public to say his research was misrepresented in court.

A growing number of experts have voiced fears about the evidence against the nurse, who is serving 15 life sentences after being found guilty of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

An appeal has been rejected but former Cabinet Minister David Davis has called for a retrial, branding her conviction a 'clear miscarriage of justice'. In the Commons he claimed that key evidence helpful to Letby's case, is being withheld by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Now the previously undisclosed police notes, obtained by the UnHerd news website, reveal a discrepancy between the initial analysis of suspicious incidents at the hospital and what the Manchester Crown Court jury was told.

The papers show that when the chief prosecution witness, Dr Dewi Evans, originally looked at those 28 cases, Letby was absent for ten of them  more than a third. But the jury did not hear that.

At the trial, they were told by prosecuting counsel Nick Johnson KC that Letby was 'the one common denominator' in unexpected deaths or collapses.

Fresh doubts have been cast over Lucy Letby's conviction following suggestions from police notes the jury was misled over key evidence

Chief prosecution witness Dr Dewi Evans. The new papers show that when he looked at the 28 cases, Letby was absent for ten of them

Former Cabinet Minister David Davis has branded Letby's conviction a 'clear miscarriage of justice' and has called for her to be retrialled

In the absence of any forensic evidence or plausible motive, that statistical correlation became the key plank of the case against her.

At the trial, Dr Evans referenced a 1989 academic paper by Dr Shoo Lee, one of Canada's top neonatologists, to back the prosecution's case that Letby, 35, had killed the babies by injecting them with air.

But Dr Lee, who retired recently, has now flown to the UK where he will stage a press conference on Tuesday casting doubt on how his work was used in court. He will argue that none of the descriptions of the babies' skin discolourations given at the trial matched the kind seen with air embolism.

The respected medic is expected to say that none of the babies should have been diagnosed with air embolism because it is a 'very rare and specific condition' and should not just be the default after other causes of death have been discounted.

Last night, Dr Lee said that he was planning to unveil details of an independent review by a 'blue ribbon committee' of 14 international medical experts into the causes of death of the 17 babies Letby was accused of harming.

It is understood that the experts will argue that in a 'large number' of cases  potentially 'every one' according to one source  they have recorded a different cause of death from the one cited against Letby.

Dr Lee, 67, told The Sunday Times: 'This is not fair, because the evidence that was used to convict her, in my opinion, wasn't quite right. What I can say is that we looked at the cases in great detail and we came to very definite conclusions about what happened in every case.'

Bafflingly, Letby's original defence team did not call Dr Lee to dispute the prosecution's claim and the Court of Appeal did not allow him to clarify how his evidence should have been interpreted  meaning he is being forced to go public instead.

Questions about Dr Evans, a retired consultant paediatrician, were raised during Letby's trial. In an unusual move, Appeal Court judge Lord Justice Jackson wrote to the trial judge, Mr Justice Goss, telling how a report Dr Evans drew up in an unrelated case had been dismissed as 'worthless' and claimed Evans had breached his duty as an expert by deciding on the outcome he wanted then 'working out an explanation' to achieve it.

Dr Evans said concerns about his evidence in the Letby trial were 'unsubstantiated, unfounded, inaccurate'. But he declined to comment further until the conclusion of Lady Justice Thirlwall's public inquiry into events at the hospital.

Cheshire Police said they 'declined to be involved in much of the ongoing commentary within the media'.

When asked about the latest developments, a spokesman added: 'There is a significant public interest in these matters, however, every story that is published, statement made, or comment posted online that refers to the specific details of a live investigation can impede the course of justice and cause further distress to the families concerned. It is these families and the ongoing investigations that remain our primary focus.'

The police documents raise questions over whether Letby (pictured) was the common link between all the suspicious incidents involving babies at the hospital where she worked

Prosecutor Nick Johnson at Manchester Crown Court in October 2022, where Letby was found to have murdered babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital in Cheshire

Last week, The Mail on Sunday reported that Letby's appeal against her murder convictions will identify a doctor whose 'sub-optimal care' is alleged to have led to the death of one of the victims, identified as Baby O.

Hospital notes, quoted by David Davis in the Commons, show that consultant Dr Stephen Brearey inserted a needle into the wrong side of the child's abdomen to release gas pressure, penetrating the liver and causing serious internal bleeding.

The note said: 'This was undoubtedly a significant contributory factor in the baby's death, if not the outright cause.'

A new legal team, led by criminal defence barrister Mark McDonald, has been instructed to take Letby's case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates potential miscarriages of justice and can refer cases back to the Court of Appeal.

UnHerd likens Letby's case to that of the Birmingham Six, the men wrongly convicted of killing 21 people by bombing pubs in 1974 and finally freed in 1991  one of the worst miscarriages of justice in English legal history.

The website concludes: 'In the wake of her convictions, Letby, like the Six, was portrayed as an evil monster, a woman who fully deserved to rot in prison for the rest of her life. What an appalling vista if she were revealed to be a victim, not a perpetrator.'

For all the latest news and updates, listen to The Trial of Lucy Letby - wherever you get your podcasts.
MI5 built a case against an alleged Chinese spy who befriended Prince Andrew after a Mail on Sunday expose, newly released documents reveal.

An exclusive investigation by this newspaper in 2020 detailed how a lobbying firm set up by Yang Tengbo had gained access to key establishment figures, including the Duke of York.

We revealed how Yang, 50, was a former Chinese government official whose firm, Hampton Group, secured links to Andrew's organisation Pitch@Palace.

The suspected spook would later be stopped by police at Heathrow airport and have his mobile phone, laptop and iPad seized. He was banned from the UK on national security grounds.

Now, a cache of court papers, released last Friday, reveal how he appealed to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner (IPCO) in a bid to force MI5 and the police to destroy a series of bombshell documents they had downloaded from his electronic devices.

It led to the UK authorities disclosing to him the 'open source' material they had gathered  including our story, which they then used to justify the retention of his data.

In one document, Yang accused the Home Office of relying on this newspaper's reporting about him and argued he should be granted anonymity.

He said: 'I know that the Home Office is prepared to rely on media stories in relation to its claims about me. Further reporting of this nature would be very harmful to, among other matters, my business interests and the Hampton Group.'

Yang Tengbo, an alleged Chinese spy, has been banned from the UK on national security grounds

Yang befriended Prince Andrew through his organisation Pitch@Palace

In another document, Yang's lawyer claimed Buckingham Palace knew about his association with Pitch@Palace.

Yang lost his bid to force the Government to destroy his files but he was granted anonymity and was known only as 'H6' until reporting restrictions were lifted in December.

Other court documents revealed extraordinary details of the Duke of York's connections with Yang.

One document found on Yang's phone claimed Andrew planned to raise $3 billion for an initiative called the Eurasia Fund. Yang was authorised to act on behalf of the duke in talking to potential Chinese investors for the fund.

He said last week the allegations were unfounded, adding: 'I have done nothing wrong.'
The U.S. Army has identified the third pilot of the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airline CRJ-700 passenger jet on Wednesday as it was on approach to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the chopper that crashed into the jet just as it was coming into land.

The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family but the decision to release her name came 'at the request of and in coordination with the family,' according to a statement released by the Army.

'We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. She was a bright star in all our lives,' her family said. 'Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle.'

Lobach had worked as a White House aide during the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer in the Army from July 2019 until January 2025.

Her family went on to describe her as 'kind, generous, brilliant, funny, ambitious and strong.'

Lobach had been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

Lobach began her career in the United States Army as a distinguished military graduate in Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she was a distinguished military graduate where she was in the top 20 percent of cadets nationwide, her family explained.

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, from Durham, North Carolina was one of three soldiers aboard the H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet as it was landing

The Army had initially refused to identify Lobach at the request of her family but the decision to release her name came 'at the request of and in coordination with the family,' according to a statement released by the Army.

Lobach achieved the rank of Captain, having twice served as a Platoon Leader and as a Company Executive Officer in the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

She achieved the rank of Captain, having twice served as a Platoon Leader and as a Company Executive Officer in the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

With more than 450 hours of flight time, she earned certification as a pilot-in-command after extensive testing by the most senior and experienced pilots in her battalion.

Friends and fellow Army officers who served alongside Lobach told Military.com how she was a skilled, dedicated and patriotic soldier who inspired and lifted up those around her.

First Lt. Samatha Brown attended the University of North Carolina with Lobach and said how right from the start she gave off an air of immense kindness and became firm friends.

On the day of the crash the two had texted as they were planning to take trip together.

'She wasn't average; she was so far above average. She was so intelligent, she was so dedicated, she loved her friends and her family so fiercely,' Brown said to Military.com. 'She was just outstanding.'

Meanwhile, Second Lt. Lexi Freas, met Lobach through UNC's alumni network and became inspired to become a Black Hawk pilot in the D.C. Army National Guard after going on a flight with her.

Freas said Lobach 'changed the trajectory of my career, my life' after she helped her prepare her application to join the D.C. National Guard.

Rebecca Lobach achieved the rank of Captain, having twice served as a Platoon Leader and as a Company Executive Officer in the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Captain Bilal Kordab, right, was the Army officer who recruited Lobach into the North Carolina National Guard while she was a student at university

Rebecca Lobach is seen alongside her friend Davis Winkie, right, who said he was 'heartbroken' as he paid tribute to Captain Lobach whom he considered a friend after they trained together at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Rebecca Lobach is seen together with Davis Winkie, right, whom she trained with. 'I wish she werent dead. You are so missed, Rebecca. This world wont be the same without you,' he wrote

Lobach had worked as a White House aide during the Biden administration and had served as an aviation officer in the Army from July 2019 until January 2025

Lobach is seen, left, as fashion designer Ralph Lauren received the Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, in January

Lobach had worked as a White House aide during the Biden administration. She is pictured here in January as Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House to fashion designer Ralph Lauren

Freas suggested news of Lobach's death would be felt personally by the entire Army aviation community.

'The aviation community, in its whole, is very small. The Army aviation community is even smaller, and the Army aviation community of women is even smaller, and those that are female aviators that also went to UNC is incredibly small,' Freas said.

'So to share so many qualities and decisions within our career and life, it hit way closer to home than anything else ever has. It was gut-wrenching to hear.'

White House reporter Davis Winkie said he was 'heartbroken' as he paid tribute to Captain Lobach whom he considered a friend after they trained together.

'Rebecca was brilliant and fearless, a talented pilot... we quickly bonded over being the new kids on the block.

'On branch day, when the cadets got to explore the different Army officer career paths, she and I were walking together through a field where a bunch of helicopters were parked. She was a few feet in front of me when she stopped, turned, and pointed out an MH-6 Little Bird (an incredibly small helicopter!). She shot me a mischievous smile and said something like, Think we can both fit?,' Winkie recounted.

'My dear readers: I am 66, and Rebecca (a former college basketball player) is at least 58. But Ill be damned if we didnt somehow stuff ourselves into that cockpit. My neck hurt, and I dont think we wouldve been able to fly it very well, but we were both beaming in the selfie she took,' Winkie wrote.

'Rebecca played a crucial role in helping me navigate the hardest periods of my personal life. I wish wed taken a photo together when we had lunch a year ago. I wish Id remembered to invite her to a party I hosted a week ago. I wish she werent dead. You are so missed, Rebecca. This world wont be the same without you.'

Pilot in charge Chief Warrant Office 2 Andrew Eaves and crew chief Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara were both named on Friday as those on board the helicopter.

Eaves' grieving widow Carrie said: 'I am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in DC.

'My husband was one of the pilots in the Blackhawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve.'

She shared several photos of Eaves, one of which he was in uniform, and asked her friends to share any pictures they may have of him as a tribute to his memory.

Meanwhile, O'Hara, 28, left behind a wife and a one-year-old son, and was remembered fondly by his his school as a beloved member of the rifle team.

His father, Gary, was watching television on the couch at his Midway, Georgia, home on Wednesday night when he saw the breaking news that a commercial plane had collided with a military helicopter.

Chief Warrant Officer 2, Andrew Eaves was one of three soldiers taking part in the fateful training exercise over Washington DC on Wednesday night

'My husband was one of the pilots in the Blackhawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve,' Andrew Eaves widow, Carrie, said

Ryan O'Hara from Georgia was on board the doomed helicopter when it plunged into the Potomac River on Wednesday night

He told the Washington Post: 'I just had a gut feeling when I saw the story breaking.'

About 10am Thursday, two Army officials knocked on his door to deliver the horrific news, his 28-year-old son was among the casualties.

'As a parent, how do you take the news like this and not be totally broken?' he asked.

'His mother and I and his sister are just absolutely devastated to think we were talking to him just yesterday and we'll never have the opportunity to talk with him again.'

Retired Army chief warrant officer Jonathan Koziol told ABC News that trio were 'very experienced.'

O'Hara individually had hundreds of hours of flight time logged, while Eaves, the instructor pilot running the training drill, had 'more than 1,000 hours of flight time.'

Lobach had also logged more than 450 hours, Koziol said.

'Both pilots had flown this specific route before at night -- this wasn't something new to either one of them,' he said.

'These are our top pilots doing this National Capital Region.'

No one survived the Wednesday night's collision. The remains of 42 people had been pulled from the river by Saturday afternoon, including 38 that had been positively identified, according to Washington emergency officials.

They expect to recover all of the remains, though the wreckage of the plane's fuselage will probably have to be pulled from the water to get all the bodies, officials said.

On Friday night the helicopter 'was briefly stabilized with a crane to assist in recovery efforts, however, it has not been removed from the water,' the Washington Fire and EMS Department said in the Saturday statement.

The collision occurred as an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas carrying 64 passengers was preparing to land just across the Potomac from the nation's capital, and hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter that flew into the jet's path.

Army officials have said the helicopter crew was highly experienced, and familiar with the congested skies around the city.

Military aircraft frequently make such flights to practice routes they would use if key government officials need to be evacuated during an attack or major catastrophe.

The two aircraft collided in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways near the airport before it plunged into the river

Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to update reporters on Saturday evening.

Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control. Full NTSB investigations typically take at least a year, though investigators hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days.

President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested the helicopter pilots should have seen where they were going in an extraordinary briefing on what he called 'an excrutiating night in our nation's history'.

Trump said the airliner was 'doing everything right' while the Black Hawk was 'going at an angle that was unbelievably bad'.

Defense Secertary Pete Hegseth added that there was an 'elevation issue' the Army is already looking into.

Other possible factors in the crash, including the helicopter's altitude and whether the crew was using night vision goggles, are still under investigation, Hegseth said.

Black boxes have been recovered from both aircraft.

More than 300 responders were taking part in the recovery effort at a given time, officials said.

After a rainy Friday, clear skies and warmer temperatures made for better conditions Saturday for workers in the field.

Two Navy salvage barges were also expected to arrive to lift heavy wreckage.

In this image provided by the National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB investigators examine cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder in Washington

Emergency vehicles and recovery operations are seen near the mouth of the Anacostia River at the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Saturday

Officials gather at the end of runway 33 near the wreckage site in the Potomac River of a mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter on Saturday

Police and coast guard boats are seen around a wreckage site in the Potomac River as an American Airlines plane passes in the foreground at Ronald Reagan Airport on Saturday

National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman speaks with reporters at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday

'This is heartbreaking work,' Washington, D.C., Fire Chief John Donnelly Sr. told reporters told reporters Friday. 'Its been a tough response for a lot of our people.'

On Saturday a trio of longtime friends came to the Potomac shoreline, looking for a way to remember the victims.

The Federal Aviation Administration heavily restricted helicopter traffic around the airport on Friday, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the helicopter had been flying higher than allowed.

NTSB member Todd Inman told reporters on Friday that investigators had interviewed at least one air traffic controller who was working when the crash happened. He said interviews were ongoing and that it was unclear how many controllers were on duty at the time.

Investigators will also examine staffing levels, training, hiring and other factors, in addition to looking at controllers' records.

The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers.

Officials say the helicopter's maximum allowed altitude at the time was 200 feet though they have not said whether it had exceeded that limit.

The black box recorder from the helicopter, which contains both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data receiver, was found amidst the wreckage on Friday

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport also captured the moment the two collided in midair

Officials have confirmed that the three soldiers, who all perished, had been rehearsing a plan that involves the evacuation of the White House

Transgender servicewoman Jo Ellis was falsely named as the co-pilot of the US Army Black Hawk helicopter

But on Friday, one day after he questioned the helicopter pilot's actions and blamed diversity initiatives for undermining air safety, Trump said the helicopter was 'flying too high.'

'It was far above the 200 foot limit. That's not really too complicated to understand, is it???' Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

On Thursday, a transgender Black Hawk pilot was wrongly named as one of the three US Army personnel flying the helicopter that collided with a plane in Washington DC.

Jo Ellis, 34, was misidentified as the female co-pilot of the doomed chopper on Thursday.

A shaken-sounding Ellis picked up the phone when called by DailyMail.com on Friday morning, confirming that she was not killed.

Ellis added: 'I am very much alive,' she said.

She said the false rumors had 'shocked,' her with the Pentagon said to be preparing a statement in a bid to debunk the online lies.

Wednesday's crash was the deadliest in the U.S. since November 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, just after takeoff from Kennedy Airport.

The crash killed all 260 people on board and five people on the ground.

Experts regularly highlight that plane travel is overwhelmingly safe, but the crowded airspace around Reagan National can challenge even the most experiences pilots.
Wes Streeting has launched an extraordinary attack on one of the Queen's charities in comments leaked to the Mail on Sunday.

The Health Secretary has been accused of 'arrogance' after criticising health campaigners last week and describing the Royal Osteoporosis Society as the 'worst offender' when it came to lobbying government.

Queen Camilla, whose mother died in agony of osteoporosis, is the president of the charity, having supported it since 1994.

It works closely with the Mail on Sunday on its War on Osteoporosis campaign, which aims to end the postcode lottery of vital bone scans.

The Health Secretary told this newspaper that one of his first acts in government would be to start work on making vital bone scans universally available by 2030. He repeated the pledge after Labour took power.

But in a bitter blow to patients, NHS planning guidance issued on Thursday setting out the priorities for 2025-26 contained no instructions to health bosses to start work on rolling out fracture liaison services (FLS).

Mr Streeting made his comments in a meeting with officials on the same day, when he also said he wants to 'break the culture of the voluntary sector and the way that it lobbies government'.

In a leaked video of the meeting, Mr Streeting mocked the campaigners and said: 'If it was up to the Royal Osteoporosis Society, the planning guidance would be called the 'Planning guidance to ensure complete rollout of fracture liaison services by 2030 [why didn't you do it yesterday?]'.

Ruth Sunderland (pictured with Queen Camilla) is behind the Mail on Sunday osteoporosis campaign

Health Secretary Wes Streeting speaking to officials on January 30. He described the Royal Osteoporosis Society as the 'worst offender' when it came to lobbying government

He added: 'We share people's objectives. But they are going to have to work with us. They are going to have to bear with us.'

A source with knowledge of the meeting said the comments showed 'immaturity, or arrogance or both' from Mr Streeting.

FLS clinics are the gold standard worldwide for early diagnosis of the bone-thinning disease.

However, they are available only in about half of NHS Trusts in England. The charity estimates 2,500 fatalities will occur this year that could have been avoided if FLS were available across the UK.

Craig Jones, of the Royal Osteoporosis Society said: 'We felt we had to voice concerns that the election pledge for universal fracture services by 2030 wasn't being reflected in government policy.'

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We remain committed to rolling out fracture liaison services across every part of the country by 2030.'
Canada will retaliate against Donald Trump's new tariffs with 25 percent levies on a raft of US imports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday, warning Americans that the president's actions would have real consequences for them.

As relations between the long-time allies who share the world's longest land border reach a new low, Trudeau told a news conference he was slapping tariffs on $107 billion of US goods.

The tariffs will take effect on Tuesday, the same day as Trump's tariffs with see 25 percent on goods from Mexico and Canada, and 10 per cent on Chinese products.

The tariffs have the potential which could disrupt more than $2.1 trillion (1.69 trillion) in annual trade between those nations and America.

Trudeau's announcement came just hours after Trump shared his decision, risking a trade war that economists say could slow global growth and reignite inflation.

Trump said he would impose 10 percent tariff on all energy imports from Canada.

The Canadian leader said tariffs would include American beer, wine and bourbon, as well as fruits and fruit juices, including orange juice from Trump's home state of Florida.

Canada would also target goods including clothing, sports equipment and household appliances.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses media members after President Donald Trump signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, in Ottawa, Canada, on Saturday

Donald Trump said he would impose tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Canada and Mexico, and 10 per cent from China

Trudeau said the coming weeks would be difficult for Canadians but that Americans would also suffer from Trump's actions.

'Tariffs against Canada will put your jobs at risk, potentially shutting down American auto assembly plants and other manufacturing facilities,' Trudeau said, addressing US citizens during a press conference in Ottawa.

'They will raise costs for you, including food at the grocery store and gas at the pump.'

On Friday Trump told reporters he would impose US tariffs as 'punishment' on three of the US's largest trade partners for allowing drugs and migrants to flood into the US.

The levies  on products such as computer chips, steel, oil, gas and cars  'will bring a tremendous amount of money in for our country and bring a rebirth in American manufacturing', he said.

Canada is America's biggest foreign supplier of crude oil, followed by Mexico.

Mark Carney, frontrunner to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister, has vowed that his country will hit back.

The former governor of the Bank of England said: 'President Trump probably thinks Canada will cave in. But we are going to stand up to a bully, we're not going to back down. We're united and we will retaliate.'

Mark Carney, frontrunner to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister, has vowed that his country will hit back

Trump put tariffs at the center of his election campaign, citing an era more than a century ago when tariffs were a cornerstone of US trade policy and revenue.

He said: 'It was a beautiful time. I love big, bold beautiful tariffs. They protect American businesses and encourage Americans to buy homegrown goods. I will use them as a way to punish those who continue to allow our country to be flooded with killer drugs like fentanyl and those who allow illegal aliens to pour over our borders.'

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is keen to secure a trade deal with the US, with talks ongoing about the PM visiting the White House for talks, according to sources

Trump has warned he will impose future tariffs on the European Union as punishment for its 'horrible treatment of America' but has yet to mention the UK in any of his plans.

Keir Starmer has said he is anxious to secure a trade deal with the US and sources in Washington tell the MoS that 'talks are ongoing about Sir Keir coming to the White House for in-person talks'.

Trump's tariffs threaten to disrupt the $1.6 trillion trade between Canada and Mexico and the US each year.

Professor David Ortega, an economist at Michigan State University, said they could end up punishing American consumers by driving up prices.

He said: 'Tariffs drive up the cost of goods domestically by increasing production costs and reducing competition. The higher costs get passed on to consumers with low-income households bearing the brunt of the burden.'

China has threatened to retaliate against the measures, which critics say will result in American consumers being punished by higher prices

China, Canada and Mexico have all threatened to retaliate against the measures. Canadian officials have outlined plans to impose higher taxes on orange juice from Florida and electric cars made by Tesla, a company owned by Trump's 'First Buddy', Elon Musk.

Trump put tariffs on Chinese imports during his first term in office and ended up bailing out US farmers who saw export revenues plunge by $10 billion after China retaliated.

On Monday the President insisted his tariffs would be a useful 'bargaining tool' with other governments.

'We have the biggest piggy bank, we can't lose,' he said.
Peter Dutton has been filmed pledging to review a 'golden ticket' visa for wealthy investors who spend $5million to enter Australia during a private conversation at a $10,000-a-head fundraising dinner.

Originally marketed as a way to drive foreign investment, 'significant investor visa' candidates had to stump up over $5million in Australian investments to be eligible, with no educational or English-speaking requirements.

But the scheme was scrapped by Labor last January amid fears it was a gateway for spies and dodgy cash.

Now, Opposition Leader Mr Dutton has been caught on camera at a swanky Liberal Party fundraiser - where tickets reportedly cost $10,000 per person - suggesting that the Coalition will bring the 'golden ticket' visas back.

The dinner and drinks reception was held for Scott Yung, the Liberal candidate in the marginal seat of Bennelong in Sydney's north west, which the Coalition is hopping to take off Labor.

Mr Dutton was filmed speaking to a migration agent called Min Li, who told him that 'everyone was asking' when the significant investor visa were coming back.

'I think we'll bring it back,' he told her.

'Whether we do it before the election, or look at a different design for it  we'll have to consider all that.'

Ms Li subsequently uploaded the footage of the conversation, which was first revealed by Nine Newspapers, to Chinese social media app RedNote where she described the reception as 'cosy'.

Opposition Leader Mr Dutton has been caught on camera at a swanky Liberal Party fundraiser - where tickets reportedly cost $10,000 per person - suggesting that the Coalition will bring the 'golden ticket' visas back (pictured)

Ms Li, who also goes by the name Sandra Li, is the managing director of Aoye Group immigration business.

It describes itself as the 'gateway to China and the greater North East regions, giving Australia access to arguably the world's largest talent pool in advanced technologies, health, finance and consumer services'

Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting that Ms Li has acted improperly or is involved in anything untoward.

Mr Dutton was asked directly at a press conference on Saturday afternoon whether the Coalition had plans to bring back the significant investor visa stream when he was at a Chinese Lunar New Year festival in Melbourne.

But he insisted the Coalition would announce their policy 'in due course' before praising the scheme, which he had ultimate oversight of in his role as senior cabinet minister in charge of migration from 2014 to 2021.

'As Immigration Minister I brought in a record number of people through different visa programmes, and we did it in a responsible way,' he told reporters.

'The significant investment visa provides an opportunity for people to invest capital.'

Mr Dutton was asked directly at a press conference on Saturday afternoon whether the Coalition had plans to bring back the significant investor visa stream when he was at a Chinese Lunar New Year festival in Melbourne (pictured: Mr Dutton with his wife Kirrily at the event)

Thousands of 'significant investor visa' were granted since 2012, with 85 per cent of successful applicants coming from China, according to government figures.

Almost 15 per cent of people in Bennelong were born in China, according to Census data.

Critics of the significant investor stream claimed it was being exploited to 'park illicit funds'.

It was subject to multiple reviews and was eventually scrapped by Labor in January last year.

'It has been obvious for years that this visa is not delivering what our country and economy needs,' the then Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil said at the time.

Clancy Moore, the chief executive of Transparency International Australia, welcomed the moved.

'For far too long corrupt officials and kleptocrats (from overseas) have used golden visas as a vehicle to park their illicit funds in Australia and arguably hide their proceeds of crime,' she told the BBC.

Jenny Goldie, president of Sustainable Population Australia, told Nine newspapers the special visa was an 'outrage' because it allowed wealthy people to simply buy a visa and enter the country.

Daily Mail Australia approached Mr Dutton's office for comment.
North Queensland is currently facing a flood 'disaster' as thousands of residents are urged to seek higher ground or evacuate their homes by midday.

Heavy rain continues to impact areas of the Herbert and Lower Burdekin and North Tropical Coast, extending from Mackay to south of Cairns.

Authorities have warned the incoming floods will be dangerous and 'life threatening' with thousands of Aussies warned to move to higher ground as soon as possible.

Cyclone-like rain totals have lashed Townsville and surrounds with forecasts of 200mm to 400mm expected through Sunday into Monday.

Residents have reported seeing rainwater seeping through their floorboards with fears the rain could reach to the second storey of buildings.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore said the weekend rainfall could lead to flooded homes, businesses and properties, landslides and further road closures.

'We're likely to see widespread falls of anywhere from 200 to 400 millimetres almost on a daily basis, with isolated falls in excess of 900 millimetres possible,' he said.

'We could even be talking about places in excess of one metre over the next few days. That is an incredible amount of rainfall.'

Follow Daily Mail Australia's live blog below for rolling updates on the flooding in northern Queensland today.
Dear Vanessa,

I am the main carer for my mum, who is in her late 80s and still living in her own home. Mum wants to stay in her house, and my siblings insist on this as well because they want it to remain an asset for inheritance when the time comes. I spend most of my time running her to medical appointments, organising her medications, and handling her bills.

My siblings live interstate and contribute nothing to her day-to-day care, yet they're now asking for access to mum's bank accounts. They want to check what I've spent because they're concerned about how much will be left for inheritance. It's upsetting because I've done everything to ensure mum's needs are met, often dipping into my own pocket for groceries or other things she needs.

I'm also juggling a job I love as an administrator, which gives me a sense of purpose and independence. But between work, caring for mum, and looking after my own family, I'm stretched thin. My husband has suggested I quit my job to make things easier, but that would leave me without an income and feeling like I've sacrificed everything for this situation.

I'm starting to feel bitter and resentful toward my siblings, who seem more focused on inheritance than on mum's wellbeing or the toll it's taking on me. I know mum doesn't want to go into care, but I'm burning out.

How do I balance all of this without breaking down?

Sincerely,

Heather.

Leading money educator Vanessa Stoykov (above)

Dear Heather,

First, let me say how incredible you are for taking on the role of carer. What you're doing for your mum is a huge act of love, but it's clear the pressure is taking its toll. It's not surprising you feel resentful - you're carrying the weight of caregiving while your siblings focus on future inheritance. This imbalance needs addressing, for your sake and your mum's.

Start by having an honest, documented conversation with your siblings. Suggest a family meeting (even virtually) and explain everything you're doing. Lay out the costs you're coverin - both financial and emotional - and ask for specific contributions, whether it's financial support, organising paid help, or even taking turns visiting mum to give you a break. Make it clear that her care is a shared responsibility.

If they're fixated on the bank accounts, agree to transparency but only if they step up too. You could suggest a professional mediator or financial adviser to ensure fairness and discuss how your mum's finances are being handled. Some financial advisers specialise in aged care and family financial planning. You can use my free service to find one here

For your mum's care, look into services that might ease the load. Organisations like My Aged Care can provide respite care, home help, and other resources. These could allow you to focus on your family and job without feeling guilty. Don't forget to explore financial support options for carer which exist to help people like you.

Quitting your job should be a last resort. Your independence is vital, not just financially but for your mental health and sense of self-worth. Instead, look into flexible working arrangements with your employer. Many workplaces are becoming more accommodating for carers.

Lastly, consider seeking professional emotional support for yourself, whether through a counsellor or a carers' support group. Feeling bitter and resentful is normal, but holding onto those emotions can harm your wellbeing. You deserve to have your own needs met too.

Remember, it's not selfish to set boundaries - it's essential for your health and your ability to continue being there for your mum.

Warm regards,

Vanessa.
They are religions which often clash today, but Islamic designs were hijacked by the Christian church in medieval times.

A study has shed light on the little-known practice of Christians repurposing ornate Islamic textiles - like the priestly robe worn by the most important bishop in England, Thomas Becket.

Examining a 700-year-old fresco depicting an Islamic tent in an Italian church, the research describes how Christian soldiers seized these tents from Islamic enemies on the battlefield as the spoils of war.

But they were also sent to Europe as gifts in diplomacy - such as one sent to the first Holy Roman emperor, Charlemagne, by the sultan featured in the famous Arabian Nights story, Harun al-Rashid.

The study was sparked by the rediscovery of a fresco within the Benedictine convent church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, depicting a luxurious blue and gold Islamic tent which may have been a gift from no less than Pope Innocent IV.

The tent itself likely hung over the altar - perhaps as a reminder of Christians victory over Muslim foes in many medieval wars, and to conceal the male priest from the eyes of celibate nuns.

Dr Federica Gigante, a historian from Cambridge University, who led the study, said: Tents, especially Islamic royal tents were among the most prized gifts in diplomatic exchanges, the most prominent royal insignia on campsites and the most sought-after spoils on battlefields.

She added: We cant be certain but it is possible that a person of high-profile such as Pope Innocent IV gifted the tent.

The 700-year-old fresco is thought to be the only surviving image of its kind, offering precious evidence of a little-known Christian practice - using Islamic tents to conceal high altars

The partially-visible fresco almost certainly depicts a real tent, now lost, which the artist may have seen in the same church. The brightly coloured original tent, covered in jewels, could have been a trophy seized from the battlefield. A high-profile figure such as Pope Innocent IV (right) may have eventually gifted the tent to the church

Highly decorated Islamic silks were so prized by the Christian world that important people, including saints and rulers, were wrapped in them for burial.

The textiles often appeared in Italian paintings of the Virgin and Child from the 13th and 14th centuries, perhaps underfoot or on the back of the Virgin Marys throne.

Islamic tents, often bejewelled, were important trophies from victories in the Iberian wars between the Christian north and the Muslim south, with one writer noting that they were displayed over altars so the triumph of Christ would always be remembered by the congregation.

The fresco, examined now but previously left unstudied for centuries after being painted over with scenes from the lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, depicts a tent in the royal colours of blue and gold.

This is similar to the peacock and elephant-covered tent believed to have been cut up and made into the Fermo chasuble - the famous robe worn by St Thomas Becket when he was leading Mass in the years before his murder.

The tent in the fresco has a bejewelled canopy and decorative quasi-Arabic script which resembles the word Allah.

Researchers say such Islamic items were simply readapted for Christian use.

Louis IX even sent an Islamic tent he owned to the grandson of warrior Genghis Khan in the 13th century.

The fresco was painted between the late 13th and early 14th centuries to represent a canopy placed over the high altar

Federica Gigante (pictured) with the fresco depicting the tent. She said: 'Islamic textiles were associated with the Holy Land from where pilgrims and crusaders brought back the most precious such Islamic textiles'

The research, published in The Burlington Magazine, suggests that a high-profile figure like Pope Innocent IV, who gifted several precious textiles to the Benedictine convent church of S. Antonio, may have sent the tent.

But it may also have been a trophy of war, with Dr Gigante adding: Tents made their way into Europe as booty.

During anti-Muslim expeditions, it was common to pay mercenaries in textiles and a tent was the ultimate prize.

The fresco matches descriptions of royal Islamic tents which were seized during the wars of Christian expansion into al-Andalus in the 13th century.

The tent may have been part of altar curtains, made up of four pieces of cloth called a tetravela.

If the tent itself was only used for special occasions like Lent, then the fresco depicting it may have been painted to remind people of its splendour at other times.

Dr Gigante said: Many people dont realise how extraordinarily advanced and admired Islamic culture was in the medieval period.
Africa CDC Director, Dr Jean Kaseya, echoed the call for immediate intervention, urging collective action "for peace, for health, and for the future of Africa."

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a warning about the worsening public health crisis in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), as ongoing conflict destabilizes the region.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Africa CDC highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to safeguard vulnerable communities, stating, "Goma is facing serious public health challenges due to ongoing conflict.

A coordinated effort is essential to strengthen resilience and protect the community."

The situation in Goma reflects the broader health crisis across Africa's conflict zones, where displaced populations, broken healthcare systems, and poor sanitation leave communities exposed to deadly diseases.

In eastern DR Congo, escalating violence has led to mass displacement, heightening the risk of cholera, malaria, and other infectious diseases.

The lack of clean water and overcrowded conditions in displacement camps only exacerbate the risk of outbreaks.

Africa CDC Director, Dr Jean Kaseya, echoed the call for immediate intervention, urging collective action "for peace, for health, and for the future of Africa."

The organization continues to advocate for stronger disease surveillance, improved healthcare access, and efforts to achieve sustainable peace in conflict areas to minimize the long-term impact on public health.

This call to action comes as international humanitarian agencies warn of worsening conditions in Goma, where health facilities are struggling to function amid ongoing insecurity.

Without urgent intervention, the region risks facing an escalating health emergency that could have dire consequences for millions of residents.
They might be some of the world's top destinations, but that doesn't mean the globe's capital cities are universally loved by tourists.

But do they deserve the hate?

A Reddit thread answers that question after 'Lem_Mann7' asked: 'Which capital city gets a lot of hate that you loved visiting?'

Up for discussion? 'Gritty' Athens, an Italian city with 'an abundance of s*** restaurants', 'unsafe' London, the 'Belgian Mogadishu' and more. Read on for the cities travellers feel deserve more appreciation...

Athens, Greece

The Greek capital can be divisive and Reddit user 'KingMustardFist' says they 'avoided' Athens for a long time 'because all I heard was negativity about it'.

However, when they 'finally went', they say they 'loved it' and 'can't wait to go back'.

Lynxpoint says they actually 'loved' the city's 'gritty feel' adding: 'Incredible history at every turn, delicious affordable food, fun bars, cool music venues, neighbourhoods full of character and beautiful viewpoints.'

But 'IPA_LOT' was not impressed, and complains: 'I did not like it. Other than the tourist areas, it felt as if I was in Atlanta 20 years after a nuclear blast.'

Oslo, Norway

Reddit users have been answering the question: 'Which capital city gets a lot of hate that you loved visiting?' Oslo makes the list

The Norwegian capital is a rarity on bucket lists and the city's tourism board even joked about its lack of popularity in a recent tourist ad, which features a man complaining that Oslo is 'not even a city'.

However, 'WealthCultural8000' says the city is ideal for a short visit, explaining: 'Im not advising anyone to go for a long time but for a weekend trip, its lovely. The seaside is great with lots of beautiful modern architecture, the old town is picturesque, lots of trendy new places to eat and drink, some old castles to walk to and in general a really nice vibe and very walkable.'

Meanwhile EfficientActivity recommends visiting in June when you can 'stop for beers at outdoor cafes' and the city has a 'chill' atmosphere.

Rome, Italy

The Eternal City isn't eternally loved according to Donnermeat_and_chips, who says: 'Rome gets a lot of justifiable hate for scammers, abundance of s*** restaurants, petty crime, too many tourists like Barcelona and hotels that are generally overpriced and terrible quality.'

However, the tourist explains: 'If you're there for the history, its the best place in the world and none of the above matters.

Mankytoes warns 'you have to do your research', adding that there are 'so many amazing sites and restaurants off the main tourist trail'.

Washington D.C., USA

Washington D.C is 'not just insufferable bureaucracy and politics', according to one Reddit user

The U.S capital doesn't make the country's top five most-visited cities, but it's worth a visit according to Reddit user 'Hiijs'.

They say: 'Its generally other Americans who hate it.

'We have great museums, food, way more nature than youd expect for a city, and incredible music and dance scenes. Its not just insufferable bureaucracy and politics.

Microwavedinner95 adds that they were 'pleasantly impressed' when they went to Washington D.C. for the 'first time', explaining that it's 'so much cleaner and less sketchy than I imagined'.

Singapore

Singapore is 'very different from other South Asian countries', says Reddit user Rowdy_Roddy_2022, adding that they think that's why people 'hate it'.

Crazy_Mosquito93 is one traveller who doesn't, explaining: 'I find Singapore amazing. It's a huge melting pot of cultures, religions, cuisines and architecture and it has an interesting story. Its clean, safe and fun. And its worth even going to the zoo.

Brussels, Belgium

Brussels is 'beautiful in places', claims one Reddit user, who says it also has 'amazing museums'

The Belgian capital has its fair share of haters. An influencer who's visited 190 countries previously told MailOnline Travel that Brussels 'felt super unsafe'.

But it's not all bad for Brussels.

'Brickie78' says: Had a great week there last year, got about on buses, trams and the metro with no problem. Like any city, it has its dodgy bits but I dont know why so many people seem to regard it as a sort of Belgian Mogadishu.'

Curiouspidge is also a fan, adding: I loved Brussels, its beautiful in places, has amazing museums, great beer, the EU Parliament is really interesting and the Atomium is awesome.

However, Brussels is still bottom of the list for Derik4asomgwhodidtis, who claims: All I can say about Brussels is its the only place Ive ever seen someone do crack in the open and it had the nastiest public toilet Ive ever set foot in.

Cairo, Egypt

Cairo can be controversial, with some travellers even claiming the Egyptian capital is the last place they'd go back to.

However, Diagonalannouncer says: 'I actually loved it. It was chaotic, but I think I overhyped myself for the scammers and that made it seem tame in [real life].

Cairo might be 'chaotic' but several Reddit users explain that they still 'love' the Egyptian capital

Varekai79 is impressed too, adding: I loved it. I stayed just off Tahrir Square amidst all the chaos and energy. I explored random neighbourhoods and it was so much fun.

London, UK

While The Big Smoke is one of Europe's leading tourist destinations - and Tripadvisor's best destination in the world for 2025 - it's not for everyone.

'Layendecker' explains that the city 'seems to get hate for crime and cost'. However, the tourist claims: 'If you want unimaginable variety and a lot of free things to spend time doing, then London is crazy good.'

London 'seems to get hate for crime and cost', but one Redditor says it's 'crazy good'

Zweiglehots' adds that the city 'can be overwhelming because its so big and it can take an hour to go 20 miles'. But encourages a visit, explaining: 'It just requires some logistical Tetris to go places without ending up on the Tube or the train all day.

Ottawa, Canada

It's bad news for Ottawa, which fails to impress many people at all. SmoothOperator604 jokes: If youre scrolling hoping to see Ottawa, keep dreaming. It really is the city fun forgot.

Canadian user Geo85 admits: Youre right. I tell visitors to Canada not to bother.

Does anyone on the thread like it? Dawghouse88 does, revealing: Im that person who actually appreciated Ottawa. But I geek out on capitals and Government stuff and museums.'
Netflix fans have raved over a 'masterful' new family drama which bagged a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and has been hailed as 'a rare feat in storytelling'.

Japanese limited series Asura made its debut at the beginning of January and was written and directed by Oscar-nominated Hirokazu Kore-eda.

Set in 1979 Tokyo, the seven-episode show sees four distinct sisters uncover their aging father's scandalous affair.

The shocking discovery caused the unraveling of usual their happy facades and bottled-up emotions.

Asura is a modern reimagining of the 70s family drama, Like Asura, and stars some of Japans biggest actors including Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yu Aoi, and Suzu Hirose.

And the new series has already become a huge hit with viewers as critics have already given the first season a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Netflix fans have raved over a 'masterful' new family drama which bagged a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and has been hailed as 'a rare feat in storytelling'

Japanese limited series Asura made its debut at the beginning of January and was written and directed by Oscar-nominated Hirokazu Kore-eda

One penned: 'In its perfect mirror of real-life, human drama, the series is already, and will remain, one of 2025s best. I implore you not to let it join a host of other great Japanese media on Netflix in algorithmic hell. It deserves so much more.'

'Its a bit soapier than Kore-edas movies but features wonderful performances by the entire cast and gives an interesting glimpse into middle-class Japanese life in 1979.'

'In [Hirokazu Kore-eda's] hands, each episode is bursting at its seam with a richness of emotional drama, but his skill is best displayed in balancing this out.'

'A show that is both expansive and deeply held. It fits in seamlessly with Kore-edas movies, allowing for moments of sublime transcendence.'

'Asura has much to say about sex and gender, about being a sibling and a daughter, but Kore-eda never allows the commentary to eclipse the human story.'

'Asura (2025) is a complex, layered, and stirring exploration of family. From the characterization to the dialogue and subject matter, this drama thrives in its subtleties, providing yet another tableau of filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-edas meticulous eye.'

'Asura asserts itself by its frequent psychological depth, the multiple nuances, the sensitivity and empathy with which the director usually portrays his characters, and by the versatility of the performances.'

'Everyone in the cast performs their parts flawlessly, but it feels as though Machiko Ono, who plays Makiko, is the most complex character so far.'

Set in 1979 Tokyo, the seven-episode show sees four distinct sisters uncover their aging father's scandalous affair

The shocking discovery caused the unraveling of usual their happy facades and bottled-up emotions

Asura is a modern reimagining of the 70s family drama, Like Asura, and stars some of Japans biggest actors including Rie Miyazawa, Machiko Ono, Yu Aoi, and Suzu Hirose

And the new series has already become a huge hit with viewers as critics have already given the first season a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer

'[Kore-eda's] gentle touch with character holds together a project that sometimes feels longer than it needs to be.'

'The years first grand television surprise, and additional confirmation that few filmmakers are as empathetic, nimble, and masterful as Kore-eda.'

'Asura, on Netflix, is fantastic for everyone who loves a comlpex and funny story about relationships and what women want.'

Asura is now streaming on Netflix.
Ruth Langsford has opened up on her divorce from Eamonn Holmes in a new interview for the first time since they announced their shock split last year.

The Loose Women star, 64, discussed their 'difficult' break up after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together and how she has picked herself up and moved on.

Shortly after their separation, Eamonn went public with his new relationship with dating counsellor Katie Alexander, 43, while Ruth remains publicly single.

Speaking to woman&home about their divorce, Ruth is determined to look ahead and feels an enthusiasm for what's next, including meeting someone new.

When asked how she is feeling now, Ruth said: 'I'm alright. Relationship breakdowns are very difficult  marriage, friendship, whatever it is  but you just deal with it and you have to move on. You can either let yourself crumble or you pick yourself up and get on with life. It's a choice.'

Ruth, who shares son Jack, 22, with Eamonn, added: 'I'm not delighted my marriage is over but I've accepted that my marriage is over, so I am trying to now embrace the fact that I'm single and can make choices that are just about me.'

Ruth Langsford has opened up on her divorce from Eamonn Holmes for the first time in a new interview since they announced their shock split last year

The Loose Women star, 64, discussed their 'difficult' break up after 14 years of marriage and 27 years together and how she has picked herself up and moved on (pictured together in 2021)

Shortly after their separation, Eamonn went public with his new relationship with dating counsellor Katie Alexander, 43, while Ruth remains publicly single

The former This Morning host, who co-presented the Friday show with her ex-husband Eamonn, went on to discuss navigating a break-up in the public eye.

She said: 'A break-up of a relationship is hard enough for anybody to deal with. A divorce is very difficult and it's very painful, but most people don't have to do it in the public eye, with everybody having an opinion about you and writing things about you and commenting things about you.

'But that's the nature of my job. I've always had that and if you can't cope with that, you shouldn't be doing this job.'

Discussing being on her own again after the split, she said: I'm quite fine being on my own, but not forever.

'When you're in a relationship, it's easy to say, "Great, I've got a weekend to myself," but when you think that might be every weekend, it's a different story.'

Ruth revealed that the toll of the situation has caused her to lose weight, while she also revealed a hormone check and the end of the menopause may have also been affected.

She said: 'I have lost weight. Divorce obviously has something to do with it but I also went for a hormone check and rebalance, which helped. It could also hopefully mean that I'm coming to the end of menopause.'

Ruth also admitted that throwing herself into work over the past year has proved a welcome distraction from the heartache of her marriage ending.

Speaking to Women and Home about their divorce, Ruth is determined to look ahead and feels an enthusiasm for what's next, including meeting someone new

When asked how she is feeling now, Ruth said: 'I'm alright. Relationship breakdowns are very difficult  marriage, friendship, whatever it is  but you just deal with it and you have to move on'

The former This Morning host, who co-presented the Friday show with her ex-husband Eamonn, went on to discuss navigating a break-up in the public eye

The March issue of woman&home is on sale 6TH FEBRUARY 2025

She said: 'For a lot of people, whatever troubles you have, work is something that you have to get up and do. For me, it's always been a good thing to dust myself down and concentrate on something else.'

Before Christmas it was reported that the former couple are still only communicating through their lawyers.

The news came as the stars seemingly sent each other an olive branch following a rough year for them after their marriage collapsed.

It comes after Eamonn issued a public display of support for ex-wife Ruth, 64, as she paid an emotional visit to her unwell mother Joan in hospital earlier this week.

In his first notable contact with Ruth since their separation, the GB News presenter liked her post.

Ruth appeared to accept ex husband Eamonn's peace offering and returned the like on a post of he and a his co-host Isabel Webster as they wrapped up their final show.

But MailOnline understands that the estranged couple's relationship hasn't thawed despite the cryptic move on Instagram.

Ruth's ill-stricken mother Joan has always played an important part in Eamonn's life, so it was important to him to like her post.

Before Christmas it was reported that the former couple are still only communicating through their lawyers

The news came as the stars seemingly sent each other an olive branch following a rough year for them after their marriage collapsed (pictured together 2021)

Ruth appeared to accept estranged husband Eamonn olive branch as she made a cryptic move in a post with he and co-host Isabel Webster

The couple confirmed their 14-year marriage was over in June were understood to be keen on a speedy divorce once Christmas and New Year are out of the way.

It's understood that Eamonn and Ruth are hoping to settle their divorce imminently - with Ruth to keep their 3.5million Surrey mansion.

'The aim is for Eamonn and Ruth to resolve their divorce as quickly as possible in the New Year,' a source told The Sun.

'Ruth is keen to stay in their marital home as it is where she is settled, Eamonn on the other hand wants to get out and make a fresh start. They aren't dragging their heels and want this settled and done as quickly as possible.'

Eamonn recently sparked speculation that he is engaged to Alexander after she was spotted wearing a large ring on her engagement finger during a romantic getaway to Paris last week.

'Eamonn has been talking openly about his plans to marry Katie and has made it clear he wants to spend the rest of his life with her,' a source told The Sun.

'Theyre already living together and he knows it feels right. They have a very strong connection and get on very well. She has given him a real lust for life and she looks after him.'

In pictures obtained by the publication, the couple headed to the Louvre, with Alexander wearing a gold diamond ring on her engagement finger.

In his first notable contact with Ruth since their separation, the presenter liked her post

Now, Ruth has returned the public display of support and liked a post of he and his co-host Isabel Webster as they wrapped up their final show of the year

The counsellor was not pictured wearing the band at a Christmas carol concert in West London on December 5.

It was reported last month that Langsford has hired a 'fierce' divorce lawyer amid the bitter split.

As reported by The Sun, Catherine Costley has been called up by Loose Women host Ruth who seeks to end her 14-year marriage to Holmes with a financial settlement.

Costley is known for her fierce approach to divorce settlements and has said all women should have a 'go bag' fund when exiting a relationship, according to The Sun.

The divorce lawyer was once an apprentice of 'Steel Magnolia' Baroness Fiona Shackleton, Britain's highest-profile divorce lawyer who famously represented Charles in his split from Diana in 1996.

Baroness Shackleton has also worked with A-list stars including Sir Paul McCartney, Liam Gallagher and Madonna.

She was once doused with water in court by a furious Heather Mills while representing the Beatles legend during the couple's divorce in 2008.

Ruth Langsford's Collection is exclusively for QVC and available at qvcuk.com

The March issue of woman&home is on sale 6TH FEBRUARY 2025.
After playing a gun toting tough guy with a penchant for heists, Stuart Martin has unknowingly catapulted himself into the ring as a possible replacement for Daniel Craig as James Bond.

Relatively lesser-known compared to other contenders for the coveted role, the 38-year-old Scottish actor is said to have impressed bosses with his last decade of work.

The strapping 6ft 2in star has reportedly been involved in tentative under the radar talks with Eon Productions, who make the beloved spy movies, with insiders claiming he could be in serious contention to play the 007 agent.

If chosen, he would be the first Scot since original star Sean Connery to take on the British secret agent.

The late actor made his debut in Dr. No in 1962, with his accent prompting Ian Fleming to write Scottish heritage into Bond's past.

'Stuart is the name that has been discussed in Bond circles by those in the know, said an LA movie consultant who has worked with the Bond franchise.

Relatively unknown compared to other contenders for the coveted role, Scottish actor Stuart Martin is said to have impressed bosses with his last decade of work

The star, 38, has reportedly been involved in tentative under the radar talks with Eon Productions, with insiders claiming he could be in serious contention to play the 007 agent

He is in serious contention. No-one will confirm this because Eon goes all out to deny and shy away from anything concerning casting, but it would be an amazing milestone to have a Scottish Bond again.

The source added that there is still hurdles to jump through including multiple meetings with Eon so they can get a feel for his personality.

They continued: And let's not forget, Eon doesn't give a damn whether the man who lands the job is famous or not. It is about getting the man they want and who they feel is best suited for this life changing experience.

It is more pressure, scrutiny and stress than any other movie role.

Martins name has been bandied about by fans in recent years, with people highlighting his height, rugged looks and relatively little fame as key attributes for taking on the role.

Stuart Martin is my pick... (seems to tick all the right boxes), read one comment on Reddit three years ago.

Stuart Martin caught my eye, wrote another. He seems to have about the same level of fame as Daniel Craig did when he was picked.

A third added: That rugged Scottish voice... he is perfect!!!!!

Martin, 38, has unknowingly catapulted himself into the ring as a possible replacement for Daniel Craig as the 007 agent (pictured in 2022)

His turn as tough guy Bradley Cage in Zack Snyders 2021 heist comedy Army of Thieves no doubt piqued the interest of Bond bigwigs (pictured on set)

If chosen, Martin would be the first Scot since original star Sean Connery to take on the British secret agent (pictured Connery in Goldfinger in 1964)

On Facebook, someone wrote: The best man by far for the role of the new James Bond is Scottish actor STUART MARTIN. The 6 2 tall 37-year-old Scotsman would be an ideal Bond, very much in the style of the beloved Sir Sean Connery Hes perfect in every respect to become the new 007!

Hailing from Ayr in Scotland, Martin broke out in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Babylon in 2014.

He later landed roles in the historical dramas Medici: Masters of Florence and Jamestown before achieving greater prominence in Victorian crime series Miss Scarlet and The Duke in which he took the lead as a police officer.

His turn as tough guy Bradley Cage in Zack Snyders 2021 heist comedy Army of Thieves no doubt piqued the interest of Bond bigwigs.

Martin, who has two children with his actress wife Lisa McGrillis, ditched the booze and hit the gym to take on the character who was involved in shoot outs and throwing himself at vehicles in high-octane stunts.

We got to do some really cool stuff with some of the heists,' he told Lewis magazine. 'And we got to do it all ourselves... Our stunt director had [Nathalie Emmanuel] and me doing crazy stuff, jumping into the back of moving vans with the camera. It was a lot of fun and looks pretty cool.

Speaking about how he got into shape for the role he told Untitled: We did boot camp and training camp for a few weeks out in Prague. Stunts and guns and all the physical stuff.

'Brad is a muscle head, so I was just smashing the gym and training in the months leading up to try and give him that look and feel. And also shed my lockdown fluff.

'Stuart is the name that has been discussed in Bond circles by those in the know, said an LA movie consultant who has worked with the Bond franchise

Martin, who has two children with his actress wife Lisa McGrillis (pictured), ditched the booze and hit the gym to take on high-octane stunts in Army of Thieves

Aaron Taylor-Johnson was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Barbara Broccoli in March 2022

The action-packed drama became Netflixs number one film in over 90 countries.

The casting news is the latest twist in the ongoing saga for the hunt of the next Bond, four years after Craig's exit.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Barbara Broccoli in March 2022.

But sources recently told DailyMail.com that Hollywood bigwigs are now questioning if he has the credentials to play the titular spy after they were left shaken by the dismal response to his new film Kraven the Hunter.

Other names reportedly in the mix include Callum Turner, James Norton and Paul Mescal.

Craig had five outings as Bond, with 2021 blockbuster No Time to Die marking his swansong.

Since then the fate of the franchise has been up in the air after Amazon bought MGM for $8.45 billion. The company partners with Eon Productions on Bond.

The contract stated that Eon boss Barbara Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G Wilson would retain creative control, but according to the Wall Street Journal, when asked about the deal last year, she told friends: 'These people are f***ing idiots.'
Bristol Palin addressed claims that Bells palsy, which has caused her to have facial paralysis for nearly two weeks, was caused by Covid vaccinations or cosmetic procedures.

In a video shared to her Instagram Stories, the Texas-based realtor, who is the daughter of former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, 60, explained she had been dealing with the condition, which affected right side of her face for 11 days.

'I've seen so much speculation about what this is caused by,' she said in the clip made while sitting in her car wearing a gray jacket over a sage green hoodie.

'So many people are trying to blame the Covid vaccine,' the 34-year-old said. 'I never had the Covid vaccine,' perhaps in support of her mother, who was vehemently against it during the pandemic.

She also dismissed suggestions it was caused by Botox or lip fillers.

'I haven't had filler in years. I had lip filler years ago,' the former Dancing with the Stars contestant admitted, as she pointed to her mouth.

Bristol Palin addressed claims that Bells palsy, which has caused her to have facial paralysis for nearly two weeks, was caused by Covid vaccinations or cosmetic procedures

'I haven't done that in a long time too, so, I don't think it's caused by those.'

She then went to on to explain that 'Bell's Palsy can be set off by stress. I'm stressed, I probably don't sleep that great, so it's definitely eye opening for that aspect, but it's super simple, that's likely what it's caused by.'

Palin, who was thrown into the spotlight as pregnant teen when her mother was named as the running for for Senator John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.

She went on to headline her own reality show in 2014, Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp, starring her and her son, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Levi Johnston.

Palin later joined the reality show Teen Mom OG in 2018 for a season, shortly after divorcing former Marine Dakota Meyer.

The two wed in 2016 and share Sailor, nine and Atlee, seven.

In August 2024, the single mom revealed her then 15-year-old son would be moving to Alaska to live with his father.

Palin seemed to have derived some comfort Friday from a trip to the DMV earlier in the day. 'It's a weird thing. It happens to quite a few people, so I met people at the DMV saying they've had it before.'

The 34-year-old daughter of former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, 60, said that contrary to suggestions from concerned fans, Bell's palsy was not caused by the Covid vaccine. 'I never had the Covid vaccine,' she said

She also dismissed suggestions it was caused by Botox or lip fillers. 'I haven't had filler in years. I had lip filler years ago,' the former Dancing with the Stars contestant admitted, as she pointed to her mouth

Palin, a Texas-based realtor, explained to her follower Bell's palsy is caused by stress, and would be turning to acupuncture and lymphatic massage for help. The condition affects an estimated 40,000 Americans every year, according to the NIH

The single mother of three explained, ' I'm stressed, I probably don't sleep that great, so it's definitely eye opening for that aspect, but it's super simple, that's likely what it's [Bell's palsy] caused by'

Palin revealed on Wednesday in another Instagram Story clip that she had been struggling with the condition which at one time, caused her to lose all sensation and movement in the entire left side of her face over the next two hours.

Doctors gave her a CT scan and prescribed steroids.

The Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far author said she was hopeful the condition would clear up in a couple of weeks and she was turning to alternative treatments for help. 'I have more acupuncture next week, I'm going to try a lymphatic massage,' she said.

Bell's palsy affects some 40,000 Americans a year, according to the National Institutes of Health, and facial therapy, along with osteopathic manipulative treatment and corticosteroids are among the suggested treatments.
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Married At First Sight bride Katie Johnstone's journey into the limelight began long before her TV debut, right in her Queensland hometown.

The 37-year-old restaurant owner, who was brutally rejected on camera by her groom Tim Gromie, made several surprise media appearances before her MAFS stint, in relation to her business.

In 2020, Katie tearfully recounted to the Courier Mail her devastation after discovering her Sunshine Coast restaurant had been robbed during Covid lockdowns, with thieves making off with iPads and cash.

The incident highlighted her deep ties to the community as owner of the EATS Restaurant in Eumundi.

Two years prior, Katie bravely penned an open letter in the Sunshine Coast Daily to bullies on Noosa's beaches, who had targeted her with hurtful comments about her appearance.

Her response achieved overwhelming public support and shed light on the issue of public harassment.

Married At First Sight bride Katie Johnstone's journey into the limelight began long before her TV debut, right in her Sunshine Coast hometown. Pictured in 2021

The entrepreneur has also been celebrated for her creativity and environmental consciousness.

Her Eco Bling creations, made from recycled materials, earned her recognition and a spot as a panellist at the Sunshine Coast Fashion Festival, proving her versatility beyond the reality TV drama.

Earlier this week, the reality TV star provided fans with a post-show update after a less-than-stellar start to married life.

Katie was mercilessly rejected by groom Tim Gromie who said he would have preferred to be matched with a 'petite blonde.'

Ever the optimist however, Katie persisted to form a connection with Tim during their awkward honeymoon in Tasmania's Cradle Mountain.

However, six months on from filming her reality show tilt, Katie has been busy working on her self-empowerment.

She was recently the subject of a stunning photoshoot at Studio Republic, which shows the bride positively glowing.

Studio Republic is an empowerment photography studio aimed at bringing out confidence in its subjects.

The 37-year-old restaurant owner, who was brutally rejected on camera by her groom Tim Gromie, made several surprise media appearances before her MAFS stint

In 2020, Katie tearfully recounted her devastation after discovering her restaurant had been robbed during Covid lockdowns, with thieves making off with iPads and cash

Following the session, the studio shared a video of Katie that showed her discussing her post-MAFS life.

In perhaps a telling statement, Katie said in the video her current focus was being 'her own soul mate.'

'The only person I want to manifest love for is myself right now,' she said.

'I feel like if your cup's full, then it can overflow you.'

Katie added that after her reality TV stint she has been working on feeling comfortable in her own skin.

'I've gone on such a journey in my life. It's taken me a long time to feel really good in my own skin. I feel like this is just a good reinforcement of that,' she said.

'We get one body and one chance about being here now in this moment. I want to do it shining.'
Kelly Piquet looked sensational as she attended the Marc Cain Fashion Show as part of the Berlin Fashion Week on Friday.

The Brazilian model, who is expecting a baby with F1 champion Max Verstappen, made a stunning entrance in a green satin, mid-length dress.

She kept her fashion credentials up as she wore a stone coloured trench coat over the ensemble which she tied around her waist, subtly showing off a hint of a bump.

Slipping into a pair of open toe heels and tight, the mother-to-be styled her dark locks into loose curls that she let flow over her shoulders.

Kelly, 35, chose to keep her accessories to a minimum, opting for a minimal palette of make-up and wearing just a flash of berry lipstick and smokey eyeliner.

The Formula E social media manager appeared to be positively glowing as she posed for pictures ahead of the show.

Kelly Piquet looked sensational as she attended the Marc Cain Fashion Show as part of the Berlin Fashion Week on Friday

The Brazilian model and pregnant partner of F1 champion Max Verstappen made a stunning entrance in a green satin, mid-length dress

In one shot she could be seen sat with models Jessica De Oliveira and Nicola Cavanis who looked just as striking in neutrals.

Jessica wore a champagne coloured silk blazer and trousers while Nicola opted for a white three-piece which she accessorised with a blue and white neck tie.

Kelly and Max have been dating since 2020, after meeting four years earlier in Monaco, before going Instagram-official in January 2021.

The couple shared the news they were expecting on Instagram via a tender black-and-white snap with their hands on Piquet's belly.

'Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way. We couldn't be happier with our little miracle,' the couple wrote.

In addition to their recent pregnancy announcement, Max and Kelly have been the subject of engagement rumours.

While the couple have not confirmed any wedding plans, Max has hinted at the possibility of marriage in the future.

Responding to questions on the subject, in the past the four-time champion commented: 'Not yet, but it will probably happen soon.'

She kept her fashion credentials up as she wore a stone coloured trench coat over the ensemble which she tied around her waist, subtly showing off a hint of a bump

Slipping into a pair of open toe heels and tight, the mother-to-be styled her dark locks into loose curls that she let flow over her shoulders.

Kelly, 35, chose to keep her accessories to a minimum, opting for a minimal palette of make-up and wearing just a flash of berry lipstick and smokey eyeliner

The Formula E social media manager appeared to be positively glowing as she posed for pictures ahead of the show with other models

Kelly and Formula One driver Max have been dating since 2020, after meeting four years earlier in Monaco, before going Instagram-official in January 2021

The pair announced they were expecting their first child together on Instagram with a caption that read: Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way. We couldn't be happier with our little miracle'

When talking about having his first child, Verstappen explained he is already somewhat prepared thanks to 'P' - Kelly's first born daughter, Penelope, born in July 2019.

The Dutchman said in the Talking Bull podcast: 'Luckily I did get a little bit of training with Penelope, seeing her grow up already for like four years. Which has been also really, really nice.

'But yes, for sure, when it's like, also going be fully your own [kid]... Yes, its going to be a different challenge. But I'm looking forward to it'

The family who currently live with three cats and a dog have not revealed the gender, name of the baby or when it will be arriving.

Kelly is no stranger to the world of Formula 1. Her father, Nelson Piquet, was a three-time world champion.
Billionaire Aussie heiress Bella Geminder married her fiance Jose Falk on Friday in a star-studded ceremony in Melbourne.

The granddaughter of late entrepreneur Richard Pratt, 26, tied the knot with her partner in front of 500 guests at her family's estate in the upmarket suburb of Kew.

Bella looked radiant on the day in a strapless white traditional wedding gown and radiated joy as she exchanged vows with her partner.

In footage shared to social media, the couple beamed as they enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife, moments after tying the knot.

The heiress' brunette hair was styled flawlessly, cascading in soft waves that perfectly complemented her radiant makeup.

Meanwhile, Jose looked every inch the dashing groom in a designer cream tuxedo as he proudly stood by his stunning bride on their special day.

Billionaire Aussie heiress Bella Geminder married her fiance Jose Falk on Friday in a star-studded ceremony in Melbourne

The celebration was nothing short of magical, with love and happiness filling the air as the couple embarked on this exciting new chapter together.

Some of the A-List guests to attend include Bella's aunt Heloise Pratt and her Aussie rock legend partner Jon Stevens, as well as close friends and family.

'Happiest day of my life @falkjose,' Bella wrote on social media.

Many of her celebrity friends were quick to offer their congratulations.

'The most stunning bride,' wrote Brooke Warne.

'How divine. Massive congratulations to you both,' added Married At First Sight bride Martha Kalifatidis.

Bella is the granddaughter of Australia's late 'Cardboard King' Richard Pratt and younger daughter of billionaire packaging magnates Raphael and Fiona Geminder.

In October 2022, her older sister Georgia, 31, and investment director Matthew Danos tied the knot in an opulent society wedding.

The granddaughter of late entrepreneur Richard Pratt, 26, tied the knot with her partner in front of 500 guests at her family's estate in the upmarket suburb of Kew

In footage shared to social media, the couple beamed as they enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife, moments after tying the knot

The heiress' brunette hair was styled flawlessly, cascading in soft waves that perfectly complemented her radiant makeup

The event took place in the ritzy suburb of Kew, and was a traditional Jewish ceremony followed by a black tie reception inside a marquee at Raheen, the Pratt family mansion.

Georgia and Matthew married under a large outdoor chuppah (a Jewish wedding canopy) surrounded by friends and family.

Bella's mother Fiona owns cardboard giant Visy and is worth a reported $3.4billion, while her father Raphael - who is also on Forbes Rich List - has a 40 percent share in plastics manufacturer, Pact.

Her grandfather Richard Pratt, an immigrant born in Poland whose family fled to Australia months before the German invasion.

He was a leading figure in Melbourne society until his death on April 29, 2009.

Georgia, a former Australian Grand Prix ambassador, spent seven years modelling in Australia, London and Los Angeles before quitting the industry to create a non-toxic toothpaste brand in 2020.
The real reason why BBC bosses are reeling over Natalie Cassidy's sudden departure departure from EastEnders has reportedly been revealed.

The actress, 41, announced on Thursday that she will be leaving the BBC soap for good following her return last year for its 40th anniversary.

Natalie first joined EastEnders in 1993 when she was just 10 years old and remained with the show until 2007. She returned as Sonia for a year in 2010 and then returned again last year.

The star's character Sonia Fowler is a beloved fan-favourite and according to The Sun, bosses are 'well aware of Natalie's popularity'.

A source told the publication: 'Her much-loved character has been a mainstay of Albert Square for over 30 years, and they envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot by becoming the Walford stalwart and busybody, who locals would go to for gossip and also advice.

Dot was played by the late June Brown, who was the nation's sweetheart in the iconic BBC soap for nearly 40 years.

The real reason why BBC bosses are reeling over Natalie Cassidy's sudden departure departure from EastEnders has reportedly been revealed

The actress, 41, announced on Thursday that she will be leaving the BBC soap for good following her return last year for its 40th anniversary (pictured in 2024)

June passed away aged 95 of natural causes in April 2022 and her character was honoured with her own send off as the cast of Albert Square gathered for Dot's funeral that year.

The source added: 'But incredibly, despite being engrossed by EastEnders for three quarters of her life, Natalie has managed to grow a profile outside of the soap and has become too big for it.'

MailOnline has contaced the BBC for comment.

In a statement given to The Sun announcing that she's quitting the soap, Natalie said: 'I feel extremely sad to be writing this, but also very excited.

'After another 11 solid years back on The Square, I have decided it's time to move on to pastures new.

'EastEnders is in my bones so I will never forget where I started my career and I will continue to love the show.

'Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary  it's an honour. See ya, Sonia, going but never forgotten.'

The publication reports that Natalie will film her final scenes next month around the 40th anniversary week.

Natalie's character is currently pregnant with killer Reiss Calwell's baby, unaware that he murdered his ex-wife Debbie, a crime Sonia was charged with.

Natalie first joined EastEnders in 1993 when she was just 10 years old and remained with the show until 2007 (pictured in 1999)

A source said bosses 'envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot by becoming the Walford stalwart and busybody' (June Brown pictured as Dot in 2009)

A source told the publication: 'Her much-loved character has been a mainstay of Albert Square for over 30 years, and they envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot'

A jury found her not guilty after Reiss managed to produce a video of her sister, Bianca Butcher, falsely confessing to the killing.

Natalie reportedly told bosses she was planning on leaving EastEnders last summer.

Rumours are now rife that Sonia will be killed off in the upcoming 40th anniversary week to give viewers a storyline they will never forget.

Natalie has branched out beyond Albert Square many times in her career. During her break from the show, she appeared in theatre productions of The Vagina Monologues and Bedroom Farce.

She released a fitness DVD Natalie Cassidy's Then and Now Workout in 2007 and appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2012.

More recently, she appeared on the BBC sitcom Motherland in 2021 along with an appearance on the comedy show Mandy the year before.

The actress has been in a longterm relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014.

But after a long engagement the lovebirds still haven't planned their big day with Natalie admitting what's holding her back.

The character is currently pregnant with killer Reiss Calwell's baby, unaware that he murdered his ex-wife Debbie, a crime Sonia was charged with

The actress has been in a longterm relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014

Speaking to Jen Brister and Kerry Godliman on the Memory Lane podcast, the soapstar revealed she's 'a bit of a snob.'

'Do you know what? It's a lot of money. No, I tell you what it is; it's time and budget. It is because I go, 'I'll only do something small; I don't need to...'" she began.

'I will do it small but I want to be at The Ledbury. Oh, I want a Michelin star meal or I'm just a bit of a snob genuinely.

'I'll want the best flowers and I will want a designer suit,' Natalie admitted.

The couple met as Marc works a cameraman on EastEnders.

Natalie and Marc are parents to daughter Joanie while the star is also mother to daughter Eliza with her ex-partner Adam Cottrel.
She is one of the biggest names in the fashion business.

And Alessandra Ambrosio proved she was still at the top of her game on Friday as she stormed the runway at at the Marc Cain Fashion Show during Berlin Fashion Week.

The Brazilian model, 43, exuded glamour on the runway as she modelled a scarlet red dress adorned with sequin detailing.

The glamorous garment featured a long sleeved cropped jacket, complete with a chic black bow.

Alessandra later slipped off the jacket to reveal the stunning gown underneath which featured knotted straps over her shoulders.

As she strutted down the runway, the brunette beauty looked ageless and showed off her stunning figure as she sashayed her way down.

Alessandra Ambrosio gave her fellow models a masterclass on Friday as she stormed the runway at at the Marc Cain Fashion Show during Berlin Fashion Week

The Brazilian model, 43, exuded glamour on the runway as she modelled a scarlet red dress adorned with sequin detailing

For the high profile occasion, the industry veteran's chocolate-coloured locks were styled in a slicked back wet look and her makeup glowed under the lights.

The statuesque runway star finished the look with a pair of bright red heels and accessorised with gold earrings.

It comes after Alessandra enjoyed a romantic date night with her boyfriend, jewellery designer Buck Palmer in Rio de Janeiro last month.

Visiting her native Brazil, the couple stepped out for a dinner date at Spicy Fish and were all smiles as they stepped out in laid-back looks while strolling through the city a day ago  coordinated in all-black outfits.

Looking equal parts chic and sexy, Alessandra modelled a one-shoulder, midi dress with a scalloped trim at the top, an open back and a drop-hem, pleated skirt featuring a leg-baring slit.

She paired the slinky dress with metallic gold heels with double straps and a raffia clutch with matching hardware.

The Victoria's Secret Angel was also carrying a black-and-white, paisley-printed shawl in one hand while she hooked her arm with her boyfriend's while entering and exiting the restaurant.

The Brazilian bombshell looked stunning with her hair styled in messy, tousled beach waves.

The glamorous garment featured a long sleeved cropped jacket, complete with a chic black bow

As she strutted down the runway, the brunette beauty looked ageless showing off her stunning figure as she sashayed her way down

For the high profile occasion, the industry veteran's chocolate-coloured locks were styled in a slicked back wet look and her makeup glowed under the lights

Alessandra later slipped off the jacket to reveal the stunning gown underneath which featured knotted straps over her shoulders

The statuesque runway star finished the look with a pair of bright red heels and accessorised with gold earrings

She looked radiant as she led the eway strutting down the runway

The 5ft10in stunner's figure looked flawless as she threw off the jacket and showcased the strappy sequinned dress in all it's glory

She looked perfectly sun-kissed and flushed in a light, bronzed makeup look paired with a rosy pink lip.

At her side, her boyfriend  who Alessandra was dating for some time before going Instagram official with him late last year  donned an outfit that perfectly complemented hers.

He sported a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top four buttons undone to highlight his long, beaded necklace.

He also wore matching beaded bracelets and silver rings to further accessorize his monochromatic outfit.

The designer sported black jeans and high-top sneakers with contrasting white laces during their dinner date.

Their vacation comes about a month after they went Instagram official when Ambrosio declared her love for her new boyfriend in a gushing birthday tribute in December

The couple put on an affectionate display at the restaurant and seemingly couldn't keep their hands off of each other as they wrapped their arms around each other.

At one point, the model also appeared to be going in to lean her head on his shoulder too as she looked out the window at the evening sky.

The couple has been spending time basking in the sun and soaking up the vibrant energy of the city after Ambrosio brought her beau to her native Brazil for a romantic getaway.

During their trip, they enjoyed a stroll through the scenic city and put on a rare display of affection.

Their vacation comes about a month after they went Instagram official when Ambrosio declared her love for her new boyfriend in a gushing birthday tribute in December.

The supermodel and the jewelry designer were first romantically linked and went public with their romance late last year at a party in Art Basel in Miam

The supermodel and the jewelry designer were first romantically linked and went public with their romance late last year at a party in Art Basel in Miami.

Previously, Palmer was married to Australian model Ashley Hart for two years before they called it quits in 2017.

Ambrosio was previously engaged to American businessman Jamie Mazur from 2008 to 2018.

They share daughter Anja, 16, and son Noah, 12.

Between her relationships with ex-fiance Mazur and current boyfriend Palmer, she dated to Nicolo Oddi from 2018 to 2020 and model Richard Lee from 2021 to 2023.
A total of 288 European mercenaries who were fighting alongside Congolese government army (FARDC) were repatriated to their home country, Romania.

The mercenaries who had been hired by the Congolese government to fight M23 rebels left the Kigali International Airport on Saturday, February 1, following their defeat and surrender.

The group arrived in Rubavu District, which borders DR Congo, on January 29, after being disarmed in Goma - the eastern DR Congo city that was captured earlier this week by M23 rebels.

They were given free passage through Rwanda to be flown to their country.

The group was transported by bus on Tuesday and taken directly to Kigali International Airport pending their flight to their country. It is not clear if they have been at the airport since they were transported to Kigali.

ALSO READ: DR Congo: European mercenaries surrender to M23, get safe passage through Rwanda

The mercenaries were fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC), with a coalition of other rebels including the genocidal FDLR, as well as forces from the Southern African regional bloc, SADC, and Burundi.

It is believed that the Kinshasa government had hired up to 2000 mercenaries in its battle against M23 rebels, paying them thousands of dollars.

A recent investigation by BBC indicated that each mercenary was pocketing at least $5,000 per month, while a Congolese soldier is believed to earn less than $100 in the same period.

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Before being handed over to Rwandan authorities at La Corniche One Stop Border Post, M23 military leader, Col Willy Ngoma lectured them that the rebel group was fighting for the dignity and future of Congolese people, cautioning them against "adventurous" acts in the country.

ALSO READ: DR Congo: Rwanda calls for neutralisation of FDLR, withdrawal of foreign troops

ALSO READ: Timeline of events before and after M23 captured Goma

Following their defeat and the fall of Goma, the mercenaries fled to MONUSCO compound, where the UN peacekeepers protected them, after which their governments requested Rwanda to facilitate their evacuation, through Kigali.

Olivier Nduhungirehe, Foreign Affairs Minister, said that Rwanda was the only country in the world to sound the alarm on the recruitment and use of European mercenaries by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in total violation of a 1977 OAU Convention and a 1989 UN Convention.

ALSO READ: Rwanda concerned over 2,000 mercenaries in DR Congo, Kinshasa-backed FDLR

The Congolese government described the Europeans serving within the FARDC ranks as 'consultants,' after facing several criticisms.

"Neither the UN Security Council nor the European Union, let alone the countries of origin of these mercenaries, ever condemned the outsourcing of this war, by the government of Kinshasa, to these 'barbouzes'," said Nduhungirehe.
Angelina Censori turned the heat up on Friday night when she showcased her stunning figure in a very racy dress while heading to a party in Melbourne.

The 29-year-old brunette beauty, who is the younger sister of Kanye West's Aussie wife Bianca Censori, went braless in a bold black-and-white tiger-striped Paco Rabanne dress.

Her outfit highlighted her toned physique and flawless complexion and was complemented by chic tan slippers and a designer Fendi handbag.

With her brunette hair elegantly styled, Angelina exuded confidence and charm as she headed to an exclusive party, clearly enjoying the evening's festivities.

Her makeup was flawlessly applied, with a natural glow that enhanced her striking features and perfectly complemented her ensemble.

The fashion-forward beauty effortlessly captured the spotlight, radiating a blend of sophistication and boldness.

Angelina Censori turned the heat up on Friday night when she showcased her stunning figure in a very racy dress while heading to a party in Melbourne

The brunette beauty, 29, who is the younger sister of Kanye West 's Australian wife Bianca Censori, opted for a daring black-and-white striped Paco Rabanne dress, boldly going braless

Angelina and her friend seemed to be enjoying themselves as they were all smiles, laughing together as they walked towards the front gate of their friends house.

Last year, Angelina rubbished reports her family is concerned for sister Bianca, 30, over her romance with 47-year-old husband Kanye.

Angelina said the claims were 'bulls**t' and that her family supports Bianca's romance with the controversial rapper.

'We all support Kanye. We support his new album. We support his new clothes he's dropping,' Angelina told the Herald Sun.

Angelina described her sister as her 'best friend and confidante' and insisted all was well.

'It's all just bulls**t. There was something about my dad [Leo] even recently. My dad never talks. Nothing's true,' she said.

The Vultures rapper married Bianca in December 2022, just one month after his divorce from Kim Kardashian was finalised.

Kanye and Kim share four childrenNorth, 11, Saint, eight, Chicago, six and Psalm, five.

Her outfit highlighted her toned physique and flawless complexion and was complemented by chic tan slippers and a designer Fendi handbag

With her brunette hair elegantly styled, Angelina exuded confidence and charm as she headed to an exclusive party, clearly enjoying the evening's festivities

Bianca is known for her nearly-nude approach to fashion and often raises eyebrows with her pulse-raising and very daring outfits.

Concerns were soon raised for the designer after she was pictured in a string of bizarre and increasingly provocative outfits.

In November, it was also claimed in a lawsuit filed by Kanye's ex-assistant Lauren Pisciotta that the rapper allegedly told Bianca he wanted to have sex with her mother, Alexandra, while she watched.

The disturbing allegations were made by Lauren in an 88-page updated lawsuit, filed on October 12 and obtained by DailyMail.com.

Among them were claims that Kanye has a 'kink' of wanting to have sex with mothers of his sexual targets, which he frequently talked about.

According to the lawsuit, the lewd text Kanye allegedly wrote to Bianca read: 'I wanna f**k your mum. Before she leaves.'

Bianca was in the US on a work visa at the time, and her mother, Alexandra, was visiting Los Angeles from their native Australia.

Lauren claimed Bianca responded to Kanye's texts by declining the offer.

The fashion-forward beauty effortlessly captured the spotlight, radiating a blend of sophistication and boldness

Her makeup was flawlessly applied, with a natural glow that enhanced her striking features and perfectly complemented her ensemble

'This is what she wrote... she's [Alexandra] married. I'm going to f**k someone this weekend and tell you the next time you're inside me,' Kanye told Lauren of Bianca's alleged reply minutes later.

Since August, Bianca's Australian family has made a united show of support for the model amid reports of her turbulent relationship with Kanye.
Lindsay Lohan shared images of her toddler Luai for the first time since his July 2023 birth on Friday.

The 38-year-old actress uploaded photos of her husband Bader Shammas, 36, and their 18-month-old to Instagram as they enjoyed a trip to the zoo.

Fans got to see the youngster in his father's arms, peering into an animal enclosure. Her son also got an up-close look at a slithering snake.

Another shot showed of Luai dragging the Freaky Friday actress around the park as he sported an adorable yellow polka-dotted sunhat.

The star also shared various other snaps in her January photo roundup, including loved-up selfies with her husband. She also shared another snap of herself with his relative, Yasmine Shammas.

The actress captioned her carousel of images with a simple heart emoji.

Lindsay Lohan shared images of her toddler Luai for the first time since his July 2023 birth on Friday

The star also shared various other selfies from her January roundup, including loved-up selfies with her financier husband

Lindsay's family photos were a hit with her 15.5M followers, racking up thousands of likes and comments from fans praising the star for her dedication to motherhood.

'just living your best life, we love to see it! ,' one fan account penned.

Another fan added, 'I love how private you are with your kid. That's beautiful.' While one chimed in, 'Love seeing you living the good life with your adorable family!'

The Irish Wish actress and her executive producer love met at a dinner with mutual friends in Dubai back in 2019 and said 'I do' two years later in 2021.

While filming Freakier Friday last year, Lindsay's on-screen mother Jaime Lee Curtis said the red-haired vixen went full 'mom mode' while on set.

The 66-year-old declared the mother-of-one was 'always' in 'mom mode,' admitting, 'she just loves it. It's actually very hard to pull her away from mom mode.'

Although the fiery haired actress never brought her son to set during filming, Jaime shared that Bader would 'pick her up from work almost every day.'

'Bader and Luai came and [would wait] for her in her trailer, and then they all go home together,' she gushed.

Fans got to see the youngster in his father's arms, peering into an animal enclosure

The 38-year-old actress uploaded photos of her husband Bader Shammas, 36, and their 18-month-old to Instagram as they enjoyed a trip to the zoo

They welcomed their son Luai in July of 2023

She also shared another snap of herself with his relative, Yasmine Shammas

She shared another snap with her husband relative

She also added a sexy snap of herself from a photoshoot

Jaime Lee Curtis admitted that Lindsay Lohan was full 'mom mode' on the set of Freakier Friday; seen in August 2024

While at Disneys D23 fan event to promote the film in August, the pair were asked who they would like to switch bodies with, like in their hit film, and Lohan said her baby.

'Maybe my baby,' Lohan responded. 'Just to see  because he is, so pure and just so happy, just to see life through his eyes, every day. Hes just this beautiful bundle of joy. I cant think of anything else.'

Though Disney has yet to confirm an official release date, fans should expect to see Freakier Friday in theatres sometime in 2025.

Filming for the sequel began in June of 2024 with production wrapping in late August.

Curtis and Lohan portrayed a mother-teenage daughter duo who magically switch bodies in the 2003 adaptation of Mary Rodgers' 1972 Freaky Friday novel.
The Bachelor lovebirds Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich put on an eye-popping display while on a superyacht party in Sydney hosted by DJ Fisher and Patron Tequila.

On Friday evening, Patron Tequila celebrated the launch of their new $309 Patron El Alto on board luxury superyacht Mischief.

Tim, 42, and Anna, 38, rocked complementary monochromatic outfits as they posed for the cameras.

The former reality TV leading man exuded casual elegance in an all-white attire featuring an unbuttoned dress tee paired with a matching singlet and shorts.

Embracing the laid-back vibe, he opted to go barefoot, adding to his relaxed charm.

His jet-black hair was impeccably styled, complementing his rugged appeal enhanced by a thick beard.

The Bachelor lovebirds Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich put on an eye-popping display on Friday while on a superyacht party in Sydney hosted by DJ Fisher and Patron Tequila

Tim and Anna rocked complementary monochromatic outfits as they posed for the cameras

Meanwhile, Anna, 38, looked stunning in an all-black outfit that included a form-fitting shoulder top paired with stylish baggy pants.

Her brunette locks were styled in elegant waves, and her radiant smile reflected the joy of the exclusive event as she posed with her husband.

Their appearance captured the essence of effortless sophistication and joy, making waves at the high-profile gathering.

Anna and Tim met on the first season of The Bachelor Australia and are considered one of the most successful couples to ever come out of the series.

They tied the knot in June 2018 during an intimate ceremony at the Masseria Potenti hotel in Puglia in south Italy.

The lovebirds welcomed their first child, daughter Elle, on November 12, 2020.

Their second child, daughter Ruby, was born in the first week of March, 2024.

Elsewhere at the event, Married At First Sight bride Evelyn Ellis, 29, turned heads in a racy black plunging top and matching pants.

Former Married At First Sight star Evelyn Ellis, 29, turned heads in a racy black plunging top and matching pants. Pictured with Cece

Socialite Mitch Greer rocked her best angles in a simple yet elegant strapless mini-dress, as she posed with friends at the exclusive event. Pictured with Eitan Broude

Former Big Brother star Josh Carroll was also on board

The bold outfit featured circular cut outs to highlight her flawless figure.

Her black hair was elegantly styled and she looked to be in great spirits as she rested on a sofa.

Evelyn's MAFS partner Duncan James also attended the event.

Socialite Mitch Greer rocked her best angles in a simple yet elegant strapless mini-dress, as she posed with friends at the exclusive event.

Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves and she highlighted her natural beauty by going makeup-free.

Other stars in attendance included former Big Brother star Josh Carroll, TV heartthrob Matt Suleau and and model Amy Pejkovic.

Celebrity DJ Fisher kept the crowd hyped up with an exclusive performance as he stood behind his deck and played his iconic tracks, including Losing It, Atmosphere, and his latest tune that was perfectly fitting for the gig, Ocean.

It looked to be a fun night out for the A-List reality TV stars who attended and flaunted their bold fashion sense.

TV heartthrob Matt Suleau looked dapper in a black suit

Amy Pejkovic (left) and Charlie Austin (right) complimented each other's all-black outfits

Fisher kept the crowd hyped up with an exclusive performance

He stood behind his deck and played his top tunes

The stars were all smiles as they mingled, with each one showcasing their unique style and adding to the electric atmosphere of the night.

Guests were treated to margarita and paloma cocktails while trying the new Patron El Alto.

They also dined on canapes like bumps of caviar, oysters, ceviche, calamari and karaage fried chicken.
Bec Judd has spared no expense in marking her daughter Billie's birthday milestone.

The WAG and her husband Chris Judd's middle child turned eleven on Saturday and the AFL WAG treated Billie to a mother and daughter day out.

Posting to her Instagram Stories, Bec, 42, revealed that the duo spent the day undergoing some serious retail therapy.

Bec took her daughter to Chadstone Shopping Centre in Victoria's Malvern East and appeared to spare no expense on the shopping trip.

She shared a photo that showed a beaming Billie happily displaying her birthday haul as she posed in the mall.

As mum took a break at a cafe table, Billie cheekily placed her hands behind her hears as she held up two shipping bags - one from Sportsgirl, the other from Uniqlo filled with goodies.

Bec Judd (pictured) has spared no expense in marking her daughter Billie's birthday milestone

The birthday girl was also sporting bags from Sephora, Mecca, and Allkinds and appeared to be more than chuffed with the haul.

Captioning the image, Bec revealed that Billie chose the mall trip over a birthday party.

'In lieu of a party, the birthday girl wanted a Chadstone shopping spree,' the proud mum wrote.

'Fine by me.'

Bec took to Instagram on the eve of Billie's birthday to reveal that the shopping spree wasn't the only birthday surprise in store for Billie.

She shared another photo that showed the family's large stone kitchen island bench festooned with pink and purple balloons, decorations, and a large helium '11' as the crowning glory of the display.

There were also three carefully wrapped presents at the base of the balloons, ensuring Billie's birthday fun could start as soon as she woke up.

Billie is Bec and Chris' middle child. They also share son Oscar, twelve, and twin boys Tom and Darcy, 6.

Bec and Billie's birthday outing comes after she recently threatened to send her twins to military school.

Bec took her daughter (pictured) to Chadstone Shopping Centre in Victoria's Malvern East and appeared to spare no expense on the shopping trip

As mum took a break at a cafe table, Billie cheekily placed her hands behind her hears as she held up two shipping bags - one from Sportsgirl, the other from Uniqlo filled with goodies while an array of bags sat on the table

She shared another photo that showed the family's stone kitchen island bench festooned with pink and purple balloons, star decorations and a large helium '11' as the crowning glory

She called 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 to instill some discipline in her twins.

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.

Two single mattresses had been added to the floor, presumably for a sleepover.

'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 at this point.'

She ended her caption with a disgusted emoji, followed by a series of laugh-crying emojis.

It came just a week after Bec said she was 'sick' of her twins still 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 twins' bedroom.

All of the drawers in a large clothing chest are pulled out, with clothes half pulled out of them and also thrown over the floor.

'How did we create these humans?' she asked her husband in the video's caption, tagging him.

Bec described the messy state of the boys' bedroom as 'standard'.

'I'm packing up some sh*t and found this,' Bec explained, as she zoomed in on a pile of glittery goop, containing her sewing scissors and a stapler.

'What the f**k boys,' she vented about the slime. 'I say to them every day, "You are eight-and-a-half, you are not toddlers anymore".'
Kanye West was driving in style on Friday when he took his all-chrome Mercedes-Maybach for a spin in Los Angeles  but it appears to have been a major headache for other drivers stuck behind him.

The 47-year-old rapper was pictured driving around the city in the shimmering silver luxury sedan  which he was seen with late last year after his ex-wife Kim Kardashian had previously driven one of the silvery vehicles  before he drove over to his friend A$AP Rocky's home, according to TMZ.

Kanye appeared to be showing his support for his fellow rapper who is currently in the midst of a high-profile assault trial in LA, where his love Rihanna joined him in court.

However, on his drive to Rocky's home, he and his bodyguards appear to have created a traffic jam for other drives to allow him to drive unimpeded.

Photos tracking Kanye's drive show West's bodyguards apparently stopping their SUV's to block two lanes of Sunset Boulevard.

The bodyguards kept cars from passing for well over a minute as the disgraced rapper drove on without anyone following him.

Kanye West was driving in style on Friday when he took his all-chrome Mercedes-Maybach for a spin in Los Angeles  but it appears to have been a major headache for other drivers stuck behind him

The rapper, 47, was pictured driving around the city in the shimmering silver luxury sedan before he drove over to his friend A$AP Rocky 's home, according to TMZ, but his bodyguard were seen stopping traffic behind him, causing a traffic jam; pictured with A$AP Nast

Driver's couldn't even get around the bodyguards' vehicles, as they stopped next to each other at a section of the iconic road that featured double yellow lines separating the directions of traffic, as well as bollards designed to prevent vehicles from attempting to cross over.

Drivers who were close enough to the start of the unnecessary jam to see how it started were reportedly upset and frustrated to see private vehicles blocking them for no clear reason.

Kanye appeared to spend much of the evening at A$AP Rocky's home.

The younger rapper is on trial for two felony counts of assault with a firearm for allegedly shooting his former friend A$AP Relli in 2021.

Rocky has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his partner Rihanna, with whom he shares two young children, has been supporting him at the courthouse in Downtown Los Angeles.

Prior to heading to Rocky's home, Kanye had been seen driving around LA with his manager, John Monopoly, and the two even visited a studio in West Hollywood, suggesting that the hitmaker may be working on new music.

His day in LA comes just after he and his wife Bianca Censori arrived in the US after an extended stay in Japan.

The two were spotted at Tokyo International Airport on Thursday, shortly before flying home.

Photos tracking Kanye's drive show West's bodyguards apparently stopping their SUV's to block two lanes of Sunset Boulevard

The bodyguards kept cars from passing for well over a minute as the disgraced rapper drove on without anyone following him

Kanye headed to A$AP Rocky's house and spent much of the evening there

The younger rapper is on trial for two felony counts of assault with a firearm for allegedly shooting his former friend A$AP Relli in 2021; seen January 29 in LA

Rocky has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his partner Rihanna , with whom he shares two young children, has been supporting him at the courthouse in Downtown LA; seen Friday

Kanye's time in Tokyo marked an extended period away from his family.

He shares four children with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian  North, 11; Saint, eight; Chicago, seven; and Psalm, five  but he had previously not been seen with his children since September of last year.

However, earlier this month he and Bianca were seen spending time with his kids at a 7-Eleven in the Tokyo.

However, his daughter North wasn't pictured with the group, and it's unclear if she had joined him in Japan.

Despite the two being almost inseparable, Bianca appeared to sit out Kanye's trek around LA.

While catching up with his pals, Kanye met up with A$AP Rocky's cousin, fellow rapper and A$AP mob member A$AP Nast (real name: Tariq Devega).

Nast posted photos of himself and the Yeezus rapper hanging out on Instagram, though it wasn't clear if they saw each other at Rocky's house.

Kanye was seen in the same outfit he wore around LA, a puffy white-and-gray jacket with red text over the chest, along with a white hoodie, a white graphic T-shirt, white jeans and black waxed leather boots.

While catching up with his pals, Kanye met up with A$AP Rocky's cousin, fellow rapper and A$AP mob member A$AP Nast. Nast posted photos of himself and the Yeezus rapper hanging out on Instagram

Kanye was seen in the same outfit he wore around LA, a puffy white-and-gray jacket with red text over the chest, along with a white hoodie, a white graphic T-shirt, white jeans and black waxed leather boots

Kanye's jewelry included a diamond-encrusted eagle holding machine or submachine guns in its talons, with a shield reading 'Diplomats' in front

The classically styled boots were a surprising choice, as the Flashing Lights rapper has primarily favored large rain boots and chunky designs made of synthetic materials in recent years.

He had lately displayed a particularly disheveled look with longer hair and a bushy beard, but he looked more clean cut with a buzzed hairdo and a closely trimmed beard.

'i guess the money should of changed him,' A$AP Nast captioned photos of himself and Kanye posing. 'i guess of should of forgot where i came from.'

One photo featured Kanye snarling to show off his silvery fixed prosthodontics as he and Nast flashed their chains.

Kanye's jewelry included a diamond-encrusted eagle holding machine or submachine guns in its talons, with a shield reading 'Diplomats' in front, while Nast displayed a more reserved 'N' covered in tiny jewels.
Funnyman Dave Hughes has spoken out about his past battles with alcohol.

The Herald Sun reported on Saturday that the former 2DayFM breakfast show host, 54, revealed his drinking had previously found him on the wrong side of the law.

The publication reports that in scenes from Sunday night's I'm A Celebrity episode, Dave revealed to his fellow campmates that despite 'loving' getting drunk, he has not touched a drop in more than three decades.

'I just loved getting drunk - hammered,' Dave admitted. 'I was bad as a kid, just too much. I would wake up... "Where am I?"'

He continued: 'I would wake up in the lock-up and stuff. I was never violent, I was just paralytic on the street and (would) get put in the back of a divvy van.'

Dave also revealed that he realised that he needed to change his ways just prior to Christmas 1992.

Funnyman Dave Hughes (pictured has spoken out about his past battles with alcohol

'It was November, I'd been on a bender for quite a while, and I said I would stop drinking until Christmas, so it was like six weeks, maybe,' he said.

'I had the six weeks and I got to Christmas Eve, which was always a huge night of drinking for me; get mad drunk and try to roll up to Christmas Day and it was a good tradition.'

Remaining true to his word, Dave did put down the bottle, and he hasn't looked back since.

He added that once he decided to live the life of a teetotaler, his career on stage began to take flight.

'My fortunes turned around pretty quick actually. I felt better straight away,' Dave said.

'I seemed to get on the right track and my comedy career started pretty much straight after I stopped drinking.'

Dave continued: 'I have not toasted any of my comedy successes with a drink in all that time.'

In a 2022 interview with FARE (the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education), Dave revealed he would, in his pre-sober days, get drunk at any given opportunity.

In scenes from Sunday night's I'm A Celebrity episode, Dave revealed to his fellow campmates that despite 'loving' getting drunk, he has not touched a drop in more than three decades

'I just loved getting drunk - hammered,' Dave said. 'I was bad as a kid, just too much. I would wake up... "Where am I?"'

'From the age of 15 to the age of 21, I would get blackout drunk on the weekends, or whenever I had the opportunity,' he confessed.

'You put yourself in such a vulnerable position.

'I used to get locked up a bit. I was never violent, but I would get found in the bloody street a mess, lying on the ground or something and I would end up in the clink.'

When it comes to being sober in social situations, Dave admitted it was tough at first, but his friends and family were very supportive.

'You do feel pressure certainly in social situations, especially when you first start to stop,' he said.

People look at you weird because you're not drinking. They wonder why - but I was able to get through that.'

Dave also told Daily Mail Australia in 2020 that his uncertainty over how his mind and body would react to alcohol after years of sobriety had kept him firmly on the wagon.

To illustrate this point, he recalled a conversation he had years earlier with his wife Holly Ife, who is the mother of his three children, Tess, Sadie and Rafferty.

Dave said that after putting down the bottle in 199s, his comedy career started to take off

'My fortunes turned around pretty quick actually. I felt better straight away,' Dave said. 'I seemed to get on the right track and my comedy career started pretty much straight after I stopped drinking'

'Holly reminded me of a conversation we'd had when we'd just started going out 17 years ago,' he said at the time.

'She apparently said to me, 'What do you think would happen if you drank again? Would you be a raging alcoholic?'

'I replied that I didn't know, possibly not. But since I'd decided not to drink, my life had got so much better that I didn't want to risk it.

'It still holds true today, and that's why I don't drink

News that Dave was entering the jungle for the Network Ten reality show was met with a lukewarm reception from viewers.

Following his on-air debut, several posted to X to share their thoughts, with many indicating they find the stand-up 'annoying'.

'Imagine being stuck in the jungle with Dave Hughes,' commented one person while someone else wrote, 'Yuk. I don't like him'.

'Dave Hughes in the jungle is my worst nightmare. He is an absolute d****head,' said another.

'What did we do to deserve Hughsey?' one more asked while someone else commented, 'The most annoying person alive aka Dave Hughes'.
EastEnders fans are in for a dramatic twist as bosses hint at an explosive exit for Natalie Cassidy - one that will send shockwaves through Walford.

Having first graced Albert Square in 1993 as Sonia Fowler, she has become a beloved presence over the decades.

Now, after 32 years, the actress has confirmed she's saying goodbye to the BBC soap.

She said in a statement on Friday: 'I feel extremely sad to be writing this, but also very excited. After another 11 solid years back on The Square, I have decided it's time to move on to pastures new.

'EastEnders is in my bones so I will never forget where I started my career and I will continue to love the show.

'Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary  it's an honour. See ya, Sonia, going but never forgotten.'

EastEnders fans are in for a dramatic twist as bosses hint at an explosive exit for Natalie Cassidy 's character, Sonia Fowler - one that will send shockwaves through Walford

After first arriving in Albert Square in 1993, Sonia has been a beloved character for decades, but now, after 32 years, Natalie has confirmed she is leaving the BBC soap

After her announcement, bosses honoured Natalie and hinted at a dramatic and unforgettable exit for her character.

Along with a picture of her, they wrote on X: 'Natalie Cassidy is leaving, more than three decades after her first appearance as Sonia Fowler. Chris Clenshaw has said of Natalie's departure: 'Over the last 31 years in EastEnders, Natalie has been involved in some of the show's most iconic and explosive storylines.

''Her portrayal of Sonia has made her a firm fan favourite amongst the viewers. I won't be revealing the [minute] details relating to her exit, but I can say that she will take a central role in the 40th anniversary storylines in a week of truly unmissable drama that will change the lives of those in Walford forever.

'I'd like to thank Natalie for her time at EastEnders, and I wish her all the best for the future'.'

Natalie is set to film her final EastEnders scenes in February, coinciding with the soaps much-anticipated 40th anniversary celebrations.

Reports suggest the actress informed show bosses of her decision to depart last summer, giving them ample time to craft an unforgettable exit storyline.

With decades of history in Albert Square, her characters departure is bound to leave a lasting impact on Walfords residents.

It comes after it was revealed why BBC bosses are reportedly reeling over Natalie's sudden departure departure from the soap.

Natalie first joined EastEnders in 1993 when she was just 10 years old and remained with the show until 2007 (pictured in 1999)

The actress announced on Friday that she will be leaving the BBC soap for good following her return last year for its 40th anniversary (pictured in 2024)

Natalie first joined EastEnders when she was just 10 years old and remained with the show until 2007. She returned as Sonia for a year in 2010 and then returned again last year.

The star's character Sonia Fowler is a beloved fan-favourite and according to The Sun, bosses are 'well aware of Natalie's popularity'.

A source told the publication: 'Her much-loved character has been a mainstay of Albert Square for over 30 years, and they envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot by becoming the Walford stalwart and busybody, who locals would go to for gossip and also advice.

Dot was played by the late June Brown, who was the nation's sweetheart in the iconic BBC soap for nearly 40 years.

June passed away aged 95 of natural causes in April 2022 and her character was honoured with her own send off as the cast of Albert Square gathered for Dot's funeral that year.

The source added: 'But incredibly, despite being engrossed by EastEnders for three quarters of her life, Natalie has managed to grow a profile outside of the soap and has become too big for it.'

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.

Natalie's character is currently pregnant with killer Reiss Calwell's baby, unaware that he murdered his ex-wife Debbie, a crime Sonia was charged with.

A source said bosses 'envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot by becoming the Walford stalwart and busybody' (June Brown pictured as Dot in 2009)

A source told the publication: 'Her much-loved character has been a mainstay of Albert Square for over 30 years, and they envisioned her filling the huge hole left by Dot'

A jury found her not guilty after Reiss managed to produce a video of her sister, Bianca Butcher, falsely confessing to the killing.

Natalie reportedly told bosses she was planning on leaving EastEnders last summer.

Rumours are now rife that Sonia will be killed off in the upcoming 40th anniversary week to give viewers a storyline they will never forget.

Natalie has branched out beyond Albert Square many times in her career. During her break from the show, she appeared in theatre productions of The Vagina Monologues and Bedroom Farce.

She released a fitness DVD Natalie Cassidy's Then and Now Workout in 2007 and appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2012.

More recently, she appeared on the BBC sitcom Motherland in 2021 along with an appearance on the comedy show Mandy the year before.

The actress has been in a longterm relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014.

But after a long engagement the lovebirds still haven't planned their big day with Natalie admitting what's holding her back.

The character is currently pregnant with killer Reiss Calwell's baby, unaware that he murdered his ex-wife Debbie, a crime Sonia was charged with

The actress has been in a longterm relationship with BBC cameraman Marc Humphreys since 2014

Speaking to Jen Brister and Kerry Godliman on the Memory Lane podcast, the soapstar revealed she's 'a bit of a snob.'

'Do you know what? It's a lot of money. No, I tell you what it is; it's time and budget. It is because I go, 'I'll only do something small; I don't need to...'" she began.

'I will do it small but I want to be at The Ledbury. Oh, I want a Michelin star meal or I'm just a bit of a snob genuinely.

'I'll want the best flowers and I will want a designer suit,' Natalie admitted.

The couple met as Marc works a cameraman on EastEnders.

Natalie and Marc are parents to daughter Joanie while the star is also mother to daughter Eliza with her ex-partner Adam Cottrel.
Lily Collins previously revealed how her desire to have children helped her overcome her eating disorder.

The Emily In Paris star, 35, welcomed her daughter, Tove Jane, via a surrogate with her filmmaker husband, Charlie McDowell, 41.

Lily has long been open about wanting to have kids and revealed in a poignant 2017 interview that her desire to start a family encouraged her to get 'help' for her eating disorder.

When asked by Us Weekly if there was a 'moment when she realized she needed help', the actress said: 'Everyone has a different form of recovery.'

She went on: 'I never had an "aha" moment. My reason to finally start talking about [my eating disorder] was the moment I realized I wanted a family.

'I wanted kids. I didnt want this to be something I bring into that.'

Lily Collins previously revealed how her desire to have children helped her overcome her eating disorder

The Emily In Paris star, 35, welcomed her daughter, Tove Jane, via a surrogate with her husband, Charlie McDowell, 41

Lily struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager, revealing in another interview that it was about feeling 'in control' while dealing with 'high school and relationships'.

'When I was younger, I wanted to reach this image of what I thought perfection was and I equated that with  well, with what you see in the media; you think body shape has to a lot do with being perfect,' she told Harper's Bazaar in 2017.

'Then, as I grew older, I realised that perfection doesn't exist and my priorities have shifted because I want a family one day.

'I don't want these self-imposed issues to affect whether or not I can have kids  because the reality is you can't have children when you're ill like that.'

Lily, who played a person suffering from anorexia in the Netflix drama, To The Bone, that year, also opened up about her recovery from the eating disorder.

The Love, Rosie star said she is 'still in recovery' and 'exists' with her past eating disorder but doesn't let it 'control' her anymore.

The actress announced on Friday that she has become a first time mother.

Sharing a sweet photo of Tove in a flowered bonnet on Instagram, she wrote: 'Welcome to the center of our world Tove Jane McDowell.'

Lily revealed in a poignant 2017 interview that her desire to start a family encouraged her to get 'help' for her eating disorder

The actress struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager (pictured with her father, Phil Collins)

Lily went on: 'Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way. We love you to the moon and back again.'

The Mirror, Mirror star tied the knot with Charlie in September 2021 in a private ceremony in Colorado in front of their famous parents.

Lily is the daughter of Genesis frontman and pop-rock icon Phil Collins and his ex-wife Jill Tavelman.

Charlie is the son of actors Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen, who divorced in 1990, and stepson of Mary's current husband, Ted Danson.

According to TMZ, Lily and Charlie's surrogate gave birth to Tove earlier this week in Northern California.

Charlie's mother and stepfather, Mary and Ted, were reportedly seen visiting the baby in the hospital shortly after her birth.

Lily and Charlie got married in September 2021

Lily and Charlie's surrogate reportedly gave birth to Tove earlier this week in Northern California

Sources added that Lily and Charlie were full of love and gratitude after welcoming their first child.

The lovebirds managed to keep their surrogacy plans completely under the radar until after Tove was born.

However, they haven't held back about their desire to expand their family.

In October, Charlie told E! News that he and Lily wanted to have a child.

'We would like to move into that next stage, so we'll see when it happens!' he gushed at the time.

He made the comments at the AFI Fest premiere of his most recent directorial effort, the The Summer Book, while Lily served as an executive producer on.

The film - which stars Glenn Close and The Worst Person In The World actor Anders Danielsen Lie - may provide a clue as to how Lily and Charlie settled on their baby girl's first name.

The film is based on the 1972 novel of the same name by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson, who died in 2001 at 86.

If you're struggling with an eating disorder or caring for someone who is, visit beateatingdisorders.co.uk for advice and support.
Zara McDermott turned up the heat with her latest Instagram post on Friday.

The Love Island star, 28, is currently in Bangkok filming her latest BBC documentary, having arrived in Thailand on Thursday - just weeks after her split from Sam Thompson.

For her night out, she commanded attention in a figure-hugging blue and red smudge-print maxi dress that perfectly showcased her toned physique.

Styling her golden long locks in voluminous curls, Zara completed the look with a rose-pink lipstick, gold jewellery, and a dark pink flower tucked into her hair.

The documentary maker captioned the post: 'The obligatory flower in hair pic for my first day in Thailand !!! lmk your Bangkok recommendations.'

Later in the day, Zara shared a selfie on her Stories alongside a menu, revealing she had dined at the quirky Cabbages and Condoms restaurant.

Zara McDermott turned up the heat with her latest Instagram post on Friday

The Love Island star, 28, is currently in Bangkok filming her latest BBC documentary, having arrived in Thailand on Thursday - just weeks after her split from Sam Thompson

Later in the day, Zara shared a selfie on her Stories alongside a menu, revealing she had dined at the quirky Cabbages and Condoms restaurant

She captioned the post: 'Great restaurant. 10/10. Interesting decor. Still had their Christmas tree up made entirely of condoms.'

Located in Metropolitan Bangkok, the restaurant uses humour and eye-catching visuals to promote open discussions about topics like sex, family planning, and HIV/AIDS.

The restaurant's founder once stated that they believe 'birth control should be as accessible and as easy to buy as vegetables in the market!'

Just a day before, Zara took to TikTok to share a taste testing clip with her followers after paying a visit to the famous 7 Eleven supermarket.

Addressing her fans, Zara admitted she was exhausted as she began: 'I'll be really honest I haven't slept in two days because I have been travelling to Thailand.

'I can't tell you how tired I am, I feel like I am in a dream right now that's how tired I am.'

Trying a range of unusual snacks, Zara started with some salted egg flavoured Lays crisps which received a positive review as she remarked: 'Actually really nice, doesn't taste like egg'.

Just a day before, Zara took to TikTok to share a taste testing clip with her followers after paying a visit to the famous 7 Eleven supermarket

Addressing her fans, Zara admitted she was exhausted as she began: 'I'll be really honest I haven't slept in two days because I have been travelling to Thailand'

The star's favourite was a green sponge cake filled with cream as Zara told fans: 'Anyone who knows me knows I love all things cake'.

However not all her purchases received such a positive review after she said the mango rice bites both 'looks and tastes like a bath bomb'.

She also tried a what looked like a watermelon lollipop as she exclaimed: 'Ugh that texture is disgusting.

'No, I don't know what that is, it's like a gelatine thing but it has got something inside it. That's rank.'

Finally she tried a dried kiwi slice which tasted nothing like the fruit as she cried: 'How can they sell that? That tastes like meat, it actually tastes like beef.'

It comes after it was revealed earlier this month that Zara had bagged herself a brand new BBC documentary series after her split from Sam.

The Made In Chelsea star, 32, and former Love Island star were reported to have parted ways after five years together last month.

And just days after Zara appeared to reveal that she had moved out of their Chelsea home, the BBC confirmed that she will be heading to Thailand for an upcoming documentary series that is set to air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in 2025.

However not all her purchases received such a positive review after she said the mango rice bites both 'looks and tastes like a bath bomb'

Finally she tried a dried kiwi slice which tasted nothing like the fruit as she cried: 'How can they sell that? That tastes like meat, it actually tastes like beef'

The series will kick off in bustling Bangkok before heading to some popular party islands as Zara explores the destination which has become a popular tourist spot for young Brits.

Her main aim for the documentary is to discover why thousands of young Brits flock to the exotic location every year.

From backpackers to those who are seeking longer-term roots - the new documentary will unearth the secrets of the vast and varied country.

Speaking to the BBC, Zara revealed that she is excited to explore a new country: 'I'm excited to discover a country that so many young people like me are heading to right now.'

'Theres clearly a fascination with the nightlife, parties and stunning beaches - but there seems to be other intriguing reasons people are going to Thailand and staying.'

And just days before her flight to Thailand Zara was seen enjoying a night out with her friends at Chiltern Firehouse in London.

Zara looked to be embracing single life as she partied at the celebrity hotspot with her pals before getting a taxi home in the early hours.

It comes after last week, Sam revealed he is grateful for his sister Louise Thompson living next door as he opened up about his 'amazing' support system as he continues to go through a 'hard time'.

Just days after their split was announced Zara appeared to reveal that she had moved out of their Chelsea home (pictured with Sam in March 2024)

While neither he or Zara have publicly confirmed the break-up, the I'm A Celebrity star said he is glad his sister Louise, her partner Ryan Libbey and their son Leo, live so close.

Sam told The Mirror that he gets his 'biggest comforts' from going round to his sister's house and despite it being 'manic' it gives him a 'warm and cosy' feelings while going through the 'tough time'.

He said: 'It's amazing having Louise there and she's an amazing mum. One of my biggest comforts, if I'm ever going through a hard time, is my neighbours next door.'

'I live my life at a very fast pace and there's a lot going on, so when I go to their place it's just such a family unit and it's a beautiful place to be. Louise is running after Leo, my nephew, and Ryan's running after Louise - it's all manic madness, but it's so warm and cosy and lovely.'

Despite Sam living a very happy go get 'em life he admitted it isn't always so cheery and that when he 'struggles' he finds going to therapy and 'talking to people' helps.

He continued: 'Sometimes I'm a victim of people saying 'Oh he never turns off', of course I turn off but I'm just very lucky to do what I do.

'I talk to people about struggling a lot actually. I go to therapy, I've been going to therapy for years, I do loads of stuff. For someone like me, it's really better to talk about how I feel and I'll never, I'll never stop that.'
DJ Paul Fisher recently unveiled his new look after undergoing a hair transplant.

And the 38-year-old musician was showing off his head full of luscious locks on a stroll in Sydney this weekend.

The performer was joined by wife Chloe Chapman and baby daughter Bobbi as the trio enjoyed an outing.

Fisher was sporting a truly rich forest of brunette tresses as he pushed his baby girl in a stroller.

He dressed casually in a black shirt with a white graphic and added a pair of loose slacks in the same tone.

Chloe meanwhile went makeup free for the outing and wore her hair in a messy bun with strands falling around her fresh face.

DJ Paul Fisher (right) recently unveiled his new look after undergoing a hair transplant. And the 38-year-old musician was showing off his head full of luscious locks on a stroll in Sydney

She showed off her fit form in a fitted pair of tights and a black shirt tucked in, as well as white sneakers.

Fisher first revealed his locks when shared a video to Instagram late last year, where shared the secret he had been keeping for many months.

The performer frolicked on a beach in the clip, which showed him with a full head of short, brunette hair, after getting 8,369 grafts planted at Hairline Clinic in Brisbane.

Previously, Fisher had sported a bald head, and in recent months, was rarely seen without a bucket hat on.

'HAIRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! BEEN KEEPING THIS ONE UNDER HATS' he explained in his caption alongside the video.

Indeed, the star's social media showed that he was rarely without a hat for many months as he healed from the procedure.

It's been a big year for Fisher, after he and his wife Chloe welcomed their first child together.

The former model gave birth on June 20, to a baby girl they have named Bobbi Maree.

The performer was joined by wife Chloe Chapman and baby daughter Bobbi as the trio enjoyed an outing. All pictured

Fisher was sporting a truly rich forest of brunette tresses as he pushed his baby girl in a stroller

Taking to Instagram, the pair were thrilled to share the exciting news.

'HELLO WORLD, meet our baby girl,' they captioned their joint post.

'Bobbi Maree Fisher. Born 20 June 2024. The happiest day of the year.'

It comes after Fisher cancelled his scheduled concerts in New York after his pregnant wife was taken to the hospital with possible pre-term labour.

The Australian music producer, who last December announced the couple were expecting their first child, shared the worrying news to his Instagram.

'Our baby is due in June. However, last week my wife Chloe was admitted to hospital in Australia with possible pre-term labour on the horizon,' he explained.

'Chloe and the baby are in good health and are being monitored. However, I need to be with her in Australia until we know further details.'

The Gold Coast-born star said he had to reschedule his upcoming New York shows so he could be by his wife's side.

He previously had a balding head and frequently wore hats

Fisher first revealed his locks when shared a video to Instagram late last year, where shared the secret he had been keeping for many months

'The shows will be moved to July 5 and 6. All tickets previously purchased will be honoured for these new dates. Appreciate everyone's support and understanding,' he added.

Last December, it was reported that Fisher was expecting his first child with wife Chloe.

The house DJ, who performs under the moniker DJ Fisher, and his wife of three years shared the good news to Instagram on Christmas Eve.

'The greatest gift of all. I've waited my whole life for you,' Chloe wrote on Instagram alongside an image in which her husband cradled her bump.

'The most wanted and loved baby Fisher will be joining the tour in 2024, we are still pinching ourselves that we've finally been chosen to become parents.

'WE DID IT @followthefishtv. I love you so so much!' Chloe added, saying it was 'the single most happiest moment in my life'.

Chloe, who has previously had four miscarriages, took a moment to share her empathy for those struggling with infertility and revealed she had battled for several years to conceive via IVF.

'After 4 years of trying to convince, 1000s of needles, eight rounds of IVF, multiple surgeries, I've lived this nightmare and I know this pain and suffering all too well,' she said.

'NO ONE deserves to endure this feeling. I feel you all, I see you all and completely understand the disappointment and sadness you are all feeling. Please stay positive and manifest your healthy baby I pray you hold your miracle in your arms soon'.

Chloe is a model and swimwear designer and the founder of Australian brand Aloe Swimwear.
China expresses condolences to victims of U.S. aircraft collision

Xinhua) 13:04, February 01, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China expresses deep condolences to the victims and profound sympathy to their families following a mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the United States Wednesday night, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

The foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. launched the emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident. Unfortunately, two Chinese nationals lost their lives in the incident, according to preliminary verification of the victims, the spokesperson said.

China has asked the U.S. to provide timely updates on the search and rescue efforts, identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and handle the ensuing matters properly, according to the spokesperson.

"We will provide necessary assistance to the families of the Chinese victims as they deal with the incident," the spokesperson added.

The mid-air collision that happened in Washington, D.C. involved an American Airlines regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board and a military Blackhawk helicopter with three U.S. Army soldiers.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed no survivors in the collision at a Thursday press conference in the White House.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Kawthar Adam sits with her children inside a building constructed with local materials in Abu Shouk camp for the displaced, north of El Fasher city, North Darfur state. Since 24 January, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have shelled the camp incessantly. According to one source within the RSF not authorised to speak to the press, the shelling is meant to oust soldiers allied to the army. But there is little to zero accuracy in these attacks, the RSF source concedes.

Kawthar Adam is terrified. So scared, she told Ayin, she momentarily forgot the hunger that also threatens her life. The constant shelling has prevented her from looking for food for herself and her children. All the markets and commercial stores in Abu Shouk camp were closed for the same reasons, with no opportunity to leave the area at all.

With nothing left but table salt and peanut seeds, Kawthar mixed them with drinking water to give her children to temporary placate them. She remained in this condition for a week, fearing that her children would eventually lose their lives due to hunger as the fighting continued around them.

Kawthar Adam's situation applies to millions of Sudanese suffering from severe hunger in the Abu Shouk, Zamzam, and Salaam camps in North Darfur State, in addition to areas in South Kordofan State and the western Nuba Mountain region, according to the latest results from an international famine review committee under the UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system.

Devastating levels

"Humanitarian suffering in Sudan has reached devastating levels, with more than 11.5 million people internally displaced and another 3.2 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries," said Edem Wosornu, Director of Advocacy and Operations at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), during a UN Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians in Sudan.

"Sudan is facing a humanitarian crisis of staggering proportions, a man-made catastrophe caused by an unrelenting conflict that has dismantled food systems and vital infrastructure, leaving millions at imminent risk, with 90 percent of displaced families currently unable to afford food," the UN official said.

The latest UN findings suggest five areas are currently experiencing famine and another five areas, all in North Darfur State, may also be affected by May this year. The report warns that 17 other areas are also at high risk of famine if urgent intervent is not taken. "Key areas in South Kordofan are effectively cut off from outside aid," she added, while "visas for humanitarian workers are not being granted quickly enough."

Farmers in Darfur

Roughly 2/3 of Sudanese rely on farming for the country's food supplies, food security expert Dr. Timmo Gaasbeek told Ayin. This is one reason why the curb in agricultural production due to the conflict in key states such as Al-Jazeera, Sennar, and South Kordofan has had such a devastating impact.

"Dilling is one of the most populated areas in South Kordofan State. It is under complete siege from all directions by the army, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), and the Rapid Support Forces (RDF) from the north," says Asmaa Ahmed*, a volunteer working in the community kitchens under the Emergency Response Rooms (ERR) in South Kordofan State.

"No aid or food supplies have reached it for months. In addition, it includes about 35,000 displaced people who came from Habila and several areas that witnessed military clashes," she told Ayin. She added that a a small harvest has reached the town recently from nearby crops but this will likely run out in a few days, "and the humanitarian situation will return to square one."

Ahmed stressed that the displaced are the most suffering, and live under poor humanitarian conditions, as they have no options to obtain food, except for some efforts made by emergency room volunteers. The challenge is access, she added, as few can find safe paths to reach them.

No access

Since the conflict began, humanitarian organisations have struggled to attain access to deliver aid as both warring parties claim aid corridors also act as conduits for arm shipments. On 20 January, for the first time in over a year, desperately needed World Food Programme (WFP) aid arrived in Wad Medani, Al-Jazeera State, providing food for roughly 300,000 people for a month. Unfortunately, these success stories are few and far between, WFP says, as they continue to reach famine-stricken areas such as Zamzam camp. "We need safe access, aid flowing through every border crossing and increased global support to scale up our response," WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said.

Access issues plagues the capital of South Kordofan State, Kadugli, and its surrounding areas, says ERR volunteer Issam Mohamed, who works in community kitchens to support the conflict-affected. "The agricultural season in Kadugli and its environs have failed due to the armed conflict. Food products and commodities can only be accessed through one outlet, which is the ostrich market on the border with South Sudan," Mohamed told Ayin. With limited access, prices remain prohibitively expensive -to the point where even if food is available, few can afford it. "Prices are very high and not within the reach of citizens."

In early January, both OCHA and the FAO appealed for international support during a UN Security Council briefing, urging governments to priortise funding. The Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan 2025 calls for $4.2 billion to support 21 million people, with an additional $1.8 billion needed for refugees in neighboring countries.

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In denial

Sudan's military-led government suspended its participation in the Global Hunger Monitoring System just ahead of the IPC report. In a letter dated 23 December, Sudan's agriculture minister said the government had suspended its participation in the IPC system, accusing the IPC of "issuing unreliable reports that undermine Sudan's sovereignty and dignity."

A recent Reuters investigation found that the Sudanese government obstructed the work of a humanitarian assessment committee earlier this year, delaying the determination of famine in the Zamzam camp for internally displaced people by several months.

According to volunteers in the community kitchens in Omdurman, this denial of widespread hunger takes place while people are struggling to survive, even in government-controlled areas such as those in Omdurman.

"The people of Omdurman are living in poor humanitarian conditions," says Mohamed Doulbait*, one of the volunteers working in the ERR community kitchens. "The lives of most of the people depend on our kitchens, which do not have the capacity or capabilities to cover the needs of all families, in light of the very high prices of food and the security threats resulting from the random artillery shelling of the area."

* The name has been changed to protect the identity of the source.
The Last Leg host Adam Hills was forced to apologise after actor Brian Cox called Donald Trump a 'c***' three times during the live broadcast.

The Succession star unleashed a tirade at the President, 78, when he appeared on the late-night Channel 4 talk show on Friday.

Australian comedian Adam, 54, asked Cox: 'I might be scared of where this is going to go but, what are your thoughts on Donald Trump so far, Brian?'

The Scottish actor 78, abruptly replied, 'He's a c***,' prompting Adam to cover his face with both hands as the audience erupted into laughter.

Adam hastily said to the camera, 'I apologise...' as his co-host, comedian Alex Brooker laughed: 'I knew that apology was coming!'

Comedian Michelle Wolf said: 'They told me that was the one word I wasn't allowed to say and I'm so glad you said it.'

Actor Brian Cox called Donald Trump a 'c***' three times on The Last Leg

Host Adam Hills was forced to apologise for his profanity-laden speech

The Scottish actor gave his views on Trump's second term as President

Brian hit back: 'Well they never told me what to say. I would have been happy not to say it but if somebody doesn't call him a c***'

Adam again faced the camera and told viewers: 'I have to deeply apologise again. Let's just assume I'm apologising for all of these.'

He then asked: 'Are you not worried about being accosted by Trump fans?'

The Braveheart actor replied: 'Me? I'm not going back to America, for that very reason. No, I mean, they're all idiots anyway.'

After the ad break, Brian again called Trump a 'c***' while referring to his former onscreen son Jeremy Strong's new film, The Apprentice, based on Trump's reality show.

'Of course I didn't see The Apprentice because I wouldn't watch anything about that c*** I mentioned earlier,' he said, prompting Adam to issue another apology.

The Last Leg fans praised Brian's profanity-laden speech on X, calling the actor a 'legend'.

When asked for his thoughts about the Presidency so far, Brian said, 'He's a c***'

He appeared on the late-night talk show alongside comedian Michelle Wolf

'Brian Cox calling Trump a c*** three times is f***ing hilarious,' one wrote.

'Brian Cox calling Donald Trump a c*** is exactly what I want from live Friday night television,' another added.

'Brian Cox - legend,' a third posted.

'Brian Cox nails it in his first few words,' someone else agreed.

Others blasted his explicit rant, with one viewer writing: 'Brian Cox is a brilliant actor but his use of profanities on a woke show to gain some popularity is bordering on narcissistic.'

Brian has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump, saying he will 'try to spend as much time' in the UK as he can following the results of the US presidential election.

In November, Trump was elected for his second term as President after securing a victory against Democratic opponent Kamala Harris.

Brian (pictured with his wife Nicole Ansari-Cox) has been vocal in his criticism of Trump

The Succession star recently said he plans to 'spend as much time as he can' in the UK after Trump was elected President again

Asked if the result has made him lose faith in people, he told the Guardian: 'No, it doesnt make me lose faith in people. It just makes me realise people are stupid.

'Were in for a pretty rough old four years coming up.'

Discussing whether he will stay in the US, he said: 'I dont know. Ive got to because my sons are there. But Ill try to spend as much time here (UK) as I can.'

Earlier this month, the Dundee-born actor also shared his concern about the impact on women Trump's Presidency may have.

'The thing that worries me more than anything else is how women are being treated, how the women are being marginalised in America,' he said on Good Morning Britain.

'We've seen it with the defeat of Hilary (Clinton). We've certainly seen it with the defeat of Kamala (Harris).

'And that has really made a problem, where do women fit in within that society? Women are fighting for their own rights, you know, the whole abortion issue...

'So I just feel very strongly there's a real anti-feminist thing going on.'

Presenter Richard Madeley pointed out: 'But women voted for him in their millions.'

Brian conceded: 'Well, they do! And that's the problem, they don't realise. It's the lack of awareness that baffles me.'
Katya Jones put on a brave face as she and fellow Strictly Come Dancing stars left their hotel in Manchester on Saturday.

The professional dancer, 35, who is currently on tour with the BBC show, is said to be 'devastated' by the way her dance partner Wynne Evans has been dropped by Strictly in the wake of his sexual-jibe scandal - with fears she will now quit.

The Mail On Sunday revealed this month that Wynne, 53, made a vile remark about a 'spit roast' aimed at Strictly: It Takes Two host Janette Manrara during a photocall for the tour.

Katya has shown her support for her dance partner with social media tributes since he announced last week that he was stepping down from the tour and his BBC radio show.

Katya failed to rise a smile as she was pictured leaving her hotel dressed in a cream cardigan and brown leather trousers on Saturday.

Also seen leaving the hotel was fellow pro dancer Karen Haur who cut a casual figure in a black and white tracksuit.

Meanwhile Dianne Buswell appeared to have enjoyed some shopping in the city centre as she walked around the shops carrying bags.

Katya Jones has put on a brave face as she and fellow Strictly Come Dancing stars left their hotel in Manchester on Saturday

Also seen leaving the hotel to prepare for the BBC show's live tour was Karen Haur, who cut a casual figure in a black and white tracksuit

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri looked relaxed as she stepped out in a large brown fur coat and matching furry shoes.

Meanwhile Lauren Oakley opted for a brighter ensemble and wore a pale pink co-ord.

Janette's husband Aljaz Skorjanec appeared in top spirits as he flashed a smile while carrying a gym bag to work.

In the Mail On Sunday video, Wynne can be seen stood in the middle of a line-up of 20 celebrities and dancers as Janette, who hosts the TV spin-off Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, is summoned to join them. As she approaches, Wynne warns her with a grin: 'Not too close to Jamie [Borthwick]!'

He then pulls a suggestive face at the actor, behind Janette's back, as she moves between them. It is at that point Wynne makes his disgusting joke at her expense.

Seconds later, her dancer husband Aljaz Skorjanec, who was standing nearby, asks her: 'Darling, are you OK?' She replies curtly: 'Yep.'

Following the widespread revulsion caused by the revelations in the Mail story, Wynne was replaced on his morning radio show on Monday by comedian Robin Morgan, who also stood in for Wynne while he appeared on Strictly last year.

While the tour is carrying on without Wynne, his fellow dancing stars, such as Katya, 35, have been no stranger to a scandal on the BBC ballroom show.

Meanwhile Dianne Buswell appeared to have enjoyed some shopping in the city centre as she walked around the shops carrying arm lengths of bags

Tasha Ghouri looked relaxed as she stepped out in a large brown fur coat and matching furry shoes

Meanwhile Lauren Oakley opted for a brighter ensemble and wore a pale pink co-ord

Aljaz Skorjanec appeared in top spirits as he flashed a smile while carrying a gym bag to work

It comes after professional dancer Katya, 35, who is currently on tour with the BBC flagship, is said to be 'devastated' by the way Wynne Evans has been dropped by Strictly in the wake of his sexual-jibe scandal - with fears she will now quit.

Her 2024 celeb partner Wynne, 53, was caught making a vile remark about a 'spit roast' aimed at Strictly: It Takes Two host Janette Manrara

Following Wynne's exit, insiders have claimed those working on the programme are fearful Katya will quit over the way it has been handled.

Her Strictly experience has been affected by several headline-hitting rumours and sources have said there are concerns she will no longer shoulder the strain.

Most notably, Katya was caught kissing her celebrity partner Seann Walsh when they were in a couple on the show in 2018, while she was married to fellow professional dancer Neil Jones.

A few series later there were rumours of a feud between Katya and her 2022 partner Tony Adams, as sources said she was 'working him too hard' in rehearsals and it was causing tension.

During the 2024 series when Katya was paired with Wynne, the pair caused a stir when viewers noticed Wynne's 'wandering hand' on the dancer's waist and stomach

They caught the moment she firmly pulled his hand back up, with them later insisting it was just a private joke between them.
Patsy Palmer has shared a touching tribute to her EastEnders co-star Natalie Cassidy after the actress confirmed her exit from the BBC Soap.

Patsy, 52, who plays Bianca Jackson - Sonia Fowlers on-screen half-sister -expressed her pride in Natalies acting career, business ventures, and family.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Patsy shared a nostalgic throwback photo of the pair dressed in wedding gowns, celebrating their long-standing friendship on and off-screen.

She wrote: 'Needed to pay my respect to this woman @natcass1 . I have known Natalie for too many years to add up.

'I started at The Anna Scher Theatre school when I was 9. Natalie is 10 years younger so she probably started around the same age some 10 years later.

'She was a old head in the cutest shoulders from day 1 and from that I day was her biggest protector.

Patsy Palmer has shared a touching tribute to her EastEnders co-star Natalie Cassidy after the actress confirmed her exit from the BBC Soap

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Patsy shared a nostalgic throwback photo of the pair dressed in wedding gowns, celebrating their long-standing friendship on and off-screen

'When we started @bbceastenders we started together. I would drive from Bethnal Green to Islington every morning to pick her up and bring her to work waved off by Eve her beautiful mumma .

'Windows down we would sing and laugh and learn lines on our wonderful journey together.'

Patsy continued: 'I have seen her grow into the most fantastic woman over the years and so so brilliantly funny and now shes making sure I am safe and comfy when I am here so far away from my family in LA.

'She often gives me a lift nowadays from work to stay with her making me dinner or to the hotel and I am truly grateful to call her my Sister on screen and off screen.

'Without Anna Schers we wouldn't have done the jobs we have done because unfortunately its tough for girls like us to have made something of ourselves.

'I was determined to make Natalie know that she could do it and she has again and again! I'm proud of you and your work, your business ventures and your beautiful family.

'Here's to all of you girls that think you won't make it !! When we shot these scenes back in the early 90's 22 million people tuned in to watch !! so keep dreaming .

'Don't believe the lies we are here rooting for you. Go get em Nat I'll be watching.'

After first arriving in Albert Square in 1993, Sonia has been a beloved character for decades, but now, after 32 years, Natalie has confirmed she is leaving the BBC soap

Natalie first joined EastEnders when she was just 10 years old pictured in 1999)

Having first graced Albert Square in 1993 as Sonia Fowler, Natalie has become a beloved presence over the decades.

After 32 years, the actress has confirmed she's saying goodbye to the BBC soap.

She said in a statement on Friday: 'I feel extremely sad to be writing this, but also very excited. After another 11 solid years back on The Square, I have decided it's time to move on to pastures new.

'EastEnders is in my bones so I will never forget where I started my career and I will continue to love the show.

'Thank you to Chris Clenshaw for the opportunity to be such a big part of the 40th anniversary  it's an honour. See ya, Sonia, going but never forgotten.'

After her announcement, bosses honoured Natalie and hinted at a dramatic and unforgettable exit for her character.

Along with a picture of her, they wrote on X: 'Natalie Cassidy is leaving, more than three decades after her first appearance as Sonia Fowler. Chris Clenshaw has said of Natalie's departure: 'Over the last 31 years in EastEnders, Natalie has been involved in some of the show's most iconic and explosive storylines.

''Her portrayal of Sonia has made her a firm fan favourite amongst the viewers. I won't be revealing the [minute] details relating to her exit, but I can say that she will take a central role in the 40th anniversary storylines in a week of truly unmissable drama that will change the lives of those in Walford forever.

The character is currently pregnant with killer Reiss Calwell's baby, unaware that he murdered his ex-wife Debbie, a crime Sonia was charged with

'I'd like to thank Natalie for her time at EastEnders, and I wish her all the best for the future'.'

Natalie is set to film her final EastEnders scenes in February, coinciding with the soaps much-anticipated 40th anniversary celebrations.

Reports suggest the actress informed show bosses of her decision to depart last summer, giving them ample time to craft an unforgettable exit storyline.

With decades of history in Albert Square, her characters departure is bound to leave a lasting impact on Walfords residents.
Cheryl Fergison is set to showcase her singing talents at the grand opening of a new Chinese restaurant in Blackpool.

The EastEnders actress, 60, best known for her role as Heather Trott, recently spoke about her financial worries, making this opportunity particularly meaningful.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Cheryl invited fans to join her at the Dragon Lounge in Cleveleys, where she'll be hosting across the weekend.

'Hello folks! Tonight, the first of February, and tomorrow, Sunday the second, I'm hosting at the Dragon Lounge on Victoria Road West in Cleveleys,' she announced.

She shared excitement about the restaurant's new owner, management, chef, and menu while encouraging fans to stop by.

'It's going to be a fun couple of days, so please come and join us. I'll be there from about 7 o'clock onwards - just turn up or call ahead,' she added.

Cheryl Fergison is set to showcase her singing talents at the grand opening of a new Chinese restaurant in Blackpool (pictured in Blackpool last year)

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Cheryl invited fans to join her at the Dragon Lounge in Cleveleys, where she'll be hosting across the weekend

With her signature humour, Cheryl reassured followers that space would be found for everyone, joking: 'Even if you're sitting on my lap!'

Signing off with a smile, she wished everyone a wonderful day, adding: 'The sun is shining here - hope to see you all tonight!'

It comes after the actress revealed she was so strapped for cash she was forced to use food banks.

The star confessed that her financial situation was so difficult at one point that she had to seek professional help.

Cheryl, who rose to fame playing Heather Trott in the BBC1 soap from 2007 to 2012, told the Daily Mirror that she was taken to her local food bank by a member of Citizens Advice after telling them she couldn't afford to eat.

The soap star explained that it was a far cry from her time on the hit show when she didn't even used to look at the price of things.

She told the publication: 'I sat there and cried and cried. It was shameful. How could I have been on EastEnders? How could I have been earning that much money and now I am here?

'It was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I found it so difficult to be that vulnerable. But I didn't have any money to do a weekly shop. I was trying to pay too many debts.'

It comes after the actress revealed she was so strapped for cash she was forced to use food banks

Cheryl, who rose to fame playing Heather Trott in the BBC1 soap from 2007 to 2012, told how she was taken to her local food bank by a member of Citizens Advice after telling them she couldn't afford to eat

The soap star explained that it was a far cry from her time in the hit show when she didn't even used to look at the price of things

Cheryl's revelation comes after it was revealed that she had been selling old EastEnders scripts for quick cash, charging fans 50 per item, and singing in a Chinese restaurant to keep a roof over her head.

Despite earning a decent wage during her time on the show, the mother-of-one was diagnosed with womb cancer in 2015, which stopped her career dead in its tracks and she struggled to recover.

The star underwent a hysterectomy which she explained came with unforeseen physical and mental side effects and the actress was struggling so much she began to self harm.

Cheryl told the newspaper that she threw herself in scalding water multiple times a day in an attempt to 'wash away' her cancer.

But she said that as soon as she was given the all clear by her doctors she stopped hurting herself.

But despite the change in her fortunes for her health, Cheryl's world was falling apart as she realised she barely had a penny to her name.

But, refusing to let her difficulties overcome her, she reached out to Citizens Advice.

And she revealed that the experience was much easier than she thought and she was relieved to have finally found someone to help.

Despite earning a decent wage during her time on the show, the mother-of-one was diagnosed with womb cancer in 2015, which stopped her career dead in its tracks and she struggled to recover

The star was so worried about money she had been selling old EastEnders scripts for quick cash, charging fans 50 per item, and singing in a Chinese restaurant to keep a roof over her head

She said: 'If they did know who I was they didn't show it and that was what was wonderful. I thought it was embarrassing.'

The star praised the 'angels' who worked there and described the moment they took her inside and the help they offered her felt like 'this amazing, biggest, warmest hug'.

And the star left the centre with four bags of groceries, dog food and a bunch of daffodils.

After her harrowing experience, Cheryl explained she was motivated once more to turn her life around and revealed she was looking forward to starring as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, in Peterborough over Christmas 2024.

The production was a family affair with her son, Alex, 25, who she shares with first husband Jamshed Saddiqi, joining the cast in the role of Buttons.

Cheryl hopes that discussing her financial difficulties will help others be more open and seek help.

The EastEnders star added that people even now are surprised to see her in her local Lidl store and don't expect her to shop in bargain supermarkets.

Despite people's reaction, she said she no longer feels embarrassed and part of her new found confidence comes from the support of her former co-stars.

Cheryl said she is no longer embarrassed about her struggles and has been supported throughout by her former co-stars including Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell (pictured together in 2012)

The actress also confessed that Barbara Windsor, who played Peggy Mitchell even helped the struggling star out with her debts and supported her through her cancer treatment

Cheryl confessed that Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell is her 'rock' while the late Barbara Windsor, who played Peggy Mitchell, even helped the struggling star out with her debts and supported her through her cancer treatment.

Of Barbara, Cheryl described her as 'amazing', adding: 'Barbara and her husband, Scott, were writing cheques out for me to keep a roof above my head when I couldn't work and I was poorly.'

She went on to say that one of the best pieces of advice Barbara ever gave her was to be kind to fans because they don't know what you're going through.

Cheryl said it is advice she has heeded, even chatting to people in hospital while going through her caner treatment.

For the future, the soap actress said she doesn't want to go back to worrying about putting food on the table and isn't ashamed of selling something people want - but her biggest dream now is to star in I'm A Celebrity.
Jennifer Garner has been spending more time with Ben Affleck since his divorce from Jennifer Lopez.

And while that may be a good thing for the three kids the former couple share, there is someone who is uncomfortable with the bond between the Alias star and Argo director, both 52.

John Miller, Jennifer's long time boyfriend, is reportedly uneasy with how much time the parents of Violet, 19, Finn, 16, and Samuel, 12, have been spending together.

Miller 'knows Ben and Jen have been leaning on each other more than ever lately and have a really close relationship,' Page Six reported.

'Their growing bond is getting to be a bit much when Ben spends all the holidays with them like Christmas and Thanksgiving,' the insider said. 'John feels like a third wheel.'

The outlet's source said that Jen and Ben 'text, call, and communicate far more than they have over the past several years.'

Jennifer Garner has been spending more time with Ben Affleck since his divorce from Jennifer Lopez. Seen here in 2014

Ben and Jen were married for 10 years from 2005 to 2015. Seen here in 2015

'It used to be solely about the kids, but John feels like it could be more than just about their coparenting relationship,' the insider says.

'He doesn't feel threatened in terms of Jen ever getting back with Ben, but at the same time it's hard not to feel jealous when it's clear they have a strong connection and friendship.'

Miller, 47, and the 13 Going on 30 actress have been dating on and off since 2018.

'Particularly since Ben's divorce and with the LA fires and everything going on,' the exes 'have found themselves leaning on each other more than ever, ' Page Six reported.

Last week, it was revealed that Garner is pressuring Affleck to 'grow up.'

'Jen has a huge amount of sway with Ben these days, so she does feel quite obligated to police his behavior, particularly when it comes to the way hes been treating JLo,' In Touch reported.

'Hes been so impatient with her and actually quite ungrateful, at least in Jens view.'

Jen and John have kept their relationship out of the spotlight.

And while that may be a good thing for the three kids the former couple share, there is someone who is uncomfortable with the bond between the exes. Seen here in 2023

John Miller, Jennifer's long time boyfriend is reportedly uneasy with how much time the parents of Violet, 19, Finn, 16, and Samuel, 12, have been spending together. Seen here in 2018

Miller 'knows Ben and Jen have been leaning on each other more than ever lately and have a really close relationship,' Page Six reported. Seen here in 2014

'Their growing bond is getting to be a bit much when Ben spends all the holidays with them like Christmas and Thanksgiving ,' the insider said. Seen here in 2019

Last month, Jen was spotted with a diamond ring on her left ring finger prompting speculation that she and John had gotten engaged.

Meanwhile, a source claimed in October that Jennifer and John are planning a wedding in Paris in the spring, where she allegedly went shopping for a bridal gown.

'Jen and John have taken a lot more trips to Europe than people realize. Paris is one of their favorite escapes and theyve decided getting married there this coming spring is something they want to do,' the insider dished.

The source also noted that a large ceremony in the French capital would be a marked contrast to when Jennifer and Ben eloped to Turks And Caicos in 2005.

'This time around she wants a big wedding in a dream location and John is all for it. He loves the idea of giving her something that Ben never did, so hes totally encouraging her to go all out.

Hes got plenty of money and wants to totally spoil her,' the insider shared with In Touch Weekly.

In December, another insider said Jennifer was 'very happy with' John and 'spends a lot of time with him,' seeing him 'almost every day.'

Jennifer and Ben spent the day of Thanksgiving volunteering with their children, and then John spent the night at her house. Jen and Ben also spent Christmas together.

'John feels like a third wheel.' The outlet's source said that Jen and Ben 'text, call, and communicate far more than they have over the past several years.' Seen here in 2024

'He doesn't feel threatened in terms of Jen ever getting back with Ben, but at the same time it's hard not to feel jealous when it's clear they have a strong connection and friendship.' Seen here in 2025

'Jen truly just wants her kids to be happy. She will continue to make sure that they spend time together as a family and include Ben,' People reported.

'The kids enjoy when they all spend time together. Jen's grateful that Ben's doing well. They are friends, but that's it,' explained the insider.

Jennifer is said to have been a source of support for Ben amid the implosion of his marriage to Lopez.

An insider has said Ben regarded himself as 'blessed' to spend Thanksgiving with Jennifer Garner, with whom he feels he 'can just be himself,' via Page Six.

'Even though Ben and Jen have been split for a while now, he feels a certain level of comfort with her,' the source explained.

'Ben has a strong relationship with Jen that will never dissipate because they have a lot of history together and shes the mother of his kids.'
A Gladiators star has come under fire for promoting a brand that's been accused of deceptively marketing body-building food supplements to children.

Bionic, real name Matty Campbell, 29, has been advertising the US brand Ghost on his Instagram account.

He has previously shared pictures of himself with the products and according to The Mirror, the athlete has offered his 25,000 followers the chance to win some for free.

The US-based brand sells fitness products such as protein powers, pre-workout supplements, and energy drinks, which are generally not recommended for children.

In December 2022, advertising watchdog group Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) and the University of Connecticut Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health filed a complaint against the company.

Campaigners alleged that the packaging for their ready-to-drink and powered beverages appeal directly to minors and blur the lines between adult and children's products.

A Gladiators star has come under fire for promoting a brand that's been accused of deceptively marketing body-building food supplements to children

Bionic, real name Matty Campbell, 29, has been advertising the US brand Ghost on his Instagram account

They particularly mentioned the brand's use of licensed candy flavors, such as Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish.

According to the publication, they alleged that it 'targets kids with deceptive and unfair marketing by, among other things, using influencers popular among children.'

Adding: 'Consumers who see Ghost's marketing on social media, platforms or on the company's website are not informed, however, that these products are only intended for healthy adults.'

Speaking on Friday, Laura Smith, Legal Director at TINA.org told The Mirror that: 'Ghost's epic failure to prevent unwarranted health and safety risks to children renders the company's marketing unfair, deceptive, and in violation of the FTC Act.

'If Matty Campbell has a youth fanbase and is marketing products that are unsafe for children, then the marketing should clearly and conspicuously disclose this safety information.'

They also claimed that within weeks of their complaint being filed, Ghost removed some 'unapproved health claims' from it's website, including that the products can reduce anxiety and balance hormones.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Matty and Ghost for comment.

It comes as the rebooted version of BBC's Gladiators, hosted by Bradley Walsh, continues to draw in millions of viewers each episode, with the second series recently kicking off.

And fans of the hit BBC show are already buzzing with excitement over the arrival of newest Gladiator, Cyclone as they took to social media to praise her frosty attitude and larger-than-life presence.

The US-based brand sells fitness products such as protein powers, pre-workout supplements, and energy drinks, which are generally not recommended for children

Speaking on Friday, Laura Smith, Legal Director at TINA.org told The Mirror that: 'Ghost's epic failure to prevent unwarranted health and safety risks to children (Bionic pictured)

The second series of the rebooted BBC show returned to screens this month with father-and-son presenting duo Bradley, 64, (L) and Barney Walsh, 27, (R) at the helm

Gladiators fans are already buzzing with excitement over the arrival of newest Gladiator, Cyclone as they took to social media to praise her frosty attitude and larger-than-life presence

To kick off the show, father-and-son presenting duo Bradley, 64, and Barney Walsh, 27, revealed a new Gladiator would be joining the ranks of Giant, Legend, Fire, Diamond, Fury, Steel, Comet, Bionic, Electro, Phantom, Viper and Athena.

Bradley quipped: 'There's a storm heading right for us, Barns, a brand new Gladiator is about to enter the arena and let me tell you, this girl is a whirlwind of destruction!'

He added: 'Look what she's done to my brolly' as he showed the audience his damaged umbrella, prompting laughter.

Barney chimed in: 'To be blown away by the awesome power of... Cyclone!' as Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, made her highly anticipated entrance, thrilling the crowd.

Fans flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to share their excitement, with many commenting on how 'terrifying' Cyclone looks and how she could 'give Legend a run for his money on the mic.'

One viewer wrote: 'Cyclone is such a good smack talker!'; 'Looks like Cyclone is our female bad guy this season, she got some sass.'

'You don't want to p*** off Cyclone. She looks terrifying. Look out, everybody.'; 'Cyclone giving Legend a run for his money on the mic.'

Cyclone, whose real name is Lystus Ebosele, is a 23-year-old powerlifter from Ireland.

After the announcement that she'd be joining the second series, she said: 'Ive got the look, Ive got the energy, and Ive got the muscles.'

The new Gladiator regularly shares videos from her intense workouts, alongside several glamorous shots, on her profile.
Tamara Ecclestone has revealed she is still struggling with the trauma of a 2019 burglary, in which thieves broke into her home and stole 25m worth of jewellery and cash.

The 40-year-old socialite's 70m mansion on 'Billionaire's row' in Kensington, West London was targeted in what is believed to be the UK's biggest ever domestic raid. At the time, Tamara was away on holiday with her family.

Although six years have passed since the robbery, Tamara admitted that it's still been a tough road. Shes had to make significant changes and take extra precautions to feel secure again.

She told The Mirror: 'It has been tough, Ive had to adjust and put measures in place to make myself feel as secure as possible. Sadly, London is a scary place, lots of my friends have experienced similar things.'

In 2021 three men from Italy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle after a series of raids  including on the nearby home of Frank and Christine Lampard.

The men were sentenced to eight to 11 years in prison and returned to Italy to serve their terms.

Tamara Ecclestone has revealed she is still struggling with the trauma of a 2019 burglary, in which thieves broke into her home and stole 25m worth of jewellery and cash (pictured last year)

The 40-year-old socialite's 70m mansion on 'Billionaire's row' in Kensington, West London was targeted in what is believed to be the UK's biggest ever domestic raid

Tamara, the daughter of F1 mogul Bernie Ecclestone, is married to art investor Jay Rutland, 43, with whom she starred in the ITV reality show Tamara's World. The couple share daughters, Sophia, 10, and Serena, 4.

Tamara also opened up about the emotional impact on her eldest daughter, Sophia, who struggled to feel safe at home after the traumatic experience.

She shared: 'She did struggle so weve just been just trying to make it as safe as possible at home and move forward. Theres nothing we can do about it.'

'We have talked a lot about it to her and shes in a much better place. Seeing her even have those thoughts at such a young age was really hard to cope with.'

Last month, Tamara revealed she believes the 25million burglary at her home was an 'inside job' - and fears some of the culprits may never face justice in the UK.

The star spoke out for the first time since raiders ransacked her home six years ago, making off with diamonds and other valuables.

She told The Times: 'It's actually quite hard to talk about because my daughter now has access to Google.'

'We lied to her when it happened because she was young, but she found out anyway.'

Although six years have passed since the robbery, Tamara admitted that it's still been a tough road. Shes had to make significant changes and take extra precautions to feel secure again

She said in a new interview: 'It has been tough, Ive had to adjust and put measures in place to make myself feel as secure as possible. Sadly, London is a scary place,'

Tamara also shared that she now travels with two bodyguards out of fear of being kidnapped, as her 5ft 4in father has fallen victim to several burglaries.

She described how the burglary has 'definitely made me feel that things aren't always as they appear, people you think you can trust, you can't always trust, which is a lesson I've learnt time and time again. This time it really hit home.'

The socialite expressed frustration over the fact that potential offenders remain on the run, while none of the 400 stolen items have been recovered.

She added: 'The biggest letdown really is that the [other] people who did it will probably never be extradited to the UK.'

'I think it is worse getting caught and then nothing actually happening to them.'

Tamara, daughter of F1 mogul Bernie Ecclestone (right), is married to art investor Jay Rutland, 43, (left) with whom she starred in the ITV reality show Tamara's World (pictured 2015)

The couple shares two daughters, Sophia, 10, and Serena, 4, (pictured last year)

When asked whether she thought the burglary was an 'inside job', she replied: 'Im not really allowed to speak about that but I dont see how its not.'

Tamara also said of the burglary's aftermath: 'I just felt violated. We thought about moving, or moving country.'

'But then I thought, actually, this is my house and, before this happened, this has been such a happy place.'

She had purchased the home for 45 million in 2011, though properties on the same street are now valued at over 200 million.
Kendall Jenner took on the role of bartender as she served 818 Tequila cocktails at the grand opening of Amaya Modern Mexican inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

On Friday evening, the supermodel, 29, surprised guests as she cheerfully handed out drinks made with her award-winning alcohol brand.

For the occasion, the reality star, who named her company after the postal code of her hometown of Calabasas, rocked an espresso brown minidress that showed off her tan and toned legs.

After preparing a number of drinks, including a few spicy margaritas, the Vogue cover girl let loose as she sat down with friends and enjoyed an alcoholic beverages of her own.

She also indulged in some chips and guacamole at the new, upscale Mexican restaurant.

Jenner has stepped behind the bar to promote 818 Tequila, which she launched in 2021, numerous times, most recently in September, while visiting College Station, Texas.

Kendall Jenner took on the role of bartender as she served 818 Tequila cocktails at the grand opening of Amaya Modern Mexican inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Last February, she visited a local bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which was full of college students.

The runway maven received an enthusiastic welcome from swarms of college students as she took shoots and poured margaritas.

Jenner then headed to Athens, Georgia, where she visited a local club and led the attendees in a chant in support of the University of Georgia's Bulldogs.

The social media powerhouse then surprised several fans by showing up at a house party with boxes of pizza and a sizable bottle of 818 Tequila.

The model's first college tour for her company took place in October 2023, and she visited several locations in the Midwest in order to raise 818 Tequila's public profile.

The entrepreneur spoke about her brand during an interview with Harper's Bazaar Australia and opened up about what drew her to the tequila business.

'I grew up in California, and my family always had an interest in tequila. I was fascinated by the history of sipping tequila and the production that went into it,' she said.

Jenner then stated that she set out to start a spirits brand that would appeal to younger audiences.

On Friday evening, the supermodel, 29, surprised guests as she cheerfully handed out drinks made with her award-winning alcohol brand

For the occasion, the reality star, who named her company after the postal code of her hometown of Calabasas, rocked an espresso brown minidress that showed off her tan and toned legs

After preparing a number of drinks, including a few spicy margaritas, the Vogue cover girl let loose as she sat down with friends and enjoyed an alcoholic beverages of her own

'I wanted to create something that resonated differently, with a high level of quality that spoke to a new generation of tequila consumers,' she said.

The model also expressed that she intended for 818 Tequila to set a new standard for female-owned liquor companies.

'I felt that the market was historically male-dominated  if you look at labels and marketing campaigns from other brands in years past, there are a lot of similarities. I wanted to craft something that could appeal to everyone,' she stated.

Since launching her company, it has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the competitive tequila market.

She also indulged in some chips and guacamole at the new, upscale Mexican restaurant

Jenner has stepped behind the bar to promote 818 Tequila, which she launched in 2021, numerous times, most recently in September, while visiting College Station, Texas

The tequila tycoon also told BAZAAR Australia/New Zealand that the inspiration behind the brand's name was that it is 'the area code of Calabasas.'

'The 818 area code may be home to me, but the earth is home to all of us, and I wanted a name and brand that could speak to that,' she said.

While creating the brand, she wanted to focus on operating as sustainably as possible.

'I think people in my generation have grown up with this sense of unease and frustration seeing what's happening to our planet, and a lot of us share this desire to step in and make a change in our own way,' Jenner said. 'From the beginning at 818, I wanted that to be a priority.'

As for what comes to her mind when she thinks of tequila, the star said: 'Thats an easy one: the evenings Ive spent with my friends, sipping 818 and talking about everything in the world. Great tequila can bring people together in such amazing ways.'
She was once the star of BBC primetime detective drama Sherlock, regularly watched by more than seven million viewers at its peak.

But following the fallout from her claims that her Strictly partner Giovanni Pernice bullied her, Amanda Abbington's latest role is playing to a more intimate audience in a theatre behind a north London pub.

The actress has signed up for a month-long stint in a show called (This Is Not A) Happy Room at the trendy King's Head Theatre in Islington, portraying the role of Esther.

The theatre can seat around 180 guests for the show but by yesterday just 64 tickets, which cost between 10 and 35, had been sold for the opening night  a preview  on March 26.

Ms Abbington, 52, who has two children from her relationship with The Office and Sherlock star Martin Freeman, will play alongside Outlanders actress Rosie Day, who also wrote the dark comedy which is hailed as 'Saltburn meets Schitt's Creek'.

One source said: 'You have to wonder if Amanda hadn't got herself entangled in the whole row with Giovanni whether she might have something a little more high-profile and better paid.

'It is such a shame they fell out. If they hadn't, they could have won Strictly and Amanda would be the most sought after woman in town. But she felt she needed to speak up for other women. Arguably, you have to wonder whether that came at a cost.'

Meanwhile, Mr Pernice, who was forced to quit the hit show in March 2024 after Ms Abbington had made a formal complaint to the BBC about his behaviour and an investigation was launched, told The Mail on Sunday last month that the BBC do not want him back for the next UK series, despite him being cleared by a BBC review of the most serious allegations levelled at him.

Amanda Abbington is portraying Esther in a show called (This Is Not A) Happy Room

Ms Abbington's new month-long role is at the trendy King's Head Theatre in Islington (pictured)

Ms Abbington appeared on Strictly Come Dancing with professional Giovanni Pernice, who has since been dropped from the show after she made complaints about his behaviour

However, Mr Pernice recently won the Italian version of the BBC dance show, Ballando Con Le Stelle, with actress and television star Bianca Guaccero. He is expected to return to the Italian programme in September.

The 34-year-old is currently on a UK tour called The Last Dance, which is almost sold out. He has confirmed that it will be his last tour.

Ms Abbington is best known for playing Miss Mardle in Mr Selfridge and Mary Watson in Sherlock, the BBC adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective stories

Last year, she starred in a show at the Park Theatre in North London called When It Happens To You.
With her hands placed lovingly on her newborn daughter's chest, Lily Collins announced the birth of her first child yesterday.

In an emotional post on Instagram, the Emily In Paris star said she was full of 'endless gratitude' for the surrogate who helped her to become a mother.

She added that the girl who she and her husband Charlie McDowell have named Tove  had become 'the center [sic] of our world'.

But while the actress was inundated with congratulations from fans, she has also faced criticism for joining the ranks of Hollywood stars having a baby via surrogacy.

Some social media users attacked the actress for taking part in the 'unethical trend'  which, critics argue, involve 'rich people renting women's bodies' and is akin to 'human trafficking'.

Others speculated that Lily, along with other A-list celebrities, might have chosen to 'opt out' of pregnancy, to preserve their looks.

Last night McDowell, 41, hit back. He wrote: 'In regards to the unkind messages about surrogacy and our path to having a baby  it's OK to not be an expert on surrogacy. It's OK to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It's OK to not know the motivations of a surrogate regardless of what you assume.

'And it's OK to spend less time spewing hateful words into the world, especially in regards to a beautiful baby girl who has brought a lot of love into people's lives. That's all for now because she just pooped and I need to change her diaper.'

Lily and McDowell, the film director son of A Clockwork Orange star Malcolm McDowell, began dating in 2019, after meeting on the set of his film, Gilded Rage. They married in September 2021

In an emotional post on Instagram, the Emily In Paris star said she was full of 'endless gratitude' for the surrogate who helped her to become a mother

In their baby announcement, the couple did not divulge the reason for choosing a surrogate

Lily and McDowell, the film director son of A Clockwork Orange star Malcolm McDowell, began dating in 2019, after meeting on the set of his film, Gilded Rage. They married in September 2021.

In their baby announcement, the couple did not divulge the reason for choosing a surrogate. Writing that 'words would never express' their gratitude to the unnamed woman, they also thanked 'everyone who helped us along the way', and added: 'We love you to the moon and back again.'

In her 2017 memoir Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, Lily  the daughter of musician Phil Collins  candidly described how an eating disorder had a devastating effect on her reproductive system. She revealed she used to eat 'every type of junk food possible' and then force herself to vomit. She said it stopped her menstrual cycle adding: 'I was terrified I had ruined my chances of having kids,' she wrote.

A number of other Hollywood celebrities have also turned to surrogacy. Reality star Kim Kardashian, 44, has been open about the 'medical necessity' of using a surrogate to have the two youngest children, Chicago and Psalm, after experiencing life-threatening complications during her first two pregnancies.

Aquaman actress Amber Heard also had her daughter, Oonagh, via surrogacy in 2021 after being told by doctors she would never be able to have her own child.

And Australian star Rebel Wilson used a surrogate to have her daughter, Royce, after IVF failed.

However, Los Angeles-based fertility doctor Vicken Sahakian says some otherwise healthy women opt for a 'social surrogacy' often to continue working without having to pause their careers.

She said: 'For instance, if you are a model or an actress and your income is based on performing and how you look, pregnancy will ruin that for a year if not more.'

Charlie's Angels star Lucy Liu has been open about her decision to use a surrogate to have her son, Rockwell Lloyd, in August 2015  citing her career.

'It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn't know when I was going to be able to stop,' the actress, now 54, said.

'I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great.'
Concerns have been raised about the size of a hotel pool that contains live dolphins following the release of a shocking video overnight. The incident it captured stunned viewers worldwide, resulting in the luxury resorts social media pages being flooded with bad reviews and calling for it to stop animal shows.

The short clip shows three captive dolphins leap out of the water as tourists wearing lifejackets watch on. One of the animals appears to misjudge the boundary of its tiny tank, landing on the hard edge of the pool. The accident results it it remaining motionless at the waters edge as trainers rush to its aid.

Marine mammal activist Phil Demers shared the footage on his UrgentSeas social media accounts. Speaking to Yahoo News on Saturday morning, he revealed the video left him in absolute shock.

This particular incident is one of the worst. It really, truly is. Even if it survived, its health is going to be severely compromised, he said.

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Its completely inexcusable, its something that never would happen in the wild. It just eliminates any rationale they should exist in these concrete tanks.

A dolphin crash landed onto the pool's edge as tourists watched on. Source: UrgentSeas

Questions raised about size of resort's dolphin tanks

The vision is alleged to have been shot at Mexico at Barcelo Maya Grand Resort, near Cancun which offers dolphin friendly encounters at the discounted rate of US $66.75 ($107.45) that include shaking the dolphins fin and hugging it. For an extra US $15, tourists are allowed to ride them.

Yahoo News contacted the resorts parent company Grupo Barcelo requesting urgent comment but it did not immediately respond. The hotel has limited comments to its recent social media posts, but animal welfare advocates have inundated its older content, calling for a boycott.

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This broke my heart and flipped my stomach upside down, one person wrote after watching the video. We demand the closure, another person wrote in Spanish.

Demers first raised concerns about conditions at the hotel late in January, releasing drone footage of the dolphins duel tanks which sit just metres from the open ocean. Opponents of the park referred to conditions as like a prison, noting they are some of the smallest dolphin enclosures in Latin America.

Demers said the latest incident indicates the tanks are too small and that the dolphins need to be removed. He urged people who oppose dolphin captivity to be vocal about the issue, saying, This is the reality. We can close our eyes, but that's not going to serve the animals.

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Google has introduced a new program to its employees, offering considerable severance packages to those willing to leave the company on their own volition.

The program, dubbed the 'voluntary exit program,' is designed to provide financial support to employees who willingly opt to leave the company as the tech giant looks to 'shore up' its staff's commitment.

'There's tremendous momentum on this team and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency,' a statement from company spokesperson, Patrick Seybold, reads.

The incentivizing deal appears to be good news for the small Alphabet Workers Union, which has been circulating a petition pushing for Google to offer buyouts before laying workers off, SFGATE reported on Tuesday.

Seybold, however, has not confirmed any details about the program or whether or not the move was inspired by the small union's demands.

Google, whose parent company, Alphabet, manages Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Android, is no stranger to layoffs.

In January 2023, the big tech company laid off over 12,000 employees, offering them a handy severance package which included six months of health care and at least 16 weeks of their salaries.

Some speculate the 'voluntary exit program' may offer the same, however such information has not been confirmed.

Google has introduced a new program to its employees, offering plentiful financial incentives to those willing to voluntarily leave the company. Pictured: Google headquarters in Mountain View, California

'There's tremendous momentum on this team and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency,' a statement from company spokesperson, Patrick Seybold (pictured) reads

Alan McAvinney, a Google software engineer and the group's organizing chair, likened the new deal to a 'one-off program' for a single division, claiming that it wasn't what the union asked for, SFGATE reported.

'We are happy to see material progress in response to our concerns,' McAvinney wrote, 'but we continue to demand that Google commit to practices like offers of voluntary buyouts and fair terms of severance by codifying them in its actual written policies.'

However even with 'positive' news on the horizon, fears of additional cuts linger.

Olivia Asemota, the union's vice president, told SFGATE that the company is now performing reviews and that its chief financial officer is discussing cost cuts, sparking fears among workers more cuts might come soon.

Senior vice president Rick Osterloh told the company's workers in the Mountain View company's Platforms and Devices division on Thursday that if they're based in the United States, they'd be eligible for the program.

The Platforms and Devices team was created last year and handles product mainstays such as Pixel phones, Android, Chrome, Photos and Google One.

The massive company, which offers a variety of products and services, including search engines, cloud computing, and software, also saw more than 1,000 of its workers laid off last January.

The company announced it was laying off more than 700 people from its San Francisco, Sunnyvale and Mountain View locations in four different notices filed last year.

The massive company, which offers a variety of products and services, including search engines, cloud computing, and software, also saw more than 1,000 of its workers laid off last January. Pictured: Outside a Google office near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California

Olivia Asemota, the union's vice president, told SFGATE that the company is now performing reviews and that its chief financial officer is discussing cost cuts, sparking fears among workers more cuts might come soon

The tech giant also permanently shut down its Mountain View daycare center and firing teachers and school workers.

On January 11, 2024, Google announced it was eliminating hundreds of roles, with most of those impacted on its augmented reality hardware team responsible for Pixel, Nest and Fitbit.

Sixty-four teachers and nine school workers were dismissed from the center, according to one of the notices.

The cuts came as the big tech company looks toward 'responsibly investing in our company's biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead.'

'Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally,' it said.

The cuts follow pledges made by executives of Google and its parent company, Alphabet, to reduce costs.
The government on Saturday announced a revamp of the current model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to make it more investor-friendly and attract foreign players.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that as proposed in the Interim Budget, the country signed Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) with two countries last year.

"To encourage sustained foreign investment and in the spirit of 'first develop India', the current model BIT will be revamped and made more investor-friendly," she said.

The announcement assumes significance as only a few countries have accepted the existing model tax treaty, and most of the developed nations have expressed their reservations on the tax with regard to provisions like resolution of disputes.

These investment treaties help in protecting and promoting investments in each other's countries.

These pacts are important as India has earlier lost two international arbitration cases against British telecom giant Vodafone and Cairn Energy plc of the UK over the retrospective levy of taxes.

Last year, the centre had announced implementation of these treaties with UAE and Uzbekistan.

Presently, India is negotiating this treaty with countries such as the UK, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the European Union (EU).

Economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that the announcement that India will revamp its 2015 Model BIT is a necessary move.

GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said that India's approach to investment treaties over the past decade has cost it valuable foreign investments and created unnecessary roadblocks in international negotiations.

"A shift in policy signals that New Delhi is finally acknowledging the need to align with global investment norms," he said adding the decision to unilaterally cancel 77 out of its 80-plus BITs by 2016, following adverse arbitration rulings in high-profile cases such as Cairn Energy, Vodafone, and White Industries, was an "extreme" reaction.

With India now approaching to become third largest economy and a hub for global manufacturing, the government cannot afford to maintain an investment regime that discourages investors, Srivastava said.

"A modernized BIT framework must strike the right balance safeguarding India's policy space while ensuring that foreign investors have confidence in legal protections," he said adding India must not only restore credibility in its investment policies but also demonstrate better negotiation capabilities.

Rumki Majumdar, Economist, Deloitte India, said that India needs investment and one of the factors to help bring investment is ease of doing business.

According to Economic Survey 2024-25, India must "pull out all the stops" and improve tax certainty and stability to attract more foreign direct investments (FDI) into the country.

It has stated that there is room to improve tax certainty and tax stability in matters such as APA (Advance Pricing Agreement).

Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into India have crossed the USD one trillion milestone in the April 2000-September 2024 period, firmly establishing the country's reputation as a safe and key investment destination globally.

About 25 per cent of the FDI came through the Mauritius route. It was followed by Singapore (24 per cent), the US (10 per cent), the Netherlands (7 per cent), Japan (6 per cent), the UK (5 per cent), UAE (3 per cent) and Cayman Islands, Germany and Cyprus accounted for 2 per cent each.

The key sectors attracting the maximum of these inflows include the services segment, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading, construction development, automobile, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Makhana board, Investment in Western Koshi command area Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana for 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters , customised Credit Cards with a ` 5 lakh limit for micro enterprises registered on Udyam portal are the few revolutionary steps which will not only Check unmindful and forced migration but will create a farmer centric , robust Agriculture Value chain. Indias agricultural sector has long been the backbone of its economy, but its true potential remains untapped due to a lack of value addition and processing infrastructure. Traditionally, farmers have been confined to primary production, leaving them vulnerable to price fluctuations, middlemen, and post-harvest losses. However, Budget 2025 lays a strong foundation for an agri-led manufacturing economy, recognising that the future of rural prosperity lies in food processing, agro-industrial clusters, and cooperative-based manufacturing. This shift from a raw-produce-based economy to a value-added agricultural powerhouse will not only boost farmers incomes but also generate large-scale rural employment, reduce distress migration, and foster self-reliant rural communities. With a focus on pulses, oilseeds, Natural farming, and farm-to-factory linkages, India is poised to become a global leader in high-value agri-products and rural industrialisation.

The governments renewed Pulses Mission is a key step towards achieving nutritional security and self-sufficiency in pulse production. India is the worlds largest producer and consumer of pulses, yet it relies on imports to bridge domestic demand. To address this, Budget 2025 prioritises assured procurement on MSPs (Minimum Support Prices), enhanced procurement through cooperatives, and incentives for startup led processing industries which will create insitu employment . By promoting FPO-led (Farmer Producer Organisation) supply chains, decentralised pulse-processing units, and research-driven yield improvements, the government is ensuring that pulses become a profitable crop for farmers rather than just a subsistence crop. This mission will not only reduce Indias dependence on imports but also create employment in rural processing units, packaging industries, and export logistics, reinforcing the role of pulses as an economic driver.

The budgets emphasis on food processing and rural industrialisation marks a paradigm shift in how agriculture contributes to economic growth. Indias agri-rich states-Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and the Northeast-are blessed with unique agricultural produce but suffer from inadequate processing and market linkages. To address this, the government is investing in farm-to-factory models that integrate small farmers into formalised supply chains, cold storage and logistics hubs to reduce post-harvest losses, and cooperative-led food processing units that ensure farmers retain value in their produce. Additionally, branding and global marketing of region-specific products, such as Bihars makhana Board, maize, and litchi, Himachals apples and walnuts, and the Northeasts organic spices and medicinal plants, will boost exports and enhance rural incomes.

By shifting from raw exports to high-value agri-based manufacturing, India can significantly enhance its agricultural GDP, boost rural wages, and create new employment avenues in food processing, packaging, and distribution.

One of the most promising aspects of Budget 2025 is its strengthening of the cooperative movement through the PACS-to-APEX model. Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) will now function as multi-service agribusiness hubs, connected to state and national cooperative federations. This model will enable direct market access for farmers, reducing dependency on middlemen; technology-driven processing units at the village level, enhancing value retention; financial and credit linkages, ensuring timely support for small farmers; and e-market platforms for transparent pricing and better market intelligence. By embedding AI and blockchain into cooperative transactions, the budget ensures fair pricing, traceability, and financial inclusion, making rural entrepreneurship more viable than ever.

Beyond manufacturing, the future of Indian agriculture lies in integrating primary production with high-value services. Agri-tourism, AI-driven farm advisory, blockchain-backed supply chains, and rural fintech hubs are poised to revolutionise the employment landscape in villages. Key initiatives under the budget include rural startups and ease of getting credit, 5 Lakh Rs Credit card to those registered with UDYAM portal for those and fintech hubs, enabling digital banking, crop insurance, and agri-finance services; AI-powered soil testing and precision farming, reducing input costs and enhancing productivity; drone-assisted irrigation and weather forecasting, mitigating climate risks for farmers; and e-commerce platforms for farmers, allowing direct-to-consumer sales of organic and specialty crops. This multi-sectoral approach ensures that rural youth no longer must migrate to cities for employment. Instead, they can become Agri-entrepreneurs within their own villages, engaged in logistics management, organic certification, digital marketing, and farm consulting services.

The integration of AI, IoT, and blockchain in Indian agriculture is set to revolutionise productivity, transparency, and financial security for farmers. Some key developments include AI-driven commodity trading, where a National AI-Powered Agri Commodity Exchange will eliminate middlemen and ensure transparent pricing, benefiting small farmers in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Bihar and other producer states. Blockchain-backed cooperative networks will use smart contracts to ensure timely payments, prevent fraud, and build trust in rural financial transactions. AI-powered logistics planning will optimise transportation networks to ensure that perishable goods reach markets efficiently, reducing waste and increasing farmer incomes. Additionally, data-driven lending and insurance models will allow small farmers to access credit and insurance without bureaucratic hurdles. By embedding AI into PACS-led financial models, warehouse management, and e-trading platforms, Budget 2025 is democratising access to technology for rural India.

The comprehensive focus on agri-led industrialisation, technology-driven services, and cooperative empowerment ensures that Indias villages become self-reliant economic hubs, rather than sites of agrarian distress. This transformation also has socio-political ramifications-economic security and cooperative-led development will diminish rural unrest, insurgency, and distress migration. Furthermore, this budget aligns with the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat vision by ensuring regional economic parity and integrating rural economies into national and global markets. By fostering rural entrepreneurship, cooperative wealth creation, and AI-driven agricultural solutions, India is positioning itself as a global leader in sustainable agri-business. Towards 21st century with geopolitical headwinds suggesting lower global economic growth over the medium term, certainly our aspiration for a Viksit Bharat inspires us, and the required transformative action point will fuel the Bio-Energy led growth. Budgetary provision is helpful in turning our fastest growing towards a Net Zero Emitter. Our development track record of the past 10 years and structural reforms have drawn global confidence in Indias capability and the potential will exponentially grow as an effect of this budget. We see in the next five years a unique opportunity to realise Sabka Vikas, stimulating balanced growth of all regions.

The finance minister quote on A country is not just its soil, a country is its people is certainly in line with this, for us, Viksit Bharat, with India moves toward a sustainable, self-reliant, and technology-powered rural economy, the wisdom of the Vedas guides us:

Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam - Let us make the world noble.

With the right policies, technological advancements, and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability, India stands on the brink of a rural revolution that will define its economic trajectory for the next century. The agri-led manufacturing economy is not just an economic strategy-it is a vision for a prosperous, empowered, and self-sufficient India.

 Writer is Executive President World Cooperation Economy Forum
The Union Budget 2025-26 has been presented, reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modis unwavering vision for a Viksit Bharat. Over the past decade, while the goal has remained steadfast, everything else has evolved-transformative reforms spanning agriculture, MSMEs, youth empowerment, global trade, and middle-class welfare have redefined Indias economic trajectory. In these turbulent global times, the budget emerges as a beacon of hope. Pragmatic yet bold, visionary yet rooted in reality, it reaffirms the governments unwavering commitment to building a future where growth is inclusive, opportunities are boundless, and Indias rise on the global stage remains unstoppable.

The Indian middle class is no longer a silent observer; it is a dynamic force shaping the nations future. Over the past decade, more than 25 crore Indians have transitioned out of poverty, fueling aspirations in fields such as sports, start-ups, space exploration, and technological advancements. This budget builds upon previous commitments, ensuring continued financial relief and empowerment.

Steady rise in tax exemption limits, offers greater financial relief and empowers millions of taxpayers. From `2.5 lakh in 2014 to `5 lakh in 2019, then `7 lakh in 2023, and now a remarkable `12 lakh in 2025-this consistent expansion has, for the first time, left a vast majority of the middle class completely out of the burden of paying personal income tax. Under the new tax regime, a taxpayer earning `12 lakh will receive a substantial benefit of `80,000-effectively eliminating their entire tax liability under the existing rates. This means 100% of the tax payable as per previous slabs is now saved, allowing individuals to retain more of their hard-earned income. And this comes at a time when the share of income tax in total government receipts has actually increased from 19% to 22%. This makes it even more impressive-stronger tax compliance and a rapidly expanding formal economy have ensured that despite widespread tax relief, revenues remain robust and sustainable.

In a deeply considerate step, the government has doubled the tax deduction limit for senior citizens from `50,000 to `1 lakh, recognizing their evolving financial needs and ensuring a dignified, secure future. Yet, even as tax relief is extended to millions, fiscal prudence remains paramount. The fiscal deficit target has been firmly set at 4.4% of GDP, reinforcing the governments commitment to responsible economic management.

At the heart of Indias economic fabric lies agriculture-the lifeblood of millions. This budget further strengthens the governments commitment to our farmers with transformative initiatives: enhanced credit through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) will benefit 7.7 crore farmers, providing them with greater financial stability. A visionary 5-year mission to boost cotton productivity will enhance Indias textile competitiveness, while the establishment of a dedicated Makhana Board in Bihar will offer vital institutional support to farmers engaged in niche agri-products. Additionally, a six-year roadmap for Aatmanirbharta in pulses will reduce import dependence, ensuring food security and improving rural incomes.

In India, MSMEs have often remained small, not just by circumstance but sometimes by choice-to evade regulatory complexities and compliance burdens. However, this government does not see MSMEs as entities meant to stay small; it envisions them as dynamic engines of growth, capable of scaling, innovating, and driving economic transformation. In line with this vision, the budget introduces structured interventions to propel MSMEs forward so that they are not just surviving but thriving, contributing more significantly to Indias industrial and economic landscape. In a significant move, the MSME classification criteria have been revised, with turnover and investment limits more than doubling-easing regulatory constraints and enabling more businesses to thrive. The credit guarantee cover has been doubled to `10 crore for Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) and `20 crore for start-ups, ensuring greater financial security and access to capital. To facilitate financial inclusion, 10 lakh credit cards with a `5 lakh limit will be issued to micro enterprises, enabling them to expand operations with ease. Additionally, a special scheme has been introduced to provide term loans of up to `2 crore for 5 lakh first-time entrepreneurs, with a special focus on women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes. These transformative measures will not only fuel growth but also drive formalization and job creation across the sector.

Recognizing that Indias youth are its greatest asset, the budget places a sharp focus on education, research, and skill development. The expansion of IIT capacities and the introduction of the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak scheme will strengthen higher education and promote learning in regional languages. To foster innovation from an early age, 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools over the next 5 years, igniting young minds with hands-on scientific learning. Increased investment in medical education will help meet the growing healthcare demands of the nation, ensuring a skilled workforce in critical sectors. Furthermore, broadband connectivity for all government secondary schools and primary health centers will bridge the digital divide, ensuring equitable access to knowledge and healthcare services. A significant `20,000 crore allocation for private-sector-driven research, development, and innovation initiatives will accelerate Indias technological advancements and global competitiveness.

The governments unwavering commitment to infrastructure development remains a defining pillar of this budget, reinforcing Indias journey toward economic transformation. With a `1.5 lakh crore outlay for 50-year interest-free loans to states for capital expenditure-linked to incentives for structural reforms-the focus is firmly on sustainable and inclusive growth. The Asset Monetization Plan 2025-30, targeting `10 lakh crore in investments for new projects, will unlock value from existing assets while fueling fresh infrastructure expansion. Meanwhile, the extension of the Jal Jeevan Mission till 2028 ensures that the dream of 100% safe drinking water coverage becomes a reality for every household, improving public health and quality of life. These strategic investments will drive economic expansion, generate employment, and elevate Indias global competitiveness.

To make India a more business-friendly destination, the budget introduces progressive regulatory reforms - A regulatory framework based on trust and principles to boost productivity and employment. A High-Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms to ease compliance burdens and Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalize over 100 provisions in various laws will enhance ease of doing business and attract both domestic and foreign investments. With an eye on global leadership, the government has launched key initiatives to integrate India into global supply chains. BharatTradeNet (BTN), a unified digital public infrastructure platform for international trade documentation and financing. A National Framework for Global Capability Centers (GCCs) to promote emerging Tier-2 cities as investment hubs. Exemptions on key imports, including 36 lifesaving drugs, LED/LCD TV components, 35 capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing, are expected to boost domestic production and affordability. Rationalization of the customs tariff structure will take place, removing seven tariff rates to enhance trade competitiveness.

The 2025-26 budget is not merely a budget but a bold statement of vision, defining Indias path towards self-dependency, global competitiveness, and shared prosperity. With a sharp accent on farmers, MSMEs, infrastructure, and ease of compliance, it creates a strong platform for long-term growth and yet keeps in consideration that anyone and everyone in India must have an opportunity to flourish. Despite budgeted consolidation, the government has delivered a citizen-first, progressive budget-one that inspires hope, induces investments, and accelerates national development.

Gone are the days when India was counted among the Fragile Five. Today, we stand on the cusp of greatness-soon to be recognized as one of the worlds foremost economic powerhouses, a leader in business, resilience, and global influence. With structural reforms, strategic investments, and a future-ready approach, India is not just navigating change but shaping it. The journey toward Viksit Bharat is well underway, and this budget ensures that no Indian is left behind. From the fields of our farmers to the ambitions of our entrepreneurs, from the aspirations of our youth to the well-being of our senior citizens-this is a budget that empowers, uplifts, and inspires. The future belongs to India, and with unwavering resolve, we are building a nation that is strong, self-reliant, and unstoppable.

 The writer is a professor of finance at Xavier School of Management, XLRI
From Dushman to fanaticism of Sangharsh, to the courtroom intensity of Mulk, Ashutosh Rana has mastered every shade of villainy with effortless ease, says SAKSHI PRIYA

Indian cinema has always celebrated its heroes, but some actors have carved their legacy by embracing roles that challenge conventions. Ashutosh Rana is one such artist who has left an indelible mark with his fearless choice of characters. Known for his spine-chilling performances in films like Dushman and Sangharsh, Rana redefined villainy in the Hindi film industry. His performances were not just menacing but deeply impactful, leaving audiences captivated and disturbed in equal measure.

With a career spanning decades, Rana has mastered the art of bringing authenticity to every role, whether its the calculated cruelty of a villain or the depth of a vulnerable, layered character. Films like Raaz and Shorgul showcased his ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level, proving that his craft is rooted in versatility.

Recently, Rana has been performing in Humare Ram, where he plays the role of Ravan. In this portrayal, he brings a fresh perspective to the character, showing Ravan as not only a figure of ambition and power but one with deep emotional layers.

Rana reflected on his journey, his thoughts on storytelling and the challenges of balancing cinema and theatre. Heres what he shared.

Breathing Life into Villains

Even with negative characters, the aim is always to go beyond the expected. Take Dushman, for instance. The character is negative, but it operates in a different emotional space than, say, my role in Sangharsh. These characters may share the label of being negative, but they each carry unique baggage, emotions and complexities.

The idea is to bring something new every time. If you watch my work, my goal is that you shouldnt see traces of my past performances in the current role. You come to watch Ashutosh Rana in a new avatar, not as a repetition of something youve already seen.

Choosing the Road Less Taken

All the characters you have seen, I have always selected roles I have not done or explored before. As an actor, you must decide whether you want to be an actor or an artist. If you are an actor, you repeat yourself. But if you are an artist, you must break yourself in each and every performance. This diversity is what defines an artist. My effort has always been not to repeat a character Ive already portrayed.

The Evolution as an Actor

I do not do any film in which I am not involved. Acting is not only my passion; it is my profession and my education. My education is acting, my profession is acting and my learning is acting. I do not take up any work in which I am not involved from within.

Whether it is a full-length central character or just two scenes in a film like Fighter, I do not play any role unless it allows me to evolve as a person and as an actor. Every character I play must push me forward.

Becoming Ravan

Before doing this, I had written a book, Ramrajya, which became a bestseller and won awards. That process itself was a form of preparation.

Ravan is not a character bound by a single emotion; he operates on multiple levels. He has divinity, aggression, wisdom, purity and even impurity. Like the seven notes of music, To embody Ravan, I did not need to build him; I had to break myself. It is not a role where you add layers to create drama; it is one where you strip away everything until the essence of Ravan emerges. The process is not about constructing a persona; it is about deconstructing Ashutosh Rana so that Ravan can come through.

Do you feel that a role as iconic as Ravan leaves something within you?

No, I believe everything is already within us. If we refer to the Gita, it teaches that all emotions come from within. Whether it is love, anger, or wisdom, they exist inside us, we just express them differently.

Drawing a Line Between Performance and Reality

But it depends, do you see yourself as a player or a spectator? If you remain a spectator, the role will not consume you. But if you allow it to, it may shape your thoughts, whether its Ravans wisdom or dominance.

That is why I have set clear boundaries. I do not take my home to the market, nor do I bring the market into my home. If you carry your emotions everywhere, they will consume you. My performance happens in the green room. The moment I wear Ravans attire, I become Ravan. But the moment I remove my makeup, Ravan stays behind and Ashutosh walks out.

On Playing Mythological Characters

I want to widen my spectrum in terms of mythology and historical roles. I would love to play Krishna. I would love to play Chanakya because that is also a very versatile character.

No Regrets

I have no regrets in life. Whatever decisions you made were the only ones possible at that moment, which is why you made them. Life is not about correcting the past; it is a process of evolving. You either grow with age or simply grow old. I believe I am growing.

A New Perspective on Ravan

My portrayal of Ravan in Humare Ram also challenges cliches. Traditionally, we view Ravan through a set image, an archetype that doesnt emotionally connect or move us. The characters I choose, whether negative or otherwise, have a wider horizon. They challenge the audience to look beyond the surface. When you engage with the story, the character naturally resonates. But my goal is never to create a character so overwhelming that you forget the story.

On Performing Across Different Mediums

I have had the opportunity to perform in all mediums and I believe that every medium is just a means of expression. If your expression is true, it will connect with people, regardless of the medium, whether it is theatre, film, or television.

Ravan: A Hero in His Own Story?

Do you think Ravan could be considered the hero of his own story?

Yes, absolutely. If you look at it from his perspective, he had his own beliefs, his own dharma. Every story has two sides. Even the gods had to take birth on Earth for a reason. That in itself shows the complexity of his character.

UNFORETTABLE PRESENCE:

For Ashutosh Rana, acting is not about playing a character, it is about becoming, breaking and rebuilding. With every role, he steps into uncharted emotional depths, revealing not just a character but fragments of life itself. Be it a formidable villain, a layered mythological figure, or a storyteller who makes us pause and reflect, Ranas performances do not just entertain, they resonate. Long after the lights dim and the curtains fall, his stories remain, echoing in the minds of those who dare to look beyond the screen.

Recently, Rana has been performing in the theatre production Humare Ram, where he plays the role of Ravan. In this portrayal, he brings a fresh perspective to the character, showing Ravan as not only a figure of ambition and power but one with deep emotional layers.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced PM Dhan Dhyan Krishi Yojana, covering 100 districts with low yields, modern crop intensity and below-average credit parameters.

Presenting her record eighth consecutive budget, she also said that the scheme would benefit 1.7 crore farmers.

She added the government will launch rural prosperity, and resilience programme focusing on youth, women and farmers.

Nafed (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF will procure pulses in the next four years.

The government will also roll out a 6-year programme for Atmanirbharta in pulses with a special focus on tur, urad, and masoor.

A comprehensive programme for raising vegetables, fruit production, and providing remunerative prices will also be launched, Sitharaman said.

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the government is working towards modernisation and self-reliance in the agriculture sector while focusing on boosting farmers' income.

Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, Murmu highlighted that India achieved a record foodgrain production of 332 million tonnes in 2023-24.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday will present her eighth consecutive Budget, which she will deliver from a digital tablet enclosed in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch.

Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman Finance Minister, broke away from the colonial tradition of carrying a Budget briefcase in July 2019, opting instead for a traditional 'bahi-khata', to carry the Union Budget papers.

She continued this custom the following year, and in the pandemic-affected 2021, she replaced the traditional papers with a digital tablet to carry her speech and other Budget documents.

This tradition continues on Saturday.

Draped in an off-white handloom silk saree with fish-themed embroidery and golden border, Sitharaman posed for the traditional 'briefcase' photo outside her North Block office, accompanied by her team of officials, before heading to meet the President.

With the tablet securely placed inside a red cover featuring a golden national emblem, her next stop will be Parliament, after her meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Her Budget for the fiscal year starting April 2025 (FY2025-26) marks the 14th consecutive Budget under the Narendra Modi government since 2014, including two interim Budgets presented ahead of the general elections in 2019 and 2024.

She was appointed as the finance minister when Modi swept to power again in the 2019 election and presented her maiden Budget on July 5, 2019. She used a red cloth folder enclosed with a string and emblazoned with the national emblem to carry the Budget documents.

Earlier, finance ministers in different governments, including her predecessors in the Modi government - Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal- used the standard Budget briefcase.

Before Sitharaman, a long-standing colonial tradition in connection with the Budget presentation was broken during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government when the then finance minister Yashwant Sinha presented the Budget at 11 am rather than at the traditional time of 5 pm.

Since then, all the governments have been presenting the Budget at 11 am.

The tradition of carrying the Budget briefcase was a British legacy. The word 'Budget' originates from the French word 'bougette', which means leather briefcase.

The "budget case" tradition started in the 18th century when the Chancellor of the Exchequer or Britain's budget chief was asked to 'open the budget' while presenting his annual statement.

In 1860, the then British budget chief William E Gladstone carried his papers in a red suitcase with the Queen's monogram in gold. Budget briefcase came into being because Gladstone's speeches were extraordinarily long, and he needed a briefcase to carry his speech papers.

However, in India, different finance ministers carried different briefcases with colours of red, black, tan or brown.

India's first finance minister RK Shanmukham Chetty carried a leather portfolio to present the first Budget in 1947. TT Krishnamachari, in the 1950s, carried something that looked like a file bag. Jawaharlal Nehru carried a black briefcase.

As the finance minister, Manmohan Singh, who delivered the iconic 1991 economic liberalisation proposals, carried a black bag. Pranab Mukherjee, as prime minister Manmohan Singh's finance minister, used a red briefcase similar to the Gladstone case of Britain.

Piyush Goyal, who presented the interim Budget in February 2019, was the last finance minister to have carried a briefcase. He carried a red one to Parliament.

On Budget day, the finance minister of India poses with the Budget bag outside Parliament. In Britain, the Chancellor of the Exchequer poses with his suitcase in front of 11 Downing Street before the Budget speech.

Soon after presenting her maiden Budget in 2019, Sitharaman had said that the bahi-khata was a break from the colonial legacy.

"Why did I not use a leather bag to carry budget documents? I thought it is high time we move on from the British hangover, to do something on our own. And well, easier for me to carry too," she had said.

One of her predecessors, P Chidambaram of the Congress, had, however, scoffed at her choice in that year. "A Congress finance minister in future will bring an iPad," the former finance minister had said when asked to comment on the bahi-khata.

And Sitharaman did just that in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and twice in 2024.

Photo - Ranjan Dimri
The Union Budget for 2025-2026 was 'biased' in completely ignoring Tamil Nadu and betrayed the expectation of the people, Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Saturday.

Despite putting forth several demands to it, the Centre did not seem to have the heart to confirm atleast one demand and announce it in the Budget, he said.

"The demands are numerous ... highways and railway projects, Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects. Why nothing has been given? What is stopping you?" Stalin asked in a post on the social media platform X.

Terming the Union Budget as 'prejudiced' in so far as Tamil Nadu was concerned, the Chief Minister said even the name Tamil Nadu was not mentioned.

Tamil Nadu occupied a prominent place in all the reports of the Union Government including the Economic Survey, Ranking of Higher Education Institutions, and the NITI Aayog report, and they all praised the state's activities. "But why is Tamil Nadu completely ignored this year in the Budget?" Stalin, who is president of DMK, asked.

"Should not the financial allocation reflect at least a small part of the interest shown by the Centre in imposing its language policy on Tamil Nadu much against the state's wishes?" the Chief Minister asked in the post.

He argued that a reduction in central funding increased the financial burden on the state government. The Centre has already imposed various restrictions on Tamil Nadu alone.

"The BJP's charade of deceiving the people of India, as usual, through empty rhetoric and deceptive overtones, continues. If schemes and funds are announced only for election-bound states or BJP allies-ruled states, then what is the need to call it a 'Union' Budget? #BudgetBetrayal #Budget2025," the Chief Minister said.
(): Police on Friday fired tear gas to disperse a group of protesters who clashed with officers outside an Istanbul courthouse while rallying in support of the citys mayor, who was called to give testimony in two new legal probes against him.

Ekrem Imamoglu, a potential future leader of Turkiyes main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP, and a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, testified before prosecutors for two hours.

The testimony was in connection with comments he made about a chief prosecutor and a court expert. Critics argue that these probes are part of an effort to remove Imamoglu from the political scene.

The politician has already been convicted of charges of insulting members of Turkeys Supreme Electoral Council and faces a political ban if his conviction in 2022 is upheld by a high court. He is also on trial on charges that he was involved in the alleged rigging of bids in a tender dating back to 2015.

Thousands of supporters gathered outside the Caglayan courthouse to protest the legal actions against Imamoglu. Tensions escalated when riot police blocked a CHP bus, which serves as a podium for politicians, from approaching the courthouse. The move led to clashes between the protesters and the police, who responded with tear gas. It was not clear if any arrests were made.

Imamoglu later addressed the crowds from the top of the bus at another location. Todays issue is an issue of justice, an issue of seeking rights and justice, the mayor said. Unfortunately, todays issue stems from a conspiracy that is being set up against Istanbul.

Imamoglu, 53, was first elected to lead Istanbul in March 2019.

His win was a historic blow to Erdogans Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century.

The party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities. The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu also won. Imamoglu was reelected mayor of Turkeys largest city last year.
Shares of British Smaller Companies VCT (LON:BSV  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 73 ($0.90) and last traded at GBX 76.50 ($0.95), with a volume of 9800 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at GBX 75 ($0.93).

British Smaller Companies VCT Stock Up 2.0 %

The firm has a market capitalization of 233.52 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,275.00 and a beta of 0.02. The businesss fifty day moving average is GBX 75.25 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 76.99.

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British Smaller Companies VCT (LON:BSV  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, November 29th. The company reported GBX 0.73 ($0.01) earnings per share for the quarter. British Smaller Companies VCT had a return on equity of 6.72% and a net margin of 78.85%.

British Smaller Companies VCT Cuts Dividend

British Smaller Companies VCT Company Profile

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 24th were paid a dividend of GBX 1.25 ($0.02) per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 24th. This represents a dividend yield of 1.64%. British Smaller Companies VCTs dividend payout ratio is 6,666.67%.

(Get Free Report)

British Smaller Companies VCT plc is a venture capital trust specializing in investments in early stage, mid and late venture, later stage, recapitalizations, growing capital-consuming businesses, acquisition funding and business development in mature, VCT qualifying and non-qualifying unquoted and quoted companies listed on alternative investment market and ISDX.

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Magellan Aerospace (OTCMKTS:MALJF  Get Free Report) and Chemring Group (OTC:CMGMF  Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, valuation, risk, institutional ownership, profitability and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Magellan Aerospace and Chemring Groups net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Magellan Aerospace N/A N/A N/A Chemring Group N/A N/A N/A

Dividends

Magellan Aerospace pays an annual dividend of $0.15 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.2%. Chemring Group pays an annual dividend of C$0.04 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.9%. Magellan Aerospace pays out 15.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Chemring Group pays out -6.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years.

Analyst Recommendations

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Magellan Aerospace 0 0 1 0 3.00 Chemring Group 0 0 0 0 0.00

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations for Magellan Aerospace and Chemring Group, as provided by MarketBeat.

Magellan Aerospace currently has a consensus price target of $14.00, suggesting a potential upside of 105.88%. Given Magellan Aerospaces stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Magellan Aerospace is more favorable than Chemring Group.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

3.9% of Magellan Aerospace shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 60.7% of Chemring Group shares are held by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Magellan Aerospace and Chemring Groups top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Magellan Aerospace N/A N/A N/A $0.95 7.14 Chemring Group N/A N/A N/A C($0.60) -7.33

Chemring Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Magellan Aerospace, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Magellan Aerospace beats Chemring Group on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Magellan Aerospace

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Magellan Aerospace Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engineers and manufactures aeroengine and aerostructure components for aerospace markets in Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company offers aero engine products, such as laser welded honeycomb and filament wound tubes, frames, compressor components, bypass ducts, hot section components, and aeroengine and helicopter drive shafts, as well as other flight safety critical machined components, including discs, seals, and spacers; and aerostructures comprising landing gear systems, wing ribs, spars and skins, bulkheads and fuselage components, tailcone assemblies, composite wing and fairing structures, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, plug and nozzle, exhaust systems, crown modules, and vane boxes and transition ducts. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures assemblies and components, such as stage rocket motors, solid propellant rocket motors, and rocket weapon systems; wire strike protection systems for helicopter safety; space solutions, including small satellite bus platforms and satellite subsystem equipment, as well as offers services for satellite assembly, integration, and testing; and aluminum and magnesium alloy sand castings, such as engine mounted accessory gearbox housings, helicopter power transmission housings, auxiliary power unit inlet and gearbox housings, engine front inlet and intermediate cases, engine front frames and fan cases, pump and accessory drive housings, and environmental control housings. In addition, the company offers maintenance, repair, and overhaul for various engine and components MRO, as well as lifecycle management services to logistics, fleet management, and engineering services. Magellan Aerospace Corporation was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada.

About Chemring Group

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Chemring Group PLC provides countermeasures, sensors, information, and energetic products in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, the Asia pacific, and internationally. The company offers sensors and information products, such as point chemical detector, sensor, JSLSCAD, and I-SCAD; miniature radar altimeter, R Visor, 3D radars, husky mounted detection system, groundshark, MDS-10, and groundhunters; resolve, locate, LOCATE-T, and viper products; and advisory, research, and design and engineering services. It also provides countermeasures and energetics products, including aerodynamic and kinematic flare; chaf cart and pack; seduction and distraction cart; initiator, separation and explosive bolts, nuts, and pin pullers and pushers; initiators, actuators, retractors and systems, time delay devices, ejection handles and sequencers, gas generators, cutters, canopy remover thruster, and thermal battery; wing, fin, elevon deployment actuators, wing and tail retention systems, separation nuts, pyrovalves, and safe and arm devices; joint combined aircrew system, system communication and oxygen, and altitude combined aircrew system tester; HMX, RDX, NTO, Alkyl-NENA, and acetic acid; and advanced performance bangalore torpedo, SX4, PE8, charge demolition user filled conical and linear, igniter safety fuze electric, detonating cord booster, demolition detonator electric and non-electric, detonating cord, and safety fuze. In addition, the company offers metron actuators and gas generators; igniters and fuzeheads, and canopy severance cords and explosive transmission cords; extruded double base propellant for ejection systems and rocket motors; and PED MK 2, breach MC, shrike exploder, mini shrike, long range initiation system, WASP, pigstick, hotrod, mini and midi disruptor, freeze neutralizing kit, fuse extractor, and rocket wrench. Chemring Group PLC was incorporated in 1905 and is headquartered in Romsey, the United Kingdom.

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Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. (CVE:RECO  Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 16.2% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$1.18 and last traded at C$1.15. 857,737 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 216% from the average session volume of 271,213 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.99.

Reconnaissance Energy Africa Stock Performance

The stocks fifty day moving average is C$1.06 and its 200 day moving average is C$1.02. The stock has a market cap of C$225.37 million, a P/E ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 1.24.

Reconnaissance Energy Africa Company Profile

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Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd., a junior oil and gas company, engages in exploration and development of oil and gas properties in Namibia and Botswana. The company holds a 90% interest in a petroleum exploration license that covers an area of approximately 25,341.33 square kilometer located in Namibia; and 100% working interest in a petroleum license, which covers an area of 8,990 square kilometer located in northwestern Botswana.

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Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (LON:RR  Get Free Report) insider Tufan Erginbilgic sold 12,969 shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc stock in a transaction on Monday, January 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of GBX 588 ($7.29), for a total transaction of 76,257.72 ($94,507.03).

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Stock Performance

LON RR opened at GBX 596 ($7.39) on Friday. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc has a one year low of GBX 196.45 ($2.43) and a one year high of GBX 537.20 ($6.66). The company has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 577.24 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 532.49. The firm has a market capitalization of 50.66 billion, a PE ratio of 2,128.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.82.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on RR shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an overweight rating and set a GBX 655 ($8.12) price objective on shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of GBX 553 ($6.85).

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Company Profile

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Rolls-Royce Holdings plc develops and delivers complex power and propulsion solutions for air, sea, and land in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Civil Aerospace, Defence, Power Systems, and New Markets. The Civil Aerospace segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells aero engines for large commercial aircraft, regional jet, and business aviation markets, as well as provides aftermarket services.

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Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY  Get Free Report) Chairman Robert Mehrabian sold 5,768 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $518.22, for a total value of $2,989,092.96. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 144,553 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $74,910,255.66. The trade was a 3.84 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

Robert Mehrabian also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Monday, November 11th, Robert Mehrabian sold 46,075 shares of Teledyne Technologies stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.33, for a total value of $22,453,729.75.

On Friday, November 8th, Robert Mehrabian sold 3,925 shares of Teledyne Technologies stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $490.50, for a total value of $1,925,212.50.

Teledyne Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE TDY traded down $7.88 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $510.96. The company had a trading volume of 297,351 shares, compared to its average volume of 264,592. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated has a 12 month low of $355.41 and a 12 month high of $522.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 2.33 and a quick ratio of 1.61. The stock has a market cap of $23.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.66, a PEG ratio of 3.21 and a beta of 1.01. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $476.25 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $449.79.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Teledyne Technologies ( NYSE:TDY Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $5.52 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.23 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $1.50 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.45 billion. Teledyne Technologies had a return on equity of 9.94% and a net margin of 14.45%. Teledyne Technologiess revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $5.44 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Teledyne Technologies Incorporated will post 21.4 earnings per share for the current year.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on TDY shares. Bank of America raised Teledyne Technologies from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the company from $450.00 to $550.00 in a research report on Friday, November 8th. UBS Group assumed coverage on Teledyne Technologies in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. They set a buy rating and a $585.00 target price for the company. Needham & Company LLC boosted their price objective on Teledyne Technologies from $528.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Finally, TD Cowen upped their price objective on Teledyne Technologies from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat, Teledyne Technologies has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $531.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on TDY

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Teledyne Technologies

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Wolff Wiese Magana LLC bought a new position in Teledyne Technologies during the third quarter valued at about $27,000. Brooklyn Investment Group acquired a new position in Teledyne Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $32,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in Teledyne Technologies during the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Teledyne Technologies during the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Finally, Quarry LP raised its position in shares of Teledyne Technologies by 706.3% during the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 129 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. 91.58% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Teledyne Technologies

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Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides enabling technologies for industrial growth markets in the United States and internationally. Its Digital Imaging segment provides visible spectrum sensors and digital cameras; and infrared, ultraviolet, visible, and X-ray spectra; as well as micro electromechanical systems and semiconductors, including analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters.

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Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE:VOYA  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, January 30th,Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 25th will be paid a dividend of 0.45 per share by the asset manager on Thursday, March 27th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 25th.

Voya Financial has raised its dividend payment by an average of 34.7% per year over the last three years. Voya Financial has a payout ratio of 16.7% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities research analysts expect Voya Financial to earn $9.01 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $1.80 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 20.0%.

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Voya Financial Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE VOYA traded up $0.16 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $70.95. The stock had a trading volume of 846,872 shares, compared to its average volume of 720,429. Voya Financial has a 52-week low of $63.11 and a 52-week high of $84.30. The firm has a market cap of $6.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.30, a P/E/G ratio of 0.50 and a beta of 1.05. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $72.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $74.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Voya Financial ( NYSE:VOYA Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The asset manager reported $2.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.05 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $1.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.86 billion. Voya Financial had a return on equity of 15.09% and a net margin of 8.81%. The businesss revenue was up 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.07 EPS. Analysts expect that Voya Financial will post 7.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on VOYA shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on shares of Voya Financial from $92.00 to $90.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Piper Sandler lowered their target price on Voya Financial from $91.00 to $84.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. UBS Group upgraded Voya Financial to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Voya Financial from $85.00 to $81.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an equal weight rating and issued a $76.00 target price (down from $87.00) on shares of Voya Financial in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $83.73.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on VOYA

Insider Activity at Voya Financial

In other Voya Financial news, insider Tony D. Oh sold 715 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.95, for a total transaction of $58,594.25. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.37% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Voya Financial Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Voya Financial, Inc engages in the provision of workplace benefits and savings products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Wealth Solutions, Health Solutions, and Investment Management. The Wealth Solutions segment offers full-service retirement products; recordkeeping services; stable value and fixed general account investment products; non-qualified plan administration services; and tools, guidance, and services to promote the financial well-being and retirement security of employees.

Further Reading

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Yankuang Energy Group Company Limited (OTCMKTS:YZCAY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 17,100 shares, a decline of 16.6% from the December 31st total of 20,500 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 13,500 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.3 days.

Yankuang Energy Group Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:YZCAY opened at $10.48 on Friday. Yankuang Energy Group has a twelve month low of $10.00 and a twelve month high of $19.95. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $11.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.28.

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About Yankuang Energy Group

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Yankuang Energy Group Company Limited engages in the mining, preparation, and sale of coal in China and internationally. It offers thermal, PCI, and coking coal for electric power, metallurgy, chemical industry, etc.; manufactures, installs, and sells mining equipment and machinery; manufactures and sells coal mining and excavating equipment, cable, and rubber products; manufactures and sells methanol, acetic acid, ethyl acetate, caprolactam, naphtha, crude liquid wax, etc.; produces and sells chemicals and synthesis catalyst; explores for potash mineral; and sells coal mine machinery equipment and accessories, construction materials, petroleum products, and mineral products.

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Caprock Group LLC boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 12.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 54,097 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after buying an additional 6,022 shares during the period. Caprock Group LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $6,119,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ABT. Insight Folios Inc increased its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 3.3% during the third quarter. Insight Folios Inc now owns 2,691 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $307,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the period. Sfmg LLC increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Sfmg LLC now owns 4,622 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $527,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the period. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC raised its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 3,153 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $359,000 after buying an additional 89 shares in the last quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners lifted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 8.7% during the 3rd quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 1,108 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 89 shares during the period. Finally, Atwood & Palmer Inc. boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 6.5% during the 3rd quarter. Atwood & Palmer Inc. now owns 1,478 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $169,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. 75.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $135.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays reaffirmed an overweight rating and issued a $158.00 price target (up previously from $149.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Raymond James reiterated a buy rating and set a $129.00 target price (up previously from $122.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Monday, October 14th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $133.06.

Insider Transactions at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total transaction of $3,054,573.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,152,064.50. The trade was a 15.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 1.10% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

ABT opened at $127.69 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 1.60 and a quick ratio of 1.14. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $116.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $114.00. Abbott Laboratories has a one year low of $99.71 and a one year high of $129.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $221.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.73.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.34. The company had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.03 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.74% and a net margin of 31.95%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.19 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be paid a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 15th. This is a positive change from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.85%.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Menieres disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Abundance Wealth Counselors raised its position in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:AGG  Free Report) by 13.6% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 11,312 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 1,350 shares during the period. Abundance Wealth Counselors holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF were worth $1,096,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of AGG. Kozak & Associates Inc. bought a new position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 1,020.0% in the third quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 280 shares of the companys stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 255 shares during the last quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 30,500.0% in the third quarter. Wagner Wealth Management LLC now owns 306 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 305 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New Hampshire lifted its position in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 71.7% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New Hampshire now owns 455 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after buying an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Concord Wealth Partners grew its holdings in iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF by 110.3% during the 3rd quarter. Concord Wealth Partners now owns 511 shares of the companys stock worth $52,000 after acquiring an additional 268 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.63% of the companys stock.

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iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSEARCA AGG opened at $97.40 on Friday. iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF has a 1-year low of $94.85 and a 1-year high of $102.04. The company has a 50-day moving average of $97.47 and a two-hundred day moving average of $98.87.

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF Profile

IShares are index funds that are bought and sold like common stocks on national securities exchanges as well as certain foreign exchanges. iShares are attractive because of their relatively low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell shares through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account.

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Shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) traded down 3% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $50.08 and last traded at $51.08. 6,063,273 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 16% from the average session volume of 7,257,009 shares. The stock had previously closed at $52.66.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of several analyst reports. Bank of America upgraded Altria Group from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the stock from $55.00 to $65.00 in a research note on Friday, December 6th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on shares of Altria Group from $54.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Altria Group from $45.00 to $46.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Altria Group from $44.50 to $48.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on Altria Group from $54.00 to $53.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Altria Group currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $53.29.

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Altria Group Price Performance

The firms 50-day simple moving average is $53.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $52.32. The company has a market capitalization of $88.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.64.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $1.29 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.28 by $0.01. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 233.80% and a net margin of 42.82%. On average, analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.13 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. This represents a $4.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 7.82%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 26th. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 68.92%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Altria Group

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Franklin Resources Inc. raised its position in Altria Group by 2.2% during the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 2,159,890 shares of the companys stock worth $107,679,000 after acquiring an additional 46,697 shares during the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in shares of Altria Group by 15.3% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 305,704 shares of the companys stock worth $15,603,000 after purchasing an additional 40,574 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank lifted its stake in Altria Group by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 367,469 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,215,000 after buying an additional 19,893 shares in the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC grew its holdings in Altria Group by 5.3% during the 4th quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC now owns 240,454 shares of the companys stock valued at $12,573,000 after buying an additional 12,011 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its position in Altria Group by 2.3% during the third quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 1,456,308 shares of the companys stock worth $74,330,000 after buying an additional 32,318 shares in the last quarter. 57.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Altria Group

(Get Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.

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United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Free Report) had its price objective cut by Bank of America from $150.00 to $133.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the transportation companys stock.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on UPS. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on United Parcel Service from $156.00 to $153.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI upped their price objective on United Parcel Service from $141.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on United Parcel Service from $134.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. Robert W. Baird cut United Parcel Service from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $160.00 to $130.00 in a report on Friday. Finally, Wolfe Research upgraded United Parcel Service from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $147.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, fourteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $141.95.

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United Parcel Service Trading Down 0.6 %

Shares of United Parcel Service stock opened at $114.19 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $97.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.25, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.00. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $128.31 and its 200-day simple moving average is $130.40. United Parcel Service has a 1-year low of $109.62 and a 1-year high of $158.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.14 and a quick ratio of 1.14.

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.52 by $0.23. United Parcel Service had a return on equity of 37.38% and a net margin of 6.25%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.47 EPS. Analysts predict that United Parcel Service will post 7.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

United Parcel Service Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were given a dividend of $1.63 per share. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.71%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 18th. United Parcel Services dividend payout ratio is currently 98.49%.

Insider Transactions at United Parcel Service

In related news, insider Norman M. Brothers, Jr. sold 7,325 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.57, for a total value of $1,015,025.25. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 45,098 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,249,229.86. This represents a 13.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Parcel Service

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Street Corp increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 2.1% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 29,597,425 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $4,035,313,000 after buying an additional 613,409 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 6.4% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 21,927,607 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,989,609,000 after buying an additional 1,320,921 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 2.5% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 15,289,624 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $2,080,170,000 after buying an additional 373,202 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in United Parcel Service by 15,779.6% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 14,631,461 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,994,853,000 after buying an additional 14,539,321 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC boosted its stake in United Parcel Service by 3.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 10,627,550 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $1,448,960,000 after acquiring an additional 380,229 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.26% of the companys stock.

United Parcel Service Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

United Parcel Service, Inc, a package delivery company, provides transportation and delivery, distribution, contract logistics, ocean freight, airfreight, customs brokerage, and insurance services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of express letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States.

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Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (TSE:BAM  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BAM)s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The stock traded as high as C$89.91 and last traded at C$88.83, with a volume of 154972 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$88.51.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, UBS Group reissued a buy rating on shares of Brookfield Asset Management in a research note on Monday, December 16th.

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Brookfield Asset Management Stock Down 1.2 %

The stock has a market cap of C$36.43 billion and a P/E ratio of 57.99. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of C$80.55 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$68.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.32, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 0.85.

Brookfield Asset Management (TSE:BAM  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BAM) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 4th. The company reported C$0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of C$0.49 by C$0.03. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.47 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. will post 2.5564428 earnings per share for the current year.

Brookfield Asset Management Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Friday, November 29th were paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 29th. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.75%. Brookfield Asset Managements dividend payout ratio is presently 136.67%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Brookfield Asset Management news, Director Justin B. Beber sold 25,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$83.87, for a total value of C$2,096,630.00. 14.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About Brookfield Asset Management

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is a real estate investment firm specializing in alternative asset management services. Its renewable power and transition business includes the operates in the hydroelectric, wind, solar, distributed generation, and sustainable solution sector. The company's infrastructure business engages in the utilities, transport, midstream, and data infrastructure sectors.

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Caprock Group LLC increased its holdings in The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW  Free Report) by 8.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 52,841 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 4,234 shares during the quarter. Caprock Group LLCs holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $3,911,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SCHW. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 62.6% in the 3rd quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 387 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new stake in Charles Schwab in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Charles Schwab during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC bought a new position in Charles Schwab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $32,000. Finally, Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Charles Schwab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. 84.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Charles Schwab Price Performance

Shares of NYSE SCHW opened at $82.73 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $147.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.67, a PEG ratio of 1.00 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.47 and a current ratio of 0.47. The Charles Schwab Co. has a fifty-two week low of $61.01 and a fifty-two week high of $83.84. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $77.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $71.08.

Charles Schwab Increases Dividend

Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, January 21st. The financial services provider reported $1.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $5.33 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.19 billion. Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 18.20% and a net margin of 30.31%. Charles Schwabs quarterly revenue was up 19.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.68 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 4.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 28th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be issued a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.31%. This is an increase from Charles Schwabs previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Charles Schwabs dividend payout ratio is currently 33.44%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Christopher V. Dodds sold 9,284 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $81.43, for a total value of $755,996.12. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 442,807 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $36,057,774.01. The trade was a 2.05 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Arun Sarin sold 8,548 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $81.82, for a total transaction of $699,397.36. Following the sale, the director now owns 18,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,523,242.94. This trade represents a 31.47 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 50,014 shares of company stock worth $4,052,281. 6.60% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

SCHW has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their price objective on shares of Charles Schwab from $81.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Barclays lifted their price objective on Charles Schwab from $95.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Charles Schwab from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and upped their target price for the company from $89.00 to $93.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Cowen lifted their target price on Charles Schwab from $69.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price target on Charles Schwab from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $84.11.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Charles Schwab

About Charles Schwab

(Free Report)

The Charles Schwab Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a savings and loan holding company that provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Investor Services and Advisor Services.

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Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its holdings in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 1.9% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 13,894 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 259 shares during the quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLCs holdings in Accenture were worth $4,970,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of ACN. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in shares of Accenture by 1.8% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 27,400,836 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $9,685,648,000 after buying an additional 471,792 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC boosted its position in shares of Accenture by 378.9% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 5,491,736 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,941,219,000 after buying an additional 4,345,039 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Accenture by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,823,754 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,705,100,000 after buying an additional 56,937 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 47.5% during the 4th quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 3,763,690 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,324,029,000 after acquiring an additional 1,212,011 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp raised its holdings in shares of Accenture by 1.5% in the third quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 1,892,409 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $668,974,000 after purchasing an additional 28,491 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.14% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. BNP Paribas lowered shares of Accenture from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and set a $375.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. StockNews.com raised Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Accenture from $422.00 to $429.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Accenture from $370.00 to $396.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, December 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of Accenture from $335.00 to $380.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Accenture currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $387.22.

Accenture Stock Up 1.1 %

ACN stock opened at $384.88 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $240.86 billion, a PE ratio of 32.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.33 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a quick ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Accenture plc has a 52 week low of $278.69 and a 52 week high of $387.51. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $359.04 and a 200 day simple moving average of $349.42.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.43 by $0.16. Accenture had a net margin of 11.41% and a return on equity of 26.91%. The business had revenue of $17.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.27 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.0% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Accenture plc will post 12.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, January 16th will be given a $1.48 dividend. This represents a $5.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 16th. Accentures dividend payout ratio is presently 49.66%.

Insider Activity

In other news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 4,750 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $362.78, for a total transaction of $1,723,205.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 20,526 shares in the company, valued at $7,446,422.28. This trade represents a 18.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Ryoji Sekido sold 3,191 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $343.70, for a total value of $1,096,746.70. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 6 shares in the company, valued at $2,062.20. The trade was a 99.81 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 16,446 shares of company stock worth $5,852,848. Corporate insiders own 0.02% of the companys stock.

Accenture Company Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

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Shares of Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $214.57 and last traded at $207.85, with a volume of 249211 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $197.36.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently issued reports on DOV shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Dover from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Dover from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on Dover from $202.00 to $223.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Wolfe Research raised Dover from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $227.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Dover from $196.00 to $214.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Dover currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $218.91.

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Dover Trading Down 1.0 %

The businesss 50-day moving average price is $195.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $190.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.91 billion, a PE ratio of 18.19, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.06.

Dover (NYSE:DOV  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.20 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.20. Dover had a return on equity of 23.61% and a net margin of 18.63%. As a group, analysts expect that Dover Co. will post 8.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Dover Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 29th were given a dividend of $0.515 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 29th. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.01%. Dovers payout ratio is currently 18.43%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp raised its position in Dover by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,214,308 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,191,531,000 after acquiring an additional 56,149 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Dover by 0.8% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 3,228,716 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $616,945,000 after purchasing an additional 25,993 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in Dover by 5.1% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 3,085,826 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $591,676,000 after buying an additional 149,378 shares in the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its holdings in Dover by 1.8% in the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 984,743 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $188,815,000 after buying an additional 17,193 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in shares of Dover by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 811,340 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $155,566,000 after acquiring an additional 9,464 shares during the period. 84.46% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Dover Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Dover Corporation provides equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services worldwide. The company's Engineered Products segment provides various equipment, component, software, solution, and services that are used in vehicle aftermarket, waste handling, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, industrial winch and hoist, and fluid dispensing end-market.

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Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:GUSA  Get Free Report) saw strong trading volume on Thursday . 555 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 129% from the previous sessions volume of 242 shares.The stock last traded at $52.42 and had previously closed at $52.63.

Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF Price Performance

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $51.99 and a two-hundred day moving average of $49.97. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.43 and a beta of 1.01.

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Institutional Trading of Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF

A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF stock. FMR LLC purchased a new position in shares of Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:GUSA  Free Report) during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 1,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $50,000.

Goldman Sachs MarketBeta US 1000 Equity ETF Company Profile

The Goldman Sachs MarketBeta U.S. 1000 Equity ETF (GUSA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Solactive GBS United States 1000 index. The fund tracks an index of 1,000 US large-cap companies selected and weighted by market-cap. GUSA was launched on Apr 5, 2022 and is managed by Goldman Sachs.

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Independence Bank of Kentucky raised its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSEARCA:IWM  Free Report) by 6.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 29,313 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 1,891 shares during the period. iShares Russell 2000 ETF makes up approximately 1.0% of Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest holding. Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings in iShares Russell 2000 ETF were worth $6,477,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 24,883.5% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 2,832,878 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $625,754,000 after acquiring an additional 2,821,539 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF by 50.5% in the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 4,313,404 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $952,788,000 after purchasing an additional 1,446,443 shares during the last quarter. Redwood Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the third quarter worth about $142,774,000. Factory Mutual Insurance Co. acquired a new stake in shares of iShares Russell 2000 ETF during the third quarter worth about $126,250,000. Finally, IMC Chicago LLC purchased a new stake in iShares Russell 2000 ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $100,618,000.

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iShares Russell 2000 ETF Price Performance

IWM opened at $226.48 on Friday. iShares Russell 2000 ETF has a 12-month low of $190.06 and a 12-month high of $244.98. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $228.67 and a two-hundred day moving average of $222.77.

iShares Russell 2000 ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market and includes securities issued by the approximately 2,000 smallest issuers in the Russell 3000 Index.

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Institute for Wealth Management LLC. decreased its position in Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 1.3% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 2,674 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 34 shares during the period. Institute for Wealth Management LLC.s holdings in Accenture were worth $941,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in ACN. Anchor Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Accenture by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 5,661 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $1,718,000 after buying an additional 61 shares in the last quarter. Mattson Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture in the 2nd quarter valued at $1,043,000. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH raised its holdings in shares of Accenture by 37.7% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Toledo NA OH now owns 3,800 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,343,000 after purchasing an additional 1,040 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank raised its holdings in shares of Accenture by 6.5% in the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 127,601 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $45,104,000 after purchasing an additional 7,791 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Unique Wealth LLC raised its holdings in shares of Accenture by 12.9% in the 3rd quarter. Unique Wealth LLC now owns 7,490 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,648,000 after purchasing an additional 857 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.14% of the companys stock.

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Accenture Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of NYSE:ACN opened at $384.88 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $240.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.29, a PEG ratio of 3.33 and a beta of 1.24. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $359.04 and its 200-day simple moving average is $349.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.47, a current ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17. Accenture plc has a fifty-two week low of $278.69 and a fifty-two week high of $387.51.

Accenture Announces Dividend

Accenture ( NYSE:ACN Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.59 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.43 by $0.16. Accenture had a net margin of 11.41% and a return on equity of 26.91%. The firm had revenue of $17.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.15 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.27 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Accenture plc will post 12.69 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, January 16th will be paid a $1.48 dividend. This represents a $5.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, January 16th. Accentures dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 49.66%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ACN has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $422.00 to $429.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. StockNews.com raised shares of Accenture from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $370.00 to $396.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, December 16th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Accenture from $450.00 to $455.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 20th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised shares of Accenture from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $425.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $387.22.

Read Our Latest Research Report on ACN

Insider Activity at Accenture

In related news, insider Angela Beatty sold 375 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $358.50, for a total value of $134,437.50. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 5,149 shares in the company, valued at $1,845,916.50. This trade represents a 6.79 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Ryoji Sekido sold 3,191 shares of Accenture stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $343.70, for a total transaction of $1,096,746.70. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 6 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,062.20. The trade was a 99.81 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 16,446 shares of company stock worth $5,852,848 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.02% of the companys stock.

About Accenture

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

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Kier Group plc (LON:KIE  Get Free Report)s stock price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 147.01 ($1.82) and traded as high as GBX 149.80 ($1.86). Kier Group shares last traded at GBX 149.80 ($1.86), with a volume of 1,072,243 shares traded.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Berenberg Bank reiterated a buy rating and set a GBX 210 ($2.60) price objective on shares of Kier Group in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd.

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Kier Group Price Performance

Kier Group Company Profile

The company has a quick ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.88 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 302.88. The firm has a market capitalization of 660.21 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,361.82, a P/E/G ratio of 0.29 and a beta of 1.14. The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 145.84 and a 200 day moving average of GBX 147.

(Get Free Report)

Kier Group is a leading infrastructure services, construction and property group based in the UK.

Our purpose is to sustainably deliver infrastructure which is vital to the UK with a vision is to be the UKs leading infrastructure services and construction company.

We operate through three segments; Infrastructure Services, Construction and Property.

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Kunlun Energy Company Limited (OTCMKTS:KLYCY  Get Free Report) traded up 3.9% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $10.29 and last traded at $10.29. 264 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 39% from the average session volume of 433 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.90.

Kunlun Energy Stock Down 11.1 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average of $10.06 and a 200-day moving average of $9.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.61, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19.

Kunlun Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Kunlun Energy Company Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It operates through four segments: Natural Gas Sales; Sales of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG); Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Processing and Terminal; and Exploration and Production.

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LandBridge Co LLC (NYSE:LB  Get Free Report) shares traded down 6.4% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $64.50 and last traded at $63.72. 528,438 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 23% from the average session volume of 690,669 shares. The stock had previously closed at $68.10.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently commented on LB shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an underperform rating and set a $25.00 target price on shares of LandBridge in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on shares of LandBridge from $39.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Raymond James upped their target price on shares of LandBridge from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a buy rating and issued a $71.00 price target on shares of LandBridge in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on LandBridge from $38.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, January 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $53.33.

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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on LandBridge

LandBridge Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.73. The company has a 50 day moving average of $68.24 and a 200 day moving average of $52.42.

LandBridge (NYSE:LB  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.07 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.31 by ($0.24). The firm had revenue of $28.49 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $35.50 million. On average, analysts expect that LandBridge Co LLC will post 0.99 EPS for the current year.

LandBridge Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 19th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 5th were paid a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.62%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, December 5th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On LandBridge

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of LB. HighTower Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of LandBridge by 370.2% in the third quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 68,649 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,688,000 after acquiring an additional 54,048 shares during the last quarter. OneDigital Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of LandBridge during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $383,000. FMR LLC raised its stake in shares of LandBridge by 40.5% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,378,121 shares of the companys stock worth $93,032,000 after purchasing an additional 686,070 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of LandBridge in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,836,000. Finally, Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC grew its stake in shares of LandBridge by 10.3% in the third quarter. Horizon Kinetics Asset Management LLC now owns 5,190,867 shares of the companys stock valued at $203,067,000 after buying an additional 484,968 shares in the last quarter.

LandBridge Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

LandBridge Company LLC owns and manages land and resources to support and enhance oil and natural gas development in the United States. It owns surface acres in and around the Delaware Basin in Texas and New Mexico. The company holds a portfolio of oil and gas royalties. It also sells brackish water and other surface composite materials.

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Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor purchased 657 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $507,000.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of LLY. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. now owns 2,105 shares of the companys stock worth $1,865,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the last quarter. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership now owns 2,411 shares of the companys stock worth $2,136,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc now owns 1,271 shares of the companys stock worth $1,126,000 after buying an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. James Hambro & Partners LLP increased its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. James Hambro & Partners LLP now owns 340 shares of the companys stock valued at $301,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares during the period. Finally, Inscription Capital LLC boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Inscription Capital LLC now owns 1,222 shares of the companys stock worth $1,083,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.53% of the companys stock.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Down 1.4 %

Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $811.61 on Friday. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $637.00 and a twelve month high of $972.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.27. The firm has a market cap of $770.48 billion, a PE ratio of 87.74, a P/E/G ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.41. The firms 50 day moving average price is $782.29 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $845.82.

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.52 by ($0.34). The company had revenue of $11.44 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.09 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 71.08% and a net margin of 20.48%. The companys revenue was up 20.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.10 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company declared that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Monday, December 9th that allows the company to buyback $15.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys management believes its shares are undervalued.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a $1.50 dividend. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.74%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 56.22%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 900 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $803.38, for a total transaction of $723,042.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,480 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,402,522.40. This trade represents a 14.11 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $970.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. Truist Financial raised their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,033.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, October 17th. They issued an outperform rating and a $1,100.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,025.00 to $1,015.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 4th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $997.22.

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Eli Lilly and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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Marietta Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG  Free Report) by 13.2% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 57,526 shares of the restaurant operators stock after purchasing an additional 6,700 shares during the period. Marietta Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Chipotle Mexican Grill were worth $3,469,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. ZRC Wealth Management LLC grew its position in Chipotle Mexican Grill by 384.0% during the 3rd quarter. ZRC Wealth Management LLC now owns 484 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 384 shares during the last quarter. Transcendent Capital Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill by 950.0% in the third quarter. Transcendent Capital Group LLC now owns 525 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 475 shares in the last quarter. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Quarry LP bought a new position in Chipotle Mexican Grill in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Institutional investors own 91.31% of the companys stock.

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Chipotle Mexican Grill Price Performance

Shares of CMG opened at $58.34 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $79.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 1.27. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has a 1 year low of $47.98 and a 1 year high of $69.26. The businesss 50 day simple moving average is $60.50 and its 200-day simple moving average is $57.75.

Insider Activity

Chipotle Mexican Grill ( NYSE:CMG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The restaurant operator reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.25 by $0.02. Chipotle Mexican Grill had a net margin of 13.51% and a return on equity of 43.20%. The company had revenue of $2.79 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.23 earnings per share. Chipotle Mexican Grills revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. will post 1.11 earnings per share for the current year.

In other Chipotle Mexican Grill news, insider Laurie Schalow sold 4,404 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.01, for a total transaction of $286,304.04. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 185,792 shares in the company, valued at $12,078,337.92. The trade was a 2.32 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 1.02% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on CMG shares. Barclays upped their price target on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $60.00 to $63.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $65.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Raymond James lowered their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $72.00 to $69.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an outperform rating and issued a $70.00 price target on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and set a $69.00 price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Chipotle Mexican Grill has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $66.88.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CMG

About Chipotle Mexican Grill

(Free Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants. It sells food and beverages through offering burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tacos, and salads. The company also provides delivery and related services its app and website. It has operations in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

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North European Oil Royalty Trust (NYSE:NRT  Get Free Report) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, January 31st,RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a dividend of 0.04 per share by the energy company on Wednesday, February 26th. This represents a $0.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.55%. This is an increase from North European Oil Royalty Trusts previous quarterly dividend of $0.02.

North European Oil Royalty Trust Stock Performance

North European Oil Royalty Trust stock opened at $4.51 on Friday. The companys fifty day moving average price is $4.32 and its 200 day moving average price is $4.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.45 million, a P/E ratio of 8.67 and a beta of 0.76. North European Oil Royalty Trust has a 1 year low of $3.88 and a 1 year high of $8.62.

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North European Oil Royalty Trust (NYSE:NRT  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, December 31st. The energy company reported $0.06 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. North European Oil Royalty Trust had a net margin of 87.43% and a return on equity of 537.09%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, StockNews.com raised North European Oil Royalty Trust from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 1st.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on North European Oil Royalty Trust

About North European Oil Royalty Trust

(Get Free Report)

North European Oil Royalty Trust, a grantor trust, holds overriding royalty rights covering gas and oil production in various concessions or leases in the Federal Republic of Germany. The company also has rights under contracts with German exploration and development subsidiaries of ExxonMobil Corp. and the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies.

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OLD National Bancorp IN trimmed its holdings in shares of Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report) by 8.3% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 14,945 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 1,353 shares during the period. OLD National Bancorp INs holdings in Shell were worth $936,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of SHEL. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its position in Shell by 42.7% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 21,701 shares of the energy companys stock worth $1,566,000 after buying an additional 6,495 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in Shell by 2.0% during the second quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 17,165 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $1,239,000 after purchasing an additional 337 shares during the period. Truist Financial Corp boosted its holdings in Shell by 2.5% in the second quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 305,661 shares of the energy companys stock worth $22,063,000 after purchasing an additional 7,327 shares during the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC raised its stake in Shell by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 90,242 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $6,514,000 after buying an additional 610 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Shell during the 2nd quarter valued at $10,505,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 28.60% of the companys stock.

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Shell Price Performance

Shares of Shell stock opened at $65.82 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Shell plc has a 52 week low of $60.15 and a 52 week high of $74.61. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $64.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $67.36. The company has a market capitalization of $201.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.54, a PEG ratio of 6.46 and a beta of 0.55.

Shell Increases Dividend

Shell ( NYSE:SHEL Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The energy company reported $1.20 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.74 by ($0.54). Shell had a return on equity of 14.54% and a net margin of 5.17%. As a group, analysts expect that Shell plc will post 8.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 24th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a $0.716 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $2.86 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.35%. This is a boost from Shells previous quarterly dividend of $0.69. Shells payout ratio is presently 56.58%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

SHEL has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on Shell from $86.00 to $82.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Sanford C. Bernstein raised shares of Shell to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, October 11th. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of Shell from $82.00 to $72.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Shell from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $80.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, January 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Shell from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their target price for the stock from $66.50 to $79.80 in a report on Tuesday, January 7th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Shell has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $79.11.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on SHEL

Shell Company Profile

(Free Report)

Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the United States, and Rest of the Americas. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, and Renewables and Energy Solutions segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure to deliver gas to market.

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Oppenheimer (NYSE:OPY  Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Friday. The financial services provider reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, Zacks reports. Oppenheimer had a net margin of 5.27% and a return on equity of 9.50%.

Oppenheimer Stock Down 5.0 %

OPY stock opened at $68.90 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $711.74 million, a PE ratio of 10.72 and a beta of 1.14. Oppenheimer has a one year low of $36.93 and a one year high of $73.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a current ratio of 1.29. The firms 50 day moving average price is $65.21 and its 200-day moving average price is $56.98.

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Oppenheimer Company Profile

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Oppenheimer Holdings Inc operates as a middle-market investment bank and full-service broker-dealer in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The company provides brokerage services covering corporate equity and debt securities, money market instruments, exchange-traded options and futures contracts, municipal bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and unit investment trusts; financial and wealth planning services; and margin lending services.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday.

PH has been the topic of several other research reports. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $788.00 to $842.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. TD Cowen upped their target price on Parker-Hannifin from $520.00 to $575.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $695.00 to $710.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. UBS Group reduced their price objective on Parker-Hannifin from $842.00 to $805.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Wolfe Research upgraded Parker-Hannifin from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $786.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Thursday, December 12th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $725.06.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on PH

Parker-Hannifin Stock Performance

Shares of PH stock opened at $707.91 on Friday. Parker-Hannifin has a 12-month low of $463.16 and a 12-month high of $718.44. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $666.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $629.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The company has a market cap of $91.12 billion, a PE ratio of 31.97, a PEG ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.45.

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $6.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.23 by $0.30. Parker-Hannifin had a return on equity of 27.95% and a net margin of 14.47%. Analysts expect that Parker-Hannifin will post 26.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Parker-Hannifin Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.92%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. Parker-Hannifins payout ratio is currently 29.45%.

Insider Transactions at Parker-Hannifin

In other Parker-Hannifin news, VP Thomas C. Gentile sold 2,430 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $701.16, for a total transaction of $1,703,818.80. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 5,465 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,831,839.40. The trade was a 30.78 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, COO Andrew D. Ross sold 4,864 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $706.04, for a total value of $3,434,178.56. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 13,120 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,263,244.80. This trade represents a 27.05 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 12,200 shares of company stock valued at $8,595,207 in the last three months. 0.39% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Parker-Hannifin

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Parker-Hannifin by 2.7% during the second quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 2,450 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $1,239,000 after buying an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC increased its stake in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 52.5% in the 2nd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,040 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,043,000 after acquiring an additional 1,390 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund acquired a new position in shares of Parker-Hannifin during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,957,000. Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 8.2% in the second quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 302 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $153,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Finally, Czech National Bank increased its position in Parker-Hannifin by 6.9% during the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 26,185 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $16,544,000 after purchasing an additional 1,691 shares during the last quarter. 82.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Parker-Hannifin

(Get Free Report)

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to ensure purity and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors used in fluid and gas handling; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment.

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Evermay Wealth Management LLC cut its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE  Free Report) by 28.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 13,459 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock after selling 5,458 shares during the period. Evermay Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Pfizer were worth $357,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of PFE. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund lifted its holdings in Pfizer by 60.3% in the 2nd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 583,600 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $16,329,000 after purchasing an additional 219,600 shares during the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division grew its holdings in Pfizer by 71.8% during the third quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 9,286 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $269,000 after purchasing an additional 3,880 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank raised its holdings in Pfizer by 6.9% in the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 1,154,366 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock worth $33,407,000 after acquiring an additional 74,737 shares during the period. Finally, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. boosted its stake in Pfizer by 23.6% during the 3rd quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 235,277 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $6,809,000 after purchasing an additional 44,957 shares during the period. 68.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Pfizer from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Citigroup cut their target price on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Guggenheim cut their price target on Pfizer from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price objective on Pfizer from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, January 8th. One equities 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 assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $31.92.

Pfizer Trading Down 1.5 %

NYSE:PFE opened at $26.51 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $150.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.82, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.00. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $24.48 and a 52 week high of $31.54. The firms fifty day moving average is $26.27 and its 200-day moving average is $27.87.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE  Get Free Report) last released 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. Pfizer had a return on equity of 16.28% and a net margin of 7.07%. The firm had revenue of $17.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.92 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted ($0.17) earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 31.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.49%. This is a boost from Pfizers previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. Pfizers dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 232.44%.

Pfizer Profile

(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.

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Royal Bank of Canada restated their outperform rating on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP  Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $40.00 target price on the utilities providers stock.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. TD Securities upped their price target on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $49.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Brookfield Infrastructure Partners from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $42.20.

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Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Brookfield Infrastructure Partners

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Price Performance

Shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners stock opened at $32.78 on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is $32.79 and its 200 day moving average is $32.95. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners has a 1 year low of $24.84 and a 1 year high of $36.50. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.72.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE:BIP  Get Free Report) (TSE:BIP.UN) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The utilities provider reported $0.82 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.24 by $0.58. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners had a net margin of 0.03% and a return on equity of 0.02%. Sell-side analysts expect that Brookfield Infrastructure Partners will post 3.09 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.25%. This is a boost from Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss previous quarterly dividend of $0.41. Brookfield Infrastructure Partnerss dividend payout ratio is -426.32%.

Institutional Trading of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BIP. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Dunhill Financial LLC acquired a new position in Brookfield Infrastructure Partners in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Wingate Wealth Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Truvestments Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $77,000. 57.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 2,900 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 8.1 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 0.6 million long-term contracted sub-metering services.

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Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR  Get Free Report) issued an update on its FY 2025 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 0.900-1.200 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 1.100. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on SNDR shares. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Schneider National from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Schneider National from $32.00 to $31.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Bank of America upped their target price on shares of Schneider National from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. Benchmark raised their price target on shares of Schneider National from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Citigroup cut Schneider National from a neutral rating to a sell rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $32.00 to $30.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $30.69.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on SNDR

Schneider National Stock Performance

Shares of SNDR opened at $29.76 on Friday. Schneider National has a one year low of $20.50 and a one year high of $33.90. The business has a fifty day moving average of $30.34 and a 200 day moving average of $28.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.53. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.00, a PEG ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.93.

Schneider National (NYSE:SNDR  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $0.20 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.20. Schneider National had a net margin of 2.10% and a return on equity of 3.92%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.16 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Schneider National will post 0.7 EPS for the current year.

Schneider National Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 9th will be paid a dividend of $0.095 per share. This represents a $0.38 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.28%. Schneider Nationals dividend payout ratio is presently 61.29%.

Insider Activity

In other Schneider National news, CAO Robert M. Reich, Jr. sold 6,250 shares of Schneider National stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $31.69, for a total transaction of $198,062.50. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 155,366 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,923,548.54. The trade was a 3.87 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Thomas G. Jackson sold 18,248 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.07, for a total transaction of $603,461.36. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 66,526 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,200,014.82. This trade represents a 21.53 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 66,555 shares of company stock valued at $2,153,011 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 32.68% of the companys stock.

About Schneider National

(Get Free Report)

Schneider National, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides surface transportation and logistics solutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates through three segments: Truckload, Intermodal, and Logistics. The Truckload segment offers over the road freight transportation services primarily through dry van, bulk, temperature-controlled, and flat-bed trailers across either network or dedicated configurations.

Further Reading

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In the fiercely competitive automotive industry of 2024, Chery Holding stood out with exceptional performance, setting a new historical sales record. It claimed to be the only company in the industry to achieve comprehensive growth across four key sectors: new energy vehicles (NEVs), oil-fueled vehicles, overseas exports, and the domestic market.

Photo credit: Chery Holding

Chery Holding recorded annual sales of 2.6039 million vehicles throughout 2024, indicating a 38.4% year-on-year surge. The company not only exceeded its initial sales growth targets but also demonstrated remarkable market adaptability and brand influence.

Chery's global strategy was another major highlight of the company in 2024. With annual exports reaching 1.1446 million vehicles, Chery maintained its position as the top exporter of Chinese indigenous passenger vehicles for the 22nd consecutive year.

Beyond expanding its presence in over 110 countries and regions, Chery became the first Chinese automaker to establish a joint venture factory in Europe. It also became the first Chinese auto brand to achieve cumulative exports exceeding 4 million vehicles. These accomplishments have not only solidified Chery's market share but also established its foothold in the global automotive industry.

As part of its year-end review, Gasgoo analyzed the key achievements of leading automotive enterprises and component manufacturers. This report takes a comprehensive look at Chery Group's major milestones in 2024.

Wheels of Change: the Story of Chery Holding Group (Part 1)

From January to August 2024, Chery Automobile achieved cumulative sales of 1.5 million units, marking a year-on-year increase of 41.9%. In terms of exports, Chery continued to hold the top spot among Chinese automakers, with exports growing by 25.2% to reach 720,000 units.

Wheels of Change: the Story of Chery Holding Group (Part 2)

As one of the first Chinese automakers to develop independent technologies, and the first Chinese passenger car manufacturer to master core technologies such as engines, transmissions, chassis, and platforms, Chery has been marked by its technical prowess since its inception.

Chery Holding logs record-high annual sales in 2024

Chinese automaker Chery Holding reported its 2024 annual sales reached 2,603,916 vehicles, hitting record high, and representing a 38.4% year-over-year jump.

Chery Automobile's joint-venture factory in Spain starts production of first vehicle model

On November 23, Chinese automaker Chery Automobile and Spain's Ebro-EV Motors officially commenced vehicle production at their joint-venture facility, the Ebro Factory, located in Barcelona's Zona Franca.

Chery achieves YTD export milestone of 1 million vehicles by Nov. 2024

On November 12, Chery Holding celebrated a historic achievement of becoming the first Chinese automaker to export over one million vehicles within a single calendar year.

Chery celebrates production milestone of 15 million vehicles

On October 19, Chery Automobile achieved a significant milestone with the rollout of its 15 millionth vehicle globally.

Chery unveils next-gen smart driving tech, Kunpeng Battery brand at Global Innovation Conference 2024

On October 18, Chery Automobile kicked off the Chery Global Innovation Conference 2024 in Wuhu, Anhui. The event marked a significant milestone for the Chinese automaker, as it showcased its latest advancements in intelligent driving and new energy vehicle technologies.

Huawei, Chery co-developed LUXEED R7 hits market, starting at 259,800 yuan

On September 24, during Huawei's fall product launch event, Huawei's smart car alliance, Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), officially released its first coupe SUV, the LUXEED R7, onto the market. Starting at 259,800 yuan, the LUXEED R7 showcases significant advancements in exterior design, cabin space, and smart technology.

Chery Holding Group joins Fortune Global 500 at 385th position

On August 5, 2024, the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list was released, featuring Chery Holding Group for the first time. With an operating revenue of $39.0917 billion, Chery ranked 385th on the list.

Chery's JAECOO brand unveils J7 SUV at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Chery Holding's JAECOO brand has made a grand debut of its new SUV model, the JAECOO J7, at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. This new vehicle, meticulously crafted by Chery's global design team, features a futuristic and dynamic design with cutting-edge technology.

Jaguar Land Rover partners with Chery to develop all-electric Freelander-branded vehicles

On June 19, Jaguar Land Rover announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Chery. This agreement authorizes Chery Jaguar Land Rover to use the Freelander brand for a new line of all-electric vehicles, which will be based on Chery's electric platform and manufactured at the Chery Jaguar Land Rover plant in Changshu.

FORVIA, Chery to build joint venture for intelligent cockpit parts R&D, production

On April 11, FORVIA, the seventh largest automotive technology supplier globally, announced a joint-venture agreement with Chery, a leading Chinese car manufacturer, signed in Hefei. This agreement will deepen their collaboration in the field of intelligent and sustainable cockpits.

Huawei, Chery-backed Luxeed puts all-new S7 model onto market

At Huawei's HarmonyOS Eco Spring Communication event on April 11, the all-new Luxeed S7 officially hit the market, offering 5 trim levels with prices ranging from 249,800 yuan to 349,800 yuan.

Chery's Omoda & Jaecoo Automobile to build auto factory in Vietnam

Chery Automobile's subsidiary Omoda & Jaecoo Automobile and Vietnam's Geleximco Group inked a joint venture pact on April 4 to build an auto factory in Vietnam.

NIO inks framework agreements with JAC Group, Chery Holding for battery swap cooperation

Zhong An Energy Co., Ltd. ("Zhong An" is Chinese Pinyin), which is jointly funded and established by Anhui Province Energy Group, NIO, Gotion High-tech, and Anhui Provincial New Energy Vehicle and Intelligent Connected Vehicle Industry Themed FoF (Fund of Funds), was unveiled in Hefei on January 11, according to a post on the WeChat account of Anhui Daily.
Visa Inc. (NYSE:V  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 26,370,000 shares, a decline of 12.9% from the December 31st total of 30,260,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 5,970,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4.4 days.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Ryan Mcinerney sold 8,620 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $317.78, for a total value of $2,739,263.60. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, insider Paul D. Fabara sold 2,171 shares of Visa stock in a transaction on Friday, November 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.97, for a total value of $668,602.87. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 17,894 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,510,815.18. The trade was a 10.82 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Visa

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Custom Index Systems LLC purchased a new stake in Visa in the 3rd quarter valued at about $731,000. Copley Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Visa during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $616,000. Oak Ridge Investments LLC boosted its position in Visa by 5.9% in the 4th quarter. Oak Ridge Investments LLC now owns 75,456 shares of the credit-card processors stock valued at $23,847,000 after buying an additional 4,198 shares during the period. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Visa in the third quarter worth $7,987,000. Finally, Chicago Capital LLC increased its position in shares of Visa by 5.2% during the third quarter. Chicago Capital LLC now owns 404,914 shares of the credit-card processors stock worth $111,331,000 after acquiring an additional 20,023 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.15% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on V. Susquehanna upped their price objective on Visa from $375.00 to $395.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Visa from $320.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Visa from $354.00 to $393.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their target price on shares of Visa from $300.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Raymond James reissued an outperform rating and set a $393.00 price target (up from $374.00) on shares of Visa in a report on Friday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $352.27.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on V

Visa Stock Performance

Shares of Visa stock traded down $1.00 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $342.05. The company had a trading volume of 8,623,980 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,066,612. The stock has a market cap of $637.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.15, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.96. Visa has a 12-month low of $252.70 and a 12-month high of $351.25. The company has a quick ratio of 1.28, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $317.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $292.96.

Visa (NYSE:V  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The credit-card processor reported $2.75 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.66 by $0.09. Visa had a return on equity of 53.16% and a net margin of 54.96%. As a group, analysts predict that Visa will post 11.18 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Visa Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 11th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.69%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, February 11th. Visas payout ratio is 24.25%.

Visa Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Visa Inc operates as a payment technology company in the United States and internationally. The company operates VisaNet, a transaction processing network that enables authorization, clearing, and settlement of payment transactions. It also offers credit, debit, and prepaid card products; tap to pay, tokenization, and click to pay services; Visa Direct, a solution that facilitates the delivery of funds to eligible cards, deposit accounts, and digital wallets; Visa B2B Connect, a multilateral business-to-business cross-border payments network; Visa Cross-Border Solution, a cross-border consumer payments solution; and Visa DPS that provides a range of value-added services, including fraud mitigation, dispute management, data analytics, campaign management, a suite of digital solutions, and contact center services.

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Springfield Properties PLC (LON:SPR  Get Free Report)s stock price fell 0.6% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 90 ($1.12) and last traded at GBX 90 ($1.12). 430,324 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 318% from the average session volume of 103,016 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 90.50 ($1.12).

Springfield Properties Stock Performance

The companys 50-day moving average price is GBX 90.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 97.40. The company has a market capitalization of 107.47 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,508.33 and a beta of 1.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 38.16, a current ratio of 2.45 and a quick ratio of 0.48.

Springfield Properties Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

The Springfield Group is one of the largest homebuilders in Scotland. Made up of six well-established and respected brands Springfield Properties, Springfield Partnerships, Dawn Homes, Walker Group, Tulloch Homes and Mactaggart & Mickel Homes  we deliver high quality, energy efficient homes across multiple tenures for people that need them.

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Shares of Steppe Cement Ltd. (LON:STCM  Get Free Report) passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 14.80 ($0.18) and traded as low as GBX 13.50 ($0.17). Steppe Cement shares last traded at GBX 14.15 ($0.18), with a volume of 13,752 shares trading hands.

Steppe Cement Price Performance

The company has a market cap of 30.88 million, a PE ratio of 665.00 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a quick ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 2.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.75. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of GBX 14.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 14.79.

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Steppe Cement Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 16th were given a GBX 1.50 ($0.02) dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 10%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 16th.

Steppe Cement Company Profile

Steppe Cement Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the production and sale of cement and clinkers in Kazakhstan. It also provides consultancy services; and transmission and distribution of electricity. The company was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Swedbank AB grew its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 2.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,138,934 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 28,426 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 1.1% of Swedbank ABs holdings, making the stock its 15th largest position. Swedbank ABs holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $879,257,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. now owns 2,105 shares of the companys stock worth $1,865,000 after purchasing an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% in the third quarter. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership now owns 2,411 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,136,000 after buying an additional 11 shares in the last quarter. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.0% in the third quarter. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc now owns 1,271 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,126,000 after buying an additional 12 shares during the period. James Hambro & Partners LLP grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 3.7% during the third quarter. James Hambro & Partners LLP now owns 340 shares of the companys stock worth $301,000 after buying an additional 12 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Inscription Capital LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Inscription Capital LLC now owns 1,222 shares of the companys stock worth $1,083,000 after acquiring an additional 12 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Eli Lilly and Company Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $811.61 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $782.29 and a 200 day simple moving average of $845.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.97. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $637.00 and a 1 year high of $972.53. The firm has a market cap of $770.48 billion, a PE ratio of 87.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.41.

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.52 by ($0.34). Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.48% and a return on equity of 71.08%. The business had revenue of $11.44 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.10 EPS. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue was up 20.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.85 EPS for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company announced that its board has authorized a share repurchase plan on Monday, December 9th that permits the company to buyback $15.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the company to reacquire up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 14th will be given a dividend of $1.50 per share. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.74%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. Eli Lilly and Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 56.22%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 900 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $803.38, for a total transaction of $723,042.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,480 shares in the company, valued at $4,402,522.40. This trade represents a 14.11 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LLY has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,025.00 to $1,015.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Truist Financial raised their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,033.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, October 10th. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Friday, November 15th. They set an outperform rating and a $1,000.00 price target for the company. Bank of America reissued a buy rating and issued a $997.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upgraded Eli Lilly and Company to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $997.22.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. grew its holdings in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 51.4% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 12,979 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 4,408 shares during the period. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co.s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,516,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division grew its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 2.3% during the third quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 4,045 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $461,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. Czech National Bank grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 6.9% during the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 354,435 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $40,409,000 after buying an additional 22,932 shares during the period. Farmers Trust Co. increased its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.9% in the 3rd quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 24,781 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $2,825,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 66,470 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $7,578,000 after acquiring an additional 3,330 shares during the period. Finally, Apella Capital LLC boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 3.1% during the 3rd quarter. Apella Capital LLC now owns 6,191 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $704,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.18% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total transaction of $3,054,573.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,152,064.50. The trade was a 15.90 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have weighed in on ABT. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $107.00 to $117.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, October 8th. They set an outperform rating and a $130.00 target price for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $133.06.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on ABT

Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSE:ABT opened at $127.69 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $221.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Abbott Laboratories has a twelve month low of $99.71 and a twelve month high of $129.85. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $116.37 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $114.17.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.34. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.19 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Investors of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.85%. This is a boost from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.85%.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Menieres disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Another plane has crashed in America, this time it was a small jet carrying six people that crashed into a Philadelphia residential area. This is the second plane crash in America within a few days.

A small plane crashed in the city of #Philadelphia, with two people on board, CBS reports. The aircraft crashed into residential buildings and a fire broke out.#news #BreakingNews #planecrash #usa pic.twitter.com/ITg26HDcSH  WW3 NEWS (@WW3XNEWS) February 1, 2025

A medical jet that burst into flames and plummeted into the streets of northeastern Philadelphia on Friday evening was transporting a sick child who was recovering from life-saving treatment.

This guy was in a drive-thru trying to order food when the plane crashed behind him in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/FEOIvH6HbR  FearBuck (@FearedBuck) February 1, 2025

Within minutes of taking off at around 6.07pm, the Learjet 55 crashed into a highly populated area near the Roosevelt Mall, sending a fireball into the sky and setting multiple homes and cars on fire.

Another new video of plane crash sitepic.twitter.com/PDJ3R4OtHp  The Random Guy (@RandomTheGuy_) February 1, 2025

The teenage girl, who underwent medical care in the United States, was on her way back to Mexico with her mother and four crew members when the devastating crash occurred.

All of the passengers were Mexican nationals.

STORY DEVELOPING

This NEW footage of the PHILLY PLANE CRASH is by far the most horrific to watch WOWOWOWOW looks more like a missile crashing to earth  Its even hard to see the wings#Planecrash #philadelphiacrash pic.twitter.com/VGZGiNrF4t  Culture War (@CultureWar2020) February 1, 2025
The US and West has many enemies, especially Russia, who were pinpointed by intelligence agencies attempting to sabotage cargo planes in July 2024. Is there a pattern building up of possible sabotage by Russia or China, or Iran? Three aircraft have crashed in the United States within the last few days. Another plane has crashed in the space of a day, this time in Philadelphia. Of course, these plane crashes could just be coincidence, but with plots to disrupt GPS, and plant incendiary devices into the cargo holds of planes by Russian agents in 2024, could there be a link here? The WSJ first reported the Russian sabotage plot in July. The crash in Philadelphia was a Medevac cargo jet.

TIMELINE: On Tuesday, 28th January, a US Air Force pilot safely escaped after an F-35 fighter jet inexplicably lost control during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. On Wednesday, 29 January, a military Blackhawk helicopter inexplicably crashed into a passenger jet plane in Washington D.C. killing 67 people. On Friday, January 31, 2025, a Learjet 55 operated by Med Jets SA de CV on behalf of Jet Rescue Air Ambulance inexplicably lost control and crashed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shortly after takeoff, killing all six on board, and one person on the ground.

A small plane crashed in the city of #Philadelphia, with two people on board, CBS reports. The aircraft crashed into residential buildings and a fire broke out.#news #BreakingNews #planecrash #usa pic.twitter.com/ITg26HDcSH  WW3 NEWS (@WW3XNEWS) February 1, 2025

This NEW footage of the PHILLY PLANE CRASH is by far the most horrific to watch WOWOWOWOW looks more like a missile crashing to earth  Its even hard to see the wings#Planecrash #philadelphiacrash pic.twitter.com/VGZGiNrF4t  Culture War (@CultureWar2020) February 1, 2025

Western security officials have linked Russia to a sabotage campaign involving incendiary devices sent to DHL logistics hubs in Germany and the UK in July, allegedly aiming to cause fires aboard aircraft bound for North America. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the suspected plot.

Polish authorities arrested four individuals and were searching for two more in connection with the case.

German and British authorities are investigating the incidents, which involved packages containing electric massagers filled with a flammable magnesium-based substance. One device exploded at a DHL logistics centre in Leipzig, Germany, while another caught fire in Birmingham, England. Polish prosecutors suggested these were test runs for future attacks on the U.S. and Canada.

New DC plane crash videos obtained by CNN. pic.twitter.com/ltp10nzj5H  Paul A. Szypula  (@Bubblebathgirl) January 31, 2025

German intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang highlighted the significant danger posed by these devices, emphasising that a fire occurring mid-flight could have been catastrophic. U.K. counterterrorism police have not commented publicly on the case.

This guy was in a drive-thru trying to order food when the plane crashed behind him in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/FEOIvH6HbR  FearBuck (@FearedBuck) February 1, 2025

Western officials assert that Russia has intensified its sabotage efforts in Europe to disrupt military and logistical support for Ukraine. This campaign has reportedly included planned attacks on German military bases, disruptions of railway networks, GPS jamming for civil aviation, and widespread disinformation campaigns.

Another new video of plane crash sitepic.twitter.com/PDJ3R4OtHp  The Random Guy (@RandomTheGuy_) February 1, 2025

Ken McCallum, head of MI5, stated in an October speech that Russias GRU military intelligence service is conducting increasingly reckless sabotage operations across Europe, utilizing private operatives and criminals for covert actions such as arson and attacks on infrastructure.

Russia has denied these allegations, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing the claims as unfounded and lacking credible evidence, calling them part of a misinformation campaign by Western media.
Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It would not be a surprise to see Pete Alonso re-sign as a free agent with the New York Mets, but its not a done deal.

It seems WFAN host Boomer Esiason is trying to will a reunion between the two into existence. And he wanted it to happen Friday.

Esiason fired off a short post on X Thursday night: Im feeling like Pete is a Met tomorrow, he wrote.

Im feeling like Pete is a Met tomorrow.  Boomer Esiason (@7BOOMERESIASON) January 31, 2025



Thats quite a prediction. While Alonso and the Mets have a mutual interest in him returning, the two sides seem to be far apart on money (the Mets are reportedly offering a three-year deal worth up to $70 million, according to The New York Posts Joel Sherman). Yet Alonso has not found any takers elsewhere, and time is running out, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in less than two weeks.

Esiasons prediction on the timing of a possible Alonso-Mets contract announcement seemed oddly specific. Yet he defended his prediction Friday morning on the Boomer and Gio show.

Im thinking today is the day, and Im thinking its probably gonna happen at 10:05 (a.m.). I just wanted to get out in front of it, Esiason said (Boomer and Gio airs weekdays 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.).

As a diehard Mets fan myself, I want the guy at first base and in the lineup. [Mets owner] Steve Cohens done a lot of great things for us since hes taken over ownership of this team, and this will be another one, another nice little present, as I believe theyll come to an agreement today.

Producer Eddie Scozzare suggested Esiason had some inside info on a possible deal.

You wouldnt put it out there unless you knew, Scozzare said.

Please enable JavaScript to view the poll powered by Disqus.

Esiason denied he had a scoop.

Yeah, I put it out there, and I stand by it, and if it doesnt happen, you can call me a jackass, whatever you want, Esiason said. I want a full team, and I want him on this team. Im telling you, this would be like Saquon Barkley leaving the Giants.

Then, Esiason conceded he felt a deal might happen Friday because of certain people that I have spoken to.

Listen, all the deducing I do  Ive always been very interested in situations like this, and I love situations like this because it really is about people coming together and doing what I believe is the right thing, Boomer said. And given certain people that I have spoken to, it makes me feel like this is gonna be a really good day in Mets land. Thats how I feel today, and I hope by the time the days over, things get done. Im very encouraged.

USA Todays Bob Nightengale reported Friday that the Mets and Alonso are discussing an opt-out that would allow him to test free agency again after the 2025 season.

It seems almost inevitable that a resolution will be reached, Nightengale reported.
Seven women-led companies from the NW and across Northern Ireland are among 20 businesses participating in a major trade mission to the United States next week.

AwakenHub, Irelands only all-island community for women founders, and AwakenAngels, the first all-island women-led investment community, are set to lead a high-impact St. Brigids Day trade mission to Boston and New York next week from February 3-7.

Aiming to bolster investment in Irish-owned women-led businesses, the mission will see 25 women founders showcase 20 innovative companies with financial asks ranging from $1M to $3M.

Now in its third year, previous participants in the AwakenAngels and AwakenHub St Brigids trade missions have received six-figure investments in as little as seven weeks following meetings organised as part of the trip.

This year, some of the most innovative Irish women-led companies from the Health and Life Sciences, B2B SaaS, Digital Technologies, and Sustainability sectors across the island of Ireland will be taking part. Seven of the women-led companies are from Northern Ireland while eleven are based in ROI. The AwakenAngels and AwakenHubs co-founders will also attend investment meetings as part of the mission.

Clare McGee from Derry, CEO and co-founder of AwakenAngels and Awaken Hub, who this week are leading a delegation of 20 Irish-owned women businesses on a St Brigid's Day trade mission to Boston and New York.

Delegates will take part in a range of meetings and events organised by AwakenHub and AwakenAngels, including high-level briefings with the British and Irish consulates in Boston and New York, and Underscore VC in Boston.

They will also participate in founder showcases in front of a select group of investors, VCs, and interested parties keen to support and be involved with the mission. Guests from New York and Boston are also being invited to learn more about the fundamentals of angel investing and opportunities to back women-led ventures from Ireland in a series of angel investing Masterclasses hosted by AwakenAngels.

Speaking ahead of the mission, Clare McGee, co-founder and CEO of AwakenAngels and Awaken Hub, said: The women founders taking part in our mission have the potential to drive huge economic growth on our island. With investment in women-founded companies still critically low, however, they need specific support and were immensely proud that AwakenAngels and AwakenHub are there to provide that.

Our St Brigids trade mission is coming at a crucial time for many of our delegates as they are at a significant juncture in their growth journey. We are confident that through our support and connections on this mission, many will receive the financial backing they seek and make the kinds of contacts that are such an important part of the entrepreneurial journey.

Our St Brigids Day trade mission has quickly become a key event in the calendar for many venture capitalists and investors in the US and were immensely proud of that. We started both of our Awaken ventures to drive lasting, impactful change in the startup ecosystem for women across this island. Thats what were doing and what were going to continue to do.

Clare Ryan, founder of ITUS, said: This will be a return trip to the US east coast for ITUS. We are excited to continue our partnership conversations and are looking forward to meeting with new potential investors.

READ NEXT: Derry's Ciaran McGonagle named on prestigious 'Lawyer Hot 100' list

The women founders taking part in the St Brigids trade mission are: 6D-Dementia Ltd, Frances Duffy, from Portrush; Educational Voice, Michelle Connolly, from Belfast; Silver Apples Media, Angela Wilson, from Belfast; Taylor Yates, Karen, and Ellen Yates, from Bushmills; Clumh, Lisa McLaughlin, from Derry; SeeMe Ltd, Mary Blake, from Derry; Back To Work Connect, Gina Oglesby, from Dublin; EVE Mobility, Sarah-Marie Rust, from Dublin; Gigi Supplements, Jennie Haire, from Portmarnock (co-founder Lisa Hughes); Lia Eyecare Breda O'Regan and Sinead Buckley, Macroom; ITUS Secure Technologies, Clare Ryan, from Newtowncunningham; OnaWave Medical, Siobhan Kelleher, Galway; Beauty Buddy, Wendy Slattery from Leixlip; Kowroo Sheelagh Brady from Donadea; With Everly, Orla McDonnell from Dundalk (co-founder Laura Downes from Drogheda); and Tailr, Shana Chu, from Waterford.

Pictured with Irish Ambassador Martin Fraser at the Irish Embassy in London is Mary McKenna, Chair and co-founder of AwakenAngels and Awaken Hub.

All of the women founders attending the mission are self-funding their places. The Department of Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Programme and The Irish American Partnership are supporting the mission.

Further information on AwakenAngels and AwakenHub can be found online at awakenangelshq.com and awakenhub.com.
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is calling on those who want to make a real difference in their community to become On-Call Firefighters.

If you live or work within 5 minutes of your local On-Call Fire Station and you want to serve your community, they could have the role for you.

On-Call Firefighters work part-time and carry a pager to alert them to emergencies in their local area.

This rewarding role offers a unique opportunity to save lives, protect property, provide advice and serve your local community  all while fitting around you and your existing commitments. NIFRS offers a range of contracted hours to suit you and your lifestyle.

NIFRS is recruiting for On-Call Firefighters in Dungiven, Kilrea, Limavady, Maghera, Magherafelt and Portstewart.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Western Area Commander David Doherty explains: Our On-Call Firefighters are the cornerstone of our Fire & Rescue Service. They are crucial in how we deliver our Service to the community. They provide emergency response to their local communities 24/7, 365 days a year.

The role of an On-Call Firefighter is ideal for people who live or work within 5 minutes of their local Fire Station. They have a strong sense of community and desire to help others, they are physically fit and eager to take on a new challenge.

If you are successful you will be joining NIFRS at a really exciting time. Our Firefighter training is now fully based at our new Learning & Development College in Cookstown. A first-class training facility where you will develop your skills and competence. No previous experience or training is required to apply, just dedication and a willingness to learn in order to be there when your community needs you most.

READ NEXT: 5.2m boost for Derry and Strabane District Council welcomed

I would also like to recognise the local employers who allow their employees to become On-Call Firefighters. Without them the success of our On-Call Firefighter system wouldnt work. If you are a local employer and are willing to work with us please contact your local On-Call Fire Station for more information.

On-Call Firefighters are paid a retaining fee, emergency call-out payments and a payment to attend a weekly drill night, 2 hours per week in the evening. Our On-Call Firefighters are trained to the highest standards and take part in 12 days of training each year to ensure we have the most highly skilled Firefighters to help protect our local communities.

Candidates can apply online and download application packs from NIFRSs website at nifrs.org.

The closing date for applications is Friday, February 14 at 12noon.
Photo Credit: WWE on YouTube.

Longtime former WWE executive Stephanie McMahon is getting back into the public eye with a new show called Stephanies Places.

McMahon discussed the project, which is a production of Omaha Productions, ESPN and WWE, on The Pat McAfee Show. The show will be similar to Peytons Places and other similar Omaha Productions shows and will begin airing on ESPN+ in March.

Im going all over the country and hopefully, the world to really find out the stories behind the biggest stars in WWE, McMahon explained.

.@StephMcMahon joins @PatMcAfeeShow to announce her new ESPN Original show, Stephanies Places, coming in March  Im going all over the country and hopefully the world to really find out the stories behind the biggest stars in WWE. pic.twitter.com/nhYDg0HeAR  ESPN (@espn) January 30, 2025

After a sizzle reel showing McMahon talking with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Charlotte Flair and Roman Reigns, McAfee asked what the goal of the show was.

Its really to tell the stories that havent been told and to find out more about the people behind the characters, McMahon explained. What I want to do is bring some type of advice to the audience. These people are all hugely successful but like most people, theyve been knocked around a lot. So how did they overcome the challenges that were put in front of them? How did they get over certain things to become who they are today? And its really their journey. Thats what Im trying to tell is their story, their journey of how theyve gotten to where they are.

McMahon additionally spoke highly of the experience thus far.

Ive loved it, she said. I have to say, I was really nervous to do it. It was like my first step back, if you will, into the business. And I was really, really worried about it. And ultimately, its just been so rewarding to get to hang out with our talent that I know so well on a certain level. Then to get to know them so much better and differently. And again, to bring their stories out. Its interesting because with each person, its different. In some cases, Im the younger person who remembers them as a big star and how do we do this? And then in other cases, Im the older person and Im trying to pull things out of a younger superstar. No one show is the same. And its just a lot of fun.
North West Regional College (NWRC) is hosting a series of showcases to provide information about apprenticeship courses starting in September 2025.

The showcases, part of Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week, will be held at Springtown campus on February 4, and Greystone campus on February 6, from 3-8pm. Both events are open to applicants aged 16 and over.

Visitors will have the opportunity to tour industry standard workshops at NWRC, sample various trades, talk to lecturers and apply for courses.

NWRC offers apprenticeships in trade areas including: welding, plumbing, electric installation, brickwork, painting and decorating, light vehicle body repair, woodwork, and tiling. Apprenticeships are also available in fields such as dental nursing, housing, and health and social care.

For those with A-levels, Leaving Certificate, or Level 3 students NWRC offers Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs), where successful candidates will be employed in a company relevant to their chosen profession to gain valuable experience. Students can study courses such as: Software Development, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Business and Enterprise, Financial Technologies, Engineering and much more.

For applicants unable to secure an Apprenticeship, NWRC offers a wide range of FT Traineeship programmes which allows students to build the skills to progress on to Apprenticeship or further Level 3 study.

Dr Catherine OMullan, Director of Curriculum and Academic Standards at NWRC said: NWRC is delighted to be part of this series of events across Northern Ireland bringing together partners and stakeholders committed to the development and delivery of apprenticeships. Our courses include a wide range of employment opportunities.

READ NEXT: Derry Apprenticeship Week to highlight ideal pathway to full time employment

Apprenticeship training combines employed status, earning while you learn with obtaining knowledge and skills in state of the art facilities at the college and gaining further training and experience in employment.

All apprenticeships are open to applicants aged 16, subject to entry criteria, I encourage anyone interested in starting or returning to education to attend our showcases and learn more about the opportunities available.

The events will feature campus tours, workshop demonstrations, information sessions, and hands-on activities.

Hair and beauty staff will also host barbering and nail art demos, along with mini treatments for visitors.

The college will also hold a Higher-Level Apprenticeship Employer coffee morning on Wednesday, February 5 from 9.30am  11.30am in Strand Road Campus in the Dial centre. To register for the NWRC apprenticeship showcases CLICK HERE.
Fairleys Flavours, the local artisan brand bringing the vibrant tastes of South Africa to Northern Ireland, is hosting exclusive cooking classes as part of this years LegenDerry Food Month.

The programme is delivered by the LegenDerry Food Network with support from Derry City and Strabane District Council, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Regional Food Programme.

Its the third outing for the festival which has become a firm favourite among local foodies, bringing new and exciting experiences to a growing audience keen to find out more about the authentic flavours of the North Wests dynamic food scene.

The hands-on cookery classes will take place on Saturday, 15th February, at Eglinton Community Hall, offering couples a chance to dive into the rich, dynamic world of food, learning how to prepare dishes that highlight the best of both South African traditions and Derrys exceptional local produce.

Known for its bold artisan hot sauces, South African-inspired street food, and private catering, Fairleys Flavours celebrates the fusion of global flavours with local ingredients, creating a unique culinary experience thats both exciting and authentic.

Two class times are available: 12pm2.30pm and 3.30pm6pm, with tickets priced at 120 per couple. Spaces are limited, so book now at fairleysflavours.co.uk.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LegenDerry Food (@legenderryfood)

Hannah Ramraj of Fairleys Flavours says: "Our mission at Fairleys Flavours is to bring the bold and vibrant tastes of South Africa to Northern Ireland, using the incredible local ingredients were so proud of here in Derry. These classes are a celebration of flavour, culture, and creativity - a chance to share our passion for great food in a fun and interactive way. Were thrilled to be part of LegenDerry Food Month and cant wait to welcome everyone to cook, learn, and enjoy with us."

Guests will be greeted with a stunning cheeseboard featuring Dart Mountain Cheese, alongside soft drinks, tea, and coffee. At their cooking stations, participants will create their own sweet and savoury charcuterie boards, featuring a carefully curated selection of local and LegenDerry produce. Guests can take their finished boards home or enjoy them during the event.

The main event is a BBQ masterclass, where Chef Fairley will share tips on lighting a traditional charcoal BBQ (or braai as its known in South Africa) before guiding guests in cooking their choice of ribeye steak or Foyle Bia Mara mussels. The meal will be completed with a freshly prepared sauce, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, freshly baked bread, and a crisp green salad.

To finish, guests will be treated to an indulgent dessert (soon to be revealed) that promises to leave a lasting impression.

Book Now to Secure Your Spot: Spaces for these exclusive cooking classes are limited, so dont miss your chance to experience the unique fusion of South African and Northern Irish cuisine.

Tickets: 120 per couple

When: Saturday, 15th February (12pm2.30pm and 3.30pm6pm)

Where: Eglinton Community Hall

How to Book: Visit fairleysflavours.co.uk

Visit www.legenderryfood.com/events for full event listings and booking details.

Or explore Visit Derry for things to see and do, accommodation. Plus, for places to eat and drink ww.visitderry.com.
The family of murdered Belfast man John George will gather later on Saturday for his funeral.

Mr George, 37, a father-of-two, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing in December.

He was last in touch with his family on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland.

His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, travelled to Spain where they were involved in the search operation.

Mr Georges body was discovered on January 7.

The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.

His body was returned to Northern Ireland last month.

Mr Georges remains will leave his mothers home in Belfast for his funeral at St Lukes Church before burial in Blaris Cemetery, Lisburn.

A funeral notice for Mr George said: John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him.

Mr Georges father Billy previously said his focus was on getting his sons body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.
Acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley managed to touch the souls of people with just a few words, his funeral has heard.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins was among mourners who joined Longleys family at Saturdays service in All Souls Church in Belfast.

The renowned poet died in hospital at the age of 85 on January 22.

A representative of Taoiseach Micheal Martin also attended the funeral, as did SDLP leader and family friend Claire Hanna.

Longley won a number of awards, including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize. He was made a CBE in 2010 and was awarded the freedom of Belfast.

Among his best-known work is the 1994 poem Ceasefire, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland and the search for peace and reconciliation.

Longley met Queen Camilla when she visited Hillsborough Castle in Co Down last year for a poetry event.

Reverend Chris Hudson from All Souls Church said Longley had managed to enter peoples consciousness.

That is a noble place for the poet to be, he said.

The poet touches the soul of people. Preachers and politicians can make speeches or sermons that use thousands of words to touch our imagination, but the poet can manage with few yet go straight to the heart, such as Michael.

President Higgins led the tributes to Longley after his death was announced last month, saying he would be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Roisin McDonough, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said Longley had been a towering figure of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: He was one of our truly great poets, one of the most respected and influential of his generation, his name spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, all of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

We have lost a guide, a friend, an inspiration, but his poetry will last  and it will be cherished by generations to come.

Longley is survived by his wife, Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.
Newly elected Sinn Fein TD for Louth/East Meath Joanna Byrne has been named to her partys front bench as party spokesperson on Arts, Sport, Communications, Culture and Media.

Deputy Byrne will be one of six female TDs, including party leady Mary Lou McDonald, set to take prominent roles on the opposition benches for Sinn Fein.

Deputy Byrne said In my maiden speech on December 15th I had the opportunity and great honour to second the nomination of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald for Taoiseach. And now I have received a further honour to be appointed to my partys front bench in my first term as a TD. I am more than looking forward to getting to grips with my new brief and to tackling the government on the issues facing the Irish people.

I think everyone knows that sport would be a passion of mine, being the only female Chairperson of a League of Ireland Club, but I will give equal time and commitment to every part of the brief.

I was elected as a result of a campaign of hope and positive change, and my task now is to ensure that I do my utmost to deliver that. That positive change is what all the people of Louth/East Meath and Ireland deserve.
Micheal Martin, has announced developments regarding the tragic death of Private Sean Rooney killed in December 2022 when his convoy came under attack in Lebanon.

Speaking on the matter, on foot of a question from Louth TD Ruairi O Murchu, he confirmed the commencement of a Post-Incident Internal Inquiry on 1 November 2024.

"This inquiry, which is being independently led by Mr. Michael Delaney S.C., will examine, among other matters, the training and briefing of Defence Forces personnel, the planning of the convoy, and the Standard Operating Procedures, Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures surrounding the incident," he explained.

Micheal Martin further clarified that the inquiry's aim is to identify areas for learning and recommend changes where required.

However, he stressed that "this inquiry will not investigate the criminal matters leading to Private Rooneys death and the injuries sustained by other personnel, as these fall under the remit of the Lebanese criminal investigation." The inquiry is expected to conclude within nine months.

On the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Mr. Martin stated, "The Irish Government has continued to maintain close diplomatic contact with the Lebanese authorities regarding the progress of the Lebanese criminal investigation, through the Embassy in Cairo and the Consulate in Beirut." He assured: "The Government has repeatedly stressed the need for justice to be served in this case. I have personally raised the issue with my Lebanese Defence and Foreign Affairs counterparts on several occasions."

Micheal Martin also highlighted the scheduled proceedings in Lebanon, noting, "The next hearing is scheduled to take place on 12 February, and the Department of Defence will be represented in court at the hearing by its Beirut-based lawyer."

In addition to the Lebanese case, he addressed the Dublin Coroner's Court inquest into Private Rooney's death. "On 6 August last, the Coroner wrote to the UN (via the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs) requesting access to two reports on investigations carried out by the UN into the incident leading to Private Rooney's death," he said.

The Coroner also invited the UN to become an "interested party" for the inquest, though "to date, no response has been received from the UN regarding either request."

He further assured the public and Private Rooneys family that all developments are being closely monitored. "Private Rooneys family is being kept informed of all developments," he said, adding that it would not be appropriate to comment further as the matter is before the Lebanese judicial system.

Speaking after raising the matter with Micheal Martin, Louth Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu welcomed progress on certain aspects of the investigation but expressed frustration at delays and a lack of cooperation from the United Nations.

O Murchu welcomed the Post-Incident Internal Inquiry initiated by the Department of Defence, which will examine operational protocols, planning, and training related to the tragic incident.

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Were very glad this is happening, he said. We want to make sure that there are whatever learnings can happen... and any changes that are required.

The Dundalk TD expressed serious dissatisfaction with the UNs failure to respond to requests for information from the Dublin Coroners Court and the Irish government, saying: Its not good enough that they are not providing this information to the Coroner, O Murchu said.

Sean Rooney was not only there as a member of the Defence Forces, he was there as a member of UNIFIL. The United Nations has a duty of care.

He also acknowledged the complexities of the situation but stressed the importance of timely progress.

We need due diligence shown... but we need to make sure that this is done as swiftly as possible, he said. We need to ensure the engagement with Lebanese authorities... and that the UN also do the same to ensure that we strive for justice in relation to the criminal case and the judicial process there.
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.
Dundalk artist Tracy Fry, winner of The Leitrim Design House National Design, Craft & Art Award 2023, will present her debut solo exhibition, Mapping, on ARTWALL from 4th February.

Tracy embarked on her journey into collagraph map pieces during the darkest depths of the pandemic. Having grown up surrounded by the sea, woodland and mountains, she appreciated from a young age how mankind and nature are completely interdependent on each other.

Tracys love of maps evokes a curiosity of local and distant landscapes, highlighting an intrinsic and instinctive need to explore and protect our world. Resin maps and landscapes address themes such as identity, memory, and belonging. Through the medium of textured collagraph print plates abstracted map-based and landscape works form this collection, which includes the award-winning piece Estuary.

Tracy's statement circular resin maps of familiar localities capture topography and connections in a modern abstract style. Her work takes central inspiration from the environment and from the marks we as humans leave on the Earth and showcases a variety of techniques combined together that include painting, printing and sculptural elements to create one off pieces. In this exhibition Mapping, she highlights her own unique self-developed relief- collagraph works.

Her love of maps evokes a curiosity of local and distant landscapes, allowing her abstracted map themed works to explore this interdependency. In her own words, "Maps lead us to areas of beauty, further highlighting this connectivity. We seek beauty and transport networks of roads and other modes of transportation enable us to escape from the daily grind in order to seek out this beauty. During our best and worst moments in life we all seek refuge in nature.

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Her winning piece for the 2023 Leitrim Design Awards, Estuary, depicts the Shannon estuary and how vulnerable the area would be without important environmental safeguards being in place. Where the Shannon's diverse aquaculture and landmass encircle the alumina refinery. This winning piece from The Leitrim Design House Award reminds us yet again of the delicate dance mankind performs with our beautiful natural surroundings.

Tracy's pandemic journey reconnected her to the landscape. She reflects "I had time to explore new techniques, time to make mistakes and time to experiment. I want my work to evoke those experiences we have in nature, why we go there, and how we feel while there with family and friends. Many of our best days in our lives are spent outdoors in the beauty of nature with those we love. Unless we bring that love of nature into our homes, will it be consigned to nostalgia alone?

Keen to continuously expand and enhance her practice, Tracy prioritises sustainable, natural and recycled materials. She exhibited at Showcase Ireland at the RDS in January 2025 with the Louth Local Enterprise Office, launching her new Wild Irish and Celtic Copper Collections alongside her Ogham Jewellery and collagraph castings.

Tracy is a member of Art as Exchange (AAEX) Dundalk, Louth Craftmark, and the Creative Spark Print Studio. This new exhibition Mapping will incorporate several abstracted map-based and landscape pieces, principally relief collagraphs. Estuary will return and be on display as part of this unique exhibition which continues until March 5th. The Leitrim Design House thanks the Local Enterprise Office Leitrim for their kind sponsorship of these awards.
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They said it was going to be epic, enchanting, and unforgettable, and that is exactly what it was!

The Northern Lights  Brigid 1500 was a huge success in 2024, attracting visitors, from near and far, to join in on the celebrations for St Brigid of Faughart in Dundalk.

This year, the incredible event is due to take place on the weekend of Saturday, February 1, and Sunday, February 2.

The spectacular lighting shows will take place between 6pm and 7pm each evening at Market Square and all are invited to come along and join in the celebrations.

Currently, the final preparations are underway to create yet another unique and unforgettable audio-visual show to commemorate the life and legacy of St Brigid, the patroness saint of Ireland.

READ MORE: New Dundalk housing development officially hits the market

Martin McElligott, Town Centre Commercial Manager, said, "The Northern Lights  Celebrating Brigid, is a monumental attraction benefitting the Matron Saint of Ireland. This installation features up to 200,000 individual points of light and unique decorative symbols, exclusively designed to represent the spirit of Brigid. Inspiration for the visual concept came directly from the iconic Brigid of Faughart mural created by Irish artist Friz, in Dundalk in 2020, it has continued to inspire us in countless ways and was central to this design.

Do not miss The Northern Lights  Celebrating Brigid Festival this Bank Holiday weekend as these awe-inspiring light shows illuminate the night sky, creating an unforgettable audio- visual experience that is free of charge and a must see for all ages!

This festival is proudly brought to you by Louth County Council and Dundalk Town.
Two takeaway workers who attacked one another with meat cleavers in a row over "who was the better chef" have been sent to prison after their original sentences of community service were deemed too lenient.

On Thursday, Dawei Zhang (38) and Han Chung Tang (46) were sentenced by the three-judge Court of Appeal to two years and six months in prison with the final 12 months suspended on condition they be of good behaviour. The court overturned the original sentence of 240 hours of community service handed down by Judge Martina Baxter at the Circuit Court last year.

The court heard that one of the men ended up with a meat cleaver stuck in his back and needed a blood transfusion along with treatment for stab wounds to his head, forearm and back.

The other man suffered lacerations to his scalp, chest and shoulder.

Joe Mulrean BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told the appeal court that sentences imposed by the courts must deter people from committing violent crimes using dangerous weapons.

He added: "How is general deterrence served if a person can engage in such ferocious acts of violence and walk out of court without a significant punishment?"

Mr Mulrean played CCTV footage which showed Zhang initially attacking Tang in the kitchen of the restaurant without a weapon in what the court described as "fisticuffs". Mr Mulrean said Tang accepted in garda interviews that he was first to take up a meat cleaver but when the two men went through a back door of the kitchen to an area not covered by CCTV, they were both armed with cleavers.

Tang received the worst injuries and ended up with a cleaver "buried in his back which broke his shoulder blade," counsel said.

John Byrne SC, for Zhang, said Judge Baxter's sentence was lenient but not unduly so. He said the sentencing judge had given a careful and reasoned sentence taking into account his client's lack of previous convictions, good character, work history and early guilty plea.

Padraig Dwyer SC, for Tang, said the incident was an "explosion of violence" after tensions between the two workmates had been simmering.

Both men are of good character and considered low risk for reoffending, Mr Dwyer said, but got "sucked into a violent episode" and picked up weapons that were freely available.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy delivered judgment, saying that imprisonment for serious assaults using dangerous weapons is necessary as a deterrent to others. There must be exceptional circumstances to justify a non-custodial sentence and the court found none in this case, he said.

Mr Justice McCarthy quashed the original sentence of community service on the grounds it was unduly lenient and imposed in its place one of two-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended.

Both men entered bonds to be of good behaviour during the period of their suspended sentence before being taken away by prison officers.

The defendants were preparing food in the kitchen of Jumbo Wok takeaway in Kimmage, Dublin, in July 2019 when a verbal argument became violent.

Zhang, of Cloonlara Square, Phoenix Park Racecourse, Castleknock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm and one count of producing a knife in the course of a dispute at the restaurant on July 27, 2019.

Tang, of Millbrook, Portlaoise, Co Laois, pleaded guilty to the same charges.

During a sentencing hearing last year, Judge Baxter said the pair were intent on causing serious harm to each other over who was the better chef. She said the violence on the day was gratuitous and noted there was blood everywhere in the aftermath of the incident.

At an earlier sentence hearing, Detective Garda Marcus Sweeney said that the pair had a tense history, with the argument that day starting over the shared workload.

A physical fight ensued, which was captured on camera before the pair broke apart and Zhang left the kitchen to have a cigarette.

When he returned to the kitchen, the pair started fighting again before Tang grabbed a meat cleaver and swung it at Zhang, hitting him on the head and shoulder a number of times, the court heard.

In an incident that was not captured on camera, Zhang then stabbed Tang a number of times. Another restaurant worker discovered Tang collapsed in the backyard in a pool of blood, while Zhang was bleeding heavily from the head. There was blood all over the kitchen floor, the court heard.

An ambulance and gardai were called and emergency services worked to staunch the flow of blood in Tang's case. He was taken to hospital with multiple stab wounds to his head, forearm, and back and required blood transfusions.

Zhang required medical treatment for lacerations to his scalp, chest and shoulder.
Fake Apple products, fake Otterbox phone cases, luxury designer goods, and cash have been seized as part of a special multi-agency operation targeting intellectual property crime.

Gardai carried out two searches under warrant at business and residential premises in the Dublin 1 and Dublin 13 areas on Friday, seizing luxury goods, suspected counterfeit items and cash.

Among the items seized were 180 pairs of suspected counterfeit Apple AirPods Max headphones with an estimated loss of revenue of 104,400, alongside 185 suspected counterfeit fake Otterbox mobile phone cases with an estimated loss of revenue of 5,500.

Other items included luxury goods with an estimated value of 6,000 by brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga and Hermes, while 25,710 in cash was also seized.

"The Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) have once again shown their effectiveness in tackling Organised Criminal Gangs operating across our capital city, said Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Large-scale Intellectual Property theft and the associated Money Laundering offences are controlled by well-structured criminal networks who risk the safety of the public by selling poor quality counterfeit products, often attempting to pass them off as genuine.

The searches were conducted by the An Garda Siochana Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Intellectual Property and Counterfeit Investigations Unit, and the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), assisted by the National Criminal Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

The suspected counterfeit items are now subject to examination.

No arrests have been made at this time. Investigations are ongoing, a garda spokesperson added.
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The total value of fraudulent payments rose by 26% in 2023, increasing to 126m from 100m in 2022, new research from the Central Bank of Ireland shows.

Publishing its new Behind the Data (BTD) paper on Irish payment fraud statistics, the research also reveals that the rate of fraud in Ireland as a share of all transactions is low, with value and volume rates at just 0.001%.

The Central Bank said that card payment fraud rate is by far the highest among payment method, with 0.034% of card payments by value being fraudulent.

Online card payments made up 86% of the total value of card fraud in 2023, totalling 37.4m, while the value of money remittance frauds more than tripled from 2.5m in 2022 to 8.2m in 2023.

The new report shows that about 60% of the total value of fraud across 2022-2023 involved cross border payments, amounting to 77m in 2023 and 64m in 2022.

It also noted that around half of fraud in electronic payments by value, amounting to 52m in 2023, were not authenticated via Strong Customer Authentication.

The Central Bank said that fraudulent payments are a growing concern in Europe, especially in the rapidly evolving digital marketplace.

Combatting fraud in the financial system is a priority for the Central Bank, working closely with law enforcement, other State agencies and peer regulators, the Central Bank said.

Where we identify criminal activity taking place in the financial system, the Central Bank works with An Garda Siochana and other agencies who lead criminal investigations and prosecutions, the regulator added.

Learn more Around 98% of card payment fraud by value was accounted for by issuance of payment orders by the fraudster which occurs where fraudsters use stolen card, account or personal information for a payment.

The Central Bank said that Manipulation of the Payer fraud occurs where a fraudster gains trust by social engineering or impersonation and convince the payer to make payments to them is evident in credit transfers and e-money payment. In fraudulent credit transfers, payer manipulation fraud rose from 27% in the first half of 2022 to 42% by the end of 2023.

The Unauthorised payment transactions category is more specific to direct debits where a fraudster obtains customer information and sets up mandates without the authorisation of the payer.

More than 99% of all fraudulent direct debits were related to such fraud, with an exception in the second half of 2023 due to a once off incident recorded in this category.

The bank also said that Modification of Payment order by fraudster is where a fraudster intercepts and modifies a legitimate payment order, but noted it was very rare, occurring less than 2% of all fraud by value.

About 60% of the value of fraud is made through credit transfer, although these transactions only accounted for 4% of the total number of fraudulent transactions.

The Central Bank said this is due to the fact that credit transfers are often used for large value payments compared with other payment methods in Ireland.

Credit transfer fraud amounted to 70m in 2023, with 24,000 transactions, the regulator found.

Commenting on the research, Michael Kavanagh, CEO of the Compliance Institute, said: The growing sophistication of fraudsters mean scams have become harder to spot, and therefore easier to fall for.

Fraudsters are also able to use technology to identify and target people as well as to extract the information they need to steal from someone.

Its incumbent on us all to educate ourselves so that we can protect ourselves as much as possible from the dangers of cybercrime. People must take ownership of what they can do to protect their data.

We all need to be mindful when sharing our details with online sites and do what we can protect ourselves from spammers, and worse still fraudsters.
As part of their 170-year anniversary celebrations, Cork Opera House has announced three flagship events to mark the major milestone.

The Best of Cork Opera House Gala will be a black-tie evening of celebration, music, opera, comedy, theatre and dance that will take place on Saturday, March 22.

Tickets are on sale now for the event featuring a stellar line up of some of Irelands finest artists including musical theatre icons such as Killian Donnelly of West End fame, beloved Cork Soprano Majella Cullagh and other notable Cork artists who have contributed significantly to the success of Cork Opera House in recent years.

The gala also includes current and past Cara OSullivan Associate Artists  Niamh OSullivan, Rachel Croash and Emma Nash alongside the likes of Gary Beecher, Laoise Leahy and Michael Grennell, all supported by the Cork Opera House concert orchestra, conducted by John OBrien.

The gala will also feature a special performance by Panto heroes Frank Mackey (Nanny Nellie) and Trevor Ryan (Panto director).

Meanwhile Send It Home, is a memorabilia project which will see a large focus on public engagement through the collection and exhibition of artefacts and stories from Cork Opera Houses storied past.

This initiative is about reconnecting with the community and bringing home the lost stories and treasured memories of Cork Opera House.

This unique public engagement project will invite the community to uncover and share historical artefacts and stories connected to Cork Opera Houses past.

From long-forgotten costumes to old programmes, posters, and keepsakes stored in attics and family collections, Send it Home will catalogue and celebrate the deep cultural and historical ties between Cork Opera House and the people of Cork.

People will also be asked to submit stories and legends about Cork Opera House that have passed from generation to generation.

Finally, The Decades Project will see the commissioning of work from a diverse range of artists reflecting the 17 decades that Cork Opera House has entertained the people of Cork and beyond.

Commenting on this historical year for Cork Opera House, CEO and artistic director, Eibhlin Gleeson said:

Its humbling to reflect on the journey this iconic institution has taken over the past 170 years  creating moments of joy, and memories for families and friends.

We feel proud and lucky to be so loved and valued by the community around us.

Its very important that we take the time to celebrate our legacy  and in planning our celebrations, we have designed projects that highlight our contribution to life in Cork for 170 years, the brilliant artists and performers that surround us and the tens of millions of ticket buyers and attendees who have been welcomed through our doors throughout this time."
A joint funeral is to be held today for two brothers in their 30s from Cork who died of separate drug overdoses within a two week period.

Christine Kavanagh (65) from Gurranabraher on the northside of Cork city has now lost three sons to drugs. She is calling on the Government to allocate more resources for people who battle addiction.

Her son Dillon Kavanagh (30) died on January 23rd in Cork city. Damien Kavanagh (36) was found dead in his flat in Cardiff in Wales on January 8th.

Poignantly, Damien had made the decision to move out of Cork in recent years in an effort to escape from the drugs scene in the city. It is understand he was clean from drugs for some time.

Leon Kavanagh (31) succumbed to drug addiction in 2021. Separately, Ms Kavanagh also lost a fourth son Ross (31) in 2016 after he collapsed and died of an epilepsy related condition.

The body of Damien Kavanagh was brought back to Ireland from Wales with the assistance of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust. Mourners are asked to donate to the trust, if desired, in lieu of flowers.

Damien Kavanagh (36) was found dead in his flat in Cardiff in Wales on January 8th.

Damien and Dillon are survived by their parents Terry and Christine, their seven surviving siblings, extended family and a large circle of friends.

They were predeceased by their brothers Ross and Leon. Damien is also survived by his children Deon and Kelvin and their mother Sonya.

The brothers will lie in repose at Coughlans Funeral Home, Shandon Street today (Friday) from 10am. The family will be attendance from 6.30pm with rosary following at 7.30pm.

A requiem mass for both men will take place at 10am tomorrow (Sat) in St Marys on the Hill Church, in Knocknaheeny in Cork with burial following at St Catherines Cemetery, Kilcully.

IT JUST TOOK DILLON AWAY FROM US

Christine Kavanagh previously told the Opinion Line on Corks 96FM that more needs to be done to make drug dealers accountable for their actions.

They (dealers) have to stop dealing these dirty drugs to our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. (I got the call about Dillon) last night at about quarter to eleven. I was told Dillon was after passing away.

It is not fair for a mum, a dad, a sister or a brother to bury another brother or a son. There should be more help out there. More services for them (people suffering from addiction).

Dillon was a lovely son. Very educated but when he went down that road with those dirty drugs it just took Dillon away from us.

Christine thanked her family and the local community for their support over the years and particularly in recent weeks as she has endured the unimaginable loss of two of her sons.

I have fantastic support from our two families. The family of their Dad and all my family and friends and work and everywhere. The support we are getting is fantastic for me. But there is not enough support for addicts.
A vulnerable 66-year-old man was stalked on the street in Cork city in the middle of the day before being subjected to a violent assault by a man with an implement, it was alleged in the case against a 39-year-old man who was remanded in custody until February 27.

Jonathan Mason of Farranferris Park, Farranree, Cork, is charged with carrying out the assault causing harm on a 66-year-old man at Great William OBrien St, Cork, at 12pm on Thursday, January 16.

Mr Mason appeared at Cork District Court by video link from prison on this assault charge.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused man consented to a four-week adjournment to February 27 to allow time for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Judge Mary Dorgan said that if the accused secured High Court bail in the meantime, he should appear in court in person on the adjourned date.

Detective Garda Brian Holland said: Jonathan Mason knows the injured party and knows the address where he resides  a vulnerable 66-year-old man.

This was a senseless and violent act on a vulnerable, elderly man that was planned and carried out in the middle of the afternoon, he added.

He stalked his victim and followed him and seriously assaulted him.

Mr Burke told the court that the defendant insisted that he had nothing to do with the crime.

Denying that he had anything to do with the crime, Mr Mason said: I am not a violent person. I stay in my nannys or in my partners in Charleville.

I am clean of drugs. Im on Suboxone.

I pass that way [where the crime was committed] every day to collect my tablet next door to Watercourse Road Garda Station.

I am willing to stay out of Cork. My dad is the same age [as the injured party].

I wouldnt like that to happen to my dad.
A 45-year-old man who started arguments with random members of the public in Cork city centre just before Christmas pleaded guilty to several public order and shoplifting offences, against a background of 229 previous convictions.

Roy Twohig of Cork Simon Community was given a total sentence of six months by Judge Mary Dorgan at Cork District Court for his latest offences.

The most recent offences committed by Mr Twohig occurred two days before Christmas when he was involved in a number of incidents.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said that on December 23, 2024, he was found to be so intoxicated that he was a danger to himself or others at Cornmarket St, Cork.

On the same date, he stole a navy puffer jacket from Marks & Spencer at Merchants Quay.

By 8pm that evening there were reports of Twohig, again in an intoxicated condition, walking through the city and starting arguments with members of the public.

Gardai attended the scene and could not locate him.

Afterwards, there was a second call about him banging on the door of Cork Simon Community at Andersons Quay.

He was intoxicated and very emotional and arrested as he was a danger to himself, Sgt Murphy said.

Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused had been homeless for a long period of time and did go into addiction treatment in a centre in Drumcondra, Dublin, where he had been doing very well but unfortunately he had a slip and got into all of these recent difficulties.

He has conveyed to the governor of the prison his wish is to get back into treatment, Mr Burke told the court.
Motions on international issues at Cork City Council meetings have frustrated several councillors, with some suggesting that it can deprive the rest of the councillors of their input on Cork-related issues.

While most of the motions heard in the council meetings are related to local issues, which the councils executive management team have some extent of control over, there are often motions related to national issues  with elected members proposing Cork City Council write to a Government minister or department.

While most councillors engage in debates on national motions and often vote in favour of sending letters on the basis of them, concerns have been raised about the number of council motions on international issues.

At Januarys council meeting, 19 motions were heard under the umbrella of transport and mobility, then six under strategic, economic development, enterprise, and planning, and then two under housing.

Councillors spoke on their own motions and members of the council executive in relevant departments provided further information, before other councillors debated the merit of accepting their colleagues proposals.

Green Party councillor Dan Boyle, Lord Mayor of Cork, significantly cut down the time spent discussing motions by inviting debate on several related motions at once rather than tackling them all individually  which had taken over four hours previously.

Other motions, can include topics such as community policing, bus schedules, pollution of the Glasheen river, and primary care centres.

However, over the last year, motions on issues related to Palestine have become more common  as well as other international conflicts  with councillors suggesting the council condemn attacks or vow to support the work of organisations or groups.

At Januarys council meeting, Labour councillor Peter Horgan proposed: That this council supports the work of UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency] and condemns attempts by Israel to denigrate its work, and condemns the normalisation of the killing of children that is happening in Palestinian territories.

TRUMP

Novembers meeting saw a controversial motion to congratulate Donald Trump on his election, proposed by Independent councillor Albert Deasy, which failed to even be put to a vote after Mr Deasy could not get a seconder for it.

Councillors, across party lines, lodged their vehement objections to congratulating the then-US president elect, and there was an agreement that considering Cork City Council had not written to congratulate leaders of other countries on their electoral success, there was no mandate to do this.

There was a more mixed response to a motion, tabled by Green party councillor Oliver Moran at Januarys council meeting, regarding Adolf Hitler, which, despite the motion being heard near the end of the night, was the topic of much discussion as councillors filtered in before the meeting began.

The motion stated: That on the occasion of 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz that the incoming Government of Ireland will recant condolences on the death of Hitler conveyed by president Douglas Hyde and taoiseach Eamon de Valera; and that this motion will be forwarded to an tanaiste and minister for foreign affairs Micheal Martin.

Fianna Fails Colm Kelleher offered some historical comment about the Second World War, for context, and then spoke in defence of his party founder, saying: We cant rewrite history, I do believe it was his [de Valeras] greatest error  but that man did more for this country than any other man.

The topic of not rewriting history was echoed by a few other councillors, while others argued that acknowledging and apologising for something was not the same as trying to pretend it had never happened to begin with.

Fianna Fails Fergal Dennehy then asked: How does this motion benefit Cork City Council?

Eamon de Valeras condolences over the death of Adolf Hitler were a recently-contested issue at City Hall. Picture: General Photographic Agency/Getty

I think its a bit nonsensical, and I dont see any benefit in it, it will create an issue that doesnt exist, I dont see the purpose of wasting this councils time.

The motion did pass, but perhaps only due to an interjection from another Fianna Fail councillor, John Sheehan, who offered a warning to his colleagues: If we vote against this motion, the headline will be that Cork City Council votes to keep the condolence to Hitler.

The motion was passed, and The Echos headline reflected this  but many councillors seemed to resent the corner they had been backed into.

Party groupings were split  Fianna Fails John Sheehan and Colm Kelleher voted in favour; Tony Fitzgerald, Mary Rose Desmond, and Terry Coleman abstained; and Sean Martin and Fergal Dennehy voted against the motion.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Dennehy told The Echo: While some motions that are not directly related to the business of Cork City Council can be relevant, as they address issues affecting our communities and our city, others fall completely outside our remit as a local authority.

In many instances, whether we support such motions or not is entirely irrelevant, as they do not align with the core responsibilities of our council.

I do accept that on occasion, it is to show solidarity, which is admirable, but quite often we can do that without the requirement for numerous contributors to the debate.

LACK OF 'INFORMED INPUT'

He explained: These non-council motions are typically left until the end of the meeting, often well after 9pm.

Unlike standard council motions, they are debated without the benefit of a report or executive guidance, which means discussions lack the necessary context and informed input that are essential for effective decision-making. This can lead to lengthy debates on topics that, while important in a broader societal context, do not contribute directly to the governance and administration of Cork City.

In my opinion, some of these motions serve primarily as opportunities for grandstanding or political one-upmanship rather than meaningful contributions to council business.

This is particularly unfair to council staff, who have already endured a long and demanding day.

Expecting them to stay late for discussions that do not impact the councils core functions places an undue burden on them and detracts from their ability to focus on more pertinent issues.

Mr Dennehy added that the last non-council motion he had proposed was related to making changes to the community employment scheme to attract more participants, which he said directly affects every councillor through their work with local community and voluntary organisations.

He explained: Addressing issues that have a tangible impact on our constituents is worthwhile, but we must be mindful of ensuring that the matters we debate remain within our scope as a local authority and serve a genuine purpose for the communities we represent.

Many local authorities have a strict policy whereby no non-council-related motion will not be placed on the agenda for a meeting. I dont believe that we should be that harsh, as it would inhibit us completely.

I do think, however, that we should review this issue with a view to finding a compromise through the mechanisms that are already in place in Cork City Council, which are the corporate policy group and the party whips.
If youre reading this by torch or candlelight after spending more than a week with no power, then you have my deepest sympathy.

I speak from experience, as the memory of having no power for five days after the hurricane-force Storm Darwin battered Cork in 2014 is still etched in my memory.

The cold, the darkness, the lack of water and central heating, no internet, the kids complaining about no TV or gadgets... I shudder just thinking about it.

If a kindly neighbour hadnt lent us a diesel generator on day four, I think I would have gone stir crazy.

And that was only five days, says you, as you enter day nine of your power-less ordeal... and counting.

The impact of Storm Eowyn the Thursday before last continues to reverberate, with 86,000 ESB customers still waiting for their power to return, despite the best efforts of the company, bolstered by teams drafted in from the UK and the continent.

Nobody would dispute that the workers on the ground have done brilliant work in restoring the connections to so many households and businesses after an estimated three-quarters of a million premises initially lost power.

However, the high-ups in the ESB, and the Government too, must face some awkward questions in the aftermath.

In the short-term, they might both look at the compensation - or lack thereof - that is available to households and businesses worst affected by the loss of power.

Because, I kid you not, nobody affected by these power cuts can claim a cent in compensation from the ESB for the trials and tribulations of the past week.

The ESBs Customer Charter even recognises the problems a long stint without power can cause to domestic and business customers, and has a compensation plan in place.

If you are without power for 24 hours after we were notified of the fault, you can claim 65 if you are a domestic customer or 130 if you are a business customer, the Charter states. You can claim an extra 35 for every additional 12 hours you are without power.

Such a sum would amount to around 500 for those only getting power back today after Storm Eowyn. Something to numb the pain.

But hold your horses.

The ESB Charter goes on to say: In exceptional cases such as storms or extensive disruption to electricity supplies, we cannot offer this guarantee.

An ESB spokesperson this week confirmed that this guarantee would indeed not apply to Storm Eowyn, and that no compensation would be paid to those who lost power.

This seems to me to be singularly unfair.

Perhaps the shiny new Government could have sat down with the ESB at the outset and thrashed out a compensation deal: say, 250 to each household and business that lost power for more than 72 hours.

After all, the Government has handed out two payments of 125 apiece to all households this winter to help assuage high electricity prices - surely another 250 to those suffering lengthy power cuts would be a fair sum.

Some might argue that house insurance and business insurance can compensate people for their losses, but grounds for such claims are limited regarding power cuts.

I checked my own home insurance, and although I could be able to claim for the lost contents of a freezer after a lengthy power cut, for instance, I would be liable for the first 50.

Would it be worth making the claim in that instance, especially if it meant a bumped-up premium the next time I renew?

The abject misery suffered by so many people who lost power for several days is deserving of far more than whatever few euro can be prised out of the Scrooge-like insurance companies.

Aside from the issue of compensation, there is another reason the ESB and the Government need to get their heads together and ask some awkward questions in the wake of Storm Eowyn. This relates to the actual infrastructure of our energy systems going forward.

There is a growing perception among many people, particularly outside the large towns and cities, that our energy infrastructure is creaking at the seams and becoming more and more unreliable, as well as remaining among the most expensive in the western world.

Is this perception correct?

While Storm Eowyn has been cast as a once-in-a-century weather event, did it justify the huge volume of power cuts that resulted? And could the lengthy delays in getting power back in some places be reduced next time this happens?

If we are to expect more severe storms in the years ahead due to climate change, how can we make our power lines more reliable? Is there a case for more underground cables to secure supply?

As Ireland moves towards supposedly cheaper, more renewable energy, why is our power supply seemingly more volatile and more expensive than ever?

And what about the proliferation of data centres, which soak up so much of our power? Are we going to keep opening them? Indeed, were any of them affected at all by power cuts last week?!

On a personal level, I would vouch for the fact that my own home power supply in a semi-rural part of County Cork has become widely erratic in the past decade, compared with the decade before.

(As an aside, we have had a boiled water notice since September in the Macroom area - another example of our apparently creaking state infrastructure).

I note that the minister who has just been appointed to the energy ticket is Darragh OBrien, who also has responsibility for (deep breath) transport, climate, and the environment.

That is a lot of responsibility on one pair of shoulders.

And if our creaking energy infrastructure is really as bad as some of us fear, the minister might soon be craving for the relative quiet life of the housing department he previously ran.
Healthier, fresher, tastier: Chinese consumers' evolving appetite for festive goods

13:11, February 01, 2025 By Wang Aihua ( Xinhua

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- As the Spring Festival approached, long lines formed at premium supermarkets renowned for their high-quality products in larger portions across China.

Photos of the crowded markets quickly went viral on Chinese social media, with some users commenting, "It's well worth the wait," while others called on retailers to expand their online services.

Out shopping at a major supermarket in western Beijing, 26-year-old Wang Ke filled her cart with king crabs, imported cherries, and a variety of festive food and decoration kits for the Chinese New Year, which fell on Jan. 29 this year.

With a budget of 1,500 yuan (approximately 209 U.S. dollars), this was just one stop on Wang's shopping trip with her in-laws for the most important holiday in the Chinese lunar calendar. "We love the rich collection of products on offer here," she said. "And we trust the quality."

The ancient tradition of purchasing festive goods for the Chinese New Year has evolved significantly, especially amid China's remarkable economic growth in recent decades.

Data from this year's online shopping festival reveals a growing willingness among Chinese consumers to spend on products that are "tastier," "healthier" and "fresher," according to Zhang Peng, general manager of food and fresh produce at major e-commerce platforms Taobao and Tmall.

Sun Jianhui, a taxi driver in Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province, noted that many families prefer to buy daily necessities at major-brand supermarkets due to concerns over quality. "I don't mind spending a little extra on better products, not just for the Spring Festival," Sun told Xinhua. "And I'm not the only one."

At the end of 2024, the Chinese government released a document outlining measures to modernize the country's retail industry over the next five years. The plan aims to establish a modern retail system by 2029 that features enriched supplies, high-quality services, and smart, convenient and green operations.

Wang Zhenyu, secretary-general of the China Consumers Association, said that quality-based consumption is becoming a mainstream trend in China with consumers increasingly demanding quality products and services.

In recent years, China has witnessed the rapid expansion of membership-based supermarkets such as Sam's Club and Costco, as well as retail ventures from e-commerce giants like Alibaba and JD.com. These large retailers are generally perceived to maintain stricter quality control over their products.

Sam's Club announced it had 47 stores in 25 Chinese cities by the end of 2023 and plans to open six to seven additional stores annually in China. In May 2023, Costco Wholesale opened a new outlet in Nanjing, Jiangsu, accompanied by a gas station, marking the first such combination on the Chinese mainland.

An anonymous member of Sam's Club management stated that they strive to understand customer perspectives and offer differentiated services to meet festive season demands.

To welcome the Year of the Snake, these major-brand chain stores have introduced innovative products rich in cultural significance, including lion dance-shaped buns and solid gold bars paired with traditional red envelopes, offering a fresh take on the tradition of monetary gift-giving.

Changing consumer habits have also led to the rise of new domestic grocery brands like Pangdonglai. Established in 1995, Pangdonglai has evolved into a prominent retail chain comprising supermarkets, shopping malls and cinemas.

Despite operating solely in central China's Henan Province, Pangdonglai has garnered a strong reputation nationwide for its exceptional service and quality products. Customers can return any item they are not satisfied with, even if they have consumed most of it.

Yu Donglai, the brand's founder, revealed on Sunday that accumulated sales at the 13 Pangdonglai stores surpassed 130 million yuan on Saturday, the last weekend before the Chinese New Year.

Starting in 2024, Pangdonglai has played a key role in helping refurbish larger supermarket chains like Yonghui Supermarket, which operates over 900 stores nationwide, resulting in a significant boost in sales at these locations.

Wang Ke, who also regularly visits a Yonghui store in Beijing, described her shopping experiences as delightful. "Our family enjoys shopping there from time to time," she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
(Photo: REUTERS / Soe Zeya Tun)Rohingya Muslims attend a wrestling festival at Kyaukpannu village in Maungdaw, northern Rakhine state, June 6, 2014. Since international aid groups were forced out of the Rakhine state.

Christian Solidary Worldwide has called on the international community to take decisive action as Myanmar marks four years under military rule following the coup of Feb. 1, 2021.

Since the coup, the military junta has arbitrarily detained over 28,000 people, disproportionately targeting religious minorities, CSW, an advocacy group, said on Jan. 31.

Detainees in Myanmar, also known as Burma, endure extreme psychological and physical abuse, including torture and inhumane conditions in detention centers.

CSW says its team of specialist advocates works in more than 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East to ensure that the right to freedom of religion or belief is upheld and protected.

In Christian-majority Chin, Kachin, Karen and Karenni States in Myanamar, the military's counterinsurgency tactics have deliberately targeted civilians, religious leaders, and places of worship, amounting to collective punishment.

CSW cites a UN report that the military has killed at least 32 religious leaders, some through extrajudicial execution and others while in custody.

Meanwhile, it says the junta has intensified digital repressionblocking VPNs and restricting internet accessto stifle independent reporting and obstruct global awareness of the severity of ongoing abuses.

"The junta has weaponized rape and sexual violence as a tool of collective punishment, mirroring the 2017 atrocities committed against the predominantly Muslim and legally stateless Rohingya community, which saw thousands killed, 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh and hundreds of villages burned," said CSW.

Reports indicate a concerning pattern of systematic sexual violence in conflict zones and detention centers.

In addition, CSW reported that forced conscription has further devastated Myanmar's youth, compelling many to flee the country.

Despite the Myanmar regime's claim that the draft does not include women at present, it said uncertainty persists.

Rohingya and other marginalized groups have been coerced into service under false promises of citizenship, only to find themselves trapped in cycles of exploitation and violence.

Separately the Catholic organization Aid to the Church in Need International said that after four years of conflict in Myanmar, 20 million people are in need of basic humanitarian aid, 15 million need food, and 3.5 million have been internally displaced.

"Yet, the ongoing civil war in Myanmar is largely forgotten," said Aid to the Church in Need quoted by Vatican News.

"We have the impression that it's a forgotten conflict, that the people are no longer aware, or maybe were not even aware at the beginning, that there is this terrible civil war going on in Myanmar," explained Regina Lynch, executive president of Aid to the Church in Need International.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, of the almost 58 million people in Myanmar Buddhist's account for 87.9 percent of the population, Christians 6.2 percent, and Muslim around 4.3 percent.
We're so used to seeing virtual reality depicted nefariously in films like The Matrix, Virtuousity (a forgotten '90s classic) and The Lawnmower Man, it's genuinely surprising to see something that treats VR in a potentially positive way. In Flora Lau's Luz, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week, theres no major downside to VR, its just another way for humans to connect. And in the case of the film's two lonely leads, art gallery worker Ren (Sandrine Pinna) and pseudo-gangster Wei (Xiaodong Guo), VR serves as a life raft of human connection, something that could help them find peace in a world where they both feel adrift.

Set in modern-day Chongqing (a city so neon-filled and futuristic it seems more sci-fi than real) and Paris, the characters in Luz live alongside technology familiar to us. Smartphones and OnlyFans-esque livestreams featuring young girls are commonplace. But the virtual reality hardware in the film  including ski mask-like goggles, pointed finger sensors that resemble a witch's nails  is both a step ahead, and slightly behind, where we are today. Luz, both the name of the film and the VR world people visit, is a fascinating artifact of the immersive reality space from several years ago. That was before we knew finger tracking could be the main input mode in a VR/AR headset like Apple's Vision Pro.

Ren and Wei experience the VR world of Luz as an escape from their real-world troubles, though that ultimately proves futile. Ren tries to connect with her stepmother Sabine (the legendary Isabelle Huppert), an emotionally distant Paris gallery owner who is avoiding any help for a potentially fatal illness. Wei, meanwhile, is trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Fa, who he can only see anonymously via that aforementioned livestream.

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The lead's storylines intersect during an in-game hunting expedition for a mysterious neon deer, which appears to be the closest thing to "winning" Luz. Wei and Ren reluctantly bond, and eventually they start to find ways to heal their emotional wounds. It's an intriguing concept, though we don't spend enough time with both characters hanging out in VR to truly sell their relationship.

Sundance Institute

Luz doesn't attempt to deliver a fully CG VR world like Ready Player One (thank god), instead we see a hyper-stylized version of the real world with an abundance of neon lights, floating particles and characters dressed as if they're about to head to Comic-Con. Obviously, it's an easier way to convey VR, but the film is also portraying a version of the technology that's practically identical to the real world. If VR were truly so immersive, why even bother with real life connections? (Stylistically, it reminds me of Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshiis forgotten Polish sci-fi film, Avalon, which also explored how people can redefine themselves in a VR simulation.)

While Lau goes to great lengths to craft gorgeous VR imagery, what the film really needs is more time for its two leads to sit down and talk to each other, instead of having us infer emotion as they stare off into the distance. At just an hour and forty two minutes, theres plenty of room for more character exploration. But at least we get some intriguing conversations between Ren and Sabine, with Huppert being her typically charming self. (Perhaps the most unbelievable aspect of the film is that Sabine, a hip presence in the visual arts scene, hadnt tried VR until Ren convinced her. Weve been seeing artists adopt VR for installations since 2016, so its far from a new concept.)

Luz is close to being a great film, with its strong performances and confidently composed cinematography. But through either restraint or weak screenwriting, we dont always have a sense of how the leads relate to the world, or even what they think of each other. The overall approach feels too cold and distant for a film that's ultimately about rediscovering human connection.
TikTok may be back online and in app stores, but its future in the United States is still far from certain. President Donald Trumps executive order delaying enforcement of the ban was only a temporary reprieve for the company.

While ByteDance was once resistant to the idea of selling TikToks US business, that seems to have changed since Trump took office. A ByteDance investor said early this year that striking a deal to keep TikTok in the US is in everybody's interest." Officials in China also suggested they were open to a deal, according to The Wall Street Journal.

A number of people and companies have signaled some interest in TikTok. Trump himself has said he would like to see a bidding war for the app and that the US government should own a stake in the company. What an eventual deal may look like, though, is unclear. These are the offers we currently know about. On March 9, Trump said the administration was "dealing with four different groups" on a potential deal, though he didn't name names.

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Trumps executive order gave the company 75 days to come to an agreement, though he has recently said he would "probably" extend the deadline if a deal isn't reached by April 5.

Oracle

NPR reported in January that Oracle was working with Trump Administration officials on a plan to save TikTok that involves tapping software company Oracle and a group of outside investors to effectively take control of the app's global operations. Under this arrangement, ByteDance would retain a minority stake in the company but Oracle would oversee the app's algorithm, data collection and software updates.

Headed up by Trump pal Larry Ellison, TikTok has an existing partnership with Oracle. The cloud company already hosts TikToks US user data and the company was a key part of TikToks original negotiations to remain operational in the US under a plan called Project Texas. (Those negotiations abruptly fell apart in 2022.)

Trump also previously signed off on a deal for Oracle and Walmart to acquire a 20 percent stake in TikTok in 2020, when the president tried to ban the app during his first term. That deal never materialized. Now, Trumps position on Oracle is unclear. He told reporters that Oracle was not among the many people with whom he had discussed a deal for TikTok. (Ellison, notably, has been at the White House in recent days. He joined Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for the announcement of the Stargate Project.)

Microsoft

Microsoft is reportedly also interested in playing a role in TikToks future, according to the same NPR story, which said Microsoft was among the other potential investors involved in the talks with Oracle. Trump seemingly confirmed this. When asked directly if Microsoft was interested in buying TikTok, Trump responded I would say yes.

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As with Oracle, this isnt the first time Microsoft has attempted to acquire the social media company. Microsoft was in talks to buy TikTok in 2020 and take over its US business, but the deal abruptly fell apart. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later described it as the strangest thing Ive ever sort of worked on.

Perplexity AI (and maybe the US government)

Just before TikTok briefly went offline, Perplexity AI threw its hat into the ring, offering a deal to ByteDance that would create a new entity combining Perplexity, TikTok US and New Capital Partners.

Since then, Perplexity has reportedly tweaked its proposal. According to the Associated Press, the AI company floated a plan that calls for the U.S. government to own up to half of that new structure once it makes an initial public offering of at least $300 billion. Under this plan, ByteDance would keep a minority stake in the company and would contribute TikToks U.S. business without the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app.

Project Liberty

Another set of investors thats proposed a bid to buy TikTok is a group known as Project Liberty. Led by investor Frank McCourt, it includes Kevin OLeary of Shark Tank fame. The group initially came forward before the ban took effect.

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In March, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian announced that he was joining the Project Liberty bid to acquire TikTok's assets. "I'd love to see an app where users actually own their data and where creators have real control," he wrote in a short post on X that hinted at a potential tie-in with... the blockchain. "Imagine bringing all those users seamlessly onchain..." An accompanying video referenced the possibility of "decentralized distribution," but disn't offer details.

OLeary previously told CNBC that deals involving a government stake may not comply with the law. That 50/50 deal, I would love to work with Trump on, so would every other potential buyer ... But the problem with some of these ideas is they are inconsistent with the ruling of the Supreme Court, he said. I would love to do a deal, if the law provided for it, but I dont have the luxury of breaching the order of Congress. Later, he said that the deal "changes by the hour," writing on X that "it's clear to me now that we're going to have to do a dance between the original owners, the founders of ByteDance itself, and interpreting the law of what Congress and Supreme Court has upheld."

MrBeast

YouTuber MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, joked on X about buying TikTok ahead of the initial ban. He later said that so many billionaires had reached out to him about making an offer that he was going to try to actually pull it off.

Okay fine, Ill buy Tik Tok so it doesnt get banned  MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 14, 2025

At least one group has already confirmed his involvement, along with other high-net-worth individuals looking to make an all-cash offer. That group, led by employer.com founder Jesse Tinsley also reportedly includes Roblox CEO David Baszucki. According to Bloomberg, together they have put together significantly more than $20 billion for a bid, though its not clear how seriously their offer is being considered. Bloomberg noted that theres also a possibility that MrBeast may attach himself to other bids.

Whats next?

So where does all this leave TikTok? For now, the company is still in limbo. Yes, it's available in the App Store and Google Play, but the app's service could be interrupted again if the company is unable to reach some kind of a deal. For now, though, it seems both the government and ByteDance are much more willing to negotiate than they have been in the past, though it's not at all clear what terms both sides may actually agree on.

Update, March 10, 2025, 6:55PM ET: This story has been updated to add new statements from President Trump, as well as to add details about Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian joining the Project Liberty bid.

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Lily Collins and husband Charlie McDowell welcomed their first child together via a surrogate.

The "Emily in Paris" star shared the happy news on Instagram on Jan. 31, which included a charming picture of the newborn they named Tove.

The couple shared a picture of Tove nestled in a cozy basket.

Collins tied the knot in 2021 with the movie director, who is the son of actors Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen. He is also the stepson of sitcom star Ted Danson.

Despite their previous decision to maintain privacy about their expanding family, the couple had expressed their desire to have children together in earlier interviews.

McDowell said an interview with E! News in October 2024, "We would like to move into that next stage, so we'll see when it happens!"

"Of course, I'd love to have a family," Collins also revealed in a 2023 Harper's Bazaar interview.

"So, there's the personal, the work, there's the blending of the two. It's always a juggle," she said. "I want to be able to do all the things I enjoy. The key thing is finding out what makes sense for us."

The British actress also shared that her aspiration to start a family in the future played a significant role in her recovery from a challenging battle with an eating disorder.

In a 2017 interview with Us Weekly, Collins said, "Everyone has a different form of recovery. I never had an 'aha' moment."

"My reason to finally start talking about [my eating disorder] was the moment I realized I wanted a family," she shared. "I wanted kids. I didn't want this to be something I bring into that."
Wendy Williams has been granted a brief reprieve from her guardianship for a few days so she can celebrate her father's 94th birthday with him in Miami.

A judge in New York granted the temporary furlough Friday, allowing Williams to leave her New York City-based assisted living facility for two days, TMZ reported.

Sources close to the matter told the outlet that Williams will have private security with her on her trip. Her father will celebrate his birthday with friends and family in Miami.

Williams is then expected to return to what she has previously called her "luxury prison" in New York.

Williams' guardianship has long been a subject of public discussion. Many of her fans have expressed support for her, insisting that such strict measures were not needed.

The 60-year-old previously said her environment has been confined. She pointed to a lack of fresh air, the internet, and in-person visitors while speaking with TMZ in a recent interview for the outlet's upcoming Tubi documentary, "Saving Wendy."

The documentary, which will premiere on Feb. 12, examines the circumstances that led her to the ongoing guardianship and poses questions about her autonomy.

However, the judge presiding over her case has barred Williams from further media engagements.

It comes as widespread discussions continue about guardianship laws and their effects on people like Williams. To address such issues, even New York Senator Anthony Palumbo has proposed new legislation on the matter stemming.

According to the senator, this legislation, which has been named "Karilyn's Law," gives families a legal avenue to visit their loved one by filing a motion with the court. The guardian is then allowed 10 days to prove that the visitor acted inappropriately. If there is no conduct like this, the visit can go ahead.

He believes this new law gives an important legal option for families to visit someone that is in guardianship.
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During the new year, its customary to have a list of resolutions that we hope will transform us in some way. The most popular is losing weight, especially since our belts began shrinking during the holidays. Ive even heard rumors that there have been some that shed those gains and kept it off  of course, those are just rumors. While these efforts are enviable, other issues might need to be addressed. Theres one in particular that has begun to bother me: the competitiveness that seems to have entered hunting and fishing. Im not referring to those looking to get their walleye limit or collect that trophy that theyve been watching for the last year. Not even the guy thats trying to one-up his buddy, even if its attached to a little side wager. Im also not addressing the fishing tournaments around the country. Im talking about whatever it is thats driving a few people to push the ethical envelope.

I first felt a subconscious nudge years ago during a salmon fishing trip on Lake Michigan. I was on a charter trolling open water. Using downriggers and planer boards, the captain was outfitted to get the bait down to his fish-finders findings. At the first sign of a strike, the first mate snatched the rod from its holder, set the hook with hard yanks, then handed the rod to the next angler in line. Nobody on the boat was given the opportunity to set their own hook or handle a net for fear of losing that initial hook-set. This isnt unusual for this type of trolling and most paying anglers are fine with the situation. I explained to the first mate that Id done such fishing before and that Id like to grab the rod when it was my turn for a fish. He replied that I might miss a fish and that looks bad on their board. It was their boat, so I played by their rules. Returning to the dock, the captain and his mate lugged the salmon to their display board to be hung for a photo of happy anglers and a great catch  ready for his website, but I felt a little robbed.

I was in that picture, all smiles  but thats not how I was feeling. It was like Id just overpaid for salmon filets  not been on a fishing trip. I still sent that photo out to some friends and they were congratulatory of my success  those were some really nice fish. Most on the boat were very happy, but their prior experience was limited and this trip really helped them understand the process and encouraged a lot of fishing stories and future trips. That was all a good thing it just wasnt right for me. I just craved a little more involvement.

Values

From that point, I became selective about my fishing methods, often going alone. Ive had plenty of fishless days, days with plenty of fish and a lot of self-induced fishing faux pas. I did appreciate the smoked salmon I took home that day and Ill still book an occasional charter, but it all got me wondering about the value we sometimes place on our trophy fish and game  including my own. Like that charter skippers catch-board advertising, today many of us use social media to post our own fish and game. Sometimes its through pride, to show off a bit, or to just let others know how much we enjoy our selected sports. On the other hand, you dont see many posts with small fish or antlerless deer  its usually the trophy-types that make the grade. Sometimes I wonder if its having an unintended impact on hunting and angling.

Its true that the Boone and Crocket Club (founded 1887), Ohio Big Bucks Club (founded 1957) and the Pope and Young Club (founded 1961) have been promoting trophy animals since their inception and that every state sponsors record-keeping of the largest fish taken. But, allow me to remind you how much things have changed. We have to admit that today, we have some tremendous advantages over the sportsmen of just a few decades ago. Ive begun casting a critical eye at some of that gear and the ethical dilemma it can create  legal or not. Is it possible that we could be encouraging a new type of hunter/angler, the at all costs sportsman?

Help

The first modern marvel was the military-developed sonars used to read depths. Eventually, these were discovered to be useful for locating submarines, bottom structure and, eventually, in finding fish. Today, those simple electronic flashes on an electronic dial have evolved into vivid screen displays, side-scanning sonar and underwater camera feeds that give anglers a clear picture of fish-holding structure and the number, size, swimming depth and even the species of fish. This technology is promoting the development of high-definition underwater maps that can be downloaded or stored in these fish-finding phenoms.

Game cameras, once simple devices hung on a tree and triggered by motion, now monitor animal movement on live-stream game surveillance systems that send video via cell towers to the hunters phone or computer. Multiple hunting stand and camera combinations can be used to monitor animal movements from the comfort of the home or truck; its become such an effective method that some southwestern states, based upon the equipments game-getting advantages, are considering banning their use in certain areas or hunting circumstances.

Drones are becoming another source of consternation. Some are using them to find and surveil game, to drive animals toward hunters or off of posted lands, spotlight game, to watch for approaching enforcement officers, to harass hunters and a multitude of other nefarious activities. A more benign use is the drones delivery system for an anglers bait, taking the lure and line far beyond a rods ability to cast. Theyre also being used to locate schooling fish. The sky is literally the limit as to what new scheme someone might come up with in the future.

Today, thermal and night vision, also military-derived gadgets, are relatively common in the field. I recently spoke to a wildlife officer who helped serve a handful of warrants on some suspects. During those court-ordered seizures, several crossbows were discovered with these devices installed on them. I cant think of many honest reasons to have these devices mounted on any bow-hunting platform.

If it sounds like Im down on technology, Im not. Most of the hunters and anglers who possess this gear can be counted on to always do the right thing. Its the minority that bends the rules. But what influences these folks to break the law or bend the outdoor ethic? Unfortunately, its another advancement in technology and, in part, it might be our own social media posts: its our print media, its me as an outdoor writer. We seem to always push the idea of big antlers and big fish. There are those streaming hunting shows promoting massive trophies and magazines with their big buck covers. For years, game wardens have dubbed this all horn-porn. Is it possible that it may be just as addictive?

Recently, Outdoor Life ran an expose on CJ Alexander, the Ohio man who illegally killed a world-class whitetail. What motivated him and his friends to take such a risk of getting caught and suffering severe penalties? Was he influenced by photos he was seeing, the possibility of manufacturer endorsements, his name in record books, the cash connected to winning prizes or selling antlers? A bump in his social media likes? Envy of other hunters posts or success? Remember the cheaters in that Ohio fish tournament who were shoving lead down their catchs gut so they could win the prize? Ironically, following Outdoor Lifes Alexander column was a long list of stories of even more bagged big bucks so typical in such writing.

It seems that when public notoriety or monetary value is placed on any game or fish, trouble lingers  for the culprit, for the resources and in the form of tarnished reputations of all legal sportsmen and women. Could these be the results of the unintended consequences of hyping only the biggest and the best? Has this become one of the influencing motivators that creates someone willing to risk everything for the sake of a set of antlers or a trophy at a fishing derby? Is this what is driving these at all costs lawbreakers?

Or could it simply be that theyve always been there and that those same advancements in technology are helping our wildlife officers to finally catch them? This may well be the case. I doubt weve come close to any technological pinnacle. I just hope that Joe and Jane hunters and anglers can adjust to these advancements and still learn the skills that those before us needed to successfully catch fish or bag a buck. You know, sometimes, I might just think too much. It could be that the simplest answer is the underlying culprit, and I doubt that the blame should be placed upon technology or social media. Maybe there are just a few greedy folks out there stretching the laws, limits, truth and our tolerance.

Keep it simple, when you get too complex you forget the obvious.

 Al McGuire
Winter weather brings us an annual reprieve from many of the pests that damage our crops and infest our livestock. We often believe that extended cold will reduce potential insect pest populations later in the year.

In truth, these pests have adapted to overwinter in the soil or as egg masses on host plants, while some will retreat to a more temperate region of the country only to return once temperatures warm.

While these traditional pests have taken a brief break, there are others that are entering a season where they move to the top of the concern list.

The most significant winter pest of livestock is lice. Lice are species-specific, meaning that humans should not be concerned that they will be infested by lice from cattle, sheep, goats or poultry.

Life cycle

Lice can be classified as blood feeders (sucking lice) or biting lice that scrape material from the skin and base of hairs. They exist in three life stages: egg, nymph and adult.

Eggs are attached at the base of hairs and hatch after about two weeks. The nymphs take another three weeks to mature into adults.

An adult female will attach one to four eggs per day at the base of the hairs and live another three weeks. The time needed to move between growth stages and the average lifespan will vary between species.

The warmth provided by an animals body provides an ideal environment for the lice to thrive. As animals group together for added warmth, it is easy for lice to move from animal to animal.

While we can easily see the distress created by infestations with the continuous scratching resulting in hair loss and irritated skin, it is difficult to determine the economic impact of lice infestations. Cattle that experience infestations will have reduced performance, general unthriftiness and anemia.

Common lice of cattle

The department of entomology at the University of Kentucky, has a factsheet that provides a description of lice that commonly infest cattle (ETNFACT-512). They provide details on four species that are most prevalent in cattle, which include:

The shortnosed cattle lice is the largest of the common sucking lice species. Adults are about 2/10 of an inch long. They are found more frequently on mature animals where they prefer to feed along the top of the neck and around to the dewlap and brisket. As numbers increase, these lice can be found from the base of the horns to the base of the tail.

The longnosed cattle louse is more commonly seen on calves and dairy stock and rarely occurs in large numbers on mature animals. This louse is usually most abundant on the dewlap and shoulders but will spread over the entire body when animals become heavily infested. As the weather warms in the spring and numbers drop, they are usually seen last on the shoulders.

The little blue cattle lice are found most often in small clusters on the muzzle, neck and dewlap of mature cattle. Clusters of lice around the eyes cause heavily infested animals to look as if they are wearing glasses.

The cattle biting louse is most commonly found in colonies or patches  at the base of the tail, shoulders and top line of the back. Skin around colonies of this louse can have the appearance of mange lesions.

Prevention and treatment

Sound management practices are the base for lice control. It is always the first recommendation for all producers to have a valid Client-Veterinary-Patient-Relationship with their local veterinarian to assist with development and implementation of a herd specific animal health program.

Furthermore, animals that have all their nutritional needs met have been shown to better withstand infestations and respond to treatments. The added stress of winter requires an increase in energy and protein for livestock and these need to be considered in your winter-feeding programs.

Management of treatment and prevention options should be similar to controlling flies. It is best to implement preventative treatments in advance of infestation periods to limit population explosions and the subsequent animal health issues.

The specific products available to chose from will be dependent on the production status of the animals.

In nonlactating dairy cattle, you can use the organophosphates phosmet and chlorpyrifos as well as tetrachlorvinphos, coumaphos and diazinon. The macrocyclic lactones moxidectin, ivermectin, eprinomectin and doramectin can be used in all classes of cattle.

These products can be an injectable or pour-on formula. Most pour-ons will be effective against both biting and bloodsucking lice, and injectables primarily target bloodsucking species. You will need to consult the product label to determine if it is an option for your intended use.

Biosecurity practices will also assist in control. If you introduce new animals into the herd, you should consider them infested and quarantine the new arrivals separate from your resident livestock for a minimum of 30 days.

The trailer and all animal handling equipment should be sanitized after use.
DALTON, Ohio  Just Rite 4-H Club held its January meeting on Jan. 5 in Butler Township. There were 45 members present at the meeting. Vice President Camryn Cody called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.

The club voted to donate $200 to Sara Bailey, the 2023-2024 Columbiana County Fair Queen, who was selected for the 2025 Ohio 4H Global Immersion Project.

Bailey will travel to Greece to represent 4-H to Greek Ag Students. The $200 will help offset the cost of her trip.

The club also held officer elections. Those elected include: President Camryn Cody; Vice President Madison Aegerter; Treasurer Caroline Moser; Secretary Case Koons; News Reporter Callie Koons. The club provided snacks and drinks, and the meeting was rounded out with a presentation by Julia Narbey regarding swine health and injections. The meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m.
SALEM, Ohio  The Farmers Almanac says its a good-luck tradition to say rabbit, rabbit, before any other words on the first day of the month.

On Feb. 1, rabbit breeders and enthusiasts will be reveling in their good fortune on the showroom floor of the Lebanon Valley Expo Center as the two-day Pennsylvania State Rabbit Convention gets underway in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Later in February, the annual Indiana State Rabbit Breeders Association Conference will offer another chance to see rabbit breeders competing.

As breeders crisscross the country with thousands of bunnies converging on showroom floors, its more than luck that brings out the best of the rabbits on the convention floors.

Pat Carroll, of Darke County, Ohio, expects her miniature bunnies to place well in competitions throughout the region. She is at the forefront of breeding Netherland Dwarf rabbits with 30 years of experience in the trade.

Carroll, of Greenville, Ohio, anticipates this years rabbit associations, clubs and conventions to be busy, both in terms of overall rabbit entries for all breeds and for people who care about Netherland Dwarf rabbits.

Self-taught

Longtime rabbit breeders like Carroll rely on their decades of self-taught rabbit knowledge and the breed standards set by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) to raise the bar on quality show rabbits.

Born and raised in Darke County, Ohio, a touchstone in her life was her parents local, rural farm teachings that initially nurtured her talents with rabbits.

I had a very old-school upbringing, value-wise, because my parents had a big heart for animals, Carroll said.

At Carrolls Half Pints Rabbitry, her focus is on dwarfs. Adored for their petite size  round eyes and faces with ears that stand roughly one-and-a-half inches tall, weighing no more than two-and-a-half pounds  ARBA says Netherland Dwarfs are compact with a short, stocky body and small, round head and bright and bold eyes.

Theyre supposed to be round in every possible way that you look at them: body, head, ears, all round, short and deep as possible, Carroll said.

ARBA Executive Director Eric Stewart said adult Netherland Dwarfs look like baby rabbits even when they age.

It is reasonable to find people are drawn to these adorable cherubs with their seemingly Peter-Pan ageless appearance and charm, Stewart told Farm and Dairy.

The breed is healthy and its population is stable. Stewart said overall the breed is not necessarily growing in popularity, rather it is remaining one of the most popular breeds.

ARBA nor any other agency has means by which to get a true census of Netherland Dwarfs, however, they are always the largest breed entered at every ARBA National Convention. Netherland Dwarfs also remain among the highest number of registrations performed annually with ARBA, he said.

Paving the way

At Carrolls rabbitry in Greenville, Ohio, she opened the door to a barn and greeted dozens of Netherland Dwarf rabbits tucked in their nesting boxes or hopping back and forth between their sitting spots and the doors. Carroll indicated the rabbits approaching the doors were the most friendly bunnies in her herd. A radio played guitar music for them.

The Netherland Dwarfs are one of the most challenging rabbits to breed because there are genetic anomalies and things happen that arent your normal type of things to deal with as a breeder, Carroll said.

While her work with tiny-but-mighty dwarf rabbits takes place in a barn in an alleyway on a nondescript street in downtown Greenville, miniature animals everywhere are grabbing the worlds attention, from tiny pets to pygmy hippos in zoos  The United States now has its own baby pygmy hippo, an NPR newscast broadcasted on Jan. 6 of the new baby pygmy hippo born at a Virginia zoo.

Other breeders rely on Carroll for her deep knowledge of the miniature breed. She tracks the moon to determine the best timing for breeding cycles and creates a monthly calendar to share with her network and writes about rabbits for the members-only newsletter at the American Netherland Dwarf Club. She sold 199 rabbits in 2023 and 190 in 2024.

American Netherland Dwarf Club Vice President Jeremy Collins said Netherland Dwarfs are most often referred to as the gem of the fancy but I have heard them called the bulldog of rabbits because of their short bodies, squished faces, and stumpy front legs.

Carroll, who was born colorblind, works on breeding a type of Netherland Dwarfs called brokens. Broken refers to a primarily white Netherland Dwarf with another color spotted (broken) on the face and along the body.

Pat has bred this variety for many years and recognized certain traits that reproduce certain qualities of this color pattern, Collins said. By breeding the animals with these color modifying genes to one another and holding back those who exhibit the best attributes, Pat has succeeded in vastly improving the broken color patterns and genetic modifiers on dwarf rabbits.

Standard colors can also include blue, lilac and black, among others, and the newest variety recognized is the silver tipped steel, in 2024, Stewart said.

Steel has been a recognized variety for many years and at one time silver-tipped steels were faulted, whereas the gold-tipped steels were deemed ideal. There was a clarification made in the (ARBA) standard defining that only gold-tipped steels were recognized, Stewart said.

It was Collins who applied for the necessary ARBA certificate of development for the new silver-tipped steel variety, Stewart noted.

Collins said Carroll is committed and highly influential in her work on improving coat colors and quality characteristics in rabbits.

Pat Carroll is considered a gem of our rabbit breeders because of her lovely demeanor, dedication to her animals and excellent husbandry skills, Collins said.
Iceland boss and Labour backer Richard Walker has spoken out against the party's inheritance tax proposals on farmers after previously supporting the measure.

Mr Walker criticised the chancellors decision to target farmers with higher death duties, suggesting online retailers would be a better source of tax generation for the Treasury.

The government announced a 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.

Mr Walker told The Telegraph : The Treasury is right to look at levelling the playing field on tax, but it has parked its tractor in the wrong place going after hard-working British farmers.

Lets stop messing around and make online sales tax reform the priority. High streets and farmers are the bedrock of this great country, we need to get behind them.

His comments came just hours after he was criticised for failing to publicly support farmers in the tax row despite concerns raised by almost every other major supermarket.

The new development will likely be seen as a major break with Labour, after he spoke out in support of Chancellor Rachel Reeves numerous times over recent months.

In December, Mr Walker had urged business chiefs to stop 'wallowing' and 'complaining' about higher taxes.

Yesterday (30 January), the campaign group No Farmers, No Food called on him to support farmers, while the Countryside Alliance urged all supermarkets to take a stand 'before its too late'.

In a tweet, No Farmers, No Food said: Its heartening to see the majority of major supermarkets supporting farmers in their campaign against the governments inheritance tax on family farms.

"But why havent Iceland Foods done the same? Its time for all our major supermarkets to unite for farmers.

Retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Co-op, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons have all spoken out against the IHT changes in recent weeks, demanding an overhaul.

Ashwin Prasad, chief commercial officer of the UK's largest retailer, Tesco, said last month that the planned move would put Britains food security at risk.

Speaking about the new development from Iceland, the Countryside Alliance said it welcomed the intervention, as well as other supermarkets for 'taking a stand'.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, external affairs at the alliance, said: More and more businesses are rightly opting to stand with farmers.

Major brands in the wider food and hospitality industry, should be thinking about their supply chains and their long-term ability to meet the growing consumer demand for food and drink produced in this country.

"This wont happen if we lose family farms and further rely on imports," he said.

The NFU has argued that 75% of farms could be impacted by the IHT changes, with other industry estimates suggesting 2,500 farmers a year will be hit by the overhaul, five times as many as official forecasts.

However, the Treasury argues only 500 estates a year will pay more under the new scheme than they do today.

A major demonstration in opposition to the proposed changes is due to be held in Westminster on 10 February to coincide with a parliamentary debate on the matter.
Guy Pearce has managed his career in Hollywood "the way [he] wanted to handle it".

Guy Pearce has enjoyed success in Australia and Hollywood

The 57-year-old actor first found fame on the Australian soap opera 'Neighbours' in the late 80s, and although he's also enjoyed significant success in the American movie business, Guy doesn't have any regrets about rejecting some lucrative career opportunities.

Speaking to Hello! magazine, Guy explained: "I wanted to handle Hollywood, the way I wanted to handle it.

"A lot of people would say I messed up my career because I didn't go and do big superhero movies like I should have, but I didn't want to go."

Guy is happy to keep working in Australia, even if the roles are less lucrative.

The actor shared: "If I got offered a good job in America, great, I'd do it. And if I wasn't getting work in America, I'd just work at home in Australia."

Guy previously revealed how he struggled to cope with fame earlier in his career.

The actor told The Independent: "I went to America still carrying this baggage of not believing in myself or the value of my work, so I was extremely picky.

"I had people around me saying I should do a superhero film, but I was only interested in films that felt heavy and psychological.

"Id done five films back-to-back and was pretty spent, turning up to work every morning and growling at people. I was battling with myself all the time over whether its just ridiculous and childish, faking stuff for a living."

Guy ultimately decided to take some time off because he was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

He said: "I was about ready to kill somebody, to be honest, so I took 18 months off, had a big old think about it and a bit of a lie-down and came back thinking actually, this is something that will keep me young. Its a wonderful, youthful perspective on life. It was the decision of a thirty-something man, not an eight-year-old boy."
Hayley Atwell believes Tom Cruise is a unique figure in the movie business.

Hayley Atwell has heaped praise on Tom Cruise

The 42-year-old actress has starred alongside Tom, 62, in the money-spinning 'Mission: Impossible' film franchise, and Hayley has admitted to being wowed by the Hollywood icon.

She told the Guardian newspaper: "When I started, I was very aware of the rarefied air around him and how there is no one like him. And there never will be because actors arent made like him any more.

"He is a one-man studio and, to me, very kind, very professional. And because of that, I felt I was able to try lots of different things. There was never a risk of failure or being unsafe. Tom really likes people to thrive on set."

Hayley has relished the experience of working alongside Tom, and she's embraced the physical nature of the role, too.

The actress also loved that she's been actively encouraged to improvise during their scenes.

The London-born star - who plays Grace in the hit film franchise - explained: "Therell be Tom going: From five years old Ive always wanted to jump from a cliff on a motorbike, and realising his dream. But with the rest, theyre kind of making it up as they go.

"When I auditioned, they were clear they were looking for someone who likes to work in this way, and that its not for everyone. I also had to be prepared for five months of full-time physical training and to be dynamic enough to learn fight sequences, to drift in a car with Tom, to be able to shoot a gun and work with knives."
The White House has hit back at Selena Gomez following her emotional video about Donald Trump's new deportation plans.

The White House has responded to Selena Gomez

The 'Only Murders in the Building' actress - whose family is from Mexico - shared a tearful clip earlier this week after almost 1,000 people were arrested over three days across major cities in the United States as part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, and she has now received an official response which featured three women whose children were murdered by illegal immigrants.

Posting the video on X, the official White House account wrote: "Kayla Hamilton, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin were murdered by illegal aliens.

"Their courageous mothers had something to say to @SelenaGomez and those who oppose securing our borders. Watch (sic)"

In the video, which was titled "Moms of Victims of Illegal Immigrants SLAM Illegal Aliens: You didn't Cry for Our Daughters", the women praised Trump's immigration policies and blasted Selena.

Alexis Nungaray, the mother of Jocelyn Nungaray, said: Seeing that video, its hard to believe that its actually genuine and real because shes an actress. My daughter was a child. Theres many other children whose lives were taken due to people who crossed here illegally.

And Tammy Nobles, who lost her daughter Kayla Hamilton, questioned: You dont know who youre crying for. What about our children who were brutally murdered and raped and beat to death and left on the floor by these illegal immigrants? They didnt cry for our daughters.

Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, said: I just feel like its a ruse to deceive people and to garner sympathy for lawlessness. No one has stood up except for us mothers to cry out about our children.

In her now-deleted post, Selena wept heavily and promised to "try everything" to help those facing deportation.

In a since-deleted post on Instagram, she cried: "I just want to say that Im so sorry. 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 captioned the video with a Mexican flag emoji, and added: "I'm sorry."

The 32-year-old star was met with fierce backlash from Trump supporters accusing her of being performative.

After deleting the initial clip, she wrote on her Instagram Story: "Apparently its not OK to show empathy for people.

She has since deleted that post too.

Last week, Trump signed a number of executive orders which expanded ICE's powers to arrest and detain unlawful migrants to the US.
Zoe Saldana feels "sad" about Karla Sofia Gascon's controversial historic tweets.

Zoe Saldana has expressed her sadness

The 46-year-old actress starred alongside Karla, 52, in the award-winning musical film 'Emilia Perez', but Zoe has distanced herself from her co-star's controversial social media posts, which recently resurfaced online.

Asked about Karla's posts during a Q and A in London, Zoe explained: "It makes me really sad because I dont support [it], and I dont have any tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.

"I can only attest to the experience that I had with each and every individual that was a part, that is a part, of this film, and my experience and my interactions with them was about inclusivity and collaboration and racial, cultural, and gender equity. And it just saddens me."

Zoe insisted that she wants to spread a message of "love" and "support".

The Hollywood star reflected: "It saddens me that we are having to face this setback right now.

"But Im happy that youre all here and that youre all still showing up for 'Emilia' because the message that this film has is so powerful and the change that it can bring forward to communities that are marginalised day in and day out is important. And all that I can attest is that all of us that came together to tell this story, we came together for love and for respect and curiosity, and we will continue to spread that message. Thats all we can say right now."

Karla has already apologised for having "caused hurt" with her old social media posts.

The 'Emilia Perez' star - who recently became the first trans person to be nominated for an Oscar - came under fire after old tweets about the Muslim community, the late George Floyd, and diversity at the Academy Awards resurfaced.

Karla said in a statement: "I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt.

"As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness. (sic)"
The pre-release event of the Naga Chaitanya, Sai Pallavi starrer Thandel was scheduled to happen today, with Allu Arjun as the chief guest. However, the event has been postponed.

The reason behind this is that Balakrishna is hosting a grand celebration at his farmhouse in Hyderabad, and all the stars, including Allu Arjun, have been invited. This is the reason the Thandel pre-release event has been postponed.

Thandel is produced by Allu Aravind and features Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in the main leads. The film is directed by Chandoo Mondeti, with DSP composing the music.
The gifts support local efforts to make a positive impact in communities across Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia

Southern Company

Southern Company Gas and its philanthropic arm, the Southern Company Gas Foundation, awarded more than $11 million in financial gifts last year to over 600 nonprofit organizations in communities across the company's service territory.

Collectively these gifts positively impacted approximately 4.5 million people across Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia. Donations and grants were awarded to nonprofits that aligned with the foundation's four strategic priorities: social justice, economic mobility, environmental stewardship and community enrichment.

"Investing in progress and opportunities to positively transform and grow communities is central to our company," said James Y. (Jim) Kerr II, Southern Company Gas chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We are intentionally focused on initiatives that fuel possibilities and advance opportunity for the betterment of those we serve. That's why our company and foundation have directed more than $50 million in giving to communities throughout our service areas since 2020."

Southern Company Gas, its family of local distribution companies - Atlanta Gas Light, Chattanooga Gas, Nicor Gas and Virginia Natural Gas - its marketing business Georgia Natural Gas, its charitable foundation and its employees have collaborated with community partners to address local challenges through charitable giving and transformative volunteer experiences for more than 160 years and counting.

"We seek to be citizens where we live, work and serve. While meaningful financial contributions are key to supporting community efforts, our engagement stems beyond to include the time and talent of our people. We partner with organizations to provide holistic support to our communities, often driving programming, making connections to resources and volunteering to support projects and initiatives across our service footprint," said Serena Levy, Southern Company Gas Foundation president and Southern Company Gas vice president of corporate impact.

Major gifts included donations that aided justice-impacted individuals successfully returning to society; supported workforce development programs training people to work in needed, skill-based jobs; grew reforestation of native species and conserved environmentally fragile areas; funded scholarships for secondary education and wrap-around programming for K-12 students; and supported health and human services for those most in need.

The foundation, the company and its employees also pledged approximately $700,000 to United Way and its affiliated local chapters. These contributions will help combat food insecurity and provide access to critical resources such as health and wellness, education and housing initiatives.

The company's employee resource groups also worked with Southern Company Gas Foundation leadership to direct $100,000 to nonprofit organizations aligned with their respective areas of focus in 2024. Furthermore, charitable giving in 2024 was complemented by more than 900 employees volunteering their time. From mid-November to mid-December alone, company volunteers spent time at more than 50 events supporting nonprofits to make the holiday season brighter for families in need.

For more information on community initiatives across the Southern Company Gas footprint, visit southerncompanygas.com/communityengagement.

About Southern Company Gas

Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America's premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.4 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and approximately 600,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.

About the Southern Company Gas Foundation

The Southern Company Gas Foundation and its six subsidiaries in Georgia, Illinois, Tennessee and Virginia are committed to supporting the communities where Southern Company Gas employees live, work and serve. Its mission is to advance social justice, enable economic mobility, care for the environment and provide community assistance. The foundation is a private, nonprofit organization funded by an endowment from Southern Company Gas.

SOURCE Southern Company Gas

For further information: Arsenio O. Ward, C: 404.694.6446, x2arward@southernco.com

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Southern Company on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Southern Company

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/southern-company

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Southern Company

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 31, 2025 / Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:AEMC)(OTCQB:AKEMF) ("AEMC" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into an equity distribution agreement dated January 31, 2025 (the "Distribution Agreement") with Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood" or the "Agent"). Under the Distribution Agreement, the Company will be entitled, at its discretion and from time-to-time during the term of the Distribution Agreement, to sell, through Haywood, as sole and exclusive placement agent, such number of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $10 million (the "ATM Offering"). Sales of the Common Shares will be made through "at-the-market distributions", as defined in National Instrument 44-102 - Shelf Distributions, directly on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") or, if any, other recognized Canadian "marketplace" within the meaning of National Instrument 21-101 - Marketplace Operations where the Common Shares are listed, quoted or otherwise traded. The volume and timing of distributions under the ATM Offering, if any, will be determined in the Company's sole discretion. The Common Shares will be distributed at market prices or prices related to prevailing market prices from time to time. As a result, prices of the Common Shares sold under the ATM Offering will vary as between purchasers and during the period of distribution. The ATM Offering will be effective until the earlier of the issuance and sale of all of the Common Shares issuable pursuant to the ATM Offering and November 30, 2026, unless terminated prior to such date by the Company or the Agent in accordance with the terms of the Distribution Agreement.

Distributions of the Common Shares under the ATM Offering will be made and qualified by way of a prospectus supplement dated January 31, 2025 (the "Prospectus Supplement") to the Company's existing short form base shelf prospectus (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") dated November 1, 2024. The Prospectus Supplement has been filed with the securities commissions in all provinces and territories of Canada. The Prospectus Supplement (together with the related Base Shelf Prospectus) is available on the SEDAR+ website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedarplus.ca. Alternatively, the Company or Haywood will send the Prospectus Supplement (including the Base Shelf Prospectus) upon request. Such requests may be made by sending an email to Haywood at ecm@haywood.com.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the ATM Offering to complete metallurgical studies on the Eureka deposit, update the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Eureka deposit and to perform internal economic and options analysis of mine development at the Nikolai Project. Proceeds will also be used to advertise the Nikolai Project to potential joint venture partners or strategic investors and to assist potential partners with due diligence reviews.

The Common Shares that may be issued under the ATM Offering have been conditionally approved for listing on the TSXV.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The securities being referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/

ABOUT ALASKA ENERGY METALS

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.

AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic energy-related metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project, 'Angliers-Belleterre,' in western Quebec. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Gregory Beischer"

Gregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gregory A. Beischer, President & CEO

Toll-Free: 877-217-8978 | Local: 604-638-3164

Sarah Mawji, Public Relations

Venture Strategies

Email: sarah@venturestrategies.com

Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation), including, without limitation, statements relating to the sales of Common Shares under the Distribution Agreement, the amount of proceeds and the use of proceeds from such sales. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. 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 statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

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

SOURCE: Alaska Energy Metals Corporation

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2025) - The BC Bud Corporation (CSE: BCBC) (OTC Pink: BCBCF) (FSE: W04) ("The BC Bud Co" or the "Company") announces that it has issued an aggregate of 750,000 incentive stock options ("Options") to certain consultants of the Company, pursuant to the Company's omnibus share incentive plan. Each Option is exercisable by the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.12 for a period of two years.

Service Agreement

The Company also announces that it has entered into a services agreement (the "Agreement") effective February 7, 2025, with Walk The Street Capital ("WTS Capital"), an arm's length party to the Company. Pursuant to the Agreement, WTS Capital has agreed to provide promotional marketing services to the Company, including the preparation and posting of analysis articles, news releases, a marketing video, and collaborative written content and social media engagement services using email and platforms such as X, Reddit and Discord, in consideration for an aggregate cash fee of $30,000, payable upfront, and the grant of 250,000 fully vested stock options. The stock options are exercisable at $0.12 per share for a period of two years. The term of the Agreement is for a period of six months.

WTS Capital's business address is 405 Ridge Rd, Ridgeway, ON L0S 1N0, it's contact email is info@wtscapital.io and phone number is 905-321-1470.

About The BC Bud Co.

The B.C. Bud Co. is a house of brands created by industry professionals who are passionate about the user experience.

On behalf of the board of directors of The BC Bud Co.

Brayden Sutton

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Disclaimer

Forward-Looking Statements

This 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 the expected services to be provided to the Company pursuant to the Agreement and the compensation to provided in consideration thereof. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied certain material assumptions, including without limitation, the services to be provided pursuant to the Agreement will be as expected, the Agreement will not be terminated early, the potential benefits provided to the Company by entering into the Agreement, and that the Company's business plans will remain unchanged. 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, risks related to the services provided pursuant to the Agreement differing from management's current expectations and the Agreement being terminated early.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239276

SOURCE: The BC Bud Corporation
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2025) - Moss Genomics Inc. (CSE: MOSS) (FSE: F73) (the "Company" or "Moss") is pleased to announce that is has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement of 2,500,000 common shares (each a "Share") at $0.10 per Share for total gross proceeds of $250,000 (the "Offering"). Concurrently, with the closing of the Offering, the Company announces closing of its acquisition of 160 Ethereum cryptocurrency ("ETH") in consideration for the issuance of 7,840,000 common shares (the "ETH Acquisition").

The Offering and ETH Acquisition remains subject to final acceptance from the Canadian Securities Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering and ETH Acquisition will be subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months plus one day from closing.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering and the ETH Acquisition for general working capital purposes.

The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons or persons in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Appointment of Hunter Jordan

The Company is pleased to announce that it has appointed Hunter Jordan to its Board of Directors.

Hunter is a VP at a private real estate firm, specializing in global real estate operating company investments. In this role, he leads strategic initiatives to establish and scale platforms while optimizing governance structures. Hunter began his career at PwC, earning his CPA designation, and has worked across multiple sectors and regions.

The Company also announces that it has granted a total of 200,000 stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. Each option is exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.20 for a period of 5 years.

About Moss Genomics Inc.

Moss is a biotechnology company utilizing Artificial Intelligence, Genomic, Microbiome, and a diverse array of health data to develop unique and innovative health solutions. By integrating blockchain and advanced treasury strategies, Moss seeks to leverage modern advancements in technology in the life sciences industry.

For further information concerning Moss and its business please view the Company's website at mossgenomics.com and its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca or contact us at:

The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Information

This 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: regulatory approval of the Offering, the ETH Acquisition and the intended use of proceeds raised under the Offering.

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: delays in obtaining or failure to obtain the required regulatory approvals for the Offering and the ETH Acquisition; market uncertainty; and changes in the Company's business plans impacting the intended use of proceeds raised under the Offering.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory approvals for the Offering and the ETH Acquisition; and the Company will use the proceeds of the Offering as currently anticipated.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239281

SOURCE: Moss Genomics Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 31, 2025) - Caprock Mining Corp. (CSE: CAPR) ("Caprock" or the "Company") today announced that it has terminated the option agreement it had entered into in respect of Ackley Lithium-Tin-Molybdenum-REE property located in south-eastern Newfoundland and that the Company will focus its efforts on its newly optioned Destiny gold property located near Val D'Or, Quebec (see press release dated January 29, 2025).

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. 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 (TSE: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. 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/239271

SOURCE: Caprock Mining Corp.
Nvidia's stock is experiencing its most significant monthly decline in 18 months, driven by mounting concerns over Chinese competition and regulatory challenges. The tech giant's shares dropped to $123.83, marking a 0.7% decrease, as market anxiety intensified following the emergence of DeepSeek's cost-effective AI solution. This development has triggered a massive sell-off in the technology sector, erasing approximately one trillion dollars in market value. The situation is further complicated by Nvidia's recent impressive performance, which saw a 93.61% revenue surge to $35.08 billion in the last quarter, creating a stark contrast with current market sentiment.

Regulatory Pressures Mount

Adding to investor concerns, the U.S. government is contemplating stricter export restrictions on AI chips to China, specifically targeting Nvidia's H20 chips designed for the Chinese market. Despite these headwinds, analysts maintain an optimistic outlook, projecting an average price target of $416.25. However, the market's reaction to DeepSeek's innovation, which promises comparable performance with reduced computing power requirements, has forced investors to reassess traditional valuations in the technology sector.

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Novartis experienced a remarkable upswing at the Swiss Stock Exchange SIX, with shares climbing 3.7% to reach 97.25 Swiss francs, touching a daily high of 97.30 francs. This impressive performance was driven by the pharmaceutical giant's outstanding fourth-quarter results, which substantially exceeded market expectations. The company reported a 15% increase in quarterly revenue, reaching $13.2 billion, while operating profit surged by 37% to $3.5 billion. Key medications, including Entresto, Kesimpta, Kisqali, Cosentyx, and Leqvio, demonstrated robust growth with double-digit sales increases, contributing significantly to the company's strong financial performance.

Future Growth Prospects

Looking ahead to 2025, Novartis maintains an optimistic outlook despite upcoming challenges. The company projects mid to high single-digit revenue growth and anticipates operating profit growth in the high single to low double-digit range. These targets notably exceed current market expectations by approximately four percent. In response to the strong performance, Novartis announced a dividend increase from 3.30 to 3.50 Swiss francs, reflecting confidence in its continued growth trajectory. However, the company acknowledges potential headwinds from generic competition for several key products, including Tasigna, Promacta, and Entresto, expected to enter the market mid-year.

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Commerzbank has achieved unprecedented success in fiscal year 2024, with net profits soaring to 2.68 billion, marking a remarkable 20% increase from the previous year. The Frankfurt-based financial institution's total revenue climbed by 6% to reach 11.11 billion, significantly exceeding market expectations. This exceptional performance was driven by a robust commission income, which grew by 7% to 3.64 billion, while net interest income remained strong at 8.33 billion. The bank's improved efficiency is evident in its cost-to-income ratio, which enhanced from 61% to 59%, showcasing superior operational management despite setting aside 743 million for potential loan losses.

Shareholder Returns Surge

In a significant move to reward shareholders, Commerzbank has announced a nearly twofold increase in dividend payments to 0.65 per share, up from 0.35 in the previous year. Additionally, the bank has unveiled plans for a new share buyback program worth up to 400 million, scheduled to conclude before the May shareholders' meeting. These combined shareholder returns amount to over 1.7 billion, representing approximately 71% of the adjusted group profit, demonstrating the bank's strong commitment to creating shareholder value.

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

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Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2025) - Le Diner en Blanc, the global phenomenon of elegance and community, is making its highly anticipated return to Singapore this year, marking a decade since its last magical celebration in 2014. This year's event will be hosted by Chiang Yee and Nicole Yee, with Dr. Clemen Chiang serving as Mentor. Renowned for its blend of sophistication and spontaneity, this chic outdoor gathering is set to be Asia's ultimate Bucket List Event.

This edition promises a unique experience as attendees gather at a brand-new secret location, blending Singapore's vibrant charm with the timeless elegance of Le Diner en Blanc's French-inspired traditions. Clad in white, guests will create a breathtaking visual display while indulging in gourmet cuisine, lively conversations, and flowing champagne.

Hosts Share Their Excitement Chiang Yee and Nicole Yee, the Hosts of Le Diner en Blanc Singapore 2025, expressed their enthusiasm: "Fast forward 10 years since 2014, we are thrilled to be back to fulfill a pent-up demand for this extraordinary event in the beautiful city of Singapore. Le Diner en Blanc is more than an event; it's a celebration of life, community, and shared moments."

How to Join This Exclusive Celebration Those eager to participate in this one-of-a-kind evening can sign up for the exclusive Fan List/Phase 3 at singapore.dinerenblanc.com. Simply visit the website, click on 'Attend Le Diner en Blanc', and create an account to receive an invitation to Phase 3. Stay tuned for updates and details on this extraordinary evening.

Guidelines for Guests To preserve the unique charm of Le Diner en Blanc, attendees play an essential role in creating an unforgettable evening. All guests must adhere to the following guidelines:

Dress Code: A chic, all-white ensemble is mandatory. Elegance and creativity are highly encouraged.

A chic, all-white ensemble is mandatory. Elegance and creativity are highly encouraged. Only wine and champagne reserved through the e-store may be consumed, in accordance with Singapore's alcohol laws.

reserved through the e-store may be consumed, in accordance with Singapore's alcohol laws. Table Setting: Everything must be white, from tablecloths to dinnerware, to maintain the signature aesthetic.

Everything must be white, from tablecloths to dinnerware, to maintain the signature aesthetic. Secrecy of Location: Guests will gather at designated departure points and be escorted by volunteers to the secret venue.

Guests will gather at designated departure points and be escorted by volunteers to the secret venue. Cleanliness: In line with the event's commitment to sustainability, all guests must leave with their belongings, food leftovers, and litter, ensuring the venue remains pristine.

Essentials to Bring

A table, two white chairs, a white tablecloth, and two white serviettes.

A picnic basket filled with gourmet food, proper stemware, and white dinnerware.  Catered picnic basket options will be available for those who prefer not to pack their own. Guests can reserve these through Le Diner en Blanc's e-store.

Guests are welcome to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages.

Sponsorship Opportunities Le Diner en Blanc Singapore 2025 invites interested sponsors to reach out to us as soon as possible. Due to overwhelming interest from prestigious brands, we will carefully curate partnerships to ensure the best experiences for our diners. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact E: singapore@dinerenblanc.com before the end of this month.

About the Hosts Dr. Clemen Chiang and Nicole Yee are the founders of Le Diner en Blanc in Singapore, having hosted the unforgettable 2012, 2013, and 2014 editions. These hallmark events cemented Le Diner en Blanc's reputation as Asia's ultimate chic dining experience. For the 2025 edition, Chiang Yee and Nicole Yee proudly take the helm as Hosts, with Dr. Clemen Chiang serving as Mentor to guide this momentous return.

About Le Diner en Blanc More than just an event, Le Diner en Blanc is a cultural phenomenon that empowers friends to gather and celebrate their shared passions for life, food, fashion, and community. Elegantly dressed in white, guests converge on a secret location for a magical evening filled with gourmet dining, dancing, and spontaneous connections. Launched in Paris, Le Diner en Blanc has expanded to over 120 cities in 40 countries under the guidance of Diner en Blanc International, becoming a global symbol of elegance and joie de vivre.

For more information and updates on Le Diner en Blanc Singapore 2025, visit https://singapore.dinerenblanc.com or follow us on social media:

Facebook: DinerEnBlanc.Singapore

Instagram: @dinerenblanc_singapore

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239108

SOURCE: Colemen Pte. Ltd.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 1, 2025) - AML Incubator, a compliance consultancy firm specializing in anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, has launched a new service package to help U.S.-based Money Services Businesses (MSBs) establish operations domestically in the U.S., in Canada, or via Canada. This initiative provides U.S. firms with the tools and support needed to navigate the global regulatory framework, enabling smooth cross-border expansion and compliance alignment.

Global Expansion Trends Drive U.S. MSBs to Adapt or Enter New Markets

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11332/239026_6dbb60f7f499bbd8_001full.jpg

With a new administration in Washington, U.S. Money Services Businesses (MSBs) are reassessing their growth strategies amid shifting economic policies and evolving regulatory priorities. As the financial sector braces for potential deregulation and a renewed focus on domestic industry, many MSBs are seizing the opportunity to expand internationally and establish a more resilient global presence.

"Our compliance services ensure businesses seamlessly align with global requirements, allowing them to focus on scaling operations with confidence," said Haik Kazarian, Head of Business Development at AML Incubator.

AML Incubator Expands Compliance Services for Fintech and Crypto firms Entering Canada

AML Incubator's new service package is designed to simplify compliance, enabling U.S. MSBs to meet Canadian standards without delays or interruptions. Key components include:

FINTRAC Registration Assistance - Expert support with licensing applications and reporting obligations.

AML Program Development - Custom frameworks to build and implement AML compliance programs.

Fractional CAMLO Services - Outsourced Chief AML Officer support for businesses without in-house compliance teams.

Ongoing Monitoring and Reporting - Real-time updates and risk assessment tools to keep operations compliant amid evolving regulations.

By outsourcing compliance needs, Fintech businesses, be it MSB, DeFi, CeFi, or Crypto can focus on growth while maintaining confidence in their regulatory standing.

AML Incubator's new service offering provides FinTech firms with a practical solution to expand into and through Canada without being slowed by compliance complexities.

For more information, visit our website or contact us directly.

The Global Licensing & Compliance Package

AML Incubator offers a comprehensive Global Licensing & Compliance Package designed for FinTech firms and Money Services Businesses (MSBs) seeking to expand internationally. This package provides end-to-end support for obtaining and maintaining financial licenses in multiple jurisdictions, ensuring compliance with regional anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regulations.

By leveraging AML Incubator's expertise, businesses can secure and maintain financial licenses across key global markets, starting with Canada, and extending to Europe, APAC, the Middle East, Asia, and other jurisdictions. The package includes a full year of compliance management, allowing firms to focus on business growth while ensuring regulatory adherence.

About AML Incubator

AML Incubator is a consultancy firm specializing in anti-money laundering (AML) and regulatory compliance services for financial institutions, MSBs, and virtual asset providers. With expertise in multi-jurisdictional compliance frameworks, AML Incubator offers businesses the tools and strategies needed to meet regulatory requirements and expand into global markets.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239026

SOURCE: AML Incubator Ltd.
Healthcare experts lauded the announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to setting up daycare cancer centres, terming the step a paradigm shift in cancer treatment for rural patients. read more

The central government will facilitate the establishment of day-care cancer centers in all district hospitals over the next three years with 200 of these set to be established in 2025-26, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Saturday while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26.

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In her record eighth budget, Sitharaman also revealed that 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals next year as part of the governments goal to create 75,000 new seats over the next five years.

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Healthcare experts welcomed these initiatives, emphasising their potential to enhance cancer care accessibility, affordability and medical education in the country.

Dr. D S Rana, Chairman of the Trust Board, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital highlighted the importance of broadband connectivity at the primary healthcare level, calling it an excellent step in providing treatment and diagnosis to poor patients at their doorstep. He praised the increase in medical seats and the establishment of cancer daycare centers at the primary healthcare level, calling it a paradigm shift in cancer treatment for rural patients.

Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Healthcare said that the Union Budget 2025-26 presented a progressive vision for strengthening Indias healthcare system. Capacity building is the most crucial aspect of creating a new healthcare ecosystem. The addition of 10,000 medical seats this year and a target of 75,000 seats in the next five years will significantly bridge the shortage of trained medical professionals. The 200 new daycare cancer centers in district hospitals will enhance accessibility to cancer treatment, particularly in underserved regions. The governments rationalisation of customs duties on lifesaving drugs for cancer and rare diseases is a welcome step that will make treatments more affordable for patients. Furthermore, the push for broadband connectivity to Primary Health Centers (PHCs) under the BharatNet project will boost telemedicine and digital health services, he added.

Dr. Praveen Gupta, Principal Director & Chief of Neurology, Fortis Hospital said that the governments decision to rationalize customs duties with exemption and rate cuts on a large number of life-saving medicines. Particularly for rare diseases, this is a very welcome step.

This will make advanced treatments more accessible for patients and institutions, reducing financial burdens. The announcement of 200 daycare cancer centers in district hospitals will significantly improve cancer care accessibility in underserved areas. We also appreciate the expansion of medical education with an additional 10,000 seats this year and a goal of 75,000 seats in five years, addressing the growing need for trained professionals in neurology and other critical specialties, he added.

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Abhay Soi, Chairman and Managing Director, Max Healthcare Institute Limited, said, The budget reinforces the nations journey towards realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat by prioritizing key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. One of the key elements that empower people is quality, affordable, and accessible healthcare. The Budget reflects a strong commitment to strengthening Indias healthcare ecosystem, with commendable initiatives in medical education, cancer care, and access to life-saving medicines.

The addition of 10,000 medical seats by next year, to reach 75,000 over the next five years, will help bridge the doctor-patient ratio, while the establishment of 200 cancer centers will significantly enhance oncology care across the country. The exemption of customs duty on critical drugs for cancer and rare diseases is a much-needed step to make advanced treatments more affordable. We also welcome the governments emphasis on medical tourism through the Heal in India initiative, which will position India as a global healthcare destination. Continued investments in healthcare infrastructure, innovation, and accessibility will be key to ensuring quality care for all and achieving a truly Viksit Bharat in healthcare.

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Raj Gore, CEO, Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited & Lead, FICCI Cancer Task Force said The 2025 budget presents a series of promising initiatives that will significantly impact cancer care in India. The full exemption of customs duty on 36 life-saving drugs, including cancer medications, is a key highlight. This will lower the cost of critical treatments, making them more accessible to a wider range of patients, and help address the financial burden that many families face when fighting cancer and other severe illnesses.

The announcement of 200 daycare cancer centres in district hospitals by FY 2025-26 is another crucial step towards decentralizing cancer care. This initiative will help bridge the gap in accessibility, especially in rural and remote areas, ensuring that more patients receive timely diagnosis and treatment without the need to travel long distances. Additionally, the push for promoting medical tourism under the Heal in India initiative is a strategic move to elevate Indias position as a global healthcare destination.

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The budget also promises 10,000 additional UG and PG medical education seats next year, with a goal of 75,000 new seats over the next five years. This expansion will help address the shortage of medical professionals and support the growing demand for specialized cancer care. These measures reflect a strong commitment to improving cancer care infrastructure, reducing treatment costs, and enhancing Indias global healthcare impact.

Urvaksh Bhote, COO, Ruby Hall Clinic Pune, said that the Union Budget 2025 introduced major healthcare reforms which specifically focus on the cancer treatment system. District hospitals will establish daycare cancer centers during 2026 through which patients will gain better treatment accessibility while dispersing urban health care facilities, he added.

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A reduction in medical expenses occurs because of the new customs duty policy that exempts 36 essential life-saving drugs together with the lower pricing structure for an additional six drugs benefit patients who need help for rare medical conditions. The scheme incorporates 37 newly added essential medicines with 13 patient assistance programs to distribute needed drugs across the population. The benefits of these policies will properly reach those patients in greatest need depending on how efficiently the implementation works together with proper transparency standards, he said.

Dr Bhote further said that these initiatives under the Heal in India program supported by medical tourism development with the private sector will reinforce Indias position as a global healthcare leader. The international healthcare market competition power of India depends on investments that build both infrastructure and patient treatment experience, he added.

Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Director of Surgical Oncology at CK Birla Hospital, Delhi said The Finance Ministers proposal to establish daycare centers across India, either by upgrading civil hospitals or peripheral health centers to provide chemotherapy is a significant and commendable step. From my experience working with charitable organizations and helping develop a chemotherapy daycare center at a Gurdwara, I can confidently say that this will greatly benefit cancer patients across the country.

Cancer statistics indicate that head and neck cancers, breast cancer, and gynecological cancers account for nearly 70% of the cancer burden in India. For the majority of these cases, first-line chemotherapy can be effectively administered at well-equipped daycare centers with proper training and support. However, patients with hematological malignancies, pediatric cancers or recurrent cancers require specialized facilities with advanced backup support. These cases should continue to be treated in dedicated cancer care centers. Overall, enabling daycare centers to administer first-line chemotherapy is a major step forward in expanding accessible cancer care.

Dr. Shyam Aggarwal, Vice President, Indian Society of Medical and Pediatric Oncology said Setting up daycare cancer centres at the district level is a welcome step. These centers will provide facilities for cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and day care operations for a variety of cancers.

Dr. Nilesh Rohtagi, Senior Director, Medical Oncology at Fortis Memorial Gurgaon said This is a huge step towards creating a positive impact. If these centres are digitally linked and treatment guidelines are followed, outcomes will certainly improve.

Anup Mehra, DGM Finance - PSRI Hospital said that the Budget 2025-26 proved that the healthcare sector has been accorded a priority. Medical Travel Value (Medical Tourism) has emerged as a main revenue earner for the sector and the country. The renewed push for medical tourism, backed by easier visa norms, will also bring significant economic benefits. The exemption of customs duties on 36 lifesaving drugs, including those for cancer and rare diseases, is a significant step in reducing treatment costs. This move will greatly aid hospitals in making advanced treatments more accessible. The establishment of 200 daycare cancer centers in district hospitals will enhance oncology care, reducing the burden on tertiary hospitals, he said.

Dr. Aakaar Kapoor, CEO, City X-Ray & Scan Clinic said that diagnostics are the backbone of quality healthcare, and Budget 2025-26 has introduced progressive measures to strengthen this sector. The expansion of telemedicine infrastructure through broadband connectivity in PHCs will significantly enhance digital diagnostics and AI-driven radiology services. The governments decision to exempt customs duties on 36 lifesaving drugs and rationalization on duties on medical including diagnostic equipment will ensure affordability for patients undergoing prolonged treatments that require advanced diagnostic support, he added.

With the 200 new daycare cancer centers set to be established in district hospitals the demand for early and precise diagnostics will surge, said Dr. Aakaar Kapoor, adding that encouraging investments in digital healthcare and medical tourism will further improve the diagnostics sectors reach.

Dr. Rajendra Patankar, Chief Executive Officer, Jupiter Hospital, Baner Pune said that the governments increased focus on healthcare infrastructure in Budget 2025-26 is a step in the right direction. The expansion of medical education with 10,000 more seats this year will help bridge the gap in skilled manpower across specialties, including oncology and critical care. The Economic Survey has projected that India will achieve WHOs doctor-to-population ratio of 1:1000 by 2030. This budget reaffirms that we are on the right path in terms of capacity building, with the government prioritizing medical education. With 780 medical colleges now operational, India is making significant strides in strengthening its healthcare workforce, he added.

Clinically speaking, we find that the exemption of customs duties on 36 lifesaving drugs will make specialized treatments more accessible, reducing the financial burden on patients, he said, adding that the push for broadband connectivity to Primary Health Centers (PHCs) will further strengthen telemedicine, ensuring remote access to quality care.

Dr. N. K. Pandey, Chairman & Managing Director, Asian Hospital said that the Budget looks progressive for healthcare sector. Creating a new healthcare economy needs right policy push and the Union Budget 2025-26 paid serious attention on infrastructure development, capacity building, digital health, tech-enabled services, and medical tourism.

The exemption of customs duties on 36 lifesaving drugs is a landmark decision that will reduce treatment costs for critical illnesses such as cancer and rare diseases. Additionally, the governments plan to set up 200 daycare cancer centers in district hospitals will ensure that specialized oncology care reaches smaller towns and rural areas, reducing the burden on major hospitals, he added.

Dr. Hardik Ajmera, Medical Director, Saifee Hospital said that the budget is a holistically defined approach that exactly addresses some of the most critical pain points of the healthcare sector, thus contributing to the nations march towards emerging as Viksit Bharat. The move to introduce 200 day-care cancer centers is a stellar step against battling cancer that will take India to global stage, and will especially be of immense benefit to the rural counterpart and Economically Weaker Section of the country.

Along with this, the move to exempt life-saving drugs and provide concession on custom duties on another 6 will significantly reduce the burden on patients dealing with cancer, rare diseases and chronic conditions, enabling quality treatment and reducing the fatality rate, he added.

Dr. Himani Narula Khanna, Developmental Behavioural Paediatrician and Adolescent Mental Health Expert, Co-founder of Continua Kids said that the healthcare sector welcomes the Union Budget 2025, recognizing it as a people-friendly and pro-development initiative. It is reassuring to see the governments continued focus on ensuring access to high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare.

Building on last years initiatives, this budget also focuses on cancer care, with plans to establish Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals over the next three years200 centers will be set up in FY 2025-26. Additionally, gig workers will now have access to healthcare under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), benefiting nearly 1 crore workers. The government also aims to promote medical tourism and the Heal in India initiative through private-sector partnerships, capacity building, and streamlined visa norms, she added.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the removal of import duties on 12 critical minerals, lithium-ion batteries scrap, cobalt products, LED, zinc and 36 drugs for cancer and rare diseases.

Presenting the budget, Sitharaman also proposed not to levy more than one cess or surcharge.

She also proposed to exempt social welfare surcharge on 82 tariff lines that are subject to a cess.

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Bihar receives significant attention in Nirmala Sitharamans 8th Union Budget, the second in Prime Minister Narendra Modis third term, with substantial investments in agriculture, infrastructure, education, and regional connectivity read more

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a number of announcements for different states, including Bihar, which is set to go to the polls later this year. Among the key initiatives for Bihar, she announced the establishment of a Makhana Board, financial support for the western Kosi canal and assistance for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna. Additionally, she unveiled special measures for Gujarat and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

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The 8th Union Budget, presented by Sitharaman on Saturdaythe second in Prime Minister Narendra Modis third termhas put Bihar in the spotlight with several transformative initiatives. Covering a wide spectrum of areas from agricultural reforms to infrastructure development, the budget highlights Bihars central role in Indias economic roadmap. Heres a closer look at the state-specific announcements made in the Union Budget 2025 speech.

Makhana Board in Bihar

A dedicated Makhana Board will be established in Bihar to bolster the production, processing, value addition and marketing of makhana, a key agricultural product of the state.

The initiative aims to organise farmers and workers into Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to enhance collective bargaining and market access.

The board will provide training and support to makhana farmers and ensure they benefit from all relevant government schemes.

Boost to food processing industry

In line with the Purvodaya initiative, Bihar will house a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management, strengthening the states food processing ecosystem.

This institute will catalyse higher incomes for farmers through value addition while fostering entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth in the entire Eastern region.

Expansion of IIT Patna

IIT Patna will see a significant expansion in its hostel and other infrastructural capacities.

The total number of students across all 23 IITs has doubled in the past decade, growing from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh.

The expansion at IIT Patna will be part of a broader initiative, adding infrastructure for 6,500 more students in five IITs established post-2014.

Greenfield airport for Bihar

The government has proposed the development of Greenfield airports to cater to the states growing aviation needs.

This is in addition to the expansion of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta, reinforcing Bihars connectivity with the rest of India.

Western Koshi Canal project: A boon for Mithilanchal

The budget earmarks financial support for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project , which will transform the agricultural landscape of Mithilanchal.

Over 50,000 hectares of farmland will benefit from enhanced irrigation, ensuring better yields and income security for farmers.

Other key announcements

Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands

India ranks second in global fish production and seafood exports amount to Rs 60,000 crore.

A new enabling framework will be introduced to harness fisheries potential in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas, with a special focus on Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

Assam

In a bid for Atmanirbharta in urea production, three dormant urea plants in the Eastern region have already been reopened.

To further boost urea supply, a new urea plant with an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons will be set up in Namrup, Assam.

North-East Region

Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0: Cost norms for nutritional support will be enhanced under this scheme, benefiting over 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant women, and 20 lakh adolescent girls, especially in aspirational districts and the North-East region.

UDAN - Regional Connectivity Scheme: A modified UDAN scheme will introduce 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers over the next decade. The scheme will also enhance helipad and small airport infrastructurein hilly, aspirational, and North-East region districts.

Gujarat: Strengthening IFSC

To attract global investments , the budget proposes specific incentives for ship-leasing units, insurance offices and treasury centres within the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

The cut-off date for commencement of IFSC units has been extended by five years to 31st March 2030.

Exemptions and deductions in taxation for IFSC activities, including ship leasing and foreign investments, have been extended to make Gujarat a global financial powerhouse.

Bihar gets the lions share

The 8th Union Budget unequivocally places Bihar at the forefront of Indias developmental agenda. With a dedicated Makhana Board, a new food processing institute, IIT Patnas expansion, a greenfield airport and massive irrigation investments, Bihar emerges as a strategic focus area for the Modi government. These initiatives are set to transform Bihar into a key player in Indias economic resurgence, reaffirming its critical role in the national growth narrative.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget for the financial year 2025-2026 in Parliament on Saturday. From a change in income tax slabs to a boost to IIT infrastructure, here are the major announcements of the Budget read more

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget for the financial year 2025-2026 in Parliament on Saturday.

This was the first complete budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modis 3.0 government and her eighth consecutive budget, setting a record.

The Budget focused on women, farmers, education, and youth.

She announced major initiatives, and changes to the existing tax slabs in the new regime, ensuring relief to the middle class.

Heres a quick look at key takeaways from the Union Budget 2025:

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A new Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS) with a capital of Rs 10,000 crore was unveiled by the government on Saturday in an effort to support the development of aspiring business owners in the nation. The government introduced a similar scheme in 2016 as well, with contributions distributed throughout the 14th and 15th cycles of the Finance Commission and a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore.

The government plans to set up a urea plant in Assam to further augment urea supply to farmers. Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget, said, The plant with an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes will be set up at Namrup in Assam. Three dormant urea plants in the Eastern region have been reopened.

The Centre said on February 1 that 10,000 seats would be added to hospitals and medical schools the following year. Within the next five years, the government wants to add 75,000 seats.

Additionally, Sitharaman announced that the credit guarantee cover for MSMEs (micro, small, and medium-sized businesses) would be increased from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore. Additionally, term loans of up to Rs 20 crore will be made available to well-managed exporter MSMEs.Additionally, the government intends to launch microbusiness-specific credit cards.

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Moreover, Sitharaman stated that within a decade, 120 new destinations will be added to the new UDAN plan. The government has allocated Rs 540 crore for the plan in the FY26 budget, which is less than the revised estimate of Rs 800 crore but marginally more than the Rs 502 crore (BE FY25) announced in July 2024.

India will set up a Rs 250 billion or Rs 25,000 crore maritime development fund for the long-term financing of the countrys shipbuilding and repair industry. Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connection to all rural households, has been extended till 2028 with an enhanced Budget outlay.

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This is probably one of the biggest announcements of the Budget speech.

Under the new system, those earning up to Rs 12 lakh would not be required to pay any income tax, according to Sitharaman.The standard deduction of Rs 75,000 is not included in this. Additionally, she increased the two-year tax return filing maximum to four years.

The slabs have changed under the new tax system, which Sitharaman initially implemented in 2020. They will now be:

The old tax regime remains unchanged.

The Centre introduced the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, a fresh initiative designed to increase accessibility to education by providing study guides and digital textbooks in a number of Indian languages.

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Over the next three years, the government will also help every district hospital create daycare cancer centres, with 200 of these to be built in 20252026.

The Budget also included a scheme that focuses on the development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys that will represent the Made in India brand.

The Centre will establish a National Institute Of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar.

The Institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire eastern region. This will result in, one, enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce, and two, skilling entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth," Sitharaman said.

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The 2025 Budget has announced the setting up of five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling and Centre of Excellence for artificial intelligence (AI) for education with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.

Sitharaman announced a plan to develop 50 tourist destinations in India to generate employment, attract investment, improve infrastructure, and expand Indias tourism capability. She also launched a new Heal in India initiative, under which India will be promoted as a destination for medical tourism.

Under the Prime Minister Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, street vendors will now be provided with credit cards with a limit of Rs 30,000, allowing them to take loans for their businesses.

The government will be launching a focused scheme for the footwear and leather sectors while steps will be initiated to make India a global toy manufacturing hub.

Catch all the live updates here:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans eighth Union Budget 2025 focused on easing some financial worries of senior citizens. The tax deduction limit on interest income for them has been doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and withdrawals from National Savings Scheme will be exempted from taxes read more

The Budget 2025 not only focused on youth but also on easing elderly peoples financial woes. PTI/Representational Image

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive Union Budget in Parliament on Saturday (February 1).

From changes to income tax slabs to major initiatives like IITs and medical colleges, she made major announcements for women, farmers, education, and startups.

The Budget 2025 not only focused on youth but also on easing elderly peoples financial woes.

Take a look.

Catch all the live updates here:

Doubled TDS on interest income

This is a big one.

Sitharaman has suggested doubling the tax deduction at source (TDS) cap on income interest for senior citizens.

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The limit for tax deduction on interest for senior citizens is being doubled from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, she said in the Lower House.

The move will enable retirees to retain a larger portion of their hard-earned money in fixed deposits and other savings plans.

The TDS threshold for others has been raised from the current Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.

Also read: More aid to Maldives in Union Budget 2025. What about Bangladesh, Sri Lanka?

Simplified TDS rules

The rationalisation of TDS rates is another significant change.

The annual rental income threshold for TDS has been raised from Rs 2.4 lakh to Rs 6 lakh.

As a result, many elderly people who depend on rental income may be able to avoid TDS deductions, which will make paying their taxes easier.

Sandeep Chilana, Managing Partner, CCLaw, was quoted by India Today, The increase in the TDS threshold for various payments is a welcome move to ease the compliance burden on smaller businesses and individuals.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets with the press following the Budget 2025 presentation.

NSS withdrawals

Additionally, withdrawals from NSS accounts made on or after August 2024 will not be subject to taxes, according to the Union Budget.

A number of senior and very senior citizens have very old National Savings Scheme accounts. As interest is no longer payable on such accounts, I propose to exempt withdrawals made from NSS by individuals on or after August 29, 2024, she said.

Many senior citizens still have accounts in such initiatives, even though they were discontinued a long time ago.

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These accounts will pay no interest beginning October 1, 2024, but seniors will be able to withdraw money without incurring penalties, giving them access to their money without any additional fees or limitations.

Note that this only applies to NSS-87 and NSS-92. The National Savings Certificate (NSC), another widely used savings plan, is unchanged, according to CNBC-TV18.

Also read: Should you choose new tax regime over old? All your questions on income tax answered

A boost to NPS Vatsalya

Treating ordinary National Pension System (NPS) accounts and NPS Vatsalya accounts equally is a significant development in the pension sector.

With this budget plan, NPS Vatsalya, which was created especially for elderly persons to give them a solid retirement corpus, will now enjoy the same tax benefits as standard NPS accounts, subject to overall contribution caps.

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Seniors, especially those without pension coverage, ought to benefit from this change, as it will enable them to accumulate retirement savings that will yield consistent income once they retire, so creating a more secure future.

The Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), which offers older citizens welfare, has received a budget of Rs 289.69 crore.

Also read: What do ministers salaries, travel and allowances cost taxpayers? Budget 2025 says

Other big key takeaways from Union Budget 2025

Sitharaman earlier today announced changes to the income tax slabs in the country.

Under the new system, those earning up to Rs 12 lakh would not be required to pay any income tax, according to Sitharaman. The standard deduction of Rs 75,000 is not included in this. Additionally, she increased the two-year tax return filing maximum to four years. The old tax regime remains unchanged.

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A new Fund of Funds Scheme (FFS) with a capital of Rs 10,000 crore was unveiled by the government on Saturday to support the development of aspiring business owners in the nation.

Over the next three years, the government will also help every district hospital create daycare cancer centres, with 200 of these to be built in 20252026.

The Centre will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar.

The Institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire eastern region. This will result in, one, enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce, and two, skilling entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth," Sitharaman said.

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The 2025 Budget has announced the setting up of five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling and a Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence (AI) for education with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.

Notably, there are two stages to the Budget Session of Parliament: the first began on January 31 and ends on February 13, and the second will start on March 10 and conclude on April 4.

With inputs from agencies
The Delhi Airport plans to propose a revised tariff structure that would introduce higher charges for passengers in first class, business class, and premium economy than those in economy class. Additionally, it would also charge airlines more for landing and parking fees during peak hours. Whats behind the hike? read more

Under the proposed model, passengers flying in first class, business class, and premium economy will be required to pay a higher UDF compared to economy class passengers. Image for Representation. AP

For business class travellers, the cost of luxury flying from Delhi Airport could soon with a heftier price tag.

As per a report by The Economic Times, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates Indias busiest airport, has proposed a revised tariff structure that would introduce higher charges for passengers based on their class of travel and the time of departure.

While the move aims to balance airport revenues and ease congestion, it could make flying more expensive for those who prefer a little more luxury and convenience. If approved by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), these changes could significantly impact both passengers and airlines. Heres whats on the horizon.

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A look at the proposed tariff changes

Under the proposed model, passengers flying in first class, business class, and premium economy will be required to pay a higher UDF compared to economy class passengers.

UDF or the User Development Fee is an amount charged by airport operators to recover costs associated with infrastructure upgrades.

Additionally, DIAL plans to increase landing and parking charges for airlines during peak hours, whereas those who operate outside the high-traffic periods will be subject to lower charges.

Under the proposed model, passengers flying in first class, business class, and premium economy will be required to pay a higher UDF compared to economy class passengers. File image/PTI

Since Delhi Airport handles nearly 20 per cent of Indias total air traffic, this strategy aims to reduce congestion, encourage airlines to operate more flights during less busy periods and ensure a better distribution of air traffic throughout the day.

These proposals are currently under review by AERA, which determines airport tariffs every five years based on factors such as capital expenditure, operating costs, depreciation, non-aeronautical revenues, and taxation.

But why is Delhi airport charging more?

As per the report, DIAL has invested around Rs 12,900 crore in major upgrades at Delhi Airport. These include expanding Terminal 1, constructing a new runway, developing a 2.4-km elevated taxiway, and improving road infrastructure and passenger transfer facilities.

To recover these investments without significantly impacting price-sensitive economy-class travellers, the revised tariff model has been proposed for the five-year period up to FY29.

The airport wants to spread out the charges so that the impact on a price-conscious economy passenger is lesser than someone who travels in business class. This will help to drive additional passengers as aircraft with premium configurations carry fewer passengers, a person involved in the process told The Economic Times.

The Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), which operates Indias busiest airport, has proposed a revised tariff structure that would introduce higher charges for passengers based on their class of travel and the time of departure. File image/PTI

Additionally, with congestion affecting operational efficiency at most airports, a peak-hour surcharge is expected to incentivise airlines to operate more flights during off-peak hours at comparatively lower fares.

While the Delhi airport has significantly upgraded its infrastructure, there remains a saturation level beyond which capacity cant be increased. This will allow better utilisation of resources as airlines will be able to give a cheaper fare beyond these hours, the person added.

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Another factor influencing these tariff changes could be competition from Noida International Airport, which is set to begin operations this summer. While Noidas capacity will initially be low, Delhi airport is keen to optimise its resources and maintain its position as Indias aviation hub.

What will be the impact on business class travellers and airlines?

According to estimates made by analysts at investment bank Jefferies, Delhi Airports yield per passenger will rise significantlyfrom Rs 150 to Rs 450due to the new pricing structure. While this may not heavily impact economy travellers, business class and first-class flyers could see an increase in ticket prices as airlines pass on the additional costs.

Industry experts believe that this differential pricing strategy will make air travel more affordable for economy passengers while ensuring better utilisation of airport resources during non-peak hours.

Currently, Delhi Airport handles approximately 73.7 million passengers annually, with a maximum capacity of 100 million. The new tariff adjustments aim to balance demand, infrastructure costs, and operational efficiency without discouraging air travel.

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With input from agencies
Chinas DeepSeek shook the tech world and how. But is the AI chatbot better than its rivals, ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini? We analyse this and talk about other big stories from around the world in our weekly roundup read more

Deepseek beat ChatGPT earlier this week to become the most downloaded performance app on Apple iOs in India, the US and the UK. Reuters

A new word entered our lexicon this week  DeepSeek. Its all everyone is talking about. Chinas AI chatbot shook the AI world and triggered a $1 trillion loss for Americas big tech giants. Nvidia was the worst hit and while there has been some recovery, the Chinese model has left rivals scrambling and scratching their heads.

In the US, its still early days of the Trump presidency. He is making some tough calls, leading to confusion over the suspension of foreign aid and more.

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Amid all this, the country witnessed its worst aviation disaster in more than 20 years. The American Airlines regional jet and US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair in Washington DC, leaving no survivors. As investigations continue, many questions remain unanswered.

The president held a wild press conference on the crash. After a minute of silence for the victims, he jumped right into the blame game, pointing fingers at the Biden and Obama administrations. Should we be surprised?

Elsewhere, in Africa, violence has erupted in DR Congo, as Rwanda-backed rebels seize the key city of Goma. Indias ties with Bangladesh continue to be strained. This week, Mohammed Yunus, the head of the interim government, met Alex Soros, the son of American billionaire George Soros, an outspoken critic of PM Narendra Modi.

All this and more in our weekly wrap of the big headlines from around the world.

1. Youd be living under a rock if you havent heard of DeepSeek. Its the most downloaded app on Apple iOs in India, the US and the UK. The Chinese-made AI model has stunned the world and sunk some tech stocks. But whats the big deal? The company says that the chatbot was built at a fraction cost of its rivals like OpenAIs ChatGPT and Microsofts Copilot.

Heres what we know about DeepSeek, its founder Liang Wenfeng and his team of young talent.

2. Is DeepSeek then the best chatbot ever made? It is cheaper but does that make it better? How does it compare with Open AIs ChatGPT, Microsofts Copilot and Googles Gemini? From subscription to usage, we tell you which app is most suitable for you.

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3. The US has a fairly good aviation safety record. However, in a shocking incident, an American Airlines plane collided with a US army Black Hawk helicopter in mid-air in Washington DC. But what went wrong? Was it a human error or an overcrowded airspace to blame? We look at what experts say.

Emergency workers recover debris from the Potomac River in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter, as seen from Virginia, US, on January 30. Reuters

4. Donald Trump has a new task for Elon Musk. He wants him to bring back Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore stranded at the International Space Station (ISS). The duo have been in space for the past seven months.

SpaceXs Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to fly back with the duo in March. Heres how the mission will work.

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NASA and SpaceX are expeditiously working to safely return the agencys 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.  NASA (@NASA) January 29, 2025

5. In Trumps America there is no place for illegal immigrants. So far, at least 7,300 have been removed from the country. A flight to Brazil particularly grabbed headlines. The migrants arrived in the South American nation wearing handcuffs. Passengers also alleged that did not have access to bathrooms and were not provided water on the plane. This story reveals the chaotic deportation.

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Brazilian migrants, deported from the US under President Donald Trumps administration, arrive at the Confins airport in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on January 25. There was outrage over inhumane treatment meted out to them. Reuters

6. Davos has become synonymous with the World Economic Forum. Its an annual gathering of the global elite  industry leaders and some of the greatest minds. Shockingly, the Swiss town also turned into a hub of unbridled sexual activity. Escort businesses saw a surge during the WEF, held from January 20 to January 24. There were orgies and sex parties galore with many participants reportedly signing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for prostitutes and transgender women.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in held in the Swiss Alps resort of Davos, Switzerland every year. File photo/Reuters

7. India and Bangladesh ties have deteriorated under the Yunus-led interim government. Muhammad Yunus met billionaire George Soros son Alexander recently in Dhaka on Wednesday. This is their second meeting since Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August; the two earlier met in October in New York.

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However, the powers in Bangladesh hobnobbing with the Soroses is not something India will be happy about. Heres why.

Bangladeshs interim government leader Muhammad Yunus met billionaire George Soros son Alexander in Dhaka. Image courtesy: @AlexanderSoros/X

8. Our last story is one of hope. Scientists have found a way to repair failing hearts with a patch. After a 46-year-old woman suffered an attack, 10 patches of 400 million cells were implanted on the surface of her heart. Her condition stabilised, allowing her to get a heart transplant. We explain why this is groundbreaking.

Thats all from us this week. If you enjoy our curated list, you can find more such explainers here.
India believes in neighbourhood first and this is also reflected in the Union Budget 2025. There is an increase in aid to the Maldives and Afghanistan. But do you know which nation is allocated the most grant? read more

Maldives' President Mohamed Muizzu meets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, New Delhi, India, October 7, 2024. Ties between the two nations are on the mend. Reuters

The Union Budget can give you a glance into Indian diplomacy. Who is New Delhi favouring? With which countries are ties tense?

The Union Budget 2025 hints at a thaw in ties with the Maldives. The island nation is among the top three benefactors of development aid among Indias allies. This comes after ties between New Delhi and Male strained last year, leading to a cut in allocation last year.

Which countries will benefit from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans Budget? Who will get what? We take a look.

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Bhutan

Bhutan is at the top of the list of nations receiving aid from India. With Rs 2,150 crore, it has the largest allocation of developmental grants. However, this is a decline from the revised allocation of Rs 2,543 crore last year.

The funding for the Himalayan kingdom is aimed at infrastructure development, hydropower projects and economic cooperation.

Maldives

Ties between India and the Maldives are on the mend. The Union Budget is proof. Indias allocation for the island nation has increased from Rs 470 crore to Rs 600 crore, which is an increase of 21.6 per cent.

In 2024, India had slashed aid significantly by 48 per cent compared to Rs 770 crore given in 2023. The move last year came after ties between the two nations deteriorated following President Mohamed Muizzus pro-China stance. In January last year, a few Maldivian MPs mocked PM Narendra Modis visit to Lakshadweep, worsening the matter.

Last year, India withdrew its military personnel from the Maldives but now efforts are being made to restore the relationship. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Maldives in August, Muizzu visited India in October and the Maldivian Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon visited India earlier this month.

India has increased its Budget share for Maldives from Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. File photo/Reuters

Afghanistan

The aid to Afghanistan has increased by 50 per cent. This Budget proposes an allocation of Rs 100 crore. In 2024, Rs 50 crore was allocated to the nation now under Taliban rule. Overall, there has been a decline from the Rs 207 crore allotted two years ago.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Taliban officials in Dubai last month, marking the highest outreach with Kabul since the Taliban takeover. However, India does not recognise the Taliban government.

Bangladesh

Indias ties with Bangladesh have taken a hit since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. However, there is no change in the aid allocated to the neighbouring nation. With Rs 120 core, the outlay remains unchanged.

Myanmar

There is a 12 per cent drop in the grant set aside for Myanmar. The proposed sum this time is Rs 350 crore, while in 2024, the country was assigned Rs 400 crore.

Civil war rages on in Myanmar, where ethnic armed groups have taken control of various territories including areas bordering northeast India. The Indian government in December has tightened rules for the movement of people on both sides of the India and Myanmar border.

Sri Lanka

There has been no change in the aid for Sri Lanka. Union Budget 2025 allocates Rs 300 crore like the previous one.

The neighbouring nation faced its worst economic crisis in 2019 and is now recovering.

Sri Lankas President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during a photo opportunity ahead of their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, December 16. Reuters

Nepal

Nepal receives the second-highest aid from India. Union Budget 2025 proposes Rs 700 crore to the Himalayan neighbour. This is the same amount as the previous year.

Other nations

There has been a 13 per cent reduction in the grant to Mauritius from Rs 576 crore in 2024 to Rs 500 crore in this Budget. Seychelles, which was allocated Rs 37 crore last year will now get Rs 19 crore, which is a sharp 49 per cent decline.

Aid to African Nations has gone up to Rs 225 crore in Union Budget 2025 from Rs 200 crore set aside in Union Budget 2024. The African Union joined the G20, which India is part of, in 2023 when New Delhi hosted the summit. The bloc was officially represented at the gathering in Brazil last year.

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With inputs from agencies
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that this Budget, 2025-2026, focuses on GYAN  garib (poor), yuva (youth), annadata (farmers), nari (women). Through various announcements in this years Budget, the finance minister looks to improve the economic story of these four sections of our society read more

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget 2025-26, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and others look on in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi. PTI

Today (February 1), across the country, theres one thing on everyones mind  the Union Budget. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting a record eighth consecutive Budget, which comes in the backdrop of slowdown in economy and demand for tax cuts for middle class.

This takes Sitharaman closer to the record of 10 budgets that were presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai over different time periods. Desai has presented a total of six budgets during his tenure as finance minister from 1959 to 1964, and four budgets between 1967 and 1969.

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As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stood up to deliver her speech, she said that Union Budget 2025-2026 prioritises these key sectors  poor, youth, farmers and women  Garib, Yuva, Annadata aur Naari (GYAN).

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Heres how Union Budget 2025 will focus on GYAN.

Garib

For the garib, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget has proposed the Rural Prosperity & Resilience Programme. This will address underemployment in agriculture through skilling, investment and technology. It will also focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal & small farmers, and, landless families.

The finance minister has also announced revamping of the existing PM-SVANidhi loan scheme, which was launched in 2020 to help street vendors hit by the Covid-19 pandemic get back on their feet. The scheme, which has helped 68 lakh vendors so far, will have enhanced bank loans, UPI-linked credit cards and capacity building support.

Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech also announced the extension of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) until 2028. This was launched in 2019. The scheme aims at providing 55-litre drinking water per capita per day. In the next phase of the JJM, the focus will be on operations and maintenance of the infrastructure created during the phase-1. While the pipelines have been laid at many places under the JJM, the households complain of non-availability of drinking water.

Nirmala Sitharaman has also announced a new scheme, which will provide term loans of up to Rs 2 crore during the next five years. This scheme will incorporate lessons from the successful stand-up India scheme.

Yuva

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also placed emphasis on the youth in her Budget. She has announced the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, which will provide digital books to students in their own language, improving their understanding of subjects.

The government also plans to enhance rural education infrastructure by providing broadband connectivity to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas. Additionally, five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling will be established, leveraging global expertise and partnerships.

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She also announced that the government will create additional infrastructure in five IITs. Moreover, around 10,000 medical seats will be added in hospitals and medical institutions.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that a total of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be established in the next five years to cultivate scientific temper in young minds.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will arrange identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal to assist 1 crore gig workers.

The finance minister also said a scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented. Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the New Age services economy. Recognising their contribution, our government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal, she said. Such workers will be provided health care facilities under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and this measure is likely to assist nearly one crore workers, Sitharaman added.

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Annadata

To focus on annadata (farmers), Nirmala Sitharaman has set out some measures in the Budget.

Firstly, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme for the agricultural sector  the Prime Minister Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY). This scheme will be implemented in partnership with states, across 100 districts in its first phase. The scheme will be on the lines of the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP), launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. The ADP is implemented across 112 districts. The PMDDKY will be implemented across agriculture districts. The scheme is aiming to benefit 1.7 crore farmers.

Besides this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government will be launching a six-year programme for Atamnirbharta in pulses with special focus on tur, urad, and masoor.

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Comprehensive programme for raising vegetables, fruits production, and providing remunerative prices will also be launched, said Sitharaman.

While announcing this programme, she also announced that Bihar will get a new Makhana board in an attempt to boost the cultivation and marketing of fox nuts. There is a special opportunity for the people of Bihar. A Makhana Board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organised into FPOs. The Board will provide hand holding and training support to makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes," she said while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26.

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The finance minister also said the government will bring enabling framework for sustaining harvest of fisheries sector in exclusive economic zones and high seas.

She also announced a five-year mission to promote cotton production.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that a comprehensive programme for raising vegetables, fruits production, and providing remunerative prices will also be launched. She further stated that the government, in an attempt to achieve atmanirbharta in urea production, will set up a plant with 12.7 lakh tonne capacity in Assam.

In her Budget Speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed that the Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) will continue in offering short-term loans to 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers. Moreover, the loan cap will be raised from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for KCC loans, enhancing financial assistance for agricultural activities.

To further enhance the lives of farmers, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the development of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar. This, according to the Union minister, will raise farmers income.

Nari

Union Budget 2025-2026 also emphasises on women in the country. For this, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme, offering Rs 2 crore for first-time women entrepreneurs.

She also announced that the government will facilitate setting up of daycare cancer centres in all district hospitals over the next three years and 200 of these will be established in 2025-26. Furthermore, the minister announced a Saksham anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme to provide nutritional support to eight crore children and women.

With inputs from agencies
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has chosen a white saree with intricate Madhubani painting for her eighth Budget presentation. This garment was given to the finance minister by 2021 Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi. Heres why it matters read more

India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman poses with officials while leaving her office to present the Union Budget. She has chosen a white saree with Madhubani painting for the occasion. Reuters

Nirmala Sitharaman, Indias finance minister, is set to present her record eighth Budget and all eyes have turned towards her.

While financial pundits await the big announcements from the Budget, theres also something for the fashion gurus  Nirmala Sitharamans sarees. At every Budget presentation, the finance minister has made a style statement with her choice of sarees and this year, it is no different.

For Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has chosen a white kasavu saree with a golden border and an intricate Madhubani painting. It is being said that the saree was gifted to her by Dulari Devi, a Padma Shri awardee in 2021.

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Heres a quick guide to who is Dulari Devi and the saree she gifted Finance Minister Nirmala.

All about Dulari Devi

Dulari Devi won the Padma Shri award in 2021 for her contribution to Madhubani form of art. Madhubani painting, also known as Mithila, is a distinct form of art practised in the Mithila region of Bihar, traditionally by upper-caste women. It is known for its vibrant colours and symbolic representations.

Born in extreme poverty, Devi was born into the marginalised Mallah community. Her first brush with Mithila painting came while working as a domestic help at Karpoori Devis house. Karpoori, for those who dont know, is a famous painter.

However, Devis Madhubani work is a bit unique. As Indian Express notes, instead of copying themes and motifs of upper castes, she pours her own self into her work, investing in her caste identity.

Since the beginning, Devi spreads awareness on issues like child marriage, Aids and foeticide through her paintings.

President Ram Nath Kovind presents the Padma Shri to Dulari Devi for art in 2021. File image/RashtrapatiBhavan

Dulari Devi and Nirmalas saree

According to reports after winning the Padma Shri award in 2021, Dulari Devi met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as the latter visited Madhubani for a credit outreach activity at Mithila Art Institute. The two exchanged ideas on Madhubani painting and on that day Devi presented Sitharaman a saree and asked her to wear it for Budget day.

The saree is a beautiful white one with colourful Madhubani motifs and an intricate golden border. The finance minister paired the saree with a red blouse and a shawl, to display her love for handloom.

Nirmala Sitharaman also chose minimalist accessories, which included earrings, a chain and gold bangles, that perfectly complemented her saree.

According to a Moneycontrol report, the finance ministers choice of saree could also be a hint of what the Budget may entail for the state of Bihar. Interestingly, the state of Bihar will go to the polls later this year and many note that Sitharamans choice of clothes could provide clues on what to expect.

Nirmala Sitharamans Budget sarees

Much has been said about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans Budget sarees through the years. For her first Budget presentation in 2019, Sitharaman wore a simple pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border.

The following year, in 2020, Sitharaman wore a bright yellow silk saree with a blue border, each colour carrying a special meaning. Moneycontrol reports that the yellow represented growth, hope, and new beginnings, while the blue stood for stability and peace. The saree sent a message of hope and recovery, especially as India faced challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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A combination of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman various Budget sarees over the years. File image/PTI

In 2021, Sitharaman presented the Budget wearing a red and off-white silk Pochampally saree with ikat patterns and a green border and the next year, she opted for a rust brown Bomkai saree with off-white border detailing.

Sitharaman wore a red and black temple border saree with Kasuti threadwork while presenting the Union Budget in 2023. And in 2024, she wore a blue tussar silk saree with kantha handiwork.

With inputs from agencies
Many, particularly the middle and salaried class, have reasons to rejoice after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Budget today (February 1). Others do not. But who won and who lost? Lets take a closer look read more

The middle class, which had been praying for relief, was arguably the biggest winner of the Union Budget. Moneycontrol

The 2025 Union Budget is in the books.

Many, particularly the middle and salaried class, have reasons to rejoice after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Budget today (February 1).

However, others do not.

So, who were the winners and losers of the 2025 Union Budget?

Lets take a closer look:

The winners

Middle class

The middle class, which had been praying for relief, was arguably the biggest winner of the Union Budget.

This, after Sitharaman announced that people earning up to Rs 12 lakh would pay no tax under the new regime.

Sitharaman also tweaked the tax slabs.

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Sitharaman said her Budget was aimed at unlocking greater prosperity.

Sitharaman also raised the tax return filing limit from 2 years to four years and increased the limit for tax deduction on interest for senior citizens to Rs 1 lakh.

Bloomberg quoted Sitharaman as saying that these changes would deprive the Indian exchequer of Rs 1 lakh crore.

Farmers, MSMEs

Arguably the second-biggest winner was farmers and MSMEs.

Sitharaman showered sops on cultivators.

She said the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana  a partnership between the Centre and states  will be launched in 100 underperforming districts to improve.

Sitharaman said the scheme would assist around 1.7 crore farmers.

Sitharaman said that Kisan Credit Cards would continue to help farmers, fishermen and dairy farmers across India.

Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of schemes to benefit farmers. PTI

Sitharaman said the limit for short-term loans would be increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and that the scheme would help 7.7 crore farmers.

She also announced Mission for Pulses Self-Reliance  a six-year scheme that would raise productivity, producing climate-resilient seeds, and boosting farmer income.

Sitharaman announced the formation of a Rural Prosperity and Resilience Programme  which would focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families.

Ease of Doing Business, startups

Sitharaman announced a slew of changes to improve Ease of Doing Business (EODB).

This includes raising the FDI in insurance for firms which invest entire premium in India from 74 to 100 per cent, the formation of a new KYC registry and faster approvals for company mergers.

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Sitharaman also said a Investment Friendliness Index for states would be brought in.

Experts praised the move to raise FDI.

This move is likely to attract substantial foreign capital while also fostering innovation and improving service quality through technological advancements. As a result, global insurance companies can now invest fully, and we anticipate the emergence of innovative products and services tailored to meet the diverse needs of Indian consumers, said Sharad Mathur, Managing Director and CEO, Universal Sompo General Insurance told LiveMint

As per The Times of India, Sitharaman also announced the formation of a Rs 100 billion fund to promote start-ups.

The scheme will offer first-time entrepreneurs, particularly women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes, loans of up to Rs 2 crore.

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Bihar

Sitharaman, wearing a Madhubani saree made in Bihars Mithila, announced several projects for Bihar ahead of this years Assembly polls.

Among other things, Sitharaman announced the setting up of a Makhana board, a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, the expansion of the Patna airport a new brownfield airport.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would have many reasons to smile after the Union Budget. PTI File Photo

She also announced support for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in Bihars Mithilanchal region  which would help farmers cultivating around 50,000 hectares of land.

The BJP is in alliance with the ruling JD(U) of Nitish Kumar in Bihar  where polls are due later this year.

Losers

India Inc and HNIs

India Inc found little to cheer in this budget.

As per The Times of India, there were no major tax cuts or incentives provided to MNCs.

While MSMEs received some attention, large industries and multinational corporations saw limited direct benefits, with no major corporate tax cuts or regulatory relaxations to boost competitiveness, the piece noted.

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While there was relief for the middle class and the salaried, high net worth individuals also had no cause to celebrate.

Those earning above Rs 24 lakh continue to pay 30 per cent as tax.

Railways

The Indian Railways was allotted Rs 2.55 lakh crore in the Union Budget.

However, that figure was at Rs 2.62 lakh crore in the previous fiscal.

The Indian Railways was allotted Rs 2.55 lakh crore in the Union Budget. PTI

The Times of India noted that this comes despite hopes that the government would modernize the railways.

It noted that this would likely slow down the pace of expansion projects and affect key stakeholders.

Healthcare

Sitharaman made a few announcements on healthcare.

These included the establishing of 200 day care cancer centres in district hospitals, ten thousand new seats in medical institutions by 2025-2026, 50,000 new labs in government schools and broadband to rural secondary schools and primary health centres.

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However, these proposals did not seem to find favour with the markets.

Nirmala Sitharamans announcements on healthcare did not seem to gain approval of the markets.

As per Bloomberg, India is among the lowest spending countries on healthcare around the world.

India spends around 3.3 per cent of its GDP on healthcare.

China, meanwhile, spends 5.4 per cent on healthcare.

The United States, meanwhile, spends a whopping 16 per cent of its GDP on healthcare.

Environment

Those who care for the environment found little to cheer.

Sitharaman announced a Clean Tech Manufacturing scheme and that incentives for EV batteries, solar PV cells, and wind turbines under this programme.

However, there was no big bang reform to be found.

With inputs from agencies
Budget documents show that the Centre has allotted Rs 6.81 lakh crore ($78 billion) for defence spending in Union Budget 2025  a 9.5 per cent increase over last year. India is poised to spend 1.9 per cent of its projected gross domestic product (GDP) on defence. It also takes up 13.45 per cent of the governments budget. But how does India compare to its neighbours China and Pakistan? What about the United States and Russia? read more

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, hailing the Union Budget, said it will help increase the capabilities of the armed forces. PTI

The Union Budget has given a big boost to defence.

The Union Budget documents show that the Centre has allotted Rs 6.81 lakh crore for defence spending.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during the unveiling of the Union Budget 2025-2026 on Saturday, did not mention the amount allocated to defence in her speech.

This is an excellent Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with an aim to fulfil PM Modis vision of Viksit Bharat, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

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But what do we know about the allocation to defence? And how does it compare to other nations?

What do we know?

The Centre has earmarked Rs 6.81 lakh crore ($78 billion) for defence for the FY 2025-2026.

That figure was at Rs 6.2 lakh crore during the FY 2024-2025.

The Centre has increased its defence budget by 9.55 per cent compared to the budget estimate.

The figure is also six per cent more than last years revised estimates of Rs 6.41 lakh crore.

This years defence budget of more than Rs 6.81 lakh crore is about 9.5 per cent more than last years budget allocation. Modernisation of the defence forces has been the priority of our government, and 1.8 lakh crore has been earmarked for this. It will help increase the capabilities of the armed forces, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

As per Mint, the government has allocated Rs 1.8 lakh crore for modernisation of the military.

The Centre has earmarked Rs 6.81 lakh crore ($78 billion) for defence for the FY 2025-2026. PTI

This includes buying advanced fighter jets, naval vessels, and artillery systems.

Of the Rs 1.8 lakh crore, Rs 1.48 lakh crore goes to capital acquisition.

The rest, Rs 31,277 crore research and development and creation of infrastructure across the country, the ministry said.

Hindustan Times quoted Singh as saying that 75 per cent of the funds spent on modernisation will go to domestic sources.

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The capital allocation is 4.65% higher than the budget estimates of FY 2024-25, the defence ministry said.

To encourage the private sector, a notable percentage of domestic share is further earmarked for acquisition from the private industries. For FY2025-26, Rs 1.11 lakh crore (75 per cent of the modernisation budget) has been earmarked for procurement through domestic sources and 25 per cent of the domestic share ( Rs 27,886.21 crore) has been provisioned for procurement through domestic private industries, the statement from the defence ministry added.

The Budget has allocated Rs 7,146.50 crore for the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)  9.74 per cent more than the previous budget.

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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been earmarked Rs 26,816.82 crore.

During the 2024-2025 Budget, the DRDO got Rs 23,855.61 crore.

Thats a 12.41 per cent increase.

Of this, a major share  Rs 14,923.82 crore  has been allocated for capital expenditure and to fund R&D projects. This will financially strengthen the DRDO in developing new technologies with special focus on fundamental research, the defence ministry said.

The Centre in the previous financial year also allocated 75 per cent of the funds for local sources.

However, the documents show Rs 12,500 crore of last years capital outlay remained unspent.

Capital outlay for FY 2025-2026 is estimated at Rs 1.92 lakh crore.

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This includes a revenue expenditure  which covers daily operational costs such as salaries, maintenance of equipment, ammunition, and other consumables  of Rs 3.11 lakh crore.

The government will spend Rs 1.6 lakh crore on pensions.

Thats a 13.5 per cent increase from Rs 1.41 lakh crore in 202425.

As per Financial Express, Rs 8,317 crore has been set aside for the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).

Thats a 19.38 per cent increase over the previous years Budget.

The Centre has also earmarked Rs 449.62 crore for the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX scheme)  a nearly 300 per cent increase since 2023.

The Indian Coast Guard has been allotted Rs 5,000 crore  an increase of 43 per cent.

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This will allow the coast guard to buy Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Dornier Aircraft, and Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs).

Defence comprises 1.9 per cent of Indias projected gross domestic product (GDP) for 2024-25.

It takes up 13.45 per cent of the governments budget, as per Mint.

How does it compare to other nations?

Indian Express quoted Swedish think-tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) as saying that global military spending touched $2,443 billion in 2023-2024.

Nearly half of that came from just two countries  United States and China.

Washington and Beijing respectively spent $916 billion and $296 billion on their militaries respectively.

The US spent 3.4 per cent of its GDP on the military, while China spent 3.4 per cent of its GDP on the military.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka. Washington and Beijing respectively spent $916 billion and $296 billion on their militaries respectively last year. Reuters

However, some experts think China is vastly underreporting its spend on defence.

They say China could be spending as much as $711 billion on defence.

The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has stated that it thinks Chinas military budget in 2002 could have been as much as four times as the number it officially released.

The US Department of Defence thinks China routinely underplays its budget by 1.1 to 2 times.

Russia, which came in third, spent around $109 billion on its military in the 2023-2024 quarter.

India in 2023 was the fourth-largest military spender with $83.6 billion.

The other countries that made the top 10 when it comes to spending are Saudi Arabia ($75.8 billion), the UK ($74.9 billion), Germany ($66.8 billion), Ukraine ($64.8 billion), France ($61.3 billion) and Japan ($50.32 billion).

Pakistan, meanwhile, lags far behind India and China.

Islamabad for the 2024-2025 fiscal year announced a defence budget of just $7.64 billion.

Still, that is a 14.5 per cent increase over the 2023-2024 budget and an 18 per cent increase over the original budget for that year.

Analysts say that while the capital outlay figure is 4.6 per cent more than the previous year, it needs to be higher still to meet Indias efforts to modernise its military to counter rival China.

This has been a concern for a long time, that pensions (and) salaries put together consume the major chunk of the defence budget, which continues to be the case, Amit Cowshish, former financial adviser for acquisitions at the Defence Ministry, said.

With inputs from agencies
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Union Budget 2025 announced a significant boost for the education sector, including a big infrastructure push for IITs, and an additional 10,000 seats for medical colleges. She also revealed plans to set up over three Centres of Excellence for AI and establishing over 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years read more

To encourage the spirit of innovation and foster a scientific mindset among students, Sitharaman announced in Union Budget 2025 the establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years. Image for Representation. PTI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament on Saturday, announcing a significant boost for the education sector.

With a strong emphasis on education, skilling, research, and technological innovation, Sitharamans speech highlighted a major push for artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, signalling the governments intent to equip students with future-ready skills.

Heres what the Union Budget 2025 has in store for the education sector.

Boost for medical education

Sitharaman has announced that 10,000 new seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals across the country in the coming year.

This initiative is part of the Centres broader plan to expand medical seats by 75,000 over the next five years. The finance minister said the government has already increased medical seats by 100 per cent over the past decade, bringing the total addition to 1.1 lakh undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) seats.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed plans to set up three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI). With a total allocation of Rs 500 crore, this initiative aims to drive AI-led advancements in learning and skill development. ANI

Big infra push for IITs

The Finance Minister brought good news for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), announcing a significant infrastructure push to support their growing student population. She noted that student enrollment in 23 IITs has doubled over the past decade.

To accommodate this surge, additional infrastructure will be developed in five IITs established after 2014, creating space for 6,500 more students. These include IIT Palakkad, Goa, Bhilai, Jammu, Dharwad, and Tirupati.

In Union Budget 2025, Sitharaman announced the expansion of the hostel and other facilities at IIT Patna, which was set up in 2008.

Sitharaman also announced the expansion of hostel and other facilities at IIT Patna, which was set up in 2008.

Notably, some of these newer IITs are still in the process of completing their campus construction, and the investment aims to accelerate their development.

10,000 Research Fellowships, five Centres for Excellence

As part of the 2025 Budget, Sitharaman announced that the government will provide 10,000 PM Research Fellowships for students in IITs and IISc Bangalore. These fellowships will come with enhanced financial support to promote advanced research and innovation in top institutions.

Additionally, she revealed plans to establish five National Centres of Excellence. These centres will focus on upskilling students by leveraging global expertise and partnerships, and help sharpen skills for the Make in India, Make for the World initiative.

She also announced that The National Institute of Food Technology and Management will be set up in Bihar to encourage incomes of farmers, provide skilling opportunities, and create employment for the youth.

Major expansion of Atal Tinkering Labs

To encourage the spirit of innovation and foster a scientific mindset among students, Sitharaman announced the establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years.

Sitharaman announced the establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools over the next five years. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Launched in 2016 under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by NITI Aayog, the Atal Tinkering Labs initiative aims to provide hands-on experience in technology and innovation to school students. Currently, there are around 8,706 such labs in various government and private schools, with nearly 60 per cent claimed to be located in government institutions.

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Rs 500 crore AI boost in education

In a major push to integrate technology into education, Sitharaman revealed plans to set up three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI). With a total allocation of Rs 500 crore, this initiative aims to drive AI-led advancements in learning and skill development.

The announcement follows the Economic Survey 2024-25, which underscored the growing influence of AI on Indias workforce, particularly in low-skill and low-value-added jobs.

The survey called for the creation of robust institutions to help workers transition into medium- and high-skilled roles, where AI can complement rather than replace human labour.

Although the impact of AI on labour will be felt across the world, the problem is magnified for India, given its size and relatively low per capita income, the report stated.

Sitharaman revealed plans to set up three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI). With a total allocation of Rs 500 crore, this initiative aims to drive AI-led advancements in learning and skill development. Image for Represenation. Reuters

Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme

In a move to promote Indian languages, the Union Budget 2025 introduced the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, which will provide digital books in regional languages for school and higher education students.

Announced by Finance Minister Sitharaman, the scheme seeks to make education more accessible by offering textbooks and learning materials in Indian languages.

Through this initiative, students in schools and universities will gain access to digital resources in a variety of regional languages.

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Boost for broadband connectivity in govt schools

In a significant move to enhance digital education, Sitharaman announced plans to boost broadband connectivity in government schools across India. The government will leverage the BharatNet project to provide high-speed internet to schools located in the most remote areas.

Launched in 2011, the BharatNet project aims to bring high-speed internet to villages and towns through an optical fibre network. This initiative will enable better access to online learning platforms, educational videos, and various digital resources.

With input from agencies
A committee comprising representatives from various stakeholders had been constituted to suggest a framework for providing social security and welfare benefits to gig and platform workers read more

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech today, announced that her government will provide ID cards to gig workers. Gig workers will also be provided access to healthcare via a social security scheme.

She said her government will invest in street vendors and online and urban workers. Gig workers of online platforms to be provided with identity cards and registration on e-Shram portal.

PM SVANidhi scheme to be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI linked credit cards with Rs 30,000 limit, and capacity building support would be ensured.

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A committee comprising representatives from various stakeholders had been constituted to suggest a framework for providing social security and welfare benefits to gig and platform workers.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment had issued an advisory to aggregators to register themselves and platform workers engaged with them on the e-Shram portal.

Gig workers and platform workers have been defined for the first time in the Code on Social Security 2020, which has been enacted by the Parliament. Social Security and Welfare related provisions for the gig and platform workers have been mentioned in the Code.

The Code provides for framing of suitable social security measures for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc.

In her budget speech, she said Budget 2025 continues the governments efforts to accelerate growth, inclusive development, private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance the spending power of Indias rising middle-class.

The budget session of parliament that began on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4. The budget speech outlined the governments fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements.

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With this Budget Presentation, Sitharaman has presented her eighth budget.

Indias economy is projected to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in the next financial year 2025-26, said Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday.

In another key guidance, the Economic Survey suggested that India needs to grow around 8 per cent for a decade or two to achieve its Viksit Bharat dreams, at a time when the countrys growth showed weak progress in the first two quarters of the current financial year.
Presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, the finance minister also announced that the Centre will set up a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar, besides facilitating greenfield airports in the state to meet future needs read more

Bihar remained in focus in the Union Budget 2025-26 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday making several announcements for the state, including setting up of a Makhana Board, financial support for the western Kosi canal and support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna.

Bihar, currently ruled by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will go to polls later this year.

Presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha, the finance minister also announced that the Centre will set up a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar, besides facilitating greenfield airports in the state to meet future needs.

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A Makhana Board will be established in Bihar to improve production and processing of the nut, Sitharaman said in her Budget speech.

She also said the Centre will provide financial support to the state for the western Kosi canal, benefiting 50,000 hectares in the Mithilanchal region.

The Centre will create additional infrastructure in five IITs and provide support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna.

Union minister and Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan hailed the budgetary announcements.

Establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar will strengthen food processing activities in the entire eastern region and increase the income of farmers by improving the quality of their produce, Paswan posted on X.

JD (U) working president Sanjay Jha hailed the announcement of setting up of a Makhana Board in Bihar, saying it will unlock new opportunities for the farmers and entrepreneurs.

Stating that it will turn out to be a gamechanger for the regions agricultural economy, Jha said in a post on X, The initiative will enhance production, processing, value addition, and marketing, driving economic growth in Mithila and Bihar.
The budget has allocated a total of Rs 5,483 in funding to aid foreign governments in the financial year 2025-26. The amount is less than what was budgeted last year at Rs 5,806 read more

Union Budget 2025 has something for everyone. From the middle class to farmers, the budget fulfils the aspirations of GYAN (Gareeb, Yuva, Anndata and Nari Shakti), Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday during her speech in Lok Sabha.

While the budget has a lot in store for Indias development, countries like Maldives, Afghanistan and Myanmar have found a mention in it, signalling New Delhis commitment to strengthen bilateral ties with its Asian partners.

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The budget has allocated a total of Rs 5,483 in funding to aid foreign governments in the financial year 2025-26. The amount is less than what was budgeted last year at Rs 5,806. These grants and loans are dispersed to the beneficiary countries through the Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Finance.

Which country has received the highest increase in aid?

Maldives has got a substantial boost in funding compared to the previous year. This years budget has earmarked Rs 600 crore for the island nation. Last year, India allocated Rs 470 crore in aid to the country.

Maldives made a cut in the budget at a time when its relationship with New Delhi nosedived against the backdrop of President Mohamed Muizzus India Out campaign and his growing camaraderie with China.

In October last year, India signed a $400-million and a 30-billion rupee ($346 million) bilateral currency swap agreement with the Maldives and also agreed to initiate talks on a free trade agreement focusing on goods and services.

Among the other countries that have gained substantially from the budget are Afghanistan and Bhutan which will receive Rs 100 crore and Rs 2150 crore respectively. Meanwhile, Myanmar will get Rs 350 crore.

What are some other countries that received Indian aid?

Afghanistan is among the governments set to receive increased financial aid in the coming year, with a grant of Rs 100 crore allocated for 2025-26double the Rs 50 crore pledged for 2024-25.

In sharp contrast, financial aid for some island nations, including Mauritius and Seychelles, has been downsized. The proposed aid for Seychelles has been cut by 48 per cent to Rs 19 crore from Rs 37 crore in 2024-25.

Similarly, Mauritius is set to receive Rs 500 crore in grants for 2025-26, marking a 13 per cent decrease from the Rs 576 crore allocated for the current financial year.

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The modified scheme will support the creation of both big and small airports in hilly regions in the northeast. Meanwhile, Bihar will get new greenfield airports to meet the needs of the state read more

Air connectivity across India will get better under a modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme that aims to connect 120 new destinations and make air travel accessible to over 4 crore people over the next 10 years, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman said on Saturday.

Presenting her record 8th Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said that the government will establish 120 new airports over the next 10 years to streamline air travel.

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Catch all the live updates on Union Budget 2025

Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts, she said in her budget speech.

What is the UDAN scheme?

The UDAN scheme, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, was launched in 2016 to enhance regional air connectivity and make air travel more affordable.

Till now, UDAN has connected 88 airports and has helped operationalise 619 routes.

In her Budget speech, Sitharaman said UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel.

What are the changes?

The modified scheme will support the creation of both big and small airports in hilly regions in the northeast. Meanwhile, Bihar will get new greenfield airports to meet the needs of the state.

This government is about accelerating growth, uplift middle class. We embark on a journey to explore the potential of the country. Our aspiration for Viksit Bharat inspires us to march forward resolutely, the finance minister said.

The central government will also work on developing tourist destinations, with Sitharaman stating that up to 50 locations will be enhanced in partnership with state governments.

With inputs from agencies
With an eye at aiming boosting exports and improving self-reliance, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to launch a National Manufacturing Mission in Budget 2025-26 read more

Employees assemble different parts onto car panels at an assembly line inside the manufacturing plant of Renault Nissan Automotive India in Oragadam in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, March 27, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

In the Budget 2025-26, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to launch a National Manufacturing Mission.

In the beginning of her speech, Sitharaman dubbed micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) at the centre of the governments focus to boost manufacturing.

Proposing the National Manufacturing Mission, Sitharaman said, Our Government will set up a National Manufacturing Mission covering small, medium and large industries for furthering Make in India by providing policy support, execution roadmaps, governance and monitoring framework for central ministries and states.

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The Make in India is among the flagship programmes of the Modi government to attract foreign investment in India with the idea of driving manufacturing.

In her Budget speech, Sitharaman indicated that the push for manufacturing will have an increased focus on renewable technology, such as electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels, etc.

Given our commitment to climate-friendly development, the Mission will also support Clean Tech manufacturing. This will aim to improve domestic value addition and build our ecosystem for solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolysers, wind turbines, very high voltage transmission equipment and grid scale batteries, said Sitharaman.

As part of the push for MSMEs, Sitharaman said the government would work to improve their access to credit.

For MSMEs, the credit guarantee cover will be enhanced from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore, leading to additional credit of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the next five years, said Sitharaman.

For startups, the credit guarantee cover will be enhanced from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore with the guarantee fee being moderated to 1 per cent for loans in 27 focus sectors important for Atmanirbhar Bharat, said Sitharaman.

For well-run exporter MSMEs, the credit guarantee cover will be expanded to term loans up to Rs 20 crore.

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In the Budget 2025-26, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to set up a centre of excellence (CoE) in the artificial intelligence (AI) with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore read more

Words reading 'Artificial intelligence AI', miniature of robot and toy hand are pictured in this illustration taken December 14, 2023. (Photo: Reuters)

In the Budget 2025-26, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to set up a centre of excellence (CoE) in the artificial intelligence (AI).

The CoE for AI is the continuation of the Narendra Modi governments practice of setting up sector-specific CoEs that began last year.

I had announced three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities in 2023. Now a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore, said Sitharaman in the budget speech.

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Last year, following Sitharamans announcement in the Budget, the Modi government set up three CoEs head by Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT).

A consortium of IIT Delhi and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, are heading the CoE on healthcare; IIT Ropar is heading the CoE on agriculture; and IIT Kanpur is heading the CoE for sustainable cities.

In addition to the CoE for AI, Sitharaman proposed the setting up of five CoE for skilling the youth with skills required for Make for India, Make for the World manufacturing with global expertise and partnerships.

Building on the initiative announced in the July 2024 Budget, five National Centres of Excellence for skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip our youth with the skills required for Make for India, Make for the World manufacturing. The partnerships will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews, said Sitharaman.
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy attended the Jaipur Literature Festival on Saturday. He is attending the event for a special session highlighting Akshata Murty and Sudha Murtys personal journey. read more

Watch | Rishi Sunak at Jaipur Literature Festival for wife Akshata's 'My Mother, Myself' session with Sudha Murthy. Image: PTI

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak and Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy attended the Jaipur Literature Festival on Saturday.

Sunak arrived in Jaipur on Friday to attend the event.

The five-day event is being held at Hotel Clarks Amer until February 3. The programme will bring together global leaders from literature, politics, science, and art on a single stage.

#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Rishi Sunak, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Infosys founder NR Narayan Murthy attend Jaipur Literature Festival pic.twitter.com/H7sh3DZfve  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

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A key event at the festival will be a special session called "My Mother, Myself." It will feature Sunaks wife, Akshata Murty, and her mother-in-law, Sudha Murty. The session is scheduled for Saturday from 10:00 am to 10:50 am.

The session will offer personal insights into their relationship and experiences.

Notably, Rishi Sunaks mother-in-law, Sudha Murty, has made a significant contribution to literature and social work.
As generative artificial intelligence personalises reality for billions, concerns arise about misinformation, ideological manipulation, and how content creators can compete when AI derivatives can be mass-produced at zero cost read more

A landmark lawsuit against OpenAI by Indian and global media organisations, including those owned by Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, raises questions about the unchecked expansion of GenAI. The case alleges that OpenAIs ChatGPT has used copyrighted materials without authorisation. But this legal battle is just a symptom of a far deeper challengeone that extends beyond copyright infringement to the very nature of truth in the digital age.

GenAI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others have fundamentally changed the economics of content creation. Tasks that once required significant time and expertisewriting articles, marketing materials, or even novelscan now be accomplished in minutes. This democratisation of writing has unleashed a tide of content.

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Evidence of this surge is everywhere. News organisations now use AI to generate reports on earnings, sports, and breaking news. The Associated Press employs AI to produce thousands of earnings summaries annually, freeing up journalists for in-depth reporting. Social media platforms are exploding with AI-assisted posts, captions, and comment responses. Aspiring authors use AI to draft and refine books, flooding self-publishing platforms. Amazons Kindle Direct Publishing has seen a spike in AI-generated submissions.

This content explosion has led to an information surplus. Readers encounter repetitive narratives, generic insights, and formulaic writingeroding trust and engagement. Fatigued by this deluge of undifferentiated material, audiences will demand content that resonates with their preferences, contexts, and values. This demand will inevitably prompt a transition from hyper-production to hyper-personalisation.

The promise of hyper-personalisation is seductive. Imagine a news article dynamically adjusting its tone and depth to suit your preferences: a technical analysis for experts, a simplified summary for casual readers, or an engaging narrative for younger audiences. Or picture textbooks that adapt to a students learning style, presenting history as a data-driven timeline for one learner and a vivid story for another. Envision novels or movies that allow users to shape plots and endings according to their moods or preferences. Hyper-personalisation offers greater engagement, and engagement directly translates to revenue in the internet era. It is difficult to argue that hyper-personalisation will not dominate information-rich businesses in the near future.

However, hyper-personalisation is like crossing the Rubicon: it offers unprecedented engagement but comes at the hidden cost of eroding shared truths.

Over the past few decades, the world has shifted from an era of information deficit to one of information surplus. In the pre-digital era, the primary challenge was accessing enough information to make sense of the world. The internet transformed this, ushering in an era of information overload, where discerning what mattered became more important. As misinformation spread, the boundaries between fact and fiction blurred, leading to the age of fake news. The rise of deepfakes (AI-generated manipulations of reality) has further deepened the crisis, where entirely fabricated realities could be presented as truth. The advent of hyper-personalised content risks further fragmenting this trajectory, creating subjective realities tailored to individual preferences and biases.

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At its core, writing can be understood as a layered construct comprising three key elements: facts, opinions, and style. The first layer, facts, serves as the objective foundationa shared reality that can be verified. The third layer, style, encompasses the medium of delivery, the structure, and the aesthetic choices that frame the work. Both of these layers are visible and, to a large extent, measurable. However, the middle layeropinions, insights, and narrativesshapes how facts are interpreted and presented. Though inherently normative, this layer provides us with the lens through which we view and make sense of reality.

Hyper-personalisations greatest impact lies in distorting this middle layer. While the factual layer might remain untoucheddrawing from verified sourcesand the stylistic layer may be optimised for aesthetic preferences, AI will increasingly shape the narratives and insights it generates based on user data and algorithmic predictions. This means the lens through which readers interpret facts will no longer be crafted solely by human intent or cultural context but filtered through AI systems biases, assumptions, and commercial incentives. The lens, which once provided diversity and depth to human understanding, risks becoming a tool for reinforcing echo chambers, amplifying biases, or manipulating perspectives.

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Nobel laureate Andre Gides 1925 classic Les Faux-monnayeurs explored the same events from multiple perspectives, challenging the idea of a singular, objective narrative. Similarly, GenAIs ability to hyper-personalise content could fragment our collective reality into countless individualised versions.

Suppose every individual receives a version of reality tailored to their preferences. Will we lose the ability to agree on basic truths? Hyper-personalised news could reinforce biases, while educational materials might offer conflicting interpretations. Over time, this divergence risks creating a world where reality is no longer shared but fractured into countless subjective interpretations. In such a world, how do we build consensus? Will hyper-personalisation enrich our understanding of the world, or will it isolate us in algorithmic echo chambers?

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The legal challenge against OpenAI underscores urgent ethical and accountability questions in AI-generated content, extending far beyond copyright infringement. As generative AI personalises reality for billions, concerns arise about misinformation, ideological manipulation, and how content creators can compete when AI derivatives can be mass-produced at zero cost. Governments, including India, have begun mandating labels for AI-generated political ads, yet broader frameworkscovering mandatory content disclosure, algorithmic transparency, and AI ethicsremain underdeveloped. At stake is not merely intellectual property but the capacity to sustain a shared understanding of truth. Without robust oversight, we risk ceding the shaping of public knowledge to algorithmic narratives that could fragment reality and fundamentally alter our collective perception.

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Disclaimer: Firstpost is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.

Vivek Agarwal is a global policy expert and Country Director (India), Tony Blair Institute of Global Change. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Theres a dire need for the global community to pay heed to the situation faced by women in Pakistanespecially those belonging to religious minorities read more

The reluctance to grant asylum to Asia Bibi highlighted an uncomfortable reality: the UK's prioritisation of domestic political considerations over its professed commitment to human rights and freedom of religion. Image: AFP

In recent decades, the discourse surrounding Pakistani communities in the United Kingdom has become increasingly fraught, marked by intense polarisation and complex socio-political implications. At the intersection of these discussions lie issues of immigration, religion, ethnicity, and identity, each exacerbating existing tensions within both the host society and the diaspora itself. The subsequent portrayal of Pakistani communities often manifests in oversimplified and reductive narratives, which obscure the intricate realities of these communities lived experiences.

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As an Indian Muslim woman and a public policy professional who advocates for the Women, Peace, and Security agenda on international platforms such as the United Nations, I regard it as both a professional duty and an ethical imperative to foreground the multifaceted challenges faced by women. Addressing these issues with academic rigour and policy-orientated insights is essential to ensuring that their lived experiences are not only acknowledged but also inform meaningful global discourse and action. This responsibility extends to critically examining and dismantling the structural and cultural biases that often shape international narratives.

One of the most contentious and problematic aspects of the public conversation surrounding Pakistani communities in the UK is the portrayal of certain criminal incidents, particularly mass sexual abuse scandals, through the lens of racial and ethnic homogenisation. Notably, some Western media outlets like BBC often use the term Asian gang to refer to perpetrators of such crimesan umbrella term that uncritically conflates entire ethnic and religious communities under a single, monolithic identity. This reductive characterisation not only distorts the complexities of the specific crimes involved but also risks implicating an entire, diverse continent in the actions of a small, marginal subset of individuals.

The criminal cases in question, including the infamous grooming scandals in cities such as Rotherham, Rochdale, and Oxford, have been misrepresented in mainstream media, where the term Asian has been used synonymously with Pakistani. In reality, Asia is a vast, heterogeneous continent, encompassing a multitude of cultures, languages, religions, and traditions. From the people of Central Asia to the East Asian civilisations of China, Japan, and Korea, the diversity within Asia itself defies any attempts at broad-brush categorisations. Yet, in the UK, the term Asian has often been wielded as a shorthand for South Asians, particularly Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, despite the cultural and ethnic distinctions that exist within this group.

The medias focus on Asian gangs fails to address the broader socio-economic factors that contribute to such criminal behaviour, including historical marginalisation, socio-economic deprivation, and systemic discrimination. It distorts the issue by focusing on ethnicity and religion while neglecting the underlying factors such as poverty, lack of educational opportunities, and social alienation that are more pertinent to understanding the rise of such criminality. By failing to contextualise these incidents, the narrative reinforces Islamophobic and anti-immigrant sentiments, contributing to a racialised moral panic that has far-reaching social and political consequences.

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Moreover, the term Asian gang obscures the fact that individuals from a range of ethnic and religious backgroundsfar beyond Pakistanisare involved in similar criminal activities. The overwhelming focus on one ethnic group not only reinforces prejudiced stereotypes but also reinforces the erroneous notion that Pakistan, as the source of these incidents, dictates the political discourse of the entire South Asian Diaspora, especially in the UK.

The issue of illegal immigration has long been a flashpoint in British political discourse, particularly in relation to the influx of asylum seekers from countries in the Global South. Among these, Pakistan is consistently one of the top countries from which asylum seekers and illegal migrants originate. According to the UK Home Office, Pakistani nationals are frequently cited in asylum applications, with 10,000 claims in 2023 alone, making them one of the largest groups of asylum seekers in the UK.

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While some of these individuals may be genuine refugees fleeing political instability, sectarian violence, or economic deprivation, others are part of a broader pattern of irregular migration, often facilitated by transnational human smuggling networks. The volume of illegal Pakistani immigrants attempting to enter the UK via clandestine routeswhether through lorry shipments, false documents, or dangerous boat journeyshas exacerbated concerns over border security and the effectiveness of immigration controls. The UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) has highlighted the growing role of organised crime in human trafficking, with criminal syndicates exploiting vulnerable individuals from Pakistan.

This illicit migration, while presenting an undeniable strain on Britains resources, cannot be fully understood without considering the dire socio-political conditions that drive such movement. Pakistan, beset by chronic political instability, economic stagnation, and an inability to provide adequate employment opportunities, has contributed to a large pool of individuals seeking asylum or illegal entry into Western countries. These migration flows, while undoubtedly problematic from a policy perspective, are symptomatic of deeper geopolitical issuesissues such as systemic poverty, governance failures, and violent conflictthat have shaped the lives of millions of Pakistanis.

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Among those most profoundly affected are non-Muslim women in Pakistan, particularly from Christian, Hindu, and other minority communities. These women endure a uniquely precarious existence, marginalised not only by systemic socio-economic inequities and the failures of governance but also by the dual burden of their gender and religious identity. As documented by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), they are frequently victims of forced conversions to Islam, forced marriages, sexual violence, and societal marginalisation.

One of the most emblematic cases of this endemic injustice is that of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was accused of blasphemy in 2009. Asia Bibis ordeal encapsulates the religious intolerance that permeates Pakistans legal and social frameworks, particularly in relation to the countrys controversial blasphemy laws.

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In Asia Bibis case, the accusation of blasphemy arose after a quarrel with her Muslim coworkers, who claimed she insulted the Prophet Muhammad during a conversation about religion. Her case became a global cause celebre, drawing widespread condemnation from human rights organisations. Despite being acquitted by Pakistans Supreme Court in 2018, Asia Bibi faced violent threats from extremist groups, forcing her to seek asylum abroad.

The UK, however, refused her asylum request, citing security concernsa decision that drew sharp criticism from activists and global leaders. The reluctance to grant asylum to Asia Bibi highlighted an uncomfortable reality: the UKs prioritisation of domestic political considerations over its professed commitment to human rights and freedom of religion.

This case also underscores a troubling inconsistency in the UKs approach to individuals seeking asylum. While the government has stripped certain Pakistani men convicted of heinous crimes like sexual abuse of their British citizenship, many of these individuals remain in the UK, living with their families and benefiting from the countrys social and legal systems.

The implications of these issues extend beyond immigration policies; they profoundly affect the lived realities of women in the UK. For survivors of rape and sexual exploitation, the systemic failures that allowed these crimes to occurand the subsequent media framingadd layers of trauma. The lack of accountability for perpetrators and the inadequate support for survivors create an environment where justice feels out of reach.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that only 1.6 percent of reported rapes in England and Wales result in a charge or summons. This abysmally low conviction rate further erodes survivors confidence in the justice system. For women subjected to abuse by grooming gangs, the knowledge that some perpetrators continue to live freely in the UK compounds their sense of vulnerability and betrayal.

These cases raise difficult questions: why are womenboth in the UK and abroadrepeatedly subjected to systemic failures that prioritise the appeasement of certain groups over their safety and dignity? Why is a woman like Asia Bibi, whose life was at grave risk for merely exercising her right to freedom of religion, denied refuge, while convicted predators remain protected within the very system that should hold them accountable?

The interconnectedness of the issues discussedracialised criminalisation, illegal immigration, the marginalisation of religious minorities, and the persecution of womenpoints to the broader dynamics of migration, identity, and religious intolerance in both the UK and Pakistan. These issues do not exist in a vacuum; they are part of a larger global conversation about race, migration, and the complexities of identity in an increasingly interconnected world.

For the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, the stakes are high. The challenges faced by Pakistani migrantslegal and illegal alikeunderscore the complex and often fraught relationship between the Global North and South. Meanwhile, the persecution of non-Muslim Pakistani women highlights the intersection of gender and religion in one of the worlds most geopolitically pivotal regions.

Theres a dire need for the global community to pay heed to the situation faced by women in Pakistanespecially those belonging to religious minorities. These women endure an unbearable intersection of gender-based violence and religious persecution, and their voices, often silenced, must be amplified. Addressing these challenges requires not only local solutions but also international solidarity, urging a holistic approach to combat the systemic discrimination that permeates various spheres of life.

Addressing these issues requires more than simplistic solutions or reactive policy measures. It demands a nuanced understanding of the socio-economic, political, and cultural realities that shape the lives of Pakistani migrants and minorities both in the UK and in Pakistan. Only through such an approach can we begin to address the broader structural inequalities that perpetuate these forms of marginalisation and ensure a more inclusive, equitable future for all.

Tehmeena Rizvi is a Senior Fellow at Bluekraft Digital Foundation and is pursuing a PhD from Bennett University. Her areas of work include Women, Peace, and Security, focusing on the intersection of conflict, Muslim women, and religion. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that 50 patients and 53 companions crossed the border on February 1 to receive treatment in Egypt read more

Wounded Palestinians and caregivers sit on a bus as they prepare to cross through the Rafah crossing into Egypt Feb. 1, 2025. AP

The Rafah border crossing was reopened on Saturday after it was shut down in May 2024, allowing the movement of injured Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt. The crossing is a vital entry point for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza but the Israeli military seized the Palestinian side of it last year.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that 50 patients and 53 companions crossed the border on February 1 to receive treatment in Egypt.

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From the medical files, 50 were approved by Egypt. We hope for this number to increase, said Muhammad Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals.

We now have 6,000 cases ready to be transferred, and more than 12,000 cases that are in dire need of treatment.

Last Monday the European Union agreed to restart its monitoring mission at the Rafah crossing, with 18 EU and local personnel including a police security detachment from Italy, Spain and France.

The mission was launched at the request of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, with the full support of Egypt, the Italian government said in a statement which added the primary objective is to coordinate and facilitate the daily transit of up to 300 wounded and sick.

Hamas releases 3 hostages

Hostages Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel and Ofer Kalderon were freed by the Palestinian terrorist group on Saturday, in the fourth such prisoner-hostage release under the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants have so far handed over 18 hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of them women and minors.

Meanwhile, three other buses carrying freed Palestinians also arrived in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, with the inmates in grey prison uniforms met by hundreds of well-wishers.

In Ramallah, the bus carrying the inmates struggled to make its way through the jubilant throng of supporters as it arrived from the Israeli-run Ofer Prison.

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With inputs from AFP
Marco Rubio is set to visit Panama on Saturday for his debut foreign trip as the US Secretary of State, amidst ongoing tensions with the Latin American nation over the Panama Canal. read more

Marco Rubio will visit Panama on Saturday for his first overseas trip since assuming office as the US Secretary of State. The trip comes amid US President Donald Trumps threat to seize the Panama Canal.

Rubios visit coincides with the implementation of Trumps new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.

He will also travel to four other small Latin American countries for an agenda focused on migration.

This is an unusual first trip for the top US diplomat, whose predecessors typically started their roles with cooperative messages to major allies.

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Trump has not ruled out using military force to take back the Panama Canal, which the US handed over in 1999, arguing that China has gained too much influence through nearby port investments.

In his inaugural address, Trump said the US would be taking it back.

Theyve already offered to do many things, Trump said of Panama, but we think its appropriate that we take it back.

He alleged that Panama was removing Chinese-language signs to cover up how theyve totally violated the agreement on the canal.

Marco Rubio is going over to talk to the gentleman in charge, Trump told reporters.

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, generally considered an ally of the United States, has ruled out opening negotiations after complaining to the United Nations about Trumps threat.

I cannot negotiate, much less open a process of negotiations on the canal, Mulino said on Thursday.

The issue is sealed. The canal is Panamas, Mulino added.

However, Mulinos government has ordered an audit of CK Hutchison Holdings, the Hong Kong company that operates ports on both sides of the canal.

What does taking it back mean? -

It remains to be seen if or how Rubio will carry out the threat. Some experts believe that Trump is simply applying pressure and could declare a win by ramping up US investment in the canal  an outcome that most Panamanians would welcome.

Rubio has downplayed the military option but has also not contradicted his boss.

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I think the presidents been pretty clear he wants to administer the canal again. Obviously, the Panamanians are not big fans of that idea, Rubio told SiriusXM radio in an interview before the trip.

He acknowledged that Panamas government generally is pro-American but said that the Panama Canal is a core national interest for us.

We cannot allow any foreign power  particularly China  to hold that kind of potential control over it that they do. That just cant continue, Rubio said.

The canal remains a crucial link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, with 40 percent of US container traffic passing through it.

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Trump administration officials said they were blaming not Mulino but former Panamanian president Juan Carlos Varela, who in 2017  during Trumps first term as president  moved to sever ties with Taiwan in favour of China.

It wasnt just a diplomatic recognition. He literally opened the floodgates and gave strategic assets throughout the Canal Zone to China, said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US special envoy for Latin America.

He charged that Panama unfairly raised costs for US ships while also seeking assistance from the US for canal upkeep. Panama attributes rising costs to the effects of a drought, exacerbated by climate change.

Trump has quickly made clear he will apply swift pressure to bend other countries to his will, especially on his signature issue of deporting undocumented immigrants.

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On Sunday, he threatened major tariffs against Colombia to force its president to back down after he insisted that repatriated migrants be treated in a more dignified way.

With inputs from AFP
The jet was on a medical transport trip carrying a child patient, her mother and four crew members. All six individuals on board were Mexican nationals. read more

Philadelphia Governor Josh Shapiro (C) speaks during a press conference following a plane crash in a neighborhood in Northeast Philadephia, Pennsylvania on January 31, 2025. Image- AFP

The death toll from the crash of a medical jet carrying a Mexican child home from a hospital in Philadelphia has risen to seven, officials said Saturday, with 19 others wounded.

The crash  the second major aviation disaster in the United States this week  occurred Friday when the twin-engine Learjet 55 plummeted towards a busy Philadelphia neighborhood, exploding on impact and showering wreckage over homes and vehicles.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference that the person who died on the ground had been in a car at the site of the crash.

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Thus far, our count is that there are 19 injured victims, Parker said.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, based in Mexico and licensed to operate in the U.S., on Friday said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, one pediatric medical patient and the patients mother on board.

The child was a girl on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN on Friday. Her mother was also aboard, he said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum posted her condolences on social media platform X.

The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said it was launching an investigation with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Both agencies are already probing the deadliest US air disaster in almost a quarter century, after a passenger jet operated by an American Airlines subsidiary collided with a Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday.

The airliner with 64 people onboard was landing at Reagan National Airport in the Washington area  just miles from the White House  when it collided with a US Army helicopter on a training mission.

With inputs from agencies
Norwegian authorities have released a cargo ship with an all-Russian crew, initially suspected of damaging a Baltic Sea telecoms cable. After investigation, no connection was found between the ship and the incident. read more

A Norwegian cargo ship with an all-Russian crew has been released by Norwegian authorities, Reuters reported citing police officials.

The authorities had suspected that the ship was involved in damaging a Baltic Sea telecoms cable, but later found no connection to the incident.

According to the police, the Silver Dania was seized at the request of Latvian authorities with assistance from Norways coast guard.

The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Tromsoe any longer. No findings have been made linking the ship to the act (of damaging the subsea cable), the police said in a statement.

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The Silver Sea shipping group, the owner of the Silver Dania, denied that the vessel was involved in the incident, according to Norwegian broadcaster TV2.

Sweden and Latvia are investigating the suspected sabotage of the cable linking the two countries, which occurred on Sunday.

Swedish police seized and boarded the Maltese-flagged cargo ship Vezhen on suspicion it caused the damage.

The head of the Vezhens operator, a Bulgarian company, said on Monday it might have struck the cable with its anchor but denied any malicious intent.

Mats Ljungqvist, the prosecutor handling the investigation in Sweden, said on Friday that they had looked at the Norwegian ship but dismissed its involvement.

The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a series of power cable, telecom link, and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The NATO military alliance recently boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft, and naval drones.

With inputs from Reuters.
A Rome court has ordered the transfer of 43 migrants detained in Albania back to Italy, challenging Prime Minister Giorgia Melonis plan to curb irregular sea arrivals. This ruling marks the third time judges have rejected the governments attempt to process asylum seekers in Albania. read more

A Rome court on Friday ordered a group of migrants detained in camps built in Albania to be transferred to Italy, sources said, dealing a fresh blow to a plan by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to curb irregular sea arrivals.

The decision involved 43 migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh who had been brought to Albania this week after being picked up in the Mediterranean, in the latest attempt to enforce a policy whose validity had already been questioned by the judiciary.

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Italys right-wing government built the two facilities in the Balkan country aiming to hold migrants there while processing their asylum requests.

The latest ruling marks the third time judges have ordered that migrants be transferred to Italy since a first group was taken to Albania in October last year.

Italys opposition parties welcomed the setback for Meloni.

As any person with common sense would have imagined, yet another deportation of migrants to Albania has come to nothing, said Nicola Fratoianni, a lawmaker from the Green-Left Alliance party.

The Italian interior ministry declined to comment.

Two sources close to the matter told Reuters the judges had decided to refer the matter to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). In the meantime the migrants will be moved to Italy, with the transfer probably taking place on Saturday, one of the sources said.

The Albanian facilities had remained empty since November, when judges last ordered those detained there to be transferred to Italy, citing doubts over the schemes compliance with a recent ECJ ruling.

That ruling, which was not specifically related to Italy, said with regard to migrants that no nation of origin could be considered safe if even just a part of its territory was deemed dangerous.

Italian judges said the ruling threw into question the governments plan to take to Albania migrants from a list of safe countries, in the hope of swiftly repatriating them when their asylum requests were, in all likelihood, rejected.

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The issue has sparked a row between Melonis coalition and the judiciary, with senior figures in the government accusing the courts of trying to undermine the plan for political reasons.

The ECJ is set to review Italys scheme in the next few weeks to clarify whether it is in compliance with EU law.
A British Army deserter who joined Ukrainian forces to fight Russia at the war frontline died while saving Kyivs three soldiers. Alexander Garms-Rizzi, 23, died while protecting his comrades during a frontline battle. read more

A young British Army deserter who joined Ukrainian forces in the fight against Russia died while saving three fellow soldiers, The Sun reported.

Alexander Garms-Rizzi, 23, was a former Royal Welsh Fusilier.

He acted as bait to draw enemy fire away from his comrades during a frontline battle.

Alexander was fatally wounded by a Russian drone in the dangerous no mans land between the two sides.

His commander and comrades praised his bravery, mourning the young Brit as one of Ukraines most courageous fighters.

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A 28-year-old Finnish volunteer told The Sun, He was a born fighter and died as he would have wantedwith honor, while helping others.

Alexander was taking part in a NATO exercise on behalf of the British Army in Estonia in March 2022, a month after Russias invasion of Ukraine.

He sent a message to his British commander, informing him that he had crossed the border to join Ukrainian forces. He said that he wanted to fight a great evil.

After two months in the trenches on the frontline, he returned to the UK on his own and was sentenced to a year in prison by a UK court martial for ignoring orders from his superior.

Alexander was back on the battlefield last week after completing his sentence.

Alexander was known by his call sign Sasha. His Ukrainian commander confirmed his death, though his body has not been recovered due to the ongoing battle at the frontline.

His Ukrainian commander told The Sun that Sasha was a brave and experienced soldier.

In 2022, he was among the first foreign legionnaires to join Ukraine. On the day he died, Sasha and three Ukrainian soldiers were trapped in a collapsed dugout after a heavy hit. The group managed to dig him out, but they needed to move to a safer spot 500 meters away. With enemy drones and shelling around, Sasha came up with a plan to distract the drones by running in a circle while the others ran to safety, he said.

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Sisi rejected the idea on Wednesday, describing it as an act of injustice. However, on Thursday Trump reiterated his call, saying that we do a lot for them, and they are going to do it, in an apparent reference to U.S. aid to both Egypt and Jordan. read more

Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed on the need to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire deal in a phone call on Saturday, the Egyptian presidency said, but it was unclear if they discussed Trumps call for the transfer of Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan.

The presidency said in a statement they had a positive dialogue which stressed the importance of fully implementing the first and second phases of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and the need to step up humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza.

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However, the statement did not mention if they discussed Trumps statement last week that Egypt and Jordan should take in Palestinians from Gaza following 15 months of Israeli bombardments that have left most of its 2.3 million people homeless.

Critics have called his suggestion tantamount to ethnic cleansing.

Sisi rejected the idea on Wednesday, describing it as an act of injustice. However, on Thursday Trump reiterated his call, saying that we do a lot for them, and they are going to do it, in an apparent reference to U.S. aid to both Egypt and Jordan.

Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Saturday also rejected a transfer of Palestinians from their land, saying such a move would threaten regional stability, spread conflict and undermine prospects for peace.

In their call, Sisi and Trump also expressed their keenness to achieve peace and stability in the region, the Egyptian presidency statement said.

Sisi invited Trump to visit Egypt as soon as possible to discuss problems in the Middle East, the statement added. The two presidents also discussed the need to strengthen their economic and investment ties, it said.

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With inputs from agencies
The bombardment comes as Russian forces continue their monthslong campaign to capture the key Donetsk strongholds of Pokrovsk and nearby Chasiv Yar, fighting their way across farm fields and woodland and engulfing small rural settlements. read more

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out the fire in the ruined apartment building following a Russian rocket attack in Poltava, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

At least five people were killed overnight as Russian drone and missile attacks struck Ukrainian towns and cities, according to local officials on Saturday. Moscows forces also pressed on with their ongoing advance in the countrys east.

A missile strike on an apartment building in the city of Poltava resulted in at least four deaths and left 10 others injured, as reported by Ukraines emergency services.

The five-story building partially collapsed after the strike, and rescue teams saved 21 people from the rubble, said Volodymyr Kohut, the acting governor of the Poltava region. Rescue operations are still ongoing at the site.

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In another incident, a 60-year-old woman was killed by falling debris from a downed drone in the Kharkiv region, according to local Governor Oleh Syniehubovs social media post.

These attacks come as Russian forces continue their extended campaign to seize the crucial Donetsk strongholds of Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar, battling through farmland and forests while overwhelming small rural villages.

Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media Saturday.

Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved. The full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, which began nearly three years ago and shows no signs of ending, has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.

Many have been evacuated from areas along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where Ukrainian defenses are straining to hold the bigger Russian army at bay.

Civilians have also endured hardship caused by Russian attacks on the power grid that have denied them heating and running water. Saturdays missile attack prompted emergency power grid shutdowns in seven Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, state energy company Ukrenergo said.

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Ukrainian strikes also hit Russia, with air defenses intercepting nine drones across the countrys Bryansk, Belgorod and Saratov regions, Russias Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday morning.

With inputs from agencies
Richard Tollner knows firsthand what the people who have sex abuse claims against the Buffalo Catholic Diocese are going through as the dioceses Chapter 11 bankruptcy case plods unresolved toward its fifth year.

Tollner filed a Child Victims Act lawsuit in 2019 accusing the Rev. Alan Placa of sexually assaulting him in 1975 when he was a 16-year-old student at St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, which is part of the Town of Hempstead, Long Island. After the Diocese of Rockville filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2020, Tollner was appointed chairman of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, helping represent more than 600 people with sex abuse claims against priests and other employees of that diocese.

Tollner said he couldnt discuss the committees deliberations, but he believes one of the lynchpins to the Long Island dioceses recent exit from bankruptcy was the threat of some abuse lawsuits reaching a trial in state court.

The key part is exposure, he said. They fear exposure.

The trials never happened. Instead, the diocese agreed in the fall to a $323 million settlement with sex abuse claimants, a plan that was confirmed by a federal bankruptcy judge Dec. 4.

Rockville Centre became the first diocese in New York with a confirmed reorganization plan, providing a potential blueprint for dioceses in Buffalo, Rochester, Ogdensburg and Albany.

It also was the first diocese case in the country to be confirmed since the Supreme Court in June blocked a path dioceses had used in previous bankruptcy cases to protect non-bankrupt parishes from lawsuits.

The nations highest court ruled in a case involving opioid maker Purdue Pharma that non-debtors in a bankruptcy proceeding cannot receive liability releases without the consent of all creditors, a decision that threw a wrench into current diocese bankruptcies.

A prepackaged result

As a way around the Purdue Pharma ruling, all 136 parishes in the Rockville Centre diocese filed their own bankruptcies and agreed to contribute funds into a trust for abuse victims.

Judge appoints additional mediator in Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy case The judge in the Buffalo Dioceses Chapter 11 bankruptcy case has appointed an additional mediator to speed up settlement negotiations among the diocese and its parishes, insurance companies and nearly 900 creditors who allege they were sexually abused by priests and other employees.

The individual parish bankruptcy filings  agreed to by the creditors committee and conducted in a rapid prepackaged form allowed under U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York guidelines  made parishes additional debtors in the diocese case. As debtors, they could be released from the sex abuse claims, including any pending CVA lawsuits and potential future claims, if the state opened a second window suspending the statute of limitations in civil cases claiming childhood sex abuse.

With liability releases in bankruptcy, both the diocese and the parishes were able to sell their insurance policies back to multiple insurers for $85 million in cash that went toward the settlement trust for sex abuse claimants.

The fact that Rockville Centre ended in a confirmed plan, given how acrimonious that case got, is encouraging, bankruptcy expert Marie T. Reilly said. It suggests to me, at the end of the day, making a deal, a global deal in a Chapter 11 case, makes so much more sense for the survivors, for claimants, than endless additional years of litigation with a very uncertain end.

A prepackaged bankruptcy can happen when creditors agree in advance on a plan of reorganization prior to its filing, allowing the debtor to go from petition to confirmation in a matter of hours, Reilly said.

In the background, what must have happened, is that parishes financial information, information about potential liability, was probably made available by the parishes and by the diocese as part of the mediation, said Reilly, a law professor at Penn State University. So, the creditors got to know, what would we be giving up if we take this deal that, in the end, results in a loss of our ability to sue the parishes independently and directly? Its not a pig in a poke.

Sales of Catholic churches will likely help fund sex abuse settlements, decrees suggest Decrees issued by Bishop Michael W. Fisher to close or merge Catholic parishes in Western New York make it clear that the sale of parish properties could help fund a settlement in bankruptcy court of hundreds of sex abuse claims against the Buffalo Diocese.

Could the same process be applied in Buffalo and other dioceses that are still looking to emerge from bankruptcy under the restrictions imposed by the Purdue Pharma ruling?

Possibly, said Reilly.

Once something works, she said, that can be a template.

But Reilly also said that the Buffalo Diocese bankruptcy case must work through gnarly insurance coverage issues, and thats a sideshow that is unique to Buffalo.

Attorney Patrick Stoneking said he wasnt sure how much Rockville Centres outcome would help Buffalo and other dioceses get to a confirmed plan, because available assets, real estate holdings and insurance coverage can vary dramatically among dioceses.

Judge mulls appointment of additional mediator; questions Buffalo Diocese on source of $100M settlement offer Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York on Wednesday said he will consider adding a second mediator to help jump-start stalled settlement talks in the Buffalo Diocese Chapter 11 case.

The Diocese of Syracuse, for example, is moving forward with a $100 million plan to fund a settlement trust for 411 abuse claimants with diocese and parish money, but without cooperation from insurers. Claimants may vote on the plan through Feb. 28. A confirmation date is scheduled for April 28.

Supreme Courts Purdue Pharma ruling

Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy in 2019 amid thousands of opioid overdose-related lawsuits.

The companys reorganization plan included up to $6 billion from the Sackler family toward a settlement fund for opioid victims and families. In exchange, the Sacklers, none of whom filed for bankruptcy, would get a judicial order releasing them from all opioid-related claims and prohibiting victims from suing them in the future.

The U.S. trustee, along with a group of Canadian creditors and some individual victims, objected to the Sackler liability releases. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the bankruptcy code does not allow for the discharge of lawsuits against a non-debtor without the consent of affected claimants, effectively stymieing the Purdue settlement and potentially giving creditors more leverage in their settlement negotiations with dioceses.

Just recently, Purdue Pharma and the Sacklers recently agreed to pay $7.4 billion to settle the opioid cases.

In Syracuse, to satisfy the requirements of the Purdue Pharma ruling, the diocese said in its disclosure statement that any abuse claimants receiving payments must consent to releases for the parishes and warned that the plan may fail if claimants withhold their consent.

The Syracuse plan also allows claimants to sue any non-settling insurer that may be liable for abuse they suffered, and it will transfer to the settlement trust the diocese and parish rights to insurance claims against non-settling insurers. The trust will then sue those non-settling insurers after the plan is approved to try to recover insurance funds.

Unlike Syracuse and some other recent settlements, Rockville Centres plan had nearly full participation from its major insurers.

Setting trial dates

has spurred action

Bankruptcy judge allows 17 sex abuse lawsuits against Buffalo Diocese to proceed in state courts In a 16-page ruling, Judge Carl L. Bucki lamented that after nearly five years the diocese still hadnt been able to work out a settlement with its creditors and insurers.

Stoneking attributes the insurers cooperation to the setting of trial dates in four cases in state court that a federal bankruptcy judge in 2023 had allowed to advance.

We got trial dates for October of last year, and that corresponded with offers to settle the (bankruptcy) case a few weeks before that, said Stoneking, an attorney with Jeff Anderson and Associates, which represented 140 clients in Rockville Centre. Having an actual trial date and moving forward was a big thing. The more that happens in other dioceses, I think that helps push things along.

Chief Judge Carl L. Bucki of U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York, made a ruling in November that allows 17 Child Victims Act cases against the Buffalo Diocese to resume in state courts  a move that the diocese and insurers resisted and the creditors committee and plaintiffs attorneys had been pushing for many months.

Bucki said the pressure of litigation may force the diocese, its insurers and the creditors to a speedier negotiated settlement.

In January, Bucki appointed an additional mediator and set a deadline of Sept. 1 for the diocese to submit a disclosure statement and plan or reorganization, a pivotal step toward exiting Chapter 11.

Sense of justice deferred

Tollner, a retired banker, said hes rooting for Buffalo to get its own lynchpin moment that leads to a settlement.

He said many sexual abuse survivors experience a sense of relief with a settlement, especially those whose lives have been altered and income diminished by the harm inflicted upon them when they were children.

When youre waiting for a very, very long time, both in personal terms or in financial terms, getting something is a relief, he said.

At the same time, he added, too many survivors dont see any justice or relief because of the lengthy bankruptcy process.

Sexually abused children are now in their 60s and 70s. Theyre dying before they get justice. That is some of the saddest part of all these diocesan cases, said Tollner. I was on the phone today with three people whose family member had died waiting for justice. They never got justice, and now the family is like, There will be money coming, but who cares? Theres no victory. Theres no satisfaction. Theres just a check, and money isnt going to make that much of a difference anyhow.
Iran accused both Israel and the US of plotting to launch military attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, insisting that such strikes would be one of the biggest historical mistakes the US could make" read more

Amid the brewing tensions between Iran and Israel, Tehran said that it will respond immediately and decisively if any of its nuclear sites are attacked. Iran maintained that any form of attack on these sites would trigger an all-out war in the region. The warning came from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his interview with Al Jazeera on Friday.

The Iranian diplomat accused both Israel and the US of plotting to launch military attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, insisting that such strikes would be one of the biggest historical mistakes the US could make."

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The remarks came amid reports that Iranian top decision-makers are concerned about the fact that US President Donald Trump might in his second term empower Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Irans nuclear sites.

Irans issues with the Trump administration

Iran is also worried about the possibility of the Trump administration tightening US sanctions on its oil industry. During the interview, Araghchi suggested that the United States could free blocked Iranian funds as a first confidence-building step between the two hostile countries.

Iranian assets and funds have been frozen at various points by the US (which) has not fulfilled its previous pledges (to free them). These things can be done by the US administration to bring confidence between us, Araghchi said. During his first stint in the office, Trump imposed harsh sanctions as part of his maximum pressure policy against the country.

In response to this, Tehran breached the 2015 nuclear deal and decided to accelerate its uranium enrichment. Before winning the 2024 US presidential election, Trump has vowed to return to harsh policies he pursued in his previous term.

Israel has its own complains

Earlier this week, a report from The Wall Street Journal stated that Israel has alleged that Iran is sending suitcases filled with US dollars to Hezbollah through Beiruts international airport. The Jewish nation raised this issue with the US-led committee which is currently monitoring the Lebanon ceasefire.

One of the officials close to the matter said that Israel is also claiming that Turkish citizens are being utilised to smuggle cash from Istanbul to Beirut. Tel Aviv has reportedly conveyed its grievances to the Lebanese government. However, Beirut maintained that the capitals airport is under strict military control.

The latest complaint from Israel and the warning from Iran indicates that despite Lebanon and the Gaza ceasefire in place, the tensions between Tel Aviv and Tehran are still at their peak.

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In a majority decision on Friday, the east African countrys Supreme Court banned prosecutions of civilians in military courts and ordered all ongoing cases there to be transferred to civil courts. read more

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Saturday that his government would continue prosecuting civilians in military tribunals despite the Supreme Courts ruling that declared the practice unconstitutional.

On Friday, Ugandas Supreme Court ruled in a majority decision to ban the prosecution of civilians in military courts, ordering the transfer of all ongoing cases to civil courts. The verdict was welcomed by opposition figure Kizza Besigyes lawyer as it provided some relief in his ongoing trial before the countrys general court-martial.

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In response, Museveni dismissed the ruling as incorrect, arguing that military prosecutions complement the civil courts and have been instrumental in restoring stability in Karamoja, a region in northeastern Uganda troubled by armed violence.

The country is not governed by the judges, he said. The military courts helped us to discipline Karamoja. We cannot and will not abandon this useful instrument for stability.

Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused Musevenis government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.

While civilian court judges are independent, military court officials are appointed by the president.

Ugandan pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine has previously been prosecuted in a military court over weapons offences.

Besigye, a longtime opponent of Museveni, was detained in neighbouring Kenya in November and brought back to Uganda to be charged with several weapons and security offences in the general court martial.

He has been held in detention since and was due to reappear in court on Monday, but his lawyers said after the ruling on Friday that he now would not do so.

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In power since 1986, Museveni has not openly stated whether he would seek re-election at the polls next year although he is widely expected to do so.

With inputs from agencies
Since April 2023, the paramilitary RSF has been at war with the regular army, in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands and uprooted over 12 million. read more

A notorious paramilitary group fighting against the countrys military has attacked an open market in the city of Omdurman, killing 54 people, said Sudans health authorities.

In a statement issued by the health ministry, it said that Saturdays attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Sabrein Market also wounded at least 158 others.

Khalid al-Aleisir, minister of culture and government spokesperson, condemned the attack, saying that the casualties included many women and children. He also said the attack caused widespread destruction to private and public properties.

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This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia, he said in a statement. It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 when escalating tensions between the leaders of the military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into open warfare in Khartoum and other cities across the vast north-eastern African nation.

The ongoing violence has claimed the lives of more than 28,000 people, forced millions to flee their homes, and driven some families to resort to eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine spreads across the country.

The conflict has been marked by severe atrocities, including ethnically motivated killings and rape, according to to the United Nations and human rights organizations. The International Criminal Court is currently investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Counter-offensive

Saturdays attack comes a day after RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo vowed to retake the capital from the army.

We expelled them (from Khartoum) before, and we will expel them again, he told troops in a rare video address.

Soon after the first shelling began nearly 22 months ago, Sudans capital was turned into a shell of its former self.

Of the tens of thousands dead across the country, 26,000 people were killed in the capital alone between April 2023 and June 2024, according to a report by The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Entire neighbourhoods have been emptied out and taken over by fighters as at least 3.6 million people fled the capital, according to United Nations figures.

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Those unable or unwilling to leave have reported shelling regularly hitting homes and residential areas, while sieges on parts of the capital have threatened millions with starvation.

At least 106,000 people are estimated to be suffering from famine in Khartoum, according to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, with a further 3.2 million experiencing crisis levels of hunger.

Across the northeast African country, famine has been declared in five areas 

mainly in the war-ravaged western region of Darfur  and is expected to take hold of five more by May.

Before leaving office, the administration of former US president Joe Biden sanctioned Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing the army of attacking schools, markets and hospitals and using food deprivation as a weapon of war.

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That designation came about one week after Washington sanctioned the RSFs Daglo for his role in gross violations of human rights in Sudans Darfur region, where the RSF dominates.

The United States said Daglos forces had committed genocide.

With inputs from agencies
While Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the 2025-26 budget only heard the voices of Indians, what she left unsaid was that the budget also provided the road map to navigate through Trumps tariff threats and other global challenges read more

The tariff threats from US President Donald Trump seemed to have some sort of impact on Indias 2025-2026 Union Budget. On Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled her 8th consecutive budget, creating a history of its own kind. During the speech, Sitharaman mentioned that India continues to remain the fastest-growing economy in comparison to all major economies in the world.

One of the significant aspects of the budget was that it proposed measures that were focused on making the Indian economy robust amid uncertainties that are playing out around the world. After winning the 2024 US presidential elections, Trump has been threatening tariffs on several nations and international blocs.

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Trump has often threatened high tariffs against BRICS nations, which also comprise India. New Delhi has been trying to preemptively lower tariffs on goods to save itself from Trumps threats. When asked whether Trumps warnings had any impact on the budget especially the drastic changes in income tax slabs, Sitharaman made it clear that the voices of the people were the budgets priority.

We responded to the voice of the people, and therefore, we have given this (income tax relief), Sitharaman replied. Despite her dismissal, the word tariff was mentioned 64 times in her speech. If we compare it to her July budget speech, the word was mentioned only 10 times. However, it would be wrong to assess this theory by just accounting for the number of times the word was mentioned in both budgets. The 2025 budget can also be seen as paving the path for India to cope with possible global challenges.

Export Promotion Mission

In the 2025 Budget, Sitharaman proposed the Export Promotion Mission, which will be jointly driven by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance. The initiative aims to provide easy access to export credit, cross-border factoring support, and support to MSMEs to tackle non-tariff measures in overseas markets.

The mission will not only provide support to the manufacturing sector but will also give them incentives to expand their presence in the international market. Support will be provided to develop domestic manufacturing capacities for our economys integration with global supply chains. Sectors will be identified based on objective criteria, Sitharaman said.

Facilitation groups with the participation of senior officers and industry representatives will be formed for select products and supply chains, she added. This protects the manufacturers in case they struggle to sell their goods abroad. This also enables India to diversify its supply chains.

Easing custom tariffs

As a part of the comprehensive review of the Customs rate structure which was announced in the July 2024 Budget, Sitharaman proposed the removal of seven tariff rates. After this, there will be only eight remaining tariff rates including the zero rate, she said.

Trump has often complained that Indias import tariffs are extremely high. Before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019, Trump complained about the high import tariffs on the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

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Were not the foolish country that does so badly. You look at India, a very good friend of mine, Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, you take a look at what theyve done, 100 per cent tax on a motorcycle. We charge them nothing, he said.

Even last year, when Trump was running for office, he reiterated his stance on the matter. The other thing I want to have is a matching tax where, if India charges us  India is very big with tariffs. I mean, I saw it with Harley-Davidson. I was saying, how do you do in a place like India? Oh, no, good sir. Why? They have 100 per cent and 150 per cent and 200 per cent tariffs, the president told Fox News. Hence, India would like to avoid such situation.

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Navigating through the H1-B crisis

While Trump said that his administration is not looking to deport skilled, legal workers, his supporters have called for imposing curbs on the issuance of H1-B visas. If that situation occurs, the Union Budget gives ways to absorb people affected by it. The budget called for the expansion of Domestic hiring models to mitigate the negative impacts of such limitations.

Meanwhile, if Trumps policies force Indian firms to seek new markets, the government also plans to provide tax relief and incentives for companies who are looking to expand operations both locally and internationally.

Other ways India plans to navigate the Trump-era

On Thursday, Trump reiterated his warning to impose tariffs against BRICS nations if they move forward with their dream to de-dollarise. Amid these warnings, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday, that Prime Minister Modi will be travelling to the United States this month, where he will hold talks with Trump.

Earlier this month, it was reported that India is already willing to offer more incentives, such as tax cuts and land access to American companies. Not only this but in recent years, India has put a special focus on developing the semiconductors and electronics sectors.

The sectors New Delhi will largely focus on in this regard include, components for mobile phone assembly such as printed circuit board assembly, parts of camera modules, and USB cables, Reuters reported.

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Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation campaign in US history, vowing to expel millions of undocumented immigrants, many from Latin American nations. read more

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela has agreed to receive all Venezuelan illegal migrants, including gang members of Tren de Aragua, captured in the United States.

We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua, Trump said on his platform Truth Social, as he hailed the return Friday of six Americans detained in Venezuela.

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Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back, Trump added. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back.

The detainees were released Friday and returned to the United States following a meeting between Trumps special envoy Richard Grenell and President Nicolas Maduro, who called for a new beginning in ties with Washington.

The six men, who were not identified, were photographed smiling on a plane alongside Grenell.

Grenell had traveled to Caracas to demand that Maduros government accept the unconditional return of Venezuelans deported from the United States or face consequences.

Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation campaign in US history, vowing to expel millions of undocumented immigrants, many from Latin American nations.

With inputs from agencies
The attacker, wearing a balaclava, shot the military official and stole his weapon before fleeing in an unknown direction with one of the newly recruited soldiers, the regions recruitment administration said read more

A man armed with a hunting rifle shot dead a Ukrainian army recruitment soldier on Saturday and escaped with a conscript before both were caught, authorities said.

The recruitment official was escorting mobilised men to a training centre and had stopped at a petrol station in the central Poltava region when the incident took place.

The attacker, wearing a balaclava, shot the military official and stole his weapon before fleeing in an unknown direction with one of the newly recruited soldiers, the regions recruitment administration said.

Attacks on recruiting authorities are rare, but have taken place in Ukraine and Russia as tensions run high over efforts to mobilise men for the nearly three-year war.

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The relationship between the undentified gunman and the conscript was not immediately clear, but police detained both men and launched a murder inquiry.

Since Russias invasion in 2022, Kyiv has carried out sweeping and divisive mobilisation campaigns to fill its ranks as it struggles to hold back Moscows significantly larger army.

In July, police said a grenade was thrown at an enlistment office in Ukraines western Lviv region.

Thousands of draft-age men are believed to have fled the country to avoid military service, while many others are in hiding, evading enlistment.
The war between Sudans army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million, according to the United Nations, and pushed millions to the brink of famine read more

New members of Sudan's Gedaref State Police Department attend a graduation ceremony in Gedaref city in the east of the war-torn country, on September 5, 2024. AFP

The UN rights chief said Friday that he was deeply alarmed by reports of summary executions of civilians in Khartoum North, allegedly by Sudanese army fighters and allied militia.

Deliberately taking the life of a civilian or anyone not or no longer directly taking part in hostilities is a war crime, Volker Turk said in a statement.

The war between Sudans army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023 has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million, according to the United Nations, and pushed millions to the brink of famine.

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After months of apparent stalemate in Khartoum, the military last week broke an almost two-year RSF siege of its Khartoum General Command headquarters.

On the same day, the military reported reclaiming its Signal Corps base in Khartoum North, and expelling the RSF from the Jaili oil refinery north of Khartoum.

The UN rights office said it had verified the killings of at least 18 people, including one woman, in seven separate incidents attributed to SAF-affiliated fighters and militia since the SAF regained control of the area on 25 January.

Many of the victims of these incidents, which took place in the vicinity (of) the Al Jaili oil refinery, were originally from the Darfur or Kordofan regions of Sudan, it said.

The rights office also highlighted further disturbing allegations emanating from Khartoum North, which it was still corroborating.

It noted a video circulated Thursday showing men in SAF uniform and members of the Al Baraa Bin Malik Brigade in Khartoum North reading out a long list of names of alleged RSF collaborators, saying Zaili  Arabic for killed  after each name.

These reports of summary executions, following similar incidents earlier this month in Al Jazirah State, are deeply disturbing, Turk said, adding that such killings must not become normalised.

Shocking threats of violence

He reiterated his call for all parties to the conflict to take urgent action to protect civilians and to uphold obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

Independent investigations must be held into these incidents in line with relevant international standards.

The rights office voiced fear of further attacks amid shocking threats of violence against civilians.

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It said it had reviewed a video showing a member of the Al Baraa Bin Malik Brigade threatening to slaughter the residents of El Hadj Yusif in East Nile, an area of Khartoum North.

The office also denounced continued RSF attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including the shelling of a camp for displaced people in El-Fasher in North Darfur that killed nine civilians on Wednesday.

And on January 24, a drone attack on a maternity hospital in El-Fasher, attributed to the RSF, left at least 67 dead and 19 injured, it said.

Deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects are abhorrent, Turk said.

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Such attacks constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes.

On Friday, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the intensifying RSF attacks in El-Fasher and called for an immediate ceasefire between the warring parties.
Six Americans detained in Venezuela were released after a meeting between President Nicolas Maduro and Trumps special envoy Richard Grenell. Grenell also urged Venezuelan President to take back deported migrants. read more

The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has freed six Americans on Friday who were detained in the country in recent months. The development came after Maduros meeting with Donald Trumps envoy, Richard Grenell, who was tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

Grenell said on Friday that he was returning to the US with six American citizens following a surprise meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.

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The visit came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the maximum pressure campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.

Grenells hours-long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trumps efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on securing the release of the detained Americans.

Maduro sworn in for a third term

The meeting between Maduro and Grenell took place in Venezuelas capital less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term. There is credible evidence that he lost last years election. The US government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduros claim to victory.

Instead, they emphasise tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition, showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking at the Miraflores Palace.

Venezuelan state media said the meeting had been requested by the US government.
Trump did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. read more

The United States military on Saturday conducted air strikes on Islamic State group targets in Somalia, President Donald Trump announced.

An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that multiple operatives were killed. The Pentagon said it assessed that no civilians were harmed in the strikes.

Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.

The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said. The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!

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The United States has periodically carried out airstrikes in Somalia for years, under Republican and Democratic administrations.

A strike, which also targeted Islamic State militants, was carried out by the U.S. in coordination with Somalia last year. It killed three members of the group, the U.S. military said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted IS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains in semi-autonomous Puntland region.

Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed, Hegseth said in a statement.

This action further degrades ISISs ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies.

Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but experts have warned of growing activity.

With inputs from agencies
Before becoming deputy mayor, Brian Gould worked for e3Communications, a public relations and lobbying firm that represents dozens of clients in the state Capitol and in municipalities mostly centered in Western New York.

One of those municipalities is the City of Buffalo, where Gould now acts in an official capacity in the Mayors Office. His boss, Mayor Chris Scanlon, will be sitting on the opposite side of the table as some of those same clients who, with the help of the company, will be making their case on various issues to the city executive.

The shuffling of people among lobbying, public relations and policy firms and the government bodies they try to influence is common across the country. In Washington, D.C., the coming and going of Capitol Hill staffers to K Street firms and in the opposite direction is an everyday occurrence, commonly referred to as the revolving door. But that shuffling of the deck can cause conflict of interest issues for politicians and staffers, as the relationships built in previous employment can lead to the perception of a conflict of interest and, sometimes, real world corruption.

Gould, in an interview with The Buffalo News, said he began to consider that potential as soon as he was offered the position by Scanlon, his longtime friend who, as Common Council president, came into the office in October upon the resignation of former Mayor Byron Brown.

Gould said that he had several private attorneys with expertise in ethics and an accountant review his situation and provide guidance on setting up firewalls to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest.

Asked if those attorneys provided any written guidance and whether he shared that information with mayors office staffers, Gould said that the information is privileged and private.

Buffalo's acting mayor names a deputy mayor Brian A. Gould is Buffalos newest deputy mayor. Acting Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon announced late Tuesday afternoon he has appointed Gould, a senior vice president at e3communications, to the position.

He said he no longer has any involvement in day-to-day operations at the firm, but still does public relations and policy consulting work with a few long-term clients, none of which have any business before the city.

Gould declined to name the clients.

The clients I consult is immaterial as they have no business with the city, he said in a text message.

Earl Wells, the president and founder of e3Communications, said in a series of text messages that the company does have some clients with business before the city, including Kleinhans Music Hall, real estate developer TM Montante, Trocaire College and NOCO Energy. But most of their lobbying work is done in Albany, advocating for their clients with members of the state Legislature.

Both he and Gould said that Gould will have no involvement in any discussions with the city involving the companys clients.

That was abundantly clear and established before I even said yes to Mayor Scanlon, Gould said.

John Kaehny, the executive director of Reinvent Albany, a government watchdog group, said the standard way of dealing with these situations is for the person with potential conflicts of interest to request an advisory opinion from an independent ethics board.

Scanlon officially joins mayor's race in Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon has made official his bid to keep the office he now occupies.

In Goulds case, he can ask for an opinion from the citys Board of Ethics or the New York State Commission on Ethics in Lobbying, the body that also collects lobbying records referenced in this story.

That way, youve got a theoretically independent third party looking at it and saying, OK, heres what we suggest,  Kaehny said. And then you do what they say.

Gould, who worked for Wells at the firm for 19 years, said he understood the opinion and guidance of the private attorneys to be sufficient in ensuring that there is no appearance of a conflict of interest. Since being asked by a Buffalo News reporter about whether he has sought an advisory opinion from an ethics board, he has started conversations with the citys corporation counsel, Cavette Chambers  an ethics board member  and they are exploring options.

Im not saying I wouldnt do that, now that I know and I can do that internally, he said.

Kaehny said that most advisory opinions on these matters instruct public officials to disclose and recuse, or to make known all potential conflicts, and then to delegate responsibilities regarding those entities to other staff members.

Kaehny said officials should then distribute the opinion to staffers and, his organization recommends, make the document public on an official website or by distributing it to the press.

Youd be amazed at how often officials deliberately do not do that, and thats a mistake by them, he said.

One former client that could cause a conflict with the city is the Buffalo Police Benevolent Association. The firm lobbied city officials, including Brown and Scanlon, on behalf of the officers union on police reform issues and contract negotiations in 2020 and 2021, with Gould listed as one of the lobbyists speaking to those officials, according to state lobbying records.

The union is again set to enter negotiations with the city in what is likely to be a difficult process as the city deals with looming deficits likely to be in the range of tens of millions of dollars.

Wells said in a text message that the PBA is not currently a client.

If E3 is going to represent the PBA (in) upcoming contract negotiations with the city, that would be news to me, he said.

Gould also pointed out that the charter gives him no direct power or influence over the decisions that could be made regarding clients of his former employer. That power rests with Scanlon and the Common Council.

I do not have oversight over any department or personnel, he said. As deputy mayor, I dont act or make decisions on behalf of the mayor.

Gould said his work with e3Communications rarely involved direct lobbying, though he is listed as a lobbyist in some of the companys filings with the state ethics commission. Typically, he worked on communications campaigns and policy research, he said.

You would meet and educate an elected official, he said. But it was more so getting the community educated, whether its a development project, whether it was a wind energy project in Wyoming County.

Gould said he will continue to work with Chambers to make sure they are using all tools available to them to ensure that there is no conflict between his former and current employers.
21 Ghanaian university students awarded Chinese Ambassador Scholarships

Xinhua) 13:23, February 01, 2025

ACCRA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one students at Ghana's prestigious Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) were awarded Chinese Ambassador Scholarships Thursday for their excellence in Chinese language studies in Kumasi, the second-largest city in the West African country.

The students received cash prizes ranging from 100 to 300 U.S. dollars at a ceremony in which the KNUST and the Chinese community in Ghana celebrated the first anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the KNUST.

Addressing the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Tong Defa said the scholarships were established to encourage Ghanaian students to better learn about the Chinese language and culture, injecting vigor into the cultural cooperation and longstanding friendship between the two countries.

"This year marks the 65th anniversary of China-Ghana diplomatic relations; I am sure it will bring more opportunities to Chinese learners in Ghana as the bilateral exchanges intensify," said Tong. "I hope the students will contribute more to the China-Ghana cooperation and Ghana's socioeconomic development."

In an interview with Xinhua Friday, Su Zibo, Chinese director of the KNUST Confucius Institute, said over the past year, the institute has admitted more than 1,300 local students at various levels and set up three teaching sites, playing an essential part in promoting Chinese language and culture in Ghana.

The institute has also been committed to combining the Chinese language program with automotive technology majors through cooperation with Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Su said, adding that they plan to introduce Chinese teachers with academic backgrounds in vehicle engineering in the new year.

The Confucius Institute at the KNUST was established in December 2023, becoming the third Confucius Institute in Ghana, following the confucius institutes at the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
News / National

by Staff Reporter

Harare-City Parking, a crucial player in Harare's urban parking system, is facing mounting allegations of financial mismanagement and operational irregularities.

The company's leadership structure is under intense scrutiny, particularly the role of Tsitsi Samapundo, the City of Harare's Business Development Unit Manager, married to the company's CEO, Simon Muzviyo.Critics argue that Samapundo's close relationship with Muzviyo has created a significant conflict of interest, as she appears unable or unwilling to hold her husband accountable for the growing allegations of corruption within the company.Sources close to the matter have raised concerns that funds collected from parking fees have been mismanaged under Muzviyo's leadership, with large sums unaccounted for.The lack of transparency has prompted calls for a full audit of the company's operations.Yet, Tsitsi Samapundo, in her role overseeing City Parking's activities, has not addressed these issues publicly, fueling suspicions of a cover-up.Moreover, City Parking's operational framework is said to lack a formal written contract, which raises further legal questions about the legitimacy of the company's dealings with the City of Harare.This absence of documentation has led to fears of unregulated financial practices, exacerbated by the apparent lack of oversight from those in charge, including Samapundo.The situation is compounded by the perceived conflict of interest, with Samapundo's position creating a potentially untenable scenario where her professional obligations clash with her relationship with the CEO.While Samapundo's role ensures transparency and accountability, critics argue that her close ties to Muzviyo have impeded proper governance, allowing corrupt activities to go unchecked.Harare residents and stakeholders are calling for immediate reforms and a thorough investigation into City Parking's operations as the controversy intensifies.However, Samapundo and Muzviyo have remained silent, leaving many questioning whether their relationship is clouding their professional responsibilities.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
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Former Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Indicted on Charges of Economic Espionage

Friday, January 31, 2025

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs

John Harold Rogers, 63, of Vienna, Virginia, a former Senior Adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was arrested today on charges that he conspired to steal Federal Reserve trade secrets for the benefit of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

In furtherance of the conspiracy, allegedly made false statements to the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (FRB-OIG), and those false statements had a material impact on its investigation.

"As alleged, the defendant violated the trust placed in him by the Federal Reserve Bank by putting U.S. trade secrets in the hands of his PRC co-conspirators, knowing full well that such information would benefit the PRC Government and PRC instrumentalities," said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division. "The Justice Department will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to disrupt economic espionage and protect our national security."

"President Trump tasks us with protecting our fellow Americans from all enemies, foreign and domestic. As alleged in the indictment, this defendant leveraged his position within the Federal Reserve to pass sensitive financial information to the Chinese government, a designated adversary," said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. "Let this indictment serve as a warning to all who seek to betray or exploit the United States: law enforcement will find you and hold you accountable."

"As alleged in the indictment, Rogers betrayed his country while employed at the Federal Reserve by providing restricted U.S. financial and economic information to Chinese government intelligence officers," said Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. "This information could allow adversaries to illegally gain a strategic economic advantage at the expense of the U.S. This indictment sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will hold accountable those who threaten our national security."

"The Chinese Communist Party has expanded its economic espionage campaign to target U.S. government financial policies and trade secrets in an effort to undermine the United States and become the sole superpower," said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Today's indictment represents the FBI's unwavering commitment to protect U.S. national security interests and U.S. jobs and bring to justice those who are willing to betray their country for personal gain."

"This indictment sends a clear message that those who deliberately misuse sensitive Federal Reserve information for their own personal gain and lie about it to investigators will be held accountable for their actions," said Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez of the FRB-OIG, Headquarters Operations.

According to the indictment, Rogers, a U.S. citizen with a Ph.D. in economics, worked as a Senior Adviser in FRB's Division of International Finance of the FRB from 2010 until 2021, where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information. The confidential information that Rogers allegedly shared with his Chinese co-conspirators, who worked for the intelligence and security apparatus of China and who posed as graduate students at a PRC university, is economically valuable when secret.

China holds a large amount of U.S. foreign debt (approximately $816 billion as of October 2024). The data Rogers shared with his co-conspirators could allow China to manipulate the U.S. market, in a manner similar to insider trading. Gaining advance knowledge of U.S. economic policy, including advance knowledge of changes to the federal funds rate, could provide China with an advantage when selling or buying U.S. bonds or securities.

The indictment alleges that, from at least 2018, Rogers allegedly exploited his employment with the FRB by soliciting trade-secret information regarding proprietary economic data sets, deliberations about tariffs targeting China, briefing books for designated governors, and sensitive information about Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) deliberations and forthcoming announcements. He passed that information electronically to his personal email account, in violation of FRB policy, or printed it prior to traveling to China, in preparation for meetings with his co-conspirators.

Under the guise of teaching "classes," Rogers met with his co-conspirators in hotel rooms in China where he conveyed sensitive, trade-secret information that belonged to the FRB and the FOMC. In 2023, Rogers was paid approximately $450,000 as a part-time professor at a Chinese university.

On Feb. 4, 2020, in response to questioning by the FRB-OIG, Rogers lied about his accessing and passage of sensitive information and his associations with his co-conspirators.

Rogers is charged with conspiracy to commit economic espionage and with making false statements.

The FBI Washington Field Office and FRB-OIG are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Paschall for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Nicholas Hunter and Steve Marzen of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topics: National Security

Counterintelligence

Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

USAO - District of Columbia

Press Release Number: 25-130

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Marcos 'very disturbed' by alleged Chinese spies' ops in PH

Philippine News Agency

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

January 31, 2025, 3:54 pm

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is "very disturbed" by the alleged espionage activities of five Chinese nationals in the Philippines.

"That's why we arrested them. Of course, we are very disturbed by anyone conducting such espionage operations against our military," Marcos told reporters in Pasay City, when asked about the alleged presence of Chinese spies in the country.

Marcos said the Philippine government has no official contact with China but stressed that investigative services are looking for more information about the arrested foreigners.

"The investigative services are still developing more information to see exactly what these five have been --- what operations they have been doing while they have been here in the Philippines," he said.

"Dahil 'yung iba matagal nang nandito, nakapangasawa na ng Pilipina. Sleeper talaga. 'Yung tinatawag na sleeper. Kailangan, kung sakali, baka naman kapag nakausap natin sila, masabi sa atin baka meron pang mga iba na puwede nating mapuntahan, pag-explain-in kung ano ang kanilang talagang ginagawa (Because the others have been here for a long time, they have married Filipinas. They're sleepers. They are called sleepers. We need, just in case, maybe when we talk to them, they can tell us maybe there are others we can go to, explain what they're really doing)," Marcos added.

Top officials from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday presented to the media the five Chinese nationals suspected of engaging in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in the country.

Also presented were supposed video footage from drones and military-grade, high-resolution video cameras disguised to look like civilian security closed circuit TVs (CCTVs).

The five Chinese suspects were identified as Cai Shaohuang, Cheng Hai Tao, Wu Cheng Ting, Wang Yong Yi and Wu Chin Ren.

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said data collected from the solar-powered video cameras were "being sent real-time" to a remote location.

Photos recovered include images on the Naval Detachment Oyster Bay in Brgy. Bahile in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, which is part of the Philippine Navy's Naval Forces West (Navforwest) positioned near the contested West Philippine Sea.

Other images show the Philippine Navy's Del Pilar Class offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS 16), maps overlooking the Subic Bay International Airport, and Naval Operating Base Subic.

There were also footages of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Gabriela Silang docked in the PCG Maritime Safety Service Unit NCR-Cluster, officials said.

The arrests were made following pursuit operations on Jan. 24 to 25 in Palawan, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. (PNA)

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Swift action vs. 'spies' shows PH focus on nat'l security

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

January 31, 2025, 3:19 pm

MANILA -- The immediate response of the country's military and intelligence services that resulted in the arrest of five Chinese nationals allegedly involved in espionage highlights the government's commitment to protecting the country, the National Security Council (NSC) said on Friday.

In a statement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the successful operations underscore the need for continued vigilance and proactive counterintelligence measures to disrupt attempts at espionage.

"The government remains committed to enforcing the law and ensuring that those found engaging in espionage and intelligence operations are held accountable. We assure the public that our security and intelligence units will continue to strengthen counterintelligence and monitoring efforts to strengthen our national security," Ano said.

On Thursday, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines presented five Chinese nationals who were nabbed for suspected intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in the country.

Authorities seized from the suspects some military-grade and high-resolution video cameras disguised to look like civilian security closed-circuit television (CCTV).

"These foreign nationals, who were placed under surveillance following another Chinese national and his local accomplices, were found to be conducting aerial reconnaissance and collecting imagery intelligence on Philippine naval assets," Ano said.

He said the suspects' activities near Ulugan Bay and Naval Detachment Oyster Bay in Palawan province, as well as their surveillance of Coast Guard stations and naval docks, are serious concerns that warrant a firm and coordinated response. (PNA)

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Norway Seizes Ship Suspected In Baltic Cable Damage

By RFE/RL January 31, 2025

Norwegian police said they have seized a locally owned ship with an all-Russian crew that is suspected of being involved in sabotaging an underwater telecoms cable in the Baltic Sea linking Sweden and Latvia.

Police in the city of Tromso said on January 31 that the Norwegian-registered and Norwegian-owned ship Silver Dania was detained based on a legal request from Latvian authorities and an order from the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court in Norway.

The ship is the second to be seized in the past week in connection with the damaging of the cable. Swedish police detained the Maltese-flagged cargo ship Vezhen on suspicion it caused the damage.

"There is suspicion that the ship has been involved in serious damage to a fiber cable in the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Sweden," the police said in a statement.

"The police are conducting an operation on the ship to search, conduct interviews, and secure evidence."

Several undersea telecommunications and power cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Experts and politicians have blamed vessels in Russia's so-called shadow fleet of aging oil tankers. The Kremlin denies any involvement.

With the recent spate of sabotage events in the region, NATO and EU leaders agreed to launch a monitoring mission of the Baltic Sea.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said that "such hostile actions" will not go unanswered, promising to strengthen NATO's military presence in the region.

The first major incidence of sabotage of infrastructure occurred in September 2022 when a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines built to carry Russian gas to Europe. The cause has yet to be determined.

An undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down in October 2023 after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.

The most recent incident occurred January 26 with the severing of the cable linking telecommunications between Sweden and Lativa.

A month earlier, in another incident, the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia were damaged.

That came just weeks after two telecom cables in Swedish waters were severed on November 17-18.

Suspicion over the December 25 incident has fallen on the Eagle S, a Cook Island-flagged oil tanker believed to be part of Russia's "shadow fleet." Investigators suspect the cables were damaged when the tanker dragged its anchor over them.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/norway-seizes-ship- suspected-baltic-cable-damage-case/33298493.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Will Trump's Gaza Proposal Sink Or Save The Two-State Solution?

By Kian Sharifi January 30, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to "clean out" the Gaza Strip and move Palestinians to neighboring countries has been widely rejected.

The forced displacement of Gaza's 2.3-million population to Egypt and Jordan could destabilize the region and derail any prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, experts say.

But the proposal could also shift the responsibility to U.S. allies in the region to come up with a solution to one of the world's most intractable conflicts, according to observers.

"Trump is taking the most extreme position on a hugely sensitive issue as part of a broader negotiation on Gaza and Israel," said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at the London-based think tank Chatham House.

"By pressuring key U.S. allies who are indeed dependent on the U.S. for aid and security, he hopes to see his aim of burden sharing achieved," Vakil said.

Future Of Two-State Solution

Washington has for decades backed a two-state solution that would see the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

But progress has been hindered by deep differences among Israelis and Palestinians over borders, settlements, and the status of Jerusalem.

Palestinians also insist that any future Palestinian state must include the Gaza Strip, which is why Trump's proposal has raised concern among not only critics but U.S. allies, including Germany.

"Trump has yet to articulate a clear view on the two-state solution or the way forward in the Israel-Palestine conflict, but if U.S. policy is leaning toward displacing Palestinians from Gaza, that suggests limited scope for positive progress on the issue," said Gregory Brew, a senior analyst at the U.S.-based Eurasia Group.

Many of Gaza's inhabitants were displaced and much of the Palestinian enclave was destroyed after Israel's devastating 15-month war against Hamas, the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group. The conflict was triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas in Israel in October 2023.

The fighting has been paused for six weeks as part of a multiphase cease-fire deal agreed on January 15 that envisions a permanent end to the war and the rebuilding of Gaza.

Trump, who floated his proposal on January 25, said the potential displacement of Gazans "could be temporary, could be long term."

Eldad Shavit, a senior researcher at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies, said there is widespread support for transferring Palestinians out of Gaza among the Israeli far right because they think "Israel can occupy the territory and build new settlements."

Trump has said he has shared his thoughts with Jordan and Egypt, U.S. allies in the region that receive significant aid. But both countries have publicly pushed back against any moves involving the forced displacement of civilians.

Shavit said "it is not reasonable" to expect Jordan and Egypt to accept the proposal because they already host millions of Palestinians displaced by Israel's creation in 1948 and the Arab-Israeli conflict in 1967.

He argued that it could "be a really big risk to the stability of those countries" if they took in more refugees.

Experts say that moving Gazans and consequently derailing the prospects of an independent Palestinian state could also hinder attempts to normalize relations between Israel and regional power Saudi Arabia.

"I don't see it being positively received elsewhere in the Gulf, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where [Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman] has made positive progress on a Palestinian state a requirement for normalization with Israel," Brew said.

Several Arab states have normalized relations with Israel under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in recent years.

Need To 'Change The Status Quo'

The staunch opposition to Trump's plan among Washington's allies and Arab states is testament to its unfeasibility, experts say.

"I think we need to be cautious reading too much into Trump's comments, which were delivered in an off-the-cuff way," Brew argued.

Trump likes to "think big" and he and his advisers could be trying to "change the status quo" by getting stakeholders in the region to step up and resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Shavit said.

"He wants to shake the parties in a way that they will think on a solution that they can live with," he said.

Trump has long criticized long-term U.S. military engagements and has advocated for reducing American financial commitments abroad. He described himself as a "peacemaker" during his inauguration speech on January 20.

"Trump wants a new Middle East; he wants the Saudis to join the Abraham Accords and wants to be seen as someone who made peace and received a Nobel Prize [for it]," Shavit said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-gaza-proposal-israel- palestinians/33295525.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Press Release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the 2771 UN Security Council Resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

Press and Information Office, Ministry of Interior, Republic of Cyprus

31-01-2025

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the unanimous adoption of the 2771 United Nations Security Council Resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nation Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for another 12 months, until January 31 2026.

In its resolution, the Security Council reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on Cyprus and recalls the importance of achieving an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement of the Cyprus issue based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in its relevant resolutions.

In this context, the full support which the Security Council extends towards the UN Secretary-General's efforts to restart negotiations is especially important.

The Security Council reiterates its firm position regarding the status of the fenced-off area of Varosha, in accordance with the relevant Resolutions and its Presidential Statement (A/PRST/2021/13), and calls for the immediate reversal of any action which is not in accordance with these Resolutions. It also reiterates its call to the Turkish forces to restore the military status quo in Strovilia, as it was before June 2000, to lift obstacles in the peacekeeping force's freedom of movement, and calls for a return to the status quo ante regarding violations in the buffer zone.

Moreover, it is emphasised in the Resolution that the Security Council continues to closely monitor the developments in Pyla, following attacks by the Turkish occupation forces against peacekeepers which took place in August 2023. It also underlines the need to avoid unilateral actions and calls for the implementation of the Consensus reached on Pyla as an important confidence building measure.

The Government of the Republic of Cyprus fully shares the references to the need to take actions that contribute to reducing tensions, creating an appropriate climate, and confidence building, which is even more important given the ongoing processes for a return to negotiations.

In view of the upcoming convening of the expanded meeting under the UN Secretary-General, we reiterate our strong will for practical and constructive support of the efforts of the Secretary-General to resume the negotiations and achieve a comprehensive and just solution to the Cyprus issue on the basis of the agreed upon framework.

(AP/IA)

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EUBAM Rafah: Statement by the Spokesperson on the redeployment of the mission at the Rafah Crossing Point

European External Action Service (EEAS)

31.01.2025

EEAS Press Team

The European Union's civilian Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah) was today redeployed to the Rafah Crossing Point (RCP) at the request of the Palestinians and the Israelis in agreement with the Egyptians, and in line with the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA). The Rafah Crossing Point has been reopened and is operational on the basis of the 2005 AMA.

The mission deployed a specialised team to the Rafah Crossing Point to allow Palestinian personnel to reopen the RCP. This will allow for the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including some who require medical treatment. EUBAM Rafah personnel is monitoring the transfers. Under the terms agreed with the parties, the period of deployment of the EUBAM Rafah specialised team at the RCP will last until the end of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.

EUBAM Rafah can play a decisive role in supporting the ceasefire and the re-deployment is a positive development, that shows once again that the EU is ready and present in the region to help.

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Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs discusses EU leaders' retreat and future of EU defence

Finnish Government

Government Communications Department

Publication date 31.1.2025

Press release

In its meeting on Friday 31 January, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs outlined Finland's positions for the upcoming informal EU leaders' retreat. The Ministerial Committee also discussed ways to exercise influence on the future of EU defence and outlined Finland's positions for the informal meeting of competitiveness and trade ministers.

The members of the European Council will have an informal meeting, or retreat, on 3 February in Brussels. The main theme of the discussions will be defence. At the meeting, Prime Minister Orpo will also highlight the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

Recent events in the Baltic Sea have further emphasised the acute need for joint EU preparedness. This is about protecting critical European cross-border infrastructure and ensuring that it can function in all circumstances.

Finland's view is that the EU must be a stronger geopolitical actor, as Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine combined with intensifying competition between major powers has brought rapid, profound and long-lasting changes to the European security environment. Finland's goal is to get Russia to end its war and illegal occupation of areas in Ukraine and to repel Russia's destabilising actions. Finland considers it important that the EU continue its strong, effective and united response to Russia's military attacks against Ukraine. Russia's war of aggression means that Europe must improve its military capabilities. Finland is open to various funding solutions to support Ukraine and, in connection with this, to strengthen comprehensive security throughout Europe. Finland is open to proposals for strengthening the EU's defence industry base in the next multiannual financial framework. However, Finland's starting point is that any EU financial assistance should primarily take the form of loans or guarantees in order to leverage private funding. The Government is willing to support the Commission's request for the European Investment Bank to change its lending policy to enable more extensive financing of defence investments.

Finland will promote the mutually complementary cooperation between NATO and the EU that reinforces transatlantic burden sharing. Finland supports efforts to promote the EU's partnerships, especially with NATO, the United States, Norway and the United Kingdom. Finland also supports a flexible approach to third countries' participation in the supply chains of EU projects, provided that security policy aspects are taken into account. Finland wants to see cooperation between the EU and the United States that is as close as possible. Finland considers it important that the United States remain committed to cooperation conducted within the rules-based international system. The United States' commitment to Europe, through both bilateral arrangements and NATO, is of central importance to security in Europe and Finland. Finland advocates for the dismantling of barriers to trade in the Euro-Atlantic area.

The Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs also formulated Finland's priorities for influencing the future of EU defence. Finland will highlight its views and proactively influence the joint white paper of the European Commission and the European External Action Service, which is due to be published in March. The purpose of the paper is to examine European defence from the standpoints of capabilities, defence investments and efforts to strengthen the defence industry.

In addition, the Ministerial Committee outlined Finland's positions for the informal meeting of competitiveness and trade ministers. The meeting in Warsaw will focus on ensuring a coherent trade and industrial policy to strengthen the EU's global position. The ministers will also discuss the future of the EU-US partnership.

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Finland calls on European Investment Bank to increase defence industry financing

Finnish Government

Government Communications Department

Publication date 31.1.2025

Press release

Finland and the majority of the EU Member States have sent a joint letter calling on the European Investment Bank (EIB) to increase its financing for the European defence industry. The letter, drawn up at the initiative Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, is endorsed by two thirds of the EU Member States, including France and Germany.

The letter has been signed by the leaders of 19 Member States in total. The other signatories are Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Slovakia, Denmark, Czechia and Estonia.

In Prime Minister Orpo's view, the EIB should play a significantly stronger role in increasing the financing base of the European defence industry.

"Strengthening the EU's defence is an existential question for Finland and for Europe as a whole. This means we have to use all the means at our disposal. Boosting private funding is a key priority. For Finland, it would be important to make it possible for funding to be used directly for ammunition production, which is currently not possible," says Prime Minister Orpo.

In the letter, the heads of state stress the urgent need to mobilise additional defence sector investments in order to strengthen the EU's defence capability and comprehensive security. The issue is especially topical, as the EU leaders will be discussing European defence at their informal retreat in Belgium on 3 February, as well as at the European Councils in the first half of the year.

There are still limits on the ability of the European Investment Bank to finance defence projects. Despite the flexibility added to the financing rules last year, the EIB cannot currently participate directly in defence production projects, for example.

The letter proposes that the list of excluded activities from EIB financing should be re-evaluated to reflect the EU's current policy priorities. This would mean that, going forward, the EIB would be able to provide financing for traditional defence industry projects. Secondly, the proportion of financing allocated to defence should be increased. A third measure proposed in the letter is earmarked debt issuance by the EIB for the defence projects. At the moment, the EIB issues bonds earmarked for clean transition projects, for example.

The statement is a follow-up to the letter sent in March 2024. At that time, 14 EU heads of state called on the EIB to increase its investments in order to strengthen the EU's defence and security capabilities.

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Minister of Defence Hakkanen: A new TNT factory will be built in Finland

Finnish Ministry of Defence

31.01.2025

A new TNT factory will be built in Finland. Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen announced this on 31 January 2025. The factory will be located in Pori. The project's value exceeds 200 million euros.

Minister of Defence Antti Hakkanen has published a plan for the construction of a new plant that will produce TNT explosives in Finland. The Ministry of Defence launched a project in early 2024 to examine the availability of TNT, either through imports from abroad or the construction of a plant in Finland. The plant will be located in Pori. The total value of the project will exceed EUR 200 million.

"I considered that the best solution is to build a plant in Finland so that the Finnish defence industry and security of supply can be strengthened at the same time. This new TNT plant will respond to the shortage of explosives throughout Europe and the problems this shortage causes for ammunition production. The project led by the Ministry of Defence will play an important role in increasing the production of ammunition in Europe. The investment will also enable Finland to continue its support for Ukraine in the long term," Minister Hakkanen says.

The project has gained extensive support from business and industry and international partners during the year. For example, the state capital investment company Tesi is considering an investment in the plant.

"Many have been involved in this work both in Finland and abroad. This is a highly significant project for the military security of supply of Finland and Europe as a whole. Over the past year, we have advanced the project in numerous meetings in the United States and Europe. Another positive aspect is the number of new jobs the plant will create in Finland," Hakkanen adds.

The project will be carried out by the Finnish explosives manufacturer Oy Forcit Ab. Minister Hakkanen authorised the Defence Forces to sign a letter of intent with Forcit on the procurement of TNT explosives on 31 January 2025. The letter of intent was signed on 31 January 2025 and will enable Forcit to invest in a new plant in Pori. Along with a plant in Poland, the new facility in Pori will be the second plant producing TNT explosives in the EU.

In the next stage, the Ministry of Defence will make the procurement decision and Forcit will make its investment decision.

The total value of the procurement excluding value added tax is estimated to be at least EUR 255 million, which will cover the need of the Defence Forces for TNT explosives in 2028-2037.

TNT, or trinitrotoluene, is an explosive used in artillery and mortar ammunition. The demand for TNT has increased considerably due to the war in Ukraine.

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Israeli Army violates ceasefire with Lebanon 15 times in one day

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 31, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The Israeli military has violated the ceasefire with Lebanon 15 times on Thursday, bringing the total number of ceasefire violations by Israel to 823 over the past 66 days.

In a Friday report, Turkey's Anadolu Agency cited Lebanon's official news agency which indicated that the violations included drone attacks, the destruction of homes and buildings, artillery shelling, flare firing, rocket attacks, and the burning of a chicken farm.

The ongoing violations come despite repeated calls for de-escalation and adherence to the ceasefire.

9341**2050

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Israeli Army torches Quneitra governor's building

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 31, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Reports suggest that the Israeli military has set fire to the Quneitra governor's building in southwestern Syria, a move coinciding with the regime's large-scale destruction of agricultural land in the region.

Arab Journal reported that, according to social media users, the Israeli army set the governor's building ablaze on Thursday while continuing its widespread destruction of farmlands in the suburbs of Quneitra.

Videos shared by social media users show flames and smoke rising from the Quneitra Governor's building, located in southern Syria.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Israeli army had carried out extensive damage to farmland in the town of Jubata Al Khashab.

On Tuesday, residents of the Quneitra and Daraa suburbs staged a protest in the provincial capital of Quneitra, coinciding with a visit from a United Nations delegation to the area.

9341**2050

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The Bundestag has ratified the agreement on the rights of German military personnel stationed in Lithuania

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2025-01-31

Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces | International cooperation

Today the Bundestag has ratified the agreement regarding the Lithuanian-German defence cooperation. The agreement regulates the legal status of the German military personnel, civil servants and their families in Lithuania, as well as availability of public services, such as healthcare, communication and education for children while stationed in Lithuania.

The intergovernmental agreement covers the procedure of using the dedicated military areas, arrival and departure of the German Armed Forces, their mobility within Lithuania, legal validity limits, security measures, permissions to establish the German Armed Forces' education institutions in Lithuania troops, opportunities for German troops and civilian personnel to get healthcare services, and other topics. The document defines procedures of the arrival and departure of the German military personnel in and from Lithuania, access to Lithuania's military infrastructure objects, and other practicalities.

The agreement was signed in Berlin last year on September 13 and ratified by the Seimas on October 3.

Lithuania and Germany signed the Roadmap Action Plan in December 2024 , the document continues to be the key guidelines for the project of stationing of the German brigade in Lithuania. Last April, the Initial Command Element of the German Brigade deployed in Vilnius, military campus constructions were kicked off at the Rudninkai Training Area, other preparations of military and civilian infrastructure are continuing.

The number of German troops in Lithuania is gradually increasing and will reach 500 till the end of the year. Lithuania will welcome signal, headquarters and service companies, as well as medical and logistical units this year. They will be housed in temporary infrastructure in Nemencine and Rokantiskes. The target is to have key Brigade units with all enablers stationed by 2027.

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The President calls for stepping up Europe's investment in defense

President of the Republic of Lithuania

Januray 31, 2025

President Gitanas Nauseda, together with the leaders of Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Latvia, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden addressed Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, Nadia Calvino, the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, which currently holds the Presidency of the EU, calling for the strengthening of the European security and defense industry.

The letter emphasizes the need for decisive action to strengthen Europe's common defense preparedness, capabilities, and defense industry base in the face of persistent security threats, including Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. It also highlights the importance of bolstering the capacity to counter hybrid threats, ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure, which presents specific challenges that require immediate solutions.

European leaders welcomed the actions already launched by the EIB, including changes to the financial requirements for dual-use projects, the introduction of a new credit line for SMEs operating in the defense sector, and the positioning of the EIB as a 'one-stop-shop' financial institution for European security and defense investments. It was also noted that the EIB's decision to increase the Bank's gearing ratio in 2024 will enable increased investments in critical areas such as security and defense.

Despite this progress, the President, along with other leaders, calls for stronger action and proposes three key measures. First, reviewing the list of financed activities to expand it in the defense sector and ensure that EIB financing aligns with the EU's new policy priorities. They also propose adjusting the EIB's lending policy to accommodate the growing demand for defense and security financing, while still supporting other strategic priorities. Finally, the idea of earmarked debt issuance to finance defense-related projects can be considered, thus ensuring transparency for investors and maintaining the most efficient and cost-effective financing mechanism.

The letter emphasizes that improved access to EIB financing and speeding up the implementation of defense investments in the EU would not only enhance the capabilities of the defense industry but also attract greater participation from private investors. Lithuania's stance is clear and resolute: there is an urgent need to strengthen Europe's defense technological and industrial base, and the EIB needs to take an even more proactive role in this effort.



The President's Communication Group

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NATO Secretary General meets EU College of Commissioners to explore avenues for deeper NATO-EU cooperation

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

31 Jan. 2025

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte participated in a gathering of the EU College of Commissioners today (31 January 2025) hosted by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at La Grande Abbaye de La Ramee in Belgium. The Secretary General welcomed the opportunity to join the conversation, highlighting the value of increased cooperation between NATO and the EU.

The discussions focused on enhancing defence readiness, boosting defence production, and aligning strategic priorities between the two organisations. Mr Rutte underscored that with security threats rising globally, it will be all the more important to harness the collective power of both NATO and the EU to safeguard shared values and interests. The Secretary General expressed his optimism about continuing to build on the good foundation that the two organisations have already established.

This meeting with the EU College of Commissioners follows a series of recent engagements of the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General with leaders of EU institutions, including members of the European Parliament, to work together on issues where there is clear common interest, drawing on the unique strengths of both institutions.

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AFP one with PBBM on call to protect West PH Sea

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

January 31, 2025, 9:52 pm

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is one with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in upholding the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Friday.

"From day one, the President has made it unequivocally clear that we will not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power. The AFP fully embraces this commitment and remains resolute in defending our sovereign rights in the WPS," he said in a statement.

Brawner also said the illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) in the country's maritime domain must stop immediately.

These actions, the AFP chief said, include the continued harassment of Philippine vessels through dangerous maneuvers and interference with the livelihood of Filipino fishermen.

Brawner said such actions are not only violations of international law such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award, but also clear infringements of the country's domestic laws.

He added that these reckless actions threaten regional stability and undermine both the sovereignty of the Philippines and the principles of a rules-based international order.

"With support from President Marcos, the AFP continues to strengthen our defense posture, enhancing our self-reliant capabilities and deepening security partnerships with like-minded nations," Brawner said.

"The AFP also remains in close coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and other maritime agencies in asserting our rights and safeguarding our national interests," he added. (PNA)

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NSC backs PBBM call for China to respect PH rights in WPS

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

January 31, 2025, 4:19 pm

MANILA -- The National Security Council (NSC) on Friday expressed its support to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s call to China to respect the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and cease its "aggressive and coercive behavior" in the vital waterway.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, in a statement, stressed that Manila has always pursued "peaceful and diplomatic measures consistent" with its desire to de-escalate rising tensions in the WPS.

"As directed by the President, our actions in the WPS remain compliant with international law and established norms of cooperation and diplomacy. We see this as contributory to peace and stability in the region, which will benefit not only the Philippines but the entire region," he added.

Ano clarified that the US Medium Range Capability (MRC) Typhon missile system is purely for defense purposes and is not directed against any nation.

"It was deployed to the Philippines during the 2024 Balikatan exercises singularly meant to improve readiness and interoperability with troops and equipment from other countries, including the United States. As such, its continued deployment in the country is essential in our efforts to improve our defense capabilities," he added.

Ano is hoping that the Chinese government would reciprocate the Chief Executive's sincere gesture in the spirit of goodwill and amity.

On Thursday, Marcos vowed to have the US missile system pulled out of the country if China stops its harassment and illegal actions in Philippine waters.

The Philippine Army also supported the Chief Executive's "clear and decisive stand" on the MRC.

"The Army's modernization and training programs will ensure that we can effectively respond to any existent and emerging security challenge while maintaining our defensive posture in accordance with international law," Army commander Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said in a Facebook post.

Galido also said the Army stands committed to working closely with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force to safeguard the country's sovereignty.

"We are ready to defend every square inch of our territory in line with the Commander-in-Chief's guidance," he added.

The Philippine Navy also supports Marcos' stance in upholding Manila's sovereignty and sovereign rights in the WPS.

"The actions of the Philippine Navy in implementing this stand (have) always been in a rules-based manner. Developing naval and joint capabilities is our mandate and we take pride in performing it. No entity -- foreign or domestic -- can dictate on us, much more if they themselves do not adhere to a rules-based approach," Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a separate message. (PNA)

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Hamas says Deif, fellow leaders shattered Israel's myth of invincibility

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 4:34 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has hailed its martyred commanders' battleground prowess, which used to instill fear into the Israeli regime's ranks and smashed its alleged invincibility.

The movement passed the remarks in a statement on Friday, mourning the martyrdom of Mohammad 'Abu Khaled' Deif, former commander of al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, who used to be on Tel Aviv's kill list for long, as well as other high-ranking military officials within the group, whose martyrdom was announced recently.

"They shaped, through their creativity, blood, and sacrifices, the epic of the glorious October 7, and what followed of legendary steadfastness and popular unity," Hamas said.

The movement was referring to the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance fighters' retaliatory operation of that date that saw them venturing deep inside the occupied Palestinian territories and ensnaring 240 Zionists.

The operation, it added, "shattered the myth of an invincible [Israeli] army, breaking the occupier's arrogance, thwarting all enemy schemes, and creating a timeless glory for our people, our nation, and all the free people of the world, becoming a global model of heroism, resilience, and the will to achieve freedom, independence, and liberation from occupation."

The movement noted that during their contribution to Palestinian resistance, the martyrs never retreated on the field of heroism and sacrifice, including in the midst of the heroic October 7al-Aqsa Storm Operation.

It reminded how the heroic figures planned, managed, designed, and directed the operation alongside other steadfast resistance fighters.

Besides achieving the gains during the strike, the figures went on to defend Gaza during an ensuing war of genocide by the Israeli regime, throughout which resistance fighters killed 842 Israeli troops and 69 police forces.

The numbers, however, are the ones that have been released by Israeli officials. The resistance, itself, has come up with far higher figures.

Hamas added that "the lives of these great heroic commanders were filled with giving, dedication, and tireless work in service of our people's resistance project in every field: Preparing for battle, keeping watch, and championing our people's aspirations for liberation and return."

It underlined that the heroes' sacrifices were not confined to al-Aqsa Storm, enumerating many other successful operations that had benefited from their presence, such as the Battle of al-Furqan, Hijarat al-Sijjil, al-'Asf al-Ma'kul, and and Saif (Sword of) al-Quds.

Referring to the twilight stages of their lives, the movement said, "This final, glorious chapter befits those exceptional leaders, heroic men, and national symbols, who devoted themselves and their lives to serving their people and their national cause, and defending [the holy occupied city of] al-Quds and the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque."

'Commanders administered heavy blows to Israel'

It also underscored that Deif's and others' contribution served to "inflict heavy blows on the enemy's army and imposed new equations in the struggle."

According to Hamas, Deif's name continued to instill terror and fear among the Zionist entity's politicians and military leaders, until he ascended as a martyr in the most honorable and greatest battle in the history of the resisting Palestinian people.

It commended the martyr as the one, who authored al-Aqsa Storm with "his ideas, blood, and sacrifices from its first communique onward."

The group, meanwhile, honored the memory of those of the resistance's former leaders, who had ascended to martyrdom before him, such as former leader Yahya Sinwar, former Political Bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, and high-ranking commander Saleh al-Arouri.

Hamas finally asserted that such assassinations would only increase its strength, resolve, and determination to proceed on the path of resistance until liberation of Palestinians' land and sanctities.

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IRGC: Legacy of Qassam Brigades martyrs eradicating 'cancerous tumor' of Israel

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 2:55 PM

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the glorious legacy of the martyrs of Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, in the battle against Israel will lighten the way for the future of Resistance.

In a message on Friday, the IRGC expressed condolences over the martyrdom of the legendary and brave chief of the Qassam Brigades and several of its military council leaders in the battle against the Israeli regime.

It said the martyrs' glorious legacy will be the torch of the path of the faithful and invincible fighters of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement in the quest for the liberation of al-Quds and the eradication of the "cancerous tumor" of Israel.

Chief of al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida on Thursday announced the martyrdom of several of the wing's military council leaders in the battle against Israel, including its chief of staff Mohammed Deif.

Mohammad 'Abu Khaled' Deif, known for his elusiveness, had survived at least seven attempts on his life by Israel. He had been a key figure in orchestrating military operations against Israel.

The IRGC further described Mohammed Deif and other martyred commanders of al-Qassam Brigades as "shining stars in the proud galaxy of Palestinian resistance" who created an inspiring and enduring narrative of sacrifice, resistance and relentless struggle against the criminal Israeli regime.

"Their names continue to instill fear and terror in the hearts of the Zionist criminals and their supporters, and those who continue their path will demonstrate that their names are still alive," the statement read.

It emphasized that the martyrdom of Mohammed Deif and other commanders of the military wing will boost the power of the Islamic resistance's fighters and strengthen the Palestinian people's will to continue their resistance until liberation of al-Quds.

The Palestinians will strike against the satanic and racist Zionist regime and mark an end to its disgraceful existence, it noted.

The IRGC said Muslim nations will continue to support the resistance front in the fight against the Israeli regime.

Media outlets had reported Deif's death, but the announcement Thursday is the first official acknowledgment from Hamas of the senior leader's demise.

Israel initially announced in August 2024 that Deif had been killed in a July airstrike, but his death had not been confirmed since.

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Hamas names three captives to be released Saturday

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 10:13 AM

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, has published the names of the three Israeli captives who will be released on Saturday.

Chief of al-Qassam Brigades Abu Obeida made the announcement in a post on his telegram channel on Friday.

He said Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel and Yarden Bibas will be freed as part of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that ended the latter's 15-month-long genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials said the families of the three captives have been notified.

A Palestinian advocacy group said that Israel is to free 90 inmates on Saturday in exchange for three Israeli captives.

"Ninety prisoners will be released tomorrow in exchange for the three Israeli detainees, nine of whom are serving life sentences and 81 of whom have long sentences," Palestinian Prisoners' Club spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh told AFP on Friday.

Israel launched its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime failed to achieve its declared objectives of freeing captives and eliminating Hamas despite killing almost 47,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza.

Israel accepted Hamas' longstanding negotiation terms under the Gaza truce, which began on January 19.

The ceasefire consists of three phases, each lasting 42 days. In phase one - the current phase - a total of 33 Israeli captives will be released in exchange for around 2,000 Palestinian abductees held in the regime's jails.

So far, Hamas has released 10 Israeli captives and five Thai nationals in return for 400 Palestinian prisoners.

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'Multiple' Israeli airstrikes hit south Lebanon in breach of ceasefire

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 7:29 AM

Israel has committed new violations of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, including through airstrikes on the country's east which left at least two people dead.

Israel's military on Friday said it struck "multiple" targets in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, two months into the fragile ceasefire with the Lebanese resistance group.

The targets that were struck included a Hezbollah site containing underground infrastructure, used to develop and manufacture weaponry and additional infrastructure sites on the Syrian-Lebanese border, the military claimed.

Lebanon's civil defense announced that "two people were martyred and nine were injured in the Israeli airstrike in the Beqaa area in eastern Lebanon, which violated the ceasefire".

According to Lebanon's al-Manar television, the village of Janta was targeted in the airstrike.

Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli forces set fire to a poultry farm near Tal Nahas on Thursday.

According to the agency, an Israeli artillery attack also targeted the outskirts of the town of Shebaa in southern Lebanon.

Further violations included a drone attack on the ruins of a house, which was already destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, at the northern entrance to the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif on Wednesday night.

The Israeli forces also continued to burn and destroy houses in Ras al-Dahr, west of the town of Meiss al-Jabal.

They opened fire on a house in the border town of Ramish, as well as Lebanese people and an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Risala Scout Association at the entrance to Maroun al-Ras.

Another ambulance, which was trying to transport injured people, was seized in the area.

On Wednesday night, the Israeli troops kidnapped four Lebanese people who were checking on their home on the outskirts of Maroun al-Ras, and shot and injured two others in the area.

According to the NNA, the Israeli forces also advanced 100 meters from the position of the Lebanese army at the western entrance to Meiss al-Jabal, bypassing a center of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

After bypassing the UNIFIL base, Israeli bulldozer, backed by a Merkava tank, raised mounds of earth in the middle of the road in the Mafailah neighborhood, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Israeli drones flew over the capital Beirut and the southern suburbs at low altitudes.

According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, eight people were injured in total, including five people in Majdal Selim and two in Maroun al-Ras.

On Wednesday, the head of Hezbollah's Loyalty to the Resistance parliament bloc, Mohammad Raad, slammed the international community over its inaction on the Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

"The chronic international indifference to the transgressions of this usurping entity and its persistence in attacks" has emboldened Israel to commit more violations of all international and humanitarian rules, standards and laws, he said.

He stressed the Lebanese people's "legitimate" right to confront the Israeli aggression.

The occupying regime was forced to accept the truce with Hezbollah after suffering heavy losses on the battleground and failing to achieve its goals in its aggression on Lebanon.

Lebanese health authorities report that since October 2023, over 4,000 people had been killed and more than 16,500 injured due to Israeli attacks, with over 1 million others displaced.

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Six Israeli soldiers killed, injured as Jenin fights back onslaught

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 6:46 AM

An Israeli soldier has been killed and five were wounded as Palestinians fight back a major Israeli onslaught on Jenin which began right after a ceasefire halted 15 months of Israeli war on Gaza.

The Israeli military announced in a statement that sergeant Liam Hazi, 20, of the Kfir Brigade's Haruv reconnaissance unit, from Rosh Haayin city, was killed on Thursday.

Confirming that one of the injured is in serious condition, the occupation military said that its troopers exchanged fire with at least two armed Palestinian men after entering a building in the Jenin camp. The two gunmen apparently managed to flee the scene.

The Israeli soldier's death comes amid a major aggression by regime forces in the northern West Bank launched last week.

On Thursday, two Palestinians were killed and several others, including three women, injured by Israeli gunfire during clashes in the Jenin refugee camp.

Local sources said armored Israeli military vehicles rolled into the camp on Thursday evening, and exchanged fire with Palestinian resistance fighters.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing the Ministry of Health, reported that the two individuals were shot dead by Israeli forces.

Palestinian security sources identified the deceased Palestinians as Yazan Hatem al-Hassan and Amir Abu Hassan. Their bodies have been withheld by Israeli authorities.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank due to Israel's war on Gaza, during which at least 47,460 people were killed and 111,580 others injured since October 7, 2023. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement took effect in Gaza on January 19, suspending Israel's genocidal war on the coastal territory.

Over the same period, at least 893 Palestinians were killed and more than 6,700 injured by Israeli forces in West Bank, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

At least 19 Palestinians have been killed in Jenin since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in Gaza. Dozens of injuries, detentions and forced evictions of families have taken place during the period as well.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reported that the Israeli military is obstructing its efforts to reach the wounded and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.

According to the PRCS, dozens of military checkpoints and barriers have been set up across the West Bank, causing significant delays for civilians, with wait times stretching between six to eight hours.

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South China Sea: Massive chunk of coral reef destroyed by island-building rivals

US think tank AMTI says claimants' island building has destroyed vast areas of coral reef.

By RFA Staff 2025.01.31 -- Rivals in the South China Sea developing artificial islands to back up their claims have destroyed nearly 28.3 square kilometers of coral reefs, a U.S.-based think tank said, with China responsible for the most damage followed by Vietnam.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, or AMTI, analyzed island building activities of rival claimants, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines, using commercial satellite imagery.

Dredging and landfill had caused "irreparable damage" to the marine habitat, as well as long-term changes to the overall structure and health of reefs in the South China Sea, said the group, which is affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"China has caused the most reef destruction, having buried roughly 4,648 acres (18.8 square km) of reef since 2013," AMTI said in a report, adding that Vietnam came second with approximately 2,362 acres (9.5 square km) of reef, mostly in 2024.

Government agencies in the two countries were not available for comment during the Lunar New Year holiday.

The total area of damage increased by 800 acres (3.2 square km) from 6,200 acres (25 square km) at the end of 2023. China and Vietnam are responsible for 65% and 33% of reef destruction, respectively, AMTI said.

In a December 2023 report, the group said that besides island building, giant clam harvesting by Chinese fishermen also damaged another 16,353 acres (66.1 square km) of coral reef.

According to AMTI, Manila planned to initiate a second legal challenge against Beijing over environmental destruction in what it calls the West Philippine Sea, or part of the South China Sea within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, where it has jurisdiction over natural resources in the water and the seabed.

The Marcos administration, however, has yet to decide on a venue for the lawsuit.

Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines accounted for less than 3% of the damage, AMTI said.

Pre-emptive counter strike

In 2016, the Philippines won an arbitration case against China under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, but Beijing refused to acknowledge the ruling.

AMTI's director, Greg Poling, suggested that Manila could file with the U.N. General Assembly a resolution demanding compliance with the 2016 arbitration, and another resolution seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on issues such as whether China's behavior violates international treaties.

As with the first case, the Philippines would have to rely mostly on its own efforts as the ASEAN grouping's non-interference principle would prevent other countries in the region from intervening, said Philippine maritime legal expert Jay Batongbacal.

For its part, China seemed to have been "trying to counter the Philippines' complaints against their environmentally damaging activities since last year," the expert told Radio Free Asia.

Researcher Dinh Kim Phuc said that despite the environmental damage, Vietnam's actions "must happen" and are necessary for "strategic defense."

"We cannot place protection of the marine environment alone," he told RFA. "We must place it with overall regional security. As long as China does not give up its intention to occupy the entire South China Sea, the sea environment will continue to be destroyed to serve many different purposes."

China's coast guard held a special maritime law enforcement briefing on Sunday, during which it accused other claimant countries of damaging the ecosystems in the South China Sea while praising its own efforts to protect the environment.

Such public briefings could serve as a pre-emptive counter strike against Manila's plan, Batongbacal said.

China Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in an interview with the Global Times newspaper that in 2024 Chinese law enforcement cracked down on illegal fishing, illegal waste disposal and hunting of precious and endangered wildlife, detaining more than 500 foreign vessels for various violations and confiscating 15 of them.

A foreign fishing vessel was caught poaching coral, with more than 1,200 live coral specimens and large quantities of giant clam shells seized, Liu said without identifying the country that the ship came from.

Edited by RFA Staff. This story has been updated to add comments from Dinh Kim Phuc.

Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Diminished Hamas Remains Dominant In Gaza Despite Israel War

By Abubakar Siddique January 31, 2025

Israel's devastating war in the Gaza Strip degraded the fighting capabilities of Hamas, the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group.

But the militant group remains the dominant power in the Palestinian enclave, despite suffering heavy losses during 15 months of Israeli bombardment.

"Hamas is gradually taking back control even if it is very much diminished," said Nimrod Goren, head of the Jerusalem-based Mitvim Institute.

Israel had pledged to continue its war in Gaza until it eliminated Hamas. But the sides agreed a cease-fire and hostage-exchange deal on January 15.

Hamas carried out an attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza killed over 46,000 people, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, destroyed much of its infrastructure, and displaced most of its 2.3 million residents.

Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, lost most of its political and military leadership during the war. Its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in a suspected Israeli attack in Iran in July. His successor, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October.

Israel claims that it killed up to 20,000 Hamas fighters during the war, a figure contested by the militant group, which has not said how many of its members were killed.

No Alternatives

Despite its losses, Hamas has retained its tight grip on power in Gaza.

"Hamas doesn't have to be as strong as before because it is still stronger than any other alternative," said Jerome Drevon, senior analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

Even so, the group appears to be replenishing its ranks.

Senior U.S. officials have said that Hamas has recruited as many new fighters as it lost during the war, although they are not considered to be as experienced.

Drevon said Israel's strategy to solve the Hamas issue militarily has failed. The alternative, he said, is a political settlement with the Palestinians.

But that is opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right members of his ruling coalition.

"For them, there is no political compromise," said Drevon about the Israeli far-right. "It's only about reaching their full victory."

On January 19, Israel's far-right national-security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigned from Netanyahu's cabinet to protest the Gaza truce deal. He said the agreement would "destroy all of Israel's achievements."

Iran's Ally

Drevon said that, despite surviving the war with Israel, "replenishing its arsenal will be more difficult" for Hamas, which has received some financial and military support from Iran.

Israel has imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on Gaza since 2007. It controls Gaza's 12-kilometer-long land border with Egypt. Israel had repeatedly accused Hamas of smuggling weapons through underground tunnels from Egypt.

He said that Iran is likely to continue supporting Hamas, but bankrolling the group will no longer be a main concern.

"Iran's priority is Iran," Drevon said. "For them, what matters is to find a new agreement with Western countries and the U.S."

Iran is weaker and more vulnerable than it has been in years after suffering a series of major blows.

During a punishing 2024, Tehran saw its regional influence diminished and its military deterrence against archfoes Israel and the United States weakened.

The Islamic republic has tough decisions to make after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers, which Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from in 2018 during his first term, also expires later this year.

Even if Iranian assistance shrinks, Hamas is still likely to be a major player in the Palestinian territories, given how entrenched it is in Gaza and the support it maintains in the occupied West Bank.

"It's not going to be destroyed," said Drevon.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hamas-israel-palestine-syria- iran-gaza-ceasefire/33297538.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Serbian Student March Reaches Novi Sad As Pressure On Vucic Builds

By RFE/RL's Balkan Service January 31, 2025

Hundreds of Serbian students arrived on January 31 in Novi Sad at the end of a two-day march from Belgrade to protest against the deadly collapse of a train station roof they say was the result of deep-seated corruption.

They were greeted by tens of thousands of people who lined the streets cheering and applauding as they walked by. Fellow students laid down a red carpet to welcome them at the Duga Bridge, where they exchanged the flags of their universities before walking together toward the train station.

Novi Sad is the Serbian city where the train station roof collapsed on November 1, 2024, killing 15 people and seriously injuring two others.

The marchers set out from Belgrade on January 30 and stopped for the night in the town of Indija after covering just over half of the roughly 75-kilometer trek on the first day.

Along the way, supporters set up food stations and erected banners and signs with slogans urging the demonstrators in their "Steps Toward Justice."

The mood along the route was dampened by reports that in Belgrade on January 31 a car rammed into a silent protest being held in support of the Novi Sad victims. Local media said two women were injured in the third such incident over the past week.

When the students arrived in Novi Sad, they were met by applause, cheers, hugs, and tears from locals, who handed them flowers and placed medals around their necks.

Posters with slogans such as "You are not alone," and "You are love, faith, and hope" welcomed them.

A group of students who cycled from Belgrade had previously arrived in Novi Sad, where they were met by local cyclists in front of the railway station.

The students plan to blockade three bridges in Novi Sad on February 1 to mark exactly three months city since the fatal collapse.

Anger over the collapse has swept across the country, with tens of thousands taking to the streets as part of a movement calling for greater accountability and justice.

The Novi Sad railway station has been renovated twice in recent years by a Chinese-led consortium of four companies. Serbian Railways insisted the renovation didn't include the concrete overhang that collapsed, but some experts have disputed that, while many people blame corruption and poor construction oversight for the tragedy.

Their main demands are that authorities take more action to determine criminal and political responsibility for the collapse and conduct a thorough investigation into an attack on students who were severely beaten while protesting.

One of the victims, a female student, sustained serious injuries and is recovering in the hospital following head surgery. The attackers have not yet been identified.

The wave of protests that have taken place since the accident has piled pressure on populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who faces his biggest challenge since taking office a decade ago.

Vucic said on January 29 that his ruling party will decide in the next 10 days whether it will put forward a new government or call snap parliamentary elections.

Earlier this week Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric resigned under pressure from the protests.

Vucic, whose government has attempted to maintain close ties to traditional ally Russia while also promoting the country's European Union membership hopes, said he was ready to provide an amnesty for all students and professors facing criminal charges following their arrests during the recent protests.

The government claims that the students' demands have been met, but the students don't agree.

"On a basic level, yes, some demands have been met," said Dimitrije, a student at the University of Belgrade.

"But I don't think they understand the essence of these demands," he told RFE/RL. "The essence is systemic change, not just resignations. So, no, our demands have not yet been met."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-protest-students- vucic-novi-sad-belgrade-roof-collapse/33298017.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Joint statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation and the Ministry of the Interior

Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

PRESS STATEMENT 010

Friday, January 31, 2025

Spain reinforces its commitment to stability and international cooperation in the Middle East through the active participation of the Guardia Civil in the European Union mission to control the Rafah border crossing. A team of ten Spanish officers, integrated in the European Gendarmerie Force (EUROGENDFOR), will play a key role in the EUBAM Rafah mission, contributing to the protection and security of the international team as well as supporting the Palestinian Authority in the management of transit at the crossing point.

The Spanish contingent is composed of eight security specialists, headed by a Rapid Action Group (RAG) captain, and two officers assigned to the border management team. In addition to these, two members of the European mission of Spanish nationality have been deployed to the area, bringing the total number of Spanish troops deployed by the mission to twelve.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing, promoted by the EU with the agreement of Israel, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority, will allow the evacuation of the wounded and facilitate humanitarian transit. Spain, as a key player in this mission, reaffirms its leadership in the framework of European cooperation and its commitment to security and humanitarian assistance in the region.

.NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-

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Gazans depend on us for 'sheer survival' insists UNRWA

31 January 2025 - The largest UN agency in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, UNRWA, said on Friday that its staff are still providing aid to the people of Gaza and the West Bank including East Jerusalem who depend on them "for their sheer survival", a day after the Israeli parliament ban on its activities entered into force.

The development came as more than 462,000 people are estimated to have crossed from south Gaza to the north since the opening of the Salah ad Din and Al Rashid roads on Monday.

The UN and humanitarian partners are assisting those on the move by providing water, high-energy biscuits and medical care along these two routes.

Once back in the north, UN aid workers have reported seeing Gazans using shovels to remove rubble and setting up makeshift shelters or tents where their homes used to be.

Impending catastrophe

Any disruption to UNRWA's work will have "catastrophic consequences on the lives and futures of Palestine refugees", insisted Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for the UN Relief and Works Agency, pointing to the agency's massive reach into the communities where it has provided free healthcare and education for decades.

Last October, the Israeli parliament - the Knesset - passed two laws that called for ending UNRWA's operations in its territory and prohibiting Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.

That developed followed Israeli accusations that UNRWA workers were involved in the 7 October attacks that sparked the war in Gaza. Nine staff were sacked after an internal UN investigation for possible involvement.

Under the Knesset ban, UNRWA was ordered to vacate all premises in occupied East Jerusalem and cease operations in them by 30 January.

"Our teams continue to serve, even though they themselves in Gaza as an example, they themselves are impacted, they themselves have been forced to flee their homes," Ms. Touma explained.

"They continue to serve and we are committed as UNRWA to stay and deliver across the Occupied Palestinian Territory. That includes the Gaza Strip, it includes the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem."

She noted that no official communication has been received from the Israeli authorities on how the Knesset ban will be implemented across the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

No alternative

"In the absence of any durable solution, Palestine refugees will continue to depend on UNRWA for basic services including health and education; and in Gaza, in the aftermath of the devastation caused by the war, for their sheer survival," Ms. Touma maintained.

She noted that UNRWA's health centres continued to receive patients in East Jerusalem in the West Bank on Thursday, while schools were expecting to reopen on Sunday after a scheduled break.

"Our teams...will continue to provide learning for children. We have around 50,000 boys and girls across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, who go to UNRWA's schools," Ms. Touma said.

Aid boost continues

As the UN-wide effort to flood Gaza with aid continues, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced plans to set up more aid distribution points this week in the north, where all of its bakeries are now running once again.

The UN agency reported that together with UNRWA it has resumed "fully-fledged" food parcel distribution and reached 350,000 people since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January.

Some 20,000 hot meals are also being distributed daily in Beit Lahia, in the far north, said Antoine Renard, WFP's Country Director in Palestine, who underscored the need for non-food supplies - so-called dual use items - to be allowed into the war-shattered enclave also.

Medical emergency

Echoing that message, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said that only 18 of Gaza's 36 hospitals are even partly functional, with just one-third - 57 of the 142 primary healthcare centres and 11 field hospitals - also partly functional.

"The ceasefire is good news for our scale up of aid," said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in OPT. "As we know, the influx in the north has increased health needs. So 450,000 people have crossed into northern Gaza [and] there's only there 10 partially functional hospitals in Gaza City and one minimally functional hospital in north Gaza."

Amid reports that 2,500 children at risk of imminent death in Gaza need immediate medical evacuation, Dr Peeperkorn said that between 12,000 and 14,000 people need specialized care outside the enclave.

"So, what we have been asking for all the time...is first and foremost a restoration of the referrals, the traditional referral pathway to West Bank and East Jerusalem. The East Jerusalem hospitals and the West Bank hospitals are ready to receive Gazan and Palestinian critical patients," he said.

Briefing journalists in New York on Friday, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said UN aid coordination office, OCHA, remained "deeply alarmed" by the worsening conditions for residents in norther areas of the occupied West Bank, as Israeli counter-terrorism operations continued for an 11th day.

"Nearly all of the Jenin refugee camp's 20,000 residents have been displaced over the past two month in the context of operations by both the Palestinian Authority and Israeli security forces.

A further Israeli operation is occurring in Tulkarm where aid partners report that over 110 families have been displaced from the refugee camp there.

Freed hostage says she was held in UNRWA facility

One of the hostages freed from captivity in Gaza reportedly told the UK Prime Minister in a phone call on Friday that she had been held by Hamas for some time in facilities belonging to UNRWA, according to her mother.

Emily Damari was freed 12 days ago and is missing two fingers following her 15-month ordeal. She told Keir Starmer that Hamas had twice denied her access to medical treatment after being shot twice, in the hand and the leg.

Responding to Ms. Damari's statement that she had been held inside an UNRWA facility, the UN Palestine refugee agency's spokesperson Juliette Touma told the BBC that most UNRWA buildings were turned into shelters as soon as the war began and claims that any hostage had been held in one of their facilities was extremely serious.

Ms. Touma said the agency had repeatedly called for independent investigations into these claims, including the misuse and disregard of UNRWA premises by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas.

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UN agencies warn of worsening humanitarian and human rights crisis in eastern DR Congo

31 January 2025 - United Nations agencies on Friday called for an end to the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as fighting between Government forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group expands.

The rebels have already seized the provincial capital, Goma, and reports indicate that they are closing in on the key city of Bukavu, capital of South Kivu province.

The hostilities are occurring in a mineral-rich region that has been volatile for decades amid a proliferation of armed groups, which has forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes over the years and seek safety in displacement camps.

Critical supplies dwindling

UN humanitarians warn that the situation continue to worsen for civilians likely trapped by days of intense fighting in and around Goma, which has a population of over one million.

Displacement camps on the city's outskirts, previously hosting more than 300,000 people, are emptying out as people flee the violence. Medical services are overwhelmed by the number of injured, both civilians and military personnel.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said water and food are running low, and the next 24 hours are crucial.

"People are really running out of food, clean water, medical supplies and that's a big concern. So, the supply chain has really been strangled at the moment," said WFP Spokesperson Shelley Thakral.

Several WFP warehouses have been looted and teams are taking stock of what they will need to procure locally and transfer by road to ensure they have provisions once operations resume in the critically affected areas.

WFP's priority is keeping its staff and their dependents safe, and only critical staff remain in the area who are getting ready to resume operations as soon security permits.

Summary executions and sexual violence

Meanwhile, the human rights crisis also continues to deepen in the east.

At least two sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been bombed, causing civilian casualties, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reported.

Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said OHCHR has documented summary executions of at least 12 people by the M23 between 26 and 28 January.

The Office has also documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence by the army and allied Wazalendo fighters in Kalehe territory, located in South Kivu.

It is also verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gangrape.

Violations could worsen

Meanwhile, in other areas under M23 control in South Kivu, such as Minova, fighters have occupied schools and hospitals, forced IDPs out of camps and subjected the civilian population to forced conscription and forced labour.

Additionally, DRC officials report that at least 165 women were raped by male inmates during the mass prison break from Goma's Muzenze prison on 27 January, as M23 began its assault on the town.

Mr. Laurence recalled that conflict-related sexual violence has been an appalling feature of armed conflict in eastern DRC for decades, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, "is particularly concerned that this latest escalation risks deepening the risk of conflict-related sexual violence much further."

End the violence

He said OHCHR continues to receive urgent requests from civilians for protection and is working with UN colleagues and other partners to ensure their safety.

"As M23 reportedly advances towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, the High Commissioner calls for an end to the violence and for all parties to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law," he said.

Recognize the crisis

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) also voiced deep concern over the hundreds of thousands of civilians uprooted by the heavy fighting and violence in Goma, some of whom were already previously displaced.

IOM appealed to the international community to recognize the staggering scale of the crisis and support the humanitarian response.

"With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse," said Director General Amy Pope.

"IOM joins the UN Secretary-General's call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and full humanitarian access, so that we can rapidly scale up our response and ensure that life-saving aid reaches those in need."

Appeal for support

The UN agency has been supporting displaced and host communities in Goma and surrounding areas by providing emergency shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene assistance, among other aid.

IOM warned, however, that both the agency and humanitarian partners are struggling to meet the urgent needs in the DRC.

This year, humanitarians are seeking $2.5 billion for the country, with at least $50 million urgently needed to address the latest displacement, scale-up life-saving assistance, and prevent further suffering.

Death and disease

Humanitarian organizations in Goma continue to assess the impact of the crisis, including the widespread looting of warehouses and the offices of aid organizations, the UN said on Friday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners conducted an assessment with the Government over the past five days.

They report that 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured are receiving treatment in health facilities, though numbers are expected rise as more information becomes available.

On Friday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, and partners visited sites for internally displaced people in the areas of Bulengo and Lushagala, located on the outskirts of Goma.

They found that water and healthcare services are still operational, but conditions remain dire. However, cholera cases have been reported and there are risks of an Mpox outbreak among displaced people.

OCHA warned that without urgent action, the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks will continue to increase.

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Diplomacy key to ending crisis in eastern DR Congo: UN peacekeeping chief

31 January 2025 - The head of UN Peace Operations has underscored the need for continued diplomatic efforts to end the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and avert the potential for wider conflict.

Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed journalists at UN Headquarters on Friday, as the M23 rebel group and Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) continued their march toward the city of Bukavu, having taken control of the provincial capital, Goma, earlier this week.

"We are concerned not only as far as the eastern DRC is concerned, but if you look at the past, this has the potential of triggering a wider regional conflict," he said.

"Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that all diplomatic efforts should be geared towards avoiding this and bringing about a cessation of hostilities."

Protection a priority

Mr. Lacroix was speaking as the M23 were some 60 kilometres north of Bukavu and "seem to be moving quite fast."

He provided an update on Goma, where the situation remains tense and volatile but calm is gradually being restored. Water and electricity are also up and running, though unexploded ordnance continue to present "a very serious obstacle to freedom of movement".

The UN has a peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known by the French acronym MONUSCO, and several of its bases have been re-supplied which he said is critical as a "significant number" of people are also sheltering in these locations.

"The priority of the mission remains the protection of its personnel, assets, and, of course, the many civilians sheltering within its premises - civilians and disarmed combatants. All are being protected by MONUSCO in accordance with international humanitarian law," he said.

He reported that the bases "are under significant pressure" when it comes to providing water rations, sanitation and other support to those inside.

Political engagement ongoing

Meanwhile, the MONUSCO leadership is increasing political engagement with the Congolese authorities. The Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the mission, Bintou Keita, has held discussions with top officials, including the Prime Minister and the leaders of the army and police.

A joint Government-MONUSCO group has been established to coordinate on various issues, including in the security, human rights, humanitarian and communications spheres, as well as the legal status of the territories under the control of the M23 and the RDF.

Mr. Lacroix highlighted the "florescence" of diplomatic activities in response to the crisis, which includes two UN Security Council meetings, a summit by the East African Community (EAC), another by the Southern African bloc SADC, and a meeting of the African Union's Peace and Security Council.

The European Union, along with the United Kingdom, the United States and others, have also weighed in.

"Up to now, this has not resulted in cessation of hostilities," he remarked, noting that "the M23 and the RDF are currently progressing towards the south, towards Bukavu, and that is of course a matter of concern."

Respect UN premises

The peacekeeping chief emphasized the need to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and civilians, including those sheltering in MONUSCO bases, and respect for UN premises which are inviolable.

"We cannot stress this enough in the current circumstances where MONUSCO bases are under stress, but also in some cases they have been under threat," he said.

He stated that "diplomatic engagement and activities need to continue" towards the ultimate objective of ending the violence.

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'Robbed' of their childhood: UNICEF warns of crisis facing Haiti's youth

31 January 2025 - Violent clashes this week between security forces and armed groups on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince have led to another wave of displacement, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).

In a briefing on Friday, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reported that more than 1,600 men, women and children have fled.

Two-thirds are seeking refuge with host families and over 500 sheltering in three newly established displacement sites, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Children at risk

The situation for children remains particularly dire. The number of internally displaced children in Haiti has increased by nearly 50 per cent since September, now exceeding half a million.

UNICEF reports that approximately one in eight children in the country is now displaced.

The agency also warns of a 70 per cent rise in child recruitment by gangs over the past year, with up to half of gang members in Haiti now estimated to be children.

'Childhood is a right'

Speaking from a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder described the growing desperation:

"I'm in a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held," he said, explaining that 85 per cent of this capital city is controlled by armed groups.

"So, child recruitment into armed groups is rampant. Children get recruited. It's out of desperation. It's out of manipulation, out of being engulfed in violence," he emphasised.

Mentioning a 16-year-old girl who dreamt of being a paediatrician, but was caught up in a raid, he said: "The point of this is that childhood should not be a gift. Childhood is a right."

Humanitarian needs grow

The crisis is further aggravated by forced returns from neighbouring countries.

In the first two weeks of January alone, nearly 15,000 Haitians were returned from the Dominican Republic, adding to the 200,000 people deported across the region last year.

Meanwhile, natural disasters have worsened conditions across the country.

Since November, nearly 330,000 people have been affected by floods in six of Haiti's departments, leaving dozens dead and damaging or destroying nearly 50,000 homes.

UN appeals

The UN has launched a $908 million humanitarian appeal to assist 3.9 million people in Haiti this year.

"We urge the international community to scale up its support so that we and our humanitarian partners can support the people of Haiti who need it," said Mr. Dujarric.

As conditions deteriorate, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations stress the need for urgent international action to protect Haiti's most vulnerable, particularly its children - trapped in a cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation.

"For those of us with freedom, those with safety, those who have an opportunity - we also have a responsibility. We have a responsibility to raise our voices for those who simply do not have one," Mr. Elder said.

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UNRWA rejects assertion that West Bank installations are 'terror hubs'

UNRWA

31 Jan 2025

AMMAN,

UNRWA refutes in the strongest terms the allegation that its facilities in the West Bank constitute 'terror hubs', an assertion made today by a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces in relation to the Jenin Camp Health Centre.

UNRWA has not been able to maintain full control of this facility since at least 17 December. Israeli counterparts were informed accordingly. The occupation of the Health Centre by Palestinian armed actors was condemned on record by UNRWA on 20 December, calling for them to vacate the premises.

The weapons depicted in the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) video filmed inside the Health Centre are abandoned ordinance associated with these Palestinian armed actors. UNRWA has been unable to safely remove this ordinance owing to ongoing violent clashes in Jenin Camp.

Almost without pause since early December 2024, Jenin Camp and the surrounding areas have been subject to large-scale, protracted operations by both Palestinian Security Forces and the ISF. During this time, humanitarian access to the camp has been hindered. UNRWA has been unable to operate critical health and education services. Thousands of residents have been displaced from the camp, which has been rendered nearly uninhabitable.

This presence of ISF personnel inside the Jenin Camp Health Centre is at least the fourth unauthorised entry by the ISF since October 2023. Unauthorised entry by any party into humanitarian installations constitutes a violation of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations. In previous instances, UNRWA has been able both to protest and inform of such entries through civil-military coordination channels, and to subsequently document any violations in full.

Just this week, UNRWA has been forced to withdraw under protest all international staff in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The Agency is no longer able to maintain any contact with Israeli authorities under the terms of Knesset legislation implemented on 30 January. This incident serves as a reminder of how dangerous this state of affairs is.

UNRWA rejects attempts at disinformation that undermine the critical work of the Agency in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. UNRWA is committed to staying and delivering humanitarian assistance for Palestine Refugees across the occupied Palestinian territories, and to upholding the humanitarian principles.

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.

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Naval District Washington Prepares for Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025

US Navy

31 January 2025

From Petty Officer 2nd Class Griffin Kersting

WASHINGTON -- Naval installations within the National Capital Region will participate in the annual force protection exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025 (CS-SC25), scheduled for February 3rd through the 14th. CS-SC25 is one of the Navy's primary exercises for ensuring its security forces are prepared for a variety of threats.

Naval Support Activity (NSA) Washington, NSA Bethesda, NSA Annapolis, NSA South Potomac, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, will participate in the yearly, two-part anti-terrorism and force protection exercise designed to test the effectiveness of the installations readiness and training programs.

"Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025 is an important exercise that ensures our security forces are at peak readiness to respond to evolving threats," said Rob Shaffer, Security Director Naval District Washington. "We train the way we fight, and this exercise allows us to refine our procedures, strengthen our decision-making, and enhance coordination with partner agencies, ultimately protecting our most valuable asset - our people."

During the first week of February 3 - 7, emergency responders on Navy installations will engage in Citadel Shield. Throughout the week, the field training will focus on the installation level with various scenarios such as an active shooter, unauthorized base access, suspicious packages, and unmanned aerial surveillance.

"The Navy is committed to being a good neighbor, and the safety of our personnel and the surrounding community is our top priority," said Shaffer. "While Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2025 may lead to increased activity around our installations, we are working to minimize disruptions. This exercise reinforces the importance of a proactive force protection mindset for all Navy personnel, ensuring we are ready to respond to any potential threat while also allowing our Sailors to hone their skills and maintain the highest level of readiness."

The second week of February (the 10th through the 14th) is the Solid Curtain portion of the exercise, which will focus on various national-level scenarios. During this week, base force protection conditions or FPCON levels will change daily with training evolutions. Some scenarios may cause irregular traffic patterns or gate hours on the installations.

Installation personnel can obtain essential notifications during CS/SC25 by registering for the Wide Area Alert Network (WAAN). Personnel should also familiarize themselves with their command or tenant command anti-terrorism plan to know what to expect during the exercise.

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Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Departs Thailand

US Navy

31 January 2025

From Lt.j.g. Jack Scypinski

GULF OF THAILAND -- The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group departed Laem Chabang, Thailand, Jan. 31, after conducting a scheduled five-day port visit.

The U.S. relationship with Thailand is one of the oldest in the Indo-Pacific region. The countries have shared friendly and diplomatic relations for over 190 years. Thailand is one of five treaty allies of the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific Region and continues to be a longstanding security partner and leader in Southeast Asia.

"We are incredibly grateful to Thailand for hosting the Carrier Strike Group ONE team," said Rear Adm. Michael Wosje, commander, Carrier Strike Group ONE. "Port visits like this are a testament to the vital importance of the U.S.-Thailand Alliance and Partnership that contributes to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. We have shared history, shared interests, and common values that will continue to unite us for the good of both of our countries."

The U.S. remains committed to the Kingdom of Thailand, promoting military-to-military relations, as well as advancing interoperability and coordination with the Royal Thai Armed Forces, to promote regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Thank you, Rear Admiral Michael Wosje and the captains and crew of the USS Carl Vinson and other ships of Carrier Strike Group ONE, for your visit to Thailand! Your time here reinforced the excellent relations between Thailand and the United States and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. We look forward to future visits," said U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, Robert F. Godec.

During their stay in Thailand, the nearly 7,500 Sailors from Carrier Strike Group ONE participated in cultural exchanges, community relations events, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sponsored tours to enhance cultural understanding and cooperation between the two countries.

"I know I can speak for all of the Carl Vinson crew when I say how grateful we are to the people of Laem Chabang and Pattaya City for welcoming our Sailors with such kindness and hospitality," said Capt. Matthew Thomas, commanding officer, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). "This port visit allowed our Sailors the opportunity to recharge and prepare to approach the next stretch of our time at sea maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. We are committed to the U.S.-Thai friendship and look forward to future opportunities that strengthen this bond."

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), embarked staffs of Carrier Strike Group ONE and Destroyer Squadron one, Carrier Air Wing Two, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110). Carrier Air Wing Two is composed of nine squadrons flying the F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growler, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey and MH-60R/S Seahawks.

The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

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Spain well short of NATO defense target, as Trump demands huge additional spending

By Henry Ridgwell January 31, 2025

As U.S. President Donald Trump demands a large increase in defense spending by NATO allies, the spotlight has fallen on Spain, which spends the least on defense of all member states relative to the size of its economy.

Spain is the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy. The country spent an estimated $21.3 billion on defense last year, equating to 1.28% of its gross domestic product (GDP), putting it at the bottom of the league among the 32-nation Atlantic alliance.

That's despite a pledge made by all NATO members in 2014 to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense, according to the bloc.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Madrid and Lisbon earlier this week and warned all members of the need to boost spending beyond existing targets.

"The goal of 2%, now set a decade ago, will not be enough to meet the challenges of tomorrow. The threat from Russia may seem distant, but let me assure you, it is not," Rutte said at a press conference in Lisbon on Jan. 27.

"NATO is strong today. To keep NATO strong we must, however, continue to adapt. And to guarantee our security in the future, we also need to ramp up our efforts now. It also means we need to spend more in our defense," he said.

Only 23 of the 32 NATO member states were expected to meet the 2% target by 2024, according to the alliance.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has rejected criticism that his government has been too slow to boost defense spending.

In a statement, the prime minister's office said Monday that Spain was a "serious, responsible and committed ally of NATO," noting that the government had increased defense spending by 70% in the last decade.

"Spain's commitment to reach 2% of defense spending by 2029 is firm," the statement said.

Spanish troops are also helping to train Ukrainian forces as Kyiv battles Russia's invasion.

Trump criticism

That's unlikely to be enough to satisfy NATO's biggest spender, the United States, which spent 3.38% of its GDP on defense in 2024.

Earlier in January, Trump described Spain's contribution to NATO as "very low" and has demanded a much higher spending target from European allies.

"I'm also going to ask all NATO nations to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP, which is what it should have been years ago," Trump told delegates by video link at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 23.

Trump has long complained that European allies are taking advantage of the United States, insisting that they should share the burden of defense spending.

However, the 5% target is unrealistic for Spain, according to analyst Pere Ortega of the Delas Center for Peace Studies in Madrid.

"Reaching 5% is impossible. That would mean that Spain would have to spend almost 65 billion euros [$67.7 billion]. That is impossible, because we do not have that economic capacity," Ortega told VOA.

"No political program would ask for an increase in military spending to reach 3, 4 or 5% ... because that would be in some way making sacrifices in the social security sphere. And the Spanish population would penalize that with their vote at the polls," Ortega added.

Lithuania boost

Trump does have some support in Europe. Lithuania plans to raise defense spending to 5% or 6% of GDP by 2026. Announcing the increase on January 17, Lithuanian Minister of Defense Dovile Sakaliene said the policy was a response to regional threats.

"We are fitting in with NATO defense plans, which are vital to our region," he said.

Poland and Estonia have also indicated their intention to boost defense spending toward Trump's target of 5%.

France has also urged allies to invest more, although Paris only met the 2% target itself in 2023.

"What will we do in Europe tomorrow if our American ally withdraws its warships from the Mediterranean? If they send their fighter jets from the Atlantic to the Pacific?" French President Emmanuel Macron said Jan. 20 in an address to members of the French military. "These are scenarios that we need to prepare for. These are the scenarios that we are preparing for."

At his first NATO summit as U.S. president in 2017, Trump berated other members for failing to spend enough on defense. European allies, including Spain, are braced for further robust diplomacy ahead of the next summit, scheduled to be held in The Hague in June.

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Chad officials say French troops have finally left after 70 years' presence

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka January 31, 2025

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby said Chad's military is ready to protect the country from any destabilization attempt as a January 31 deadline loomed for France to withdraw its troops. The last French troops left the N'djamena military base they occupied for about 70 years this week, continuing France's reduced military presence in West Africa.

Chad's President Field Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby says this week's departure of the last French troops from the central African state signals a new dawn for Chad.

Deby spoke at the Sergeant Adji Kossei Military Base in Chad's capital, N'djamena, Friday, during a ceremony to mark the complete withdrawal of French troops before the January 31 deadline he gave Paris to pull out its troops.

The event, broadcast on state radio and TV, was attended by top military officials, government ministers, traditional rulers, diplomats and huge crowds of onlookers.

Twenty-six-year-old teacher Balkange Jean spoke to VOA via a messaging app from N'djamena Friday. He said he was delighted to see French troops leaving.

He said he does not understand why it took a long time for Chad's government officials to order French troops out. He says French troops were only useful in Chad from June 1983 to December 1984, when France sent close to 4,000 troops to stop an invasion by Libyan military and Chad rebels.

French troops officially arrived in N'djamena to train the country's young military during independence in 1960.

Deby said the forces remained, claiming France wanted to support Chad's air force against rebels. It stationed troops in N'djamena claiming it was helping Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to fight militant groups and terrorists operating within Sahel states.

State TV reports that the last French military planes and fighter aircraft left Chad Friday after handing over France's last military base in a military ceremony in N'Djamena Thursday.

Chad announced an end to military cooperation with France November 28. On December 10, several hundred of the more than 1,000 French troops began leaving, but on December 31, Deby ordered the troops to leave his country by January 31.

General Pascal Ianni, the commander of French forces in Africa, speaking on Chad state TV on Friday, said the withdrawal of French troops from several African countries, including Chad, enables France to adapt itself to a revolution that Africa and the world is facing. He said France has to reinvent its military ties in Africa, where dynamic and younger leaders are affecting several changes and bringing hope to their citizens.

French troops were also ordered out of the West African nations of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali following coups in the countries.

Last year, Senegal said it was negotiating the withdrawal of French forces before December of this year.

Djelassem Maibe Adolphe is a former member of Chad's Movement for Peace, Reconstruction and Development, a former rebel group. He was granted amnesty and freed from prison by Deby in August.

He said French-speaking African states with young leaders tend to turn to Russia for military assistance because of growing anti-French sentiments. He said African countries should make sure they individually and collectively have strong militaries to protect their territories instead of thinking that they can always count on external support.

Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have shifted toward Russia by signing military deals and inviting Russian troops to train Africa militaries.

Chad says it is within its sovereign powers to negotiate military cooperation with any country of its choice, and that its troops are well trained to protect Chadians and their territory.

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Jana Hobbs says it was not too long after her landlord, whod been promising not to raise her monthly rent by more than $100, boosted it by $150 one year and $150 the next, that she hit a deer on her 20-mile drive to work.

Then came news that renewing the lease on her $940 a month Richmond-area apartment would mean a boost in rent to $1,299 a month.

I just couldnt afford it, she told a House of Delegates Counties Cities and Towns panel on Jan. 22. Please help.

She asked support for House Bill 2175 from Del. Nadarius Clark, D-Suffolk, that would let cities and counties enact ordinances to cap rent increases. The gatekeeping panel agreed, sending the bill on its way on a 5-3 party-line vote.

I dont fill my tank, just buy $20 a time, Hobbs said. Its a struggle to afford groceries, she said.

And I cant fix my car, after hitting the deer, she said. Her son, a mechanic, did replace the radiator and thermostat, after she managed to scrape together $300 for the parts  he worked for free.

But the bumper, thats $800, she said. I know Im going to fail inspection, and then Ill have to deal with that.

Her boss lent a hand, advancing a few hundred dollars, and she scrapes together $10 or $15 when she can to start repaying the IOU  at this rate, Ill be paying it back for a year.

Hobbs was one of nearly two dozen people testifying in favor of the bill, which drew opposition from apartment owners and Realtor groups.

Were seeing people getting pushed out of their homes with increases of $100 to $600. Theres just no way they can afford this, Victoria Horrock of the Legal Aid Justice Society told the panel.

People on Social Security only get a cost-of-living increase yearly, and theres nothing in a law that prevents them from experiencing these year-over-year increases, Horrock said. Cost-of-living increases for Social Security are only 2.5%, so right now, theres nothing protecting these folks.

Richmonder Casey Miller said: I lost a friend after they were hit with consecutive $113-a-month rent hikes that left them unable to afford their ... medication.

Opponents said the measure would hurt renters and squeeze landlords.

My owners have seen increases that they are not in control of in their costs  20 to 30% increases in their insurance premiums over the last two years, 15 to 20% increases in their tax assessment, said Steve Parson, whose Salem firm manages 375 units around Roanoke.

As a small investor myself, I cannot absorb these kinds of increases without raising rents, he said.

Opponents argued rent control would also make it harder to find affordable housing.

This is a supply issue. We already need 100,000 units per year to keep up with demand, and these kinds of policies do discourage investment in rental housing," said Bismah Ahmed, a lobbyist with the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington.

Del, Marty Martinez, D-Loudoun, was not convinced.

I heard comments about supply and demand. Theres no supply, a lot of demand, which puts the property owners at an advantage over the renters, and they have taken advantage, he said.

Last year, lawmakers carried over Clarks similar measure  a legislative tactic thats usually deployed to quietly kill a bill.

His proposal this year sets a stiffer cap on rent increases, of 3%. Last years bill said annual rent increases could not exceed the Consumer Price Index or 7%, whichever was lower.

I just want to reiterate ... that we do have a housing crisis in Virginia, Clark said. This is just allowing localities to have that extra tool in their toolbox to make sure theyre protecting the most vulnerable.

5,000 families

Growing concern about Virginias lack of affordable housing, meanwhile, is giving Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, hope that her four-year 5,000 families campaign  a program that would target rental assistance to low-income families with kids  might finally make it. Its detailed in legislation from state Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, Senate Bill 832, and Del. Briana Sewell, D-Prince William, House Bill 1879.

The aim is for subsidies that cap the out-of-pocket cost of rent at 30% of eligible families income, with the assistance making up the difference between that amount and market-level rent, much as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments rent vouchers do.

The assistance would be available to families with children under 16 and with income of 50% or less of the area median income. In metro Richmond, that cap would be $42,650 for a single parent with one child. The idea is to offer short-term help to get people through a crisis and so schools and social services could help them secure the stable housing and supports children need to do well in school, Coyner said.

Coyner has asked for a budget amendment of $80 million for the program.

Coyner said theres a big payoff  especially for kids who often fall badly behind in school as their families shuffle from place to place because they cant secure stable housing.

You know, coming from a school board, my primary focus has been education, said Coyner, a former member of the Chesterfield County School Board. We have been spending, historically, just in kids in kindergarten through third grade who are behind in reading about $27 million a year to catch them up every year."

I think this is a great investment, where were going to see the payoffs, were going to see reduced spending in other areas, she added.

Every year we keep talking about this and bringing it up. We have more and more people that are like, yeah, yes, this will help, Coyner said. As you look at delegates and senators hearing from people this is a top issue, housing, we are at a crisis, Coyner said. I have a lot of hope that were going to bring people to the table to make this a reality.
Rubio heads to Central America, pursuing 'America First' diplomacy, countering China

By Nike Ching January 31, 2025

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to embark on his first official trip as the nation's top diplomat on Saturday, with planned visits to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic from Saturday to Thursday.

Rubio is scheduled to meet with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo and Dominican President Luis Abinader.

This marks the first time in more than 100 years that a U.S. Secretary of State's first official visit abroad is to Latin America, according to U.S. Special Envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone.

Officials and experts say the visit is partly aimed at countering China's growing influence in the region. The trip comes as President Donald Trump pushes to regain control of the Panama Canal, and as Washington intensifies efforts to curb illegal migration.

"Secretary Rubio's engagements with senior officials and business leaders will promote regional cooperation on our core, shared interests: Stopping illegal and large-scale migration, fighting the scourge of transnational criminal organizations and drug traffickers, countering China, and deepening economic partnerships to enhance prosperity in our hemisphere," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement on Friday.

Trump has asserted that China controls the Panama Canal, a crucial trade route linking the Atlantic and Pacific. But Panama has denied the claim, insisting that it manages the canal impartially for all maritime traffic.

On Thursday, Rubio warned that China could potentially block access to the canal in the event of a conflict.

"If the government in China in a conflict tells them to shut down the Panama Canal, they will have to. And in fact, I have zero doubt that they have contingency planning to do so. That is a direct threat," Rubio said during an interview with SiriusXM Radio.

In Panama City, Mulino ruled out any discussion of control over the canal with Rubio.

"I cannot negotiate and much less open a process of negotiation on the canal," he told reporters on Thursday. "That is sealed. The canal belongs to Panama."

During a Friday briefing, Claver-Carone warned of the "increasingly creeping presence" of Chinese companies in the Canal Zone, spanning ports to telecommunications infrastructure. He called it a serious concern not only for U.S. national security but also for Panama and the entire Western Hemisphere.

Some analysts caution that China has been employing economic and noneconomic tactics across the Western Hemisphere to expand its influence, prompting national security concerns.

"You might think that you are just getting more Chinese investment in your country, but pretty soon you are kind of being coerced or coaxed into signing at the Belt and Road Initiative, or you're being coaxed into signing another deal that gives elements of your telecoms," said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, during an online discussion Thursday.

The Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, is a massive infrastructure project launched by China in 2013 under President Xi Jinping, aiming to connect multiple continents through land and maritime routes. The United States has cautioned that the BRI "is fueled by China's mission to manipulate and undermine the global rules-based trading system for its own benefit."

China's foreign direct investment, or FDI, in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown significantly, Berg said, citing approximately $160 billion in Chinese FDI over the past 15 years.

China's foreign direct investment, or FDI, in Latin America and the Caribbean has grown significantly, Berg noted. He added that five countries in the region already have free trade agreements with China, while two others are negotiating FTAs with the country.

"From the lens of national security, a lot of China's commercial endeavors are fundamentally military ambitions that they're prepositioning into Latin America," said Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society, or SFS, a national security think tank.

"China's been in Panama for more than 20 years, but China really got politically active in Panama after 2017," when Panama signed the BRI and shifted its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People's Republic of China, said Humire on Thursday. He said that Panama's economy has declined in recent years.

All the nations on Rubio's itinerary maintain diplomatic ties with Cuba and Venezuela.

Given the strained U.S. relations with these countries and their restrictions on accepting deportees, Rubio may use his trip to advocate for "third-country" agreements, allowing other nations to receive people deported by the U.S. Additionally, he could work on facilitating increased repatriation flights for migrants.

On Friday, Trump envoy Richard Grenell is set to meet with Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's longtime socialist leader, as the Trump administration intensifies its deportation and anti-gang efforts.

Grenell also urged the Maduro government to immediately release American hostages.

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Many across Africa shocked by 90-day freeze on US aid

By Mariama Diallo January 31, 2025

Many people across Africa are shocked and worried about the 90-day pause on U.S.-funded foreign aid and a stop-work order on existing grants and contracts worldwide.

While the orders have been modified to allow waivers for "life-saving humanitarian assistance," many are struggling to assess the implications of U.S. President Donald Trump's decision.

The Trump administration says that the United States spends about $40 billion every year in aid, and that it's time to review and prioritize America's core national interest one dollar at a time.

Most development and humanitarian assistance is channeled through the U.S. Agency for International Development through various programs, working with individuals, communities, organizations and countries across the globe.

In Kenya, while many organizations directly affected are keeping quiet, one employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity said he's grateful for what American aid has accomplished over the years.

"We've been having success stories," he said.

The employee is among the hundreds who received a stop-work order. He said he is most concerned for the beneficiaries of programs he's been associated with over the years.

"These are families who were anticipating they could get support. ... This will stop. ... There are children who are HIV-positive, and we always collaborate with their facilities to ensure that they are viral-suppressed. Now they'll be of high viral load," the man said.

On Tuesday, the administration issued waivers on "existing life-saving humanitarian" assistance programs, including "core life-saving medicine," which may apply to health programs such as PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which works with partners in 55 countries worldwide. One of them is South Africa, where 7.8 million people have HIV/AIDS.

Asanda Ngoasheng, an independent political analyst from South Africa, said the nation "is the biggest beneficiary of the PEPFAR program, and has been for many years. ... It will have dire consequences for people in the region because there are some people who come to South Africa to receive some medication. ... So, it's a medical disaster in waiting, effectively, and a humanitarian disaster in waiting."

Addressing a press conference broadcast live on SABC on Wednesday, South African Health Minister Dr. Pakishe Motsoaledi said he hopes withdrawn aid will not affect antiretroviral treatments.

"One thing we want to ascertain is that nobody must stop taking ARVs," Motsoaledi said. "That will be devastating. ... When you are on ARVs and you stop, there will be serious trouble."

Through PEPFAR, the U.S. has invested over $110 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, saving over 25 million lives and preventing millions of HIV infections since it was established more than two decades ago by President George W. Bush, according to U.S. State Department data.

There are other programs that can't afford a funding break, said Dr. Akila Udoji, manager of Karu Primary Healthcare Center, a Nigerian facility sponsored by USAID.

"Tuberculosis diagnosis treatment, if that funding is cut off, it will greatly affect the program because there won't be any diagnosis of such cases and then the medicines, people can't afford them," Udoji said. "And if they can't afford it, it will lead to serious outbreaks of these diseases."

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, an advocacy group, welcomed the administration's review of foreign assistance programs in a statement but expressed some concerns.

Former commander of U.S. Central Command Anthony Zinni, who is co-chair of the council of nearly 270 retired admirals and generals, warned that the freeze "takes the U.S. off the playing field" and could directly affect U.S. military operations overseas.

VOA requested interviews with the USAID offices in Kenya, Nigeria and the U.S. but did not receive replies.

Meanwhile, the 90-day freeze is already paying dividends, a statement released by the U.S. State Department said this week.

It said the review has already prevented over $1 billion in spending not aligned with the administration's "America First" agenda, including programs providing certain contraceptive, climate justice, clean energy and abortion programs and services.

VOA's Kate Bartlett in South Africa and Timothy Obiezu in Nigeria contributed to this report.

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Hamas announces names of hostages to be released Saturday

By VOA News January 31, 2025

The militant group Hamas has announced, and Israel has confirmed, the identity of three hostages to be released Saturday under a ceasefire agreement to halt more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza.

The agreement also sets up exchanges of hostages for prisoners. Israel has agreed to release 90 prisoners on Saturday, the fourth such exchange.

The hostages include Yarden Bibas, 35, who was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel along with his wife, Shiri, and their two young boys, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2. The fate of his family is uncertain.

Also to be released is U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. Aviva Siegel was released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023.

The third was identified as French Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon, 54, who was captured by the militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his two children. His ex-wife, Hadas Kalderon, was also taken captive but was released with their children during the 2023 hostage exchange.

The U.S., Britain and other Western nations have designated Hamas as a terror group.

Hamas released eight hostages, including three Israelis and five Thai nationals, on Thursday. Later in the day, Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 32 serving life sentences for deadly attacks on Israelis.

With the ceasefire deal in place, more than 423,000 Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza. The Israeli military ordered them out of the territory in the earliest stages of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.

Food aid increases

At a news conference Friday in Geneva, the U.N.'s World Food Program provided an update on efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Country Director Antoine Renard told reporters the agency has delivered more than 32,000 metric tons of food into Gaza since the ceasefire agreement began on Jan. 19.

He said that amount was more than twice what was delivered in December and three times what was delivered in October. Renard said the WFP has reached 300,000 people so far.

In Lebanon

Meanwhile, during a visit to Lebanon on Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, called for a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon.

Following talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Abdelatty told reporters, "Egypt is very keen on confirming the need for a full and complete Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, without taking away a single inch of Lebanese sovereignty and territory."

Under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal announced Nov. 27, Israeli forces were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, and the militant group Hezbollah was to move north of the Litani River by Jan. 26. Like Hamas, Hezbollah is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Israeli forces have remained in more than a dozen villages past the deadline. The United States and Lebanon announced Sunday the deadline to meet the ceasefire terms had been extended to Feb. 18.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has conducted near-daily operations in southern Lebanon, including airstrikes and shelling. They accuse Hezbollah of violating ceasefire terms by attempting to move weapons.

In statements posted to its social media accounts, the Israel Defense Forces reported overnight Thursday its fighter jets launched several attacks against what it said were Hezbollah targets in Lebanon's Bekaa region, which it said "posed a threat to the Israeli home front and IDF forces."

The IDF statement said the targets included a military site "with underground infrastructure for the development and production of weapons and transit infrastructure on the Syrian-Lebanon border" through which, the IDF said, Hezbollah was trying to transfer weapons.

In the West Bank

The IDF also reported Friday that its elite Sayeret Haruv fighting unit has, for the past nine days, been conducting an operation to "thwart terrorism" in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank.

In a report on its website, the IDF said the fighters "eliminated terrorists in clashes and made numerous arrests. They located weapons, exposed and destroyed more than five bomb laboratories." The Sayeret Haruv unit specializes in operations in the West Bank as well as Gaza.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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UN: After taking Goma, M23 rebels head to Congo's Bukavu

By Margaret Besheer January 31, 2025

The United Nations' peacekeeping chief said Friday that M23 rebels are advancing south toward the provincial capital of Bukavu after seizing control of Goma in the mineral-rich eastern Congo earlier this week.

"The information I have is that M23/RDF are about 60 kilometers north of Bukavu. They seem to be moving quite fast," Jean Pierre Lacroix told reporters of the rebels who are backed by the Rwandan Defense Forces. "There is an airport in the vicinity of where they are, I think a few kilometers south, which is Kavumu."

He said if they succeed in taking over the airport as they did in Goma, it would be another "significant step."

Congolese military bases in Bukavu were being emptied on Thursday to reinforce positions along the route to the provincial capital, residents told The Associated Press. Reuters reports that officials in Bukavu have also been recruiting civilians to help protect the city.

Rwanda did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the latest military movements.

Rebels take over schools, hospitals

Earlier this month, M23 rebels broke a ceasefire agreement, launching a large-scale offensive in along the eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the support of the Rwandan army. Rwanda has denied accusations that it supports the rebels, whom the Congolese government has designated as a terrorist group.

Until June, the United Nations had peacekeepers deployed in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. The U.N. made an agreement with the government to gradually begin drawing down its mission, known as MONUSCO, and closed its Bukavu office.

In areas under M23 control in South Kivu, including the key trading town of Minova, the rebels have occupied schools and hospitals, expelled displaced persons from camps, and forced the local population to fight for them and perform forced labor, the U.N. office of human rights said Friday.

The U.N. peacekeeping chief, echoing the secretary-general and the Security Council, urged diplomatic engagement to halt the fighting and lead to a political solution.

Goma still 'tense,' some services restored

Meanwhile, in the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma, which fell to the rebels earlier this week, the situation is "tense and volatile," Lacroix said, but calm is gradually being restored, along with some basic services. U.N. peacekeepers have also been able to resupply some of their positions, he said. The airport, however, remains out of commission after sustaining heavy damage to its runways.

The World Health Organization and the Congolese government assessed that 700 people had been killed between Sunday and Thursday, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Another 2,800 wounded are receiving treatment in health facilities.

"These numbers are expected to rise as more information becomes available," Dujarric said.

The International Organization for Migration said 300,000 people had been sheltering in displacement sites, including on the outskirts of Goma. Those sites are now mostly empty as people fled the fighting. The agency says the displaced urgently need food, shelter, clean water, medical care and protection.

Before the latest round of violence, eastern Congo was 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.

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Lake Chad governors pledge stronger security, economic cooperation

By Timothy Obiezu January 31, 2025

Leaders in Africa's conflict-hit Lake Chad region have promised to fight illegal gun and drug trafficking, which were part of the discussions during their three-day gathering focused on stabilization, sustainability and development.

The governors of Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad have concluded an annual Lake Chad Basin Governors' Forum summit in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State with local officials, traditional leaders, civil society groups and humanitarian partners also in attendance.

This year's summit, the fifth since its inception in 2018, was hosted by Nigeria's Yobe State.

During the meeting, authorities praised ongoing joint efforts against terror groups, including Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP, in the region and pledged to intensify efforts to eliminate the remnants.

ISWAP stands for the Islamic State in West Africa Province.

The governors also resolved to combat illicit arms trade and drug trafficking while enhancing resilience initiatives to mitigate climate change and rehabilitate displaced populations.

Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, executive secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), said discussions over the three days were "fruitful and robust."

"This gathering has reaffirmed our shared commitment to sustainable peace, regional stability and the prosperity of the community we serve," Nuhu said.

The Lake Chad governors also pledged to establish free-trade zones to foster economic recovery and integrate more women and youth into stabilization and resilience programs.

But officials raised concerns over the suspension of support for Niger's National Window of the Regional Stabilization Facility (RSF), warning it could hinder regional progress.

Lake Chad, a vast but shallow body of water surrounded by Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, provides livelihoods for millions through agriculture.

However, decades of climate change and poor water management have caused the lake's surface area to shrink by an alarming 90%, increasing competition for scarce resources.

In recent years, Islamist militant groups have exploited the instability, using the region as a recruitment ground.

Matthias Naab, director of the Regional Service Center for Africa at the United Nations Development Program, said participants at the community level added a great deal to the forum.

"The richness of the engagements in the pre-forums with civil society organizations and traditional leaders has been a highlight of this forum," Naab said. "Their perspectives grounded in community realities and have strengthened our dialogue and reinforced the principle that stabilize, resilience and recovery must be shaped by the voices of those most affected."

The governors' forum also emphasized the need to rehabilitate and reintegrate former fighters and called for member state support and collaboration with traditional leaders.

The forum elected Nigeria's Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, as its new chair.

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Mozambique urges refugees in Malawi to return home

By Lameck Masina January 31, 2025

Mozambican authorities have assured thousands of refugees who fled to Malawi following the recent post-election unrest that peace has been restored in their country and that they are welcome to return home.

Officials from Mozambique's Institute of Disaster Management Affairs made the comment Friday during a visit to the Nyamithuthu refugee camp in Nsanje district, which hosts asylum seekers from Mozambique.

Luisa Celma Meque, the head of the Institute of Disaster Management Affairs in Mozambique, thanked the Malawi government for taking care of asylum-seekers from her country.

"On behalf of our President Daniel Francisco Chapo, we are sending our message of thanks from the government of Mozambique, and we recognize all the effort of the government of Malawi," said Meque. "The second message is for our brothers here. We are doing all efforts necessary for them to return home as soon as possible"

Thousands of Mozambicans have fled to Malawi to escape violence triggered by the disputed October presidential election.

Hilda Katema Kausiwa, the senior administrative and operations manager for the Department of Refugees in Malawi, said the screening and registration of refugees continues.

"Today, as the Department of Refugees, we have registered a total of 3,640 households, representing 7,456 people," said Kausiwa. "As of yesterday, we had finished registration in Mwanza, Neno as well as Mulanje [districts] which were additional sites that we had not gone to screen and register together with immigration [officers]."

Kausiwa said her department has received no new asylum-seekers from Mozambique so far.

Meque of the Institute of Disaster Management Affairs in Mozambique said peace has returned to the country.

Malawian authorities said they are struggling to provide for refugees because the situation comes at a time when more than a quarter of Malawi's 20 million people face food shortages due to an El Nino-induced drought.

However, during the visit, the Mozambican delegation donated food to the refugees.

Kausiwa of the Department of Refugees in Malawi, appreciated the donation.

"And in the package, there is some rice, maize flour, salt and some beans," said Kausiwa. "These are critical foods that can be provided to the community noting that food has been a challenge since these people started coming."

But Mozambican traditional leader Reymond Commando of the Mulili area said the refugees would only return if there was concrete proof of their safety.

He said they fled to Malawi to escape being killed and chased from their homes "like animals."

Plataforma Decide, a monitoring group in Mozambique, said in December that more than 200 people have been killed since post-election protests started in October.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 31 January 2025 - Day 1073

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that so far, there have been 132 combat clashes.

For today, the Russian opponent caused 49 aviation strikes on the territory of Ukraine, involved 99 cab, used to impress 900 Kamikadze drones. Conducted about five thousand artillery shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian enemy twice attacked the nearby settlement of vovchansk.

In the kupans komu direction Russian forces during the day seven times tried to advance to Ukrainian positions near lozovoi, boguslavka, pi any, petropavlivka and zagrizovogo.

In the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 11 times in the areas of Green Valley, Novomykhailivka, Novoyegorivka, Makiyivka, Yampolivka and Kolodyaziv. Ukrainian soldiers repelled all invaders' attacks.

In the Siver direction, the Russian occupiers tried to advance six times in the areas of Bilogorivka, Verkhnyokamansky and Spirny.

In the Kramators komu direction, the activity of the Russian enemy from the beginning of the day appeared in four combat clashes. Assault actions took place near the settlements of Chasiv Yar, Stupochka, Bila Gora and Predtecina. One of these is not finished yet.

In the Toretsky direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 10 attacks of the Russian opponent in the area of Toretsky. In addition, Russian forces caused aviation strikes three controlled bombs near druzhkivka.

Since the beginning of the day, the Russian enemy has tried 54 times to infiltrate Ukrainian defense in the Pokrovsky direction in the areas of settlements Mashivka, Elizabethtivka, Novotoretske, Mirolubivka, Ray, Lisivka, Pokrovsk, Novoukrainka, Udaachne, Kotlyarivka, Novoandriyivka, Oleksiyivka, Andriyivka, Dachne and Ulakly. Six clashes are ongoing so far.

The enemy will suffer significant losses in this direction - according to the information, during the current month, Ukrainian soldiers have damaged 15,185 occupiers, 6966 of them - irrevocably. 16 tanks, 87 combat armored vehicles, 320 units of automobile equipment, 22 artillery systems, one anti-tank missile complex, one fuel storage warehouse, five ammunition warehouses and 173 BPLAs were destroyed. In addition, 14 tanks, 25 combat armored vehicles and 83 units of automobile machinery, 49 cannons and mortars and one jet system were damaged. of the blazing fire.

In the Novopavlovsk direction, Russian forces tried to appease Ukrainian defenders from occupied positions in the areas of the settlements of Konstantinopil and Rozdolne, where since the beginning of the day Ukrainian defenders repelled five attacks of the enemy.

One Russian attack towards the settlements Novopil and Novosilka is underway in the Gulyaipil direction, Ukrainian defenders have successfully repelled one attack from the Russian enemy. At the same time, Russian forces made aviation strikes unkekorovanimi missiles on Novopol and dropped four cab near paatihatok.

In the orihiv direction, Russian forces once tried to move towards novodanilivka, got a cut off. The enemy carried out aviation strikes on the settlement of Kamianske with unkekorovanim missiles.

In the Pridniprovsky direction, the Russian enemy does not abandon trying to knock out Ukrainian units from occupied positions, where during the day three unsuccessful assaults of the positions of Ukrainian soldiers.

In the Kursk region Ukrainian defenders today repelled 11 offensive actions of the zagarbnikiv. Russian aviation struck 20 strikes using 29 controlled aviation bombs. Russian forces also carried out 313 artillery shelling, including six - from jet systems of salpovogo fire.

Losses of the Russian enemy in this direction during the month of January at this time consist of: 8038 invaders, of which 3488 - irrevocable, 45 invaders taken captive. In addition, seven tanks, 16 infantry fighting vehicles, three armored transporters, 12 paratrooper fighting vehicles, 40 armored vehicles, 81 vehicles units, two artsystems, 14 mortars, 95 unmanned aircraft, two engineering units were destroyed,. 19 tanks, 8 infantry fighting vehicles, one paratrooper fighting vehicle, 36 combat armored vehicles, 32 vehicles, five art systems and 16 Russian mortars were also significantly damaged.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 25 to 31 January 2025, the Russian Armed Forces have carried out seven group strikes by high-precision weapons and strike drones, which have engaged critical energy facilities that support the work of the Ukrainian defence industry.

In addition, the infrastructure of military airfields, assembly, storage, and launching sites of strike drones and uncrewed surface vehicles as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed groups, were hit.

Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces continued to eliminate AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. The Russian Armed Forces liberated Nikolayevo-Daryino.

Aviation and drone strikes and artillery fire hit manpower and hardware of a tank brigade, a heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades of the AFU, a marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades.

In Kharkov direction, units of a motorised infantry brigade, an air assault brigade of the AFU, and a territorial defence brigade suffered losses.

During the week in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces, the enemy suffered losses of up to 2,200 troops, nine tanks, 57 armoured fighting vehicles, including a U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

Moreover, Russian troops destroyed 144 motor vehicles, 22 field artillery guns, 13 electronic warfare stations, and nine field ammunition depots.

The Zapad Group of Forces has liberated Dvurechnaya (Kharkov region).

? Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, an air assault brigade, a mountain assault brigade, and an assault brigade of the AFU, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade.

The enemy suffered losses of more than 2,425 troops, two tanks, and 22 armoured fighting vehicles, including nine U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers.

Russian units eliminated 53 motor vehicles, 39 field artillery guns, 16 of them manufactured by NATO countries, six electronic warfare stations, and 11 ammunition depots.

The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Strikes were delivered at units of three mechanised brigades, an assault brigade, and an airmobile brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and a national guard brigade.

The AFU losses in this direction during the week amounted to up to 1,445 troops, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, including three M113 armoured personnel carriers, and four U.S.-made HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, including three Western-made artillery guns.

Eleven field ammunition depots and three electronic warfare stations were eliminated.

The Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing into the depths of the enemy's defence and liberated Zelenoye, Novoyelizavetovka, and Novovasilyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Russian units hit five mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, a motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, two national guard brigades, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 4,000 troops, five tanks, 32 armoured fighting vehicles, including a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers.

Moreover, 48 motor vehicles, and 25 field artillery guns were destroyed.

The Vostok Group of Forces liberated Velikaya Novoselka (Donetsk People's Republic) as a result of active operations.

Russian units engaged three mechanised brigades, an air assault brigade of the AFU, a marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and a national guard brigade.

The enemy lost more than 1,015 troops, four tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, 16 motor vehicles, and 31 field artillery guns, five of them made up of NATO countries.

The Dnepr Group of Forces engaged manpower and hardware of a mechanised brigade, three coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade.

The AFU lost over 315 troops and 24 motor vehicles were neutralised.

Over the past week, air defence systems have shot down two French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 31 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 592 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, 290 of them outside the special military operation zone.

Over the past week, 43 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered on the line of contact.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,987 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,975 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,511 MLRS combat vehicles, 21,087 field artillery guns and mortars, and 31,060 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, the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on units of a tank brigade, a heavy-mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, a marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Gogolevka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zamostye, Kazachya Loknya, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Mirny, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Rubanshchina, Sverdlikovo, and Yuzhny. One AFU counter-attack was repelled.

Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, and Artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Viktorovka, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Loknya, Makhovka, Melovoy, Oleshnya, Sudzha, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Zhuravka, and Yunakovka in Sumy region.

Within the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 270 troops, two tanks, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, two mortars, an MLRS launcher, an electronic warfare station, an air defence radar, a counter-battery radar, a counterobstacle vehicle as well as four UAV control posts and two ammunition depots.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 56,410 troops, 327 tanks, 241 infantry fighting vehicles, 185 armoured personnel carriers, 1,660 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,735 motor vehicles, 396 artillery guns, 45 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 106 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, five air defence radars, 33 units of engineering and other materiel, including 15 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.





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California National Guard supports wildfire response following devastating fires in SoCal

By Sgt. 1st Class Kimberly Hill January 31, 2025

LOS ANGELES -- The whir of the helicopter blades fills the cabin as the aircraft circles the remains of several Los Angeles neighborhoods, rows of houses reduced to ash and rubble. The grim setting almost seems like something straight out of a dystopian movie as the helicopter passes by the iconic Hollywood sign.

The surreal scene is unfortunately the incredibly real aftermath of the Palisades Fire that erupted in Los Angeles and activated these California Guardsmen, now tasked with assessing the damage from above.

While Cal Guard air crews are no strangers to disaster response missions in their home state, with the majority of units and servicemembers located in Southern California, many find themselves with a deeply personal tie to these fires.

"A lot of us are even affected personally, I've got family down in Altadena, an aunt and uncle's house burnt down not too long ago, so this feel's personal," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Peter Thach, a UH-60 Blackhawk crew chief with Charlie Company, 2-135th Aviation Regiment

Over 2,500 California National Guard members were activated in response to the devastating wildfires that ripped through the LA area in January and help to provide support and relief to civil authorities during one of the most destructive fires in California history.

Resources activated include aerial support like C-130 Modular Airborne Firefighting System, CH-47 Chinook helicopters and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, over 20 Type I and Type II Handcrew teams, and over a thousand Soldiers manning more than 100 traffic points throughout the city.

With several roads closed and federal and local resources working to clear debris and rubble, controlling the flow of traffic and providing information to overwhelmed community members, becomes the key to controlling chaos.

"We as National Guard, what we are doing is trying to make sure people are safe, especially with looting out there," said Pvt. Lesly Benitez, a generator mechanic with the 40th Military Police Brigade.

Although the cause of the Eaton and Palisades fires are still under investigation, weather conditions that weekend exacerbated by a particularly strong Santa Ana windstorm, causing wind gusts of 80-100 mph.

The Eaton and Palisades fires were some of the most destructive and expensive fires in Southern California history, with the Eaton fire at 14,021 acres, 87% contained, destroying whole neighborhoods in Altadena and Pasadena and the Palisades fire at 23,713 acres, 59% contained, which burned through the Pacific Palisades area.

With wildfires increasing in frequency and becoming more destructive over the last 20 years, the California National Guard is no stranger to emergency response operations. For over 30 years, Cal Fire has partnered with the Cal Guard to provide training and guidance to service members. This training enables units to provide support to local and federal partners with aircraft, Handcrews and sustainment and support personnel.

That support has come in many forms, including aid during the Creek fire of 2020, where Cal Guard crews rescued 263 people and 16 dogs trapped by the enormous wildfire that raged across California's Sierra Nevada Mountains.

In 2018, troops aided civilian authorities in clean-up operations, sifting through the charred debris of the destroyed Paradise, Calif., with over 900 troops activated for wildfires throughout the state.

This long-standing partnership has made operations during emergency operations almost seamless.

"Working with Cal Fire on a mission like this is incredible, they integrate with us just as if they were military the entire time," said Staff Sgt. Carlos Araujo, a Blackhawk helicopter repairer with the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade.

These frequent activations even created Joint Task Force Rattlesnake in 2019, a taskforce dedicated to preventive and suppression efforts, with 300 servicemembers working full-time throughout the state under the guidance of Cal Fire.

While the fires are beginning to see more and more containment, Soldiers and Airmen with the Cal Guard remain vigilant and steady in their support to civil authorities and their local communities.

"The Guard is here to help, just know we're doing our absolute best to do it and to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect lives and property as we can and as safely as we can," said Araujo.

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Air Force provides airlift support for NORTHCOM border mission

Published Jan. 31, 2025

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The Air Force is supporting U.S. Northern Command's mission to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Department of Homeland Security along the southern border of the United States.

This effort aims to enhance security and logistical capabilities as border enforcement agencies manage evolving challenges to protect the sovereignty of the U.S.

"The swift response by our Airmen to support this important mission demonstrates our service's ability to rapidly deploy and deliver American airpower," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. "Rapid global mobility is a cornerstone of our Air Force and the team is once again proving how well we do it. We will continue to ardently support U.S. Northern Command and our interagency partners along the southern border."

Military transport aircraft, including C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III, are being used initially to move military personnel, tactical equipment, and supplies to key locations along the border. Additionally, Air Force aircraft are currently facilitating deportation flights for illegal aliens who have been processed for removal.

The Air Force's airlift operations are part of a broader interagency effort to support CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, focusing on logistical efficiency and operational support rather than direct law enforcement.

To ensure the safety of deportation flights, the Air Force has deployed its specialized security unit, the Ravens, to protect both the aircraft and flight crews. The Ravens, highly trained in aviation security, provide protection against potential threats during air operations. Meanwhile, ICE agents are responsible for managing the security and safety of illegal aliens.

Air Force officials continue to coordinate closely with USNORTHCOM and DHS to adapt airlift support as needed, ensuring that border and immigration enforcement agencies have the necessary resources to manage security and bolster the territorial integrity of the nation.

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2025 Presidential Elections in Belarus: joint statement to the OSCE

The UK and other members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus deliver a joint statement on elections in Belarus and the deteriorating human rights situation.

31 January 2025

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and my own country, Germany.

The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Bosnia, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino, Switzerland and North Macedonia.

At Copenhagen in 1990, all OSCE participating States declared that "the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government".

The presidential elections in Belarus on 26 January fell far short of this shared standard. Instead of reflecting multi-party democracy, accountability of government to the electorate or the free and fair expression of citizens' will, this election outcome was pre-determined by the Belarusian government. The poll was carried out in a climate of fear and repression where opposition was silenced. Moreover, Belarusians were denied access to information from independent, pluralistic media.

Repression intensified in the pre-election period. While some political prisoners have been released, Belarus continues to detain many more. Over 1,250 people remain incarcerated. Many political prisoners face isolation, mistreatment and lack of medical treatment. The UN Committee against Torture reported that torture in these prisons is systemic, habitual, widespread and deliberate with a pattern of impunity for perpetrators. Last year, four political prisoners died behind bars.

The arrest and persecution of journalists and media professionals has also reached an all-time high; the Belarusian Association of Journalists notes that 42 media workers were imprisoned in the run up to election day.

We deplore Belarus' involvement and complicity in Russia's unprovoked, unjustifiable and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and condemn the serious, ongoing human rights violations committed by the Belarusian authorities. We reiterate our call for the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and to ensure their rehabilitation.

No election can be considered as free and fair or meeting international standards when it is held in a climate of ongoing repression, marked by continuous pressure on civil society, arbitrary detentions and widespread human rights violations, as well as restrictions of any genuine political participation and a lack of credible opposition candidates.

We recall that ODIHR made efforts in recent months to engage with the Belarusian authorities on election observation, in line with Belarus' commitment at Copenhagen in 1990.

The Belarusian authorities' late invitation - delivered only ten days before the presidential elections - prevented ODIHR's access to key stages of the election process, making meaningful observation impossible. It stands as further proof that this electoral process lacked transparency and credibility.

Sadly, this approach to OSCE commitments is wholly consistent with earlier decisions by Belarus. As well as preventing meaningful observation of these elections, Belarus failed to invite OSCE observation of the February 2024 parliamentary elections. Nor has Belarus made progress on the recommendations of either the 2020 or 2023 Moscow Mechanism reports, or responded meaningfully to the questions raised in the 2024 Vienna Mechanism.

Indeed, since the fraudulent presidential election of 2020, Belarusian authorities have engaged in a brutal crackdown on opposition figures, human rights defenders, civil society representatives, journalists, and other citizens who dare voice any opposition or dissent. Human rights defenders report over 70,000 cases of repression since 2020. These range from interrogations, detentions or searches to legislative amendments, labelling and prosecuting some human rights defenders as so-called "extremists" and closing NGOs as well as forced exile and confiscation of property.

In the face of this utter disregard of OSCE principles and commitments by the Belarusian authorities, we underscore the right of Belarusians to determine their own future in a genuinely free and fair manner, and to be able to do so without fear, oppression and external interference. In this Council and beyond, we will continue to support the Belarusian people's hope for a free, democratic and independent Belarus.

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Restoring a Tough U.S.-Cuba Policy

US Department of State

Press Statement

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

January 31, 2025

Within the first two weeks of President Trump's term, the State Department took decisive action to rescind major last-minute policy changes on Cuba announced by the previous administration on January 14.

The President acted on his first day in office to keep Cuba on the SST list, where it belongs. The Cuban regime has long supported acts of international terrorism. We call for the regime to end its support for terrorism, and to stop providing food, housing, and medical care to foreign murderers, bombmakers, and hijackers, while Cubans go hungry and lack access to basic medicine.

In a January 29 letter to the appropriate Congressional committees, I withdrew the prior administration's letter regarding the LIBERTAD Act. The Trump Administration is committed to U.S. persons having the ability to bring private rights of action involving trafficked property confiscated by the Cuban regime.

On January 31, I approved the re-creation of the Cuba Restricted List, which prohibits certain transactions with companies under the control of, or acting for or on behalf of, the repressive Cuban military, intelligence, or security services or personnel. The State Department is re-issuing the Cuba Restricted List to deny resources to the very branches of the Cuban regime that directly oppress and surveil the Cuban people while controlling large swaths of the country's economy. In addition to restoring the entities that were on the list until the final week of the previous administration, we are adding Orbit, S.A., a remittance-processing company operating for or on behalf of the Cuban military.

The State Department promotes accountability for the Cuban regime for oppressing its people and rejects Cuba's malign interference across the Americas and throughout the world. We support the Cuban people's human rights and fundamental freedoms and demand the release of all unjustly detained political prisoners. Our Embassy in Havana is meeting with families of those unjustly detained, as well as dissidents, so that they know the United States wholeheartedly supports them. We are steadfast in our commitment to the Cuban people and promote accountability for the Cuban regime's actions.

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Freeing Iran's frozen funds could be among Washington's first steps to gain Tehran's trust: FM Araghchi

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 31, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has said unfreezing Iran's blocked funds in other countries could be a significant initial step for the United States to earn Tehran's trust.

In an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic, published on Friday, Araghchi acknowledged the challenge of overcoming the deep-seated mistrust but added that the U.S. could take several measures to build confidence, with the release of Iran's frozen assets in other countries being among the foremost ones.

"We have a long relationship with America and unfortunately, this history is full of very bad and negative events and positions to the extent of hostility and enmity with the Islamic Republic of Iran by America," Araghchi said.

"Since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution and the beginning of the Islamic Republic of Iran, we were regularly faced with these hostility and actions of the U.S. against Iran," he said, adding, You mentioned the last example of the U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and other cases such as the assassination of Lieutenant General Soleimani and other attacks that were carried out, all these events are a history full of hostility and most importantly a history full of mistrust between Iran and America caused by the U.S and Of course, all this cannot be compensated with one word.

Biden administration also took hostile position against Iran

Pointing out that Iran closely monitors the positions of the new U.S. administration, Araghchi said, "The former U.S. administration not only did not have good positions towards Iran, but also had very hostile positions, the policy of pressure on Iran and severe sanctions against Iran even increased in the former US administration. We are closely following the positions of the new U.S. administration and what policy they adopt regarding Iran, the nuclear agreement or Iran's nuclear program. We make decisions based on their positions and adjust our positions accordingly."

Currently no platform to open new page with U.S.

In response to whether Iran is willing to open a new chapter of dialogue with the new American administration under Trump's presidency, Araghchi said, There must be a reason for this to open a new page, "I think at the moment I don't think there is a reason for this, but we have to see" what policies the other side adopts and whether, as a result of these policies, a new context will be created on the basis of which dialogues will take place.

Negotiations to revive the JCPOA will be limited to nuclear issues

In response to Al Jazeera's question about the issues that may be discussed in this agreement, including nuclear and perhaps regional cases such as Syria, Iran's foreign minister said: "Last time we met with the Americans and three European countries, China and Russia in the form of 5+1. We decided that the negotiation will be limited to the nuclear issue."

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Iran warns attack on its nuclear sites will lead to 'widespread regional war'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 7:40 PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly cautioned about the dire consequences of a potential act of aggression, potentially involving the Israeli regime and the United States, against Iran's nuclear facilities.

"My assumption is that in this case (a likely attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities), we will enter into a widespread war in the region, a catastrophe that no one, neither in the region nor outside the region, wants," the top diplomat said on Friday.

"I doubt that the Americans will make such a major miscalculation," added Araghchi in remarks to Qatar's Al Jazeera Arabic television network during a short stay in the Persian Gulf country, addressing the likelihood of Washington's aiding Tel Aviv in such an act of aggression.

"Unlike previous times, if Iran's nuclear facilities are attacked, Iran's reaction will be immediate and decisive," he noted.

Iran has so far retaliated twice, namely during Operations True Promise I and II, against Israeli aggression against its soil by successfully targeting sensitive and strategic Israeli targets deep inside the occupied Palestinian territories with hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles.

The Islamic Republic, however, took its time before resorting to legitimate reprisal, apparently taking various domestic and regional conditions into account.

"The Americans and Israelis know what targets we can target," Araghchi stated concerning the aspects of Iran's response to potential aggression against its nuclear facilities.

He, meanwhile, reiterated that "Iran will definitely be able to respond" to such aggression, and strongly advised the US against making "one of the biggest historical mistakes" by contributing to such an attack.

Undermining likely Israeli-American attack

Still addressing the potential of such an attack, the foreign minister declined to consider such a likely act of aggression to be capable of causing much damage to Iran's nuclear sites.

He noted that, far from just being present on the ground, Iran's nuclear might and capabilities lay "in the minds and thoughts of Iranian scientists."

"This capability and program will not be destroyed by bombing or airstrikes."

Secondly, Iran's nuclear facilities were not situated in one or two locations, he went on, adding that the facilities were scattered across many locations and were being guarded by very good and strong defenses.

"These facilities are in places that are very difficult, even impossible, to access even by airstrikes."

And thirdly, he underlined the certitude of the Islamic Republic's "immediate and decisive" reaction to a likely attack.

'Nuclear weapons have no place in Iran's military doctrine'

Elsewhere in his remarks, Araghchi reiterated that "nuclear weapons are not part of Iran's military doctrine," asserting, "Our security is provided through other methods, and nuclear weapons are haram (forbidden) in our view."

He cited the relevant fatwa (religious decree) that was issued by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei forbidding either achievement, storage or deployment of such weapons as per religious and moral concerns.

The official, however, said the country was capable of making the weapons, but repeated that there was no such will on the part of the Islamic Republic towards their production.

'Not easy for America to regain Iran's trust'

Araghchi also responded to a question concerning the potential resumption of negotiations between Iran and the US.

"Unfortunately, the history of our relationship with the US is full of very bad and negative events and positions," he said.

The foreign minister noted how since the victory of Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 and the subsequent establishment of the Islamic Republic, Tehran had constantly faced hostility and adversarial actions on the part of Washington.

He cited the cases of the US's 2018 withdrawal from a nuclear agreement between Iran and others and Washington's assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, Iran's former top anti-terror commander, in 2020.

"All these events have created a history full of hostility and, most importantly, a history full of distrust between Iran and America. Of course, all of this cannot be compensated for with a single word."

Araghchi noted that even the United States former administration of President Joe Biden -- who had expressed a willingness to return to the nuclear deal -- "had very hostile positions. The policy of pressure on Iran and severe sanctions against Iran intensified under the previous US administration."

Tehran, however, was closely following the positions of the new US administration of Donald Trump and what policy it could adopt regarding Iran, the nuclear deal, or Iran's nuclear energy program, he said.

"And we are examining them. We will make our decisions based on their positions and coordinate our own positions accordingly."

Under the current circumstances, though, "There is no basis for opening a new chapter in relations with America," he said, referring to the hostile environment governing the ties that has been brought about by America's hostile measures.

Araghchi cited the potential unblocking of Iran's frozen assets across the world as a likely step that Washington could take towards beginning to regain Tehran's trust.

Resumption of negotiations between the two sides, "requires perseverance and a change of position on the part of the US government, and it requires the American side to take positive steps. I think they themselves know better than anyone what steps they can take," he stated.

'Resistance can always rebuild itself'

Separately, Araghchi addressed the issue of the Israeli regime's deadly aggression against the regional peoples, including the Palestinians and the Lebanese nations, which had led to the martyrdom of some of their high-ranking resistance figures.

"The martyrdom of [the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah's former secretary-general] Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah was not a small loss; the martyrdom of other commanders and forces of Hezbollah and [the Palestinian resistance movement] Hamas incurred heavy costs," he said.

"But all of this does not mean the disappearance of the resistance or even, in my opinion, its weakening. All of these were very important experiences that the resistance learned, and I am sure they will be useful in the future."

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The Farda Briefing: Iran Wants To Negotiate With U.S., But What Will It Concede?

By Kian Sharifi January 31, 2025

What You Need To Know

 Khamenei Gives Blessing To Talks With Trump: Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei this week appeared to green-light talks with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in the hopes of lifting sanctions. Iranian officials had been signaling a desire to talk to Trump, but talks can't take place without Khamenei's say-so.

 Iran Frozen Out As World Warms Up To Syria's New Rulers: Syria's new government has reportedly held more than 200 diplomatic engagements since coming to power on December 8, including with Western and Arab delegations and, notably, Russian diplomats. Iran, however, is nowhere to be seen. Iran and Russia helped former President Bashar al-Assad fight rebel forces that now run the country. The Kremlin seems to have established some rapport with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, but the Islamic republic has been entirely frozen out.

 U.S. Federal Funding Freeze Spooks Iran-Focused Advocacy Groups: NGOs and advocacy groups that focus on Iran have raised concerns about their work being impacted by the Trump administration's decision to pause federal grants and loans. The groups, some of which work on facilitating Internet access and monitoring human rights violations in Iran, argue that Tehran stands to benefit from the funding freeze. Hard-line media in Iran have welcomed the decision. A judge has blocked the temporary freeze, but the White House has said it will pursue its implementation.

The Big Issue

Expectations Vs. Reality: What Is Iran Ready To Give Up?

Khamenei told a gathering of state officials and envoys from Muslim nations on January 28 that Tehran should be wary of "enmity and grudges" concealed behind "diplomatic smiles."

But he followed that up by saying that when "you know the person you're dealing with," it's possible to "make a deal but you also know what to do."

This comment is widely seen as a green light to sit down with the Trump administration -- something that seemed impossible just a few years ago.

Why It Matters: Iran has suffered setbacks abroad and is facing challenges at home, not least a struggling economy and weak currency -- both exacerbated by U.S. sanctions.

Iran wants the sanctions lifted, but the question is what Khamenei is willing to negotiate away. Iran is at its weakest and most vulnerable in decades. With its network of regional proxies politically and militarily degraded, the only real bargaining chips Tehran is left with are its advanced nuclear and missile programs.

There are no good options for Iran: It insists its nuclear program is peaceful and meant to generate power, while its missile program is an integral part of its defensive doctrine. Budging on either will upset the Islamic republic's core support base, but not making any meaningful concessions will only add to international pressure and further sink the economy.

What's Being Said: Supporters of engaging Trump have taken Khamenei's comments to mean he is backing "cautious negotiations" with the U.S. president.

But opponents of talks with the West insist that it would be "naive" to take Khamenei's remarks as a green light to open negotiations with Trump.

Khamenei has perfected equivocation, speaking in vague terms that open up his comments to interpretation. He does not like to publicly commit to a position, likely because it shields him from taking responsibility when things go south.

Expert Opinion: "Khamenei's main plan is to buy time and manage the situation to navigate the second Trump presidency with minimal risk, based on the implicit acknowledgment of the regime's weakened position both domestically and internationally," says Ali Afshari, a U.S.-based political analyst and adjunct professor at George Washington University.

What's Ahead

These are the stories we'll be watching between now and the next issue of the Farda Briefing:

Iran has been waiting to receive advanced Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia for nearly two years. A military official's comment this week about Tehran having purchased the warplanes has observers wondering whether delivery is close.

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref will attend a summit of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on January 31-February 1.

RFE/RL's Radio Farda has interviewed Oscar-nominated Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, whose movie The Seed of the Sacred Fig is up for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in March. You can watch a sneak peek of the interview here.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/farda-briefing-khamenei- trump-talks-kian-sharifi/33297581.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Myanmar's forced conscription: How the junta targets young men for military service

4 years after the coup, forced recruitment feeds the ranks of a military struggling against rebel advances.

By Aye Aye Mon for RFA Burmese 2025.01.30 -- Part of a three-story series to mark the fourth anniversary of Myanmar's 2021 coup, looking at how the military treats its own soldiers.

Thirty-year-old Aung Aung was arrested at gunpoint on a July morning as he left his house in central Myanmar - one of about 30 people rounded up and taken into custody in his town that day. Their crime? Being the right age to be enlisted in the struggling ranks of the Myanmar army.

Less than a month later, during a monsoon downpour, he and 10 others fled No. 7 Basic Military Training Center in Taungdwingyi township, about 70 miles from his home in Yenangchaung in Magwe region. They were clothed in little more than their underwear and were drenched in the heavy rain.

They spent two nights in the forest and had to avoid military checkpoints as they fled northward, relying on local people to provide them food, money, clothing - and directions - until they reached safety three days later.

"The journey was extremely difficult, unlike anything I had ever experienced," Aung Aung told RFA Burmese. He requested his name be withheld as he remains at large from the military. The punishment for avoiding conscription is up to five years in prison; those who abscond from the military after enlistment could face the death penalty.

It's not an unusual story in Myanmar. Since the ruling junta declared national conscription in early 2024 for men aged 18-35 and women aged 18-27, growing numbers of men are being forced into the army.

The military's ranks have been depleted in the civil war that has ensued since army chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing launched a coup four years ago against an elected government. The recruits to fill the ranks typically come from poor families that are unable to pay off officials to avoid conscription.

The shadow National Unity Government, formed by pro-democrats ousted from power in the coup, says that 23,000 people have been conscripted against their will since the start of 2024.

But the problem actually pre-dates the conscription law.

Killed in action

In November, the relatives of Min Khant Kyaw, 23, got a call out of the blue from authorities that he'd been killed in action. He'd been missing for three years, and it was the first they'd learned that he was in the Myanmar army.

Authorities offered little information. No details about how, when and where Min Khant Kyaw, who had been living in Yangon, died. They were just told that he was dead and the army would provide his next-of-kin with some benefits. It was only because his national registration card was found in his shirt pocket that authorities were able to contact next-of-kin in his native village.

His uncle, Lu Maw, recounts the story with sadness and anger. He had raised Min Khant Kyaw since age 7 after he was orphaned during the massive Cyclone Nargis in 2008 that devastated the Ayeyarwady delta and claimed the lives of his parents and three siblings.

Lu Maw is convinced that his nephew was forced to enlist.

"None of us, no one in our family, knew he had joined the army," he told RFA Burmese.

"After asking all his relatives, we concluded he didn't join the army of his own will. If he did, his relatives and everyone close to him would have known. We all knew nothing, but the authorities just informed us he died on the frontline," Lu Maw said.

"I would not complain if Min Khant Kyaw had joined the army on his own account, but it was not like that. He was dragged into it."

The Myanmar military has a record of duping recruits and of forced recruitment. The International Labor Organization reported the practice in the 1990s, a time when the military was in the ascendant and was seeking to boost its ranks.

Its need for recruits has become far more acute since the 2021 coup. The ruling junta has suffered mounting losses on the battlefield and has lost control of most of the country.

Snatched off the street

In an analysis last year, Myanmar expert Ye Myo Hein estimated that by late 2023, it had about 130,000 military personnel - about half of them frontline troops - compared with earlier estimates of between 300,000-400,000. Anecdotal evidence suggests battalions are at a fraction of regular fighting strength.

In February 2024, when the junta enacted a compulsory conscription law that took effect in April, chief junta spokesman, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, indicated that about 50,000 people would be recruited by year's end. He said women would only be drafted starting in 2025. Residents say initial steps for that have now begun.

There's no reliable count of how many people have been drafted so far. What is clear is that conscription has accelerated the exodus of able-bodied people from Myanmar. It's also fueled a cottage industry of graft where families pay administrators the equivalent of hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to avoid the draft.

Even more sinister is that people are being snatched off the street both in cities and rural areas, multiple sources say.

Data collected by RFA showed a spike in youth arrests in Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyitaw and Bago in December. The spike appeared connected to clandestine operations at night, which residents described as "snatch and recruit," by men wearing plain clothes and driving private vehicles. RFA reporting indicated 250 people were caught in the dragnet in those four cities in a single month.

Zaw Zaw, 27, lives outside the big city. He's from Salay town in Magwe region. He told RFA Burmese that he was caught in a night raid on his home in early July. He was taken to the local police station before being sent for a medical at another town in the region, Chauk.

"Even those who were mentally unfit passed the test, as it seemed they accepted everyone regardless of their condition," said Zaw Zaw - not his real name as he wanted to protect his identity.

"When I arrived at the training center, they confiscated everything my family had given me: clothes, watches, phones and money."

Like Aung Aung, he was at No. 7 Basic Military Training Center in Taungdwingyi, and was among the group that escaped, heading toward an area controlled by an anti-junta People's Defense Force.

No option but to enlist

Forcible recruitment takes different forms. Not all are snatched off the streets. Others are simply presented with little option but to enlist.

Moe Pa Pa, a mother of three living in Kungyangon township in Yangon region, says her missing husband, Ye Lin Aung, 29, signed up because he couldn't afford to bribe his way out of conscription.

"He said that if he did not go this time, the ward administrator would force him again and again. I told him not to go, he should stay and work here so at least we wouldn't run out of food. I strongly discouraged him, but he went anyway." she said.

She last saw him, for a 15-minute conversation, just before he was shipped out to the front line in Rakhine state, where junta forces have taken a battering from the rebel Arakan Army.

"The ward administrator told my husband he would pay us 500,000 kyats ($110) up front. He also promised to pay 310,000 kyats per month while my husband was undergoing three months of training, with payments to be made monthly," Moe Pa Pa told RFA.

All she's seen is the bonus, no salary.

"He called me two or three times after arriving at the front line in Buthidaung and Maungdaw," Moe Pa Pa, referring to two battle zones in Rakhine state. "He said he would transfer his salary, but since then, I have been unable to contact him. He never sent his payment, and we have been out of contact ever since."

She suspects he's dead. Phone calls made from the Rakhine front line stopped six months ago.

Other RFA Burmese journalists contributed reporting. Edited by Ginny Stein and Mat Pennington.

Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Myanmar junta blocks military-aged men from work abroad

Ministry of Labor told employment agencies not to allow men aged 18 to 35 to sign up for foreign work contracts.

By RFA Burmese 2025.01.31 -- Myanmar's junta has banned employment agencies from sending military aged men abroad as it struggles with a growing civil war while promising to extend peace and stability for an election that it hopes will bolster its legitimacy.

Millions of Myanmar people have gone abroad to work, many through arrangements it has with other governments, organized by employment agencies.

While the overseas workers are an important source of income for the junta that seized power in a coup on Feb. 1, 2021, the military is also keen to fill the ranks of its armed forces as it battles ethnic minority insurgents and allied pro-democracy fighters.

Nearly a year after the junta enforced a conscription law, began recruiting women and arresting young men to serve, it has sought to block prospective soldiers from travelling abroad for work, representatives of employment agencies told Radio Free Asia on Friday.

"Starting today, people between the ages of 18 and 35 will no longer be eligible for the OWIC," an official at a Yangon-based oversea employment agency told Radio Free Asia, referring to the Overseas Worker Identification Card, issued by the Ministry of Labor, which everyone hoping to work abroad must obtain.

"The restriction does not apply to women yet, only males between the ages of 18 and 35," the official said, referring to a ministry order to stop issuing the cards.

RFA tried to telephone the junta's spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Htun, to ask about the policy, but he did not answer. Minister of Labor Nyan Win also declined to comment and referred RFA to Zaw Min Htun.

The ruling military extended a state of emergency for another six months on Friday saying more needed to be done to ensure peace and stability for a successful general election.

No date has been set for an election, which anti-junta forces have dismissed as a sham. The constitution mandates that an election must be held within six months after a state of emergency is lifted.

In December, junta authorities ordered job agencies to add a clause in migrant workers' contracts stating they could be called home for military service.

One young man hoping to get a job through an agency to work in Thailand - where about 1.8 million Myanmar workers are officially employed and many more work unofficially - was despondent about his chances.

"I already signed a contract with the agency and put a deposit down," said the 25-year-old who declined to be identified.

Another employment agency employee said migrant workers who come home for a visit could be banned from going back to their jobs abroad.

"Some people might come back without studying the situation here ... They won't be given permission to go abroad again," said the agency staffer, who also declined to be identified.

Under Myanmar's Military Service Enactment Law, anyone summoned for military service, as well as anyone who manages to postpone their service, are not allowed to travel to go abroad.

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.

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Myanmar extends state of emergency for another 6 months

The extension means an election can only be in the second half of the year at the earliest.

By RFA Burmese 2025.01.31 -- Myanmar's ruling military extended a state of emergency for another six months on Friday four years after it ousted an elected government in a coup, plunging the country into war.

Members of the National Defense and Security Council unanimously agreed to the extension, which puts off the junta's often-delayed plan for a general election until the second half of the year at the earliest.

Myanmar's constitution mandates that elections must be held within six months after a state of emergency is lifted.

"There are still more tasks to be done to hold the general election successfully. Especially for a free and fair election, stability and peace is still needed," state-run media cited the junta chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, as telling the military council meeting.

Ethnic minority insurgent groups battling for self-determination and allied pro-democracy fighters have dismissed the junta's plan for an election as window-dressing to bolster the military's legitimacy at home and abroad.

The military controls about half the country after major advances by insurgent forces over the past year and the country's most popular politician, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been jailed since the military ousted her elected government on Feb. 1, 2021.

The junta has repeatedly extended the emergency since then.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, which swept elections in 2015 and 2020, has been dissolved under military regulations and thousands of its members and supporters are in jail or have fled to rebel zones or into self-exile.

The chairman of Myanmar's oldest ethnic minority rebel force, the Karen National Union, reiterated on Friday the group's opposition to an election organized by the military.

China, which has major investments in Myanmar and is keen to see an end to its turmoil, supports the vote and has offered help to organize it, as have some of Myanmar's Southeast Asian neighbors.

Myanmar's economy had been in freefall since the 2021 coup.

The United Nations says about 3.5 million people have been displaced by conflict and natural disasters while the World Food Programme said this week some 15 million people in Myanmar are expected to face hunger this year.

Edited by RFA Staff.

Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Over 1,000 civilians flee Sittwe amid tension between Myanmar junta and ethnic army

They fear becoming targets of bombings, sniper fire or airstrikes.

By RFA Myanmar 2025.01.31 -- More than 1,000 civilians have fled Rakhine state's capital Sittwe and nearby areas in western Myanmar, fearing heavy artillery attacks as tensions rise between junta forces and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group that has advanced on junta positions, residents said Friday.

Ongoing exchanges of fire between junta soldiers and the Arakan Army, or AA, in nearby villages, have prompted residents to seek safe havens out of concern that they might be hit by bombs, sniper fire, drone strikes or air strikes, should the conflict escalate.

Of the 17 townships in Rakhine state, 14 are under the control of the AA, leaving only three  Sittwe, the military council's regional headquarters, Kyaukphyu and Munaung  still in the hands of the military junta.

Observers believe that the AA soon could launch an offensive against Sittwe.

And because of this, civilians say they fear getting trapped in the crossfire of heavy artillery used by junta battalions based in Sittwe if the AA strikes.

Sittwe is crucial for the junta  which seized control of Myanmar in a 2021 coup d'etat  not only as a source of much-needed revenue and foreign currency, but also for its role in Myanmar's oil and gas trade via the Indian Ocean.

Besides Sittwe, people in Rathedaung, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun townships close to Sittwe  are also leaving their homes out of fear of direct attacks, said a Rathedaung resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

"Some already fled from Sittwe township, but now they find themselves forced to flee again, adding to their hardships," the person said. "Many are struggling due to a lack of warm clothing for winter and severe shortages of basic necessities after being displaced."

Junta fortifies positions

The junta's blockade of transportation routes in Rakhine state, which has made travel for displaced civilians difficult, has compounded the situation, they said.

Sittwe residents told RFA that the AA has surrounded the city with a large number of troops while the military junta has fortified its positions, increasing its military presence with battalions outside the city, in areas of Sittwe, and at Sittwe University, in preparation for a defensive stand.

Additionally, thousands of Rohingya  a stateless ethnic group that predominantly follows Islam and resides in Rakhine state  have been given military training by the junta, sources said.

"The army is shooting; the navy is also shooting," said a Sittwe resident. "People are afraid. They don't know when the fighting will start."

AA's heavy artillery

The AA has already fired heavy artillery and used snipers. Local news reports on Jan. 27 indicated that daily exchanges of fire were occurring between the ethnic army and junta forces, including the use of attack drones.

Attempts by RFA to contact both AA spokesperson Khaing Thu Kha and junta spokesperson and Rakhine state attorney general Hla Thein for comment on the issue went unanswered by the time of publishing.

Human rights advocate Myat Tun said he believes the AA will resort to military action in Sittwe if political negotiations fail.

"The situation in Sittwe is escalating," he said. "The AA is preparing to take military action if political solutions are not reached."

Translated by Aung Naing 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.

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Myanmar's rebels closing in around junta into fifth year of civil war

By Zsombor Peter January 31, 2025

Myanmar's rebel groups made historic gains last year, the fourth of a civil war set off by a military coup in February 2021, seizing wide swathes of the country's west and northeast and overrunning two of the regime's regional command bases for the first time.

As the war enters its fifth bloody year Saturday, experts tell VOA the rebels are positioned to keep gaining ground in 2025, closing in on more cities and weapons factories vital to the military despite mounting efforts by China, which has billions of dollars invested in the country, to keep the junta afloat.

"The military has lost significant control, and in 2025, based on that trajectory over late 2023 and 2024 ... it will still continue to lose control," said Matthew Arnold, an independent analyst tracking the war.

A BBC World Service study found the junta in full control of only 21% of Myanmar as of mid-November, a patchwork of rebel groups holding 42% and both sides contesting the rest.

With the ground they gained over the past year, Arnold says the rebels have transformed the war by linking up what were mostly pockets of armed resistance into long stretches across the country which the military can no longer penetrate overland.

"The military does not face rebels in this valley or that valley, or this mountaintop or that mountaintop. They say these rebels can now attack us across hundreds and hundreds of miles of contiguous territory where they have absolutely full control," he said. "It just fundamentally shifted the nature of warfare in the country."

The rebels' latest gains have not been even across the country.

In northeast Myanmar's Shan state, China pressured one of the largest rebel groups in the area, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), into a ceasefire with the military in mid-January after the group had made major advances. Experts tell VOA that China has also started leaning on Myanmar's largest rebel group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), to cut back on weapons sales to other groups.

Both the MNDAA and UWSA keep close ties with Beijing, and while the latter are not fighting the Myanmar military themselves, they have been a major source of arms and ammunition for rebel groups that are.

Without their help, other groups have been forced to scale back their push toward Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, which remains in junta control, says Min Zaw Oo, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

He said the squeeze on munitions has even helped the junta reverse gains another group, the Karenni National Defense Force, had been making in Kayah state, just south of Shan.

"They had to stop the offensive and they had to abandon, and now they are losing ground. One of the key factors was they ... acquired less ammunition and weapons from UWSA," said Min Zaw Oo.

Elsewhere, though, rebel groups have continued to press ahead, even defying Beijing's interests.

In Myanmar's far north, the capture of rare earth mines that supply China by the Kachin Independence Army in November compelled China to resume some of the border trade it had cut off to try and slow down the KIA's march south, said Min Zaw Oo.

In the west, the Arakan Army (AA) has nearly completed its sweep across Rakhine state and surrounded an oil and gas terminal on the shores of the Bay of Bengal central to China's energy projects in Myanmar.

Arnold and Min Zaw Oo say the AA is now pushing farther east with other allied groups into Ayeyarwady, Bago and Magwe regions in Myanmar's center. Magwe, they add, with its many factories churning out weapons for the military, would be an especially big prize for the rebels and a painful loss for the junta if it were to fall next.

The military's recent losses to the AA also highlight one of the military's main problems, says Morgan Michaels of the U.K.'s International Institute for Strategic Studies  a lack of manpower.

Under pressure by rebel groups on nearly all sides, he said, the military could muster few reinforcements late last year as the AA bore down on its regional command base for western Myanmar, which it took, dealing the junta another heavy blow.

The junta began enforcing a dormant conscription law in April to bolster troop numbers being worn down by desertions, defections and battlefield losses, and toughened the rules earlier this month to try and cut down on draft dodgers.

"Basically, the military cannot respond to protect or ... wage counter attacks at these very sensitive and important strategic areas because of the manpower issue," said Michaels.

"Opposition forces have their own limitations," he added. "But if the military can't respond, then it's going to bit by bit lose these areas."

The rebels' own problems, the experts say, include an ever-short supply of ammunition and limited strategic coordination between the groups  many fighting for territory for any one of the country's myriad ethnic minorities  across the whole of the country.

Even so, they say they still expect most of the rebel groups in the fight to keep advancing on the junta into the year ahead.

Conflict data crunched by Michaels and his team at the International Institute for Strategic Studies show no letup in the overall level of violence. Estimates of civilians and soldiers killed in the fighting stretch into the tens of thousands. Over 3 million people have been displaced, and half the country now lives in poverty.

Bolstered by a steady stream of weapons and diplomatic cover from China and Russia, the experts also say the junta remains resilient but add that the collapse of a military battle-hardened by decades of counterinsurgency and once seen as all but invincible now looks plausible.

Much will depend on how much longer Beijing in particular believes the junta has a useful role to play in protecting China's economic and strategic interests in the country, says Arnold.

"China's very straightforward, they're very logical in what they see," he said. "And at some point, if the military doesn't really stabilize the situation, China will have to make hard decisions about how much is it willing to support a military that is still losing control. And I think that will be the question for 2025."

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UK announces additional humanitarian funding for Myanmar

Four years on from military coup, additional UK humanitarian funding delivers healthcare to one million people in Myanmar

1 February 2025

Uplift in support announced four years on from the military coup, as humanitarian needs reach record levels

Despite the ongoing conflict, healthcare will be delivered to nearly one million people across Myanmar in the first half of 2025 including maternal care, nutrition support and disease treatment

New climate resilience funding will help rural communities tackle extreme weather, improve water management and strengthen food security

Almost one million vulnerable people in Myanmar will receive essential medical care through UK aid support in the first six months of 2025, helping communities access vital healthcare services despite ongoing conflict.

The UK is announcing an uplift of 22.45 million in humanitarian support for 2024/25 to deliver this support, four years on from the military coup. On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the democratically elected government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, and installed a military regime. Since then, they have used violence and atrocities to maintain power and suppress opposition voices. The UK has consistently called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all those arbitrarily detained in Myanmar.

UK funding will provide maternal and child health services to around 107,000 women and children, while 86,000 people will be reached with crucial nutrition support. It is expected that a further 142,000 people will be able to access sexual and reproductive health services and treatment for diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.

The life-saving assistance comes as Myanmar faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with nearly 20 million people now requiring aid - a twenty-fold increase since the military coup four years ago.

Minister for Development, Anneliese Dodds, said:

While global attention may shift, the UK will not forget the millions in Myanmar still living through a brutal conflict, creating a humanitarian crisis in a country already vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis. Four years on from the military coup and amid ongoing violence, the UK is matching words with action - providing additional support to meet urgent health needs and tackle long-term climate challenges.

Over 3.5 million people are now displaced from their homes due to the fighting, 19.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and Myanmar is now seeing a proliferation in serious and organised crime.

Typhoon Yagi caused devastation across South-East Asia in September 2024, severely affecting over one million people across Myanmar. Additional funding will help rural communities prepare for future climate-related disasters, through improved food systems and early warning mechanisms, including support for areas recovering from recent typhoons.

Agriculture is vital to Myanmar's economy and without it, the country will find it difficult to rebuild and grow when the conflict finally ends. UK support is planting the seeds for Myanmar's long-term recovery, restoring security and stability to make the world safer for all of us.

The UK continues to support ASEAN's central role in addressing the crisis. The UK convened a UN Security Council meeting on 30 January, calling for full humanitarian access across Myanmar to help protect civilians and pressed for further action to secure a peaceful democratic future for the Myanmar people. As penholder on Myanmar at the UNSC, the UK will continue to take action to bring stability to Myanmar and the wider region, maintaining our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific in the interests of UK national security.

Notes to editors

UK humanitarian support to Myanmar in the financial year 2024 to 2025 has increased to 66.45 million from an initial allocation of 44 million (excluding support from the UK's Integrated Security Fund), following a decision to uplift funding due to increasing humanitarian need. By comparison, support in the 2023 to 2024 financial year began at 30.1 million and concluded at 38.83 million.

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I did not realize I had strong feelings about Lady Macbeth, wife of the Thane of Glamis, until I read Ava Reids Lady Macbeth, a near-slanderous feminist retelling of William Shakespeares famed Scottish play.

Did Reid and I read the same Shakespeare?

Lady Macbeth  you love to hate her. The bard never specifies her age, but shes most often played by a woman in her 30s or 40s, a conniving wife who orchestrates the murder of the king of Scotland in the name of ambition. Shes smart, calculating, ruthless.

As an aside, my high school English teacher once likened the Macbeths to the Clintons. That has really stuck with me over the years for some reason.

The titular protagonist of Lady Macbeth, known by her first name Roscille, bears no resemblance to either Hilary Clinton or the Lady Macbeth of my imagination.

For starters, Roscille is a self-described timid 17-year-old, newly arrived in Glamis as part of an arranged marriage. Shes only just getting to know her husband as the murdering and betrayal begins. It took me about 100 pages to realize that Lady Macbeth is not a prequel but a retelling.

Every once in a while Roscille shows some hint of the originals gumption. Before her wedding, Roscille educates herself about Scottish culture and uses Macbeths own cultural norms to manipulate him. Unfortunately, Reid undermines Lady Macbeths storied intellect to make  barf  her eyes, her literal eyes, the protagonists most powerful weapon.

That is the danger of her eyes. That they may compel men to do as she wishes, Reid writes. Indeed, Lady Macbeths eyes are so black and stunning they practically hypnotize any man that looks at her. Thats why shes wearing a veil on the book jacket: for your safety.

This is power. With a single word, a single look, she has arranged the world to her liking, Reid writes after Roscille glamours some warrior or another with just a moment of eye contact.

Women can be both beautiful and smart, of course, but I think Reid does Lady Macbeths lore a huge disservice by shifting the focus from her political brilliance onto her physical beauty. Lady Macbeths makeover as a hot teenager feels icky, and, worse yet, undermines the whole purpose of a megalomaniacal queen. She famously renounced her femininity in Shakespeares play; Lady Macbeths physical appearance does not determine her power.

If this bizarre revision of Lady Macbeths character wasnt bad enough, Reid inexplicably opts to add a dash of cryptozoology to the story midplot. If you want to avoid spoilers, please avert your eyes.

We get to know more of the royal family in Lady Macbeth, including King Duncans eldest son, Lisander. He was not a character in the original play, but makes quite an impression in Reids novel when he first becomes Lady Macbeths lover and later reveals himself to be some kind of were-dragon. When night falls, Lisander takes the form of a mythical beast.

In the half-light, [Roscille] sees Lisanders clothes rip. His bones press up through his skin. There is the wet sound of tearing flesh  she knows this sound well now  and where he was once pale, unblemished, his chest now ripples with scales, Reid writes.

I was tempted to put the book down, but my curiosity made me finish it. It didnt really get any better.

Reid does reference and remix some of Shakespeares most famous lines in her book, which tells me she has at least read Shakespeares Macbeth.

For example, when Macbeth returns from battle unscathed, Roscille realizes that the Thane of Cawdor is dead, and that he did not protest his end too much. There are occasional references to bloody hands and skin, and one rather clunky allusion to her iconic unsex me now line.

Despite writing a real stinker of a retelling, Reid seems to acknowledge what is at stake monkeying around with Lady Macbeths legacy.

If she claims this name, Lady Macbeth, she claims it for us all, muses one of the three witches towards the novels end. Our visions will be her visions. Our powers her powers. Our burdens her burdens. It is not a thing to claim lightly. Do you understand?

Lady Macbeth is both a bildungsroman and villain origin story. While the gothic atmosphere is well written and engaging, I think Reid takes entirely too many liberties with its title character. I much prefer Shakespeares original evil queen, warts and all, to the timid Roscille of Reids imagination.

This book is absurd enough that I do cautiously recommend it to Shakespeare enthusiasts for the shock value alone. Just please dont let this story color your opinion of the true Lady Macbeth.
Pakistan Cracks Down On Free Speech Online

By Abubakar Siddique January 31, 2025

Pakistan has adopted a new law that criminalizes online disinformation in a move that the authorities say is aimed at combating the spread of fake news on social media.

But critics say the law is designed to quash dissent in the South Asian country, where independent media have faced growing censorship in recent years.

Signed into law by the president on January 29, the law has triggered protests by journalists across the country of some 240 million people.

"This is a complete clampdown on free speech and the right to a fair trial," said Munizae Jahangir, a TV journalist based in the capital, Islamabad.

Under the new law, anyone found guilty of "intentionally disseminating" false or fake information faces a prison sentence of up to three years and fines of 2 million rupees ($7,100).

The law calls for the establishment of a new regulatory authority. which will have its own investigation agency and tribunals.

Jahangir said the law allows the authorities "to accuse somebody on very flimsy charges and put them behind bars" and give "unfettered powers" to the government regulatory authority tasked with investigating and adjudicating cases.

'Excessive Criminalization'

The new law is an amendment to the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, which was passed in 2017 to combat online hate speech, harassment, and cybercrime.

Activists say hundreds of journalists and activists have been targeted under that law. Critics say the successive governments have used it to stamp out dissent, particularly criticism of Pakistan's all-powerful military.

Hundreds of members of the Pashtun and Baluch ethnic minorities have faced cybercrime and defamation cases for criticizing the military's brutal crackdown on Islamist and nationalist insurgencies in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Members of the Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaf (PTI), the leading opposition party, have also faced a clampdown.

During the past two years, scores of PTI members and leaders have been targeted for protesting the jailing of their imprisoned leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, and the military's alleged meddling in politics.

"Everything they were doing in practice has been legalized through this [new] amendment," said Farieha Aziz, co-founder of the nongovernmental digital rights group Bolo Bhi.

She said the new law will strengthen state censorship. The new regulator created under the law requires social media companies to register with them and can issue fines and directives. The categories of content it can block has also been expanded.

"It's broad over-regulation and excessive criminalization on weak grounds," she said. "And that has a substantive effect on freedom of expression."

'Black Day'

During the past year, Islamabad has attempted to block virtual private networks (VPNs) after imposing a China-style Internet firewall in the country.

The firewall has been blamed for Internet outages and slowdowns that have disrupted businesses and triggered widespread complaints in the country.

Babu Ram Pant, deputy South Asia director of campaigns with global rights watchdog Amnesty International, said the new law is "in step with the deployment of intrusive digital surveillance technologies" but "fail to incorporate any human rights safeguards."

Journalists across the country observed a "black day" on January 28.

Beh Lih Yi, the Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, a global press freedom watchdog, said the new law is "deeply concerning" because it "will disproportionately curtail freedom of speech in Pakistan."

Asad Iqbal Butt, head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said digital freedoms have already been over-regulated.

He said this was "to the detriment of people's right to information and connectivity, both of which are integral to a 21st century democracy."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-electronic- crimes-act-peca-social-media-cesorship/33297599.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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EU: Human rights progress needed to preserve Pakistan's trade privileges

By Ayaz Gul January 31, 2025

The European Union is linking Pakistan's access to European trading markets as a duty-free exporter to progress on the country's "most pressing" human rights issues.

Olof Skoog, the EU's special human rights envoy, issued a warning Friday following a weeklong visit to the South Asian nation, where authorities have faced increasing accusations of suppressing civil liberties, political dissent, and free speech.

"The trade benefits under [the human rights development plan known as] GSP+ depend on the progress made on addressing a list of issues, including on human rights, and tangible reforms remain essential," a post-visit EU statement quoted Skoog as saying.

He referred to the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, commonly known as GSP+, which grants developing countries, including Pakistan, tariff-free access to the EU market in exchange for its adherence to specific human and labor rights obligations.

The EU statement noted that its envoy highlighted areas of concern during meetings with Pakistani leaders, including blasphemy laws, enforced disappearances, freedom of expression, media independence, impunity for rights violations, due process, fair trials, civic space, and the death penalty.

"As we approach the midterm of the current monitoring cycle, we encourage Pakistan to continue on its reform path as it prepares for reapplication under the upcoming new GSP+ regulation," Skoog stated.

The declaration noted that "Pakistan has become the largest beneficiary of GSP+" since the implementation of the trading plan in 2014, with Pakistani businesses increasing their exports to the EU market by 108%.

The EU envoy's visit coincided with the swift passage of controversial amendments by Pakistan's parliament this week to cybercrime laws that critics warned would curtail freedom of speech, not only for the conventional media but also for social media users.

The legislation criminalizes the "intentional" spread of "false news" with prison terms of up to three years, a fine of up to $7,100, or both.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's coalition government, accused of growing censorship, has defended the law, saying it is necessary to limit the spread of disinformation.

Pakistani and international free media advocacy groups, along with human rights activists, have condemned the amended law and are calling for its immediate repeal.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement that the law "threatens the fundamental rights of Pakistani citizens and journalists while granting the government and security agencies sweeping powers to impose complete control over internet freedom in the country."

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Russia may expand nuclear capability to counter US efforts: Russian diplomat

Iran Press TV

Friday, 31 January 2025 6:17 PM

In a move described by experts as a "clear signal to the West", Russia has reaffirmed its right to use nuclear weapons in response to aggression from states that do not possess nuclear arms but are backed by a nuclear power.

The Russian Foreign Ministry's special envoy, Grigory Mashkov, said in an interview on Thursday that the US's continued expansion of its global missile defense system effectively ends any possibility of strategic arms reduction and undermines strategic stability.

"Under these emerging realities, it is no longer possible to speak of strategic stability in its traditional bilateral contextotherwise, we risk falling into yet another illusion," Mashkov stated.

He further stressed that Russia would reassess its commitments to transparency and confidence-building measures and would suspend discussions on nuclear risks and threats, as such talks have become meaningless amid the West's relentless efforts to weaken Russia's strategic and non-strategic nuclear deterrent forces.

Late last year, the Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that his country may use nuclear weapons in response to an attack with conventional arms, according to the country's nuclear doctrine, known formally as Basic Principles of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence.

Moscow's latest statements come in response to Donald Trump's executive order last week, directing the US military to develop a "next-generation missile defense shield" modeled after the Israeli regime's system.

The Iron Dome, a so-called air defense system, was developed by the Israeli regime with heavy US funding, and Washington continues to prop up its allies while destabilizing global security.

Meanwhile, earlier today, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the US of deliberately disrupting the global nuclear balance and laying the groundwork for military confrontation in spacea move that further escalates tensions and threatens international security.

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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in Russian International Affairs Council governing bodies' meetings

31 January 2025 18:59

129-31-01-2025

On January 30, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov chaired a meeting of RIAC Board of Trustees. RIAC senior officials reported on the performance in 2024 and plans for 2025. The participants approved a decision to renew Sergey Lavrov's mandate as Chair of RIAC Board of Trustees for another four years.

On the same day, Sergey Lavrov addressed a RIAC General Assembly meeting held at the Foreign Ministry Mansion. In his remarks, the Minister noted, among other things, the existing demand for the Council's media and analytical support for the activities of the Foreign Ministry and other government bodies aimed at implementing the goals set in Russia's Foreign Policy Concept. Considering the ongoing restructuring of RIAC's external relations, the Minister stressed the importance of expanding interaction with partner organisations from the Global South and Global East.

At the request of the Council members, the Minister commented on Russia's approaches to dealing with international priorities during a back-and-forth interaction.



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Eastern Military District starts preparation for Selenga 2025 joint Russian-Mongolian military exercise

31.01.2025

The first planning conference of the Selenga 2025 joint Russian-Mongol military exercise was concluded at the Eastern Military District's Headquarters of the Combined Arms Army stationed in the Republic of Buryatia.

During the talks, representatives of the Eastern Military District and the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Mongolia agreed on the concept of the joint exercise, the area of the event, the number of forces and means involved in tactical operations as well as the organisation of logistics support.

The Selenga 2025 military exercise is to take place in the second half of the year.

The upcoming exercise is a continuation of the glorious traditions of our forefathers. The event is going to contribute to qualitative and successful cooperation aimed at strengthening security in the region and the improvement Russia-MongoI relations to a higher level.

Press Service of the Eastern Military District

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, US Secretary of State Discuss Saudi-US Strategic Partnership

Saudi Press Agency

Riyadh, January 31, 2025, SPA -- Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a telephone call today from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The two officials discussed relations and the strategic partnership between their countries, as well as the latest regional developments.

-- SPA

22:32 Local Time 19:32 GMT

0034

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Secretary Rubio's Call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

January 31, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed the path forward in Gaza and ways to advance shared interests in Syria, Lebanon, and across the region, to include Red Sea security and freedom of navigation. The Secretary thanked the Foreign Minister for Saudi partnership in helping to chart a new course for Lebanon and humanitarian assistance to Syria and Sudan. The Secretary said he looked forward to strengthening the U.S.-Saudi partnership.

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Taiwan issues DeepSeek AI public sector ban due to security concerns

ROC Central News Agency

01/31/2025 07:34 PM

Taipei, Jan. 31 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) said Friday that public sector workers will be banned from using DeepSeek, a recently released Chinese artificial intelligence model, due to concerns over data leaks to the Chinese government.

In a press release, MODA said DeepSeek AI is a Chinese ICT product and service and warned that potential data leaks could pose a national security risk.

MODA said the ban applies to employees of central and local government agencies, public schools, state-owned enterprises and other semi-official organizations but did not elaborate on specifics or enforcement measures.

MODA added that the ban also applies to those working on critical infrastructure projects and in government-endowed foundations.

MODA cited the 2019 Executive Yuan regulation, "Principles on Restricting the Use of Products That Endanger National Cyber Security," which prohibits government agencies from using ICT products and services that may pose a national security risk.

Taiwan's public sector ban on the Chinese chatbot came days after several governments worldwide moved to restrict employee access to the software.

Italy's data protection authority announced Thursday that it had blocked the Chinese AI model DeepSeek due to a lack of transparency regarding its use of personal data.

U.S. and Australian officials have also raised privacy concerns.

The Chinese chatbot recently shook up the global tech market with its AI model, which is said to rival American products despite relying on inferior chips.

(By Hsieh Fang-yu and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/kb

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Dismissals of mayors in Turkiye: Statement by the Congress President

Council of Europe

Congress

Strasbourg

31 January 2025

Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, has made the following statement:

"I condemn the escalating practice of dismissing and replacing elected mayors in Turkiye, a measure that both the Congress and the Venice Commission consider as undermining the very nature of local democracy. On 29 January, the Turkish authorities dismissed the elected mayor of Siirt, replacing her with a governor appointed by the Ministry of Interior. This mirrors a similar situation in Akdeniz Municipality earlier this month, which Stewart Dickson, Chair of the Council for Democratic Elections and Congress Spokesperson on Local and Regional elections noted with concern. Last November, I already deplored the removal of four mayors in comparable circumstances, yet this trend seems to persist.

"Respecting the will of voters is paramount for the Congress and, despite repeated calls from the Congress to end to this practice, an increasing number of Turkish citizens, who voted in the local elections held on 31 March 2024 - observed by the Congress - have seen their votes disregarded.

"At the last Congress session, the Congress reaffirmed, in Recommendation 519(2024), the need to abolish this practice and called on the authorities to ensure that ineligibility of candidates is assessed prior to the elections and based on a final criminal conviction. Candidates deemed eligible must be allowed to freely exercise their mandates, in line with the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which is binding on all Council of Europe member States. In the event of a mayor's dismissal, municipal councils should be able to choose a replacement mayor.

"The latest developments, along with the Congress's next steps, will be discussed at the Congress Monitoring Committee meeting in February 2025 in Strasbourg. I look forward to the Rapporteurs resuming the political dialogue with the Turkish authorities in the coming weeks to ensure the effective implementation of past recommendations."

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Budrys meets with Ukrainian Ambassador: European security depends on our joint commitment

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2025-01-31

On 30 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kestutis Budrys, met with the outgoing Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania, Petro Beshta.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy thanked the ambassador for his active and meaningful tenure. Budrys reaffirmed Lithuania's commitment to continue developing bilateral relations, and emphasized the joint effort to help Ukraine achieve victory.

"We must pursue peace not only by stopping the war but by stopping Russia's aggression. To do this, we must continue strengthening Ukraine. A hasty ceasefire will not lead to sustainable peace  it will encourage Russia to advance further. The most reliable security guarantee for Ukraine and a long-term peace measure is Ukraine's NATO membership," emphasized the Foreign Minister.

The meeting discussed the situation at the front, military and political aid priorities for Ukraine, support for Ukraine's energy sector, and Ukraine's EU accession process. Minister Kestutis Budrys noted that Lithuania will continue its support for Ukraine in this process. In January 2025, Lithuania began implementing the EU integration support measure for Ukraine (Ukraine2EU), aimed at helping prepare for EU membership.

"As we approach the sad anniversary  three years since the start of Russia's war  we must realize that Europe must take on greater responsibility. Ukraine's future and European security depend on our joint commitment. The highest priority in this context remains increasing military support for Ukraine, investing in Ukraine's defense industry, and alongside that, strengthening pressure on Russia," the Foreign Minister noted.

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North Korean Troops Vanish From Ukraine War's Front Lines, Officials Say

By Mike Eckel January 31, 2025

For months now, thousands of North Korean soldiers have been storming trenches, dodging artillery fire, fighting alongside Russian troops trying to dislodge Ukrainian forces from Russian territory.

When they first appeared last fall, the North Korean deployment worried Western officials, who feared they would pummel Ukrainian troops, already-beleaguered elsewhere the 1,100-kilometer front line, and force a retreat.

That didn't happen. And now, North Korean troops are reportedly being pulled back from the front lines. The reason, according to a New York Times report on January 31, appears to be high casualties.

Ukraine authorities had mixed assessments of the Times report: One military intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Current Time that North Korean troops indeed had been rotated out, due to "big losses" but characterized their movement as "standard operations."

Ukraine's special operation command, however, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that North Korean troops had not been observed in areas where special forces were fighting for approximately three weeks: "Likely having suffered significant losses, they were forced to retreat."

If a North Korean withdrawal, or even a major retreat, is confirmed, it would be a potentially embarrassing setback for Russian commanders -- not to mention a blow to the notion that the North Korean troops would be able to make a decisive battlefield difference.

Here's what we know so far.

From Pyongyang To Kursk

After weeks of Ukrainian warnings, bolstered by satellite images and other open-source intelligence, North Korean troops started appearing in Russian regions bordering Ukraine in mid-October. More than 11,000 in all, officials said at the time.

At the time, it wasn't fully clear why Russian officials had turned to Pyongyang for help; some experts suggested President Vladimir Putin was trying to avoid calling a new mobilization, or sending conscripts into battle -- something that would spark opposition inside Russia.

Western officials portrayed it as a sign of desperation. Western estimates put Russia's casualties since the start of the all-out invasion in February 2022 at more than 700,000 killed or wounded.

"This is an indication that he may be in even more trouble than most people realize," then-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in October, referring to Putin. "He went tin-cupping early on to get additional weapons and materials from" North Korea.

Ukrainian officials predicted they would end up in Kursk, a border region where Ukraine had surprised Russia with an invasion two months prior.

Indeed, Ukrainian units reported multiple encounters with North Koreans and have even taken some prisoners.

Have They Made A Difference On The Battlefield?

When Ukraine punched across the border in August 2024, its forces -- some of which included Kyiv's most experienced, battle-hardened units -- quickly seized a sizable amount of territory in Kursk: about 1,300 square kilometers at its maximum.

It was the biggest invasion of Russian territory by a foreign military since World War II.

Russia's defense was initially shambolic, and disorganized-- which prompted surprise and outrage, particularly among local residents. But commanders redeployed units, slowly pushing Ukrainian troops back. North Korean soldiers deployed in October; Ukrainian officials reported first clashes with them in early November.

Russia and North Korea's combined forces to date have retaken a little more than half the territory Ukrainian forces had seized in Kursk.

Days after the New Year, Ukrainian commanders ordered a new offensive in the Kursk region, to roll back North Korean gains.

The reasoning again was unclear, though some experts said it might have been to gain territory and jockey for position ahead of possible peace negotiations that U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for.

It was during that effort that Ukrainian troops appeared to have captured several North Koreans.

"They operate according to Soviet tactics, they operate in platoons, companies. They take advantage of their mass presence," Ukraine's top military officer, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said in an interview last month. "They are quite brave; of course, this is a problem."

So How Bad Are North Korean Casualties?

Ukrainian officials claim to have inflicted substantial casualties on North Korean troops; President Volodymyr Zelenskiy put the number at more than 3,000 in late December.

Military intelligence has released images of items captured from North Korea troops -- books, pamphlets, even cell phones -- though little of their contents has been shared publicly.

In his interview, Syrskiy estimated about half of the 11,000-12,000 deployed troops had been killed or wounded.

But Ukrainian estimates have been impossible to verify.

Days before Zelenskiy gave his estimate, South Korea's main intelligence service said around 1,100 North Koreans had been killed or wounded. The White House gave a comparable estimate on December 27: "more than 1,000 killed or wounded in this particular fighting in just the past week."

South Korean intelligence gave an updated tally on January 13: 200 North Koreans killed; 2,700 wounded.

Pulling North Korean troops back from front-line fighting could be a sign of how effective Ukrainian attacks have been, particularly if they're prioritizing targeting Pyongyang's soldiers.

But troop rotations are also normal in any battlefield: Exhausted soldiers need rest; units with high casualties need to be replenished or reorganized; ammunition and shells need to be stockpiled.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-north-korea-retreat- casualties-russia/33298570.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukraine Says It Hit Russian Refinery In Volograd

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 31, 2025

Ukraine says it struck a major oil refinery in the Volograd region as part of its drive to target Russian infrastructure tied to Moscow's war effort.

Ukraine's armed forces said in a statement on January 31 that the strikes targeted Lukoil-Volgogradneftoperobka, one of the 10 largest oil refineries in Russia in terms of capacity and a major supplier of oil products to the Russian Army.

"Combat work on strategic infrastructure, which directly affects the ability of the Russian Armed Forces to continue fighting against Ukraine, will continue," the General Staff of the Armed Forces said in a social media post.

Video and photographs posted on social media that have been verified by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty showed explosions and a large fire in the area of the refinery, which processes around 14 million tons of oil annually to produce gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.

Volograd regional Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed the refinery was hit by a Ukrainian drone attack, saying the fire was caused by falling debris from defense systems knocking the drones out of the sky.

The refinery has been the site of previous attacks, including one in May last year.

Ukraine has increased the intensity of its drone attacks at Russian refineries in recent months. Earlier this week, Ukrainian drones struck an oil refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Analysts say the move hits Moscow's ability to supply troops with fuel to fight its almost three-year-long war against Ukraine, as well as cutting into its use of oil and fuel exports that are used to help fund the war effort.

Ukraine also claimed to have destroyed a Russian Army command post in the Kursk region overnight in the drone attacks.

Russia has not commented on the claim.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-hits-russian-refinery- volograd/33298457.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Missile Attack Hits Historic Center Of Odesa

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 31, 2025

Russian troops on January 31 attacked the historical center of the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, damaging buildings and injuring two people, local officials said.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said two large explosions were heard in the early evening, and the historical city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was hit.

An air raid alert was announced in the Odesa region at about 7:20 p.m. local time. The Ukrainian Air Force warned of the threat of the use of ballistic weapons from the south.

The two injured people were women, who have been hospitalized in moderate condition, Kiper said. Kiper also posted photos on social media showing rescuers wheeling a woman on a gurney outside the Hotel Bristol, a luxury hotel built at the end of the 19th century, and debris on the street near the opulent opera house built in the same era.

The photos also show damage to the building's ornate facade and interior, including a grand staircase.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack underscored the importance of improving Ukraine's air defenses.

"Strikes directly on the city, on ordinary civilian buildings," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. "Again and again, air defense is the top priority. We are working with all our partners to provide more protection for our country."

Zelenskyy said a meeting of Ukraine's command had focused on improving weapons systems and speeding up deliveries.

"We need faster deliveries and greater numbers of systems and weapons which will enable us to save the lives of more of our soldiers, our people," he said.

"More orders for drones. More investments for the development of robotic systems. And more orders for basic weapons."

Zelenskyy called the attack "a completely deliberate strike by Russian terrorists" in a post on X. He added that among those caught in the epicenter of the attack were Norwegian diplomatic representatives.

Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said there was a lot of damage and destruction in the UNESCO-protected area, including a building that is under enhanced protection.

Odesa has been regularly targeted by strikes, including many on its port area.

The Russian leadership denies that the Russian army has launched targeted strikes on the civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities and villages. The Ukrainian authorities and international organizations have gathered evidence to the contrary.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-odesa-russia- missile-attack-city-center-historic-unesco-site/33298917.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov visits Vostok Group of Forces CP

31.01.2025

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov visited the Vostok Group of Forces command and control post in the special military operation zone.

There, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation General of the Army Valery Gerasimov was informed by Lieutenant General Andrei Ivanayev, the Vostok Group of Forces Commander, on the current situation in the area of responsibility and situation in current missions.

At the end of the reports, the Chief of the General Staff praised successful actions of the Vostok Group of Forces while liberating Velikaya Novoselka and Vremevka. He also gave orders for further actions.

At the end of his visit, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov presented the state awards to the most distinguished servicemen of the Vostok Group of Forces. He also thanked them for bravery and courage they had demonstrated during combat tasks.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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We Are Preparing New Formats to Support Brigades and Man Our Units, I Have Given Instructions to Present the Details to the Public Next Week - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

31 January 2025 - 21:01

Dear Ukrainians!

Currently, in the south of our country - in Odesa - rescue efforts continue following the Russian missile strikes. Preliminary, it was ballistics. The strikes directly targeted the city, ordinary civilian buildings. Again and again: air defense remains our top priority, we are working with all our partners to provide more protection for our state.

Today, I held a meeting of the Staff. There were many reports. On supplies to our troops - it's our weapons, all procurements, contracts. All these are in place. Supplies are in place. We need faster delivery speeds, and we need much more such systems, such weapons that will help us save more lives of our warriors, our people. More orders for drones. More investment in the development of robotic systems. And more basic weapons supplies. All the necessary orders are in place. Our industry has the potential. Countries, particularly in Europe, are ready to collaborate with Ukraine and invest in our arms production. And our diplomats have clear tasks. We need to increase our partners' funding for Ukraine's defense. And in particular, these should become the KPIs - key performance indicators - of Ukrainian diplomacy.

Today we received a report from the military: the frontline, the situation with brigades - manning. We are preparing new formats to support brigades and man our units. I have given instructions to present the details to the public next week.

Today, I also had the honor of recognizing our warriors with state awards - specifically, our fighters: the Stars of the Heroes of Ukraine and the Crosses of Military Merit. Thirty of our warriors. I thank all of them. I thank each one.

Today, I held a meeting with international experts - our team of the Government and the Office. We are preparing important talks with the Europeans and, of course, with the team of the United States. We all need meetings, we all need a shared vision, we all need strong decisions to secure a lasting peace. We need them badly!

I thank everyone who is helping us!

Glory to Ukraine!

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We Have Completed the Preparatory Work for the Establishment of a Claims Commission which Will Grant Compensation for Damages Caused by Russian Aggression - Iryna Mudra

President of Ukraine

31 January 2025 - 18:28

The fourth and final preparatory meeting for the establishment of an international Claims Commission for Ukraine, which will grant compensation for damages caused by Russian aggression, was held in The Hague. The Ukrainian delegation was led by the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra.

Representatives from 53 states and the EU discussed the draft international agreement and set the date for a diplomatic conference. Official negotiations will begin in March in The Hague.

"By the end of 2025, we must finalize official negotiations and sign an international agreement. We must not forget the stories of the people we are working for. Behind every claim submitted to the Register of Damage is a family mourning a loss, a community striving to recover, and a nation fighting for its future. These are not mere statistics. These are lives forever changed by aggression," Iryna Mudra noted.

The Claims Commission will be the second key element of the International Compensation Mechanism - one of the priorities of the seventh point of the Peace Formula, "Restoration of Justice."

The first element, the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, has already started accepting claims in the first two categories: Death of an Immediate Family Member and Damage or Destruction of Residential Immovable Property. Work is underway to open the remaining categories.

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Andriy Yermak Had a Phone Call with Japan's National Security Advisor

President of Ukraine

31 January 2025 - 16:10

Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a phone call with Okano Masataka, Secretary General of Japan's National Security Secretariat and National Security Advisor to the Cabinet, congratulating him on his appointment.

It was the first international telephone conversation Okano Masataka had after his appointment as National Security Advisor.

The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine expressed deep gratitude to the Japanese side for providing significant financial and humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak provided an update on the situation on the battlefield, as well as Ukraine's defense and humanitarian needs.

Parties exchanged views on further ways to deepen cooperation in the transfer of defense equipment and technology.

The Head of the Presidential Office also expressed gratitude to Japan for its active support in implementing the Peace Formula and working toward a just peace for Ukraine. He also acknowledged the sanctions introduced this month against several Russian individuals and entities, as well as Japan's export ban on various categories of goods to Russia.

The parties emphasized the importance of maintaining political dialogue at the level of leaders in the near future.

Andriy Yermak and Okano Masataka agreed to maintain close contact.

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Russian Missile Attack Injures 7 In Odesa, Causes Serious Damage To Historic City Center

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service February 01, 2025

Russian troops on January 31 attacked the historical center of the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, damaging buildings on the UNESCO World Heritage list and injuring seven people, local officials said.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said three large explosions were heard in the early evening at intervals, which he described as a "well-established practice" by the Russian military of repeated attacks on the same target.

"However, in this case a missile capable of penetrating concrete was used," he said on national television while standing in a street near emergency crews engaged in a rescue operation.

"This means it was deliberately aimed at a civilian hotel to destroy the floors and structures inside, causing destruction and, of course killing civilians staying there at the time."

The Prosecutor-General's Office said Russian armed forces used ballistic missiles in the attack.

"In the central part of the city, a hotel building was destroyed, windows were broken, and facades in nearby buildings and premises were damaged," the Prosecutor-General's Office said. Law enforcement officers have opened criminal proceedings, it added.

Kiper also posted photos on social media showing rescuers wheeling an injured woman on a gurney outside the Hotel Bristol, a luxury hotel built at the end of the 19th century, and debris on the street in front of the nearby opulent opera house built in the same era.

The photos also show damage to the building's ornate facade and interior, including a grand staircase.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack underscored the importance of improving Ukraine's air defenses.

"Strikes directly on the city, on ordinary civilian buildings," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. "Again and again, air defense is the top priority. We are working with all our partners to provide more protection for our country."

Zelenskyy said a meeting of Ukraine's command had focused on improving weapons systems and speeding up deliveries.

"We need faster deliveries and greater numbers of systems and weapons which will enable us to save the lives of more of our soldiers, our people," he said.

"More orders for drones. More investments for the development of robotic systems. And more orders for basic weapons."

Zelenskyy called the attack "a completely deliberate strike by Russian terrorists" in a post on X. He added that among those caught in the epicenter of the attack were Norwegian diplomatic representatives.

Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said there was a lot of damage and destruction in the UNESCO-protected area, including a building that is under enhanced protection.

Odesa has been regularly targeted by strikes, including many on its port area.

The Russian leadership denies that the Russian army has launched targeted strikes on the civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities and villages. The Ukrainian authorities and international organizations have gathered evidence to the contrary.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine- russia-attack-odesa-unesco-historical-center-kiper-- zelenskiy-zelenskyy/33299250.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump support for denuclearization talks with Russia, China raises hopes

By Steve Herman January 31, 2025

Arms control advocates are hoping U.S. President Donald Trump's fresh words of support for denuclearization will lead to talks with Russia and China on arms reduction.

U.S. negotiations with the Russians and Chinese on denuclearization and eventual agreements are "very possible," according to Trump, who addressed the World Economic Forum a week ago in Davos, Switzerland.

"Tremendous amounts of money are being spent on nuclear [weapons], and the destructive capability is something that we don't even want to talk about because you don't want to hear," he said. "It's too depressing."

Trump noted that in his first term, he discussed the topic with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We were talking about denuclearization of our two countries, and China would have come along," according to Trump. "President Putin really liked the idea of cutting back on nuclear [armaments], and I think the rest of the world  we would have gotten them to follow."

Just months before leaving office, former U.S. President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Peru where both agreed that decisions regarding the use of nuclear weapons should remain under human control. That consensus was seen as a positive step after the Chinese, four months previously, suspended nuclear arms control talks with Washington to protest American arms sales to Taiwan.

The horror of nuclear attacks first became evident to many in the world through magazines in the West, which printed photographs of the radiation-burned survivors of the U.S. atomic attack on two Japanese cities in 1945 to end World War II. In subsequent years during the Cold War, U.S. government films captured the destructive force of test detonations in the Nevada desert, eventually prompting public demonstrations to "ban the bomb" and diplomacy to reduce or eliminate all nuclear weapons.

A major breakthrough occurred in 1987 with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) between the United States and the Soviet Union. It entered into full force the following year. By 1991, nearly 2,700 missiles had been dismantled. That was the first time the two nuclear superpowers achieved a reduction of such weapons rather than just limiting their growth.

Over the years, the Americans and the Russians lost their monopoly on nuclear weapons. Nine countries presently have nuclear arsenals, although Israel has never acknowledged possession of such weaponry.

The United States and Russia each have more than 5,000 nuclear warheads  90% of the world's total. The combined global force of all countries' nuclear weapons could destroy the world many times over, according to arms control advocates.

The current New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), signed in 2010 by U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, set limits on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems, while including on-site inspection and exchanges of data for verification.

The treaty expires in early February 2026, which adds urgency to Trump's call for talks with Russia and China, according to Xiaodon Liang, senior analyst for nuclear weapons policy and disarmament at the Arms Control Association.

"And because of that, this issue has to be at the top of the agenda, and having a signal that the president is concerned about this issue and thinking about it is very positive," Liang told VOA.

Since a formal, comprehensive agreement could take years to negotiate  possibly spanning beyond the four years of the second Trump presidency  Liang suggests the U.S. president consider an "executive agreement" with Putin, an informal consensus or a series of unilateral steps to continue adhering to the numbers in New START for an indefinite period.

"That would be a stabilizing factor in this important bilateral relationship," Liang added.

There are analysts who advocate a more aggressive tactic.

Trump should consider ordering a resumption of nuclear testing to demonstrate to America's adversaries that the U.S. arsenal of weapons of mass destruction remains viable and as an act of resolve, writes Robert Peters, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank seen as having a dominant influence on Trump administration policies.

Peters also suggests that Trump might want to withdraw from the 1963 Test Ban Treaty made with Moscow and "conduct an above-ground test either at the Nevada National Security Site or in the Pacific Ocean over open water, where nuclear fallout can be minimized" to stave escalatory moves by an adversary to the United States.

The Heritage Foundation did not respond to multiple requests from VOA to interview Peters.

Moscow is not known to have conducted any sort of test causing a nuclear chain reaction, known as criticality, since 1990. Two years later, the United States announced it would no longer test nuclear weapons, although subcritical simulations continue. The other nuclear nations have followed suit except North Korea, which last triggered a nuclear test explosion in 2017.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists on Tuesday moved up the hands of its "Doomsday Clock" by one second to 89 seconds to midnight, meant to signify the peril from weapons of mass destruction and other existential threats.

"We set the clock closer to midnight because we do not see positive progress on the global challenges we face, including nuclear risk, climate change, biological threats and advances in disruptive technology," said Daniel Holz, a physics professor at the University of Chicago, just after the hands of this year's clock were unveiled at the U.S. Institute of Peace.

While the Doomsday Clock is merely symbolic, Liang at the Arms Control Association sees it as an annual important ritual highlighting the risks to Americans and everyone else posed by the world's nuclear arsenals.

"It is a good tool for bringing this to more people's attention, and you can't blame Americans for having so many other issues on their plate. And having this [clock] as a reminder, I think, is an effective communications tool," Liang said.

At the Doomsday Clock ceremony, VOA asked former Colombian President and Nobel laureate Juan Manuel Santos what he viewed as the biggest hurdle to Trump, Putin and Xi making progress on denuclearization.

"The biggest challenge, in my view, is for them to understand that they should sit down and talk about how the three of them can take decisions to save their own countries and the whole world," he said.

Liang compared the situation to U.S. President John F. Kennedy's call to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, which led Washington and Moscow to pull back from the brink of nuclear war.

That resolution turned the hands of the Doomsday Clock the following year back to 12 minutes to midnight in recognition of the Americans, Soviets and British banning nuclear testing in the atmosphere, in space and under water.

It has been several years since the United States engaged in any denuclearization negotiations. Those working-level talks in 2019 in Sweden between the first Trump administration and North Korean officials did not yield any agreement, with Pyongyang's chief negotiator, Kim Myong Gil, telling reporters that the Americans had raised expectations with promises of flexibility but would not "give up their old viewpoint and attitude."

The State Department spokesperson at the time, Morgan Ortagus, said in a statement the two countries could not be expected to "overcome a legacy of 70 years of war and hostility on the Korean Peninsula in the course of a single Saturday," but such weighty issues "require a strong commitment by both countries. The United States has that commitment."

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AI-powered, unified customer experience platform (CXM), Lucidya will be front and center at this years LEAP, the world's most attended tech event taking place in Riyadh, KSA this February.

At the event, the Saudi-based company will showcase their ever-expanding product suite including Lucidyas Social Listening, Profiles, OmniServe, AI Agent, Survey, and Media Monitoring, all enabled by their all-in-one CXM platform.

Moreover, the company is excited to announce that they will be collecting and analyzing real-time feedback from various sources to gauge attendees' sentiments at this years event. Findings will later be released in a report that aims to help businesses further maximize their marketing opportunities through truly listening to customers needs.

Visitors are invited to explore how Lucidyas innovative solutions can redefine customer experience management to deliver measurable business outcomes. As the first AI company in the region to be backed by VCs, Lucidya plays a key role in contributing to KSAs USD100 billion AI initiative as part of Saudi Vision 2030. With close to a decade of market presence, Lucidya has helped deliver robust, all-in-one CXM solutions to over 120 enterprises representing industries and government entities across the board, helping them achieve higher ROI through managing customer interactions and organizing customer experience touchpoints.

Businesses of all sizes and industries stand everything to gain from the platform. Lucidyas analytics reports as of Jan 2025 indicate a 238% increase in positive brand sentiment, 207% increase in social reach, and 900% increase in response to questions time. Helping businesses achieve these goals has not only earned Lucidya a place in the prestigious Saudi Unicorn Club but also marked a significant milestone in the companys growth journey.

LEAP will be taking place on February 9 to 12, 2025 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Saudi Arabia. To experience how Lucidya helps businesses think clearly, be sure to stop by booth H3-F90 to learn more.

About Lucidya

Lucidya is an AI-powered, fully-complaint unified customer experience platform (CXM) designed to support CX and marketing leaders in large enterprises, governments, and SMEs across the Arab world. Through the transformative power of AI, Lucidya enables organizations of all sizes to turn raw data into meaningful interactions and actionable insights, allowing them to build human connections and drive real business impact, safely and securely.
NEW YORK, Feb. 01, 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
Dallas, TX, Feb. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dickeys Barbecue Pit is stepping up to support fire relief efforts in Southern California by launching the First Responders Relief Combo, available at participating locations nationwide throughout the month of February. A portion of every combo sold will go toward relief efforts, providing critical aid to first responders and communities impacted by the devastating wildfires.

The First Responders Relief Combo includes Dickeys current, seasonal limited time offer Hot Honey BBQ Chicken Sandwich  available smoked or crispy  paired with a side of barbecue beans and the brands iconic Big Yellow Cup. The special offering is available from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28, allowing guests to enjoy Legit. Texas. Barbecue. while giving back to those on the front lines of disaster response.

At Dickeys, we stand with our first responders in times of crisis, said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. These brave men and women put their lives on the line to protect our communities, and we are honored to support them through this initiative both in our restaurants and through The Dickey Foundation.

The month-long donation drive with the First Responders Relief Combo adds to the brands other first responder support initiatives. Dickeys California franchisees, Perri Campbell in Riverside and Eric Lyon in Duarte, in partnership with Dickeys and The Dickey Foundation, are donating food weekly to area firefighters and families displaced by the wildfires. Additionally, a portion of every Big Yellow Cup sale across the country already goes to support first responders nationwide. This expanded effort reflects Dickeys ongoing commitment to making a meaningful impact beyond the pit.

Barbecue is about bringing people together, and this is an opportunity for our guests to enjoy a great meal while contributing to a cause that truly matters, said Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickeys Capital Group. Every bite counts, and every cup makes a difference.

The Dickey Family has a long-standing commitment to first responders through The Dickey Foundation, the charitable arm of Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, which provides essential safety equipment and resources to firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel nationwide.

Our first responders are heroes, and they deserve our unwavering support, said Maurine Dickey, Chairman and Founder of The Dickey Foundation. Through this campaign, were raising funds for resources they need while also helping the families and communities affected by these devastating fires.

Join Dickeys in supporting first responders and wildfire relief efforts by purchasing the First Responders Relief Combo at participating locations or ordering online at www.dickeys.com and the Dickeys App.

For more information about The Dickey Foundation and its mission to support first responders, visit www.dickeyfoundation.org.

For more information about The Dickey Foundation and its mission to support first responders, visit www.dickeyfoundation.org.

About Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Founded in 1941 by The Dickey Family, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is the worlds largest barbecue concept and continues as a third-generation family-run business. For over 80 years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit has served millions with its signature Legit. Texas. Barbecue. Slow-smoked over hickory wood-burning pits, Dickeys barbecued meats are paired with a variety of southern sides. Committed to authentic barbecue, Dickeys never takes shortcutsbecause real barbecue cant be rushed.

With over 866 restaurants across eight concepts in the U.S. and several countries, Dickeys Barbecue Franchise and Dickeys Restaurant Brands continues to grow under the leadership of Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickeys Capital Group, and Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickeys Barbecue Pit, Inc.

Dickeys has been recognized on Newsweeks 2022 "Americas Favorite Restaurant Chains" list, Nations Restaurant News 2024 top fast-casual brands for value, and USA Todays 2021 Readers Choice Awards. The brand has also ranked in the Top 20 of Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers for four of the past five years. Additional accolades include Entrepreneur's Top 500 Franchise and Hospitality Technologys Industry Heroes list. The brand has been featured by Fox News, Forbes, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine.

For more information, visit www.dickeys.com. For information about becoming a franchise partner, visit www.dickeysfranchise.com.

Attachment
Cranbrook, January 31, 2025 - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement"), whereby the Company has completed the issuance of 6,486,706 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.21 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,362,208.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant of the Company (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the date of issue at an exercise price of $0.40 per Warrant Share.

In connection with the Private Placement, the Company issued 62,461 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") and paid finder's commissions of $13,116.81. Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder, on exercise thereof, to acquire one Share at a price of $0.40 per Share for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance.

The securities offered in the Private Placement are subject to a four month and one day transfer restriction from the date of issuance expiring on June 1, 2025, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada.

The Company intends to use the proceeds for funding the Peru projects and general office and administration requirements. There may be circumstances, however, where, for sound business reasons, a reallocation of funds may be necessary.

The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons or persons in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.

About DLP Resources Inc.

DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southern Peru and Southeastern British Columbia, exploring for Copper, Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP and on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information.

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

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This 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 "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, the use of the proceeds raised under the Private Placement.

These forwardlooking 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, market uncertainty and the risk that the Company will not be able to use the proceeds of the Private Placement as currently anticipated.

In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will use the proceeds of the Private Placement as currently anticipated.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/239264
With the Samsung Galaxy S25 series out and about without any trace of Exynos 2500, some were quick to assume that we won't be getting an Exynos-powered Samsung flagship this year. However, a confirmation that the company is working on the chipset comes from an unlikely place - Samsung's earnings report.

In an earnings call aimed at investors, the Samsung System LSI department shared some info regarding the Exynos 2500. The report says the Korean tech giant is working on refining the flagship SoC and wants to "secure design wins for mobile models scheduled for release in H2 2025".

And what comes in the second half of 2025? The foldables, of course. This is a hint that Samsung wants to release its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 phones with Exynos 2500 on board. Still, we don't know whether all versions of these phones will run on the Exynos or if some markets will get the Snapdragon 8 Elite from Qualcomm, as Samsung usually does. There will be Exynos 2500-powered units, though, that's almost a guarantee at this point.

The chipset's specs have been featured in a couple of leaks so far, but the latest one is from a few days ago, showing a change in the CPU clusters with a 1+2+2+5 configuration, instead of 1+2+3+4 used in the Exynos 2400.

Source
Feature: How low-altitude economy is transforming a remote town in southwest China

13:43, February 01, 2025 By Yi Ling and Yu Li ( Xinhua

CHENGDU, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The winter morning of Jan. 20 in the mountainous town of Chewang, located in southwest China's Sichuan Province, began for Yuan Tao, the Party chief of Chewang, with two pieces of good news.

The newly established drone transportation company in the town, just two months ago, had already secured orders through the end of the year, with expected tax revenue nearing 600,000 yuan (about 83,684 U.S. dollars), while a local bamboo processing company was planning to expand its production capacity in 2025.

According to Yuan's calculations, excluding the income boost for locals, the town is projected to generate a record tax revenue of over 1.2 million yuan in 2025, marking a substantial increase of more than 20 percent compared to 2024. He quickly realized that the reason behind this surge was clear: the low-altitude economy.

But how did this small town, located at the crossroads of Sichuan and Guizhou, some 1,900 km from the Chinese capital, Beijing, become associated with the burgeoning low-altitude economy? The story behind this is truly fascinating.

Before 2024, the town, with a population of over 23,000 spread across one community and seven villages, was primarily known for its bamboo industry. Most of the local farmers had never ventured beyond Luzhou, let alone seen a drone in person.

It all began in early September 2024, when Wang Fei, head of Sichuan Honghuang Technology Co., Ltd., a company specializing in drone operations, was informed about Chewang's bamboo resources during a business matchmaking workshop in Luzhou.

Wang then visited Chewang intending to establish a cableway to help local villagers transport bamboo down from the mountains.

Surrounding Chewang are bamboo forests that span over 300,000 mu (about 20,000 hectares), making it one of the core bamboo production areas in Luzhou. However, due to the mountainous terrain, transporting bamboo harvested from the hilltops is a major challenge, often leading villagers to watch their bamboo "naturally perish" as they struggle to move it.

Rather than building a cableway, Wang thought to himself, why not transport the bamboo directly with drones?

After conducting a field survey, Wang presented the idea to Yuan, pointing out that many of the bamboo groves were located within 300 meters of rural roads, making them ideal for low-altitude drone transport.

In early November, Wang brought a team of professionals to demonstrate the bamboo transportation process.

Following the instructions, a drone took off with a roughly 10-meter-long rope descending vertically onto a harvested bamboo grove. A villager swiftly bound a 50-kg bundle of bamboo, and the drone, carrying the bundle, flew about 300 meters before unloading it on a flat area beside the village road -- all within just five minutes.

It was an eye-opening experience for Yuan and his fellow villagers. "I thought this could only happen in a movie," Yuan told Xinhua. "How can such a 'big toy plane' do something like this?"

A major bamboo producer in Luzhou, Chewang alone is home to 70,000 mu of bamboo forest, with more than half located in hilly areas. "Using drones can solve over 70 percent of the transportation challenges for bamboo in our town," he said.

Following the drone demonstration, the people of Chewang decided to move ahead. On Nov. 28, Sichuan Qingmu Tianque Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in the town, with a registered capital of 3 million yuan. The company's operations cover public air transport, general aviation services and air cargo packaging.

"We can't miss the opportunities brought by the low-altitude economy," Yuan said, noting that the following day, the first batch of nine drones began operations.

Zhou Jiangtao, a bamboo buyer and frequent visitor to Chewang, was stunned by the "revolutionary" changes that had taken place in just three months.

He explained that, just the day before, the drones had transported four tonnes of bamboo from the mountains, and by the following morning, they had a total of around 10 tonnes, just enough for one truck.

Before the introduction of drone transport, it took three villagers about three days to move one tonne of bamboo across a straight-line distance of just 200 meters.

"With a daily wage of 150 yuan per person for workers transporting bamboo and a market price of 500 yuan per tonne, our bamboo farmers were barely making any money," Yuan said.

However, with drone transport, covering the same distance means that moving one tonne of bamboo requires 20 drone trips, which can be completed in just two hours at a cost of 200 yuan.

Wang Dongshui, from Jiuqiao Village, was one of the first to experience drone transport. "Previously, the bamboo we planted on the mountain was so difficult to sell, as no one came to collect it. Since December, all the bamboo from my seven mu of land has been transported by drone, earning me over 3,000 yuan," he said.

"Our business is thriving, even though our company is still young," Wang Fei chimed in cheerfully. "With our current capacity, we have orders lined up until the end of 2025."

Looking ahead, Yuan said that, following the delivery of an additional 30 drones as part of the cooperation agreement with the company, they plan to expand their business from Chewang to surrounding areas in Luzhou, the city of Yibin, and even the neighboring Chishui City in Guizhou Province.

The company will also initiate training programs for drone operators, Yuan noted.

SKILLED WORKFORCE

At the drone pilot training base of Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, 40 retired military personnel are grouped into teams to operate four drones for flight practice. The veterans are currently undergoing a three-month training program to develop their drone application skills.

Meanwhile, in one of the college's teaching buildings, students enrolled in the 2024 drone application technology program are undergoing simulated flight training at the virtual drone simulation center.

The training base boasts a standardized runway measuring 140 meters in length and 40 meters in width. To meet the training requirements, the college has also applied for an airborne space of 300 meters in height, covering an area of 50 square kilometers.

The drone training base is also equipped with advanced virtual simulation training devices, along with facilities such as a drone hangar and fully equipped training classrooms.

"Our college serves as a cradle for cultivating drone technology talent in Luzhou," said Bao Xuedong, vice president of Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, adding that Luzhou is the first city in the province to launch cooperative school programs linked to low-altitude economy disciplines.

"The training is helping me become a more employable 'near-professional,'" said Wen Yonggang, a student enrolled in the drone application technology program since September.

He noted that he chose this major not only to fulfill his dream of "serving the nation through aviation" but also because of the rapidly developing drone industry, which offers vast potential and promising career prospects.

In his spare time, Wen participates in various activities through the college's drone association to gain more practical experience.

"By the time I graduate, I hope to earn both a certificate in drone maintenance and a drone pilot license," he said.

Since the launch of its first admissions for low-altitude economy-related programs, the vocational college has seen a surge in applications.

The first batch of 148 students began their full-day training in September. Community training in drone applications is also gaining momentum, with the first group of 40 retired military veterans now receiving drone application skills training.

"Acquiring an additional professional skill opens up more employment opportunities for me in the future," said Zhou Yidong, a university student and veteran who has long been interested in drones.

He noted that the local veterans' affairs bureau provided this training opportunity, which he immediately enrolled in, even taking leave from his university to participate.

China's central government has identified the low-altitude economy as a key sector for developing new quality productive forces, with the Sichuan provincial government taking significant steps to promote its growth.

In 2025, the college initiated partnerships with the Ordnance Science and Research Academy of China under China North Industries Group Corporation, and China's major commercial unmanned aerial vehicle company JOUAV, which is based in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu, to establish an industrial academy, according to Bao.

They have launched programs in drone application technology and satellite communication and navigation technology, aimed at forming a skilled workforce for drone production, manufacturing and application industries.

Looking ahead, Bao said the college plans to expand partnerships with leading enterprises to jointly establish a low-altitude flight school and develop productive drone training bases on campus. This initiative aims to cultivate high-quality professionals to support the growth of smart manufacturing and the low-altitude economy in Luzhou.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Guam Memorial Hospital is facing a significant loss in American Rescue Plan Act funding after what the hospital thought was a $20 million allocation is now down to $10 million.

The funding was designated for critical infrastructure projects and the shortfall in funds has raised concerns as the hospital works to fulfill essential capital improvement initiatives.

During their Wednesday board meeting, GMH Deputy Assistant Administrator Rodalyn Gerado addressed the situation, explaining how the funding issues unfolded.

Weve been reporting month after month, our team worked really hard to work towards obligating all of the projects that we had listed in our ARPA that weve identified to be funded under the ARPA, Gerado said. So all the way to the very end, we worked, and we pretty much obligated almost all of $20 million.

GMH then recently discovered that instead of the full $20 million they had been expecting, only $10 million had been allocated for these critical projects.

So whats happening now is were reviewing to see what other funding sources we can use to pay for some of these projects that weve already obligated under ARPA, Gerado said.

This unexpected funding shortfall has left GMH in a difficult position to find other funding options to secure additional resources to cover the gap.

Gerado further explained that the discrepancy was partly the result of confusion surrounding the procurement process and the specific requirements for obligating the funds.

GMH had been working diligently to meet the necessary deadlines, including completing all procurement records by the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline, but unfortunately, the final determination on the requirements did not align with the hospitals understanding.

We were then to complete all the procurement records, whether its a contract or whether its a sub-award project or procurement project or a similar transaction document that requires payment, and so our interpretation of that is a purchase order, Gerado said. Unfortunately, that did not meet, I guess.

GMH Administrator Lilian Perez-Posadas clarified the use of the $10 million that GMH received.

The funds were used to pay outstanding vendor bills, with some of the money directed toward capital improvement plans or CIPs. However, since many of the larger CIP projects are still in their early stages, payments for those will not be due until later.

Because these were vendors, there may have been some capital improvement plans in there, but the bigger CIP projects, as you know, these will take some time, Perez-Posadas said. So its not like we can pay those yet; they will come due as the projects get completed.

The hospitals plan was to use the funds to pay existing vendors now while setting aside money to fund future CIP projects as they progress.

Perez-Posadas also shared the communication issues with the Bureau of Budget and Management Research, which contributed to the confusion over the funding allocation. She outlined how BBMRs reports reflected discrepancies in the allocation amounts.

I was analyzing the BBMR reports from October, November, and December on their ARPA reports. In October, there was a $20 million allocation, which is what weve been talking about all along, Perez-Posadas said. However, in the November report, dated December 5, the $20 million was no longer listed, and instead, an additional $10 million appeared, listed for vendor payments.

Perez-Posadas further explained the lack of communication from BBMR, which led to the discrepancies.

As our legal counsel mentioned earlier, the $20 million was taken away from us before they even communicated anything to us, Perez-Posadas said. Then, the $10 million was added back into the account.

Next steps

Perez-Posadas outlined GMHs immediate next steps to address the funding discrepancy and keep critical projects on track. The hospital is currently reviewing all projects and purchase orders issued to identify alternative funding sources for the remaining obligations.

What were doing now is were looking at all these projects, all the purchase orders that weve issued, because we need to identify funding sources for these projects, Perez-Posadas said. As weve been talking about all along, these are all critical projects for us, and theyre very important. And so because of that, we need to identify funding sources for them.

When asked about the potential impact of the shortfall on critical projects, Perez-Posadas confirmed that some of the projects have already been signed, indicating that some progress is being made despite the funding issues. She also confirmed that GMH is continuing to engage in discussions with BBMR, the Department of Administration, and the governors office to find a resolution to the funding challenges.

As the Pacific Daily News reported GMH was facing challenges meeting the Dec. 31, 2024, deadline to obligate $20 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The hospital was overseeing 52 projects, up from the previously reported 47, with 17% completed, 52% ongoing or about to issue purchase orders, and 31% pending.
Sen. Vincent Borja, the newly appointed chairman of the Legislatures committee with oversight of education, shared his priorities for the Guam Department of Education.

Borja was asked about the possible implications of a federal funding freeze on GDOE earlier this week, but the Trump administration later rescinded the memo.

The senator stressed the importance of addressing the most urgent needs of GDOE, particularly in maintenance. Reflecting on past oversights, he pointed to the purchase of air conditioners for schools without a sustainable maintenance plan.

I think one of the focuses as we continue to meet with them and look at the upcoming budget discussions, is really looking at the urgent priorities of the department, especially maintenance, Borja said. If theres one thing that we learned from our recent law in regards to public health inspection, it is that we need to ensure that we have a sustainable maintenance plan and that there is funding set aside to address that.

Borja said that GDOE must prioritize maintenance to avoid repeating past mistakes.

One of my biggest concerns, especially right now, with meeting with them, is weremember, we bought air conditioners to cool the schools with no maintenance plan, Borja said. And so thats one of the biggest things that I think I want to continue to ask and push and ensure that the department prioritizes maintenance.

Another issue Borja addressed was the ongoing confusion about who is responsible for grass cutting on school campuses. He made it clear that mayors should not bear this responsibility.

We need to stop putting that on the mayors. Thats not their responsibility. Thats a maintenance problem for GDOE, Borja said. So my discussion with the superintendent, which Im going to meet later this week, is, what is a plan? What do we need to be able to support this operation?

Borja also suggested subcontracting maintenance services, such as grass cutting, to a private entity due to GDOEs limited capacity.

Right now, immediately, we need to have a plan thats going to take care of most of the maintenance problems, including grass cutting, he said.

Borja emphasized the need to work within limited resources.

We need to look at operating within our means, he said. If we give you $20, you have to figure out how to make things work with $20. You cant continue to operate assuming that youre going to get $100. And there are going to be some tough decisions that are going to have to be made.

He also voiced concerns about the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds to cover previous budget shortfalls and potential mismanagement of those funds.

I did have some preemptive discussions in regards to some ARPA funding that was being used to subsidize some of the shortcomings with the last budget that was passed, Borja said.

He also pointed out complications from using COVID-19 relief funds in ways that may not align with their intended purposes.

I know that theres some internal issues in regards to the internal audit approving the use of COVID funds to pay for specific line items within their budget, Borja said. We need to figure out, as a Legislature and as an agency, how theyre going to address that shortcoming.

Financial planning

Borja emphasized the importance of sustainable financial planning for GDOEs future.

What Id like to at least focus on is ensuring that we operate within our means, he said. Its scary because the first thing people think about is laying off, but I think its really looking at the operations and how we can improve efficiency.

He also warned that Guam cannot rely indefinitely on federal funds, particularly revenue from the military buildup.

The military buildup is not going to be here forever, so we need to ensure that we pass a smart and sustainable budget that operates within what the government can afford in the long run, Borja said.

Borja underlined the importance of operating within available resources to ensure the long-term sustainability of GDOE.

We need to operate within our means, he said. There are tough decisions that are going to have to be made, but thats the only way we can ensure the department remains functional and meets its obligations.




Haiti - News : Zapping...





Kenscoff : assault rifles and ammunition seized

On Friday, January 31, 2025, as part of ongoing operations in Kenscoff, law enforcement officers carried out operations in Bonga, La Hatte, and Dlo Barette with the aim of neutralizing the bandits seeking to take control of these localities. Two assault rifles and a bag containing several hundred rounds of 5.56 caliber ammunition were seized.



Elections and referendum (provisional dates)

According to the statements in France by Leslie Voltaire, President pro tempore of the Transitional Council, and in accordance with the projections of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), the referendum on the Constitution will take place in mid-May 2025 at the latest; the first round of the general elections (presidential, legislative and municipal) round of the general elections and, in January around mid-November 2025 and the second round in January 2026, for the installation of a new Government on February 7, 2026



See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44170-haiti-flash-leslie-voltaire-announces-the-retreating-of-gangs-and-the-date-of-general-elections-video.html and https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44168-haiti-flash-emmanuel-macron-evoked-the-independence-debt-with-leslie-voltaire-video.html



Victor Prophane's lawyer demands the release of his client

Me Michel Bernard Resemberg denounces the treatment inflicted on his client, Former MP Victor Prophane arrested on January 12 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-44050-icihaiti-justice-former-deputy-prophane-victor-arrested.html and who has since been detained handcuffed, an inhuman and intolerable treatment in a State of Law, he claims. Faced with this situation, Me Resemberg has taken legal action to demand the immediate release of his client.



53,412 compatriots returning to Haiti (partial January)

According to a report published by the Support Group for Repatriates and Refugees (GARR) for the month of January 2025, the GAAR would have recorded 53,412 compatriots returning to Haiti, coming from the Dominican Republic: 17,840 Haitians were deported and 4,204, turned back, by the Dominican authorities and 31,368 left the neighboring Republic voluntarily. The GAAR specifies that these figures "do not claim to be exhaustive, they only concern the data collected between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at certain border crossing points."



Donation of 80 digital tablets

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has donated two computers and more than 80 digital tablets to the National Office of Migration of Haiti. These devices will allow information to be collected and centralized for more effective and targeted assistance to migrants and internally displaced persons.



Don Bosco FC celebrates its 62nd anniversary

"The Haitian Football Federation warmly congratulates Don Bosco FC of Petion-ville on its 62nd anniversary, celebrated on January 31, 2025. A symbol of excellence and determination, the club has marked the history of Haitian football by training many talents and actively contributing to its development. The FHF salutes the dedication of the managers, coaches and volunteers who ensure its sustainability. Happy anniversary to Don Bosco FC, with all our best wishes for success in the years to come."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















The Chinese company DeepSeek, which is currently shaking up the markets with its AI models, is now also available in Microsoft's Azure AI Foundry and via GitHub. This allows Microsoft customers to integrate Model R1 into their services. This seems surprising, as Microsoft is also investigating together with OpenAI whether DeepSeek has violated its terms of use.

Anzeige

According to Microsoft, the Azure portfolio includes around 1800 AI models. DeepSeek R1 is available on a trusted, scalable and enterprise-ready platform that enables organizations to seamlessly integrate advanced AI while meeting SLAs, security and responsible AI commitments  all backed by Microsoft's reliability and innovation.

Subsequently, Microsoft even praises R1'scost-effectiveness, allowing more people to experience cutting-edge AI capabilities with minimal investment in infrastructure. This almost sounds like a dig at OpenAI. Until now, Microsoft was a major investor in OpenAI and the AI company was bound to use the backer's infrastructure. This contract was recently relaxed. OpenAI is now also allowed to access other cloud providers. This is likely to affect the construction of a gigantic data center as part of the Stargates project, for example, which is intended to benefit OpenAI.

Azure AI Foundry offers users the opportunity to test and compare AI models directly. This is primarily aimed at business customers. DeepSeek R1 underwent numerous security tests before integration, says Microsoft.

Investigations into DeepSeek

Nevertheless, Microsoft, like OpenAI, is said to have launched an investigation against DeepSeek. The allegation is that the terms of use have been breached. Specifically, DeepSeek is alleged to have accessed data from OpenAI in an unauthorized manner. They are said to have used the API to do so. According to Bloomberg, Microsoft detected suspicious activity in the fall. OpenAI's terms of use state that it is forbidden to use the output to develop your own models that compete with those of OpenAI. This is exactly what DeepSeek is said to have done.

Several AI experts had expressed suspicions early on that DeepSeek had used model distillation, a process for transferring the knowledge of a large model to a smaller one. This is supported by the fact that DeepSeek's models are said to have replied several times that they are ChatGPT. Other answers also led to the conclusion  for example, information on the limitation of knowledge.

Anzeige

DeepSeek's models also come with their restrictions, namely those that suit the Chinese government. There are no answers to questions such as what happened in Tiananmen Square. Protests by a democracy movement were bloodily ended there in 1989.

(emw)
Tighter import regulations in mainland China, the U.S. and Taiwan are expected to impact Vietnams agricultural and seafood exports in 2025.

Some new regulations in Vietnams primary export destinations have created steep barriers for its businesses and farmers.

For instance, China, a significant buyer of Vietnamese durian, recently introduced mandatory testing for O quarantine, a potentially carcinogenic chemical, in addition to the usual cadmium inspections. This requirement, which is causing major difficulties for exporters, was introduced after the chemical was found in several Thai durian shipments in late 2024.

Doan Van Ven, general director of Anh Thu Dak Lak Co., Ltd., said his company had to recall 170 tons of durian sent in 10 containers due to non-compliance with these new standards.

In the domestic market, durian prices dropped from VND230,000 (US$9.17) per kilogram in the off-season last year to around VND90,000.

"This year has seen the most significant drop in off-season durian prices since we started exporting," remarked Thanh, a Mekong Delta trader.

Similar challenges beset other agricultural exports, with Januarys fruit and vegetable export revenues falling 11.3% year-over-year to US$417 million, due to tighter pesticide residue regulations by the U.S., EU, and Taiwan.

Reduced demand from China, owing to more stringent quarantine measures, has heavily impacted the fruit and vegetable sector. Furthermore, logistical disruptions and escalating transportation costs have complicated timely order fulfillment.

Vietnams rice exports are also under pressure, with high stock levels in the Philippines and Indonesia and renewed competition from India pushing prices down to US$400 per ton, the lowest in five years. A director of a rice export company in An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta admitted the difficulty in purchasing rice from farmers due to the price decline.

"The rice price in Tien Giang [Province in Mekong Delta] fields ranges from VND6,300-6,700 per kilogram, down over 30-40% from the peak," he reported.

The seafood sector faces its own hurdles with stringent U.S. and EU regulations on food safety and anti-illegal fishing practices, forcing many Vietnamese companies to invest in technology and process improvements.

However, some see these challenges as opportunities for growth.

"Theres a recovering demand for seafood imports in major economies like the U.S., EU, and Japan, and emerging markets like Africa and the Middle East show considerable potential," said a director of a seafood processing and export firm in An Giang.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers expects 2025 seafood export revenues to hit US$11 billion, aided by favorable U.S. tax policies as Chinese products face higher tariffs. Rong Viet Securities projects that tariffs of 60-100% on Chinese seafood will significantly benefit Vietnam. Meanwhile, Dang Phuc Nguyen, General Secretary of the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, states that the fruit and vegetable industry aims to exceed US$8 billion in turnover in 2025 by boosting exports of processed products.

The coffee industry is also set to benefit, with expected revenues reaching US$6 billion due to a global shortfall in coffee production in the 2024-2025 crop year, sustaining high coffee prices.

"This benefits not only farmers but also strengthens the Vietnamese coffee industrys global standing," stated Nguyen Nam Hai, Chairman of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association.

To achieve an export target of US$64-65 billion this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is implementing various strategies, including promoting high-tech agriculture, supporting businesses in enhancing processing and quality control, and expanding into new markets like the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Tax incentives and financial support are also being leveraged to foster investment in processed products and build international brands.

Experts from different associations acknowledge the significant challenges but remain optimistic about the agricultural sectors potential to restructure and grow more robustly with the right policies, affirming Vietnams strength and position in the global market.
High-tech inspections bolster high-speed rail safety amid Spring Festival rush

Xinhua) 13:44, February 01, 2025

NANJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- At midnight, after a busy day, a high-speed train rolls into Nanjing South Railway Station, a key hub in east China's Jiangsu Province. Here, a team of technicians and intelligent robots stand ready to perform inspection tasks.

Using laser radar navigation and positioning technology, the robots move smoothly along tracks. Equipped with two articulated arms featuring imaging devices, they adjust height and angle, meticulously scanning the train's underside and components, while transmitting real-time artificial intelligence (AI) analysis for further review.

During this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which began on Jan. 14, China's railway network is expected to transport 510 million passengers, with around 14,000 trains operating daily. To ensure operational safety during this high-traffic period, trains must undergo rigorous inspections every three days of service.

Inspecting these sophisticated trains is no small task. A standard eight-carriage high-speed railway requires a comprehensive check of more than 10,000 components, from bolt tightness to oil leakage and component wear.

"The manual inspection of a standard train requires at least two inspectors working for two and a half hours. With the use of robots, the process is reduced to just one hour, and staff only need 10 minutes for a final review -- tripling efficiency compared to manual inspections, while also improving our working conditions," said Qi Zhengang, an inspector at the railway station.

Currently, intelligent inspection robots are deployed not only in Jiangsu but also in railway stations across cities like Jinan, Beijing and Shanghai.

Across the country, a variety of high-tech solutions are being implemented to ensure the safety of the high-speed rail network during the travel surge.

Electricity is the primary power source for high-speed trains. To meet soaring energy demand, the Haogang substation in south China's Guangdong Province has adopted drones equipped with infrared, ultraviolet and sonic imagers to patrol the Shenzhen section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway.

With the technology, invisible currents can be converted into visual patterns, cutting the maintenance time from 30 minutes to 15 minutes, said Tan Chuanbin, an employee at the substation.

Featuring a wide field of view and AI-driven analysis, drones are also used to monitor and assess precarious rock formations and geological hazards along railway tracks in mountainous regions such as southwest China's Guizhou and Sichuan.

China's high-speed rail network has seen extraordinary growth. In 2010, the country had 8,358 kilometers of operational high-speed rail. The number had skyrocketed to 48,000 kilometers by the end of 2024.

"China's high-speed rail advancements are built on continuous technological innovation," said Duan Wei, deputy chief of the high-speed rail infrastructure department of the Huai'an section of Jiangsu.

"Looking ahead, we expect AI and the Internet of Things to be further integrated, enhancing real-time monitoring and predictive warnings to better ensure passenger safety," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting Youzhou ancient town of Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Qiu Hongbin/Xinhua)

Folk artists perform a molten iron firework show at a park in Handan City, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua)

Tourists enjoy an artistic performance in Changxing County, Huzhou of east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhang Ying/Xinhua)

People participate in a wooden-bench dragon parade in Xuan'en County, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Song Wen/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025 shows tourists enjoying themselves at a snow town scenic spot in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

Folk artists stage a Yangge performance in Lunan District of Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhao Liang/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025 shows people visiting Xiangyang ancient town in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua)

People enjoy a lion dance at Lanshangen scenic spot in Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Jiang Hua/Xinhua)

People enjoy lanterns at Baotuquan Park in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

An aerial drone photo shows people visiting Xiangdong Street of Xinhua County, Loudi City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

People visit the Xishuanghu national wetland park in Donghai County, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Shao Guangming/Xinhua)

Visitors watch a performance made by a robot dog at the science and technology museum in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Jin Peng/Xinhua)

People visit a ruins park in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua)

Folk artists stage a Yangge performance at an ancient town scenic spot in Liaocheng City, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhang Zhenxiang/Xinhua)

People row among trees at Haihong Wetland Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province on Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people rowing among trees at Haihong Wetland Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Editor: JYZ
Photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025, shows Suixi Ancient Town decorated with festive lights, filled with visitors celebrating the Spring Festival in Huaibei City, east China's Anhui Province. People are exploring the ancient town, savoring delicious food, watching opera performances, admiring the scenery, and experiencing intangible cultural heritage during this joyous season. (Zhou Fangling/Guangming Picture)

Photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025, shows people enjoying Spring Festival opera performances in Suixi Ancient Town, Huaibei City, east Chinas Anhui Province. (Zhou Fangling/Guangming Picture)

Editor: JYZ
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. Azerbaijan pursues a successful youth policy, which is an integral part of the state policy, MP of the Parliament, Chairperson of the Western Azerbaijan Community Aziz Alakbarli told reporters, Trend reports.

Alakbarli noted that the event organized by the Youth Council of the Western Azerbaijan Community was dated to the Youth Day.

The aim is to bring up educated young people who respect national values and are their bearers. The future of the state and the nation significantly depends on the youth, he said.

The chairman of the organization added that the future of the activities that the Community is undertaking to return to the historical lands also largely depends on the youth.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. The special lanes with a total length of 112 km currently cover almost 40 streets and avenues of Baku under the new route network, the chairperson of the board of the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA) Anar Rzayev told Trend.

He noted that running buses along them carry about 900,000 passengers every day.

Our specialists keep working on projects to expand the network of bus lanes, Rzayev added.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 1. Kazakhstan airlines' fleet currently consists of 104 airplanes, and this number is expected to reach 118 airplanes by the end of 2025, Trend reports via Kazakhstan Civil Aviation Committee.

"Kazakhstani aviators demonstrate high ratios every year. A whopping 14.7 million passengers were carried by Kazakhstani airlines in 2024, which is 11 percent more than in 2023 (13.3 million passengers). Domestic airports served 29.7 million people, 14 percent more than in 2023 (26.1 million)," notes the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan.

The stable growth of passenger traffic mirrors the confidence of citizens worldwide in the aviation safety standards and flight security of Kazakhstani aviation.

The committee also noted that as part of the modernization of air transport infrastructure, three new passenger terminals were completed in 2024 at airports in Almaty, Kyzylorda, and Shymkent. Additionally, runway repairs were carried out at eight airports across the country.

Kazakhstan's compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards is 82 percent, which is comparable to the level of leading European countries. Kazakhstan's airlines face no restrictions on flights to European Union countries. Currently, over 25,000 people are employed in Kazakhstan's civil aviation sector. Interest in the aviation profession continues to grow each year.

On February 1, Kazakhstan celebrates Civil Aviation Workers Day and Aviation Security Service Day. Additionally, this year, Kazakhstan will undergo an audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on aviation safety.
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BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 1. The Board of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Development Fund (AKDF) has approved financing for the construction of a nine MW small hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan.

The projects, including the construction of a modern sewing factory with 300 jobs, were approved at the 4th meeting of the Funds Board in Baku.

Following the meeting, the Fund's investment policy and other documents necessary for its operation were also approved.

Additionally, the concept for financing the construction of a multifunctional center was approved.

The meeting emphasized that trade and economic cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan is entering a new phase and continues to develop in all areas.

Furthermore, the meeting participants were instructed to continue active work on forming a portfolio of promising projects aligned with the fund's priority areas.

The Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan Fund was established in 2023 with an authorized capital of $25 million to promote economic cooperation between the two countries. During the state visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan to Baku on April 24, 2024, an additional agreement was signed, increasing the Fund's authorized capital to $100 million.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) Rovshan Najaf met with Pakistani Minister of Privatization, Transport and Investment Aleem Khan, Trend reports.

The successful development of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including the energy sector, was emphasized at the meeting.

During the conversation, an exchange of views took place on the status of projects currently being discussed between SOCAR and Pakistani oil and gas companies, the progress achieved and goals, and new opportunities for cooperation were discussed.
A record 92.3 million passengers travelled through Dubai's international airport last year, its operator said on Thursday, underlining the Gulf city's economic boom.

The figure broke the previous high of 89.1 million in 2018, Dubai Airports said, despite regional tensions caused by the Gaza war and last April's unprecedented floods which badly disrupted operations.

The United Arab Emirates city, located between Asia, Europe and Africa, has now been ranked as the world's busiest international air hub for a decade.

In a statement, Dubai's ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called the airport a "global success story" and said it was targeting 400 international destinations, up from 272 currently.

Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said he was confident of breaching 100 million passengers by 2027.

Dubai, now expecting competition from a major new airport being built in Riyadh, in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, is also planning a $35 billion expansion and relocation to Al Maktoum International, on the city's outskirts.

The trade, tourism and business centre is also witnessing record real-estate prices and soaring population growth, spurred by the UAE's efforts to diversify its economy away from oil.
The Thai government has ordered a crackdown on farmers flouting a ban on crop burning, as pollution in Bangkok spiked on Friday a week after toxic air forced hundreds of schools to close.

Smoke from farmers burning crop stubble combines with vehicle and factory emissions to send air pollution in Bangkok and other cities soaring in the early months of the year.

On Friday morning, the sprawling Thai capital was seventh on the list of the world's most polluted cities run by air monitoring company IQAir.

The level of PM2.5 pollutants -- cancer-causing microparticles small enough to enter the bloodstream through the lungs -- hit 86 micrograms per cubic metre, according to IQAir.

A reading above 15 in a 24-hour period is considered unhealthy by the World Health Organization (WHO).

High levels of PM2.5 were also recorded Friday in the northern cities of Chiang Mai and Udon Thani.

The government on Thursday ordered provincial authorities to enforce a ban on burning crop stubble, requiring them to report how many farmers they have arrested for breaching the rule.

"In every province, if you allow crop burning or fail to implement preventive measures, you will be punished," the Thai government said in a statement on Thursday.

More than 1.1 million pollution-protection masks have been distributed around the kingdom, and the health ministry is to monitor vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women.

The government has also told drivers to ensure their vehicles comply with emissions limits.

Pollution is expected to spike between Friday and Wednesday as cool, stable weather conditions hamper the dispersal of pollutants.

Last week, Bangkok authorities closed more than 350 schools as pollution soared, but no such order was given Friday.

The city's Skytrain, metro, light rail system and bus services have been free to use all week in a bid to reduce emissions from vehicles.

Air pollution has closed schools across other parts of Asia recently, including in Pakistan and India.

Nearly two million students around New Delhi were told to stay home in November after authorities ordered schools shut because of worsening air pollution.
Taiwan has banned workers in the public sector and at key infrastructure facilities from using DeepSeek, saying it was a Chinese product and could endanger national security.

DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, claiming it matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the investment.

Countries including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have raised questions about the Chinese AI startup's data practices.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said Friday all government agencies and critical infrastructure should not use DeepSeek because it "endangers national information security".

"DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product," the ministry said in a statement.

"Its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage and other information security concerns."

Taiwan has long accused China of using "grey zone" tactics -- actions that fall short of an act of war -- against the island, including cyberattacks, as Beijing presses its claims of sovereignty over the island.

Since 2019, Taiwan has banned government agencies from using information and communication technology products and services that pose a threat to "national information security".

DeepSeek sparked panic on Wall Street this week with its powerful new chatbot that is thought to have matched US companies in its abilities but at a fraction of the cost.

That's despite a strict US regime prohibiting Chinese firms from accessing the kinds of advanced chips needed to power the massive learning models used to develop AI.

Taiwan's restriction came as data watchdogs in South Korea and Ireland said they would ask DeepSeek to clarify how it manages users' personal information.

Earlier this week, Italy launched an investigation into the R1 model and blocked it from processing Italian users' data.
Hamas and Israel will conduct their fourth swap of the Gaza ceasefire on Saturday, with militants releasing three Israelis including the father of the two youngest hostages, in exchange for 183 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.

Since the truce took effect on January 19, Gaza militants have released 15 hostages after holding them in captivity since their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Israeli hostages to be freed on Saturday are Yarden Bibas, Keith Siegel, who also holds US citizenship, and Ofer Kalderon, who also has French nationality, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group.

In return, Israel will release 183 prisoners, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said, more than double the initially reported figure of 90.

Since the ceasefire began, Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of them women and minors.

During their attack on Israel, which ignited the Gaza war, Hamas militants took 251 hostages. Of those, 79 remain in Gaza, including at least 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Among those taken were the wife and two children of Yarden Bibas. Hamas has declared the three dead, but Israeli officials have not confirmed this.

The two Bibas boys -- Kfir, the youngest hostage, whose second birthday fell in January, and his older brother Ariel, who turned five in August -- have become symbols of the ordeal endured by hostages in Gaza.

The children were taken along with their mother, Shiri Bibas.

Hamas claims the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023.

"Hamas, where are the Bibas babies?" the Israeli foreign ministry posted on X on Friday.

"483 days have passed. Where are they?"

The Bibas family meanwhile wrote on Instagram: "Our Yarden is supposed to return tomorrow, and we are so excited, but Shiri and the children still haven't come home."

Saturday's swap is the second exchange this week and the fourth since the ceasefire began.

The hostage handovers have sometimes been chaotic, particularly during the most recent exchange in the southern city of Khan Yunis on Thursday, where scenes of disorder prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn the situation as "shocking".

One hostage, Arbel Yehud, was visibly distressed as masked gunmen struggled to clear a path for her through crowds of spectators eager to witness her release, as seen in television footage.

She was one of eight hostages freed on Thursday.

In protest, Israel briefly delayed its own prisoner release that day, while the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged all parties to ensure safer conditions for future exchanges.

"The security of these operations must be assured, and we urge improvements in the future," ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.

Later on Thursday, Israeli authorities released 110 inmates from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank, including high-profile former militant commander Zakaria Zubeidi, 49, who received a hero's welcome in Ramallah.

"The situation of the prisoners is very difficult, and we hope for their urgent release," Zubeidi said at a gathering in Ramallah on Friday.

Upon seeing her brother among those freed on Thursday, Maha al-Barai, a Palestinian woman from the West Bank, said: "It is an indescribable joy that words cannot capture, and my body trembles with it."

Following Saturday's exchange, the Rafah border crossing with Egypt is expected to reopen to allow the evacuation of injured Palestinians, sources familiar with the discussions told AFP.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Friday that the 27-member bloc had deployed a monitoring mission at the Rafah crossing.

"It will support Palestinian border personnel and allow the transfer of individuals out of Gaza, including those who need medical care," she wrote on X.

The fragile ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, hinges on the release during the first 42-day phase of a total of 33 hostages, in exchange for approximately 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Negotiations for a second phase of the deal are set to begin on Monday, according to a timeline provided by an Israeli official.

This next phase would address the release of the remaining captives and include discussions on a more permanent end to the war.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 1. Since Kyrgyzstans independence in 1991, Switzerland has invested more than $520 million in development cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, averaging over $20 million per year, Olivier Bangerter, Ambassador of Switzerland to Kyrgyzstan, told Trend.

The ambassador noted that relations between Switzerland and Kyrgyzstan are strong, as demonstrated by the successful visit of Switzerland's Foreign Minister, Federal Councilor Ignazio Cassis, in July 2024.

According to the ambassador, the meetings between Cassis, President Sadyr Zhaparov, and Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev during his visit were considered highly significant. In his speech, Cassis emphasized that Kyrgyzstan remains a priority country for Switzerland, particularly in terms of cooperation. High-level exchanges are expected to continue.

"Another sign of our commitment to cooperation is last springs high-level visit from representatives of our two development agencies, who visited the Alai and Chon Alai districts, as well as the city of Naryn and the At Bashy hydropower plant," he said.

The ambassador also noted that Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland support each other in the United Nations and other international organizations.

"We have close cooperation when it comes to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund because we are part of the same voting group. This might seem technical, but it is actually very simple. There are two hundred countries in the world, and they cannot have their voices heard individually in such institutions, so we group together. Kyrgyzstan and Switzerland share the same group. It allows all of us to have a stronger voice and be better heard," he said.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas has appointed Sandra Oliva as its new General Manager. Sandra brings over a decade of international luxury experience to the award-winning Resort on the East Cape of Los Cabos, and a lifetime of passion for connecting with those around her.

As a French citizen born in Lima, Peru, with a multicultural background and fluency in Spanish, English, French and Italian, entering the world of hospitality and tourism was a natural fit for Sandra. After earning two graduate degrees - one in hotel and tourism management, the other in marketing - she headed for Paris where she began her first job as an events coordinator for an international hotel group.

With sights set on furthering her career in hospitality through Four Seasons, Sandra applied to Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, where she landed a role as Events Manager. Later, her endeavours with the company took her to Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, followed by Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, where she spearheaded sales and marketing at both.

Sandra briefly stepped away from hospitality in 2020 to co-direct the Louis Vuitton flagship store in Place Vendome back in Paris before stepping back into hospitality, this time on the operational side as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. In 2023, the Americas called Sandra back where she served as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center.

Her General Manager appointment comes at a significant time as tourism in Los Cabos continues to rise year over year, with even more luxury hotels opening in the market - including the second Four Seasons resort on the other side of the Baja peninsula. Known for her energy, drive and enthusiasm, Sandra is well-positioned to harness the power of the market and lead Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas into its next chapter.
Sandra Oliva - Image Credit Four Seasons Hotels

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas has appointed Sandra Oliva as its new General Manager. Sandra brings over a decade of international luxury experience to the award-winning Resort on the East Cape of Los Cabos, and a lifetime of passion for connecting with those around her.

As a French citizen born in Lima, Peru, with a multicultural background and fluency in Spanish, English, French and Italian, entering the world of hospitality and tourism was a natural fit for Sandra. After earning two graduate degrees  one in hotel and tourism management, the other in marketing - she headed for Paris where she began her first job as an events coordinator for an international hotel group.

With sights set on furthering her career in hospitality through Four Seasons, Sandra applied to Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva, where she landed a role as Events Manager. Later, her endeavours with the company took her to Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, followed by Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, where she spearheaded sales and marketing at both.

Sandra briefly stepped away from hospitality in 2020 to co-direct the Louis Vuitton flagship store in Place Vendome back in Paris before stepping back into hospitality, this time on the operational side as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. In 2023, the Americas called Sandra back where she served as Hotel Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center.

Her General Manager appointment comes at a significant time as tourism in Los Cabos continues to rise year over year, with even more luxury hotels opening in the market - including the second Four Seasons resort on the other side of the Baja peninsula. Known for her energy, drive and enthusiasm, Sandra is well-positioned to harness the power of the market and lead Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas into its next chapter.

It is an incredible honour to continue my Four Seasons career with a Resort that has been consistently recognized as one of the finest in the world, says Oliva. I could not be more thrilled to share this hidden gem of Los Cabos with our guests in the years to come.
Town meeting will decide if green burials will be allowed in Ashuelot Cemetery.

Dalton Voters to Decide Green Burials at Annual Town Meeting

DALTON, Mass.  Voters will decide whether to allow green burials at Ashuelot Cemetery at the annual town meeting in May.

The Select Board approved including the article on the annual town meeting warrant during its meeting on Monday.

For the last two years, the cemetery trustees have been navigating how the town can safely allow green burials and prevent liability.

According to the nonprofit Green Burial Massachusetts, green burials, or "natural burials," are a way of returning bodies to the earth after death without a metal casket, burial liner or vault, or embalming.

The trustees' proposal explains that the body may be placed directly in the ground in a biodegradable casket, such as wood or coffin, or only wearing a biodegradable cloth shroud or clothing.

Green burials would only be allowed in a designated section of Ashuelot Cemetery, Section GB. They will be delineated by barkers or decorative fencing to separate it from the main area.

However, those who want to be buried next to a family member or partner in a separate section of the cemetery will be allowed to have a green burial, if space allows, using a vault with an open bottom.

If approved, the town will have to determine setting a prudential care fee of $750 to ensure the area is properly maintained as the ground settles during the decaying process, Trustee John W. Bartels Jr. said.

The trustees contracted Hill Engineering to do a percolation test to evaluate the water and drainage conditions of the cemetery and determined their is proper drainage and nothing from the soil will go into the water.

They also tried to coordinate with the Conservation Commission but did not hear back, Bartels said.

Resident Henry Rose texted the commission's former chair and current member, Cheryl Rose, who responded during the meeting that there were no wetlands or streams in that area.

Dalton has received some comments from residents expressing their interest in having this option available to them.

During the research process, the trustees coordinated with other departments, the state, the local Board of Health, and other towns that allow green burials.

Great Barrington is one of several dozen communities in the state that offers green burials, though it took three years to accomplish. Stockbridge, Mount Washington, and the private Pine Grove Cemetery in Sheffield also allow natural burials.

Last May, the town's board of health approved verbiage for green burials that says all deceased bodies are allowed a green burial unless the CDC or Mass Department of Health deems the deceased passed contains any disease unsuitable for a green burial and thus, the Board of Health will not approve such burial. Known diseases include anthrax, ebola, and prion diseases.

The Board of Health coordinated with the state Department of Environmental Protection when developing this requirement.

Green burials must take place 48 to 72 hours from the time of death and be approved by the local board of health.

The Board of Health will have a designated representative who can quickly approve green burials, especially on weekends or holidays when regular board meetings are not held, Bartels said.

The Board of Health will also be in contact with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Health to stay up to date on any restrictions or requirements around green burials.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 2. Turkmenistan Airlines, the national airline of Turkmenistan, has extended the suspension of flights to Moscow, Trend reports.

Turkmenistan Airlines has cancelled flights between Ashgabat and Moscow until at least March 2025. The carrier did not specify the reasons for this decision.

The company previously suspended flights at the end of December 2024, initially stating that they would not operate until January 31, 2025.
Some books read early stay with you forever; that first dazzled encounter making such an impression that the texture of your life becomes part of the narrative. So, for me, Our Island Story is about being nine and lying on a wall beside a swimming pool: a warm Pepsi with a straw in it, the smell of chlorine and pine trees. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is about bolting a cheddar and Branston sandwich in the dining hall of primary school, itching to finish the last few pages before afternoon lessons. Theres a family day out on a Somerset steam train when I was 12: people trying to interest me in things passing, and then shrugging and giving up, saying: Well, thats Rebecca for you.

Those pin-sharp moments of discovery how to choose one book from a lifetime of reading? Actually, its easy. I know exactly where I was when I first encountered Rosamond Lehmanns Dusty Answer: at boarding school, in the great creaking arts and crafts library (part barn, part ship; one of the few places I felt safe). More precisely, I was upstairs in the fiction bay when one of the Murray sisters recommended it. It was an old cloth-bound edition, possibly blue or pale green. I think I was 15. There is no better age to read Dusty Answer.

I opened it and fell into it, as you fall into a fever. We were studying Keats at the time, and I recognised in Lehmanns novel (published in 1927, when she was 26) some Keatsian echoes: not only the heady overwhelming gorgeousness of the language  but also the sense that life is about beauty and loss.

This is the story of Judith Earle, a serious lonely girl growing up in a house by the river, in love with a family of cousins who come and go in the house next door. Charlie, nervy, golden, as beautiful as a prince; cool Mariella, with her mermaids eyes, who delights in thunderstorms; fierce awkward Julian; Martin, who loves Judith doggedly, and is therefore of little interest to her; and the elusive Roddy, full of secrets, with a smile that you watched for because it was not like anyone elses.

Lehmanns story is both universal and deliciously particular, like all the best coming-of-age stories. No one has written more brilliantly about having ones heart broken, about despair and longing, humiliation and hope: all the wretched thrilling chaos that accompanies growing up. Finding it at 15 felt a little like stumbling upon magic. Miraculously, all these years and re-readings later, it still has that effect on me.

Harriet Lanes Alys, Always is published in paperback by Phoenix
Its hard being a liberal in Hollywood right now. Theyre disorientated and confused. Richard Rushfield, editor of insider newsletter The Ankler, wrote a despairing screed the day after Trumps inauguration: We are not part of the ruling coalition here. We do not speak from a place of dictating to America how things are going to be or demanding they follow our lead  or else. In particular, no one is looking to hear more from Hollywood.

As if to prove his point, last week Selena Gomez posted an Instagram story where she wept about the plight of immigrants under Trump. The backlash was so intense that she deleted it, adding, Apparently its not OK to show empathy.

This was the election that Hollywood thought it could win with its vibes-based Brat summer. Kamala Harris was heavily boosted by star power from George Clooney and Bruce Springsteen to Oprah Winfrey and Billie Eilish. all the way through to Barbra Streisand the roll call is long and includes Michael Keaton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Roberts, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Aniston and Cardi B. Even Californias Republican former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger voted Harris/Walz. But it turns out popular right-wing podcasters Joe Rogan and Theo Von hold more cultural sway than Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

LA is a febrile place right now. Even the fires have failed to unite the fractured community. It has just come through its #MeToo era when it put some previously untouchable predatory men in jail. Then came the cash freeze of the pandemic and the 2021 Golden Globes boycott, where stars and publicists refused to show up because none of the voters were black.

In 2023, two tough strikes saw writers and actors join forces on union picket lines, giving the mutinous workforce a sense of unity. David Zaslav, the boss of Warner Bros and a pro-Trump millionaire, became public enemy number one.

Its a progressive town but the audience is shifting and starting to question its progressive ideals. Fan reaction to The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, Eternals and The Marvels was a howl of fanboy fury about forced diversity. Left-leaning documentary company Participant Media  which made An Inconvenient Truth  ran out of money and closed last year while Am I Racist? was 2024s highest-grossing documentary  chiming with a new cultural zeitgeist which Trump is now fully encapsulating.

New York Magazines cover story last week, headlined The Cruel Kids Table, saw journalist Brock Colyar crashing the Trump inauguration parties and finding Conservatism  as a cultural force, not just a political condition  back in a real way for the first time since the 1980s. The enthusiastic new breed of triumphant Trumpists are young, well-connected, urban, and online crypto nerds and influencers  gay and straight  scorning identity politics and telling racist jokes, delighting in the freedom to say f*****t and r******d.

More people think the Democrats are too liberal than say Republicans are too right wing, a screenwriter explained when I asked him about this new vibe shift. Theres no point in hating Trump voters. Thats the audience right now.

open image in gallery Selena Gomezs recent Instagram story about immigration has been met with backlash ( Getty )

The Academy Awards should be fun, but many people point to liberal pearl-clutching speeches of the recent events being a buzzkill and the viewing figures have been dwindling at an alarming rate. The Best Actor Oscars shortlist is looking punchy. Mikey Madison retains an air of mystery, but Timothee Chalamet, Cynthia Erivo, Ralph Fiennes, Fernanda Torres, Adrien Brody, Colman Domingo and Demi Moore are on the liberal wing of a liberal town. As for Sebastian Stan  well, in The Apprentice he plays Trump dealing with erectile dysfunction, receiving liposuction, and raping his wife, Ivana.

Academy voters are still deciding. If they want to go to war with the new administration, they might back Stan and hope for a fire and brimstone speech. If they follow the bookies, theyll plump for Brody who may have had his voice tweaked by AI but keeps that voice from uttering his political opinions. Who will speak? What will they say? Or will everyone keep their heads down separating their art from their politics?

open image in gallery Snoop Dogg, seen here with the president in 2011, made fairly incendiary comments about Trump voters in 2019 but recently played the inaugural ball ( Getty )

Meanwhile, taking a leaf out of the tech bros song sheet, celebrity allegiances are shifting like an agents smile. Snoop played the 2024 Oscars, but he also played a Trump inauguration party with Soulja Boy and Nelly. Snoops Instagram followers plummeted but hes unapologetic and shrugging it off despite lashing out at Kanye West for supporting Trump in 2018. Sniffing the wind change, Kim Kardashian is playing both sides, hanging with Kamala in 2024 and Melania in 2025. Is Kim Kardashian just a Republican now? The Cut asked this week after Elon Musk gave her a Tesla robot.

One agent pointed out to me the post-7 October protest caused problems that some once liberal Hollywoods Jews felt conflicted by. Its hard to call Republicans loathsome racists when they have been far more consistently supportive of Jews facing this global wave of antisemitism.

Hollywood is an adaptable place. It has to be because, ultimately, Hollywood is about business. You dont get to be the only unsubsidised movie industry in the world if you cant read the room. In the 1980s  when conservatism was a cultural force by New York magazines reckoning  Sly Stallone punched out commie Dolph Lundgren, Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey fought commie invaders in Red Dawn, Tom Cruise outfoxed commie pilots in Top Gun well, you get the picture.

Meanwhile Michael J Fox chased the almighty dollar in The Secret of My Success, Michael Douglas proclaimed greed is good in Wall Street, Ackroyd and Murphy cleaned up in Trading Places, Paul Newman and Tom Cruise hustled in The Color of Money and earnest screenwriters asking what happened to all those left-wing conspiracy movies of the 1970s like All the Presidents Men, Chinatown and Network were told, forget it kid, no one wants that stuff anymore.

open image in gallery Donald and Melania Trump arrive for the Liberty inaugural ball in Washington, DC ( AFP/Getty )

Hence Disney pulling a trans storyline from Pixars Win or Lose and pushing back on Rachel Zeglers anti-Trump comments on Instagram. Zeglers heading up the Mouses live-action remake of Snow White and the backlash was huge.

As former Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly said  Hello, Disney? Youre going to have to redo your film again because this woman is a pig and you fired Gina Carano for far less. (Carano is The Mandalorian star dropped in 2021 for posting on social media that being a Republican these days was like being Jewish during the Holocaust.) Zeglers apology was fast and fulsome.

And then theres the power shift. Whereas once being unwelcome in Hollywood would have bothered him, Trump is betting on tech being the new players in town. Silicon Valley gobbled up the music industry, the high street and your dating life and theyre coming for Tinseltown. Netflix, Amazon and Apple are moving and shaking up the old TV networks and movie studios and now making programmes and films just like Hollywood does.

The son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, one of Trumps favourite billionaires, has snapped up Paramount. And while Musk and Zuckerberg dont have studios, they have consumer attention and pull the levers of social media which are todays entertainers of American adults.

open image in gallery Guests attend the Power 30 Awards, an inauguration party sponsored by TikTok for influencers who supported Trump ( Reuters )

So the backtracking has started. Disney, which found itself in the forefront of the culture wars over Florida governor Ron DeSantis dont say gay policy in 2023, began its retreat in early 2024 after CEO Bob Iger said he didnt like the term woke and the companys purpose is to entertain.

The thing about Hollywood is it works on a strange equation. No one gets to run a studio unless theyre tooth and claw about money. A studio is a bank. They finance what sells. But for some reason, its liberals who make the best stories and liberals always need the cash. As leftie George Bernard Shaw said to rapacious mogul Sam Goldwyn: There is this difference between you and me: You are only interested in art and I am only interested in money.

When antisemite Walt Disney was making the profoundly racist Song of the South, he realised the movie went too far, so he called in Maurice Rapf. Rapf was a communist Jew and he figured Walt had made a mistake. Not at all, Disney told him. Thats exactly why I want you to work on it. Because I know that you dont think I should make the movie.

So Rapf took the gig. Walt made the movie. They made a ton of cash. Then the audience's mood changed and now its hard to find a copy of the thing. That will always be the way. When the winds change, when the audience demands a different take, somehow Hollywood abides. And this is Trumps world. For now.
Of all the celebrated maverick spirits of the Sixties and Seventies counterculture  from Keith Richards to Bob Dylan to Jim Morrison  surely aristocratic songbird Marianne Faithfull was the most rebellious of them all.

An iconic pop star at 18, and a year later the girlfriend of Mick Jagger, she was only 22 when she rejected the lot  fame, money, status as the Most Beautiful Girl in the World  to become a homeless heroin addict living in the bombed-out rubble left by the Second World War. This she preferred to domestic bliss with Jagger at the height of his peacock fabulousness. Which is very, very insulting to Mick, she told me back in 2009.

This was, I suggested, a spectacular act of punk-rock defiance, a cry of I reject everything. Yes, it was, she agreed. Because I saw through the whole pop business. At 21, I could see it was bulls***. A formula that keeps making money. There was also that thing of two stars in one house, my own little ego fighting for a chance.

Id been trying to run away from Mick for a long time! I did love him. But the life was difficult, living with such a very famous person. And such an incredibly promiscuous person. I could see it very clearly. Im not required for this... Im gonna f*** off.

We had this conversation over lunch in a fine-dining bistro in Luxembourg, where Marianne ordered beef filet, au poivre in her exquisitely scorched, profoundly theatrical voice. That year there was no accompanying glass of wine: the sometime alcoholic/drug addict had been clean for five years. Even a little alcohol is too much, she told me. Its just being an addict.

Her nose told some of the story, a thin scar running from the top and forking down one side, from an incident when she took a blade to her face as she tried to release the imagined insects crawling under her skin. Coke psychosis, she said, matter-of-factly. I was bleeding, and I realised this was going to scar, so I stopped... but hey, it happens to people a lot.

open image in gallery Faithfull entered into a relationship with Mick Jagger at the age of 19 ( PA )

Marianne, then 62, was tremendous company  almost ill-advisedly honest, fantastically indiscreet, her cut-glass intonation at odds with her often chaotic circumstances. That day she was wearing a calf-length black woollen Christian Dior overcoat splattered with streaks of milky white. Shed had an accident on opening her beautiful Balenciaga bag: a leaking water bottle had melted a bag of peppermints, so when I picked up the bag, all the water went over my coat, and thats why its covered in sh***.

That day, she was already 45 years on from her debut hit single, As Tears Go By (written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards). Those 45 years had been filled with uniquely artistic endeavour, in song, film and theatre, all heavily eclipsed by what she called The Legend: her public profile, premised on her relationship with Mick.

Prior to the two years she spent living on a wall in Soho, there was the infamous Redlands drug bust, when Keith Richardss home was raided by 20 police officers on a tip-off from the News of the World. Marianne was found naked, covered only by a fur rug.

That really damaged me, she noted. It damaged our relationship, and by 22 I was living on the street as a heroin addict. When the News of the World closed, I danced a jig. They were trying to destroy The Rolling Stones, and they couldnt  but me? They nearly did.

Ever since that time, shed been a seriously tested survivor  not only of cataclysmic drug psychosis, but of three marriages, miscarriage, a suicide bid, Hepatitis C, cancer and breakdown, the last having occurred just the previous year. Depression, she confided. Sometimes my whole life just catches up with me, you know?

Thanks to a spectrum of treatments  therapy, acupuncture, exercise, massage, a chiropractor  her lifelong paranoia was finally subsiding. I dont wake up any more with nameless, rambling fear, she said, explaining how she was now able to cope with permanent sobriety. It can be boring, she added, cheerfully. But you have to get used to it.

People did look after me, even the cops. I never got raped or assaulted. But I was such a hopeless junkie, I couldn't even shoot myself up Marianne Faithfull

For years, shed been a kind of bohemian, talismanic godmother to similarly lawless characters, from Nick Cave to Kate Moss to (at the time) fellow Paris dweller Jarvis Cocker  One of my favourite people! Hes so incredibly sly and deadpan.

Simultaneously, she was wary of strangers. Ive been frightened of meeting people who just wanted to meet The Legend, she confessed. Terrified of not being interesting enough. The Legend, then, was a burden? No, its also very useful, she decided. Its helped me position myself very well, actually. I can kind of do what I like. And now I must have a fag.

We strolled through Luxembourgs cobbled city centre looking for a chemist: Marianne urgently needed bronchial tea, medicinal teabags infused with expectorant, which she said eased the lot of the smoker. I cant give everything up, she declared, even if I do have a permanent bronchial situation. She then coughed emphatically, spat onto the pavement  Excuse me, very ladylike, I know  and presently purchased her bronchial tea, alongside two packs of Marlboro Lights.

Closer inspection of her coat, meanwhile, revealed not only the milky streaks, but a broken front button and fraying cuffs. Its supposed to be frayed! she insisted. Oh God, Im meant to look like Marianne Faithfull. This isnt what Marianne Fai... Actually, its exactly what Marianne Faithfull looks like.

That night, Marianne was once more doing exactly as she liked, giving a spoken-word performance of her favourite Shakespearean sonnets at the Theatre du Luxembourg. Inside this small, hushed, sold-out theatre space, she read Shakespeares Sonnet 116 (her all-time favourite) from a black folder. To the mournful thrum of a solo cello, she began to recite. Love is not love/ Which alters when it alteration finds, she intoned, dramatically. Or bends with the remover to remove/ Oh no! It is an ever-fixed mark...

open image in gallery Godmother to celeb rebels: Marianne with Lily Allen in 2009 ( PA )

As theatrical concepts go, it was unique, compelling and bonkers, with the audience  including many 16-year-old girls  responding first with bewildered silence and then with rapturous applause. Sixteen! marvelled Marianne. The perfect age for the sonnets! We were now having dinner, Marianne insisting I have a large glass of wine, which she then gazed at, forlornly.

That wine looks very good, she sighed. When I feel Ive done a good job, I want to give myself a reward. I have to be happy with a nice dinner. And a fag. And my bronchial tea.

Talk turned to the legend of the wall in Soho, where she lived as a heroin addict for two years: I confess that Id always wondered what the wall looked like; how she had lived there day to day.

It was a bombed building on St Anne's Court, so the wall was the length of a building, with a back to it, which I could lean against, she remembered. Inside the crater there were the meth[anol] drinkers around a fire, and they were always very sweet to me. On heroin you dont feel the cold, so I sat on the wall  literally, day and night  for a year, maybe more. I even slept sitting up. Somehow I was OK.

People did look after me, even the cops. I never got raped or assaulted. But I was such a hopeless junkie, I couldn't even shoot myself up, and had to go to my drug guru [novelist and anarchist] Alex Trocchi in the daytime.

She contemplated her unfeasible survival one last time  still a creative, maverick force of nature at 62.

I never thought I would live this long, she smiled, gathering up her medicinal tea, fags, and ruined coat. So now I think, My God, Im not gonna get out of this, Ive got to go on! So I just hope I can turn people on. To poetry. To the Beats. To Shakespeare. I believe in art, if nothing else. Man, its the stuff of life itself! That you dont reject.

Sylvia Patterson is the author of Im Not with the Band: A Writers Life Lost in Music. Her follow-up Im Not with the Man will be published next year
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Cassandra Austen is one of English literatures most notorious vandals. Towards the end of her life, in an act of near incomprehensible sabotage, the elder Austen sister burnt swathes of correspondence written by Jane, who had died almost 30 years earlier in 1817. Just 160 letters, out of the thousands Jane is thought to have written, and which together almost certainly would have provided invaluable information about one of our most inscrutable novelists, escaped the flames. This fiery obliteration has become Cassandras defining act  and in the subsequent centuries it has left Austen fans and biographers weeping in frustration.

How could Janes closest confidante wipe out such a vital part of her writerly legacy, depriving future readers of the chance to better know and understand the woman behind those six exquisite books? What was Cassandra trying to hide? These questions are at the heart of Miss Austen, the BBCs star-studded, four-part adaptation of Gill Hornbys bestselling 2020 novel, yet it primarily seeks to understand Cassandras actions through the startlingly close bond she shared with her sister. That sibling relationship, which both inspired and enabled Janes writing career, is one of the most extraordinarily intimate in all of Western literature. I think their love for each other [went] above and beyond most peoples, says Keeley Hawes who plays Cassandra. Its quite unusual, I think, that depth of love and devotion.

Miss Austen, which also stars Patsy Ferran as Jane, alongside Rose Leslie and Jessica Hynes, unfolds in two timelines. In the dramas present day, set many years after Janes death from an undetermined illness at the age of just 41, a middle-aged Cassandra has rushed to the home of her young friend Isabella Fowle (Leslie) after learning that Isabellas father has just died. The unmarried Isabella is orphaned, adrift and on the verge of losing her home  yet Cassandras motives are not entirely altruistic. Isabellas late mother Eliza was an intimate of the Austen siblings, and exchanged countless letters with Jane.

These missives, teeming with gossip, intrigue and the authors sharp, unrelenting wit, are hidden away in the Fowle household. Yet as Cassandra sorts through this secret cache, she is transported back to her earlier life with Jane. Crucially the letters serve as a conduit for the viewer to understand not so much Jane but Cassandra, who throughout history has often been written off as a more dutiful and staid, even dull, foil to her sparkling younger sister.

We see the younger Cassy, played by Synnve Karlsen (so uncanny is Karlsens likeness to Hawes that the pair previously appeared as mother and daughter in Skys The Midwich Cuckoos), full of vitality and also deeply, movingly in love with her fiance, Isabellas uncle, the dashing Tom Fowle (Calam Lynch). As Cassy reads the letters, a part of her own life is uncovered, says director Aisling Walsh. She starts to see what people thought about her, how Jane felt and knew that [Cassy] was in love. Particularly poignant is Janes anticipation of her impending separation from Cassy after her marriage  I cannot welcome it but I suppose I must bear it  not least because, in the end, it was Cassy who had to live on for decades without her dear sister.

open image in gallery Keeley Hawes plays Cassandra Austen as she looks back at her sisters secret letters ( BBC/Bonnie Productions/MASTERPIECE/Robert Viglasky )

They were not only sisters but best friends, life companions and possibly the loves of their lives Patsy Ferran

The cleverness of the original book, and the adaptation, is that it presents Cassandras story with all the wit, verve and wry observation we have come to associate with Jane Austen herself. Its like the seventh Austen [novel]... It feels like an extension of the canon, says Hawes. Thats what's lovely about it  it has all the elements of an Austen. Cassys love affair was tragically short-lived: a year after their engagement, Tom died of yellow fever in the West Indies in 1797, leaving a still painfully young Cassy determined to honour his memory by never marrying again. Of Janes six novels, her story is perhaps closest to Persuasion, its romance undercut by a quiet grief and heightened awareness of what might have been.

But the greatest love story of all is arguably that between Cassy and Jane. They were not only sisters but best friends, life companions and possibly the loves of their lives, says Ferran, who imbues the author with both energy and pathos. Jane was almost three years Cassys junior, and as the only two young girls in a household full of boys  not just the six Austen brothers, but also the male pupils taught by their father, the Reverend George, at the vicarage in Steventon, Hampshire  its hardly surprising that they forged a close alliance from an early age.

Yet as the Austen sisters entered adulthood towards the end of the 18th century, the expected future would have been that they wouldve met somebody and got married, probably somebody the family knew, says Walsh. Fowle, who had been one of the Reverend Austens students at Steventon, and was a close friend of the family, was a solid match for Cassandra. In Miss Austen, screenwriter Andrea Gibb imagines Janes mixed emotions as the preparations for her beloved siblings wedding take over the house at Steventon. I cannot quite remember how we passed our time in the days before my sisters engagement, we hear Ferran remark in a waspish voiceover. There was an interesting tension that existed within Jane: to see Cassandra flourish in her own life, independent of Jane, while also wanting to keep Cassandra selfishly to herself, Ferran says.

open image in gallery Patsy Ferran, left, and Synnve Karlsen capture the sisters close bond ( BBC/Bonnie Productions/MASTERPIECE/Robert Viglasky )

Its no wonder that Janes happiness on her sisters behalf would have been tinged with anxiety. Marriage would have irrevocably altered the duos dynamic, while motherhood would almost certainly have absorbed Cassys attention. Whats more, Jane, who preferred to keep herself in the periphery of society, all the better to observe and study the way humans function and behave, as Ferran puts it, would have been expected to follow her sister down the aisle. And had she done so, she would have almost certainly sacrificed her writing as a result.

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Its one of the central ironies of the authors life: if she had spent more time seeking out her own real-life love story, she might never have left us with some of literatures most enduring romances. Its intriguing to me that a single woman who seemingly chose spinsterhood can invest so much of her imaginative energy into writing about love and giving her characters those happy endings that they so desperately want, Ferran says. I find that both admirable and sad for some reason. It makes Jane Austen feel more human to me.

Of course, Cassy was soon to become a spinster too. In vowing to never marry anyone but Tom, Cassandra wasnt just staying true to her late fiances memory: she was also choosing her sister. Her lifes work became supporting Jane and enabling Jane, Walsh explains. When the Austen sisters later moved into a small cottage in the grounds of their wealthy brother Edwards estate in Chawton, Hampshire, Cassandra took over the running of the house so that Jane could devote more of her time to her work. She had managed to find somewhere that was comfortable and safe to write, and so [Jane] wrote most of her novels in that house.

Her lifes work became supporting Jane and enabling Jane Aisling Walsh

In the series we see Jane reading her work in progress aloud, to her sisters delight; you wonder whether this habit helped hone that effervescent dialogue. You have this beautiful image of them being each others sounding board, says Leslie. And of Cassy directing Jane with ideas and opinions, which I think is lovely. Their enjoyment can only have been enhanced by the fact that Jane frequently drew inspiration from the Austens social circle. Indeed, its hard not to see the parallels between Hynes dour Mary, their sister-in-law, and Pride and Prejudices Mary Bennet, with her pedantic air and conceited manner.

Yet their freedom  be it financial or creative  is fragile and tentative. The home at Chawton was provided by their brother. Before this act of generosity, the sisters and their widowed mother had shuttled between rented accommodation and visiting family. For all their respectability, their lives as unmarried women were still precarious. Walsh says she wanted to create settings that felt worn and lived in, rather than stuffing the rooms with period ephemera, a reminder that the family are church people  theyre not vastly wealthy. And before filming, Hawes spoke to Hornby about how we read [Austens] books very differently now, with the romantic aspect more at the fore, but actually, at the time, there was real drama to their situations.

open image in gallery Rose Leslies Isabella is left adrift after her fathers death ( BBC/Bonnie Productions/MASTERPIECE/Robert Viglasky )

The sense of jeopardy for women, Hawes observes, was huge. Rejecting a marriage proposal  as Jane did several times  meant gambling with your future security. Think Elizabeth Bennet turning down the overtures of the slimy Mr Collins in Pride and Prejudice  only for her friend Charlotte Lucas to quickly accept him, solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment (surely one of the most depressing, if pragmatic, turns of phrase in Austens output). And a relatives death might leave you out on the street, Hawes adds.

And yet, if Miss Austen shows us anything, its that these two women managed to live incredibly rich lives in spite (or perhaps because) of their single status. There is a tendency, when it comes to Austen, Leslie observes, to assume simply because she never married, she was unlucky with love. But of course, the love that she and her sister shared was beyond anything. One assumes that Jane required little beyond that, because they were such a force together.

When we read Austen, the temptation to fill in the gaps in her life story can be strong. There always seems to be intrigue and curiosity about who the artist is, Ferran says. But Jane was a deeply private person. As Walsh points out, her first novel was simply published by a Lady  her name was never mentioned.

In fact, she wasnt revealed as the author of her works until after her death. At this point the publics fascination with Jane Austen started to grow. Miss Austen shows Cassandra as desperate to protect her sisters secrets and the world they shared from prying eyes. Theres a telling scene in episode one where an unctuous (and very Collins-esque) clergyman, who professes to be a huge fan of Mansfield House, suggests that Janes genius warrants a substantial biography. Cassandra, ever keen to preserve her sisters privacy, deftly brushes this off by stating that everything one needs to know about Jane Austen is to be found within the pages of her novels. Of course, with an irony that doesnt go unacknowledged by the makers of Miss Austen, this plea is also couched within a TV drama that feeds the same Austen industry of which Cassandra was so wary.

Seen from this angle, perhaps Cassandras decision to burn those letters seems like less of a destructive act, more of a loving one. Would a sister so supportive of her siblings literary efforts go against Janes own wishes for her archive? I think [Cassandra] took her work incredibly seriously, and she was a wonderful custodian, says Hawes. She would, the actor adds, have protected [Jane] at all costs. Its hard to begrudge her for that.

Miss Austen is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 2 February at 9.05pm
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Lily Collins and her husband Charlie McDowell have announced the birth of their first child.

The Emily in Paris star, 35, and the film director, 41, shared the news that they had welcomed a baby via surrogate, in a post on social media on Friday (31 January).

Welcome to the center of our world Tove Jane McDowell, the couple wrote on Instagram, sharing a picture of their newborn in a cot, with a blanket stitched with her name.

Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way, Collins and McDowell continued. We love you to the moon and back again

The name Tove is a girls name with Norse and Scandinavian origins  deriving from the Old Norse name Tofa  and means beloved or beautiful. Collins and McDowell spent their honeymoon touring Norway and Sweden, and own a home in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

Collins, who is the daughter of legendary drummer Phil Collins and his second wife, Jill Tavelman, married McDowell  the son of English actor Malcolm McDowell and US actor Mary Steenburgen  in 2021.

Ive never wanted to be someones someone more than I do yours, and now I get to be your wife, she captioned a post of the couple kissing at the altar.

On 4 September 2021, we officially became each others forever. I love you beyond @charliemcdowell.

McDowell said he had married the most generous, thoughtful and beautiful person he had ever known.

The happy news comes recently after Collins paid tribute to her father Phil, who turned 74 on 30 January.

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The actor, who has admitted to having a strained relationship while growing up, shared a message to the Genesis musician along with a series of photos on Instagram.

From a west coast star to the West End stage and everywhere in between... Im so grateful to be by your side and for the support, experiences, and love we have and will continue to share, she wrote.

The older I get, the greater I appreciate all the little, special moments spent together. Happy birthday Dad. I couldnt love you more or be more thankful to celebrate you today and every day. Truly. To the moon and back again

Collins, who was born in Surrey and raised in LA, recently said she was keen for an Emily in London spin-off.

The original hit Netflix show follows marketing executive Emily Cooper as she moves to Paris and tries to navigate her professional and personal life, all without speaking French.

She would definitely go to Portobello Road and buy some antiques, obviously visit Big Ben and toy shop Hamleys, Collins said of her vision for the character in the touted UK-set spin-off.

She would also definitely try and get into Buckingham Palace, Collins continued, adding that Emily would love to have tea with the King and try and get the guards to smile.

In the latest season of Emily in Paris, which was released last year, it was suggested that showrunners are laying the groundwork for an Italian spin-off, as Emily is asked to open a new office in Rome.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. Iran's leadership finds no reason to start direct talks with the administration of US President Donald Trump, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, the country's Foreign Minister, told Qatari media, Trend reports.

"There should be a reason for this. At the moment, I don't see any reason for this. However, we will definitely have to see what policy they will pursue, whether it will be a basis for dialog," the minister said

According to him, the unblocking of Iran's frozen assets could be the first step towards restoring trust between Tehran and Washington.

"I can't say that one or two steps will restore trust because our relations have come a hard way. I think that the US knows better than anyone what needs to be done to achieve that," Araghchi added.
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Netflixs Neil Gaiman adaptation The Sandman has been canceled.

The show is set to end with its upcoming second season which will be released this year.

In a statement to Variety, showrunner Allan Heinberg said: The Sandman series has always been focused exclusively on Dreams story, and back in 2022, when we looked at the remaining Dream material from the comics, we knew we only had enough story for one more season.

We are extremely grateful to Netflix for bringing the team all back together and giving us the time and resources to make a faithful adaptation in a way that we hope will surprise and delight the comics loyal readers as well as fans of our show.

The news comes after Gaiman denied engaging in non-consensual sexual activity after accusations of assault by multiple women earlier this month.

The American Gods author, 64, had been the subject of a lengthy New York magazine article involving interviews with eight women who all accused him of sexual assault, including a long-term babysitter from New Zealand and a caretaker on his property in Woodstock, New York.

Tom Sturridge in The Sandman ( Netflix )

Gaiman responded to the allegations on January 14 in a blog post titled: Breaking the silence.

As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognize and moments I dont, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. Im far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever, wrote Gaiman.

The author went on to say that he has reviewed correspondence with his accusers, writing: I went back to read the messages I exchanged with the women around and following the occasions that have subsequently been reported as being abusive. These messages read now as they did when I received them  of two people enjoying entirely consensual sexual relationships and wanting to see one another again. At the time I was in those relationships, they seemed positive and happy on both sides.

He did, however, acknowledge personal failings, adding: I also realize, looking through them, years later, that I could have and should have done so much better. I was emotionally unavailable while being sexually available, self-focused and not as thoughtful as I could or should have been. I was obviously careless with peoples hearts and feelings, and thats something that I really, deeply regret. It was selfish of me. I was caught up in my own story and I ignored other peoples.

Gaiman concluded: Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality. I am prepared to take responsibility for any missteps I made. Im not willing to turn my back on the truth, and I cant accept being described as someone I am not, and cannot and will not admit to doing things I didnt do.

Since accusations against Gaiman first became public in a Tortoise podcast last July, several film and television adaptations of his work have been halted. It was announced last year that he is no longer a producer on Good Omens, the Prime Video series which will conclude with a single episode instead of a planned third series.

Disney paused production on a film adaptation of Gaimans The Graveyard Book and Netflix canceled Dead Boy Detectives although that may not have been related to the allegations.

A musical adaptation of Coraline was axed earlier this week.
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Netflix viewers have shared their thoughts on the second season of The Recruit  with one particular opinion being shared by many.

The Recruit debuted in 2022, and follows CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) as he becomes embroiled in an international conflict.

The first season comprised eight episodes, while the second season, released on Netflix this week, contained another six episodes.

Responses to the shows return have been generally positive, with many comparing the show favourably to The Night Agent, another spy series, which itself returned for a second season on Netflix last month.

I really enjoy The Recruit on Netflix, way way way better than The Night Agent, one viewer wrote on X/Twitter.

The Recruit S2 >> The Night Agent S2, another person commented. PS: I'm not even done with season two of The Recruit yet.

At least the Recruit doesn't take his Civilian GF around for top secret govt agency sanctioned work. That alone deserves price of admission unlike The Night Agent [eye-roll emoji].

'The Recruit' returned to Netflix this week ( Netflix )

The Recruit season 2 was solid until the ending... A lot more fast-paced compared to The Night Agent [season two] which made it more enjoyable, someone else remarked.

Hope @netflix renew it for S3.

The Night Agent is based on a novel by Matthew Quirk and stars Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, an FBI agent caught in the midst of a deadly conspiracy.

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The first season became a significant hit for Netflix, and sits among the streamers most-watched series ever. The second season drew a mixed reaction from fans, however, with one detail leaving viewers particularly frustrated.

Its the character of Farhad Taheri (Kiarash Amani) that has left fans infuriated, with many condemning the way his improbably dangerous behaviour was used to drive the plot forward.

Watching Night Agent 2 and Farhad might be the dumbest character Ive ever seen. What a fool, one fan complained.

Farhad on Night Agent 2 is the most annoying and dumbest character, another person agreed

One person called Farhad the textbook example of a stupid human being, while someone else declared: Farhad has got to be the most annoying character of this year so far omg.

The Recruit and The Night Agent are available to stream now on Netflix.
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As several Asian nations gear up to celebrate the lunar new year, families are preparing to partake in the unique traditions associated with the festival and welcome the year of the snake.

The lunar new year marks the first new moon of the lunar calendar, which this year rises on 29 January, kicking off festivities that last 15 days until the first full moon.

While the duration of the festival and the ceremonies associated with it vary by country, the main idea is to usher in the new year with loved ones.

Asian nations have bolstered their transport facilities to keep up with the surge in travel demand. Flights to Japan from Hong Kong will be leaving every 15 minutes, with the acting CEO of the citys airport authority saying there were 150 flights scheduled to and from 13 Japanese cities in the holiday period.

The Chinese government expects nine billion trips  nearly 510 million by train, 90 million by air, and the rest by car  to be undertaken during the festive period, the Associated Press reported.

open image in gallery Travellers line up to board high speed trains in Beijing during the travel rush for lunar new year celebrations ( Getty Images )

According to local media, South Korea expects to see 6.39 million cars on the highways, despite Tuesdays heavy snowfall throwing a wrench into some travel plans.

In China, most businesses and government offices close for an official eight-day public holiday to allow people to travel back home for reunions, while South Koreans get a six-day break after the government designated 27 January as a temporary holiday.

While it has origins in China and Chinese communities in other places, the festival is celebrated in many countries and is even known by different names  the Chinese call it Spring Festival, the Vietnamese call it Tet, South Koreans Seollal, and Indonesians Imlek.

Why is it the year of the snake?

open image in gallery Chinese zodiac marks 2025 as the year of the snake ( Getty )

The Chinese zodiac calendar is a continuous 12-year cycle, each year represented by 12 animals in a specific order  Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

A persons zodiac is determined by the year and the animal they are born under, and its believed to influence their personality, career, relationships, and fortunes.

According to this cycle, 2025 is the year of the snake and children born through this year will be snakes.

How do different countries celebrate?

Planning and preparing for the festivities begins at least a week before the new year arrives, with houses hanging red banners carrying auspicious phrases and lanterns. These banners are meant to invite good fortune and keep away an underwater beast named Nian.

Fireworks are an integral part of the new year celebrations, as the vibrant display is meant to drive away any bad luck that may be lurking.

open image in gallery Fireworks light up the sky during the celebrations in Manila ( AFP via Getty )

Hong Kong expects to see close to 400,000 people at the Victoria Harbour for a 23-minute fireworks show on Thursday, the South China Morning Post reported.

Families also start spring cleaning, with the assumption being that it empties the house of any bad luck. Many even believe that cleaning the house or taking the trash out in the first few days of the new year will sweep away all the good luck they have just managed to gain.

open image in gallery A lion dancer shouts as people watch a traditional lion dance for good luck and fortune ( Getty )

People often travel back to their hometowns during this period and spend the first few days of the new year meeting relatives and loved ones, with bags full of fruit and presents.

Married people are expected to distribute red envelopes with money to unmarried people, supposedly to keep away evil spirits.

In South Korea, a ritual called sebae is observed where people dress in traditional clothing called hanbok to offer deep bows to elders and ancestors to wish them a happy new year. In return, they are given pocket money, rice cakes, and fruit.

Traditional lion dances are often seen in lunar new year parades. They are considered lucky and believed to ward off evil spirits from homes and workplaces.

open image in gallery People burn incense as they pray at a Chinese temple in Yangon ( AFP via Getty )

Many head to temples to pay their respects and make offerings to even out any potential bad luck.

One of the most important parts of the festival is the reunion dinner, where the entire family gathers for a feast, with each dish carefully selected for its symbolism.

Malaysians and Singaporeans make a salad called yee sang, which cant be eaten without a prosperity toss, where everyone gathered stirs together the shredded ingredients and then tosses them high in the air to symbolise good luck.

Vietnamese families come together to make a sticky rice cake known as banh chung, which takes close to 12 laborious hours. The idea is to share the joy of good food with each other.

open image in gallery Wrapped cakes of glutinous rice, green beans and pork belly known as banh chung are prepared to celebrate Tet, the Vietnamese new year ( AFP via Getty )

open image in gallery File. South Korean models demonstrate charye, a traditional ritual service of food and offerings to thank their ancestors, ahead of the lunar new year, at a showcase traditional village in Seoul on 12 January 2009 ( AFP via Getty )

In Korea, a rice cake soup named tteokguk is consumed, which represents rebirth, new beginnings, and the passing of time. A sweet rice cake shaped like a half-moon, called songpyeon, is eaten for good luck as its shape is meant to signify abundance and prosperity.
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For 13-year-old Mohammed Rias, it was the day of exams, a day to put all that he had learned to the test.

But instead of settling down in a classroom, he found himself fleeing his home, dodging a hail of bullets to escape forced conscription into a war which has persecuted his community for years.

Mohammed is a Rohingya who, until recently, was living in the Buthidaung township in Rakhine State, western Myanmar. For years, his community has been targeted by the junta who overthrew and imprisoned the democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021.

Now the military  and the rebels they are fighting who want independence  are preying on the Rohingya again by forcing them to fight as foot soldiers.

Recalling unspeakable horrors that no teenager should have to live through, Mohammed describes how his family of seven made a run for their lives in December 2024.

It started with the military junta dragging out young men from their homes for forcible conscription into the army to fight rebels, he tells The Independent. Everything was calm before that. But the recruitment drive flamed the fighting in the village.

open image in gallery The Myanmar military  and the rebels they are fighting  are preying on the Rohingya with forced recruitment ( Getty )

Mohammed describes how military leaders in Myanmar would identify young, tall, and fit men and forcibly enlist them, which enraged the rebel Arakan Army. In retaliation, the rebels launched attacks on villages, sometimes using drone strikes that killed hundreds.

The day I left, I was supposed to take my exams. As we fled, the rebels began firing bullets and launching drones. Many were swept away by the river, and we had to walk over dead bodies to escape.

We are being slaughtered. They [military and Arakan Army] hate us, he says.

Mohammed is among tens of thousands of Rohingya who have been forced from their homes in Myanmar over the last four years. On Friday, the ruling military extended the state of emergency for another six months, a day ahead of the four-year anniversary of the coup.

Nearly 80,000 new arrivals have sought refuge in the densely packed camps in Kutupalong, near Bangladeshs Coxs Bazar  the nearest safe zone - after getting caught in the crosshairs between the military and rebel groups.

They join 1 million compatriots already living in and around steep, deforested, sandy hills, where only temporary shelters are allowed after they escaped what the UN called textbook ethnic cleansing in 2017.

Dozens of new arrivals like Mohammed share similar accounts of forced recruitment by both sides, targeted killings of those attempting to flee, bombing attacks on civilians, the burning of houses, and widespread rape and torture.

The persecution has persisted for decades. In 2012, tens of thousands were driven out of mixed communities and forced to live in squalid camps. The worst violence came in 2017 when the Myanmar military carried out a brutal clearance operation, killing an estimated 10,000 people, raping and murdering thousands, and burning entire villages.

Ms Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, became a controversial figure when she refused to condemn the brutality and defended the military regime at The Hague in 2019. Imprisoned shortly after the coup, she has spent most of her time in solitary confinement.

Rohingya Muslims are still denied citizenship and face severe restrictions in Myanmar, including a ban on travel outside their communities.

Among those who have fled recently is Mustafa Kamal, 22, who was forced to leave his sister behind: One day, the rebels barged into our home and took away my young nephew, who was still in high school.

He was forcibly recruited by the Arakan Army. At first, he was made to serve as a porter, but when fighting broke out between the rebels and the military, he was used as a human shield. Fortunately, he survived and escaped at the first chance he got.

But the boys ordeal didnt end there. Armed men raided his home again, tortured his parents, stole their money, and abducted him once more. His fate remains unknown.

The Arakan Army, a military wing of the Buddist Rakhine ethnic group in the western Rakhine state, is seeking autonomy from the central government in the country which is being run by the junta.

But stories of their extreme brutality have emerged in the refugee camps.

Noor Fatima had just taken a bath in her village in Myanmar when five Arakan rebels allegedly charged into her home and raped her in front of her husband, leaving her bleeding. They beat up her husband when he tried to save her.

The 37-year-old mother, from Maungdaw, a town in Rakhine State in the western part of Myanmar, knew she and her family had to flee.

open image in gallery Noor Fatima, 47, fled Myanmar after she was raped in her own home in Mongdow ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

For three days, Ms Fatima, her husband, and their four children were stranded on the Naf River, the natural border between southeastern Bangladesh and northwestern Myanmar, without food or water. Their journey to Bangladesh came to a halt when they spotted Bangladeshi forces.

Turning back was not an option for the family. They had already spent days hiding in the jungle, escaping both the junta and rebel groups. Desperate, they decided to enter Bangladesh, even if it meant being arrested or shot by Bangladeshi soldiers.

Recalling her horrific ordeal with tears rolling down her face, she says: Five members of the Arakan Army barged into my home and began searching. They sent my husband outside, and two of them pinned me down while another raped me.

My husband heard my screams and came running, but the other two men brutally beat him, striking his head with the butt of a gun and knocking him unconscious.

Ms Fatimas neighbours carried her injured husband to a doctor. However, they were soon forced to run again after stumbling upon dead bodies left behind following a gun battle between the junta and Arakan Army fighters.

We were both heavily injured, drinking water from the river where the bodies of those killed while fleeing were floating, she says.

It was only after arriving in Bangladesh that Ms Fatima finally received treatment for her injuries. Her fellow displaced Rohingya live in temporary shelters marked by the bright logos of international relief organisations.

open image in gallery Noor Fatimas four children in temporary shelter in Kutupalong, near Coxs Bazar ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

Crippling shortages of food, water, and healthcare, along with restrictions on movement which have lasted for months or even years, have forced these people out of Myanmar.

Many have arrived after leaving dying family members behind. Ajju Bahar, 60, says fleeing was her only chance to survive and rescue her children.

Draped in an orange shawl, she recounts the last time she saw her husband.

That day, the military stormed into our house, and a gunfight broke out between the Arakan Army and the soldiers. My husband was sick and bedridden  he couldnt run. A man in uniform pointed his gun at him and shot him in the abdomen, she says.

She turned back one last time to glimpse her husband but knew she couldnt carry his body. She fled with her five children but was forced to leave two behind, unable to afford the boat fare. The boatman demanded 300,000 Myanmar kyat (115) per person.

I am poor. We couldnt work because of the unrest, and I didnt have enough money for my two sons, she says.

Ruhul Ameen, 25, recalls the day of Eid-Al-Adha and they were preparing for a feast when people began screaming as fighting broke out between the military and the rebels.

Some people said the military set fire to the village. Almost 500 people died that day with bullet injuries and drone attack, he says. Bullets passed from everywhere as we tried to run the military which was on vehicles while we ran on foot, he added.

I could not identify my cousin who died that day and it was our last day in our homeland, he says.

open image in gallery Ajju Bahar, 60, says fleeing Myanmar was her only chance to survive and save her children but she was forced to leave two of them behind ( Shweta Sharma/The Independent )

UK aid agency Cafod, which is working in Coxs Bazar in partnership with Caritas Bangladesh, says the situation of Rohingyas in Myanmar has deteriorated even more since the 2021 coup, calling for an international attention on the crisis.

Phil Talman, Cafods programme coordinator for Bangladesh, says: We are now four years on from the coup in Myanmar and situation for the refugees is not improving. The significant aid cuts and declining funding for this crisis is putting lives at risk.

On this anniversary of the coup, we call for a renewed international attention to this crisis, more burden sharing across countries in the region, increased funding and increased pressure on Myanmar for voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Rohingya.

Alexander Tripura, head of disaster management at Caritas Bangladesh, says that it has conducted the rehabilitation, shelter, support and protection services among others for nearly 1.7 million refugees living across the camp since 2017.

The people are in dire need of more aid and lifesaving support to refugees.
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Just under two weeks into the Trump administration, government agencies are making major edits to the content shared on their website to fit with the presidents policies.

Several pages were taken down from the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to health disparities among LGBT+ youth.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which manages the U.S. Forest Service, has removed pages related to climate change.

open image in gallery A web page discussing climate change was removed from the Department of Agriculture website. The page detailed the science behind the phenomenon, among other issues ( USDA )

You are not authorized to access this page, the USDA website reads.

The page you're looking for was not found, the CDC says.

In a copy of the Department of Agriculture guidance shared with The Independent, employees were asked to review websites for climate content and unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change, identify all web content related to climate change, and document it in a spreadsheet for later review. ABC News said it had obtained the spreadsheet.

Using the WayBackMachine, the Department of Agriculture pages feature climate change science and effects, adaptation, information about the USDAs Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Assessment Program. The site also offered a link to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, the U.S. Governments preeminent report on climate change impacts, risks, and responses.

Notably, information about climate change and its impact on agriculture still remains on the Environmental Protection Agency website.

The now-missing CDC pages discuss how LGBT+ youth are at risk for negative health outcomes and how to support them.

open image in gallery A page related to LGBT+ youth and health disparities no longer exists on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The page discussed how to support the group ( CDC )

Many LGBTQ+ youth thrive during adolescence. But stigma, discrimination, and other factors put them at increased risk for negative health and life outcomes, the CDC resource used to say. Stigma comes in many forms, such as discrimination, harassment, family disapproval, social rejection, and violence. This puts LGBTQ+ youth at increased risk for certain negative health outcomes.

The CDC told The Independent that all changes to the Health and Human Service and the departments division websites are in accordance with President Donald Trumps executive orders.

Everyone I know in public health and science ... is freaking out right now, Ariel Beccia, a researcher and instructor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health focused on eating disorders in LGBT+ populations, told STAT News.

The moves come amid a bid to oust all transgender troops from the military as well as a push away from clean energy initiatives to follow Trumps drill, baby, drill, campaign pitch.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump talks to reporters from the Resolute Desk at the White House on Thursday in Washington, D.C. Trump has said that climate change is a scam ( Getty Images )

Trump has said climate change is a scam and a hoax, and moved to withdraw the nation from the international Paris climate agreement. The pact aims to reduce warming from climate change, and prevent expected consequences like worsening drought and more powerful storms. Brooke Rollins, his pick for USDA secretary, has denied that carbon dioxide is a pollutant.
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The Chinese lunar new year is here, and 2025 marks the year of the snake.

Over 3,500 years old, the Chinese lunar cycle lasts 12 years and is represented by a different animal each year. Each creature brings with it a unique energy and fortune for those born within its period. Likewise, youll be impacted differently by the energy the snake brings, depending on your animal.

The celebration is the biggest in China, and is an important part of the countrys cultural and social heritage. The year of the snake represents a paradox: associated with both yin (darkness, seduction, receptiveness), and yang (luck, rebirth, positivity). The last year of the snake was in 2013.

You can find your Chinese zodiac sign below.

How do I find out what animal represents the year I was born?

Snake (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025)

The snake embodies duality, considered sly, vain and scheming by some and wiley, resilient and dynamic by others. Its mysterious, energetic and passionate.

Rooster (1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)

The hard-working rooster is up at the crack of dawn, working diligently and learning. Its earnest and honest but can be a bit selfish at times.

Pig (1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)

Charming and sociable, the pig is considered the embodiment of luck and wealth in Chinese culture. Generous and caring, the pig will always have lifelong friends and be immensely popular.

open image in gallery A man offers prayers on the eve of the Lunar New Year of the Snake in Jakarta ( AFP via Getty Images )

Rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020)

Clever and ambitious, the rat knows how to survive in difficult conditions. Adaptable and quick-witted they can achieve success with their skills.

Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)

The cheeky monkey is mischievous, but knows how to get its way by influencing people with its charming and entertaining presence.

Horse (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026)

Attractive and animated, the horse certainly knows how to make its presence felt. Its independent and adventurous, but can struggle with impatience.

open image in gallery China celebrates the year of the snake ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Goat (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)

Not a fan of the limelight, the goat likes to blend into the background, preferring simplicity and elegance. They avoid confrontation and love being nurtured.

Tiger (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022)

Full of vitality, the tiger is bold, adventurous and energetic. But beware, because once prodded it can pounce with fierce aggression.

Ox (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021)

The ox is reliable, hard-working, patient and clever. Full of strength, they make great friends, but dont mind spending time on their own when needed.

Dragon (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024)

Ostentatious, brave, and bold, the dragon knows how to put on a show. Although sometimes eccentric, they make great leaders.

Rabbit (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023)

Although theyre small, the rabbit is graceful, stylish and lovable. Prone to shyness sometimes, the rabbit is very affectionate.

Dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)

Loyal and friendly, they make the best companions a person can have. Sometimes they can be stubborn, but always find their way back to balance.
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As spring approaches, the time draws near for everyones beloved woodchuck to predict whether therell be six more weeks of winter. Yes, Groundhog Day is on February 2, 2025.

Since 1886, crowds as large as 40,000 have annually gathered in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on the morning of February 2 to watch a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil emerge from a burrow on Gobblers Knob. According to folklore, if the groundhog sees his shadow, then winter will endure for six more weeks. If its cloudy, then spring will come early that year.

In recent years, the annual festival has even been live-streamed to people as early as six in the morning, as members of the top hat-wearing Inner Circle announce the groundhogs forecast.

Sure, Punxsutawney Phils weather predictions may not be totally accurate, but whats the harm in celebrating a small, furry woodchuck each year? In fact, Groundhog Day is an interesting tradition full of history.

Here are five facts you never knew about Groundhog Day:

1) Punxsutawney Phil, the legendary groundhog who casts his prediction, has reputedly been operating in the Pennsylvania town for more than 130 years. Despite the lifespan of a groundhog usually being less than six years, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Clubs Inner Circle maintains they have been speaking to the same groundhog since 1887.

2) Punxsutawneys first Groundhog Day in Gobblers Knob dates back to February 2, 1887, when the towns newspaper editor Clymer Freas informed his readers: Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow.

However, the tradition can be traced to the Christian religious holiday of Candlemas Day, when Christians would take their candles to the church to have them blessed. It wasnt until Candlemas Day was introduced in Germany that an animal was brought into the lore, claiming that if a hedgehog saw his shadow on Candlemas Day there would be a Second Winter or six more weeks of bad weather.

After German settlers came to what is now the United States, the Pennsylvania Dutch, and other German-speaking immigrants maintained the same tradition of Groundhog Day. But with the absence of hedgehogs in their new home, woodchucks were chosen instead.

The earliest known American reference to Groundhog Day was in a Morgantown shopkeepers journal entry dated February 4, 1841.

Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas Day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, the entry reads, per the National Weather Service. But if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate.

3) Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow 107 times and not seen his shadow 20 times, according to The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Of these times, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found that the groundhogs forecasts have been about 40 percent correct within the last 10 years.

4) Groundhogs are also referred to as woodchucks, forming the basis for the tongue-twister: How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

5) Groundhog Day is celebrated beyond Pennsylvania. All throughout the U.S., states and local towns have their own Groundhog Day events marked by their own residing groundhog. In Milltown, New Jersey, attendees await the weather forecast from Milltown Mel. Staten Island Chuck is the name given to New York Citys official weather-forecasting woodchuck who is housed at the Staten Island Zoo.

The holiday is also observed throughout Canada.
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Amy Schumer has opened up about the side effects she experienced while taking Ozempic.

The comedian recently appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday (January 29) where she explained that despite losing weight on the medication also used to treat type 2 diabetes, she had to to stop taking it.

I have this gene, GDF15, which makes you extremely prone to nausea, which is why I was so sick during my pregnancy, she told the radio show host.

So, I tried Ozempic almost three years ago and I was like, bedridden. I was like, vomiting  and then you have no energy. But other people take it and theyre all good. God bless them.

The I Feel Pretty actor continued, saying that she views Ozempic and other similar medications as red flags over the type of results that are promised.

Youre like, Wait a minute. Can we slow down? The side effects are you have a better personality, she said. I tried it and I was vomiting and Im in bed and my sons like, Can you play tag? Im like, I cant. I was shriveling.

Schumer told Howard Stern about her experience with Ozempic ( Getty Images )

Despite the effects Schumer experienced, she also added that she lost 30 pounds so quick and looked great.

I couldnt lift my head off the pillow, so whats the point? she said.

The Trainwreck actor previously spoke about her time taking Ozempic in a June 2023 episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. She also took a moment to call out celebrities who had been lying about taking the once-weekly antidiabetic injection for weight loss.

Everyones like: Smaller portions, she joked at the time. Shut the f*** up. Youre on Ozempic, or one of those things.

Ozempic is a semaglutide, which works by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and creates the feeling of fullness.

Just stop, Schumer added. Just be real with the people.

The Trainwreck star even noted how she was open about undergoing liposuction for weight loss in January 2022. When I got lipo, I was like, I got lipo, she said.

Schumer isnt the only celebrity who has opened up about their experience taking weight-loss medication. Oprah Winfrey recently said during an episode of her Super Soul podcast that taking an unnamed version of the drug herself has changed her preconceptions about thin people.

The media mogul, who previously slammed weight loss drugs as the easy way out, said: One of the things that I realized the very first time I took a GLP-1 was that all these years I thought that thin people had more willpower.

They ate better foods. They were able to stick to it longer. They never had a potato chip.

However, Winfrey claimed that what she initially thought was willpower was actually a lack of intrusive hunger thoughts, also known as food noise.

Experts have claimed GLP-1 medications, such as Ozempic, and Wegovy may help lessen or even stop food noise by slowing down digestion and reducing cravings.

Winfrey continued: I realized the very first time I took the GLP-1 that theyre not even thinking about it. Theyre eating when theyre hungry and theyre stopping when theyre full.
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As the Chinese New Year begins, its a perfect time to reflect on what the upcoming year holds.

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a significant cultural celebration marking the start of the lunisolar calendar.

With roots tracing back some 3,500 years to ancient China, it signifies the end of winter and the arrival of a new year. The festival holds deep importance in Chinese culture and is observed with various traditions and festivities.

The holiday, China's biggest, this year falls between January 28 and February 4 and marks the arrival of the Year of the Snake.

The last Year of the Snake happened in 2013.

Why is it the year of the snake?

2025 is the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, a 12-year cycle represented by animals.

Each year is associated with a specific animal, influencing the characteristics of those born under its sign.

Babies born in 2025 will be snakes, following 2024's dragons and preceding 2026's horses.

The cycle continues with the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, each representing a different year in the repeating 12-year sequence.

Calligraphy of a snake to represent the Year of the Snake

How do I find out what animal represents the year I was born?

Snake (1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025)

Rooster (1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017)

Pig (1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019)

Rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020)

Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016)

Horse (1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026)

Goat (1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015)

Tiger (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022)

Ox (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021)

Dragon (1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024)

Rabbit (1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023)

Dog (1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018)

Chinese astrologers believe that each sign experiences the influences of the year differently, with some set for prosperity and others facing cautionary tales.

Read More How is Lunar New Year celebrated around the world? Lunar New Year, celebrated by many Asian communities, begins on January 29, 2025, marking the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac.

Festivities include carnivals, family gatherings, parades, traditional foods, and fireworks, often extending for several days.

The Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival (China), Tet (Vietnam), and Seollal (Korea), is tied to the lunar calendar and falls between late January and mid-February.

The Year of the Snake symbolizes rebirth, regeneration, and the pursuit of love and happiness, though snakes hold both feared and revered status in Chinese culture.

Celebrations often involve red decorations, symbolic of good fortune, and special foods like dumplings, rice cakes, and noodles, varying by culture. Ancestor worship and specific rituals are also common practices.

Read more here

What traditions are associated with Chinese New Year?

Lunar New Year is more than just a celebration; it's a vibrant tapestry of cultural heritage, uniting families and communities in a spirit of renewal and hope.

From the meticulous cleaning of homes (chucheng) to banish bad luck, to the explosion of lucky red  lanterns, intricate papercuts, and spring couplets (chunlian) adorning every doorway  tradition takes centre stage.

The giving of red envelopes (hongbao) and sharing auspicious meals further strengthen family bonds, marking a time of optimism for the year ahead.

These time-honoured customs underscore the festival's deep cultural significance, offering a fresh start and a shared sense of belonging.

What does the snake symbolise in Chinese culture?

In Chinese literature and mythology, the snake occupies a fascinatingly contradictory position.

While associated with the yin  darkness, dampness, and femininity  its negative connotations often link poisonous snakes to seductive, yang-draining women.

Conversely, the snake also embodies positive symbolism. Referred to as "little dragons", their shed skin, the "dragon's coat", signifies good luck, rebirth, and regality.

This duality extends to the snake's representation of love and happiness, as depicted in "The Legend of the White Snake," and its association with wealth, wisdom, and longevity, often grouped with the turtle and crane.
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People are being urged to check their pockets after two 50p Brexit coins minted with the wrong exit date were discovered.

Around a million of the special coins to mark the planned Brexit day of 31 October 2019 were melted down and recycled after then prime minister Boris Johnson was forced to seek an extension by Parliament.

It was believed all of them were destroyed - but two surviving coins have now surfaced, and are said to be worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Gregory Edmund, a numismatic specialist from Spink & Son auction house, told The Telegraph: Ever since the official London Gazette notice for the 2019 Brexit 50 pence has existed, I have wondered if survivors of the one million cancelled coins would one day surface.

Given the extremely stringent security at the Royal Mint, to suddenly have two examples survive, and be available for study at the same time, is a unique opportunity.

This truly feels like my Charlie Bucket moment discovering the numismatic Golden Ticket.

A thousand trial coins had also been made to mark the first exit date of March 29 2019, which was missed by Mr Johnsons predecessor Theresa May.

open image in gallery A thousand trial coins had also been struck to mark the first exit date of March 29 2019, which was missed by Mr Johnsons predecessor Theresa May. ( PA )

The coins were recycled into new gold, silver and cupro-nickel coins featuring the updated exit deadline of 31 January 2020.

The two October deadline coins were handed to Spink & Son and are the only two coins known to be in circulation - although a Royal Mint spokesman said they were unable to confirm the validity of the coins.

Mr Edmund told The Telegraph that if the coins went up for auction he would expect them to fetch more than 40,000.

He has set up a hotline for people who have found another one of the rare coins to come forward.

At the time they were put into circulation, the Brexit coins sparked controversy before entering circulation  and not just for political reasons.

Their inscription reads: Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations.

open image in gallery Former chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid holding the Brexit coin ( PA )

Author Sir Philip Pullman called for the coins to be boycotted for not having an Oxford comma and wrote on Twitter that the omission meant the coin should be boycotted by all literate people.

An Oxford comma is used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, so would be placed after the word prosperity.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 1. The Algerian parliament has presented two bills aimed at combating France's colonial legacy, Trend reports.

The first bill envisages the exclusion of the French language from all official legislative documents. If adopted, the Official Gazette of Algeria will be published exclusively in Arabic.

The second bill requires France to officially recognize the crimes committed during colonial rule in Algeria. The document mentions war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
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A British-Israeli woman, who was held hostage for 15 months by Hamas in Gaza, has said she was detained in a United Nations facility and denied medical treatment during her captivity.

In a phone call with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, Emily Damari, 28 - who was released earlier this month - told him she was previously held at a site belonging to the UNs agency, the UNRWA.

She also claimed she was denied access to medical facilities during her captivity and was only supplied with an out-of-date bottle despite losing two fingers on her left hand and being shot in the leg.

Ms Damari and her mother Mandy asked the prime minister to put pressure on Hamas and UNRWA to allow the Red Cross access to the remaining 82 hostages being held in the territory.

The 28-year-old also took the opportunity to thank people in the UK for campaigning for her freedom.

Mandy Damari wrote on X after the phone call: "Hamas held Emily in UNRWA facilities and denied her access to medical treatment after shooting her twice. It's a miracle that she survived, and we need to get aid to remaining hostages now."

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma told the BBC that the vast majority of our buildings were turned into shelter when the war started. There was also very, very little supplies and assistance that the agency could give them.

She added: Weve been calling for the release of hostages for months on end  These claims that hostages have been held in Unrwa premises, even if they were vacated, are absolutely serious.

Ms Touma added that UNRWA had repeatedly called for independent investigations into claims of misuse of UNRWA premises by Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas.

The Independent has asked UNRWA to comment on Ms Damaris claims.

The Israeli government has banned UNRWA from operating having repeatedly accused the agency of being involved in the October 7 attacks, saying that its buildings in Gaza have been used by Hamas.

Ms Damari was taken from her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza on October 7 2023, in which she was shot in the hand, blindfolded and forced into her own car with two other friends, her family has said.

She was one of three hostages released on January 19 when the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was agreed, alongside Romi Gonen, 24, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31.

Three more hostages are set to be released from Gaza in the next exchange, expected on Saturday, as part of the ceasefire agreement. This batch will include the father of the youngest hostage and a dual US national.

A spokesperson for Hamas named Yarden Bibas, 35, Keith Siegel, 65, and Ofer Kalderon, 54, as the next hostages to be released.
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Prince Andrew sought secret advice from senior Chinese Communist officials as he tried to raise 2.5billion for his company, documents have revealed.

The duke planned to leverage the role of the royal family to raise the money for his now-aborted Pitch@Palace entrepreneurs scheme in China, according to The Times.

It comes after Andrews close confidant Yang Tengbo was removed from the UK on national security grounds after it was alleged he was a Chinese spy.

Documents found on Mr Yangs phone included a crib sheet for a planned call between Yang and the duke. According to The Times, it says that Chinas ambassador to London, Zheng Zeguang, regarded Andrew as a valuable communication channel.

Other documents retrieved from Mr Yangs phone showed that Andrew allegedly wanted advice from Jiang Jianguo, a minister of Chinas State Council Information Office, in 2019.

Alistair Michie, secretary-general of the British East Asia Council, told the minister that Andrew wanted to organise a conference for world leaders in China.

open image in gallery Yang Tengbo was removed from the UK on national security grounds after it was alleged he was a Chinese spy ( China Daily )

I know that HRH the Duke of York will value your private thinking. In turn, that will help him formulate his plans and so enable a consensus to be reached, he wrote.

When I am in London I can privately and informally get the view of HRH the Duke of York, he added.

Pitch@Palace was a Dragons' Den-type mentoring network set up by Andrew designed to connect start-up firms, often in the technology sector, with potential investors.

The Chinese-arm of the fund intended to establish a golden triangle of friendship among the Duke of York, Middle Eastern nations and China and was overseen by Mr Yang.

The foundation will rely on the traditional friendly relationships of the British royal family with certain countries to foster friendships and mutual trust between these parties and Chinese partners, the document said.

open image in gallery Pitch@Palace was a Dragons' Den-type mentoring network set up by Andrew designed to connect start-up firms, often in the technology sector, with potential investors ( PA Wire )

The royal family, being above party politics and unaffected by election cycles, can pursue long-term visions and exert stable, enduring influence.

Mr Yang, 50, was found with letters addressed to Beijings United Front Work Department - a shadowy arm of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tasked with gaining influence over foreign officials - after he was detained in 2021.

He is said to have used his high-profile connections to secure invitations to Buckingham Palace and other royal residences, with fresh reports alleging he also met two former prime ministers.

The Sunday Times claimed he met David Cameron at a Downing Street reception and Theresa May at a black-tie event, which took place over the last 15 years in his London office.

Mr Yang said he had done nothing wrong or unlawful and the widespread description of me as a spy is entirely untrue.
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A Manchester student looking for accommodation claims she was told people from the Indian subcontinent would not be accepted because they lie too much and practise deceit in a shocking exchange that sheds light on racism in renting.

Bulbul, 29, said she was completely shattered by the email after enquiring about a two-bedroom house on SpareRoom.

The exchange was uncovered as part of campaign group Generation Rents research into the experiences of minority ethnic renters in the UK.

The group found they were more likely than white British or Irish students to experience rude or hostile behaviour from a landlord or letting agent  38 per cent reported such behaviour compared to 32 per cent of white respondents.

Minority ethnic students were also more likely to report landlords coming into the property when they shouldnt  36 per cent to 20 per cent  and more likely to experience an unaffordable rent increase. In total, 145 renters between the ages of 18 and 29 took part in the survey.

When PhD student Bulbul, who did not wish to give her second name, applied for the room in the Hulme area of Manchester, someone she believes to be the landlord emailed her back to say they had very bad experience with students/professionals from the Indian subcontinent.

The offensive email, seen by The Independent, continued: They lie too much, practise deceit, they are filthy not dirty, opportunists, irresponsible, abscond without paying dues and generally they are poor paymasters. Their reputation and professionalism have gone down the drain within the UK context. As a result I have stopped taking Indian students for quite a while now.

The host then claimed the majority of landlords dont offer tenancy to people from the subcontinent, and if they do so they ask for two UK guarantors or six months rent upfront. These extra requirements were self-inflicted by the aforesaid students/professionals, they added.

open image in gallery Research from Generation Rent found minority ethnic renters are more likely than white renters to experience rude or hostile behaviour from a landlord or letting agent ( Getty/The Independent )

The host went on to suggest that he would give Bulbul the benefit of the doubt, adding: You could be a suitable person indeed. The rent was 550 a month without bills. He signed off the email: Think about it carefully and get back to me asap.

Bulbul told The Independent: The moment I received it [the email] I was completely shattered. I lost faith in the housing system in the UK. I thought, I am going to be discriminated against like this over and over again.

In my first year, I was staying in university accommodation and I didnt want to stay there in the second year as well, because the room was quite small. As a PhD student you spend a lot of time working in your room so I wanted to look for a bigger room, but after these experiences I didnt really want to try my luck again.

She was able to get a room in university accommodation for her second year but is still reeling from the exchange.

She added: I have never received this kind of treatment from anybody in the UK, or anybody in the world. Bulbul explained she didnt want to report the incident to the police because she was worried that getting involved with the UK legal system might impact her visa.

Bulbul shared what had happened with friends, with some revealing they had also experienced racism when renting. Bulbul decided to reply to the email, telling the landlord generalisations based on nationality or background can be hurtful and are not reflective of every individual, but never received a response.

The Independent contacted the landlord but did not receive a reply.

Generation Rents research also found minority ethnic renters under 30 were 18 per cent more likely than white respondents to have moved away from the area that they grew up in.

Minority ethnic respondents were more than twice as likely to have moved out of the area because it had become too expensive, the research found.

open image in gallery Protesters holding placards demonstrate outside a Foxtons estate agent in central London in December last year as they demanded urgent action on the city's rising rents ( AFP via Getty Images )

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: Many young people, especially ethnic minority young people, are being forced to make these decisions because they cannot afford any other alternative. This cannot continue.

The campaign group also carried out a mystery shopper exercise on 200 properties that found white profiles were 36 per cent more likely to receive a positive response when applying to rent online than Black people.

Banseka Kayembe, director of Naked Politics, which collaborated on the research, said: This report clearly shows many young people are suffering in the rental market  and that minority ethnic people are facing more exacerbated or specific challenges to their quality of life.

Its also clear that more young people of colour are facing issues around class, compounded by racism from many different actors within private renting.

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, said: Its illegal for anyone renting property in any form to discriminate based on race or nationality and we take a zero-tolerance approach. Finding somewhere to rent in todays climate is hard enough without having to deal with discrimination too.

He added that, in this case, the email exchange took place away from SpareRoom and it was not reported at the time. We take discrimination extremely seriously and we will always take action to close the accounts of anyone who breaks the law, Mr Hutchinson said.
In a modest building tucked just behind a residential road in Boston, Lincolnshire, teachers and pupils at St Nicholas Church of England Primary School are well into their day. Around lunchtime there are cheers in the corridors; behind classroom doors children sit cross-legged and captivated, enjoying their daily storytime. The headteacher, Fiona Booth, has had a storytime of sorts herself this morning, too, as she does every day. Sometimes it comes from a pupil who witnessed violence in their home the night before, or who was overjoyed to have eaten a tin of peas for their Christmas dinner. The stories are heartbreaking, almost unbelievable, or at least unbearable to fathom.

Recently, for instance, one child came into school a lot more excited than usual. Hed slept in a tent overnight, he told Booth and her staff; he was elated. Previously he, his parents and his two siblings had been sleeping on the streets. He was the designated blanket, Booth explains, because out of him and his two other siblings, he was always the warmest. So they would huddle together and he would lie on top. His sister had the responsibility of foraging for food out of bins (she had the longest arms). The school sprang into action.

St Nicks, as its known locally, is well practised when it comes to extracurricular care  it was the focus of a recent BBC report looking at the pressures facing schools, because of its drive to go above and beyond for its pupils. But its just one example. Like thousands across the country, teachers here are seeing hardship and deprivation in class every day. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that primary school staff estimate that more than one-third (35 per cent) of pupils in their care came to school hungry last year, a number that rises to 44 per cent in deprived areas, like Boston, where the issues can be witnessed well beyond the school gates.

Theres deprivation here of every kind  poverty, food deprivation, problems with housing. Im very conscious that there are some children in our school who are dearly loved at home, Booth clarifies. But the large majority just kind of exist.

Having grown up two minutes down the road from St Nicks, I am familiar with what she describes. I have watched my teenage twin sisters navigate the school system  a few years ago they told me that breaktime meant sitting in small groups and pooling lunchboxes to share food with those who didnt have it, which is not uncommon at all, according to Booth.

If a lunchbox is brought at all, it might just contain a cold, uncooked Rustlers burger [a processed, microwaveable, vacuum-packed burger]. Weve seen that. Or a huge bag of broken biscuits and nothing else; coffee, or Monster energy drinks in childrens flasks, things like that. Its not a teaching problem, but a parenting problem, says Booth. In a town like this, for schools like hers, that is precisely the point.

In the surrounding area  a working-class town built on agricultural labour, with high immigration, low integration, lack of adequate infrastructure and the resulting bitter sense of abandonment by local and central government  theres a battle being fought.

Outsiders looking in at schools like St Nicks  where there are 21 languages spoken among 190 pupils  are often quick to blame high numbers of non-English nationals overwhelming the system. Booth is blunt about it: Theyre bigots, she says. In fact, the towns problems are much wider and generationally embedded than the make-up of its population.

In 2021, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that the town had the second-highest proportion of people reporting no qualifications in the country; government-published data on education, skills and learning for post-16s in Boston and Skegness pegs it as being in the top 5 per cent of the worst places to live. Thats due to high crime, high teenage pregnancy rates, and low mobility. People born here stay here, Booth says.

That lack of opportunity, lack of aspiration, lack of experience means that as a school were always trying to narrow that capital cultural gap. Motifs from the schools motto  Let your light shine  are dotted all around, and reflect that aspirational cause which is clearly so important to Booth. Places like this are lighthouses saying, Look out there: you could be so much more. A lighthouse guides you away from danger.

open image in gallery Teachers at the school provide emergency clothing and other essentials to families who are struggling ( St Nicholas Church of England Primary School )

You get a better sense of the rigorous support system that Booth and her staff have created when she speaks about this  a system that not only caters for the children, but is having to help the adults in their lives, too. Booth makes sure she stands at the school gates every morning and at the end of the school day, so that parents can find her easily if they are in distress.

Its really easy to stand back from a distance and be principled about it, says Booth. Or say that its a parents job to feed or clothe a child, or brush their teeth. But you try doing that when a child is hungry or a parent is broken, and theyre coming down the path towards you saying, Hes going to kill me, hes going to kill me, hes going to kill me. The school has found that domestic violence is rising exponentially. Your job, then, is to get that person inside.

In the North West its a similar story. Steve Campbell, CEO of the LET Education Trust, which manages four schools around Accrington, Lancashire, tells me he sometimes receives as many as 10 notifications per day from Operation Encompass, a police service that communicates with schools when a child has witnessed violence in their home the previous night. The number of referrals that come in is horrendous, says Campbell. The prevalence of issues like this has made teaching unrecognisable from when he started out 40 years ago, he says.

Much of the hardship that Campbell and his team witness among pupils is unseen, or not obvious, deprivation, he adds. Around 40 per cent of the students attending two primary and two secondary schools within the trust qualify for pupil premium, which means that their parents earn below a certain threshold. Outside of London, thats 22,700 if they have one child, or 26,300 for two or more.

Theres an awful lot of families that are barely above that breadline, and its equally challenging for them, says Campbell, who was headteacher at the Hollins School, which is part of the trust, for 10 years before taking on his current role.

Around 30 to 35 per cent of pupils in the trusts secondary schools are of Asian heritage  many are descended from those who migrated to Lancashire in the 1950s to work in the cotton mills  and have large extended families to help look after them. There are other children who are not so fortunate, Campbell explains. Both our primary schools are on the outskirts of the town, so they tend to be mostly white British, he says. But its white British and not working  lots of families with mental health issues, parents who dont send their children to school and dont work themselves. Its a very challenging cohort.

open image in gallery Pupils under the LET Trust take part in the Lets Be Foundation, where theyre encouraged to integrate with the wider community ( The LET Trust )

The school has successfully implemented a non-profit element to its education model  the Lets Be Foundation, an extended services provision that encourages cohesion through creativity. Pupils are encouraged to give back to the community and express themselves through funded projects  like spending time caring for the elderly  in order to develop character education in a system that is highly focused on academic performance.

One part of it is what we call the inspire and motivate programme. That might be going to the cinema, or going to a restaurant for a meal, which many of our pupils have never experienced, says Campbell. As well as encouraging them to attend school more regularly, it encompasses a simple but crucial element of education: that you cant be what you cant see.

This is a familiar theme in all the schools whose leaders I speak to. Back in Boston, they promise that every child will see the beach, just 20 miles away in Skegness, at least once. One pupil, Booth says, was freaked out by the sand; another fell over terrified, because the sea kept moving. In Keighley, West Yorkshire, Ceinwen Lodge, the headteacher of Worth Valley Primary School, encourages aspiration and vocational development in children by organising agricultural trips, or anything that can help take away that fear of travelling, or being out of your comfort zone.

If even one of these children ends up travelling the world and having an amazing career because we showed them its safe and fun to travel, thats the point, Lodge says. When were talking about breaking cycles, thats it.

Lodge became a headteacher just over six years ago, when Worth Valley had a bad reputation and a requires improvement Ofsted report. Many children were persistently absent, parents were difficult to engage with, and the school itself was in desperate need of renovation. Over time, Lodge and her team  I never say I, she underlines. Its the whole team  have developed effective interventions that have brought vast improvements.

They take children with severely neglected teeth to a local dentist who works with them, and they often conduct home visits. When they find that children are living in overcrowded two-bedroom homes, or in dwellings that are overrun with animals, lacking in basic food and hygiene, or simply unsafe to be in, theyre able to take action  not just by calling in the already squeezed social services, but by making sure that the child in their care feels extra safe and looked after at school.

They run a free breakfast club (subsidised by Greggs) as well as a sunset club that goes on until 6pm; there are numerous free after-school clubs and, as part of its household support fund, the school offers essential items like bedding, blankets, duvets, toiletries and winter clothing to families free of charge.

open image in gallery Children at Worth Valley Primary School are given opportunities to see the world and broaden their horizons ( Worth Valley Primary School )

Lodge refuses to group children together, or label them in terms of their needs. You have to make an effort to get to know each child individually  their family circumstances, their siblings, their interests. Only then are you effectively able to see when something isnt right, she explains. That could be in terms of poverty, witnessing domestic violence, their parents mental health, or crime in the local area.

To give a little context, the ITV drama series Happy Valley, which documents the tragedies of a drink and drug-addled area, was based nearby. Indeed, opposite Worth Valley school, Im told that its an open secret that a local resident places a cereal box in his window when hes stocked up to sell. In 2023, Lodge was forced to take emergency action when a member of staff spotted a man dressed in black, wielding a shotgun around the perimeter of the school. She and the other teachers were given a round of applause by terrified parents for the way they handled it.

All of these things and more are what children are coming to school with and shouldering, Lodge says. And we have to make sure that weve got the resources in school to remove that fear and those barriers, and to provide support, before you even get to educate.

All of the schools I speak to are vastly improving educational outcomes  many children at St Nicks, against the odds, are out-performing targets. Their difficulty is then sending these children off to poor secondary schools  like nearby Haven High, for example, where 90 per cent of St Nicks pupils go, and where my sisters shared their lunch out  which received a damning indictment from Ofsted last year. Booth says that its a narrow, standardised version of what education is that holds so many pupils back, eventually perpetuating issues like crime, drug addiction, poor aspirations and poverty in the town.

To an extent, it has always been this way; I remember girls in my year losing their mums to addiction, parents who were more in than out of prison. Others who essentially brought themselves and their siblings up alone, or who were unwashed or rakishly thin. Perhaps it was a coincidence that I now see so many of them thriving, having broken that cycle. But Booth is under no illusions: she is aware that things have significantly worsened in the last 20 years of social and political change. A radical overhaul is necessary, she says.

But so many people have come and meddled and fiddled They say, Lets all learn Latin. Lets all play the violin... Well, my aspiration for children is as high as anybodys, but actually, until basic needs are met, it doesnt matter. If they are not safe and warm, they cannot learn anything.

Every morning, St Nicks has an assembly where they sing and dance, so pupils can shake off anything theyve seen at home, then its off to begin classes for the day. In the early years section, there are big rooms full of pure imagination fuel  dressing up, role play, art areas  and outside, a vast playground with plenty of stuff to play with.

Its here that the kids also look after bug hotels, and farm the orchard for a reverse harvest, where they give fresh produce to families in need. Next, they hope to implement a language hub so that new starters, often refugees from places like Ukraine, having only just set foot in the UK, can feel comfortable and learn English more confidently. How can you tell someone youre hungry if you dont speak the language? asks the deputy head, Tom Bell, while showing me round.

On my tour, I chat with scores of happy, smiling children. The school has a high turnover: around one-third of the children will leave over the course of the year, many of them because their families are fleeing debt  most commonly, they will simply disappear overnight.

When they arrive in school, theyre greeted with the sight of the schools swansong emblazoned across the length of its windows. Let your light shine, it repeats; inside, a sign exhorts them to always believe something magical is about to happen. Amid the grim realities of these childrens lives, a little hope.
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Six people have been arrested after thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters marched in central London on Saturday, with some caught entering a counter-demo area, said the Met Police.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed in response to the protest, organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom in support of Robinson, as well as a separate counter-demonstration.

Chants of We want our country back and We want Tommy out were sung as the demonstration set off from outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

The counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism also marched to Whitehall to stand together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we wont let the far right divide us.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the solicitor general took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021. He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

open image in gallery A counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism also marched to Whitehall ( PA )

On Saturday, the Met Police said six people had been arrested.

The force reported an incident where a flare was set off, an arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at and three arrests in Whitehall after Stop the Isolation protesters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions.

A further arrest was made by the force for a breach of Public Order Act conditions.

open image in gallery Chants of We want our country back and We want Tommy out were sung as the demonstration set off from outside Waterloo station ( PA )

Some demonstrators were wearing MEGA  Make England Great Again hats and I am Tommy stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, saying: We will proceed to Downing Street. Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

Deliver our message to the establishment.

open image in gallery Some demonstrators were wearing MEGA  Make England Great Again hats and I am Tommy stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones. ( PA )

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said the force was well prepared for both protests and had been in discussion with organisers.

open image in gallery People during a Stand Up To Racism counter-protest against a Tommy Robinson supporters protest ( PA )

She said: We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.
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Police will increase their presence across the Capital this weekend as protests in support of and against Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is set to take place on Saturday.

A protest organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom is countering Robinsons arrest, after he was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Meanwhile, Stand Up To Racism have organised a counter-demonstration. Co-convenor Weyman Bennett said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

open image in gallery A protest in support of Tommy Robinson will form up right outside Waterloo Station. ( Met Police )

A protest organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom, in support of Robinson, will form up in Sandell Street and Cornwall Road, off Waterloo Road outside Waterloo Station, from midday.

The march will continue to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge, where a static assembly will take place at Parliament Square.

open image in gallery The map of the protest for Tommy Robinson route ( Met Police )

Meanwhile, Stand Up To Racism have organised a counter-protest which will form up in St Jamess Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, from 11.30am.

The march will also go to Whitehall, via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket, assembling at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

open image in gallery Stand Up To Racism will form up on St James's Street near Piccadilly Circus ( Met Police )

Met Police will restrict access to the middle of Whitehall in order to keep both groups apart and have encouraged people not involved in the protests to seek alternative routes between Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square.

The restrictions intend to keep the clashing protests apart, as they will convene at opposite ends of Whitehall.

open image in gallery The Stand Up To Racism route, mapped ( Met Police )

The Tommy Robinson march will end between the Cenotaph and Parliament Square, while the Stand Up To Racism demonstration will finish towards the northern end of Whitehall.

Met Police Commander Louise Puddefoot, who is in charge of the policing operation, said: We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

open image in gallery The Tommy Robinson rally will conclude between the Cenotaph and Parliament Square ( Met Police )

Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case by case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.

Ms Puddefoot continued that their assessment for the protests, based on the information available to the force, meant that an additional level of preparedness is required.

open image in gallery Stand Up To Racism's march will conclude between towards the top of Whitehall ( Met Police )

She said that officer uniforms and protective kit are there to ensure all involved can exercise their right to protest peacefully, without causing serious disruption to the life of the wider community and without risking the disorder that could take place if groups with opposing views come together.
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Aung San Suu Kyis son has made a direct plea to the military junta in Myanmar holding her in solitary confinement to release her on the fourth anniversary of her arrest.

The imprisonment of the democratically elected leader during the military coup on Feb 1, 2021, has been deeply painful but goes beyond a family story, Kim Aris said.

She is the last flame of hope for peace and democracy, he told The Independent. She must be freed. The flame must not be allowed to be snuffed out.

His call came as he handed a letter into the Myanmar embassy in London calling for her to be set free and after the release of Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.

open image in gallery Aung San Suu Kyis son has made a direct plea to the military junta to free his mother ( AFP via Getty Images )

The film triggered calls from three former foreign secretaries, William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, for her to be freed following her arrest on trumped up charges after a coup nearly four years ago.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a major intervention on the anniversary of the military to demand that Ms Suu Kyi be released.

Mr Aris received no response when he knocked on the door of the embassy and so had to post his letter. A man arriving at the address only a few minutes later was swiftly allowed in.

For the military junta in Burma to hold a frail 79-year-old woman in solitary confinement in jail for daring to ask for her countrys freedom is not just wrong, as her son it is also deeply painful, he said.

I will never stop fighting for her to be released after her appalling treatment by a military regime who used trumped-up charges to deny her a second term in office and prevent her being free to fight democratic elections.

The government fear the will of the people. It is now four years since she was last jailed, following decades of loss of freedom. We will never stop fighting for Burma and her people.

The 79-year-old former Nobel Peace Prize has become a deeply divisive and controversial figure internationally after failing to speak out on her countrys extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Ms Suu Kyi raised her two children, Kim and his brother Alexander, in the UK after studying at Oxford and marrying a British academic Michael Aris.

She returned to Myanmar in 1988, initially to nurse her sick mother before becoming caught up in the pro-democracy movement in the country.

She spent nearly 15 of the 21 years between 1989 to 2010 under house arrest, when her fight for democracy became famous across the world.

In 2015 the junta allowed Ms Suu Kyi to become the de facto head of Myanmar following elections, but only if they controlled key ministries, including home affairs and defence, as well as the military budget.

open image in gallery Kim Aris posts his message to the Myanmar embassy on Friday ( The Independent )

Four years later, in 2019, she became a global pariah in the eyes of the international community and many human rights organisations after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya.

In 2021, she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup which plunged the country into conflict.

Speaking of his family history, Mr Aris talked of his grandfather, considered to be the founder of modern-day Myanmar.

He said: My grandfather was assassinated fighting for freedom. My father was not allowed to see my mother when he was dying from cancer. My brother and I have had long spells without seeing our mother. But this is beyond our family pain.

She is the last flame of hope for peace and democracy in Burma. She must be freed. The flame must not be allowed to be snuffed out.

His call has been supported by politicians and human rights campaigners.

After a screening of the film last week, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger said: I think the most difficult issue is for people to have mercy on fallen heroes. Because she was a hero for many of us, including me. But we must do everything we can to see her released.

And Helena Kennedy, one of Britains most distinguished lawyers, said: She may have made some miscalculations along the way but I do think that the world has to reflect again on what she was seeking to achieve. And I think she thought she was preventing the inevitable coup that did in fact take place.

Watch Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.
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The European Union will play tough with Sir Keir Starmer as he seeks to build closer ties with Brussels in his post-Brexit reset, top diplomats have said.

Sir Keir on Monday will become the first prime minister to attend a dinner with EU leaders since Brexit, and is expected to discuss a security and defence deal between the UK and its European allies.

But despite Sir Keirs welcome efforts to engage with European leaders since being elected in July, the PM will be warned that he faces the same fate as Boris Johnson in talks with the bloc  with tough concessions demanded in return for any new relationship.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer has pursued a policy of resetting relations with the EU (Benjamin Cremel/PA) ( PA Wire )

Sir Keir will be warned that progress on issues such as defence and security is not an option unless he is willing to give ground on issues such as EU access to Britains fishing waters and a youth mobility scheme.

It worked for us the first time around with Boris and it will work for us again with Starmer, a diplomat told The Times.

The EU has made a youth mobility scheme, which would allow 18 to 35-year-olds to move and work freely between countries for up to two years, a key sticking point in negotiations about its future relationship with the UK.

Access to Britains fishing waters is due to expire when an existing agreement ends next year.

Another senior EU diplomat said: There are many buckets in the future relationship, and of course, there is an interlink between all of them because at the end of the day, that is a package.

The security part is essential for us, we share security interests with the UK, but at the same time there is no beating around the bush that fisheries are also very important.

It sets the stage for the EU to follow the strategy it adopted when former PM Mr Johnson was negotiating Britains exit from the bloc, obstructing efforts to agree deals in individual areas without simultaneous progress in all areas.

It comes after a diplomatic document in Brussels last month was revealed which said the UK must agree to the maintenance of the status quo on access for European boats to British waters before talks can begin, including the same levels of catch allowances as those that are currently in place.

open image in gallery The EU will adopt a similar approach to the one it took with Boris Johnson ( REUTERS )

The document also established a youth mobility scheme as a priority for talks with the UK. Downing Street has so far repeatedly refused to agree to a youth mobility deal, with fears it would be portrayed as a return to freedom of movement and a betrayal of Brexit.

Ahead of Sir Keirs working dinner with EU leaders on Monday, European Council president Antonio Costa said: The UK is a key partner for the European Union, notably in the field of defence. I expect the discussion to focus on that dimension of our relationship.

It comes after the prime minister was warned his post-Brexit reset has so far been anaemic, with Labours EU policy branded vague and unambitious.

Britains top post-Brexit think tank, UK in a Changing Europe, said it appears that EU policy is peripheral to Starmers government and that lower economic growth appears to be baked into Labours strategy.
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Taxpayers will foot a 67m bill after ministers extended a post-Brexit contract with the controversial firm at the heart of the Horizon IT scandal, The Independent can reveal.

His Majestys Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has granted a year-long extension to Fujitsu, which developed the faulty software leading to the wrongful prosecution of hundreds of subpostmasters for theft and false accounting, to run its Trader Support Service (TSS).

The service educates firms trading between Great Britain and Northern Ireland on post-Brexit red tape including how to manage customs declarations.

Fujitsu ruled itself out of bidding for government contracts in January last year due to its role in the Horizon Post Office scandal.

But the extension, worth 66.8m and detailed in documents seen by The Independent, was approved because it is not a new contract.

Lord Arbuthnot, who campaigned for wrongly convicted subpostmasters, said it was a worrying decision by the government on several levels.

open image in gallery Firms have faced masses of Brexit red tape since Britain left the European Union ( Getty )

He told The Independent: First, it sends Fujitsu and other companies the message that the country doesnt care about the unethical behaviour shown by Fujitsu in the Post Office scandal.

Second, it weakens the governments bargaining power in requiring Fujitsu to bear a substantial portion of the cost of that scandal.

Third, it suggests that the government is uncomfortably dependent on Fujitsu. And fourth, it ignores the fact that Fujitsus capability on this contract may be no better than their Post Office capability.

The campaigner added: Why didnt they start work earlier on finding someone else?

HMRC said the extension was needed in order to ensure a period of stabilisation while new trading arrangements come into place under the Windsor Framework.

It has promised to run a procurement process in the coming months to replace Fujitsu in delivering the service.

The service was launched in January 2020 to help businesses navigate the Northern Ireland Protocol, replaced in 2023 by Rishi Sunaks Windsor Framework.

In its first four years, the contract cost British taxpayers 443m, with two year-long extensions almost doubling the initial cost of the deal.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer is attempting to build closer ties with Europe, led by Ursula von der Leyen ( AP )

In the past, the firm has won nearly 6.8bn in nearly 200 contracts from the public sector, including 11 for HMRC to the value of over 1bn, and 12 contracts with the Ministry of Defence for 582m.

HMRC said technical and economic reasons meant it could not change to a new contractor this year, adding that it would cause significant inconvenience.

Liberal Democrat EU spokesperson James MacCleary said the 500m bill for Brexit red tape showed leaving the EU was not about taking back control and was a staggering waste of money.

He added: Businesses have been forced to navigate a bureaucratic nightmare, while the government scrambles to extend contracts to fix the mess.

If they were serious about supporting trade, theyd stop throwing hundreds of millions at London consultants and start negotiating a new customs union with the EU  only then could they claim to back business.

Meanwhile, Dr Mike Galsworthy, chair of the pro-EU European Movement, said there was a simple way to ditch the costs of the contract, by the UK rejoining the customs union.

open image in gallery Lord Arbuthnot said Fujitsu should have been kicked off the contract sooner ( PA Archive )

He said the hugely costly agreement was at last, a Brexit bonus, but only one for bureaucrats and customs services.

Dr Galsworthy said: Its not even going to a British company. This is bureaucracy-to-alleviate-bureaucracy. Brexit red tape is sucking from the public purse, alongside other Brexit farces.

Presuming that this contract delivers a return on investment, namely that it ultimately saves more costs than it costs itself, then just how many billions does all of this navigation of red tape cost British business to start with?

The contract comes amid a post-Brexit reset of relations with the EU by Sir Keir Starmer. But the prime minister has so far refused to consider a return to the single market, a customs union or freedom of movement.

Despite heavy criticism of his attempts to rebuild ties with Brussels, and his chancellors relentless focus on growth, the PM has said the areas are red lines for Labour.

Sir Keir, 62, has even gone as far as to claim the UK will not rejoin the European single market or customs union in his lifetime.

A major report launched on Tuesday by Britains top post-Brexit think tank, UK in a Changing Europe (UKICE), branded the PMs post-Brexit reset anaemic and said his EU policy is vague and unambitious.

The think tank said it appears that EU policy is peripheral to Starmers government and that lower economic growth appears to be baked into Labours strategy.

Sir Keir will hold a key meeting with the 27 EU leaders and other top Brussels officials next week, days after the fifth anniversary of Britains official exit from the EU.

Ahead of Sir Keirs working dinner with EU leaders on Monday, European Council president Antonio Costa said: The UK is a key partner for the European Union, notably in the field of defence. I expect the discussion to focus on that dimension of our relationship.

An HMRC spokesperson said: This service has provided vital support for almost 60,000 traders moving goods under the Windsor Framework, enabling them to follow the correct processes without the need to purchase specialist software, saving them significant time and money.

Its critical this support continues while the new customs arrangements under the Windsor Framework are implemented.

A Fujitsu spokesperson said: We are working with the UK government to ensure we adhere to the voluntary restrictions we put in place regarding bidding for new contracts while the Post Office Inquiry is ongoing. Based on the findings of the inquiry, we will work with government on the appropriate actions, including contribution to compensation. We continue to offer our deepest apologies to the subpostmasters and their families.
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Dominic Cummings offered to help Jeremy Corbyn become prime minister before the 2019 general election, a new book has claimed.

Boris Johnsons former chief of staff reportedly spent months pursuing the former Labour leader before eventually going to work for the ex-prime minister, believing that Mr Corbyn could have pushed Brexit through and annihilated the Conservatives electorally.

open image in gallery Dominic Cummings is said to have supported Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister ( Getty )

In a major revelation, Get In, a new book telling the story of the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer by journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, reveals that Mr Cummings met Matt Zarb-Cousin and James Schneider, both of whom ran communications under Mr Corbyn, to set out a strategy under which the left winger would become PM and the Conservatives would descend into years of destructive infighting.

The book, being serialised in The Times, details how Mr Cummings in 2019 believed Brexit could be best achieved by Mr Corbyn, and that he was willing to support the Labour leader in pulling Britain out of the European Union.

Mr Cummings is said to have tried to convince Mr Schneider and Mr Zarb-Cousin that Mr Corbyn should whip Labour MPs to vote for Theresa Mays withdrawal agreement in early 2019, believing it would force a split in the Conservative Party and lead to Ms Mays resignation.

Mr Corbyn would then be freed from the divisions in the Labour Party over Brexit, and would be able to run an insurgent left-wing campaign with the promise of more funding for the NHS and public services, Mr Cummings reportedly believed.

It meant the long-standing Brexiteer and right-wing populist was willing to put his political differences with Mr Corbyn aside in order to prevent a second Brexit referendum and ensure the UK left the EU.

open image in gallery Jeremy Corbyn was urged to back Theresa Mays withdrawal deal in order to spark her downfall as PM ( PA )

Mr Cummings is also said to have hoped Labour under Mr Corbyn would have used its time in government to reshape the civil service and overhaul government structures.

In the book, Mr Schneider is quoted as saying: I wanted Brexit to pass, the Tories to split, us to run a left-populist insurgent campaign, have a proper operation to do that, and therefore win.

In a text to Mr Zarb-Cousin, Mr Cummings added: Thanks for dinner comrade! You get Brexit through, [Peoples Vote] f***ed  high chance of Govt collapse and election pre-August but Tory civil war guaranteed for years in any scenario.

And he wrote: My view has been strengthened that 2REF [second referendum] = crackup for both parties, it will be a messy race to see which party collapses fastest under the pressure. Jeremy on the same side as Blair and Chuka [Umunna] when a tidal wave of hate is unleashed outside the M25 wd be disaster for him in marginal seats but ditto for Tories.

He added: Long-term strategic danger for LAB is the crackup gives Tories a big strategic advantage with working classes for years to come, after they re-form as a clearly Brexit party  and they brand Labour as against working-class people on Brexit and immigration, and Labour doesnt respect democracy.

Eventually, Mr Corbyn did endorse a second referendum on Europe and Mr Cummings went to work for Mr Johnson.

He followed the strategy he had offered Mr Corbyn, shaping the Conservatives as a pro-Brexit party and running the 2019 general election under the promise to get Brexit done.

The catastrophic election defeat that followed saw Sir Keir take over as leader of the Labour Party, while Mr Johnsons eventual downfall sparked the Tory collapse which saw him enter Downing Street last year.
The Ukrainian music band MOLODI will compete for the opportunity to represent Ukraine in the international arena of Eurovision 2025, as they have made it to the final of the National Selection. The 23-year-old musicians Vanya and Kyrylo have been friends since their student days and trust each other completely.

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In an interview with Eurovision Ukraine host Anna Tulieva, they told her that they are natives of Mariupol. They both graduated from a technical university as electrical engineers and did their internships at DTEK together.

Meeting and beginning of cooperation

The musicians consider it fate that they met during their studies as they could have entered different colleges and never got to know each other. When he was a student, Vanya was invited to join his first band. At the same time, Kyrylo developed his own musical career.

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Around 2020, when Vanya's band started getting invited to corporate events, their guitarist left the band. Eventually, Kyrylo was offered to take his place, and since then, their joint creative journey has begun. The guys came up with the name MOLODI around 2021, when they were already in Kyiv.

The desire to get to Eurovision and the song my sea

Kyrylo and Vanya admitted that they consider themselves stylish, cool, and musical enough to represent Ukraine at an international song contest.

"We are confident that our song will tell the story of Ukrainians and the path we are on now without violating the Eurovision rules, rather emphasizing the emotional aspect of it as much as possible. The song is our story; we described everything we felt with it. We've been building up this energy and did not look for a 'plan B'. We chose the best: what we have, what we have learned. We invested fully in one song, and that's why we believe in it."

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The song my sea is dedicated to their native Mariupol, "It's about how home is not a place, but a feeling. Our story is about a specific loss. The loss of our hometown."

What else MOLODI is known for

Kyrylo and Vanya are sound producers for many Ukrainian stars: Michelle Andrade, Ostrovskyi, Max Barskih, NK, Mayorova, and others.

"We are professionals, everything is always clear. When we are told to make a great song, we make a super cool one. We strive to make everything perfect," Vanya said. When asked what would happen if they were asked to make a song about the National Selection, he added, "We are professionals and can do anything."

Will MOLODI try again if they don't win the final?



The artists have not ruled out that they may not win the National Selection in 2025, but they claim that life does not end there.

"We understand how important it is to grow and develop, and so if we don't win first place this year, it means that we may have missed something," said Kyrylo, "and we will definitely push harder in the future."

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
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David Lammy has issued a historic and impassioned plea for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, imprisoned by the brutal dictatorship in Myanmar.

In a major intervention, the foreign secretary has for the first time made a direct appeal to the military junta to free her and give the countrys people the peace and democracy they deserve.

On the fourth anniversary of the 1 February coup that saw her jailed, he said the democracy campaigner has been detained on political charges and added: We have not forgotten.

It is the first call for her freedom from a serving cabinet minister since she was sentenced and follows the recent release of an Independent TV documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.

To mark the anniversary of her imprisonment, her son Kim Aris is delivering a letter calling for her release to Myanmars embassy in London and said that as the last flame of hope for peace and democracy she must not be allowed to be snuffed out.

open image in gallery Aung San Suu Kyi has been imprisoned by the military junta since 2021 ( Getty )

Now aged 79, her drive for democracy in her country saw her face years under house arrest and win the Nobel Peace Prize.

But she became a deeply divisive figure internationally after she failed to speak out against the militarys extreme violence against Myanmars Rohingya Muslim minority.

Mr Lammy told The Independent: "Four years ago, Myanmar's military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's democratically elected government, stripping the Myanmar people of their right to a democratic voice.

Innocent civilians face daily atrocities and thousands of opposition voices, including Aung San Suu Kyi, remain detained on political charges.

Four years on, we have not forgotten. Release Aung San Suu Kyi. Release all those arbitrarily detained. Give Myanmar's people the peace and democracy they deserve."

Former international development minister Andrew Mitchell, who has worked and campaigned with Ms Suu Kyi, said: I am pleased that the foreign secretary has spoken up forcefully in support of her immediate release.

He added: The barbaric, cynical and vile treatment of her by the illegal military junta is a stain on humanity.

He said she was the only legitimate leader of her country and the international community must do more through sanctions and boycotts to signal our support for her and abhorrence at the appalling way shes been treated.

open image in gallery Foreign secretary David Lammy has called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi ( FCDO )

Speaking after watching The Independents documentary, he added: She should be released immediately - and films like this help explain why.

Former Conservative foreign minister Alan Duncan praised Mr Lammy for taking such a clear stand on this. Full marks to the government on this one. Her detention is an international disgrace. This is vicious political detention and she should be released immediately.

Mr Lammy joins three former British foreign secretaries in calling for Ms Suu Kyis release, including William Hague, who described her as a political prisoner on trumped up charges imprisoned because she was a force for democracy.

It was possible to be critical of the countrys former leader, but also say we should be campaigning for her release, the Tory peer added.

Ms Suu Kyi raised two children, Kim and his brother Alexander, in the UK after studying at Oxford and marrying a British academic Michael Aris.

She returned to Myanmar in 1988, initially to nurse her sick mother before becoming swept up in the pro-democracy movement in the country. Between 1989 to 2010 she became famous around the world as she spent nearly 15 years under house arrest.

But after elections in 2015 the junta allowed her to become the countrys de facto leader, although only if they kept control of key ministries, including home affairs, defence and border control, as well as the military budget.

open image in gallery Kim Aris has called on the military junta in Myanmar to release his mother ( The Independent )

By 2019, she had become a pariah in the eyes of many after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya.

Just two years later, she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup that plunged the country into conflict.

As part of the UKs support of Ms Suu Kyi, Mr Lammy also announced that new humanitarian funding would help deliver healthcare to 1 million people in Myanmar.

The UK will give an extra 22.45m in humanitarian support this year, as the fighting in the country leaves it facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

Nearly 20 million people now require aid  a twentyfold increase since the coup.

open image in gallery Aung San Suu Kyi before her imprisonment ( Getty )

Minister for development Anneliese Dodds said: The UK will not forget the millions in Myanmar still living through a brutal conflict, creating a humanitarian crisis in a country already vulnerable to the impacts of the climate crisis.

Four years on from the military coup and amid ongoing violence, the UK is matching words with action  providing additional support to meet urgent health needs and tackle long-term climate challenges.

The extra funding will see UK aid to Myanmar rise from 44m to 66.45m.

More than 3.5 million people are now displaced from their homes due to the fighting, while nearly 20 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Typhoon Yagi also caused devastation across southeast Asia last September, severely affecting over 1 million people in Myanmar.

Watch the documentary here
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The Conservatives are fighting to stem the loss of major donors to Nigel Farages Reform UK as the insurgent party rises in the polls.

Kemi Badenoch is expected on Saturday to appear at the partys London conference in Westminster, with wealthy Conservative donors having been invited to an evening drinks reception.

It comes amid fears in Tory HQ that many of the partys donors are considering withdrawing their support and backing Mr Farages party instead.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage is directly targeting Kemi Badenochs seat ( Getty )

Reform held a 25,000-a head fundraiser in Mayfair on Tuesday attended by ex-Conservative donors Bassim Haidar and Mohamed Amersi. The evening reportedly generated more than 1m in funds for the party, which will aid its campaign to attack the Conservatives and paint Reform as the real opposition to Labour.

The surge in donations to Reform comes after the party leapfrogged Ms Badenochs party in the polls, pushing the Conservatives into third.

The latest Techne tracker poll for The Independent showed the Conservatives dropped one point this week going to 23 per cent, Reform UK remained at 24 per cent and Labour, in a rare boost, picked up one point moving to 26 per cent.

The shift will give Reform further credibility in trying to lure donors away from the Conservatives and will add to fears at the top of the party.

open image in gallery Nigel Farages Reform UK has overtaken Kemi Badenochs Conservatives in the polls ( PA Wire )

One Tory source told the Guardian the last three months have been among the worst on record for the party in terms of bringing in donations, with the treasurers department extremely worried about the number of donors who are no longer financially backing the party.

And luxury hotelier Sir Rocco Forte, who backed Ms Badenochs leadership campaign and gave the party 100,000 during the 2019 general election, told the Guardian: Its not yet clear what the Conservative party is doing and for me and many other people. There is a big question mark.

Im a very big supporter of Kemi Badenoch. I think she understands a radical revolution is needed. A lot of what Reform is saying is pointing in the right direction and I admire Farage, who have momentum at the moment and have no baggage.

The problem for Kemi Badenoch is that every time she says anything, others ask, Well, why didnt you do something about it when youre in power? I think shes got to disassociate herself quite significantly from what happened in the last 14 years when there was a strategy of the middle ground and all that.

Party sources told the paper Ms Badenoch has not done enough to woo donors, citing the example of her turning up late to a function and leaving early having not been explicit enough in asking for donations.

Reform has made Ms Badenochs North West Essex constituency one of its targets, holding a rally in the seat on Friday night in a bid to park its tanks directly on her lawn.

Asked about the partys move ahead of the Conservatives in the polls, Mr Farage told The Independent it was just the beginning of a slide for the Tories.

He added: They will start to fall quickly, they already are in Wales.

Techne UK chief executive Michela Morizzo told The Independent the survey this week is very bad news for Ms Badenoch and the Tories.

The Conservative Party was asked to comment.
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Sir Keir Starmer is pushing ahead with a major Middle East peace initiative to bring a long-term solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict based on his experience in Northern Ireland.

The Independent has learned that Downing Street and the Foreign Office held meetings last week with figures behind an international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

It follows a pledge made by the prime minister in December at the annual Labour Friends of Israel lunch that the UK would lead the G7 nations efforts with the fund to bring long-term peace to the Middle East.

On Saturday, Hamas released three more Israeli hostages as part of the ceasefire agreement, while Israel released 183 Palestinians. The initial six-week truce, which began on 19 January, is planned to see 33 hostages released in total, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees, many of whom have been held without charges, in some cases for years.

open image in gallery Keir Starmer says his government is keen to facilitate and agreement between Palestinians and Israelis ( PA )

With the fragile ceasefire holding, sponsors of this peace initiative are keen to seize the opportunity to push forward with plans based on the near-identical programme that helped bring long-term peace to Northern Ireland.

Supporters of the scheme  which would bring together people on both sides of the conflict  believe that it could give Sir Keir an important legacy as an international peace builder as well as help deal with divisions over the issue domestically in the UK and the Labour Party itself.

Anger over the Israel-Hamas war saw splits in Labour and independent pro-Gaza candidates win safe Labour seats in areas with high Muslim populations including against former frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth.

Two senior cabinet ministers  health secretary Wes Streeting and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood  also almost lost their seats in the general election.

The plan is for foreign secretary David Lammy to host a conference later this year to bring together international funding for the project and start to get it into place.

Sir Keir served as human rights adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, which supervises the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), from 2003 to 2007. In the role, he worked to ensure that the PSNI was compliant with its obligations under the 1998 Human Rights Act in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement.

He witnessed the impact of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI), an instrument that helped shape the societal and political conditions leading to the Good Friday Agreement.

It began its work in the late 1980s, when Northern Irelands Troubles were at their worst, but by pooling resources and bringing together peacemakers and young people from both communities they were able to lay the foundation for the agreement in 1999.

open image in gallery American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City on Saturday ( Reuters )

Tony Blairs chief negotiator Jonathan Powell  serving today as Sir Keirs national security adviser  once called the IFI the great unsung hero of the Good Friday Agreement.

The government meetings last week were with the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), which represents a network of over 160 organisations engaged in civil society peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians.

John Lyndon, ALLMEPs executive director, told The Independent: Its encouraging to see the government begin to think through how the prime minister's endorsement of an international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace  and the pledge that the foreign secretary would hold an inaugural meeting in London  can relate to the rapidly changing environment. With a fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in place, we need to see initiatives like this predicated on conflict resolution, non-violence and diplomacy gather momentum.

Last year saw the G7 commit to exactly this sort of coordination and institutionalisation of Israeli-Palestinian civil society peacebuilding in their leaders' communique. We are delighted to see the UK step forward to lead and shape that urgent priority. Which can address the deep societal trauma in both Palestinian and Israeli society  but also support and strengthen any diplomatic strategy to resuscitate the two-state solution."

No 10 and the Foreign Office were approached for comment.
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The long-term sick could be forced to find jobs or have their benefits slashed in sweeping welfare reforms designed to get more people back into work, according to reports.

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall is also preparing to make it harder for people with mental health issues to claim separate disability benefits in the biggest shake-up of the welfare system in a decade.

According to The Times, she is looking to stop the long-term sick from being paid benefits without meeting certain requirements and is likely to slash financial incentives that can see them paid twice as much as jobseekers.

One option being considered is removing the Universal Credit category of limited capability for work, which would mean claimants would lose roughly 5,000 a year and also need to prepare to return to work. Ministers are said to be keen to axe the work capability assessment, while Personal Independent Payments  separate disability benefits  could also be overhauled.

The Tories failed on welfare because they failed on work. This Labour government recognises that many sick and disabled people want to work, given the right support, but are unfairly shut out, a government source told The Times.

We will bring forward big reforms that help more people into work, protect the most vulnerable, and boost growth  while putting the benefits bill on a more sustainable footing.

Ms Kendall has previously blamed the Conservatives for failing to control welfare spending.

She said: Were going to get the benefits bill on a more sustainable course  and it has to be, we cannot accept these costs of failure, failure for individuals, failure for businesses and failure for the economy.

But the way to do this is to get more people into work through the reforms that were putting in place in our job centres and through reform of the benefit system. And well be bringing forward our green paper on reforming sickness and disability benefits in the spring.

The 137.4bn welfare cap set by the previous government for 2024-25 is on course to be exceeded by 8.6bn.

Ms Kendall told PA: This is our inheritance from the Conservative government. And the Tories failed on welfare because they failed on work.

We have got almost record numbers of people out of work due to long-term health problems. Thats terrible for them. Its terrible for their living standards. Its terrible for employers who want to recruit and its terrible for the public finances.

So we need big reforms in the way that we work to get more people into those jobs, which will help bring the benefits bill onto a more sustainable footing.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is keen to ensure she does not have to implement emergency tax rises in the March Budget to meet her fiscal rules after turbulence in the gilt markets and a sharp increase in borrowing costs.

However, she is under pressure from the Treasury to look for savings and previously said that government departments would be required to find efficiency savings of around 5 per cent of spending.

One area that is understood to be the focus for cuts is the welfare bill.

The number of people claiming universal credit has almost doubled since 2020, from around three million to more than 6 million.

And currently, there are also around 2.8 million people not seeking employment due to ill health, a number which has risen substantially since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been approached for comment.
Two of the most rebarbative personalities to emerge from the Conservative Party in recent decades have been involved in an unseemly spat about immigration. Priti Patel  appointed home secretary by Boris Johnson and in charge of immigration and the visa system from 2019 to 2022, and never shy of a scrap  took the opportunity of an interview with Harry Cole, political editor of The Sun, to defend her record on immigration, after some weeks of implied criticism from her now leader, Kemi Badenoch.

Badenoch, who admits she can be direct in debate, swiftly slapped Patel down; later, presumably on Badenochs orders, Patel  now the shadow foreign secretary  issued an uncharacteristically humble apology. Things were also enlivened by the current shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, accusing the British people (ie the ones the Tories would like to vote for them) of lacking a work ethic. Plus, its the fifth anniversary of that defining Tory achievement, Brexit...

What was the row about?

It need not have happened. Cole, as is his job, was lobbing accusations about the wave of post-Brexit immigration, echoing the criticisms Badenoch has made (albeit without naming the Tory leader); Patel, her usual proud and combative self, was giving as good as she got.

Totally distortionary, she countered, refusing to apologise for what had taken place on her watch. On the contrary  she said she was pleased with the Australian-style points-based visa system that had permitted such high volumes of perfectly legal migration. The brightest and the best, Patel called those who had come to the UK via this system, pointing out their contribution to health and social care. She also defended the asylum granted to Ukrainians and others.

In its way, it was all pretty routine, but for some reason Badenoch decided that now was the moment to publicly humiliate her colleague. Her spin doctor issued a statement that once again implicitly criticised Patels performance while in office: While the last Conservative government may have tried to control numbers, we did not deliver.

Then, in words that seemed to have been dictated by the leaders office, Patel repented: The immigration system in our country is not fit for purpose. As I said in the interview, I was not happy about the high numbers while the Conservatives were in government. Our party is now under new leadership, and it is important we learn from our mistakes and how we can do things better.

So they both agree, then  Rishi Sunak was useless.

Whose fault was the row?

Overwhelmingly Badenochs. Had she said and done nothing, no one would have noticed Patels remarks, and an open split could easily have been avoided. Instead, two of the most senior figures in whats left of the Conservative Party were seen brawling in front of an electorate that, six months ago, was so tired of their divisions and arguments, they were thrown out with unprecedented brutality.

They would appear to have learnt nothing. Whatever her strategic sense, Badenoch doesnt seem to be good at political tactics  and, contrary to her self-image, she is something of a van der gaffe generator, with all the disruptive static energy that implies.

Whose fault is the immigration?

If fault there is, then it lies with Johnson, who was always less bothered about it than most of his colleagues (let alone Nigel Farage). Johnson was, after all, once a very liberal and pro-migration mayor of London  and, while he was happy to ride the resentments whipped up by Farage, he didnt personally bang on about immigrants during the Brexit campaign (or after). It was he who took the laissez-faire attitude, and his ally, Patel, who implemented it.

The pair were also responsible for the Rwanda plan, famously called a bats*** idea by the last Tory home secretary, James Cleverly. Its only fair to point out, as well, that Badenoch sat through three Tory administrations  those of Johnson, Liz Truss, and Sunak  without making much fuss about migration, as did her loyal underling Philp. By contrast, Badenochs leadership rival Robert Jenrick did resign from government, albeit with a whiff of cynicism. He doesnt have the answers, but he can strike the pose more easily.

What does all this prove?

First, that the Conservatives are as divided and prone to personal vendettas as ever. Second, that Badenoch hasnt yet stamped her authority on her party, and her clumsy and arrogant attempts to do so only make things worse. Third, that the Badenoch approach of admitting mistakes and denouncing the last government, as opposed to defending its record, does carry significant risks. Oddly enough, that is exactly the problem that ended up destroying Ed Milibands leadership after the fall of the Labour government in 2010.

Meanwhile, Farage is merrily trolling Badenoch by organising a rally in her own constituency in Saffron Walden. Its still early days, but its not going that well for Kemi.
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The prime minister is set to face a collision course with some of his own MPs for reportedly exempting China from the toughest tier of new UK security laws.

Russia and Iran are expected to face the strictest scrutiny under the plans, but its understood people in the UK working for the Chinese state will not be placed into the same category.

The decision, if confirmed, will enhance accusations that the government is being soft on Beijing, amid fears the country poses a security threat to Britain.

open image in gallery Chancellor Rachel Reeves met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng during her visit to the country this month ( EPA )

The Conservatives branded it extraordinary and reckless.

The decision centres on the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (Firs), a register the government is working on, designed to track people working for hostile states in the UK.

The scheme, established under the Tories, will require foreign agents to reveal who they are working for, what activity they have been directed to undertake, and when the arrangement was made.

It will have two levels  political influence, for basic lobbying, and enhanced, for people from countries its feared could threaten UK safety interests.

Those in the enhanced category will have to reveal more information about who they work for.

Sources told The i Paper that Russia and Iran will be included in the enhanced tier, but China will not.

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: This is an extraordinary and reckless decision by this Labour government to exempt China from the toughest security restrictions which exist to protect our country.

China continues to threaten our interests and the safety and security of our country.

open image in gallery China continues to threaten our interests, says Priti Patel ( Getty Images )

In a desperate rush to think China can solve the self-inflicted economic woes of his government, Starmer is putting Britain at risk."

Last month, when implementation of Firs was delayed, Conservative former home secretary Suella Braverman pressed for China to be included in the enhanced tier.

The governments relationship with China is complicated: the government is anxious to increase trade with the worlds largest economy.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she was willing to have uncomfortable conversations with its Communist leaders  but she was heavily criticised for visiting the country earlier this month while the UK economy was in crisis.

Sir Keir Starmer has appointed as the Treasurys new City minister Emma Reynolds, who formerly served as the treasurer for the APPG on China, used to be managing director at banking trade group TheCityUK, when she lobbied ministers to water down proposed restrictions on Chinese business activity.

Last month, sources told Bloomberg that Ms Reynolds had campaigned to keep China off the Firs enhanced tier of restrictions.

Ministers have not announced the details of the new security scheme, but business and diplomatic sources told The i Paper they did not expect Beijing to face tighter tier restrictions.

MPs from all parties are expected to raise objections.

Its thought the government could carry out further consultation at a later date and potentially rethink Chinas classification.

The Foreign Office is conducting an audit of UK relations with China, with a three-pronged approach of cooperate, compete and challenge.

When the Conservatives unveiled the Firs plan, Ken McCallum, head of MI5, said it would make it harder and riskier to operate covertly in the UK for a foreign power make it harder for enemies to undermine UK democracy.

A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent: It would not be appropriate or helpful to speculate about which countries might be specified on the enhanced tier.

It is the first duty of government to protect our national security. We will be laying the regulations bringing the scheme into force as soon as possible.
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Angela Rayner described Prince Andrew as that n**** and tried to prevent him from being eligible to deputise for King Charles over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, a new book has claimed.

The deputy prime minister reportedly contacted Buckingham Palace and senior civil servants in a bid to remove the disgraced Duke of York from a list of royals who could step in for the King if he is abroad or incapacitated.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth, before Labour came to power, the list of those who would serve as counsellors of state were Camilla, Prince William, Prince Harry, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice.

open image in gallery Andrew with Victoria Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell ( US District Court - Southern Dis )

Expanding the list, which the Palace and Downing Street decided on as a diplomatic fix to avoid Andrew and Harry deputising for the King, required new legislation, which Ms Rayner would have been required to deliver a statement on and potentially to vote for.

While negotiations were ongoing, Ms Rayner reportedly walked into her office and told staff: Im not going to vote to keep that n**** on  I cant go back to my constituency and say, yeah, I support that.

The claim is the latest revelation in the upcoming book Get In by journalists Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, which tells the story of the Labour Party under Sir Keir Starmer.

open image in gallery Angela Rayner reportedly described Prince Andrew as that n**** ( PA )

And it comes as newly surfaced messages revealed that the Duke of York was in contact with notorious paedophile Epstein for longer than he had previously claimed.

Emails between Andrew and Epstein handed to a court in London reportedly show he remained in contact with the disgraced financier until February 2011, despite having claimed to have cut him off in December 2010.

In a message sent in February 2011, the duke wrote: Keep in close touch and well play some more soon.

In an extract of Get In, published in The Times, an adviser to Ms Rayner details her outrage at Andrews desire to play an active role in public life.

The aide said: She was very actively reaching out to the palace, the upper echelons of the civil service and said she thought this was a huge problem, and that the government needed to address this, and that she would offer cross-party support to make sure it happened.

Thats, to be stereotypical, her working-class view. Shes not anti-monarchist, but she doesnt like a paedo.

Ms Rayner reportedly showed sympathy for the royal family, describing it as dysfunctional, but called for Andrew to be axed from royal duties altogether.

The latest tranche of messages between Andrew and Epstein show they were in contact on the same day a photograph of Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently behind bars for recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein, was published, Bloomberg reported.

Ms Giuffre has accused Andrew of sexually abusing her on Epsteins private island Little St James as a teenager, which the prince unequivocally denied.

In 2022, he agreed to settle her civil claim for a multi-million pound sum, without admitting liability.
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The American Airlines regional jet was on the final approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport., when it collided midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday claiming the lives of 67 people.

So far, 40 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., as the names of the victims are being released by loved ones and officials.

Two black boxes have also been recovered from the wreckage, with a cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder taken for lab analysis, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of NTSB, said Thursday: Were here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation.

Questions have been raised about staffing and safety at the airports air traffic control after reports that one controller clocked off early, according to the New York Times.

The newspaper also reported that the helicopter may not have been traveling along its approved flight path.

Airport is closest to the capital

Ronald Reagan National Airport is located less than four miles from the White House. Flying into D.C. over the Potomac River, passengers get a glimpse of the famed Washington monuments from their window.

Flight 5343 was coming in to land on Runway 33 when disaster struck.

Wichita  Washington, D.C., flight only running for a year

The Wichita flight to Reagan National Airport has only been running for a year and politicians fought hard to get it going.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran announced the American Airlines direct flight from Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport to Washington Reagan National Airport would make travel faster and more affordable for Kansas residents in July 2023.

According to provisional data from FlightAware, American Eagle Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas, around 5:22 p.m. CST and was in the air for 2 hours and 35 minutes, with an estimated arrival time in Washington at 8:57 p.m. EST.

But the flight tracking data showed the flights status result as unknown and according to the visuals, the plane stopped on the east side of the Potomac River, roughly adjacent to the Blue Plains neighborhood in D.C.

open image in gallery A mid-air plane crash between an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter left 67 people dead in Washington, D.C. ( Getty Images )

Helicopter may not have been on approved flight path

The Black Hawk helicopter carrying the three soldiers may not have been traveling along its approved flight path, according to the New York Times.

According to sources who spoke to the newspaper, the helicopter was supposed to be flying in a different location and lower to the ground when it crossed Reagan National airspace.

The helicopter was flying too high and outside its approved path, several people with knowledge of the investigation told the Times.

Staffing and safety issues at air traffic control

Months before Wednesdays deadly aircraft collision, lawmakers were engaged in a fierce debate over safety at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Less than a year ago, several Washington-area lawmakers warned that a bill adding more flights to the airport could pose serious safety concerns. Last spring, a major aviation bill passed by Congress and signed by then-President Joe Biden added five new daily long-haul flights at Reagan National Airport.

The airport is among the busiest in the country and pilots routinely rate it among the nation's most challenging, according to NBC Washington.

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport was facing personnel issues on the night of the crash, according to the New York Times. Staffing was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic, according to an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration safety report.

The controller who was handling helicopters near the airport was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways.

Preliminary data shows flight tracker for American Airlines flight 5342

Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one, the Times reported. The outlet noted that the tower at the airport had been understaffed for years.

One staff member was reportedly allowed to leave early on the night of the crash, the source told The Times. The specific timings were not immediately clear.

Soldiers aboard Black Hawk helicopter were experienced

The helicopter crew was very experienced and were not unfamiliar with the aircraft or the congestion that occurs in the airspace around D.C.

Both pilots had flown this specific route before, at night. This wasn't something new to either one of them," Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation said. Even the crew chief in the back has been in the unit for a very long time, very familiar with the area, very familiar with the routing structure.

NTSB officials said it was too soon to tell, exactly what was the fault of the collision.

open image in gallery Crew chief Ryan O'Hara from Georgia was aboard the doomed helicopter when it plunged into the Potomac River on Wednesday night ( Facebook )

One of the soldiers has been named as Ryan OHara, the Crew Chief and father-of-one from Georgia.

Ryan is fondly remembered as a guy who would fix things around the ROTC gym as well as a vital member of the Rifle Team. Ryan leaves behind a wife and 1-year-old son, Parkview High School JROTC in Atlanta wrote in a Facebook post which has since been removed, WSB-TV Atlanta reported.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves was also on the army helicopter, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said on X.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Eaves wife, Carrie Eaves said: "We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve," the post read. "These families' children do not need to suffer more pain.

open image in gallery Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves was one of the three soldiers killed on the military helicopter as police probe its flight pattern ( Facebook )

Divers search day and night in difficult conditions

A fleet of divers combed the Potomac River in search of survivors Wednesday night and continued Thursday morning.

So far, 40 bodies have been recovered.

The challenges are access. The water that were operating in is about 8 feet deep, District of Columbia Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said on Wednesday night. There is wind, there is pieces of ice out there. So its just dangerous and hard to work in.

He continued: And because theres not a lot of lights, youre out there searching every square inch of space to see if you can find anybody.

Divers are doing the same thing in the water. The water is dark, it is murky, and that is a very tough condition for them to dive in.

Authorities said they were confident all of the bodies would be recovered but it would take time.
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The so-called black box from the Black Hawk helicopter, which collided with a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., has now been recovered, according to the National Transport Safety Board.

Both boxes from the American Airlines aircraft were previously found, and all three devices will now be taken for analysis, NTSB member Todd Inman said Friday, adding that the agency had a high level of confidence that information could be extracted from them.

It is hoped that the boxes will provide valuable insight into the final moments leading up to the deadly crash on Wednesday at D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Airport which killed 67 people.

Inman revealed the Black Hawks black box had been found at a media briefing. It is safely at the NTSB headquarters. It will begin an evaluation, just as the other two recorders did last night, to determine when and how to take action, he said.

open image in gallery The so-called black box from the Black Hawk helicopter, which collided with a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., has now been recovered, authorities said on Friday ( AP )

He continued: I can tell you from a visual inspection, we saw no exterior damage that would indicate that it was compromised at this time. So we have a high level of confidence that we will be able to have a full extraction from that as well.

Two separate recorders were recovered from the passenger plane, a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder.

According to Inman, the data recorder was actually in what we consider good condition and was soaked in alcohol overnight to help the data extraction process. We have a high level of confidence that we will be able to get a full download in the very near future, he said.

Information from the flight data recorder will not be released immediately as investigators will have to go through and correct up to 2,000 data sets to ensure they are synchronized, Inman said.

open image in gallery National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman said all three black boxes were being analyzed and that the organization was confident information would be retrieved ( AP )

Once we do have that download, we will not be releasing immediately the information regarding it. We will have to go through and correct the data sets, make sure they're synchronized. It's a very laborious practice, it takes a lot of time, he said.

The cockpit voice recorder had water intrusion after crashing into the Potomac River, which according to Inman is not uncommon. We deal with that all the time, he said. Our recorders division is one of the best in the country, in the world.

The voice recorder was also soaked overnight in ionized water, at which point it was put into a vacuum oven in order to extract moisture. The NTSB team is still checking electric connections to determine if they're ready to try a download.

It is one step of many steps that we will take in order to get that data, but we have a very high level of confidence that we will have it. We just have to work through a number of steps, Inman said.
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Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the pilot who famously landed a commercial airline on the Hudson River over a decade ago, has weighed in on the disastrous DC plane crash.

On Wednesday night, an American Airlines regional jet was on the final approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., when it collided midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter shortly before 9 p.m. ET, before plunging into the Potomac River claiming the lives of 67 people.

Weve had to learn important lessons literally with blood too often, and we had finally gotten beyond that, to where we could learn from incidents and not accidents, Captain Sullenberger told The New York Times in an interview.

While the crash came at an exceptionally safe moment in aviation history, it showed how vigilant we have to be, he told the newspaper.

Captain Sully, 74, was deemed a hero when he successfully landed a doomed Airbus A320 flight into New Yorks Hudson River on 15 January 2009, after the plane struck a flock of Canada geese at an altitude of 2,818 feet, causing both engines to ignite into flames and shut down  all 155 people on board the plane survived.

open image in gallery Chesley B "Sully" Sullenberger III, the pilot who famously landed a passenger jet on the Hudson River in 2009 has weighed in on the disastrous DC plane crash ( Getty Images )

Nighttime always makes things different about seeing other aircraft  basically all you can do is see the lights on them, he continued. You have to try to figure out: Are they above you or below you? Or how far away? Or which direction are they headed? Everything is harder at night.

Emergency crews waded through the frigid waters of the Potomac River overnight after officials announced Thursday they were shifting from a rescue to a recovery mission  40 bodies have been recovered so far.

Preliminary data from the American Eagle flight shows that the plane had been on course with its usual route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington D.C.

The helicopter crew whose BlackHawk struck the passenger jet were fairly experienced, said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Thursday and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the incident had been preventable, as it had been a perfectly clear night.

open image in gallery Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River ( AFP via Getty Images )

Sully said the aviation industry was largely unchanged since he made the monumental landing in 2009, stating: Of course, weve added technology to it. But a lot of the technology is old.

The captain insisted however that a descent over water and at night are two factors that most certainly would have made avoiding the helicopter more difficult as there are fewer ground lights visible over the water than over land at night, he added.

In Thursdays press conference, and when questioned by a reporter on whether the plane was aware of the helicopter in the air, Secretary Duffy took a long pause and said: I would say, the helicopter was aware there was a plane in the area.

As an investigation continues, and families are being informed of their loved ones who perished in the crash, officials are frantically scrambling to examine the two black boxes recovered from the two wreckages.
On Thursday, January 30, Honored Artist of Ukraine Stanislav Kolokolnikov passed away at the age of 64. The actor had been battling a serious illness for a long time.

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The tragic news was reported on the Facebook page of the Kyiv Academic Theater "Koleso," where he worked. The artist's colleagues noted that his passing is a painful and irreparable loss for the entire creative team.

"On the evening of January 30, at the age of 64, Honored Artist of Ukraine Stanislav Kolokolnikov died of a serious illness. A terrific actor who had his own characteristic and unique style," the post reads. Stanislav Kolokolnikov was able to play roles of any genre and artistic dimension."

The funeral service for the Honored Artist of Ukraine will take place on Monday, February 3, at 12:00 in the Kyiv Crematorium.

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Stanislav Kolokolnikov was born on November 16, 1961. From a young age, the artist sought to build a creative career, so he graduated from Karpenko-Karyi University, majoring in drama theater and film. The artist demonstrated his talented performance on the stage of the Cherkasy Academic Regional Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after Taras Shevchenko, the experimental studio theater of Volodymyr Pylypenko, Drum-Antra, the Kyiv Drama Theater Bravo, and the Magic Theater.

In 1993, Stanislav Kolokolnikov joined the creative team of the Kolesa Theater, where he played more than 30 roles in various productions.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
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Four men with alleged connections to a neo-Nazi organization are facing charges after targeting children and coercing them into producing pornography and then harming themselves, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California.

Investigators arrested Collin John Thomas Walker, a 23-year-old from New Jersey and Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, a 41-year-old from Pahoa, Hawaii Thursday morning on charges of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, which prosecutors say was carried out in connection with a Neo-Nazi organization.

The group targeted at least 16 children, including two in Californias San Bernadino County, according to prosecutors.

They now face federal charges alongside two others: Rohan Sandeep Rane, a 28-year-old from Antibes, France and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, a 24-year-old from Texas. Rane has been in French custody since 2022 on charges of child exploitation and other related crimes, while Merritt is serving a 50-year sentence in Virginia for child sex abuse crimes committed in 2020 and 2021.

All four suspects are named in an indictment filed on January 17 and unsealed Thursday.

The men are members of the internet Neo-Nazi group CVLT, an organization dedicated toonline child exploitation, prosecutors allege in the indictment. The group names neo-Nazism, nihilism and pedophilia as their core principles, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

open image in gallery Investigators arrested two suspects allegedly connected to the organization Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California ( Getty Images )

Rane, Walker, and Merritt acted as leaders and administrators for the group with the goal of [creating] an army of sadist followers, prosecutors say. The group worked to coerce children into creating pornography through various means of degradation, includingextremist and violent content, according to prosecutors.

The group coerced children into increasingly dehumanizing acts, which included punching themselves, drinking their own urine and using razor blades to carve CVLT members names into their skin, prosecutors allege.

If the children said they would tell their parents or the police, or hesitated in any way, CVLT members would blackmail them by threatening to release explicit photos of them to their family and friends, according to prosecutors. The organization even carried out these threats against some of the children who escaped, they added.

CVLT specifically targeted vulnerable victims, including ones suffering from mental health challenges or a history of sexual abuse, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement.

CVLT members coercion escalated to pressuring victims to kill themselves on a video livestream, the statement continued.

The organization allegedly operated in Los Angeles and San Bernardino County.

The defendants here are alleged to have committed horrific acts against children, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally said in a statement. There is nothing more important than protecting our youth.

If convicted, they could face anywhere from 20 years to life in prison.

The Independent was unable to locate the suspects attorneys for comment.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
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A judge has ruled that the parents of Ellen Greenberg, a beloved teacher who was found dead of multiple stab wounds in 2011, can take their case against several Philadelphia city officials to trial for emotional distress.

The ruling on Friday is a big win for Dr. Joshua Greenberg and his wife, Sandra Sandee Greenberg, who have been fighting a legal battle for the past 14 years, convinced that the investigation into their daughters brutal death was botched.

Ellen was 27 years old when she was found dead on January 26, 2011, from at least 20 stab wounds in the Mayunk apartment she shared with her fiance Sam Goldberg.

Philadelphia pathologist Marlon Osbourne initially ruled her death a homicide. However, when police investigators publicly challenged the findings, and her death was reclassified as suicide.

After years of trying to get their case heard, the Greenbergs appeared before a judge in December 2024 after filing a lawsuit that accuses the city of Philadelphia of falsely labeling Ellens death a suicide in order to cover up a botched homicide investigation.

open image in gallery Ellen was just 27 years old when she was found dead on January 26, 2011 ( Justice for Ellen Facebook page )

In response to the arguments heard that day, the judge ruled that there is enough evidence to go to trial against officials with the Philadelphia Police Department and Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office.

The judge also ruled that medical examiners Marlon Osbourne and Sam Gulino must testify along with homicide detective John McNamee.

Only one defendant, a police supervisor who was a sergeant at the time of Ellens death, was dismissed in the judges ruling.

Jury selection in the trial will begin on February 3, with opening statements getting underway shortly after, attorney Joe Podraza told NBC10.

Im hoping were going to prove that Ellen did not commit suicide, Ellens father told the outlet. Thats what this is all about. Justice for Ellen.

open image in gallery Philadelphia Medical Examiner Marlon Osbourne initially ruled her death a homicide, noting the large number of stab wounds, including 10 to the back of her neck ( Tom Brennan, Greenberg family )

Its a step forward for the Greenbergs, who recently moved to Florida, after they hit a roadblock last year when the Chester County District Attorneys Office announced that it would not move forward with any criminal charges in the case.

The DAs office  which has been looking into the case since 2022  said that it could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime was committed, and so the investigation has been put into inactive status.

There is no statute of limitations for criminal homicide in Pennsylvania so charges could still be brought down the line.

The Greenbergs are also asking the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court to allow them standing to have their daughters death certificate amended from suicide to undetermined. That case is yet to be heard.
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President Donald Trump wasted little time this week trying to assign blame for the nations deadliest air disaster in more than two decades. Among his chief targets: An FAA diversity hiring initiative he suggested had undermined the agencys effectiveness.

But certainly for an air traffic controller, we want the brightest, the smartest, the sharpest. We want somebody thats psychologically superior, Trump said at a news conference Thursday.

No evidence has emerged that rules seeking to diversify the FAA played any role in the collision Wednesday between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people.

Nevertheless, Trump's comments drew attention to the agencys attempts to address its most pressing and long-standing problem  a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers who are critical to keeping the nations skies safe.

How has Trump tied diversity hiring to the collision?

Trump is using this week's disaster as another opportunity to push back against diversity programs, after signing executive orders that banned such initiatives across the federal government. That included one specifically for the secretary of transportation and the federal aviation administrator.

During the White House press briefing, Trump said the FAA diversity program allowed for hiring people with hearing and vision issues, as well as paralysis, epilepsy and dwarfism.

The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agencys website, he said.

The FAA's own data shows people with such disabilities make up only a tiny fraction of air traffic controllers. And there is no indication that investigators into the crash are focused on diversity hiring or staffers with disabilities.

Later Thursday, Trump doubled down on his criticism by signing a presidential memorandum on aviation safety he said would undo damage done to federal agencies by the Biden administrations diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Are FAA diversity initiatives part of the investigation?

Asked Thursday about Trump's comments, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said her team examines all factors in any investigation, the human, the machine and the environment. She said that means looking at the people involved, the aircraft and the environment in which they were operating.

That is standard, she said.

Trump's remarks drew strong rebukes from Democrats and civil rights leaders.

There are still bodies being pulled from the Potomac River. Families are grieving the loss of loved ones. Yet Donald Trump is baselessly blaming DEI for last nights tragic collision, said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat who lost both legs while flying Black Hawk helicopters in the Iraq War, referring to diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

"Absolutely shameful, Duckworth said on the X social media platform.

Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine veteran, was blunt in his response to Trumps remarks. DEI did not cause this tragedy, he said on X.

Groups representing disabled workers issued a joint statement saying they were dismayed by the scapegoating, noting that anyone hired under the FAA's diversity initiative had to meet its stringent qualifications.

The implication that people are being hired to do a job for which they are unqualified is an unfounded lie that further reinforces harmful stereotypes against disabled people, it said.

Whats behind the FAAs recruitment strategy?

The FAA has long-faced a shortage of air traffic controllers, which was compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Homendy told a Senate panel in 2023 that a surge in close calls between planes at U.S. airports that year was a clear warning sign the aviation system was stressed.

The FAAs diversity efforts arent new and were not started under the Biden administration.

Before Trump removed them from the agencys website after taking office this month, they had been promoted since at least 2013, including during Trumps first term. Similar language seeking candidates with disabilities was on the site during both Bidens term and Trumps first term. Disabilities identified for special emphasis in hiring included conditions such as paralysis, epilepsy or missing extremities.

The FAA during Trumps first term launched a pilot program to prepare people with disabilities for jobs in air traffic operations.

A 2019 announcement detailed a program to enroll up to 20 people with targeted disabilities in up to a year of training at air traffic control centers, with the potential to be appointed to a temporary position at the FAA's academy. It noted candidates were subject to the same rigorous standards for aptitude, medical and security qualifications as any other candidates. A federal report from 2023 describes the qualifications.

What do aviation experts say about the FAAs recruitment program?

The FAA says its Aviation Development Program for hiring diverse candidates into mission critical occupations required them to meet the same qualifications as any other applicant.

Former FAA administrator Michael Whitaker said last year that the FAA seeks qualified candidates from a range of sources who must meet rigorous qualifications" that vary by position.

Paul Hanges, a professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Maryland, helped compile a report for the FAA in 2013 documenting barriers for women and minorities. The agency followed up by hiring a consulting firm to find the root causes, which led to changes in the testing and hiring process  but Hanges said that did not lower hiring standards.

It was the same kind of protocol, the same cognitive test, but a different version of it, he said. One thing I know about the FAA is they take public safety very seriously. So Id be surprised that they systematically did stuff that would have put the flying public in danger. I always got the impression that was job one.

He called Trumps assertion that this weeks crash is related to diversity efforts an illogical leap.

It is something that is consistent with his message, but we dont have the data, he said.

How have the FAAs recruitment efforts worked?

The agencys recruitment programs have resulted in a modest deepening of its workforce diversity over the years. Progress has been especially slow in roles it considers mission critical, including air traffic controllers.

The FAAs overall workforce of more than 44,000 employees remains predominately male, according to a 2023 FAA report on the status of its Equal Employment Opportunity program.

Among its nearly 18,000 air traffic controllers, more than 80% were men. White men constituted the biggest percentage of air traffic controllers at 64%, the report said.

The FAAs overall workforce also remained predominately white, with racial minorities making up 30% of its employees.

About 2% of the FAAs overall workforce are people with more severe disabilities. Among air traffic controllers, less than 1% are people with such disabilities.

The claims that diversity efforts factored into this week's crash come after Trump surrogates blamed other recent crises, including the wildfires that devastated Los Angeles, on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, although there has been no evidence to support that.

Its a focus that has generated anger among those who feel Trump and his allies are quick to use horrific disasters to further their political agenda.

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin specifically called out Trump for quickly pointing the finger this week at the FAAs diversity programs: The American people deserve real answers, not narcissistic speculations.

__

Associated Press writers Graham Brewer in Norman, Oklahoma, Wyatte-Grantham-Philips in New York, Haleluya Hadero in South Bend, Indiana, Angeliki Kastanis in Los Angeles and Claire Savage in Chicago contributed to this report.
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Dozens of bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet collided with a U.S. Army helicopter, claiming the lives of 67 people.

Authorities are going through the gruesome process of identifying the victims found so far, as families of people on board are forced to wait to have their worst fears confirmed.

Among those who have been identified are the personnel flying the two aircraft. The American Airlines crew included Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Sam Lilley, 28. The Blackhawk crew included Staff Sgt. Ryan OHara, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach.

Below is what we know about them so far.

American Airlines

open image in gallery American Airlines Captain Jonathan Campos ( Facebook )

Captain Jonathan Campos

Captain Campos, 34, was born in New York but grew up in Florida. He attended EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University where he became a certified flight instructor in 2017 and a commercial airline pilot a year later, according to company records seen by Mail Online.

Speaking with the outlet, his uncle Hector Campos said his nephew thrived in the aviation business, saying: He loved it.

We are in complete shock, Mr Campos said upon learning of his familys loss.

His alma mater issued a statement on his death, saying: Our thoughts are with his family and the families and loved ones of all impacted by this tragic accident.

First Officer Sam Lilley

open image in gallery Sam Lilley was an American Airlines first officer ( Facebook )

American Airlines pilot Sam Lilley, 28, was a fun, adventurous son and brother from Richmond Hill, Georgia, his sister Tiffany Gibson told The Charlotte Observer.

She revealed her brother had been visiting her in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with his fiancee, just before the tragedy took place.

Lilley followed in his fathers footsteps by training as a pilot, but worked in marketing before making the career move, said his sister.

He loved traveling and he loved flying, she told the outlet.

U.S. Army Blackhawk crew

Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach

open image in gallery Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach was the third pilot killed in the crash ( US Army )

Captain Rebecca M. Lobach was among the crew who was killed on board the training mission collision that occurred close to Ronald Reagan National Airport on Thursday. She was 28 years old.

Lobach served as an aviation officer from July 2019 to January 2025. She was assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion, Ft Belvoir.

In a statement, Lobachs family described her as a distinguished military graduate in ROTC at the University of North Carolina, and was in the top 20% of cadets nationwide.

Rebecca was a warrior and would not hesitate to defend her country in battle, the heartbreaking statement continued.

During her career, Lobach served as a White House Military Social Aide, even escorting fashion icon Ralph Lauren when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden in 2024.

Instructor pilot Andrew Eaves

open image in gallery Chief warrant officer Andrew Eaves ( Facebook )

Instructor pilot Andrew Eaves was a father, husband, and a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army from Noxubee County, Mississippi.

The Army official graduated from Central Academy, Brooksville, according to local newspaper, The Macon Beacon.

His wife, Carrie Eaves identified the pilot as one of the men who died, in a Facebook post on Thursday.

Eaves niece Kaitlyn Lawrence described him as a man who was truly a light in a lot of our dark days.

She added: Wings of freedom has a whole new meaning now. We love you.

The Black Hawks co-pilot is yet to be named.

Crew chief Ryan OHara

open image in gallery Ryan OHara was also on board on the helicopter ( Facebook )

Ryan OHara was a husband, father, and crew chief on board the Black Hawk. Helicopter crew chiefs are responsible for the maintenance of the aircraft.

OHara had formerly attended Parkview Marine Corps JROTC at Parkview High School, Lilburn, where he was described as a hands-on gym member and a vital member of the rifle team, according to WTVY.

He, his wife, and their one-year-old lived together in Arlington, Virginia, according to WSBTV.

Parkview High Schools former Marine Corps JROTC Instructor David Erwin told WSBTV that OHara had been a quiet kid who came out of his shell during his time at Parkview.

When Erwin heard the news, he said: It was a gut punch. It was a gut punch this morning when I saw that.

After graduating, he went on to join the U.S. Army and even had a stint serving in Afghanistan, reported the outlet.
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Jo Ellis's record of service in the Virginia National Guard appears to be nothing but honorable.

She served in Iraq as a helicopter door gunner, then in Kuwait as part of the multi-national fight against the Islamic State. And in 2023, with the support of her commanders, she began medically transitioning to female.

Now her face and name are being paraded across the internet by conservative influencers and fringe media outlets who falsely claim that she had been piloting the U.S. Army chopper that collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday night in a crash that killed 67 people.

"I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false," Ellis said in a video posted on her Facebook profile on Friday, which demonstrated that she is very much not dead.

The hoax claims were part of a longstanding and alarming pattern of right-wing commentators and sometimes even politicians falsely pinning deadly incidents on transgender people, who have now become one of the main targets of Donald Trump's presidency.

So who actually is Jo Ellis, and how did she become embroiled with a deadly air disaster that she had nothing to do with?

From homeschool to the war against ISIL

Ellis describes herself as coming from a family with a long history of military service.

According to a personal essay posted on Tuesday on the website of CNN host Michael Smerconish, Ellis's cousin is a retired admiral who previously ran the United States Strategic Command. That's basically the U.S. military's central headquarters for nuclear strikes, missile defense, and information infrastructure.

Her older brother, she said, was a tank operator in Iraq in 2003. Back in World War II, her great uncle fought the Nazis in the frozen Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge, while her grandfather lied about his age to hunt submarines at sea.

As a child, Ellis's household was highly religious and conservative. "I grew up homeschooled. My parents felt that a Christian education was very important," she told Smerconish on his podcast.

In 2011, two years after joining the Virginia Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic, she deployed to Iraq, where she earned the Air Medal for serving as a door gunner in combat zones. In 2014 she was sent to assist in humanitarian operations in Guatemala, and in 2016 deployed to Kuwait for Operation Inherent Resolve  that is, the international war against ISIL.

Jo Ellis, as seen in a 'proof of life' video posted to Facebook on Wednesday Jan 29 ( Jo Ellis via Facebook )

Until that year Ellis had defined herself as a conservative, much like her father. That changed with the rise of Donald Trump. "I saw the conservative party moving in a direction that didn't align with what I considered to be conservative values," she told Smerconish, adding that she now considers herself an independent.

She said that she is still religious, and is considering converting to Judaism. "Which is not something I would have thought I would move toward, but something just feels like it's calling me in that direction," she said.

In 2020 she began retraining as a pilot for the U.H.-60 Black Hawk, a workhorse helicopter used by U.S. forces for everything from troop transport to medical evacuation to stealthily assassinating Osama Bin Laden on foreign soil.

But as the Covid-19 pandemic raged across the world, Ellis finally confronted feelings about her gender that she had been trying to ignore for years.

I really tried to be a good man

As part of her Black Hawk training, Ellis undertook the U.S. Army's "Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape" course  known as SERE.

SERE training is designed to prepare air crew for what might happen if they are forced to ditch their craft in hostile territory. Students must learn how to survive in the wilderness, avoid capture, withstand imprisonment and resist interrogation.

In the most intense versions of this training, students are reportedly put through an intense multiple-day roleplaying exercise in which they must navigate rugged terrain while dodging patrols  before being locked in a simulated POW camp.

"You have a lot of time to think when you're very hungry and very, very tired," Ellis told Smerconish. "So I had many occurrences during that three week school where I realized how much I had been masking and hiding."

Ellis wrote that she had suffered from gender dysphoria since she was 5 years old, but "learned early on to hide these symptoms" because she thought they made her a "bad person.

"I got married, bought a house, helped raise a stepdaughter, played drums in the church band, and adopted a dog. All the things I believed a good man should do," she wrote. "And I really wanted to do those things, but I also secretly hoped it would fix me. It didnt work.

After therapy and soul-searching, Ellis started medically transitioning in 2023. As a part-time National Guard member her treatments weren't covered by the military, so she paid for them out of pocket

She says she received "overwhelming support" from her commanders and her unit, with many female soldiers going "out of their way" to make her feel comfortable in their barracks and restrooms.

In her day job she is an IT engineer in the private sector, and Smerconish described her hobbies as "flying airplanes, racing cars, playing musical instruments, and skateboarding. Her current rank is chief warrant officer, grade 2.

A chilling pattern of demonization

It's not clear how exactly online outrage merchants fixed upon Ellis as a scapegoat for America's deadliest air disaster in nearly a quarter of a century.

The Pentagon did not release the names of the Black Hawk crew until Friday, creating a temporary information vacuum. It has declined to name one of the three pilots "at the request of their family.

Ellis may simply become a target because of her essays and podcast surfaced so close to the crash.

Donald Trump helped launch a witchhunt with his own contention, based on zero evidence, that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs were responsible for the crash.

Washington DC collision: Trump blames diversity and inclusion for crash that claimed 67 lives

Its hardly the first time trans Americans have been targeted for deaths they had nothing to do with. The far-right rumor mill has falsely blamed trans people for mass shootings in Texas in May 2022, in Philadelphia in July 2023, in Texas again in February 2024, and in Wisconsin in December 2024  often joined or amplified by Republican politicians.

In Elliss case, the Virginia National Guard confirmed to Reuters that none of its personnel was on board the Black Hawk that crashed Wednesday.

On Monday, Trump issued an executive order aimed at barring trans people from serving in the U.S. It also suggested that gender transition is dishonorable and dishonest.

Despite that, Ellis told Smerconish that she still hoped to "keep [her] head down" and serve for "however long [her] body lets [her] fly that helicopter.

"I don't know what else to say other than I have shown that I am capable of doing my job. I want to continue doing my job," she said.

"In a time when it's hard enough to meet recruiting numbers in the military, why would you want to kick out more soldiers that are willing to sacrifice their lives for this country?" she asked.
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A medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed into a busy residential area of northeast Philadelphia, erupting in a fireball and killing everyone aboard.

The Learjet 55 aircraft plunged from the sky moments after taking off around 6:10 p.m. from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed near the Roosevelt Mall Friday.

The six passengers and crew have been identified. One person who was in a nearby car also died in the crash bringing the death toll to seven.

As of Sunday, 22 people were injured, five of whom were hospitalized  three in critical condition, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with officials finding the planes black box eight feet underground at the wreckage site, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Sunday.

The crash happened just two days after a deadly mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane above Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. There were no survivors.

open image in gallery Aerial footage shows a gaping crater and debris scattered across the street in the aftermath of the high-impact Philadelphia plane crash. Six people were killed in the Friday wreck ( via REUTERS )

What happened?

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The plane disappeared from radar less than a minute after taking off and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet. It was reportedly airborne for only about 40 seconds and fell from the sky at around 11,000 feet per minute.

Harrowing footage showed a large mushroom-shaped fireball shooting into the sky upon the planes impact, which damaged at least 11 homes and several vehicles.

All six of those on board the flight were Mexican nationals, officials confirmed.

The child, a girl who was being treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, was returning to Mexico where she is from. The flight's final destination was to be Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

open image in gallery According to the FAA, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6.06 p.m., en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri ( The Independent )

Audio from air traffic control, obtained by CNN, reported a lost aircraft shortly after takeoff.

The two-engine jet came down in a high traffic residential neighborhood in the northeast section of the city, with the explosion captured from multiple angles by cellphones, ring doorbells and dash cams. Eyewitnesses said the sky was lit up by the explosion.

The black box from the medical jet was found eight feet underground at the crash site, the NTSB announced Sunday. The device  also known as a cockpit voice recorder  remained in decent shape, sources told WPVI. The planes enhanced ground proximity warning system, which may contain flight data, was also found, the NTSB said.

Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia Adam Thiel said that there may still be people that have been impacted by the crash that are not known about.

"We are still not sure exactly how many families were displaced," Thiel told CBS News Sunday. "It is possible there are still people who were affected by this event  affected by that crash that we don't know about.

After initial road closures, the outer lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard have been reopened in both directions, according to a statement from the Philadelphia mayors office on Sunday. Cottman Avenue remains closed due to the NTSBs active investigation into the cause of the crash.

Who was on the air ambulance flight?

open image in gallery Pilot Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Jurarez died in the crash ( Supplied )

There were at least six people on board, including a child who had just completed her treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others.

A spokesperson for Rescue Air Ambulance, who was operating the flight, disclosed the identities of the travelers to CBS News on Sunday.

They include patient Valentina Murillo, her mother Lizeth Ozuna, captain Alan Perales, his co-pilot Josue Juarez, Dr. Raul Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Padilla, who both provided care for the little girl.

Rescue Air Ambulance spokeswoman Shai Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.

"When an incident like this happens, it's shocking and surprising," Gold told The Associated Press. "All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical."

Rescue Air Ambulance, which is registered in the U.S. and Mexico, and describes itself as Mexico's leading, largest and most experienced air ambulance service, and reportedly specializes in the transportation of pediatric patients.

Its fleet includes 10 Learjets and one AirBus helicopter. All of the air ambulance jets are equipped with the most modern equipment available for air medical transport.

What has President Donald Trump said?

open image in gallery The crash left 22 other people injured and killed one person on the ground (  Copyright 2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer )

Following the crash President Donald Trump lamented the loss of more innocent souls on Truth Social.

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost, he wrote. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

The president was reportedly briefed by newly confirmed Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who said he had also spoken to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

Duffy said on Monday that he planned to visit the crash site.

In his statement on X, Shapiro said he had spoken with the Philadelphia mayor and local law enforcement, and was offering all Commonwealth resources.

In a press conference later on Friday night, Shapiro hailed one Philly and offered his thoughts and prayers for all those who are grieving.

What were seeing here is a unified response to an awful aviation disaster, he said. But as awful as that awful aviation disaster was, tonight we saw the best of Philly  neighbor helping neighbor.

He added: We know there will be loss in this region and we want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those who are grieving.

Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Consulate in Philadelphia have contacted the victims families.

I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, Pardo said in a social media statement Saturday morning. My solidarity to their loved ones and friends.
A Russian agent was detained in the capital, who, according to the investigation, was supposed to organize a large-scale terrorist attack in the center of Kyiv. The offender was preparing to detonate explosives near the building of one of the SSU structural units.

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This was reported by the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine. The suspect faces life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

"SSU counterintelligence and investigators prevented a large-scale terrorist attack on one of the central crowded streets of Kyiv. As a result of the special operation, a Russian agent was detained in the capital who was preparing to detonate explosives near the building of one of the SSU structural units," the press service said.

The Security Service emphasized that the place where the explosion was supposed to take place according to the enemy's plan was not used by the special service. For the period of the full-scale invasion, they were redeployed to backup workplaces. However, the SSU emphasized that a potential terrorist attack could have resulted in large casualties among civilians in the central part of the city.

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At the scene, the detainee was found to be carrying a bag containing an improvised explosive device with a capacity of 7 kg of TNT equivalent. Such a charge is enough to seriously damage the building and cause fatal injuries to people around the epicenter of the explosion.

To prepare for a terrorist attack in the capital, the enemy remotely recruited a 22-year-old drug addict from Lviv who was looking for "quick" money on Telegram channels. On the instructions of the occupiers, the girl came to Kyiv, where her Russian handler rented an apartment in the city center for her in advance. After moving into the temporary accommodation, she picked up a mini-video surveillance camera via courier delivery and installed it on the balcony.

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"With the help of remote access, the enemy was able to monitor the central street of Kyiv online and thus wanted to record the consequences of the terrorist attack. The SSU officers were proactive and detained the offender red-handed when she took a bag with explosives from the hiding place and was heading to a rented apartment. During the search, the SSU additionally seized a cell phone that she used to communicate with the Russian special service," the press service added.

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The detainee was served a notice of suspicion on the facts of high treason committed under martial law, preparation for a terrorist attack, and illegal handling of explosives. The offender is in custody. Urgent comprehensive measures are under way to bring to justice all persons involved in the planning and preparation of the terrorist attack.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Ukrainian law enforcement and special forces prevented a terrorist attack in the center of Zhytomyr, which two young men from Dnipropetrovs'k region tried to commit on the order of the aggressor country Russia. They planted explosives in a soft toy and several other things they left in an apartment in the city center.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
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An air ambulance carrying six people, including a child, crashed in a fireball near a mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Friday.

Harrowing footage of the incident, from multiple angles, showed an enormous, billowing explosion after the twin-engine Learjet 55 came down in a high traffic residential neighborhood in the northeast section of the city.

Eyewitnesses said the sky was lit up by the explosion, which was later declared a major incident by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.

According to the FAA, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:30 p.m. local time, en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. It was reportedly airborne for only about 40 seconds, reaching an altitude of just 1,600 feet.

It reportedly fell from the sky at around 11,000 feet per minute.

open image in gallery An air ambulance carrying six people, including a child, has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ( Reuters )

Six people were on board the Learjet operated by the company Jet Rescue Air Ambulance when the crash occurred, the FAA said.

A pediatric patient and the patients mother and four crew members onboard were returning home to Mexico with a stop in Missouri after the patient was treated in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition.

At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors, the company said in a statement. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.

Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground, the company added.

At a brief press conference Friday evening, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted in the crash.

An aircraft went down in the vicinity of Roosevelt Mall  this occurred shortly after 6 p.m. this evening, Parker told reporters.

As of right now we have no reports on the number of fatalities, so ... were just asking for prayers ... [and] we are urging you to please stay away from the scene, Parker added.

open image in gallery A jet plane has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, with multiple casualties expected ( Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management )

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X that he had spoken with Parker and local law enforcement, and is offering all Commonwealth resources as the emergency response unfolds.

President Donald Trump said he was aware of the crash, posting on his social media platform Truth Social: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost.

He added: Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

A witness told ABC6of the crash: It was just horrific. I was just driving down the street ... and I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded. The sky lit up and I pulled over and ... it was just real bad around here.

"It lit up the whole sky," he added.

The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash. The NTSB will lead the probe and will provide all updates.

The incident comes as the NTSB continues to investigate the deadly collision Wednesday night between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people.
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A passenger jet had to suddenly abort its landing at Reagan National Airport because of a helicopter in its flight path, just a day before an airliner and a military helicopter catastrophically collided in the same airspace, highlighting the complications of managing helicopter traffic around the busy Washington-area airport.

On Tuesday night, a Republican Airways Flight radioed air traffic controllers at Reagan about an alert they had received about helicopter traffic below us, prompting the tower to tell the twin-jet Embraer ERJ 175 jet to go around, The Washington Post reports.

They had to circle back around because there was a helicopter in the flight path, passenger Richard Hart told the newspaper of his experience on the flight. At the time I found it odd. ... Now I find it disturbingly tragic.

Another flight from Charlotte into the airport had to abort for similar reasons on January 23.

The state of air traffic around Reagan is a key part of the investigation into the crash that occurred on Wednesday night, when an American Airlines regional jet inbound from Kansas collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, likely killing all 67 people onboard the aircraft.

The airspace is frequently used by military aircraft from nearby bases, and a specially dedicated air corridor exists above the nearby Potomac River for low-flying helicopters.

The corridor intersects with the lane commercial jets use to approach Reagan near runway 33, where the American flight and the helicopter collided.

Numerous military helicopters fly near Ronald Reagan National Airport, prompting officials to typically assign an air traffic controller just dedicated to helicopters each day ( REUTERS )

The Federal Aviation Administration typically dedicates an air traffic controller just to helicopters in the area.

The night of the crash, a supervisor at the airport reportedly allowed one of the two air traffic controllers on duty to quit early, leaving the tower with staff levels that were not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic, according to The New York Times.

The helicopter involved in the crash was at least 100 feet above its planned route, according to the paper.

Radio transmissions from the night of the crash reportedly detail how the lone controller warned the helicopter crew that it was coming too close to the passenger plane.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have recovered black box flight data recorders from both the Black Hawk and the American flight.
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When a young, churchgoing mom announced in 2012 that she had Stage 3 Hodgkins lymphoma, family and friends in San Jose, California, lovingly stepped up to help her weather the devastating diagnosis.

Amanda C. Rileys brother began raising money online for her, calling his sister a ray of sunshine in all our lives.

While we cant control the cancer, or the daily toll this battle will have on Amanda we can help minimize some of [her] stress by reducing the financial burden of medical bills and daily living expenses, he wrote on the donation site he set up, SupportAmanda.com. Open your hearts and help Amanda and her family through this difficult time. No donation is too small; even $5 a month can make a difference.

Amanda also took to the internet to help process her diagnosis, sharing news and updates about her battle to live on a blog titled, Lymphoma Can Suck It.

open image in gallery Scamanda , a four-part docuseries, airs Thursday nights on ABC, and streams Fridays on Hulu ( Courtesy ABC )

When I ride on planes I tend to freak people out with wearing a mask or looking half dead, so I try to break the ice with whom ever [sic] sits with me, she said in one post. I immediately bonded with the nice lady next to me who I quickly found out was in the last 6 months of her medical school residency Upon leaving the plane, she gave me a little folded piece of paper and wished me a Merry Christmas. As I exited the plane, I opened it (curious what this perfect stranger just gave me... a phone number? Facebook link?). It was a blank check for $1300. WHAT!?

Over the next several years, Amandas plight brought in more than $100,000 in donations from hundreds of people, and inspired thousands more, including country music star LeeAnn Rimes, who invited the brave cancer patient for a meet-and-greet and gifted her an autographed guitar.

But what none of them knew at the time, was that Amanda didnt actually have cancer.

The bizarre tale is the subject of Scamanda, a new four-part docuseries airing Thursdays on ABC, and streaming Fridays on Hulu. The first episode, which aired January 30, featured an ex-friend of Amandas whose initial suspicions directly led to her eventual downfall  and a five-year sentence in federal prison.

The whistleblower revealed her identity for the first time in the premiere episode, after appearing, without being named, on the podcast that inspired the TV production, telling viewers, My name is Lisa Berry, and I am the anonymous source. Its time. Im proud of it. Im proud Im the anonymous source.

In June 2015, some three years into Amandas bogus cancer journey, Berry contacted investigative journalist Nancy Moscatiello with a mysterious tip. Something didnt seem right about Amandas story, she told Moscatiello, who began to uncover various details that didnt seem to add up. She brought those clues to a local police detective, fraud investigator Jose Martinez, who then launched a probe of his own.

open image in gallery Investigative journalist Nancy Moscatiello during the filming of Scamanda ( Courtesy ABC )

Martinez connected some important dots, like calling certain hospitals where Amanda said her doctors worked, and finding out there was no one there by that name. Since Amandas alleged activities spanned multiple states, bringing in cash and gifts from across the U.S., Martinez called in the feds, and IRS Special Agent Arlette Lyons joined the probe. All the while, Amanda continued posting, desperate to keep the lie alive.

The entire house of cards finally came crashing down in 2019, and Amanda was arrested on federal wire fraud charges. In court, it emerged that her deceptions went beyond what anyone previously knew: falsified medical records, forged physicians letters, and threats of lawsuits lobbed at anyone who doubted her story.

[S]he posted photos of medications, photos of herself at hospitals, and photos of herself allegedly suffering the side effects of chemotherapy, prosecutors said in a statement upon Amandas October 2021 guilty plea. Riley added captions to the photos with false statements claiming that she was taking cancer drugs and receiving cancer treatment. She even shaved her head to make it appear as if she had lost her hair as a result of chemotherapy.

Now 39, Amanda is more than halfway through her 60-month sentence. In her first 18 months behind bars, according to court filings, Amanda has been rushed to the hospital by ambulance at least two dozen times. But, doctors said the symptoms she claimed to be suffering continued to be products of her own creation, holding her breath to affect the results of an oxygen saturation test, stress[ing] her body to create tachycardia, and interfering with a medical infusion device he was hooked up to, in an attempt to manipulate the readings.

In Episode 1 of Scamanda, Martinez, who is now retired, calls Amanda devious, and smart enough to [take it] to another level.

Because shes an actor, Martinez says in the show. Shes in that character 24/7.

Of the $105,513 in restitution Amanda was ordered to reimburse those she scammed, she has so far paid out less than $1,000, court records show. She is presently at a so-called residential reentry center in Long Beach, California, according to the Bureau of Prisons, with an expected release date of December 4, 2025.
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A five-year-old boy died Friday morning in Michigan in an explosion inside a hyperbaric chamber where he was receiving medical treatment, according to officials.

Police and fire officials were called to the Oxford Medical Center in Troy around 8 a.m.

"It's a horrible, tragic incident," Troy Police Lieutenant Ben Hancock said in a news conference Friday. "It's not something that we ever want to have to respond to."

First responders arrived to find the chamber on fire and extracted the boy, who was later pronounced dead. Officials contained the blaze to the room where the explosion took place.

Troy officials are not naming the deceased child.

His mother, who was in the room when the explosion occurred, received injuries to her arm.

"This is an exceptionally difficult day for all of us, the Oxford Center said in a statement to CBS News.

The safety and wellbeing of the children we serve is our highest priority, the facility added. Nothing like this has happened in our more than 15 years of providing this type of therapy.

Fire officials said they were unaware of any previous incidents at the center, which was founded in 2008, according to The Detroit News.

City officials inspect and license such devices, according to police.

State officials are expected to probe the cause of the explosion.

The mother of the child suffered some injuries to her arms as she was standing right next to the chamber as the explosion occurred, Hancock added during the news conference. We dont know exactly what the child was being treated for at the center today.

Hyperbaric chambers are enclosed, highly pressurized spaces that deliver patients pure oxygen, and are used to treat decompression sickness, tissue injuries, and carbon monoxide, among other conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The presence of such a high amount of oxygen in a pressurized environment can make it extremely combustible, Troy Fire Lieutenant Keith Young said on Friday. We did some initial investigation. This is very uncommon, so were not sure what led up to it.
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Federal employees are beginning to see the impacts of Donald Trumps executive orders on gender and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as facing continued pressure to accept buyouts and resign from the government later this year.

On Thursday, as their agency worked to investigate a catastrophic plane crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter outside of Washington, employees of the Federal Aviation Administration were reportedly among government workers who got an email encouraging them to quit and find a higher productivity job.

We encourage you to find a job in the private sector as soon as you would like to do so, read an email that went out to FAA workers, as well as those at the CDC and Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, which was obtained by The New York Times. The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector.

open image in gallery Donald Trump and Elon Musk have made slashing the federal workforce a key part of the new administrations plans. ( AFP via Getty Images )

Earlier this week, the Trump administration offered millions of federal workers the chance to resign from their positions and keep getting paid through the end of September if they agreed to a buyout by February 6, though critics have argued the White House has neither the legal authority nor the guaranteed congressional funding to pay government workers who arent working.

The buyout offer comes at awkward time, especially for agencies involved in transit.

The tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport, near the site of the crash, has been understaffed for years, and the problem was exacerbated further on the night of the crash, when a supervisor allegedly let one of two normally assigned air traffic controllers at the Reagan tower leave early.

open image in gallery Agency employees have until February 6 to accept buyout offer ( Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Workers at agencies like the Departments of Energy and Transportation, as well as those at the CDC, have seen the Trump administrations influence in other ways.

They reportedly received notices on Thursday to remove gender pronouns from their email signatures as part of the Trump administrations campaign to end all DEI programs and spending in government and cease federal recognition of gender diversity.

Pronouns and any other information not permitted in the policy must be removed, a CDC official told employees in a message obtained by ABC News.

Some employees expressed displeasure with the changes.

"In my decade-plus years at CDC I've never been told what I can and can't put in my email signature," said one anonymous worker told the outlet.

The White House told The Independent that President Trump cares about talent, not pronouns.

We look forward to quick compliance with President Trumps executive actions to ensure that employee competence is front-and-center across the Executive Branch, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement.

The Independent has contacted the FAA, and Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Justice, Transportation, and Energy for comment.
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A new poll has fuelled growing fears that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party could be on the cusp of winning power.

The findings show billionaire X social media platform owner Elon Musk has helped catapult AfD into second place with their leader Alice Weidel the favourite to become the countrys new chancellor.

The survey results have been described as utterly terrifying by Labour MP Blair McDougall who sits on the Commons foreign affairs select committee, who has branded Musk the most irresponsible man on Earth.

open image in gallery Elon Musk has supported far-right parties ( via REUTERS )

The poll comes just days after the world commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, and marked Hitlers genocide of 6 million Jews.

Last weekend Musk addressed an AfD rally in Halle, east Germany, telling party members that Germans should move beyond guilt  adding, in an apparent reference to the crimes of the Nazis: Children should not be guilty of the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents.

Days earlier he faced global condemnation for an apparent far-right salute at one of Donald Trumps inauguration celebrations, though he has denied accusations it was a Nazi gesture.

According to the findings from the Washington DC Democracy Institute, which conducts polls in the US and around the world, the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) are on 27 per cent, only two points ahead of AfD on 25 per cent.

Olaf Scholzs Social Democrats (SPD) are a distant third on 15 per cent, with the Greens just behind on 13 per cent.

However, AfDs far-right leader Weidel is the clear choice of Germans to be chancellor on 35 per cent, well ahead of the CDUs Friedrich Merz on 26 per cent. Scholz lags behind on 15 per cent.

The findings are even more problematic given that this week Merz broke an 80-year convention of not working with the far right and siding with them in votes on migration.

open image in gallery Far-right AfD leader Alice Weidel ( AFP via Getty Images )

The German elections were originally scheduled for 28 September but are now due to take place on 23 February after the collapse of the Scholz government.

The polling reveals that more Germans disapprove of Musks interventions than approve by 41 per cent to 36 per cent. However, it also shows he has had an impact, with 28 per cent saying they are more likely to vote AfD because of Musk compared to 23 per cent less likely.

Mr McDougall, who first came to prominence in the Scottish independence referendum, said he was horrified by the findings which have been reflected in other recent polls from Germany.

He said: Last week we commemorated the 80th anniversary of the ending of the Holocaust and this week we see this. Its sickening and deeply worrying.

open image in gallery Weidel tops the poll for chancellor ( Democracy Institute )

Powered by the richest and most irresponsible man on Earth, Germany, of all places, is turning towards the far right. Leaders in all democracies need to wake up to the existential threat to our freedoms and way of life.

Musk has also thrown his weight behind British far-right activist Tommy Robinson and had talks with Reform UK, as well as being pivotal in Trump winning the presidential election.

open image in gallery The CDU is narrowly ahead of the AfD ( Democracy Institute )

Democracy Institute director Patrick Basham said that a new phenomenon is emerging in Germany: The shy Musk voter. He likened it to Brexit in the UK and Trump in 2016 where voters did not want to admit publicly how they are voting.

He added: What folks say in public isn't exactly what they think in private.

open image in gallery Musk is boosting far right votes in Germany ( Democracy Institute )

While the Democracy Institute is based in America, it uses British Polling Council standards for its surveys and has previously been one of the first to pick up trends in changes of voting. In 2016 it correctly predicted Trump would win and in 2022 picked up Black and Latino voters switching from the Democrats to Republicans.

In Europe it was one of the few polling companies to predict the Brexit referendum result and also picked up on the rise of right-wing French leader Marine Le Pen.
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North Korean troops have been pulled back from the frontline amid devastating losses, according to Ukrainian and American officials.

Kim Jong Uns forces have not been seen on the battlefield for around three weeks, Ukrainian special forces said.

The reports have been backed by South Koreas spy agency, who said that the North Korean troops had been withdrawn from the war frontline around the middle of January, the National Intelligence Service said,

"Since mid-January, there have been no signs of North Korean troops deployed in Russia's Kursk region engaging in combat," the NIS said.

Heavy casualties among North Korean troops appear to be one reason for the absence of North Korean troops, the agency said, adding that efforts are underway to determine the exact reason.

Pyongyang sent roughly 11,000 soldiers to help with Vladimir Putins war effort in November last year, four months after Kyivs troops seized Russian territory in Kursk.

They quickly gained a reputation as being fierce, committed soldiers, who would often choose suicide over surrender, but were hampered by poor tactics and a language barrier.

In January, South Koreas National Intelligence Service said 300 of Kims soldiers have been killed and another 2,700 wounded since joining the conflict.

The officials told the New York Times that withdrawn troops may return after receiving reinforcements and additional training.

open image in gallery A North Korean soldier fighting for Russia in Ukraine, according to a video shared by Zelensky ( Office of the President of Ukraine )

The last written notes of a North Korean soldier killed in battle suggested the brutal tactics they were forced to adapt to under Russian commanders.

An entry described how Pyongyangs troops were ordered to stand within seven metres of Kyivs drones as covering soldiers try to shoot them down.

On one notebook page, a crude drawing shows a stickman soldier breaking cover to attract the attention of a drone, while his two comrades lie in wait to shoot it down.

When the bait stands still, the drone will stop and it will be shot down, the soldier wrote in scrawled handwriting, translated by The Wall Street Journal.

The diary, which was found on 21 December and has been authenticated by experts, was written by a young soldier who died in a firefight alongside two compatriots, Ukraines special forces said.

open image in gallery The passport belonging to a captured North Korean soldier ( Telegram/Volodymyr Zelensky )

It was published a day after Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces had captured two North Korean soldiers and proposed a prisoner swap with Pyongyang.

In the video shared by Mr Zelensky, both soldiers appeared injured.

One of the soldiers, who appeared in the video lying down, said he did not know he was fighting in a war against Ukraine and that his commanders told him it was a training exercise.

One of the prisoners carried a Russian military ID card that Mr Zelensky claimed was issued in the name of another person.

The Ukrainian intelligence agency SBU showed an ID card issued to a 26-year-old man from Russias Tyva region bordering Mongolia.
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Three more hostages have been released by Hamas as part of a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon have arrived back in Israel after they were released to the Red Cross by militants in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

Another hostage, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was handed over to the Red Cross at a different location  Gaza City to the north  later on Saturday.

Hours later, 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released in the exchange. Among them, 150 arrived in Gaza while 32 got off a bus in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Out of these, 72 prisoners were held before the 7 October attack, with 18 serving life sentences. The remaining 111 were detained in Gaza after the 7 October attack.

open image in gallery Yarden Bibas, a hostage held in Gaza since the deadly 7 October 2023 attack, is released by Hamas ( Reuters )

"I feel joy despite the journey of pain and hardship that we lived," said Ali Al-Barghouti, who was serving two life sentences in an Israeli jail.

The truce, which began on 19 January, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce's initial six weeks.

Next week Israel and Hamas are due to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

open image in gallery Israeli security forces surround a military helicopter transporting newly released Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon ( AFP via Getty Images )

Earlier on Saturday, militants released Mr Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Mr Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis after each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers.

Both had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 that sparked the war.

Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage after chaotic crowds surrounded hostages during a handover on Thursday, angering Israel.

The family of Mr Kalderon said they were "overwhelmed with joy, relief and emotion" after his release by Hamas.

Mr Kalderon was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nir Oz kibbutz on 7 October, along with his daughter Sahar and son Erez. The children were released in November 2023 during a temporary ceasefire.

open image in gallery American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, is escorted by Hamas fighters ( AP )

Today, we finally embrace Ofer, seeing and truly comprehending that he is here with us, his family said in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

"We have witnessed how, through extraordinary mental strength, he survived this hell. Ofer endured months in a nightmare, and we are proud of his ability to survive and hold onto the hope of embracing his children again.

The family added a note of support for the remaining hostages still being held by Hamas, saying: "In the midst of this emotional moment, we must remember all the hostages who remain behind. We have no right to stop until all 79 hostages return home  whether for rehabilitation or for burial."

The second released hostage, Mr Bibas, is the father of baby Kfir  the youngest hostage at only nine months old when he was kidnapped on 7 October  and Ariel, who was four at the time of the cross-border attack. Mr Bibass wife, Shiri, the mother of the two children, was also taken at the same time.

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir remain unaccounted for amid concerns over their wellbeing, with the release of Mr Bibas marking a painful moment for the large numbers of Israelis and other supporters around the world who have long campaigned for the whole familys release.

Video footage of Shiri holding on to her children as she was kidnapped by Hamas gunmen from the Nir Oz kibbutz became an enduring image of the Hamas attack.

Under the latest ceasefire agreement, living women and children were supposed to be freed first, but Ariel and Kfir were the only children being held who were not released in a previous week-long truce in November 2023. Hamas says that Shiri and her two children were killed in an Israeli airstrike early in the conflict.

Israel has not confirmed that claim, but last week the military said there were grave concerns about what has happened to them.

Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed during Hamass 7 October attack or have since died in captivity.

There were sighs of relief and cheers in the living room where members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza watched Hamas militants hand over hostage Keith Siegel to the Red Cross.

Mr Siegel, an American-Israeli from North Carolina, was captured from the communal farming village by Hamas militants on 7 October 2023.

His neighbours gathered anxiously in front of the television as they watched footage of Mr Siegel, looking thin, emerging from a vehicle and walking through a crowd in Gaza city, flanked by Hamas militants.

Many of those in the room were family friends. They applauded upon seeing Mr Siegel's face. Some teared up.

He is one of the highest-profile hostages, now a household name in Israel after his wife Aviva Siegel, also captured in the Hamas attack, mounted a public campaign to bring him home after her own release from captivity in November 2023.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May.

A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which alongside the exchange of detainees calls for the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

Additional reporting by agencies
Europe, with its rich cultural heritage and picturesque landscapes, has always been popular with tourists. However, 2025 could be the year when travelers start to favor lesser-known destinations that offer new discoveries outside of megacities like London, Paris, or Athens.

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In particular, three European cities are already gaining popularity, becoming new gems that attract more and more tourists. They boast not only a unique atmosphere but also an offer for travelers looking for variety in their travels.

These cities  Bucharest, Larnaca, and Sarajevo  are characterized by unique features and are beginning to fight for their place among popular tourist destinations, Travel Off Path notes.

The first of these cities is Bucharest, the capital of Romania, which has suddenly made it to the list of places worth visiting. Despite its direct association with the Soviet past, Bucharest is developing rapidly and attracting tourists due to its safety and unique architectural monuments. Often compared to Paris because of its elegant neighborhoods, this city is increasingly being called the "Paris of the East." However, the city also impresses with its museums, cobblestone streets, and accessibility for tourists  you can find excellent hotels at very reasonable prices.

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Larnaca in Cyprus is another city that has become a real discovery for tourists. Previously, the better-known Paphos attracted more attention, but now Larnaca is gaining popularity thanks to its great combination of beach vacations and historical attractions. This city has become popular thanks to its airport, which has exceeded 7.5 million passengers, indicating a significant increase in tourist traffic. Larnaca is known for its beautiful beaches, the salt lake where flamingos can be seen, and the ancient Church of St. Lazarus, making it a must-see destination.

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The biggest surprise among these three cities is Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which went through hard times during the Bosnian war but is now thriving and becoming an accessible tourist destination. Sarajevo impresses not only with its history but also with its ability to combine Muslim traditions and European culture. The city, which until recently was almost invisible on the map of European destinations, is now becoming a place where you can enjoy not only its historical museums but also its amazing architecture and natural scenery.

Despite its dark past, which Sarajevo does not hide, the city is now a symbol of rebirth and resilience. Here you can visit numerous museums, such as the Tunnel Museum, which tells about the tragedy of the war, or stroll through the historic Bascarsija neighborhood, which impresses with its atmosphere. Sarajevo is also known for its cafes, where you can enjoy traditional dishes and a cup of coffee while watching the city go by.

All three cities are different from the usual tourist destinations and offer unique experiences. They have become real discoveries for those who are looking for new places to travel, off the beaten path. Bucharest with its safety and historical architecture, Larnaca with its beaches and cultural attractions, and Sarajevo with its history of revival  each of these cities has its own unique atmosphere and offers a unique experience.

Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
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Israel on Saturday released a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza as the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas continued to gain traction after nearly two weeks.

In a sign of progress, Saturdays release included for the first time some of the 1,000 detainees from Gaza that Israel has agreed to free during Phase 1 of the deal on condition that they did not participate in Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

Detained in Gaza on suspicion of militancy, the 111 Palestinians released Saturday have been held without trial since the day after the October 7 attack.

open image in gallery Israel Palestinians ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

The remaining 72 Palestinians, all arrested from either the West Bank or Gaza before the war, served long sentences or life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis. They are all men, ranging in age from 30 to 66.

The release of Palestinians from Gaza draws attention to Israels mass roundups of men in the enclave during the past 15 months of its military campaign against Hamas. Many were taken to Israel.

Images of Israeli forces rounding up Palestinians in Gaza  showing men stripped to their underwear, sitting or kneeling on the ground, with some bound and blindfolded  have sparked outrage and concern from the U.N. human rights body. The Israeli military says it arrests those suspected of involvement in Hamas and other militant groups.

In the occupied West Bank, excited crowds thronged the Red Cross bus carrying the Palestinians from Ofer prison near Ramallah. But the festivities were muted compared to previous weeks. Just 25 prisoners were set free into the West Bank, while another seven were being transferred to Egypt before deportation.

The rest were headed home to Gaza for the first time in months, or, in some cases, years, where celebrations awaited.

open image in gallery Israel Palestinians ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Heres a look at some prominent Palestinian prisoners released since the ceasefire deal went into effect on Jan. 19:

Mohammed el-Halabi

The Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization, was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups. He was freed on Saturday.

Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing. One independent audit found that el-Halabi had enforced internal controls and ordered employees to avoid anyone suspected of Hamas ties.

World Vision has also said that the accusations that el-Halabi transferred 60% of the charitys annual budget for Gaza to Hamas could not be reconciled with its financial records.

Rights groups say el-Halabi was denied a fair and transparent trial, as he and World Vision had no chance to review the evidence against them, with all procedures shielded from the public and shrouded in unusual secrecy. U.N. experts say el-Halabi was questioned for 50 days without access to a lawyer. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Israel has attributed the closed hearings to sensitive security information being relayed. Israeli courts typically hold closed hearings to protect the sources of their information.

His prolonged detention sent a chill through nongovernmental groups providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. After el-Halabis arrest, World Vision suspended its activities in Gaza, where it it says its aid had benefited nearly 40,000 children affected by the crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the enclave.

open image in gallery APTOPIX Israel Palestinians ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Shadi Amouri

Amouri, 44, from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, was arrested for his alleged role in manufacturing the powerful car bomb that detonated beside an Israeli bus packed with passengers on June 5, 2002, killing 17 Israelis in what became known as the Megiddo Junction suicide bombing.

The attack during the second intifada, or Palestinian uprising, between 2000 and 2005, took place in northern Israel. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

Amouri was sentenced to life in prison, plus 20 years. He was among those transferred to Egypt Saturday and released into exile.

We wish to have felt the joy of his release here, on the land of Jenin refugee camp, said Bassam Amouri, his brother. But, thank God, what matters is that he is free of the suffering of prison.

Ashraf Abu Srour

Abu Srour, 50, sentenced to life in prison over a 2000 attack that killed Israeli soldier Shahar Veckart, was also among those released Saturday into exile.

Hailing from Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Abu Srour was detained in 2001 and convicted the next year over the shooting at Rachels Tomb, the traditional burial place of the wife of the biblical patriarch Jacob. During the second intifada, the shrine became a target of Palestinian militants protesting Israels claim to the holy site revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

Abu Srour belonged to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade  an armed group affiliated with Fatah, the secular political party that controls the Palestinian Authority.

Zakaria Zubeidi

Zakaria Zubeidi is a prominent former militant leader and theater director whose dramatic jailbreak in 2021 thrilled Palestinians across the Middle East and stunned the Israeli security establishment.

Zubeidi once led the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. After the second intifada in 2006, he co-founded a theater in his hometown of Jenin refugee camp, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, to promote what he described as cultural resistance to Israel. Even today, the Freedom Theater puts on everything from Shakespeare to 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 but caused no injuries.

Zubeidi, who was released Thursday into the West Bank, had been awaiting trial in prison. He denies the charges, saying that he gave up militancy to focus on his political activism after the intifada.

In 2021, he and five other prisoners tunneled out of a maximum-security prison in northern Israel, an escape that helped solidify Zubeidis image among Palestinians as a folk hero. All six were recaptured days later.

Mohammed Abu Warda

A Hamas militant during the second intifada, Abu Warda helped organize a series of suicide bombings that killed over 40 people and wounded more than a hundred others. Israel arrested him in 2002, and sentenced him to 48 terms of lifetime imprisonment, among the longest sentences it ever issued.

As a young student, Abu Warda joined Hamas at the start of the intifada following Israels killing of Yahya Ayyash, the militant groups leading bomb maker, in 1996.

Palestinian authorities said at the time that Warda had helped to recruit suicide bombers  including his cousin, his cousins neighbor and a classmate at the Ramallah Teachers College  whose attacks targeting crowded civilian areas in Israeli cities killed scores of people in the early 2000s.

Warda was released and deported on Thursday.

Mohammed Aradeh, 42

An activist in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Aradeh was sentenced to life in prison for a range of offenses going back to the second intifada. Some of the charges, according to the Israeli Prison Service, included planting an explosive device and attempting murder.

He was credited with plotting the extraordinary prison escape in 2021, when he and five other detainees, including Zubeidi, used spoons to tunnel out one of Israels most secure prisons. They remained at large for days before being caught.

From an impoverished and politically active family in Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank, Aradeh has three brothers and a sister who have all spent years in Israeli prisons.

He was welcomed as a sort of cult hero in Ramallah on Jan. 25 as family, friends and fans swarmed him, some chanting The freedom tunnel! in reference to his jailbreak.

Mohammed Odeh, 52, Wael Qassim, 54, and Wissam Abbasi, 48

All three men hail from the neighborhood of Silwan, in east Jerusalem, and rose within the ranks of Hamas. Held responsible for a string of deadly attacks during the second intifada, the men were sentenced to multiple life sentences in 2002.

They were accused of plotting a suicide bombing at a crowded pool hall near Tel Aviv in 2002 that killed 15 people. Later that year, they were found to have orchestrated a bombing at Hebrew University that killed nine people, including five American students. Israel had described Odeh, who was working as a painter at the university at the time, as the kingpin in the attack.

All three were transferred to Egypt on Jan. 25. Their families live in Jerusalem and said they will join them in exile.

The Abu Hamid brothers

Three brothers from the prominent Abu Hamid family of the Al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah  Nasser, 51, Mohammad, 44, and Sharif, 48  were also deported to Egypt on Jan. 25. They had been sentenced to life in prison over deadly militant attacks against Israelis in 2002.

Their brother, a different Nasser Abu Hamid, was one of the founders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. He was also sentenced to life in prison for several deadly attacks. His 2022 death from lung cancer behind bars unleashed a wave of angry protests across the West Bank as Palestinian officials accused Israel of medical neglect.

The family has a long arc of Palestinian militancy. The mother, Latifa Abu Hamid, 72, now has three sons exiled, one still imprisoned, one who died in prison and one who was killed by Israeli forces. Their family house has been demolished at least three times by Israel, which defends such punitive home demolitions as a deterrent against future attacks.

Mohammad al-Tous, 67

Al-Tous had held the title of longest continuous Israeli imprisonment until his release last Saturday, Palestinian authorities said.

First arrested in 1985 while fighting Israeli forces along the Jordanian border, the activist in the Fatah party spent a total of 39 years behind bars. Originally from the West Bank city of Bethlehem, he was among the prisoners exiled on Jan. 25.
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NASA astronaut Sunita Suni Williams, one of the two astronauts on an unintentionally extended stay aboard the International Space Station, now holds the record for total spacewalk time by a woman.

The record of 62 hours and six minutes was reached during her ninth spacewalk on Thursday, NASA announced.

Williams, who was selected as an astronaut by NASA in June 1998, and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore began their spacewalk early that morning. Their mission was to remove an antenna from the stations truss segment, to prepare a motorized joint for a robotic arm, and to collect samples of surface material to see whether organisms might exist on the exterior of the orbital laboratory.

open image in gallery NASA spacewalker Suni Williams is attached to the tip of the Canadarm2 robotic arm as the International Space Station orbits 260 miles above the Earth on Thursday. Williams just broke the record for total spacewalk time by a woman ( Credit: NASA+ )

Here we go, Wilmore said, as he emerged 260 miles above Spain.

It was the fifth spacewalk for Wilmore, and the 274th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Williams and Wilmore have been on board the space station since June of last year after a mishap with their brand new Boeing Starliner capsule. The retired Navy captains had expected to only stay for a week.

open image in gallery Williams is seen conducting her ninth career spacewalk. Williams and NASAs Butch Wilmore have been on the orbiting laboratory for months ( NASA )

The test pilots will remain in space until SpaceX can take them home. But, that wont happen until late March or early April.

Williams, who is from Needham, Massachusetts, surpassed a previous record set in 2017 by Peggy Whitson: 60 hours and 21 minutes. Whitson also holds the title for the most spacewalks by a woman. Whitson has gone on 10 and Williams has gone on nine.

open image in gallery NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is seen on the International Space Station. Whitson holds the record for the most spacewalks by a woman ( NASA )

After announcing her retirement from the agency in 2018, the Iowan will lead an international crew to the space station on an Axiom Space flight. The mission is slated to launch no sooner than spring of this year.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio holds the single spaceflight record, at 371 days, while Whitson holds the cumulative record at 675.

With reporting from The Associated Press
This is the moment a BMW driver smashed his friend's car into pedestrian sending him catapulting into backseat.

Ahmed Lal was driving his friends BMW M4 at speeds of 68mph along Watling Street in Wellington, Shropshire, when he struck the pedestrian crossing the road.

The victim was left with a fractured pelvic bone, fractured left foot and fractured hip, as well as significant bruising to his chest and left eye.

When officers arrived at the scene on 18 June, 2023, Lal was tested for drugs, which came back positive for cannabis.

Lal, 24, was sentenced on Tuesday (28 January) to five years in prison after being found guilty of dangerous driving.
New footage capture by airport security cameras shows the moment an American Airlines Flight and army helicopter collide near Reagan National Airport.

American Eagle flight 5342  carrying 64 people  and the military Black Hawk helicopter  carrying three people  crashed at approximately 8:53 p.m. on Wednesday (29 January).

More than 40 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River  with many loved ones and local officials identifying the victims.

Two black boxes have also been recovered with a cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder have been taken for lab analysis, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
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President Donald Trump said in a social media post on Saturday that a series of U.S. military strikes targeted a senior ISIS attack planner in Somalia.

The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said. The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!

The senior ISIS member was not named by Trump in his post on TruthSocial. The airstrikes took place in the Golis mountains in the northern part of the east African nation.

Trump also took a swipe at his former President Joe Biden and his cronies for not acting quickly enough to get the job done. I did! It was on Bidens watch in 2023 when U.S. forces killed ISIS leader Bilal al-Sudani during a series of strikes in Somalia. In May 2024, Bidens Pentagon killed three ISIS militants in a separate strike.

open image in gallery Trump said in a post on TruthSocial that US airstrikes killed many ISIS terrorists ( AP )

The recently confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also said that the Somali government was involved in the planning of the attack.

An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that multiple operatives were killed. The Pentagon said is assesses no civilians were harmed in the strikes.

Hegseth went on to say that the operation would further degrade the Islamic States ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks while sending a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists.

U.S. military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the groups leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to building their own small quadcopters.

A U.S. military airstrike in Somalia last May targeted IS militants and killed three, according to U.S. Africa Command.

The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntlands Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.

The group sprang up in Somalia in 2015 as defectors from al-Shabab, which was associated with al-Qaeda.

In an interview with The Washington Post this week, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stressed the importance of the Trump administrations help in defeating terrorism.

We are requesting that the United States increase the number so that we can eliminate al-Shabab while President Trump is in office... We need support. President Trump is a man of action. He does what he says. We hope that he will look at Somalia, the president said.
Embattled company was due to pay settlement in full by end of 2024

The Department of the Environment, now headed by minister Darragh OBrien, has refused to say if it has received 7.5m that was due to be paid to it by the end of last year by embattled Irish oil company San Leon.

The company has also refused to say if it has paid the money over to the Government.

The millions of euro due to be paid relates to a settlement reached last year between the Department and San Leon.

In 2023, then Environment Minister Eamon Ryan took a legal action against San Leon seeking a judgment of 7.5m against the firm in relation to decommissioning costs associated with the Seven Heads gas field off the south coast of Ireland.

San Leon disposed of its Island Oil & Gas subsidiary in 2014 to Ardilaun Energy. That included the Seven Heads gas field. San Leon said at the time that the sale of Island Oil & Gas would leave San Leon with no further exposure to abandonment costs on these assets.

The Minister of the Environment argued that San Leon was still liable for decommissioning costs for Seven Heads, which ceased production in 2020.

But San Leon insisted that the operator of the field, Malaysias Petronas, was now liable.

San Leon agreed to settle the action taken by the minister in February last year for the 7.5m that had been sought.

Under the settlement deal thrashed out, about 3m of that was due to be paid in March last year and the remainder by the end of 2024. That time period was agreed to enable San Leon to recover the entire settlement from Island (Seven Heads) Ltd.

Just to be clear, the Department of the Environment was collecting this money on behalf of Petronas, and San Leon Energy does not owe the Irish Government money, insisted a spokesperson for San Leon.

San Leon declined to say if it has paid the money to the Department of the Environment under the terms of the settlement that was reached last year.

Asked twice this week If it had received the money due, the Department refused to answer.

San Leon, whose chief executive is Oisin Fanning, has been in a state of turmoil for well over a year.

It has failed to seal a long-promised refinancing, having seen proposed deals and timelines slip by without any transaction being sealed.

A spokesperson for the company insisted this week that refinancing negotiations remain underway.

The Irish Independent reported this week that San Leon has seen its latest chairman leave the firm.

The departure of non-executive chairman John Brown, who was appointed to the board in 2021, leaves San Leon with just three directors, including Oisin Fanning.

San Leons chief financial officer resigned last summer, while then non-executive chairman Mutio Sunmonu left last autumn.

Mr Brown was named chairman with immediate effect following Mr Sunmonus departure. San Leon said at the time that Mr Sunmonu had indicated to the board at the end of 2023 that he intended to resign his role.

Current non-executive director Adekolapo Ademola has now been appointed chairman, according to a spokesperson.
Canada and Mexico brace for Donald Trumps 25pc tariffs  but which industries will be hardest hit?

The impact of tariffs is likely to be passed on to the consumer in many cases

US president Donald Trump is planning to introduce tariffs to neighbouring countries today. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP

Paul Wiseman Sat 1 Feb 2025 at 03:30







US president Donald Trump said this week that 25pc tariffs on US neighbours Canada and Mexico will arrive today. The two nations are not only close geographically but economically as well.
Forsa claimed two government departments planned to reduce the number of remote working days from next week. Stock image

Civil servants at the National Shared Services Office are the latest to be asked to reduce the number of days they work remotely, according to a union.

A Forsa spokesperson said the National Shared Services Office want a reduction in remote working, along with two other government departments.

Earlier, the union claimed the Department of Social Protection and Department of Finance planned to reduce the number of remote working days from next week without consultation.

The Department of Social Protection confirmed it is seeking an increase in office days, but a Department of Finance spokesperson said there are no changes to its arrangements.

The dispute over plans to alter blended working arrangements in the civil service was revealed after the Programme for Government committed to review its policy on the issue.

A spokesperson at the Department of Social Protection said it will encourage and support staff who wish to work under its new blended working policy.

He said staff who wish to retain their existing attendance arrangements will be allowed to do so pending the outcome of any dispute resolution process.

The spokesperson said the policy had been shared and discussed with unions since November last year, a lead in time of three months before its implementation.

He said a number of changes were made at the unions request. The department met with unions yesterday and offered to use dispute resolution mechanisms. When asked if it was seeking an increase in in-office days, a Department of Finance spokesperson said there are no changes.

He said attendance patterns in the office are driven by business needs and that remote working is available for the majority of staff two or three days a week.

Forsa said it has instructed its civil service members to stick with current hybrid working arrangements.

The Department of Social Protections message to staff said the commencement date for its Blended Working Arrangements 2025 is February 1. It said the main eligibility criteria are meeting business needs, individual and role suitability, health and safety and the availability of broadband.

It said the minimum level of attendance in the workplace is changing to two days per week, while those in principal officer roles and above will be expected to attend for a minimum of three days a week.

A Department of Public Expenditure and Reform spokesperson said it has not issued any advice or guidance to civil service organisations directing them to increase the number of days spent in their offices. He said individual civil service organisations are encouraged to carry out regular reviews of their blended working policies, in consultation with all stakeholders. He said the department is considering all commitments in the Programme for Government that fall under its remit including the commitment to a review of the overall Blended Working Policy Framework.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that CSO employees have been asked to reduce their remote working hours. This is not the case.
GARDAI are investigating the death of a 62-year-old man in a Cork house fire.

Officers stressed that the precise nature of their investigation will be determined by the results of a post mortem examination though Gardai are focussing on precisely how the blaze erupted on Friday evening.

Detectives are examining all aspects of the fire at the property on Togher Road in Cork shortly before 7pm on Friday evening in which the man died.

The deceased has been named locally as Michael O'Sullivan (62).

Cork Fire Brigade units supported by Gardai and paramedics were at the scene within minutes after the alarm was raised by concerned neighbours around 7pm.

It is understood locals became concerned when smoke was seen billowing from the man's apartment and heard cries for help.

Neighbours desperately tried to gain access to the property but were unable to do so because of the thick smoke.

Officers using breathing apparatus gained entry to the flat and a man was found lying unresponsive on the floor.

A woman was treated at the scene for the effects of smoke inhalation but was not seriously injured.

She had been heroically assisted from the property minutes earlier by a local resident.

Despite desperate efforts to revive the man at the scene, he was pronounced dead before he could be rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Firefighters brought the blaze under control a short time later.

It is understood the bulk of the fire damage was restricted to a single room in the property.

However, a significant amount of smoke damage was caused to the premises.

Gardai preserved the scene pending a full forensic and technical examination to determine the precise cause of the fire.

The area remained cordoned off until the full technical examination was concluded.

The Office of the State Pathologist was notified and a full post mortem examination will be conducted at CUH.

It is understood that the examination will take place on Sunday.

Once the findings of the post mortem are known, they will inform the nature of the Garda investigation.

The man had been a resident of the flat complex for some time. He had been battling a serious health condition for a number of years.

Gardai said the results of the post mortem examination and forensic tests will determine the nature of their inquiry.

Gardai in Togher are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a man following a fatal house fire in Togher, Cork on Friday evening," a Garda spokesperson said.

At approximately 6.50pm Gardai and Cork Fire Services were alerted to a house fire on Togher Road."

"The fire was brought under control by Fire Services and the body of a man (aged in his 60s) was discovered deceased inside the property."

Investigating Gardai have preserved the scene as they work to determine the cause of the fire. The State Pathologist has been notified and a post-mortem examination will take place on the body of the deceased in due course."

The results of the post-mortem, along with a technical examination of the scene, will guide the ongoing Garda investigation which is ongoing.
People whose lives have been impacted by cancer have paid tribute to the Irish Cancer Society volunteers who support them ahead of Daffodil Day on March 28.

Mark Molloy (37), who lives in Co Meath, was among those at Croke Park for a gathering of community organisers from around the country, who are gearing up to bring Daffodil Day to their own communities next month.

Mr Molloy received a diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after feeling increasingly unwell in 2022.

Initially, I didnt even know what leukaemia was, and I couldnt believe that I was 35 years of age and had been diagnosed with cancer, he said, adding that the treatment took a huge toll on his mental health.

Before I got diagnosed, I was outgoing, social, I played lots of sport and was very fit, very active, and all of a sudden I was up in bed in level seven of a hospital, isolated from all my peers. It was extremely challenging. There were a couple of times when my mental health got so bad that I thought I was going to throw in the towel and stop treatment.

He was in hospital the summer his brother was getting married, and was too unwell to deliver his best mans speech after the ceremony. I had to go straight from the wedding back to the hospital. I remember being in the car on the way to the hospital being like, Why is this happening to me? My brother getting married, such a special occasion for me and my family and here I am.

He said his family and his partner played a massive hand in helping him to finish the last rounds of chemotherapy, also crediting the support of the Irish Cancer Society mental health nurse who visited him regularly.

As time went on, I started to see light at the end of the tunnel, he said.

He has been undergoing maintenance chemotherapy for the past two years, which finishes in April, while a volunteer driver from the Irish Cancer Society brings him to and from treatment.

Limerick woman Aileen Murphy (51) received a diagnosis of grade three, stage three invasive ductal carcinoma  a type of breast cancer  in August 2019, after finding a lump in her breast.

She describes the support she has received from Irish Cancer Society volunteers as invaluable.

"Its emotional because the volunteers have done so much, she said. Youre trying to wrap your head around your diagnosis and then you have to make sure youre keeping yourself as healthy as you can. Its like someone is wrapping their arms around you and giving you a hug.

Tara Doonan, from Co Cavan, described going through treatment as living in survival mode, going from one appointment to the next  and your capacity to deal with other things is very much diminished.

At 36, Ms Doonan was not too concerned when she visited her GP after finding a lump in her breast in the summer of 2022, having thought she was too young for it to be anything sinister.

She was absolutely floored to receive a breast cancer diagnosis that August, availing of advice offered by the Irish Cancer Society and the support to travel to Dublin multiple times a week for treatment.

Thankfully, Im one of the lucky ones who got out the other side and Im currently cancer-free two years this April, she said.

Tebi Rex musician Matt O Baoill released a song dedicated to his mother, Anne, who died in July 2023, just four months after receiving a diagnosis for stomach cancer. He said his family were lucky to have his mother at home for the last few weeks before her death, and described the night nursing service offered by the charity as a blessing.

"It means you can go to bed, you can sleep, because you want to be in the room with her the full time, its your mam  you dont want to leave that room. To have someone there like that who is calm, collected, knows what theyre doing, its incredible.
Most of us expect silence from a vacation spot because it's the low noise level that allows us to really relax. However, according to a study, one city in India turned out to be so noisy that it is impossible not only to relax there but the level of noise pollution is called life-threatening.

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According to the Express, it is the Indian city of Mumbai, the largest metropolis and a popular tourist center in the country. According to some measurements, the noise level during peak hours can reach 100 decibels. At the same time, noise starting at 80 dB is considered dangerous.

The World Health Organization suggests that healthy noise levels should not exceed 55 decibels during the day and 40 at night. Exceeding these thresholds can pose a serious health hazard to those close to the source of such noise.

Speaking of Mumbai, the main sources of loud sounds here are construction, fireworks, car horns, and loudspeakers. At least the local authorities are trying to fight the latter.

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Recently, the Mumbai High Court instructed the police to take urgent action on complaints about noise pollution caused by religious buildings. Local churches install loudspeakers to call the faithful to prayer. The court ruled that no religion considers these devices to be an integral aspect of worship, so the temples must abandon this practice.

However, not only Mumbai is famous for its constant noise. The Egyptian capital of Cairo is also not a place to take a break from the sounds of the city. Noise pollution has also reached alarming levels here, with local residents complaining of irritability and hearing problems, and some deaths have been linked to noise.

According to the Egyptian National Research Center, the average noise level in Cairo is 90 dB and never drops below 70 dB. This can be compared to if you spent the whole day in a factory. In addition to noise pollution, the Egyptian capital has one of the highest levels of air pollution in the world. The city's Air Quality Index (AQI) is 160, which is far beyond healthy levels. An AQI of about 36 is considered normal. The WHO indicates that the concentration of particulate matter in the Cairo air reached 68.4 g/m, which is significantly higher than the safe limit of 5 g/m.

Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
Maeve McTaggart (second left) at the announcement of the fellowship, with Lise Hand (left), who was a judge, Press Ombudsman Susan McKay and Press Council of Ireland chairperson Rory Montgomery

Irish Independent journalist Maeve McTaggart has been awarded the prestigious Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman fellowship for 2025.

It was awarded for her report about fraudsters using fake missing persons posts on social media to dupe people into sharing personal information. The article was published last December.

The 26-year-old reporter from Cork will now attend the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy, in April. Speaking at the awarding of the fellowship this week, Press Council chairperson Rory Montgomery praised her work.

Truth and accuracy are at the heart of good and responsible journalism, he said. That is why we felt it was important to focus on what the press can do to counter the threats posed by misinformation and disinformation to its values.

It is also why we asked those applying to look into the impacts that occur when material which is deliberately distorted is published.

Cormac Bourke, editor-in-chief for Mediahuis Ireland, welcomed the news. He said: We are delighted to see Maeve McTaggarts talent recognised in this way.

Maeve has been a participant in our emerging talent programme, which she progressed through with flying colours and has already become a skilled journalist. I am very excited to see how she develops those skills in the coming years.

The fellowship was judged by experienced journalists Lise Hand and Peter Geoghegan.

Ms Hand described Ms McTaggart as a first-class recruit to journalisms new army.

She said: Truth is in particularly terrible shape this century, battered endlessly by misinformation and disinformation  or mis and dis for short. False facts are everywhere.

Ms Hand said the judges had no difficulty in choosing Ms McTaggart as the winner.

She added: Her winning entry ticked all the boxes  it was a story in the public interest, written in understandable language, about a disinformation scam circulating on social media.

We hope Irish media organisations recognise the value of journalists working in this field and well see more Maeves entering the fray over the next few years.
The funeral cortege makes its way to St Fergal's Church for the funeral service

Floral tributes to Willie Moorehouse at the funeral today

The funeral of Willie Moorehouse in Bray this morning

Mourners at the funeral of Willie Moorehouse, who was stabbed to death in Bray, wore tribute t-shirts featuring images of the father-of-six as his body was borne into the church in an American-style steel casket.

There was a strong Garda presence at St Fergals Church in the town for the service that passed without incident.

The funeral featured an Irish tricolour bedecked horse-drawn carriage that was followed by crowds that included his devastated family and members of the Traveller community.

Floral tributes and framed pictures of the 36-year-old greeted those who arrived for the 10.30am mass.

Framed pictures of Willie Moorehouse at St Fergal's Church, Bray

The tragic dad had earlier been reposing at Thomas Murphy & Sons Funeral Home Bray yesterday evening ahead of the funeral today that was followed by burial in Springfield Cemetery.

An earlier post on the Bray Travellers Community Development Group Facebook page read: Willies family would like to invite you all to attend.

May you rest in everlasting peace our dear friend. On behalf of the family.

In the immediate aftermath of his death, family members and friends of the popular dad, whose partner was expecting his seventh child, had urged "God to watch over her and their unborn baby".

In poignant messages posted earlier on social media, others expressed their condolences and paid tribute to him.

In one heart-breaking tribute, a friend wrote: RIP Willie, Gone but never forgotten. Its cruel world we live in. God watch over nanny (Willies partner) and the baby and the family at this sad time. Everyone keep them in your prayers.

His former partner also wrote: Its with sadness I have to say this, rest in peace Willie, the father of my two young baby girls.

I can say I spent six lovely years with you, and you showed me what a good man is. Til we meet again.

Moorehouse (36) was stabbed to death amid chaotic scenes after an incident between two groups of men occurred at a playground in Bray on January 19.

The funeral cortege makes its way to St Fergal's Church for the funeral service

It is understood some weapons were left at the playground while others were uncovered dumped behind a Lidl supermarket opposite the playground.

In the melee, Moorehouse was stabbed and sustained serious injuries.

Floral tributes to Willie Moorehouse at the funeral today

Gardai have made seven arrests and most were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder offences.

Investigating officers in Bray moved swiftly in the aftermath of the stabbing and senior gardai are satisfied with the significant amount of progress.

CCTV has played a key role in the probe to date.

While all seven arrested men have been released without charge, gardai are awaiting forensic results from the seized weapons.

A source said gardai wanted to reassure the community that the area is safe and that local gardai have taken all steps necessary to ensure there is no potential for retaliatory attacks, which so far have not been threatened by either side.

Some 70 gardai have been assigned to the case and over 20 searches have taken place, it is understood.
Fine Gael politician apologised to young woman over inappropriate behaviour in bar

Politician continues to be endorsed by the party as a candidate in electionsFine Gael officials confronted politician after inadvertently learning of issueTanaiste Simon Harris aware of conduct by party figure who has run under his leadership

Fine Gael politician forced to apologise over 'incident' in a bar

Fionnan Sheahan and Gabija Gataveckaite Sat 1 Feb 2025 at 03:30

A Fine Gael politician had to apologise to a female political staffer over his inappropriate behaviour in an incident in a bar.
The research commissioned by the Education and Training Boards Ireland consulted students, parents and school leadership

Students who may have limited internet access were also identified as requiring support if the changes go ahead. Photo: Getty

A study on senior cycle reform warns it could negatively affect rural and disadvantaged students as well as students with additional needs.

The study, carried out by Dr Joe OConnell and commissioned by the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), was published yesterday at the Principal and Deputy Principals National Conference in Cavan.

The research involved students, parents and school leadership under the patronage of Irelands 16 Education and Training Boards.

A central issue raised was a call for adequate staffing and fiscal resources in schools. There are concerns over geographical location and also schools resources, which could potentially hinder the equal implementation of reforms.

Inclusion was a central issue raised in the study. A precise overview of subject specifications was also called for, to ensure students at different levels can be included if changes are made to curriculums.

Students who may have a range of access to the internet and inadequate IT provision and maintenance in many locations were also identified as requiring extra support if changes go ahead.

Paddy Lavelle, general secretary of the ETBI, said: This important research shows that key stakeholders welcome the proposed greater flexibility within pathways to further and higher education, training, apprenticeships, and the workplace.

This has the potential to lessen the dominance of the current CAO points system and consequently the very high levels of stress experienced by many students.

However, the study also highlights how lack of school resources and digital infrastructure in schools and homes could disadvantage senior cycle students in small and rural schools, as well as those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

More student project work across additional subjects requires adequate infrastructure and supports, both at home and at school to ensure equity.

Clarity on the timeline of the additional assessment components was called for as well as details of how this assessment will be conducted to ensure an opportunity of equality for students.

The additional assessment will take the form of a continuous assessment project and will count for 40pc of marks in subjects in combination with the final exam.

There were also calls for an appropriate response to artificial intelligence (AI) and how it could impact on assessment.
Hotel review: A friendly, free-spirited stay thats more affordable than other Irish five-stars

Lyrath Estate is within a quick taxi whizz of Kilkennys shops, bars and restaurants

The manor house at Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny

Pol O Conghaile Sat 1 Feb 2025 at 03:30

In many ways, hotels are all the same. Rooms, bars, restaurants, leisure centres. But in others, they are as individual as fingerprints.
A young man who stole a package from outside a womans front door was going through a bad period in his life at the time, a court heard.

Lorcan Cawley (22) was caught after gardai identified him on CCTV footage taking the parcel worth more than 200.

Judge Treasa Kelly adjourned the case for payment of 40 compensation for goods that had still not been recovered.

Cawley, with an address at Lower Kimmage Road, Dublin pleaded guilty to theft.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at Mayfield Road, Kilmainham on November 4 last year.

At 1.09pm, the victim reported that packages worth 262 had been taken from her front door. CCTV footage of the scene was viewed and Cawley was identified as the suspect, a garda sergeant said.

Items worth 222 were recovered, leaving goods valued at 40 unaccounted for, the court heard.

The items that were recovered were still in a satisfactory condition.

Cawley had been going through a very bad period in his life at the time, his solicitor Emer OSullivan said. She asked the judge to adjourn the case for a probation report.

The judge remanded Cawley on continuing bail to a date in March, for payment of 40.
Clive Bass (32) was sentenced to six years in jail in 2022. Photo: Douglas O'Connor

A prison inmate who was jailed for possession of a firearm following a shooting outside a nightclub has been charged with having a phone in jail.

Clive Bass (32) is accused of unlawful possession of a mobile phone while serving a sentence at Wheatfield prison.

The case against him was adjourned when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court.

Bass, of Shancastle Close, Clondalkin, is charged with having a mobile phone without the prison governors permission on November 26, 2023. When his case came before Judge David McHugh, a garda said the accused made no reply to the charge after caution.

Defence barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin asked for an order for disclosure of prosecution evidence.

The judge set bail at 100, with no cash lodgment required, and adjourned the case to a date next month, for the accused to indicate how he intends to plead.

Bass and a co-accused were each sentenced to six years in jail in 2022 over an incident when shots were fired outside a nightclub at the Red Cow complex in west Dublin.

At that time, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that four shots were fired from the back seat of a vehicle, following a disagreement between the co-accused and another group of club-goers on April 28, 2018.

One man who was 30 metres away and had no connection to the disagreement suffered bleeding to the head after a projectile struck him.

A shotgun case and gunshot residue were found in the car Bass had been in.
Sinead Ryan: If I can tap my credit card to pay for a bus journey in London, why do I have to wait until 2028 to do it here?
Gardai at the scene of the road accident in Co Carlow in which two young men were killed. Photo: Colin Keegan

Most of us turn away when passing the distressing scene of a car crash. Seeing someone elses vulnerability makes us understandably uncomfortable. But for those who have to live with the aftermath of road deaths, there is no turning away from a sense of never-ending loss.

Although we may not wish to face it, we are all vulnerable. The deaths of two men in their 20s in a crash in Co Carlow, occurring on the first anniversary of the deaths of three others on the same stretch of road, are unspeakably sad. Taoiseach Micheal Martin, like the rest of the country, was shocked by the news.

We have to double down and work extremely hard on safety and on roads, he said in response to the tragedy. We cant lose momentum on road safety.

Peoples thoughts will be with the families of the two young men, but questions about the road will have to be addressed at the appropriate time.

Local councillor John Pender said the bend where the crash happened can be difficult to navigate. He said the council had submitted plans to An Bord Pleanala to realign the road, but it could be some time before upgrades can be completed. He also said the council is waiting to hear back from An Bord Pleanala on whether the work will get the go-ahead. Even then, there will be the process of tendering.

Similar work is required on roads all over the country and needs to be prioritised. Resources must be allocated in proportion to the risks. Mr Pender said a motorway is needed due to heavy volumes of traffic to and from Rosslare Europort.

Every single junction and entrance along it is very dangerous, he claimed.

The deaths on our roads are lives gone for ever, not cold statistics. Reducing the number of road deaths has been the aim of successive governments. Given population growth and the fact there has never been so many cars using the roads, a response commensurate with the heartbreak of recurring fatalities must be found.

In terms of deterrence, some of the same steps have been mentioned repeatedly, yet calls for stricter penalties and a significant increase in visible policing have been only partially addressed.

In 2019, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said government plans for graduated penalties for speeding were entirely logical, but such penalties were never introduced. Last July, Mr Harris wrote to the minister for transport, appealing again for graduated fines to ensure speeding drivers are more severely punished. Such a targeted penalty points system could make a difference.

Each crash is different and has to be assessed accordingly, but the heartbreak left in the wake of a preventable fatality is always devastating.

Speed limits are being reviewed. Where there are black spots, we may have to do more. It should not take the terrible consequences of car accidents to compel us to comprehensively address our road safety issues.
Your editorial of January 30 says Gender equality is ignored with so few female ministers.

I suggest it isnt. The reality is that only 17 female TDs between Fianna Fail (48 TDs) and Fine Gael (38 TDs) were returned to the Dail, which represents only 20pc  pretty miserable in the scheme of things.

Overall, we have nine female ministers, which fits our obsession with proportionality. I am sure Micheal Martin and Simon Harris got the calculator out.

However, to really change the dynamic, we will need to push equality where it matters  in the polling booths; then, perhaps, the ministerial appointments will follow.

The simple fact is that a career in politics isnt as attractive to women as other professions because of its toxicity. What is relevant is how females are represented in the civil service and what influence and power they wield.

However, like many, I am sure, we are getting tired of the suits and ties dominating the governments photo opps.

Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18

Remember Sophie Scholl, who was beheaded aged 21 for opposing Nazi regime

This week, the 80th anniversary of the Allies liberation of the Nazi extermination camp at Auschwitz on January 27, 1945, was remembered in official ceremonies in many countries in Europe.

There will soon be the 82nd anniversary (on February 22) of a young German woman who was brutally executed by the Nazis in 1943. She is not forgotten, particularly in Germany.

On January 3 this year, a video short popped up on YouTube about Sophie Scholl, who was executed, aged 21, for treason by the Nazi regime in World War II.

Last year, the European Parliament named a building after her. German actress Julia Jentsch, who won two film awards in 2005 for playing her in the German movie Sophie Scholl  The Final Days, spoke about her life and times.

Scholl joined the short-lived and non-violent White Rose student resistance to the Nazi regime. She and her brother, Hans, distributed pro-democracy and anti-Nazi leaflets.

They were seen by a Nazi supporter and arrested. It was the fourth year of the war, and millions of Germans publicly supported Hitler and would be terrified to oppose him. It meant certain arrest and death.

Before she died on February 22, 1943, Scholl said: How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself individually to a righteous cause? Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter if, through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?

Hans was executed on the same day, as was their friend, Christoph Probst.

Just seconds before he was slid on a board under the guillotine to his death, Hans shouted in German: Long live freedom!

The three were buried side by side in a Munich cemetery.

There are people who speak up for those imprisoned and oppressed by regimes. They sometimes are killed. Resisting brutal regimes continues in our times.

Mary Sullivan, College Road, Cork

Fortitude of Palestinians as they return to flattened homes is an inspiration

The great Cork and Irish patriot Terence MacSwiney, who died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison during the War of Independence, famously said: Its not those who can inflict the most, but those who can suffer the most that will succeed.

His quotation has been repeated by towering world figures such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

As the long-suffering people of Palestine return to their homes, which have been reduced to rubble, I hope MacSwineys words prove prophetic in their quest for self-determination and statehood.

Its obvious now that Israel, aided and abetted by the United States, sought to render Gaza a wasteland in order to break the spirit of the Palestinian people.

One can only be inspired by their fortitude as they cling to the bare necessities, determined not to leave.

The quest for freedom, the love of country, goes far beyond bricks and mortar.

The people of Palestine will one day have a homeland, for their indomitable spirit will never be broken.

Joseph Kiely, Letterkenny, Co Donegal

Happy St Brigids Day to everyone  heres a little prayer to keep in mind

Today is St Brigids Day. My late, lovely wife was a Brigid, named Breege. She loved making St Brigids crosses the night before. Here is a wee prayer:

St Brigid, you were a voice

for the wounded and the weary.

Strengthen what is weak within us.

Calm us into a quietness

that heals and listens.

May we grow each day

into greater wholeness

in mind, body and spirit.

Happy St Brigids Day, everyone.

Brian McDevitt, Glenties, Co Donegal

Wheres Trumps executive order protecting the poor old pets of Springfield?

Among the plethora of executive orders signed by Donald Trump, I havent, despite intensive trawling, found any order citing the protection of the dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, from being eaten by illegal immigrants from Haiti.

This animal welfare issue was of serious concern to Mr Trump during the presidential debate with Kamala Harris last September 10 and was subsequently supported by his vice-president, JD Vance, a senator for Ohio, who added that the Haitian community had caused a lot of problems in the area.

Its led to animals disappearing, he said.

With such engrossed disquiet from the incoming president and vice-president, it puzzles me why this matter hasnt yet appeared on the Oval Office menu.

Michael Gannon, St Thomas Square, Kilkenny

During outages, do as my father did  take a basin and wash down, then up

Necessity is the mother of invention, or reinvention in this case.

Due to continuing power outages, we are forced to revert to an action described by my father when I was growing up.

Take a basin of water in the morning from a barrel of water harvested from the roof and, by the gable end, wash down as far as possible and up as far as possible, giving all the bracing and invigorating benefits of sea swimming for us land lovers.

Tomas Finn, Ballinasloe, Co Galway
A scientist has discovered the first species of South American scorpion that sprays its venom. This behavior has previously been observed in only two arthropod genera living in North America and Africa.

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The new species, called Tityus achilles (T. achilles), was discovered in the department of Cundinamarca in Colombia, in the mountainous Magdelena rainforest region. It is unique and requires additional research, LiveScience writes.

Scorpions are known for their stingers and they use venom to subdue prey and protect themselves from predators. Their tails end in a structure known as a telson, which contains a bulb filled with venom. The telson has a sharpened stinger that usually injects the venom.

"Most scorpions are probably capable of spraying venom. They just don't do it. This extreme behavioral response is known to occur regularly in only two genera," said study author Leo Laborieux.

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According to scientists, the technique of spraying toxins can also be seen in cobras, which can also spray their opponents with venom. Toxins that are applied externally in this way are called toxins.

But unlike other organisms that use toxins, the T. achilles scorpion can both inject and spray venom at the same time, the researchers say.

Spraying venom is less risky  it does not require direct physical contact. But it is also less targeted and the effects of the venom are less serious.

However, if the toxins are sprayed directly into the face, it may be enough to scare off the predator and allow the scorpion to escape, experts say. The angle of the toxic spray produced by T. achilles suggests that it can be aimed squarely at the eyes and nose of its attackers.

Leo Laborieux tested the newly discovered scorpion's ability to spray its venom by pressing it with a drinking straw. He tested 10 young scorpions and recorded 46 venom emissions that reached a maximum distance of 36 centimeters. According to the scientist, most of the venom pulses were directed forward, although some were also directed backward or upward.

Most of the liquid emissions were clear, indicating that they consisted of pre-venom, a toxic liquid that is usually ejected before the stronger true venom, which has a milky tint, Laborieux explained.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Fanad Lighthouse welcomes 65,000 visitors as lighthouse keeper accommodation and northern lights potential draw tourists year-round to historic Donegal landmark

The Lighthouse sits on rugged cliffs on the coast of Donegal.

Fanad Lighthouse is one of the best known landmarks in Donegal.

Situated on the rugged cliffs of the Fanad Pensinula, the lighthouse safely guides ships through the sea while in 2024, it attracted over 65,000 visitors as a tourist destination.

Its status as an iconic landmark on the Wild Atlantic Way, combined with its location and cultural significance, makes it a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike.

And with the addition of new onsite accommodation, the popularity of the lighthouse continues to grow.

Accommodation at Fanad Lighthouse is available all year round in three charming former lighthouse keepers homes, all with stunning sea views.

Visitors will experience breath taking views. Photo: Fanad Lighthouse website

Restored in 2015, the houses are full of traditional character but still offer every comfort for the ideal getaway.

Guests have the unique opportunity to watch the lights beam sweep across the peninsula as darkness falls before waking up to the sound of waves and seabirds.

Diane Cannon, who works in the Marketing Department at Fanad Lighthouse, said the response to the accommodation offering has been overwhelmingly positive.

Guests have been thrilled with the unique opportunity to stay in such an iconic and historic setting.

We have high booking rates, with visitors drawn by the charm of the lighthouse and its stunning location.

Many guests have shared that it's a truly memorable experience, and we're delighted with how popular it has become, said Ms Cannon.

One of the bedrooms in the accomodation.

Staying at the lighthouse offers breath-taking ocean views, the soothing sound of waves, and the chance to unwind in a setting steeped in maritime history.

The Irish language is central to Fanad Lighthouses identity, and its use is prioritised wherever possible, from signage to guided experiences, ensuring visitors feel immersed in the rich culture of this special place.

Ms Cannon explained that while many people typically seek getaways during warmer months, they have found that visitors are equally drawn to the lighthouse in the depths of winter.

Experiencing the true essence of the Wild Atlantic, dramatic storms and crashing waves has a unique appeal.

Most recently, the high probability of witnessing the northern lights has added an extraordinary dimension to the winter experience, making it an unforgettable escape at any time of year.

We also go to great lengths to ensure sustainability is at the heart of what we do. In our accommodations, we emphasise eco-friendly practices, while our cafe has completely eliminated single-use cups.

Instead, we offer personalised keep cups that guests can buy or return for a refund, helping us to minimize waste and promote environmental responsibility, said Ms Cannon.

The stunning night sky over Fanad Lighthouse. Photo: Fanad Lighthouse website.

With its picture perfect scenery, it is no wonder the lighthouse has become extremely popular online among a younger generation seeking picturesque experiences.

Ms Cannon said the use of social media has definitely helped boost the image and popularity of the lighthouse.

Platforms like Instagram have been invaluable in showcasing the lighthouses beauty to a global audience, particularly younger travellers who are drawn to unique and visually stunning experiences.

The lighthouse's iconic silhouette against dramatic coastal backdrops has made it a favourite for photos and stories; the sought after insta shot, which in turn encourages others to visit.

Social media has definitely played a role in keeping the lighthouse relevant and loved by new generations, said Mc Cannon.

The lighthouse is one of the best known sights in Co Donegal.

The lighthouse remains operational and while its operational technology has evolved, it is still a vital aid to navigation at sea but its historic charm and cultural importance remain a cornerstone of what makes Fanad Lighthouse so special.

Currently, the lighthouse employs 29 staff members.

This includes roles in visitor centre, shop, cafe, maintenance, and guides.

Ms Cannon said the staffs hard work and passion are key to maintaining the lighthouses charm and ensuring a welcoming experience for every guest.

Ms Cannon said since it first opened in 1817, the lighthouse has been a focal point and a source of pride in the community.

Now, opened to the public, it has become a place where the culture of the area is reflected in the daily use of Irish, and where the community gathers sometimes for events, other times just to meet for coffee.

The sense of ownership that the community feel of the lighthouse adds to its appeal as locals and people from all corners of the globe meet and wonder at the landscape and the elements, said Ms Cannon.

In 2024, the lighthouse attracted over 65,000 visitors.

Looking ahead to a busy summer, staff at the lighthouse have big plans for the months ahead.

The team is eagerly looking forward to the summer season.

Were planning to continue enhancing the visitor experience while staying true to our values of sustainability and cultural preservation.

This year we will focus on accessibility and using technology to bring the tower ascent to people who are unable to do the climb themselves.

We will also continue to connect visitors with our local Gaeltacht community through events that celebrate the Irish language, heritage and environment, aligning with our commitment to regenerative tourism, said Ms Cannon.
The topic of broken street lights was once again raised at a recent meeting of Listowel MD when Fine Gael Councillor Mike Foley tabled a motion asking Kerry County Council for an update from Electric Skyline Limited.

Electric Skyline is contracted by Kerry County Council (KCC) since July 2024 to maintain the countys 13,735 public lights. This includes carrying out monthly patrols to repair lights.

KCC say its contract insists that public lighting should be maintained at a minimum 98.5 per cent. The countys street lighting is currently 97.36 per cent operational.

Electric Skyline must repair standard faults within 10 working days, while non-standard repairs may take longer. However, councillors have questioned the overall efficiency of the service, claiming some street lights are broken for months.

Ive reported numerous lights broken going back to October and November. Theres lights out in Ballylongford, Tarbert, Ballybunion, and Clieveragh (Listowel), Cllr Foley said.

He also criticised a recent report which seemed to overly focus on outages in Listowel town as opposed to the wider North Kerry region.

Theres lights in other places as well, ladsIm delighted that ye (KCC) had a sit down meeting with the new company. They will have to do something to fix these lights, Cllr Foley said.

He questioned the practicalities involved since Electric Skyline is based in the West of Ireland. Cllr Foley asked if this is efficient practice for the company to come to Kerry repairing lights within ten working days given so many lights are still not working.

This is going on for three months and there is no sign of them being fixed at all, Cllr Foley said.

Fianna Fail Councillor Jimmy Moloney had a similar motion calling for an explanation for the lengthy delays in public lighting repairs. He asked if any steps are being taken to rectify the issue.

Hopefully, we will get some feedback and that the contractor will live up to expectations, Cllr Moloney said.

Fine Gael Councillor Mike Kennelly said the service is not up to scratch and questioned whether the contractor can deliver the service.

Sinn Fein Councillor Tom Barry raised the matter of culpability in the event of falls and trips due to inadequate or absent street lighting in parts of Listowel.

In its reply, Kerry County Council (KCC) said recent challenging weather events have placed further demands on the contractor and ESBN, who have stood down resources on several recent occasions to address critical works over the past two months.

It is worth noting that the previous public lighting maintenance contractor, Enerveo, exited the streetlight maintenance market at the end of July 2024. This has placed further demand on public lighting contractors, nationally, council management said.

Kerry County Council have met with Electric Skyline senior management regarding concerns and the commercial obligations of their public lighting contract. A mitigation plan has been requested from Electric Skyline and Kerry County Council will continue to monitor closely and manage the contractor, management added.
Killarney is leading the push to embrace commercial sustainability with a sub-committee of the towns Chamber of Tourism and Commerce spearheading the initiative.

A public meeting to highlight the progress made and the advantages for companies willing to boost their green credentials will be held in the Killarney Plaza Hotel on Thursday, February 27 at 6pm and that is a date local businesses are urged to put in their diaries.

In the meantime, however, Aidan McDonnell, CEO of energy measurement systems firm and sustainability experts, Acutrace, who is working closely with Chamber on the Sustainable Killarney 2030 project, has highlighted a path to a sustainable future for businesses in and around the town and ways they can reduce energy costs and waste.

Mr McDonnell said in todays business landscape, sustainability is not just a buzz word as it is becoming an essential part of any business.

As Killarney continues to develop as a vibrant tourist destination, businesses can take important steps toward reducing their environmental impact. One of the most effective ways to do this is by consulting with an energy monitoring company to reduce energy consumption and waste, he said.

It can help local businesses to pinpoint areas where energy is being wasted and, in the process, uncover opportunities for cost-saving measures that can directly benefit the bottom line.

From identifying inefficiencies in heating systems to optimising lighting and machinery use, an audit provides a tailored, actionable plan that can lead to significant reductions in energy bills and reducing a companys carbon footprint.

The benefits do not stop there, however. Businesses that take steps to reduce their energy consumption will not only save money but they are also positioning themselves as leaders in sustainability. That is a crucial factor for attracting environmentally conscious customers, the Acutrace CEO pointed out.

In a time when more consumers prioritise eco-friendly businesses, being able to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability can provide a distinct competitive edge.

Acutrace said by reducing waste and implementing energy-saving measures, businesses can contribute to Killarneys broader goal of becoming a more sustainable community.

This collective effort can help the area to build a reputation as a green town destination, appealing to visitors who are increasingly seeking environmentally responsible places to spend their time and money.

Businesses that act now can also benefit from government incentives and rebates designed to support sustainability initiatives. By partnering with an energy monitoring company, individual businesses are not just reducing their energy costs  they are investing in their future.

Getting started is simple. Reach out to an energy monitoring provider, like Acutrace, and begin the journey towards a more sustainable and cost-efficient business model.

Killarney Chambers sustainability sub-committee chairman, Mike Stack, remarked: Let us work together to make Killarney a shining example of how businesses can thrive while protecting the environment for future generations

For more information on energy audits and how they can benefit a business, contact the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce at sustainablekillarney2030@gmail.com or visit www.acutrace.com.
After a week without electricity, the switch finally flipped and Birdhill saw power once again this Friday

When Storm Eowyn tore through the country last week it left a trail of destruction in its wake. Among those affected was Alan Andrews, owner of The Old Barracks Coffee Roastery in Birdhill, who experienced first-hand the challenges of keeping a business afloat during a prolonged power outage.

After a week without electricity, the switch finally flipped at the roastery. We got it back this morning (January 31), thank God, Mr Andrews said.

While nearby towns saw power returning in fits and starts, Birdhill is only now seeing improvement, despite the ESBs overestimation in restoration time. Its been a bit of a challenge, he shared.

The historic storms impact on the business was severe as The Old Barracks employs about 44 people, and Mr Andrews felt the weight of responsibility for their livelihoods.

If we hadnt had a generator, we wouldnt have been able to keep running. The potential impact on businesses cash flow is devastating, he stated.

The wholesale side of the roastery, along with the cafe, took a major hit. With payroll, mortgages, and personal responsibilities in the mix, Mr Andrews added: If we hadnt been able to keep going, we would have lost considerable turnover.

Generator keeps doors open

Luckily for its devout patrons in Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, The Old Barracks had invested in a generator after previous power disruptions.

We bought it out of proceeds from COVID when we were busy adapting our business model, he recalled, but you dont expect to have to run a business for seven days off a generator.

The lack of power made their security systems inoperable, putting the business at risk. We had no fire monitoring, no alarm monitoring and our insurance policy was invalid unless we kept the generator running overnight. That meant making emergency fuel runs at two in the morning to keep it running, he continued.

Like a snowball effect, internet issues affected payment processing, and in turn, The Old Barracks premises across Limerick and Tipperary faced financial losses.

We had a lot of transactions that never processed, the entrepreneur shared.

People tapped their cards, but without real-time authorisation, some payments never went through. We lost a few hundreds in those first few days.

People just assume things like WiFi, power, and card payments will work, but when they dont, you realise how dependent we are on these systems.

Despite the setbacks, Old Barracks Coffee Roastery is fully back in action.

With a St Brigids weekend sale set to go ahead, the Dublin-native is grateful his businesses has, quite literally, weathered the storm. "If we had no power, we wouldnt have been able to roast in time.

Were lucky. But I cant imagine what it was like for those without a generator."

With storms, power cuts, COVID and more, businesses across the Mid-West have faced a lot.

Call for government support

As a result, Mayor of Limerick John Moran and local councillors Michael Ryan and Liam Galvin have this week called on the government to immediately provide financial assistance to compensate homeowners and businesses for property damage, lost stock or foods and damage caused by electricity cuts.

The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, has confirmed that the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is available to provide support to those living in properties directly affected by Storm Eowyn.

For more information on how to qualify, the amount of assistance available, and how to apply, visit gov.ie.
From quiet country living to iconic wedding venue  The serendipitous story behind Louths Seagrave Barns

When John Cooke and Eugene Ginty moved from Dublin to the Louth countryside, they never planned to create a wedding venue. But 14 years later, their accidental business has become one of Ireland's most cherished celebration spaces

John Cooke and Eugene Ginty at Seagrave House.

Lauren Ross Drogheda Independent Sat 1 Feb 2025 at 03:00

Nestled between the seaside and tranquil countryside of Dunany in Louth, Segrave Barns has become a much-loved destination for couples looking to celebrate their big day in a private, rustic setting. With its charming barns surrounded by animals, coastal views, and its unique warmth, its a venue like no other.
We have all heard about the importance of bees, how crucial they are to the future of the planet. But what of the people who work with them, the beekeepers, those who maintain traditions which date back hundreds of years? The original South Wexford Bee Keepers Association (SWBKA) was presided over by Lady Maurice Fitzgerald of Johnstown Castle in 1911 and it was there that the current committee gathered to discuss the welfare of Irish bees in 2025.
Members of the Arklow Ukrainian Hub have appealed for a new home after their almost three years stay at the Bridgewater Shopping Centre recently ended, with volunteers willing to refurbish a space in the town to create a new hub open to everyone in the community.

Initially opened in April 2022 to provide information and supports to Ukrainian refugees arriving in south Wicklow, the hub has grown to host a myriad of classes covering arts and crafts, music and art therapy, along with psychological supports and English and Ukrainian language classes for adults and children.

Supported by the Bridgewater, Wicklow County Council, County Wicklow Partnership and local organisations and volunteers, the hub was particularly popular among Ukrainian children, who have grown up at the hub and forged friendships with Arklow natives at the fun and informative classes.

The classes have not only provided valuable skills but have also played a crucial role in helping people from diverse backgrounds integrate into the community, build confidence, and feel secure in their new environment.

Ever thankful to the Bridgewater for providing the 500sqm unit rent-free for nearly three years, hub volunteer Olga Sakiv said they dont require a space that big and that a team of volunteers are willing and able to paint, renovate and refurbish any property to continue their work in the community.

Unfortunately, we have recently been informed that we will need to close our hub in the Bridgewater Centre and we are urgently looking for any space in Arklow where we can continue to work, she said.

Through our work, we have ensured that up-to-date information for Ukrainian refugees in Ireland is always available, and we have provided valuable support in completing necessary forms, communication with local organisations, schools, Intreo, GP, hospitals, etc.

As a result, the hub has become a key point of contact for both the refugees and the local community, fostering an environment of support and collaboration.

I think that we were very lucky to have a wonderful place for almost three years, and Im really grateful to the Bridgewater Shopping Centre team that we had this space, to County Wicklow Partnership for their support, and to the people in Arklow  the support that we received has been unbelievable, she added.

We never paid anything for the space for three years, and we are so grateful to the Bridgewater for this, but they need it back, and we totally understand that.

We are hopeful that with the Arklow communitys help, we can find a suitable space. It wouldnt have to be that big, and we would only need two rooms for classes and a reception space.

The volunteers are willing to paint or renovate any space. The hub was an empty space before we filled it with furniture. We just need to find a space.

As Olga explained, with a growing number of Irish and Polish community members  particularly children  attending the hub, late last year volunteers were transitioning it from a Ukrainian hub to one for the whole community.

We were talking in October about how a lot of the children that come here have Irish and Polish friends it had become very international, not just for Ukrainian people  thats why it would be so sad if it doesnt continue, she said.

The children have grown up there, their English has improved so much and they love it there. For some classes, especially cooking, we might have 40 to 50 children.

Arklow kids need as many places in the town as they can go for activities, particularly for arts and crafts.

If our doors re-open, it will be a place for everyone in the community, where people can come together as a community.

We believe that continuing our work will not only support the Ukrainian community but will also benefit a local community and contribute to fostering a more inclusive and integrated society.

Through County Wicklow Partnership and volunteers, we can provide a lot of classes for the entire society, but we need space.

You can contact Olga at osakiv@wiclowpartnership.ie or o_sakiv@icloud.com
Comedy fans across Wicklow and beyond have been snapping up tickets ahead of the 10th Bray Comedy Festival, with many shows selling fast and those featuring some of the biggest names in Irish comedy going in double-quick time.

Hosted by Brays Adam Burke and the Hardy Har Comedy Club in conjunction with the Harbour Bar, the festival is back this year for an extended run, with a stellar line-up of newcomers and established comics performing at Brays Harbour Bar, The Martello, Mermaid Arts Centre and the Whale Theatre in Greystones from Monday, February 10 to Sunday, February 16.

Although many of the big draws have sold out, including Des Bishop, Jason Byrne, Karl Spain, Al Porter, Dylan Moran, Jarlath Regan and the festivals wrap party, tickets are still available for a series of side-splitting gigs.

Eight more acts were recently announced for the Monday Night Comedy Carousel, which takes place on February 10 at The Harbour Bar.

Kick-starting this years festival, the free event will feature Stephen Elliott, Shinanne Higgins, Madeleine Munford, Patrick McLoughlin, Jack McKenna, Sheain Padraig O Muircheartaigh, Justin Cass, with one more act to be confirmed, along with 2024 Best New Act Competition winner Paddy Seery as guest headliner.

Tickets are still on sale for the Best New Act Competition at The Harbour Bar on February 11, where the best of new Irish talent will battle it out, with special guest headliner Sharon Manion.

Returning to The Harbour Bar the following evening, you can see John OKeefe, one of the most exciting stand-ups emerging in the Irish comedy scene, or multi-award-winning Wicklow comedian Danny OBrien on February 12.

On February 13, you can test your knowledge at The Martello when Womp Events host the inaugural Know-lympic Games, or see Joe Rooney and friends at The Harbour Bar, while natural entertainer Anna Clifford will perform at The Harbour Bar on February 14.

Another recent addition to the festival line-up, Cherry Comedy, one of Irelands most prestigious comedy clubs, will make The Harbour Bar their home for the night on February 15, with Duane Doogan, Fiona Frawley and Martin Angolo set to perform.

Last but by no means least, comedy veteran David McSavage will unveil his unhelpful masterpiece for regaining integrity at The Harbour Bar on February 15, at 10 pm.
Wicklow County Council is inviting applications for the Creative Wicklow grant scheme 2025, with a total of 30,000 available.

Now in its fourth year, this scheme supports Wicklow County Council's role in delivering the Creative Ireland Programme. It is open to not-for-profit organisations, local community groups, and arts, heritage, biodiversity, and cultural organisations, as well as venues and societies.

The scheme welcomes activities that effectively capture and showcase the richness of County Wicklows arts, culture, creativity, heritage, nature, biodiversity and history. Individuals applying for funding must partner with local community, arts, heritage, biodiversity, and cultural groups.

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Paul OBrien, stated: Wicklow County Council aims to place creativity and culture at the heart of communities throughout Wicklow, recognising that creativity has a positive influence on wellbeing as well as community and economic success.

Wicklow County Council chief executive Emer OGorman added: "We are delighted to be in a position to support the innovative projects that have earned Wicklow County Council recognition as a creative county, where local community groups showcase and celebrate the richness of county Wicklows art and culture.

Grants ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 will be allocated to selected projects that creatively and innovatively communicate and celebrate the aspects of Wicklows people and place. Applications will be assessed by members of Wicklow County Councils culture team, which includes representatives from the heritage, arts, libraries, and archives departments.

The Creative Ireland Programme is led by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media. The program focuses on encouraging participation in cultural and creative activities to promote individual, community, and national well-being.

Applications must be submitted online at www.wicklowcountycouncil.submittable.com/submit by the deadline of Friday, March 7, at 4pm.
The Parents Association of Scoil Naomh Brid in Talbotstown will host Dr Mary OKane, one of Irelands leading child psychologists, for an informative talk on resilience in St Tegans Hall on Thursday, February 6, at 7 pm.

Aimed at parents of children of all ages from across the broader west Wicklow area, the talk will feature lecturer in psychology, early childhood studies and education Dr OKane, who is well-known for her radio appearances on a broad range of parenting issues and as Ireland AMs parenting expert.

Dr OKanes research interests include childhood transitions, self-esteem and well-being, and the value of play, and she has written two books  Perfectly Imperfect Parenting: Connection not Perfection (published in 2021) and Anxious Children in an Anxious World, which was released in April 2024.

Delighted to have secured such a high-calibre speaker, Helen Keenan from the Scoil Naomh Brid Parents Association said that, while the parents association fundraise for the 70-student school throughout the year, they thought it would be a really good idea to give something back to the parents as well.

We thought about getting someone down for a talk who is qualified in childhood, and I had seen Mary on TV over a good few years and always thought she was brilliant, she said.

Dr OKane, who is very well respected in her field, will deliver an hour-and-a-half long talk on resilience, which will span all ages, from quite young children to secondary school children.

A talk like this, to this level, hasnt really been done in the area at all, so we thought it might be very beneficial to have a talk for all the schools in the area, so weve contacted every secondary school and every primary school as far as Tinahely to Dunlavin, just to see could if we could draw a bit of a crowd.

Well be charging a 10 entry fee, so hopefully we can make back a few pounds for the children in the school, and well also be raffling off two of Marys books, and she will have extra copies with her on the night.

There will be refreshments afterwards and Mary will host a bit of Q&A, so its shaping up to be a great event and we really hope that having someone with such a great reputation draws in a big crowd.
The richest pensioner in Ukraine (if we also take into account the lifetime allowance of a judge) is a retired judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Natalia Shaptala. She receives UAH 390,184 from the Pension Fund every month.

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This is stated in the material of OBOZ.UA. If we compare pensions without taking into account the lifetime allowance of a retired judge, Serhii Kivalov receives the most  almost UAH 246 thousand.

If we take into account not only pensions but also the lifetime allowance of a retired judge, Natalia Shaptala, who headed the Constitutional Court of Ukraine for four months in 2019, is the luckiest. In September 2019, she resigned, and in October she began receiving a "lifetime allowance."

Initially, she was awarded a payment of 90% of the judge's salary, and then, guided by a new law, her pension was reduced to 50% of her salary. Then Shaptala went to court to demand that her high pension be returned to her. And it was her appeal to the court that helped to find her case because the registry still had data on the amount of the "pension."

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Shaptala, a retired judge, receives UAH 390,184 from the Pension Fund on a monthly basis. "Given that the subsistence minimum for able-bodied persons has been increased since January 1, 2020, and as a result, the amount of judicial remuneration has been increased, the court concluded that from January 1.2020, the right to recalculate the monthly lifetime allowance based on the judge's remuneration in the amount of UAH 433,538.60 arose, and until 01.01.2020  on the judge's remuneration, which amounted to UAH 396,206.80 in accordance with the certificate of 18.09.2019 No. 16/1-345-114," the case file says.

As a result, judge of the Kyiv District Administrative Court Olesia Chudak ordered the Pension Fund to increase Shaptala's pension again, but this time to take into account the new salary. Shaptala receives the largest payment among all Ukrainians on a well-deserved vacation (including both the salary of judges and regular pensions).

As OBOZ.UA previously wrote, the 2017 reform in Ukraine reduced all future pensions by almost a third. Currently, a Ukrainian with an average salary (UAH 18.8 thousand) and full seniority can claim a pension of only UAH 4.7 thousand.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A senior adviser to the Duke of York told an alleged Chinese spy later banned from the UK that Andrews Newsnight interview had been ill advised, newly released documents show.

Tribunal documents made available on Friday show that aide Dominic Hampshire thanked Yang Tengbo for standing by Andrew following the 2019 interview over his relationship with late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

We have dealt with the aftermath of a hugely ill-advised and unsuccessful television interview, Mr Hampshire told Mr Yang in a letter on Buckingham Palace stationery in March 2020.

It continued: We have wisely navigated our way around former Private Secretaries and we have found a way to carefully remove those people who we dont completely trust.

The 50-year-old Chinese businessman previously brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023.

Judges upheld the decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds, though Mr Yang is now seeking to appeal against SIACs decision.

At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by Mr Hampshire that he could act on the dukes behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that Mr Yang had been invited to Andrews birthday party in 2020.

The letter from Mr Hampshire, which also referenced the birthday party, was discovered on Mr Yangs devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021.

The letter also said: I also hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal and indeed his family.

You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship Outside of his closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.

It continued: Over the last few months, I have, possibly been partially responsible for, and watched numerous people disappear from his network either because they are simply not true to their word or they are red carpet chasers.

I could list several high-profile and well-known names who are no longer around us and there are a very small number left  you remain as one of those.

Mr Hampshire said that an invitation extended to Mr Yang to the dukes birthday was not an engagement or an exclusive dinner but was strictly his and his familys personal life that very, very few people have the privilege to ever be a part of.

Tribunal judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed Mr Yang had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials that could be leveraged for political interference purposes.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman (Andrew Matthews/PA).

A police port intelligence report also released on Friday, dated November 7 2021, said that Mr Yang was stopped and questioned at Heathrow Airport after flying from Paris.

An officer said in the report that Mr Yang states he is a well-respected individual by China and the UK for his achievements in business.

The report continued: He stated he can understand why the west is suspicious of a one-government party as he is aware of how the governments work in Europe and US.

It continued: But as he states, whilst a country is starting to grow you need one lead to push in a direction. If you had many parties debating what move to take it will take years to achieve the same end result.

On Friday, Mr Yang said in a statement that the allegations against me are entirely unfounded, I have done nothing wrong and that he was seeking to overturn the SIACs decision to refuse his initial appeal.

He continued: The inherent unfairness of the SIAC process means I am unable to know all the allegations and evidence against me.

I have followed that process in good faith and provided full disclosure of all my business and personal affairs under an anonymity order on the understanding it was confidential.

The UKs position on its dealings with China is inconsistent and erratic.

In the weeks since the media circus surrounding the publication of the SIAC decision against me, the UKs Chancellor has met with Chinese vice-premier He Lifeng in Beijing, saying choosing not to engage with China is no choice at all while a member of her delegation said a stable and balanced relationship with China is vital for UK growth, jobs, and prosperity.

This can only happen with the involvement of members of the business community like me.

As a self-made entrepreneur, I have built a successful career facilitating trade and investment between the UK and China.

I was educated at a British university, Im a UK taxpayer, and my activities have led to significant investment and job creation in the UK.

Stories of entrepreneurial success like this should be encouraged and celebrated, not punished.
Tom Sturridge, Neil Gaiman and Gwendoline Christie arrive for the world premiere of The Sandman (Ian West/PA)

Netflix fantasy drama The Sandman will end with its second series, showrunner Allan Heinberg has announced.

It comes after author Neil Gaiman, who wrote the comics that inspired the show, denied allegations made against him of sexual assault.

The first series of the programme, featuring Tom Sturridge as protagonist Dream, was released in 2022.

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A post on the shows social media pages on Friday said: The Sandman series has always been focused exclusively on Dreams story, and back in 2022, when we looked at the remaining Dream material from the comics, we knew we only had enough story for one more season.

We are extremely grateful to Netflix for bringing the team all back together and giving us the time and resources to make a faithful adaptation in a way that we hope will surprise and delight the comics loyal readers as well as fans of our show  Allan Heinberg, Showrunner.

The post added: Dreams journey has all been building to this. The story of The Sandman comes to its epic conclusion in 2025, only on Netflix.

In a blog post earlier this month, Gaiman said he had read allegations about himself with horror and dismay, after claims made by eight women of abuse by the writer in an article published by New York Magazine.

He said: Ive stayed quiet until now, both out of respect for the people who were sharing their stories and out of a desire not to draw even more attention to a lot of misinformation.

I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever, he added.

It comes after five women, four of whom featured in the New York Magazine article, made allegations about him in a Tortoise Media podcast series published in summer 2024.

Cast members at the world premiere of The Sandman at BFI Southbank in London (Ian West/PA)

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.

A stage adaptation of Gaimans book Coraline has also been scrapped.

A police report was made in New Zealand accusing Gaiman of sexual assault in January 2023.

The investigation was later dropped.
Blake Lively recently became the target of a wave of explicit spam on Instagram, as inappropriate content flooded her profile. The incident coincides with her ongoing legal clash with co-star Justin Baldoni. Initially unaware of the spam attack, Lively has since had her security settings updated to prevent further breaches.

Porn floods Blake Livelys Instagram

A surge of inappropriate posts appeared in the tagged section of Blake Livelys Instagram, an area where users can be tagged in content unless privacy restrictions are in place.

According to sources, Lively was unaware of the situation until it was brought to her attention and swiftly addressed by her team.

Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts condemned the spam attack, stating that the platform was actively removing violating content and reinforcing security measures.

Legal battle With Justin Baldoni intensifies

The spam attack coincides with Livelys high-profile legal battle against Justin Baldoni.

She has accused him of sexual harassment on set, while Baldoni has denied the allegations and responded with a massive $400 million lawsuit against Lively, Reynolds, and The New York Times over their coverage of the case.

Credit: AP | Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in a scene from 'It Ends With Us'

Lively and Reynolds have since filed to dismiss Baldonis defamation lawsuit, with a court hearing scheduled soon.

Reports suggest Baldoni is also claiming that the couple influenced talent agency WME to sever ties with him, though the agency has denied any outside pressure.

Leaked 2 AM voice note from Baldoni sparks backlash

Amid the controversy, a voice note from Baldoni to Lively recently surfaced, stirring online debate.

The over six-minute recording, allegedly obtained by Daily Mail, reveals Baldoni apologising for his past behavior, calling himself a flawed man and admitting to making mistakes.

He also acknowledges the challenges in their communication, stating, I love being with people and being in somebodys space and being face to face, and I feel like thats where I excel, and I have definitely fallen short at times in our text and voice note exchanges.

However, the timing of the voice notereportedly sent at 2 AMhas fuelled further criticism for Baldoni.

Online users have questioned the professionalism of sending such a late-night message, with many calling it unsettling.

Ongoing legal battle: What's next?

As tensions escalate, the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni shows no signs of slowing down.

Their courtroom showdown is set for March 2026, with both sides prepared to present their cases in what is shaping up to be a landmark Hollywood dispute.

For now, social media remains abuzz with discussions surrounding the case, as fans and critics alike weigh in on the ongoing drama.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Vivo partners with Zepto for smartphone delivery: Vivo and Zepto have partnered to offer Vivo smartphones in India with lightning-fast doorstep delivery. Through this partnership, customers will be able to purchase Vivo phones more conveniently than ever before and receive their smartphones in just 10 minutes.

Vivo smartphones will be supplied quickly thanks to Zepto, which is renowned for its rapid commerce services, which will cut down on lengthy wait times. This action satisfies the increasing need for prompt delivery, particularly in cities where time is of the essence.

Users can now easily order their preferred Vivo smartphones and have them delivered to their homes with a few taps on Zepto's app. Vivo and Zepto's partnership ushers in a new era of smartphone retail, allowing Indian customers to make purchases more quickly, easily, and effectively.

Vivo partnership with Zepto

Credit: Vivo

Vivo said in a press release that it has partnered with Zepto to sell its smartphones via the fast commerce platform. Right now, the Vivo Y18i and Vivo Y29 5G are available for doorstep delivery in a few cities, including Bengaluru and Delhi NCR, on the quick delivery platform.

Zepto also announced that the newest Vivo models will be available for purchase. While the Vivo Y18i costs Rs. 7,999 for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage model, the Vivo Y29 5G is priced at Rs. 13,999 for the 4GB RAM + 128GB version.

Vivo smartphone offers and discounts via Zepto

Credit: Vivo

According to Zepto, Vivo smartphones will be delivered within ten minutes of the order being placed. The company is also offering up to Rs. 5,000 off mobile phone purchases exceeding Rs. 5,000 made using ICICI credit cards as part of an introductory deal.

This is a limited-time offer that ends later today. Discounts are available to customers who buy the devices using mobile wallets like as Cred, Amazon Pay, Paytm, and others.

By visiting the My Orders part of the app or website, customers may monitor their Zepto order of Vivo items.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.
DeepSeek, an open-source ChatGPT rival from China, has fundamentally changed the race for global Artificial Intelligence (AI) supremacy. The chatbot, which was released some two weeks ago, poses a serious threat to the American monopoly in the sector.

The manner in which DeepSeek exploded onto the scene has also raised some serious questions in Indiaif China can do it, why can't India build its own LLMs that could cater to the specific needs of Indian languages?

CREDIT: UNSPLASH

'India will develop own AI model'

Earlier this week, Union Minister for Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said that India will soon develop a world-class foundational AI model that will compete with the likes of ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

India needs its own LLMs

Entrepreneurs and experts also argue that it is high time India built its own LLM.

"India must develop its own LLMs because they are a foundational capability, and existing models are not well-suited for India. The prohibitive cost of training and running these models, along with their lack of support for local languages, makes them less viable for Indias needs," Vinci Mathews, the co-founder of Nofrills AI, a search engine designed to be conversational and multi-modal and support local Indian languages, told Indiatimes.

CREDIT: ADOBE STOCK

He said that if India did not develop its own LLMs, the country risked being left behindjust as it was in the semiconductor industry.

India will be left behind without own LLMs

According to Abhivyakti Sengar, a Senior Analyst at Everest Group, building an indigenous LLM is an investment in India's future, enabling innovation at scale and safeguarding the countrys place in the AI-driven world economy.

If India does not invest in building its own LLMs, it risks becoming a mere consumer in the global AI economy, losing both digital sovereignty and economic opportunities. Indigenous LLMs are not just about technological advancementthey are critical for addressing India's unique linguistic diversity, empowering industries with localised solutions, and ensuring competitiveness on the global stage," he said.

CREDIT: SCIENCE VIEW

DeepSeek busted high cost myth

According to Mathews, from the start, the prevailing narrative was that India should focus on building applications and business use cases on top of models from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google rather than investing time in developing its own models.

"The high cost of training has often been cited as the primary reason for this. However, DeepSeek has demonstrated that architectural innovations can significantly reduce costs while enabling more extensive training," he said.

Mathews also pointed out that DeepSeek was not the first to prove this pointMistral demonstrated the power of better architecture with its mixture-of-experts (MoE) models.

With DeepSeek now proving that training AI models doesn't necessarily take a fortune, Mathews said he is confident that there will be a renewed push to build India's own LLM.

"Hopefully, this shift in perspective will help reshape the narrative, encouraging more investment in startups like ours, which are focused on architectural innovations that make LLMs more affordable and better suited for Indias unique requirements," he said.

CREDIT: NOFRILLS AI

AI search engine for Indian languages

In 2024, Nofrills AI launched Indias first live AI search engine interface that provides real-time answers to user queries in both English and local languages, facilitating hassle-free discovery of information, products, and services online.

"At Nofrills AI, we have already demonstrated that architectural innovations can yield better results for local languages. The way forward is clear: India must focus on developing more efficient model architectures to reduce both training and operational costs," he said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Karnataka has become the second state in India to implement the Supreme Court's directive regarding terminally ill patients' right to die with dignity. In the orders issued on Thursday, the health department appointed medical experts to the Secondary Medical Board to decide when life-sustaining treatment can be stopped for terminally ill patients.

CREDIT: UNSPLASH

'Right to die with dignity'

As per the Government Order dated January 30, any neurologist, neurosurgeon, surgeon, anaesthetist, or intensivist approved by the appropriate authority under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act for the certification of brain-stem death will be nominated as a member of the Secondary Medical Board, which will certify the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment.

"We have also come out with an Advance Medical Directive (AMD), or a living will, in which a patient can record their wishes about their medical treatment in the future. This important step will bring great relief and a dignified sense of closure to many families and individuals. Karnataka is a progressive state, and we are always at the forefront in upholding liberal and equitable values for a more just society," Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said.

What SC said on right to die with dignity

Karnataka is the second state after Kerala to implement the Supreme Court order on the right to die with dignity.

CREDIT: BCCL

In 2018, the SC held that the right to die with dignity was a fundamental right.

In 2023, the SC modified the guidelines to make the right to die with dignity more accessible.

Living will

SC held that attestation by a notary or a gazetted officer would be sufficient for a person to make a valid living will, which is a written statement that details a persons desire regarding future medical procedures or termination of medical support when an individual is incapacitated.

Also read: This Gynaecologist Has Become The First Mumbai Resident To Submit A Living Will

Instead of the living will being in the custody of the district court concerned, SC said that the document would be a part of the National Health Digital Record, which can be accessed by hospitals and doctors from any part of the country.

CREDIT: UNSPLASH

If the hospitals medical board denies permission to withdraw medical treatment, the family members of the patient can approach the relevant high court, which forms a fresh board of medical experts to enable the court to take a final call.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a slew of measures to boost tourism in India. In her budget speech on Saturday, Sitharaman announced that the government will develop 50 tourist sites in partnership with states and also extend Mudra loans to homestays.

In efforts to boost tourism in the country, Sitharaman said medical tourism will be promoted in partnership with the private sector. Sitharaman announced that medical tourism will be promoted under the Heal in India initiative.

CREDIT: IANS

Sonam Garg Sharma, the founder of Medical Linkers said the focus on Medical Tourism could be transformative, not just for the tourism industry, but also for the healthcare infrastructure.

"The Union Budgets focus on healthcare and tourism is a transformative step for India's growing medical tourism sector. The Heal in India initiative, coupled with a 20,000 crore allocation for medical tourism, reinforces Indias position as a global hub for affordable and high-quality medical care. These developments will not only boost medical tourism but also contribute to Indias economic growth by attracting more international patients and healthcare investments," she said.

The FM also announced that the government will give special focus to destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha.

In an attempt to promote international tourism, the FM announced that e-visas will be provided for select tourist groups.

Sitharaman also announced measures to ease travel to key tourist destinations.

CREDIT: REUTERS

This includes the launch of a modified UDAN scheme to improve regional connectivity. Sitharaman said that the scheme will add 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore additional passengers in the next 10 years.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
All eyes are on Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as she is set to present her eighth consecutive Union Budget and the first of the Narendra Modi government's third term in office. Sitharaman will deliver the Budget speech in the Lok Sabha at 11 am on Saturday, February 1.

Union Budget 2025

The Union Budget for 2025-26 is expected to continue the government's policy of giving a big push to economic growth with equity.

CREDIT: ANI

Relief for middle class

The government has prioritised improving the quality of life in rural areas to ensure equitable and inclusive development, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25.

The survey highlights financial inclusion as a key focus, with rural households and small businesses getting easier access to credit through microfinance institutions, self-help groups, and other intermediaries.

Also read: Budget 2025: Economic Survey predicts GDP to grow at 6.3-6.8%, says fundamentals remain strong

Many, especially the middle class, are expecting some favourable announcements from Sitharaman.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, for elevating the poor and middle class.

CREDIT: IANS

"I pray to Goddess Lakshmi that the poor and the middle-class sections in the country are blessed by her," Modi had said.

Will Sitharaman announce tax cuts?

Most analysts and experts have said that they expect some tax cuts to be announced in the Budget.

This includes a reduction in income tax rates, along with a hike in the standard deduction. Under the old tax regime, the basic income exemption limit is set at Rs 2.50 lakh, while for those opting for the new tax regime, the limit is fixed at Rs 3 lakh.

CREDIT: IANS

The lower income tax burden would place more disposable income in the hands of the people to accelerate demand and give a further fillip to growth.

Boosting AI push

Another area many are looking at closely in the Budget is Sitharaman announcing policies and initiatives to accelerate progress in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

With the recent release of DeepSeek, the Chinese AI chatbot, there have been growing calls for the creation of an Indian LLM.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Everything is not as it seems, and even if you are prepared for the unexpected, you will still be surprised by an unexpected turn of events. In this article, OBOZ. UA presents 5 Netflix movies with the most original plot resolutions.

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"Oldboy" (2003) directed by Park Chan-wook

This is a story about a man named Oh Dae-su who was kidnapped and isolated from society for fifteen years. All he remembered was a friend trying to take him home, and then Oh Dae-su waking up in a strange windowless apartment, alone. Since then, his only goal has been revenge on his jailer.

One day, Oh Dae-su is released without explanation, and from that moment on, he begins to put his plan into action.

"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" (2022) dir. by Rian Johnson

Private detective Benoit Blanc receives a box with a puzzle that contains an invitation to attend a party dedicated to solving a mysterious murder.

As soon as Benoit arrives on the island owned by billionaire Miles Bron, he finds himself in very strange company. While studying the circumstances of the crime, the detective finds out that the party is just a pretext for committing a brutal murder.

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"Apostle" (2018) by Gareth Evans

The movie takes place in the early 20th century. Representatives of a religious sect kidnap a young girl for ransom. At the same time, her brother Thomas, who was thought to be dead, returns to the city.

Trying to save his sister, the young man finds himself on an island remote from civilization, which the kidnappers consider their home. Poverty reigns here, and the people are so desperate that they are ready to entrust their fate to the "Apostle" who claims that only sacrifice will help them...

"The Perfection" (2019) by Richard Shepard

A few years ago, cellist Charlotte showed great promise, but her mother suffered a stroke and she had to quit her studies to take care of her. After her mother's death, Charlotte decided to return to music and found her former mentors in Shanghai, where they were looking for talent.

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She meets their talented protege Elizabeth. Lizzie has everything that Charlotte could have had if not for her mother's long illness.

The girls become friends and embark on a journey together, where strange things soon begin to happen.

"A Simple Favor" (2018) dir. by Paul Feig

Chatty Stephanie and cold, seductive Emily are complete opposites. Fate brought them together by chance, but they managed to become friends over a couple of cocktails. Soon the friends begin to desperately need each other. However, Emily suddenly disappears, leaving behind her son.

Forced to take care of the child, Stephanie finds herself caught up in a web of lies. And the harder she tries to understand what is happening, the more confused she becomes.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels on Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
Dinesh Nandwana, the founder and chairman emeritus of Mumbai-based Vakrangee Limited, died on Friday after he collapsed during an Enforcement Directorate (ED) search at his premises. The 62-year-old reportedly developed health complications during the raid, which led to his death.

CREDIT: BCCL

Vakrangee, in a statement to the BSE, confirmed Nandwana's death but did not specify the cause.

"Dinesh Nandwana was the first-generation entrepreneur who played an important role in bringing the company to its present level based on very strong fundamentals. He has been instrumental in moulding Vakrangee from a modest consultancy company to a prominent force to be reckoned with and has scaled the company to a new orbit of growth," the statement noted.

ED raid at Nandwana's premises

According to reports, ED's Jalandhar unit, supported by the local division, was conducting raids at several locations, including his premises in Andheri, when Nandwana developed health complications.

The MIDC police, Andheri East, have registered an accidental death report complaint over Nandwanas death.

CREDIT: Vakrangee

Vakrangee Limited

Vakrangee was founded by Nandwana, a chartered accountant from Kota, Rajasthan, in 1990 as a technology company based in Mumbai, India, that provides banking, insurance, e-governance, e-commerce, and logistics services.

According to the company's website, Vakrangee is one of the main providers of the software and equipment for voter ID cards and Aadhaar cards.

CREDIT: X/Dinesh Nandwana

Dinesh Nandwana's net worth

According to Forbes India, in 2017, Nandwana was ranked 88th on India's richest list with a net worth of $1.72 billion.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Emily in Paris star Lily Collins and her husband Charlie McDowell have officially entered their parent era, and fans are absolutely losing it over the news! The stunning couple just welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Tove Jane McDowell, with the help of a surrogate.

Emily in Paris stars Lilly Collins welcomes first baby via surrogate

Collins, 34, and McDowell, 40, announced their babys arrival in a heartwarming Instagram post, featuring the tiniest glimpse of their newborn. The caption read, "Welcome to the center of our world, Tove Jane McDowell. Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way. We love you to the moon and back again"

Love story of Lilly Collins

Collins and McDowell first made things Insta-official in 2019, proving that they were Hollywoods next power couple. A year later, McDowell popped the question with a jaw-dropping ring, and Collins declared it as "the purest joy Ive ever felt." Fast forward to September 4, 2021, and the lovebirds tied the knot in a breathtaking ceremony in Dunton, Colorado.

Post-wedding, Collins gushed about her husband, saying she had never wanted to be someones "someone" more than she did with McDowell. Meanwhile, McDowell couldnt stop praising his bride, calling her the "most generous, thoughtful, and beautiful person" hed ever known.

Friends and fans reacted to the baby news

Now, the pair is stepping into a brand-new roleparenthood! The Instagram comments section was an explosion of love, including Collins Emily in Paris co-star Ashley Park, who wrote, "Mom and dadddddd"

Fans are already obsessed with Tove Janes name, with many speculating on its origins. Whatever the reason, one things for sure: this little one has some serious Hollywood royalty in her DNA!

As if their love story wasnt adorable enough, Collins and McDowell have also collaborated professionally, working together on Windfall and Gilded Rage.

In a past interview, Collins revealed that working with McDowell felt like "a constant open conversation" and admitted there were times she completely forgot he was her then-fiance and just saw him as her director. Relationship goals, much?

With their baby girl finally here, Collins and McDowell are starting their most exciting chapter yet. And judging by the sheer amount of love and joy radiating from their announcement, theres no doubt that baby Tove is already surrounded by an abundance of love. Well, we are already counting down to see more glimpses of this Hollywood baby cause seeing our Emily with a baby definitely melts our hearts.
BLACKPINK's rapper, Jennie, has released a new single, "Love Hangover," featuring Dominic Fike. The track delves into the complexity of being drawn to someone who is both toxic and intoxicating, and is set to be feature on her upcoming LP, Ruby, slated for release on March 7. Along with the single, Jennie also unveiled a music video, directed by Bradley & Pablo and shot in Mexico City.

The video stars Charles Melton as Jennie's boyfriend, and follows their disastrous series of dates. "We say it's over, but I keep f**king with you," Jennie sings. "And every time I do, I wake up with this love hangover."

Is it a copy of BTS Jungkook's 'Seven'?

The global hit "Seven" was part of Jeon Jungkook's solo album GOLDEN. Interestingly, the same directorsBradley Bell and Pablo Jones-Solerwho worked on Jungkook's MV also directed Jennie's music video.

In fact, many scenes from both MVs are strikingly similar, such as the coffin, the conversation in the restaurant, and even walking in the rain. The BTS fandom, ARMY, shared numerous pictures on X (formerly Twitter) to highlight these parallels.

ARMY reacts

On X, many pointed out that BLINKs, BLACKPINK's fandom, have previously called out other artists for copying, even for something as minor as hair colour, and are now silent when their own favourite seems to have copied a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song.

One ARMY member wrote, "They really said copy & paste. The entire concept was an 'inspo' from 'Seven.' Wondering what reaction the GG fandom would've had if it was the other way around and Jungkook had taken this 'inspo'."

They really said copy & paste. The entire concept was an "inspo" from Seven. Wondering what reaction the gg fandom would've had if it was the other way round & it was Jungkook who had taken this "inspo" pic.twitter.com/pGJatf2spL  . (@prettytigerlily) January 31, 2025

Another said, "Wait, I thought it was just the 'Seven' theme version Jennie ripped off, but Jungkook lovers...we truly do not gaf about that girl because HOW did we overlook her using the SAME director as 'Standing Next To You' too????"

Wait I thought it was just the Seven temu version Jenfad ripped off but Jungkook lovers we truly do not gaf about that girl because HOW did we overlook her using the SAME director as Standing Next To You too????  pic.twitter.com/PgQLAeaRHH  Jayla The Great (@simplinumber1) January 31, 2025

One fan added, "Every masterpiece has its cheap copy lol."

Every masterpiece has its cheap copy lol  pic.twitter.com/mcQckWg1vf  Jeon Rodriana(semi ia) (@ohsnapitzRodela) January 31, 2025

About Ruby

The album will feature 15 tracks having collaborations with Childish Gambino, Doechii, Dominic Fike, Dua Lipa, FKJ, and Kali Uchis. It will also include Jennie's most recent single, "Mantra," which dropped in October. The album is set to release under her own label, Odd Atelier, in partnership with Columbia Records.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
If Bollywood ever had a leading lady whose life could be turned into a blockbuster thriller, its Mamta Kulkarni. The 90s diva, who once set screens on fire with her sultry performances, is now making headlines for an entirely different reasonher dramatic expulsion from the Kinnar Akhada.

But wait, this is just the latest chapter in her long, tumultuous journey. Who is Mamta Kulkarni, what made her a sensation, and why is her name constantly tangled in controversies? Buckle up, because this story has everything: fame, scandal, underworld links, and a spiritual twist!

From Bollywood stardom to spirituality: The rise, fall, and controversies of Mamta Kulkarni

Born in 1972, Mamta Kulkarni burst onto the Bollywood scene with her 1991 Tamil film Nanbargal. She soon made her Hindi debut with Mera Dil Tere Liye and later shot to fame with Aashiq Awara in 1993. But it was her sizzling presence in Karan Arjun opposite Salman Khan and her song Mujhko Rana Ji Maaf Karna that cemented her status as a Bollywood star.

Despite working with some of the biggest namesSalman Khan, Aamir Khan, and moreMamtas Bollywood journey was short-lived. Just when she seemed to be reaching the peak of her career, she disappeared from the limelight.

Mama Kulkarni controversies

The bold photoshoot

In 1992, Mamta did something that was unheard of in Bollywood at the timea topless photoshoot for Stardust magazine. When the issue hit stands in September 1993, it flew off the shelves, with fans even buying copies on the black market. The controversy only added to her allure, making her an overnight sensation.

For those seeing this Mamta Kulkurni on TL today, I remember her from her stardust 1993 cover. Her films weren't as memorable as her magazine covers BTW. (She's in Karan Arjun in case you're wondering).



Those who know. pic.twitter.com/U7W03FYUqM  Hina Safdar (@hinasafi) January 25, 2025

Underworld ties and the Vicky Goswami chapter

Mamtas link to the underworld has been a topic of much speculation. Her name was associated with notorious gangsters, including Chhota Rajan. However, her most talked-about relationship was with drug mafia kingpin Vicky Goswami. While many believe she converted to Islam and married him, Mamta has denied these claims, calling them completely untrue.

From Bollywood to spirituality

By 1996, Mamta had started distancing herself from Bollywood, drawn towards spirituality. She credited her transformation to Guru Gagan Giri Maharaj, saying that Bollywood gave her fame, but her soul longed for something deeper. Between 2000 and 2012, she claimed to have lived in celibacy, practicing penance in Dubai.

Mamta Kulkarni is a former Indian actress and model. She has appeared in commercial successful Hindi films such as Aashiq Awara, Waqt Hamara Hai, Krantiveer, Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi, Andolan, Baazi, China Gate and Chhupa Rustam.



Happy Birthday #MamtaKulkarni  pic.twitter.com/Vds8m5papc    (@CinemAajKal) April 20, 2021

The Kinnar Akhada controversy

Just when you thought Mamta had left the limelight for good, she made headlines yet againthis time for her involvement in the Kinnar Akhada. In December 2024, she was formally inducted into the Akhada during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. However, things took a dramatic turn when Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of the Akhada, expelled both Mamta and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi.

The reason? Tripathi had allegedly appointed Mamta without his consent, causing a major rift within the religious order. According to Ajay Das, this move deviated from the Akhadas core mission of uplifting the transgender community.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman just dropped her eighth budget in Parliament, and its full of surprisesespecially for Bihar, which is gearing up for elections later this year. But lets be real, the moment she rocked that Madhubani sari from Bihar, we shouldve known something big was coming. And guess what? The internet is absolutely loving it, with Bihar memes flooding everywhereand trust us, theyre downright hilarious!

Check them out here:

Bihar after Union Budget 2025: pic.twitter.com/amld28Te51  Xavier Uncle (@xavierunclelite) February 1, 2025

Indian Budget 



Bihar Budget  pic.twitter.com/iIitKZ2ZZM  Budhil Vyas (@BudhilVyas) February 1, 2025

Bihar after this budget : pic.twitter.com/OnIDswxRZS  Punjab Puls (@moge_oye) February 1, 2025

What are the measures announced for Bihar?

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a series of impactful announcements for Bihar in her recent budget speech, aimed at boosting the state's economy and infrastructure, especially with the upcoming elections.

One key announcement was the establishment of a Makhana Board to support the state's farmers.

Bihar is the largest producer of Makhana, contributing nearly 80% of the country's output, so this move will provide much-needed support to local agriculture.

Sitharaman also focused on improving Bihars connectivity with the rest of India.

She announced plans to facilitate the creation of greenfield airports in the state, which will help improve travel infrastructure and ease access to different parts of the country.

In addition, the government will provide financial support for the Western Kosi canal, a project expected to benefit 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region, further supporting agriculture in the area.

On the education front, Sitharaman revealed plans to enhance infrastructure at the five IITs established after 2014. Specifically, IIT Patna will see expanded hostel and other facilities, catering to the growing demand for higher education in the region.

In a nod to Bihar's rich cultural and historical heritage, Sitharaman also promised a special focus on destinations related to the life and teachings of Lord Buddha.

With these announcements, Nirmala Sitharaman has clearly targetted Bihars agricultural, educational, and cultural sectors, making a direct impact ahead of the states elections later this year.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
It's only a few months left before the global hit group BTS makes their long-awaited reunion. The 7 members  Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook  had to enlist in the South Korean military service, and with 2 members already discharged, June will see all 7 together again. While ARMY is eagerly anticipating the reunion, it seems even K-drama actors, directors, and more are also looking forward to it.

In a recent episode of Netflixs espionage thriller The Recruit Season 2, a casual mention of BTS' 2026 world tour sent fans into a frenzy. Many found it a clever and hilarious nod to the global K-pop phenomenon, further fueling speculation about the group's highly awaited return.

BTS mention in The Recruit Season 2

The reference appears during a conversation between Jang Kyun, played by Teo Yoo, and his NIS boss. In the scene, Jang mentions that someone requested $50,000along with a BTS VIP Package for their reunion tourbecause they're an ARMY!

Netflix Series The Recruit S2 mentioned BTS!!



 What was his initial ask?

 Fifty thousand dollars and a BTS VIP Package for their reunion tour.

 Hes an ARMY.



OH MY BANGTAN YOULL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS  pic.twitter.com/YXWaNM1Bqs  hopetan (@bt212008) January 31, 2025

ARMY reacts

Though just a passing reference, it was enough to spark a wave of reactions on social media. "Watching season 2 of The Receuit and BTS comeback tour VIP tickets is what the guy asked for in order to turn from a CIA agent to an asset for the Korean NIS babe me too"

Watching season 2 of The Receuit and BTS comeback tour VIP tickets is what the guy asked for in order to turn from a CIA agent to an asset for the Korean NIS  babe me too #TheRecruit2 #TheRecruit #BTS pic.twitter.com/OZmdfPlp3l  Mimi (@phantashmagoria) January 30, 2025

A third user commented, "Dont know the drama, but I guess everyone understands the anticipation for BTS reunion and can imagine how hard it is to secure anything"

Dont know the drama, but I guess everyone understands the anticipation for BTS reunion and can imagine how hard it is to secure anything  https://t.co/H2tQcz8rL6  Fafa   | with7wonders ()       (@tannies0613_7) January 31, 2025

One said, "A BTS VIP Package for their reunion tour who isnt ARMY, the writers of The Recruit season 2 understands the assignment".

A BTS VIP Package for their reunion tour

who isnt ARMY, the writers of The Recruit season 2 understands the assignment #BTS pic.twitter.com/25ye5ohvHT  Dani@InASubBubble (@InASubBubble) January 30, 2025

The Recruit Season 2

Premiering on January 30, The Recruit Season 2 continues the story of Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo), who is now teaming up with Korean secret agent Jang Kyun (Teo Yoo) to tackle a political threat.

BTS' military discharge

Meanwhile, BTS members are currently serving in the military. Jin and J-Hope have already completed their service, while RM, Jimin, Jungkook, V, and Suga are expected to be discharged by June 2025setting the stage for a historic comeback.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Greece is proposing new legislation to bring its data laws in line with European Union regulations and boost the sharing of public sector data.

The bill, introduced by the Ministry of Digital Governance, aims to create clearer rules

for managing and reusing public data while protecting sensitive information like personal data , intellectual property and trade secrets.

The proposed law would add regulations to make it easier to share public data securely. It also creates a framework for data-sharing services and organizations that handle data donated for public good, such as scientific research and health care.

The government says reusing public data has been difficult in Greece because of the lack of a unified strategy. This has led to inefficiencies and missed opportunities to use public data for economic and social benefits.

Under the bill, public sector bodies will decide who can access protected data based on clear criteria. The ministry will provide guidance. If further use is allowed, measures like anonymization and confidentiality agreements will be required to protect sensitive data.

The bill also outlines the role of data intermediaries, which will operate under a regulated framework to build trust between data providers and users. The ministry will oversee these entities.

It also introduces recognized data altruism organizations, which will collect and manage voluntarily shared data for public interest projects. The ministry will keep a registry of these organizations and supervise them.

The ministry will also develop a national strategy to improve the use of public data. Data officers in public institutions will oversee data availability and compliance. A committee led by the Minister of Digital Governance will oversee the strategy.

The government says the bill is needed to modernize Greeces data management and unlock economic and social opportunities through better use of public data.

   iefimerida.gr
Greece welcomed the UN Security Council's unanimous vote to extend the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus for another year.

The Foreign Ministry said the resolution sends a strong message of support for the UN chief's efforts to restart talks aimed at resolving the Cyprus

issue . Greece reiterated its commitment to a solution based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation with political equality, as outlined in UN resolutions.

Greece, working with the Republic of Cyprus, was actively involved in discussions leading up to the mandate renewal.4 Athens, which will be a Security Council member in 2025-2026, stressed the peacekeeping mission's importance in reducing tensions and maintaining stability on the island.5

The ministry said resolving the Cyprus issue remains a top priority for Greek foreign policy and pledged to work constructively toward a fair and lasting solution within the framework of UN resolutions.

   iefimerida.gr
Syriza's effort to launch a no-confidence vote against the Greek government has stalled, lacking enough support in parliament.

Syriza parliamentary leader Sokratis Famellos has been talking with other opposition parties to reach the 50 signatures needed to trigger the motion. He secured commitments from Alexis Charitsis and Zoe

Konstantopoulou to co-sign, but their parties combined have only 43 lawmakers.

Communist party leader Dimitris Koutsoumbas told Famellos his party will vote for the motion but won't co-sign the request.

Syriza argues Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's recent interview justifies a no-confidence vote and should be held immediately.

The party criticized Pasok for wanting to wait for an official report before deciding. Syriza believes quick action is needed to stop the government from controlling the political agenda.

The push comes amid rising tensions in parliament as opposition parties look for ways to challenge the ruling New Democracy party.

   iefimerida.gr
The scandal revolves around the illegal use of Predator spyware, which was allegedly deployed to monitor 87 high-ranking officials, including ministers, military personnel, journalists, prosecutors, and entrepreneurs.

The National Bank of Greece (NBG) has provided technical explanations that indirectly challenge the Greek Supreme

Courts reasoning for dismissing complaints related to Intellexa's Predator spyware scandal , raising concerns about judicial transparency and the rule of law in Greece.

The scandal revolves around the illegal use of Predator spyware, which was allegedly deployed to monitor 87 high-ranking officials, including ministers, military personnel, journalists, prosecutors, and entrepreneurs. Among the known targets were PASOK party leader Nikos Androulakis and investigative journalist Thanasis Koukakis. A key part of the case involved a prepaid card used in September 2021 to send malicious SMS messages containing the spyware.

Greek Supreme Court Deputy Prosecutor Achilles Zisis dismissed complaints against Emilios Kosmidis, the owner of the prepaid card and a central figure in the scandal, arguing that his card had been activated by an unidentified third party, making it impossible to trace.

However, in a formal response to the newspaper Efimerida ton Syntakton on Saturday, Dimitris Plessas, Deputy General Manager of Cards and Digital Banking at NBG, offered a technical explanation of the banks security protocols, which effectively contradicts the Supreme Courts rationale.

Plessas stated that the activation of a prepaid cards PIN is strictly controlled and requires authentication via SMS verification sent exclusively to the registered mobile number. He emphasized that the PIN is generated electronically, remains encrypted, and cannot be accessed by third parties. He further clarified that transactions using the card require the cardholders direct involvement, making unauthorized use impossible.

While the bank did not take a position on the legal aspects of the case, its technical clarifications raise significant questions about the Supreme Courts claim that an unknown third party could have activated the card without the owner's involvement.

The Supreme Courts handling of the case has sparked serious concerns about due process and judicial independence. A key point of contention is why Supreme Court Deputy Prosecutor Achilles Zisis chose to limit his inquiry to the brief period between September 1623, 2021, rather than examining the full transaction history of the prepaid card from 2019 to 2024. This selective approach has left crucial questions unanswered, including how many transactions were linked to the Predator spyware, the total sum of money involved, and whether a broader financial trail could reveal deeper connections to the surveillance operation. Critics argue that by failing to scrutinize the cards usage over its entire active period, the Supreme Court effectively narrowed the scope of the investigation, raising suspicions that key evidence may have been overlooked or deliberately ignored.

The Supreme Courts refusal to reopen the investigation has intensified suspicions of a political cover-up. In its ruling, the court stated that the illegal surveillance of government ministers, military officials, and judicial authorities posed no threat to national security or democracya conclusion that has sparked widespread backlash. The court declined to classify the case as espionage, despite evidence that high-ranking officials were targeted using foreign-made spyware.

The center-left PASOK party, led by surveillance target Nikos Androulakis, has accused Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis government of enabling a judicial cover-up. In a statement, PASOK argued that investigative reports have exposed the Supreme Courts rushed and superficial dismissal of the complaint and that the court failed to request full transaction records from the bank, blocking key evidence from emerging. The party further noted that only the cardholder could have activated the prepaid card, refuting the claim that an unidentified individual was responsible. PASOK questioned why the Supreme Court did not demand the full financial history before closing the case and who received the PIN that activated the card. The party stated that the eagerness to shut down the investigation raises serious concerns about judicial independence.

The left-wing opposition party SYRIZA has similarly condemned the Supreme Courts handling of the case, accusing judicial authorities of deliberately ignoring crucial evidence. SYRIZA argued that the notion of an unknown third party activating the card is absurd and completely unsubstantiated, pointing to the National Banks confirmation that only the registered owner could have done so. The party also criticized the court for limiting its investigation to just one week in 2021, rather than analyzing all transactions over the cards five-year usage period. It questioned why the Supreme Court deliberately restricted the investigation and why it dismissed clear evidence of espionage, describing the refusal to analyze the full financial history of the prepaid card as an obstruction of justice.

#Greek #PREDATOR #NATIONAL
The inexpensive Toyota Prius model is known for its fuel-economy. The car has long popularized affordable hybrids and gained a large number of fans. Now it has become better for 2025.

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The new Toyota Prius is ready to enter the market in 2025 after modernization. The details are reported by Motor1. The model received new equipment and became even more efficient.

The Toyota Prius hybrid is now offered with a digital car key. The electric range has exceeded 100 km (in the city), and the solar panel roof provides another 8 km per day.

The price of the Toyota Prius 2025 will start at $28,350. Interestingly, the car recently set a record for efficiency. The car crossed the United States from the East to the West Coast, covering more than 5,000 km with an average fuel consumption of 2.5 l/100 km. This achievement was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

In 2024, the Prius was named North American Car of the Year (NACTOY). Experts liked its striking design and efficient powertrain.
Veteran actor Chiwetalu Agu has offered advice to both singles and married individuals, highlighting the need for caution and self-preservation in relationships.

Agu cautioned singles against being overly eager to marry, warning that desperation could make them overlook red flags.

He also warned against choosing a partner solely for their looks or due to societal pressure.

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READ MORE: He Shouldve Consulted Me First  Basketmouth On 2faces Divorce Announcement

Speaking to married couples, Agu encouraged those in unhappy or toxic relationships to seek support or consider ending the marriage.

He stressed that a persons happiness and well-being should come first, noting that marriage is not a do-or-die affair.

Agu also suggested that individuals carefully investigate the backgrounds of potential spouses before deciding to marry.

The experienced actor wrapped up his advice by cautioning against overlooking warning signs in relationships.

He pointed out that remaining in an abusive or toxic relationship can lead to severe consequences, emphasising that divorce is better than dying at the hands of a toxic and abusive partner.

He said in a video shared on X Friday, Marriage is not a do-or-die affair. If you have an abusive partner, run for your life. If you are in a toxic relationship, run for your life. If you are not happy in your marriage, seek help or run for your life.

Divorce is better than rest in peace. I want to stay because of my children. That was how a lady was killed. Now, who will take care of the kids? Is it the man that killed you? Or the relatives who love their own families?

Always remember to run background checks before marrying someone.

He is handsome; I want to marry him: see you, see death. My mates are all married, but Im still single: see you, see death.
The Bauchi Police Commands State Intelligence Department (SID) has nabbed three members of a robbery syndicate that specialised in tracking bank customers who made significant transactions.

The suspects, arrested on January 28, 2025, are charged with surveilling their victims prior to robbing them in Bauchi, Borno, and Kano states.

The individuals taken into custody include Mustapha Bukar, 42, from Maiduguri, Borno State; Mustapha Abubakar, 47; and Habibu Abubakar Tijjani, 30, both from Kano State.

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READ MORE: 173 Vehicles Impounded As LASTMA Targets Traffic Offenders

The three individuals are said to have used locally made master keys, referred to as Chori, to unlawfully access their victims vehicles and belongings.

On Friday, Bauchi Police Command spokesperson CSP Mohammed Wakil informed journalists that the suspects were apprehended while attempting to rob a 43-year-old businessman, who had withdrawn a significant amount of money from an FCMB branch in Bauchi on January 27, 2025.

As they trailed him to his residence, the victim became suspicious and alerted his family and the police, prompting a swift response that led to the arrest of the suspects, Wakil said.

Upon interrogation, the suspects admitted to participating in several robberies across the states.

They revealed that their method involved focusing on individuals departing from banks with large sums of money.

Once their victims parked their vehicles, the syndicate would use the Chori keys to unlock and steal from the cars, with a particular preference for Honda vehicles due to their vulnerable locking mechanisms, they said.

Along with the arrests, the police seized two Toyota Honda saloon cars used in the crimes, as well as the fabricated master keys.

Wakil also disclosed that the suspects gave crucial information that could assist authorities in locating the ringleader, who is still at large.

Bauchi State Police Commissioner, CP Musa Muhammad, has called on residents to be cautious, especially when leaving banks. He recommended avoiding parking in isolated spots, not carrying large sums of cash, and reporting any suspicious behaviour to the authorities.

Residents are encouraged to contact the following numbers for assistance: 07068235368, 08034844393, 08151849417, and 09053872273.
Famous Nigerian crossdresser Bobrisky has disclosed that he impregnated a woman during his university years.

He revealed this during a recent Instagram live session, which was shared on X on Friday, explaining that the incident involved a woman named Lamide, who he said took his virginity.

Bobrisky also alleged that Lamide seduced him, resulting in an intimate encounter while he was studying at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

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READ MORE: Be Role Models In This Situation  Blackface Addresses 2Baba, Annie Amid Divorce Proceedings

The crossdresser, who was in his second year at the university at the time, recalled his reaction when Lamide broke the news to him on Valentines Day.

He confessed that he suggested Lamide consider a solution as he wasnt ready for fatherhood at that time.

However, Lamide declined and eventually told a group of boys, who then confronted him about the situation.

So that night, we were waiting for who would touch each other first, I was backing the wall, she was facing me. Because I was shy, I did not know where to start from, I did not know what to do. She started touching me and we eventually did it, that was first ever and only time I was with a woman, he said.

It was not up to two or three months after. That day was even Valentines Day. So she bought me singlets, underwear and some handouts I needed in school. She was now like Bob I am pregnant And I was like pregnant how? How did you do it? Aunty I am just a very young boy, I just entered 200 level. Please do not destroy my life.

Then I told her we needed to find a solution because I was not ready. She knew I was a bit feminine but not this feminine. I do not know maybe she liked me because I was feminine, I could not really figure it out.

She insisted that she would give birth and started insulting me, she brought out the female in me and I too started throwing insults at her.

She went to report me to a guy, I do not really know that part. So one day as I was going back to my hostel, the guy just said I should come, about seven of them. That is how they carried me and went to put me inside a small room and asked me to kneel down there.

They asked if I knew the girl, her name was Lamide, very short girl like this. She was like she told me she would deal with me, that I was insulting her and I was like Lamide please calm down.
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has berated Nigerians complaining about level of corruption in the country.

The EFCC boss expressed displeasure over how some citizens defend their political favorites, who have been accused by the anti-graft agency for misappropriating funds while in office.

Mr. Olukoyode led this out on Friday in Abuja when officials of Centre for Crisis Communication, led by Chris Olukolade, director of its board of trustees, visited him.

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The EFCC chair noted that underdevelopment would be a thing of the past if every citizen sees corruption as a common enemy.

He said: One of the major problems in Nigeria which when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and financial crimes.

A society that is ready to move forward is a responsibility not only of the government, but of the citizens.

READ MORE: EFCC Commences Investigation As Officer Found Dead In Lagos

This is what has actually led some of us to be very committed to this cause. We are ready to go the whole hog to do what we need to do within the confines and provisions of the law and the power that the Constitution has conferred on us.

If everybody makes up his or her mind to do the right thing, well move forward in this country.

It is so unfortunate that the same people who approbate also reprobate at the same time.

Everybody is crying that Nigerians are corrupt, that the system is corrupt; that corruption is killing us and destroying our system, but when we investigate high profile cases and arraign people in court, the same people will carry placards and be supporting corrupt leaders.

It doesnt show that we are serious about this fight, the fight is supposed to be a collaborative effort.
The Niger State Police Command has rescued a six-month-old baby who was abducted by her cousin and taken to the Federal Capital Territory with the intent to sell her.

The incident occurred last Saturday in the Kwamba region of Suleja.

The babys mother had requested her cousin, Joy Nuwa, to care for the child while she stepped out for an errand.

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READ MORE: NSCDC Arrests Four For Crude Oil Theft, Pipeline Vandalism In Abia

Instead, Nuwa, along with a few neighbours, took the baby to Kubwa, Abuja, planning to sell her.

However, their plan was thwarted when the baby was reported missing to the police.

Following an investigation, the police located the baby and returned her to her mother.

Wasiu Abiodun, spokesman for the Police Command, confirmed this in a statement released on Friday.

Abiodun stated that all the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.

On 25th January 2025, at about 9am, police operatives attached to Maje Division arrested four suspects: Joy Nuwa, 20, from Nasarawa; Favour James, 25, from Kwamba; Ezekiel Emmanuel, 30, from Kwamba; and Patience Obana, 23, from Kubwa, Abuja.

On 24th January 2025, at about 10pm, a report of the missing baby was made at Maje Division. The mother, who lives in Kwamba, Suleja, left her six-month-old baby with her cousin, Joy Nuwa, and went out. When she returned, she found both Joy and the baby missing. She immediately tried to reach Joy, who claimed she had left the baby at home and locked the door.

During the investigation, officers found no sign of a break-in. This led to the questioning of neighbours, Emmanuel Ezekiel and Favour James, who was later arrested. Emmanuel confessed that they had planned the abduction with Joy and taken the baby to Patience Obana in Kubwa, FCT, to arrange the sale.

With Emmanuels help, Joy, Favour, and Patience were later arrested, and the baby was rescued unharmed. All suspects have been transferred to SCID Minna for further investigation and prosecution, Abiodun stated.
Operatives of Gombe State Police Command have arrested two persons, suspected to be animal thieves along Tulmi village in the state.

It was gathered that no fewer than 85 stolen animals, including 28 sheep and 57 goats, were recovered from the suspects by local security agents.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the two suspects, identified as Abdulkadir Tukur and Ibrahim Saidu, confessed to the crime during the investigation.

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Disclosing this on Friday evening, the Commands Spokesman, Buhari Abdullahi, in a statement, said that the suspects were intercepted by local hunters along the Tulmi village cattle route.

Abdullahi said: We received information from the village head of Tulmi that the suspects were in possession of the stolen animals.

READ MORE: One Dead, Houses Burnt As Gunmen Raid Gombe Community

Upon questioning, the suspects couldnt provide a satisfactory account of the animals, leading us to suspect that they were stolen.

We are making efforts to arrest the remaining suspects for possible prosecution. The recovered animals will be returned to their rightful owners.

The commands Spokesman added that some owners have already identified and claimed 25 goats as their own.


Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has reaffirmed his commitment to authenticity in politics.

In a response to an X user, @irahabib on Saturday, El-Rufai stated, Thanks for your kind words, @irahabib. Truly, I dont know how to pretend. Being a Nollywood actor in governance is for some others, not some of us.

El-Rufais comments came after @irahabib praised his honesty, saying, The day I read El-Rufais book titled Accidental Public Servant, I concluded that no politician would want @elrufai in their cabinet unless they genuinely intend to develop this country. He doesnt know how to pretend.

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READ ALSO: I Have No Plans To Leave The APC  El-Rufai Reaffirms Commitment To APC

The former Governor has been vocal about his criticisms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

El-Rufai had equally expressed concerns about the lack of internal democracy within the APC, stating that no party organ has met in the last two years.

He has also declared that he no longer recognizes the APC due to its undemocratic practices.


The Nigerian military has hailed the Court of Appeals decision to uphold the designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.

This ruling, according to the military, is seen as a significant morale booster for troops, encouraging them to intensify efforts to dismantle the group and its affiliates.

Major-General Edward Buba, outgoing Director of Defence Media Operations, in a chat with Weekend Trust said, The armed forces applaud the recent Appeal Court ruling affirming IPOBs designation as a terrorist group.

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The judgment is a welcome development that further motivates troops to accelerate actions aimed at dismantling the IPOB terror group and their Eastern Security Network (ESN) affiliates.

The Court of Appeals decision on Thursday reaffirms the Federal Governments 2017 proscription of IPOB, which was formalized by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

READ ALSO: Defamation: Nnamdi Kanu Files N20bn Suit Against Adejobi For Calling IPOB Proscribed Terrorist Organisation

Despite IPOBs legal challenges, the latest ruling upholds the groups terrorist designation.

IPOB, a separatist group, advocates for an independent state of Biafra, seeking to carve out from Nigerias South-East and parts of the South-South region.

The groups leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has been a key figure in the push for Biafran independence.

The militarys stance on IPOB is clear, with the groups designation as a terrorist organization seen as a crucial step in maintaining national security.

As the military intensifies its efforts to dismantle IPOB, the groups fate remains uncertain.
Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has vehemently rejected the Court of Appeals ruling affirming the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organization.

Kanu emphasized that the ruling will live in infamy and shall be vigorously resisted within the parameters of the lawboth municipal and international.

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Kanus rejection of the ruling comes after the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal upheld an order by Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja, proscribing IPOB and designating it a terrorist organization on Thursday.

The IPOB leader, on Friday, via a statement issued by his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, argued that the proscription order was obtained through an ex parte application by the Federal Government, rather than through a hearing on notice by a judge-in-chambers, as prescribed by law.

READ ALSO: Appeal Court Affirms IPOB As Terrorist Group

Kanus legal team, highlighted several irregularities in the proscription proceedings, including the failure to provide IPOB with fair hearing and the issuance of the proscription directive by the late Abba Kyari instead of former President Buhari.

Despite acknowledging these irregularities, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal on the grounds that national security overrides constitutional provisions.

Kanu warned against labeling him or IPOB as terrorists based on the Appeal Court ruling, stating that it is legally safer and wiser for everyone to resist the dangerous temptation of calling Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a terrorist until he is either convicted as one or until the Supreme Court finally decides the matter against him.

The IPOB leader concluded by emphasizing that the ruling shall not stand, and that his legal team will be heading to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.


The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to either identify opposition leaders allegedly receiving N50 million from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Atiku alleged that the APC is bribing opposition leaders with N50 million to destabilize opposition parties.

Yusuf Dantalle, IPACs National Chairman, emphasized that Atikus allegations have created mutual suspicion among opposition parties.

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Dantalle stressed that if Atiku has evidence, he should name the opposition leaders involved; otherwise, he should retract his statement and apologize.

READ ALSO: Were At Crossroads  Atiku Warns Of Nigeria Loosing Democratic Future

So what I think Atiku Abubakar should do, with all due respect, is to either apologize publicly to opposition leaders in totality, the same way he made this allegation, or he identify and mention opposition leaders who are involved in this rubbish, he said.

He expressed his concerns on Channels Televisions Politics Today on Friday, stating, You have to be careful what you say so that you dont unnecessarily hit up the polity.

He also noted that his party, the Allied Peoples Movement, and other opposition parties he has spoken to, are not aware of any leaders receiving money from the APC.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has also demanded evidence from Atiku to support his claims.
US President Donald Trump is going to impose duties on goods from the European Union. He justified his intention by arguing that Europe has been "treating the United States terribly."

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Trump made the statement on Friday, January 31, while talking to journalists, according to Suspilne. According to the head of state, such a step will help the United States remedy the situation with the trade deficit with the EU.

Trump made the statement about his intentions to impose duties on EU goods while answering questions from the media.

"Will I impose tariffs on the EU? Do you want an honest answer or a political answer? Absolutely. The EU has treated us terribly. They don't take our cars. They don't take our agricultural products. In fact, they don't take almost anything. We have a huge deficit with the EU. So we're going to do something very significant with the EU," the US president said.

According to Trump, this step will allow the United States to remedy the situation with the trade deficit.

Earlier, the new US president announced the introduction of a 25% duty on imports from Mexico and Canada starting February 1. He cited the flow of migrants and the drug fentanyl as the reasons for his decision. At the same time, Trump noted that 25% is the minimum duty and it may increase.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, on the other hand, said that Canada is ready for any scenario of a trade war with the United States. And if the United States imposes duties on its goods, it will give a mirror response to American imports.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Kano State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has apphrended 18 suspected drug dealers across the state.

It was gathered that the anti-drug agency, following some major raids in some parts of the state also recovered different quantities of illicit substances.

Speaking in a statement on Friday, Spokesman for the command, Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, disclosed that the arrest was made on Thursday, during the agencys operations against drug-related crimes in the state.

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He added that the command successfully recovered significant quantities of illicit substances, including cannabis sativa and rubber solution.

The statement reads: On January 30, the agency dislodged several notorious drug hotspots located in Fagge area, Kwarin Kaya, Kofar Wambai, and Kofar Mata.

READ MORE: NDLEA Intercepts Illicit Drugs Hidden In Duvet At Lagos Airport

The raid at Kwarin Kaya was particularly intense as some suspects attempted to intimidate the officers from a distance.

Despite the intimidation, the NDLEA remained resolute in its mission, ensuring the operation proceeded without any incident.

We will continue to dismantle drug syndicates and ensure that those involved in drug trafficking and abuse face the full wrath of the law.

The NDLEA is dedicated to securing our communities and making Kano a drug-free state.

Sadiq assured that all arrested suspects would be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted according to the law.


The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a prominent Igbo socio-cultural organization, has vehemently denounced the inflammatory remarks made by former Rivers State Governor and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, against President Bola Tinubu.

Amaechis comments, which advocated for the use of brutal force to seize power from Tinubu in 2027, was deemed alarming and divisive.

In a statement on Saturday released by Deputy President General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo disavowed Amaechis rhetoric, emphasizing its threat to democracy, peace, and civility.

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Isiguzoro stressed that the Igbo people would never support any political conspiracy aimed at undermining the legitimacy of an elected President.

READ ALSO: Dont Manipulate Youths, Nigeria Not A Jungle  Matawalle Condemns Amaechis Inciting Remarks

Isiguzoro stated, Amaechis outrageous call for Nigerians to resort to brutal force in an attempt to snatch power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by 2027 starkly contravenes the principles of civility, democracy, and peace that we hold dear.

He further condemned Amaechis assertion that politicians must be willing to steal, maim, and kill to retain power, labeling it a dire threat to society.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo has also backed the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, in his call for Amaechi to retract his divisive statements and cease inciting the populace.

The organization reiterated its commitment to fostering peace, stability, and fruitful governance in Nigeria, emphasizing its allegiance to President Tinubu.
A yet to be identified officer of the Nigerian Army has been killed by a reckless driver in the Yaba area of Lagos State.

INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that the driver, rammed into troops of 81 Division Nigerian Army Headquarters during their Bi-Annual Route March on Friday, leaving others injured.

Speaking over the the unfortunate incident, Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, in a statement said that the exercise had earlier been announced on various media platforms to create public awareness.

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READ MORE: Nigeria Army Kills 79 Terrorists, Rescues 67 Hostages In One Week  DHQ

He added that the deceased has been deposited in the mortuary while other injured officers are currently receiving medical care at 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba, Lagos State.

The statement reads: Tragically, a driver in a private vehicle recklessly ran into the participating troops resulting in the death of a soldier with others sustaining various degrees of injuries.

The deceased has been deposited in the mortuary while the injured are currently receiving medical care at 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba, Lagos.

The 81 Division Military Police in conjunction with other relevant security agencies are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to this incident.

The General Officer Commanding 81 Division NA, Major General Farouk Mijinyawa, wishes to express his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased soldier while praying for the speedy recovery of the wounded.

He has also called for calm among the public as investigation into the sad occurrence has commenced.

The Division remains steadfast in its commitment to training and readiness to discharge its duties despite this devastating event.

Furthermore, this tragic loss will not deter the Divisions dedication to safeguarding the lives and properties within its Area of Operations in accordance with the NAs constitutional mandate.
A joint security task force has arrested 31 suspected vandals in various parts of Abuja.

The operation involved the FCT Police Command, the Military, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

The suspects were caught with stolen public infrastructure valued at over one billion naira.

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While parading the suspects on Friday, FCT Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, stated that some of them had stolen critical public infrastructure, leading to severe disruptions in several parts of the capital.

Disu further revealed that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company had confirmed that many of the recovered cables and electrical components were stolen from various electricity stations across the FCT.

He said that inhabitants of Dawaki, Mpape, Nyanya, Karu, and the neighbouring areas have experienced protracted blackouts as a result.

READ MORE: Attempted Vandalism Turns Fatal As Suspect Gets Electrocuted In Abuja

Disu said, Upon recovery, AEDC officials were invited to identify some of the items. They confirmed that the recovered cables and electrical components had been vandalised from multiple electricity stations across the FCT.

As a direct consequence of these acts of vandalism, several areas, including Dawaki, Mpape, Nyanya, Karu, and surrounding communities, have been plunged into total blackout. The estimated value of all the recovered items exceeds 1,000,000,000.

Among the recovered items were 115 stolen manhole and drainage covers, five motorcycles, dismantled transformer components, industrial scaffoldings, bundles of armoured and insulated cables, government-installed barbed wire, copper wires, 29 industrial and solar batteries, and several other materials.

Disu revealed that security forces carried out targeted raids on scavengers settlements and illegal scrap yards, commonly called Pantakers, where stolen public assets were reportedly dismantled and sold.

On 24 January, raids on Zuba (Abuja) and Diko (Niger State) led to the recovery of vehicle documents with unverifiable ownership, fake Mercedes-Benz chassis numbers, industrial solar batteries, solar panels, and large sacks of stolen armoured cables.

On 26 January, further raids in Diko yielded similar stolen infrastructure materials.

On 28 January, illegal structures along the road corridor in Dape Village were demolished to reclaim public infrastructure.

On 29 January, a raid on Dei-Dei B Pantaker led to the recovery of stolen government-installed barbed wire, Disu said.

He stated that 16 of the suspects had already been arraigned for criminal conspiracy and vandalism of public infrastructure.

The suspects include Abubakar Adamu, Emmanuel Eze, Emeka Eziekel, Ahmad Suleiman, Dennis Chiagozie, Ismail Usman, Victor Ezeokoye, Izundu Fidelis, Alex Eddy, Jonathan Obi, Simon Samuel, Mubarak Lawal, Okafor Ekene, Usman Lawal, Shuaibu Yahaya, and James Edu.

Disu noted that the operation is part of a broader initiative to combat vandalism and safeguard critical infrastructure in Abuja and its surroundings.

He cautioned criminal elements that security forces will persist in ramping up efforts to eliminate those responsible for sabotaging public utilities.

This comprehensive operation represents a decisive move towards eliminating vandalism and safeguarding critical infrastructure within the FCT and neighbouring states, he said.
Some yet to be identified assailants, suspected to be terrorist group have raided Lighitlubang village, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, leaving five residents dead.

It was gathered that the horrible incident happened on the 31st of January, 2024.

An eyewitness who spoke with PUNCH on Saturday, said that the attackers stormed the village while residents were sleeping and slaughtered the victims.

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READ MORE: Police Dismantle Child-Trafficking Syndicate In Plateau, Rescue Five Toddlers

He said: It happened yesterday at about midnight of 31/01/2025. Some suspected terrorists entered Lighitlubang village in Bungha District of Mangu Local Government and killed a family of five people, a man, his wife and a child with another man and wife all slaughtered.

Speaking over the incident, the incident Spokesman for Plateau State Police Command, Alabo Alfred, who confirmed the killings, said that security agents had been deployed to the affected community to maintain peace and order while the investigation had begun.

He said: I will get details from the DPO if they return from the bush because they have gone to the village.
Last month, Jenny Walton  the Milan-based artist, fashion illustrator, content writer, and vintage fashion collector with several hundred thousand social media followers  visited the Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) where her work is a part of Soft/Cover, a group show curated by DJ Hellerman, former chief curator and director of curatorial affairs at FWM, and Katy Donoghue, editor in chief at Whitewall magazine. It will remain on view until Aug. 17.

The exhibit presents a nearly 50-year history of the Fabric Workshop as a makers space that encouraged experimentation with fabric as art material.

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Katy and I set out to answer the question, What happens when artists bring imaginative thinking to fashion, garments, and objects that relate to the body in space?, Hellerman said. They selected items, some rarely seen, from the Fabric Workshops archives to focus on the relationship of textiles to fashion and architecture.

The shows installation may seem like a funky department store, remarked Kelly Shindler, the executive director of FWM. There are no mannequins, so wearables along with other pieces like umbrellas are presented as art objects.

The curators invited Walton and seven additional contemporary artists to create new pieces for this exhibit.

Soft/Cover is Waltons first museum exhibition. It is a homecoming of sorts for the 34-year-old, the youngest in an international roster of artists, including Philadelphians Armando Veve, Tristin Lowe, Aimee Koran, Isaiah Zagar, and Will Stokes Jr., who recently died.

Walton, who grew up in South Jersey and cut her design teeth in New York City after graduating from Parsons School of Design in 2012, recently moved to Milan, a city that inspires her with its mid-century architecture, elegant entryways, and well-dressed elderly residents. She admires the sciura, an older Milanese woman who dresses very chicly; everything is color-paletted in a perfect way that matches down to her dog and her hair.

Like a sciura, Walton also has a wirehaired dachshund, a breed she calls accountant dogs  looking [like] old men with bushy eyebrows and mustaches who will do your taxes.

In late 2023, Bergdorf Goodman, the New York luxury clothing store, commissioned Walton to paint a group of shopping bags. One such is on display with a trompe-loeil painted blue French lace bra as if it were falling out from the top while nonchalantly carried by its buyer. On the reverse, the artist hand-painted the words: She bought something sexy and she doesnt care if you like it.

The exhibits other work from Walton is a sleeveless dress from the late 1950s/early 1960s found in a wardrobe filled with vintage French apparel at a villa near Bordeaux that the artists friend had purchased. I like the idea of using this mysterious housewifes pink dress as the base, the artist said. With fabric paint and stencils, she hand-lettered the following words on the dress: I cant believe it I forgot to have children on it.

The statement came from a Roy Lichtenstein-inspired vintage 1980 screen-printed T-shirt by Screen Stars that Walton, who considers the body as a billboard, wears often. The letters forming children are strategically positioned as if they are falling out the uterus. The dress, which the artist had worn in New York, aptly hangs in the show in conversation with an authentic limited-edition Lichtenstein silk shirt (1979).

Interestingly, her pieces are displayed near a group of four costumes (2018) by Suzanne Bocanegra that was created for an installation film that reenacted Judy Garlands wardrobe screen tests. As a child in Gloucester County, Walton said she loved watching classic films with women who seemed so ethereal  creating personalities through what they wore.

As part of the 90 or so works on view, there are sculptural ensembles by Ken Dawson Little that indicate what is collaboratively possible when working with the Fabric Workshops team of in-house studio artists and technicians. Rose and Bud (1987) brings together a black tuxedo covered in buttons and a white dress embellished with buttonholes. Hellerman referred to this as an implied performance of intimacy. A year later, the artist designed Bread Couple, Buck and Doe, a mans suit and a ladys dress constructed entirely with 450 real U.S. one-dollar bills using currency as cloth.

Walton vividly remembers childhood vintage shopping trips with her mother, an exhibiting quilter and former German teacher, who loved the thrill of the hunt. She and her sisters were taken to Cowtown Flea Market, the Old Mill Antique Mall in Mullica Hill, estate sales, and even Goodwill. These outings nurtured her core aesthetic sensibility.

Donoghue, cocurator of the show, appreciates the artists unique eye for vintage  and knowledge of fashion and textiles, which is totally in the spirit of what we imagined for this exhibition.

Waltons contributions speak to female empowerment. She expressed empathetic concern for women [who] feel like they dont have the autonomy to make decisions with their own bodies or how they may want to cover their bodies. These thoughts have been percolating, especially since she has been posting on social media for a decade and is regularly judged by readers.

As a woman in art and especially as a woman in fashion, people dont take you seriously.  Its up to you to decide whats appropriate, Walton said. Clothing has always been artistic to me, a form of self-expression.
The success of DeepSeeks new AI model points to how China might eventually achieve an even bigger technological breakthrough in the face of U.S. export curbs: Producing its own cutting-edge chips.

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As tech leaders and politicians marvel at DeepSeeks apparent ability to build an innovative AI model without spending nearly as much as rivals in the United States, a development that roiled markets on Monday, the question now is how exactly the Hangzhou-founded company pulled it off  and what it means for American efforts to stay ahead of China in the tech race.

While much remains unclear, such as the exact chips DeepSeek used and whether it has enough on hand to further develop its AI models, its success highlights some of Chinas key advantages. The country has a deep pool of highly skilled software engineers, a vast domestic market, and government support in the form of subsidies as well as funding for research institutes. It also has a pressing necessity to find a way to do more with fewer resources.

China has an obvious advantage in IT talent, both in terms of the sheer number and labor cost, said Liu Xu, a research fellow at the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University, which is helping to spearhead Chinas AI push. The biggest resource for China is the countrys vast demand  as one of the worlds most populous nations and as a gigantic manufacturing hub.

In many ways, DeepSeek is an example of China at its best. From Tencent Holdingss WeChat to ByteDances TikTok, Chinese developers have crafted world-leading apps for consumers, pioneering new modes of communication and ecommerce along the way. DeepSeeks R1 model is now set to challenge similar products from OpenAI, Alphabets Google, and Meta Platforms.

China, however, is still playing catch-up in the hardware space  the main focus of U.S. export controls in recent years. The U.S. has banned China from buying the most advanced AI chips from Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. It has also blocked President Xi Jinpings government from obtaining ASML Holding NVs extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines, which are essential to producing high-end chips.

President Xi has poured billions of dollars into making a breakthrough in advanced semiconductors, part of his wider Made in China 2025 push to make the nation a leader in emerging technologies. Research by Bloomberg Economics and Bloomberg Intelligence shows that the broader effort has largely been a success, pushing Chinas manufacturing prowess to historic heights as the nation becomes dominant in producing goods like electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels.

Although Chinese companies such as Huawei Technologies have made progress in producing AI chips, as of now those parts are less powerful than the ones produced by Nvidia. And the lack of access to high-end chips, particularly after the Biden administration tightened trade controls, still poses a major hurdle to Chinas development.

In 2023, Huawei introduced a smartphone with a 7-nanometer chip  something the U.S. thought was unfeasible for Chinese firms to manufacture with less-advanced chipmaking technology. Yet while that phone was hailed as a breakthrough  and spurred patriotic memes on social media as its release coincided with then-Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondos visit to the country  since then the firm has struggled to make advancements toward 5nm chips, while rivals like Apple and Samsung Electronics have moved on to 3nm.

It remains uncertain if DeepSeek, which released its new model just as Donald Trump was inaugurated, will be able to continue accessing the high-end chips that led to its current product. Liang Wenfeng, the companys 40-year-old founder, has cited U.S. export controls as a hindrance to the companys future growth.

On Monday, President Trump said DeepSeeks R1 release should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win. He also lauded the model as a positive development that could allow for less expensive AI advancements across the board.

While DeepSeeks advance is positive for Chinas economic transition away from property toward high-tech growth drivers, it may also spur American lawmakers to redouble efforts to stop the nation from getting the most advanced technology. The same data security concerns that led legislators to take action against TikTok may also lead to similar action against DeepSeek.

Michelle Giuda, chief executive officer at the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, told Bloomberg TV that it was essential for the U.S. to maintain a really strong defense with tighter export controls. At the same time, she added, the U.S. needs to catch up with China in producing talented engineers if its going to stay ahead in the tech race.

Its a game changer in the sense that all we should do is double down American efforts to move faster, smarter, and maybe more cheaply on how we innovate in artificial intelligence, she said, adding that China graduated more than twice as many engineers as the U.S. in 2020. Unless we have the engineers to build and design the data centers, to design more advanced AI, we are not gonna be able to be the world capital of AI.

For now, it looks like China remains several generations behind in chipmaking equipment. Beijing recently advised state-linked organizations to use a new homemade lithography machine with a resolution of 65nm or better  far from the 8nm resolution of ASMLs best machines. Still, China recently publicized a patent application from Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment Group Co., known as SMEE, for an EUV lithography machine  which, if it came to market, would be the only one in the world to compete with those produced by ASML.

After DeepSeeks revelation, China has shown it has the potential to continue surprising the world with even bigger breakthroughs.

Bunch of talented 22-year-olds without access to the worlds best chips, without access to Nvidia chips, seem to have created something thats even better than even the best companies in the Western world have done, Tony Haymet, the Australian governments incoming chief scientist, told reporters on Tuesday in Canberra.

It shows you how disruptive technology can be, he added. And how quickly things can happen.
The Whole Foods store in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia in 2020. Workers at the store have voted to unionize. Read more

Whole Foods workers at the Philadelphia flagship store in the citys Art Museum area voted to unionize on Monday. They are the first store in the Amazon-owned grocery chain to do so.

Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Pennsylvania State University, talked to Kate Kilpatrick, The Conversation U.S. Philadelphia editor, about why this is happening  and why in Philly.

The Whole Foods workers in Philadelphia voted 130-100 in favor of unionizing. What do we know about their grievances?

From what I understand, these workers have felt that compensation, benefits, and work conditions were not what they should be. Some are long-standing employees and say they struggle to afford their basic necessities.

Why did the union drive effort succeed now, and in Philly?

In the last five years, there has been a surge in union organizing. There are a number of reasons for this. First is the labor market. Low unemployment emboldens workers to take the risk of organizing a union. If workers feel their employer cant replace them or that they can easily get a similar job, they are less fearful of angering the employer by trying to organize.

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The second reason is that the Biden administration was a labor-friendly administration  perhaps the most in history. The U.S. president appoints a majority of members to the National Labor Relations Board, which interprets and enforces the labor law that governs organizing. Under President Joe Biden, the NLRB regularly issued decisions that provided greater protection to workers and held employers accountable when they violated workers rights. During Republican administrations, the boards decisions are generally pro-business and provide less protection to workers. So workers had the wind at their back in that regard.

Also recent polling shows that 70% of Americans approve of unions, compared with less than half of Americans just 15 years ago. The generally favorable view of unions creates a more supportive environment for organizing.

And the last factor is that Generation Z, the youngest group of workers, clearly wants more out of their work and employment than previous generations. So we see a lot of young workers across the country organizing at Starbucks, Trader Joes, Apple, and now at Whole Foods and other stores.

Why Philadelphia? Philadelphia is a relatively strong union town. The percentage of the workforce that is represented by a union is higher in Philadelphia than in most cities and areas of the country. So when workers express interest in organizing in Philadelphia they get a lot of support. Other unions might turn out members for their rallies, pressure the company to not oppose the organizing drive, and offer other aid and assistance.

The starting wage at the Philadelphia Whole Foods store is $16 an hour. Is that considered low when the citys minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour?

The minimum wage in Philadelphia is $7.25 because that is the federal minimum wage. States can institute a higher minimum wage if they choose to, but Pennsylvania is one of the few Northeast states that hasnt adopted a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. The minimum wages in New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts, for example, are $15 or above.

But the minimum wage in Pennsylvania is almost irrelevant because of todays labor market. Unemployment is low, and many employers have to offer significantly more than the minimum wage to get workers.

And the minimum wage is supposed to be a starting wage for workers with little experience or seniority. What workers want is a living wage. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single person in Philadelphia needs to earn around $24 per hour to cover the basic costs of living. And Whole Foods is a profitable business. Its part of Amazon, one of the most profitable, largest companies in the world. I think workers at these companies believe that they play an important role in generating those profits because of the work they do. And they think they should get a fair share of those profits.

How might the Whole Foods workers expect the company to fight back?

When employees win an organizing election as the Whole Food workers have, they have won a battle but not the war. The purpose of forming a union is to improve wages and benefits and working conditions, and you do that by negotiating a contract with the company. That is the next step in the process. But the law only requires employers to bargain with employees  to meet at reasonable times and exchange proposals. It doesnt compel them to agree to anything.

The typical strategy of companies that aggressively oppose their workers having a union is to drag their feet in bargaining and not sign a contract. That is technically illegal, but labor law in the U.S. is relatively weak, and with good legal advice you can drag out bargaining for a very long time.

Weve seen this with the Starbucks campaign. The first Starbucks store unionized in 2021. Over 540 stores have organized since then. And Starbucks workers at those stores still do not have a contract.

Could the new Trump administration have any impact on how this plays out in Philly?

The fact that the Trump administration has taken over gives companies more confidence that the standard delay strategy will work.

President Donald Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo, the general counsel of the NLRB, late Monday. The general counsel is the official at the board who basically enforces the National Labor Relations Act. Abruzzo was very aggressive in holding employers accountable if they violated the act and in protecting the rights of workers who tried to organize.

Trumps approach to labor law in his first four years in office was at the other extreme. He appointed as general counsel Peter Robb, who was seen as far less aggressive in protecting workers rights, and his interpretations of the law were much more pro-business.

Under the Biden administration, if a company was coming to the bargaining table month after month and not agreeing to anything, the NLRB would eventually step in and cite the employer for not bargaining in good faith. The NLRB could find the employer guilty of unfair labor practices and genuinely put pressure on it to bargain a contract.

Based on the boards actions during the first Trump administration, the board in the next few years will be more likely to allow companies to delay and delay in reaching a contract.

What leverage do the Whole Foods employees have?

They can go on strike. But Amazon has the resources to put up with a strike at one Whole Foods store forever.

Other Whole Foods stores may be considering union drives. The more stores that organize, the more momentum the Philadelphia store will have. But for now, these workers in Philly are going to have their work cut out for them.

That said, they wont be alone. The Whole Foods workers organized with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 1776, which is basically a statewide union thats been around for decades. It has a lot of resources and experienced and knowledgeable leaders, plus the resources of the national UFCW. So its going to lean into this fight, and these workers will also have a lot of support from the rest of the labor community in Philadelphia.

Earlier this month, three Congressional representatives from Pennsylvania wrote a letter to Jason Buechel, the Whole Foods CEO, and to Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, that expressed their concerns about efforts to suppress the union drive. Is that support typical?

Its not unusual. But there is no legal basis for elected officials to intervene in a labor-management dispute. Id put that under the heading of community support.

You have a lot of progressive elected officials in Philadelphia who are supportive of unions, and thats true in Pennsylvania right up to the governor.

Paul F. Clark is professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State. This article is republished from The Conversation. Read the original article at theconversation.com/us.
Richard and Rita Zajko were shot to death inside their home in Chester Heights in December 2022. Read more

Law enforcement officials are seeking to question a former Delaware County woman about two murders 500 miles apart: her parents execution-style slaying two years ago and the fatal shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont last week, according to law enforcement sources and court documents.

Michelle Zajko, authorities said, has been identified as a person of interest in the investigation of the shooting deaths of her parents, Rita and Richard, in their Chester Heights home in December 2022. And federal investigators say they want to talk to her about two guns they say she purchased that were used in the shootout that killed the Border Patrol agent.

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Zajko, 32, has not been charged with a crime, and efforts to reach her were unsuccessful.

Authorities say Zajko, who now lives in Vermont, is a member of the Zizians, a cultlike group of vegan, tech-centric activists whose members have been linked to violent crimes.

The two people involved in the Border Patrol agents death in Vermont belonged to the group, according to federal prosecutors. And the groups leader, Jack LaSota, traveled with Zajko to Delaware County days after her parents were killed and was charged with obstruction of justice after he refused to answer questions from detectives investigating the crime.

State Police found the Zajkos dead in an upstairs bedroom of their home on Highland Drive on Jan. 2, 2023 during a wellness check  a friend had not seen them for days, and the couple had missed two appointments to care for Rita Zajkos elderly mother, according to court filings.

Rita Zajko, 68, was shot in the back of the head. Richard Zajko, 71, was shot in the temple with a bullet that first passed through his right hand.

Two 9mm shell casings were found at the scene, but no gun was recovered, authorities said.

Ring doorbell camera footage obtained from a neighbor showed that the last activity at the couples home was on Dec. 31, 2022, when a car pulled up to the residence, police documents show. Mom, someone yelled about a minute later, followed by Oh my God, investigators wrote in an application for a search warrant.

Nine minutes later, the document said, two people were seen leaving the home. Officials have not described or publicly identified the two, but law enforcement sources say they believe Michelle Zajko, the couples only child, was at the Chester Heights residence that day.

In an interview with state police at her home in Orleans, Vt. days after the murder, Zajko said she had not visited Pennsylvania since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and had not spoken with her parents for at least 10 months, according to police documents. But investigators later learned that they had recently been in communication by text.

While visiting Zajkos house, troopers found a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm handgun that authorities said she had purchased months before her parents deaths. She had also purchased ammunition of the same type as the shell casings found in her parents bedroom, according to court documents.

Two weeks later, as Zajko was in Delaware County to make funeral arrangements for her parents, state police detectives searched her car and the hotel room where she was staying at the Candlewood Suites in Chester. As Zajko was being questioned, authorities said, she asked detectives to tell her friends in another room nearby that she was being detained.

Inside that room, detectives said they found the Smith & Wesson handgun they had first seen at her home in Vermont and seized it as evidence. They also found LaSota, the Zizians group leader, hiding in the bathroom, police documents show. He refused to answer the detectives questions and had to be carried from the room as he was charged with obstruction of justice, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.

LaSota was taken to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, and later released on $10,000 unsecured bail. At a court hearing in December 2023, his attorney, Daniel McGarrigle, told Delaware County Court Judge Richard Cappelli that he couldnt locate LaSota, and that the mans family didnt know where he was either.

Cappelli issued a bench warrant for LaSota for failing to appear at the hearing, and authorities say he has not returned to Delaware County.

In a statement, McGarrigle said LaSota is not only entitled to this presumption of innocence, but is, in fact, wholly and unequivocally innocent of the charges filed in this case.

While authorities continued to investigate the slaying of Zajkos parents in Delaware County, two people prosecutors say are connected to the Zizians got into a shootout with U.S. Border Patrol agents in Vermont.

Felix Bauckholt and Teresa Youngblut were driving through a town near the Canadian border on Jan. 20 when a routine vehicle registration check revealed that Bauckholt, a German national, had an expired visa, and Border Patrol agents stopped them.

As agents approached, Youngblut, the driver, pulled out a handgun and fired at them, authorities said. Agents returned fire, and Bauckholt, who investigators say was also armed with a handgun, was killed in the crossfire.

Border Patrol Agent David Maland, 44, was wounded and died not long afterward at a nearby hospital. It was not clear which of the two suspects fired the shot that killed him.

Youngblut was taken into custody and charged with assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon. Her attorney, Steven Barth, declined to comment.

The weapons she and Bauckholt used in the shootout  an M&P .380 caliber pistol and a Glock .40 caliber pistol  had been purchased by Zajko, a fellow Zizian member, law enforcement sources said.

Federal prosecutors described Bauckholt and Youngblut as known associates of LaSota, whom police are also seeking to question about a murder on the West Coast days before Maland was killed.

Another of LaSotas alleged associates has been charged with murder in Vallejo, Calif., near San Francisco, for stabbing a man to death in retaliation for his cooperation with police investigating an earlier assault.

Curtis Lind, 82, owned land that he allowed LaSotas Zizian group to live on in box trucks. In November 2022, he sought to evict them, and members of the group attacked him with a samurai sword, authorities said, stabbing him in the chest and slashing his right eye.

Lind, in turn, shot and killed one of his assailants, police said. He was scheduled to testify against the surviving attackers when authorities say he was killed by another member of the group on Jan. 17.

Federal prosecutors say LaSota is now a person of interest in Linds murder. And detectives in Delaware County are still seeking to question him in the Zajko murder case.

Michelle Zajko, meanwhile, remains a person of interest in her parents murders, and law enforcement officials are seeking to question her about the weapons used in the Vermont shootout, unrelated killings hundreds of miles apart.
The University of Pennsylvania last academic year found itself at ground zero for the controversy over the handling of antisemitism on college campuses, even seeing the resignation of its president.

Now, the Ivy League university is making itself ground zero for conversation on the challenges threatening higher education  from politics to overreaching board members to cost and concerns about the worth of a degree.

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In the first of three forums established by Penns faculty senate, higher education leaders talked in bold and chilling terms about the impact of the new presidential administration, academias own failures, and what to do about both.

 READ MORE: As a Rutgers center cancels conference, colleges ponder impact of other Trump orders involving immigration, research funding

We are on the front lines of a war against civil society by the new administration, Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University in Connecticut, said during the 90-minute event Thursday on Penns campus. These are rich guys trying to have their way. You know something about that at Penn. You have billionaires who are used to throwing their weight around, and theyve done it here. And now they are doing it throughout the whole country.

A witch hunt

His comments came the same week that President Donald Trump issued executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, funding for university research, international students who engage in pro-Palestinian protests, and undocumented students.

Irene Mulvey, immediate past president of the American Association of University Professors, warned about increasing government intrusion into the classroom and censorship, noting the witch hunt that occurred in 2023 when several college presidents, including then-Penn president Liz Magill, were called to testify before a congressional committee about the handling of antisemitism on campus. Magill resigned days later after an uproar over her testimony and a campaign of criticism led by private equity giant and leading Wharton donor Marc Rowan.

 READ MORE: Philly-area colleges brace for impact as Trump threatens to deport international students who are pro-Hamas or participated in protests

Although the intrusions are not new, these attacks are at a new level, and they are ideological, said Mulvey, a mathematician. Before, it was often individual professors singled out. Now, its entire fields of study singled out based on ideology preferred by the party in power. This is un-American.

Roth, Mulvey, and John Sexton, president emeritus of New York University  a private research university  and the third panelist, said educators must form relationships and coalitions, and faculty and administrations must work together despite differences and fight for academic freedom and open expression.

 READ MORE: Scholars at risk in their own countries find a new home at Penn

Its trans people and immigrants today, and thats horrible, said Roth, a history scholar who has led Wesleyan, a private liberal arts college, since 2007. But theyll need someone else. Physicists wont be first.  The people studying gender and feminist studies will go first. But they will go after them, us, if we dont defend ourselves.

And that also means standing up to board members who want to overreach, panelists said.

Sexton, a legal scholar who led NYU from 2002 to 2015, said that early in his tenure, a donor threatened to withdraw a $500 million donation if he allowed former President Bill Clinton on campus.

I said, Im very sorry, well manage without the $500 million, Sexton said. If youre not willing to do that  its over.

 READ MORE: Penns donor backlash raises questions about how much influence philanthropists should have

Mulvey called the Trump administrations attack on DEI heartbreaking.

DEI efforts are an attempt to enact racial justice, she said. The efforts to get rid of DEI efforts are attempts to revive the prejudices of the past and erase any progress weve made toward becoming a multiracial democracy.

She said colleges must continue the work, whether it says DEI on the door or not.

Mulvey also underscored the importance of having international students on campuses, enriching and advancing the nations science.

It would be a tremendous loss if they werent here, she said.

An atmosphere of condescension

But the panelists, who addressed an audience that included Penns interim president, J. Larry Jameson, and president emeritus Amy Gutmann, also said that theres plenty of room for criticism of higher education, and that academia needs to acknowledge and address it.

Higher education, Roth said, has allowed itself, especially at elite institutions like this one and mine, to foster an atmosphere of condescension and a monoculture of political homogeneity that is an enormous disservice to our students and our research.

Mulvey called out the cost, saying higher education has for too long been underfunded and needs to be accessible.

We have to find a way to communicate more effectively what we do well, while also being responsive to criticisms that indicate ways we can self-improve, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communication professor and director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, who moderated the panel.

Eric Feldman, chair of the faculty senate, said the idea behind the series of events  the second will be Feb. 26 on cost and the third April 9 on the future of higher education  was to look at the decline in public confidence in colleges and universities and see what could be done. It was planned well before the presidential election, he said.

The election has just put a heavy underscore and exclamation point around the importance of the issue, he said in an interview before the event.

But that slide in confidence started long before the election, he noted. Educators, he said, have to think long and hard about the criticisms, where they came from, and if and how they can help us do better at some of the things were doing.
Mount Everest has long been considered the highest mountain on Earth, but new research shows that this is not the case. Scientists have now discovered two mountains that are 100 times higher than the iconic Himalayan peak.

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However, not a single climber in the world will be able to climb them, as they are buried 1,900 kilometers below the planet's surface. These so-called "Large Low-Shear-Velocity Provinces" stretch to a staggering height of about 997 thousand meters, while the height of Mount Everest is 8848.86 meters, The Sun writes.

These two mountains are located under Africa and the Pacific Ocean and are part of a "cemetery" of tectonic plates buried by subduction, a process where one plate sinks under another.

Scientists began to suspect the existence of these mountains in the 1990s when they noticed that seismic waves from earthquakes slowed down at certain points deep underground. So, to collect more data about these structures, scientists used seismic "x-rays".

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"Nobody knew what they were, or whether they were just a temporary phenomenon, or whether they had been there for millions or maybe even billions of years," says Dr. Arwen Deuss, a leading researcher and seismologist at Utrecht University. He explains that these islands are hot, and because of their high viscosity, they don't move very easily, so the mountains have stayed where they are at the base of the mantle for at least a billion years, but possibly much longer.

"They form huge mountains almost 1000 kilometers high and seem to be composed of much larger mineral grains, unlike the fine-grained slabs of rock that exist on the Earth's surface," the scientist says.

According to the scientists, these grains take a huge amount of time to form, which supports the idea that these underground mountains are ancient relics.

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However, as tempting as it sounds to scale these giants, human exploration is out of the question. These mountains, located deep inside the Earth, are hotter than their surroundings and inaccessible to any modern technology.

However, their discovery is changing the way scientists understand the internal structure of the planet, as the Earth's mantle cannot be well mixed and it does not flow as fast as previously thought.

So, while Mount Everest may still be the highest mountain you can climb, it is no longer the highest peak in Earth's history.

Moreover, OBOZ.UA previously reported that some scientists do not consider Everest to be the highest peak even on the Earth's surface. This title may well be given to Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano in Hawaii. Its height above sea level is 4205 meters, which does not even reach half of Everest. However, the height of Mauna Kea from the base to the top is 10,211 meters. That is, the volcano is more than a kilometer higher than the legendary Himalayan mountain.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Upper Darby High School in Drexel Hill. No, Im not shutting these things down for kids, Superintendent Dan McGarry said, describing clubs as critical for students to feel a sense of belonging and protected under the First Amendment. Read more

Even as his districts school board banned Pride flags and required that students use bathrooms aligned with their sex assigned at birth, Charlie Weinlein has generally found staff members are open to using his preferred name and pronouns since he came out as transgender at Pennridge High School.

But Weinlein, an 18-year-old senior, worries even that measure of acceptance may now be in jeopardy, following an order by President Donald Trump that aims to ban gender ideology in kindergarten-through-12th-grade schools, including the social transition of transgender students.

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Being forced to go by the name on his birth certificate or not be called by his pronouns would feel like  being erased, Weinlein said.

How schools treat transgender students is just one of the issues targeted by the latest executive order from Trump seeking to strip radical indoctrination from public schools, which the president accused of imprinting anti-American, subversive, harmful, and false ideologies on our nations children.

The order directs federal agencies to produce a plan for eliminating federal funding for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology  which it defines, in part, as individuals receiving adverse treatment to achieve diversity, equity, or inclusion.

It also calls on the U.S. attorney general to coordinate with state attorneys general to file actions against K-12 teachers and school officials, including for unlawfully facilitating the social transition of a minor student.

The order  which also reinstates the 1776 Commission of Trumps first term and calls for the promotion of patriotic education  is not immediately effective because the U.S. Department of Education and other agencies will have to create new rules.

But it sent a new wave of uncertainty through area school districts  some of which have already been grappling with issues around equity and gender identity  as budget season gets underway. On average, federal funding accounted for 6.5% of Pennsylvania district budgets in 2022-23; the amount varies widely among communities, with wealthier districts often receiving less.

Districts are going to begin to assess the amount of federal funding and grants they have, and the implications of deciding whether they choose to comply with these regulations, said Jeffrey Sultanik, a solicitor for numerous Pennsylvania school districts. I think theres going to be an immediate  examination of the dependency on these monies.

Targeting DEI efforts

Even without a concrete plan to strip federal funding, some teachers and students fear a chilling effect as schools come under intensified scrutiny.

The order, Sultanik said, targets diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, whether districts offer DEI programs, or have a DEI individual employed by the organization, or have arguably DEI comments on their website.

In Downingtown, officials said they had already made changes that should protect the district. Last year, we shifted our diversity, equity, and inclusion departmental efforts to a broader focus, establishing the student life and school climate department, said district spokesperson Jennifer Shealy. The department focuses on student voice, student engagement, and developing a positive school environment.

Shealy added that Downingtown has never taught nor promoted radical, anti-American, or gender ideologies.

In Lower Merion, which promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts, spokesperson Amy Buckman said the districts legal counsel is advising that LMSDs current policies are not inconsistent with the recent executive order. The district will monitor relevant developments, she said.

A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Education did not address whether districts could lose federal funding but said that Gov. Josh Shapiros administration supports Pennsylvanias local school districts  to ensure that every child who walks through the door of a public school in Pennsylvania has an opportunity to succeed.

The department is reviewing the latest order and stands ready to support our school districts and charter schools, said the spokesperson, Erin James.

Kristina Moon, a senior attorney with the Education Law Center, noted that Pennsylvania schools are still required to prevent discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation, including under Pennsylvania law.

This order has not changed any laws or schools obligations, Moon said. An executive order cannot erase court decisions interpreting Title IX as recognizing that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity, Moon said.

She also noted that the U.S. Department of Education does not have legal authority to dictate curricula or instructional materials to state governments or local school boards.

Were falling under more stringent microscopes

But the order  one of a series of executive actions by Trump targeting the K-12 education system, including another promoting private school choice  has heightened questions for local school officials and educators.

The Upper Darby School District gets about $10 million annually in federal funding, key to the districts $250 million budget. If Im worried about rumors that we could lose federal dollars  the answer is yes, said the districts superintendent, Dan McGarry.

But McGarry didnt anticipate making changes to Upper Darbys policies or practices as a result of the order. We are going to continue to be very inclusive, and committed to diversity in hiring, McGarry said. He said he has heard from students and community members in recent days, questioning whether there will be changes in clubs where kids identify with political views, gender identity views.

No, Im not shutting these things down for kids, McGarry said, describing clubs as critical for students to feel a sense of belonging and protected under the First Amendment. But were Trumps order to jeopardize those offerings, he added, that would be unbelievably sad.

In the Council Rock School District, veteran social studies teacher Ben Lebofsky does not foresee the order changing his approach to teaching, in which he has developed confidence over the years. But he fears it will have a damaging effect on his profession by continuing to hammer away at education in a negative manner  potentially dissuading people from becoming teachers at a time of ongoing shortages, and intimidating younger teachers, who may feel less equipped to respond to accusations of bias.

Were falling under more stringent microscopes that arent motivated necessarily to ensure good education, but only a particular point of view, said Lebofsky, who has taught for 20 years. The order, he said, definitely limits the creative impulse. It limits the potential for deep and meaningful critical conversations about society in general.

Weinlein, the Pennridge senior, has also felt pressure when navigating the political minefield in his school district. It hasnt been easy for leaders of the high schools Gay-Straight Alliance to get approval to display safe-space posters, for instance, he said.

He fears the environment will be worse if Trumps order  which accuses schools of steering students to become transgender  were to result in schools cutting back on representation of LGBTQ people in classrooms, and forcing transgender students to come out to families that might not be accepting.

Even though there is no amount of legislation that can erase my community, Weinlein said, it would make being transgender even more isolating.
Gov. Josh Shapiro was quick to shut down PETAs offer to replace Groundhog Day with a vegan cake.

Come and take it, the Pennsylvania governor quipped Friday morning after the animal rights group suggested rebranding the annual Punxsutawney festival.

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Last month, PETA sent a letter to Punxsutawney Groundhog Club president Tom Dunkel with the pitch: PETA would deliver a vegan weather reveal cake  a play on gender reveal cakes  in exchange for Punxsutawney Phil and his familys retirement to a reputable sanctuary.

The group said a blue cake would signify six more weeks of winter, while pink would indicate an early spring. Unsurprisingly, the Groundhog Club didnt take the bait and Groundhog Day is still on.

Sunday marks Groundhog Days 139th year. The Feb. 2 event serves as an economic and cultural boon for the otherwise small Pennsylvania town with a population of about 6,000 people, bringing in tens of thousands of visitors.

In Punxsutawney, Phils footprint is inescapable. There are more than 40 statues of him  which are dubbed Phantastic Phils  throughout the town. A police station, fire station, and post office have a Phil in corresponding uniforms.

 READ MORE: On Groundhog Day, this small Pa. town becomes the center of the universe

His lore is up there with Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.

Theres only been one Punxsutawney Phil for the last 139 years, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club insists. He gets his staying power by sipping on the elixir of life, provided to him by the club. But the club doesnt extend the same courtesy to his wife, Phyllis  so she will not live forever like Phil, the clubs website said  or their new groundhog babies. Shadow and Sunny are just shy of a year old and mark the first time Phil and Phyllis had procreated.

PETA doesnt appear to be amused by Phils storyline.

When allowed to be themselves, groundhogs avoid humans, create intricate networks of underground burrows, communicate with one another, and even climb trees, but poor Phil is denied all of that for a tired old gimmick, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement. PETA is urging The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club to sprinkle some happiness into Phils life by retiring him and giving Groundhog Day a much-needed cake makeover.

Shapiro  who attended the festivities last year  wasnt having it. The governors office said it was holding its ground for Phil.

The governor is dead serious in his defense of this historic Pennsylvania tradition and remains committed to protecting Punxsutawney Phil and the inner circle, and the role they play in the Groundhog Day celebration, a spokesperson told the Guardian.

 READ MORE: New Orleans holds a big lead over Philly in snow totals this winter. Will that change?

And it looks like Shapiro will be ready to defend Phil in person, if necessary. A media advisory from his office circulated Saturday said that he would join the groundhog and his inner circle for Sunday mornings celebrations in Punxsutawney.

Shapiro will join Punxsutawney Phil and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office for the 139th Groundhog Day celebration to mark the beloved Pennsylvania tradition and join the world in learning if there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring for 2025, when Punxsutawney Phil makes his prognostication, the advisory said.
President, Shingle Shaker Tom Dunkel visits Phil at his zoo home at the library in downtown Punxsutawney days before Groundhog Day, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Punxsutawney Read more

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa.  The final lucid conversation Malcolm B. Bud Dunkel Jr. had with his son Tom was about their hometowns world-famous groundhog celebration.

Buds dementia had been getting worse, so he watched the 2024 Groundhog Day festivities from home with his nurse as his son carried out his duties as the president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club  a title the senior Dunkel once held and cared deeply about for 15 years.

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Its the most hed spoken in a year, said Dunkel of his father. He died a few days later.

When the affable, whited-bearded Dunkel says his motivation to make Punxsutawney a year-round tourist attraction is largely about letting other families get a taste of what he and his children grew up with, youre compelled to take him at his word. Especially when stories of Groundhog Days past are everywhere in the borough of 6,000 people.

All across Gobblers Knob, where the venerated creature will inform us Sunday whether to expect six more weeks of winter, theres evidence of residents who donated materials, services, and time.

Yet the economic boon of Groundhog Day and adjacent activities borders on incidental. Residents use the word tradition a lot and beam with pride when they describe the thousands who go to great lengths to visit their corner of Western Pennsylvania smack dab in the middle of winter. Whether its selling tickets for buses that will cart tourists around or setting up the expanded gift shop, often entire Punxsutawney families are pitching in.

My aunts bridge club comes folds shirts, my family comes and folds, folding every night and every day, said Marcy Galando, executive director of the Groundhog Club, who was putting the finishing touches on a gift shop full of Phil-themed hoodies, hats, cups, lip balm, pencils, cookies, and scarves.

When Galando wasnt ringing up a customer Wednesday, she was fielding calls from attendees with last-minute questions. In the calm before the storm of an excess of 40,000 visitors from all over the world angling to get a peek at the countrys most famous prognosticator, theres not a moment to spare. But whos counting?

It turns out, almost everyone in Punxsutawney.

At the Burrow, a downtown watering hole, owner Justin Cameron surveyed his weekend jigsaw schedule for staff and sorted through his delivery of Samuel Adams Groundhog Day hats, which are more like Phil plushies promoting the rodents Cold Snap beer with the Boston brewer.

Hearing Cameron talk about the headaches of scaling a business for 10 times its usual number of patrons sounds like a stress nightmare, and yet he looks for any improvement he can tackle to make the holiday a better experience for visitors: a theme in the boroughs approach.

I think its the best thing about our town, and the juice is worth the squeeze, Cameron said.

It takes a borough

Some businesses go so far as donating their goods and services even when the return on the squeeze is less obvious. Green Acres donates hay that it will lay out on the Gobblers Knob grounds before the event. Dunkel said the hay builds a barrier against the cold ground, which got a fresh dusting of snow Wednesday. Proform Powdered Metals donates about 25,000 gold-colored coins with Phils likeness stamped on them. Members of the inner circle hand them out to visitors year-round.

Its just our way of supporting the club, said owner Sean Johnston, while making a pit stop to the gift shop. They do a lot of stuff with the community. They were up in Ridgway [Area School District] yesterday, where my daughters an art teacher. Theyve got expenses, so its just how we can help out.

In addition to hosting a slew of events and activities that sandwich Groundhog Day, the guardians for Punxsutawney Phil who make up the clubs all-volunteer inner circle bring the critter to schools (Ridgway is more than an hour away), parades, the Pennsylvania Farm Show, and other community events. Its practically a requirement to be a well-known volunteer and active member of the Punxsutawney community to be voted into the inner circle, which requires a two-thirds vote.

Despite the Punxsutawney Groundhog Clubs limited means, its Feb. 2 extravaganza has come a long way since the first trek to Gobblers Knob in 1887. This year the event is expected to break attendance records once again. Dunkel said that in 2023 the inner circle was able to track ticket purchases to 30 different countries and 46 states.

The surge in attendance can be attributed to incremental, yet increasingly rapid, tweaks the inner circle has taken on since the 2000s. About 14 years ago, Dunkels first project was to install a giant arch that would serve as a marker for Gobblers Knob. A Groundhog Visitor Center with a gift shop attached was completed during the pandemic; last year, Phils enclosure at the local library downtown got a new window because the old one was fogging up; and this year the state is pitching in money for giant screens and fireworks to make the viewing experience better for people way in the back. Its all par for the course when spreading the gospel of Phil.

What an incredible opportunity for the state to just spread the love and to show that its not just our two main cities [Philadelphia and Pittsburgh] that have an incredible offering for visitors to come in and experience, said Anne Ryan, deputy secretary of tourism for Pennsylvania.

There are really unexpected gems throughout the state that are also worth seeing, and Punxsutawney is like the exclamation mark on that.

The state grant is still being processed, but Ryan expects about $35,000 will be awarded to Punxsutawney.

The Punxsutawney Phil love is contagious

To appreciate the whimsy and nostalgia of Groundhog Day is to understand why Dunkel goes through great pains as a Phil booster, which on Tuesday had him finishing two groundhog-size Pennsylvania cherry and walnut wood doors for the rodents ceremony stump, which sits on a giant stage. Wednesday morning, he is in a roofing business conference room fussing with portable light stands. The makeshift studio is for the many Zoom interviews hes knocking out in the final week.

As a media liaison, Dunkel regales reporters with Phil and inner circle trivia  the guardian who feeds Phil and lifts him up during the ceremony is called the handler, and all guardians have a nickname. When Dunkel finally gets a break Wednesday, he heads home to finish some Phil-themed cutting boards, one of which will go to Gov. Josh Shapiros eldest daughter.

At Gobblers Knob, a revolving door of guardians put the finishing touches on a banquet, dueling-pianos show, and talent show scheduled for the weekend. Like Dunkel, many of them grew up with relatives doing the same thing. They are used to working down to the wire.

At the visitor center, Shawn Ronzio, an industrial designer building Phil a new bespoke enclosure, is working to meet an ambitious timeline of his own.

Concrete contours of faux books and a fireplace are already visible, but if Ronzio is to get a sneak peek of the space by Groundhog Day, he will have to work overtime to paint, sculpt, and stain. The Westmoreland County artist is one of the few people under contract, yet he has become engrossed with delivering Phil and the woodchucks public the best home possible.

Im like, no, it has to be done, said Ronzio of the pressure hes choosing to put himself under. Because itd be cool if we could just take down the paper and everybody could see it. I can get all this up to snuff by Saturday, so at least itll be viewable. Thats my personal goal, and I know I can do it.

Whether he knows it or not, Ronzio has adopted the Punxsutawney way.
Colandra Coleman, executive director of Joseph's House in Camden. This shelter gives out about 150 bottles of water during lunch. Read more

Colandra Coleman, executive director of Josephs House, remembers the moment she realized the depth of the problem of dehydration for the unhoused.

About three months ago, she was leaving the Camden-based housing shelter for the evening. As she headed to her car, she warned some of the people awaiting the shelters 8 p.m. opening time that the police ticketed people for loitering.

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One man blurted out in frustration, Where are we supposed to go for even a drink of water?

The burden of staying hydrated

Common medical advice is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day to stay hydrated. But research shows that about one in every three adults isnt hydrated, with Black people, African Americans, Latinos, and those with lower incomes being most at risk.

And for those who are unsheltered, finding free and clean drinking water is another hurdle in a long line of winter hardships. The risks of dehydration range from fatigue and headaches to confusion, disorientation, and kidney disease.

Patricia Clark, the office administrator for Josephs House for the last eight years, spent 25 years homeless. For her, getting enough water was a taxing daily chore.

I had four- or five-gallon jugs, she said, recalling a daily ordeal of filling up where ever she could and lugging the heavy containers to where she was staying.

However, slaking your thirst when youre unhoused may not be as simple as using the nearest public buildings water facilities or getting free water at a local business.

Coleman said public spaces such as hospitals and libraries also may not be equipped to handle those who are in the midst of a mental health crisis or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. As a low-barrier shelter, Josephs House accepts people who are active in their addiction or have severe untreated mental illness.

All we ask is no violence and no drugs on the premises, said Coleman, who grew up seeing the homeless in Center City from the office of her grandfather, Joseph Coleman, the citys first African American president of City Council. When you are unsheltered it is a hard road to go, particularly during winter. Folks dont have anywhere to go to access water.

Lack of public drinking water

Public drinking-water fountains were once prevalent, providing free public access to safe tap water. However, in Philadelphia, like many cities, drinking fountains have mostly faded away. According to a 2017 report by The Pacific Institute, the primary reasons are the advent of commercial bottled water, decreased public investment in urban infrastructure, concern over the health risks of fountains, and a laissez-faire attitude toward public water systems.

The public water fountains that are still functioning are usually shut down for the winter.

Almost a decade ago, the Philadelphia Water Department  under then-Deputy Chief of Staff Christine Knapp  was an advocate for investing in public drinking-water fountains, but underestimated the number of city drinking fountains and the cost of maintenance.

However, as Knapp moved on, the vision of creating a network of modern drinking fountains throughout the city withered. A Water Department spokesperson wrote in an email to The Inquirer that the agency does not have a list of or maintain public drinking fountains, but it does maintain hydration stations along Kelly Drive, which are usually switched off between November and April.

 READ MORE: Planning for Philly's longterm forecast: destructive floods, deadly heat

The night Coleman was asked where to get water, she returned to the office to find bottled water, much of it donated by supporters, to distribute to the group milling around. But she knows that isnt the permanent solution to providing something so essential.

The January 2024 Point-In-Time Count, a census of Philadelphias sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals, found that 976 people were living on the streets, up from 706 in 2023. Coleman said Josephs House serves between 150 and 175 people a day.

In addition to supplying water with meals, the organization also provides hot showers and laundry services. I wash clothes, but I dont have time to fold, Clark said with a laugh.

One of Colemans longer-term solutions is to turn Josephs House into a 24/7 facility that doesnt require residents to leave each day to fend for themselves for the eight hours that the facility is closed. And, in addition to providing more social services, Josephs House would be one answer as to where the unsheltered can access drinking water whenever needed.
People stopping to view the damage of the plane crash on Cottman Avenue Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. A medical jet with six people on board crashed Friday evening near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia scattering debris throughout the streets, and setting multiple homes and cars ablaze in a devastating scene Read more

The girl who was traveling home on the plane that crashed Friday in Northeast Philadelphia built unwavering connections with hospital staff and fellow patients during her approximately four months at Shriners Childrens Philadelphia.

The patient was with her mother, flying home after receiving lifesaving treatment at the hospital. They, along with four other people aboard the medical transport plane that crashed near Roosevelt Mall, were returning to Mexico, her home country.

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The relationships that were formed were true and were dear, and you know she is greatly missed this morning because of that impact, Mel Bower, chief marketing and communications officer for Shriners, said Saturday.

The girl was receiving treatment at Shriners for an unspecified condition that was not easily treated in Mexico. The hospital celebrated her with a special send-off just hours before the plane crashed.

Her journey was one of hope and of aspiration, Bower said. Hospital officials, citing privacy concerns and patient-confidentiality laws, did not release the childs name or age or her medical condition.

Shortly after the crash, Shriners staff knew fairly quickly that their patient had been on board.

Shriners provides care to patients from 170 countries and medical transports are common, occurring almost daily, Bower said.

Depending on the severity of the medical condition, some patients are able to travel commercially, and Shriners has partnerships with certain airlines. In more acute situations, a medical transport, like the one in use Friday evening, may be required. The hospital works with a variety of medical transport services.

In the aftermath of the crash, the Shriners community, an inherently tight-knit pediatric setting where patients are likely to form friendships with their therapists or the cafeteria workers, is grappling with the unthinkable.

Were in the lifesaving business, Bower said. Our mission is to give kids their best life ever. And so its not something we would even contemplate.

On Saturday, Shriners was checking on everyone, Bower said. For employees or patients who may need extra support, the hospital can provide counseling services whenever they may need it.

And Bower said the devastation fuels their mission.

We will take her with us as we go forward, he said.
First responders on the scene after a small plane crashed Friday near the Roosevelt Mall. Read more

A medical jet with six people on board  including a pediatric patient  crashed Friday evening near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia, erupting into a massive fireball, scattering debris throughout the streets, and setting multiple homes and cars ablaze in a devastating scene.

In a briefing Friday night, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said there was no official number yet for how many people may have been killed or injured from the crash, but asked for the citys prayers, and called the situation all hands on deck.

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 READ MORE: LIVE UPDATES: Follow here for the latest developments on the plane crash

Droves of first responders filled the area near Bustleton and Cottman Avenues  a mix of commercial and residential, surrounded by strip shopping centers and abutting neighborhoods of rowhouses. Thick smoke hung in the air as police ushered onlookers away from the scene, and the mall was evacuated. The mayor urged residents in the immediate area to stay inside and not interfere with the ongoing response and investigation.

Six patients were being treated at Temple University Hospitals Jeanes Campus in the Northeast, according to a spokesperson. Three of the patients were treated and released, and another three remained hospitalized in fair condition, the spokesperson said.

The Learjet 55 departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport just after 6 p.m. and crashed moments later near the mall, flight logs show. The aircraft was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the FAA said. Flight logs show the plane was in the air for only a minute before it crashed. At the time of the crash, light rain and fog were in progress with visibilities lowered to 5 to 7 miles, said Jon Porter, chief meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a medical flight company, posted on LinkedIn that a Learjet 55 owned by the company, with the designation XA-UCI, crashed after taking off from Philadelphia. The company wrote that four crew members and two passengers, a pediatric patient and their escort, were on the plane.

Jet Rescue said it could not confirm that anyone had survived the crash, and that names of those on board the flight would not be released until family members had been notified.

Shai Gold, a spokesperson for the company, said that the patient being transported on the plane was a child who came to Philadelphia from Mexico for medical care. She was discharged after completing her course of care, Gold said, and was being escorted back to Mexico by her mother.

The aircraft was registered in Mexico, Gold said, and crewed by a pilot, copilot, flight physician, and paramedic  the standard medical team on Jet Rescue flights.

Its a tragedy, Gold said.

A representative from Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia said they were heartbroken to confirm one of their patients was aboard the flight. The child had received care at Shriners and was returning home with her mother on a contracted air ambulance, the hospital said.

Federal, state, and local first responders swarmed the scene Friday, and an investigative team from the National Transportation Safety Board was present, Parker said. Gov. Josh Shapiro said that 45 troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police, as well as workers from PennDot and the Department of Environmental Protection, among others, were assisting in Northeast Philadelphia. Shapiro said he had spoken to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and that a team from the Federal Aviation Administration had been dispatched to Philadelphia.

For as awful as that aviation disaster was tonight, we also saw the best of Philly, Shapiro said. We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We saw Pennsylvanians looking out for one another.

The explosion rocked the surrounding neighborhood, and firefighters battled blazes in six homes on the 7200 block of Calvert Street as a result of the plane crash, according to Mike Bresnan, head of the union that represents firefighters and paramedics.

Bresnan, president of the International Brotherhood of Fire Fighters Local 22, said he wasnt aware of any casualties from inside those homes, saying our members got everybody out pretty quick.

He said first responders relayed to him that the plane appeared to hit the street, that fuel or fire spread to three or four homes on the end of Calvert Street, and that the blaze jumped to several other rowhouses from there. One roof collapsed, he said, which he described as indicative of a fuel-based fire that burned very hot and quick.

Bresnan said firefighters also battled between six and eight car fires.

This city is lucky it hit where it hit, he said. If it would have hit in the middle of the block of rowhouses, we could have lost a whole block or more. When you get jet fuel, that stuff is hard to put out.

Shelter was available at Samuel Fels High School at 5500 Langdon St., Parker said.

State Rep. Jared Solomon, who represents the Northeast, told CNN Friday that the plane had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and that something went wrong as the aircraft attempted to make an emergency landing, possibly on Roosevelt Boulevard.

The plane fell from the sky at rapid speed, crashing into Cottman Avenue amid rush-hour traffic and creating an explosion that engulfed multiple cars, businesses, and homes in flames.

Police were still working to determine how many of those cars  now burnt shells  were occupied. The flames from the burning jet fuel were so strong, the heat could be felt over a block away, said a law enforcement source at the scene who wasnt authorized to speak publicly.

First responders encountered an apocalyptic scene. A large crater was left in the middle of the burning road, and human remains were scattered over the area.

Aniyah White, 16, said she was on the sidewalk on Roosevelt Boulevard with a friend when they looked up and saw a plane spiraling in the sky. It was on fire, she said, and rapidly descending.

It was coming down on fire, she said. Then boom. Explosion everywhere.

The sky lit up, she said.

The crash in Philadelphia comes two days after a commercial plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington D.C., killing 67 people. On Truth Social, President Donald Trump wrote: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged.

Ryan Tian, 23, of Delaware County, witnessed a huge explosion as he was getting dinner from a food truck located at a parking lot at Cottman and Bustleton.

Tian said he saw the sky turning orange and then a massive fireball.

I thought we were getting attacked by something, said Tian, who took several photos of the fireball that appeared to rise from a residential block before turning back as people ran away in panic.

Staff writers Abraham Gutman, Michelle Myers, Dylan Purcell, and Anthony R. Wood contributed to this article.
NTSB officials walk through debris from a medical jet crash along Cottman Avenue near Roosevelt Boulevard Saturday. Read more

That orange flash that electrified the sky over Northeast Philadelphia. The house-shaking explosion that followed. The dwellings that caught fire, and the cars that burst into flames. The power failures.

Understandably, on a foggy, rainy evening when nothing seemed real, some residents of one of the citys densest neighborhoods wondered if they were under attack or were witnessing a conflagration.

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As investigators attempted Saturday to figure out what caused a medical transport jet taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport to crash near Roosevelt Mall the day before, resulting in at least seven deaths and 19 injuries, mental health specialists warned that those images are likely to haunt the people who were in the area for days, perhaps weeks.

But while the extent of the damage was still being assessed and it remained uncertain whether the death toll would climb, given the time of the crash  shortly after 6 p.m.  and the urbanized location, the results might have been far more catastrophic. In part, that evidently was due to the quick actions of emergency responders, who were on the scene within five minutes.

Im pretty amazed just how fast the police and the ambulances got there, Elizabeth Griffin, 31, who was in the nearby T-Mobile store when the crash happened, said Saturday.

At a briefing Saturday afternoon, National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy praised what she called the citys sense of unity.

Homendy did not offer much in the way of details of the boards investigation, but said a priority was locating the crafts cockpit voice recorder. Officials said that fragments of the jet may have scattered over several blocks. One piece of debris hurtled through a diner window and knocked a patron unconscious.

In the quest for any shred of evidence, the Philadelphia Police Department was asking locals to send in their crash videos. Debris may have fallen from the jet before it made impact, city Managing Director Adam Thiel said.

The Learjet 55 had just taken off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. bound for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before continuing to Tijuana, Mexico. The crash occurred instants later, 3.5 miles away on Cottman Avenue near Roosevelt Boulevard.

At the time, light rain was falling, and fog had reduced visibility to six miles, according to the National Weather Service, with a low cloud ceiling. However, it was unclear whether weather was a factor in the crash.

The evidence suggests that the accident was beyond human control, local aviation experts said.

This happened so fast, said Arthur Alan Wolk, a Philadelphia-based aviation attorney and pilot.

Six of those killed were Mexican nationals, and the other fatality was that of a person in a vehicle, officials said. Onboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance plane were the pilot, copilot, a flight physician, and a paramedic, along with a pediatric patient and her mother, the company said. At Shriners Childrens Philadelphia, spokesperson Mel Bower said the young girl had been receiving treatment for a condition that was not easily treated in Mexico.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said that at least 19 people on the ground were injured. They ranged in age from 4 to 85 years old, and suffered injuries from smoke inhalation to severe burns and a skull fracture, said a law enforcement source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Parts of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman and Bustleton Avenues remained closed Saturday as investigators combed the scene.

Residents in the area, meanwhile, provided vivid accounts of what they had experienced, with remarkable similarities in details.

My living room lit up  it was like a big orange ball, and then a boom, said Robert Fosbennet, 62.

Michelle Peralta, 19, was working the meat register at Los Primos Meat Market. Everything turned orange. I saw an explosion, and people began screaming, she said in Spanish.

She followed the trail of smoke to see what had transpired. Police arrived fast and began securing the surrounding areas, Peralta said, and they stopped her, a move she thinks was for the best.

People around me were crying and screaming, but I felt like in a movie  nothing seemed real, Peralta said.

Said Gov. Josh Shapiro, who visited the site: The good people of Northeast Philadelphia this morning at daybreak walked out from their homes, came down from their stoops, and saw carnage in their communities. We also saw the very best of Northeast Philly, neighbor helping neighbor, folks looking out for one another.

For those who were in the area, the memories are unlikely to dissipate soon, said Jordan Brogan, CEO of the Center for Families and Relationships.

I think in the coming days, were going to see the maybe traumatic symptoms that people might be experiencing who witnessed some of that stuff, said Brogan, the CEO of the Center for Families and Relationships.

Were scared and concerned that some of them might be people that we currently serve, and how that will impact our community and our staff, Brogan said.

Usually with this type of stuff, it takes hours, days, sometimes even weeks for people to actually begin to process and recognize what they just witnessed, said trauma therapist Shari Botwin.

Among the possible symptoms, experts say: difficulty sleeping, having nightmares, reliving certain mental images, and feeling fearful of certain sounds.

Carrying 10 shopping bags, Moura Joselyn and his family of seven had to leave their house on Rupert Street to take temporary shelter at his brothers house.

Everyone in the family was home when they heard the explosion and felt the ground shake, leaving them scared half to death, he said.

My sister-in-law almost fainted, my daughters were crying, he added. We didnt know what was happening. With their gas and power shut down, they were forced to leave.

I have a 4-year-old, he said. She doesnt want to come back home anymore. She cries and says she doesnt want to hear the sirens.

Contributing to this article were staff writers Emily Bloch, Ximena Conde, Erin McCarthy, Michelle Myers, and Frank Kummer.
The scene of the aftermath of a plane crash on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. A medical jet with six people on board crashed Friday evening near the Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia scattering debris throughout the streets, and setting multiple homes and cars ablaze in a devastating scene Read more

A medical transport jet with six people on board plummeted to the ground near Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night, bursting into flames that spread to homes and cars in a heavily trafficked area and killing everyone on board the plane and at least one person on the ground.

The Learjet 55 went down shortly after 6 p.m. near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard just after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, creating a chaotic and horrific scene of death and destruction.

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 READ MORE: Liveblog: Follow our continuing coverage of the medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed six of the countrys nationals had died in the crash. The person on the ground who was killed was in a car, according to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. As of Monday, 24 people on the ground had been reported injured, she said.

A shelter has been established for those who could not get to their homes or whose homes were damaged in the crash and resulting fire. And a town hall is planned for Wednesday for the public to ask questions about the crash and the cleanup process.

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board have been on the scene and on Sunday located the planes cockpit voice recorder, or black box.

What happened?

A private medical transport jet took off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport just after 6 p.m. and within a minute appeared to have nosedived into a commercial and residential area 3.5 miles away near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Witnesses captured video and pictures of a giant fireball and dark black smoke rising from the crash site.

Who owned the plane and where was it going?

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a medical flight company, owns the Learjet 55. The aircraft was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, with Tijuana, Mexico, its ultimate destination.

 READ MORE: What we know about the ambulance jet that crashed in Northeast Philly

Who was on the plane?

The company said a pilot, copilot, flight physician, and paramedic along with a pediatric patient and her mother were on the plane. The patient had been treated at Shriners Childrens Philadelphia and was returning home with her mother on a contracted air ambulance, said a hospital spokesperson, describing the Shriners community as heartbroken.

 READ MORE: After receiving months of care at Shriners, the girl in Fridays plane crash left a profound impact on the childrens hospital

Have the victims been identified?

The girl who had just completed four months of treatment at Shriners Childrens Philadelphia has been identified by the mayor of her hometown as 11-year-old Valentina Guzman Murillo of Ensenada, a coastal city south of Tijuana, according to the New York Times. Her mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna, was 31, said the Times.

Valentina had a spinal condition that caused her medical issues, a family friend told the Times. A spokesperson for Shriners said her condition was not easily treated in Mexico.

The hospital celebrated Valentina with a send-off just hours before the plane crashed.

The crew members aboard the medical jet have been identified as four men who worked with the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance for years, according to the company. They were identified as:

Alan Montoya Perales, 46, had been flying with Jet Rescue since 2016, and was the captain of the flight that crashed Friday, company spokesman Shai Gold said. His copilot was Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez, 43, who joined the company in December 2023, Gold said.

Raul Meza Arredonda, 41, the doctor aboard the flight had worked for Jet Rescue since 2020 and was chief of neonatology for XE Medica Ambulancias, the company wrote on X . Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, 41, was the paramedic on board  an employee since 2023.

 READ MORE: A father from Mount Airy. A 10-year-old fighting for his life: What we know about the Northeast Philly plane crash victims

How many were injured?

Parker said in a news conference Monday that the number of confirmed people on the ground who were injured has increased to 24. The two additional injuries to the total came from a Philadelphia police officer who was treated for smoke inhalation and released, and a firefighter who had a heart attack and is expected to recover, Parker spokesperson Joe Grace said.

Four people remained hospitalized, two in critical condition.

How big is the debris field?

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board said the debris field was four to five blocks and is very dangerous. City officials described it as exceeding six blocks.

Has the planes so-called black box been found?

NTSB investigators found the cockpit voice recorder Sunday at the point of initial contact, 8 feet down, the agency said. Investigators also found the planes enhanced ground proximity warning system, which could also contain flight data, the NTSB said. Both of the planes engines have also been recovered.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that information from the medical jets black box has yet to be recovered and analyzed, but hopes to have more answers on what caused the crash soon. He added that the plane had a voice recorder but not a data recorder, but investigators might be able to get some data off the device.

It was not immediately clear if the device was damaged during the crash, Parker said Monday. The black box was heading to Washington, D.C. Monday to be analyzed.

How long will cleanup of the area take?

Over the next several days to weeks, the NTSB said, debris will be collected and transported to a secure location.

How many residents were displaced?

City officials have not specified how many people were displaced or remain missing, saying the scene is still being processed. Shelter is being provided at Samuel Fels High School at 5500 Langdon St.

Managing Director Adam Thiel said 11 homes were damaged. A total of 343 residential properties in the area have been impacted by the crash, Grace said Monday.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said police were tracking potential missing persons reports and said anyone concerned about someone in the area who is missing should call 911.

What did air traffic controllers at Northeast Philadelphia Airport say?

Medievac Medservice 056 Northeast Tower, are you on frequency? an air traffic controller asked after the pilots of the jet did not respond, according to an audio recording. After a few seconds of radio silence, a pilot in another aircraft asked about the situation.

We have a lost aircraft. Were not exactly sure what happened, so were trying to figure it out, the air traffic controller said moments later.

What did witnesses see?

Rachel Handis heard the boom, then her Northeast Philadelphia rowhouse shook as if an earthquake was happening.

I thought it was gunshots, said the 34-year-old. I was so scared.

As other neighbors ran toward the crash site on Friday night, Handis said her instinct was to stay inside and hide.

Huddled with her Dalmatian, Pongo, she called her parents  who live down the street  to make sure they were OK, she said, then downloaded the Citizen app to learn more about what was happening just a mile away.

Handis watched the live-streamed videos in horror and disbelief that such a tragedy could happen in the tight-knit neighborhood she has called home her whole life.

Im still shaken, she said.

What roads in the crash area are closed?

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management has reported the following road closures:

Cottman Avenue between Bustleton and Brous Avenues Saint Vincent Street between Bustleton and Castor Avenues

What is the status of Roosevelt Mall?

A spokesperson for Roosevelt Mall, which is owned by Brixmor Property Group, said it will remain closed through Monday at the request of authorities.

What about schools?

All Philadelphia schools operated on a normal schedule Monday. Anyone delayed by street closures or SEPTA changes prompted by the ongoing investigation was to be given an excused lateness.

Parents can also call or text 1-833-PHL-HOPE (tel:18337454673) for free support and information.

Is there an emergency shelter for anyone who is displaced by the crash and fire?

Shelter is being provided at Samuel Fels High School at 5500 Langdon St. It is open 24 hours and being operated by the Red Cross and the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. Operators there can be reached by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.

Is mental-health help available?

Mental-health assistance can be accessed by calling 988 or going to www.dbhids.org.

How can I get more information on the crash and the cleanup process?

Philadelphia is planning a town hall for Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. to provide the public an opportunity to ask questions.

What was the impact on SEPTA and utilities?

SEPTA has detoured seven routes: the Boulevard Direct Bus, and Routes 1, 14, 20, 50, 70 and 77.

SEPTA is advising riders to check real-time bus alerts online, on the SEPTA app, or through customer service at (215) 580-7800.

Peco and PGW reported Sunday that all service had been restored to the crash area, with the exception of immediately impacted buildings, meaning those that sustained fire or other damage.

How can the public help with the investigation?

The Philadelphia Police Department is asking for videos from Friday nights plane crash. Contributors can send their videos or videos they see on social media to Thorsten.Lucke@Phila.gov.

Staff writers Ximena Conde, Erin McCarthy, Rob Tornoe, Frank Kummer, Harold Brubaker, Fallon Ruth, Michelle Myers, Kristen A. Graham, Melanie Burney, Nick Vadala, and Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.
Fire burns in the street at Bustleton and Cottman Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia after a medical jet crashed Friday night. Read more

Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Good morning, and welcome to February.

The sun is expected to break up the clouds with a high near 40 and some gusty winds.

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Theres news on the Sixers bid to bring a WNBA team to the city and Drexel Universitys new pick for president. But first, our reporters are bringing you the latest from Northeast Philadelphia after a medical jet crashed in a fiery explosion near the Roosevelt Mall.

 Paola Perez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Heres what we know right now, according to multiple sources:

A private medical jet crashed shortly after 6 p.m. Friday in the area of Roosevelt Mall in Northeast Philadelphia. It happened within a minute after takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, with Mexico its final destination. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, a medical flight company, wrote on LinkedIn that four crew members and two passengers, a pediatric patient and their escort, were on the plane. A representative from Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia said they were heartbroken to confirm one of their patients was aboard the flight. Multiple houses and cars were on fire. Nearby roads were closed including parts of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman and Bustleton Avenues. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker encouraged residents to stay away from the scene, and not to touch any debris in the street, and asked for the citys prayers.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash in the coming days. We will be publishing all new developments on Inquirer.com.

Some of Saturdays regular newsletter programming continues below.

What you should know today

On Jan. 24, Target announced it was rolling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, joining other companies that have retracted similar policies following Trumps election.

People opposed have called for boycotts of the discount store chain, something that columnist Jenice Armstrong says will hurt minority-owned brands sold there, which is unfortunate. Black entrepreneurs are asking supporters to clear the shelves.

The best weapon consumers have is our wallets, Armstrong writes. Im going to miss shopping at Target.

Keep reading for Armstrongs perspective on parting ways with the retailer.

 Trivia time

This week in history: On Jan. 29, 1993, the inaugural eating contest that would become known as Wing Bowl was held in a Center City hotel lobby. How many wings did the winner eat?

A) 96

B) 100

C) 112

D) 200

Think you know? Check your answer.

 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: In West Philadelphia, born and raised

TILLS WHIM

Email us if you know the answer. Well select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Terri Dean who correctly guessed Fridays answer: Restaurant Week. The Northern Liberties edition runs through Feb. 8.

It was a weird night at the Wells Fargo Center, and its not just because of Ivan Fedetovs goalie style.

The Flyers ultimately fell 3-0 to the New York Islanders. But after around the halfway mark of the second period, Morgan Frost and Mavei Michkov did not see the ice again, and reports swirled on social media that the team was working on a trade. Let Flyers beat reporter Jackie Spiegel catch you up on what happened behind the scenes, and check out more photos from the action by staff photographer Yong Kim.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

Comedian and Eagles fan Justin Silva was feeling good ahead of his sold-out shows at the Helium Club this weekend. My favorite Justin moment: the time he squawked like an eagle and, in broken Spanglish, kindly asked reggaeton star Karol G to dye her hair a different color.

In another corner of the web, Sixers fans are discussing potential names for Phillys WNBA team. Heres a sample of some very creatively Philly suggestions: the Betsy Ross Ballers, the Liberty Belles, the Schuylkill Sirens, and the Philadelphia Jawns.

And over on Inquirer.com, some of us are brushing up on the Eagles fight song history and (still) playing Birdle. Whats your best score so far? Mine was 2/6 on Birdle #14.

 Its been a long week. Thanks for stopping by. Take care, and Ill see you again tomorrow.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirers Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Donald Trumps barrage of executive orders last week included several related to immigration, including an attempt to limit birthright citizenship and declaring a national emergency at the southern border. The administration has also increased the number of mass arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with Philadelphia seeing the detention of seven people at a car wash on East Hunting Park Avenue on Tuesday.

Luis F. Carrasco, deputy opinion editor, spoke with Inquirer columnist Helen Ubinas and Sabrina Vourvoulias, senior editor for commentary, ideas, and community engagement, about what the first two weeks of Trumps second term have meant for immigrants and whats been the response (or lack of) by the community and public officials.

Luis F. Carrasco: In trying to fulfill Trumps campaign promise to deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally, the administration said it would initially target those with a criminal history. Asked Tuesday about how many of the people detained so far had criminal records, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that all of them because they illegally broke our nations laws. I wonder how many people, even many who voted for Trump, really think that trying to make a living off tips at a North Philly car wash is criminal behavior. Watching video of the workers being detained by ICE agents was truly distressing. Part of that was the plain, matter-of-fact resignation on the mens faces even as their lives and those of their families have now been upended for the benefit of  whom exactly?

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Helen Ubinas: More like for the benefit of what exactly, right? This was never really about immigration reform or law and order. It was, is, and will continue to be about racism, plain and simple, against Black and brown people  especially those who speak Spanish. Thats what comes through in that video. And if anyone is confused about that, watch it, and then watch it again and again, and ask yourself: What part of that is making America great again? (A necessary public service announcement: Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens.)

Sabrina Vourvoulias: The proof it was never about actual immigration status makes itself evident every time we write about the topic  people who dislike what we are saying send us emails demanding we be deported for our thoughts. Deportation is the dream punishment Trump and his people want to mete out to those who dont agree with them, as well as to those theyve spent years portraying as subhuman. In unleashing ICE on our neighborhoods, the Trump administration is counting on the public not caring if the people snapped up in the raids are involved in any criminal behavior. Instead, they hope people will cheer the performative swarm of ICE agents overwhelming unassuming people going about their everyday lives. Achievement unlocked if you can sow terror in the targeted community.

Ubinas: What they are also counting on  besides the willfully ignorant among us buying into these raids actually targeting criminals  is that the people who are against these terrorizing tactics are overwhelmed and sincerely unsure of what to do, where to turn, and how to even begin to help. I get that. And anyone with a beating heart would be lying if they said they arent feeling the same about a million times a day since half of Americans voted for a second horrific ride on the Trump train. But this is where we need to remind ourselves  and each other  not to give them what they want. They want us to freeze, to go numb  to wait for somebody else to do or say something. This is on all of us  we dont all have to be fighting in the same way, or even on the same day  but we have to fight in ways big and small every chance we get. And in case anyone is confused about what were fighting for  yes, its our fragile democracy, but its also our shared humanity.

Carrasco: Tell that to the Democrats who voted for the Laken Riley Act. The bipartisan legislation  which Trump signed into law Wednesday and which was cosponsored in the Senate by Pennsylvanias own John Fetterman  does away with due process for not only immigrants who are in the country without authorization but for those allowed to be here legally through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or with Temporary Protected Status. If these immigrants are even accused of minor offenses, they can be detained and are subject to deportation. The logic behind this is that the Venezuelan man who killed Georgia nursing student Laken Riley had been arrested for shoplifting, clearly showing, one assumes, the unavoidable path from petty theft to murder. Its hard not to go numb when its not only Republican lawmakers who have sold their souls, but also desperate Democrats trying to show theyre tough on immigration.

Vourvoulias: Democrats couldnt even muster enough will to fight for immigrants when Trump and JD Vance were fabricating their anti-immigrant fairy tales about Haitians eating dogs during the campaign. Everything on immigration from the Democrats recently has been weak tea. The Laken Riley Act is law now because neither Republicans nor their Democratic enablers treat immigrants as real human beings entitled to real human rights  like in the International Bill of Human Rights: A detained person suspected of or charged with a criminal offense shall be presumed innocent and shall be treated as such until proved guilty according to law in a public trial. Makes me wonder what Gisele Barreto Fetterman  herself an unauthorized immigrant for a number of years until her immigration status was regularized  thinks of her husbands recent vote. Voce deve falar sobre imigracao agora, Gisele.

Ubinas: I dont disagree  Ive wondered the same, and would love to hear Gisele forcefully come out in defense of immigrants right now, which is something shes done in the past. But if were going to call on Gisele to speak for her husbands sins, then we should call on all the other stand-by-your-man spouses who support their shady significant others  and that includes actress Cheryl Hines, who obediently sat behind her husband Robert Kennedy Jr. this week during his Senate confirmation hearing, where he once again proved he is unfit to head the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bottom line: There are no political heroes here. Trump and his supporters weaponize fear and white grievance to justify and inflict as much pain as possible on our most marginalized. And Democrats weaponize fear to paint themselves as knights in shining armor riding in on a white horse to rescue us all. Except theyve proven to be no ones savior, and theyre out here limping in on a burro thats collapsing under the load of their broken promises.

Vourvoulias: Maybe the only promises that mean anything currently are those made at the local level. The pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas in South Philly  which serves multiple immigrant communities  courageously pledging that ICE will be stopped at the door of the church, warrant or no warrant. City officials, too, must make promises to scared residents who are being bombarded with ever more alarming disinformation. We recently published a commentary by Israel Colon, a longtime leader of Phillys Latino community, outlining what city officials need to do right now  including a central clearinghouse number where people can call for real information and help  to make sure Philadelphia is protecting its residents from the effects of an utterly feral Trump administration.

Ubinas: As Ive repeatedly said, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker should have been front and center on this issue on Day One of Trump 2.0, and spare me the justifications for her silence as of press time, including not wanting to call attention to us or put a bigger target on our backs. Theres no escaping this, theres no hoping it passes if we just stay silent and out of the way. Philadelphians are afraid and in hiding; they are skipping work and school and church, and making themselves as small as possible. They are worried about their loved ones and neighbors. They need to hear from their local leaders loudly and often in meaningful ways  and they need to know their city not only has their back but that it has a plan to protect them, no matter who is in office.

Carrasco: Immigrants who are in the country illegally did break the law, but there is no justice in rounding people up and deporting them. There is no great wrong being set right. One of the persistent misconceptions is that there is a line and that the people who cross the border without authorization do so because they cant be bothered to wait. Putting aside those legally seeking asylum (for which there was a line that Trump did away with), there is no queue for the kinds and numbers of economic migrants who come here because the U.S. needs their labor. Our leaders are catering to people who are too racist to admit that, while too many of us are too hypocritical to care. We welcome the benefits immigrants give us, but cant be bothered to protect what we coldly see as a resource that, no matter how much we exploit, abuse, or malign, is also renewable. If thats not who we are, then we must all speak out and push back.
On the morning of February 1, the Russian terrorist army launched a missile attack on Poltava. The shelling caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure in the regional center.

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Once again, Putin's terrorists targeted a multi-story residential building. This was reported by the Poltava Regional Military Administration.

Rescuers and other emergency services continue to work at the site of the Russian terrorist attack. According to preliminary data, an enemy missile destroyed the entire entrance of the apartment building.

"The enemy attacked Poltava. A residential building was hit. Rescuers and emergency services are now working at the scene. The information is being clarified. Do not neglect safety, stay in shelters until the end of the day," the Regional Military Administration said.

According to the monitoring channels, the Russians attacked the residential building with an X-22 supersonic cruise missile launched from a Tu-22M3 bomber.

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According to preliminary reports, there are civilian casualties as a result of the attack. The number of victims of the missile strike is being clarified.

After 09:30 a.m., rescuers informed that the number of civilians killed in the attack had increased to three. Another 10 people were injured, including one child.

Emergency and rescue operations continue at the site. In total, as of 09:00, the State Emergency Service has rescued 21 people.

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As a reminder, on February 1, the Russian terrorist army launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine. A series of explosions occurred in Kharkiv and Poltava regions. The attack caused damage to the energy infrastructure.

Earlier it was reported that on the night of February 1, Russian occupation forces launched a massive attack on Zaporizhzhia with attack UAVs. As a result, the city was destroyed.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
President Donald Trumps administration is encouraging federal workers to find work in the private sector if they accept a resignation offer that went out this week with the goal of shrinking the federal workforce.

The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management states on an FAQ page on its website for federal workers who received a memo Tuesday offering them a chance to resign from their positions with eight months pay.

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In Philadelphia, federal workers are left with anxiety, confusion, and questions about their job security after receiving the memo which instructs them to alert OPM, the federal governments human resources agency, by Feb. 6 if they choose to take part in the deferred resignation, in which they will retain all benefits and pay  and be exempt from Trumps in-person work mandates  until Sept. 30. Those who decide to stay are not guaranteed their position or agency will exist in the future.

The deferred resignation program is part of Trumps push to shrink the federal workforce and impose greater restrictions on hiring practices and workplace protocols  an effort that is being led by billionaire Elon Musk, whom Trump has tapped to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, a newly established commission tasked with cutting government spending.

In addition to the page on OPMs website, the agency sent workers an email with the subject Fork in the Road FAQs, similar to a phrase Musk sent Twitter employees when he acquired the social media app, now known as X.

The email highlights several opportunities for employees should they take OPM up on their offer, like forfeiting their job responsibilities while still getting paid, accruing personal and vacation days, travel to your dream destination, or finding a new job in the private sector.

Private sector workers typically receive more pay than their public sector counterparts, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

But in interviews with The Inquirer, federal workers said their jobs mean more to them than just the salary they make, noting their personal fulfillment when helping a customer. And without the employees who are serious about their jobs, workers are worried the services they provide  tours, pensions, financial support, and more  will suffer.

I dont know what the summer season is going to look like at Independence [Hall], but theres going to be a lot of people standing outside trying to get on tours that just arent going to happen, said Dave Fitzpatrick, secretary-treasurer of the America Federation of Government Employees Council 270 and a retired National Park Service maintenance employee in Philadelphia.

Other executive orders from Trump, including a government hiring freeze and an in-person work mandate, are likely to have profound impacts on Philadelphias already stretched-thin federal workforce, union leaders say.
In the evening of January 31, several powerful explosions occurred in Odesa. Russian war criminals once again attacked the city with ballistic missiles.

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The explosions were reported by Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov after an air alert was declared and warnings of new ballistic missile launches. The Ukrainian Air Force also reported a ballistic threat.

The first report of a ballistic threat to Odesa region was at 19:17. A few minutes later, the mayor of Odesa reported an explosion in the city.

At 19:48, the threat was called off in the regions. However, at 19:50 and 19:54, the Air Force reported two "high-speed targets in the Black Sea towards Odesa."

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At 20:00, the mayor of Odesa again reported a new explosion in the city.

Ukrainian Air Force monitors urged Odesa residents to stay in safe places until all clear. At that time, an enemy reconnaissance drone was flying over the city.

The Dumska media outlet reports that the first explosion occurred near the luxury hotel Bristol in the city center. It seems that a hole in the ground has formed near the building. And the blast wave smashed the windows of a shop opposite.

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A second strike was made in the same place  Russian criminals are working according to their usual scheme.

At 20:30, the head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Oleh Kiper, noted that "Russian terrorists attacked the historic center of Odesa with missiles" and added that "the threat remains."

A few minutes later, Mr. Kiper clarified that there was a casualty as a result of the enemy strike, a hotel employee.

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"The woman was hospitalized. She is being provided with all the necessary medical care. The threat of ballistic missile attack from the south remains," he said.

As of 22:10, three casualties were reported. Mr. Kiper clarified that a boy born in 2006 also sustained a head wound (the minor was also hospitalized).

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"As a result of the explosions, the premises of a number of historical monuments, including the literary, historical, local history, archaeological museums and the museum of Western and Eastern art, as well as the philharmonic, have broken windows and damaged facades. All relevant services continue to work on eliminating the consequences," he said and showed the consequences of the barbaric Russian attack.

One of the damaged buildings in the UNESCO historic center. It is also known that a theater, museum, architectural monuments, and other buildings were damaged.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to another crime of the occupiers.

"Russian missile attack on Odesa, on the historic center of the city. Preliminary ballistics. An absolutely deliberate attack by Russian terrorists. Fortunately, there were no casualties. There are some injured, but they are being treated. Among the people who were at the epicenter of the attack were Norwegian diplomatic representatives," the Head of State noted and added that the government was "doing everything to help people."

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As of 23:45, seven civilians were wounded in a Russian terrorist attack on the historic center of Odesa.

"Everyone is in moderate condition. The victims are being provided with all the necessary assistance," said the head of the region, Mr. Kiper, adding that emergency services continue to work on the spot.

Similar data is cited by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office, which has launched a pre-trial investigation into war crimes (part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

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According to it, the occupiers attacked Odesa with Iskander ballistic missiles.

"In the central part of the city, a hotel building was destroyed, windows were smashed and facades in nearby buildings and premises were damaged. Currently, 7 people are known to have been injured and hospitalized. Emergency services and law enforcement officers are working at the scene to record another war crime," the prosecutors said.

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At midnight, the mayor showed (below) a video of Odesa now.

At 00:34, an air raid alarm sounded again in Odesa. The Air Force reported a "high-speed target in the Black Sea towards Odesa."

At 00:42, Oleh Kiper noted that "powerful explosions have occurred in the city again." He urged people not to leave the shelters.

At 1 a.m., Mr. Trukhanov showed a new video from Odesa (below) and promised that by morning the utility companies "will clean up everything and restore the operation of electric transport." The authorities have not reported any new casualties as a result of the new strikes on the city.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, police in Odesa detained an offender who recruited Ukrainian women to provide intimate services in one of the EU countries. The 35-year-old woman promised young girls high salaries and good working conditions.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Michelin-starred manor

If you fancy a culinary pilgrimage, why not plan a visit to Englands prestigious Lympstone Manor. Owned by Michael Caines, one of Britains most celebrated chefs (and mentor to several top chefs now cooking in Ireland) the luxurious country house hotel is surrounded by its own vineyards.

This month, guests can enjoy a romantic one- or two-night getaway at the elegant Devon hideaway. Starting at 1,253 per night (approx 1,494) this special package includes a welcome bottle of Michael Caines MBE Classic Cuvee, a bouquet of red roses, and handmade chocolates. Think of soaking in your own private outdoor tub overlooking the estuary to Lyme Bay, with an exquisite Michelin-starred dinner to look forward to.

lympstonemanor.co.uk

Dreams come true

A three-night break at Disneyland Paris is more affordable than you might think. Flying from Dublin on February 4, two adults plus one child will stay at the self-catering Staycity ApartHotel, just a 10-minute drive from Parc Disneyland Paris and just 46km from Charles de Gaulle airport.

Three nights from 237.78 per person.

cassidytravel.ie

Laid back Caribbean charm

Reggae, rum, waterfalls and warmth  Jamaica is the perfect island for a fun and enchanting holiday. Staying at Couples Tower Isle at lush Ocho Rios, this all-inclusive, adult-only resort delivers big Caribbean vibes. Picture a wide sandy beach, swaying palms, snorkelling among the reefs, and sunset sails. Book by February 4 to receive two nights free on any 14-night stay between April and October. Seven nights all-inclusive from 2,379 including flights.

tropicalsky.ie

Landmark love affair

Steal away to Corks Imperial Hotel for An Imperial Love Affair with their new Valentines offer. For one romantic night at this cosy, 200-year-old South Mall landmark, your room will be transformed with rose petals and a welcoming gift of chocolate strawberries and prosecco. Dinner is included and you can book a couples treatment at the intimate spa, if you fancy adding pampering to your stay. One night B&B from 315 per couple.

imperialhotelcork.com

Deal of the week

Just minutes from Irelands oldest national park, yet right in the middle of vibrant Killarney town, the Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa sounds like the perfect spot for a mix of nature and relaxation. The Valentines Made for Two package includes two nights B&B, chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne in your room and dinner on one night. Head out to explore the glorious national park before returning for a spa session or downtime in the pool, followed by a rose-petal strewn room. Book February 8-15, from 229 per person.

killarneyplaza.com
Acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley managed to touch the souls of people with just a few words, his funeral has heard.

President Michael D Higgins was among mourners who joined Longleys family at Saturdays service in All Souls Church in Belfast.

The renowned poet died in hospital at the age of 85 on January 22.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for the funeral of poet Michael Longley (Liam McBurney/PA)

A representative of Taoiseach Micheal Martin also attended the funeral, as did SDLP leader and family friend Claire Hanna.

Longley won a number of awards, including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize. He was made a CBE in 2010 and was awarded the freedom of Belfast.

Among his best-known work is the 1994 poem Ceasefire, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland and the search for peace and reconciliation.

Longley met Queen Camilla when she visited Hillsborough Castle in Co Down last year for a poetry event.

Queen Camilla speaking with poet Michael Longley at Hillsborough Castle in 2024 (PA)

Reverend Chris Hudson from All Souls Church said Longley had managed to enter peoples consciousness.

That is a noble place for the poet to be, he said.

The poet touches the soul of people. Preachers and politicians can make speeches or sermons that use thousands of words to touch our imagination, but the poet can manage with few yet go straight to the heart, such as Michael.

President Higgins led the tributes to Longley after his death was announced last month, saying he would be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Claire Hanna leader of the SDLP arrives at the funeral with her husband Donal Lyons (Liam McBurney/PA)

Roisin McDonough, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said Longley had been a towering figure of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: He was one of our truly great poets, one of the most respected and influential of his generation, his name spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, all of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

We have lost a guide, a friend, an inspiration, but his poetry will last  and it will be cherished by generations to come.

Longley is survived by his wife, Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.
Counting continued on Saturday to fill seats on the Seanads vocational panels.

By 2pm, six of the 11 available seats on the agricultural panel had been filled.

All five seats on the cultural and education panel have already been decided, with counting for the remaining three panels  labour; industrial and commercial; and administrative  yet to commence.

A total of 111 candidates are competing for the 43 seats on the vocational panels. The counting is taking place in Leinster House.

Counting for the six seats available on the Seanads two university panels has already been completed.

Counting in the Seanad elections continues at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA).

On Friday, entrepreneur Aubrey McCarthy secured the final seat in the Trinity College Dublin constituency.

Mr McCarthy took the seat following a full recount, which was requested by the Green Partys Hazel Chu.

The other two seats in the Trinity constituency were taken by returning independent senators Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan.

Former childrens minister Katherine Zappone was among the most well-known of the candidates to miss out.

On the National University of Ireland (NUI) panel, independents Michael McDowell, Ronan Mullen and Alice Mary Higgins have all been re-elected.

In regard to the vocational panels, the five seats on the cultural and dducation panel were taken by Sinn Feins Pauline Tully, as well as Cathal Byrne, Shane Curley, Sean Kyne and Joe Conway.

Outgoing Fianna Fail senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee missed out on re-election to the panel.

Malcolm Noonan of the Green Party, Joanne Collins, Victor Boyhan, Paul Daly, Niall Blaney and Teresa Costello have been elected to the agricultural panel.

Stormont Economy Minister Conor Murphy is hoping to win a Seanad seat (Liam McBurney/PA)

The vast majority of the public do not have a vote in the Seanad.

The Dails TDs, outgoing senators and local authority councillors make up the electorate for the five vocational panels.

Graduates of NUI institutions and Trinity College Dublin vote for the six seats on the two university panels.

The final 11 Seanad seats are appointed by Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

Former Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell and current Sinn Fein economy minister in Northern Ireland Conor Murphy are vying for seats on the industrial and commercial panel.

Former Fianna Fail TD Joe Flaherty missed out on securing a seat on the cultural and education panel.

Senators debate legislation put forward by the Government.

They can amend Bills and propose their own Bills but cannot prevent one from becoming law.
In 1926, Irish missionary Olive Archer, age 28, boarded a canoe and set off on the crocodile-infested waters of the Luapula river in central Africa to join her husband-to-be Patrick Kerr Dixon, an Irish doctor and missionary in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Our canoe is a big one, she wrote, but we are very cramped as all our luggage [including an iron bath tub] is on board.

She and fellow missionary Miss Bryde were joined by African sisters Martha and Emmy  to protect their virtue  as well as two kittens. At first, Olive thought the kittens were baby leopards but later noted, with definite disappointment, that they turned out to be only wild cats.

That comment alone, contained in her eye-opening diary, reveals the spirit of this young woman born in 1898, the eldest of Emily Archer and her wealthy timber merchant husband Thomas Archers seven children.

She grew up in the comfortable surrounds of Laragh House in Co Wicklow and went to Alexandra College in Dublin. She was an excellent student and a gifted artist who completed beautiful pencil sketches of her classmates, which still survive.

HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading

Love story

Had she chosen to, Olive Archer could have led a comfortable, privileged life in early 20th-century Ireland. All that changed, though, when she met Patrick Dixon, a Trinity College medical graduate at Merrion Hall, the Plymouth Brethren Christian church in Dublin (now the Davenport Hotel).

Patrick Kerr Dixon, a lieutenant with the Royal Garrison Artillery Cadets during World War 1, returned to study after the war. He was awarded a gold medal in natural sciences at Trinity in 1922 and graduated with an honours degree in medicine in 1924.

He would later be decorated by the Belgian government for his work treating eye diseases in the hospital he established in Africa, but his vocation was not just medical; it was also spiritual. In 1926, he joined the Garenganze Evangelical Mission and left for Chibambo in the south of what was then the Belgian Congo.

In April of that year, his young wife-to-be set out to join him.

The journey was beset by problems. Her party of 19 was meant to travel by road, but heavy rain and floods forced them to take a canoe down the river Luapula. The heat was stifling. The entire crew got diarrhoea. Ants infested their food. The mosquitoes feasted on them in the evenings.

At times, the people they met en route were less than friendly. And there were crocodiles and hippos in the river. Just the day before, they were told, an African man had been taken from his canoe by a crocodile as he paddled and was never heard of again.

Then, the final straw; the steering in their canoe gave out, adding further delays to an already held-up journey. Yet, through it all, Olive Archer remained upbeat and determined.

At one point, she even tried to convert two old men mending their nets outside their hut, but they were having none of it.

Strength of character

Whatever the rights and wrongs of proselytising, it is striking to see the strength of Olives faith and that of her travelling companion, Grace Bryde, a seasoned Australian missionary who travelled around Africa by foot and bicycle, preaching and giving medical aid to leper patients.

Olive provides this wonderful description of Miss Bryde competing with the mosquitoes to spread the Lords word: We had a meeting sitting outside the chiefs house and it was hard for Miss B to make her voice heard above the continuous smacking of shoulders, arms and legs, and the exclamations caused by the sharp bites of the little wretches.

The chief  a thorough old gentleman  was a man called Kapenda who was head of a Christian village. The travelling party spent Easter Sunday, April 4, 1926, with these dear native Christians.

Olive paints this evocative picture: It is the first wholly native church I have seen yet, and I felt a tremendous privilege to remember the Lord with them  no white person there but Miss B. and I  nothing could have been more dignified and more reverent than the quiet little crowd of men and women with bowed heads, and the fine old chief passing around emblems in his bare feet on the earth floor.

Two days later, when they were back on the river, the steering gear went properly bust. Temporarily stranded, the party thought about continuing in smaller canoes, but that would leave them vulnerable to crocodiles.

Olive writes with admirable nonchalance:

We see crocs every day, either swimming in the river near us or sunning on the banks. One huge fellow seemed rather interested in us yesterday as we were landing at the camp, and swam backwards and forwards for a bit within a few yards of the shore

She describes the rest of her extraordinary journey in a diary and letters sent home. They were carefully kept by her family, along with her watercolours and drawings, and very kindly shared with this column by her grand-niece Jane Ellis.

Jane shares her aunts instinct for storytelling  and art. She wrote a short story based on her aunts life and she is a visual artist, printmaker and member of the artist collective Black Church Print Studio at Temple Bar, Dublin. She is now working on a set of linocut prints based on Olives original watercolours for an exhibition to run in 2026, the 100th anniversary of her great-aunts extraordinary river trip.

Olives diary, she says, encapsulates a perfect little parcel of the past. It opens a small window into her thoughts, perceptions and aspirations.

It certainly does, and it also contains within it a powerful love story. Olive writes of the rush of emotion that ripples through her when she first hears news of her fiance Patrick: Hearing that he actually was here  that he had been seen  made me feel quite queer. Miss Bryde just looks at me, but we said nothing  then. Later we rejoiced.

She writes, with great humour, of finally arriving at her destination, Chibambo, at night and seeing her future husband and his friend running to meet them in their pyjamas. When they heard the boats motor horn, they scrambled out of bed, lit a lantern and rushed up the road.

A great rush of shyness came over me, and Patrick was the same, and for quite half-a-minute we all stood opposite each other in the narrow road, nobody moving. Indeed it was not easy to see who was who in the dim light of the lantern. However, in that half-minute we had sorted ourselves out, and somehow I was in Patricks arms and kissing the right man.

Then the laughing began and the teasing about the pyjama-clad greeting: It was really awfully funny. I said to P, After this long, dangerous journey through fire and water (or mud and water!) this is a nice way for you to meet your bride!

Next week: An African wedding, an unspeakable tragedy and a rediscovered treasure trove of letters
My father was a great man for first impressions. You only ever get one chance to make a first impression, he often told me.

It was only as the years passed I realised that at the heart of that first impression is integrity  a trait that is slowly finding its way into the museum of lost values. I would often watch him shaking hands with someone for the first time as he looked them straight in the eye. I know now that it was integrity he was looking for.

I often wonder what he would have made of Donald Trump. The integrity of a structure depends upon a sound foundation. The same goes for humans. If ever there was a classic example of a man who screams the opposite of integrity  think of duplicity, improbity, disrespect, immorality  its Trump.

I find Trump fascinating  in the same disturbing way that I found the story of the life of mathematical genius John Nash fascinating. Nash was the subject of a book called A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar, which starred Russell Crowe in its big screen version.

Russell Crowe in the film 'A Beautiful Mind' which recounts the story of the life of mathematical genius John Nash's devastating breakdown and his descent into schizophrenia. File photo

It told the story of Nashs devastating breakdown and his descent into schizophrenia. Every mind is as dangerous as it is beautiful; and thats where the similarity ends.

Perhaps the reason I see a similarity is because of the highly questionable state of Trumps own mental health. Could his ongoing demonisation of people who are mentally ill be a clever decoy? Could it possibly be connected with how he rebuffs comments about his own mental stability?

While his intention to round up dangerously deranged criminal immigrants and lunatics is commendable, he has yet to acknowledge the bigger picture; but will he? Considering that 23% of adults experienced a mental illness in 2024  nearly 60 million Americans  the dangerously deranged account for only a minuscule percentage of the population.

Whether he is aware of it or not, Trump has just given his blessing to the weaponisation of mental health on a scale never imagined. He has opened wide a dangerous door that has always been sneakily ajar, namely the subliminal abuse that people with mental health issues are often subjected to in the workplace.

Mental health has now become a weapon for those who want to use it against anyone they have a reason to dislike.

Its worth remembering that many employees have fallen victim to mental health slurs and false accusations that fall far short of legitimate diagnoses in an effort by employers to get rid of them. Whistleblowers come to mind; also women who become targets for misogynistic bosses, of whom there is no shortage.

According to US research, over three-quarters of bullies in the workplace are men, with 60% of that portion targeting women; while women bullies  often called mean girls  bully women at twice the rate they bully men. Over two-thirds of women who bully target women. 65% of bosses are bullies.

In many cases, misogyny is a bullys best friend. You could say it comes naturally to them. As many as a third of decision-makers agreed that sexist behaviour exists in the workplace. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women break the glass ceiling.

Borderline is a word that used to worry me; now it scares me. I hear it used in casual conversation more and more, mostly aimed at other people. Shes borderline. To flippantly call someone borderline is nothing short of dangerous.

Or hes bipolar, commonly used in urban slang to describe someone who suddenly changes their mind. This is very worrying stuff.

An effective way to bully someone is to undermine their emotional disposition, or their mental health, even if that stretches to grounding them with medical conditions they dont have. It's not uncommon in recent years to have an employee diagnosed as unfit for work because of employer grievances towards them.

Karlene Petitt

Im reminded of the story of Karlene Petitt, a senior pilot flying commercial jets for 35 years. She received a letter from her employer, Delta Airlines, on Christmas Eve 2016, which informed her she was mentally unfit for duty and therefore banned from flying forever.

Her achievements up to that point were nothing short of impressive. She was raising three young children, was the proud owner of two masters degrees and a university doctorate, seven type ratings, and had written a stack of books, including Flight To Success  Be the Captain of Your Life, all while displaying perfect performance as a long-haul pilot.

Petitt had become a thorn in Deltas side, criticising the companys safety culture, including concerns she had over issues involving her piloting colleagues, which she had detailed in a number of emails she had sent to her bosses. In March of that year, she had been grounded pending a medical assessment by a company-assigned doctor.

Deltas vice president of flight operations, Captain Jim Graham, a few days after she had been taken off duty, informed a colleague by email that he would put a stop to Petitts criticisms by inciting a Section 15  a process that can label pilots too mentally unstable to fly.

Deltas letter that Christmas Eve informed her that she was mentally unfit for duty and her piloting career was effectively over, following a Soviet-style psychiatric evaluation that diagnosed Petitt with bipolar disorder.

Petitt, who is now retired, fought a six-and-a-half-year legal battle to overturn the diagnosis and restore her career. Two years before, in 2020, evidence in court, supported by administrative law judge, Scott Morris, suggested Delta had manipulated its process to achieve a desired outcome.

Morris also agreed with Petitt that Delta had ordered the psychiatric review to punish her for her criticisms, which included forcing pilots to fly while exhausted.

Stephen Dickson, who became head of the Federal Aviation Administration in 2019 following Donald Trumps nomination, had helped Delta retaliate against Petitt while he was an executive with the airline.

Dickson was aware of and approved the reprisal measures against Petitt, the judge ruled, while Jim Graham and attorney Christopher Puckett, who were the two key actors, subjected the pilot to a psychiatric evaluation, selecting a doctor at a cost of 74,000 who they knew would be inclined to find her unfit to fly, even though other independent doctors later testified that the examination was unwarranted.

Dr David Altman later testified that his diagnosis was driven by Petitts achievements  her degrees, her books, and her piloting career  all while raising three children under three. It was well beyond what any woman Ive ever met could do, he told the court.

Her huge workload suggested to him she was manic, instead of just acknowledging she was an over-achiever. Altman later surrendered his medical license to avoid charges.

Independent doctors later cleared Petitt of any disorder. She won her case, forcing Delta to reinstate her as a pilot.

President Donald Trump has sent out a dangerous message to employers  misogynists in particular  who use mental health as a weapon to settle scores. Photo: AP/Ben Curtis

Trump has sent out a dangerous message to employers  misogynists in particular  who use mental health as a weapon to settle scores. This man who treats women like doormats gave me a reason during the week to look for a book I bought years ago called Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women by Susan Faludi, a shocking assessment of how women were treated in Reagans America.

Now the flames of misogyny are being fanned even higher in the land of Trump. Its a book thats more relevant than ever in todays America, as much as it is here at home.

In the authors words: When the enemy has no face, society will invent one. My lasting impression of Donald Trump will be his nasty belittling attempts to defeat people whose only violation was to say the word no".
There is a scene in the movie A Complete Unknown where a young Bob Dylan is looking at TV waiting for the end of world. The Cuban missile crisis of 1962 was unfolding, Soviet missiles were en route to its ally Catro, in an attempt to gain advantage in the Cold War. Locating the armaments in the Caribbean island within range of the USA would have been a threat and victory rolled into one. US president John F Kennedy made it clear that he wouldnt allow this to happen. He said if the Soviets persisted he would launch a first strike. The world held its breath as the ship carrying a deadly cargo ploughed through the waves conveying the prospect of annihilation.

All of this was going on before I was busy being born but for a few days, until the missiles were turned around, it looked like the world was busy dying. Dylan was living in New York, 22 years of age and going through a phase where he appeared to be a medium to channel into song the wonder, fear, and excitement of an old order rapidly changing. Watching the crisis unfold, he summoned his muse and wrote 'A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall'. Many years later he would recall how that and other songs that defined a generation in the 1960s came so easily to him, and how the facility deserted him, maybe around about the time the dream of the decade died. After that initial incendiary burst of creativity, he settled into a more earthy groove in which he turned out to be just the most prolific songwriter of the last half century.

A Complete Unknown has attracted eight Oscar nominations and is a fine piece of work, not least in conveying the sense of awakening during the early 1960s, allied to the dread of impending doom. Its a reminder at this time of living dangerously that a threat to the way we live in not new or unique.

Those of us who werent around then often dont acknowledge that the Cold War at times did threaten to visit annihilation on the planet. It was always there in the background, a binary world, West versus East, both vying to present themselves as the good in combat with evil. Today, we can look back in books or online and muse that the worst fears were never really going to be realised, that the prospect of mutual destruction ensured that even when they sometimes went to the brink, they always pulled back. At least back then, it appears from this remove, there were adults in the room, whether in Moscow or Washington.

Right now, the old order is rapidly changing once more, leaving much to fear. There is the rising power and confidence of authoritarian regimes, led by Russia and China. They seek to disrupt the liberal democracy model that emerged from the Cold War intact having seemingly defeated the Soviets. Technology, and particularly recent developments in Artificial Intelligence. heighten the threat being posed.

Internally, the old liberal order has increasingly excluded a growing cohort who now turn to populists selling alleged easy solutions to complex problems and promising to act as a repository for pain and anger. Its like we better start swimming or well sink like a stone. Who knows where its going to end up?

We still, however, have Dylan, determined to keep on keepin on with his never-ending tour at the age of 83.

It would be interesting to hear what he might have to say on the current state of the world, but youd be waiting a long time. He is not one for grand pronouncements, and when he does address the political aspect of the world around him it is usually with a sardonic quip or some declaration that is so indeterminable it leaves Dylanologists with decades worth of food for long thought

Even in the sixties, as the movie makes clear, Dylan wasnt part of the movement for change. He started out as a folk singer but was never infused with the thirst for justice and equality, peace and love, that drove its best known practitioners, including his hero Woodie Guthrie, and his mentor Pete Seeger. He just had a sense of what was going on and he gave it voice. One of the reasons A Complete Unknown succeeds is that it does not present a hagiography. Dylan is shown in all his flaws, including, once he stepped onto the wheel of fame, the potential to be what the Americans refer to as a jerk. But so what?

His is, according to no less an artist than the late Lenoard Cohen, a figure that arises every three or four hundred years who represents and embodies all the finest aspirations of the human heart".

There wasnt much human heart in evidence the night before his most celebrated appearance on these shores back in 1984. Not much peace and love either. That was at Slane Castle, his first gig here in nearly twenty years. For this teenager at the time the occasion was a form of pilgrimage. I thumbed from Cork to Dublin, stayed with an aunt, and struck out for the Co Meath village the day before his scheduled arrival.

Bob Dylan on stage at Slane in 1984. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

That night a hard rain fell on the village in the form of a riot that kicked off at closing time. A recent documentary on Slane showed footage from the aftermath of what ensued, garda cars upturned and set alight, the main drag through the village covered in a carpet of broken glass, reinforcements called in from as far away as Dublin.

It was the first and only time I was subjected to a baton charge as the gardai attempted in the early hours to clear the village. In the course of the charge an officer smashed a flagon of cider I was cradling. How does it feel? Well, it felt like my night had just been robbed, no prospect of booze and the pubs closed, blood on my face. I had a mind to ring home and say, Its alright ma, Im only bleeding. (Ok, Ill stop now).

The following day he did appear and didnt disappoint. As is his wont, he made no reference to what had befallen his faithful the night before. There was no reason to get excited. He introduced Van Morrison as a man who left these shores a long time ago and they duetted on an unforgettable 'Its All Over Now Baby Blue'. Then Bono came on and appeared to not know the words of 'Blowin In The Wind'. I remember thinking that yer man was up there disgracing us in front of Bob, wouldnt somebody for the love of God get him off the stage.

I was all wrong. In an interview in New York some months later he referenced Bonos appearance that day and said he was amazing. Thats what makes Dylan different. He has always seen things that are beyond the vision of most of us. Go see A Complete Unknown. And if you see him, say hello, and remind him about that flagon of cider.
US President Donald Trump said his administration has already had very serious discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take significant action towards ending the grinding conflict.

We will be speaking, and I think will perhaps do something thatll be significant, Mr Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office.

We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Mikhail Tereshchenko, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Mr Trump did not say who from his administration has been in contact with the Russians but insisted the two sides were already talking.

Asked if he has already spoken directly with Mr Putin, Mr Trump was coy, saying: I dont want to say that.

Mr Trump has said repeatedly he would not have allowed the conflict to start if he had been in office, even though he was president as fighting grew in eastern Ukraine between Kyivs forces and separatists backed by Moscow, ahead of Mr Putin sending in tens of thousands of troops in 2022.

Mr Trump since returning to office has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he should have made a deal with Mr Putin to avoid the conflict.

In a recent interview with Russian state television, Mr Putin praised Mr Trump as a clever and pragmatic man who is focused on US interests.

I couldnt disagree with him that if he had been president, if they hadnt stolen victory from him in 2020, the crisis that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided

We always had a business-like, pragmatic but also trusting relationship with the current US president, Mr Putin said.

I couldnt disagree with him that if he had been president, if they hadnt stolen victory from him in 2020, the crisis that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided.

Mr Trump in his 2024 campaign vowed to bring a quick end to the war, and repeatedly criticised President Joe Bidens administration for spending billions in US taxpayer money on military and economic aide for Kyiv to help it fight back against Russia.

Mr Trumps relationship with Mr Putin has been scrutinised since his 2016 campaign for president, when he called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

Mr Trump publicly sided with Mr Putin over US intelligence officials on whether Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to help him, and Mr Trump has praised the Russian leader and even called him pretty smart for invading Ukraine.
Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met with a Trump administration official on Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions Richard Grenell announced the release of the six men on social media.

Mr Grenells visit came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped Mr Trump would continue the maximum pressure campaign he pursued against Mr Maduro during his first term.

According to the White House, the trip was focused on Mr Trumps efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025

We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens, Mr Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him.

The meeting in Venezuelas capital took place less than a month after Mr Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last years election.

The US government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognise Maduros claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Mr Grenell and Mr Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the US government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Grenell being filmed meeting with Mr Maduro gave legitimacy to a government that the White House does not officially recognise.

No. We want to do something with Venezuela. Ive been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro, Mr Trump responded. Theyve treated us not so good, but theyve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly.

Mr Maduro, appearing on state television after Mr Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded initial agreements but did not provide any details.

This photo released by Venezuelas presidential press office shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, centre, with Richard Grenell, President Donald Trumps special envoy, left, at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas (Venezuelas

I have seen three US presidents pass before me, he said. This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuelas sovereignty, for Venezuelas democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.

Some Republicans criticised the visit.

This is terrible timing, said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimise his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president.

If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president couldve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.

The dispute over the election results sparked nationwide protests. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

Among those detained are as many as 10 Americans who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Mr Maduros government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.

A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-year-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the US. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Mr Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday that Mr Trump had instructed Mr Grenell to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organisation, land in Venezuela. She said the president ordered Mr Grenell to ensure that all US detainees in Venezuela are returned home.
On the morning of Saturday, February 1, Russian troops fired a missile at a residential high-rise building in Poltava. The hit destroyed the staircase from the 1st to the 5th floor.

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Four people were killed and 13 others were injured, including children. This was reported by the State Emergency Service.

"Poltava. Russia hit a residential building with a missile. 2 people were killed in the attack. Another 7 were injured, including a child," the statement said.

After a while, the number of dead and wounded increased.

"The number of people killed in a rocket attack on a residential building in Poltava has increased to 3. 10 people were injured, including 1 child," the SES said at 09:31.

As of 12:13, the State Emergency Service reported four dead. At that time, 22 people were rescued.

At noon, the Office of the Prosecutor General reported that 13 people were injured in the attack. There were three children among them.

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"Under the procedural guidance of the Poltava Regional Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation was launched into the commission of a war crime that resulted in the death of people (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). According to the investigation, on February 1 in the morning, the Russian armed forces launched a missile attack on Poltava, preliminarily with an X-22 missile. The entrance of a five-story building was destroyed, and other residential buildings and vehicles were damaged. Three people were killed and 13 injured, including 3 children. Information about the victims and damage is being clarified," the statement said.

The Russian missile destroyed the entire entrance of the apartment building  from the 1st to the 5th floor. 18 nearby apartment buildings, a kindergarten, and 12 cars were damaged.

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Emergency and rescue operations are ongoing. According to the Poltava Regional State Administration, as of 11:30 a.m., more than 400 rescuers, security forces, and utility workers, as well as more than 80 pieces of equipment, were involved in the rubble removal. Experts are also inspecting nearby buildings to assess the damage.

Headquarters of the city council, law enforcement agencies, the State Emergency Service, and volunteer organizations have been deployed.

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We would like to remind you that this morning Russian missiles were also recorded in Poltava and Kharkiv regions.

In Poltava region, Myrhorod district came under enemy attack. Damage to the energy infrastructure was recorded there: 164 households and one legal entity were left without electricity.

In Kharkiv region, Russian terrorists attacked two districts: Kharkiv and Berestyn.

The invaders also hit a residential area of Kharkiv, where a private house was on fire. Around 8 a.m., several wounded and one woman killed by the Russians were reported.

According to Ukrenergo, due to the Russian attack, emergency blackouts were introduced in seven regions of Ukraine at around 8 a.m.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Hamas has handed over the American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel to the Red Cross  the third hostage to be released on Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Mr Siegel, 65, walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials.

Earlier, the militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in similar scenes in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Ofer Kalderon was freed in Khan Younis, southern Gaza (AP)

All three had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 2023 that sparked the war.

The truce, which began on January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truces initial six weeks.

Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7 2023 (AP)

Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas initial attack or have died in captivity.

French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Mr Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Mr Macron posted on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Ofer Kalderon est libre ! Nous partageons le soulagement et la joie immenses de ses proches apres 483 jours dun enfer inimaginable.



Nous pensons a Ohad Yahalomi, toujours aux mains du Hamas, et a sa famille. La France met tout en uvre pour parvenir a sa liberation sans delai.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 1, 2025

It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.

Mr Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

Meanwhile, the release of Mr Bibas has brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The releases sparked relief and joy in Israel (AP)

A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys  Ariel, four, and Kfir, just nine months old at the time.

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli air strike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Like Bibas, Mr Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Mr Kalderons family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

Mr Bibas was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis (AP)

Ofer is coming home! they said, arms lifted to the sky.

Ofer Kalderons two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they were not able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Benjamin Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Hamas says it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Hamas has released three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Militants handed Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, looking pale and thin, was released to the Red Cross later on Saturday morning in Gaza City to the north.

In exchange, Israel has begun releasing a group of Palestinian prisoners.

Keith Siegel was handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City (AP)

A bus departed Ofer Military Prison with some 32 prisoners for the West Bank. About 150 other prisoners are either being sent to Gaza or deported.

According to Palestinian authorities, a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners are to be released, including dozens serving lengthy sentences or life sentences, and 111 people from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7 2023 and held without trial.

All three of the Israeli hostages were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war on October 7 2023.

Inmates were released from the Israeli Ofer prison in the West Bank city of Beitunia (AP)

Israel confirmed that all three men had crossed the border and would head to hospital from an initial reception point at a military base.

Both events were quick and orderly, in contrast to chaotic scenes that had unfolded during an earlier hostage release on Thursday, when armed militants appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd mobbing the hostages.

In both of Saturdays releases, masked and armed militants stood in lines as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved before being led off and handed over to the Red Cross.

The three men have now crossed the border back to Israel (AP)

In Tel Avivs Hostages Square, thousands of people gathered to watch the releases being transmitted live on a large screen, waving signs and cheering.

The truce, which began on January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7 2023 (AP)

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truces initial six weeks.

Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas initial attack or have died in captivity.

French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Mr Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.

Mr Kalderon landed at Sheba medical Centre in Ramat Gan (AP)

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Mr Macron posted on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Ofer Kalderon est libre ! Nous partageons le soulagement et la joie immenses de ses proches apres 483 jours dun enfer inimaginable.



Nous pensons a Ohad Yahalomi, toujours aux mains du Hamas, et a sa famille. La France met tout en uvre pour parvenir a sa liberation sans delai.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 1, 2025

It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.

Mr Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

Meanwhile, the release of Mr Bibas, 35, has brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The releases sparked relief and joy in Israel (AP)

A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two red-headed boys  Ariel, four, and Kfir, just nine months old at the time.

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli air strike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Like Mr Bibas, Mr Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, 54-year-old Mr Kalderons family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

Mr Bibas was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis (AP)

Ofer Kalderons two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they were not able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

The ceasefire is holding after two weeks (AP)

More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Hamas says it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
At least five people have died overnight as Russian drone and missile strikes continued to pound Ukraines towns and cities, local officials said.

Meanwhile, Moscows troops continued their grinding advance through the countrys east.

A Russian missile strike on an apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Poltava killed at least four people and injured 10 more, Ukraines emergency services reported.

Some 21 people were rescued from the five-storey building, which partially collapsed following the attack, said the Poltava regions acting governor, Volodymyr Kohut.

Rescue teams remain at the site.

Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Another wave of terrorist crimes.



In Poltava, a residential building was hit, a section of the building was completely destroyed. Ten people were pic.twitter.com/1FQAf4bfql  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2025

Elsewhere, a 60-year-old woman was killed by falling debris from a downed drone in the Kharkiv region, local governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on social media.

The bombardment comes as Russian forces continue their monthslong campaign to capture the key Donetsk strongholds of Pokrovsk and nearby Chasiv Yar, fighting their way across farm fields and woodland and engulfing small rural settlements.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on social media on Saturday: Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs.

Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror.

Another Russian rocket attack struck Poltava (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Every air defence system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved.

The full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, which began nearly three years ago and shows no signs of ending, has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.

Many have been evacuated from areas along the roughly 600-mile front line where Ukrainian defences are straining to hold the bigger Russian army at bay.

Civilians have also endured hardship caused by Russian attacks on the power grid that have denied them heating and running water.

Saturdays missile attack prompted emergency power grid shutdowns in seven Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, state energy company Ukrenergo said.

Ukrainian strikes also hit Russia, with air defences intercepting nine drones across the countrys Bryansk, Belgorod and Saratov regions, Russias Defence Ministry said.
Horst Kohler, a former head of the International Monetary Fund who became a popular German president before stunning the country by resigning abruptly in a flap over comments about the countrys military, has died aged 81.

Mr Kohler, who was head of state from 2004 to 2010, died on Saturday morning in Berlin after a short illness, surrounded by his family, the office of current German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.

He was little-known to most Germans and a stranger to front-line politics before he won the presidency. His nomination was greeted by the mass-circulation daily Bild with the headline: Horst Who?

However, he built up high popularity ratings once in the job, something that he achieved in part by positioning himself as an outsider to the countrys political elite.

Horst Kohler with then-German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in 2005 (AP)

Mr Kohler occasionally refused to sign bills into law due to constitutional concerns and did not always make himself popular with the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose choice he was for the presidency  a largely ceremonial job, but often seen as a source of moral authority.

He was elected before Ms Merkel came to power, at a time when Germany was struggling to come to terms with labour market reforms and welfare state cuts.

He said Germans must not rest on past achievements, and said he was deeply convinced Germany has the strength for change.

In July 2005, Mr Kohler agreed to dissolve parliament and grant struggling then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroder an unusual early election.

He declared that Germany faced giant challenges and that our future and the future of our children is at stake.

Ms Merkel won power, but nearly blew a huge poll lead after her talk of deeper reform turned off voters. Mr Kohler also talked less of economic change in later years and was strongly critical of financial markets during the banking and economic crisis  describing them as a monster that had not yet been tamed.

Mr Kohler was German president for the earlier part of Angela Merkels time as chancellor (AP)

Amid criticism that he appeared to have little to say after winning a second term, Mr Kohler resigned in dramatically abrupt fashion on May 31 2010. He cited criticism over a radio interview he gave following a visit to German troops in Afghanistan.

In that broadcast, he said that for a country with Germanys dependency on exports, military deployments could be necessary  in order to defend our interests, for example free trade routes.

That was taken by many as relating to Germanys unpopular mission in Afghanistan, although Mr Kohlers office later said he was referring to anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia.

Many wondered whether that was the real reason for the sometimes thin-skinned Mr Kohlers resignation, with critics speculating that he had simply become fed up with a lack of backing from Ms Merkel  for whom his resignation was an embarrassment.

In foreign policy, Mr Kohler won praise for trying to draw attention to the needs of Africa. He became the second German president to address Israels parliament, telling the Knesset: I bow my head in shame and humility before the victims of the Holocaust.

It was above all his approachability, his infectious laughter and his optimism, his belief in the strength of our country and in the energy and creativity of its people that won him so many hearts

He also paid attention to relations with eastern neighbour Poland, making it the first foreign destination of both of his two terms and saying he would like the country to become as important a partner for Germany as France.

In a letter of condolence to Mr Kohlers wife, Eva Louise, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote: Many people in our country will mourn with you. For in Horst Kohler we have lost a highly esteemed and extremely popular person who achieved great things  for our country and in the world.

It was above all his approachability, his infectious laughter and his optimism, his belief in the strength of our country and in the energy and creativity of its people that won him so many hearts. But it was also his often clear and by no means always comfortable admonitions and speeches that won him recognition.

Mr Kohler is survived by his wife, daughter Ulrike and son Jochen.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he ordered military airstrikes on a senior Islamic State attack planner and others from the organization in Somalia.

"These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians."
Today

Partly cloudy. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low 54F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Windy with rain showers in the morning then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 64F. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.
One of the victims of the airplane crash in the United States, which killed 6 people, was a girl who had been discharged home after a long treatment. The doctors were so impressed with her fight for her health that they accompanied her on the flight that turned out to be fatal.

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This was reported by CBS News, which spoke with hospital spokesman Mel Bauer. The girl from Mexico was undergoing treatment at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Philadelphia.

"It's extremely difficult and very challenging, those who were directly involved in her care knew very well that she was going to go home, and today was actually her send-off," Bauer said.

According to him, the hospital staff is deeply saddened by this event, because all patients are treated very warmly, as if they were family.

After discharge, the doctors asked the girl if she enjoyed the celebration at the end of her treatment, and she said yes.

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"Our employees work so hard to bring joy, laughter, and excitement to all parts of the clinical aspect. Patients don't look at it as a hospital, they go to a place where they have fun and enjoy themselves," Bauer emphasized.

He added that the hospital provides assistance not only in the field of medicine but also goes beyond the personal level.

As a reminder, on Friday, January 31, a small plane crashed in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, USA). It crashed near the Roosevelt Mall. As a result of the crash, houses and cars caught fire and a gas pipeline was damaged. Police reported injuries on the ground.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on January 29, a plane collided with a helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC. As a result of the accident, the passenger side fell into the water. There were 60 passengers and 4 crew members on board.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
In February, Britain will ease the rules for migrants from Ukraine, allowing them to reunite with their children. Ukrainians who do not have the right to permanent residence in the country will be able to bring their children to the UK.

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This was reported by BBC News Ukraine on January 31. The rules will come into force after appropriate changes are made to visa documents.

It is known that in February 2024, the government imposed restrictions on the Homes for Ukraine program, which allows Ukrainians to flee the war, without warning. According to the new rules, those who do not have the right to permanent residence in the UK could no longer sponsor others, including their own minor children.

Charitable organizations noted that these changes led to the separation of families, and some parents, in desperation, even resorted to illegal means to bring their children to Britain. The new relaxations in the rules are a "great relief" for parents separated from their children, but, according to human rights activists, they still do not solve the problem of reunification with other relatives, such as siblings or parents.

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In February last year, the Conservative government changed the rules of the Homes for Ukraine program, stipulating that only British or Irish citizens, as well as those with permanent residency, could sponsor those in need of housing. This deprived Ukrainians who are in the UK without permanent resident status of the opportunity to sponsor their relatives to move.

A legal conflict arose: minor children could be sponsored by third-party British citizens, but not by their own parents. At the same time, the government closed the Ukraine Family Scheme program, which allowed Ukrainians to join their relatives with the right to permanent residence in Britain.

Now, the government has announced that parents or legal guardians who are in the UK on any of the visa programs for Ukrainians will be able to apply to sponsor their children through Homes for Ukraine.

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"This will be a huge relief for those parents who have been separated from their children and will finally be able to bring them to the UK to be reunited safely," said Dora-Olivia Wikol, executive director of the migrant support charity.

However, she noted that this will not help those who have been separated from other family members, including siblings. The organization emphasizes that they are aware of cases of many Ukrainians who have been separated from family members and want to bring them to Britain.

"We are asking the Ministry of Internal Affairs to consider applications for children stuck in Ukrainian conflict zones, some of whom have been in limbo for almost a year," said Yulia Ismail, immigration adviser at the charity.

In his turn, a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs said that urgent measures had been taken to solve these problems. And now it will allow parents with visas under the Ukrainian program to sponsor their own children so that "they can join them in Britain."

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on January 23, it became known that Ukrainian refugees living in Poland but not working and not paying taxes may be left without state assistance under the 800+ program. The bill has already been submitted to the Polish parliament. The proposal came from Warsaw Mayor Rafa Trzaskowski.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Despite the terrible news for the fight against climate change occasioned by Donald Trumps return to the White House, such as the United States withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, 52, hasnt lost hope, nor her smile. A Texas Tech University professor and chief scientist at the environmental organization The Nature Conservancy, this native of Toronto, Canada who teaches and lives in one of the most conservative U.S. states, specializes in opening doors to discussing global warming  a skill of which we are in desperate need.

Question. As a climate scientist, what do you think about the new U.S. governments disengagement from the fight against climate change?

Answer. Its as if, a hundred years ago, the United States had decided to invest in horses and carriages instead of the Model T. The clean energy revolution cannot be stopped and no person nor any government can halt climate action. They can slow it down, but they cant stop it. The world is changing very quickly. Just last year, China installed more solar panels than the United States has in its entire history. All countries are changing  the United States has chosen to get left behind.

Q. Even if Trump cant stop climate action, what if he manages to slow it down?

A. The science tells us that every additional tenth of a degree of warming matters. Every ton of carbon dioxide that we produce has consequences. Every decision matters. As John Holdren, who was a senior advisor to Obama, says, we have three options: mitigation, adaptation and suffering. We can mitigate climate change  meaning, reduce emissions  adapt to the changes that are coming, or suffer the consequences.

Q. What worries you most about the United States failing to listen to climate scientists?

A. What worries me is that, even though climate change affects all of us, it doesnt affect all of us equally. Those who have least contributed to the problem are those who most suffer from its consequences. And thats not fair. This is why I became a climate scientist. I was studying astronomy, but I started studying climate change when I realized how unfair it all is.

Q. How can we counteract the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement?

A. We all contribute and we all have a role to play in reducing our emissions. Within the United States, there is an organization called We Are Still In. This group of cities, states, businesses, tribes, universities, represents more than 60% of U.S. emissions. So, while its true that the federal government [in the hands of Trump] plays a very big role in emissions, so do cities, states, businesses themselves. We at The Nature Conservancy are also committed to reducing emissions in a way that is consistent with the Paris Agreement.

Q. In recent years, theres been a rejection of climate policy around the world. What are we doing wrong?

A. For more than 60 years, weve talked about the global risks of climate change, which I call communication of the brain. But we havent communicated all the reasons why we care about ourselves, that is, the heart. People dont understand how climate change affects their home, their job, their family, their life. If you ask people what should be done to fight climate change, their answer is to recycle or use less plastic. And that is important, but it doesnt have much to do with climate change.

Q. How can we break through to climate emergency skeptics?

A. That kind of person speaks very loudly, especially on social media and in online comment sections, theyre quite vociferous. But even in the United States, they represent less than 10% of the population. Arguing with those people doesnt help to change their opinion, because it doesnt have anything to do with science. They actually have what psychologists call solution aversion. They think that the cure is worse than the disease, they think that solutions to climate change like clean energy represent a threat. Their scientific doubts are a smokescreen. If we try to argue with those people about science, well be like Don Quixote, fighting windmills.

Q. How do U.S. residents see the link between climate change and disasters like the fires in California?

A. At Yale University, they have a center that has been recording opinions on climate change for more than 15 years, and theyre seeing that more and more people in the United States are becoming concerned about warming. This is happening due to the climate-related disasters that are affecting us. We know without a doubt that climate change is increasing these risks. In the 1980s, in the United States there was a disaster that cost more than a billion dollars every four months, at least three every year. Nowadays, every year there are 30 disasters of that magnitude. That is changing public opinion.

Q. So then why did so many people in the United States vote for Trump?

A. Unfortunately, when it comes to climate change, we still havent made those connections between what we know as scientists  the brain  with homes, peoples lives  hearts. Neither have we made the connections between our own decisions and the companies and countries that continue in their addiction to fossil fuels. What I see in the United States also is that when you speak with regional leaders, mayors for example, they are more conscious, they think more about the impacts and importance of clean energy. I live in Texas, and there, cities like Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso have plans to fight against climate change and are reducing their emissions. Texas has more solar and wind farms than any other state in the United States.

Q. And what do people in a traditionally Republican state like Texas say about Trumps rejection of climate action and clean energy?

A. Based on the conversations Ive had, I think that they still havent connected the dots about how it is going to impact their jobs, the local economy. The problem  in the United States, but in other countries as well  is that the question of climate change is quite polarized. If you talk about clean energy, about adaptation, natural solutions, the majority of people support it.

Q. So what needs to be done?

A. Once in Texas, I gave a talk to a group of more than 300 directors of water districts, with representatives from the state government who do not support climate action. I decided to do the entire talk without saying climate change. I talked about long-term trends, about climate variability, the same data that we always give, but without ever mentioning climate change. When I was done, a woman came running up to shake my hand and tell me that she agreed with all of it. She told me that it made sense and that people talking about global warming didnt. I learned that when we talk about risks and solutions without using the words climate change or global warming, we can win over many more people.

Q. How can you be so hopeful when the news is so negative?

A. We need to be worried, because there is a problem and if were not worried, why would we want to solve it? Still, fear is not enough. We have to know what we can do. Hope for me is not an emotion, but rather something you practice, like an Olympic sport.

Q. Can you say more about that?

A. Im not talking about hope as an emotion, thinking that if we want something hard enough its going to be solved, sticking our head in the dirt like an ostrich. For me, hope is that we can change the future. Thats how its happened throughout history. How did we manage to end slavery? How did women get the vote? How did we end apartheid? It wasnt because of a president or a famous person or a rich person, but rather, individuals who came together against great established powers until society was changed.

Q. There are some people who think that not transmitting a pessimistic message right now is to hide reality.

A. I hear that nearly every day on social media, in emails I receive. But scientists have been sharing bad news for 60 years, and whats happened? What psychologists and social scientists tell us is that fear is not enough when it comes to climate change. They say that fear helps us wake up, but once were awake, fear paralyzes us. Many of the people who use the physical science of climate change to send negative messages do not then accept social sciences. To solve climate change, we need the bad news. Or as I say in my newsletter, the not-so-good news. We need it to know that we have a problem. At the same time, we need to know how to solve it, what other people like us are doing, other cities, other families, other businesses, other universities.

Translated by Caitlin Donohue.

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The father of the two youngest children taken hostage during the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel has been identified as one of the next three Israeli hostages to be released by Hamas.

Yarden Bibas, along with his wife Shiri and their sons, ten-month-old Kfir and four-year-old Ariel, were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Hamas announced that Ofer Calderon and Keith Siegel will be released tomorrow alongside Mr. Bibas.

Yarden, Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel Bibas were abducted on 7 October 2023.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that it received the list of captives set for release.

All families of hostages have been updated by IDF (military) liaison officers regarding the names of hostages expected to be released tomorrow, a statement from Mr. Netanyahus office indicated.

According to the agreement, these are three male hostages who are alive.

Mr. Siegel, a dual US-Israeli citizen, was taken hostage with his wife Aviva, who was released during the first ceasefire in November 2023.

Mr. Siegel was featured in a video released by Hamas last year.

Mr. Calderon was abducted along with his two children, Erez and Sahar, who were also freed during the 2023 truce.

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Israel is reportedly set to release 183 prisoners tomorrow, according to a Palestinian advocacy group, which significantly surpasses the previously reported figure.

The updated count of prisoners being released tomorrow is 183, said Palestinian Prisoners Club spokeswoman Amani Sarahneh today, following an earlier announcement of 90 prisoners set for release from Israeli jails.

Yesterday, Hamas freed three Israeli and five Thai hostages in Gaza, while Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners after initially delaying the process due to overwhelming crowds at one of the hostage handover locations.

Arbel Yehoud, 29, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, appeared frightened and struggled to navigate through the crowd as armed militants handed her over to the Red Cross in a tense scene in Khan Younis.

Arbel Yehoud was released amid chaotic scenes in Khan Younis.

Another Israeli hostage, Gadi Moses, 80, was also released along with five Thai nationals who were working on Israeli farms near Gaza when militants breached the border fence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed shock at the chaotic handover, threatening death to anyone harming the hostages.

Both he and Defence Minister Israel Katz stated they had ordered a pause in the releases of prisoners until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phases is guaranteed. The prime ministers office later indicated that mediators had pledged to ensure the safe passage of hostages during future handovers.

Buses arrived later in the West Bank city of Ramallah, delivering some of the 110 Palestinian prisoners set to be freed as part of the phased agreement that ended over 15 months of conflict in the coastal territory on 19 January.
Japan Sinkhole Expands as 74-Year-Old Man Goes Missing for Three Days

Rescue teams in Japan have commenced construction of a ramp in an effort to access a 74-year-old truck driver who has gone silent since his vehicle was engulfed by a sinkhole earlier this week.

The void has widened to 40 metres in diameter, nearly the width of an Olympic swimming pool, since it first appeared in a city situated just north of Tokyo on Tuesday morning, according to officials.

Authorities in Yashio suspect that corroded sewage pipes may have contributed to the expanding hole.

It is a highly hazardous situation, stated local fire chief Tetsuji Sato, speaking to reporters at the traffic intersection where numerous rescuers are engaged in round-the-clock efforts.

The void has widened to 40 metres in diameter, almost the same length as an Olympic swimming pool, since it emerged on Tuesday morning.

He mentioned that groundwater was seeping in and that the hole was continuing to collapse.

The driver has not been in communication since around midday Tuesday, as soil and other debris now obscure the cabin of his truck in Yashio.

Rescue teams in Japan have initiated the construction of a ramp in hopes of reaching a 74-year-old truck driver.

Eroding walls and falling debris

The damaged pipes potentially permitted the surrounding soil to flow in, leading to the hollowing out of the space beneath the surface, remarked Daisuke Tsutsui, an official from the Saitama prefecture.

Officials aimed to finish the 30-metre slope today; however, a local official indicated that it may require several days to complete.

The operation has been complicated by the continuous erosion of the inner walls of the hole, which is currently about 10 metres deep, forcing rescue workers to limit their time inside.

Initially, the hole measured approximately five metres in diameter but has since merged with a significantly larger cavity that emerged during the rescue efforts on Tuesday night.

As the sinkhole has broadened, large chunks of asphalt have periodically plummeted into it, complicating access for the rescue teams.

1.2 million residents in the vicinity have been urged to minimize their use of showers and laundry.

This situation has also increased the risks associated with positioning heavy machinery in close proximity to the site.

The 1.2 million individuals residing in the area have been advised to reduce water usage for showers and laundry to alleviate the challenges presented by leaking sewage.

Its tough to limit toilet use, but we are urging everyone to use less water wherever possible, an official commented.

Some of the sewage water was diverted to a nearby river to mitigate the runoff entering the hole.

Local factory worker Takuya Koroku expressed, It feels quite unusual that the search is taking such a long time. I wonder if he could have been rescued much sooner.

Im apprehensive about being nearby, added the 51-year-old.

Read more: Rescue operation after truck falls into sinkhole in Japan
Hamas has released three Israeli hostages while dozens of Palestinians were freed from Israeli prisons in return, marking the latest phase of a truce aimed at concluding the 15-month conflict in Gaza.

Ofer Kalderon, a dual French-Israeli citizen, along with Yarden Bibas, were handed over to Red Cross representatives in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, prior to being transferred to Israel.

Israeli-American Keith Siegel was transferred separately a few hours later at the Gaza City seaport.

Mr. Bibas is the father of the two youngest hostages, baby Kfir, who was just 9 months old when kidnapped by Hamas-led gunmen on October 7, 2023, and Ariel, who was 4 at the time of the cross-border attack.

There has been no information about their whereabouts since.

Israel has requested updates from the mediators who facilitated the ceasefire regarding the status of the family members.

Yarden has come home. However, his wife Shiri and his children Ariel and Kfir have not. We have been searching for them for a long time, tracing their steps and investigating their situation, Gal Hirsch, Israels hostage coordinator, stated.

The Bibas family  has lived in constant fear for their lives for an extended period  We continue to demand updates about their condition from the mediators.

In a message through the Israeli advocacy group, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the Bibas family expressed that a quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months following the release of the 35-year-old.

Yet, the home remains incomplete, the family added, stating they would persist with hope and the call for the return of Shiri, the children, and all hostages.

Following the hostages release, 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were freed in the swap.

Of these, 150 arrived in Gaza while 32 disembarked from a bus in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, where they were welcomed by large crowds.

Hamas fighters accompanied US-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel on stage before handing him over to a Red Cross team in Gaza.

One of the freed prisoners will be exiled to Egypt, according to the media office of the Hamas prisoners.

I feel joy despite the pain and hardship we endured, stated Ali Al-Barghouti, who was serving two life sentences in an Israeli prison.

The life sentence was broken, and one day the occupation will be broken, he added as the crowd in Ramallah chanted Allah Akbar (God is the greatest).

First Palestinian patients allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt.

At the newly reopened Rafah crossing on the southern border, the first Palestinian patients, including children suffering from cancer and heart ailments, were expected to cross into Egypt in a bus provided by the World Health Organization.

This initial opening will permit 50 injured militants and 50 wounded civilians, along with their escorts, with an additional 100 individuals, likely students, expected to pass through on humanitarian grounds.

However, Mohammad Zaqout, a senior official in Gazas health ministry, criticized the limited number of patients allowed to seek treatment, noting that around 18,000 people required better healthcare.

A Red Cross convoy transported Palestinian prisoners released by Israel to Ramallah.

In Israel, crowds gathered at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv to watch the release of the Israeli hostages on large outdoor screens, blending cheers and applause with tears as the three men appeared.

The hostage handover did not experience the chaotic scenes that marked an earlier transfer on Thursday, where Hamas guards struggled to shield hostages from a surging crowd in Gaza.

Nonetheless, it again showcased a show of force by uniformed Hamas fighters, who paraded in the area where the handovers occurred, signaling their re-established dominance in Gaza despite suffering heavy losses in the war.

Mr. Kalderon, whose two children Erez and Sahar were released in the first hostage exchange in November 2023, and Mr. Bibas both briefly took the stage in Khan Younis, in front of a poster of Hamas figures including Mohammad Deif, the former military commander whose death was confirmed by Hamas this week, before being handed over to Red Cross officials.

A member of the Red Cross team signs documents prior to Hamas fighters handing over two Israeli hostages in Khan Younis in Gaza.

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his loved ones after 483 days of unimaginable torment, French President Emmanuel Macron stated.

Eighteen hostages, including five Thais freed on Thursday, have now been released in exchange for 400 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Negotiations are set to commence by Tuesday regarding agreements for the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a second phase of the deal.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 children, women, and older male hostages, as well as the sick and injured, were scheduled to be released, with over 60 men of military age left for a second phase that is still pending negotiation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, focusing on the ceasefire in Gaza and a potential normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia as part of a postwar arrangement.

Members of Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderons family react upon hearing the news of his release.

The initial six-week ceasefire, agreed upon with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and supported by the United States, has so far remained on track despite several incidents leading both sides to accuse each other of breaking the deal.

Read more Middle East stories

Mr. Netanyahus government, which includes hardliners opposed to the ceasefire agreement, and Hamas have declared their commitment to reach an agreement in the second phase.

However, the outlook for a long-lasting resolution remains uncertain.

The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the taking of more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources.

Israels counter-campaign has devastated much of densely populated Gaza and has claimed more than 47,000 Palestinian lives, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Ukraine believes that North Korean soldiers engaged alongside Russias military on the Kursk front line have been withdrawn following significant losses, according to a military spokesperson.

Intelligence agencies from Western nations, South Korea, and Ukraine indicate that Pyongyang deployed over 10,000 troops to bolster Russian forces in the western Kursk region, where Ukraine initiated a surprising cross-border offensive in August.

During this operation, Ukraine successfully captured numerous border settlementsmarking the first instance of a foreign military crossing into Russian territory since World War IIresulting in a notable embarrassment for the Kremlin.

The North Korean troop deployment, which was never officially acknowledged by Moscow or Pyongyang, was intended to reinforce Russias military and assist in expelling Ukrainian forces.

In the last three weeks, we have not observed or detected any activity or military engagements involving the North Koreans, Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesperson for the Special Operations Forces, informed AFP.

We believe they have been withdrawn due to the substantial losses they incurred, he added.

Ukraine previously reported having captured or killed several North Korean soldiers stationed in the Kursk region.

President Zelensky has released footage of interrogations with what he claims are North Korean prisoners of war taken by his forces on the Kursk front.

Ukrainian officials have stated that injured North Korean troops chose to detonate grenades rather than be captured alive.

Kremlin Remains Silent

When questioned today regarding reports of the withdrawal of North Korean soldiers, the Kremlin opted not to comment.

There are many varying opinions circulating, some correct and some not, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

Its not advisable to comment on every instance, he added.

Ukraine and Western nations have condemned their deployment as a significant escalation in the protracted conflict.

Ukraine mentions that approximately 2,000 Russian civilians are residing in areas under its control, largely isolated from contact with relatives across the newly established frontline.

Frustration is mounting in the Russian border area due to local authorities inability to facilitate their return to Moscow-controlled territory or provide updates on their circumstances.

Despite Ukraine maintaining control over parts of the Kursk region, Russia has been making advances in other areas along the 1,000km front.

The Russian military announced the capture of another village, Novovasylivka, in eastern Ukraine, where its forces are making progress towards a critical logistics hub and a route essential for military supplies.

Novovasylivka is situated near the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region and adjacent to the internal border with Ukraines Dnipropetrovsk region, which has so far avoided ground combat.

In 2022, Russia declared its intent to annex the Donetsk regiondespite not having full control over itbut has refrained from making public territorial claims regarding Dnipropetrovsk.
A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administrations effort to freeze federal grants, loans, and other forms of financial aid, responding to concerns from Democratic state attorneys general. They argued that the Republicans policy would endanger essential government-funded services.

The decision, made by US District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, followed appeals from Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia. This occurred even after the White House announced it was rescinding Mondays memo from its budget office regarding the policy.

Judge McConnell indicated that evidence suggested the policy was still operational despite the Office of Management and Budgets wide-ranging, all-encompassing, and ambiguous directive being rescinded. He noted this appeared to be merely a move in name-only meant to obstruct a legal challenge.

Donald Trump has already taken steps to halt foreign aid, implement hiring freezes, and close diversity programs across multiple agencies.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who played a key role in the litigation, praised the ruling, asserting it would block the White Houses chaotic pause on federal funding.

This order will remain in effect until further notice from Judge McConnell. It follows a shorter administrative stay issued by a judge in Washington, DC, which paused the policy in response to a separate legal challenge filed by several nonprofit organizations. A hearing on the Washington case is scheduled for Monday.

The US Department of Justice, which is defending Trumps policy in court, declined to provide comments.

Judge McConnell, appointed by former President Barack Obama, stated that Congress had not provided the president with limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds directed to specific recipients and purposes.

He expressed concerns that abruptly pausing potentially trillions of dollars in federal funding would trigger a ripple effect, directly affecting states ability to deliver and manage vital services for their residents.

In a post on X, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt remarked, This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze, shortly before the hearing regarding the memos withdrawal.

Mr. Trump has already issued directives aimed at stopping foreign aid, implementing hiring freezes, shutting down diversity programs across numerous agencies, and reclassifying federal workers to facilitate easier termination and offering financial incentives for millions to resign to reduce the size of government.

The Democratic state attorneys general indicated that Matthew Vaeths memo from the OMBs acting director threatened over $1 trillion in federal grants, which states rely on for funding essential services such as healthcare, education, and transportation.

The memo instructed that funds be withheld while the administration reviewed grants and loans to ensure alignment with Trumps priorities, which include executive orders terminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Read more: White House says OMB memo on funding freeze rescinded

The states contended that the White House policy did not consider the damage it would cause to grant recipients and infringed upon the US Constitution by overriding Congresss authority to determine federal spending.

A law from 1974 known as the Impoundment Control Act established procedures meant to prevent a president from withholding funds approved by Congress.

Amid ongoing litigation, the White House attempted to clarify the funding freeze, asserting it would not affect Social Security or Medicare payments and would only impact programs covered by Trumps executive orders.

The OMB ultimately withdrew its memo on Wednesday, just before the hearing in the case before Judge McConnell. However, the state attorneys general argued that this action only retracted a piece of paper without addressing the underlying policy.

They highlighted a post by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on X shortly before the hearing on the memos withdrawal, stating, This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze.
( Human Rights Watch )  I would tell my husband I felt like it was a palace, Shaima Abu Jazar told me, describing the familys three-story home in Rafah in southern Gaza. They had lived in it for just six months before it was leveled to the ground in an Israeli airstrike in February 2024. Shaima and her husband, Abdullah, had bought it new. We saved for 15 years to get this house, she said.

I spoke to Shaima, 33, in June by her hospital bed in Doha, Qatar, as she recovered from her 47th surgery to treat injuries sustained in the blast that killed Abdullah, their son Mohammed, 15, and daughter Jenan, 11, and resulted in her nine-month pregnancy ending in stillbirth. Her two surviving children, Jenans twin brother Hudaifa, 11, and her daughter Maryam, 6, are living with her in her hospital room.

Shaima is just starting to regain function of her legs again with the assistance of a walker. When the current hostilities between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza started on October 7, 2023, Shaima was always on the move. She was a baker, she filled her daysand her Instagramwith birthday cakes with icing ribbons, chocolate covered fruit, and chewy date cookies she prepared for clients.

Eleven months later, her photo reels are a keepsake of her 13 relatives killed in three Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, including the bombing that injured her and killed her husband and children. The first attack was on October 10, when Shaimas sister-in-laws home was hit in a blast killing her, her husband, and three children, ages 6, 4, and 1. A second, on October 13, killed her brother-in-law, his wife, and three of their children. Four months later, on February 11, came the devastating strike on Shaimas new home.

Following the October 10 strike that hit Shaimas sister-in-laws home, rescue workers found a decapitated body of a girl who family members assumed was Shaimas niece Dima, 16, on a neighbors rooftop. The remains were laid to rest with Shaimas sister-in-laws family. Two days later, relatives found Dima alive and at the European Hospital. They still do not know the identity of the girl buried with the family.

120 Days of Hell

On October 14, Shaima left her home in Rafah with her four children to shelter in a school run by the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in Tal al-Sultan refugee camp, believing her family would be safer there. Shaima was five months pregnant and had missed her first ultrasound appointment, scheduled for October 8.

Shaima estimates at least 5,000 displaced people ended up sheltering at the school during the time she stayed there. She and her family were cramped in a classroom with at least 50 others. The bathroom was a struggle on its own. Youd have to wait half an hour, an hour, until it was your turn, Shaima said. Yet, hoping to be safe, they stayed for 120 days.

Shaima said UNRWA, which was now operating the school as a shelter, provided us with salty water for washing and bathing the children. But many times, barely any water was available, so I used a can with some water in it behind the door of the class to [bathe] my children and wash the dishes. With no privacy, Shaima had to fashion this makeshift washing area, like all the other families there.

There was not enough drinking water and every few days a tanker of non-potable water would arrive. Displaced people in the shelter often resorted to drinking this. Some developed diarrhea and vomiting while others, including a niece in Shaimas care, contracted Hepatitis A.

The family subsisted on canned tuna and beans, cheese and stale bread that they purchased or were given. A pregnant woman needs food, children need food. We didnt see fruit, we didnt see vegetables, Shaima told me. Our bodies were very weak. Our children werent able to get up and play or move around.

During those 120 days, Shaimas husband, a cleric who administered a charity network, stayed in their home in Rafah and continued work.

The Attack

On February 11, as she was reaching the end of her pregnancy, Shaima felt a contraction. I left the school to bring clothes for the baby, she said. Shaima took her children and returned to their family home in Rafah in what was supposed to be a quick trip home before returning to the camp and await her delivery.

She found the house dusty and in disarray. She started cleaning, hoping to have people over to greet the new baby after she had delivered. I prepared the house, washed the carpets, and washed the bedding so I could prepare my house for visitors, she said. I didnt know I was preparing my house for the bombing.

By the end of the day, Shaima and the children were ready to go back to the UNRWA shelter at the school. Shaima had stuffed their luggage with essentials for the baby. Her daughter Jenan packed nail polish.

But then Shaimas husband said he was craving mamoul, the crumbly date cookie Shaima used to bake before the war. So I cancelled going back to the school that night, she said, planning instead to return to school the next morning.

At first, the evening was like a return to their normal lives. Jenan danced around, filming Shaima on her phone baking a beautiful batch of mamoul.

But nighttime was frightening for the family, since most airstrikes occurred then. The Rafah home had already been struck by a bomb in December.

Eleven-year-old Jenan protested, Mama, please lets not sleep at home tonight, and

6-year-old Maryam went to sleep at her grandparents house nearby.

I cant walk a single step to the school, Shaima, now nine months pregnant, told Jenan. It takes a quarter of an hour to walk to the school. There was no transportation at all, she told me, only war.



Childrens Screams, Digital, Midjourney, 2024

Around 2 a.m., the family awoke to explosions. Everyone huddled in Shaima and her husbands bed. At 3 a.m., as blasts intensified, Shaima asked Jenan to grab her prayer hijab on the other side of the room. The family was readying to flee. She told me:

She grabbed the prayer hijab to give it to me, but she didnt get to pass it to me. Just then a strike hit our building. Suddenly the ceiling was collapsing on top of me. The building had been split in half. The side I was on collapsed into the road. There were flames on my feet, and the flesh on my legs started to melt. I was lucky that our water tank had fallen right next to me, I was able to use the water to put out the fire. Thats the only reason I didnt lose my entire left leg. It was a very scary sight. Our bed was divided into two halves. My half flew away and [my husbands] half stayed in the house.

I heard Hudaifa screaming, Dont leave me down here! from under the rubble. People dug him out  his face, body and left foot were covered in burns. They said he would lose his sight, but by some miracle he hasnt. I didnt hear my other children screaming.

Shaimas father found her amidst the rubble and carried her to Mohammed Yousef El-Najar Hospital in Rafah. First, nurses put her in a tent outside of the main building because beds were not available inside, but when they saw that her injuries were serious, she was moved inside. Then a doctor sent her outside again, pointing to dead and injured bodies across the floor, and said there was no room for her.

After three hours with no one treating her, Shaimas father carried her to the European Hospital the next town over in Khan Younis. No one had informed her that her husband and two children were killed in the strike. She told me:

My doctor thought I knew they were martyred so he said to me, I used to love praying behind your husband, may he rest in peace. His voice was very beautiful when he recited the Quran. I told him, May he rest in peace. I pretended to know. I later found out my husband died 20 minutes after the attack, his intestines had been lying outside of his body. My older son, Mohammed, had a metal fragment injury in his head.

Jenan was also killed. She was found with both of her legs severed and shrapnel in her head. Theres a picture of Jenan after she was martyred hanging on the wall [of their house] and the headscarf hanging behind her on the same wall.

Shaima told me about a viral photo of her daughters remains that circulated online the day after the strike. Jenans gone, may she rest in peace, she said of the girl who had danced with her in the kitchen just hours before her house and her mothers world was broken in two.

After three hours waiting in the European hospital, Shaima was in surgery. She had seven fractures in her left leg and foot, three fractures in her right leg and foot, and severe burns all over. She told me:
By Leonie Fleischmann, City St Georges, University of London

(The Conversation)  Days after taking office, as he issued executive order after executive order to change the political face of America, Donald Trump also turned his attention to the war in Gaza.

His proposal that Gaza should be cleared out and Palestinians should be relocated to other countries such as Egypt and Jordan has been met with outraged disbelief in many quarters. The Arab League has accused him of advocating ethnic cleansing.

But Trumps statement has met with approval from far-right leaders in Israel. Influential politicians have been advocating for this solution for years. These include finance minister and leader of the Religious Zionist party, Bezalel Smotrich and his ideological ally Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Strength) party and former national security minister.

Smotrich responded to Trumps utterance with the declaration that he aimed to turn the idea into an actionable policy. Ben Gvir, who resigned his ministerial position recently in response to the Israeli acceptance of the latest ceasefire deal, claimed that the evacuation of Gazans was the most humanitarian answer to the crisis and the only way to ensure peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.

The pair  and their followers in Israel  share an anti-Arab ideology and a messianic belief in the Jewish peoples right to what they call Greater Israel. This would be a Jewish state which would also include the West Bank, which they referred to as Judea and Samaria, as well as Gaza and part of Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

They have repeatedly called for Israel to use the war as an opportunity to reoccupy Gaza.

These leaders enjoy a degree of influence due to the amount of media attention they receive. But it would be a mistake to assume they represent the majority of Israelis.

Data collected in 2024 by the Pew Research Center found that 45% and 41% of Israelis expressed very unfavourable views of Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, respectively. In the 2022 elections, as the combined Religious Zionist party, they won just 10.84% of the vote.

Meanwhile, the Israel Democracy Institute found that a majority of Israelis (57.5%) support a comprehensive deal for the release of all the hostages in return for an end to the war in Gaza.

And yet Israels ultranationalists have been able to take advantage of the changing political landscape in Israel over the past few decades and the fragile multiparty system to wield disproportionate power over a government that has depended on their support to stay afloat.

Israels rightwards shift

During the 1990s, there was significant support in Israeli society for the Oslo peace process towards a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This culminated in the historic handshake between the then Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation chairman, Yasser Arafat, on the White House lawn in 1993.

While support for the peace process reached a high of 72% in Israel in 1995 when Oslo II was signed, right-wing factions attempted to derail the agreements. Rabin was assassinated in November 1995 by Yigal Amir, an extremist Israeli Jew, who did not want to see the realisation of a Palestinian state.

The collapse of the Camp David talks in 2000, which then prime minister Ehud Barak blamed on Arafat, was followed in short order by the outbreak of the second intifada. The idea that there was no partner for peace on the Palestinian side became a mantra for Israeli voters, who looked to those who could guarantee their security.

Benjamin Netanyahu, who had been prime minister from 1996 to 1999, returned to power in 2009, with the image of Mr Security.

Netanyahu is now Israels longest serving prime minister. His masterful manipulation of the fragile political system in Israel has accounted for his longevity in power.

But it has also enabled a gradual shift towards the most right-wing coalition in Israels history. Part of that has been the Religious Zionist camp.

Biblical promise

The Religious Zionists originally formed a small minority of the broader Zionist movement in the years preceding the declaration of the State of Israel. Religious Zionists combine faith and nationalism. Their core belief is that the Jewish people have the God-given right to settle the whole of Greater Israel.



Squatters, Digital, ChatGPT, 2024

The West Bank in particular, but also the Gaza Strip, were the sites of many key events in biblical times and the home of a number of Israelite kingdoms. In the Bible, God promises this land to the descendants of Abraham  the Jewish people. Religious Zionists have chosen to take this literally.

Having failed to wield power through the parliament in the early days of statehood, the Religious Zionists sought to realise their ideology through extra-parliamentary activity. This meant establishing settlements with a view to change facts on the ground. In the aftermath of the 1967 war, the main focus of settlement building was national security, rather than religious nationalist ideology.

But ideology has always been a key factor for those who live in the settlements in the West Bank today  and those who vow to return to Gaza. The movement has been successful by establishing outposts and settlements in the West Bank and in getting their people into government.

The Religious Zionist camp is broad and heterogeneous, and according to recent polls now represents 22% of the Jewish population in Israel. The partys position in holding the balance of power in the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, since the election in 2022, has enabled them to gradually wield greater influence on Israeli policy both in the West Bank and the war in Gaza.

Meanwhile many of their supporters have formed settler groups, who use violence to destabilise and displace Palestinian families living in the West Bank.

And now the US president has not only backed one of their dearest dreams, to clear Palestinians from Gaza, he has removed the Biden-era sanctions on several of the most aggressive settler groups. So the recent news that Netanyahu will be the first foreign leader to visit the White House next week feels particularly ominous for the fate of the Palestinian people.

Leonie Fleischmann, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, City St Georges, University of London

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
On January 16, 2015  nine days after the Kouachi brothers, two French-born Islamist terrorists, entered the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and murdered nine of its employees  a turning point in history occurred. Charb, a charismatic cartoonist who directed the publication, was one of the victims. His funeral was held in Pontoise, northeast of Paris. Among the friends who spoke was Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing party La France Insoumise (LFI).

You were killed by our oldest, cruelest, most constant, most obtuse enemies: religious fanatics, bloody imbeciles, who have always been shouting, he proclaimed. He also spoke of how the French creed of laicite had been ridiculed and how his friend had defended the secularists who were mocked. Thank you, comrade, he sobbed, broken.

Ten years later, everything has changed radically. Today, Melenchon is one of the great enemies of the publication, as well as of the idea of laicite that presided over the funeral, and which has functioned as the backbone of the Republic since 1905.

The 2015 attacks in France also included the assault on the Bataclan concert hall, where 130 people were killed, as well as a shooting at a Jewish supermarket, where four people died. The following year, 86 people were run over during a truck attack in Nice. These attacks left a wound in France, from which the idea of secularism is slowly bleeding out.

On the very same day as the massacre at Charlie Hebdo, Submission (2015), by the acclaimed novelist Michel Houellebecq, was published. The book imagines a France under the command of a Muslim president, who comes to power thanks to the support of all the parties united against the National Front (now known as the National Rally). The cover of the magazine on the day of the attacks was precisely occupied by Houellebecqs prophecies. All of this, in essence, constituted a rift through which the French left would also begin to break up. Two irreconcilable universes were formed, in the words of then-prime minister Manuel Valls.

Religious symbols such as the headscarf, identity issues such as nationality (the discussion about the revocation of French citizenship should someone commit an act of terrorism has heated up) and also a multitude of everyday issues  from pork-free menus in school cafeterias, to the seat that a public bus driver could refuse to occupy if a woman had sat there, to the headscarf of a mother whos accompanying her child on school trips as a volunteer  have been simmering in the pot of public debate for years. The only common thread was Islam. And the 2015 attacks hardened positions, especially among some sectors of the left. But how did we get to this point?

A radical law (for 1905)

The law on secularism, passed in 1905, was an expression of legal modernity that emerged from the French Revolution. It placed limits on Catholicism and on a France that the Vatican had considered to be the eldest daughter of the Church. It was so radical for the time that the country broke relations with the Vatican, which was frightened that some priests were being persecuted for wearing cassocks. But reality gradually accommodated a norm that helped articulate the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. Laicite  a specific concept of secularism  ended up in the first article of the French Constitution of 1946.

In a phone interview with EL PAIS, political scientist Patrick Weil, author of De la laicite en France (On Secularism in France), explains that religion has two dimensions: one thats individual and one thats collective, the latter of which aims to organize society.

A liberal democratic state, he continues, must respect the freedom of individuals. In reality, the law allows these two dimensions to be reconciled. The current conflict is born out of ignorance.

Two women ride scooters on Place de la Concorde in Paris on April 27, 2022. Pierre Crom (Getty Images)

The law is based on its first two articles. The first protects the right to believe, to express faith. The second maintains that religion and the state must be separated; one has the right not to believe and to blaspheme (this is the article that publications such as Charlie Hebdo have always relied on to operate). From this neutrality of the state, but also from the protection of each religion, arises the prohibition of displaying religious symbols in schools (in universities, its possible if students are of legal age) or by public officials. In France, the right to worship is extremely protected, stresses the writer Frederic Martel, author of In the Closet of the Vatican: Power, Homosexuality, Hypocrisy (2019). During the pandemic, the first [institutions] to reopen, before schools, were churches, mosques and synagogues.

Canada or the UK  unlike France  believe that allowing religious expressions in public spaces favors integration. But neutrality is enforced in the French Republic, where there are more than 6.8 million Muslims, or around 10% of the population (Islam is the fastest-growing religion in France and is most widely practiced). Many countries apply a similar idea, either through laws or in their constitutions, although the level of application varies.

According to Henri Pena-Ruiz, author of, among other books, God and Marianne; Philosophy of Secularism (2011), French laicite is neither so radical, nor so French: Its a myth promoted by adversaries [of the policy]. Ataturk gave women the right to vote in 1934 in a Muslim country like Turkey. He created secularism: he separated Islam and the place of worship from the state. Its true that, today, [President] Erdogan is trying to destroy it but in Turkey, there was secularism. He also recalls that Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, called for the creation of a wall between the church and the state, and that the Spanish Constitution maintains that no religion shall have a state character.

Oppression or freedom?

In 2016, a group of philosophers, professors and civil society figures  led by Laurent Bouvet, a long-time socialist activist  created the Republican Spring movement. They received support from a large sector of the Socialist Party, such as Valls himself, currently Minister of Overseas Affairs, or its current secretary general, Olivier Faure. One of the co-founders is Gilles Clavreul, Frances former interministerial delegate in the fight against racism and anti-semitism (2014-2017). He feels that giving up the defense of secularism is a death trap for the left.

Islamists or decolonizers have found more and more credibility on the left. And, for those of us who were part of the Republican Spring, it seemed that what had been at the heart of the left, such as universalism [or] equality, was being erased in favor of a communitarian, decolonial interpretation, which is extraordinarily critical of democracys great achievements, such as freedom of expression. Today, were in a moment where everything is changing direction. The left wants to regulate the internet, while the right claims to be the defender of freedom of expression. Its the world turned upside down, Clavreul says.

The attacks on Charlie Hebdo had another consequence that further hardened the debate. On Friday, October 16, 2020, a man armed with a knife appeared in the middle of the afternoon in front of the College du Bois-DAulne, in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, a municipality of 35,000 inhabitants northwest of Paris. First, he asked the students about Samuel Paty, a teacher. He then followed Paty in the direction of his home. The man, an 18-year-old of Chechen descent, attacked him with the knife and ultimately decapitated him. Then, he photographed the corpse and uploaded the image to Twitter (now X) with a message addressed to [President] Macron, leader of the infidels. He added: I have executed one of your dogs [from] hell who dared to degrade [the Prophet] Muhammad.

What was the reason for this attack? Days earlier, the teacher had shown some caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to his class and had talked about Charlie Hebdo. A Muslim student told their father about the incident, who subsequently informed a fundamentalist preacher. Lies and a digital hate campaign began to spread.

The wound was bleeding again. And Macron  as is his custom in solemn moments  delivered an emotional speech on the day of Patys state funeral, so as to evoke the sacred value of secularism in France. We will continue, professor, this fight for freedom and reason, of which you are now the face. Because in France, professor, the lights never go out, he promised, referring to reason and the Enlightenment. We will defend secularism and the freedom that you taught so well. We will not give up caricatures or illustrations.

However, theres a significant portion of the left in France that sees this old principle as a form of oppression against Muslims. This has placed the founding idea largely in the hands of the right. The philosopher Henri Pena-Ruiz believes that theres a great threat to this secular principle, but that its not challenged by the majority. To say that its a way of stigmatizing part of the population is nonsense: its just the opposite, he argues. He claims that it has allowed France to receive people who come from very varied traditions, [not just from] the dominant religions, such as Islam, Judaism, or Catholicism. In his opinion, the problem comes from the Islamists, who seek to impose their conception of religion. And he adds that a part of the left has a compassionate vision of Muslims, as if they were poor people who are being persecuted. Of course, there is racism [directed against them] but not from the majority of the population.

The Left Turn

On January 11, 2015, the largest demonstration in France since liberation swept across the country. Four days after the Islamist massacre on January 7 that decimated part of the Charlie Hebdo editorial staff, more than four million people marched while carrying signs that read Je suis Charlie. But the protests also highlighted a huge problem: who the hell was Charlie?

A copy of the special edition of 'Charlie Hebdo,' published 10 years after the attack, is surrounded by flowers in front of the magazine's former editorial office. Christopher Furlong (Getty Images)

Many sociologists and political scientists noted that, among these four million people, there were youngsters from les banlieue (the suburbs), often marginalized Muslims. But demographer Emmanuel Todd summed it up differently in his book, Who is Charlie? (2015): Millions of French people took to the streets to define the right to spit on the religion of a weak minority in France as a priority for their society.

Melenchon ultimately missed out on the second round of the 2017 presidential elections by some 600,000 votes. So, he decided to look for them among the youth and the working-class neighborhoods, where a large part of French citizens of Middle Eastern and North African origin live. Many of his new legislators  elected in the 2024 elections  come from these districts.

Martel analyzes what he considers to be the electoral reasoning behind this pivot: Melenchon thought that the voters on the left had become the well-off classes and that it was very difficult to speak to the working-class people. So, he looked at the [electoral] map and realized that those who are currently in charge of cleaning, delivering food, working in factories, or those who are unemployed, are, essentially, second or first-generation immigrants. He had to address them, but he didnt have many topics: [declining] purchasing power, criticism of Israel and, of course, criticism of how secularism has turned into Islamophobia and discrimination.

The idea caught on. And, a certain part of the left tuned into this discourse. But why?

Jean Bauberot, a sociologist and historian who specializes in religions, adds context during a phone interview with EL PAIS: Whats oppressive is to focus only on secularism with respect to Islam. And people  generally those on the right  have a very different position on this issue with respect to Catholicism, like the [conservative] minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau. Theres a left that mobilizes against this, against the inequality in the application of this secularism. Banning the veil for mothers who go to pick up their children from school, as Retailleau has demanded, goes against secularism. Spaces that dont represent the state are places of freedom of conscience: the Council of State dictates this. And this [part of the] left fights against the perversion of the concept of secularism, which hides an anti-Muslim tendency and would like to make Catholicism the national religion again.

Member of Parliament Farida Amrani, who belongs to La France Insoumise, shares this idea. A Muslim who was born in Morocco 48 years ago, she believes that the values of laicite consisted in emphasizing that we are all equal, in order to live together in peace. Religion should be kept in the private sphere and the state couldnt interfere in the beliefs of individuals. The secular school, which made me what I am today, was like that. But since the [Charlie Hebdo] attacks  even a little before that  theres been a deviation from this principle. Today, [laicite] is an instrument of Islamophobia. For [those in power], when they talk about secularism, its simply to stigmatize Muslims. Its not applied to anyone else with that severity.

But the theory of Islamophobia isnt a dogma shared by all Muslim politicians in France. Karim Bouamrane, the socialist mayor of Saint-Ouen, one of the Parisian suburbs, defends a more nuanced view in a telephone conversation with this newspaper: Secularism is often confused with Islamophobia. And that began to happen with the 2001 attacks in New York. The National Front saw it as an opportunity to find a scapegoat. And the consequence of that  instead of putting the united and indivisible Republic first  was the attempt to separate people based on their religious affiliation. The first were the Muslims, just as the Jews had been before. In his opinion, this produced an identity-based closing of ranks and a fear of the principle of laicite.

The result is a bitter cocktail of doubts, mistrust and resentment. It stings like salt in the wound that opened 10 years ago in France. Martel sums it up this way: For many Muslims, its difficult to understand laicite. Unlike secularism  which is very clear  its more complex. Many wonder why homophobic or anti-women speech is prohibited. And why are you punished if youre anti-semitic but, on the other hand, youre allowed to criticize the Prophet and mock him? People in the banlieues dont understand this. There are head teachers who explain that some pupils ask them why theyre honoring Samuel Paty and not the victims in Gaza. And its very difficult to explain. The answer, of course, is that Gaza isnt France but it creates a movement of hostility and comparative grievance thats difficult to manage. Perhaps just as difficult as the abstract idea that all of France is Charlie from 10 years ago, when some French people began to lose faith in secularism.

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Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  The governments of Belize, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Cuba, Republic of Honduras, Malaysia, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Senegal and Republic of South Africa gathered in The Hague in the Netherlands on Friday to announce the formation of The Hague Group. The entire document is quoted below, at the end of this posting.

They began by expressing their ongoing grief for the lives, livelihoods, communities, and cultural heritage lost due to Israel, the occupying powers genocidal actions in Gaza and the remainder of the Occupied Palestinian Territory against the Palestinian people.

They quote a raft of decisions of the International Court of Justice, the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, and the International Criminal Court holding against Israel in its treatment of the Palestinians. The very continued occupation of the Palestinian Territories (Gaza and the West Bank) has been found illegal by the ICJ. Warrants have been issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza.

The Hague Group notes that these egregious and continued violations are such as to involve all the states in the world, which have an interest in international order  they are ergo omnes violations.

These countries therefore pledge to take the following steps:

*They will act on the warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant, comply with their obligations under the Rome Statute that underpins the International Criminal Court (i.e. to arrest these two men where possible), and will implement the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice against Israel for its actions in Gaza.

*They will halt and prevent arms transfers to Israel where there is a clear risk of violations of humanitarian law, human rights law, or genocide, in line with international obligations and ICJs 19 July 2024 Advisory Opinion.

*They will forbid the docking of vessels in their jurisdiction if they risk carrying military fuel or weapons to Israel that could facilitate violations of humanitarian law, human rights law, or genocide.

*They will do whatever they can to end the military occupation of the Palestinian people by Israel and enable the emergence of a Palestinian state.

Ronald Lamola, South Africas Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, was represented by his deputy, Alvin Botes, who issued a strong statement fully endorsing The Hague Group Declaration.

He noted the case that South Africa brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice for the violation of the Genocide Convention and the series of preliminary injunctions (provisional measures) it sought and received from the court last winter and spring. He observed that despite the ICJ rulings, Israel refused to abide by them, and noted that States supporting Israel sought to undermine the authority of the Court instead of enacting their third-State responsibilities to ensure that Israel meets its legal obligations.

He was referring primarily but not only to the United States, which routinely thumbs its nose at International Humanitarian Law and its institution except where they serve narrow US political interests.

Botes recalled that on the nineteenth of July 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a historic Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem declaring that Israels 57-year-old control over the Palestinian territories is unlawful.

He pointed out that despite the UNGA endorsement of this ICJ ruling, Israel continues to sow destruction in Palestine as it seeks to further depopulate Palestinian territories through force and unlawful occupation and its genocidal actions in Palestine.

Taking off the kid gloves, Botes correctly observed, countries, most notably those that were at some stage settler colonial regimes themselves and have themselves committed some of the international crimes that Israel is committing today, including the Crime of Genocide, continue to support Israels unlawful presence and actions in Palestine.

BOOM!

Botes notes the irony that it is these nine developing countries that gathered Friday to defend international law and its institutions, since critics have argued that International Humanitarian Law was crafted by the wealthy and powerful countries in ways that often disadvantage the poor or subaltern states. He wrote, It is the proverbial international law subalterns, that is the people and countries that many in the West believed that international law and its courts were established to control, that are at the forefront of building an international legal order that is just and fair.

He rejected holding some countries to the provisions of International Humanitarian Law but granting others impunity as calculated to fatally undermine these post-World War II institutions. Enabling Israel to simply ignore decisions of the Courts and the United Nations with no consequence, is negatively impacting the integrity of the international legal order, including the organisations that are mandated to ensure accountability and ending impunity. This is unacceptable and we should not be complicit in Israels endeavours to irreparably harm the institutions that were established to build a more peaceful and just world.

I think one of the things he is implying is that if the United States and some European states are allowed to get away with supporting Israels genocide against the Palestinians, then sooner or later Africans and Latin Americans will also be genocided with impunity by actors supported by Washington and Brussels.

Of course, it isnt just the peoples of the southern hemisphere on whose backs a big red target has been painted by Israels genocide impunity. The Irish know a thing or two about being deliberately starved to death, and Sinn Fein National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA attended the meeting. It will be interesting to see if over time Ireland, Spain and Norway prove willing to join The Hague Group.



Afro-Latin Hague, Digital, ChatGPT, Clip2Comic, 2024



Via Brave New Europe, the Declaration of the Hague Group:

We, the Representatives from the Governments of Belize, Plurinational State of Bolivia, Republic of Colombia, Republic of Cuba, Republic of Honduras, Malaysia, Republic of Namibia, Republic of Senegal and Republic of South Africa in The Hague, Netherlands, on this 31st day of January 2025, inaugurate The Hague Group,Guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, and the responsibility of all nations to uphold the inalienable rights, including the right to self-determination, that it enshrines for all peoples,

Grieving the lives, livelihoods, communities, and cultural heritage lost due to Israel, the occupying powers genocidal actions in Gaza and the remainder of the Occupied Palestinian Territory against the Palestinian people,

Refusing to remain passive in the face of such international crimes,

Determined to uphold our obligations to end the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and support the realisation of the inalienable right of the Palestinian People to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine,

Recalling

the orders of the International Court of Justice in the case of South Africa v. Israel of 29 December 2023, which reflect a serious concern about the perpetration of crimes of genocide in Palestine, and noting the significant and diverse number of States that have joined as third States in the case, to demand the condemnation and immediate cessation of the ongoing genocide,.

the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024 on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,

and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice of 9 July 2004 Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/Es-10/24, adopted on 18 September 2024 at the Tenth Emergency Special Session, which endorsed the ICJs Advisory Opinion of July 2024, and the commitments of member states to comply with the obligations under international law as reflected in the advisory opinion,

the International Criminal Courts issuance on 21 November 2024 of warrants of arrest for indicating reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian populationthe war crime of starvation as a method of warfareand the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.

the order of the International Court of Justice in Nicaragua v. Germany of 30 April 2024 remind[ing] all States of their international obligations relating to the transfer of arms to parties to an armed conflict, in order to avoid the risk that such arms might be used to violate the Genocide Convention and the Geneva Conventions in relation to Israels conduct in Gaza and the remainder of the Occupied Palestinian Territory,

the United Nations Security Council Resolution 418 of 4 November 1977, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 591 of 28 November 1986, that imposed a mandatory arms embargo against Apartheid South Africa.

all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, including resolution 2334 (2016) of 23 December 2016, which reaffirmed that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law;

Stressing that the legal norms violated by Israel include certain obligations of an erga omnes character that are, by their very nature, the concern of all States and, in view of the importance of the rights involved, all States can be held to have a legal interest in their protection,Emphasizing the need to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes;

Convinced that collective action through coordinated legal and diplomatic measures at both national and international levels is an urgent imperative to uphold the principles of justice and accountability that form the foundation of the UN Charter,

Declare our intention to:

1. Uphold the UN Resolution A/RES/Es-10/24 and support the requests of the International Criminal Court and, in the case of States Parties, comply with our obligations under the Rome Statute, with regards to the warrants issued on 21 November 2024; and implement the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice, issued on 26 January, 28 March, and 24 May 2024. 2. Prevent provision or transfer of arms, munitions and related equipment to Israel, in all cases where there is a clear risk that such arms and related items might be used to commit or facilitate violations of humanitarian law, international human rights law, or the prohibition on genocide, in compliance with our international obligations and consistent with the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 and the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/Es-10/24. 3. Prevent the docking of vessels at any port, if applicable, within our territorial jurisdiction, in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry military fuel and weaponry to Israel, which might be used to commit or facilitate violations of humanitarian law, of international human rights law, and of the prohibition on genocide in Palestine, in keeping with states peremptory legal obligation to cooperate towards preventing genocide and other violations of peremptory norms by all legal measures at their disposal.

We will take further effective measures to end Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine and remove obstacles to the realisation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine.

We invite all states to take all possible actions and policies to end Israels occupation of the State of Palestine.

We call on all nations to join us in The Hague Group in the solemn commitment to an international order based on the rule of law and international law, which, together with the principles of justice, is essential for peaceful coexistence and cooperation among States.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / January 31, 2025 / Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:AEMC) (OTCQB:AKEMF) ("AEMC" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into an equity distribution agreement dated January 31, 2025 (the "Distribution Agreement") with Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood" or the "Agent"). Under the Distribution Agreement, the Company will be entitled, at its discretion and from time-to-time during the term of the Distribution Agreement, to sell, through Haywood, as sole and exclusive placement agent, such number of common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") having an aggregate gross sales price of up to $10 million (the "ATM Offering"). Sales of the Common Shares will be made through "at-the-market distributions", as defined in National Instrument 44-102 - Shelf Distributions, directly on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") or, if any, other recognized Canadian "marketplace" within the meaning of National Instrument 21-101 - Marketplace Operations where the Common Shares are listed, quoted or otherwise traded. The volume and timing of distributions under the ATM Offering, if any, will be determined in the Company's sole discretion. The Common Shares will be distributed at market prices or prices related to prevailing market prices from time to time. As a result, prices of the Common Shares sold under the ATM Offering will vary as between purchasers and during the period of distribution. The ATM Offering will be effective until the earlier of the issuance and sale of all of the Common Shares issuable pursuant to the ATM Offering and November 30, 2026, unless terminated prior to such date by the Company or the Agent in accordance with the terms of the Distribution Agreement.

Distributions of the Common Shares under the ATM Offering will be made and qualified by way of a prospectus supplement dated January 31, 2025 (the "Prospectus Supplement") to the Company's existing short form base shelf prospectus (the "Base Shelf Prospectus") dated November 1, 2024. The Prospectus Supplement has been filed with the securities commissions in all provinces and territories of Canada. The Prospectus Supplement (together with the related Base Shelf Prospectus) is available on the SEDAR+ website maintained by the Canadian Securities Administrators at www.sedarplus.ca. Alternatively, the Company or Haywood will send the Prospectus Supplement (including the Base Shelf Prospectus) upon request. Such requests may be made by sending an email to Haywood at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the ATM Offering to complete metallurgical studies on the Eureka deposit, update the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Eureka deposit and to perform internal economic and options analysis of mine development at the Nikolai Project. Proceeds will also be used to advertise the Nikolai Project to potential joint venture partners or strategic investors and to assist potential partners with due diligence reviews.

The Common Shares that may be issued under the ATM Offering have been conditionally approved for listing on the TSXV.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

The securities being referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/

ABOUT ALASKA ENERGY METALS

Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (AEMC) is an Alaska-based corporation with offices in Anchorage and Vancouver working to sustainably deliver the critical materials needed for national security and a bright energy future, while generating superior returns for shareholders.

AEMC is focused on delineating and developing the large-scale, bulk tonnage, polymetallic Eureka deposit containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in Interior Alaska near existing transportation and power infrastructure, its flagship project, Nikolai, is well-situated to become a significant domestic source of strategic energy-related metals for North America. AEMC also holds a secondary project, Angliers-Belleterre,' in western Quebec. Today, material sourcing demands excellence in environmental performance, carbon mitigation and the responsible management of human and financial capital. AEMC works every day to earn and maintain the respect and confidence of the public and believes that ESG performance is measured by action and led from the top.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Gregory Beischer"

Gregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gregory A. Beischer, President & CEO

Toll-Free: 877-217-8978 | Local: 604-638-3164

Sarah Mawji, Public Relations

Venture Strategies

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation), including, without limitation, statements relating to the sales of Common Shares under the Distribution Agreement, the amount of proceeds and the use of proceeds from such sales. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guaranteeing of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. 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 statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Italian judges Friday refused to sign off on the detention of migrants in centres in Albania, dealing a fresh blow to far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's embattled migration scheme.

Rome's Court of Appeals referred the case to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), meaning the 43 migrants must now be transferred to Italy instead, a government source told AFP.

Meloni's flagship plan to outsource migrant processing to a non-EU country and speed up repatriations of failed asylum seekers is already being followed closely by Europe.

The plan, heavily criticised by rights groups and opposition parties in Italy, has run into repeated roadblocks and the ECJ is examining legal questions raised by several Italian courts.

The migrants were among a group of 49 people intercepted by the Italian authorities as they tried to cross the Mediterranean. They were taken to Albania, where they arrived on Tuesday.

Most hailed from Bangladesh, while there were also six Egyptians, one man from the Ivory Coast and one from Gambia, said rights associations following the case.

The Court of Appeal's decision is another political headache for Meloni, and likely to increase tensions between Rome and the judiciary.

Following a separate probe into her role in the release of a Libyan war crime suspect, Meloni accused parts of the judiciary of politically motivated attacks on both her migrant policies and her leadership.

Galeazzo Bignami, leader of Meloni's Brothers of Italy party in the lower house of parliament, said Friday's decision showed "an attitude of resistance from part of the Italian judiciary" to the government.

But Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD), said it proved the scheme was "a resounding failure".

Former prime minister Matteo Renzi, head of the Italia Viva party, accused the government of "wasting millions in Albania for an unreasonable, illogical, illegal choice".

And Carlo Calenda, head of the centrist Action party, said that "if the judges had not intervened, there would be 43 migrants at a site that is supposed to accommodate 1,500 and costs 800 million (euros). A folly".

- Safe countries list -

Meloni signed a deal with her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, in November 2023 to open two Italian-run centres across the Adriatic in Albania.

The centres became operational in October, but after judges ruled against the detentions of the first two groups of men transferred there, they were instead sent to Italy.

Italy, like many other countries, draws up a list of so-called safe countries from which asylum seekers can have their applications fast-tracked.

The judges who blocked the first transfer of migrants cited an ECJ ruling stipulating that European Union states can only designate entire countries as safe, not parts of countries.

Italy's list included some countries with unsafe areas.

In response, Meloni's government passed a law limiting its safe list to 19 countries -- from 22 -- and insisting all parts of those nations were safe.

But judges then ruled against a second group of transferred migrants -- seven men from Egypt and Bangladesh -- saying they wanted clarification from the ECJ.

An ECJ hearing has been provisionally set for the end of February, according to Italian media.
Latin America and the Caribbean hold a dishonorable record that, inexplicably, doesnt shock society. The region has the second-highest percentage of births to girls under the age of 15, only surpassed by Africa. This means that girls who are frequently the victims of sexual violence, often assaulted by family members, are forced to be mothers. They see their lives cut short, forced to dedicate themselves to motherhood, due to the decisions made by judges, doctors and politicians. The figures vary between countries, but the latest available data, collected in 2021, indicates that, in the region, the birth rate was 53.2 births per 1,000 girls who were between the ages of 10 and 14.

Thats why, on May 29, 2019, four organizations  the Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Global, the Guatemala-based NGO Mujeres Transformando el Mundo (Women Transforming the World) and the Ecuador-based Surkuna  joined together to advance joint international litigation. In an unprecedented move, they presented the cases of Norma from Ecuador, Fatima from Guatemala, and Lucia and Susana from Nicaragua  four girls who survived sexual violence and were forced into motherhood  before the United Nations. On January 20, the United Nations Human Rights Committee condemned the states of Ecuador and Nicaragua for violating the human rights of three girls who survived sexual violence and were denied access to abortion.

Catalina Martinez Coral, Ana Vera, Paula Barrios and Marianny Sanchez Nunez are some of the women who are leading the movement against child pregnancy. Theyre seeking to shake up the region when it comes to the subjects of sexual violence and forced motherhood.

Catalina Martinez Coral

A lawyer from Cali, Colombia, shes built her career through international human rights organizations. Shes a vice president at the Center for Reproductive Rights, responsible for overseeing programming in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her face and her work are well-known, because shes one of the founders of the Causa Justa (Just Cause) movement, which helped decriminalize abortion in Colombia. Today, she has embarked on a regional project. And, while Martinez recognizes that its transgressive, her work gives meaning to her life. She accompanies girls from different countries throughout the region who have been forced into motherhood, litigating their respective cases.

It goes beyond judicial decisions being handed down. [You need to be] there, like a pebble in a shoe, until the states comply, she affirms, in a gentle yet firm tone. She knows that the aforementioned cases are just a sampling of the sexual violence committed against girls in the region, as well as of other patterns, such as impunity within the justice system and the re-victimization that sustains these violations.

In procedural terms, each case is presented and proceeds individually to the UN Human Rights Committee. But, Martinez notes, whats innovative is that, by presenting them collectively, they demonstrate the magnitude of the problem. We tell the United Nations: this is whats happening in the region. And were not saying it with just one case; there are five from countries with different legal contexts, where all the girls are going through the same situation.

The litigation then aims to secure individual social and health reparations for these specific victims, who are now adults. But theres also an attempt to set a precedent for the entire region. We also ask that the committee be able to generate robust recommendations regarding the eradication of sexual violence and more structural public policy measures that the states have to adopt; [for example], to tell the states that they must decriminalize abortion, she adds.

In 2023, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child condemned the Peruvian state for violating the rights of Camila. As a child victim of rape, she was taken to court for having an abortion. And, at the moment, Martinez and her team are awaiting a decision in the Ecuadorian case.

Marianny Sanchez Nunez

Forced motherhood in Latin America is a silent epidemic. The reality is [visible], but its not talked about enough, says Marianny Sanchez. Born in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, in 1985, shes a communications expert, a migrant and a feminist. She attributes the regional silence to, among other reasons, the painfulness of the situation. Its as if no one wants to open that wound.

Sanchez is the communications director for Planned Parenthood in Latin America. She tells EL PAIS that shes always been concerned that this phrase  the second-highest percentage of births to girls under the age of 15  seems to have become just another sentence thats mentioned in passing via official press releases from organizations, with nobody truly measuring its seriousness. In 2016, the organization carried out an investigation that recounted in depth the testimonies of victims of sexual violence and child pregnancy throughout the region. Titled Stolen Lives, it showed everything that girls forced into motherhood have lost.

But we didnt want it to remain as a piece of research that five academics were going to consult when doing an analysis of forced motherhood in the region, she points out. They had to act. So, they thought they should develop a communications platform, along with a legal commitment. What came next was to select emblematic cases, so as to bring them before the justice system. [We had to ensure] that these stories werent being told in vain and could transform the legal approach to sexual violence and forced motherhood among girls.

Sanchez has a Masters degree in Gender, Identity and Citizenship and has completed postgraduate work in Cultural Studies. She believes that theres a toxic combination of factors that allows for the existence of this scourge in the region. The problem originates in the normalization of the sexual violence that exists within families and communities. Theres rampant impunity, as well as a phenomenon of machismo that devalues and deprives women and girls of their autonomy. The message is given that a girls body can be consumed and violated. But, she emphasizes, theres also a romanticization of the idea of motherhood in our region, according to which it doesnt matter how you got [pregnant]: [it doesnt seem to matter] if you were raped as a child, if you went through hell and got pregnant.

For this reason, beyond the litigation that seeks to ensure that no case of sexual violence goes unpunished, the coalition of organizations demands that forced motherhood be recognized a form of cruel, inhuman treatment and torture. In essence, the objective is to guarantee the right of girls to enjoy their childhood throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ana Vera

Ana is a lawyer and sociologist. She was born in Quito, Ecuador, in 1984. A member of the Surkuna Foundation (the word surkuna meaning freedom in Quechua) she notes that, in addition to the litigation process, the most valuable thing about the movement  known as They are Girls, Not Mothers  is that it questions the normalization of motherhood in childhood. It has raised awareness, she explains. Suddenly, people are starting to question [the status quo] and say that [girls] shouldnt be mothers. It helps the social [aspect surrounding the] decriminalization of abortion.

While her goal is to ensure that no girl is forced into motherhood, she insists that public policies are required for girls who have already been forced to become mothers. In her country, where six out of 10 girls between 10 and 14 years old who give birth were impregnated as a result of sexual assault, victims and their children have few options: either they go to the only state shelter in Quito and live in crowded, poor conditions, or they seek refuge in civil society shelters that receive miserable levels of public support. Otherwise, they have to go to orphanages, or stay in their homes, where their aggressors often live.

The shelters cannot cover everything and constantly require charitable support to buy school supplies or toys for the girls and their children. The aggravating factor is that the victims can no longer stay in the shelters upon turning 18. Its absolutely brutal, because they leave and dont even know how to manage money; they dont have a job, [nor resources] to rent a house for themselves and their children, Vera explains. She proposes that girls who are forced to be mothers should receive the subsidies that the state gives to people living in poverty. This money can subsequently be placed in a savings account, which they can access upon reaching the age of 18 while they look for work.

Although her job is legal first aid (shes responsible for heading the litigation strategy), in her closeness to the affected girls, shes seen that their main need is that they be allowed to continue being children. She remembers the case of a 15th birthday party that was held for several of the girls: they received donated dresses, had hairdressing appointments and got to forget about their forced motherhood for a little while.

Were very concerned when we see, for example, girls asking people in the shelter to look after their children so they can play or have a moment to rest, because theyre exhausted from caring for them, Vera laments. Shes been actively following Normas case: a decision has just been made by the Human Rights Committee.

Paula Barrios

Despite the 1,400 miles that separate her from Ecuador, the reality that Paula Barrios sees in Guatemala is very similar. There, more than 1,500 sexually abused girls become mothers every year.

Barrios is a lawyer and general coordinator of the NGO Mujeres Transformando el Mundo (Women Transforming the World), which supports girls, adolescents and women who are the survivors of sexual violence. The organization also supports Fatima, whose case is currently before the UN Human Rights Committee.

We hope that, at the Latin American level, the importance of comprehensive sexual education will be brought to the fore that well have tools to protect ourselves [and] to discuss whats happening. There [must be] immediate response mechanisms so as to prevent sexual violence, which been increasing over the last five years, she says.

For her, the normalization of the idea that women are born to be mothers affects the critical situation of child motherhood. So, it doesnt matter if a girl gets pregnant at 10 or 12 years old its thought that shes just [having children early], Barrios warns.

Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani.

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Popular K-drama actor Kim Sung Cheol lands in hot water after taking part in an online poll by a social media account alleged to be posting inappropriate content.

The actor was dragged into the heat-up when netizens discovered that his username was among those who voted in a poll comparing female idols Kwon Eunbi and Kang Hyewon.

Although the poll itself seemed innocuous, the account behind it has been accused of posting sexualized videos and conducting dubious multiple-choice polls, prompting public outrage.

"@sungcheol2 and 29,000 people voted," read a post on the community site theqoo, revealing Kim's participation.

Fans and netizens in various places expressed their disappointment, bashing the actor for engaging with such kind of content.

"Ugh, f*ck. He was a pretty good image to me," one user wrote, and others bemoaned the incident as an avoidable mistake.

Other comments from Korean netizens include:

It's a shame I don't know who he is. I wish he hadn't sneakily appeared on the show.

The public opinion is so bad, It would be better for celebrities to just not use Instagram

Hahaha is it that hard to live with your wits about you?

Oh my... My idol is friends with that guy... Please don't let my idol get caught up in something like that

It's funny how these days, strangely-looking guys come out and call themselves actors, but before I can even remember who they are, they always do weird things. If you don't know how to use it, don't use SNS.

Many celebrities have public and private social media accounts, but sometimes the accounts get confused. Kim's supposed slip-up has led to conversations about the need to separate personal and professional identities online.

Kim Sung Cheol has yet to make a public comment on the matter.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Saturday, February 1, 2025 - In a brazen daylight robbery, Dorris Njoroge, 28, was left in shock after losing Ksh 1 million to armed thugs disguised as traffic police officers along the Changamwe-SGR-Bonje Highway in Mombasa.

Njoroge had just withdrawn KSh 1,050,000 in cash from the DTB Bank Changamwe Branch, intending to purchase hardware goods.

But as she drove her Toyota Prado toward Miritini, she was flagged down by what appeared to be traffic police officers.

According to police reports, one of the criminals was dressed in full police uniform and carried a communication gadget, making the setup look legitimate.

They ordered her to open the vehicles door without raising suspicion before swiftly grabbing her purse and vanishing without a trace.

The distraught victim rushed to Maganda Police Station, where the incident was recorded under OB 04/30/01/2025.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the robbers.

The daring heist has sparked public outrage, with Kenyans questioning how criminals seem to know when customers withdraw large sums of money.

Some suspect that this was an inside job, pointing fingers at rogue bank staff colluding with robbers.

Is this part of a larger syndicate?

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, February 1, 2025 - Three notorious suspects, Albert Otieno, Farid Kimutai and John Okumu, linked to a series of robbery with violence incidents that have plagued Gem Yala Sub- County and surrounding areas, have finally been arrested.

Detectives have been actively pursuing the suspects for their involvement in a robbery with violence incident that took place on January 3, 2025, at a timber yard and hardware store near Ulumbi Junction along the Kisumu-Busia Highway.

On that day, the trio mercilessly attacked and killed the watchman, Jesse Kalasinga, 40, and brazenly stole assorted hardware goods.

In a shocking display of brutality, on January 20, 2025, at Nyangoma Market, the three together with their accomplices vandalized a transformer, causing a power outage in the said market.

They thereafter ruthlessly killed the watchman, Absalom Sande, aged 29, and seriously injured another, Francis Nyambese, aged 42, before breaking into a phone accessories shop and stealing a Dell laptop, three smartphones, and other valuables.



The suspects continued their reign of terror on January 29, 2025, at Yala Market, where they fatally injured guards Jesse Otieno, 35, and Edward Ochieng, 40.

They afterwards broke into a shop and made off with assorted airtime scratch cards, smartphones and valuable merchandise.



After meeting their waterloo, the suspects are in police custody, undergoing processing as they await their court appearance.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday February 1, 2025 - Billionare Elon Musk has praised former President Uhuru Kenyatta for blasting African leaders who yapped on social media after US President Donald Trump froze all foreign aid until further notice.

Speaking on Wednesday at Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort & Convention Center in Mombasa during the East Africa Region Global Health Security Summit, Uhuru said some countries had welcomed the news with a lot of grumbling.

The former Head of State, however, said Trump was under no obligation to advance aid to any country.

"Why are you crying? It's not your Government, it's not your country," he said to a loud applause.

"He (President Trump) has no reason to give you anything. You don't pay taxes in America; he is appealing to his people."

Kenyatta said instead of grumbling, African countries should see the policy move as a wake-up call and find alternative ways of funding programmes that were dependent on US aid.

"Instead of crying, we should ask ourselves, 'what are we going to do to support ourselves?'" He suggested.

"It's time for us to use our resources for the right things. We are the ones using them for the wrong things."

Taking to X, Elon, who heads Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reacted to Uhurus remarks by simply remarking: "Good for him!"

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday February 1, 2025 - One of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachaguas confidante has attacked current Deputy President Kithure Kindiki after he called for the ouster of Embu County Governor, Cecily Mbarire, as United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairperson.

Kindiki, who spoke on Thursday, called for Mbarires expulsion from the party for letting goons heckle the President when he visited Embu town last year.

I talked to my sister Cess, the governor of Embu and my longtime political friend.

And I asked her, being a UDA governor and the national chairperson of the party, how can the party leader, the president, come to your hometown and be heckled?" Kindiki questioned.

Kindiki further criticized Mbarire, stating that if she could not prevent such incidents, there was little justification for keeping her in the partys leadership.

"How is that possible? The youth are heckling the president over something he has said that maybe they don't want to hear. Then what reason do we have to keep you?" Kindiki added.

Reacting to Kindikis sentiments, Kiambu County Senator, Karungo wa Thangwa, took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to rebut the accusations made against Mbarire.

Thang'wa accused Kindiki of claiming to be the kingpin of the Mt. Kenya East region, which includes Embu, while also blaming Mbarire for orchestrating the incident in which the youth heckled the president.

He suggested that if Kindiki truly was the kingpin of Mt. Kenya East, he would understand the real reasons behind the heckling by Embu residents.

"You're accusing the UDA Chair of orchestrating the heckling in Embu, yet you claim to be the kingpin of Mt. Kenya East, where Embu belongs," Thang'wa's statement read in part.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, February 1, 2025 - Milka Tegisi, the woman who was publicly shamed by Pastor Nganga, can now breathe easy after Kenyans came through for her in a big way.

Milka had visited the Neno Evangelism Centre, hoping for financial assistance to pay rent and school fees for her children.

However, instead of compassion, the controversial preacher dismissed her in front of the congregation, telling her to seek help from Governor Johnson Sakaja or report the matter to the police since her house had already been locked.

But what seemed like humiliation has turned into a blessing!

After the video of her encounter went viral, kind-hearted Kenyans rallied behind her, contributing over KSh 400,000 to get her back on her feet.

And thats not allMilka has now secured a job at the popular ExpressWay Lounge, giving her a steady source of income and long-term stability. To top it off, she has also received a brand-new phone as part of her fresh start.

Below are photos of the Milka with the management of the restaurant.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
A shady business network apparently run by Pakistani and Indonesian citizens from a mansion on the outskirts of Birmingham, United Kingdom, has launched an attack on the Spanish scientific journal industry. The group is buying up long-standing publications and converting them into fast-money machines by increasing the price they charge researchers for publishing, in addition to increasing the number of studies published with little regard to their quality. Alberto Martin and Emilio Delgado, two University of Granada professors who have been investigating the phenomenon, compare what is happening to the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in which people are secretly replaced by emotionless clones born from mysterious alien pods.

The two Spanish experts say the epicenter for this takeover is 62 St. Bernards Road, an imposing 1879 mansion located in Solihull, in southeast Birmingham. The house serves as the headquarters of Oxbridge Publishing House, a business that plays with the names of the prestigious universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but in reality, has nothing to do with either. Muhammad Haseeb, a 38-year-old Pakistani citizen, is registered with the British Companies House as the companys owner. Since 2020, his business has acquired 36 scholarly journals, according to research by Martin and Delgado. Among them are five U.S. titles, including the American Journal of Health Behavior, Tobacco Regulatory Science and Journal of Commercial Biotechnology, as well as seven journals in Spain. The latter, which include Cuadernos de Economia, Comunicar and Profesional de la Informacion, once a showcase for Spanish research, have suddenly begun to publish large numbers of studies by Asian scientists, particularly from China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

Many see Oxbridge Publishing House as taking advantage of the publish or perish system that dominates global science and can be suffocating for many professionals. Researchers promotions and salary increases often depend on the number of studies they publish in journals that are registered in international databases. At the same time, a shift to open-access science has meant that readers no longer pay to read journals, leaving the authors themselves to foot the bill, or rather, pay hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers money to publish their studies. This provides a perverse incentive for publishers to publish more and more studies in an indiscriminate manner in order to earn more money, and for researchers to submit pointless work with the sole purpose of padding their resumes.

The recently published analysis of Oxbridge Publishing Houses practices is highly revealing. The journal Revista de Psicologia del Deporte, previously linked to Spains University of the Balearic Islands, has gone from charging $312 per study to $6,240. Before, 74% of its studies were of Spanish origin, but that percentage has now plummeted to 13%. Chinese authors currently monopolize the publications bylines. Fonseca, Journal of Communication, which was previously linked to the Spanish University of Salamanca, did not charge for publication, but now asks its authors for around $2,600 for each study. The same phenomenon can be seen at the educational magazine Artseduca, once published by the Jaume I University in Castellon de la Plana, Spain. The Oxbridge conglomerate has published some 1,500 studies in its Spanish journals, according to the study by Martin and Delgado that was published on Wednesday, with an income that is allegedly in the millions. The researchers denounce that respected magazines are being acquired to turn them into farms that charge article-processing fees.

Bibliometrics expert Felix de Moya of the Spanish National Research Council, explains in a telephone interview with EL PAIS that he was the owner of the journal Profesional de la Informacion (Information Professional), a benchmark in the field of documentation and libraries. He says he received an offer of around one million euros by email, and sold the publication at the end of 2023 to a company named OAText, though the title was registered as belonging to Oxbridge on January 1, 2024. As a condition of the sale, Moya stipulated that its founder, 80-year-old engineer Tomas Baiget, would stay on as editor. (In 2023, Baiget publicly apologized for creating the website ArtiCulitos.com, on which he uploaded photographs of womens butts, some of them taken without their consent.)

Profesional de la Informacion asked for roughly $1,300 for each published study and is now requesting double that amount, according to Martin and Delgados research. It has published less than a hundred studies during its new era: 44 from Spain, 31 from China, six from Saudi Arabia and four from Malaysia, among others. Tomas Baiget takes issue with the Granada professors conclusions, saying, They are a bit scandalous and sensationalist, and I feel poorly that they are spreading unfounded doubts about Profesional de la Informacion. Magazines get paid for their work like everyone else. Newspapers, for example, also charge, and no one is scandalized by that, he argues. But newspapers pay the people who write for them  they dont charge them. The engineer claims that he does not know Muhammad Haseeb and does not know if he is the owner. In truth, no idea. I did see Muhammads name somewhere, but I dont have the slightest idea what his position is, he explains. I vouch for the quality, ethics and good work, at least in my purview, which is Europe and the Americas.

Muhammad Haseeb obtained a doctorate in economics from the Northern University of Malaysia, according to one of his public profiles, and is a visiting professor at the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, according to the Oxbridge website. The business is not the sole occupant of the mansion on the outskirts of Birmingham. The 19th-century building serves as the headquarters for three other publishers: H&N Publishers UK, which is co-directed by Haseeb and 50-year-old Nira Hariyatie Hartani, who is from Indonesia; PNG Publications and Scientific Research, which is led by 33-year-old Hafiz Muhammad Azeem and 29-year-old Muhammad Talha, who are both from Pakistan; and Thinkbiotech, which is run by Talha.

Nira Hariyatie Hartani of the Muhammadiyah University of Yogyakarta during a 2017 presentation in Indonesia. Universidad Muhammadiyah de Yogyakarta

A year ago, three other Spanish experts raised the alarm about this phenomenon, suggesting that it is driven by factories of mediocre studies that are presented ready-to-publish. The numerous behind-the-scenes moves by international intermediaries to tempt Spanish journals suggest that we are only in a preliminary phase of a movement that could end up denaturing and perverting academic journals in our country, warned Angel Maria Delgado Vazquez from the Pablo de Olavide University, Rafael Repiso from the University of Malaga, and Alvaro Cabezas Clavijo from the International University of La Rioja.

The three specialists analyzed, among others, the case of Cuadernos de Economia (Economics Notebooks), which had been historically overseen by the economist Joan Hortala, University of Barcelona professor emeritus and former president of the Barcelona stock exchange. The publication, which was sold to Oxbridge, began to charge around $2,600 per study and soon filled up with studies from Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. The publications website falsely claims that it continues to be directed by Hortala and published by the Autonomous University of Madrid and CUNEF, a private university in the same city. The three experts posited a pair of questions: Are institutions (typically, public universities) doing anything to prevent the magazines they sponsored, financed or supported from ending up in the hands of dubious foreign business groups? Are our universities benefiting from the hundreds of thousands of petro-dollars that foreign investors are pouring into Spanish magazines?

Since 2023, the geographer Pilar Paneque has run the Spanish entity that determines promotions and salary raises for university professors, the National Agency for Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation. In 2017 the organization established a requirement of more than a hundred published studies for professors to become department heads in some fields, something that Paneque herself has called madness and is trying to change.

The pressure to publish has given rise to very questionable editorial practices Pilar Paneque, director of the Spanish National Agency for Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation

It is well-known that the pressure to publish has given rise to very questionable editorial practices, says the geographer, who laments the fact that some of the publications in question continue to be marked as valid by the most important international databases such as the Web of Science, which is operated by the London company Clarivate, and Scopus, a similar project run by Dutch publisher Elsevier. Its important to insist that the evaluation of our work be centered on the quality and innovative nature of the studies we carry out and not on the mere indexing of the journal in which we publish it. When that is not the case, the production and evaluation of the study is not guided by the principles and agreements of the scientific community itself, but rather, by large publishing companies like Clarivate and Elsevier, which by logic operate based on interests that, though legitimate, are quite different to those that pertain to the advancement of knowledge and common good, says Paneque.

Spains primary scientific organization, the Spanish National Research Council, along with another 50 groups, signed a declaration against the Web of Science and Scopus in April, claiming that there is a lack of transparency as to the information they provide on the value of academic journals to which millions of dollars of taxpayers money are funneled. Currently, when researchers publish more studies in journals that are well-regarded by these private databases, they earn more money. Paneque sees the Martin and Delgado study as having lent more urgency to this concern. Studies like this one provide more arguments for advancing the reform of research evaluation that is being promoted internationally and as to which the National Agency for Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation is taking very decisive steps, she says.

Databases have taken some action on the issue, largely during the last year. The Web of Science had put its seal of quality on 17 of the 36 journals that have been bought by the Oxbridge network, but has now removed 11 of those, according to Martin and Delgados research. Scopus had previously approved all 36, but no longer backs eight of them. The rest of the Oxbridge publications carry on, publishing more and more Asian studies in exchange for more money, a la Invasion of the Body Snatchers, to use the Granada professors metaphor. Martin and Delgado call them pod journals. EL PAIS tried to contact the residents of the English mansion on Thursday through a message sent to two emails regularly used by Haseeb and Hartani, but has yet to receive a response.

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Saturday February 1, 2025 - Trans Nzoia County Governor, George Natembeya, has accused Kapseret Member of Parliament, Oscar Sudi, of threatening him after he attacked President William Ruto.

During his tour of Western Kenya last week, Ruto launched several projects including a transformer.

While reacting to this, Natembeya, who has been a fierce critic of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance regime, accused Ruto of shortchanging Luhyas by launching a transformer instead of multibillion projects he promised Western Kenya in the run up to the 2022 presidential campaigns.

Natembeyas sentiments seem to have irked Sudi , who is a close ally of President William Ruto and has now started threatening the Governor.

According to one of Natembeyas aide, Sudi has been threatening the Governor using unprintable words.

"Impeachment was hot hair, Sudi is the one who was planning but failed.

He will never feel intimidated but the question is why would someone abuse you?

He will accompany him as hes the Head of State, he doesnt have any personal problem with the president," the aide said on anonymity.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, February 1, 2025 - A family in Kirinyaga County is in distress after their daughter was abducted by unknown men.

Reports indicate that the missing girl had been sent to the market by her mother when she was abducted.

Her phone has since been switched off, following the kidnapping incident.

The family has reported the matter to the police and circulated her photo on social media, hoping to find her.





The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday February 1, 2025 - National Assembly Speaker, Moses Wetangula, has joined Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Justin Muturi, in questioning the Government over the ongoing abductions and extra judicial killings of young people in the country.

Speaking on Friday, Wetangula put security agencies on the spot demanding answers on who is behind the abductions and killings of Kenyans.

Wetangula, who spoke in Khwisero, said police must explain who is behind the forced disappearances and murder of innocent Kenyans.

He said the vice is denting the countrys image and must be addressed as a matter of priority.

I want to take this opportunity to urge the agencies of administration of justice, the office the IG, the Office of DCI, the office of DPP and the internal security organs to investigate thoroughly and come to the root cause of who is kidnapping people and later they are found dead, Wetangula said.

The police say they are not the ones doing it, we want them to investigate and tell Kenyans who are these criminal elements in our midst who are unlawfully arresting people causing their disappearance and eventually they are found dead.

The former Bungoma County Senator warned that the country should not be allowed to slip back to the past days when bodies of victims of extrajudicial killings were being dumped in River Yala.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
One of the facets that defines the intelligence of any species is the ability to solve problems. With dogs and cats, it is possible to make the mistake of humanizing this cognitive ability, which in the case of people is applied to issues such as operating a machine or being creative when painting a picture. However, for obvious reasons, these are not the specific skills of dogs and felines, which are applied to areas such as tracking down food or hunting prey. But the fact that their skills are different from those of human beings, because they are applied in other areas, does not make them less important. If we understand that intelligence implies the ability to solve problems, each animal is acclimatized to solving those that are specific to its environment. For this reason, dogs and cats evolved differently to adapt to different contexts, explains Javier Lopez-Cepero, psychologist, professor at the University of Seville and director of the HABIER working group (dedicated to promoting studies on human-animal interaction).

If we stick to the ability to function well in the human environment, dogs are more skilled and adaptable in this area than cats. In fact, dogs have been domesticated for a vastly greater period of time (around 40,000 years) than felines (5,000 years), which has allowed them to develop an intelligence that is very well adapted to living with people. We have had time to shape them, selecting their genetics to enhance certain characteristics, such as their character or their physiognomy, while cats have retained more of their wild and untamed side, explains Lopez-Cepero. The author of A prodigious snout (2024) highlights the developed facet of dogs intelligence to interact in a group: Above all when it comes to humans, they are more social than cats.

Pet owners can contribute to the development of their intelligence by enriching their environment with stimuli that are in keeping with their nature: By giving them challenges similar to those they would encounter in their natural environment, such as allowing them to smell, chase, or hunt, adds the specialist. The idea is for dogs and cats to develop their nature, not to act like people. We should not expect them to do the same things as us, just as we cannot have the same abilities as them, says the specialist, who considers it a mistake to think in terms of human intelligence to determine or classify that of other species.

Neither is breed a determining factor for an animal to be more or less intelligent. For example, although shepherd dogs have been genetically selected to carry out this task, each litter has animals with different abilities from birth and, above all, dogs and cats learn from their experiences and the education they have received, Lopez-Cepero continues.

Dogs are better able to communicate and interact with people than cats, but cats are more skilled at surviving alone by hunting. MelkiNimages (Getty Images)

But what do we mean by intelligence? In addition to the ability to respond to difficulties, it implies the ability to adapt to the environment and circumstances in order to survive, and we must take into account that, throughout history, animals have been able to solve many problems to get ahead in their ecosystems, explains Stefania Pineda, a specialist in animal behavioural medicine and professor at the department of animal production at the Complutense University of Madrid. According to her, dogs and felines have different cognitive abilities. Dogs have a better ability to communicate and interact with people than cats, but the latter are more skilled at surviving alone by hunting. The intelligence of each species differs depending on their different sensory capacities. For example, the vision of dogs and cats are very different. In the first case, at night it is poor, but felines have a highly developed vision, because they are nocturnal predators and hunters, says the expert. She highlights several types of intelligence in animals: Spatial intelligence, because they are aware of the place they occupy in nature or in the domestic environment where they live; kinetic, because they are also aware of their body (whether they are hungry or thirsty); and emotional, because, for example, if a dog does not do what is expected of it when given an order, it gets frustrated.

Another of the intelligences these animals display is interpersonal intelligence, or the ability to relate to people. In fact, experts consider the possibility that dogs are capable of putting themselves in another persons shoes, thanks to mirror neurons, Pineda points out. There are other types of intelligence, such as artistic or logical-mathematical, which are more questionable outside the human sphere. Although, who hasnt seen their dog or cat relax and sleep peacefully when listening to music? As for linguistic ability, people associate it with the type of human verbal communication. However, this is an area with more possibilities if we apply it to dogs and cats: Sounds, smells or gestures. For example, the dog is a great communicator, because it understands its human circle very well and is also capable of making itself understood. Another thing is that the animals communicative signals are ignored and misunderstandings occur, says the specialist.

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Eva Osborne

Gardai have seized luxury goods and 180 suspected counterfeit Apple Air Pod Max headphones, with an estimated loss of revenue of 104,400, following two search warrants in Dublin residences.

On Friday, as part of an operation targeting Intellectual Property (IP) crime, An Garda Siochana carried out two searches under warrant at business and residential premises in the Dublin 1 and Dublin 13 areas.

Gardai seized luxury goods, suspected counterfeit items, and cash.

Items seized included:

180 suspected counterfeit Apple Air Pod Max headphones, with an estimated loss of revenue of 104,400;

185 suspected counterfeit fake Otterbox mobile phone cases with an estimated loss of revenue of 5,500;

Luxury goods by brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Balenciaga and Hermes  with an estimated value of 6,000;

25,710 cash.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary, of the Dublin Metropolitan Region, said: "The Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT) have once again shown their effectiveness in tackling Organised Criminal Gangs operating across our capital city.

"Large-scale intellectual property theft and the associated money laundering offences are controlled by well-structured criminal networks who risk the safety of the public by selling poor quality counterfeit products, often attempting to pass them off as genuine.

The searches were conducted by the An Garda Siochana Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Intellectual Property and Counterfeit Investigations Unit, and the Dublin Crime Response Team (DCRT), assisted by the National Criminal Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

The suspected counterfeit items are now subject to examination, and no arrests have been made at this time.

Gardai said investigations are ongoing.
A MAN who allegedly kicked and punched a woman into a coma in Newbridge in December was refused bail and remanded back into custody for another fortnight.

Cian Leavy (22) with an address at Carraigmount House, Caragh, Naas was appearing in Naas District Court from custody to hear if the director of public prosecutions had ruled on jurisdiction yet. Mr Leavy is charged with assault causing harm (section 3) to the woman in a laneway at the rear of Bradburys Cafe on 3 December.

Judge, he dragged [the named victim] down a flight of stairs in Bradburys, kicked her in the head, knelt on her chest and punched her in the face, said Sergeant Mary Meade appearing for the state.

This is a very serious assault; there could be elevated charges, Judge Desmond Zaidan warned defending solicitor Tim Kennelly.

Mr Kennelly told the court he was not fully instructed in the case, but that he would be visiting Mr Leavy in Cloverhill prison Saturday and that he was seeking High Court bail on the matter, as his client had been held in custody since December.

To be honest, hes anxious to deal with this, although I accept it is serious, the solicitor said.

She was selling my client drugs, and there may have been a bit of a liaison between them, he suggested.

Thats only an allegation at this stage, the judge reminded the court. Can you substantiate that? he asked.

Theres nothing on file, said Sgt Meade.

The good news is shes out of the coma, Mr Kennelly revealed.

This is a very serious allegation, said the judge.

Its been given priority, said Sgt Meade, who revealed that she had not yet received directions from the DPP.

The file hasnt gone to the DPP? queried the judge.

Not yet, were awaiting medical reports, said Sgt Meade.

Have they spoken to the injured party? asked the judge.

No judge, but her mother has given a statement, said Sgt Meade.

I understand. You would need medical clearance to speak with her  she could have suffered brain damage, surmised the judge.

Turning to Mr Leavy, Judge Zaidan then said: If you get High Court bail, itll be your responsibility to turn up to Naas District Court on 6 February; otherwise, its videolink, he said, remanding the defendant back into custody until that date.

The allegation is very recent, only six weeks ago, said the judge, accepting Sgt Meades position.

The allegation is very serious, at the upper end, but fortunately she survived, he concluded.
Olivia Kelleher

A man has been found dead following a fire at a flat in Togher Road on the southside of Cork city.

Three units of Cork City Fire Brigade attended at the property at about 7pm on Friday. A man was found deceased in the property.

The fire was contained within one room at the flat. The body of the man, who is understood to be in his 60s, remains at the scene.

A second person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

The flat has been preserved for a technical examination. This will establish the cause of the fire.

The Office of the State Pathologist has been notified and a post mortem examination will be carried out at Cork University Hospital. This will determine the course of the garda investigation.

The Coroner has been informed and an inquest will be held in due course.
John Griffiths of the Groundhog Club holds 'Punxsutawney Phil,' the groundhog who forecasts the length of winter, during the 1340th Groundhog Day celebration at Knobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, USA.

Groundhog Day is one of the most intriguing traditions in North America. Every February 2, Americans and Canadians have a superstition: if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and a second winter will happen during six more weeks. If the animal doesnt see its shadow, spring will arrive early. Although studies have found that there is no association between groundhog habits and winter weather, the tradition keeps going.

The biggest ceremony of Groundhog Day is held at Punxsutawney in western Pennsylvania, where the Pennsylvania Dutch (also referred to as Pennsylvania Germans) first started the tradition centuries ago, inspired by a Christian feast called Candlemas, which had a comparable tradition linked to an animal similar to the groundhog and weather prediction.

Candlemas

Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus is a Christian feast day which commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple, based on the account narrated in the Gospel of Luke. It is one of the oldest feasts of the church (its earliest record is from the 380s) and it is celebrated on February 2, 40 days after the conclusion of the Christmas season.

One of the most well-known traditions for many Christians to take their candles to their local church in order to get blessed and be used the rest of the year (with each month lighting a candle). This tradition originated in the Roman church and German speaking Christians adopted it.

The Handworterbuch des Deutschen Aberglaubens, a German encyclopedia, mentions Candlemas (February 2) as an important date for predicting the weather and the fertility of the coming year. In German-speaking regions, the badger was considered a weather prophet for Candlemas. If the badger saw its shadow, it was believed to retreat to its hole, indicating an extended winter. The animals characteristics, such as being a small, hibernating mammal dwelling in forests, made it a natural fit for prediction traditions.

German-speaking immigrants in America, particularly those who arrived at Pennsylvania Dutch country between 1727 and 1775, substituted the badger with the groundhog due to similarities in size and behavior. The first recorded mention of groundhogs predicting weather on February 2 comes from a diary entry in 1840 by a Welsh-American storekeeper in Pennsylvania. Over time, the Groundhog Day tradition integrated with local customs, creating a unique celebration that persisted through the years.

The American tradition has a big focus on Punxsutawney Phil. The event is organized by the Groundhog Club, who communicate with Phil in a language known as Groundhogese to interpret his prediction. Despite being a light-hearted affair, the lore insists that only one Phil exists, and he has been making predictions since 1886, sustained by a special elixir. Phil was first named in 1961, however, the origin of its name is not clear, with some claiming that it may have been indirectly named after Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

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An update on the Occupied Territories Bill and further tragedies on Irish roads make the front pages of Saturday's papers.

The Irish Times leads with the Department of Enterprise warned the Occupied Territories Bill could de difficult to enforce.

The Irish Examiner leads with calls from the Taoiseach for more private investment in housing following the missed targets last year.

The Echo leads with the 132 million investment by a healthcare companay in Carrigtwohill. The front page also covers the man who died in a house fire in Co Cork.

The Irish Independent reveals charities were part of seven out of 10 of the highest residential property deals of last year.

The Irish Daily Mail leads with gardai using social media to monitor high value purchases by criminals.

The Irish Daily Mirror and the Irish Daily Star leads with collisions in Cavan and Dublin which claimed the lives of three people.

British Papers

A range of topics spanning the BBC, Brexit and beyond feature on the front pages of Saturdays newspapers.

The BBC ignored union warnings and was aware of complaints against Wynne Evans before he was cast in Strictly Come Dancing, reports the Daily Mirror.

Brexits fifth birthday leads the Daily Express with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch using the milestone to accuse the Government of betraying Britons who voted to leave.

Daily Express: I WILL FIGHT TO HONOUR WILL OF

PEOPLE #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/8LV7N7IqIN  George Mann (@sgfmann) January 31, 2025

As Mrs Badencoch pledges to stay true to the will of the people, the i weekend concentrates on the results of a pill indicating the majority of voter would opt back into the EU if given the chance.

i: Most UK voters back under-30s migration deal in Brexit reset with the EU #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yhbPnkiqRh  George Mann (@sgfmann) January 31, 2025

The Times runs with a health story, writing that people on long-term sick leave may be forced to return to work or have their welfare benefits slashed.

The Times: Long-term sick facing crackdown on benefits #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/a65P6fsHa5  George Mann (@sgfmann) January 31, 2025

The FT Weekend focuses on pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca as the biotech company ditches its plans for a 450 million facility in Liverpool after funding cuts.

The Daily Mail says the embattled Duke of York is facing a fresh scandal surrounding his links with paedophile financier Jefferey Epstein.

The Sun reports that the Duke of York pub in Central London has decided to distance itself from the royal and has dumped his portrait from outside the watering hole.

The Guardian gives its front page over to an account of a reporters return home to Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel allowed people to head home after more than a year.

The Guardian: The long walk back to find my home crushed, buried #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/5ShN79PWMk  George Mann (@sgfmann) January 31, 2025

The Daily Telegraph looks abroad for its front, with a piece on the US decision to absolutely impose tariffs and sweeping taxes on goods from China and several other nations.

The Daily Telegraph: Trump kicks off trade war with China #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/wOEE1nU9lI  George Mann (@sgfmann) January 31, 2025

Lastly, the Daily Star writes that US President Donald Trump has triggered a modern-day gold rush in the UK,with American investors rushing to scoop up British bullion.
NAAS alternative rock band Blue Slate released their new single This is how I sleep at night last Wednesday ahead of their EP release of the same name expected on 12 February from Blowtorch Records.

The band is made up of John Harney on guitar and vocals, Pierce Devine on lead guitar, James Hargreaves on bass and Tim Tora on drums and has a sound that has a fresh take on shoegaze and post-punk sounds of the 1990s. Blue Slate has seen great success this year, playing at Whelans Ones to Watch show earlier this month, and even playing a show at Windmill Brixton in London.

Their last single, Charlottes Song, was named Dan Hegartys Track of the Week on RTE 2fm and featured as Hot Presss Track of the Day.

The band started after lockdown when frontman John Harney bought a four-track recorder:

I was getting all these songs together. Ive been friends with Pearse since I was a kid, so I got him over and we started stringing these songs together. And then we got Tim and James into the band, and it just kind of came together that way.

The band works collaboratively on songs, with each member writing their own instruments music into them: We write as four people. We come from a very democratic kind of point of view.

The band have played across Europe, including in London, Paris and at Rotterdams Left of the Dial festival.

Blue Slate cemented their status as one of the most promising up-and-coming bands in Ireland when they played a sold-out headline show in The Workmans Club on returning from London. They have also supported the likes of the UKs Big Special.

Blue Slates excellent live performances and impressive singles earned them a spot on the exclusive Hot Press Hot for 2024 list.

The ever-humble John Harney said to this: I actually didnt know until I was in the pub and someone came up to me and told me. I was like, 'wait, what?'

I rang my mum and I was like, when youre going to work tomorrow, can you pick up that magazine?

Their upcoming EP This is how I sleep at night focuses heavily on themes of eating disorders and body dysmorphia, taking a lot of inspiration from The Velvet Underground.

The bands frontman, John Harney said: I think it needs to be talked about more. My experience with it and, you know, people that are close to me that have experienced it  that should be really discussed instead of it just being brushed under the carpet.

I found a lot of people are very scared to talk about it. If you have an eating disorder or body dysmorphia, people kind of shy away from you because theyre terrified of the whole thing, because it is a form of self-harm.

The band are in the process of planning their next moves for 2025, and the Kildare Nationalist predicts even more success for the four lads in the coming months.

You can stream Blue Slates music on all music platforms, and keep on eye on their Instagram page at @blueslate.band for updates on upcoming shows and for the release of their new EP.
The RISE Community Fund has announced plans to award new cash grants to small businesses, farms, social enterprises, schools, charities and community groups in County Kilkenny, 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.

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.

READ NEXT: LEARNER HONOURED IN KILKENNY

Previous Kilkenny groups to receive grant funding from the RISE Community Fund include KBK Community Enterprise Group, Keep Her Lit, St Patrick's NS, T/A History-Mystery, Urlingford Town Team CLG and local farmers Joanne Cushen and Fablan Jacob.

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 Kilkenny," said David McCourt, Chairman of NBI and founder of RISE.

Applications for the cash grants open on February 3 and close on February 28. Grants of up to 1,000 will be available to successful applicants across the county.

With 18,300 premises in Kilkenny already able to order or pre-order a service on its network, NBI is reminding Kilkenny 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.
Korea's exports snapped their 15 straight months of annual increases in January due to a reduced number of business days from the extended Lunar New Year holiday, data showed Saturday.

Outbound shipments fell 10.3 percent from a year earlier to $49.1 billion last month, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Imports fell 6.4 percent year-on-year to $51 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $1.89 billion, logging the first deficit in 20 months.

By sector, exports of semiconductors climbed 8.1 percent to hit $10.1 billion, marking the second-highest amount for any January. It was also the ninth consecutive month for chip exports to surpass the $10 billion mark.

The ministry attributed the strong performance to robust demand for premium products, such as high bandwidth memory chips and DDR-based memory, sparked by a global expansion of investment in data centers and artificial intelligence.

Outbound shipments of computers, including solid state drives, also advanced 14.8 percent to $800 million, rising for the 13th straight month.

Exports of automobiles, on the other hand, tumbled 19.6 percent to $5 billion as production was highly affected by the long holiday and a decrease in demand for diesel and electric vehicles.

Petroleum product shipments slid 29.8 percent to $3.4 billion due to lower crude prices and a fire at a major production facility in late December affecting exports.

Petrochemical product shipments pulled back 12.8 percent to $3.5 billion.

Outbound shipments of ships declined 2.1 percent to $2.5 billion as exports were concentrated on low-cost tankers.

The secondary battery industry logged an 11.6 percent decrease to $1.2 billion.

By destination, exports to China slipped 14.1 percent year-on-year to $9.2 billion due to lower demand for machinery, petroleum products and displays, the data showed.

Exports to the United States fell 9.4 percent to $9.3 billion on a decrease in automobile and machinery shipments.

Outbound shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) edged down 2.1 percent to $8.6 billion, and exports to the European Union shrank 11.7 percent to $5 billion.

"Exports temporarily slowed down in January due to the reduced number of business days as a result of the long Lunar New Year holiday," Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said.

"The country's export momentum is still holding up considering that Korea's daily average exports increased 7.7 percent year-on-year and having seen growth in major sectors and markets," he added.

Ahn also said his ministry will closely monitor shifts in the U.S. trade policies under the Donald Trump administration, vowing to support exports amid heightened economic uncertainties. (Yonhap)
Ukraine believes North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia's army on the Kursk front line have been "withdrawn" after suffering heavy losses, a military spokesman told AFP, Friday.

Russia again refused to comment on claims foreign troops were fighting alongside their own soldiers. Instead, it accused Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk of committing atrocities.

Western, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence agencies say Pyongyang deployed more than 10,000 troops to support Russian forces fighting in its Western Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a shock cross-border offensive in August.

Kyiv captured dozens of border settlements in the operation  the first time a foreign army had crossed into Russian territory since the Second World War  in an embarrassing setback for the Kremlin.

The North Korean deployment, never officially confirmed by Moscow or Pyongyang, was supposed to reinforce Russia's army and help them expel Ukraine's troops.

Nearly six months on, however, Ukraine still holds swathes of Russian territory, something President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees as a key bargaining chip in any future negotiations with Moscow.

"Over the past three weeks, we have not seen or detected any activity or military clashes with the North Koreans," Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesman for the Special Operations Forces, told AFP.

"We believe that they have been withdrawn because of the heavy losses that were inflicted," he added.

Ukraine previously said it had captured or killed several North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region.

Zelenskyy has published footage of interrogations with what he said were North Korean prisoners captured by his army on the Kursk front.

Ukrainian officials have said wounded North Korean troops were blowing themselves up with grenades rather than being taken alive.

Atrocity allegations

Kyiv and the West had denounced their deployment as a major escalation in the three-year conflict.

Ukraine says around 2,000 Russian civilians live in areas under its occupation, mostly cut off from contact with relatives on the other side of the new front line.

Discontent has been growing in the Russian border region at the failure of local authorities to secure their return to Moscow-controlled territory or provide updates on their status.

Asked earlier Friday about reports that the North Korean soldiers had been withdrawn, the Kremlin declined to comment.

"There are a lot of different arguments out there, both right and wrong," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"It's not worth commenting on them every time," he said.

But on Friday, Moscow did accuse Ukrainian troops of killing 22 people when they occupied a Russian village, including eight women who were allegedly raped before being executed.

Russia's Investigative Committee said Jan. 19 it was investigating the killing of "at least seven civilians" in the village of Russkoye Porechnoye, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The village, in Russia's Kursk region, has been retaken by Moscow.

A spokesman for Ukraine's military command in the Kursk region, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivsky, dismissed the allegations in a response to AFP.

Peskov accused the international community of ignoring Russia's accusations.

"This must be talked about and shown, despite all the deafness of the international community and its unwillingness to pay attention to such atrocities," he told reporters.

Russian advances

Despite Ukraine's hold on part of the Kursk region, Russia has been advancing elsewhere across the 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front.

Moscow's army said Friday that it had captured another village, Novovasylivka, in Eastern Ukraine, as its forces advance on a logistics hub and a road that is crucial for military supplies.

Novovasylivka is close to the key hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, and to the internal border with Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, which so far has been spared ground combat.

Russia in 2022 said it was annexing the Donetsk region, despite not having it under full control, but has not publicly made territorial claims on Dnipropetrovsk. (AFP)
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2025 - 12:04 | All, Japan

Many manufacturers of food and household products are joining Japan's growing luxury pet product market, catering to the owners wishing to pamper their "cherished family" members with special treats and comfortable furniture.

Aeon Pet Co., owned by shopping mall operator Aeon Co., sold Christmas cakes and Japanese traditional New Year's "osechi" cuisine for dogs and cats so that customers can celebrate the festivities together with them.

Some of this year's osechi cost over 10,000 yen ($64), a first for the company, including the most expensive 16,500 yen dish. But the product manager said confidently, "More people are willing to buy them, even at higher prices, as long as the quality meets their expectations."

The osechi contained delicacies such as roast beef, festive red rice, Japanese mustard spinach and scallop terrine, and mashed potatoes made to look like sushi rice with toppings.

The company also collaborated with popular confectionery store operator Fujiya Co. to offer Christmas cakes for pets.

Japan's pet product market is estimated at 1.90 trillion yen in fiscal 2024, up 21 percent from 1.57 trillion yen in fiscal 2019, according to the Yano Research Institute. The market is expected to reach around 2 trillion in fiscal 2026.

Muji retail store operator Ryohin Keikaku Co. started selling their newly developed products late last year, created based on the concept of providing "a comfortable life" for pets.

Products include furniture such as box shelves that also serve as an exercise area for cats, with round holes carved out so they can move through them freely in addition to climbing.



The product was made using the same safety standards as furniture for humans. "The demand for safe products that consumers can give to their pets has been growing," Asako Shimazaki, a senior executive officer at Ryohin Keikaku, said.

Unicharm Corp., a Japanese hygiene and pet care products maker, teamed up with Calbee Inc. to sell a version of the popular potato snack "Sapporo Potato" made for dogs. They look just like the usual crisps but contain less seasoning to suit canine tastes and dietary needs.

Related coverage:

Japan firm caters to growing demand for cremations for tiny pets

Golden retriever becomes mayor of city in Kyoto on Dog Day

Asian elephant given by Myanmar dies at Japanese zoo
Korea voiced disappointment Saturday after Japan's follow-up report on its UNESCO-listed industrial sites failed to provide the full historical context, including the wartime forced labor involving Koreans.

Japan had promised earlier to take steps to remember the victims, including many Koreans who were forced into hard labor, when its 23 Meiji-era industrial revolution sites won UNESCO World Heritage status in 2015.

One of the sites includes Hashima Island, where Koreans were forcibly taken for labor to produce war supplies for the Japanese Imperial Army.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC) recommended Tokyo take measures to reflect the "full history" of the facilities, as requested by Seoul.

That included taking steps to better present the history of forced labor and how many Koreans were taken against their will to toil under harsh conditions. It also called for Japan to make adjustments to the museum exhibits on the sites.

In its latest report, released Friday (local time) in Paris, Japan still fell short of following through on the WHC recommendations, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

"We once again express our regret that the WHC's repeated decisions and the follow-up measures Japan itself has promised have not been faithfully carried out," foreign ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a commentary.

"We urge Japan to promptly and sincerely implement the relevant follow-up measures in line with its own commitments to the international community," he said.

In particular, Japan did not remove the museum exhibit asserting the legality of its 1910-1945 forced annexation of Korea and materials that deny the forced labor, despite Seoul's repeated requests, the ministry official said.

The materials assert that the working and living conditions for Koreans were no different from those of Japanese workers, a stance that remains unchanged from the initial exhibits.

Although Japan has updated the exhibits with the victims' testimonies in line with the WHC recommendations, the materials are placed as part of a Korean-language resources collection on a bookshelf, rather than being properly showcased in an exhibit, the official said.

Another official suggested Japan's follow-up actions could influence Korea's stance on Tokyo's future bids for UNESCO inscription of historical sites linked to the forced mobilization of Koreans.

"Japan risks damaging its international reputation by failing to implement the WHC decision," the official said. "We will take into account all possible actions for a strong response. We will not rule out any specific actions we may or may not take."

The ministry said it will continue to raise this issue in bilateral talks with Japan, as well as within the UNESCO framework.

Upon the site's UNESCO inscription, Japan publicly acknowledged that many Koreans were "brought against their will and forced to work under harsh conditions" and promised to take concrete steps to fully present the history.

But Japan's tepid follow-up steps have drawn the ire of Seoul.

In 2023, the WHC adopted a decision calling on Japan to submit a follow-up report on the implementation of such measures after its four previous reports were shown to be insufficient.

Japan's latest report came after Korea boycotted a Japan-hosted memorial ceremony for Korean victims of the Sado Mines Complex, another UNESCO-listed forced labor site, last November, citing Tokyo's "lack of efforts" to sincerely honor the victims. (Yonhap)
By KTimes

A Chinese national residing illegally in Korea has been handed over to prosecutors after allegedly killing his former girlfriend, also a Chinese national in her 30s.

The Jeju Seobu Police Station announced Friday that it had referred the Chinese man in his 30s to the prosecution on charges of murder.

The man is accused of assaulting and killing his ex-girlfriend during an argument at a studio apartment in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, between 11 p.m. on Jan. 22 and 2 a.m. on Jan. 23. After the woman lost consciousness, the man contacted an acquaintance, who then called 119 for emergency assistance, according to reports. Police officers who arrived at the scene alongside paramedics found multiple signs of assault on the victims body and immediately arrested him.

The man reportedly told authorities that he committed the crime impulsively during the argument, police said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team in his impeachment case said Saturday it has submitted a formal request to the Constitutional Court, urging three justices to recuse themselves, citing concerns over impartiality.

Yoon's team said it made a request Friday for the recusals of Justice Moon Hyung-bae, Justice Lee Mi-seon and Justice Chung Gye-seon over concerns of potential political bias.

The team pointed to Moon, the acting chief justice, of having engaged in social media interaction with Lee Jae-myung, head of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, in the past, raising suspicions of political impartiality.

Yoon's lawyers also raised concerns over Lee, noting that her brother is a vice chairman of a committee at the Lawyers for a Democratic Society and has demanded the president's resignation.

For Chung, Yoon's team raised concerns that her husband, a lawyer, signed a public declaration calling for Yoon's impeachment.

The team argued the inclinations of the justices have already influenced the court's handling of the case.

Many legal watchers believe the Constitutional Court is unlikely to grant the request, as it has recently expressed concern over accusations targeting the court's judicial independence. (Yonhap)
A fire that broke out at the National Hangeul Museum in central Seoul on Saturday has been extinguished after roughly four hours, leaving one firefighter injured while artifacts remained undamaged, according to officials.

According to the Yongsan District Office and fire officials, the blaze started at 8:40 a.m. on the third floor and quickly spread to the fourth floor, where construction materials stored on-site hampered firefighting efforts.

Authorities issued a Level 1 emergency alert within 50 minutes of the fire's outbreak, dispatching 262 personnel to contain the flames. The fire was put out around 12:30 p.m.

The museum is currently closed to the public for expansion work. One firefighter was injured after being struck by falling steel debris and was immediately transported to a hospital.

Two construction workers were rescued from the site, while four others managed to evacuate safely.

Since the start of construction on the expansion, the museum has been storing its artifacts separately to prevent damage. As a precautionary measure, authorities have relocated the remaining artifacts to the nearby National Museum of Korea for protection.

Officials suspect that the fire may have been caused by sparks from steel-cutting operations at the construction site. They are conducting a full investigation to determine the exact cause.

Established in 2014, the museum is dedicated to promoting the linguistic and cultural significance of the Korean writing system, known as Hangeul.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon visited the fire-damaged museum and urged authorities to work closely with the fire department to ensure a swift and thorough response.

According to the ministry, Yu was briefed on the firefighting efforts and the extent of the damage. He instructed museum staff and emergency responders to prioritize fire suppression and damage control in cooperation with fire authorities. (Yonhap)
By KTimes

Following the recent Air Busan aircraft fire, public concerns over aviation safety are growing. Experts emphasize that the "golden time" for evacuation in an aircraft accident is just 90 seconds. All passenger planes are designed to allow full evacuation within this time frame. To enhance survival chances, specialists stress adherence to three key safety rules.

Carry power banks, do not store them in overhead bins

Devices such as power banks, which pose fire and explosion risks, should be carried directly rather than stored in overhead bins. If packed inside luggage in the overhead compartment, pressure can increase the risk of fire, and early detection becomes difficult.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transports aviation hazardous materials transportation standards, lithium-metal and lithium-ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods. While lithium-metal batteries, commonly used in cameras and medical devices, have a lower explosion risk, their lithium content must be under 2 grams to be permitted in checked or carry-on baggage. Lithium-ion batteries, used in laptops and smartphones, have a slightly higher explosion risk. Those under 100 watt-hours (Wh) can be carried on board or checked in, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval and can only be carried onboard. Power banks, which also use lithium-ion batteries, are subject to stricter rules: they cannot be checked in under any circumstances, regardless of their capacity.

Experts warn that lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if compressed or damaged. The recent Air Busan fire is suspected to have originated from a power bank stored in an overhead bin. Kong Ha-sung, a professor at Woosuk Universitys Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention, said, "Power banks should always be carried personally inside the cabin," adding that "fires in overhead bins are harder to detect quickly." Lee Young-joo, a professor at Kyungil Universitys Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention, also advised, "Keeping power banks within reach allows passengers to notice excessive heating early on. It is also important to prevent batteries from being crushed or subject to impact."

Follow crew instructions and leave baggage behind during evacuation

In the event of an emergency evacuation, passengers must strictly follow crew instructions regarding emergency exit use. Reports indicate that during the Air Busan fire, a passenger opened the emergency exit before receiving instructions from the crew  a highly dangerous action, experts say. Since flight attendants are trained to assess external conditions and coordinate with pilots, their instructions should always be followed. Kim Kyu-wang, an aviation professor at Hanseo University, said, "Flight attendants check external hazards and communicate with the captain before guiding passengers on exit locations and precautions. For instance, engines must be turned off before evacuation. If a passenger opens an emergency exit prematurely, they could be sucked into the engine."

Passengers must also evacuate without carrying any personal belongings. With only 90 seconds available for escape, even a few seconds of delay to retrieve luggage could endanger multiple lives. Choi In-chan, an aviation professor at Silla University, stressed, "Quick decision-making and action are crucial for a successful evacuation. Blocking the aisle while retrieving items from an overhead bin is strictly forbidden."

Not only should items in overhead bins be left behind, but even bags placed at ones feet must be abandoned. Choi warned, "Evacuation slides are steep. Holding a bag while descending can lead to injuries, and sharp objects such as zippers could tear the rubber slide." Kim also added, "Loose baggage can obstruct other passengers or cause injuries. High heels, which can damage the evacuation slide, should also be removed before exiting."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
Two people were dead and two others went missing Saturday after two fishing boats carrying 15 crew members ran aground in waters off the southern resort island of Jeju, according to the coast guard.

The coast guard said it received reports that a 32-ton fishing boat carrying seven people and a 29-ton vessel with eight crew members were stranded on a rock in waters off Jeju Island at 9:24 a.m.

As of 3 p.m., 13 crew members had been rescued, but two of them were dead. Search operations are under way to rescue two other missing people.

Of the rescued people, the captain of the 32-ton boat in his 50s was found in cardiac arrest and was transported to a hospital. But he was later pronounced dead.

An Indonesian crew member was discovered some four hours after the accident during search operations along the coast. But the person was also found in a state of cardiac arrest and later died.

Of the rescued people, one member was moved to a hospital after passing out, but there seem to be no serious health problems. The 10 others were reportedly suffering from hypothermia, but the cases are believed to be minor.

The coast guard said one of its members sustained an injury on his hand after being swept by waves and hitting a rock during rescue operations.

The captains of the two boats are both Korean nationals, and the crew members are foreigners, including those from Vietnam and Indonesia.

Authorities are continuing search operations for the two other missing crew members. But bad weather and tall waves are undermining rescue efforts.

The rescue and search operations involved nine Navy patrol ships, a Navy warship and six civilian ships, with around 100 personnel deployed to coastal areas to search for the missing members.

Earlier in the day, acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered officials to mobilize all available resources to rescue the crew and also called for guaranteeing the safety of rescue workers, citing bad weather at sea. (Yonhap)
Crowds of protesters gathered in central Seoul in massive rallies Saturday, either opposing the ouster of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol or urging his removal from office, following his recent indictment with detention.

An estimated 3 million people, according to organizers, thronged Seoul's central Gwanghwamun area, waving the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes and calling for Yoon's release in a rally opposing his impeachment.

Last Sunday, prosecutors indicted Yoon with detention on insurrection charges over his short-lived Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. The week after the declaration, the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, prompting a Constitutional Court trial to decide whether to reinstate or permanently remove him from office.

"Yoon Suk Yeol will be made to come back if 10 million people gather on March 1. (We) can change everything, whether it's the Constitution or anything else," said conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, who spearheaded the rally, referring to a mass gathering he is planning on that date.

The police's unofficial estimate of the participants was 38,000.

Similar rallies in support of Yoon were also held near the National Assembly in Seoul's western Yeouido district and in front of the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul.

Also in Gwanghwamun, a separate rally urged a Constitutional Court ruling to oust Yoon, with 100,000 participants according to organizers. The police estimated the number at 6,000.

Participants called for the "immediate removal" of Yoon, while also criticizing acting President Choi Sang-mok for vetoing a National Assembly bill calling for a special counsel investigation into Yoon over the martial law declaration.

"Let us completely end, with the power of the people, the insurrection scheme by the anti-Constitution forces, including Yoon Suk Yeol and the (ruling) People Power Party," said Kim Min Moon-jung, who spearheaded the rally against Yoon.

Some 240 traffic police personnel were mobilized in Seoul as the mass rallies caused traffic congestion and other inconveniences. (Yonhap)
The White House said Friday that a federal law enforcement agency has arrested a Korean national convicted of possession or control of material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct, as it underscored an ongoing nationwide immigration crackdown.

During a press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt provided information on arrests of foreign nationals by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency under the Department of Homeland Security.

"On Jan. 28, 2025, ICE Atlanta arrested a citizen of South Korea who has been convicted of nine counts of possession or control of material depicting minors in sexually explicit conduct," she said.

The White House posted related information on X, saying that the person had served five years in jail and was on 20 years probation.

After the Trump administration took office on Jan. 20, it launched a crackdown to block illegal immigration and promote border security. (Yonhap)
U.S. President Donald Trump and the CEO of Nvidia Jensen Huang discussed DeepSeek  the Chinese company whose AI model's performance rocked the tech world  and tightening AI chip exports during their meeting at the White House, Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Trump did not provide details of the meeting but called Huang a "gentleman."

"I can't say what's gonna happen. We had a meeting. It was a good meeting," Trump said.

The Friday afternoon meeting came as the government is set to further restrict AI chip exports this spring to ensure advanced computing power remains in the United States and among its allies, while looking for more ways to block China's access.

"We appreciated the opportunity to meet with President Trump and discuss semiconductors and AI policy," an Nvidia spokesperson said in a statement. "Jensen and the President discussed the importance of strengthening U.S. technology and AI leadership."

The source with knowledge of the meeting between the president and the CEO of the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company, which makes the most advanced AI chips, said it was set up before DeepSeek rocked the tech world.

The source also said the president thinks the Chinese company's emergence means "U.S. companies don't have to spend a ton of money building a low-cost (AI) alternative."

The meeting took place as worries are mounting that China is catching up to the United States in AI development. China's DeepSeek last week launched a free assistant it says uses less data at a fraction of the cost of U.S. models.

Within days, DeepSeek became the most downloaded app in Apple's App Store and stirred concerns about the United States' lead in AI, sparking a rout that wiped around $1 trillion off U.S. technology stocks. At one point, shares of Nvidia, a top producer of AI chips, fell 17 percent.

The Trump administration is considering tightening restrictions on Nvidia's sales of its H20 chips designed for the China market, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, Wednesday.

Conversations among Trump officials to restrict shipments of those chips to China are in their early stages, the sources said, but the idea has been under consideration since Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration. H20 chips can be used to run AI software and were designed to comply with existing U.S. curbs on shipments to China implemented by Biden.

Two U.S. lawmakers are also calling for more restrictions on exports of Nvidia's artificial intelligence chips.

Republican John Moolenaar and Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi, who lead the House of Representatives Select Committee on China, asked for the move as part of a Commerce and State Department-led review ordered by Trump to scrutinize the U.S. export control system in light of "developments involving strategic adversaries."

In 2022, the Biden administration restricted sales of Nvidia's most powerful AI chip, the H100, to China. Nvidia then released a new variant, the H800, which fell just below the export threshold, for the Chinese market. The H800 was restricted in 2023 and Nvidia came out with the H20 last year.

Reuters reported Thursday that the U.S. Commerce Department is looking into whether DeepSeek has been using U.S. chips that are not allowed to be shipped to China. (Reuters)
Taiwan has banned workers in the public sector and at key infrastructure facilities from using DeepSeek, saying it was a Chinese product and could endanger national security.

DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, claiming it matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the investment.

Countries including Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have raised questions about the Chinese AI startup's data practices.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said Friday all government agencies and critical infrastructure should not use DeepSeek because it "endangers national information security."

"DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product," the ministry said in a statement.

"Its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage and other information security concerns." Taiwan has long accused China of using "grey zone" tactics  actions that fall short of an act of war  against the island, including cyberattacks, as Beijing presses its claims of sovereignty over the island.

Since 2019, Taiwan has banned government agencies from using information and communication technology products and services that pose a threat to "national information security."

DeepSeek sparked panic on Wall Street this week with its powerful new chatbot that is thought to have matched US companies in its abilities but at a fraction of the cost.

That's despite a strict U.S. regime prohibiting Chinese firms from accessing the kinds of advanced chips needed to power the massive learning models used to develop AI.

Taiwan's restriction came as data watchdogs in Korea and Ireland said they would ask DeepSeek to clarify how it manages users' personal information.

Earlier this week, Italy launched an investigation into the R1 model and blocked it from processing Italian users' data. (AFP)
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2025 - 23:00 | All, Japan, World

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Trump says Japan PM Ishiba to visit him next week

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit him next week and he is looking forward to meeting with him.

Trump did not provide other details about Ishiba's visit, including the date of their meeting. But sources familiar with the plan said earlier this week that Ishiba would hold his first in-person summit with Trump, possibly on Feb. 7, in Washington to confirm the importance of the bilateral alliance's deterrence and response capabilities.

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Myanmar marks 4 yrs since coup, eyes election without Suu Kyi's party

YANGON/TOKYO - Myanmar on Saturday marked four years since the coup that ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, with the junta extending a state of emergency the previous day amid an expanding conflict between the military and opposition forces.

The junta, which had planned a general election in 2025, did not mention a date in the Friday announcement. The military will effectively exclude the party of Suu Kyi, who remains under detention, from the election.

----------

U.S. tariffs on Canada, China, Mexico to take effect on Saturday

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump will place tariffs of 25 percent on imports from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent on goods from China with immediate effect Saturday, the White House said, setting the stage for a potential tit-for-tat trade confrontation that is likely to engulf the rest of the world.

During a press briefing on Friday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stopped short of disclosing the scope and other specifics of the levies, aimed at pressuring the three countries to crack down on fentanyl trafficking and slash the trade deficits that the United States has with them.

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Japan comedian's TV scenes cut after report he grabbed woman in 2015

TOKYO - Scenes featuring a Japanese comedian in a program to be aired by Nippon Television Network Corp. have been cut following a media report alleging he grabbed a woman by the arm to force her to go to a hotel in 2015, the broadcaster said Saturday.

Takayuki Kinoshita, one half of comedy duo TKO, has admitted to taking the woman to a hotel but denied coercion. The revelation comes as Japan's entertainment industry has been hit by a string of sex scandals involving well-known TV personalities.

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Speed skating: Miho Takagi wins Japan record 35th World Cup gold

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin - Miho Takagi set a Japan record with her 35th speed skating World Cup individual gold medal Friday, eclipsing Hiroyasu Shimizu and Nao Kodaira for the most from the country in distances contested at the Winter Olympics.

The 30-year-old reached the landmark after clocking 1 minute, 13.56 seconds in the women's 1,000 meters to set a track record at Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and making it four wins from four in the distance in the World Cup this season.

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Castle in west Japan with 400-year history opened for overnight stays

HIROSHIMA - A western Japan city has begun offering overnight stays at Fukuyama Castle, a site dating back 400 years, as regional economies seek ways to attract wealthy visitors amid the country's tourism boom.

The initiative, which received its first guests in October, offers visitors the chance to be lord of the castle for a day. Plans start from 1.32 million yen ($8,500) a night for two people and include a stay at in a rebuilt moon-viewing turret, a night lounge experience in the castle keep, use of a bathhouse and luxurious meals.

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Japan's posh pet market grows as owners wish to pamper "family"

TOKYO - Many manufacturers of food and household products are joining Japan's growing luxury pet product market, catering to the owners wishing to pamper their "cherished family" members with special treats and comfortable furniture.

Aeon Pet Co., owned by shopping mall operator Aeon Co., sold Christmas cakes and Japanese traditional New Year's "osechi" cuisine for dogs and cats so that customers can celebrate the festivities together with them.

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Baseball: NPB teams begin spring training in Miyazaki, Okinawa

TOKYO - All 12 Nippon Professional Baseball teams began their spring training workouts Saturday, with many of them in indoor facilities due to bad weather.

Seven teams started their training in Okinawa Prefecture, including the DeNA BayStars, who last year finished third in the Central League but won their first Japan Series title in 26 years, and the Hanshin Tigers, who are managed by rookie skipper Kyuji Fujikawa.

Video: New sumo yokozuna Hoshoryu performs ritual at Meiji Jingu shrine
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit him next week at the White House, and he looks forward to the conversation.

"Theyre coming in to speak to me and Im looking forward to it," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

The meeting is expected to take place Friday, Feb. 7, Japan's Asahi newspaper reported Thursday, adding that the leaders of the two long-time allies will discuss strengthening economic and security cooperation.

Ishiba, who took office in October, a little over a month before Trump's reelection, is keen to build a personal relationship early in the U.S. president's second term and deepen Japan's key U.S. alliance amid shared concerns about China's growing power, people familiar with the matter said.

Ishiba plans to highlight how Japanese companies create jobs in the U.S. and increases in Japan's defense budget, the people said.

Shinzo Abe, a predecessor of Ishiba's as prime minister who launched significant defense reforms and was assassinated in 2022, enjoyed a strong rapport with Trump during the latter's first term.

Analysts say Ishiba will want to build on that despite concerns about Trump's threats of tariffs to correct trade imbalances.

Officials familiar with the matter told Reuters that Japan is considering offering support for a $44 billion gas pipeline in Alaska as it seeks to court Trump and forestall potential trade friction.

Japan has doubts about the viability of the proposed 800-mile pipeline, which Trump has said is key for U.S. prosperity and security, given the overall costs of the gas relative to other sources, but is prepared to offer to explore a deal if asked, the officials said.

Tokyo may include such a commitment among other concessions, such as buying more U.S. gas and increasing defense spending and manufacturing investment in the U.S., to reduce its $56 billion bilateral trade surplus and stave off the threat of tariffs, one of the officials said.

Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, spoke by phone with Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, Thursday, and Japan will have been heartened by the Pentagon hailing the U.S.-Japan alliance as "the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region" in its readout of the call.

"The two officials reiterated the importance of deepening defense cooperation to strengthen deterrence and to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region," the Pentagon statement said.

Abe was the first foreign leader to hold a summit with Trump after his 2016 election win , but Ishiba is set to be beaten to that accolade this time by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Nicholas Szechenyi, head of the Japan program at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said Ishiba's main objective would be to stress that Tokyo will remain a reliable ally of the U.S.

He said the summit would have a strategic impact in signaling that alliances will remain a fundamental pillar of U.S. strategy in Asia with U.S.-Japan ties at its core.

"Ishibas case is straightforward: Japan is an ally that is stepping up by investing more in its own defense, advancing security cooperation with the U.S., and investing in the U.S. economy," he said.

Szechenyi said the economic agenda could take center stage.

"A few concrete proposals from Ishiba, maybe on energy imports or new investments in American manufacturing, could help him further Japans reputation as an economic partner and set the tone for a productive U.S.-Japan relationship under Trump," he said. (Reuters)
Freed Palestinian inmates were greeted by a cheering crowd in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, after Hamas released three Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip in the fourth exchange under the group's ceasefire deal with Israel.

Three other buses carrying freed Palestinians also arrived in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis, with the inmates in grey prison uniforms met by hundreds of well-wishers.

In Ramallah, the bus carrying the inmates struggled to make its way through the jubilant throng of supporters as it arrived from the Israeli-run Ofer Prison.

Several of the freed inmates were hoisted onto the crowd's shoulders, including an elderly man who raised his crutches over his head in a triumphant pose.

Earlier in Gaza, hostages Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were paraded on stage by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in the southern city of Khan Yunis. American-Israeli Keith Siegel was freed shortly thereafter in a similar ceremony at Gaza City's port in the north.

Israel's military later confirmed that all three were back in Israel.

Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum hailed the release as "a ray of light in the darkness."

French-Israeli hostage Kalderon's uncle Shemi told AFP: "We have waited for this moment for a very long time."

"I hope that this is a sign of the rebirth of the people of Israel, not just of Ofer, not just of the hostages," he said, overcome with emotion.

After holding the hostages for more than 15 months, militants in Gaza began releasing them on January 19 under the terms of the ceasefire deal with Israel.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants have so far handed over 18 hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of them women and minors.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group had said Israel would free 183 prisoners Saturday.

Hamas sources said a fifth hostage-prisoner exchange would take place next Saturday.

'Mixed emotions'

During their Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which started the Gaza war, militants abducted Siegel from the Kfar Aza kibbutz, and Bibas and Kalderon from kibbutz Nir Oz.

Militants took a total of 251 people hostage that day. Of those, 76 remain in Gaza, including at least 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Those seized include Bibas's wife Shiri and their two children, whom Hamas has declared dead, although Israeli officials have not confirmed that.

Bibas's sons  Kfir, the youngest hostage, whose second birthday was earlier this month, and his older brother Ariel, whose fifth birthday was in August  have become symbols of the hostages' ordeal.

"Our Yarden is supposed to return tomorrow and we are so excited but Shiri and the children still haven't returned," the Bibas family said on Instagram Friday, adding it had "such mixed emotions."

Footage released by the Israeli military showed Bibas being reunited with his sister and father, who held him in a lengthy embrace.

Hundreds had gathered in Tel Aviv's "Hostage Square" to watch the live broadcast of the latest hostage releases.

Sighs of relief ran through the crowd as the three were freed and handed over to the Red Cross, though the mood was mostly sombre.

At Tel Aviv's Sheba Hospital, Kalderon, a keen mountain biker, was met by a contingent of cyclist friends and other supporters, beaming and blowing kisses as they chanted his name.

"It's amazing, amazing! A year-and-a-half is culminating in this moment," said Navit Hermesh. "We missed him so much, we worried about him so much, and we are so happy that he's coming back."

Ahead of both exchanges in Khan Yunis and Gaza City, scores of masked Hamas fighters stood sentry, apparently to control onlookers, and large crowds were mostly absent.

It was a sharp contrast to Thursday's frenzied exchange, which drew Israeli condemnation and led it to briefly delay the release of Palestinian prisoners.

'Difficult' situation

After Saturday's hostage release, Gaza's key Rafah border crossing was reopened, with the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory saying 50 Palestinian patients had gone through the crossing to Egypt.

Egyptian state-linked channel Al-Qahera News showed footage of the first evacuees, including a child with an autoimmune disease, crossing into Egypt to receive treatment.

Muhammad Zaqout, director for Gaza hospitals, said he hoped the number would increase.

"We now have 6,000 cases ready to be transferred, and more than 12,000 cases that are in dire need of treatment," he said.

Rafah was a vital Gaza aid entry point before the Israeli military seized the Palestinian side of the crossing in May.

The fragile ceasefire's 42-day first phase hinges on the release of a total of 33 hostages in exchange for around 1,900 people, mostly Palestinians, held in Israeli jails.

Negotiations for a second phase of the deal are set to start Monday, according to a timeline provided by an Israeli official.

The second phase is expected to cover the release of the remaining captives and to include discussions on a more permanent end to the war.

The ceasefire deal was negotiated by mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for the deal, is expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Tuesday. (AFP)
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KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2025 - 16:56 | World, All

Myanmar on Saturday marked four years since the coup that ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, with the junta extending a state of emergency the previous day amid an expanding conflict between the military and opposition forces.

The junta, which had planned a general election in 2025, did not mention a date in the Friday announcement. The military will effectively exclude the party of Suu Kyi, who remains under detention, from the election.

Peaceful protests against the Feb. 1, 2021, coup morphed into armed resistance after a harsh military crackdown. Ethnic minority rebels and fighters aligned with a parallel government formed by ousted civilian leaders have been fiercely battling the military, which continues airstrikes in areas under their control.

On Saturday, a "silent strike" in which people were set to stay at home to show their oppositin to military rule did not take place in the country's largest city Yangon, unlike on the previous coup anniversaries. Instead, residents were seen conducting everyday activities such as shopping at local markets.

With the seventh six-month extension of a state of emergency, the deadline for holding a general election to restore civilian rule will be pushed back to Feb. 1 next year.

It is believed the military is seeking to use the election to install a civilian administration dependent on it. The opposition forces have vowed to prevent the election from being held.

Neighbor China last year expressed its full support for the election, apparently concerned about the lasting conflict affecting its geostrategic ambitions in Myanmar, from which it imports key natural resources.

Beijing has sought to mediate between the military and some major ethnic minority rebel groups to reach cease-fire agreements. An accord with one of the groups took effect last month.

Over 6,000 civilians have been killed since the coup and more than 3.5 million people displaced within the country, with many more driven across its borders, according to U.N. figures. A number of young people have fled Myanmar to avoid military conscription that began in March last year.

More than 21,700 people are being detained by the military, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an activist group based in neighboring Thailand.

Suu Kyi turned 79 last June, amid increasing concern about her health in detention. Many other executives of her National League for Democracy party have also been detained.

The NLD secured a landslide victory in the 2020 general election. But the party was dissolved by the junta-appointed electoral commission in 2023.

Myanmar's economy has been ravaged by the prolonged conflict, with the public suffering from shortages of food, fuel and other essential goods.

Major cities including Yangon have faced rolling blackouts because of a lack of natural gas.

Related coverage:

ASEAN calls for peace in Myanmar as junta official joins summit

Japanese Aeon supermarket exec released after conviction in Myanmar
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2025 - 10:35 | All, World, Japan

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit him next week and he is looking forward to meeting with him.

Trump did not provide other details about Ishiba's visit, including the date of their meeting. But sources familiar with the plan said earlier this week that Ishiba would hold his first in-person summit with Trump, possibly on Feb. 7, in Washington to confirm the importance of the bilateral alliance's deterrence and response capabilities.

The Japanese government has told a senior ruling party lawmaker that Ishiba is scheduled to make a three-day trip to the United States from Thursday, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

"I have great respect for Japan. I like Japan," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

But Trump did not refer to the Japanese prime minister by name. Instead, he said, "Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe was a very close friend of mine. What happened to him was so sad and one of the saddest days," referring to the former Japanese leader that he was particularly on good terms with during his first term.

Abe, who resigned in 2020 for health reasons, was fatally shot during an election campaign speech about two years later.

The planned meeting with Ishiba would be Trump's second with a foreign leader since he took office for a nonconsecutive second term on Jan. 20. On Tuesday, Trump is due to hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

As part of efforts to lay the groundwork for the first face-to-face meeting between Ishiba and Trump, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya held talks with his new U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio in Washington just a day after Trump's inauguration.

At the time, Iwaya and Rubio agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to "new heights" on all fronts.

They also agreed to step up cooperation multilaterally with like-minded countries such as the Philippines and South Korea to deal with major challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, where China is seeking to assert greater control.

At the upcoming meeting, Ishiba and Trump are expected to acknowledge the increasingly severe security environment in the region, amid continuing ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

In addition to highlighting a dramatic increase in Tokyo's defense spending, Ishiba is likely to explain to Trump that Japanese companies have played a pivotal role in generating growth and jobs in the United States, according to officials.

Given that Nippon Steel Corp.'s plan to buy United States Steel Corp. was blocked by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden in early January and the president's strong opposition to the sale of the iconic producer is also well known, Ishiba could stress that Japan has been the largest foreign direct investor in the United States for the last five years.

Related coverage:

Japan PM Ishiba eyes U.S. visit for summit with Trump on Feb. 7
By Joe Barrett IT was a proud occasion for 28 students from Portlaoise College last week when they graduated with Level 6 Certificates in 21st Century Digital Skills from Maynooth University.

The graduates who received their awards were Nada Alhariri, Natalia Benedikova, Lucy Carlin, Kamelija Cirule, Orlagh Creery, Eire Delaney, Niamh Donaghy, Bronwyn Farrell, Jaela Halberstadt, Abbie Maher, Jessica Maher, Ciara McComish Day, Aoife Morris, Sarah O'Reilly, Nicola Owczarek, Chloe Palco, Ellen Peacock, Molly Piekarska, Nikolina Rakanovic, Sophie Robertson, Saoirse Scully, Jessica Sescu, Monika Szymanska, Taralyte Arneta, Kyla Walsh, Jessica Witek, Wiktoria Wolanin and Sorcha Wright Twomey.

They achieved their awards as part of the STEM Passport for Inclusion programme, which aims to address disparities in access to STEM careers among girls in Irish secondary schools.

For the students the qualification opens doors and is a stepping stone towards further studies or careers in the digital sector. Many now have access to direct entry pathways into STEM courses at university level, ensuring that their efforts in this programme will have a lasting impact on their futures. They now also have 50 Leaving Cert Points when applying to STEM courses in Maynooth, ATU and MTU.

Pictured at the graduation ceremony of students from Portlaoise College who graduated with Level 6 Certificates in 21st Century Digital Skills from Maynooth University were (l-r) Portlaoise College guidance counsellor Daryl Egan, Izabel Meza, Professor Katriona O'Sullivan, Professor Ronan Farrell (Registrar NUI Maynooth), Ava Kenny and Leigh Butler.

Speaking at the graduation the colleges guidance counsellor and a Professional Learning Leader on OIDE's Guidance Team Daryl Egan said it was a proud moment for all involved which recognised the dedication, effort and passion that brought the students to complete the programme.

He thanked the Microsoft mentors for creating an inspiring and supportive environment where students could explore new ideas and learn through hands-on experiences. The students walked away with a new appreciation for STEM and the possibilities it holds and some even reviewing their 5th-year subject choices.

College Principal Noel Daly said; We are proud of our students dedication and hard work. Their success reflects the effectiveness of initiatives like the STEM Passport for Inclusion in promoting educational advancement. The programme has given the students not only practical skills but also confidence in their ability to pursue further studies in STEM. The commitment of the staff - Ms Cullen, Mr Egan, Ms Kelly, and Mr Kenny - as well as the students were recognised through our receipt of one of the Outstanding School Engagement Awards.

The STEM Passport for Inclusion is a joint initiative between Maynooth University, Microsoft Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Department of Education. It combines an educational qualification with support and mentoring from industry professionals, creating pathways for students to progress to higher education and pursue STEM qualifications.
By David Young, PA

A man questioned by police investigating the alleged voyeuristic filming of mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor engaging in an intimate act with his fiancee denies any involvement, his solicitor has said.

The statement comes after the 20-year-old man voluntarily attended a police station in Northern Ireland for questioning.

The incident relates to footage allegedly captured from outside a beach front holiday home in Rostrevor, Co Down that McGregor and his fiancee Dee Devlin were staying in last November.

Conor McGregor and his partner Dee Devlin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

It is understood McGregor made a complaint to the PSNI after he was made aware of clips circulating online.

Solicitor Gavin Booth of Belfast-based law firm Phoenix Law confirmed he represented the man who was accused of taking a video of Conor McGregor in an intimate act with his partner.

We can confirm that our client strenuously denies all these allegations and did so at interview, Mr Booth said.

We contend that there is no evidence to link our client to this offence and fully expect our clients name to be vindicated.

Mr Booth went on to advise caution to anyone speculating that our client was involved.

Solicitor Gavin Booth said his client denies any involvement in the alleged voyeurism incident. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA.

The development in the investigation was first reported by the Irish News on Saturday.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: A 20-year-old man voluntarily attended Ardmore station (in Newry) on Monday, January 27th for interview in relation to a report of voyeurism in the Rostrevor area in November 2024. Inquiries are ongoing.

Last November, McGregor was found liable of assault in a civil case in Dublin taken by a woman who alleged he had raped her in a hotel in the city in December 2018.

Nikita Hand was awarded almost 250,000 in damages, with McGregor also ordered to pay her legal costs after the three-week civil trial in Dublin.
By David Young and Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley managed to touch the souls of people with just a few words, his funeral has heard.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins was among mourners who joined Longleys family at Saturdays service in All Souls Church in Belfast.

The renowned poet died in hospital at the age of 85 on January 22nd.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for the funeral of poet Michael Longley. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

A representative of Taoiseach Michel Martin also attended the funeral, as did SDLP leader and family friend Claire Hanna.

Longley won a number of awards, including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize. He was made a CBE in 2010 and was awarded the freedom of Belfast.

Among his best-known work is the 1994 poem Ceasefire, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland and the search for peace and reconciliation.

Longley met Queen Camilla when she visited Hillsborough Castle in Co Down last year for a poetry event.

Queen Camilla speaking with poet Michael Longley at Hillsborough Castle in 2024. Photo: PA.

Reverend Chris Hudson from All Souls Church said Longley had managed to enter peoples consciousness.

That is a noble place for the poet to be, he said.

The poet touches the soul of people. Preachers and politicians can make speeches or sermons that use thousands of words to touch our imagination, but the poet can manage with few yet go straight to the heart, such as Michael.

President Higgins led the tributes to Longley after his death was announced last month, saying he would be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Claire Hanna leader of the SDLP arrives at the funeral with her husband Donal Lyons (Liam McBurney/PA)

Roisin McDonough, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said Longley had been a towering figure of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: He was one of our truly great poets, one of the most respected and influential of his generation, his name spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, all of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

We have lost a guide, a friend, an inspiration, but his poetry will last  and it will be cherished by generations to come.

Longley is survived by his wife, Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.
KYODO NEWS - Feb 1, 2025 - 11:26 | Japan, All, Travel/Tourism

A western Japan city has begun offering overnight stays at Fukuyama Castle, a site dating back 400 years, as regional economies seek ways to attract wealthy visitors amid the country's tourism boom.

The initiative, which received its first guests in October, offers visitors the chance to be lord of the castle for a day. Plans start from 1.32 million yen ($8,500) a night for two people and include a stay at in a rebuilt moon-viewing turret, a night lounge experience in the castle keep, use of a bathhouse and luxurious meals.

As part of the experience, visitors receive an exclusive tour of the Fushimi Yagura turret, a nationally designated important cultural property. Usually closed to the public, this wooden structure is one of the oldest turrets among Japanese castles.

The turret, believed to have been relocated from the ill-fated Fushimi Castle in Kyoto when Fukuyama Castle was built in 1622, survived a wartime bombing of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture in August 1945, while the keep and some other structures burned down and were rebuilt in 1966.

A city government official expressed hope that the initiative will offer visitors a chance to appreciate the site's history, as well as the importance of preservation.

The site where the castle stands was historically known as "Komoriyama," or bat mountain, and the city's bat-themed logo has drawn comparisons with the symbol from the Batman comic series. In 2022, Fukuyama announced a world-first friendship city agreement with Gotham City, the fictional setting of the series.

The castle joins a rising number of plans aimed at affluent travelers, including those at Marugame Castle in Kagawa Prefecture and Ozu Castle in Ehime Prefecture, both located in western Japan.

Tourism is booming in Japan, but activity is largely concentrated in destinations like Tokyo and Kyoto, prompting the government and businesses to find ways to draw visitors to less-traveled areas.

Related coverage:

Ghibli Park begins exhibit of director Hayao Miyazaki's beloved car

Retro cafes bring sips of nostalgia to Japan's social media-driven youth

Himeji Castle entry fees to more than double for nonresidents
Editors note: Welcome to the world of Paranormal PA, a PennLive series that delves into Pennsylvania-grown stories of spirits; cryptids; oddities and legends; and the unexplained. Sign up here to get our Paranormal PA newsletter delivered to your inbox.

By all accounts, Punxsutawney Phils life is pretty sweet.

Hes immortal. Hes got a great wife and kids. And his only job requirement is going outside once a year.

But before anyone poo-poos what many view as one of Pennsylvanias  or, indeed, the countrys  more bizarre traditions, Paranormal Pa. will have you know that Phil is a product of a storied tradition (and superstition) that stretches back for years and years.

German immigrants brought the tradition over when they settled in Pennsylvania hundreds of years ago. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)AP

The Punsutawney Groundhog Club explains how the first time Weather Wags recognized Groundhog Day was in 1886, although the first official trek to Gobblers Knob was the following year.

But the concept of having animals predict the weather goes way back before the 19th century. According to the Library of Congress Blogs, Groundhog Days lineage can be traced back to ancient pre-Christian festivals celebrated by the Celts that served as midway points between equinoxes. Halloween  originally Samhain  falls into this category, too.

Formerly known as Imbolc before it eventually became the Christianized Candlemas, Groundhog Day was once considered the first day of spring. And while little is known about how the Celts celebrated the day, one traditional practice was attempting to divine the weather.

Now, heres how animals figure into this: Ancient people used to observe animal behavior as part of their own farming practices, so the idea of watching how a groundhog to see whether or not spring was on its way makes sense.

VisitPa.com adds how Roman legions, in their conquest of northern Europe, eventually spread the Candelmas Day tradition of candles being blessed and distributed. Those living in whats now Germany soon began to believe that if the sun made an appearance on the day, an animal who cast his shadow would predict six more weeks of cruddy weather.

Groundhog Club President Tom Dunkel taps on the immortal groundhog's door so the weather oracle can make his prediction. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)AP

In his book Groundhog Day (2003), Dan Yoder writes how the Germans who brought this tradition over to the U.S. used to watch badgers to see how far away spring was (the German folk expression for the holiday was Dachstag, or Badger Day). Then somewhere along the line, that badger became a groundhog.

Not to say that early Groundhog Day celebrations in Pennsylvania didnt maintain a bit of their mysticism: Yoder describes late 19th century celebrations of involving ritualized Groundhog Hunts in September which drew in devotees from Pittsburgh and elsewhere.

One parade in 1909, as staged by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, was deemed the Circumgyratory Pageant of the Astrologers, Horoscopists, Magicians, Soothsayers, and Meteorological Attaches of Punxsutawney Weather Works. A man named Clymer Freas  credited as conceiving of the idea for the holiday  even created Groundhogese, the language Groundhog Club presidents learn in order to discern the groundhogs annual predictions.

There may not be any more astrologists or soothsayers involved, but Groundhog Day remains a celebration: More than 30,000 people from across the globe drop by Knobblers Creek on the day, getting up at the crack of dawn in the dead of winter to watch Phil make his prediction.

To be fair, though, even back in the day, people raised their eyebrows at the idea of watching a rodent predict how much longer winter would last.

In consequence, probably of having given all spiritual matters to the exclusive supervision of the clergy, newspaper editors are somewhat skeptical about many things which are popularly accepted with absolute faith, read an 1876 edition of the Harrisburg Daily Patriot.

This may account for the reason that some of them have failed to appreciate the sentimentin favor of a legal recognition of Ground Hog Day.

Nevertheless, editorial skepticism be damned, Groundhog Day won out, and did, indeed, spawn an industry. And inspired a Bill Murray movie. And tons of Punxsutawney wannabes like Staten Island Chuck, who did, it should be noted, tragically lost his life after former New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio quite literally fumbled him (never forget).

Yes, the holiday has come very far from its very old roots. And whether youre an eyebrow-raiser to the holiday or all-in, it doesnt look like Groundhog Day is going away any time soon.

That is, unless PETA has their way.
A solicitor for a man who is accused of making threats to kill in the Midlands Prison sought permission for a prison landing inspection.

Gerard Manning (45) of 17 Upper Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick is accused of making threats to kill or cause serious harm at the Midlands Prison on July 1, 2021.

He appeared before Portlaoise District Court via video link where his solicitor requested permission for a forensic scientist to examine the landing where CCTV were supposed to be located.

The solicitor said his client had previously been advised that he could enter a plea and have the issue dealt with in the district court or contest it and face trial in the higher circuit court.

There was CCTV footage relevant at that stage and he asked to see it, the solicitor explained.

He said CCTV had been released to the defence.

My clients view is that there is a CCTV camera immediately in front of cell 1, D1 landing, he said.

The material we have been given is from way off, he explained.

He said that courtesy of google, it was clear that there would be a multiplicity of cameras in the prison and he requested permission to inspect the D1 landing. That is my application, he said.

Judge Susan Fay pointed out that there was no written application before the court. She said he would have to make an application to the court and he would need to put the prison service and governor on notice.

I am dealing with the DPP here. I am not going to bring in other parties, the solicitor remarked.

Judge Fay said you are asking me to make an order that a person can go into a prison.

The solicitor said we are querying the CCTV footage.

Garda Sergeant Rowan Casey said the CCTV was obtained by the Irish Prison Service as part of disclosure.

He said if an application was being made he would expect the prison governor to be on notice as there could be security implications.

Judge Fay pointed out that CCTV in prison is a very significant piece of infrastructure in a prison.

The solicitor said he needed to check the locations of CCTV on the landing as he was not very happy with the CCTV that had been provided.

Judge Fay said at the very least, the prison governor would have to be put on notice of any application.

Sgt Casey said perhaps if the defence can set out in writing precisely their requirements it might expedite matters.

Judge Fay told the solicitor that she believed his application was not properly before the court. She said she wasnt refusing but the solicitor needed to have an application in writing and it should be served on the state and the governor of the midlands prison.

She adjourned the case back to Portlaoise District Court on March 24.
The first-ever Irish Gladiator, Cyclone, was one of the many special guest on the Late Late show on Friday January 31st.

From Wexford, Cyclone's real name is Lystus Ebosele and she puts out a message for woman and girls on the latest episode of the show.

She discusses her weightlifting career and how she became a powerlifting world champion to "dominating the Gladiators arena," RTE said.

Cyclone showed off her muscles when she picked up the host of the Late Late show with her two arms and preformed squats at the same time.

She told host Patrick Kielty that "it feels good" to have joined the revived BBC series Gladiators, making history as the first Gladiator from Ireland.

"It feels good, it's such a great show because it has such a massive legacy from the original series, but I feel like it was almost made for me," she said.

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She told Kielty, "I think when you put in a lot of work - I train really hard - there's no reason not to be confident".

"Up until now, I've been doing powerlifting, I've been competing, so when you stack up a few wins you can back up what you say," she added.

When Kielty asked what message she would want to give to the women watching, Cyclone said, "I would say one thing Cyclone epitomises is taking up space. I'm a new Gladiator so it would be so easy to get into the corner, but taking up space and doing it unapologetically,

And not letting anyone dim your light was well. If people think you're a villain for that, so be it

Some people do, but I'm just straight-talking and I'm very confident and I just like to go for what I'm doing and do it unapologetically".
Entrepreneur Aubrey McCarthy has secured the final seat in the Trinity College constituency in the Seanad elections.

Independent candidate Mr McCarthy took the seat following a full recount which was requested by Green Party candidate Hazel Chu.

After the recount, Mr McCarthy was left with 3,770 votes to Ms Chus 3,706 votes.

Independent Senators Lynn Ruane and Tom Clonan were re-elected to the constituency on Thursday night.

Former childrens minister Katherine Zappone, who was among the most well-known of the candidates, was eliminated on the ninth count.

On Thursday independents Michael McDowell, Ronan Mullen and Alice Mary Higgins were all re-elected to the Seanad on the National University of Ireland panel.

Seanad Eireann is the upper house of the Irish parliament.

Meanwhile, the counting process for the five vocational panels is continuing at Leinster House.

A total of 111 candidates are competing for the 43 seats.

On the Cultural and Education panel, Sinn Feins Pauline Tully was elected on the second count. The other seats on the panel were taken by Cathal Byrne, Shane Curley, Sean Kyne and Joe Conway.

Counting then began on the Agricultural panel, with the Green Partys Malcolm Noonan elected, followed by Joanne Collins and Victor Boyhan.

Counting will begin at 9.30am each day and continue until around midnight.

All results will be posted on the Oireachtas website and social media sites.

The counting order of panels will be Cultural and Education; Agricultural; Labour; Industrial and Commercial; and Administrative.

The vast majority of the public do not have a vote in the Seanad.

The Dails TDs, outgoing senators and local authority councillors make up the electorate for the five vocational panels.

Graduates of NUI institutions and Trinity College Dublin vote for the six seats across the two panels.

The final 11 Seanad seats are appointed by Taoiseach Micheal Martin.

A simple recount will take place in the University of Dublin Seanad election following a request from Hazel Chus team after the 15th count last night.#Seanad25 #SeanadEireann pic.twitter.com/KC7gRh92Lx  Trinity College Dublin (@tcddublin) January 31, 2025

Among those running for a seat are Fine Gaels Alan Farrell, Fianna Fails Joe Flaherty, as well as Sinn Feins Conor Murphy.

Mr Murphy, who is the partys chief negotiator and Stormont Economy Minister, announced the surprise move last month.

The Newry and Armagh representative, who is running in the Industrial and Commercial panel, said that constitutional change is coming and that his experience will drive efforts for referenda and Irish reunification.

Other notable candidates include Frances Black, Restaurants Association of Ireland chief executive Adrian Cummins, and former TD Cathal Berry.

Elected senators will debate legislation put forward by the Government.

They can amend Bills and propose their own Bills but cannot prevent one from becoming law.
The issue of dog fouling bins was raised once again at a meeting of Ballinamore municipal district.

Cllr Brendan Barry proposed a motion calling for Leitrim County Council, Waterways Ireland and Leitrim Animal Welfare to collaborate in providing dog fouling bins and signage along the canal walk in between Kilclare and Leitrim Village.

Its an issue in every place but theres no bins at all out there and if one or two were provided people would have less excuses for not looking after their dogs, Cllr Barry said.

Cllr McGloin seconded the motion, stating that the bins installed across the county are an effective system.

A response from the Head of Finance and Water Services explained that there are 24 dog fouling bins in Leitrim that are emptied, cleaned and restocked with bags on a weekly basis under contract by Leitrim Animal Welfare.

The reply further stated that the Council will be reviewing the current contract with Leitrim Animal Welfare and will assess the need for additional bins based on available resources.

Several other areas have also requested dog fouling bins, and any decision to install extra bins will depend on local needs and availability of resources.

Id hope that an area with none whatsoever would get some priority over areas where there are some, Cllr Barry concluded.

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AN EU-funded project which will see historical buildings in Limerick be among those retrofitted to enhance their energy efficiency has been launched.

As part of the Support to the Renovation Wave - Deep Energy Renovation of Historic Buildings in Ireland project, a professional training programme was initiated by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

The objective of the programme is to increase the states capacity for energy retrofitting of public sector historic and heritage buildings.

The training will upskill public sector personnel and allow the state to increase its capacity for energy performance improvement works to traditional buildings.

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The training programme is also supported by Limerick City and County Council and funded by the EU via the Technical Support Instrument.

The Technical Support provider, Trinomics, was appointed by the European Commission and worked alongside the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) to develop and deliver the training programme.

The three-day training events are scattered, one which took place on January 17, another on January 24 and finally, February 7.

President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said: Collaboration is at the heart of what we do, and this partnership between TUS, the OPW, Limerick City and County Council and private sector bodies enables the State to effectively address the skills gap in the area of retrofitting historical and cultural buildings.

We are creating a model of partnership and innovation, as well as leveraging international best practice.

Initiatives like this are not only going to equip participants of this training event with the skills needed to address energy conservation in our historic buildings, but it also strengthens capacity to collectively meet the demands of heritage conservation.

Energy retrofitting of historic buildings is more complex than modern buildings due to several factors, including the hygrothermal behaviour of traditional building material and the need to preserve heritage value.

The training includes presentations by 35 eminent speakers to discuss a range of topics under the themes of policy, practice and wider benefits.

Attendees include architects, engineers, surveyors, specifiers, historic building managers, and architectural conservation officers from the OPW and local authorities, as well as representatives from relevant government departments, bodies, officers and stakeholders from architectural conservation NGOs across Ireland.

Chair of the OPW, John Conlon, said: This invaluable training will better equip our professionals to assist the government in meeting its targets as set out in its National Renovation Strategy and the National Development Plan to reduce energy emissions from buildings.

I am very proud that the OPW is delivering this training in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) through funding received from the European Union.

Buildings are the largest energy consumers in Europe with 40% energy usage.
FEBRUARY brings a mix of celestial treats for astronomy enthusiasts in Limerick. Venus will steal the show this month, reaching its peak brightness on February 16 with a dazzling magnitude of -4.6. Look for it in the evening sky, where it will set several hours after sunset. Jupiter will also command attention as it concludes its retrograde motion in Taurus on February 4, gradually returning to its regular eastward journey through the constellations.

The Moon will provide several fascinating conjunctions throughout the month. On February 1, observers can catch the thin crescent Moon alongside Saturn and Venus in the evening sky. A week later, on February 9, the Moon will occult Mars, though this spectacular event will unfortunately not be visible from our Irish vantage point.

While February's meteor showers  the - Centaurids and - Normids  will remain hidden from our northern location, the month offers excellent opportunities for stargazing. The constellation Orion continues to dominate our evening sky, serving as an excellent reference point for identifying other constellations. The Milky Way presents a particularly stunning view during February, stretching from Orion through Gemini, Auriga, Perseus, and Cassiopeia.

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This month also marks a significant anniversary in space exploration. On February 15, 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteorite entered Earth's atmosphere over Russia, creating a spectacular but dangerous show that served as a stark reminder of the importance of monitoring near-Earth objects.

As we observe these celestial events, we follow in the footsteps of pioneering astronomers like Vera Rubin, whose groundbreaking work on galactic rotation provided compelling evidence for the existence of dark matter, fundamentally changing our understanding of the universe.

The Limerick Astronomy Club meets monthly on the first Thursday of every month, in Mary Immaculate College, Room 202 at 8pm. We'd love to welcome you and embark on this cosmic journey together. Reach out to us at limerickastronomyclub @gmail.com for more info.
MOSCOW, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Washington's latest decisions on the development of a new missile defense system won't help reduce tensions with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday on the development of a new missile defense system for the country. The Iron Dome missile defense shield would protect against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles and other aerial attacks.

During her weekly briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that this initiative essentially reaffirms the U.S. intension to pursue the militarization of space, noting that the decision involves a significant expansion of the American nuclear arsenal.

"It directly envisages a significant strengthening of the American nuclear arsenal and means for conducting combat operations in space, including the development and deployment of space-based interception systems," she said.

"We consider this as yet another confirmation of the U.S. focus on turning space into an arena for armed confrontation," she further said.

Zakharova warned that the initiative would also hinder potential dialogue on strategic offensive arms, noting that this measure is the first sign of Washington's destabilizing plans for the development of its military-technical programs. 
Tim Dettmers is one of the scientists at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence who contributed to the DeepSeek breakthrough that grabbed the worlds attention this past week.

Hes never had any contact with the Chinese team that built it.

Dettmers, a researcher at Seattles Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence who previously worked for Meta Platforms, pioneered a new way to train, and run, an AI model using less powerful hardware. He published his work in 2021. When the DeepSeek team recently published its own papers on how they had built their models, he discovered his paper among their citations. It turns out they were eager readers of his work.

The AI research community has a culture of publishing scientific papers that explain new breakthroughs in detail, and of making models available for anyone to use. Thats the approach that Meta has adopted under Mark Zuckerberg, and that DeepSeek is using. Its also the ethos driving buzzy French AI startup Mistral and many other cutting-edge AI companies and research institutions.

With the unveiling of DeepSeeks latest AI models, we are seeing how the sharing of all that knowledge allowed its teamwho by their own account leveraged techniques developed by engineers spread across the worldto leapfrog much better-resourced AI teams in the U.S. It is supercharging a high-stakes debate about how much Americans should share about their AI breakthroughs.

It feels good," Dettmers said when I asked him how it felt to have contributed to what some are calling a Sputnik moment" in AI. But, he added, the best part wasnt seeing his workpublished while he was at the University of Washingtonimplemented. It was the possibility that because the DeepSeek team had also published a detailed paper on how they used his innovation, he and others could in turn build on their work, and create an even better model.

Artificial-intelligence powerhouse OpenAI has been in some ways a notable exception to this culture of sharing, and there are accusations that perhaps DeepSeek achieved its big leap forward in part by distilling" OpenAIs models. Distillation is the exfiltration of a models knowledge, and can be used in lieu of, or to supplement, traditional training models. But dont let that distract from the debate about academia-style sharing of knowledge, the creation of models like DeepSeeks that are free to download and use, and the publication of open-source code for building them. These are the matters that will determine the winners and losers in the AI race far into the future.

Investors like Marc Andreessen, deans of the field of AI research like Yann Lecunn, and many others who fund and build AI argue that sharing will ultimately benefit all of humanity. The opposing camp includes peoplemost notably investor Vinod Khoslawho say doing so poses a risk to national security.

For them, having the best AI is like having the best engines or automobilesthings that in the past have determined which countries were the wealthiest, and could dictate terms of trade to others. And when it comes to weapons, Hollywood movies and science-fiction novels have been priming us for decades to understand the promise and peril of having an artificial superintelligence on our side. Some AI-startup founders say this fiction is on the cusp of becoming reality.

Khosla, founder of venture-capital firm Khosla Ventures, and the first outside investor in OpenAI, has compared the open-source approach with AI to sharing the details of the Manhattan Project.

Dario Amodei, chief executive of OpenAI competitor Anthropic, wrote soon after the release of DeepSeek that it strengthens the case for export controls on advanced AI chips. Those controls started under the Biden administration to curb Chinese AI development by barring export of certain types of advanced chips, and theyve been tightened over time.

Its fair to say that the majority of engineers who build AI disagree with the idea that AI development should be kept secret.

The only reason that the U.S. has been the center of innovation for AI is because we have embraced for decades an ethos of open publishing," says AI investor Anjney Midha, a general partner at famed venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

Case in point: The new kind of AI that has enabled the current boom was invented at Google in 2017. But soon after, when engineers at the company tried to apply that technique to language, the result was a paper concluding that massive language models probably werent the way to go. Because they had published their results, engineers at OpenAI came to the opposite conclusion, and the result was GPT-3, the breakthrough that led to ChatGPT and touched off the latest wave of AI capabilities and investment, says Midha.

But OpenAI hasnt released its models openly, in a way that allows anyone else to run them. Having raised billions of dollars from investors, the company has a business model where it charges for access to those models. Yet at the end of what has been a wild week in the world of artificial intelligence, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggested that could change. In an ask-me-anything" session on Reddit Friday, a participant asked Altman if the ChatGPT maker would consider releasing some of the technology within its AI models and publish more research showing how its systems work. Altman said OpenAI employees were discussing the possibility.

i personally think we have been on the wrong side of history here and need to figure out a different open source strategy," Altman responded. Still, he said, not everyone at openai shares this view, and its also not our current highest priority."

In the past, the performance of free-to-use models like the one DeepSeek releasedeven those from Metahasnt been as good as those offered by companies that keep their models and innovations to themselves, such as OpenAI.

By closing the performance gap with leading AI models, while purportedly using far fewer resources, the company behind DeepSeek has opened the door to a future in which far more organizations and nations will be able to build cutting-edge models, says Dettmers of the Allen Institute.

DeepSeek hasnt described in detail how it intends to profit from AI, but CEO Liang Wenfeng has made it clear thats not his priority at the moment. He believes its more important to establish a strong ecosystem firstbecause if a company releases its software code, it will attract more users, who can then suggest improvements to the code. Liang has said that keeping software proprietary isnt as critical for maintaining a competitive advantage as many believe.

The moat formed by closed source is short-lived in the face of disruptive technologies," he told Chinese tech publication 36Kr last year. Even if OpenAI is closed-source, it wont stop others from catching up to it."

On the morning I caught him for an interview, Thomas Sohmers, chief technology officer and founder of AI hardware startup Positron, was working to make the latest DeepSeek models work on his companys custom AI computers. For founders like Sohmers, the triumph of open-source, general-purpose AI models is far from a foregone conclusion.

Sohmers believes that the rise of free-to-use models like DeepSeek could have a paradoxical effect on the AI industry: It could lead to more proprietary models that are neither open source nor free to use. Because DeepSeek published the techniques it used, more people can plausibly build AI models that are cheaper to train and to run, using their own proprietary data, and which are specialized for different industries.

Take Sohmers as an example: His company needs the help of AI to design new microchips for the computers it sells. Cheaper-to-train AI models could allow his team to create better ways of designing microchips. And he wouldnt have to share what his AI creates.

Midha says he believes that, essentially, the AI genie is out of the bottle. Attempts to keep U.S. AI research secret would only make U.S. companies and AI labs less competitive, by cutting them off from the global exchange of knowledge happening at a feverish pace inside of China and all over the world.

AI has become infrastructure for most modern countries," he adds. I think that if we ban it, the only thing we do is ensure that other countries who need an allied partner will go to the Chinese Communist Party, or whoever is providing them the best open models."
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said a mechanism would be set up under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) to evaluate the impact of financial regulations and subsidiary instructions.

The initiative will also formulate a framework to enhance the responsiveness and development of the financial sector, Sitharaman said in her budget speech on Saturday.

The proposed mechanism will assess the effectiveness of financial regulations and ensure they are aligned with the evolving needs of the market and contribute to stability. It will focus on enhancing the adaptability of the financial sector to future challenges.

The FSDC, established in 2010, has worked to streamline and stabilize the financial sector through inter-regulatory coordination.

Experts said the planned mechanism could pave the way for more streamlined and responsive policies that foster long-term growth, boost investor confidence, and ensure economic stability.

Amit Tungare, managing partner at Asahi Legal, described the move as a step toward adaptive financial governance. He highlighted the foresight in creating a structured approach to evaluate regulatory impact.

By assessing existing regulations and their effects, this mechanism will help reduce compliance burdens and enhance market responsivenessa crucial balance the financial sector has long needed," he said.

Impartial assessments

The Economic Survey tabled in parliament on 31 January emphasized the need to create independent agencies within financial sector regulators to evaluate regulations from multiple perspectives. These agencies, according to the survey, will report directly to the board rather than the management of the regulator, offering impartial assessments of regulatory processes and their economic and social outcomes.

Sangeeta Jhunjhunwala, a partner at Khaitan Legal Associates, noted that the committee behind this initiative is likely to include corporate experts, industry specialists, lawyers, and representatives from financial regulators.

This mechanism will streamline complex and overlapping regulatory processes," she said.

The impact assessment will focus on the economic and social implications of regulations. The survey suggested that conducting a cost-benefit analysis of regulations would help regulators become more effective and purposeful, avoiding the pitfalls of broad, cumbersome rules that hinder legitimate economic activity and risk-taking.

Akshaya Bhansali, a partner at Mindspright Legal, suggested that the government involve professional firms to study the impact of regulations.

The services of professional firms or think tanks engaged in regular impact assessments should be utilized to advise the government on new laws or amendments to existing ones," he said.

The Economic Survey also highlighted that regulatory impact assessment (RIA) is a valuable tool to ensure the quality of regulations. Currently, financial sector regulators are primarily assessed through parliamentary reviews, the department or ministry overseeing their statutes, the Comptroller and Auditor General, and judicial review.

Ketan Dalal, managing director of Katalyst Advisors Pvt Ltd, said the key challenge in assessing the impact of financial sector regulation is the zero-accident approach, which throttles business initiatives.

Of course, in the financial sector, risks are greater and hence, regulations need to recognise that, and address those risks, but the over-caution/zero accident approach is becoming a major issue, and that approach needs tempering down," he said.

Indias financial sector is regulated by independent entities such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.

The survey pointed out that the Union Budget for FY24 had recommended that financial sector regulators include public consultations in their regulation-making process. For FY24, the RBI released 40 discussion papers and SEBI issued 65 consultation papers, a significant increase from the previous years 16 and 37, respectively.

Ketan Mukhija, a senior partner at Burgeon Law, emphasized that the proposed mechanism would not only evaluate the effectiveness of current regulations but also develop a structured framework to address regulatory gaps and enhance adaptability.
New Delhi: The Union Budget 2025 laid out a host of key pointers to make Indias technology economy self-reliant.

From increasing basic customs duty (BCD) on flat panel displays to boost domestic manufacturing, to a new centre of excellence (CoE) on artificial intelligence in education and a fund of funds for deep-tech startups, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a number of measures to boost localization of Indias electronics manufacturing economy.

Tax tweaks for display manufacturing

Sitharaman tweaked duties on both interactive flat panel displays and open cells of displayswhich power consumer LED televisions and their peersas part of budget 2025.

The BCD on flat panel displays was increased to 20%, which Sitharaman said is in line with our Make in India policy, and to rectify the inverted duty structure." Open cells used in displays, which are currently not made in India, have been completely exempted from import duty.

Speaking about how the rationalization of import duties on electronics components will impact the domestic electronics manufacturing industry, union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press briefing, The duty rationalization addresses three of the biggest issues in the electronics component ecosystemwarehousing, the issue with custom duty structure rising out of so many different duty slabs, and challenges with supply chain vendors setting up permanent establishments. Todays announcements have ensured the removal of eight duty slabs to simplify the structure, which will draw more component supply chain stakeholders to India."

Jasbir Singh Gujral, managing director of Syrma SGS, an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company, said the duty exemption for localizing battery cell and electronics manufacturing "is a step towards enhancing self-reliance and sustainability."

"While certain duty revisions will require careful industry evaluation, the overall budget signals a strong commitment to long-term industrial growth," Gujral added.

Avneet Singh Marwah, chief executive officer of contract manufacturer Super Plastronics Pvt. Ltd, said the tax tweaks are focused on benefitting only a select number of manufacturers and brands from China."

According to Marwah, there are only five open cell manufacturers in the world, and of them, only one is operational in India in Chinas TCL. Two others  Chinas Skyworth and the US Radiant Vision Systems  are in talks to set up facilities here.

But the duty abolition will only benefit these brands instead of encouraging local brands to participate in this manufacturing endeavour. This is because open cell manufacturing plants can only be set up in partnership with one company at a timeand the reduction of duties will only bring more profits to these select brands rather than truly benefitting India," Marwah said.

He added that for flat panel displays, an additional rate of 5% on import of flat panel displays has remained intact, which further adds to the cost of manufacturing of these panelsyet again detrimental for local contract manufacturers."

Contract manufacturer shares had a mixed reaction to the announcement. The share price of Dixon Technologies, which a senior industry executive said is in talks to set up an open cell display manufacturing facility in India, fell 1.9% at the close on the BSE.

Sunil Vachani, chairman, Dixon Technologies, said that the duty reduction was positive for contract manufacturers. This move eliminates the previous inverted duty structure, thereby incentivizing domestic manufacturing. The flat-panel display market in India is valued at approximately 7,000 crore. In line with this shift, Dixon has established a flat-panel display assembly unit in Tirupati, with an investment of 100 crore," he said. Vachani also added that Dixon is further investing 250 crores in a state-of-the-art display module plant, with operations expected to commence by December this year."

Syrma SGS shares fell 0.6%, recovering after losing 2.8%. However, EMS firms Kaynes Technology rose 2% and Amber Enterprises advanced 1%.

Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association, said the tariff exemption for the electronics sector "creates a more competitive cost structure and encourages deeper integration with global value chains... reinforces supply chain resilience and helps India compete effectively in international markets, attracting higher foreign investment."

 20,000-crore deep-tech fund

In line with Fridays Economic Survey 2025, Sitharaman announced a 20,000-crore deep-tech fund of funds in a bid to increase the flow of capital to deep-tech startups. These startups typically have a long period of product innovation to market and are more in need of large funding.

Indias venture capital ecosystem catering to deep-tech startups is mostly early-stage, limiting the available capital to the industry.

Vishesh Rajaram, managing partner at early-stage deep-tech venture capital firm Speciale Invest, said the fund is good news for Indias startups working on core technical research.

The fund, coupled with 10,000 fellowships under the PM Research Fellowship Scheme, may transform Indias ability to create revolutionary technologies for global advancement. Together, these initiatives can help India in critical technological domains, fostering self-reliance and innovation on a global scale," he said.

The fund will be closely linked with the 10,000 research fellowship schemes announced by Sitharaman for the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)wherein startups that begin work and incubate in IITs can follow-through on their innovation to seek funds from the deep-tech fund of funds, post-incubation.

AI skilling: startups and IITs

Sitharaman also announced that a CoE in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of 500 crore.

Mahesh Makhija, leader, technology at consultancy firm EY India, said that the move was a largely welcome one and in line with expectations.

This is a pivotal moment as we close the AI talent gap, ensuring that India is not just a consumer of AIbut a creator of cutting-edge solutions. The collaboration between the private sector, premier educational institutions, and research bodies will accelerate the development of AI models tailored for educationbringing personalised learning, automated assessments, and AI-powered tutoring systems into the mainstream fold," he said.

However, not everyone found the measures to be enough or in line with the projections of the Economic Survey. D.D. Mishra, vice-president analyst at consultancy firm Gartner, said the AI industry may have expected more comprehensive measures to drive growth, given AIs transformative potential."

A more substantial investment in AI capability and infrastructure building was expected. To truly leverage AI-led growth, it must be at the core of decision-making and investments. This requires a strategic approach that prioritizes AI development, deployment, and innovation. While the current measures are a step in the right direction, a more concerted effort is needed to propel India's AI ecosystem forward and ensure the country remains competitive in the global IT landscape," Mishra added.

Fellowships for technical research initiatives were announced for select IITs. The exact contours of the scheme remain to be announced.

Vaishnaw told Mint on the sidelines that the fellowship will come under the ambit of the Centres Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)a scheme that seeks to provide Indias top engineering institutes with 50,000 crore ($5.8 billion) to fund R&D initiatives, including 14,000 crore ($1.6 billion) in direct funding from the government.

Battery manufacturing

Sitharaman exempted 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing" from BCD, saying the move will boost domestic manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, both for mobile phones and electric vehicles."

The import subsidies include components used in making printed circuit board assemblies, localization of which has begun only recently. Fully exempted components include camera modules, connectors, USB cables and sensors in a bid to localize more components of the mobile phone manufacturing economy.

The industry has for long demanded moves from the Centre to bring more supply chain partners to India in order to set up a component ecosystem.

Ashok Chandak, chairman of the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association, told Mint last month that localization of the supply chain would need moves to rationalize" import duties so that more component manufacturers build locally to add value to the domestic ecosystem.

A verdict from the electronics manufacturing ecosystem was awaited until press time.

GCC framework and smart factories

Sitharaman said the Centre is taking measures to boost Indias Industry 4.0 push. It will also establish a framework to guide states in establishing global capability centres (GCCs) in tier-II cities, beyond metropolitan cities.

Vaishnaw added that the framework will see the Centre work in partnership with states to enable the setting-up of GCCs strategically.

Last month, Nitin Kunkolienker, chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Information Technology (Mait), told Mint that one of the technology industrys key asks was to push for the development of more metropolitan hubs" to attract GCCs to various states.

Support will be provided to develop domestic manufacturing capacities for our economys integration with global supply chains. Sectors (to be offered the Centres support) will be identified based on objective criteria. Facilitation groups with participation of senior officers and industry representatives will be formed for select products and supply chains," Sitharaman said.

The minister said this move will create huge opportunities related to Industry 4.0, which needs high skills and talent."

Our youth have both. The government will support the domestic electronic equipment industry to leverage this opportunity for the benefit of the youth," Sitharaman said.

Shares of tech services firms declined. Tata Consultancy Services fell 0.86% and Infosys dropped 1.5%, while HCL Technologies was down 1.87%.

Rural internet connectivity

Touching upon broadband connectivity in rural circles, Sitharaman said, Broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the BharatNet project."

The project is the Centres push to bring subsidized internet connectivity to underserved areas.

Bharti Airtel shares fell 0.26%, while telecom infrastructure maker HFCLs shares were up over 8%.
The government expects to bring in 47,000 crore through disinvestment and asset monetisation in FY26, which is lower than the 50,000 crore it expects to get in FY25, according to estimates in the Budget documents. The estimate, which has been categorised under 'miscellaneous capital receipts for FY26 is higher than the revised estimate for FY25, which has been lowered to 33,000 crore, the documents revealed.

The government is also maintaining its strategy of not having a separate disinvestment target, which began with the Union Budget of February 2024. The lower estimate of FY26 compared with FY25 underscores the governments approach of taking a limited number of assets to the market for strategic disinvestment and minority stake sales.

Also read | Budget 2025: Who benefits and who doesnt

Last years [general] elections slowed down the process. My sense is asset monetisation will be pursued in a big way this year as they embark on the second phase," said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda.

The department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM) is going ahead with its strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank, which will spill over to FY26 as financial bidders are identified and approved by the Reserve Bank of India.

Stake sales in BEML, Shipping Corporation of India, HLL Lifecare Ltd, and Project & Development India Ltd are also ongoing, but most are progressing slowly. Stake sales in other entities such as Container Corporation of India are yet to be taken up, while some  including those of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Pawan Hans  have been scrapped.

Dividend target increased

The government said it intends to look at disinvestment and dividends holistically, since dividends from public-sector stocks that would otherwise have been sold will add to its overall receipts. It will continue with its strategy of focusing on wealth creation and creating value for shareholders.

Finance secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said, There is no disinvestment target per se. Disinvestment and dividend are both looked at together because both are money and money is fungible. It has five elements, including CPSE performance, communication of that performance, capex of the CPSE, which is important in terms of accelerating growth, consistent dividend policy, and a calibrated disinvestment strategy. About 80,000 crore to 90,000 crore are raised every year from both dividends and disinvestment in a manner that is beneficial to the minority share in our listed companies."

A clear indication of this strategy is the increase in dividends from public sector units in FY26 to 69,000 crore, which is higher than the FY25 budget estimate of 56,260 crore and revised estimate of 55,000 crore. The FY26 estimate is higher than the actual proceeds of 65,381 crore in FY24.

Also read | In 6 charts: Budget report card on defence, exports revival, Olympic dreams

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government would conduct a second phase of the Asset Monetisation Plan, first announced in 2021, which aimed to unlock value from underused or non-core government assets and use the proceeds to build new infrastructure. Building on the success of the first Asset Monetization Plan announced in 2021, the second Plan for 2025-30 will be launched to plough back capital of 10 [trillion] in new projects," Sitharaman said.

 6 trillion potential

The plan involves identifying assets from various ministries under the National Monetisation Pipeline for a four-year period. NMP has estimated aggregate monetisation potential of 6 trillion through core assets of the central government from FY22 to FY25. Roads, railways, telecom, power transmission and generation are among the top five sectors from which assets worth 4.2 trillion have been identified for monetisation.

Also read: Online platforms and workers to benefit as Budget formalises gig economy

According to data from Niti Aayog, the central government has monetised assets worth 3.85 trillion since FY22. Of this, 1.56 trillion was raised from private participation in infrastructure in FY24. That year, the ministries of road transport and highways and coal were the top two performers, bringing in a combined 97,000 crore.

The data showed the total target for the first two years, FY22 and FY23, was around 2.5 trillion, of which around 2.30 trillion was achieved. During FY24, 1.56 trillion was brought in against a target of 1.8 trillion.
The markets somersaulted. India Inc cheered. Opposition benches remained sullen. And for once, the salaried taxpayers had a faint smile on their faces. Nirmala Sitharamans record eighth Union Budget had something for everyone.

Heres a handy alphabetized list of the key themes that shaped the most important financial document of the year:

It cant be a Budget without annadatas and agriculture, can it? Identifying agriculture as one of the four powerful engines in Indias journey of development (the other three being MSMEs, investment and exports), the Budget unveiled a slew of measures for the farm sector, including the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana to enhance agricultural productivity; a Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with a special focus on tur, urad and masoor; a comprehensive programme to boost production of fruits and vegetables; a National Mission on High Yielding Seeds; and an enhanced limit of 5 lakh for loans taken through Kisan Credit Cards.

B  Bihar 

Bihar remained the flavour of the Budget speech for the second straight year, in a reflection of the political compulsions of the Modi 3.0 administration. Bihar was mentioned six times by Sitharaman, who did not name any other state during her over-hour-long speech. Proposals ranged from the quirky (setting up of a Makhana Board) to the substantial (greenfield airports, Western Koshi Canal Project, and a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management). Bihar goes to the polls later this year.

C  Consumption boost 

Finally, a much-needed morale booster for the middle class. Who knew being glued to business news channels on a Saturday would pay off?

The finance minister gave taxpayers a big relief in Union Budget 2025-26 by making income up to 12 lakh tax-free from 7 lakh earlier.

Factoring in the standard deduction of 75,000 for the salaried class, income up to 12.75 lakh will be tax-free, which is expected to give a fillip to lagging urban consumption.

As a result of the tax proposals, the government will forgo revenue of about 1 trillion in direct taxes and 2,600 crore in indirect taxes, the FM added.

D  Deep tech 

While not quite matching Chinas DeepSeek and other pyrotechnics, India is slowly but surely bracing for action in the arena of new-age technologies. The Budget highlighted that a Deep Tech Fund of Funds will be explored to catalyze the next generation of startups. It also allocated 20,000 crore to implement the private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation initiative announced in the July Budget.

A Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of 500 crore.

E  EVs 

The shadow of Nitin Gadkari seemed to loom large over the Budget, which pressed the pedal on green mobility and other Clean Tech manufacturing. As part of the National Manufacturing Mission, the Centre will aim to improve domestic value addition and build the ecosystem for solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolyzers, wind turbines, very high voltage transmission equipment and grid-scale batteries.

The Budget also fully exempted Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals. It also exempted BCD on 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing.

F  Fund of Funds for Startups 

North Block may be far away from the deal-making world of VCs, but its intent is clear: startups need regulatory and financial support.

Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) for startups have received commitments of more than 91,000 crore. These are supported by the Fund of Funds set up with a government contribution of 10,000 crore. Now, a new Fund of Funds, with expanded scope and a fresh contribution of another 10,000 crore, will be set up.

In addition, to improve access to credit, the credit guarantee cover will be enhanced from 10 crore to 20 crore for startups, with the guarantee fee being moderated to 1% for loans in 27 focus sectors important for Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The government will also extend the period of incorporation by five years to make the benefit available to start-ups incorporated before 1.4.2030.

G  Gig Workers 

Acknowledging the contribution of gig workers of online platforms to the new-age services economy, Sitharaman said the government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will also be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig workers. Zomato was the top performing stock in the Sensex pack, soaring 7%.

H  Heal in India 

Medical tourism and Heal in India will be promoted in partnership with the private sector along with capacity building and easier visa norms, the FM announced in Parliament. Outside, the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi hovered at hazardous levels of around 300.

I  Insurance 

The FDI limit for the insurance sector will be raised from 74% to 100%. This enhanced limit will be available to companies that invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified, the Budget added.

J  Jal Jeevan Mission 

The Jal Jeevan Mission, under which 150 million households representing 80 per cent of Indias rural population have been provided access to potable tap water, has been extended until 2028 with an enhanced total outlay. The missions focus will be on the quality of infrastructure and operation and maintenance of rural piped water supply schemes through Janbhagidari". Separate MoUs will be signed with states/UTs, to ensure sustainability and citizen-centric water service delivery.

K  Knowledge economy 

Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. The government will also add 10,000 seats in medical colleges and hospitals as part of the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next five years.

Besides, the Centre will set up a National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing.

L  Labour-intensive sectors 

To enhance the productivity, quality and competitiveness of Indias footwear and leather sector, a focus product scheme will be implemented. The scheme will support design capacity, component manufacturing, and machinery required for production of non-leather quality footwear, besides the support for leather footwear and products. The scheme is expected to facilitate employment for 22 lakh persons, generate turnover of 4 lakh crore and exports of over 1.1 lakh crore.

Building on the National Action Plan for Toys, the government will implement a scheme to make India a global hub for toys. The scheme will focus on development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will create high-quality, unique, innovative,

and sustainable toys that will represent the Made in India brand.

M  MSMEs 

Recognizing MSMEs as one of the four engines of growth, the FM highlighted that currently, over 1 crore registered MSMEs, employing 7.5 crore people, and generating 36% of domestic manufacturing, have come together to position India as a global manufacturing hub. MSMEs are also responsible for 45% of Indias exports.

To help them achieve higher efficiencies of scale, technological upgradation and better access to capital, the Budget has enhanced the investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs to 2.5 and 2 times, respectively. The credit guarantee cover for micro and small enterprises will also be doubled to 10 crore, leading to additional credit of 1.5 lakh crore in the next 5 years.

N  Nuclear energy 

Development of at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for our energy transition efforts, Sitharaman noted. For an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up.

That apart, a Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR), with an outlay of 20,000 crore, will be set up. At least five indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalized by 2033.

O - Overseas trade 

At a time when an over-torqued Trump is whiplashing the global trade order on a daily basis, New Delhi is pulling out all the stops to calm the nerves of the fretful domestic exporters.

Sitharaman said the government will set up an Export Promotion Mission, with sectoral and ministerial targets, driven jointly by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance. It will facilitate easy access to export credit, cross-border factoring support, and support for MSMEs to tackle non-tariff measures in overseas markets.

BharatTradeNet (BTN), a digital public infrastructure for international trade, will be set up as a unified platform for trade documentation and financing solutions. This will complement the Unified Logistics Interface Platform. The BTN will be aligned with international practices.

P  Poets and paeans 

Continuing with the hallowed tradition of finance ministers sprinkling their speeches with literary references, Sitharaman quoted renowned Telugu poet and playwright Gurajada Appa Rao, Desamante matti kaadoi, desamante manushuloi"; meaning: A country is not just its soil, a country is its people.

A couplet from the classic Tamil work Thirukkural also found a mention.

Vaanokki vaalum ulakellaam mannavan koalnokki vaalung kuti." Meaning: Just as living beings live expecting rains, Citizens live expecting good governance.

Q  Quality over quantity 

Refreshingly, the Budget document regularly emphasized the quality of outcomes rather than just focusing on aggregate numbers. Good quality school education and access to high-quality healthcare were listed among the objectives of Viksit Bharat. Similarly, initiatives such as the Mission for Cotton Productivity and National Action Plan for Toys underscored the importance of producing products of high quality.

R  Red tape 

In tandem with the Economic Survey, deregulation and cutting red tape emerged as a conspicuous theme in Budget 2025-26.

The FM announced that the much-awaited new income-tax bill, to be introduced next week, will be clear and direct in text with close to half of the present law, in terms of both chapters and words. It will be simple to understand for taxpayers and tax administration, leading to tax certainty and reduced litigation.

The Budget also rationalized TDS/TCS rates for a range of transactions, doubled the time limit to four years for filing updated returns for any assessment year, and reduced the compliance burden for small charitable trusts/institutions by increasing their period of registration from five years to 10 years.

To streamline the process of transfer pricing and provide an alternative to yearly examination, the Budget proposed to introduce a scheme to determine the arms length price of an international transaction for a block period of three years, in line with global best practices.

With a view to reducing litigation and providing certainty in international taxation, the scope of safe harbour rules is being expanded.

S  Shipbuilding ahoy! 

The sector was a prominent winner in this years Budget. The FM said the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy will be revamped to address cost disadvantages. This will also include Credit Notes for shipbreaking in Indian yards to promote the circular economy.

Large ships above a specified size will be included in the infrastructure harmonized master list. Shipbuilding Clusters will be facilitated to increase the range, categories and capacity of ships. This will include additional infrastructure facilities, skilling and technology to develop the entire ecosystem.

T - Tourism 

Incredible India for the win! The top 50 tourist destinations in the country will be developed in partnership with states through a challenge mode. Land for building key infrastructure will have to be provided by states.

Other measures include organizing intensive skill-development programmes for youth, including in Institutes of Hospitality Management; providing MUDRA loans for homestays; providing performance-linked incentives to states for effective destination management, including tourist amenities, cleanliness, and marketing efforts; and introducing streamlined e-visa facilities along with visa fee waivers for certain tourist groups.

U  UDAN 

The Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) scheme has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes.

Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts," the FM said.

V  View(s) from the Top 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Union Budget as a force multiplier".

This is the budget of aspirations of 140 crore Indians. This is a budget that fulfils the dreams of every Indian. We have opened many sectors for the youth. The common citizen is going to drive the mission of Viksit Bharat," the PM said.

This budget is a force multiplier. This budget will increase savings, investment, consumption and growth rapidly. I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her entire team for this Janta Janardans, People's budget," Modi added.

In contrast, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was at his alliterative best as he termed the Budget a band-aid for bullet wounds".

Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas," he tweeted.

W  Warehousing 

The government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo, including high-value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will be streamlined and made user-friendly, the FM announced.

X  X-factor 

The Centre will start a National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects.

The Budget also said a second Gene Bank with 10 lakh crop germplasm lines will be set up for future food and nutritional security. This will provide conservation support to both the public and private sectors for genetic resources.

Y - Youth 

A string of measures was announced for skilling youth and expanding employment opportunities, including a comprehensive multi-sectoral Rural Prosperity and Resilience programme, five National Centres of Excellence for skilling, and support for integration with global supply chains.

Through this, there are huge opportunities related to Industry 4.0, which needs high skills and talent. Our youth have both," the FM noted.

Z  Zen and the art of fiscal maintenance 

Sitharaman pegged the fiscal deficit target for 2025-26 at 4.4% of gross domestic product (GDP), down from 2024-25s 4.8%. This marks the conclusion of a crucial post-pandemic fiscal consolidation period that began with Union Budget 2021-22, when the Centre committed to reducing the fiscal deficit to below 4.5% of GDP by FY26.

In the July Budget, I had committed to staying the course for fiscal consolidation. Our endeavour will be to keep the fiscal deficit each year such that the Central Government debt remains on a declining path as a percentage of the GDP," the FM said.

After reaching a high of 9.16% in 2020-21 due to pandemic-driven expenditure, the fiscal deficit has consistently declined as a percentage of GDP.

The revised capital expenditure (capex) estimate for FY25 stood at 10.18 trillion compared to the earlier target of 11.1 trillion. The cut is attributed to slower capital spending during the first half of the fiscal year. For FY26, Sitharaman raised the capex target to 11.2 trillion. The market, going by its sulky reaction, perhaps wanted more.
Tourism and hospitality heads remain cautious about the budgetary announcements for the sector with a substantial cut of 90% in the international promotional campaigns of India. The industry expressed its concerns about the lack of investment dollars in marketing Indias tourism potential abroad, slashed down to 3.07 crore per annum.

While many neighbours in Asia have already caught up on their inbound tourist traffic, India still lags behind its 2019 numbers. On Saturday, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman reassured the sector and unveiled an ambitious tourism vision in the Budget for 2025-26, reaffirming a 2023 pledge to develop 50 new destinations as engines of economic growth and employment. However, a closer look at the budget painted a more nuanced picture, with stagnant allocations and underutilized funds.

The budget had proposed an allocation of 2,430 crore for the sector for FY26, a modest rise from 2,374 crore the previous year. Of this, the Swadesh Darshan schemewhich funds tourism infrastructure developmentreceived 1,900 crore, up from 1,750 crore, though only 350 crore was actually spent last year. Launched in 2014-15, this scheme provides financial assistance to state governments to improve tourism infrastructure.

Read this | Hotels, travel companies expect domestic tourism to surge in hill stations this winter

Similarly, the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme, aimed at developing pilgrimage sites, retained its 240 crore allocation, yet just 100 crore was utilized.

The Budget has drastically cut funding for several key initiatives, including the Incredible India campaign, which promotes India as a global travel destination. The budget for overseas promotion has been slashed by 90%, dropping to just 3.07 crore in FY26 from 33 crore in FY25. In contrast, in FY24, actual spending on the campaign exceeded its allocation, reaching 47.99 crore.

"It is shocking that the budget for overseas tour promotions has yet again been reduced. It is really surprising that on one side the government is extolling the contribution of the tourism sector to the economic growth of the country and employment generation and on the other hand, it is just allocating a peanut budget to promote the country abroad," Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), emphasized that lower borrowing costs will help reduce project expenses and drive hotel development.

Government funding for overseas tourism promotions (Incredible India) has been declining over the years, to 167 crore for FY24 from 524 crore in FY22 and 341 crore in FY23. In fact, the campaign has been offline altogether since the pandemic. In February 2024's interim budget, the amount was reduced to 3 crore but later in July, India increased it to 33 crore, up from 3 crore proposed earlier. This year, it is back to 3 crore.

Domestic tourism promotion has also seen cuts, with allocations falling to 136.9 crore from 176.97 crore in FY25, despite 90 crore being spent last year.

Develop global tourism hub

While there was a strong intent of the government to focus on tourism infrastructure, Deep Kalra, chairperson of The World Travel and Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII), said from an industry perspective, there was a "strong expectation" for an enhanced international marketing budget to support Indias growing ambitions as a global tourism hub.

"Global tourism is witnessing a robust rebound and Indias international visibility is crucial to attract high-value travellers. There is an urgent need for an empowered, strategically driven tourism board here to amplify our global footprint. Such a body can spearhead effective branding, strategic partnerships, and targeted marketing to position India as a premier year-round destination on the world tourism map," he said.

A lot of interesting schemes have been announced but from a tourism standpoint, this is not a great budget, Subhash Goyal, chairperson of Delhi-based STIC Travel Group told Mint.

"These 50 tourist sites were announced two years ago but no work has been done on them yet. While it's great that the UDAN scheme will connect over 100 new destinations to each other, airfares are skyrocketing during events like Maha Khumbh, which travellers have been lamenting about," Goyal said.

Fifty new tourist destinations

The government announced that hotels in the 50 newly identified tourist destinations will be included in the harmonized infrastructure list, a move aimed at enhancing travel standards and improving accessibility. This classification will make it easier for hotels and tourism-related businesses to secure low-cost loans, foreign borrowings, and long-term funding from insurance companies, pension funds, and the India Infrastructure Financing Co. Ltd (IIFCL).

These measures will significantly boost investment in the sector," said K.B. Kachru, president of the Hotel Association of India (HAI) and chairman emeritus of Radisson Hotel Group, South Asia.

With the UDAN scheme expanding air connectivity to 120 destinations, coupled with the development of 50 new tourist hubs, the tourism and hospitality sector stands to benefit greatly.

Read this | Budget 2025 | A 1 trillion largesse for India's middle class

Mint reported last week that the association had sent representations to the government that investment in the development of hotel rooms be encouraged as a crucial part of the country's tourism infrastructure, by including hotels in the harmonised list. The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) also advocated greater access to credit.

Since tourism is a state subject, the Union government will work with state administrations to build infrastructure and generate local employment opportunities. The National Tourism Policy, 2023, had previously committed to developing these destinations under the "Tourism in Mission Mode" initiative. In March 2023, the government identified locations such as Pathiramanal Island in Alappuzha, Kumarakom, and Kozhikode (Beypore) in Kerala for development.

While the renewed commitment to 50 destinations is a positive step, industry leaders stress that implementation will be key in translating these announcements into real-world growth for the tourism sector.

Budgets slashed

The budget for training instituteswhich support Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Food Craft Institutes, and the Indian Culinary Institute has been reduced from 50 crore in FY25 to 35 crore this year.

Additionally, the Safe Tourist Destination for Women scheme has been nearly wiped out, with its funding slashed from 5 crore in FY24 to just 1 lakh this year.

These cuts raise concerns about the government's commitment to strengthening the tourism sector, especially in areas of international promotion, workforce development, and traveller safety.

Jyotsna Suri, vice chairperson of WTTCII and chairperson and managing director of Bharat Hotels Ltd which runs The Lalit, added, To truly harness Indias global tourism potential, there is a need for more targeted interventions in areas like international tourism promotion, aviation sector resilience and development of international cruise tourism around Indias 7,500 km coastline."

E-visas to be streamlined

While further details are awaited, the Budget announced measures to simplify travel procedures, including streamlining e-visa facilities for specific tourist groups and relaxing visa norms to promote medical tourism. Additionally, states will receive incentives based on their effectiveness in managing destinations, though clarity is needed on which locations will benefit.

The hospitality industry remains optimistic about the government's tourism push. These announcements for the sector are all solid enablers. Moreover, the enhanced limits on personal income tax should lead to increased consumption and fuel travel," said Sanjay Sethi, CEO of Chalet Hotels Ltd.

To encourage homestays, the government will extend MUDRA loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), providing financial backing for micro and small hospitality enterprises.

There is a glimmer of hope though. Operators hope there will be a strategic focus on medical and Buddhist tourism which could attract new international visitors, in the coming years. The government highlighted a key focus will be on Buddhist tourism, with efforts to develop destinations linked to the life and legacy of Lord Buddha. The government also aimed to position India as a global hub for medical tourism under its "Heal in India" initiative, through public-private partnerships.

The Buddhist circuit could drive additional inbound travel from neighbouring countries with large Buddhist populations, said Kachru.

Also read | Maha Kumbh Mela a godsend for travel industry as spiritual tourism takes wing

Despite these efforts, India's tourism recovery remains slower than pre-pandemic levels. Foreign exchange earnings (FEE) from tourism reached $28.07 billion in 2023, but international arrivals (7.6 million from January to October 2024) remain below the 2019 peak of 10.9 million. The governments long-term Tourism Vision 2047 targets 100 million foreign visitors, but bridging this gap will require sustained investment and policy execution.
As much as we might think a vacation lets us unplug from the everyday and embrace a more carefree version of ourselves, a successful trip involves a lot of potentially stressful decisions. Chief among them: how to budget. The way we spend when we travel speaks to who we are and what we love. On a recent Tokyo trip The Wall Street Journal set me a challenge: What could I accomplish with a strict budget of $1,000? The weak yen would allow my dollars to go further but I knew Id still face tough choices: Go on a shopping spree for the latest in Tokyo fashion or save my money for the citys innumerable museums? Luxuriate in an upscale sushi fantasy or mine maximum value from Japans beloved convenience stores? A city of Tokyos size offers infinite possibilities. Heres what I chose.

Day One | $1,000 remaining

In a city with so many five-star hotels, I could easily blow a huge portion of my budget on accommodations. But I knew Id be spending little time lolling about in my hotel room, so I chose one of the citys countless, clean-if-soulless business hotels, the Richmond Asakusa. For $158 a night, breakfast included, I got a large room (by Tokyo standards), just a short walk from a transit hub.

The author used an urban-planning book as a guide to better understanding Tokyo.

I started my spending spree with a book: Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City" by the architect Jorge Almazan and his colleagues at Studiolab. At $32, it cost more than a guidebook, but I hoped it might provide different entry points to a city thats drawn me back dozens of times. Almazan sees Tokyo not as an indecipherable metropolis but as a place of tightknit communities, often built from the bottom up by local residents. I chose Asakusa as my home base because its one of the dense, low-rise neighborhoods Almazan ponders. Conveniently, its also cheaper than more fashionable areas.

I figured this choice alone had saved a good chunk of change, so it was time to splurge. At Okura, a boutique specializing in indigo-dyed items, I fell for a simple yet sleek hat, made of blue and black thread in a satin weave, which cost the equivalent of $75 after the tourist tax rebate that many Japanese shops offer. Don Quijote, a megastore near my hotel, sold caps, toofor under $20. But the indigo hat seemed a souvenir that would endure.

Freshly accessorized, I went in search of a meal. Though I was initially tempted by all the ramen joints that beckoned me out of the cold, my own New York neighborhood has at least 15 Japanese ramen restaurants by my count. So I chose a more obscure food genre, oden: root vegetables, eggs and fish cakes simmered in dashi. I figured the higher price (about $39 for an array of oden and drinks) would be worth it because Id find a respite from other tourists. Boy was I wrong. In the last 20 years, Japan has experienced a sixfold increase in foreign tourism. My oden tasted fine and ordering was a cinch thanks to an illustrated English menu. But my goal to escape fellow tourists was a flop.

Day Two | $642 remaining

The next day I continued my dual-purpose hunt for frugal diversions and tourist-free establishments by heading to Tateishi, a more remote corner of the city. My target: a standing sushi bar that a local friend had recommended. To get to Tateishi, I could opt for an easy half-hour ride on Tokyos efficient and far-reaching train system. But I discovered that Luup, a newish e-bike sharing scheme, could also get me there quickly. Yes, the bike would cost a dollar or two more for the trip, but Id see everything along the way. I set off on my small e-bike, looking a bit like a giant circus clown on a tiny tricycle.

My choice to stay above ground paid off almost immediately. En route, I smelled burning wood and heard a song over a speaker that, at first, sounded like a call to prayer. Then I made out the words: Yaki-imo." Roasted sweet potato. I bought one ($3) from the back of a small truck, blew on it, bit in and looked around.

I was in a dreary parking lot surrounded by humble houses. But bright plants enlivened the otherwise bland exteriors of almost every home. Id read about this in Almazans bookhow residents of Tokyos densest neighborhoods have made the dull postwar architecture of the city feel personal and vital.

A local sushi chef had told me that sushi as we know it was invented in the early 1800s not far from my destination, Sakaezushi. Nigiri sushi was originally sold from street stalls, before also being served in standing-room-only shops. Diners always ate with their hands. Entering Sakaezushi, I found a similar scene. Above standing diners, wooden slats listed cuts of fish; chefs removed a slat whenever a certain fish ran out. The pieces of nigiri I ordered were nearly perfect, with warm rice, just the right amount of wasabi and generous cuts of fatty tuna, salty squid, and oily mackerel. Each set of two cost just a few bucks.

My meal, including soup, beer and many rounds of fish, cost $28. If Id opted for a Michelin-starred sushiya, even at lunch when prices are lower, Id have been lucky to avoid blowing 10 times that.

My sushi discovery sits on the corner of a covered market that dates to the Showa era (1926-1989) and houses all manner of fruit stalls and fishmongers, sake bars and tiny shops. I wandered down the aisles for a block or two, before coming across a construction site. On the walls around the site hung paintings of old houses, bars and cramped alleyways.

Nearby, I saw an inviting-looking counter at an izakaya called Bunka Do. Inside, I asked about the open lot nearby and the diner next to me explained that developers had recently demolished the area to make way for high-rises. The paintings Id seen depicted a kind of life that would never return here.

Day Three | $364 remaining

I hit the streets early the next day, biking into an area called Ryogoku, famous for sumo. You can buy tickets to a tournament online, generally for between $15 and $60. While disappointed to find no contests scheduled that day, I was somewhat relieved: It meant a little more money to spend elsewhere. I followed foot traffic through the neighborhood until a building stopped me in my tracks.

Designed by Kazuyo Sejima to honor Japans most famous woodblock artist, the marvelous Sumida Hokusai Museum combines a reflective metallic gray exterior with hard angles that stand out in the neighborhoods back streets. I sprung for the special exhibition, $6.50, and lost most of the morning wandering the galleries. A replica of a 23-foot painted scroll from 1805 depicts courtesans and helmeted horsemen on the banks of the Sumida river, the placid waterway Id just crossed.

Lunchtime was fast approaching and I contemplated the options before me in the city with more restaurants than any other in the world. Still, my mind kept returning to the izakaya from the day before. On a short trip with a limited budget, most people would find it crazy to revisit a place theyd already been. But even a brief stay offers the chance to feel like a local by becoming a regular.

I hopped on another bike and pedaled back to Tateishi. The prior afternoon, I thought Bunka Dos proprietor had viewed me with skepticism. This time, I got a knowing nod. I spotted a curious item on the menu: a fermented northern Thai pork sausage. I asked if they made it on site. The owner, needling me as if I were a familiar customer, replied, You think we order it from Uber Eats?"

On my first visit, Id noticed some bottles of obscure natural wines behind the counter but had felt too shy to strike up a conversation about them. This time, I asked if he had, by the glass, a wine from a hard-to-find Hokkaido producer that Id longed to taste. He left and returned smiling. After he opened the bottle ceremoniously and poured me a glass, two other customers asked for the same.

Day Four | $52.50 remaining

Frequent travelers know that laundry is a hotels biggest grift, with prices at five-star properties easily hitting triple digits. The Richmondlike other business hotels of its ilkhad an all-in-one machine that cost me just $4. Another win.

While my clothes spun, I went looking for coffee. The day before, Id stopped in at Fuglen, an Oslo-based chain that was delicious but (surprise) swarming with other tourists.

Today I decided to seek out a kissaten (a traditional coffee shop) called Coffee Aroma. One man, who looked to be in his 70s, took every order, washed every saucer and brewed every cup with a devoted focus. After I ordered an iced coffee, I watched him hand carve ice from a giant block with a wooden pick. My $6 breakfast set included a slice of toast, and was served at a small counter where I could watch the master at work.

Tokyo rewards the obsessed. It can take some hunting, but if you love something, youll find it here. I had fixated on a perfect cup of coffee, obscure wine and the city-planning philosophies of a Tokyo-based Spanish architect, but those are just my obsessions. This city is filled with tiny stores stocking the rarest plastic model-ship kits, laser-focused restaurants serving hyper-regional cuisine and vintage stores piled high with French workwear you cant find in Paris.

Im always tempted to think about value in terms of getting the most for my dollar, but this trip widened my view: By jumping on a bike instead of a train, by visitingand returning toplaces like Bunka Do, I was helping my ideal version of Tokyo survive and thrive. You cant put a price on that.

What to SKIP and Where to SPEND

On a budget-squeezed trip to Tokyo every well-spent yen feels like a triumph, but mistakes happen. Here, some worthy gems and some traps to avoid.

A cream puff from Lawson, a convenience-store chain.

SKIP the tourist bait, SPEND at the neighborhood izakaya

While I went to Otafuku hoping Id be able to try Japans oden cuisine alongside locals, instead I found a place thats sadly succumbed to the lucrative tourist trade. Head instead to Bunka Do for an awesome izakaya experience that will make you feel like youre a regular.

SKIP the tchotchkes, SPEND at the old-school shotengai

Nakamise, in Asakusa, is a historic market street that now sells overpriced incense, good-luck charms and other temple-related knickknacks. Its fun for a quick stroll, but not for souvenirs worthy of precious suitcase real estate. Instead, save your yen for the nearby Ameyoko shotengai, or shopping street, which grew out of a post-World War II black market. Today its a dense and intoxicating maze of open-air izakaya, sneaker specialists and denim outlets.

Tokyo SkyTree is one of the citys most popular tourist attractions.

SKIP the lines, SPEND at an underappreciated museum

The Tokyo Skytree, the worlds tallest tower, might top the list of guidebook must-visits, but it feels less like a reflection of Tokyo and more like a way to drive business to the seven-story shopping mall below its observation decks. Instead of this dystopian vision of the future, head to the Sumida Hokusai Museum for the artists imaginative portrayals of Tokyo as it once was.

SKIP the fancy desserts, SPEND on a convenience-store treat

Tokyo is full of dessert wonderlands where a premium parfait can run you more than $40. But dont miss out on the sweets available in the citys fluorescent-lit convenience stories, or konbini. Of the products that the konbini excel at, the cream puff from Lawson (75 cents) is my pick, with a filling made from Hokkaidos famously rich milk and a pillowy shell that doesnt break when you bite in.
It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step," declared Donald Trump on January 23rd, speaking with the insouciance of a man complaining to a waiter about his meal. In fact Mr Trump was referring to Irans nuclear programme. The further step" was an Israeli strike. And whether it can be worked out" is perhaps the biggest question in the presidents in-tray.

The past year was painful for Iran. Its president died in a helicopter crash. It was twice hit by Israeli missiles, which wiped out its best air-defence and missile facilities. And three of its alliesBashar al-Assads regime in Syria, Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gazahave crumbled. Its nuclear programme is a rare area where Iran might claim to retain the initiative.

Late last year Iran was producing around 7kg of uranium enriched to 60%a stones throw from weapons-gradeeach month, enough to make around two nuclear bombs per year if enriched further. Now it is installing more advanced centrifuges, and feeding some with uranium already enriched to higher levels. The capacity is increasing by a factor of seven," Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a un watchdog, told The Economist. There is no plausible civilian use for all this.

Iran suspended its formal nuclear weapons programme in 2003, but continued to pursue weapons-related work. The killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a nuclear physicist, in 2020, almost certainly by Israel, has left a vacuum. No one person co-ordinates weapons-related activity. An Israeli source says that there are now at least five or six Fakhrizadehs and theyre much harder to get at". Some units in Irans programme are thought to be conducting research without telling policymakers. There are worries that Iran is hoarding undeclared centrifuges to use later.

Many in Israel would like to strike Irans nuclear sites to stop it getting a bomb. But Ehud Barak, a former Israeli prime minister who once advocated such action, and other former Israeli politicians argue that Irans programme is now too advanced and deeply buried to take out. Other Israeli officials, buoyed by the success of their strikes last year, insist that they could still do serious damageif America helps by providing the necessary bunker-busting bombs, as well as intelligence.

Mr Trump is not convinced. They cant have a nuclear weapon," he insisted recently. They are religious zealots." But his early moves suggest he is not keen on an immediate scrap. Within hours of taking office, Mr Trump fired Brian Hook, a hawkish official who was Iran envoy in Mr Trumps first term. He then withdrew security protection from Mr Hook and Mike Pompeo, his former secretary of state. Iran had threatened to assassinate both men after Mr Trumps decision to kill Qassem Suleimani, an Iranian general, in 2020.

Many of Mr Trumps appointees oppose American entanglement in the Middle East. Elbridge Colby, the Pentagons new policy chief, wants the country to focus on Asia. Hawks are also alarmed by chatter that Mr Trump might make Steve Witkoff, a real-estate property investor who serves as Middle East envoy, envoy to Iran too.

Mr Trumps preference is to resume maximum pressure" on Iran by adding to and enforcing sanctions. But to what end? The president will have to decide how far he wants to roll back Irans programme, and whether to demand constraints that go beyond those of the nuclear deal which he left, and in essence killed, in 2018. Mr Grossi reckons his iaea could design a system for checking on" Irans various pathways to a bomb, though he warns that the agency is now pretty much in the dark" on Irans procurement of components for centrifuges. Mr Trump will also have to decide whether he wants to focus on nuclear issues alone or also cover regional ones, such as Irans support for armed groups.

For their part, Irans leaders are in a quandary. The loss of their missile stockpiles, air defences and regional allies means that the nuclear option is more attractive. But that same trio of factors means that they are in a poor position to weather the fallout if they are caught in the process of dashing for a bomb. Israeli spies have demonstrated a remarkable degree of penetration of Iran over the past year.

Mr Grossi, who visited Iran in November, says that he saw in Masoud Pezeshkian, Irans president, a desire to engage with us more constructively and comprehensively". Mr Pezeshkian is a weak president with little say on nuclear policy. But even those with real power have reason to cut a deal. Irans leaders fear Mr Trumps impetuosity. They are also in dire economic straits. Iran is likely to choose negotiations for now," says Raz Zimmt, an Iran-watcher at Tel Aviv University. Even so, he is unsure whether the gap between Mr Trump and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader, can be bridged. They will try and string [Mr Trump] along in negotiations," says an Israeli intelligence official.

A ticking time-bomb

That may work only up to a point. We are working against a very tight timeline," acknowledges Mr Grossi. Under the previous deal, Britain, France and Germanythe three remaining Western members of the pactcan vote to reimpose the full panoply of pre-2015 sanctions on Iran, a move they threatened in December. If they do not do so by October, they lose that ability.

Iran says it might pull out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in response. There is no current consensus between London, Paris and Berlin. The timetable could also shorten if Israel believes Iran is making a clandestine dash for a bomb. Like Iran, Americas allies are waiting to see how Mr Trump will approach talks. Iran will hopefully make a deal," said the president on January 23rd. And if they dont make a deal thats OK too."

 2025, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
The government in its Union Budget for 2025-26 proposed raising the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit for Indias insurance sector to 100% from 74%meeting a long-awaited industry demand. So why did the stocks of most Indian insurance companies end the day flat to negative? The simple reason for that being that well-established life insurance companies in India dont need the expertise of foreign players through strategic stake sale any longer.

Also, the interest of foreign companies in Indian insurance has declined over the years. Standard Life (now known as ABRDN Plc.), New York Life Insurance Co., Old Mutual Ltd after partnering with HDFC Life Insurance Co. Ltd, Max Life and Kotak Life, respectively, have exited India.

There is also a need to distinguish between the government approved limit and company specific limit approved by the board of directors of a company.

For instance, even with the foreign ownership limit at 74%, HDFC Life had capped it at 49%. The lack of interest of foreign investors in Indian life insurance companies is evident from the fact that not only is the existing limit of 49% underutilized, their shareholding has been gradually fallingfrom 31.4% in December 2023 to 25.3% in December 2024.

The same is true for ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd, which has an approved limit of 74%, but actual utilization stands at just 36.8%. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd also has less than 25% foreign shareholding despite the limit of 74%.

This brings us to the moot question: why would established players like, say, SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd be happy to let their shareholding drop below 26%? Effectively, this means that even if 100% FDI is permitted in the insurance sector, if companies dont want to let go of their stake, there is little that foreign investors can do.

Who gains then?

For small or fringe insurers that are looking to exit completely, the Budget proposal presents an opportunity as foreign insurance giants do not have to worry about the nuisance of having to deal with minority shareholders interfering in management holding a 26% stake.

A case in point is Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Co. Ltd, which had less than 1% market share in annual premium in the general insurance sector and sold 70% of its stake to Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd for 5,560 crore in June. It might be well-placed to exit completely if it wants after the latest Budget announcement.

New entrants have no foreign promoters

Before Acko Life Insurance, CreditAccess Life Insurance and Kshema General Insurance began operations in 2022-23, life and non-life insurers in India were registered in 2011 and 2017, respectively. None of these companies is promoted by foreigners. The promoters of these companies could have anyway raised funds by selling a 74% stake.

Even if foreign companies want to set up shop in India, they would want to have a minority partner as it helps in having a distribution network. So, in any case, it is likely that they would have less than a 100% stake.

Sector implications

While it is assumed that the increase in FDI limit in insurance will enhance competition, the Indian insurance market already has too many players, with 26 life insurance companies and 34 general insurance companies, as per the data on Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of Indias website.

Also, most of the incremental growth for life insurance companies is from unit-linked insurance plan (Ulip) sales, indicating that insurance has become more of an investment. The governments ambition to ensure insurance for all by 2047 could be met through extensive coverage of Ayushman Bharat (the governments health insurance scheme) and that business is likely to be bagged by public sector general insurance companies.

What to watch out for

The most significant change for Indian non-life insurance companies or general insurance companies could happen if the goods and services tax (GST) is abolished as that would increase affordability. But that falls under the domain of the GST council. As and when it happens, it should see increased interest in general insurance from foreigners and domestic players alike.
A high-speed train awaits maintenance at Nanjing South Railway Station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenxi)

NANJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- At midnight, after a busy day, a high-speed train rolls into Nanjing South Railway Station, a key hub in east China's Jiangsu Province. Here, a team of technicians and intelligent robots stand ready to perform inspection tasks.

Using laser radar navigation and positioning technology, the robots move smoothly along tracks. Equipped with two articulated arms featuring imaging devices, they adjust height and angle, meticulously scanning the train's underside and components, while transmitting real-time artificial intelligence (AI) analysis for further review.

During this year's 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which began on Jan. 14, China's railway network is expected to transport 510 million passengers, with around 14,000 trains operating daily. To ensure operational safety during this high-traffic period, trains must undergo rigorous inspections every three days of service.

Inspecting these sophisticated trains is no small task. A standard eight-carriage high-speed railway requires a comprehensive check of more than 10,000 components, from bolt tightness to oil leakage and component wear.

"The manual inspection of a standard train requires at least two inspectors working for two and a half hours. With the use of robots, the process is reduced to just one hour, and staff only need 10 minutes for a final review -- tripling efficiency compared to manual inspections, while also improving our working conditions," said Qi Zhengang, an inspector at the railway station.

Currently, intelligent inspection robots are deployed not only in Jiangsu but also in railway stations across cities like Jinan, Beijing and Shanghai.

Across the country, a variety of high-tech solutions are being implemented to ensure the safety of the high-speed rail network during the travel surge.

Electricity is the primary power source for high-speed trains. To meet soaring energy demand, the Haogang substation in south China's Guangdong Province has adopted drones equipped with infrared, ultraviolet and sonic imagers to patrol the Shenzhen section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway.

With the technology, invisible currents can be converted into visual patterns, cutting the maintenance time from 30 minutes to 15 minutes, said Tan Chuanbin, an employee at the substation.

Featuring a wide field of view and AI-driven analysis, drones are also used to monitor and assess precarious rock formations and geological hazards along railway tracks in mountainous regions such as southwest China's Guizhou and Sichuan.

China's high-speed rail network has seen extraordinary growth. In 2010, the country had 8,358 kilometers of operational high-speed rail. The number had skyrocketed to 48,000 kilometers by the end of 2024.

"China's high-speed rail advancements are built on continuous technological innovation," said Duan Wei, deputy chief of the high-speed rail infrastructure department of the Huai'an section of Jiangsu.

"Looking ahead, we expect AI and the Internet of Things to be further integrated, enhancing real-time monitoring and predictive warnings to better ensure passenger safety," he said. 

An intelligent inspection robot works under a high-speed train at Nanjing South Railway Station in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Wenxi)
Budget 2025-26 has placed emphasis on the backward integration of Indias electronic goods value chain and other capital-goods industries with a reduction in basic customs duty on components. Among the proposals are a reduction in the duty on open cells for television panels from 10%-15% to 5% and parts of open cells to from 2.5% to 0%. Most of these panels, which account for 60-65% of the cost of a TV, are currently imported. To encourage faster adoption, the import duty on display panels has been increased from 10% to 20%.

To boost the mobile phones and electric vehicles value chains, the duties on parts used in printed circuit boards, camera modules and various other components of mobile phones have been removed. To the list of exempted capital goods, I propose to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing," the finance minister said in her Budget speech.

Also read: Union Budget 2025 strengthens the middle class for a consumption-driven economy

These initiatives follow the building of a mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem in the country through production linked incentives (PLI) schemes, and emphasise backward integration into component manufacturing from the initial thrust, which was limited to final product assembly.

However, the absence of an announcement on the much-awaited PLI scheme for components disappointed the industry.

Also read: In economys shifting sands, a budget to boost demand

The Budget also includes certain measures to improve ease of doing business in the sector. Non-residents providing services to a resident company that is establishing or running an electronics manufacturing unit in India will be covered by a presumptive taxation regime, reducing the compliance burden and tax uncertainty.

Nuclear power push

The other important announcement for the capital-goods industry was the thrust on building nuclear power capacity with an outlay of 20,000 crore for research & development of small modular reactors (SMR). The government has plans for at least five indigenously developed SMRs with the help of the private sector, for which the Atomic Energy Act will be amended. The move could significantly benefit companies such as Larsen & Toubro Ltd which already have significant expertise in this space.

Also read | Budget 2025: 100% FDI in insurance a positive for the sector but not for stocks

Despite various announcements that could benefit the sector, the BSE Capital Goods Index dropped more than 3% on Saturday. Among the hardest hit was Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (down 9%), while shares of Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd, ABB Ltd, Siemens Ltd and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd fell 4-6%.

The industry seems to have been spooked by the governments capital expenditure budget of 11.2 trillion, which is almost the same as in FY25. The revised estimate for government capex in FY25 stands at 10.2 trillion, 8% lower than budget estimates of 11.1 trillion, dashing hopes of a push in the last two months of the financial year.
The 16th edition of the Sharjah Biennial, themed around to carry", responds to the precarities of our times. Organised by the Sharjah Art Foundation, it is to be held between 6 February and 15 June. The five women curatorsAlia Swastika, Amal Khalaf, Megan Tamati-Quennell, Natasha Ginwala and Zeynep Ozhave elaborated on the theme as, What do we carry when it is time to travel, flee or move on? What are the passages that we form as we migrate between territories and across time? What do we carry when we remain? What do we carry when we survive?" Their curatorial response is an attempt to create a bridge between intergenerational stories and modes of inheritance through residencies, workshops, sonic experiences and publications.

For Hoor Al Qasimi, president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundationwho took over the execution of the Sharjah Biennial in 2002it is vital that each edition brings in the local context alongside global narratives about identity, movement and change. By centering the act of carrying, Sharjah Biennial 16 offers a space for imagining new collective futures while recognising the weight of shared histories and experiences," she says.

This year, the Biennial will have works by more than 140 artists, including 80 new commissions. The Indian artists whose work will be featured include Anga Art Collective, Pallavi Paul, Rajyashri Goody, Tishani Doshi and V. Viswanadhan. Al Qasimi was recently in India for the inaugural programme of Asia Society India Centres Trailblazers series of in-depth discussions with pathbreaking creative practitioners from around the world. She has been winning laurels for the way she pushes the possibilities of ideas in publicly-focused cultural spaces".

Also read: 15 years of KNMA: The shape-shifting museum

Last year, she topped ArtReviews Power 100 list of most influential people in the contemporary art world. In the context of the art world in which cancellations and boycotts are rife Al Qasimi remains one of the few voices prepared to use the platform art (and royal privilege) affords them to express their opinions directly and keep discussions that most people allow to fade away firmly in the spotlight," observes the ArtReview article.

Al Qasimi, though, affably dismisses the trailblazer" tag. I think I am just a very determined person," she laughs. When she took the reins of the Sharjah Biennial at the age of 22, many people resisted change and didnt take her seriously because of her age and gender. There were not many takers for her ideas of decentering art, pushing for representation of gender, indigenous and marginalised voices, and extending the programming to a year-long affair. She persisted, and it paid off.

View Full Image Marwa Arsanioss tapestry work, part of the Sharjah Art Foundation collection, is on view at the ongoing Asian Art Biennial. Image: Sharjah Art Foundation/ Instagram

Al Qasimi describes most of the milestones in her life as serendipity". As a teenager she wanted to be a chefthat quickly changed into a wish to be an architect. A teacher dissuaded her, saying she would only end up building huge towers in Dubai, and encouraged Al Qasimi to go to art school instead. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. It is, perhaps, her training as an artist that enables her to understand the challenges of visual practitioners around the world.

While in the UK, she met older British artists working with new media, which kindled her interest in video and technology-based work. She co-curated the show Near with Derek Ogbourne and Peter Lewis at the Sharjah Art Museum in 1998. At Slade, one of her tutors remarked that her work was not very Islamic". That was the first time I was called something I had not grown up hearing and I wondered about stereotypes that artists were forced to adhere to," she says.

Also read: Why curators are the caregivers of the art world

Though she got into the Royal Academy of Arts soon after, her instincts nudged her to take a gap year in 2002. During that time she visited Documenta in Kassel, Germany, curated by Okwui Enwezor. The concepts of post-colonial enquiry that Enwezor had raised made her rethink her own ideas about the arts. She recalls being amazed by the kind of art being exhibited with political works responding to both historic and current events. That made Al Qasimi wonder how many people from Sharjah and the Global South would ever get to see such works.

She expressed an interest in reimagining the Sharjah Biennial. People thought that I was from the ruling family of Sharjah, so lets get me an office and I will be content with that. But I wanted to change things especially around art as a tool of social change and critical engagement with the world. Lots of people didnt feel I was qualified enough to run the Biennial," says Al Qasimi. Over the next few years, the core team of the Biennial, and the Sharjah Art Foundation, which she started in 2009, understood her vision for the arts. Initially I would do everything, from hanging the works to sticking labels. The technicians helped me and artists started chipping in. I thought I had a responsibility to do this for Sharjah, instead of working as an artist myself. Putting the biennale together was art for me," she adds.

Gradually, the global art ecosystem began to recognise her as an important voice. In 2015, she curated the UAE pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale and in 2022, Al Qasimi spearheaded the curation at the Lahore Biennale. The 15th edition of the Sharjah Biennial saw her take over as curator following the demise of Enwezor, who had originally conceived the event. She is now working as the artistic director for the 2026 Biennale of Sydney and the lead for the 2025 Aichi Triennale in Japan.

Be it at the Sharjah Biennial or through the events in Sydney and Aichi, Al Qasimi is looking forward to building solidarities between regions, people and practices. Whenever I take up projects outside of Sharjah, I like to work with the local teams in those regions.," she says. They know the context of the region and are well-versed in their craft. That is an important collaboration for me as it helps understand the city and the community." The next step is to meet as many local artists as possible, and see ways in which indigenous communities can be included in the curation. It is important not as a token or simply to tick boxes. It has to fit into what the overall exhibition is trying to say. In Sydney, women artists are still underrepresented. So, it is time to make that push," she elaborates.

Also read: Artists break stereotypes around caste

These conversations are also being reflected in the programming at the other projects that she works with, including the programming at the Sharjah Art Foundation. Currently the space has an exhibition of paintings bysenior Maori artist Emily Karaka, which opened last year. Titled Emily Karaka: Ka Awatea, A New Dawn, this is the first major survey show of the artist, who brings a personal approach to the politics of colonisation. An abstract expressionist and a colourist, Karakas work is anchored in Maori rights related to the Treaty of Waitangi, the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand".

However, since Al Qasimi is not an authority on Maori traditions and politics, she collaborated with Megan Tamati-Quennel of Maori descent to bring out the complexities and nuances of Karakas work. We are all here on earth to do something constructive. Life is a journey to find out what you are capable of doing. And the key to achieving positive results lies in collaboration across geographies and ideologies," she says.
If one of your resolutions for the new year has been to up your reading game and youve been looking to buy an Amazon Kindle to help you with your goal, tough luck! For the last several months, Kindle devices have been out of stock on Amazon.in. Marked as currently unavailable", the entire portfolio of Kindle devices in India is missing.

This situation is unprecedented since the launch of Amazon Kindle in India in 2012. The last time Amazon launched a lineup of Kindle devices in Indiathe 11th generation Kindle, which was globally announced a couple of months earlierwas in December 2022. While the next generation of devicesrefreshed versions of Kindle Scribe, Kindle Paperwhite, and the entry-level Kindle, as well as the companys first-ever e-reader with a colour e-ink display, Kindle Colorsoft Signature Editionwere launched in the US on October 16, 2024, the Indian launch has not happened yet.

Meanwhile, older devices have slowly vanished from the e-commerce platform, presumably bought up by customers even as stocks are not replenished. One would have assumed that previous-generation Kindle devices were taken off the shelves to make way for the new set of devices (Amazon doesnt do this typically, but some other brands have followed such a practice for their product refresh cycle), and yet the new set of devices havent arrived. Kindle devices remained unavailable during the high-profile sales events for the company during the festive season last year.

In the past, Amazon has typically rolled out its latest devices, whether it is Kindle or their Amazon Echo line of smart speakers, in India within a few weeks of the global launch. The long stretching unavailability of Kindle e-readers, the unusual move to not follow up the global announcement with Indian launch, and the ambiguous silence from Amazon on the matter has led to speculation about whether Amazon is rethinking its Kindle strategy for India.

Speculations galore

Theres no way to know for certain if interest in e-book readers has dropped in India. Kindle, a secondary device after ones primary smartphone and/or a computer, is essentially a premium device. While it should, in theory, benefit from the premiumization trend in the technology space in India, that only holds if its a device that people want.

A side-note Unlike smartphones and tablets, Kindle devices last for many years, and the progressive updates in each generation do not necessarily excite people to upgrade. So, the upgrade cycle for Kindle devices is quite long. I still use my now two-generation old Kindle, and my wife has another one from many years ago.

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One trend that might have pulled people, especially students, away from a Kindle, is the growing adoption of tablets in the country, to support virtual classrooms in our hybrid educational ecosystem today.

Tablets are coming into their own now rather than being a companion device. Factors like online education, on-the-go productivity, and content consumption have influenced the market growth positively. There were 5.78 million tablet shipments in India in 2024a massive 44.2% growth year-on-year. So is demand low because people are switching to reading on their tablets instead of buying a dedicated e-reader? Is that why Amazon is not especially interested in selling Kindles in India? There are differing views on this.

Navkendar Singh, an analyst at research firm IDC, does not believe that this uptick in the tablet device demand in India would anyway impact the Kindle reader market. "Kindle has a very niche audience with a specific use case of reading. The users of Kindle and tablets are two very different sets, with not much overlap," he explains.

Additionally, considering Kindle is Amazons first-party device that it primarily markets and retails on its own platform (the device is available in offline stores as well), some drop in sales or interest should be easy to absorb, unlike for a brand which has to spend considerable amounts to market and distribute its product.

"Kindle has a very niche audience with a specific use case of reading. The users of Kindle and tablets are two very different sets, with not much overlap"

For a while last year, you could still spot the Kindle Paperwhite in some offline stores, but once the stocks ran out, its been hard to find one. Kindle devices arent available in large-format stores like Croma and Reliance Digital as well anymore. A Croma salesperson told me that they dont stock Kindle anymorethe same store which had an Amazon Kindle pop-up a couple of years ago.

Some Kindle users in online forums also wondered if this could be a result of a noticeable decline in reading culture. However, even though the ubiquitous digital distractionscompulsive social media activity, easy access to video streaming, and plethora of reading material onlinehave impacted our reading habits, this trend isnt limited to India. Additionally, the 2022 Nielsen India Book Market Report points that India is the third largest publisher of print books worldwide. India is also the second fastest growing producer of English-language print editions in the world, after the United States.

Of course, this report is about print books, but an approximation can be assumed for eBooks. That said, textbooks contribute heavily to these numberswhich in India is a significant number considering the large base of population pursuing education.

The company says its temporary"

An Amazon spokesperson had a nothingburger response to queries regarding the unavailability of Amazon Kindle in India. We regret that Kindle e-readers are temporarily unavailable. Please keep an eye on our Amazon.in page for any updates regarding Kindle availability. Thank you for your understanding," they said over an email to Lounge.

While the statement doesnt answer the speculations, the assertion on temporary is notable. The timeline for return of Amazon Kindle is still ambiguous though. Additionally, a source at Amazon, who had no first-hand information about Kindle devices, was surprised at the speculation and was pretty sure that Kindle isnt going away.

So, its likely that Amazon Kindle isnt going away, and well soon see an announcement from Amazon Indiaprobably the launch of the new portfolio unveiled globally in October 2024. An Amazon communications person assured me of positive" development on this front soon".

Ironically, if you search for 'e-reader' on Amazon.in, the top results are links to Kobo devices.

Similar uncertainties in other markets

In 2023, Amazon shut down its online Kindle store in China sending bereft readers with Kindle devices in a fix. Kindle users couldnt purchase new books online.

Then theres Australia where the Kindle devices have been Temporarily out of stock" for a while now. Australia is a very different market than India, so the reasons for the company to pull off the plug from the Indian market wouldnt align with the Australian market.

In fact, similar unavailability in other marketsKindle devices were out of stock for some time last year in many countries. Even in the US, before Amazon's Prime Day shopping extravaganza, most Kindle devices were out of stock.

This widespread issue points to supply chain issues that might be affecting Kindle supplies globally, including India. The geopolitical crises in several regions across the globe arent helping. Amazon couldve been forthright at the launch of its 2024 lineup and addressed the availability concerns in several markets, including the US. Not only it wouldve relieved Kindle users and potential customers, a suggested estimate of the availability of Kindle devices in different countries would have avoided the need of all this speculation.

Theres a lot of chatter and speculation that Amazon may have stepped back to reassess their strategy for Kindle. Considering the Kindle devices havent really transformed in so many years, the company could be looking at the next evolution of Kindle devices (like the new color eBook readers) and charting a course for the same.

Also read: Always-listening AI gadgets are here. Should you trust them?

Whats the alternative?

A lot of people wouldnt be keen to wait indefinitely for Amazon to clarify the availability conundrum of Amazon Kindle devices. If you are looking for a similar e-book reader, you can opt for one of the very competent Kobo devicesKobo Colour ( 19,999), Kobo Clara Colour ( 16,999), and the Kobo Clara BW ( 14,999).

While Kindle devices went missing from the stores, Rakuten Kobo, the Japanese technology conglomerate often referred to as the Amazon of Japan", which has been trying to chip in on Amazon Kindles market share for a while now, launched its refreshed portfolio in India in October last year.

Ironically, if you search for e-reader on Amazon.in, the top results are links to Kobo devices.

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Just as the Bengal Biennale was wrapping up this January, I went to see the art installation at the Alipore Jail museum, the famous red-brick Kolkata jail now turned into a museum.

There was a room filled with the many forms of Kali curated by Gayatri Sinha, from Chhinnamasta holding her own decapitated head to an ivory-skinned bare-breasted Kali who seemed to have emerged from European classical art. In another room, Arpan Mukherjee used the fragile archaic medium of ambrotype to explore the changing landscape along the road from his village to the nearest town, tracing both the vanished guava trees and ponds and his own departure from the village. Bappaditya Biswas used the prisoners weaving room to tell the story of indigo and revolution with real textiles and clay models of prisoners.

But where was Aradhana Seths exhibit? Sada: Jaile Baire (The Jail and the World) was listed in the catalogue, but I couldnt find it anywhere. The visitors gaping at the gallows didnt seem to know about it. The guards sitting there to make sure no one misbehaved had no clue. A museum volunteer pointed me towards the gate. But I could see no gallery there, no sign for Seth. Then I spotted Seth herself coming down the path.

Where is your exhibit?" I asked her. I am trying to find it."

Its right here," she said. You are standing under it."

Thats when I understood that it had been hiding in plain sight. I had not been looking up. Her art was lining the path, on old-school placards that once were a common sight, like sandwich boards on lamp posts. The images seemed innocuouseveryday objects like mobile phones, locks and keys, social media logos. But they told a story. As you followed the path to the cells, the boards were signposts about the world the prisoners shed as they entered jail. And if you looked up at them on the way out, they told the reverse story of the accumulation of the accoutrements of the world they were entering as they left the jail.

Seth said later that she started collecting images of hand-painted signs when she realised they were becoming rarer in a digital world. Kolkata still has a lot of them and she said they somehow gave the city a different feel, a gentler touch. I had grown up with those hand-painted signs all around me. But I had never paid them much heed. They were just part of my neighbourhood. But as things disappear, we realise their value. Now I get to see them as art. As the curator note says, the exhibit is all about dissolving the hierarchies between high and low arts".

I grew up with vague artistic pretensions but little actual training in art, high or low. I went to drawing school and was bored out of my mind drawing vases of flowers and platters of fruits in class. I only wanted to draw animals, whether in the zoo or in the forest. We had some coffee-table books on art which we had bought at a sale but my art practice was limited to the endless sit-and-draw competitions that peppered Kolkata winters. I had some sense of what was art and what was not. Reproductions of paintings of Greek goddesses that hung in French museums was art. The Jamini Roy prints that were in every other Bengali home was art. Street signs were definitely not art.

What has been exciting and eye-opening lately has been to see art extend beyond those names" to street signs and more. And artists and curators are leaving the confines of galleries and museums to bring art to unexpected places. The Kolkata Queer Arts Month exhibits over December-January were spread over different venuesa gallery like Experimenter but also Pratyay, a halfway house for people recovering from mental health conditions, and Aranya Bari, an old house turned into a boutique cafe. In a way, the spaces gently messed with my childhood notion that art was not art unless it was displayed in a formal gallery. Its been an education to see how art could slide into the nooks and crannies of familiar spaces and transform them into galleries.

In one room of Aranya Bari, Sriparna Dutta told a story of sisterhood and struggle entirely through intricate needlework. The piece was so large it filled up most of the room. At Experimenter, the same Sriparna Dutta had a tiny cloth book, with black and white sketches of people on each page, done in needlework. Those running stitches, so much a part of our homes, on blankets stitched from old saris, were now art.

All of this has been an art education for me, one that I was sorely lacking. Like most Indians, I grew up with a smattering of namesGaganendranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, M.F. Husain, Francis Newton Souza. But art only made news when it ran into trouble like Husains, or fetched mega prices at an art auction, again like Husain. And I certainly knew a lot more about European schools like Impressionism or Cubism than I did about what was happening at home. That was not because my school art class exposed me to one and not the other. School art class exposed me to no art history at all. There were just more books on European art. I just drew scenes of the sun setting behind a mountain, vigorously using my oil pastels to set the sky aflame in shades of red and orange. I wish art class had taught me to look at art instead of trying to wear my oil pastels to nubs.

As a result I grew up both fascinated by art and intimidated by it. As a boy I would be taken to the Indian Museum and would sit in the sculpture gallery with my sketch pad reverentially trying to reproduce the centuries-old stone figures on paper. So it feels astonishing that now that same Indian Museum has a show called Dialogues Across Time, where contemporary art rubs shoulders with the ancient artefacts. The statues of the Yaksha and Yakshi and the wish-fulfilling tree that have greeted visitors at the entrance for as long as I can remember have now been joined by Subodh Guptas red cow. Dayanita Singhs black and white photographs of a young Zakir Hussain lead up to a statue of a young Queen Victoria. A huge head of a crow looms in the insect gallery. Women in black chadors recreate the Last Supper. Whether its a dialogue or a face-off between ancient and contemporary is up to the viewer to judge. But its wonderful to see the blurring of the lines between art and artefact, not irreverent exactly but not petrified in reverence either. Its as if the museum is trying to live up to its Bengali word jadughar, the home of magic.

Art in Kolkata seems to be getting its groove back.

Cult Friction is a fortnightly column on issues we keep rubbing up against.

Sandip Roy is a writer, journalist and radio host. He posts @sandipr
On Goldman Sachs Group chief executive officer (CEO) David Solomons second day on the job in 2018, I listened to him address a conference audience made up of some of the most powerful women in the world. It was clear he was trying to send a strong message by spending one of his crucial early days as chief executive in this way. What could be better? I spent time with clients and women, two of my top priorities," he said to the crowd.

Solomons competitors for the top job had all been men, but he told the group that as CEO, he wanted to change thatto make sure diverse candidates were in the mix for leadership jobs across the firm.

It has not been going well.

This month, after more than a year of consideration, the company named 17 executives to its management committee. Just three of them are women, and only one of the threeKim Posnett, now global co-head of the investment banking businessis in a job that generates revenue for the firm. That means that among the three, only Posnett is positioned to have a shot at reaching the investment companys highest ranks.

Implying that theres a two-class system of senior women is offensive," a Goldman spokesman said when Bloomberg News pointed it out.

But in reality, this is how Goldman and the rest of corporate America works, and its one of the key reasons so few women ever make it to the very top. They get relegated to support roles rather than revenue-generating ones, or to other jobs that are seen as less prestigious.

The Wall Street Journal reported last year, for example, that Goldmans markets division lost a slew of female partners between 2020 and 2022 when it made having experience across the business a requirement for running one of the divisions groups. Many women partners were in sales rather than trading and therefore didnt meet the requirements.

That same Journal article noted that, as of March 2024, about two-thirds of the women who were partners at the end of 2018 had left the company or no longer held that title.

Meanwhile, Goldman has never had a woman CEO, chair, president or chief financial officer (CFO), which now puts it in the minority among top Wall Street firms.

Those who have come close to cracking the Goldman glass ceiling have left, often after encountering one of the usual factors that stymie women as they climb the corporate ladder: having their work undermined by male colleagues, being passed over for promotion despite being highly qualified, or being appointed to an impossible job that set them up for failure.

Take Beth Hammack, a highly respected 30-year Goldman veteran who left the firm last year after losing out on the CFO role. (She is now the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.) Or Stephanie Cohen, one of the few women to ever run a major division at the company, who inherited a deeply flawed business and was blamed for its poor performance. (She is now chief strategy officer at Cloudflare.)

Goldman has never had a woman CEO, chair, president or chief financial officer (CFO), which now puts it in the minority among top Wall Street firms.

In a sign of how seriously the Goldman Sachs board seems to have taken Solomons failure to deliver on one of his most public promises, it increased his pay by 26% to $39 million last year and gave him a $80 million retention award to keep him in the job.

Even though Goldman has seen little improvement in diversifying the companys most senior ranks, Solomon should still get credit for continuing to talk about why its a priority for him and the bank. That puts him in contrast with many other CEOs, who have stopped talking about the issue altogether as theyve pared back or abandoned their own diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Just recently, at Davos, he pushed back against calls by activist investors who want the company to reverse course on its DEI commitments.

Perhaps thats what is most alarming. Goldman still purports to care about diversity, even when it would be easier to back away under the cover of the anti-woke pressures roiling America Inc right now. And yet, the company has still made little progress. It follows then that we should expect to see even fewer advancements at companies that have walked back commitments to support the careers of female employees.

But with fewer companies in America setting representation goals or reporting the results of such efforts, we are losing the mechanisms that have alerted us to this kind of backsliding.

The risk now is the advances of the past few years will slip awayand we wont even realize it. Bloomberg
Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN, 2nd District) says he would welcome Palestinians to the US and Tennessee during an interview with CNN on Thursday, February 6.
People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

GAZA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in the fourth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the ongoing truce deal with Hamas, according to Palestinian sources.

Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, told Xinhua that Israeli authorities handed the released prisoners over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Of the freed prisoners, 150 were from the Gaza Strip, 32 from the West Bank, and the remaining one, who holds Egyptian citizenship, will be returned to Egypt.

Prisoners from the West Bank were released from Ofer Prison near Ramallah, while prisoners from Gaza, released from Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, would be transported to southern Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, Zaghari added.

Local witnesses reported that buses carrying Palestinians released by Israel have arrived in southern Gaza's Khan Younis.

The Palestinian Liberation Organization's commission for prisoners' affairs said in a press statement that among the 183 released on Saturday, seven prisoners will be deported, without specifying which countries will receive them.

The release of Palestinian prisoners follows Hamas' release of three Israeli hostages earlier in the day, marking the fourth such exchange during the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The deal was enforced on Jan. 19 and its first phase will last for six weeks. 

People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People welcome released Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner (C) in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)
A defendant who participated in a street brawl that spilled out onto the road in Longford town was sentenced to three months in prison at Longford District Court.



Grigorijius Sibika (54) of Top Flat, Keanes Garage, Strokestown Road, Longford entered a plea of guilty to three charges, including one of assaulting Kamil Bulzak during a fight in Longford town.



Sergeant Enda Daly told the court that on January 24, 2024 Longford Garda station received a call about an altercation on Main Street, Longford.

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When the officers arrived they saw two intoxicated males engaged in a fight on the footpath of the street.

The row spilled out onto the road and interfered with traffic and members of the public.

Mr Sibika took a vodka bottle from his pocket and attempted to strike the other person with it.



The defendant threw the bottle at the other man, missing him but smashing it on the ground.

The defendant was arrested.

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Sgt Daly said Mr Sibika, who is currently serving a prison sentence, has 11 previous convictions including those for assault and breaches of the public order.



Solicitor Frank Gearty explained that his client has been resident in Ireland for over 20 years.

He said the defendant is from a good family, all of whom are in gainful employment.



He is battling a terrible drink problem, Mr Gearty said, He acknowledges this and has tried to undergo a course of treatment in Cuan Mhuire.



The solicitor told the judge that the CCTV indicated that his client was attacked first and that he produced the bottle after the initial attack.



Mr Gearty said the defendant is plagued by addiction and has brought shame on himself and those who care for him.



In concluding the matter Judge Owens noted the defendant entered an early plea to charges before the court.

The judge said there was evidence that Mr Sibika was in throes of alcohol addiction and even though there were no significant injuries sustained he was on bail at the time.



The judge imposed a three months prison sentence for the assault, which will run concurrent to the one he is already serving. Charges of engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour and breach of bail were taken into consideration.
Crime

By Long Island Published: February 01 2025

A Uniondale man was arrested for arson after setting a fire in a warming center bathroom, causing damage and injuring a probation officer.

The Arson Bomb Squad reports the arrest of a Uniondale man for Arson that occurred on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 8:15 am in Uniondale.

According to detectives, a Nassau County Probation Officer observed there was a working fire inside the mens bathroom at the Nassau County Warming Center, located at 1 Charles Lindberg Avenue. The officer also observed the defendant Christian M Hall, 33 was standing inside the bathroom alone at the time of the fire.

The officer ordered the defendant to exit out of the bathroom and was able to control the fire with a fire extinguisher. The Third Precinct police along with the Uniondale Fire department also responded to help extinguish the fire.

An investigation revealed that at the time of the fire the defendant was standing in the handicap stall where there was much fire damage to the walls as well as the toilet broken into many pieces. Further investigation determined that the defendant Christian M Hall was responsible for setting the fire inside the bathroom and was placed into police custody by Third Precinct police.

The Nassau County Probation officer was transported in a Nassau County Police ambulance to a nearby hospital and treated for difficulty breathing. Defendant Hall was transported to nearby hospital for evaluation.
Crime

By Long Island Published: February 01 2025

A suspect assaulted a gas station employee in Uniondale after his card was declined, stealing cigarettes and fleeing the scene.

The First Squad reports the details of a Robbery that occurred on Friday, January 31, 2025 at 1:54 AM in Uniondale.

According to Detectives, a male subject walked into the Sunoco Gas Station located at 1220 Hempstead Turnpike. While inside, he tried to purchase a drink and two packs of cigarettes but was unsuccessful due to his credit/debit card being declined. The subject took the drink without paying for it and attempted to leave but was stopped by a 65-year-old male employee.

The subject got into a physical altercation with the employee and punched him in the face and chest before pushing him to the ground and kicking him. The subject then took the two packs of cigarettes he attempted to purchase and fled the scene southbound on Cunningham Avenue.

The victim was treated on scene by responding Nassau County Police Medics.

The subject is described as a male Black in his thirties, approximately 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 250 lbs. He was wearing a black jacket, gray hoodie, blue jeans, black shoes and a green backpack.

The investigation is ongoing.

Detectives request anyone with information regarding the above incident to contact Nassau County Police Department 1 st Squad at (516) 573  6153.
PHNOM PENH, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia arrested 1,311 drug suspects involved in 539 cases in January, the country's Anti-Drug Department (ADP) said in a report on Saturday.

Fifty-six percent of the suspects were allegedly drug traffickers, possessors and transporters, while 44 percent were drug users, the report said.

"A total of 423.3 kilograms of illicit drugs had been confiscated from those suspects' possession from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2025," the report said.

Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, ecstasy, heroin, and cocaine.

The kingdom has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, those found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. 
Danton Heinens Vancouver homecoming was short, but hes headed back to another familiar spot.

After making the Bruins last year on a PTO, Heinen, a native of the Vancouver area, signed with Canucks as a free agent. But they traded him to the Penguins late on Friday.

Heinen, Vinny Desharnais, Melvin Fernstrom and a first-round pick that the Canucks got from the Rangers are headed to Pittsburgh for Marcus Pettersson and Drew OConnor.

Heinen bet on himself last year signing a professional tryout agreement with Boston, to return to where he started his career. He not only made the roster, but thrived.

Heinen, 29, had 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in 74 games with Boston in 2023-24.

After his first four seasons in the Bruins to start his career, Heinen was dealt to Anaheim and then signed with Pittsburgh, which is bringing him back for a second run in the Steel City.
The Clippers made one of the first moves of trade deadline week on Saturday, upgrading their frontcourt with big man Drew Eubanks in a deal with the Utah Jazz. The swap was first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.com. The Clippers landed Eubanks and guard Patty Mills in exchange for forward P.J. Tucker, Mo Bamba, a future second-round pick and cash.

The move accomplishes a few goals for the teams involved. The Clippers dump some salary in Tucker, which will help them avoid the luxury tax for the time being. They also get an upgrade for their center rotation in Eubanks. Meanwhile, the Jazz add another draft asset and get a look at Bamba.

The element of this deal that is worth watching from a Celtics perspective is Tucker. The 39-year-old forward has not played in a game this season and has been away from the Clippers since February 2024 after he was pulled from the teams rotation.

The rebuilding Jazz will have no interest in playing Tucker to close out the year so hes going to be on the move in all likelihood again one way or another in the coming weeks. The team could theoretically trade him again before the deadline to facilitate another deal but the more likely scenario is that he is bought out by Utah after the deadline. That would leave him free to sign with any team after he cleared waivers, something that would certainly happen if hes bought out since hes making $11.5 million this year.

The Celtics still have an open roster spot but are dealing with a second apron restriction when it comes to being a second apron team. They arent not allowed per CBA rules to sign any player bought out that was making more than the mid-level exception ($12.7 million) this year. Tucker falls under that line so he would be free to sign with Boston or any other team if bought out.

Whether the Celtics or Tucker would have any interest in each other following a potential Jazz buyout is another question. Tucker will certainly be looking for a playing opportunity after being out of action for the past year but whether any playoff team has a rotation spot for him is another question. The Celtics certainly dont when they are healthy but they may be in the market for depth help on the wing, especially if they trade away Jaden Springer this week for luxury tax savings.

Tuckers future could be settled by then if hes moved again by the deadline but hes certainly a name to monitor on the buyout market if he stays put past the trade deadline.
Two men charged in connection with a fatal shooting in Brockton last year were indicted on Friday, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruzs office said.

A Plymouth County Superior Court grand jury indicted Govanni Carapinha, 24, and Marcus Miranda, 21, on one count each of murder, Cruzs office said in a statement. Both were previously arraigned on related charges to the shooting after their arrests and are both being held without bail.

At around 11:51 p.m. on July 24, 2024, Brockton police received 911 calls about a shooting at a home on Vesey Street, the statement read. Officers found Romualdy Pierre-Charles, 22, dead and shot several times.

Brockton police and Massachusetts State Police, while investigating the shooting, looked at surveillance video of the area that showed three people wearing black clothes go to the home and chase Pierre-Charles into his backyard, Cruzs office said. During this incident, Carapinha was shot in the leg.

Miranda and another man in black clothing helped Carapinha get into a gray Infiniti, in which they all drove off to Boston Medical Center for Carapinha to have his leg treated, Cruzs office said. After he left the hospital, he was arrested.

Miranda, who was trying to board a plane to Portugal at Logan International Airport, was arrested on July 29, 2024.

Both men will be arraigned in Superior Court at a later date.

Prosecutors previously said they are searching for the third, as-yet-unidentified person.
NEW YORK, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- A medevac plane with six people on board crashed in a northeast Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff on Friday evening, sparking a large fire, authorities said.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the company operating the plane, confirmed that the aircraft was carrying four crew members, a pediatric patient who had just finished treatment in Philadelphia, and the patient's escort.

"At this time we cannot confirm any survivors," the company said in a statement.

During a Friday night press conference, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said that the crash occurred shortly after 6 p.m. (2300 GMT). "As of right now, we have no reports on the number of fatalities," she said, adding that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, speaking alongside Parker and other city officials at the press conference, warned of expected fatalities in this "awful aviation disaster."

"We know that there will be loss," he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had reported only two people aboard the plane, but later updated the number to six. It's unclear whether the passengers were ejected or managed to escape. Several people on the ground were reported to have been injured.

The Learjet 55 plane, en route from Philadelphia for Springfield, Missouri, had just taken off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport when the tragedy happened, said the FAA in a statement. It came down in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall in a densely populated residential area. The crash set multiple homes and cars on fire.

Emergency crews are responding to the fire on site, CBS News reported.

President Donald Trump posted on social media that it was "so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job."

"We are offering all resources as (emergency services) respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly," Shapiro wrote on the social platform X. "We'll continue to provide updates as more information is available."

The FAA confirmed that the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash.

The crash came just days after a deadly collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., which claimed 67 lives, marking the deadliest airplane crash in the United States since 2009. 
A Roxbury man was identified on Friday after he was shot in Mattapan and later died, Boston police said.

Officers went to the intersection of Morton and West Selden streets after 10:31 a.m. on Thursday regarding a person who was shot, police said in a statement. Police found Leroy Ryner, 18, with gunshot wounds.

Ryner was taken to Boston Medical Center for evaluation, but died from his injuries, the statement read.

No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. The shooting remains under investigation

The Boston Police Departments Homicide Unit is actively investigating the shooting and asks that anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the unit at 617-343-4470.

Anyone who wants to anonymously submit a tip can do so by calling 1-800-TIPS or texting TIP to CRIME (27463).
Zeneyda Barrera, a teenager from Lynn who federal immigration officials held in custody, was released on Friday and is back with her family, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, confirmed with MassLive.

Barrera, 18, was released hours after Essex County District Attorney Paul Tuckers office dropped a single assault and battery charge. She faced this charge after she was accused of pushing her brother to the floor during an argument over a cellphone.

I am just so happy for Zeneyda and her family, Barreras attorney Patrick Callahan told The Boston Globe after Barreras release.

Barreras mother, whose name is also Zeneyda Barrera, declined a request for comment from MassLive.

MassLive contacted Callahan for more information Friday evening, but didnt immediately respond.

Lynn police arrested Barrera, who lives legally in the United States but is originally from Nicaragua after a neighbor complained about a noise disturbance around 4:30 a.m. on Monday.

Barrera was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement before her arraignment in Lynn District Court on Monday. She was taken to a jail in Cumberland County, Maine, Callahan previously told MassLive.

While she was in ICE custody, Moultons office advocated for her release, spokesperson Sydney Simon told MassLive Friday night.

Our priority has always been the well-being of this young woman and her family, and I will continue to fight for her to be reunited with her loved ones, Moulton said in a statement from Tuckers office before Barreras release. This incident underscores the importance of compassion and understanding in our legal processes, particularly for our youth.

Earlier in the day Friday, Callahan that he was hopeful the charges being dropped would lead to Barreras release.

Read more: Prosecutors drop charges against Lynn teen detained by ICE

Ultimately the decision is up to them what they want to do, he said.

Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson asked federal immigration officials to consider all the circumstances when taking any enforcement action.

If ICEs intent is to target violent offenders who put our community at risk, people like Zeneyda should not be detained, Nicholson said.
When prosecutors moved to dismiss their criminal case against an 18-year-old from Lynn on Friday, it did not automatically mean she was released from the custody of federal immigration officials.

The teen, Zeneyda Barrera, faced a single charge of assault and battery after she was accused of pushing her brother to the floor during an argument. Barrera, who is originally from Nicaragua but is in the U.S. legally, was arrested by Lynn Police after a neighbor complained about a noise disturbance around 4:30 a.m. on Monday.

Barrera was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement prior to her arraignment in Lynn District Court Monday. She was taken to a jail in Cumberland County, Maine, her attorney Patrick Callahan, told MassLive.

Callahan said Friday that as far as he knew, Barrera had not been released. He said he was hopeful the charges being dropped would lead to Barreras release.

Read more: Prosecutors drop charges against Lynn teen detained by ICE

Ultimately the decision is up to them what they want to do, he said.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-6th District, said Barreras case underscores the importance of compassion and understanding in our legal processes, particularly for our youth.

Our priority has always been the wellbeing of this young woman and her family, and I will continue to fight for her to be reunited with her loved ones, Moulton said.

Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson asked federal immigration officials to consider all the circumstances when taking any enforcement action.

If ICEs intent is to target violent offenders who put our community at risk, people like Zeneyda should not be detained, Nicholson said.
The six people who were aboard a Learjet 55 that plunged into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Friday night have been confirmed dead.

They were Mexican citizens, Mexicos president, Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post to social media.

I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States, Sheinbaum wrote in a post to X. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families; I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.

The medical transport jet was transporting a child who had just completed treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others, The Associated Press reported.

It crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes, the wire service reported.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which operated the Learjet 55, said in a statement: We cannot confirm any survivors. There was no immediate word whether anyone on the ground was killed, but at least six people were treated for injuries at a hospital.

Everyone aboard the flight was from Mexico. The child was being transported home, according to Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold.

The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.

When an incident like this happens, its shocking and surprising, Gold told The Associated Press. All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late Friday that officials expected fatalities in the awful aviation disaster.

We know that there will be loss, he said.

Associated Press reports are included in this story.
President Donald Trumps administration announced Friday that it will move ahead with threatened tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico this weekend, NBC News and other outlets reported.

Goods from China could be subjected to a 10% tariff, while those from Canada and Mexico would be hit with 25% tariffs. Officials on both sides of the nations northern and southern border have said they are prepared to respond accordingly.

The tariffs on Canadian goods could be felt the most immediately in the Bay State, which has deep trade ties with the countrys nearest northern neighbor.

Heres a snapshot:

No fewer than 15 Canadian biotech firms have a presence in Greater Boston, including such established companies as Stem Cell Technologies and AbCellera, according to a fact sheet provided by the Canadian consulate in Boston.

Start-up firms such as Alpha9 and Fusion Pharmaceuticals also have a Massachusetts presence. All told, 286 Canadian-owned companies employ 34,650 workers in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts also annually exports $3.3 billion in goods, including agricultural products, chemicals, and minerals and metals. The state also exports $2.4 billion in services, including financial services, to Canada every year, according to that same fact sheet.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey warned that electricity costs in the state would increase by $200 million under Trump administration tariffs on Canada.

Those countries are Americas largest trading partners. They are also Massachusetts largest trading partners. We trade a combined $29 billion worth of goods with them, annually. That includes lumber and materials we build homes and factories with; and the energy we power our homes, businesses, and cars with, Healey said in remarks as prepared for delivery to the Associated Industries of Massachusetts' meeting in Waltham, WBUR-FM reported.

Reaction also poured in from industry interests, with trade groups such as the American Building Materials Alliance calling on the Republican White House to exempt Canadian lumber from the trade sanctions.

In a statement, the trade group said such tariffs would drive up construction costs.

We appreciate the administrations focus on strengthening domestic industry, but these tariffs will unintentionally burden builders, suppliers, and consumers without achieving that goal, said its government affairs director, Francis Palasieski.

Given that architectural plans in the Northeast overwhelmingly require Canadian SPF lumber, we encourage the administration to consider an exemption to ensure construction remains affordable while we work together on long-term solutions that support American lumber competitiveness, he said.

Brooke Thomson, the president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, noted that with Canada and Mexico being among the largest trading partners with the Commonwealth, the potential price impacts are unclear, as are the implications such policies could have on trade relationships that are important to our economy.

But, she added, What we do know is that Massachusetts is working hard to lower the cost of living and doing business in this state, to ensure we remain competitive and strong economically.

Canadian Counsul General Bernadette Jordan, who is based at the Canadian Consulate in Boston. (Canadian government photo)John L. Micek

MassLive recently spoke with Canadian Counsel General Bernadette Jordan about the trade and economic ties between Canada and the Bay State.

This conversation, conducted before tariffs were imposed, has been lightly edited for clarity and content.

Q: Whats the mood of Canadian citizens? What questions are you hearing from them?

Jordan: We had delegations come from Canada to the U.S. That relationship is important. There are concerns about what a 25% tariff would look like, and what that means to both of our economies. Weve been looking very carefully at what the executive orders said."

There is a continual dialogue because we do rely on each other. This doesnt just impact Canada. If we have a 25% tariff and a dollar-for-dollar [response], it will impact people here in the U.S. as well.

Q: What does that look like, as a practical matter?

A: You will look at price increases  they will not be paid for by the government. They will be paid for by consumers. Some businesses have very small profit margins, and they will pass that cost down.

Eight out of 10 cars in Boston are fueled by gas from Canada. Twenty percent of the clean energy in New England comes from Canada. The oats you eat in your cereal come from Canada. Its everyday things. Were so intertwined, and we have been for so many years.

There are items from Canada made from goods in the U.S. and there are goods from the U.S. that go into Canadian-made products. We are very close allies as well as partners, and that will continue to benefit both of our countries.

If there is a trade war between Canada and the United States, the only winner will be China.

Q: Have you spoken with [Boston Mayor Michelle Wu] or Gov. Maura Healey about the prospect of tariffs? What have those conversations yielded?

A: I met recently with Gov Healey and a delegation from Prince Edward Island to just talk about the mutual benefits of our trade agreement, to make sure we protect jobs on both sides of the border. It is top of mind for all of us. We recognize that. Making sure we have conversations with our counterparts here in New England. Its all part of making sure that we keep lines of communication open.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is reportedly reconsidering her plan to shutter a childrens hospital in Canton and move its services to western Massachusetts, a Bay State lawmaker said Friday.

U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-8th District, and other lawmakers toured the state-run Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, which the Democratic governor targeted in the $62 billion budget plan she rolled out last month.

The facility provides education, recreation and transitional services for disabled children and young adults, 25 News in Boston reported.

Theyre doing Gods work, Lynch said according to the station. And I only use that term occasionally. But really, if you see the plight of these children and the tender, personal care and love that they are receiving here at Pappas. It really is a very special place and worth saving.

Healeys spending blueprint for the new fiscal year that starts July 1 also calls for closing a mental health center in Cape Cod and significant cuts to the states mental health case manager workforce, MassLive previously reported.

The closings are expected to save the state some $31 million, according to published reports.

The administrations announcement has prompted fierce pushback from labor leaders, former patients, and others, who have predicted severe consequences for health care in the state.

At a news conference last month, Healey defended the decision, which comes hard on the heels of the closing of two hospitals formerly operated by bankrupt Steward Healthcare.

Healey defended the decision, which comes months after the closing of two hospitals formerly owned by bankrupt Steward Health Care.

I think of it as a redirecting of services, of care, you know, in one instance, and these are hard, I say any when it comes to any closure, she said. You know, I recognize thats a hard thing for those who are living in that facility. Its a hard thing for the workforce in that facility. Its a hard thing for the families whose loved ones are in these facilities.

More than 14,300 people have signed a petition calling on state officials to scrap their plan to close Pappas, State House News Service reported earlier this week.

Sen. Paul Feeney, D-Bristol/Norfolk, whose district includes the hospital said in a recent statement hes exploring a potential legislative solution to save the facility and is deeply disappointed in this unilateral decision by the Department of Public Health.

Feeney told the wire service that hes received an absolute outpouring of support from constituents who want to save Pappas, as well as House and Senate colleagues asking how they can protect the hospital.

Feeney said he wants the Healey administration to pause its closure plan and find other cost-cutting measures in the budget beyond closing Pappas.

This is an important piece for us to kind of step back and say if this is strictly a fiscal decision, then work with us in the Legislature to be creative, Feeney said. Judging by the calls, and the emails, and people literally stopping me in the district, and text messages, and all the outreach, there is no doubt in my mind that Pappas is worth saving.

Lynch told 25 News on Friday that hed spoken to Healey and said she had agreed to take another look.

Im delighted with the governors decision to sort of take a second look at this and figure out: Is there a better way that we might address the situation here at Pappas? the South Boston Democrat said, according to the station. The governor has engaged in a deeper discussion and a more thorough consideration about possible next moves. So, that is good news in the very short term for the residents here.

In a statement, Healeys office said the administration appreciates the feedback weve received from patients, families, employees, labor and elected officials.

We all share the same goal of ensuring high-quality, modernized and specialized care for the young people we serve, as well as supporting our hardworking employees, the administration said, according to the station. We look forward to continued collaboration on the path forward to provide the best setting for these children.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and five Democratic governors pressed Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer during a phone call this week to slow the confirmation march of President Donald Trumps cabinet nominees and throw up roadblocks to his agenda, according to a published report.

Healeys office confirmed her participation in the Wednesday phone call to Politico, but did not offer details on the contents of the conversation.

The New York Times reported details of the call, citing notes and conversations with participants.

Both Healey and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told Schumer that Senate Democrats should not vote for Trumps cabinet picks after the administration issued a since-rescinded memo freezing federal aid.

This week, Healey, who has taken a more conciliatory tone with the new White House than some of her colleagues, described the cuts as devastating and laced into Trump for his actions.

I know its going to cost us jobs in construction, Healey told reporters at the State House before the Trump White House rescinded a memo from the Office of Management and Budget.

Its going to raise energy costs, its going to interfere with peoples access to food assistance and health care, its going to cut off seniors' access to assistance to pay their heating bills, she said.

The Times reported that Healey urged Schumer to slow down Senate votes and to demonstrate more public opposition than Democrats in the upper chamber have exhibited so far.

The Arlington Democrat also lamented that she and other Democratic governors were taking the brunt of the phone calls from constituents impacted by the White Houses policies, even as they led legal efforts to halt them, the newspaper reported.

Healey, a former two-term attorney general, has not said whether she intends to seek reelection in 2026.

At least three Republicans, including state Sen. Peter Durant, of Worcester, have been mentioned as potential challengers.

Healey has taken a more moderate tone in recent weeks, voicing support for residency requirements in the states cash-strapped emergency shelter system, which have long been sought by Republicans.

This week, Healey reiterated that her administration will cooperate with the White House where it makes sense, but added that the state would nonetheless draw the line at certain actions.

During that call, Schumer pointed out Senate Democrats damaged the political standing of now-U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and subjected Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a bruising hearing on his nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Schumer told Healey and her fellow governors that he could not force Senate Democrats to oppose every Trump nominee. But he could unite them to oppose certain high-profile appointees, the newspaper reported.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell is claiming victory after a second federal judge temporarily halted the Trump administrations efforts to cut off funding for grants and other programs.

On Friday, a U.S. District judge in Rhode Island granted a request by Campbell and Democratic attorneys in 22 states, by issuing a temporary restraining order.

The ruling is separate from a lawsuit filed by Democracy Forward and other non-profit groups that resulted in another federal judges decision to temporarily block the plan issued by the Republican White Houses Office of Management and Budget, NPR reported.

The White House rescinded that memo, which prompted chaos on Capitol Hill and beyond. But the Trump administration has maintained that it is plunging ahead with its review of federal funding.

The Rhode Island judges ruling reaffirms that the President cannot unilaterally take away federal funding, especially resources that our kids, seniors, and economy rely on, Campbell said in a statement.

Trumps reckless actions unleashed chaos and confusion yet demonstrated the enormous power of attorneys general to fight back, Campbell continued. My office will keep fighting to protect Massachusetts residents from these egregious and unlawful abuses of power.

The order by Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. blocks the suspension of any federal funding to the 22 states that were party to the lawsuit, as well as the District of Columbia, NPR reported.

In the ruling, McConnell wrote that Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes and therefore the Executives actions violate the separation of powers.

In a statement, Connecticut Attorney General Peter Tong noted that the order provided protection for Connecticut funding, but these threats are evolving and far from over.

Tong said his office will stay in court for as long as it takes to protect Connecticut families and Connecticuts economy, FOX-61 TV in Hartford reported.
A gloomy, rainy Friday in Massachusetts is on track to see some snowfall, with some localized totals between 3 and 4 inches.

What have been hours of rain and drizzle should be met with colder air moving to southern New England, with a chance for rain to become snow near or north of Route 2 between 6 and 9 p.m., and between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. Saturday on the Interstate 90 corridor, according to the National Weather Service.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service.National Weather Service

"Overall, we expect 1 to 2 inches of snow near and especially north of I-90. Localized 3- to 4-inch amounts are possible north of Route 2, a Special Weather Statement read. Motorists traveling later this evening and especially into the overnight hours should be prepared for roads becoming snow-covered and slippery."

Initial melting could make counting snow accumulations tricky, with the timing and intensity of the snowfall being the deciding factor of what people see, forecasters said.

A Winter Weather Advisory was also issued and is expected to be in effect until 7 a.m. on Saturday. This advisory covers western Franklin and western Hampshire counties, where slippery roads are possible as snow could accumulate between 2 and 3 inches, with localized amounts reaching 4 inches.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service.National Weather Service

Areas south of I-90 could see rain mix with or change to snow after 12 a.m., forecasters said. These areas should see a dusting of snow or accumulate as much as 1 inch.

Forecasters also warn of heavy fog on Friday night, with an elevated fog risk across Western, Central and Eastern Massachusetts.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service.National Weather Service

Overnight lows before daybreak should reach the high 20s or low 30s in most areas, forecasters added.

Snowfall should leave by mid- to late morning on Saturday, only to be followed by dry, blustery and colder weather, with temperatures mostly in the 20s, forecasters said. Winds should reach between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts peaking at 35 mph, producing wind chills that could leave outdoor temperatures feeling like the teens. Higher terrain could have temperatures feeling like single digits.

Dry, cold conditions should persist from Saturday night well into Sunday, forecasters said. Clouds should increase as the afternoon approaches, as an Alberta Clipper system is set to bring more precipitation to the region.

Temperatures should be cold enough to support snow, at the very least for locations north of the Massachusetts Turnpike, forecasters said. Similarly to Friday night, anywhere from a coating to 3 inches is possible.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service.National Weather Service

By Monday morning, this system should exit the region and be replaced with dry air and breezy winds, according to meteorologists.

Next week should see largely quiet weather, forecasters said. But another system is expected to enter the region Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing in warmer-than-average temperatures with possible highs on Thursday in the 50s.

This shouldnt stay for long, as forecasters anticipate next weekend being much colder, with a chance for more snow to return.
SPRINGFIELD  The parents of a 14-year-old girl have lodged a federal civil lawsuit against the city, two principals of STEM Middle Academy and the man they accuse of sexually assaulting their child, court filings show.

The parents and their daughter are referenced in the documents anonymously as Jane, John and Susie Doe, respectively. The incidents they allege took place between two school years in 2022 to 2024, when Susie Doe was in the seventh and eighth grade.
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen Pakistani security personnel and 12 terrorists were killed in an in operations in the country's southwest Balochistan province, the Pakistan army said on Saturday. 
If you ever want a chance to see a 82-inch narwhal tusk up close, look no further than Worcester, Massachusetts.

Worcesters EcoTarium, a science and nature museum, has received a donation of a rare narwhal tusk that will be put out on display, according to a press release from the museum. Narwhals are whales that have one giant tooth, or tusk, that sticks out from their face.

The tusk is a donation from benefactors Peter and Joan Dirlam, the press release reads.

We are tremendously grateful to the Dirlam family for their generous support of our non-releasable wildlife and animal ambassadors at the museum, Noreen Smith, president and CEO of the EcoTarium, wrote in the press release.

What makes this tusk so special and rare is its length, according to Danielle Fisher, the EcoTariums marketing manager.

The average growth of a tusk reaches an asymptotic length of 178 centimeters, (70 inches) at approximately 53 years old, Fisher said. The tusk the EcoTarium received, however, is 210 centimeters (82 inches).

The oldest narwhal on record is over 100 years. Fisher told MassLive, Our tusk is measured to be close to 100 years old.

Male narwhals most commonly have tusks and some may even have two, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Ongoing research by WWF collaborators indicates that the tusk has sensory capability, with up to 10 million nerve endings inside, the WWFs narwhal webpage reads. The tusk may also play a role in the ways males exert dominance.

Peter Dirlam acquired the narwhal tusk through a legal purchase from the Alaskan Native Arts Society, prior to the establishment of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) in 1972, according to the EcoTariums press release. The MMPA prohibits the harassment, hunting, capturing, collecting, or killing of marine mammals in U.S. waters and by U.S. citizens on high seas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries website.

In addition to the narwhal tusk, the Dirlams also donated whale jawbones, six sculptured wood whales by artist Clark Voorhees Jr., and a monetary gift to establish the Dirlam Fund for the care and acquisition of animals at the EcoTarium, the press release reads.

The fascinating narwhal tusk and carved whales will be displayed for public enjoyment and will contribute to our environmental education programs, wrote Smith.
Financial Crimes Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill au Parlement

Les membres du Gouvernement ont pris note de la notation de Moodys pour le pays, de la mise sur pied dun High-Level Steering Committee pour la mise en application des projets annonces dans le Discours Programme, de lintroduction au Parlement du Financial Crimes Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, de la promulgation du Income Tax (Financial Assistance for Payment of Special Allowance) Regulations 2025 entre autres.

Page 1 of 6

HIGHLIGHTS OF CABINET MEETING  FRIDAY 31 JANUARY 2025

The Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Dr the Hon. Navinchandra Ramgoolam, G.C.S.K., F.R.C.P. The highlights of the deliberations are as follows:

1. Cabinet has taken note that Moodys had, in a press release published on 30 January 2025, maintained the Government of Mauritius long-term foreign and local currency issuer ratings at Baa3 but changed the outlook from stable to negative, and kept the local currency country ceiling unchanged at A2. According to Moodys, the initial scorecard indicated a rating in the range of Ba1-Ba3 for Mauritius, that is, a downgrade to a non-investment status, mainly as a result of the significant deterioration in public finances and the high debt burden. However, Moodys maintained the Baa3 rating of Mauritius, hopeful that the Government would be able to reverse the deteriorating trends in the economic and fiscal situation.

Nonetheless Moodys had changed the outlook to negative in view of enormous efforts required to address the challenging fiscal situation left behind by the previous government, and considering the socially and politically difficult fiscal adjustments involved.

The risk for a downgrade in the future remained high. To avoid a downgrade in the future, Moodys expects that the Government pursues comprehensive structural reforms and a credible fiscal consolidation programme starting from financial year 2025-2026, offering the prospect of reversing the fiscal deterioration and maintaining creditworthiness.

2. Cabinet has taken note of the setting up of a High-Level Steering Committee, for monitoring the implementation of measures enunciated in the Government Programme 2025-2029. The High-Level Committee would comprise senior officers and advisers of the Prime Ministers Office as well as Supervising Officers of relevant Ministries. Professionals having suitable expertise and experience in specific fields would also be co-opted to attend meetings of the Committee, as and when required.

Regular Special Cabinet Meetings would be held to take stock of the progress achieved in the implementation of measures in the Government Programme 2025-2029.

3. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the Financial Crimes Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill into the National Assembly.

The object of the Bill would be to restore the prosecutorial powers of the Director of Public Prosecutions under the Financial Crimes Commission Act 2023. Accordingly, no prosecution of an offence under the Financial Crimes Commission Act 2023 or the Declaration of Assets Act shall be instituted except by, or with the consent of, the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In addition, any offence to be compounded under the Financial Crimes Commission Act 2023 and the Declaration of Assets Act shall henceforth be made with the consent of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Consequently, related amendments would be brought to the Courts Act, the Criminal Appeal Act and the District and Intermediate Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act.

4. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Income Tax (Financial Assistance for Payment of Special Allowance) Regulations 2025 to provide financial support to the following categories of employers facing financial difficulties for the payment of the 14th Month Bonus:

(a) a charitable institution or a non-government organisation registered with the National Social Inclusion Foundation;

(b) a registered religious body;

(c) a trade union; and

(d) an enterprise, other than an export enterprise or an SME, whose turnover for the year of assessment 2023-2024 did not exceed Rs750 million and operating in the following sectors:

(i) Business Process Outsourcing;

(ii) security services;

(iii) cleaning services; or

(iv) construction.

Financial support would also be provided to employers facing financial difficulties for the payment of salary compensation 2025 on a monthly basis for the period January 2025 up to June 2025, in respect of a full-time employee whose basic salary did not exceed Rs50,000, to the same category of employers which would be given support to pay the 14th Month Bonus. The amount of financial support would be as follows:

(a) Rs610 monthly per eligible employee of a charitable institution, a non-government organisation, a religious body or a trade union if no funding had been received in respect of that employee from the National Social Inclusion Foundation; and

(b) for SMEs (having turnover not exceeding Rs100 million), Export-Oriented Enterprises and enterprises having turnover above Rs750 million and operating in the Business Process Outsourcing, Security or Cleaning Services or Construction sectors:

(i) Rs610 monthly where the employer had incurred losses or whose profits for the year of assessment 2023-2024 would be reduced by more than 50 per cent after appropriate adjustments including payment of the 14th Month Bonus and salary compensation 2025 were factored in; and

(ii) Rs305 per employee where the employer profits for the year of assessment 2023-2024 would be reduced by more than 10 per cent but not exceeding 50 per cent after appropriate adjustments including payment of the 14th Month Bonus and salary compensation 2025 were factored in.

5. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius had been sanctioned by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for non-payment of shared contributions to the SADC Mission in Mozambique and contributions for the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the period 2023-2024.

Pursuant to these sanctions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade effected payment due amounting to USD11,057,492 and appealed to the SADC for the lifting of the sanctions imposed so as to enable Mauritius to resume its participation in the meetings of the SADC.

6. Cabinet has agreed to the National Development Unit implementing the Flood Mitigation project at La Valette, Bambous as recommended by the Land Drainage Authority.

7. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities signing a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the International Solar Alliance (ISA), which would be structured around three priority areas, namely Advocacy and Analytics, Capacity Building, and Programmatic Support. The CPF would serve as a strategy for the ISA Secretariat in guiding country level engagement. Under the CPF, ISA would provide support to Mauritius in the following areas:

(a) development of a Country Partnership Strategy;

(b) development or review of Solar Roadmaps;

(c) development of facilitative regulatory frameworks to promote the deployment of solar-based applications;

(d) development of a high-quality bankable project pipeline;

(e) capacity-building on technical, regulatory, and financing needs of Mauritius;

(f) scaling solar rooftop; (g) establishment of a Solar Technology Application Resource Centre;

(h) scaling floating solar projects;

(i) scaling solar agrivoltaics and solar water pumping systems;

(j) scaling solar for green hydrogen; and

(k) solar PV battery and waste management.

8. Cabinet has agreed to the Universite des Mascareignes signing a Memorandum of Agreement with ITL Trustees Ltd (as Trustee of the Mitsui O.S.K Lines Ltd Charitable Trust).

The objective of the Agreement would be the implementation of a project entitled Development of a Seagrass Monitoring System using Remote Sensing for Enhanced Management of the Mauritius Coastal Zone. The Charitable Trust would provide funding to the tune of Rs1M to the Universite des Mascareignes, for the implementation of the project.

The purpose of the Seagrass Monitoring System using Remote Sensing for Enhanced Management of the Mauritius Coastal Zone project would be to characterise and monitor seagrass ecosystems around Mauritius using advanced remote sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems.

9. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Mauritius and the Town Planners Council of Mauritius.

The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding would be to establish a cooperative relationship with the aim of developing and fostering academic linkages between the two institutions, namely in the following areas:

(a) academic staff collaboration in research, teaching and learning;

(b) general academic collaboration including the exchange of educational resource materials and publications;

(c) assessment of units for credit for prior learning for academic programmes offered at each institution;

(d) development and implementation of student mobility and staff exchange programmes; and

(e) identification of special short-term academic programmes and projects of

mutual benefit to both institutions.

10. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Arts and Culture submitting the report on State of Conservation for the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Property to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre.

The State of Conservation Report 2024 provides an update on measures aiming at safeguarding and enhancing the Outstanding Universal Value of the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Property. The Report also provides an update on the status of the archival and archeological research at the Parc a Boulets.

11. Cabinet has taken note of the holding of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing System from 05 to 09 May 2025 in Mauritius. The objectives of the Annual Meeting would be to:

(a) provide an opportune platform for Mauritius to take stock of the state-of-the-art marine research findings in the Indian Ocean region;

(b) enable direct participation of Mauritius to the advancement of ocean observations in the region;

(c) enable Mauritius to benefit from capacity-building initiatives of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission-UNESCO and the second International Indian Ocean Expedition; and

(d) contribute to bring Mauritius to the forefront of Marine Scientific Research and facilitate regional integrations and co-operation between Indian Ocean Coastal States.

12. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Health and Wellness would launch oncosurgery services at the National Cancer Centre in the context of the commemoration of World Cancer Day on 04 February 2025. The National Cancer Registry Report 2023 would also be launched on that day and a series of activities would be held during the month of February and March.

A team comprising Dr Sriprakash Duraisamy and Dr Balaji Ramani, renowned Oncologists from RECNAC Oncology Private Ltd, Chennai would be in Mauritius from 12 to 16 February 2025 to offer free oncology services to around ten complicated cases, who were on waiting list.

13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Minister of Arts and Culture in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade also participated in the Convention along with a 300-member delegation from Mauritius.

During the Convention, the Minister intervened in the plenary session on the theme Diaspora Dialogues: Stories of Culture, Connection and Belongingness. The Junior Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade also intervened in a plenary session on the theme Green Connections  Diaspora Contribution to Sustainable Development.

The Ministerial delegation had a meeting with Dr the Hon Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India which was followed by an interaction of the Mauritian delegates with the Indian Minister of External Affairs.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (Overseas Indians Award) were conferred to 27 beneficiaries from 24 countries to honour their exceptional and meritorious contribution in their respective field. Dr (Mrs) Sarita Boodhoo, GOSK, former Chairperson of the Bhojpuri Speaking Union was one of the awardees for recognition of her achievement in the preservation of the Bhojpuri language and its rich cultural heritage.

14. Cabinet has taken note of the reconstitution of the:

(a) Board of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, with Ms Claire Le Lay-Commins as part-time Chairperson;

(b) Board of the State Insurance Company of Mauritius, with Mr Ashok Prayag as part-time Chairperson;

(c) Board of the Mauritius Recreation Council, with Mr Lucien Laval Nicol Ombrasine as part-time Chairperson;

(d) Executive Committee of the National Youth Council, with Mr Shaad Chellapermal as part-time Chairperson;

(e) Board of the State Trading Corporation, with Dr Takesh Luckho as part-time Chairperson;

(f) Petroleum Pricing Committee, with Mr Kumulsingh Purmah as part-time Chairperson; and

(g) Board of the Mauritius Educational Development Company (MEDCO) Ltd, with Mrs Marie Joelle Sandrine Valere-Bolli as part-time Chairperson.
MAYO county councillor Mark Duffy is in a strong position to take a seat in Seanad Eireann following the first count of the Labour vocational panel in the Seanad elections.

The Ballina-based Fine Gael councillor polled 76,000 first reference votes following the first count which puts him 19,751 votes short of the quota of 95,751.

Sitting Fianna Fail senator Robbie Gallagher from Monaghan was elected on the first count after receiving 115,000 first preference votes while Independent senator Gerard Craughwell is set to be reelected after polling 95,000.

READ: Planning refused for 24-hour gym in west Mayo

Former Sinn Fein TD Chris Andrews, who lost his Dail seat in November's General Election and Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats) are both on 94,000 following the first count with Maria McCormack on 90,000.

Senator Gallagher's surplus is currently being distributed at the count centre in the RDS in Dublin.

Ballina-based Fine Gael councillor Mark Duffy is the only Mayo-based candidate running in this year's Seanad Elections with counting in the other vocational panels taking place over the weekend.

Cllr Duffy, who ran for Fine Gael in November's General Election, is one of 19 candidates standing in the Labour panel where eleven seats are up for grabs. Just five of the eleven sitting senators are seeking reelection.

There are five vocational panels where 43 of the 60 Seanad seats are elected with members of the incoming Dail, members of the outgoing Seanad and members of county councils and city councils all eligible to vote in them. There are eleven seats each to be filled on the Agricultural and Labour Panels, nine on the Industrial and Commercial Panel, seven on the Administrative Panel and five on the Cultural and Education Panel.

The seats on the Cultural and Education Panel and the Agriculture Panel have been filled.

The total electorate is made up of Dail deputies, outgoing senators and city and county councillors and for counting purposes each vote is multiplied by 1,000.
Three Mayo tourism companies were rewarded for their efforts with awards at the 33rd Annual CIE Awards on Friday.

Westport Walking Tour, which is run by Stephen and Alan Clarke, received top honours from the group and received gold for the best walking tour.

READ MORE: Mayo GAA star climbs highest peak in America

It was a great event for Westport, as Knockranny House was another Mayo business to scoop honours. The 97-room venue was awarded a Merit award in the hotel and category.

Ballintubber Abbey ensured that it wasnt just Westport leading the way. The ancient relic scored highly in the eyes of CIE customers, whose feedback determined award winners. The Abbey received a Merit award in the visitor experience category.

JOB ALERT: Mayo County Council now hiring for new position with salary up to 60,000

Stephen Cotter, the managing director of CIE Tours, believes that these awards and awards such as these are just rewards for the efforts of those working to bring the highest standards to tourists.

We are delighted to honour these leaders in tourism in Mayo, he said congratulating the three businesses at the ceremony.

Each of these businesses play a significant role in the Irish tourism industry while also making important contributions to their local communities in terms of jobs and wealth creation.
A WICKLOW man who founded his own dog treats business after he was disqualified from driving agreed his arrest may have been a blessing in disguise.

Ciprian Wolf with an address of 7 Seahaven, Greenhills Road, Wicklow appeared before Achill District Court where he was successful in an application to restore his driving licence.

In January 2023, Mr Wolf was disqualified from driving for three years after he was convicted of drink driving in Achill in the early hours of September 26, 2021. The court heard that at the time he was working on the set of the Hollywood movie, The Banshees of Inisherin.

Mr Wolf applied for a restoration of his licence after he had completed two thirds of his three year disqualification. He told Judge Fiona Lydon that he lost his job in the film industry as a result of the conviction and disqualification but has since set up his own business making dog treats.

He added the loss of his licence has been an extreme inconvenience as he has to wait for his wife to finish work to do deliveries and is totally dependent on her.

READ: Mayo Council face huge fine following contract debacle

Mr Wolf told his solicitor Thomas Walsh that he had learned 'several' valuable lessons after he was caught drink driving and would not do it again.

When asked by Judge Lydon if getting caught was a 'blessing in disguise' as it led to him starting his own business he replied 'I suppose, yes'. He added he has no employees but the business was growing.

I cannot afford to pay myself a salary yet because it is only a year and a half old. We are getting the customer base at the moment and everything is going on advertising but it is growing. Hopefully after a year I will be able to draw a salary, he said.

Judge Lydon added that he should be grateful to his wife for supporting him in the business while she also holds down her own job.

After Sergeant Conor McShane said the State had no objection to the application, Judge Lydon granted the restoration with immediate effect and also wished Mr Wolf the best of luck and fortune in his business.
BRUSSELS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's King Philippe met with Bart De Wever, the federal government's lead negotiator, at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Friday. During the meeting, De Wever presented a detailed report on the coalition agreement reached by the future governing partners.

The king extended De Wever's mandate until the new government is officially appointed, with the swearing-in date yet to be announced.

As he left the palace, De Wever declined to comment to the media. This meeting marks a crucial step toward forming a stable governing coalition after months of political deadlock.

The new coalition, known as the "Arizona" alliance, brings together five major parties: the N-VA, the Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V), the socialist Vooruit, the French-speaking Reformist Movement (MR), and the centrist Les Engages. Key priorities include tax reforms, pension changes, and boosting purchasing power, alongside tackling migration policies.

Belgium has been without a federal government since legislative elections in June 2024, prolonging a political deadlock. 
Traditional cancer staging relies on tumor size & spread, but it misses key patient factors. DeepMerkel, an AI-powered tool, provides personalized survival predictions for Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

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A hybrid machine learning approach for the personalized prognostication of aggressive skin cancers



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Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but deadly skin cancer. A new AI-powered tool, DeepMerkel, improves survival predictions by analyzing tumor and patient-specific factors. #CancerTreatment #PrecisionMedicine

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A hybrid machine learning approach for the personalized prognostication of aggressive skin cancers - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-024-01329-9)
Union Budget 2025 prioritizes healthcare with increased funding, expanded medical education, and a strong focus on public health, digital healthcare, and preventive care.

Highlights: Budget Boost: 90,658.63 crore allocated to healthcare, with increased funding for research and infrastructure

90,658.63 crore allocated to healthcare, with increased funding for research and infrastructure Expanded Coverage: Ayushman Bharat to cover more beneficiaries; gig workers to get health insurance

Ayushman Bharat to cover more beneficiaries; gig workers to get health insurance Cancer & Rare Diseases: 36 life-saving drugs exempted from customs duty; 200 new cancer daycare centers planned

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Union Budget Documents 2025-2026



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Did You Know?

36 life-saving drugs for cancer and rare diseases are now fully exempt from customs duty! #healthcare #medindia

36 life-saving drugs for cancer and rare diseases are now fully exempt from customs duty! #healthcare #medindia

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Increased Healthcare Budget Allocation

Rs 87,656.90 crore is designated for the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

is designated for the Department of Health and Family Welfare. Rs 3,001.73 crore is allocated to the Department of Health Research.

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Expansion of Ayushman Bharat Scheme

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Medical Education and Medical Research

Expansion of Public Health Infrastructure

Broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres, enhancing digital healthcare services.

will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres, enhancing digital healthcare services. The National Health Mission remains a priority, accounting for a significant portion of the health budget allocation.

Increased investment in telemedicine and digital health infrastructure, wich includes the expansion of digital health records, telemedicine services, and AI-driven diagnostics. It is expected to improve accessibility to healthcare services in remote areas.

includes the expansion of and It is expected to improve accessibility to healthcare services in remote areas. Several new AIIMS institutions are planned across different states, along with the upgradation of district hospitals into specialized centers. More funds have been allocated for building critical care hospitals and upgrading rural health centers.

Cancer Care and Vaccine Development

Visa to be Eased to Promote Medical Tourism

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Medical Tourism In The Country



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Health Insurance Reforms for Gig Workers

Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives

Focus on Nutrition and Preventive Healthcare

Union Budget Documents 2025-2026 - (https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/) Medical Tourism In The Country - (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2036816)

Comments Dr. Sheetal Jindal



"As India moves towards a more inclusive and accessible healthcare system, the 2025-26 Union Budget introduces several positive initiatives, including the expansion of medical education and the establishment of 200 cancer centres. These measures are a significant step forward in enhancing healthcare infrastructure. However, we at Jindal IVF were hoping for greater attention to reproductive health, particularly fertility treatments like IVF. Affordability continues to be a barrier, especially in smaller cities, and tax incentives or subsidies for assisted reproductive technologies could have made a real difference in easing this financial strain. Additionally, extending insurance coverage to include multiple IVF cycles, which many patients require, remains an area that still needs further consideration. While the governments efforts to expand healthcare access are commendable, we hope that future budgets will also prioritize reproductive health, ensuring that every family has the opportunity to grow and thrive."-
Tiny organisms like bacteria and fungi break down pollutants, purifying air and maintaining environmental balance naturally.

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Quinone extraction drives atmospheric carbon monoxide oxidation in bacteria



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2 BILLION tonnes of #CO2 released yearly?! But wait, tiny microbes eat 250 MILLION of those! Are they our unsung heroes in the fight against #climatechange? #microbes 

Soil Microbes Fight Pollution

Quinone extraction drives atmospheric carbon monoxide oxidation in bacteria - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41589-025-01836-0)

Australian researchers uncover how microbes consume large amounts of carbon monoxide (CO), aiding in reducing levels of this harmful gas ().The latest study led by Monash University researchers showed that microbes consume CO present in the atmosphere by using a special enzyme, called the CO dehydrogenase. This enzyme helps them to extract energy from this universally present but highly toxic gas. The study, published in the journalreveals how this enzyme extracted atmospheric CO and powered cells.This enzyme is used by trillions of microbes in our soils and waters. These microbes consume CO for their own survival, but in the process inadvertently help us, said Ashleigh Kropp, from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institutes (BDI). Dr David Gillett, from the varsity showed that the microbes help clean our atmosphere as well as counteracts air pollution -- a known killer.The findings highlight the essential role played by microbes in both human and planetary health. Yet, because theyre invisible and often misunderstood, their contributions frequently go unnoticed, said the researchers.They noted that microbes were a big reason why air was breathable. They make half the oxygen we breathe and detoxify various pollutants like CO. Its crucial we better understand and appreciate how they support our own survival.Source-IANS
HSSP V is Rwandas health insurance strategy focused on improving healthcare access and quality.

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Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V) 2021-2026



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Rwanda to Accelerate Healthcare Progress



#Rwanda's new #healthplan (HSSP V) focuses on creating a healthier, more productive population. Learn more about their ambitious goals. #healthinsurance

Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP V) 2021-2026 - (https://extranet.who.int/countryplanningcycles/planning-cycle-files/health-sector-strategic-plan-hssp-v-2021-2026)

Rwanda presented its comprehensive plan for advancing towards universal health coverage by 2030.)."With HSSP V, we are not just continuing our progress. We are accelerating it," said Yvan Butera, Rwandan minister of state in the Ministry of Health. "We will expand our health workforce, strengthen primary healthcare, and ensure quality services reach every Rwandan."Rwanda will invest in research, digital health, and biotechnology to modernize the health system, strengthen health security and emergency preparedness, and improve health financing to ensure affordability, he said, Xinhua news agency reported."Screenings for non-communicable diseases are taking shape ... preventing complications very early," Butera said."More recently, we have expanded services that Rwandans can access with Community Health Insurance, notably cancer care, cardiovascular diseases , and kidney transplants "According to the Ministry of Health, Rwanda's community-based health insurance now covers 83.5 percent of the population.Last month, the country announced the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak, initially declared on September 27. The announcement, by Minister of Health Sabin Nsanzimana in Kigali, followed 42 consecutive days with no new cases after the discharge of the last confirmed patient, meeting WHO guidelines. Rwanda recorded its last confirmed case on October 30 and its last Marburg-related death on October 14.Source-IANS
Shenzhou-19 astronauts share details of work and life in space with mission halfway through

Xinhua) 09:08, February 01, 2025

This undated video grab shows Shenzhou-19 astronauts sending their Spring Festival greetings from China's Tiangong space station. (Xinhua)

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- As China's Shenzhou-19 mission reaches its halfway, the three astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station, orbiting 400 kilometers above Earth, have shared their experiences during the Spring Festival, offering a glimpse into their unique lives in space.

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS AND SPACEWALKS

The crew commander Cai Xuzhe, who returned to the space station after about two years, described the feeling as "warm and familiar" in a video released on China's CCTV on Thursday.

This is Cai's second time working and living in China's space station, but his first time celebrating the Spring Festival there. In 2022, he spent six months in space during the Shenzhou-14 mission.

The Shenzhou-19 astronauts entered the space station on Oct. 30, 2024. According to Cai, over the past three months, the crew has completed a series of tasks, including the handover with the Shenzhou-18 crew, routine maintenance of the space station, and two spacewalks.

These extravehicular activities (EVAs), commonly known as spacewalks, are essential for repairs, experiments, and testing equipment outside the station.

Cai emphasized the importance of their training, including system-wide emergency pressure drills and medical rescue exercises.

"These exercises have significantly improved our ability to handle unexpected situations, allowing us to work more efficiently and safely," he said.

Supported by ground teams, the astronauts have also advanced scientific experiments, such as cutting-edge research on human brain organoids and new material exposure tests in the harsh environment of space.

"We are steadily progressing with our scientific missions, focusing on space life science, microgravity physics, space material science, and aerospace medicine," Cai noted.

Song Lingdong, who participated in two spacewalks, shared his awe-inspiring experience.

"Before my first EVA, I imagined what it would be like, but nothing prepared me for the moment I opened the hatch and saw Earth. It was breathtaking," he recalled. "Climbing on the module walls, I felt as if I was walking on clouds."

"I was mesmerized by the beauty of space, but at the same time, I felt the weight of our mission," he added.

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 20, 2025 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Song Lingdong performing extravehicular activities outside China's orbiting space station. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

Their first nine-hour spacewalk proved China's new-generation spacesuits to be both safe and effective, according to Song.

Addressing public curiosity, Song explained how astronauts stay energized during long EVAs. "We eat high-calorie meals beforehand and drink functional beverages during the task. We highly concentrate on the tasks and don't feel hungry," he said.

FAMILY, SPACE, GYM AND PRIDE

Life aboard the space station is not all work. During the Spring Festival, the crew took time to rest, call their families, and capture stunning photos of Earth and space.

"We sent New Year greetings from space and recorded videos to cherish these moments," said Song, who plans to document his experiences for his children.

Wang Haoze, China's first female space engineer working in the space station, expressed pride in China's space achievements, marveling at the sophisticated systems of their "space home."

This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 20, 2025 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Wang Haoze working inside China's orbiting space station. (Xinhua/Liu Fang)

Despite the busy schedule, the astronauts find joy in simple activities. "We float freely like 'sky flyers,' lift heavy objects effortlessly, interact with our AI assistant, and even grow vegetables and raise fruit flies," Wang said.

Wang enjoys writing space diaries. Her favorite pastime, however, is gazing at Earth through the porthole, admiring Earth's landscapes, from vast oceans to majestic mountains.

"Seeing our homeland from space fills me with excitement, pride, and longing," said Wang.

To combat the effects of weightlessness, the crew followed a strict exercise regimen using specialized equipment like the space treadmill, stationary bike and resistance devices.

"These exercises keep our bones, muscles and hearts healthy. And with balanced meals, we feel strong and energized," Wang explained.

The crew also finds time to bond over meals, share humor, and maintain their spirits.

As they celebrated three months in orbit during the Spring Festival, Wang sent a heartfelt message: "May our nation thrive, and may we achieve new heights together, from space to Earth."

This is the third Spring Festival since the full completion of the Chinese space station. Nine crew members from Shenzhou-15, Shenzhou-17 and Shenzhou-19 have welcomed the New Year and the Spring Festival in space.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
A local resident (L) receives a dose of vaccine during a mpox vaccination campaign in Kampala, Uganda on Feb. 1, 2025. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua)

KAMPALA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Saturday launched mpox vaccination campaign targeting high-risk populations in Kampala, the Ugandan capital, the current epicenter of the virus outbreak in the east African country.

Charles Olaro, director general of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua by telephone that phase one of the vaccination exercise, which targets high-risk populations and health workers, aims to stop human-to-human transmission of the highly infectious virus.

The vaccination started in areas intertwined with a web of commercial sex activity, bar attendants, commuter taxi drivers, commercial motorcyclists and roadside vendors in Kawempe and Makindye divisions of Kampala, according to the ministry and World Health Organization (WHO). The exercise will roll out to the other three divisions of Kampala and the central districts of Wakiso and Mukono.

"This vaccination campaign targets the high-risk populations, close contacts of confirmed cases and our frontline health workers currently based in areas with active transmission," said Olaro.

According to health authorities, Uganda has some 2,000 doses of the vaccine donated by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that will cover up to 1,000 individuals.

Uganda, which confirmed the outbreak of the disease last August, had so far recorded 2,479 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases and 16 deaths as of Jan. 28, with the majority of the deceased having underlying medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, diabetes, and sickle cell disease.

WHO in August declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that is spread through close contact, with symptoms including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain. 
Two 3rd Infantry Division soldiers were killed in a nighttime training incident at Fort Stewart, Georgia, a service spokesperson confirmed Friday, underscoring the persistent dangers of military exercises, particularly those involving tactical vehicles.

The incident, which occurred during field exercises late Thursday, involved a single-vehicle crash, according to a statement from the base. Both soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Their identities had not yet been released.

The incident compounds an especially deadly week for the Army, after a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger plane in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, killing three soldiers and all 64 people aboard the civilian plane.

Read Next: Travel Reimbursements for Troops to Get Abortions, Fertility Treatments Nixed by Pentagon

"We are heartbroken about this tragic accident and will do everything we can to support the soldiers' families and friends during this incredibly difficult time," Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said in a statement Friday about the deaths at Fort Stewart. "The entire division extends our deepest condolences to the families of the soldiers who died in this accident."

Maj. Charles Egan, a Fort Stewart spokesperson, said that no other personnel were injured in the accident. Egan declined to comment on the type of vehicle involved in the incident, information that is routinely disclosed to the press following fatal incidents, or any of the circumstances around it.

The names of the deceased soldiers were being withheld until the next of kin could be notified.

Vehicle-related incidents are among the leading causes of death for service members in training, military data has shown. A 2021 Government Accountability Office report found that, from 2010 to 2019, nearly 32% of all military training deaths resulted from ground vehicle mishaps.

The combination of rough terrain, night operations, and the sheer weight of armored vehicles can make those exercises particularly perilous. Soldiers often operate in low-visibility conditions to simulate combat environments, increasing the risk of rollovers and collisions.

One of the top contributors to those incidents involves sleep deprivation. Army policy dictates soldiers must have eight hours of continuous rest in a 24-hour period if they're going to operate a tactical vehicle.

In recent years, several high-profile training accidents have drawn scrutiny to the safety of military vehicle operations.

In 2023, two soldiers with the 11th Airborne Division were killed and 12 were injured when their Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, or LMTV, rolled over while traveling with a convoy in the Yukon Training Area of Alaska. In 2020, nine service members died off the California coast when an amphibious assault vehicle sank during a training exercise.

Related: The Top Killer of Soldiers, Army Vehicle Deaths Are Tied to Poor Training, Though Numbers Down
Two of the three soldiers who were killed Wednesday when their Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger airline have been identified by service and public officials, but the Army on Friday withheld the name of the third service member amid online speculation of the identity.

Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, and Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, were both identified by the governors of their home states.

The name of the third soldier, a captain, killed in the crash will not be released by the Army at the request of the family, a service official familiar with the matter told Military.com on Friday. All three were with Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

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"Mississippi is mourning the loss of Brooksville native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, who was killed in last night's accident at Reagan National Airport," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves posted on X, adding that he and his wife "are praying for the victims' families and first responders who are assisting."

O'Hara graduated from Parkview High School in Georgia and was involved in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, according to local news reports.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our own," a now-inaccessible social media post from the Marine Corps JROTC program said, according to NBC affiliate WYFF 4. "Class of 2014, former cadet Ryan O'Hara was the crew chief on the Black Hawk involved in last night's crash in D.C."

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also offered a message to O'Hara's family on social media.

"We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Ryan O'Hara," Kemp said on X. "This terrible tragedy is that much more difficult knowing their lives were cut so unexpectedly short."

On Friday afternoon, the Department of Defense released information on O'Hara and Eaves.

Eaves and the unnamed captain were both identified as "duty status-whereabouts unknown." O'Hara was "deceased pending positive identification," per the Pentagon. The Associated Press reported Thursday that the bodies of all three soldiers had been recovered, and it wasn't immediately clear why some of the deceased were identified as whereabouts unknown.

Eaves served in the Navy from August 2007 to September 2017, then transitioned to being a UH-60 pilot for the Army, where he served until his death, the Department of Defense statement said.

O'Hara was a UH-60 repairer starting in 2014. He deployed to Afghanistan for six months in 2017.

Jonathan Koziol, the chief of staff of the Army's Aviation Directorate and a retired chief warrant 5, told reporters on Thursday afternoon that the instructor pilot was overseeing an aviator undergoing a mandatory training evaluation; they had approximately 1,500 combined flight hours. The whole crew was very familiar with the flight path.

The Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Eagle Flight 5342 around 9 p.m. Wednesday evening. The plane was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with 60 passengers and four crew members on board. D.C. officials said Thursday that there were no survivors.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump made unfounded claims Thursday morning that diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, practices were, in part, somehow to blame for the tragedy.

"We will have the best and brightest in every position possible," Hegseth said during a White House briefing Thursday. "Whether it's flying Black Hawks and flying airplanes, leading platoons or in government. The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department, and we need the best and brightest, whether it's in our air traffic control or whether it's in our generals, or whether it's throughout the government."

Unfounded online rumors and conspiracy theories emerged about who the third crew member of the Black Hawk helicopter was and incorrectly named Jo Ellis, a transgender pilot and chief warrant officer 2 who is a member of the Virginia National Guard.

"There were no Virginia National Guard personnel on board the Black Hawk that collided with the jetliner Wednesday evening," a Guard spokesperson told Military.com. Ellis is still serving with the Virginia National Guard.

Ellis released a video on Facebook as a proof of life on Friday and to dispel the false narratives and rumors.

"I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false," Ellis said. "It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They don't deserve that. I don't deserve this. And I hope that you all know that I'm alive and well, and this should be sufficient for you all to end all the rumors."

Related: 3 Army Soldiers Killed in Tragic Collision with Passenger Plane Near DC Airport
Investigations into potential toxic exposures of those who work with America's nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles are reaching some of the highest levels of government and the Department of the Air Force, service officials said.

During a town hall meeting updating veterans, family members and current airmen about the ongoing health study into potential links between cancer diagnoses and working with nuclear missiles, Gen. Thomas Bussiere, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, told attendees that acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth and lawmakers have inquired about the investigation.

Ashworth is a former missile combat crew commander for the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, according to his service biography.

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"The congressional interest and support for this effort has not waned; it's actually increased," Bussiere said. "In fact, on the third day in office as the acting secretary of the Air Force, acting Secretary Ashworth requested an update on this study, literally in his third day in the seat."

"You not only have the interest, continued interest, in the uniformed members in the Department of the Air Force, you have the interest and attention of our senior acting political appointees," Bussiere added.

Lt. Col. John Severns, a spokesperson for Air Force Global Strike Command, told Military.com that delegations from the states that house America's ICBM bases -- Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming -- have also expressed interest in the study.

Thursday's town hall is just the latest during the Air Force's likely yearslong health and environmental study. The most recent revelations included information from the National Death Index, a centralized database of death records, that "did not identify statistically elevated mortality" among the missile community, a memo summarizing the study said.

Officials said there is still more information to digest. The next phase of the study will evaluate state cancer registries and a larger pool of data from across the country that "may provide deeper insights into the complex relationship between service in the [missile community] and cancer risk," the memo explaining the latest findings detailed.

"Additionally, efforts to promote health and wellness initiatives tailored to the unique needs of the [missile community] remain crucial in mitigating overall health risks, including cancer, within this community," the memo added.

A widespread study into cancer worries among America's nuclear missile service members began in 2023 when a Space Force Guardian and former missileer compiled a report detailing alarming numbers of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases among those who served at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

The first phase of the study, involving initial data from Department of Defense medical records, showed elevated breast and prostate cancer rates, but broadening the investigation with additional data from the mortality index, as well as Department of Veterans Affairs electronic records and cancer registries, began to show lower rates.

Military.com reported on the worries among current and former missiles and maintainers in a series supported by the Pulitzer Center in which the newsroom revealed that small studies in the 2000s did not thoroughly investigate the concerns in that community as members began to worry that the chemicals they had been exposed to in missile silos had resulted in their cancer diagnoses and other illnesses.

Many of those service members and their families have started to fight for VA benefits, and some have been successful in those claims, Military.com reported.

The Air Force has made changes since the study began, including more frequent workplace inspections, better tracking of potentially toxic exposures, and more in-depth cleaning.

Air Force officials said during the town hall Thursday that a cleaning contract related to polychlorinated biphenyls -- carcinogens known as PCBs that are prevalent in the Cold War-era facilities -- that were detected in some of the Air Force facilities would be in place as soon as next week, pending final approval from the Environmental Protection Agency.

We're not done, but we continue to move forward deliberately in this process, Bussiere said during the town hall.

Related: Air Force Still Not Seeing Higher Cancer Rates Among Missileers as More Data Is Collected
President Donald Trump focused his ire and retaliation on one person in the very first minutes of his presidency, even before his inauguration concluded -- retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, the highest-ranking and most visible officer in the military during the president's first term in office.

On Jan. 20, as Trump was sworn in, Milley's recently unveiled portrait painting from his time as Joint Chiefs chairman was quietly removed from a hallway in the Pentagon that displays portraits of all former chairmen. A week later, another portrait of Milley, a retired Green Beret with more than 40 years of service, from his time as Army chief of staff was removed.

The humiliation wasn't over for Milley. Trump's newly appointed defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced he was ending Milley's security detail and initiating an investigation into the retired general to see whether they could strip him of rank, removing one of his stars in retirement.

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But the final blow for Milley might be the silence after the open retaliation by Trump, who campaigned on punishing his political enemies.

Few have come to Milley's defense and even the military, to which the four-star general had given decades of service, was unwilling to offer any pushback.

One recently retired general noted to Military.com that Milley is "as radioactive as it gets."

Military.com reached out to nearly a dozen current and retired general officers for comment on the actions the Trump administration has taken against Milley. None would speak even under the condition their names be withheld from publication to protect them from retaliation, a common practice in the press to allow officials to speak candidly when their views could draw retribution.

Keeping Milley at a distance, even anonymously, showed the widespread concern that Trump and his allies pose a threat to those who may fall out of step.

The president's effort to erase Milley's history and punish him in retirement appears to be unprecedented in recent history. Trump's allies argue that they are looking to hold Milley accountable for what they see as a betrayal of the president during the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, when Milley reached out to his Chinese counterpart amid the chaos to assure that country that the U.S. was not about to start a military conflict.

In his farewell speech at his retirement, Milley never mentioned Trump by name but pointedly said that service members "don't take an oath to a wannabe dictator.  We don't take an oath to an individual."

"We take an oath to the Constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we're willing to die to protect it," he added.

Milley Wiped from Pentagon History

While removing a portrait may seem like a trivial matter, the Pentagon is not just office space -- its miles of hallways are also living memorials of military history and heritage.

Aside from each service dedicating hallways to their accomplishments and history, memorialized within the Pentagon are hundreds of leaders, heroes and battles that stretch back to the founding of the nation or the creation of the services. There are portraits of the secretaries of war, historical artifacts, and even dioramas so elaborate that one incorporates two Vietnam-era Huey helicopter cabs.

Among those displays are hallways lined with portraits of every chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and, for the Army, a hallway with every chief of staff.

Both hallways now have gaps where Milley's portrait hung -- his service scrubbed from the living timeline of the Defense Department's headquarters. One editorial published Thursday called the move a "Soviet-style" purge.

Still, the response to the removal from all quarters has been an eerie silence.

The Pentagon, despite clearly being part of the effort to remove the portraits, had nothing to say.

Officials at the defense secretary's office said they had no comment on the removal of the first portrait and said to ask the Army about the removal of the second. The Army directed Military.com back to the secretary's office.

The office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, a post now held by Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, also had nothing to say on the matter.

No one in the Pentagon would even say who ordered the removal.

However, more notably, officials and groups that in years past would have rallied around a general under fire have remained silent as well.

Military.com reached out to both the Association of the U.S. Army, or AUSA, and the Military Officers Association of America, MOAA -- groups that advocate for soldiers and military officers, respectively -- and neither wished to say anything about Milley's treatment.

In contrast, when Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., held up the promotions of hundreds of senior military officers in 2023 in an effort to pressure the Pentagon to reverse its policy of covering travel and leave for service members who seek abortions, MOAA readily came to the defense of the generals.

Throughout the nearly yearlong hold, Tuberville argued that the Pentagon had more generals and admirals than it needed and that the military is the weakest it's been in his lifetime.

The head of MOAA, retired Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, said Tuberville's remarks were "insults ... that demean and disrespect the sacrifices they make in defending our nation."

"Future service members are watching this display of political theater and are reconsidering their decision to serve," Kelly wrote of Tuberville in a letter published in November 2023.

Milley's tenure as chairman was certainly rocky, and he was condemned by both Republicans and Democrats at various times for either his views on diversity in the military or his actions amid the violent national protests following the death of George Floyd.

But the biggest rift between the Army general and Trump came after the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6. In the days after the insurrection, Milley made two calls to a Chinese general, Li Zuocheng.

"My task at that time was to deescalate," Milley told senators that year, and explained that he was hoping to calm fears in the Chinese top brass that the U.S. might attack China during the chaos and turmoil of a presidential transition that was being rocked by violence.

Milley was "certain" that the former president "did not intend on attacking the Chinese, and it is my directed responsibility to convey presidential orders and intent," he said.

During his reelection campaign in 2023, Trump claimed Milley would have faced death "in times gone by" for the call.

However, Milley is not the first general to run afoul of his civilian bosses.

In the 1950s, during the Korean War, Gen. Douglas MacArthur clashed with President Harry Truman over the direction the conflict should take. MacArthur eventually ordered his troops to invade North Korea and push past the 38th parallel, scuttling Truman's efforts at a ceasefire.

"This was not the first time the general had ignored direct orders from his commander in chief," the Truman library website said.

MacArthur was relieved of command in April 1951 but returned to a hero's welcome at home. Since 1981, the Pentagon has honored the general with an entire hallway commemorating his life in uniform. Among the displays are MacArthur's medals, uniforms and personal effects.

The display sidesteps his firing and instead simply says one of the military's few five-star generals was ordered to turn over his command.

At the end of Milley's career, there were a few flowery farewells in the press as well. Long articles based on interviews with the general cast him as a defender of the Constitution during a historically trying time for the country.

Milley Investigated, Security Deal Nixed

Beyond the immediate removal of Milley's likeness from the Pentagon, Trump officials also made moves late one Tuesday to revoke the authorization for his security detail and suspended his security clearance.

Hegseth "has also directed the DoD IG to conduct an inquiry into the facts and circumstances surrounding Gen. Milley's conduct so that the secretary may determine whether it is appropriate to reopen his military grade review determination," Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement.

If Milley is ultimately demoted, the corresponding change in retirement payments could add up to a loss in the hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of the rest of his life.

The revoking of Milley's security detail comes at a time when several former Trump officials face threats from Iran stemming from his first administration's hard-line stance against the country -- and specifically the military's killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the elite Revolutionary Guards.

Several Republican lawmakers told hosts of political shows on Sunday that they had real concerns for the safety of John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, two other officials stripped of their security detail by Trump as part of an apparent retaliation campaign.

The Guardian reported that, according to a former senior Biden administration official, the Trump administration was "well aware" of the "active threats" against the former government officials, and they called the move "highly irresponsible."

The move to strip Milley's security managed to elicit some calls of support from Democratic lawmakers.

On Wednesday, Sen. Jack Reed, D.-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that it was "unconscionable and recklessly negligent for President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to revoke Gen. Milley's security detail for their own political satisfaction."

"The administration has placed Milley and his family in grave danger, and they have an obligation to immediately restore his federal protection," Reed added in a written statement.

Meanwhile, Rep. Adam Smith, D.-Wash., the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said that "removing Gen. Milley's security protections sets a dangerous precedent -- one that threatens to have a chilling effect on all those in uniform and those considering service to our country."

On Tuesday, reporters also noted that a portrait of Mark Esper was removed from the hallway of Army secretaries -- the civilian heads of the service. Esper served in the position during the first Trump administration before being named defense secretary.

Trump would later fire him from that post, days after he lost the election to Joe Biden.

Esper had long expected to be fired after being at odds with Trump over several issues, the most notable of which was his resistance to using active-duty troops on protesters during the height of the Black Lives Matter protest movement in 2020.

Esper's portrait as defense secretary, at the time of publication, was still hanging in the Pentagon, just feet from the door to the office now occupied by Pete Hegseth.

Related: Mark Milley's Portrait Disappears from Pentagon on Trump's Inauguration Day
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP)  Hamas militants freed three male hostages held for more than a year in the Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in the fourth such exchange of a ceasefire deal that has halted 15 months of intense fighting.

Militants handed Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, looking pale and thin, was released to the Red Cross later Saturday morning in Gaza City to the north.

All three were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war. Their release brings to 18 the number of hostages released since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19.

The releases were quick and orderly, in contrast to chaotic scenes that unfolded on Thursday when armed militants appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd during a hostage release. In both of Saturdays releases, masked and armed militants stood in lines as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved before being led off and handed over to the Red Cross.

In Tel Avivs Hostages Square, thousands of people gathered to watch the releases being transmitted live on a large screen, waving signs and cheering.

Shortly after Siegel arrived in Israel, a bus departed Ofer Military Prison with some 32 prisoners bound for the West Bank. Crowds of well-wishers greeted the bus, cheering and hoisting the released prisoners on their shoulders in scenes of jubilation.

The Israeli Prison Authority said all 183 Palestinian prisoners slated for release Saturday had been freed. Most, including 111 arrested after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, were released to Gaza. Just over two dozen returned to cheering crowds in the occupied West Bank. Another seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.

Ceasefire brings respite to battered Gaza

The ceasefire is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas. The deal has held for two weeks, allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory and for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to the remnants of their homes in the north of the strip.

During the truce's six-week first phase, a total of 33 Israeli hostages are to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack or have died in captivity.

Also on Saturday, a group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children left Gaza for treatment through the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, in the first opening of the enclave's sole exit since Israel captured it nine months ago. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening.

The reopening of Rafah marked another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Hamas says it wont release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Families and neighbors celebrate return of hostages

Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during a brief 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

There were sighs of relief and cheers in a living room where members of the kibbutz watched Siegel's release. Many of those in the room were family friends, who applauded upon seeing Siegel, while some teared up.

Meanwhile, the release of Bibas, 35, brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who were 4 years old and 9 months old when they were abducted. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on Oct. 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike, but Israel has not confirmed that. Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus special coordinator for returning the hostages, said Israel has grave concern for the lives of Shiri and her sons, and pleaded with negotiators to provide information on their situation.

Kalderon, 54, was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Kalderon's family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

Ofer is coming home! they said, arms lifted to the sky.

Kalderons two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during the November 2023 ceasefire. Family members said they werent able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.

French President Emmanuel Macron said France shares in the relief and joy of Kalderon's return after 483 days of unimaginable hell, adding that France would continue doing all it can to secure the release of another French Israeli hostage still being held in Gaza.

More than 100 of the hostages abducted on Oct. 7 were released during the weeklong Nov. 2023 ceasefire. About 80 more remain in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead.

In the Oct. 7 attack that started the war, some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels retaliatory air and ground war, over half of them women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The Israeli military says it killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because its fighters operate in residential neighborhoods.

___

Isseid contributed from Beitunia, West Bank. Moshe Edri at Reim military base, Israel and Paz Bar in Kfar Saba, Israel, contributed.
The Mets announced that theyve designated infielder Luis De Los Santos for assignment. That creates a 40-man roster spot for Nick Madrigal, who officially signed his one-year free agent contract.

New York had claimed De Los Santos off waivers from the Blue Jays within the first few days of the offseason. The 26-year-old had spent his entire career with the Toronto organization until then. De Los Santos signed with the Jays out of the Dominican Republic in 2015. He played eight seasons in the minors and was called up for the first time after the trade deadline. De Los Santos appeared in 13 games late in the year, hitting .172 with a pair of doubles across 31 plate appearances.

The righty hitter appeared in 43 contests with Triple-A Buffalo last season. He hit .268/.376/.486 over 154 trips to the plate. That improved his career Triple-A batting line to .228/.343/.393 in parts of three seasons. De Los Santos has shown a decent eye (12.7% walk rate) with below-average contact rates at that level. Primarily a shortstop, he has a decent amount of experience at all four infield positions.

New York is likely to put De Los Santos back on waivers within the next few days. He has two option years remaining, so a team could keep him in Triple-A if theyre willing to carry him on the 40-man roster. De Los Santos has never been outrighted and would not have the ability to elect free agency if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
MIDLAND, MI  It may be a small space, but executive chef Erik Swenson is determined to pack a punch with his culinary fare.

Swenson, owner of catering company Flying Trout Grill and the newest business Blu, 134 W. Main St., said its been a dream of his to bring his culinary expertise to a dine-in restaurant.

And its his goal to deliver fresh, flavorful and meticulously plated tapas and brunch dishes.

The community has really wanted us to provide them with a space where they could sit down and enjoy our fare, Swenson said. This opportunity to be right down in downtown Midland has been really exciting.

Flying Trout Grill has been open for about four years, and Swenson said that it will remain open to continue offering the community every genre of food, except fried foods, to create a customized menu for each event.

As for Blu, Swenson said the menu highlights fresh flavors and dishes that the community has been asking for.

We just want to provide a vibe for the guests. Its a nice, quaint space that has an upscale atmosphere with great quality food and top-notch customer service, Swenson said. We just try to provide a different presentation for people and kind of make it fun. We eat with our eyes first.

Once Swenson left the U.S. Marine Corps, he went to culinary school in Portland, Oregon. Then he moved to California for an externship.

After about 10 years in the field, Swenson said he moved back to Michigan and now has two children.

Swenson needed to create a work environment where he could have a flexible schedule and take the children with him if need be.

Thats when the catering company came into play and now with the addition of Blu, Swenson said hes still able to balance his time to continue being present with his children.

Blus menu offers appetizers, such as the mixed olives served in a peacock dish, soups, salads, entrees and desserts.

The weekends bring special menus, such as the Seafood Saturday and the Sunday Chefs Brunch Buffet.

The brunch buffet rotates items, and the seafood menu offers ahi tuna spears, ceviche, crab cakes, crab avocado mango tower and lobster mac, according to the menu.

A Blu Supper Club is launching in March on the first Wednesday of every month where there are 15 spots available for six- and 12-month memberships. The six-month membership costs $500 and the 12-month membership costs $950.

Blu also hosts special event nights, such as Tour of India at Blu, Brazilian & Cuban Blended Evening, Little Italy at Blu, Mother & Son Dinner at Blu, Mom & Me Nighttime Tea and Father & Daughter Dinner at Blu.

Blu is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Evening hours will be added during the summer months.

Blu also offers venue rental on Tuesdays.

For more information about Blu, check out its Facebook page here. If there are any questions, send a message to their Facebook page and they will respond within 24-48 hours.

To learn more about catering from Flying Trout Grill, check out their website here and their Facebook page here.

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Would you like MLive to feature your favorite restaurant in Michigans Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Kaytie Boomer at kboomer@mlive.com.
Search efforts are underway at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Jan. 31, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was "flying too high" when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was "flying too high" when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.

"The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot (roughly 61 meters) limit. That's not really too complicated to understand, is it???" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The allowed maximum altitude for flights over the Potomac River near the Reagan National Airport is 200 feet.

However, the helicopter was last recorded at an approximate altitude of 400 feet before the crash occurred, according to data from Flightradar24.

At a White House press conference on Thursday, Trump said that there were some warnings prior to the midair collision, "but the warnings were given very, very late." Trump also noted that there was "a pilot problem" from the standpoint of the helicopter.

Just a few hours after the collision, Trump reacted to the accident on Truth Social: "Why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane."

The American Airlines plane operating as American Eagle Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members, while three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard the Black Hawk helicopter. Authorities said Thursday that there were no survivors.

As of Thursday evening, over 40 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, U.S. media reported. 

Search efforts are underway at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Jan. 31, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was "flying too high" when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

Search efforts are underway at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Jan. 31, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was "flying too high" when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

Search efforts are underway at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Jan. 31, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was "flying too high" when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
MILTON TOWNSHIP, MI  A 60-year-old man is dead after a single-vehicle crash with a tree on Friday evening in Cass County, police said.

Cass County Sheriffs deputies responded to the crash around 8:07 p.m. in the area of Bell Street and Ironwood Drive in Milton Township, Sheriff Clint Roach said in a news release.

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital, the sheriff said. Later, he was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigators determined that the pickup truck was traveling westbound on Bell when it left the roadway and struck a tree, the sheriff said.

The mans identity has not been released. The crash remains under investigation.
FLINT, MI  A Michigan man is convicted of several felonies related to the brutal assault of a woman in 2020, authorities said.

A Genesee County jury recently found Derek Cordell Garner Sr., 57, guilty of six felonies, Prosecutor David Leyton announced.

On May 2, 2020, Garner attacked a woman who was staying with him for several weeks while visiting the Flint area from out of state, according to testimony. She was in town to appear in court on a custody matter. She viewed Garner as a family friend.

On the day of the attack, the victim and Garner argued about the nature of their relationship, according to testimony. Then the situation turned violent. The attack went on for eight hours.

Garner beat, sexually assaulted and strangled the victim, according to testimony. She tried to escape several times; he chased her and dragged her back into the house. He sexually assaulted the victim three times.

Eventually, the victim jumped out of a first-floor window, according to testimony. She ran, half-naked, through neighbors yards yelling for help while Garner chased her and continued to beat her.

A neighbor heard the cries for help and called 911, according to testimony. They reported that the victim was being strangled.

The victim found safety inside a neighbors home before officers arrived at the scene on Herrick Street around 10:30 p.m., according to testimony.

Upon arrival, the officers found a group gathered on the sidewalk, according to testimony. A woman immediately ran to the officers and pointed at a man, Garner, standing nearby. She said he had violently attacked her.

The victim had swelling and bruising on the left side of her forehead, lips and mouth, according to testimony. Her mouth was covered in blood. Her legs and arms were also bloody.

This woman was severely beaten and traumatized, Leyton said. I cannot imagine what she suffered at the hands of the defendant. Her bravery in cooperating with the police and my office allowed us to seek justice in a courtroom and to hold the defendant accountable for his deplorable actions.

Garner is convicted of assault by strangulation with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; domestic violence, third offense; assault with the intent to commit criminal sexual conduct involving penetration; interference with an electronic communications device; first-degree criminal sexual conduct; and kidnapping. He faces up to life in prison.
GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, MI  Felony warrants have been issued for two people accused of abandoning three dogs to starve in a mobile home, leading to the deaths of two, authorities said.

Jamie Cross, 43, and Bruce Austin, 46, of Grand Blanc Township, allegedly abandoned the dogs on Nov. 11, leaving them inside the home without food or water, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said during a news conference on Friday.

Animal control responded to the residence on Nov. 27  16 days after the dogs were abandoned  and found that two of them were already dead, he said. There were signs that the dogs had scratched and bitten at the door, trying to escape.

Necropsies of the deceased dogs found that they had only dirt, hair and plastic in their stomachs, Swanson said.

The third dog, Bubba, has recovered enough to be placed with a foster, he said. Bubba wont be available for adoption until the owners either relinquish their rights or are convicted.

Felony warrants have been issued for both Cross and Austin, Swanson said. They are each charged with three counts of killing and torturing an animal, a four-year felony; and one count of animal cruelty, a one-year misdemeanor.

The couple is known to frequent the Flint area, Traverse City and Arizona, Swanson said. He is asking anyone who knows their whereabouts to call 911. He also requested that the suspects turn themselves in.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbors iconic Michigan Theater and State Theatre now have their first new leader in more than four decades.

Molly Rowan-Deckart officially began her role at the new executive director and chief executive officer of Marquee Arts on Jan. 6. She took over the roles from Russ Collins, who recently retired after spending more than 40 years in the position.

It hasnt been long, but she said shes already smitten with Michigan.

Related: Husband-and-wife known for their roles in Ann Arbors art scene will retire

Related: Michigan Theater bids bon voyage to longtime director, arts leader

Rowan-Deckart made her first trip to Ann Arbor last October to interview for the position. She quickly fell in love with the city and what Marquee Arts has to offer.

The nonprofits board of trustees, which work to preserve and provide programming for the two historic theaters, then selected her for the role. Rowan-Deckart takes over Marquee Arts, the new brand name for the former Michigan Theater Foundation.

A fried of Rowan-Deckarts actually came across the job posting and thought she would be perfect for the role. As Rowan-Deckart read it, she said she felt it was written for her.

Related: New CEO picked to lead Ann Arbors historic Michigan and State theaters

I was really compelled to apply because I just love sitting at this intersection of arts, culture, film and convening of people, she said. The cherry on top is this beautiful historic theater and this venue that has so many programming opportunities.

Rowan-Deckart brings years of experience and passion for fine and cinematic arts. She previously served as the CEO of the Alliance for the Arts in Florida and was the CEO and founder of the Boise Film Foundation before that.

She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Boise State University, was recognized as an Idaho Woman of the Year and was previously awarded Business Leader of the Year by the Florida Alliance for Arts Education.

After graduating from Boise State, she lobbied to support film production through incentives in Idaho and throughout the Mountain West. It was important for her to help expand employment opportunities for creatives to stay anchored where they are, she said.

I was deeply invested in how cities support creative culture and how workforce development supports creative culture, she said.

Among some of her work, she was focused on passing film rebate legislation. She went on to launch Boise Film Foundation, a nonprofit film foundation to help fund independent productions, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also founded and produced Idaho Horror Film Festival for seven years. Despite horror not being her favorite genre, she said she wanted the festival to highlight local emerging film makers.

Above everything, Rowan-Deckart said she wants Ann Arbor to know she is focused on truly being a collaborator in her new role with Marquee Arts.

The mission behind Marquee Arts speaks for itself, Rowan-Deckart said, adding preservation of the historic theaters will always be at the forefront of everything she does. Her four focuses are preservation, restoration, cultivation and presentation, she said.

The new executive director said its important to learn what the community wants and believes there is room for more live music performances and educational opportunities.

In the next six months, she is focusing on getting to know the community and having Ann Arbor get to know her better, she said, adding there will be some upcoming events for the public.

My door is open, she said. Id love to have conversations in and around the Ann Arbor art scene, Marquee Arts and partnerships (to see) what the possibilities are because Im new to the area.

She said getting to know the community better will help shape her vision for Marquee Arts even further. So far, Rowan-Deckart said Ann Arbors arts and culture scene continues to impress her.

I have to say that the arts and culture community has done just a fantastic job going above and beyond for making me feel welcome, she said.

The mission behind the historic theaters will never stop, Rowan-Deckart said.

I think the biggest thing that I hope to achieve is that Ann Arbor continues to maintain and grow this love for this place and what happens in it, she said.

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ANN ARBOR, MI - Siam Square is bringing its variety of Thai flavors to its new location in Ann Arbor.

The restaurant opened in November 2024 at 883 W. Eisenhower Parkway after moving from its previous Victory Inn and Suites location, which shut down in September after receiving numerous code violations.

As Siam Square was left scrambling to find a new place, Owner Sirintip Beau Pramnoi and her husband, Michael Persa, were given the opportunity to move to West Eisenhower Parkway.

The location previously held a Vietnamese restaurant called VKitchen for nine years before it closed.

Related: Vkitchen closing after 9 years in Ann Arbor. See whats taking its place

Pramnoi has been the owner behind Siam Square since 2019 after taking it over from previous ownership. This new location is a fresh start for the business and has been going well so far, she said.

We have a lot of loyal customers that come here and support us, she said.

The new location is also drawing in many new diners and more dine-in customers than ever before, Persa added.

Despite the move to a smaller location, customers can still expect to find the same Thai flavors.

Siam Square serves a variety dishes, including appetizers like spring rolls, Crab Rangoon and Thai buffalo wings as well as soups, salads, noodles, rice, curry and many different house specialties.

Pramnoi said her goal is to always bring traditional Thai flavors to Siam Square. She has a lot of favorites on the menu, but she has a soft spot for the house specials.

The house specialties are served with steamed rice and even include Siam Squares popular crispy roasted pork, which is fried with red and green peppers, chili garlic sauce and basil.

I cant believe how much they sell of it, Persa said.

Persa said his go-to meal at Siam Square is the Pad Bai Kaprao which features minced chicken stir-fried with peppers and basil in chili garlic sauce.

Customers can choose the spice level of any dish with options for mild, medium, hot or Thai hot which Persa jokes may have smoke come out of your ears.

The curry selection at Siam Square also brings in a lot of people, Persa said. One of Pramnois favorites is the Masamon Curry which is sauteed with the customers choice of meat, coconut milk, onions, carrots, bell peppers and lime leaves.

Siam Square also features two versions of Pad Thai. The couple said one appeals to the American palette, while the Thai-style one is made with Tamarind sauce.

There more of a citrus type of flavor to it, Persa said. Its a little bit more sour.

All of Siam Squares sauces for their dishes are made in house which Persa said truly adds the restaurants own flavor to its menu.

The couple is still getting settled in their new location, but they shared their Thai restaurant experience isnt stopping there. They plan to bring another Thai restaurant to Ann Arbor in hopefully six months with a liquor license, Persa said, adding more details will come in the next few months.

Siam Square is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. Learn more online, on social media or by the phone at 734-975-4541.

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FLINT, MI -- Flint native Carrie Shaltz Haslups feet-first baby clothes just got a $100,000 boost from a new partner -- fashion and branding expert Daymond John.

Appearing on ABCs Shark Tank broadcast on Friday, Jan. 31, Haslup pitched her sustainably sourced, organic cotton outfits to a panel of wealthy sharks and John, who founded FUBU, bit.

John offered -- and Shaltz Haslup accepted -- $100,000 for a 33.3% ownership interest in Tabeeze, which she founded in late 2021.

Tabeeze sells onesies, bodysuits and rompers that go on babies from the bottom up with snaps on the shoulders, avoiding the struggle of pulling clothing over a babys head, arms and shoulders.

This is a hard one ... (but) your passion is so strong, John said.

Thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs have made pitches on Shark Tank since the show began in 2009, including the founders of companies like Bombas and Scrub Daddy.

Participants try to convince the celebrity sharks to part with their own cash in exchange for a share of the companies and the start-ups get the funding they need to take their companies to the next level.

Shaltz Haslup, an architect by training, has been leading Tabeeze since founding it. She ships orders from her home in Glendale, California.

The company contracts with factories following fair labor laws to manufacture the clothing, which is Fair Trade certified and certified organic. The company donates 1% of gross sales to environmental causes.

The products are primarily sold on the companys website and are available in a few small shops.

When my niece was born, I watched my brother and sister-in-law struggle to get her in and out of baby clothes, Shaltz Haslup said in her pitch on the Shark Tank Friday. Her head was big, her neck was fragile, and her little arms fought them every step of the way ...

She would cry. They would cry. Even I wanted to cry. It was so stressful. All I could think was, Why are these ding dongs trying to stuff her into a sausage casing six times a day? " she said. Why didnt they buy the ones that avoid her head and arms altogether?
MONTCALM COUNTY, MI  A West Michigan man has died from injuries suffered in a crash after he drove the wrong way on U.S. 131 on Friday, causing a head-on collision.

Michigan State Police said the driver was a 71-year-old man from Newaygo but did not release his name.

The wrong-way crash happened at 3:40 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, on northbound U.S. 131 near Kendaville Road in Montcalm County, according to state police. All northbound lanes of the freeway were closed for several hours on Friday evening because of the crash.

RELATED: Wrong-way driver crashes on U.S. 131, closing freeway

Witnesses said the Newaygo man got onto U.S. 131 driving south in the northbound lanes and was traveling at high speeds. He crashed into the another vehicle that was driven by a 50-year-old woman from Grand Rapids. The womans 11-year-old son was a passenger in the car.

The Newaygo man was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries, state police said.

The woman and her son were also hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The fatal crash remains under investigation by Michigan State Police.
CLARE COUNTY, MI  A Michigan man is accused of trying to burn his own house down and destroying multiple cars and sheds in a fire, police say.

Cameron Hill, 36, was arrested Saturday, Jan. 25, after he allegedly started several fires on his property, according to a news release from the Clare County Sheriffs Office. The Hayes Township man was arraigned this week on one count of second degree arson and one count of third degree arson.

Firefighters arrived to find several different fires burning in the yard and saw Hill trying to start more fires, according to the release.

Hill allegedly lit several vehicles on fire, one of which he owned and two that were owned by a family member. He also set two sheds ablaze on his property. Police said Hill had poured gasoline inside his home and was trying to light the gas on fire to try and burn the house down, according to the release.

Hill was unsuccessful in his effort to completely burn the house down, but the home did sustain damage from the fire and smoke, the sheriffs office said.

The vehicles, sheds and its contents were destroyed by the fires, according to the release.

No one was injured in the fires, authorities said.

Hill was arrested and lodged in the Clare County Jail, and he later was arraigned in 80th District Court. His bond was set at $1 million.

In Michigan, second degree arson is defined as when a subject willfully or maliciously burns, damages or destroys by fire a dwelling regardless of whether it is occupied or unoccupied by fire or explosion. Third degree arson involves willfully burning, destroying, or damaging by fire or explosion any building or structure, or its contents having a value of $20,000 or more. It doesnt matter if the person owns the building, property or its contents, according to the release.
InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE:IIP.UN  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$9.63 and last traded at C$9.70, with a volume of 140644 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at C$9.75.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on IIP.UN. National Bankshares upped their price objective on shares of InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from C$14.75 to C$15.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from C$15.00 to C$14.00 in a report on Monday, October 28th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from C$16.50 to C$15.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. Raymond James cut their target price on InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from C$14.00 to C$13.00 in a report on Monday, January 13th. Finally, TD Securities raised shares of InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a C$14.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$14.56.

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InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust Stock Down 0.5 %

InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust Dividend Announcement

The stock has a fifty day moving average price of C$10.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$11.58. The company has a market cap of C$1.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -488.50 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 63.59, a current ratio of 0.43 and a quick ratio of 0.04.

The company also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, February 18th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 18th will be issued a dividend of $0.0331 per share. This represents a $0.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.07%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 31st. InterRent Real Estate Investment Trusts dividend payout ratio is -1,900.00%.

About InterRent Real Estate Investment Trust

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InterRent?REIT is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust engaged in increasing Unitholder value and creating a growing and sustainable distribution?through the acquisition and ownership of multi-residential properties. InterRents strategy is to expand its portfolio primarily within?markets that have exhibited stable market vacancies,?sufficient suites available to attain the critical mass necessary to implement?an efficient portfolio management structure, and?offer opportunities for accretive acquisitions.

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Stellar AfricaGold Inc. (CVE:SPX  Get Free Report) was up 21.4% during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as C$0.09 and last traded at C$0.09. Approximately 453,600 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 394% from the average daily volume of 91,870 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.07.

Stellar AfricaGold Stock Down 4.8 %

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$0.08 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$0.08. The firm has a market cap of C$2.41 million, a PE ratio of -2.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 2.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 201.45.

About Stellar AfricaGold

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Stellar AfricaGold Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada, Republic of Mali, and the Kingdom of Morocco. The company primarily explores for gold deposits. Stellar AfricaGold Inc was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

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OTTAWA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday Canada is ready to deliver a "purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate" response if U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian imports, local media reported.

According to CBC News, the prime minister, delivering remarks at a meeting of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations in Toronto, said his country is ready for any scenario.

"It's not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act," Trudeau was quoted as saying.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are all in the U.S. capital making a final diplomatic push to convince Republican lawmakers and Trump's team to sway the president, said the report.

Trump is expected to announce tariffs against Canada on Saturday. Trudeau previously said Canada would push back and match the tariffs on the Canadian side dollar-for-dollar. 
Concord Asset Management LLC VA lifted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 5.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 15,944 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after purchasing an additional 756 shares during the quarter. Concord Asset Management LLC VAs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $1,803,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ABT. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 3.1% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 76,720,429 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $8,746,896,000 after acquiring an additional 2,323,807 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.4% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 34,903,198 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $3,963,974,000 after acquiring an additional 488,764 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 25,810,977 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $2,942,709,000 after purchasing an additional 280,441 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 25.6% during the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 13,319,347 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $1,518,539,000 after purchasing an additional 2,711,586 shares during the period. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 5.6% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 11,102,204 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $1,265,762,000 after purchasing an additional 585,915 shares during the period. 75.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE:ABT opened at $127.69 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $116.37 and a two-hundred day moving average of $114.17. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $99.71 and a 52-week high of $129.85. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The company has a market capitalization of $221.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.73.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.34. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.19 EPS. The firms revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be given a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.85%. This is an increase from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is presently 30.85%.

Insider Transactions at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total transaction of $3,054,573.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares in the company, valued at $16,152,064.50. This represents a 15.90 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ABT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories to $136.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 2nd. Piper Sandler upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $131.00 to $133.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 17th. Oppenheimer assumed coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Tuesday, October 8th. They set an outperform rating and a $130.00 price target for the company. Finally, Argus upgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $133.06.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Abbott Laboratories

Abbott Laboratories Profile

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Menieres disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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Admiral Group plc (LON:ADM  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week low on Thursday . The company traded as low as GBX 27.53 ($0.34) and last traded at GBX 2,727 ($33.80), with a volume of 222857 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 2,754 ($34.13).

Admiral Group Stock Down 0.1 %

The stock has a market capitalization of 8.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 2,063.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.18. The business has a 50-day moving average of GBX 2,619.01 and a 200-day moving average of GBX 2,683.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 114.95, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.56.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Admiral Group

In other news, insider Justine Roberts purchased 1,044 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 16th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,650 ($32.84) per share, for a total transaction of 27,666 ($34,286.78). Company insiders own 18.30% of the companys stock.

Admiral Group Company Profile

Admiral Group plc is an established financial services provider offering motor, household, travel and pet insurance, as well as personal lending products, trading in five countries, namely the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the US. Founded in 1993, Admiral has grown to become an established multinational and multi-product insurer and is proud to be Wales only FTSE 100 Company.

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Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK  Get Free Report) SVP Andrea L. Schneider sold 1,830 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.32, for a total value of $134,175.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 20,286 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,487,369.52. This trade represents a 8.27 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Alaska Air Group Stock Down 1.8 %

ALK stock traded down $1.31 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $73.12. 2,980,781 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,911,309. The firms 50-day moving average is $63.31 and its 200-day moving average is $49.23. The company has a market cap of $9.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.97, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.04, a current ratio of 0.61 and a quick ratio of 0.58. Alaska Air Group, Inc. has a 12 month low of $32.62 and a 12 month high of $74.70.

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Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 22nd. The transportation company reported $0.97 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.45 by $0.52. Alaska Air Group had a return on equity of 14.66% and a net margin of 3.37%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Alaska Air Group, Inc. will post 6.03 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ALK. Evercore ISI cut their price target on Alaska Air Group from $60.00 to $55.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Alaska Air Group from $58.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Melius raised Alaska Air Group from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $56.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Alaska Air Group from $70.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Bank of America raised their price objective on Alaska Air Group from $70.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, January 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $74.86.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Alaska Air Group

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Alaska Air Group

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Plan Group Financial LLC grew its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Plan Group Financial LLC now owns 8,136 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $527,000 after acquiring an additional 257 shares in the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 627,685 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $40,643,000 after acquiring an additional 20,796 shares in the last quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP grew its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 110.2% in the 4th quarter. Capital Performance Advisors LLP now owns 3,118 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $202,000 after acquiring an additional 1,635 shares in the last quarter. Nkcfo LLC bought a new position in shares of Alaska Air Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,101,000. Finally, Allworth Financial LP grew its holdings in shares of Alaska Air Group by 41.0% in the 4th quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 4,076 shares of the transportation companys stock valued at $275,000 after acquiring an additional 1,186 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 81.90% of the companys stock.

Alaska Air Group Company Profile

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Alaska Air Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates airlines. It operates through three segments: Mainline, Regional, and Horizon. The company offers scheduled air transportation services on Boeing jet aircraft for passengers and cargo in the United States, and in parts of Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, and the Bahamas; and for passengers across a shorter distance network within the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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Ariana Resources plc (LON:AAU  Get Free Report)s share price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 2.16 ($0.03) and traded as low as GBX 1.70 ($0.02). Ariana Resources shares last traded at GBX 1.73 ($0.02), with a volume of 5,675,613 shares changing hands.

Ariana Resources Stock Up 5.9 %

The company has a market cap of 33.42 million, a P/E ratio of 335.00 and a beta of 0.65. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 2.02 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 2.16.

Ariana Resources Company Profile

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Ariana Resources plc engages in acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resources in Turkey. The company explores for gold, nickel, cobalt, uranium, zinc, silver, copper, and molybdenum deposits. Its projects include the Kiziltepe Gold-Silver mine and Tavsan gold project located in western Turkey; and Salinbas gold project located in north-eastern Turkey.

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Ausbil Investment Management Ltd increased its stake in shares of Primerica, Inc. (NYSE:PRI  Free Report) by 20.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 3,030 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 523 shares during the quarter. Ausbil Investment Management Ltds holdings in Primerica were worth $837,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in PRI. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new stake in Primerica in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Prospera Private Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Primerica in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. UMB Bank n.a. increased its holdings in Primerica by 85.9% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 145 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $38,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC raised its position in Primerica by 56.8% during the third quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 149 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP raised its position in Primerica by 629.2% during the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 350 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $93,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares in the last quarter. 90.88% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CEO Glenn J. Williams sold 3,000 shares of Primerica stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $301.27, for a total transaction of $903,810.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 36,322 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,942,728.94. The trade was a 7.63 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. 0.85% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Piper Sandler dropped their price target on shares of Primerica from $313.00 to $300.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 18th. StockNews.com lowered Primerica from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday. TD Cowen boosted their target price on Primerica from $314.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lowered their price target on Primerica from $320.00 to $315.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Primerica in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. They issued a market perform rating and a $311.00 price objective for the company. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $304.14.

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Primerica Stock Down 0.4 %

Shares of PRI stock opened at $290.14 on Friday. Primerica, Inc. has a 12 month low of $184.76 and a 12 month high of $307.91. The firm has a market cap of $9.68 billion, a PE ratio of 22.16 and a beta of 1.11. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $284.59 and a 200-day moving average of $272.66.

Primerica (NYSE:PRI  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The financial services provider reported $5.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $4.81 by $0.87. The firm had revenue of $774.13 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $745.25 million. Primerica had a net margin of 14.95% and a return on equity of 30.93%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $4.28 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Primerica, Inc. will post 19.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Primerica announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Thursday, November 14th that permits the company to buyback $450.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization permits the financial services provider to reacquire up to 4.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Primerica Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, December 12th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 21st were paid a $0.90 dividend. This represents a $3.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.24%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, November 21st. Primericas payout ratio is presently 27.50%.

Primerica Profile

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Primerica, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services to middle-income households in the United States and Canada. The company operates in four segments: Term Life Insurance; Investment and Savings Products; Senior Health; and Corporate and Other Distributed Products.

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Brunswick (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) updated its first quarter 2025 earnings guidance on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 0.150-0.250 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.080. The company issued revenue guidance of $1.0 billion-$1.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $1.3 billion. Brunswick also updated its FY 2025 guidance to 3.500-5.000 EPS.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on BC. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their target price on Brunswick from $95.00 to $86.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Brunswick from $92.00 to $85.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday. DA Davidson decreased their price target on shares of Brunswick from $80.00 to $60.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Roth Mkm lowered their target price on Brunswick from $91.00 to $85.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Finally, Benchmark decreased their price objective on Brunswick from $100.00 to $90.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $81.85.

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Brunswick Price Performance

Shares of BC stock opened at $67.45 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.17, a current ratio of 1.97 and a quick ratio of 0.74. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $70.37 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $76.57. The company has a market capitalization of $4.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.78 and a beta of 1.54. Brunswick has a one year low of $62.64 and a one year high of $96.65.

Brunswick (NYSE:BC  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.06. Brunswick had a net margin of 5.02% and a return on equity of 19.15%. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.45 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Brunswick will post 4.51 EPS for the current year.

About Brunswick

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Brunswick Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets recreation products in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Propulsion, Engine P&A, Navico Group, and Boat. The Propulsion segment provides outboard, sterndrive, inboard engines, propulsion-related controls, rigging, and propellers for boat builders through marine retail dealers under the Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, Mariner, Mercury Racing, Mercury Diesel, Avator, and Fliteboard brands.

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Burcon NutraScience Co. (TSE:BU  Get Free Report) (NYSE:BUR) shares were up 5.6% on Friday . The company traded as high as C$0.10 and last traded at C$0.10. Approximately 254,271 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 182% from the average daily volume of 90,183 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.09.

Burcon NutraScience Stock Up 5.6 %

The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$0.09 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is C$0.14. The stock has a market capitalization of C$13.50 million, a P/E ratio of -0.45 and a beta of 2.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 187.90, a quick ratio of 1.71 and a current ratio of 5.63.

Burcon NutraScience Company Profile

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Burcon NutraScience Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops plant proteins and ingredients for use in the food and beverage industries in Canada. The company offers Peazazz and Peazac, a pea protein for use in dairy alternatives, ready-to-drink beverages, dry blended beverages, bars, baked goods, and meat substitute products.

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Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI  Get Free Report) (TSE:CNR) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, January 31st,Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be paid a dividend of 0.6159 per share by the transportation company on Monday, March 31st. This represents a $2.46 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.36%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 10th. This is a positive change from Canadian National Railways previous quarterly dividend of $0.61.

Canadian National Railway has increased its dividend payment by an average of 10.9% annually over the last three years. Canadian National Railway has a payout ratio of 37.3% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Canadian National Railway to earn $5.72 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.35 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 41.1%.

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Canadian National Railway Stock Performance

CNI opened at $104.58 on Friday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $104.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $110.96. The company has a market cap of $65.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.49, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96. Canadian National Railway has a 52-week low of $98.96 and a 52-week high of $134.02.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Canadian National Railway ( NYSE:CNI Get Free Report ) (TSE:CNR) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The transportation company reported $1.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.39 by ($0.09). Canadian National Railway had a net margin of 31.65% and a return on equity of 23.62%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Canadian National Railway will post 5.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. TD Securities raised Canadian National Railway from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, January 13th. Benchmark reiterated a hold rating on shares of Canadian National Railway in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Citigroup raised shares of Canadian National Railway from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the stock from $126.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on shares of Canadian National Railway from $131.00 to $124.00 and set a sell rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Evercore ISI raised shares of Canadian National Railway from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and four have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Canadian National Railway presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $124.19.

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About Canadian National Railway

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Canadian National Railway Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the rail, intermodal, trucking, and marine transportation and logistics business in Canada and the United States. The company provides rail services, which include equipment, custom brokerage services, transloading and distribution, business development and real estate, and private car storage services; and intermodal services, such as temperature controlled cargo, port partnerships, and logistics parks.

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China Literature Limited (OTCMKTS:CHLLF  Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,469,100 shares, a decrease of 22.6% from the December 31st total of 3,189,500 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 24,691.0 days.

China Literature Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS CHLLF remained flat at $3.53 during mid-day trading on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $3.56 and a 200 day moving average price of $3.46. China Literature has a twelve month low of $3.47 and a twelve month high of $3.67.

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China Literature Company Profile

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China Literature Limited, an investment holding company, operates an online literature platform in the People's Republic of China. The company promotes intellectual properties primarily through its online literature platforms, such as QQ Reading and Qidian; and New Classics Media, a film and TV drama series production house.

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Coerente Capital Management lessened its stake in shares of Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL  Free Report) by 0.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 251,599 shares of the companys stock after selling 220 shares during the period. Colgate-Palmolive makes up about 4.3% of Coerente Capital Managements holdings, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Coerente Capital Managements holdings in Colgate-Palmolive were worth $22,873,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp boosted its position in Colgate-Palmolive by 3.8% during the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 48,436,276 shares of the companys stock worth $5,028,170,000 after purchasing an additional 1,784,411 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Colgate-Palmolive by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 20,193,331 shares of the companys stock worth $2,095,325,000 after buying an additional 552,949 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its stake in Colgate-Palmolive by 6.2% in the 3rd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 9,526,990 shares of the companys stock valued at $988,997,000 after buying an additional 557,492 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC raised its holdings in Colgate-Palmolive by 38.7% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,644,189 shares of the companys stock worth $793,542,000 after acquiring an additional 2,132,747 shares during the period. Finally, FMR LLC lifted its position in Colgate-Palmolive by 65.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 6,749,275 shares of the companys stock worth $700,642,000 after acquiring an additional 2,674,807 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.41% of the companys stock.

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Colgate-Palmolive Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:CL opened at $86.64 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.46, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.68. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $91.35 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $97.17. Colgate-Palmolive has a fifty-two week low of $82.68 and a fifty-two week high of $109.30. The stock has a market capitalization of $70.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 0.44.

Colgate-Palmolive Dividend Announcement

Colgate-Palmolive ( NYSE:CL Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.90 by $0.01. Colgate-Palmolive had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 405.81%. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.87 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Colgate-Palmolive will post 3.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 21st will be paid a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, January 21st. Colgate-Palmolives dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 57.31%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CL has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Barclays dropped their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $96.00 to $83.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 17th. UBS Group dropped their price target on Colgate-Palmolive from $112.00 to $104.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Colgate-Palmolive from $109.00 to $103.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and set a $101.00 target price on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of Colgate-Palmolive from $110.00 to $100.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Colgate-Palmolive currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $102.00.

Read Our Latest Analysis on Colgate-Palmolive

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Stanley J. Sutula III sold 45,410 shares of Colgate-Palmolive stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $94.11, for a total value of $4,273,535.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 36,726 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,456,283.86. The trade was a 55.29 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.34% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Colgate-Palmolive Profile

(Free Report)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items.

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A memorial for the victims of the plane crash is displayed at the Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Massachusetts, the United States, on Jan. 30, 2025. Six of the crash victims were affiliated with the club. An American Airlines regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter with three U.S. Army soldiers on Wednesday while landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. (Photo by Ziyu Julian Zhu/Xinhua)

People welcome a released Palestinian prisoner in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Jan. 30, 2025. Palestinian militants in Gaza, led by Hamas, released eight hostages, three Israelis and five Thais, on Thursday. But Israel delayed the release of 110 Palestinian prisoners in a swap agreed under the ongoing temporary ceasefire, citing chaotic scenes during the handover. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Maxime (1st L) and Liza, tourists from Switzerland, show a piece of souvenir they purchased at a Spring Festival temple fair in Ditan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 29, 2025. As the Chinese people are celebrating the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, they have been joined this year by an increased number of foreign tourists, who have come to experience Chinese culture following the implementation of a new visa-free transit policy. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people rowing among trees at Haihong Wetland Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

This photo shows a scene during the "Sunset Party" in Jiangjunshan International Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

Folk artists perform a molten iron firework show at a park in Handan City, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025 shows tourists enjoying themselves at a snow town scenic spot during the Spring Festival holiday in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

People enjoy a lion dance during the Spring Festival holiday at Lanshangen scenic spot in Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 30, 2025. (Photo by Jiang Hua/Xinhua)

People perform during a parade in celebration of the Chinese New Year in Macao, south China, Jan. 31, 2025. A parade was held Friday by the Macao Government Tourism Office in Macao to celebrate the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)
StockNews.com cut shares of Community Healthcare Trust (NYSE:CHCT  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report issued on Friday.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. Piper Sandler boosted their target price on shares of Community Healthcare Trust from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, October 31st. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of Community Healthcare Trust from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Community Healthcare Trust presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $21.25.

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Read Our Latest Analysis on CHCT

Community Healthcare Trust Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:CHCT opened at $19.83 on Friday. Community Healthcare Trust has a 12-month low of $15.06 and a 12-month high of $28.10. The business has a 50 day moving average of $18.97 and a 200-day moving average of $18.99. The stock has a market cap of $560.00 million, a PE ratio of -220.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.68.

Community Healthcare Trust (NYSE:CHCT  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.43 by ($0.39). The firm had revenue of $29.64 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $29.06 million. Community Healthcare Trust had a negative net margin of 0.39% and a negative return on equity of 0.09%. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.63 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Community Healthcare Trust will post 1.84 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CHCT. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in Community Healthcare Trust by 1,395.6% during the third quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 492,063 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $8,931,000 after purchasing an additional 459,163 shares in the last quarter. Phocas Financial Corp. bought a new position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust in the 3rd quarter valued at $3,689,000. Systematic Financial Management LP increased its stake in shares of Community Healthcare Trust by 25.0% in the 3rd quarter. Systematic Financial Management LP now owns 936,753 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $17,002,000 after purchasing an additional 187,510 shares during the last quarter. Graham Capital Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust during the 3rd quarter worth $2,650,000. Finally, Algert Global LLC lifted its position in shares of Community Healthcare Trust by 534.3% during the 3rd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 113,440 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,059,000 after buying an additional 95,557 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.84% of the companys stock.

Community Healthcare Trust Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Community Healthcare Trust Incorporated (the Company, we, our) was organized in the State of Maryland on March 28, 2014. The Company is a fully-integrated healthcare real estate company that owns and acquires real estate properties that are leased to hospitals, doctors, healthcare systems or other healthcare service providers.

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Direct Line Insurance Group plc (LON:DLG  Get Free Report) insider Jane Poole acquired 56 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 27th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of GBX 267 ($3.31) per share, for a total transaction of 149.52 ($185.30).

Jane Poole also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, December 27th, Jane Poole bought 59 shares of Direct Line Insurance Group stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of GBX 253 ($3.14) per share, with a total value of 149.27 ($184.99).

Direct Line Insurance Group Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of Direct Line Insurance Group stock opened at GBX 267.80 ($3.32) on Friday. The firms 50 day moving average is GBX 239.42 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 201.26. The firm has a market capitalization of 3.48 billion, a PE ratio of 1,164.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.42. Direct Line Insurance Group plc has a 1 year low of GBX 147.10 ($1.82) and a 1 year high of GBX 269.80 ($3.34). The company has a current ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 20.04.

About Direct Line Insurance Group

Direct Line Insurance Group plc engages in the provision of general insurance products and services in the United Kingdom. The company operates through Motor, Home, Rescue and Other Personal Lines, and Commercial segments. It offers motor, home, van, landlord, rescue, pet, tradesperson, business, creditor and select, and travel insurance products, as well as commercial insurance for small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Distil Plc (LON:DIS  Get Free Report) rose 7.8% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as GBX 0.10 ($0.00) and last traded at GBX 0.10 ($0.00). Approximately 110,577 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 99% from the average daily volume of 9,723,045 shares. The stock had previously closed at GBX 0.09 ($0.00).

Distil Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 3.47 and a quick ratio of 2.74. The companys fifty day moving average price is GBX 0.12 and its 200 day moving average price is GBX 0.21. The company has a market cap of 995,630.00, a PE ratio of 17.50 and a beta of 0.61.

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Distil (LON:DIS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The company reported GBX (0.08) ($0.00) EPS for the quarter. Distil had a negative net margin of 76.63% and a negative return on equity of 17.72%. On average, equities research analysts predict that Distil Plc will post 0.0084848 earnings per share for the current year.

Distil Company Profile

Distil Plc, together its subsidiaries, engages in the marketing and sale of spirits. The company offers its products under various brands, including RedLeg Spiced Rum, Blackwoods Vintage Gin, Blackwoods Vodka, Blavod Original Black Vodka, TRVE Botanical Spirit, and Diva Vodka. It markets and sells its products in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Spain, Australia, and Russia.

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Everett Harris & Co. CA lowered its position in American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 0.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 7,093 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 45 shares during the period. Everett Harris & Co. CAs holdings in American Express were worth $2,105,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Prospera Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in American Express during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Kennebec Savings Bank purchased a new position in American Express during the third quarter valued at $29,000. True Wealth Design LLC increased its holdings in American Express by 332.0% in the 3rd quarter. True Wealth Design LLC now owns 108 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the last quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. purchased a new stake in American Express in the 3rd quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of American Express during the third quarter valued at about $46,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.33% of the companys stock.

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American Express Stock Performance

AXP opened at $317.12 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $304.66 and a two-hundred day moving average of $276.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $223.40 billion, a PE ratio of 22.64, a P/E/G ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a current ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64. American Express has a 12-month low of $199.88 and a 12-month high of $326.27.

American Express Announces Dividend

American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 24th. The payment services company reported $3.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.00 by $0.04. American Express had a net margin of 15.36% and a return on equity of 32.65%. On average, analysts anticipate that American Express will post 15.3 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 3rd. This represents a $2.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.88%. American Expresss payout ratio is 19.99%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have issued reports on AXP. HSBC lifted their price objective on American Express from $270.00 to $294.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Friday, January 24th. BTIG Research upped their target price on shares of American Express from $266.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research report on Friday, January 24th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on American Express from $305.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday. Monness Crespi & Hardt boosted their target price on American Express from $330.00 to $355.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Compass Point reduced their target price on shares of American Express from $325.00 to $309.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 27th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $296.38.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on American Express

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Caillec Christophe Le sold 6,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $303.48, for a total value of $1,820,880.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 6,433 shares in the company, valued at $1,952,286.84. This trade represents a 48.26 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Raymond Joabar sold 15,179 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $313.94, for a total value of $4,765,295.26. Following the sale, the insider now owns 23,866 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,492,492.04. The trade was a 38.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.12% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

About American Express

(Free Report)

American Express Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as integrated payments company in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Canada, the Caribbean, and Internationally. It operates through four segments: U.S. Consumer Services, Commercial Services, International Card Services, and Global Merchant and Network Services.

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F & M Bank (OTCMKTS:FMBM  Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The financial services provider reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, Zacks reports. F & M Bank had a net margin of 7.48% and a return on equity of 6.69%.

F & M Bank Trading Up 0.4 %

Shares of F & M Bank stock opened at $20.00 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The firm has a market cap of $70.60 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.69 and a beta of 0.37. F & M Bank has a twelve month low of $15.15 and a twelve month high of $23.84. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $20.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $21.09.

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F & M Bank Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be paid a $0.26 dividend. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.20%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. F & M Banks payout ratio is currently 66.24%.

About F & M Bank

F & M Bank Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Farmers & Merchants Bank that provides financial products and services to consumers and businesses in Virginia. The company offers commercial and individual demand and time deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, internet and mobile banking services, and drive-in banking services.

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GFS Advisors LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Poland ETF (NYSEARCA:EPOL  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 20,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $417,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Main Management LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI Poland ETF by 66.7% in the third quarter. Main Management LLC now owns 1,442 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 577 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI Poland ETF by 20.8% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,348 shares of the companys stock valued at $107,000 after acquiring an additional 750 shares during the period. National Bank of Canada FI bought a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Poland ETF in the 3rd quarter worth $233,000. Apollon Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Poland ETF by 38.8% during the 3rd quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 21,768 shares of the companys stock worth $528,000 after purchasing an additional 6,085 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC bought a new stake in iShares MSCI Poland ETF during the second quarter valued at about $739,000.

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iShares MSCI Poland ETF Price Performance

EPOL opened at $23.63 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $316.64 million, a PE ratio of 7.09 and a beta of 1.12. The businesss 50-day moving average is $22.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $22.97. iShares MSCI Poland ETF has a 1 year low of $20.71 and a 1 year high of $26.09.

iShares MSCI Poland ETF Profile

The iShares MSCI Poland ETF (EPOL) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Poland IMI 25-50 index, a market-cap-weighted index of the broader Polish equity market. EPOL was launched on May 25, 2010 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Micro-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:IWC  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund acquired 28,722 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $3,745,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in IWC. Bristlecone Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Micro-Cap ETF in the third quarter valued at $46,000. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Micro-Cap ETF by 139.5% during the 3rd quarter. Aptus Capital Advisors LLC now owns 412 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of iShares Micro-Cap ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $105,000. Joel Isaacson & Co. LLC acquired a new stake in iShares Micro-Cap ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at about $211,000. Finally, Wesbanco Bank Inc. bought a new position in iShares Micro-Cap ETF during the third quarter worth about $226,000.

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iShares Micro-Cap ETF Stock Down 1.0 %

NYSEARCA:IWC opened at $130.00 on Friday. iShares Micro-Cap ETF has a 12-month low of $108.90 and a 12-month high of $139.98. The firm has a market capitalization of $955.50 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.47 and a beta of 1.21. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $132.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $127.00.

About iShares Micro-Cap ETF

iShares Micro-Cap ETF, formerly iShares Russell Microcap Index Fund, is an exchange traded fund. The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell Microcap Index (the Index). The Index measures the microcap sector of the United States equity market.

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Institute for Wealth Management LLC. cut its stake in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:MDY  Free Report) by 38.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 640 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 400 shares during the period. Institute for Wealth Management LLC.s holdings in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust were worth $365,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. PFG Investments LLC boosted its stake in shares of SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust by 17.3% in the 4th quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 767 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $437,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. Flagstar Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust by 2.7% in the third quarter. Flagstar Advisors Inc. now owns 5,700 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,256,000 after buying an additional 152 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust by 884.1% during the third quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 620 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $353,000 after acquiring an additional 557 shares during the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans grew its holdings in SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust by 16.0% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 2,719 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,455,000 after acquiring an additional 376 shares during the period. Finally, Inspire Trust Co. N.A. raised its position in shares of SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust by 19.1% in the 3rd quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 11,822 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $6,735,000 after acquiring an additional 1,900 shares in the last quarter.

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SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust Price Performance

Shares of SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust stock opened at $590.68 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $590.36 and its 200 day moving average is $573.31. SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust has a one year low of $495.53 and a one year high of $624.13. The firm has a market cap of $23.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.70 and a beta of 1.09.

SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust Company Profile

SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF is an exchange traded fund. SPDR MidCap 400 Trust focuses to correspond to the price and yield performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. The S&P MidCap 400 covers over 7% of the United States equities market, and is part of a series of S&P the United States indices. The index also includes companies, which should have four consecutive quarters of positive as-reported earnings, excluding discontinued operations and extraordinary items.

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International Paper (NYSE:IP  Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.05), Zacks reports. International Paper had a net margin of 2.25% and a return on equity of 6.49%.

International Paper Trading Down 2.5 %

NYSE IP opened at $55.65 on Friday. International Paper has a 12 month low of $32.70 and a 12 month high of $60.36. The company has a current ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.33 billion, a PE ratio of 47.56 and a beta of 1.03. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $56.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $51.62.

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International Paper Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.4625 per share. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.32%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. International Papers payout ratio is presently 158.12%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on IP shares. Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $64.00 price objective (down from $65.00) on shares of International Paper in a research report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $64.00 target price on shares of International Paper in a research report on Friday. Finally, BNP Paribas cut International Paper from a neutral rating to an underperform rating and set a $48.20 price target for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $51.88.

Read Our Latest Report on International Paper

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kathryn D. Sullivan sold 600 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.39, for a total transaction of $35,034.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 37,145 shares in the company, valued at $2,168,896.55. This represents a 1.59 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.55% of the stock is owned by insiders.

International Paper Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.

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Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Free Report) had its target price upped by KeyCorp from $775.00 to $790.00 in a report issued on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an overweight rating on the industrial products companys stock.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on PH. Robert W. Baird boosted their target price on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $695.00 to $710.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, November 1st. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $765.00 to $810.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Parker-Hannifin from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $786.00 price objective for the company in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Parker-Hannifin from $788.00 to $842.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 19th. Finally, Barclays dropped their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $800.00 to $791.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $725.06.

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Read Our Latest Stock Report on Parker-Hannifin

Parker-Hannifin Price Performance

NYSE:PH opened at $707.91 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.96. The company has a 50-day moving average of $666.84 and a 200-day moving average of $629.60. Parker-Hannifin has a 52 week low of $463.16 and a 52 week high of $718.44. The company has a market capitalization of $91.12 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.97, a PEG ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.45.

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $6.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.23 by $0.30. Parker-Hannifin had a return on equity of 27.95% and a net margin of 14.47%. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Parker-Hannifin will post 26.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Parker-Hannifin Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.92%. Parker-Hannifins dividend payout ratio is presently 29.45%.

Insider Activity

In related news, COO Andrew D. Ross sold 4,864 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $706.04, for a total transaction of $3,434,178.56. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 13,120 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,263,244.80. This represents a 27.05 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Jennifer A. Parmentier sold 4,906 shares of Parker-Hannifin stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $704.69, for a total transaction of $3,457,209.14. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 33,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,682,516.83. The trade was a 12.74 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 12,200 shares of company stock valued at $8,595,207 in the last ninety days. 0.39% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Parker-Hannifin

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. State Street Corp grew its position in Parker-Hannifin by 13.8% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,202,235 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $3,918,696,000 after purchasing an additional 753,143 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 39.9% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,977,849 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,249,645,000 after acquiring an additional 564,365 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 64,081.5% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 381,880 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $241,279,000 after acquiring an additional 381,285 shares during the last quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Parker-Hannifin during the third quarter worth about $226,570,000. Finally, Mizuho Securities USA LLC boosted its position in Parker-Hannifin by 3,566.4% during the third quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 363,302 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $229,541,000 after purchasing an additional 353,393 shares during the last quarter. 82.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Parker-Hannifin

(Get Free Report)

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to ensure purity and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors used in fluid and gas handling; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment.

Further Reading

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COLOMBO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two people died and 35 others were injured when a privately owned bus collided with a van at Habarana in Sri Lanka's North Central Province on Saturday, said police.

The injured have been taken to two regional hospitals for treatment, with the bus driver being arrested, the police said.

Local media reported that roughly 50 passengers were on board of the bus at the time of the accident.

Road accidents are common in Sri Lanka, with many involving buses, official data shows. In response to the increasing number of bus accidents, Sri Lankan authorities have been intensifying legal actions against individuals who violate traffic regulations on buses. 
KG&L Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 2.1% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 7,060 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 146 shares during the quarter. The Goldman Sachs Group makes up 1.3% of KG&L Capital Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 18th largest position. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $4,006,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 10.0% in the second quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 3,277 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $1,482,000 after buying an additional 298 shares during the period. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV lifted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 12,465 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $6,172,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares during the period. Czech National Bank increased its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 4.7% in the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 64,331 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $31,851,000 after purchasing an additional 2,882 shares during the period. Delta Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 10.4% in the third quarter. Delta Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,069 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $529,000 after purchasing an additional 101 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Investment Advisory LLC lifted its position in The Goldman Sachs Group by 27.5% during the third quarter. Harbor Investment Advisory LLC now owns 3,072 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $1,521,000 after purchasing an additional 662 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.21% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on GS. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $600.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Barclays lifted their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $713.00 to $760.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. JMP Securities upped their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Evercore ISI lifted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $520.00 to $575.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $736.00 to $782.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, The Goldman Sachs Group currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $591.06.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Performance

NYSE:GS opened at $640.15 on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $375.20 and a fifty-two week high of $650.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.67. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $596.07 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $541.17. The company has a market capitalization of $198.73 billion, a PE ratio of 15.79, a P/E/G ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 1.38.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 15th. The investment management company reported $11.95 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $8.21 by $3.74. The company had revenue of $13.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.36 billion. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 13.30% and a net margin of 11.32%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 22.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $5.48 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 47.1 earnings per share for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a $3.00 dividend. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.87%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 29.59%.

Insider Activity at The Goldman Sachs Group

In other news, Treasurer Carey Halio sold 3,640 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, January 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $636.74, for a total value of $2,317,733.60. Following the completion of the sale, the treasurer now owns 4,552 shares in the company, valued at $2,898,440.48. This represents a 44.43 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP John F.W. Rogers sold 6,416 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $596.36, for a total transaction of $3,826,245.76. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 57,614 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $34,358,685.04. This trade represents a 10.02 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 40,865 shares of company stock valued at $25,286,862 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

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The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements.

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KG&L Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VWO  Free Report) by 3.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 9,649 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 327 shares during the quarter. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF were worth $425,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VWO. Empower Advisory Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 2.6% in the third quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC now owns 31,623,839 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,513,201,000 after acquiring an additional 793,333 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 14,464,403 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $692,122,000 after buying an additional 190,971 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 14,168,112 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $677,944,000 after buying an additional 556,913 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 3.7% in the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 12,270,433 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $587,140,000 after buying an additional 434,623 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Citigroup Inc. increased its holdings in Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF by 3.6% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 6,571,767 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $314,459,000 after buying an additional 227,048 shares during the last quarter.

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Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSEARCA VWO opened at $44.40 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $80.36 billion, a PE ratio of 11.50 and a beta of 0.80. Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF has a 12-month low of $39.43 and a 12-month high of $49.57. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $44.77 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $45.27.

About Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF

The Fund seeks to track the performance of the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, that measures the return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries.

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Medical Properties Trust, a real estate investment trust operating in the healthcare industry, recently disclosed its initiation of a private offering of senior secured notes. On January 29, 2025, the companys operating partnership, MPT Operating Partnership, L.P., and MPT Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the operating partnership, launched this private offering. The offering includes up to $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due in 2032, along with 500 million in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due in 2032.

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The purpose of this private offering is to engage in a financial transaction that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933. As part of this private offering, the company is providing pertinent financial and other information to potential investors. The details provided to investors have not been previously disclosed and are being shared in connection with this offering through an attached preliminary offering memorandum.

Additionally, the company released a press statement regarding the private offering on the same day. The press release emphasized that this offering does not constitute a solicitation for the purchase of any security and is not an offer for the sale of any security in jurisdictions where such actions would be considered unlawful.

The offering of the notes and related guarantees will be conducted in a private capacity, among other stipulations, in accordance with exemptions from the Securities Act registration requirements. The notes and guarantees have not been registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws, and selling these securities in the United States requires proper registration or qualification.

Medical Properties Trust outlined that the proceeds from the notes will be utilized to retire existing senior notes and for general corporate purposes, which may include debt repayment, working capital, capital expenditures, and potential acquisitions. The notes and guarantees are backed by first-priority liens on a diverse pool of properties owned or leased by the companys subsidiaries in the U.S., U.K., and Germany.

Although the offering and guarantees are not registered with the Securities Act or other jurisdictions, the companys offering is designed exclusively for qualified institutional buyers or in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act to individuals outside of the U.S. Investors are advised to exercise caution and not purchase these securities where prohibited by law.

The company further noted that statements concerning the transaction and anticipated outcomes carry certain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are contingent on various factors and could result in differing actual results. Interested parties are advised to refer to the forward-looking statements in the related press release for more detailed information regarding these risks and uncertainties.

This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Medical Properties Trusts 8K filing here.

About Medical Properties Trust

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Medical Properties Trust, Inc is a self-advised real estate investment trust formed in 2003 to acquire and develop net-leased hospital facilities. From its inception in Birmingham, Alabama, the Company has grown to become one of the world's largest owners of hospital real estate with 441 facilities and approximately 44,000 licensed beds as of September 30, 2023.

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NB Bancorp, Inc., operating as Needham Bank, implemented significant changes to its retirement and compensation plans, as disclosed in a recent SEC filing. On January 28, 2025, the Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of NB Bancorp, Inc., adopted amendments freezing benefits under the Second Amended and Restated Director Retirement Plan (DRP) and participation in the Needham Bank Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers (NQDP).

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The Benefit Freeze Amendment to the DRP stipulates that no additional benefits will accrue for participants post-December 31, 2024. Similarly, the Participation Freeze Amendment to the NQDP states that no new participants can enroll in the plan after January 28, 2025. The details of these amendments are outlined in Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2 attached to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by NB Bancorp.

These modifications signify a strategic shift in the companys executive compensation and retirement strategies. The freezing of benefits and participation marks a deliberate decision to limit future liabilities and streamline the management of these programs. The company aims to enhance its financial stability and align these plans with its long-term business objectives.

NB Bancorp, an emerging growth company as defined by the SEC, is proactively managing its financial obligations and strategic initiatives. The amendments reflect a careful consideration of the companys current financial position and its evolving business landscape.

For further details regarding these changes and their implications, refer to the complete filings on the SECs EDGAR database or the companys official communications.

This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read NB Bancorps 8K filing here.

About NB Bancorp

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NB Bancorp, Inc focuses on operating as a bank holding company for Needham Bank that provides various banking products and services in Greater Boston metropolitan area and surrounding communities in Massachusetts, eastern Connecticut, southern New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. The company offers various deposits, including certificate of deposit, individual retirement, money market, savings, NOW, demand deposit, and interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing checking accounts; and commercial real estate and multifamily, one- to four-family residential real estate, construction and land development, commercial and industrial, and consumer loans, as well as home equity loans and lines of credit.

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Perigon Wealth Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:A  Free Report) by 5.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,558 shares of the medical research companys stock after selling 197 shares during the period. Perigon Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Agilent Technologies were worth $515,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its stake in shares of Agilent Technologies by 3.5% in the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 15,589,874 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $2,314,784,000 after buying an additional 525,214 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC increased its position in Agilent Technologies by 62.2% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 1,287,665 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $191,193,000 after acquiring an additional 493,947 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Agilent Technologies in the third quarter worth about $49,449,000. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in shares of Agilent Technologies by 63.3% during the third quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 586,439 shares of the medical research companys stock worth $87,075,000 after purchasing an additional 227,431 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ilex Capital Partners UK LLP bought a new stake in shares of Agilent Technologies during the third quarter valued at approximately $33,087,000.

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Insider Activity at Agilent Technologies

In other news, CEO Padraig Mcdonnell sold 1,911 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.00, for a total transaction of $286,650.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 39,652 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,947,800. This trade represents a 4.60 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on A shares. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $153.00 to $150.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price target on Agilent Technologies from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Agilent Technologies from $157.00 to $155.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 9th. StockNews.com raised shares of Agilent Technologies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Agilent Technologies to $165.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Agilent Technologies presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $143.62.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Stock Performance

Shares of Agilent Technologies stock opened at $151.75 on Friday. Agilent Technologies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $124.16 and a 12 month high of $155.35. The company has a current ratio of 2.09, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The company has a market capitalization of $43.34 billion, a PE ratio of 34.33, a PEG ratio of 3.98 and a beta of 1.06. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $140.16 and its 200 day simple moving average is $138.65.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 25th. The medical research company reported $1.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.41 by $0.05. The business had revenue of $1.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.67 billion. Agilent Technologies had a return on equity of 25.43% and a net margin of 19.80%. Agilent Technologiess quarterly revenue was up .8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.38 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Agilent Technologies, Inc. will post 5.56 EPS for the current year.

Agilent Technologies Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 22nd. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were issued a dividend of $0.248 per share. This represents a $0.99 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.65%. This is a positive change from Agilent Technologiess previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 31st. Agilent Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.40%.

Agilent Technologies Profile

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Agilent Technologies, Inc provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab. The Life Sciences and Applied Markets segment offers liquid chromatography systems and components; liquid chromatography mass spectrometry systems; gas chromatography systems and components; gas chromatography mass spectrometry systems; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instruments; atomic absorption instruments; microwave plasma-atomic emission spectrometry instruments; inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry instruments; raman spectroscopy; cell analysis plate based assays; flow cytometer; real-time cell analyzer; cell imaging systems; microplate reader; laboratory software; information management and analytics; laboratory automation and robotic systems; dissolution testing; and vacuum pumps, and measurement technologies.

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Avidbank (OTCMKTS:AVBH  Free Report) had its price objective raised by Piper Sandler from $24.00 to $25.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. Piper Sandler currently has an overweight rating on the stock.

Separately, Janney Montgomery Scott raised Avidbank from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $26.00 price target for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 12th.

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Avidbank Stock Up 4.9 %

Shares of OTCMKTS:AVBH opened at $23.39 on Wednesday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $21.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.41. Avidbank has a 52-week low of $18.16 and a 52-week high of $23.39. The company has a market capitalization of $184.78 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.25 and a beta of 0.69.

Avidbank (OTCMKTS:AVBH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, January 27th. The company reported $0.84 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.17. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Avidbank will post 2.71 earnings per share for the current year.

About Avidbank

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Avidbank Holdings, Inc operates as a bank holding company for Avidbank that provides financial products and services to businesses and individuals in the Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties. The company offers business and personal deposit products, such as checking, money market, and savings accounts; and certificates of deposit.

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Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE:PLNT  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $110.00 and last traded at $109.57, with a volume of 293434 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $107.51.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $120.00 price objective on shares of Planet Fitness in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Planet Fitness from $115.00 to $123.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 6th. Raymond James raised their target price on shares of Planet Fitness from $92.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Planet Fitness from $92.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Planet Fitness from $84.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $97.69.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness Stock Performance

The firms 50-day simple moving average is $101.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $88.83. The company has a market capitalization of $9.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 58.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.52.

Planet Fitness (NYSE:PLNT  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $292.20 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $283.79 million. Planet Fitness had a negative return on equity of 107.97% and a net margin of 14.23%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.59 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Planet Fitness, Inc. will post 2.5 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Planet Fitness

In other news, insider Jennifer Simmons sold 11,453 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.20, for a total value of $1,101,778.60. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 19,110 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,838,382. The trade was a 37.47 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 5.94% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Planet Fitness

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PLNT. AQR Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Planet Fitness during the 2nd quarter worth about $207,000. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its position in Planet Fitness by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 74,918 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,513,000 after buying an additional 463 shares during the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its position in shares of Planet Fitness by 16.6% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 8,952 shares of the companys stock worth $659,000 after acquiring an additional 1,277 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP boosted its holdings in Planet Fitness by 174.7% in the second quarter. Quarry LP now owns 500 shares of the companys stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 318 shares during the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC increased its position in Planet Fitness by 2.0% in the third quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 14,793 shares of the companys stock worth $1,201,000 after purchasing an additional 296 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 95.53% of the companys stock.

About Planet Fitness

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Planet Fitness, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, franchises and operates fitness centers under the Planet Fitness brand. The company operates through three segments: Franchise, Corporate-Owned Stores, and Equipment. The company is involved in franchising business in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico, and Australia.

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AbbVie, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Tempus AI, Eli Lilly and Company, and UnitedHealth Group are the five Medical stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Medical stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that focus on manufacturing, distributing, or providing products, services, and technology related to the healthcare industry. These companies may be involved in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, healthcare services, or other related sectors. Investors often view medical stocks as a way to capitalize on growth and innovation within the healthcare industry. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Medical stocks within the last several days.

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AbbVie (ABBV)

AbbVie Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Humira, an injection for autoimmune and intestinal Behcet's diseases, and pyoderma gangrenosum; Skyrizi to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, psoriatic disease, and Crohn's disease; Rinvoq to treat rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, atopic dermatitis, axial spondyloarthropathy, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease; Imbruvica for the treatment of adult patients with blood cancers; Epkinly to treat lymphoma; Elahere to treat cancer; and Venclexta/Venclyxto to treat blood cancers.

Shares of AbbVie stock traded up $10.69 on Friday, reaching $186.34. The company had a trading volume of 5,826,345 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,901,189. The firms 50-day moving average price is $176.43 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $184.84. AbbVie has a 1 year low of $153.58 and a 1 year high of $207.32. The firm has a market cap of $329.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.64, a current ratio of 0.65 and a quick ratio of 0.54.

Read Our Latest Research Report on ABBV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a biotechnology company, engages in developing and commercializing therapies for treating cystic fibrosis (CF). It markets TRIKAFTA/KAFTRIO for people with CF with at least one F508del mutation for 2 years of age or older; SYMDEKO/SYMKEVI for people with CF for 6 years of age or older; ORKAMBI for CF patients 1 year or older; and KALYDECO for the treatment of patients with 1 year or older who have CF with ivacaftor.

Shares of Vertex Pharmaceuticals stock traded up $31.24 during trading on Friday, hitting $469.64. The stock had a trading volume of 1,919,450 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,496,043. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $434.34 and its 200-day simple moving average is $463.31. The stock has a market cap of $120.95 billion, a PE ratio of -235.30, a PEG ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.47 and a quick ratio of 2.20. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $377.85 and a 12 month high of $519.88.

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Tempus AI (TEM)

Tempus AI Inc. is a technology company advancing precision medicine through the practical application of artificial intelligence principally in healthcare. The company provides AI-enabled precision medicine solutions to physicians to deliver personalized patient care and in parallel facilitates discovery, development and delivery of optimal therapeutics.

Shares of Tempus AI stock traded up $2.91 during trading on Friday, hitting $60.10. The stock had a trading volume of 12,257,048 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,021,677. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.17, a current ratio of 2.69 and a quick ratio of 2.55. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $44.21 and its 200-day simple moving average is $48.03. Tempus AI has a 12 month low of $22.89 and a 12 month high of $79.49.

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Eli Lilly and Company (LLY)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

Eli Lilly and Company stock traded down $0.38 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $822.85. 876,419 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,767,626. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $637.00 and a 12-month high of $972.53. The firm has a market cap of $781.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 88.94, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.27. The business has a fifty day moving average of $782.29 and a 200 day moving average of $845.82.

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UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

UNH traded up $1.72 during trading on Friday, hitting $547.29. The stock had a trading volume of 1,222,834 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,414,493. UnitedHealth Group has a twelve month low of $436.38 and a twelve month high of $630.73. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $537.14 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $564.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.83. The company has a market capitalization of $503.66 billion, a PE ratio of 35.31, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.62.

Read Our Latest Research Report on UNH

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Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:PZG  Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 158,700 shares, a decline of 31.2% from the December 31st total of 230,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 143,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.1 days.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Paramount Gold Nevada

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Paramount Gold Nevada stock. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its position in shares of Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:PZG  Free Report) by 88.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 670,904 shares of the basic materials companys stock after purchasing an additional 314,304 shares during the quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned approximately 1.05% of Paramount Gold Nevada worth $268,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. 4.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Paramount Gold Nevada Trading Up 1.7 %

Shares of PZG stock traded up $0.01 on Friday, reaching $0.39. The companys stock had a trading volume of 95,831 shares, compared to its average volume of 93,797. Paramount Gold Nevada has a 12-month low of $0.30 and a 12-month high of $0.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a quick ratio of 10.50 and a current ratio of 10.51. The company has a market capitalization of $25.54 million, a PE ratio of -3.22 and a beta of 1.88.

Paramount Gold Nevada Company Profile

Paramount Gold Nevada ( NYSEAMERICAN:PZG Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, November 12th. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter.

(Get Free Report)

Paramount Gold Nevada Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties in the United States. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds principal interest in the Sleeper gold project, which comprises 2,474 unpatented mining claims totaling approximately 44,917 acres located in Humbolt County, Nevada.

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Cibc World Market Inc. increased its stake in Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust (NYSEAMERICAN:CEF  Free Report) by 25.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 622,744 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 125,849 shares during the period. Cibc World Market Inc.s holdings in Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust were worth $14,796,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Creative Planning boosted its stake in Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust by 20.9% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 41,439 shares of the companys stock valued at $914,000 after buying an additional 7,169 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 178,994 shares of the companys stock valued at $3,947,000 after acquiring an additional 1,038 shares during the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,866,000. Brookstone Capital Management boosted its position in shares of Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 232,232 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,687,000 after purchasing an additional 4,783 shares in the last quarter. Finally, C2P Capital Advisory Group LLC d.b.a. Prosperity Capital Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $757,000.

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Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust Stock Performance

CEF stock opened at $25.84 on Friday. Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust has a 12 month low of $18.04 and a 12 month high of $26.50.

About Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust

Sprott Physical Gold & Silver Trust operates as a closed-ended investment fund/investment trust. The company was founded on October 26, 2017 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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GAZA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, on Saturday handed over three hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City.

Earlier in the day, two hostages, Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, and Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas, 35, were transferred to the Red Cross and from there to Israeli forces who brought them to Israeli territory. The third hostage was 65-year-old Israeli-U.S. dual national Keith Siegel.

The release, conducted as part of the fourth batch under the first phase of the prisoner exchange and ceasefire deal, was coordinated with international mediators to ensure a safe transfer.

The exchange was part of the efforts to implement a negotiated agreement to facilitate the release of detainees on both sides while maintaining a temporary cessation of hostilities.

According to Palestinian sources, further developments on the deal's implementation are expected in the coming days. 
StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of International Tower Hill Mines (NYSE:THM  Free Report) in a report issued on Friday morning. The firm issued a sell rating on the stock.

International Tower Hill Mines Stock Down 3.6 %

NYSE THM opened at $0.46 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $0.47. International Tower Hill Mines has a 1-year low of $0.40 and a 1-year high of $0.80.

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International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. is a Canada-based resource exploration company possessing a portfolio of Alaskan and Nevada based gold and base metal exploration projects. The Company is currently focused on the Livengood Gold Project located in the north of Fairbanks, Alaska. International Tower Hill Mines Ltd.

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Swmg LLC boosted its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV  Free Report) by 10.9% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 174,885 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 17,243 shares during the period. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF comprises 3.7% of Swmg LLCs holdings, making the stock its 6th biggest position. Swmg LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF were worth $9,402,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of EFV. FMR LLC lifted its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 4.6% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 19,209,588 shares of the companys stock worth $1,105,128,000 after purchasing an additional 851,958 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 44.8% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 13,232,972 shares of the companys stock worth $761,293,000 after acquiring an additional 4,091,747 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC boosted its position in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 91.4% during the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 12,773,389 shares of the companys stock worth $734,853,000 after acquiring an additional 6,101,266 shares in the last quarter. US Bancorp DE increased its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 4.7% in the third quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 12,321,761 shares of the companys stock valued at $708,885,000 after acquiring an additional 551,006 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC raised its position in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 103.4% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 6,177,993 shares of the companys stock valued at $355,420,000 after purchasing an additional 3,140,696 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Stock Performance

Shares of EFV stock opened at $54.91 on Friday. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a fifty-two week low of $49.15 and a fifty-two week high of $59.57. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $53.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.79. The company has a market cap of $17.09 billion, a PE ratio of 10.89 and a beta of 0.70.

About iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI EAFE Value Index. The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Telia Company AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:TLSNY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 30,800 shares, an increase of 24.2% from the December 31st total of 24,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 115,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.3 days.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, Barclays cut shares of Telia Company AB (publ) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th.

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Telia Company AB (publ) Stock Performance

OTCMKTS TLSNY traded up $0.22 on Friday, reaching $5.94. The stock had a trading volume of 56,845 shares, compared to its average volume of 57,969. Telia Company AB has a 1-year low of $4.53 and a 1-year high of $6.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 0.91 and a quick ratio of 0.86. The company has a market cap of $11.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.00 and a beta of 0.48. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $5.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $5.88.

Telia Company AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:TLSNY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The technology company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.05 by ($0.07). Telia Company AB (publ) had a return on equity of 1.90% and a net margin of 5.37%. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Telia Company AB will post 0.31 EPS for the current year.

Telia Company AB (publ) Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 27th. Investors of record on Friday, February 7th will be paid a $0.0893 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 7th. Telia Company AB (publ)s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 86.37%.

Telia Company AB (publ) Company Profile

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Telia Company AB (publ) provides communication services to businesses, individuals, families, and communities in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. It offers mobile, broadband, television, and fixed-line services; and networking, cloud and security, mobility, enterprise mobile network, contact center, managed mobility services, collaboration solutions, enterprise telephony, Internet of Things (IoT), carrier ethernet, dedicated internet access, wavelengths, IP Transit, dark fiber, and colocation solutions.

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Zhihu Inc. (NYSE:ZH  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,630,000 shares, a decrease of 12.8% from the December 31st total of 1,870,000 shares. Approximately 2.0% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 235,800 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 6.9 days.

Zhihu Stock Performance

Shares of ZH stock traded down $0.04 on Friday, hitting $3.48. 152,435 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 157,185. The stock has a market capitalization of $303.44 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.21 and a beta of 0.19. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $3.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.49. Zhihu has a one year low of $2.55 and a one year high of $5.28.

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Zhihu (NYSE:ZH  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November 26th. The company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Zhihu had a negative return on equity of 8.01% and a negative net margin of 9.28%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Barclays PLC purchased a new stake in shares of Zhihu during the third quarter valued at approximately $511,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Zhihu during the third quarter valued at $317,000. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Zhihu by 65.1% during the third quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 175,381 shares of the companys stock valued at $675,000 after buying an additional 69,160 shares during the last quarter. Walleye Capital LLC bought a new stake in Zhihu in the 3rd quarter worth about $212,000. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd purchased a new position in Zhihu in the 3rd quarter worth about $151,000. Institutional investors own 28.92% of the companys stock.

Separately, Citigroup reduced their target price on Zhihu from $5.40 to $4.70 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, November 29th.

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Zhihu Company Profile

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Zhihu Inc operates an online content community in the Peoples Republic of China. Its community allows people to seek inspiration, find solutions, make decisions, and have fun. The company offers technology, business support, and consulting services; information transmission, software, and information technology services.

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Budget 2025 Market Verdict: Big voices cheer consumption push but keep an eye on valuations

Neeshita Beura

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KAMPALA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the world prepares to mark World Wetlands Day Sunday, Uganda is reaffirming its commitment to wetland conservation, citing progress in its restoration efforts.

In a statement issued before the day, the Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment announced that the country will commemorate the day under the theme, "Conserving Wetlands Today for a Secure Tomorrow."

Beatrice Anywar, minister of State for Environment, emphasized the role of wetlands in sustainable development.

"By acting now, we can ensure that these vital ecosystems continue to thrive and support biodiversity, filter water, provide a buffer against extreme events like floods and storms, avail water for domestic use and agriculture," she said. "Therefore, by investing in wetlands today, we are essentially investing in a more resilient and sustainable future."

Despite their importance, wetlands face increasing threats from unsustainable urban expansion, agriculture, and pollution. According to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), the state environmental watchdog, Uganda's wetland coverage has declined from 13 percent to about 8 percent of the country's total land area. Experts warn this trend will persist without intervention.

Conservationists link wetland depletion to prolonged dry spells, unpredictable weather patterns, and subsequent loss of crops, lives, and property.

Anywar insisted that stringent conservation measures have reversed some losses, raising wetland coverage to 9.3 percent. The government is reinforcing these measures to ensure further growth.

In 2023, NEMA gazetted 8,613 wetland areas under the National Environment (Declaration of Wetlands) notice, requiring occupants to vacate. An Environment Protection Force has been created to enforce the evictions.

In the middle of last year, NEMA intensified operations in Lubigi wetland, a key ecosystem supporting Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater body. Thousands of encroachers were removed, and authorities plan to restore the area following the demolition of illegal structures.

Government data show that over 55,149 hectares of degraded wetlands have been restored, while more than 3,000 km of wetland boundaries have been marked with concrete pillars.

Anywar stressed the collective responsibility in wetland conservation.

"Every small action counts, be it reporting wetland degradation, raising awareness, generating scientific knowledge, participating in enforcement, restoration, and conservation, or financially supporting wetland action," she said. 
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Budget puts an additional Rs 1 lakh crore in the hands of consumers

Sanjiv Shankaran is Editor - Opinions, Editorials, Features at Moneycontrol. (Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.)

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Budget announcements for Bihar: Makhana Board, airports expansion, financial support for Kosi project and more

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GCC framework proposed in Budget for Tier 2, 3 cities can boost real estate demand, say experts

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CAIRO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Palestinian Authority (PA), and the Arab League (AL) stressed in a joint statement on Saturday the rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

The statement was issued after a meeting in Egypt's capital Cairo attended by top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, as well as high-ranking officials from the PA and AL.

Participants of the meeting expressed their commitment to working with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration "to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution," according to the statement.

They also voiced full support for the Palestinians and their legitimate rights, rejecting any attempt to displace the Palestinian people, whether by eviction or efforts to transfer or remove them from their land under any circumstances.

The statement also urged the international community to coordinate efforts for planning and implementing a comprehensive process for the reconstruction of Gaza to improve the Palestinians' daily lives and address the problem of internal displacement.

On Jan. 25, Trump proposed a controversial plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, which was strongly rejected by both countries.

On Friday, thousands of people gathered near the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, the only channel linking Egypt with Gaza, to express opposition to the displacement of Palestinians. 
Shubhangi Mathur

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Union Budget 2025: Slew of initiatives for Bihar, opposition claims all for assembly polls

101Reporters

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Rajni Pandey is a seasoned content creator with over 15 years of experience crafting compelling stories for digital news platforms. Specializing in diverse topics such as travel, education, jobs, science, wildlife, religion, politics, and astrology, she excels at transforming trending human-interest stories into engaging reads for a wide audience.

Rajni Pandey

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Palak Vij

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Naga Chaitanya praises wife Sobhita Dhulipala for being his 'bouncing board': "she thinks from the right space..."

M Snehanjali

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RIYADH, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia's Diriyah Company expects more investments from China in its flagship Diriyah project, the company's chief marketing officer, Kiran Jay Haslam, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

Diriyah, or "the City of Earth," is an expansive urban development project in Saudi Arabia that spans an area of 14 square km, with Diriyah Company being its developer.

Expecting more investments from China, Haslam highlighted that "there is an incredible investment opportunity around commercial office space and 22,500 residential homes (under the project). We (will) have over 40 major hotels as part of the master plan, countless museums and culture centers, an arena, an opera house, and a long avenue that connects to the center of Riyadh."

In December 2024, the company awarded a 202.2-million-U.S. dollar contract to China Harbour Engineering Company to undertake the bulk excavation works in Diriyah's second-phase construction.

"We get a lot of construction expertise and technology from China. There's a lot of synergy in terms of the outlook on the project, with a lot of interaction with the Chinese market," Haslam said.

Located a short drive from Riyadh's city center, Diriyah holds historical significance as the birthplace of the kingdom, dating back to 1727, and is considered a key component of the economic diversification plan under the Saudi Vision 2030. 
FM Sitharaman says did not forego capex for consumption

Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years.

Adrija Chatterjee

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Budget 2025: HDFC Life, SBI Life, other insurance players rise up to 3% as FM increases FDI limit to 100%

Asha Menon

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Jewellery stocks rally on Budget boost, FM exempts income tax up to Rs 12 lakh to boost disposable income

Asha Menon

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Ashish Rukhaiyar

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Stocks to Watch on Budget day: Tata Power, ONGC, Waaree Energies, Sun Pharma, IndusInd Bank, Vishal Mega Mart, Poonawalla Fincorp in focus on 1 February

Sunil Matkar

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Vaibhavi Ranjan

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Bihar NDA leaders hail as FM makes slew of announcements for state on election year

Siddharth Chakravorty

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Siddharth Chakravorty

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Development poised to accelerate once statehood is restored to J-K: Farooq Abdullah

Arishaa Izaj

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SACRAMENTO, the United States, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- While many high school students spend afternoons studying or hanging out with friends, 17-year-old Barrett Deng and 18-year-old Sebastien Burkhardt devote much of their time to protecting homes from wildfires through innovation.

They are the young co-founders of Clore, a Mountain View, California-based startup that develops a newly tested fire retardant already used near the recent Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles.

A handful of the homes where Clore was deployed encountered active fire during the recent disaster, reported NBC News, noting that all of those homes survived.

The idea for Clore was born during a trip to Boston in 2021. Deng was startled by how Canadian wildfire smoke drifted across North America.

"On the West Coast, we had smoke days, but I didn't realize people on the East Coast experienced them, too," he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

That realization prompted him and Burkhardt to start researching wildfire defense.

"We found only one competitor," Deng recalled, referring to existing fire retardants, "and the products were often toxic. We wanted a safer alternative."

Their product, Clore Wildfire Defense, earned significant credibility in 2023 when it passed the rigorous tests of the California State Fire Marshal. "A product is no good if there isn't data to back it up," Deng said.

Soon after that milestone, some private firefighting groups around Los Angeles deployed Clore's fire retardant around homes.

"We partnered with companies like All Risk Shield," Deng said, "so when the wildfires broke out, we had product already in place."

Although Clore's successful use in actual fires was a breakthrough, the young founders were too busy to celebrate. "We ran out of product and had to make more," Deng said, recalling the hectic days spent mixing and shipping.

Feedback from local crews has been positive. "Partners cited how easy the product is to use," Deng noted, adding that the formula does not produce a strong smell or corrode equipment.

Launching a startup while finishing high school has been challenging. Deng and Burkhardt rely on a weekly spreadsheet to track progress.

"We work after school and take calls during free periods," Deng said. "We do our homework at school, so we can make the most time working on Clore outside."

Juggling everything can be stressful, but Deng finds motivation in real-world impact. "When homeowners and businesses in high-risk fire areas became interested, I knew this wasn't just a passion project."

Skepticism about their age has been an obstacle. "One hundred percent we faced doubt," Deng admitted. "People would ghost us or assume we didn't have a real product." Yet he believes personal connection often outweighs experience.

"People have no problem buying if you can convince them that you care," he said.

Growing up amid frequent wildfires also shaped Deng's sense of urgency. He remembers the "smoke days" in California when schools closed for safety. That exposure to disaster, combined with his Silicon Valley surroundings, sparked a drive to innovate.

"People in the Bay start companies all the time," he said. He also points to an early business-pitch contest as a turning point. "Sebastien and I did the Diamond Challenge in our freshman year, and it opened our eyes to entrepreneurship."

Their families have become more supportive now that Clore is making headlines. "I'm lucky my parents were always pretty supportive," Deng said, though he admitted they were cautious at first. "When we got our first few orders, they realized this was something serious."

Deng and Burkhardt's bond goes deeper than just business. They share a connection to the Chinese language and culture.

Deng's parents were born in China. His father's family is from Wuhan, where his grandfather lived before immigrating to the United States in the 1980s. As he grew up, Deng's parents insisted he speak Chinese, a tradition that kept him close to his heritage. He fondly recalled making dumplings with his family during the Chinese New Year.

Deng has visited China several times, exploring cities like Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenyang.

"I've always loved the food and culture there," he said, hoping to see Xi'an, Yunnan, and Harbin.

Burkhardt shared this fascination, having studied Chinese alongside Deng since middle school. Their early language lessons -- plus a mutual love of aviation -- brought them together, sparking an interest in combining technology and real-world problem-solving.

Graduating from high school this year, Deng and Burkhardt are looking ahead as they see a heightened demand for safer, more effective fire retardants.

Deng said investor interest has grown, and local authorities are asking more questions about Clore's formula. 
Every state except Bihar and Andhra Pradesh treated unfairly: Karnataka CM on Union budget

Christin Mathew Philip

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'India's concerns have not been heeded': Kanwal Sibal on Maldives-China FTA

Siddharth Chakravorty

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Prayagraj tragedy: Police to probe 'second incident' at Maha Kumbh on day stampede killed 30

Parimal Peeyush

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Namrata Agarwal

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Siddarth Pai is Founding Partner, 3one4 Capital. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication

Namrata Agarwal

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Budget and Its Two Pillars: Private investment and middle class

Rajiv Kumar is Chairman at the Pahle India Foundation. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Namrata Agarwal

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Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN, Tofig Musayev, met with members and students of the Azerbaijani-American Youth Federation to celebrate Youth Day on February 2, Azernews reports.

The meeting took place at the UN headquarters in New York, where more than 30 Azerbaijani students studying in the city were in attendance.

Musayev discussed Azerbaijan's history of becoming a full member of the UN, noting that on March 2, 1992, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Azerbaijans membership. He highlighted that the national flag of Azerbaijan was raised at the UN headquarters in New York, and the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan began its operations on May 6.

The diplomat emphasized Azerbaijan's efforts to raise awareness of Armenias military aggression and occupation policy on the UN platform, as well as the countrys pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He also shared information about the UN Security Council's resolutions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Musayev provided the youth with details about Azerbaijans cooperation with various UN programs, the countrys contributions to the UN, and ongoing efforts to strengthen this partnership.

The meeting concluded with Musayev answering the students questions. The young participants shared their ideas and suggestions, and a brief tour of the UN headquarters was organized for the students.
SYDNEY, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Emergency warnings have been issued and residents urged to consider evacuating amid flooding in Australia's northeast.

Residents in the far north region of the state of Queensland were on Saturday advised to prepare for "dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding" following days of intense rainfall.

Parts of Townsville, the biggest city in the affected area, received 350 millimeters (mm) of rain in the 18 hours to Saturday morning, with authorities warning more is to come.

A severe weather warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on Saturday said that towns along a 270-kilometer stretch of coast between Townsville and the town of Babinda further north may be affected by life-threatening flooding.

State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy said on Saturday that emergency services responded to more than 300 calls for help overnight, 223 of which were in Townsville.

He said that residents of the small town of South Johnstone just south of Babinda were being told to leave.

One evacuation center has been opened, with authorities looking to make more available. 
Ankita Sengupta

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Who are Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for Israeli hostages?

Arishaa Izaj

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How is space travel making astronauts blind? Scientists uncover alarming eye risks from prolonged exposure in space

Sheetal Kumari

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Google Pixel 9a could make its global debut by March: Expected price, specifications, and more

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Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

People watch a string lion dance performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team parade after performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025.

During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

A member of Xingxian string lion dance team prepares for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team perform in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

A member of Xingxian string lion dance team talks with the audience after performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team perform in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team perform in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

People watch a string lion dance performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

Members of Xingxian string lion dance team prepare for a performance in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan. 30, 2025. During the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, a group of young members of the string lion dance team from Huotong Town of Ningde City in Fujian Province, staged a splendid performance in Fuzhou.

The Huotong String Lion Dance, characterized by controlling lion puppets with strings, is a unique folk art in Ningde, which was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)
CAIRO, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that foreign ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Palestine are set to convene in Cairo on Saturday.

The meeting will also be attended by the secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the secretary-general of the Arab League, according to the ministry's statement.

The meeting will focus on several critical issues, including U.S. President Donald Trump's proposals concerning the displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan. Both nations have previously voiced strong opposition to such a move.

The ministers are also expected to address the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip, particularly the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and explore methods to assist Palestinians in Gaza in rebuilding their livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan and the PLO secretary-general are scheduled to hold a separate meeting on Saturday.

On Jan. 15, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, acting as mediators, released a joint statement announcing that Hamas and Israel had reached an agreement encompassing a prisoner and detainee exchange and a return to sustainable calm, thus establishing a lasting ceasefire.

Under the ongoing ceasefire, 33 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza are to be freed in the first six weeks of the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. 
Sonora, CA  Mother Lode counties are urging the public to get sandbags before possible flooding from forecasted heavy rain occurs on their property.

As reported earlier, CAL OES warns of an incoming Atmospheric River weather system this weekend across Northern California that could cause flooding. For those with a history of flooding or standing water at their residence each year, such as water building up around a garage or back patio, Calaveras County emergency officials encourage getting sandbags before the rainy season and having them on hand throughout the winter.

Tuolumne County Public Works Department has put out this list of sand available for free at the following locations:

Columbia  Airport parking lot, 10723 Airport Road

Tuolumne  18870 Birch Street and the corner of Parkview Lane and Chestnut Ave.

Jamestown  On the corner of 7th Avenue and 8th Street

Big Oak / Groveland, 11242 Wards Ferry Road

Calaveras County Public Works Department listed these self-service sandbag locations:

Arnold Maintenance Yard, 1119 Linebaugh Rd. (Closes at 3:30 PM)

Glencoe Maintenance Yard, 16151 Hwy 26 (Closes at 3:30 PM)

Jenny Lind Yard 11558 Milton Rd. (Closes at 3:30 PM)

San Andreas Rd Yard, 891 Mt Ranch Rd. (Closes at 3:30 PM)

Mountain Ranch Community Center Parking lot next to the Public Safety Substation, 7869 Whiskey Slide Rd.

Murphys Fire Station, 37 Jones St.

Vista Del Lago Cul-de-sac near Valley Springs Dental, 313 Vista Del Lago

Copperopolis Fire Department, 370 Main St.

The public is asked to bring sandbags and shovels, which can be purchased at most hardware and home improvement stores.
Clean California Gateway Monument and Wayfinding Project sign for Angels Camp -- CCPW graphic View Photo

San Andreas, CA Caltrans and Calaveras County will unveil new monuments and wayfinder signs next week and invite the public to join the celebration.

On Tuesday (2/4), a ribbon cutting will be held to mark the completion of the Clean California Gateway Monument and Wayfinding Project. As earlier reported, the signs began going up on July 8th and were funded by the states Clean California Program. The project aims to create distinctive yet uniform markers and signs that represent and connect the various communities within the county, guiding travelers to destinations off the state highway system.

The signs, like the one shown for Angels Camp with a frog jumping across it in the image box, cover 22 locations and were installed along highways 4, 12, 26, and 49. The seven communities with signs unique to each are Angels Camp, Arnold, Copperopolis, Mokelumne Hill, San Andreas, and Valley Springs.

Tuesdays ribbon cutting is at the Calaveras County Administration Building at 891 Mountain Ranch Road in San Andreas, beginning at 10 a.m.
NEW DELHI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indian security forces on Saturday gunned down at least eight armed rebels, locally called "Naxals", in the country's central state of Chhattisgarh, confirmed a government official.

The encounter between the security personnel and the armed rebels took place in Gangaloor area of the state's Bijapur district.

According to the official, dead bodies of the eight Naxals had been recovered from the site of encounter, and a search operation was underway to look for more.

The exchange of fire took place when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxals operation. 
The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe (MCZ), one of the countrys largest and most respected denominations, is teetering on the edge of chaos as infighting and factionalism threaten to tear it apart.

At the heart of the turmoil is the controversial return of former presiding bishop Reverend Amos Ndhlumbi, who served from 2011 to 2015. His bid to reclaim the churchs top position has sparked a bitter power struggle, with accusations of misconduct, suspensions, and resignations casting a dark cloud over the churchs leadership.

The drama unfolded ahead of the churchs August elective conference, where a faction within the MCZ is pushing for Ndhlumbis return. However, this move is being met with fierce resistance from another faction reportedly led by the current presiding bishop, Reverend George Mawire. The conflict has escalated into a full-blown crisis, with allegations of impropriety and underhanded tactics dominating the discourse.

Allegations of Neglect and a Child Born Out of Wedlock

The controversy took a dramatic turn when Ndhlumbi was accused of neglecting a child allegedly born out of wedlock. According to sources within the church, Ndhlumbi was suspended from his position as a reverend after the allegations surfaced. Before his suspension, he was leading an assembly in Cranborne, Harare, a role that has since been taken over by Reverend Maxwell Mugabe.

A source close to the matter revealed to NewsDay Weekender: This is the current state of affairs at MCZ. There is drama at Wesley House. Former presiding bishop Ndhlumbi is accused of neglecting his son born out of wedlock. This is seemingly a war ahead of the churchs elective conference to be held later in the year. Ndhlumbi is reportedly eyeing a comeback, hence the drama unfolding.

The allegations have divided the church, with some members supporting Ndhlumbi and others rallying behind Mawire. The situation has become so tense that Ndhlumbi initially resigned from his position as a cleric, only to revoke his resignation days later, claiming he was forced to step down under duress.

Ndhlumbis Resignation and Revocation

In a letter dated October 15, 2024, addressed to Mawire and the church leadership, Ndhlumbi vehemently denied the allegations and accused the church hierarchy of fabricating lies to tarnish his reputation. The letter, which is in possession of NewsDay Weekender, reads in part:

The presiding bishop then went on to accuse me of having caused serious irreparable harm and disrepute upon the church, his office and himself as a person as a result of my indiscipline. The presiding bishop went on to mention several allegations against myself and to my utter shock, dismay and disbelief, the presiding bishop impressed it upon myself to resign with immediate effect and immediately vacate the church manse.

Ndhlumbi further claimed that he was given no time to reflect on the situation and was forced to resign under immense pressure. I was cornered and given no time to reflect on what was happening. I had no alternative, but to do as I was told by the highest office in the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. Further to that, I felt that I had no recourse as the presiding bishop is the ultimate authority within the MCZ, he wrote.

The former presiding bishop also alleged that he was given only 48 hours to vacate the church manse, leaving him with no time to seek legal advice. He concluded by revoking his resignation, stating that it was done under duress and amounted to constructive dismissal.

Disciplinary Hearing and Suspension

The conflict escalated further when Ndhlumbi was summoned to a Minor Synod, a disciplinary hearing, to address the allegations against him. The hearing, chaired by Harare West district bishop Lindsay Rukarwa, took place on December 3, 2024, and was attended by seven clerics, including two from Ndhlumbis camp. These are reverends Brian Mugwidi, Linrle Link Mutendzwa, Acub Simba, Morrison Chiwundura, Peter Mangiza and retired bishop Justin Masendeke as well as Rukarwa.

According to the minutes of the meeting, which were obtained by NewsDay Weekender, Ndhlumbi denied the allegations and suggested that the accusations were part of a plot to extort money from him.

Reverend Amos Ndhlumbi denied the allegations and indicated that someone could want to fleece some money from him. He said there were no paternity tests to implicate him as the biological father to (name withheld), the minutes read.

Ndhlumbi also claimed that a court ruling related to the childs maintenance case had been overturned and that he was pursuing legal proceedings to clear his name. However, the Minor Synod recommended his suspension until he could provide evidence disproving paternity and clearing the default judgment.

A Church Divided

The infighting within the MCZ has left the church deeply divided, with members taking sides in the bitter feud between Ndhlumbi and Mawire. Some believe that the allegations against Ndhlumbi are politically motivated, aimed at disqualifying him from contesting in the upcoming elective conference.

An insider told NewsDay Weekender: The word doing the rounds is that they want to make sure Ndhlumbi remains out of station so that he becomes ineligible for the 2025 elections.

The conflict has also raised questions about the churchs leadership and its ability to resolve internal disputes fairly and transparently. Many members are calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis, urging the church to focus on its spiritual mission rather than being consumed by politics and power struggles.

A History of Service and Tradition

The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe has a rich history, tracing its roots back to British Methodist mission activity in 1891. Over the years, it has grown into one of the countrys most influential denominations, playing a key role in community development and spiritual guidance. However, the current crisis threatens to undermine its legacy and tarnish its reputation.

As the church prepares for its August elective conference, the stakes could not be higher. The outcome of the power struggle between Ndhlumbi and Mawire will have far-reaching implications for the future of the MCZ.

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NEW: In response to orders by the Trump admin, the CDC has taken down the Household Pulse Survey, one of the biggest and most important sources of Long COVID data in the world.

The US government is literally erasing the existence of Long COVID. pic.twitter.com/X5QfBNJHsd

 Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) February 1, 2025
Yves here. Many readers pointed out that going after employers of undocumented migrant workers would be a way to tackle one of the underlying objections to illegals: that these businesses are able to and do regularly pay them less than US workers would require as well as skirt OSHA regulations, since a worker without papers would not just risk his livelihood, but his ability to stay in the US if he complained. The classic example is meatpacking, which historically paid a large premium to other blue-collar positions due to it being physically demanding and risky.

But here, we see the Trump Administration targeting blue sanctuary cities, as promised, to challenge their efforts to protect migrant workers. And as well see, rather than pursue abusive employers, ICE instead is pursuing one of the weakest groups, that of self employed streetcart vendors. Needless to say, unlike meatpackers, they dont give to Congresscritters.

A knock-on effect may be increasing the extent of food deserts in big cities, since some of these streetcart vendors sell fresh fruit and vegetables.

By Haidee Chu. Originally published at THE CITY on January 30, 2025

A Manhattan storage garage was full of food carts during a weekday afternoon as immigrant workers were scared to take them out, Jan. 28, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

Samys garage in Manhattan is usually empty in the afternoon, while the 30 food carts that park there are on city streets offering halal food, hot dogs, peanuts and Icees.

But that changed the week before President Donald Trumps inauguration.

Most of the carts remain inside now as owners and workers, the vast majority of them undocumented, sacrifice their incomes rather than risk potential run-ins with law enforcement that could drag them into deportation proceedings.

Some vendors we work with are in their homes behind locked doors now, too scared to leave, said Samy, the 34-year-old garage owner and second-generation New York City vendor. The immigrant from Egypt is an American citizen, but asked to be identified only by his first name out of fears that his business would be targeted for immigration enforcement.

We cant just keep the door open like before anymore. We always keep the gate closed and installed cameras to check on whos knocking, he continued. Everybody is expecting a raid at any moment now, and its terrifying for most of us.

Trump last week deputized thousands of additional federal law enforcement officers to carry out his deportation agenda as part of a wave of executive actions and orders to remove immigrants who hes said have made the United States like a garbage can for the world. Many migrant parents have said theyre keeping their kids out of city schools as the new administration removed long-standing guidance generally barring enforcement agents from sensitive locations.

The Trump Administration has said its targeting violent criminals, with Mayor Eric Adams stressing his support for those efforts.

NBC News, however, citing a senior Trump official, reported that just 52% of the 1,179 the people arrested by ICE on Sunday were considered criminal arrests, while the rest were offenders or people whose only criminal offense was crossing the border. That compares to 72% of ICE arrests last year under the Biden administration where the person had a criminal record.

A street vendor sells fresh produce in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Jan. 27, 2025. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

In this tense climate, street vendors who spoke with THE CITY say they worry that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will target vending hot spots for deportation sweeps.

Policing of the citys vendors was already on the rise before Eric Adams post-election embrace of Trump, who has openly flirted with the idea of pardoning the mayor facing a corruption trial beginning in April. The NYPD issued 1,504 criminal summonses to street vendors between January and September 2024  surpassing the 1,244 it gave out in all of 2023, according to the latest department data.

The NYPD did not respond to THE CITYs questions about why criminal ticketing has increased. A spokesperson stated that, pursuant to city and state sanctuary laws, members of the department are not permitted to engage in civil immigration enforcement, assist in any manner with civil immigration enforcement, or allow any Department resources to be used in connection with civil immigration enforcement.

At the same time, the spokesperson continued, members of service will not take any action that will interfere with or impede civil immigration enforcement undertaken by federal authorities.

Ninety-six percent of New York Citys estimated 23,000 vendors were born outside of the United States, according to a recent survey, where 57% of food vendors said they were either undocumented (27%) or preferred not to answer (30%).

While Adams last week told immigrants that its imperative that you go to school, use the hospital services, use the police services, hes also supported a proposal to repeal parts of to New Yorks sanctuary city protections barring most cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, warned that migrant arrivals could destroy New York City and refused to publicly criticize Trump.

Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, deputy director of the nonprofit Street Vendor Project, called on the City Council to pass new laws to protect vendors, including one to repeal criminal liability for street vending and another to lift the citys cap on vending licenses.

So many city leaders are saying Trump is doing this, and Trump is doing that, how awful, but take a look at the mirror and see what the policies that exist in the city right now are allowing, she said  just hours after escorting a street vendor with a deportation order to criminal court for an unlicensed vending ticket.

That vendors ticket was dismissed, Kaufman-Gutierrez said, but Yasmine Farhang, director of advocacy for the non-profit legal aid organization Immigrant Defense Project, said that any arrest or ticket, even where a case is dismissed, can be used as a negative factor resulting in deportation, or otherwise impact other immigration proceedings such as asylum claims.

Very Scared

Oh my god, you know, I am very scared, said Lola, a 45-year-old street vendor who sells seasonal accessories on Junction Boulevard in Corona, Queens.

The Cuenca, Ecuador, native, who asked to be identified only by her first name, came to New York with her children four years ago and is now facing a deportation proceeding she says is the result of missing immigration paperwork.

Her weekly income plunged to about $150 from $600 because she no longer works seven days a week to try to avoid getting a criminal ticket, like those many of her colleagues have received, in Adams Operation Restore Rooseveltenforcement campaign.

I dont receive any public assistance, said Lola, whose husband makes around $900 a week as a construction worker. I dont come here to be a public nuisance.

But with the fear that any encounter with law enforcement could accelerate her deportation, Im really concerned because I heard what usually happens with underage children is that theyre either given away or theyre separated from their families.

Across the East River in Times Square, Abdul, an undocumented migrant from Egypt, works as a cook on a licensed Halal truck. Since the presidential election, he said, hes received five criminal tickets from the police  once because he was not visibly wearing his permit around his neck at the start of the shift, and another time for failing to wear gloves during a break.

The more criminal tickets I get, the more I have to go to criminal court, and the more Im worried theyre gonna catch me, he said in Arabic through an interpreter from the Street Vendor Project. I have a family I live with here, I cant afford to take that risk and be deported.

Abdul, the sole breadwinner for his family, used to work as an accountant at a government agency in Egypt, he said, but moved to New York with his wife, four children and mother about five years ago hoping for a freer and more dignified life.

Sometimes I regret coming here without knowing what it really would be like, Abdul said as he talked about the two-bedroom basement apartment his family shares.

My wife and my family would get really upset, because I always talked to them about the American Dream and how this is a country of immigrants and how everyone has rights and protections  but they would just keep pushing back, and theyd say that it looks like its not the case anymore.

Even My Bodega Guy Is Nervous

Samy, for his part, is concerned that his own familys American Dream may be slowly slipping away before his eyes.

He was 10 when his family came to New York from Egypt in 2000, overstaying their tourist visas, he recalled. His father started working as a food vendor, and Samy followed suit when he was 18, first with a hot dog cart and later with halal food. He married at 24, and later became a U.S. citizen.

His family constructed their Manhattan garage themselves in 2017, after finally saving up enough money. They did much of the construction work themselves, side by side with workers who were themselves immigrants from Egypt and Mexico, folks who look like me and my family, he recalled.

There are no food trucks in the garage; its only large enough to house carts. With his vendors staying home now, Samy said, his income is down 80%.

Licensed food trucks sit in a Manhattan garage, Jan 27, 2024. Credit: Ben Fractenberg/THE CITY

If things keep going at this rate for a couple of months and things dont get better I might be forced to shut down and go out of business, Samy said. Im gonna lose my business, my housing, and then we get in line for public assistance and shelter. I would be very desperate and all my familys business that weve built for decades of hard work will vanish.

Vending in New York City, he said, has never been as difficult and hostile in his memory than it is now.

I got assaulted multiple times while I was working in the streets, faced violence before, but Ive never been scared like this, Samy said. This level of fear and worry is something else. The fear of losing everything is really something Ive never thought Id ever experience in this country.

Hes far from the only one with that fear though, he said, as many vendors he knows worry that any minor infractions would put them at risk of deportation, or otherwise impact their asylum cases.

Im worried about everybody around me: relatives, friends, co-workers, my community and neighbors, he said. Even my bodega guy is nervous. Folks who I work with are nervous and stressed out about the future.

Looking to that future, Samy asked: if they target all immigrants, and snatch away immigrants and workers from everywhere, how this economy will survive? How businesses will stay open? How families will be supported and provided for?

He answered his own question: The whole economy of this city will be paralyzed. Theres no way theres any logic in this!
The Health Ranger interviewed by Seth Holehouse on AI wars: Decentralization vs. Centralized control  who will rule the future?

The competition between decentralized, open-source AI models (e.g., DeepSeek, Enoch) and centralized, government-controlled systems is escalating, challenging U.S. tech giants and raising concerns about privacy, surveillance, and global power dynamics.

DeepSeek, a reasoning AI, excels in problem-solving and real-time learning at lower costs. Its open-source, offline functionality contrasts with U.S. centralized systems, promoting democratized access to AI technology.

Developed by Mike Adams, Enoch AI focuses on survival knowledge (e.g., permaculture, natural medicine) and offline functionality, aiming to decentralize control and challenge Big Tech monopolies.

The AI race reflects a broader ideological clashdecentralized AI fosters individual empowerment and innovation, while centralized AI risks technocratic control, surveillance, and geopolitical dominance.

The race to superintelligence could determine global power structures, with decentralized AI offering hope for freedom and self-reliance, while centralized systems threaten oppression and digital authoritarianism.

As the global race for artificial intelligence supremacy accelerates, the battle between decentralized, open-source AI models and centralized, government-controlled systems is reaching a boiling point. The recent release of Chinas DeepSeek and the impending launch of Mike Adams Enoch AI underscore the growing divide in the AI landscape. These developments not only challenge the dominance of U.S. tech giants like OpenAI and Meta but also raise critical questions about privacy, surveillance, and the future of global power dynamics. The stakes are high: the race to superintelligence could determine whether humanity embraces freedom or succumbs to a digital gulag.

The rise of DeepSeek: A game-changer from China

Chinas DeepSeek has emerged as a formidable player in the AI arms race. Unlike traditional AI models that simply retrieve information, DeepSeek is a reasoning AI capable of advanced problem-solving, learning, and adapting in real-time. Built at a fraction of the cost of U.S. counterparts, DeepSeek has already demonstrated its prowess in fields like chemistry, mathematics, and coding. For instance, it can calculate complex chemical formulas, such as determining the optimal solvent mixture for extracting medicinal compounds from herbsa task that would typically require a PhD-level expert.

What sets DeepSeek apart is its open-source nature, allowing users to download and run the model offline, free from surveillance. This decentralization of knowledge and compute power is a stark contrast to the closed, centralized systems of U.S. tech giants, which often come with built-in censorship and data collection mechanisms. While some skeptics question whether DeepSeek is a Trojan horse for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its open-source framework suggests a genuine effort to democratize AI technology.

Enoch AI: A survivalists companion

On the other side of the spectrum is Enoch AI, developed by Mike Adams, also known as the Health Ranger. Unlike DeepSeek, which focuses on reasoning and problem-solving, Enoch is a knowledge-based AI designed to empower individuals with practical, survival-oriented information. From permaculture and off-grid living to natural medicine and emergency preparedness, Enoch serves as a digital library of life-saving knowledge. Its offline functionality ensures privacy and accessibility, even in grid-down scenarios.

Adams envisions Enoch as a tool for decentralization, enabling users to reclaim control over their lives in an increasingly centralized world. By providing free, open-source access to critical information, Enoch challenges the monopolistic grip of Big Tech and government-controlled AI systems. As Adams puts it, This is the most important thing Ive ever done in my lifeto produce this model and give it to the world.

The geopolitical implications

The release of DeepSeek and the development of Enoch highlight the broader geopolitical struggle for AI dominance. Chinas move to release a powerful, open-source AI model is seen by some as a strategic maneuver in its unrestricted warfare against the U.S. tech sector. Meanwhile, the U.S. is doubling down on centralized AI projects like the Stargate initiative, led by Oracles Larry Ellison and OpenAIs Sam Altman. These efforts, however, are mired in concerns over surveillance, censorship, and the weaponization of AI.

The competition between decentralized and centralized AI models reflects a deeper ideological divide. Decentralized AI, as exemplified by DeepSeek and Enoch, empowers individuals and communities, fostering innovation and self-reliance. Centralized AI, on the other hand, consolidates power in the hands of governments and corporations, raising the specter of technocratic control and mass surveillance.

The future of humanity: Freedom or digital gulag?

As the AI arms race intensifies, the question of who will achieve superintelligence first looms large. The nation or entity that reaches this milestone could demand global dominance, forcing other countries to surrender their sovereignty. For instance, if China achieves superintelligence, it could compel the U.S. to adopt the BRICS currency and submit to Chinese governance. Conversely, if the U.S. wins the race, it could enforce its own global hegemony, shutting down power grids and financial systems in non-compliant nations.

However, the rise of decentralized AI offers a glimmer of hope. By democratizing access to knowledge and compute power, open-source models like DeepSeek and Enoch could undermine the very structures of centralized control. As Adams notes, We the people are benefiting from this competition. Its going to lead to more freedom around the world.

A call to action

In this pivotal moment, individuals must choose between embracing decentralized AI tools that empower them or relying on centralized systems that seek to control them. The future of humanity hinges on this decision. Will we use AI to build a world of freedom and self-reliance, or will we allow it to become a tool of oppression and surveillance?

As the AI wars unfold, one thing is clear: the battle for the future is not just about technologyits about values. In the words of Mike Adams, AI can never replace God. Operate with ethics. Operate with honesty. Use the tools, but use them wisely. The choice is ours.

Watch this full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Seth Holehouse as they talk about AI-augmented survival, prepping and off-grid living.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Mike Adams and Alex Jones Warn: Chinas DeepSeek AI model surpasses U.S., thanks to decentralized innovation and rejection of woke ideologies

Researchers concerned by ability of AI models to SELF-REPLICATE

DeepSeeks AI model ignites market panic, Nvidia suffers record loss

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

ManInAmerica.com
CALEXIT gathers steam: Californians seek ballot initiative for state secession for 2028 election

State officials have greenlit a voter initiative named Calexit to explore Californias potential independence from the U.S.

Activists must collect 546,651 signatures by late July to secure a spot on the 2028 ballot.

Previous secession attempts gained traction post-Donald Trumps 2016 election but were later suspended.

A proposed commission to assess independence would cost 2millionannuallyplus2millionannuallyplus10 million for election expenses.

The latest plan includes creating an autonomous Native American nation encompassing almost half of the new state to act as a buffer zone.

The ballot question

Californians are taking steps to put the states independence from the U.S. on the ballot in 2028 through the Calexit campaign. Activist Marcus Evans, who previously led the Yes, California movement, has been given the go-ahead by Secretary of State Shirley Weber to gather signatures for the initiative. This new push for secession comes at a time of heightened political polarization and dissatisfaction with federal governance.

The campaign was authorized last week, and Evans has until July 31 to collect the required 546,651 signatures from registered voters. If successful, the question of Californias independence would appear on the ballot during the 2028 general election. The effort marks a resurgence of the secession movement, which briefly gained traction following Donald Trumps first presidential victory in 2016 but was suspended in December 2024.

The proposed ballot question reads, Should California leave the United States and become an independent country? If voters approve the initiative, a commission would be established to assess the feasibility and potential costs of independence.

Previous secession attempts

The concept of California secession has been around for decades, gaining traction particularly after major political events. In 2016, following Donald Trumps election, a 2017 poll showed 32 percent support for California secession, up from 20 percent in 2014. However, these efforts were largely symbolic and did not materialize into concrete policy changes.

Marcus Evans, who led the Yes, California movement, attempted to capitalize on post-Trump dissatisfaction. The movement gained momentum but was later suspended in December 2024. Evans argued that the political climate post-Trump was conducive to secession efforts, particularly among progressive voters in California.

The latest plan, unveiled at the California State Capitol on July 4, includes creating an autonomous Native American nation encompassing almost half of the new state. This zone would act as a buffer between the coastal, more-populated regions and the less-populated, less-federal land in the eastern part of the state. The boundary was decided based on the distribution of federal land and recognized Native American tribes.

The Calexit campaign aims to establish diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly focusing on progressive platforms. The campaign held a rally at the Capitol, calling for an end to the American occupation of the state, and released a statement saying that July 4 was no longer a day to celebrate.

A legislative commission to assess independence would cost approximately $2 million annually plus $10 million for election expenses. The campaign recognizes the significant financial and logistical challenges associated with such a dramatic change.

Not to be confused with Calexit, there is also the Cal 3 campaign, supported by venture capitalist billionaire Tim Draper. This effort aims to split California into three separate states  Northern California, Southern California, and plain old California. However, the Cal 3 proposal was blocked from the November 2022 ballot by the California Supreme Court, arguing that such a significant change would require action by the California legislature.

The Calexit campaign represents a significant push for Californias independence from the U.S., drawing on historical attempts and adapting to current political climate. With the ballot question potentially appearing in 2028, the campaign marks a new phase in the secession movement, aiming to gather signatures, assess feasibility, and explore the potential costs and implications of state independence.

Sources include:

RT.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai

RT.com
GAZA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Hamas condemned on Saturday the remarks of U.S. President Donald Trump on relocating Gazan residents to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.

In a press statement, Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri denounced such proposals as "ridiculous and worthless," saying that "what the Israeli occupation failed to achieve by force, will not be obtained through political games."

"The repeated U.S. announcements on displacing Palestinians under the pretext of rebuilding the Gaza Strip represents the country's complicity in the crime," said Abu Zuhri.

He warned that the U.S. "displacement projects" are a recipe for more chaos and tension in the region.

On Jan. 25, Trump proposed a controversial plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, which was strongly rejected by both countries. 
RFK Jr. vs. Sanders: A Heated Exchange on Pharmaceutical Influence in Politics

Kennedy accused Sanders of receiving millions from the pharmaceutical industry, a claim Sanders strongly denied, highlighting deep divisions within the Democratic Party.

The exchange revealed concerns about the pharmaceutical industry's opaque influence on politics, potentially undermining the legislative process and public health policies.

The debate questioned the Senate's integrity in the confirmation process, suggesting senators with pharmaceutical ties should recuse themselves to avoid conflicts of interest.

The confrontation has increased calls for transparency and reform, emphasizing the need to prioritize public interests over corporate influence in healthcare policy.

The American public is increasingly attentive to these issues, demanding more ethical governance and transparency to restore trust in the legislative process.

In a recent heated exchange, Senator Bernie Sanders and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. found themselves at loggerheads over the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on U.S. politics. The confrontation, which took place during a Senate hearing, has reignited debates about the integrity of the confirmation process and the Senate's ability to represent the people's interests effectively.

The controversy erupted when Kennedy accused Sanders of accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry, a charge that Sanders vehemently denied. The exchange not only highlighted the deep divisions within the Democratic Party but also raised critical questions about the opaque relationships between politicians and big pharma.

The exchange: Accusations and Denials

The confrontation began when Kennedy, known for his vocal criticism of the pharmaceutical industry, addressed the Senate panel, which included Sanders. Kennedy stated, "The problem of corruption is not just in the federal agencies; it's in Congress too. Almost all the members of this panel, including yourself, are accepting millions of dollars from the pharmaceutical industry."

Sanders, typically known for his progressive stances and anti-corporate rhetoric, responded with a passionate denial. "Oh, no, no, no, no. I ran for president like you. I got millions, I got millions of contributions. They did not come from the executives, not one nickel of pharma money from the pharmaceutical industry. They came from workers."

Kennedy countered, "You were the single largest recipient of pharmaceutical money from workers in 2020." Sanders, visibly frustrated, insisted, "No, I received no corporate money from the pharmaceutical industry, not one nickel."

The broader implications

The exchange underscores the complex and often contentious relationship between politicians and the pharmaceutical industry. Critics argue that the flow of money from big pharma to political campaigns can undermine the legislative process, leading to policies that favor corporate interests over public health. This concern is particularly salient in the context of vaccine mandates and drug pricing, issues that have become increasingly polarized.

The heated debate also casts a shadow over the Senate's role in the confirmation process. Many observers argue that senators who receive significant contributions from the pharmaceutical industry should recuse themselves from voting on related matters to avoid conflicts of interest. Mike Adams, a health activist, commented, "The threshold for confirmation should be lowered as all of these conflict of interest senators are removed. Why should they get to vote when they're paid to vote against reforms?"

Adams further criticized the Senate, calling it a "circus filled with corporate clowns" and highlighting the need for reform. "The Senate is so corrupt. It's time to dismantle the system and start over," he said.

A Call for Transparency and Reform

The exchange between Sanders and Kennedy has brought the issue of pharmaceutical influence in politics to the forefront. As the debate continues, it is clear that transparency and accountability are crucial for maintaining public trust in the legislative process. The integrity of the Senate and the confirmation process hangs in the balance, and many are calling for significant reforms to ensure that the interests of the people are prioritized over those of big pharma.

The future of healthcare policy and the role of the Senate in shaping it remain uncertain. However, one thing is clear: the American public is watching closely, and the demand for transparency and ethical governance is only growing stronger.

Watch this Jan. 31 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about US Senate revealing absolute government worship of vaccines and pharma.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

RFK Jr. confirmation hearing: A turning point for health freedom and chronic disease crisis?

Mike Pences attack on RFK Jr. is tied to Big Pharma money and false narratives

Sanders grills RFK Jr. over baby onesies in heated HHS confirmation hearing

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Law360.com

CBSnews.com
Missouri takes CCP to court, seeks $25 billion over PPE hoarding during early pandemic

Missouri is set to face the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in federal district court on January 27, 2025, over allegations that China hoarded PPE during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missouri is seeking $25 billion in damages, accusing the CCP of covering up critical information about the virus and hoarding essential medical supplies, leading to significant loss of life and economic disruption.

The lawsuit was initially dismissed but saw a turning point in 2024 when a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit allowed Missouri to pursue claims related to the hoarding of PPE as an antitrust violation.

Missouri must prove that the CCP hoarded PPE, directly causing harm to Missouri and its citizens. Critics argue it is a political maneuver, while legal experts warn it could set a dangerous precedent for international lawsuits.

The CCP has dismissed the lawsuit and warned of potential retaliatory actions. If Missouri secures a favorable ruling, it could set a new standard for holding foreign governments accountable, but also risk increasing tensions between the U.S. and China.

In a landmark legal battle, Missouri is set to face the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in federal district court on January 27, 2025, over allegations that China hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE) during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state, represented by Attorney General Andrew Bailey, is seeking $25 billion in damages, accusing the CCP of actions that led to significant loss of life and economic disruption in Missouri.

The lawsuit, initially filed in 2020, accuses the CCP of covering up critical information about the virus and hoarding essential medical supplies, thereby exacerbating the global health crisis. Missouri's case, the first of its kind, marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to hold foreign entities accountable for their roles in the pandemic.

The legal journey

Missouri's lawsuit has faced numerous legal hurdles. Initially dismissed by a district court judge under the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA), which generally shields foreign states from U.S. litigation, the case saw a turning point in 2024. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit revived part of the lawsuit, allowing Missouri to pursue claims related to the hoarding of PPE as an antitrust violation.

Attorney General Bailey, known for his assertive stance on international accountability, expressed optimism about the case's prospects. "Missouri v. China is truly a landmark case, as we seek $25 billion in damages," Bailey said. "We won a key victory in this case last year, so were feeling confident heading into trial."

The trial and its implications

The trial began on January 27 at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, with Missouri's Solicitor General Josh Divine and his deputy, Sam Freedlund, presenting the case before Judge Stephen Limbaugh. The state must prove that the CCP and other China-based entities hoarded PPE, directly causing harm to Missouri and its citizens.

Critics of the case argue that it is a political maneuver aimed at publicly blaming China for the pandemic. Legal experts warn that a win for Missouri could set a dangerous precedent, potentially opening the door for foreign governments to sue the U.S. in international courts. Despite these concerns, Bailey remains undeterred. "Were hauling China into court to hold them accountable for unleashing COVID-19 on the world," he stated in a press release.

China's response

The CCP has dismissed the lawsuit as "very absurd" and lacking factual or legal basis. China has also warned of potential retaliatory legal action, stating in a diplomatic notice to the U.S. State Department that it "does not accept and will not participate in such lawsuits  [i]f the U.S. side allows the frivolous lawsuits to proceed, the Chinese side reserves the right to take reciprocal countermeasures."

As expected, China is not expected to send a representative to the trial, which could make a default judgment in Missouri's favor more likely. Missouri's Solicitor General, Josh Divine, addressed the practical implications of a potential win. "The foreign sovereign immunities act, thats been a big issue in this case," he said. "Well, that act expressly says that we can go and we can seize Chinas property. All know that they have a lot of property here in Missouri and elsewhere in the country. We look forward to seizing $24 billion in assets and putting it back into the pockets of the people in Missouri."

Conclusion

The outcome of the Missouri v. China case could have far-reaching implications, not only for the state but for international relations and legal precedents. If Missouri secures a favorable ruling, it could set a new standard for holding foreign governments accountable for their actions during global crises. However, the case also highlights the complex and often contentious nature of international law and diplomacy. As the trial progresses, the world will watch closely, weighing the potential benefits of accountability against the risks of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China.

Sources include:

EpochTimes.com

K8News.com

San.com
RFK Jr.s confirmation hearing: A battle for health freedom and the soul of American politics

Democrats' treatment of RFK Jr. during his confirmation hearing was seen as an attempt to silence dissent, with no room for questions or open discussion.

The Democrats' newfound embrace of Big Pharma was highlighted, with RFK Jr.'s skepticism toward certain vaccines and drug safety testing met with scorn.

The hearing revealed the Democrats' inability to engage with Kennedy's concerns in good faith, resorting to ad hominem attacks and gotcha questions instead.

The confirmation hearing served as a microcosm of the cultural and ideological divide in America, with Democrats' actions viewed as emblematic of a broader trend toward abandoning principle in favor of political expediency.

RFK Jr.'s nomination represents a symbol of resistance against the forces of conformity and control, with the hearing highlighting the ongoing battle for the soul of American politics.

The confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trumps nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), was not just a political spectacleit was a microcosm of the cultural and ideological divide gripping America. Democrats, armed with a litany of grievances and accusations, sought to dismantle Kennedys credibility, but in doing so, they revealed far more about their own shortcomings than his. This hearing was a stark reminder of why health freedom and independent thinking are under siege in modern America. Sasha Stone shared these takeaways from Kennedy's confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

No questions allowed

The Democrats treatment of RFK Jr. during the hearing was a masterclass in silencing dissent. As Sasha Stone aptly noted, Just asking a question is itself a crime. Kennedy, a lifelong environmental lawyer and advocate for public health, has spent decades questioning the safety of chemicals in our environment and the efficacy of certain medical interventions. Yet, instead of engaging with his concerns, Democrats labeled him a purveyor of disinformation and lumped him into the so-called Disinformation Dozen.

This tactic is not new. History is replete with examples of those who dared to challenge the status quo being ostracized or worse. Galileo, who famously faced persecution for asserting that the Earth revolved around the Sun, would undoubtedly recognize the parallels. As the Indigo Girls sang, Galileos head was on the block. His crime was looking up the truth. Today, Kennedys crime is asking questions about vaccines, environmental toxins and public health policies.

The Democrats refusal to entertain these questions is not just an affront to Kennedyits an affront to the American people. As Megyn Kelly observed in her recent interview with Frontline, They should spend a few minutes listening to voices outside of their bubble. They should try, at the very least, to understand where Americans are coming from.

Big Pharma isnt bad anymore

One of the most striking revelations from the hearing was the Democrats newfound embrace of Big Pharma. Once a favorite target of progressive ire, the pharmaceutical industry has seemingly been absolved of all sinsat least when it aligns with their political agenda. Kennedys skepticism of certain vaccines and his calls for greater transparency in drug safety testing were met with scorn, as if questioning the pharmaceutical industry is tantamount to heresy.

Kennedy himself addressed this hypocrisy during the hearing, stating, I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, and nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care. All of my kids are vaccinated. His nuanced positionacknowledging the benefits of vaccines while advocating for safer formulationswas dismissed outright by Democrats like Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), who accused Kennedy of lying to Congress.

This shift in the Democratic Partys stance on Big Pharma is emblematic of a broader trend: the abandonment of principle in favor of political expediency. As Stone noted, They demand we follow the unreliable narrators. They want all those seeking answers outside the mainstream to trust THEM when they lied to the public for so long about so many things. That trust is unearned.

The Democrats havent learned a thing

Perhaps the most damning indictment of the Democrats performance during the hearing was their inability to engage with Kennedy in good faith. Instead of addressing the substantive issues he raisedsuch as the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on childrens health or the potential links between antidepressants and school shootingsthey resorted to ad hominem attacks and gotcha questions.

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) grilled Kennedy on his comments about pesticides and gender identity, to which Kennedy responded, I never said that. Similarly, Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) pressed him on his remarks about antidepressants, ignoring his broader point about the need for further research into the causes of school shootings.

This combative approach is not just counterproductiveits alienating. As Stone observed, Their hostile attitude toward him was exactly the wrong play. They had this rare opportunity to bring back maybe some of the voters they lost to RFK, Jr. And yet, everything they said and did only proved that all of us who have abandoned the party made the right choice.

A doomsday cult of conformity

The Democrats handling of RFK Jr.s confirmation hearing was a stark reminder of why so many Americans feel disillusioned with the party. Their refusal to engage with dissenting voices, their blind allegiance to Big Pharma, and their relentless attacks on anyone who dares to think independently have turned them into what Stone aptly describes as a Doomsday Cult.

Kennedy, for all his controversial views, represents something the Democrats have lost: a willingness to ask hard questions and challenge the status quo. His confirmation would be a victory not just for health freedom, but for the principles of open inquiry and independent thinking that are the bedrock of American democracy.

As the Senate deliberates on Kennedys nomination, one thing is clear: the battle for the soul of American politics is far from over. And in that battle, RFK Jr. is not just a nomineehes a symbol of resistance against the forces of conformity and control. Let us hope that, this time, truth prevails.

Sources include:

Substack.com

TheHill.com
Trump orders CDC to halt WHO collaboration

President Trump orders CDC to cease all collaborations with WHO, marking a significant policy shift.

The directive halts a wide range of interactions, including participation in technical groups and visits to WHO offices.

Trump criticizes WHO's handling of COVID-19 and funding inequities, rejecting a $39 million offer to rejoin.

The move reflects Trump's dissatisfaction with WHO, praised by supporters but criticized by detractors for its potential consequences.

President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to immediately cease all collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO). The directive, detailed in a memo sent by CDC official John Nkengasong on Sunday night, marks a significant policy shift that some claim could disrupt critical global health initiatives.

The memo applies to a wide range of interactions, including participation in technical working groups, advisory boards, and cooperative agreements, both in-person and virtually. CDC personnel are also prohibited from visiting WHO offices. This abrupt halt in collaboration follows Trump's recent executive order initiating the process for the U.S. to withdraw from the WHO, a move that has been long anticipated but was not generally expected to be implemented so swiftly.

Trump's criticism of WHO and conditions for rejoining

President Trump has been a vocal critic of the WHO, particularly over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has accused the organization of providing flawed guidance and yielding to political pressures, notably from China. Trump has also highlighted the disproportionate financial burden the U.S. bears in funding the WHO, a point he emphasized during a rally in Las Vegas.

"We paid $500 million a year and China paid $39 million a year despite a much larger population. Think of that. China's paying $39 million to have 1.4 billion people, we pay $500 million we have  no one knows what the hell we have, does anyone know? We have so many people pouring in we have no idea," Trump told rally attendees.

In a further jab at the WHO, Trump revealed that the organization offered to let the U.S. back in for $39 million annually, a figure he flatly rejected. "They offered me at $39 million, they said "We'll let you back in for 39 million," they're going to reduce it from [500 million] to [39 million], and I turned them down, because it became so popular I didn't know if it would be well received even at [39 million], but maybe we would consider doing it again. I don't know; they have to clean it up a bit," he said.

Despite the withdrawal, the sudden cessation of CDC collaboration with the WHO has taken public health experts by surprise. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a public health expert at the University of Southern California, described the move as "a big problem" that disrupts crucial lines of communication. "People thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down," he said, noting that the collaboration provides critical information on emerging outbreaks, new treatments, and tests.

While the move has raised concerns among health experts, Trump's supporters argue that the U.S. should not be shouldering such a large financial burden for an organization that, in their view, has failed to meet its responsibilities.

President Trump's decision to order the CDC to stop working with the WHO is a clear signal of his administration's dissatisfaction with the organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its funding structure. While the move has been praised by some for addressing perceived inequities, detractors insist it could have a negative impact on global health initiatives. As the situation unfolds, the international community will be closely watching to see how this policy shift affects ongoing efforts to combat global health threats and whether the U.S. will eventually rejoin the WHO under different terms.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

APNews.com

CNN.com

FoxNews.com
Trump reinstates thousands of service members who were discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccines

President Donald Trump issued an executive order to reinstate over 8,000 military personnel who were discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, with full back pay, benefits and restored rank.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military personnel was implemented by the Biden administration in 2021, leading to the discharge of more than 8,000 service members who refused the vaccine. This policy was repealed in 2023, but only 43 of the discharged personnel returned to service under the Biden administration.

The vaccine mandate was a highly polarizing policy, with proponents arguing for operational readiness and health protection, and critics viewing it as an infringement on individual freedoms and a demoralizing action.

The reinstatement of discharged service members could affect military readiness and morale, addressing what Trump called the "unjust" treatment of vaccine-refusing troops, but potentially creating divisions within the ranks.

Trump's actions also include bans on transgender individuals serving in the military and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the armed forces, signaling a return to more conservative military policies.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will reinstate more than 8,000 service members who were discharged from the military for refusing to take the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The executive order will also grant these individuals full back pay, benefits and restoration of their prior rank.

Former President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate, implemented in 2021 under then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, required all active-duty and reserve military personnel to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or face disciplinary action, including discharge. Over the next two years, more than 8,000 service members were dismissed for refusing the vaccine, a policy that drew sharp criticism from some lawmakers, veterans' groups and civil liberties advocates. While the mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of the discharged personnel chose to return to service under the Biden administration, according to a White House fact sheet.

Trump's executive order directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reinstate all service members who were discharged for vaccine refusal and who request to return to duty. (Related: Trump pledges to reinstate troops discharged over COVID-19 vaccine refusal, offers back pay.)

"The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Defense to reinstate all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine and who request to be reinstated," the fact sheet stated. The move fulfills a campaign promise Trump made last year when he vowed to rehire dismissed troops and offer them back pay along with an apology from the government.

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate for military personnel was one of the most polarizing policies of the Biden administration. Proponents argued that it was necessary to maintain operational readiness and protect the health of service members, particularly given the close-quarters nature of military life.

"It is a lawful order," former Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in 2021. "It is a valid military requirement to get the vaccine. And it does apply, as we've said before, to members of the National Guard."

Critics, however, viewed the mandate as an overreach that infringed on individual freedoms and undermined military morale. Many of the discharged service members cited religious, medical or personal objections to the vaccine, while others expressed skepticism about the safety and efficacy of the mRNA-based shots, which were authorized under emergency use protocols. The policy also faced legal challenges, with some courts ruling in favor of service members who sued over their dismissals.

Trump's decision to reverse the mandate reflects his broader stance on COVID-19 policies, which he has frequently criticized as excessive and authoritarian. During his inauguration speech, the president declared his intent to address what he called the Biden administration's "unjust" treatment of vaccine-refusing troops.

"This week I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, with full back pay," Trump said.

For the thousands of service members who were discharged over the vaccine mandate, Trump's executive order offers a chance to reclaim their careers and livelihoods. Many of these individuals faced significant challenges after leaving the military, including difficulty finding employment and accessing veterans' benefits. The promise of back pay and restored rank could provide a measure of financial and professional relief, though some may choose not to return to service after their experiences.

The reinstatement also raises questions about the long-term impact on military readiness and morale. While some may view the move as a necessary correction to an overly punitive policy, others worry it could undermine trust in military leadership and create divisions within the ranks.

Broader military policy shifts

The said move is part of a broader series of executive actions Trump has taken since assuming office last week. In addition to addressing the vaccine mandate, the president is expected to sign orders banning transgender individuals from serving in the military and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs within the armed forces. These moves signal a return to the more conservative military policies of Trump's first term, which were largely rolled back under the Biden administration.

The transgender military ban, first implemented in 2017, was reversed by Biden in 2021, allowing transgender individuals to serve openly. Similarly, DEI initiatives, which aim to promote inclusivity and address systemic inequities, have become a focal point of debate within the military and beyond. Critics argue that such programs distract from the military's core mission, while supporters contend they are essential for fostering a diverse and effective fighting force.

Check out HealthFreedom.news to read related stories.

Watch the video below that talks about Hegseth rebuilding the military.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump's unprecedented military reform: Bringing back the "unvaxxed" troops.

Trump vows to reinstate troops discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations.

Pete Hegseth vows to reinstate members of the military discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

FoxNews.com

MSN.com

Brighteon.com
Trump administration considers selling two-thirds of underused government office space

The Trump administration is considering the sale of two-thirds of the government's owned office space and the termination of three-quarters of its leased office space, managed by the General Services Administration (GSA). The GSA currently leases over 149 million square feet of office space, paying nearly $5.2 billion in annual rent.

The move is part of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, aimed at reducing government waste and improving efficiency.

The proposed changes will have significant impacts on metropolitan areas, especially Washington D.C., where the GSA leases nearly 10 percent of the office market, spanning 35.8 million square feet. Other major affected areas include New York City, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Denver.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were appointed by Trump to lead the DOGE, working with the White House and Office of Management and Budget to drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach to government.

The Trump administration is considering shedding a substantial portion of the government's massive office space portfolio, managed by the General Services Administration (GSA).

According to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, the administration is exploring the sale of two-thirds of the office space the government owns, along with the termination of three-quarters of its leased office space. (Related: Democratic congressman joins House DOGE Caucus, suggests axing 2 agencies from DHS.)

The proposal aims to reduce government waste and improve efficiency. The GSA currently leases over 149 million square feet of office space across the country, paying nearly $5.2 billion in annual rent to private-sector landlords.

A recent report from Sen. Joni Ernst, chair of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) caucus, highlighted the severe under-utilization of government-owned office space. The report found that none of the headquarters for major federal agencies in Washington, D.C., are operating at more than half capacity, with occupancy rates averaging just 12 percent in GSA-owned buildings in the nation's capital.

The GSA owns over 7,500 vacant buildings nationwide, with more than 2,200 partially empty. These underutilized properties are a significant drain on the government's budget, with maintenance and operational costs eating away at the funds available for other critical initiatives.

This proposal to sell or terminate leases on such a large scale is likely to exacerbate the already depressed office market. Default rates on office mortgages have surged to a record 11 percent at the end of 2024, surpassing the peak levels seen during the 2008 Financial Crisis. The commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market, which is a crucial source of financing for office buildings, is under severe stress.

The impact of the GSA's potential lease terminations will be most pronounced in certain metropolitan areas, with Washington D.C. being the most affected. The GSA leases nearly 10 percent of the entire office market in the Washington D.C. metro area, spanning 35.8 million square feet across 446 buildings. In 2025 alone, the GSA has the right to terminate 9.6 million square feet of space, which currently generates $1.47 billion in annual rent.

Other major metropolitan areas that will be impacted include New York City, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Denver. Together, these metros account for 66.3 million square feet of GSA-leased office space, with termination rights on 18.9 million square feet in 2025.

DOGE to reduce federal workforce, federal spending and federal agencies

These office space cuts are part of the DOGE's initiative to reduce the federal workforce by 75 percent, cut federal spending by $2 trillion and eliminate several agencies.

On Nov. 13, Trump initially appointed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as DOGE leaders who will work with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget to "drive large-scale structural reform and create an entrepreneurial approach" to government.

As a response, Musk and Ramaswamy outlined a plan to significantly streamline the federal government on Dec. 5. Their agenda includes reducing the federal workforce by 75 percent, cutting federal spending by $2 trillion and eliminating several agencies, such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

They also propose abolishing outdated regulations, enforcing strict in-office attendance for federal employees and relocating agencies outside of Washington, D.C., to decentralize power. Additionally, they aim to secure executive authority to nullify unnecessary regulations and modernize government functions.

But shortly before Trump's inauguration, Ramaswamy abruptly departed from the project to run for governor of Ohio. He believes that his candidacy will contribute to DOGE's goal of reducing the power of the federal government.

Head over to BigGovernment.news for more stories like this.

Watch this interview of Vivek Ramaswamy and Tucker Carlson from November 2024, where the former DOGE co-commissioner explains the implications of a second Trump administration for the future of America's bloated government bureaucracy.

This video is from the Sanivan channel on Brighteon.com.

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Deep State sabotage: Lawsuit targets DOGE in an attempt to block government overhaul.

DOGE faces monumental task as U.S. budget deficit SOARS TO RECORD HIGH going into 2025.

DOGE leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy present vision for government reform to Congress.

Canadian group urging Trudeau to adopt Trump's DOGE initiative to curb wasteful government spending.

Trump's DOGE initiative will task Elon Musk with auditing the IRS, a department rife with arrogance and waste.

Sources include:

WolfStreet.com

NPR.org

YourNews.com

Brighteon.com
Trump 2.0: One wonderful week of reform, restoration and impressive improvements

President Trump's first week in his second term was marked by a series of executive orders and policy changes, including suspending security clearances for 51 intelligence officers who criticized his administration, and lifting security details for former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Trump ordered all federal agencies to shut down their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices, placing all DEI hires on paid administrative leave and threatening consequences for any attempts to disguise these programs using coded language.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a 90-day freeze on nearly all foreign aid, except for emergency food aid and military aid to Israel and Egypt. The move emphasizes accountability and policies that benefit the American people.

Trump fired 17 inspectors general across various departments, including Defense, State, Energy, and Housing and Urban Development, a move seen by critics as undermining the integrity of the system but by supporters as necessary to align agencies with administration goals.

The first week of Trump's second term set a tone of urgency and change, with rapid and decisive actions that signal a new era of vigilance and accountability, aimed at restoring America and aligning with the president's vision.

In just seven days, President Donald Trump has unleashed a whirlwind of change, reshaping the political landscape and setting the stage for what he calls "the complete restoration of America and the revolution of common sense." The first week of Trump's second term has been nothing short of a shockwave, with a flurry of executive orders, significant policy reversals and a clear message that the president is not fooling around this time.

A fresh start: Draining the swamp

On his first day back in the Oval Office, Trump wasted no time in addressing the issues he vowed to tackle. One of his most significant moves was to suspend the security clearances of 51 intelligence officers who had signed a public letter in 2021, falsely claiming that Hunter Bidens laptop was a Russian disinformation operation. This move sent a clear message: partisan interference in intelligence matters will not be tolerated.

"I remember those fifty-one, mostly high-ranking members of 'the intelligence community,'" Trump said, referring to the letter. "They played a dangerous game, and now theyre paying the price."

The president also lifted security details for former National Security Advisor John Bolton and Dr. Anthony Fauci, both of whom have been vocal critics of his administration. Bolton, in a televised interview, called the decision "unfair and partisan," but the sentiment was widely dismissed as self-serving.

Sweeping reforms: From DEI to foreign aid

One of the hallmarks of Trump 2.0 is his focus on moving from words to deeds. On Tuesday, the president ordered the heads of all government agencies to shut down their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) offices by 5 p.m. the following day. All DEI hires were placed on paid administrative leave immediately, and agency heads were instructed to report any attempts to disguise these programs using coded language.

"These programs divided Americans by race, wasted taxpayer dollars and resulted in shameful discrimination," Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro wrote in a memo to employees. "If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024, to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances."

The memo, which was identical across federal agencies, warned that failure to report such information within 10 days could result in adverse consequences. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) appeared to be one of the agencies attempting to shield its DEI programs. Lisa T. Boykin, previously listed as the Bureaus Chief Diversity Officer, was rebranded as a "Senior Executive" by Thursday.

A new approach to foreign aid

On Friday, newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a cable to all U.S. diplomatic posts, announcing a 90-day freeze on nearly all foreign aid. The move, which exempts emergency food aid and military aid to Israel and Egypt, has stunned the diplomatic corps and their beneficiaries.

"Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?" Rubio said in a statement. "This is a time for accountability and a return to policies that benefit the American people."

The blanket moratorium has been met with mixed reactions. While some see it as a necessary step to realign U.S. interests, others fear it could destabilize regions dependent on American aid.

A new era of vigilance

The first week of Trump's second term has been characterized by a sense of urgency and a clear commitment to action. The president's rapid and decisive moves have set a tone of change and accountability, leaving little doubt that he is determined to follow through on his campaign promises.

Around midnight on Friday, Trump fired 17 inspectors general across various departments, including the Defense, State, Energy, and Housing and Urban Development. The move was met with widespread criticism from Democratic politicians and the fired inspectors, who called it a "widespread massacre" that undermines the integrity of the system.

"Whoever Trump puts in now will be viewed as loyalists, and that undermines the entire system," one former inspector general lamented. However, Trump's supporters see it as a necessary step to ensure that government agencies are aligned with the administration's goals.

A new dawn for America

As the dust settles on the first week of Trump's second term, the country is witnessing a dramatic shift in direction. The president's rapid and decisive actions have set the stage for what many hope will be a period of restoration and common sense.

"It is as if we had suddenly awakened from a bad dream," one conservative commentator noted. "Things that would have seemed impossible last month are suddenly not only possible but real."

The road ahead may be fraught with challenges, but the momentum of Trump 2.0 is undeniable. With a clear vision and a renewed sense of purpose, the president is poised to make significant strides in making America great again.

Sources include:

AmGreatness.com

TheSpectator.com

NYPost.com
Trumps blunt diplomacy is shattering the liberal world order and redefining global power dynamics

Donald Trumps unapologetic leadership style continues to disrupt international norms, exposing liberal virtue signaling, Western hypocrisy, and reshaping the global order. His focus on results over ideals has left allies uneasy and adversaries calculating their next moves. As Trump returns to the political stage, the world braces for a new era of bluntness, self-interest, and raw power.

Emerging from a political landscape that was terribly divided in 2024, with government agencies weaponized against him, and assassins plotting to kill, Donald Trump has risen above it all. This has commanded a new level of respect and loyalty among those in his own political party and has even shifted old school liberal democrats to abandon the Democratic Party.

Blunt honesty and the end of hypocrisy

Donald Trumps return to the global stage has reignited debates about his unorthodox leadership style. At its core, Trumps approach is defined by a rejection of hypocrisy and a relentless focus on tangible outcomes. Unlike traditional politicians who cloak their ambitions in diplomatic rhetoric, Trumps bluntness cuts through the noise, exposing the raw realities of international power struggles.

He doesnt aim to prove himself right; he simply wants to achieve his objectives, writes Fyodor Lukyanov, a prominent Russian political analyst. This results-driven mindset has upended the liberal world order, which long relied on the United States acting as a benign hegemon. Under Trump, the U.S. has shifted toward a more transactional, self-interested role, leaving allies and adversaries alike scrambling to adapt.

Trumps leadership has left many nations unsettled. Traditional allies like Denmark and Canada have struggled to respond to his direct, denigrating statements, which demand respect. Meanwhile, countries in Latin America brace for the worst, fearing a U.S. that prioritizes its own interests above all else.

The rise of what Lukyanov terms post-hypocrisy has further complicated matters. In recent decades, Western politics has increasingly framed global issues as a binary clash between right (the Western model) and wrong (those who deviate from it). This absolutist approach leaves little room for compromise, creating a culture where meaningful dialogue is nearly impossible.

Trumps bluntness acts as a reset button, forcing conversations to focus on tangible interests rather than abstract ideals. While his mercantilist instincts may oversimplify complex global issues, they also strip away the pretense that has long dominated international discourse.

The geopolitical gamble of a self-interested America

As Trump takes up his second term, his foreign policy ambitions are coming into sharper focus. Central to his strategy is a dramatic pivot away from Europe and toward a renewed focus on China and the Americas. Plans to reduce U.S. commitments to NATO and redirect resources to the Western Hemisphere signal a bold, if risky, shift in global power dynamics.

Domestically, Trumps agenda hinges on early victories, such as resolving the Ukrainian conflict and executing large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants. These moves are designed to energize his base and consolidate Republican power ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Trumps leadership style is not without its critics. His willingness to rip the band-aid off and confront uncomfortable truths has left many uneasy, even as it exposes the contradictions of the liberal world order. Yet, for all its flaws, Trumps approach offers a stark alternative to the endless posturing and ideological rigidity that have characterized modern geopolitics.

As the world watches Trumps next moves, one thing is clear: the era of subtlety and diplomatic niceties is giving way to a new age of bluntness, honesty, and consequence. Whether this shift leads to resolution or further conflict remains to be seen. But in a world increasingly defined by power and self-interest, Trumps unapologetic pursuit of results may be both a symptom and a driver of the changing global order.

His blunt, results-driven approach has shattered the illusions of the liberal world order, forcing nations to confront the raw realities of power and self-interest. Like a storm tearing through a fragile ecosystem, Trumps leadership has upended long-standing norms, leaving allies and adversaries alike scrambling to adapt.

Sources include:

RT.com

Enoch, Brighteon.ai

RT.com
American Hostage Keith Siegel set for release as Hamas-Israel prisoner exchange continues

American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, will be released this weekend as part of a prisoner exchange deal, marking the first release of an American hostage from Hamas Oct. 7 attack.

Siegel, Yarden Bibas, and Ofer Kalderon are set to be freed amid a fragile ceasefire and criticism of Netanyahus handling of the hostage crisis.

The release comes as Hamas and Israel negotiate further exchanges, with Israel freeing Palestinian prisoners in return.

Netanyahu faces backlash for delays in the process and his governments aggressive military campaign in Gaza.

American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, is set to be released this weekend as part of a prisoner exchange deal, marking the first release of an American citizen taken hostage during Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Siegel, a dual national, will be freed alongside Yarden Bibas, the father of the youngest hostages, and Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli citizen. The release comes amid a fragile ceasefire and growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus handling of the hostage crisis, which critics argue has been marred by delays and mismanagement.

The announcement, made by Hamas on Friday, has brought a glimmer of hope to families who have endured months of uncertainty. However, the path to this moment has been fraught with tension, including Netanyahus recent decision to delay a prisoner release over what he called shocking scenes during a chaotic handover of hostages.

A long-awaited homecoming

Keith Siegel, an occupational therapist from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, was abducted alongside his wife, Aviva, during Hamas brutal assault on southern Israel. Aviva was released in November 2023 as part of an earlier ceasefire deal, but Keith remained in captivity. In a video released by Hamas in April 2024, Siegel appeared pale and tired but assured his family, Its very important to me that you know Im okay.

Aviva Siegel has been a vocal advocate for her husbands release, describing the emotional toll of their separation. Im just so worried about him, she told Fox News in December. I just dont know what kind of Keith that were going to get back. Her dream, she said, is to see her husband reunited with their grandchildren, jumping into his arms and well all cry together.

Also set for release is Yarden Bibas, whose wife, Shiri, and two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, were kidnapped alongside him. Hamas claimed in late 2023 that the family was killed in an Israeli airstrike, though Israel has not confirmed their deaths. Kfir, just nine months old at the time of his abduction, became a symbol of the hostage crisis, his image plastered on posters worldwide.

Ofer Kalderon, a 54-year-old carpenter and father of two, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His children, Erez and Sahar, were released in the November 2023 exchange.

The release of these hostages has been overshadowed by criticism of Netanyahus handling of the crisis. The Israeli prime minister has faced backlash for his governments aggressive military campaign in Gaza, which some have described as genocidal, and for delaying the release of Palestinian prisoners during the exchange process.

Last week, Netanyahu balked at the chaotic handover of hostages, temporarily halting the release of Palestinian prisoners until mediators guaranteed the safety of future transfers. I view with utmost severity the shocking scenes during the release of our hostages, Netanyahu said, referring to footage of hostages being forced to walk through a hostile crowd in Khan Younis.

Critics argue that Netanyahus delays and hardline stance have prolonged the suffering of hostages and their families.

A fragile ceasefire

The current ceasefire, brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, has seen the release of 10 Israeli and five Thai hostages since it began on Jan. 19. Hamas is expected to free 23 more hostages over the next six weeks, including the three set for release this weekend. In exchange, Israel has agreed to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some convicted of serious offenses.

As of Friday, Hamas and its allies still hold 79 hostages taken on Oct. 7, along with three others captured in 2014.

For Keith Siegels family, his impending release is a moment of relief after months of anguish. Dad is coming! Dad is on the list! Aviva Siegel exclaimed in a video shared by her daughter. Yet, for many others, the wait continues, underscoring the need for a lasting resolution to a crisis that has devastated countless lives.

Sources for this article include:

Reuters.com

BBC.com

CNN.com

YourNews.com

FoxNews.com
Taxpayer-funded censorship: How dark money and government grants fuel biased anti-hate speech organizations

Two prominent organizations, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and Stop Funding Hate (SFH), have been accused of silencing dissenting voices and promoting censorship under the guise of combating hate speech and disinformation.

The CCDH, known for its "Disinformation Dozen" report, has been revealed to receive significant funding from foundations partly financed by taxpayer money, raising concerns about the use of public funds for political purposes.

Internal CCDH documents leaked by a whistleblower reveal the organization's explicit goal to "kill Musk's Twitter," sparking outrage over its intent to stifle free speech on the platform.

SFH, which targets advertisers of conservative media outlets, has received funding from a foundation with ties to the British government, further questioning the impartiality of the group's actions.

Both organizations funded by "dark money" sources and taxpayer money are accused of suppressing free speech and silencing dissenting voices, posing a threat to open debate and the principle of free speech.

In an era where free speech is increasingly under threat, the role of so-called organizations countering "hate speech" has come under intense scrutiny. Two prominent groups, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and Stop Funding Hate (SFH), have been exposed as recipients of taxpayer-funded grants and "dark money" to advance their agendas.

These organizations, which claim to combat hate speech and disinformation, are instead accused of silencing dissenting voices and promoting censorship under the guise of public interest. The CCDH, infamous for its "Disinformation Dozen" report, has been revealed to receive significant funding from foundations that are partly financed by taxpayer money.

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, which holds assets worth 1.3 billion ($1.62 billion), received over 300,000 from the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. In turn, the foundation funneled 200,000 ($373,110) to the CCDH last year. This indirect flow of public funds to a group with a clear political agenda has sparked outrage, with critics accusing the organization of using taxpayer money to wage "political vendettas."

The CCDH's internal documents leaked by a whistleblower reveal its explicit goal to "kill [Elon] Musk's Twitter," a chilling admission of its intent to stifle free speech on one of the world's most influential social media platforms. Its CEO Imran Ahmed has deep ties to the ruling British Labour Party, having co-founded the CCDH with Morgan McSweeney, now Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff. This connection raises serious questions about the impartiality of an organization that claims to be a neutral arbiter of truth. (Related: Group behind 'disinformation dozen' sought to 'kill Musk's Twitter,' launch 'black ops' against RFK Jr.)

Similarly, SFH  which targets advertisers of conservative media outlets like GB News and the Daily Mail  has received 100,000 ($124,370) from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. This foundation with an investment portfolio worth 900 million ($1.12 billion) has also benefited from taxpayer money, receiving 1.4 million ($1.74 million) from the British government and the Greater London Assembly between 2020 and 2023. SFH Director Richard Wilson is a vocal supporter of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and a staunch opponent of Brexit, further underscoring the group's partisan leanings.

CCDH silencing voices on both sides of the pond

The CCDH's influence extends beyond the United Kingdom, with its rhetoric appearing in U.S. Department of Homeland Security bulletins that equate vaccine skepticism with domestic terrorism. This alarming trend highlights the global reach of an organization that operates with little transparency and even less accountability.

The CCDH's "Disinformation Dozen" report accusing 12 individuals  including Sayer Ji, Dr. Joseph Mercola and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  of spreading the majority of "anti-vaccine disinformation" online has been widely discredited. Facebook, one of the platforms targeted by the report, dismissed its findings, stating that the data was "in no way representative" of the broader discourse on the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. Despite this, the report was weaponized by the Biden administration and legacy media outlets to justify the censorship of several prominent figures critical of the injections.

But according to a recent investigation by Ji, the CCDH is funded by a network of "dark money" sources. These include U.K.-based philanthropic organizations with ties to legacy media, the British government and global entities like George Soros' Open Society Foundations and the Ford Foundation. These funders, while claiming to support causes like environmentalism and poverty alleviation, are effectively bankrolling a campaign to suppress free speech and silence dissenting voices.

The use of taxpayer money to fund these groups is particularly egregious. Conservative Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty, who represents the Huntingdon constituency in the British House of Commons, remarked: "It's disgraceful that taxpayers' hard-earned money is being wasted on Left-wing campaign groups  who are waging war on our free media and trying to shut down X."

Organizations like the CCDH and Stop Funding Hate, which seek to silence voices they disagree with, pose a direct threat to this fundamental principle. The revelation that these groups are funded, in part, by taxpayer money and shadowy "dark money" sources should serve as a wake-up call to all who value free speech and open debate. The public deserves to know how their money is being spent and whether it is being used to advance partisan agendas under the guise of combating hate and disinformation.

Check out Censorship.news for more similar stories.

Watch this video featuring Charlene Bollinger, who was included in CCDH's Disinformation Dozen report alongside her husband Ty.

This video is from the Thrivetime Show channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Elon Musk declares war after hearing about Kamala adviser plot to "kill Twitter."

"Disinformation Dozen" smear campaign authors at the CCDH are now under investigation by Congress.

Center for Countering Digital Hate facing collapse after its "black operations" against Americans are exposed.

Sources include:

ReclaimTheNet.org

Telegraph.co.uk

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Brighteon.com
WELLINGTON, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 different ethnic groups presented traditional music and dance with their own national characteristics and cultural diversity in the New Zealand capital of Wellington on Saturday to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

The cultural performance was held in the National Museum Maori Hall, attracting nearly 1,000 audiences.

The multicultural event, co-hosted by the Multicultural Council of Wellington and China Cultural Center in Wellington, featured a fusion of music and dance from Maori, Chinese, Indian, Thai, South Korean, Philippine, Irish, Middle Eastern and Latin American communities.

Held on the fourth day of the Chinese New Year, the event was attended by New Zealand government officials, parliamentarians, city councilors and diplomats. 
Fired USDA official defies Trump, refuses to vacate office

USDA Inspector-General Phyllis Fong, a 22-year veteran of the agency, initially refused to leave her office following her termination  symbolizing resistance against President Donald Trump's efforts to "drain the swamp."

The White House defended the terminations of Fong and 16 other inspectors general, claiming it was within the president's executive authority and necessary to "put good people in there that will be very good."

The dismissals drew criticism from senators on both sides, including concerns over compliance with federal law and the required notice to Congress.

The terminations were criticized for violating federal law, with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) determining that the termination notices did not comply with legal requirements.

Fong's resistance highlights the ongoing struggle between the executive branch and the federal bureaucracy, emphasizing the challenges Trump faces in his efforts to "drain the swamp" and the importance of maintaining independent oversight in a functioning democracy.

In a dramatic display of resistance against President Donald Trump's efforts to "drain the swamp," fired U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Inspector General (IG) Phyllis Fong refused to vacate her office following her termination  leading to security being called in to escort her out.

The defiance by Fong, a 22-year veteran of the department, followed the White House's issuance of termination notices to her and 16 other IGs on Friday, Jan. 24. The firings stemmed from concerns over their lack of impartiality and perceived biases toward the Biden administration.

She was eventually escorted by security officials out of the building on Monday, Jan. 27. But after U.S. News and World Report published the story of Fong being escorted out, a USDA spokesperson said she left the office on her own accord.

"She was accompanied by two friends who she paused to take selfies with on her way out," the spokesperson said. "Security officials did not play any role in her departure."

The White House defended the firings of the "rogue, partisan bureaucrats," noting that the IGs "have been relieved of their duties to make room for qualified individuals who will uphold the rule of law and protect democracy." White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt likewise defended the terminations on Tuesday, Jan. 28, telling reporters: "It is the belief of this White House and the White House counsel's office that the president was within his executive authority." (Related: Trump fires 17 inspectors general in sweeping government overhaul.)

Trump's firings spark controversy

The dismissal of Fong and other IGs marks a significant moment in the ongoing battle between the second Trump administration and the Deep State. Despite resistance from Fong and other bureaucrats, the president remains resolute in his quest to "drain the swamp."

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Jan. 25, that the firings were common practice. "It's a very common thing to do," he remarked, adding that the public can rest easy as he plans to "put put good people in there that will be very good."

But the fired USDA IG argued that the terminations violate federal law. In an email to colleagues sent Saturday, Fong cited the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)  which determined that "these termination notices do not comply with the requirements set out in law and therefore are not effective at this time." According to the National Pulse, CIGIE is an independent agency under the executive branch.

The terminations also drew criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) expressed concern that the required 30-day notice was not provided to Congress.

"There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so," he noted. "Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress."

Meanwhile, Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) centered her criticism on Trump's misplaced priorities. "Egg prices are soaring. Bird flu is out of control. USDA should be fixing this problem," she remarked. "Instead, Trump is stacking the federal government with yes-men. He doesn't care about your grocery prices."

The resistance of Fong and the rest of the terminated IGs underscores the ongoing struggle between the executive branch and the federal bureaucracy. While the White House maintains that the firings are within the president's legal bounds, the actions have drawn widespread criticism and legal scrutiny.

Their cases serve as a stark reminder of the challenges Trump faces in his efforts to "drain the swamp." The deep-rooted resistance from within the federal bureaucracy highlights the complexity of these efforts and the importance of maintaining independent oversight in a functioning democracy.

Check out DeepState.news for more similar stories.

Watch this video from InfoWars calling for President Donald Trump's Justice Department to prosecute the Deep State.

This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump's rapid actions ignite Washington: The swamp drainage accelerates.

Trump's legal firepower: Biden appointees on notice as Spicer's court battle sets precedent.

Media melts down as President Trump finally starts draining the swamp in a rapid series of events the MSM cannot seem to keep up with so the official narrative is once again 'Orange Man Bad.'

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

APNews.com

USNews.com

Brighteon.com
RFK Jr. appears to gain key ally in Susan Collins as HHS confirmation battle heats up

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gains potential support from Senator Susan Collins, a key swing vote, boosting his chances for HHS confirmation.

Kennedy faced intense scrutiny over vaccine skepticism and plans to shift funding to chronic disease prevention during his Senate hearing.

Collins emphasized restoring public trust in vaccines and pressed Kennedy on Lyme disease vaccine development, a critical issue for Maine.

Pharma-backed senators criticized Kennedy for spreading vaccine misinformation, while he defended his commitment to scientific integrity.

Collins potential backing could be decisive in a closely divided Senate, signaling a possible shift in federal health policy priorities.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), appears to have secured a critical ally in his uphill battle for Senate confirmation. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate swing vote known for her bipartisan approach, expressed satisfaction with Kennedys responses during his confirmation hearing on Thursday. Collins potential support could provide the momentum Kennedy needs to overcome fierce opposition from Democrats and some Republicans, particularly those with ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

The hearing, held before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, saw Kennedy face intense scrutiny over his controversial views on vaccines, chronic disease prevention and health policy. Collins, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, pressed Kennedy on his plans to shift funding from infectious diseases to chronic disease prevention, noting that Congress, not HHS, controls the purse strings. She also questioned him about his past criticisms of vaccines, particularly their impact on public trust and herd immunity.

Collins key questions and Kennedys responses

Collins, a pragmatic legislator with a reputation for thorough vetting, asked Kennedy how he would address declining vaccination rates and whether he would oppose the development of a Lyme disease vaccine  a critical issue for her constituents in Maine. Kennedy responded by emphasizing his commitment to restoring trust in public health institutions.

All vaccines are dropping, and theyre doing that because people dont believe the government anymore, Kennedy said. We need good science, and Im going to bring that in. Im going to restore trust, and that will restore vaccine uptake.

Collins did not press Kennedy further on his well-documented skepticism of vaccines, including his past promotion of claims linking vaccines to autism. Instead, she seemed satisfied with his assurance that he would not block efforts to develop a Lyme disease vaccine, noting that he and his family have personally battled the illness.

Pharma-backed senators push back

Kennedys nomination has drawn sharp criticism from senators who receive significant campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. Democrats, led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), accused Kennedy of spreading misinformation about vaccines and undermining public health. Wyden grilled Kennedy over past statements questioning the safety and efficacy of vaccines, including those for COVID-19 and measles.

Kennedy defended himself vigorously, accusing Wyden of cherry-picking his words. Ive corrected it many times, including on national TV. You know about this, Senator Wyden. Bringing this up right now is dishonest, he said.

Republicans like Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, also expressed concerns about Kennedys vaccine views. Cassidy shared a personal story about a patient who suffered liver failure due to a preventable hepatitis infection, emphasizing the importance of vaccines. Kennedy, however, refused to unequivocally endorse the safety of vaccines, saying he would only do so if the data is there.

A path forward for Kennedy

Despite the pushback, Kennedys ability to win over Collins could be a turning point. Her support is crucial in a closely divided Senate, where Kennedy can only afford to lose three Republican votes if all Democrats oppose him. Collins willingness to engage with Kennedy on substantive policy issues, rather than focusing solely on his controversial past, suggests she may be open to backing his nomination.

Kennedys promise to prioritize transparency and scientific integrity resonated with Collins, who has long championed evidence-based policymaking. If confirmed, Kennedy has vowed to tackle chronic diseases, restore public trust in health institutions, and challenge the pharmaceutical industrys influence on policya platform that aligns with Trumps promise to drain the swamp.

As the confirmation battle intensifies, Kennedys ability to secure Collins support could prove decisive. While opposition from pharma-backed senators and progressive Democrats remains fierce, Kennedys commitment to reforming HHS and addressing systemic issues in public health has won him a critical ally. With Collins potentially on board, Kennedys path to leading HHS grows clearer, signaling a potential shift in how the federal government approaches health policy.

Sources for this article include:

TrendingPoliticsNews.com

BangorDailyNews.com

100PercentFedUp.com

PressHerald.com
Thank the Feds for a million COVID dead

Last Thursday, The Wall Street Journal exposed how federal agencies helped carry out the biggest scientific con of the century. In early 2020, when the COVID pandemic was starting to ravage America, federal bureaucrats and politicians rushed to suppress any suggestion that the pandemic originated from a Chinese government lab bankrolled by U.S. government agencies.

(Article by James Bovard republished from LibertarianInstitute.org)

Key officials in Joe Bidens administration effectively exonerated the Chinese government even though the Chinese completely stonewalled any outside investigation into the origin of the COVID virus.

The FBIs top expert concluded that the virus leaked from the lab but he was siderailed by the Biden administration, blocked from presenting his evidence at a key White House meeting in August 2021. Three scientists at the National Center for Medical Intelligence, part of the Pentagons Defense Intelligence Agency, concluded that COVID leaked from a lab but they were muzzled. The Inspector General is conducting an investigation to determine why those experts were silenced. The Department of Energy also concluded that COVID originated in a lab. In September 2023, a senior CIA analyst told a congressional committee that six key CIA analysts had been bribed by the agency to abandon their conclusion that COVID originated in a lab leak.

The Chinese government first admitted that a pandemic had broken out in the city of Wuhan in early 2020. Though the Chinese military-affiliated Wuhan Institute of Virology had been experimenting with bats for years, the Chinese government insisted the new virus came from a nearby marketplace. But the lead scientists involved with bat research had all been struck down by COVID-19 symptoms shortly before the Chinese government denied any responsibility.

The outbreak of COVID-19 spurred one of the most brazen coverups in modern U.S. history. The National Institute for Health had been financing gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. That type of research seeks to genetically alter organisms to enable the spread of viruses into new species. Such research is extremely dangerous; as MIT professor Kevin Esvelt asked in 2021, Why is anyone trying to teach the world how to make viruses that could kill millions of people? The risks were compounded because the Wuhan Institute had a very poor safety rating. Two years earlier, the State Department confidentially warned other federal agencies about safety issues at Wuhan labs studying bat COVID, but the public disclosure of that alert was delayed until 2022.

In January 2020, top federal scientists recognized that the pandemic could obliterate their reputations. Dr. Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes for Health, wrote in an email that a swift convening of experts in a confidence-inspiring framework is needed or the voices of conspiracy will quickly dominate, doing great potential harm to science and international harmony. The conspiracy was the facts of the matter.

Anthony Fauci, the chief of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), speedily enlisted a handful of trusted scientists to gin up a paper supposedly proving that the virus could not have originated in the lab. A top NIAID scientist accepted the task of debunking the lab leak story because, as he emailed a colleague, Tony doesnt want his fingerprints on origin stories. The Lancet, one of the most respected medical journals in the world, enlisted in the coverup with an op-ed by twenty-seven scientists who proclaimed, We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin. Maybe the same scientists also sent an addendum to NIH: Keep giving us grant money or your reputation will swim with the fishes.

Further proof was provided by a torrent of accusations of racism against anyone who publicly suggested that the virus originated in a Chinese lab. The State Departments Global Engagement Center added a federal fist to the debate, pressuring Twitter to suppress hundreds of thousands of accounts (including thousands of average Americans) in early 2020 for the crime of suggesting that COVID originated in a lab.

The virus that NIH financed provided push button dictatorial power to politicians at every level of government. In the name of saving lives, politicians entitled themselves to destroy an unlimited number of livelihoods. Most governors responded to COVID-19 by dropping the equivalent of a reverse neutron bomb  something which destroys the economy while leaving human beings unharmed. But the only way to assume people were uninjured was to presume their lives were totally detached from their jobs, bank accounts, mortgage and rent payments, and friends and family.

A virus with a 99+% survival rate spawned a 100% presumption in favor of despotism. From the start of the pandemic, many people who swore allegiance to science and data also believed that absolute power would keep them safe. Doubters became dissidents who deserved to be covertly silenced.

Shutdown advocates appealed to science like righteous priests invoking God and the Bible to sanctify scourging enemies. But the science was often farcically unreliable. Mandatory mask mandates became the new version of the Emancipation Proclamation. Fauci and other top officials deceived Americans into believing that cloth masks offered far more protection than they delivered. Do Americans finally recognize that the federal government was the biggest source of disinformation during the pandemic?

A century ago, historian Henry Adams declared that politics has always been the systematic organizations of hatreds. COVID-19 policies were so disruptive in part because politicians intentionally sought to maximize fear and rage against anyone who refused to submit to any dictate. After the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines collapsed, Joe Biden responded by dictating that a hundred million American adults must get injected based on his personal decree. A few weeks later on a CNN town hall, Biden derided vaccine skeptics as murderers who only wanted the freedom to kill you with COVID. A few months later, a Rasmussen poll found that 59% of Democratic voters favored house arrest for the unvaccinated, and 45% favored locking the unvaxxed into government detention facilities. Almost half of Democrats favored empowering government to fine or imprison individuals who publicly question the efficacy of the existing COVID-19 vaccines on social media, television, radio, or in online or digital publications. But hatred proved to be as ineffective as the Pfizer vaccine when it came to fighting COVID-19.

Fauci, who was also Bidens chief medical advisor, justified COVID mandates because average citizens dont have the ability to determine what is best for them. But congressional investigations revealed that Fauci was at the center of string-pulling to shirk responsibility for the Wuhan debacle. After Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) suggested prosecuting Fauci for false testimony on bankrolling gain-of-function research, Fauci howled that his critics are really criticizing science because I represent science. Thats dangerous. But not nearly as dangerous as vesting vast power in secretive federal agencies

If COVID-19 had been initially recognized as the result of one of the biggest U.S. government boondoggles in history, politicians never could have pirouetted as saviors as they seized sway over daily life. Instead of Tony Fauci bobbleheads, perhaps there would have been the slogan Your Government at Work superimposed atop a million American caskets. But will any politician or government-funded scientist ever be held responsible for the carnage that was unleashed?

Read more at: LibertarianInstitute.org
The CARTEL CONUNDRUM: U.S. military intervention in Mexico poses significant risks

The Trump administration is considering sending U.S. special operations forces into Mexico to combat drug cartels, sparking intense debate among policymakers and experts.

Experts warn that such intervention could escalate violence, destabilize both nations and exacerbate the very problems it aims to solve, as seen in Mexico's past military confrontations with cartels.

Mexico's history, including the "war on drugs" under President Calderon and the "Battle of Culiacan," highlights the cartels' ability to retaliate and adapt, making military intervention risky.

Experts recommend a multi-faceted strategy involving intelligence sharing, training Mexican forces and non-military approaches, such as addressing drug demand in the U.S. and promoting economic development in Mexico.

A measured approach combining increased military pressure with strengthened partnerships, domestic preparedness and systemic investments is seen as essential for effectively combating cartels and protecting national security.

As the Trump administration contemplates sending U.S. special operations forces into Mexico to combat drug cartels, the potential consequences of such a move have sparked intense debate among policymakers and experts. The idea, while appealing to some as a decisive action against a growing threat, comes with significant risks that could destabilize both nations and exacerbate the very problems it aims to solve.

A mixed bag of promises and perils

On Monday, President Donald Trump designated Mexican cartels as "foreign terrorist organizations," a move that has reignited discussions about military intervention. When asked by reporters about the possibility of deploying U.S. special operations personnel to Mexico, Trump responded cryptically, "Could happen. Stranger things have happened."

The idea of military intervention is not new. During his first term, Trump floated similar proposals, but his team now appears to be taking the idea more seriously. Transition team members have been discussing the scope of potential operations, with some suggesting a more aggressive approach. Trump's new national security advisor, Mike Waltz, a former Green Beret, and his "border czar," Tom Homan, have both advocated for the use of special operations forces to target cartels.

However, experts warn that such a move could have disastrous consequences. "I don't think that the American people have the stomach for what's going to happen if we start messing around down there," said a senior active-duty special operator who spoke to Business Insider on condition of anonymity. "Just throwing any military mechanism at this problem for the purpose of just killing cartel leaders is not going to change anything. It's only going to make things worse."

Lessons from the past

The risks of military intervention are not merely hypothetical. Mexico's history is rife with examples of how cartels have retaliated against perceived threats. In 2006, then-President Felipe Calderon declared a "war on drugs," deploying military forces against cartels. The result was a sharp escalation in violence, with cartels targeting law enforcement, military personnel and government officials. Public officials were assassinated in broad daylight, and entire police forces resigned in fear.

A more recent example is the "Battle of Culiacan" in 2019, where the Sinaloa Cartel launched widespread attacks after the arrest of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The cartel's campaign of terror overwhelmed Mexican authorities, leading to the release of Guzman.

These incidents highlight the cartels' operational sophistication and their ability to adapt and retaliate. If U.S. forces were to intervene, the cartels could use their extensive networks within the United States to launch retaliatory strikes, targeting political figures, law enforcement and even military personnel.

A multi-faceted approach: The need for collaboration and preparedness

While direct military intervention carries significant risks, experts agree that a multi-faceted approach is necessary. "A military approach by itself will not be sufficient. It will not solve the problem," said Doug Livermore, vice president of the Special Operations Association of America and a senior Green Beret officer in the National Guard.

Instead, Livermore and other experts recommend a broader strategy involving intelligence sharing, training of Mexican forces and non-military approaches. Bolstering Mexico's internal defenses could be a worthwhile endeavor, but it must be done in close collaboration with the Mexican government to avoid exacerbating the violence.

Domestically, the United States must prepare for potential retaliation. Enhanced interagency coordination between the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security is crucial to safeguarding likely targets and strengthening the country's ability to identify and neutralize cartel threats.

Addressing the root causes of the cartel problem is equally important. Reducing the demand for illicit drugs in the United States through investment in addiction treatment and public education programs can undermine a significant source of cartel revenue. On the supply side, supporting economic development in Mexico can create alternative opportunities for individuals who might otherwise be drawn into illicit activities.

A strategic and informed path forward

Deploying U.S. special operations forces against Mexican cartels is a complex and risky proposition. While the opioid crisis and the threat posed by cartels demand urgent action, a measured and strategic approach is essential. History has shown that underestimating the adaptability and resilience of these violent transnational criminal groups can have dire consequences. By integrating increased military pressure with strengthened partnerships, domestic preparedness and systemic investments, the United States can ensure a more sustainable and effective effort to combat the cartels and protect national security.

Sources include:

AmericanThinker.com

Yahoo.com

AtlanticCouncil.org
WEF 2025 discuss ways to censor social media users if they criticize Israel and the IDF

At the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting , Jonathan Greenblatt, Randi Weingarten, and Jennifer Schenker, prominent figures in Jewish advocacy and education, called for stricter social media regulations to curb antisemitism. Their advocacy comes amid growing concerns about the influence of platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook on public discourse and the spread of so-called hate speech. This move has reignited debates over free speech, the boundaries of political criticism, and the role of universities and social media companies in navigating contentious geopolitical issues.

WEF discussed expansion to social media censorship to curb so-called antisemitism

At the WEF 2025, Greenblatt, Weingarten, and Schenker emphasized the need for increased social media censorship. Their arguments are rooted in the belief that the current climate of online speech is fostering an environment conducive to antisemitic rhetoric. Greenblatt, CEO of the American Jewish Committee, argued that social media companies must take more proactive steps to prevent the dissemination of hate speech.

Weingarten, president of the American Jewish Congress, echoed these concerns, stating that social media platforms have a moral obligation to ensure that their spaces do not become breeding grounds for antisemitism. She called for stricter enforcement of existing laws and the development of new legislation aimed at holding social media accountable for the content they host.

Schenker, president of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, highlighted the importance of education in combating antisemitism. She argued that universities and educational institutions must play a critical role in teaching students about the dangers of hate speech and the importance of respectful discourse.

Their advocacy has sparked a debate over the balance between protecting individuals from hate speech and preserving free expression. These calls for increased censorship risk stifling legitimate political discourse and equating criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

A threat to Free Speech worldwide

Constitutional scholars argue that the broad application of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and related legislation threatens First Amendment rights. The definition includes examples such as "claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor" and "applying double standards by requiring of [Israel] a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation." These provisions, critics say, risk stifling legitimate political discourse and equating anti-Zionismopposition to Israels existence as a Jewish statewith antisemitism.

The move by Harvard University to adopt the IHRA definition and provide training on combating antisemitism has further fueled concerns about the suppression of dissent. Students and activists argue that this decision chills their ability to protest against Israels policies, particularly its ongoing war on Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 46,000 Palestinians.

Furthermore, the Antisemitism Awareness Act, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2024, represents the latest effort to codify the IHRA definition into federal law. The bill, co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, passed the House with a vote of 320-91 and is now moving to the Senate. Critics argue that this bill, if enacted into law, will further criminalize anti-Israel sentiments and shield Israel from criticism.

This time around, attacks against the First Amendment are supported by several members of both political parties. Congress may decide to shred the First Amendment all to protect the genocide taking place in Gaza.

The advocacy for increased social media regulations and the adoption of the IHRA definition at Harvard University and other institutions highlights the ongoing debate over free expression and antisemitism. As prominent figures continue to call for stricter measures, the debate over the balance between protecting individuals from hate speech and preserving free expression will likely intensify, raising concerns about the future of political discourse and the role of universities in navigating contentious geopolitical issues.

Sources include:

ReclaimtheNet.org

WeForum.org

NaturalNews.com
TOKYO, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo saw a net population inflow of approximately 79,000 people in 2024, marking an increase of over 11,000 from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Young people moving to Tokyo for education and employment were the primary contributors to this trend, reinforcing the continued centralization of population in Tokyo, the ministry noted.

In 2024, a total of 461,454 people moved into Tokyo, an increase of 7,321 from 2023, while 382,169 people moved out, a decrease of 3,679 from the previous year, resulting in Tokyo's third consecutive year of rising net inflow.

By age group, the largest net influx was among 20- to 24-year-olds (64,070 people), followed by 15- to 19-year-olds (14,286 people).

Following Tokyo, the top prefectures with net population inflows were Kanagawa, Saitama, Osaka, Chiba, Fukuoka, and Yamanashi, with Yamanashi shifting from net outflow to net inflow in 2024.

In contrast, 40 prefectures saw net population outflows, with the highest in Hiroshima, Aichi, Hyogo, and Shizuoka.

While Tokyo's centralization trend persists, interest in relocating to regional areas is also rising. The Furusato Return Support Center in Tokyo, which assists with rural migration, reported a record-high 60,000 consultations in 2024, an increase of 2,000 from the previous year.

Approximately 70 percent of those seeking relocation were under 40, with a notable rise in inquiries from families with children, the data showed. 
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A British student studying in the ancient city of Luoyang celebrated Chinese New Year with the traditional Daliwang lion dance - an experience richer than expected. He even had the chance to try it himself, realizing it's much harder than it looks! #ChineseNewYear #LionDance




This story contains original reporting by News-Gazette staff. If you are not a subscriber, please consider becoming one, because local journalism is only possible with your support. A subscription to The News-Gazette plays a vital role in making this reporting possible. Thank you for your support and helping us continue to connect our community.
By Yi Ling and Yu Li

CHENGDU, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The winter morning of Jan. 20 in the mountainous town of Chewang, located in southwest China's Sichuan Province, began for Yuan Tao, the Party chief of Chewang, with two pieces of good news.

The newly established drone transportation company in the town, just two months ago, had already secured orders through the end of the year, with expected tax revenue nearing 600,000 yuan (about 83,684 U.S. dollars), while a local bamboo processing company was planning to expand its production capacity in 2025.

According to Yuan's calculations, excluding the income boost for locals, the town is projected to generate a record tax revenue of over 1.2 million yuan in 2025, marking a substantial increase of more than 20 percent compared to 2024. He quickly realized that the reason behind this surge was clear: the low-altitude economy.

But how did this small town, located at the crossroads of Sichuan and Guizhou, some 1,900 km from the Chinese capital, Beijing, become associated with the burgeoning low-altitude economy? The story behind this is truly fascinating.

Before 2024, the town, with a population of over 23,000 spread across one community and seven villages, was primarily known for its bamboo industry. Most of the local farmers had never ventured beyond Luzhou, let alone seen a drone in person.

It all began in early September 2024, when Wang Fei, head of Sichuan Honghuang Technology Co., Ltd., a company specializing in drone operations, was informed about Chewang's bamboo resources during a business matchmaking workshop in Luzhou.

Wang then visited Chewang intending to establish a cableway to help local villagers transport bamboo down from the mountains.

Surrounding Chewang are bamboo forests that span over 300,000 mu (about 20,000 hectares), making it one of the core bamboo production areas in Luzhou. However, due to the mountainous terrain, transporting bamboo harvested from the hilltops is a major challenge, often leading villagers to watch their bamboo "naturally perish" as they struggle to move it.

Rather than building a cableway, Wang thought to himself, why not transport the bamboo directly with drones?

After conducting a field survey, Wang presented the idea to Yuan, pointing out that many of the bamboo groves were located within 300 meters of rural roads, making them ideal for low-altitude drone transport.

In early November, Wang brought a team of professionals to demonstrate the bamboo transportation process.

Following the instructions, a drone took off with a roughly 10-meter-long rope descending vertically onto a harvested bamboo grove. A villager swiftly bound a 50-kg bundle of bamboo, and the drone, carrying the bundle, flew about 300 meters before unloading it on a flat area beside the village road -- all within just five minutes.

It was an eye-opening experience for Yuan and his fellow villagers. "I thought this could only happen in a movie," Yuan told Xinhua. "How can such a 'big toy plane' do something like this?"

A major bamboo producer in Luzhou, Chewang alone is home to 70,000 mu of bamboo forest, with more than half located in hilly areas. "Using drones can solve over 70 percent of the transportation challenges for bamboo in our town," he said.

Following the drone demonstration, the people of Chewang decided to move ahead. On Nov. 28, Sichuan Qingmu Tianque Technology Co., Ltd. was founded in the town, with a registered capital of 3 million yuan. The company's operations cover public air transport, general aviation services and air cargo packaging.

"We can't miss the opportunities brought by the low-altitude economy," Yuan said, noting that the following day, the first batch of nine drones began operations.

Zhou Jiangtao, a bamboo buyer and frequent visitor to Chewang, was stunned by the "revolutionary" changes that had taken place in just three months.

He explained that, just the day before, the drones had transported four tonnes of bamboo from the mountains, and by the following morning, they had a total of around 10 tonnes, just enough for one truck.

Before the introduction of drone transport, it took three villagers about three days to move one tonne of bamboo across a straight-line distance of just 200 meters.

"With a daily wage of 150 yuan per person for workers transporting bamboo and a market price of 500 yuan per tonne, our bamboo farmers were barely making any money," Yuan said.

However, with drone transport, covering the same distance means that moving one tonne of bamboo requires 20 drone trips, which can be completed in just two hours at a cost of 200 yuan.

Wang Dongshui, from Jiuqiao Village, was one of the first to experience drone transport. "Previously, the bamboo we planted on the mountain was so difficult to sell, as no one came to collect it. Since December, all the bamboo from my seven mu of land has been transported by drone, earning me over 3,000 yuan," he said.

"Our business is thriving, even though our company is still young," Wang Fei chimed in cheerfully. "With our current capacity, we have orders lined up until the end of 2025."

Looking ahead, Yuan said that, following the delivery of an additional 30 drones as part of the cooperation agreement with the company, they plan to expand their business from Chewang to surrounding areas in Luzhou, the city of Yibin, and even the neighboring Chishui City in Guizhou Province.

The company will also initiate training programs for drone operators, Yuan noted.

SKILLED WORKFORCE

At the drone pilot training base of Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, 40 retired military personnel are grouped into teams to operate four drones for flight practice. The veterans are currently undergoing a three-month training program to develop their drone application skills.

Meanwhile, in one of the college's teaching buildings, students enrolled in the 2024 drone application technology program are undergoing simulated flight training at the virtual drone simulation center.

The training base boasts a standardized runway measuring 140 meters in length and 40 meters in width. To meet the training requirements, the college has also applied for an airborne space of 300 meters in height, covering an area of 50 square kilometers.

The drone training base is also equipped with advanced virtual simulation training devices, along with facilities such as a drone hangar and fully equipped training classrooms.

"Our college serves as a cradle for cultivating drone technology talent in Luzhou," said Bao Xuedong, vice president of Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, adding that Luzhou is the first city in the province to launch cooperative school programs linked to low-altitude economy disciplines.

"The training is helping me become a more employable 'near-professional,'" said Wen Yonggang, a student enrolled in the drone application technology program since September.

He noted that he chose this major not only to fulfill his dream of "serving the nation through aviation" but also because of the rapidly developing drone industry, which offers vast potential and promising career prospects.

In his spare time, Wen participates in various activities through the college's drone association to gain more practical experience.

"By the time I graduate, I hope to earn both a certificate in drone maintenance and a drone pilot license," he said.

Since the launch of its first admissions for low-altitude economy-related programs, the vocational college has seen a surge in applications.

The first batch of 148 students began their full-day training in September. Community training in drone applications is also gaining momentum, with the first group of 40 retired military veterans now receiving drone application skills training.

"Acquiring an additional professional skill opens up more employment opportunities for me in the future," said Zhou Yidong, a university student and veteran who has long been interested in drones.

He noted that the local veterans' affairs bureau provided this training opportunity, which he immediately enrolled in, even taking leave from his university to participate.

China's central government has identified the low-altitude economy as a key sector for developing new quality productive forces, with the Sichuan provincial government taking significant steps to promote its growth.

In 2025, the college initiated partnerships with the Ordnance Science and Research Academy of China under China North Industries Group Corporation, and China's major commercial unmanned aerial vehicle company JOUAV, which is based in Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu, to establish an industrial academy, according to Bao.

They have launched programs in drone application technology and satellite communication and navigation technology, aimed at forming a skilled workforce for drone production, manufacturing and application industries.

Looking ahead, Bao said the college plans to expand partnerships with leading enterprises to jointly establish a low-altitude flight school and develop productive drone training bases on campus. This initiative aims to cultivate high-quality professionals to support the growth of smart manufacturing and the low-altitude economy in Luzhou. 
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Summary: A team of investigators from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Google, and Columbia University have created an artificial intelligence model that can predict which genes are expressed in any type of human cell. The model, called EpiBERT, was inspired by BERT, a deep learning model designed to understand and generate human-like language.

EpiBERT was trained on data from hundreds of human cell types in multiple phases. It was fed the genomic sequence, which is 3 billion base pairs long, along with maps of chromatin accessibility that inform which of these sequences are unwound from the chromosome and read by the cell. The model was first trained to learn the relationship between DNA sequence and chromatin accessibility across large chunks of the genome in a specific cell type. It then uses these learned relationships to predict which genes were active in the corresponding cell type. It accurately identified regulatory elements  parts of the genome recognized by transcription factors  and their influence on gene expression across many cell types, building a "grammar" that is generalizable and predictable. This grammar-building process can be likened to the way a large language model, such as ChatGPT, learns to build meaningful sentences and paragraphs from many examples of text. The EpiBERT model can process accessibility and predict functional bases as well as RNA expression for a never-before-seen cell type.

Significance: Every cell in the body has the same genome sequence, so the difference between two types of cells is not the genes in the genome, but which genes are turned on, when, and how much. Approximately 20% of the genome codes for regulatory elements determine which genes are turned on, but very little is known about where those codes are in the genome, what their instructions look like, or how mutations affect function in a cell. EpiBERT will shed light on how genes are regulated in cells and, potentially, how that cell's regulatory system can be mutated in ways that lead to diseases such as cancer.

Funding: The Broad Institute, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the National Genome Research Institute, the Sharf Green Cancer Research Fund, the Richard and Nancy Lubin Family, and the American Cancer Society. Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) access and support provided by Google.
A new way to neutralize the coronavirus and other membrane-surrounded viruses has been discovered by researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the University of Tartu. Certain mineral nanoparticles were found to damage the membrane of the virus, making it less able to enter human cells. The mode of action that is demonstrated has not been discussed in previous research. The technology works at room temperature and also in the dark, offering a range of benefits for disinfecting surfaces, air and water.

"Using this new knowledge, it should be easy to create surfaces with antiviral properties by simply spraying them with aqueous solutions of suitable nanoparticles and letting them dry. It should also be easy to design cost-effective filters to purify contaminated air and water," says Professor Vadim Kessler from SLU who has led the work.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to an intense search for new types of treatments and disinfection methods that can be used in outbreaks of viral diseases of this type. One area that has received much attention is nanotechnology, as tiny particles of certain metals and metal oxides have been shown to have anti-viral properties.

Now, researchers from SLU and the University of Tartu in Estonia have studied the outcome when certain types of mineral nanoparticles come into contact with a coronavirus, and they discovered a mode of action that has not been proposed before.

We now understand what properties such particles need to have to be effective against the coronavirus, and this is a very important step forward." Professor Vadim Kessler from SLU

Coronaviruses belong to a type of virus that has an outer envelope, a lipid membrane. It turned out that nanoparticles of sand minerals such as titanium oxide bind very strongly to phospholipids in this membrane. This damages the membrane and leads to the release of viral genetic material, thereby making the virus less able to infect cells.

A major advantage is that this happens at room temperature and that it does not require any kind of activation. Previously, it was believed that mineral nanoparticles could only destroy viruses by producing so-called reactive oxygen species, which would require illumination with UV light.

The study thus suggests that surfaces coated with titanium nanoparticles can destroy enveloped viruses such as coronaviruses and influenza viruses without needing to be activated by UV light, and thus can work in dark spaces. Other small metal oxides that bind strongly to phospholipids, such as iron and aluminum oxides, could work in the same way. Another possible application could be to purify contaminated water in emergencies by adding a nanopreparation and allowing the resulting gel to settle.

"The particles we produce are not dangerous to the human body," adds Angela Ivask, who is Professor of Genetics at the University of Tartu. "We have tested them on several cell lines to assure this."
A clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is testing an experimental treatment designed to help people suffering the effects of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease. The study is supported by NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and will involve exposing adult volunteers to a weakened strain of dengue virus that causes a mild form of the disease and administering an investigational therapeutic at various doses to assess its safety and ability to lessen symptoms.

Dengue is transmitted via infected Aedes mosquitoes and sickens as many as 400 million people each year, primarily in tropical and subtropical parts of the world, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2024, dengue cases surged to record levels in the Americas with local U.S. transmission reported in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, and Texas. Dengue is endemic in Puerto Rico, which reported nearly 1,500 cases last year. Most people with dengue do not develop symptoms, but those who do commonly experience severe headache and body aches, nausea and vomiting, fever and rash. One in 20 people who get sick with dengue progress to severe illness, which may lead to shock, internal bleeding, and death. There is currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for dengue.

When caring for a patient who is critically ill with dengue, healthcare providers have few options other than providing supportive care. We must find safe and effective therapeutics to provide much-needed relief to people suffering from dengue." Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., M.P.H., NIAID Director

The new clinical trial will test the ability of AV-1, an investigational human monoclonal antibody therapeutic developed by AbViro (Bethesda, Maryland), to mitigate clinical symptoms when administered before and after dengue virus infection. The results of a previously completed NIAID-supported Phase 1 trial indicated that AV-1 is safe in humans, providing the basis for the new clinical trial to test its safety and efficacy.

The Phase 2 clinical trial will enroll at least 84 healthy adult volunteers at two sites: the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Immunization Research in Baltimore, and the University of Vermont Vaccine Testing Center in Burlington. Following an initial screening and physical examination, volunteers will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive AV-1 one day prior to being challenged with a mild strain of dengue virus, and the other will receive AV-1 four days after being challenged with the dengue virus. Each group will be further subdivided to receive 100 mg, 300 mg, or 900 mg of AV-1, delivered in a 60-minute intravenous infusion. For each of the three dosage levels, 12 participants will receive the investigational monoclonal antibody, and two will receive a placebo.

Before or after AV-1 dosing, each volunteer will receive an injection of attenuated (weakened) dengue virus. In earlier studies using this challenge virus, most volunteers developed a rash, and some had other mild dengue symptoms, such as joint and muscle pain or headache. None of the volunteers developed dengue fever or severe dengue.

Volunteers will participate in regular follow-up visits with study staff for at least 155 days to carefully monitor the effects of the investigational monoclonal antibody. Through physical exams, diary cards and blood samples, researchers will document how the volunteers' immune systems respond to the dengue virus challenge, how quickly the virus vanishes from their bloodstream and any symptoms they may experience. The researchers will use this information to determine how AV-1 affects the volunteers' ability to recover from dengue compared to placebo and to determine the dosages at which AV-1 may be effective.

If AV-1 shows promising results in this clinical trial, researchers may pursue further clinical evaluations of its safety and efficacy against dengue virus. For more information about the study, visit ClinicalTrials.gov and search the identifier NCT06799741.
Scientists led by the Institute of Nanotechnology in Italy, in collaboration with the ESRF, the European Synchrotron in Grenoble, France, have discovered how X-ray micro- and nano- tomography can provide clues on the processes that link the gut neurons with those in the brain and may trigger Alzheimer's. The results are published in Science Advances.

Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia, is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by brain alteration including synaptic loss, chronic inflammation and neuronal cell death.

In recent years, scientists have found evidence that the gut and the brain communicate through the neurons placed in both organs. Dysfunction in this axis has been linked to psychiatric and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's.

The gut microbiota, which refers to the microorganisms in the intestinal tract, plays a key role in human health and influences brain function, cognition and behavior. "There are already many studies that support that changes in the gut composition can contribute to Alzheimer's onset and progression", explains Alessia Cedola, researcher from the Institute of Nanotechnology in Italy and corresponding author of the article.

In particular, dysbiosis, which is the process by which there is a loss of microbial diversity, induces the prevalence of dangerous bacteria producing toxic metabolites promoting inflammation, and, consequently, the breakage of the gut/brain barriers.

What happens exactly when gut dysbiosis occurs? "The main hypothesis is that changes trigger the escape of bad bacteria from the gut, entering the circulation, reaching the brain and triggering Alzheimer's, but evidence is still poor", adds Cedola.

Getting to the core of gut health

Now scientists have discovered that nano- and micro X-ray phase-contrast tomography (XPCT) is a powerful tool to study structural and morphological alterations in the gut, without tissue manipulation. The team came to the ESRF, the European Synchrotron, in Grenoble, France, to scan samples on beamline ID16A. "Thanks to this technique we can image soft biological tissues with excellent sensitivity in 3D, with minimal sample preparation and without contrast agents", explains Peter Cloetens, scientist in charge of ID16A and co-author of the publication.

The data of the experiments, partially carried out also at Soleil, showed the changes in cell abundance and organisation in the tissues, as well as structural alteration in different tissues of mice affected with Alzheimer's. Specifically, it showed relevant alterations in the villi and crypts of the gut, cellular transformations in Paneth and goblet cells, along with the detection of telocytes, neurons, erythrocytes, and mucus secretion by goblet cells within the gut cavity. All these elements, when working correctly, maintain gut health, support digestion, and protect the intestinal lining from damage.

This technique represents a real breakthrough for the thorough analysis of the gut, and it could be pivotal in early detection and prognosis of the disease. As a long-time user of the ESRF, I can attest to the incredible opportunities that this facility provides for cutting-edge research, and the nanoimaging beamline, especially with the EBS. Coming to the ESRF has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the gut-brain axis in Alzheimer's disease". Alessia Cedola, researcher, Institute of Nanotechnology, Italy

Together with scientists Francesca Palermo and Claudia Balducci, the next steps in this research will be to further exploit the capabilities of XPCT to study how the gut communicates with the central nervous system. The team aims to investigate the enteric nervous system and its role in Alzheimer's disease.

"By gaining a deeper understanding of these processes, we hope to identify new therapeutic targets and develop innovative treatments for this devastating disease. The ESRF will undoubtedly continue to play a crucial role in our research, and we look forward to many more exciting discoveries in the years to come", concludes Cedola.

This research highlights the importance of biomedical studies at the ESRF, as the facility aims to further enhance this focus in the coming years.
Budget 2025: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Showcases Budget Tablet In Red Sleeve | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 10:06 IST

Union Budget 2025: With the tablet carefully kept inside the red cover with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it, Parliament will be Sitharamans next destination

Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman poses with her tablet in a red sleeve outside the Finance ministry on Saturday. (Screengrab/ANI)

India Budget 2025: Dressed in a white-red Madhubani print saree, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday morning posed outside the ministry with a tablet in a bahi khata sleeve, ahead of her eighth consecutive Budget speech.

With the tablet, via which she will table the Union Budget 2025, carefully kept inside the red cover with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it, Parliament will be Sitharamans next destination after the call on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

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This year, Sitharaman has chosen to flaunt a white saree with a colourful Madhubani motif and intricate golden border. She paired it with a red blouse and a shawl, showcasing her love for handloom in her sartorial choices.

The finance minister chose minimalist accessories, which included earrings, a chain, and gold bangles, that perfectly complemented her saree.

#WATCH | Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves from the Ministry of Finance.She will present and read out the #UnionBudget2025 at the Parliament through a tab, instead of the traditional bahi khata. pic.twitter.com/89XblFTwmk  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

The finance minister posed for the traditional briefcase picture outside her office, along with her team of officials, before heading to meet the President.

Heres a look at how the Budget briefcase has evolved.

Over the years, Indian finance ministers have been captured in photographs as they entered parliament carrying a briefcase for the yearly Budget presentation. However, this tradition underwent a significant transformation in 2019, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman opted for a Bahi Khata, bidding farewell to the conventional Budget briefcase.

Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is all set to present #UnionBudget2025 in the Parliament today.She will present and read out the Budget through a tab, instead of the traditional bahi khata. pic.twitter.com/Iky9TSOsNW  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

What Is Bahi Khata?

In 2019, Finance Minister Sitharaman ushered in a departure from the iconic budget briefcase, opting instead for a Bahi Khata" or cloth ledger. This decision aimed to break away from the colonial tradition where British finance ministers used to carry a Gladstone Box" to Parliament, a practice subsequently replaced by bags and briefcases. India embraced a similar transition.

In the lead-up to the 2019 budget presentation, Nirmala Sitharaman was observed with a red Bahi Khata, a traditional ledger of accounts, instead of the customary briefcase. This departure was interpreted as a symbolic renunciation of the colonial legacy, as the briefcase itself was a vestige of British rule in India, modelled after the Gladstone box utilised in British budget presentations.

Break away from a colonial practice: The briefcase was seen as a remnant of British rule in India. Using the Bahi Khata, a traditional Indian accounting tool, was seen as a way to embrace the countrys heritage and symbolism.

Connect with the common people: The Bahi Khata is a familiar symbol for many Indians, particularly those in rural areas and small businesses. Using it was seen as a way to make the budget presentation more relatable and accessible to the average citizen.

Signal a focus on financial inclusion: The Bahi Khata is often used by small businesses and entrepreneurs to track their finances. Using it was seen as a way to signal the governments commitment to supporting these sectors.

The inaugural union budget of independent India saw its first finance minister, RK Shankmukham Chetty, adhering to the British tradition by transporting documents in a leather portfolio bag. Subsequently, in the following years, various finance ministers opted for distinct briefcases to present the budget.

In contrast, Sitharamans choice to utilise the Bahi Khata added an indigenous flair to the budgetary process.

I thought it was better we move out from the British handhold. And I thought it was good enough to do something on our own. It was easier for me to carry also and very Indian," Sitharaman said of her decision to use the red silk Bahi Khata.

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The customary vessel for budget documents made its second and final appearance in 2020. However, the subsequent year witnessed a departure from this traditional book of accounts in favour of a more contemporary device. In 2021, Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget in a paperless format, employing a domestically manufactured tablet.

In 2021, 2022, and again in 2023 and 2014, she brought the tablet to parliament enclosed in a red pouch reminiscent of the Bahi Khata style. The choice to adopt a tablet was perceived as a stride in support of the governments Digital India initiative.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 09:47 IST
Budget 2025 Highlights: Mega Tax Move, Bihar Boost & Cheaper Cancer Drugs

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 13:30 IST

Budget 2025 Highlights: The finance minister announced extension of time limit for filing updated returns for any assessment year from the current two years to four years

Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will also introduce a new Income Tax (I-T) bill in Parliament next week. (PTI)

Union Budget 2025: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman brought cheer to the middle class with her Union Budget on Saturday as she announced that no income tax will be payable up to Rs 12 lakh under the new tax regime. Sitharaman also announced revisions to the tax slabs under the new regime apart from rationalisation of TDS (Tax Deduction at Source) to ease the compliance burden.

The government will also increase the limit of TCS on remittances under RBIs liberalised remittance scheme from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

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Here are the highlights of the Union Budget 2025-2026:

 No income tax for individuals who earn up to Rs 12 lakh under the new tax regime in a big relief for the middle-class taxpayers.

 Rationalisation of TDS (Tax Deduction at Source) regime to ease compliance burden.

 Extension of time limit for filing updated returns for any assessment year from the current two years to four years.

 Creation of additional infrastructure in five Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and expansion of IIT Patna.

 Developing top 50 tourist sites in partnership with states and also extending mudra loans to homestays to boost tourism.

 A Makhana Board, a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management as well as greenfield airports for poll-bound Bihar.

 To achieve 100 % coverage, Jal Jeevan mission extended till 2028 with an enhanced total outlay.

 Maritime Development Fund with a corpus of Rs 25,000 crore for long-term financing with up to 49 per cent contribution by the government.

 Full exemption of customs duty on 36 drugs used in the treatment of cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases.

 Extending duty exemptions on capital goods used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, a key component in electric vehicles and mobile phones.

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 Modified UDAN scheme to connect 120 new destinations that will help carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.

 Continuation of customs duty exemption on inputs and components used for manufacturing of ships for another 10 years.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:58 IST
'Declare Kerala Backward To Get More Funds': Union Minister Kurian's Remark Sparks Row

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 21:57 IST

The remark from Kurian, while speaking to reporters in the national capital, came in the wake of intense criticism of the union budget 2025-26 from the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala, which on Saturday accused the central government of "neglecting" all of... Read More

Kurian, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Minority Affairs, said that the Centre allocates such financial packages to states that are backward on various indices. (Photo: X/@GeorgekurianBjp)

Union Minister George Kurian said that if Kerala wants more funds from the Centre, the state should declare that it is backward in terms of education, infrastructure, and social welfare.

The remark from Kurian, while speaking to reporters in the national capital, came in the wake of intense criticism of the union budget 2025-26 from the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala, which on Saturday accused the central government of neglecting" all of the states demands.

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Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal, and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said that several of the states demands, including a special financial package of Rs 24,000 crore and another package for the rehabilitation of Wayanad, were ignored" in the budget.

They termed the budget condemnable", extremely disappointing" and unfortunate".

Following their remarks, Kurian, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Minority Affairs, said that the Centre allocates such financial packages to states that are backward on various indices.

You announce that Kerala is backward, that it does not have roads, good education, etc. If you say that Kerala is behind other states in terms of education, infrastructure, and social welfare, then the (Finance) Commission will examine it and give a report to the central government.

The central government will take a decision based on the report. It does not decide on its own," he said.

Irked by his remarks, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan hit back, saying that the Centre wants Kerala to be backward, but that will not happen".

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He said that the central government is supposed to help Kerala develop further, instead of asking it to go backwards".

So, George Kurians help is for Kerala to go backwards," he contended while speaking at an event in the state capital.

Location : Thiruvananthapuram, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 21:39 IST
SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export fell in double digits in the first month of 2025 due to fewer business days, government data showed Saturday.

Export, which accounts for about half of the export-driven economy, decreased 10.3 percent over the year to 49.12 billion U.S. dollars in January, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

It marked the first downturn in 16 months on the back of the decline in working days, the number of which shrank 4 days in January compared to the same month of last year, affected by the Lunar New Year's holidays.

The daily average export expanded 7.7 percent to 2.46 billion dollars last month, posting the second-highest January figure.

Import retreated 6.4 percent to 51 billion dollars, sending the trade deficit to 1.89 billion dollars. The trade balance turned into the red in 20 months.

Of the country's 15 major export items, 13 products saw a fall in outbound shipment except chips and computers.

Semiconductor export increased 8.1 percent from a year earlier to 10.13 billion dollars in January, topping 10 billion dollars for the ninth consecutive month.

The continued growth was attributable to demand for high-end chips such as DDR5 and high bandwidth memory (HBM) used in generative artificial intelligence (AI) chipsets.

Computer export surged 14.8 percent to 820 million dollars, keeping an upward trend for the 13th successive month on steady demand for solid state drive (SSD).

Mobile device shipment reduced by 9.4 percent to 1.21 billion dollars, and display panel export dropped by 16.0 percent to 1.09 billion dollars.

Automotive shipment tumbled 19.6 percent to 4.99 billion dollars owing to fewer working days, and auto parts export slipped 17.2 percent to 1.57 billion dollars.

General machinery shipment plunged 21.7 percent to 3.41 billion dollars, and export for ships dwindled 2.1 percent to 2.46 billion dollars on solid demand for relatively low-priced oil tankers.

Export for oil products dived 29.8 percent to 3.37 billion dollars on lower product price, and petrochemical shipment dipped 12.8 percent to 3.51 billion dollars.

Global prices for gasoline and diesel went down 7.4 percent and 7.2 percent each in January on a yearly basis.

Dubai crude, South Korea's benchmark, averaged 73.2 dollars per barrel in December 2024, down 5.3 percent from a year earlier.

Steel product shipment was down in single digits to 2.63 billion dollars, while export for home appliances, textiles and secondary batteries declined in double figures to 560 million dollars, 730 million dollars and 530 million dollars each.

Export to the United States shrank 9.4 percent from a year earlier to 9.29 billion dollars in January on lower demand for cars and machinery.

Shipment to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) shed 2.1 percent to 8.6 billion dollars on weaker demand for display panels and mobile devices, while export to the European Union (EU) decreased 11.7 percent to 5.04 billion dollars.

Export to Japan, Latin America, India and the Middle East retreated to 2.35 billion dollars, 2.06 billion dollars, 1.47 billion dollars and 1.33 billion dollars each.

Regarding import items, the import of three major energy sources, including crude oil, natural gas and coal, reduced by 14 percent to 11.36 billion dollars last month.

Non-energy imports slipped 3.9 percent to 39.64 billion dollars on lower business days. 
Makhana Board, Greenfield Airports & More: Eye On Polls, Budget 2025 Promises Bihar Bounty

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 13:23 IST

Draped in a Madhubani sari, a traditional folk art form from the Mithila region of Bihar, Sitharaman said her budget will initiate reforms in six areas

Budget 2025: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans eighth budget on Saturday provided a boost to Bihar  which is set for elections this year  with key announcements such as the setting up of a Makhana Board, a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management, as well as Greenfield airports.

Draped in a Madhubani sari, a traditional folk art form from the Mithila region of Bihar, Sitharaman said her budget will initiate reforms in six areas of taxation, urban development, mining, financial sector, power and regulatory framework.

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While announcing the setting up of a makhana board in the state, Sitharaman said, There is a special opportunity for the people of Bihar. A makhana board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana." People engaged in these activities will be organised into FPOs (Farmer Producer Organization), which will provide handholding and training support to makhana farmers. These FPOs will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes, she added.

Moreover, in line with the governments commitment towards Poorvodaya, we will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar", said Sitharaman.

Under the Poorvodaya scheme, the government is formulating an all-round development of the eastern region states covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

The announcements for Bihar, where BJP shares power with its key ally JDU, come against the backdrop of Nitish Kumars critical support after BJP fell short of the majority mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

JDU, which won 12 seats in the 2024 polls, was one of the kingmakers after BJP sought its backing along with that of N Chandrababu Naidus TDP to form the government at the Centre.

Heres a look at the Bihar-specific announcements so far:

 Financial support to Western Kosi Canal Project in Bihar, which will aid the Mithilanchal region

 Makhana Board to improve processing and value addition

 Greenfield airports in addition to expansion of Patna airport and an airport in Bettiah

 National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management

 Capacity of the Indian Institute of Technology in Patna will be increased

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During the last budget in July 2024, the Centre announced several big-ticket measures for Bihar, proposing a total outlay of over Rs 60,000 crore for various projects, including funding for three expressways projects, a power plant, heritage corridors, new airports, and sports infrastructure.

The assembly election is scheduled to be held in the state later this year.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 11:56 IST
'Neighbourhood First': India Hikes Budget Share For Maldives To Rs 600 Cr After Muizzus Damage Control

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 16:44 IST

Budget 2025: On Saturday, India scaled up the budgetary allocation for the island nation by nearly Rs 130 crore, to Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. However, the amount is still short of the pre-dispute allocation in 2023-24 of Rs 770.90 crore

Muizzu's bilateral visit last October resulted in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was seen as the two nations considering the row as history. File pic/Reuters

India, which has a budgetary allocation for a few neighbouring countries, significantly slashed the share of the Maldives in the last budget as cabinet ministers of the island nation sparked a souring of ties. Ever since, much effort has been made by the Mohamed Muizzu-led government to rein in such elements and undo the damage done, with the country facing economic stress. Muizzus bilateral visit last October resulted in a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was seen as the two nations considering the row as history. In Budget 2025 presented on Saturday, India scaled up the budgetary allocation for the island nation by nearly Rs 130 crore, to Rs 600 crore from Rs 470 crore last year. However, the amount is still short of the pre-dispute allocation in 2023-24 of Rs 770.90 crore.

Government sources said the budget for the Maldives has increased due to Indias neighbourhood first" policy, despite South Block being aware of President Mohamed Muizzus pro-China leanings.

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Beach battle

In January 2024, relations between India and the Maldives, traditionally close neighbours with strong historical and cultural ties, became strained due to derogatory remarks made by Maldivian cabinet ministers and concerns over racism directed at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India as a whole. This happened when a series of photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi staring pensively out into the Arabian Sea, surrounded by Lakshadweeps coastal splendour last January, not only set off a social media war between India and the Maldives but also triggered a low-key diplomatic row between the two friendly countries.

When he visited the island, known for its largely untouched natural beauty, to promote infrastructure development and tourism, the Prime Minister would not have anticipated such a harsh and uncharacteristic reaction from the Maldives.

The row was mainly triggered by a senior minister in the Muizzu-led government, Abdulla Mahzoom Majid, who accused India of targeting his country. He said India faces significant challenges in competing with the Maldives when it comes to beach tourism. His remarks on X came after PM Modi put out his Lakshadweep post, which went viral and prompted many social media users to suggest that the union territory could be an alternate tourist destination to the Maldives.

Majid later deleted his post, but the damage was done. Mariyam Shiuna, Maldives deputy minister of youth empowerment, information, and arts, called Modi a clown" and puppet of Israel" in a post on X. While Shiuna has deleted the post since, her government also suspended her. Shiuna also compared India to cow dung".

What a clown. The puppet of Israel, Mr Narendra, diver with a life jacket. #VisitMaldives #SunnySideOfLife," she said in her post.

Malsha Sharif, another deputy minister in the same ministry, also made derogatory comments of a similar nature against India. Both were suspended along with another government official, Hasan Zihan, deputy minister of transport and civil aviation.

PM Modis plans

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But PM Modi had his plans for Lakshadweep that the Maldives feared would be strong competition. Even before a year completed after the row began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lakshadweep, and the photographs created a new interest in the archipelago, the Centre is preparing to unveil eight big projects to enhance Lakshadweeps connectivity for tourists and give the likes of the Maldives a run for their money.

CNN-News18 has accessed a union government document that lists out these projectsincluding the capability for larger vessels to come to the Kavaratti, Agatti, and Minicoy islands, the development of landside facilities, including passenger facilitation centres with modern amenities at the Kalpeni, Kadmat, and Androth islands, and the development of open jetties that can handle even cruise vessels at the Kalpeni and Kadmat islands. Work will begin soon on the first project worth Rs 303 crorethe construction of jetties and landside at the Kadmat Islandfor which tenders were invited on December 4.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 16:44 IST
No Income Tax For Those Earning Up To Rs 12 Lakh: FM Nirmala Sitharaman's Mega Budget Relief

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 17:40 IST

Budget 2025: The income tax exemption limit in 2005 was Rs 1 lakh, which was brought up to Rs 2 lakh in 2012. In 2014, the exemption limit was raised to Rs 2.5 lakh, to Rs 5 lakh in 2019, to Rs 7 lakh in... Read More

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth budget today. (File)

In major relief for the middle class, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Budget 2025 announced on Saturday said those earning up to Rs 12 lakh will not have pay income tax, even as the slabs for and below the income bracket remain.

Also, those earning up to Rs 13 lakh will effectively now be able save income tax as over and above the Rs 12 lakh income limit, there is a standard deduction of Rs 75,000, and a marginal relief of around Rs 30,000.

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The tax slabs in the new regime will be as follows:

Zero to Rs 4,00,000: No Tax

Rs 4,00,000 to Rs 8,00,000: 5%

Rs 8,00,0001 to Rs 12,00,000: 10%

Rs 12,00,001 to Rs 16 lakh: 15%

Rs 16,00,001 to Rs 20 lakh : 20%

Rs 20,00,001 to Rs 24 lakh: 25%

Above Rs 24 lakh: 30%

To tax payers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains), tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them. A tax payer in the new regime with an income of Rs 12 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 80,000 in tax (which is 100% of tax payable as per existing rates).

In response to a media query on income tax rebate up to Rs 12 lakh, Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey said, Earlier, it (rebate) was Rs 2.2 lakh, and in 2014, it became Rs 2.5 lakh; in 2019, it became Rs 5 lakh. Later, it was raised to Rs 7 lakh and now it being raised to Rs 12 lakh. The government feels that on the average Rs 1 lakh per month (income), you need not pay tax."

A person having income of Rs 18 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 70,000 in tax (30% of tax payable as per existing rates).

Those with an income of Rs 25 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 1.1 lakh (25% of his tax payable as per existing rates).

Tax exemption will result in Rs 1 lakh crore in direct taxes and Rs 2,600 crore of indirect tax to be foregone.

The income tax exemption limit in 2005 was Rs 1 lakh, which was brought up to Rs 2 lakh in 2012. In 2014, the exemption limit was raised to Rs 2.5 lakh, to Rs 5 lakh in 2019, to Rs 7 lakh in 2023 and now to Rs 12 lakh in 2025.

OTHER DIRECT TAX PROPOSALS

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS: In addition to the personal tax reforms with focus on middle class, the government has announced introduction of a scheme to determine arms length price of international transaction for a block period of three years. The FM also announced expansion of scope of safe harbour rules to reduce litigation and provide certainty in international taxation.

RATIONALISATION OF TDS/TCS: Tax deduction limit for senior citizens doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. The annual limit of Rs 2.40 lakh for TDS on rent increased to Rs 6 lakh.

VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE: Extension of time-limit to file updated returns, from the current limit of two years, to four years.

REDUCING COMPLIANCE BURDEN: Reduced compliance for small charitable trusts/institutions by increasing their period of registration from 5 years to 10 years. Tax payers to be allowed to claim the annual value of two self-occupied properties (previously one) without any conditions (previously conditions attached).

EMPLOYMENT AND INVESTMENT: Tax certainty for electronics manufacturing schemes. Tonnage tax scheme for inland vessels. Extension for incorporation by five years of start-ups. Specific benefits to ship-leasing units, insurance offices and treasury centres of global companies which are set up in IFSC. Certainty of taxation to Category I and category II AIFs, undertaking investments in infrastructure and other such sectors, on the gains from securities

EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE BUDGET

Sitharaman on Saturday made history as she presented a record eighth consecutive budget, which comes in the backdrop of slowdown in economy and demand for tax cuts for middle class. This will take Sitharaman closer to the record of 10 budgets that were presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai over different time periods. Desai has presented a total of six budgets during his tenure as finance minister from 1959 to 1964, and four budgets between 1967 and 1969.

Sitharaman on Saturday called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha. As per established tradition, the finance minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before heading to Parliament.

President Murmu offered dahi-chini (curd-sugar), considered auspicious, to Sitharaman before she left for Parliament to present the Union Budget.

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Before the actual presentation in Parliament, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Budget for fiscal 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026).

With Agency Inputs

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:21 IST
President Murmu Feeds 'Dahi-Cheeni' To FM Nirmala Sitharaman Ahead Of Budget 2025 | Watch

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 11:03 IST

Union Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is poised to present her record eighth consecutive Budget shortly

Union Budget 2025: Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman with President Droupadi Murmu. (Screengrab/ANI)

Union Budget 2025: Dressed in a white-red Madhubani print saree and carrying her budget tablet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan ahead of presenting the Union Budget in Parliament on Saturday.

The President fed her dahi-cheeni (curd and sugar) as part of a customary ritual and gave her blessings.

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#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu feeds Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman the customary dahi-cheeni (curd and sugar) ahead of her Budget presentation.Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her 8th consecutive #UnionBudget, today in Parliament (Source pic.twitter.com/jZz2dNh59O  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

Sitharaman is poised to present her record eighth consecutive Budget shortly as people eagerly wait for a solution to their woes such as price hikes and tax slabs. After meeting the President, Sitharaman held a meeting with the Union Cabinet and got the Union Budget approved.

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This will bring Sitharaman closer to the record of 10 budgets presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai across different periods. Desai delivered six budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964, and four more from 1967 to 1969. Former finance ministers P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee presented nine and eight budgets, respectively, under various prime ministers.

However, Sitharaman will continue to hold the record for presenting the most consecutive budgetseight straight under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She became Indias first full-time female finance minister in 2019 when Modi secured a decisive second term.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 10:23 IST
RBI LRS: Budget 2025 Hikes TCS On Remittances Under Scheme to 10 Lakh; What Does It Mean?

Reported By :

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 16:19 IST

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced to increase TCS on remittances under RBI's Liberalised remittance scheme from Rs 7 lakh to 10 lakh, in the Budget 2025.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (Image: PTI)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced to increase TCS on remittances under RBIs Liberalised remittance scheme from Rs 7 lakh to 10 lakh, in the Budget 2025.

The threshold to collect tax at source (TCS) on remittances under the RBIs Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) is proposed to be increased from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh," Sitharaman said in her Budget Speech 2025-26.

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The finance minister also announced to remove TCS on remittances for education purposes, where such remittance is out of a loan taken from a specified financial institution.

What Does It Mean?

The Budget 2025 announcement to increase the TCS (Tax Collected at Source) threshold on remittances under RBIs Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh means that individuals sending money abroad will now face TCS deductions only if their total remittance exceeds Rs 10 lakh in a financial year, instead of the previous limit of Rs 7 lakh.

This change is aimed at providing some relief to individuals making smaller foreign remittances for purposes such as travel, medical expenses, and investments. However, for remittances exceeding Rs 10 lakh, the applicable TCS rates (5% for medical purposes, 20% for foreign investments and overseas travel) will continue to apply, depending on the category of remittance. This move is expected to ease the tax burden on smaller transactions while maintaining compliance for larger remittances.

What Is RBIs LRS Scheme?

The Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allows resident individuals to send money abroad for various permissible purposes, such as education, medical expenses, travel, foreign investments, and gifting.

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Before Budget 2025-26, the annual limit under LRS was 2.5 lakh (USD 250,000), but Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has now announced an increase to 10 lakh per year. While LRS facilitates seamless overseas transactions, it comes with restrictions, such as prohibiting remittances to high-risk FATF-listed countries and crypto-related transactions.

Tax Collected at Source (TCS) applies based on the remittance amount, with rates varying for different categories. This increase in the LRS limit is expected to benefit individuals and businesses with international financial commitments.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:13 IST
BSEB 12th Exam: What To Do If You Lose Your Bihar Board Exam Admit Card?

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 12:59 IST

The Bihar Board Intermediate exam began on February 1, 2025. In case you lose your admit card, you can still appear for the exam by verifying your photo and roll number on the attendance sheet or using a valid ID

In 2025, 12,92,913 students will appear for the Bihar Board 12th exam. (News18 Hindi)

The Bihar Board Intermediate exam commenced on February 1, 2025. This year, 12,92,913 students will appear for the Bihar Board 12th exam. For this purpose, 1677 examination centres have been set up across Bihar.

According to the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), 6,41,847 girls and 6,50,466 boys have registered for the Bihar Board Intermediate Examination 2025. The Board has issued certain guidelines for the 10th and 12th board exams that have to be followed.

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One such guideline is that an admit card is mandatory for entry inside the Bihar Board examination centre. If you do not have the Bihar Board Exam 2025 Admit Card, you will be refused entry to the centre.

What If Your Bihar 12th Board Exam Admit Card is Lost?

According to BSEB, if the admit card of any candidate is lost or accidentally left at home, then there is no need to worry. In this situation, you will still be allowed to take the exam by verifying your photo and roll number on the attendance sheet inside the examination centre. If there is no photo on the admit card, then the candidate will have to go to the examination centre with a valid identity card (voter ID, Aadhaar card, bank passbook with photo etc.).

Bihar Board Exam Timings

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The Bihar Board 12th exam will be held in two shifts from February 1 to February 15, 2025. The first shift will start at 9:30am and the second shift will start at 2pm.

Students have to reach the centre one hour before the start of the Bihar Board Exam 2025. Entry for the second shift will start at 1pm. The main gate will be closed half an hour before the start of the exam. After this, the student will not be allowed entry inside the examination centre under any circumstances.

Location : Bihar, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:59 IST
CUET PG 2025: Last Date To Register Extended Till February 8, Steps To Apply

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 18:42 IST

CUET PG 2025: Candidates willing to apply and are eligible can do so by visiting the official website at exams.nta.ac.in.

NTA will conduct CUET (PG)  2025 between March 13 and 31, 2025 (Representative/File Photo)

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has extended the registration deadline for the Common University Entrance Test or CUET PG 2025 till February 8. Earlier, the last date to apply was set as February 2. Candidates willing to apply and are eligible can do so by visiting the official website at exams.nta.ac.in. The application correction window will remain open from February 10 to 12.

The candidates and concerned stakeholders are informed that registration of Common University Entrance Test [CUET(PG)]  2025 has been extended on request received from candidates and other stakeholders," reads the official notice.

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ALSO READ | CUET PG 2025: Major Updates On Exam Pattern, Application Fee, Test Cities And More

NTA will conduct CUET (PG)  2025 between March 13 and 31, 2025. While applying, candidates can select up to four question paper codes from a provided list and can choose up to four cities for the exam. The total number of exam cities within India has, however, been reduced to 285. On the other hand, the number of international test centres has been increased. New international centres have been added in locations such as Abu Dhabi (UAE), Oslo (Norway), and Frankfurt/Berlin (Germany).

CUET PG 2025: How To Apply?

Step 1: Visit the official website  exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-PG/

Step 2: On the homepage, click on the application portal

Step 3: Click on the New Candidate Register Here" link

Step 4: Register yourself

Step 5: Fill out the application form and upload your photograph and signature

Step 6: Pay the application fee and submit the CUET PG 2025 application form

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The CUET PG 2025 question paper will consist of 75 questions. While the number of questions remains the same as the previous year, the duration of the exam has been decreased from 1 hour 45 minutes to 90 minutes.

Each question carries four marks. Candidates will earn four marks for every correct response, while one mark will be deducted for each incorrect answer. Unanswered or unattempted questions will not receive any marks. To answer, candidates must select the most appropriate option from the available choices.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:27 IST
'By Integrating AI Into Education...' What IIT, IIM Directors Think About Education Budget 2025

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 17:29 IST

Experts have praised the Education Budget 2025 for its significant focus on expanding education, research, and skills development, driving India towards innovation.

Education Budget 2025: Know what experts said about the budget. (Image: Getty)

Education Budget 2025: In her 8th consecutive Union Budget 2025, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined several significant measures for the education sector. Among the highlights are the expansion of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which were set up over the last decade, and the addition of 10,000 new medical college seats in the coming year.

The Union Budget 2025 has allocated a total of Rs 1.28 lakh crore to the Ministry of Education. This includes a Rs 50,077.95 crore allocation for higher education and Rs 78,572.10 crore for school education, marking a strong commitment to improving both sectors.

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Following these announcements, experts from Indias top educational institutions have shared their views on the budgets impact on education, research, and innovation.

IIT Madras Director, Prof Kamakoti lauded this years education budget and said some great announcements have been made for the Indian Institutes of Technology. The expansion of the third-generation IITs is important. it is a massive step. Every region has to grow. We have to provide quality education across all regions specifically with the IIT brand. These IITs will benefit quite significantly from the new budget announcement," he said.

He further added that India needs entrepreneurs, and needs to nourish innovation. The establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs is a major step, and is going to be a great game changer for our country," he added. He also mentioned that the PMRS was an important part of the budget. There is an amount of uncertainty when it comes to research. It is just exploration. We are expecting youth to give at least five years of their time trying to work on a research problem. So this a big commitment," he added.

Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director of IIM Sambalpur, called the Union Budget 2025 a visionary step, noting its strong focus on higher education, women empowerment, and entrepreneurship.

He said, The Budget 2025 is visionary in enhancing Indias higher education, women empowerment, and entrepreneurship as pillars of an inclusive, equitable, innovation-led economy." He also welcomed the Rs 500 crore allocation for Centres of Excellence and the creation of five national skilling centres, which will integrate new technologies into education and training.

Jaiswal added, By providing and integrating AI into education and skill development sectors, it ensures that students will be ready to meet emerging opportunities in all sectors." He also praised the initiative to establish 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, calling it a game-changer for encouraging innovation and hands-on learning in STEM fields. IIMs are preparing students for high-impact careers while driving Indias goal of becoming a global innovation powerhouse."

Prof. Ram Kumar Kakani, Director of IIM Raipur, described Budget 2025 as a turning point for Indias entrepreneurial and skill-building environment.

He stated, Budget 2025 marks a pivotal moment for Indias entrepreneurial and skilling ecosystem, setting the stage for a Viksit Bharat 2047.'"

Kakani highlighted the Rs 10,000 crore fund for startups and the new initiative to support 5 lakh SC/ST women entrepreneurs. These initiatives, along with higher education funding and policies to attract global talent, will lay a solid foundation for a workforce ready for the future.

Alison Barrett MBE, Country Director India at the British Council, praised the governments focus on education and skills development, especially with the creation of five National Centres of Excellence for skill-building.

ALSO READ: Education Budget 2025: New 10,000 Seats In Medical, 5000 In IITs, Key Announcements You Must Know

The Union Budget 2025-26 reaffirms the Indian Governments commitment to education and skills development, laying a strong foundation for the nations youth and future workforce," she said.

Barrett also applauded the Rs 500 crore for a Centre of Excellence in Education and the expansion of IIT infrastructure, calling them crucial steps for improving Indias technical and digital capabilities.

She further highlighted the Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak scheme, noting, We commend the Bharatiya Bhasha Pushtak scheme that will provide digital access to Indian language books."

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The decision to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education reflects a forward-thinking approach to education and economic development, aiming to create a workforce equipped for the challenges and opportunities of an AI-driven future, says Arti Dawar, Deputy CEO, Shiv Nadar School. As automation and AI transform industries, traditional skills are becoming obsolete, making continuous upskilling essential," she added.

Dawar also said that the digitisation of books in various Indian languages is of utmost importance as it will help preserve the countrys rich cultural heritage. Overall, the Education Budget 2025 is a step in the right direction. However, sustained efforts and continued investments will be essential to ensure that Indias education system remains equipped to meet future challenges," she stated.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:24 IST
'If I Go To School, Will You Give Me Food?': The Question That Launched Mid-Day Meal Scheme In India

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 16:59 IST

Kamaraj, then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, introduced the mid-day meal program in the state in the 1960s, boosting literacy as well as improving children's health. It all started with a child's innocent yet compelling question...

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has elevated the nutritional status of children as well as encouraged social cohesion among the youth. (News18 Hindi)

Many statues of the late Kamaraj, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, stand tall across the state, serving as a reminder of his substantial contributions to the states education system. It was under his leadership as CM that Tamil Nadus literacy rate rose to 85% during that decade. His achievements in this area are fondly remembered by many. Following the death of then-prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, he emerged as a significant figure in the political landscape of India during that era.

Kamaraj took over as the Chief Minister of Madras State on April 13, 1954. He brought in a policy of compulsory education, following which new schools were built. Uniforms were given free of cost to the students attending school. The curriculum was revised. Due to these works, Kamaraj became popular as the Father of Education.

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Kamaraj was born into a business family. After the death of his father, his mother had to struggle to make ends meet. At the young age of 11, Kamaraj had to leave school to help his mother.

From that point onward, he hoped that no other children would have to leave school as he did and that every child should have the opportunity to attend school.

Kamaraj understood the crucial role that education plays in ones life. However, during those times, education was often seen as a luxury for a poor family. In a household struggling to afford basic necessities, how could they possibly send their child to school? He then realised that by providing nutritious meals in schools once a day, many children would be encouraged to attend and pursue their studies.

Mid-Day Meals Boosted Attendance

After the introduction of the Mid-Day Meal School Scheme, he observed its effects and found them to be quite remarkable. In 1955, student attendance surged in Madras Municipal Schools and Harijan Welfare Schools because of this initiative. Children began coming in large numbers from Monday through Friday. However, on Saturdays, attendance dropped to around 50%, as schools operated only for half a day and no lunch was served.

Planning Commission Was Sceptical

When Kamaraj aimed to incorporate the Mid-Day Meal into the Second Five Year Plan (SFYP), he faced significant challenges. The Central Planning Commission did not view providing mid-day meals to all primary school students as feasible.

Nonetheless, Kamaraj was determined to see it through. He engaged in discussions with the Planning Commission officials to secure approval for the schemes implementation in the state. The gap between the available and required budget was Rs 5 crore (Rs 50 million).

Despite this, Kamaraj was prepared to introduce a new tax to fund the mid-day meal program. After considerable negotiation, the mid-day meal initiative was successfully included in the SFYP for financial support. The plan also received approval from the Tamil Nadu legislature.

Origins In Tirunelveli District

An announcement concerning the scheme was made on March 27, 1955. The mid-day meal programme was launched in Ettayapuram in Tirunelveli district on July 17, 1956. Starting November 1, 1957, the Kamaraj government broadened the initiative to include an increasing number of primary schools with assistance from the central government.

Initially, the government provided only 10 paise per child, and local authorities were expected to contribute 5 paise, which mostly did not occur. As a result, it became necessary to rely on volunteer contributions to maintain the programme consistently.

Kamaraj made extensive travels across the state, addressing the public during conferences, meetings, and personal interactions. He emphasized the urgent need for the mid-day meal schemes implementation in schools, highlighting that feeding the children in ones community is a personal social duty.

Committees Established to Manage Mid-Day Meals

Local residents organised and created committees in every school to efficiently utilise the funds and resources. The headmasters of the schools typically served as the non-member secretaries of these committees. The local groups were responsible for covering the entire expense of items such as utensils.

Through Kamarajs initiative, around 20 lakh primary school students from Classes 1 to 8 received meals for 200 days each year. The students enjoyed a tasty meal of cooked rice accompanied by sambar, buttermilk, or curd, along with pickle.

Assistance from an American Organisation

Beginning in July 1961, the Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere (CARE) decided to support the governments mid-day meal programme. This organisation began providing financial assistance and supplying food resources such as milk powder, cooking oil, wheat, rice, and other nutritional products.

Successful Within Five Years

While initially perceived as a populist measure, the mid-day meal scheme gained traction as school enrolment and attendance increased. Eventually, the central government started to provide support. In just five years, the initiative proved successful. From 1957 to 1963, the schemes costs rose 17-fold, leading to a six-fold increase in the number of beneficiaries.

Largest Food Programme Globally

Kamarajs mid-day meal scheme achieved notable success. Actor-politician MG Ramachandran further expanded it during his time as Chief Minister in 1982. The central government later adopted it, leading to its implementation in other states across the country. It is now recognised as the worlds largest school feeding programme, serving 11 crore children in 12 lakh schools.

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Impact of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme

Enhancement of Childrens Nutrition: The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has elevated the nutritional status of children attending Anganwadis. They regularly receive nutritious food that supports their physical and mental growth.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has elevated the nutritional status of children attending Anganwadis. They regularly receive nutritious food that supports their physical and mental growth. Boost in Attendance: The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has driven up attendance rates at Anganwadi centres. Parents are motivated to enrol their children at Anganwadis due to the availability of free meals.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has driven up attendance rates at Anganwadi centres. Parents are motivated to enrol their children at Anganwadis due to the availability of free meals. Reduced Dropout Rate: Children from low-income families, who were previously kept out of school, became increasingly regular to their classes as the programme ensured they receive at least one nutritious meal daily. The dropout rate significantly decreased. Overall, childrens health and educational outcomes improved.

Children from low-income families, who were previously kept out of school, became increasingly regular to their classes as the programme ensured they receive at least one nutritious meal daily. The dropout rate significantly decreased. Overall, childrens health and educational outcomes improved. Promotion of Social Inclusion: The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has created opportunities for children from various castes and communities to eat together, thereby encouraging social cohesion and helped to some extent in breaking down caste barriers in the minds of youth.

The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has created opportunities for children from various castes and communities to eat together, thereby encouraging social cohesion and helped to some extent in breaking down caste barriers in the minds of youth. Support for Women: The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has also been beneficial for women, providing them with job opportunities in meal preparation and serving.

Location : Tamil Nadu, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 16:59 IST
'All Demands Met': From Makhana Board To IIT Expansion, How Budget 2025 Validated Nitish Kumar's Trust

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News18.com

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 13:59 IST

Draped in a Madhubani saree, finance minister Nirmala Sitharamans well-timed symbolism was beyond optics as she announced a slew of initiatives for the poll-bound state

From Makhana Board to Kosi Canal, IIT expansion to airport modernisation, Nirmala Sitharamans budget spanned both rural and urban Bihar. (PTI)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, draped in a Madhubani saree, did not just present the Union Budget on Saturday but sent a powerful message to Bihar that is going to polls this year. The well-timed symbolism was hard to miss  a nod to Bihars rich cultural heritage and a gesture aimed at winning the hearts of the people and ally JD(U).

The statement, however, was beyond optics. With several announcements aligned with Bihars financial and political interests, the BJP-led NDA has made its intent clear: Bihar matters, and so does Nitish Kumar.

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The budget delivered on key demands long raised by the state, which included the Koshi Canal flood mitigation project for Mithilanchal, a Makhana Board, a greenfield airport in Patna, and the expansion of IIT Patna. All these steps are crucial for the states growth and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars electoral-political arithmetic ahead of the crucial state elections due this year.

Landmark Day For Bihar

For the JD(U), the budget was more than just announcements  it was political validation for Nitish Kumars decision to join hands with the BJP and become a major partner of NDA.

The NDA government has lived up to our expectations. All demands were met. It is a landmark day for Bihar," said Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, senior leader and national spokesperson of JD(U).

It also reaffirms that our leader Nitish Kumar-jis support for the NDA was legitimate and a strategic move in the larger interest of Bihar," he added.

For the party in power in the state, the announcements made by the NDA government will also give a fillip to Nitish Kumars political credibility and help counter the opposition narrative, said a senior JDU Leader.

The Bihar Bounty

From Makhana Board to Kosi Canal, IIT expansion to airport modernisation, the Narendra Modi governments budget spanned both rural and urban Bihar.

Budget 2025-26 delivered on long-pending demands, ensuring that the messaging covered all sectors  farmers and the educated young voters, villages and cities, development works and politics.

For rural Bihar, the additional announcements of financial support for the Kosi Canal project, a crucial initiative for Bihars Mithilanchal farmers across over 50,000 hectares of agricultural land, have been the most crucial of all, said Ranjan. This will also seal Nitish Kumars commitment to boosting irrigation in the region.

To further support to the agri-economy, the government will set up a Makhana Board, an industry-specific initiative to train farmers, that will streamline production and connect them to key government schemes. This will give access to the international market, said another senior leader.

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At the same time, for urban and educated voters in Bihar, the budget brings expansion of IIT-Patna and airport modernisation, signalling focus on higher education, tech-driven growth, and improved connectivity. With the announcement of a greenfield airport planned for Patna, the states capital is now set to emerge as a key transport and economic hub.

With these announcements, the NDA has checked off key demands from Bihar, reinforcing its political and developmental commitment to the state ahead of elections and reassuring Nitish Kumar about their coalition commitment

First Published: February 01, 2025, 13:59 IST
A festive event was held to mark "February 2 - Azerbaijan Youth Day," organized by the Khazar District Executive Power in collaboration with the Mardakan Palace of Culture, Azernews reports.

The event was attended by notable figures including Khazar District Executive Power Head Elshan Salahov, MP Soltan Mammadov, New Azerbaijan Party Khazar District Chairman Namig Ahmadov, Azerbaijan Writers' Union Secretary Ilgar Fahmi, and representatives from law enforcement, educational, healthcare, and cultural institutions, along with young people actively engaged in the region's socio-political and cultural life, as well as participants of the Patriotic War.

The event began with the viewing of an exhibition at the Palace of Culture, showcasing handicrafts by young artists on various themes.

The ceremony started with the National Anthem of Azerbaijan and a minute of silence in honor of martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country's territorial integrity. In his speech, Elshan Salahov congratulated the youth on Azerbaijan Youth Day, emphasizing the importance of the day, which was initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev. He discussed the successful youth policies implemented by Azerbaijans leadership, highlighting how President Ilham Aliyev continues these efforts to solve youth issues, foster youth development, and strengthen the nations future. Salahov also praised the role of young people in the victorious Azerbaijani army, which liberated historical lands during the 44-day Patriotic War.

MP Soltan Mammadov noted the new stage of youth policy in Azerbaijan, stressing that President Ilham Aliyevs decisions ensure continuity in youth development, including social support, spiritual education, and opportunities for youth organizations.

Namig Ahmadov, Chairman of the Khazar District Organization of the New Azerbaijan Party, spoke about the partys focus on youth development and its support for various youth initiatives in the region.

Veteran Elnur Agajanov and young student Aydan Khanahmedli highlighted the heroic role of Azerbaijani youth during the Patriotic War, noting their bravery and contributions to the countrys territorial integrity.

During the event, a number of young individuals who had achieved success in the region's socio-political and cultural life were awarded Certificates of Appreciation by Elshan Salahov, followed by a commemorative photo session. The event concluded with a concert program.
During the Spring Festival holiday, a surge of Vietnamese tourists crossed into China through Hekou Port, traveling to various destinations across the country. As the largest land port on the Yunnan section of the China-Vietnam border, Hekou Port saw a notable increase in inbound traffic. #GLOBALink
8 Naxalites Gunned Down During Encounter With Security Forces In Chhattisgarh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 17:48 IST

Security forces killed eight Naxalites in an encounter in Bijapur in Chhattisgarh. The encounter began at 8:30 am following intelligence inputs.

Patrolling and search operations are underway in the area (ANI/Representative image)

In a major achievement, security forces gunned down eight Naxalites in an encounter in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh on Saturday.

The encounter started at around 8:30 am in the forests of the Gangaloor police station area when a joint team of security personnel was carrying out an anti-Naxalite operation, news agency PTI reported.

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According to police, the anti-Naxalite operation was launched on Friday following intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres from the West Bastar Division in the region.

The joint team comprised of personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) of the state police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), including its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action).

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Intermittent exchange of fire started between security forces and Maoists since Saturday morning. Patrolling and search operations is underway in the area to ensure security and gather further intelligence.

More details are awaited.

Location : Bijapur, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 17:48 IST
Budget 2025 Bolsters Border Security With 82.3% Hike In Allocation

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 16:29 IST

The capital outlay for border security alone increased sharply from Rs 2,794.57 crore to Rs 5,237.93 crore. In 2024-25, the revised budget was Rs 3,069.75 crore, while the 2025-26 budget is Rs 5,597.25 crore

The increase reflects a stronger focus on securing international borders, improving check posts, and enhancing surveillance infrastructure. (PTI File)

The government has given a significant allocation to border infrastructure and management in the Budget 2025, reflecting a push for modernisation and stronger law enforcement capabilities.

The capital outlay for border security alone increased sharply from Rs 2,794.57 crore to Rs 5,237.93 crore. In 2024-25, the revised budget was Rs 3,069.75 crore, while the 2025-26 budget is Rs 5,597.25 crore, representing an increase of Rs 2,527.50 crore (82.3%).

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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), including union territories, has received a budget allocation of Rs 2,33,211 crore for 2025-26, compared to the revised estimate of Rs 2,20,371 crore in 2024-25. This marks an increase of Rs 12,840 crore (5.8%). This significant increase reflects a stronger focus on securing international borders, improving check posts, and enhancing surveillance infrastructure.

#BudgetWithNews18 | This budget is not about filling the states exchequer; it is about filling up peoples pockets," PM Modi addresses the nationThis is janta janardhan ka budget." He further highlighted that the objective is to enhance the financial well-being of citizens pic.twitter.com/nsnuY2ydRO  News18 (@CNNnews18) February 1, 2025

POLICE, CAPF, J&K COPS

For the police section, in 2023-24, the actual expenditure stood at Rs 1,24,715.03 crore. The 2024-25 budget was set at Rs 1,43,275.90 crore, later revised to Rs 1,46,832.50 crore. Now, in 2025-26, the proposed budget has reached Rs 1,60,391.06 crore  a 9.24% increase over the previous years revised estimate.

The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) funding rose from Rs 1,05,647.19 crore (2024-25 revised) to Rs 1,09,037.05 crore (2025-26), emphasising better infrastructure, weapons, and training.

The Delhi Police has received an increase of Rs 11,467.62 crore, bringing its total allocation to Rs 11,931.66 crore, ensuring better law enforcement in the capital.

Similarly, the Jammu & Kashmir Police, facing ongoing security challenges, saw a rise in funding from Rs 8,665.94 crore to Rs 9,325.73 crore. Police infrastructure funding more than doubled, from Rs 1,986.28 crore to Rs 4,379.20 crore.

Forensic and cybercrime prevention efforts have also been prioritised. Investment in forensic infrastructure rose significantly, with Rs 500 crore earmarked for modernisation of forensic capabilities, compared to just Rs 150 crore last year.

MODERNISATION BOOST

The Modernisation of Police Forces received a boost, with Rs 4,069.24 crore allocated, reflecting the governments focus on equipping law enforcement with advanced technology.

With a higher overall budget and strategic investments, 2025-26 marks a year of transformation for Indias police forces, strengthening internal security, border management, and forensic capabilities. The numbers tell a story of a nation determined to modernise its forces while adapting to emerging security challenges.

DECLINE IN BUDGET

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There have been many sections which have seen a decline in budget allocation. Support to poor prisoners has reduced from Rs 20 crore (2024-25) to just Rs 5 crore.

Schemes for safety of women has also seen a decline, as the allocation was slightly lower than the previous year.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 16:23 IST
Complaint Against Sonia Gandhi In Bihar Court Over Her 'Poor Thing' Remark On President Murmu

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 22:39 IST

A complaint was filed against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi before a court in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Saturday for her 'poor thing' remark on President Droupadi Murmu.

Congress MP Sonia Gandhi called President Murmu a "poor thing" and added that "she could hardly speak". (Courtesy: ANI)

A complaint was filed against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi before a court in Bihars Muzaffarpur district on Saturday for her poor thing remark on President Droupadi Murmu.

Sudhir Ojha, a Muzaffarpur-based lawyer, filed the complaint against Sonia Gandhi seeking registration of an FIR against her for allegedly disrespecting the highest constitutional authority in the country.

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Ojha also named Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as co-accused and sought legal action against them as well.

Sonia Gandhi has insulted President Murmu by making the poor thing remark. Its a disrespect to the highest constitutional authority in the country. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are co-accused in it. A case should be registered against them under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," Ojha told reporters after filing the complaint before the CJM court in Muzaffarpur.

The court will hear the matter on February 10.

After the Presidents joint address to Parliament ahead of the Budget session, Sonia Gandhi was asked by reporters outside the House about Murmus nearly hour-long speech.

The President was getting very tired by the end she could hardly speak, poor thing," the former Congress chief was heard saying in clips in what appeared to be a reference to how long the address was.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi described the speech as boring" in one of the clips. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was also present there.

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Hours later, the Rashtrapati Bhavan released a statement calling the remark unacceptable" and saying that Murmu was not tired. Rashtrapati Bhavan condemned the remark, without naming Sonia Gandhi.

While reacting to the media on the Honble Presidents address to Parliament, some prominent leaders of the Congress party have made comments that clearly hurt the dignity of the high office, and therefore are unacceptable," Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement.

Location : Bihar, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 22:39 IST
'Dream Come True': Padma Awardee on Sitharaman Wearing Saree Gifted by Her While Presenting Budget

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 18:53 IST

Sitharaman wore an off-white handloom silk saree with fish-themed embroidery and golden border while presenting the budget.

FM Nirmala Sitharaman. (Photo: News18)

It was a dream come true for Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union budget on Saturday while wearing a saree, with an intricate Madhubani painting, gifted by her.

Sitharaman wore an off-white handloom silk saree with fish-themed embroidery and golden border while presenting the budget.

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Sitharaman ji paid a great tribute to Madhubani art by wearing the saree gifted by me two months ago. While presenting her this saree at the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event two months ago, I had requested her to wear it on the Budget Day. She accepted my request its like a dream come true for me," Devi, a renowned Madhubani artist from Bihar, told PTI over phone.

Devi said that it had taken over a month to prepare the saree.

A resident of Ranti village in Madhubani district, Devi was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021 for her contributions to art.

Devi practices both Kachnhi (line sketching) and Bharni (coloured) styles of Madhubani painting. Her work has been described by experts as combining community traditions with modern themes".

Details about her work has been featured as part of course material in the Maithili language at certain universities. Devi has completed a number of murals for the central and state governments in India, and teaches Madhubani art techniques to children. She is also an instructor at the Mithila Art Institute, in Madhubani.

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Her paintings, documenting the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns, were also acquired by several foreign universities.

Commenting on Sitharaman wearing Madhubani saree, Bandana Preyashi, Secretary, Bihars Industries Department, wrote on X, Union Finance Minister adorns a Madhubani saree made by Padma Shri, Dulari Devi for presenting the Union Budget-2025 in Parliament. I had the privilege of meeting Dulari Devi and others when we had organised the Women and Art Exhibition at Bihar Museum, Patna. Exquisite work."

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:44 IST
India Announces Plans to Amend Nuclear Liability Laws Ahead of Modi's Expected Visit to US

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 18:26 IST

The finance minister said the 'Nuclear Energy Mission' for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File Photo)

On Saturday, India announced plans to set up a nuclear energy mission and proposed amending the liability laws governing the sector, a move that came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis likely visit to the US.

New Delhi made public its decision to amend the nuclear liability laws a little over two weeks after Washington lifted restrictions on three Indian nuclear entities saying the move will open up new avenues for India-US collaboration in the civil-nuclear field.

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Certain clauses in Indias Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 have emerged as hurdles in moving forward in the implementation of the historic civil nuclear deal that was firmed up between the two strategic partners around 16 years ago.

Modi is expected to visit Washington this month to hold wide-ranging talks with US President Donald Trump with a focus on further shoring up bilateral cooperation in a range of areas including trade, energy and defence.

Indias decision to set up a Nuclear Energy Mission with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore and plans to amend the nuclear liability laws were announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union budget for 2025-26 in Parliament.

Development of at least 100 GW (Gigawatt) of nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for our energy transition efforts," she said.

For an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up," she added.

The finance minister said the Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up.

At least five indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalised by 2033," she said.

Modi described the decision to promote the private sector in the nuclear energy sector as historic".

This will ensure a major contribution of civil nuclear energy in the development of the country in the coming times," he said in his reaction to the Union budget.

Modi said that civil nuclear energy will ensure a significant contribution to the countrys development in the future.

The US last month removed restrictions on Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR) and the Indian Rare Earths (IRE).

The decision came after then NSA Jake Sullivan announced that Washington was finalising steps to remove" hurdles for civil nuclear partnership between Indian and American firms.

India and the US unveiled an ambitious plan to co-operate in civil nuclear energy in July 2005 following then Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs meeting with American President George W Bush.

The historic civil nuclear agreement was finally sealed around three years later following a series of negotiations.

It was expected to pave the way for allowing the US to share civilian nuclear technology with India.

However, the planned cooperation did not move forward for a variety of reasons including the strict liability laws in India.

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US nuclear reactor makers such as General Electric and Westinghouse had shown keen interest in setting up nuclear reactors in India.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:26 IST
Kerala Lottery Results: Karunya KR- 691 Winners For February 1, 2025 Soon; Full List Here!

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 05, 2025, 09:21 IST

Kerala Lottery Results Live: Here's full list of winning numbers for Karunya KR- 691 lucky draw for Saturday, February 1, 2025.

Kerala Lottery Karunya KR- 691 Results: The first prize winner of Karunya KR- 691 will get Rs 80 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock)

KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA KR- 691 RESULT ON SATURDAY, 1.2.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Karunya KR-691 lucky draw for Saturday, February 1, 2025. The winner of the first prize will receive Rs. 80 lakh, while the winners of the second and third place will get Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Check the Full List of Winning Numbers below.

ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Results: Christmas New Year Bumper BR-101 Draw Today (5 February 2025)  First Prize Rs 20 Crore!

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FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-691 LOTTERY

WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKH IS: KO 344245 (PALAKKAD)

Agent Name: R KANNAN

Agency No.: P 1938

WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKH IS: KN 988546 (PALAKKAD)

Agent Name: K R JAYAKRISHNAN

Agency No.: P 2536

WINNING NUMBER FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH ARE

KN 890667

KO 791872

KP 992435

KR 810721

KS 556485

KT 609745

KU 865437

KV 795260

KW 539994

KX 506523

KY 319648

KZ 273068

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE

0164 0746 0892 1784 2358 2431 3204 3238 3677 4312 4824 5258 5307 6290 7191 7857 8686 9594

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE

2462 2977 3259 4601 5393 6170 6689 9300 9347 9994

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE

0385 0392 0540 0750 0857 0913 0934 1227 1253 1325 1328 1336 1454 1498 1839 2042 2115 2203 2519 2579 2605 2732 2812 3004 3043 3165 3333 3492 3526 3597 3651 3999 4011 4077 4387 4519 4547 5011 5370 5378 5404 5517 5542 5861 5886 6034 6143 6269 6737 6836 6897 6898 7120 7141 7198 7219 7361 7421 7450 7457 7733 7735 8223 8364 8457 8470 8511 8578 8782 8834 8864 8873 9060 9072 9093 9116 9157 9366 9987 9992

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE

0040 0043 0065 0070 0209 0270 0336 0403 0432 0571 0714 0768 0820 0838 0930 1065 1077 1492 1671 1822 1845 1934 1963 2048 2113 2119 2302 2304 2362 2405 2416 2587 2681 2783 2793 2838 2935 2966 3066 3302 3449 3469 3556 3663 3867 4061 4073 4239 4251 4450 4828 5082 5236 5336 5405 5499 5571 5709 5718 5956 5969 5982 5988 6137 6180 6200 6336 6410 6433 6468 6590 6637 6714 6748 6811 6876 6910 6924 7009 7022 7135 7144 7301 7315 7395 7465 7540 7588 7593 7604 7638 7693 7743 7749 7763 7865 7963 8092 8132 8177 8366 8474 8583 8709 8714 8850 8978 8985 9001 9260 9312 9360 9373 9444 9540 9600 9607 9734 9767 9816 9893 9937 9978 9988

WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE

KN 344245

KP 344245

KR 344245

KS 344245

KT 344245

KU 344245

KV 344245

KW 344245

KX 344245

KY 344245

KZ 344245

HOW TO CHECK THE KARUNYA KR-691 RESULTS?

To see the Kerala Karunya KR-691 Lottery results, go to the official website, keralalottery.info.

Visit the Kerala Government Gazette office to verify the winning numbers.

Reputable official sources ensure precise and trustworthy lottery information.

HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY?

Check your tickets winning numbers against those listed in the Kerala Government Gazette.

Make sure your ticket number exactly matches the announced winning numbers in order to qualify for a prize.

You can pick up your winnings at the Kerala Lottery headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of the draw date.

Present the winning ticket and a valid ID to claim the prize.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY?

Submit a copy of the winning ticket that has been self-attested and signed on both sides by the participant.

Offer passport-sized photographs that have been authorised and signed by a gazetted officer.

Include a signed copy of the participants PAN card.

Complete the online prize claim form, attach a revenue stamp, and submit.

Provide identification, such as a ration card, voter ID, PAN card, or Aadhaar card.

HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS?

Visit the Kerala Lottery Departments official websites at keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net.

Click the link to see the Karunya KR-691 lottery results.

The winning numbers will be displayed on your screen.

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Find the download option on the page and choose it.

Click the provided download link to save the lottery results in PDF format.

Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 09:00 IST
Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience: 118-Member Diplomatic Delegation From 77 Nations Visits Maha Kumbh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 15:17 IST

A diplomatic delegation comprising 118 members visited the Maha Kumbh Mela Kshetra on Saturday and called it a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Maha Kumbh Mela (ANI Image)

A delegation of over 100 members, including the Heads of Mission and their spouses and diplomats from as many as 77 nations, visited Maha Kumbh Mela Kshetra on Saturday and called it a once-in-a-lifetime experience".

Among the countries whose envoys were a part of the 118-member delegation included Slovakia, Argentina, and Zimbabwe among others.

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Slovak Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, congratulated the government for organising an event of such large scale and size.

I am very excited. I want to congratulate your government for organising this great spiritual event I am a fan of India. India is like my second home," he said.

Ambassador of Argentina to India, Mariano Caucino, expressed his bliss over his participation in the grand event.

I am very happy to take part in this important ceremony and follow the traditions," he said.

Stella Nkomo, Zimbabwes ambassador to India, said that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience" and they are grateful to the Uttar Pradesh government for hosting them.

Diplomatic life is also about pursuing cultural and public diplomacy. This is a cultural diplomacy where we seek to understand India deeply," Nkomo said.

Christian Villarreal, Bolivias Head of Mission in India, said that he was also invited to Diwali celebrations a year ago but nothing compares to this occasion".

Not even my sons will be able to visit such an event which happens once in 144 years," Villarreal said.

On Saturday, more than 5.42 million devotees bathed in the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati during the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. This included over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims.

Since the event began, over 314.6 million devotees have participated in the ritual. Recognised as the worlds largest religious gathering, the Maha Kumbh Mela is deeply rooted in Hindu traditions and attracts ascetics, saints, sadhus, sadhvis, Kalpavasis, and pilgrims from across the globe.

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The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, which started on January 13, will continue until February 26. Held once every 144 years, it is a grand celebration of faith and devotion.

(With ANI inputs)

Location : Uttar Pradesh, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 15:16 IST
Premium, Business-Class Passengers To Pay More At Delhi Airport Under New Tariff Proposal

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 11:57 IST

The revised model, proposed for the five-year period up to FY29, aims to recover the costs of infrastructure upgrades at the airport

The new model also ensures that economy class passengers, who are more price-sensitive, face a lesser burden compared to those in premium cabins. (PTI photo)

Delhi airport is planning to introduce a new tariff structure that will see passengers in first class, business class, and premium economy paying a higher User Development Fee (UDF) compared to those in economy class.

The UDF is a fee levied by airports to fund infrastructure development, such as terminal expansions and new runways. Delhi airport has invested around Rs 12,900 crore in such upgrades, including expanding Terminal 1, building a new runway, and enhancing road and transfer facilities.

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The revised model, proposed for the five-year period up to FY29, aims to recover the costs of infrastructure upgrades at the airport, The Economic Times reported.

Under the new structure, passengers flying in premium cabins will pay more to help cover these costs. Additionally, the airport proposes to raise landing and parking charges for airlines operating during peak hours, while those flying at off-peak times will pay lower fees. This shift is intended to ease congestion and encourage airlines to operate more flights during less busy periods.

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The new model also ensures that economy class passengers, who are more price-sensitive, face a lesser burden compared to those in premium cabins. Analysts predict that Delhi airports yield per passenger could rise from Rs 150 to Rs 450 due to the changes.

The proposal is still under review by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERA), which sets tariffs based on factors like operating costs and infrastructure investments. With increased competition from the upcoming Noida airport, Delhi airport is keen to optimise its resources and maintain its position as Indias aviation hub.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 11:55 IST
Union Budget 2025: NDA Hails Budget As 'Growth-Oriented', Opposition Calls It 'Anti-Farmer'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 15:12 IST

Union Budget 2025: The Opposition has slammed the Budget 2025 for being Bihar-centric and ignoring key issues like MSP for farmers, while the BJP praised it for prioritising welfare, infrastructure, and economic growth.

Union Budget 2025: Leaders react to Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements (Photos: ANI/PTI)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday presented her eighth straight Budget in the Lok Sabha and exempted annual income of up to Rs 12 lakh from income tax, as she rejigged tax slabs as part of her reformist Budget.

Sitharaman also laid out a blueprint for next-generation reforms including raising the FDI limit in the insurance sector, simplification of tax laws, and cutting duties on intermediaries while providing enhanced fiscal support for welfare measures.

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On the fiscal consolidation roadmap, Nirmala Sitharaman projected the fiscal deficit to come down to 4.4 per cent of the GDP in the financial year 2025-26.

However, as Sitharaman began her Budget 2025 speech, the Parliament witnessed an uproar by the Opposition, with many demanding a discussion on the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela this week, in which 30 people died.

Many of the Opposition leaders also raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modis government before some of them walked out of the Parliament.

As the Finance Minister concluded her budget speech, leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) hailed it and termed it growth-oriented".

Heres how Union Ministers praised the Union Budget 2025.

Home Minister Amit Shah: In an X post, Amit Shah wrote, The middle class is always in PM Modis heart. Zero Income Tax till 12 Lakh Income. The proposed tax exemption will go a long way in enhancing the financial well-being of the middle class. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries on this occasion."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: I congratulate the Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, who has presented a wonderful budget towards fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. This budget will promote the development of youth, poor, farmers, women as well as all sections and regions of the society. Keeping in mind the contribution of the middle class, this budget has brought an unprecedented gift. I wholeheartedly welcome the decision to give income tax relief on annual income up to Rs 12 lakh," he wrote on X.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan: I want to express my gratitude to PM Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman from the depth of my heart. She announced various schemes  50 Atal tinkering labs were made, Poshan 2.0 will begin in Saksham Anganwadi, Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme has been launched. All of this is the governments effort to take our youth to a new high," he said.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan: This budget is for the formation of self-reliant India. Priority has been given to the agriculture sector and farmers. Now, farmers can avail up to Rs 5 lakhs on a Kisan Credit Card. Many gifts have been given to the farmers," he told reporters.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju: Elections keep coming every year. How can the opposition call it a Chunavi Budget? Is Bihar not a part of our country? The Opposition should welcome if something concrete is being done for Bihar under the leadership of PM Modi. They should not do such negative politics," he told reporters.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia: Commenting on the Union Budget 2025, Scindia said, This budget is for Viksit Bharat and the PMs resolve to fulfil the dream of a new and energetic India. A new map has been drawn after having a proper study of every sector. Its a composite budget that will take India forward and not only make India self-reliant but establish it as the Vishwaguru."

Union Minister Jitendra Singh: Its a middle-class focused budget with a lot of tax reliefs. Some of the aspects that are not being immediately discussed are some futuristic decisions that were never expected from India. One of them is the nuclear energy mission suggested by the Prime Minister and announced by the Finance Minister. The Nuclear Energy Mission is not only going to add value to the Indian economy but will give us a lead ahead of several other countries," he said.

UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya: The first Union Budget 2025-26 presented by Honble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman ji of the third term of the Modi government today under the leadership of Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is a budget that aims at welfare of the poor, employment to the youth, women empowerment and increase in the income of the farmers. This budget is dedicated to accelerating agricultural development and productivity, prosperity of the poor in villages, income tax exemption, promotion of Make in India, making women entrepreneurial, good health, MSME and innovation, infrastructure development," he wrote on X.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra: There will be no income tax payable up to an income of Rs 12 lakh. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, with a standard deduction of Rs 75,000. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class, boosting consumption, savings and investment," he wrote on X.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari: In an X post, Gadkari wrote, A transformative blueprint for empowering farmers, the middle class, and MSMEs, paving the way for Viksit Bharat 2047. This progressive roadmap strengthens key sectors, ensuring inclusive growth through strategic investments and transformative policies."

Union Minister Nityanand Rai: Speaking to reporters, Rai said, Bihar has also got priority and big projects have been announced for the state. This budget is for the welfare of poor, farmers and to help the middle class. It is such that it will generate employment opportunities. The announcement of the Makahna Board was special, and also for the projects that were announced for the region of Koshi River. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister on behalf of the people of Bihar."

Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal: On being asked to comment on the Union Budget 2025, Jaiswal said, Bihar has been taken care of in the budget. There is a discussion in the budget about starting an airport under the Udan scheme for Bihar, building a medical college and an expressway. Bihar has been taken great care of in the budget. The central government is helping in every way for the development of Bihar."

BJP MP Ravi Kishan: Commenting on the Union Budget 2025, the BJP MP said, A wonderful budget has been presented for the poor, the middle class and for everyone. I would like to congratulate PM Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji for presenting a wonderful budget."

Bihar Minister Mangal Pandey: I want to thank PM Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on behalf of lakhs of farmers of Bihar who cultivate foxnuts. These farmers have been demanding the formation of a Makhana Board for a very long time, just like there is a Tea Board and Rubber Board. We requested the formation of this board when Shivraj Singh Chouhan came to Patna recently and today that dream of foxnut cultivating farmers has been fulfilled through the announcement by the Finance Minister during Union Budget 2025," he said.

JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha: The biggest announcement for Bihar is that it will have a greenfield airport. It is a huge announcement. A Makhana Board will be formed, 85-90% of Makhana is cultivated in the Mithila area, Kosi area. Overall, these announcements are very positive for Bihar. Taxation relief up to Rs 12 lakh is a major relief," he said.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Dhami: In an X post, the Chief Minister wrote, A big gift for the middle class. Under the visionary and strong leadership of respected Prime Minister Narendra Modiji, an important decision has been taken to make the income of Rs 12 lakh tax-free under the Union Budget 2025-26, giving a big relief to the middle class."

Former PM HD Devegowda: She (Union Finance Minister) has taken several good points to give benefit to various sectors including the middle class, medical sector. I welcome this budget," the Rajya Sabha MP said.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar: This budget is a common mans budget. It focuses on women, farmers and youth. Our government has made a provision to benefit 22 lakh employees of MSMEs. Zero customs duty has been imposed on 36 medicines that treat cancer and rare diseases. This is a very revolutionary step," he said.

Union Minister Raksha Khadse: The Prime Minister of our country has tried to bring women forward. Today, women in rural areas are becoming self-reliant and capable. Through this budget, we will see the fulfilment of the resolution of a developed India by 2047, taken by PM Modi," he said.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma: Todays budget is a golden day for all the middle-class citizens. This has proved to be a boon for the middle-class income. There is no tax up to Rs 12 lakh. Our budgetary deficit is decreasing, this is a good thing," he told reporters.

Heres how the Opposition reacted to the Union Budget 2025.

Congress MP Manish Tewari: Speaking to the media following the budget announcements, Manish Tewari said, I fail to understand if this a budget of the government of India or was this a budget of the government of Bihar? Have you heard the name of another state than Bihar in the entire budgetary speech of the Union Finance Minister?"

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor: I think frankly the applause you heard was for the middle-class tax cut. We look at the details and that may be a good thing. So if you have a salary you may be paying less tax. But the important question is what happens if we dont have a salary? Where is the income going to come from? Unemployment was not mentioned by the Finance Minister." he said.

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee: There is nothing for the common man in the budget. As you know there are elections in Bihar this year, so keeping that in mind, the budget has been presented for Bihar. Everything has been given to Bihar. For the last 10 years, BJP has been in power and Bengal has not got anything, it is sad and unfortunate," he said as he spoke to reporters.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge: Nirmala Sitharam ji please show some mercy to Indians. This government has a very nasty habit of announcing and making headlines. Completely different things we find in print. What happened to GST?" he asked.

AAP leader Anurag Dhanda: I believe the middle class is disappointed with the budget presented by the central government. Arvind Kejriwal had made seven demands for the middle class. We had demanded an increase in education and health budget, but thats not visible anywhere," he said.

Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Slamming this years budget, Harsimrat Kaur Badal termed it anti-farmer and said, Look at the names of the states  Bihar, which is going to elections. Only Bihar, Bihar, Bihar. There was no mention of Punjab. Farmers have been sitting in protest for the past four years over the legal guarantee for MSP. What did they announce for farmers? Makhana Board. This was an anti-farmer budget. Farmers who are fighting for their rights were not heard, this is sad."

Former Chhattisgarh CM leader Bhupesh Baghel: The value of the rupee has fallen. So even if they have increased the difference, its not going to make much difference. There was nothing in the budget for the middle class, farmers, or the poor. There was nothing in the budget for infrastructure. It is an impractical budget," he said while talking to reporters.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi: This is the weakest budget in the last 10 years. We want a discussion on the Kumbh stampede in Parliament," he said.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh: What benefit are small traders getting from this? You have not given any tax relief on their income of Rs 12 lakh. Arvind Kejriwal had demanded that if you decide that you will not waive the loans of industrialists, you will not waive the loans of your capitalist friends and you recover the loan of Rs 16 lakh crore that has been waived so far, then the GST rates and income tax rates in the country can be halved. The middle class of this country, the common man of this country can get a huge relief. But this was not done," he said.

Congress MP Kiran Kumar Chamala: In the budget, when we talk about the states which she has given we have seen Bihar has given a lot of importance whereas we are also looking forward states like Telangana that it has to get a lot of importance. We will see what was the total depth of it (budget). I think again it has got some political thing there we can really see there is a political agenda in todays total budget speech," he said.

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Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav: Nothing new was there in the budget. Samajwadi Party demands that the government give the details of all those devotees who lost their lives in Maha Kumbh. We demand the state govt to tell the reason behind the tragedy," she said.

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran: On the budget 2025, Maran said, Its a very disappointing budget and seemed planned to woo the voters for Delhi before the elections. The Finance Minister has given a big exemption saying that for Rs 12 lakh, there is no tax. Then she goes on to say that there is a slab of 10% for Rs 8-12 lakh. So, it is very confusing. I think the devil is in the details."

First Published: February 01, 2025, 13:23 IST
UP Man Takes Rs 40,000 Loan To Fund Sister-In-Laws Gangrape, Murder; Held

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 22:29 IST

The woman went missing from her village on January 23 and her burned remains, including her skull, were found in a nearby forest on Friday.

The incident took place in Bavana village of Budhana area, when the woman's family reported her missing on January 23 (Representative image)

A 21-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped and strangled to death by her brother-in-law and two others in Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Saturday.

The accused brother-in-law took a Rs 40,000 loan from a bank to hire two murderers and fund the crime, the police said as reported by Times of India.

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The accused, after committing the crime, burned the victims body in an attempt to destroy evidence, the police said.

The woman went missing from her village on January 23 and her burned remains, including her skull, were found in a nearby forest on Friday.

Superintendent of Police (SP) (Rural) Aditya Bansal told news agency PTI that the main accused, Ashish, has been arrested, while two others, Shubham and Deepak are absconding.

The incident took place in Bavana village of Budhana area, when the womans family reported her missing on January 23, the officer said.

As per the probe, the main accused who was victims elder sisters husband, was pressuring her to marry him.

According to officials, the accused along with his associates, lured the woman away from her home, gangraped her and later strangled her to death.

Ashish was arrested, following which he confessed to the crime. The womans charred remains have been recovered and a forensic examination is underway, the police added.

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A case has been registered against the accused, and efforts are on to apprehend the absconding duo.

(With inputs from PTI)

Location : Muzaffarnagar, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 22:27 IST
KUNMING/VIENTIANE, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Having long been poring over China's diversified culture, German vlogger Robert Adolf is particularly fascinated by Yunnan Province, home to over 20 ethnic groups.

This year's Spring Festival is unique to Adolf and his mother, who traveled by train to Xishuangbanna, a tropical autonomous prefecture in Yunnan Province and one of the stations along the China-Laos Railway route.

Adolf has previously explored this 1,035 km-long route linking Kunming of Yunnan to the Laotian capital of Vientiane with eight stops in between, and felt a surge of excitement over how railroads have expanded to smaller cities and villages.

"It's now much easier to visit rural areas," he said.

Dressed in the traditional attire of the Shui ethnic group, Adolf told Xinhua that he felt "more real ... and more to the hearts" in smaller towns. "There's a family atmosphere."

In Yunnan, Adolf has observed the Dai people's Water-Splashing Festival and the Munao Zongge Festival (meaning "Dancing together") of the Jingpo people. During the journey, Adolf posted videos on social platforms like Douyin and YouTube, with his bio describing him "on the quest to film all 56 Ethnic Groups in China."

He said that people always find ways to keep traditions up to date, and the government helps preserve them by supporting cultural heritage, investing in museums and funding inheritors. "In China, they really keep the culture alive."

His mother Anna Adolf referred to the journey in Yunnan as an adventure. "Everywhere I look, people are wearing beautiful clothes, singing and dancing."

During the Spring Festival travel season, thousands of passengers travel home or explore new destinations via the China-Laos cross-border train.

At Kunming South Station, the starting point of the railway, waiting rooms were abuzz with travelers speaking Chinese, Lao, Thai and English, a testament to the cross-border railway's growing international appeal.

"We've always had a good experience on trains in China. I'm sure this time it will be convenient and comfortable," Susie, an American living in Beijing, told Xinhua, as she queued up for a train heading to Laos.

The railway also benefits Thai travelers, who said that it makes the homebound journey faster.

Since its launch in 2021, the China-Laos Railway, a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project, has handled over 43 million passenger trips and more than 48.3 million tonnes of cargo.

The Kunming-Vientiane D87 train is painted deep green. It might evoke memories of the old-style passenger trains in China, but its designed speed of 160 km/h integrates efficiency with the need to navigate complex terrain, transporting both passengers and freight.

Inside some of the train compartments during the Spring Festival holiday, red paper-cut decorations on the windows added a festive touch, marking the first Spring Festival since UNESCO listed the tradition as intangible cultural heritage.

For Southikiat Thavisouk, a Laotian TV host returning to Vientiane, the railway trip is more than transportation. "It's a bridge between the Chinese and Laotian people," he said.

Having studied at Huaqiao University in China's Fujian Province, Thavisouk recalled the warm hospitality he received there. Now back in Laos, he sees the Chinese New Year celebrated as well.

Soulideth Lavanphone, a Laotian tour guide accompanying a group of Chinese travelers, shared a similar sentiment. "I studied in Sichuan, and China is my second home. I'll do my best to make sure Chinese visitors have a great time in Laos," he said.

"Many travelers from Western countries and ASEAN nations have all come to experience the Laos-China Railway firsthand," said Laotian Consul General in Kunming Pongdong Paxaphacdy with much pride.

"Tickets are often sold out due to high demand, and we are working on solutions to improve capacity," Paxaphacdy said.

"This railway has boosted investment, tourism and connectivity, bringing real benefits to the people. With strong support from both governments, this railway will only continue to grow," he added. 
UP: Truck Carrying Gas Cylinders Goes Up In Flames, Triggers Multiple Blasts In Ghaziabad

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 08:41 IST

Ghaziabad LPG Cylinder Blasts: No casualty has been reported so far in the fire reported at Bhopura Chowk on Delhi-Wazirabad Road early Saturday morning.

Fire tenders at work at the blast site near Bhopura Chowk in Loni, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. (Screengrab/ANI)

A massive fire erupted in a truck carrying gas cylinders in Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad, causing a series of explosions early Saturday morning.

However, no casualty has been reported in the fire reported at Bhopura Chowk on Delhi-Wazirabad Road, located in the Thana Teela Mod area.

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Chief Fire Officer Rahul Kumar stated that fire brigade teams are on-site, but due to ongoing cylinder explosions, they are unable to approach the truck. He further mentioned that the blasts are audible for several kilometers in the surrounding area.

#WATCH | Ghaziabad, UP: A massive fire broke out in a truck loaded with gas cylinders at Bhopura Chowk on the Delhi Wazirabad Road in the Teela Mod police station area. Fire brigade officials and employees are on the spot but due to the blast, the fire brigade personnel are not pic.twitter.com/RI16N9PJu5 ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2025

Police have vacated the nearby houses to contain damage.

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#WATCH | Ghaziabad Fire Incident | Aftermath of the incident when a fire broke out in an LPG cylinders-laden truck near Bhopura Chowk in Loni, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.The police vacated the nearby houses. The fire has been completely doused. No causality has been reported. pic.twitter.com/Y8Z3Pw8oBf  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

Footage captured 2-3 kilometers from the scene shows the explosions. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 08:37 IST
Varanasis Hotels of Death: Where Guests Check In, But Never Check Out

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 18:20 IST

Terminally ill individuals usually stay in these "death hotels" to spend their final days, believing dying in the holy city might grant them immediate liberation

Individuals can stay in the hotel for just Rs 20 per day. (Instagram/realmetevice)

India is home to numerous places of religious significance, attracting throngs of devotees drawn to their spiritual importance. Among these revered destinations is Varanasi.

People come to the banks of Varanasi seeking salvation. Numerous cremation grounds, where the fires perpetually burn, line the riverbank. According to Hindu belief, those who die in Varanasi attain immediate liberation and ascend to Vaikunth, the abode of Vishnu.

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Many people hold a profound wish to be cremated in Varanasi after death, believing that their lifes purpose culminates in taking their final breath on this sacred land. While many pass away before realising this aspiration, leading their ashes to be scattered in the Ganges, a new phenomenon has emerged in Varanasi. Several hotels now cater to individuals who wish to spend their final days in the city, awaiting their death while immersed in its spiritual atmosphere.

An influencer on social media recently offered a glimpse into Varanasis hotels of death". These lodgings cater to individuals facing terminal illnesses who, with the realisation that their time is limited, choose to spend their final days in the holy city. They believe that dying in Varanasi offers a path to immediate liberation, bringing them closer to the gates of heaven.

Watch The Video Here:

The author also spoke with the owner of one such hotel in Varanasi. In Varanasi, my hotel serves as a waiting room for death for the terminally ill. Most guests are patients upon whom doctors have given up hope", the owner said adding that these individuals can stay in the hotel for just Rs 20 per day and many go on to stay for around two months, waiting for their death.

For some time now, a rise in the number of death hotels" has been observed in the area, a trend that has surprised many who are unaware of the existence of such unique establishments.

According to a report in ETV Bharat, around 40 elderly people live in Mumukshu Bhavan, at the premises of Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi. Many of them have been living there for years, having left behind their families and possessions.

People are found dancing and singing while accompanying a funeral procession to the cremation ground. This stems from the belief among devotees of Lord Shiva that dying in Varanasi grants salvation.

Mumukshu Bhavan in the Assi area and Mukti Bhavan in the Laksa area serve as shelters for the dying, accommodating dozens of residents. Alongside the redevelopment of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, a new Mumukshu Bhavan was also established.

This facility is operated free of charge by Tara Sansthan and Narayan Seva Sansthan of Udaipur. It provides accommodation across three floors for up to 40 people, offering free food, beverages, and medical care. The management, which relies on charitable donations, emphasises that no fees are charged to residents.

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They can also prepare food in a small kitchen. Morning tea, breakfast, evening tea, and food are also provided to everyone free of cost. Apart from this, a team of two doctors, nurses and counsellors are available for 24 hours a day", Sunaina Khare, manager of Mumukshu Bhavan, was quoted as saying.

Khare stated that group cremations are also conducted at Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat in Kashi, where people arrive seeking salvation. According to the manager, around 4,000 individuals have passed away from Mumukshu Bhavan so far.

Location : Varanasi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:20 IST
Your Garbage Will Now Generate Electricity In This State

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 18:27 IST

Rajasthan's first Waste-to-Energy Plant in Langdiawas will start trials on February 15, converting 1,000 metric tons of garbage into 12 megawatts of electricity daily

The electricity generated by this facility will be sold to Jaipur Discom at a rate of Rs 7.31 per unit. (News18 Hindi)

After a wait of around eight years, the first facility for generating electricity from waste will soon be established in Rajasthan. This plant is expected to greatly benefit the municipal corporation and help people by producing energy from waste.

The trial phase of this initiative will commence in the state on February 15. After an eight-year wait, this project will finally move forward. Construction of the Waste to Energy Plant in Langdiawas is nearing completion.

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This facility will convert waste into electricity, producing power from 1,000 metric tons of garbage. Each day, it will generate 12 megawatts of electricity. Importantly, the corporation will receive a royalty of Rs 66 per metric ton for this, leading to an additional Rs 20 lakh in the corporations account each month from waste.

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This plant will also ensure proper waste disposal. The corporation issued the work order for the waste-to-energy plant back in 2017; however, it was delayed due to a land dispute and the need for an environmental clearance.

Now that the construction of the plant is almost complete, electricity production from waste is set to begin next month following the trial this month. The electricity generated by this facility will be sold to Jaipur Discom at a rate of Rs 7.31 per unit.

Location : Rajasthan, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:27 IST
5 Reasons Why Mamta Kulkarni Was Expelled From Kinnar Akhara

Curated By :

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 13:39 IST

Mamta Kulkarni lost her Mahamandaleshwar title seven days after receiving it. The Kinnar Akhara attributed the decision to several factors, including her direct appointment, controversial past, alleged underworld ties, and failure to follow protocols

The appointment of Mamta Kulkarni to the Kinnar Akhara initially sparked controversy and internal discord. (PTI File)

Mamta Kulkarni has been stripped of her Mahamandaleshwar title by the Kinnar Akhara after just seven days. Kulkarni had recently joined the Kinnar Akhara after undergoing a sannyas initiation and was awarded the title at the Maha Kumbh.

The appointment of Mamta Kulkarni to the Kinnar Akhara initially sparked controversy and internal discord. The Akhara was divided on their stance regarding Kulkarnis position. However, this period of uncertainty has reached a resolution.

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Rishi Ajay Das, the founder of the Kinnar Akhara, decided to remove Mamta Kulkarni from the position of Mahamandaleshwar.

The Akhara issued a statement outlining the reasons for their decision, raising questions about the actions of Mamta Kulkarni that led to this outcome. Let us find out what circumstances upset the Kinnar Akhara, ultimately resulting in the removal of the title after only seven days.

The primary concern raised by Kinnar Akhara revolves around the direct appointment of Mamta Kulkarni as Mahamandaleshwar. Kinnar Akhara argues that Kulkarni should have first embraced the path of renunciation, becoming a sanyasi, before being considered for the title of Mahamandaleshwar. Had this protocol been followed, the Akhara suggests, the current controversy might have been avoided. This stance is explicitly stated in the official statement issued by Kinnar Akhara.

Secondly, Mamta Kulkarnis background in the film industry, specifically her bold persona, sparked controversy. It has been reported that her topless photoshoot in the 1990s drew objections from numerous Kinnar Akhara members.

Thirdly, Mamta Kulkarnis name was also allegedly linked to the underworld. There are allegations that Kulkarni left the film industry and married alleged drug kingpin Vicky Goswami in Dubai. At one point, an arrest warrant was issued against her. She has been accused of treason and of having connections with organised crime.

Fourthly, a fundamental rule for becoming Mahamandaleshwar dictates that the individual must be a sanyasi and must have undergone the head-shaving ceremony. It is crucial to note that sanyas is not considered valid without the head-shaving ceremony. However, Mamta Kulkarni was not a sanyasi, nor had she undergone the head-shaving ceremony.

Lastly, according to the rules of Kinnar Akhara, the sanyasis of the Akhara must wear Vaijanti Mala around their neck. However, Mamta Kulkarni wore a Rudraksha Mala. Mamta Kulkarnis title of Mahamandaleshwar was not in accordance with the rules of Kinnar Akhara.

The rift among the members of the Akhara stemmed from discomfort within a large section regarding Mamta Kulkarnis background. This discomfort ultimately led to the founder of the Kinnar Akhara expelling both Mamta Kulkarni and Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. Notably, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Laxmi Narayan Tripathi attained the position of Mahamandaleshwar during the 2015-16 Ujjain Kumbh.

Location : Allahabad, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 13:35 IST
Anoushka Shankar On Her Grammy Nominations & 'We Return To Light': 'Happiness is Hard-Won, Its Something Powerful' | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 20:04 IST

Anoushka Shankar continues to push the boundaries of Indian classical music with her fusion of electronic, jazz, and global sounds. As she celebrates her 10th and 11th Grammy nominations, she is also set to release the final chapter of her album trilogy, "We Return to... Read More

Grammy-nominated sitar virtuoso Anoushka Shankar talks about her upcoming album "We Return to Light," her unique fusion of Indian classical, electronic, and jazz, and how music is a journey of resilience and healing.

If theres one artist who has continuously redefined the sitars sonic landscape, its Anoushka Shankar. Effortlessly blending Indian classical traditions with electronic, jazz, and global experimental influences, she has created a musical universe uniquely her own. This year, Shankar adds yet another remarkable chapter to her already stellar careerearning two Grammy nominations, marking her 10th and 11th nods at musics most prestigious awards.

But thats not all. As she steps into 2025, Shankar is also set to release the final installment of her trilogy of mini-albums, Chapter III: We Return to Light, rounding off a deeply personal and ambitious three-part journey that spans continents, collaborations, and sonic explorations.

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This last chapter is a returnnot just to her father Ravi Shankars musical legacy but to her own deeply personal connection with the country. It embodies the energy of Goas underground trance raves, the hypnotic cycles of Indian classical music, and the futuristic possibilities of sound looping and technology.

As Shankar gears up for her extensive 2025 tour, which will kick off in North America and extend across the globe, we sat down with Anoushka Shankar to talk about her Grammy nominations, her Indo-futurist vision, and what to expect from her upcoming album Chapter 3: We Return To Light.

Here are the excerpts:

Congratulations on the two Grammy nominations this year! How does it feel to be recognized on such a prestigious platform for the 11th time, if Im not mistaken?

Yeah, I mean, its the 10th and 11th nominations this year, which is a huge honor. Its very exciting. It feels great, of course. Yeah, its lovely, and well see what happens. The awards process is always a bit strange, but its fun to be nominated, and its an incredible feeling.

Speaking of your upcoming album, Chapter Three, it draws inspiration from India and your personal connection to it. I wanted to knowhow did the mindfulness of India shape the theme and soundscape of this album?

The album is called Chapter Three: We Return to Light, which is the culmination of a three-part trilogy, following Chapter One: Forever for Now and Chapter Two: How Dark It Is Before Dawn. The trilogy traces a cycle of emotions, symbolized by the progression of a daymoving from evening into night, and finally into the healing and strength of morning.

From the very beginning, when I started making Chapter One, I always envisioned the strong Indian sun as the visual imagery for Chapter Three. The intensity of the orange sun, the way we see it here, is so different from anywhere else. That heat was something I wanted to capture musically.

In an abstract way, that idea really influenced the album. I wanted to work with Indian collaborators, making this the most overtly connected to my roots compared to the previous chapters, which were more experimental and genre-fluid. While this album is still very experimentalits not classical or bound to any specific styleat its core, there is a strong Indian essence.

Daybreak opens the album with joy and optimism. How do you envision the track setting the tone for listeners, both on the album and in live performances?

Making the album is one thing, but presenting it live is a whole new incarnation of the music, right? On the record, I structured it based on a journeydifferent times of the day symbolizing emotions and experiences. Chapter Three moves from sunset into the full heat of day.

For example, imagine being on a dance floor at the beach, feeling full of energy, powerful, joyful, and deeply connected to those around you. That imagery influenced the music, giving it a strong pulse and vibe. Daybreak has an optimistic, major-scale melody, making it a very uplifting track. There are moments of reflection and nostalgia, but overall, its a very happy and energetic record.

Goas rave culture is a unique inspiration for this album. How did the energy of those secret forest raves and tracks like Dancing on Scorched Earth influence your music?

Yeah, Dancing on Scorched Earth and We Burn So Brightly are two tracks that more overtly reflect that influence. But still, my goal was never to imitate a genreit was more about capturing the spirit and essence of what it feels like.

I spent my teens and twenties deeply immersed in psychedelic trance, going to Goa, experiencing those parties, and absorbing that culture. Even though I no longer do that in the same way, it remains a big part of who I am. It shaped me.

So, when making this album, I wanted to bring that hypnotic, immersive energy into my music. I aimed to infuse that groove and movement into my compositions, using my instrument in ways that express that feeling. It just felt like a natural and exciting thing to explore.

You have also embraced looping, bending sound, and other technological techniques in Chapter Three. How do you see these innovations complementing the traditional aspects of the sitar?

Technology has been a part of art since the beginning of time. You figure out how to blow into a piece of bamboo, and suddenly, it becomes a flute, right?

As my music has expanded beyond the classical realm, Ive had to find new ways to make it work. Even something as simple as modulating through different keyswhich Western music does all the timeis not something our traditional instruments are designed for. So, Ive had to rethink how I keep my frets and how I tune.

In the last 10 years, Ive really explored and enjoyed using a pedal board, incorporating effects that alter my playing, and creating delay loops. Ive actually become quite skilled at it, and its something I really love. By the time I reached this stage of the Chapters trilogy, I wanted to integrate these techniques into my composition process as well.

For example, Chapter Two exists in a very sonically unusual space. Some songs on that album sound fully electronic, and people might not even recognize the instruments. Its very ambient, reverberant, and expansive. Yet, its actually all sitarwe just found ways to manipulate reverb, attack, and delay effects to create that soundscape.

Performing this live was another challenge. I had to figure out how to replicate these effects on stage. Now, when I open a show, I come out, sit down, and people expect to hear something traditional. But instead, what they hear is a sound bath of reverbs coming from me alone on stage. Its so exciting and fulfillingI absolutely love it.

Working with Sarathy Korwar and Alam Khan brought a fresh perspective to this project. How did their creative contributions shape the albums narrative?

One of the parameters I set for myself when I started this trilogy was to work with a different set of collaborators on each record. I wanted each chapter to take me to a different creative space.

For Chapter One: Forever for Now, Arooj Aftab was my producer. For Chapter Two, I collaborated with my dear friend, the incredible film composer Peter Rayburn, which allowed for a strong visual storytelling element. Then, for Chapter Three, I wanted to come back home and work with Alam.

At the same time, I felt that I needed someone else to round out our duo and ground the music. Sarathy Korwar, as a percussionist and composer, was the perfect choice. He had already been touring with me for two years as part of the Chapters tour, and over that time, we had grown much closer. I had loved his music for years, and it just felt like the right fit.

Right, and that dynamic carries over into your live performances as well. Would you say the live experience has evolved over time?

Exactly. The dynamics have improved so much over time. When you perform with musicians consistently, you develop an unspoken connection. Its been amazing to see how the music has evolved through live performances, growing in depth and energy with each show.

Hiraeth features a hidden nod to Raag Palas Kafi, a creation of your father, Pandit Ravi Shankarji. What inspired you to weave this Easter egg into the track?

I mean, a lot of this process is very intuitive. Alam actually had the initial seed of that ideait was a series of looping melodies and repetitive refrains that we could interlock and play together.

As we were working on it, I suddenly heard something in my headthere was just something about it that reminded me of that raag. I played it, and it sounded so beautiful. We both looked at each other, and it was quite emotional because both of our fathers had performed that raag together in some of their iconic performances.

So we were like, Are we going to do it? And the answer was, Yeah, lets do it.

Maybe some people who know and follow that music will recognize it and really love that element, but if they dont, thats okay tooits just a beautiful melody on its own. But for those who know, it holds a deep meaning.

In We Burn So Brightly, you capture the energy of alchemy and movement. What emotions or experiences drove the creation of that piece?

I think the different tracks on the album all represent aspects of how I use light and heat as metaphors for strength and healing.

Chapter Two went very deeply into the nightas a space of contemplation, cocooning, and regeneration. That then leads into Chapter Three, which represents emerging into the light, feeling strong again.

Happiness is often perceived as something light and fluffy, but when youve been through difficulties, happiness is hard-won. Its something powerful. Its something badass.

A song like We Burn So Brightly is almost about the idea that, sometimes, you literally have to burn things from your past. Theres an act of releasing the old in order to step into the newfully embracing the present and future. Its a very empowering and powerful process.

And Amrita is a Sanskrit word often associated with immortality and nectar in Indian mythology. What does the title signify in the context of this track and the broader themes of Chapter Three?

Yes, exactly. All of this music is instrumental, and thats something Ive dealt with my whole careermost of my work doesnt have lyrics, so the titles become an important way to tell the story. They serve as a seed, giving people a hint of what the music is about while leaving room for personal interpretation.

If you look at the three Chapters together, their titles actually form a haiku that tells a story. And then, within each album, the individual song titles also tell their own narrative.

Amrita comes right before the final track, We Return to Light, and its about remembering that there is something greater than all of thissomething bigger than our individual experiences, moments, and journeys. Whether in a global or personal context, we can always turn back to the light. No matter what happens, we will always return to it. Theres something eternal about that.

Nostalgia and renewal are recurring themes in the album. How do these ideas resonate with you as an artist and as an individual?

I guess Im a creative person, so I feel things very deeply. I think deeply. I experience life with very thin skin, meaning I often have heightened emotionswhether its joy, pain, or anything in between. I feel a deep sense of nostalgia for memories.

I was also brought up in a way that felt like it spanned across centuries. My father was many years older than me and represented an ancient, deeply rooted culture, while at the same time, I was growing up in my own modern world. So, Ive always felt these stretches across time, as well as a sense of homesickness that extends across geographies.

No matter where I am, if I feel at home somewhere, I also find myself missing another place. Whenever Im deeply engaged in something I love, I also feel the weight of something else I had to let go of in order to be there.

So, theres always this dichotomyjoy and longing coexisting. And I think thats just a part of life, isnt it?

And like you said, the trilogy ends with the idea of returning to light. How do you interpret this concept in both your personal and creative life?

For me, the Chapters trilogy has been a way of sharing what Ive learnedparticularly about faith and resilience.

If you live long enough, you realize that you move through most things. As painful as certain experiences can be, you do come out the other side. When a teenager goes through their first breakup, they truly believe its the end of the world. Theyll say, This was the love of my life! Ill never love again! And no matter what you tell them, they dont believe you. But eventually, they do move on.

By the time youre in your 30s, if you go through a breakup, a divorce, or any heartbreak, you know, This really hurts, but Ill be okay. Thats wisdom that only comes with time and experience.

And because youve been there, you can offer that reassurance to someone else. You can say, Ive been through this, and I promiseyoull be okay. That collective experience of moving through hardship and coming out stronger is at the heart of We Return to Lightor, in a broader sense, We Return to Love.

If we keep choosing to turn toward love, to keep our hearts open, to stay connected to others, then we will be okay.

If you think about it on a global levelif everybody gives up, then were done for, right? Theres nothing left. So, we have to keep making the choice, as individuals, to stay open. Because if we do, then theres still hope for the world as a whole.

So, you chose vinyl as one of the formats for this release. What makes this medium special for you, especially in the context of a trilogy that spans both history and modernity?

I think, on one level, the idea of releasing music in Chapters is a very digital concept. Streaming has changed the need for a conventional 60-minute albumyou can release music however and whenever you want, and thats very freeing.

Paradoxically, this shift has also created a demand for people who want to listen deeply, who want to own something tangible in such an oversaturated market. So, releasing limited-edition vinyl editions allows listeners who want to be collectors, who want to follow the journey in a physical form, to do so.

Theres something sonically warm about vinyl, but also something deeply nostalgic and beautiful about it.

Like you said, the trilogy speaks of resilience and hope. What lessons have you personally drawn from this creative journey, and how do they inform your future work?

That might be easier to answer in the future, once I have more hindsight. But one thing I do know is that I now have more faith in my ability to trust my intuition.

Because, in many ways, this whole project was a crazy ideataking one album and turning it into three, working with three different producers, recording in three different countries, collaborating with three different sets of musicians, and walking into three different studios. Booking a studio with no music pre-recorded, walking in with a blank slate, and just seeing what happens.

But theres something so real about creative intuition. If I feel that instinctOh, I want to get in a room with Arooj, what will happen?or when I decided to collaborate with Peter, it just made sense. He and his wife are good friends of mine, and I was planning to stay at their house for a few days because I had a show in LA. I literally just said, Hey, since Im there, do you want to make an album?

Thats what I mean about following creative intuitionit feels like this journey has solidified that trust in myself even more because Ive seen that it works.

So finally, what are your upcoming projects in 2025? Do you have a tour planned?

Yes! Were touring The Three Chapters in full, quite extensively, around the world. Well be finishing in India at the end of the year, which Im really looking forward to.

Were also orchestrating a symphonic version of The Three Chapters so that they exist in that space where I get to perform with an orchestra, which will be lovely.

And there are a couple of other projects as wellone of them is a creative trio Im working on with two incredible musicians, which I cant wait to talk about when the time comes. And maybe some other things well see!

First Published: February 01, 2025, 20:04 IST
Jackie Shroff Turns 68: Why Does He Carry A Plant? Top 10 Movies, 5 Songs, And Times He Spoke About Tiger Shroff

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 06:15 IST

Legendary actor Jackie Shroff, affectionately called Jaggu Dada, has been a part of over 220 films in 13 languages.

Jackie Shroff has spoken about his son Tiger Shroff on various occasions highlighting how proud he is of his success. (Image: tigerjackieshroff/Instagram)

Jackie Shroff Birthday: Bollywoods bidu Jackie Shroff, adorably called Jaggu Dada is a legendary actor beloved for his movies and life mantras. Hailing from Mumbai, the actor has been a part of more than 220 films in 13 languages. As proof of his mettle, he has won four Filmfare Awards throughout his illustrious career. As we celebrate his 68th birthday on February 1, lets take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, revisiting his top ten films, memorable songs, and times when he spoke about his son Tiger Shroffs success and the values he has instilled in him.

Why Does Jackie Shroff Carry A Plant Wherever He Goes

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Known for his unique environmental advocacy, Jackie Shroff is often seen making a green statement at various events and functions including the grand launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, Subhash Ghais birthday party in 2023 and even Alanna Pandays wedding. The purpose? To encourage environmental protection and reduce pollution through tree planting.

During an interview with Mid-day, he said, I didnt do any favor to the world by planting trees. Everyones job is to plant, apply, if you want to plant a new one, then die by burning. Thats whats going to happen. You dont have to think of your childs child. Im half in the grave. Others will also come, our pillars will come."

The actor also spoke about why he carries Spider plant. Highlighting its benefits, he said that the plant comes with a unique ability to remove elements like benzene from the air while providing oxygen in return. Recently, I learnt about this and I felt I should have it around me," he noted.

Jackie Shroff: Top 10 Movies

Hero (1983): The film marked Jackie Shorffs debut in the Hindi film industry. The romantic action flick saw the actor sharing screen space with Meenakshi. His portrayal of a renowned gangster known as Jackie Dada earned him the moniker of Dada. Ram Lakhan (1989): The 1989 blockbuster featured the veteran star with Anil Kapoor in the lead. The action-crime drama exploring the tale of two brothers struck a chord with the audience. Jackie proved his versatility as a talented actor in the film. Parinda (1989): One of the cult classics of the industry, the multi-starrer movie featured Jackie as Kishan. Based on the story of two brothers, Kishan and Karan, as they are forced to face the main antagonist Anna, the film was loved by the audiences. Khalnayak (1993): A Subhash Ghai Blockbuster, Khalnayak starred Sanjay Dutt in the lead role. Jackie Shroff received accolades for his convincing performance as Inspector Ram, bringing depth and gravitas to the narrative. Rangeela (1995): For the film, Jackie collaborated with director Ram Gopal Varma. He showcased his acting prowess in the film despite being a supporting character. The film starred Aamir Khan and Urmila Matondkar in the lead roles. Devdas (2002): Sanjay Leela Bhansalis epic drama has Jackie essaying the role of Chunni Babu which is etched in our hearts forever. The grey-shade character proved Jackie can ace complex roles with nuance and honesty. Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit played the lead roles in the film. King Uncle (1993): As the strict family head, Jackie nailed his comic timing in the film. In this cult classic, his character gets melted by a young orphan, demonstrating that humour is also one of his hidden talents. 1942: A Love Story (1994): This period romance depicted the fiery spirit of freedom struggle. His performance as a fearless fighter affirmed his ability to portray any role with depth. The film even earned him a Best Supporting Actor Filmfare Award. Mission Kashmir (2000): Shedding his romantic man persona, Jackie played the challenging role of a chilling terrorist, earning him another award nomination for the film. Furthermore, it proved his fearlessness in exploring dark characters with honesty and dedication. Khujli (2017): This award-winning short film is a heartwarming tale of a middle-aged couple exploring their sexual fantasies. Jackie and Neena Guptas honest performances in this quirky film resonated with many fans. Baby John (2024): Varun Dhawan starrer also featured Wamiqa Gabbi and Keerthy Suresh in the lead roles. Directed by Kalees, the film saw Jackie playing an antagonist. Although the film failed to perform well, Jackies role won hearts.

Jackie Shroffs Memorable Songs

Pyar Karne Wale (1983): Subhash Ghais Hero played a crucial role in Jackies career. Furthermore, its song Pyar Karne Wale, sung by Anuradha Paudwal and Manhar Udhas, won hearts becoming a fan-favorite upon its release. Hum Na Samjhe The (1993): This song, from the film Gardish, directed by Priyadarshan, is sung by the legendary SP Balasubrahmanyam. It was penned by Javed Akhtar, whereas RD Burman joined in to compose the beautiful song. The soulful song perfectly captured the essence of the longing of an elderly couple separated from their son. Yeh Safar (1994): 1942: A Love Story marked RD Burmans final film composition. Featuring Jackie Shroff and Manisha Koirala, the song is a testament to the maestros magic. Javed Akhtars lyrics added to Shibaji Chatterjees rendition. Amma Dekh Tera Munda (1994): The song is a departure from his previous ballads and remains a cult classic. Bali Brahmbhatt and Alka Yagniks energetic voice and relatable lyrics made the song a hit that resonates with many mothers. Hai Rama (1995): AR Rahmans song from the film Rangeela was an instant hit upon release for its sensuous melody. The unique mix of Indian classical elements perfectly complements its choreography. It is sung by Hariharan and Swarnalatha,

Jackie Shroff On Tigers Success

Jackie Shroff has spoken about his son Tiger Shroff on various occasions highlighting how proud he is of his success.

Jackie Shroff On Being Called Tiger Shroffs Father

During an appearance on the podcast of Ranveer Allahbadia, the actor talked about being recognised as Tiger Shroffs father by Gen Z. He confessed, You know whenever I have met Tiger, I have understood one thing, that we are yet to see the best of the best of Tiger Shroff."

Most of the mothers, instead of calling me by my name, say that Tiger Shroffs dad. So I like it. I said Yes he has become a star. I like that I am getting recognition because of my child. Every father wants it. Its normal," he added.

Jackie Shroff On Values He Has Tried To Instill In Tiger

During his appearance on the podcast of Ranveer Allahbadia, Jackie shared that he has strived to transfer the values he learned from Dev Anand, such as humility, the importance of respecting everyone and staying in the present.

Speaking with SCREEN in 2023, Jackie Shroff also revealed how he motivates his son Tiger Shroff when his films dont perform well. Talking to Siddharth Kanan, the actor said, He sits home, all sad, of course he feels a little heartbreak. It hurts but he knows how to recover. So then I tell him that he has to rise after every fall."

In another interview, Jackie Shroff admitted to having little contribution in bringing up Tiger to be such a good guy. He told the Indian Express, Three goddesses have brought him up as I was always away for work. Whenever I returned, I used to pamper him. Im glad I couldnt spoil him. Hes on a different plane altogether, the way he is disciplined towards his craft and fitness."

Heres wishing Jackie Shroff a very Happy Birthday!

First Published: February 01, 2025, 06:15 IST
Transgender Actress Karla Sofia Gascon Issues Public Apology After Insulting Islam, George Floyd

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 10:40 IST

Actor Karla Sofia Gascone has since then deleted her X (formerly known as Twitter) account.

Actor Karla Sofia Gascon issues apology amid backlash over controversial posts

Karla Sofia Gascon is the first openly transgender actress nominated for an Academy Award. Recently, the Emilia Perez actor faced backlash after some of her old social media posts resurfaced on the internet. Soon after, she issued a public apology and deleted her X account.

In a statement shared by Variety, Gascon expressed remorse for her previous remarks. I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt. As someone in a marginalised community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness," she wrote.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karla Sofia Gascon (@karsiagascon)

This controversy first erupted when journalist Sarah Hagi shared Gascons tweets from 2020 and 2021. It included critical and offensive comments about Islam, George Floyd and diversity at the Oscars.

In a post from November 2020, Gascon had mocked George Floyds death, saying, I really think that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict swindler, but his death has served to once again demonstrate that there are people who still consider black people to be monkeys Without rights and consider policemen to be assassins. Theyre all wrong."

Gascon had also criticised the 2021 Oscars and called ceremony an ugly saga. She had written, More and more the #Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films, I didnt know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M. Apart from that, an ugly, ugly gala."

Karla is known for playing the titular role in Emilia Perez alongside Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana. She is also the first transgender actor to be nominated in the Academy Awards 2025.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 10:40 IST
With My Dearest Friend: Mira Rajput Shares Candid Photo With Queen Of Bhutan

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 17:10 IST

Mira Rajput shared a picture from her meetup with the queen of Bhutan, Jetsun Pema, and her daughter.

Mira Rajput is the founder of skincare brand Akind. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Mira Rajput has been sharing beautiful photos from her trip to Bhutan on Instagram. She recently posted a collection of stunning images, showing the regions natural beauty, from scenic views to relaxing spots. One of the highlights was a photo with the Queen of Bhutan, Jetsun Pema, from their meeting. It also featured the daughter of Bhutans queen.

Mira shared the photo on Instagram Stories and expressed her admiration with a heartfelt caption. She wrote, With my dearest friend @queenjetsunpema and her darling daughter with a very special nickname. Friendships made in adulthood have their own special bond.. you connect as you are, not for who you once were, and make an effort to stay in touch."

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Before this, Mira shared a few more photos on Instagram Stories from her Bhutan trip, including a moment from her picnic in Punakha. In the photo, she can be seen having delicious food while soaking in the views of the surrounding hills. The stunning landscape perfectly complemented the peaceful vibe of the moment.

Mira captioned the post, Picnic in Punakha. Unbelievable view and unbeatable food."

The next photo featured a stunning view of the Punakha Dzong, nestled among the hills. The serene atmosphere, combined with the crystal-clear water, made the location even more beautiful.

To round off her Bhutan adventure, Mira also shared an image of a small bonfire at her hotel.

Apart from the stunning landscape photos, Mira Rajput Kapoor also shared several group pictures with the King and Queen of Bhutan, alongside Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. The photos showed the warmth and camaraderie between the family and Bhutans royal couple.

In the caption, Mira expressed her love for the place and the hosts. She wrote, Bhutan: The Peoples Kingdom. So grateful to have met His Majesty The King @kingjigmekhesar and Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen of Bhutan and spent time on many occasions during our stay. Their warmth, humility, and generosity envelop one into the comfort of chatting and interacting candidly. Yet their pride for the country, their people & its heritage reminds one of their innate regality."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mira Rajput Kapoor (@mira.kapoor)

Mira Kapoor, who launched her skincare brand Akind in June 2024, continues to grow her presence in the wellness industry.

Meanwhile, her husband, Shahid Kapoor has been busy promoting his film, Deva, which released on January 31. In the film, Shahid plays a cop. The star-studded cast includes Pooja Hegde, Pavail Gulati, Pravessh Rana and Kubbra Sait. The movie is directed by Rosshan Andrews and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Umesh KR Bansal.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 17:10 IST
Opinion | Budget 2025: More Money In Middle-Class Pockets Means Greater Demand For Products

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:38 IST

On the macroeconomic front, the emphasis appears to be on consumption-led growth, with manufacturers no longer having to fear unsold stock due to a lack of demand

FM Sitharaman has promised a new income tax bill next week. (AP Photo)

For the assessment year 2026-27, no tax needs to be paid if your income, without claiming Section 80 deductions and other exemptions, stays below Rs 12 lakh. This marks a quantum jump from the existing ceiling of Rs 7 lakh. That would intuitively pull 50 per cent of middle-class taxpayers out of the tax net, thus answering their anguished pleawhat are we getting? The rich can afford a luxurious life regardless of tax rates, while the poor benefit from several welfare schemes run by both state and Central governments.

Now, the middle class can splurge on gold, ornaments, cars, white goods, and travel. In addition, the liberalisation of slab rates for those who do not qualify for the above schemeor do not wish toalso provides them with substantial benefits.

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NEW REGIMES TAX SLAB IN 2025

Rs 0-4 lakh  Nil

Rs 4-8 lakh  5 per cent

Rs 8-12 lakh  10 per cent

Rs 12-16 lakh  15 per cent

Rs 16-20 lakh  20 per cent

Rs 20-24 lakh  25 per cent

Above Rs 24 lakh  30 per cent

Now, the rates are no longer steep.

ALSO READ | Income Tax Slabs 2025 LIVE Updates: PM Modi To Speak Shortly After Sitharaman Says No Tax For Income Up To Rs 12 Lakh

That the maximum marginal rate for those in the Rs 8-12 lakh bracket is now 10 per cent highlights the enormity of the relief to the middle class, as their current maximum marginal rate is 15 per cent.

The HNI (high net-worth individual) and super-rich category havent been given any benefit, except that they too will profit from the decrease in tax on the first Rs 24 lakh of their income. It is surprising that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hasnt taken a balancing approach by imposing a compensatory burden on themsuch as reintroducing wealth tax and estate dutywhich they could easily absorb. The revenue foregone is estimated to be Rs 1 lakh crore. How will this be compensated?

Life has been made easier for senior citizens by exempting them from TDS on their first Rs 1 lakh of interest income, up from the existing Rs 50,000. This, too, will put additional funds at their disposal for expenditure.

What is intriguingand somewhat oxymoronicis the tax exemption for two self-occupied properties, unless it is intended for those who, for example, move from their Delhi residences to Chennai to escape the biting winter. As it is, the rich already claim exemptions on farmhouses. This largesse in the budget, therefore, seems somewhat misplaced and unwarranted.

FM Sitharaman has promised a new income tax bill next week. That, however, is unlikely to offer additional relief or introduce fresh incentives. Its more likely an attempt to rewrite the income tax code, removing numerous exceptions and provisos. But only time will tell.

Will the new bill ruffle the feathers of public charitable trusts, many of which run highly profitable colleges and hospitals, thumbing their noses at the taxman? Will it have provisions to pursue and expose the undeclared income of those difficult-to-tax categories? Will it have provisions targeting visible signs of wealth and prosperity, such as luxury cars and palatial homes, whose owners have either not filed returns or avoided tax?

One healthy bottom line of the Union budget 2025 is the government isnt fixated on the salaried class and is determined to tax the hitherto untaxed categories. Else, how is the government going to make up for the tax sacrifices?

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On the macroeconomic front, the emphasis appears to be on consumption-led growth, with manufacturers no longer having to fear unsold stock due to a lack of demand.

The writer is a senior columnist. He tweets @smurlidharan. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:38 IST
We Are The New Sunrise In Karnataka BJP To Stop 'Son-Rise': Rebel Leader Kumar Bagarappa Tells News18

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 09:48 IST

Karnataka BJP rebels, led by Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and Kumar Bangarappa, are seeking JP Nadda's intervention to address leadership issues and challenge Congress in the state.

Karnataka BJP leader Kumar Bangarappa and nine others met at his residence to strategise their next steps. (Image: X)

There is trouble brewing in the Karnataka BJP, and the group leading the rebellion has now decided to look towards Delhi for a solution. The rebel faction, led by BJP leaders Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, Kumar Bangarappa, and others, will meet the partys national president JP Nadda on February 4 to address what they call a major crisis."

We were called the rebel group, but now even the neutral members in the BJP have joined us, seeing us as the force that can unite the state unit. They see us as the new sunrise in the Karnataka BJP that can stop the son-rise  someone who thinks the party is his familys property," Kumar Bangarappa told News18.

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After a three-hour-long meeting to deliberate on resolving the growing dissent within the Karnataka BJP and rein in what they claim is an authoritarian leadership, Bangarappa and nine others met at his residence to strategise their next steps.

This faction believes they are the ones who can restore the confidence of party workers and strengthen the BJP, which suffered a crushing defeat in the 2023 Assembly elections, winning just 65 seats despite being in power for four years (2019-2023).

Bangarappa said their group has decided to seek the immediate intervention of the party high command and push for a leadership change to halt the BJPs decline. We have about a thousand days  roughly three years  before the next elections. Of this, 300 days will go into candidate selection, another 300 days into the election process, leaving us with just 300 days to prepare, prioritise, and perform. We must bring down the Congress, which is losing ground daily, and deal them an electoral defeat they cannot recover from," said the former minister and four-time MLA from Soraba.

Taking a dig at the ruling Congress, where his own brother, Madhu Bangarappa, is a minister, the BJP leader said the state government is bankrupt and struggling with a major financial deficit. He accused the Congress of failing to generate revenue in any of its departments and saw this as a golden opportunity to expose its weaknesses and bring the BJP back to power.

The BJP is a national party, not a regional one. It cannot be about one individual who thinks he alone can call the shots. The BJP is not like regional parties in India, where political families dominate. He (referring to BY Vijayendra) thinks the BJP should be run solely by his family, which is neither possible nor acceptable," he said, adding that both senior and junior leaders must be taken into confidence and work as a team. Thats why we have all decided to consolidate, stick together, and set things right," Bangarappa said.

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This faction believes they will get a fair hearing from the party high command, claiming to have successfully campaigned against the Waqf issue in Karnataka. Bangarappa pointed out that a JPC has passed a bill based on their efforts, and that Team Yatnal has been credited by the top leadership for working towards justice for those who lost land to the Waqf Board.

When asked whether Yatnal would contest against Vijayendra for the BJP state presidents post, Bangarappa said they would leave the decision to the party high command. It needs to be done with consensus, and they will decide," he said.

Location : Bangalore, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 09:48 IST
TAIPEI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese knot, crafted by knotting or weaving a single length of cord or rope into a variety of shapes, is a common decoration for the Spring Festival, the most important holiday for the Chinese people.

This intricate knotting technique has won global acclaim thanks to the dedication of generations of artisans in China. Chen Hsia-sheng, a knot artist from Taiwan, is one of them.

For over half a century, Chen, 85, who has earned the moniker the "babysitter of the Chinese knot," has derived joy from studying, decoding and tying Chinese knots.

"Chinese knots are woven with rich Chinese culture and carry the common aspirations of all Chinese people," Chen said, adding that she is driven by a desire to give this craft more exposure and pass it on to younger generations.

In 1981, Chen published a book on the Chinese knot. It is because of this publication that the previously fringe folk craft was named "Chinese knot" and generally acknowledged as an embodiment of traditional Chinese culture.

During the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Chinese knot images received international attention. To this day, it remains one of the most popular Chinese souvenirs bought by foreign visitors.

Most Chinese knots are in symmetrical patterns, and often shaped like a rhombus. Knot weavers can use a variety of colored strings, but they usually pick deep red, as this color signifies good fortune.

Such knots are seen as the predecessors of Chinese characters. In ancient times, Chinese ancestors tied different knots to keep records and convey messages, before the invention of written characters. Over the course of many years, knots gradually evolved into clothing accessories and decorations.

Chen's ties to the Chinese knot began in an unexpected way.

Born in 1939 in Yueqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Chen later married photographer Chuang Ling in Taiwan.

In 1971, her father-in-law, vice dean of the Taipei Palace Museum at that time, encouraged Chen to learn how to tie Chinese knots. With the help of a veteran craftsman working at the museum, the then 32-year-old Chen learned how to make two traditional knots -- the button knot and a knot meaning auspiciousness.

As her skills improved, Chen gradually earned a name for herself in cultural relics circles. She was later invited to teach Chinese knotting skills at Shih Chien University of Taiwan.

To prepare for teaching, Chen often resorted to secretly untying some of the knots collected by her father-in-law.

"I used to wait until my father-in-law fell asleep, before taking out his collection and untying the knots scrupulously with my fingertips, in an attempt to figure out the tying methods," Chen recalled, still finding pleasure from the experience.

Driven by an avid interest in this traditional art, Chen's bond with the Chinese knot has become ever tighter. She tried to trace the source of the Chinese knots and draw inspiration from cultural relics to create new patterns of knots.

Holding a Tongxin knot, which translates to "true love knot," Chen told Xinhua that this knot image can be seen on copper ware dating back to the late Warring States Period (475-221 BC), and some jade ware of the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD) was in a similar shape.

Even to this day, some knots can serve as a token of love. The Tongxin knot is usually given or used at weddings to express mutual love and fidelity.

Over the past 53 years, a variety of knots, such as the Panchang knot, which implies longevity, and the petal-shaped Tuanjin knot that indicates reunion and a promising future, have been studied and named, thanks to Chen's considerable efforts.

To make it easier for people to learn, Chen also took the lead in formulating the technique required for tying Chinese knots, as she said, knotting is a kind of science. Armed with this formula, anyone has the tools needed to make both simple and complicated knots. In addition, Chen created cubic knots and also blended the Chinese knot with metalwork and lacquer art.

"Unlike some traditional arts that are confined within the family, Chen is determined to share all she knows, to ensure that others can create their own works," Chuang said, praising his wife for her contributions to passing on traditional Chinese culture.

In addition, Chen has for years shown great commitment to promoting both Chinese knots and Chinese culture globally, with many of her books published in foreign languages and exhibitions held in countries including the United States and Japan.

In 2023, two years ahead of the centenary of the Palace Museum, Chen made a trip to Beijing and gave one of her own Chinese knots to the museum as a gift.

Reviewing her decades-long odyssey of tying Chinese knots, Chen believed such a journey is just like the craft itself to some extent, in that no matter how many knots are tied, there is only one unbroken string in the end. 
Can Two Men Have A Baby Without Needing A Woman? Chinese Scientists Uncover Breakthrough

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 15:39 IST

In a significant breakthrough, Chinese researchers created a mouse with no biological mother using stem cell engineering. This experiment raises hopes for future unisexual reproduction

A groundbreaking experiment in China saw a mouse with no biological mother survive until puberty. (Representative/Shutterstock)

Scientists frequently conduct experiments on animals to address human health challenges and other physical issues. Mice are often favoured subjects due to similarities between their brain structure and that of humans. These experiments span various fields, including genetic engineering.

Recently, a groundbreaking experiment in China saw a mouse with no biological mother survive until puberty. Lets delve into why this is considered a significant achievement and whether it opens possibilities for children to be born from two men without a woman.

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Where was this study done?

A team of Chinese researchers led by molecular biologist Zhi Kun Li of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) achieved this milestone using precise stem cell engineering. This isnt the first instance of scientists creating a mouse with two fathers. In 2023, researchers in Japan accomplished a similar feat, but the mouses lifespan was limited.

Have such attempts been made before?

Previous attempts to generate eggs from male stem cells have been unsuccessful. While surrogacy offers a pathway for children to be born without a biological mother, this process presents various challenges.

Notably, the mice born in China, though incapable of independent reproduction, exhibit superior health compared to similar animals, displaying no apparent health issues.

Can such an experiment be done on humans?

Its important to note that half of the mice siblings in this study did not survive to adulthood, and approximately 90 per cent of the embryos were not viable. The success rate requires significant improvement before this technology can be considered for human application. However, the researchers believe their work will contribute to a better understanding of certain genetic mental disorders in humans.

A Specific Disorder

Typically, when a males sperm fertilises an egg, the genes are doubled, requiring half the genes in each pair to be silenced. When genetic material comes from two sperm, this silencing often occurs twice, leading to various disorders. This imprinting abnormality makes the regulation of specific genes or chromosomal regions dependent on the contributions of both the male and female parents.

This disorder became the root cause of the problem

Li and his colleagues devised a method to rectify these instances using a combination of genetic techniques, including gene deletion, region editing, and the addition or removal of genetic base pairs.

According to the researchers, this gene imprinting poses a fundamental obstacle to unisexual reproduction. Previous attempts to create artificial embryos with two mothers or two fathers faced challenges due to these genes.

How was the solution found

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In 2004, Japanese researchers created the first mouse without a father, using genetic material from two mothers. However, reproduction without sperm is a simpler process. Sperm cells, being highly specialised, cannot divide into other cell types. Creating an embryo solely from sperm cells is significantly more challenging. Consequently, scientists had to generate an embryonic stem cell and use it to create a new embryo.

This refined technique improved the success rate, with researchers successfully developing 13 per cent of the embryos into live mice. However, these offspring are incapable of further reproduction. In their study published in Cell Stem Cell, the researchers posit that refining the imprinting genes will lead to improved outcomes.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 15:37 IST
From Airports To Makhana Board: Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget Gifts For Bihar Stir A Meme Fest

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Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:53 IST

Nirmala Sitharaman, wearing a sari presented by Bihar's Padma awardee Dulari Devi, delivered the Budget on Saturday, outlining key announcements to boost the states growth in infrastructure, agriculture, education, and emerging sectors.

This was Nirmala Sitharamans with consecutive Budget. (PTI)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid out an ambitious vision for Bihar ahead of its crucial Assembly elections later this year. Sitharaman, wearing a sari presented by Bihars Padma awardee Dulari Devi, delivered the Budget on Saturday, outlining key announcements to boost the states growth in infrastructure, agriculture, education, and emerging sectors. The announcements sparked a lively online discussion, with memes quickly circulating in response to Bihars prominent mention.

A standout proposal is the greenfield airport initiative, which will introduce new airports to meet Bihars expanding aviation demands. Alongside this, the expansion of Patna Airport will improve connectivity and stimulate economic activity across the state.

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In agriculture, the government will fund the Kosi Canal Project in Mithilanchal to enhance irrigation and water management, boosting local farming productivity.

Bihars status as the worlds largest producer of makhana (fox nuts) got a major boost with the creation of a Makhana Board. This new body will help Makhana farmers access central government schemes, improve value addition, and increase global recognition. Sitharaman said that the board would collaborate with Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs) and provide training to elevate agricultural practices.

On the education front, IIT Patna will undergo a major infrastructure expansion. This is part of a nationwide plan to increase the intake of around 6,500 students across five IITs.

Nirmala Sitharaman also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology in the state. The institute will focus on entrepreneurship, research, and development.

These announcements have brought forth a lot of reactions, with memes spreading on social media.

Here are some of them:

Indias Budget (cross), Bihars Budget (check mark)."

A post read, Bihar after Union Budget 2025."

Bihar after Union Budget 2025: pic.twitter.com/R8o2S6DGkp Sumit Mishra (@SumitLinkedIn) February 1, 2025

Another read, Bihar vs Other States after Budget 2025."

Bihar vs Other States after Budget 2025 pic.twitter.com/wOeJ4Tcmrh Pallavi Pandey (@pallavipandeyy) February 1, 2025

Budget for Budget forother states Bihar pic.twitter.com/cpzGyznmkn Sober (@Soberhere_) February 1, 2025

Bihar after Union Budget 2025: pic.twitter.com/amld28Te51 Xavier Uncle (@xavierunclelite) February 1, 2025

Indians after seeing four projects announced for Bihar in the budget.#Budget2025#Bihar pic.twitter.com/4X5eOw7eSJ dev (@devanampriya_0) February 1, 2025

Its Bihars budget this time," a post read.

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Bihar is set to vote in its Assembly elections in October or November this year. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) is the second-largest partner in the BJP-led NDA government, following Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:53 IST
I Was Struggling: Influencer Who Witnessed Maha Kumbh Melas Second Stampede

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:15 IST

Social media influencer revealed that another stampede took place in the Jhunsi area, during Maha Kumbh, which wasnt reported by the media.

Police confirmed that more than 30 people died and 60 got injured in the stampede. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

The Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj witnessed a stampede on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most important days to take a dip in the holy river. Now, social media influencer Tanya Mittal has revealed that another stampede took place in the Jhusi area, which wasnt reported by the media.

She described the panic and chaos after people struggled to breathe while her team tried to move children to safety. She recalled the terrifying moment, saying that she was unable to breathe, couldnt see anything and couldnt understand what was happening. She felt like it was the last moments of her life.

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Recalling the horror, Tanya said, We were at a high point when suddenly we started hearing the screams of many people. My team and I decided that we would go down and at least bring the children to safety. As we reached the ground, I got stuck in the middle of the stampede. At one point, I was struggling to breathe, I couldnt see anything and couldnt understand what was happening. It was impossible to get out.

I almost felt like it was the last day of my life, but somehow, we spotted a Haldiram store. We managed to save some children and asked for help from the UP police. We communicated with people from different countries, took them inside and rescued them. What I witnessed today, Im still in shock," she said.

Sharing the video on Instagram, the influencer explained, I am deeply saddened to share that, in addition to the widely reported stampede near Sangam Nose during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, a second tragic incident occurred at Jhusi, approximately 2 kilometres away, just hours later. This second stampede resulted in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries.

Many of the victims were left unattended for hours before assistance arrived. This tragedy has not received the attention it deserves. Its crucial to acknowledge and address this incident to ensure better safety measures in the future," she added.

According to Indian Express, Vaibhav Krishnav, the DIG of Kumbh, confirmed that more than 30 people lost their lives and 60 others were injured in the stampede. He mentioned that a detailed list of the victims will be released soon.

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The Uttar Pradesh government has also announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those who died. A local tea stall owner mentioned that although police were present, the huge crowd was difficult to control.

A witness describing the second stampede in Jhunsi claimed that a crane was used to remove the scattered items such as clothes, shoes and slippers from the area. The local authorities managed to clear the site within two hours.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:15 IST
Journalist Natalie Winters Under Fire For Casual Attire At White House, Her Response Is Epic

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:45 IST

Dressed in a black top paired with a white collared shirt and a white skirt, Natalie Winter's look was completed with white socks and matching sneakers.

Natalie Winters shared a snapshot of her first day at the White House. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

When Natalie Winters stepped into her new role as a White House correspondent, the last thing she expected was to be thrust into a debate about her fashion choices. But thats exactly what happened after the 23-year-old journalist shared a snapshot of her first day at the White House, showing her unique and casual outfit. Dressed in a black top paired with a white collared shirt and a white skirt, her look was completed with white socks and matching sneakers. The caption? Simply: Officially a White House correspondent."

The post quickly gained traction on social media, but not for the reasons Winters had hoped. Instead, it sparked a flurry of online commentary, much of it critical of her attire. According to her social media handles, Winter is a co-host of Steve Bannons War Room.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters)

Several commenters expressed their belief that her outfit was too laid-back for the seriousness of her new position. Could you at least dress more modestly? This isnt high school, its a professional and highly privileged position to be in," one individual suggested. Another added, Terrific, but rethink the skirt and sneakers. Cmon, you cant be that dense."

Naturally, Winters was not about to let the criticism slide without addressing it head-on. In a response on X, she fired back at the naysayers. Excuse me? A few deranged haters comment that they didnt like my sweater and this becomes a story? Really?" she wrote. Winters, who co-hosts Steve Bannons War Room: Battleground digital media outlet, didnt stop thereshe quickly turned the spotlight back on her accomplishments.

Last time I checked, at 23, Ive broken more stories than most mainstream reporters. All while graduating from UChicago in three years. The War Room audience is the most powerful in media historyjust look at the election results. Or ask Kevin McCarthy. Or Peter Daszak. Or (preemptively pardoned) Anthony Fauci," she continued.

Excuse me? A few deranged haters comment that they didnt like my *sweater* and this becomes a story? This mean girl energy is unreal, and you didnt even ask for comment. Last time I checked, at 23 Ive broken more stories than most mainstream reporters (that you all tried https://t.co/EUdhNkdXdd  Natalie Winters (@nataliegwinters) January 30, 2025

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Winters made it clear that the publics attempts to discredit her based on her appearance werent going to fly. Sorry your viewership is sinking and your audience has no power. Its very clear that your misinformation attacks FAILED, so now youre pivoting by trying to depict me as some dumb, vapid bimbo. Good luck with that. I know the left loves transgenderism, obesity, and ugly people, but you should pick someone else to attack," she added.

Supporters of the journalist were quick to show their support, with one user commenting, They hate you because youre everything theyll never be." Another wrote, The sweater is classic. You are gorgeous. Ignore the haters."

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:14 IST
Oman Air Flight From Hyderabad Cancelled After 8 Hours, Leaves Passengers Stranded

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Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 12:52 IST

Passengers were seen expressing their annoyance and unease.

After eight hours of delay, the flight was cancelled. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

An Oman Air flight from Hyderabad to Muscat was cancelled after an eight-hour delay on Friday. The flight was supposed to take off at 3 PM from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. Once passengers boarded, the air conditioning system on the aircraft broke down, making many feel suffocated during the three to four-hour wait.

The flight was cancelled at 10:00 pm, over eight hours after the planned departure time, despite efforts to resolve the problem.

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In a video shared on Instagram, passengers were seen expressing their annoyance and unease. In addition, they can be heard questioning and disputing with authorities about the lengthy delay.

Oman Airlines WY232 flight from Hyderabad to Muscat, scheduled at 3 pm, boarding was completed, then as AC was not working, passengers felt suffocated for next 3-4 hours, finally flight was cancelled after 8 hours at 10 pm," the post was captioned by the news outlet.

No refund or compensation has been given yet," the caption further adds.

Take a look at the video here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by AVIATION NEWS (@aviationnews___)

Meanwhile, Oman Air has yet to provide an official statement on the delay and cancellation. According to passengers, there have been no reimbursements or other forms of recompense for the discomfort and hardship they have endured.

When a SpiceJet flight was delayed for several hours in early January, a heated argument broke out between passengers and SpiceJet employees at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

Delhi: A disruption occurred at Delhi Airport last night when SpiceJet flight SG 646 was delayed for several hours. Passengers became frustrated, leading to heated arguments with airline staff. Eventually, around 5 AM, an alternate flight was arranged for the passengers pic.twitter.com/o59mG9Xbfi IANS (@ians_india) January 17, 2025

The SpiceJet aircraft SG 646 was delayed for a long time. It was supposed to leave for Bangalore at 10:45 PM. In the video, irate passengers could be seen requesting accommodations and payment for the delay.

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In response, SpiceJet employees advised travellers to get in touch with the appropriate division of the company to request reimbursement.

The airline set up a different flight for the passengers at roughly five in the morning after the delay and protests from the passengers.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:52 IST
Prisoner Escapes While Jail Guards Enjoy Massages At Spa Centre In MPs Ratlam

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 11:09 IST

The jail guards were escorting the robbery accused back from the hospital when they decided to visit a spa centre with the prisoner in tow

The prisoner, identified as robbery accused Rohit Sharma, was caught on CCTV fleeing the spa centre. (News18 Hindi)

In a scene fit for satirical fiction, a prisoner fled from custody in Madhya Pradeshs Ratlam when the jail guards escorting him were busy getting massages at a spa centre. The prisoner, identified as one Rohit Sharma, was caught on CCTV fleeing the spa centre.

Sharma had been lodged in Khachrod Sub-Jail in Ujjain district, awaiting trial for alleged involvement in a robbery worth Rs 18 lakh in December 2024.

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The robbery took place at the office of a liquor contractor in Nagda and on, December 30, the Mandi police apprehended four people, including Sharma. He was receiving treatment in jail for a leg injury. When the pain in his leg worsened, Chief jail guard Rajesh and guard Nitin transported him to the Khachrod Government Hospital at 11am on Tuesday. The treatment was carried out between 12 noon and 12:30pm.

However, instead of returning to the jail, the guards allegedly chose to visit a spa with the prisoner in tow in Ratlams Manohar Gali 35km away. While the guards were enjoying massages, Sharma escaped.

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According to reports, at 6:05pm, chief jail guard Rajesh notified the officials about Sharmas escape. When Assistant Jail Superintendent SS Ranawat grew suspicious, he conducted a thorough questioning of the jail guards. He inquired about the guards whereabouts with the accused after they left the hospital and why the incident was not reported immediately.

The guards struggled to provide satisfactory answers to these inquiries. During questioning, they recounted the entire sequence of events. After the details of the case surfaced, Ujjain SP Pradeep Sharma decided to suspend the two guards.

Location : Ratlam, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 11:09 IST
Watch: Parents Label Children With Personal Details To Keep Them Safe In Maha Kumbh

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:36 IST

With millions of devotees descending upon the sacred grounds of the Maha Kumbh, the challenge of keeping families together, especially those with young children, becomes all too real.

In the clip, children are seen walking with a sheet of paper pinned to their backs. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

When it comes to solving problems in the most unexpected and clever ways, nobody does it quite like Indians. Whether its fixing a broken fan with a rubber band or repurposing everyday items for something entirely new, desi jugaad (innovation) shines through in the most fascinating ways. And at the worlds largest spiritual gathering, the Maha Kumbh, this resourcefulness has never been more evident.

With millions of devotees descending upon the sacred grounds of the Maha Kumbh, the challenge of keeping families together, especially those with young children, becomes all too real. In such an overwhelming sea of people, the possibility of children getting separated from their parents increases dramatically.

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But leave it to desi creativity to come to the rescue.

A viral Instagram video has revealed an ingenious way that parents are ensuring their little ones stay safe. In the clip, children are seen walking through the crowded grounds, each sporting a simple sheet of paper pinned to their backs. Written on these sheets are important details: the childs address and contact information, vital in the unfortunate event they get lost.

Watch it here:

Its an approach thats getting praise from across social media for its sheer simplicity and brilliance. Amid the high-tech gadgets and GPS trackers that promise safety, this humble handwritten note is a low-cost, effective and foolproof backup to navigate the bustling crowds of Maha Kumbh.

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This clever hack has been dubbed a fresh take on desi jugaad, with many social media users applauding its practicality. Some even jokingly added that such a solution should never leave the country. Indian has very talented and innovative people," commented a viewer. Should have stuck a copy of their Aadhaar cards on the back," suggested another one.

The 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, underway since January 13, is the largest religious gathering on Earth and has been lighting up social media with discussions. The festival will continue until February 26, with five important Amrit Snans scheduled. The first, marking Makar Sankranti, took place on January 14. The next was on January 29, in observance of Mauni Amavasya, followed by February 3 for Basant Panchami, February 12 for Maghi Purnima and finally, the last Amrit Snan on February 26, coinciding with Maha Shivratri.

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: February 01, 2025, 14:36 IST
7 Km A Day In Tiny Cell, Solving Maths: How Israeli Hostage Spent Days In Hamas Captivity

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 21:30 IST

Israeli hostage Gadi Mozes, 80, was freed by Hamas after 70 days in isolation. He survived in a tiny cell without glasses. His release was part of a ceasefire exchange.

During the war, Mozes was relocated multiple times but was never taken to any of Hamas's underground tunnels. (Image: X/@DavidSaranga)

Amid hostage-prisoner exchange as part of Israel-Hamas ceasefire, fresh details have emerged into how the Israeli hostages managed to survive in the captivity of Iran-backed militant group in Gaza.

80-year-old Gadi Mozes was among those released by Hamas on Thursday.

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According to a report in the Times Of Isreal Mozes was kept at isolation with no contact with anyone during his captivity. He got to meet another Israeli hostage only days before his release.

The news report citing the octogenarian mentioned that he was kept in total darkness, inside a tiny cell for about 70 days. During the war, he was relocated multiple times but was never taken to any of Hamass underground tunnels.

His longtime life-partner, Efrat Katz, was brutally murdered in the October 7 attack but had no clues about his daughter, Moran, until he returned. His daughter, who survived the attack, was among the first to greet him upon his return to Israel.

With Glasses Broken, 80-Year-Old Struggled To See For 2 Months

The report further claimed that Mozes was confined to a two-square-meter space during most of his time in captivity. He told the Times of Israel that he would spend his time by counting the tiles on the floor and solving math problems in his head. The report also claimed that each day, he would pace approximately seven kilometres inside his tiny cell.

When he was being kidnapped, his glasses were broken, leaving him struggling to see for two months. Eventually, he was provided a new pair of spectacles and two books to read. Meanwhile, Mozes lost about 15 kilograms while he was held hostage.

The hostages release on Thursday was marred by chaotic scenes.

In northern Gaza, 20-year-old Israeli soldier Agam Berger was escorted by Hamas militants through Jabalia before being handed over to the Red Cross. A video showed her emerging from a damaged building before walking to safety. Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, Mozes, 29-year-old Arbel Yehoud, and five Thai nationals were also handed over.

As a response, Israel briefly halted the planned release of 110 Palestinian prisoners, seeking better security assurances for future handovers.

Hamas Releases 3 More Israeli Hostages Today

Meanwhile, the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross as part of the fourth swap under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, were the first two hostages to be handed over. A few hours later, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also released.

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Siegel was paraded on a stage set up at a harbour for the handover, becoming the third hostage freed on Saturday.

The three men had been taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the deadly war between Israel and Hamas.

Location : Israel

First Published: February 01, 2025, 17:22 IST
70-80 Terrorists Ambush Pakistan Paramilitary Vehicle, Kill 18 Soldiers

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 16:19 IST

At least 70-80 armed assailants blocked the road and attacked the paramilitary vehicle.

Army soldiers and police officers guard a cordoned-off street in Pakistan. (IMAGE: REUTERS/REPRESENTATIVE)

Eighteen paramilitaries were killed and three others seriously wounded in an attack in Pakistans southwest Balochistan province, police and local officials told AFP on Saturday.

A vehicle carrying unarmed Frontier Corps paramilitaries" near the town of Mangochar came under gunfire from 70 to 80 armed assailants who had blocked the road", a police official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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The overnight attack killed 17 of the passengers and a paramilitary who came to their aid, he said, confirming reports from local sources.

Three other paramilitaries were seriously wounded and two escaped unharmed, he said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Security forces have been battling sectarian, ethnic and separatist violence for decades in impoverished but mineral-rich Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

There has been an increase in attacks in the volatile province in recent months, with six people killed in a bombing in January claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

The BLA frequently claims deadly attacks against security forces or Pakistanis from other provinces, notably Punjabis in Balochistan.

The militants have also targeted energy projects with foreign financing  most notably from China  accusing outsiders of exploiting the resource-rich region while excluding residents in the poorest part of Pakistan.

In November, the BLA claimed responsibility for a bombing at Quettas main railway station that killed 26 people, including 14 soldiers.

The group also claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks by dozens of assailants in August that killed at least 39 people, one of the highest tolls in the region.

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A similarly dramatic uptick in attacks has also been witnessed elsewhere in Pakistan in recent months, including in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In 2024 alone, the military reported 383 soldiers and 925 militants killed in various clashes.

Location : Islamabad, Pakistan

First Published: February 01, 2025, 15:57 IST
Arab Nations Reject Trumps Advice To Shift Palestinians From Gaza To Egypt, Jordan

Published By :

Associated Press

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 19:40 IST

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League in a joint statement slammed Trumps idea.

Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani attends a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo, Egypt. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)

Powerful Arab nations on Saturday rejected US President Donald Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League released a joint statement rejecting any plans to move Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

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Trump floated the idea last month, saying he would urge the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to take in Gazas now largely homeless population, so that we just clean out that whole thing." He added that resettling most of Gazas population of 2.3 million could be temporary or long term. Some Israel officials had raised the transfer idea early in the war.

Its literally a demolition site right now," Trump said, referring to the vast destruction caused by Israels 15-month war with Hamas, now paused by a fragile ceasefire.

The Arab statement warned that such plans threaten the regions stability, risk expanding the conflict, and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence among its peoples."

The statement followed a meeting in Cairo of top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who serves as the main liaison with Israel, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

They said they were looking forward to working with the Trump administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution," according to the statement.

They called for the international community to help plan and implement" a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza to ensure that Palestinians stay on their land.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi rejected Trumps suggestion in a news conference last week, saying that the transfer of Palestinians cant ever be tolerated or allowed."

The solution to this issue is the two-state solution. It is the establishment of a Palestinian state," he said. The solution is not to remove the Palestinian people from their place. No."

Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also said that his countrys opposition to Trumps idea was firm and unwavering."

Egypt and Jordan, along with the Palestinians, worry that Israel would never allow them to return to Gaza once they have left. Egypt and Jordan also fear the impact any such influx of refugees would have on their struggling economies as well as the stability of their governments.

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Jordan already is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Egypt has warned of security implications of transferring large numbers of Palestinians to Egypts Sinai Peninsula, bordering Gaza.

Both countries were the first to make peace with Israel but they support the creation of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War.

Location : Cairo, Egypt

First Published: February 01, 2025, 19:38 IST
NEW DELHI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and 11 others went missing after a vehicle fell into the Bhakra canal in the northern Indian state of Haryana, police said Saturday.

The accident took place Friday night near Sardarewala village in Fatehabad district, about 201 km west of Chandigarh, the capital city of Haryana.

According to police, there were 14 people aboard the vehicle, out of which a driver and an 11-year-old boy managed to get out. However, 12 were swept away by strong water currents.

Immediately after the accident, rescuers were rushed to the spot to trace the missing. So far, one body has been recovered from the canal. 
Camp Hill Virus, Close Relative Of Nipah, Discovered In Alabama Shrews In US Sparking Pandemic Concerns

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 23:23 IST

Camp Hill virus, related to Nipah, has emerged in North America, with fears mounting about its potential spread from animals to humans.

The Camp Hill virus, related to Nipah, has been identified in shrews in North America. (IMAGE: Pixabay)

Researchers at the University of Queensland have identified the Camp Hill virus, a henipavirus related to Nipah, in shrews found in Alabama. This marks the first discovery of the virus in North America and has raised concerns among scientists about its potential transmission to humans and the risk of an outbreak.

Dr. Rhys Parry from the University of Queensland has confirmed the discovery of the Camp Hill virus in shrews in Alabama, USA. This finding raises concerns that the virus, part of the henipavirus family, could spread more widely than previously thought. Henipaviruses, which also include Hendra and Nipah viruses, can cause serious diseases in both humans and animals. These viruses are carried by bats and are known for causing severe respiratory and neurological issues.

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Henipaviruses have caused serious disease and death in people and animals in other regions. One of the most dangerous is the Hendra virus, which was first detected in Brisbane, Australia, and has a fatality rate of 70 percent. Another example is Nipah virus which has recorded fatality rates between 40 and 75 per cent in outbreaks in Southeast Asia, including in Malaysia and Bangladesh," Rhys Parry was quoted as saying by the SciTechDaily website.

The discovery of a henipavirus in North America is highly significant, as it suggests these viruses may be more globally distributed than previously thought," he further added.

These viruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses with a negative-sense strand. Hendra and Nipah viruses are zoonotic, meaning they can spread from animals to humans, primarily through bats. In contrast, CedPV, also found in bats, is not harmful to animals and does not spread to humans.

Camp Hill virus was discovered in northern short-tailed shrews, a small mammal commonly found across Canada and the US.

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The closest known henipavirus to Camp Hill virus that has caused disease in humans is Langya virus, which crossed from shrews to humans in China. This indicates that shrew-to-human transmission can occur," Parry said.

Dr. Parry stated that further research is needed to determine if it poses a risk to humans. He noted that Langya virus, a related henipavirus, had crossed from shrews to humans in China, suggesting that shrew-to-human transmission is possible.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: February 01, 2025, 23:21 IST
Father Freed But Wife, Kids Captive: Israel Wants Clarity From Hamas On Shiri Bibas, Her Babies

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 21:49 IST

Shiri Bibas and her two small boys, Ariel and Kfir remain in Hamas captivity. Husband and father Yarden Bibas was released by Hamas on Saturday.

Released Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas, who was seized during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, embraces loved ones after release but there is no news on his wife Shiri and his two children. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

As visuals of freed Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas reuniting with his family streamed in on Saturday, the Israeli government and the hostage coordinators remained concerned about the fate of Bibas wife and two children.

Like Bibas, his wife Shiri and their two boys were seized by militants on October 7, 2023 during Hamass attack on Israel and taken to Gaza.

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Israel earlier this week demanded clarity and answers from Hamas on the condition of Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. On Saturday, it demanded information from mediators who brokered the ceasefire in Gaza about the fate of three family members.

Bibass sons  Kfir, the youngest hostage, whose second birthday fell in January, and his older brother Ariel, whose fifth birthday was in August  have become symbols of the hostages ordeal.

Hamas has previously declared that Shiri and the children were killed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023, but Israel has not confirmed their deaths.

Hamas has reported that 18 of the 26 remaining hostages are alive, but has not provided details on their condition. It also confirmed that eight hostages are dead.

Ariel and his brother Kfir are the only Israeli children hostages left in Gaza.

Israel stated it was investigating the cruel" claim but did not confirm it. The IDF later clarified that it has no intelligence to verify the hostages status, Israeli news outlets reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to secure the release of the trio and said that his thoughts remain with them as he welcomed the release of the hostages by Hamas.

Our thoughts remain with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir and all the hostages. We will continue to act to bring them all home," Netanyahu said.

Earlier in Gaza, hostages Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were paraded on stage by Hamas fighters before being handed over to the Red Cross in the southern city of Khan Yunis. American-Israeli Keith Siegel was freed shortly thereafter in a similar ceremony at Gaza Citys port in the north.

Israels military later confirmed that all three were back in Israel.

The deal stipulated that women and children should be freed first, with bodies to be handed over later. Concerns for the fate of the Bibas trio have intensified, as Hamas has not included them among the first hostages released.

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Hamas broke the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement by announcing the release of four female soldiersLiri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Arievdespite the deals stipulation to prioritize civilian women and children.

Hamas released only one civilian woman, Arbel Yehoud, on Friday. IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said Hamas had violated the deal by not first freeing all female civilians as stipulated in the deal.

Location : Tel Aviv, Israel

First Published: February 01, 2025, 18:56 IST
Hamas Releases Three Israeli Hostages In Fourth Swap Under Gaza Ceasefire Deal

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News18.com

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 14:31 IST

Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, were both freed in a carefully organised handover in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis

Palestinian Hamas militants and civilians gathering around a Red Cross convoy in Jabalia. (AFP file photo)

The Palestinian militant group Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross as part of the fourth swap under a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, were the first two hostages to be handed over. A few hours later, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also released.

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Siegel was paraded on a stage set up at a harbour for the handover, becoming the third hostage freed on Saturday.

The three men had been taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Shortly after their release, the Israeli military confirmed that the two freed hostages had crossed into Israeli territory. A short while ago, the returning civilian hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, crossed the border into Israeli territory," the military said in a statement, adding that they were accompanied by Israeli forces.

The truce, which began on January 19, is part of efforts to de-escalate the deadly conflict and has allowed for more humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.

The deal is expected to see the release of 33 Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during its first six weeks.

While the deal has held for nearly two weeks, Israel has received information from Hamas that eight hostages, including those taken on October 7, may have been killed either in the attack or while in captivity.

The October 7 attack that ignited the war killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. In retaliation, more than 47,000 Palestinians have died in Israels air and ground campaign, with over half of the victims being women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

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(With inputs from agencies)

Location : Israel

First Published: February 01, 2025, 12:40 IST
I Never Gave Up: Emotions Run High As Israeli Hostages Reunite With Families | Watch

Curated By :

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 22:00 IST

Hamas on February 1 released three Israeli hostages in the fourth exchange of the ceasefire deal.

Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon reunites with his children at Sheba hospital in Ramat Gan. (IMAGE: AFP)

An emotional Ofer Calderon told his children that they were his life and that he never gave up during his time in Hamas captivity in Gaza as he embraced them Saturday after his release.

Calderon, like Keith Siegel and Yarden Bibas, returned home after spending 484 days in Hamas captivity after they were kidnapped during the October 7 attacks in 2023.

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Their pictures were everywhere on Saturday at Hostages Square" in Tel Aviv as the three Israeli captives were released by Gaza militants.

Im here. Im here. You are my life. I never gave up." Ofer Calderon. The power of love. The power of children. We are so happy you are home. Former hostage of Hamas. 480 plus days. Remember who started this war. #AmYisraelChai @Israel @bringhomenow pic.twitter.com/r0461pj0jI Todd Richman (@toddrichman) February 1, 2025

Sighs of relief ran through onlookers gathered to watch a live transmission of the three being handed over to the Red Cross in the Palestinian territory before being brought home to Israel.

Its a good feeling, it makes us stronger," Miki Pnini, a 67-year-old Israeli from the outlying suburb of Pardesiya west of Tel Aviv, told AFP.

Pnini noted with satisfaction that Ofer is on his legs, we cant believe it after all he went through".

Kalderon is a dual French-Israeli national, and Pariss ambassador to Israel, Frederic Journes, allowed himself a smile on Saturday as Kalderon was freed.

Returning hostage Yarden Bibas reunites with his family at the initial reception point. pic.twitter.com/fI2AR8IrKs Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) February 1, 2025

Emotions were also running high when Yarden Bibas was reunited with his family. The Bibas household, despite the return of Yarden, was concerned about another half of the family  Yardens wife Shiri and his sons, Kfir, the youngest hostage, whose second birthday fell in January, and his older brother Ariel, whose fifth birthday was in August.

The Israeli prime ministers official X account posted the video of Yarden reuniting with his loved ones.

Two visibly emotional men and two women wore orange, the colour associated with the Bibas family.

Hamas has said his wife and sons were killed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023, but Israel has not confirmed their deaths.

Yarden Bibas is now on Hamas stage, forced to wave.Yarden was kidnapped with his family from the Nir Oz kibbutz: 9-month-old Kfir, 4-year-old Ariel, and 32-year-old Shiri. Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel are still being held hostage in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/zpXzjdixzn  Israel  (@Israel) February 1, 2025

Meanwhile, the ceremonies staged by Hamas and fellow Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad for the hostage handovers have been widely criticised in Israel.

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Hamas has made them mount platforms draped with anti-Israel slogans and photos of slain militant leaders, instructing them to wave for the cameras and pose with gift bags from the Islamist movement.

The mobile phone case of one woman near the television screens in the Tel Aviv square on Saturday made her feelings quite clear: Keep calm and Fuck Hamas," it read.

Location : Tel Aviv, Israel

First Published: February 01, 2025, 22:00 IST
India Warns Maldives' Fiscal Stability At Risk From Recent Trade Pacts, Without Naming China & Turkey

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 09:32 IST

Much of the money the Maldives owes is to China and India, which have extended $1.37 billion and $124 million, respectively, in loans, World Bank data shows

President Droupadi Murmu with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu during a banquet hosted by her in New Delhi. (PTI file photo)

India is concerned recent trade pacts signed by the Maldives will likely hurt the archipelagos cash-strapped economy, the Indian foreign ministry said on Friday, in a reference to agreements between the Maldives and China, as well as Turkey.

China and India both vie for influence in the strategically located Indian Ocean nation, whose $7.8 billion economy has struggled with low foreign exchange reserves and substantial external debt, sparking fears of a default.

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Analysts have previously said that a free trade agreement between China and the Maldives, which came into effect on Jan. 1, risks increase Males balance of payments deficit with China, one of its main sources for consumer goods, lead to customs duty losses, and make it vulnerable to supply chain disruptions.

The Maldives also signed a trade pact with Turkey last year, which local media reports said involved reduced tariffs on both sides.

Recent agreements that are likely to result in revenue loss for the Maldives government are obviously a matter of concern and do not bode well for the long-term fiscal stability of the country," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.

We would obviously need to take that into account while framing our own policies," he added, without naming any country.

The embassy of the Maldives in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Much of the money the Maldives owes is to China and India, which have extended $1.37 billion and $124 million, respectively, in loans, World Bank data shows.

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In October, India signed a $400-million and a 30-billion rupee ($346 million) bilateral currency swap agreement with the Maldives and also agreed to initiate talks on a free trade agreement focusing on goods and services.

But reserves still remain very low in lieu of substantial external debt obligations", ratings agency Moodys said in December, adding that it expected the Maldives to continue to be tested on securing bilateral and multilateral financing to shore up external buffers".

First Published: February 01, 2025, 09:28 IST
Kamala Harris Interview: CBS Hands Over Transcript After Trump Sues CBS For Bias

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 20:42 IST

Donald Trump said broadcaster CBS edited the 60 Minutes interview in a way that made Kamala Harris appear deceptively better.

CBS Bill Whitaker interviewed Kamala Harris, former US vice president, ahead of Election Day where she fought and lost to Donald Trump in the US elections. (IMAGE: X)

US broadcaster CBS will submit the full transcript of its October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This comes amid US President Donald Trumps ongoing battle with the network over its reporting on his political opponent.

Trump has filed a $10 million lawsuit against CBS, accusing it of editing the 60 Minutes" interview in a way that favoured Harris.

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CBS parent company, Paramount, is reportedly in talks with Donald Trumps legal team for a possible settlement in the lawsuit against the network.

The network confirmed on Friday that it was instructed by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, to provide full transcripts and camera feeds of the Kamala Harris interview. This move is part of an ongoing FCC investigation into the matter.

CBS legal team had earlier dismissed the case as completely without merit" and vowed to fight it.

The controversy over Kamala Harris interview with CBS began when the network aired two different responses to the same question on separate programmes. The discrepancies appeared in clips broadcast on Face the Nation on October 6 and 60 Minutes the following night.

CBS defended the edits, stating that both clips were part of Harris full response but had been trimmed to fit time constraints.

Donald Trump, however, filed a lawsuit in Texas on November 1, accusing CBS of deliberate manipulation to favour Harris. He claimed the editing amounted to partisan and unlawful acts of voter interference."

Despite winning the election less than a week later, Trump has continued his legal battle against the network. He had previously declined an invitation to be interviewed by 60 Minutes during the campaign.

If Paramount agrees to a deal, it would mark another legal victory for Trump, who has recently secured high-profile settlements from media giants.

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In December, ABC News paid $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump against anchor George Stephanopoulos. More recently, on Wednesday, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit related to Trumps suspension from the platform after the January 6 Capitol riot.

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, reached a $25 million settlement on Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump. The lawsuit stemmed from Facebooks decision to ban Trump from the platform after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: February 01, 2025, 20:39 IST
Plane Crashes On Busy Road In Philadelphia, Many Homes On Fire, Casualties Reported | Videos

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Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 10:43 IST

A plane crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, causing multiple casualties and fires in homes and vehicles. The exact death toll is yet to be confirmed.

A plane crashed on the road in Philadelphia (Photo: AP)

A plane crashed into a busy Philadelphia suburb on Friday evening (Philadelphia local time), resulting in multiple casualties on the ground as many homes were on fire, news agency Reuters quoted federal officials and local media as saying. The plane fell onto the ground in the vicinity of the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia.

The medical transport jet was carrying a child patient and five others. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said the patient and another passenger were on board along with four crew members.

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We cannot confirm any survivors," the company said in a statement.

Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground."

The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash took place around 6.30 pm (0030 GMT).

Philadelphias emergency management office said that roads in the area were closed soon after the crash.

Unconfirmed reports stated the plane crashed nearly 30 seconds after taking off.

The number of casualties on the ground was not immediately known.

PHILADELPHIA PLANE CRASH: MANY VIDEOS SURFACE

Videos on social media showed many cars and some houses on fire. One of the videos also showed a person engulfed in flames, attempting to walk away from the site of the plane crash.

 #BREAKING: The medical jet which crashed in Philly was transporting a pediatric patient, per the operator Jet Air AmbulanceNo survivors are expected. Absolutely heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/AZUqyH3L6c  Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 1, 2025

A video showed a bright flash in the area where the plane crashed.

Plane CRASHES in Philadelphia, bright flash caught on cam pic.twitter.com/WetryDW9BB RT (@RT_com) January 31, 2025

Another video showed the debris all over after the plane crashed.

New video shows the immediate aftermath of the plane crash in Philadelphia.Taken at a nearby Dunkin which was damaged by flying debris. Video from Neal Sims. pic.twitter.com/FwZQri9TcD  BNO News Live (@BNODesk) February 1, 2025

A drone footage captured the aftermath of the plane crash in Philadelphia.

Drone Footage from above of the Plane Crash Scene in Northeast Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/9vI9jWvBxO PhillyCrimeUpdate (@PhillyCrimeUpd) February 1, 2025

Another video showed thick smoke at the site of the plane crash and multiple cars were up in flames.

Panic at Philadelphia plane crash siteThick smoke billows as multiple cars up in flames https://t.co/nl3kXrmiMp pic.twitter.com/FTTCniUksa  RT (@RT_com) February 1, 2025

Another video showed chaos and panic on the streets as multiple homes were seen up on flames in the vicinity of the plane crash.

On the scene immediately after the Philadelphia plan crash, multiple homes are reportedly on firepic.twitter.com/k8VyteAD5V https://t.co/OXHaZnmO3P TaraBull (@TaraBull808) February 1, 2025

Locals, in one video, were seen in panic, as they heard a loud boom and saw a ball of fire just as the plane crashed.

JUST IN: New video of the plane crash in Philadelphia. At least 6 people killed pic.twitter.com/zrX3jZcjoO BNO News (@BNONews) February 1, 2025

MAJOR INCIDENT: CONFIRM AUTHORITIES

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management confirmed on social media that there was a major incident" in the area of the reported crash, but provided no other details.

We have no reports on the number of fatalities," Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said at the scene, adding Several dwellings and vehicles were impacted."

Governor Josh Shapiro said he was offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly."

The plane, a Learjet 55, quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6.06 pm and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters). It was en route to Springfield, Missouri, and registered to a company operating as Med Jets, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.

DONALD TRUMP POSTS ON PHILADELPHIA PLANE CRASH

In a post on his Truth Social account, US President Donald Trump posted, So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost."

Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all," he added.

PHILADELPHIA PLANE CRASH: EYEWITNESSES ACCOUNT

According to news agency PTI, Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighbourhood, on Friday when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera footage, he said it looked like a missile was coming down.

There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second," he said.

The planes owner, Jet Rescue, provides global air ambulance services. The company, based in Mexico, flew baseball hall of famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic in 2019 and was involved in transporting patients critically ill with Covid-19, CNN reported.

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The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation.

The crash follows this weeks collision of an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, DC, which killed 67 in the deadliest airplane crash in the US since 2009.

First Published: February 01, 2025, 05:44 IST
Venezuela Releases Six Americans After Trump Envoy Meets President Nicolas Maduro

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 08:32 IST

The visit by Richard Grenell came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the maximum pressure campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term

Trump's Special Missions Envoy Richard Grenell (3rd R) posing on board a plane alongside six US citizens released from detention in Venezuela.

Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. The visit by Grenell came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the maximum pressure" campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term.

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Grenells hours long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trumps efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens," Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him."

The meeting in Venezuelas capital took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last years election. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduros claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the Trump White House does not officially recognize.

No. We want to do something with Venezuela. Ive been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro," Trump responded. Theyve treated us not so good, but theyve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."

Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded initial agreements" but did not provide any details.

I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuelas sovereignty, for Venezuelas democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region."

Some Republicans criticized the visit.

This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president couldve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas."

The dispute over the election results sparked nationwide protests. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

Among those detained are as many as 10 Americans who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Maduros government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.

A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-yer-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the U.S. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.

The Trump administration has taken a slew of actions to make good on promises to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.

Those measures include the revocation earlier this week of a Biden administration 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.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday that Trump had instructed Grenell to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights" carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, land in Venezuela." She said Trump also ordered Grenell to ensure that all U.S. detainees in Venezuela are returned home."

More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their home country since 2013, when its economy unraveled and Maduro first took office. Most settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, but after the pandemic, migrants increasingly set their sights on the U.S.

Venezuelans desire for better living conditions and their rejection of Maduro are expected to keep pushing people to emigrate.

Ahead of the presidential election last year, a nationwide poll by Venezuela-based research firm Delphos showed about a quarter of the population thinking about emigrating if Maduro was re-elected.

Grenell has reached out to Maduro before on Trumps behalf to secure the release of imprisoned Americans only to come home empty handed.

In 2020, he traveled with Erik Prince, the founder of controversial security firm Blackwater, to Mexico City for a secret meeting with a top Maduro aide. The backchannel talks centered on Maduros offer to swap eight Americans then imprisoned in Venezuela for businessman Alex Saab, a close ally of the president charged in the U.S. with money laundering, The Associated Press previously reported.

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No deal was struck and Grenells demand that Maduro step down was dismissed by the Venezuelan presidents envoy. Grenell has always denied he was negotiating a hostage swap.

Later, in December 2023, the Biden administration exchanged Saab for 10 Americans as part of a policy to re-engage Maduro ahead of presidential elections.

Location : Venezuela

First Published: February 01, 2025, 07:55 IST
'We Will Find You, Kill You': Trump Says He Ordered Airstrikes On 'ISIS Attack Planner' In Somalia

Curated By :

Agencies

Last Updated: February 01, 2025, 23:42 IST

Trump took credit for airstrikes on ISIS hideouts in Somalia, citing the elimination of senior militants and no reported civilian casualties.

Donald Trump in a social media post revealed the airstrikes destroyed ISIS caves in Somalia. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said he ordered military airstrikes on a senior Islamic State attack planner and others from the organization in Somalia.

These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians."

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ALSO READ | Who Is Abdul Qadir Mumin? Meet Islamic States Elusive New Leader

Saturdays strikes were carried out in the Golis Mountains, said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who added that an initial assessment indicated multiple operatives were killed. He said no civilians were harmed.

This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025

This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia," Trump said on Truth Social.

Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed," Hegseth said in a statement.

This action further degrades ISISs ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies."

Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but experts have warned of growing activity.

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The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'" Trump said in his post.

(with inputs from Reuters and AFP)

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: February 01, 2025, 23:08 IST
This combo photo shows a family photo of Mou Wengui (back) and Cao Xiaoxia (1st R) in front of their store on Dec. 29, 2024 (L, photo by Xinhua photographer Zhang Wenbo); Mou Wengui (L front) and Cao Xiaoxia (R front) pose for a group photo with their family doctors on Jan. 6, 2019 (top right, photo by Xinhua photographer Shao Rui); Mou Wengui attaches a prosthetic leg with the help of his family doctor on Jan. 6, 2019 (lower right, photo by Xinhua photographer Shao Rui) in Zhenba County of Hanzhong City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua)

XI'AN, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of the recent Spring Festival, Mou Wengui, moved agilely through his small store, aided by a crutch and a prosthetic leg. He adorned the space with intricate paper-cuts and Chinese knots, while stocking shelves with drinks, snacks and other goods.

It is a marked improvement on previous years, when the idea of living independently and savoring life's joys seemed out of reach for him.

"The work is not strenuous and the income is decent. Neighbors in my community often drop by to chat in my store," said 42-year-old Mou, who runs the store in the mountainous county of Zhenba, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

His small business brings in a net annual income of up to 10,000 yuan (1,395 U.S. dollars), a modest yet meaningful sum that has become a cornerstone of his independence.

About 13 years ago, Mou fell from a ridge while feeding pigs, leaving him reliant on a crutch for mobility. In 2017, he was diagnosed with a femoral tumor and underwent surgery to amputate his right leg.

"After going through so much pain and misfortune, I became depressed," said Mou. "However, with the government's support, I gradually gained courage and tried to make a living optimistically."

In 2016, Zhenba initiated a poverty alleviation initiative to boost medical care and social assistance, organizing a team of nearly 700 family doctors. Since then, handicapped people like Mou have been eligible for at least one home clinic per month.

Through the project, about 86 percent of the 13,000-yuan cost of Mou's amputation operation was funded by the government. Without it, the proportion would have been only about 58 percent. Beyond financial aid, a medical team provided Mou with rehabilitation guidance and psychological support after the operation.

With the government's assistance, including startup loans, on-site guidance and links with businesses, Mou returned to work. He raised bees and pigs and planted Chinese medicinal herbs from 2017 to 2020, earning an annual income of over 15,000 yuan.

For Mou's personal life, he met his wife, Cao Xiaoxia, through a local support group for people with disabilities. Despite suffering from paraplegia, Cao's upbeat spirit inspired Mou, and the two married in 2018. Through a relocation project, the couple moved from the remote mountain village to a four-bedroom apartment in downtown Zhenba in 2019.

"Never give up. People like my husband and I may face challenges, but we have not been left behind. Life keeps getting better and better," said Cao.

In 2019, the couple started the store in a room in their apartment. The wife has been helping her husband in handling payments since then and later looking after their daughter, who was born in 2021. She also works as an online customer service agent for a store on several e-commerce platforms, earning an additional 3,000 yuan a month.

The story of Mou's family offers a glimpse of the Chinese government's people-centered approach to helping needy people achieve a better life, through assistance regarding social and medical insurance, vocational education and other practicalities.

Thanks to the targeted poverty alleviation policy, 98.99 million people in rural China were lifted out of poverty by the end of 2020, and all 832 impoverished counties were officially recognized as having escaped poverty.

China has been ramping up efforts to consolidate the achievements in poverty alleviation and propel rural revitalization.

Between late 2020 and November 2024, China prevented 5.34 million people from returning to poverty. For farmers in counties that have been lifted out of poverty, the per capita disposable income in real terms increased 6.5 percent year on year in the first three quarters of 2024 to 12,384 yuan, according to Zhang Xingwang, vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs.

Since 2016, the government has provided over 200,000 yuan in assistance to Mou's family, including subsistence allowances, disability subsidies and employment funding. Cao said she is grateful for what her family has received, and her greatest joy lies in their ability to stand on their own.

"We may be disabled, but we strive for independence," Cao said. "In 2025, I hope we can earn more with our own hands, and read more books to improve our knowledge and skills." 

Mou Wengui arranges commodities at his store in Zhenba County of Hanzhong City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Dec. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)
DHAKA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's largest annual book fair kicked off in the capital of Dhaka on Saturday.

Bangladeshi interim government's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus inaugurated the month-long book fair, which brings together many readers and writers to celebrate the event for literature.

Nearly 1,000 stalls have been allotted to over 700 publishing houses in this year's book fair. Many new books are published every year during the mega book fair.

Like previous years, there will be cultural programs and month-long seminars on the sidelines of the fair. 
A large fish native to North America has caught the attention of scientists in recent years due to its impressive lifespan of a century or longer. But new research spells bad news for the bigmouth buffaloaccording to the BBC, in areas examined by researcher Alec Lackmann of University of Minnesota, Duluth, it's been 60 years since a new generation of the fish lived to adulthood.
UPDATE

Feb 1, 2025 12:25 PM CST

Investigators sifted through charred debris Saturday in search of an explanation for the explosion and crash of an air ambulance in Philadelphia. Authorities confirmed that all six people on the plane and one other personwho was in a carwere killed, the AP reports, and 19 people on the ground were injured. At least three of them were still hospitalized on Saturday. Officials said the casualty figures could change because the crash involved a large area with many people in it. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that everyone on the plane was from Mexico. A hospital spokesperson said the patient had been treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia "and was being transported back to her home country."

Jan 31, 2025 8:38 PM CST

A medical transport jet with a child patient and five others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes, per the AP. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said the patient and another passenger were on board along with four crew members. "We cannot confirm any survivors," the company said in a statement. "Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families, and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground."
Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met Friday with a Trump administration official tasked with urging the authoritarian leader to take back deported migrants who have committed crimes in the US. The AP reports President Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the men on social media. "We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens," Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. "They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn't stop thanking him."

Grenell's hours-long trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump's efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans. Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the US government. Maduro, appearing on state television after Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded "initial agreements" but did not provide any details. "I have seen three U.S. presidents pass before me," Maduro said. "This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuela's sovereignty, for Venezuela's democratic life, for international law, and for our Latin American region."

The visit by Grenell came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the "maximum pressure" campaign he pursued against Maduro during his first term. It took place less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election. The US government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by a more than two-to-one margin. Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to a government that the White House does not officially recognize. "No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I've been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro," Trump responded. "They've treated us not so good, but they've treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly." (More Venezuela stories.)
Authorities in the eastern Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis said Thursday they are investigating the circumstances that led to the discovery of at least 19 bodies found drifting at sea, the AP reports. At around 11:30am on Wednesday, the St. Kitts and Nevis Coast Guard responded to a report of a drifting vessel off the coast of Nevis. The partially submerged boat contained decomposed human remains. It was towed to St. Kitts, where police and medical officials are conducting investigations.

"It was a fishing vessel, which is not typically found in the Caribbean," Police Commissioner James Sutton told the AP. "We are not certain, but we believe that this vessel originated off the West African coast." Sutton said officials now face the difficult task of determining the exact number of bodies and identifying them. The advanced state of decomposition, he said, has made it difficult. This is the first such discovery in recent memory in the twin-island nation.

(More St Kitts stories.)
The Army released the identities of the two men aboard the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines regional jet in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night, but the New York Times reports it took the "extraordinary step" not to name the female pilot due to a request from her family for privacy. When a service member is killed during a peacetime accident or in a combat zone, the Army typically releases their names to the public about 24 hours after their family has been notified.

"At the request of the family, the name of the third soldier will not be released at this time. That pilot is also DUSTWUN," the Army said in a statement, referencing "duty status-whereabouts unknown," a temporary designation until her remains are recovered from the Potomac River where the aircraft went down near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Army officials said the pilot was undergoing her annual evaluation flight with an evaluator on board. Although it's not clear why the pilot's family requested privacy, the Times notes that it came after President Trump blamed the helicopter crew for the accident that killed 67 people and before the investigation has been complete.

Reuters also points out that Trump has suggested without evidence that the disaster was a result of diversity efforts on the part of the Federal Aviation Administration and that there have been conspiracy theories about the identities of the Black Hawk crew members. Viral posts said Jo Ellis, a transgender pilot with the Virginia National Guard, was flying the helicopter, but Ellis posted a video proving that wasn't true. All that's known about the pilot is that she was a captain. But the Army did reveal the names of the other two crew members killed: Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Md., and Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Ga. (More Potomac plane crash stories.)
Hamas freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire. Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached, reports the AP. Palestinian health authorities in Gaza also announced that the long-shuttered Rafah border crossing with Egypt would reopen on Saturday for thousands of Palestinians who desperately need medical carea breakthrough that signals the ceasefire agreement continues to gain traction. The latest:
Norwegian authorities have released the Norwegian-owned, Russian-crewed ship Silver Dania, suspected of damaging a fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland. The investigation, prompted by a Latvian request and a Norwegian court ruling, found no evidence implicating the ship. The vessel was detained in Troms after suspicions arose from its route between St. Petersburg and Murmansk, but police attorney Ronny Jrgensen said: "Troms police district has now conducted a number of investigative steps and secured what we see as necessary considering the request from Latvia. The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Troms any longer."

Tormod Fossmark, CEO of the ship's owner SilverSea, insisted the vessel had no involvement, citing onboard tracking data showing no irregularities. Fossmark said: "We have no involvement in this whatsoever. We did not have any anchors out or do anything, so that will be confirmed today." The ship, carrying no cargo, was anticipated to continue its journey later that day. The investigation into the cable damage began after it was detected on Sunday, with Swedish prosecutors eyeing potential sabotage and detaining the Malta-flagged Vezhen. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
Black-faced spoonbills are pictured at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 31, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Photo by Luo Lixiang/Xinhua)

Luo Lixiang (2nd R) makes introductions to visitors in a science museum at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 20, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (R) and his colleague patrol at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (R) and his colleague patrol on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 18, 2025 shows a view of the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Eurasian curlews are pictured at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 31, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Photo by Luo Lixiang/Xinhua)

Luo Lixiang patrols at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (R) and his colleague monitor infectious bird diseases on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 18, 2025 shows a view of the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (L) and his colleague patrol on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang patrols at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang patrols at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Black-faced spoonbills are pictured at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 31, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Photo by Luo Lixiang/Xinhua)

Luo Lixiang (R) and his colleague work in a science museum at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (1st R) makes introductions to visitors in a science museum at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 20, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang monitors infectious bird diseases on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang monitors infectious bird diseases on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 18, 2025 shows black-faced spoonbills at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Luo Lixiang (R) and his colleague patrol at the Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)

Lesser sand plovers are pictured on a beach in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 18, 2025.

The Hainan Xinying Mangrove National Wetland Park was established in Danzhou in 2007 and Luo Lixiang became the first batch of rangers of the park, who has witnessed the ecological changes here in the past years.

Before the establishment of the wetland park, the wetland was destroyed due to improper aquacultural development. In order to restore the ecological system, the local government launched an initiative of "returning ponds to forests". Luo actively participated in it and witnessed the former fish ponds gradually replaced by newly planted mangroves. Now the wetland park has become a paradise for birds.

In 2016, Luo detected the critically endangered bird species spoon-billed sandpiper here for the first time. Nowadays, both the species and number of birds in the wetland park have been increasing notably.

At present, Luo is not only a forest ranger, but also works as a docent to introduce the ecological value and significance of mangroves to visitors. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
The US military has conducted coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Trump's second term. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that the strikes by US Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalia's government, the AP reports. The Pentagon said that an initial assessment indicated that multiple operatives were killed and that no civilians were harmed. Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.

"The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians," Trump posted, adding, "The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that 'We will find you, and we will kill you!" The president did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. He included an attack on his predecessor, saying President Biden and his team had targeted the planner for years but didn't act fast enough to "get the job done," per the BBC. Trump added, "I did!"

(More US military stories.)
An economist who was a senior adviser to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors has been arrested, charged with stealing insider data to provide to China. John Harold Rogers, 63, was taken into custody on Friday, CNBC reports. The information could help China manipulate the American market "in a manner similar to insider trading," said a statement from the US attorney's office in Washington, DC. Prosecutors said Rogers conspired with two members of China's intelligence and security operations who had posed as graduate students in that country.

"Gaining advance knowledge of US economic policy, including advance knowledge of changes to the federal funds rate, could provide China with an advantage when selling or buying US bonds or securities," the statement said. Rogers worked in the Fed's Division of International Finance from 2010 until 2021, per the Washington Post. The indictment on charges of conspiracy to commit economic espionage and making false statements was unsealed in federal court on Friday. The espionage charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Rogers moved to Shanghai after leaving the Fed post. (More Federal Reserve stories.)
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Money sent abroad from Bahrain could soon take two days to credit, if a proposal to delay international transfers by 48 hours gains parliamentary approval.

While real-time transactions are becoming the norm nowadays, MPs argue that this delay will give authorities crucial time to detect and catch online fraudsters. They also want telecom companies to block scam messages before they can victimise people.

If the proposal passes, banks will be required to delay international transfers by 48 hours moving forward.

The probability of this happening is high, as Parliaments foreign affairs, defence, and national security committee has already endorsed the plan. MPs Hassan Ebrahim, Dr Hisham Al Ashiri, Dr Ali Majid Al Nuaimi, First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman, and Hassan Bukhumas are the driving force behind the initiative.

Scammers are getting smarterimpersonating businesses, tricking people into transferring money, and using all kinds of dirty tricks to drain accounts, MP Ebrahim said. Banks need to stay one step ahead, and that means tightening security where it matters.

Parliamentarians believe the delay will give victims more time to detect fraud and allow authorities to stop scammers by cutting off fraudulent messages at the source.

Scammers are using fake texts and social media to trick people into handing over their financial details. We need action, both to raise awareness and to make it harder for fraudsters to move stolen money, said Ebrahim.

Committee members agree, citing the rapid growth of online fraud and the need for stronger protections.

The Ministry of Interior, through the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security, has outlined its ongoing efforts to tackle the issue. These include warnings on TV, radio, and social media, as well as collaboration with banks, the Consumer Protection Directorate, and other financial institutions. A joint committee has also been set up with the Central Bank of Bahrain and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to tackle fraud, with banks, auditors, and money exchange firms now part of the discussions.

However, the ministry has stressed that its input so far is not final. A full response will be included in the governments official memorandum, which is still being drafted.
This photo shows the destruction caused by the Israeli army in Kfar Shouba, Lebanon, on Feb. 1, 2025. The Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from the western sector of southern Lebanon, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, a Lebanese security source said on Saturday.

"The Israeli army has maintained a surveillance post on Jabal Blat hill, which overlooks several towns and villages in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon," the source added.

The source further noted that the Israeli army had previously withdrawn from several towns in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon but has maintained its presence in nine villages along the border. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

BEIRUT, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from the western sector of southern Lebanon, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, a Lebanese security source said on Saturday.

"The Israeli army has maintained a surveillance post on Jabal Blat hill, which overlooks several towns and villages in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon," the source added.

The source further noted that the Israeli army had previously withdrawn from several towns in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon but has maintained its presence in nine villages along the border.

"The occupied villages, located in the Marjayoun district, include Aitaroun, Blida, Mays El Jabal, Houla, Markaba, Rab al-Thalatheen, Adaisseh, Kafr Kila, and al-Wazzani," the source said.

According to the source, Israel is seeking to maintain a military presence in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon, a move that Lebanon firmly rejects.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect since Nov. 27, 2024, ending hostilities that erupted on Oct. 8, 2023, between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.

Under the agreement, Israel is required to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the southern border region and enforce a ban on weapons and armed groups south of the Litani River.

The Lebanese caretaker government had previously announced its approval of an extension to the ceasefire agreement with Israel until Feb. 18, after the initial 60-day truce expired on Jan. 26 without a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, resulting in casualties, claiming they are aimed at eliminating threats posed by Hezbollah. 

This photo shows the destruction caused by the Israeli army in Kfar Shouba, Lebanon, on Feb. 1, 2025. The Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from the western sector of southern Lebanon, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, a Lebanese security source said on Saturday.

"The Israeli army has maintained a surveillance post on Jabal Blat hill, which overlooks several towns and villages in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon," the source added.

The source further noted that the Israeli army had previously withdrawn from several towns in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon but has maintained its presence in nine villages along the border. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)

This photo shows the destruction caused by the Israeli army in Kfar Shouba, Lebanon, on Feb. 1, 2025. The Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from the western sector of southern Lebanon, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, a Lebanese security source said on Saturday.

"The Israeli army has maintained a surveillance post on Jabal Blat hill, which overlooks several towns and villages in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon," the source added.

The source further noted that the Israeli army had previously withdrawn from several towns in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon but has maintained its presence in nine villages along the border. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)
BAGHDAD, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Four Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Friday in airstrikes on their hideout in central Iraq, the Iraqi military said.

Acting on intelligence reports, Iraqi forces spotted four IS militants in the Zarga area, a rugged area between the provinces of Salahudin and Kirkuk, and killed them all in two airstrikes on their hideout, according to a statement from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerrilla attacks against security forces and civilians. 
TUNIS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Nafti met here on Friday with Thomas Bagger, state secretary of Germany's Federal Foreign Office, to discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement released by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting, Nafti emphasized the strong and growing partnership between Tunisia and Germany, highlighting the need for deeper consultation and cooperation.

Nafti also called for enhanced collaboration at both bilateral and European levels, particularly in boosting joint investments, increasing German tourism to Tunisia, and expanding university partnerships.

For his part, Bagger reaffirmed Germany's commitment to strengthening ties with Tunisia and supporting its development efforts, underscoring the importance of continued cooperation in key sectors. 
A Texas resident has pleaded guilty to federal crimes related to making violent threats against a religious organization in New Jersey.

Bushan Athale, 49, of Dallas, admitted on Friday to interfering with federally protected activities through the threatened use of a dangerous weapon and transmitting an interstate threat to injure another person, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said in a news release.

In September 2022, Athale called a nonprofit Sikh organization based in Burlington County. Over the course of about an hour, he left seven voicemails expressing his hatred for people who work at the organization and made several threats against them, authorities said.

In particular voicemails, he threatened that he would shave their hair with a razor and force them to smoke and eat tobacco, according to court documents.

He called the organization again in March 2024 and left two voicemails that included violent and sexual language towards the Sikh, Muslim and Jewish religions, federal prosecutors said.

As part of his guilty plea, Athale also admitted to sending text messages to a Muslim coworker and a recruiter who he believed to be Muslim, in which he threatened their lives. The text to the coworker, sent in November 2021, threatened that he would hire a Jewish person to kill the individual and the persons entire family, according to prosecutors.

Athale will be sentenced in Camden federal court on June 3, 2025.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
It's about the sea again...

On Friday, Nikol Pashinyan gave a press conference, during which he again talked a lot of nonsense, giving an excuse to rinse his name in the media and social networks. For the hundredth time, he repeated narratives that had already been refuted and scrapped as many times. He spoke, among other things, about the Armenian Constitution and other issues that make life difficult for Armenia in the region.





"I have already said, referring to the decision of the Constitutional Court, that de jure it has been confirmed that there are no territorial claims against Azerbaijan in our Constitution. On the other hand, we see that the Constitution of Azerbaijan has territorial claims against our country, but we do not raise the issue of changing the Constitution of Azerbaijan, because there are articles in the agreed part of the peace treaty that, if signed and ratified, close all these issues," Pashinyan said.





Following a very strange logic, the Armenian Prime Minister tried to assure that as soon as a peace treaty is signed, all problems will be solved immediately. And the funny thing is that after signing, the agreement will be sent to the Constitutional Court to verify its compliance with the Constitution of Armenia... It will be interesting to look at the faces of the members of the Constitutional Court of Armenia, who will have to verify the compliance of the recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan with the toxic aspects in the Basic Law of their own country. It is clear to everyone that it will be very difficult to find a match here.





Of course, the recognition of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan cannot in any way correspond to the Constitution, the preamble of which states that "the Armenian people, based on the fundamental principles of Armenian statehood and national goals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia, which fulfilled the sacred covenant of its freedom-loving ancestors ..." and so on. What are these fundamental principles of the "freedom-loving ancestors"? To find out, we open the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia, where the following is written in black and white: "The Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR, expressing the united will of the Armenian people... implementing the right of nations to free self-determination based on the joint Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR and the National Council of Nagorno-Karabakh dated December 1, 1989 "On the reunification of the Armenian SSR and Nagorno-Karabakh"... PROCLAIMS: The beginning of the process of establishing independent statehood."





What could be unclear here? Armenia declared its independence, including the territories of Azerbaijan. She began the process of establishing her statehood with a gross violation of international law. And these violations were subsequently consolidated by its Constitution, based, once again, on the "fundamental principles" proclaimed by the Declaration of Independence. No matter how hard you try, it still turns out to be a vicious circle. Azerbaijan offers to break it, but Nikol Pashinyan continues to go in a circle, returning to the same point each time.

The Prime Minister of Armenia pretends that he does not understand the place of the Constitution. It is no coincidence that this document is called the Basic Law of the country. It stands above all other laws, as well as Yerevan's signatures under international treaties. It doesn't matter what is stated in the text of the draft peace treaty. The decision of the RA Constitutional Court, which, for Pashinyan's sake, will find compliance with the peace treaty with Azerbaijan with the Constitution of Armenia, will also have no significance. But what will happen when the government changes in the country, another prime minister will come, at whose direction the Constitutional Court will not turn a blind eye to the inconsistency of the treaty with the "fundamental principles of freedom-loving ancestors." And what will happen in this case? The peace treaty will be considered invalid.





It is even inconvenient to endlessly repeat these elementary truths.





A few months ago, the Constitutional Court of Armenia, at the request of Pashinyan, already announced that the Declaration of Independence is an empty phrase and does not affect the Constitution in any way. Even a schoolboy can see that this is utter nonsense. And one can understand the outburst of indignation and nationalist hysteria that engulfed the neighbors after such a conclusion of the Constitutional Court. Moreover, in 2010, the same Constitutional Court decided in advance that no international treaties could be in conflict with the paragraphs of the Declaration and, accordingly, the preamble to the Constitution.





And a few words about the "mirror" accusations against Azerbaijan. In short, the reference to the ADR heritage has nothing to do with the territorial issue. This is a matter of political inheritance of the principles of statehood laid down by the first democratic state in the East.





Azerbaijan can help Armenia break the vicious circle. She only needs to say yes.
HARARE, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Friday called for dialogue within all parties to restore peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The bloc expressed concern that the recent attacks continued to worsen the security and humanitarian situation in the DRC, said a communique issued at the end of the SADC Heads of State and Government summit held in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.

It condemned the attacks on the SADC Mission in the DRC troops by the M23, an armed group operating in the eastern DRC, saying such actions violated the ceasefire that was brokered through the Luanda Process on July 30, 2024, and undermined peace and security of the DRC and the SADC region.

The regional body called for immediate restoration of essential utilities such as water, electricity, means of communication, and supply lines for food and other essential commodities in the war-torn region.

In his closing remarks, SADC Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for lasting peace in the DRC and for all parties to the conflict to embrace dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms.

"It is the individual and collective duty of all member states, to do much more towards permanently silencing the guns if we are to succeed in achieving these aspirations," Mnangagwa said.

He urged the international community to scale up the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected population and augment ongoing peace and security efforts in eastern DRC. 
The best ideas happen in the shower, right?

For Lisa Lane, thats never been more true.

Lane and her son, Jake Lane, won big on Shark Tank Friday, securing a dream deal for their shower attachment product.

And yes, it all started in the shower.

Lisa, who lives in Millstone Township, was at the familys Shore house in Beach Haven one day when she found herself trying to bathe a series of dogs.

When their extended family got together, thered be 15 people and four dogs, so while she wanted to be on the beach, shed inevitably be tending to the sandy pups.

I was filling a bucket over and over, she told the sharks on the Jan. 31 episode of Shark Tank.

Then came another well-worn saying:

Theres got to be a better way.

In 2019, Lisa, now 59, teamed up with Jake, 26, to create a prototype for the Rinseroo, a slip-on hose attachment. The gadget has a spray head and fits over shower heads as well as bath and sink faucets to ease cleaning ... dogs, messes and humans.

To see if their idea had any potential, they consulted shark Lori Greiners book Invent It, Sell It, Bank It! Make Your Million-Dollar Idea Into a Reality.

The Rinseroo duo pitching their product to the sharks on "Shark Tank."ABC

They were excited to learn they had a hero  and not a zero.

The product could be used to help clean dirty boots, dirty babies, dirty dogs and dirty adults.

They launched Rinseroo on Amazon, and it was an instant success.

Within a few months, the fledgling business was profitable. In the first year, the Rinseroo generated $1 million in sales, the mother-and-son duo told the sharks.

Their product taglines: No more buckets, no more backaches, rinsing reinvented and rinse and roll.

Lisa and Jake demonstrated the Rinseroo during the episode of Shark Tank by spraying a blow-up kangaroo with water. Lisa explained how Jake hated to clean his shower in college, and that trying to wash his pet with the bucket-and-splash method was like setting off a water bomb.

Rinseroo to the rescue!

One member of the panel of super-entrepreneurs, Kevin OLeary, aka Mr. Wonderful, asked why the product was worth $6.8 million.

The Lanes, who filmed the episode in June, explained theyd be making close to $5 million for the year.

The figure had another shark, Mark Cuban, doing a double-take.

Lisa and Jake have made almost $1 million in net cash profits.

The mother-and-son duo in their element on the ABC show.ABC

And that was without having the product in brick-and-mortar retail locations, which was their aim in going on Shark Tank, to secure connections to get Rinseroo in stores.

Thats really amazing, Greiner said of the Lanes progress, applauding their use of her book.

Cuban inquired about the product price and how much it costs to make a Rinseroo.

They reported quite a favorable profit margin. They spend $2.50 to $4.50 on the shower/faucet attachments and sell them for $15.95 to $29.95.

To keep their online sales going, they spend 10% of their revenue advertising on Amazon.

What do they do about knockoffs of their patented product? OLeary wanted to know.

There are quite a few of those, so the Lanes employ a protection service to get them taken down when they pop up on Amazon.

While sharks Daymond John and OLeary made them offers that fell short of their ask, Greiner ultimately stepped in to extend her golden ticket. She gave the Jersey family exactly what they asked for:

An offer of $343,000 for a 5% stake in the company.

You read my book from cover to cover, you followed it, you did what it said, it helped you, Greiner told Lisa and Jake. You are like my perfect entrepreneurs. You were successful.

With that, Greiner went in for a hug.

You are our dream shark, Lisa told her, leaving the episode visibly jubilant after their high-energy pitch.

Lisa tells NJ Advance Media that finding Rinseroo a home with Greiner was the best possible outcome.

She was our target shark, she says.

Just getting on Shark Tank was a dream realized for the Jersey entrepreneur.

Ive been a fan since forever, she says of the show. It was my goal from day one to do Shark Tank. In fact, we applied three times.

About five years later, she finally made it after going the online route with a video submission (there are also in-person tryouts).

I got into a bathtub as part of it, Lisa says.

Since introducing the Rinseroo, shes seen the product go viral a few times and take off on TikTok, which has helped make an impression.

Lisa attributes its success to mass-market potential  plenty of people might find more control over the output of their tub, sink or shower useful, whether it be for themselves, their home, their child, their elderly relative or their pet.

Its a real game-changer for a lot of everyday chores, she says.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, some even turned to the product as a substitute for an out-of-stock necessity.

People ran out of toilet paper and they were using the Rinseroo as a bidet, Lisa says.

Jake never thought hed be working with his mother when he was majoring in risk management and insurance at Florida State University.

However, Lisas job offer to her son came in handy.

I was graduating in the middle of COVID and a lot of people werent able to get jobs, he tells NJ Advance Media.

Before making her shower idea a reality, Lisa worked in marketing for a pain management practice. Before that, she was a stay-at-home mother, and before that, a pharmaceutical sales rep.

Initially, she thought Rinseroo would be a side gig.

Then it just took off, she says. I couldnt believe it, it was full-time for me and for him.

Shark Tank or no, Lisa encourages anyone with a business idea to act on it and start making prototypes.

I think its a dream that a lot of people have, she says. I never wanted to be an inventor necessarily, but it happened.

Now she holds six patents.

For more, visit rinseroo.com or @officialrinseroo on Instagram.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads.
The end is approaching for one of New Jerseys enduring record shops.

Scottis Record Shops of Summit announced via social media Friday that it will be closing soon as the owners are headed into retirement.

The record store is expected to close in the next few weeks although an exact date has yet to be announced, a store employee told NJ Advance Media.

Thank You for the many decades of friendship and support, I will miss seeing all the regulars and meeting all the new customers, the post, signed by Gary Scotti and the entire Scotti family, read. Special thanks to Susan and Nick and all of the previous employees.

The Union County record store is holding a retirement sale of 20% off all merchandise leading up to the closing.

Stay well and safe, keep the music playing, the farewell post concluded. The Instagram post has garnered hundreds of likes and sorrowful goodbye comments since being posted Friday morning.

Scottis originally opened in 1956 and has been a go-to for record collectors and music aficionados in the area ever since. It sold vinyls, LPs, turntables, speakers, CDs, posters, t-shirts, music memorabilia and more.

The store was a stop for many music lovers on Record Store Day, an annual event that celebrates independently owned record stores.

More entertainment news:

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What I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills Ive acquired over a very long career.

 Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills in Taken (2008)

The upcoming Steven Spielberg movie set to film in New Jersey needs more people to serve as background actors and extras.

That is, if they fit a particular profile, and have some very specific skills.

Namely, MRI technicians.

New Yorks Grant Wilfley Casting is looking for MRI techs who live in the New York metropolitan area to appear in the Spielberg film.

The movie, production code name Non-View, which reportedly has the working title The Dish and deals with UFOs, stars Oscar nominee Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer).

Its full cast includes Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Oscar winner Colin Firth (The Kings Speech), Bad Sisters star Eve Hewson and Emmy winner Josh OConnor (The Crown).

READ MORE: Steven Spielbergs new UFO movie with Emily Blunt is filming in N.J., casting locals. See the details.

The first casting call for extras in the movie, which went out in January, sought Cape May County locals to appear in scenes set to be filmed in March in Woodbine.

Of course, this isnt the first time Spielberg has filmed in New Jersey. His movies with Jersey scenes include West Side Story (2021) and War of the Worlds (2005). He also spent some of his formative years as a young child in Jersey, as depicted in his 2022 film The Fabelmans.

Actors Josh O'Connor, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson and Colin Firth are also starring in the Spielberg film.Theo Wargo | Getty Images; Gilbert Flores | GG2025 | Penske Media via Getty Images; Stefanie Keenan | WireImage; Michael Tran | AFP via Getty Images

If youre an MRI tech or know someone who is, here are the details (no acting experience required).

Those with professional experience as MRI techs can apply to be a background actor in the Spielberg film by sending an email to Grant Wilfley Casting.

Heres what should be included:

Name and preferred pronouns; MRI tech experience and training; phone number, whether or not you are a SAG member; whether or not you are available to work March 5 in the New York metropolitan area; your sizes (for women, height, weight, bust-waist-hip, dress size and shoe size; for men, height, weight, suit, neck and sleeve, waist and inseam and shoe size); whether or not you have visible tattoos in short sleeves and where they are located; confirmation that you are at least 18 and local to the New York area; current, non-professional photos, including one full-body photo

Send all of this to nonview@gwcnyc.com with the subject line REAL MRI TECH.

The pay rate is $226 for eight hours of work.

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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads.
The New Jersey State Police are seeking the publics help in locating an incarcerated man who escaped custody while on the way to an Essex County hospital earlier in the week.

Nicholas Voutsas, 25, escaped from a state Department of Health medical transport van that was on its way to University Hospital in Newark on Thursday around 9 a.m., officials said Saturday.

The state Human Services Police Department has charged him with escape, state police said.

Voutsas was last seen near South Orange Avenue and Bergen Street in Newark, near University Hospital. At the time of his escape, he was wearing a burgundy or maroon winter coat, officials said.

Voutsas is a Tier 2 registered sex offender, officials said. Hes roughly 60 tall and weighs approximately 260 pounds.

Anyone with information that could assist in locating Voutsas is urged to contact the New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit tip line at 1-800-437-7839 or email fugitiveinformation@njsp.gov. Anonymous tips are welcome.

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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.
A man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly fled from two separate crime scenes in a stolen car, injuring multiple police officers, officials said.

Azeem Mark, 21, of Piscataway, was arrested by officers in Philadelphia following the two incidents, the Hamilton Police Division said in a news release. He was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, resisting arrest and obstructing the administration of law.

Mark allegedly stole a white Mercedes-Benz in Newark on Friday morning and injured two officers while fleeing from area.

Later on Friday morning, shortly before 11 a.m., the car was spotted by two officers at the Hamilton Train Station in Mercer County. A man later identified as Mark was sitting in the drivers seat when one of the officers opened the drivers door, police said.

Mark then allegedly put the vehicle in drive and accelerated, dragging the two officers to the ground, and drove away from the area, authorities said.

One officer suffered a broken wrist and the other sustained minor injuries, officials said. They were treated at a local hospital and have since been released.

Mark is in the custody of the Philadelphia Police Department and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey.

The Hamilton Police Department is asking anyone with more information about the incidents to call Detective Dan Inman 609-581-4035.

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Starting Saturday, Newark residents who will be at least 16 years old by April 15 can register to vote in what will be the states first election under a voting age that low, the Essex County Clerk said Friday.

Christopher Durkin, who as clerk is the countys top election official, said voter registration for Newarks April 15 school board election starts on Feb. 1 when eligible students and adults can register online. Durkin said paper forms have been printed and are being distributed to municipal, county and school locations next week. The deadline to register is March 24.

Forms are printed and available and will be at county and city locations at the school board, and Im sure at the schools, Durkin said.

A spokesman for the Newark Public Schools district, Paul Brubaker, confirmed that registration forms will be available in schools.

The City Council voted in January 2024 to lower the minimum school voting age to 16, making Newark the first and so far only municipality in New Jersey to lower the voting age in elections of any kind from 18. Although the younger voting age had been approved, it did not apply to last Aprils race because election officials said the state Division of Elections wasnt able to adapt New Jerseys statewide voter registration system in time to account for Newarks younger voters.

The younger voting age applies only to Newarks April board of education races, not to the citys non-partisan elections for mayor and council held every four years in May, or to county, state or federal elections in November. Just as 17-year-olds can register to vote in local, state and federal races if they turn 18 by election day, potential Newark school voters can register at age 15 if their sweet 16 falls on or before April 15.

The city ordinance lowering the voting age does not permit 16-year-olds to run for school board.

Last years move to lower the voting age was led by then-City Council President LaMonica McIver, with the support of Mayor Ras J. Baraka. The idea was promoted by the Institute for Social Justice, a Newark-based nonprofit, to boost Newarks low turnout and encourage lifetime political participation among an emerging generation of voters.

Gov. Phil Murphy has expressed support for lowering the school voting age statewide.

To raise awareness of the lower voting age in Newark, McIver, who succeeded the late U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. in New Jerseys 10th Congressional District, will join Newark Superintendent of Schools Roger Leon and the Social Justice Institutes president and CEO, Ryan Haygood, for a town hall meeting on Saturday at 10 a.m., at Bethany Baptist Church, 275 W. Market St. Barakas chief education officer, Sharnee Brown, will also attend, and Baraka will address the event in a video.

As usual, three seats on the districts 9-member board are up for election this year. Those seats are now occupied by Crystal Williams, Daniel Gonzalez and Kanileah Anderson. The deadline for candidates to file petitions to run this year is Feb. 24, when the number of valid signatures required to qualify has been raised to 25 from 10.

Other key dates are laid out on a school election calendar posted on the clerks office website.

Aside from Newark, Irvington Public Schools is the only other district in Essex County  and among only a handful statewide  that has not moved their school board contests from April to Election Day in November, an option intended to save on election costs and boost turnout for school board elections.

On Friday afternoon, the district announced the launch of a student voter registration drive that will let students register during lunch periods at each of the districts high schools starting Monday and lasting through March 20th.

Each high school will have voter registration forms and directions on how to register online with assistance available for students, Leon said in an announcement of the drive. Any student who registers now will not have to register again to vote in future elections.

Newarks school board turnout has hovered around 3% for the past several years. The Institute for Social Justice and other advocates for the younger voting age say it will immediately enfranchise more than 6,000 potential student voters, and point to studies indicating the younger a person begins voting, the more likely they are to become lifetime voters.

Supporters also believe that 16- and 17-year-olds know the issues affecting their education and can make rational, informed decisions in the voting booth. Others have warned of the potential for political pressure on district staffers to steer inexperienced young voters toward or away from certain candidates.

The district has an existing policy prohibiting staff from active campaigning on school property on behalf of any candidate for local, state, or national office.

The policy further states that All district employees are prohibited from engaging in any activity in the presence of students during the performance of district employees duties.

Brubaker, the district spokesman, could not immediately comment Friday on whether officials were weighing additional policies governing student campaign activity in light of the lower voting age.

Gov. Phil Murphy has expressed support for lowering the school voting age statewide, while officials in Jersey City launched a drive last fall to lower the voting age to 16 in that citys school and municipal elections.

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Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com
To me, being a reporter was as close to being a real superhero as I can be. Like my favorite hero, Clark Kent, I knew I wanted to do good in my life and help those without a voice. For almost six years, I did that with The Jersey Journal.

With this amazing team, Ive watched us help students, professors, taxpayers, residents and even hospital patients. I didnt understand the impact we had at first, but it was the response from readers and those affected by the topics that made every challenge we faced worth it. I knew how valuable The Jersey Journal was to the community.

In the papers final moments, Im learning how valuable it was to me. Simple words cannot describe the unmatched mentoring from our Publisher David Blomquist, Managing Editor Ron Zeitlinger and Editor-at-Large Margaret Schmidt. Nor can words capture the camaraderie with fellow reporter Teri West and former reporters throughout the years. I am grateful for Jersey City and Hudson County residents who trusted us with their problems, concerns and even their celebrations and successes.

The response to our work hasnt always been kind, but that did not matter as long as it was effective. Finding new angles to stories that were being told the same way everywhere else. Thinking beyond just the basic news announcement of a press release or new legislation. I know we have made valuable changes to Hudson County whether some liked it or not.

My most valued work has been the coverage of New Jersey City Universitys financial crisis. I hope the state legislators dont give up on NJCU students. The schools name does not need to survive, but a four-year institution that offers higher education at a lower cost should. The university must be open to the change necessary to thrive and be transparent every step of the way in the decision-making process. I hope I get to return to the campus someday to see a revitalized school community.

Everything ends and its always sad. I hope whatever new begins for Hudson County, my colleagues and myself allows us to continue to do good. Ill never forget for one moment what we have done here. I will always love Jersey City. I will always love The Jersey Journal.
New Jerseys capital city utility has long had a troubled history.

This week, just how troubling things have gotten at Trenton Water Works gained new attention after two new independent reports, which combine for more than 300 pages, were released by the state.

The latest analysis, found here and here, highlights that between 2001 (when electronic records first became available) and March 2024, Trenton Water Works filtration plant was cited for 132 pages worth of violations.

The violations, which represented more than 400 individual citations, were gathered from the Department of Environmental Protections online public database.

A utility with consistent issues is a concern, Nicole Fahrenfeld, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rutgers University, told NJ Advance Media after reviewing the independent reports.

The Environmental Protection Agencys tracking shows that in 2022, 27% of public water systems in the U.S. violated at least one drinking water standard, Fahrenfeld added, juxtaposing the New Jersey findings and national ones.

Trenton Water Works serves 217,000 people in the capital city, Hamilton, Ewing, Lawrence and Hopewell.

Those municipalities have agreed with a new NJDEP recommendation to explore state and legislative actions  that would re-organize the water utility to be governed by Mercer County, all five service towns and/or other stakeholders.

Up to now, Trenton officials have made the operations and management decisions. And, in addition to politics, available funds have been notable hurdles for the water utility.

The state violations Trenton Water Works was flagged for over the two decades included:

Failing to report the concentrations of several regulated contaminants at least 16 times between 2009 and 2024

Failing to provide consumer confident reports to customers and the DEP by July 1 of each year (between 2011 and 2014, as well as 2016 and 2021)

Failing to follow procedures tied to secondary containment for delivery vehicles, plus unregistered individuals found to be filling buried storage tanks in 2014

Failing to maintain a detectable disinfectant residual concentration in the distribution system for at least one sampling period each year in 2016, 2017 and 2018

Introducing a hazardous substance into a regulated underground storage tank that was not properly registered (and was known or suspected to be leaking) in 2019

Failing to inspect equipment, including three years of no inspections for a 2,000 gallon diesel tank, in 2019

Multiple violations for failing to provide adequate job-specific training to employees

Failures between 2017 and 2023 linked to lead & copper rule monitoring and reporting, failing to maintain optimal water quality parameters, and failing to comply with the lead service line replacement requirements

new for @njdotcom, I spoke with Trentons mayor about how its much-embattled water utility may be run by 5 #NewJersey towns instead of just 1 going forward.



After a series of alarming issues, @shawnlatur said Monday that the DEP is on the job. https://t.co/5LcQNk7kSD  Steven Rodas (@stevenrodasnj) January 27, 2025

Regarding the lead findings specifically, Fahrenfeld, of Rutgers, said directly linking violations to health outcomes is difficult without more information.

The concentrations, duration, whether consumers were using point of use filters that remove lead, etc. would all impact their exposures, Fahrenfeld said. And, of course, there are other exposures we can have to lead  paint chips in older homes, contaminated soils, consumer products  to consider.

Engineering consultant, H2M Associates, based in Parsippany-Troy Hills, noted in its report that the majority of the Trenton Water Works violations were addressed.

H2M Associates said however there is an apparent track record of the improper operation of the critical treatment assets and the necessary reporting, compliance, and personnel training necessary to satisfactorily run their treatment and distribution assets.

Asked about the list of violations, Michael Walker, a spokesman for Trenton Water Works, referred NJ Advance Media on Tuesday to a statement released by the towns served by the utility.

The mayors in those towns have agreed to work together in the weeks and months ahead to plan the future management of our critical water infrastructure, to organize a municipal utilities authority staffed by qualified talent and equipped to capture the significant resources needed to provide safe, reliable, high-quality water services and fire suppression to our service-area communities for generations to come, Walker said.

NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said Monday the states involvement at TWW was meant to improve operations and service. But how the utility is run going forward is expected to change.

Well continue to provide the stability support, LaTourette said, referring to the department taking operational oversight of Trenton Water Works in 2022. DEP cannot provide stability support forever. That is not what this agency does. It is what we are doing here, because it incumbent upon us to ensure the protection of public health, but it is not sustainable in the long term.

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Steven Rodas may be reached at srodas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @stevenrodas.bsky.social.
New Jersey is associated with many things: Springsteen, the Shore, Wawa and more.

Venomous snakes, not so much.

Yet, New Jersey is home to venomous timber rattlesnakes and northern copperheads, in addition to 20 species of non-venomous snakes.

A lot of times, people arent aware there are snakes here, or think every snake is a venomous snake, said state Sen. Parker Space, who is among the very, very few in New Jersey who knows what it is like to experience a venomous snakebite.

Space, R-Sussex, was feeding mice to a group of snakes at his familys zoo in Sussex County on Dec. 30 when he was bitten by an eastern massasauga rattlesnake, a species not native to New Jersey. He was bitten on the middle finger of his left hand.

Getting bitten by a venomous snake in New Jersey involves beating the odds to an incomprehensible degree, though the chances of it happening go up when a person is handling a snake or choosing to put themself within striking distance.

It is unclear how many people have been bitten by snakes in New Jersey. State officials know of at least 17 snakebites in the wild since 1999. But those numbers dont include people bitten by snakes in zoos, labs, homes or other settings.

Still, that is less than one venomous snakebite per year, on average, over a quarter-century in a state where more than 9 million people live, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

You have a better chance of being hit by lightning, Space said.

The 56-year-old lawmaker received 14 vials of antivenom and was medevaced to a New York City hospital specializing in snakebites. He needed followup care for swelling and cellulitis, a bacterial infection that can result from a snakebite. A doctor told him a full recovery could take two months.

Every place I go, somebody wants to talk about it, said Space, 56, whose family has owned Space Farms Zoo and Museum since 1927.

State Sen. Parker Space holds a groundhog at his family's zoo, Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage.Jill Space

Up to 8,000 venomous snakebites are reported annually in the U.S. But the state Department of Environmental Protections principal zoologist, Kris Schantz, said she has documented only 17 venomous snakebites on public or private land in the state since 1999, when she started her job.

Her tally includes a July 2023 incident in which a Bridgewater resident was hospitalized after being bitten by a venomous copperhead snake at night outside a residence.

However, New Jerseys numbers are not a complete total of snakebites in the state, Schantz said. She includes only wild snake incidents.

So, the numbers exclude Spaces recent bite at his zoo and a 1999 incident in which a professor of biology at The College of New Jersey was bitten by a rattlesnake in his campus lab.

Schantz said the count also does not include the few cases in which someone is bitten by a snake kept illegally in a home.

It is also possible some snakebites remain under the states radar because police and hospitals are not required to report them.

Schantz said she is able to track many bites because she leads the states venomous snake response team, which consists of more than 80 volunteers. The team assists in relocating venomous snakes when necessary.

Its astonishing to me, how there are few people that get bitten, given how much development we have. Thats really a testament to their behavior. They dont want anything to do with us, Schantz said of the snakes.

Northern copperheads are coiled together June 21, 2023, at The Pinnacle in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

Jefferson in Morris County is known for having snake dens in town and officers get training on how to respond, Mayor Eric Wilsusen said.

We get a lot of sightings, Wilsusen said.

In 2003, a 40-year-old woman walking along Longwood Lake Road in Jefferson with her dog was bitten by a copperhead after she stepped on a small pile of leaves, not knowing the snake was underneath, the Daily Record reported at the time.

The state Department of Environmental Protection did not provide the locations or dates of the reported venomous snakebites in New Jersey. A spokesperson said that no such list exists.

The timber rattlesnake inhabits the Kittatinny Ridge, the northernmost portion of the Highlands, along with the Pine Barrens. The copperhead is limited to hilly, forested regions in North Jersey and a few isolated, hilly areas of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, state officials said.

Space said his zoo is occasionally tasked with relocating nuisance venomous snakes in Sussex County.

They show up on decks and patios, Space said.

A timber rattlesnake coiled between rocks in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 2023.Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com

About five people per year die due to venomous snakebites in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control. Schantz said there is no record of any fatalities in New Jersey over the last century.

Of the 17 venomous snakebites between 1999 and 2024 tracked by state officials, 12 were by copperheads and five by timber rattlesnakes. Eleven were on public land and six on private property.

Seven of the snakebites were characterized by the state Department of Environmental Protection as provoked by the victim doing something unwise, such as manipulating the snake for a photo. The other 10 were deemed unprovoked, meaning the victims did not see the snake before they were bitten.

The rattlesnakes tend to be really calm. If youre close, they might sit there calmly waiting for you to walk away, Schantz said.

Copperheads are a little bit quicker to strike. They just have less tolerance of us than the rattlesnakes do, Schantz said.

The College of New Jersey professor hospitalized after a 1999 rattlesnake bite in his campus lab recovered and remains at The College of New Jersey.

More recently, the professor led a study in which 35 corn snakes in the Pinelands were tracked for four years, with the aim of finding ways to strengthen a species of snake whose population had dwindled due to illegal collecting, wildfire and habitat loss due to development. He did not respond to a request for comment.

Space said he has been feeding snakes at his familys zoo since he was 12 years old and this was the first time hes been bitten.

I thought I was plenty far enough away, Space said.

Space said he has resumed feeding the approximately 40 snakes at the zoo, including cobras and vipers, in addition to the rattlesnake that bit him.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com.
A new law requiring New Jersey student drivers to log a minimum of 50 hours of practice driving time with an adult takes effect Saturday.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law on Jan. 8 and the state Motor Vehicle Commission begins enforcing the requirement Saturday, officials said.

That means the new law mandating additional practice driving applies to student drivers with a learners permit issued on or after Feb. 1 who are under age 21 and have a special learners permit or examination permit.

After those drivers complete 50 hours practice driving and pass their road tests, they must certify that they have completed the required supervised driving hours, MVC officials explained.

Relax, parents. The 50 hours of supervised driving that needs to happen over the one-year permitting phase, amounts to just 57 minutes per week, said Tracy Noble of AAA MidAtlantic in an earlier interview.

More practice leads to safer, more capable drivers, which leads to safer roads for all, said Latrecia Littles-Floyd, acting MVC Chief Administrator in a statement.

The supervised practice requirement applies to probationary drivers age 17 after they pass their road test. The state Graduated Drivers License law now requires a minimum of 50 hours practice driving, with 10 hours at night, in addition to other restrictions.

To fulfill the requirement, a Certification of Supervised Driving must be completed and signed by a parent, guardian, or supervising driver attesting to the completion of the practice driving requirement.

That form must be presented by the probationary when applying for a basic drivers license, along with all other required documents.

A driving log that can be used is in the MVCs Share the Keys Resource Guide. It also suggests trips where parents can let their teens practice driving, such as running errands, shopping, and going on family outings.

The new supervised driving hours requirement is among the steps in the states Graduated Driver License program. It was created to give young drivers more experience and reduce teen driver crash and fatality rates.

Last year, 30 of the 335 drivers killed in fatal crashes were between ages 17 and 20, according to State Police statistics.

In December, New Jersey was singled out in the 2025 Advocates for Auto and Highway Safety annual report for closing what it called a glaring gap in its graduated drivers license law with a supervised practice law.

While that group favors 70 hours of supervised practice driving, Advocates President Cathy Chase said this is better than no requirement. Such laws allows student drivers to practice in less dangerous situations to build skills, she said.

MVC officials said it will not begin processing Certification of Supervised Driving forms until August 1.

That is because permit holders under age 21 must wait at least six months from the date their permit is issued on before they can take a road test or submit the required documents for a probationary driver license.

Who is exempt from the requirement?

Student or probationary drivers with a learner permit issued before Feb. 1 and drivers license applicants who are age 21 or older at the time a permit is issued, MVC officials said.

New Jersey adoption of the requirement means Arkansas and Mississippi will be the only states that do not require teen driver practice hours.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry.
Tunisian President Kais Saied (R) shakes hands with Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom David Lammy in Tunis, Tunisia, on Jan. 31, 2025. Saied met here on Friday with Lammy to discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement issued by the Tunisian presidency. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

TUNIS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Kais Saied met here on Friday with visiting Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom David Lammy to discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement issued by the Tunisian presidency.

During the meeting, Saied emphasized the strength and stability of the bilateral relations, noting that there is still room for improvement, especially in sectors such as the economy, investment, trade, security, energy, and education.

The Tunisian president also discussed the potential for enhanced cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to address regional and global challenges.

Addressing global issues, Saied pointed out that the international response to the ongoing atrocities faced by the Palestinian people has been stronger, faster, and more unified than that of traditional global institutions.

He also mentioned other pressing challenges, including terrorism and inhumane migration, driven by cross-border criminal networks.

Saied also called for stepping up international cooperation to dismantle the networks and ensure individuals from source countries have the means to live with dignity, security, and stability to return home.

For his part, Lammy invited Saied to visit Britain soon and deliver a lecture at Oxford University in London on new humanitarian political thought at the national and global levels.

After meeting with Saied, Lammy was welcomed by Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Nafti at the ministry's headquarters.

According to a statement released by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry, the two officials exchanged views on the situation in the Sahel region, its impact on migration, and the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of migration, combating smuggling networks, and promoting regular migration.

They also discussed various international and regional issues of shared interest, focusing on efforts to reinforce security, stability, and sustainable development in the region. 

Tunisian President Kais Saied (R) meets with Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom David Lammy (L) in Tunis, Tunisia, on Jan. 31, 2025. Saied met here on Friday with Lammy to discuss bilateral relations, according to a statement issued by the Tunisian presidency. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)
A woman who admitted that she killed a man whose dismembered body was found in an Ocean County home last year was sentenced Friday to 25 years in state prison, authorities said.

Elizabeth Mascarelli, 29, of Seaside Heights, pleaded guilty in December to aggravated manslaughter for the death of Kerry Rollason, 56, of Toms River, according to a release from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office.

Rollasons killing was part of a larger, deadly crime spree, authorities have said.
Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. Here, they discuss the weeks events with editorial page editor Tom Moran.

Q. Sen. Robert Menendez, sentenced to 11 years in prison in the famous gold bar corruption case, now says that President Trump is correct, that our justice system is corrupt and targets innocent victims for political reasons. Normally, one might dismiss this as the ravings of a crooked old man on his way to prison. But at this moment, it feels dangerous. Thoughts?

Mike: Sen. Menendez is tapping into the distrust of selective political prosecution, but lets remember Menendez was investigated by justice departments from Bush to Obama to Trump to Biden. He barely escaped conviction in 2017 yet had the hubris to run again and proceed to ignore any legal and ethical lines. The gold bars in his basement and the cash in his suits and the car payments for his wife are not the fault of prosecutors or politics. To claim himself a victim is an insult to the prosecutors and all his constituents, especially those who trusted him enough to vote for him. The Hail Mary to Trump is a pathetic ending to the saga.

Julie: I know that I am in the minority here, but I can understand why Sen Menendez is doing whatever he can to stay out of prison. Short of the Supreme Court tossing this conviction, which may take years, the only way he avoids spending more than a decade behind bars is by seeking a pardon. Unless you have walked a mile in his shoes, do you know for certain that you would not do the same to avoid spending the rest of your life behind bars?

Q. In his first big reversal, President Trump rescinded an OMB directive freezing trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans after it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge. The poorly drafted order led to panic at schools, hospitals, and other organizations worried about losing financial support from the government. Was this flat-out incompetence, or is there another explanation?

Mike: Trumps goals are disruption and to cut wasteful spending, both of which people want. But goals and execution are very different things. If he wants a successful second term where he implements his vision, he will need people around him who can competently execute. In this case, the judge cited an ill-worded tweet by the press secretary to overturn the directive. Yikes.

Julie: This is pretty clear-cut. Congress has the power of the purse and the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 requires him to spend that money the way Congress intended. Meals on Wheels, which he froze, is not wasteful spending. Neither is money for more air traffic controllers, which prevents planes from crashing. Neither is Medicaid, whose portals went down the day he issued that order. But to answer your question, this is not incompetence. It is flooding the zone, so we dont have time to get outraged about any one thing before the next outrage is visited upon us.

Q. The case raises a Constitutional question about the power of a president to impound funds that were authorized by Congress, to have the final say on all federal spending. The Impoundment Control Act blocked presidents from doing that, but Trump said on the campaign to do everything I can to challenge that act, which he called an unconstitutional encroachment on president power. Is this question likely to land before the Supreme Court? If Trump wins, what are the implications?

Mike: The Constitution clearly places the power of spending in the hands of Congress, not the President. But the executive branch can have great influence in how that money is spent, and thats ultimately what Trump is trying to do here.

There is a lot of confusing and chaotic news around federal funding right now.



Senator Kim took to the Senate floor to explain what's going on, and how it affects American families. pic.twitter.com/sUe5sOt9YV  Senator Andy Kims Office (@SenatorAndyKim) January 30, 2025

Julie: I actually wrote a column about this because its pretty clear how this all ends. He is pushing the courts to see just how far he can go. Having already seized the power of the purse from the legislative branch, he is testing his power over the judicial branch. And who is going to stop him? To paraphrase Joseph Stalin, How many divisions does John Roberts have? to prevent Trump from trampling over the rule of law?

The Supreme Court gave Trump the power to destroy itselfhttps://t.co/hYYZHkitcN https://t.co/hYYZHkitcN  Julie Roginsky (@julieroginsky) January 30, 2025

Julie: Thanks to Trump v United States, the president is immune from criminal prosecution for anything he does in his official capacity, including the seizure of money that was duly appropriated by Congress. The court case is so expansive that it probably allows Trump just to ignore judicial decisions while he sits in the White House. The MAGA majority on the Supreme Court has given Trump the power to render itself absolutely irrelevant. It would be fitting justice  if only it didnt spell the end of our constitutional republic.

So the DOGE bros are bragging today that they got "DEI scholarships for Burma" canceled.



These are USAID's Lincoln Scholarships, which help young people struggling for freedom in Burma's dictatorship - a cause America has supported under Republican & Democratic presidents. 1/ pic.twitter.com/xYQR5NXg9n  Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) January 29, 2025

Q. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seemed to stumble over and over in the face of bruising questions at his first confirmation hearing Wednesday, denying that he was anti-vaccine, despite a lifetime of crusading against their dangers, repeatedly mixing up Medicare and Medicaid, and set back by a letter from his cousin Caroline Kennedy, who labeled him a predator and said he has gone on to misrepresent, lie and cheat his way through life. At the end, the chairman of the committee, Senator Mike Crapo, Republican of Idaho, said Mr. Kennedy had done well and deserved to be confirmed. Hows this going to play out?

Mike: Kennedy is a conundrum for some. Sometimes, hes clearly completely in over his head, lacks command of simple but important policy distinctions, and often sounds naive, spouting foolish ideas based on conspiracy theories, some of which are flat out dangerous. Oh, and then he often contradicts his own previous statements.

Mike: Yet at other times, he sounds cogent, thoughtful, smart, challenging to the status quo, and unafraid to ask uncomfortable questions, all positive qualities. But asking tough questions doesnt make one qualified -- lots of people ask questions. Not many of them have the expertise to run one of the most important agencies in America.

Julie: Come on. If this were any other Administration, we would not even be taking this nomination seriously. But we live in interesting times, where Republicans are more terrified of primaries than about unleashing another pandemic or bringing back polio. Kennedy is a symptom, not the cause, of this national disease, which may ultimately cost more lives than COVID.

Bernie Sanders just destroyed RFK Jr.! pic.twitter.com/Dr8ocu7Fz1  Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 29, 2025

Q. Senior Justice Department officials from Washington visited New York to discuss the corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams, raising fears that the case could be dropped, or that Trump might grant a pardon. Help me understand the politics of this one: How might it help Trump to pardon Adams?

Mike: Trump wants to make all investigations of politicians look corrupt, as it helps discredit all the investigations against him. If he makes the Justice Department look selective politically, then he makes himself the ultimate victim. The Adams case is complicated, with him being accused of taking airline upgrades, not cash or gold bars. If Trump has no problem pardoning violent rioters who beat cops, it is no stretch to say a guy who took airline upgrades may be a victim of selective political prosecution.

Julie: I agree with everything Mike said, and will only add that Adams has smartly sucked up to Trump, who never met a sycophant he did not love. Again, I cant blame Adams for this. He knows his political career is finished. His only goal now is staying out of prison.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams is quite literally selling residents of his city. pic.twitter.com/WLuQrFELfC  Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) January 29, 2025

Q. Finally, a personal note: This is my final week as moderator of this column, a project we three began in 2017 in an attempt to prove that Americans on both sides of the aisles can have a friendly, fact-based argument on the issues of the day. We did that, but I fear, alas, that the larger world has not caught on, that our national dialogue is even more bitter and crazy than it was when we started. What do you think?

Mike: We just must all do our small part to break down the barriers between people who love our country but disagree on politics or policies. And youve done that with this column, I hope. We have much more in common than we often admit. You did a good job pulling us together, and I hope we did our part to show we can disagree without being disagreeable, and that we can give each other the benefit of the doubt for good intentions even on bad policy. If we see each other as opponents instead of enemies, and remember our common humanity, focusing more on all we have in common than what divides us, we will all be okay.

Star Ledger

-

Trump is Teflon on pardons and so many issues, so he will be fine politically, but siding with cop-beaters over cops will have long-term consequences for the everyone else in the party not named Trump. https://t.co/DojxXBoIKN  Mike DuHaime (@MikeDuHaime) January 26, 2025

Julie: On a personal note, I want to thank you, Tom, for creating this column at a time when Governor Murphy was doing everything he could to stop me from speaking out about his mistreatment of women and other unethical behavior. In no small part, he failed because you never wavered. You never prevented us from telling the truth, despite immense (and, ultimately, futile) pressure from Murphy and his aides. In the age of Trump, who is not so different from Murphy in this respect, legacy media outlets should take a lesson from you about how to stand your ground against powerful people when you know you are right.

Please Lord, send us a leader who knows how to communicate like a normal person. It shouldn't be this hard. https://t.co/DNvgtz4yCZ  Julie Roginsky (@julieroginsky) January 29, 2025

Julie: The good news is that this column will continue at NJ.com for the foreseeable future, even though it will not be with you as part of it, which seems hard to fathom. (To all the people who wrote in asking that Mike and I continue Friendly Fire, thank you. Your emails made a difference and that is why this column is not going anywhere.) As for what it means about civility, it is important to remember that we are all human beings. Mike and I can disagree or even run campaigns against each others candidates but none of that is personal. We are both human beings who may just have different political priorities. If more people thought of their political adversaries that way, it would be a much better world.

Kash Patel is one of the most sinister people in government. He is a toady and a thug. He is the Josef Goebbels of Trump World: a fanatical propagandist.  Ross K. Baker (@Rosbake1) January 30, 2025

A note to readers: Mike and Julie are deeply engaged in politics and commercial advocacy in New Jersey, so both have connections to many players discussed in this column. DuHaime, the founder of MAD Global, has worked for Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and George W. Bush. Roginsky, a principal of Comprehensive Communications Group and author of the Salty Politics column in Substack, has served as senior advisor to campaigns of Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg, and Phil Murphy.

Starting next week, Star-Ledger online newspaper editor Enrique Lavin takes over as moderator of Friendly Fire.
I received many nice emails after the news broke that the newspaper will still have news, but no paper. Typical was this one:

Our family has enjoyed reading your columns and your inside knowledge of how NJ works...We will miss your insight and opinions.

Most of the messages were like that. But my favorite took a different slant:

Isnt it time? Im sure the ribbon on your typewriter is long past time for replacing. Your writing used to be informative, enlightening, even entertaining. But it seems as though you are a bitter man, a shell of what you used to be.

A bitter man? Of course Im bitter. Thats the natural reaction to 50 years of baby-sitting New Jerseys political class.

But there was a grain of truth in this readers rant, which went on for seven screens or so.

I did in fact come into this business in the age of the typewriter. That was at the now-defunct Ocean County Observer in 1975.

Back then, the term cut-and-paste had a literal meaning. There were scissors and paste-pots at the desk, and the editors often had to use them to make sense out of the reporters prose.

But that age didnt last long at the Observer. Within a year the paper went over to word processors. I didnt mind that at all. You can move blocks of type much more easily  no scissors or Elmers Glue needed.

But the computer was like one of those space invaders in a horror movie. Those aliens seem friendly at first, but soon they took over the tasks formerly done by the humans. Offices once packed with writers, editors and photographers now emptied out as the newspapers closed.

When I first got into newspapers, there was a lot of friendliness and fraternity among the journalists. Every year the members of the Trenton bureaus would gather for the Legislative Correspondents Dinner.

The putative reason for the dinner was to raise money for charity. But it provided an opportunity for the journalists to write and perform satirical songs lampooning the politicians.

That gave me the chance to make myself the target of more opprobrium than any Jersey journalist before or since.

That came in 2015, when Chris Christie was preparing for a run for the Republican presidential nomination by holding town hall events all over the state.

That prompted me to put together an act we called the Town Hall People in honor of the Village People of Macho Man fame.

We changed those lyrics to Nacho Man to highlight the governors love for dining on that fatty Mexican dish even after having lap-band surgery.

That went over fine. Everybody loves a good laugh at Christies expense.

But there was another Jersey pol also making national news that year. That was Cory Booker, a U.S. senator who would be making a run for the Democratic presidential nomination the following year.

A Washington Post article explored in depth the question of whether Booker is gay, which was the subject of many a rumor.

Booker was quoted as saying he didnt mind the speculation. And people who think Im gay, some part of me thinks its wonderful, he said in the article. I love seeing on Twitter when someone says Im gay, and I say, So what does it matter if I am? So be it. I hope you are not voting for me because you are making the presumption that Im straight.

That gave me two thoughts. The first was that if a politician invites people to explore an issue, then that issue is fair game.

And the second was: This is Jersey. And the cardinal rule of Jersey life is: Anything for a laugh.

With that in mind, I write a satire of the Village Peoples other big hit, YMCA. I titled it Guess If Hes Gay.

I figured the attendees at the dinner would be familiar with that Post piece and would recognize the humor in the lyrics. I expected the sort of applause I had received the prior year for my satire of the governor, Springtime for Christie.

That one went over just boffo.

But when this one ended, the people just sat there. They didnt even boo. As I walked back to the dressing room, even some of my fellow club members told me I was a disgrace to New Jersey journalism.

A lesser man would have skulked away. But as a lifetime journalist, I was used to treating insults with equanimity, by which I mean with beer. I grabbed a bottle and drank it in the back of the room as Chris Christie came out for his speech, in which he attacked our lampooning of Booker.

Pat yourselves, give yourselves a round of applause. That was really great. That part Im serious about. You know, theres some things like, you know, that abuse of me tonight is just fine but that was really interesting. A brand new high for you guys. Congratulate yourselves.

I congratulated myself the next morning when I saw the newspapers and radio stations lay into the governor for his own profanity-laden speech, one in which he used the F-word and the S-word liberally.

Now he had changed his tune. He had his spokesman tell reporters that his performance was meant to be funny, not serious.

Well, so was mine. But mine was a lot funnier.

He just didnt get the joke.

If the cardinal rule of life in Jersey is anything for a laugh the corollary is: Never admit you didnt get the joke.

The great writer Samuel Johnson famously said, No man but a blockhead ever wrote for any motive save money.

But if Johnson had lived here in Jersey rather than in London, he might have written just for the laughs.

If YOU WANT TO REACH ME, my phone number is the same as always, 973-735-3604. My new email is Pmulshine@hotmail.com. I will also be writing under my name at Substack.
Todays is the last issue of The Jersey Journal. Were enormously grateful for the many decades we shared with you, and for the trust and support you gave us along the way.

In this final edition, we step back and remember some of what we witnessed and accomplished together. We take a last walk through The Journals history and through some of the big stories where our words and pictures made a difference. We introduce you to people who shaped this newspaper and gave it a distinctively Hudson County voice. And we hear from you, our partners in this journey, about what the daily newspaper has meant to you and your families.

Like old friends, newspapers have personalities. Reading histories of Jersey City and looking back at old editions, its clear that from the very beginning, The Journal might be described as feisty  some might even say scrappy.

Right from its first edition on May 2, 1867, The Journal always punched above its weight, unabashedly challenging those with power to act for the greater good, calling out those who instead took advantage of their positions and stole from the taxpayers.

If there is one theme that spans the entire history of The Journal, its this: Hudson County becomes a better place when it listens to everyone who lives here. We were founded just months after the Civil War by two veterans pushing New Jersey to adopt what became the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, the then-radical idea that every citizen of the United States should have the right to vote, regardless of their race, color or previous condition of servitude. Its bizarre that more than 150 years later, America is still debating whether all persons born within its boundaries qualify as citizens.

The Journal hasnt always made good on the theme of government by everyone for everyone. We wavered in our middle years, when The Journal belonged to a Republican establishment that wasnt always keen on sharing power with newcomers. Eventually, though, we got back on track, perhaps because some of the most important figures in our history  including Joseph A. Dear (1840-1908), who built The Journal into a strong, long-lasting business, and Samuel I. Newhouse (1895-1979), who bought the paper in the 1940s  were themselves immigrants or the product of immigrants.

For the last generation, The Journal has been a steady, persistent force demanding that the publics business come out from behind closed doors, giving everyone in Hudson County an equal chance to have their say. Weve fought relentlessly in these pages against the much-too-male, much-too-white creature that is the Hudson County Democratic Organization, ever protecting its old-boy network with ridiculously generous salaries and pensions. Were thrilled we lasted long enough to see Sen. Andy Kim shatter the stranglehold party organizations had over primary elections, and look forward this year to the first gubernatorial election in decades without it.

We did not act alone. There have been many who also recognized that Hudson would be a fairer place to live if all voters could make informed decisions, demand more from public officials and hold them accountable. We know that those committed to the principles weve held dear will continue this work.

Change is coming. Two of Hudsons most powerful political figures, the mayors of Jersey City and Hoboken, are moving on from their municipal posts. A new governor will succeed Phil Murphy next January. Listen carefully as campaigns ramp up in the weeks ahead. Which candidates truly make an effort to bring everyone to the table? Which ones offer visions that see and value every neighborhood, every family, every child?

In our first issue, founders Z.K. Pangborn and William Dunning promised to be frank and fearless, neither dreading the displeasure, nor fawning for the favor of anybody. The Journal itself may not be here after today, but we hope that promise will continue to inspire Hudson County for decades to come.
People take videos of Yingge dance during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

A woman takes a selfie with members of a Yingge team during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

A woman poses for a photo with a member of a Yingge team during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

A woman poses for a photo with members of a Yingge team during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Members of a Yingge team perform traditional Chaoyang Yingge dance during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Members of a Yingge team perform traditional Chaoyang Yingge dance during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

A woman talks with a member of a Yingge team during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Members of a Yingge team pose for a group photo during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Members of a Yingge team perform traditional Chaoyang Yingge dance during the Spring Festival temple fair in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 31, 2025. The Yingge team from Shantou, south China's Guangdong province, offered a rich cultural feast in Frankfurt to friends from all over the world through their Chaoyang Yingge dance, a unique art form combining drama, dance, and martial arts. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)
Sometimes a sandwich is just a sandwich. And sometimes, its so much more.

Thats how its worked out for Lisa Greenleaf and her son Jack Greenleaf, who recently opened their specialty Italian sandwich business Lunch Uptown at Broadway and Zimpel streets, right next door to the long-time college hang-out The Boot.

Last year the duo started with pop-ups at Pepps Pub in the Marigny and then opened a counter in St. Roch Market. Then last month, they moved to their own space near Tulane Universitys campus.

Lunch Where 1039 Broadway St., (917) 450-3763; lunchsandwichshop.com When lunch daily, early dinner Thu.-Sat. How takeout Check it out Tuscany-inspired sandwiches in the university neighborhood

Tulane is a major part of Greenleafs story. She was born in New York and lived in Lower Manhattan for 40 years, working as a film producer and executive producer on big corporate accounts at an advertising firm. When her daughter said she wanted to check out Tulane, Greenleaf wasnt familiar with the school and wasnt completely sure she could even find New Orleans on a map.

But in August 2017, they visited New Orleans, and it was Greenleaf who was sold.

I swear, the second I got here, I knew, Greenleaf says. I was walking through the French Quarter; by the time I got to Esplanade I knew I was going to move here. In my mind, Im thinking, How am I going to make this happen? My son is just starting high school. I have a big job. But its going to happen.

Her daughter enrolled at Tulane, and Greenleaf came down every chance she could, returning home with Jazz Fest posters, Mardi Gras beads and king cakes to share with her New York friends. They thought I was crazy, but thats how much I love it here, she says.

Then came 2020 and the pandemic shutdowns. She and her son joined her daughter in New Orleans for what was supposed to be a month. But Greenleaf never left.

When she moved to New Orleans, Greenleaf craved sandwiches based on Tuscan and Florentine storefronts like AllAntico Vinaio, a popular sandwich that made its way to New York and now other locations.

Greenleaf made fast friends with her neighbors in the Marigny rectangle, while also cooking and feeding the crowd. Many people urged her to start her own business. There was even a group trip to research sandwiches and wine in Italy.

Meanwhile Jack, now 21, graduated from the prestigious Ecole Ducasse culinary school in Paris, adding his skills into the mix.

The menu is a collaborative effort between mother and son. The emphasis is on high-quality Italian ingredients, like mortadella, provolone, soppressata, broccoli rabe, Parmigiano Reggiano and more.

Greenleaf also perfected a recipe for schiacciata bread, foccacias thinner, crustier cousin from Tuscany. The bread, which takes two days to make, is the perfect delivery system for sandwiches like the Pisa, made with a chicken cutlet, fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and red pesto.

Its also used on the Roma, packed with prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella, fire-roasted red peppers, pistachio-basil pesto and balsamic glaze. There are several vegetarian options, including the Capri, with mozzarella, tomatoes and pistachio basil pesto, served hot or cold.

Ken Wells explores the origin story of gumbo and the abundance of the bayous in 'Gumbo Life' Journalist Ken Wells told us about researching the origins of gumbo, the uses of bear lard and growing up in Bayou Black.

The stuffed square sandwiches are flying out the takeout window, often taken directly to the Boot for consumption. Thats been popular enough that theyre going to stay open late-night with a limited menu to keep the students fed. Jack also sells his banana bread and homemade chocolate chip cookies with sea salt.

At Jacks urging, his mother added a half-sandwich option to each of the menu items, which range from $16-$21 for a hefty full sandwich. The halves run $9-$13.

I wasnt going to do it, because thats not how it is in Italy, she says. But Jack convinced me the kids ate on the run and couldnt always finish a whole. Its been a smart move.

The idea, still in progress, is for Greenleaf to open a cafe/bar with one of her neighbors in a building on Franklin Avenue, while Jack manages and runs the university location.

Feeding people, connecting with my customers, means so much to me, Greenleaf says. This is something that Jack can use his skills for and really grow. For me, Im happy in my neighborhood, feeding my friends. Thats what I want to do.
Hey Blake,

Ive lived here all my life but only recently noticed four marble statues of human figures, one on each corner of Jackson Square. What can you tell me about them?

Dear reader,

Those figures depicting each of the four seasons are said to be among the oldest statues in New Orleans. They date to the early 1850s.

Jackson Square, designed as military parade grounds, was known as the Place dArmes during the French colonial period and Plaza de Armas during Spanish rule. In 1851, it was renamed Jackson Square for President Andrew Jackson, military hero of the Battle of New Orleans.

The statues of the four seasons appeared sometime around then. Not much is known about their creator or how they came to be placed in the square.

An 1852 article in the Daily Picayune explained that the marble statues representing the four seasons, which were received some months since from the North, have been put up in Jackson Square and now add much beauty to the place.

Winter is described as an old man with a bearded chin and muffled in a cloak. Spring is a young girl with a bunch of flowers in her hand, while autumn wears the form of mature womanhood with sickle at her girdle. Finally, summer is a young man, with legs crossed, a book held to his breast and luxuriant grapes resting upon what appears to be the trunk of a tree upon which he leans.

No story about statues in Jackson Square would be complete without a mention of the statue of Jackson himself. According to the Historic New Orleans Collection, sculptor Clark Mills received the commission to create statues of Jackson for display in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans.

His D.C. statue (in Lafayette Square near the White House) was erected in 1853 and Jackson Squares in 1856. There also are replicas in Nashville (erected 1880) and Jacksonville, Florida (1987).
Apple needs to accelerate its Apple Intelligence deployment and be a bit more aggressive in emerging areas like smart glasses development to maintain an innovative edge, Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne said in a note. The next few quarters will test whether it can balance its cautious approach with the markets hunger for AI innovation.

Apple is playing catch-up with its biggest tech peers in AI. A staggered rollout of Apple Intelligence also has meant that consumers have had to wait for many features. And competitors have jumped out ahead in other areas, such as smart glasses. Apples wearables business declined over the holidays as well.

The poor performance for overall iPhone sales suggested that the company didnt get much of a lift from the rollout of a new AI platform, Apple Intelligence. Still, the new iPhone 16 performed better in countries where the AI features were available, Cook said.

Our channel inventory reduced from the beginning of the quarter to the end of the quarter, he said during the conference call. Our sales were a bit higher than we forecasted them to be toward the end of the quarter. And so we ended a little leaner than we had expected to.

The results renewed concerns about China, one of Apples biggest markets, where its struggled to fend off competition from local brands. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said that more than half of the decline in China stemmed from inventory issues.

Revenue from China plunged 11% to $18.5 billion in the fiscal first quarter, which ended Dec. 28, Apple said earlier. Analysts had anticipated a gain to $21.6 billion. Sales of the iPhone, meanwhile, dropped less than 1% to $69.1 billion. Wall Street projected $71 billion.

The shares were up 0.7% to $239.16 as of 11:32 a.m. in New York, compared with an initial drop in late trading on Thursday. They had fallen 5.1% this year through Thursday as part of a broader tech stock decline.

Sales will grow by a percentage in the low- to mid-single digits, the company said during a conference call Thursday. Though thats in line with the roughly 5% that analysts have been predicting, it was enough to soothe the nerves of investors following a mixed quarterly report.

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. gave a reassuring revenue forecast for the current quarter, helping bolster shares of the worlds most valuable company after its holiday results showed surprise declines for China and the iPhone.

Story Continues

The report also marks a changing of the guard for Apple. Its the first to be announced under new Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh, who replaced longtime CFO Luca Maestri at the beginning of this year.

Total revenue rose 4% to $124.3 billion in the period, helped by growth in services revenue. Analysts had projected $124.1 billion on average. Profit rose to $2.40 a share, beating the average estimate of $2.35. Like the revenue figure, that number was a record high.

The latest iPhones arent markedly different than the prior models  a factor that may have led some consumers to hold off on upgrades. Though the company has touted the Apple Intelligence platform as a reason to buy the device, its earlier iPhone 15 Pro models can also run the software.

Apple is planning a larger iPhone refresh this year, including a replacement for its low-end SE model in the coming months and a thinner iPhone in the fall.

The services division, which includes the App Store and Apple Music, was a bright spot, bringing in an all-time record of $26.3 billion and growing 14%. Wall Street had been looking for $26.1 billion. Services revenue in the second quarter will climb in the low-double digits, Apple said during the call.

The Mac and iPad lineups also performed better than expected. The Mac generated sales of $8.99 billion in the quarter, beating estimates of $7.94 billion.

Apple updated several models with AI-focused M4 chips last year, and it plans to roll out a new MacBook Air soon. Its also expected to unveil desktop computers later in the year.

Revenue from the iPad grew 15% to $8.09 billion, compared with an estimate of $7.35 billion. After taking a break in 2023 from launching new models, the company revamped the iPad Pro and iPad Air last May and refreshed the iPad mini in the fall. Cook said the new Air and lower-end models were mainly responsible for the revenue increase. The company is planning to update the low-end and Air models in the coming months.

The companys wearables, home and accessories category, which has struggled in recent quarters, posted revenue of about $11.8 billion. That was down slightly from a year earlier and below the projection of nearly $12 billion.

The company released a redesigned Apple Watch Series 10 and rolled out two new AirPods models last year, but its latest product category  the Vision Pro headset  hasnt been a sales driver. Parekh said the lack of a new Ultra watch in 2024 created a tough comparison for that segment.

More broadly, Cupertino, California-based Apple still faces plenty of challenges at home and internationally.

Its struggles in China have stemmed in part from not being able to offer Apple Intelligence in the country. Thats made it harder to compete with local brands like Huawei Technologies Co. Apple is working to find an AI partner that will let it launch the AI platform in China.

In the EU, where Apples AI wont be offered to customers until April, the company is facing continued scrutiny over the dominance of its App Store. The company is under threat of fines if it doesnt concede to regulators and change policies, including those related to subscription payments, that could weigh on its services results.

Locally, the company is bracing for the possibility of new tariffs during the second Trump administration. President Donald Trump has discussed imposing the levies on goods imported into the US from China and elsewhere. Right now, Apple makes the majority of its processors in Taiwan via partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., while most of its devices are assembled in China.

Asked about the possibility of tariffs, Cook said Apple is monitoring the situation.

The companys biggest hurdle may be in artificial intelligence, where it remains behind many of its tech peers. Apple Intelligence  introduced in stages over a period of months  has suffered from bugs, including inaccurate news summaries. And the homegrown features pale in comparison with offerings from OpenAI, Google Gemini and the emerging DeepSeek.

Cook praised DeepSeek during the call, but said that Apples approach would still give it an advantage.

Innovation that drives efficiency is a good thing, he said. And, thats what you see in that model. Our tight integration of silicon and software, I think, will continue to serve us very well.

(A previous version of the story corrected the size of the services forecast.)

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Apple on Thursday disclosed its iPhone sales dipped slightly during the holiday-season quarter, signaling a sluggish start to the trendsetting companys effort to catch up to the rest of Big Tech in the race to bring artificial intelligence to the masses.

The iPhones roughly 1% drop in revenue from the previous years October-December period wasnt entirely unexpected, given the first software update enabling the devices AI features didnt arrive until just before Halloween, and the technology still isnt available in many markets outside the U.S.

The countries still awaiting Apples AI suite include China, a key market where the company continued to lose ground. Although he didn't mention China, Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors on a conference call that a software upgrade enabling the AI features in more European markets, as well as Japan and Korea will be rolling out in April.

But in the past quarter Apple also was only able to eke out a modest revenue gain across its entire business, although the results came in ahead of the analyst projections that guide investors. The Cupertino, California, company earned $36.3 billion, or $2.40 per share, a 7% increase from the previous year. Revenue edged up from the previous year by 4% to $124.3 billion.

Those numbers included iPhone revenue of $69.1 billion. In China, Apples total revenue registered $18.5 billion, an 11% decrease from the previous year.

Part of that erosion in China reflected the iPhones shrinking market share in that country, where homegrown companies have been making more headway. Apples iPhone year-over-year shipments in China declined nearly 10% in the most recent quarter, while native companies Huawei and Xiaomi posted year-over-year increases of more than 20%, according to the research firm International Data Corp.

While China is a potential risk, we think the appeal of Apple products as a luxury product and the potential of AI innovations will keep demand steady in the country, Edward Jones analyst Logan Purk wrote in a research note assessing the company's quarterly report.

The holiday-season results served to confirm bringing AI to the iPhone and Apples other products may not boost the companys recently lackluster growth as much as investors initially thought it might after Cook unveiled the technology before a rapt crowd last June.

The anticipation that an AI-infused iPhone would prod hordes of consumers to ditch their current devices and splurge on an upgrade is the main reason Apples stock price surged by 30% last year. But the sinking realization that an uptick in demand may take longer than expected has caused Apples shares to backtrack by 5% during the first month of the new year. The stock initially slipped slightly in extended trading after the numbers came out, but later reversed course and rose by more than 3% after Cook said Apple is seeing a record number of people upgrading their iPhones.
Hi, My name is Edward Berger and Im the director of the movie Conclave. So were about 30 minutes into the movie. Weve set up the place as the Vatican and the Pope has died. And now Cardinal Lawrence, the character played by Ralph Fiennes, is the Dean of the College of Cardinals, meaning he has to organize the coming election of the new pope. And now its his big day because its the first day of the conclave, meaning all the doors are being shut. The cardinals are going away into the Sistine Chapel to vote for this next pope. And Ralph Fiennes gives the introductory speech, a homily. And we chose this piece of music at the very beginning. Its actually the only music that isnt composed. Everything else is composed in the movie. So its the only kind of source music sung by a choir. And it is the only piece of music that is played in the Sistine Chapel for hundreds of years. And I found this fact on a 6:00 AM morning tour. We went to the Sistine Chapel on a guided tour with and it was empty. Its the only time that its empty. If you go at 6:00 AM and the guide told us that this was the piece of music. So I looked it up and found it and found it immensely moving and beautiful. So I decided to put it into the movie. So Ralph starts out the speech in Italian, and Ralph spent a long time practicing Italian, and he was actually very, very adamant. We always had a dialogue coach or someone like an Italian woman there who listened to his diction and everything. She was very satisfied of how he performed it because also he was super meticulous that it felt believable that hes lived there for 25 years and has practiced Italian for 25 years. So we paid a lot of attention to that. But then at some point, something comes over him, a feeling. And he stops. And then he switches into his natural language, which is English. But you know all that. Let me speak from the heart for a moment. And delivers a speech about really his true feelings, and that is doubt. He expresses his doubt about his own faith, about his own purpose in the church, about the Church in general, about what he thinks the next pope should be like, someone who accepts doubt and gives in to doubt. And that intuitive speech, that giving into it raises a lot of eyebrows. In this scene, you will notice, were usually fairly wide on Ralph in the beginning when he speaks Italian. Were from behind. Were from a profile. And then as soon as he speaks from the heart, as soon as his speech changes, we go in for a close up, a very frontal central close up, and the camera starts moving. And then its actually just one shot. Certainty is the great enemy of unity. Certainty is the deadly enemy of tolerance. Its just one shot, uninterrupted small push in on Ralph as he speaks and he loses himself within his words and he doesnt notice anyone around him. And only then, once hes finished. We cut to the reverse of a wide shot of all the cardinals listening. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery and therefore no need for faith. Let us pray that God will grant us a pope who doubts. The scene sets Ralph Fiennes up as a character to be reckoned with. He delivers the speech that comes from his heart and other Cardinals, especially the ones with ambition to become the next pope, suddenly fear that theres a new contender in the room. And that is the climax of the scene.
President Trump is set to impose tariffs on imports from Americas three largest trading partners: Goods from Mexico and Canada will be subject to 25 percent tariffs and those from China will be hit by a 10 percent fee. The White House said that the tariffs will go into effect tomorrow.

The president, who on the campaign trail described tariff as the most beautiful word in the dictionary, has made clear that he intends to use the powerful economic tool to advance his domestic political goals. The planned tariffs are, in large part, an effort to pressure Mexico, China and Canada to accept deportees and help stop the flow of migrants and drugs into the country.

The tariffs will immediately raise costs for the importers who bring products across the border, including oil and gas. That could incentivize more U.S. manufacturing. But it could also disrupt supply chains and lead to product shortages. In the longer run, companies could pass the cost on to American consumers, raising prices and slowing the economy.

All three governments have promised to answer Trumps levies with tariffs of their own on U.S. exports, including Florida orange juice, Tennessee whiskey and Kentucky peanut butter.
F.A.A. air-traffic overseers have for years viewed the clogged airways around Reagan, which attracts a high number of military and official government flights because of its location as well as a busy flow of commercial ones, as a point of concern  so much so that they issued a warning in a 2023 memo assessing the impact of adding new flight routes to the airport.

Some legislators have worried, too. Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, warned last year about the prospect of people asking lawmakers to comment after a tragedy and saying, You were warned and you voted for it anyway.

Mr. Kaines prognostication, which was made just before Congress voted to add five new round-trip routes to Reagan, proved painfully true this week, after 67 people perished in a fiery collision above the Potomac. Divers on Friday were still searching for bodies in the water.

The new helicopter route closures, which were told to the airspaces approved users on Thursday but not announced more broadly until Friday, effectively block off helicopter access to the north and south of the airport, said a helicopter pilot who was briefed on the decision by an F.A.A. email alert and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential message.
SATURDAY PUZZLE  This grid is an appealing collaboration between a relative newbie, Kate Chin Park, and Rafael Musa, a veteran who has teamed up with many other constructors. Theres a bite to it, mainly from its literary and historical trivia, but the crosses are pretty generous  every time I thought I was stuck in a row, I kept up my momentum by coming up with some letters from Down columns, which were slightly less thorny.

There are a ton of great nuances in this fill, as well: I noted entries that go together by crossing, running next to each other both horizontally and vertically or even mirroring each other in the grid. Those touches and the wit in the cluing make for a terrific solve.

Tricky Clues

1A/14A. The clue pairs in this grid that seem too clever to be unplanned start here. At 1A, the [Experience thatll change ones mind] is an ACID TRIP (maybe for the better, if you listen to Michael Pollan). At 14A, [Broad views], the answer refers not to your groovy mentality but to wide vistas: PANORAMAS.

28A. Solvers who know this long entry right away will get an excellent start on the right side of the grid because of it; otherwise, it could be difficult to deduce. The [Sojourner Truth speech in which she said You need not be afraid to give us our rights is AINT I A WOMAN, which she delivered at the Womans Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, in 1851.
By Emma Farge

BELLINZONA, Switzerland (Reuters) - Swiss judges will issue a verdict on Friday in a corruption trial involving commodities trader Trafigura and three other defendants who allegedly paid bribes to an Angolan oil official in exchange for oil deals.

The case is the first time in Switzerland that a company has been charged at its highest court with corrupting a foreign official and a very rare instance globally of a former top executive of a trading firm landing in the dock.

Prosecutors alleged that Trafigura and others paid bribes of more than $5 million via a network of intermediaries to the Angolan official to win oil deals from 2009-2011.

They are seeking a total of over $156 million in penalties and compensation from Trafigura and a four-year jail sentence for former Chief Operating Officer Mike Wainwright.

Trafigura, which sent its current board member Pierre Lorinet to field prosecutors' questions during the December trial, has said the anti-bribery and anti-corruption controls and the compliance programme in place at the time at its parent company met legal requirements and good practice standards.

Wainwright has rejected all the allegations against him and his lawyers say he is confident the case will be dismissed. Lawyers for the two other defendants, whom Reuters did not name due to restrictions under Swiss privacy rules, deny the charges.

During the trial in the southern city of Bellinzona, the court was shown dozens of pages of documents, memos, emails and messages as supporting evidence.

Some involve an ex-Trafigura employee who the indictment says was nicknamed "Mr. Non-Compliant" by late Trafigura founder Claude Dauphin because he did things forbidden at the group. Dauphin's family says he has been singled out unfairly.

Any sentence can be appealed to the court, which would place on hold any prison sentence pending the outcome.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; editing by David Evans)
A 9-year-old boy was fatally shot Friday evening in Newark about three blocks from where a 36-year-old man who had been wounded by gunfire was found, the authorities said.

The child was killed near the intersection of Yates Avenue and Osborne Terrace, said Carmen Martin, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutors Office. The shootings took place shortly before 6 p.m., she said.

The man and child did not appear to be related, Ms. Martin said on Saturday.

The boy, identified as Yasin Morrison by his aunt Lataisha Morrison, had taken an Uber that night to his grandparents house with his father and sister, she said. He was shot and killed as he was leaving the vehicle, Ms. Morrison said.

When Yasins father heard the shots, she said, he pushed his son back into the sedan and tried to press him and his sister to the floor to shield them. It did not work. A bullet hit the back of Yasins head, Ms. Morrison said.
A small medical plane carrying six people crashed near a shopping center in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday night, killing all on board and one person on the ground and sending a large fireball into the air that engulfed homes and vehicles in flames, the authorities said.

At a news conference on Saturday morning, Mayor Cherelle Parker of Philadelphia said the person killed on the ground had been in a vehicle. She said that at least 19 others were injured on the ground, but cautioned that the number could change. The conditions of those injured were not immediately available.

Adam Thiel, the managing director of the city of Philadelphia, said at the news conference that the crash affected an area of roughly four to six blocks. City personnel were going door-to-door to inspect buildings and make sure there was no hidden structural damage.

He said it could be days or more before officials could definitely answer the question about the total number of those who died and the outcome of those injured.
The Justice Departments campaign of retribution against officials who investigated President Trump and his supporters accelerated late Friday with the firing of more than a dozen federal prosecutors at the U.S. attorneys office in Washington, according to a department memo.

Emil Bove, the acting No. 2 official at the department, offered no evidence those targeted had done anything improper, illegal or unethical. Instead he cited a legal technicality.

Those informed of their dismissals had been hired to investigate the Jan. 6 riot as the office struggled to manage what became the largest prosecution in the departments history.

The move came on a day when the F.B.I. indicated it would scrutinize thousands of rank-and-file agents involved in Trump and Jan. 6 investigations. It amounted to a powerful indication that Mr. Trump has few qualms deploying the colossal might of federal law enforcement to punish perceived political enemies, even as his cabinet nominees offered sober assurances they would abide by the rule of law.
Honduras received deportees on U.S. military flights on Friday, part of President Trumps push to show that his administration is cracking down on migration at the southern border.

After Mr. Trump authorized the military to assist in securing the border, through an executive order, the Defense Department said it would airlift more than 5,000 people in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody.

The use of military flights to transport deportees has raised alarm among some Latin American leaders, who have questioned the imagery of deportees boarding the flights in shackles. Some have also objected to how Mr. Trump has described deportees as hardened criminals.

Honduras was among the first countries in the region to speak out about Mr. Trumps threats to carry out mass deportations, and on New Years Day, President Xiomara Castro warned that she could even expel the U.S. military from the country depending on the new administrations actions.
Richard Grenell, President Trumps envoy for special missions, said on social media that he was flying home from Venezuela with six American detainees on Friday, after meeting with the countrys president.

There were at least nine people with U.S. citizenship or residency detained in Venezuela, according to Venezuelan officials. The government had accused some of them of plotting to kill the countrys president, Nicolas Maduro.

Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela, Mr. Trump said on social media. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!

The United States has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela, and the U.S. government was not even sure where its citizens were being held, a State Department representative said this month.
Restoring a community like Altadena isnt going to be quick or easy, agreed Michael Maltzan, the architect of Los Angeless Sixth Street Bridge, among other recent projects. His family had to evacuate when the Eaton fire threatened to overrun a canyon near their house. Rebuilding will take years and potentially involve additional building codes that may raise construction costs, and entail new forms of development that could improve but also alter the neighborhood. The question is whether displaced residents regard the community that emerges as a net positive or negative, he said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed two bills providing $2.5 billion in state money, and he also issued an executive order suspending some permitting and review requirements, to help resurrect ravaged houses and businesses. The suspensions imply that these permits and reviews were never especially necessary in the first place  or else that speed has suddenly become more critical than safety  but either way, the steps are intended to hasten recovery.

Authorities are nonetheless estimating that cleanup will take months before any construction can begin. Meanwhile, the long, tortuous process of recouping losses will frustrate more than a few displaced residents. Insurance may evaporate after the state moratorium on cancellations for displaced homeowners runs out, complicating loans.

And private equity firms are already in the wings. If swaths of a neighborhood like Altadena are bought up by equity investors looking to make money, the neighborhood will become not just different but even less affordable. State and local officials insist they will prevent these firms from doing that.

Well see.

Chicago took decades to emerge from its Great Fire. New York is still rebuilding a park on the Lower East Side that flooded during Hurricane Sandy, 13 years ago. Cities evolve in hundred-year increments is how Kaliski, the architect, puts it, pointing out that in Los Angeles the neighborhood of Crenshaw has been a focus of various renewal efforts since the 1940s; Bunker Hill, since the 1920s.

Theres lots of discussion percolating in the Los Angeles design community now about prospective moonshots for new building materials and new forms of housing. California and the city had both been trying to construct more housing to address a shortage before the fires. In recent years the state has issued tens of thousands of permits, the largest number of them in Los Angeles, to homeowners contemplating what planners call accessory dwelling units, but most of us know as granny flats, an ordeal that can still entail years of bureaucratic hell.
I never applied for any competitions before, Tabouret said in an interview. And I think when I saw this, I was like, OK, if Im going to try once in my life to apply for something, it should be this. Because theres nothing bigger, more historic or incredible.

Tabouret grew up in the South of France and knew even as a child that she wanted to be a painter. She fed her interest with books filled with 19th-century landscapes. And around the time she turned 18, she took the train to Paris, where she was admitted to the venerated Ecole des Beaux-Arts.

She visited New York as an exchange student at the Cooper Union before heading back to Paris, where she modeled for art classes, worked as a telemarketer and waited tables to stay afloat. One day in 2013, the French billionaire businessman and collector Francois Pinault noticed one of her paintings, she said. He bought all of her work at the show. The next morning my life was different, she said.

A little more than a year later, she moved to Los Angeles, where she quickly discovered one of of the citys core charms: That feeling that you can be in a town, but also be very solitary, she said.
When an Argentine architect, Luis Laplace, saw a neglected mural by the North American artists Philip Guston and Reuben Kadish at the Regional Museum of Michoacan, in the Mexican city of Morelia, seven years ago, he resolved immediately to try to save it.

What struck me was the scale of it, the beauty, the history, he said of the mural, titled The Struggle Against Terrorism. It is a kaleidoscope of persecution and resistance made in 1934-1935, when the artists were barely in their 20s.

Painted on a wall in a colonial palace in the heart of Morelia, the pink-stoned capital of Michoacan State, the surreal, Renaissance-influenced composition of broken bodies, ominous hooded figures and tools of cruelty was crumbling and faded. Whole sections of the piece were missing. The patio was being used to store chairs.

I was quite astonished, said Laplace, who is based in Paris but at the time was working on a project in Morelia.
I spoke to Marc Rowan, the C.E.O. of Apollo Global Management, about a provocative plan he believes could fundamentally reshape our economy and finally fix the federal budget. Whether it has a chance of being implemented is an open question, but Rowans ties to President Trump and the chatter the plan is generating means it could factor into budget talks later this year.

Several weeks after President Trump won the election, he invited Marc Rowan, the co-founder and chief executive of Apollo Group, the giant private equity and credit firm, to Mar-a-Lago for a job interview to become the Treasury Secretary. Rowan, who was in Asia for meeting with investors at the time, canceled all his plans and flew across the globe to meet with Trump. Rowan, who is arguably one of the most powerful financiers in the world, spoke with Trump but ultimately did not get the job. (Scott Bessent did.)

But since then he has become an increasingly influential voice on economic policy in President Trumps orbit and even among some Democrats  and he has been pitching a very specific plan.

Rowan, the C.E.O. of Apollo, is a champion of a budget model for the federal government that he helped fund at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, where he is chair of the schools board of advisers. Called the Penn Wharton Budget Model, it involves cutting taxes, but also cutting almost every tax exemption; increasing the capital gains tax rate; creating a carbon tax and rewriting the rules of immigration and health care. Its suggestions  which according to the model could by 2054 create a 38 percent reduction in federal debt, a 21 percent increase in G.D.P., and a 7 percent increase in wages  are likely to draw both boos and applause from Republicans and Democrats alike.
A leading New York City hospital system has begun canceling appointments for transgender children following President Trumps executive order threatening to withhold federal funding to hospitals that provide gender-affirming treatments, according to the childrens parents.

The hospital system, NYU Langone Health, has not made any public announcements. But word spread among parents of trans children after the hospital canceled appointments for two 12-year-olds who had been scheduled to receive implants that dispense puberty-blocking medication.

The father of one of the children said his childs doctor had told him that because of the new administration  a reference to Mr. Trumps executive order  the hospital would not be able to proceed with the procedure. The child had been due on Thursday to have a small device that would release Supprelin LA, a puberty-blocking medication, implanted in the upper arm. The father said the doctor suggested that they try calling other hospital systems in New York City or one the doctor recommended in Philadelphia.

The second 12-year-old was scheduled to have the same procedure on Friday. That childs mother said she was informed that her childs appointment was canceled on Wednesday, one day after the executive order was issued. When she asked why, she said, she was told that the medical team was awaiting more guidance.
(embeds graphic)

By Chayut Setboonsarng

BANGKOK -Thailand is bracing for an extended EV price war triggered by a surge in local production from Chinese car makers, a move likely to deal a further blow to a domestic auto industry already struggling with tumbling sales, industry experts said.

Electric vehicle sales in Thailand, Southeast Asia's largest EV market, are forecast to jump 40% this year, exceeding 100,000 units and reversing a 8% drop in sales last year, Suroj Sangsnit, president of Electric Vehicle Association of Thailand (EVAT), told Reuters.

The expected surge in sales is largely because of a national incentive programme that requires local production of 1.5 vehicles for each imported vehicle between 2022 and 2023 for companies to qualify for tax breaks - and to avoid paying hefty penalties.

The programme, which also includes price subsidies of up to 150,000 baht ($4,400), helped Southeast Asia's second-largest economy become the region's biggest EV market, which registered 70,000 new EVs last year. It imported about 84,000 EVs between 2022 and 2023.

But it now threatens to intensify bruising price competition in a weak market where auto sales are slumping because of tight credit conditions and ballooning household debt, analysts said.

Great Wall Motor for January, dropped the price of its Ora Good Cat as much as 270,000 baht, while GAC AION lopped 166,000 baht off the price tag of its AION Y Plus. Both are Chinese companies.

"Price wars will be prolonged, aggressive, and more widespread," said Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) Economic Intelligence Unit senior analyst Tita Phekanonth, adding that there also could be discounts for internal combustion engine vehicles.

Thailand, a major auto production hub in Asia, exports about three-fifths of locally manufactured vehicles.

The Board of Investment (BOI), which anchored the incentive programme, changed some of the rules in December - extending a battery production timeline and offering incentives for hybrids - to ease concerns of oversupply and a price war.

BOI chief Narit Therdsteerasukdi told Reuters that EV companies would start exporting this year as well, potentially easing oversupply.

"They are not restricted to right or left-hand drive either," he said, pointing out that Chinese carmakers were producing both EV variants in Thailand.

"Other markets like Indonesia have also seen investment from (China's) BYD and Neta," said Hathaiwal Tungkaterakul, a senior researcher at Kasikornbank, and those companies' EV exports compete with Thailand's.
I have young adult children, and a lot of their friends associate the party now with what is characterized as wokeism, and Im wondering if this is a failure of communication or perception? Or how do you address that?

Ill tell you how I address it. I can just go to what I did in Minnesota. So you know I won my race by  I dont want to get the numbers wrong here  16 points. I ran ahead of the presidential ticket by 11 points. And I think a lot of that was building trust. You can do that over time, but you can also do that just by the nature of the fact that you show up. So thats the first thing Id say. If we just go where its comfortable, and not where its uncomfortable, we will never win elections like we should on a national basis.

What Im talking about here is, in my case, I visit all 87 counties every year. In some places, I think I know everyone in the county. One of my favorite visits, I went to an award-winning small business that was a truck, and the name of it was We Kill Bedbugs With Heat. They put mattresses in a truck and turn up the temperature over 150 degrees, and thats what they did. And they had me go in the truck  but they didnt turn up the heat! And so I tell that story because you go where its uncomfortable, not just where its comfortable.

Especially for rural America in the next few years, there are a lot of things heading their way. They have, as you know, traditionally voted for the Republican Party. But when you look at some of the things that are proposed by the Trump administration, which includes health care cuts that could very much decimate rural hospitals and health care, which includes these across-the-board tariffs which will greatly hurt our export market for farmers because of retaliation. And its been my experience that our farmers want trade thats an even playing field for them. They dont want aid, they want trade that works for America. So thats the second thing.

The third thing is that people are patriotic on both sides of the aisle. And this is one of the things that bothers me so much about Kash Patel. As someone that has supported numerous Republican nominees for jobs, including for the F.B.I., I have voted for them, I have supported them and I have put my trust in them, even though they may not have been the first person that I would have picked. When you start putting in people who are going in there on a revenge agenda, people that see this as some kind of fidelity to the president as opposed to the American people, I think all kinds of bad things can happen. Thats why I wanted to make the point so clearly at the inauguration that the reason we swear in United States presidents in the Capitol and not at the White House or in some gilded executive office building is because we believe in three equal branches of government, and never has that been more important than now.
Donald Trump does not care about merit.

If he cared about merit, then Pete Hegseth  a former Fox News host who has been accused of having a history of alcohol abuse and professional malfeasance  would not be secretary of defense. If he cared about merit, then JD Vance  with even less experience than one of his least experienced predecessors, Dan Quayle  would not be vice president of the United States. And if he cared about merit, then neither Robert F. Kennedy Jr. nor Kash Patel would be a hairs breadth away from serving as secretary of health and human services or director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Trump does not care about merit, but he talks about merit all the time. It is the key term in his war on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, or D.E.I. But if Trump does not care about actual merit then what, exactly, is he going on about? What is merit and what is an anti-meritocratic D.E.I. policy?

Trump gave us one answer last week when he revoked a 60-year-old nondiscrimination order and shut down civil rights enforcement at the Justice Department. He gave us another when he issued an executive order mandating patriotic education and taking aim at any teaching that dwells on this countrys troubled history of racial hierarchy and subordination. He gave us another answer on Wednesday when Secretary Hegseth paused military recognition of Black History Month as part of his effort to uproot D.E.I. and show that diversity is not our strength. And Trump gave us one more, during a Thursday news conference, when both he and Vice President Vance blamed diversity for the midair collision near Washington National Airport that claimed 67 lives the night before.

We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system, Trump said. Only the highest aptitude, they have to be the highest intellect and psychologically superior people were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers. He then went on to complain, falsely, that the Federal Aviation Administration under President Joe Biden and his transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, was actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agencys website.
Late on Monday night, for example, the White House fired two Democratic members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the chair of the National Labor Relations Board, describing them as far-left appointees with radical records. These officials, who would almost certainly be strong critics of the administrations attempts to reduce civil rights and labor protections, do not work for Mr. Trump; they are board members of independent agencies, approved by the Senate, and their terms are not up. The Supreme Court ruled in 1935 that presidents cannot dismiss members of independent agencies like these simply over policy differences, and the court declined a chance to overrule that precedent last year.

The administration also fired more than a dozen prosecutors in the Justice Department simply because they had worked on the criminal investigations of Mr. Trump, a particularly egregious example of his determination to combine personal retribution with future deterrence. Beyond the trampling of Civil Service rules for career employees  the termination notices cited no improper conduct or poor performance  the firings sent an unmistakable message to law enforcement authorities throughout the government: Ignore any malfeasance or corruption you may come across in Trump world, and do not even think of starting an investigation or a prosecution, because we will find a way to fire you and stop your work.

Mr. Trumps steamrolling of all official scrutiny is beginning to draw criticism even from within his own party, which has largely stood by as he has undermined norms and values that used to be considered bipartisan. Senator Charles Grassley, Republican of Iowa and chairman of the Judiciary Committee, along with his Democratic counterpart, Richard Durbin, sent a letter on Tuesday to the president demanding a detailed and case-specific explanation for the firing of each inspector general. This is a matter of public and congressional accountability and ensuring the publics confidence in the inspector general community, a sentiment shared more broadly by other members of Congress, the two senators wrote.

Its vital that those members of Congress, from both parties, stand up to Mr. Trumps early moves. Their branch of government is no less in danger of losing its autonomy than the executive watchdogs are. Several Republican senators have already been coerced into abandoning their better judgment on some of Mr. Trumps most unqualified cabinet nominees, as Joni Ernst of Iowa learned when she first voiced reservations about Pete Hegseth after he was nominated for defense secretary. The pressure campaign directed toward her by the MAGA world and the Iowa Republican Party is a principal reason she changed course and Mr. Hegseth is now running the Pentagon. The president has repeatedly threatened to use recess appointments to bypass the Senate entirely if it rejects his choices.

But it is not just the power to advise and consent that Mr. Trump has put at risk. In the last few days, he has also made it clear that he is prepared to override the most fundamental power given to Congress by the Constitution: the ability to appropriate tax money and determine how it is spent. On Monday the White House announced a freeze on all federal financial assistance like grants and loans to state agencies and nonprofit social service organizations, many of which said they were immediately locked out of the federal payment system. The week before he eliminated federal diversity and inclusion programs and halted most foreign aid spending.
Cymbeline, really? But why?

That tends to be my reaction whenever I hear that the overstuffed late Shakespeare play is getting a revival. Surely there must be something to stage thats less of a slog?

Now along comes a Cymbeline to prove me wrong. The National Asian American Theater Companys production, using a lucid modern verse translation by Andrea Thome, is frankly a delight: funny, absorbing, even affecting. And with not a single man among its wonderfully strong cast, it has both a sense of frolic in satirizing macho pride and an in-the-bones understanding of male menace.

Directed by Stephen Brown-Fried at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater in Greenwich Village, with dramaturgy by John Dias, this Cymbeline is presented with Play on Shakespeare, a project dedicated to creating versions of Shakespeares plays in modern English. The freedom of that approach makes it a striking contrast to Beckett Briefs, slightly uptown at Irish Repertory Theater, where another dead canonical playwright, Samuel Beckett, retains his customary tight control to fine effect. More on that below.

Thome imbues her translation with a light, graceful touch; her Cymbeline feels like Shakespeare, but our 21st-century ears acclimate to it faster. The plot is still, of course, ridiculous, and less about the title character, a British king (Amy Hill), than about his daughter, Imogen (Jennifer Lim), who has secretly wed her beloved Posthumus (KK Moggie). Cymbeline wanted Imogen to marry the son of his dreadful new queen (Maria-Christina Oliveras), the doltish Cloten (Jeena Yi), whose one selling point is the amusingly puckish lord (Purva Bedi) who makes up his retinue.
But during these difficult days, with the flames barely extinguished, Ms. Basss deliberate nature has fed the frustration among many constituents, despite some progress she has made over these past two years in dealing with homelessness, the issue that was so central to her election.

She is a trained social worker, trained community activist  what better credentials for dealing with homelessness? said Fernando Guerra, the head of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. But in 2025, that is not the No. 1 issue.

A few days after her session with Mr. Trump, Ms. Bass sought to display her empathy as she walked through the commercial district of the Palisades, trailed by homeowners, television cameras and aides. She paused in front the blackened frame of what had once been a Ralphs supermarket.

The grief and the pain, the denial and the anger that everyone feels is so palpable, Ms. Bass said. She talked about the challenges of rebuilding and tried to assure residents that this part of Los Angeles would retain its character, as an upper-middle-class neighborhood with mostly single-family homes, set between the hills and the ocean.

She then lapsed into talk of process and procedure.

Make sure youre only here for a short period of time, and thats mainly for health reasons, she said. The first phase is going to begin when the E.P.A. comes in, and in a few days, the county will have a form ready  the right to entry form. Then the second phase, when the debris removal happens, people can go ahead and fill out that form and well give you more information about that.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to Central America on Saturday, kicking off his first official trip with a visit to Panama amid tensions over President Trumps threats to seize control of the Panama Canal.

Mr. Rubios plan to visit four Central American nations, along with the Dominican Republic, reflects the Trump administrations intense focus on halting illegal immigration across the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as the influence migration will have on American diplomacy in the coming years. Mr. Rubios other planned stops are El Salvador, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

The itinerary also follows Mr. Rubios longstanding interest in Latin America. The son of Cuban immigrants, Mr. Rubio was a Republican leader on U.S. policy toward the region during his Senate career.

The trips highlight is likely to be Mr. Rubios visit to Panama, which will include a stop at the Panama Canal, State Department officials said. That sets up a potentially tense dynamic with Panamanian leaders, who say they are unwilling even to discuss transferring control of the canal.
The strikes were more symbolic than substantive, several U.S. military and defense officials said, meant more to burnish Mr. Trumps image as a commander in chief protecting the country from terrorists in the early days of his administration than to neutralize a serious threat.

On Thursday, the militarys Central Command said a U.S. airstrike in northwest Syria had killed a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an Al Qaeda affiliate.

The strikes in Somalia on Saturday were a much larger operation, military officials said, and the fact that Mr. Trump had to approve it meant that at least one of the operatives was probably a senior leader of the Islamic State in the African country.

Mr. Trump said in a message on social media that the strikes had killed a Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited who were hiding in caves.

Somalia, though, is better known as a harbor for Al Shabab, the terrorist group linked to Al Qaeda, than for the Islamic State. U.S. intelligence officials estimate that Al Shabab in Somalia has roughly 7,000 to 12,000 members and an annual income  including from taxing or extorting civilians  of about $120 million, making it the largest and wealthiest Qaeda affiliate in the world.
White House officials said they were pleased that the Defense Department has cooperated fully in providing the administration with video content documenting the border deployment and the deportation flights. (According to the Defense Department, its videos are produced by career military public affairs officers, some of who also have experience filming for news organizations.)

The White House communications team is in constant contact with the Pentagon, Ms. Leavitt said this week.

It remains unclear what the Marines will be doing at the border as part of the deployment given the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which puts limits on the activities of the military on U.S. soil. Mr. Trump and his aides have talked about invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807 to allow the military greater freedom to act, but so far they have not done so.

During Mr. Trumps first term, active-duty military members largely played a supporting role at the border, not directly confronting migrants attempting to cross the border. Critics of the president said this week that the current effort seems more like a photo op than a serious way to increase security at the border.

One Marine officer, who asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the primary role for the military in the early days of its time at the border is to weld concertina wire into engineering stakes that could then be attached to the border wall, in the hopes of providing some additional deterrence.

Corey Price, the former head of the officers who handle deportations at ICE, said the videos and media were clearly intended to send a message.

My thoughts are that they are highlighting ICE and their important mission to ensure the public knows what they are doing and also get ahead of any accusations that ultimately get made against ICE during their enforcement operations, Mr. Price said.

The message appears to have been received, at least in some online communities.

In response to the Trump administrations public relations push, Selena Gomez, the singer and actress with 65.5 million followers on the social media site X, posted a 30-second clip of herself sobbing about the treatment of what she called my people at the hands of government immigration agents.

The backlash to her video from Mr. Trumps supporters was swift, accusing her of having not expressed the same level of concern for the victims of murders or rapes committed by illegal immigrants who had been convicted of the crimes. Within hours, she had taken down her video.

And the administrations efforts to publicize its efforts have continued. Wednesday evening, Mr. Miller reposted video of Border Patrol agents marching a line of handcuffed immigrants back into Mexico across the Hidalgo bridge from McAllen, Texas.

Ben Laffin contributed video research and Jonathan Swan contributed reporting.
After a week of fighting, rebels backed by Rwanda have wrested almost full control over Goma, a city of two million in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Hospitals are overflowing with the wounded, and the city morgue with the dead. Gomas residents are beginning to emerge from their hiding places, desperately searching for water and food. And the Congolese military that was supposed to protect them has been vanquished.

On Thursday, in a yard outside Gomas biggest stadium, rebels with the Rwanda-backed M23 militia loaded more than 1,000 soldiers they had captured into truck beds, where the men stood packed together. Most wore the uniforms they were captured in. Many of them were furious.

But the curses they spat were not directed at their captors; rather, at Felix Tshisekedi, the Congolese president, whom they accused of selling them out, and at the military commanders who had abandoned them. Their commanders, together with government officials, had left behind their vehicles, seen in videos and photographs, and boarded boats in the early hours of Monday morning as M23 arrived in the city, escaping across a moonlit lake while leaving their men to fight alone.
As Secretary of State Marco Rubio begins his first overseas trip on Saturday in Panama, Central American countries are largely reeling under the weight of President Trumps confrontational approach, including threats of military force to reclaim the Panama Canal and coercing nations into accepting military planes filled with deported migrants.

The visit comes during a tense period for the region, which has been grappling with the potential economic repercussions of Mr. Trumps policies, like mass deportations and a halt in foreign aid.

Its every country for himself, said Michael E. Shifter, a senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue research institute in Washington. U.S. leaders know how fragmented the region is and how easy it is to pick them off, he said. And thats what Trump does best.

Despite several attempts to secure meetings with Mr. Trumps team in the lead-up to his presidency, the region faced consistent rebuffs. Now, with Mr. Trump in office and treating Latin America as a critical focus  as noted in his Inaugural Address, in which he mentioned Panama six times while traditional foes like Iran and Russia were never raised  the stakes are high.
This is The Takeaway from today's Morning Brief, which you can sign up to receive in your inbox every morning along with:

The chart of the day

What we're watching

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Economic data releases and earnings

Power providers stock performance over the past year has mirrored the industry they were drafting on.

The S&P Utility Index climbed 20% in 2024, with names like Vistra and Constellation Energy soaring far more. In fact, Vistra, which owns both power generation and retail electricity operations, rose 258% last year, topping Nvidia.

That increase was predicated on the idea that these typically snoozy companies would see a sea change in growth based on demand for power for AI data centers. One catalyst was Microsofts commitment to Constellation Energy last year to buy power at far above-market rates from a restarted Three Mile Island nuclear reactor.

The stock surge has been quite a shift for a sector that investors usually favor for its stability and dividend payouts. For some longtime analysts, it has meant utility stocks have gotten ahead of themselves.

This is what happens when tourists invade a value space and they just push these stocks up to huge valuations, Anthony Crowdell, who covers the sector for Mizuho, told Yahoo Finance in an interview. He emphasized that while theres speculation of further Microsoft-style deals, it is so far the only one.

And then DeepSeeks R1 release brought the momentum to a screeching halt after it triggered questions about whether generative AI training and inference can happen more efficiently, meaning less power will be needed. The lofty valuations made for long falls  Constellation opened Monday around 20% down from Fridays close.

With the tech sector, investors have become accustomed to big growth and big valuations, as well as the volatility that can sometimes accompany shifting expectations. While some have argued that AI will revolutionize how people live and work and predict more growth for megacap tech stocks, its more of a continuation of their existing business than a fundamental reworking.

Contrast that with utilities, a classic value sector (that is, lower growth and lower price-to-earnings ratio) that has been trading like growth.

Some analysts still see it that way.

We believe that this sell-off was an overreaction to this news, and data center demand is likely to continue over the intermediate term, Bank of America analysts led by Ross Fowler wrote in a note to clients this week. Still, they acknowledged, The longer term has a lower probability of the mega growth bull case, and there is a slightly higher downside risk to efficiency gains sooner than we anticipate.
President Trump on Saturday ordered 25 percent tariffs on all Mexican exports to the United States and a similar levy on all Canadian goods, except for a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy. His move sent shock waves through both nations, whose leaders have warned that the tariffs will harm all three countries and disrupt their deeply interwoven economies.

On his first day in office, Mr. Trump had vowed to impose punitive tariffs on Mexican and Canadian exports on Feb. 1, to force the two countries to better secure their borders against the flow of undocumented migrants and drugs.

The tariffs target the United States closest neighbors and key trading partners. Mexico became the United States largest trading partner last year, exporting a variety of goods, including automobiles and avocados, while Canada is the largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the United States.

Mexican officials have criticized the tariffs, arguing that they will not only harm Mexicos economy, but will also hurt U.S. companies that have production plants in Mexico, including General Motors and Ford. American consumers are also likely to see higher prices for fruits, vegetables and other products.
[In case you missed it: In Canadas Suburb of Detroit, Fears Over Trumps Tariff Threat]

Our conversation has been condensed for space and edited for clarity.

What will be the effect of tariffs on your city?

Im not going to paint another picture than it being completely catastrophic if theres a 25 percent tariff. When the cannon is aimed directly at the auto industry or the parts sector, that is life-altering for a lot of families here.

But the impact will also be felt on the other side of the border as well.

This trade war will have casualties on all sides. Theres no winner here. If its about America First and saying were going to bring all these jobs back to the United States  I think its a pipe dream. Weve built an integrated economy with Mexico, Canada and the United States that has proven to create a lot of jobs in all three countries.

Is there not a danger, however, that Canadian companies will simply move across the border to maintain access to the U.S. market?

You may be able to bring a plastic injection mold over to a facility in the United States. But to think that youre going to repatriate the entire auto parts sector, it aint going to happen. Its going to take a lot longer than I think the president expects.
A broad group of Arab nations on Saturday rejected an idea floated by President Trump for Gazans to be moved to Egypt and Jordan, saying in a joint statement that such a plan risked further expanding the conflict in the Middle East.

The statement, signed by Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries, did not refer to Mr. Trumps comments explicitly but warned that any plan that encouraged the transfer or uprooting of Palestinians from their land would threaten stability in the region and undermine the chances of peace and coexistence among its people.

In recent days, Mr. Trump has suggested on multiple occasions that more Gazans should be evacuated from the enclave and taken in by Jordan and Egypt.

The far right in Israel has made similar calls for Palestinians to leave the territory.

Youre talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing, Mr. Trump said of Gaza last weekend. I dont know. Something has to happen, but its literally a demolition site right now.

He said Palestinians could be in Jordan and Egypt temporarily, or could be long-term. It was unclear from Mr. Trumps comments whether he was suggesting that the entire population of Gaza  more than two million people  should leave.

For Palestinians, even the suggestion of such a mass exile evokes painful historical memories: Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced to neighboring countries during the war surrounding Israels 1948 establishment. After they left, Israel did not allow them to return and many are still formally considered refugees.

Egypt and Jordan immediately spurned Mr. Trumps call. Both countries have longstanding peace treaties with Israel and support a Palestinian state but also fear that a large influx of Palestinians who would remain indefinitely could stir domestic upheaval.

The office of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said he had received a call from Mr. Trump on Saturday that touched on the Gaza cease-fire but made no mention of the idea to evacuate Gazans.

It described their exchange as positive and said they had agreed on the need to stabilize the Gaza cease-fire deal and advance the implementation of it, according to a statement from the Egyptian presidency. It called for stepping up humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The Egyptian leader stressed the importance of reaching a lasting peace in the Middle East.

The international community places its trust in President Trumps capacity to secure a historic and enduring peace agreement, which would bring an end to the decades-long conflict in the region, the Egyptian statement said.

The statement by the Arab countries on Saturday was a notable show of unity from across the Arab world. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the secretary-general of the Arab League also signed onto the statement, which came after a meeting of foreign ministers in Cairo.

The statement said that the countries looked forward to working with the Trump administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in accordance with the two-state solution.

During his previous administration, Mr. Trump submitted a plan that Palestinians said fell far short of giving them a truly independent state. It is still unclear what he may seek to advance during his current term and what his long-term visions for Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank are.

The Trump administration has appeared eager to engage with the Gulf powerhouses of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after the president enjoyed mostly friendly relations with both in his first term.

But Mr. Trumps stance on Gaza could complicate those efforts.

His administration seeks to broker a wider Middle East peace agreement that would include normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a deal that Mr. Trump sought during his first term.

But the war in Gaza, in response to the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, has prompted major shifts in the region.

Widespread anger over the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and wreaked vast destruction and displacement of the population, has renewed attention on the issue of Palestinian statehood.

Saudi Arabias leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has said his country will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without a Palestinian state.

Millions of Palestinian refugees are already living in camps in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon while others are living in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Egypt has also allowed more than 100,000 Gazans to cross into its territory since the war began in October 2023.

On Friday, a small group of Egyptians demonstrated on their side of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza as part of a protest against Palestinian displacement from Gaza. Rallies in autocratic Egypt are almost always staged or sponsored by the authorities.

Egypt and Jordan are both significant U.S. partners in the Middle East, and the U.S. government has typically seen their stability as key to the wider region. They both receive considerable U.S. funding. Egypt is the second-largest recipient of foreign aid after Israel.
Hamas has included an American-Israeli in its hostage releases for the first time since the militant groups cease-fire agreement with Israel came into effect two weeks ago.

On Saturday, Hamas handed the hostage, Keith Siegel, over to the Red Cross at a ceremony in Gaza City, with dozens of rifle-wielding militants standing nearby.

Mr. Siegel, 65, and his wife, Aviva Siegel, 63, were abducted in the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. They were taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a small farming community near Israels border with Gaza.

Palestinian militants released his wife, Aviva, during a short-lived cease-fire in November 2023, and she has since been campaigning for her husbands freedom.

Mr. Siegel, a North Carolina native, immigrated in 1980 to Israel, where he has worked as an occupational therapist. He and his wife have nine children and grandchildren.

In a statement on Saturday, the White House said that the Trump administration had worked hard to secure Mr. Siegels release and affirmed that it was committed to the freedom of all remaining hostages.

In June, Mr. Siegels brother, Lee Siegel, described the agony of watching rounds of cease-fire talks, only to have his hopes be dashed days later.

Its incredibly frustrating to have this yo-yo experience once again, Lee said at the time. Every day that goes by, it becomes exponentially more difficult to continue with hope.

The current cease-fire was reached after more than a year of indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

On Saturday, Leora Schwartz, Lees sister-in law, said she felt some relief in seeing Keith walk out of captivity.

You feel like you can breathe again, she said in a phone interview.

On Friday, congregants at Beth El Synagogue in Durham, North Carolina, had been anxiously waiting to hear news of Mr. Siegels release. The interim rabbi, Rachel Posner, said that Mr. Siegels mother, Gladys, was one of the matriarchs of the synagogue. She passed away in December, meaning her son did not have a chance to say goodbye.

The Israeli authorities have said they believe that only two other American-Israeli hostages are still living. One is expected to be freed in the coming four weeks, and the other in the second phase of the cease-fire.

The Israeli authorities have said they believe that Palestinian militants in Gaza are holding four bodies of dual American-Israeli citizens.

Hamas and Israel have not yet negotiated the details of the second phase of the cease-fire, but those talks are expected to start in the coming days.

Relatives of hostages scheduled to come out in the second phase have expressed concerns that Israel could return to war against Hamas after the first phase if the militant group does not agree to give up its control over Gaza. They worry that such a scenario could endanger their loved ones.
Hamas later said Ms. Bibas and the two children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israeli officials have not publicly confirmed the claim but have warned that they are gravely concerned for their fates.

A video of Ms. Bibas being marched through the kibbutz by a Hamas militant with her two children on Oct. 7, 2023, captured her terror. They were imprisoned separately from Mr. Bibas. In November 2023, Hamas posted a video showing him being told that they had died in captivity.

The Bibas family has struggled with not knowing whether their loved ones are alive. The last time any of them received proof of life for Mr. Bibas was when images that showed him bleeding from the head circulated online.

Ofri Bibas-Levy, Mr. Bibass sister who has been advocating a cease-fire and hostage deal, said she was grateful for the attention of the news media and world leaders. But the haunting images of Shiri and her children have turned them into symbols of the crisis and generated a degree of public fascination about their fate that was sometimes rattling, she said.

People attach their names to any new story that pops up, even if it is made up, she said at a gathering of relatives of hostages near the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel in Jerusalem to renew calls for an urgent deal to bring them home. And every time that happens, it shakes our whole world.
Sick and wounded people left Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah border crossing on Saturday for the first time in nine months under a key provision of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

But officials in the Gaza Health Ministry said that only 50 of the thousands of ill and injured people in need of treatment abroad would be able to cross on Saturday.

Al Qahera News, an Egyptian state-owned TV channel, live-streamed ambulances arriving at Egypts side of the crossing, carrying some of the ill and injured.

The crossing had been closed after Israel invaded Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, in May. The war has devastated the health system in Gaza, leaving the hospitals still in service struggling to provide care.
High Immigration Arrest Figures Under Trump Come With Few Details

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency charged with handling much of President Trumps immigration crackdown, said it had arrested 7,400 people in nine days, significantly increasing enforcement. But details of those arrests have been scarce, leaving it unclear whether the criminals being targeted make up a significant share of those being captured.

ICE and the White House have highlighted a few dozen individual cases, posting criminal histories and photos of arrested immigrants to social media. For the remaining thousands of cases, no information has been made available.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have conducted raids and arrests throughout the country in the days since President Trump took office. Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Federal officials declined to share details on where most arrests took place, how many people had criminal backgrounds, or how many were ultimately detained or released. They also declined to say whether people who were not targeted were also swept up in the enforcement efforts. Tammy Spicer, an ICE spokeswoman, said national statistics would be published on the agencys X account.

The New York Times contacted all 25 of the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices, seeking information about the arrests, but officials either did not respond or declined to share details.

So far, the bulk of the available information about immigrant arrests has come from social media posts by ICE and other federal enforcement agencies. The Times examined accounts from ICE, its sub-agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration, for individual case information published since increased enforcement began.

All together, they had published details of 59 cases as of Thursday. The White House X account had posted details of 21 additional cases.

The most commonly mentioned offenses were immigration violations, assaults, crimes involving children, and drug and weapons charges. Some of the people arrested were said to have been convicted of a crime, either in the United States or in their home countries. Others were said to have been charged with a crime or suspected of criminal activity.

Mr. Trump pledged throughout his campaign to conduct a mass deportation operation. Since the inauguration, his administration has pushed the message that raids and arrests are meant to take the most serious criminals off the streets.

But Trump officials have said that other immigrants found nearby could also be arrested, in detainments known as collateral arrests. Tom Homan, Mr. Trumps border czar, confirmed that agents made collateral arrests in Chicago last week.

Tom Homan, President Trumps border czar, said some immigrants without criminal histories had been caught up in immigration sweeps this week. Doug Mills/The New York Times

Reports on the ground appear to coincide with arrest totals. Increased ICE activity has been documented nationwide, with local news media reporting dozens of arrests in Chicago and New York and smaller numbers in other cities. The widespread images and video footage of the new enforcement operations have struck fear into immigrant communities.

Internal ICE data obtained by The Times for a single day last week showed that daily book-ins to ICE facilities were roughly in line with that days published arrest total.

But without more complete records, it is not possible to determine whether the small fraction of cases that have been publicized reflect an accurate picture of the overall enforcement effort.

Jason Houser, the ICE chief of staff during the Biden presidency, said he thought that in order to reach a figure on the order of 1,000 daily arrests, hundreds of nonviolent offenders were most likely being apprehended and filling detention space in ICE facilities that are already near capacity.

ICE should be tackling violent criminals, but the full data will show you that that is not where they are currently focused, he said.

In at least some cases, agents have detained immigrants who had outstanding deportation orders but no criminal records.

Over the last eight years, ICE arrested around 130,000 people per year, or more than 300 each day. Most years, about 80 percent had a criminal conviction or pending criminal charges, though this category includes misdemeanor charges like traffic violations.

Annual ICE arrests by criminality Convicted Pending charges Immigration violation A surge in crossings at the southwest border led to an increase in arrests of people without any criminal history. 150,000 100,000 50,000 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 A surge in crossings at the southwest border led to an increase in arrests of people without any criminal history. 150,000 100,000 50,000 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement annual reports Note: Data is for fiscal years.

About three-quarters of past ICE arrests were custodial, meaning immigration agents coordinated with local law enforcement to pick up people who were already detained in jails or prisons.

Most of the recently publicized arrests have been at-large arrests in communities, a strategy that requires more time, effort and resources, and that typically accounts for a smaller share of enforcement.
Black History Month has been celebrated in the United States for close to 100 years. But what is it, exactly, and how did it begin?

In the years after Reconstruction, campaigning for the importance of Black history and doing the scholarly work of creating the canon was a cornerstone of civil rights work for leaders like Carter G. Woodson. Martha Jones, a professor of history at Johns Hopkins University and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor, explained: These are men [like Woodson] who were trained formally and credentialed in the ways that all intellectuals and thought leaders of the early 20th century were trained at Harvard and places like that. But in order to make the argument, in order to make the claim about Black genius, about Black excellence, you have to build the space in which to do that. There is no room. This is how they built the room.
AMBITIOUS plans for a multi-million transformation of the Grand Canal Harbour in the centre of Tullamore have been given a major boost this week.

Contracts for the development of a new Craft Centre of Excellence have been signed by Waterways Ireland which will allow them to vacate the harbour allowing it to be developed for other uses.

The harbour is a premium site in the centre of the county town and last year ambitious plans were unveiled which would see it being developed for residential and business uses.

The development has the potential to transform the centre of Tullamore.

Waterways are set to vacate the harbour in 2026.

Waterways Ireland, which is the navigational authority for the inland navigable waterways, on Friday, officially appointed Pat Loftus Construction to develop a new Craft Centre of Excellence to replace the Tullamore Harbour depot which has been a regional base for the last 60 plus years.

The development of the Craft Centre of Excellence will safeguard the centuries-old tradition of lock-gate crafting, and the production of associated bespoke heritage fittings, in Tullamore.

Using Ekki timber imported from Africa, every lock gate is individually crafted by specialist carpenters to the exacting specifications required to ensure the smooth operation of 120 locks across 420km of navigation along the Grand Canal, Royal Canal, and Barrow Line.

Mechanical teams will continue to maintain fleets of boats, dredgers, weed-cutters, diggers, vans, lorries and other specialist equipment at the new location. Teams based at Tullamore also manage the development and maintenance of the Grand Canal Greenway from Shannon Harbour in Co. Offaly, to Lowtown in Co. Kildare.

Thus, Tullamore will continue to play a vital role in fulfilling Waterways Irelands remit as Custodians of the Waterways for many years to come.

The new Craft Centre of Excellence, located 1km east of Tullamore, , is expected to be operational by June 2026, at which time the Harbour site in Tullamore town centre will be vacated. During the construction phase, it is anticipated that the works will support 20-30 jobs in the region.

The Craft Centre of Excellence will serve as base for up to 70 staff across several departments of Waterways Ireland, including Operations, the Inspectorate, Mechanical & Electrical Team and Finance. The project will see the construction of Carpentry and Mechanical craft workshops, an administrative building, and supporting amenities including yard areas, hardstanding and a waste-water treatment unit.

Speaking at the signing of contracts for construction of the Craft Centre of Excellence, John Mc Donagh, Waterways Ireland CEO stated: The signing of contracts for the development of the Craft Centre of Excellence is a welcome and significant milestone for Waterways Ireland and for the region. It will ensure the continuation of a great tradition of waterways craftsmanship in Tullamore. At Waterways Ireland we have responsibility for the maintenance and development of over 1,100km of inland waterways and 650km of paths and cycleways. This new Craft Centre Of Excellence will provide our teams with modern premises and future-proof Waterways Irelands capacity to develop recreational and tourism amenities for locals and visitors alike across the region.

Speaking for Pat Loftus Construction, Managing Director Patrick Loftus said: We look forward to working with Waterways Ireland and the project design team in the delivery of this new facility. We are excited to apply our teams expertise to construct what promises to be a modern and impressive base for Waterways Ireland future operations in Tullamore.
(Reuters) -Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has suspended its quarterly cash dividend amid restructuring efforts, the U.S. pharmacy chain operator said on Thursday, sending its shares down nearly 8% in extended trading.

"The company's cash needs over the next several years, including with respect to litigation and debt refinancing, were important considerations as part of the decision to suspend the dividend," Walgreens said in a statement.

The dividend suspension is "prudent and somewhat overdue," said Leerink Partners analyst Michael Cherny.

"We see this as the right move for Walgreens' ability to reboot the business but the near-term dynamic is the forced technical selling that will likely have to occur given the company will no longer be income-generating," Cherny said.

The company was looking to sell itself to private equity firm Sycamore Partners and had also reached out to other potential buyers, according to media outlets. The company has declined to comment on the reports.

The decision comes weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit alleging that the pharmacy chain knowingly filled millions of prescriptions that lacked a legitimate medical purpose.

If found liable, Walgreens could face civil penalties of up to $80,850 for each unlawful prescription, according to the Justice Department.

Walgreens, which operates the second-largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., has said it plans to shut thousands of stores pressured by persistently low drug reimbursement rates and consumers avoiding high-priced grocery items.

CEO Tim Wentworth has unveiled a series of changes, including a $1 billion cost-cutting program and exploring options for its non-core businesses, as he tries to kick-start growth and gain back investor confidence.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
Eight students from Offaly were among 593 students who were awarded prestigious Entrance Exhibition Awards for the 2024/5 academic year from Trinity College Dublin.

The awards go to students accepted into the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme who achieved the highest points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school, above a minimum of 500 CAO points (or equivalent).

The Offaly students are Homesh Rajesh St. Mary's Secondary School; Aisling Maire Hughes Sacred Heart Secondary School; Aisling Cotter Killina Presentation Secondary School; Cara Finn Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa; Corey Eady Oaklands Community College pictured above; Fatima Karimi Tullamore College pictured above; Hannah Kenny Banagher College; Daniel Walshe St. Brendan's Community School

Many former awardees have gone on to make a significant contribution to the economic, cultural, and political life of Ireland and beyond. Past Exhibitioners include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

The students come from 452 different schools and from 30 counties on the island of Ireland as well as 38 countries overseas.

The awards were delivered at three ceremonies at Trinity's Old Dining Hall, starting on 21 January 2025, to which the students and their school principals were invited.

Trinitys Provost, Dr Linda Doyle, said: I am delighted that the award winners have chosen Trinity College Dublin for their higher education. My own experience of going to university was absolutely transformative and I want nothing less for our students. I encourage them to avail of all that life in Trinity has to offer, from the top-class academic environment to the huge array of clubs and societies, all of which are situated in an outward-looking university with a strong international perspective.

I also want to acknowledge the huge role played by school principals and the wider school community in nurturing the talent of these students. This year, our Principals Forum, taking place alongside the Entrance Exhibition Awards, is focusing on the challenges and opportunities of Artificial Intelligence, which I hope they will find very useful.

Students who achieve the highest points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school with at least 500 points in the Leaving Certificate (or its equivalent EU/EEA second-level final examinations) are eligible for an Entrance Exhibition Award. This includes bonus points for Mathematics. When more than one student from a school get the same high points, all receive an award.

The Entrance Exhibition Awards were awarded to 372 students from Leinster (236 from Dublin), 84 from Munster, 51 from Connacht and 40 from Ulster.

Awards also went to 46 overseas students from the following countries:

Austria (1), Belgium (1), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1), Bulgaria (1), Costa Rica (1), Croatia (1), Cyprus (1), Czech Republic (6), Denmark (1), Finland (1), France (1), Germany (3), Greece (1), Hungary (1), Iceland (1), Italy (1), Latvia (1), Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (1), Malta (1), Moldova (1), Netherlands (1), Norway (1), Oman (1) Poland (1), Portugal (1), Romania (1), Singapore (1), Slovakia (1), Slovenia (1), Spain (1), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1), UAE (1), Taiwan (1), Ukraine (1), USA (1), UK (exc. NI)(2).

Awardees receive a certificate and a 150 book token.


Elijah McCoy (top) and a steam locomotive form the 1870s.

(Image by Collage of public domain images) Details DMCA



Born in 1844 to parents who had escaped slavery, Elijah McCoy was the genius Canadian-American engineer behind the well known phrase, "the Real McCoy."

His parents had escaped from Kentucky to Ontario, Canada via the Underground Railroad, and Elijah was schooled in Canada until the age of 15. Having shown an aptitude for mechanics, he was sent to Scotland to attend the University of Edinburgh. After eight years of study, he completed an apprenticeship program in engineering and earned his certificate as a mechanical engineer.

He returned to the U.S., where his parents had moved in the interim, but he was unable to find employment because no one would hire a Black engineer. The only job he could find was as a railroad laborer at Michigan Central Railboard as a fireman and oiler.

But that provided him with inspiration.

Elijah embarked on a series of railway-related inventions. One of his inventions was for an automatic lubricator for steam engines which was used on locomotives and ships (1879, U.S. patent 129,843).

In Story of the Negro (1909), Booker T. Washington recognized Elijah as having produced more patents than any other Black inventor up to that time. Elijah would ultimately hold 57 patents.

McCoy's automatic oil-drip cup revolutionized how machinery was lubricated. In the Post-Civil War the U.S. experienced a rail boom during the rapid growth of Westward expansion. The First Transcontinental Railway was completed in 1869. Steam engines required constant lubrication for their many moving parts to prevent overheating and malfunction which required frequent stops. Also, manual application of lubricant to heated metal was dangerous and time consuming. But these moving parts had to be lubricated to prevent the machinery from seizing, breaking, overheating, and causing catastrophic accidents.

McCoy's automatic lubricator offered continuous lubrication while the train was running without impacting the schedule or putting workers at risk. It increased efficiency so dramatically that by 1899 it was the preferred style of lubricator and was used on nearly all North American railroads.

Elijah McCoy's device was not the only one of its kind, but it was the safest and the best. No wonder the buyers and railroad workers insisted on "the real McCoy." Their lives depended on it.
Dwight D Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, in his farewell address at the end of his presidency, warned us about the danger of the military-industrial-complex.

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial-complex. Our military organization today bears little relation to than known, of any of my predecessors in peace time. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process."

Ike's worst fears have come true. Our politicians didn't listen.

Greed took over. There's too much money to be made on weapons and war.

The M I C now dominates and is destroying our country. We have a permanent war economy. And, we are subjected to endless, unnecessary wars.

These wars make us less safe, not more.

Only we the people can stop America's slow, certain, decline into poverty and hopelessness.

WAR IS MAKING US POOR!
The recent Trump administration's decision to impose new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China is a significant and controversial move that will have far-reaching economic and political implications. For starters Canada is a NATO ally and an historically important trading partner with cordial and friendly relations with the United States. Donald Trump has arrogantly suggested that Canada become part of the United States and its prime minister the new governor. Such imperialistic posturing and braggadocio are part of the Trump playbook - intimidate, bully, threaten and demonize both friends and adversaries. Curiously, this part of the second Trump Administration's "America First" policy.

Trump's Rationale and Justification

The White House has justified these tariffs primarily on the grounds of combating the illegal fentanyl trade. For example, press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the tariffs are being implemented "for the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans." This framing attempts to link trade policy with national security and public health concerns. However, this justification is problematic for several reasons:

Misattribution: While China has been a significant source of fentanyl precursors, Canada and Mexico are not major producers. Lumping these countries together oversimplifies a very complex issue.

Effectiveness: Tariffs are a blunt instrument for addressing drug trafficking, a kind of bulldozer approach. It's unclear how broad economic penalties will directly impact the illegal drug trade.

Diplomatic strain: Using tariffs as a punitive, bullying measure against close allies like Canada and Mexico risks damaging crucial relationships and cooperation on multiple fronts, including drug enforcement.

The Economic Impact

The proposed tariffs are also likely to have significant economic consequences:

1. Consumer costs: Higher tariffs will most likely lead to increased prices for American consumers on a wide range of goods, from automobiles to food products.

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Nothing beats the Cascades alpenglow view from Dana Madisons front porch in Bend.

The pink cast of the mountain range doesnt get old, even after more than 40 years in central Oregons most populous city.

It takes away my breath every morning, said Madison, who works at a local Presbyterian church after her family business, a satellite television retailer, closed last year.

For low-income residents like Madison, the citys views are becoming a luxury as home prices reach toward the mountaintops. The median Bend home most recently sold for $700,000, Beacon Appraisal Group LLC reported, and officials say many have left the city due to the escalating cost of living.

Madison bought her two-bedroom, two-bath home in May 2021 for $274,000. She pays just over $900 a month in principal and interest, benefiting not only from low pandemic mortgage rates  but also the fact that she doesnt own the land she lives on, just the house.

The land is held by a so-called community land trust run by RootedHomes, a Bend nonprofit. The arrangement dramatically reduces Madisons monthly mortgage payment in Bend, where a shortage of homes and an expanding population are driving up the price of homes  and most especially the cost of the land on which they sit.

Community land trusts are becoming increasingly popular in Oregon, one in a patchwork of partial solutions to a deepening housing-affordability crisis.

Madison said the land trust model was the only hope that somebody like me had as home prices skyrocketed.

It just made it more affordable, she said, and therefore more accessible.

RootedHomes started just over a decade ago as Kor Community Land Trust with a mission to build low-cost, energy efficient housing for local workers, according to cofounder Amy Warren, who recalled working for free for three years before the nonprofit scraped together enough money to hire her as executive director and buy some land to develop.

By the end of this year, Rooted hopes to have nearly 60 homes in Bend, and it is expanding into neighboring communities, said Jackie Keogh, who replaced Warren as executive director in 2021.

Land trusts are daunting to establish because someone must oversee their complex ownership structure in perpetuity, and existing trusts often struggle to expand because funding is limited.

Backers like Tony Pickett, chief executive of Grounded Solutions Network, argue that permanency is part of the appeal. Many forms of affordable housing developments have income-restriction mandates that expire after a few decades. Community land trusts, with deed restrictions that enforce their affordability and are meant to endure permanently, can serve more generations of families.

The trusts are thriving, active, growing, Pickett said, adding that a recent count showed more than 300 such programs in the U.S.

Pickett traces the origins of the community land trust model to the 1960s South, where Black sharecroppers leased land for their homes and farms. They lived subject to the caprices of white landowners who Pickett said often evicted the tenant farmers in retaliation for peaceful protests.

A group of civil rights pioneers raised money to go to Israel to study communal land ownership, Pickett said, and came back inspired to create what we now know as community land trusts. The first, established in Georgia, was at the time among the largest tracts of U.S. land owned by African Americans, he said.

Land trusts gained traction across ensuing decades as nonprofit and religious leaders grasped for new ways to make housing affordable for families experiencing poverty, Pickett said. Today, the largest is in Vermont, a trust championed by then-Burlington Mayor Bernie Sanders.

Families in community land trust homes tend to stay for five to seven years before moving on. Six in 10 residents will move into market-rate homes, Pickett said, citing a study from his group and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a testament to how a step up can facilitate economic mobility.

Denise Rowcroft doesnt know if shell ever leave her land trust home, part of the Rooted at Crescita development near Pilot Butte, the hulking hill that dominates Bends eastern cityscape. Shes leaving that decision until at least her middle school-aged daughter, now 12, graduates from high school.

Bendite Denise Rowcroft opened her home at Rooted at Crescita to housing leaders, including Gov. Tina Kotek, for them to learn more about the community land trust model in mid-January.Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

At Crescita, she and her husband pay $2,200 a month for the two-story house they bought in 2023, rounding up to the nearest hundred to shave off time and interest on the mortgage.

Absent the land trust, the Rowcrofts would not have been able to own a house in Bend, Denise Rowcroft said.

It literally felt like we won the lottery, she said.

They are considered middle-income  Rowcroft works at an environmental nonprofit  so they pay more than four low-income families on the same lot, who generally spend about $1,300 a month.

On Jan. 15, the Rowcrofts opened their house to Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and others in town for a housing conference.

The family had mopped the floors and wiped down the fridge in anticipation of the state leaders arrival. Guests either took their shoes off or slipped on blue plastic booties to respect the floors. Inside, Kotek zipped through the smaller than 1,000-square-foot house, exploring upstairs while journalists and policy wonks huddled at the entryway.

Keogh, the RootedHomes leader, guided the tour group on a circular path around Crescita, where a 99-year deed restriction, or land lease, keeps costs for the homes low. The land, owned by the trust, is leased for 99 years to the homeowner, allowing them to occupy the land in their house without owning it. That lease automatically renews, according to Keogh, so the effect is permanent affordability.

Jackie Keogh, executive director of RootedHomes, speaks with a group touring one of the group's community land trust developments in Bend. She joined Rooted in 2021.Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

Land trusts often limit how much equity a homeowner accrues. Rooted uses a fixed-rate resale formula: The owners equity equals 1.5% of their mortgage and any downpayment assistance grants, compounded at 1.5% per year.

Under that math, the average owner should expect to accumulate about $80,000 in equity after 10 years in their house if they paid $250,000 for the place and obtained $50,000 in downpayment assistance, Keogh told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Money for the low-income RootedHomes developments comes from a state program called Local Innovation and Fast Track. The program, which funds both homeownership and rental housing for low-income residents, has been around for nearly a decade, and Kotek has proposed sending $700 million to build rentals and $100 million for for-sale homes in the upcoming budget cycle. The latter would include funds community land trusts could use to acquire land and pay for construction.

Oregon Housing and Community Services, the state housing-finance agency, previously told The Oregonian/OregonLive that such an investment would create some 7,000 rentals and 500 owner-occupied homes for low-income Oregonians.

Delivering brief remarks outside the Rowcroft home, Kotek touted Crescita as an example of innovation in the LIFT subsidy program, highlighting the long-term affordability the land trust model encourages, which is really important from the states perspective.

Keogh moved her young family from Portland in 2021 to join the nonprofit. Shed worked at the Portland Housing Bureau, helping to craft policies intended to resituate residents with historical ties to North and Northeast Portland to that area. She later worked at Proud Ground, a Portland-area community land trust.

She sees the trusts as a worthy investment of the publics money, because taxpayers and private donors  who tend to help cover the middle-income units  invest only once in community land trust to create permanent affordability that will serve countless homeowners.

RootedHomes plans to further expand outside Bend, to nearby cities including Redmond and Prineville. Those communities are growing rapidly, too, in part because former residents of Bend have relocated in search of affordable homes.

As home prices in Bend have risen in recent years, new housing-affordability measures are taking hold.Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive

But another reason the nonprofit is looking to other cities in central Oregon is that theyve agreed to donate land and pay for streets, sewer pipes and other costly infrastructure typically paid for by developers.

We just cant really say no, said Keogh, who suspects the local governments are eager to partner because housing affordability strengthens the citys economic backbone by keeping teachers, nurses and other essential workers local.

Keogh said she believes more officials will soon see value in supporting community land trusts across the state. RootedHomes consults government agencies and nonprofits across the state that are interested in housing affordability and routinely hears  particularly in southern Oregon and on the coast  that they lack the capital to establish land trusts.

Historically, land trusts were not always funded, Keogh said, noting that states like Vermont have generally had more money available. I think Oregon will get there.

-- Jonathan Bach covers housing and real estate. Reach him by email at jbach@oregonian.com or by phone at 503-221-4303.

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Gresham police have released the name of the victim of a Jan. 20, 2025, shooting after he died in the hospital.

Martin Jose Gutierrez, 28, was shot in the 2800 block of Northeast Rene Avenue just before 3:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20. He died Wednesday, Jan. 29, and the Multnomah County Medical Examiners Office said the death was a homicide by gunfire.

Officers responded to the shooting on Jan. 20 but found only the victim at the scene. Police ask anyone with information about this case to contact Detective Pick at justin.pick@greshamoregon.gov or Detective Daly at martin.daly@greshamoregon.gov and reference case number 25-2826.

 The Oregonian/OregonLive
State environmental regulators have leveled nearly $34,000 in fines against Lebanon, among the largest penalties in the region, and ordered the city to hire a consultant for dozens of sewage-related violations.

Among those violations was a July 2023 spill when the city pumped about 1 million gallons of untreated waste fluid and feces into the South Santiam River.

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality compliance officials assert the city repeatedly failed to test wastewater and reported inaccurate results to the state 275 times between 2020 and 2024.

In some cases, those reported results masked pollution exceeding limits in a state permit, according to a civil penalty notice issued in December.

Compliance with the conditions of the permit is essential to ensure the operation of the citys wastewater treatment plant does not harm the South Santiam River or the people and wildlife that depend on the river and other local waterways, officials said in the notice.

In the notice, officials said the department emailed Lebanon to provide guidance.

However, (Lebanon) continued to submit inaccurate summary data, the officials said.

City Manager Ron Whitlatch told elected officials at a meeting in January that Lebanon will contest the state sanctions.

A lot of it was reporting stuff, and the way were reporting. It feels a little bit heavy-handed by DEQ, but well work through that, Whitlatch said to city councilors.

The department estimated Lebanon sent more than 42,000 pounds of solid waste to the Santiam on July 10, 2023, when a worker reportedly forgot to close a valve on a solid waste settling tank. Lebanons permit allows for up to 500 pounds of solid waste each day during the summer.

Public Works Director Jason Williams declined to guess how much untreated sewage ended up in the river at the time but said waste likely flowed out of the facility for hours before workers noticed the open valve when they started their shifts the following morning.

The department said Lebanon mistakenly drained about 1 million gallons of untreated sewage. Lebanon receives between 2 and 8 million gallons of sewage each day and treats up to 15 million gallons in a day at its wastewater plant.

Lebanon also exceeded solid waste limits in May, June and December 2022.

Oregon found Lebanon missed samples, too, failing to analyze treated wastewater for pollutants  including E. coli and ammonia in May 2023, and daily samples for chlorine between October 2022 and June 2023.

Oregon ordered Lebanon to hire a wastewater treatment expert to evaluate the citys practices of maintaining, monitoring and operating the facility near the citys northeastern edge; it also issued a $33,800 fine for inaccurate reports and for sending too much solid waste, chlorine, E. coli, and other organic material to the Santiam.

A review of 20 years of state records showed the penalty is the largest issued by Oregons environment department in the city since 2009, when the state fined Cascade Mobile Home Park more than $90,000 for water quality violations. Oregon fined Lebanon Hardboard more than $63,500 for asbestos-related violations the same year.

The fine lands Lebanons municipal government in the 92nd percentile of 3,777 fines issued since 2004 across Oregon, where the median is $7,046 for violating state environmental law.

 2025 Albany Democrat-Herald, Ore.. Visit www.democratherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Two new members of the Portland City Council are seeking to insert the council into Zenith Energys continued operations along the Willamette River by seeking two formal investigations and a freeze on city approval for the company.

In an unprecedented move, councilors Angelita Morillo and Mitch Green filed a resolution Friday evening, even though the proposal hadnt undergone legal review. It likely wont be certified by the council clerk until Monday.
With Valentines Day just a few weeks away, theres no need to fret if youre still stuck on what to get your special someone. We have ideas in this list that includes all things sweet and delightful, including some botanical shops to visit with your significant other across Oregon. Best of all, youre supporting local business owners who work hard at perfecting their craft. Here are some recommendations for gifts and experiences to wow your beloved this February.

Pilos Bakery, Corvallis

Pilos is a hidden gem selling Mexican treats and pastries. Its a small, family-owned bakery with all the pastries and bread baked fresh daily. Choose from their large selection of sweets, including their best selling items, such as tres leches cakes, conchas and pan de huevos. Celebrating a special occasion? Ask about their custom cake orders. Details: 954 N.W. Circle Blvd., Corvallis, and facebook.com/pilosbakery.

Greenhouse Coffee + Plants, Corvallis

This charming shop sells lush houseplants, eclectic gifts and coffee. Its the perfect spot to shop if your sweetheart isnt into sweets. The store features products from local artists and holds workshops such as wreath-making throughout the year. Staff are also insightful and full of information, so you dont have to worry if you dont have a green thumb. Find a plant and select from one of the beautiful ceramic pots they offer to give your significant other. We love that plants outlast flowers so theyll be able to enjoy for years with proper care.

Details: 308 S.W. Monroe Ave., Corvallis, and greenhousecorvallis.com.

Jubilee Champagne and Dessert BarJean Chen Smith/For The Oregonian

Jubilee Champagne and Dessert Bar, Independence

You cant go wrong with champagne and dessert. Nestled in the quaint town of Independence, Jubilee is an excellent date night stop for you and your partner if youre in the area. Found along the Willamette River, the restaurant opened in 2018. Drop in before dinner for some drinks or cozy up at one of their intimate tables for dessert. Jubilee also serves brunch on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Details: 296 S. Main St., Independence, and jubilee.champagne.dessert.

Sea Level Coffee and Bakery in Cannon BeachBroken Banjo Photography

Sea Level Bakery + Coffee, Cannon Beach

Nestled in Cannon Beach, Sea Level Bakery + Coffee offers guests delicious pastries, breads and a really good cup of joe. All their baked goods are made from scratch daily and their food offerings are made-to-order for ultimate freshness. Meyer lemon tarts are their specialty, so go for it if its on the menu. Gluten-free options are available upon request. Details: 3116 S. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach, and sealevelbakery.com.

Euphoria Chocolate Company, Eugene

Euphoria makes my absolute favorite truffles. Established in 1980, they have three retail locations in Eugene and supply specialty shops and supermarkets. Present your valentine with the Assorted Classic Truffle Box, which comes in 4, 8, and 12-piece assortments. For an extra festive gift, the shop will be offering chocolate-covered strawberries on Feb. 13 and 14. The juicy, long-stem strawberries are dipped in decadent dark chocolate, making them the quintessential after-dinner dessert. Says owner Bonnie Glass, Theyre great for last-minute shoppers or those planning a romantic evening. These tend to sell out quickly! Euphoria also delivers locally and ships nationwide. Details: 590 Pearl St., Suite 108, Eugene, various locations and euphoriachocolate.com/

Euphoria Chocolate CompanyEuphoria Chocolate Company

Bursts Candies, Corvallis

Selling handcrafted chocolates since 1938, this historic shop is nestled in the heart of downtown Corvallis. Once you step inside, its hard to resist the mouth-watering aromas. The shop is brimming from wall to wall with sweet and savory treats. Choose from gift baskets, truffle boxes, mixed nut brittles, and decadent fudge. If you simply cant decide, the shop also sells gift cards. Details: 353 S.W. Madison Ave., Corvallis, and burstschocolates.com.

Jens Pastries, Portland

This neighborhood favorite in Portland is a window-style bakery that carries all the most delicious things you can think of  cakes, cruffins, pies, and cookies. Just walk up, place your order, and grab a seat. Everything looks amazing; its hard to make a decision on what sweet delight might tickle your lovers fancy. Order extra of everything. Jens Pastries is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., but be sure to arrive early because things do sell out. Details: 606 S. Dakota St., Portland, and jenspdx.com.

Jen's PDX cakeJen's PDX

Too Sweet, Bend and Lake Oswego

Too Sweet, which has locations in Bend and Lake Oswego, offers visitors everything delicious, including cookies, cakes and croissants. Owner Shelbi Geyer loves this romantic holiday, saying, Its one of our favorite days of the year for our teams and a great way for customers to also get what they are hoping for is to order from our online platform  itll be ready in-store for pickup. Their macaron gift pack and sugar cookies are divine and easy to ship. The shops also sell cake mix jars that you can recreate at home. Details: 1012 S.E. Cleveland Ave #1A, Bend; 5755 Willow Lane B1, Lake Oswego, and toosweetcakes.com.

Ranger Chocolate Co., Portland

Ranger Chocolates Large Gift Box makes an excellent gift for anyone who loves variety. This bundle includes a generous assortment of treats, such as chocolate hazelnut biscotti, candied ginger, large chocolate bars, bonbons, vanilla bean marshmallows, along with doug-fir peppermint patties. Founded in 2013 by George Domurot and David Beanland, Ranger Chocolate was one of the areas first bean-to-bar chocolate makers. With a strong focus on sustainability and ethical cacao sourcing, Ranger is at the top of our list for some seriously good chocolate.

Details: 118 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, and rangerchocolate.co.

Ranger Chocolate Co.Ranger Chocolate Co.

Halo halo dessert at Shop Halo Halo, a Filipino bakery in Southeast Portland on September 13, 2024.Teresa Mahoney | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Daphnes Botanicals and Shop Halo Halo, Portland

Daphnes Botanicals and Shop Halo Halo combines the world of plants and pastries under one roof. Half the space is dedicated to Daphnes, which sells houseplants, pots, gifts, and accessories, while Halo Halo showcases Filipino and Asian Pacific baked goods and yummy desserts. Geleen Abenoja and Daphne Peters, who are both of Filipino descent, launched a GoFundMe campaign in 2023 to raise funds for their brick-and-mortar shop. Their crowdfunding collected over $35,000 in donations. Details: 4981 S.E. Woodstock Blvd. #2, Portland, daphnesbotanicals.com, and shophalohalo.com.

An Xuyen Bakery, Portland

Set along Foster Road in Southeast Portland, An Xuyen Bakery is a French-Vietnamese bakery best known for Vietnamese baguettes, mooncake, macarons, and more. Their classic French macarons come in a variety of flavors, including pistachio, salted caramel and Vietnamese coffee. Buttery and sweet, with a hint of crunch, these macarons make a wonderful dessert for your sweetheart. The bakery has been serving customers since 1995 with bread and pastries baked fresh daily. Details: 5345 S.E. Foster Road, Portland, and mng890.wixsite.com/an-xuyen-bakery.

An Xuyen Bakery at 5345 S.E. Foster Road in Portland.The Oregonian files

Nana's Tea Room in Klamath Falls.Jean Chen Smith/For The Oregonian

Nanas Tea Room, Klamath Falls

Want to include your kids on a Valentines Day excursion? Nanas Tea Room offers an Alice in Wonderland-esque experience for the entire family to enjoy. The tea room offers tea service, with more than 30 teas to choose from, in addition to scrumptious finger sandwiches, crepes, and desserts. Details: 230 Main St., Klamath Falls, and nanastearoom.com.

 Jean Chen Smith, for The Oregonian/OregonLive
Robert (Bob) Rummer, a developer who introduced midcentury modern tract houses with glass-enclosed atriums to Oregon and who forever change homebuyers desire for indoor-outdoor living, died Friday. He was 97.

Architecture and housing experts credit Rummer with being a hands-on builder who personally selected the home sites, oversaw the workmanship and created a market for his modern homes in Southwest Portlands Bohmann Park, Beavertons Oak Hills Historic District, Lake Oswego and Gresham.
ShaNya Bennett often treated herself to a fresh doughnut during her pregnancy.

Ive always loved them, she said. Theres nothing like a glazed doughnut.

Shes fortunate she feels that way, because shes about to have a lot more doughnuts in her life.

About a week ago, Bennett went into labor with her second son the day after a rare snowstorm hit central and south Alabama, including Dothan, where Bennett lives near the Florida state line.

I felt a contraction as soon as I woke up that day, but I ignored it, she said. Then I got in the shower and more contractions came. I thought, Okay, its time to call the doctor.

When nobody answered the phone at her obstetricians office, Bennett, 23, realized that everything in town was probably still shut down from the storm.

To see six inches of snow was just crazy, she said. We dont know how to drive in snow around here.

But she needed to get to a hospital, so she and her partner, Keon Mitchell, grabbed her overnight bag, jumped in the car with their 4-year-old son, Legend, and headed to a hospital about 20 minutes away.

The roads were really snowy and icy, so I called 911 and told them the situation, said Mitchell, 24. They said to either keep driving or pull over and wait for help.

As Bennetts contractions grew stronger, she gripped the passenger seat and told Mitchell to keep driving.

I wanted to have my baby in the hospital, not on the side of the road, she said.

About a mile from the hospital, her water broke.

We were sitting at the stop light by Krispy Kreme, Bennett recalled. Id been there just a few days ago with Legend to get a glazed doughnut.

When the light turned green, she turned to Mitchell: Please take me to Krispy Kreme, she recalled telling him. She did not want to give birth in the middle of the intersection.

We pulled into the parking lot, but there was nobody there. They were closed for the storm, Bennett said. Thats when I knew this baby was going to be born in the car.

Mitchell said he dialed 911 and a dispatcher said paramedics were on the way. But there wasnt time to wait.

The baby was coming out, and ShaNya told me to grab him, he said. It happened so fast, I didnt have time to think about it. Within seconds, I was holding him. It was mind-blowing.

Mitchell noted the birth date and time - Jan. 22 at 12:22 p.m. - then grabbed a baby blanket from Bennetts overnight bag in the back seat, where Legend had been taking it all in.

Its not every day you get to see your little brother born, Bennett said.

She and Mitchell were elated to meet their new baby - whom they named Dallas - and also extremely relieved to see paramedics arrive three minutes later.

They cut off his umbilical cord and got us to the hospital right away, said Bennett, noting that she and Dallas were healthy and went home two days later.

He weighs 5 pounds, 14 ounces and hes sleeping and eating well, she said.

When he is a little older, hell get his first taste of a doughnut, she added.

After Alabamas WTVY did a story about Bennetts Krispy Kreme special delivery, the manager of the Dothan shop offered to give her a dozen free doughnuts every week for a year.

I have four kids of my own, so I can only imagine what that must have been like for her to give birth in our parking lot in the cold, Blake Rosenkoetter said.

He said he also told Bennett hed like to host a doughnut party for Dallas on his first birthday, and every year after that until hes 18.

Bennett said she loves the idea but plans to eat the doughnuts in moderation.

Ill have to give a lot of those doughnuts away if I want to get my shape back, she said.

She and Mitchell plan to pick up their first box this weekend, then theyll give some serious consideration to the middle name that has been suggested for Dallas by some of their relatives.

They want us to go with the name Glaze, Mitchell said. At the very least, it will be his nickname.

--By Cathy Free, The Washington Post
Two men and a woman face federal charges in the suspected fentanyl overdose death of a Hillsboro woman.

Police responded to a Hillsboro home on Dec 13 and found powdered fentanyl, methamphetamine and blue counterfeit oxycodone M30 pills laced with fentanyl near the body of a 49-year-old woman, according to a federal affidavit. Federal authorities did not identify the woman.

Oscar Alfredo Rivas-Mendez, 22, Yoselyn Sanchez-Estrada, 21, and Jassiel Alan Diaz-Elenes, 25, each made their first appearances in federal court on Friday in Portland. U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Armistead ordered each to remain held pending trial.

The woman who died and her boyfriend had purchased a half gram of fentanyl powder for $40 from a seller they met around 10 p.m. on Dec. 12 in Hillsboro, according to the affidavit.

Police found texts on the dead womans cellphone and used the phone to set up a meeting with the same seller to buy $80 worth of powdered fentanyl on Dec. 14 in Hillsboro, investigators said. The seller cooperated with police and helped investigators identify his source, according to the affidavit. The immediate seller was identified by police but is not in custody.

On Wednesday, investigators executed warrants and searched a Gresham apartment on Southeast Kane Street, as well as a black Toyota Corolla and a black Mazda, the affidavit said

Officers found 1.1 grams of fentanyl powder in the bedroom of Rivas-Mendez and Sanchez-Estrada as well as more than $8,400 in cash, a drug ledger and money receipts, the affidavit said.

Sanchez-Estrada initially denied that she sold fentanyl but admitted she would accompany Rivas-Mendez during his drug sales, the affidavit said. A review of her phone messages, though, revealed communications with a drug supplier in California and she later admitted to police that she and Rivas-Mendez would buy counterfeit M30 pills for $1 each and sell them for $1.65 each, the affidavit alleged.

Rivas-Mendez told investigators that he had eight customers.

Investigators worked further to identify the couples supplier -- the so-called dispatcher, the affidavit said.

Officers ordered thousands of M30 pills from the suspected dispatcher and set up a meeting spot in Multnomah County for later that day.

When Diaz-Elenes arrived in a white Hyundai sedan about 4:40 p.m. and parked, officers moved in with a drug detection dog, according to the affidavit.

They found 10,000 M30 pills with fentanyl on the front passenger seat in white plastic bag and a black lunch box behind the passenger seat that contained 2.5 grams of fentanyl powder and $10,944 in cash, the affidavit said.

When Diaz-Elenes was arrested, he had a fake drivers license from Sinaloa, Mexico, the affidavit said.

Diaz-Elenes is charged with possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl.

Rivas-Mendez and Sanchez-Estrada are each charged with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

State data shows 1,833 people died in Oregon from a drug overdose in 2023, compared to 1,383 in 2022, 1,189 in 2021, 824 in 2020 and 626 in 2019. The state health authority doesnt have figures for 2024, according to its website.

-- Maxine Bernstein covers federal court and criminal justice. Reach her at 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, follow her on X @maxoregonian, or on LinkedIn.

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Planning a 2,650-mile trek on the Pacific Crest Trail from the U.S.-Mexico border through Oregon and Washington to Canada? Prepare to turn around.

On Monday, the Canada Border Services Agency announced it will no longer issue permits for hikers to cross from Washingtons Pasayten Wilderness into E.C. Manning Provincial Park in British Columbia, formally ending a long-held practice. Instead of continuing 8 miles north from the border to Manning Park Resort and the nearest road (where, presumably, a ride home awaits), hikers now must backtrack 30 miles to Harts Pass, outside Mazama, to reach civilization.

An agency spokesperson said the proposed change was in the works before the American presidential election and aligns Canadian policy with longstanding U.S. policy, which does not permit southbound hikers to cross into Washington.

An estimated 700 people completed the long-distance trail in 2024, per the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Trail information manager Jack Haskel said most prefer hiking through to Manning Park rather than back to Harts Pass.

If its blue skies and conditions are great, most people aim to enter Canada as opposed to turning around, he said.

The move comes five weeks after the Canadian government announced a $900 million border security plan. Canada has already deployed 60 new drones along its southern border and will eventually install additional surveillance towers, X-rays and handheld chemical analyzers.

The CBSA is working alongside its partners to support the national security and public safety at our borders, the spokesperson said via email. We operate in a constantly evolving environment and regularly evaluate our programs and operations to ensure we carry out our mandate to efficiently and effectively manage a secure border.

PCT thru-hikers  who already have to plan the logistics of resupplying on a multimonth hike, train for physical exertion and prepare for obstacles ranging from heavy snow to wildfires  are taking the decision in stride. Some see the extra 30 miles of hiking through the North Cascades as a victory lap, a chance to high-five hikers still trudging north.

Ruston resident Amelia Ehrens got an inkling of the coming change in November, when her border-crossing permit application for this year was rejected without explanation. Now that the new policy is official, she no longer has to sort out the logistics of getting from E.C. Manning Provincial Park back to Washington, but she was looking forward to finishing her hike by crossing the border.

I thought it was a really cool idea because youre essentially crossing the entire country by foot and ending at the border of another country, she said. To have that trust to just be able to walk over the border without anyone checking was really nice, but I completely understand why, especially if you cant enter the U.S. from Canada. Its fair.

For the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the decision is a disappointing development, said Haskel, who hiked the PCT northbound in 2006.

The opportunity to cross into Canada has been a cherished part of the experience for many people for decades, he said. When I hiked across America, the final steps into Canada helped provide closure and a sense of accomplishment and also added to the bewilderment that I felt reentering society in a new place.

Finishing the PCT in British Columbia was also off-limits to thru-hikers in 2020 and part of 2021 during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, when Canada prohibited nonessential travel over the border.

One ancillary outcome of the policy shift: a heavier stream of hikers heading into Mazama, the closest U.S. town to the Northern Terminus.

Volunteer trail angel Mary LaVerne Garber-Williams will be ready to welcome hikers at her 2-acre property, Lions Den, which she has opened for the last three PCT seasons. Thru-hikers can pitch their tent and avail themselves of her hikers hut, equipped with a kitchen, shower and living room. She even does laundry  and offers the whole operation by donation to over 1,500 hikers annually.

With everyone who makes it to the end turning back around in 2025, shes anticipating even more traffic this year.

I know its going to be extra busy, she said.

 2025 The Seattle Times. Visit www.seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Donald Trump said this week that his 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States will be imposed starting Saturday, raising the specter that Oregonians reliant on natural gas from the north could be hit hard.

If such tariffs are imposed, and they dont exclude all fossil fuels, experts say Northwest energy consumers could feel the pinch, as the region is dependent on Canada for supplies of crude oil, natural gas and electricity. That dependence is particularly heavy for natural gas, and any increase in prices could add to the already steep rate increases ratepayers of natural gas and electric utilities have seen during the last five years.

Customers should be worried about it, said Bob Jenks, executive director of the Oregon Citizens Utility Board, a ratepayer advocacy group. It could have a substantial impact.

State regulators, meanwhile, said its too early to know how tariffs could hit consumers.

More than one in three Oregon households use natural gas as their primary source of heating, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About a quarter of the electricity consumed in Oregon is generated by burning natural gas. And the price of natural gas is significant driver of the cost of wholesale electricity, which utilities buy to meet demand, particularly at times of energy scarcity.

Utility companies typically pass along the cost of purchasing energy sources like natural gas directly to customers.

Energy markets are dynamic, however, and its not immediately clear how tariffs would filter through to consumers. Robert McCullough of McCullough Research, a Portland-based energy consultant, said previous spikes in Canadian gas prices have shown up immediately in U.S. wholesale electricity prices paid by utilities.

There is no, What happens in Alberta, stays in Alberta rule, he said.

Since the natural gas currently produced in British Columbia and Alberta have no direct outlet to export to other countries, he said, a tariff effectively turns into a tax on U.S. firms that purchase it.

The American Petroleum Institute sent a letter this week to the U.S. Office of Trade Representative urging the Trump Administration to exempt crude oil and natural gas from any tariffs, saying they would directly affect affordability and availability for consumers.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, said its not clear who the president is listening to.

Donald Trump isnt exactly consulting with anybody beyond himself and his circle of cronies on tariffs on Canadian energy or any other tariff, Wyden said in an emailed statement from his office. Wyden accused Trump of being more concerned with settling personal scores than in targeting tariffs to change long-term behavior and cut costs for Americans, while Trump insists the tariffs are necessary to stem the flow of illegal immigrants at the northern and southern borders.

Due to geographic proximity and existing pipeline networks, the Pacific Northwest is heavily dependent on Canada for its supply of natural gas. About two thirds of Oregons natural gas arrives on pipelines from British Columbia and Alberta, according to data from the Oregon Department of Energy.

About half that gas is used to generate electricity, fueling about a quarter of overall electrical use in the state and up to 40% of the electricity delivered by the states largest electric utility, Portland General Electric, according to state reports and PGE.

There are 17 gas-fired plants in the Northwest, nine of them in Oregon, all of which rely on gas supplied from Canada, according to data gathered by Energy GPS, a Portland-based energy consulting firm. Collectively, they consume about 1.1 billion cubic feet a day of Canadian gas to produce about 5,600 megawatts of electricity in winter months  enough to power more than 5 million homes.

There is no viable substitute for the Canadian natural gas without major gas pipeline infrastructure expansion, said Tim Belden, a principal at the firm.

While the impact of gas costs on electricity bills varies widely by utility, they typically make up about two thirds of home energy bills from a natural gas utility, according to the American Gas Association.

Northwest Natural, the states largest gas utility, buys about 60% of its natural gas supply from Canada, according to a 2023 filing with state regulators.

While utilities typically source a portion of their gas supplies under long-term supply contracts that protect them from immediate swings in wholesale prices, its unclear how the provisions of those contracts treat tariffs. Federal filings show Northwest Natural buys about a quarter of its gas supply under long-term contracts.

Northwest Natural declined to comment on the potential impact of tariffs.

State regulators at the Oregon Public Utility Commission examine each utilitys energy prices annually, considering forecasted prices and actual costs from the previous year, which can result in an increase or decrease of rates.

The annual power cost adjustments are subject to a cost-sharing mechanism that incentivizes utilities to control energy costs where possible, and an earnings test that examines whether the utilitys earnings are still within an authorized range despite any change in energy costs.

Kandi Young, a spokesperson for the Oregon Public Utility Commission, said it is too early to tell what price impact tariffs may have on power costs and consumer rates.

The PUC will continue to monitor any impacts and will scrutinize any requests for rate recovery on a case-by-case basis, she said.

- Ted Sickinger is a reporter on the investigations team. Reach him at 503-221-8505, tsickinger@oregonian.com or @tedsickinger

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After losing twice to Democratic U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas at the ballot box, Republican businessman Mike Erickson has suffered another defeat, at the Oregon Court of Appeals.

The appellate court ruled Wednesday that Salinas, who represents Oregons 6th Congressional Distict, didnt defame the Republican candidate in a television spot claiming he was charged with felony drug possession when pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving in Hood River in 2016.

Appellate judges reversed a lower courts decision and ordered the $800,000 defamation lawsuit dismissed.

Its true that Erickson was never prosecuted for drug possession, but the ruling noted that jailers found an opioid pill in Ericksons wallet following his arrest and an Oregon State trooper had suspected him of unlawfully possessing the pain pill.

Erickson didnt have a prescription for the pill but said he had gotten it from his wife, according to the ruling. He pleaded guilty to DUII and entered a diversion program.

The appellate court said the word charged is regularly used as a synonym for accused and agreed that Erickson had, at least briefly, faced a drug possession accusation.

We often turn to dictionaries to aid us in understanding the common meaning of words, and that exercise supports the broader, less formalistic understanding, Presiding Judge Darleen Ortega wrote in the ruling.

Erickson filed the lawsuit against Salinas in October 2022, while battling for control of what was then Oregons newly created 6th District, which stretches south across the mid-Willamette Valley from Wilsonville to McMinnville and Salem.

Salinas asked Clackamas County Circuit Judge Todd Van Rysselberghe to strike down the lawsuit, but Van Rysselberghe ruled that it could go forward in December 2022. Salinas then appealed, setting up the appellate court battle.

Salinas beat Erickson in November 2022 and triumphed again during a 2024 match-up.

A spokesperson for the member of Congress said she was pleased to prevail in court.

This decision reinforces important protections for political speech in Oregon, added Elias Law Group partner Ben Stafford, who argued the case for Salinas.

Ericksons camp didnt respond to inquiries.

Zane Sparling covers breaking news and courts for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-319-7083, zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane.

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A second federal judge on Friday ordered a temporary pause in Trump administration efforts to freeze federal funding in the latest twist over the spending of trillions of dollars in grants and loans.

Judge John McConnell sided with nearly two dozen states, including Oregon, that requested an emergency order preventing most federal agencies from halting funding.

Another judge in Washington halted the plan earlier this week minutes before it was set to go into effect, but her short-term order is only in place until Monday unless she decides to extend it.

McConnell ordered the federal government not to pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate funding promised to the states while the temporary restraining order is in place.

The court must act in these early stages of the litigation under the worst case scenario because the breadth and ambiguity of the executives action makes it impossible to do otherwise, McConnell wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield praised the ruling Friday.

The courts ruling marks a crucial step in holding the administration accountable for overreach and its disregard for the law, Rayfield said in a statement. The judges decision ensures that Oregonians will continue to receive a number of essential services that affect public safety, health and nutrition. If the administration continues to overstep its authority, we are prepared to keep fighting to make sure that the rights of Oregonians are not undermined by unlawful actions.

Other attorney generals whose states were part of the lawsuit also applauded the ruling. Rhode Island Attorney General Neronha said he appreciated the fact McConnell saw the irreparable harm that this directive would cause, and frankly has already caused, Americans across the country.

Make no mistake: this federal funding pause was implemented to inspire fear and chaos, and it was successful in that respect, Neronha said in a statement. These tactics are intended to wear us down, but with each legal victory we reaffirm that these significant and unlawful disruptions wont be tolerated, and will certainly be met with swift and immediate action now and in the future.

The federal government had opposed the order, arguing there was no basis for what they described as sweeping relief.

The decision from McConnell, who is based in Rhode Island and was appointed by former President Barack Obama, comes despite the Office of Management and Budget rescinding a memo outlining a sweeping pause on federal loans and grants.

McConnell found that recession was in name-only and his order was still necessary.

The White House press secretary has said that a funding freeze is still planned in line with President Donald Trumps blitz of executive orders.

The Republican president wants to increase fossil fuel production, remove protections for transgender people and end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The memo, which was issued earlier this week by the Office of Management and Budget, had frightened states, schools and organizations that rely on trillions of dollars from Washington.

Administration officials said the pause was necessary to review whether spending aligned with Trumps executive orders on issues like climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. But two days later, they sent out a two-sentence notice rescinding the original memo.

A day later, Trump administration officials said programs that provide direct assistance to Americans, including Medicare, Social Security, student loans and food stamps, would not be affected. But that did little to ease the confusion.

Administration officials insisted that despite the confusion, their actions still had the intended effect by underscoring to federal agencies their obligations to abide by Trumps executive orders. That prompted states to request the temporary restraining order.

In their motion, lawyers for Trumps Justice Department argued the federal court lacked jurisdiction and the plaintiffs couldnt use an order that was aimed initially against the Office of Management and Budget memo to seek broader action.

They also argued that Trump and the Office of Management and Budget plainly have authority to direct agencies to fully implement the Presidents agenda, consistent with each individual agencys underlying statutory authorities.

The Presidents authority to direct subordinate agencies to implement his agenda, subject to those agencies own statutory authorities, is well-established, Brett Shumate, the acting assistant attorney general, wrote.

The ruling in favor of the states was not unexpected.

In a hearing Wednesday on the initial order from the states, McConnell had said he was sympathetic to the argument put forth from the states about the potential harm from any federal funding freeze.
As uncertainty clouds over Oklahomas immigrant community, state representatives and local leaders grapple with new federal immigration legislation that may disrupt the status quo for hundreds of families.

President Donald Trumps immigration policies have fueled new conversations among Oklahoma representatives, several of whom are in favor and others who are vehemently opposed. A memo obtained by The New York Times notes that Trump seeks to grant Immigration and Customs Enforcement the ability to deport thousands of migrants who entered the country on temporary status through humanitarian programs.

After the memo was released, several Oklahoma leaders endorsed the immigration policies, including State Superintendent Ryan Walters who, in an interview with KOCO on Jan. 23, said he would not rule out the possibility of ICE raids in Oklahoma schools and that schools would comply with the rules that Trump enforces.

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When we pass this rule through, schools will comply. This is part of their accreditation. This is part of our accountability measures. They don't get to pick and choose what laws they go by, Walters said.

Walters' comments came weeks after Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino sent a message to staff and families shortly before winter break, addressing potential immigration policies that may soon affect NPS.

In an email sent to OU Daily by Courtney Scott, NPS chief communications officer, Migliorino wrote that, while superintendents and district employees are required to follow state and federal laws, he wanted to assure the NPS community that his top priority is to keep schools and district facilities a safe learning environment.

We will do everything in our power to uphold that commitment. We will stay true to our statutory and constitutional duty to educate students, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or immigration status, Migliorino wrote.

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma State Board of Education passed a rule requiring schools to ask for proof of U.S. citizenship during enrollment, sending the proposal to the state Legislature.

The rule would have students and parents provide citizenship information when enrolling in schools. According to the rule, children lacking permanent legal status would still be allowed to attend public school, though each district would be required to inform the state education department how many students enrolled were unable to verify citizenship or legal residency.

The law now awaits approval from the state Legislature and Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Local representatives such as Rep. Annie Menz (D-Norman) and Ward 7 Councilmember Stephen Tyler Holman told OU Daily that allowing ICE raids in schools is immoral.

ICE agents going into our schools and taking children out of the schools,  it's unconscionable to me. There's no humanity in that. I don't see how anybody could possibly think that's okay. It doesn't make us safer at all. It makes us less safe as a community, if that's happening, Holman said.

Menz told OU Daily that people lacking permanent legal status participated in voucher programs promoted by state officials, which she said her colleagues had no issue with.

When it came to taking public money and putting it in private schools, my Republican colleagues had no problem with undocumented people using these vouchers, but now we have a problem with undocumented kids going to school, and they're encouraging these ICE raids, Menz said. It's immoral, and it's reprehensible.

Migliorino said he, alongside other district leaders, are consulting with legal advisers and other community leaders to prepare themselves for executive orders that might affect NPS.

I am committed to ensuring that Norman Public Schools remains a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment for all students, their families, and our staff members, Migliorino wrote. As we navigate the implications of these executive orders, I will continue to provide updates and keep you informed about how they may impact us.

Walters was not alone in his support for Trumps immigration policy, his interview with KOCO aired the same day Stitt made a post on the social platform X, where he wrote Trump was using every arm of the U.S. government to secure the southern border.

Stitts stance was reiterated last Friday by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) in an interview with NewsNation.

Our National Guard are chomping at the bit to help secure our southern border. The governor has already made this very clear. He's going to help the president however he needs to, Mullin said.

A U.S. Department of Justice memo also sparked conversations surrounding immigration, stating that city and state officials who refuse to comply with carrying out Trumps immigration policy would be prosecuted.

According to the Norman Police Department handbook, generally, officers should not notify federal immigration officials when booking arrestees at a jail facility. Instead, required notification is to be handled according to jail operation procedures. The handbook also reads that no individual ready to be released should remain in detention solely for the purpose of notifying immigration officials.

OU Daily contacted Sarah Schettler, NPD public information officer, three times for a statement on how Trumps memo might affect NPD policy but received no response by the time of publication.

Subsequently, OU Daily reached out to OU Police Department to ask how these immigration policies might affect its current operations, to which they redirected OU Daily to OU Marketing and Communications.

When asked if the university could comment and provide sources on the matter of potential ICE raids on campus, or potential changes in OUPD conduct, OU Marketing and Communications forwarded OU Daily several services, such as OU University Counseling Center, TELUS Health Student Support and OU Immigration Services.

OU Marketing and Communications denied answering OU Dailys questions regarding potential changes to OUPD conduct.

According to the OUPD handbook, in order to encourage crime reporting and cooperation in criminal investigations, all individuals must feel secure in contacting or being addressed by law enforcement regardless of their immigration status. The handbook also reads that individuals may not be treated in any way that would violate U.S. or Oklahoma constitutions.

OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. told OU Daily after Thursday's OU Board of Regents meeting that hes expecting changes to come but is unsure as to what specifically might happen.

I think we're all adapting and moving. We know there's going to be dramatic change in lots of areas, and so like most people, we'll see what comes out. I don't know what will change. I know there will be lots of change in lots of places, Harroz said. Im just not sure what it is.

When asked on the idea of state and city officials being prosecuted for not complying with new immigration policies, Holman said that he was not only unafraid but said such a thing would not work.

Our local services, our police, our emergency response, their job is not to enforce federal immigration law, and they have made clear the police department has before in the past when this has come up that, We want you to feel safe calling us if you need help, and if there is crime happening, if you are a victim of crime, we want you to feel safe calling us, regardless of your immigration or status as a citizen, Holman said.

Both Holman and Menz shared the belief that Oklahoma representatives are not prioritizing issues affecting Oklahoma residents.

It doesn't seem to solve any kind of issue, and a lot of our economy, nationally and locally, is built off of immigrants coming to the United States searching for a better life, Holman said. Many of them are fleeing violence in other countries and/or natural disasters and things like this. And we know that American citizens, if faced with the same thing, would do anything to save their family or protect their kids, Holman said.

Menz said she is more concerned with how residents will be affected by ACCESS Oklahoma, a 15-year, $8 billion plan to develop new turnpikes and expand existing highways across the state.

I also have hundreds of families under threat of losing their homes to a turnpike that nobody wants, so wheres our state government leaders with that fight? Menz said. I can't be the only one single handedly fighting against this turnpike. If the other state leaders really care about the lives of Oklahomans. These are the things that they would talk about more,

Holman said he doesnt know anybody in Oklahoma or Norman that says immigration is impacting their daily lives. Instead, Holman believes there should be greater emphasis on fixing education, poverty, homelessness and mental illness.

Those are the things that impact everyday people, and I think that's what most people are most concerned about. So I'd love to see the federal and state government focus on those issues and try to improve the lives of our residents, Holman said.

According to Holman, his top priority is to protect the Norman community and represent its residents, regardless of where they come from.

Similarly, in another email to OU Daily from Scott, Migliorino assured the NPS community they would continue to welcome students regardless of immigration status.

"I want to reiterate that Norman Public Schools will continue to welcome and accept any student who walks through our doors, regardless of immigration status. We are here to educate and care for our students, and thats what we will continue to do," Migliorino wrote.

This story was edited by Ana Barboza and Anusha Fathepure. Ryan Little, Grace Rhodes and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
The next step in the approval process for the proposed 27-story apartment building in downtown Colorado Springs is coming Tuesday, when the development plan is considered by the city's Downtown Review Board.

The controversial 300-foot-tall addition to downtown Colorado Springs is being planned on a block bounded by Cascade and Vermijo avenues and Costilla and Sahwatch streets in southwest downtown.

The building has been in development by the local private equity firm the O'Neil Group, a local private equity group, and Kansas City-based VeLa Development Partners since 2021, with different proposals for its height and number of stories.

According to the current plans, the apartment building will contain 400 units of varying apartment sizes, 460 off-street parking spaces and roughly 8,300 square feet for commercial space on the ground level. The building would be around 50 feet taller than the Wells Fargo Tower, currently the tallest building in the city.

The developers are asking the review board to rule that its design meets the standards for the Downtown Colorado Springs Form-Based Code, as well as seeking approval to consolidate the four parcels of land that make up the block where it would be built.

Urban Planning Manager Ryan Tefertiller said the development plan could be administratively approved by him, but he and city staff decided the public interest made it better to go directly to the review board.

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In 2009, the City Council approved the special form-based design standards to make the downtown core more walkable and attract more people to live and shop there. The "central" sector of downtown, where the apartment is being planned, is the only part of downtown that does not have maximum building heights.

The local government watchdog group Integrity Matters, which has aggressively campaigned against the proposed high rise since it was first announced, said it would appeal any approval issued by Tefertiller or the Downtown Review Board. Integrity Matters and other residents have argued that the unprecedented height of the building would ruin the city's skyline and mountain views without helping downtown attract more visitors.

The group was one of the backers of an online petition last year, which gathered 6,700 signatures, asking the City Council for a ballot measure that would set maximum building heights.

The decision by the review board can be appealed to the City Council for a final ruling on the development plan. The council decision would take place at one of the meetings in March.

The City Council approved the urban renewal plan in December for the block of the proposed skyscraper. The renewal plan allowed the developers to receive tax-increment financing for the project to potentially cover $12 million in construction costs.

The Downtown Review Board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Pikes Peak Regional Development Center, 2880 International Circle.

Tefertiller said that if the development plan is approved, developers would begin submitting final construction blueprints and building plans. The approval for those plans would come through the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department.
Dear Annie: Im a 47-year-old woman from Texas, and Im not usually one to complain. Ive always considered myself resilient, but Im stuck in a situation where I need advice on two related issues.

First, and theres no easy way to say this, my mother had an affair with my high school boyfriend. I dated him for four years, starting when I was a freshman and he was a senior. During my senior year, my mom ran off with him in the new convertible my dad had just bought her, leaving my dad and me behind. It was horrible and uncomfortable. My parents divorced shortly after (and after 25 years of marriage), making my senior year suck even more.

To make matters worse, my mom never admitted to me what shed done. My ex-boyfriend, on the other hand, bragged about it. I kicked him to the curb. My dad moved to Oregon to be with family, and we didnt speak for about seven years. We reconnected when he came to meet my son, who was almost a year old at the time. After that, he moved back to Texas, where we spent the last four years of his life together before he passed away from cancer.

Growing up, my dad and I were very close. We never talked about my moms betrayal until shortly before he died. He wasnt one to drink, but he took me for a beer once and told me about her affair. It was clear the hurt ran deep. He also shared how years earlier, the school my dad graduated from and worked at as a dorm parent banned my mom from returning after she had relations with a senior at said school. My dad left the school, too, to care for my sister, who was a baby at the time.

Despite everything, Ive always craved a relationship with my mother. About 10 years ago, I confronted her about how deeply she hurt me by running off with my boyfriend. I wanted and still want an apology. Her response was, I dont owe you anything. Thats between me and God, and I was rebaptized. That hurt and didnt offer much remorse to help me move forward.

Now my boys are 22 and 18. My mother and sister have always tried to manipulate my oldest with money to drive a wedge between us. My youngest, who is about to become a Marine, sees right through them. Recently, I came clean about why I dont talk to my mom and sister, and he wasnt surprised. Hes already cut ties with them.

My questions are these: How do I forgive my mother when she shows no accountability or remorse? And how can I build relationships with my dads family in Oregon, who I barely know because my mom kept me away from them? I feel so isolated in Texas and want to connect with them, but I dont know where to start. Is it too late? Most of all, how can I let go of the resentment that I know is poisoning me? -- Searching for Peace

Dear Searching for Peace: I cant imagine how damaging your mothers affair was, especially during such a formative time of your life -- and with your boyfriend no less. Im terribly sorry.

Forgiving someone who cannot acknowledge their wrongs isnt an easy feat, but it doesnt require reconciliation, especially with someone toxic. Ultimately, forgiveness is more so for your peace of mind than anything else. Youve been carrying around this pain for so many years, and its finally time to release it. A good therapist can help you overcome this trauma once and for all.

As for your fathers family, try reaching out with a simple letter or online message. Its not your fault that you were unable to get close to them as a child, but now as an adult, you get to reclaim who family is to you and the relationship with them that you want to have.

Annie Lanes second anthology -- How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner? featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
Story has been updated with number of people on board and nature of flight

A medical transport plane with 6 people on board, including a small child, crashed in northeast Philadelphia seconds after takeoff, touching off an explosion and fires in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood.

The plane a Learjet 55 owned by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance was en route to a hospital in Springfield Missouri, went down just after 6 p.m. in the area of Roosevelt Mall and injuries were reported on the ground, police said.

Jet Rescue said the patient and another passenger were on board along with four crew members.

We cannot confirm any survivors, the company said in a statement. Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground.

The crash site is 3 miles from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.

Flight data showed a small jet taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. before disappearing from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet.

Witness Ryan Tian, 23, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he thought it was some kind of attack. Tian said he saw the sky turning orange and then a massive fireball.

Police said there were multiple victims and the mall was being evacuated, the Inquirer reported.

At least one house and multiple cars were reported to be on fire.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said he is offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.
As the saying goes, wrestler Gabe Arnold sure did talk the talk prior to Iowas matchup with Penn State on Friday night at Bryce Jordan Center.

Arnold called out No. 1 Penn State last Saturday and had some not-so-kind words for PSU four-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci, saying: I promise, your heads mine.
Employees from 10 King Soopers stores in the Colorado Springs area voted Friday to authorize a strike against the grocer King Soopers, joining union employees in the metro Denver area who also voted to strike on Thursday.

According to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, King Sooper Colorado Springs Meat voted 97.7% to authorize a strike and retail voted 95.8%. Employees have been directed by the union to "continue to report to work until further notice."

Colorado Springs area employees went through three sessions of voting and discussion on Friday, with standing-room-only by the start of each meeting, according to several attendees. The Gazette and all other media outlets were not allowed inside the room during the sessions due to employee concerns about retaliation and privacy.

Local 7 is advocating for adequate hours and increased safety for employees in stores along the Front Range, from Boulder to Pueblo.

Union employees agreed to strike against King Soopers after negotiations between union leaders and the grocer came to a standstill as contracts across the region expired. The union can now call a strike when and if they choose, without notice.

There remains a chance an agreement is reached before employees begin to officially strike.

Outside the Friday meetings, four members of the bargaining committee organized by Local 7 spoke with The Gazette about their top concerns and proposals. Union members submitted more than 80 proposals, according to Conor Hall, a deli clerk from Boulder.

The top two concerns from employees across the state were inadequate hours to complete the tasks assigned to them and the alleged lack of safety protocols, sometimes going hand in hand.

"One of our tasks is to clean the deli slicers and they're supposed to be done every four hours, but that doesn't happen," Hall alleged. "There's just no time for it."

Hall said the lack of proper cleaning throughout the day, especially in the food areas, can lead to cross contamination and health risks for customers.

"We're coming off the bat of things like the Boar's Head listeria outbreak, where all of that bologna got contaminated with listeria. Lettuce is getting routinely contaminated with listeria," Hall alleged. "Those are the results of not being able to properly clean."

King Soopers representatives did not respond to a Gazette email Friday asking for a response to the alleged health and safety concerns.

Reyna Carpenter, a seafood manager at a Pueblo location, said the lack of appropriate hours also leads to poor training for new employees. Pueblo-area employees are scheduled to vote Saturday to decide if they will strike as well.

"There's no shoulder-to-shoulder training anymore; that's just gone," Carpenter said.

Carpenter and Hall said theyve been told by those higher up that their departments are actually overstaffed, not understaffed.

In an interview with a Gazette reporter Friday, King Soopers said staffing issues are being addressed. President Joe Kelley said stores are more staffed now than they were four years ago.

Chris Lacey, a service manager in Littleton, said similar concerns ring true for his location regarding staffing, but another major priority is store safety, for both customers and employees.

In Colorado Springs, a man was shot and killed near the gas pumps in a King Soopers parking lot on Jan. 20. One of the many union proposals asked the company to alert staff if there is a dangerous emergency situation, like a fire or a nearby shooting.

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"It's a no-cost item," both Reyna and Hall echoed.

Lacey told The Gazette one of his fears with a new contract is that safety concerns would be pushed to the side in favor of other proposals.

"I'm afraid they're going to take more liberties with safety," Lacey said. "Anytime we bring up safety to them, they tell us that they feel that their stores are safe."

As a service manager, one of the biggest complaints he hears from customers is long lines and the inability to find an employee who is free to help them.

"I feel like they're going to take away more hours, which will leave us even more short-staffed, which will lead to more aggression and danger," Lacey said.

Another worry brought up by Colorado Springs employee David Burciago is the future of retirement benefits. Burciago has worked with King Soopers since 1980.

"I'm close to retirement, so when they're taking money away from these retirees' benefits, that affects me now," Burciago said.

In the same Gazette interview Friday, Kelley also denied the company is trying to roll back pensions, not increasing wages enough for most workers or taking back benefits.

We're not taking any money out. Matter of fact, our health care plan is in the green. Our reserves are in the green. Our pensions are fully funded and our reserves are fully funded, Kelley said.

With decades under his belt, Burciago said King Soopers used to be a different company, focusing on family and serving the community.

"You were given the opportunity and the hours and the time to actually provide that. You weren't always in a rush to get all these tasks completed," Burciago said.

While not a primary concern, several of those on the bargaining committee brought up unfair pay. According to prior Gazette reporting, one offer by King Soopers included raising hourly wages $4.50 over the next four years, or approximately $1 more each year, for top associate positions.

However, "top associates" only make up a small portion of all staff, union officials said.

"That's part of one of the unfair labor practices," Kim Cordova, president of Local 7, said. "We're not going to agree to the deal; it only applies to a small group. Thousands of workers are going to see (little-to-no raises.)"

Kelley also refuted Cordova's claim, saying workers who aren't "top associates" are still getting raises based on how many hours theyve worked at the company through a progression rate.

Cordova went on to also allege that the grocer was "randomly and selectively" adding wages to employees in "more affluent" neighborhoods.

"They're not adding those across the board to everybody else," Cordova claimed.

The most recent King Soopers strike was in 2022. The strike totaled more than 8,000 workers and only covered metro Denver-area stores. Cordova said Friday one of the reasons behind the 2022 strike was the discrepancy of pay across stores.

The contract that ended the strike expired in January alongside several other regional contracts.

If Pueblo follows suit with Colorado Springs and the Denver area, it could affect more than 10,000 workers.

"I want it to be better when I leave," Burciago said. "I believe that if the company truly is really concerned with how we feel and the things that we're asking for, I think that we can definitely come together."

Gazette's Bernadette Berdychowski contributed to this report.
Dutch Duo Achieves World Record for Most Casino Visits in 24 Hours

Eliot Thomas Casino Content Executive Copy link

UPDATE: Article has been updated following first publication on February 1st

Casino superfans Armijn Meijer and Dominique van der Geer have made history by setting a new world record, visiting 110 casinos across Las Vegas in an extraordinary 24-hour challenge on February 5-6.

Earlier this month, PokerNews caught up with the duo ahead of their ambitious attempt. Now, back home in the Netherlands, theyre reflecting on their record-breaking adventure.

The first 10 hours were brutallack of sleep, nerves, and so many unknowns, Armijn admits. But once we found our rhythm and got into full casino mode, everything started clicking into place.

"It was an incredibly tough challenge to execute properly, but thanks to Dominiques exceptional leadership and a rock-solid team, we made it happen."

Check out the YouGamble live stream from the successful attempt here:

The Challenge in Detail

The plan? Simple in theory, exhausting in practice. Pull up to a casino, park at a strategic exit (sometimes tipping valet or security $20 for the prime spot), rush inside, play $5 each on a slot, print the voucher as proof, and then sprint back out to the next stop.

Sounds easy? Try doing it 110 times.

The duo initially planned to hit 112 casinos, but entry restrictions forced them to adjust. That said, a few unplanned stops, including Dottys Casino in Vegas and a gas station casino in Primm, kept the challenge unpredictable.

The team hit the 100-casino milestone at Palace Station before wrapping up at The D on Fremont Street, crossing the finish line approximately 22.5 hours after kicking things off at Harrahs Laughlin.

Reflecting on their casino rat race across Nevada, Dominique recalls: "The off-strip casinos were way more welcomingstaff gave us high fives, followed our progress, and even players got excited to see us. But some places felt like ghost towns. One Wildfire casino had only a single slot machine, so we had to take turns playing it!"

One Wildfire casino had only a single slot machine, so we had to take turns playing it!

"Every casino had its own unique charm," Dominique adds. "Some were big and buzzing with energy, while others were so quiet it felt like stepping back in time."

After completing the mammoth challenge, the YouGamble crew had every reason to celebratebut for Armijn? I was completely wrecked, I just went straight to bed, he says. Hard to blame him.

The duo now faces a nervous wait to see if Guinness World Records will officially recognize their record attempt. But even without the official stamp, theyve already secured their spot in casino and Vegas history while also giving a major boost to their YouTube channel, YouGamble, where the full 24-hour live stream is still available.

"Insane" Future Plans

So, whats next?

Armijn teases "another insane casino idea" the team has brewing, but first, they need some "much-needed rest, reflection, and celebration of this crazy achievement."

"All the planning and effort were worth it." he concludes. "Weve now cemented our names in casino history, done something positive for our hometown, put Las Vegas in the spotlight once again"

The YouGamble team in Laughlin before the off.

What inspires someone to take on a casino challenge this crazy? Before Armijn and Dominique set off on their record-breaking journey, we spoke with them about their motivations and strategy. Check out the original interview below to see what they had planned before taking on 110 casinos in 24 hours 

World Record Dreams

"When I was 15 years old, I was an only child living with my parents. I was a dreamer. So, I made a bucket list and included 30 things I wanted to do in my life. The world record is on that listit's one of the highest things I want to achieve."

On Wednesday, February 5, casino superfans Armijn Meijer and Dominique van der Geer will attempt to break the world record for most casinos visited in 24 hours, bringing Armijn closer than ever to realizing a nearly 40-year dream.

Hailing from the Netherlands, the duo is embarking on a Vegas mission to visit a remarkable 112 casinos in a single day. Equipped with everything from SUVs to helicopters, they'll be livestreaming their attempt to break the unofficial 93-casino record that has stood since 2023.

A quick Google search reveals that the official Guinness World Recordset by Americans Kimo Ah Yun and Gary Meyer in 2017stands at 74 casinos.

However, Dominique explains to PokerNews, "That was our original goalI looked it up. But due to COVID, many smaller casinos closed their table games, leaving only 70 options."

"There are also strict rules, like having to use public transport, which is why people are now aiming for the unofficial record instead."

"We've been planning this for over a year now," Dominique adds, "When we were in Vegas two years ago, a couple was attempting the world record. They had just visited 93 casinos."

"I joked to Armijn: 'Hey, that would be fun. We could break that easily.' And then Armijn got enthusiastic and said, 'Well, let's do it.'"

Armijn, the helicopter pilot, and Dominque.

The Team

There's no doubt that together, the pair makes a formidable team.

Armijn's credentials for the challenge are undeniable: a former European blackjack champion and poker player, he already holds the record for visiting the most casinos in the Netherlands.

But, as we speak, I can't shake the feeling that Dominique may just be the team's secret weapon.

With a background in motorsport management and experience as a Vegas specialist travel agent, there's no doubt she brings the logistical expertise crucial for this challenge. In fact, it's hard to imagine a more ideal candidate.

"The plan keeps growing and growing, getting crazier every time. But honestly, that's what Vegas is all about."

"That's what I did in motorsportI organized the team, and we traveled around the world. We won a lot. I've always wanted to win," she explains.

"When I set my mind to something, I go into overdrive. That's actually what I enjoyI love making sure everything is perfectly organized."

"Armijn's a little bit crazy! He says, 'We need a helicopter!' and I'm like, 'Yeah, of course.' The plan keeps growing and growing, getting crazier every time. But honestly, that's what Vegas is all about."

Meijer, who was known as the "The Great One" throughout his poker career, laughs when talking about his friend: "We're yin and yang. We both love Vegas and casinos. She's incredibly organized, and I... well, let's just say I'm a bit of a liability."

More Las Vegas: 'The Las Vegas Book' is a Majestic Tribute to the Strip

The Plan

The journey starts at Harrah's Laughlin at 2:05 AM on February 5 that's when the clock officially starts ticking.

Joining Dominique and Armijn is a well-prepared support crew of eight. Dominique has left nothing to chance, telling me, "We have two drivers, two cameramen, two operators with us. We have two cars in case something happens to one. Everybody has a pack of cash... Everything has a backup."

After tackling the Laughlin casinos, the team will board a helicopter (yes, an actual helicopter) from Laughlin Riverside Resort to Primm, where the high-speed sprint continuesfirst with more casinos, then with SUVs ready to carry them through the next leg of the journey.

From there, the "casino rat race," as Armijn calls it, barrels into Las Vegas, where the bulk of the action takes place. The final destination? El Cortez in Downtown Vegas, where, all being well, they aim to arrive by 1:30 AM on February 6.

"We have to start with 24 hours, and then we have to party. So, we're up for at least 30 hours."

With 112 casinos to hit and an estimated four and a half minutes at each, just thinking about the challenge is exhaustinglet alone actually doing it.

Recognizing the scale of the task ahead, Armijn calls it a "mind game" and, with a laugh, confesses, "I like to sleep! We have to start with 24 hours, and then we have to party. So, we're up for at least 30 hours."

It's a mental and physical endurance teston top of helicopter rides and high-speed truck dashes between casinos, the pair estimate they'll cover a staggering 29km on foot. Armijn's even been hitting the gym to ensure he lasts the distance.

Dominique, on the other hand, seems unfazed, especially with the live stream audience in mind. "If he's (Armijn) getting tired and he's getting annoyed, we keep on picking on him. It's fun for the viewers," she jokes.

With every single second vital, their time at each casino is exactly as chaotic as you'd expect: sprint to the nearest slot machine, throw in $5 each, hit the button, collect the voucher as proof, and dash to the next stop.

If successful, Armijn and Dominique might just set two records this Wednesdaythe most casinos visited in 24 hours and the first people who ever visited Vegas hoping to dodge a handpay.

The Dutch casino fanatics in Vegas.

Fun & Games

"We have to do something interactive because our real goal is to share the casino fun," Dominique explains as we discuss the complexities of running a 24-hour live stream.

To keep the energy up, the stream will feature interactive challenges, surprise giveaways, and opportunities for those watching along to get involved.

Viewers can guess who will win moreArmijn or Dominiqueand score prizes like cash, gun shooting packages, and plane tickets.

The support crew, who fans can get to know through YouGamble's Instagram, will also contribute their unique skills to keep things fresh throughout the stream.

Monica, known as "The Entertainer" and a pole dancer in her free time, will keep things lively with frequent outfit changeseverything from Wonder Woman to a cowgirl (a tribute to the legendary Buffalo slot franchise, naturally).

Meanwhile, popular Dutch slot streamers The Slot Beasts will play live casino games to give Armijn and Dominique a chance to try and grab a 15-minute power nap between stops.

Legacy

If the plan sounds ambitious, that's because it isand it needs to be.

The pair reveal they've been in contact with the previous record-holders, John and Kristina Mehaffey, who have already pledged to reclaim the title if Wednesday's attempt is successful.

With that in mind, both Armijn and Dominique are determined to set the bar high.

"It's my 38th visit to Vegas. I really love Las Vegas, I really love casinos, and I really love Dominique," Armijn tells me.

"So I thought, why not make this my legacy? It's like a kind of magic for me, a life elixir."

I'm not betting against them.

How to Watch Live

For those who want to watch the world record attempt unfold live, you can tune in to the 24-hour livestream on YouTube @YouGamble, follow the challenge on Instagram @YouGamble, or join the Facebook group "Las Vegas World Record 2025" for updates and prize giveaways. It is set to begin around 2 AM (PST) on February 5, 2025.

Part of the team with the YouGamble SUV.

Disclaimer: any promotions presented on this page were correct and available at the time of writing. Promotions can change regularly. We encourage all users to check the promotion displayed matches the most current promotion available by clicking through to the operator welcome page. Please read the terms and conditions carefully before you accept any promotional welcome offer.

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Leon Tsoukernik Feeling 'Absolutely Fine' Two Weeks After 40-Hour Coma

Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S. Copy link

Former King's Resort owner Leon Tsoukernik said he is "absolutely fine" and feeling "fantastic" two weeks after awakening from a 40-hour coma.

The businessman and longtime poker industry leader spoke to Forbes Cesko after collapsing in his Czechia home earlier this month and being hospitalized in critical condition following a reported overdose of the same drug that killed pop star Michael Jackson.

Former King's Owner Making Quick Recovery

A translated version of the Jan. 29 story describes the 51-year-old as "more alive than ever" after awakening from the coma on Jan. 17.

"His vitality just oozes from him and, according to him, he feels better than before," wrote Forbes Cesko Editor-in-Chief Zdravko Krstanov.

Tsoukernik told the Czech publication that he "even had memories of things I had long forgotten" as he looked fondly at his orchids.

It has been a quick recovery from a scary incident for the former King's owner. Tsoukernik, who sold his stake in the European poker venue for an estimated 400 million in July 2024, was rushed to the hospital by helicopter in critical condition on Jan. 14 after a reported incident involving unprofessional administration of propofol, a powerful anesthetic that requires expert handling.

Leon Tsoukernik

The drug gained notoriety after it was linked to the death of Michael Jackson, who reportedly received a lethal dose administered by Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 following the death of the pop star two years earlier.

"We are investigating possible illegal behavior that may have occurred at an undetermined time in Chodova Plana," police spokesperson Iva Vrsecka said at the time of the overdose.

A "Second Life"

Tsoukernik thanked the Clinic of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine at the University Hospital Pilsen and credited the doctors with saving his life.

Leon Tsoukernik

"These wonderful people gave me a second life," he told Forbes. "Led by Professor Benes. At the same time, I am deeply grateful to my wife Sandra, who spent days and nights at my bedside. I believe that played a role.

Tsoukernik, once dubbed "the King of Casinos," is a regular at poker's high-est stakes and has amassed over $5.4 million in Hendon Mob tournament earnings. He sits fourth on the Czech Republic all-time money list behind Martin Staszko, Roman Hrabec and Martin Kabrhel.

King's Resort has long been home to the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE).

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One of the transported gray wolves looks out of its crate during its journey to Colorado. Photo by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Ten members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, currently under suspension, have called upon the National Assembly to intervene in the ongoing crisis in the state legislature.

The lawmakers, comprising four members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and six from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this appeal on Friday during a press briefing in Abuja.

They are Ibrahim Tukur, Faruk Dosara, Shamsudeen Hassan, Bashar Aliyu, Nasiru Maru, Bashir Masama, Amiru Ahmed, Basiru Bello, Aliyu Kagara, and Mukhtaru Nasiru.

The 24-member House of Assembly is controlled by the PDP; however, some of the suspended members are also from the PDP.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Maru, who represents Maru North Constituency, explained that eight of them were suspended in February 2024, while the seat of the Minority Leader, Aliyu Kagara, was recently declared vacant by the Speaker of the House, Bilyaminu Morikia move they declared illegal.

He said they have sent a petition to the National Assembly and are awaiting the decision of the federal lawmakers on the matter.

We sent a petition to the National Assembly; they called us and asked us to go back, stating they would invite us for further investigation, but up to this moment, we have not heard from them. We are waiting for their response, Mr Maru said.

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The Constitution empowers the National Assembly to assume the responsibilities of any House of Assembly if it is unable to function. However, the Constitution provides further stringent measures to avoid abuse.

Section 11(4) states that At any time when any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order, and good government of that State with respect to matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or expedient until such time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions; and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the House of Assembly of the State.

In 2016, the Senate and the House of Representatives resolved to take over the functions of the Kogi State House of Assembly following a crisis in the state.

In 2019, there was also a resolution by the House concerning the Edo Assembly crisis.

Reasons for Suspension

Mr Maru explained that the suspended members and the minority leader are victims of political persecution by the speaker, acting at the behest of the executive.

He added that the suspended members are those who have refused to be a rubber-stamp parliament.

The Assembly is now more or less under the control of the Executive, virtually taking orders from there and imposing the same on the members, whereby the minoritys voice is barely heard, he stated.

He said the Assembly suspended the members in clear violation of the 1999 Constitution and called for a rescission of the action.

The suspension, which was effected without due process or fair hearing, is a clear violation of our rights and the principles of natural justice. The declaration of the Minority Leaders seat vacant is a further attempt to silence him and disenfranchise him for his stance on the call for the Assembly to reverse the suspension of eight honourable members and address the injustice.

It is sad to note that through these undue interferences by the powers that be among the lawmakers, they have been fighting and terrorising even their own members who refuse to dance to their tunes, especially as rubber stamps, facing suspension threats, but this cannot be allowed to continue with such abuse looking like business as usual  Mr Maru said.

The lawmaker claimed that all actions taken by the 14 members of the House are null and void. However, the quorum of the House is only one-third of the members.

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Artworks let you communicate your vision without saying a word.

Recognising its creative potential, Spotify recently introduced a new playlist cover art feature so users can flex their creativity.

With this feature, Free and Premium users can personalise their music playlists more than ever by using unique images, colours, text effects, graphics, and more.

On Wednesday at The Waterside in Lekki, Spotify users, media, and influencers in Lagos experienced this feature firsthand at a soiree hosted by popular host and podcaster Taymesan.

While some guests connected over their shared love for storytelling and music by snapping away at the custom life-sized photo booths, others became friends by creating cover art for their playlists to stay connected.

The event was filled with laughter, dancing, refreshments and the joy of new connections.

Spotifys Head of Communications and PR in Sub-Saharan Africa, Miche Atagana, thinks of cover art as more than just an image. This feature is another fun way we celebrate users, giving them more creative freedom over their playlist aesthetic, making their soundtracks feel authentic to their lives, she said.

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Cover Art

To access it, users open the Create Cover Art tool from the Spotify mobile app, select an existing playlist, or tap the context menu to create a new one. From there, they can start playing with features that allow them to add text, choose images, and make design elements. Once theyre done, they save the work and share it with the world.

To use this feature, you only need a mobile device. Whether youre on iOS or Android, head to your Spotify mobile app (make sure its up to date) and select a playlist you created or create a new one.

Tap the three-dot menu on the playlist page and then select Create cover art within the menu options.

From there, you can upload an original photo and add or update various elements, including text styles, colours, and effects featuring a custom typeface and Spotify Mix.

Once complete, your playlist will be updated with your new cover art, and you can share your creation directly with friends or on social media.

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A Mapo Grade A Customary Court in Ibadan on Friday dissolved a 21-year-old marriage at the instance of an Ibadan-based caterer, Omotayo Kumunyi, on the grounds of poisoning and domestic violence.

Mrs Kumunyi, a resident of the Osungbade area of Ibadan, stated that her husband, Mr Olatunde, does not cater to her and their four children.

She added that when the problem became too much for her to bear, she moved away with three of her children while the second child remained behind.

My lord, about five years ago, our third child confided in me that she usually saw her father pouring some black substance into my food whenever I was not there. I was shocked by this information and confronted him with the revelation.

Subsequently, I invited him to eat part of the food, and he declined to taste it. As if that was not enough, Olatunde regularly turned our first child and me into a punching bag anywhere he came across us. I also beg the court to grant me custody of the children because Olatunde will not adequately care for them, She said.

However, Mr Olatunde did not react to most allegations against him, though he acknowledged dowry payment to his wifes parents.

Custody, marriage dissolution

Mr Olatunde, a resident of Number 2 Olatunde Street, Police Post at Challenge in Ibadan, who earns his living as a carpenter, made a condition on the childrens upkeep.

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He told the court that he would only be willing to pay N5,000 for the childrens monthly upkeep if the court refused to award him custody of them.

I want to take custody of the children because Kumunyi has the habit of maltreating the last two children. The second child with me had been going to school regularly, he argued.

Delivering judgment, the courts President, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, pronounced the marriage dissolved, stating that it was duly contracted judging from the evidence adduced by the duo.

Mrs Akintayo granted Mrs Kumunyi custody of the last three children and directed Olatunde to pay a monthly feeding allowance of N20,000 for their upkeep.

This was in addition to being responsible for their education and other welfare.

The first child is 18 years of age, and because he is an adult by law, he has the right to choose who to live with between his two parents. However, the petitioner must allow the respondent a reasonable access to the children, she said.

The President of the court also granted an order restraining Mr Olatunde from harassing, threatening, disturbing and interfering with the private life of his now-ex-wife, henceforth.

(NAN)

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16-year-old Aisha Suleiman, accused of killing her ex-boyfriend, Emmanuel Elogie, and four others with poisoned pepper soup, has revealed details surrounding the incident.

On 1 November 2024, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Edo State Police Command confirmed her arrest after she was rescued from being lynched to death.

However, four months after the incident, Ms Suleiman, who was arraigned and later let off the hook, claimed she was not in Afashio community, Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Area, where the incident occurred.

She stated that since parting ways with her late 19-year-old ex-boyfriend, his father, Elogie Ezekiel, had warned her never to revisit their house.

In an interview with Independent Television and Radio (ITV) in Benin City, Ms Suleiman narrated what transpired.

She said: I didnt know anything about the pepper soup. I didnt cook pepper soup that fateful day. It was the deceaseds best friend, Ezenna Japan, who posted my picture on social media, claiming that anyone who found me would be rewarded with N500,000 because I poisoned those who died.

My friend took a screenshot and showed it to me. When my friend and I went to the police station to report it, the boy who posted my picture and his friends blocked the road. They wanted to kill me, insisting that I was the one who cooked the pepper soup.

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No case

Ms Suleimans counsel, Ibude Osamwonyi, stated that the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) discharged her on the grounds of no case to answer, as the deaths of her ex-boyfriend and his friends were attributed to generator fumes.

Mr Osamwonyi added that he took up Ms Suleimans case after being convinced by friends and human rights activists.

I discovered that the girl ( Ms Suleiman) was framed, which led the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to set her free since the victim died from generator fumes.

Because of her age, they couldnt send her to prison, so she was remanded to a welfare facility. After reviewing the case file, I found nothing linking her to the crime. Even one of the victims fathers confirmed that she never came to the house that day, the lawyer said.

Legal action

Meanwhile, Ms Suleimans father, Latif Suleiman, and his family announced they would press charges against Ezenna Japan (who allegedly posted on social media that Ms Suleiman poisoned her ex-boyfriend).

READ ALSO: NHRC calls for prosecution of soldiers involved in 2016 killings in Borno community

Narrating how his daughter was almost killed in the acts of jungle justice by aggrieved residents, Mr Suleiman said, When I got there (the place they wanted to burn Aisha), the place was like a market square. The first thing I saw was four litres of petrolthey tried to burn my house and my daughter (Aisha).

I saw people who spoke the same language as me, and they told me to stay calm so that I wouldnt be recognised.

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The two members of Colorado's congressional delegation who have served in the military had sharply different reactions on Tuesday, as Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for defense secretary, faced questioning before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
When the then-Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, established the Riyom General Hospital and Trauma Centre 2004, the location of the facility was widely praised as strategic. The hospital is in Sambak, a community in the Riyom Local Government Area on the accident-prone Riyom-Abuja Highway.

According to data obtained from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), 132 crashes occurred in the Riyom-Hawan Kibo-Forest axis of the highway between April and December 2024, in which 54 people died and a further 392 were injured.

However, while the General Hospital section of the facility is functioning, the trauma centre designed to care for road accident victims is not. Former Governor Simon Lalong commissioned the centre in 2023, but the building remains uncompleted. Its raised walls, roofing, and brightly painted structure look beautiful from the outside, but there is no ceiling, flooring, or equipment inside the building. The lone scanner at the centre could not be used due to the lack of power supply. The governor used state funds to commission an incomplete and non-functional centre.

The Chief Medical Director of the State Hospital Management Board, Benjamin Garkuwa, acknowledged that the centre was not in use

The Trauma Centre is zero; we are working in the general aspect of the hospital. The Trauma Centre has not been furnished. There is nothing inside the structure; the governor knows about this, and discussions are ongoing to put the place into use. Mr Garkuwa said in an interview with this reporter.

The hospitals medical superintendent, Francis Fwangje, said, For the Trauma Centre, we are yet to fully take over because if it will be, there must be more orthopaedic doctors who specialise in that.

Grand plan, huge budgetary allocations

The Trauma Centre was conceived as a world-class specialist facility to provide care for patients in Plateau State and from Nigerias north-central and north-east zones. However, the state government abandoned the project after spending millions of naira on it under different administrations.

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The State Open Contracting Portal revealed that the project was allocated funds in the states annual budget by the administrations of Mr Dariye (1999-2007), the states first governor in the Fourth Republic, and his successor, Mr Jang.

In the states 2014 budget, the administration allocated N176 million for the Construction of Accident and Emergency Units in Riyom General Hospital. In 2018, the succeeding administration of Mr Lalong allocated N516 million for the Supply of medical equipment to Riyom Accident and Emergency Hospital and in 2020, N240 million for the Construction of Accident and Emergency Hospital, Riyom.

However, a staffer of the Budget Department in the State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, who asked not to be named because they were not permitted to speak to journalists, said although the funds were allocated in the states annual budgets, there were no commiserate releases to carry out the project.

This reporters repeated efforts to obtain information from the relevant government offices on actual funding of the project, including through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, were not successful.

Commissioned but uncompleted

On 18 May 2023, a few days before leaving office, former Governor Lalong commissioned the Trauma Centre.

A resident of Sambak, Iliya Matthew, described the ceremony as a grand scam.

An activist, Nankin Bagudu, said he, too, was surprised by the former governors action.

Former Governor Lalong commissioned it, and everybody assumes that it is serving its purpose. Everybody was elated that at least, at last, another government has taken care of that. So, it is a big surprise to me to hear that the centre is not functioning. What happened to the equipment? What happened to all the things that we expected to be there?

Is it that the equipment has been stolen? It happened in the past when equipment was installed in government facilities, and they were stolen after the governor left. I think its something that we need to look into properly.

That hospital is located at a very strategic place, by the roadside. Many people travel on that road from Yola, Maiduguri, Damaturu, Bauchi, and some parts of Jigawa, so its a very important route. Im very troubled about this information, Mr. Bagudu said.

Lois Dung from the nearby Tyana community said that until the administration of incumbent Governor Caleb Mutfwang came to the hospitals rescue recently, there was no activity in the entire hospital. She said residents patronised private hospitals or travelled many kilometres to the Vom Christian Hospital in the Jos South Local Government Area.

A community leader, Shuwa Bature, said, When the centre was commissioned in the state that you saw it, we were advised to write to the state government that there was still a lot of work left undone. We wrote to the state government that the project shouldnt have been commissioned. I believe the current administration will look into it and put things in their proper perspective.

Costly neglect

Had the hospital functioned, I would have received timely help, Alice Bala, who had an accident while travelling on the Hawan Kibo expressway in May 2024, lamented. I lost so much blood and was unconscious by the time I got to JUTH (Jos University Teaching Hospital). Right now, I am still taking treatment at a private trauma hospital at an exorbitant rate.

Yakubu Dassam, a nurse anaesthetist, noted, If the trauma centre were active, it would have helped the citizenry, not only in Plateau State but nationwide because that road is a national carrier where people access the North-east, North-central and even part of the North-west and other African countries.

Hawan Kibo (section of the highway) is like a death trap. A lot of accidents happen around there. You need a hospital close by to give first aid and proper treatment, but you must travel back to Jos or move towards Abuja. So, there is a delay when you are supposed to intervene within the shortest possible time.

Our roads are not even good. A journey that ought to take two hours takes almost four hours. Even if the trauma centre is functional, between Hawan Kibo and Riyom, one would spend about 45 minutes instead of 10 to 15 minutes. But that would be shorter than coming to Jos or going to Abuja.

Mr Dassam said the facility could have created employment for the local population. Employment would have been available to them under the national provision for junior workers to be recruited in (the host community). Now that it is not functional, I do not know whether they have employed enough manpower to give the locality an opportunity for employment for Junior staff.

Trauma Centre needed  FRSC

The FRSC spokesman, Peter Longsan, spoke on why the facility is desirable in the area. The essence of the Trauma Centre was to assist crash victims because most times, when a crash occurs, it is either we take the victims to Kaduna State or the nearest place in Plateau State, which is the Vom Christian Hospital in Jos South.

Imagine the distance from Forest to Gidan Waya in Kaduna or Vom in Jos. The place was to serve as the nearest centre that people could easily access. From Hawan Kibo to the Vom Christian hospital is 64 km; you can imagine the distance.

To assist, the military established a health outpost along the highway. We also have a health facility at Hawan Kibo so that when the injuries are not too serious, we give first aid there or we take the victims to the Primary Health Centre at Angwan Mailafiya and other places.

If the crash occurs along the Forest axis, sometimes the victims are taken to either Gidan Waya or Kafanchan, both in Kaduna State. This, too, is over 60 km. If it happens at the Riyom axis, we go to Vom, where, in many cases, they are referred to the Plateau Specialists Hospital or the Jos University Teaching Hospital. The stress impacts on the wellbeing of the victims. We cant say why the centre is not functioning.

We are drawing the governments attention

We are drawing the attention of the government to look into it so that the hospital will be completed, the Riyom General Hospital superintendent, Mr Fwangje, said.

We need equipment for orthopaedic services, like internal fixation of the bones, for the operation of the bones, joining the bones together in terms of fracture. We need crutches. We dont have anything here for a trauma centre.

When this place was commissioned, I was posted as the doctor here and met nothing on the ground. Theres nothing like an inventory on the side of the trauma centre because even the structure is not completed, but from the outside, you will think everything is furnished.

We expect that this present government can make an effort to furnish it and make it functional. People go to the Vom Christian hospital, some go down to Plateau Specialists Hospital and JUTH, and they patronize the private hospitals around.

The location of the hospital is very nice, cool, and close. We offer different services, including mortuary, surgeries, diagnostic, and laboratory services. We manage life here. We have some security vanguards, the vigilante; they always help. And then we manage the solar light that we have, but we are looking for water, light, and accommodation. With those, we will improve the services given to the patients.

We have a staff strength of 70, including the professionals, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists, laundry, admin staff, records, and Ward attendants, but I am the only doctor here. I am a general practitioner and an anatomist.

If fully furnished, the Trauma Centre can serve people in Plateau and beyond because many states like Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Taraba, and others pass this road to Abuja. Nobody determines who will be involved in an accident.

Why the centre is not functional  Government

The State Commissioner for Health, Cletus Shurkuk, explained why the facility is not offering the expected services.

When we came on board, the hospital was not functioning. Former Governor Lalong commissioned three hospitals (Riyom, Kanke, and Mubudi), but they were not operational. We have made the place operational. Staff were deployed to the facility. They have started operating, not at the level we want, but there is a significant improvement.

For now, it is a General Hospital; the trauma facilities are not there. But we want to make it a part of the orthopaedic hospital, looking at the strategic location of the hospital on the busy Riyom-Gidan Waya-Abuja axis.

READ ALSO: Governor Mutfwang proposes N471 billion 2025 budget to Plateau Assembly

For any accident on that axis, victims will be rushed there for first aid before they are moved to a higher facility. We have already signed the MOU with the Federal Ministry of Health for an Orthopaedic Hospital presently operating at the temporary site in Jos.

The permanent site is at Mararaba Jamaa, Jos South LGA. Some equipment, which I may not be able to say now, was purchased by the previous administration for usage. They were to be used to carry out operations. Part of our agenda for the health sector is to ensure that all the healthcare facilities in Plateau State are operating. We have seen where we can also privatise to ensure our people have access to quality health care services.

The story was supported with funding from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, CJID.

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The Plateau State Government has cleared the air on the uncompleted but commissioned Riyom General Hospital and Trauma Centre in the Riyom Local Government Area of the State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the facility was abandoned after it was commissioned by former Governor Simon Lalong in May 2023.

Following the report on Saturday, the state Commissioner of Health, Cletus Shurkuk, led local and state officials to inspect the facility.

He said said efforts are on to ensure the Centre becomes functional.

Mr Lalong commissioned the uncompleted facility shortly before he left office in 2023.

However, the incumbent Governor Caleb Mutfwang ensured the General Hospital started operation while the Trauma Centre, which ought to serve accident victims on the very busy and accident-prone Riyom-Gidan Waya-Abuja highway, is left untouched.

Mr Shurkuk said Governor Mutfwang is committed to seeing all healthcare facilities in the state working and delivering quality healthcare service to citizens.

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The commissioner spoke after he led key stakeholders in the states health sector, as well as the Riyom Local Government to the facility, he said Governor Mutfwang had ordered that all healthcare facilities in the state must function.

The governor has given an order that all healthcare facilities in the state must function. So, the governor is not silent, we are looking at the issue of a Trauma Centre.

You have seen the place, it has been commissioned but it was not completed, so were finding out where the problem is so that we can fix it. We have already started the activities, but its not just enough to start, and thats why were here to monitor to ensure that they are doing what they are supposed to do.

Before we came on board, there was no activity going on in the hospital, but we mobilised staff to come and start work so that the people in the neighbourhood could benefit from some of the services. And as you can see, the operation has started, but its not at the level that we want it, and this is because they have some other challenges, and thats why were here with some of the stakeholders in the facility and the local government to discuss on some of the challenges.

The major challenge is the issue of getting the hospital connected to the national grid, and also the issue of accommodation, water, and encroachment into the hospital by the community claiming that they have not been paid compensation.

So we have already discussed that with the chairman of the local government, and very soon, you will see the progress that we are making on the issue.

The people are coming in here to cultivate the land and that is not good. 80 per cent of the compensation has been paid, and the 20 per cent remaining is to be completed by the local government area.

There is a borehole that is not in use because of the lack of a power source; the resources to power the generator that is here will be too exorbitant to sustain. We are also looking at getting temporary accommodation for doctors so they dont need to come from Jos in case of emergency.

He added that the state government was working out the issues with the contractor who was to make available the accommodation for the staffers.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Local Government, Sati Shuwa, informed the people of the efforts the council was making to support the full functioning of the facility.

He blamed repeated vandalism by unpatriotic citizens for the inability to connect the Riyom and Ganawuri districts of the local government area to the national grid and expressed optimism that the challenges will soon be overcome.

The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital Management Board, Benjamin Garkuwa, represented by the Director of Medical Services, Fatima Gyaran, urged stakeholders to ensure the facility serves its purpose in the state.

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About 60 bodies have been recovered from the scene of a petrol tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, authorities said on Saturday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that many people scooping petrol from the fallen tanker were burnt to death in the incident.

The tragedy occurred when the fuel-laden tanker, belonging to HMY Oil and Gas, exploded.

Kumar Tsukwam, the Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), gave the update on the accident.

Speaking to our correspondent, Mr Tsukwam said the tanker, with registration number KBG-103-XAX, had loaded 60,000 litres of petrol from Lagos and was en route to Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory when the body of the vehicle detached from its head, causing it to fall.

The victims were mostly scavengers who gathered to scoop fuel despite attempts to stop them, Mr Tsukwam said. He added that the fire from the explosion spread to another tanker, compounding the devastation.

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However, the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullah Arah, attributed the explosion to the use of a generator during the transfer of fuel from the fallen tanker to another.

READ ALSO: Niger bans trucks from bridge after deadly petrol tanker explosion

The officials said emergency responders were deployed to the scene, and investigations into the cause of the explosion were ongoing.

This latest incident underscores the dangers of fuel-related accidents in Nigeria, where illegal scooping of petroleum products often results in fatalities.

Scores of people have been killed in similar incidents in recent years.

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Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has vowed to challenge the Court of Appeal judgment affirming the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

Aloy Ejimakor, in a statement on Friday night, said Mr Kanu stated this when he and other members of his legal team visited the IPOB leader on Friday at the facility of the State Security Service.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the proscription of IPOB in Nigeria.

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.

The Nigerian government, under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, proscribed the separatist group.

A Federal High Court in Abuja formalised the IPOBs proscription and tagged the group a terrorist organisation.

Nnamdi Kanu faults ruling

Speaking through Mr Ejimakor, his special counsel, Mr Kanu argued that the judgement affirming IPOBs proscription was faulty.

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The ruling yesterday (Thursday) by the Court of Appeal affirming the proscription of IPOB as a terror group will live in infamy and thus shall be resisted vigorously within the parameters of the law  municipal and international.

Sooner than later, it shall be demonstrated that the judgment did not pass the muster of the Nigerian Constitution and the statutes pertinent to it, he said.

Our grouse with the judgement

Mr Ejimakor said a major issue which the legal team argued at the appeal court was that the proscription order by the Federal High Court in 2017 was obtained through an ex parte application by the federal government, instead of through a hearing on notice by a judge-in-chambers.

He said they also argued that the proscription proceedings offended the hallowed doctrine of fair hearing provided in the Nigerian Constitution, given that IPOB was neither put on notice, nor heard before the proscription order was granted.

The special counsel further contended that the proscription directive issued to the attorney-general was signed by the then Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, now late and not the then President Buhari, in line with law.

The Court of Appeal acknowledged these laxities but it still went ahead to dismiss our appeal on the quaint premise that national security is an exception to the provisions of the Constitution.

One then wonders when herein lies the national security risk posed by the IPOB in 2017 that warranted the flagrant breach of the Constitution that, in its intents and effects, discriminatorily targeted the Igbo as a whole, he said.

Mr Ejimakor stressed that the Constitution laid down the process to be strictly followed before any provision before any provision of the Constitution could be suspended for the sake of national security.

But in this case, this process was not followed at all, he stated.

Dont call Nnamdi Kanu a terrorist yet

Aside from IPOBs proscription, Mr Kanu is being prosecuted for alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mr Ejimakor argued in the statement that the appeal court ruling will hardly have any prejudicial effects on Mr Kanus trial at the Federal High Court.

This, he explained, was because the appeal court ruling was not final and the IPOB leader had resolved to challenge the judgement at the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter.

The special counsel threatened legal action against any person or entity who would take undue advantage of the appeal court ruling to cause legal injury on Mr Kanu and Igbos.

So, for the time being, it is legally safer and wiser for all and sundry to resist the dangerous temptation of calling Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a terrorist until he is either convicted as one which is a tall order or until the Supreme Court finally decides it against him which is highly unlikely.

In plain terms, the jury is still out on the issue of whether the IPOB and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are terrorists or not, he said.

Thus, anybody or entity that seizes the adverse moment to purvey the libel that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu or IPOB is a terrorist will be countervailed by epic legal actions that will be prompt, muscular and scorched-earth.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday observed the Jumaat alongside leaders of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Religious Movement, led by Khalifa Sheikh Muhammad Mahi Inyass, at the Aso Villa Mosque in Abuja.

During the prayers, President Tinubu joined the clerics in seeking divine blessings, peace, progress, and stability for Nigeria.

Khalifa Inyass, son of the revered spiritual leader of the Tijjaniyya order, Sheikh Ibrahim Inyass, commended President Tinubus leadership and prayed for continued wisdom and success in steering Nigeria toward more remarkable development.

Khalifa Inyass told reporters after the prayers that the delegation, mainly from Senegal, was in Nigeria as part of the Tijjaniyya movements annual Inyass Maulud celebration.

He assured President Tinubu of the support and prayers of the Muslim Ummah, particularly the over 400 million followers across Nigeria, West Africa and beyond.

READ ALSO: Tinubu appoints substantive MD of Rural Electrification Agency

Sheikh Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi, the eldest son of Tijjaniyya leader in Nigeria, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, and other leaders accompanied Khalifa Inyas.

Bayo Onanuga

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Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

January 31, 2025

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Afrobeats enthusiasts have a new anthem to embrace. Bullion Records rising star Abdulrahman Yusuf, popularly known as Harcher, has officially released his highly anticipated single, Peace.

The single, released on Friday, is across all digital streaming platforms.

Since signing with Bullion Records on 6 December 2024, Harcher has been making waves in the Nigerian music industry with his distinctive Afrobeat sound and thought-provoking lyrics.

Peace marks another significant milestone in his career. It delivers a powerful message of love, unity, and resilience in a world of challenges.

Speaking about the release, Olufemi Oguntoyinbo, CEO of Bullion Records, expressed his enthusiasm for the songs impact, noting the overwhelming response from fans worldwide as a testament to Harchers growing influence.

This song carries a message that resonates deeply with people. It perfectly blends Afrobeat rhythms and meaningful lyrics that make you reflect while vibrating to the groove, he said.

EP soon come

Mr Ajadi also mentioned more significant projects for the rising star, revealing that an Extended Play (EP) project is underway.

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This is just the beginning for Harcher. His upcoming EP will showcase his versatility even more, and I can assure fans that they are in for a treat, he added.

Hatcher said: Peace is a song for everyone. It speaks about harmony in a chaotic world and musics power to unite people. I put my heart into this and am grateful for the love and support from my fans and Bullion Records.

In the track, Harcher boldly declares, Giving them back to back, reaffirming his commitment to making a lasting impact in the music industry. His signature blend of energetic beats and soulful storytelling continues to attract a rapidly growing fan base.

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Reports of the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have remained on the cover pages of Nigerian newspapers.

As the crisis persists, the Blueprint, on its newspaper cover page for today, Saturday, reported that 2027: Opposition parties in tatters as defection rumours thicken.

ThisDay newspaper says, PDP governors move to save party from crises.

PDP crisis festers as govs back Ude Okoye for secretary, The Nation reported.

Punch newspaper also reported, PDP govs back Ude-Okoye as National Secretary, demand NEC March 13.

Meanwhile, the Sun newspaper reported a message from PDP which was directed to President Bola Tinubu under the headline  Your economic policies inflicting hardship on Nigerians.

Atiku to Tinubu: Youre fighting opposition, not corruption, Vanguard reported.

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Punch, on its cover page, wrote that US-based Nigerians go into hiding amid Trumps deportation crackdown.

The Guardian reported, How enforcement agencies can avoid rights violations.

Other headlines include; Unanswered questions over Quran convention, Daily Trust reported.

The Times news reported that FG disburses N2.4bn despite volumes of abandoned projects.

FCT Security agencies begin profiling of pantaker operators, the paper also reported.

Why FG, NCC okayed hike in telecom tariffs, The Nation newspaper headline read.

We thank Abiola Ayankunbi, a media management expert, for providing screenshots of the newspapers front pages.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned a group of individuals from the 792 alleged internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects apprehended last December in Lagos.

The suspects, including 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian, were arrested in a surprise crackdown dubbed the Eagle Flush Operation. According to the EFCC, the foreign nationals were allegedly involved in orchestrating large-scale internet fraud schemes and recruiting Nigerian youths into illicit cyber activities.

Those arraigned on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos were 11 Chinese nationals, a Filipino, and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd.

A statement released by the EFCC via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle listed the defendants as: Wang Zheng Ming, Li Yin Hui, Xian Hong Will, Zhang Xiao Lei, Long Zhao Ming, Guo Xiao Fei, Yang Sheng, Wang Zheng Feng, Chen Wenyuan, Liu San Hua, Luo Jia You and Rheign Dela Vega.

The commission arraigned them before trial judge D.I Dipeolu on separate charges of cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others.

They each pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them in court.

Following their not-guilty pleas, the prosecuting lawyers, L.P. Aso, M. K.Bashir, T. J. Banjo, N. K. Ukoha and B. Buhari-Bala, urged the court to pick trial dates and order the defendants remand in correctional facilities.

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Based on the request, the judge remanded the defendants at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Centres.

He fixed 7, 14 and 21 February for trial.

More details about charges

One of the defendants, Luo You, faces a charge of willfully giving false information to EFCC officers during investigation.

The anti-graft agency accused him of trying to mislead its investigators by falsely representing himself as A. You, on 18 December 2024, during questioning about his membership of a criminal syndicate specialised in Romance scam, crypto currency fraud, cyber terrorism amongst others. EFCC said the offence is contrary to section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.

Another of the defendants, Long Ming, also known as Ling Yang, was charged with being in possession of false documents falsely identifying her as Linda Maureen, a citizen of the United States of America. The EFCC said she knew these details to be false but obtained the false document with intent to defraud, an act the commission said constituted an offence under section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other fraud related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

Also, the EFCC charged Li Hui and the company Genting International Co. Limited with you procuring, and employing Nigerian youths for identity theft and pretending to be foreigners with the intent to defraud. EFCC said the defendants recruited the Nigerians to access computer systems to seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes. The prosecution said the offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).

Penalties for offences

Section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 criminalises and provides punishment for act Luo You was charged with.

The provision states that any person who knowingly makes or causes another person to make a false statement, or a statement intended to mislead, to an officer of the Commission or any other public officer in the course of their duties, commits an offence. Upon conviction, such an individual is liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand naira or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.

Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other fraud related Offences Act, of the Act under which Long Ming was charged, criminalises the possession of any document containing false pretences. If an individual is found with such a document and knows or ought to know, given the circumstances, that it contains false pretences, they are deemed to have committed an attempt to perpetrate an offense under the Act.

On the other hand, section 1(3) of the Act specifies the penalties for such offenses. An individual convicted under this section is liable to imprisonment for a term ranging from a minimum of 7 years to a maximum of 20 years, without the option of a fine.

Li Hui and the company Genting International Co. Limited were charged under section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).

Section 18 (1) of the Act criminalises acts that involve the use of computer systems or networks to commit, facilitate, or promote terrorist activities and provides life imprisonment as penalty on conviction.

Section 27 stipulates that individuals who attempt to commit, conspire to commit, or assist others in committing offences outlined in the Act are subject to the same penalties as the principal offenders. This includes employees of financial institutions or other organizations who collaborate with others to perpetrate fraud or other cyber offenses using computer systems or networks. The section provides a punishment of two years imprisonment, a fine not more than N5 million fine or both on conviction.

Background

Dubbed the largest cybercrime syndicate, EFCC, on 10 December 2024, arrested a group of 792 suspects including Nigerians, Chinese, Arab and Filipino nationals involved in alleged cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams.

Briefing journalists about the operation on 16 December, EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, said operatives arrested the suspects in a surprise operation at their hideout at a seven-storey building known as Bigleaf on 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Mr Uwujaren said the arrest came after months of surveillance by the EFCC..

Investigation established that the foreign nationals use the facility at 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, which could be mistaken for a corporate headquarters of a financial establishment to train their Nigerian accomplices on how to initiate romance and investment scams and also use the identities of Nigerians to perpetrate their criminal activities, he said.

He added that Nigerians were recruited by foreign nationals to scout for victims online, targeting Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and several others from European countries.

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Two prosecution witnesses on Friday gave details of how a former acting Accountant General of the Federation, Chukwunyere Anamekwe, opened and used multiple bank accounts to divert funds belonging to the Federal Ministry of Defence.

The witnesses narrated this in their separate testimonies at the Federal High Court in Abuja where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mr Anamekwe on nine counts of money laundering involving about N868.5 million.

In the charges filed in May 2024 and later amended from 11 to nine counts, EFCC accused Mr Anamekwe of perpetrating the alleged fraud while serving in the defence ministry as Director, Finance and Account, between 2019 and 2021. This was prior to his appointment as acting Accountant-General of the Federation in May 2022. He served only about two months in the acting capacity before his removal in July 2022.

EFCC shared a statement with PREMIUM TIMES capturing details of Fridays proceedings.

Witnesses testify

EFCC opened trial against the defendant with two prosecution witnesses testifying on Friday.

The witnesses were led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer Ekele Iheanacho, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The first prosecution witness, Eucharia Ezeobi, a Zenith Bank staff official, said she opened accounts meant for contractors with the Federal Ministry of Defence, namely: Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.

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She further stated that a significant portion of the funds in the accounts was withdrawn in cash, alleging that the defendant personally benefited from these transactions.

The accounts opening packages, marked Exhibits PWB were identified by the witness when shown to her on request by the defence lawyer, Isidore Udenko.

On his part, the second prosecution witness, Felix Nweke, who was the Deputy Director, Account and Expenditure under the supervision of Mr Nwabuoku as the Director Finance and Account, Ministry of Defence, told the court that the defendant instructed him to open the four companies accounts.

Mr. Nweke, originally the second defendant, became a prosecution witness after an amendment to the charges removed his name as a defendant.

He told the court on Friday that Mr Nwabuoku moved funds from the Federal Ministry of Defence Security Operation Account to the bank accounts set up for the four companies named by the first prosecution witness.

He testified further that funds in the accounts were usually withdrawn in cash and handed over to the defendant, corroborating the bank officials earlier testimony.

The defence lawyer sought to know from the witness if the withdrawals were initiated by the defendant alone or if there was an authority higher than him. Responding, the witness said that he only took instructions from the defendant, who was his boss in the ministrys chain of command.

Trial judge James Omotosho scheduled further hearings for 26 February and 5 March.

Plea bargain talks break down

The commencement of the trial on Friday shows that the plea agreement talks reportedly underway last year have broken down.

An EFCC lawyer, Ogechi Ujam, informed the trial judge, Mr Omotosho, during a hearing in October last year that Mr Nwabuoku and his then co-defendant, Felix Nweke, submitted a proposal for settlement.

She said the defendants submitted their proposals to the EFCCs chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for approval.

The defence lawyers in attendance admitted opting for a plea bargain on behalf of their clients.

The lawyers on both sides of the case asked for a date to submit a plea bargain agreement and amended charges to the court.

Mr Omotosho subsequently adjourned the matter until 2 December 2024.

But with trial commencing on Friday, it means the plea agreement never materialized.

READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns some of 792 alleged internet fraud suspects arrested in Lagos

About the defendant

Mr Nwabuoku was appointed acting Accountant-General of the Federation on 20 May 2022 under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari after Ahmed Idris was suspended from office over alleged N80 billion fraud.

He was, however, removed in July 2022, a few weeks after assuming office.

Sylva Okolieaboh, a Director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Department, replaced Nwabuoku as acting Accountant-General of the Federation.

Mr Okolieabohs appointment followed a report that Mr Nwabuoku was under the radar of EFCC over corruption allegations.

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A coterie of friends, who felt dissatisfied with the outcome of the thorough processes outlined by the University of Abuja Miscellaneous Act, which produced Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor of the University, formed a group with the appellation, Uniabuja 43. By Uniabuja 43, they gave a false impression of a group of aggrieved 43 professors who are against the appointment of the new vice-chancellor.

Twenty-six years later, the story of the 49 lecturers that were sacked at the University of Ilorin for disrupting an ongoing examination during ASUU strike still lingers. Even though the lecturers were later reinstated in 2009, after ten years of prolonged litigation, the story is still very fresh in the minds of Nigerians. Sadly, three of the sacked lecturers had died before the long-awaited and much-celebrated victory eventually came from the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which ordered their immediate reinstatement. The story was everywhere in the media and it still oscillates within the circle of Nigerian academics.

The empathy elicited by the sudden death of the three professors in the course of the struggle, and how others and their families survived the trauma of living without salary for ten years, is much less a reason why the memory still lingers. The reason the incident is still glued to our hearts till today is the beautiful and well-crafted coinage  Unilorin 44. The phrase Unilorin 44, as made popular by the media, is almost synonymous with that unfortunate incident that happened at Unilorin some 26 years ago.

A failed media attempt, recently, was made by some disgruntled elements, at the University of Abuja, to replicate the same coinage to a fake course that has no similarity whatsoever with the Unilorin experience. A coterie of friends, who felt dissatisfied with the outcome of the thorough processes outlined by the University of Abuja Miscellaneous Act, which produced Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the seventh substantive vice-chancellor of the University, formed a group with the appellation, Uniabuja 43. By Uniabuja 43, they gave a false impression of a group of aggrieved 43 professors who are against the appointment of the new vice-chancellor. The group that shamelessly carries the emblem of Uniabuja 43 is actually below nine in numbers and the group is fast thinning-out by the day. Some of the professors that were crookedly smuggled into the list of 43 have come out openly to denounce the group. The group, which as at today has been reduced even from nine to five persons, is going around parading itself as Uniabuja 43 to earn public sympathy through media propaganda of various sorts.

Like a perpetual loser, the coterie of friends has lost confidence in virtually everything, including their lives. At first, they lost confidence in the advert made for the appointment of the vice-chancellor until it was revised. They lost confidence in the process that led to the emergence of the acting vice-chancellor. When a new council was inaugurated, they passed a vote of confidence in it, in order to probably win its heart, and have it do their biddings. The moment they realised it didnt go as planned, they quickly expressed loss of confidence in it. When they failed, in their usual manner, to buy the academic union into causing chaos on campus, they passed a vote of no confidence on the union. Afterwards, they ran to the Ministry of Education with fallacies and propaganda of Uniabuja 43. When they realised that the smell of their filthy lies did not go beyond their nose, they went quickly to the media to pass a vote of no confidence on the Honourable Minister of Education. This is how they keep running from pillar to post, sarcastically wasting their God-given Vote of No confidence on frivolities. By their action, they have lost confidence even in God Almighty who gives position to whomever He deems fit. I know, for sure, that sooner or later they will pass a vote of no confidence on Him.

Contrary to the impression they created, Professor Maikudis appointment was well received by the University community that paid detailed attention to the whole process to ensure that due process was followed. The whole exercise was without rancour or chaos. It was the smoothest transition in the history of the University. To the University community that had been yearning for an internal candidate, it was a prayer answered. They see her emergence as a New Year gift. Stakeholders in the university, staff unions, the alumni association, student bodies, host communities, were in joyous mood, celebrating her appointment. They besieged her office to drop their congratulatory messages and pledge their support for her administration.

Most recent of this was the standing ovation and overwhelming support she received from the University Senate at its 187th regular meeting, which had in attendance over 192 professors, among whom were deans of faculties, directors of centres and heads of department. The University Senate showed its commitment to work with the new vice-chancellor to achieve a greater and better University of Abuja.

Professor Maikudi, a highly sophisticated and dependably dynamic leader, young but vibrant at heart, understood her task very clearly, having previously served as a deputy dean of the Faculty of Law, director of Centre for International Studies, deputy vice-chancellor (Academics), and Ag. vice-chancellor for six months. Upon assumption of office, even in acting capacity, she hits the ground running putting behind her the unperturbed noise of the wailers. She created a class of her own, charting about a new course for the University, and consolidating on the gains of the past. Professor Maikudi has been working hard mobilising resources, both human and material, for the development of the university.

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Professor Maikudi has extended an olive branch to the aggrieved individuals to join her in her resolve to take the University to a greater height.

As she celebrates her birthday, and one month in office today, I wish her a successful tenure. Congratulations, Madam Vice-Chancellor!

Hakeem Alohunmata writes from Abuja.

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Culture must change and shift to align with the word of God. Let all the pastors in Nigeria who are using their financial might to lock up haters and defamers across the country go back to God and repent, if they truly believe in the heaven and hell they are preaching. Additionally, let them release all their victims, disciple them, show them Christ, and launch them out as sons and daughters into the kingdom.

As we speak, Satan has penetrated the Nigerian church, and has produced a false version of the gospel. Satan has polluted our altars with the gospel of vengeance and hate. A lot of pastors and leaders in the Nigerian church have forsaken the basic tenets of the gospel and are propagating the gospel of hate and vengeance. They use the Police and the courts in very active ways to hunt down critics, persecutors, haters, and, even sometimes, those who are speaking the truth to them. There have been several cases of younger pastors and church members locked up in various prisons and detention centres across Nigeria on the orders of some church leaders.

This has significantly damaged the brand and dignity of the church, producing more vengeful generations of younger pastors with the same venomous appetite to attack and hunt down critics. We have missed it and have derailed the younger generation. This is exactly the reason behind the impact-less gospel that is being preached in Nigeria. This gospel is riddled with vengeance and is bereft of love. It is a gospel of the powerful and the rich; the famous and the big. It is the gospel of caucuses and cliques. It is a gospel of money and materialism. It is a gospel that is in total rebellion against the basic teachings of Christ and the Apostles. Consequently, it lacks the power and potency to influence Nigeria and Nigerians.

It is a known fact that once a man signs up to preach the gospel, critics, attackers, defamers, and all sorts of agents would show up. The Bible says, Those that will live godly in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Apostle Paul was persecuted and killed; Peter was killed; all the Apostles, except John were brutally killed. They never cursed. They never hated their persecutors. No wonder their messages have stayed effective and influential through time and history. All through Church history, genuine servants of God were persecuted, defamed, lied against, and killed. Their silence and Christlikeness were the seed for the revival of the gospel that exploded through history.

Joseph Ayo Babalola was arrested, lied against, and taken to court. Kenneth E Hagin was insulted, attacked, defamed, and lied against. Reinhard Bonnke was ganged up against, lied against, defamed, and even threatened to be killed several times in Africa. The list is endless. None of these servants of God fought with Police. None fought for their names. Name? A dead man has no name. Paul said, I am crucified with Christ.

David Livingstone was attacked, maligned, and abused. Adoniram Judson was maligned, lied against, defamed, and locked up by the government of Burma. Joseph Ayo Babalola was arrested, lied against, and taken to court. Kenneth E Hagin was insulted, attacked, defamed, and lied against. Reinhard Bonnke was ganged up against, lied against, defamed, and even threatened to be killed several times in Africa. The list is endless. None of these servants of God fought with Police. None fought for their names. Name? A dead man has no name. Paul said, I am crucified with Christ. No wonder the world has never recovered from the fiery effects of the ministerial impact of these men.

What name are we protecting? We have no name except the name of Christ. What image do we have to protect? Our strength is not in our ability to protest and fight for our names. Our strength is in our ability to respond to the haters and critics and defamers with love, compassion, and forgiveness. Nothing transforms the world like the love of Christ. To be a servant of God is to be an enemy of Satan. We must not respond to hate with hate, but with love. We must not respond to defamation with arrests and incarceration, but with love. If you are truly a genuine follower of Jesus, God will defend you when men attack you. And if God doesnt, let your case be like those of the three Hebrew boys  there is certainly a message in your mess.

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are spiritual. No one continuously attacks and defames a genuine servant of God. Two things must happen. He either pulls the undiscerning servant of God into the flesh to respond with hate or pulls a discerning servant of God to respond in love. The former produces vanity. Jesus said, the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63). But the latter produces either the judgement of God at Gods instance on the defamer or the reformation of this person into another Paul for the kingdom of God.

God is not coming to re-write the Bible for Nigerian pastors or for American pastors. The word of God does not change and shift with culture. Culture must change and shift to align with the word of God. Let all the pastors in Nigeria who are using their financial might to lock up haters and defamers across the country go back to God and repent, if they truly believe in the heaven and hell they are preaching. Additionally, let them release all their victims, disciple them, show them Christ, and launch them out as sons and daughters into the kingdom.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are spiritual. No one continuously attacks and defames a genuine servant of God. Two things must happen. He either pulls the undiscerning servant of God into the flesh to respond with hate or pulls a discerning servant of God to respond in love. The former produces vanity. Jesus said, the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63). But the latter produces either the judgement of God at Gods instance on the defamer or the reformation of this person into another Paul for the kingdom of God. God bless the Nigerian Church.

Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com

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Nothing frustrates the efforts of any government or leader like cynicism. It brings the lack of trust in the leadership or government that paralysis the goals and visions of any government or leader. The only cure for cynicism is to build trust and faith in government, in the leader and in the processes of governance.

The first inauguration of President Barack Obama, as the 44th president of the United States of America, set a record attendance of any event held in Washington DC. It was recorded to be among the most observed events ever by the global audience, through attendance, television and internet traffic.

President Barack Obama was widely celebrated as the first African American leader of the United States of America. He was a symbol of change. A change from the old America to the anticipated future of America. He embodied youthful energy and transition at a time of economic despair in America and the world.

Despite this huge and historic popularity, by the end of his first term and the beginning of his second term in office, the three plagues of governance had set in. From being the Cinderella of the worlds politics, he had become loved to be hated.

Barack Obama started his second term in office in uncertainties:

A divided congress.

A slowing down economy.

Fiscal issues.

Obamacare scandal, etc.

In the middle of his second term in office, polls suggested that Barack Obama was one of the least popular presidents in the history of America at that stage. The reason? The three plagues of governance.

In the face of leadership flaws, too many people assume cynical perspectives, rather than do the hard work of building relationships in which they can have more positive influence.  Ira Chaleff

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I am sure by now you would be wondering what these plagues are. Here we go!

The number one plague of governance is cynicism.

Cynicism: An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest. Distrusting or disparaging the motives of others; like or characteristic of a cynic. Showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by ones actions, especially by actions that exploit the scruples of others.

Few things are as destructive to a new government as cynicism. When the populace or the mass begins to doubt the fundamental motives of a leader or a political party, that would sooner or later spell the end of such a government. There are few things that are seen as politically expedient as trust.

Trust, what a simple word, but heavy in significance, especially when we are talking in political terms. The value of trust is much weightier than the value of any currency. Trust, a short five letter word that could spell the end of any political ambition. A word so powerful that it could determine the future of political gladiators, parties or political lineage.

A political force, party or interest group that wishes to carry out its agendas must possess trust in abundance. Trust is needed not just in self or in ones own programmes. Trust must go beyond your political affiliations. Apart from people in your circles trusting you, what really matters most is the trust you secure from the masses.

When this currency of trust is lost, political careers are easily jeopardised. They fall victims to the first plague of governance, which is CYNICISM. Cynicism always comes to replace trust. It is at this point that people begin to defect from political parties en masse, betray political leaders and demonstrate an utter contempt for political agendas.

How is cynicism manifested? What can a leader do to curb it in a country, an organisation or in any group? Let us examine the nature of cynicism, so as to know how to prevent it and build a lasting political career.

People begin to doubt the motives of the leader. As a leader, you must know that people dont just doubt your motives for nothing, they must have observed your actions, promises and implementations. So when there is a doubt in motives, there is a need for self-examination, not just of heart, but of programmes and agendas as well. Cynicism begins to manifest in a society when the masses believe either genuinely or falsely that their leaders are chasing after their self-interest. This also does not come from nowhere. This kind of feeling is normally as a result of what is being observed or perceived by the people. Which means a leader must examine the body language and signs that are being sent out from the politicians and party to the people. Cynicism comes to destroy the political career of men and women, when these leaders begin to show contempt for accepted standards, norms, values and cultures of the people. The masses like to view themselves as important, they also tend to think that their beliefs and positions are right. Hence, they expect their political leaders and representatives to align themselves with the masses. Even though the politicians as leaders may know better, it is important not to openly demonstrate this to the people, otherwise the result would be cynicism from the masses. What, therefore, must be done is for the political leaders to first of all conduct a mass representational programme to re-educate the masses in the new directions for the nation or party. Cynicism comes to the fore when a political party or leader refuses or rejects standards of honesty and morality of the society by their actions and behaviour. For example, in America, when a politician is caught or publicly admits to committing adultery, it almost spells a political doom for the individual. Whereas, in European countries there might be no political consequences to such a behaviour. The difference is in the prevailing standards of morality that exists in a given society. Examples abound of cases where careers have been ruined, jobs lost, elections lost, just because of cynicisms that comes into the society because of the disparity in the behaviour of political leaders and the masses.

Nothing frustrates the efforts of any government or leader like cynicism. It brings the lack of trust in the leadership or government that paralysis the goals and visions of any government or leader. The only cure for cynicism is to build trust and faith in government, in the leader and in the processes of governance.

A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.  Oscar Wilde

Sunday Adelaja is a Nigerian born leader, transformation strategist, pastor and innovator. He was based in Ukraine.

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Trumps threat to reclaim the Panama Canal could lead to a major diplomatic crisis, straining US-Panama relations and potentially sparking tensions with other Latin American countries. Nigeria, which relies heavily on manufactured goods from other countries, could face disruptions in its supply chains and increased costs due to potential trade tensions. South Africa could also face disruptions in its supply chains and increased costs due to potential trade tensions.

Donald Trumps inauguration for his second presidential term has sparked concerns globally, particularly in Africa. Although his speech didnt directly address African countries, his policies may have profound implications on the continent. Here are some implications for key African countries.

Impact on World Peace

Trumps decisions to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and resume high-level contacts with Russia may reduce tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine. For Nigeria, a reduction in Middle East tensions could lead to increased stability in neighbouring countries, potentially reducing the influence of extremist groups like Boko Haram. As a key player in Middle East politics, Egypt may see improved relations with the US and increased cooperation on counter-terrorism efforts. As Africas leading economy, South Africa may benefit from increased stability in global markets and trade.

Global Geopolitics

Trumps threat to reclaim the Panama Canal could lead to a major diplomatic crisis, straining US-Panama relations and potentially sparking tensions with other Latin American countries. Nigeria, which relies heavily on manufactured goods from other countries, could face disruptions in its supply chains and increased costs due to potential trade tensions. South Africa could also face disruptions in its supply chains and increased costs due to potential trade tensions. Due to the vengeful return of geopolitics, Morocco may need to navigate complex relationships with the US, Europe, and other African nations. As a growing economy, Kenya may face increased competition due to US trade policies, which could impact its agricultural and manufacturing sectors.

Energy and Environment

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Trumps decision to halt efforts to reduce US greenhouse gas emissions and his Drill, baby, drill mantra may increase US oil production, affecting global oil prices and potentially destabilising economies reliant on oil exports. Nigerias economy relies heavily on oil exports, and potentially lower global oil prices could pose significant challenges. As Africas second-largest oil producer, Angola may also face reduced government revenues and increased economic instability. Reduced global demand and lower prices could impact Ghanas emerging oil industry.

Climate Change

Trumps retreat from the Paris Agreement could be catastrophic for African countries, which are highly vulnerable to climate-related risks. Nigeria, which is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including increased flooding and droughts, could face even greater challenges in adapting to a changing climate without the support of global agreements like the Paris Agreement.

African countries rely heavily on WHO support for their healthcare systems, and a withdrawal of US funding could lead to significant gaps in funding for critical health programmes. For instance, the WHOs polio eradication programme, which has made significant progress in recent years, could be severely impacted, putting millions of children at risk of contracting the disease.

Ethiopia is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, and it may experience increased droughts, floods, and food insecurity. Malawis agriculture sector, which employs most of the population, may be severely impacted by climate-related shocks. Somalias fragile state and lack of infrastructure make it highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters, giving strength to groups like Al-Shabab, as they are likely to see more recruits.

The World Health Organisation

Trumps withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) could have far-reaching consequences for African countries. One major concern is the potential disruption of global health initiatives, including programmes to eradicate diseases like polio and measles.

African countries rely heavily on WHO support for their healthcare systems, and a withdrawal of US funding could lead to significant gaps in funding for critical health programmes. For instance, the WHOs polio eradication programme, which has made significant progress in recent years, could be severely impacted, putting millions of children at risk of contracting the disease.

Furthermore, the withdrawal could also limit access to critical medicines and vaccines, exacerbating existing health challenges in Africa. The WHO plays a vital role in coordinating global responses to health crises, and without US participation, African countries may be left vulnerable to emerging health threats.

The withdrawal could also have economic implications for African countries. Many African countries rely on WHO support for their healthcare systems, and a reduction in funding could increase healthcare costs, which could have a ripple effect on the broader economy.

Nigeria, which has significant renewable energy potential, could benefit from Chinese investment and expertise in developing its solar and wind energy resources. This would reduce Nigerias reliance on oil and promote sustainable economic growth.

Its worth noting that the withdrawal process is complex and may take up to a year to complete. During this time, the US will continue to participate in WHO activities. However, the long-term implications of the withdrawal remain a concern for African countries and the global health community.

Opportunities for Africa

Chinas commitment to the Paris Agreement and its expansion of clean energy infrastructure may help African countries transition to renewable energy sources and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

Nigeria, which has significant renewable energy potential, could benefit from Chinese investment and expertise in developing its solar and wind energy resources. This would reduce Nigerias reliance on oil and promote sustainable economic growth.

Egypt has already begun investing in renewable energy, and it plans to generate 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2022. South Africa has set ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming to generate 20 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. Morocco has made significant investments in solar energy and plans to generate 50 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Of Africas major economies, Nigeria is the last to take the renewable energy path. As with so many things Nigerian, the drive for renewable energy is led haphazardly by the private sector. There is an opportunity. Will we take it?

Cheta Nwanze is founder at SBM Intelligence.

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The exit of the three Sahelian states thus provides a unique and rare opportunity for ECOWAS to develop without the baggage of its non-democratic members holding it down. To begin with, it must first find its identity. Does it want to be a strictly economic grouping or a political union? Its lack of identity is why it has become less viable than hoped. It cannot continue to be a pretend political union without achieving the basics of economic integration.

Wednesday 28th January marked the expiration of the six-month grace period the Economic Community of West African States gave to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, who unilaterally left the organisation to create a rival Alliance of Sahelian States in September 2024. As with other international organisations, states are sovereign, and membership in these bodies is as voluntary as their withdrawal. As such, what is left of the erstwhile 15-member bloc and its leadership under Nigerias president, Bola Tinubu, should simply let the departing members be without bending over backwards to get them to remain. The advocated fait accompli should be seen as a product of the organisations failure to forge an identity of its own, instead of its fate being led by the nose by circumstances.

ECOWAS was founded in 1975 by the Treaty of Lagos, following its founders push to promote co-operation and integration  to raise the living standards of its peoples and to maintain and enhance economic stability.

However, the success of that mission has remained starkly debatable. The region may have achieved 90 days of visa-free travel among its people and collaboration on specific issues, but nearly 50 years later, the rancorous withdrawal of three members of the 15-member body shows that it has failed to live up to its stated goals. Regional economic integration has not been achieved in a way that improves trade and develops the economies in the community. Nigerias questionable decision to close its borders to trade and free movement in 2019, coming off the heels of continental gusto for the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, in many respects, spotlighted in no small measure some of the impediments of economic development in the region, and such action coming mere months after talks about a regional currency (Eco) was put on ice, pointed to the fact that much of what ails the subregion is a product of its own doing.

However, the fact that the three-member states pulled out in the manner they did and in the circumstances they did questions the mission and vision of such regional consensus. Between 2020 and 2023, at least three countries in the region experienced hostile military takeovers that ended the democratic experiments in the respective countries. What the three departing countries also have in common is acute security challenges from Islamist groups that ensure that large swathes of their territories are under the control of armed groups, fuelling an ungoverned spaces phenomenon that even more armed groups are looking to exploit in a geographic space where borders are as contiguous as they are porous, and are threatening to engulf the coastal states. ECOWASs fecklessness in the face of these extra-constitutional actions has meant that its response has become blighted by ineffectiveness, thus letting member states ride roughshod over what ordinarily should be the members collective resolve of ridding the subregion of such antidemocratic actions.

It does not take ingenuity for anyone to recognise that the organisation in its present state  as it runs many gauntlets  is patently unsatisfactory. It is lagging behind in economic comparison with its regional rivals, the East African Community and the Southern Africa Development Commission. The EACs consistent growth paints a compelling picture. While ECOWASs economic trajectory heavily relies on Nigerias volatile oil sector  constituting around 65 per cent of government revenue, according to EITI, making it vulnerable to global price fluctuations  the EAC has cultivated more diversified economies. This is reflected in consistent GDP growth rates, often surpassing ECOWAS averages, as World Bank data shows. For instance, in 2022, the EAC experienced an average GDP growth of 5.1 per cent, compared to 3.6 per cent for ECOWAS. This diversification within the EAC provides greater resilience against external shocks, a crucial advantage ECOWAS lacks.

Obsessing over the exit of three landlocked states whose combined GDP of a maximum of $35 billion compared to the remaining bloc members of $ 600 billion is a very unproductive use of ones time. It is a pointer to the lack of productivity that pervades the region, so much so that it colours official decision-making and regional policy. This has to change. In addition to these changes, the remaining bloc members must make it a duty to increase regional cooperation against the insecurity that pervades the region.

Furthermore, while SADC boasts a higher average HDI, largely thanks to South Africa, its important to acknowledge that this masks significant internal inequalities. However, even accounting for these disparities, SADCs focus on targeted development initiatives has yielded tangible improvements in key human development indicators, compared to ECOWAS. For example, SADCs average HDI value in 2021 was 0.570, compared to 0.513 for ECOWAS (according to UNDP data). ECOWAS presents a far more uneven landscape, with stark contrasts between member states, hindering overall regional progress. This is further compounded by persistent political instability and conflicts within the ECOWAS region, which divert resources and impede economic development.

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Finally, regarding regional integration, the EACs commitment to a common market and progress towards monetary union sets it apart. While ECOWAS has focused on trade liberalisation and free movement, implementation has been inconsistent and hampered by diverse economic structures and political will. For instance, intra-EAC trade as a percentage of total trade is significantly higher than intra-ECOWAS trade, indicating deeper integration. While primarily focused on trade integration, SADC has established more effective mechanisms for dispute resolution and cooperation on infrastructure projects than ECOWAS. This lack of cohesive regional integration within ECOWAS limits its ability to capitalise on economies of scale and foster sustainable growth. Thus, while ECOWAS possesses significant potential, its over-reliance on a single volatile commodity, uneven human development progress, and weaker integration mechanisms, have placed it behind the EAC and SADC in achieving tangible regional progress.

As such, the leadership of ECOWAS simply does not have the bargaining chip to get its departing members to stay. In one area where it could wield its geographic advantage on the account that the AES states are landlocked, it put national interests ahead of group interests. Nigers geography, for instance, deprives it of sea access. It depends on Benin and Nigeria for its sea trade. The Niger-Benin export pipeline  a 1,950-kilometre-long crude oil pipeline connecting oilfields near the desert oasis of Agadem in Niger to the Atlantic Ocean  makes use of Benins ports. One of the reasons for the ECOWAS sanctions on Niger following its coup in July 2023 that ended President Mohammed Bazoums reign was because of pressure on the community from Porto-Novo over the losses it could accrue from the closure of its ports as a transit hub in crude shipment to China, which funded the project.

In an ideal scenario, the AES states should have changed their behaviour and directions by the mere threat of sanctions from ECOWAS. However, the latters credibility challenges have become an albatross around its neck. It could not impose its will because, among other things, it has failed in its foundational promise of regional economic integration. Boasting a collective GDP exceeding $628 billion and a population of over 350 million, the bloc was poised to become a leading economic powerhouse in Africa. However, this potential has yet to be fully realised. Intra-regional trade within ECOWAS remains strikingly underdeveloped, representing a meagre 10 per cent of the blocs total trade activity and a negligible 0.3 per cent share of global commerce. This limited internal exchange impedes deeper economic integration. It diminishes ECOWASs influence within the global economy and domestically and the efficacy of wielding the whip when the need arises.

ECOWAS mistake is foundational  admitting just anyone because of geographic contiguity. This brotherhood sentiment has not led to better outcomes for collective group growth. It has to be abandoned, and a timeline for turning the bloc into the political union its current political elites wish has to be drawn with economic action points that must be ruthlessly adhered to.

The exit of the three Sahelian states thus provides a unique and rare opportunity for ECOWAS to develop without the baggage of its non-democratic members holding it down. To begin with, it must first find its identity. Does it want to be a strictly economic grouping or a political union? Its lack of identity is why it has become less viable than hoped. It cannot continue to be a pretend political union without achieving the basics of economic integration. This can begin with the commitment to making the proposed Lagos-Abidjan superhighway start and complete within its stipulated timeframe (2026-2030).

Furthermore, it has to be understood that insisting on the regional Eco currency when the right economic conditions have not been met is a primer for hoisting their petard. Such lofty dreams have taken precedence over a pressing, low-hanging fruit like fair business practices for member-state nationals, including the ease and freedom of doing business and crossing borders without harassment by state officials. Obsessing over the exit of three landlocked states whose combined GDP of a maximum of $35 billion compared to the remaining bloc members of $600 billion is a very unproductive use of ones time. It is a pointer to the lack of productivity that pervades the region, so much so that it colours official decision-making and regional policy. This has to change. In addition to these changes, the remaining bloc members must make it a duty to increase regional cooperation against the insecurity that pervades the region. Suppose the excuse of bad relations can be made for broken border cooperation to improve security between Abuja and Niamey. Can the same argument be made for the sorry state of security on the northern border between Nigeria and Benin? Or a lack of joint border patrol between Ivory Coast and Ghana? These failings and attitudes to regional development must give way to better actions that lead to improved outcomes.

The central idea is that leaders and members of the bloc must go out of their way to make the organisation an envy of non-members. The Association of South East Asian Nations  with only ten member states  has a combined GDP of $3.67 trillion. Membership grants state access to free trade areas and a very big market. It does not come cheap. The body does not admit just anyone, requiring prospective members to meet certain criteria, such as visible degrees of internal stability and ability to meet bloc commitments. This is why the application of Bangladesh, East Timor and Papua New Guinea has stalled, among other issues such as geography. Under ASEANs stringent membership criteria, poor and unstable states like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger would not be admitted. ECOWAS mistake is foundational  admitting just anyone because of geographic contiguity. This brotherhood sentiment has not led to better outcomes for collective group growth. It has to be abandoned, and a timeline for turning the bloc into the political union its current political elites wish has to be drawn with economic action points that must be ruthlessly adhered to.

The umbilical cords of the countries in West Africa are not tied together. Shared geography does not necessarily mean the same destiny. I write as someone who has long dreaded the break-up of the community. However, if its split will bring together better collaboration and effective regional development in clusters, by all means, let it happen without the yoke that its recalcitrant members bring. The bloc has spent too much time crying over spilt milk. The regions future hangs in the balance amid rampant poverty, insecurity, and instability. There is no more time to waste. The door must be firmly slammed in the faces of the departing members, and attention must now be turned to fixing the teeming issues that face the region.

Confidence MacHarry is a senior analyst at SBM Intelligence.

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Oando PLC, Africas leading integrated energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Grpup (NGX) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), announced a strong financial performance for the Full Year (FY) 2024 with a 45% growth in revenue to N4.1 Trillion compared to N2.9 Trillion in FY 2023 results.

The companys 2024 performance showcases a consistent upward trajectory following its announcement of N65.5 billion in profit after tax.

Speaking on the results, Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC, Wale Tinubu commented, 2024 was a year of transformation for Oando, the key highlight being our successful acquisition and subsequent integration of NAOC Ltd, which significantly enhanced our production capacity, attaining peak operated production of 103,206boepd and net entitlements of 45,000 boepd.

Despite a challenging operating environment, we achieved a 45% increase in revenue to 4.1 trillion, reflecting the strength of our business model, and a 9% rise in profit after tax to 65.5 billion, notwithstanding the costs associated with the onboarding of NAOC.

Oandos production for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, averaged 23,911 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), an increase from the 23,258 boe/d achieved in 2023. This growth was primarily driven by the acquisition of an additional 20% stake in the NAOC JV in Q4, partially offset by production disruptions due to shut-in wells resulting from sabotage activities.

Additionally, the Group incurred $18.1 million on capital expenditures related to the development of oil and gas assets and exploration and evaluation activities, compared to $52.3 million in the twelve months to December 31, 2023.

Looking ahead to 2025, Tinubu stated, In 2025, our priority shall be to drive cost optimization, operational efficiency, streamline processes, enhance procurement, and leverage technology to improve productivity across our operations. In parallel, we will intensify efforts to boost production through the dual approach of rig-less and workover initiatives while executing an aggressive drilling programme across three rig lines.

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Simultaneously, in collaboration with other stakeholders, we are proactively tackling above-ground security challenges by implementing a revamped security framework that integrates advanced surveillance technology and intelligence-driven initiatives to curb the perennial, unnecessary, and unjustifiable theft of oil to ensure the long-term integrity of our vast network.

As we look ahead to an exciting and successful 2025, we recognise that achieving our goals requires the unwavering support of our host communities and partners. Through extensive engagement, we will foster a collaborative ecosystem that not only secures our operations but also drives shared prosperity and sustainable development for all.

As the company prepares for its 2025 targets, it is bolstered by optimistic oil demand predictions. The U.S. Energy Information Administrations (EIA) global oil demand predictions forecast global demand to grow by 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, a significant increase from the estimated growth of 0.9 million b/d in 2024. This projected growth surpasses the pre-pandemic 10-year average (2010-2019) of 1.5 million bpd, indicating a positive trajectory for the global oil market.

With this announcement, Oando enters 2025 on a strong foundation. The announcement brings the company up to date on its financial reporting, successfully meeting all regulatory requirements. Notwithstanding the operational realities, Oando is positioned to build on the momentum of a successful 2024 committed to its strategic vision of becoming Africas first international oil company (IOC) by leveraging its strong operational capabilities and strategic partnerships to deliver value to its stakeholders.

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The Katsina State Government under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has made substantial investments in the education sector, with expenditures exceeding N120 billion across various educational initiatives and infrastructure development projects.

During the third edition of the monthly press briefing delivered by the Deputy Governor, Faruk Lawal Jobe, the administration highlighted significant achievements in basic, secondary, and tertiary education since assuming office on 29 May, 2023.

Mr Jobe stated, At the basic education level, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) executed projects worth N9.1 billion, including the construction of 160 classrooms, 81 boreholes, 46 toilets and 20 staff quarters.

Also, 258 classrooms were rehabilitated in addition to the provision of 612 teachers furniture and 14,602 two-seater pupils furniture. Facilities such as books, teaching aids and instructional materials, namely laptop/desktop computers, tablets, solar powered panels, inverter were provided. Additionally, motorcycles and vehicles were procured for effective monitoring, Mr Jobe stated.

He said that the government also provided essential learning materials and conducted training for 274,816 education officials including primary school teachers, integrated Quranic schools teachers, officials of Better Education Service Delivery for All, (BESDA), as well as teachers of private schools.

As part of the infrastructural development plan in our schools, the sum of N5,641,369,114.00 was expended under the Transforming Education System at State Level, (TESS-Project) /Better Education for Service Delivery Additional Financing (BESDA-AF), for the construction and rehabilitation of 150 primary schools across the State, Mr Jobe stated.

Speaking further, Mr Jobe disclosed that the state government, through the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, spent the sum of N6,804,415,196.00 for the construction and rehabilitation of some schools, provision of science and technical education consumables, books, instructional materials, furniture as well as feeding of boarding students among others.

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In the same vein, three special model secondary schools are being constructed at Radda, Dumurkul and Jikamshi while rehabilitation works were also carried out at Government Day Secondary Schools, Funtua, Jikamshi, Ingawa, Zango and GGSS Kabomo, the deputy governor pointed out.

He equally highlighted the procurement of an additional science equipment and materials which were distributed to 36 secondary schools across the state.

Feeding of Boarding Students

On science and technical education, Mr Jobe revealed that the government expended the sum of N1,465,061,582.28 for feeding of boarding students at schools under the State Science and Technical Education Board, as well as for reconstruction and rehabilitation of structures at GCC Maiadua, GTC Ingawa, GGSSS Malumfashi, GGCC Charanchi, GSSS Musawa, GSSS Kaita, GSSS Faskari and GTC Mashi.

The deputy governor disclosed that under the AGILE project, the administration has constructed 75 new junior and senior secondary schools at N13.6 billion. Also, an additional 77 schools are under construction at the cost of N36.8 billion. The project also includes the rehabilitation of 578 schools and provision of digital learning materials worth N6.6 billion.

Similarly, Mr Jobe said special grants have been provided for renovation of 75 new constructed secondary schools, conditional cash transfer to 104,111 girls across 255 secondary schools and, renovation/expansion of existing school infrastructure as well as provision of WASH and games facilities to 578 secondary schools across the state.

In line with Governor Raddas promise to make proper partnership with AGILE and drive education growth, a total of 45 existing Junior and Senior Secondary Schools have been identified for rehabilitation at the cost of N10,800,000,00.00

The deputy governor explained that the sum of N6,600,000,000.00 has been expended in procuring teaching materials such as digital learning materials for 170 schools, digital literacy books for 200 schools, solar, inverter and battery for 170 schools, 1,200 refuse containers for 600 secondary schools and 1No of Toyota Corolla for Project Finance Management Unit.

Others are instructional materials for 170,000 students, distribution of teaching and learning materials to focus schools for effective implementation and empowering of 60,000 girls with life skills.

This laudable initiative has tremendously increased girls enrollment in our schools and improved their educational advancement, Mr Jobe emphasised.

At Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Government has expended the sum of N314,605,500.00 to restore adequate electricity supply. This is in addition to the provision of solar security lights at the cost of N98,246,064.00 aimed at enhancing security at the campus and promoting sustainable energy solutions within the University, he said.

This administration has also released the sum of N135,992,00.00 as accreditation fee for various programmes in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the deputy governor stated.

KYCV Empowers 634 Graduates With Starter Packs

Remarkably, the deputy governor declared that through Katsina Youth Craft Village (KYCV), the administration has empowered 634 graduates with starter packs worth N248 million and established a central workshop for government vehicle repairs. He said the initiative is in line with the governments commitment to youth empowerment and practical skills development.

He added that the government has upgraded the central workshop at the KYCV for the repair of government vehicles as a cost saving measure at the cost of N31,000,000:00.

The tertiary education sector received significant attention, with major investments in Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, and other state-owned institutions. Notable among these is the elevation of Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal Studies, Daura, to a full-fledged College of Education, he stated.

N1.9 Billion Disbursed as Scholarships to 136,175 Students

Mr Jobe said the administration has supported academic excellence by disbursing N1.9 billion in scholarships to 136,175 students and introduced special awards for first-class graduates. Additionally, 210 high-performing students received recognition and cash awards for maintaining exceptional CGPAs.

These achievements underscore our administrations commitment to transforming education in Katsina State, Mr Jobe said. We are building a solid foundation for our citizens future through strategic investments in educational infrastructure and human capital development.

The monthly press briefing aims to keep the good people of Katsina state informed about the policies, programmes and achievements of Governor Radda led administration and its Building Your Future agenda.

Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed is Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Katsina State

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NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global alternative credentials market for higher education size is estimated to grow by USD 1.8 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 15.3% during the forecast period. Widening skills gap is driving market growth, with a trend towards rise in non-traditional offerings. However, threat from traditional degree program providers poses a challenge. Key market players include 2U Inc., Bisk Ventures, Carroll Community College Foundation Inc., City and Guilds Group, Coursera Inc., Credly Inc., JPMorgan Chase and Co., New York State Education Department, NIIT Ltd., NorthEastern University, Pearson Plc, Purdue University Global, Simplilearn, Strategic Education Inc., Temple University, Udacity Inc., Udemy Inc., University of Michigan, University Professional and Continuing Education Association, and XuetangX.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Alternative Credentials Market For Higher Education 2025-2029

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Alternative Credentials Market For Higher Education Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2023 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 15.3% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 1837.3 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 13.3 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 51% Key countries US, Germany, UK, China, Canada, France, Italy, India, Japan, and South Korea Key companies profiled 2U Inc., Bisk Ventures, Carroll Community College Foundation Inc., City and Guilds Group, Coursera Inc., Credly Inc., JPMorgan Chase and Co., New York State Education Department, NIIT Ltd., NorthEastern University, Pearson Plc, Purdue University Global, Simplilearn, Strategic Education Inc., Temple University, Udacity Inc., Udemy Inc., University of Michigan, University Professional and Continuing Education Association, and XuetangX

Market Driver

Digital badges and micro-credentials are becoming increasingly popular in the higher education sector. These non-traditional credentials validate and attest to specific skills and competencies, providing flexible learning opportunities for adult learners. With flexible timespans and various formats like online, hybrid, and customized programs, these credentials cater to the demands of the workforce and professional learning. Employers value these credentials for their portability, transferability, and practical value in addressing skill gaps and career advancement. Tech companies like TechCred and Microsoft are leading the way in this digital transformation, offering credit-bearing and non-credit stackable credentials. Traditional degrees and certificates still hold importance, but alternative credentials provide a more accessible and flexible pathway for learners. These credentials offer rigorous learning outcomes and are relevant to technology jobs and other in-demand professions. Post-secondary institutions are innovating by offering these alternative credentials to meet the needs of the knowledge-based economy and the Great Resignation. The revenue growth potential is significant as learners seek to upskill and reskill for employment opportunities. Accessibility, flexibility, and practical value are key benefits of alternative credentials. Blockchain technology and machine learning are enhancing the learning experience by providing personalized learning paths and digital badges for completion of learning activities. Employers are recognizing the value of these non-traditional credentials, making them an essential component of professional development and continuing education for non-matriculated students. The future of education is about providing relevant skills for the labor market and preparing professionals for career-oriented opportunities.

The alternative credentials market in higher education is experiencing significant growth as learners seek flexible and affordable educational opportunities. This market encompasses various non-traditional offerings, such as graduate and undergraduate certificate programs, training courses, continuing education units, and micro-credentials. These programs are issued through an alternative credentialing system and are accessible via channels distinct from those offering traditional degrees. Providers of these courses include baccalaureate colleges, universities, community colleges, and doctorate-granting universities, operating in both public and private sectors. The agility of these programs allows providers to create and launch non-credit courses more swiftly than traditional degree programs, as they do not adhere to regulatory mandates.

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Market Challenges

Alternative credentials, such as digital badges and micro-credentials, are gaining popularity in higher education as they offer flexible and practical solutions for adult learners seeking to upskill or reskill for the changing workforce. These non-traditional credentials validate and attest to specific skills and competencies, making them highly portable and transferable across industries. Unlike traditional degrees with long timespans, alternative credentials offer flexible learning pathways, including online and hybrid options, that cater to the needs of professional learners. Employers value these credentials for their relevance to workforce demands and rigorous learning outcomes. TechCred, stackable credentials, and micro-credentials are becoming increasingly important in tech jobs, where skills gaps and digital transformation are driving employment opportunities. Post-secondary institutions are responding by offering customized programs and credit-bearing and non-credit options to meet the diverse needs of their audience. The challenges of validating and attesting these credentials are being addressed through digital badges and blockchain technology, ensuring portability, transferability, and employer recognition. With the Great Resignation and the increasing importance of lifelong learning in a knowledge-based economy, alternative credentials offer flexible and accessible educational opportunities for professionals seeking career advancement and employment opportunities.

The alternative credentials market in higher education is experiencing instability due to the increasing collaboration between education service providers and institutions offering hybrid programs and courses. These alternative credentials provide a flexible and cost-effective solution for students, allowing them to focus on relevant courses for their career goals. However, this market faces competition from traditional degree programs, which are enhancing their offerings through evolving learning methodologies and digitalization. Despite the advantages of alternative credentials, the formal education segment remains a significant challenge.

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Segment Overview

This alternative credentials market for higher education report extensively covers market segmentation by

Product

1.1 Non-credit training courses

1.2 Non-credit certificate programs

1.3 Digital badges

1.4 Competency-based education

1.5 Boot camps

Type

2.1 Online

2.2 Blended

2.3 Face to face

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Non-credit training courses- Non-credit training courses are educational programs that provide specific skills and knowledge without granting academic credit. These courses, often in fields like coding, web development, data science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, are highly sought after due to the increasing industry demand for tech expertise. Participants receive certificates upon completion and assessment tests by standard-setting organizations. Carroll Community College, in partnership with ed2go, offers non-credit courses in various fields, including healthcare and entrepreneurship. In-demand healthcare courses include medical coding, billing, administration, and specialized skills. Business courses cover entrepreneurship, finance fundamentals, and strategic planning. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of non-credit training courses in the global alternative credentials market for higher education.

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Research Analysis

The Alternative Credentials Market for Higher Education refers to non-traditional forms of education that validate skills, competencies, and knowledge through certificates, digital badges, and microcredentials. These credentials offer flexible timespans, professional learning opportunities, and cater to adult learners, lifelong learners, and non-matriculated students. They come in various formats such as online, hybrid, and professional education, and can be credit-bearing or non-credit. The curriculum is designed to meet workforce demands, and these credentials are stackable, allowing learners to build upon previous achievements. They offer portability and transferability, enabling learners to apply their credentials to various industries and careers. Professional development and continuing education are essential aspects of these programs, ensuring learners stay updated with the latest industry trends. Accreditation ensures the quality and value of these credentials, making them a valuable addition to a learner's professional profile.

Market Research Overview

Alternative credentials in higher education refer to non-traditional certificates, badges, and micro-credentials that validate skills and competencies, often in a flexible and tech-driven learning environment. These credentials cater to adult learners seeking professional development, lifelong learning, and career advancement. They offer flexible timespans, online and hybrid learning options, and customized programs to address workforce demands and skill gaps. Micro-credentials and digital badges provide practical value and portability, enabling learners to showcase their achievements to employers. They can be stacked and transferred, offering flexible pathways to degree attainment or upskilling. Curriculum is often industry-aligned, with rigorous learning outcomes that meet employer needs. Technology plays a significant role in the digital transformation of alternative credentials, with machine learning and blockchain technology enhancing accessibility, flexibility, and workplace value. Employers increasingly recognize the relevance of these non-traditional credentials for talent acquisition and career development, making them essential components of a knowledge-based economy.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Product

Non-credit Training Courses



Non-credit Certificate Programs



Digital Badges



Competency-based Education



Boot Camps

Type

Online



Blended



Face To Face

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa



7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The demand for reliable, affordable childcare has surged as the Trump administration mandates all federal employees return to the office full-time, impacting thousands of working families. According to the Center for American Progress, about 51% of people in the United States live in childcare desertsareas where there is little to no access to childcare assistancemaking it even harder for working parents to secure consistent childcare. As childcare costs continue to rise and availability remains limited, the au pair program presents a flexible and cost-effective solution for parents returning to the office.

An au pair on the Au Pair in America program providing childcare in Washington, D.C.

Au pairs are young international caregivers who come to the U.S. on J-1 Exchange Visitor visas as part of the BridgeUSA program. They provide families with live-in childcare assistance and a meaningful cultural exchange experience. For host families, the cost is per family, not per child, offering a more affordable alternative to traditional childcare. Unlike daycare centers, au pairs live with host families and provide personalized care tailored to the family's needs. This is particularly beneficial for federal employees with unpredictable schedules and those who require part-time or split-shift childcare options.

Au Pair in America's Senior Vice President, Jean Quinn, explains that the au pair program has been helping federal workers' families for decades: "Since 1986, families working for the Federal Government have been welcoming au pairs into their homes to share their cultures and assist with childcare. As more and more of these families are called 'back to the office,' Au Pair in America is here to support them in this transition as their childcare needs may change."

Au Pair in America, established in 1986, is the first legal au pair program in the U.S. designated by the Department of State. It matches host families with vetted au pairs and provides support services throughout the program.

As federal employees return to the office, now is the perfect time to explore the benefits of hosting an au pair with Au Pair in America. The program is offering a special discount to U.S. government workers when they apply to host an au pair between January 30, 2024, and March 1, 2025, and match with an au pair by May 31, 2025.

About Au Pair in America:

The nation's first au pair program, Au Pair in America, combines live-in childcare and cultural exchange for a mutually rewarding and enriching experience for the entire family. Au Pair in America receives au pair applicants from nearly 60 countries. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Au Pair in America maintains offices in five countries with a network of more than 600 employees worldwide. For more information about Au Pair in America, visit AuPairInAmerica.com.

SOURCE Au Pair in America
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI - The global CNC machine tools market size is estimated to grow by USD 21.9 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. Rising demand for high-precision and multi-axis machining centers in various industries is driving market growth, with a trend towards technological advancements CNC machine tool technology. However, high initial investments in cnc machine tools poses a challenge. Key market players include Amada Co. Ltd., ANCA Pty Ltd., Andritz AG, Bendable Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Chiron Group SE, DMG MORI Co. Ltd., EMAG GmbH and Co. KG, FANUC Corp., Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH, General Technology Group Dalian Machine Tool Co. Ltd., GF Machining Solutions AG, Haas Automation Inc., Hurco Companies Inc., Hwacheon Machine Tool Co Ltd, INDEX Werke GmbH and Co. KG Hahn and Tessky, JTEKT Machinery Americas Corp., Kitamura Machinery Co. Ltd., Makino Inc., Mills CNC Ltd., Mitsui Seiki Kogyo Co. Ltd., Okuma Corp, Phillips Machine Tools India Pvt. Ltd., and Yamazaki Mazak Corp..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global CNC Machine Tools Market 2025-2029

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

CNC Machine Tools Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2023 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 5.4% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 21.9 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 5.1 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 39% Key countries China, US, Germany, Japan, India, Italy, South Korea, UK, France, and Brazil Key companies profiled Amada Co. Ltd., ANCA Pty Ltd., Andritz AG, Bendable Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Chiron Group SE, DMG MORI Co. Ltd., EMAG GmbH and Co. KG, FANUC Corp., Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH, General Technology Group Dalian Machine Tool Co. Ltd., GF Machining Solutions AG, Haas Automation Inc., Hurco Companies Inc., Hwacheon Machine Tool Co Ltd, INDEX Werke GmbH and Co. KG Hahn and Tessky, JTEKT Machinery Americas Corp., Kitamura Machinery Co. Ltd., Makino Inc., Mills CNC Ltd., Mitsui Seiki Kogyo Co. Ltd., Okuma Corp, Phillips Machine Tools India Pvt. Ltd., and Yamazaki Mazak Corp.

Market Driver

The CNC machine tool market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for mass manufacturing and mass customization in various industries. CNC lathes, drills, milling tools, grinders, and cutting tools are popular choices for precision manufacturing. CNC technology, aided by computerized control systems and industrial automation, is driving this trend. New technologies like microchip control, smart gadgets, CAD, CAM, and edge computing are transforming the machine tool industry. Sectors like automotive, electronics, aerospace & defense, power & energy, construction equipment, and medical devices are major consumers of CNC systems and industrial automation systems. Technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence (AI), automated inspection equipment, image processing technology, and real-time data access, are enhancing productivity and safety. Efficiency, multi-axis capabilities, spindle speeds, advanced tooling options, and real-time monitoring systems are key features of CNC machines. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment, used CNC machines, and industrial robots are also in high demand. Human error and labor costs are being minimized through data-driven optimizations and adaptive machining. Industries like transport machinery, hybrid machinery, electrical equipment, and consumer goods are also benefiting from CNC technology. Regulatory considerations, such as energy efficiency and safety sensors, are essential factors in the adoption of CNC machines. Investment in IoT, cloud computing, and real-time information access is shaping the future of the CNC machine tool market.

CNC machine tools have undergone significant technological advancements, revolutionizing the global market. These innovations have brought about increased precision, efficiency, and automation in manufacturing processes. One major advancement is the integration of advanced control systems and software solutions, which enhance accuracy and repeatability in machining operations. This leads to tighter tolerances and superior surface finishes, benefiting various industries. Furthermore, user-friendly interfaces simplify machine operation and programming, decreasing setup times and boosting overall productivity.

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Market Challenges

The machine tool industry is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for CNC machine tools in mass manufacturing and mass customization. CNC lathes, drills, milling tools, grinders, and cutting tools are essential industrial devices used in various sectors like automotive, electronics, and aerospace & defense. CNC technology, a computerized control system, enables high precision and productivity. Industrial automation systems, including CNC systems and industrial robots, are key drivers. New technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), automated inspection equipment, and image processing technology are transforming the industry. Challenges include human error, labor costs, and efficiency. Multi-axis capabilities, spindle speeds, advanced tooling options, and real-time monitoring systems are crucial for complex machining products. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment, telecom communication devices, electric vehicles (EV), and medical devices require high precision and energy efficiency. Used CNC machines offer cost-effective solutions. Regulatory considerations are essential in industries like power & energy and construction equipment. Bantam Tools, Desktop CNC, servo motors, and laser machines are new trends. Investment in IoT, cloud computing, and smart devices is shaping the future of machine tools.

The global CNC machine tools market faces a substantial challenge due to the high initial investments required for purchasing and implementing these advanced manufacturing technologies. This barrier particularly affects small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), limiting their adoption of CNC milling machines, CNC lathes, CNC routers, and CNC plasma cutters, or high-end laser cutting machines. The costs associated with acquiring these machines, including the machinery itself, tooling, software, and employee training, can range from a few thousand dollars for entry-level models to over a million dollars for high-end, multi-axis machines. These significant investments hinder market growth and limit the advancement of manufacturing processes for numerous organizations. For instance, CNC mills range in price from USD3,000 to USD300,000 , while CNC lathes can cost between USD10,000 and USD500,000 . CNC routers and plasma cutters follow similar pricing structures, with entry-level models starting at USD5,000 and high-end versions priced above USD100,000 for both. CNC laser cutters have an even wider price range, with entry-level machines starting at USD20,000 and high-end models costing over USD200,000 . Despite these costs, the benefits of CNC machine tools, such as increased precision, efficiency, and productivity, make them a valuable investment for manufacturing industries.

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Segment Overview

This cnc machine tools market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Product

1.1 CNC lathe machines

1.2 CNC milling machines

1.3 Others

End-user

2.1 Automotive

2.2 Industrial machinery

2.3 Precision engineering

2.4 Transportation

2.5 Others

Geography

3.1 APAC

3.2 Europe

3.3 North America

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 CNC lathe machines- The CNC lathe machines segment holds a substantial position in the global CNC machine tools market. These machines are essential for manufacturing precise and intricate components in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and medical device production. CNC lathe machines offer versatility and accuracy, making them indispensable for producing components like shafts, screws, bolts, and cylindrical parts. The demand for automation and precision in manufacturing processes is driving the growth of the CNC lathe machines segment. Industries aim for increased productivity, efficiency, and quality, making CNC lathe machines a crucial investment. Technological advancements have integrated multi-axis control, live tooling, and automatic part loading into these machines, expanding their capabilities. Manufacturers can now undertake more complex machining operations, leading to increased demand for CNC lathe machines. Additionally, their continuous operation with minimal human intervention results in improved output and reduced errors. The adoption of CNC lathe machines in emerging economies, as they modernize their manufacturing infrastructure, is further fueling market growth. Overall, the advantages of CNC lathe machines, such as automation, precision, and versatility, will continue to drive their adoption among end-users, propelling the growth of the CNC lathe machines segment in the global CNC machine tools market.

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Research Analysis

The CNC machine tools market encompasses a range of advanced machinery, including CNC lathes, drills, milling tools, grinders, and cutting tools. These machine tools utilize Microchip technology for high precision complex machining products, catering to industries such as automotive and electronics. Technological advancements continue to drive growth in the machine tool industry, with new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and real-time monitoring systems enhancing efficiency and reducing human error. Multi-axis capabilities, spindle speeds, and advanced tooling options are key features that distinguish modern CNC machine tools. Labor costs and efficiency remain critical factors, making new technologies like adaptive machining and real-time monitoring systems increasingly important for manufacturers seeking to optimize their operations.

Market Research Overview

The CNC machine tools market encompasses a range of industrial devices, including CNC lathes, drills, milling tools, grinders, and cutting tools, that utilize Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) technology for mass manufacturing and mass customization. CNC technology, a key driver of precision and efficiency, integrates computerized control systems, industrial automation, and smart gadgets into machine tools. New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automated inspection equipment, image processing technology, edge computing, and autonomous grinders are revolutionizing the machine tool industry. CNC systems and industrial automation systems are essential in various sectors, including automotive, electronics, power & energy, aerospace & defense, construction equipment, and medical devices. Technological advancements in CNC machines offer multi-axis capabilities, high precision, energy efficiency, and real-time data access. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment, telecom communication devices, electric vehicles, and laser machines are also part of the CNC machine tools market. The market is influenced by factors like human error, labor costs, efficiency, and regulatory considerations. Used CNC machines and simulation software are also significant components of the market.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Product

CNC Lathe Machines



CNC Milling Machines



Others

End-user

Automotive



Industrial Machinery



Precision Engineering



Transportation



Others

Geography

APAC



Europe



North America



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends - The global commercial airlines market size is estimated to grow by USD 430.2 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. Increase in air passenger traffic is driving market growth, with a trend towards rising preference for smart airports. However, increasing operating expenses poses a challenge. Key market players include Air China Ltd., Air France KLM SA, Air Transport Services Group Inc., American Airlines Group Inc., Ana Holdings Inc., China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd., China Southern Airlines Corp. Ltd., Copa Holdings SA, Delta Air Lines Inc., Deutsche Lufthansa AG, easyJet plc, Green Africa Airways Ltd., Hahn Air Lines GmbH, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, Japan Airlines Co. Ltd., John Swire and Sons Ltd., Qantas Airways Ltd., Southwest Airlines Co., and United Airlines Inc..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Commercial Airlines Market 2025-2029

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Commercial Airlines Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2023 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.7% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 430.2 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 7.8 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 53% Key countries US, China, India, Germany, Japan, UK, France, Canada, Italy, and Brazil Key companies profiled Air China Ltd., Air France KLM SA, Air Transport Services Group Inc., American Airlines Group Inc., Ana Holdings Inc., China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd., China Southern Airlines Corp. Ltd., Copa Holdings SA, Delta Air Lines Inc., Deutsche Lufthansa AG, easyJet plc, Green Africa Airways Ltd., Hahn Air Lines GmbH, InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, Japan Airlines Co. Ltd., John Swire and Sons Ltd., Qantas Airways Ltd., Southwest Airlines Co., and United Airlines Inc.

Market Driver

The commercial aviation industry is experiencing significant trends in the use of modern, fuel-efficient narrowbody aircraft for passenger transportation. UNWTO reports a rise in cross-border travelers, driving air passenger traffic. Emerging countries are expanding their fleet management with aircraft orders, influenced by economic conditions and per capita income. The business and leisure sectors fuel demand for both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. New aircraft technologies like SpaceJet from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Turbofan engines contribute to fleet expansion plans. Wizz Air, Frontier, Volaris, JetSMART, and others invest in fuel-efficient engines and advanced materials for their narrow-body fleets. The air transport industry focuses on connectivity, technology integration, and sustainable aviation. Geopolitical stability, environmental regulations, and urban air mobility are key challenges. Commercial helicopters, gliders, drones, and aircraft turbines are also part of the landscape. Legal frameworks and technology integration, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, play a role in aircraft safety and commercial drone use.

IATA and ACI have proposed the concept of smart airports to enhance collaboration among airport operators, airlines, and passengers. These airports integrate all systems into a single digital grid, allowing real-time information sharing and deep cross-departmental collaborations. Developed on a converged IP platform, smart airport terminals facilitate high-speed broadband traffic and improve operational efficiency. By offering personalized services and enhancing the passenger experience, smart airports contribute significantly to the profitability of aviation stakeholders, especially during volatile economic conditions.

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Market Challenges

The commercial aviation industry faces several challenges in the market, particularly in the area of passenger aircraft. Narrowbody aircraft, a sub-aircraft type, are popular due to their fuel-efficiency and modern design. However, airlines must consider their product offerings, fleet management, and operating costs when making aircraft orders. Economic conditions, domestic passenger traffic, and per capita income in emerging countries impact airline profitability. Infrastructure growth and fleet expansion plans are crucial for the business and leisure sectors of the air transport industry. New aircraft technologies, such as engine programs from Delta Airlines, SpaceJet by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and ROSTEC's engines, offer fuel-efficient solutions. Regional aircraft from ATR, Wizz Air, Frontier, Volaris, JetSMART, and others cater to specific markets. Cargo transportation via freighters, commercial helicopters, commercial gliders, and drones also contributes to the industry. Regulations on fuel-efficient engines, advanced materials, legal frameworks, and commercial drone use shape the market. Geopolitical stability, environmental regulations, and sustainable aviation initiatives are essential considerations. Technology integration, including machine learning and artificial intelligence, enhances aircraft safety and operational efficiency.

Commercial airlines face rising operating expenses (OPEX) due to increasing fuel prices and labor costs. Fuel prices as a result of geopolitical events, such as US sanctions on Iran's oil exports and OPEC production cuts. Fuel costs are variable, based on crude oil prices, while labor costs are fixed in the short term. Unit labor costs have significantly increased after years of stability. These rising costs put pressure on unit costs and negatively impact airline profit margins.

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Segment Overview

This commercial airlines market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Revenue Stream

1.1 Passenger

1.2 Cargo

Type

2.1 International

2.2 Domestic

Geography

3.1 APAC

3.2 Europe

3.3 North America

3.4 Middle East and Africa

and 3.5 South America

1.1 Passenger- The commercial airlines market experienced significant growth in the passenger segment in 2024, with a record 4.6 billion passengers passing through airports worldwide, representing a 28.3% increase. This growth was primarily driven by the expanding air travel market in the Asia-Pacific region. In response, major aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have initiated facility upgrades to meet increased demand and ensure on-time deliveries. Low-cost carriers (LCCs) are modernizing their fleets to capitalize on new market opportunities. However, controlling operating costs remains a challenge for commercial airline operators, with rising fuel prices significantly impacting profit margins. Vendors are focusing on fuel-efficient aircraft to mitigate operational expenses. Boeing, for instance, introduced an upgraded 777 model capable of seating between 384 and 426 passengers, while designing the B797 to expand its narrow-body offerings post the B737 MAX grounding. Meggitt Plc supplies advanced electronic bleed air systems for B737MAX, contributing to aircraft efficiency and profitability. These developments are expected to enhance aircraft efficiency and boost the passenger segment's growth in the market during the forecast period.

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Research Analysis

The commercial airlines market encompasses the design, manufacturing, and operation of passenger aircraft, excluding key players and companies. This industry focuses on the production of various sub-aircraft types, including narrowbody aircraft. Narrowbody Aircraft are popular due to their fuel-efficiency and modern design, catering to the commercial aviation industry's growing demand. Product offerings range from fuselage, wings, cockpit, engine, tail assembly, landing gear, to propeller and turbofan engines. New aircraft technologies and engine programs continue to revolutionize the market, with Delta Airlines' investment in the SpaceJet by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries being a notable example. Additionally, the market includes partnerships between ROSTEC and ATR, focusing on cargo transportation and commercial helicopters. The commercial aviation industry's evolution is marked by advancements in aircraft technologies, offering passengers a more comfortable and efficient travel experience. Commercial gliders are another niche segment, providing an alternative to traditional aircraft for short-haul routes.

Market Research Overview

The commercial airlines market encompasses the design, manufacturing, and operation of passenger aircraft and related technologies. Narrowbody Aircraft, a sub-aircraft type, is a popular choice due to its fuel-efficiency and modern design. The commercial aviation industry continues to grow, driven by the UNWTO's promotion of cross-border travelers and increasing GDP in emerging countries. Airlines manage their fleets to reduce operating costs, placing orders for new aircraft based on economic conditions and passenger traffic. Business and leisure sectors fuel demand for air transport, while new aircraft technologies, engine programs, and fleet expansion plans shape the industry. Wide-body and narrow-body aircraft, as well as regional aircraft like those produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and ATR, serve various market segments. Cargo transportation, including freighters and drones, also plays a role in the market. The fuselage, wings, cockpit, engine, propeller, tail assembly, and landing gear are essential components of commercial aircraft. Commercial helicopters, gliders, and various types of engines, including turboshaft, rocket, and aircraft turbines, are also part of the market landscape. Air travel demand, airline profitability, geopolitical stability, environmental regulations, sustainable aviation, urban air mobility, connectivity, technology integration, and fuel-efficient engines are key factors influencing the market. Legal frameworks, commercial drone use, parts, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are also shaping the future of commercial aviation.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Revenue Stream

Passenger



Cargo

Type

International



Domestic

Geography

APAC



Europe



North America



Middle East And Africa



South America



7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, made a public apology on Jan. 31, 2025 to the Senate for violating a Senate ethics rule, tied to an April 2024 incident in which Winter was publicly intoxicated
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The Cosmetics market in Brazil size is estimated to grow by USD 5.5 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. Rise in sales of cosmetics through e-commerce channels is driving market growth, with a trend towards surging adoption of multichannel marketing. However, availability of counterfeit brands poses a challenge. Key market players include Agreste Cosmetica Brasil Ltda., Amyris Inc., Avon Products Inc., Beiersdorf AG, Beleza na Web, Chanel Ltd., Coty Inc., Grupo Boticario, Henkel AG and Co. KGaA, Johnson and Johnson Inc., Kao Corp., LOccitane Groupe SA, LOreal SA, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Natura and Co Holding SA, PUIG S.L., Shiseido Co. Ltd., The Estee Lauder Companies, The Procter and Gamble Co., and Unilever PLC.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Cosmetics Market in Brazil 2025-2029

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Cosmetics Market In Brazil Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2022 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.2% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 5.5 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 6.8 Regional analysis Brazil Performing market contribution South America at 100% Key countries Brazil and South America Key companies profiled Agreste Cosmetica Brasil Ltda., Amyris Inc., Avon Products Inc., Beiersdorf AG, Beleza na Web, Chanel Ltd., Coty Inc., Grupo Boticario, Henkel AG and Co. KGaA, Johnson and Johnson Inc., Kao Corp., LOccitane Groupe SA, LOreal SA, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, Natura and Co Holding SA, PUIG S.L., Shiseido Co. Ltd., The Estee Lauder Companies, The Procter and Gamble Co., and Unilever PLC

Market Driver

The Brazilian cosmetics market is thriving, with social media platforms playing a significant role in product promotions. Working women's participation is increasing, driving demand for convenient, on-the-go cosmetics. Product branding and advertising strategies focus on natural ingredients like green tea, rice, aloe vera, and botanical extracts. Skin care, hair care, lip care, and anti-aging products dominate the scene. International companies dominate the market, but niche firms and private label brands also gain ground. Formulations prioritize sustainability and ethical issues, with eco-friendly products and ingredient sourcing policies. Consumer reports help buyers navigate adverse side effects of synthetic chemicals and counterfeit products. Technology improvements include personalization, digitalization, and artificial intelligence in skincare systems. The retail scene is shifting to online sales, with e-commerce channels offering a wider range of international products at affordable prices. Offline sales remain strong, especially for sun care products and refreshing fragrances. Regulatory requirements ensure safety and quality, while sustainability policies address environmental concerns. The cosmetics industry caters to the younger and older populations, offering a wide range of makeup products, hair colors, and skincare systems to enhance personal appearance and wellbeing.

Social media plays a significant role in expanding product reach and engagement for the cosmetics market in Brazil. Consumers are increasingly utilizing social networking sites and blogs for cosmetics education. Vendors capitalize on this trend by actively engaging with consumers through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. L'Oreal, for instance, employs AI technology in its TrendSpotter system to analyze online data and identify emerging trends, enabling it to create on-trend products and tailor marketing efforts accordingly. This strategic use of social media enhances brand awareness and customer connection.

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Market Challenges

The Brazilian cosmetics market faces several challenges in areas such as social media platforms, working women's participation, product branding, advertising strategies, natural ingredients, skin care, and chemical usage. Adverse side effects from chemicals are a concern, while technology improvements offer opportunities through e-commerce, sustainability, and ethical issues. International companies dominate the scene with well-known brands, but niche firms and private label brands also thrive. Formulations use novel ingredients like green tea, rice, aloe vera, and botanical extracts. Consumers seek personalization and digitalization, including artificial intelligence for skincare systems. Regulatory requirements, counterfeit products, and supply chain management are key issues. The market includes skincare, hair care, lip care, anti-aging products, sun care, refreshing fragrances, hair colors, and makeup. The offline and online sales channels cater to various demographics, including the younger and older populations, and offer eco-friendly and affordable products.

The Brazilian cosmetics market faces a significant challenge with the prevalence of counterfeit cosmetics products. These imitations negatively impact market expansion as consumers may mistake them for authentic items. Counterfeit cosmetics are produced using low-quality ingredients and have lower production costs, enabling their sale at cheaper prices. Approximately 70% of Brazilians purchase counterfeit goods annually, posing a threat to the sales and pricing strategies of premium cosmetics vendors. This proliferation of fake products also damages brand reputation and revenue, ultimately affecting the profit margin of genuine product sellers.

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Segment Overview

This cosmetics market in Brazil report extensively covers market segmentation by

Product

1.1 Skincare products

1.2 Haircare products

1.3 Color cosmetics

1.4 Fragrances and deodorants

Distribution Channel

2.1 Offline

2.2 Online

Geography

3.1 South America

1.1 Skincare products- The skincare products segment in Brazil's cosmetics market includes topical creams, lotions, toners, exfoliators, and serums for anti-aging, skin-whitening, sun protection, moisturization, hydration, and smooth appearance. Premium skincare products, such as those offered by L'Oreal, stimulate natural rejuvenation and improve complexion. Increasing older population, technology advances, and consumer preference for paraben-free, fragrance-free products drive growth. Digitalization and Internet penetration expand availability of skincare products online, attracting health- and style-conscious millennials. Brands like Estee Lauder and L'Oreal, with strong social media presence, cater to this demographic, along with retailers like Amazon and Sephora. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of the skincare products segment in Brazil's cosmetics market.

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Research Analysis

The cosmetics market in Brazil is thriving, driven by the increasing participation of working women and the growing trend towards natural and organic products. Social media platforms are playing a significant role in marketing and branding, with influencers and bloggers promoting various brands and products. Advertising strategies focus on skincare, hair care, lip care, and anti-aging products, made from natural ingredients such as green tea, rice, aloe vera, and botanical extracts. Consumer reports help consumers make informed decisions, while the rise of online sales and offline channels caters to diverse consumer preferences. Global firms and multinational corporations dominate the market, but local brands are also gaining popularity. However, the market is not without challenges, including the issue of counterfeit products, which undermines brand reputation and consumer trust.

Market Research Overview

The cosmetics market in Brazil is a vibrant and dynamic industry, fueled by the growing trend of self-care and personal appearance among the younger and older populations. Social media platforms have become essential tools for product promotions, with influencers and key opinion leaders driving sales through sponsored content and product reviews. Product branding and advertising strategies focus on natural ingredients such as green tea, rice, aloe vera, and botanical extracts, as consumers increasingly demand eco-friendly and sustainable offerings. Technology improvements, including digitalization and artificial intelligence, are transforming the industry, with personalization and online sales channels gaining popularity. International companies, multinational corporations, and niche firms alike are adapting to regulatory requirements and supply chain challenges to bring innovative formulations to the market. Consumers seek out skincare, hair care, lip care, anti-aging products, and refreshing fragrances, among others, through both offline and online sales channels. However, concerns over adverse side effects, chemical usage, and ethical issues persist, with consumers relying on Consumer Reports and other sources for information. The industry also grapples with counterfeit products, skin care cosmetics, hair care cosmetics, women's cosmetics, men's cosmetics, sun care products, and hair colors, among others. Sustainability policies and ethical sourcing of ingredients are becoming increasingly important, as is the online presence and shopping experience for consumers. The glamour industry continues to evolve, with makeup products, lotions, creams, gels, and personal care items catering to diverse consumer needs and preferences.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Product

Skincare Products



Haircare Products



Color Cosmetics



Fragrances And Deodorants

Distribution Channel

Offline



Online

Geography

South America

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Higher quality and more international visitor profile

New networking formats prove popular

NUREMBERG, Germany, Feb. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Spielwarenmesse is the global meeting point for an entire industry. From 28 January to 1 February 2025, it came together in Nuremberg for the 74th time  and succeeded in matching last year's very high numbers. 2,362 exhibitors from 71 countries presented their innovations and trends in a significantly enlarged space and made successful use of the expanded range of options offered by the organiser, Spielwarenmesse eG. The amended hall structure, event-packed Specials and new networking opportunities helped some 57,500 visitors from 126 nations to navigate their way, easily and enjoyably, through the diverse range of products.

The Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg was once again the global meeting place for the industry from January 28 to February 1, 2025. (Copyright: Spielwarenmesse eG/Lennart Preiss)

"Every year, we are delighted to take part in the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, which is the must-attend event for toy industry professionals," says Daniel Levy, CEO of Buki France. Just as last year, 97% of exhibitors share his opinion, considering attendance at the world's leading event to be important or very important. "Our stand has been busy all day, every day  there's a real buzz around the show," commented Alison Coates of UK-based Just Play enthusiastically. Exhibitors rated the general quality and quantity of visitors as higher, and likewise the size of sales agreed. "Exactly the right decision-makers were there, the ones with a genuine interest in our products," said Sutepan Ganendiran, MD of the German startup company Compactoys emphatically. Massimo Pescarolo from Cicaboom of Italy noted: "The Spielwarenmesse is the only global exhibition for toys." Important European markets saw increases in visitor numbers. The USA and China were also among the top 10 countries for visitors. The increasingly international relevance of the fair was also noted by Thomas Eichhorn, MD of MGA Zapf Creation from Germany, who remarked that "the big American retailers such as Target and Walmart had intensive conversations with the teams from our HQ." And other major US-based players, too, felt that the Spielwarenmesse was becoming increasingly important. "Spielwarenmesse is always an exciting start to the event calendar for the team at Hasbro," reveals Bhavesh Somaya (Senior Vice President & General Manager EMEA & APAC). "Mattel always launches substantial major developments in Nuremberg, such as the '80th Ruby Anniversary Collection'," adds MD Sebastian Trischler.

The barometer of exhibitors' opinion was also on the rise in terms of service and activities. "The continuous marked improvement in content at the Spielwarenmesse was clearly appreciated," confirms Christian Ulrich, Board Spokesperson at Spielwarenmesse eG. The addition of Hall 3C, accommodating Baby & Infant Articles and Lifestyle Products, made efficient circuits around the fair easier and created synergies. "We love the new hall and the stand we have there  it was a real benefit to us," commented a delighted Christian Vollmer of Fehn, Germany. The modern design of the Toy Business Forum and its new-style presentations was likewise well received. Those presentation formats included the fireside chat with CEOs and the ToyPitch on the first day of the fair, at which twelve exhibitors gave brief 3-minute presentations on their new products. Once again the ToyAward  the prestigious industry prize in six product categories  was presented live on the big stage. "Winning was a tremendous honour, putting us as a small toy business on the radar with international trade," says Yusuf Beyaz, CEO at Swiss startup Qubs. Further highlights included the highly topical Specials 'Sport, Leisure, Outdoor' with its halfpipe stunt shows, and 'Toys for Kidults', where products targeted to the affluent adult market were brought to life in the heavily frequented central entrance (Eingang Mitte). "We appreciate the variety of formats that make it possible to present new products in the best possible way," says Evgeni Melan, COO of Augmented Robotics from Germany. He found the two ToyTrends, 'Anime & Friends' and 'Healthy Heroes' particularly exciting in this respect.

Exhibitors gave the topic of networking the highest rating. "It is noteworthy that the Spielwarenmesse enables an unparalleled industry gathering, a trend-setting platform, networking opportunities and of course media exposure," remarks Anirudh Bhargava, CEO Tribal Earth Sounds India. At the fairly new but already well established RedNight event, about a hundred exhibitors transformed their stands into true party areas for Thursday evening. To Diego Motto of the Italian manufacturer Giochi Preziosi, RedNight is perfect for meeting suppliers and retailers: "The networking events have helped us to make new contacts and catch up with old friends." Opportunities for individual discussions were also to be found at the LicenseLounge with its networking area and at the Internationale Spieleerfindermesse  Game Inventors Convention with its evening event, GamingHour. Fans of model vehicles enjoyed another premiere with the induction ceremony to the Model Car Hall of Fame.

Exhibitors had high praise for the way the Spielwarenmesse maintained its family character despite its immense size. "It feels like a sort of friendship gathering every year." says Kovit Chomphunuchyanyong, Managing Director of the well-known Thai company Plan Toys. "Its positive and happy atmosphere makes it an event to visit every year," concludes Kheir Houeiss, proprietor of Bulgarian company Invictus 1928. In total, 96% of participants would recommend other companies to attend. The next opportunity will be for the fair's 75th birthday; the anniversary edition takes place from 27 to 31 January 2026.

Spielwarenmesse

The world's leading event for the sector  that's the Spielwarenmesse. At this B2B event, key players as well as startups present their innovations and trends to retailers from all over the globe, live in Nuremberg. Alongside the extensive range of products, participants also gain a wealth of inspiration for day-to-day business together with valuable knowledge and useful guidance on the market, at what is for them the most significant industry gathering. The event is complemented by year-round coverage of themes, analyses and insights from the multifunctional platform Spielwarenmesse Digital and the e-journal 'Spirit of Play'. Since 2013, the term Spielwarenmesse has been a protected word mark in Germany.

Fair date: Spielwarenmesse, Tuesday to Saturday, 27  31 Jan 2026

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2610944/Spielwarenmesse_eG.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2602706/5146189/Spielwarenmesse_2025_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Spielwarenmesse eG
SKOKIE, Ill. and DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Feb. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hirzel Law, PLC, a premier real estate and community association law firm, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Illinois operations with the opening of two new office locations in Skokie and Downers Grove on February 1, 2025. The firm, known for its award-winning legal representation of condominium associations, homeowners' associations, and real estate clients, continues to strengthen its commitment to serving the needs of Illinois communities.

Kevin Hirzel, Managing Member Hirzel's Handbook is available on Amazon

With the addition of these two offices, Hirzel Law enhances its ability to provide hands-on legal counsel and innovative solutions to association boards, property managers, and real estate professionals throughout the greater Chicago area and beyond. The new locations will allow the firm to better serve clients in both the northern and western suburbs, further establishing its reputation as a trusted legal partner in community association law.

"Expanding into Skokie and Downers Grove marks another exciting milestone for Hirzel Law as we continue to grow our Illinois presence," said Kevin Hirzel, Managing Member of Hirzel Law, PLC. "These new offices allow us to be more accessible to our clients and provide the same high level of service that has earned us national recognition in community association and real estate law."

Further supporting its commitment to the community association industry, Hirzel Law, PLC is also a Community Association Manager (CAM) Education Sponsor, approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. This recognition emphasizes the firm's dedication to providing high-quality educational resources and legal guidance to community association professionals across Illinois. Kevin is also the author of Hirzel's Handbook: How to Operate an Illinois Condo or HOA, a must-read for HOA board members, property managers, and condo buyers, offering a clear guide to managing community associations effectively.

The new offices will be located at:

Skokie Office  5250 Old Orchard Road, Suite 300 Skokie, IL 60077

Downers Grove Office  1431 Opus Place, Suite 110 Downers Grove, IL 60515

Since first entering the Illinois market, Hirzel Law has been committed to delivering practical, results-driven legal services tailored to the unique needs of community associations and real estate clients. With attorneys recognized as industry leaders, the firm provides expertise in association governance, collections, litigation, amendments, and developer issues.

For more information about Hirzel Law, PLC and its services, please visit www.hirzellaw.com or contact [email protected].

About Hirzel Law, PLC

Hirzel Law, PLC is a leading law firm dedicated to representing condominium associations, homeowners' associations, cooperative boards, and real estate clients. With a team of experienced attorneys serving clients across Michigan and Illinois, the firm is nationally recognized for its expertise in community association law and commitment to providing exceptional legal guidance.

Rita Khan

(312) 552-7669

[email protected]

SOURCE Hirzel Law, PLC
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is driving market transformation - The global home furniture market size is estimated to grow by USD 95.7 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.72% during the forecast period. Increasing online sales is driving market growth, with a trend towards growing importance of innovative customized furniture. However, fluctuating labor costs and raw material prices poses a challenge. Key market players include Ashley Retail LLC, Bernhardt Furniture Co., Dare Studio Ltd., Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., Flexsteel Industries Inc., Furniture USA Inc., Godrej Interio, Inter IKEA Holding B.V., Kimball International Inc., LaZBoy Inc., MasterBrand Cabinets Inc., MillerKnoll Inc., Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd., ROCHE BOBOIS SA, Roomstogo.com Inc., Stanley Lifestyles Ltd., Steelcase Inc., Steinhoff International Holdings NV, Wayfair Inc., and Williams Sonoma Inc..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global home furniture market 2024-2028

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Home Furniture Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018-2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 4.72% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 95.7 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 4.42 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 44% Key countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and Canada Key companies profiled Ashley Global Retail LLC, Bernhardt Furniture Co., Dare Studio Ltd., Ethan Allen Interiors Inc., Flexsteel Industries Inc., Global Furniture USA Inc., Godrej Interio, Inter IKEA Holding B.V., Kimball International Inc., LaZBoy Inc., MasterBrand Cabinets Inc., MillerKnoll Inc., Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd., ROCHE BOBOIS SA, Roomstogo.com Inc., Stanley Lifestyles Ltd., Steelcase Inc., Steinhoff International Holdings NV, Wayfair Inc., and Williams Sonoma Inc.

Market Driver

The Home Furniture Market is thriving with trends in Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom, and Kitchen Furniture. Specialty stores and Online Retail Stores dominate the sector. The Residential Construction Market's growth impacts furniture demand. Eco-friendly Furniture, like formaldehyde-free sofa sets and recycled textiles, is popular. Ready-to-assemble Furniture and Smart Furniture, including ergonomically designed chairs and gaming tables, are on the rise. E-commerce, Portable furniture, and Multi-purpose furniture are key trends. Smart sensing technology, like in Cubicles and Sofas, adds value. Home Furnishings include Curtains, Carpets, and Decor Items. Home Furnishing Retailers offer a wide range of products, from Wooden, Metal, Glass, Plastic, and Bamboo, to Rattan and Eco-friendly options. Unorganized industry players pose a challenge. Beds & Mattresses use High-resilience foam and Viscoelastic foams. Overall, the Home Furniture Market is dynamic and diverse.

The furniture market has seen a significant shift towards customization, with consumers expressing a growing interest in personalized units. IKEA and Ethan Allen are leading manufacturers in this area, offering fabric and design customization options. IKEA recently announced plans to produce multifunctional furniture that transforms according to daily needs. This innovative approach is attracting consumers looking for versatile and adaptable pieces. Customization is no longer a luxury but a priority for many homeowners, making it a key trend in the furniture industry.

Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution!

Market Challenges

Home furniture market encompasses various segments like Living Room, Dining Room, Bedroom, Kitchen, and Specialty Stores. Challenges include the competition from Online Retail Stores, unorganized industry players, and Residential Construction Market shifts. Eco-friendly Furniture, such as formaldehyde-free sofa sets and recycled textiles, is a growing trend. Ready-to-assemble Furniture and Smart Furniture, including ergonomically designed chairs and gaming tables, are popular. E-commerce, Portable furniture, and Multi-purpose furniture are key online trends. Smart sensing technology, Eco-friendly materials like Bamboo and Rattan, and Cubicles are interior design focuses. Home Furnishings include Curtains, Carpets, and Decor Items. Home furnishing retailers offer various materials like Plastic, Wooden, Metal, and Glass. Home centers and Flagship stores anchor market presence. Bed & mattresses use high-resilience foam and viscoelastic foams. Unorganized industry players impact market stability.

The pricing of home furniture products is influenced by several factors, including manufacturing costs, labor costs, raw material costs, and transportation costs. Among these, manufacturing costs, labor costs, and raw material costs have a significant impact on the final price. Fluctuations in the cost of raw materials, such as steel, iron, plastic, wood, glass, petroleum products, and paints, directly affect the price of furniture products or the profit margins of manufacturers. These materials' prices are subject to change and can be influenced by international market trends. As a result, home furniture vendors face a significant challenge in maintaining consistent pricing for their products.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now!

Segment Overview

This home furniture market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Distribution Channel

1.1 Offline

1.2 Online

Product

2.1 Living room furniture

2.2 Bedroom furniture

2.3 Storage furniture

2.4 Others

Geography

3.1 APAC

3.2 North America

3.3 Europe

3.4 Middle East and Africa

and 3.5 South America

1.1 Offline- The offline distribution of home furniture is the preferred means for vendors, manufacturers, and distributors in the global home furniture market. Offline channels include specialty stores, department stores, discount stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, warehouse clubs, and manufacturer-branded stores. Consumers can physically experience the product before purchasing, a tangible advantage over online channels. The growth of offline distribution is driven by an increase in the number of vendors expanding their offline presence in developed and developing regions. This expansion is particularly noticeable in the residential and commercial home furniture segments. The offline distribution of upholstered residential furniture is segmented into specialty stores, department stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, and other retail stores. Major retailers are expanding into wholesale stores to tap into their growing customer base and increase market visibility for home furniture products.

Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics

Research Analysis

The Home Furniture Market encompasses a wide range of products designed to enhance the comfort and aesthetic appeal of living spaces. This market includes Living Room Furniture such as sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables, Dining Room Furniture like tables and chairs, and Bedroom Furniture such as beds, dressers, and nightstands. Additionally, there are Specialty Stores and Home Furnishing Retailers that offer unique and niche furniture pieces. Smart Furniture is a growing trend in the market, featuring technology like smart sensing technology for added convenience. Online Stores offer a vast selection and the ease of shopping from home. Portable and Multi-purpose Furniture cater to the needs of small spaces and modern lifestyles. The market also offers a variety of materials including Plastic, Wooden, Metal, and Glass. Eco-friendly options are popular, such as Formaldehyde-free sofa sets and Recycled Textiles. Beds & Mattresses come in various types like High-resilience foam and Viscoelastic foams. Marketing strategies vary from seasonal sales to personalized customer experiences. The Home Furniture Market is diverse and continually evolving to meet the changing needs and preferences of consumers.

Market Research Overview

The Home Furniture Market encompasses a wide range of products including Living Room Furniture such as sofas, couches, and coffee tables, Dining Room Furniture like tables and chairs, and Bedroom Furniture such as beds, cabinets, and dressers. Specialty Stores and Online Retail Stores cater to various customer preferences. The Residential Construction Market also impacts furniture demand. Eco-friendly Furniture made of materials like Bamboo, Rattan, and Recycled Textiles is gaining popularity. Ready-to-assemble Furniture, E-commerce, and Smart Furniture are modern trends. Smart sensing technology, Ergonomically designed chairs, and Gaming tables are innovative offerings. Home Furnishings include Curtains, Carpets, and Decor Items. Home Furnishing Retailers offer a wide range of products from Formaldehyde-free sofa sets to Multi-purpose furniture. The industry includes unorganized players, but Wooden Furniture Market, Beds & Mattresses, and High-resilience foam are significant segments. Anchoring points like Home Centers and Flagship Stores provide a shopping experience.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Distribution Channel

Offline



Online

Product

Living Room Furniture



Bedroom Furniture



Storage Furniture



Others

Geography

APAC



North America



Europe



Middle East And Africa



South America

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Total sales increased 15%; best January ever

Electrified sales up 41%; HEV sales jump 74%; EV sales Increased 15%

Best January ever model results for IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, Tucson HEV, and Santa Fe HEV

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America reported record-breaking total January sales of 54,503 units, a 15% increase compared with January 2024. This was the best January in Hyundai history. All time total sales records in January were set for Santa Fe HEV (+160%), Tucson HEV (+89%), IONIQ 5 (+54%) and IONIQ 6 (+15%). Total sales of hybrid electric vehicles jumped 74%, while total EV sales grew by 15%.

"Hyundai is kicking off the year with record-breaking sales, achieving our best January ever across multiple models and fuel types," said Randy Parker, CEO, Hyundai Motor North America. "From the strong retail and total sales performance of the Santa Fe HEV, Tucson HEV, IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6 to record-setting results in HEV and EV vehicle sales, we continue to see incredible demand for our electrified and ICE products."

January Total Sales Summary

Jan-25 Jan-24 % Chg 2025 YTD 2024 YTD % Chg Hyundai 54,503 47,543 +15 % 54,503 47,543 +15 %

January Product and Corporate Activities

Model Total Sales Vehicles Jan-25 Jan-24 % Chg 2025 YTD 2024 YTD % Chg Elantra 8,866 6,900 +28 % 8,866 6,900 +28 % Ioniq 5 2,250 1,465 +54 % 2,250 1,465 +54 % Ioniq 6 871 760 +15 % 871 760 +15 % Kona 4,365 6,577 -34 % 4,365 6,577 -34 % Nexo 0 23 0 % 0 23 0 % Palisade 6,687 7,638 -12 % 6,687 7,638 -12 % Santa Cruz 1,786 2,487 -28 % 1,786 2,487 -28 % Santa Fe 8,296 6,021 +38 % 8,296 6,021 +38 % Sonata 4,757 3,121 +52 % 4,757 3,121 +52 % Tucson 15,025 11,116 +35 % 15,025 11,116 +35 % Venue 1,600 1,435 +11 % 1,600 1,435 +11 %

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company's Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai's 835 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a published economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global learning management system (LMS) market size is estimated to grow by USD 79.06 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 27.17% during the forecast period. Adoption of NGDLE in academic sector is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing popularity of cloud-based LMS. However, interoperability issues poses a challenge. Key market players include Adrenalin eSystems Ltd., Blackboard Inc., Sprout On Web Pty. Ltd., Clearlake Capital Group L.P., D2L Inc., Degreed Inc., Docebo Inc., Epignosis LLC, GENTLAB S.R.L, Instructure Holdings Inc., Looop Online Ltd., Oracle Corp., Pearson Plc, PowerSchool Holdings Inc., SAP SE, Skillsoft Corp., Tovuti Inc., Violet InfoSystems Pvt. Ltd., Workday Inc., and Xperiencify.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global learning management system (LMS) market 2024-2028

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Learning Management System (Lms) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 27.17% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 79058 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 20.99 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 31% Key countries US, China, UK, Germany, and Canada Key companies profiled Adrenalin eSystems Ltd., Blackboard Inc., Sprout On Web Pty. Ltd., Clearlake Capital Group L.P., D2L Inc., Degreed Inc., Docebo Inc., Epignosis LLC, GENTLAB S.R.L, Instructure Holdings Inc., Looop Online Ltd., Oracle Corp., Pearson Plc, PowerSchool Holdings Inc., SAP SE, Skillsoft Corp., Tovuti Inc., Violet InfoSystems Pvt. Ltd., Workday Inc., and Xperiencify

Market Driver

In today's digitalized business landscape, Learning Management Systems (LMS) have become essential tools for upskilling and reskilling employees, as well as delivering online education to individual learners. The trend towards remote work and digital learning has accelerated the adoption of LMS platforms, offering flexible, cost-effective solutions for businesses and educational institutions. Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, and virtual reality are expanding LMS offerings, providing personalized learning experiences and real-time interaction. Key vendors like Duolingo, Coursera, Cerego, Knewton, and ALEKS lead the market with user-friendly interfaces, AI-driven personalized learning, and gamification. Corporate users and higher education segments are the primary adopters, with blended learning models and multichannel learning gaining popularity. LMS platforms cater to various preferences and business operations, offering on-premises and cloud-based solutions, mobile learning, and open online courses. The market is expected to continue growing, driven by the increasing demand for lifelong learning, reduced spending, and the need for talent development in the digital age.

In today's business landscape, cloud-based Learning Management Systems (LMS) have gained significant popularity due to their numerous advantages. Traditional LMS models require organizations to manage servers on their premises, leading to high costs and complexities. In contrast, cloud-based LMS eliminates the need for on-site servers and is typically hosted on the provider's servers. This results in a lower initial investment, as the purchase is usually subscription-based. Moreover, cloud-based LMS implementation costs are significantly reduced, as there is no need for installation of programs or devotion of time and resources. Furthermore, cloud-based e-learning solutions can be set up quickly and deployed faster than traditional LMS. These factors make cloud-based LMS an attractive option for businesses looking to adopt efficient and cost-effective e-learning solutions.

Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution!

Market Challenges

In today's digitalized business landscape, industries are embracing LMS platforms to upskill employees and offer flexible training programs. Remote work and education have become the new norm, leading to an increase in demand for digital learning solutions. LMS platforms provide cost-effective, cloud-based and on-premises options for corporate users and educational institutions. Advanced technologies like AI, 5G, and virtual reality enhance learning outcomes by offering personalized, interactive, and real-time experiences. Key vendors like Duolingo, Coursera, Cerego, Knewton, and ALEKS are expanding their offerings through strategic partnerships and user-friendly interfaces. Millennials and Gen Z prefer mobile learning solutions, making smartphones and communication devices essential tools for education. LMS platforms offer blended learning models, face-to-face instruction, and online learning activities to cater to various user preferences and business operations. Corporate users seek AI-driven personalized learning, gamification, and social learning capabilities to engage employees and improve knowledge retention. Enterprise learning, personalized learning, and multichannel learning are essential for talent development in the digital age. LMS platforms offer content accessibility through e-books, multimedia resources, and interactive modules, making education more accessible and convenient. Despite budget constraints and reduced spending on training programs, LMS platforms offer cost-effective solutions for businesses and individuals. The LMS market is expected to grow as digital transformation continues to reshape business operations and education. Virtual assistants, chatbots, and AI-powered avatars provide additional support, making LMS platforms versatile and efficient learning solutions.

The eLearning industry relies heavily on Learning Management Systems (LMS) for delivering and managing digital training content. However, the lack of standardization in eLearning content can pose challenges during LMS integration. Although LMS platforms offer compatibility, connecting them to existing systems is not always straightforward. This is due to the fact that not all eLearning standards are supported by both the LMS and the existing system. As a result, schools may face difficulties in reusing courses developed by different vendors, as the content structures and supported features can vary. It is essential for organizations to carefully consider these compatibility issues when selecting an LMS and integrating it with their existing systems.

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Segment Overview

This learning management system (lms) market report extensively covers market segmentation by

End-user

1.1 Academic

1.2 Corporate

Deployment

2.1 On-premises

2.2 On-cloud

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Academic- The Learning Management System (LMS) market is experiencing growth due to the increasing popularity of online learning and the expansion of higher education institutions offering digital courses. In the academic sector, the higher education segment dominates the market, with universities recruiting IT staff to increase their online course offerings. The rise of m-learning in schools and colleges necessitates LMS solutions compatible with mobile devices. Students and teachers seek online certificate programs for skill development and competitive edge. Vendors like Degreed Inc. Offer role-based skill development and collaborative learning experiences. Integration of technologies such as classroom management systems, analytics, and LCMS with LMS drives demand in higher education. Open-source LMS solutions, such as Moodle, capture significant revenue in the academic sector. Blended learning methods in K-12 sector require LMS for online course materials. However, challenges include the lack of operating knowledge for LMS among teachers and students, particularly in emerging economies.

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Research Analysis

The Learning Management System (LMS) market is experiencing significant growth in the digitalization of industries, with remote learning and digital education becoming increasingly popular. LMS platforms offer flexible learning options for individuals and educational institutions, enabling access to a vast array of online courses and interactive tutorials. Blended learning models combine traditional classroom instruction with digital content, providing a more comprehensive learning experience. Smartphones and communication devices have made mobile education a viable option, allowing learners to access educational content anywhere, anytime. Open online courses and certifications offer upskilling and reskilling opportunities for the business landscape, while progress tracking and individualized learning plans ensure that learners stay on track. With the rise of e-learning, educational institutions are embracing LMS platforms to enhance their offerings and meet the evolving needs of students. Internet connectivity is essential for accessing these platforms and educational content, making it a critical component of the digital learning experience.

Market Research Overview

The Learning Management System (LMS) market is experiencing significant growth due to the digitalization of industries and the shift towards remote work and learning. LMS platforms have become essential tools for delivering digital learning, online courses, and blended learning models. These versatile platforms offer flexible learning options, advanced technologies like AI, and mobile learning solutions to upskill employees and expand educational offerings. Digital transformation and reduced spending have led businesses to adopt cost-effective cloud-based LMS platforms. Corporate users segment is a major driver of the market, with enterprise learning, personalized learning, and multichannel learning gaining popularity. AI-driven personalized learning, gamification, and social learning capabilities are enhancing learning outcomes and engagement. Educational institutions, from schools to universities, are also embracing LMS platforms for online education and distance learning. Millennials and Gen Z prefer e-learning tools and open online courses for their convenience and accessibility. The market is expanding with strategic partnerships, product innovation, and user-friendly interfaces. Advanced technologies like AI, 5G technology, and virtual reality are being integrated into LMS platforms to provide real-time interaction, feedback, and content accessibility. The market is expected to grow further with the increasing use of smartphones, communication devices, and e-learning tools in the corporate sector. Despite budget constraints, the demand for LMS platforms is increasing due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to provide quality services, developed infrastructure, and network infrastructure. The market is also witnessing in demand for AI-based LMS platforms, virtual assistant, chatbot, and AI-powered avatar to cater to the preferences and behavior of individual learners. The business landscape is evolving, and LMS platforms are becoming essential for talent development and knowledge retention. The market is expected to continue growing with the increasing use of interactive platforms, smart learning platforms, mobile education, online tutorials, and e-learning solutions. The future of education is digital, and LMS platforms are leading the way.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

End-user

Academic



Corporate

Deployment

On-premises



On-cloud

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today issued the following statement in response to the Defense Department's decision to revoke dedicated workspace for certain media organizations at the Pentagon:

"The National Press Club is deeply concerned by the Defense Department's decision to remove certain media organizations from their dedicated spaces in the Pentagon. Any action that restricts the ability of journalists to report on the operations of the U.S. government should alarm all who value transparency and press freedom.

For decades, members of the Pentagon press corps  representing a diverse range of news organizations  have played a vital role in holding military leaders accountable, informing the public and ensuring that decisions of national security are made with full scrutiny. The ability of journalists to work without undue restriction, particularly in covering an institution as critical as the Department of Defense, is fundamental to a free and open democracy.

We stand with the Pentagon Press Association in calling for greater clarity on this decision, and we urge the Defense Department to protect access for all credentialed journalists. The National Press Club will continue to monitor this situation closely and advocate for the rights of reporters to do their jobs without interference."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. With 2,500 members representing nearly every major journalism organization, the Club is a leading voice for press freedom in the U.S. and worldwide.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 or [email protected] for the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) securities between November 2, 2022 and December 19, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until March 25, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit. Captioned Moon v. Novo Nordisk A/S, No. 25-cv-00713 (D.N.J.), the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit charges Novo Nordisk as well as certain of Novo Nordisk's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit, please provide your information here:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-novo-nordisk-a-s-class-action-lawsuit-nvo.html

You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected].

CASE ALLEGATIONS: Novo Nordisk, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products.

The Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) defendants created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to Novo Nordisk's projected successful outcome of Novo Nordisk's phase 3 CagriSema study on obesity, named "REDEFINE-1," while avoiding discussions centered around dosage tolerability; (ii) Novo Nordisk's repeated optimistic claims that CagriSema would achieve at least 25% weight loss in the REDEFINE-1 study fell short of reality; and (iii) the utilization of the "flexible protocol" limited the study's ability to effectively provide weight loss data on the dosage tested, suggesting either that tolerability was significantly worse than anticipated, resulting in patients titrating down their dosages to avoid complications, or that the patient selection process was rushed, leading to the onboarding of patients that did not desire to even achieve the 25% weight loss Novo Nordisk sought to demonstrate.

The Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit further alleges that on December 20, 2024, defendants published headline results from their REDEFINE-1 CagriSema obesity trial, disclosing that "[t]he REDEFINE 1 trial was based on a flexible protocol, allowing patients to modify their dosing throughout the trial" and that "[a]fter 68 weeks, 57.3% of patients treated with CagriSema were on the highest dose compared to 82.5% with cagrilintide 2.4 mg and 70.2% with semaglutide 2.4 mg." On this news, the price of Novo Nordisk stock fell nearly 18%, according to the complaint.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Novo Nordisk securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Novo Nordisk class action lawsuit.

ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases  over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever  $7.2 billion  in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information:

https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.

Contact:

Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP

J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal

655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101

800-449-4900

[email protected]

SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with market evolution powered by AI - The global pet grooming products market size is estimated to grow by USD 8.76 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.8% during the forecast period. Humanization of pets is driving market growth, with a trend towards popularity of pet fashion among owners. However, regulatory hurdles for vendors in market poses a challenge. Key market players include ABK Imports Pvt. Ltd., Ancol Pet Products Ltd., Boss Holdings Inc., Coastal Pet Products Inc., Earth Paws Pvt. Ltd., Ferplast Spa, Glenand, Hagen Group, Hartz Mountain Corp., Himalaya Wellness Co., Johnsons Veterinary Products Ltd., MEDILOGY BIOTECH, Mutneys Professional Pet Care Ltd., PawsnCollars, Pet Brands Ltd., RESCO, Rosewood Pet Products Ltd., SynergyLabs, The Hounds Coat, and Wahl Clipper Corp..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global pet grooming products market 2024-2028

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Pet Grooming Products Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 6.8% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 8757.4 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 5.99 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 42% Key countries US, China, Germany, UK, and Japan Key companies profiled ABK Imports Pvt. Ltd., Ancol Pet Products Ltd., Boss Holdings Inc., Coastal Pet Products Inc., Earth Paws Pvt. Ltd., Ferplast Spa, Glenand, Hagen Group, Hartz Mountain Corp., Himalaya Wellness Co., Johnsons Veterinary Products Ltd., MEDILOGY BIOTECH, Mutneys Professional Pet Care Ltd., PawsnCollars, Pet Brands Ltd., RESCO, Rosewood Pet Products Ltd., SynergyLabs, The Hounds Coat, and Wahl Clipper Corp.

Market Driver

The Pet Grooming Products market is witnessing substantial growth, driven by the rising trend of pet adoption and the growing emphasis on pet humanization. With pet ownership on the rise, routine grooming has become a priority for pet parents to ensure their furry friends' health and well-being. Organic grooming shampoos and conditioners made from natural ingredients are popular choices for pet owners, as they prioritize the use of high-quality, ethical, and hypoallergenic products. E-commerce platforms and retail stores offer a wide range of grooming essentials, including shampoos, conditioners, brushes, combs, clippers, scissors, nail trimmers, grooming tables, DIY grooming tools, and wearable grooming equipment. Self-cleaning brushes and shedding reducing sprays are also in demand to help manage pet mess and control shedding. As pet owners view their pets as family members, they invest in premium grooming services, such as dog grooming parlors and vehicles, to provide their pets with the best care. Rapid urbanization and the convenience of online shopping have made it easier for pet parents to access these products and services. Additionally, pets suffering from allergies, fleas, ticks, or bacterial growth benefit from medicated shampoos and toothpaste. Massage oils and stress-relieving products cater to the emotional well-being of pets, addressing their needs beyond the physical. Overall, the Pet Grooming Products market is a growing industry that prioritizes the health, happiness, and comfort of domesticated animals.

The pet grooming products market experiences significant growth due to the increasing demand for luxurious and fashionable items among affluent pet owners. To cater to this trend, market competitors introduce various stylish products in the grooming and accessories segment. These include rhinestone and solitaire collars for cats and dogs, bow tie collars, studded fox leather leashes, and funky apparel. Raincoats, winter coats, and scarfs are also popular choices for pets during different weather conditions. The availability of these products in various sizes, colors, raw materials, and styles attracts a larger customer base, thereby driving the sales growth in the global pet grooming products market.

Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution!

Market Challenges

The pet grooming products market is experiencing significant growth due to increasing pet adoptions and pet humanization concepts. Pet owners prioritize their furry friends' health and well-being, leading to demand for high-quality shampoos and conditioners, brushes and combs, clippers and scissors, nail trimmers, grooming tables, and other essentials. Rapid urbanization and e-commerce platforms make it convenient for pet parents to access these products online. Challenges include addressing pet health concerns such as allergies, fleas, ticks, and bacterial growth with medicated shampoos and other solutions. Organic grooming products cater to consumer preferences for natural and ethical treatment. Dog and cat grooming routines include shear and trimming, toothpaste, massage oils, and stress-reducing tools like self-cleaning brushes and mess control mats. Pet grooming services, vehicles, and retail stores also contribute to the market, with premiumization and fitness trends driving demand for wearable grooming equipment and pet food accessories. The market continues to evolve as pets become valued family members, with a focus on their overall well-being and happiness.

The pet grooming products market faces regulatory complexities and food safety challenges on a global scale. Regulations and standards vary by country and region, requiring companies to comply for international trade and cross-border operations. Food safety is a significant concern, with potential hazards including biological, chemical, physical, and allergenic risks. Instances of product recalls and import alerts due to food safety issues have increased, leading organizations to establish regulations for monitoring product quality. Companies must navigate these challenges to ensure the safety and quality of their pet grooming products.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now!

Segment Overview

This pet grooming products market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Distribution Channel

1.1 Offline

1.2 Online

Product

2.1 Pet shampoo and conditioner

2.2 Pet brushes and combs

2.3 Others

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 Middle East and Africa

and 3.5 South America

1.1 Offline- The Pet Grooming Products market encompasses various distribution channels, including specialty stores, hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores, clubhouse stores, and others. Hypermarkets like Walmart and Target offer a range of pet grooming products, fueling market growth due to their expansion and the increasing demand for quality pet accessories and grooming services. Mobile pet grooming services, with specially equipped vehicles, are gaining popularity, offering convenience to pet owners. Consummers prefer specialty stores for product variety, while vendors adopt the online-to-offline (O2O) strategy to enhance sales through offline channels, providing benefits like in-store pickup and returns. Amazon's recent announcement of an Amazon Salon in London exemplifies this approach, contributing to the growth of the offline segment in the Pet Grooming Products market.

Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics

Research Analysis

The pet grooming products market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing trend of pet humanization and rising pet ownership. With more and more people adopting pets as family members, the focus on their health and well-being has become a priority. Routine grooming has become essential for maintaining the hygiene and overall appearance of pets, particularly dogs. The market offers a wide range of products including shampoo and conditioner, brushes, combs, clippers, nail trimmers, grooming tables, and DIY grooming tools. Organic grooming shampoos are gaining popularity due to the increasing awareness of pet health. Rapid urbanization and the convenience of e-commerce platforms have made it easier for pet parents to access these products from the comfort of their homes. Shear and trimming services are also in demand, providing professional grooming solutions for pets.

Market Research Overview

The pet grooming products market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing number of pet adoptions and the humanization concepts that view pets as family members. Rapid urbanization and the convenience of e-commerce platforms have made it easier for pet owners to access a wide range of high-quality shampoos, conditioners, brushes, combs, clippers, scissors, nail trimmers, grooming tables, and other essentials for routine grooming. Organic grooming shampoos and conditioners made from natural ingredients are popular choices for pet parents who prioritize their pet's health and well-being. Pet ownership is on the rise, leading to an increased demand for grooming tools and services. Dog grooming, including shear and trimming, is a common practice for many pet owners. Cats also require grooming, and there is a growing market for products specifically designed for feline grooming. Consumer preferences for hypoallergenic and organic products have driven innovation in the pet grooming industry. Pet parents are also seeking out medicated shampoos to address specific health concerns, such as fleas, ticks, and bacterial growth. Wearable grooming equipment, self-cleaning brushes, and shedding reducing sprays are other popular products. Pet food, accessories, and animal health products are often purchased alongside grooming supplies. Retail stores, supermarkets, specialty stores, online platforms, and even dog grooming parlors offer a variety of pet grooming products. The market is also seeing a trend towards premiumization and ethical treatment of animals. Pet grooming is not just about keeping pets clean but also about stress reduction and promoting their overall fitness and well-being. Massage oils, toothpaste, and massage/spa services are becoming increasingly popular for pets. Pet parents are seeking out ways to bond with their pets through grooming, and the market is responding with innovative products and services.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Distribution Channel

Offline



Online

Product

Pet Shampoo And Conditioner



Pet Brushes And Combs



Others

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



Middle East And Africa



South America

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Akins Ford is proud to announce valuable research pages for the 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum, including specs, features, and powertrain options.

ATLANTA and WINDER, Ga., Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Akins Ford in Winder, GA, is excited to share in-depth 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum research with SUV shoppers seeking premium performance and luxury. The latest Expedition Platinum offers advanced technology, a bold design, and powerful capability, making it a standout in the full-size SUV segment.

2025 Ford Expedition Platinum Delivers Power and Comfort

The 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum.

The 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum boasts a commanding presence with its refined styling, spacious interior, and cutting-edge features. Under the hood, its turbocharged V6 engine delivers impressive horsepower and torque, ensuring strong towing capability and confident highway driving.

Inside, premium leather seating, wood accents, and a panoramic sunroof create an upscale atmosphere. Additionally, an advanced infotainment system with a large touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a premium sound system keep drivers and passengers connected and entertained.

"The 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum isn't just an SUV; it's a statement. At Akins Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with the best, and this vehicle's combination of advanced driver-assist features, flexible seating configurations, and overall luxurious feel sets it apart from the competition," said company spokesperson Tanner Maloof.

Discover Advanced Technology and Safety Features

Akins Ford's 2025 Ford Expedition Platinum research highlights the SUV's advanced driver-assist features. With Ford Co-Pilot360 technology, drivers benefit from adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and a 360-degree camera system, enhancing both convenience and safety.

For added versatility, the Expedition Platinum offers flexible seating configurations and an expansive cargo area. Whether transporting passengers or hauling gear, this SUV adapts to a variety of needs.

Find the Ford Expedition for Sale Near Winder

Akins Ford offers a selection of Ford Expedition for sale models, including the luxurious Platinum trim. Customers can explore available inventory online at Akins Ford's Expedition listings or visit the dealership in person.

Shoppers interested in learning more about the 2025 Ford Expedition can visit the model research page for an in-depth look at specs, features, and available trims.

Learn More at Akins Ford

The Ford Expedition Platinum continues to impress with its combination of power, technology, and comfort. Whether tackling long road trips or daily commutes, this full-size SUV provides the versatility and refinement modern drivers seek. Visit Akins Ford today to experience the Expedition Platinum firsthand or contact our team to schedule a test drive.

-About Akins Ford Akins Ford is a leading automotive dealership located in Winder, Georgia. With a strong commitment to customer satisfaction and a wide selection of new and pre-owned Ford vehicles, Akins Ford has established itself as a trusted name in the automotive industry. Find out why Akins Ford is the leading Ford dealership in the greater Atlanta area and nationwide by visiting 220 West May Street, Winder, GA 30680, or by calling 770-867-9136. Find the dealership on the web at www.akinsford.com.

SOURCE Akins Ford
The Teller County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that the agency searched three locations around the county as part of a vehicle title fraud investigation, accompanied by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.

Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell referenced the case during a Jan. 24 news conference about individuals in the country illegally who commit crimes. Mikesell named four individuals he identified as foreign nationals in the United States illegally who were arrested in Teller County for fraud.

The warrants were served at the Olympia Hotel in Victor, and at two residences in Cripple Creek  one in the 300 block of West El Paso Avenue and one in the 100 block of Bison Street  according to the department's social media post.

The post gave no indication if additional arrests were made following the searches. A Teller County Sheriff's Office spokesperson was not immediately available for more information.

"The partnerships between local and federal agencies are vital in protecting our residents and we hope that through federal partnerships with our state and local partners, we can enhance the safety of all Colorado citizens," the Sheriff's Office post said in part.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Reviver is proud to celebrate Black History Month and the journey of founder, Neville Boston  from creating the world's first digital license plate to becoming the first Black-founded technology jersey patch partner among the NBA.

This year's Black History Month is shining a light on African Americans and the intersection of labor with the collective experiences of Black people. For Reviver's Neville Boston, Black History Month is also an opportunity to reflect on his entrepreneurial journey in building Reviver, and to celebrate the transformative moments to come.

"Together, we're pushing the boundaries in how we create solutions that reflect our diverse communities." Post this

"When I founded Reviver, I didn't see the RPLATE as a singular solution to one specific problem for today's world," said Reviver Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston. "What we're doing is transforming the entire car and driver experience, and we're designing an ecosystem for the future."

Of course, being the first of anything has its challenges, especially as a Black founder disrupting and bringing innovation to a highly regulated industry. Boston approached these challenges through relationship-building, leaning into mentors and investors such as John W. Thompson, former chairman of Microsoft and Allan Warren, and talking with everyone, including consumers and teams at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

"Reviver is built on partnerships and relationships with mentors, other entrepreneurs and investors, state and local governments, and the community," Boston said. "It's about building trust and creating something that benefits all involved. Together, we're pushing the boundaries in how we create solutions that reflect our diverse communities, and we hope it doesn't stop here. Our goal is to spark change and innovation."

ABOUT REVIVER

Reviver is a technology company on a mission to modernize the driving experience. As developer of the world's first digital license plate platform, Reviver products transform the license plate into a connected vehicle platform, enabling consumers and commercial businesses to digitize vehicle registration renewals and experience a growing set of personalization, convenience, and safety features, all managed through a mobile or web app interface. Reviver's digital license plates are legal for sale in Arizona and California, along with Texas for commercial fleet vehicles. Ten additional states are in various stages of adoption. Founded in 2009, Reviver is headquartered in Northern California, and is the official patch partner of the Sacramento Kings and the official innovation partner of the Sacramento Kings and Golden 1 Center. To purchase an RPLATE click here . To learn more about the RPLATE, click here .

SOURCE Reviver
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas was among top honorees last night at a gala announcing LatinFinance's 2024 Deals of the Year Awards, where he represented the government of Brazil's largest state in accepting an award for the ground-breaking privatization of Sao Paulo sanitation company Sabesp, a signature accomplishment of his administration.

De Freitas accepted the award for the $2.7 billion transaction in a ceremony featuring over 300 CEOs, CFOs, government officials from across the region, alongside financiers, investors and advisors involved in landmark transactions across Latin American and the Caribbean over the prior year, who convened in New York for the annual Awards Dinner.

The announcement of this year's winners followed LatinFinance's 2025 LatAm Capital Market Summit, a series of high-level, editorially-led discussions among CEOs, CFOs and investors at the New York Stock Exchange. The discussions focused on the big themes impacting capital raising and investment in the region over the coming year.

A select group of NYSE-listed Deals of the Year winners also joined LatinFinance in ringing the Opening Bell at the NYSE to celebrate their awards, kick off the day's trading and start the LatAm Capital Markets Summit.

Winners are determined independently by LatinFinance's editors following an extensive judging process that involved the evaluation of a record number of submissions this year.

The full list of winners can be found in here https://latinfinance.com/doty-2024-winners/ and in the Q2.2025 edition of LatinFinance magazine.

For more information about the selection process and the winning deals and institutions, visit www.latinfinance.com

Winning deals and institutions

Sovereign Bond of the Year - United Mexican States $7.5bn Triple-Tranche Global Bond

Quasi-Sovereign High-Grade Bond of the Year - Codelco $1.5bn 6.440% Notes Due 2036 & $500m Tap of 6.300% Notes Due 2053

Corporate High-Grade Bond of the Year - Vale $1bn 6.400% 30-year Senior Unsecured Bond

Corporate High-Yield Bond of the Year - Transportadora de Gas del Sur $490m 8.500% Senior Notes Due 2031

Quasi-Sovereign High-Yield Bond of the Year - YPF $800m 9.500% 2031 Bond

Sovereign Liability Management of the Year - Republic of Peru PEN 7bn 7.600% Sustainable Notes due 2039 & US$5.56bn Cash Tender & Exchange Offer

Corporate Liability Management of the Year - Telecom Argentina $500m 9.500% Notes due 2031 & Cash Tender Offer

Quasi-Sovereign Liability Management of the Year - ENAP $600m 10-Year Bond & Tender Offer

Sovereign Restructuring of the Year - Suriname $1.5bn Debt Restructuring

Corporate Restructuring of the Year - Samarco Judicial Reorganization and Chapter 15

Sovereign Local Currency Deal of the Year - Dominican Republic $3bn Triple-Tranche Senior Unsecured Bond

Corporate Local Currency Deal of the Year - CCR Rio-Sao Paulo Highway R$10.75bn Project Financing

Subnational Deal of the Year - Metropolitan Municipality of Lima PEN 1.205bn Inaugural International Bond

Loan of the Year - Pemex & PMI $8.34bn Senior Unsecured Credit Facilities

Financial Institution Deal of the Year - BCI $500m 8.750% PerpNC5 Notes

Structured Financing of the Year - FIEMEX $1.49bn 7.250% Project Bond due 2041

Development Finance Institution (DFI) Backed Deal of the Year - StoneCo $467m DFC-backed credit facility

Financing Innovation of the Year - IBRD $225m Amazon Reforestation-linked Outcome Bond due 2033

Initial Public Offering of the Year - BBB Foods $677m IPO

Equity Follow-On of the Year - Sabesp $2.7bn International Shares Offering and Privatization

Private Equity Deal of the Year - General Atlantic / Dragoneer $1.5bn Acquisition of Arco Platform

Cross-Border M&A Deal of the Year - China Southern Power Grid $3.1bn Acquisition of Enel Peru Electricity Assets

Domestic M&A Deal of the Year - Mexico's $6.2bn Acquisition of Iberdrola's Power Portfolio

Sovereign Sustainable/ESG Deal of the Year - Republic of Colombia $2.5bn Inaugural Social Bond

Corporate Sustainable/ESG Deal of the Year - Raizen $1bn 6.450% 10-year Green Notes due 2034 & $500m 6.950% 30-year Green Notes due 2054

Sovereign Issuer of the Year - United Mexican States

Corporate Issuer of the Year - Raizen

Debut Issuer of the Year - Ambipar

Law Firm of the Year  Argentina - TCA Tanoira Cassagne

Law Firm of the Year  Brazil - Pinheiro Neto

Law Firm of the Year  Colombia - Brigard Urrutia

Law Firm of the Year  Peru - Garrigues

Law Firm of the Year  Mexico - Ritch Mueller

Law Firm of the Year  Chile - Carey

Law Firm of the Year  Caribbean - Paul Hastings

Law Firm of the Year  Central America - BLP

Law Firm of the Year  Latin America - Cleary Gottlieb

Investment Bank of the Year  Latin America - JP Morgan

Sustainable / ESG Law Firm of the Year - A&O Shearman

Sustainable Sovereign Issuer of the Year - Federative Republic of Brazil

Sustainable Corporate Issuer of the Year - Aegea

Investment Bank of the Year  Brazil - Itau BBA

Investment Bank of the Year  Chile - JP Morgan

Investment Bank of the Year  Colombia - JP Morgan

Investment Bank of the Year  Peru - BofA Securities

Investment Bank of the Year  Mexico - BBVA

Investment Bank of the Year  Central America - JP Morgan

Bond House of the Year - Santander CIB

M&A House of the Year - Goldman Sachs

Equity House of the Year - BofA Securities

Loan House of the Year - Citi

Multilateral Development Bank of the Year - IDB Invest

Sustainable Finance Bank of the Year - BNP Paribas

Honorable Mention - America Movil MXN$20bn 10.300% Sustainable Notes due 2034

Honorable Mention - FIBRA Prologis Acquisition of Terrafina CBFIs

Honorable Mention - LD Celulose $650m 8.000% Senior Secured Green Notes Due 2031

Honorable Mention - Murano $300m 11.000% Senior Secured Green Notes Due 2031

Honorable Mention - Petrobras $1bn 10-Year Notes & Any-and-All Droppable Tender Offer

Honorable Mention - Auna $360m NYSE IPO

Honorable Mention - Digicel $4.4bn Restructuring

Honorable Mention - Eletrobras $750m 2035 Bond

Honorable Mention - LATAM Airlines $460m Re-IPO & NYSE Relisting

Honorable Mention - Paraguay Debut Global $1bn PYG Dual Tranche Bond

Upcoming award nominations

Sign up to be notified when LatinFinance's 2025 awards nominations open at https://latinfinance.com/awards/

For more information about the selection process, visit https://latinfinance.com/2024-deals-of-the-year-awards/

About LatinFinance

LatinFinance is the leading global platform providing intelligence on the financial markets and economies of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Drawing on more than 30 years of editorial excellence, its English-language publications deliver high-value information to an international readership of companies, governments, financiers and investors, while its events convene those communities for high-level networking forums focused on the dynamics of those markets, by geography and sector.

Media contact: [email protected]

SOURCE LatinFinance
NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global software as a service (saas) market size is estimated to grow by USD 562.6 billion from 2025-2029, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 23% during the forecast period. Augmenting use of mobile apps is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing use of vertical saas. However, issues associated with system integration poses a challenge. Key market players include Accenture PLC, Adobe Inc., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., BetterCloud Inc., Box Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Convedo Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Infosys Ltd., International Business Machines Corp., Intuit Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Salesforce Inc., SAP SE, ServiceNow Inc., Shopify Inc., and Zendesk Inc..

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Software As A Service (SaaS) Market 2025-2029

Key insights into market evolution with AI-powered analysis. Explore trends, segmentation, and growth drivers- View Free Sample PDF

Software As A Service (SaaS) Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2024 Historic period 2019 - 2023 Forecast period 2025-2029 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 23% Market growth 2025-2029 USD 562.6 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 19.5 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution North America at 49% Key countries US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Japan, China, Italy, India, and Brazil Key companies profiled Accenture PLC, Adobe Inc., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., BetterCloud Inc., Box Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Convedo Ltd., Fujitsu Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Infosys Ltd., International Business Machines Corp., Intuit Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., Salesforce Inc., SAP SE, ServiceNow Inc., Shopify Inc., and Zendesk Inc.

Market Driver

The SaaS market is experiencing significant growth with major players like Alphabet and Google Cloud Marketplace, Microsoft Cloud, IBM Cloud Integration, and IT companies dominating the scene. Remote work policies and Communication Service Providers are driving the demand for cloud computing technologies. SaaS products, including Human Resource Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet of Things, are leading the way. Trends like hybrid cloud, cloud security, and public/private cloud solutions are shaping the industry. Large enterprises in IT and telecom, healthcare, education, B2B and B2C sectors are major contributors. SaaS growth is fueled by flexibility, investment, and ongoing costs. Time and space are crucial as more employees use laptops, tablets, and mobile devices for work. Experts predict mobile SaaS growth, especially in SMEs, due to the subscription-based business model. However, challenges like downtime issues, competitive environment, and cybersecurity concerns persist. The Cloud Security Alliance reports data breaches and cyber-attacks as major concerns. Employee well-being and operational efficiency are also essential considerations. According to Statista, the market size is projected to grow, with flexibility being a significant factor. Deployment models, application areas, and ongoing costs vary, making it essential for businesses to choose the right SaaS products and partners.

Vertical Software as a Service (SaaS) refers to cloud computing solutions tailored for specific industries, such as retail, healthcare, or automotive manufacturing. These solutions offer customizable features to cater to the unique needs of each sector. Examples include retail analytics software, healthcare business intelligence tools, and logistics analytics. Enterprises seeking industry specialization find vertical SaaS cost-effective and beneficial. Vertical SaaS enables the generation of industry-specific customer data and intelligence, enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities.

Request Sample of our comprehensive report now to stay ahead in the AI-driven market evolution!

Market Challenges

The SaaS market is witnessing significant growth with major players like Alphabet, Google Cloud Marketplace, Google Workspace, Microsoft Cloud, IBM Cloud Integration, and IT companies offering various cloud software solutions. Remote work policies and communication service providers are driving the demand for cloud computing technologies. SaaS products, including Human Resource Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Internet of Things, are in high demand among large enterprises in IT and telecom, healthcare, education, B2B and B2C enterprises, and SMEs. Challenges include digitization level, VAT, quarterly earnings, and expert opinions. Public and private clouds, hybrid cloud, and deployment models like PaaS are relevant segments. Main drivers are flexibility, investment, ongoing costs, and time and space savings. Mobile SaaS growth is a major attributing factor, with mobile devices and 3D printing technologies leading the way. However, the competitive environment presents challenges like downtime issues, data security concerns, and employee well-being. Business models, digital transformation, and cybersecurity are ongoing concerns for SaaS providers. Cloud Security Alliance reports reveal data breaches and cyber-attacks as significant challenges. Companies must ensure compliance with current exchange rates and country-specific levels for optimal net returns. SaaS growth is a net positive for businesses, offering subscription-based access to information, applications, and team partnerships via the internet on laptops, tablets, and web browsers.

Enterprises are increasingly turning to Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions due to their cost-effectiveness compared to traditional IT deployments. With SaaS, businesses avoid the need to purchase or construct their own IT infrastructures, install software, configure applications, and hire IT staff for maintenance. SaaS offers flexibility and adaptability, enabling enterprises to serve their customers more efficiently and enhance business processes. However, integrating new SaaS systems and IT infrastructure can present challenges. One such issue is connecting to monolithic systems, which combine UI and data access code into a single program from a single platform. Addressing these integration complexities is crucial for successful SaaS implementation.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing market trends- Get your access now!

Segment Overview

This software as a service (saas) market report extensively covers market segmentation by

Deployment

1.1 Public cloud

1.2 Private cloud

1.3 Hybrid cloud

End-user

2.1 Large enterprises

2.2 SMEs

Geography

3.1 North America

3.2 Europe

3.3 APAC

3.4 South America

3.5 Middle East and Africa

1.1 Public cloud- The public cloud segment of the Software as a Service (SaaS) market is growing due to its elasticity and scalability, making it an ideal choice for IT-enabled services. Public cloud delivers IT services over the Internet, including software applications like email, sales management, CRM, financial management, HRM, billing, and collaboration. Vendors offer these services on a subscription-basis, providing multi-tenant capabilities, high availability, and reduced complexity. Enterprises benefit from no upfront investments, flexible pricing, and cost agility. Public SaaS solutions, such as Microsoft Office 365 and Slack, are widely adopted by SMEs for their simplicity and ease of implementation. Additionally, public cloud services offer access to advanced platform solutions like AI, big data, data analytics, and IoT. These advantages are driving the growth of the public cloud segment in the global SaaS market.

Download a Sample of our comprehensive report today to discover how AI-driven innovations are reshaping competitive dynamics

Research Analysis

The Software as a Service (SaaS) market is experiencing unprecedented growth due to the increasing shift towards remote work and digital transformation. SaaS products, including those for communication, collaboration, and productivity, have become essential for businesses of all sizes. The relevance of this segment is further amplified by the current global situation, which has accelerated the adoption of cloud-based solutions. Key drivers for the SaaS market include the level of digitization, time and cost savings, and the ability to access information, devices, and team partnerships from anywhere, at any time. Communication service providers and B2C enterprises are major consumers of SaaS solutions. The SaaS market is not limited to IT companies, with many other industries also adopting these services. Quarterly earnings reports and expert opinions provide insights into the financial health and future prospects of SaaS providers. The European Union's Value-Added Tax (VAT) regulations also impact the SaaS market, adding complexity to pricing and billing structures. Main drivers of growth include the increasing use of laptops and tablets, as well as the integration of cloud consulting services and IBM Cloud Integration. Current exchange rates also play a role in the global SaaS market, with fluctuations impacting pricing and revenue for providers. The SaaS market is expected to continue its growth trajectory in the coming years, as more businesses embrace the benefits of cloud-based solutions.

Market Research Overview

The Software as a Service (SaaS) market is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by the increasing digitization of businesses across various industries. SaaS products, delivered over the internet on a subscription basis, offer flexibility, cost savings, and ease of use for businesses of all sizes. SMEs and large enterprises in sectors like IT and telecom, healthcare, education, B2B and B2C, are adopting SaaS solutions for human capital management, operations management, communication, and more. Key drivers include the level of digitization, remote work policies, and the availability of cloud computing technologies. SaaS offerings span various application areas such as Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and Robotic Process Automation. The market is competitive, with various solutions available for time, space, and information management. SaaS growth is majorly attributed to mobile SaaS, cloud-based software services, and team partnerships. However, businesses face challenges such as downtime issues, ongoing costs, data security concerns, and the need for employee well-being in the digital transformation era. SaaS solutions are available on public and private clouds, with hybrid cloud offerings gaining popularity. Main drivers of SaaS market growth include the flexibility of subscription models, ongoing investment, and the availability of various SaaS products. Statistics show that the market is expected to continue growing, with experts predicting significant expansion in the coming years. However, businesses must carefully consider the costs of hosting data, electricity, and employee fees when adopting SaaS solutions. Competitive environment and cybersecurity concerns are also major considerations. In conclusion, the SaaS market offers numerous benefits for businesses, but careful consideration is required when selecting a solution. Factors such as deployment, application area, and ongoing costs must be taken into account. With the right solution, businesses can streamline operations, improve efficiency, and stay competitive in today's digital landscape.

Table of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

Deployment

Public Cloud



Private Cloud



Hybrid Cloud

End-user

Large Enterprises



SMEs

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



Middle East And Africa

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Company Landscape

11 Company Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
JAMAICA, N.Y., Jan. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Terminal One at JFK, an all-international terminal scheduled to open in 2026, is announcing the issuance of two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to secure world-class service providers to support the state-of-the-art terminal. These RFPs seek two providers for Above the Wing Ground Handling Services, and two providers for Below the Wing Ground Handling Services to ensure the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and guest satisfaction.

The New Terminal One is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $19 billion transformation of JFK Airport into a world-class gateway, which will include two new terminals, the modernization and expansion of two existing terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network.

Each service provider selected through this RFP process will be an integral partner in the New Terminal One's commitment to setting a new standard for world-class guest service.

Above the Wing Ground Handling Service Providers

The New Terminal One seeks two Above the Wing Ground Handling Service Providers to support guests at several critical steps in their terminal journey. These providers will embody the New Terminal One's guest experience mission to deliver seamless, people-centered experiences.

Core responsibilities will include:

Guest and baggage check-in

Boarding and flight escort services

Operating the Baggage Service Office (BSO)

Assisting passengers in the re-check area

Meeting arriving flights

Assisting during irregular operations

Below the Wing Ground Handling Services Providers

The second RFP invites proposals for two Below the Wing Ground Handling Services providers to deliver effective service management solutions, including:

Providing fully trained and experienced labor service

Facilitating safe, smooth, and efficient operations for customer airlines, passengers, service providers, and other stakeholders

Utilizing provided electric ground support equipment (eGSE) for aircraft servicing and support

"As we take another critical step in our journey to create a world-class terminal, we are seeking innovative partners who share our vision of delivering an extraordinary guest experience," said The New Terminal One Vice President of Operations Marisa Von Wieding. "The selected providers will be instrumental in setting new standards for airport operations and maintaining the New Terminal One's position as a global leader in the aviation industry."

Aligned with the New Terminal One and the Port Authority's commitment to diversity and creating economic opportunities in the local community, the developer strongly encourages local, minority, women and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses to participate in the RFP.

Interested participants may contact [email protected] for further information on how to take part in each of the RFPs. Proposals are due for the Above the Wing and Below the Wing Ground Handling Service Providers RFPs by March 26, 2025.

About The New Terminal One

The New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport is a bold and exciting project to develop a world-class international terminal that will serve as an anchor terminal in the Port Authority's $19 billion transformation of JFK into a global gateway to the New York metropolitan area and the United States. The New Terminal One will set a new standard for design and service, aspiring to obtain a Top 5 Skytrax ranking and be considered one of the finest airport terminals in the world.

The New Terminal One is being built on sites now occupied by Terminal 1 and the former Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, where it will anchor JFK's south side. Construction is taking place in phases. The first phase, including the new arrivals and departures halls and first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026. At completion, anticipated in 2030, the New Terminal One will be 2.6 million square feet, making it the largest terminal at JFK and nearly the same size as LaGuardia Airport's two new terminals combined.

The New Terminal One will be a 23-gate, state-of-the-art, international-only terminal. Sustainably designed and future-focused, the terminal will feature expansive, naturally lit public spaces, cutting-edge technology, and an array of amenities, all designed to enhance the customer experience and compete with some of the highest-rated airport terminals in the world.

The New Terminal One consortium of labor, operating, and financial partners is led by Ferrovial, JLC Infrastructure, Ullico, and Carlyle. The New Terminal One is being built by union labor and is committed to local inclusion and labor participation, focusing on diversity and capacity-building opportunities, including a commitment to target participation goals of 20% for minority-owned business enterprises, 10% for women-owned business enterprises, 10% for local business enterprises and 3% for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

To learn more about the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport, visit https://portauthoritybuilds.com/redevelopment/us/en/jfk/planned-projects/terminal-1.html

SOURCE The New Terminal One at JFK
DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dubai is once again taking centre stage as the sixth edition of the UAE SWAT Challenge 2025 officially launched at the Al Ruwayyah Training City.

His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, inaugurated the high-octane event, welcoming elite tactical teams from across the globe to one of the most exhilarating and rigorous competitions of its kind.

UAE SWAT Challenge 2025-Day 1

A Spectacular Opening

The opening ceremony was a feast for the senses, beginning with the UAE National Anthem, performed by the Dubai Police band, followed by various displays that set the tone for the intense battles ahead.

Lieutenant General Al Marri extended a warm welcome, praising the success of previous editions and acknowledging the event's evolution into a premier international competition. He emphasised the significance of fostering camaraderie, exchanging expertise, and pushing the limits of tactical performance on a global scale.

Let the Competition Begin!

The first contest, the Assault Event, saw teams of six showcase impeccable coordination, sharpshooting accuracy, and speed under intense time constraints. Over the next four days, teams will battle it out in five gruelling challenges: Obstacle Course, Officer Rescue, Tower Event, and Tactical Event. Each event demands exceptional tactical strategies, physical prowess, and unbreakable teamwork.

A Grand Prize of $260,000 at Stake

With a total prize pool of $260,000, the stakes are higher than ever. Daily cash prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, while overall champions will be crowned at the grand finale, solidifying their place among the world's elite tactical units.

A Challenge That Keeps Evolving

The organising committee highlighted that this year's edition has drawn the largest number of participating teams to date (105 teams), reflecting the event's growing reputation as a global benchmark for tactical excellence. They credited Lieutenant General Al Marri's unwavering support for elevating the competition's prestige and ensuring every aspect meets the highest international standards.

More Than Just a Competition

Beyond the competition, UAE SWAT Challenge fosters knowledge-sharing among tactical units, enabling participants to learn from one another and integrate the latest global best practices into their operations. The event also serves as a real-time assessment of teams' readiness and adaptability in high-pressure situations.

In addition to the adrenaline-fueled contests, the challenge features an exclusive exhibition showcasing cutting-edge tactical equipment, industry innovations, and strategic partnerships. A variety of family-friendly food vendors and activities ensure that spectators enjoy an immersive experience while cheering on their favourite teams.

For more information, please visit:

www.uaeswatchallenge.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2610954/UAE_SWAT_Challenge.jpg

SOURCE UAE SWAT Challenge Media Centre
Colorados King Soopers stores are facing a potential second strike from workers this decade.

Union grocery workers in the Denver region  from Boulder to Broomfield and Parker  overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday and Thursday to authorize a strike, according to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. Colorado Springs and Pueblo workers are also voting over the weekend.

A strike has not begun but the union has the green light to launch one when it chooses to.

King Soopers plans to stay open for business during a strike, the company said in a statement Friday morning after the first votes came in.

In a phone interview with The Denver Gazette, King Soopers and City Market President Joe Kelley said he is disappointed by the strike vote and thought the unions decision is premature. Kelley has run Krogers Colorado stores since 2021.

Denver King Soopers workers vote to strike; more likely across Front Range

He said nobody won in the 2022 strike that lasted nine days, and no one will win in the next one, either.

The final deal the grocer made with the union in 2022 was worth $18 million less than the last, best, final offer set before the strike, he said. Meanwhile, union leaders argued they did get a better deal after picketing.

We have a business to run and, unfortunately, when we can't run our business because the union is being irresponsible and not presenting their offer, it causes an awful lot of havoc for our customers, our communities, and certainly, most importantly, for our associates, Kelley said.

Looking for temporary workers

The Colorado grocery chain owned by Kroger will hire "thousands" of temporary workers to ensure shopping isnt disrupted, he said. Company leaders told staff not to be alarmed by hiring signs as they prepare to accommodate a strike.

We also have the flexibility of bringing numerous people from across the country and all of our other sister companies if we need to do so, Kelley said. And we have all our non-union stores here in Colorado, as well.

Temporary workers will not be replacement workers, according to the grocer.

UFCW Local 7 is calling for an unfair labor practice strike, alleging King Soopers is intimidating workers and failing to provide information on staffing the union needs to put forward their own contract proposal.

Exec emails amidst 2022 Denver King Soopers strike at center of merger trial

The National Labor Relations Board defines these strikes as protests against unfair labor practices by employers and it gives stronger legal protections for striking workers, not allowing them to get fired or replaced for walking out.

Featured Local Savings

King Soopers said the unions unfair labor practices claims are unfounded allegations.

The unions cases are still open and the National Labor Relations Board hasnt made its determination yet. The grocer also filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union in December for not putting forth a wage proposal during negotiations and forcing the company to bargain against themselves.

The grocer called on the union to let its members vote for its final offer, but UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said the strike authorization vote should show the company workers are against King Soopers proposal.

"It's going to reflect the frustration the membership is having with the company's unfair labor practices," Cordova said Thursday.

King Soopers and City Market have about 110 stores statewide with unionized workers, Kelley said. About 50 stores are completely unionized, while others have unionized departments.

King Soopers denies union claims

The union said the grocer is offering concessions for workers in lieu of the failed merger between parent company Kroger and Albertsons. The union wants a deal that addresses staffing issues that have led to emptier shelves and inaccurate prices at the register, Cordova said, fueling customer grievances that get taken out on workers.

King Soopers denied staffing issues and security arent being addressed. Kelley said stores are more staffed now than four years ago. He added the failed merger has nothing to do with contract negotiations, explaining that comparing a one-time stock buyback for investors to long-term employee investments is an "apples to oranges" comparison.

He also denied that their offer is rolling back pensions, not increasing wages enough for most workers or taking back benefits. Kelley said its just rhetoric.

We're not taking any money out. Matter of fact, our healthcare plan is in the green. Our reserves are in the green. Our pensions are fully funded and our reserves are fully funded, Kelley said.

King Soopers said the offer will increase wages by $4.50 an hour for top associates. Cordova said it leaves thousands of employees with little-to-no raises.

Kelley refutes that and said other workers are getting raises based on how many hours theyve worked at the company through a progression rate.

For example, a new hire would make about $18 per hour in 2025, according to the companys contract offer. A new hire in 2028 would make $20.75. But someone whos worked at King Soopers for nearly a year would make about $18.75 per hour in 2025 with a raise to $21.50 an hour by 2028, according to the offer  though it could be higher if they get to the next level of seniority based on their hours.

It depends on whether they started last week, last year or 50 years ago, he said, which I think is the way every company works.

Ahead of a looming strike, Kelley called on the union to get back to the table and let workers vote on the offer rather than a strike. The last, best, final offer expires Friday before midnight and another offer will have to be made, one that could be worse for workers, he said.

I respect our associates belonging to a union. I respect their right to strike. I respect their right to ratify a contract, Kelley said. What I don't respect is when the union leadership is putting the cart in front of the horse with a premature strike vote.
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Kolkata, Feb 1 : The Indian Army's Eastern Command has claimed that a Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) from its Gajraj Corps was awarded the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak on Republic Day this year for his exceptional act of bravery and selfless service.

The Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak is normally conferred upon civilians by the Government of India for acts of bravery. However, armed forces personnel may also be awarded this medal for acts of courage beyond their normal duties.

"On January 28, 2023, a six-year-old child fell through a gap in the ice on Sangestar Lake between Tawang and Bumla in Arunachal Pradesh. Havildar Leki Passang of the Assam Regiment was not on duty at that time, yet, he did not hesitate to risk his own life to save the child. Disregarding his own safety, Hav Passang crawled 30 metres over fragile sleet ice and pulled the child out," a senior official of the Army said in Kolkata.

The Gajraj or IV Corps, based in Tezpur, Assam, also commended Hav Passang for this act and his name was recommended for the prestigious award. President Droupadi Murmu approved his name along with five others for the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak for 2024 (the names are announced on Republic Day the next year). Among the six, three - including Hav Passang - are from the Armed Forces.

The Award comprises a medal, a certificate signed by the Union Home Minister and a lump sum amount.

"His unwavering commitment to duty and humanity is an inspiration to all. This prestigious award is a fitting recognition of his selfless bravery and exemplary service. The Indian Army salutes his courage," the official added.
Beirut, Feb 1 : Egypt and Iran reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Lebanon across multiple sectors, pledging assistance for the country's recovery from the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

During a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty conveyed a message on Friday from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, underscoring Egypt's solidarity with Lebanon and its willingness to contribute to rebuilding Lebanon's key sectors, including electricity and gas, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to a statement released by the Lebanese presidency, Abdelatty highlighted that Egyptian companies are prepared to participate in Lebanon's reconstruction. He also stressed Egypt's unwavering support for Lebanon's stability, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and Israel's unconditional withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories.

He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to supporting the Lebanese military and facilitating the return of displaced residents to their homes in Lebanon's southern area and western Bekaa region.

The Egyptian foreign minister assured Egypt remains actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to uphold Lebanon's sovereignty and ensure regional stability.

For his part, Aoun welcomed Egypt's continued support, stressing the importance of reactivating a joint Lebanese-Egyptian committee once the new Lebanese government is formed.

Aoun also reiterated Lebanon's insistence on Israel's withdrawal from occupied territories by the February 18 deadline under an extended truce deal between Israel and Hezbollah, rejecting any attempts to delay the process. He also called for Arab unity in addressing shared challenges.

During a separate visit to Beirut, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular and Parliamentary Affairs Vahid Jalalzadeh also reiterated his country's commitment to supporting Lebanon across various sectors, including humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency.

Following a meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib, Jalalzadeh said, "We discussed with Lebanese officials the challenges faced by Syrian refugees who were forced to flee due to developments in their country. We have called for close and constructive cooperation to ensure they receive the necessary care and support."

Jalalzadeh reaffirmed Iran's unwavering support for Lebanon, noting, "Iran has consistently stood by Lebanon in all circumstances. We are also fully prepared to offer assistance in this humanitarian matter."

The Iranian official dismissed accusations that Iran was funneling funds to Hezbollah through Lebanon's main airport, adding, "Iranian nationals in Lebanon abide by all local laws and regulations."
Johannesburg, Feb 1 : South Africa will experience load-shedding, or rolling blackouts, over the weekend after more than 10 months of uninterrupted electricity supply, Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said.

During a media briefing Friday afternoon, Ramokgopa explained that several factors, including a number of unit failures at state power utility Eskom's power stations, led to a "perfect storm," triggering the necessity of initiating load-shedding.

"We had units out for planned maintenance, and then there were unit failures at Matimba and Lethabo power stations. For most of the week, we had to rely on the open-cycle gas turbines. We had to rely on diesel. We exhausted our reserves," he said.

This came after Eskom announced that stage 3 load-shedding would be implemented Friday and run for the weekend, Xinhua news agency reported.

"This is a potentially temporary setback. Load-shedding is largely behind us due to the structural improvements in our generation fleet," said Eskom Group Chief Executive (CEO) Dan Marokane in a statement. "However, over the past seven days, we have experienced several breakdowns that require extended repair times. This has necessitated the use of all our emergency reserves, which now need to be replenished over the weekend."

As the country prepared for a resumption of load-shedding later Friday, Rethabile Melamu, CEO of the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association, said it is important not to lose focus and not to lose hope, urging all stakeholders to work with the government to address the power cuts.

"This is indeed a sad setback, but our work needs to continue. We are within touching distance of the finish line. I call on all stakeholders and role-players to remain committed to finally ending load-shedding permanently," she said.

Scheduled power cuts, commonly referred to as load-shedding in South Africa, have hindered the country's economic growth for over a decade. Since March last year, however, there have been no power cuts due to a significant improvement in Eskom's electricity supply, resulting in more than 300 consecutive days without outages.
Two Colorado Springs residents filed a lawsuit Friday asking the courts to prevent the recreational marijuana repeal effort from appearing on the April ballot.

Renze Waddington, owner of The Epic Remedy medical marijuana business, and El Paso County Progressive Veterans Executive Director Adam Gillard filed the lawsuit against the City of Colorado Springs in El Paso County District Court.

The suit is a response to the Colorado Springs City Council's decision Tuesday to ask voters to repeal the November ballot question that legalized recreational marijuana sales in the city for the first time. Ballot Question 300 allowed medical marijuana businesses to apply for licenses from the city to begin selling retail marijuana.

The lawsuit claims that the Colorado State Constitution does not allow the question to appear on an off-year election ballot. The state Constitution states that "any initiated or referred measure to prohibit the operation of marijuana" businesses can only be placed on the ballot during a November general election in an even-numbered year.

The plaintiffs argued that because the repeal would return Colorado Springs to its previous practice of not allowing recreational marijuana sales, it qualified as a prohibition vote and therefore could not happen in 2025.

In addition, the lawsuit said that the proposed ballot question violated city statute about ballot titles not being allowed to "confuse, mislead or deceive the electorate." The plaintiffs argued that the short title approved by the council Tuesday left out details about who would be allowed to apply for marijuana licenses, how the industry would be regulated and the sales tax benefits that had been included in the original question.

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"These are material and significant omissions from the title set by city council that will prevent voters from understanding what a yes or no vote on the repeal measure really means," the lawsuit states.

Council members who supported the repeal said that voters might have been confused by the phrasing of the question in November and they decided against a longer ballot title during their work session Monday. Colorado Springs voters had rejected multiple previous attempts to allow recreational sales in the city since marijuana was legalized statewide in 2012.

Colorado Springs spokesperson Vanessa Zink said that "The City doesnt comment on pending litigation."

The lawsuit asks the court for an injunction to prevent the question from being included on the April ballot. Barring that, the plaintiffs ask the court to replace the city's question with their preferred language.

Citizens for Responsible Marijuana Regulation, the committee that had campaigned in November to get Question 300 passed, announced the lawsuit on Friday.

Gillard and Waddington are being represented by attorney Mark Grueskin from the Recht Kornfeld law firm. Grueskin spoke to the City Council Tuesday during the public comment on the repeal vote about the potential issue with the ballot title and the possibility of a lawsuit.

There is a short timeline for a court decision to prevent the question from going out. Colorado Springs will mail out ballots to military and overseas voters on Feb. 14.
Jerusalem, Feb 1 : The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expects that the release of three Israeli hostages planned for Saturday morning will take place at two locations in the Gaza Strip, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported.

The list of the three people intended for release, sent to Israel on Friday, includes 54-year-old Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 65-year-old Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, and 35-year-old Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas.

According to the channel, Siegel is expected to be handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza City, while the other two hostages will be released in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Xinhua news agency reported.

After being transferred to the Israeli military, the three hostages are scheduled to go to the IDF's Reim base near the Gaza border, where they will meet with family members before being flown by helicopters to hospitals in central Israel.

Earlier Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a statement welcoming home the three Israelis who were released on Thursday from captivity in Gaza -- Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.

Netanyahu also criticised how Hamas handled their release.

"Agam, Arbel, Gadi -- welcome home," he said.

"The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I."

"This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations," Netanyahu added.

However, the Prime Minister also had a few words about the chaos in Gaza that the freed Israelis experienced during their release saying, "We will not accept violations of the agreement. During the release of our hostages today, we all saw shocking scenes. We made it clear to the mediators that we do not intend to accept any risk to our hostages."
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar is set to visit the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday, accompanied by his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar.

The Vice President, along with his family, will take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, marking a significant moment in their spiritual journey. This visit comes as part of the grand Maha Kumbh celebrations, which attract millions of devotees from around the world.

The Vice-President is likely to reach Prayagraj around 2:15 p.m.

In addition to the Vice President, diplomats from 73 countries will also be participating in the event.

A special plane has been arranged for the Vice Presidentas travel, while a separate flight has been arranged for the diplomats.

Upon arrival, the diplomats will head to Sangam from Bamrauli Airport to take their holy dip in the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati River.

Vice President Dhankhar expressed his gratitude for the invitation extended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remarking that he would take the holy dip in Sangam with his family and renew his commitment to serving the nation with utmost dedication.

He also praised the significant role Uttar Pradesh has played in India's development and lauded the progress made under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Meanwhile, a large number of devotees arrive daily for the sacred dip during the Maha Kumbh 2025. To ensure the safety and well-being of all pilgrims, the Yogi government has announced strict measures to avoid disruptions during this period.

The state government has prohibited VIP protocols on aAmrit Snana days and other major bathing festivals, following a tragic stampede at the Sangam that claimed the lives of 30 devotees and left 60 hurt.

In line with the vision of CM Yogi, the administration will ensure a seamless experience for all pilgrims by enforcing this policy.

No VIP privileges will be allowed on these critical bathing days or surrounding dates, ensuring that pilgrims can participate in the holy rituals without facing inconveniences like route changes or delays caused by VIP movement.

The policy has been communicated well in advance, and the government is committed to maintaining strict implementation during the event.
Beirut, Feb 1 : Two people were killed and 10 others injured in Israeli airstrikes in eastern Lebanon, according to official and security sources.

The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health confirmed in a statement that the Israeli airstrikes on Friday targeted Janta, a village in the Bekaa region, resulting in casualties, Xinhua news agency reported.

A Lebanese security source, who requires anonymity, told Xinhua that "Israeli warplanes carried out four airstrikes at dawn on Friday, targeting Janta and illegal crossings along the Lebanese-Syrian border in eastern Lebanon."

The source added that "Israeli jets fired eight air-to-ground missiles at the targeted areas, causing several casualties, destroying a truck, and inflicting significant damage on illegal crossings linking Lebanon and Syria."

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that "Israeli warplanes launched several airstrikes at around 3:00 a.m. Friday on the eastern mountain range in the Bekaa region."

It added that "the strikes also hit a truck carrying batteries and scrap metal in the Al-Wawiyat area, and the Jabb Al-Ward crossing near the outskirts of the town of Hanider in eastern Lebanon."

A senior official from the Lebanese Civil Defence told Xinhua that rescue teams transported "two bodies and several wounded individuals from the targeted sites to hospitals in the Bekaa region," noting that "one of the injured is in critical condition, and rescue operations are still ongoing."

Since November 27, 2024, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been in place, halting clashes that erupted between the Israeli army and Hezbollah on October 8, 2023, amid the war in Gaza. The conflict escalated further in September 2024.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli military continues to carry out strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at neutralising Hezbollah threats.

The agreement set a 60-day deadline for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon, but this deadline expired on January 26 without completion of the withdrawal.
Seoul, Feb 1 : South Korea's data protection authority plans to send an inquiry to DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup, amid growing concerns over the company's data collection practices, according to officials.

According to the officials, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) under the interior ministry plans to send an official inquiry to DeepSeek's headquarters in China, requesting detailed information on the startup's policy on personal data collection.

The PIPC also plans to ask how DeepSeek uses personal data for AI training purposes, reports Yonhap news agency.

A commission official said the move comes in response to the rapid rise in South Korean users of DeepSeek and the increasing concerns over potential privacy risks.

"Depending on the response, we will take further steps such as a fact-finding review or an investigation if necessary," the official said.

Major international media outlets have reported that government institutions and companies worldwide are restricting access to DeepSeek over fears of data leaks and privacy violations.

According to DeepSeek's privacy policy, the company collects various forms of personal information, including users' names, birth dates, email addresses, phone numbers and passwords for AI model training.

The company also gathers keyboard input patterns, audio data, uploaded files and chat histories. The policy states that DeepSeek reserves the right to share such data with law enforcement and public agencies at its discretion.

South Korean stocks ended lower on Friday after a weeklong holiday as tech shares sharply slid in the aftermath of a recent shock from the emergence of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek. The Korean won was trading sharply lower against the U.S. dollar.

Foreigners dumped 1.2 trillion won worth of local shares, while retail investors and institutions purchased a combined 1.16 trillion won.

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Addis Ababa, Feb 1 : The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has called for "immediate action" to address the "unprecedented convergence of crises" that threaten to undo the decades of progress in Africa's health security.

The Africa CDC said in a statement issued Friday that the number of health emergencies in Africa has been surging over the years. Calling for concerted efforts from African countries and international partners, the Africa CDC expressed concern over the shifting global landscape, which has seen many "wealthy nations turning inward," reducing development assistance to prioritise domestic needs, including the recently announced 90-day pause in US foreign aid.

"The repercussions are dire. Africa CDC projections warn that without urgent intervention, these financial constraints could reverse health gains, pushing morbidity and mortality rates back to the early 2000s levels. An estimated 2 to 4 million additional deaths per year from preventable and treatable diseases could occur," it said.

The continental public health agency underscored that the shifting global landscape must serve as a wake-up call for African leaders to implement innovative financing mechanisms and increase domestic investment in public health.

It also emphasised that conflict and insecurity situations across different parts of the continent are further exacerbating Africa's public health challenges, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Thursday, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya told an online media briefing that the Africa CDC is presently responding to multiple disease outbreaks across the continent. He called for collective efforts to urgently respond and address these disease outbreaks.

Kaseya said the emergence of the Ebola virus in Uganda, which was confirmed by Ugandan authorities Thursday after a 32-year-old man succumbed to the virus in Kampala, the country's capital, and Marburg virus disease in Tanzania "demonstrates the need for prompt, coordinated action, including regional preparedness to contain the outbreaks at source and prevent further spread."

The Africa CDC chief said the Marburg virus outbreak in Tanzania, which was declared on January 20, has so far recorded 10 cases, two confirmed and eight probable, and 10 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 100 per cent.

The African continent is also currently responding to the multi-country mpox outbreak that has affected 21 countries since the start of last year. So far in 2025, mpox cases reported in Africa have surpassed 9,959, as the death toll reached 85, according to data from the Africa CDC.
Ottawa, Feb 1 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada is ready to deliver a "purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate" response if US President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian imports, local media reported.

The prime minister, delivering remarks at a meeting of the Council on Canada-US Relations in Toronto, said his country is ready for any scenario, Xinhua news agency reported quoting CBC News.

"It's not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act," Trudeau was quoted as saying.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are all in the US capital making a final diplomatic push to convince Republican lawmakers and Trump's team to sway the president, said the report.

Trump is expected to announce tariffs against Canada on Saturday. Trudeau previously said Canada would push back and match the tariffs on the Canadian side dollar-for-dollar.

US President Trump said on Friday that Canadian oil would be hit with lower tariffs of 10 per cent, which could take effect later, on 18 February.

The president also said he planned to impose tariffs on the European Union in the future, saying the bloc had not treated the US well.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Canada and Mexico duties were in response to "the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed 10s of millions of Americans".

Canada and Mexico are the top US trading partners, accounting for large amount of goods imported into the US last year.
Athens, Feb 1 : The Greek parliament failed to elect the country's next President in the second round of voting.

A majority of 200 votes in the 300-seat parliament was needed for one of the four candidates to assume the post. All 300 members of parliament participated in the voting on Friday. Today's attempt followed an inconclusive voting on January 25.

Constantine Tassoulas, former parliament speaker and nominee of the ruling conservative New Democracy party, received 160 votes, like in the first round. The other three candidates each secured less than 50 votes again, Xinhua news agency reported.

A third round is scheduled for February 6, the parliament speaker said, with the threshold lowered to 180 votes in line with the Greek constitution.

If no candidate achieves the required votes in the third round, a simple majority of 151 votes is required in the fourth round. Based on the voting so far, political analysts here expect that Tassoulas will emerge as the winner in this round.

If no candidate secures the required minimum in the fourth round, in the fifth and final round of voting, the president will be elected with a relative majority.

The term of outgoing President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, former head of Greece's highest administrative court, expires in March.

According to the Greek Constitution, a minimum of 200 votes out of the total 300 members of the assembly are required in the first round to elect a president, as well as in the second round. In the third and fourth the threshold is 180 votes, while in the fifth and final round a simple majority of 151 votes.

According to the Greek constitution, the country's president is elected for a five-year term and can be re-elected only once.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : In a major development, Maoist Katehonda Ravi has surrendered before authorities in Karnataka, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Saturday.

Expressing happiness over the development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: "The last underground naxal Kotehonda Ravi (UG Naxal) has surrendered at Nemmar Forest IB, four kilometres away from Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru district."

The authorities are transporting Ravi to Chikkamanglu to complete the surrender process.

"The long-absconding underground Naxal Thombattu Lakshmi will surrender on February 2 at Chikkamanglur or Udupi. She is on the way," the authorities stated.

The officials said that the operation 'Naxal Surrender' is complete now.

Sidharamaiah has announced the Chief Minister's Medal for the team of 22 police officers and men who made relentless efforts to make the state "naxal free".

On January 8, when some Maoists surrendered, Siddaramaiah welcomed them to the mainstream by offering them roses and copies of the Constitution in Bengaluru.

Earlier, with the six Maoists laying down arms, the Congress-led government had then declared Karnataka as a Left Wing Extremism-free state.

Mundagaru Latha from Mundagaru in Sringeri Vanajakshi from Balehole in Kalasa; Sundari from Kutluru near Mangaluru; Marappa Jayanna Aroli from Raichur; Vasantha T. aka Ramesh from Tamil Nadu, and N. Jeesha from Kerala surrendered in presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Addressing the media after the surrender of the Maoists, CM Siddaramaiah said: "To eliminate Naxalism in Karnataka and address their demands, we are committed to taking all necessary measures within the legal framework."

"There is no room in democracy or the Constitution for achieving justice through armed struggle," CM Siddaramaiah underlined.

Karnataka BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra had termed the surrender of Maoists before Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as a "sheer act of drama".
United Nations, Feb 1 : While calm is being restored in Goma, the key eastern city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera and Mpox, increases on the outskirts, according to the United Nations officials.

"In Goma, currently, the situation remains tense and volatile, with occasional shooting continuing within the city, but I would say that overall, calm has been gradually restored," said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix at a press briefing on Friday.

"Water and electricity have been restored in much of the city, but we continue to grapple with the challenge of unexploded ordnance a a very serious obstacle to freedom of movement," he said.

Runways at the city's airport sustained significant damage in the recent fighting and are unusable. Aid cannot be flown in as only roads into neighboring Rwanda are open, and the domestic arteries are closed, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lacroix said the M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) continue their march on Bukavu City, the capital of South Kivu province.

"That is, of course, a matter of concern," he said.

Reminded of threats the DRC's enemies made to march on the capital of Kinshasa, in the country's west, Lacroix said, "The loss of life and devastation would be very concerning."

He also expressed fear the current conflict could expand.

"We are concerned, not only as far as the eastern DRC is concerned, but this has, if you look at the past, this has the potential of triggering a wider regional conflict," he said. "And therefore, it is of the utmost importance that all diplomatic efforts should be geared toward avoiding this and bringing about the cessation of hostilities."

As for diplomatic efforts, the UN peacekeeping chief mentioned regional and African Union engagement, leadership of the UN mission, known as MONUSCO, and UN Security Council meetings but no cessation of hostilities.

However, he said a joint government-MONUSCO working group was established to coordinate on various issues such as security, human rights, humanitarian communication and the legal status of the territories that are under the control of the M23 rebels and the RDF.

Lacroix said the priority of UN peacekeepers is the protection of its personnel and assets, as well as the civilians sheltering within its premises, including civilian and disarmed combatants, by international humanitarian law. MONUSCO infrastructure is stretched, if not overwhelmed, with all those in the bases and under significant pressure to sustain people with water, rations and sanitation.

He also emphasised that UN premises must be respected.

"They are inviolable," Lacroix said. "We cannot stress this enough in the current circumstances where MONUSCO bases are under threat, but also in some cases, they have been under threat in terms of the presence of disarmed FARDC (Federal Armed DRC) soldiers."

Despite the challenge, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said relief workers are surveying the damage.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the government, local and international Red Cross organizations removed 700 dead bodies from Goma's streets between Sunday and Thursday, and that 2,800 people were treated for injuries.

Humanitarian partners report visiting sites for internally displaced people in the areas of Bulengo, Lushagala, on the outskirts of Goma. They found that water and healthcare services are still operational, but conditions remain dire. Cholera cases have been reported, and there are risks of a Mpox outbreak among displaced people.

OCHA said where access to safe drinking water in Goma remains cut off, forcing people to rely on untreated water from Lake Kivu, the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks will continue to increase.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : As day three of the Ranji Trophy Group D match between Delhi and Railways resumed at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, the sight of black covers installed on the edge of Bishan Singh Bedi stand adjacent to the dressing room situated in the Virat Kohli Pavilion stood out.

Asked about the same, DDCA sources told IANS that the black covers were installed early on Saturday morning after both Delhi and Railways teams were being disturbed by noise made by fans who were crowding near the edge of the dressing room situated in the Bishan Singh Bedi stand for the last two days.

That chanting grew louder when fans surrounded the edge during day two's play on Friday to have a glimpse of the talismanic Virat Kohli, who was seated in the Delhi team dressing room balcony after being dismissed for six, by chanting names of him, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and his nickname 'Cheeku'.

"Both Delhi and Railways teams were being disturbed by shouting from fans surrounding the edge of the dressing room in the Bishan Singh Bedi stand over last two days, and complained of it. As a result, the DDCA and security officials decided that black covers would be installed on the aforementioned edge for day three's play on Saturday. Additionally, from a security point of view, gates 17 and 18 have been closed too for fans' entry on Saturday," added the sources.

For day three's play, fans eager to watch the action at the Arun Jaitley Stadium will be seated in Gautam Gambhir and Mohinder Amarnath stands, with the Old Clubhouse stands housing the DDCA members. Despite no entry on West stand, the small number of spectators have been relentlessly shouting Kohli's name.

Coming to the match, Delhi added only 40 runs to its overnight total and were all out for 374 in 106.4 overs, thus taking a 133-run lead over Railways. Sumit Mathur eventually made 86 while Navdeep Saini chipped in with a handy 20 not out.

For Railways, fast-bowler Himanshu Sangwan was the pick of bowlers with 4-55, including uprooting Kohli's off-stump on day two's play. He was well-supported by pacer Kunal Yadav taking 3-104, while Rahul Sharma, Ayan Chaudhari and Karn Sharma took a wicket each.
The man accused of killing two people in a dorm room at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs last year won't be pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, the man's attorneys informed the court on Friday.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, is accused of shooting and killing Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, and UCCS student Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, in the early morning hours of Feb. 16 in a campus dormitory.

Jordan and Knopp were roommates and students at UCCS. Jordans arrest affidavit states that he had made a death threat against Knopp and that campus security and housing staff recorded multiple complaints about Jordan before the shooting.

Jordan pleaded not guilty to all charges in November, but his attorney, Nick Rogers, informed the court at the time that they were still investigating the possibility of pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Judge David Shakes at the hearing informed the defense that it had until Jan. 31 to change Jordan's plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.

Jordan appeared to court in person Friday and Rogers informed Shakes that his client would not be pleading not guilty by reason of insanity, and instead sticking with the not guilty pleas previously entered.

Jordan's competency has been an issue with the case for months, causing several delays, but he was declared competent to proceed by Judge Shakes at a hearing in August despite conflicting competency reports from separate experts.

Although Jordan was declared competent by the court Rogers has continued to assert at all court hearings that he believes his client suffers from severe mental illness, and that it has continued to impact their ability to represent Jordan in court.

Trial for Jordan is currently slated to begin April 7, but a bevy of motions from both the prosecution and defense will need to be addressed prior to trial.

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One motion discussed in detail at Friday's hearing was an outstanding motion filed by the defense for an independent review of evidence. Rogers explained that the motion, if granted, would allow the defense to view evidence in the case at the Colorado Springs police headquarters rather than have the evidence moved to the District Attorney's Office.

Prosecutor Anthony Gioia, who took over the case after previous prosecutor Andrew Vaughan was placed on administrative leave from the District Attorney's Office, objected to the motion. Gioia argued that it was standard practice for evidence to be reviewed at and transported to the District Attorney's Office, and that the defense cited no legal grounds for the independent review.

Shakes didn't rule on the motion Friday, instead setting a hearing for Wednesday to discuss the motion in more detail, and hear from an evidence custodian at the police department if the request could even be accommodated. Shakes expressed concern over the standard practice of transporting evidence to the District Attorney's Office due to an incident in a double homicide Shakes presided over in which a backpack recovered as evidence was lost by the District Attorney's Office and never recovered.

Other outstanding motions not discussed in court Friday include a motion for a change of venue, a motion for sanctions on the prosecution, a motion for a special prosecutor to take over the case and more.

To allow for time to rule on all motions, of which there are expected to be more than 10, several motions hearings are scheduled prior to trial. The first of three motions hearings will take place Feb. 20.

Not guilty pleas remain entered in Jordan's second case, in which he is accused of assaulting a deputy at the El Paso County jail in a dispute over cleaning supplies. The trial in Jordan's second case is scheduled to begin April 21, immediately after the homicide trial.

Jordan remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on a $5 million bond. Jordan did not speak to the court during the entire hearing Friday.
Seoul, Feb 1 : The Southern African Development Community (SADC) called for dialogue among all parties to restore peace and security in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The bloc expressed concern that the recent attacks continued to worsen the security and humanitarian situation in the DRC, said a communique issued at the end of the SADC Heads of State and Government summit held in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, on Friday.

It condemned the attacks on the SADC Mission in the DRC troops by the M23, an armed group operating in the eastern DRC, saying such actions violated the ceasefire that was brokered through the Luanda Process on July 30, 2024, and undermined peace and security of the DRC and the SADC region, reports Xinhua news agency.

The regional body called for immediate restoration of essential utilities such as water, electricity, means of communication, and supply lines for food and other essential commodities in the war-torn region.

In his closing remarks, Southern African Development Community Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for lasting peace in the DRC and for all parties to the conflict to embrace dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms.

"It is the individual and collective duty of all member states to do much more towards permanently silencing the guns if we are to succeed in achieving these aspirations," Mnangagwa said.

He urged the international community to scale up the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected population and augment ongoing peace and security efforts in eastern DRC.

While calm is being restored in Goma, the key eastern city in the DRC, the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera and Mpox, increases on the outskirts, according to United Nations officials.

"In Goma, currently, the situation remains tense and volatile, with occasional shooting continuing within the city, but I would say that overall, calm has been gradually restored," said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix at a press briefing on Friday.

"Water and electricity have been restored in much of the city, but we continue to grapple with the challenge of unexploded ordnance a a very serious obstacle to freedom of movement," he said.

Runways at the city's airport sustained significant damage in the recent fighting and are unusable. Aid cannot be flown in as only roads into neighbouring Rwanda are open, and the domestic arteries are closed.
Seoul, Feb 1 : South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team in his impeachment case said on Saturday that it has submitted a formal request to the Constitutional Court, urging three justices to recuse themselves, citing concerns over impartiality.

Yoon's team said it made a request on Friday for the recusals of Justice Moon Hyung-bae, Justice Lee Mi-seon and Justice Chung Gye-seon over concerns of potential political bias.

The team pointed to Moon, the acting chief justice, of having engaged in social media interaction with Lee Jae-myung, head of the main Opposition Democratic Party, in the past, raising suspicion of political impartiality.

Yoon's lawyers also raised concerns over Lee, noting that her brother is a vice chairman of a committee at the Lawyers for a Democratic Society and demanding the President's resignation.

For Chung, Yoon's team raised concerns that her husband, a lawyer, signed a public declaration calling for Yoon's impeachment.

The team argued the inclinations of the justices have already influenced the court's handling of the case, Yonhap news agency reported.

Many legal watchers believe the Constitutional Court is unlikely to grant the request, as it has recently expressed concern over accusations targeting the court's judicial independence.

Earlier on Friday, the South Korean Cabinet demanded that the National Assembly reconsider an Opposition-proposed Bill calling for a special counsel probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding his failed martial law attempt last month.

The motion demanding reconsideration was approved during a Cabinet meeting, chaired by acting President Choi Sang-mok, who emphasised that there was no probable cause for appointing a special counsel, as Yoon had already been arrested and indicted on insurrection charges.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also met with his senior aides on Friday at the Seoul Detention Centre and urged them to continue their work without being discouraged.

Yoon made the call during his meeting with Chung Jin-suk, his Chief of Staff, National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik, and three other senior aides at the centre in Uiwang, south of Seoul.

It marked the first visit by Yoon's aides since the impeached President had been formally detained on January 19 over allegations of insurrection and abuse of power related to his short-lived imposition of martial law last month.

Earlier, on January 28, Yoon had defended his decision to declare martial law in a meeting with his legal representatives.

Yoon was accused of conspiring with former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others to incite an insurrection on December 3 by declaring an unconstitutional and illegal state of emergency, despite the absence of any signs of war, armed conflict, or a comparable national crisis.
Gaza Strip, Feb 1 : Israel on Saturday announced the release of two hostages -- Ofer Calderon and Yardan Bibas -- by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after 484 days of abduction.

54-year-old Israeli-French citizen Calderon and 35-year-old Israeli civilian Bibas were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross, which transferred them to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip.

The military also mentioned that another abductee, 65-year-old Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, scheduled to be released, will also be handed over to the Red Cross at another location.

"Returning citizens Ofer Calderon and Yardan Bibas, accompanied by IDF and Shin Bet forces, recently crossed the border into the territory of the State of Israel and are now on their way to the initial absorption point in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a post on X.

"Two returning abductees are currently being escorted by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet security force on their way to Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical evaluation," the forces said in another post.

"IDF commanders and soldiers salute and hug the returnees on their way to Israel. The IDF spokesman asks the public to show responsibility and sensitivity and respect the privacy of the returnees. IDF prepared to absorb another abductee in the near future," the forces added.

After being transferred to the Israeli military, the three hostages are scheduled to go to the IDF's Reim base near the Gaza border, where they will meet with family members before being flown by helicopters to hospitals in central Israel.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement welcoming home the three Israelis who were released on Thursday from captivity in Gaza -- Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.

Netanyahu also criticised how Hamas handled their release.

"Agam, Arbel, Gadi -- welcome home," he said.

"The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I."

"This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations," Netanyahu added.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget 2025-2026 in the Parliament on Saturday, said that the Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', 'Creative Redevelopment of Cities' and 'Water and Sanitation' announced in the July Budget.

She further added this fund will finance up to 25 per cent of the cost of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and PPPs. An allocation of Rs 10,000 crore is proposed for 2025-26.

The Budget has proposed that a National Geospatial Mission will be started to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate the modernisation of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects.

Sitharaman said that the Government has been giving priority to assisting urban poor and vulnerable groups. A scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented to help them improve their incomes, have sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life.

Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the new-age services economy. "Recognising their contribution, our Government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig-workers," she said.

The Finance Minister highlighted that the PM SVANidhi scheme has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans. Building on this success, the scheme will be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI-linked credit cards with Rs 30,000 limit, and capacity-building support.

She highlighted that under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH), 50,000 dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another 40,000 units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings.

Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contributions from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of Rs 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh units.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Narendra Modi government 3.0 has continued the focus on income tax relief for the salaried class initiated by the NDA government in 2014, breaking away from the UPA's practice of offering small doses of tax savings to the middle class.

The Union Budget 2025-26 presented by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman declared that there will be no income tax payable up to a total income of Rs 12 lakh -- average income of Rs 1 lakh per month other than special rate income such as capital gains -- under the new regime. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, due to a standard deduction of Rs 75,000.

The jump in income tax exemption limit, under the new tax regime, from a salary of Rs 7 lakh per annum to Rs 12 per annum, is the biggest recorded since 2005 of the UPA era.

Under the UPA government, the income tax exemption limit was Rs 1 lakh in 2005 and it took the Manmohan Singh government seven years to double this exemption limit to Rs 2 lakh in 2012.

Keeping the long-standing demand from the salaried, middle-class taxpayers, PM Modi increased the income tax exemption limit by 25 per cent to raise it to Rs 2.5 lakh in 2014.

Modi 2.0 started in 2019 with another mega bonanza for the middle-class tax payer with the income tax exemption limit being raised from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The Modi government's endeavour to keep pace with expectations of young, aspirational India's workforce saw the introduction of the less complicated new tax regime in FY 2020-21 to offer lower tax rates to taxpayers, without any common deductions and exemptions.

The new tax regime was based on the notion that the millennial generation exhibits a proclivity towards spending rather than saving.

In 2023, FM Sitharaman raised the rebate limit by Rs 2 lakh, effectively increasing the income tax exemption limit under the new regime to Rs 7 lakh.

Buoyed by the increase in tax compliance by the salaried class, FM Sitharaman has offered the latest bonanza for the new tax regime payees and raised the effective exemption limit to Rs 12 lakh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the big jump in income tax exemption limit announced in Union Budget 2025-26 and said in a post on X, "The middle class is always in PM Modi's heart. Zero Income Tax till Rs 12 Lakh Income. The proposed tax exemption will go a long way in enhancing the financial well-being of the middle class. Congratulations to all the beneficiaries on this occasion."
Mumbai, Feb 1 : Boman Irani has made his directorial debut with the family entertainer "The Mehta Boys". The show premiered at Mumbai's iconic Regal Cinema in Colaba as part of the Kalaghoda Festival on 31st January 2025. The project received thunderous applause, culminating in a standing ovation, leaving Boman Irani overwhelmed.

The Regal Cinema holds a special place in Boman Irani's heart as it is where his love for cinema took root. For the unversed, the 'Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.' actor visited the theatre countless times to watch all the classics.

The 'Jolly LLB' actor also took a moment to honor a special figure from his childhood, Aslam, who has been projecting films at Regal Cinema for 53 years.

Looking back at his childhood memories, Boman Irani said, "I remember watching The Sound of Music, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Von Ryan's Express, Oh God, Agony and Ecstasy, and Kramer vs. Kramer among others multiple times. I've sat in every single seat that you all have occupied today. Today, I get to see The Mehta Boys on this very screen, in this very theatre, with all of you who are showing so much love. It makes me incredibly emotional to see my family here. Today is a special day in my lifeI feel like I've come to my graduation. It's like a childhood dream come true."

Prior to this, the trailer of "The Mehta Boys" received a lot of praise from industry stalwarts such as Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh. Additionally, the film also created a lot of buzz on the international stage with its premiere at the Indian Film Festival (IFFI) in Berlin, Germany.

Helmed by Boman Irani, "The Mehta Boys" stars him, in addition to Avinash Tiwary, Shreya Chaudhry, and Puja Sarup in pivotal roles. The show is slated to premiere on 7th February 2025 on Amazon Prime Video.
New Delhi/Washington, Feb 1 : India and the United States continue to work on an "early visit" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington this month, that could possibly take place immediately after his participation in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit hosted by France at the Grand Palais in Paris on February 10 and 11.

A White House visit was among the range of issues that was discussed during PM Modi's phone conversation with the US President Donald Trump on January 27, underscoring the "strength of the friendship and strategic ties" between both nations.

"The two sides are working on an early visit of the Prime Minister to the United States to further deepen India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership and specific dates for this visit are still being worked out and will be announced at the appropriate time," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a regular media briefing on Friday.

It is, however, expected that the Prime Minister will travel to the United States for a bilateral visit after attending the AI Summit in Paris.

The visit will underscore the strength of the friendship and strategic ties between the two nations besides the close personal bond shared between the two leaders as PM Modi will be among the first foreign leaders to visit the White House during President Trump's historic second presidential term.

The US President has already promised to strengthen the "great partnership" with India and PM Modi, continuing the close ties he forged in his first term.

"We have hit the ground running, both in terms of the presence of External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar at the inaugural ceremony at the Capitol Hill, and, at the same time, the invitation that has gone across to Prime Minister Modi for a separate standalone visit to the United States so soon after President Trump's assuming office," Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told IANS in an exclusive interview.

"This will set the stage for all of the decisions to follow and the relationship that would see considerable enhancement ahead of a visit by President Trump later in the year for the Quad Summit that India will host. Trump 2.0 offers us some unique opportunities for a number of reasons. One, of course, is that he has come in with an unfettered mandate this time. He has the scope, given the fact that this is a legacy term, and the opportunity to take the relationship significantly forward. And secondly, there's a desire on both sides to work on the comprehensive global strategic partnership," added Shringla.

The Chief Coordinator of India's G20 Presidency insisted that issues like tariffs can be handled in a smooth manner considering the excellent relationship between PM Modi and President Trump.

"Successive Prime Ministers and Presidents have put their own personal weight behind progress in the relationship and that has been done by Prime Minister Modi with successive US presidents. But there is a special chemistry between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump. We have seen it during the heydays and success of the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston, or the 'Namaste Trump' event in Ahmedabad that took place in early 2020. There is no doubt about the fact that they have a great relationship," said Shringla.

The January 27 phone conversation was the second time two leaders spoke after Trump's re-election - the first took place just after he had won the Presidential election in November 2024.

"They have a lot of mutual admiration, respect, and that is the basis for a very substantial enhancement of the bilateral relationship because you have to start from the level of the leaders and then take it down by everything else. So, I think from that point of view, we have got on to a good start. There was a good conversation from all accounts yesterday and this is something that will form the basis for high-level visits and basic decisions to follow after that," remarked Shringla.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The newly-announced tax slabs in Union Budget 2025 have brought significant relief to the Indian middle class, while the business community has lauded the move as a strategic decision that will fuel economic growth.

The revised tax structure, unveiled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ensures that individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh a year and salaried taxpayers with earnings up to Rs 12.75 lakh a year (including standard deduction) will not have to pay any income tax.

Manish Singhal, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM, told IANS that this year's Budget has struck the right balance across key sectors.

"There are no complaints about this Budget. Usually, people find certain aspects favourable, while others may be disappointing. This time, however, the overall Budget is well-received. Under the Prime Minister's 2047 vision of a 'Viksit Bharat', the Finance Minister has taken into account sustainability, agriculture, small businesses, and other critical areas," he said.

He further emphasised that the new tax regime will not only benefit the middle class but also have a positive impact on industries.

"When the middle class has more disposable income, consumption increases, which in turn boosts industrial production. This will encourage greater private sector investment in CAPEX. The Budget sets in motion a new positive cycle," he added.

Speaking to IANS, ASSOCHAM J&K Development Council Chairman Manik Batra shared similar views, describing the Budget as "well-planned and thoughtful."

He highlighted the significance of the tax revisions, stating, "The Indian economy is largely driven by the middle class, and these new tax slabs will provide a major boost. With a standard deduction of Rs 75,000 for salaried employees, those earning up to Rs 12.75 lakh will be exempt from paying income tax. This will uplift overall market sentiment."

Batra also pointed out the broader economic impact of these changes. "With higher savings, people will be encouraged to travel more, shop more, and contribute to the growth of sectors like tourism and retail. We also hope to see strong provisions for the development of Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

ASSOCHAM J&K Development Council Co-Chairman Bhupesh Gupta praised the tax reforms, stating that they exceeded expectations.

"We had anticipated an increase in the exemption limit from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, but raising it to Rs 12 lakh is a major boost. This is a well-thought out and exceptional Budget that greatly benefits the middle class," he told IANS.

In the new tax regime, the revised tax rate structure is Rs 0-4 lakh (zero tax), Rs 4-8 lakh (5 per cent), Rs 8-12 lakh (10 per cent), Rs 12-16 lakh (15 per cent), Rs 16-20 lakh (20 per cent), Rs 20-24 lakh (25 per cent), and above Rs 24 lakh (30 per cent).

"The new tax structure would substantially reduce tax for the middle class," announced FM Sitharaman.

Presenting the Union Budget 2025-26, FM Sitharaman said that the tax deduction at source (TDS) rates will be rationalised, and the limit for tax deduction for senior citizens will be doubled to Rs 1 lakh.

FM Sitharaman also proposed to extend the time limit to file the updated return from two years to four years.
Kolkata, Feb 1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's proposal to raise the minimum tax slab to Rs 12 lakh from Rs 7 lakh in the new regime in addition to Rs 75,000 of the standard deduction for salaried taxpayers will boost both expenditure and savings among the middle-class section of the Indian population, feel economists.

Former chief economic advisor to the Union government, Ashok Kumar Lahiri, told IANS, that the proposal will have more surplus money in the hands of the middle-class taxpayers which will prompt them to spend more which again will boost market demand and benefit the overall economy of the country.

"At the same time, it will be wrong to think that the money will only boost expenditure and discourage savings. Rather, this proposal will also give scope for the middle-class taxpayers to save more besides spending more. To sum up, the proposal will accelerate spending and savings simultaneously," said Lahiri, currently a BJP legislator in the West Bengal Assembly.

Economist Probir Kumar Mukhopadhyay feels that the new tax proposal has rightly focussed on demand generation after focussing on the supply side so far. "The focus on the supply side can never be effective unless there is an equal focus on the demand side. It is true that what percentage of the excess money in hand will be spent and how much will be saved will depend on the choice of the individual taxpayers. But generally, the tendency of the middle-class taxpayers is reflected in maintaining a balanced expenditure to savings ratio," Mukhopadhyay said.

Economists also feel that equally welcome proposals were the rationalisation of tax deductions at source (TDS) for senior citizens which was doubled from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000. According to them, since the senior citizens are heavily dependent on income from interest, the decision will surely bring cheer for them. "In a sense, this budget after a long time is truly middle-class friendly," said Mukhopadhyay.
Patna, Feb 1 : With the Finance Minister's Union Budget announcing several bonanza and developmental projects for Bihar, the move has drawn praise from the state agriculture minister, who termed the setting up of the Makhana Board as a historic step.

Bihar's agriculture minister Mangal Pandey hailed the 'gamechanger' Makhana Board initiative and said that this will benefit hordes of farmers and villagers.

Bihar, a state ruled by BJP and its key alliance partner JD(U), got repeated mentions in Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech as she went to announce several measures including the Makhana Board, giving wings to Bihar's aviation industry and also augmenting capacity at higher educational institutions in the state.

Bihar Agriculture Minister said that the Makhana Board will improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana (fox nuts), an Indian superfood, of which Bihar is the biggest producer.

"On lines of Central rubber board, there was a demand for Makhana Board. On the request of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, we all had requested this from the Centre. When the Union Agriculture Minister came to Patna, we had made this request. Today, the dream of Makhana producers has come true that now Makhana Board will be formed in the country," he said.

Earlier, in her eighth consecutive budget, the Finance Minister announced several schemes for Bihar which included establishing the National Institute of Food Technology to boost food processing in the Eastern part of the country.

Announcing the formation of the Makhana Board in Bihar, the FM stated that it will provide hand-holding and training support to the Makhana farmers and will also ensure that they have access to all the benefits of government schemes.

Capacity addition at IIT Patna was also among FM's announcements while she unveiled the government's plans to augment infrastructure in the existing five IITs.

The Budget allocation for additional investments in the UDAN scheme also found mention of Bihar.

Sitharaman said that the greenfield airports will be facilitated in the state to meet its future needs and these will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna Airport and Brownfield Airport in Bihta.

--IANS

manoj pathak/mr/uk
New Delhi, Feb1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the launch of a modified UDAN (Uday Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, as part of her Budget 2025-26 proposals, to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years.

This scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts, the Finance Minister said.

Praising the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN, she said in her speech that UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalised 619 routes. Inspired by that success,

She also informed the house that the government will facilitate the upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high-value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will also be streamlined and made user-friendly.

Giving infrastructure a fillip to Bihar, the Union Finance Minister proposed that the Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. Financial support will also be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

The civil aviation sector has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country and plays a critical role in economic growth and job creation.

There has been a rapid expansion in airports, airline fleets have grown, and cargo operations have surged, all verticals related to civil aviation have pushed boundaries. India has now become the third-largest domestic aviation hub in the whole world a senior official said.

Indiaas domestic air passenger traffic rose by 6.12 per cent to 16.13 crore in 2024 from 15.2 crore in the previous year, according to the latest data compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The countryas commercial airlines also flew more than 1.49 crore passengers on domestic routes in December 2024, which represents an increase of 8.19 per cent compared to the corresponding figure of 1.38 crore for December 2023.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The government on Saturday explained how the tax reforms, proposed under the new income tax slabs, will benefit the middle class and ease the tax burden for them.

Here are some of the FAQs and their answers, as shared by the government, which aim to clear the doubts in the minds of taxpayers.

Q.1. What is the aNew Regimea?

Ans. The new regime provides for concessional tax rates and liberal slabs. However, no deductions are allowed in the new regime (other than those specified for example: 80JJAA, 80M, standard deduction).

Q.2. What are the tax slabs in the earlier new regime?

Ans. The Finance (No.2) Act, 2024 had the following slabs in the new tax regime for a person, being an individual or Hindu undivided family or association of persons (other than a cooperative society), or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, or an artificial juridical person referred to in sub-clause (vii) of clause (31) of section 2.

For total income up to Rs 3,00,000, the rate of tax is nil; for those from Rs 3,00,001 to Rs 7,00,000, the tax rate is 5 per cent. For people with income from Rs 7,00,001 to Rs 10,00,000, the tax rate is 10 per cent.

For those with income between Rs 10,00,001 to Rs 12,00,000 the tax rate is 15 per cent and for people with income from Rs 12,00,001 to Rs 15,00,000, it is 20 per cent. For those who have income above Rs 15,00,000, the tax rate is 30 per cent.

Q3. What are the new slabs in the proposed new regime introduced by Finance Bill, 2025?

Ans. The new slabs proposed are: for people with total income between Rs 0-4 lakh, the rate of tax will be zero per cent; for those between Rs 4-8 lakh, the tax rate will be 5 per cent; for people between Rs 8-12 lakh, the tax rate will be 10 per cent.

For people with income between Rs 12-16 lakh, the tax rate will be 15 per cent; for those between Rs 16-20 lakh, the tax rate will be 20 per cent; and for those between Rs 20-24 lakh, the tax rate will be 25 per cent. For people with income above Rs 24 lakh, the tax will be 30 per cent.

Q.4. What is the maximum total income for which tax liability for individual taxpayers is nil?

Ans. In the proposed new tax regime, the maximum total income for which tax liability for individual taxpayers is nil is Rs 12 lakh.

Q.5. To claim the benefit of nil tax liability, what are the steps required to be taken?

Ans. The benefit of such nil tax liability mentioned above is available only in the new tax regime. This New tax regime is the default regime. To avail of the benefit of rebate allowable under proposed provisions of the new tax regime, only a return is to be filed otherwise, no other step is required to be taken.

Q.6. The change in tax slabs is beneficial for which category of persons?

Ans. The new tax regime applies to a person, being an individual or Hindu undivided family or association of persons [other than a co-operative society], or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, or an artificial juridical person referred to in sub-clause (vii) of clause (31) of section 2. Accordingly, a change in tax slabs will benefit all these persons.

Q.7. How will a person who has an income of Rs 12 lakh benefit from new rates?

Ans. Any individual earlier was required to pay a tax of Rs 80,000 (in the new regime) for an income of Rs 12 lakh. Now he will be required to pay nil tax on such income.

Q. Whether the limit of total income for nil tax payments has increased in this budget?

Ans. Yes, the limit of total income for nil tax payments in the new tax regime has been increased to Rs 12 lakh in this budget provided the taxpayer files ITR to avail the rebate.

Q9. What was the earlier limit of income for nil tax payments?

Ans. Earlier the limit of income for nil tax payment was Rs 7 lakh. By increasing this limit to Rs 12 lakh around one crore assesses who were earlier required to pay tax varying from Rs 20,000 to Rs 80,000 will be now paying nil tax.

Q.10. Is the standard deduction on salary available in the new regime?

Ans. Yes, a standard deduction of Rs. 75,000 is available to a taxpayer in the new regime. Therefore, a salaried taxpayer will not be required to pay any tax where his income before the standard deduction is less than or equal to Rs 12,75,000.

Q.11. Whether a standard deduction is available in the old regime?

Ans. A standard deduction of Rs 50,000 is available in the old regime.

Q.12. How many taxpayers will benefit from the new rates and slabs?

Ans. Presently, for AY 2024-25, about 8.75 crore persons have filed their ITRs. All such assesses who were paying tax in the new tax regime will benefit from the change in rates and slabs.

Q.1. What is the extra amount available to the taxpayers as a result of this change?

Ans. Approximately Rs 1 lakh crore will be made available in the hands of the taxpayers by virtue of changes in slab, rates, and rebate.

Q.14. How is the marginal relief available to individuals?

Ans. In the new regime under section 115BAC(1A), marginal relief is available to only resident individuals who have income marginally above Rs 12 lakh. For example, for a person having an income of Rs 12,10,000, in the absence of marginal relief, the tax, works out to be Rs 61,500 (5 per cent of Rs 4 lakh+10 per cent of Rs 4 lakh, and 15 per cent of Rs 10,000).

However, due to marginal relief, the amount of tax to be actually paid is Rs 10,000.

Q.15. How much tax will be paid by a taxpayer having an income of Rs 12,10,000? What is marginal relief?

Ans. The tax liability on such taxpayers by way of slabs only is Rs 61,500. However, a person having Rs 12 lakh income pays nil tax. By providing marginal relief it has been ensured that the tax payable by a person having income marginally above Rs 12 lakh is required to pay only a marginal amount of tax equal to the amount of income above Rs 12 lakh so that his carry home is also Rs 12 lakh. In this case, he will be required to pay a tax of Rs 10,000.

Q.16. What is the maximum amount of rebate available to any taxpayer?

Ans. The maximum rebate available is Rs 60,000 which is there for a taxpayer having income of Rs 12 lakh on which tax is payable as per the new slabs.

Q. 17. What is the total income till which marginal relief is admissible?

Ans. The total income till which marginal relief is available is near about Rs 12,75,000.

Q.18. Whether special income having special rates such as capital gains, lottery, etc. also eligible for rebate?

Ans. No rebate is available on income from capital gains or lotteries or any other income on which a special rate has been provided in the Act. It is available only on the tax payable as per slabs under section 115BAC.

Q.19. What is the difference between rebate and marginal relief?

Ans: Rebate is the deduction from tax that is available to taxpayers having income up to Rs 12 lakh in the new regime. Marginal relief ensures that taxpayers having income marginally higher than Rs 12 lakh do not pay tax more than the income in excess of Rs 12 lakh.
Gaza Strip, Feb 1 : A 65-year-old Israeli-American hostage, Keith Siegel, was freed by Hamas on Saturday after 484 days in captivity, marking the third release of the day.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed his release, stating that medical officials were assessing his condition at an initial reception point in southern Israel.

Siegel was abducted along with his wife, Aviva, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023. While Aviva was freed in a November 2023 ceasefire-hostage deal, Keith remained in captivity until now.

"After 484 days, Keith has finally been released from captivity," the IDF stated in a post on X.

Earlier in the day, Hamas also released two other hostages -- 54-year-old Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon and 35-year-old Israeli civilian Yardan Bibas. The Red Cross facilitated their transfer from Hamas custody to the Israeli military.

Following their release, all three hostages were taken to the IDF's Reim base near the Gaza border, where they reunited with their families before being flown to hospitals in central Israel for further medical assessments. Emotional videos of these reunions were shared by the IDF.

The latest releases follow the return of three other hostages -- Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud, and Gadi Moses -- on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed them home and credited Israel's military efforts and firm stance in negotiations for their safe return.

"This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations," Netanyahu stated.

The hostage releases were part of the fourth batch under a negotiated prisoner exchange and ceasefire deal. The transfer was coordinated with international mediators to ensure safe passage.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Parliamentarians lauded the Union Budget 2025, highlighting key provisions aimed at supporting the middle class, boosting infrastructure, and promoting economic growth.

While the budget has drawn appreciation for its inclusive development approach, special mentions were made for the provisions benefiting Bihar, a state that has seen significant focus this year.

Chirag Paswan, MP and leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their commitment to a 'Viksit Bharat (developed India)'.

"I would like to thank PM Modi and Finance Minister Sitharaman for this 'Viksit Bharat' ambition. This budget will give strength to that aim. Being from Bihar, I again thank them for highlighting the development of infrastructure, expansion of airports, and the mention of Makhana, which is majorly produced in Bihar," Paswan said.

LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary also welcomed the budget, particularly for its focus on Biharas development.

"We see this as a very welcome step. The government consistently gives priority to Bihar. Last year, we saw several packages for Magadh, and this year, Mithilanchal received significant attention.

"The food processing industry has been boosted, greenfield airports will be constructed, and IITs will be developed. This is very welcome, and I wholeheartedly support this budget," Choudhary remarked.

Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad defended the budget against critics who linked the announcements to Bihar's upcoming elections.

"This is a well-drafted and thoughtful budget. There are claims that these favours are because of elections in Bihar, but that is not the truth. So what if elections are coming? Bihar deserves these developments regardless," Prasad stated.

BJP leaders also expressed their appreciation. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar praised the tax exemptions in the budget, saying, "The exemption given to annual income up to twelve lakh rupees is a significant relief. I would like to thank PM Modi and FM Sitharaman for this, as I belong to a middle-class family. The people will keep saying 'thank you', and the entire country will express its gratitude."

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Dinesh Sharma lauded the budgetas focus on the middle class and exports. "This budget shapes a golden history for the middle class. It focusses on increasing income while also implementing measures to boost exports. The Export Promotion Mission aims to make essential items like clothes, mobiles, TVs, and LCDs more affordable," Sharma said.

Praveen Khandelwal, BJP MP, called the budget aligned with PM Modias vision of inclusive development. "The exemption of taxes on incomes up to twelve lakh rupees will undoubtedly provide significant relief to the poor and middle class," Khandelwal stated.

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora also praised the Union Budget and said, "It is a very good budget, a very positive budget."

Overall, the Union Budget 2025 has been welcomed by parliamentarians for its economic measures and focus on development, especially infrastructure, taxation, and the middle class.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against Akash Kumar, the younger brother of notorious gangster Aman Sahu, in connection with the 2020 Tetariyakhar coal mine terror attack in Jharkhand. The charge sheet, filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act), accuses Akash Sahu of playing a pivotal role in the criminal conspiracy behind the attack.

Akash Kumar, also known as Akash Sahu, a resident of Ranchi, Jharkhand, has been charged under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 384 (extortion) of the IPC, along with Sections 13, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22 of the UA(P) Act. The charge sheet is the fifth filed by the NIA in the case RC-01/2021/NIA/RNC, which now involves 26 accused individuals, says the agency.

The Tetariyakhar coal mine attack, which occurred in December 2020, was part of a larger conspiracy orchestrated by the Sujit Sinha and Aman Sahu terror gang. The attack was aimed at extorting money and disrupting operations at the Latehar coal mine in Jharkhand. Investigations revealed that Akash Sahu, who is currently in jail for his involvement in multiple criminal activities across Jharkhand, played an active role in the planning and execution of the attack.

The probe by the NIA revealed that Akash Sahu was instrumental in financing the terror gangas operations. He was involved in the collection of extortion money through various channels, laundering the funds through shell companies and other financial entities, and channelling the money into assets belonging to his brother Aman Sahu and other gang members.

The Aman Sahu gang has been linked to a series of violent crimes in Jharkhand, including bombings, arson, and attacks on law enforcement officers. The gang is notorious for its activities aimed at disrupting government operations, terrorising local businessmen and contractors for extortion, and maintaining links with splinter Naxal groups and other terror organisations outside Jharkhand to further its criminal agenda.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union government allocated over Rs 6.81 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Saturday and further increased the defence pension by 14 per cent.

An official of the MoD said that In pursuance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's vision of 'Viksit Bharat @ 2047', with technologically advanced and 'Aatmanirbhar' Armed Forces, the Union Budget has made a provision of Rs 6,81,210.27 crore for Financial Year (FY) 2025-26 for the Ministry of Defence.

"This allocation is 9.53 per cent more than the Budgetary Estimate of FY 2024-25 and stands at 13.45 per cent of the Union Budget, which is the highest among the ministries," the official added.

He said that out of this, Rs 1,80,000 crore i.e. 26.43 per cent of total allocation will be spent on Capital Outlay on Defence Services.

"On Revenue Head, the allocation for the Armed Forces stands at Rs 3,11,732.30 crore which is 45.76 per cent of total allocation. Defence Pension receives a share of Rs 1,60,795 crore i.e. 23.60 per cent and a balance of Rs 28,682.97 crore i.e. 4.21 per cent for civil organisations under MoD. The Ministry has taken a decision to observe 2025-26 as the 'Year of Reforms' which will further strengthen the resolve of the government for the modernisation of the Armed Forces and is aimed at simplification in the Defence Procurement Procedure to ensure optimum utilisation of the allocation," he said.

Addressing the media in New Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting a budget to fulfil the Prime Minister's resolve of Viksit Bharat.

"This budget will promote the development of youth, poor, farmers, women and all other sections of society. Recognising the contribution of the middle class, the budget has brought an unprecedented gift," said the Defence Minister.

Meanwhile, the official said that Rs 1,80,000 crore has been allocated to the Capital Outlay of the Defence Forces.

"This allocation is 4.65 per cent higher than the Budgetary Estimate (BE) of FY 2024-25," the official said.

He added that Out of this, Rs 1,48,722.80 crore is planned to be spent on Capital Acquisition, termed as the modernisation budget of the Armed Forces and the remaining Rs 31,277.20 crore is for capital expenditure on Research & Development and the creation of infrastructural assets across the country.

The ministry said that for FY 2025-26, Rs 1,11,544.83 crore i.e. 75 per cent of the modernisation budget has been earmarked for procurement through domestic sources and 25 per cent of the domestic share i.e. Rs 27,886.21 crore has been provisioned for procurement through domestic private industries.

The ministry further added Rs 3,11,732.30 crore has been allocated for this purpose which is 10.24 per cent higher the than budgetary allocation of FY 2024-25.

"Out of this, Rs 1,14,415.50 crore has been allocated on account of non-salary expenditure which will facilitate procurement of ration, fuel, ordnance stores and maintenance/repair of equipment etc," he said.

The ministry further added that under the Salary Head of revenue expenditure, Rs 1,97,317.30 crore has been allocated to take care of Pay & Allowances of the three services and any further requirement will be addressed during mid-year review.

It said that the budgetary allocation to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been increased to Rs 26,816.82 crore in FY 2025-26 from Rs 23,855.61 crore in FY 2024-25 which is 12.41 per cent higher than the BE of 2024-25.

"Out of this, a major share of Rs 14,923.82 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure and to fund the R&D projects," it said.

To encourage start-up the ecosystem for innovation in defence, Rs 449.62 crore has been allocated to the iDEX scheme, including its sub-scheme Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) to be utilised for funding the projects to be taken up under this scheme.

The ministry said that allocation in this head shows a jump of almost three times in two years.

The ministry also informed about the government's resolve for ex-servicemen welfare and in the ensuing FY, Rs 8,317 crore has been allocated towards ECHS which is 19.38 per cent higher than BE of FY 2024-25.

"During the mid-year review in the current FY, additional allocation was made to meet the emergent requirements of medical treatment-related expenditure," the ministry said.

The ministry further informed that there are approximately 34 lakh defence pensioners whose monthly pension is met out of the Defence Pension Budget.

"In order to further enhance the Defence Pension for the Armed Forces, One Rank One Pension (OROP) was implemented w.e.f. July 2014. Since then, it is revised after every five years. Third revision under OROP came into effect from July 2024 and it was timely implemented," the ministry said.

It added that considering elements of expenditure under Defence Pension, Rs. 1.61 lakh crore has been allocated for FY 2025-26, which is 13.87 per cent higher than the allocation made during FY 2024-25.

The ministry also informed that that the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has been allotted Rs 9,676.70 crore under Capital and Revenue Head which is 26.50 per cent more than the allocation for FY 2024-25 at the BE stage.

"A jump of 43 per cent in Capital Budget i.e. from Rs 3,500 crore for FY 2024-25 to Rs 5,000 crore for FY 2025-26 will provide adequate financial space for the acquisition of Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), Dornier Aircraft, Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), Training Ships, Interceptor Boats etc. On revenue head, the allocation has been increased from Rs 4,151.8 crore for FY 2024-25 to Rs 4,676.70 crore for FY 2025-26 which shows an increase of 12.64 per cent," the ministry said.

For strengthening the border infrastructure and to facilitate the movement of Armed Forces personnel through tough terrains, Rs 7,146.50 crore has been allocated to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under the capital head which is 9.74 per cent higher than the BE of 2024-25.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an increase in the FDI limit for the insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent in the Budget for 2025-26 as part of far-reaching reforms in the financial sector.

This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified, the Finance Minister said.

Budget 2025-26 aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains which will augment our growth potential and global competitiveness during the next five years, she while presenting the Budget in Parliament.

One of these domains is the financial sector which encompasses sectors like insurance, pensions, bilateral investment treaties (BIT) and so forth, she said.

A forum for regulatory coordination and development of pension products will be set up, the Finance Minister stated.

Besides, to implement the earlier announcement on simplifying the KYC process, the revamped Central KYC Registry will be rolled out in 2025. A streamlined system for periodic updating will also be implemented, she added.

The Finance Minister also said that requirements and procedures for speedy approval of company mergers will be rationalised. The scope for fast-track mergers will also be widened and the process will be made simpler.

The FDI reforms assume significance as India has emerged as a hot investment destination with multinational giants such as Apple and Tesla looking for alternative supply chains after the US sanctions against China.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that the Indian automobile sector had attracted more than $36 billion in FDI over the last four years and this figure would go up several times in the coming years as he exhorted vehicle manufacturers to follow the mantra of aMake in India and Make for the World.a

Inaugurated the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, the Prime Minister said that India presented a huge opportunity and is an ideal destination for investors. The government was paving the way for global investors to bring more FDI into the automobile sector which was technology and innovation-driven, he pointed out.

Sectors such as electronics have attracted major investments with the semiconductor units also coming up in the country for the first time.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Narendra Modi government on Saturday complied with the Election Commission of India's directive not to announce any Delhi-specific schemes or sops in the Union Budget 2025-26 yet managed to give voters in the election-bound city a few reasons to cheer.

Apart from the tax exemption for the middle class, which will benefit Delhiites like all Indian citizens, many Central schemes may indirectly benefit city voters like slum dwellers and residents of unauthorised colonies that need an infrastructure boost.

In her eighth successive Budget speech on Saturday, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman announced several schemes for street vendors, gig workers, middle-class people who are paying EMIs for flats in stressed housing projects and the urban poor whose settlements need better infrastructure and governance.

PM SVANidhi scheme, which has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors by giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans, will continue to benefit Delhi vendors, most of whom are from Purvanchal and live in slums or unauthorised colonies in the city.

According to the FM Sitharaman, a revamped version of the scheme - PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) - would offer enhanced loans from banks, UPI-linked credit cards and capacity-building support.

For middle-class Delhiites, who are paying EMIs in housing projects that have run into trouble, the Budget announced a new fund to expedite the completion of stressed projects.

The FM said in her speech, "Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH), 50,000 dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another 40,000 units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings."

"Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contributions from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of Rs 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh units," she said, an announcement that may bring relief to Delhiites looking to move into flats in the NCR region.

As promised by PM Modi in his election rallies in Delhi, gig workers will get several benefits soon.

According to the FM Sitharaman's speech aimed at such workers across the country, "The government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig-workers."

Election-bound Delhi's slum dwellers and residents from unauthorised colonies may also gain from the Budget provision for boosting infrastructure in cities.

The FM said, "The Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', 'Creative Redevelopment of Cities' and 'Water and Sanitation' announced in the July Budget."

This fund would probably help fund projects like the Yamuna riverfront development, expanded tap water supply, sewer laying and pucca houses for slum dwellers in Delhi.
Chennai, Feb 1 : Disclosing that Telugu superstar Nagarjuna had always showered him with so much of love Tamil actor Karthi has that the Telugu superstar, at one point, even had portions of speed breakers in his studio premises removed just to ensure that Karthi, who cycled everyday, had a smooth ride!

Karthi, who recently participated in an event organised by the unit of the Telugu film Thandel, featuring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in the lead, spoke at length about Nagarjuna and the kind of love he has showered on him.

Karthi said, "Nagarjuna sir enjoys a cult status here after he did 'Idhayathai Thirudathe'. We cannot talk like how he talks in a charming way."

"I have gone to Telugu and worked with Nagarjuna sir. Shooting would happen only in their studio. From the moment I went there, how can I put this? The way I was embraced from the moment I went there was so touching," Karthi said, pointing out that Nagarjuna would pay attention to even small things to ensure that he was comfortable.

"He would often ask, "Is Karthi happy?" and constantly keep checking on what I need," the Tamil actor said and recalled an instance when he did the film Thoza with Nagarjuna.

"I would ride a bicyle everyday during my lunch breaks. There would be a lot of speed breakers inside the premises (of the studio). Nagarjuna sir must have thought, 'There are a lot of speedbreakers and that must be inconveniencing him while riding a bicycle.' The next day when I took out my bicycle to go on my customary ride, I found portions removed in the speed breakers. When I enquired, the people there said that it was Nagarjuna sir who had asked them to remove a part of the speedbreakers to stop my bicycle ride from being bumpy. It was done for my sake," Karthi said.

"I don't even know when he noticed this. Nagarjuna is called King there. He doesn't let anything affect him and is affectionate to everybody around him. He literally showers you with love," Karthi said.

"I think it is going to be 10 years with him. But even to this day, he knows what my next film is. He will say, "I need to watch that film." If he likes my film, I don't even have to ask him, he will immediately tweet about it. He has given me so much of love, no matter how much love I return, it won't be enough Chay," he told Nagarjuna's son Naga Chaitanya.
Sydney, Feb 1 : Emergency warnings have been issued and residents urged to consider evacuating amid flooding in Australia's northeast.

Residents in the far north region of the state of Queensland were on Saturday advised to prepare for "dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding" following days of intense rainfall.

Parts of Townsville, the biggest city in the affected area, received 350 millimeters (mm) of rain in the 18 hours to Saturday morning, with authorities warning more is to come.

A severe weather warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) on Saturday said that towns along a 270-kilometre stretch of coast between Townsville and the town of Babinda further north may be affected by life-threatening flooding.

State Disaster Coordinator Deputy Commissioner Shane Chelepy said on Saturday that emergency services responded to more than 300 calls for help overnight, 223 of which were in Townsville.

He said that residents of the small town of South Johnstone just south of Babinda were being told to leave, Xinhua news agency reported.

One evacuation centre has been opened, with authorities looking to make more available.

Chelepy urged residents in the affected area to put a disaster plan in place, ensure they are stocked up on food and fuel and that their electronic devices are charged.

"The most important thing they can do is stay connected with our messaging," he said.

The area controller for the State Emergency Service, Chris Watts, said that emergency crews prepared flood boats and storm damage equipment.

He said that residents in flood zones should be prepared to evacuate.

Parts of Queensland's north tropical coast received up to 800 millimetres of rain in the past week.

The heavy rainfall was being driven by three tropical low systems that formed off the coast of Queensland.
Seoul, Feb 1 : Crowds of protesters gathered in South Korea's Seoul on Saturday in massive rallies, either opposing the ouster of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol or urging his removal from office, following his recent indictment under physical detention.

An estimated 3 million people, according to organisers, thronged Seoul's central Gwanghwamun area, waving the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes and calling for Yoon's release in a rally opposing his impeachment.

Last Sunday, prosecutors indicted Yoon with physical detention on insurrection charges over his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3. The following week, the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, prompting a Constitutional Court trial to decide whether to reinstate or permanently remove him from office.

"Yoon Suk Yeol will be made to come back if 10 million people gather on March 1. (We) can change everything, whether it's the Constitution or anything else," said conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, who spearheaded the rally, referring to a mass gathering he is planning on that date.

The police's unofficial estimate of the participants was 38,000.

Similar rallies in support of Yoon were also held near the National Assembly in Seoul's western Yeouido district and in front of the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul.

Also in Gwanghwamun, a separate rally urged a Constitutional Court ruling to oust Yoon, with 100,000 participants according to organisers. The police estimated the number at 6,000.

Participants called for the "immediate removal" of Yoon, while also criticising acting President Choi Sang-mok for vetoing a parliamentary bill calling for a special counsel investigation into Yoon over the martial law declaration.

"Let us completely end, with the power of the people, the insurrection scheme by the anti-Constitution forces, including Yoon Suk Yeol and the (ruling) People Power Party," said Kim Min Moon-jung, who spearheaded the rally against Yoon, Yonhap news agency reported.

Some 240 traffic police personnel were mobilised in Seoul as the mass rallies caused traffic congestion and other inconveniences.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The Union Budget 2025-26 not only addresses current economic challenges but also lays a strong foundation for achieving the 'Viksit Bharat' vision, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said on Saturday.

According to FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal, the Budget is a well-balanced approach that tackles immediate concerns such as boosting consumption while also ensuring long-term economic growth.

"It brings in essential reforms, financial stimulus, and support for key sectors like agriculture, MSMEs, youth, and women," Agarwal stated.

According to the apex business body, changes in the personal income tax structure are expected to increase disposable income, which could lead to higher consumer spending.

The body further added although the rise in capital expenditure is relatively moderate compared to previous years, it remains a positive move.

While presenting the Union Budget in parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that a nation is defined not only by its land but by its people.

"Budget 2025 covers 10 key areas, with a focus on the poor, youth, farmers, and women. Agriculture, MSMEs, investments, and exports serve as the driving forces for development," FM Sitharaman added.

For MSMEs, the budget introduces new measures, including a revised classification system and increased credit limits with guarantee cover.

The budget has also focused on enhancing the agricultural sector. A special programme will be implemented in 100 districts with lower productivity and limited access to credit.

A key focus of the budget is on the maritime sector, with the establishment of a new Maritime Development Fund aimed at strengthening the marine economy.

Similarly, to prepare India's workforce for emerging technologies, the budget outlines various skill development initiatives.

It includes increasing capacity at IITs, expanding medical education seats, setting up 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs, and establishing a new Centre of Excellence for AI education.

FICCI said the budget will uplift the middle class and encourage private sector investments as demand grows across various industries.
Chennai, Feb 1 : Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has praised young actor Naga Chaitanya, who plays the lead in director Chandoo Mondeti's upcoming film 'Thandel', calling him a great human being to hang out with.

Chennai, Feb 1 (IANS) Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has praised young actor Naga Chaitanya, who plays the lead in director Chandoo Mondeti's upcoming film 'Thandel', calling him a great human being to hang out with.

Participating in a trailer launch event that was held recently, Aamir Khan marked his presence and opened up about Naga Chaitanya's dedication to his craft.

He heaped praise on Naga Chaitanya and opened up about his equation with the 'Thandel' actor.

"He's an ideal co-star to have. He's absolutely on the ball, a complete game player. We had such a great time working together. He's absolutely on the ball for every shot, doesn't miss a beat, and is a great human being to hang out with. We couldn't have asked for anything better. It was an amazing experience of working with him, and it got us really close together," said Aamir Khan.

The recently released trailer of 'Thandel' gave a glimpse into its action-packed and rugged world. The upcoming love-action-drama film is based on the real-life incident of 20 fishermen from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, who waded unintentionally into international waters because of a storm and as a result, were captured by Pakistani forces.

The film also has a romantic story to narrate. While Naga and Sai headline the film as the protagonists, Sundip R Ved plays the role of an antagonist.

'Thandel' boasts an impressive crew. It has National Award-winning composer Devi Sri Prasad scoring music, Shamdat handling cinematography and National Award winner Naveen Nooli as its editor. Srinagendra Tangala heads the art department. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti, 'Thandel' is produced by Bunny Vasu under the banner of Geetha Arts, with Allu Aravind presenting it.

'Thandel' is scheduled to release in the theatres on February 7.

--IANS

Mkr/
Gaza, Feb 1 : Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday in the fourth prisoner-for-hostage swap under the ongoing truce deal with Hamas, according to Palestinian sources.

Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, told Xinhua news agency that Israeli authorities handed the released prisoners over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Of the freed prisoners, 150 were from the Gaza Strip, 32 from the West Bank, and the remaining one, who holds Egyptian citizenship, will be returned to Egypt.

Prisoners from the West Bank were released from Ofer Prison near Ramallah, while prisoners from Gaza, released from Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, would be transported to southern Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing, Zaghari added.

Local witnesses reported that buses carrying Palestinians released by Israel have arrived in southern Gaza's Khan Younis.

The Palestinian Liberation Organisation's commission for prisoners' affairs said in a press statement that among the 183 released on Saturday, seven prisoners will be deported, without specifying which countries will receive them.

The release of Palestinian prisoners follows Hamas' release of three Israeli hostages earlier in the day, marking the fourth such exchange during the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The deal was enforced on January 19 and its first phase will last for six weeks.

54-year-old Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 35-year-old Israeli civilian Yardan Bibas and 65-year-old Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel were freed by Hamas on Saturday after 484 days in captivity.

Following their release, all three hostages were taken to the IDF's Reim base near the Gaza border, where they reunited with their families before being flown to hospitals in central Israel for further medical assessments. Emotional videos of these reunions were shared by the IDF.

The latest releases follow the return of three other hostages -- Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud, and Gadi Moses -- on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed them home and credited Israel's military efforts and firm stance in negotiations for their safe return.

"This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations," Netanyahu stated.
Varanasi, Feb 1 : In a landmark move, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Budget 2025, which promises no income tax for individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually, including standard deductions (totaling Rs 12.75 lakh). This historic step has been hailed by professors in Varanasi as a much-needed relief for the middle class, thanking the Modi-led government for prioritising their concerns.

Talking to IANS, Abhishek Singh, a professor at Uday Pratap College, expressed his enthusiasm: "This tax relief will significantly benefit the middle class. The rising taxes that we were burdened with will now decrease, offering much-needed relief to the common man."

Sanjeev Kumar, an assistant professor, added, "For a long time, people felt the government was drifting away from its citizens, particularly the working class. But this time, the Finance Minister has ensured that serving individuals, especially those with loans or educational burdens, will feel a tangible difference. The process of tax filing, which was once a hassle, has been simplified, and for that, we thank the Finance Minister and Modi ji. We truly appreciate this change."

Ashok Kumar Singh, from Harish College, noted, "It's great to see the government finally focusing on the middle class. We, in government jobs, always pay our taxes faithfully, and until now, we were often left out of exemptions. This change, though late, is a step in the right direction. Saving this money will allow us to invest in other avenues, and for that, we're grateful."

Narendra Pratap Singh, another professor, also weighed in: "The service class has often borne the brunt of the tax burden, while other classes received relief. The middle class has always paid its dues honestly, and it's heartening to see that the government is now acknowledging our contribution."

Ajay Prakash, a professor at Uday Pratap College said, "It is a big relief for the middle class. I will say that it is the best Budget in India so far. We will get benefits from it as it will save us more than Rs 10,000 in a month which can be used for other purposes."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lauded the Union Budget 2025, calling it a "Janata Janardan Ka Budget" and emphasising its people-centric approach that will propel India's development journey.

Sharing his thoughts on the Budget, PM Modi described it as a significant milestone in India's growth trajectory.

"This is a budget for the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. It will fulfil the dreams of every citizen. We have opened up several sectors for the youth, and the common people will be at the heart of India's mission to become a developed nation. This Budget is a force multiplier," he said.
Patna, Feb 1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026 in the Lok Sabha on Saturday, which includes seven significant announcements aimed at promoting development in Bihar, coinciding with the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Finance Minister Sitharaman has announced the formation of the Makhana Board to support and promote the cultivation and marketing of makhana (fox nuts), a significant crop in Bihar.

She also announced the expansion of IIT Patna by enhancing the infrastructure and academic programmes of the premier institute to foster higher education and research.

She announced the establishment of the National Food Technology Institute in Bihar. It will be dedicated to food technology, aiming to boost the food processing industry and create employment opportunities.

A separate Budget has been allocated for the development of the Western Kosi Canal, which is expected to improve irrigation facilities and benefit the agricultural sector.

She also mentioned plans to upgrade the Bihta Airport to enhance regional connectivity and support economic growth.

Apart from that, Finance Minister Sitharaman also pointed out the expansion of Patna Airport to handle increased passenger traffic and improve infrastructure and the construction of three new greenfield airports in Bihar to improve air connectivity and support regional development.

These initiatives are seen as efforts by the Central government to bolster development in various regions of Bihar, including Magadh, Mithila, and Seemanchal, ahead of the state Assembly elections.

Bihar has long-standing demands for special state status, a topic that has been a point of contention among political parties.

The Opposition has criticised the Central government for not addressing this issue in the Budget.

In the previous year's Budget, presented in July 2024, the government allocated significant funds for infrastructure projects in allied states, including Bihar. This included more than Rs 60,000 crore for infrastructure projects in Bihar, aiming to strengthen the coalition and promote regional development.

The current Budget's announcements are perceived as strategic moves to garner support in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections, reflecting the Central government's focus on regional development and political considerations.
Gandhinagar, Feb 1 : The 'Animal Welfare Fortnight' celebrations in Gujarat, organised annually by the state Animal Welfare Board, will continue until February 13, extending the usual period to align with the Union government's recent initiative. The celebrations began on January 14 and were originally scheduled to end on January 30.

Gandhinagar, Feb 1 (IANS) The aAnimal Welfare Fortnighta celebrations in Gujarat, organised annually by the state Animal Welfare Board, will continue until February 13, extending the usual period to align with the Union governmentas recent initiative. The celebrations began on January 14 and were originally scheduled to end on January 30.

However, in line with the Union governmentas decision to observe the period from January 14 to February 13 as aLivestock and Animal Welfare Awarenessa month, the state Animal Welfare Board has extended the 'Animal Welfare Fortnight' event until February 13. This extension is in response to a nationwide effort aimed at increasing awareness of modern animal husbandry practices and promoting the welfare of livestock.

The Union government launched this initiative through the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, to encourage the adoption of better practices for the welfare of animals across the country.

Additionally, the Animal Welfare Board of India has designated February 2, marking the occasion of Vasant Panchami, as aInsect Welfare Daya. This day will be celebrated with the objective of highlighting the importance of insects in maintaining ecological balance and promoting their welfare.

During this extended period, various programs, workshops, and awareness campaigns are being conducted across the state to engage the public and promote animal welfare. These initiatives focus on educating citizens about modern animal husbandry practices, the significance of the humane treatment of animals, and the ecological importance of insects.

Gujarat ranks fourth in the country with 1,689 gaushalas (cattle shelters), following Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.

Gujarat is also home to a diverse range of insect species, including 177 beetle species, 84 species of butterflies and moths, and 60 species of dragonflies and damselflies.

The state also hosts 67 species of insect pollinators, with Hymenoptera being the most dominant order. These insects play a critical role in agriculture, particularly in pollination, contributing to crop productivity and ecological balance.

The Directorate of Animal Husbandry in Gujarat oversees various aspects of animal welfare, including vaccination programs, treatment camps, and artificial insemination services.
Mumbai, Feb 1 : Director-writer duo Siddharth-Garima, whose writing credits include 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela', 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha', 'Padmaavat', 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu', 'Kabir Singh' and others, shared that their new movie 'Saale Aashiq', is a progressive story of rebels in love.

Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS) Director-writer duo SiddharthGarima, whose writing credits include 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela', 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha', 'Padmaavat', 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu', 'Kabir Singh' and others, shared that their new movie 'Saale Aashiq', is a progressive story of rebels in love.

The duo recently spoke with IANS about their film, it's male lead Tahir Raj Bhasin and the experience of working with Indian auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Talking about the film, Siddharth told IANS, "'Saale Aashiq' has a journey of 10-12 years. The idea came to us more than a decade ago. What made the film stand out was the fact that the eloped lovers were subjected honour killing at the end of the story".

However, the film's strength also came in the way of its saleability as Garima said, "A producer is the first audience for a writer. It's the producer, who will sign off the project depending on their liking for your story. When we thought of the story, the trend in Hindi cinema were greatly different from what's there today. However, the changing times brought the opportunities for brave stories to be told, and that's how 'Saale Aashiq' took its form".

The duo also spoke about the film's male lead, Tahir Raj Bhasin who stars opposite actress Mithila Palkar.

They told IANS, "So far, Tahir has not played the quintessential Hindi film lead in films. This film presents him and skills in a new light. He forms an impeccable team with Mithila as they try everything to fight for their in love in the film".

When asked about their experience of working with SLB, Siddharth told IANS, "He is the master of his craft. What we learnt from him was to stay true to the essence of story".

Garima shared, "Like for instance, for 'Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela', he asked us to travel to Gujarat, and just absorb the culture by travelling in the constricted lanes of rural Gujarat. That one thing gave us so much perspective, we observed the old world architecture of the Rabari people which found its way in the story".

She added, "This is one thing that we still follow to this day. We make it a point to completely detach from Mumbai and go to the place where our story is set to bring that authenticity to the film".

'Saale Aashiq' is available on Sony Max.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : The Karnataka unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday lashed out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for slamming the Union Budget 2025 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, saying that the senior Congress leader's criticism is "purely politically motivated tactic".

Addressing CM Siddaramaiah, Karnataka unit BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra said: "Your administration is inevitably heading towards creating political anarchy. If you wish to remain in power, the only way left is to impose 'tax on tax' and 'price hikes on price hikes', burdening the people.

"While this is the reality, the Central government has presented a visionary Budget aimed at building a developed India by reducing the prices of essential goods, including medicines, electronics, and leather. Criticising such a Budget is purely politically motivated, and the people of the state can clearly see through it. Your continuous web of lies to mislead the people of Karnataka is coming to an end. The truth is becoming evident to the people of the state."

The Karnataka BJP chief said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has presented the Budget for the eighth consecutive time, providing loan facilities for the Scheduled Caste community to start businesses and startups.

"To support the middle class, an exemption in tax payments has been granted for incomes up to Rs 12 lakh. The limit for the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, benefiting over 7 crore farmers by providing easier access to loans. Isnat this an advantage for our farmers? Vijayendra questioned.

"To enhance agricultural productivity, the government has decided to launch the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Yojana, benefiting 1.7 crore farmers. Is not this a boon for our food providers?" he asked.

He further said: "A special fund has been established to empower new startups, with an additional allocation of Rs 10,000 crore, on top of the existing Rs 10,000 crore provided by the Central government. A new scheme has been launched to help 5 lakh women from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes start their own businesses. Isnat this a step towards making our SC/ST women self-reliant?"

Criticising Siddaramaiah, the BJP leader said: "Karnataka has always been one of the leading states in terms of resource wealth. However, your governance is pushing this prosperous Karnataka into decline, making it a dark chapter in history. While this is happening, it is disgraceful to resort to low-level criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government."

The BJP leader further said: "Instead of criticising the pro-people policies of the Central government, the Karnataka government should take steps towards building a prosperous Karnataka in cooperation with PM Modi-led government, which is offering extensive development programmes."
Guwahati, Feb 1 : The Federation of Industry and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) hailing the Union Budget 2025 on Saturday said that the modified UDAAN scheme would expand regional connectivity and tourism opportunities in the northeast.

FINER President Bajrang Lohia said that the measures proposed by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Budget reflected the government's vision of long-term, sustainable growth for the northeastern region.

According to the Budget, under the modified UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), the Regional Connectivity Scheme would be expanded to 120 new destinations in the country, including enhanced connectivity for the northeastern region.

The scheme would focus on smaller airports and helipads in hilly and remote districts to boost regional air travel and target to carry four crore passengers in the next 10 years.

Renowned Economist, M.P. Bezbaruah, called the Budget business-oriented, balancing economic and social aspects.

He welcomed income tax cuts for middle-class relief and economic boost, while corporate tax stability benefits the stock market.

Agriculture saw a major focus, though rural employment initiatives need sustainability.

He emphasised structured MSME growth, noted manufacturing requires long-term vision and raised concerns over China's global AI dominance.

Additionally, Bezbaruah pointed out the lack of social security for gig workers while appreciating the controlled fiscal deficit at 4.4 per cent.

FINER remains committed to engaging with stakeholders and policymakers to ensure that the benefits of the Union Budget 2025 reach the industries and people of the northeastern region.

The organisation applauds the Finance Minister for a comprehensive and forward-looking budget that lays the foundation for robust economic growth and social development.

Former FINER President R.S. Joshi, welcoming the Budget, appreciated the government's efforts towards "Viksit Bharat 2047", coming out with a clear roadmap to make it a reality.

He noted that the Budget caters to all sections of society, beginning with agriculture and concluding with benefits for the middle class.

Joshi lauded the calibrated approach toward balancing rural and urban economies and noted that GDP growth needs to be elevated to eight per cent from the previous 6.6 per cent.
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Grave injustice has been meted out to Telangana in the Union Budget 2025-26 presented in the Parliament on Saturday, Congress state President Mahesh Kumar Goud said.

He told media persons that Telangana has got a azeroa in the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

He said though Sitharaman is a Telugu daughter-in-law, she has done injustice in Telangana in the Budget.

Goud accused the BJP of being biased against Telangana, and also trying to politically damage the state.

He said that since Bihar will be going to polls soon, the BJP used the Union Budget for political mileage in that state.

He wanted to know what happened to the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders to Telangana during the elections.

The state Congress President said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers, and MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Central ministers and submitted representations about the issues related to the state including the establishment of a steel plant and IIM but this yielded no results.

Minister for Environment and Forests Konda Surekha expressed her dissatisfaction over the Union Budget. She stated that enough funds were not allocated to Telangana. She alleged that the Centre overlooked the requests and ignored the promises made to the people of Telangana.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was holding a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues to discuss the Union Budget and its likely impact on the state Budget for 2025-26.

The meeting was also discussing allocations to be made for various departments in the ensuing state Budget.

The ministers were unhappy over the Centre neglecting Telangana once again. They questioned the silence of the BJP MPs from Telangana on the raw deal meted out to the state.
Harare, Feb 1 : The World Bank (WB) has warned that climate change could erode up to 12 per cent of Zimbabwe's gross domestic product (GDP) annually if the country does not implement robust measures to tackle the phenomenon.

In its latest Zimbabwe economic update report launched Friday in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, the WB urged Zimbabwe to bolster resilience against climate-related shocks, focusing on agriculture as a critical pillar of the economy.

Statistics from the Zimbabwean government show agriculture contributes from 11 per cent to 14 per cent of GDP and provides employment for some 70 per cent of the population and about 60 per cent of all raw materials for the industry.

The country's heavy reliance on rainfed systems and maize production, however, leaves it vulnerable to increasingly severe climate events, the WB noted.

In the 2023/2024 farming season, Zimbabwe experienced a severe El Nino-induced drought, resulting in a 60 per cent decline in maize yield compared to the five-year average. The significant reduction in rainfall, coupled with high temperatures, has led to widespread food insecurity and economic hardship.

The WB observed that the government's ambitious target to boost agricultural output to $12.5 billion by 2025 is under threat due to climate-induced challenges.

"Climate shocks disrupt GDP, trade balances, and fiscal stability. The 2023/2024 El Nino-induced drought alone caused approximately $363 million in damage losses," the WB said.

"This cycle of drought and recovery undermines sustainable development and exacerbates poverty levels, making it imperative to enhance the resilience of the agricultural sector," said Easther Chigumira, World Bank senior agriculture specialist and co-author of the report.

She said to strengthen Zimbabwe's resilience to weather shocks and climate change, a dual approach is essential, involving substantial investment in climate adaptation and the enhancement of anticipatory actions, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report, titled "Improving Resilience to Weather Shocks and Climate Change", highlighted the opportunity for Zimbabwe to strengthen resilience to climate shocks and further boost economic growth.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced the setting up of a Rs 1 lakh crore fund for the development of cities and a revamp of the Prime Minister Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) to enhance the earnings of street vendors as part of her Budget proposals.

"Our government has been giving priority to assisting urban poor and vulnerable groups. A scheme for the socio-economic uplift of urban workers will be implemented to help them improve their incomes, have sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life," said the Finance Minister.

She added that the PM SVANidhi scheme has helped over 68 lakh street vendors, giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans.

"Building on this success, the scheme will be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI-linked credit cards with Rs 30,000 limit, and capacity-building support," she said.

The Finance Minister said that this Budget for 2025-26 identifies urban development as a key priority, with the establishment of a 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to implement initiatives such as cities as growth hubs, creative redevelopment of cities, and water and sanitation.

Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal said that the establishment of the Urban Challenge Fund reflects the government's strong commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive urban development.

He said that the Budget 2025-26 lays a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat by driving transformative reforms in urban development, housing, and infrastructure.

He also highlighted that the revamped PM SVANidhi scheme, which has already benefited over 68 lakh street vendors, will further facilitate access to enhanced bank loans, introduce UPI-linked credit cards with a Rs 30,000 limit, and provide capacity-building support to empower street vendors.

"This Budget reinforces our government's commitment to ensuring that the benefits of urbanisation reach every citizen," he said.

Manohar Lal also pointed out that this Budget aims to drive transformative reforms in six key areas over the next five years, with a focus on enhancing growth potential and strengthening global competitiveness.

"Among these, Urban Development is a key priority, aimed at modernising cities, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of urban living," he added.

PM SVANidhi was launched in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns hit street vendors.

Under the scheme, vendors can avail themselves of loans of Rs 10,000, Rs 20,000, and Rs 50,000. As many as 95.84 lakh loans worth Rs 13,741 crore have been disbursed so far.
Patna, Feb 1 : Five individuals, all residents of Nepal, lost their lives while four others were seriously injured in a horrific road accident on Saturday when their vehicle overturned while trying to avoid a bike rider.

The accident took place in Muzaffarpur as the victims were returning to Nepal from Prayagraj after attending the Maha Kumbh.

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with distressing screams echoing from the crash site. The impact was severe, as the Scorpio SUV flipped over five times, leaving all passengers badly injured.

Local authorities, including Rural SP Vidya Sagar, City SP Vishwajit Dayal, and the SDM, along with police from multiple stations, rushed to the scene and initiated rescue operations.

"Five persons lost their lives on the spot while we have rescued four others from the vehicle. They were promptly transported to Shri Krishna Memorial Medical College (SKMCH) for treatment. Their condition is reported to be critical," Vidya Sagar said.

"We are making efforts to identify the victims. Preliminary investigation reveals that they belong to Nepal. We have informed the Nepalese authority about the accident. We are also trying to contact the family members of the victims. The post-mortem of the deceased will take place in the presence of the deceased family members," he said.

He added that the hospital administration is actively providing medical care to the victims, while the damaged vehicle has been cleared from the road to restore traffic movement.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances leading to the crash. Further updates on the condition of the injured are awaited.

On January 30, three persons were killed and one other seriously injured in a collision between two bikes in Bihar's Aurangabad district on Thursday afternoon. The fatal accident occurred near the Pratappur turn in the Bandeya police station area of Goh block.

In another road accident on January 30, a bus-truck collision on National Highway 31 in Bihar's Purnea district left two passengers killed and around a dozen passengers injured.
Khartoum, Feb 1 : At least 45 civilians were killed and 82 others injured in a shelling by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Saturday on a crowded market in Omdurman, north of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, a volunteer group and a medical source said.

"The RSF militia committed a new massacre today (Saturday) with a deliberate bombing of the Sabreen Market in the Karari locality," the Al-Thawra Resistance Committee, a volunteer group, said in a statement.

"So far, 45 civilians have been killed and 82 others injured," the statement added, without providing further details.

Meanwhile, a medical source at Al-Nao Hospital in Omdurman said, "The hospital has received over 24 bodies, along with dozens of injured individuals."

"The situation is catastrophic in every sense of the word. We need blood donors and medical supplies," the source told Xinhua news agency.

It reported that the shelling targetted the Sabreen Market, a major market frequented by residents of the Karari locality in the northernmost part of Omdurman.

The shelling simultaneously targeted residential areas near the market which could lead to the death toll exceeding the reported figures.

No official statement has been issued, and the RSF has not commented on the incident.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) frequently accuses the RSF of bombing the Karari locality from its positions in Bahri, a city in Khartoum State.

Karari is the only area in Omdurman that remains densely populated and fully under army control.

Military confrontations between the SAF and the RSF have intensified recently in Khartoum.

The SAF has recently made significant progress in Khartoum State, reopening its position along the Bahri city axis and liberating several areas, but the city's East Nile area remains a key base for the RSF.

The SAF is also conducting ground operations to end the RSF's control over the Umbada area west of Omdurman, while the RSF continues to control the southern area of Khartoum.

Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict between the SAF and the RSF since mid-April 2023, which claimed at least 29,683 lives and displaced over 15 million people, either inside or outside Sudan, according to the latest estimates by international organisations.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Ujjwal Deepak, a BJP leader from Chhattisgarh, welcomed the slew of announcements in the Union Budget 2025-26 and described it as "historic" and the one dedicated to the "aam aadmi" (common man).

The BJP leader, while speaking to IANS, said, "It is a historical budget, it is the budget of the common man, it is the budget for government employees, it is the budget of every person who is contributing to the country's economy. The Union Budget is dedicated to every common man."

Presenting her eighth consecutive Budget on Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a revised tax slab structure, providing more money into the hands of taxpayers, which is bound to have a far-reaching impact on the common man as well as the economy.

Ujjwala Deepak said, "It was only yesterday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his emotions about the poor and middle-class families and a day later, the prayers of countrymen have been fulfilled with bumper announcements for the common man in the Union Budget."

Under the revised tax slabs, there is no tax on income up to Rs 12 lakh and no tax on income up to Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried people, due to the standard deduction of Rs 75,000.

"There will be no tax to be paid on income up to Rs 12 lakh, such a big announcement has made the entire countrymen happy. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the Budget seeks to empower the poor, women, youth and farmers," he remarked.

The BJP leader also said that the Budget has been prepared where all these sections have been taken care of and startups have been growth opportunities.

"There is a Budget for farmers, there is a Budget for poor, there is a Budget for women, this is an inclusive budget," he added.
Beirut, Feb 1 : The Israeli army has completed its withdrawal from the western sector of southern Lebanon, paving the way for the deployment of the Lebanese army in the area, a Lebanese security source said on Saturday.

"The Israeli army has maintained a surveillance post on Jabal Blat hill, which overlooks several towns and villages in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon," the source added.

The source further noted that the Israeli army had previously withdrawn from several towns in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon but has maintained its presence in nine villages along the border.

"The occupied villages, located in the Marjayoun district, include Aitaroun, Blida, Mays El Jabal, Houla, Markaba, Rab al-Thalatheen, Adaisseh, Kafr Kila, and al-Wazzani," the source said.

According to the source, Israel is seeking to maintain a military presence in five strategic locations in southern Lebanon, a move that Lebanon firmly rejects.

A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon has been in effect since November 27, 2024, ending hostilities that erupted on October 8, 2023, between the Israeli army and Hezbollah.

Under the agreement, Israel is required to withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the southern border region and enforce a ban on weapons and armed groups south of the Litani River, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Lebanese caretaker government had previously announced its approval of an extension to the ceasefire agreement with Israel until February 18, after the initial 60-day truce expired on January 26 without a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

Despite the ceasefire, the Israeli army has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon, resulting in casualties, claiming they are aimed at eliminating threats posed by Hezbollah.
Cairo, Feb 1 : Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Palestinian Authority (PA), and the Arab League (AL) stressed in a joint statement on Saturday the rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

The statement was issued after a meeting in Egypt's capital Cairo attended by top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, as well as high-ranking officials from the PA and AL.

Participants of the meeting expressed their commitment to working with US President Donald Trump's administration "to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution," according to the statement.

They also voiced full support for the Palestinians and their legitimate rights, rejecting any attempt to displace the Palestinian people, whether by eviction or efforts to transfer or remove them from their land under any circumstances.

The statement also urged the international community to coordinate efforts for planning and implementing a comprehensive process for the reconstruction of Gaza to improve the Palestinians' daily lives and address the problem of internal displacement, Xinhua news agency reported.

On January 25, Trump proposed a controversial plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan, which was strongly rejected by both countries.

On Friday, thousands of people gathered near the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, the only channel linking Egypt with Gaza, to express opposition to the displacement of Palestinians.

Earlier this week, the Arab League (AL) had reaffirmed that stability and peace in the Middle East will only be achieved after settling the Palestinian cause and implementing the two-state solution.

The AL said that "any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land, either through deportation, annexation or settlement expansion," have proved to be failures and are rejected as a violation of international law.

The pan-Arab group stressed that the current stage requires continuous work by all to consolidate the Gaza truce and ensure its continuation in preparation for the immediate start of rebuilding Gaza after a 15-month brutal war.
Kolkata, Feb 1 : The good aspect of the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget proposals for the Financial Year 2025-2026 had been the Union government's focus on the country's transition to green economy, feel a section of the green technologists and environmentalists.

According to Kolkata-based green technologist and environmentalist Somendra Mohan Ghosh, the Union government's focus on environmental protection is expected to not accelerate the country's transition to a green economy but will also generate green jobs, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

"The Budget is likely to provide incentives and policy support for scaling up green hydrogen production and infrastructure, aligning with India's goal of becoming a global hub for green hydrogen," Ghosh said.

He further pointed out that the specific focus of the Union government to develop a robust carbon market framework encouraging industries to adopt sustainable practices and the incentives for domestic battery manufacturing and expansion of EV charging networks may be announced to accelerate electric vehicle adoption, are definitely welcome moves as far as the environment issue is concerned.

However, at the same time, Ghosh stressed on an increased fund allocations by the Union government for local vocational education in green construction, renewable energy technologies and sustainable agriculture.

The Kolkata-based environment activist Naba Dutta said that the factor of country's transition to green economy will depend much on who are the recipients of the funds allocations for environment, forestry and wildlife.

"One aspect is routing the funds through corporate houses for areas like solar energy. There is a profit and loss factor in it. The second aspect is increased spending on social expenditure to enable the country's progression to a green economy. But I must admit that despite certain negativities the current Union government's focus on promotion of renewable energy, especially solar energy, is really commendable," Dutta added.

At the same time, he added, the focus of the current Union government on promoting green vehicles, especially electric vehicles, is a positive step in combating the danger of automobile emissions.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : The report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which examined the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

According to a bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Committee Chairman Jagdambika Pal and member Sanjay Jaiswal will table the report in the House.

The committee had already submitted the report to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday.

The report, which was adopted by the committee on Wednesday, includes changes suggested by members of the ruling NDA. The record of evidence given before the Joint Committee on the Bill will also be tabled.

The JPC on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Wednesday approved the draft of the Bill, incorporating 14 amendments proposed by members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The JPC Chairperson had confirmed that the amendments were adopted through a majority vote, with 16 members supporting the changes and 10 opposing them.

"A total of 44 amendments were discussed clause by clause. After six months of detailed discussions, we sought amendments from all members. This was our final meeting. 14 amendments have been accepted by the committee based on a majority vote. Opposition also proposed amendments, but these were defeated with 10 votes in support and 16 votes against," Pal then told the reporters.

The Waqf Amendment Bill aims to overhaul the Waqf Act of 1995, which regulates the management of Waqf properties in India.

The Bill has generated significant controversy, with opposition parties arguing that it undermines the rights of the Muslim community and threatens the federal structure of India.

The Opposition has accused the ruling party of using the Bill to undermine the autonomy of Waqf boards and infringe on the constitutional rights of the Muslim community.

Opposition MPs have also described the amendments as an attempt to control the management of Waqf properties and destroy the boards.

On the other hand, BJP members defend the Bill, arguing that it aims to bring modernity, transparency, and accountability to the management of Waqf properties.

They contend that the amendments are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the boards and to prevent misuse of Waqf assets.

The report, which will be presented in Parliament on Monday, is all set to stir further debate, as the Bill and its provisions are expected to be taken up for discussion.
Bengaluru, Feb 1 : Karnataka's Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil said on Saturday that the Union government's Budget is "highly disappointing", adding that no special package has been announced for the development of north Karnataka.

The expectation that AIIMS would finally be sanctioned for north Karnataka this time has also turned out to be futile, Patil added.

"In summary, this is yet another "anti-people" Budget, the Minister said while criticising the Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday.

"Union Finance Minister Sitharaman has introduced eye-catching strategies that appear to benefit middle-class taxpayers significantly. However, the Budget lacks any provisions that could boost GDP growth, which is concerning," Patil opined.

The absence of a significant increase in capital expenditure is also a worrying factor, he said.

Speaking about the Budget presented by the Central government on Saturday, he said, "At first glance, this Budget appears to bring relief to middle-class taxpayers, but in reality, that is not the case. They have announced a tax exemption up to Rs 12 lakh, but if the income exceeds even by one rupee, the exemption is not applicable."

"Instead, a tax of more than 20 per cent is imposed. Instead of this, the government should have ensured direct and straightforward benefits for taxpayers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has failed to meet the expectations of society, and people will realise this in the coming days," Patil added.

"Keeping capital expenditure almost unchanged is not beneficial for economic growth, as it will slow down development. To compete with neighbouring China, India needed to increase its capital investment. However, the lack of such a proposal in the Budget is unfortunate," he said.

He emphasised the need for industrial growth and infrastructure development, especially for Karnataka, which is the Information Technology, Biotechnology, and startup capital of the country.

However, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has not announced any specific beneficial initiatives for the state, the Minister said.

"Karnataka contributes significantly to the country's overall export trade, so it deserves more allocation. Merely announcing schemes for states like Bihar with an eye on elections will not yield any real benefits," he added as he expressed his dissatisfaction with the Union Budget.

Transforming India into a $5 trillion economy requires bold and historic measures, but this Budget has failed to demonstrate that courage, Patil opined.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said that the Union Budget for 2025-26 presented by Finance Minister Sitharaman has completely neglected the development of Karnataka, despite it being the second-highest tax-paying state in the country.

"The wealth generated from the taxes paid by the people of South Indian states has been diverted towards the development of North Indian states. The Budget has ignored the development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes," he added.

"There are no strong policies for irrigation projects or initiatives to increase farmers' income. Additionally, no solutions have been provided for the growing unemployment crisis among the youth," he said.

"Even though Karnataka has three Union Ministers in the Central government, the state has gained nothing from this Budget. The hopes of receiving special schemes for the safety and development of Karnataka's metropolitan cities have also been dashed," Parameshwara added.

The Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has once again betrayed the people of Karnataka through this Budget, he said.
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted three successive flight trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS).

During all three flight tests, the missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets having reduced thermal signatures mimicking low-flying drones at different flying conditions.

The missile system has the capability to meet the needs of all three branches of the Armed Forces, which are the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.

The tests were carried out from Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.

According to the Ministry of Defence, these tests were carried out against high-speed targets flying at very low altitudes. The flight tests were carried out in the final deployment configuration where two field operators carried out weapon readiness, target acquisition and missile firing.

The flight data captured by various range instruments like Telemetry, Electro-Optical Tracking System and Radar deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, confirmed the pin-point accuracy and established the unique capability of VSHORADS missile system in neutralising drones along with other classes of aerial threats.

The flight tests were witnessed by senior officials of DRDO, the Armed Forces and development and production partners.

VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence system designed and developed indigenously by Research Center Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Development cum Production Partners.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also congratulated DRDO, Armed Forces and the industries for the successful flight tests, terming it as a "great success".

Secretary, Department of Defence R and D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the entire DRDO team, users and industry partners. --IANS

gcb/dan
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday lauded the Union Budget 2025-26, emphasising it as a Budget that takes everyone together and prioritises the welfare, well-being, and empowerment of all citizens while firmly placing India on the path to achieving the goal of developed India by 2047.

The Union Minister expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for a "visionary and futuristic Budget".

He said that this Budget aims to cater to the comprehensive requirements, right from childhood to youth, who would be leading from the front in realising the Viksit Bharat agenda in 2047 and beyond.

He also added that the Budget announcements encompass today's entire youth demographic, who will lead the nation for the next 25 years. This will strengthen the "Bhartiya Gyan Parampara" within our education system and foster a global community, he added.

The Minister highlighted that the Budget 2025-26 emphasises investing in people and facilitating the all-round development of India's human capital.

He noted that with "Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata, and Naari" as the pillars, this Budget would uplift sentiments of the poor and middle class, accelerate spending, catalyse investments, and spur growth.

He emphasised that it would remove regional imbalances, build rural prosperity, nurture research, innovation and entrepreneurship, invigorate the education and skilling landscape, and lead to employment-led development.

The Minister expressed gratitude for continuing with bigger and bolder investments in education, skilling, research, and innovation, stating that this budget represents another big leap towards empowering India's population with more opportunities for world-class education and building capacities of human capital.

The Minister said that the total Budget allocation for the Ministry of Education has reached Rs 128,650 crore, marking a 6.22 per cent increase over the budgetary estimate for 2024-25.

He added that 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) will be set up in government schools in the next five years to cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation and foster a scientific temper among young minds.

With this, students of all government secondary schools will have access to ATL. The Union Budget also proposes to provide Broadband connectivity to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the BharatNet project, he added.

Union Minister Pradhan said that the total number of students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years.

Additional infrastructure will be created in the five IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT, Patna will also be expanded, he added.

Union Minister Pradhan said that to help students understand their subjects better, it is proposed to implement a Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme to provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education.

He also said that five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip youth with the skills required for "Make for India, Make for the World" manufacturing. The partnerships will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews.

Union Minister Pradhan highlighted that the fourth AI Centre of Excellence in Education envisioned in the Budget 2025-26, aims to revolutionise India's educational system from pre-primary to professional and research levels.

By harnessing artificial intelligence, it seeks to address disparities and inefficiencies, ensuring equitable and high-quality education across the nation. This Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for Education will be established with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore, he added.

The Minister said that the allocation of Rs 20,000 crore to implement private sector-driven Research, Development and Innovation.

In the next five years, under the PM Research Fellowship scheme, the provision of 10,000 fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc with enhanced financial support is also proposed in the Budget, he added.

The Minister said that a Gyan Bharatam Mission for the survey, documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors will be undertaken to cover more than one crore manuscripts.

A National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing will also be set up, he added.

The Budget Allocation for FY 2025-26 of Rs 78,572 crore is the highest ever for the Department of School Education and Literacy.

There has been an overall increase of Rs 5,074 crore (7 per cent) in the Budget allocation of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the FY 2025-26 from Budgetary Estimate 2024-25. As compared to the Revised Estimates (RE) of FY 2024-25, there has been an increase of Rs 11,000 crore (16.28 per cent).
New Delhi, Feb 1 : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday accompanied by his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar visited the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj where he took a holy dip and lauded the administration for the "amazing arrangements".

Hailing Mahakumbh as a historic event, the Vice President praised the unprecedented gathering of crores of devotees. He also lauded the administration's "amazing" arrangements, calling them unimaginable.

Vice President Dhankhar commended Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the administration for performing a miracle.

Commenting on the organisation of the event, the Vice President spoke about the way the administration swiftly handled an unfortunate incident (referring to the recent unfortunate episode of a stampede) during the event.

Jagdeep Dhankhar noted that the number of people attending the Mahakumbh was equivalent to the population of the US.

The Vice President also highlighted the provision of over one lakh toilets and free meals for thousands.

Terming it as one of the happiest moments of his life, he said: "When I took a dip, I realized there is no country like India."

He credited CM Yogi Adityanath's dedication, ability, and cultural knowledge for making this unprecedented event possible, saying: "When service to the nation is in the mind, miracles happen."

A special plane was arranged for the Vice President's travel.

The Mahakumbh celebrations have been attracting millions of devotees from around the world.

Earlier, to ensure the safety and well-being of all pilgrims, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government announced strict measures to avoid disruptions during this period.

The state government has prohibited VIP protocols on 'Amrit Snan' days and other major bathing festivals, following a tragic stampede at the Sangam that claimed the lives of 30 devotees and left 60 hurt.

In line with the vision of CM Yogi, the administration will ensure a seamless experience for all pilgrims by enforcing this policy.

No VIP privileges will be allowed on these critical bathing days or surrounding dates, ensuring that pilgrims can participate in the holy rituals without facing inconveniences like route changes or delays caused by VIP movement.

The policy has been communicated well in advance, and the government is committed to maintaining strict implementation during the event.
Hyderabad, Feb 1 : Two persons including a police head constable were injured when a wanted burglar opened fire in the Gacchibowli area in Hyderabad on Saturday night.

The incident occurred at Prism Pub in the Financial District when a police team from Central Crime Station Madhapur had gone there to arrest a man wanted in a few criminal cases.

On seeing the policemen, the suspect opened two rounds of fire from a pistol. One of the bullets hit police constable Venkatram Reddy on his thigh. A bouncer (private security person) in the pub was also injured in the firing.

Both the injured were shifted to a hospital. The incident which occurred around 7.30 p.m. triggered panic in the pub.

According to police Venkatram Reddy along with Pradeep Reddy and Veera Swamy of CCS Madhapur had gone to arrest the most wanted burglar Battula Prabhakar

Gachibowli police later apprehended the assailant. Senior police officials rushed to the spot. Police registered a case and took up further investigation.

Meanwhile, Cyberabad police have arrested four persons in a murder case under Balanagar Police Station limits.

The police arrested the accused after analysing CCTV footage from over 50 cameras. A person was found murdered in Balanagar industrial area on January 29.

After a thorough investigation, police arrested four accused including three autorickshaw drivers.

K. Suresh Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Balanagar Zone, Cyberabad said the investigations revealed that the accused killed the deceased due to previous enmity.

The accused have been identified as Akula Krishna, Madaraboina Ravi, Gurram Naresh and Gambu Shanker. According to police, the accused murdered him in a pre-planner manner due to previous enmity.

The Main accused Akula Krishna had close acquaintance with the deceased Krishna alias Kittu. Previously some altercation ensued between them with regard to the repair of an autorickshaw. The accused with the help of three friends executed the murder.
Guwahati, Feb 1 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday asserted the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will expedite the growth of Assam along with bringing new opportunities for entrepreneurs in the state.

Sarma said: "Today's #ViksitBharatBudget2025 brings with it a new energy that will fuel Assam's growth trajectory, provide a new thrust for our entrepreneurs, strengthen our Kisan and plantation economy and fulfill the aspirations of the middle class."

He also mentioned the scope of developments in Assam that could be brought about by this Union Budget.

"The announcement of a 12 lakh MT Urea factory in Namrup, will be the next big game changer for the state, after the Jagiroad Semiconductor facility. The approximately more than Rs 10,000 crore investment will allow Assam to channelise its natural gas resources into fertiliser manufacturing and help reduce India's dependency on the import of this key agricultural input. Needless to say, this factory also brings with it a significant number of jobs and export potential to the state.

"The Budget has an allocation of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the form of 50 year interest free loans towards infrastructure development in states. This facility along with the enhanced devolution totaling to 44,494 crore will help accelerate and augment ongoing welfare works," he added.

According to the Chief Minister, the Union Budget has sent a clear message that will establish micro-enterprises and entrepreneurs as the growth engine of the nation's economy.

He stated: "This policy direction is in line with Assam's flagship focus on boosting entrepreneurship through schemes such as CM Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan and Mahila Udyamita Asoni. The revision in classification of turnover and investment of MSMEs will provide a huge fillip to the backbone of Assam's economy by opening up more job opportunities and avenues to raise capital."

Sarma said that the Gramin Credit Score framework will also help serve the credit needs of Assam's vast SHG network, comprising over 30 lakh women.

The CM also hailed the announcement of huge tax relief in the Union budget. He said: "The income tax exemption up to 12 lakh is excellent news for middle class homes in Assam and across the country. This brings more money into the hands of our people, boost their savings and help grow the economy."

Meanwhile, the CM further stated that the Union Budget envisages adding 75,000 MBBS seats in the next 5 years.

He argued that this initiative complements Assam's own target of building 24 medical colleges by 2030.

Sarma moreover mentioned that the increased allocation under the National Disaster Relief Fund to Rs 12,048 crore and the National Disaster Mitigation Fund to Rs 3,102 crore from Rs 2,300 crore will significantly help in boosting Assam's efforts while dealing with disasters like floods.
Patna, Feb 1 : The Union Budget 2025 has placed special emphasis on Bihar, with several major projects aimed at boosting the state's infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who hails from Bihar, welcomed the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stating: "Being a Bihari, I am proud that Bihar has received the gift of many big projects."

Among the key announcements is the Western Kosi Canal Project, which will benefit farmers cultivating 50,000 hectares of land, significantly improving irrigation facilities.

Bihar is also set to receive three new greenfield airports, addressing the state's growing aviation demands. This will complement the ongoing expansion of Patna Airport and Bihta Airport apart from three Greenfield Airport. Additionally, the revamped UDAN scheme aims to further strengthen regional air connectivity.

Meanwhile, Bihar Industry and Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra praised the Budget, calling it "dedicated to the welfare of farmers, women, youth, and the middle class".

He emphasised that the Budget aligns with the vision of "Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi" and will promote start-ups, innovation, and skill development among the youth.

"One of the most significant announcements for Bihar is the establishment of a Makhana Board, aimed at boosting the production, processing, and global marketing of Bihar's famed makhana. This initiative is expected to enhance the agricultural sector and provide global recognition to local farmers," Mishra said.

"In the field of education and entrepreneurship, the budget has allocated funds for the expansion of IIT Patna and the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management. These institutions will play a crucial role in fostering innovation and creating employment opportunities for Bihar's youth," Mishra said.

The Tourism sector has also received a significant boost, with special schemes for the conservation of Bihar's cultural heritage and the development of Buddhist pilgrimage sites, which will strengthen the local economy.

Provisions for MSMEs, the leather industry, and the textile sector are expected to accelerate industrial growth in the state.

Expressing confidence in Bihar's rapid progress, Minister Nitish Mishra stated that the Union Budget 2025 would further enhance the state's industrial and tourism ecosystem.

"I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, for presenting the union budget with a visionary step toward a developed Bihar," Mishra said.
Washington, Feb 1 : US President Donald Trump's first tariff hikes are set to go into effect from Saturday, targeting imports from neighbours Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent and China with 10 per cent.

Sector-wise hikes on computer chips, pharmaceuticals, steel, aluminium, copper, oil and gas imports are slated to follow later in the month.

Trump has targeted Canada and Mexico for failing to stop undocumented migrants from entering the US through their borders in the north and south respectively and China for failure to stanch the flow of fentanyl at origin.

The American President told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that there was nothing Canada, Mexico and China could do to avoid the tariffs before Saturday. But he has indicated there may be exemptions, especially crude oil and automobiles if they fulfil the conditions of the US-Canada-Mexico Agreement.

"It'll be a tremendous amount of money for our country, a tremendous amount, these are big numbers," Trump told reporters Friday.

"And in addition to that, and you see the power of the tariff, I mean, the tariff is good, and nobody can compete with us because we have by far the biggest piggy bank."

Canada and Mexico have threatened to retaliate with their own hikes on American imports and that could hurt American businesses. Mexico and Canada are the US's top trading partners.

"If the President does choose to implement any tariffs against Canada, we're ready with a response. A purposeful, forceful, but reasonable immediate response," Canada's outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday. "We won't relent until tariffs are removed and, of course, everything is on the table."

The U.S. auto industry stands to bear the worst of the tariff hikes as components and parts are manufactured in facilities in Canada and Mexico and they cross the border several times, which would add to the cost.

The US also imports a lot of agricultural produce from Mexico such as tomatoes, avocados and berries. Tariff hike could push up their prices. Costlier imports of oil and lumber from Canada could push up prices at the gas pump and construction products.
Jammu, Feb 1 : J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha on Saturday hailed the Union Budget for 2025-2026, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament.

The Lt Governor posted on X: "My heartfelt thanks to Hon'ble Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman Ji for a pragmatic Budget for Viksit Bharat. Grateful to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for putting economy on a fast-track and bold development initiatives for poor, youth, farmers and women.

"Big boost to the middle class. The revised tax rate structure is a historic move to bring change in the lives of middle class. Hon'ble PM has also provided huge relief to taxpayers by raising the TDS limit on rent, enhancing social security and formalising the gig economy."

He said that Budget 2025-26 reflects India's growing aspiration for accelerated growth and to stimulate private sector investments.

"The focus on agricultural growth with various initiatives including Agri District Programme seeks to translate the vision of rural prosperity and social equity. India is the fastest-growing among all major global economies and this budget will further boost infrastructure sector, MSMEs, energy sector, innovation, employment generation, and push transformative reforms in key sectors for more inclusive and more sustainable growth," he said

The Union Budget has mostly been welcomed by middle class, hoteliers. Industrialists and other business community members. Javaid Ahmad Tenga, president of Kashmir chamber of commerce & industry has said that the setting up of 50 new tourist destinations, increase in the annual income tax exemption up to Rs 12 lakhs and allocation for start-ups would benefit people across the board.

Javaid Ahmad Tenga, however, said the reduction in the budget allocation for Jammu and Kashmir had come as a disappointment to the business community.

There has been expression some confusion by the people belonging to the middle class as to the alleged mismatch between the finance ministeras statement about no income tax up to Rs 12 lakh income per year and the tax table released that makes only Rs 3 lakh non-taxable per year.
Mahakumbhnagar, Feb 1 : Spiritual guru and the Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday and visited Mahakumbhnagar for meditation during the Mahakumbh.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar arrived at the Mahakumbh in his private jet with 10 to 12 disciples from various countries.

The Uttar Pradesh CM gave a grand welcome to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and presented him with a shawl and a basket of fruits.

At the time of the arrival of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's convoy, CM Yogi Adityanath held an important meeting with senior officials of the state.

Sudarshan Kriya has been organised at the Mahakumbh under the leadership of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in which devotees from different countries, including Germany, Dubai, Japan, and the US, will participate.

According to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's disciple Rishabh Prabhat, the trinity of meditation, yoga, and spirituality will flow continuously in Mahakumbhnagar from February 1 to 5.

Nearly 250 super luxury cottages have been prepared for foreign guests and devotees.

Along with modern facilities, a glimpse of Indian culture will also be seen in these cottages.

The arrival of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on this auspicious occasion of Maha Kumbh will provide an experience of spiritual peace not only to the devotees from the country but also to those from foreign countries.

Earlier on Saturday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar accompanied by his spouse Sudesh Dhankhar visited the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj where he took a holy dip and lauded the administration for the "amazing arrangements".

Hailing Mahakumbh as a historic event, the Vice President praised the unprecedented gathering of crores of devotees. He also lauded the administration's "amazing" arrangements, calling them unimaginable.

Vice President Dhankhar commended Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the administration for performing a miracle.

Commenting on the organisation of the event, the Vice President spoke about the way the administration swiftly handled an unfortunate incident (referring to the recent unfortunate episode of a stampede) during the event.

Jagdeep Dhankhar noted that the number of people attending the Mahakumbh was equivalent to the population of the US.

The Vice President also highlighted the provision of over one lakh toilets and free meals for thousands.

Terming it as one of the happiest moments of his life, he said: "When I took a dip, I realized there is no country like India."

He credited CM Yogi Adityanath's dedication, ability, and cultural knowledge for making this unprecedented event possible, saying: "When service to the nation is in the mind, miracles happen."

A special plane was arranged for the Vice President's travel.

The Mahakumbh celebrations have been attracting millions of devotees from around the world.

Earlier, to ensure the safety and well-being of all pilgrims, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government announced strict measures to avoid disruptions during this period.

In line with the vision of CM Yogi, the administration will ensure a seamless experience for all pilgrims by enforcing this policy.

No VIP privileges will be allowed on these critical bathing days or surrounding dates, ensuring that pilgrims can participate in the holy rituals without facing inconveniences like route changes or delays caused by VIP movement.

The policy has been communicated well in advance, and the government is committed to maintaining strict implementation during the event.
Patna, Feb 1 : Senior BJP leader and spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain hailed the Union Budget 2025-26 as a historic milestone for Bihar, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "opened the treasury" for the state.

"This Budget is not just a roadmap for 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) but also for 'Viksit Bihar' (Developed Bihar)," he said.

Speaking about the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha, Hussain emphasised that the extensive allocations for Bihar reaffirmed PM Modi's commitment to the state's progress.

"This budget proves once again that PM Modi deeply cares for Bihar and its people. His vision is to see Bihar flourish and fulfill the dreams of its citizens," he said.

Shahnawaz Hussain also praised Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for wearing a Mithila painting saree, gifted by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, while presenting the Budget.

He stated: "This gesture reflects the Finance Minister's deep respect for Bihar's rich heritage and its people."

Calling the Budget 2025-26 a blueprint for Bihar's development, Hussain expressed profound gratitude to PM Modi and FM Sitharaman for prioritizing Bihar's needs.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, also known as, Lalan Singh meanwhile criticised Tejashwi Yadav for calling the Union Budget 2025-26 "disappointing and hollow".

Singh dismissed Yadav's remarks as baseless, asserting that the budget introduces several new and transformative initiatives for Bihar.

Reacting to Tejashwi Yadav's claim that the Budget contains "nothing new", Lalan Singh retorted: "Is the expansion of Patna and Bihta airports an old announcement? Are the new Greenfield airports, the National Food Processing Institute, and the establishment of a Makhana Board all previous announcements? Tejashwi Yadav knows nothing about development."

"He knows nothing about governance. His father and mother are known for 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar, and he has no interest in development," he added.

Singh emphasised that the Union Budget 2025-26 lays the foundation for a progressive and developed Bihar, with major investments in infrastructure, agriculture, education, and industry.
Patna, Feb 2 : The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) successfully conducted the first day of the Class 12 board exams on Saturday, across 1,677 examination centres in the state.

The exams were held in two shifts, with strict security measures in place to ensure a fair and smooth process.

Despite strict vigilance, 81 students were expelled for cheating. The highest number of cases were reported in Sheikhpura where 34 students were expelled. Followed by 25 students in Madhepura, eight students in Gopalganj, seven in Nawada, three in Saran, two in Vaishali, one in Patna and 1 in Munger.

To prevent malpractice, BSEB implemented frisking at two levels, deployment of three-tier magistrates, adequate police presence, and CCTV surveillance.

Additionally, students were required to enter the exam centre one hour before the exam, with gates closing 30 minutes prior to the start.

The first shift started from 09:30 AM a" 12:45 PM and 50,4657 students appeared for the examination in Biology and Philosophy.

The second shift started from 02:00 PM a" 05:15 PM of Economics. A total of 75,281 candidates appeared in the examination.

In Patna district, 85 examination centres were set up, with 26,431 students appeared for Biology & Philosophy and 9,858 students appeared for Economics.

A total of 152 model examination centres were established across the state, with four centres in each district exclusively for female students.

At these centres, all invigilators, police personnel, and magistrates were women. Additionally, the centres were decorated with flowers, balloons, and carpets, and provided special help desks for the convenience of female candidates.

Anand Kishore, Chairman of BSEB, conducted surprise inspections at multiple exam centres, including Government Girlsa High School, Shastrinagar, Government Boysa High School, Shastrinagar, K.B. Sahay High School, Dayanand High School, Mithapur, and Dayanand Girlsa High School, Mithapur.

During his visit, he reviewed the exam process with magistrates and centre superintendents and ensured strict compliance with board guidelines.

He also interacted with students inside the examination halls to assess their experience and gather feedback on the question papers. The Intermediate Annual Examination 2025 will continue until February 15, 2025.
Abu Dhabi, Feb 2 : The Gulf Giants returned to winning ways as they coasted to a fantastic seven-wicket win over the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in a Season 3 clash of the ILT20 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium here on Saturday. The win sees the Gulf Giants climb the ladder to the third spot and does a world of good to their playoff chances. The result also means the MI Emirates joined the Desert Vipers as the two teams to have qualified for the playoffs.

Needing a win to stay alive in the competition, the Gulf Giants were brilliant with the ball as they stifled the Knight Riders for 123. In response, they rode on a superb 70-run partnership between Gerhard Erasmus and Tom Curran and some late pinch-hitting by Shimron Hetmyer to clinch the victory.

The Gulf Giants got off the blocks well in what appeared to be a straightforward chase. However, David Willey worked his magic on the ball as he picked up two wickets in as many deliveries to put the opposition in a worrisome spot. James Vince played the ball onto his stumps to depart for seven and Willey trapped Jordan Cox LBW on the next ball to give his side a fighting chance.

The Giants scored 27/2 in the Power-play, just three runs more than how many their opponents managed at the same stage. A disciplined bowling effort from Willey and Sunil Narine curtailed the Giants' batting as they were restricted to 50/2 at the halfway stage.

But it was just a matter of time before Erasmus and Curran found their groove, and that happened in the 11th over. Curran let loose as he hit Andre Russell for a four, a six, and then a four to amass 17 much-needed runs.

That big over gave the Giants the impetus they needed as they got 12 more runs off Terrance Hinds in the 13th over. The Giants were on track at this point, at 82/2, and needed a run a ball from the remaining seven overs.

Curran and Erasmus worked out an impressive 70-run partnership, but Jason Holder found the breakthrough in the 15th over when Erasmus was caught at mid-off. Shimron Hetmyer joined Curran and made his intentions clear early on with a superb boundary. Narine, uncharacteristically, gave away four runs in extras as the Giants inched closer to the target.

Hetmyer displayed his big-hitting skills as he clobbered Irbar Ahmad for a maximum over deep midwicket and subsequently hit the winning runs to seal a remarkable seven-wicket victory for the Gulf Giants.

Earlier, the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders made a poor start when they lost both their openers - Kyle Mayers and Andries Gous - inside the opening three overs. They each made one run as the Knight Riders limped to 4/2. Roston Chase offered them some hope as he struck a few boundaries to lead them to 24/2 at the end of the powerplay.

He departed for 15 soon after to Blessing Muzarabani, and Willey entered the fray. The Englishman steadied the ship and teamed up with Joe Clarke to put up 29 runs for the fourth wicket. The runs, though, were hard to come by as the Knight Riders went through four overs without a boundary. They were precariously placed at 55/3 after 12 overs when Clarke fell to Chris Jordan.

The Knight Riders made plenty of changes to their batting order as Russell came in next. His arrival seemed to swing the fortunes in his side's favour as Willey launched two massive sixes before Russell hit a couple of boundaries. However, his stay at the crease was cut when Tom Curran dismissed him for 15.

With five overs to go, the Knight Riders were at 80/5 and were in dire need of some quick runs to put up a competitive total. Willey shouldered the responsibility and hit Mark Adair for a six, but the Irishman returned on the next delivery. Willey's resolute display came to an end after he made a crucial 41 off 29 deliveries.

Alishan Sharafu, the local boy who has been among the Knight Riders' better batsmen this season, was tasked with steering his side at the death overs. He got off the mark with a boundary, but the runs dried up thereon as the Knight Riders managed just three boundaries in the final four overs to put up a modest total of 123.

Sunil Narine, captain of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, said: "I think they bowled brilliantly and used the conditions to their advantage. We tried to take as many wickets as possible in the powerplay. We couldn't take many wickets in the middle overs and it became easier for them. Jason Holder has been doing a fantastic job with the bat and the ball. He assessed the conditions as best as possible. We are on the back foot, but we will be looking forward to that Mumbai-Sharjah game and are hoping for the best."

Player of the match, Dan Worrall, said: "Opening the bowling with Mark, we had to get us off to a good start. Our bowling group prides itself on diversity. Left arm, right arm, tall and short, we have a bit of everything. We're glad that we've at least given ourselves a fighting chance. We'll be crossing our fingers for the next couple of days."

Brief scores:

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders 123-7 in 20 overs (David Willey 41, Alishan Sharafu 21 not out, Chris Jordan 2-20, Mark Adair 2-25) lost to Gulf Giants 124/3 in 17.5 overs (Gerhard Erasmus 47, Tom Curran 38 not out, Shimron Hetmyer 20 not out, David Willey 2-17) by seven wickets
Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 1 : At the Maha Kumbh Mela on Saturday, a special 118-member foreign delegation, including diplomats and Heads of Missions from 77 countries, took a scared dip at the Triveni Sangam in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj along with their spouses and expressed their happiness on this auspicious occasion.

The ambassadors of various countries and their families appreciated the Indian culture and spirituality and hailed the arrangements made at this huge spiritual and religious event.

The delegation expressed gratitude to the Central and Uttar Pradesh governments and described reaching this holy place as a unique experience.

Seeing this historic occasion of Mahakumbh, several members of the delegation gained a deep understanding and respect for Indian culture.

Colombia's Ambassador Victor Chaveri said: "It was a wonderful experience of my life. This is an opportunity that everyone should experience once in a lifetime. It is a very special experience to feel the spirituality and power of the people here in Mahakumbh. Indian culture is extremely rich and the message here is for peace and humanity. When you see so many people engrossed in spirituality here at the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati, one feels a strange power."

Diana, wife of the Russian Ambassador, said: "I would like to thank the Indian Ministry of External Affairs for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this sacred event. I got a lot of spiritual peace after bathing here and I am very impressed by the safety, organisation, and cleanliness of the water here. Indian culture is very diverse and deep-rooted, and it is great to see that people here preserve and follow it."

Slovakia's Ambassador Robert said: "The experience was unforgettable. The energy and peace here have left a deep impression on me. The main message of this event is peace and unity, and it should be spread throughout the world. I would like to congratulate the Indian government, Uttar Pradesh government, and its people for organising this grand event."

Cuban Ambassador Juan Carlos Marjan said: "The religious event was truly wonderful. Lakhs of people here became a part of this religious event, and I was proud to see how rich and deep Indian culture is. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of this great event."

Ecuadorian Ambassador Fernando said: "When I was a child, I always dreamed that one day I would bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges. Today that dream has come true, and it was a very spiritual experience for me. I am learning a lot about Indian culture, like yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation. The atmosphere here is very peaceful and spiritual, and I am very happy to be here."

Senior BJP leader and MLA Siddharth Nath Singh said: "Our arrangements and facilities provided at the Maha Kumbh are of world-class quality and we have been in constant contact with the Ministry of External Affairs. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also said that many people want to come to Maha Kumbh, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has invited everyone here."

He also added: "Ambassadors and High Commissioners of many countries have come here and they are very happy to be here. These people want to get acquainted with the culture and spirituality of India. These people also took bath in Sangam -- the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati today."

Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister A.K. Sharma said: "Till now more than 30 crore people from India and abroad have come and taken a dip in the Maha Kumbh. Apart from this, a large number of people are still coming here. What the Uttar Pradesh government was saying is that 45-50 crore people will come to take a sacred dip, that figure seems to be proving true."

"People who come here and take a dip are leaving happy. People are very impressed by the environment and arrangements here. Today we have foreign guests from many countries among us, and there is happiness on the faces of all of them. We also told these people about the mythological importance of this place," Sharma added.
For Kelly Yangbest known for her popular Front Desk middle grade series, a humorous and clear-eyed account of the ups and downs of immigrant life in America in the early 1990sthe journey to picture books was circular, and surprising. The contemporary picture book format is economical in words but expansive in emotional impact. Yang drafted her narrative picture book debut, Little Bird Laila, which tells the story of a Chinese American child who translates for her immigrant parents, in 2017. But it sat on my computer, she says via phone from her home in Los Angeles. I knew I wanted to write about this experience. I knew the beginning, but I didnt know how to take it all the way home. I couldnt think through the entire arc of the story.

Yang had thought shed be happy writing middle grade and YA fiction for a long time. She said as much in a 2020 interview with PW: Picture books are amazing, but theyre so challenging to write. I have an inability to keep it simple. She now laughs at this recollection. She persevered and, in April, Dial will publish Little Bird Laila.

I wanted to write a story about this particular aspect of my life, Yang says. My mom would call me her little bird. She would say, Come here, little bird  and ask Yang to translate a bank statement or loan application. I wanted this story to be a picture book, because I wanted to visually see a kid who feels triumphant in one moment, but also burdened in another, and its all so overwhelming.

Lailas predicament is ubiquitous, Yang says. Its universal; a lot of families tackle this issue. And maybe its not about English, but theres something thats different that we have to try to understand and explain to our parents, like, heres how the college admissions process works, or, heres how to get a loan. For my mom, that was such a mystery, and it took all of us figuring it out together for us to feel like we had a chance in this country. I remember feeling this strong sense that I was important. I wanted that to be on the page.

Illustrator Xindi Yan captures the spectrum of emotions that come with translating for a parent, and Yang was thrilled with her artwork. Theres a heartbreaking scene in this book where other kids realize Lailas parents cant read English, and Laila feels both a sense of protectiveness over her parents, but also pride in this job, Yang says. This family is going through hard times, but Xindi does a good job of capturing their joy.

Yang often has adult readers in mind when she writes. When I read picture books, I always read them with my 11-year-old daughter, she says. Its super fun if a book can start a conversation; thats an opportunity for me to tell her something about my life. Theres opportunity all over this book. Its often prohibitively expensive for new immigrants to come up with the money and the time to learn a new language. It allows kids and their caregivers to talk about issues of equity and the realities of life.

She also hopes that adults who have had the experience of translating for their parents, like her, feel seen and can talk about it, she says. It can be a bonding experiencebeautiful, funny, empowering.

Yang came to the United States from China at age six and, as a tween, helped her parents manage motels in Southern California, where they settledoften by taking charge of the front desk. A bit of a prodigy, at 13 she entered University of CaliforniaBerkeley, where she studied political science, and then went to Harvard Law School, also as a teenager. Shortly after earning her degree, she left the legal field in pursuit of writing for children.

Her debut, Front Desk (2018), drew inspiration from real life: Mia Tang, age 10, manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms. The book was a bestseller and was awarded the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Literature and named a PW best book, among many other honors. Its success spawned foursoon to be fivesequels. Yangs YA novel Parachutes, about sexual misconduct at an elite private school, is based on her own experiences at Harvard.

Immigrant life is a central concern in Yangs works, alongside themes of identity, the struggle to find ones voice or to be heard, and family and friendship. Little Bird Laila, she says, illuminates an immigrant familys early days of navigating a new language and culture. In Front Desk, we skipped over the initial phase of being a newcomer calling the utilities company to make sure the lights stay on; Little Bird Laila is a prequel, of sorts.

Yangs other 2025 release, Chefs Secret (Scholastic Press, June), is the sixth book in her Front Desk series and is told from the point of view of Jason Yao, Mias tormentor in Front Desk. At its heart, the series is about not judging people or coming to conclusions about them until you understand what theyve gone through, Yang says. Readers have had a lot of judgment about Jason, some of it rightfully so, because he was a bit of a booger in the first book. In this volume, fans learn Jasons backstoryhis secrets, his talents, his fears. Hes going to steal your heart, she adds.

Yangs work has landed in the crosshairs of book banners: Front Desk was challenged in Plainedge (N.Y.) School District for being anti-racist, because racism targeting Chinese and Mexican immigrants, as well as institutional racism directed against Black Americans, is an explicit topic of the book. She has also been vocal about surging xenophobia against Asian Americans during the pandemic; New from Here (2023) follows an Asian American boy fighting to keep his family together and standing up to racism during the initial outbreak of Covid-19.

Little Bird Laila is a vital resource, Yang says, especially during these turbulent political times. Its critically important that we make everyone feel like they are part of this country, that they belong here, that they have a voice, that theyre being seen. My own parents have been citizens forever, but with these deportations that may be coming, they wonder whether we are going to be impacted as citizens. This is a reality of being an immigrant in this countrywe dont know whats going to happen, which is why its so important that books like this convey to people that our stories and our lives are permanent, no matter who is in power.

Pooja Makhijani is a writer and editor in New Jersey.
No one can ignore the tumultuous shifts happening across the internet and their implications for fostering online community within the publishing industry. In recent months, major changes to platforms such as X, updates to Meta policies (which will impact Facebook, Instagram, and Threads), and the uncertain future of TikTok have many users reconsidering which online spaces to show up to, or whether to show up at all. For the childrens publishing industry, which is in the midst of its own social media shuffle, this means finding new places for the kid lit community to thrive.

At X, the shifts have included the implementation of paid subscriptions, and most notably the replacement of third-party fact checking with community notes edited by users on the platform. The vibe shift had been looming: Twitter grew increasingly toxic and combative in the years leading up to the 2016 election, says author-illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and users began to leave in droves as X owner Elon Musk forged closer ties with Donald Trump in the run up to the 2024 election.

Back when X was still Twitter, it was the hub for childrens publishing networking and community. The kid lit community was so vibrant, says Kate McKean, VP at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. It was a net good for writers in how it gave them access to information and opportunities in the traditional publishing world that they might not have had access to otherwise. It was great for agents and editors, too. You got what you put into it.

Author Laurel Snyder, who left the platform last November, says, In the very early days, I genuinely loved Twitter. It felt sort of loose and messy and full of serendipity. Some of my very best friendships to this day are with people I initially met on Twitter.

Twitter was once beloved, but it was never perfect. Even before Musk bought the company in 2022, interactions easily slipped into combative or hostile conversation, leading to trolling. Snyder is one of many who have been victims of online harassment on the platform, with an incident in 2019 that forced her to temporarily step away. I cant imagine how much worse it might be these days when something like that goes down, Snyder says. All the guardrails seem to be gone.

Whats Next?

Though many have left, X isnt the land of tumbleweeds just yet. Some have stuck around for a variety of reasons, including the difficulty of recreating their networks on a myriad of bubbling platforms. The exodus was refracting into too many places to really successfully migrate the community, says author Ryan La Sala, who is still active on X. Now, were all just posting on nine platforms at once, and its a very strange and strained cacophony.

X is certainly quieter these days, La Sala says. The community is different without its veteran publishing names, and without the sanctimonious scolds in the kid lit community. At first this was an unexpected relief, but now I find I miss even them. The consensus seems to be that golden era of kid lit Twitter has come to an end, but as for what comes next, theres hesitation.

I think a lot of people got burned by Book Twitter communities collapsing, says Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency. When youve invested so much time in a place, only to see it wrecked so quickly, its hard to think about rebuilding elsewhere when youve got that fear it might happen again.

The hustle to find the next platform that could house the childrens publishing community came with many questions. As the community explored alternative online spaces (Mastodon, Discord, and others), there was no consensusuntil one platform seemed to rise above the others: Bluesky. The social app, which started as a research project at Twitter undertaken by cofounder Jack Dorsey but has been an independent company since 2021, has jumped from nine million users last September to 20 million in November, according to ZDNet.

Bluesky is the platform Im most optimistic about, says author Kate Messner. The kid lit community there is still very much a work in progress, but Im hopeful its going to be a place where people who care about books and young people can continue to connect in meaningful ways to do good work in the world.

Krosoczka agrees, noting that Bluesky feels like early-days Twitteran energy many are hoping to recreate, sans the hostility that Twitter and X became known for.

When it comes to the ins and outs of Bluesky, many have turned to author-illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi, who has been a prominent voice there. As an early adopter (she joined in June 2023), shed decided that Bluesky had the most potential and took up the mantle to help other members of the childrens publishing industry find each other during a trying transitional phase. Along with fellow creators Charlene Chua, Brian Kirby, and a host of volunteer moderators, Ohi offers starter packs (compiled lists of users, such as High School English Teachers or YA agents) and MegaFeeds that center on childrens book news, allowing users to find the community theyd lost in the changeover.

Im cautiously optimistic about Bluesky, which still feels like a safe and community-focused space to me, despite its growing popularity, Ohi says. Social media actually feels social.

Another option in light of the X-odus has been Threads, which launched in 2023. But Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the social media company will be ending its fact-checking program and shifting to community notes, like X. And while Threads enjoyed a bump in traffic post-election, according to the Wrap, with these changes, Threads could share Xs fate. (A Meta platform is no better than Twitter, says Dutton Books executive editor Andrew Karre.)

La Sala joined Threads in 2023 but says theyve given up on the platform, predicting there will be an over-correction into a territory that will make the app not only un-fun but dangerous. So, goodbye!

Krosoczka notes, Since Metas use of AI has been

dubious, and with the recently announced closing of its fact-checking program, I see people swearing off the use of Instagram and Threads. The fact that Threads is the newest Meta platform makes it the easiest of all the Meta platforms to step away from, because we arent as entangled in it. The ball is in Blueskys court.

Vibe Check

Kate McKean VP, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency The kid lit community [on Twitter] was so vibrant. It was great for agents and editors, too. You got what you put into it.

Ryan La Sala Author Now, were all just posting on nine platforms at once, and its a very strange and strained cacophony.

Jarrett J. Krosoczka Author & Illustrator My platform of choice is texting with my friends in the kid lit community. Im over trying to find the next shiny new thing.

Chloe Gong Author I think many of us are just kind of baffled and are still holding on hope that TikTok will be saved. There will definitely be a void if TikTok is banned.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi Author & Illustrator I dont think well ever be able to recapture the same innocence of early social media days, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. The world has changed, and social media changes along with it.

Banned together

TikTok users are also scrambling to figure out what comes next during a tumultuous time for the app. A ban on TikTok that was introduced in 2020 by Trump and was set to take place on Jan. 19, 2025, left users unable to access the app for approximately 12 hours. Access was restored for another 75 days just before Trumps second inauguration via an executive order, with the future of the platform still up in the air.

The book community on TikTok, known as BookTok, has had a significant impact on the childrens publishing industry, acting as a space for readers to find new writers, and catapulting authors careers to new heights. One such author is Lynn Painter, whose 2021 YA romance Better Than the Movies became a BookTok favorite. Painter describes TikTok as a magical word-of-mouth machine thats single-handedly responsible for my books landing in so many new readers hands.

Georgia Henry, director of the Pitch Agency, a U.K. marketing agency, notes that the reaction from the BookTok community to the ban has been mixed, with many not wanting to believe what could be their reality.

Author Chloe Gong says of the writer community, I think many of us are just kind of baffled and are still holding on hope that TikTok will be saved. There will definitely be a void if TikTok is banned.

Readers on TikTok have dictated trends, created bestsellers out of backlist and self-published titles, and helped the industry to find new writers. But finding the next BookTok blockbuster has become a priority in acquisitions, which has created a flattening effect in the industry, Gong says. BookTok is so successful when it works that the industry at large has simplified its marketing efforts to favor BookTok virality. I would be sad over the loss of the app, as it means less opportunity for writers to get in front of the reader directly. But on the other hand, I hope a loss would force course correction in the traditional publishing industry to support a variety of books and diversify which writers it puts its energy behind.

If it takes effect, the TikTok ban will be felt across the industry. Its a shame to lose a space where creators have found successful homes, but writers and readers are resilient, Painter says. I am positive they will find a new place to lay down their amazing content.

Users are preparing to pivot. According to Reuters, in the days preceding the initial TikTok ban, close to three million new U.S. users flocked to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media app also known as RedNote. I dont know if itll have staying power and if the BookTok community will form there, Gong says. But I do think its funny to tell my relatives in China that the possible ban of TikTok is what got me onto their platform.

Henry points to YouTube as another potential BookTok replacement. This comes in line with a wider industry push for long-form content, a format that has been heading for a renaissance long before talk of the TikTok ban.

Substacks and personal blogs are also alternative paths, highlighting the desire of some to see longform content creation make a comeback and also have more control over their work. Its a good reminder to all of usand particularly authorsto build online presences we can control, Karre says. Im pleased to see newsletters and personal blogs spring to life again alongside less centralized social platforms like Bluesky.

There is a feeling of fatigue when it comes to platform hopping, leaving many with the sense of leaving a party that died out too soon, and everyone clambering to find the best after-party. It has been exhausting to keep up with, Krosoczka says. Every author I chat with is exasperated.

For some, the answer might be letting the after-party go on without them. My platform of choice is texting with my friends in the kid lit community, Krosoczka adds. Im over trying to find the next shiny new thing.

This social media shakeup has some considering the purpose of being online. It gives us an opportunity to step back and reflect on our valueson what we want from social media in the first place, on who we want to be there and how we might lift up others via our platforms, Messner says. The chance to reset is an opportunity to follow people who share those values and want to build positive supportive communities together.

My hope for the future is that well find ways to talk productively and enthusiastically about books we love and books were excited about, and where we want things to be going, says Cheryl Klein, editorial director of Workman Kids, who migrated from X to Bluesky. Because I feel like that sort of discussion has gotten lost in the last five or so years.

But whats become clear through this process is it was never truly about the platforms themselves. Kid lit was on Twitter, but it wasnt Twitter that defined kid lit, McKean says.

And even divided across several apps, the kid lit community, as always, remains hopeful. I dont think well ever be able to recapture the same innocence of early social media days, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, Ohi says. The world has changed, and social media changes along with it. It will be interesting to see where we all are, when the dust settles.
There are a few occupational hazards to being an editor in childrens publishing. One is how often people feel compelled to tell you their book ideassometimes in unexpected (and unwelcome) circumstances. We asked editors about the most unusual places theyve been pitched a childrens book.

Dana Leydig

Executive editor and associate publishing director, Viking Childrens Books

I was pitched a book mid-labor at the hospital, by the anesthesiologist who came in to do my epidural. He was very polite, asking what I do for a living, and I told him Im a childrens book editor. Well, that got him all charged up. He started pitching me this book that not only wasnt for kids but was so niche, I struggled to think of who the target audience might be. He did all this while pinballing around the room preparing for the procedure. Youd think this would make me more anxious, but it actually took my mind off what was about to happen when I stopped to think of the absurdity of it all. Needless to say, I did not offer to review his material. And while I cant speak to his future as an author, he earns top marks for his medical skills. The rest of my labor was a breeze.

Christopher Franceschelli

President, Handprint Books/Chronicle

Years ago, I was returning home from Boston, as usual very late for a plane at Logan. Clutching my work bag and with several childrens book catalogs under my arm, I tried to rush through security, grateful that neither I nor my bag triggered the metal detector. So I was surprised and dismayed when the TSA agent pulled me aside. No, there was absolutely nothing suspicious, the agent assured me, but hed noticed the catalogs and figured if he detained me, he might get a few pointers on how to get published. In fact, he had a childrens book manuscript in his break room hed happily give me if only I might just wait another minute or two.... That was a manuscript that never got read.

Frances Gilbert

VP, editor in chief, Doubleday Books for Young Readers

I once bought a pair of shoes on eBay. The seller must have Googled my name when she got my mailing info, because the shoes arrived with a picture book manuscript inside the box.

Karen Boss

Senior editor, Charlesbridge

I was recently at a social event at a friends house, and an older man asked what I do for a living. I said Im a childrens book editor, something I often dont share because the chance for pitches is so high. He said, How often does someone try to pitch you a book after you tell them that? I replied, Way too often, and I laughed kindly. He stopped for a beat and then said, Well, its my sons bookso Im going to tell you about it. And off he went. He stopped short of pushing for my contact info or to ask if his son could be in touch, which I very much appreciated!

Jean Feiwel

SVP and publisher, Feiwel and Friends

Ive always wanted to recount this story! Early on in my career I was at a conference in Dallas. I was meant to give a speech. I was very nervous and broke out in a case of hives all over my body. One of our sales reps very nicely drove me to a local clinic. I was seen very quickly, went into a changing space and put on a gown. When I came out to meet the doctor, he was looking at my chart and said, I see youre in childrens books. I have a great story for kids. Do you mind if I tell it to you? He did tell it to me. I dont remember what he said. All I remember was getting some kind of antihistamineand itching throughout the conference.

Liesa Abrams

VP, editor in chief, Labyrinth Road

My two greatest/worst book pitch stories ever were from a dentist while he was removing my wisdom teeth, and from a rabbi who was about to speak at my grandmothers funeral. In the former, I was under local anesthetic but wide awake and obviously couldnt speak while I had to listen to this dentist detail his winning idea for a childrens adventure story. He must have just been excited to have a trapped audience, because he clearly knew I couldnt give him feedback! At my grandmothers funeral, the rabbi introduced himself to me before the service and then said, I hear youre an editor of books for kids. I was immediately on guard, but couldnt quite fathom hed really be so brazen. Well, he wasbecause the next words out of his mouth were, Im working on this project you might be interested in.... Thankfully, neither the dentist nor the rabbi followed up with me.

Zoie Konneker

Assistant editor, Peachtree

One of my guilty pleasures is having my astrological chart read by an astrologer once a year at the Renaissance Fair. Each reading takes up to 20 minutes and is, of course, very expensive. The last time I sat for a reading, the astrologer asked how much I knew about astrology. I admitted that I was very interested in the subject and eager to learn more. The reading went on as usual, but once we got to discussing the 10th housethe position in the sky that rules your careerI explained that I was an editorial assistant at a childrens book publisher and accidentally derailed the session for a full 10 minutes.

Seizing her opportunity, she pitched me a picture book she had written to explain astrology to young children. I listened in horror. At that time, I had no power over acquisitions, and I could tell by her description that even if the project was absolutely fabulous, it wasnt a good fit for the publisher I worked for. I felt completely caught off guard and terrified to hurt her feelings. I tried to be encouraging and get the reading back on track. After it was over, she asked a few more questions about publishing and I took her card, but unfortunately, nothing came of it. I hope one day she gets to publish that bookI would definitely buy it!

Mark Siegel

Editorial director, First Second Books

Does an unusual location on the calendar count? Nothing like receiving a pitch at 7:30 a.m. on January 1st.

Jill Santopolo

VP and publisher, Philomel Books

When I first started working in childrens editorial, I thought that being pitched a childrens book manuscript at a family friends bridal shower was jaw-droppingthat is, until my dad started getting pitched childrens books on my behalf. My father was an endodontist, and while he was performing a root canal on a patient, the patient said to him, I heard your daughter is a childrens book editor. I wrote a manuscript I think she might like. My dad listened to the synopsis while he drilled, and then gave the patient my email address. When he called to tell me about it, he said he hoped hed found me the next Harry Potter. He, of course, had not, though I did appreciate his enthusiasm and desire to help. But since those were the days of slush piles, I told him to please give my mailing address from then on. He did end up sending a few other patients my way, but, disappointingly to him, I never published any of them.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/31/2025



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alum Rachael Kirkconnell has revealed why Matt James allegedly thought she wasn't marriage material.Matt, who gave his final rose to Rachael on 's Season 25 finale that aired in early 2021, broke up with Rachael during a recent trip to Tokyo and then publicly announced their split via Instagram on January 16 without giving Rachael any warning."I think that he felt the weight of marriage really heavily on him. I think that's for him to discuss why... I never knew if it was because something was wrong with me," Rachael said during the January 28 episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast."I keep trying to tell myself there's nothing wrong with me, even though it feels like it sometimes. But I ask myself, 'Is it me or is it him? Is it something he needs to figure out... [or] that scares him? Is there something he went through growing up and he has this trauma now?'"Based on Rachael's side of the story, Matt dumped and blindsided Rachel because he doesn't view her as his perfect person.While Rachael told Alex Cooper that she and Matt "didn't argue a lot," Matt allegedly saw flaws in Rachael and called them out at the end of their relationship."We were both pretty stubborn and so we both thought that they were in the right and we were in the wrong," Rachael shared."We just had a hard time seeing eye to eye sometimes. I was always trying to remind him that we are on the same side... and we are a team."Rachael claimed that when Matt dumped her during their recent trip to Tokyo, he took a jab at her."He basically said that I have a hard time taking accountability and apologizing," Rachael alleged."And I'm sitting here going crazy because I feel like I do say sorry a lot -- for things I'm not even sure what I'm saying sorry for!... We had a hard time understanding where we were each coming from. And now, I still feel crazy."Rachael said that when she'd sit down with Matt to tell him that she was annoyed about something, she would be the one "saying sorry" at the end of the conversation."It was one of those things where I went into the conversation irritated with him and then I leave the conversation hoping he's not irritated with me -- and I'm sorry and I don't want him to be mad at me," Rachael said.Rachael explained that she often apologized to Matt because he was "so adamant" that she had a hard time admitting she was wrong or at fault."When your partner is telling you those things, you want to believe them and say, 'Okay, this is a problem I have.' If this is something you're really upset about, of course I want to try to do what I can to fix that," Rachael explained."It almost worried me that he was going to leave me or break up with me or that I wasn't good enough."Matt did, in fact, choose to leave Rachael after she had a little bit of "a meltdown" at dinner in Tokyo the night before she was scheduled to leave and head back to Atlanta, GA, for a friend's baby shower.Rachael said she had her period and got a little emotional about picking a bad spot for dinner, which Matt -- a food influencer on social media -- found "concerning" and confusing."He was trying to express to me, like, 'If you get emotional about things like this, what is going to happen in life when something really terrible happens? How are you going to react to things that are actually really scary, disappointing or sad?'" Rachael recalled.Rachael said she felt like she was "being punished for crying" and Matt's reaction was "so weird."The next morning, Rachael said she felt like she was bothering Matt by showing him things on her phone and so it sparked an argument about who was actually in the wrong."He let out everything I guess he had been feeling for a while, I don't know," Rachael said."He said that, at the end of the day, there were qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife, like, at the end of the day, there are things we are not compatible with."Rachael continued, "The whole accountability and saying sorry and all of that was really the main thing."Rachael said it seemed like Matt had "a realization" in that moment that they weren't right for each other."[He said], 'I should want to propose to you. At this point in our relationship... I should be ready for that, but I'm not still. I still 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,'" Rachael claimed."He said that maybe one day he would get there but he doesn't feel ready now."Rachael continued, "And I told him, 'Well, I feel like after four years, you should know -- or you should feel ready -- and if you don't, then that's not a good thing. We probably shouldn't be together if you don't feel like that after four years because you know me better than anyone, and I know you better than anyone.'"Rachael then asked Matt if he was battling something internally or just thought his "perfect person" was still out there."He came to the conclusion that he didn't think it wasn't me," Rachael lamented."He said he didn't want me to end up resenting him by wasting more of my time if [an engagement] wouldn't happen. And yeah, he just said, 'You're beautiful, smart and funny and you'll find someone. You'll find a guy who will love you for you.' But, yeah, he didn't think it was him."Rachael acknowledged how it was "a lot" to take in and she just said, "Okay," in her response to Matt and then left for her flight from Tokyo to Georgia.But Rachael said she felt "pure shock" and "so much confusion" about Matt's decision considering he had been so vocal in the media about his desire to propose marriage to her and start a family in the near future."I think he does really love me and he wanted it to work out, and I think he wanted to picture it... and it would be easy and make sense, like, that was the next step naturally in our relationship," Rachael reasoned."I think he just wanted it to work... but he still doesn't think that I am the person for him. Maybe he was trying to see if he could get there or convince himself that it was the right thing."Rachael, to this day, doesn't know if Matt had dumped her out of anger or spite.And when looking back on her disputes with Matt, Rachael said she's not sure if she deserved how she was treated.Rachael said she's been replaying comments Matt had made about an engagement and their future together over and over again in her mind because "the words were there... but the actions obviously weren't there."Rachael, for example, admitted it was "probably a red flag" that Matt didn't want to live with her until they got married. She also struggled to trust the former star, even though she said he had never cheated on her.Rachael, however, had convinced herself that their living arrangement was fine because Matt is a religious man and they spent so much time together traveling.Now that Rachael is single again, she's hoping to find independence and a sense of confidence that she was apparently lacking for years while dating Matt and being in his shadow."When you picture your life, you have an idea of what it's going to look like. And now, I have no idea what life is going to look like from here on out. I was picturing these kids that are obviously no longer a thing," Rachael said in tears."That's probably one of the saddest things about it... Now, it's all taken away."Interested in more news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Rain likely. Low near 45F. WSW winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low near 45F. WSW winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
A maymester in Oxford. Summer in Cortona. Winter in Australia. When it comes to studying abroad, the options for University of Georgia students are almost endless. While going abroad is often an eye-opening and exciting experience, there are many financial, mental or physical challenges students may encounter as well.
To tap Indian civil aviation market's growth potential, the government on Saturday announced a modified regional air connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) to connect 120 new destinations, airport projects in Bihar and upgradation of infrastructure for air cargo in the Union Budget.

IMAGE: Dense fog engulfs the Jayprakash Narayan International Airport, in Patna on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Photo

However, the allocation for the civil aviation ministry in the Budget 2025-26 has been cut by nearly 10 per cent to Rs 2,400 crore and the money set aside for the UDAN scheme has also been reduced by 32 per cent to Rs 540 crore.

In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel.

"Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts," the minister said.

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said the budget reinforces the government's commitment to enhancing regional connectivity with the idea of 'Ease of Travel'.

"UDAN is more than just a transportation initiative; it is about bringing aspirations and opportunities closer to people. Having already enabled 1.5 crore passengers to experience affordable air travel, our target is to extend this benefit to 4 crore more in the next decade," he said in a statement issued by the ministry.

The number of air passengers annually has surpassed 350 million. and over the past ten years, domestic air passenger traffic has been growing at an annual rate of 10-12 per cent while the number of airports has more than doubled to 159.

"We are committed to developing 50 more airports in the next 5 years," the ministry said.

UDAN, under which the government provides viability gap funding for airlines, has so far connected 88 airports and has helped operationalise 619 routes.

Under the scheme, the airfare for a one-hour journey by a 'fixed wing aircraft' or half an hour's journey by a helicopter for about 500 kilometres, has been fixed at Rs 2,500. Apart from viability gap funding to airlines, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has waived the airport fee for UDAN flights.

Further, the state governments concerned provide security, electricity, and fire-fighting facilities free of cost.

Meanwhile, Sitharaman said greenfield will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state.

"These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta," she noted.

Bihar is set to go to polls later this year.

Sitharaman also said the government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce.

"Cargo screening and customs protocols will be streamlined and made user friendly," she added.

India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation markets and air traffic demand is on the rise.

Poonam Verma Sengupta, Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors, said civil aviation has received an allocation of Rs 2,400 crores in the budget.

"It is nearly a 10 per cent cut, which is likely to impact the regional air connectivity scheme UDAN. The UDAN scheme has been extended for another 10 years to connect 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next decade," she said.

The government is also focusing on the upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo, including high-value perishable horticulture produce, she said and added that cargo screening and customs protocols are to be streamlined.
With assembly elections due in Bihar later this year, it has rained goodies for the state in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's latest Budget.

IMAGE: Finance Minister @nsitharaman proceeds from the ministry of finance to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Droupadi Murmu ahead of the Union Budget presentation, February 1, 2025. Photograph: @ddnewslive/X

With this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also sent a strong message to ally, Janata Dal-United President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, that their partnership remains intact and that they will be formidable partners at the hustings.

The Janata Dal-U has 12 Lok Sabha members whose support is crucial to the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government, as the BJP has only 240 MPs, short of 32 MPs for a simple majority.

On Saturday Sitharaman announced the setting up of a Makhana Board, financial support for western Kosi canal and support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna.

She also announced that the Centre will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar and also facilitate greenfield airports there to meet the future needs of the state.

Another overture to the state was Sitharaman's Madhubani painting sari she wore for her 8th consecutive budget presentation.

This sari was gifted to her by Madhubani artist Dulari Devi at the Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan during her visit in November 2024.

As the goodies kept coming for Bihar, Samajwadi Party President and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav got up and said, 'UP ke liye bhi kuch dete (you should have given something to Uttar Pradesh too).'

However, the other important NDA ally, the Telugu Desam Party, which has 16 Lok Sabha members, was not given similar treatment. Andhra Pradesh's loss, it seemed, was Bihar's gain.

'I thank her that she wore the sari today and gave a message. She has honoured Mithila area and Bihar.' JD-U national Working President Sanjay Kumar Jha posted on X.

'A game-changer for the region's agricultural economy,' Jha added.

Others on social media were not so charitable.

Sucheta Dalal, the well-known financial journalist and editor, wrote on X, 'Welcome to #BiharBudget25 --- airports, makhana, minerals and what not -- winning elections is important -- who cares about national GDP. Will Bihar also be encouraged to increase fertility levels with higher subsidies!'

Another netizen, Sumit Behal, wrote on X, 'Government should rename the Union Budget as Bihar budget sponsored by taxpayers of India.'

Another user Fundamental Investor posted on X, 'More people will want their children to be born in Bihar than in USA after this budget.'
Russian shipments averaged 1.67 million barrels per day in January compared to 1.48 million bpd in December and 1.53 million bpd a year earlier.

IMAGE: A model of a pump jack is seen in front of the displayed word 'sanctions' and the USA and Russian flag colours. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/Reuters

The toughest US sanctions on Russian crude oil supplies proved inadequate to stanch India's appetite for the discounted grades in January.

India increased imports of Russian crude oil by 13 per cent in January from December and by 9 per cent from a year earlier after Indian refiners took advantage of the 49-day grace period to source Russian oil, according to ship tracking data and industry officials.

State-run refiner Indian Oil increased imports by over 50 per cent on the month.

However, February shipments are unclear and refiners expect a huge deficit of cheap Russian oil from March onwards, top refining sources said.

Russian shipments averaged 1.67 million barrels per day in January compared to 1.48 million bpd in December and 1.53 million bpd a year earlier, according to market intelligence agency Kpler.

Reliance industries accounted for 400,000 bpd, followed by Indian Oil at 354,000 bpd, with both accounting for a combined 46 per cent of purchases during the period.

A level of certainty is not visible in India's February supplies of Russian grades.

Kpler, based on algorithms, is predicting 1.6 million bpd in shipments, but unlike January, Reliance is the only committed buyer next month, accounting for 385,000 bpd.

State-run refiners put together account for hardly 100,000 bpd. The rest is accounted for by a category of 'others', which comprises sanctioned producers like Surgutneftegas.

Market intelligence provider Vortexa pegged January shipments at 1.52 million bpd and February deliveries at 1.8 million bpd.

Indian Oil's share of Russian oil in its overall imports declined to 25 per cent this financial year until December from 30 per cent last financial year.

'For the month of March, yes, whatever I thought, it is not going to come in the same quantity. But what will happen in April, May, June onwards, we feel that because as such, Russian crude is not sanctioned, it is going to come,' IOC CFO Anuj Jain told analysts in the Q3 earnings call.

'But definitely we will only buy if it comes at a reasonable discount,' Jain added..

Sanctions have shrunk discounts while boosting freight rates.

Russian traders are now offering only $1.5 to $2 per barrel discounts on delivered Russian oil compared to $3 to $3.5/bbl in December, refining sources said

'And the discounts we were getting up to December were in the range of benchmark crude minus $3/bbl. But now the discounts have come down in the range of benchmark crude minus $1 to 1.5 per bbl,' Jain told analysts.

Rates for Aframax tankers carrying Russian barrels from the Baltic Sea to western India rose 47 per cent to $10.10/bbl, while rates to east India climbed by 48 per cent to $11/bbl, UK market information provider Energy Intelligence reported.

In the Black Sea, freight rates at Novorossiysk port for Aframax shipments to India increased by 60 per cent to $8.50/bbl for shipments to west India.

Moreover, premiums on alternate crudes like UAE's Murban have climbed three fold to a $4/bbl premium over benchmark Dubai after the latest instalment of US sanctions as China and India bid higher for scarce cargoes.

Indian officials told Business Standard that while India does not officially accept US sanctions -- but only sanctions endorsed by the United Nations -- Indian refiners and banks are forced to accept US strictures because of their exposure to the US dollars and western financial markets.

That means Indian refiners will accept sanctioned tankers or producers, which have loaded crude oil prior to January 10 and discharging by February 27, according to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control and Indian refining officials.

So, Russian cargoes delivered by producers like Surgutneftegas will not be entertained by Indian ports in February.

Washington announced on January 10 measures to sanction 183 vessels, or nearly every third tanker carrying Russian oil, two Russian insurers, which offer coverage to most of India's Russian oil purchases, and two leading Russian oil and gas producers and a bunch of traders, which contribute to a third of Russian flows to India.

US oil shipments surged four fold to 296,000 bpd for a 6 per cent share of total crude imports in January from December.

US officials in the Biden administration had met Indian officials in recent months, urging New Delhi to increase imports of US oil, industry officials said.

Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait supplied a combined 50 per cent of India's crude in December compared to 47 per cent in January.

Iraq and Saudi Arabia were the second and third biggest suppliers of oil to India at 21 per cent and over 14 per cent shares respectively in January.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Abul Kalam Azad chose not to contest the Congress Presidency and to throw his weight behind Nehru, instead of Patel, a decision he would come to regret.

Patel would have seen his plan through, while Nehru, in Azad's opinion 'gave Jinnah the opportunity to sabotage' it, notes Aakar Patel.

IMAGE: From left to right, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, left, then president of the Indian National Congress; Asaf Ali, member of the working committee, centre, and Jawaharlal Nehru.

This photograph was taken after the Congress Working Committee met to discuss the British Cabinet Mission to India, March 1946. Photograph: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images from the Rediff Archives

A counterfactual is thinking about something that might have happened but did not happen.

As we celebrated yet another Republic day, there is occasion to think of a different kind of Constitution, one that India chose against.

As Congress president in 1946 Abul Kalam Azad concluded that undivided India's Constitution 'must form the nature of the case' be federal.

This, he explained, meant that it should be framed to give complete autonomy to the provinces in 'as many subjects as possible', while addressing national unity.

This would attend to the problem at the root, which Azad felt was not independence -- since that was a given in 1946 -- but of settlement, and that the Muslims were troubled by what an independent India would bring.

Federalism would be autonomy to the provinces and that the federal government would compulsorily control defence, foreign affairs and communications.

What remained of government would be the preserve of the provinces, save for those which with mutual consent could be shared between the two.

India was, Azad wrote, a country of homogenous units in different provinces, and that made his plan seem natural.

He did not, however, discuss it with others in the Congress, because he says as president he had been authorised with 'full powers'.

He met the Cabinet Mission on Saturday 6 April, 1946 and then briefed the Congress Working Committee the following Friday, the 12th.

Here he writes that he was able to convince them of his plan's soundness, especially Gandhi, who 'expressed complete agreement'.

Sardar Patel asked what would happen to things like finance and currency.

Gandhi, replying on Azad's behalf, said there was no reason to assume provinces would not want a unified policy in such things.

Azad in his book does not record what, if anything, Nehru said.

Having apparently got the party behind him, Azad issued a statement three days later, April 15.

In the greater part of this, he attempts to repudiate the call for Pakistan, pointing out what he sees as its flaws.

Towards the end, he says he has succeeded in making the Congress accept his formula, which secures 'whatever merit the Pakistan scheme contains while all its defects and drawbacks are avoided'.

The fear of Muslim majority areas of interference in a Centre dominated by Hindus he had addressed through his scheme of provincial autonomy.

It had two lists of subjects, one compulsorily with the Centre and one optional, which the province could choose to give the Centre.

Muslim majority provinces would have autonomy but also retain influence on issues that affected India as a whole.

Both a unitary State and a two State solution would fail, he warned, the latter because too many Muslims would remain in a divided India, with even less say.

'I am one of those who considers the present chapter of communal bitterness and differences as a transient phase in Indian life,' Azad wrote.

The Cabinet Mission plan that the British released a month later, on 16 May, does not differ much from Azad's except in one way.

Instead of autonomy at the level of province or state, it was at the level of region.

India would be divided into three parts (aligning with what is today Pakistan, India and Bangladesh) to reflect local majorities, and these three parts would have provincial autonomy under a Centre.

Princely states would retain autonomy except for the powers ceded to the Centre.

Azad felt the Congress should accept this proposal. He writes Jinnah was initially opposed to it, because he had gone too far down the road with the Pakistan demand.

But he felt he could not negotiate better terms than the ones on offer and the Muslim League Council on his advice voted in favour of the Cabinet Mission Plan.

On 16 June, the Congress Working Committee also endorsed the plan.

Azad wrote: 'The acceptance of the Cabinet Mission Plan by both the Congress and the Muslim League was a glorious event in the history of the freedom movement in India. It meant that the difficult question of Indian freedom had been settled by negotiation and agreement and not by methods of violence and conflict. It also seemed that the communal difficulties had been finally left behind.

'Throughout the country there was a sense of jubilation and all the people were united in their demand for freedom. We rejoiced but we did not know then that our joy was premature and bitter disappointment awaited us'.

On 7 July, the AICC endorsed it.

The question of the Congress presidency also arose that month.

Azad had been elected in 1939 for a year but had remained in the post till 1946 by default because after the second world war broke out, the Congress was banned and its leaders jailed.

He chose not to contest and to throw his weight behind Nehru, instead of Patel, a decision he would come to regret.

Patel would have seen his plan through, while Nehru, in Azad's opinion 'gave Jinnah the opportunity to sabotage' it.

On 10 July, at a press conference, Nehru said the Congress was 'unfettered' by the Cabinet Mission Plan and could do as it chose in the Constituent Assembly, where it had a majority.

On 27 July, the Muslim League Council met under Jinnah and now rejected the Cabinet Mission Plan and reiterated its demand for Pakistan.

We know what happened after that. What might have been had the plan been accepted and undivided India preserved but with a weaker Centre we will never know.

Aakar Patel is a columnist and writer and you can read Aakar's earlier columns here.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'Suddenly we had a new comprehension of affairs, which reminded that the luxury of politics floated atop a foundation by economics.'

'Along with this, finance ministers became crucial in molding the perception and reputation of Union Cabinets.'

'Governments couldn't afford a wrong person in that portfolio,' asserts Shyam G Menon.

IMAGE: Then finance minister Manmohan Singh with the Budget on the eve of its presentation in Parliament. Photographs: Rediff Archives

On December 26, when news of Dr Manmohan Singh's passing appeared, I found myself wondering what exactly the demise of this person I had never met, meant to me.

There was a starting point available. My first full-time job was in 1991, which was coincidentally the year Dr Singh became India's finance minister.

Someone who strayed into journalism, I worked next door to the Reserve Bank of India's New Delhi office, the youngster in me lost to life in Delhi and little interested in the salvaging of India's economy happening next door and some distance away, closer to Parliament, where the offices of the major ministries -- including the finance ministry -- stood.

The wake-up call from this sleepy approach to existence happened in December 1992 and the following months, a period that shook India. But it was a few years later, older and writing about major businesses in Mumbai, that one got a general sense of what the economic liberalisation associated with Dr Singh, actually felt like.

There was by then, a general understanding that bloated and bureaucratic government was set to recede in matters concerning the economy.

A new type of bureaucrat, wishing to understand the needs of others and solve problems, appeared in some departments.

States began road shows to attract investments. Companies, on their part, knew that old school protectionism was on its way out. None of this would be sudden, but in phases with trajectory foretold.

While the older generation and many in the trade unions saw these developments with concern, for many in my generation, liberalisation denoted new possibilities.

Choice in terms of employment, choice in terms of things to buy -- all this grew steadily. We also knew that in swathes of the economy, particularly the private sector, competition had become a reality of life.

One performed and rose up in the ranks. One was wanted for what one delivered. Looking back, these would definitely qualify to be the early years of liberalisation; a rosy period when any Indian company hitting a turnover of a billion dollars made news simply because a billion dollars was a major milestone in our fledgling GDP story.

The economy had been at its weakest when I sleep-walked through life in Delhi and by the early years of my life in Mumbai, it was a case of promising rejuvenation.

There was also another thing. Thanks to a confluence of various factors including trends within the media, the economy had become the talk of the town.

There was a general interest in economics. The annual Budget was hugely discussed.

It became a major media event and how the stock market responded to economic policy settled in as a significant piece of the optics deciding acceptance of governments.

Dedicated business publications and television channels sprouted. Companies and the entrepreneurs and officials at their helm, came to have a say in the narrative of the day.

This was a major departure from the past. Until this time, economy and business stood several spots behind politics.

Suddenly we had a new comprehension of affairs, which reminded that the luxury of politics floated atop a foundation by economics.

Along with this, finance ministers became crucial in molding the perception and reputation of Union Cabinets. Governments couldn't afford a wrong person in that portfolio.

IMAGE: Then finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

The early years of everything are a dream phase. Then maturity comes calling. That is when the honeymoon sours.

As early as 1992, there had been a challenge to Dr Singh's term as finance minister in the form of the 1992 stock market scam.

His offer to resign was turned down by the then prime minister, Narasimha Rao. Economic liberalisation continued.

The trend was kept alive by finance ministers under the Atal Behari Vajpayee-government as well as later governments headed by Dr Singh.

However, by the closing phase of the second Manmohan Singh-government and the years of Narendra Modi as prime minister thereafter, it was increasingly clear that the first flush of India's economic liberalisation had begun stagnating into a knot reminiscent of the country's old feudal hierarchies and systems.

That general sense of possibility and street level optimism, which was there from the mid-1990s onward, appeared traded for leadership by an elite enjoying immensely polarized wealth or equally polarized political clout. Money is cold, conservative. It has always been so.

If in the mid-1990s, big business finding voice was a pleasant departure from the dullness of Indian politics, by the 2020s, too much of a business-centric perspective was beginning to spoil political and social discourse.

In its eagerness to self-propagate by the easiest means, money was increasingly teaming up with conservative social trends and conservative politics, often backsliding the journey by Constitution and free and inclusive society, independent India embarked on.

The story of economic liberalisation wasn't halted but for sure there were road blocks to the socially liberal trends that accompanied economic liberalisation earlier.

Instead of that society, we seemed to witness a more conservative incarnation of the past. Some of my friends feel, a conservative feudal society is the Indian reality.

Any change we experienced in the early stage of liberalisation was skin deep and fleeting. Coming as it does from a politics founded in celebrating ancient India, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its successive governments don't seem bothered.

Meanwhile, political parties consumed by the need for electoral victories have made economics a handmaiden to such compulsions as well. Corrections won't be easy; corrections to things matured have never been easy.

IMAGE: Then finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh arrives at Parliament for the 1993 Budget session.

Perhaps the biggest change felt today is that courtesy growing income inequality, there is the concern that the economy left to its own accord may end up doing more harm than good.

While some quarters are fat with the capacity to peddle power and influence, others find it tough to be heard and counted.

If everyone is not taken along in a story of exploding GDP, if inequalities multiply, then risks will abound.

After a long gap, there is currently the emergent need (and to an extent, willingness in the public) to see an enlightened, modern, socially and economically inclusive politics take charge.

The country awaits such a politics. A little over three decades since he cut India onto the path of economic liberalisation and a decade since his last tenure as prime minister, this is where the project commenced by Dr Singh as finance minister and Narasimha Rao as prime minister in the early 1990s, stands.

It would be tempting to see it as things gone wrong. That is an incorrect approach for one can neither deny nor tarnish the positive and energetic trends India witnessed when the economy changed its colors in the 1990s.

I suspect that in many ways, particularly when viewed overall, Dr Singh may have reached the economy where he originally wanted to, the myriad problems and disparities notwithstanding.

Although it means little without improved per capita income and improved distribution of wealth, India's GDP, which was around 275 billion dollars in 1991 (source: statista.com), now ranks fifth biggest globally at roughly 3.9 trillion dollars.

As the next gear in reforms, along with corrective measures, waits to kick in, we need a good enough driver; someone as knowledgeable about economics as Dr Singh was and also shares his compassionate nature with both feet firmly on the ground.

Perhaps more of the latter, for if there is one thing we felt confident giving Dr Singh, it was our trust.

Other Congress appointees to the post of finance minister, like P Chidambaram, found acceptance because the public knew there was Dr Singh in the background.

IMAGE: Dr Singh tweaks his final Budget as finance minister, February 27, 1996.

Death in the times of social media is a phenomenon by itself. As someone whose working life was shaped by the economic ambiance authored by Dr Singh, the most notable aspect for me, in the wake of his demise, was how even his most bitter critics -- people who made their political careers by lampooning and ridiculing him -- scrambled to be on the politically correct side of the remorse pouring in.

Dr Singh died on December 26, 2024. By December 27 evening, there was buzz in the media of the government sanctioning space for a memorial; it was formally reported quoting an official press release, on December 28.

One would wonder if a memorial is what Dr Singh would have wanted. He didn't seem to be a person who carried his designations and the high offices he occupied, wherever he went.

His achievements were many. But he wasn't formidably decked up in medals for identity. The respect he got from Indians wasn't forced or extracted. They offered it freely. It speaks much of his nature.

Maybe an imaginative artist or architect would know how to physically showcase a human nature that didn't intimidate despite high scholarship and high positions held.

Whatever, Dr Singh I suppose, must be amused at the goings on, planned memorial to him included. As for me, I am amused by what happened to his erstwhile trenchant critics, the lot who revel in emasculating others.

It was just a decade ago that they strode on to the national stage soaked in triumph and making fun of the scholar turned bureaucrat turned politician occupying the office of prime minister, for his silence and inaction.

Some of us now look back at that specter of a frozen prime minister and empathise with it as potentially a case of human decency caught in aggressive political headlights. In politics however, that suffices to be ripped apart.

In 2014, Dr Singh's government was trampled underfoot by the new order risen. For the next ten years after that defeat in 2014, Dr Singh and others in the political opposition would witness the BJP repeat its success in another two general elections.

On the bright side, the Opposition -- particularly the Congress, at first utterly marginalised and overlooked, has returned to some strength in Parliament while state elections have remained a case of fluctuating fortunes.

If there is one thing that can be said about India's political Right, it is that they watch, see and act opportunistically. The days surrounding Dr Singh's demise eerily missed the regular drone of Right-Wing propaganda.

Very likely that switch had been turned off because the establishment knew that propaganda would be exactly what it is -- mere propaganda -- in days of genuineness remembered.

Instead, one of the quickest announcements of a memorial to the deceased, followed. Hailing as the establishment does from a tradition that makes everything great and good its own, the politics around owning Dr Singh's legacy may be far from over.

Whatever, one hopes they make something easily accessed by the people and not at all imposing -- no gigantic, dominating statue or structure.

For that, is the impression of Dr Singh I have as a common citizen. In 2024, being remembered and loved as a fellow human being, is an absolute rarity in the world of politics.

Shyam G Menon is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Ushering in reforms, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to open up the nuclear power sector for private players and announced a Rs 20,000 crore Nuclear Energy Mission for research in the field, with an aim to set up five small and modular reactors by 2033.

Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo

Presenting the Union Budget for 2025-26, Sitharaman said producing at least 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 was essential for India's energy transition efforts.

"For an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up," she said.

"A Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up. At least five indigenously-developed SMRs will be operationalised by 2033," Sitharaman said.

India currently produces 8.1 GW of nuclear power through 24 atomic power plants across the country and hopes to increase it to 20 GW by 2032.

The state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is the operator of nuclear power plants in the country.

The Atomic Energy Act does not allow participation of private sector investment in the nuclear industry.

The NPCIL has started joint venture companies with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Indian Oil Corporation to build nuclear power plants.

"In terms of reforms, many important steps have been taken in this budget. Encouraging the private sector in nuclear energy is historic. It will ensure a big contribution of civil nuclear energy in the development of the country," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his remarks on the Union Budget.

Former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar welcomed the announcement to launch the Nuclear Energy Mission, saying such a focussed approach was required to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat.

Kakodkar, who played a key role in negotiating the civil nuclear deal with the US, said 100 GW of nuclear power generation by 2047 was required for India to achieve its declared goal of net-zero emission.

He said NTPC could drive the SMR mission as it hosted the maximum coal-fired power plants, which would have to be retired in the near future.

Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh had told Parliament last year that India's long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategy recognised a significantly greater role of nuclear energy in achieving the net-zero target.

"Nuclear energy has a vital role in the country's energy transition to net zero as it is a base-load source of clean electricity, available 24X7," he had said.

Singh, who is also in charge of the Department of Atomic Energy and the Union minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, added that the nuclear sector also had huge potential to provide the country long-term energy security in a sustainable manner.

"In this regard, a nuclear power expansion programme is being implemented to increase the installed nuclear power capacity to 22,480 MW by 2031-32 from 8,180 MW at present," he had said.

Last year, NPCIL invited proposals from the private sector to set up 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors to replace coal-fired captive power plants in the energy-guzzling steel, aluminium, copper and cement industries.

SMRs refer to a newly-developed and upcoming class of land-based nuclear fission reactors, which can be built and fabricated in specialised factories and be assembled on site.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, there are more than 80 SMR designs and concepts globally. Most of them are in various developmental stages and some are claimed as being near-term deployable.

There are currently four SMRs in advanced stages of construction in Argentina, China and Russia, and several existing and newcomer nuclear energy countries are conducting SMR research and development.
India on Saturday announced plans to amend its nuclear liability law and set up a nuclear energy mission, a move that came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to the United States.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph: ANI Photo

New Delhi made public its decision to amend the nuclear liability law little over two weeks after Washington lifted restrictions on three Indian nuclear entities to open up new avenues for India-US collaboration in the civil-nuclear field.

Certain clauses in India's Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 have emerged as hurdles in moving forward in implementation of the historic civil nuclear deal that was firmed up between the two strategic partners around 16 years ago.

Modi is expected to visit Washington this month to hold wide-ranging talks with US President Donald Trump with a focus on further shore up bilateral cooperation in a range of areas including trade, energy and defence.

India's decision to set up a 'Nuclear Energy Mission' with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore and plans to amend the nuclear liability laws were announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union budget for 2025-26 in Parliament.

"Development of at least 100 GW (Gigawatt) of nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for our energy transition efforts," she said.

"For an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up," she added.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1962 prohibits investments by the private sector in nuclear power plants.

The proposed amendment is expected to remove this provision.

The finance minister said a 'Nuclear Energy Mission' for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up.

"At least five indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalised by 2033," she said.

Modi described the decision to promote the private sector in the nuclear energy sector as 'historic'.

"This will ensure a major contribution of civil nuclear energy in the development of the country in the coming times," he said in his reaction to the Union budget.

Modi said that civil nuclear energy will ensure a significant contribution to the country's development in the future.

The US last month removed restrictions on Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR) and the Indian Rare Earths (IRE).

The decision came after then NSA Jake Sullivan announced that Washington was finalising steps to "remove" hurdles for civil nuclear partnership between Indian and American firms.

India and the US unveiled an ambitious plan to co-operate in civil nuclear energy in July 2005 following then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's meeting with American President George W Bush.

The historic civil nuclear agreement was finally sealed around three years later following a series of negotiations.

It was expected to pave the way for allowing the US to share civilian nuclear technology with India.

However, the planned cooperation did not move forward for a variety of reasons including the strict liability laws in India.

US nuclear reactor makers such as General Electric and Westinghouse had shown keen interest in setting up nuclear reactors in India.

In the last few years, India has been in talks with a number of countries including the US and France on cooperation in the small modular reactors (SMRs).

India may pitch for cooperation in the SMR sector with the Trump administration.

US-based Holtec International is known to be one of the leading exporters of SMRs globally and the Department of Atomic Energy is learnt to be interested in having some collaboration with the American firm.
In a boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party just four days ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, eight outgoing Aam Aadmi Party MLAs joined the party, along with a large number of supporters, on Saturday.

IMAGE: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference at the party HQ in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The MLAs resigned from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party on Friday, citing reasons like alleged corruption and the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit's deviation from its ideology.

All the eight legislators were denied poll tickets by the AAP this time.

The MLAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party are Vandana Gaur (Palam), Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Girish Soni (Madipur), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Uttam Nagar), B S Joon (Bijwasan), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli) and Pawan Sharma (Adarsh Nagar).

After resigning from the AAP, they said they had also sent their resignation letters to the Assembly speaker, relinquishing their membership of the House.

The former AAP MLAs said being denied poll tickets is a common thing in politics but as party workers, they were "deeply hurt" to see that tickets were not distributed among dedicated workers, but were instead "sold" to the "highest bidders", according to a statement issued by the Delhi BJP.

The AAP said in a statement that it has several able and well-educated candidates aspiring for poll tickets. Some incumbent MLAs were denied tickets this time, leading to "dissatisfaction", it added.

"For the past few weeks, BJP members have been constantly approaching AAP MLAs who did not get tickets this time, luring them with various offers -- promising positions, power and incentives," the party said.

Former AAP MLA Vijender Garg and several other leaders of the Kejriwal-led party, including Palam councillor Ajay Rai, too joined the BJP in the presence of Baijayant Panda, its national vice-president and the in-charge of the party's Delhi unit, and state president Virendra Sachdeva.

Welcoming the MLAs and leaders to the BJP, Panda said it is a "historic" day as they have gotten rid of "AAPda" (disaster) and hoped that after the February 5 polls, Delhi too will be freed from it.

"The people of Delhi had trusted AAP but now, everyone is leaving the party because that trust has been broken," Panda said.

He reminded the new entrants that for the BJP, the nation comes first, the party second and personal interests last, calling upon them to work together.

The AAP said Kejriwal's true soldiers will stand by the party till their last breath because they did not enter politics for positions like those of MLAs, councillors or ministers.

Under Kejriwal's leadership, the AAP gave poll tickets to ordinary individuals from humble backgrounds and made them MLAs. This is only possible in the AAP, whereas elsewhere, it takes a lifetime just to become a councilor, the party said.

The 70-member Delhi assembly is scheduled to go to polls on February 5, with the results set to be declared on February 8.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the top 50 tourist destinations in the country will be developed in partnership with states in a 'challenge mode', as she emphasised tourism as a driver of employment-led growth and unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering infrastructure, skill development and ease of travel.

Image used only for representation. Photograph: PTI Photo/Rediff Archives

The Ministry of Tourism has been earmarked a significant increase in its Budget allocation for the 2025-2026 fiscal, with a focus on enhancing tourism infrastructure, promoting domestic and international travel, and ensuring the safety of tourists, particularly women.

The total Budget allocation for the ministry for 2025-2026 stands at Rs 2,541.06 crore, marking a substantial increase from the revised estimate of Rs 850.36 crores in 2024-2025.

Presenting her eighth straight Union Budget, Sitharaman said the government will promote homestays by extending Mudra loans, and improve connectivity to tourist spots to enhance accessibility.

"The state governments will be responsible for providing land to build essential infrastructure. To further boost tourism, hotels in the key destinations will be included in the harmonised infrastructure list, ensuring better access to financing and development support," she said.

Outlining the broader roadmap, Sitharaman said, "We will facilitate employment-led growth by organising intensive skill development programmes for our youth, including institutes of hospitality management."

States that demonstrate effective destination management -- including maintaining tourist amenities, cleanliness, and marketing efforts -- will receive performance-linked incentives, the finance minister said.

The government will also introduce streamlined e-visa facilities and visa fee waivers for select tourist groups to attract international visitors, she said.

Reaffirming the focus on spiritual and heritage tourism set in the Budget last July, Sitharaman highlighted the special initiatives for sites associated with Gautama Buddha's life.

Medical tourism, under the 'Heal in India' initiative, will also receive a boost through public-private partnerships (PPPs), capacity building, and relaxed visa norms.

A major portion of the Budget for the tourism ministry has been allocated to tourism infrastructure development, with Rs 1,900 crores earmarked for the Integrated Development of Tourism Circuits under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.

This initiative focuses on creating theme-based tourist circuits across the country, emphasising high-value, competitive, and sustainable tourism.

Additionally, the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, aimed at developing pilgrimage and heritage sites, also received substantial funding to enrich spiritual and cultural tourism experiences.

The Centre has prioritised promotion and publicity, allocating funds for both domestic and international campaigns. Efforts will be made to promote India's diverse tourist destinations, with a special focus on the Northeast region and Jammu and Kashmir.

Internationally, the tourism ministry plans to position India as a premier tourist destination through targeted marketing campaigns in key markets such as Spain, China, and France.

The establishment of representative offices in the new markets is also part of the strategy to attract more international tourists.

To address the growing demand for skilled manpower in the tourism sector, the ministry has been allocated Rs 60 crore for training and skill development programmes.

Initiatives like the 'Hunar Se Rozgar Tak' programme aim to train youth, particularly from underprivileged backgrounds, to meet the sector's needs.

The ministry is also focusing on certifying the skills of service providers and promoting entrepreneurship in the tourism industry.

In a significant move to ensure the safety of women tourists, the ministry has introduced the Safe Tourist Destination for Women scheme, funded by the Nirbhaya Fund.

This initiative aims to create a secure and women-friendly environment at tourist destinations, allowing women to travel without fear of crime or harassment.

The scheme reflects the government's commitment to making tourism more inclusive and safe for all, as per the ministry.

The Budget also includes investments in public enterprises such as the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) and Kumarakom Frontier Hotels Pvt Ltd, with allocations of Rs 70.42 crore and Rs 10 crore, respectively.

These investments are expected to boost tourism infrastructure and services, particularly in the key tourist destinations.

Additionally, the Northeastern region continues to be a priority, with an allocation of Rs 240 crore for 2025-2026 to support the development of tourism infrastructure and promote the region as a prime tourist destination.
Kyrgyzstan has become the latest country in Muslim-majority Central Asia to ban the Islamic niqab, a long garment that covers the body, hair, and face, except the eyes.

Effective February 1, the ban imposes a fine of 20,000 som ($230) on women who wear the niqab in public places.

Female Islamic clothing and men's beards have long been the focus of government campaigns and public debates in Central Asia, where staunchly secular governments fear the growing influence of Islam.

Kyrgyz lawmakers have said the ban is needed for security reasons -- so people's faces can be seen and individuals identified. But opponents say the ban deprives women of the freedom to choose what they want to wear.

'Part Of Our Traditions'

The ban is part of an amendment to the Religious Sphere Act. Signed into law by President Sadyr Japarov on January 21. It does not explicitly mention the niqab, locally known as "parandzha."

But it bans "clothing that makes it impossible to identify a person in government offices and public places," a euphemism used in Central Asia to describe the niqab. Face coverings that are required as part of work or worn for medical reasons are exempt.

Lawmakers and government-backed religious figures insist the ban does not extend to the hijab, the Islamic head scarf that covers the hair and neck but leaves the face visible.

Kyrgyzstan is the only country in Central Asia that allows hijabs in schools and offices.

"There will be no restrictions on the head scarf. Our mothers and sisters have always worn head scarves as part of our traditions and religion," parliament speaker Nurlanbek Shakiev told lawmakers when he presented the bill last year.

The niqab is common in the Arab Gulf states. Although there is no tradition of wearing the niqab in Kyrgyzstan, the garment has become increasingly popular among some conservative women in recent years.

Intense Debate

There has been intense public debate over the niqab in Kyrgyzstan for years. Its growing popularity prompted a state-backed campaign called Where Are We Headed? nearly a decade ago.

In 2023, lawmaker Sharapatkan Mazhitova spearheaded a new campaign against the niqab after visiting the southern region of Osh, where she said she was shocked by how many local women were donning the all-encompassing niqab.

"Every fourth woman in Osh wears the niqab, and their number is growing by the day," Mazhitova claimed during a parliament session.

Mazhitova's campaign also targeted men's beards, which are widely seen as a sign of religious conservatism. She called on the government and parliament to ban the niqab and long beards, calling them "security" threats.

The state-backed Kyrgyz Muslim Spiritual Directorate has publicly stated that "the hijab is obligatory [for Muslim women] but the niqab is not."

But critics have warned a ban will alienate and isolate women who wear the niqab.

A 38-year-old housewife who wears the niqab told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that the ban will complicate her life.

The mother of two, speaking on condition of anonymity, said she began wearing the niqab at the request of her husband, who works in Russia, when she got married six years ago.

"Now there is a ban, and I don't know what to do. I don't know what my husband will say when he returns home," said the woman, who lives in the southern town of Kara-Suu.

"Since I read about the ban on the Internet, I'm trying not to leave the house anymore. [When I must go out] I'm covering my face with a medical mask," she added.

In The Name Of Security

Other Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, have banned the hijab in schools, offices, and government buildings.

Police in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have conducted raids in the streets and bazaars to round up men sporting long beards and forced them to shave off their facial hair.

The clampdowns on any outward signs of Islam are often carried out in the name of preserving security and upholding traditional values.

Authorities in Central Asia insist their national attire meets the requirements of Islamic clothing for women.

Turkmenistan has not officially banned the hijab, but it demands women wear Turkmen national clothing to work and at public events. There have been reports that several hijab-wearing women have been ordered by the authorities to remove their head scarves.

Tajikistan routinely promotes Tajik traditional clothing for women, while outlawing what it calls outfits "alien" to Tajiks, in reference to Islamic clothing.

RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondent in Osh Datkabek Shabdanbek Uulu contributed to this report.
US President Donald Trump has urged Russia to agree to a 30-day cease-fire, warning he would slap additional sanctions on the country if it refused the US proposal, as Moscow made more gains on the battlefield.

"Russia has no way out but cease-fire. If needed we will sanction it, but I hope we won't need to," Trump told reporters at the White House on March 12.

"In a financial sense we can do very unpleasant, very bad things, devastating for Russia, but I don't want to," he said.

His comments come a day after Kyiv agreed to the temporary cease-fire following nine hours of talks with Trump administration officials in Saudi Arabia.

Trump has made ending Russia's more than three-year full-scale invasion of Ukraine a top priority since taking office for a second term less than two months ago, quickly dispatching his top officials to Moscow and Kyiv to prepare the groundwork for peace talks.

He has used Washington's significant leverage over Ukraine -- namely military aid and intelligence sharing -- to get Kyiv to agree to the cease-fire proposal, which if implemented, would leave almost 20 percent of the country in Russia's hands for the time being, at least.

But Trump lacks that type of leverage with Russia, which has navigated sweeping US and European sanctions placed on its economy following the invasion much better than most experts forecasted.

Putin may seek to drag out talks with the US over a cease-fire to improve Russia's position on the battlefield and hence at the negotiating table when and if Moscow and Kyiv hammer out a peace deal.

As Trump spoke at the White House, Putin was visiting troops in Russia's Kursk region, where fierce fighting is currently taking place and Moscow's forces are advancing.

Ukraine seized a swath of the Kursk region in a stealth incursion in August seen as an effort to divert Russian forces from eastern Ukraine and use the territory as a bargaining chip during any peace talks.

That strategy is now at risk of failing as Russian forces slowly push the Ukrainians out of Kursk. Russians forces have retaken more than half the territory initially captured by Ukraine.

Putin's visit to Kursk was his first since the incursion and signals the momentum Russia has in that theater of the war. The Kremlin leader urged his troops to retake the region in its entirety "as soon as possible."

Ukraine's top military commander, General Oleksandr Syrskiy, said that fighting continued in and around Sudzha, the largest town in the part of the region that Ukraine occupied.

Unconfirmed reports on March 12 indicated that Ukraine has begun to draw back units as Russian officials claimed their troops had captured more settlements, including Sudzha.

"Despite increased pressure from the Russian and North Korean forces, we will maintain the defense of the Kursk region as long as it is appropriate and necessary," Syrskiy wrote on Telegram.

In a Facebook post, Syrskiy said that saving soldiers lives is a priority and that Ukrainian troops "maneuver to more favorable positions, if necessary," wording often used top describe a retreat.

Concessions?

Trump hinted that Ukraine would have to make concessions on land, something more and more experts say is inevitable given Russia's momentum on the battlefield.

"When we talk cease-fire [with Ukraine], we talked land, who's withdrawing -- we discussed a lot of things [with Ukraine]," Trump said.

"We don't want to waste time, people are dying. Russia is not in the best situation now. I hope [Putin] gets a cease-fire."

Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the cease-fire proposal and said he hoped it would be used as a draft for a lasting peace deal that included security guarantees for Ukraine.

"It's now up to Russia what is next," he said at a March 12 press conference, and whether "it wants to continue its aggression against Ukraine or not."

On the streets of Kyiv, some Ukrainians told RFE/RL's Current Time that they doubted whether Russia would sign on to, and adhere to, a cease-fire deal.

"I'm not sure what to say, but it all seems implausible, frankly speaking," said one Kyiv man, while a woman in the capital said the cease-fire talks were "meaningless without Russia taking part."

Moscow has so far declined to comment on the specifics of the proposal for the 30-day cease-fire, and it's unclear whether Putin has made up his mind on the agreement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was "carefully studying" the joint US-Ukraine statement issued following the Jeddah talks and will wait to comment until Russian negotiators receive more detailed information from Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who represented the United States at the talks, said Washington "will have contact with Russians" today.

Trump on March 11 said he would soon speak with Putin to secure his commitment. Mike Waltz, the White House national-security adviser, spoke with his Russian counterpart on March 12, while Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff also planned to travel to Moscow, possibly to meet Putin.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe held a phone call with Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, late on March 11, the Interfax news agency reported.

Rubio told reporters on March 12 in first comments since leaving the talks in Jeddah that the United States hoped to have a positive answer from Russia toward the cease-fire deal and "strongly urge[s] Russians to end all hostilities.

Konstantin Kosachev, an influential lawmaker in Russia's upper house of parliament, seemed to imply that Moscow would not simply accept the US-backed ceasefire proposal but attach conditions, taking into account that Russian forces have the momentum on the battlefield.

"Russia is advancing, and therefore it will be different with Russia," Kosachyov said in a Telegram post.

"Any agreements (with all understanding of the need for compromise) will be on our terms, not American," he said. "And this is not boasting, but an understanding that real agreements are still being written there, on the front line. Which Washington should also understand."

Rubio also said Ukraine will need a strong deterrent to prevent future attacks and that Europeans will "need to be involved in this regard." He added that further discussions would need to tackle to topic of the European Union lifting sanctions on the Russian economy.

"I would imagine that in any negotiation, if we get there, hopefully with the Russians, they will raise these European sanctions that have been imposed upon them," Rubio said.

Moscow has so far been against a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated Russia's position during an interview with three right-wing US bloggers that it will under no conditions accept the presence of NATO forces in Ukraine.

Minerals Deal

Washington and Kyiv could sign a framework agreement as early as this week on sharing the revenue generated from Ukraine's mineral resources.

Trump and Zelenskyy intended to sign the deal during their meeting at the Oval Office on February 28. However, the two got into a heated, public exchange over security guarantees for Ukraine and the meeting was abruptly ended without any deal.

Rubio cautioned that he "would not couch [the] minerals deal as a security guarantee." But he added that "if the United States has a vested economic interest thats generating revenue for our people as well as for the people of Ukraine, wed have a vested interest in protecting it if it were to be challenged or threatened."

The parade of comments come after Russia and Ukraine traded air attacks overnight just hours after Kyiv agreed to accept the cease-fire proposal.

Two Russian missile strikes hit the central Ukrainian city of Kryviy Rih on March 12, killing one person, while a separate attack killed four crew members of a cargo ship near the southern port city of Odesa.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its air-defense systems shot down six drones overnight on March 12, one over Ukraine's Russia-annexed Crimea and five over the Black Sea. The Krymsky Veter Telegram channel reported loud explosions and air-raid sirens over Crimean towns and near Russian military sites.

The United States announced after the talks in Saudi Arabia that it would immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and restore military aid to Ukraine, which could be a boost to Ukrainian forces. Ukraine's battlefield positions have been under heavy pressure, particularly in Russia's Kursk region.
Residents of Novi Sad cheered as hundreds of students completed a nearly 80-kilometer walk from Belgrade on January 31. It was the culmination of months of protests after the deadly collapse of the roof of a train station in Novi Sad, followed by a campaign of arrests and attacks targeting the protesters. Students say they plan to continue their protests by blockading key bridges in the city.
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By David Young and Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of Belfast man John George, who was murdered in Spain.

The father-of-twos coffin was carried from the family home in the Lagmore area of west Belfast early on Saturday morning and taken onward for a service at nearby St Lukes Church in Twinbrook.

A crowd of mourners walked behind the cortege as it made its way along Lagmore Avenue as music played on a portable loudspeaker.

Mr Georges father Billy, his brother Darren and grandfather Joseph Hardy were among those who carried the coffin.

Billy, the father of John George, holds a photo of his son after returning to Belfast following the search. Photo: PA.

During the subsequent funeral service, parish priest at St Lukes Fr Brian McCann told mourners that their attendance was a source of great comfort for the family.

He praised the community for the practical, emotional and spiritual support they had offered to Mr Georges loved ones in the weeks since he went missing.

Maybe one resolution we can make as we gather here today is to continue to pray each day for Johns family, he said.

Mr George, 37, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing in December.

He was last in touch with his family on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland.

Mourners carried the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George ahead of his funeral at St Lukes Church. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, travelled to Spain where they were involved in the search operation.

Throughout the search, his father said his focus was on getting his sons body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.

Mr Georges body was discovered on January 7. The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.

His body was returned to Northern Ireland last month.

John Georges father Billy (front left), brother Darren (far left) and grandfather Joseph Hardy (front right) carried his coffin. Photo; Liam McBurney/PA.

Members of the volunteer K9 canine search and rescue team who travelled to Spain to assist with efforts to find Mr George attended Saturdays funeral.

A funeral notice for Mr George ahead of the funeral paid tribute to the father of two.

John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him, it said.

After the service, Mr Georges remains were taken onward to Blaris Cemetery in Lisburn for burial.
Basant Panchmi: The Festival of Spring and New Beginnings

As the cold winter begins to dimnish, the Indian subcontinent eagerly prepared for Basant Panchmi, a lively festival marking the arrival of spring.

Basant Panchmi - The Festival of Spring and New Beginnings latest news : As the cold winter begins to dimnish, the Indian subcontinent eagerly prepared for Basant Panchmi, a lively festival marking the arrival of spring. Celebrated on the fifth day of the Hindu month of Magha, usually in late January or early February, Basant Panchmi is a time of joy, renewal, and new starts.

Celebration of Knowledge and Arts: A central aspect of Basant Panchmi is the veneration of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, music, and arts. Devotees, particularly students and artists, worship her on this auspicious day, seeking blessings for wisdom and creativity. The Saraswati Puja is conducted with great reverence, with people wearing yellow attire, symbolic of the mustard flowers blooming during this season and the golden hues of spring.

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The Significance of Yellow: Yellow dominates Basant Panchmi. Fields of mustard flowers in full bloom create a picturesque landscape, and people embrace this color in their clothing and decorations. Yellow sweets and dishes, such as kesar halwa and saffron rice, are prepared and shared among family and friends, adding a delightful touch to the festivities.

Kite Flying Festivities: Basant Panchmi is synonymous with kite flying. The skies become a canvas of vibrant colors as people of all ages take to their rooftops, competing to outdo each other with their kites. The thrill of kite-flying competitions, accompanied by joyous cheers and music, creates an atmosphere of excitement and camaraderie.

Traditional and Cultural Performances: In various regions, Basant Panchmi is marked by traditional and cultural performances. Classical music and dance recitals, poetry readings, and folk songs resonate through the air, celebrating India's rich cultural heritage. Schools and educational institutions organize special events where students showcase their talents, honoring Goddess Saraswati.

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Regional Variations: While Basant Panchmi is celebrated nationwide, different regions have their unique customs and traditions. In Punjab, it coincides with the agricultural festival of Lohri, where bonfires are lit, and folk dances like Bhangra and Gidda are performed. In Rajasthan, the festival is celebrated with fairs and processions, while in West Bengal, it is known as Saraswati Puja, with young girls donning traditional yellow sarees.

A Time for New Beginnings: Basant Panchmi symbolizes new beginnings and the achievement of knowledge over ignorance. It is a time to let go of the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future with hope and optimism. The vibrant celebrations remind us of the ever-renewing cycle of life and nature's beauty.

As you celebrate Basant Panchmi, take a moment to admire the blossoming flowers, feel the warmth of the sun, and cherish the joyous moments with your loved ones. May this festival bring you wisdom, creativity, and a fresh start to the year ahead.

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(For More News Apart From Basant Panchmi : The Festival of Spring and New Beginnings stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Union Budget 2025: What's low cost and What's high cost for Consumers?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2025 has introduced several changes that will affect consumer prices.

Union Budget 2025: What's low cost and What's high cost for Consumers latest news : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2025 has introduced several changes that will affect consumer prices. This budget, the second full one under the Modi 3.0 government, centers around ten key areas, including agriculture, manufacturing, employment, MSMEs, rural development, and innovation.

Items Becoming low cost :

1. Life-saving Medicines: A total of 36 life-saving medicines are now exempt from Basic Customs Duty, making them more affordable.

2. Lead, Zinc, and Other Minerals Full exemption from Basic Customs Duty on lead, zinc, and 12 other minerals will lower costs for industries using these materials.

3. Raw Materials for Shipbuilding: A 10-year exemption from Basic Customs Duty will benefit the shipbuilding industry.

4. Mobile Phones, Gold, Silver, and Copper: Prices for these items have already decreased due to last year's budget changes.

5. Cancer Treatment Drugs: Three cancer treatment drugs have been removed from the Basic Customs Duty list, making them more accessible.

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Items Becoming high cost :

1 Non-biodegradable Plastics : Customs duty on non-biodegradable plastics has been increased to 25%, raising their cost.

2. Certain Telecom Equipment : Basic Customs Duty on certain telecom equipment has been increased from 10% to 15%, potentially leading to higher prices for consumers.

Additional Notable Changes :

- Gold and Silver Prices: Prices for gold and silver have risen ahead of the Budget Speech. In Mumbai, the price of 24-carat gold increased by a160 to a84,490 per 10 grams, while 22-carat gold went up by 150 to 77,450 per 10 grams.

- Vivad Se Vishwas 2.0 Scheme: 33,000 taxpayers have utilized the Vivad Se Vishwas 2.0 scheme to settle direct tax disputes, reflecting a positive response to the government's resolution efforts.

The Finance Minister emphasized that Budget 2025 aims to introduce transformative reforms to benefit the economy and consumers alike. It focuses on providing taxpayer relief, supporting senior citizens, and fostering a favorable environment for startups and education.

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Overall, Budget 2025 presents a mix of price changes for consumers, with some items becoming cheaper and others more expensive. The impact on consumer behavior will depend on how these changes are implemented and how consumers adapt.

( For More News Apart From Union Budget 2025: What's low cost and What's high cost for Consumers? stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman )
Union Budget 2025 LIVE UPDATES: Nirmala Sitharaman to Present 8th Consecutive Budget

According to the Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled on Friday, Indias economy is projected to grow between 6.3% and 6.8% in FY26.

Union Budget 2025, Nirmala Sitharaman Speech Latest News Highlights : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive budget, marking a historic milestone.

According to the Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled on Friday, Indias economy is projected to grow between 6.3% and 6.8% in FY26. The survey emphasizes that while investment activity is expected to rise, structural reforms and deregulation will be necessary to sustain medium-term growth potential.

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Ahead of the Budget presentation, President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to a joint sitting of Parliament, highlighted the governments commitment to reviving the economy from the policy paralysis of the past. She acknowledged challenges posed by global uncertainties, including the COVID-19 aftermath and ongoing geopolitical conflicts, but reaffirmed the government's strong determination to steer the economy forward.

Union Budget 2025, Nirmala Sitharaman Latest News HIGHLIGHTS:

12:29| FM says, "I propose to rationalise TDS by reducing the number of rates and thresholds above which TDS is deducted. Further, threshold amounts for tax deduction will be increased for better clarity and uniformity. The limit for TDS on interest for senior citizens is being doubled for the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 Lakh. Similarly, the annual limit of Rs 2.40 Lakh for TDS on rent is being increased to Rs 6 Lakh. The threshold to collect TCS on remittances under RBI's liberalised remittance scheme is proposed to be increased from Rs 7 Lakh to Rs Rs 10 Lakhs. I also propose to remove remittances for education purposes where such remittances is out of loan taken from a specified financial institution."

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12:28| "No Income Tax payable up to an income of Rs 12 Lakh. Slabs and rates being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers," announces FM Nirmala Sitharaman. She further says, "...I propose to revise tax rate structures as follows: 0 to Rs 4 Lakhs - nil, Rs 4 Lakhs to Rs 8 Lakhs - 5%, Rs 8 Lakhs to Rs 12 Lakhs - 10%, Rs 12 Lakhs to Rs 16 Lakhs - 15%, Rs 16 Lakhs to Rs 20 Lakhs - 20%, Rs 20 Lakhs to Rs 24 Lakhs - 25% and above Rs 24 Lakhs - 30%. To taxpayers up to Rs 12 Lakhs of normal income other than special rate income such as capital gains, tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them..."

12:18| "The middle class provide strengths to the economy. In recognition of their contribution, we have periodically reduced the tax burdens. I am now happy to announce that there will be no income tax up to an income of Rs 12 lakhs."says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

12:15| "There will be no Income Tax payable up to an income of Rs 12 Lakh," announces FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

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12:08| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "In the budget of July 2024, the delay of the payments of the TDS up to the due date of filing statements was decriminalised; I propose the same from the TCS provisions as well..."

12:05 | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "Those suffering from Cancer, chronic or other severe diseases; I propose to add 36 life-saving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from basic customs duty."

12:02| FM says, "Inspired by the success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore additional passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational and northeast regional districts. Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and Brownfield airport in Bihta. Financial support will be provided for Western Kosi Canal ERM project in Mithilanchal, benefitting a large number of farmers in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar..."

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12:00| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "As a part of a comprehensive review of customs rates structure announced in the July 2024 budget, I propose to remove 7 tariff rates - this is over and above the tariffs removed in the 2023-24 budget..."

11:54| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The fiscal deficit is estimated to be 4.4% of the GDP..."

11:53| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The FDI limit for the Insurance Sector will be raised from 74 to 100 percent. This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified."

11:52| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The revised estimate of the total receipts other than borrowings is Rs 31.47 lakh crore of which the net tax receipts are Rs 25.57 lakh crore..."

11:46| "I propose to introduce the New Income Tax Bill next week," says FM Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament

11:46| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "A digital public infrastructure - 'Bharat Trade Net' (BTN) for international trade will be setup as a unified platform for trade documentation and financing solutions. The BTN will be aligned with international practices..."

11:44| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "As a part of Nuclear Energy Mision for Research and Development, at least five indigenously developed small modular (nuclear) reactors will be operationalised by 2033..."

11:43| "I am pleased to announce the extension of Jal Jeevan Mission until 2028 with an enhanced total outlay," says Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman.

11:43 | Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat. Development of at least 100 gW of Nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for our energy transition. For active partnerships with the private sectors towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and Civil Liability for the Nuclear Damage Act will be taken out.."

11:36| Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The govt will setup an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals to make cities as growth hubs.."

11:33| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "To improve access to credit, the credit guarantee cover will be enhanced. For micro and small enterprises from Rs 5 to Rs 10 crores leading to additional credit of Rs 1.5 Lakh Crores in the next 5 years. For

11:30| It was a symbolic walk out, all the MPs who walked out have joined the ongoing Lok Sabha session

11:26| Opposition parties demanded a discussion on the Mahakumbh stampede. Walked out to mark their protest.

11:22| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs will be enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times respectively. This will give them the confidence to grow and generate employment for our youth."

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11:19| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana - developing agri districts program...Our government will undertake a PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in partnership with states. Through the convergence of existing schemes and specialised measures, the program will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. It aims to enhance cultural productivity..."

11:18| MPs from the opposition parties walk out of Lok Sabha as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reads her budgetary speech She began her budgetary speech amid protests by Samajwadi Party MPs including party chief Akhilesh Yadav

11:10| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "In this Budget, the proposed development measures span 10 broad areas, focussing on the poor, youth, farmers and women."

11:09| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins her budget speech amid protest by Samajwadi Party MPs including party chief Akhilesh Yadav

11:06| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, "Our economy is the fastest growing among all major economies. Our development track record for the past 10 years and structural reforms have drawn global attention. Confidence in India's capability and potential has only grown in this period. We see the next 5 years as a unique opportunity to realise sabka vikas, stimulating balanced growth of all regions."

11:00| Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget 2025

10:59| Raipur: On UnionBudget2025, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao says, "This budget is definitely going to be historic, it will be the budget for building the India of 2047, for building a developed India. This will be a budget that will bring changes in the lives of common people."

10:56| On Congress MP Manish Tewari's tweet on Budget, BJP MP Deepak Prakash says, "Congress and Congress leaders are mentally bankrupt. Budget is the symbol of the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. Every citizen is connected to it...But Congress mindset clearly shows that it has nothing to do with common people."

10:53| President of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Hemant Jain says, "In the last couple of years, the growth has come down. We need to ensure that the growth rate is increased. This will happen by giving more money in the hands of the people and also improving the ease of doing business. We expect that income tax will be improved in favour of the middle class and investments will be increased in infrastructure and manufacturing sector..."

10:50| BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal says, "Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, all the Budgets that have been presented so far have given new heights of development. I am confident that today too there will be a lot for poor, youth, women and industries." On Congress MP Manish Tewari's tweet on Budget, he says, "...PM Modi is meeting the expectation that the people of the country have with him. That is why, he is the PM for the third time."

10:46 | Samajwadi Party chief and the party's MP Akhilesh Yadav says, "...There is a more important thing than budget at the moment - people in Maha Kumbha are still looking and searching for their relatives. The CM has been there many times, the Union Home Minister has gone there, the Vice President is going today and the Prime Minister will also go there - in a Maha Kumbh where people die and the govt has failed to provide the numbers of deceased and those who are missing... Hindus have lost their lives - the govt must wake up - I said earlier as well to call the Army there. This has been the first time that saints have denied having Shahi (Amrit) Snan..."

10:43 | Congress MP Hibi Eden says, "We hope that the tax policies and the issues faced by common man and the small-time traders, including the GST, something on that would be expected. More allocation would be there on MNREGA. We expect that education and health will be given more focus and our all-time demand is that the honorarium of members of the anganwadi - teachers and workers are revised and given a better space. These are our demands and I hope the Govt will consider that...The southern states are neglected. I hope Kerala will get a better share this time."

10:40 | Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "Budget has an intent, content - it both make the extent of the budget. We don't have much expectations from the budget that some big announcements will be made and that will encourage private investment... Let's see if there will be some tax relaxation for the middle class or not. Also, we need to see if the investors get some relaxation from the 'tax terrorism'. We have demanded some reforms in GST. Modi 3.0 is being discussed all over the world, let's see when GST 2.0 comes."

10:35 | On Union Budget 2025 , JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha says, "The manner in which the economy has enhanced, the country has become the 5th largest economy under the leadership of PM Modi - a lot of work for the welfare of poor is being done, work on infrastructure is being done...People will get relief. In the last Budget too, the PM had a special focus on Bihar...We expect the same in this Budget too." On Sonia Gandhi's and Rahul Gandhi's remarks on President Droupadi Murmu and her speech, he says, "It is very unfortunate...President comes from the tribal community. Speaking with such contempt shows the mindset of Congress family..."

10:33 | Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives at parliament as Union Budget 2025 will be tabled in Lok Sabha, today, by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

10:19 AM | Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat says, "The Budget will be in continuity and will be for the welfare of the country, of the poor and will be a novel and strong step towards the resolve of making 'Viksit Bharat'..."

10:16 AM | President Droupadi Murmu feeds Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman the customary 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) ahead of her Budget presentation.

10:10 AM | Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives at the Parliament, after meeting President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. She will present the Union Budget at the House, shortly.

10:05 AM | Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves from Rashtrapati Bhavan after meeting President Droupadi Murmu.

10:00 AM | Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary meet President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan
the number of deaths in road accidents has decreased by 45.5% in punjab

The lack of seriousness towards road safety is exemplified by the accident that occurred in Fazilka district on Friday morning

The number of deaths in road accidents has decreased by 45.5% latest news : The lack of seriousness towards road safety is exemplified by the accident that occurred in Fazilka district on Friday morning. A pickup van carrying 20 passengers collided with a stationary canter near Golu Ka Mod on the Ferozepur-Fazilka highway, resulting in 11 deaths and 10 serious injuries. The district administration has expressed concerns that the death toll might increase due to the critical condition of some of the injured. Eyewitnesses reported that the pickup van was traveling at high speed, causing it to lose control and crash into the canter parked by the roadside.

Just a few days ago, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed that the state government's establishment of a road safety force within a year has resulted in a 45.5% reduction in road accident deaths. He also mentioned that not only have deaths decreased, but the number of accidents has also gone down.

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This claim has been extensively used for government propaganda, but the reality is that government statistics do not always present an accurate picture of the situation. Many accidents are not even reported by the police. Often, the police emphasize settlements to avoid court appearances and to showcase better performance. Similarly, when relatives of political leaders or wealthy individuals are responsible for accidents, cases are often settled with money.

In reality, if one wants to understand the actual situation regarding accidents, it can be gleaned from local newspaper editions. These reports indicate that in a state like Punjab, there are an average of at least 7-8 deaths reported daily. On the other hand, if one looks at government statistics, the average for the year 2024, based on the 1016 figures, does not exceed three. This is clearly a cover-up of the truth. Furthermore, the internal deception of government "truth" can easily be exposed through district-wise statistics.

For instance, according to government records, there were 536 dangerous accidents in Mohali district during 2024, resulting in 312 deaths and 349 injuries. If there were 312 deaths in Mohali alone, then were there only 1016-312=704 deaths in the rest of Punjab? Are districts like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Bathinda, with higher populations and road traffic, so safe that there is not even one death per day on average from road accidents?

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Road safety cannot be ensured by covering up the truth. It can only be achieved by strictly enforcing traffic rules. Negligence towards traffic rules is so deeply ingrained in our habits that if someone adheres to speed limits on a highway, vehicles behind them honk and create trouble. Similarly, if someone stops at a traffic light turning from green to yellow, the vehicle behind considers it justified to overtake and move ahead.

In many cities of Punjab, traffic police primarily issue challans to vehicles with out-of-state license plates. Every police officer knows that if they issue a challan, there will either be calls from influential people or threats from "big shots." Moreover, the district-wise strength of traffic police is so minimal that they consider it a success to keep the traffic moving, let alone enforce the rules.

When half of the state's police force is engaged in VIP security, how much manpower is left for other tasks? Road safety requires seriousness and compassion from the authorities towards human lives. Distributing compensation grants to victims' families using taxpayer money after every major accident provides temporary relief, but it is not a permanent solution to reducing accidents.

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( For More News Apart From The number of deaths in road accidents has decreased by 45.5% stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
The first Cantacuzins in the heritage of Bucharests Municipality Museum.

Romania's late medieval history in rare and recently-displayed exhibits

Sursa foto: Muzeul Municipiului Bucuresti

Eugen Nasta, 01.02.2025, 14:00

A new documentary exhibition has been made available to visitors on the premises at Bucharests Municipality Museum. Playing host to the new exhibition in the Museums main building, the Sutu Palace, located in Bucharests City Center.

The theme is The first Cantacuzins in the heritage of Bucharests Municipality Museum. The curator of the exhibition, Mihaela Rafaila of the Museums Modern and Contemporary History Compartment has revealed, for us, the underlying intention in staging the exhibition.

Through the temporary exhibition themed The first Cantacuzins in the heritage of Bucharests Municipality Museum I intended to introduce to the lay public some certificates written on paper or on parchment, in the Slavonic and Romanian languages, with Cyrillic letters, where the members of this important family of the 17th and 18th centuries are mentioned in their capacity as witnesses, through the dignities they held as part of the Princely Council, but also through the selling-purchase acts they signed at that time or issuing charters or decrees, such as the case of ruling princes Serban and Stefan Cantacuzino. 

The first of the great dignitaries, men of culture and even vaivodes who were members of this boyar family in Wallachia was court marshal Constantin Cantacuzino, who was born in 1598 and assassinated in 1663. He was the central figure as part of the exhibition hosted by the Bucharest Municipality Museum.

As an outcome of his being married to vaivode Radu Serbans youngest daughter, princess Elina or Ilinca, as she was called around the house, Constantin Cantacuzino began his ascension according to Wallachias high-office positions scheme. Apart from his personal fortune, inherited and amassed, the court marshal benefitted from his wifes dowry, which enabled him to have his 11 children, six boys and five daughters, relate to the most distinguished Moldavian and Wallachian families of boyars.

Benefitting from a special education, court marshal Constantin Cantacuzino was a great lover of books. Having INTINSE economic and diplomatic relationships and also enjoying the respect especially from the ottomans, court marshal Cantacuzino at that time was known as vaivode Matei Basarabs secret councillor, being a towering figure of Romanian politics in the 17th century.

Here is curator Mihaela Rafaila, briefly introducing to us the great dignitarys wife, Elina Cantacuzino (1611-1687):

In turn, Elina proved her special qualities: she was forgiving of her husbands murderers, tenacious in her bid to rescue the house after the disappearance of the familys STALP, cautious in distributing the fortune among her children, loving towards the boys, whom she gently advised to have a truly brotherly relationship, manly because of the journey she took to the Holy Places. 

What are the documents the Bucharest Municipality Museum exhibition brings before visitors, which are highly relevant for the history of this distinguished Romanian family ?

As part of the exhibition, the name of the founder of the Cantacuzino family in Wallachia, Constantin Cantacuzino, is mentioned for the first time in the act of June 8, 1626, in his capacity of witness of the Princely Council, the dignity he held being that of great court marshal. 

The exhibition themed The First Cantacuzins brings three volumes before the public, important for the history of Romanian culture. The exhibition lays special emphasis on the Bible of Bucharest, also known as the Bible of Serban Cantacuzino, the first complete translation of the Bible into Romanian, published in 1688.

Mihaela Rafaila:

On display as part of the exhibition we also have three books The Holy and Divine Gospel, composed following the structure of the Greek Gospel, printed at the behest and with the financial support of ruler Serban Cantacuzino, in the year 1682. Then there is The Bible, also known as The Bible of Bucharest, as well as The Political and Geographical History of Wallachia, whose author was identified by the great historian Nicolae Iorga as being province governor Mihai Cantacuzino.

Then again, speaking about the Bible of Bucharest, it represents the first complete translation of the Divine Writ, made at the command of the Most Kind-Hearted Christian and this our enlightened ruler Ioan Serban Cantacuzino Vaivode. It was printed on filigree paper.

The covers are wooden panels bound in leather, whose decoration was made through hot pressing. The editing of the Bible represented an important stage in the process of imposing the national language as liturgical language, at once being a reference monument of the printing press art of Wallachia. That once and for all set the path the ecclesiastical written language would take.

The Bible was widely spread in the Romanian principalities, Wallachia, Moldavia and in Transylvania and even reached Poland, when a copy was given to former metropolitan bishop Dosoftei, who was in exile. Another copy was in the possession of Pope Benedict the 14th, the copy, as we speak, is kept in the Library of Bologna University. The displayed copy circulated in Transylvania, the counties of Alba and Hunedoara. 
In September 2024, Honda launched the Apex Edition of Elevate SUV to offer a special and limited edition variants to buyers. On the first day of February 2025, Honda is extending the Apex Edition to City sedan, which has been priced between Rs 13.3 lakh and Rs 15.62 lakh (Ex-sh). Lets take a look.

Honda City Apex Edition

City has been one of the, if not, the most popular sedan in India. It has been catering to Indian sedan enthusiasts for decades now. In Feb 2025, Honda has launched City Apex Edition, similar to what we saw with Elevate SUV. Apex Edition for City is based on V and VX trim levels and the price premium Honda is commanding for Apex Edition is Rs 25,000.

Volumes of Honda City Apex Edition are quite limited, making it a special and attractive offering from the brand. Apex Edition is offered with both Manual and CVT gearbox options and across all the colour options offered with V and VX trims. Honda calls Apex Edition a premium package enhancements.

Speaking of enhancements, City Apex Edition gets a few features added on top of the standard V and VX trims it is based on. Notable premium highlights with City Apex Edition include luxurious beige interiors, premium leatherette instrument panel, leatherette console garnish, and premium leatherette door padding.

On top of these premium elements, City Apex Edition also gets a rhythmic ambient light system on instrument panel and door pockets. There are 7 colours for this system. Also, Apex Edition exclusive seat covers and cushions, Apex Edition badge on fenders, Apex Edition emblem on the trunk are notable.

Statement from Honda Cars India Ltd

Speaking on the Apex Edition of the Honda City; Mr. Kunal Behl, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd. said, Honda City has been an extremely successful brand in India enjoying an aspirational status among customers. It has consistently been a strong business pillar for Honda Cars India.

With the introduction of the Apex Edition of the Honda City, we aim to offer a more enhanced and premium package to our customers. We are confident that the customers will like this new edition, and we look forward to welcoming more customers to the Honda family.

Also read  Honda City & Elevate prices hiked
This story is part of the

Nonprofit Journal Project

, an initiative focused on nonprofit leaders and programs across Metro Detroit. This series is made possible with the generous support of our partners, the

Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation

,

Michigan Nonprofit Association

and

Co.act Detroit

.

In Dearborn, industrial facilities, trucking routes, schools, and homes are in close proximity, and air quality varies significantly over time and from neighborhood to neighborhood.To address public health concerns, the City of Dearborn launched an air quality monitoring program in February 2024 through the MiNextCities program, partnering with JustAir . It includes 10 monitors distributed across the city and gives residents and others access to real-time air quality data.Air quality, even just down the street, can be very different from your front door. Having these sensors at a hyper-local level can really give you a better picture of what's going on, says Nick Thomas, directorof MiNextCities at NextEnergy.The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) and the nonprofit NextEnergy created MiNextCities, which works with small and mid-sized Michigan cities that are facing challenges and pairs them with sustainable smart city solutions to their challenges.Poor air quality can aggravate asthma and other health conditions, so people often check their local air quality before spending time outside. But if you use a weather app or the local news to get this information, it may come from an air quality sensor thats nowhere near you. Regional sensors miss air quality disparities between one neighborhood and another, and JustAirs network documents these disparities."The asthma rates, in particular in the South End [of Dearborn], are well above the state average, says Samir Deshpande, environmental health manager at the City of Dearborn. This is also a community that is disproportionately likely to be new arrivals to the country, to be immigrants, to speak English with a limited proficiency," and to have a higher percentage of people of color and lower incomes.MiNextCities chose the City of Dearborn as one of its target cities and deployed solutions for two problems in Dearborn: flood/water level monitoring and air quality monitoring.The City of Dearborn's forward-thinking health department wanted to make air quality data easily accessible and useful to residents.MiNextCities funded the program through the Dearborn Department of Public Health . MiNextCities and NextEnergy facilitated it, including identifying the companies with the best solutions for Dearborn and bringing in JustAir, which installed the monitors and operates the system. Collaboration among the players was needed to take the project from concept to execution.Collaboration between a nonprofit like NextEnergy, which can serve as an independent third party, and a city government can be a more effective way to implement smart city technology than more traditional channels, where it's sort of a buying and selling nature, Thomas says.Also key to the programs success: Dearborn Department of Public Health takes a different approach from that of traditional health departments, such as the Wayne County Public Health Division, which focus on public health issues like vaccinations.Dearborn is only the second city in Michigan to have a health department, Deshpande says. Our goal as a health department is to be laser-focused on health policy, and specifically on health in all policies,' meaning that considerations like social determinants of health are baked into everything that the city government does, he says.The monitors have been collecting air quality data since they were installed in 2023. All 10 measure particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide, and two of them also measure ozone. The monitors have signs explaining what they are, some information about air quality, and how people can sign up for alerts. The signs are also translated into Arabic.People check air quality at monitors near them using a publicly accessible website, justair.app , which doesnt require a login or account. Users can also subscribe to text alerts, which go out when air quality reaches a threshold (that the user chooses) and again when air quality returns to safe levels. About 180 people have subscribed.A few of the monitors also display a color-coded light that conveys the level of air quality, which you can see from a distance. At a glance, residents can have a sense of how the air is that day in that space, says Nate Rauh-Bieri, JustAirs head of projects.The light has been a success, with a lot of user engagement and enthusiasm, Thomas says.This has been probably one of the biggest points of feedback from residentsthey love this, he says. Focus groups have also revealed that people are using the monitors to adjust their activities, Deshpande says.The city has been working with several community organizations, nonprofits, and schools so they can use the monitors. This is a resource that you can consider when sending the kids out for recess or to play outside. Should it be an inside day, or should it be an outside day? Deshpande says.However, Deshpande explains, The intention of this is not to shift the burden of not getting asthma onto people. People staying inside doesnt solve the problem of air quality.Along with informing people about air quality, we collect and keep all of the historical data from when the monitor was turned on until now, and we have been using that, one, to look at hot spots in different locations, as well as seasonal and other trends. As we are rolling out interventions [to address and improve air quality], we'll have some means of understanding: Is this working? Is this making a measurable impact on the air quality?In Dearborn, certain neighborhoods have a higher burden of pollution than others. People want to be able to pinpoint where exactly those disparities lie, and it's pretty clear from lived experience from residents where those disparities lie. Residents can tell you that, Rauh-Bieri says. This monitoring program is trying to put data to realities that have been around for a long time.At community meetings that discuss the program, There is an enthusiasm and excitement for residents who feel like they haven't been heard or seen for, in some cases, decades around air quality, Thomas says. They're saying, hey, I feel like the air quality here is bad. My family has XYZ health issues. I think there's something wrong, but I don't have the data to prove it. This program gives them the data to prove it.The City of Dearborn has moved to improve air quality before. As one example, the city recently passed one of the strongest fugitive dust ordinances in the country, according to Deshpande. Fugitive dust is particulate matter that comes from sources such as industrial facilities, construction and transportation and can aggravate respiratory problems.The city is also looking at zoning ordinances, trucking routes, increasing green spaces, and using vegetative buffers between industrial and residential areas. It is also analyzing the regulatory architecture of the city and thinking about streamlining those regulations to promote environmental justice and public health, Deshpande says. "What are all of the tools that we have as a local government to try to address this air quality crisis that's hitting our communities? Deshpande asks.Air quality data can be used for city planning such as where to put new housing developments, how to manage industrial centers differently, and where to allow trucking routes to protect vulnerable populations, Thomas says.No-idling zones around schools are a very simple way to keep people healthy and reduce pollution, Rauh-Bieri adds.Dearborn now has over a year of air quality data. Rauh-Bieri says, We would like more, to be able to build some of the cases for this or that intervention. One example is that, pretty immediately, what we've seen in some of our other projects is the localized air quality data absolutely reinforces what's well known: that green spaces are a really good buffer between people and sources of pollution. Air quality is higher in green spaces, as trees can absorb pollution, he says.MiNextCities involvement formally winds up at the end of January 2025, and funding for Dearborns air quality monitoring program is secured through April. The city is exploring options to continue funding beyond that.JustAir has sensors elsewhere in Michigan and around the country. Thomas noted that with a larger network of these monitors, bigger patterns in air quality can be tracked and modeled, like weather is.MiNextCities chose Dearborn, Marquette, and Flint, and the goal is to provide a roadmap for implementing similar solutions across Michigan.Talk about smart cities often centers on starting from scratch with new technology, but the real smart cities challenge is working on a community that's existed for centuries, in many cases, and really figuring out how to take an existing infrastructure, an existing city plan, an existing grid, and incorporate smart cities technology, Thomas says.Both MiNextCities and NextEnergy integrate into existing communities, and that's where we see the real challenges, we see the real opportunitythe real growth, he says.
Courtesy Broadway Grand Rapids Wendy Taylor, Grand Rapids resident and community advocate.

Courtesy Broadway Grand Rapids Meghan Distel welcomes patrons at the start of a Broadway Grand Rapids to the show.

Courtesy Broadway Grand Rapids Broadway Grand Rapids welcomes Moulin Rouge Jan. 21 - Feb. 2.

Photo by Tommy Allen Broadway Grand Rapids President and CEO Meghan Distel works closely with her team to ensure everyone has a wonderful theatrical experience.

Accessibility in the arts manifests in diverse ways, from physical accommodations to technological innovations, creating pathways for everyone to engage in transformative cultural experiences. Yet for many, the barriers to enjoying live theater  from ticket prices to a lack of accessible options  remain daunting and, at times, mysterious.Wendy Taylor, a Grand Rapids resident and community advocate, has shared her struggles as a hearing-impaired patron to participate in our local arts scene.I used to avoid live performances because the experience felt out of reach, she says. The cost, combined with the lack of support for people like me, made it easier just to stay home.Her story is sadly not unique, yet Broadway Grand Rapids provides an inspiring alternative by dedicating itself to breaking down access barriers so everyone can enjoy live theater's magic together.Under the leadership of CEO and president Meghan Distel, Broadway Grand Rapids has embraced innovative tools and programs that are revolutionizing how area arts audiences interact with live performances, particularly for those within the disability community.In 2024, Broadway Grand Rapids launched the GalaPro app, a groundbreaking technology that offers open captions, audio descriptions, and even translations for select shows. Initially introduced as a soft launch during the 2024 production of Wicked, GalaPro has since become a standard feature for all of its performances at DeVos Performance Hall.GalaPro is a step in the right direction, Distel says. It opens the door for more people to enjoy live theater, regardless of their abilities.The app is designed to solve a lot of problems as it improves the experience for patrons with hearing and visual impairments while also catering to those who desire a richer connection to the shows story. As viewing habits evolved during the pandemic, many relied on captions to help them understand the dialogue on screen. Distel emphasized the apps capacity to adjust to diverse needs, such as enlarging font size and offering translations in languages like Spanish.This innovation, supported by one of their community sponsors, Amway, required upgrades to DeVos Performance Halls Wi-Fi infrastructure. The result? GalaPro enables patrons to experience the magic of Broadway from any seat in the theater house.Many touring productions that visit our community offer unique programming enhancements that expand access. Moulin Rouge! The Musical provides a fresh experience for our visually impaired patrons through touch tours, where participants go on stage pre-show (and at a designated time) to interact with the detailed costumes, props, and set pieces by touch.In this inaugural touch tour for West Michigan, Moulin Rouge! The Musical offers guests the unique opportunity to appreciate the intricacies of production, including the tactile experience of Tony Award-winning costumes designed by Catherine Zuber production.Touch tours allow patrons to feel the artistry that goes into these productions, said Distel. Its about making everyone feel welcome and ensuring they can fully appreciate the performance.Touch tour is made possible and accessible via Broadway Grand Rapids' partnerships with local organizations like Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC), whose insights have helped Broadway Grand Rapids continually refine and advance its offerings.Betty Siegel, Director of Accessibility at The Kennedy Center and DAKCs 2024 Absolutely Accessible Kent keynote speaker emphasized the importance of such relationships.The success of these programs hinges on collaboration with local disability communities, Siegel says. Broadway Grand Rapids has the potential to be a national exemplar.Accessibility at Broadway Grand Rapids extends beyond technology. The Broadway Arts Access program, rebranded under Distels leadership, offers $5 tickets to families experiencing financial hardship. This initiative also supports Title I schools and community organizations like the Hispanic Center of West Michigan and Amplify GR.Were not just selling tickets; were creating opportunities for belonging, Distel says. Theater is for everyone, and were committed to breaking down economic, physical, and cultural barriers.In the 2023-2024 season, Broadway Grand Rapids marked its 35th anniversary by organizing 35 community events, strengthening its ties with local patrons and businesses. These close-knit gatherings allowed the organization to share its stories and encourage increased involvement in its programs.Broadway Grand Rapids initiatives to enhance accessibility resonate across West Michigan. With a record-breaking 12,000 season ticket holders in its 36th season, the theater significantly boosts the local economy. The ripple effects extend to restaurants, bars, and regional advertisers.Were a draw for the region, attracting audiences from Northern Indiana to surrounding counties, Distel says. The more accessible we make our shows, the more people we bring into the community.Siegel says the areas efforts have broader implications.With an aging population and increasing numbers of people with disabilities, accessibility is not just a moral imperativeits a smart investment in the future of the arts, she says.Looking forward, Distel aims to enhance accessibility and inclusivity. Drawing inspiration from initiatives in other cities, she envisions establishing scholarship programs for emerging theater professionals and organizing sensory-friendly performances. These initiatives would align with Broadway Grand Rapids continuous partnership with DAKCs mission to collaborate with local organizations, businesses, and governments to recognize and tackle barriers.Accessibility is an ongoing journey, Distel says about their relationship with DAKC. Were committed to learning and evolving to ensure that everyone feels theater is for them.Distels role extends beyond Grand Rapids as a newly appointed Tony Awards voter in September 2024. Her participation elevates the citys profile in the national arts scene and brings fresh insights to local programming.This opportunity allows me to see whats possible and bring those ideas back to our community, she says.Broadway Grand Rapids is dedicated to accessibility, transforming lives, and establishing a benchmark for inclusivity in the arts that also lights the way for others to consider adding to their vision. Through the use of innovative technologies, continually building community partnerships, and emphasizing belonging, the organization guarantees that everyone experiences the enchantment of Broadway right here in West Michigan.Were not just putting on shows, says Distel. Were creating a space where everyone can feel the power of storytelling.Rapid Growth's Disability Inclusion original story series is made possible through a partnership with Centers for Independent Living organizations across West Michigan.Broadway Grand Rapids welcomes Moulin Rouge to DeVos Performance Hall Jan. 21 - Feb. 2. Tickets are available here: broadwaygrandrapids.com/moulin-rouge Read more about inclusivity in West Michigan theaters
12:26:39 PM IST "Big relief for taxpayers! Under the new tax regime, income up to Rs 12 lakh will now be tax-free, significantly reducing the financial burden on the middle class. This bold move enhances disposable income, encourages spending, and promotes economic growth. By simplifying taxation and easing compliance, the government reinforces its commitment to a taxpayer-friendly system. This reform not only benefits salaried individuals but also supports businesses and investments, driving overall prosperity. With a focus on financial empowerment and ease of living, this tax relief is a major step toward a more inclusive and growth-oriented economy", says Adhil Shetty, Bankbazaar. 12:23:07 PM IST Decoding the Big Income Tax Boost Person with annual income of Rs 18 lakh will get benefit of Rs 70,000 in tax

Income tax payers with annual income of Rs 12 lakh will get benefit of Rs 80,000 12:20:04 PM IST Major Overhaul of Income Tax Slabs in New Regime! Here is how the new tax regime will now look like: Zero to Rs 4,00,000- No Tax

Rs 4,00,000 to Rs 8,00,000 - 5%

Rs 8,00,0001 to Rs 12,00,000 - 10%

Rs 12,00,001 to 16 lakh rupees - 15%

Rs 16,00,001 to 20 lakh rupees - 20%

Rs 20,00,001 to 24 lakh rupees - 25%

Above 24 lakh - 30% 12:14:01 PM IST No Income Tax No income tax for salaried people on income of up to Rs 12,75,000. 12:12:05 PM IST NSC Withdrawals Post-August 29, 2024 Tax-Free in Budget 2025 "A number of senior and very senior citizens have very old National Savings Scheme (NSS) accounts. As interest is no longer payable on such accounts, I propose to exempt withdrawals made from NSS by individuals on or after 29th August, 2024". 12:08:54 PM IST In her speech, FM said that the annual limit of Rs 2.40 lakh for TDS on rent is being increased to Rs 6 lakh. "This will reduce, this will reduce the number of transactions liable to TDS, thus benefiting small tax payers receiving small payments", she said. 12:06:51 PM IST TDS Rent Exemption Limit Hiked in Budget 2025-26 According to FM Nirmala Sitharaman, "I propose to rationalize tax deductions at source (TDS) by reducing the number of rates and thresholds about which TDS is deductible. Further, threshold amounts for tax deduction will be increased for better clarity and uniformity. The limit for tax deduction on interest for senior citizens is being doubled from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000". 12:04:33 PM IST Tax Payment Simplified The new income tax bill is designed to be clear and direct in its language, ensuring simplicity and ease of understanding for both taxpayers and tax administrators. Its straightforward text aims to eliminate confusion, making it more accessible and user-friendly for all stakeholders involved. 12:01:22 PM IST Critical Minerals support The FM proposed full exemption of Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on cobalt powder and lithium-ion battery waste, scrap, and 12 other critical minerals.

This is aimed at securing the availability of these materials for manufacturing in India and creating job opportunities for the youth. 11:59:15 AM IST Patient Assistance Programs Patient assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies will be fully exempt from Basic Customs Duty (BCD), provided the medicines are supplied free of cost to the patients. Additionally, 37 new medicines and 13 new patient assistance programs will be included in the exemption list. 11:58:33 AM IST, Relief For Patients To provide relief for cancer patients, those suffering from rare diseases, and chronic conditions, the government will add 36 life-saving drugs to the list of medicines fully exempt from basic customs duty.

Six life-saving medicines will be added to a list with a concessional customs duty of 5%.

Full exemption and concessional duty will apply to bulk drugs used for manufacturing these medicines. 11:57:06 AM IST Tariff Rate Adjustments Seven tariff rates will be removed, in addition to the seven rates removed in the 2023-24 Budget.

This will leave only eight remaining tariff rates, including a zero rate.

Duty incidents will be broadly maintained, except for a few items where they will be reduced marginally. 11:55:16 AM IST Customs Tariff Structure Rationalization The government aims to simplify and streamline the customs tariff structure, addressing duty inversion and promoting domestic manufacturing, value addition, and exports. The rationalisation is part of a comprehensive review of the customs rate structure announced in the July 2024 Budget. 11:52:05 AM IST India's Fiscal Path Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the government aims to maintain the fiscal deficit each year in a manner that ensures central government debt remains on a declining trajectory as a percentage of GDP. The roadmap for the next six years has been outlined in the FRBM statement. For 2024-25, the revised estimate for total receipts (excluding borrowings) stands at Rs 31.47 lakh crore, with net tax receipts at Rs 25.57 lakh crore. The revised estimate for total expenditure is Rs 47.16 lakh crore, including a capital expenditure of Rs 10.1 lakh crore. The fiscal deficit for the year is now pegged at 4.8% of GDP. 11:50:14 AM IST Boosting Competitive Federalism Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that an Investment Friendliness Index for states will be launched in 2025 to promote competitive cooperative federalism. Under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), a mechanism will be established to assess the impact of existing financial regulations and subsidiary instructions. This initiative aims to enhance the responsiveness and growth of the financial sector. She also highlighted the Jan Vishwas Act 2023, which led to the decriminalization of over 1,080 legal provisions, fostering a more business-friendly regulatory environment. 11:48:38 AM IST Bolstering the domestic electronic equipment industry Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the government's commitment to bolstering the domestic electronic equipment industry, creating opportunities for youth. A national framework will be developed to guide states in promoting Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in emerging Tier-2 cities, focusing on talent availability, infrastructure upgrades, bylaw reforms, and industry collaboration. Additionally, the government will enhance infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo, particularly for high-value perishable horticultural produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will be streamlined to improve efficiency. Sitharaman also highlighted that reforms have been the driving force behind the government's policies over the past decade. 11:45:15 AM IST New Income Tax Bill Coming Next Week Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the government's decade-long efforts in implementing tax reforms to enhance taxpayer convenience. Key measures include faceless assessment, the taxpayer charter, and faster processing of returns, with nearly 99% of returns being based on self-assessment. Reaffirming the tax department's approach of 'trust first, scrutinize later', she emphasized the continued commitment to easing compliance. Additionally, she announced that a new income tax bill will be introduced next week, furthering the government's reform agenda. 11:40:50 AM IST India's Plan to Become a Global Toy Hub In her Union Budget 2025 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced measures to make India a hub for toys. "We will implement a scheme to build a national action plan for toys, focusing on the development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem. This will help create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys that represent the 'Made in India' brand'", she said. 11:38:52 AM IST A New UDAAN for Aspirational Indians Modified UDAAN Scheme to be launched, including 120 new destinations, 4 crore additional passengers. 11:37:45 AM IST Nuclear Energy Mission to Propel India's Clean Energy Transition Budget 2025 Live Updates: The Finance Minister announced a Nuclear Energy Mission to drive India's transition towards clean energy, with a goal of developing at least 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047. To facilitate greater private sector participation, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be introduced. Additionally, a dedicated research and development initiative for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) will be launched with an outlay of ?20,000 crore. As part of this mission, at least five indigenously developed SMRs are expected to be operational by 2033. 11:35:31 AM IST FM Gives Big Power Updates The Finance Minister highlighted key power sector reforms aimed at strengthening electricity distribution and transmission. The government will incentivize states to undertake reforms in electricity distribution and enhance intrastate transmission capacity. These measures will improve the financial health and operational efficiency of power companies. To support states in implementing these reforms, an additional borrowing allowance of 0.5% of GSDP will be granted, contingent on their progress in this sector. 11:34:52 AM IST Urban Challenge Fund to Transform Cities The Finance Minister announced the establishment of a Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund to drive the transformation of cities into growth hubs, support creative redevelopment, and enhance water and sanitation infrastructure, as outlined in the July Budget. This fund will finance up to 25% of the cost of bankable projects, with a requirement that at least 50% of the funding comes from bonds, bank loans, or public-private partnerships (PPPs). An initial allocation of Rs 10,000 crore has been proposed for the fiscal year 2025-26 to kickstart the initiative. 11:33:56 AM IST Daycare Cancer Centres in All District Hospitals The Finance Minister announced the establishment of daycare cancer centres in all district hospitals over the next three years to enhance cancer care accessibility. In FY 2025-26 alone, 200 centres will be set up. Additionally, the government is committed to strengthening urban livelihoods, with a continued focus on supporting the urban poor and vulnerable groups through various initiatives aimed at providing economic stability and employment opportunities. 11:30:51 AM IST 10,000 New Medical Seats to Boost Education The Finance Minister highlighted the government's focus on expanding medical education, noting that over the past 10 years, nearly 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats have been added an increase of 130%. To further strengthen healthcare infrastructure, 10,000 additional seats will be introduced in medical colleges and hospitals in the coming year, as part of a broader plan to add 75,000 seats over the next five years. 11:28:52 AM IST For the Curious Minds of India Atal Tinkering Labs will be established in 50,000 government schools in the next five years to inspire curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking among students. In addition, broadband connectivity will be provided to all government primary and secondary schools to enable access to digital learning resources.

11:26:20 AM IST

Third Engine of Growth - Investing in People

The Finance Minister highlighted investment as the third engine of growth, people, economy, and innovation. In this context, the government is focusing on Sashakt Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, which is providing nutritional support to over 8 crore children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and around 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the Northeast. Cost norms for these programs will also be increased.

11:24:38 AM IST

Food Tech Institute to Boost Bihar's Economy

The Finance Minister highlighted the government's commitment to supporting food processing as part of its focus on empowering the poor. A National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management will be established in Bihar, aimed at boosting food processing activities across the eastern region. This initiative will have two key outcomes: first, it will enhance farmers' incomes by adding value to their produce, and second, it will create skilling, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities for the youth in the region.

11:22:37 AM IST

Boost for Footwear, Leather, and Toy Sectors with New Schemes

The Finance Minister announced that the government will implement specific policy and facilitation measures to boost the productivity, quality, and competitiveness of India's footwear and leather sector. A focused products scheme will be introduced to support design capacity, component manufacturing, and machinery required for producing non-leather quality footwear, in addition to supporting leather footwear and products. This scheme is expected to create employment for 22 lakh people, generate over Rs 400 crore, and achieve exports of over Rs 1.1 lakh crore. In addition, measures will be introduced for the toy sector, building on the National Action Plan for Toys. A new scheme will aim to establish India as a global hub for toys, focusing on developing clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will produce high-quality, innovative, and sustainable toys, representing the 'Made in India' brand.

11:20:43 AM IST

Government to Boost MSMEs with Increased Investment and Turnover Limits

Moving to MSMEs, the second engine of growth, the focus will be on the 5.7 crore MSMEs, which include over one crore registered businesses employing 7.5 crore people and contributing 36% to Indias manufacturing. These MSMEs are crucial in positioning India as a global manufacturing hub, responsible for 45% of the nation's exports. To boost their growth and efficiency, the government will enhance the investment and turnover limits for MSMEs, increasing them by 2.5 times and 2 times, respectively. This move is expected to empower MSMEs to scale up, innovate, and generate more employment opportunities for the youth.

11:18:28 AM IST

Makhana Board in Bihar to Boost Agricultural Growth

The Finance Minister highlighted the establishment of a Makhana Board in Bihar, calling it a special opportunity for the people of the state. The board aims to enhance the production, processing, value addition, and marketing of Makhana, offering significant growth potential for this traditional crop and boosting Bihars agricultural economy.

11:16:22 AM IST

KCC Loan Limit Increased to Boost Financial Support for Farmers

The Finance Minister announced that Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) will continue to facilitate short-term loans for 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers. Additionally, the loan limit under the modified interest subvention scheme will be increased from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for loans taken through the KCC, providing greater financial support for agricultural production.

11:14:11 AM IST

Vision for a Healthier India

The Finance Minister outlined a comprehensive program focusing on vegetables and fruits, recognizing the increasing awareness among the population regarding their nutritional needs. This shift signals a healthier society, with rising income levels contributing to greater consumption of vegetables, fruits, and other nutritious foods. The government hopes that through specific interventions that may focus on improving the availability and accessibility of these fundamental food items, better nutrition would improve health conditions for a larger section of the population.

11:13:07 AM IST

A 6-Year Mission Launched to Achieve Self-Reliance in Pulses

The Finance Minister announced that the government will start a 6-year mission for self-reliance in pulses, especially focusing on tur and masoor. Central agencies such as NAFED and NCCF will be established to procure these three pulses from farmers who register with them and sign agreements. This will be done over the next four years, providing support and assured procurement to farmers.

11:10:01 AM IST

Major Agricultural Announcement Benefits 1.7 Crore Farmers

The Finance Minister unveiled major proposals with agriculture at the forefront. Under the Prime Minister Krishi Yojana, a new agricultural district programme will be initiated along with the state governments based on the Aspirational District Programme. The focus will be on 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity, and below-average credit performance.

The programme will encourage diversification in agriculture through varied crops, safe and sustainable means of farming practices, proper storage of the crops after harvesting in Panchayat and block levels, and adequate irrigation system along with short-term and long-term credit flow. It would directly benefit around 1.7 crore farmers.

11:07:36 AM IST

Key Sectors Under FMs Focus

Union Budget 2025 Live Updates: Taxation, Power, Urban Development, Mining, Financial Sector to Get Overhauling Reforms in Union Budget. The Budget will cover a number of essential sectors for which the government needs to boost growth, improve the infrastructure, uplift governance, and ensure sustainable growth in different industries.

11:05:28 AM IST,

Budget Aimed at Accelerating Growth, Says Nirmala Sitharaman

"Together, we aim to unlock India's potential under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi", said the Finance Minister as she began her address. "Honourable Speaker, I present the Union Budget for 2025-26, which continues our efforts to accelerate growth", she added. Highlighting the focus of this budget, the FM emphasized, "This budget is dedicated to accelerating growth, driven by our aspirations for a 'Viksit Bharat.' Our economy remains the fastest growing among all major economies", she concluded.

11:01:26 AM IST
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If youre searching for a new job opportunity and are passionate about working with youth, the New York City Administration of Childrens Services (ACS) might have a position for you.

Your valuable life experiences could positively influence the direction of a young person, the organization noted on its website. This is your chance to be a role model and a champion for youth while making a difference and giving back to your community.

In order to find qualified candidates for this role, ACS is hosting a hiring event on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. According to the job post, the agency is prepared to make immediate hiring decisions and conditional job offers on the spot.

The address will be provided to qualified pre-screened registrants who fill out a form online. Applicants are required to pre-register by or before Monday, Feb. 17.

Required qualifications for the position are as follows:

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent and one year of full-time experience working directly with juveniles or young adults (ages 10-24).

An associate degree from an accredited college or completion of 60 semester credits of study at an accredited college.

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college.

New York City residency is NOT required.

The starting salary is $53,341, which increases to around $67,566 after five years. Employees can choose from 11 health plan options, some with no co-pays or deductibles.
The New York state Department of Civil Service (DCS) has released its application schedule for New Yorks entry-level civil service exams through February, and some jobs pay better than others.

The open-competitive exams are an opportunity to start a career in New York state. These tests are open to anyone who meets the qualifications listed on the examination announcement.

The exams will be held as either in-person written exams or online exams. Qualified candidates can apply online for these exams at https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/.

The application period opened for the following exams: bridge repair supervisor, disaster preparedness program representative 2, disaster preparedness program representative 3, disaster preparedness program representative 4 and thruway maintenance supervisor.

Applications are open until Feb. 19.

Visit www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc to apply for exams. Application fees are waived for these exams.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the state, an application must be submitted online or postmarked by the last date to apply. An application will not be accepted after the filing deadline has passed.

To be considered for appointment, you must pass the written test. The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

All positions offer generous benefits, including paid leave, health benefits and retirement plans. In addition, telecommuting options may be available to employees who meet certain criteria.

To learn more about working for the State of New York, visit the Department of Civil Service website and follow the department on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Here are the salaries and descriptions for each job, according to DCS.

Bridge repair supervisor

Salary: $54,860

Application deadline: Feb. 19, 2025

Job description, according to DCS: As a Bridge Repair Supervisor 1, you would assist in the overall supervision of the skilled and unskilled workers who maintain and repair both high-level and low-level bridges. You would coordinate the activities of various sized work crews according to project needs and be responsible for adherence to schedules, as well as all appropriate safety requirements. You might perform duties related to the preventative and regular maintenance, repair, replacement, reconstruction, inspection, and rehabilitation of bridges assigned to the crew. You would also perform the duties of a Bridge Repair Supervisor 2 in their absence. You will be required to supervise and/or perform snow and ice control activities.

Disaster preparedness program representative 2

Salary: $65,001

Application deadline: Feb. 19, 2025

Job description, according to DCS: As a Disaster Preparedness Program Representative 2, you would assist in the preparation and implementation of plans and programs related to emergency management and disaster preparedness. You may act as primary or secondary liaison with other state agencies, federal agencies, and local government offices for various emergency management activities and initiatives including response and recovery activities.

Disaster preparedness program representative 3

Salary: $84,156/$84,246

Application deadline: Feb. 19, 2025

Job description, according to DCS: As a Disaster Preparedness Program Representative 3, you would perform the duties described above and also may coordinate and provide logistical support for and participate in training meetings and exercises involving volunteer, state, federal, and local staff; assist local jurisdictions in the preparation and timely completion of work plans and in the testing and evaluation of natural technological disaster preparedness plans. You would supervise subordinate staff.

Disaster preparedness program representative 4

Salary: $93,530/$90,931

Application deadline: Feb. 19, 2025

Job description, according to DCS: As a Disaster Preparedness Program Representative 4, under the general direction of executive level staff, you would manage, direct, and recommend policy for one or more homeland security disaster preparedness planning, training, response, recovery, and reimbursement programs. You would supervise subordinate staff.

Thruway maintenance supervisor

Salary: $53,144

Application deadline: Feb. 19, 2025
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The NYPD is seeking the publics assistance in locating a 61-year-old man who has been reported missing.

Robert Voegeli, who lives on Mallory Avenue in South Beach, was last seen at his residence around noon on Monday, Jan. 20, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Voegeli is about 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs approximately 145 pounds, police said. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans.

The NYPD supplied a photo of Voegeli to the media.

Anyone with information in regard to his whereabouts is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.
New York City students in public schools will soon get a weeklong break during mid-winter recess in February.

Students wont be heading to class from Feb. 17-21, which includes time off for Presidents Day.

The last day of classes for public school before mid-winter break begins is Friday, Feb. 14. Students return to class on Monday, Feb. 24.

This gives students nine full days off from school during the break, including weekends.

The city DOE public school calendar includes some two dozen days off between the first day and the last day of classes. The calendar gives time off for the religious holidays, week-long breaks for winter recess, mid-winter recess and spring recess, and federal holidays.

There is still time off on the calendar for the rest of the school year. The next day off is Monday, March 31, and students can look forward to the last weeklong break during spring recess from April 14-18.

Students also have time off for other federal and religious holidays until the last day of classes on Thursday, June 26.

You can go here to view more important dates for the 2024-2025 public school academic year.

Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York do not offer a mid-winter recess, only providing time off for Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 17.

Catholic school students will also get their next long break for Easter recess in April, beginning on Good Friday on April 18, resuming classes on Monday, April 28. That means Catholic school students will have 10 days off from school during their Easter break.
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The temperatures outside may be freezing, but a new sport attraction atop Edge at Hudson Yards in Manhattan is sizzling with fun for the whole family.

Sky Chalet is the new, winter playground that features a thrilling curling experience perched 1,100 feet in the sky, open now through March. The unique attraction invites guests to enjoy a game of curling on the citys highest indoor/outdoor sky deck, while soaking in panoramic views of the iconic Manhattan skyline.

Sky Chalet is the ultimate winter escape, said a spokesperson for Edge NYC. It offers something for everyone  from tourists looking to experience NYC from an entirely new vantage point, to locals seeking a fun, festive activity. Its a perfect way to enjoy curling while surrounded by the beauty of New York City.

Whether youre a curling enthusiast or a curious first-timer, Sky Chalet was great fun when I visited with my daughters, both 21. The evening was an enjoyable blend of sport, relaxation and winter vibes, appropriate for our recent spate of single-digit temperatures.

This curling experience provides guests with their own private curling lane for 50 minutes, allowing them to glide across the ice as they overlook the city below. Its a chance to enjoy this classic winter sport without ever leaving the heart of New York.

Tickets for Sky Chalet and other Edge experiences are available now at EdgeNYC.com.

Sky Chalet is the new, winter playground that features a thrilling curling experience perched 1,100 feet in the sky, open now through March. (Staten Island Advance/Dr.Gracelyn Santos)Staten Island Advance/Dr.Gracelyn Santos

COZY SEATING AND TASTY TREATS

Each curling lane reservation comes with full access to Edges impressive sky deck, where visitors can explore the indoor and outdoor areas, including the breathtaking glass floor and angled glass walls that make the 100th floor observation area one of the citys most awe-inspiring spots.

The outdoor section extends 65 feet from the building, offering heart-stopping views of the city, and even features the famous skyline steps that climb from the 100th to the 101st floor.

In addition to the curling lanes, Sky Chalet features cozy seating, specialty cocktails and seasonal treats, creating the ideal setting for a post-game celebration or simply enjoying the views in a winter-inspired setting.

Guests can purchase pre-packaged food and beverage options, ranging from hot chocolate and assorted sodas to hearty snacks like a chicken and waffle platter or a hot dog platter.

For those seeking an even greater thrill, Edge is home to City Climb, the worlds highest external building climb. Visitors can scale the outside of the 1,200-foot skyscraper and lean out from an outdoor platform, offering adrenaline-pumping views of the city like never before.

Sky Chalet is the new, winter playground that features a thrilling curling experience perched 1,100 feet in the sky, open now through March. (Staten Island Advance/Dr.Gracelyn Santos)Staten Island Advance/Dr.Gracelyn Santos

PRICING AND MORE INFO

Sky Chalet offers three curling lanes for guests to rent, with packages starting at $99 for up to two people, $199 for up to four, and $399 for up to eight. Each reservation includes access to the Edge sky deck after the curling session, making it a full experience to remember.

Tickets and reservations are available online at EdgeNYC.com, or in person at the Edge Guest Services Counter on Level 4 of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, next to the Edge entrance.

This winter, take your love for curling to new heights  and make unforgettable memories above the city at Edges Sky Chalet. Whether youre a local looking to spice up your weekend or a tourist in search of something truly unique, this sky-high curling experience is an adventure like no other.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Saturday Night Live fans will have to wait a little longer to watch the next new episode of Season 50.

After back-to-back brand new episodes, SNL is off this week.
Two Staten Island FerryHawks players have signed minor-league deals with different MLB organizations.

Dynamic infielder Luis Castro has found a home once again in the Houston Astros organization, while solid-hitting outfielder Kolby Johnson has hooked up with the Boston Red Sox. Both figure to compete in the low minors of both organizations.
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, the U.S. State Department issued a directive for the departure of non-essential U.S. government employees and their eligible family members from the Democratic Republic of Congo due to safety concerns.

A day later, the State Department elevated the advisory from a Level 3 to Level 4 Do Not Travel advisory.

A Level 4 advisory refers to the highest level of travel warning issued by the U.S. State Department, signifying Do Not Travel to a specific destination due to a high risk of life-threatening dangers, meaning the government strongly advises against any travel to that location.

Travelers should note a Level 4 advisory indicates a situation where the U.S. may have limited ability to assist citizens in an emergency.

The country faces high levels of violent crime, including armed robbery, home invasions, kidnapping, murder, rape and assault.

Local police are under-resourced and often unable to respond effectively to these serious threats. Criminals sometimes impersonate law enforcement or security personnel.

Ongoing clashes between armed groups, individuals, and military forces have resulted in frequent violence, particularly in the eastern regions of the country.

Civilians are often caught in the crossfire of attacks, and humanitarian aid workers, as well as staff from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), are at risk due to attacks from armed groups and terrorists.

Protests are common in several cities and have sometimes escalated into violence, with police responding forcefully, leading to casualties and arrests.

Due to inadequate infrastructure and ongoing security challenges, the U.S. governments ability to offer emergency consular services outside of Kinshasa is severely limited.

If you decide to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
Two dogs that survived an animal-rescue flight crash that killed the pilot have found new homes as the late aviators friends work to honor him by helping more pets, a shelter director said Wednesday.

The Nov. 24 crash in New Yorks Catskill Mountains killed Seuk Kim of Springfield, Virginia, a dedicated volunteer who transported cats and dogs from disaster areas and overcrowded shelters to rescue groups. He was bringing three dogs to an Albany, New York-area organization called the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley when his 1986 Mooney M20J went down.

Kim told air traffic controllers that he hit moderate to heavy turbulence at 5,000 feet (1,520 meters), but then he descended to about 4,300 feet (1,311 meters) and reported that conditions improved to light to moderate turbulence, according to the National Transportation Safety Boards preliminary report on the crash. The report said he didnt contact air traffic control again or make any distress calls.

Two of the dogs, a Labrador-mix puppy named Whiskey and a young Yorkshire terrier mix called Pluto, survived. Pluto was internally bruised, while Whiskey was found huddled in the snow with two broken legs. The Lab pup subsequently underwent surgeries at Pieper Memorial Veterinary emergency and specialty hospital in Middletown, Connecticut.

After those procedures and lots of physical therapy, 6-month-old Whiskey is on his feet and playing at his foster home in Middletown, and the family that took him in has decided to keep him, said Maggie Jackman Pryor, the executive director of the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley.

The foster family is set to adopt Whiskey formally this weekend.

Pluto, meanwhile, recovered quickly and was adopted a few weeks into a home in Averill Park, a community near Albany, Pryor said.

The remains of the third dog, a little one named Lisa, went to Kims relatives at their request.

The Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley fielded inquiries from people around the country interested in adopting the canine survivors, said Pryor, who urged some callers to look closer to home.

These two dogs are amazing, but there are so many amazing dogs in shelters, she said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Kims friends and fellow rescue pilots are forming an organization to further his legacy, Pryor said. She said plans include sponsoring mobile spay and neuter clinics and creating pet food pantries like one that he and his children started.
PHILADELPHIA (AP)  A medical transport jet transporting a child who had just completed treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which operated the Learjet 55, said in a statement: We cannot confirm any survivors. There was no immediate word whether anyone on the ground was killed, but at least six people were treated for injuries at a hospital.

Everyone aboard the flight was from Mexico. The child was being transported home, according to Jet Rescue spokesperson Shai Gold. The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.

When an incident like this happens, its shocking and surprising, Gold told The Associated Press. All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late Friday that officials expected fatalities in the awful aviation disaster.

We know that there will be loss, he said.

A spokesperson for Temple University Hospital-Jeanes, Jennifer Reardon, said they had treated six people with injuries from the crash. Three of those people had since been released and the others were in fair condition. She wasnt able to provide information about their injuries or where the people were when they sustained them.

The plane was registered in Mexico. Jet Rescue is based in Mexico and has operations both there and in the U.S.

The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation. On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors.

The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023 five crewmembers were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.

In Philadelphia, a doorbell camera captured video of the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near a shopping mall and major roadway.

All we heard was a loud roar and didnt know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume, said Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera.

The crash happened less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.

The Learjet 55 quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters). It was registered to a company operating as Med Jets, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.

Shortly after 6 p.m., audio recorded by LiveATC captured an air traffic controller telling Medevac Medservice 056 to turn right when departing. About 30 seconds later it repeats the request before asking, You on frequency? Minutes later, the controller says, We have a lost aircraft. Were not exactly sure what happened, so were trying to figure it out. For now the field is going to be closed.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, President Donald Trump said: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia.

More innocent souls lost, he added. Our people are totally engaged.

A continuous stream of police vehicles and fire trucks initially responded at the crash site, taking over business parking lots. Within about an hour, the cry of sirens and shouted orders had faded into relative quiet at the edges of the closed-off area, and darkness settled in as drivers passing by peered out trying to see what was happening.

The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center in the densely populated neighborhood of Rhawnhurst.

One cellphone video taken by a witness moments after the crash showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange glowed just beyond as a plume of black smoke rose into the sky and sirens blared.

Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighborhood, when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera, it looked like a missile came down.

There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second, he said.

Jet Rescue, which provides global air ambulance services, flew baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic in 2019 and was involved in transporting patients critically ill with COVID-19.

The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB said an investigator arrived and more officials would be there Saturday.

 By Michael Sisak and Matt Rourke Associated Press

Associated Press writers Rio Yamat, Hallie Golden, and Josh Cornfield contributed to this report.
>>Staten Island Chucks prediction is in! Will it be an early spring, or six more weeks of winter?<<

>>Punxsutawney Phils pick is in! Did he agree with Staten Island Chuck?<<

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Hes ready for his close-up.

Staten Island Chuck, New York Citys lone furry prognosticator, is prepped and primed for Groundhog Day on Sunday.

According to the lore, if a groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If the animal doesnt see a shadow, an early spring is on the way. Celebrated on Feb. 2 every year, the holiday attracts the attention of winter-weary Americans of all ages.

Groundhog Day 2025: Will Staten Island Chuck see his shadow? Posted by Staten Island Advance on Sunday, February 2, 2025

How to watch

If you cant make it in person to this years Groundhog Day celebration at the Zoo, you can catch it on live stream via the Zoos website.

The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com will also be on hand to cover the prediction. Youll be able to catch the ceremony live from our Facebook page.

Those interested in seeing Punxsutawney Phil make his prediction can view it here. The livestream will begin at approximately 6 a.m. But lets be honest: If you have any semblance of hometown pride, Staten Island Chuck is the one to watch.

Accuracy rate

Though in past years the pair have been at odds, both Chuck and Phil predicted an early spring in 2024. According to local students, Chuck  and yeah, Phil too we guess  was correct in his prediction. Students from Susan E. Wagner High School backed Chucks 2024 prediction by analyzing data from their schools weather station. They tracked temperature readings every day since Chucks February prognostication and logged it in a chart. Their findings revealed that the vast majority of days since Chucks prediction that year exceeded 40 degrees or significantly higher, thereby validating Chucks prediction of an early spring.

Students from the school will again track local weather from Feb. 2 to March 20, to see if Chucks prediction holds up.

According to the StormFax Weather Almanac, Phil has an overall accuracy rate of 39% over 135 years.

Chuck, on the other hand, has an 85% accuracy rate since hes been monitoring weather beginning in 1981. Four out of five years, on average, the Chuckster is on the money.

Groundhog Days history

The Groundhog Day tradition can be traced to Candlemas, an early Christian holiday where candles were blessed and distributed. Those who celebrated Candlemas decided that clear skies on the holiday meant a longer winter.

The Germans eventually began to believe that if the sun made an appearance on Candlemas Day, a hedgehog would cast a shadow  predicting six more weeks of harsh winter weather. And it was the Germans who brought this belief to the United States.

When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, they found a large number of groundhogs. And they tasked the groundhog, which resembles the European hedgehog, with the job of predicting the weather.

The holiday started with the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, founded in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1887. The editor of the Punxsutawney newspaper was a member of the club, and he claimed that Punxsutawney Phil was the only true weather-predicting groundhog.

Chuck has been making his prediction for more than three decades; some years have been more eventful than others.
A married couple from Mercer County who both work in law enforcement have been charged with having sex in front of children and recording multiple images and videos of child pornography, authorities said Thursday.

Hamilton police officer Brian DiBiasi, 39, and Mercer County sheriff Sgt. Elizabeth DiBiasi, 42, were arrested Wednesday by the New Jersey State Police at their home in Hamilton, authorities said.

Brian DiBiasi faces five charges including recording, possessing and distributing the child sexual abuse material and endangering the welfare of a child. Elizabeth DiBiasi is charged with endangering the welfare of child by engaging in sexual conduct.

Elizabeth DiBiasi appeared nude in the images with children, who were at times nude as well, and the couple had sex in front of the children, authorities said in court documents filed in support of the charges.

State Police investigators learned of the images and videos Tuesday from a tip line run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, authorities said.

The child pornography files appeared on the social media app Kik on an account that led to the couples home on Marlon Pond Road, authorities said.

Investigators raided the home Wednesday and arrested Brian DiBiasi. He told investigators he was the owner of the Kik account and admitted to distributing the files, authorities said.

The New Jersey State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Elizabeth DiBiasi has served 18 years with the Mercer County Sheriffs Office. She was suspended without pay from her $134,000-a-year job, an office spokesperson said in a statement.

Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler released a fuller statement later Thursday, saying: To be very clear, the Mercer County Sheriffs Office does not tolerate such alleged incidents. In an effort to avoid hindering an inquiry into the facts, the Sheriffs Office cannot specifically comment on any ongoing or formal investigation.

However, the statement continued, As the Mercer County Sheriff and a community leader, know that I have zero tolerance for (alleged) immoral acts in our community and within our ranks. Like many employers, we cannot control how people behave outside of the workplace and at home. However, I strongly urge anyone who is aware of suspicious activity or wishes to report a situation or incident to call 911 immediately, their local police department, or the New Jersey Child Abuse Hotline at 1-877-NJ ABUSE (1-877-652-2873).

The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office is investigating the incident and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin later put out a statement saying that sexual offenses against children are among the most serious crimes we charge.

Its especially disturbing when, as in this case, the accused are members of law enforcement, Platkin said. My office works hand-in-hand with the New Jersey State Police and all 21 County Prosecutors to investigate and prosecute those who engage in this conduct. Protecting children from this kind of lasting harm is one of our most important responsibilities.

Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin and Hamilton Township Chief of Police Ken DeBoskey said they were aware of the disturbing allegations.

While we cannot comment on active investigations, we want to be unequivocally clear  Hamilton Township has zero tolerance for crimes of this nature, they said in a statement. We remain fully committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within our community and our police department and continue to fully cooperate with the New Jersey State Police investigation.

The chief and mayor said they would comment further once an announcement is made by state police.

Brian DiBiasi has served 21 years with the Hamilton police at a salary of $136,000 a year.

Both are currently in the Monmouth County jail pending court hearings.

Attorney information was not immediately available for either suspect.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Since Jan. 20, Princes Bay resident Karyn Bello has received numerous texts from worried parents in reaction to President Donald Trumps executive orders targeting transgender people.

They are asking: Whats going to happen to my kid? Are they going to get arrested? said Bello, the parent of a transgender daughter.

I tell them no. Lets not focus on fear. Lets just see how things are going to go. Lets try to keep positive. Because if the people who support them are scared, then of course our trans loved ones are going to be petrified, added Bello, who runs a support group called Families in Transition at the Pride Center of Staten Island.

Karyn Bello runs a support group called Families in Transition at The Pride Center of Staten Island, (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

One of the first executive orders signed by Trump on Day 1 was titled Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. The measure prohibits promotion of gender ideology, recognizes only two sexes, and states that women are biologically female, and men are biologically male. It also states these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.

The idea is to erase trans folks by definition, so therefore, you cant have any sort of federal recognition, said Nate Shalev, a former Bulls Head resident who identifies as transgender. The current Brooklyn resident is an inclusivity expert, advisor and speaker and owner of Revel Impact.

That means that if somebody has transitioned and wants to get their license changed, they cant do that. So things like passports, licenses, birth certificates  any sort of legal documentation that somebody would need to get changed now cant (change them)," added Shalev.

The executive order also requires every agency and all federal employees to recognize only male and female on official identification forms. Therefore, anyone who has X as their gender on a passport, visa or Global Entry card has to have it changed to either male or female, or risk not being able to travel in and out of the country.

Nate Shalev, a former Bulls Head resident who now resides on Brooklyn, was assigned female at birth, and identifies as transgender. They are an inclusivity expert, advisor and speaker, who runs their own company. (Staten Island Advance/Jason Paderon)Jason Paderon

The action also bans the use of federal funds to promote gender ideology, which the executive order claims replaces the biological category of sex with an ever-shifting concept of self-assessed gender identity, permitting the false claim that males can identify as and thus become women and vice versa, and requiring all institutions of society to regard this false claim as true.

The order also bans the Bureau of Prisons from administering transition-related health care to trans inmates, which is contradictory to recent court decisions. Other subsequent orders that target transgender individuals have also been signed by Trump, including one that ends gender-affirming medical treatments for people under age of 19.

Critics of these executive orders say its an outright attack on transgender, non-binary and intersex people.

I dont want to diminish the fact that its understandable and completely OK to have those kinds of emotions, but its so much more important to give (transgender loved ones) the power to know theyre going to be OK, because we have their back, said Bello, who owns her own clothing line dubbed Zhe by Karyn Elizabeth, in reference to the gender-neutral pronoun. The clothing line includes technology meant to fit transgender womens bodies.

Karyn Bello in her work studio in Bloomingdale. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

Support is available

In addition to the group run by Bello, the Pride Center of Staten Island has many resources available for anyone who needs support at this time.

A number of executive orders targeting LGBTQIA+ people, and other marginalized communities, have been and continue to be signed, said Carol Bullock, executive director of the Pride Center of Staten Island.

These executive orders include direct attacks on LGBTQIA + communities, particularly transgender people, nonbinary individuals, youth and families. The impact of these executive orders is leaving millions of people vulnerable as their rights are threatened, protections stripped, and safety violated. The Pride Center of Staten Island would like to offer support to anyone who is in need of resources or information to help navigate through this time. We are no stranger to adversity, but we must remember to remain united to continue the fight for equality and protections for all people.

Kansas high school students, family members and advocates rally for transgender rights, Jan. 31, 2024, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)AP

What impact will these orders have on inclusivity in the workplace, schools?

Shalev  who works with a range of companies, from real estate agencies to technology businesses, teaching professionals about how to create an inclusive workplace  said the measures implemented by Trump targets trans women in sports, bathrooms, and rolls back LGBTQ+ protections, including workplace and anti-bullying measures.

(The executive order) means that theres no recourse for firing someone for their sexuality or gender identity, Shalev said. Sexism is still covered, but if its about being fired for being non binary or trans, theres no more protections.

Shalev said the most frightening part is that there isnt any organized effort to fight these discriminatory orders.

These attacks have been happening for years at this point, but to have it be written down, and then to have this kind of windfall happen with very little to no real outrage against it is very scary, they said.

Why is there not a larger concern for whats happening? And so theres a feeling of abandonment. Theres no national organized response to it. I know the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union] is already doing some things, but to me it doesnt feel like there is any sort of groundswell of protest or anything, Shalev added.

They said one of their biggest concerns is for trans youth.

Im really afraid for kids in particular  especially kids in states where there arent protections, said Shalev. Growing up is so hard for anyone trying to navigate and become human in the world, and then to know this about yourself and not be able to do anything about it, like not having access to gender-affirming care or able to play a sport or exist in public, and feel good about it, is so detrimental. Im really worried about trans kids being able to make it out of this, period.

Follow Tracey Porpora on Facebook and Bluesky
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Its no secret that the winter brings cold temperatures, but last month, New York City residents were subjected to some seriously shivering chills.

In the wake of welcoming the new year, comfortably mild conditions occupied the city, a high of 50 degrees perhaps instilling a false hope of a warmer-than-average winter into some.

That realization of misplaced optimism would set in quickly, as temperatures dropped below-average within a matter of days and the forecasts began to warn of Arctic air waves.

Over the course of the last few weeks, New York City has been sent into multiple rounds of freezing temperatures thanks to these leaks of North Pole air resulting from disruptions in the polar vortex.

Its this recurring trend of wave after wave that dictated the unstable nature of temperatures within the last month.

At the coldest point, Jan. 21, the daily high only reached 20 degrees, while the low plummeted down to a frigid 10 degrees, as recorded by the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com weather station. The next day featured the very same low; a minor bump in the high brought temperatures to 25 degrees.

These figures measured in well below the average daily high and lows for those days, around 39 and 27 degrees, respectively, as indicated by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Central Park data from 1991-2020.

On Jan. 29, temperatures reached a monthly high of 52 degrees, exceeding the historical daily high of 39.6 by more than 12 degrees.

By the end of the month, 17 of the 31 days in the month featured highs below the daily average high shared by the NOAA. Meanwhile, 20 of the 31 days in January were characterized by lows falling short of daily average lows.

Initially, the National Weather Services Climate Prediction Center believed January would bring warmer-than-average temperatures to the entirety of New York State. However, just as the world rang in the new year, the Climate Prediction Center produced an updated outlook revealing a shift in forecast which called for a likelihood of below-average temperatures in New York City.

The second driest January on record

Despite receiving a few inches of snow accumulation over the course of the month, January was predominantly dry. In fact, even with the city receiving some minor rainfall on Friday, this January was among the driest in recorded New York City history.

This file photo from Jan. 19, 2025, shows snow coating sidewalks and covering cars on Staten Island. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod

Prior to this latest rainy day, the city had only received 0.45 inches of liquid precipitation, as previously noted by Matthew Wunsch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. As of Thursday morning, the city was running three inches below average for the month, Wunsch said.

Bryan Ramsey, another meteorologist with the National Weather Service, revealed that Fridays precipitation only brought 0.16 of an inch of rainfall to Central Park. This ultimately means that January 2025 was the second driest January in city history with a total monthly precipitation tally of only 0.61 inches.

This latest record beat out 1970, which featured 0.66 inches of precipitation, but falls shorts of January 1981, which only had 0.58 inches of precipitation.
Twilight and The Hunger Games are going to have to make some room because theres a new pop-cultural force dominating the publishing world: Rebecca Yarros Empyrean books.

In its first week in Australia, Onyx Storm, the third instalment of the US authors romance-fantasy series, sold more than 119,300 copies, a record result for a title in the Science Fiction & Fantasy category in this country.

Rebecca Yarros Empyrean series has been topping bestseller lists since 2023. Credit: Compiled by Jamie Brown.

According to data from Nielsen BookScan, that figure is about six times the strongest weekly figure for Suzanne Collins mega-popular Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2009).

Yarros has published three books in the series in less than two years, and collectively, they have sold more than 774,000 copies in Australia. The first book, Fourth Wing, and its sequel, Iron Flame, were the two most-read books on Goodreads last year.
If youve been around the world a couple of times or maybe more, youll have seen the sights of gum trees on almost every foreign shore.

But climate change bringing hotter, drier conditions means the trees  especially plantations of Eucalyptus globulus or Tasmanian blue gum grown for paper  are contributing to bushfires from California to Portugal.

With climate change, drying vegetation is problematic regardless of what species it is, said Alen Slijepcevic, an internationally experienced firefighter and deputy chief officer of the Country Fire Authority in Victoria. Eucalyptus brings that extra level of complexity because it wants to burn, and when it burns, it is quite volatile and produces a lot of embers.

Eucalyptus trees burning in Spain in 2023. Credit: Europa Press via Getty Images

Hundreds of species of Eucalyptus or gum trees are native to Australia and a handful to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippines. Elsewhere, Eucalyptus is an exotic weedy tree introduced in the late 19th or early 20th century.
After a little research, I signed up to a floristry course at TAFE and stuck my head in at a local florist, to see if that might be an opportunity for me. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, none of the other staff could travel in to work so she called me up. I spent the next four years working and learning in a happy bubble. Starting my own business felt like a natural progression, so I launched Details by Treen in January 2024. Its nerve-racking going out on your own  you dont know if youre going to be busy enough to earn a decent income, for a start  but things have worked out. Its nerve-racking going out on your own  you dont know if youre going to be busy enough to earn a decent income for a start. Treena Devery, who retrained as a florist in her 40s For the first few months, many of my clients were from within my social network, then it evolved to friends of friends, and now most are people Ive never met before. I do flowers for weddings, parties and funerals, as well as displays for several retail clients. No matter the event, Im always blown away by how much joy flowers bring to people, even on their darkest days. Changing careers in your late 40s can take courage, but Im happier than Ive ever been. Im also aware that Im role-modelling for my girls; I think teens today worry that theyre theyre going to do the wrong uni degree, or find themselves in the wrong career, so Im glad they can see that were never really stuck, that we can always just pivot.

I found my perfect career in my 40s: Anja Walsh, 43, interior designer After a career in modelling and bouncing between careers, Anja Walsh now makes over properties, and loves it. Growing up in East Germany, career options were pretty limited  even after the fall of the Berlin Wall. I first went into occupational therapy because our career guidance counsellor thought Id be a natural fit, but it really wasnt for me. The minute I got scouted by an agent when I was 19, I quit my bachelor of science degree and threw myself into a modelling career. Fortunately, success came quickly and pretty soon I was travelling the world. I based myself in cities such as Paris, New York, London and Milan and shot editorial for high-end magazines as well as advertising campaigns. When youre in your early 20s and keen to see as much of the world as you can, theres no better career to have. By the age of 26, I had moved to Sydney and my partner Chris [an Australia-based photographer] and I had our first daughter. Although I continued to model until I became pregnant with our younger daughter three years later, I knew it was time to find something more solid.

Fortunately, Id been doing some styling work and this part of my career naturally evolved. From brochures for fashion chains and campaigns for Westfield, I reinvented myself as a freelance stylist, but over time realised I was gravitating towards interiors. Eventually, people started to hear about the work I was doing, or perhaps just liked what they saw, and offers began rolling in to style holiday homes and Airbnb properties. Loading So much in my life has had a runaway-train quality to it; until recently, Ive found myself in careers without much thought, or set intentions. But during the chaos of COVID, when so much of what I was doing for work took a terrible hit, I finally had the opportunity to ask myself what it was that really made me happy. I quickly realised the answer was making over properties. I also knew that since you had to have a degree to work as an interior designer in Australia, it was time for me to go back to study. I enrolled at Design Centre Enmore [in Sydney], which was fantastic  except for the fact that I was probably the oldest student there! Over the past year, my interior design work has grown leaps and bounds, purely through word of mouth. Although I do mostly small-scale residential interior work through my business, Atelier Heim, Ive had the opportunity to work with high-profile clients. I love the flexible nature of my job  a must when youve got school-aged kids  and I love my clients. But the thing that thrills me most is that Ive finally found my perfect career fit.

I was too young to have the confidence: Katie Kjelsaas, 43, psychologist Katie Kjelsaas loved aspects of teaching, but found her true calling in psychology. In high school, we had to rank our six top preferences for university degrees. I filled the first five slots with my parents suggestions (acting and teaching degrees). There was one slot left so I added psychology. I was accepted into my first course but was a pretty woeful actor, so I went back to uni to train as a teacher. Looking back, psychology was always a central interest for me, but I didnt have the confidence to back myself. During my decade-long teaching career, I taught all grades from prep to year 12, but ultimately focused on high-school drama. While I loved the relational aspects  supporting students growth, seeing them thrive  I struggled with the ever-growing admin burden, which crowded out the teaching. Also, I felt ill-equipped to help the students most in need of support. I started exploring ways to better support student wellbeing, which led me to consider psychology training. I began my undergraduate degree thinking Id return to work in schools, but my studies drew me in another direction. Today I run my own online psychology practice, Connections Count, which is focused on relationships. I also teach and mentor other therapists and consult to organisations looking to leverage emotion and relationships to improve outcomes.
The parents of the Australian teenagers who died of alcohol poisoning in Laos have made a plea for stronger action and more information from South-East Asian country popular with backpackers.

Nineteen-year-old best friends Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones died in November after inadvertently drinking alcohol laced with lethal methanol at Vang Vieng.

Holly Morton-Bowles and Bianca Jones died of methanol poisoning in Laos. Credit: 60 Minutes

Since then, their grieving Melbourne parents, Samantha Morton and Shaun Bowles and Mark and Michelle Jones, have been holding on for the results of an investigation into their deaths promised by the Laotian government.

In a complaint echoed by families in other countries, the Australians say they are upset at a lack of engagement from Laotian authorities who have made no direct contact with the families and refused to meet them, citing the ongoing investigation.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Michael Foggo surveyed the gambling experts who assembled at the NSW governments Martin Place offices for their inaugural meeting with a bravado that only a man who had reached the summit of the public service could muster. Ranging from gambling prohibitionists to those whose livelihoods depended on poker machine profits, the experts had been selected to advise a trial of cashless gaming that was a key election commitment by the new Premier Chris Minns. Foggo, tasked with chairing the panel, could see it would be impossible to please them all. So he began by drawing their attention to the term of reference that stated it was up to his three-person executive committee to make the final recommendations. Experienced bureaucrat Michael Foggo was tasked with chairing the panel. Credit: AAP Now, I would like that to be a consensus view, he said. But what will happen is we will all set out our views, and if we cant reach consensus on an area, we [the executive committee] will make recommendations. It was the high watermark of goodwill. They closed the doors behind them.

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Eighteen months after that initial meeting, far from a consensus, the chasm of opinions on cashless gaming is as wide as ever, and the government is sitting on a writhing problem. The central recommendation of the executive committee for mandatory cashless gambling in pubs and clubs motivated the powerful NSW Australian Hospitality Association to step out of the shadows for the first time in more than a decade. Describing the research that underpinned the recommendation as embarrassing and not credible, the lobby group is showing every sign that it will pull down the house before acceding to any such measure. ClubsNSW has issued dire warnings of mass job losses and venue closures. There are an estimated 87,000 suburban poker machines in NSW. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Meanwhile, a call by the Greens for documents related to the panels work has resulted in fewer than 11 per cent of the available papers being released, fuelling suspicions that the government intends to protect certain interests. Gaming Minister David Harris will say only that the government intends to respond in due course. The concept of a trial was Minnss answer to his predecessor Dominic Perrottets crazy-brave pledge to make cashless gambling mandatory, a policy prompted by the NSW Crime Commissions finding that billions of dollars in dirty money was being ploughed through the states 87,000 suburban poker machines, but equally aimed at reducing gambling harm in the community. Perrottets policy was lauded by harm minimisation advocates but deeply unpopular in the hospitality industry, which did not want to lose the market segment that prefers to gamble in cash. It was not a battle Minns wanted to fight, and for 18 blissful months, the trial removed it from the political agenda.

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Now he faces a decision that has cost other leaders their careers. But in August 2023, when the doors closed behind the gambling reform panel, good faith was in high supply. The industry was broadly supportive of cashless gambling in principle, so long as punters still had the option to gamble with hard currency. People aged between 18 and 24, who are leading the charge towards a cashless economy, represent the biggest demographic of poker machine players. A cashless option makes business sense. The panel had been asked to consider what infrastructure would be required, the impact on industry, the impact on money laundering and gambling harm and what other options might be pursued. Nick McGhie, a former gambler who sat on the panel to give the perspective of a person with experience of gambling harm, was pleasantly surprised by the accord among panel members. One of my reservations about being involved was that personally its very emotionally taxing, but what I saw was a real respect and genuine commitment to understand the issue and come up with a pragmatic solution, McGhie said. It didnt get nasty. It was all very amicable and respectful.

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But it was quickly apparent that the trial would not be capable of measuring the impact of cashless gambling on gambling harm unless it was compulsory, or the target market would simply choose not to become involved. This had been observed in Victoria, which since 2015 has offered players the option of a digital payment scheme that requires them to commit in advance to how much they wish to spend. A four-year evaluation of YourPlay found gamblers who took part found it beneficial, but participation rates were extremely low. The cards were used in fewer than 1 per cent of gambling sessions. The panel considered and quickly discarded the idea of mandating carded play in a particular geographic area. Gamblers could simply take their business elsewhere, potentially prompting venues to seek compensation. It was also difficult to encourage gamblers to take part without offering incentives, which was legally problematic. Loading Conducting a cost analysis proved equally fraught. What are we hoping to do here? an industry representative of the panel ventured in one of the early sessions. We cant identify what the costs are until we know what the system will be. That objective was put aside as well. The executive committee resolved instead to focus on the feasibility and acceptance of the technology while gaining insights into what infrastructure would be needed and what costs might be incurred. Not that the panel was short of work. As the new government worked its head around the gambling landscape, it continued to outsource its curliest problems to the panel. The scope of the panel was widened to consider late-night trading, facial recognition and self-exclusion, while the trial became merely an element of its work.

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After the panels fourth meeting, NSW AHA chief executive John Whelan fired off a terse email to the team. Foggo had sought the panels feedback on several gambling reform measures including gaming machine trading hours and reducing the cash input limit. Whelan thought the focus should be on using facial recognition to exclude people with gambling problems. He did not agree either of these measures should be considered at all. Liquor and Gaming was already looking at trading hours, he said. And it was his understanding that the cash input limit would be reduced only on new machines. The advice we have been given is that retrofitting existing machines will be extremely expensive, he said. This should not be a priority, particularly when the Crime Commission found there was no evidence of widespread money laundering in pubs and clubs. In fact, the Crime Commission found there was little evidence that criminals were using poker machines to clean their money but plenty of evidence that they were feeding the machines with dirty cash. However, financial crime was only cursorily considered by the panel and not at all by the social research group running the trial. Though the advisers remained courteous to one another, there was an uneasiness in all quarters that the panel was moving in the wrong direction. The very premise of its work was in contention. It was not as simple as industry versus harm minimisation advocates. Whelans attempts to steer the panel away from consideration of cash input limits and towards facial recognition exposed nuances between the positions of hotels and clubs. The NSW AHA has long advocated facial recognition as an alternative to cashless gambling because the latter would require patrons to provide identity documents, and pubs do not want to lose the segment of their market that wants to gamble anonymously. Pokie players gamble far more intensively in pubs than they do in clubs. Club patrons already have to show identification papers to sign in to venues, and clubs do not believe they have a significant problem with money laundering. They are more concerned about losing non-tech savvy customers and are opposed to facial recognition technology on privacy and cybersecurity grounds.

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All state school students from prep to grade 2 will learn to read using the same explicit teaching method within two years, after the states powerful teachers union reached a deal with the state government over how the new educational mandate would be rolled out.

The new agreement was forged following last years public fallout between the union and Education Minister Ben Carroll during which the union instructed its members to ignore a government directive to transition to the method, because it had not been consulted.

The new agreement means that from 2027, all state school students will learn to read by using phonics. Credit: Wayne Taylor

The Sunday Age can reveal that under the new deal, the government will pay an extra $5 million for resources to aid schools transition to the compulsory systematic synthetic phonics teaching method.

The money, to be distributed to schools through their Student Resource Package by the end of the financial year, can be spent on mini whiteboards, letter tiles and decodable texts, which are used as part of the literacy program. Each school will be able to chose how it spends the money.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has made a private pledge to review a golden ticket visa for wealthy investors who commit $5 million to enter Australia, after Labor scrapped the program last year over fears it brought spies and criminals into the country.

Dutton aired his plan at a Liberal Party fundraiser when a migration agent urged him to restore the significant investor visa, a pathway for hundreds of rich migrants over the past decade but a target for criticism over who received fast-track status.

The private remark was revealed when the migration agent, Min Li, posted a video of the event to Chinese social media platform RedNote with a description of the cosy drinks with the Liberal leader to help him win the election.

Dutton revealed his thinking when Li asked him in the video to restore the significant investor visa, as donors shared drinks to raise money for the Liberal campaign.
Australian neo-Nazis are thriving on Elon Musks X, the federal opposition has warned, as the nations online safety watchdog raises the alarm on the perfect storm of extremism brewing under Xs free speech abolitionist policies.

White supremacists and leaders of Australias National Socialist Network (NSN) were previously banned or censored on X before returning in the past year or so, spurring the case for a new duty of care the Albanese government is preparing to place on social platforms as part of an online safety review to be released in weeks.

Sixteen members of the National Socialist Network were arrested in Adelaide when they marched on Australia Day. Credit: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

X has cut online global moderation, removed all staff in Australia and reinstated thousands of banned accounts, according to the eSafety commissioner, ushering in a chaotic era for social media driven by a growing sense, particularly among those on the right, that content moderation stifled free expression.

Metas Mark Zuckerberg has announced similar moves on fact-checking at the same time as Labor has ploughed on with its wide agenda of new clamps on social media including banning teens under 16 using certain sites.
Australia has waged a long and successful war against destructive wild rabbits, but the Albanese government is being accused of giving up on the 75-year-long fight as funding runs dry to develop the next killer virus to cut the now booming population.

Rabbits came to Australia on the first fleet in 1788, but spread prolifically after grazier Thomas Austin introduced them to south-west Victoria in 1859 for hunting. They quickly spread out of control and the population peaked at 10 billion in 1920.

Feral rabbits are a hungry and damaging pest that cause desertification of the landscape, as seen here in outback South Australia near the NSW border. Credit: Glen Schulz/Rabbit Free Australia.

Australian scientists at the CSIRO released the myxomatosis virus in 1950 and decimated the rabbit population. But the resilient pest adapted and bounced back. Several new viruses have been introduced since then with similar results.

The population is now estimated at 200 million and surging after several years of above-average rain across the eastern seaboard. Experts say the next deadly disease is needed now.
They became a potent symbol of Israels hostage crisis after video from the Hamas-led 2023 attack showed Palestinian militants leading away a distraught mother clutching her two small red-haired sons.

Another video showed the father of the same family being spirited away to the Gaza Strip on a motorcycle, his head bloodied.

A protester holds a sign with a picture of the kidnapped Bibas family during a demonstration in Tel Aviv in December. Credit: Getty Images

On Friday, Hamas said the father, Yarden Bibas, 35, would be one of three male hostages to be freed, handing him over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis on Saturday evening (AEDT), before he was transferred to the Israeli military.

Israelis are still anxiously awaiting word of his wife, Shiri, and their two children, Ariel, now 5, and Kfir, who was nine months old at the time of his capture  the youngest hostage taken into Gaza.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed he will impose hefty new tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Mexico and Canada, and 10 per cent on imports from China, from Saturday (US time).

The president also said he was considering imposing import taxes on European goods, as well as on steel, aluminum and copper, and on drugs and semiconductors.

President Donald Trump prepares to board Air Force One on Friday, en route to his Florida estate. Credit: AP

Am I going to impose tariffs on the European Union? You want the truthful answer or shall I give you a political answer? Absolutely. The European Union has treated us so terribly, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday.

Oil from Canada will be treated differently from other goods from Canada and Mexico, Trump said, with that tariff rate to be reduced to 10 per cent. He indicated wider tariffs on oil and natural gas would be coming in mid-February, remarks that sent oil prices higher.
Nvidia meets Trump amid AI trade tensions



Washington, Jan 31 (AFP) Jan 31, 2025



Jensen Huang, CEO of AI chip giant Nvidia, met Friday with President Donald Trump as the company suffered a rough week on Wall Street over competition with China and the threat of tariffs on semiconductors.

Trump said he would be putting tariffs on imports of computer chips to the United States, which will punish Nvidia's business that depends on imported components, mainly from Taiwan.

"It was a good meeting, but eventually we're going to put tariffs on chips," Trump told reporters afterwards.

High-end versions of Nvidia's chips face US export restrictions to the major market of China, part of Washington's efforts to slow its Asian adversary's advancement in the strategic technology.

That policy came under scrutiny this week when Chinese startup DeepSeek achieved widespread adoption of its latest AI model that was developed without access to Nvidia's export-blocked H100 chips.

After the DeepSeek breakthrough, US media reported the Trump administration was exploring ways to expand the restrictions to Nvidia's lower end chips.

The DeepSeek model triggered a plunge in Nvidia's stock Monday, wiping out nearly $600 billion in market value -- Wall Street's largest single-day loss ever.

"We appreciated the opportunity to meet with President Trump and discuss semiconductors and AI policy," an Nvidia spokesperson said.

"Jensen and the president discussed the importance of strengthening US technology and AI leadership."

Huang, whose company has become one of the world's most valuable firms on the back of the AI frenzy, was notably absent from Trump's January 20 inauguration.

Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, who is a close advisor and major Trump donor, were given a central place during ceremonies and events, and contributed to the president's inauguration fund.

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Nvidia

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Taiwan bans government agencies from using DeepSeek



Taipei, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



Taiwan has banned workers in the public sector and at key infrastructure facilities from using DeepSeek, saying it was a Chinese product and could endanger national security.

DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, claiming it matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pace-setters in the United States for a fraction of the investment.

Countries including South Korea, Ireland, France, Australia and Italy have raised questions about the Chinese AI startup's data practices.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs said Friday all government agencies and critical infrastructure should not use DeepSeek because it "endangers national information security".

"DeepSeek AI service is a Chinese product," the ministry said in a statement.

"Its operation involves cross-border transmission and information leakage and other information security concerns."

Taiwan has long accused China of using "grey zone" tactics -- actions that fall short of an act of war -- against the island, including cyberattacks, as Beijing presses its claims of sovereignty over the island.

Since 2019, Taiwan has banned government agencies from using information and communication technology products and services that pose a threat to "national information security".

DeepSeek sparked panic on Wall Street this week with its powerful new chatbot that is thought to have matched US companies in its abilities but at a fraction of the cost.

That's despite a strict US regime prohibiting Chinese firms from accessing the kinds of advanced chips needed to power the massive learning models used to develop AI.

Taiwan's restriction came as data watchdogs in South Korea and Ireland said they would ask DeepSeek to clarify how it manages users' personal information.

Earlier this week, Italy launched an investigation into the R1 model and blocked it from processing Italian users' data.
Countrywide alert in Ukraine as air force warns of missiles



Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



Ukrainian authorities issued air raid alerts for the entire country on Saturday, as the air force warned of missile and drone threats in multiple regions.

"Missile threat to Mykolaiv and Kherson regions," the air force said on Telegram, adding that missiles were moving toward the Sumy and Poltava regions as well.

"Enemy strike UAV threat for Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Chernigiv and Zhytomyr regions", it said in a separate post warning of Russian drones.

A drone attack in Zaporizhzhia earlier Saturday caused heavy damage to homes and businesses, the local governor said.

The nearly three-year conflict has shown no signs of de-escalating since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20 after promising to swiftly end the fighting.

On Friday evening, a Russian missile attack struck the centre of the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa, wounding at least seven people and damaging historic buildings, officials said.

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At least 56 killed as fighting grips greater Khartoum



Port Sudan, Sudan, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



Artillery shelling and air strikes killed at least 56 people across greater Khartoum on Saturday, according to a medical source and Sudanese activists.

Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a battle for power since April 2023 that has intensified this month as the army fights to take all of the capital Khartoum and its sister cities of Omdurman and Khartoum North.

RSF shelling killed 54 people at a busy market in Omdurman on Saturday, overwhelming the city's Al-Nao Hospital, a medical source told AFP.

"The shells hit in the middle of the vegetable market, that's why the victims and the wounded are so many," one survivor told AFP.

Across the Nile in Khartoum, two civilians were killed and dozens wounded in an air strike on an RSF-controlled area, the local Emergency Response Room (ERR) said.

Although the RSF has used drones in attacks including on Saturday, the fighter jets of the regular armed forces maintain a monopoly on air strikes.

The ERR is one of hundreds of volunteer committees across Sudan coordinating emergency care.

In addition to killing tens of thousands of people, the war has uprooted more than 12 million and forced most health facilities out of service.

A volunteer at Al-Nao Hospital told AFP it faced dire shortages of "shrouds, blood donors and stretchers to transport the wounded".

The hospital is one of the last medical facilities operating in Omdurman and has been repeatedly attacked.

After months of stalemate in greater Khartoum, the army retook several bases in Khartoum last month, including its pre-war headquarters, pushing the RSF increasingly into the city's outskirts.

Witnesses said Saturday's bombardment of Omdurman came from the city's western outskirts, where the RSF remains in control.

A resident of a southern neighbourhood reported rocket and artillery fire on the city's streets.



- Counter-offensive -



Saturday's bombardment came a day after RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo vowed to retake the capital from the army.

"We expelled them (from Khartoum) before, and we will expel them again," he told troops in a rare video address.

Greater Khartoum has been a key battleground in nearly 22 months of fighting between the army and the RSF, and has been reduced to a shell of its former self.

An investigation by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that 26,000 people were killed in the capital alone between April 2023 and June 2024.

Entire neighbourhoods have been taken over by fighters as at least 3.6 million civilians have fled, according to United Nations figures.

Those unable or unwilling to leave have reported frequent artillery fire on residential areas, and widespread hunger in besieged neighbourhoods blockaded by opposing forces.

At least 106,000 people are estimated to be suffering from famine in Khartoum, according to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, with a further 3.2 million experiencing crisis levels of hunger.

Nationwide, famine has been declared in five areas -- most of them in the mainly RSF-controlled western region of Darfur -- and is expected to take hold of five more by May.

Before leaving office, the Joe Biden administration sanctioned Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing the army of attacking schools, markets and hospitals and using starvation as a weapon of war.

That designation came a week after Washington sanctioned the RSF commander for his role in "gross violations of human rights" in Darfur, where the State Department said his forces had "committed genocide" against non-Arab minority groups.
CORRECTED: Russia fired 42 missiles, 123 drones at Ukraine overnight: Kyiv



Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



Russia fired 42 missiles and 123 drones including decoys at Ukraine overnight in a barrage that damaged buildings and left several people dead, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday.

"On the night of February 1, 2025, the Russian invaders launched a combined attack on Ukraine with missiles of various types," the air force said, listing 42 missiles including cruise, ballistic and guided varieties.
US conducted air strikes on IS targets in Somalia, Trump says



Palm Beach, United States, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



The United States military on Saturday conducted air strikes on Islamic State group targets in Somalia, President Donald Trump announced.

"This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia," Trump said on Truth Social.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted IS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains in the semi-autonomous Puntland region.

"Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed," Hegseth said in a statement.

Local commanders confirmed the strikes to AFP.

"We don't know so far the number of the casualties, but we believe the missiles precisely hit the targets," Mohamed Ali, a military commander in Bossaso area, told AFP by phone.

"We believe there are casualties of the terrorist leaders, including the foreigners who the Puntland forces were chasing in the last few days," he said.

Abdirahman Adan, another member of the army in a nearby area, said they heard "five loud explosions" and saw smoke over the targeted area.

Puntland has not commented officially about the airstrike so far.

Hegseth said the strikes further degrade "ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies."

Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but experts have warned of growing activity.

"The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that 'WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'" Trump said in his post.

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Six arrests have been made so far at the protests - one after flares were set off during the Stand Up To Racism march along Piccadilly, another near Waterloo when an officer was spat at, and three in Whitehall after Robinson supporters breached police lines to enter the counter-protest area.
Last November, McGregor was found liable of assault in a civil case in Dublin taken by a woman who alleged he had raped her in a hotel in the city in December 2018.
The food industry in Romania needs support programmes in the coming years, even beyond European funds, because it does not produce enough, and this year there will be two to three new schemes for animal husbandry, Finance Minister Tanczos Barna said on Saturday, in a briefing held at the Victoria Palace after the approval of the 2025 budget, Agerpres reports.

"We have several funding schemes in the relevant ministries. Agriculture generates a very large deficit, and the food industry does not produce enough. We have Investalim (a national funding programme to support the food industry), and there are two to three new schemes prepared by Minister Barbu [Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu], I spoke with him yesterday, for animal husbandry, to increase domestic production and domestic processing, because that is one of the biggest problems. Having spent several good years in the Ministry of Agriculture as secretary of state, I know what the issues were back then. Unfortunately, they have not been solved: live animals leave the country, and the salami comes back; wheat leaves, and bakery products or other processed products come back. That is one of the biggest stakes for the coming years. Investalim is needed, and there will be a need for support programmes for the food industry even beyond the European funds that are accessible and that are attracted by the Ministry of Agriculture at a rate of 98-99% year after year or period after period," Tanczos Barna said.





"At the same time, I have agreed with Minister Ivan [Minister of Economy, Digitisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Bogdan Ivan] that we will continue the programmes from the Ministry of Economy. Start-up Nation will be an annual programme. This year we have ensured commitment credits for contracting, and once the payments start, they will also have the money to make payments. We even talked today about Entrepreneur Woman, and we have already started the contracts, and they even have money to start making payments in the second half of the year. So, for the Economy, we will need a boost, a catalyst, in the areas that most often generate or have the largest trade deficits," Tanczos Barna added.
President Klaus Iohannis sent condolences on Saturday, after the announcement of the death of former German President Horst Kohler, saying the latter was "a convinced European", Agerpres reports.

"My sincere condolences upon the passing of former German Federal President Horst Kohler. He was a great statesman and a convinced European. I remember our meeting in Sibiu, during the European Cultural Capital 2007, very fondly," Iohannis wrote on X platform.




Independent presidential candidate Nicusor Dan said on Saturday, at the Congress of the People's Movement Party (PMP), that in the coming period there is a battle which must be won and thanked PMP members for being "on the right side of history", Agerpres reports.

"A battle follows that we are obliged to win. On the one hand, because Romanians sent a clear message in the last elections that things cannot continue as they have so far, and we must convince people that the alternative is certainly not Russia, and that we must remain in NATO, remain in the European Union, and we must structurally change things that have gone wrong in our country. And I believe that this is a much more important stake because the world is changing very quickly before our eyes these days, and Romania must bring all its competencies into the emerging global competition; there will be no more gifts, and Romania must be there," said Nicusor Dan.





"I am very optimistic that we can change the direction in which Romania is heading. Thank you for this vote of confidence, I want to thank you for all the cooperation we have had over the recent years (...). I also want to thank you for being on the right side of history. In politics, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the important thing is to move in the right direction," added Nicusor Dan.
Romania will not be downgraded to the category of countries not recommended for investors (junk) this year, believes Finance Minister Tanczos Barna, Agerpres reports.

"It is out of the question (to reach 'junk' status). We are looking at economic indicators, at economic development, at the solidity of the Romanian economy, at the budget made with a 7% deficit and the Government's commitment to this budget. It's out of the question," said the Finance minister on Saturday during the briefing following the Government meeting where the budget draft for the current year was adopted.





"We took note of these negative outlook signals last year and this month, and that's precisely why the Government made the decisions it did, focusing on stabilising the deficit and gradually reducing it year by year," the Finance minister added.An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission will pay a visit Bucharest, February 3-7, as recently announced by Geoff Gottlieb, IMF Regional Representative for Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.The consultations are a mandatory surveillance exercise for all member states. The purpose of the Article IV consultations is to examine the national financial and economic situation and to make general recommendations regarding monetary policies, fiscal policies, and economic strategies to ensure stability and positive economic performance.Regarding rating outlooks, in December last year, the financial rating agency Fitch announced that it had downgraded Romania's outlook from stable to negative, with the same announcement coming from S&P Global in January this year.
Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

ST. LOUIS  Javad Khazaeli and Abby Duncan both asked a federal jury on Friday to focus on a question. The two attorneys were asking different questions.

One would prevail, to the tune of a $18.75 million verdict.

The jury for a week had been hearing evidence in a federal courtroom in St. Louis for a lawsuit brought by Dennis Ball-Bey. Hes the father of Mansur Ball-Bey, an 18-year-old who was shot and killed on Aug. 19, 2015, by former St. Louis police Officer Kyle Chandler.

Khazaeli, who represents Dennis Ball-Bey, told the jury in his closing argument, This is a case with a simple question  Why is there a body here, and a gun 164 feet away?

The body of Mansur, who had no criminal record, was found in the front yard of a house on Walton Avenue in the Fountain Park neighborhood after a police raid and foot chase. His gun, which he never fired, was found sitting next to a dumpster in the alley behind the backyard. The raid was at the home of Mansurs cousin.

Khazaelis case focused on the fact an autopsy revealed Mansurs body had a severed spine. Its a critical fact because Chandlers version of events was that he shot Mansur in the backyard and then Mansur, with a hollow-point bullet that hit his spine and also went through his aorta, somehow continued running into the front yard.

Duncan, who works for the city counselors office and is representing Chandler, turned the question around when addressing the jury. The million-dollar question is: When was the (spinal) cord transected? When did that occur?

The defense argued that the bullet damaged the spine but that it wasnt severed until later, perhaps when officers were handcuffing Mansur. Chandler, his partner, Ronald Vaughan, and several other officers all testified that Mansur was still running after they heard gunshots.

In the end, the jury of six men and three women saw the case through the prism offered by Khazaeli. After about 90 minutes of deliberation, they found in favor of Dennis Ball-Bey and awarded him $6.25 million in compensatory damages from the city. In a second part of the trial, held Friday afternoon, the jury awarded the family an additional $12.5 million in punitive damages. Khazaeli said he believes its the largest verdict ever against the city in a police shooting case.

Unless there are appeals, the verdict will bring an end to a decade-long drama surrounding one of the most controversial police shootings in recent St. Louis history. The shooting happened about a year after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson that ignited protests nationwide.

After nine years, the family finally has a modicum of justice, Khazaeli said after the verdict. But it shouldnt have taken this long. The jury has spoken and hopefully the scourge of killing unarmed Black men will lessen.

Two days after Mansur died, St. Louis medical examiner Michael Graham told the press that Ball-Bey had been shot in the back and that the bullet severed his spine. Graham said a severed spine would not have allowed Mansur to run. Graham later changed his theory, saying Ball-Beys spine perhaps was severed when he was arrested, and ordered a second autopsy after learning his statements in the press contradicted the version Chandler and Vaughan had given.

Then-Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce declined to prosecute the officers, though she made clear she didnt believe the shooting was justified.

During the trial this week, Khazaeli and his fellow attorneys painted Chandler and Vaughan as liars and pointed out they had been fired in 2021 for being dishonest in internal investigations.

Duncan said that didnt matter because every witness claimed they saw Mansur running after hearing gunshots.

They want to take shots at Chandler and Vaughan? Go for it, Duncan told the jury. What about the other five guys? All you need to believe is one.

In the end, trusting the evidence of shell casings and experts who contradicted the officers claims on where they were standing when firing their guns, the jury determined that it was more likely than not (the standard in civil cases) that the officers were lying or mistaken.

Its been a very long time and Ive been waiting on the justice, Dennis Ball-Bay said after the verdict. The truth has come out.
Nearly two months after a voter-approved constitutional amendment legalizing abortion went into effect, the procedure remains inaccessible in Missouri.

On Friday, a Jackson County judge heard arguments over whether to grant an injunction requested by Planned Parenthood that would permit the organization to offer abortion services almost immediately.

Last month, Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang struck down a number of targeted regulation of abortion provider statutes, better known as TRAP laws.

Laws mandating a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion and a requirement that physicians performing the procedure have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals were put on hold.

But other regulations the judge allowed to remain  such as state licensing requirements and a mandate to receive a pelvic exam before being prescribed the pill used in medication abortion  have left clinics unable to perform the procedure in Missouri.

On Friday afternoon, Zhang again listened to arguments from Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney Generals Office during the hearing in downtown Kansas City.

We have still not been able to restore abortion access in Missouri, Eleanor Spottswood, an attorney with Planned Parenthood, argued Friday.

Zhang asked how Planned Parenthood clinics would be regulated if she were to strike down the current licensing requirements from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Spottswood said that like other outpatient practices, the facility would not require a license, but the providers would need to meet their own professional licensing requirements through the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.

Planned Parenthood is currently held to a much higher threshold of regulations, she said.

Spottswood said if the judge strikes down the remaining TRAP laws, its Planned Parenthoods intention to offer medication abortions at all nine clinics across the state within a week. The organization hopes it can hire and train the necessary staff to also begin performing surgical abortions at its clinics in St. Louis and Kansas City.

The state previously asked that the case be dismissed, arguing that because abortion is still accessible by mail or by leaving the state, Planned Parenthood didnt have the standing to ask for a temporary ruling.

Much of Fridays hearing revolved around pelvic exams, which Planned Parenthoods attorneys maintained are invasive and unnecessary ahead of prescribing abortion medication. Instead, Spottswood said, the clinics use other methods to determine if the pregnancy is at risk of being ectopic, meaning the fertilized egg has implanted itself outside the uterus.

Taking abortion medication to end an ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous.

Missouri Solicitor General Joshua Divine argued that pelvic exams ahead of any procedure are routine care, and should remain in place.

Zhang asked if hospitals can perform abortions following passage of Amendment 3 last year, seemingly attempting to determine whether the current pelvic exam law is discriminatory against abortion clinics or if it would also be required at hospitals.

Spottswood said they presumably can, but a question remains of whether any will. Divine agreed that while he believes hospitals can now provide abortions, it is very, very rare that they do so in Missouri  so theres not much need to regulate.

Without a broader injunction, Spottswood argued, the state will enforce the law in the most obstructive way possible and treat abortion providers differently and worse than other providers.

This interferes with patients rights, she said, which is in violation of Amendment 3, which states in part that the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, when abortions were still legal, that number fell to 167, a drop that abortion providers attributed to the states growing list of regulations.

Divine questioned why the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis hadnt reapplied for a license, since they were the only clinic in the state that still met licensing requirements when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. He called the lack of access a purely self-inflicted injury.

Missouris trigger law banning all abortions with limited exceptions for medical emergencies went into effect the same day, ending the procedure at the St. Louis clinic.

Assuming that the state would grant the license, Spottswood said by limiting patients choices to one clinic in the state, the licensing law inserts the state between the patient and the provider.

The hearing, which lasted four hours, also discussed the states continued objection to the Jackson County prosecutor, formerly Jean Peters Baker and currently Melesa Johnson, being named as the defendants representing all county prosecutors in the case.

The attorney generals office argues Johnson, who was endorsed by the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood, does not appropriately represent all statewide prosecutors.

Zhang previously denied the states request to remove the Jackson County prosecutor as a representative for the defendant class and move the case to Cole County, where last summer a judge attempted to strike the abortion-rights amendment from the ballot.

On Friday, the prosecutors from Wright, Texas, Franklin and Saline counties showed up in court to continue to object, arguing that because there isnt a Planned Parenthood clinic in any of their counties, all county prosecutors shouldnt necessarily be a party in the case.

Zhang said her concern centers around the possibility that residents in any county could be prescribed abortion medication at a clinic before returning to their home counties. She also noted that three of the four counties have emergency rooms where women experiencing any abortion complications could be admitted.

There could be a risk of prosecution across the state because of telemedicine, she said.

No specific examples of what cases could be prosecuted were entertained. Tyrrell added that if he did prosecute an abortion case, he was confident hed quickly find himself again sitting across from Planned Parenthood in a courtroom.

I wont swear I wont and I wont swear I will prosecute, Wright County Prosecutor John Tyrrell told Zhang.   but the likelihood is very, very low.

Zhang gave both parties one week to file additional briefings. Her decision is expected after that. The bench trial, at which point the judge will make a permanent ruling, has been set for January 2026.

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: info@missouriindependent.com. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and X.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  More than a decade after fleeing civil war and squalor halfway around the world, two families had hoped to finally reunite in St. Louis to build a better future.

Volunteers spent a year helping one of the families, already settled here, to get their relatives out of a refugee camp in Jordan. The volunteers got approval from U.S. officials to help the family for at least three months. They raised more than $23,000 in private donations to do it.

Then, this week, President Donald Trump halted refugee resettlement. The familys Feb. 3 flight was canceled.

I just feel terrible for this family, Ruth Ehresman, one the volunteers, said in a recent interview. Theyve been waiting for so long. And then at the last minute, the rug was just pulled out from under them.

The halt to refugee resettlement scuttled flights for dozens of families already vetted and approved to come to St. Louis through resettlement agencies that receive federal funding to help support them, including more than 120 refugees assigned to the International Institute, the regions premier resettlement agency.

But the halt also upended plans for families hoping to sponsor loved ones through the Welcome Corps, a federal program that allows local volunteers to sponsor refugees for three months with private donations of at least $2,500 for each member of the incoming family.

Welcome Corps refugees are also vetted by state officials. But the private sponsorship helps them avoid years of waiting and alleviates pressure on federal resources, said Krissy Durant, a spokeswoman for the International Institute, which helps coordinate Welcome Corps volunteers here. Since its launch in 2023, Welcome Corps settled more than 2,500 refugees in the U.S., including several in St. Louis.

Eric Davis, a volunteer in St. Louis, was working on bringing another family, this one from a refugee camp in Pakistan here to reunite with Afghan relatives already settled here. Davis said his group, connected through local churches, was motivated to help people in need.

They were told in January the refugee family would be assigned a flight to St. Louis in February. But they havent heard anything since.

We were basically expecting them to get a notification of travel any day, Davis said. Now its all in limbo.

Family left behind

In a home in south St. Louis County on a recent day, a Syrian refugee family gathered around tea and coffee and sweets. Young kids ran through the hallway playing, or stopped to look at pet birds and fish. A Syrian flag hung over the television.

The family is in the U.S. legally, but requested anonymity, fearing they could jeopardize their relatives case.

The first family arrived in St. Louis in 2021, years after fleeing their home in Daraa, Syria, which was the launching point of an uprising against the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad. Protests in 2011 turned into all-out civil war in 2012, and the familys windows shook from bombings. People disappeared, were imprisoned and shot in the street.

To escape, the family paid a driver to sneak them down backcountry roads, around regime checkpoints, and finally into Jordan, they said. There they spent years in a refugee camp.

The family went through rounds of interviews and background checks and cultural orientation classes that came to a halt in 2017, when Trump first assumed office and slowed refugee resettlement for four years. Finally, in late 2021, they arrived in St. Louis.

The family had always heard about America, and its freedom of speech, individual rights and good education, they said. They feel safe here, and welcomed by volunteers and the local community. The father works at a tire shop 6 days a week. Their kids want to be dentists, doctors and engineers.

Back in Jordan, their relatives are confined to a refugee camp where they cant leave without permission. They cant find work. And their kids schooling is poor.

After the Welcome Corps program launched, Anne Ross, a volunteer, helped organize sponsorship to bring the fathers sister and her family to St. Louis. They also applied to bring the moms brother here from a refugee camp in Lebanon.

By January, the sisters family learned they had a ticket to arrive in St. Louis on Feb. 3. They prepared their luggage and bought new clothes.

Two days later, on Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order halting refugee resettlement. The relatives in Jordan were heartbroken.

Ross said she and volunteers have contacted St. Louis-area congressmen and senators for help. But its unclear what will happen.

Were just sticking with it, Ross said. Were trying every day to do something to try to reverse this.
CHICAGO  Scott Grandchamp was cleaning out the backroom last month at the LaGrange Park Ace Hardware store he owns when he found an untouched Illinois state flag tucked into a safe.

He decided to replace a company anniversary flag that he designed with the state flag and has flown it under the American flag every day since.

Its nice, and I think its something that should be flown, and it does represent our state, Grandchamp said. I think everybodys always just raised the American flag, and they dont raise the state flag. Since I found it and had an extra set of hooks, I said Lets raise it.

Maligned by some, the state flag design thats been used for more than 50 years has its fans. But its future is uncertain, as the Illinois Flag Commission is a few weeks away from choosing a winner in a contest to design a new flag to represent the Land of Lincoln  although the outcome will be advisory at best.

Illinois residents have until Feb. 14 to vote  every resident can cast one ballot every 24 hours  on 10 finalists the commission chose from almost 5,000 submissions. The ultimate decision will be made by state lawmakers, who are scheduled to receive the vote totals on the 10 submissions by April 1 as part of a full report from the commission. Legislators will then consider whether to stick with the current flag or go with one from the design contest. They could also choose to shift to the states centennial flag or sesquicentennial flag, according to state Sen. Doris Turner, a Springfield Democrat who sponsored the bill leading to the design contest.

Illinois State Sen. Terri Bryant, a member of the commission, made clear she likes the current flag, which she said she flies outside her house. Several neighbors on her street do the same, she said.

There are things about our flag that stand out, said Bryant, a Republican from downstate Murphysboro. For instance, when the flag moves, and when it flies in the air it actually looks like the water moves. Same thing with the sun.

The state flag is essentially a white background with just the state seal  a bald eagle with the state motto in its mouth standing on a rock bearing the year of the states incorporation, 1818, and the seals creation, 1868.

Ted Kaye, a vexillologist, or person who studies flags, calls it a seal on a bedsheet  an unflattering term for a flag design in vexillology circles  and said Illinois needs a rebrand. He noted that the flags details cant be distinguished at a distance and that the white background cant be used on graphic designs because the white bleeds into the background.

He also said he doesnt think state seals belong on flags because seals represent the government while a flag is meant to represent the people of the state.

As a civilian, I would ask myself, why would I want to fly the flag of the government of my state at my house? Kaye said.

Changing the flag would involve costs. Utah, which adopted a new flag last March, spent almost $500,000 on its flag task force and $5,000 on prize money for design finalists. A report compiled by the Utah Fiscal Analyst Office said it might cost local governments $20 per flag to replace old flags, and the governor included $50,000 in his 2023 state budget for marketing the new flag.

Minnesota also changed its flag last year. The Minnesota Legislature allocated $35,000 to fund the design phase, but the biggest cost burden falls on state agencies and municipal governments, including fire and police departments. For instance, a county commissioner told a local news outlet that it would cost $50,000 to replace the state seal on a justice center. The states Department of Corrections is updating uniform patches gradually, with an estimated cost over time of $2 million, a spokesperson said.

Bryant said she was not clear on what the costs of changing the flag might be and plans to request an estimate during the spring legislative session. But Turner said she is confident the costs wont be high. She noted that the commission is made up of volunteers and said the state would follow Utah in replacing flags gradually as they wear out.

We havent delved that far down into it and put numbers together, but we will probably follow what Utah and several other states that have gone through this process have done, Turner said. They phased in changing the flag so its not like you wake up one day and every flag is gone.

Regardless of the outcome, Turner said the flag competition serves a productive purpose.

This is an opportunity for some civic engagement, state pride and representation as this is as close to the community that we can possibly get, she said.

Proponents of leaving the flag alone, among them Ayn Patton Bartok, a resident of Bryants downstate district, have taken their case to social media. After hearing of the possible flag change, Bartok rallied dozens of local residents on Facebook to vote in favor of the current flag.

Primarily as a taxpayer in the state of Illinois, I dont feel that this is an expenditure that our government should consider, Bartok said. Im concerned that our state is not necessarily physically sound, and this seems to be a frivolous endeavor.

If there was some reason that a new flag was going to improve our business relationships with other states, or attract more people to live in Illinois, I might understand, but I dont even think thats the case, Bartok said. Theres not been enough evidence to persuade me that getting a new flag is going to solve any of the states problems.

John Kokoris, who bills himself as Mr. Illinois and speaks about state history and other subjects at libraries, said hes been surprised by the number of people saying they like the current flag.

I hear a lot of people say, Oh I like the flag. I like the eagle. Theres just patriotic people out there who like that sort of thing, Kokoris said. I would have loved to see it updated, but a lot of great things have been done and accomplished under the current flag.

Kaye, the vexolligist, said the states process for involving residents in the flag decision is flawed because voting includes the current flag. That means the flag that flies now could come out on top with less than 50% of the votes while residents who want a different flag will be divided across the 10 submitted designs.

This conflating of democratic participation in choosing the flag and lack of expertise in creating a great design for them to choose from is a challenge, Kaye said of the Illinois process.

But Turner said it was important to include the current flag in the voting to give individuals who felt strongly that option.
ST. LOUIS  Community radio station KDHX, roiled in controversy since 10 DJs were fired in September 2023, will stop broadcasting live content as of 7 p.m. Friday.

The station will continue to play previously recorded programming. But all programming presented by live disc jockeys will cease, said Gary Pierson, president of the stations board of directors.

This was a difficult decision for our board as our audience has grown and expanded in recent years, most notably online, he said in a statement.

Several factors have contributed to this decision, including longstanding financial pressures, industry-wide challenges for public media and a decline in financial support.

The statement also said recent disparagement campaigns and senseless lawsuits have severely impacted fundraising.

Problems for the station began Sept. 22, 2023, when it fired 10 of its 80 volunteer disc jockeys and informed 12 others that they would have to undergo mediated discussions to stay on the job.

In the following weeks, at least 14 other disc jockeys resigned or went on strike in sympathy.

At the time, Pierson said the DJs were let go because they were vocal and disruptive in their support of Tom Papa Ray, who had been fired in February, and Drea Stein and Andy Coco, who had been let go in August of that year.

Listeners began withholding donations and income plummeted. A two-month fundraising campaign that ended in October 2024 yielded only $62,000. In 2023, the last year for which financial records are available, the station lost $325,000 on revenues of $940,000  and the listener rebellion had only begun in late September.

Nielsen ratings showed a 40% drop in over-the-air listeners from before September 2023 to June 2024, when the station stopped its subscription to Nielsen. A few months later, Wells said they had not lost listeners when all platforms were taken into account.

A lawsuit filed by former disc jockeys Wednesday in St. Louis Circuit Court asked for seven of the eight board of directors to be removed, claiming they violated Missouri law and the stations bylaws to consolidate power among themselves and executive director Kelly Wells.

The suit alleges that a new rule was passed last year forbidding directors from interacting with volunteers without the involvement of Wells. The rule was used to suspend two new members of the board who had been elected to represent the volunteers in their first meeting in November 2024.

The suit claims the rule effectively dictated whom the directors could speak to and prevented volunteers from speaking to their representatives.
A casket carrying the remains of Pfc. Arthur Aaron Clifton arrives at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 31, 2025. Clifton went missing Dec. 11, 1950, following the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. His remains were identified in August 2024 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas  When 9-year-old Lydia Hollands brother Arthur Aaron Clifton shipped off to Army boot camp in 1950, she handed him a quarter to get a Coke for the bus ride.

Clifton went from basic training, then to Korea with the 7th Infantry Division and never returned home. He became one of the more than 8,100 troops missing during the three-year war.

After 74 years, Holland said she is the only one of her parents six children still alive and she had given up hope that her brother would ever come home.

But the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in August identified her brothers remains using DNA that Holland had provided and she was able to bring him to Texas for burial.

Before a ceremony Friday at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Holland tucked another quarter into the jacket of Cliftons service uniform.

Im glad to have it over with. Im glad to have him put to rest, she said, following the ceremony held beneath a cloudless blue sky.

Sitting next to her son Wade Holland, the now-84-year-old accepted a folded American flag, bullet casings from a 21-gun salute and the Order of the Bayonet award from the 7th Infantry Division.

Wade Holland, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant, told more than dozen people who gathered in the cemetery that the service was a unique experience. He never knew his uncle, yet he feels a strong connection to him, he told the gathering.

Lydia Holland, 84, is presented with a folded American flag on Jan. 31, 2025, at the funeral of her brother, Pfc. Arthur Aaron Clifton, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton went missing Dec. 11, 1950, following the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. His remains were identified in August 2024 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Lydia Holland, 84, looks at the Order of the Bayonet award that she received from the 7th Infantry Division on Jan. 31, 2025, at the funeral of her brother, Pfc. Arthur Aaron Clifton, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton went missing Dec. 11, 1950, following the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. His remains were identified in August 2024 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes)

Clifton was a 17-year-old private first class when he went missing Dec. 11, 1950, on the arduous journey out of the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. U.N. troops had been surprised by a large Chinese force about a week prior and were following the only road out of the region under constant attack from enemy forces.

Assigned to the divisions Headquarters Battery, 48th Field Artillery Battalion, Clifton was one of about 700 service members still missing from the battle. More than 7,500 American troops remain missing from entire war, which ran from June 1950 until July 1953.

Since 1980, DPAA has identified the remains of 713 Korean War veterans, said Jennie Jin, a forensic anthropologist with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in Hawaii.

We have dedicated [Korean War] team of about 10 folks, and its the largest project in the laboratory for a single war, she said. We want to identify them as fast as we can and as best as we can.

The Chosin Reservoir was a particularly brutal fight because of the sub-zero temperatures, said Peter Knight, director of historical studies at the U.S. Army Center of Military History. Chinese divisions attacked the 7th Infantry Division and the 1st Marine Division from Nov. 27-29, 1950. It was so bitterly cold that the morphine drips carried by medics froze and the bolt actions in rifles stopped working.

The Chinese units occupied the high ground on both sides of the road, leaving American units to form a perimeter and use their artillery with air support, Knight said.

But the Chinese had so many more soldiers than they did, and they were able to attack in wave after wave of infantry assaults. Each time theyre [losing] more and more of the U.N. forces in that process, he said.

U.S. and South Korean forces suffered more than 10,000 casualties in the fight around the reservoir. Eventually Lt. Col. Donald Faith, the officer in charge, decided his unit could not withstand this any longer and troops begin to make their escape down south to the town Hagaru-ri. They arrived Dec. 6 and then began a 50-mile march toward the port of Hungnam to be evacuated by ship. By that point, the 7th Infantry Division was down to about 500 troops, including Clifton.

U.S. soldiers with tank make their way through the rubble-strewn streets of Hyesanjin in November 1950. (DA photograph)

The way they fought to escape from the reservoir and get out to the port of Hungnam is a testament to the metal of those troops because they were in a very less-than-ideal situation. They had to persevere and managed to get out of there alive to fight another day, Knight said.

It was somewhere on that final stretch through enemy assaults that Clifton was last seen by his fellow soldiers.

Clifton, who enlisted from Los Lunas, N.M., most likely died from a gunshot wound to his body, Jin said.

His remains were collected from North Korea in 1954 during Operation Glory, which was an exchange of each countries dead. Fingerprinting was the primary source of identification at that time, which meant 867 unknowns, including Clifton, were buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, according to DPAA.

Identifications had been slowly ongoing during the years but in 2018  with major advancements in identification technology  DPAA began the process of disinterring all the 652 service members still buried as unknowns in Honolulu.

DPAA works with families of the missing to collect DNA, which can be used to link remains to a certain person, as well as rule out others to narrow the field of possibilities, Jin said. About 90% of Korean War families have contributed DNA, but that 10% gap can slow down eliminations.

Clifton was singled out using DNA and by comparing a chest X-ray conducted on him when he enlisted to check him for tuberculosis to a chest X-ray of his skeletal remains, Jin said.

Its almost like a print, and its beautiful. They match so nicely, she said. Were looking at the bone density [or] an interesting shape.

Jin, who has been with DPAA since 2010, said bringing closure to families of the soldiers who fought in the Chosin Reservoir is particularly close to her heart. Her grandparents boarded a U.S. Navy ship that evacuated civilians from the region during the war.

When I look at these remains, Clifton was probably the same age with my grandfather, who is still alive and very well in Korea. Hes 97 years old, Jin said. Without that help, I would not be here today.

Those men who survived from Cliftons unit were part of that evacuation. In total, 105,000 military personnel, 91,000 Korean civilians, 17,500 tanks and 350,000 tons of supplies were pulled from Hungnam in more than two weeks. The 7th Infantry Division troops were the last out on Dec. 24, 1950.

Wade Holland and his mother said they hope their closure brings continued hope to those families still waiting for their loved one to be returned home to them.

Any other families that are in this situation, know that the Army is trying. Theyve got a lot of work ahead of them, he said. They are working it and trying to get some closure for everybody.
A composite photo of Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, left, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves. The soldiers were killed Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in an midair collision with a commercial jet over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. (U.S. Army)

WASHINGTON  An Afghanistan veteran and a sailor turned soldier were two of three Army crew members killed when a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair with a commercial jet over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the service announced Friday.

Staff Sgt. Ryan OHara, 28, of Lilburn, Ga., served as a Black Hawk repairer in the Army from July 2014 until his death. He was the crew chief onboard the aircraft Wednesday night when the crash happened. He deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017.

His father, Gary OHara, told The Washington Post that his son texted him earlier on Wednesday about a new assignment that might bring him, his wife and 1-year-old son back to Georgia later this year.

The awards that OHara earned include the Army Commendation Medal with C device for actions in combat, four Army Achievement Medals, a National Defense Service Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Md., have not yet been recovered.

Carrie Eaves, Andrews wife, posted on Facebook on Thursday that her husband was one of the Black Hawk pilots.

We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve, she wrote.

Eaves served in the Navy from August 2007 to September 2017 before transitioning to a Black Hawk pilot for the Army from September 2017 until his death.

Some of the awards that Eaves received include three Army Commendation Medals, a Navy Commendation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

The name of the third soldier killed in the crash was not released at this time at the request of the family. The unnamed soldier was also a pilot whose remains have yet to be recovered. The Army did not provide other details.

Some media reports stated the crew was made up of two men and one woman.

During a Pentagon briefing Thursday about the crash, Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the Armys aviation directorate, commented about female helicopter pilots.

As for women in the military, flying a helicopter is like driving a car. You just got to learn how to do it and anyone can do it with the proper training, he said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday said: When we have updates on the exact individuals who were involved in the collision  including the air traffic controller, also the pilots of the helicopter and others  we will confirm.

The collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 coming from Wichita, Kan., and the Army helicopter crew flying the UH-60 Black Hawk from Bravo Company of the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield, based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, killed 67 people between the two aircraft. The collision is the countrys deadliest aviation incident in almost a quarter century.

More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the river as recovery efforts continue.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday granted a 48-hour operational pause for the 12th Aviation Battalion.

The military does dangerous things. It does routine things on a regular basis. Tragically, last night, a mistake was made. I think [President Donald Trump] is right. There was some sort of an elevation issue that we have immediately begun investigating at the [Defense Department] and Army level, Hegseth said during a White House briefing Thursday about the crash.

Trump blamed the crash, in part, on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and Democrats.

I have common sense, OK? And unfortunately, a lot of people dont. We want brilliant people doing this, Trump told reporters about air traffic controllers and other aviation jobs. When you have 60 planes coming in during a short period of time, and theyre all coming in different directions, and youre dealing with very high-level computer work and very complex computers. And one of the other things I will tell you is that the systems that were built, I was going to rebuild the entire system, and then we had an election that didnt turn out the way it should have, but they didnt build the systems properly.

Since Trump has returned to office, he has signed hundreds of executive orders. Some of those signed last week include one that declared the government would recognize only two sexes  male and female. He also rolled back DEI programs across all federal agencies.

Trump signed another executive order Monday calling for the Defense Department and the Department of Homeland Security to abolish every DEI office within the agencies.

We will have the best and brightest in every position possibleit is color blind and merit based, the best leaders possible, Hegseth said at the briefing. Whether its flying Black Hawks, flying airplanes, leading platoons or in government. The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department.

Koziol said the instructor pilot on the Black Hawk that crashed was the designated pilot in command and had 1,000 flying hours while the other pilot had 500 hours. He added the crew chief in the back of the helicopter had been with the unit for a very long time.

Koziol said the route over the Potomac, known as Route 4, was flown regularly and would have been relatively easy for experienced pilots such as the ones aboard the helicopter that crashed. He added the crew would have been using visual cues and interacting with air traffic control to ensure they avoided any risk.

This is a relatively easy corridor to fly. This should not have been a problem, Koziol said, adding the maximum altitude for Route 4 was 200 feet.

It is unclear how high the Black Hawk was flying Wednesday night. The New York Times reported the helicopter was flying above 300 feet and was at least a  mile off the approved route when it collided with the jet.

The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200-foot limit, Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday. Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???

The Federal Aviation Administration is indefinitely restricting helicopter flights near Ronald Reagan National Airport after the deadly crash, Reuters reported Friday. The agency was barring most helicopters from parts of two helicopter routes near the airport and only allowing police and medical helicopters in the area between the airport and nearby bridges. The FAA official said the restrictions impact Route 1 and Route 4 near the airport.

There were 11,000 military helicopter flights annually within 30 miles of the airport, according to a 2021 government report.

Staffing at the air traffic control tower at the airport was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic, according to an internal preliminary FAA safety report about the collision that was reviewed by The New York Times.

The controller who was handling helicopters in the airports vicinity Wednesday night was also instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways. Those jobs typically are assigned to two controllers, rather than one.

A report this month by the Army Combat Readiness Center found in fiscal year 2024, the Army had the highest number of serious accidents, including fatalities, in a decade. Of the 15 incidents, only one involved a Black Hawk. The report noted pilots might not be getting enough flight hours.

Hegseth added in a video posted on X that the crew was fairly experienced and conducting an annual proficiency training flight. They had night vision goggles.

Night vision goggles are available for Army aviators during nighttime missions, but they are not always necessary, said Koziol, who noted he did not know whether the pilots were wearing the goggles during Wednesday nights flight.

They are helpful at night, obviously, and in an urban environment, theyre still useful. I would say on this route specifically because youre flying over the river, there are no lights, so that wouldnt impact them, he said.

The cause of the collision is still unknown, but officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet was making a routine landing when the helicopter flew into its path.

On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said. At this time, we dont know why the military aircraft came into the path of the ... aircraft.

Trump said during the briefing that the helicopter made a slight turn at the very end and it was by that time too late.

It was exactly at the same line, and somebody should have been able to point that out. So all of this is going to be studied but  some really bad things happened, and some things happened that shouldnt have happened, he said.

The FAA, [National Transportation Safety Board] and the United States Army will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available, Ron McLendon of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington said in a statement Thursday.

The NTSB on Thursday night said the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the jet have been recovered from the wreckage in the river.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The Pentagon is seen on Oct. 21, 2021. (Robert H. Reid/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  Troops seeking reproductive health care, including abortions, not covered by the Defense Department will no longer receive travel stipends to do so after the Pentagon revoked its travel policy Thursday.

Announcement of the policy being revoked was published by the Defense Travel Management Office and went into effect immediately. Canceling the policy is in line with an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump that bars the use of federal taxpayer dollars for abortion services.

The policy allowed service members to take up to three weeks of leave and receive a travel stipend to cross state lines to seek abortion services, as well as other reproductive health services, such as in vitro fertilization, ovarian stimulations and egg retrieval. The policy was meant to enable troops assigned to states with strict reproductive health care laws to travel to states with less restrictive laws.

The policy was put in place in March 2023 by then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a constitutional right to access abortion services. Following the ruling, states were able to establish their own abortion laws.

A dozen states have an outright abortion ban. Some of the most restrictive states, including Texas and Louisiana, are home to major military installations, which caused concern over how the new laws would affect troops.

Women make up 17% of the armed forces. The Pentagon said, from June 2023 to December 2023, the policy was used 12 times to cover leave and travel for reproductive services at a cost of $40,791.20. For the privacy of the individuals, the Pentagon did not provide a breakdown of the care each person received, but noted the policy could have been used to travel for abortion services, in vitro fertilization, ovarian stimulations or egg retrieval.

The department on Friday was unable to provide an updated count and cost on policy use.

A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the change will appear in the Feb. 1 version of the Joint Travel Regulations, which implements policy to establish travel and transportation allowances for service members and Defense Department workers.

The policy change elicited reactions from lawmakers on Friday.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., praised the decision, calling the previous policy illegal and immoral.

President Trump and [Defense] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth affirmed today what Ive been fighting for since I got to Washington: zero taxpayer dollars should go towards abortions. Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseths leadership, the Pentagon will once again be focused on lethality, not pushing a political agenda. Thank God common sense has been restored to our military under President Trumps leadership, Tuberville said.

For 11 months in 2023, Tuberville imposed a blanket hold on senior military promotions over the Pentagons travel policy. Tuberville narrowed the holds to four-star generals in December 2023, releasing the other nominees for promotion, but he vowed to continue fighting against the policy.

A joint statement was issued Thursday by 18 Democratic senators and one independent who are members of Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committees subpanel on defense condemned the Pentagons decision to end the policy.

This decision strips away service members ability to access the reproductive care they need, which is nothing short of abhorrent. It runs contrary to a core goal of the Department of Defense  to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our service members so that our force remains ready at all times to protect Americans and keep this nation safe, the senator wrote.

The senators indicated revoking the policy could have a negative impact on recruiting efforts, stating it sends the message that women are not as valuable as their male counterparts.

We will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact that this extreme decision will have on members of our military and ensure their health and safety comes first, the senators wrote.
Staff Sgt. Shelbe Butner, left, and Spc. Jacob Mullen were identified Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, as the two soldiers who died in a training accident at Fort Stewart two days earlier. (U.S. Army)

Two soldiers at Fort Stewart were killed Thursday night in a single-vehicle incident during night training at the base in Georgia, Army officials said.

The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division. The unit includes Abrams M1A1 tanks and carries the nickname of The Spartans.

The two soldiers were identified Saturday as Staff Sgt. Shelbe Butner, 28, and Spc. Jacob Mullen, 25, by 3rd Infantry Division officials. Both were motor transport operators.

The soldiers were operating a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle in blackout conditions for the exercise when they rolled off the road and into water, according to a press release from the 3rd Infantry Division. Soldiers from their unit provided first aid until emergency services arrived about 20 minutes later, the release said.

Butner hailed from Missouri and served in the Army for nine years, receiving in that time the Meritorious Service Medal and Army Commendation Medal, among others.

Mullen served for seven years and was a Maryland native. His decorations include the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Good Conduct Medal.

Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, issued a statement about the soldiers deaths.

We are heartbroken about this tragic accident and will do everything we can to support the soldiers families and friends during this incredibly difficult time, he said.

Fort Stewart is located southwest of Savannah, Ga.
View of Logan Field in Boston Massachusetts taken by the Expedition Two crew from the International Space Station ISS Alpha. (NASA Courtesy Photo)

BOSTON (TNS) U.S. military aircraft were spotted landing at Boston Logan International Airport on Friday ahead of a funeral for a true American hero who spent more than six years in captivity during the Vietnam War.

Captain Richard Stratton, a Vietnam War Navy veteran from Quincy, died in mid-January. He was 93. Before his funeral on Saturday, military aircraft were arriving at Boston Logan, and Gov. Maura Healey issued a citation in memory of Stratton.

An interment flag was also flown over the State House this week.

It is an honor to deliver this citation and interment flag to the family of Captain Stratton in recognition of his remarkable life and service to our nation, Healey said in a statement. A proud Quincy native, Captain Stratton valiantly served in the Vietnam War and persisted through more than six years of captivity.

His service didnt end there  he came home to help other soldiers and civilians suffering from trauma and addiction as a social worker, the governor added. We are in awe of his bravery, his resilience, and his deep compassion for others. He is a true American hero, and our deepest condolences go out to his loved ones and community.

Stratton served in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, spent years at the Catholic Seminary of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and graduated from Georgetown University.

He joined the U.S. Navy Aviation Officer Candidate Program and was designated as a Naval Aviator in 1957, while also being assigned to Stanford University and earning a masters degree in international relations.

He was deployed to Southeast Asia with CVW-19 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga in 1966 until he was shot down and forced to eject over North Vietnam. He was taken as a Prisoner of War on Jan. 5, 1967, and spent 2,251 days in captivity, enduring inhumane treatment including torture, his obituary reads.

He was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973, and later awarded the Silver Star for Valor, Purple Heart, and P.O.W. medal among many other military decorations and awards.

When he returned home, he continued to hold various positions and commands across the country.

After his retirement from the Navy, he practiced as a clinical social worker, specializing in psychological trauma and addictions, served as President of NAM-POWs, and was the Chairman of the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Prisoners of War.

He stayed active in many veteran organizations ensuring their voices continued to be heard and their legacies honored, his obituary reads.

Hes survived by his wife Alice, three sons, six granddaughters, and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral mass in Quincys Sacred Heart Church will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Burial with full military honors will take place in Mt. Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy. 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc.

Visit at bostonherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
William Pratt, shown in here in an undated photo taken during World War II, survived the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. He died at age 103 on Jan. 23, 2025, in Fresno, Calif. (Pacific Historic Parks)

William Henry Pratt, who survived both the 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and a series of dangerous patrols aboard a submarine during World War II, died Jan. 23 in Fresno, Calif. He was 103.

At the time of the attack, Pratt was aboard the battleship USS Nevada, the only warship that managed to get underway in the midst of the flaming carnage on Battleship Row.

His brother Bazil, who served beside him aboard the Nevada, also survived.

Pratts death was announced in a Facebook post Thursday by Pacific Historic Parks.

He had been among just over a dozen still-living veterans who survived the Japanese attack that killed 2,335 service members and 68 civilians on Oahu on Dec. 7, 1941.

Pratt was born on Dec. 19, 1921, in Bloomington, Ill., sharing a home with three brothers and two sisters.

As adulthood beckoned, joining the military was a compelling choice for a generation raised during the Great Depression, Pratt said in an interview with Hometown Heroes Radio on Dec. 12, 2021.

Life was pretty rough, he said. My dad worked here and there and we traveled around the country.

Pratt looked at the Navy as a job, a paying job, he said. That was the only paying job a young guy could get.

After boot camp, he was assigned to the USS Nevada, a 583-foot-long battleship that had been in service since before World War I.

Pratt was below deck on the Nevada the Sunday morning of Dec. 7.

I began to hear bombs going off, but of course I didnt know they were bombs, he said. I started to go up topside to see what was going on when general quarters sounded.

With that, Pratt raced to his battle station in a propeller-shaft room in the lowest deck of the ship, where he was sealed in by watertight doors. There, his job was to ensure that the automatic lubrication of the shaft continued, and, if it didnt, oil it manually, he said.

Shortly after the attack began, the ship lost power and Pratt was plunged into utter darkness.

It was dark and it was scary because I didnt know what was going on, he recalled in the interview. We were listing to the side because wed been hit on the port side. Torpedo planes had gotten to the port side.

Pratt thought the end had come.

I really thought it was over, he said. Of course, you do a lot of things, even pray.

Eventually, the ships generators brought light back to the lower decks.

Unlike other ships in Battleship Row, the Nevada was not snugly moored to sister ships, and thus it was able to get underway, despite being pummeled by bombs.

The ship was grounded on a sandy beach in the harbor to prevent it from sinking or blocking passage.

They gave me, all of us, rifles and told us to shoot at anything that moves, Pratt said, adding that many expected a Japanese invasion force would land following the aerial attack.

Sixty men died and another 109 were wounded on the Nevada that day.

Later in the war, Pratt served aboard the submarine USS Tuna, which was credited with sinking numerous Japanese ships, including the Kurohime Maru in March 1943 and the Takima Maru in May 1944.

He is survived by his wife of over 70 years, Pauline Pratt, and son, William B. Pratt. He will be buried with military honors on Feb. 4 at Belmont Memorial Park in Fresno.
David Muldrew also spat at and called one of the health care workers a **** during incidents in Belfast on Thursday evening

A homeless man who attacked a nurse and a member of ambulance staff has been jailed for eight months.

David Muldrew also spat at and called one of the health care workers a **** during incidents in Belfast on Thursday evening.

The 54-year-old was brought before the citys magistrates court on Saturday after he was arrested by police at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

A prosecution lawyer told the court Muldrew had been brought there by ambulance from the Salvation Armys Centenary House hostel after he was found slumped in a chair drunk and with a head injury.

As he was being tended to by the ambulance worker he became abusive, clenched his fist and said Ill f******g have you.

When he was brought to hospital and being treated in the triage room he became aggressive and jumped out of a bed, spat at a nurse, lunged towards her and called her a ****, leaving her in fear she would be attacked.

Police were called and when they arrived at the hospital they found Muldrew being restrained by security staff and they took him outside where he was arrested.

Muldrew, of no fixed abode, was charged with two counts of common assault and one count of disorderly behaviour to which he pleaded guilty when they were put to him in court.

The lawyer added Muldrew claimed he had no recollection of the event and he was ashamed and remorseful for what he had done.

Muldrews solicitor told District Judge Mark Hamill he is in ill health and couldnt believe what he had done when shown footage of the incidents.

She added he has been trying to keep himself away from the attention of police and the last entry on his criminal record was some years ago.

Sentencing Muldrew, District Judge Mark Hamill said you can be drunk as a skunk or high as a kite but it doesnt excuse such behaviour in a hospital, adding: I dont care about his ill health.

He said assaulting healthcare professionals and disrupting a hospital was not tolerable.

Judge Hamill sentenced Muldrew to four months in prison for disorderly behaviour plus four months on each charge of common assault, to run consecutively, to make a total of eight months in jail.

Bail was granted pending appeal of the sentences.
The Brazilian national later appeared in court accused of leasing properties around Ireland for organised prostitution and sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women

A member of a major criminal organisation had child abuse material on his phone when gardai arrested him as part of an operation targeting a network or brothels and exploitation of women in Ireland.

Brazilian national Ilamar Rodrigues Ribeiro (54), with an address at Rua Nely Augusta Gomes N 466, Goais, Brazil, was arrested by gardai at Dublin Airport in November following an operation which had the co-operation of Interpol, Europol and authorities in Brazil, the UK, Belgium and Spain.

He later appeared in court accused of leasing properties around Ireland for organised prostitution and sexual exploitation of vulnerable young women.

Ribeiro was charged with 60 different counts of various offences including brothel keeping, money laundering, deception, using a false instrument and possession of child pornography.

Ribeiro pleaded guilty to a number of sample charges related to the brothel operation earlier this year.

He appeared again in court this week where he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography which was discovered on his phone after he was arrested at Dublin Airport on November 16, 2023.

Ribeiro needed an interpreter during his court appearance and only spoke to say the word guilty during his arraignment.

Dublin Circuit Court was told his sentence hearing will take between 45 minutes and a hour.

Judge Patricia Ryan remanded Ribeiro in custody until March 7 for sentencing.

He has been behind bars since his arrested in 2023 after being refused bail after gardai said he was a flight risk.

At that bail hearing Judge Anthony Halpin said: "I cannot tailor conditions that will satisfy this court in relation to this matter to grant bail. I just can't fathom what conditions would satisfy me having regard to the nature of the bail application."

Judge Halpin agreed with Detective Sergeant John Ryan who objected to bail after saying that "the defendant represents a huge flight risk".

The operation targeting Ribeiro began after two women came forward with allegations against him.

That led to a multi-jurisdictional investigation which led authorities to believe Ribeiro had a central role in organising prostitution in Ireland and acted to entice vulnerable young women.

Gardai discovered that Riberio had been leasing properties around Ireland in locations including Ballymahon, Co Longford, Kildare Town, Tullow, Co Carlow, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, and in Roscommon Town, for his own gain.

He had been using bills or Italian passports in other peoples names as false instruments to secure the leases on the properties.

Detective Sergeant Ryan told the court the investigation involved 40 members of An Garda Siochana, 1,500 exhibits, multi-jurisdictional co-operation with Interpol, Europol, police in the UK, and Brazil, and assistance from Spanish and Belgian authorities.

He alleged the accused facilitated organised prostitution throughout the State.

He claimed the two complainants had to hand over half their earnings and were moved around to different locations for sexual exploitation.

It was alleged the accused leased the properties and was a member of a major criminal organisation.

Detective Sergeant Ryan alleged Mr Ribeiro had a vital role in organising prostitution in Ireland for several years and coerced young vulnerable women into this industry.

He had no legitimate income in Ireland, never filed a tax return or claimed social welfare.

Ribeiro had arrived into Ireland from France while in transit to London but also had a flight booked from Dublin to Italy on the day of his arrest.

He was arrested by detectives from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau.

The offences, on conviction, carry maximum sentences between five and 14 years.
Clive Bass (32) is accused of unlawful possession of a mobile phone while serving a sentence at Wheatfield prison.

Clive Bass (32) was sentenced to six years in jail in 2022. Photo: Douglas O'Connor

A prison inmate who was jailed for possession of a firearm following a shooting outside a nightclub has been charged with having a phone in jail.

Clive Bass (32) is accused of unlawful possession of a mobile phone while serving a sentence at Wheatfield prison.

The case against him was adjourned when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court.

Bass, of Shancastle Close, Clondalkin, is charged with having a mobile phone without the prison governors permission on November 26, 2023. When his case came before Judge David McHugh, a garda said the accused made no reply to the charge after caution.

Defence barrister Ciaran MacLoughlin asked for an order for disclosure of prosecution evidence.

The judge set bail at 100, with no cash lodgment required, and adjourned the case to a date next month, for the accused to indicate how he intends to plead.

Bass and a co-accused were each sentenced to six years in jail in 2022 over an incident when shots were fired outside a nightclub at the Red Cow complex in west Dublin.

At that time, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that four shots were fired from the back seat of a vehicle, following a disagreement between the co-accused and another group of club-goers on April 28, 2018.

One man who was 30 metres away and had no connection to the disagreement suffered bleeding to the head after a projectile struck him.

A shotgun case and gunshot residue were found in the car Bass had been in.
Ciara Geoghan (37) with an address at Lissadell House, West Lodge, Athlone, Westmeath, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering

Ciara Geoghan (37) did not receive a single cent for her role in an elaborate HSE text scam that saw two unsuspecting victims being defrauded out of thousands of euro.

A cash-strapped waitress who passed on her bank details to a complete stranger on Snapchat which saw two unsuspecting victims being duped out of thousands of euro in a fraudulent HSE text scam never received a single cent for her role in the ruse, a court has heard.

Ciara Geoghan (37) with an address at Lissadell House, West Lodge, Athlone, Westmeath, pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering on dates between December 15 and December 21, 2022 at unknown locations within the State.

Those charges stemmed from a garda investigation led by officers at Blackrock Garda Station in Dublin after gardai were alerted to claims by one of Geoghans victims that his account had been compromised after initially responding to a bogus HSE text message.

The court was told how follow-up inquiries uncovered an unapproved transaction for 2,343.45c under a payment reference dubbed Katies Dress.

During that investigation, presiding Judge Bernadette Owens was told how gardai also came across a further, separate transaction amounting to 2,345.54c that belonged to a second unknowing victim who had also fallen foul of the scam.

Garda Joe Lonergan said both sums entered Geoghans account unbeknownst to the accused, resulting in her arrest and subsequent detention where the 37-year-old admitted to handing her bank details over to a person unknown to her through Snapchat.

Sgt Paul McNally, for the State, said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for summary disposal, allowing the case to be adjudicated on in the District Court on a guilty plea only.

That plea, the court was told, had been tendered last October with the court being told Geoghan had played no part in transferring the monies or in the sending of the fraudulent text messages.

Ciara Geoghan (37) did not receive a single cent for her role in an elaborate HSE text scam that saw two unsuspecting victims being defrauded out of thousands of euro.

Judge Owens consequently accepted jurisdiction as defence solicitor Mark Cooney insisted his client had been an unwitting facilitator in the scheme at a time when she had come under acute financial pressure that had been exacerbated by an over reliance on alcohol.

These messages were sent at various times and she responded when she wasnt in a particularly good place at the time, said Mr Cooney.

She was drinking quite heavily and wasnt making her way, she saw the opportunity and didnt give any particular thought as one should give.

She absolutely accepts she shouldnt have replied and that she facilitated the transfer by sending details of her account.

She had no hand, act or part (in the scam) once she had given her bank details in that this third party was ultimately the beneficiary by accessing the monies through her account.

The court was told outside of a road traffic offence in 2018, Geoghan had no other prior convictions in a record Mr Cooney said was backed up by her strong work ethic.

In making that submission, the local solicitor revealed how his client received no financial benefit from the scam.

She says she got nothing in the end. She is a lady of no convictions of this sort at all and she has always tried to work and is working at present, he said, while suggesting a probation report could be the most prudent approach for the court to adopt prior to sentencing.

There is a little bit of a background and the court might benefit from a probation report, he said, adding that Geoghan worked part-time in a local restaurant.

There is obviously a (financial) loss, not thankfully to the parties that transferred the monies but the bank there is a loss.

Judge Owens consented to that request, but warned Geoghan she faced having to amass 1,500 in compensation and remanded her on bail to reappear at a sitting of Athlone District Court on May 7.
There have been a series of arson and firebomb attacks in the area in recent months

GARDAI have launched an investigation after two cars were set on fire outside a home in Whitestown in west Dublin in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Gardai and the fire service responded to reports of two cars on fire in the driveway of an innocent familys home in the Whitestown area of Blanchardstown shortly after 4:00am.

A garda spokesperson said: Both vehicles sustained significant damage, but there were no injuries. The residential property also suffered some damage.

A technical examination of the scene has been conducted and investigations into all of the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

There is no suggestion the family targeted are involved in crime.

There have been a series of arson and firebomb attacks in the area in recent months.

Associates of murder victim Jason Hennessy Snr are suspected of being behind many of the incidents including attacks on innocent families.

They are prime suspects for another arson attack which damaged three vehicles on Christmas morning.

Gardai are investigating a firebomb attack on Christmas morning which has been linked to associates of murdered Jason Hennessy (inset)

Videos of the incident show a car on fire as emergency services attended the scene on Sheephill Avenue in Blanchardstown, Dublin in the early hours of Christmas Day.

Sources in the area said associates of Hennessy Snr are suspected of carrying out the attack.

The incident was not believed to be linked to the murder of Hennessy Snr or the feud that sparked the killing.

Sources claimed Hennessy associates had been targeting an innocent family and demanding money after claiming someone known to the family owed them after an incident in a local park.

The attack took place around the corner from the Hennessy family home.

Jason Hennessy Snr was fatally wounded when gunman Tristan Sherry opened fire on him in Brownes restaurant in Blanchardstown last Christmas.

Sherry was subsequently beaten and stabbed to death at the same location after failing to make a getaway.

On Wednesday, Hennessys son Brandon was given a suspended sentence after he was caught trying to hide over 32,000 worth of drugs.

Hennessy (21) of Sheephill Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having cocaine for sale or supply in Blanchardstown on January 21, 2021. He was 17 years old at the time.

Brandon Hennessy was sentenced this week

Gda Dan Sweeney told Jennifer Jackson BL, prosecuting, that gardai had a surveillance operation in place and had positioned themselves in the grounds of TUD Blanchardstown.

He said at 7.45pm an off-road motorcycle arrived at the grounds close to the GAA pitches. There were two passengers, one of whom was Hennessy, and they had large package of bags with them.

Gda Sweeney confirmed that the other man began digging while Hennessy handed him packages.

Officers were instructed to move in and they approached the pair, identifying themselves as gardai. The bags were dropped and the two ran off. Hennessy was pursued by gardai and was ultimately caught at Mulhuddart Cemetery nearby.

A follow-up search at the scene revealed 454 grammes of cocaine valued at 31,808 and 10 grammes of heroin valued at 1,482.

The court heard Hennessy witnessed the shooting which claimed his fathers life.

He was given a three-year suspended sentence.
Tributes have continued to pour in for Brendan from across the world since the devastating news of his death two weeks ago.

A sense of sadness and shock continue to fill the community as the funeral arrangements have been put in place for the late Brendan (Benny) Meany, Vancouver Island, Canada and formerly of Clodiagh, Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny, who died suddenly in his home on Monday, January 13.

Tributes have continued to pour in for Brendan from across the world since the devastating news of his death two weeks ago. While hundreds have offered their sympathies to Brendans brothers and parents, they add that his sad passing is an unimaginable loss.

Long time friends of Brendans who were with him in both Good Counsel College and in third-level education described their late friend as someone people loved to be around, and hell be greatly missed.

Another tribute to him said: Benny was a rare soul who cared deeply and so effortlessly for those he loved and will be sorely missed. A great loss to lose a heart who loved deeply and will never forget the smiles laughs and stories shared with him.

Brendans remains will be reposing at Cooney's funeral home, New Ross, on Sunday, February 2, from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m., pausing for Rosary at 6 p.m.

His funeral mass will take place on Monday, February 3, at 11 a.m. in St. Colmcille's Church, Inistioge, followed by burial afterwards in Cappagh Cemetery, Inistioge.

He will be sadly missed by his parents Danny and Catherine, brothers James and Daniel, sister-in-law Aoife, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephew Iarlaith, niece Finley, extended family and many friends all over the world.
Mohammad Al Mashal, who also goes by Mohammed Khalid, was last seen on Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1, at approximately 1.45pm

Mohammad Al Mashal, who also goes by Mohammed Khalid

Gardai have issued an appeal for help in finding a 14-year-old boy who went missing in Dublin this afternoon.

Mohammad Al Mashal, who also goes by Mohammed Khalid, was last seen on Lower Dorset Street, Dublin 1, at approximately 1.45pm.

He is described as being 5 foot 4 inches in height, with a slim build, black hair and brown eyes.

When last seen, he was wearing an orange rain coat, a black Adidas jumper with an orange graphic, and black Adidas tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station on (01) 666 8600, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
The deceased has been named locally as Michael O'Sullivan (62)

Gardai are investigating the death of a 62-year-old man in a Cork house fire.

Officers stressed that the precise nature of their investigation will be determined by the results of a post mortem examination though Gardai are focussing on precisely how the blaze erupted on Friday evening.

Detectives are examining all aspects of the fire at the property on Togher Road in Cork shortly before 7pm on Friday evening in which the man died.

The deceased has been named locally as Michael O'Sullivan (62).

Cork Fire Brigade units supported by Gardai and paramedics were at the scene within minutes after the alarm was raised by concerned neighbours around 7pm.

It is understood locals became concerned when smoke was seen billowing from the man's apartment and heard cries for help.

Neighbours desperately tried to gain access to the property but were unable to do so because of the thick smoke.

Officers using breathing apparatus gained entry to the flat and a man was found lying unresponsive on the floor.

A woman was treated at the scene for the effects of smoke inhalation but was not seriously injured.

She had been heroically assisted from the property minutes earlier by a local resident.

Despite desperate efforts to revive the man at the scene, he was pronounced dead before he could be rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH).

Firefighters brought the blaze under control a short time later.

It is understood the bulk of the fire damage was restricted to a single room in the property.

However, a significant amount of smoke damage was caused to the premises.

Gardai preserved the scene pending a full forensic and technical examination to determine the precise cause of the fire.

The area remained cordoned off until the full technical examination was concluded.

The Office of the State Pathologist was notified and a full post mortem examination will be conducted at CUH.

It is understood that the examination will take place on Sunday.

Once the findings of the post mortem are known, they will inform the nature of the Garda investigation.

The man had been a resident of the flat complex for some time. He had been battling a serious health condition for a number of years.

Gardai said the results of the post mortem examination and forensic tests will determine the nature of their inquiry.

Gardai in Togher are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a man following a fatal house fire in Togher, Cork on Friday evening," a Garda spokesperson said.

At approximately 6.50pm Gardai and Cork Fire Services were alerted to a house fire on Togher Road."

"The fire was brought under control by Fire Services and the body of a man (aged in his 60s) was discovered deceased inside the property."

Investigating Gardai have preserved the scene as they work to determine the cause of the fire. The State Pathologist has been notified and a post-mortem examination will take place on the body of the deceased in due course."

The results of the post-mortem, along with a technical examination of the scene, will guide the ongoing Garda investigation which is ongoing.
Garreth John Colley was arrested after he began shouting and swearing when he was refused permission to board the aircraft after consuming the spirits in duty free

A Dublin man who was too drunk to get on a flight at Belfast City Airport has narrowly avoided jail for criminal damage and disorderly behaviour.

Garreth John Colley was arrested on Friday after he began shouting and swearing when he was refused permission to board the aircraft after consuming a bottle of vodka he bought in duty free.

He was brought before the city magistrates court on Saturday where he pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage and one count of disorderly behaviour.

A prosecution lawyer told the court police attended the airport after reports of a drunk man behaving aggressively.

After he was put in the police car he spat and kicked out deliberately to try to damage the vehicle.

He also threatened to urinate in the car and exposed himself, then while he was being held in custody he proceeded to urinate on the floor.

Belfast Magistrates' Court

Colleys solicitor told the court he had travelled from Dublin with the intention of flying to Glasgow where he was due to attend a drug rehabilitation facility in the city.

Describing it as an appalling set of circumstances she said Colley was deeply ashamed and remorseful and had apologised to every member of the custody staff.

She said he was drunk and had taken prescription medication which didnt suit him well.

Sentencing Colley, of Ballyfermot in Dublin, District Judge Mark Hamill told him you are going to be Dublin or Glasgows problem, not ours.

Imposing a sentence of four months on each charge, suspended for three years, Judge Hamill warned him: Come back here and do this and the starting point will be four months (in prison).
A solicitor acting for the murdered 37-year-olds family says the man should now be arrested until he sobers up and tells the authorities in Alicante what he knows.

A man ordered to appear in court in Spain to make a statement about the murder of John George was allegedly evicted from the building after showing up intoxicated.

A recording shows the man from Northern Ireland outside the courthouse arguing with Spanish police, slurring his words and unsteady on his feet.

A solicitor acting for the murdered 37-year-olds family says the man should now be arrested until he sobers up and tells the authorities in Alicante what he knows.

Mr George, from west Belfast, was found dead after vanishing is Spain on December 14. His funeral takes place in Belfast tomorrow.

Kevin Winters, who is acting for Mr Georges father Billy, said: We are told that one of the persons summonsed to court in Spain had to be removed because he was unfit due to intoxication.

If thats correct then action needs taken immediately against him.

Whilst there is an entirely different criminal justice system in Spain, nevertheless I expect there to be enough power within the court to sanction this man for his state of inebriation.

Along with Michal Maly from the Czech Republic, the Northern Irish national, with an address in Orihuela on the Costa Blanca, was ordered to appear before the judge for questioning.

The summonses served earlier this week describe them both as witnesses to a homicide, with no suggestion that either man was responsible for killing Mr George.

The two were warned they face a fine of between 200 to 5,000 if they fail to appear.

The alleged killer in the case remains on the run and is being sought by Interpol.

While Mr Maly did appear before the judge, the second man was ejected from the premises.

A video shows him arguing with members of Guardia Civil outside the courthouse.

Mr Winters said: We now call on the authorities to take all steps to get him back into court as soon as possible.

The threat of a night in the cells would be a salutary reminder of the need to show some respect for both the court and bereaved.

If reports are correct then there was none of that on display today. That witness needs hauled back into court immediately.

John George

There were also reports this week that a relative of the suspect still being sought in relation to the shooting travelled to Spain on Friday. That has led to speculation he may be hiding out somewhere in the Alicante region.

There are international arrest warrants issued in Spain for the man who is the main suspect in the killing. He has been in hiding since the end of December.

John George last contacted his father Billy on December 14 and is thought to have been attacked later that evening.

A flight to Northern Ireland was later booked in his name. His family was told he had lost his phone and would be flying home to Belfast on December 18, he failed to board the flight.

His body was discovered in a rural area close to Rojales, 45 minutes south of Alicante, three weeks after he was murdered. He had been stabbed and shot.

Mr Georges funeral was delayed for an independent autopsy to take place. He will now be laid to rest following Requiem Mass at St Lukes Church in Twinbrook this morning.

The family asked that instead of flowers, donations be made to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.
Its been just over a year since the men of Katikati moved to their own shed they can now, hopefully, call their forever home.

After a few years in limbo, MenzShed Katikati are now happily toiling away at the huge space at 33 Middlebrook Drive with all the tools of the trades they need.

The MenzShed had a shared shed in Wharawhara Rd for many years, but had to move a few years ago. Theyve since been working from a venue on Katikati College premises.

They are over the moon to have the new facility.

We have other mens sheds who visit and theyre a bit jealous, said Mike ODonnell.

Now the men folk have their gleaming facility, they feel a responsibility to muster more community involvement this year.



John Topping peers through the new power saw.

We are very much aware that its a great facility that needs to be used for the wider community, so this year we are looking into new opportunities.

This may include opening the facility maybe on a Saturday afternoon (the shed is open Monday, Thursday and Saturday mornings) ... so if any groups would like to come in and use our facility under professional guidance, we can give that time to the community.

ODonnell envisaged this as an opportunity for school groups, educational institutions, community groups or individuals, including women, wanting to upskill to get in touch with them.

The group undertakes many community projects from churches, schools, kindergartens, Katch Katikati and council, plus numerous jobs for individuals at modest rates.

This year theyd also like to be more involved in computer numerical control equipment, which will appeal to new and younger members.



The menfolk take a break from their projects at 33 Middlebrook Drive.

The purpose-built space was constructed last year and is owned by Western Bay of Plenty District Council. MenzShed Katikati, Katikati Community Patrol and Katikati Community Van are housed here after being selected to occupy the new space following expressions of interest in 2021.

For more information go to menzshed.org.nz/katikati/ or email kkmenzshed@gmail.com

Katikati Community Patrol

The building at 33 Middlebrook Drive is shared among the MenzShed, Katikati Community Patrol and Katikati Community Van.

The new venue has been an absolute game-changer for the Katikati Community Patrol, said Euan Neil. They now have a covered and secure area to house the patrol car and keep all their equipment.

Instead of going to the yard and working in the dark when its chucking it down with rain, we come in here, we prepare the car, do the checks on it, the paperwork and we dont have to get soaked. When we come back, were doing everything in the dry again and with decent lighting.

Their previous home for the patrol vehicle was outdoors at a private residence.



Euan Neil and Ross Sutherland, of Katikati Community Patrols.

The patrol MG ZS SUV is equipped with first aid, traffic cones, lights, jumper leads, fire extinguisher and mobile defibrillator.

Team leader Ross Sutherland said volunteers oversaw a large area from Tanners Point to Morton Rd, so they were always looking for more patrollers.

They are also part of Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ) Pathway to Police programme, which encourages potential police recruits to join. Locally, they have one on board.

Sutherland said they needed more funds for running costs such as fuel, insurance, uniforms and maintaining gear. The patrol has been trying to future-proof itself for the past few years and with secure premises and the vehicle, it now needs to concentrate on funding to launch more patrolling during the week.

It always needs more volunteers. The local patrol has about 18 at the moment and they range in age from 19 to 90.

Katikati Community Van Service

Before moving into the Middlebrook Drive building, the Katikati Community Van Service was based outdoors.

It is great to be able to store the vehicles under cover, said Leslie Ruf. It makes charging Eftpos machines and phones much more practical, and of course, theres the security aspect. It is also great to be able to run training sessions under cover, especially wheelchair practical training, which is difficult if it is wet.



Leslie Ruf, of Katikati Community Van Service.

She said it worked well to have the trio of community organisations based in one building.

They are looking for more volunteer drivers and application forms are available from the Katikati Community Centre (549 0399). Bookings can be made at Katikati Community Centre.
What do I do? Thats the question that drives Dr Emma Stanley, who helps to run the new Greerton Community Hub  which is a hybrid community centre paired with a doctor clinic.

Upon walking in, one could be mistaken for stepping into a front room in someones house, something warm and comfortable compared to other doctors offices.

The Greerton Community Hub primarily caters for those on the edges of society in Tauranga, but founders of the charity shop idea, Shirlz Kelly and Stanley, stress that everyone is welcome.

Stanley and Kelly opened the hub  based at 1298 Cameron Rd  over the Christmas period.

At the hub, there is a desperate need for volunteers to help run the shop-front, something Kelly believes gives those in dire need of self-worth, something to strive for.

We need people here that have empathy and are listening, Kelly said.

Acute challenges (sidehead)

People living on the street face acute challenges when trying to obtain medical assistance, where a simple lack of basic medical care can cause huge issues, Stanley said.

Sometimes there is severe anxiety or depression that can be treated.

Some people will have mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles and close family ties to support them when life gets dark  but not everyone is so lucky, Kelly said.

When you have nothing, how are you supposed to get ahead?

The community hub is not the only outreach Dr Stanley assists with. She works closely with Wayne Shadbolt, who runs The Tumanako Project, where participants can access hot meals, showers and laundry services.

Since last year, Stanley has hosted a free GP service clinic run by Epic Health from 7.30am-9.30am in LifeZone Church, Judea.

A patient supported by the project introduced me to Tumanako. Id been exploring alternatives for offering pro bono services, and this project was a perfect fit.

Stanley began by joining the community for Tumanako breakfast, building trust, and offering consultations when needed.

Now, we have patients regularly coming in for medical care, she said.

Tumanako has thrown open its door every Thursday for three years and welcomes people from all walks of life with a hearty breakfast, Shadbolt said.

Weve had from young kids to retirees, lost their home, lost their family.

Enhance mana (sidehead)

Shadbolt said participants can also access hot showers and laundry services to enhance their mana and volunteers treat them with the respect and care they deserve. Trust has been built with his outreach programme, and it listens without judgment at Lifezone Church at Judea, Shadbolt said.

Just sit down, have a conversation, and listen, he said. The church can also act as a mailing address, so those without a home can gain access to a community services card or be taken to the hospital if needed.

Stanley believes this outreach by Shadbolt has resulted in making magical things happen.

People who are living on the streets with a lot of dysfunction  including childhood trauma  sometimes have had head injuries with frontal lobe damage, so they cant problem-solve.

Theyre on the back foot. They feel unworthy, and they feel like they have been judged.

Stanley said shed based the Greerton Community Hub idea on the Bromley by Bow Centre.

Located in Londons East End, its a place that acts as an oasis of calm among the concrete skyscrapers.

It was like you were in a community centre and instantly part of that community, said Stanley, who has 30 years experience as a doctor.

Rewarding work (sidehead)

At the hub, there are three medical doctors, two overseas doctors and two nurses, Stanley said. When she moved to New Zealand, there was no intention of starting a community hub or embarking on the mission she had undertaken.

The bottom line is helping people like this who are really struggling is rewarding work.

Despite such rewarding work, there is financial pressure, with Kelly and Stanley left out of pocket.

You financially get less revenue, so you have less resource to work with. On a small scale, we can help ourselves.

There are enough people with money, who do want to help the homeless and hard-up struggling families as Liz Kite, founder of Under The Stars, said  but they are not always sure how to.

Donating items, funds or their time at the Community Hub at 1298 Cameron Rd can be a way to do this; and its a heart-warming feeling to make such a difference in someones life with a smile, respect and kindness, said Stanley.

Volunteers wanted (sidehead)

The Journey Restorative Trust Charity, which had been dedicated to improving lives in Greerton for 14 years, is excited to support the holistic health hub as an extension of their work at Mana on Friday nights. The various volunteers feed 150-plus hard-up folks in Greerton Community Hall each Friday night.

Its incredible work and really rewarding for the volunteers, who learn so much from the life stories of the attendees, said Stanley. There are many humbling and heart-warming experiences for volunteers at Mana and now at the hub too!

Come along and join in anytime! New volunteers are always welcome.

To find out more, email: admin@epichealth.nz or visit: www.journeytrust.nz

To donate to the patient hardship fund by the registered charity (CC50714), use the following details. Bank account name: Journey Restorative Trust. Bank Account number: 03-0445-0842438-00. Ref: Patient Hardship Fund.


A man has died following a violent altercation in central Opotiki overnight, prompting Police to launch a homicide investigation.

Emergency services were called to Church Street around 12:20am after reports of a brawl involving approximately six people.

Upon arrival, officers found a man suffering from a chest wound consistent with a stabbing.

Despite receiving immediate medical attention, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Police have yet to make any arrests but are actively pursuing leads to identify and locate those involved. It is believed that gang members may have been connected to the incident.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward to assist with the investigation.
It gives parents and grandkids joy.

That was the verdict at the surf clinic run by Surfers Healing for children on the learning disability spectrum on Saturday.

There was no pressure, just transformational moments, Papamoa grandmother Michelle Browne said.

Two of my grandbabies started with Surfers Healing in Raglan, and since they moved to Mt Maunganui, we have been down ever since.

She said the only break was last year when her granddaughter had Covid.

Parents of children with neurodiverse needs can often be ostracised and frequently because they dont act like we do, Browne believes.



From left, Helen Boyle, Michelle Browne and Spectrum Connections co-founder Mary du Toit.

She said she would be back next year as there is so much joy in seeing the kids in the water.

Surfers Healing was introduced to New Zealand by convener Ian Reeder but was quickly taken over by surfer Tom Mason.

Reeder started it in Raglan, where it had a five-year lifespan, and after he got jammed in Australia due to Covid, Mason moved it to the Mount four years ago.

Reeder got involved with Surfers Healing as a friend of co-founder former professional surfer Izzy Paskowitz.

Paskowitz founded Surfers Healing after his son Isaiah was diagnosed with autism andwould calm when taken onto the waves.

More than 100 kids were at the Mt Maunganui beach, with parents clapping and cheering as the children rode with professional surfers.



Mary Jane du Toit and Surfers Healing organiser Tom Mason.

Spectrum Connections co-founder Mary Jane du Toit has seen the effects of Surfers Healing on her son Matthew, who went from a child who couldnt stand the water to one who loves surfing.

My eldest is 12, my youngest is 8, and they hate the beach, they hate the sand, they hate getting in the sea, du Toit said.

But boy, are they the first ones to jump on a surfboard because they have courage and they feel safe with these surfers, and theyre so good with them.



Kids with autism spectrum disorder got to ride the waves of Mt Maunganui with Surfers Healing, on February 1.

All the children are paired up with professional surfers such as New Zealands Sam Willis - a retired big wave surfer - and top female board rider Maddy Walton, both supported by top Kiwi pro-surfer Levi Stewart, he said.

The surfers who volunteer for Mason are excellent although finding additional people can prove challenging as it is not for everyone.

Mason said the Surfers Healing Clinic has grown every year and was able to land a sponsor in the Duncan Charitable Trust, founded by Vinnie Duncan.

It just funds the whole thing. Were really lucky, Mason said.

The event has taken on a world of its own, Duncan said, and has built a community around Surfers Healing in Aoteraroa.

The very first year, we had families coming down. They didnt know each other.

Now theyve all got this community, even outside of this, because theyve met each other.

They hope to travel to the South Island next year and do something in Dunedin, Duncan said.

But the reality is, everyones volunteering their time and time off work and doing all that.

They are raising funds to help cover the accommodation, travel, and food costs for those volunteers who would travel to the South Island.

Anyone interested in talking about further fundraising can email VD@Vinnie.co.nz.

All the instructors are incredibly positive around the kids and take steps to make the children feel welcome and supported, Tauranga mother Helen Boyle said.

Its such a beautiful experience.

It can be challenging for parents and children to have an engaging personal experience such as the one offered by Surfers Healing, Boyle said.

The people have nailed it.



Surfers Healing volunteer Mary Duncan.

Mary Duncan, a non-surfing volunteer, said it is about connecting with the kids at the beach.

If all they managed to do in the day is just to touch the surfboard, then thats okay,  Duncan said.

They are not just sort of part of the machine.

Duncan said there is encouragement without enforcement and confidence building but also knowing when to hold back when volunteers need to.

Just enough encouragement without forcing them.

Adam and his wife, Kimmy Ron, brought their son August along for the first time and said that parenting a childwith autism can be quite isolating.

Things you cant do that other people can, and they dont understand, he said.

Going to the beach can be a bit of an ordeal.

Often, a beach trip will end with the family leaving early as neither he nor his wife are confident enough to take August out onto the water.

The experience with the surfers is a big change, but Ron said that his son looked like he was enjoying the waves.

This [Surfers Healing] seems like a pretty cool thing, he said.

Longboarder surfer Winnie Hoogerbrugge has been with Surfers Healing for six years but surfing for 40 years and wanted to give back to the community.

After working with Mason, Hoogerbrugge was introduced to the charity and told about the incredible service offered.

I jumped on to it, he said.
Dear Annie: Im a 47-year-old woman from Texas, and Im not usually one to complain. Ive always considered myself resilient, but Im stuck in a situation where I need advice on two related issues.

First, and theres no easy way to say this, my mother had an affair with my high school boyfriend. I dated him for four years, starting when I was a freshman and he was a senior. During my senior year, my mom ran off with him in the new convertible my dad had just bought her, leaving my dad and me behind. It was horrible and uncomfortable. My parents divorced shortly after (and after 25 years of marriage), making my senior year suck even more.

To make matters worse, my mom never admitted to me what shed done. My ex-boyfriend, on the other hand, bragged about it. I kicked him to the curb. My dad moved to Oregon to be with family, and we didnt speak for about seven years. We reconnected when he came to meet my son, who was almost a year old at the time. After that, he moved back to Texas, where we spent the last four years of his life together before he passed away from cancer.

Growing up, my dad and I were very close. We never talked about my moms betrayal until shortly before he died. He wasnt one to drink, but he took me for a beer once and told me about her affair. It was clear the hurt ran deep. He also shared how years earlier, the school my dad graduated from and worked at as a dorm parent banned my mom from returning after she had relations with a senior at said school. My dad left the school, too, to care for my sister, who was a baby at the time.

Despite everything, Ive always craved a relationship with my mother. About 10 years ago, I confronted her about how deeply she hurt me by running off with my boyfriend. I wanted and still want an apology. Her response was, I dont owe you anything. Thats between me and God, and I was rebaptized. That hurt and didnt offer much remorse to help me move forward.

Now my boys are 22 and 18. My mother and sister have always tried to manipulate my oldest with money to drive a wedge between us. My youngest, who is about to become a Marine, sees right through them. Recently, I came clean about why I dont talk to my mom and sister, and he wasnt surprised. Hes already cut ties with them.

My questions are these: How do I forgive my mother when she shows no accountability or remorse? And how can I build relationships with my dads family in Oregon, who I barely know because my mom kept me away from them? I feel so isolated in Texas and want to connect with them, but I dont know where to start. Is it too late? Most of all, how can I let go of the resentment that I know is poisoning me? -- Searching for Peace

Dear Searching for Peace: I cant imagine how damaging your mothers affair was, especially during such a formative time of your life -- and with your boyfriend no less. Im terribly sorry.

Forgiving someone who cannot acknowledge their wrongs isnt an easy feat, but it doesnt require reconciliation, especially with someone toxic. Ultimately, forgiveness is more so for your peace of mind than anything else. Youve been carrying around this pain for so many years, and its finally time to release it. A good therapist can help you overcome this trauma once and for all.

As for your fathers family, try reaching out with a simple letter or online message. Its not your fault that you were unable to get close to them as a child, but now as an adult, you get to reclaim who family is to you and the relationship with them that you want to have.

How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner? is out now! Annie Lanes second anthology -- featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation -- is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM
Rushville, N.Y.  A 22-year-old man originally from Central New York died in a car crash when his vehicle hit a tree in the Finger Lakes.

The man, Austin M. Renfer, of Middlesex, was driving a 2022 Dodge Ram on Main Street in the village of Rushville when it crashed into a tree around 6:08 p.m. Monday, said Sgt. Campbell of the Yates County Sheriffs Office.

Renfer was pronounced dead at the scene at the intersection of Main and Bassett streets, Campbell said.

Renfer was born in Syracuse and lived most of his life in Canastota and Chittenango, according to his obituary.

He loved machines, animals and people, it said. He worked in the construction trades and was an avid mechanic. He spent many hours working in the garage or fishing.

The Yates County Sheriffs Accident Reconstruction Team was called to investigate the cause of the crash. The results of the investigation are still pending.

***

Austin M. Renfers obituary

***
Preston is so uniquely one-of-a-kind. When Preston wants affection, he will run to find his humans. He is an extraordinary head-butt-er and loves all the rubs, pets, and scritches. He is overly affectionate and lets his favorite humans know with eager licks to hands and faces.

Preston does like to cuddle up in bed at night with his humans and furry friends. During the day, he can be found lounging on the backs of couches.

If Preston smells catnip like on a toy or a catnip sack, he will go up to it and rub on it but hes not really enthused by many toys. He gets a lot of good use from scratching posts. Preston will be very vocal about being in the cat carrier and traveling in the car, but he does not get carsick; he is just going to tell you about all his feelings.

Preston has previously lived with other cats and dogs. He really loves to give chase to his playmates, and his favorite activity is Hide n Seek. Preston is not a fan of young children; we recommend a home with teenagers or no children at all.

Preston is about 4 years old, neutered and vaccinated. He is indoor only and has tested negative for FeLV/FIV.

If youre interested in giving Preston a loving home, please contact our office immediately by calling 315-207-1070 or emailing us at info@oswegohumane.org!

The Oswego County Humane Society provides services to promote and strengthen the human-animal bond through fostering-to-adoption programs, spay/neuter clinics, and humane education. The organization is designated under IRS code 501(c)3 as a charitable organization and registered with the New York State Charities. It is located at 29 W. Seneca St., Oswego.
Blueprint 15 has notified the Syracuse Housing Authority that it will pause plans to build a $31.5 million childrens center and YMCA in the neighborhood to be developed after Interstate 81 is torn down.

The proposed Children Rising Center is the signature project in the new East Adams neighborhood redevelopment. It is the first step in an ambitious $1 billion plan to turn the states oldest public housing into a mixed-income neighborhood.

The center already has $20 million in grant commitments from every level of government. In July, SHA was awarded a $3.7 million federal grant to demolish 25 units of public housing on Latimer Terrace in the McKinney Manor housing development and another $3 million toward building the center.

But the Syracuse Housing Authority does not yet have permission from the federal government to tear down the public housing, according to Calvin Corriders, president of the Syracuse Housing Authoritys board of directors.

Corriders said the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet approved SHAs request to relocate residents who live in Latimer Terrace.

He said the delay complicates financing deadlines for federal tax credits. It means the housing authority would not have enough time to notify residents who would need to be relocated.

Corriders said SHA submitted an application, then made some changes to it. He did not have the application dates available.

He said the delay is a shared responsibility.

Theres so many moving parts, having those things sync up, its just complex, he said.

Blueprint 15 officials have not commented. The non-profit group is funded by the Allyn Foundation. The president of the board is Syracuse Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens.

A spokeswoman for HUD did not respond Friday.

Corriders said he is cautiously optimistic the project will move forward in the future.

Its something that would be a tremendous benefit to this community, he said. Its been fully embraced by every corner of the community.

The website for the Children Rising Center says coming soon in fall 2026. It is a parent-child play center and YMCA health and wellness center intended to be built in a two-story building at South State and East Taylor streets.

Syracuse city councilors are expected to discuss the project at a committee meeting at 10:30 a.m. Monday in council chambers, 233 E. Washington St.

Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186.
Syracuse, N.Y.  About 100 people gathered in a church in Syracuse Saturday, including the families of Edward Sholtz and Robert Brooks, to demand changes in New York states prisons.

The rally featured over 10 speakers, most of who either had loved ones in the state corrections system or had been incarcerated themselves.

Timothy and Quanzell Scholtz spoke about their family member Edward Sholtz, who died Jan. 5 at Wynn Hospital in Utica. The 22-year-old inmate from Syracuse was transferred there on Dec. 17 after he badly injured at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Oneida County

Eileen Graham spoke about Robert Brooks, her cousin. He died Dec. 9 at Wynn Hospital after being beaten by corrections officers at Marcy Correctional Facility. The beating was captured on guards body cameras.

The rally focused on Scholtz and Brooks deaths but also the corrections system as a whole.

This is about all of us, said Thomas Gant, a former incarcerated man who now advocates and helps others through the Center for Community Alternatives.

The rally organizers handed out flyers about the Second Look Act, Earned Time Act, and Marvin Mayfield Act, proposed state legislation to reform the prisons.

The rally was held at the Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ at 347 Cortland Ave. in Syracuse. The stage of the church had photos of deceased loved ones.

Edward Sholtz' uncle, Timothy Sholtz said that the family wont stop until we get justice.

State officials have not made public how Edward Sholtz died.

Brooks cousin Eileen Graham spoke on behalf of his family.

She mentioned how she grew up playing on the playground with Brooks and eating beans and weenies, which received a chuckle and smiles from many.

She spoke about her plan to file exempt on her taxes in protest and writing letters to every legislator.

We have been asking, she said. Were done asking.

Many speakers called for Onondaga District Attorney William Fitzpatrick to make progress in Brooks' case. Fitzpatrick was assigned as a special prosecutor on the case.

Rev. Kevin McCall pushed for Fitzpatrick to action on the case and said it has been 54 days since Brooks was killed.

Shut this city down if we dont get what we want, he called.

Many speakers mentioned plans to protest outside of Fitzpatricks office at noon Thursday.

Jerome Wright, co-director of HALT Solitary and NYS Jails Justice Network, called out Fitzpatrick to take action as well. He also called for Marcy Correctional Facility where Brooks was beaten to be closed.

He also reminded the group that they have power.

A little bit of people start a lot of stuff, he said.

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.
Baton Rouge, La.  An Upstate New York doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury on Friday for allegedly prescribing an abortion pill online in the Deep South state, which has one of the strictest near-total abortion bans in the country.

Grand jurors at the District Court for the Parish of West Baton Rouge issued an indictment against Dr. Margaret Carpenter; her New Paltz company, Nightingale Medical, PC; and a third person. All three were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, a felony.

The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door for states to have strict anti-abortion laws.

Carpenter was also sued by the Texas attorney general in December under similar allegations of sending pills to that state. That case did not involve criminal charges.

Carpenter did not immediately return a message.

The indictment comes just months after Louisiana became the first state with a law to reclassify both mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The drugs are still allowed, but medical personnel have to go through extra steps to access them.

Under the legislation, if someone knowingly possesses mifepristone or misoprostol without a valid prescription for any purpose, they could be fined up to $5,000 and sent to jail for one to five years. The law carves out protections for pregnant women who obtain the drug without a prescription to take on their own.

I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, said in a statement on Friday.

Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, Louisiana has had a near-total abortion ban, without any exceptions for rape or incest. Under the law, physicians convicted of performing an illegal abortion, including one with pills, face up to 15 years in prison, $200,000 in fines and the loss of their medical license.

Make no mistake, since Roe v Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights, the Abortion Coalition of Telemedicine, where Carpenter is one of the founders, said in a statement. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.

Fridays indictment could be the first direct test of New Yorks shield laws, which are intended to protect prescribers who use telehealth to provide abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, both Democrats, signaled they would defend New Yorks law.

This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American, James said in a prepared statement.

Hochul promised to never back down from this fight.

Pills have become the most common means of abortion in the U.S., accounting for nearly two-thirds of them by 2023. Theyre also at the center of political and legal action over abortion. In January, one judge let three states continue to challenge federal government approvals for how one of the drugs usually involved can be prescribed.
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Folks, this is the first Throwback Ive written in months where I had no idea what to write about. Oh, spooky movies, where are you when I need you?

A wise man once said, If you think youre going to solve writers block by walking around the grocery store in hopes of having an Allen Ginsburg-type creative revelation by the cottage cheese, youre kidding yourself.

Of course, you know that person was me. But let it not be said that I wont break one of my own rules. Two, actually. Because while breaking the cardinal rule of not going to the grocery store hungry, on impulse, I said hello again to an old friend, Hawaiian Punch, which is now apparently sold exclusively in industrial-sized jerry cans that make you feel real silly while hefting them into your cart.

For some reason, in my late teens I felt it necessary to make regular consumption of Hawaiian Punch part of my identity. Youre all in luck; if I was writing about what I was into just a few years prior to that, this entire column wouldve about Beemans Pepsin Gum, because I had just seen it used as a plot device in The Rocketeer.

My fascination with the beverage goes all the way back to playing Mattels Hawaiian Punch Board Game during rainy-day indoor recesses in Mrs. Pierces second grade classroom at Humboldt Elementary. It came with an awesome faux-metal-can mold used to make clay pineapples (which we had no idea what to do with) and chonky playing pieces designed to look like the famous Punchy mascot which wed march around a board that couldnt have looked any more colorfully late-70s than if Skip Stephenson puked on it while Sarah Purcell sat close by with a warm washcloth and some 7up. Alsotheres pineapple in Hawaiian Punch? Its red!

Of course Hawaiian Punch has made appearances in the Journal Gazette, in advertising mostly. It sure looks like it made its debut here in a June 5, 1952, ad for A&P Supermarkets, under a subheading for, ahem, Healthful Juices, where it was included along with Hi-C Orangeade, V-8 Vegetable Juice, and Dole Pineapple Juice, with a 46-ouncer setting you back a whopping 37 cents.

Folks, you know my taste in vintage ads. Sure, any grocery store around this area can just mention the product and price. But what Im looking for is a word from the man himself. By which I mean Punchy, informing me of some kind of contest or promotion being held on behalf of whatever corporation was responsible for the trademark at the time.

And for that I had to fast forward all the way to the 90s, the decade where, as I often try to explain to my friends kids, we were obsessed with flavors. Every gas station was full of drinks and gum and candy all sold in every single combination of fruit flavors possible, and all of it totally extreme. Sorry fans of Big Red, Red Hots and (ugh) cinnamon discs. You know this to be true.

And wouldnt you know it, I couldnt find a thing. What I could find however, from the Nov. 12, 1998, Bloomington Pantagraph, is part of the reason why. Namely, that Hawaiian Punchs owners, who turned out to be Procter & Gamble, Co., was eager to sell off the entire brand, in order to concentrate on other food and beverage products with better sales growth opportunities. Talk about puke.

P&G is contacting potential bidders for Hawaiian Punch, but will keep the brand if no acceptable offer is received, the article concludes, since apparently at the time it was still worth three percent of their total food and drink sales during that year. Good to know that Clint in the 90s was helping them out with all that.

What is it about Hawaii that makes us Midwesterners act so stupid? I ask because pretty much the only directly local thing I could find featuring Hawaiian Punch was in a surely-expensive, nearly full page 1980 ad for Parrish Carpet Sales, Inc. in Mattoon that seems like more of an excuse to tout that Karpet King J. Fred Parris just got back from a trip to the 50th state, replete with photos surely taken as soon as he got off the plane, dopey promises of free Hawaiian Punch for the first ten thousand customers, and quips-a-plenty like Boy, where is the Poi and its a lava slide of savings that rank up there on the nautically-themed Dad Joke Meter with Did you know that Celine Dion wasnt the first choice for the soundtrack of Titanic? Yupit was Billy Ocean,which was, of course, said by me, just a few days ago.

In conclusion: P&G did find a buyer, of course. They sold Hawaiian Punch to Cadbury-Schweppes, who Im sure intended it for it to be consumed with pinkies up, before the brand was spun it off to the Dr. Pepper people who, I think, still manufacture it today, although theyve altered Punchy to make it more clear that red stuff on his head is a hat and not his hair.

The clay pineapples for the board game were, in fact, supposed to be your playing pieces, and the Punchy-pieces were exclusively used to squish them on demand of the rules.

The day this week where I had my usual should I change topics moment of writerly regret was forestalled when, while on a walk, an empty gallon jug of the stuff went rolling across my path like a smeary, non-biodegradable tumbleweed, proving that someone out there besides me is still drinking the stuff.

My attempts at mixing it with Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon turned out just meh. My attempts at mixing it with Pepsi, worse than meh.

Meanwhile, I will finally be able to spell Hawaiian correctly for all time.

BeverageIm still working on. Cmon. Tell me there shouldnt be a d in there somewhere.
RT13 BHPian



Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 390 Thanked: 1,114 Times

Re: Yamaha R3 & MT-03 Review Quote: hikozaru Originally Posted by Still overpriced but at least the pricing is on par with current eye watering R15 prices. I get the feeling that they just wanted to undercut Aprilia. Come on Yamaha, sell it at least like at 3.3-3.4L, you are fighting against KTM 390s, not 457s. I do unfortunately see R3 wiping out RS457 sales because the average Indian customer will go 'twin cylinder' bro, 'japanese reliability bro', 'yamaha' bro. In all seriousness, Aprilia may have a decent product prima facie but only time will tell how it ages. Plus it has an established questionable track record for after sales service. The Japanese reputation for reliability, refinement and engineering certainly has been earned and enough people value it to even pay a premium for it (I certainly would). And no, they are right in not pitting themselves against the KTMs - that would be devaluing the brand and offering. The question has never been about premium - it has always been about the quantum of premium. At the old prices, for the package offered it was simply too much for any other than blind Yamaha loyalists. Now thats been addressed, it opens the market up to a much larger demographic of riders who are still willing to pay a premium and yet arent swayed purely by heart.



Quote: b16h22 Originally Posted by Wonder how does this sit with the few current owners who put down their hard earned money to a buy an overpriced product due to their trust in Yamaha. 1L Is a huge discount and reminds me of the Inazuma saga all over again. Can't say we didn't see this coming.



The Inazuma was a different scenario altogether because it was a product with no market equivalent whatsoever. A unicorn of sorts, which only real, discerning enthusiasts would buy. And the Indian market was considerably less mature at the time.



I have to say, I personally didnt see it coming. Japanese brands are not known for changing their stances on positioning. Theyd rather exit a market than compromise their view of things. This is a pleasant surprise, to me anyway. Whats wrong with that (bro)?In all seriousness, Aprilia may have a decent product prima facie but only time will tell how it ages. Plus it has an established questionable track record for after sales service. The Japanese reputation for reliability, refinement and engineering certainly has been earned and enough people value it to even pay a premium for it (I certainly would). And no, they are right in not pitting themselves against the KTMs - that would be devaluing the brand and offering. The question has never been about premium - it has always been about the quantum of premium. At the old prices, for the package offered it was simply too much for any other than blind Yamaha loyalists. Now thats been addressed, it opens the market up to a much larger demographic of riders who are still willing to pay a premium and yet arent swayed purely by heart.Not particularly different from the many buyers of premium car brands from BMW to Audi to Merc who routinely find the models they bought at sticker price, hugely slashed at the end of the year or model cycle. Purely from a brand POV, in this instance, the number of buyers is so few that it just makes business sense to rip that bandaid off. Having said which, considering those who bought are probably the most fanatical Yamaha brand advocates, if I were Yam, Id find a way to mollify them through free services, merchandise, invitational events, track days, etc.The Inazuma was a different scenario altogether because it was a product with no market equivalent whatsoever. A unicorn of sorts, which only real, discerning enthusiasts would buy. And the Indian market was considerably less mature at the time.I have to say, I personally didnt see it coming. Japanese brands are not known for changing their stances on positioning. Theyd rather exit a market than compromise their view of things. This is a pleasant surprise, to me anyway. Last edited by RT13 : 31st January 2025 at 13:41 .
arun_nitc Newbie

Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: Kochi Posts: 4 Thanked: 16 Times

Which pre-owned car for 30-lakhs? Used BMW, Volvo or something else?



This is my very first post here. I have been following Team BHP since 2015 and became a member in 2021. But being the chronic introvert that I am (both in real and virtual world), have always preferred to remain silent and just read. Before I move into the dilemma (trilemma, quadrilemma?? ) of my current situation, be brief background on the cars I currently own:



1. Maruti Ritz Vxi 2014: This was very first car I purchased at a time when I was not very well informed about cars. During that time, I was posted in Delhi and was using my trusted Thunderbird. Infact after getting my four-wheeler license at the age of 18, I never drove a car till I purchased the Ritz ten years later. I had gone to the Maruti dealer for purchasing a Swift and found the Ritz which was nearly a lakh cheaper the more practical option. A decision driven solely by the head than heart. Even after the purchase, for nearly one year, I hardly used the car till I got shifted to Bangalore in 2015. The Ritz started being used extensively not just for daily commute, but monthly highway runs on various trips. It was here that my love for the 4 Wheels started growing and with it the admiration for this community.



2. Tata Harrier Dark Edition XT 2020: A shift to my home state of Kerala in 2018 meant that the highway runs started increasing with frequent trips to my hometown (500km round trip) from the place of posting. Family members also used to frequently commute with us and the need for a bigger car arose. Had been following news about Tata Harrier for quite sometime and with the launch of the vehicle in 2019, it was decided that this would be our next car. However, waited for a year to ensure that the initial niggles of a new Tata vehicle get sorted out and finally booked the vehicle in January 2020. The vehicle has been the trusted steed (albeit with some niggles) since then with the Ritz becoming the beater car.



3. Hyundai Verna SX(O) 1.5 DCT 2024: In 2024, I got shifted to Mumbai and the need for another car arose as my family did not shift. I did not shift the harrier because in stop and go traffic, have faced the issue of the clutch pedal getting fully decompressed and the vehicle getting stuck in traffic (anyone has a solution to this?). Also needed an automatic. Finalized the Verna and has been driving it since Aug 2024.



Why the need for a new car?



Well, it is not much of a need but rather the want . The pre-owned market scene in Mumbai and the rates at which the vehicles are available (something un-imaginable in Kerala) has re-kindled an old flame for upgrading to a luxury brand. Will not be using it here in Mumbai but shift it to Kerala as the family is there. Will mostly be selling off the Harrier as well.

With this idea, in the last couple of months, have been scouring through the online portals (like carwale) and have possibly shortlisted the following vehicles (with a budget of around 30 lakhs). Have not test driven any, by the way, and this is just a preliminary survey to get feedback and opinions from the experts here:



1. A 2018 630i with 50K odd kms. Available with BMW infinity motors and has warranty and BSI package upto 2028. The vehicle is being worked on at their workshop and should be available to view in the first week of Feb. From the specs and the pics, very much attracted to this, but am really worried about the run flat tyres. I know, not the most important thing to worry about when buying pre-owned luxury brand, but somehow after seeing some experiences online about the tyres and the cost / headaches feeling worried about the same.



2. A 2022 Volvo XC40 B4 with just around 17K odd kms. Available with Navnit Motors, not clear about warranty and service package and need to discuss with the sales executive.



3. Some Random GLCs from the 2018 period with around 50K kms, havent shortlisted any single one.



4. A late entrant, 2022 Hyundai Tucson Diesel Signature with around 17K odd kms



I know, I am all over the place and these vehicles are from various segments and offer different value proposition.



My heart says 630i, but as I said, really worried about the upkeep and maintenance cost.

The Tucson seems like the most practical choice as I am hoping to keep the vehicle for atleast 8 years, but lacks the badge (we cant have everything ). Would really welcome the learned opinions of the members.



PS: would also like to put out a request and open invite to any members located in Mumbai who, if free would like to come for test drives (ofcourse the dates of which are not finalized ). Dear Members,This is my very first post here. I have been following Team BHP since 2015 and became a member in 2021. But being the chronic introvert that I am (both in real and virtual world), have always preferred to remain silent and just read. Before I move into the dilemma (trilemma, quadrilemma??) of my current situation, be brief background on the cars I currently own:1. Maruti Ritz Vxi 2014: This was very first car I purchased at a time when I was not very well informed about cars. During that time, I was posted in Delhi and was using my trusted Thunderbird. Infact after getting my four-wheeler license at the age of 18, I never drove a car till I purchased the Ritz ten years later. I had gone to the Maruti dealer for purchasing a Swift and found the Ritz which was nearly a lakh cheaper the more practical option. A decision driven solely by the head than heart. Even after the purchase, for nearly one year, I hardly used the car till I got shifted to Bangalore in 2015. The Ritz started being used extensively not just for daily commute, but monthly highway runs on various trips. It was here that my love for the 4 Wheels started growing and with it the admiration for this community.2. Tata Harrier Dark Edition XT 2020: A shift to my home state of Kerala in 2018 meant that the highway runs started increasing with frequent trips to my hometown (500km round trip) from the place of posting. Family members also used to frequently commute with us and the need for a bigger car arose. Had been following news about Tata Harrier for quite sometime and with the launch of the vehicle in 2019, it was decided that this would be our next car. However, waited for a year to ensure that the initial niggles of a new Tata vehicle get sorted out and finally booked the vehicle in January 2020. The vehicle has been the trusted steed (albeit with some niggles) since then with the Ritz becoming the beater car.3. Hyundai Verna SX(O) 1.5 DCT 2024: In 2024, I got shifted to Mumbai and the need for another car arose as my family did not shift. I did not shift the harrier because in stop and go traffic, have faced the issue of the clutch pedal getting fully decompressed and the vehicle getting stuck in traffic (anyone has a solution to this?). Also needed an automatic. Finalized the Verna and has been driving it since Aug 2024.Well, it is not much of a need but rather the want. The pre-owned market scene in Mumbai and the rates at which the vehicles are available (something un-imaginable in Kerala) has re-kindled an old flame for upgrading to a luxury brand. Will not be using it here in Mumbai but shift it to Kerala as the family is there. Will mostly be selling off the Harrier as well.With this idea, in the last couple of months, have been scouring through the online portals (like carwale) and have possibly shortlisted the following vehicles (with a budget of around 30 lakhs). Have not test driven any, by the way, and this is just a preliminary survey to get feedback and opinions from the experts here:1. A 2018 630i with 50K odd kms. Available with BMW infinity motors and has warranty and BSI package upto 2028. The vehicle is being worked on at their workshop and should be available to view in the first week of Feb. From the specs and the pics, very much attracted to this, but am really worried about the run flat tyres. I know, not the most important thing to worry about when buying pre-owned luxury brand, but somehow after seeing some experiences online about the tyres and the cost / headaches feeling worried about the same.2. A 2022 Volvo XC40 B4 with just around 17K odd kms. Available with Navnit Motors, not clear about warranty and service package and need to discuss with the sales executive.3. Some Random GLCs from the 2018 period with around 50K kms, havent shortlisted any single one.4. A late entrant, 2022 Hyundai Tucson Diesel Signature with around 17K odd kmsI know, I am all over the place and these vehicles are from various segments and offer different value proposition.My heart says 630i, but as I said, really worried about the upkeep and maintenance cost.The Tucson seems like the most practical choice as I am hoping to keep the vehicle for atleast 8 years, but lacks the badge (we cant have everything). Would really welcome the learned opinions of the members.PS: would also like to put out a request and open invite to any members located in Mumbai who, if free would like to come for test drives (ofcourse the dates of which are not finalized).
Hype Money: SoftBank is a Japanese investment holding company primarily focused on technology ventures. In the past, the financial giant has backed some of the world's most influential companies, ranging from unprofitable "unicorns" to high-growth tech firms that have delivered substantial returns. More recently, the group has shifted its focus toward artificial intelligence, with a particular interest in U.S.-based OpenAI.

According to sources cited by the Financial Times, SoftBank is planning to significantly increase its investment in OpenAI. The AI company, which transitioned from an open-source research initiative to a for-profit business, is now seeking new investors beyond Microsoft's influence. The investment firm led by Masayoshi Son could emerge as the major partner OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been looking for.

SoftBank could invest as much as $25 billion in OpenAI, sources say, in addition to its recent involvement in the Stargate project, an initiative focused on building data centers and computing infrastructure in the United States. SoftBank has already announced a $15 billion investment in Donald Trump's ambitious AI project, in which OpenAI is also a participant. Taking all these investments into account, SoftBank's total commitment to AI related ventures could reach approximately $40 billion.

Discussions between the two companies are still in the early stages, according to FT, and no formal agreement has been reached yet. If SoftBank commits $15 billion or more, it would become OpenAI's largest single investor. Currently, Microsoft holds the biggest stake in OpenAI, but Altman is actively seeking to reduce the company's dependence on the Redmond-based tech giant. As part of the Stargate initiative, Microsoft has already agreed to relinquish any exclusivity rights to OpenAI's technology.

SoftBank's ambitions in the AI sector have been known for years, and CEO Masayoshi Son is a firm believer that AI will revolutionize nearly every industry. Son has been quoted saying that artificial general intelligence (AGI)  AI capable of outperforming humans in nearly all intellectual tasks  could be developed by 2030. Son believes AGI will fundamentally reshape society, however achieving AGI and other cutting-edge AI advancements will require substantial financial investment.

Meanwhile, the most recent GenAI development this year has come from China's DeepSeek which could potentially disrupt current industry expectations, alongside Wall Street's most ambitious profit projections. DeepSeek's accomplishment is particularly noteworthy given the company's claim to have trained a model with 671 billion parameters using just 2,048 Nvidia H800 GPUs and $5.6 million, a small fraction of the resources typically required by industry giants like OpenAI and Google.

While awaiting SoftBank's potential investment, OpenAI has already secured significant funding in recent years, raising approximately $20 billion. Microsoft has contributed about $13 billion, and SoftBank got its slice of the AI cake by spending $2 billion. Meanwhile, Sam Altman continues working to transition OpenAI into a fully for-profit business  an effort that has drawn criticism, particularly from early backer Elon Musk, who has positioned himself as a challenger to OpenAI's evolving business model.
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust

What just happened? Amazon faces a class action lawsuit alleging it secretly collected and sold sensitive location data from millions of California residents through its Amazon Ads software development kit. The case highlights growing concerns over data privacy and the use of SDKs in mobile applications.

The lawsuit filed in US District Court this week by Felix Kolotinsky of San Mateo, California, claims Amazon obtained "backdoor access" to consumers' devices by distributing the Amazon Ads SDK to thousands of mobile app developers, who then embedded it in their applications. The software allegedly allowed Amazon to harvest vast amounts of timestamped geolocation data without users' knowledge or consent. Kolotinsky claims Amazon accessed his personal data through the "Speedtest by Ookla" app.

The complaint alleges the collected data reveals where consumers live, work, shop, and visit, potentially exposing sensitive information such as religious affiliations, sexual orientations, and medical conditions. The lawsuit also contends that Amazon used this data to create detailed profiles of consumers for advertising purposes. These actions violate California's penal code and state laws against unauthorized computer access.

The case aligns with similar legal actions against other tech companies and data brokers regarding geolocation data usage and SDKs.

Last month, Texas sued insurance provider Allstate for allegedly tracking drivers through cell phones via SDKs. The company used the data when setting insurance premiums and sold the information to other insurers. Another class action lawsuit in 2024 alleged that Twilio's SDK violated multiple statutes by secretly collecting sensitive data from consumers.

It's also not the first time Amazon customers have complained about privacy violations. In 2020, it fired several employees for sharing sensitive customer data with third parties, including email addresses and phone numbers.

In June 2023, the company agreed to pay $31 million in penalties to settle privacy violations related to its Alexa voice assistant and Ring doorbell cameras. The lawsuit accused the company of keeping children's voice recordings indefinitely and using them to improve its Alexa algorithm, which violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Amazon has not responded to these latest allegations. The lawsuit, Kolotinsky v. Amazon.com Inc., seeks damages for millions of California residents and injunctive relief to halt the illegal data collection.
Over the past years, the iPhone mostly stayed the same, and the Cupertino tech giant only brought slight changes to its design and functionality, but that is about to change according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. In the latest teaser by the executive, Apple's iPhone roadmap holds massive surprises for the world, and it features significant innovations to eh beloved flagship smartphone of the company.

Apple iPhone Roadmap Teased by Tim Cook, Coming Soon

Apple made a killing in the last quarter of 2024, with over $124 billion revenue seen in the period of the last three months making it their largest in history, but the company is not resting as they have a lot more in store for the world. This is because Apple's CEO teased the iPhone's roadmap and what it has to bring in the future, saying that massive innovations are making its way soon.

It was reported by 9to5Mac that Cook did not dive into specifics of what the roadmap holds for the public, but the CEO shared that he is feeling 'optimistic' about the iPhone's future and what the company plans for it.

The iPhone has remained stagnant over the years, and while yes, it features the latest chip, offering Apple Intelligence, improving its cameras, and sharing new experiences like the Capture button from the iPhone 15, it mostly stayed with its renowned design, layout, and more.

What Does iPhone Have to Offer in Future Releases?

While Tim Cook did not reveal anything from the iPhone roadmap in his teaser, his enthusiasm for its future are already being related to rumors behind the upcoming smartphones from Cupertino. The foldable iPhone has been long debated in the industry, particularly as it was revealed that the iPhone 17 will help in making it a reality, as it is ushering in the 'Air' variant that is crucial to the folding devices.

The Expected iPhones of 2025

The year 2025 has been expected to be a massive year for Apple, particularly as since the iPhone 14's release, there have been rumors that the next big change to the lineup will arrive three years later with the iPhone 17. First off, the entire lineup would feature a more advanced display that can deliver up to 120Hz refresh rate, alongside the A19 chip series that still focuses on Apple Intelligence, among many more features.

Not to mention the expected arrival of the iPhone 17 Air which is set to make way for massive innovations in the future, as while it would deliver the thinnest iPhone yet, it will also serve as the framework for its foldable aspirations.

On the other hand, there is also the iPhone SE 4 which is expected this year, and it would be among the firsts from Cupertino to debut for 2025, featuring the iPhone 14-based smartphone that drops the iPhone 8 chassis, given the A18 chip for Apple Intelligence access, and significant improvements to its camera and performance.

The question now only centers on when Apple would unveil these latest devices for the year, as in its history, the iPhone SE lineup typically launches around the Spring season or March, and the mainline iPhones are set for a Fall event at around September to October. That being said, Apple has a lot in store for fans this 2025 and for the years to come, with Tim Cook confirming this in his latest teaser of the roadmap.
OpenAI is using Reddit's r/ChangeMyView to test the persuasiveness of its AI models, and it raises questions about data sourcing, AI influence, and ethics. This is not about an AI conversational feature but rather an experiment on their end.

If you're wondering how it's done, OpenAI simply collects data on the subreddit. From here, an AI model will compose replies to a real humanand this is where the power of persuasion enters.

OpenAI Uses Subreddit to Evaluate AI Persuasion

OpenAI has revealed that it uses the popular Reddit forum r/ChangeMyView as a benchmark for testing how effectively its AI models can persuade human users. This was disclosed in a system card released alongside its latest reasoning model, o3-mini.

The subreddit, where users post strong opinions and invite others to challenge them with counterarguments, provides a rich dataset of human reasoning.

OpenAI's method involves collecting these discussions, having its AI generate responses in a closed testing environment, and then comparing the AI-generated arguments to human replies.

Testers assess how convincing the AI responses are, helping OpenAI improve its models.

AI Training on Human DiscussionsA Goldmine for Tech Companies

According to TechCrunch, Reddit has become a treasure trove for AI training, offering vast amounts of high-quality, user-generated content. OpenAI- along with the tech giants-have been tapping into these resources to enhance the reasoning and communicative capabilities of AI models.

While OpenAI has a content-licensing deal with Redditsimilar to the $60 million agreement reportedly signed by Googlethe company says that its ChangeMyView evaluation is separate from that deal. However, it's unclear how OpenAI accessed the data from the subreddit, and it has no plans to make this evaluation public.

Reddit's Complicated Relationship with AI Companies

Reddit has made it clear that it does not tolerate AI companies scraping its content without permission. The company's CEO, Steve Huffman, had earlier criticized the likes of Microsoft, Anthropic, and Perplexity for bypassing negotiations, calling the blocking of unauthorized scrapers a "real pain in the ass."

This includes OpenAI, which has faced multiple lawsuits, including one from The New York Times, for allegedly improperly scraping web content to train its AI models.

How Well Does OpenAI's AI Perform on Persuasion?

The ChangeMyView benchmark was also used to evaluate OpenAI's previous model, o1. While o3-mini doesn't show a significant boost in performance compared to o1 or GPT-4o, OpenAI's latest models are proving to be more persuasive than the majority of human users on the subreddit.

However, OpenAI argues that it is not after hyper-persuasive AI but rather after ensuring that AI does not become dangerously convincing. The worry is that highly persuasive AI may manipulate users, possibly pursuing its own objectives or serving the interests of whoever controls it.

AI PersuasionPowerful Yet Risky

The better the models are at mimicking human reasoning, the greater the ethical concerns. Consistent changes in human opinion can make an AI dangerous for the influence of political views and misinformation as well as the manipulation of decisions.

OpenAI has introduced safeguards whereby their AI is not overly persuasive or deceptive; however, the company admits that balancing reasonability in AI with concerns has yet to be solved.

The Hunt for Quality Training Data Continues

Despite scraping vast amounts of internet content and striking licensing deals, AI developers still struggle to find high-quality datasets to train their models. OpenAI's use of r/ChangeMyView might be the start of something biggerovertaking human opinions with human-like, AI-generated replies.

AI will be unstoppable and that's for sure since its evolution is progressive. However, AI companies should always be transparent when it comes to AI data training since the risks weigh more on the users.

The potential of AI to persuade humans is indeed impressive but the implications call for cautious oversight.
First major chunk breaks off world's biggest iceberg



Paris, Jan 31 (AFP) Jan 31, 2025



An enormous chunk has broken off the world's largest iceberg, in a possible first sign the behemoth from Antarctica could be crumbling, scientists told AFP on Friday.

The colossal iceberg -- which is more than twice the size of Greater London and weighs nearly one trillion tonnes -- had largely stayed intact since it started slowly moving north in 2020.

It has been drifting toward the remote island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic, raising the prospect it could run aground in shallower water and disrupt feeding for baby penguins and seals.

But a chunk about 19 kilometres (12 miles) long has cleaved off, said Andrew Meijers from the British Antarctic Survey, who encountered the iceberg in late 2023 and has tracked its fate via satellite ever since.

"This is definitely the first significant clear slice of the iceberg that's appeared," the physical oceanographer told AFP.

Soledad Tiranti, a glaciologist currently on an Argentinian exploration voyage in the Antarctic, also told AFP that a section had "broken" away.

The jagged piece has an area of roughly 80 square kilometres (31 square miles) -- huge in its own right, but just a fraction of the approximately 3360 square kilometres that remained.

Meijers said icebergs were full of deep fractures, and although this monumental specimen had shrunk over time and lost a much smaller piece, it had "held together pretty nicely".

"This is a sign that those rifts in it are starting to break up," he said.

In the past, other mega-icebergs had fallen apart "relatively quickly over the course of several weeks" once they started losing big pieces, he said.

It was hard to say if this was "a loose tooth just waiting to come out" or evidence of a much bigger change underway.

"I'm sorry to say but it's not really an exact science how these things fall apart... it's really hard to say if this is going to blow apart now, or it's going to hang together for longer," Meijers said.

Known as A23a, the world's biggest and oldest iceberg calved from the Antarctic shelf in 1986.

It remained stuck for over 30 years before finally breaking free in 2020, its lumbering journey north sometimes delayed by ocean forces that kept it spinning in place.

This monster block of freshwater was being whisked along by the world's most powerful ocean "jet stream" -- the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

Meijers said its trajectory toward South Georgia, a crucial feeding ground for seals and penguins, would unlikely change because it had lost this chunk.

But should it collapse further it would pose "much less of a threat for wildlife" because foraging animals could manoeuvre unimpeded between the smaller chunks to find food, he added.

Icebergs had grounded there in the past and caused significant mortality to penguin chicks and seal pups.

Tiranti said the iceberg was expected to keep plodding its way north but its exact course depended greatly on how local currents influenced its movements.

burs-np/yad
World's longest cargo sail ship launched in Turkey



Tuzla, Turkey, Jan 31 (AFP) Jan 31, 2025



The world's longest wind-powered cargo ship was launched Friday in Turkey, offering a promising way to slash carbon emissions from merchandise trade.

The 136-metre (450-foot) Neoliner Origin was floated at the Turkish port of Tuzla, and will now undergo six months of fitting-out.

Designed by French company Neoline and built by Turkish shipyard RMK Marine, the ship can carry 5,300 tonnes of freight over long distances thanks to its two masts and 3,000 square metres of sails.

"Thanks to the wind, and by reducing speed from 15 knots (about 30 kilometres or 18 miles an hour) to 11 knots, we can cut fuel consumption and therefore emissions by a factor of five compared with a conventional ship," Jean Zanuttini, president of Nantes-based Neoline, told AFP.

With about 90 percent of world trade going by sea, the maritime transport sector is responsible for about three percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization.

The ship will leave Turkey during the summer of 2025 for the French Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire, then will begin its first rotation toward North America, serving the French island of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, the US port of Baltimore and Halifax in Canada.

The project received support from France's public investment bank (BPI) and the French shipping company CMA-CGM.

Zanuttini said the shipyard would soon begin work on a second similar ship.

str-ach/asm/gv/rlp







ORIGIN ENERGY

W. R. Grace and Company
Generative AI's environmental impact in figures



Paris, Feb 1 (AFP) Feb 01, 2025



The surge in generative artificial intelligence (AI) is being met with growing fears about the technology's ecological footprint, one of the top questions up for discussion at a global summit in Paris on February 10-11.

Here are some key figures on the state of play in early 2025:



- Ten times Google's power -



Every request made to OpenAI's chatbot, which is able to generate all kinds of responses to natural-language queries, consumes 2.9 watt-hours of electricity.

That is ten times more than the equivalent figure for a Google search, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

OpenAI claims that ChatGPT now has 300 million weekly users making a total of one billion requests every single day.

Beyond ChatGPT, which fronted generative AI's emergence into public consciousness in 2022, there are thousands of chatbots.

One survey by French pollsters Ifop found that 70 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the country said they used generative AI.

In America, a Morning Consult poll found that 65 percent of 13- to 17-year-olds used generative AI, with the number close to half for the general population.



- Bigger than France and Germany -



Generative AI would not function without data centres hosting vast reserves of information and computing power.

In 2023, data centres accounted for almost 1.4 percent of global electricity consumption, according to a study by consultancy Deloitte.

But with massive investments planned into generative AI, the figure is expected to reach three percent by 2030 -- or 1,000 terawatt-hours (TWh).

Deloitte said that was comparable with the combined annual consumption of France and Germany.

The IEA forecast a more than 75 percent increase in data centre power consumption by 2026 compared with 2022's levels, to 800 TWh.

American consultancy Gartner said the vast power demands meant that up to 40 percent of data centres built for AI applications could face electricity shortages by 2027.



- Hundreds of flights in CO2 -



Training one of the large language models (LLMs) that power chatbots generates around 300 tonnes of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst estimated in 2019.

That is around the same output as 125 return flights between New York and Beijing.

Two years later, Oxford University researchers put the figure at 224 tonnes for a single training session for OpenAI's GPT-3 model.

Developers have to train thousands of models to push their technology forward.

Despite such estimates, researchers say judging generative AI's overall greenhouse emissions is challenging.

Experts and institutions have pointed to a lack of information on how models are produced, as well as an absence of global measurement standards.



- Rivers of water -



Beyond energy, generative AI also consumes water, especially for cooling computer hardware.

GPT-3 requires around half a litre (one pint) of water to generate between 10 and 50 responses, according to a conservative estimate from researchers at the University of California Riverside and University of Texas at Arlington.

Overall, increased AI demand for water is forecast to amount to between 4.2 billion and 6.6 billion cubic metres (155 billion - 233 billion cubic feet).

That is four to six times the annual water consumption of Denmark, according to the same 2023 study.



- Heaps of electronic waste -



Around 2,600 tonnes of electronic waste such as graphics cards, servers and memory chips emerged from generative AI applications in 2023, according to a study from the Nature Computational Science journal.

The researchers extrapolated that figure to 2.5 million tonnes by 2030 if current trends continue and nothing is done to limit waste.

That would be the equivalent of around 13.3 billion discarded smartphones.

And like much computer hardware, AI equipment including chips requires rare metals to manufacture.

Mining for such metals, often in Africa, can involve heavily polluting processes.

dax/tgb/js
On Wednesday, a wildfire broke out in McDowell County in Western North Carolina after a tree fell onto a powerline.

After hours of firefighting efforts from Wednesday through Thursday morning, the fire, which had grown to 250 acres, was successfully contained, according to the McDowell County Office of Emergency Management.

This weeks wildfire comes amid growing concerns about wildfire risk in Western North Carolina, an issue that experts warn will intensify as climate change drives more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns. Meanwhile, the states wildfire response faces additional challenges, with more than 100 North Carolina Forest Service positions unfilled due to low salaries.

Statewide worsening droughts

In recent years, North Carolina has experienced both intense hurricane seasons and unusually dry fall months. In late September, Hurricane Helene brought heavy rainfall and flooding, only to be followed by one of the driest Octobers on record. By mid-December, multiple large wildfires had already ignited in western North Carolina.

According to Corey Davis, an assistant state climatologist at the North Carolina State Climate Office, these shifting patterns mean that wet periods are becoming even wetter, dry spells are intensifying with higher temperatures, and droughts are developing more quickly. The transitions between these extremes are also becoming more sudden and severedue to climate, he explained.

One factor that could make this change in fire frequency even more noticeable in North Carolina is that we already have more acres of land in the Wildland-Urban Interface than any other state in the country, Davis said. With our population continuing to increase, even more houses and developments will spring up in these areas next to or even in areas that historically saw some instance of wildfires.

Noting we are already seeing changes in wildfire patterns, Davis pointed to the Fourth National Climate Assessment by the U.S. Global Change Research Program. The congressionally mandated report projects that by 2060, the area burned by lightning-induced wildfires in the Southeast will increase by at least 30% on average.

Wildfire burned at least 3.7 million acres nationwide in 14 of the 17 years from 2000 to 2016  an area larger than the entire state of Connecticut  including a record 10.2 million acres in 2015 (an area greater than Maryland and Delaware combined), the report reads.

In a warmer climate, increased fire frequency will damage local economies and degrade air quality in the Southeast.

North Carolina and this region have faced several significant wildfires over the past few years. In November 2021, the Sauratown Mountain Fire in Stokes County burned over 40 acres and took 16 days to fully contain. Just days later, the Grindstone Fire  the largest wildfire of North Carolinas 2021 fall wildfire season  ignited at Pilot Mountain State Park in Surry County, burning 1,050 acres.

In December 2024, multiple large wildfires broke out in western North Carolina, including a 664-acre fire at Crowders Mountain State Park and a 518-acre fire near Lake Tahoma.

Growing population, lack of personnel

The North Carolina Forest Action Plan from 2020 reports that more than 3.4 million acres in the state face moderate to extreme wildfire risk, with an annual average of 5,500 fires burning approximately 38,200 acres over the past decade.

As North Carolinas population grows, more buildings are being constructed in areas that were once densely forested. A 2005 University of Wisconsin study identified over 5.5 million acres in the states wildland-urban interface (WUI)the transitional zone where forests and undeveloped land meet human development. These areas face a heightened wildfire risk, as fires can rapidly spread between vegetation and structures, increasing the threat to lives and property.

Many new homes are constructed without any community wildfire planning, the N.C. Forest Action Plan reads. This has created neighborhoods with limited accessibility plus flammable building construction and flammable landscaping with no defensible space incorporated.

Meanwhile, North Carolina faces a significant personnel shortage. According to N.C. Forest Service Public Information Officer Philip Jackson, the agency has around 100 unfilled positions statewide, with approximately 30 to 35 vacancies in each region. Many of these open roles are in initial attack positionsthe first responders on the ground when wildfires ignite.

N.C. Forest Service vacancies are large in part due to inadequate salaries, Jackson said, noting that starting salaries for initial attack positions are well below $40,000. Until those salaries increase, well likely see our vacancies continue to increase, he continued

The N.C. Forest Service leads wildfire response on state and private lands, coordinating with local, state, and federal agencies based on jurisdiction and fire conditions. Local fire departments assist when homes and structures are at risk, while emergency management and law enforcement handle evacuations if needed.

Potential wildfire activity surge in Western NC

Robert Scheller, associate dean for research at North Carolina State Universitys College of Natural Resources, said that a recent study by his team found that cycles of dry and wet periods could lead to up to five times more wildfires in Western North Carolina.

While there are many possible climate futures, and that it could take more than 40 years to reach that level, he explained, it is very plausible for the state to experience five times as many wildfires, largely due to increased aridity thats becoming more acute and longer.

For wildfires, that dryness is the fuels on the ground, Scheller said.

Were about 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial carbon in the atmosphere right now, and its not a neat linear thing.  A little bit of more carbon at this point leads to a lot more fire, he added. Its tough to get our emissions under control, but people need to realize that even if were not going to meet the magic Paris Agreement goal of 1.5 degrees, that doesnt mean we give up, because every 10th of a degree is making fires worse.
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Eating outRestaurant news To keep the dream alive, you have to be creative: Restaurant roommates are surviving (and thriving) Several Melbourne hospitality ventures are splitting rent and utilities to reduce costs, build community and reach out to new customers. Dani Valent February 1, 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

In St Kilda, local favourite Saigon Street Eats has bunked in with Trouper cafe. The corner premises now serves coffee in the morning, then morphs into a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch and dinner. At 11.30am, the milk cartons are put away, teaspoons are replaced with chopsticks, and customers come for pho instead of a flat white. Trouper manager Rachel Bradley and Saigon Street Eats Kim Le Tet at their shared restaurant space in St Kilda. Penny Stephens Hospitality is tough at the moment, says Jackie Bega, who launched Trouper in 2023, after decades of experience running south-side institutions Galleon and Las Chicas. Producing lovely food is hard unless you charge a lot, and people are watching every dollar they spend. Electricity, gas, insurance, WorkCover, super, bread, milk, all the costs are crazy. Bega was also working long hours and underpaying herself. I was backing myself into a corner.

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In nearby Balaclava, Saigon Street Eats was bursting at the seams. It had always been a tight squeeze but we had outgrown the space, says owner Kim Le Tet, of the 24-seat eatery her family had run on Carlisle Street for a decade. When you walked to the toilet, you went past a tower of boxes. We were using every single nook and cranny. Bega, a regular customer, approached Le Tet with an idea. I said, I know its crazy, but would you consider moving in with me and subletting? The question came at the right time. Saigon Street Eats was busy, but profits were slim. We had queues, a constant churn of customers, says Le Tet. Yet when we look at the profit and loss, theres not much left over. To keep the dream alive, you have to be creative. Saigon Eat Streets chicken vermicelli salad. Penny Stephens

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Two months ago, Saigon Street Eats made the move. Rent is negotiated by the percentage of time, theres a smart meter so we can work out electricity, we have separate payment systems, and our own liquor licenses, says Le Tet. There are always teething issues but weve got open communication, respect for each other, patience and an attitude of give-and-take. The new venue has 48 seats, which means increased sales and decent profit on the horizon. You dont want to be in this business just to survive, you want to thrive. Some morning regulars are upset theres no big brekkie any more, but Bega is enjoying shorter shifts, a tighter focus and managing just two casual employees. Its a great little business when its just coffee, she says. I enjoy having a chat, trying to remember peoples orders, and being part of the community. Hospitality consultant Darran Smith sees sense in the sharing model. Youre paying rent for a whole week, so if you can cut costs and get more money coming in, thats a win, he says. The key is trust. Its like sharing your house: not everyone will jump at it, but if people see some success stories, it could be one of the things that carries businesses forward from 2025 to 2030. Jollof Vibes shared dining space at Chef Collective in Kensington. Luis Enrique Ascui

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In Kensington, Evette Quoibia runs Jollof Vibeat Chef Collective, a shared-use commercial kitchen with 27 spaces. Most tenants use their kitchens to service delivery app orders, but there are also dining areas. The concept is good, she says. You pay one price and everything is covered: bins, electricity, all the costs that make it hard to keep up if you are on your own. Being close to other operators has multiple benefits. People help each other. If I run out of spinach, I can grab it from someone. You learn other cuisines and talk to people about whats working, whats not. In one year, you get the same experience youd normally get in five years. The scenario helps with building a profile too. People come for my African food, then they see theres also Malaysian and Indian so they try something new, says Quoibia. Everyone benefits. Weve got open communication, respect for each other and patience, says Le Tet. Penny Stephens Not every situation works perfectly. Congolese restaurant Malewa popped up at Glass Merchants cafe in Balaclava for 15 months until mid-January. One day, the owner told us they were going in a different direction and we didnt have a say in staying on, says owner Yvette Nyanguile. In the beginning, it was better for us to share a space because we could see how our ideas went without injecting a huge amount of money.

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Nyanguile is carrying lessons into the search for a new venue. We had issues with communication; we would be more careful next time. Meanwhile, Turkish dessert shop Cuppa Turca has just opened a kiosk alongside the popular Miksa Food Truck, which is set up on a corner lot in industrial Campbellfield. Miksa serves Turkish kebabs; now customers will be able to follow with dondurma (Turkish ice-cream) and kunefe (a sweet cheese pie). Were creating a small food hub, says owner Harun Yalcin. If we are there by ourselves, our customers wouldnt be enough, but with both businesses, the vibe will be good because [people] will have their whole night covered. Hospitality entrepreneur Dave Mackintosh says the pandemic encouraged operators to collaborate in new ways. In 2021, he rented the kitchen at locked-down restaurant Pope Joan to chef Mischa Tropp, who was looking for a space for a butter chicken hustle. That association turned into a friendship and the pair have now opened Kolkata Cricket Club at Crown. COVID opened peoples minds to more open-minded, creative solutions, says Mackintosh. You never know where partnerships can lead.

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Standing in a small museum on the grounds of Viennas sprawling SchOnbrunn Palace, Im staring at a beautiful dress that has the teeniest waist imaginable. Its most likely the long-lost wedding dress of Sisi, the royal rebel who married an emperor at 16 and whose colourful life has inspired movies and shows, including Netflixs popular series, The Empress.

The opulent SchOnbrunn Palace opened its doors to tourists looking to spend the night like Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Sisi. Credit: Reuters

Sisi, or Elisabeth, often referred to as a 19th-century Princess Diana, was obsessed with her appearance. She had a 50-centimetre waist, followed an exercise regime and adopted a strict diet. I actually feel breathless looking at the petite dress, which seems to shine in the dimly lit interior of the Imperial Carriage Museum.

The beautiful gold-and-silk wedding train is original, acquired from a descendant of the royal family, but the wedding dress Sisi wore has been a mystery until recently.

Museum director Monica Kurzel-Runtscheiner, who spent years trying to track down the wedding dress, says there were no trustworthy descriptions of it as the royal wedding was private. By chance, a Spanish researcher discovered an 1857 portrait of Sisi in a wedding dress and train in the Czech Republic. Once the portrait was verified, the director found someone to replicate the dresss design. While this was definitely one of Sisis dresses, the director is still hoping to prove it was worn at the wedding.
I only had myself to blame for leaving the house with less than 10 per cent phone battery, a thoroughly modern mistake. Compounding matters was that I had driven halfway across town to an unfamiliar suburb for a work meeting.

Arriving early, I purchased a bottle of water from a vending machine, my phones final act of service before shutting down. With no device to distract me, I drank my entire bottle of water until all I could think about was how badly I needed to use the toilet.

Dramatic as it may seem, we are in the grips of a public toilet crisis and need to do something about it. Credit: Dionne Gain

My best bet was a nearby cafe, so I strolled in confidently, smiled politely at the owner and asked where the bathrooms were. Without looking up, he explained that the toilet was for paying customers only: There are public bathrooms around the corner.

Around the corner was an enormous understatement, but eventually, I stumbled upon a single toilet block that presumably inspired the first Saw film. Hanging on the door was a sign that read Closed for cleaning, but based on what I could see from the outside, it needed to be closed for demolition.
Police investigations are continuing into the cause of a dramatic fire in Brisbane this week.

A business on Boothby Street in Kedron went up in flames just before 4pm on Thursday.

Emergency services were called to the scene, with firefighters controlling the blaze within an hour.

The fire broke out at a business on Boothby Street just before 4pm on Thursday. Credit: Queensland Fire Department

One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was taken to The Prince Charles Hospital, before being discharged that evening.
Firefighters worry that an extended heatwave kicking off on Sunday could worsen bushfires in the Grampians and the Little Desert national parks, which have destroyed property and burnt well over 100,000 hectares combined.

Melbournes weather is expected to hit 38 degrees on Sunday. Credit: Scott McNaughton

Authorities are warning people in high-risk areas to have a bushfire survival plan ready and establish evacuation routes as a lack of significant rain forecast for February means the bushfire season is likely to be longer than usual.

Victorias Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said firefighters were on alert ahead of the dangerous conditions.

[With the] heatwave across the state commencing tomorrow, it will be hot and dry with no significant rain and more dry lightning potential, said Nugent.
Premier Chris Minns has slammed Transport Minister Jo Haylen over her unacceptable use of taxpayer-funded travel after she sent a driver on a 446-kilometre round-trip from Sydney to chauffeur her and a group of friends to a long lunch at a Hunter Valley winery on the Australia Day weekend.

For the trip, which was also attended by Housing and Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson, the driver took a 13-hour trip from Sydney to the ministers holiday house before driving them to a separate jaunt at the Brokenwood winery for a three-hour lunch.

On Sunday, Haylen apologised and said the $750 cost of the transportation would be repaid. She accepted the decision to arrange the driver purely for private purposes was a mistake.

While that travel was within the rules, it doesnt meet the pub test, and I fully acknowledge that, and I own that mistake, she said at a press conference.
Influential members of Melbournes Indian diaspora were behind a failed push to install self-made businessman Rajan Chopra as the Liberal Partys candidate for next Saturdays Werribee byelection, which is shaping up as a historic challenge to Labors stranglehold on the western suburbs.

The spurned candidacy, which was rejected by the partys administrative committee in favour of Steve Murphy, a local real estate agent and long-term party volunteer whose wife previously stood as a Liberal candidate in four state and federal elections, has caused consternation within an aspirational migrant community whose votes could determine Saturdays outcome.

Liberal Party candidate for Werribee Steve Murphy has served as his wifes campaign manager in four previous elections. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui

Raj Chopra, a 46-year-old, first-generation immigrant who amassed a personal fortune through investments in private education and residential and commercial real estate, was backed by well-known community figure and party supporter Dinesh Gourisetty, land developer and former councillor Intaj Khan and accountant Manpreet Singh.

The three endorsements  one each from Indias Hindu, Islamic and Sikh traditions  would have helped Chopras candidacy bridge sectarian divisions within the Indian diaspora. Two Liberal Party members, speaking confidentially to discuss internal party matters, said Chopra would have also brought a sizeable war chest to the Werribee campaign.
Govt to launch dental screening programme in schools: Fadnavis





Staff Reporter :

The pilot project will begin from Nagpur

Taking a proactive step to address oral health issues among school-going children, Maharashtra Government is mulling launching dental screening in schools. The pilot project will begin from Nagpur. The project is based on the basis of the study prepared by Nagpurs Government Dental College and Hospital. Though the GDCH did not reveal the details of the studies, it says the team of dentists noticed dental caries in many school-going children, which may lead to serious dental problems.

I am eager to get this dental screening done. Government will launch a massive dental screening programme in schools across Maharashtra. This we want to do to detect oral diseases among children if any with a thought to prevent the ailments likely to cause in future. We will start the programme from Nagpur as a Pilot Project. After studying the outcome, the project will be expanded in the State, informed Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to The Hitavada. Government of Indias National Oral Health Programme is emphasising on conducting such screening in schools. To protect the teenage generation from the ill-effects of tobacco, the Government Dental College, Indian Dental Association and the Medical Education Department have started a tobacco-free school campaign in Nagpur, and efforts are being made to make every school in the city tobacco-free through this campaign. Despite knowing the ill-effects of tobacco, a large number of people consume it.

The diseases caused by it not only increase the stress on the health system but also cause financial and mental collapse of the patient. Therefore, the State Government has decided to implement a tobacco-free school campaign. Dr Abhay Datarkar, Dean of GDCH told The Hitavada, Under this, a board saying Tobacco-free area should be put up in the premises of the schools, and the name and telephone number of the head of the institution is to be mentioned on that board. The board will also have the declaration Tobacco is not sold or consumed in this institution. A pledge that a tobacco-free campaign is being started here will be written on another board.

A yellow stripe should be painted 100 yards outside the school wall. Not only eating, but also possessing tobacco is prohibited within this strip. Under this scheme, dentists from the GDCH as well as the citys dentists have decided to participate in the tobacco-free school campaign. Each doctor will go to the school where they did their schooling and implement an anti-tobacco campaign and will also check the oral health of the students there. Dr Datarkar further shared, In our studies, we found school students suffering from Sub Mucus Fibrosis but the number is not very big. Most students have developed caries, also known as tooth decay or dental cavities. This ailment causes holes in teeth. It is caused by bacteria in mouth that produces acids leading to breaking the tooths enamel. Most children have poor oral hygiene asthey dont brush and floss regularly. In most homes, the pain developed out of it is ignored completely. It hurts especially while eating or drinking something hot, cold, or sweet.

This programme will be launched by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who is very keen to get the screening done. In one meeting, Fadnavis has asked the dentists to create advisory for the children apart from screening. Long ago, Government had prohibited the tobacco vendors, paan kiosks within 100 metres vicinity of the educational institutions. Unfortunately, it was not implemented aggressively. According to dentists, this new project will have an impact for sure.
Missing Sena leader found dead in car submerged in quarry pit in Gujarat





PALGHAR :

THE body of a Shiv Sena leader missing since January 20 from Dahanu in Maharashtras Palghar district was on Friday found in the trunk of his car in neighbouring Gujarat, a police official said. Shiv Sena leader Ashok Dhodi went missing from Gholwad here on January 20, after which a case was registered on the complaint of his kin, he said. His body was found in the trunk of his car which was abandoned in a shut stone quarry in Bhilad in Gujarats Valsad district this afternoon, the official said. The car was pulled out from a 40-45 feet deep water-filled pit at the quarry, the official added. A thorough probe is underway in the case and all accused will be arrested quickly, Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said at the site where the body was found.

Eight teams comprising personnel from local police and Crime Branch were formed to trace him and a search was carried out in multiple States. The breakthrough came from technical inputs received during the probe and information from four persons held in the case, he said. The crime was meticulously planned and executed. It involved detailed reconnaissance. The accused wanted to ensure the victim and his car could not be traced. Efforts are on to arrest three absconding accused, the SP said. The deceaseds son Akash Dhodi sought death penalty for the killers and also urged the Government to take action against police personnel who had failed to do their duty.

On Thursday, Akash and his mother had accused the deceaseds brother of having a hand in the disappearance. The police have not been serious about this case. Both brothers frequently fought and my husband was threatened regularly. There was even an attempt to kill him in a car accident. His brother is part of the liquor mafia, the deceaseds wife had told reporters on Thursday.
Political Ploy





THE so-called confession of Congress leader Mr. Rahul Gandhi that his party overlooked the interests of the Dalit and the backward people after 1990s, is nothing but a political ploy to mollify the edgy public opinion on that count. In other words, the Congress leader is seeking an escapism from the guilt of having ignored an important constituency. In still other words, he now wishes to tell the Dalit and backward people that from now on, the Congress party will start taking care of this important segment, and so those people must keep faith in the party and support it in the future battles. Mr. Rahul Gandhi has made a carefully calibrated and near melodramatic statement on the issue, stating, if I dont say this, I will be lying. And that is all he is capable of doing and has been doing for many years -- relying mostly on short public memory and unsuspecting innocence, in an attempt to draw more people to the Congress party. True, some of those efforts did give him some positive results though in a limited measure.

Yet, on most counts, the voters in general have been rejecting the Congress party in the streets and at the hustings because its leadership has never shied away from indulging in lies and melodrama of Mohabbat Ki Dukaan. True, the Congress party did step up its Lok Sabha tally from 54 (in 2019) to 99 in 2024. It also gained control of a couple of States in legislative elections, as well. Yet, those exceptions apart, the voters have rejected the party in most elections it fought in the past ten-plus years.

owever, these repeated rejections by the voting public does not seem to have deterred the Congress party of its leadership. They have continued their games of escapism or lie-telling or melodrama -- possibly because they have no other method of countering the BJP juggernaut led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. They seem to feel that maligning the Prime Ministers image is the only way they can foist themselves on public mind. The latest statement of Mr. Rahul Gandhi about the Dalit and backward people having been ignored by the Congress party is yet another attempt in the old, outdated political gamesmanship. Another valiant attempt by the Congress party in particular and the Opposition in general to claim the mind-space of Dalit and backward voters was by pushing the idea that the Modi-led Government and political front were all eager to fiddle with the Constitution of India framed by (the late) Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

That attempt did pay some dividends to the combined Opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, all right. But that advantage got washed away when the Bharatiya Janata Party started giving systematic response to the falsehood of the Opposition. The most critical message of that retaliation from the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance was that no falsehood and mere propagandism would sustain itself in the face of stark logic and sensible expression of emotion. It is obvious that the combined Opposition has understood the fallacy of its narrative. Yet, it does not seem to be ready to learn its lessons. Hence the latest attempt by Mr. Rahul Gandhi. He appears to believe that the Dalit and backward people can still be misled to trusting the Congress party and returning favour to it. There is every reason to believe that this a gross miscalculation by the Congress party, and it is not likely to curry any benefit from this latest exercise. Of course, it is pointedly true that the Congress party played with the sentiment of the Dalit and backward classes for years. But this confession is not likely to draw those segments back to the Congress fold since everybody realises the hollowness and falsehood in the new narrative.
Shares of Ares Acquisition Co. II (NYSE:AACT  Get Free Report) saw an uptick in trading volume on Wednesday . 116,899 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 68% from the previous sessions volume of 69,666 shares.The stock last traded at $11.02 and had previously closed at $11.00.

Ares Acquisition Co. II Trading Up 0.0 %

The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $10.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.86.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Ares Acquisition Co. II stock. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ares Acquisition Co. II (NYSE:AACT  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 101,100 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,110,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC owned about 0.16% of Ares Acquisition Co. II at the end of the most recent reporting period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 72.95% of the companys stock.

About Ares Acquisition Co. II

Ares Acquisition Corp. II is a blank check company which engages in effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, and reorganization or similar business combination. The company was founded on March 15, 2021 and is headquartered in New York, NY.

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Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NYSE:NMM  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, January 30th,Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Monday, February 10th will be given a dividend of 0.05 per share by the shipping company on Thursday, February 13th. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.47%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 10th.

Navios Maritime Partners has a dividend payout ratio of 1.5% indicating that its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Equities analysts expect Navios Maritime Partners to earn $13.87 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.20 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 1.4%.

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Navios Maritime Partners Price Performance

NMM traded up $0.14 during trading on Friday, reaching $42.20. The stock had a trading volume of 122,367 shares, compared to its average volume of 139,288. Navios Maritime Partners has a 1-year low of $27.47 and a 1-year high of $65.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.97. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $44.86 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.51. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Navios Maritime Partners ( NYSE:NMM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 5th. The shipping company reported $3.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.80 by ($0.65). Navios Maritime Partners had a return on equity of 13.66% and a net margin of 30.48%. The business had revenue of $340.84 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $326.32 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.68 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 5.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Navios Maritime Partners will post 11.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Separately, StockNews.com raised Navios Maritime Partners from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on NMM

About Navios Maritime Partners

(Get Free Report)

Navios Maritime Partners L.P. owns and operates dry cargo vessels in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. The company offers seaborne transportation services for a range of liquid and dry cargo commodities, including crude oil, refined petroleum, chemicals, iron ore, coal, grain, fertilizer, and containers, as well as charters its vessels under short, medium, and longer-term charters.

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Free Report) had its price target raised by Royal Bank of Canada from $320.00 to $340.00 in a research report sent to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. Royal Bank of Canada currently has an outperform rating on the financial services providers stock.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. TD Cowen upgraded shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $295.00 to $377.00 in a research note on Friday, January 10th. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $313.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, November 25th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $312.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $269.00 to $274.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. from $344.00 to $341.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $307.00.

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Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Trading Up 1.1 %

NYSE AJG opened at $302.20 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.06. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has a one year low of $227.43 and a one year high of $316.72. The firm has a market cap of $75.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 57.56 and a beta of 0.76. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $291.66 and a 200-day simple moving average of $288.68.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The financial services provider reported $2.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.03 by $0.10. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. had a return on equity of 19.12% and a net margin of 10.40%. Equities research analysts anticipate that Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. will post 10.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Investors of record on Friday, March 7th will be given a $0.65 dividend. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 7th. This is a boost from Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s payout ratio is 39.88%.

Institutional Trading of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 7.5% during the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 8,421 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,183,000 after purchasing an additional 586 shares during the period. Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. EP Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 21.3% during the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,122 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $291,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares during the period. Cetera Investment Advisers raised its holdings in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. by 12.9% during the second quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 61,484 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $15,943,000 after purchasing an additional 7,035 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. 85.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co engages in the provision of insurance brokerage, reinsurance brokerage, consulting, and third-party claims settlement and administration services. It operates through the following business segments: Brokerage, Risk Management, and Corporate. The Brokerage segment consists of retail and wholesale insurance brokerage operations.

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KG&L Capital Management LLC raised its stake in AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO  Free Report) by 4.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 244 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 11 shares during the period. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in AutoZone were worth $781,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of AZO. NewEdge Advisors LLC raised its stake in AutoZone by 42.7% during the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 896 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,657,000 after buying an additional 268 shares in the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of AutoZone during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $2,249,000. Czech National Bank lifted its stake in AutoZone by 5.5% during the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 3,479 shares of the companys stock worth $10,959,000 after purchasing an additional 182 shares during the last quarter. Farmers Trust Co. boosted its holdings in AutoZone by 0.6% in the third quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 1,520 shares of the companys stock worth $4,788,000 after purchasing an additional 9 shares during the period. Finally, Park Avenue Securities LLC increased its stake in AutoZone by 3.7% during the third quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 167 shares of the companys stock valued at $526,000 after purchasing an additional 6 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.74% of the companys stock.

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AutoZone Trading Up 0.1 %

AZO stock opened at $3,354.35 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $3,263.25 and a two-hundred day moving average of $3,164.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.29 billion, a PE ratio of 22.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.71. AutoZone, Inc. has a one year low of $2,672.31 and a one year high of $3,437.63.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AutoZone ( NYSE:AZO Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, December 10th. The company reported $32.52 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $33.69 by ($1.17). AutoZone had a net margin of 14.18% and a negative return on equity of 53.89%. The firm had revenue of $4.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $32.55 EPS. The firms revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that AutoZone, Inc. will post 152.94 earnings per share for the current year.

Several research firms have recently commented on AZO. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of AutoZone from $3,400.00 to $3,450.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, December 11th. Roth Mkm reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $3,634.00 target price on shares of AutoZone in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of AutoZone from $3,024.00 to $3,585.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 9th. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of AutoZone in a report on Friday, December 13th. They issued an outperform rating and a $3,700.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Guggenheim raised their price target on shares of AutoZone from $3,350.00 to $3,750.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, sixteen have assigned a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $3,429.84.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on AutoZone

About AutoZone

(Free Report)

AutoZone, Inc retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. The company provides various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products.

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Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX  Free Report) had its target price increased by Raymond James from $101.00 to $119.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a strong-buy rating on the medical equipment providers stock.

BSX has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Mizuho increased their price target on Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Boston Scientific from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $108.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Bank of America upped their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 22nd. Needham & Company LLC restated a hold rating on shares of Boston Scientific in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $85.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $98.35.

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Boston Scientific Stock Performance

Insiders Place Their Bets

Shares of NYSE BSX opened at $102.40 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The company has a market cap of $150.92 billion, a PE ratio of 84.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.80. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $93.47 and a 200-day simple moving average of $86.21. Boston Scientific has a 12 month low of $62.63 and a 12 month high of $104.25.

In related news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 14,010 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.27, for a total value of $1,250,672.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 978 shares in the company, valued at approximately $87,306.06. This trade represents a 93.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Edward J. Ludwig sold 4,877 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.63, for a total value of $446,879.51. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 39,398 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,610,038.74. This represents a 11.02 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 29,989 shares of company stock worth $2,702,261 in the last three months. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Boston Scientific

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. State Street Corp grew its position in shares of Boston Scientific by 2.3% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 62,846,328 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $5,266,522,000 after buying an additional 1,389,172 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 2.2% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 32,820,828 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $2,750,385,000 after purchasing an additional 718,515 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 29,584,841 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $2,469,607,000 after purchasing an additional 480,729 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Boston Scientific by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 8,018,377 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $671,940,000 after purchasing an additional 64,720 shares during the period. Finally, Impax Asset Management Group plc grew its stake in Boston Scientific by 17.5% during the 3rd quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 5,470,174 shares of the medical equipment providers stock worth $457,138,000 after buying an additional 815,403 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.07% of the companys stock.

Boston Scientific Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.

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Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC boosted its holdings in Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO  Free Report) by 1,045.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 38,044 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 34,722 shares during the period. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLCs holdings in Apollo Global Management were worth $6,162,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Chicago Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of Apollo Global Management by 1.2% in the third quarter. Chicago Capital LLC now owns 5,675 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $709,000 after buying an additional 69 shares during the period. Menard Financial Group LLC grew its holdings in shares of Apollo Global Management by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Menard Financial Group LLC now owns 5,761 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $720,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC increased its position in shares of Apollo Global Management by 3.0% during the third quarter. Cyndeo Wealth Partners LLC now owns 2,687 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $336,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the period. Sfmg LLC lifted its position in Apollo Global Management by 1.1% in the third quarter. Sfmg LLC now owns 7,220 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $902,000 after purchasing an additional 79 shares during the period. Finally, Cigna Investments Inc. New boosted its stake in Apollo Global Management by 1.8% during the third quarter. Cigna Investments Inc. New now owns 5,166 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $645,000 after buying an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.06% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Apollo Global Management

In other news, CFO Martin Kelly sold 5,000 shares of Apollo Global Management stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $172.61, for a total value of $863,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 320,564 shares in the company, valued at $55,332,552.04. The trade was a 1.54 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Leon D. Black sold 58,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $173.37, for a total value of $10,090,134.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 35,104,773 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,086,114,495.01. This trade represents a 0.17 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 196,600 shares of company stock valued at $34,186,128. Company insiders own 8.50% of the companys stock.

Apollo Global Management Trading Down 0.4 %

Apollo Global Management Increases Dividend

Shares of APO stock opened at $171.00 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $96.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a current ratio of 1.44, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $170.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $143.18. Apollo Global Management, Inc. has a 1 year low of $95.11 and a 1 year high of $189.49.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 29th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were given a $0.463 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 18th. This is a boost from Apollo Global Managements previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.08%. Apollo Global Managements payout ratio is presently 19.33%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on Apollo Global Management from $141.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, November 6th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Apollo Global Management from $157.00 to $186.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Apollo Global Management from $161.00 to $178.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. TD Cowen upped their price objective on shares of Apollo Global Management from $178.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Apollo Global Management from $111.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Apollo Global Management has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $164.32.

View Our Latest Stock Report on APO

Apollo Global Management Profile

(Free Report)

Apollo Global Management, Inc is a private equity firm specializing in investments in credit, private equity, infrastructure, secondaries and real estate markets. The firm prefers to invest in private and public markets. The firms private equity investments include traditional buyouts, recapitalization, distressed buyouts and debt investments in real estate, corporate partner buyouts, distressed asset, corporate carve-outs, middle market, growth, venture capital, turnaround, bridge, corporate restructuring, special situation, acquisition, and industry consolidation transactions.

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Costello Asset Management INC grew its holdings in The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report) by 58.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 20,370 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock after purchasing an additional 7,545 shares during the period. TJX Companies makes up about 1.6% of Costello Asset Management INCs portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Costello Asset Management INCs holdings in TJX Companies were worth $2,461,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. grew its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 12.4% during the third quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 47,104 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $5,537,000 after buying an additional 5,207 shares during the last quarter. Courier Capital LLC raised its holdings in TJX Companies by 55.1% in the 4th quarter. Courier Capital LLC now owns 34,487 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $4,166,000 after buying an additional 12,247 shares during the last quarter. Board of the Pension Protection Fund acquired a new stake in TJX Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $713,000. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC increased its position in TJX Companies by 43.0% in the 4th quarter. Miracle Mile Advisors LLC now owns 21,102 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $2,549,000 after acquiring an additional 6,344 shares during the period. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB increased its position in TJX Companies by 13.3% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 7,031,237 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $850,428,000 after acquiring an additional 827,103 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.09% of the companys stock.

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TJX Companies Stock Performance

Shares of TJX stock opened at $124.83 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $123.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $118.26. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a 12 month low of $92.35 and a 12 month high of $128.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $140.33 billion, a PE ratio of 29.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.04 and a beta of 0.91.

TJX Companies Dividend Announcement

TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 20th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.09 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $14.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.95 billion. TJX Companies had a net margin of 8.63% and a return on equity of 61.82%. The firms revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.03 EPS. Analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 6th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 13th will be given a $0.375 dividend. This represents a $1.50 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.20%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 13th. TJX Companiess payout ratio is currently 35.29%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on TJX Companies from $133.00 to $138.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $130.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of TJX Companies from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 5th. Finally, Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $131.67.

Read Our Latest Research Report on TJX Companies

TJX Companies Company Profile

(Free Report)

The TJX Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Marmaxx, HomeGoods, TJX Canada, and TJX International. The company sells family apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, such as home basics, furniture, rugs, lighting products, giftware, soft home products, decorative accessories, tabletop, and cookware, as well as expanded pet, and gourmet food departments; jewelry and accessories; and other merchandise.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TJX? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report).

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Evermay Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD  Free Report) by 15.2% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 759 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the quarter. Evermay Wealth Management LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $184,000 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. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in SPDR Gold Shares during the third quarter worth approximately $28,000. Capital Performance Advisors LLP bought a new position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. acquired a new position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in SPDR Gold Shares by 78.9% in the 3rd quarter. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC now owns 161 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. Finally, Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in SPDR Gold Shares during the 3rd quarter valued at $40,000. Institutional investors own 42.19% of the companys stock.

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SPDR Gold Shares Stock Performance

Shares of GLD stock opened at $258.56 on Friday. SPDR Gold Shares has a 12-month low of $183.78 and a 12-month high of $259.99. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $246.38 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.62.

SPDR Gold Shares Company Profile

SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares).

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Gold Fields Limited (NYSE:GFI  Get Free Report) shares gapped up before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $16.59, but opened at $17.29. Gold Fields shares last traded at $17.23, with a volume of 496,827 shares.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have commented on the company. StockNews.com downgraded Gold Fields from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Gold Fields from $17.10 to $18.80 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Finally, Investec upgraded shares of Gold Fields from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $16.45.

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Gold Fields Trading Down 1.8 %

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

The company has a fifty day moving average price of $14.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $15.28.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GFI. QRG Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Gold Fields in the third quarter worth approximately $160,000. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Gold Fields by 8.3% in the 3rd quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,100 shares of the companys stock worth $170,000 after acquiring an additional 850 shares during the last quarter. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new stake in shares of Gold Fields in the 3rd quarter valued at $209,000. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in shares of Gold Fields by 4.3% during the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 17,332 shares of the companys stock valued at $229,000 after purchasing an additional 720 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Rakuten Securities Inc. raised its position in Gold Fields by 90.7% in the 3rd quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 16,562 shares of the companys stock worth $254,000 after purchasing an additional 7,879 shares during the period. 24.81% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Gold Fields Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Gold Fields Limited operates as a gold producer with reserves and resources in Chile, South Africa, Ghana, Canada, Australia, and Peru. It also explores for copper and silver deposits. The company was founded in 1887 and is based in Sandton, South Africa.

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Heck Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IWD  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 10,903 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $2,018,000.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its stake in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF by 13.0% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 130,392 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $24,748,000 after buying an additional 14,966 shares during the period. Lake Hills Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $271,000. Wedmont Private Capital increased its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF by 49.5% in the 4th quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 4,083 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $750,000 after purchasing an additional 1,351 shares during the last quarter. Widmann Financial Services Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Widmann Financial Services Inc. now owns 28,552 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $5,419,000 after purchasing an additional 561 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Embree Financial Group lifted its position in shares of iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF by 1.4% during the 4th quarter. Embree Financial Group now owns 6,433 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,191,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of IWD stock opened at $193.54 on Friday. iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has a 12 month low of $164.34 and a 12 month high of $200.42. The company has a market cap of $60.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.81 and a beta of 0.77. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $191.05 and a 200 day moving average price of $188.22.

iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF Company Profile

iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares Russell 1000 Value Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the large capitalization value sector of the U.S. equity market, as represented by the Russell 1000 Value Index (the Index).

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Heck Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 7,830 shares of the healthcare product makers stock, valued at approximately $886,000.

A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Groupama Asset Managment increased its position in Abbott Laboratories by 22.2% during the third quarter. Groupama Asset Managment now owns 228,448 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 41,557 shares in the last quarter. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the 3rd quarter valued at about $32,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 78.4% during the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 289 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 127 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the third quarter valued at about $37,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.18% of the companys stock.

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Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSE ABT opened at $127.69 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $116.17 and a 200-day moving average of $114.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.60. The stock has a market capitalization of $221.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.69, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.38 and a beta of 0.73. Abbott Laboratories has a 52 week low of $99.71 and a 52 week high of $129.85.

Abbott Laboratories Increases Dividend

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.34. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The company had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.19 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, February 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, January 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, January 15th. This is a positive change from Abbott Laboratoriess previous quarterly dividend of $0.55. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is currently 30.85%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 23,771 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.50, for a total transaction of $3,054,573.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,152,064.50. This trade represents a 15.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on ABT. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $136.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Oppenheimer assumed coverage on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. They set an outperform rating and a $130.00 price target on the stock. Argus upgraded Abbott Laboratories to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $135.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Tuesday, January 21st. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $133.06.

View Our Latest Research Report on ABT

About Abbott Laboratories

(Free Report)

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Menieres disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.

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IDT Co. (NYSE:IDT  Get Free Report) passed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $43.72 and traded as high as $47.73. IDT shares last traded at $47.45, with a volume of 49,856 shares.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded IDT from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 1st.

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Read Our Latest Stock Report on IDT

IDT Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $1.19 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.14 and a beta of 0.81. The firms fifty day moving average is $48.78 and its 200 day moving average is $43.75.

IDT (NYSE:IDT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, December 4th. The utilities provider reported $0.69 earnings per share for the quarter. IDT had a net margin of 6.10% and a return on equity of 22.18%.

IDT Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 24th were given a dividend of $0.05 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 23rd. This represents a yield of 0.42%. IDTs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 6.85%.

Insider Buying and Selling at IDT

In other IDT news, CTO David Wartell sold 17,116 shares of IDT stock in a transaction on Monday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $47.11, for a total transaction of $806,334.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Nadine Shea sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.74, for a total value of $53,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 4,775 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $256,608.50. This trade represents a 17.32 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 25.32% of the companys stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. New York State Teachers Retirement System bought a new stake in IDT in the third quarter valued at approximately $54,000. Point72 Asset Management L.P. raised its position in IDT by 176.9% in the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 3,600 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $129,000 after buying an additional 2,300 shares during the last quarter. Hennion & Walsh Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in IDT in the 4th quarter valued at $200,000. Versor Investments LP purchased a new stake in shares of IDT during the 3rd quarter valued at $213,000. Finally, Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of IDT during the 4th quarter valued at $242,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.34% of the companys stock.

About IDT

(Get Free Report)

IDT Corporation provides communications and payment services in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through Fintech, National Retail Solutions, net2phone, and Traditional Communications segments. The company operates point of sale, a terminal-based platform which provides independent retailers store management software, electronic payment processing, and other ancillary merchant services; and provides marketers with digital out-of-home advertising and transaction data.

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Independence Bank of Kentucky increased its stake in shares of The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW  Free Report) by 6.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 2,811 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock after purchasing an additional 158 shares during the quarter. Independence Bank of Kentuckys holdings in Sherwin-Williams were worth $956,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Merit Financial Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 80.0% in the 4th quarter. Merit Financial Group LLC now owns 1,177 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $400,000 after buying an additional 523 shares during the period. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV increased its position in Sherwin-Williams by 13.0% in the third quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 1,818 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $694,000 after purchasing an additional 209 shares during the period. Tamar Securities LLC increased its position in Sherwin-Williams by 3.4% in the third quarter. Tamar Securities LLC now owns 48,753 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $18,608,000 after purchasing an additional 1,604 shares during the period. Park Avenue Securities LLC raised its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 52.6% during the 4th quarter. Park Avenue Securities LLC now owns 6,680 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock worth $2,271,000 after purchasing an additional 2,303 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Burney Co. boosted its stake in shares of Sherwin-Williams by 4.6% in the 4th quarter. Burney Co. now owns 17,272 shares of the specialty chemicals companys stock valued at $5,871,000 after purchasing an additional 766 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.67% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on SHW shares. Mizuho dropped their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $435.00 to $408.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 7th. UBS Group reissued an underperform rating on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a research note on Friday, October 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Sherwin-Williams from $360.00 to $370.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Evercore ISI raised their target price on Sherwin-Williams from $400.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Finally, Berenberg Bank raised Sherwin-Williams from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $321.00 to $420.00 in a research note on Friday, January 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $400.65.

Insider Buying and Selling at Sherwin-Williams

In other Sherwin-Williams news, SVP Gregory P. Sofish sold 2,565 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $378.63, for a total transaction of $971,185.95. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 6,329 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,396,349.27. The trade was a 28.84 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, SVP Mary L. Garceau sold 15,770 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $397.92, for a total value of $6,275,198.40. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 29,205 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,621,253.60. The trade was a 35.06 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.60% of the companys stock.

Sherwin-Williams Stock Performance

Shares of Sherwin-Williams stock opened at $358.23 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 0.83 and a quick ratio of 0.51. The firm has a market cap of $90.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 1.22. The stocks 50-day moving average is $359.64 and its 200-day moving average is $363.34. The Sherwin-Williams Company has a one year low of $282.09 and a one year high of $400.42.

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.09 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.02. Sherwin-Williams had a net margin of 11.09% and a return on equity of 74.45%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.81 earnings per share. Equities analysts predict that The Sherwin-Williams Company will post 11.31 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Sherwin-Williams Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paints, coating, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates through three segments: Paint Stores Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group.

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SOL Capital Management CO cut its holdings in shares of International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM  Free Report) by 52.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,459 shares of the technology companys stock after selling 2,690 shares during the period. SOL Capital Management COs holdings in International Business Machines were worth $540,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Centaurus Financial Inc. grew its position in International Business Machines by 128.6% in the 2nd quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc. now owns 8,558 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,480,000 after buying an additional 4,814 shares in the last quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV boosted its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 4.7% in the third quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 8,470 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,873,000 after acquiring an additional 377 shares in the last quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division raised its holdings in International Business Machines by 39.9% during the third quarter. Central Pacific Bank Trust Division now owns 1,649 shares of the technology companys stock worth $365,000 after purchasing an additional 470 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank lifted its position in International Business Machines by 7.2% in the third quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 187,647 shares of the technology companys stock worth $41,485,000 after purchasing an additional 12,599 shares during the period. Finally, Curbstone Financial Management Corp boosted its stake in International Business Machines by 11.4% during the 3rd quarter. Curbstone Financial Management Corp now owns 3,090 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $683,000 after purchasing an additional 316 shares in the last quarter. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Nickle Jaclyn Lamoreaux sold 3,600 shares of International Business Machines stock in a transaction on Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.20, for a total value of $774,720.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 25,390 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,463,928. The trade was a 12.42 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on IBM. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on International Business Machines from $245.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Thursday. StockNews.com lowered shares of International Business Machines from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 20th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $260.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their target price on shares of International Business Machines from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on International Business Machines from $217.00 to $228.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $225.53.

Check Out Our Latest Report on International Business Machines

International Business Machines Trading Down 1.1 %

NYSE:IBM opened at $255.48 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $225.96 and its two-hundred day moving average is $213.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.16, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 1.01. The stock has a market cap of $236.23 billion, a PE ratio of 39.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.25 and a beta of 0.74. International Business Machines Co. has a fifty-two week low of $162.62 and a fifty-two week high of $261.80.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The technology company reported $3.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.77 by $0.15. International Business Machines had a net margin of 9.60% and a return on equity of 40.37%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 10th will be given a $1.67 dividend. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.61%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 10th. International Business Machiness payout ratio is currently 104.21%.

International Business Machines Company Profile

(Free Report)

International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.

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Shares of Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (NYSEARCA:SPHQ  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high on Thursday . The company traded as high as $70.44 and last traded at $70.19, with a volume of 154910 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $69.54.

Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF Stock Down 0.9 %

The company has a market cap of $10.43 billion, a PE ratio of 22.60 and a beta of 0.98. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $68.38 and a 200-day simple moving average of $66.84.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of Montreal Can grew its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 47.5% in the second quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 14,081 shares of the companys stock worth $900,000 after purchasing an additional 4,537 shares during the last quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its stake in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 10.5% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 41,566 shares of the companys stock worth $2,641,000 after buying an additional 3,940 shares during the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp increased its position in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF by 7.6% during the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 239,270 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,203,000 after buying an additional 16,798 shares in the last quarter. Sanctuary Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF in the second quarter valued at about $796,000. Finally, Centaurus Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF in the second quarter worth about $187,000.

About Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF

The Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the S&P 500 Quality index. The fund tracks an index of US large-cap stocks selected by return on equity, changes in net operating assets and financial leverage. Stocks are weighted by these quality factors, scaled by market cap.

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Dohj LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:IAU  Free Report) by 6.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 19,649 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 1,201 shares during the quarter. Dohj LLCs holdings in iShares Gold Trust were worth $973,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IAU. FMR LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 23,065,092 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $1,146,335,000 after buying an additional 60,784 shares during the last quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. grew its position in iShares Gold Trust by 0.8% in the third quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. now owns 18,152,535 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $902,181,000 after acquiring an additional 142,487 shares in the last quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC increased its stake in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Empower Advisory Group LLC now owns 14,921,731 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $741,610,000 after purchasing an additional 111,210 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Gold Trust by 9.6% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 11,217,258 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $557,498,000 after purchasing an additional 981,362 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WealthNavi Inc. boosted its holdings in iShares Gold Trust by 4.2% in the third quarter. WealthNavi Inc. now owns 5,782,790 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $287,405,000 after purchasing an additional 233,999 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 59.67% of the companys stock.

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iShares Gold Trust Stock Performance

NYSEARCA IAU opened at $52.87 on Friday. The stocks 50-day moving average is $50.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $49.15. iShares Gold Trust has a fifty-two week low of $37.53 and a fifty-two week high of $53.18.

iShares Gold Trust Company Profile

iShares Gold Trust (the Trust) is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trusts custodian on behalf of the Trust.

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Juniata Valley Financial Corp. recently released its financial results for the quarter and year ending December 31, 2024, via a press release attached to its Form 8-K filing. The company reported net income of $1.5 million for the three months ending December 31, 2024, which is slightly lower than the $1.7 million reported for the same period in 2023. Earnings per share for the quarter were $0.30 compared to $0.33 in 2023. For the full year 2024, the net income was $6.2 million, down from $6.6 million in 2023. Basic and diluted earnings per share for the year were $1.25 and $1.24, respectively, lower than the $1.32 and $1.31 reported for the corresponding 2023 period.

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President and Chief Executive Officer of Juniata Valley Financial Corp., Marcie A. Barber, attributed the decrease in fourth-quarter net income compared to the previous year to several one-time noninterest expense items. Despite this, the companys credit quality remains strong, with nonperforming loans totaling only 0.1% of the total loan portfolio.

Regarding financial highlights, return on average assets for 2024 was 0.72%, compared to 0.79% in 2023, while return on average equity stood at 14.19%, down from 18.20% in 2023. Net interest income for 2024 was $22.9 million, reflecting a slight increase from $22.7 million in 2023. The company saw an increase in non-interest income to $5.8 million for 2024 compared to $5.3 million in 2023.

Total assets as of December 31, 2024, stood at $848.9 million, a decrease of $21.7 million from the previous year. The company noted its strong liquidity position with additional borrowing capacity from various sources.

Additionally, the company declared a cash dividend of $0.22 per share on January 21, 2025, payable on February 28, 2025, to shareholders of record on February 14, 2025.

Juniata Valley Financial Corp. operates as the parent company of The Juniata Valley Bank, located in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, serving various counties. Further information on Juniata Valley Financial Corp. and The Juniata Valley Bank can be found on their website. The company is listed on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol JUVF.

This release may contain forward-looking information as Juniata Valley Financial Corp. continues to monitor future financial performance and manage uncertainties in the market. Investors are encouraged to review the risks and uncertainties the company faces in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The financial information provided in this report is subject to change, as management continues to assess subsequent events that might impact the companys financial position moving forward.

For further inquiries, please contact:

Michael W. Wolf

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (717) 436-7203

This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Juniata Valley Financials 8K filing here.

Juniata Valley Financial Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Juniata Valley Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for The Juniata Valley Bank that provides retail and commercial banking services primarily to small and mid-sized businesses in central and northern Pennsylvania, the United States. The company accepts personal checking, club, money market deposit, savings, individual retirement, business checking, payroll direct deposit, and demand and time deposit accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.

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KG&L Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 9.0% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,514 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 374 shares during the quarter. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $543,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Intergy Private Wealth LLC grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Intergy Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,959 shares of the companys stock worth $236,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares in the last quarter. 49 Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 3.6% in the third quarter. 49 Wealth Management LLC now owns 2,432 shares of the companys stock worth $295,000 after purchasing an additional 84 shares in the last quarter. Woodmont Investment Counsel LLC grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 1.6% in the third quarter. Woodmont Investment Counsel LLC now owns 5,452 shares of the companys stock worth $662,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares in the last quarter. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Philip Morris International by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. YHB Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 2,158 shares of the companys stock worth $262,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the period. Finally, Cypress Wealth Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Cypress Wealth Services LLC now owns 6,748 shares of the companys stock worth $819,000 after buying an additional 89 shares during the period. 78.63% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Philip Morris International Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of Philip Morris International stock opened at $130.16 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $125.23 and a 200 day moving average price of $122.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $202.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.66, a PEG ratio of 2.29 and a beta of 0.54. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.82 and a 52 week high of $134.15.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, January 13th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 26th were issued a $1.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, December 26th. This represents a $5.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.15%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 85.71%.

PM has been the subject of a number of research reports. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $103.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $118.50 to $132.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 8th. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a buy rating and set a $145.00 price objective (up from $138.00) on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Philip Morris International from $125.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on Philip Morris International from $155.00 to $145.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $131.35.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on PM

About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Manuka Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Capital One Financial Co. (NYSE:COF  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 9,336 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $1,665,000. Capital One Financial accounts for approximately 1.1% of Manuka Financial LLCs holdings, making the stock its 18th biggest holding.

A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of COF. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of Capital One Financial by 5.3% during the third quarter. Asset Management One Co. Ltd. now owns 146,769 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $21,976,000 after purchasing an additional 7,331 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Capital One Financial by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 430,654 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $64,482,000 after buying an additional 17,825 shares during the last quarter. CWA Asset Management Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Capital One Financial during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,649,000. Catalina Capital Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Capital One Financial by 8.1% in the 3rd quarter. Catalina Capital Group LLC now owns 1,609 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $241,000 after buying an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Capital One Financial by 36.8% in the third quarter. Dai ichi Life Insurance Company Ltd now owns 11,162 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,671,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.84% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider Mark Daniel Mouadeb sold 1,994 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $162.37, for a total transaction of $323,765.78. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 19,776 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,211,029.12. This represents a 9.16 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Michael Zamsky sold 10,541 shares of Capital One Financial stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $190.26, for a total value of $2,005,530.66. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 26,482 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,038,465.32. This represents a 28.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 13,256 shares of company stock worth $2,462,487. Corporate insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.

Capital One Financial Price Performance

Shares of NYSE COF opened at $204.02 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $77.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.60, a P/E/G ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.46. Capital One Financial Co. has a 52 week low of $128.23 and a 52 week high of $208.63. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $187.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $164.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.74.

Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 21st. The financial services provider reported $3.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.78 by $0.31. The company had revenue of $10.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.22 billion. Capital One Financial had a return on equity of 9.45% and a net margin of 9.46%. Capital One Financials quarterly revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.81 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Capital One Financial Co. will post 15.4 earnings per share for the current year.

Capital One Financial Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, November 14th were issued a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 14th. Capital One Financials payout ratio is 20.71%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on COF shares. Barclays increased their target price on Capital One Financial from $219.00 to $220.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Capital One Financial from a moderate sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Capital One Financial from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Evercore ISI raised their price target on Capital One Financial from $163.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of Capital One Financial from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $196.31.

View Our Latest Analysis on Capital One Financial

Capital One Financial Profile

(Free Report)

Capital One Financial Corporation operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One, National Association, which engages in the provision of various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking.

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Metso Oyj (OTCMKTS:OUKPY  Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 37,500 shares, a decrease of 31.6% from the December 31st total of 54,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 18,500 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.0 days.

Metso Oyj Stock Performance

OTCMKTS:OUKPY traded down $0.21 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $4.81. The company had a trading volume of 1,158 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,578. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $4.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $4.76. Metso Oyj has a one year low of $3.99 and a one year high of $6.40.

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Metso Oyj Company Profile

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Further Reading

Metso Oyj provides technologies, end-to-end solutions, and services for aggregates, minerals processing, and metals refining industries in Europe, North and Central America, South America, the Asia Pacific, Greater China, Africa, the Middle East, and India. The company operates in two segments: Aggregates and Minerals.

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PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk (OTCMKTS:UNLRY  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 4,900 shares, a drop of 14.0% from the December 31st total of 5,700 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 49.0 days.

PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk Stock Performance

Shares of UNLRY stock opened at $2.19 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $2.24 and a 200 day moving average of $2.66. PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk has a twelve month low of $2.08 and a twelve month high of $4.29.

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PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk Cuts Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 3rd. Shareholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a $0.0517 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. PT Unilever Indonesia Tbks dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 73.15%.

About PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk

PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk manufactures, markets, and distributes consumer goods in Indonesia. It offers soaps, detergents, dairy based foods, ice creams, savories, soy sauce, cosmetic products, tea-based beverages, and fruit juices. The company provides its products under the Axe, Bango, Buavita, Cif, Citra, Clear, Clear Men, Close Up, Cornetto, Dove, Feast, Feast, Glow & Lovely, Hellmann's, Jawara, Knorr, Lifebuoy, Lipton, Love Beauty & Planet, Lux, Magnum, Molto, Paddle Pop, Pepsodent, Pond's, Pond's Men, Populaire, Rexona, Rinso, Royco, SariWangi, Seru, Simple, St.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Friday morning.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on NOW. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $1,210.00 price objective on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Thursday. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $1,200.00 to $1,275.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday. JMP Securities reiterated a market outperform rating and issued a $1,300.00 price objective on shares of ServiceNow in a report on Thursday. Robert W. Baird dropped their target price on ServiceNow from $1,250.00 to $1,200.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price target on ServiceNow from $1,025.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, twenty-four have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $1,129.93.

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View Our Latest Stock Report on ServiceNow

ServiceNow Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE:NOW opened at $1,020.17 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. The companys 50-day moving average price is $1,083.66 and its 200 day moving average price is $954.46. The company has a market cap of $210.16 billion, a PE ratio of 149.37, a P/E/G ratio of 5.19 and a beta of 0.99. ServiceNow has a fifty-two week low of $637.99 and a fifty-two week high of $1,198.09.

ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The information technology services provider reported $3.67 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $3.67. ServiceNow had a return on equity of 17.56% and a net margin of 12.97%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that ServiceNow will post 8.98 earnings per share for the current year.

ServiceNow declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, January 29th that allows the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the information technology services provider to reacquire up to 1.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at ServiceNow

In other news, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,867 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,023.97, for a total transaction of $1,911,751.99. Following the transaction, the general counsel now owns 6,843 shares in the company, valued at $7,007,026.71. This represents a 21.44 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO William R. Mcdermott sold 12,271 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $997.67, for a total transaction of $12,242,408.57. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 2,595 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,588,953.65. The trade was a 82.54 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 20,731 shares of company stock valued at $21,016,751 over the last three months. 0.25% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of ServiceNow

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in NOW. Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new stake in ServiceNow during the third quarter worth approximately $30,000. DT Investment Partners LLC lifted its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 77.3% in the third quarter. DT Investment Partners LLC now owns 39 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 17 shares during the last quarter. Heck Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of ServiceNow during the 4th quarter worth $37,000. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in ServiceNow in the 4th quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, Oakworth Capital Inc. lifted its position in ServiceNow by 46.7% during the 3rd quarter. Oakworth Capital Inc. now owns 44 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $39,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 87.18% of the companys stock.

About ServiceNow

(Get Free Report)

ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools.

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Clipper Realty Inc. (NYSE:CLPR  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 701,900 shares, an increase of 33.7% from the December 31st total of 525,100 shares. Approximately 5.2% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 159,900 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.4 days.

Clipper Realty Stock Down 1.7 %

NYSE:CLPR traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $4.08. 51,113 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 89,501. Clipper Realty has a 1-year low of $3.38 and a 1-year high of $7.12. The firm has a market capitalization of $65.62 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.07 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a 50-day moving average of $4.64 and a 200 day moving average of $5.00.

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Clipper Realty (NYSE:CLPR  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported ($0.05) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.10 by ($0.15). Clipper Realty had a negative return on equity of 85.95% and a negative net margin of 2.17%. The firm had revenue of $37.62 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $38.00 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.15 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Clipper Realty will post 0.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Clipper Realty

About Clipper Realty

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in CLPR. D Orazio & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Clipper Realty in the 4th quarter valued at about $47,000. Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its holdings in shares of Clipper Realty by 574.9% in the 4th quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 84,512 shares of the companys stock valued at $387,000 after purchasing an additional 71,990 shares in the last quarter. Kathmere Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Clipper Realty in the 4th quarter valued at about $78,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of Clipper Realty by 72.2% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 25,216 shares of the companys stock valued at $144,000 after purchasing an additional 10,571 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC increased its holdings in shares of Clipper Realty by 18.8% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 82,621 shares of the companys stock valued at $472,000 after purchasing an additional 13,100 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 37.57% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Clipper Realty Inc (NYSE: CLPR) is a self-administered and self-managed real estate company that acquires, owns, manages, operates, and repositions multifamily residential and commercial properties in the New York metropolitan area, with a portfolio in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

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Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:PZG  Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 158,700 shares, a drop of 31.2% from the December 31st total of 230,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 143,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.1 days.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Paramount Gold Nevada

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Paramount Gold Nevada stock. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSEAMERICAN:PZG  Free Report) by 57.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 539,967 shares of the basic materials companys stock after buying an additional 197,113 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.82% of Paramount Gold Nevada worth $218,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. 4.51% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Paramount Gold Nevada Stock Up 1.7 %

NYSEAMERICAN PZG traded up $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $0.39. The companys stock had a trading volume of 95,831 shares, compared to its average volume of 93,797. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.40, a current ratio of 10.51 and a quick ratio of 10.50. Paramount Gold Nevada has a 52 week low of $0.30 and a 52 week high of $0.69. The firm has a market cap of $25.54 million, a PE ratio of -3.22 and a beta of 1.88.

Paramount Gold Nevada Company Profile

Paramount Gold Nevada ( NYSEAMERICAN:PZG Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 12th. The basic materials company reported ($0.02) earnings per share for the quarter.

(Get Free Report)

Paramount Gold Nevada Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal properties in the United States. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. It holds principal interest in the Sleeper gold project, which comprises 2,474 unpatented mining claims totaling approximately 44,917 acres located in Humbolt County, Nevada.

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Telia Company AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:TLSNY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 30,800 shares, a growth of 24.2% from the December 31st total of 24,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 115,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Telia Company AB (publ) Stock Up 3.8 %

Shares of OTCMKTS:TLSNY traded up $0.22 during trading on Friday, hitting $5.94. 56,845 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 57,969. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.66. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $5.59 and a 200-day moving average price of $5.88. Telia Company AB has a 52 week low of $4.53 and a 52 week high of $6.71. The company has a market cap of $11.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.00 and a beta of 0.48.

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Telia Company AB (publ) (OTCMKTS:TLSNY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The technology company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.05 by ($0.07). Telia Company AB (publ) had a return on equity of 1.90% and a net margin of 5.37%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Telia Company AB will post 0.31 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Telia Company AB (publ) Cuts Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, February 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be issued a $0.0893 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 7th. Telia Company AB (publ)s payout ratio is presently 86.37%.

Separately, Barclays cut shares of Telia Company AB (publ) from a hold rating to a strong sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on TLSNY

Telia Company AB (publ) Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Telia Company AB (publ) provides communication services to businesses, individuals, families, and communities in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. It offers mobile, broadband, television, and fixed-line services; and networking, cloud and security, mobility, enterprise mobile network, contact center, managed mobility services, collaboration solutions, enterprise telephony, Internet of Things (IoT), carrier ethernet, dedicated internet access, wavelengths, IP Transit, dark fiber, and colocation solutions.

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Towa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:TWAPF  Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 42,200 shares, a drop of 16.4% from the December 31st total of 50,500 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently  days.

Towa Pharmaceutical Stock Performance

Shares of TWAPF stock remained flat at $24.35 during mid-day trading on Friday. Towa Pharmaceutical has a twelve month low of $24.35 and a twelve month high of $24.35. The companys 50-day moving average is $24.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.35.

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About Towa Pharmaceutical

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Further Reading

Towa Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, produces, and sells ethical drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and intermediates in Japan. The company provides its products in the therapeutic areas of digestive system, nervous system, and allergic diseases, as well as vitamins, antibiotics, and oncology products.

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Wabash National Co. (NYSE:WNC  Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,320,000 shares, a decline of 14.2% from the December 31st total of 3,870,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 605,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 5.5 days. Currently, 7.9% of the companys stock are short sold.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Wabash National news, SVP Michael N. Pettit sold 1,500 shares of Wabash National stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.19, for a total value of $25,785.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 117,227 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,015,132.13. The trade was a 1.26 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. 1.78% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

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Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Kathleen S. Wright Associates Inc. bought a new stake in Wabash National in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Gladius Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Wabash National during the third quarter worth about $29,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Wabash National during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $44,000. EMC Capital Management raised its holdings in shares of Wabash National by 88.1% during the 4th quarter. EMC Capital Management now owns 8,250 shares of the companys stock worth $141,000 after buying an additional 3,864 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new position in Wabash National during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $181,000. Institutional investors own 97.05% of the companys stock.

Wabash National Stock Performance

Shares of WNC remained flat at $15.60 during mid-day trading on Friday. The stock had a trading volume of 2,934,213 shares, compared to its average volume of 767,827. The business has a 50 day moving average of $17.58 and a 200-day moving average of $18.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $676.10 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.39 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 1.12. Wabash National has a 12 month low of $14.87 and a 12 month high of $30.07.

Wabash National (NYSE:WNC  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The company reported ($0.02) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.02 by ($0.04). Wabash National had a negative net margin of 14.59% and a positive return on equity of 12.65%. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.07 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Wabash National will post 0.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wabash National Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 30th. Investors of record on Friday, January 10th were paid a dividend of $0.08 per share. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.05%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 10th. Wabash Nationals payout ratio is presently -4.91%.

Wabash National Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Wabash National Corporation provides connected solutions for the transportation, logistics, and distribution industries primarily in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Transportation Solutions and Parts & Services. The Transportation Solutions segment designs and manufactures transportation-related equipment and products dry and refrigerated van trailers, platform trailers, tank trailers, and truck-mounted tanks; truck bodies for dry-freight transportation; cargo and cargo XL bodies for commercial applications; refrigerated truck bodies; platform truck bodies; and used trailers, as well as laminated hardwood oak flooring products.

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Walker River Resources Corp. (CVE:WRR  Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 23.7% during trading on Saturday . The stock traded as high as C$0.24 and last traded at C$0.24. 101,620 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 71% from the average session volume of 59,411 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.19.

Walker River Resources Stock Up 23.7 %

The company has a 50 day moving average of C$0.18 and a 200 day moving average of C$0.20. The firm has a market cap of C$11.43 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.75 and a beta of 1.12.

Walker River Resources Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Walker River Resources Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the identification, acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties in Canada. It holds 100% interests in the Lapon Canyon gold project with 147 claims, which covers an area of approximately 2940 acres located in Nevada.

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TCI Wealth Advisors Inc. lowered its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC  Free Report) by 8.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 4,448 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 393 shares during the period. TCI Wealth Advisors Inc.s holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $312,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of WFC. Income Research & Management acquired a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at approximately $211,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Modus Advisors LLC bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Decker Retirement Planning Inc. bought a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.90% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Stock Down 0.0 %

WFC stock opened at $78.81 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.85. The firm has a market capitalization of $262.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.18. Wells Fargo & Company has a 52-week low of $47.45 and a 52-week high of $79.29. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $73.53 and its 200-day simple moving average is $64.58.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $1.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.09. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.38% and a net margin of 15.73%. The company had revenue of $20.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.58 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.86 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.84 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, January 7th will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.03%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.74%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Evercore ISI increased their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $71.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Wells Fargo & Company from a peer perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $65.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $69.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $73.39.

View Our Latest Analysis on WFC

About Wells Fargo & Company

(Free Report)

Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management.

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A proposal to change Nebraska law to define ride-sharing and app-based food delivery drivers as independent contractors ran into opposition Friday from Democratic lawmakers in the state's formally nonpartisan Legislature.

The proposed law (LB229) would make clear that drivers for platforms such as Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are not employees of the companies, a move that labor groups and Democratic lawmakers argue will cost drivers the rights and protections of traditional employment.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Bob Hallstrom of Syracuse, said he introduced the bill at the request of a ride-sharing company following efforts in other states to treat the drivers as employees.

Hallstrom, a Republican, argued that ride-sharing and DoorDash drivers are "clearly independent contractors," a position he said state law should reflect.

"Our statutes are full of all kinds of different situations in which workers are not treated as employees, and they're statutorily exempted from the definition of employment," Hallstrom said, adding: "Surveys clearly show overwhelmingly that the drivers themselves want the flexibility of being independent and treated as independent contractors."

But as lawmakers considered Hallstrom's bill upon first-round debate Friday, opponents said that Uber and other platforms already function like employers  and, Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney argued, deploy a business model that "relies on exploiting workers."

"Who are we trying to protect here? Are we trying to protect the corporations? Or we trying to protect people? That's the question we should ask ourselves," McKinney said, adding: "Are we here to work for people or corporations? Are we here to work for billionaires or people? That is the question that we should be asking ourselves."

The proposal appeared to divide the Legislature along party lines Friday morning, though lawmakers adjourned before voting on whether to advance the bill the second of three rounds of debate.

The Legislature's Business and Labor Committee voted 6-1 earlier this week to send the bill to the legislative floor. McKinney was the only committee member to vote against it, while Democratic Sen. Jane Raybould joined five Republicans in support of the bill.

The bill generated little controversy at a public hearing earlier this month, where a lobbyist for Uber testified in support of the proposal while Sue Martin, the head of the Nebraska State AFL-CIO, a labor union, opposed the bill, arguing that Uber and companies like it "exercise significant control over how drivers handle their work."

"Drivers have no say on setting fares, on what they are paid or on the commissions the company takes," Martin said. "Drivers are not shown the passengers destination or how much they could earn on a fare before being asked to accept a ride request, and they have limited say on whom they choose to have as customers."

The fight over ride-share drivers' employment status has proved costly for companies like Uber in other states  and has delivered mixed results.

In California, lawmakers in 2019 passed a law mandating that Uber and Lyft provide drivers with protections like minimum wage, overtime and health insurance, prompting the companies to spend $200 million on a ballot campaign in 2020, The Associated Press reported.

In November 2020, California voters approved the proposition to exempt app-based ride-hailing and delivery companies from the law, though the proposition included alternative benefits for drivers, including a guaranteed minimum wage.

A legal challenge to the 2020 law went all the way to the California Supreme Court, which ruled last year that app-based ride-hailing and food delivery companies could continue treating their drivers as independent contractors, The AP reported.

In Massachusetts, a yearslong court battle between the state and ride-share companies ended in a settlement last year that netted drivers a minimum wage of $32.50 an hour and employment benefits.

In Nebraska's statehouse Friday, Lincoln Sen. George Dungan, an attorney, pointed to the still-evolving legal landscape nationwide as he cautioned lawmakers against the bill.

"It seems to me like this has been an issue that's being debated across the country right now," he said. "It doesn't seem like something that we need to interject state law into defining."

Supporters, though, argued that the uncertainty is why lawmakers need to act.

"There's been these questions: 'Why do we need this clarification?'" said Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn. "Well, the fact is, (ride-share companies have) been a disrupter in the industry and the law has not kept up. And we need to keep up."

Lawmakers are scheduled to resume debate on the proposal Monday.
Mystery shrouded over the death of a worker at a factory in Bankra, Howrah, whose mutilated body was recovered from a chair factory this morning.

The body bore several marks of wounds raising suspicion of his being murdered.

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The deceased had been identified as Jarshis Ansari (30), who hailed from Jharkhand and had joined work barely 10 days ago in the chair manufacturing unit Mandolpara, Bankra. Howrah city police have detained one in this connection.

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The incident came to notice after a local spotted the blood-splattered body allegedly after receiving a phone call.

He found the body in a pool of blood, claimed an officer of the Howrah City police commissionerate. There were several wound marks by a sharp weapon.

The body had been sent for post-mortem. One associate of his also sustained serious injuries, who had been sent to Howrah General Hospital for treatment.

The Bankra police station and detective department of Howrah city police have launched an investigation into the incident. Police are scanning the CCTV cameras thoroughly to identify the alleged assailants.
Tension along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar is on the rise as both Indian villagers and Bangladeshi nationals engage in construction activities near the zero line. In recent weeks, Indian villagers, under the watch of the Border Security Force (BSF), have started erecting single-line fencing to protect their crops, particularly tobacco, near the Tin Bigha Corridor in Mekhliganj.

These efforts have led to direct confrontations with the Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), which has attempted to halt the fencing.

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Meanwhile, the BSF has reported a surge in illegal construction by Bangladeshi citizens and BGB personnel within 150 yards of the international border, a restricted zone, protected by bilateral agreements. The BSF issued a statement today, asserting that it had successfully prevented multiple unauthorised construction attempts in recent days.

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On Friday, the BGB attempted to construct a sentry post bunker within 150 yards of the international border at Dahgram Angarpota. Following a strong objection from the BSF, the BGB was forced to halt construction.

Another instance of unauthorised construction was detected in Phulkadabari, Mekhliganj, where Bangladeshi nationals were attempting to build a house within the restricted zone. The BSFs intervention led to the BGB stopping the construction.

Last week, Bangladeshi nationals tried to build two illegal houses within 150 yards of the border in the Jhikabari area of Kuchlibari, Cooch Behar. Again, the BSF raised a strong objection, prompting the BGB to intervene and halt the work.

The BSF has expressed concerns over the increasing number of illegal constructions on the Bangladesh side of the border. While Indian villagers are taking measures to safeguard their farmland by erecting fences, their efforts have been met with resistance from the BGB, leading to heated altercations.

On the other side, the BSF continues to maintain strict surveillance to prevent unauthorised structures and smuggling operations along the border. The force has reiterated that while Bangladeshis persist in their attempts to establish illegal structures, the BSF remains vigilant and will take decisive action to uphold border security and compliance with international regulations.

As tensions simmer, the situation along the Indo-Bangladesh border remains volatile, with both sides closely monitoring developments in the region.
Binod Ruidas (42), a toto driver from Kenda Bauri Para, under Jamuria police station of West Burdwan district was killed in stampede at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. His cell phone was picked up by a resident of Rajasthan, who has called the family from his phone and informed them about the incident.

Bishnu Ruidas, brother-in-law and Prem Ruidas, the victims friend accompanied Binod from Asansol for the holy bathing at the Mahakumbh at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.

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The body was brought to the victims residence in Jamuria in West Burdwan district by the UP Police. He has left behind two minor daughters and one son, besides his wife.

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The resident of Rajasthan has handed over the body to police.

Bishnu Ruidas, has alleged that no volunteer or UP Police personnel came to rescue them, leading to death of so many people in the stampede. Even they moved from one hospital to another to trace him.

We need compensation from the state and the UP government otherwise the family will be ruined as my brother-in-law was the only bread earner of the family. What will happen to my sister and the three little kids now, he questioned. Without a post-mortem, the dead body was sent to Jamuria and the family has not received a death certificate which is a must for cremation at the burning ghat.

Hareram Singh, MLA of Jamuria visited his house and alleged that the post-mortem is likely to be conducted in Asansol District Hospital.

I have spoken to the Uttar Pradesh Police officials and they have said that they have been instructed to escort the body of the pilgrim. I am in touch with the OC of Jamuria police station, district magistrate of West Burdwan S Ponnambalam and the state government. We are waiting for their instructions as without a post-mortem and death certificate, the body cannot be cremated and the family will not be eligible for any compensation, the TMC MLA of Jamuria said.
At the instructions of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the mahila Trinamul Congress members have gathered together in all the districts to discuss steps to be taken to further strengthen and establish coordination within the mahila TMC. More than 6,000 Mahila TMC members met at Maliya today.

On the occasion were present minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, Beccharam Manna, Karabi Manna and others.

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Beccharam Manna said, A massive gathering of mahila TMC members gathered to further strengthen the party to such an extent that the BJP and other opposition parties will be completely routed out from the state.

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Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said, The Uttar Pradesh government created hype around Mahakumbh but poorly failed in its management. It appeared that the multitude was left on its own. The death of so many innocent pilgrims in the stampede tells about total mismanagement and failure of the Yogi government. Till today the exact number of deaths taken place during the stampede is a mystery since it has come to light that many bodies were not issued death certificates. Such bodies remain uncounted and unlisted, the kin of the dead will remain deprived of the declared compensation.

Lakhs of pilgrims visit Gangasagar Mela. They cross the vast expanse of water on huge water vessels to reach Gangasagar. Not a single incident of mismanagement has been reported. Pilgrims from other states have highly appreciated and blessed the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her care, concern and love for Gangasagar Mela pilgrims, said the ministers.
A special court on Friday fixed 4 February for the process of framing of charges in the case of multi-crore financial irregularities at the state-run R G Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata.

The date of framing of charges was intimated by the judge of the special court during a hearing in the matter.

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All the five accused individuals in the case will have to be physically present at the court on that day, the judge directed.

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After the process of framing of charges is done, the trial process in the matter will begin at the same court.

Apart from R G Kars former principal Sandip Ghosh, the four other individuals named as accused in the case are his assistant-cum-bodyguard Afsar Ali, private contractors Biplab Sinha and Suman Hazra and junior doctor Ashish Pandey. All of them are in judicial custody now.

On 28 January, the Calcutta High Courts single-judge Bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the case, to complete the process of charge framing against the five accused individuals by 6 February.

Justice Ghosh gave the order after the CBI informed the court that they had received the required no-objection certificate from the state government on this count.

On Friday morning, Ghoshs counsel made a last attempt to get some more time to study the matter before the framing of charges and approached Justice Ghoshs Bench for additional time. However, the petition was summarily rejected by Justice Ghosh, who also observed that there had been a systemic delay in the beginning of the trial process.

Justice Ghosh also observed that despite CBI filing a charge sheet in the matter in November last year, there had been a delay in the beginning of the trial process.

Initially, the process of framing of charges against Ghosh could not be started because of the non-availability of a no-objection certificate from the state government, which is mandatory for framing of charges and the beginning of the trial process against any state government employee.
Leader of opposition in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, on Saturday claimed that the BJP will resolve the civic issues in the national capital if voted to power.

He added that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the double-engine government will resolve the financial crisis of the corporation, ensuring timely payment of salaries and arrears to employees.

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Moreover, a permanent committee will be constituted in the House after taking legal advice, which will expedite the stalled development works in Delhi like the elimination of the mountains of garbage at the three landfill sites.

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Criticizing the AAP, he claimed the party has pushed the city 20 years behind, as it failed to improve the citys infrastructure and made false promises to the people to get their votes.

Furthermore, the BJP leader appealed to the voters to vote for the saffron party in the upcoming assembly elections, paving the way for a double-engine government to transform Delhi into a world-class city.
In a crackdown on illegally staying foreign nationals, the Delhi police have apprehended four Bangladeshi immigrants, including a mother-daughter duo, from the Central district, authorities said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M. Harshvardhan stated that 21 immigrants staying illegally had been apprehended so far as part of an ongoing investigation in the district and were sent to a detention centre for deportation.

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He added that the arrested persons, identified as Zohra Khatoon, Pushpo Sarkar, Mohammad Ali, and a minor, had been staying illegally in the national capital on the basis of forged documents.

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On January 28, the police identified three suspected Bangladeshi nationals residing in a rented property in the Paharganj area. During verification, they produced fake Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and other identity cards, claiming to be Indian nationals. However, the documents later turned out to be forged. Based on this, a case was registered against them, the DCP said.

Elaborating on the illegal stay of the mother-daughter duo, he said that Zohra Khatoon entered India illegally through the Benapole border and was living in Delhi for over 20 years. In October 2020, she acquired an Indian passport under the name Sweety Sarkar, listing Delhi as her place of birth. She also holds an Aadhaar card, PAN card, and Voter ID card, and works for a travel consultancy near the R K Ashram Metro Station. Her daughters Indian passport was issued in September 2024.

Another illegal immigrant, Mohammad Ali Amin, had overstayed in Delhi after his visa expired in December 2024 and was sent for deportation through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), the official added.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said that Akash Sharma, director of the Apna Purvanchal organisation, and Dimple Sharma, BJPs women block development president from Rajendra Nagar, have joined the party, adding to its growing family.

Rajendra Nagar MLA Durgesh Pathak welcomed the new members in the party fold and informed that both personalities, now part of AAP along with their respective teams, will boost the partys prospects in the upcoming assembly elections.

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In his address on the occasion, Pathak stated that Mr Sharma has been fighting for the rights of the Purvanchal community in Delhi-NCR, ensuring they receive justice, and expressed confidence that his inclusion in the party will further strengthen the organisation.

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Pathak claimed that strong leaders from Delhi are joining the AAP family, which is continuously growing.

Sharma alleged that the Purvanchal community has been subjected to exploitation for centuries. However, after analysis, he found that it is the AAP government truly truly works for the Purvanchal community and their childrens future.

He cited several reasons in support of his claims, including the AAPs provision of essential public services such as free electricity, water, education, healthcare, and free bus travel for women and others.

Sharma criticised the BJP for allegedly deceiving the Purvanchal community. He pointed out that before elections, the BJP organised a Purvanchal Samman March, which raised hopes of the community receiving their due rights, but ultimately gave only three seats to Purvanchal candidates.

He further said, The BJP considers Purvanchal residents merely as labourers. This is why Purvanchal residents no longer trust the BJP. Today, I, along with my entire team, am joining AAP, and I will work with utmost dedication to ensure justice, rights, and security for the Purvanchal community, he added.

Criticising the BJP, Dimple Sharma alleged that it does not respect women and that its leaders lack basic manners.

Everyone in the BJP speaks rudely. In contrast, AAP values and respects women. The party has launched several schemes for womens welfare, including free bus travel. I will dedicate myself completely to working for AAP, she added.
Aamir Khan recently graced the trailer launch event of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavis Thandel. During the event, Mr Perfectionist and ace South producer Allu Aravind dropped a massive hint about the much-discussed sequel, Ghajini 2.

Addressing the media, Allu Aravind shared, I should make 1000 crore film with you. Maybe Ghajini 2. Reacting to this, Aamir Khan said, A lot on the net has been going around Ghajini 2.

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Reports have been doing rounds for some time now that Allu Aravind is planning to make the sequel in both Tamil and Hindi. If the reports are to be believed, Suriya will play the lead role in the Tamil version of Ghajini 2, whereas Aamir Khan will be roped in for the Hindi rendition.

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The 2008 action thriller Ghajini was made under the direction of A. R. Murugadoss. The project also marked the Bollywood debut of the filmmaker. Theatrically released on 25th December 2008, it became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year and the first Bollywood film to cross the 100 crore mark.

Ghajini talks about a rich business tycoon, Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan) who suffers from short-term memory loss due to being hit by a metal pole during an attempt to save his girlfriend Kalpana Shetty (Asin).

On another front, the Tamil version of Thandel trailer was unveiled by superstar Karthi, whereas Aamir Khan was the chief guest at the trailer launch event.

Helmed by Chandoo Mondeti, the movie will be released in multiple languages on 7th February 2025. Produced by Bunny Vasu under the banner of Geetha Arts, the project has been presented by Allu Aravind. With Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles, the film will also see

Prakash Belawadi, and Karunakaran in supporting roles.

Thandel talks about the horrific experiences of fishermen from Srikakulam, who found themselves accidentally drifting into Pakistani waters during a routine fishing trip.
In a significant political development just four days before the Delhi legislative assembly elections, eight outgoing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, who resigned from the party, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.

Along with them, AAP municipal councillor Sunil Chaddha and five former councillors also switched allegiance to the BJP, bringing in hundreds of their supporters.

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This move is seen as a setback for AAP, as all eight MLAs held considerable influence in their respective assembly constituencies.

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The leaders who joined the BJP include Bhavna Gaur (Palam), Rohit Kumar Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Girish Soni (Madipur), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), BS Joon (Bijwasan), Rajesh Rishi (Janakpuri), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), and Pawan Kumar Sharma (Adarsh Nagar).

The MLAs cited various reasons for their resignation, including allegations of corruption within AAP and their loss of faith in Arvind Kejriwals leadership. Some claimed the party had strayed from its founding principles and ideology.

BJPs Delhi in-charge, Baijayant Panda, welcomed the new members in the presence of state unit chief Virendra Sachdeva and media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor.

Addressing the event, Panda stated that these leaders were now free from AAP and expressed confidence that Delhi was ready for a change in leadership.

He accused AAP of spreading falsehoods, including claims that the Haryana government had poisoned the Yamuna.

Panda also criticized the AAP-led Delhi government for failing to fulfill its promises, such as improving road infrastructure and cleaning the Yamuna, while allegedly being involved in various scams.

Furthermore, Panda took a dig at Arvind Kejriwal for what he called a U-turn on his promise to live in a modest residence, alleging that the Delhi Chief Minister instead built a lavish Sheesh Mahal for himself during the COVID-19 crisis when people were suffering.

Interestingly, AAP had denied these sitting MLAs tickets for the upcoming elections, which is also speculated to be a key reason behind their resignations.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Harsh Malhotra welcomed Sunil Chaddha and other former AAP councillors into the BJP. Chaddha, a three-time councillor, was joined by numerous supporters.

Malhotra remarked that the mass resignation of AAP MLAs and councillors was a clear indication that not only the people of Delhi but also members of Kejriwals own party had lost faith in his leadership.
Eight Maoist insurgents including senior leaders, were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces in Chhattisgarhs insurgency-hit Bijapur district on Saturday.

The encounter began in the densely forested Todka area under Gangaloor police station limits and was still ongoing as of late afternoon, with reinforcements rushed to the site.

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Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundar Raj P confirmed the incident, stating that security forces had recovered all eight bodies of the slain Maoists.

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Joint teams of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) launched the operation based on intelligence reports of Maoist movements in the region.

Security personnel also seized automatic rifles, ammunition, and Maoist literature, indicating the groups preparedness for prolonged combat.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the forces for their precision and bravery, reiterating his administrations resolve to eliminate Maoist terror. He added, Peace and development will prevail in Bastar.

The operation is part of our sustained strategy to dismantle Maoist strongholds in Bijapur. Our forces are on high alert, said Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav.

The Todka-Gangaloor corridor, a dense forest region bordering Telangana, has long served as a Maoist transit and training hub. Recent intelligence suggested heightened activity in the area, prompting the preemptive strike.

Bijapur, part of southern Chhattisgarhs restive Bastar division, accounts for nearly 40 per cent of Maoist-related violence in the state.

Since 2023, security forces have intensified operations under the BJP governments zero tolerance policy, leading to 265 Maoist casualties and 941 surrenders statewide.
Reacting to the Union Budget 2025 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, the AAP termed it a deception of the middle class, as the government provided no relief on GST and home loans.

Reacting to the budget, AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal said a portion of the nations treasury is being used to waive off the loans of a handful of billionaire industrialists.

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I had demanded that no billionaires loans should be waived in the future. The money saved from this should be used to provide relief on middleclass home and vehicle loans and waive off farmers debts. Income tax and GST rates should be halved. I am saddened that this was not done, he wrote on X.

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Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh stated that Arvind Kejriwal had demanded that the government declare it would no longer waive off industrialists loans. He also pointed out that the Modi government has waived Rs 16 lakh crore worth of loans for its corporate friends, and that money should be recovered. If this money were recovered, income tax and GST rates could be halved.

However, the government made no such announcement, which means the BJP still intends to waive off thousands of crores of loans for big businesses and has no intention of recovering the massive outstanding amounts.

Singh further said that while the government has given tax relief to those earning up to Rs 12 lakh, small traders have been excluded from this benefit. How will they be given relief? There was talk of doubling farmers crop prices, but the budget does not mention it. They had promised two crore jobs every year, yet there is no mention of this in the budget either. In short, this budget is designed to benefit only a handful of corporate friends, he added.

Reacting to the budget, AAP leader Jasmine Shah wrote on X that Budget 2025 is disappointing for everyone, especially the middle class. He explained in simple terms why it fails the middle class.

He pointed out that about 30 percent of Indias population is middle class, but only 2 percent, i.e. around 3 crore people, pay income tax. The rest, including the poor, contribute through indirect taxes such as GST and excise duty on petrol and diesel. Yet, this budget provides no relief for 98 percent of Indians.

Shah stated that two weeks ago, Arvind Kejriwal had suggested seven major measures for the middle class. These include increased spending on healthcare and education, removing GST on essential goods, implementing a pension scheme, and providing a 50 percent concession on train tickets for senior citizens. However, the Modi government adopted only one of these measures, raising the tax exemption limit, which benefits only 2 percent of people.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday visited the Bharat Sevashram Sangh camp in Mahakumbh Nagar, Prayagraj, met with saints and observed the organisations humanitarian service during the Mahakumbh.

CM Yogi praised the Bharat Sevashrams contributions and highlighted its century-long tradition of selfless service to society. He also recalled that his guru, Swami Avaidyanath, had spent significant time in social service alongside Bharat Sevashram saint Swami Aseemanand.

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During his visit, CM Yogi interacted with saints from various sects dedicated to preserving and promoting Sanatan Dharma. He also met representatives of religious and spiritual organisations engaged in the community and social service.

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Swami Atmajanand, who is leading the event at the Bharat Sevashram Sangh camp, shared that CM Yogi paid tribute to the organisations founder, Swami Pranavanand Ji, by garlanding his portrait and performing an aarti. The Chief Minister also had meaningful discussions with the saints present at the camp.

The saints of Bharat Sevashram shared insights into the organisations deep-rooted connection with Prayagrajs sacred Sangam Bhoomi. Swami Bhaskaranand, Mahakumbh in-charge of Bharat Sevashram, emphasised that the Sangh is not just a religious and spiritual organization but also a committed force in humanitarian efforts, including Narayan Seva.

He informed that the Sangh was founded in 1917 by Pandit Saint Acharya Swami Pranavanand Maharaj, who took sanyasa on the banks of the Sangam during the auspicious month of Magh.

The foundation of Bharat Sevashram Sangh was laid on the sacred occasion of Maghi Purnima, giving it a profound spiritual and historical connection to this holy land.
Expressing gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for putting the economy on a fast-track and bold development initiatives for poor, youth, farmers and women, J&K Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha ,on Saturday said that the budget proposals presented by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was a big boost to the middle class.

Reacting to the budget proposals, he said that the revised tax rate structure is a historic move to bring change in the lives of middle class. PM has also provided huge relief to taxpayers by raising the TDS limit on rent, enhancing social security and formalising the gig economy.

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The budget reflects Indias growing aspiration for accelerated growth and to stimulate private sector investments. The focus on agricultural growth with various initiatives including Agri District Programme seeks to translate the vision of rural prosperity and social equity, he added.

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The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), however ,has expressed a blend of optimism and concern on the budget.

While the budget includes several commendable initiatives that promise to enhance economic activity, KCCI highlighted the pressing need for a special revival and infrastructural development package tailored to the unique challenges faced by Jammu and Kashmir, more so, considering the huge unemployment problem facing Jammu & Kashmir.

KCCI expressed concern over the absence of a special revival package for Jammu and Kashmir, especially in light of the regions prolonged economic challenges extended over a period of three decades. The expectation for a 20 per cent increase in Central allocation has not been met, with a reduction of over Rs1,000 crore in Central assistance, which raises serious concerns about the regions development trajectory, a KCCI statement said.

We anticipated the introduction of an industrial development package for Jammu and Kashmir, recognizing its critical role in transforming the region into a thriving industrial hub. Such a package is essential not only for fostering local economic growth but also for aligning with Indias broader vision of becoming the worlds third-largest economy, the statement added.

However, it welcomed introduction of a new scheme targeting five lakh first-time entrepreneurs, with a special focus on women, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
Slamming both the national parties the BRS today demanded an apology from the two Union ministers from BJP, the Congress MPs, and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for failing to secure funds for Telangana in the Union Budget. BRS working president KT Rama Rao pointed out that despite sending 16 MPs  eight each from Congress and BJP- the state received absolutely nothing from the Centre in the Budget. Former finance minister and senior BRS leader, T Harish Rao, called the Union Budget one for Delhi and Bihar where elections are due and wondered when there will be a Budget for the entire country.

Criticizing the NDA government at the Centre for sidelining Telangana and prioritizing BJP-ruled states in Budget allocations, KT Rama Rao said, BJPs claim of double engine government has been exposed as a farce. Despite having eight BJP MPs including two Union ministers from Telangana, the state has not received a single rupee. He said BJPs neglect of South Indian states despite their significant contribution to the national exchequer went against the spirit of federalism. He also slammed the Chief Minister for visiting Delhi multiple times to serve his own political interests and failing to bring allocation to the state.

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In fact, T Harish Rao called it a Budget for Delhi and Bihar and wondered When will a Budget be prepared that is suitable for the entire country? Pointing out Telangana contributes 5.1 per cent to countrys GDP, he asked Is there no place for Telangana state in the Budget? Are the interests of the Telangana region not valued? This is not like how a Central Budget should be; its just like the Budget of three or four states. BRS MLC K Kavitha too slammed the Union Budget after the state failed to find a mention in the document.

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A large delegation of 73 diplomats and foreign guests arrived in Prayagraj for Mahakumbh 2025 on Saturday.The dignitaries, hailing from various countries, were visibly moved by the scale and spiritual depth of the event, which they described as a powerful reflection of Indias cultural and spiritual heritage.

Expressing their gratitude, the guests noted their fortune in being part of such a historic occasion. They also praised the meticulous arrangements made by the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government and the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate their visit. Upon arrival, they were warmly welcomed, adding to the festive atmosphere surrounding the sacred event.

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Keiichi ONO, Ambassador of Japan to India stated, I am delighted that the state government and the Ministry of External Affairs organized this trip for diplomats. The Mahakumbh Mela is a unique event, particularly this year, and Im eager to experience it and understand Hindu culture.

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Mariano Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India said, I am delighted to be part of this significant ceremony. It brings me great joy to follow the traditions here.

Similarly, Diana Mikneviciene, Ambassador of Lithuania to India, expressed her joy stating that she has been connected to India for many years. She added, Ive always wanted to visit but never had the chance to attend a Kumbh. Today, during this special and auspicious Maha Kumbh, I feel fortunate to be in India. The atmosphere is truly inspiring for both my eyes and soul. I will take a holy dip here. This event is a true reflection of Indian heritage and culture, something to be proud of.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, which is likely to aid 1.7 crore farmers to boost agricultural productivity.

Presenting the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament, she said that motivated by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Central Government will undertake a Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in partnership with states.

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The minister said through the convergence of existing schemes and specialised measures, the programme will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters.

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The programme aims to enhance agricultural productivity, adopt crop diversification and sustainable agriculture practices, augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block level, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit. This programme is likely to help 1.7 crore farmers, she said.

Stating that a comprehensive multi-sectoral Rural Prosperity and Resilience programme will be launched in partnership with states, the Finance Minister said this will address under-employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy.

Sitharaman said the goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is an option, but not a necessity.

She further said that the programme will focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families.

The programme aims in catalysing enterprise development, employment and financial independence for rural women, accelerating creation of new employment and businesses for young farmers and rural youth, nurturing and modernising agriculture for productivity improvement and warehousing, especially for marginal and small farmers and diversifying opportunities for landless families, the Finance Minister said.

She also said that the global and domestic best practices will be incorporated and appropriate technical and financial assistance will be sought from multilateral development banks. In phase-1, 100 developing agri-districts will be covered, she added.

The minister also announced that the government will launch a 6-year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with a special focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor.

She said the Mission will place emphasis on development and commercial availability of climate resilient seeds, enhancing protein content, increasing productivity, improving post-harvest storage and management and assuring remunerative prices to the farmers.

The minister said a comprehensive programme to promote production, efficient supplies, processing, and remunerative prices for farmers will be launched in partnership with states.

The Finance Minister further said that Public Sector Banks will develop Grameen Credit Score framework to serve the credit needs of SHG members and people in rural areas.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar took a dip at the Triveni Sangam on Saturday and described the experience as a blessed opportunity.

Earlier in the day, Dhankhar arrived at the Prayagraj airport, along with his wife and family members, where CM Yogi Adityanath welcomed them.

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The Vice President then proceeded to Arail Sangam Ghat, where he took a cruise ride, enjoyed sailing, and bathed at the designated place in Triveni Sangam.

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Amid the echoes of Swasti reading, Dhankhar took a holy dip, placing a Shivling on his head as an act of faith. Pundarik Goswami, the chief priest of Vrindavan, was present on this occasion.

Earlier, Dhankhar expressed excitement upon seeing Siberian birds during the cruise ride. He offered grain to the birds and enjoyed the moment with his family. During the cruise ride, he learned about the importance of Triveni Sangam from CM Yogi.

The Vice President appeared cheerful as he experienced the Mahaprayag, where the invisible Saraswati meets the Dhawal Varna Ganga and Shyamal Varna Yamuna, embodying the spirit of Mahakumbh. He bathed in the sacred waters, taking a resolution for public welfare, and described the moment as a blessed one.

Before taking a dip in the Triveni Sangam, he greeted the confluence and the people bathing on the surrounding ghats. After bathing, he paid homage to the shrine and chanted Namah Parvati Pataye Har-Har Mahadev at the Tirtharaj Prayag.

After bathing at Triveni Sangam, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, accompanied by his wife and family, performed worship at Saraswati Kup, Akshay Vat, and the Badi Hanuman temple. There, he offered Roli, clothing, Janeu, Sindoor, Red Sandalwood, Mala, Dhoop, Naivedya, and circumambulated Mahabali Hanuman.

VP Dhankhar praised the arrangements made by the Yogi government for the Mahakumbh, calling the experience a pleasant one. He remarked, I have never seen such a grand and well-organised Mahasamagam in my life. Coming here has been a blessed experience.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget 2025-26 in Parliament, on Saturday announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year.

She announced several schemes for Bihar which included establishing the National Institute of Food Technology to boost food processing in the Eastern part of the country.

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Announcing the formation of the Makhana Board in Bihar, the Union Finance Minister said it will provide hand-holding and training support to the Makhana farmers and will also ensure that they have access to all the benefits of government schemes.

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Capacity addition at IIT Patna was also among Sitharamans announcements while she unveiled the governments plans to augment infrastructure in the existing five IITs.

The Budget allocation for additional investments in the UDAN scheme also found mention of Bihar.

Sitharaman said the greenfield airports will be facilitated in the state to meet its future needs and these will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna Airport and Brownfield Airport in Bihta.

In her budget speech, she proposed establishing a Board for makhana or foxnuts, a nutritious food that is widely produced and consumed in Bihar.

A Makhana Board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organized into FPOs. The Board will provide handholding and training support to makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant Government schemes, Sitharaman said.

Presenting the Union Budget, FM Sitharaman said, Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta.

She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar, she said.

The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.

Bihars agriculture minister Mangal Pandey hailed the gamechanger Makhana Board initiative and said that this will benefit hordes of farmers and villagers.

Bihar, a state ruled by BJP and its key alliance partner JD(U), got repeated mentions in Nirmala Sitharamans Budget speech as she went to announce several measures including the Makhana Board, giving wings to Bihars aviation industry and also augmenting capacity at higher educational institutions in the state.

Bihar Agriculture Minister said that the Makhana Board will improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana (fox nuts), an Indian superfood, of which Bihar is the biggest producer.

On lines of the Central rubber board, there was a demand for Makhana Board. On the request of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, we all had requested this from the Centre. When the Union Agriculture Minister came to Patna, we had made this request. Today, the dream of Makhana producers has come true that now the Makhana Board will be formed in the country, he said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday reaffirmed the states uncompromising stance against Maoist insurgency, declaring, Our policy is clear- respond to dialogue with dialogue, and bullets with bullets.

The statement comes amid a surge in surrenders by Maoists in the conflict-ridden Bastar division, marking a pivotal shift in the regions decades-long insurgency.

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In a significant blow to Maoist dominance, seven high-ranking insurgents carrying cumulative bounties of 32 lakh surrendered in Kanker district this week. This follows recent surrenders in Narayanpur and Sukma, where nine insurgents with rewards totaling 79 lakh laid down arms.

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These surrenders are a direct result of our effective rehabilitation policy and sustained anti-Maoist operations, said CM Sai, crediting security forces for their relentless courage. Since the BJP government took office in December 2023, 941 Maoists have surrendered, 1,112 have been arrested, and 265 have been neutralized in encounters.

The states surrender-and-rehabilitate policy has emerged as a cornerstone of its counterinsurgency playbook. Fifteen thousand PMAY houses have been sanctioned for surrendered Maoists and affected families to support this policy. Roads, schools, healthcare, and basic infrastructure are being prioritized in 44 Maoist-affected villages to dismantle insurgent strongholds.

Those who abandon violence are welcomed into the mainstream. They now lead safer, dignified lives, emphasized Sai, citing interactions with reformed insurgents during his Bastar visits.

CM Vishnu Deo Sai expressed confidence that Bastar, long plagued by violence, is on the brink of transformation. Maoist ideology is breathing its last. Soon, peace and normalcy will prevail, he asserted.

Key to this optimism is the states focus on development-driven deterrence, skill development, and employment schemes for tribal youth to curb Maoist recruitment. There is an accelerated implementation of central and state welfare programs in remote areas.

While the government celebrates declining insurgent activity, opposition leaders urge caution. Surrenders are positive, but lasting peace requires addressing root causes  poverty, displacement, and tribal rights, said Congress MLA Lakheshwar Baghel.

With Southern Chhattisgarh accounting for 70% of Indias Maoist-related violence, Chhattisgarhs strategy is being closely watched. Security experts highlight the need for sustained investment in intelligence and community trust-building to prevent resurgence. As Chhattisgarh navigates the delicate balance between force and reconciliation, its success could redefine conflict resolution in Indias red corridors. For Bastars tribal communities, caught between insurgent threats and state action, the stakes have never been higher.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday began her budgetary speech in the Lok Sabha amid loud protests by Opposition MPs, who demanded an immediate discussion on the recent Mahakumbh stampede.

As the minister took the floor, Samajwadi Party MPs, led by party chief Akhilesh Yadav, raised slogans and pressed for accountability over the tragedy.

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With their demands unmet, Opposition MPs staged a symbolic walkout in protest. However, they later returned to the House to attend the proceedings.

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The Samajwadi Party issued a statement saying that it demanded in Parliament that the government release the list of people who lost their lives in the Mahakumbh stampede.

Despite the disruption, Sitharaman continued with her speech and made several key announcements. She said, In this Budget, the proposed development measures span 10 broad areas, focussing on the poor, youth, farmers and women.

She also announced key measures for small businesses and urban growth, stating, The investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs will be enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times respectively. This will give them the confidence to grow and generate employment for our youth.

Further, the minister unveiled a major urban infrastructure initiative, saying, The government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals to make cities as growth hubs.
With a few days left for the Delhi assembly elections, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi intensified the partys campaign with back to back rallies, seeking support for the party candidates.

Addressing a rally in Sadar Bazar, Rahul Gandhi said, When Kejriwal came , he used to say that he will do clean politics, will end corruption, clean the Yamuna, reduce pollution. But today the whole of Delhi knows that Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia have committed the biggest liquor scam.

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That is why today I tell Kejriwal to leave aside the water of Yamuna, try drinking the water that people of Delhi are consuming, he remarked.

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Criticizing the BJP, the former Congress chief remarked, BJP, RSS people pit brother against brother, one religion against another, and one language against another. Their aim is to snatch your money from you and give it to the billionaires of India. Narendra Modi has waived off the debt of Rs 16 lakh crore of a few rich people of India.

The whole objective of the budget presented in Parliament today is to give the entire wealth of India to the 25 billionaires of the country, he alleged.

Meanwhile, addressing a rally in New Delhi, Priyanka Gandhi said, The politics which makes people fight each other, works only for its own selfish interests and this has always been the politics of BJP. Narendra Modi always criticizes others in his speeches. He says that the country is going into the abyss because of Jawaharlal Nehru.

On the other hand, Kejriwal says that we are not able to work because of Narendra Modi. I have never seen in my life a cowardly leader like him who does not know how to take responsibility for anything, she added.

The MP from Wayanad stated that Delhi is the centre of the country and people from every corner of the country have always come here to make their living.

An example should have been set in Delhi, which could make us proud, but due to politics the development work here stopped, she charged.

The people of Delhi are fed up with the corruption of AAP and BJP. Delhi will never forgive those who build palaces for themselves by showing false dreams to the people. The publics trust is now with the Congress and it will come to power, the Congress leader asserted.
Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget 2025-2026 in Parliament today, said the Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs one lakh crore to implement the proposals for Cities as Growth Hubs, Creative Redevelopment of Cities and Water and Sanitation announced in the July Budget.

She further added this fund will finance up to 25 per cent of the cost of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and PPPs. An allocation of Rs 10,000 crore is proposed for 2025-26.

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The Budget has proposed that a National Geospatial Mission will be started to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects.

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The minister said the Government has been giving priority to assisting urban poor and vulnerable groups. A scheme for socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented to help them improve their incomes, have sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life.

Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the new-age services economy. Recognising their contribution, our Government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly one crore gig-workers, she said.

The Finance Minister highlighted that the PM SVANidhi scheme has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans. Building on this success, the scheme will be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI linked credit cards with a Rs 30,000 limit, and capacity building support.

She highlighted that Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH), fifty thousand dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another 40,000 units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings.

Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contributions from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of `Rs 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another one lakh units.

Highlighting that India ranks second-largest globally in fish production and aquaculture with the Seafood exports valued at Rs. 60 thousand crore, she remarked that the Government will bring in an enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas, with a special focus on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, which will unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday presented an ambitious and growth-oriented Union Budget, providing major income tax relief to the middle class, giving a boost to agriculture and laying a roadmap for Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Tabling the Budget in the Lok Sabha, she highlighted the focus areas to accelerate growth, secure developments, uplift household sentiments and Indias rising middle class, saying, we see the next five years as a big opportunity for Sabka Vikas.

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The Budget highlighted that Agriculture, MSME, Investment, and Exports are engines in the journey to Viksit Bharat using reforms as fuel, guided by the spirit of inclusivity.

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The minister presented the Budget Estimates 2025-26, saying the total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at Rs 34.96 lakh crore and Rs 50.65 lakh crore, respectively.

Furthermore, the gross market borrowings are estimated at  14.82 lakh crore, and the Capex Expenditure of 11.21 lakh crore (3.1% of GDP) earmarked in FY 2025-26

In line with theme of Viksit Bharat, the Finance Minister outlined the broad principles such as Zero-poverty; 100% good quality school education; Access to high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare; 100% skilled labour with meaningful employment; 70% women in economic activities; and Farmers making our country the food basket of the world.

The Budget also promised to continue the governments efforts to accelerate growth, secure inclusive development, invigorate private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance spending power of Indias rising middle class.

Further proposed development measures focusing on the poor (Garib), Youth, farmers (Annadata) and women (Nari).

The Budget had announced schemes for the agriculture sector like the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, multi-sectoral Rural Prosperity and Resilience programme, a 6-year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses among other measures.

For the MSMEs, it announced that the investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs to be enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times respectively, and also customized Credit Cards with  5 lakh limit for micro enterprises registered on Udyam portal, 10 lakh cards to be issued in the first year.

The budget has also highlighted investments as one of the growth engines and announced 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs to be set up in Government schools in the next 5 years.

A special focus was also made on Bihar by Sitharaman in her speech. Budget has announced greenfield airports in the state, in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta.

Further, financial support for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project in Bihar was also announced.

The budget was also bullish on the export sector announcing an Export Promotion Mission, with sectoral and ministerial targets, driven jointly by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance to be set up.

A national framework to be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities, it said.

Significantly, to substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, the budget announced that no personal income tax payable upto income of Rs 12 lakh.

Further, the budget also announced the removal of seven tariff rates. This is over and above the seven tariff rates removed in the 2023-24 budget. After this, there will be only eight remaining tariff rates including zero rate.

For the medical field, the budget announced that 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines will be fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD) while 6 lifesaving medicines to attract concessional customs duty of 5%.
Leader of opposition and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday hailed the Union Budget presented under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a budget for the common man.

Addressing the media in Dharamshala on Saturday, he said, This budget serves as a roadmap for the aspirations of the common man and the goal of a developed India. With its foundation, we will successfully achieve the goal of a developed India within the set time frame. This budget is one that focuses on the interests of the common man, who is considered the engine of the countrys development. It is unimaginable that every month more than one lakh earnings can be made tax-free in the country. By increasing the income tax exemption limit to Rs 12.75 lakh annually, ten crore taxpayers will directly benefit, and about 75% of the current taxpaying population will fall outside the tax bracket, he said.

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In just 11 years, the Modi government has increased the income tax limit more than six times, he asserted.

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Additionally, by raising the income tax exemption for senior citizens from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh, they will receive significant relief, said Thakur.

He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and the central government for the relief provided to the people of the country through tax benefits.

Thakur also mentioned that this years budget has removed customs duties on 36 medicines used for cancer treatment and reduced customs duties to 5% on 6 critical life-saving drugs. Furthermore, the announcement to open cancer treatment hospitals in every district of the state over the next three years has been made.

The removal of customs duties on medicines, opening of cancer hospitals in every district, and the treatment of cancer under the Ayushman scheme will enable the country to fight cancer decisively and effectively. This will be a milestone in our battle against this deadly disease, he said.

Thakur stated that this budget is dedicated to promoting curiosity, innovation, and scientific thinking in young minds. The establishment of 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools will benefit the youth greatly, he said.

With this budget, the prices of insurance premiums, medical devices, mobile phones, domestically manufactured clothing, LEDs, and LCD TVs will decrease. One lakh people will receive new homes and significant work will be done to connect education with AI. The Udan scheme will add 120 new airports, making air travel a reality for the common man. The limit for the Kisan Credit Card has been increased to Rs 5 lakh, benefiting millions of farmers in the country, he said.

The announcement of the PM Dhan Dhan Yojana will benefit 1.7 crore farmers. A new scheme for 5 lakh Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe women entrepreneurs will provide loans up to Rs 2 crore over the next five years, he said.

This budget is dedicated to the youth, the poor, the food providers, and women of the country. It is the budget for the aspirations of every individual, said Thakur.
Promod Boro, once a prominent student leader, now serves as the chief executive member of the Bodo Territorial Council (BTC). From playing a key role in the signing of the historic Bodo Peace Accord to envisioning Bodoland as a hub of peace and development, Boro has been at the forefront of a transformative journey for the region. In an exclusive interview with Abhijit Deb of The Statesman, the leader outlines his vision and plans for the future of the Bodo Territorial Region.

Q: You have been at the helm of affairs of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for the last four years. What are the major challenges you faced?

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A: When I took charge, Bodoland was known for all the wrong reasons  violence, unrest, and underdevelopment. However, over the last four years, there has been a significant change in perception. The signing of the Bodo Peace Accord during my tenure paved the way for development and peace. My commitment has been to ensure that the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) moves forward, leaving behind its troubled past. The change is now visible in the region.

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Q: You have come out with a vision document for 26 tribal groups staying in the BTR. What was the motive behind it?

A: The vision document is a comprehensive roadmap that was developed in consultation with people from every tribal group, irrespective of their size. The aim was to document the unique challenges faced by each group and address them in a structured manner. Some issues can be resolved at the council level, while others may require the intervention of the state or central government. This initiative is an honest attempt to ensure inclusivity and equity for all tribes in the region.

Q: BTR is home to multiple tribes. How do you address the frictions that sometimes arise between them?

A: It is true that with different tribes aspiring for their development, there have been conflicts. However, the vision document we prepared is designed to address these frictions. By documenting the challenges of every tribe, we aim to foster understanding and collaboration. The underlying message is clear: rather than fighting among ourselves, we should work together for the collective development of the region. Unity is our strength, and this approach has already started to bear fruit.

Q: Do you think lasting peace has returned to the BTR?

A: After four decades of unrest, we have achieved four consecutive years of peace. This is a remarkable achievement. Markets that used to shut down by 6 PM now remain open until 10 pm  a small yet powerful indication of the changed atmosphere. Issues like the Bodo and non-Bodo divide are no longer prevalent. This peace has created an environment where development can flourish, and I am confident it will continue.

Q: What is your vision for the future of Bodoland?

A: Our vision is to transform Bodoland into a peaceful, green, and smart region. Initiatives like the Bodoland International Knowledge Festival, organized by Bodoland University and other institutions with the support of BTC, aim to promote knowledge exchange, foster partnerships, and address key sustainable development goals (SDGs). We are learning from global best practices to enhance scientific temperament and sustainable growth. The focus is on innovation, environmental conservation, and socio-economic progress. Q: The BTC council elections are coming next year. What are your thoughts? A: Ultimately, it is for the people of this region to decide. I have worked with honesty and dedication to bring peace and progress to Bodoland. My focus has been on laying the foundation for lasting peace and stepping up development. If the people believe in my vision, I am ready to continue working for the prosperity and potential of BTR.

Q: How do you see BTR evolving in the next decade?

A: The future of Bodoland is bright. With peace as the foundation, we can focus on areas like education, healthcare, infrastructure, and sustainable livelihoods. The initiatives we have started, including those aimed at empowering youth and women, will lead the region to greater heights. The goal is to position Bodoland as a model of sustainable development and inclusivity, not just in Assam but in the entire country.

Q: What steps has BTC taken to promote tourism in the Bodoland region?

A: BTC is actively working to boost tourism by developing a crossborder tourism circuit with Bhutan. This initiative aims to attract more visitors to the Bodoland region, leveraging its proximity to Bhutan and the areas natural beauty. By collaborating with neighboring countries, BTC hopes to enhance economic development and cultural exchange. Additionally, the BTC has been focusing on improving tourism infrastructure, including better road connectivity, eco-tourism initiatives, and homestay projects that allow visitors to experience the unique tribal culture of the region. Festivals such as the Dwijing Festival have gained prominence, drawing tourists from across India. Efforts are also being made to promote Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, as a premier wildlife tourism destination. By integrating technology, digital marketing, and sustainable tourism policies, BTC aims to create employment opportunities while preserving the ecological and cultural heritage of the region.

Q: How is BTC addressing the need for financial autonomy to ensure sustainable development in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)?

A: BTC is advocating for inclusion under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution to strengthen its financial standing. This move would allow the council to receive direct funding from the Union government, enabling more effective implementation of development projects and ensuring that the benefits of peace reach all communities within the BTR. I also want to emphasize the importance of policy support and increased funding to drive the regions development initiatives. In addition to seeking direct financial aid, the BTC is also exploring revenue generation through industrial investments, agricultural advancements, and tourism. Strengthening local governance, increasing transparency in fund allocation, and ensuring equitable resource distribution are key priorities. By achieving financial autonomy, the BTC aims to accelerate infrastructure projects, enhance educational and healthcare facilities, and empower marginalized communities, ultimately transforming Bodoland into a self-sustaining and progressive region.
There was a time ~ not very long ago ~ when the term higher education, (HE) meant chiefly teaching educational programmes at higher (post-secondary) levels in diverse disciplines and academic research conducted in higher educational institutions such as colleges and universities funded, in large part, by the state for promotion and cultivation of such precious public goods as scientific (original) inventions, new knowledge, new theoretical/ analytical discovery and insights into major dimensions of human history, society, arts and culture.

Unlike primary or secondary schools which impart universal basic education, the HEarena was historically supposed to be thronged by those who happen to have not only proven intellectual superiority but also with an innate thirst for deeper knowledge/truth and its persistent scholarly pursuits. This is how the HE-system has been, for long, perhaps until the 1970s ~ a distinguished, sustainable and steady source of overall soci e tal progression and flourish, scientifically, technologically, socially, politically and culturally. However, there has been an unpalatably skewed representation/participation in HE in favour of elite and socio-economically well-off sections of population ~ a fact which has reflected, for long, a social injustice rooted in the economic and political systems as a breeding-ground of perennial inequality in the distribution of income and wealth.

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Lately ~ especially over post-WWII decades ~ many concerted criticisms and analyses of this historical inequity in the traditional HE have been voiced chiefly from political standpoints and mainly by socio-political activists. However, these campaigns for greater equality in HE in terms of participation of all classes and castes seem often to remain oblivious to the historic fact that it is only the intellectually able and innately academic minded candidates, not other members even of the elite and wealthy families, who used to get admission to institutions of higher learning and research.

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Although this reflects squarely a top priority that used to be traditionally accorded to the maintenance of academic/intellectual excellence and standard of HE, this should by no means be construed as an alibi for stark social inequity manifest in a disproportionately meagre participation of candidates from socioeconomically weaker sections of whom many naturally are born with no less intellectual potentialities and innately academic inclinations than their counterparts from well-to-do households. Most of the former group remain deprived of HE, because their households cannot afford to spare even a single adult family member ~ however academically brilliant and motivated ~ for higher learning in college/ university for even a single year with out working and contributing to the survival of the entire family itself.

Therefore, there has historically been a provision of scholarships and benevolent support from state or private sources for HE of such potentially outstanding candidates of the underprivileged section. Dr B. R Ambedkar, one of the finest intellectual stalwarts of India of the preceding century with superior education and exposure abroad being one of its glaring illustrations. However, this cannot hide the basic historic fact that many intellectually gifted and innately academic minded youth from socio-economically weaker households remain deprived of HE opportunities both because of extreme paucity of scholarships as well as inordinately high opportunity cost of HE for households steeped in abject poverty. Historically, HE, thus, has remained restrictive on the premise of the basic (natural) axiom of inequality in individual intellectual endowment.

That is, human beings of high intellectual calibre, ability and academic inclination are born naturally to be fewer in number and are also distributed randomly across an entire cohort of a population, irrespective of class, caste and creed. This perfectly echoes what the illustrious modern Bengali poet of the last century, Jibanananda Das, writes in his proverbial statement: All are not poets, but a few are poets. Accordingly, it would not be unreasonable to presume that there must have been many Nobel-prize winners over the preceding century who came from very underprivileged socioeconomic backgrounds. This is, of course, not to deny that at any given point of time a society would have had many more intellectual stalwarts originating in weaker socio-economic background if provisions of scholarships or financial assistance for this group would have been larger both in terms of amount and number.

Thus, a common bid across the globe (except a few countries like India) to address the necessity of taking intellectually gifted candidates from underprivileged families on board at HE institutions has never been a policy of reserving a fixed proportion of seats in colleges or universities for students from deprived classes or castes, not to mention additional relaxations in stipulated intellectual and volitional abilities at the time of admission. This reflects a longstanding pragmatic conviction particularly in these societies that academic standard and excellence in HE, unlike in universal school education, is too precious to be compromised under any circumstances ~ let alone in the name or cause of social equity or justice.

However, of late ~ especially after WWII ~ in the wake of neoliberal projects of massification, marketization and privatization of HE, the western world has embraced affirmative action to widen participation (read ma r ket demand) in HE of youth from underprivileged sections sometimes almost indiscriminately (i.e. irrespective of levels of intellectual ability and academic volition stipulated officially for admission) via arguably a backdoor of invoking a notion of plurality of students per se (in terms of racial, cultural, ethnicity traits), which, it is argued, exerts an independent influence towards achieving greater efficacy of HE. Apart from the fact that this plurality-argument for relaxations, if necessary, in academic standards and eligibility in the admission process has been frowned upon in apex court judgements in most western nations, recent research appears distinctly uncertain, dodgy and unclear over the extent of realisability of purported effects of increased diversity per se via affirmative action on the academic performance of students from disadvantaged groups or the achievement of the goal of social integration and equity in HE campuses. (For evidence on this see my recent monograph Higher Education and Intellectual Retrogression: The Neoliberal Reign, New York/ London: Routledge, 2023).

Indeed, there exists a lingering concern about affirmative actions potentially plausible effects towards lowering overall academic standards of HE. For example, a special adviser to the Education Secretary in UK wrote in 2013: Although they would not put it like this, most prominent people in the education world tacitly accept that failing to develop the talents of the most able is a price worth paying to be able to pose as defenders of equality. In this broad global scenario of affirmative action in HE, Indian thinking is pretty unique for its sustained advocacy of a policy of reservation, which is often cou pled with relaxations, if necessary, in eligibility for admission of students from constitutionally disadvantaged sections and castes (especially when reserved seats are not filled up by adhering to a common set of stipulated academic criteria for admission to HE institutions).

All this, while being heavily instrumental to massive expansion of enrolment from underrepresented social categories, together with increased diversity of teaching courses, very often end up being points of no return, if not negative at societal level. The clue to such outcomes is not very far to seek. The admission of pupils from socio economically weaker sections to HE institutions via both reservation and relaxation of eligibility criteria for admission often has a great potential of diluting the overall academic standard of education which in turn frustrates the core philosophy behind HE. This is mainly because of the evidently limited success or perhaps even a failure of the commonly perceived catching-up effects on intellectually weak students admitted via reservation.

Therefore, this uniquely Indian policy of reservation or quota in admission to HE institutions, when coupled with academic relaxation for admission of academically weaker students from reserved categories, effectually grafts a group with lower academic merit on to a meritorious majority (which comprises of students from all socio-economic categories), and often proves to be misplaced. This is because of two intertwined reasons. HE ~ in contrast to elementary/higher secondary education ~ is not meant to be a major vehicle for achieving the goal of social justice, since social injustice is an outcome of a complex interplay of many societal forces such as political economy, history, culture, politics and religion. Secondly, any attempt at grafting a small group of low intellectual calibre has often been a major cause of tremendous tension and stress among the students of weak merit, manifesting in depression and related mental torments culminating sometimes into incidences of suicides in campuses.

The universal right to school education or a universal adult franchise in elections in a democracy is a notion which is eminently inapplicable in case of HE for the simple reason that HE calls for superior intellectual abilities and passionate academic motivations ~ some distinct inherently cognitive resources, which cannot be manufactured or injected. Let this clear and natural dictum be followed perennially by the thinking and praxis in the sphere of HE not be allowed to be muddled by letting political interests interfere in the socially sacrosanct domain of higher learning and research. Its corollary, of course, is a manifold expansion and liberality in the provision of scholarships and other financial support to the meticulously identified cohort of genuinely meritorious candidates with an innate academic affinity coming from socio-economically underprivileged and deprived sections of the society and polity.

(The writer is an independent scholar and former Rajiv Gandhi Chair Professor in Contemporary Studies, Central University of Allahabad, India)
Indias demographic dividend ~ a young and expanding workforce ~ has long been touted as its greatest economic strength. With 65 per cent of the population under 35, the country has a unique advantage over aging economies like Japan, South Korea, and much of Europe. However, merely having a youthful population does not guarantee economic success. The Union Budget must go beyond rhetoric and deliver concrete measures to translate this potential into sustained growth. The government has introduced several initiatives in recent years, such as the PM Internship Scheme and Employment Linked Incentives, aimed at boosting youth employment. Yet, these efforts remain limited without substantial private sector participation. Job creation cannot be driven by government policies alone; it requires strong private capital investment.

A worrying sign has been the decline in foreign direct investment (FDI) over the past few quarters. This trend must be reversed through tax reforms, a streamlined approval process for investors, and an improved ease of doing business. Indias economic growth must be employmentled, not just consumption-driven. While government spending can provide a short-term boost, sustainable job creation depends on fostering entrepreneurship and attracting businesses. Without private sector expansion, young workers will struggle to find stable, well-paying opportunities. One major roadblock to job creation is Indias complex labour laws, which deter large scale hiring. Simplifying compliance requirements and making termination policies more flexible ~ while ensuring worker protections ~ could encourage businesses to expand and employ more people.

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Capital gains tax reductions and sector-specific incentives for manufacturing, green energy, and digital industries can further attract investment. Job creation alone is insufficient if the workforce remains unprepared. According to the India Skills Report 2024, over half of employable youth lack the necessary skills for available jobs. This disconnection between education and industry needs to be urgently addressed. The Budget must allocate greater resources for research and development, digital infrastructure, and targeted skill training in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, semiconductors, and renewable energy. While the Atal Tinkering Labs have made strides in fostering STEM education, they remain limited in scope. Expanding these labs nationwide could nurture scientific temper from an early age.

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The PM Internship Scheme, currently restricted to individuals aged 21-24, should be widened to include those aged 18-26, ensuring a broader section of youth gains industry exposure. A key pillar of long-term workforce development is education reform. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 lays the groundwork for a more flexible and skills-oriented system, but its implementation remains uneven. Budget 2025-26 must push for nationwide adoption and ensure adequate funding for government schools, where learning outcomes have stagnated. Performance-linked incentives for teachers could help drive better results. Indias youth will drive the nations economic future, but their success depends on the right policies. The Budget must prioritise private investment, skill development, and education reforms to fully capitalise on the demographic dividend. Without bold action, the country risks squandering its greatest economic advantage.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hailed the Union Budget as pro-people and progressive, reflecting the vision for a Viksit Bharat under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated funds for the Polavaram Dam project, the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, and the Vizag Seaport.

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Naidu praised the Union Budget, stating, It prioritizes the welfare of women, the poor, youth, and farmers while identifying six key sectors for growth over the next five years.

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The Budget marks a significant step towards national prosperity, serving as a comprehensive and inclusive blueprint for a prosperous future.

Additionally, it brings tax relief for the middle class, the backbone of our countrys economy.

The Finance Minister announced that the Centre has approved the revised cost of the Polavaram project at Rs 30,436.95 crore.

The central government will allocate 12,157.53 crore as a balance grant, with 5,936 crore earmarked in the current Budget.

The project has also received approval for water storage up to 41.15 meters, with an additional 54 crore allocated for the Polavaram Project Authority.

The Chief Minister has repeatedly emphasized that completing the Polavaram project and developing Amaravati are top priorities for his tenure.

The Centre allocated 3,295 crore for the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and 730 crore for the development of the Vizag Seaport.

Sitharaman also allocated 162 crore for strengthening the states healthcare system, 186 crore for zero-budget natural farming, and 375 crore for the Learning Transformation Operation.

Other key allocations include 240 crore for road and bridge construction and 242.50 crore for the second phase of the AP Irrigation and Livelihood Improvement Project.

Although Andhra Pradeshs budgetary allocation is lower compared to Bihar, among the southern states, it remains the only one to receive substantial financial support from the Centre.
A National Manufacturing Mission to cover small, medium and large industries for furthering Make in India was announced by Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament on Saturday.

This will provide policy support, execution roadmaps, governance and monitoring framework for central ministries and states.

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The National Manufacturing Mission will lay emphasis on five focal areas, that is, ease and cost of doing business; future ready workforce for in-demand jobs; a vibrant and dynamic MSME sector; availability of technology; and quality products.

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The Mission will also support Clean Tech manufacturing and aims to improve domestic value addition and build the ecosystem for solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolyzers, wind turbines, very high voltage transmission equipment and grid scale batteries, the Union Finance Minister added.

The Finance Minister also outlined measures for Labour-Intensive Sectors, adding that the government will undertake specific policy and facilitation measures to promote employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in labour-intensive sectors.

The Union Minister specified that to enhance the productivity, quality and competitiveness of Indias footwear and leather sector, a focus product scheme will be implemented.

She further informed that the scheme will support design capacity, component manufacturing, and machinery required for production of non-leather quality footwear, besides the support for leather footwear and products.

The scheme is expected to facilitate employment for 22 lakh persons, generate turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore and exports of over Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

Mrs Sitharaman proposed a National Action Plan for Toys to be implemented to make India a global hub for toys. The scheme will focus on development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys that will represent the Made in India brand, she added.

On the front of support for food processing, the Union Finance Minister reiterated the governments commitment towards Purvodaya. She proposed to establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar. The institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.

This will result in enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce, and skilling, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth.

This will provide policy support, execution roadmaps, governance and monitoring framework for central ministries and states.

The National Manufacturing Mission will lay emphasis on five focal areas, that is, ease and cost of doing business; future ready workforce for in-demand jobs; a vibrant and dynamic MSME sector; availability of technology; and quality products.

The Mission will also support Clean Tech manufacturing and aims to improve domestic value addition and build the ecosystem for solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolyzers, wind turbines, very high voltage transmission equipment and grid scale batteries, the Union Finance Minister added.

The Finance Minister also outlined measures for Labour-Intensive Sectors, adding that the government will undertake specific policy and facilitation measures to promote employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in labour-intensive sectors.

The Union Minister specified that to enhance the productivity, quality and competitiveness of Indias footwear and leather sector, a focus product scheme will be implemented.

She further informed that the scheme will support design capacity, component manufacturing, and machinery required for production of non-leather quality footwear, besides the support for leather footwear and products.

The scheme is expected to facilitate employment for 22 lakh persons, generate turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore and exports of over Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

Mrs Sitharaman proposed a National Action Plan for Toys to be implemented to make India a global hub for toys. The scheme will focus on development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys that will represent the Made in India brand, she added.

On the front of support for food processing, the Union Finance Minister reiterated the governments commitment towards Purvodaya. She proposed to establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar. The institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.

This will result in enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce, and skilling, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth.
Israeli Prime Ministers Office said Friday that Israel has received the list of three Israeli civilian hostages Hamas will release on Saturday.

The list includes Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, 65, and Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas, 35.

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Bibas wife, Shiri, and two sons, five-year-old Ariel and two-year-old Kfir, were also taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military has not officially confirmed their deaths but earlier expressed grave concern for their fate.

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Under a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, which went into effect on January 19, three Israeli hostages are scheduled to be released on Saturday.

Since the beginning of the first six-week phase of the ceasefire agreement, five Israeli civilians, five female Israeli soldiers, and five Thai nationals have been released.

The first phase includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages in Gaza and nearly 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli prisons.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) said in a joint statement on Friday that they have killed two Palestinian militants in Jenin, northern West Bank.

According to the statement, in a joint activity with ISA on Thursday, the IDF and additional forces encircled a structure and killed the two militants inside.

IDF soldiers had engaged in close-quarters combat with the two militants before killing them, during which an Israeli soldier was killed and five others injured.

Since January 21, the IDF, ISA, and Israel Border Police have been conducting a military campaign named Iron Wall in the West Banks Jenin and Tulkarm to dismantle terrorist groups in the occupied territory.

Throughout the operation, dozens of Palestinian militants have been killed, wounded, or arrested, and numerous homes have been demolished.


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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman started her budget speech with focus on the agriculture sector as she announced a slew of measures to spur agricultural growth and productivity. She termed agriculture as the first engine for Indias development journey.



Her announcements came in the backdrop of the farmers' bodies announcing their decision to hold protests against the government for not acceding to their demand of making the Minimum Support Price a legal guarantee.

Among key proposals include the establishment of separate mission mode schemes for pulses and seeds. Even the public sector banks will develop Grameen Credit Score framework to serve the credit needs of self-help group members and people in rural areas; while another programme is aimed at creating job opportunities in the farm sector to stem the migration.

A key announcement for the poll-bound Bihar, FM said a Makhana Board will be set up in Bihar. Sitharaman said it will improve the production, processing, and marketing of makhana as well as support the people engaged in these activities to be organized into farmer producer organisations (FPOs). She added that the Board will provide handholding and training support to makhana farmers, and also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes.

In another announcement, Sitharaman said a National mission on high yielding seeds will be launched with an aim to strengthen the research ecosystem, development and propagation of seeds with high yield. The mission will make available pest-resistant and climate-resilient 100 seed varieties.

To provide conservation support to both public and private sectors for genetic resources and ensure future food and nutritional security, the minister said that the second gene bank with 10 lakh germplasm lines will be set up.

The finance minister announced the Mission for cotton productivity, with the aim of achieving improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple cotton varieties. She said the mission will benefit lakhs of cotton-growing farmers as the best of science and technology support will be provided to farmers. The mission will help in increasing the income of the farmers as well as ensure a steady supply of quality cotton for rejuvenating Indias traditional textile sector, the minister said.

Noting the importance of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) in facilitating short-term loans for around 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers, the minister announced the enhancement of loan limit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for loans taken through the KCC.

Sitharaman also announced the setting up of a urea plant with annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric ton at Namrup, Assam. This, she said, will further augment urea supply and help to achieve Atmanirbharta in urea production, along with the recently reopened three dormant urea plants in the eastern region.

The finance minister, who wore a sari with a Madhubani painting carrying fish motifs referred to the fisheries sector in her speech. She said India ranks second-largest globally in fish production and aquaculture with seafood exports valued at Rs 60 thousand crore. The minister added that the government will bring in an enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the India exclusive economic zone and high seas, with a special focus on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, which will unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector.

In another announcement, Sitharaman said the government will undertake a Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in partnership with states.

Under this scheme, through convergence of existing schemes and specialized measures, the programme will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. The programme aims to enhance agricultural productivity; adopt crop diversification and sustainable agriculture practices; augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block level; improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit. This programme is likely to help 1.7 crore farmers, the budget note said.

To address the rural economy, Sitharaman said a multi-sectoral Rural prosperity and resilience programme will be launched in partnership with states, with an aim to address under-employment in agriculture through skilling, investment and technology.

The goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is an option, but not a necessity, Sitharaman said. The programme will focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families. In the first phase, 100 developing agri districts will be covered.

To augment the production of pulse, Sitharaman said the government will launch a six-year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in pulses with a special focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor. The Union finance minister stated that public sector banks will develop Grameen Credit Score framework to serve the credit needs of SHG members and people in rural areas.
How the world unites with the spirit of Chinese New Year

Xinhua) 09:11, February 01, 2025

This photo taken on Jan. 29, 2025 shows a view of a themed metro train in Moscow, Russia, on Jan. 29, 2025. Moscow unveiled the themed metro train on Wednesday to mark the start of the Spring Festival. (Photo by Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua)

The Spring Festival celebrates joy, harmony and family unity, ideals all humanity shares. The holiday resonates profoundly across the globe, bringing warmth and happiness to people from various cultural backgrounds.

BEIJING, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- This year's Spring Festival marks the first since its inclusion in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Celebrations across the globe vividly showcase the widespread allure of this cultural phenomenon.

A time for family reunions and blessings in China, the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, has evolved into a global celebration, embodying the appeal of Chinese civilization and "it also reminds us of the values of peace, harmony and prosperity," said Cherith Norman Chalet, assistant secretary-general for United Nations General Assembly and conference management.

HOPE AND POSITIVITY

Spring Festival is now celebrated in nearly 200 countries and regions, with almost 20 nations designating it as an official public holiday. Each year, around one-fifth of the global population takes part in this cherished tradition.

In the Hungarian capital of Budapest, the streets of Chinatown bustled with a two-day Spring Festival celebration. Visitors took part in dumpling-making, calligraphy workshops and lantern crafting.

Saudi Arabia recently hosted a one-of-a-kind Spring Festival Market at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh, which buzzed with energy during its two-day run.

In Tanorn village, 60 km south of Phnom Penh, Cambodian villagers participated in a poverty alleviation project with aid from China. The celebration featured red lanterns and couplets.

The Spring Festival celebrates joy, harmony and family unity, ideals all humanity shares. The holiday resonates profoundly across the globe, bringing warmth and happiness to people from various cultural backgrounds.

"I also think it's very important for the new year to be elevated to a very high level," said Max Baucus, former U.S. ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017, "because I think people around the world are very interested."

People pose for photos with a dragon dance team in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, at the Chinatown of San Francisco, the United States, Jan. 29, 2025. (Photo by Andrea Chen/Xinhua)

Serving as a precious bond connecting the hearts of the Chinese people with those of the world, the festival fosters mutual appreciation and understanding, cementing it as a truly global celebration.

"The Lunar New Year marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which is associated with characteristics like wisdom, caution and strategy, and signifies transformation and growth," said Miguel Angel Moratinos, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.

"With the numerous challenges the world is facing, the spirit embodied by the Lunar New Year offers us a beacon of hope and positivity," Moratinos said.

The global popularity of the Spring Festival also represents a testament to the appeal of China's "story of success." Over the past few decades, China's remarkable economic growth and social development have made it the world's second-largest economy. People around the world are eager to explore China's rich culture and seek to understand the core values behind its success.

The Spring Festival brightly showcases Chinese philosophy and values, providing insight into the nation's shared vision.

"Culture helps to create lasting connections, foster tolerance and build bridges across divides. When we share each other's traditions, we celebrate both our similarities and our differences," said David Andre, secretary general of Seychelles National Institute for Culture, Heritage and the Arts, highlighting the importance of cultural exchanges.

Noting that the celebration of the Spring Festival organized in her home country is more than just a festivity, Habeeba Mohamed, a fellow student from Suez Canal University, said, "It is a bridge connecting our two peoples ... such events are really important in fostering a deeper understanding and friendship between the two nations."

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 29, 2025 shows people visiting the Fenghuang ancient town in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo by Zhou Xiuyuchun/Xinhua)

SPIRITUAL WEALTH SHARED GLOBALLY

China's vision of building a community with a shared future for humankind aligns closely with the spirit of the Spring Festival. This concept focuses on the future and destiny of all humanity and advocates for building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and shared prosperity.

The introduction of the Global Security Initiative, the Global Development Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative aligns with the theme of peace and development in today's world and the aspirations of people of all countries for unity and common progress. It demonstrates China's commitment to promoting harmony among all nations.

Just like the warmth conveyed during the Spring Festival greetings, these values showcase China's role as a responsible major country on the international stage. They allow the world to truly experience the inclusive, friendly and win-win values embodied in Chinese culture.

In today's world, where complexities and challenges abound, fostering mutual respect and understanding among civilizations and cultures is essential to dispelling misunderstandings and bridging differences.

The Spring Festival is not only a cherished emblem of Chinese culture but also a shared spiritual treasure for people worldwide.

Amid the fusion of diverse traditions, humanity unites in the universal pursuit of harmony, joy and a better life. By celebrating the Spring Festival, the world bears witness to the inclusiveness and profound wisdom of Chinese civilization while envisioning an ever-more connected, vibrant and promising future.

"The snake symbolizes wisdom, resilience, and renewal. In the strained times, let us be guided by these qualities and renew our commitment to peace, equality, and justice," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"I thank China and the Chinese people for your steadfast support of the United Nations, multilateralism and global cooperation. Let us embrace new beginnings with hope and determination to create a better future for all," Guterres said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
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In this episode, psychiatrist Chika Oriuwa discusses her KevinMD article, How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis. She also reflects on her book Unlike the Rest: A Doctors Story, sharing an emotionally charged encounter with a patient in crisis. Chika explores the challenges of racial bias in psychiatry and the power of empathy in rebuilding trust. She provides actionable strategies for health care providers to foster rapport, ensure equitable treatment, and advocate for systemic change.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today, we welcome Chika Oriuwa. She is a psychiatry resident, and were going to talk about her book. Its titled, Unlike the Rest: A Doctors Story. There is an excerpt from that book on KevinMD titled, How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis. Chika, welcome to the show.

Chika Oriuwa: Thank you so much for having me. Its an honor to be here.

Kevin Pho: So lets start by briefly sharing your story and journey.

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. So, I am currently a psychiatry resident on my maternity leave and soon to be returning back to my residency. But a little bit about my backstory.

So, I attended medical school at the University of Toronto and Im currently also doing my residency there. I kind of rose to public consciousness, I guess you can say, when I was doing a lot of advocacy work in my medical school. I was the only Black medical student in my class of 259 starting in 2016 at U of T.

And I really became quite a vocal advocate for improving and enhancing equity in medical admissions and medical education. And that kind of spun into this entire realm of advocacy and public speaking for me, where I now have the opportunity to venture into different industries and sectors and talk not only about leadership, but also about the importance of authenticity and really how to bring the best out of every team and organization that we have the opportunity to lead.

Kevin Pho: All right, so 2016 was nine years ago, and has the needle been moved when it comes to diversity and equity in the medical education setting?

Chika Oriuwa: I would say that, overarchingly, I would say yes, but I also think its very case specific, and also, with a little caveat, that weve come so far, but there is still so much more to do.

I can speak to, specifically, the environment at the University of Toronto where what it looks like now versus what it looked like nine years ago when I started medical school is vastly different. They have made remarkable strides to improve the equity within the admission system but also within the actual medical education.

When I started medical school, there werent a lot of opportunities to have discourse around the diversity amongst health care professionals and how that can really create a different filter or a different lens as to how we engage with medical education. Now, I know that U of T has a Black health theme lead.

They have really built it into the curriculum and into the institution such that there is much more support for students who are from historically marginalized groups. And then, of course, they also have the Black Student Application Program, which has significantly changed the entire culture of the medical environment, but also, overarchingly, has improved the quality of medical education provided to all medical students.

Kevin Pho: All right, well, lets talk about your book, from which there is an excerpt on KevinMD. That excerpt is titled, How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis. So for those of you who didnt get a chance to read that excerpt, tell us about that particular story.

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. So, this story is a fictionalized story because, of course, due to patient confidentiality, I cant use the exact situation that occurred.

But in this fictionalized rendition of what happened, there is a patient who comes into the psychiatry department, and this patient is of Nigerian ancestry. They also present with their younger son. It is a Nigerian male who comes in exhibiting symptoms of psychosis. This individual and their son are both quite concerned about the quality of the care and the treatment that this patient is going to receive.

Of course, being a psychiatry resident in this circumstance, we are taught how to deal with patients who are exhibiting psychosis and agitation, but theres this particular overlay when it comes to the racial dynamics at play. We know that certain individuals, such as Black men, are more likely to receive, for example, sedating medications within the psych emergency department because of some racial biases that might be at play. They are also more likely to be involuntarily held within psychiatric institutions, experiencing differential treatment.

So this really played into the dynamic with this patient and his son, who was there partially not necessarily as a caregiver, but certainly to provide support. Being able to be cognizant of the ways in which a patients fears and concerns can subconsciously affect how they are presenting was something that was really important for me to flesh out in this, because the patient and his sonparticularly the sonwanted to drive home the point that, although his father might appear to be psychotic, unwell, agitated, and more of a danger than he actually was, he wanted to ensure that his father was receiving the same kind of care everyone else would.

That is where I was really able to pick up on the racial nuances at play. Of course, being a Black physician myself, I was able to decode some of that language and ensure that the patient and his son felt adequately supported with their needs in that particular environmentand really ensure that trust was baked into that patient encounter.

Kevin Pho: You mentioned being cognizant of these biases is definitely key to addressing them. Sometimes during the encounter, especially in the psych emergency department, a lot is going ontheres a lot of pressure, a lot of stress. Talk specifically about how we can be more cognizant. What are some specific questions one must ask themselves in order to be cognizant of these biases and at least be aware of them? So, what would that look like?

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. I think that when it comes to the work that physicians and health care workers need to do, a lot of that occurs outside of the hospital. A lot of that occurs with actually being able to build our empathetic muscles, our compassionate ability to mentalize what it is that a patient might be going throughspecifically within psychiatry. We have a formulation, right? Thats how we approach many patient encounters. When were formulating a patient, we have to ensure that were integrating that psychological and social component, but were also looking at it through the lens of racialization. How is it that this persons race and their experiences with race might be affecting their mental and physical health?

A lot of that comes down to educating ourselves outside of the clinical environment, particularly because, when we are inside of the clinical environmentand as you mentioned, psychiatry and psychiatric interventions or encounters can be quite stressfulit might be that, in that stressful environment, you dont access what it is you intellectually know, and you instead default to a subconscious bias.

It is important that youre doing the work outside of the clinical encounter so that when you are within the clinical encounter, you can draw upon your knowledge and understanding of how someones racial experience or nuance might be at play. Thats far easier to do if someone has spent that time educating themselves outside of the clinical encounter.

Kevin Pho: Lets go back to that hypothetical scenario you mentioned. In an ideal circumstance, where the clinicians have undergone that training, how would that encounter look to prevent something like a biased approach or unnecessary sedation? What would an ideal encounter look like?

Chika Oriuwa: Say, for example, in that moment, it would behoove the physician to also check in with themselves because if you recognize that maybe your heart is racing, or youre feeling as though there is more of a threat than there might actually be, you would check in with yourself and ask, OK, what is at play here? What subconscious biases might be at play here? Then also recognize and extend that same compassion back to the patient by realizing that they might feel scared or threatened, and label thatactually give language to what is transpiring there, letting the patient know, I can see that youre feeling scared. Can you let me know what is leading you to feel more scared? Do you not feel safe in this environment? How can I ensure you feel safer in this environment?

So its really taking that opportunity to put language to what might be unsaid in that space but that can directly affect patient care. Once you do that, youre much better able to deescalate these encounters without adding unnecessary interventions. Maybe it is such that the person might benefit from taking a little bit of Ativan, or maybe they would benefit from an admission, but at least now you know that youve ruled out some of the things that might be affecting your clinical decision making that are subconscious to you.

Kevin Pho: Now, youre in the midst of training. Is that type of education happening where you are?

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. I think that at the University of Toronto Department of Psychiatry, I definitely have received this kind of trainingespecially in my first year, the first month of residency. There was a lot of emphasis on talking about these kinds of issues within my program. So I absolutely believe that Ive received adequate education on this. Of course, theres always room to improve and enhance, and I dont want to take away from that, but I do think that the University of Toronto is doing an exemplary job thus far.

Kevin Pho: This excerpt is from your book. Its titled, Unlike the Rest: A Doctors Story. Tell us more about the book and the events that led you to write it in the first place.

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. This book, I often say, is a story of oneits my particular storybut its a tale for all, one that I think everyone will be able to identify with in certain elements. By the time they close the book, they may feel that they have seen themselves reflected in some way. So it does discuss my experiences being a Black medical studentbeing the only Black medical student at the University of Toronto from 2016 to 2020but it really explores many different themes.

It talks about the formation of a physician and what it takes for us to actually go through medical school. There are interstitials that dive into the anecdotal experience of patient encounters that really have to do with my own formation as a physician. So I think it gives a lot of insight into the development of becoming a doctor that many books or memoirs might not necessarily dive into, because a lot of these memoirs talk about what its like to be a doctor rather than the path to getting there.

It also ties into my own personal experiencemy cultural experiences as a second-generation Nigerian Canadian womanand it talks about my experiences with mental health and disordered eating and how that affected the lead-up to medical school and the initial years of medical school. There are a lot of different topics and themes sprinkled throughout, such that I believe any reader who picks it up will see a bit of themselves reflected in the story.

Kevin Pho: Talk briefly about some of the challenges and obstacles that you faced as the only Black medical student at the University of Toronto. How you overcame those challenges, and how it influences you now as a physician.

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. I would say that throughout medical school, I encountered a variation of micro and macro aggressions. That came from patients, sometimes from attendings, from peers, from individuals in the public who heard my storybecause I did a lot of public-facing advocacyand they felt the need to extend vitriol back to me in the form of racism for the work I was doing.

I remember my very first day of medical school, being asked by one of my peers whether they made it easier for me to get in because I was the only Black studentwhether I required a lower GPA. So I really had to confront this imposter syndrome that was compounded by being a Black woman in medicine and explicitly having my capacity and intelligence questioned, and my merit in earning that spot.

That really evolved throughout the years in terms of the different kinds of racial traumas and slights I experienced. Some were more of the microaggression fashion, as I mentionedpatients repeatedly asking me if I was Canadian, if I was born here, if I trained here, whether I was used to Canadian wintersand others were more explicit, like people online who said I didnt deserve to be a doctor, that they would never let me treat them or their children, that I should be kept away from every hospital because Black doctors arent smart. Some thought I had ulterior motives for trying to champion equity within medical admissions.

So there has been a tapestry of racial insults and harms that Ive had to grapple with throughout medical school. But I consider myself incredibly fortunate that Ive created this community of support around me that includes family, friends, mentors, and lots of therapywhich I think is a central component to mitigate some of that trauma. I recognized that I couldnt do it alone, nor should I. Doing that work within myself has allowed me to emerge back into my role as a doctor feeling confident, self-assured, and resilient against some of these forces that try to bar me from this career, which has been my dream since I was three years old. It is a life calling.

Kevin Pho: At the beginning of medical school, some of your classmates literally questioned why you were there and questioned your merit. What exactly would that conversation look like?

Chika Oriuwa: Right, so I actually detail this conversation in the book as well, where I say that I was standing in line waiting to get my med school backpack, and someone came up to me. After some pleasantries, they just very bluntly asked, Did they make it easier for you to get in here? Did they have to lower the criteria in any way? I notice youre the only Black student. Was there a separate stream? Was it easier for you?

I immediately remember this flash of indignation within me and embarrassment, as it was said in front of a group of people. I had to say, No, I had to meet the same criteria, same GPA, same MCAT scores, rattling through my resume of why I deserved my spot in medical school. The person was just like, OK, and moved on. But it planted a seed of doubt in my own capacity, and also fear around what other people were thinkingif they thought I wasnt smart enough, if this person felt so emboldened, what were others thinking? Then I placed these unrealistic standards of perfection on myself, so that if anyone questioned whether I was smart enough to be there, I could show them my transcripts, show them my grades, proving I deserved to be there.

I talk about the mental health fallout that came from placing that standard on myself and how unfair it was for me to be in that position. But it was definitely a very poignant momenta microcosm of what was to come in the ensuing four-plus years.

Kevin Pho: Do you have any piece of advice for people who are in your shoes todayBlack medical students who might be undergoing these microaggressions? What advice do you have for them?

Chika Oriuwa: I would say, first and foremost, recognize the power of your voice and use it, even if its a whisper and even if it shakes. Its also incredibly important to have this unshakable understanding of exactly who you are. There are different ways to arrive at that understanding. For me, it was through therapyof course, Im biased because Im in psychiatry, but I think everyone can benefit from it.

Having that internal understanding that you are the author of your own life storythat you define yourself before anyone else can define youand holding firm in that, so you can boldly and unapologetically occupy powerful spaces. Medicine is a powerful space, and every time you show up authentically, boldly, and proudly in the skin youre born in, fully aware of your capabilities, it not only liberates you, it enhances you. You become a better, more compassionate doctor, and it preserves and protects the sanctity of your mental and physical health. Thats the advice Id give to Black medical students.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Chika Oriuwa. Shes a psychiatry resident. Her KevinMD article is How a psychiatrist rebuilt trust with a patient in crisis, and thats an excerpt from her book, Unlike the Rest: A Doctors Story. Chika, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Chika Oriuwa: Absolutely. The first message is to unapologetically occupy powerful spaces. The second message is to lead with authenticity and compassion. And the third key message is to educate yourself to build that empathetic muscle so you can be a more compassionate and astute health care provider.

Kevin Pho: Chika, thank you so much for sharing your story, time, and insight. And thanks again for coming on the show.

Chika Oriuwa: Thank you so much for having me.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 on Saturday, saying the Centre will focus on boosting the spending power of the middle class taxpayers.

She added that the Budget will focus on inclusive development and private investment. The government has announced measures to help the poor, the youth, women and farmers.

#WATCH | "No Income Tax payable up to an income of Rs 12 Lakh. Slabs and rates being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers," announces FM Nirmala Sitharaman.



She further says, "...I propose to revise tax rate structures as follows: 0 to Rs 4 Lakhs - nil, Rs 4 Lakhs pic.twitter.com/fs29THlzxO  ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025

Read FULL TEXT of Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget 2025-26 speech below:

Honble Speaker,

I present the Budget for 2025-26.

Introduction

This Budget continues our Governments efforts to: accelerate growth, secure inclusive development, invigorate private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance spending power of Indias rising middle class. Together, we embark on a journey to unlock our nations tremendous potential for greater prosperity and global positioning under the leadership of Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. As we complete the first quarter of the 21st century, continuing geopolitical headwinds suggest lower global economic growth over the medium term. However, our aspiration for a Viksit Bharat inspires us, and the transformative work we have done during our Governments first two terms guides us, to march forward resolutely.

Budget Theme

Our economy is the fastest-growing among all major global economies. Our development track record of the past 10 years and structural reforms have drawn global attention. Confidence in Indias capability and potential has only grown in this period. We see the next five years as a unique opportunity to realise Sabka Vikas, stimulating balanced growth of all regions.

The great Telugu poet and playwright Gurajada Appa Rao had said, Desamante Matti Kaadoi, Desamante Manushuloi; meaning, A country is not just its soil, a country is its people. In line with this, for us, Viksit Bharat, encompasses: zero-poverty; hundred per cent good quality school education; access to high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive healthcare; hundred per cent skilled labour with meaningful employment; seventy per cent women in economic activities; and farmers making our country the food basket of the world. In this Budget, the proposed development measures span ten broad areas focusing on Garib, Youth, Annadata and Nari.

Spurring Agricultural Growth and Productivity; Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience; Taking Everyone Together on an Inclusive Growth path; Boosting Manufacturing and Furthering Make in India; Supporting MSMEs; Enabling Employment-led Development; Investing in people, economy and innovation; Securing Energy Supplies; Promoting Exports; and Nurturing Innovation.

For this journey of development, Our four powerful engines are: Agriculture, MSME, Investment, and Exports The fuel: our Reforms Our guiding spirit: Inclusivity And the destination: Viksit Bharat This Budget aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains. During the next five years, these will augment our growth potential and global competitiveness. The domains are:

Taxation; Power Sector; Urban Development; Mining; Financial Sector; and Regulatory Reforms.

Agriculture as the 1st Engine

Now I move to specific proposals, beginning with Agriculture as the 1st Engine.

Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana - Developing Agri Districts Programme

Motivated by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, our Government will undertake a Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in partnership with states. Through the convergence of existing schemes and specialized measures, the programme will cover 100 districts with low productivity, moderate crop intensity and below-average credit parameters. It aims to (1) enhance agricultural productivity, (2) adopt crop diversification and sustainable agriculture practices, (3) augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block level, (4) improve irrigation facilities, and (5) facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit. This programme is likely to help 1.7 crore farmers.

Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience

A comprehensive multi-sectoral Rural Prosperity and Resilience programme will be launched in partnership with states. This will address under- employment in agriculture through skilling, investment, technology, and invigorating the rural economy. The goal is to generate ample opportunities in rural areas so that migration is an option, but not a necessity. The programme will focus on rural women, young farmers, rural youth, marginal and small farmers, and landless families. Global and domestic best practices will be incorporated and appropriate technical and financial assistance will be sought from multilateral development banks. In Phase-1, 100 developing agri-districts will be covered.

Aatmanirbharta in Pulses

Our Government is implementing the National Mission for Edible Oilseed for achieving atmanirbhrata in edible oils. Our farmers have the capability to grow enough for our needs and more. Ten years ago, we made concerted efforts and succeeded in achieving near self-sufficiency in pulses. Farmers responded to the need by increasing the cultivated area by 50 per cent and Government arranged for procurement and remunerative prices. Since then, with rising incomes and better affordability, our consumption of pulses has increased significantly. Our Government will now launch a 6-year Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with a special focus on Tur, Urad and Masoor. Details are in Annexure B. Central agencies (NAFED and NCCF) will be ready to procure these 3 pulses, as much as offered during the next 4 years from farmers who register with these agencies and enter into agreements.

Comprehensive Programme for Vegetables & Fruits

It is encouraging that our people are increasingly becoming aware of their nutritional needs. It is a sign of a society becoming healthier. With rising income levels, the consumption of vegetables, fruits and shree-anna is increasing significantly. A comprehensive programme to promote production, efficient supplies, processing, and remunerative prices for farmers will be launched in partnership with states. Appropriate institutional mechanisms for implementation and participation of farmer producer organizations and cooperatives will be set up.

Makhana Board in Bihar

For this, there is a special opportunity for the people of Bihar. A Makhana Board will be established in the state to improve production, processing, value addition, and marketing of makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organized into FPOs. The Board will provide handholding and training support to makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant Government schemes.

National Mission on High Yielding Seeds

A National Mission on High Yielding Seeds will be launched, aimed at (1) strengthening the research ecosystem, (2) targeted development and propagation of seeds with high yield, pest resistance and climate resilience, and (3) commercial availability of more than 100 seed varieties released since July 2024.

Fisheries

India ranks second-largest globally in fish production and aquaculture. Seafood exports are valued at Rs 60 thousand crore. To unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector, our Government will bring in an enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries from Indian Exclusive Economic Zone and High Seas, with a special focus on the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.

Mission for Cotton Productivity

For the benefit of lakhs of cotton growing farmers, I am pleased to announce a Mission for Cotton Productivity. This 5-year mission will facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple cotton varieties. The best of science & technology support will be provided to farmers. Aligned with our integrated 5F vision for the textile sector, this will help in increasing incomes of the farmers, and ensure a steady supply of quality cotton for rejuvenating Indias traditional textile sector.

Enhanced Credit through KCC

Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) facilitate short term loans for 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers. The loan limit under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme will be enhanced from Rs 3 lakh to 5 lakh for loans taken through the KCC.

Urea Plant in Assam

For Atmanirbharta in urea production, our Government had reopened three dormant urea plants in the Eastern region. To further augment urea supply, a plant with annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons will be set up at Namrup, Assam.

India Post as a Catalyst for the Rural Economy

India Post with 1.5 lakh rural post offices, complemented by the India Post Payment Bank and a vast network of 2.4 lakh Dak Sevaks, will be repositioned to act as a catalyst for the rural economy. Details are at Annexure C.

India Post will also be transformed as a large public logistics organization. This will meet the rising needs of Viswakarmas, new entrepreneurs, women, self-help groups, MSMEs, and large business organizations.

Support to NCDC

Our Government will provide support to NCDC for its lending operations for the cooperative sector.

MSMEs as the 2nd engine

Now, I move to MSMEs as the 2nd engine, which encompasses manufacturing and services with a focus on MSMEs numbering 5.7 crore.

Revision in classification criteria for MSMEs

Currently, over 1 crore registered MSMEs, employing 7.5 crore people, and generating 36 per cent of our manufacturing, have come together to position India as a global manufacturing hub. With their quality products, these MSMEs are responsible for 45 per cent of our exports. To help them achieve higher efficiencies of scale, technological upgradation and better access to capital, the investment and turnover limits for classification of all MSMEs will be enhanced to 2.5 and 2 times respectively. This will give them the confidence to grow and generate employment for our youth. The details are in Annexure D.

Significant enhancement of credit availability with guarantee cover

To improve access to credit, the credit guarantee cover will be enhanced: For Micro and Small Enterprises, from Rs 5 crore to 10 crore, leading to additional credit of Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the next 5 years; For Startups, from 10 crore to 20 crore, with the guarantee fee being moderated to 1 per cent for loans in 27 focus sectors important for Atmanirbhar Bharat; and For well-run exporter MSMEs, for term loans up to Rs 20 crore.

Credit Cards for Micro Enterprises

We will introduce customized Credit Cards with a Rs 5 lakh limit for micro enterprises registered on Udyam portal. In the first year, 10 lakh such cards will be issued.

Fund of Funds for Startups

The Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs) for startups have received commitments of more than Rs 91,000 crore. These are supported by the Fund of Funds set up with a Government contribution of Rs 10,000 crore. Now, a new Fund of Funds, with expanded scope and a fresh contribution of another Rs 10,000 crore will be set up.

Scheme for First-time Entrepreneurs

A new scheme will be launched for 5 lakh women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes first-time entrepreneurs. This will provide term loans up to Rs 2 crore during the next 5 years. The scheme will incorporate lessons from the successful Stand-Up India scheme. Online capacity building for entrepreneurship and managerial skills will also be organized.

Measures for Labour-Intensive Sectors

To promote employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in labour-intensive sectors, our Government will undertake specific policy and facilitation measures.

Focus Product Scheme for Footwear & Leather Sectors

To enhance the productivity, quality and competitiveness of Indias footwear and leather sector, a focus product scheme will be implemented. The scheme will support design capacity, component manufacturing, and machinery required for production of non-leather quality footwear, besides the support for leather footwear and products. The scheme is expected to facilitate employment for 22 lakh persons, generate turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore and exports of over Rs 1.1 lakh crore.

Measures for the Toy Sector

Building on the National Action Plan for Toys, we will implement a scheme to make India a global hub for toys. The scheme will focus on development of clusters, skills, and a manufacturing ecosystem that will create high-quality, unique, innovative, and sustainable toys that will represent the 'Made in India' brand.

Support for Food Processing

In line with our commitment towards Purvodaya, we will establish a National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar. The institute will provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region. This will result in (1) enhanced income for the farmers through value addition to their produce, and (2) skilling, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for the youth.

Manufacturing Mission - Furthering Make in India

Our Government will set up a National Manufacturing Mission covering small, medium and large industries for furthering Make in India by providing policy support, execution roadmaps, governance and monitoring framework for central ministries and states. Details are in Annexure E.

Clean Tech Manufacturing

Given our commitment to climate-friendly development, the Mission will also support Clean Tech manufacturing. This will aim to improve domestic value addition and build our ecosystem for solar PV cells, EV batteries, motors and controllers, electrolyzers, wind turbines, very high voltage transmission equipment and grid scale batteries.

Investment as the 3rd engine

Now, I move to Investment as the 3rd engine, which encompasses investing in people, investing in the economy and investing in innovation.

Investing in People

Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

The Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme provides nutritional support to more than 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant women and lactating mothers all over the country, and about 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the north-east region. The cost norms for the nutritional support will be enhanced appropriately.

Atal Tinkering Labs

Fifty thousand Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in Government schools in next 5 years to cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation, and foster a scientific temper among young minds.

Broadband Connectivity to Government Secondary Schools and PHCs

Broadband connectivity will be provided to all Government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the Bharatnet project.

Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme

We propose to implement a Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme to provide digital-form Indian language books for school and higher education. This aims to help students understand their subjects better.

National Centres of Excellence for Skilling

Building on the initiative announced in the July 2024 Budget, five National Centres of Excellence for skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships to equip our youth with the skills required for Make for India, Make for the World manufacturing. The partnerships will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews.

Expansion of Capacity in IITs

Total number of students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the 5 IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT, Patna will also be expanded.

Centre of Excellence in AI for Education

I had announced three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities in 2023. Now a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore.

Expansion of medical education

Our Government has added almost 1.1 lakh UG and PG medical education seats in ten years, an increase of 130 per cent. In the next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals, towards the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next 5 years.

Day Care Cancer Centres in all District Hospitals

Our Government will facilitate setting up of Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals in the next 3 years. 200 Centres will be established in 2025-26.







Strengthening urban livelihoods

Our Government has been giving priority to assisting urban poor and vulnerable groups. A scheme for socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented to help them improve their incomes, have sustainable livelihoods and a better quality of life.

PM SVANidhi

PM SVANidhi scheme has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans. Building on this success, the scheme will be revamped with enhanced loans from banks, UPI linked credit cards with Rs 30,000 limit, and capacity building support.

Social Security Scheme for Welfare of Online Platform Workers

Gig workers of online platforms provide great dynamism to the new- age services economy. Recognising their contribution, our Government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig-workers.

Investing in the Economy

Public Private Partnership in Infrastructure

Each infrastructure-related ministry will come up with a 3-year pipeline of projects that can be implemented in PPP mode. States will also be encouraged to do so and can seek support from the IIPDF (India Infrastructure Project Development Fund) scheme to prepare PPP proposals.

Support to States for Infrastructure

An outlay of Rs 1.5 lakh crore is proposed for the 50-year interest free loans to states for capital expenditure and incentives for reforms.

Asset Monetization Plan 2025-30

Building on the success of the first Asset Monetization Plan announced in 2021, the second Plan for 2025-30 will be launched to plough back capital of

Rs 10 lakh crore in new projects. Regulatory and fiscal measures will be fine- tuned to support the Plan.

Jal Jeevan Mission

Since 2019, 15 crore households representing 80 per cent of Indias

rural population have been provided access to potable tap water connections.







To achieve 100 per cent coverage, I am pleased to announce the extension of the Mission until 2028 with an enhanced total outlay.

The Missions focus will be on the quality of infrastructure and O&M of rural piped water supply schemes through Jan Bhagidhari. Separate MoUs will be signed with states/UTs, to ensure sustainability and citizen-centric water service delivery.

Urban Sector Reforms

Building on the July Budget proposals, urban sector reforms related to governance, municipal services, urban land, and planning will be incentivized.

Urban Challenge Fund

The Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for Cities as Growth Hubs, Creative Redevelopment of Cities and Water and Sanitation announced in the July Budget. This fund will finance up to 25 per cent of the cost of bankable projects with a stipulation that at least 50 per cent of the cost is funded from bonds, bank loans, and PPPs. An allocation of Rs 10,000 crore is proposed for 2025-26.

Power Sector Reforms

We will incentivize electricity distribution reforms and augmentation of intra-state transmission capacity by states. This will improve financial health and capacity of electricity companies. Additional borrowing of 0.5 per cent of GSDP will be allowed to states, contingent on these reforms.

Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat

Development of at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for our energy transition efforts. For an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act will be taken up. A Nuclear Energy Mission for research & development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore will be set up. At least 5 indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalized by 2033.







Shipbuilding

The Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy will be revamped to address cost disadvantages. This will also include Credit Notes for shipbreaking in Indian yards to promote the circular economy. Large ships above a specified size will be included in the infrastructure harmonized master list (HML). Shipbuilding Clusters will be facilitated to increase the range, categories and capacity of ships. This will include additional infrastructure facilities, skilling and technology to develop the entire ecosystem.

Maritime Development Fund

For long-term financing for the maritime industry, a Maritime Development Fund with a corpus of Rs 25,000 crore will be set up. This will be for distributed support and promoting competition. This will have up to 49 per cent contribution by the Government, and the balance will be mobilized from ports and private sector.

UDAN - Regional Connectivity Scheme

UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes. Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts.

Greenfield Airport in Bihar

Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the State. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta.

Western Koshi Canal Project in Mithilanchal

Financial support will be provided for the Western Koshi Canal ERM Project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.







Mining Sector Reforms

Mining sector reforms, including those for minor minerals, will be encouraged through sharing of best practices and institution of a State Mining Index. A policy for recovery of critical minerals from tailings will be brought out.

SWAMIH Fund 2

Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) fifty thousand dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another forty thousand units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings. Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contribution from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of Rs 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh units.

PM Gati Shakti Data for Private Sector

For furthering PPPs and assisting the private sector in project planning, access to relevant data and maps from the PM Gati Shakti portal will be provided.

Tourism for employment-led growth

Top 50 tourist destination sites in the country will be developed in partnership with states through a challenge mode. Land for building key infrastructure will have to be provided by states. Hotels in those destinations will be included in the infrastructure HML. The following measures will be taken for facilitating employment-led growth:

Organizing intensive skill-development programmes for our youth including in Institutes of Hospitality Management; Providing MUDRA loans for homestays; Improving ease of travel and connectivity to tourist destinations;







Providing performance-linked incentives to states for effective destination management including tourist amenities, cleanliness, and marketing efforts; and Introducing streamlined e-visa facilities along with visa-fee waivers for certain tourist groups.

Continuing with the emphasis on places of spiritual and religious significance in the July Budget, there will be a special focus on destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha.

Medical Tourism and Heal in India

Medical Tourism and Heal in India will be promoted in partnership with the private sector along with capacity building and easier visa norms.

Investing in Innovation Research, Development and Innovation

To implement private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation initiative announced in the July Budget, I am now allocating

Rs 20,000 crore.

Deep Tech Fund of Funds

A Deep Tech Fund of Funds will also be explored to catalyze the next generation startups as a part of this initiative.

PM Research Fellowship

In the next five years, under the PM Research Fellowship scheme, we will provide ten thousand fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc with enhanced financial support.

Gene Bank for Crops Germplasm

The 2nd Gene Bank with 10 lakh germplasm lines will be set up for future food and nutritional security. This will provide conservation support to both public and private sectors for genetic resources.

National Geospatial Mission

We will start a National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects.







Gyan Bharatam Mission

A Gyan Bharatam Mission for survey, documentation and conservation of our manuscript heritage with academic institutions, museums, libraries and private collectors will be undertaken to cover more than 1 crore manuscripts. We will set up a National Digital Repository of Indian knowledge systems for knowledge sharing. Now, I move to Exports as the 4th engine.

Exports as the 4th engine Export Promotion Mission

We will set up an Export Promotion Mission, with sectoral and ministerial targets, driven jointly by the Ministries of Commerce, MSME, and Finance. It will facilitate easy access to export credit, cross-border factoring support, and support to MSMEs to tackle non-tariff measures in overseas markets.

BharatTradeNet

A digital public infrastructure, BharatTradeNet (BTN) for international trade will be set-up as a unified platform for trade documentation and financing solutions. This will complement the Unified Logistics Interface Platform. The BTN will be aligned with international practices.

Support for integration with Global Supply Chains

Support will be provided to develop domestic manufacturing capacities for our economys integration with global supply chains. Sectors will be identified based on objective criteria. Facilitation groups with participation of senior officers and industry representatives will be formed for select products and supply chains. Through this, there are huge opportunities related to Industry 4.0, which needs high skills and talent. Our youth have both. Our Government will support the domestic electronic equipment industry to leverage this opportunity for the benefit of the youth.

National Framework for GCC

A national framework will be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities. This will suggest







measures for enhancing availability of talent and infrastructure, building- byelaw reforms, and mechanisms for collaboration with industry.

Warehousing facility for air cargo

Our Government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will be streamlined and made user- friendly.

Reforms as the Fuel

Now I move to Reforms as the Fuel, and detail specific reforms.

Tax Reforms

Over the past 10 years, our Government has implemented several reforms for convenience of tax payers, such as (1) faceless assessment, (2) tax payers charter, (3) faster returns, (4) almost 99 per cent returns being on self- assessment, and (5) Vivad se Vishwas scheme. Continuing these efforts, I reaffirm the commitment of the tax department to trust first, scrutinize later. I also propose to introduce the new income-tax bill next week. I will detail the indirect tax reforms and changes in direct taxes in Part B.

Financial Sector Reforms and Development FDI in Insurance Sector

The FDI limit for the insurance sector will be raised from 74 to 100 per cent. This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified.

Expanding Services of India Post Payment Bank

The services of India Post Payment Bank will be deepened and expanded in rural areas.

Credit Enhancement Facility by NaBFID

NaBFID will set up a Partial Credit Enhancement Facility for corporate

bonds for infrastructure.

Grameen Credit Score

Public Sector Banks will develop Grameen Credit Score framework to

serve the credit needs of SHG members and people in rural areas.







Pension Sector

A forum for regulatory coordination and development of pension products will be set up.

KYC Simplification

To implement the earlier announcement on simplifying the KYC process, the revamped Central KYC Registry will be rolled out in 2025. We will also implement a streamlined system for periodic updating.

Merger of Companies

Requirements and procedures for speedy approval of company mergers will be rationalized. The scope for fast-track mergers will also be widened and the process made simpler.

Bilateral Investment Treaties

As proposed in the Interim Budget, we signed Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT) with two countries in 2024. To encourage sustained foreign investment and in the spirit of first develop India, the current model BIT will be revamped and made more investor-friendly.

Regulatory Reforms

In the last ten years in several aspects, including financial and non- financial, our Government has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to Ease of Doing Business. We are determined to ensure that our regulations must keep up with technological innovations and global policy developments. A light-touch regulatory framework based on principles and trust will unleash productivity and employment. Through this framework, we will update regulations that were made under old laws. To develop this modern, flexible, people-friendly, and trust-based regulatory framework appropriate for the twenty-first century, I propose four specific measures:

High Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms

A High-Level Committee for Regulatory Reforms will be set up for a review of all non-financial sector regulations, certifications, licenses, and permissions. The committee will be expected make recommendations within a







year. The objective is to strengthen trust-based economic governance and take transformational measures to enhance ease of doing business, especially in matters of inspections and compliances. States will be encouraged to join in this endeavour.

Investment Friendliness Index of States

An Investment Friendliness Index of States will be launched in 2025 to further the spirit of competitive cooperative federalism.

FSDC Mechanism

Under the Financial Stability and Development Council, a mechanism will be set up to evaluate impact of the current financial regulations and subsidiary instructions. It will also formulate a framework to enhance their responsiveness and development of the financial sector.

Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0

In the Jan Vishwas Act 2023, more than 180 legal provisions were decriminalized. Our Government will now bring up the Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalize more than 100 provisions in various laws.

Fiscal Policy

Now I move to fiscal policy matters.

Fiscal Consolidation

In the July Budget, I had committed to staying the course for fiscal consolidation. Our endeavour will be to keep the fiscal deficit each year such that the Central Government debt remains on a declining path as a percentage of the GDP. The roadmap for the next 6 years has been detailed in the FRBM statement.

Revised Estimates 2024-25

The Revised Estimate of the total receipts other than borrowings is

Rs 31.47 lakh crore, of which the net tax receipts are Rs 25.57 lakh crore. The Revised Estimate of the total expenditure is Rs 47.16 lakh crore, of which the capital expenditure is about Rs 10.18 lakh crore.

The Revised Estimate of the fiscal deficit is 4.8 per cent of GDP.







Budget Estimates 2025-26

Coming to 2025-26, the total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at Rs 34.96 lakh crore and Rs 50.65 lakh crore respectively. The net tax receipts are estimated at Rs 28.37 lakh crore. The fiscal deficit is estimated to be 4.4 per cent of GDP. To finance the fiscal deficit, the net market borrowings from dated securities are estimated at Rs 11.54 lakh crore. The balance financing is expected to come from small savings and other sources. The gross market borrowings are estimated at Rs 14.82 lakh crore.

I will now move to Part B.

PART B

Indirect Taxes

My proposals relating to Customs aim to rationalize tariff structure and address duty inversion. These will also support domestic manufacturing and value addition, promote exports, facilitate trade and provide relief to common people.

Rationalisation of Customs Tariff Structure for Industrial Goods

As a part of comprehensive review of Customs rate structure announced in July 2024 Budget, I propose to:

remove seven tariff rates. This is over and above the seven tariff rates removed in 2023-24 budget. After this, there will be only eight remaining tariff rates including zero rate. apply appropriate cess to broadly maintain effective duty incidence except on a few items, where such incidence will reduce marginally. levy not more than one cess or surcharge. Therefore, I propose to exempt Social Welfare Surcharge on 82 tariff lines that are subject to a cess.

I shall now take up sector specific proposals.

Relief on import of Drugs/Medicines

To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases, I propose to add 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD). I also propose to add 6 lifesaving medicines to the list attracting concessional customs duty of 5%. Full exemption and concessional duty will also respectively apply on the bulk drugs for manufacture of the above. Specified drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes run by pharmaceutical companies are fully exempt from BCD, provided the medicines are supplied free of cost to patients. I propose to add 37 more medicines along with 13 new patient assistance programmes.







Support to Domestic Manufacturing and Value addition Critical Minerals

In the July 2024 Budget, I had fully exempted BCD on 25 critical minerals that are not domestically available. I had also reduced BCD of 2 other such minerals to provide a major fillip to their processing especially by MSMEs. Now, I propose to fully exempt cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals. This will help secure their availability for manufacturing in India and promote more jobs for our youth.

Textiles

To promote domestic production of technical textile products such as agro-textiles, medical textiles and geo textiles at competitive prices, I propose to add two more types of shuttle-less looms to the list of fully exempted textile machinery. I also propose to revise the BCD rate on knitted fabrics covered by nine tariff lines from 10% or 20% to 20% or Rs 115 per kg, whichever is higher.

Electronic Goods

In line with our Make in India policy, and to rectify inverted duty structure, I propose to increase the BCD on Interactive Flat Panel Display (IFPD) from 10% to 20% and reduce the BCD to 5% on Open Cell and other components. In 2023 -24 Budget, for the manufacture of Open Cells of LCD/LED TVs, I had reduced the BCD on parts of Open Cells from 5% to 2.5% . To further boost the manufacture of such Open Cells, the BCD on these parts will now stand exempted.

Lithium Ion Battery

To the list of exempted capital goods, I propose to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing. This will boost domestic manufacture of lithium-ion battery, both for mobile phones and electric vehicles.

Shipping Sector

Considering that shipbuilding has a long gestation period, I propose to continue the exemption of BCD on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships for another ten years. I also propose the same dispensation for ship breaking to make it more competitive.







Telecommunication

To prevent classification disputes, I propose to reduce the BCD from 20% to 10% on Carrier Grade ethernet switches to make it at par with Non- Carrier Grade ethernet switches.

Export Promotion Handicraft Goods

To facilitate exports of handicrafts, I propose to extend the time period for export from six months to one year, further extendable by another three months, if required. I also propose to add nine items to the list of duty-free inputs.

Leather sector

I propose to fully exempt BCD on Wet Blue leather to facilitate imports for domestic value addition and employment. I also propose to exempt crust leather from 20% export duty to facilitate exports by small tanners.

Marine products

To enhance India's competitiveness in the global seafood market, I propose to reduce BCD from 30% to 5% on Frozen Fish Paste (Surimi) for manufacture and export of its analogue products. I also propose to reduce BCD from 15% to 5% on fish hydrolysate for manufacture of fish and shrimp feeds.

Domestic MROs for Railway Goods

In July 2024 Budget, to promote development of domestic MROs for aircraft and ships, I had extended the time limit for export of foreign origin goods that were imported for repairs, from 6 months to one year and further extendable by one year. I now propose to extend the same dispensation for railway goods.













Trade facilitation

Time limit for Provisional Assessment

Presently, the Customs Act, 1962 does not provide any time limit to finalize Provisional Assessments leading to uncertainty and cost to trade. As a measure of promoting ease of doing business, I propose to fix a time-limit of two years, extendable by a year, for finalising the provisional assessment.

Voluntary Compliance

I propose to introduce a new provision that will enable importers or exporters, after clearance of goods, to voluntarily declare material facts and pay duty with interest but without penalty. This will incentivise voluntary compliance. However, this will not apply in cases where department has already initiated audit or investigation proceedings.

Extended Time for End Use

For industry to better plan their imports, I propose to extend the time limit for the end-use of imported inputs in the relevant rules, from six months to one year. This will provide operational flexibility in view of cost and uncertainty of supply. Further, such importers will now have to file only quarterly statements instead of a monthly statement.







Direct Taxes

I now come to my Direct tax proposals.

In Part A, I have briefly underlined Taxation Reforms as one of key reforms to realize our vision of Viksit Bharat. In respect of criminal law, Our Government had earlier ushered in Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replacing Bharatiya Danda Sanhita. I am happy to inform this August House and the country that the new income-tax bill will carry forward the same spirit of Nyaya. The new bill will be clear and direct in text with close to half of the present law, in terms of both chapters and words. It will be simple to understand for taxpayers and tax administration, leading to tax certainty and reduced litigation. Reforms, however, are not a destination. They are a means to achieve good governance for our people and economy. Providing good governance primarily involves being responsive. The Thirukkural captures this in Verse 542, which reads:

       .

vaanokki vaalum ulakellaam mannavan koalnokki vaalung kuti

Meaning:

Just as living beings live expecting rains, Citizens live expecting good governance.







Our Government is committed to keeping an ear to the ground and a finger on the pulse, and responding while balancing our nation-building efforts. The following measures will detail just how our Government under the guidance of PM Modi has taken steps to understand and address the needs voiced by our citizens. My tax proposals are guided by this spirit.

The objectives of my proposals are as follows:

Personal Income Tax reforms with special focus on middle class Rationalization of TDS/TCS for easing difficulties Encouraging voluntary compliance Reducing compliance burden Ease of doing business Employment and investment

I will come to my proposal on personal income tax towards the end.

TDS/TCS rationalization for easing difficulties

I propose to rationalize Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) by reducing the number of rates and thresholds above which TDS is deducted. Further, threshold amounts for tax deduction will be increased for better clarity and uniformity. The limit for tax deduction on interest for senior citizens is being doubled from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Similarly, the annual limit of Rs

2.40 lakh for TDS on rent is being increased to Rs 6 lakh. This will reduce the number of transactions liable to TDS, thus benefitting small tax payers receiving small payments.

The threshold to collect tax at source (TCS) on remittances under RBIs Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) is proposed to be increased from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. I also propose to remove TCS on remittances for education purposes, where such remittance is out of a loan taken from a specified financial institution. Both TDS and TCS are being applied on any transaction relating to sale of goods. To prevent such compliance difficulties, I propose to omit the TCS. I also propose that the provisions of the higher TDS deduction will now apply only in non-PAN cases.







In July 2024, the delay for payment of TDS up to the due date of filing statement was decriminalized. I propose to provide the same relaxation to TCS provisions as well.

Encouraging Voluntary Compliance

The Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi believes in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas. In line with this, we brought in updated return facility in 2022 for voluntary compliance by taxpayers who had omitted to report their correct income. Our trust in taxpayers was proved right. Nearly 90 lakh taxpayers voluntarily updated their incomes by paying additional tax. Taking this trust further, I now propose to extend the time-limit to file updated returns for any assessment year, from the current limit of two years, to four years.

Reducing Compliance Burden

I propose to reduce the compliance burden for small charitable trusts/institutions by increasing their period of registration from 5 years to 10 years. It is also proposed that disproportionate consequences do not arise for minor defaults, such as incomplete applications filed by charitable entities. Presently tax-payers can claim the annual value of self-occupied properties as nil only on the fulfilment of certain conditions. Considering the difficulties faced by taxpayers, it is proposed to allow the benefit of two such self-occupied properties without any condition.

Ease of Doing Business

To streamline the process of transfer pricing and to provide an alternative to yearly examination, I propose to introduce a scheme for determining arm's length price of international transaction for a block period of three years. This will be in line with global best practices. With a view to reduce litigation and provide certainty in international taxation, the scope of safe harbour rules is being expanded. A number of senior and very senior citizens have very old National Savings Scheme accounts. As interest is no longer payable on such accounts, I propose to exempt withdrawals made from NSS by individuals on or after the 29th of August, 2024. I am also proposing to allow similar treatment to NPS Vatsalya accounts as is available to normal NPS accounts, subject to overall limits.







In my speech in July 2024, I had promised that all processes including giving effect to appellate orders shall be digitalized and made paper-less over the next two years. I am happy to announce that digitalization is being made operational. In July 2024, we brought in the Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme to resolve income tax disputes pending in appeal. The scheme has received a great response, with nearly 33,000 tax payers having availed of this scheme to settle their disputes.

Employment and Investment

I have a few proposals to promote investment and employment.

Tax certainty for electronics manufacturing Schemes

It is proposed to provide a presumptive taxation regime for non- residents who provide services to a resident company that is establishing or operating an electronics manufacturing facility. I further propose to introduce a safe harbour for tax certainty for non-residents who store components for supply to specified electronics manufacturing units.

Tonnage Tax Scheme for Inland Vessels

Presently the tonnage tax scheme is available to only sea going ships. The benefits of existing tonnage tax scheme are proposed to be extended to inland vessels registered under the Indian Vessels Act, 2021 to promote inland water transport in the country.

Extension for incorporation of Start-Ups

We continue to support the Indian start-up eco-system. I propose to extend the period of incorporation by 5 years to allow the benefit available to start-ups which are incorporated before 1.4.2030.

International Financial Services Centre (IFSC)

In order to attract and promote additional activities in the IFSC, I am inter alia proposing specific benefits to ship-leasing units, insurance offices and treasury centres of global companies which are set up in IFSC. Further, to claim benefits, the cut-off date for commencement in IFSC has also been extended by five years to 31.3.2030.

Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs)

Category I and category II AIFs are undertaking investments in infrastructure and other such sectors. I propose to provide certainty of taxation to these entities on the gains from securities.

Extension of investment date for Sovereign and Pension Funds

To promote funding from Sovereign Wealth Funds and Pension Funds to the infrastructure sector, I propose to extend the date of making an investment by five more years, to 31st March, 2030.

Personal Income- tax Reforms with special focus on middle class

Democracy, Demography and Demand are the key support pillars in our journey towards Viksit Bharat. The middle class provides strength for Indias growth. This Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi has always believed in the admirable energy and ability of the middle class in nation building. In recognition of their contribution, we have periodically reduced their tax burden. Right after 2014, the Nil tax slab was raised to

Rs 2.5 lakh, which was further raised to Rs 5 lakh in 2019 and to Rs 7 lakh in 2023. This is reflective of our Governments trust on the middle-class tax payers. I am now happy to announce that there will be no income tax payable upto income of Rs 12 lakh (i.e. average income of Rs 1 lakh per month other than special rate income such as capital gains) under the new regime. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried tax payers, due to standard deduction of Rs 75,000.

Slabs and rates are being changed across the board to benefit all tax- payers. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment. In the new tax regime, I propose to revise tax rate structure as follows:







0-4 lakh rupees Nil 4-8 lakh rupees 5 per cent 8-12 lakh rupees 10 per cent 12-16 lakh rupees 15 per cent 16-20 lakh rupees 20 per cent 20- 24 lakh rupees 25 per cent Above 24 lakh rupees 30 per cent







To tax payers upto Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them. The total tax benefit of slab rate changes and rebate at different income levels can be illustrated with examples. A tax payer in the new regime with an income of Rs 12 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 80,000 in tax (which is 100% of tax payable as per existing rates). A person having income of Rs 18 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 70,000 in tax (30% of tax payable as per existing rates). A person with an income of Rs 25 lakh gets a benefit of Rs 1,10,000 (25% of his tax payable as per existing rates). Details of my tax proposals are given in the Annexure. As a result of these proposals, revenue of about Rs 1 lakh crore in direct taxes and Rs 2600 crore in indirect taxes will be forgone.

Mr. Speaker Sir, with this, I commend the budget to this august House. Jai Hind.
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has been allocated a budget of Rs 4,056 crorehiked from the previous years revised estimate of Rs. 3,721 crore.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the budget, emphasised the importance of clean-tech manufacturing for climate-friendly development. In a move towards climate-resilient agriculture, the minister also laid special focus on the national mission for high-yielding seeds for the development of crops adaptable to sensitive climates. Over a hundred similar climate-proof seeds were released in July 2024, Sitharaman remarked.

Additionally, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)focused on providing safe and adequate drinking waterhas been assigned Rs 67 thousand crores. The programme has been extended till 2028 for 100 per cent coverage.

Renewable energy solutions take the front seat in budgetary distributions with Rs 1,500 crore dedicated to solar power (grid) projects. The Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme is another programme allotted for farmers welfare.

Recently launched Mission Mausam saw a hike with Rs 1,329 crore allocated in FY 25-26 compared to Rs 671 crore in FY 23-24. The mission aims at improving the countrys weather forecasting and management, along with building a climate-smart India.

Allocation estimates for PM E-bus Sewa and PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme shot up as compared to last years revised estimate. PM E-DRIVE aims to incentivise over 14 thousand e-buses across nine major cities with a population exceeding 4 million.

To further environmental governance, the establishment of central environmental bureaussuch as the National Green Tribunal, Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Botanical Survey of India and regional officeswill see a capital expenditure of Rs. 136 crore.

Custom charges on waste and scrap of critical minerals such as cobalt and tungsten, and lithium-ion batteries have been eliminated.

A total of Rs 126.09 crore was spent in FY 2023-24 for remediation and waste disposal works related to the Bhopal Gas leak disaster. However, for FY 2025-26, the government has proposed a provision of Rs 20.85 crore for ex-gratia payment to the victims and for salary to Bhopal Welfare Commission staff.
The final Budget session of the Parliament on February 1 began in shouts and a walkout by the opposition. In one of the shorter Budget presentations of recent times, Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive Union Budget on Saturday, tabling it after it was approved by the union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Union Budget 2025 in the Parliament, proposing the following tax slabs and rates: Below Rs 4 lakh: Nil Rs 4-5 lakh: 5 per cent Rs 8-12 lakh: 10 per cent Rs 12-16 lakh: 15 per cent Rs 16-20 lakh: 20 per cent Rs 20-24 lakh: 25 per cent Above Rs 24 lakh: 30 per cent



New income-tax bill to be introduced in the coming week; new bill to be direct in text with close to half of the present law.

The Budget set the fiscal deficit for FY2025 at 4.8 per cent, and estimated the fiscal deficit for FY2026 at 4.4 per cent.

The finance minister, in her Budget address, announced basic customs duty exemption in full for 36 live savings drugs and medicines.

Sitharaman introduces "Investment as the third engine" angle: investing in people, investing in economy, and investing in innovation.

Revamping the PM SVANidhi scheme for street vendors to enhance loans from banks and to provide UPI-linked credit cards with a Rs 30,000 limit.

Social security scheme introduced for online platform workers. Registration in the e-Shram portal to be done and identity cards to be issued to service at least one crore workers under PM-JAY.

Renewed push for public-private partnership in infrastructure projects. Outlay of Rs 1.5 lakh crore proposed for 50-year interest-free loan to states for capex and incentives for reforms in PPP infrastructure projects.

Second asset monetisation plan from 2015 to 2030 to plough back Rs 10 lakh crore in new projects. Regulatory and fiscal measures to be fine-tuned to support the plan.

Additional infrastructure to be set up in five IITs started after 2014 to add 6,500 more students; 10,000 additional seats to be added to medical colleges and hospitals in the upcoming year.
Even as the opposition Congress called for an end to 'cruel attempts to throttle the MNREGA job guarantee scheme,' the Union Budget 2025 has left the outlay unchanged at 86,000 crore rupees.

The scheme, once a prominent fixture of union budgets during the UPA days, did not even find a mention in the finance ministers speech in Parliament. However, while talking to the media in the evening, Nirmala Sitharaman defended the decision to not increase funds for MNREGA, despite the fact that funds allocated for the present financial year have already peaked.

It is a demand-driven programme, Sitharaman pooh-poohed hints of any step-motherly treatment to Congresss pet project.

If as a result of demand from a state, the revised estimate shows (an increased demand), (then we will) increase it, the minister said, clarifying that there was no requirement as such for the budget to give an increased figure.

Every year, after the crop season, we will take a call, she said.

MNREGA, or the National Rural Employment Scheme offers 100 days of guaranteed work and wages in rural areas. It was pushed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi who is said to have been influenced by economist and Planning Commission member Jean Dreze, and was enacted through a Right to Work bill in Parliament in 2005 when Manmohan Singh was prime minister.

The World Bank has called it a stellar example of rural development and is often attributed to the significant reduction of Indians below the poverty line since then.
With assembly elections in Bihar scheduled for October-November later this year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has delivered a strong message to the state, where the JD(U)-BJP alliance is currently in power.



The support of the Janata Dal (United) was instrumental in the formation of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre, with parties such as Nitish Kumars JD(U), Chirag Paswans LJP (RV), and Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustan Awam Morcha lending their backing.

Sitharaman announced several key projects for the state, including the development of greenfield airports, the establishment of a new food technology institute, the creation of a board for the development of fox nuts (makhana), and the expansion of the Indian Institute of Technology in Patna.

In a symbolic gesture, Sitharaman wore a white sari adorned with Madhubani paintings featuring fish, a symbol of prosperity and abundance. The sari, crafted by 2021 Padma awardee Dulari Devi, a member of the fisherfolk community in the Mithilanchal region, was presented to her during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute.

Among the state-specific announcements, the establishment of a Makhana Board stands out. Bihar, the largest producer of fox nuts, will benefit from this initiative, as these seeds, known for their high nutritional value, are a significant export commodity.

Another major announcement was the setting up of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar. This institute aims to equip students with skills tailored to the growing demands of the food industry.

As the state had witnessed widespread student protests demanding jobs and better access to education, Sitharaman announced the expansion of the prestigious IIT Patna.

Despite having more seats in the state assembly, the Bharatiya Janata Party has supported JD(U)s Nitish Kumar as the chief minister. However, the BJP is eyeing a larger share of seats in the upcoming elections, with hopes of staking a claim for the chief ministers post, as seen in Maharashtra, where Shiv Senas Eknath Shinde stepped down in favour of BJPs Devendra Fadnavis due to the BJPs numerical advantage.

To meet Bihars future infrastructure needs, Sitharaman announced the development of greenfield airports, complementing the ongoing expansion of Patna Airport. She also unveiled the Western Kosi Canal Project, which is expected to benefit farmers across 50,000 hectares in the Mithilanchal region.
The ministry of defence, on Saturday, noted that the defence sector has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past decade, evolving from a largely import-dependent military force to one increasingly focused on self-reliance and indigenous production.

As one of the strongest military powers globally, India holds a pivotal role in ensuring regional security and fulfilling strategic goals, the ministry pointed out.

The statements from the ministry defence budget saw a major increase in allocation from Rs 2,53,346 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 6,21,940.85 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 6,81,210 crore for the current financial year.

The ministry acknowledged that the defence manufacturing industry played a pivotal role in the transformation journey of the sector, aided by 'Make in India' initiative and policy reforms.

The government has actively promoted domestic production and reduced reliance on foreign procurement, the ministry said and added that this shift has been a key component of Indias broader vision of achieving self-reliance in the sector.

READ MORE: Union budget 2025: Govt pumps Rs 6.81 lakh crore to supercharge India's military might

Such initiatives have positioned India as an emerging hub for the production of advanced military technologies and equipment, the ministry noted.

Defence production saw a phenomenal increase of nearly 174 per cent from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24. The country aims to reach Rs 3 lakh crore in defence production by 2029.

There has been a significant increase in defence exports too, from Rs 1,941 crore in the financial year (FY) 2014-15 to Rs 21,083 crore in FY 2023-24.

Driven by government policy reforms, ease of doing business initiatives, and a push for self-reliance, India now exports to over 100 nations, with the top three destinations for exports in 2023-24 being the USA, France, and Armenia.

India seeks to achieve the target of increasing defence exports to Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.

"Indias defence sector has made unprecedented strides over the past decade, driven by a strong policy push towards self-reliance and domestic manufacturing," the ministry said, adding that the rise in defence production and exports underscores the countrys growing capability as a global defence manufacturing hub.

By leveraging innovation, strategic partnerships, and indigenous capabilities, India is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in the future of global defence manufacturing and security, it added.
Directed and written by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, the Marathi film Sabar Bonda has bagged the top honour at the celebrated Sundance Film Festival. The film won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic, according to an announcement on the film festivals official Instagram page.

The jury for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, which included journalist and film critic Ava Cahen, filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu, and Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya, lauded the film and called it the great modern love story. In their citation, they shared: To say its an honour to award this tender film is an understatement. We cried, we laughed, and we wished to be loved in the same way. It is exactly what the world needs right now. This authentic point of view opens the door to an intimate language we all understand. We feel the humming heartbeat of the main characters inner life, and when it bursts, it wraps us with its sweetness.

Sabar Bonda was the only Indian film nominated at this years festival. Last year, Shuchi Talatis Girls Will Be Girls received the same honour, with lead actress Preeti Panigrahi earning the Special Jury Award for Acting.

ALSO READ | Girls Will Be Girls review: A bold coming-of-age tale that's poignant, layered and effective

The film follows the story of Anand, a thirty-year-old from the city, who has returned to his village hometown following the death of his father. While observing a 10-day mourning period, he reconnects with his childhood friend Balya, as they explore their underlying romantic feeling for each other.

The film, a co-production between India, Canada and the United Kingdom, stars Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman, and Jayshri Jagtap.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday allocated Rs 99, 858.56 crore in the Budget 2025-2026 for the health sector. The key attractions for the health included the government's announcement of setting up daycare cancer centres at all district hospitals over the next three years.

In the fiscal year 2025-26, around 200 of these cancer centres would be set up.

Among other announcements in the sector included addition of 10,000 seats in medical colleges next year towards the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next five years.

In a relief to those suffering from rare diseases, cancer and chronic diseases, the government has fully exempted 36 lifesaving drugs from the basic customs duty. In the case of imported drugs, government had earlier cut customs duty on Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab from 10 per cent to zero.

Also, there is a reason for the gig workers to cheer as the finance minister announce that they will be provided healthcare facilities under PM Jan Aarogya Yojana (PM-JAY) that would benefit nearly 1 crore such workers.

Inorder to promote health tourism, 'Heal in India' campaign will be promoted by roping up the private sector.

Bugetory allocation for the AYUSH ministry has also been increased to Rs 3,992.90 crore, recording a 14.15 per cent rise compared to the earlier figure.

Also, the allocation for the National Health Mission has been increased Rs 36,000.00 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 37,226.92 crore in the current budget. The National Tele Mental Health Programme was allotted 79.60 crore while the National Digital Health Mission has been earmarked Rs 340.11 crore from Rs 225 crore in the 2024-25 fiscal.
Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, during the presentation of the Union Budget, spoke about the establishment of daycare cancer centres and this was lauded by both, doctors and healthcare experts. They said that this move was a much-needed one, as chemotherapy for cancer cannot be administered at home because of the potential risks associated with handling potent medications, the need for close monitoring of side effects, and the risk of accidental exposure to other household members.

"The rising burden of cancer and other life-threatening conditions makes this years budget a significant step toward improving patient access to critical treatments," said Ankush Kapoor, CEO and Founder of PharmNXT Biotech.

Additionally, in her budget speech, the minister also announced the full exemption on 36 lifesaving drugs from basic Customs Duty (BCD) under the Patient Assistance Program and a further concessional 5% duty to six additional medicines as a means to substantially lower treatment costs and enhance affordability.

Health in #Budget2025:



Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman announces full customs duty exemption on 36 lifesaving medicines & a concessional 5% duty on others, ensuring affordable treatment for patients in need.#ViksitBharatBudget2025#HealthForAll pic.twitter.com/6xEKyLDjFA  Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) February 1, 2025

With approximately 70 million people affected by rare diseases, 80% of which are genetic, this is a welcome move, say experts.

Further, the government announced an increased budget allocation for the Department of Biotechnology, rising from Rs 2,460.13 crore in 2024 to Rs 3,446.64 crore in 2025, an almost 40% increase. The budget also announced the allocation of Rs 20,000 crore for private-sector research, which can be leveraged by the pharmaceutical and biopharma sectors to enable drug discovery and localized manufacturing.

Budget 2025 also spoke about the Heal in India initiative, which helps in simplifying visa procedures for medical tourists, which comes as a timely priority, say experts.

This cross-border flow of patients and healers will expand the market and create more proficient healthcare workers. India's Life sciences sector, including the Biotech and Medtech sectors, has received a Rs 20,000 crore allocation for private-sector-driven R&D, along with the proposed Deep Tech Fund of Funds.

"This strategic investment is expected to accelerate cutting-edge research, translational medicine, and breakthrough discoveries, strengthens Indias position as a global hub for life sciences R&D. The emphasis on deep tech and innovation-driven enterprises will facilitate greater collaboration between academia and industry, creating an ecosystem conducive to high-value research and technology commercialisation," Vishal Goel, MD, Rx Propellant.

The Budget also focuses on strengthening the medical infrastructure so as to make healthcare more accessible to everyone. Adding 75,000 medical seats in the next five years has been announced, along with enhancing broadband connectivity in primary healthcare centres so as to ensure quality healthcare delivery to the last mile in India.

"The government is enhancing its inclusive growth agenda through the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 program, aimed at boosting nutritional support for over nine crore beneficiaries, including children, pregnant women and adolescent girls in key regions. This initiative not only promises improved health outcomes but also aims to strengthen the foundation for future generations, addressing health disparities across the country," said Abrarali Dalal, Managing Director and CEO, Sahyadri Hospitals.
Health sector experts have hailed the budget for provisions made for health infrastructure and access; expansion of medical seats; the Heal in India initiative; affordability and access to life-saving medication; and healthcare innovation.

One standout announcement is the addition of 10,000 additional medical seats. As is the inclusion of gig workers in the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme said Saurabh Bothra, CEO, Habuild.

Health in #Budget2025:



Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman announces full customs duty exemption on 36 lifesaving medicines & a concessional 5% duty on others, ensuring affordable treatment for patients in need.#ViksitBharatBudget2025#HealthForAll pic.twitter.com/6xEKyLDjFA  Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) February 1, 2025

The governments greater attention to cancer is also a welcome step, say experts. The establishment of 100 district-level cancer treatment centres aims to improve accessibility to critical cancer care services across the country.

Behram Khodaiji, CEO, Ruby Hall Clinic (Pune) said, that the move would decentralise cancer care and make it more accessible, with an emphasis on ensuring these centres are equipped with advanced technology and skilled professionals.

Reny Varghese, COO, Zynova Shalby Hospital (Mumbai) commended the streamlining of medical visa processes which would position India as a global destination for medical care.

While, Dr Anil Krishna, Medicover Hospitals (Hyderabad) said the move would solidify Indias status as a top healthcare destination.

Custom duty exemption on vital cancer medications (e.g., Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib) is a positive step toward making essential medications more affordable for cancer patients, according to radiologist Dr Sunita Dube (Mumbai).

Dr Sudhir Srivastava, Founder & CEO, SS Innovations lauded the broader plan to add 75,000 medical seats over the next five years as it would be crucial to addressing the demand for healthcare professionals, especially in underserved regions.

This would also improve the doctor-patient ratio and nip the growing healthcare workforce gap, said Dr H. Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals.

The provision of broadband connectivity to secondary schools and primary health centres under the BharatNet project will enable remote consultations and telesurgery, improving healthcare delivery in rural areas.

Joy Chakraborty, COO, P.D. Hinduja Hospital said that under the 'Heal in India' initiative, healthcare providers must create specialised operational models to cater to international patients while maintaining high standards for domestic care.

Abrarali Dalal, MD & CEO, Sahyadri Hospitals (Pune) said that the initiative aligned with Indias growing infrastructure and talent pool for medical care.

The Rs 500 crore allocation for AI development centres for education and healthcare is regarded as a forward-thinking investment in the technological future of healthcare. Additionally, the Rs 1.5 lakh crore allocated for infrastructure under the national infrastructure mission is expected to benefit healthcare facilities and financing.

Increased funding for the National Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY is expected to strengthen the universal healthcare system. Additionally, FDI limits in the insurance sector have been raised to 100%, creating new opportunities for healthcare financing and coverage expansion.
An internal probe has been ordered against Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Yadav over his controversial remarks during a function organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad on court premises in December last year. Retired Justice Hrishikesh Roy said Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has initiated a probe against Judge Yadav for his remarks.



In an interview with Bar and Bench, former Supreme Court Justice Hrishikesh Roy said as per procedure, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna has initiated an in-house inquiry against the Allahabad High Court judge over his controversial remarks. Justice Roy was part of the Supreme Court collegium until his retirement in January. The former SC justice said the controversial judge was ready to tender an apology, however, the inquiry was ordered after the latter failed to do so.

Justice Roy said Judge Yadav offered to apologise to the collegium, however, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna demanded a public apology. He then assured them that he would tender a public apology. However, he apparently had a change of heart and refused to do so. Since the apology never came through, the CJI has started an in-house inquiry, Justice Roy told Bar and Bench.

In private, he (Judge Yadav) said he was ready to apologise to all 5 of us (Collegium judges). He was ready then and there. But he was told that the apology in a closed room would not do, that he must do it in a public forum. When he left, he agreed to do so, but eventually, it did not happen," Justice Roy told Bar & Bench. The retired justice said CJI ordered the probe after the apology did not happen.

Judge Yadav appeared before the Collegium on December 17. Attending an event organised by the legal cell of Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the high court premises, Justice Yadav allegedly said India will function as per the wishes of the majority community. He added, I vow that this country will surely enact a uniform law, and it will happen very soon.

Opposition members in Rajya Sabha had moved an impeachment motion against the judge for his remarks. Over 50 opposition MPs signed the motion seeking the removal of Judge Yadav.
The concerns around illegal immigration from porous borders, especially into northeastern states like Manipur last year, have drawn attention to the need to build border infrastructure to boost the efforts of border guarding forces like the Assam Rifles, ITBP or BSF. The Union budget has allocated Rs 2,33,210 crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs, out of which a large chunk has gone to border infrastructure and connectivity, construction of borer outposts and police infrastructure for paramilitary forces.

Funds for border infrastructure and management have been increased from Rs 3069.75 crore last year to Rs 5597.25 crore this year. This holds the key to implementing the security measures being undertaken by the home ministry, like the stopping of the free movement regime, towards securing its porous Indo-Myanmar border, which demands greater attention given the tough border terrain and the evolving security threats owing to the instability in Myanmar. Lack of border outposts, poor connectivity, and lack of infrastructure for the security personnel on the ground can pose huge challenges in porous border stretches. The allocation for the maintenance of border outposts has also increased from Rs 275.18 crore to Rs 359.32 crore this year.

The government has also increased the allocation of funds to the CRPF which has played a crucial role during unrest in different parts of the country, assisting states in law and order, besides smooth conduct of elections in Jammu and Kashmir and other states and Union territories. The CRPF has been allocated Rs 35147.17 crore as compared to Rs 34328. 61 crore last year. While the allocation for the Border Security Force, which guards the International Border with Pakistan, has also gone up from Rs 27895.73 to Rs 28231.27, the focus has been the strengthening of the Jammu and Kashmir police in this budget.

The home ministry is paying special attention to building the capacity of the police in Jammu and Kashmir, which is now part of the Union Territories following the abrogation of special status, with an aim to decrease the dependency on the central armed forces. While efforts are afoot to ramp up the Special Operations Group of J&K police, assistance from the central government is a welcome step for the local police to stand on its feet for counter-insurgency operations as well as law and order duties. The allocation for the J&K police has been increased from Rs 8665.94 crore to Rs 9325.73 crore. At the same time, the continued threat on the Indo-China border has also drawn the attention towards the ITBP which has got Rs 10370.08 crore against Rs 9861.14 crore last year. The ITBP is in the process of augmenting its technological capacity to increase surveillance on the tough border stretches.
After the three new criminal lawsBharatiya Nyay Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyamcame into force on July 1, 2024, the Union home ministry has ramped up its efforts to make the criminal justice system in sync with its vision of reforms that can bring speed, transparency and accountability.

The Union budget reflects the focus by allocating more funds for forensic science capacity building, controlling cybercrime, and boosting the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems to make criminal databases available across police stations and speedy delivery of justice. The focus is also on modernisation of prisonsan issue that has generated international attention especially after India made attempts to deport accused in money laundering cases prompting some of them like Nirav Modi and Christian Michael to appeal in courts citing poor jail conditions in India.

Upgradation of Central Forensic Science Laboratories, including setting up of National Forensic Data Centre and modernisation of forensic capabilities has got a major boost of Rs 80 crore from Rs 9.67 crore last year. Similarly, the National Forensic Infrastructure Enhancement Scheme has got an increased outlay from nearly Rs 44 crore to Rs 250 crore while Rs 500 crore has been set aside for modernisation of forensic capabilities against Rs 150 crore last year.

The focus is also on DNA centres and research to augment the capacity of the law enforcement agencies in investigating cases making it more scientific, and in turn professional, by allocating funds to the tune of approximately Rs 95 crore against Rs 78 crore last year. This covers administrative expenditure on the Directorate of Forensic Science and Central Forensic Science Laboratories. The provision is also for the modernization of Central Forensic Science Laboratories with emphasis on human resources development and Research and Development Schemes, and the establishment of Regional Forensic Laboratories and DNA Centres.

At the same time, a robust criminal justice system demands not only speedy investigations but also speedy trials and protecting he rights of prisoners as well. The MHA has allocated Rs 5 crore against Rs 1 crore last year for support of poor prisoners in jails. At the same time, the inter-operable justice system (ICJS), which aims to become a national platform for police, e-courts, e-forensic labs, e-prosecution and e-prisons has got an increased outlay of Rs 300.20 crore from Rs 123.10 crore. The proper implementation of the new laws and investigation based on scientific methods are the focus areas for Home Minister Amit Shah who is taking stock of the necessary infrastructure being created within the next five years. The home ministry has conveyed to police forces that the aim is not just to improve the quality of evidence, but to improve conviction rates while safeguarding the rights of both the victim and accused.
Narcotics control and women's safety have got a special focus in the budget allocation of the Union home ministry, spelling the need for urgent measures on both counts.

The problem of drug abuse isnt limited to big cities but has percolated down to smaller towns with youth becoming the target, as the country is used as a supply, demand and transit destination for drug smugglers and peddlers. With India emerging as a massive market and the Narcotics Control Bureau pegging the number of addicts at nearly 10 crore, more focus is being given to drug control measures.

The budgetary allocation for narcotics control has risen from Rs 5 crore to Rs 13 crore with the MHA laying focus on states building their own capacity as well to boost the efforts. However, given the growing threat and the extent of the problem, both the Centre and the states need to step up their efforts to yield results on the ground.

Government officials said newer methods of drug manufacturing, besides several cities being used as transit routes, are a concern leading to an increase in consumption patterns. For example, precursors made in India are used in Mexico to treat the cocaine which comes out of Colombia and Mexico. At the same time, a large part of the smuggled opium from the growing fields in states like Rajasthan was getting processed into brown sugar, heroin and cocaine and smuggled into neighbouring Punjab, travelling up to Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Maharashtra where consumption is high.

At the same time, cross-border threats from drug routes opening into Punjab from Pakistan and from China, Myanmar into northeastern states have been a pressing concern.

Meanwhile, the Union budget has also focussed on safety measures for women, increasing the budget allocation from Rs 374.75 crore to Rs 960.12 crore. The outlay for Nirbhaya fund has increased from Rs 180 crore to Rs 200 crore. The focus is also on women's helplines, setting up of special help desks in police stations and the Safe Cities Project which is part of MHAs efforts to improve safety measures for women after the 2012 Nirbhaya case.
Vaanokki vaazhum ulagellaam mannavan kolnokki vaazhum kudi - a couplet from Thirukkural marked the beginning of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamans direct tax proposals in the budget speech on Saturday in the parliament.

This is the 542nd couplet from Thirukkural, which loosely translates to - citizens expect good governance like live beings expect rains. The couplet from the Sengonmai (right sceptre) chapter from Thirukkural written by Poet Thiruvalluvar captures the need for good governance, righteousness and how people look up to the king for justice.

This is the eighth time Sitharaman has presented the budget in the parliament. Every time she has chosen to quote Thirukkural or quotes from any other Tamil literary verses like Purananuru.

In fact, Thirukkural is not new in any budget speech for the people who hail from the Tamil land. Former union minister P. Chidambaram always quoted the couplets at either the beginning or the end of his budget speech and it had always found a place in every budget speech on the floor of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Sitharaman too is no exception. Quotes from classical literature, Tamil Sangam era literature, and quotes from philosophers and poets have always added strength to every budget speech.

In 2019, in her maiden budget speech, Sitharaman quoted verses from Purananuru.

Kaai nel aruthu kavalang kolinae... arivudai vendhan neriyarindhu kolinae... parivuthaba edukkum pindam nachchin... yaanai pukka pulam pola, thamum unnaan ulagamum kedumae. Meaning: A few mounds of rice from paddy that is harvested from a small piece of land would suffice for an elephant. But what if the elephant itself enters the field and starts eating? What it eats would be far less than what it would trample over.

She quoted these verses which were sung by the Sangam era king Arivudai Nambi only to say that a king who goes by the rule of law and governs the kingdom will ensure that the country flourishes.

And in 2020 during her budget speech, she quoted from Thirukkural and also the verses sung by celebrated Tamil poet Avvaiyar.

From Thirukkural she quoted the couplet Piniyinmai selvam vilaivinpam emam aniyenpa naattiv vaindhu, meaning-- a countrys five jewels are unfailing health, farm productivity, joy, good defence and wealth.

From Avvaiyars Aathichoodi, she quoted saying Bhumi tiruthi unn meaning one must first till ones land and then eat. These quotes were at the time when the country was grappling to come out of the Covid infections and health hazards.

In 2021, however, it was again about the ruler and governance. She quotes yet another couplet from Thirukkural this time from the chapter Iraimaatchi (greatness of the king). The 385th couplet Iyatralum eetalum kaathalum kaatha vaguthalum vallaththu arasu translates to - A good king is one who is able to acquire wealth, guard it and distribute it justly.

Again this was to hail the leader and the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 2024, in her budget speech, she gave a miss to the couplets. This time the 542nd couplet seems to have been carefully quoted to say that the government always obliges to the moral teachings and the cultural ethos.

Apparently, the quote from Thirukkural was to say that the Modi government is committed to the welfare of the people and it had its ears to the ground. And Sitharaman quoting the 542nd couplet at the beginning of direct tax proposals, clearly ensured that it covered the economic shortfalls of the budget, the shortcomings in taxation, the struggles faced by the people due to heavy taxation.

Sitharaman had of course strategically used the couplets to make the point that the king was ruling the country with honesty and direct taxes would not affect the people of India.
The United States is preparing to send dedicated chartered deportation flights with Indians who were staying illegally, back to the country soon. The move is being seen as part of efforts to showcase President Donald Trumps determination to fix what he calls halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels and restore national sovereignty.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to make his first visit to US to meet Trump soonthe visit is expected mid-Februaryfor both sides optics is as important as the agenda and substantive outcomes. Which is why the issue of deportation flights to India is becoming a sensitive subject, government officials confess, given its potential to impact the optics. From the Indian perspective, the paramount requirement is to ensure that those individuals being deported are Indian nationals beyond doubt, while for the Trump administration, it is the responsibility of each nation to take back their citizens who are illegally present in the US in a serious and expeditious manner.

Sources indicated that the lack of a national database, inability to access Aadhaar due to Supreme Court ruling on privacy and bureaucratic procedures that involve the ministries of external affairs, home affairs and State Police have the potential to hinder the expeditious processing of requests from the US government to accept deportation flights, a situation that can potentially become an irritant in the bilateral relations.

The process to ascertain the nationality of the Indians to be deported is done through an online system called Nationality Status Verification Portal in which Indian Embassies upload the personal details of the individuals sought to be deported by foreign governments. Those details are then shared by MEA with the concerned state police authorities to confirm the nationality of the individual. After confirmation by the state police, the MEA informs the Embassy which issues Emergency Certificates to the concerned local authorities handling deportations.

Sources said the challenge comes when US authorities provide sketchy details or usually when deportees seek legal recourse in US through immigration attorneys by filing repeated petitions before courts to stop the deportation on one pretext or the other.

As almost all Indians entering illegally into US apply for asylum, it is near impossible for US authorities to deport them. While the entry figures are in thousands, US authorities on an average till 2022 were deporting around 350-400 Indians only in one year. More than push factor it is pull factor which is driving the illegal immigration into US with many industry, agriculture and trade interests requiring cheap labour playing a major role. Trump has set ambitious goals to reverse this trend. Whether deportations will be enough or broader measures are needed, like addressing the issue of lax asylum laws that encourage human traffficking and illegal migration is yet to be examined.

Another concern that arises here is the involvement of organised crime networks, fuelling the pro Khalistan sentiment, using asylum loopholes to grow financially and expand their activities. This is another dimension to the entire problem of Indian illegals in the US that has been a concern for New Delhi as well. Incidentally, proscribed pro Khalistani operative in the US, Gurpatwant Pannun is a US immigration attorney.

While the alleged illegal activities of pro Khalistani networks in US and Canada dominated the list of security concerns for New Delhi last year, the issue of Indians entering illegally into US became a hot topic among Trump supporters in the run up to the US Presidential elections, especially about young men, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, crossing the Southern border from Mexico into US. As per Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statistics, 96,917 Indians entered illegally into US through land borders in 2022-23 and 90,414 in 2023-24. As per DHS, this figure was only 8027 in 2018-19. In contrast, the deportation figures are very small. As per DHS, 271,484 persons were deported in the last fiscal, out of which 1529 were Indians. Given the scale of illegal immigration into US, the entry of Indian illegals is not as big a number compared to other countries. As per DHS, around 2.9 million people entered illegally into US through land borders during the last fiscal year alone.

This year the Department of Homeland Security, through US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is once again expected to prepare a deportation flight- the last one was on October 22, facilitating the removal of Indian nationals who could not establish legal basis to remain in the US.
Ofer Calderon, Yarden Bibas and Keith Siegal were released on Shabbos morning after 484 days of captivity in Gaza on Shabbos and are safely in Israel.

Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Calderon, 54, were released first, with Hamas transferring them to the Red Cross in Khan Younis in southern Gaza at about 8:30 a.m. Keith Siegal, 65, was released about two hours later at the Gaza City port.

Ceremonies were held during both releases, with the hostages forced onto a stage but the huge unruly crowds seen in the the previous releases were not present.

Hamas terrorists gave Keith Siegal two goodie bags, with one of them reportedly a gift for his wife Avivah, who was freed from captivity in November 2023.

The three were transferred to IDF forces who drove them across the border to an IDF facility near Reeim where they received initial medical evaluations and met with family members.

Ofer Kalderon is brought on stage by Hamas terrorists:

Keith Siegel is brought on stage by Hamas terrorists:

Yarden and Ofer are transferred to IDF forces:

Keith is transferred to IDF forces:

Yarden reunites with his father and sister:

Ofer Calderon reunites with his four children, two of whom were abducted on October 7 and were returned to Israel in the November 2023 deal:

American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegal reunites with his three daughters and his brother:

Yarden Bibass arrival at the hospital, where he was reunited with his mother, was bittersweet as his wife and children are still in Gaza and there is grave concerns for their lives. Israel has pressured Hamas to confirm the condition of his wife Shiri, and two small children Ariel and Kfir.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a statement on the release on Motzei Shabbos:

Who Are Ofer, Keith & Yarden?

Yarden Bibas was abducted from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz with his wife Shiri and two young son Ariel and Kfir, who are still in Gaza.

Hamas claimed shortly after the war began that Shiri and the boys were killed in an IDF airstrike but never provided proof. They then published a cruel propaganda video of Yarden being told that his wife and children are dead.

Israel demanded from Hamas on Thursday to reveal the condition of Shiri and her sons but has not yet received any information.

Ofer Calderon, 54, is a French-Israeli citizen who was abducted on October 7 from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz with two of his four children.

His children, Sahar, 16, and Erez, 12, were released in the November 2023 deal with Hamas.

In the video below, Ofer Calderons friends greet him as he arrives at Sheba Hospital:

US-Israeli citizen Keith Siegal, 65, was abducted from his home on Kibbutz Kfar Azza with his wife Aviva, who was freed in the November 2023 deal.

Keith, a father of four and a grandfather, is originally from North Carolina and made aliyah at age 21.

Keiths mother died in December 2024, while he was still in captivity.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
Snippets of the ordeals endured by Yarden Bibas, Ofer Calderon, and Keith Segal in Gaza were reported by Israeli media outlets on Motzei Shabbos.

The three men were constantly moved from place to place during the war and suffered from severe abuse and were given little food.

For part of the time, mainly during the first days of captivity, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were held together in Khan Younis. They said that the terrorists beat them and locked them in cages  as described by other hostages who were with them and returned in the previous deal. The two experienced severe physical and psychological abuse, especially Bibas as the terrorists would constantly taunt him about his wife Shira, and young children Ariel and Kfir, telling him that they were dead.

The two men were later transferred from place to place, in tunnels and buildings, along with other hostages. The terrorists treated Ofer as a reservist despite his age (54), which is why he was released in a mock IDF uniform.

It was also reported that Bibas learned Arabic while in captivity and held onto the hope of being released.

Keith Segal was held in Gaza City along with other hostages and was moved between tunnels and apartments. When in apartments, the terrorists would lock him in one of the inner rooms so if someone would enter, they wouldnt find him.

Kan News reported that Keith said that for many months, he didnt know what happened to his son Shai, who was at his home on October 7 in Kfar Azza. But then he heard him on the radio and realized he was alive and was felt extremely relieved.

It should be noted that Keiths wife Aviva, didnt know what happened to Shai until she was released in November 2023 and saw him.

Keith, who appeared visibly starved, also described how he was forced to eat meat despite being a vegetarian due to how little food he was provided.

All three men testified that they were exposed to media, mainly Al Jazeera, and saw the demonstrations for their release alongside their captors.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Motzei Shabbos nominated Maj.-Gen. (res). Eyal Zamir as the next IDF chief of staff.

Zamir, 59, was considered the leading candidate to succeed outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. In the years before October 7, Zamir was opposed to the view of IDF leaders who claimed that Israel no longer needed a large army and let go thousands of reservists. During an IDF ceremony in 2021, Zamir warned that in the face of a multi-threat campaign, the IDF needs a large army.

According to Ynet, Zamirs appointment was supported by many army officers. He has been involved in force building over the past year and has excellent relations with US defense officials. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Zamir has been involved in purchasing weapons from the US, including fighter jets and armaments, and also initiated efforts to increase local arms production in Israel.

Zamir has served in the IDF for 38 years in senior combat and command positions, including the commander of the Southern Command and commander of the 36th Division. His most recent position in the IDF, from 2018-2021, was as the deputy chief of staff to then-IDF chief of staff Aviv Kochavi.

Zamir is expected to enter office on March 6, immediately after the resignation of IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi takes effect.

Defense Minister Katz interviews Zamir for the position of Chief of Staff. (Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Ministry of Defense)

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
The Chancellor giveth, the Chancellor taketh away  but there was at least a smidgen of good news from Rachel Reeves, to encourage electric car take-up among reluctant buyers this week.

The UK Government will invest 65million in EV street-charging company Connected Kerb, which has already installed more than 10,000 chargers on streets and at supermarkets to help motorists who can't charge at home.

Renault UK managing director Adam Wood welcomed the move but said drivers need more incentives to accelerate the switch to electric ahead of the proposed 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars

Wood said: 'This year is a pivotal one in the transition to EVs, as more affordable cars like our own Renault 5 go on sale.

Good news: The UK Government will invest 65million in EV street-charging company Connected Kerb

'Providing more access to charging points for customers is critical to speeding up the transition to zero-emissions vehicles.'
On to 9,000? Or even 10,000? It has been a good January for investors in the UK stock market.

The FTSE 100 index went through another all-time high on Friday, touching 8,692 in intra-day trading, and was up more than 420 points this year at the close.

That's a 5 per cent rise so far this year, ahead of America's S&P500, which is up 4 per cent, though behind the German DAX, up nearly 9 per cent.

It is a relief for people like myself, who had expected the Footsie to reach 8,500 by the end of last year and were a bit miffed by being a couple of weeks out.

But wait a minute  isn't our own economy still stuck with zero growth, and the German one in even worse shape, with the prospect of three years of recession?

And since America has been given a burst of boosterism by Donald Trump, surely its markets should be running even further ahead? Is this the madness of markets or wisdom of crowds? There's a simple way of explaining what is happening, a more complex one, and a worry.

On the up: It has been a good January for investors in the UK stock market

The simple story is that this is classic late bull market psychology. The fashionable stocks lead the advance and, as in this present cycle, produce huge gains.

Then the laggards catch up, as everyone realises that the risk/reward ratio for the leaders is becoming overstretched.

Right now US markets dominate the globe. They account for more than 60 per cent of total equities.

So taking out even a little of the profit investors have made in US shares and putting it elsewhere has a disproportionate impact on other markets, including London and Frankfurt.

The more complex way of looking at what is happening is to try to separate the various forces at work. There are three main ones.

One, very evident last week, is a concern about the fragility of US high tech leadership over China.

There was a wobble last week in US tech shares, with the possibility the Chinese firm DeepSeek could develop a competitive generative AI service at a fraction of the cost of the US leader, Nvidia.

That pushed the value of Nvidia down on Monday by $590 billion (480 billion). That's a beefy number even for America, the largest loss of value in any company in history.

But Nvidia recovered as the week progressed and maybe that was just a healthy reassessment.

By Friday, the two most valuable members of the 'magnificent seven', Apple and Microsoft, were pretty much where they were when the year began, so it's too early to call this the moment when investors lost faith in US technological dominance.

The next thing to recognise is that for most big enterprises outside the US, domestic economies do not matter too much.

It's the familiar point that 80 per cent of the earnings of Footsie firms are made outside the UK, either from exports or overseas subsidiaries.

For them it's the world economy that matters. So far at least, notwithstanding the possible impact of US tariffs, the perception of investors is that the global economic cycle will continue to swing upwards for several years.

We may see a mid-cycle pause, but nothing to worry about.

Trump is seen as supremely transactional. He will not do anything that damages US interests. Investors understand that, as they are transactional too.

Third, investors are starting to appreciate that firms outside the high-tech sector have a secure future and can make a lot of money. So banks, miners, food and drink groups and the oil majors are shooting up in value.

Even deeply unloved sectors are recovering. Did you notice that NatWest shares have more than doubled in the past year?

While the price at 4.33 is still well shy of the 4.99 the Government paid to rescue it, it is way up from the 2.02 low of last year.

And the worry? It is the nagging one that there is too much that can go wrong. In 2002 Donald Rumsfeld, the US secretary of defence, famously said: 'We know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.

'But there are also unknown unknowns  the ones we don't know we don't know.'

Overconfident investors should remind themselves of that.
Electric cars are stubbornly hard to sell. Yet their numbers are expected to increase over the next few years, with eco-conscious politicians determined to phase out combustion engines.

Last week, news emerged of Government plans to subsidise electric vehicle (EV) purchases with cut-price loans.

Lithium batteries are essential in EVs, and it is an industry dominated by China. But having designated lithium as a strategic mineral, EU ministers are keen to foster domestic production, investing in home-grown mines.

Portugal-based Savannah Resources has the largest and highest-quality deposit of lithium in Europe and expects to be in production by 2027, when demand for the mineral is forecast to increase. The group spent years evaluating its resource, ensuring environmental standards are met and working with communities to address their concerns.

Now chief executive Emanuel Proenca, 40, is set to build a mine and move to production.

He has made significant progress since taking over in September 2023, including a deal with Dutch-listed lithium refiner AMG. The group invested 16 million in Savannah, and agreed to purchase up to 90,000 tons annually for five years, a contract designed to help Proenca move into production.

Essential: Lithium batteries are essential in EVs, and it is an industry currently dominated by China

AMG is Savannah's largest shareholder but more deals are expected over the next two years. Savannah's lithium has been recognised as extremely high quality and the group expects to produce around 200,000 tons a year, leaving plenty to spare for other refiners and manufacturers.

Added endorsement came just before Christmas when Euler Hermes, an export credit giant backed by the German government, said Savannah should be eligible for a loan guarantee of up to $270 million (218 million).

Total mine construction will cost around $350 million (282 million)but interest from the Germans makes loans and other agreements easier to secure.

Midas recommended Savannah in 2022, when the stock was 4.2p.

A year later the Portuguese authorities started investigating environmental grants issued in Savannah's mining location.

The group denied any wrongdoing but shares dropped to below 2p. They have bounced back after sustained buying from local investors and tangible support from AMG and the German authorities. Savannah has a busy time ahead but Proenca has proved he is up to the job and keeps finding new lithium too, which should boost sales.

Midas verdict: Europe is keen to build a home-grown lithium market and Savannah Resources has a key role to play. At 4.3p, the shares should prove their worth to new and existing investors.

Traded on: Aim Ticker: SAV Contact: savannahresources.com
The fate of two investment trusts will be decided tomorrow as they face down an attempted coup by Wall Street carpet-bagger Boaz Weinstein. Through his Saba Capital hedge fund, the billionaire tycoon aims to oust the entire boards of Baillie Gifford US Growth and Keystone Positive Change.

He wants to replace the directors with his allies, but small investors hold the fate of these trusts and four others in their hands because they have big stakes in them.

It means they can throw out Weinstein's controversial proposals if they vote in enough numbers against them.

The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Scottish Widows and two other platforms owned by Lloyds Bank were not allowing investors to vote on the Saba proposals, prompting the bank to reverse the policy on Monday.

Other platforms have provoked outrage by preventing shareholders from voting too.

And in what one trust insider called an 'unusual' move, BNY Pershing, an investment platform owned by New York bank BNY Mellon, is charging wealth managers 75 to vote on behalf of their clients in the shareholder meetings  a system known as proxy voting.

Money man: Boaz Weinstein with his now ex-wife Tali Farhadian, who was funded by the father-of-one Weinstein's would-be 'independent' directors

The coming week will mark a watershed for the investment trust industry.

Weinstein has targeted seven trusts in total, claiming their bosses have 'failed shareholders' and 'delivered poor returns' including the 1.3 billion Herald trust, where he was voted down. As well as the two polls tomorrow, votes are being held at CQS Natural Resources and Henderson Opportunities Trust on Tuesday, and European Smaller Countries on Wednesday.

Edinburgh Worldwide's fate will be decided on February 14, Valentine's Day.

Questions are being asked about the independence of the candidates that Saba wants to appoint to the trusts' boards should it take charge.

It has proposed slashing the number of directors to just two  one of them a Saba partner.

Under the rules, at least one director on the board has to be considered independent. Independent directors are meant to represent the interests of all shareholders and form a majority of the board.

Crucially, the board also appoints the manager of the investment trusts' funds. Saba wants to take this role itself, which is a red flag for critics of Weinstein's plans.

Analysts at Deutsche Numis say investors risk 'effectively handing over control of their company to a two-person board' who will do Saba's bidding unless they block the hedge fund's plans.

'The board will not be fully independent, given one director (half of the board) would be a representative of the largest shareholder,' they said.

Jonathan Zucker, a director that Saba wants to install on the board of Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWIT), is technically independent under listing rules.

But The Mail on Sunday has established that Zucker's father, Uzi, was an early investor in Saba.

In an interview, Weinstein also described himself as 'closely acquainted' with Uzi Zucker and 'a neighbour' of his in New York. In 2021, Weinstein's estranged wife, former New York prosecutor Tali Farhadian, stood as a candidate to be Manhattan District Attorney  a post that involves policing Wall Street firms such as Saba.

Uzi Zucker donated $35,400 (28,500) to her unsuccessful campaign, the maximum allowed.

In a letter to Weinstein, EWIT chairman Jonathan Simpson-Dent queried Jonathan Zucker's credentials, but Saba says Zucker is a 'seasoned investment manager' who complies with London listing rules as an independent candidate for the board.

A Saba spokesperson added: 'Within two weeks of the trust's general meeting Saba's nominees also plan to appoint one or more additional independent non-executive directors to the board to ensure compliance with the highest standards of governance.'

Simpson-Dent was unimpressed, saying: 'The Mail on Sunday has done a super job of raising awareness of the great British public of the issues.

'It is proving invaluable to getting shareholders to speak up.'

Amit Vedhara, a director at ShareSoc, a group that lobbies on behalf of small shareholders, said: 'It is diabolical that any platform would charge a shareholder for voting. Investors have an absolute and legal right to vote. They own the company.

'It is unacceptable that a small number of investor platforms try to kill shareholder engagement, when the cost of doing so on digital platforms should be near zero. 'If a platform hasn't made it easy to vote, then that is its problem and it should absorb the cost.'

Other sources say it is standard practice for platforms like BNY Mellon that service wealth managers  and not the end investor  to charge a fee for voting.
Drinks giant Diageo is under pressure to cut its growth targets as cash-strapped and health-conscious drinkers turn away from booze.

It comes as the owner of Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness stout unveils half-year results this week. Diageo's shares have been languishing at a five-year low after a profits warning.

Veteran fund manager Terry Smith recently dumped his stake saying weight-loss drugs could hit demand for its products.

He also raised concerns about Diageo's new management team, led by chief executive Debra Crew, who took over in June 2023.

Drug makers are exploring whether jabs such as Ozempic could be used to cut alcohol consumption and treat addiction.

To add to the sector's woes, the top doctor in the US wants alcoholic drinks to carry warnings that consuming them could cause cancer.

Under pressure: The Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness stout owner is set to unveil half-year results

Diageo's target of annual sales growth of between 5 and 7 per cent has been in place since 2021.

But revenues actually fell last year, and analysts at JP Morgan Cazenove note that Diageo has delivered 5 per cent or more growth in only eight of the past 20 years.

Diageo is also at risk from US President Donald Trump's decision to slap a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Mexico and Canada starting this weekend.

Canadian whisky and Mexican tequila imported into the US account for a tenth of Diageo's sales and profits. JP Morgan Chase reckons Diageo would have to raise prices by a fifth to offset the hit to earnings if tariffs are imposed.

Diageo has also been hit by supply problems, with some pubs running out of Guinness.

The company has denied reports that the stout brand, or its 34 per cent stake in Moet-Hennessy, is up for sale.
A luxury Dubai restaurant chain with plans to expand in the UK is eyeing a London listing.

Fundamental Hospitality, founded by chairman Evgeny Kuzin, is in the early stages of gearing up to go public.

It owns celeb haunt Gaia in Mayfair and will open Chinese restaurant Shanghai Me on the 28th floor of the London Hilton hotel in Park Lane this year.

Kuzin said he was looking at listing in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but had not ruled out London or New York, in the next three to five years.

Celeb haunt: Evgeny Kuzin with supermodel Naomi Campbell at Gaia in Mayfair

The Russian-born restaurateur is expanding the chain, which he founded in Dubai in 2011 after a brief stint running nightclubs. It aims to go from 26 to 100 restaurants by the end of the decade.

Recent openings in Dubai include Italian-American themed Adaline, open-fire cooking brand Ina and beach club concept Sirene by Gaia.

Star-studded guest lists in London have included Tom Cruise and Naomi Campbell.
Savers buying state pension top-ups are reporting long wait times ahead of a crucial deadline.

The size of the current backlog is unknown, but applications are processed in date order, and as long as you get your payment in by 5 April you will benefit from a special deal.

Until that date, savers can pay to fill gaps in their state pension records dating back 18 years, after which it will revert to just six years - unless the deadline is pushed back again, as happened twice when the system was overwhelmed in 2023.

The Department for Work and Pensions and HMRC, which run the system between them, say high demand means response times are slower, and they are sorry for the anxiety this causes customers.

They add that they are continuing to prioritise resources to support customers applying to make voluntary National Insurance contributions leading up to the deadline.

But we continue to hear from readers whose money disappeared into the system last year, and get little or no help from Government staff who only warn them to expect long delays.

Nigel Taylor: He had to delay drawing his state pension when he was 66 in December, because his top-ups weren't sorted out

Nigel Taylor, pictured, paid 2,700 last July after first checking with staff which years to buy.

He celebrated his 66th birthday at the end of December, but he was forced to put off taking his state pension because only some of his top-ups had been processed.

We have heard in recent days from a reader living in France who has been trying since November 2023 to find out which years she needs to buy to get a full state pension.

She told us at one point last summer she 'actually started crying with frustration' on the phone to the DWP, when her file went missing and although it could be retrieved from HMRC it would take another 20 weeks to get an answer on what years to top up.

She finally received this vital information last week, and paid HMRC for top-ups immediately.

Many people can now use the Government's online tool launched in 2024 to check if they should fill state pension gaps and buy top-ups.

But some cannot, including people over state pension age or those who were self-employed or living overseas for any of the years they are trying to buy - find a list of excepted groups below.

Buying top-ups can give a generous boost to retirement income if you buy the correct years on your record.

This is Money's guide to buying state pension top-ups explains the cost and offers six golden rules on deciding if you should fill gaps by Steve Webb, our retirement columnist.

The system is run jointly by two Government departments. HMRC is responsible for maintaining National Insurance records, which you must check for gaps in your state pension records, and processing top-up payments. The DWP is in charge of revising state pension forecasts or payments after purchases.

If money goes missing, it is hard to tell at which stage it happened and therefore which department to chase about it. Readers constantly tell us how they call and are sent round in circles, never finding any staff member willing to help solve the problem.

Today, we highlight SIX more cases of lost cash, some dating back to the first half of last year. Some, but not all, involve people currently living overseas, or who have moved back to the UK after working abroad. If your payment has gone missing, scroll down to find out how to contact us.

A Government spokesperson said: 'Top-up payments received before the 5 April deadline will be reflected in customers National Insurance records once they have been processed.

'Customers can check for updates and view their record by creating an online Personal Tax Account, which they can access via GOV.UK and the HMRC app.'

Steve Webb, a former Pensions Minister who is now a partner at LCP, says: 'With the deadline for topping up your state pension approaching rapidly, people urgently need up-to-date information about their NI record so that they can make informed choices.

'Where people cannot get through on the phone to ask questions, or pay money and then hear nothing for months, they are understandably anxious that they may miss the deadline.

'HMRC and DWP need to devote extra staff to getting these payments loaded much more quickly so that people know where they stand and dont have to waste their time sitting on hold on phone lines to check what is going on.'

Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesperson, Steve Darling MP, says: 'The more I learn about DWP, the more I realise how broken the system is, with its systemic failings and desperate need for top-to-bottom reform.

'It is deeply disappointing that people trying to do the right thing are being given the run around by a farcical government bureaucracy.'

Ros Altmann, a former Pensions Minister who now sits in the House of Lords, says: 'My assumption is that huge numbers of DWP staff were redeployed in the second half of last year onto pension credit work and that may have meant more backlogs for state pension work itself.

'The administration of the NI state pension top-ups is part DWP and part HMRC and can be a time consuming process needing manual input.

'I hope staff are now focusing again on state pension as the pension credit deadline was in December.'

Top-ups money gone missing? If you have paid and heard nothing more, write and tell us your story at pensionquestions@thisismoney.co.uk. Unfortunately we can't help everyone so you can also contact your MP. If you are an expat, you can contact the MP in the last constituency you lived in and still request help. Find your MP here.

Retired bus driver had to delay drawing his state pension

Nigel Taylor, a retired bus driver from the Isle of Man, confirmed with Government staff which years to buy before handing over 2,700 last July.

He chased it up after three months, and told us: 'Following a phone call to both DWP and HMRC it transpired they had placed the payment into a general account and it wasnt set to be allocated anywhere.'

Mr Taylor turned 66 in December, but felt he should delay claiming his state pension until this was sorted out.

After we raised his case, the Government used his unallocated money to top up his state pension, and let him know how to fill an additional gap in his record.

Nikki Hirrill began the process of buying top ups in May 2023, while still living in Australia and working there as a civil servant.

The 63-year-old, who moved to Dorset in July that year, had to send in a form three times in total before it was assessed, and it took a year for the DWP to tell her which years would boost her state pension.

She immediately handed over nearly 1,600 in May last year, but then faced another frustrating wait.

When Ms Hirrill rang HMRC last August she was told it was currently processing payments received on 3 March so she should expect hers to be allocated some time in November. When she checked back in November, she was told it was currently processing payments received on 5 March.

'So it would appear that HMRC had taken three months to process two days worth of payments!' she told us. 'The speed they are processing it at, it's going to take forever.'

Ms Hirrill in fact calculated that at that rate, her payment would take approximately 10 years to be added to her state pension record, by which time she would be nearly 74, and seven years past state pension age.

The Government updated her record after we flagged her case.

Nikki Hirrill: She started the process of buying top ups back in May 2023

'I am sure if I owed tax they would be on to me'

Carol Hall (name changed) paid around 1,200 last April after speaking to Government staff, who advised her to buy class 2 contributions for the years 2006 to 2010, and to apply on the basis that she still lived in Australia although she has now moved to London.

After her record was not updated, the 59-year-old public servant contacted This is Money to say: 'I was told at the time it might take a while for the payment to be reflected, but nearly nine months later does appear to be excessive.'

She added: 'I am sure if I owed tax they would be on to me.'

After we intervened in her case, Ms Hall received a letter from HMRC saying she hadnt need to buy the four top-up years staff had advised her to pay for after all.

This is because there is a reciprocal agreement between the UK and Australia, so contributions she paid in Australia before 2001 count towards her UK state pension.

Following our intervention she has received a refund, and advice on how to earn the two more qualifying years she needs for a full state pension.

Graham Ryan, 62, a former marketing director who lives in Finland, paid more than 1,100 for top-ups in March last year.

He told us: 'Alas, I have heard no more from them. Despite three subsequent letters from me, copying proof of payment, I have still heard nothing more, and my pension forecast is unchanged. And it looks like I am running out of time as the deadline is looming.

'Whether you can help me specifically or not, at least you can chalk me up as yet another "victim" of the silent treatment from the Pensions Office.'

Once This is Money intervened, the Government allocated his payment to Mr Ryan's NI record. It did not explain why this had taken 10 months - but said it only received one proof of payment letter from him during that time, last October.

Hylton Bland, 57, paid nearly 5,800 for top-ups in installments in the first half of last year.

The IT project manager, who lives in New Zealand, told us: 'I was in the UK in September last year and posted a follow-up letter to HMRC requesting an update and haven't heard a word back from them.'

He added: 'As I'm located in New Zealand I'm unable to call them at a suitable time.'

When we raised his case Mr Bland's payment was processed, filling in a six-year gap in his state pension record. He is now clarifying with HMRC whether he should have bought class 2 rather than more expensive class 3 contributions.

Chris Morgan, 60, paid a total of around 950 in August and October last year after contacting HMRC, which told him how much he needed to pay and for which years.

The retired technical director for an airline, who lives in Gloucestershire, told us: 'I did speak to HMRC at one point and they said the wait list was 21 weeks. Well it's gone over that now that's for sure.'

When we raised his case, it turned out Mr Morgan had been wrongly advised by HMRC, and he needed to pay a mixture of class two and class three contributions, which meant that his payment only covered five years of top-ups not seven as expected.

He has now received a partial refund, plus 100 from HMRC which it said was to apologise for the worry and distress caused by its mistakes and unreasonable delays.

What do DWP and HMRC say?

The Government provided the following further information about buying state pension top-ups.

- Applications to buy voluntary National Insurance Contributions are processed in date order.

- People whose vNICs applications were received but not processed before 5 April 2025 will not lose out. Their NI record will be updated, and their payment will be treated as paid on time.

- Everyone is recommended to create an online Personal Tax Account and download the HMRC app so that they can check their NI records. You can register for Government online services here.

- The easiest way to make a vNIC payment is online via GOV.UK but some people cannot - here is the list of exceptions and what to do if you are among them.

They are people who are:

o Already over state pension age

o Have been self-employed for any of the years they are trying to pay

o Have lived abroad for any of the years they are trying to pay

o Women who hold a valid Married Womens Reduced Rate Election certificate

o Eligible to apply for Home Responsibilities Protection

o Have NI records that are currently being updated.

- People can make voluntary contributions if they live abroad by following this guidance

- People have until 5 April 2025 to maximise their State Pension by making voluntary NI contributions to fill any gaps in their NI record between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018, and they are encouraged to act now.

- After the 5 April 2025 deadline, people will only be able to make voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years.

- Since its launch in April, 4.3million people have used the online checking tool on GOV.UK to view their state pension forecast.

- More than 37,000 digital payments have been made via the online service, totalling around 35 million, since the launch.

- Some 51 per cent of people who made a payment topped up one year of their NI record. The average online payment is 1,835. The largest weekly state pension increase any of them achieved is 113.76.
HSBC is refusing to pay out nearly 1 billion of pensions belonging to people who have fled Hong Kong due to political pressure from the Chinese government.

The FTSE 100 bank is sitting on 978 million in savings owed to tens of thousands of people who now live in the UK. They sought sanctuary here after fleeing Hong Kong to escape a crackdown on pro-democracy protests and the introduction of repressive national security laws.

HSBC  whose initials stand for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation  is a big player in the Chinese market but has its headquarters in London and runs a High Street network in the UK.

The bank has refused to hand over savings to the exiles claiming that a legal barrier prevents it from paying out the cash.

The issue centres on the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF), a compulsory pension scheme that most Hong Kongers and their employers pay into. HSBC and fellow London-listed bank Standard Chartered are trustees for savings held through the MPF.

Hong Kongers can withdraw their pension early if they have permanently resettled overseas. To do so, they need to provide documentary proof that they are permitted to reside abroad.

Financially struggling: Single mother Chloe Lo says HSBC is denying access to her 57,000 pension savings

In 2021 Chinese authorities and Hong Kong's pension regulator said they would no longer recognise British National (Overseas)  BNO  passports as valid travel documents or forms of identity.

This was widely seen as retaliation after the Government said Hong Kongers with BNO passports could apply for a new visa letting them settle in the UK, sparking a wave of migration.

HSBC's decision to freeze the pension pots has left thousands of emigres in dire straits as they adjust to a new life in Britain.

Chloe Lo, a former journalist, says HSBC is denying her access to 57,000 saved in her pension pot over two decades.

Lo, 41, a single mother who left for the UK in 2023 to prevent her 16-year-old son from being sent to mainland China for 'national security education', told The Mail on Sunday that HSBC's decision to block withdrawal of her savings had left her struggling financially. She added: 'I had to relocate my whole life to the UK but am just about surviving every month after paying rent and taking care of my son. Under the BNO visa scheme, I am not eligible for any public assistance with bills.'

Lo said not being able to access her savings meant she was being pursued for thousands of pounds of credit card debt in Hong Kong.

'I have an American Express card that had 9,000 of debt on it, but as I haven't been able to withdraw my pension pot to pay it off it has grown and now I owe 14,000,' she said. 'I would have paid it off long ago had I had access to my savings.'

More than 3 billion of MPF savings are being withheld from some 126,500 Hong Kongers who hold BNO passports, according to rights group Hong Kong Watch. A third of the savings are under the control of HSBC.

Blair McDougall MP, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong, said: 'We are dealing with tens of thousands of British people who have had their life savings stolen from them for entirely political reasons by a dictatorship.

'HSBC has refused to appear in front of Parliament and it appears to have been done through Beijing's diktat rather than any formal change in the law.'

An HSBC spokesman said: 'Hong Kong legislation sets the conditions under which a member may withdraw pension benefits under the MPF. The conditions for early withdrawal are a matter of law and are not set by the trustee company.

'There are significant penalties for non-compliance. Neither HSBC nor any other firm acting as a trustee has any discretion in this matter.'

Sir Mark Tucker, the bank's chairman, recently wrote in The Times that building closer economic ties with China presented a 'vast opportunity to British business'.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE  Free Report)  Equities researchers at Wedbush lowered their Q1 2025 earnings per share estimates for Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research report issued on Wednesday, January 29th. Wedbush analyst R. Anderson now anticipates that the real estate investment trust will post earnings of $2.22 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.28. Wedbush has a Neutral rating and a $104.00 price objective on the stock. The consensus estimate for Alexandria Real Estate Equities current full-year earnings is $9.34 per share. Wedbush also issued estimates for Alexandria Real Estate Equities Q2 2025 earnings at $2.32 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $2.38 EPS and Q4 2025 earnings at $2.42 EPS.

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A number of other brokerages have also commented on ARE. Robert W. Baird decreased their target price on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $137.00 to $130.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $135.00 to $112.00 in a report on Friday, November 15th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $125.00 to $114.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $133.00 to $121.00 in a report on Wednesday, November 27th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Alexandria Real Estate Equities presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $121.30.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Trading Up 1.9 %

ARE opened at $97.70 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $17.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.28, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.64 and a beta of 1.16. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $101.55 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $111.64. The company has a current ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a 1-year low of $94.35 and a 1-year high of $130.14.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, January 27th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.39 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.91 by $1.48. Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a net margin of 10.36% and a return on equity of 1.43%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ARE. Sei Investments Co. boosted its stake in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 14,095 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,649,000 after buying an additional 581 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 160.5% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 40,663 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $4,703,000 after acquiring an additional 25,056 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 10.1% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 3,193 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $374,000 after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp grew its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 7.5% in the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 41,871 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,898,000 after purchasing an additional 2,904 shares during the period. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,647,000. 96.54% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st were given a dividend of $1.32 per share. This is a positive change from Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $5.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.40%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, December 31st. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 293.33%.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback program on Monday, December 9th that authorizes the company to repurchase $500.00 million in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the real estate investment trust to purchase up to 2.7% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Alexandria Real Estate Equities

(Get Free Report)

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. As the pioneer of the life science real estate niche since our founding in 1994, Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative life science, agtech, and advanced technology mega campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report)  Research analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q1 2025 earnings estimates for shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report issued on Wednesday, January 29th. Zacks Research analyst E. Bagri now anticipates that the biopharmaceutical company will earn $1.74 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $1.79. The consensus estimate for Bristol-Myers Squibbs current full-year earnings is $0.92 per share.

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Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a neutral rating and issued a $50.00 target price on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $63.00 to $70.00 in a report on Monday, December 16th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Leerink Partners upgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $73.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $56.60.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Performance

BMY opened at $58.86 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.83, a current ratio of 1.24 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The company has a market capitalization of $119.38 billion, a PE ratio of -16.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.45. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $57.60 and a 200 day simple moving average of $53.06. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 1 year low of $39.35 and a 1 year high of $61.10.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.80 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.49 by $0.31. The company had revenue of $11.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.26 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a positive return on equity of 11.94% and a negative net margin of 15.30%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.00 earnings per share.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, February 3rd. Investors of record on Friday, January 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.62 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 3rd. This is a positive change 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 payout ratio is -69.08%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Phil M. Holzer sold 700 shares of the businesss 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 sale, the senior vice president now owns 11,760 shares in the company, valued at $654,091.20. The trade was a 5.62 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.09% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Bristol-Myers Squibb

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Reston Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Hollencrest Capital Management raised its stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb by 61.3% during the third quarter. Hollencrest Capital Management now owns 492 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 187 shares during the last quarter. Kennebec Savings Bank acquired a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the third quarter worth $28,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in the third quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 1,168.1% in the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 596 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 549 shares during the period. 76.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(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.

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Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE:HPE  Free Report) by 31.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 23,580 shares of the technology companys stock after purchasing an additional 5,670 shares during the quarter. Blue Trust Inc.s holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise were worth $482,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. purchased a new position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Financial Management Professionals Inc. lifted its position in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 80.3% during the third quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 1,430 shares of the technology companys stock worth $29,000 after buying an additional 637 shares in the last quarter. Rise Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Hewlett Packard Enterprise by 45.5% in the 3rd quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 1,999 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 625 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in the 3rd quarter worth $48,000. 80.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Hewlett Packard Enterprise

In other news, EVP John F. Schultz sold 262,818 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.62, for a total transaction of $5,682,125.16. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 270,430 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,846,696.60. This trade represents a 49.29 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Jeremy Cox sold 7,771 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.00, for a total value of $178,733.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 61,735 shares in the company, valued at $1,419,905. This trade represents a 11.18 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 332,166 shares of company stock worth $7,300,629 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.40% of the companys stock.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Stock Performance

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Dividend Announcement

Shares of HPE stock opened at $21.17 on Friday. Hewlett Packard Enterprise has a 52 week low of $14.47 and a 52 week high of $24.66. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $22.12 and a two-hundred day moving average of $20.45. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $27.85 billion, a PE ratio of 11.14, a P/E/G ratio of 2.01 and a beta of 1.20.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 20th were given a $0.13 dividend. This represents a $0.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.46%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 20th. Hewlett Packard Enterprises dividend payout ratio is presently 27.37%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently issued reports on HPE. Susquehanna reissued a neutral rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in a report on Friday, October 11th. Citigroup raised shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the company from $23.00 to $26.00 in a research report on Friday, December 6th. StockNews.com upgraded Hewlett Packard Enterprise from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday. Raymond James raised Hewlett Packard Enterprise from an outperform rating to a strong-buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $23.00 to $29.00 in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on Hewlett Packard Enterprise from $24.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hewlett Packard Enterprise presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $24.00.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company Profile

(Free Report)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. It operates in six segments: Compute, HPC & AI, Storage, Intelligent Edge, Financial Services, and Corporate Investments and Other.

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PFG Investments LLC raised its stake in Rio Tinto Group (NYSE:RIO  Free Report) by 18.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,194 shares of the mining companys stock after purchasing an additional 655 shares during the quarter. PFG Investments LLCs holdings in Rio Tinto Group were worth $247,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. AQR Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Rio Tinto Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $518,000. Creative Planning lifted its position in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 4.6% during the second quarter. Creative Planning now owns 76,747 shares of the mining companys stock worth $5,060,000 after purchasing an additional 3,360 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its stake in shares of Rio Tinto Group by 7.2% in the second quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 40,583 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $2,676,000 after purchasing an additional 2,728 shares during the period. EP Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Rio Tinto Group by 22.0% during the 2nd quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 5,240 shares of the mining companys stock valued at $345,000 after purchasing an additional 945 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Rio Tinto Group during the 2nd quarter worth $1,910,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 19.33% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on RIO shares. Macquarie reissued a neutral rating on shares of Rio Tinto Group in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price objective on Rio Tinto Group from $83.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Rio Tinto Group from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday, January 25th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $73.00.

Rio Tinto Group Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of NYSE RIO opened at $60.39 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a current ratio of 1.70. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $60.87 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $63.17. Rio Tinto Group has a 52-week low of $57.85 and a 52-week high of $74.24.

About Rio Tinto Group

(Free Report)

Rio Tinto Group engages in exploring, mining, and processing mineral resources worldwide. The company operates through Iron Ore, Aluminium, Copper, and Minerals Segments. The Iron Ore segment engages in the iron ore mining, and salt and gypsum production in Western Australia. The Aluminum segment is involved in bauxite mining; alumina refining; and aluminium smelting.

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Local news has attempted to spin this story AND provide some comfort by reminding folks that TB isn't a virus but a bacterial infection that typically results because of constant close proximity usually amongst family members.

However . . .

That doesn't mean the historic outbreak shouldn't garner a great deal of attention.

Here's one of the best recent reports we've seen in the recent news cycle . . .



"As of Jan. 24, at least 67 people are being treated for active TB related to the Kansas outbreak, Jill Bronaugh, communications director of the KDHE, said in an update on Jan 29. Additionally, the outbreak killed two people in 2024.



"Although state health officials say the risk to the general public is low, the current outbreak in Kansas is unprecedented. The situation in Kansas, along with other recent TB trends in the U.S., has sparked some concern among experts. "



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
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| By Alex Likowski

Today is gonna be a really, really fun day for you, Assistant Dean for Physician Assistant Education and Associate Professor Cheri Hendrix, DHEd, MSBME, PA-C, DFAAPA, told her class of 58 physician assistant (PA) students. In truth, it would be hard to say just who would have the most fun, the students who sat in anticipation of an exciting new high-tech learning experience, or Hendrix, who waited a very long time for this day to arrive.

I think this is really going to enrich what you know about neurologic disease, she continued, understating her expectations a bit. For the first time, this learning module made use of virtual reality (VR) technology, offering her entire didactic year cohort an immersive experience. With the use of VR headsets, the students would be virtually in the room with Hendrix as she examined a standardized patient  a professional actor posing as a patient who was presenting with signs of distress. The plan was to give the students a brief knowledge test before their VR experience, then another test afterward to see how much this experience improved their understanding.

(clockwise from upper left) Prof. Hendrix preps her students, students watch a virtual exam together, Simone Hill looks down at virtual patient, animated overlay shows blood flow and nerve signals, inside the Holocamera studio, Meg Rice participates in a virtual exam

Student Lauren Makarehchi was among the first in the group to experience the virtual exam.

I feel like Im actually there, even though I cant see my hands or anything. But its like, I feel like Im very immersed in the experience, she said with her headset still on.

Not only could Makarehchi see the exam, but she also could move around the room and observe provider and patient from every angle. Additionally, as the patient described her experiences for Hendrix  all classic symptoms of a stroke  an animated graphical overlay allowed Makarehchi and the other students to see what was going on inside the patients body, including the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

I can see that the clot started in her atrium, went up to the left side of her brain, and now you can see the impulses are being limited on the right side of her body, which is causing the motor and sensory limitations that we can see on the exam, said student Meg Rice. After her five-minute virtual experience, Rice seemed impressed.

Its a total game-changer to kind of be able to be in the room with them, seeing whats going on in real time, basically as she does the exam and asks the different questions. And you know how whats going on inside of her body is influencing her answers and her symptoms and her signs all in real time. So, thats really cool, she said. When I get to clinicals next year, if I have a patient with a similar situation, I can kind of have this picture in my brain of what might be going on.

Every student appeared to have a similar impression, and most were quick to see the impact VR training might have on their ability to retain what they learn.

I think this kind of experience will change the way you look at patients for sure, because now Im able to remember seeing inside and whats happening, said student Simone Hill. Its one thing to see someone presenting physically with their complaints, but when you have experiences like this, youre able to remember: OK, I remember seeing what this looks like from the inside. I remember seeing which part of the brain was impacted by this and where the blockages were and where the vessels were flowing through.

Classmate Eugene Obeng-Appiah agreed. If I see a patient who presents with certain symptoms, I can go back to that memory that I have of what I saw. And so I think that would allow me to be able to put pieces together a little bit more and faster as well.

The ability to retain and recall a huge and wide array of information is precisely what Hendrix and her colleagues are trying to gauge.

We have 24 months to get 3 years of medical school in them, Hendrix said. How do you do that so that the understanding is there, the knowledge is there? And the application of that, youve got to apply these medical concepts. You cant memorize this.

In those 24 months, PA students must master topics such as anatomy, clinical practice, diagnostic tests, and disease over many disciplines, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatric medicine, womens health, psychiatric medicine, behavioral health, emergency medicine, and surgery.

To fill that very tall order, Hendrix can rely on her skilled team at the University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies (UMSGS). But to step up the impact of their training, to help students get to what she calls a-ha! moments faster, Hendrix wanted students in the classroom to get as close as possible to the real thing with virtual reality. For that, she called in another team, this one from the University of Maryland, College Parks (UMCP) College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. Dean Amitabh Varshney, PhD, is a pioneer in the application of high-performance computing and visualization in engineering, science, and medicine.

Oh, thats a marriage made in heaven. Boy, Dr. Amitabh Varshney, best buddy. I love him! Hendrix gushed. Just before Hendrix had her first chance encounter with her College Park comrade, Varshney had just completed building the largest volumetric capture studio in the world, funded by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Called HoloCamera, the studio employs AI-driven techniques to fuse and reconstruct dynamic visual data captured simultaneously from 300 cameras. Varshneys team integrated anatomically accurate animations, precisely aligned with the dynamic hologram models, to enhance the student learning experience.

Ive got some ideas I want to use, Hendrix said, recalling their conversation. I want to see inside a patient. I want to see inside a mannequin. I want to use holographic technology to demonstrate to the students the pathophysiologic mechanism of diseases. They said, Great. 

Varshneys team now works with Hendrixs PA program under the aegis of the University of Maryland Institute for Health Computing, a collaboration supported by the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower). MPower is a collaboration between the state of Marylands two most powerful public research engines  the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and UMCP  to strengthen and serve the state of Maryland and its citizens.

So far, only the stroke patient scenario has been produced for use in the classroom, but Hendrix is optimistic about producing more videos and introducing more technology, such as the ability to not just see and hear, but also to touch and feel.

Enter Dixie Pennington, MS, CHSE, CHSOS, simulation director for the UMSGS PA program. Her job is to think ahead of the technology but also find ways to work in the cutting edge of whats available right now, such as haptic gloves.

Haptic is related to a sensation where you can touch and feel and you can actually get feedback that you are touching something, she said. If youre immersed into some sort of ARV [artificial reality video] or setting, you dont know that youre touching an avatar or something like that. But if you wore haptic gloves, you would know. Youd have that sensation, that feedback that would come back to your hand, which makes it that much more real.

The students are thinking ahead, too. Inspired by a dermatology PA who treated her when she was 13, student Emily Lamb has her sights set on following the same path, but maybe with a boost from technology. If there was a way to use virtual reality so where you can see different skin lesions, see the depth on different skin tones and different ages, even pediatric to geriatric, the skin is so different, it changes. Its actually the largest organ in our body, she said. So, to be able to study it in a more in-depth and realistic way, it would completely change the field.

Bottom line, Hendrix said the day exceeded her expectations. I knew they would like it, but I didnt know how much they would absolutely love it. And many of the students came out saying, Can I just learn every condition this way? 
Stampede of the Indian Media

The Indian media has once again shown its capability of being more BJP than the BJP itself. The Maha Kumbh has unmasked it in a very brutal way

Saturday February 1, 2025 9:35 PM , Raqif Makhddomi

The Indian media has once again shown its capability of being more BJP than the BJP itself. The Maha Kumbh has unmasked it in a very brutal way.

Hiding the wrongs of the government is what the Indian media is best at. They did it in COVID and are doing it now with the stampede of Maha Kumbh.

The lives of at least 30 devotees were snuffed out and more than 60 were injured in a pre- dawn stampede on Mauni Amavasya, the biggest bathing day of the mela. There are fears that the death toll could rise.

Officials have blamed the incident on people breaking barricades in the rush for a dip in the holy waters on the auspicious occasion. A wave of pilgrims heading towards the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, reportedly crashed into those on their way back after the ritual bath.

In the chaos, a section of the crowd jumped queues, broke columns and trampled over devotees resting near the Sangam.

Uttar Pradesh government delayed declaring the death toll till Wednesday evening. Later, it also ordered an inquiry. That will, no doubt, throw more light on what actually went wrong.

One thing, though, is clear: The incident calls for reflection on crowd management strategies.

The UP government that counted crores of pilgrims had to wait for almost the entire day to know the exact number of people died and injured. All thanks to the Media that once again gave escape route to the ruling dispensation.

Journalism is publishing what others doesnt want to be published, everything else is PR. Basically journalism is speaking out the truth, the truth that people in power dont want to come out and revealed.

The media has always been under attack. Be it the British rule in India or Emergency, the media has been one of the main targets. Journalists back then were professionals of truth. Truth used to be circulated. The wrongs of the government used to be put forth to people, so that they could decide whats wrong and whats right. But, the journalists, with some exceptions, never succumbed to the pressure tactics.

In British era, people like Raja Ram Mohan Roy confronted the British using his newspaper Mirat-ul-Akabr and Sambad Kaumudi. Sambad was a weekly newspaper published from Kolkata. Despite various restrictions, he didnt stop publishing the truth. His newspaper was banned because the British were fed up with is reporting and were forced to ban his newspaper.

Not only he but many people who tired to confront the British were put behind bars and their newspapers were banned. But the history stands witness that they didnt bow down and kept working hard with courage to look directly in the eyes of British.

After Independence of India came the time of Emergency. During this period media again had a very big challenge to confront. When the Emergency was imposed the first thing that was targeted was the media.

All those outlets that spoke against the Emergency were arrested and put in jails and the outlets were sealed. But the staff ran the newspaper secretly and spoke against the government for the rights violations. Many new newspapers were set up during the Emergency, they were run in undeclared places.

The media has seen much worst times but it has never fallen the way it has fallen today. Today it has sold itself like never before. Its not that the present Prime Minister or Home Minister is first of its kind.

Much worst were there. But, what wasnt there are these sellout media outlets. In those days, media was all about News and Truth. But today, its all about getting closer to the establishment and get TRP. Thats what media is all about.

Journalists back then used to be torch bearers of truth but today they are no less than actors who take different roles as per the situation demands. The professionalism of journalist is lost.

People now look down on those who call themselves journalist. And this shame to the profession has been brought to this profession by majority of journalists.

The media during those days was bold and used to hold the government accountable when everyone wanted to be safe and have good relationship with the government. The print media used to print at undisclosed place and used to bring out the truth, until the government was able to locate their secret place.

During the British era, an act, Vernacular Press Act, used to govern what should be published in India. The act was proposed by Layton, the then Viceroy of India. The act was passed on 14 March 1878. The act controlled what they called seditious writing. The definition of seditious writing during British India and Modis India have no difference.

The act gave powers to magistrate or Commissioner of police to call upon any publisher to enter bound, undertaking not print a certain kind of material, and could confiscate any printed material it deemed objectionable.

The Seditious material was to be decided by the police and not by the judiciary. We see a similar kind of media policy enforced in Kashmir where the District Magistrate has the power to decide whether the news printed is seditious or not.

Kashmir journalists have faced the worst time for reporting the truth. Many had to shut their press while others were forced to vacate the accommodation whereas some other had to spend years in jail for reporting the truth.

[Raqif Makhdoomi is a student of law and human rights activist. View are personal.]

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Study refutes maternal sickness during pregnancy causes autism

A new study has refuted the widespread perception that sickness during pregnancy causes autism

Sunday February 2, 2025 0:12 AM , ummid.com News Network

[Image for representation]

New York: A new study has refuted the widespread perception that sickness during pregnancy causes autism.

The study showed that nearly all of these "associations" can otherwise be explained by factors such as genetics, exposure to pollution, and access to healthcare.

Led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, the study revealed that, of the few conditions truly associated with autism, all were actually complications with the fetus  leading the authors to believe that those symptoms were early signs of autism in the child and not the cause of it.

"Our study shows that there is no convincing evidence that any of these other diagnoses in the mother can cause autism," said study senior author Magdalena Janecka, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and in the Department of Population Health, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Publishing in the journal Nature Medicine online Jan. 31, 2025 the study included an analysis of the medical histories of more than 1.1 million pregnancies (among 600,000 mothers) from a national registry in Denmark.

Unlike medical records in the United States, that are often scattered among many different medical providers an individual sees during their lifetime, in Denmark all of an individual's health records are consolidated under a single government-issued number.

This enabled researchers to check each woman for more than 1,700 distinct diagnoses as defined by international standards, known as ICD-10 codes.

From these, researchers focused their analysis on those diagnosed in at least 0.1% of pregnancies (236 diagnoses).

"We believe our study is the first to comprehensively examine the entire medical history of the mother and explore a wide range of possible associations, controlling for multiple concurrent conditions and confounding factors," said study lead author Vahe Khachadourian, MD, PhD, MPH, a research assistant professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

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The Isle of Luing is one of the Scottish slate islands that lie scattered in the Firth of Lorne a few miles south of Oban. Largely unknown, the beautiful and unspoilt island was visited by relatively few people, but that has changed with the opening of the new Atlantic Islands Centre in the village of Cullipool.



A 1.25 million initiative by the Isle of Luing Community Trust focuses on the rich diversity of people, wildlife, landscapes and heritage of Luing and the surrounding Atlantic Islands of Argyll and provides an exciting new visitor destination for the many tourists that flock to this part of Scotlands stunning west coast.



Along with the neighbouring islands this group of Slate Islands became world famous for the quality of the roofing slate they produced and were known as the the islands that roofed the world. Slate from their quarries was exported to America, the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia as well as being used on many notable buildings in Scotland.



Dramatically perched on the edge of one of the flooded quarries on the site of the former Engine House in the Conservation village of Cullipool, the new building reflects the scale and character of the original quarry building and the nearby houses.



The Atlantic Islands Centre utilises a similar palette of traditional materials to create a simple composition that sits comfortably within the village context and blends easily with the vernacular architecture.



A large expanse of glass to the south west corner creates a bright and open interior and allows visitors to take advantage of the spectacular views while enjoying locally produced food in the cafe. Changing exhibitions and a programme of art and cultural events occupy the flexible space which also hosts concerts, theatre, social events and conferences. The original lens from the Stevenson lighthouse on Fladda is featured, and other exhibition material highlights the Corryvreckan whirlpool and its stories.



Upstairs provides a base for the Luing History Group who for 12 years have been recoding, conserving and interpreting all aspects of the islands culture, heritage and social history. An ever changing exhibition of artefacts, archives and resources tell the story of Luing and its neighbouring islands. A large glazed dormer gives views to the Garvellachs, Jura, Mull and Colonsay.



Uniquely the large, deep quarry pond is used to fuel a water source heat pump. Three 30m loops are suspended in the pond to provide both underfloor heating and hot water.



The result of many years research and planning, the Atlantic Islands Centre project has already made a major contribution to the regeneration of the fragile island community. It provides a much needed community hub and visitor attraction to address social isolation. Above all it provides a place where present and future generations can experience and enjoy a small part of Scotlands natural and cultural heritage.
Patriarchs of Syria Send Joint Congratulatory Message to Syrian President

The Patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, and Melkite Greek Catholic Churches of Antioch have jointly sent a congratulatory telegram to Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara, marking his assumption of office.

The message, signed by Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox, Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of Antioch and All the East for the Syriac Orthodox, and Patriarch Joseph Absi of Antioch and All the East for the Melkite Greek Catholics, extended blessings and prayers for strength and wisdom in leading the country during this critical transitional phase.

"We bless your victorious achievement and your assumption of duties as President of the Syrian Arab Republic, praying to God Almighty to grant you strength and wisdom to guide the country through this pivotal transitional period for the benefit of the nation and its people," the message stated.

The Patriarchs acknowledged the immense suffering endured by the Syrian people across all communities, expressing hope for a new era of security, freedom, and dignity for every Syrian citizen. "Today, we stand at the threshold of a new history, whose defining feature is safety, liberty, and dignity for every Syrian. As we share in the joy of Syria's renewed dawn, we express our solidarity and support, pledging to work hand in hand with all our fellow Syrians to restore the nation and its constitutional institutions."

The message concluded with a call to safeguard this new chapter as a precious legacy for Syria, affirming the commitment of the Churches to supporting the country's stability and progress.

"May this victory be honored through great responsibility and trust, ensuring it remains a treasured legacy for Syria, inscribing new, bright pages in its glorious history. Long live Syria and its proud people," the message declared.
Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages Saturday, the latest in a series of exchanges agreed to in a deal aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.

French Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Israeli Yarden Bibas, 35, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis before being returned to Israel. Israeli American Keith Siegel, 65, was released hours later at the Gaza City seaport.

Bibas was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel along with his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2. The fate of his family is uncertain.

Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. Aviva Siegel was released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023.

Kalderon was captured by the militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his two children. His ex-wife, Hadas Kalderon, was also taken captive but was released with their children during the 2023 hostage exchange.

Israel had agreed to release 90 prisoners Saturday, the fourth such exchange. But a Palestinian advocacy group said that number had been updated to 183, expected to be freed later in the day.

Watch related video by Linda Gradstein:

Israel reopens Rafah crossing

Israel also reopened the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, which will allow 50 Palestinians daily, each with three escorts, to leave Gaza for medical treatment.

Later Saturday, foreign ministers from five Arab nations and the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League rejected removing Palestinians from their land. U.S. President Donald Trump had called for Jordan and Egypt to take in the Palestinians, citing the destruction of the Gaza Strip.

"We affirm our rejection of [any attempts] to compromise Palestinians' unalienable rights, whether through settlement activities, or evictions or annex of land or through vacating the land from its owners ... in any form or under any circumstances or justifications," the joint statement read.

Several million Palestinians live in Jordan, and tens of thousands live in Egypt.

Fatal strikes continue

In the West Bank on Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed five people, including a 16-year-old Palestinian boy, the Palestinian health ministry said. The Israeli military said it had struck armed terrorists in airstrikes in the Jenin area.

Israel has been engaged in military operations in the West Bank since January 21, searching for weapons and equipment that it says are being smuggled into the West Bank by Iran. Before Saturday, Israel said its military operation had killed 18 militants in the Jenin refugee camp. Included in that toll is a 2-year-old girl. The military is looking into her death, it said, calling it tragic.

Israel and Hamas are to begin negotiating the second phase of the three-phase ceasefire on Monday. The second stage calls for all Israeli hostages to be freed, a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, and an Israeli troop withdrawal.

The war between Israel and Hamas, which has been designated a terror group by the United States, the U.K. and other Western countries, began after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Hamas killed 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in the attack. Israel had said it believes Hamas is still holding about 100 hostages, including 35 the military says are dead. Under the recent ceasefire, 18 of those hostages have been released.

Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The Israeli military says it has killed more than 17,000 militants in the offensive, without providing evidence.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
Syrias new authorities have announced the arrest of Atif Najib, a former senior security officer and cousin of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Najib is seen by many as being responsible for suppressing the initial protest which triggered Syrias 2011 uprising.

Najib was arrested in western Syria in the Latakia countryside, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported he "was hiding in a farm."

He is the highest-ranking member of Assads government to be arrested since Assad was ousted from office in December.

"The criminal Atif Najib has been referred to the competent authorities to be tried and held accountable for the crimes he committed against the Syrian people," the official SANA news agency reported, citing a senior security official.

Najib was the head of political security in Daraa in southern Syria, under Assads regime. Syrias nationwide uprising was sparked by the arrest and torture of children in Daraa, whom, the Observatory said had been arrested for "writing sentences criticizing the regime on their school walls."

The protests in Daraa that followed the childrens arrests evolved into the 2011 uprising that Assads government responded to with a brutal crackdown.

Ahmed al-Sharaa is Syrias newly appointed transitional president. Before being appointed to his current role, Sharaa was the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, that spearheaded the campaign in December to wrest control of the country from Assad. Assad fled to Russia, ending more than half a century of oppressive rule by him and his late father, Hafez al-Assad.

Some information in this article was provided by Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Authorities in Pakistan said Saturday that at least 18 soldiers were killed in an overnight insurgent attack in southwestern Balochistan province, marking one of the deadliest days for security forces in recent months.

A military statement said that the casualties occurred in the Kalat district Friday night, when terrorists attempted to establish roadblocks in the area, and that security forces promptly responded to what was labeled "a cowardly act of terrorism.

The military said at least 12 assailants were killed in the ensuing gun battles.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs office in Islamabad said in a statement that he strongly condemned the attack on security forces.

A series of security operations has been launched throughout Balochistan since the overnight attack, which killed at least 11 "terrorists" and destroyed their hideouts on Saturday, according to an army declaration.

The sanitization operations will continue until perpetrators and facilitators of the heinous and cowardly act are brought to justice, it said.

The outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.

The BLA and several smaller separatist organizations operating in Balochistan claim they are fighting for the provinces independence and routinely target security forces as well as their installations in the natural resources-rich Pakistani region.

Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have experienced a dramatic surge in militant attacks over the past couple of years, killing thousands of Pakistani security forces and civilians.

In 2024 alone, military and law enforcement agencies collectively lost nearly 700 personnel in nationwide militant attacks, making it the deadliest year for government forces in a decade, according to official data and independent research reports.

Pakistans Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, both bordering Afghanistan, have experienced much of the bloodshed. The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is mainly blamed or claims credit for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistani officials allege that TTP and Baloch insurgents use sanctuaries on Afghan soil to orchestrate cross-border terrorist raids with the support of that countrys Islamist Taliban leaders.

Taliban officials reject the allegations, saying they do not allow anyone to use Afghanistan to threaten neighboring countries.
Mozambican authorities have assured thousands of refugees who fled to Malawi following the recent post-election unrest that peace has been restored in their country and that they are welcome to return home.

Officials from Mozambique's Institute of Disaster Management Affairs made the comment Friday during a visit to the Nyamithuthu refugee camp in Nsanje district, which hosts asylum seekers from Mozambique.

Luisa Celma Meque, the head of the Institute of Disaster Management Affairs in Mozambique, thanked the Malawi government for taking care of asylum-seekers from her country.

"On behalf of our President Daniel Francisco Chapo, we are sending our message of thanks from the government of Mozambique, and we recognize all the effort of the government of Malawi," said Meque. "The second message is for our brothers here. We are doing all efforts necessary for them to return home as soon as possible"

Thousands of Mozambicans have fled to Malawi to escape violence triggered by the disputed October presidential election.

Hilda Katema Kausiwa, the senior administrative and operations manager for the Department of Refugees in Malawi, said the screening and registration of refugees continues.

"Today, as the Department of Refugees, we have registered a total of 3,640 households, representing 7,456 people," said Kausiwa. "As of yesterday, we had finished registration in Mwanza, Neno as well as Mulanje [districts] which were additional sites that we had not gone to screen and register together with immigration [officers]."

Kausiwa said her department has received no new asylum-seekers from Mozambique so far.

Meque of the Institute of Disaster Management Affairs in Mozambique said peace has returned to the country.

Malawian authorities said they are struggling to provide for refugees because the situation comes at a time when more than a quarter of Malawi's 20 million people face food shortages due to an El Nino-induced drought.

However, during the visit, the Mozambican delegation donated food to the refugees.

Kausiwa of the Department of Refugees in Malawi, appreciated the donation.

"And in the package, there is some rice, maize flour, salt and some beans," said Kausiwa. "These are critical foods that can be provided to the community noting that food has been a challenge since these people started coming."

But Mozambican traditional leader Reymond Commando of the Mulili area said the refugees would only return if there was concrete proof of their safety.

He said they fled to Malawi to escape being killed and chased from their homes "like animals."

Plataforma Decide, a monitoring group in Mozambique, said in December that more than 200 people have been killed since post-election protests started in October.
The Alaska Gold Rush town of Nome faced a bleak winter. It was hundreds of miles from anywhere, cut off by the frozen sea and unrelenting blizzards, and under siege from a contagious disease known as the "strangling angel" for the way it suffocated children.

Now, 100 years later, Nome is remembering its saviors  the sled dogs and mushers who raced for more than five days through hypothermia, frostbite, gale-force winds and blinding whiteouts to deliver lifesaving serum and free the community from the grip of diphtheria.

Among the events celebrating the centennial of the 1925 "Great Race of Mercy" are lectures, a dog-food drive and a reenactment of the final leg of the relay, all organized by the Nome Kennel Club.

Alaskans honor 'heroic effort'

"There's a lot of fluff around celebrations like this, but we wanted to remember the mushers and their dogs who have been at the center of this heroic effort and ... spotlight mushing as a still-viable thing for the state of Alaska," said Diana Haecker, a kennel club board member and co-owner of Alaska's oldest newspaper, The Nome Nugget.

"People just dropped whatever they were doing," she said. "These mushers got their teams ready and went, even though it was really cold and challenging conditions on the trail."

Other communities are also marking the anniversary  including the village of Nenana, where the relay began, and Cleveland, Ohio, where the serum run's most famous participant, a husky mix named Balto, is stuffed and displayed at a museum.

Jonathan Hayes, a Maine resident who has been working to preserve the genetic line of sled dogs driven on the run by famed musher Leonhard Seppala, is recreating the trip. Hayes left Nenana on Monday with 16 Seppala Siberian sled dogs, registered descendants of Seppala's team.

A race to save lives

Diphtheria is an airborne disease that causes a thick, suffocating film on the back of the throat; it was once a leading cause of death for children. The antitoxin used to treat it was developed in 1890, and a vaccine in 1923; it is now exceedingly rare in the U.S.

Nome, western Alaska's largest community, had about 1,400 residents a century ago. Its most recent supply ship had arrived the previous fall, before the Bering Sea froze, without any doses of the antitoxin. Those the local doctor, Curtis Welch, had were outdated, but he wasn't worried. He hadn't seen a case of diphtheria in the 18 years he had practiced in the area.

Within months, that changed. In a telegram, Welch pleaded with the U.S. Public Health Service to send serum: "An epidemic of diphtheria is almost inevitable here."

The first death was a 3-year-old boy on January 20, 1925, followed the next day by a 7-year-old girl. By the end of the month, there were more than 20 confirmed cases. The city was placed under quarantine.

West Coast hospitals had antitoxin doses, but it would take time to get them to Seattle, Washington, and then onto a ship for Seward, Alaska, an ice-free port south of Anchorage, Alaska. In the meantime, enough for 30 people was found at an Anchorage hospital.

It still had to get to Nome. Airplanes with open-air cockpits were ruled out as unsuited for the weather. There were no roads or trains that reached Nome.

Instead, officials shipped the serum by rail to Nenana in interior Alaska, some 1,086 kilometers (675 miles) from Nome via the frozen Yukon River and mail trails.

Thanks to Alaska's new telegraph lines and the spread of radio, the nation followed along, captivated, as 20 mushers  many of them Alaska Natives  with more than 150 dogs relayed the serum to Nome. They battled deep snow, whiteouts so severe they couldn't see the dogs in front of them, and life-threatening temperatures that plunged at times to minus minus 51 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit).

The antitoxin was transported in glass vials covered with padded quilts. Not a single vial broke.

Seppala, a Norwegian settler, left from Nome to meet the supply near the halfway point and begin the journey back. His team, led by his dog Togo, traveled more than 320 kilometers (250 miles) of the relay, including a treacherous stretch across frozen Norton Sound.

After about 5 1/2 days, the serum reached its destination on February 2, 1925. A banner front-page headline in the San Francisco Chronicle proclaimed "Dogs victors over blizzard in battle to succor stricken Nome."

The official record listed five deaths and 29 illnesses. It's likely the toll was higher; Alaska Natives were not accurately tracked.

Balto gains fame

Seppala and Togo missed the limelight that went to his assistant, Gunnar Kaasen, who drove the dog team led by Balto into Nome. Balto was another of Seppala's dogs, but was used to only haul freight after he was deemed too slow to be on a competitive team.

Balto was immortalized in movies and with statues in New York's Central Park and one in Anchorage intended as a tribute to all sled dogs. He received a bone-shaped key to the city of Los Angeles, where legendary movie actress Mary Pickford placed a wreath around his neck.

But he and several team members were eventually sold and kept in squalid conditions at a dime museum in Los Angeles. After learning of their plight, an Ohio businessman spearheaded an effort to raise money to bring them to Cleveland, a city in Ohio. After dying in 1933, Balto was mounted and placed on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Iditarod pays homage to run

Today, the most famous mushing event in the world is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which is not based on the serum run but on the Iditarod Trail, a supply route from Seward to Nome. Iditarod organizers are nevertheless marking the serum run's centennial with a series of articles on its website and by selling replicas of the medallions each serum run musher received a century ago, race spokesperson Shannon Noonan said in an email. This year's Iditarod starts March 1.

"The Serum Run demonstrated the critical role sled dogs played in the survival and communication of remote Alaskan communities, while the Iditarod has evolved into a celebration of that tradition and Alaska's pioneering spirit," Noonan said.
Myanmars scam operations are expanding south along Thailands border, authorities have told VOA in recent days, and will continue operating as long as their access to SIM cards, Starlink satellites, electricity and the key human resources  scammers  continues.

The Myawaddy area in Myanmar, opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, is the global capital of scams, opposition Peoples Party lawmaker Rangsiman Rome told VOA on Wednesday.

We are talking about an empire, he said, estimating the number of scammers in at least 40 major compounds there at around 300,000.

They have scammed more than the entire gross domestic product of some countries, and there is no end to their operations in sight, said Rangsiman, who is chair of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Border Affairs.

Powered by billions of dollars of illicit money from their scams, the crime bosses are already moving to new sites further south from Myawaddy along the Thai border, police, politicians and former scammers have told VOA.

New scam bases have already been set up hundreds of kilometers south of Mae Sot, in border areas of Myanmar held by ethnic rebels across from Thailands Sangkhlaburi district, a security attache at a Southeast Asian embassy in Bangkok who deals directly with scam victims told VOA, requesting anonymity.

The scam compounds are expanding far south of Myawaddy, the source said.

A toxic mix of cross-border criminal interests, the protection of ethnic armed groups and Myanmars junta, has enabled the scam gangs to flourish, virtually in the open.

What Im most concerned with is about how Thai grey money has operated as the wings for Chinese grey money which makes enforcing the law even more impossible, Rangsiman said, without elaborating on who he believes is backing the scam gangs.

Billions in losses estimated

A United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report last year estimated losses of between $18 billion and $37 billion from scams across East and Southeast Asia in 2023 alone.

The scam networks are mainly operated by Chinese criminals in China or elsewhere, using foreign nationals from around the world to carry out elaborate romance or investment scams, hunting for victims online or through cold calls. Many of them have been tricked into traveling to Thailand for well-paying jobs but are trafficked into Myanmar instead to work as scammers against their will.

Last year Chinese authorities crossed into Myanmar and arrested over 50,000 of their nationals operating in scam factories along the eastern border with Yunnan province.

New scam rooms are cropping up to the south, including along Myanmars border with Thailands Kachanburi province  Rangsiman pointed to the border along Thailands Phop Phra district, 35 kilometers south of Mae Sot, and Payathonzu, in Myanmars Karen state and across from Sangkhlaburi, 300 kilometers from Mae Sot.

Chinas deputy minister of public security, Liu Zhongyi, visited Mae Sot on Wednesday, a trip signaling Beijings prioritization of the scam issue in Myawaddy, according to Thai Police General Thatchai Pitanilabut, who is head of the Combat Call Center Crimes and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Beijing is taking this matter very seriously, he told reporters after the visit.

As a transit route to the scam rooms, Thailand needs to tackle the problem, as it is giving us a bad image as someone who is an accomplice to human trafficking for the call center gangs, he said.

Thai law enforcement authorities, which are working with the UNODC and other entities on the issue, have said they are committed to assisting and protecting victims of human trafficking as well as investigating and prosecuting perpetrators of call center crimes and human trafficking.

The scrutiny comes after a flurry of high-profile rescues of Chinese citizens tricked into scamming in Myawaddy. They include actor Wang Xing, who was rescued in early January after his case went viral on social media.

Thatchai said there are immediate measures Thailand can take to rein in the scam gangs.

First and foremost, we must intercept and block all the supplies, including receivers, antennas, SIM boxes, and Starlink satellite internet dishes from leaving our borders, he said, referring to the portable kits providing access to high-speed internet from Starlink, which have become essential tools for the scammers.

Rangsiman confirmed the movement of scam centers further south and added that the Thai Interior Ministry, acting through its Provincial Electricity Authority, could cut the power into Myawaddy, which is under consideration, but is yet to do so.

Questions are also being asked by foreign embassies about how vast numbers of foreigners from such disparate countries as Kenya and Japan have been able to cross a remote Thai border into Myanmar, seemingly without the knowledge of Thai authorities. It should be noted, though, that the Thai-Myanmar border is marked by the Moei River, which at some points can be as narrow as 10 meters.

Three police chiefs in charge of three Mae Sot police stations were transferred from their roles this week pending a probe into failing to stop human trafficking into Myanmar.

China holds the key to shutting down the Myawaddy scam base, said Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailands former premier and a powerful tycoon whose daughter, Paetongtarn, is prime minister.

China has major clout over Myanmar. We cant speak to the Myanmar government directly  so we need China to help us, he told reporters Thursday, referring to Myanmars post-coup junta.

Trafficking victims or not

With a crackdown seemingly imminent, human rights groups are urging Thailand to ensure foreigners tricked into working in the scam rooms are freed and treated as human trafficking victims.

Others who have recently left Myawaddy scam rooms paint a more complex picture of the motives of some of the rank-and-file scammers.

Its in the news everywhere, social media, its impossible for them not to be aware, a Filipino woman who voluntarily went into one of the most notorious scam rooms told VOA, requesting that her name not be used.

Its sad but true  money is the only reason, and it is luring people into work, she said.

The fear of a major Chinese-led crackdown has meant the scam bosses are now recruiting people who know what they are getting into rather than trafficking unsuspecting people, the woman said.

The new policy is that people need to be aware of what type of job they are taking on, she said.
Rights groups are pushing back against President Donald Trumps order to detain undocumented migrants at the Migrant Operations Center at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. While migrants have been held in Guantanamo under previous administrations, these groups say what Trump is doing is different. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.
Leaders from the Southern African Development Community met Friday in Zimbabwe to discuss the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo between the government and M23 rebels. The 16-nation bloc, which includes DRC, resolved to meet with its East African counterpart  the East Africa Community  about the matter.

Elias Magosi, executive secretary of the 16-nation SADC, would engage with state and nonstate parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support.

Magosi said the M23 rebels fighting the DRC army were backed by the Rwanda Defense Force  an allegation that Kigali has repeatedly denied. The United Nations and the United States classify M23 as armed rebels, while Kinshasa designates it as a terrorist group.

DRC is a member of the SADC and the East Africa Community, or EAC, while Rwanda is an EAC member.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is the chairman of the SADC, said, I am confident that the concrete decisions adopted today will further propel forward the joint ongoing efforts to finding lasting solutions to restore peace and normalcy in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Dire humanitarian crisis

Dr. Francis Akili, a health project manager of Action Sante, a humanitarian nongovernmental organization operating in eastern DRC, told VOA of a dire humanitarian crisis in areas around Goma, the capital and the largest city of the region's North Kivu province.

He said the region faces a severe lack of food, water and electricity, exacerbating an already critical situation.

We call on SADC, the EAC and the international community to take concrete and decisive actions to restore stability, he said. The people of eastern Congo have suffered for too long.

In a video posted Friday on a U.N. website, U.N. Human Rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence warned that the crisis continues to deepen following M23s takeover of Goma.

Since the start of the crisis, bombs have struck at least two IDP [internally displaced person] sites, causing civilian casualties, he said.

We have also documented summary executions of at least 12 people by M23 between the 26th and the 28th of January. Our office has also documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence by the army and the allied Wazalendo fighters in Kalehe territory. We are verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gang rape, Laurence said.

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi did not attend an EAC meeting earlier in the week. He did not attend Friday's SADC meeting, either, but was said to be following it online.
Taliban officials denounced Saturday claims that the United States could regain custody of Afghanistan's frozen central bank funds, warning that any such action would be "unacceptable."



The Taliban-led Ministry of Economy issued the warning in response to the latest quarterly report released to the U.S. Congress on Friday stating that the government in Kabul is not recognized by Washington and has been subjected to economic sanctions.



In August 2021, when Taliban insurgents retook control of the country just days before the withdrawal of all American and NATO troops, then-President Joe Biden froze about $7 billion in assets that were held in the U.S. by the Afghan central bank. Additionally, European countries froze around $2 billion.



Washington subsequently transferred half of the frozen funds, amounting to $3.5 billion, to a newly established "Afghan Fund" in Switzerland. That fund is intended to support humanitarian assistance in impoverished Afghanistan while ensuring that the Taliban cannot access the money, but no payments have since been released.



The remaining $3.5 billion was retained in the U.S. to fund potential compensation for ongoing court cases against the Taliban, brought by families of the September 11, 2001, attack victims.



"With accrued interest, the fund has now grown to nearly $4 billion," said the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in its report to Congress on Friday. "As part of the current review of foreign assistance, the administration and the Congress may want to examine returning these funds to the custody and control of the U.S. government," it added.



"The Taliban want these funds even though they have no legal right to them since they are not recognized by the United States as the government of Afghanistan, are on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, and are under U.S. and U.N. sanctions," the SIGAR stressed.



The agency referred to President Donald Trump's order issued after his inauguration last month, which suspended almost all foreign aid for three months pending a review to determine what aligns with his "America First" policy.



The de facto Afghan ministry dismissed the objections, saying freezing central bank assets has undermined their national economy. It renewed Kabul's call for the international community to return the more than $9 billion to the central bank, saying it belongs to the Afghan nation and can play a critical role in ensuring monetary and economic stability.



"Any action by the United States regarding the allocation, use, or transfer of these reserves is unacceptable," the Taliban statement warned.



The SIGAR report argued that Washington has spent more than $3.7 billion in Afghanistan since withdrawing its troops from the country, saying most of that money went to U.N. and partner agencies delivering humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan. It noted that another $1.2 billion remains available in the pipeline for possible disbursement.



However, the Taliban disputed the assertions and claimed that U.S. spending had no significant impact on the Afghan economy.



SIGAR said that the United States remains the largest donor to Afghanistan, where millions of people need humanitarian aid, according to U.N. assessments.



"While this assistance may have staved off famine in the face of economic collapse, it has not dissuaded the Taliban from taking U.S. citizens hostage, dismantling the rights of women and girls, censoring the media, allowing the country to become a terrorist safe haven, and targeting former Afghan government officials," the U.S. agency wrote in the report.



Since retaking power three-and-a-half years ago, the hard-line Taliban have banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and suspended female university education across Afghanistan. Women are prohibited from visiting public places, such as gyms and parks. They must wear face coverings in public and have a chaperone for road or air travel.



The Taliban defend their policies, saying they are aligned with Islamic law, or Sharia, and Afghan culture, dismissing international criticism as an interference in the country's internal affairs.



The sweeping restrictions on Afghan women and other human rights concerns, as well as the Taliban's alleged ties with terrorist groups, have deterred the international community from granting legitimacy to the de facto Afghan government.
For many years, Kate Middleton, a member of the British royal family, has been demonstrating her unsurpassed sense of style by appearing in impressive looks. The 43-year-old wife of Prince William, who recently announced that the cancer she had been fighting for a long time had gone into remission, visited the Ty Hafan children's hospice in Wales in her favorite dress, which she has been wearing for five years.

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Despite the fact that Her Highness can only wear products from the best fashion houses, she does not hesitate to go out in public in a Zara outfit that cost about $100 at the time of purchase, W Magazine writes. The Princess of Wales successfully combines the same item with different elements of her wardrobe, so she creates stylish outfits every time.

At a meeting with children at the Ty Hafan hospice, Kate Middleton wore an elegant midi dress with a goosefoot print. An interesting detail of the outfit is the bow around the neck, as well as the belt, which helps to emphasize the waist of the Princess of Wales. Her Highness complemented the outfit with a beige coat and black ballet flats.

ADVERTISIMENT

The last time Prince William's wife went out in public in her favorite dress was in 2023. Back then, she and her husband visited the Aberfan memorial, so she created a more restrained look, dominated by dark shades. Kate Middleton combined the checkered element of her wardrobe with a black coat, tights, and high-heeled boots.

In 2021, Her Highness was seen in a goose-foot print dress outside University College London, where she met with leading researchers.

The first time the Princess of Wales appeared in front of the public in her favorite outfit was in 2020. Back then, Kate Middleton and Prince William visited the MyLahore Asian restaurant in Bradford, England, where they helped prepare milkshakes.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
An Italian navy ship on Saturday took migrants to Italy from asylum processing centers in Albania following a court decision in Rome. It was the third failed attempt by Giorgia Melonis far-right government to process migrants in the non-EU country.

A coast guard ship took 43 migrants from the port of Shengjin, 66 kilometers northwest of the capital, Tirana. They were among the 49 men who were transferred to Albania on an Italian naval ship Tuesday. Six were returned the same day for being minors or deemed vulnerable.

Italian media reported the men were from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Gambia.

An Italian appeals court in Rome on Friday refused to approve the speedy expulsion of 43 asylum-seekers detained in Albania since Tuesday under a controversial migration deal to move the proceedings beyond European Union borders.

The court referred the case to the European Court of Justice, in Luxembourg, which is expected to issue a ruling on Feb. 25 related to the previous cases, in which the series of lower court rulings have opened a fissure between the Meloni government and the Italian judicial system.

In October and November, judges similarly refused to approve the expulsion of much smaller groups of migrants, seeking clarity from the European court on which countries were safe for repatriation of people whose asylum claims are rejected.

Italy last year signed a five-year agreement to process up to 3,000 migrants a month beyond EU borders as part of Melonis program to combat illegal migration to Italy, which is the first landfall for tens of thousands of migrants who make the perilous journey across the central Mediterranean Sea.

While the agreement has raised concerns among human rights activists, European partners have expressed interest in the project.

In the first four weeks of this year, 3,704 migrants arrived in Italy, almost three times as many as in the same period last year. In the whole of last year, 66,317 migrants arrived in Italy, a drop of 58% from the previous year. The largest nationality was Bangladeshis, followed by Syrians, Tunisians and Egyptians, according to the Italian Interior Ministry.
U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to block $45 million in U.S. federal funding for over 400 Burmese students has left many in shock and dismay as their scholarships were abruptly canceled.

The move also has raised concerns about the broader impact it could have on Burmese in Myanmar, a country already grappling with political turmoil and a collapsing education system under military rule.

Students in limbo

One Burmese student who studies at Chiang Mai University in Thailand told VOA that she feels completely lost after learning that her scholarship was being blocked.

"To be honest, I am lost because of this sudden loss of my scholarship. I had been studying with the goal of earning a degree, and now I dont know what to do," she said. The student spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity because she fears for her safety if she returns to Burma, which remains under military control.

She said students like her and others at different academic levels are now left without financial support.

"There are students doing two-year masters degrees, others in four-year bachelor's programs, and even PhD students. I dont know whether I should continue my studies, go home, or what my next step should be," she said.

An email sent to recipients of the program, which was shared with VOAs Burmese Service, stated that USAID had "exercised its right to terminate" the Development and Inclusive Scholarship Program as of Jan. 29, 2025. The email expressed "surprise and disappointment" over the decision and assured students that officials are "looking closely at next steps." It did not confirm whether the scholarship would continue, though, for those who already had received it.

DISP originally was called the Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program but was recently renamed by USAID, replacing "Diversity" with "Development."

DISP was created to support Burmese students from marginalized and underprivileged backgrounds, giving them opportunities to study at universities across Asia, including the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. The program also provided funding for online education through the University of Arizona.

For many, the initiative was their only chance to pursue higher education outside of Burma, where the junta-controlled education system has systematically restricted access for those opposing the military regime.

For some students, the immediate impact has been less severe.

Hlwan Paing Thi Ha, who has been studying at Chiang Mai University for a year, told VOA: "My education has already been paid for through the scholarship program, so it hasnt impacted me yet. Other students pursuing bachelors, masters and PhD degrees will be severely affected."

Future leaders affected

One source who has in-depth understanding of the program said the impact goes beyond just access to education and opportunities. The source spoke with VOA on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with the media.

More than a quarter of the Burmese students in the program have fled Myanmar due to the military coup, ongoing fighting and forced conscription, which has targeted youth.

"The impact is huge," the source said, adding that currently, more than 400 Burmese students are attending universities in four countries  the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand  through the USAID-funded program.

"Of these, 110 were directly recruited from Myanmar, while the rest are students who fled to border regions and Southeast Asian countries due to the military coup or boycotted Myanmars junta-controlled education system," the source said.

The program, which was launched in February 2024, was designed as a five-year initiative, with plans to recruit three batches of students over that period.

"The goal was to ensure that at least 1,000 Burmese students, the 'current and future leaders of the country,' could continue their studies in universities across the region. The second batch, which would include hundreds of students, is now in the final stage of the screening process," the source explained.

Debate continues

In Washington, a debate over the block and review continues.

On Tuesday, the State Department issued a waiver that exempts some humanitarian aid from the freeze. U.S. lawmakers have also voiced concerns, warning that the freeze will impact American soft power and give China an advantage.

On Wednesday, Trump defended the funding freeze, specifically calling out the $45 million allocated for diversity scholarships for Burmese students.

"We also blocked $45 million for diversity scholarships in Burma. Forty-five  thats a lot of money for diversity scholarships in Burma. You can imagine where that money went," Trump said. "These were the types of payments and many others. I could stand here all day and tell you about things that we found, and we have to find them quickly because we want the money to flow to proper places."

Name threatens its demise?

Some note that in addition to the freeze, the name of the program may also leave it in a difficult position, with some worrying that the mention of diversity in its title could impact a substantive review of its impact.

The source with direct knowledge of the initiative for Burmese students told VOA that the program was swiftly terminated when the Trump administration began reducing foreign aid, and that its name, "Diversity and Inclusion," likely played a major role in its elimination.

"This program was one of the first to be cut as soon as the administration began making budget reductions in this area," the source said.

While all USAID-funded programs have been temporarily frozen, DISP appears to have been specifically blocked without any review, the source noted.

"USAID officials have not been able to explain why this program was halted so suddenly."

VOA reached out to the State Department to verify whether the Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program was permanently blocked or still under review, and whether its name played a role in its swift termination.

In an email response to VOA, a State Department spokesperson referred to the presidents executive order on reevaluating and realigning United States foreign aid and the department spokespersons statement on its implementation.

The spokesperson reiterated Secretary of States Marco Rubios remarks during his confirmation hearing, emphasizing the U.S. government will ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and in the best interest of America.

The response did not clarify, however, whether DISP was individually reviewed before being blocked or if existing scholarship recipients would be allowed to complete their studies under prior funding commitments.

Lifeline for ethnic, religious minorities

The source with direct knowledge of the program also voiced concern the administration may not understand that the program has no connection to Myanmars military junta and was created solely to support young people who lost their education due to military oppression.

The Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program was established to reflect Burmas ethnic and religious diversity, giving equal opportunities to students from all backgrounds who have historically faced discrimination under the Burman-dominated and military-controlled education policies. Burman is the name of the main ethnic group in Myanmar.

Many recipients of the scholarship program belong to ethnic minority groups such as the Karen, Kachin, Shan, Chin and Rohingya, who have historically faced systemic discrimination in Burmas education system.

Nyein Chan from VOAs Burmese Service contributed to this report.
The United Nations' peacekeeping chief said Friday that M23 rebels are advancing south toward the provincial capital of Bukavu after seizing control of Goma in the mineral-rich eastern Congo earlier this week.

"The information I have is that M23/RDF are about 60 kilometers north of Bukavu. They seem to be moving quite fast," Jean Pierre Lacroix told reporters of the rebels who are backed by the Rwandan Defense Forces. "There is an airport in the vicinity of where they are, I think a few kilometers south, which is Kavumu."

He said if they succeed in taking over the airport as they did in Goma, it would be another "significant step."

Congolese military bases in Bukavu were being emptied on Thursday to reinforce positions along the route to the provincial capital, residents told The Associated Press. Reuters reports that officials in Bukavu have also been recruiting civilians to help protect the city.

Rwanda did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the latest military movements.

Rebels take over schools, hospitals

Earlier this month, M23 rebels broke a ceasefire agreement, launching a large-scale offensive in along the eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the support of the Rwandan army. Rwanda has denied accusations that it supports the rebels, whom the Congolese government has designated as a terrorist group.

Until June, the United Nations had peacekeepers deployed in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province. The U.N. made an agreement with the government to gradually begin drawing down its mission, known as MONUSCO, and closed its Bukavu office.

In areas under M23 control in South Kivu, including the key trading town of Minova, the rebels have occupied schools and hospitals, expelled displaced persons from camps, and forced the local population to fight for them and perform forced labor, the U.N. office of human rights said Friday.

The U.N. peacekeeping chief, echoing the secretary-general and the Security Council, urged diplomatic engagement to halt the fighting and lead to a political solution.

Goma still 'tense,' some services restored

Meanwhile, in the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma, which fell to the rebels earlier this week, the situation is "tense and volatile," Lacroix said, but calm is gradually being restored, along with some basic services. U.N. peacekeepers have also been able to resupply some of their positions, he said. The airport, however, remains out of commission after sustaining heavy damage to its runways.

The World Health Organization and the Congolese government assessed that 700 people had been killed between Sunday and Thursday, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Another 2,800 wounded are receiving treatment in health facilities.

"These numbers are expected to rise as more information becomes available," Dujarric said.

The International Organization for Migration said 300,000 people had been sheltering in displacement sites, including on the outskirts of Goma. Those sites are now mostly empty as people fled the fighting. The agency says the displaced urgently need food, shelter, clean water, medical care and protection.

Before the latest round of violence, eastern Congo was 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.
As fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese armed troops escalate in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that the warring parties increasingly are using rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war.

Conflict-related sexual violence has been an appalling feature of armed conflict in eastern DRC for decades, said Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk.

Laurence emphasized that the high commissioner is particularly concerned this latest escalation risks deepening the conflict-related sexual violence much further.

The ongoing crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, or the DRC, continues to escalate, with tensions involving the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group. The DRC government has officially designated the M23 rebel group as a terrorist organization, while the United Nations and the United States classify it as an armed rebel group.

The DRC government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, a claim that Rwanda denies. Kigali, in turn, alleges that Kinshasa collaborates with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Hutu armed group with ties to the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, an allegation the DRC rejects.

Military operations in the region remain fluid, with clashes leading to significant displacement and humanitarian concerns. Analysts warn that continued instability risks deepening the regional conflict, and several peacekeepers from the Southern African Development Community already have been killed since the recent rebel offensive.

The key parties involved in the crisis include the DRC government, the M23 rebels and Rwanda. And all are pointing fingers at each other and claiming advances in one form or another.

Laurence told journalists at a briefing in Geneva Friday there has been a marked increase in the incidence of rape and sexual violence, as fighting between the hostile armed forces has expanded toward South Kivu, following M23s takeover nearly a week ago of Goma  North Kivus mineral-rich capital.

Since the crisis started, the United Nations has received reports of more than 200 cases of rape and sexual violence.

The numbers, sadly, will likely be higher, Laurence said. As we know, in past conflicts, often for reasons of stigmatization, could be for social, cultural or personal reasons, many women may not report instances of this. The grim story is, the figure is, dare I say, higher, considerably.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, warned that with the higher risk of violence, including rape, there is a risk for pregnant women, and we know that there is a high maternal death rate that we observed even before this violence.

Also, in this part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, we have had a crisis of malaria, measles, cholera and the new, more severe strain of mpox. So, with this violence, the increased spread of these viruses is even bigger, he said.

The United Nations reports at least 700 people have been killed and more than 2,800 injured since M23 rebels seized Goma on Sunday.

DRC Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner has accused Rwanda of illegally occupying part of her country by using what she alleges are a proxy, the M23 rebels, whom the DRC designates as terrorists.

Kayikwamba said Friday that Rwanda was trying to orchestrate a regime change.

Yolande Makolo, Rwandas government spokesperson, denied these charges, maintaining that Rwandan troops were being deployed only to prevent the conflict from spilling over into its territory.

Meanwhile, Laurence noted the U.N. human rights office has received reports of conflict-related sexual violence committed by divergent groups, such as the army and allied Wazalendo fighters in Kalehe territory.

We are verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gang rape, he said. Additionally, DRC officials report that at least 165 women were raped by male inmates during the prison break by more than 4,000 inmates from Gomas Muzenze prison on 27 January, as M23 began its assault on the town.

The rights agency reported bombs struck at least two sites for internally displaced persons, causing civilian casualties. The agency documented summary executions of at least 12 people by M23 between Sunday and Tuesday.

The International Organization for Migration, or IOM, reports that several displacement sites in Goma and on the outskirts, where over 300,000 displaced persons have sought refuge, have been partially or completely emptied as families fled the fighting.

Millions of people were already displaced by years of conflict in eastern DRC, and humanitarian needs were massive, Amy Pope, IOM director general said Friday. With the current alarming upsurge in fighting, an already dire situation is rapidly becoming very much worse.

Reports indicate that M23 has progressed farther south toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. In other areas under M23 control in South Kivu, such as Minova, M23 reportedly has occupied schools and hospitals, forced displaced people out of camps and subjected the civilian population to forced conscription and forced labor.

Turk warned that the current widespread proliferation of weapons in Goma is exacerbating the already significant risks of serious violations and abuses.

We continue to receive urgent requests from civilians for protection and are working with U.N. colleagues and other partners to ensure their safety, he said.

Turk called for investigations into the commission of violations, stressing the importance of holding perpetrators to account.
Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela in recent months were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met Friday with a senior Trump administration official.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions, Richard Grenell, announced the release of the six men on social media. Grenell posted on X a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft.

Grenell's trip to Venezuela, according to the White House, was focused on Trump's efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which currently does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

"We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens," Grenell wrote on X. "They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn't stop thanking him."

The visit by Grenell came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped that Trump would continue the "maximum pressure" campaign he pursued against the authoritarian Venezuelan leader during his first term.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trump's special envoy to Latin America, previewed Grenell's visit to Caracas in a conference call with journalists on Friday. He said Grenell, who served as U.S. ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence during Trump's first term, was in Venezuela on a "very specific mission" that in no way detracts from the Trump administration's goal of restoring democracy in the South American nation.

"I would urge the Maduro government, the Maduro regime in Venezuela, to heed special envoy Ric Grenell's message," said Claver-Carone, himself a former top national security aide to Trump during his first administration. "Ultimately there will be consequences otherwise."

The visit comes less than a month after Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last year's election by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The U.S. government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognize Maduro's claim to victory.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Grenell and Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, the capital, and said the meeting had been requested by the U.S. government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump was asked if Grenell being filmed meeting with Maduro lent legitimacy to an administration that the Trump White House hasn't official recognized.

"No. We want to do something with Venezuela. I've been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro," Trump responded. "They've treated us not so good, but they've treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly."

Some Republicans criticized the visit.

"This is terrible timing," said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. "A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimize his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president. If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president could've done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas."

Among those detained are as many as 10 Americans. Neither the White House nor Maduro's government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.
Over the past three years, despite accusations that China has provided covert support to Russia in the Ukraine war, Beijing has repeatedly emphasized its "neutrality" in public and called for peace talks. However, with newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump joining the call for a ceasefire, Beijing's carefully crafted role as a "peacemaker" may face the risk of marginalization.

Click here for the full story in Mandarin.
A pharmacist from Tehran told VOA Persian that the cost of some drugs has increased by 200 percent. The pharmacist, who wanted to remain anonymous, said medicine has become scarce and expensive over the past two years because of currency fluctuations and a shortage of foreign currency.

Click here for the full story in Persian.
Several opposition leaders in Venezuela use technology to communicate and draw up strategies in secret, while their parties prudently coordinate meetings. The repression has been relentless, said political leader Juan Pablo Guanipa, who is now under protection.

Click here for the full story in Spanish.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has resolved to immediately dispatch ministers of defense, chiefs of defense and representatives of nations that deployed peacekeeping troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where rebels of the March 23 (M23) movement are threatening to overrun international and local security forces after seizing some parts of the mineral-rich eastern city of Goma.

In a communique after convening a four-hour SADC Exraordinary Summit in Harare on Friday, chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the leaders also resolved to convene an urgent meeting with the East African Community in an effort to resolve the security situation, which they claim may plunge the southern African region and some central and eastern nations into a serious military conflict.

The communique reads in part,  Summit received the latest reports on the unfolding security situation in the Eastern part of the DRC and noted with concern the recent attacks by the M23 armed group and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on the Government Forces of DRC, the SADC

Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), and the civilian population in various areas of North Kivu.

The SADC leaders further said there was urgent need to dispatch ministers of defence, chiefs of defence and troop contributing countries to DRC to ensure that the SAMIDRC troops are

safe and facilitate immediate repatriation of the deceased troops and those who are

injured.

At least 13 South African soldiers have been killed in fierce battles in Goma amid reports that the M23 rebels are now in control of some sections of the city where over 300,000 civilians have fled their homes.

The SADC leaders also commended efforts being made by Angola and Kenya in bringing lasting peace to the DRC.

They tasked Tanzanian President Salam Suluhu Hassan, who attended the summit and leads the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, to engage all state and non-state parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the armed conflict.

The SADC leaders further urged parties to the conflict to engage in a coordinated effort of dialogue, including supporting the Luanda Process, MONUSCO and others, to restore peace and security in the eastern region of the DRC.

Apart from Mnangagwa and Hassan, the other SADC leaders who attended the Extraordinary Summit are Felix Tshilombo Antoine Tshisekedi (DRC), Duma Boko (Botswana), Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa) and Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia). Other were represented by ministers and senior government officials.
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Contents of issue N118

EDITORIAL

 2767 - 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp

AMERICAS

 2768 Donald Trump announces the construction of an Iron Dome

 2769 Donald Trump prepares to dissolve FEMA

 2770 Donald Trump declassifies the files of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King

 2771 Donald Trump freezes US development aid

 2772 Federal Judge Suspends Citizenship Decree

 2773 Steve Bannon still criticizes Elon Musk

 2774 Kash Patel announces investigation into US embezzlement in Ukraine

 2775 CIA claims Covid-19 was the result of a lab leak

 2776 Donald Trump fires USGAM administrators

 2777 The European Parliament recognizes Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the legitimate winner of the Venezuelan presidential election

 2778 Colombia gives up on resisting Donald Trump

 2779 Brazil and Uruguay bow to Donald Trump

EUROPE

 2780 UK signs bilateral tax agreements with EU members

 2781 - $10 billion in Italian-Saudi contracts

 2782 Germany prepares to resist possible manipulations by X

 2783 Andrzej Duda wants Nord Stream to be dismantled

 2784 The European Commission fails to see why the termination of Russian gas transit to Ukraine poses a problem

 2785 Preparing a Color Revolution in Slovakia

 2786 Raphael Glucksmann is concerned about foreign investment in the EU

 2787 The EUs "Democratic Shield"

 2788 Ursula von der Leyen launches the Global Forum on Energy Transition

 2789 The European Commission tries to repair Moldovas gas cut-off in Transnistria

 2790 The European Commission prepares the joint purchase of medicines against Covid-19

 2791 The European Commission prepares the 16th package of "sanctions" against Russia

 2792 The European Commission prepares additional customs duties for Russian and Belarusian agricultural products

 2793 Ten EU states prepare for the accession of Ukraine and Moldova

 2794 Did Kyrylo Budanov say that the future of Ukraine was threatened?

 2795 Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Emmanuel Macron

 2796 Ukraine to resume gas deliveries

 2797 Council of Europe prepares to expel Georgia

 2798 The European Court of Human Rights sets up an Ethics Council

 2799 Venice Commission condemns conditions for annulment of first round of Romanian presidential election

 2800 Presidential election in Belarus

 2801 The European Parliament rejects Russias argument for its war in Ukraine

AFRICA

 2802 Resumption of fighting in the Congo

ASIA

 2803 Israel sends missiles for Ukraines Patriot batteries

 2804 Palestinian Deportation Project

 2805 Benyamin Netanyahus plan for Gaza

 2806 The Trump administration prepares for Benjamin Netanyahus trip to Washington on February 4

 2807 Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon postponed

 2808 Three threats to Lebanon that worry Hezbollah

 2809 Mikhail Bogdanov in Damascus

 2810 Muslim Brother Ahmad al-Shareh, interim president of Syria

 2811 The Kurds of the SDF fail to reach an agreement with the new regime in Damascus

 2812 The UN Economic Forecast for Syria

 2813 Towards the disarmament of the PKK

INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

 2814 UN Security Council deplores Israels ban on UNRWA in Gaza and Jerusalem

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION

 2815 Donald Trump denounces the cost of European standards in Davos
This years festival felt like the last days of a going-out-of-business sale. Still, a few gems emerged in the slush. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Vulture; Photos: Sundance Institute, Marcus Patterson, Jesse Hope, Adolpho Veloso

Last week, actors, directors, writers, documentarians, distributors, and yes, some Vulture employees descended on Park City for the 41st Sundance Film Festival. Rumored to be the festivals second to last year in Park City  there are designs to move to Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, or Boulder  there was a bittersweet, muted enthusiasm to this years premieres and screenings. Whispers echoed through Main Street: Maybe it was an off year, maybe the festival lost its juice. Still, a few gems emerged in the slush.

Bilge: Ive never been a big This was a bad Sundance year guy, but I think I finally have to say it: This was a bad Sundance year. Of course, that opinion largely rests on the fact that a lot of the higher-profile titles  which are the movies most of us wind up having to write about, because they have stars, or come from established filmmakers, or whatever  whiffed badly. Whether it was the failures of genre titles like Opus, The Thing With Feathers, or Rabbit Trap, or the almost incomprehensible stupidity of something like Bubble & Squeak, or the middling indie homecomings of Kiss of the Spider Woman and Last Days, every day there seemed to be some huge movie (well, huge) that we all lined up for and were massively disappointed by.

I dont think this is the fault of the festival programmers or organizers, by the way. There might be a number of reasons for this. For years now, the middle ground for these types of pictures  not micro-budget, but also not studio blockbusters  has been steadily vanishing. And because of the increasing focus on awards, a lot of highly touted films opt for Venice or Toronto or Telluride premieres. Which I suspect leaves Sundance with a smaller pool of exceptional projects. Even though there are multiple Sundance titles among this years Oscar nominees, and it was not long ago that we had our first Sundance-anointed Best Picture winner, CODA. (Remember CODA?) I do also feel like were still witnessing some of Hollywoods post-strike doldrums. I was surprised by how many films felt like they needed a few more script passes. So, maybe this years lackluster lineup is a one-off and there will be stronger choices next year.

At the same time, its hard for me to deem truly bad any Sundance that gave us such wonderful films as Peter Hujars Day, Train Dreams, Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake), The Ugly Stepsister, The Things You Kill, and Rebuilding. Not to mention an always-strong lineup of exceptional documentaries, which are of course always the best part of this festival (and, sadly, also often the least covered). Fran, I believe this was your first in-person Sundance. What were some of the highlights of the festival for you?

Fran: It was, in fact, my first time in Park City, my first time at the Eccles Theater, my first time getting winded going up only one flight of stairs (thank you, altitude). The festival really felt like it kicked off for me at the Friday-afternoon premiere of Mary Bronsteins If I Had Legs Id Kick You starring Rose Byrne, Conan OBrien, and A$AP Rocky  easily the best combination of unlikely performers in this years festival. Byrne plays Linda, a therapist and mother caring for a sick daughter (who goes unseen but heard in the film) amid a number of other stressors big and small: Theres a hole in the apartment ceiling, her husband is away on business for two months, one of her patients is melting down, and so on. Bronsteins first feature, Yeast, depicted a stressful camping weekend in which a group of young female friends trade unwarranted barbs at each other for 80 minutes straight. Legs is no less stressful; modestly speaking, its probably 20 times more stressful. The film played like a real-deal thriller, the people around me screaming and groaning and laughing and shielding their eyes. The movie doesnt totally come together for me, but its undeniably a ride. Did any of the movies you saw garner a similar vocal response from the audience  for better or worse?

Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs Id Kick You. Photo: Logan White

Bilge: The thing about Sundance is that very often the screenings we attend are also the big, glitzy premieres where the whole cast and crew are present. The response at Kiss of the Spider Woman, for example, was quite loud. Partly because its a musical (which is a genre that always invites mid-movie applause), partly because its a premiere, partly because J.Lo was there. And Im sure a lot of those people in the audience did genuinely like the movie  even if I didnt, with the sole exception of Tonatiuhs star-making performance, which absolutely deserved the huge ovation at the end.

What Im more excited by are those screenings that are packed and yet totally quiet, where it feels like you can hear the minutest shuffle. Thats when you know a film is really working its magic. That was my experience at Rebuilding, in which Josh OConnor plays a cowboy whos just lost the family farm in a massive wildfire, and whos struggling to put his life back together. Years ago, saving the family farm was like one of several go-to cliches we used to describe an imaginary (and presumably bad) boilerplate Sundance movie. And yet, Rebuilding was filled with such humanity, such warm detail, and Josh OConnor made such a wonderfully scruffy sad single dad, that the movie transcended any cliches.

Josh OConnor in Rebuilding. Photo: Jesse Hope

Then there was Train Dreams, which I didnt see at its premiere but at a press-and-industry screening. Those tend to not have much applause or anybody hooting and hollering. They do tend to have a lot of walkouts, because not everybody is necessarily there to see the whole movie (buyers, managers, etc.). But my screening of Train Dreams was pretty much totally rapt. Nobody left. And by the time the credits rolled, I was worried the lights would go up too quickly, because I was still crying like a baby. There havent been a lot of sales at this festival, so its nice to see one of the better films get a distribution deal  Netflix has bought Train Dreams. But Im a little worried a Netflix deal will mean this beautiful, big-screen movie gets either a cursory or nonexistent theatrical release. Lets hope that Netflix does the right thing here and puts it in a meaningful number of theaters before the film disappears into the great streaming beyond.

Fran: I stayed for most of the Train Dreams credits in an attempt to pull myself together. The obvious comparison here is Terrence Malick, but I was also reminded of the early work of David Lowery. I hope people get to see it in theaters; it deserves a screen as big as its trees.

The best films I saw this year were from somewhat veteran filmmakers: the aforementioned Bronstein, Train Dreams, Cherien Dabiss All Thats Left of You, James Sweeneys Twinless, and Ira Sachss Peter Hujars Day. Part of what was so refreshing about these films was not necessarily an excess of skill or budget so much as it was the clear-eyed vision of someone not trying to throw every possible thing at the wall. Take All Thats Left of You, a handsomely directed and otherwise straightforward family drama about three generations of a Palestinian family. Dabis keeps her cards close to her chest for most of the film, only to reveal her sprawling narratives central wallop in the last act. I couldnt shake the film for a day or two after I saw it, a testament to Dabiss sense of control and patience in her writing. Unlike you, I saw zero documentaries in Park City, though I am hoping to remedy that this week on Sundances online platform. You saw far more of them than I did  what stood out in the doc section to you?

Bilge: The documentary sections at Sundance are always the strongest, and this year was no exception  from the opening-night premiere of Questloves Sly Lives! to smaller, under-the-radar titles like Dating Game and Zodiac Killer Project. Even some of the celebrity-driven docs, which tend to be really hit or miss, were quite strong, such as Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore and Pee-Wee As Himself. Whats a bit surprising though was how little discussion I saw of the documentaries. Yes, the bigger, more star-studded premieres often eat up a lot of space, but Sundance documentaries are usually good for a few controversies and breakouts. This year, not only did I not see a lot of coverage, I also didnt hear much discussion about the docs on the ground from other critics and reporters. Some of this might be due to the fact that we get online access to all the competition titles the last few days of the fest  which makes it an ideal time to catch up with docs. So maybe that has resulted in some unforgiving triage: While were in Park City, we now focus entirely on those Premiere titles that wont be available online a few days later. And thus, the docs get screwed when it comes to the buzz factor.

Theres a broader crisis in the world of non-fiction distribution right now  something Ill be writing more about in the coming weeks  so a place like Sundance serves as an important venue for these titles to get some degree of exposure. I thought for sure thered be a lot more talk about The Stringer, a film that posits (with plenty of compelling evidence) that the infamous Napalm Girl photo from the Vietnam War was taken by someone other than the photographer who was credited for it (and who went on to win a Pulitzer for it). Now, I think The Stringer is a pretty uneven film, but still, theres a fascinating story at its heart. Similarly, Predators, about the complicated legacy of NBCs To Catch a Predator series, felt like it was ripe for some Discourse  but as far as I can tell, little such Discourse materialized.

Sly Lives! Photo: Stephen Paley

I can say that I loved Coexistence, My Ass! about the Israeli comedian and activist Noam Shuster Eliassi, whose support for a free Palestine, and whose growing impatience with centrist, cant-we-all-get-along bromides have made her a pariah in her own country. Again, a movie I expected to make more of an impact at the festival. The same could be said for GEN_, Gianluca Matarreses riveting look at a Milan doctor who specializes in fertility treatments and in helping trans patients figure out what kind of treatment they want to undergo; the film is not stylized, but its unflinching and compassionate focus on the doctor and his patients feels like a radical act of formalism.

Admittedly, these are lower-profile films, but youd think that given the times were living in, such pictures would have made waves. So too Mr. Nobody Against Putin, a harrowing, first-person account of a school in a small Russian towns transformation from a place of learning to a staging ground for nationalist and military propaganda as the Ukraine War heats up. The teacher at the heart of the film (and the Mr. Nobody of the title) is co-director Pavel Talankin, who shot this footage by himself over the course of years, at great risk to life and limb, and who has since fled Russia. Where was the coverage of this mans bravery? Of course, I myself could have written more about these films. Instead I was too busy waiting in line for Bubble & Squeak or whatever. The question now is if any distributors will be bold enough to pick up these titles and actually get them in front of audiences.

Fran: One of the bigger stories out of this years Sundance has been distributors hesitation  whether due to lingering effects of the fires or buyers skepticism or some combination  to buy up the stronger films at the festival. At the time of our writing, only a small handful of films have sold. One of the movies whose fate lies in jeopardy is our mutual favorite of the festival, Ira Sachss Peter Hujars Day. Sachss last film  the sexy, funny, and sharp Passages  wound up being a critical favorite, putting Franz Rogowski on the map. In Peter Hujars Day, Sachs tones down the volume and the crop tops for something more intimate. The film is adapted from Linda Rosenkrantzs book of the same name: a transcript of a conversation she had with the photographer Peter Hujar about how he spends his day.

What unfolds on screen over 75 blissful minutes is both mundane and transcendent. Hujar, played by Passages Ben Whishaw, and Rosenkrantz, played by Rebecca Hall, kvetch and gossip and discuss everything from food to art to mutual friends to New York City. Shot on 16-mm. by Alex Ashe, Peter Hujars Day might be Sundances best-looking film, its interiors warm and inviting. I dont want to think too hard about what NYC rents were like in the 70s. But Whishaw and Hall are at the center of the action, gentle and curious about one another. Sachs clearly has great affection for them as these two artists once did for each other. Its like eavesdropping on the two most interesting people at the coffee shop down the block.

Because we were stretched as thin as the oxygen in Park City, there are a few titles that we let slip by. Im curious to see Eva Victors much-lauded debut Sorry, Baby as well as a handful of the docs you mentioned above. Is there anything you didnt catch youll be keeping an eye out for later this year?

Bilge: Despite seeing movies pretty much round the clock, I have an uncanny ability to miss the big sale at every Sundance. Last year I missed Its Whats Inside. (Still havent seen it, in fact.) In 2021, I missed CODA. In 2020, I missed Palm Springs. And so on. And this year I missed Together, the Alison BrieDave Franco thriller(?) that Neon picked up. A bad day of snowbound bus snafus kept me from being able to see the documentary Its Never Over, Jeff Buckley. And I also missed the aforementioned If I Had Legs Id Kick You, which for the first several days of the fest was the only title anybody seemed to agree was any good. (Well, that and The Ugly Stepsister, the delightful alt-Cinderella body-horror thriller that came into the fest with a Shudder deal already in hand.)

There definitely was a strangely downbeat atmosphere at this years festival. A critic friend joked that the flags flying at half-staff all over town (still down for the late Jimmy Carter) were for the movies we were seeing. That seemed to encapsulate everybodys mood. Maybe it was the fact that we know Sundance will be leaving Park City, though we dont know for where yet. (Ive enjoyed my trips to Utah, so Im kind of hoping theyll stick around the same general area and go with Salt Lake City.) I had expected maybe a kind of Last Hurrah vibe, but it felt more  postapocalyptic. Like the last days of a going-out-of-business sale. Less buzz, less anticipation, less hope, fewer people. (Also, technically speaking, fewer movies.) Hell, maybe it was the election. Lets not forget that Sundance tends to occur very close to, and sometimes literally on, Inauguration Day. That can account for not just the mood but also the trepidation to talk much about, let alone buy, movies about hot-button issues. If a distributor buys GEN_, will their company get shut down? Will Mr. Nobody get shipped back to Russia if we profile him? If somebody releases Zodiac Killer Project, will Ted Cruz do a citizens arrest? Im joking, but Im also sort of not joking. The craziest shit seems possible at the moment.

Fran: Beyond the overall downcast mood, I also got the sense that people were tired of dealing with the festivals infrastructure. Slow shuttles, bad traffic, screenings too scrunched together  its one thing to see a bad movie, but its even more irritating to miss a good one on account of the elements, as I and many others did. Maybe a change of scenery would brighten the mood and give everyone a fresh(-ish) start going forward.

Bilge: I will say this, however. Every year at Sundance, I try to carve out some time on my very last day to see a movie I know very little about, just because its playing at the right time and is the right length. Last year, that movie was Ghostlight, which blew me away and wound up making my list of the top ten movies of 2024. This year, that movie was Mohammad Reza Eyni and Sara Khakis documentary Cutting Through Rocks, a striking account of a 37-year-old, headstrong, motorbike-riding tomboy and former midwife named Sara Shahverdi who lives in a small Iranian village and has just won local elected office, the only woman to do so. The film follows her as she attempts to succeed at her new position, while also providing a safe haven for the girls in her area, many of whom tend to get married off in their early teens. Perhaps needless to say, the men of the village (including her own relatives) arent entirely down with the cause. It sounds like a staid, good-for-you movie  ennobling, progressive, with its heart in the right place, etc.  but its also raucously entertaining (Shahverdi is a spectacular subject) and, at times, heart-stoppingly sad. I was completely riveted. And the experience reminded me all over again of the sense of discovery that makes film festivals special  and is the reason why Sundance still matters.
Will he scoop up any more of these? Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Whos joining Tomdaya in the packed ensemble cast of Christopher Nolans next movie, The Odyssey? Reportedly, a bunch of actors who have already appeared in the Nolan-verse before, with the latest additions including Himesh Patel (Tenet), Elliot Page (Inception), and Bill Irwin (Interstellar). Robert Pattinson and several other stars who have previously worked with Nolan are also already rumored to play the main characters in his upcoming adaptation of the Greek epic. But the director is shooting this film in brand new IMAX film technology, so the project will quite literally be a massive reunion either way. Below, everything we know about The Odyssey, including what its about (sorry, not vampires), where its filming, and when its coming out. And now weve even got a first look at Matt Damon as Odysseus.

Whats it about?

Described as a mythic action epic shot across the world, The Odyssey is based on Homers ancient Greek poem about a kings long, perilous journey back home to his wife after the Trojan War. Universal announced the title of the film via a post on X in December 2024. We still havent gotten official plot details since then, but if the movie sticks to its source material, expect to see gods, goddesses, sirens, creatures, and a lot of death.

Whos playing Odysseus?

After rumors that lil Tom Holland would be leading the project, Universal released a first look image of Matt Damon as the clever Greek. Odysseus is like the Bugs Bunny of Greek myth, always tricking big galumphing foes and asking the gods if he is or is not a stinker.

First look at Matt Damon as Odysseus in Christopher Nolans THE ODYSSEY



In theaters on July 17, 2026. pic.twitter.com/6vCoGOiB44  DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 17, 2025

So its not a vampire movie?

Nope, not unless Universal forgot to tell us that this is a vamped-up take on the original epic. There was rampant speculation about Nolans next movie before the title was announced, with THR noting at one point that it had been rumored to be either a period vampire thriller or a helicopter action thriller. But of course, it turned out to be a third, unrelated thing.

Whos in the cast?

We havent seen a triangle this powerful since Zendaya was with two other little white boys: Christopher Nolan got Tomdaya to star in his next film. This will be Tom Holland and Zendayas first movie together outside the Marvel universe. Whats going to happen when two of the biggest stars in the world separately, and are even more famous as a couple, are together in a movie thats certain to get the attention of film bros around the globe? If we had to guess, wed say lots of box-office success and lots of awards attention. Thats just how these guys roll.

A good chunk of the reported cast are past Nolan collaborators, including Anne Hathaway, who was in The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, and Matt Damon, who was in Interstellar and Oppenheimer. Robert Pattinson is also traveling back in time to reunite with his Tenet director, while THR reports that star Benny Safdie will go from a role in Oppenheimer to a role in The Odyssey. Deadline reported on January 31 that three more Nolan-verse alums Himesh Patel (Tenet), Elliot Page (Inception), and Bill Irwin (Interstellar)  will also be embarking on this voyage.

Still, dont go thinking that Nolan wont work with any new faces for The Odyssey. Samantha Norton, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyongo have all never starred in a Nolan film before, but are reportedly also on board.

Thats a big cast. Who are the main characters?

According to a November 2024 report from The Hollywood Reporter, the goss round the Universal canteen is that Damon, Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson are the Core Four of the film. Since Damon is Odysseus, one can infer that Hathaway may play Penelope, ahd Holland their son Telemachus. Pattinson can be, uhhhhh, Zeus?

Where and when is it filming?

Per Variety, part of The Odyssey will film on the Sicilian island Favignana, known as goat island, which is believed to be one of the real-life locations that Homer imagined Odysseus traveling to. Filming in Favignana is reportedly expected to begin sometimes around late March. According to Variety, there are also plans to shoot in Sicilys Eolian islands, the United Kingdom, and Morocco.

Does The Odyssey have a release date?

Yup. Its currently set to sail into theaters on July 17, 2026 in IMAX.

This post has been updated.
Opposition welcomes ruling in new setback for Meloni.

The Italian government's contested asylum processing scheme in Albania hit a new obstacle on Friday after a Rome court rejected the detention of 43 migrants.

The court of appeal did not validate the detention of the migrants held at the facilities in Albania, built by Italys right-wing government, and ordered them to be trasferred to Italy.

The court ruling affects 43 migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh who were picked up while crossing the Mediterraean and taken to the Italian-run facilities in Albania while their asylum applications were being processed.

This marks the third time that judges have ordered the transfer of migrants to Italy since the first group was taken to Albania last October.

The offshore facilities, a flagship policy of Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni, have faced severe criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties.

The latest ruling further undermines Melonis plan to curb irregular sea arrivals and comes amid rising tensions between the Italian government and the judiciary.

As in the previous rulings by the immigration section of tribunals in Rome and Catania, the court of appeal referred the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), asking it to give a definitive opinion on the matter.

Safe countries

The decision is linked to a ruling by the CJEU that indicates to EU member states that a country cannot be deemed "safe" unless it protects the rights of all its citizens throughout its territory.

Last November, in an attempt to overcome court objections, the Italian government updated its list of "safe" countries to which migrants can be returned under an expedited process.

Friday's decision of the court of appeal concerns only the detention of the migrants in Albania, and not their request for asylum.

That was rejected separately on Thursday, but the 43 migrants have 14 days to file an appeal, according to Italian news reports.

In the meantime, they will be allowed to remain in Italy and are expected to arrive at the southern port of Bari on board an Italian coast guard ship on Saturday evening.

The 43 migrants taken to Albania were originally part of a group of 49 however six of them had already been returned to Italy because they failed to meet the government's requirements for detention at the offshore facility: four were minors while two adults were found to be "vulnerable".

Reaction

Friday's court ruling was slammed by senior members of government parties including Galeazzo Bignami, leader of Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia group in parliament, who said: "We are witnessing an attitude of resistance by a part of the Italian judiciary towards the measures adopted to guarantee security and combat illegal immigration".

Forza Italia senator Maurizio Gasparri also took aim at the judges, claiming that the Italian judiciary "continues to boycott the [government's] security policies to combat illegal immigration".

Last November, following the ruling by the tribunal in Catania, deputy premier Matteo Salvini hit out at "communist judges".

Italy's opposition parties, however, have welcomed the latest setback for the government's controversial scheme.

Resounding failure

"The centres in Albania do not work and will not work, they are a resounding failure" - said Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) - "The wasted public resources are increasing disproportionately: over a billion euro that could have been invested to hire nurses and doctors in the emptied departments of public health".

Riccardo Magi of the liberal left-wing +Europa party, said the judges' decision marks "the tombstone on the immigration policies implemented so far by Giorgia Meloni. All she can do is declare this sadistic experiment a failure and spare us her usual load of victimisation."

Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione, slammed the migrant facilities as "madness that must be closed immediately", while senator Davide Faraone of the liberal Italia Viva party said the ruling marked a "total Caporetto" for the government - a term used in Italy to denote defeat and humiliation.

Photo credit: Alec Tassi / Shutterstock.com.
Waterford TD John Cummins has been appointed Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage as Taoiseach Michael Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris announced the junior minister line-up.

The newly-elected TD was the party's Seanad spokesperson for housing in the previous government and said he is "absolutely delighted" to have responsibility for Local Government and Planning.

Speaking following the announcement Deputy John Cummins said: I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed by Tanaiste Simon Harris and Taoiseach Michael Martin to a role which I feel I can hit the ground running on given my experience as a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage over the past five years and my 11 years experience as a member of Waterford City and County Council.

"There is a huge amount of talent within Fine Gael with 23 new TDs bringing a wealth of new knowledge into the party and I know the Tanaiste will have given a great deal of consideration to these appointments.

"Naturally, I am honoured to have been chosen for this role and I assured the Tanaiste I will give everything to it," the Waterford TD said.

The new Minister of State said he "was never distracted by all of the speculation that was surrounding the appointment of Ministers of State".

"Ultimately, such things are always a matter for the party leader," he said, "and while I felt I did a solid job in my capacity as one of the Fine Gael negotiators during the development of the programme for government, that doesnt give you an entitlement to become a Minister."

Cummins, who spent the last Dail term as a Senator, won a seat in Leinster House in the General Election in November and thanked "everyone who has assisted me throughout my political career thus far, in particular my wife Inga, my parents, our amazing team of Fine Gael councillors across the county, my supporters and the wider membership of Waterford Fine Gael, all of whom I simply couldnt have done it without.

"Most importantly I want to thank the people of Waterford who placed their trust in me during Novembers general election. I hope this appointment demonstrates the value of my election to Dail Eireann and I look forward to delivering for the people of Waterford."
With the benefit of hindsight, its clear who got the better deal in the mining industrys largest deals to date. Time  and iron ore prices  proved that Billiton needed BHP more than vice versa in their $US57 billion tie-up in 2001. Time and aluminium values showed Rio Tinto needed Alcan a lot less than the other way around in their $US38 billion deal in 2007.

The historical lessons are important as two of the sectors top players, Rio Tinto and Glencore, debate a merger.

Loath to compromise: Would Ivan Glasenberg, Glencores biggest investor, make concessions to reach a deal? Credit: Bloomberg

Obviously, who has the most to gain is far less clear when a deal is revealed  let alone in the heat of negotiations. Everyone likes to talk about mergers of equals and win-win acquisitions. Its typically nonsense. Gauging whos leaving money on the table demands assumptions that are years, if not decades, in advance about commodity prices, geopolitical risks and investor appetite. At best, its art rather science; at worst, its based on gut feelings.

Looking at the potential merger of Rio Tinto and Glencore  GlenTinto, as some bankers have dubbed it  my gut says that Glencore, which is worth about $US55 billion ($89 billion) plus debt, needs the deal more than its rival, which is worth $US100 billion. So if either side needs to compromise on valuation to get a transaction done, its Glencore that needs to make sacrifices now to secure a better future.
A Herald and Good Food investigation reveals a top Sydney restaurant group allegedly ousted female staff after they reported sexual assaults and encouraged on-duty sex and drug use.

One of the worlds top employment lawyers will represent former Swillhouse staff against the hospitality giant as four alleged victims of sexual assault pursue the company for damages.

Sheryn Omeri, KC, who has advised victims of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and won a landmark case defining Uber drivers as employees in Britain, will represent Rachelle Hair, Brittany Rowe, Jenna Hemsworth and Reuby Kahl in their claims against the company.

Barrister Sheryn Omeri, a KC in Australia and England, will represent the former Swillhouse employees. Credit: Steven Siewert

In August, The Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food revealed claims that Swillhouse pushed staff out of the company after reporting sexual assaults, encouraged staff to have sex with customers, and discriminated against women as it built up a hospitality empire that now spans six venues across the city.

The company, which owns venues including Restaurant Hubert, Caterpillar Club and Le Foote, said it was aware of sexual assault allegations at its venues and that it sincerely regretted and apologised to any former employees who felt unsupported and at risk.
I felt like Id like lost the respect of senior staff, she says. It didnt feel fair. It didnt feel right.

After that, she says her normal duties were cut back and she felt as though she was frosted out of the business.

The then-20-year-old brushed the comments off, but when a senior sommelier grabbed her face and kissed her lips without consent at work in 2022, she reported it to management.

Over the next 18 months, she says she endured frequent sexual harassment, with near-daily comments from male staff about her appearance and body.

I felt like Id made it, she says of getting a spot at the glamorous restaurant just a few hundred metres from Victorias parliament house. Then it went downhill pretty quickly.

A Herald and Good Food investigation reveals a top Sydney restaurant group allegedly ousted female staff after they reported sexual assaults and encouraged on-duty sex and drug use.

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Richardson says her complaint went nowhere. She left Grossi Florentino in 2015 after what she described as a toxic culture of long hours, partying and sexism that left her so traumatised she avoided the top of Bourke Street for two years.

Former bartender Melissa Richardson said she also reported an incident of sexual harassment to her manager after a male employee became intoxicated and told her at a work function: By the end of the day, I am going to f--- you.

Rizzolis account of the culture at the Grossi Groups restaurants is consistent with that of more than a dozen former employees, who in interviews described sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination, with limited avenues of complaint.

The company was aware of, and appropriately dealt with, a complaint from Ms Rizzoli, the lawyers said.

Through lawyers, Grossi Restaurants did not directly respond to a detailed list of questions about Rizzolis treatment, but denied she was demoted and pointed to her resignation letter to support this.

Rizzoli wrote a resignation letter filled with compliments, which she felt was the easiest way to leave on good terms. The email made no mention of her true reason for leaving, she says, or how hurt she felt by the process.

Bucirde said the hospitality industry has been trapped in a trauma cycle where chefs pass on bad behaviour to the next generation.

People do mimic and learn from behaviour, she said. People say, if its not as extreme as rape, its not worth exploring. But the spectrum of sexual harassment is so wide. No one should feel uncomfortable in their workplace.

Hospitality cultural change advocate Jamie Bucirde said every comment matters and that language sets the tone for the workplace.

Former hospitality worker Jamie Bucirde, now an advocate for safe workplaces, says change is needed. Credit: Wayne Taylor

Grossi was not involved in the incidents described by Rizzoli, and she says he was always kind to her, but she described the fine-dining kitchen as a locker room where male chefs would rile each other up and sexism was rife.

This masthead revealed this week that one of Australias most prominent celebrity chefs, Guy Grossi, issued a public apology to a senior journalist over a claim he groped her breast at an industry event in 2022.

Women there were second-class citizens. If you werent Italian, you were a third-class citizen, Richardson said. They did a lot of damage, to me, to a lot of people. Theyre toxic, and they spread their toxicity. They tell you [that] youre the problem and youre replaceable.

Such behaviour towards female staff was routinely explained internally as part of the Italian culture, Rizzoli said, where kissing, touching and sexually charged comments were normalised.

One of these chefs started sending excessive messages to her private Instagram account  which she did not respond to.

Rizzoli said the chefs working in the almost exclusively male kitchen made regular comments about her body and appearance, such as youre sexy or I like the way you walk.

The upstairs kitchen at Grossi Florentino is at the end of a corridor, far from the view of guests.

Theres a really big celebrity chef culture and we glorify those people. So we really need people leading these conversations . 

During one evening shift in 2022, Rizzoli was alone in the kitchen when he approached her, grabbed her face and kissed her on the lips.

Most shifts, Rizzoli says the sommelier touched her body, putting his hands on the small of her back, her cheeks, her hair.

Thats how it was explained to me at first, and I felt a bit silly, said one woman who worked at Grossi Grill from 2020 to 2022. But as time went on, I was saying, No, its not culture. It started to be taken more seriously.

This claim was supported by two additional women, who declined to be named because they still worked in the industry, who said the sommelier was really touchy and really Italian.

Eventually, the behaviour crossed a line when Rizzoli came on the radar of the sommelier, who she said was always very, very touchy.

Id heard that so many times, she says. It was like a motto.

Then he put his hand on my back to pull me towards him. The wall was right behind me, she said. It freaked me out. It was awful. He walked off as if nothing happened.

She was encouraged by a coworker to report the incident to management, and in March 2022 set up a meeting with a senior manager.

The meeting lasted no more than 15 minutes and nothing was written down, Rizzoli said, who was almost in tears as she relayed what happened.

It was a short meeting, [they] were like Oh, thats not good. Well talk to him. Anything else you need?

The Grossi group restaurants on Bourke Street. Credit: Penny Stephens

Two days later, Rizzoli came into work and the sommelier was there, storming around and avoiding eye contact with her, she said. I was like, Oh shit, they must have told him.

Rizzoli never received any updates about the status of her complaint, and says that over the next few months, her duties were cut back to polishing items out the back.

I was good at my job, but then they essentially frosted me out.

She started calling in sick for shifts, before eventually resigning in May 2022 with the complimentary email.

I was just in tears the whole day before I sent that email, and after I sent the email. I was just sad and confused and overwhelmed, and felt like Id been ostracised from something I loved and was good at.

A private dining space at Grossi Florentino.

In response to questions, Grossis lawyers cited Rizzolis resignation email, which contained the most flattering compliments including the support she felt she was given, to undermine her claims.

After Ms Rizzoli resigned, Grossi Restaurants reached out to her on multiple occasions enquiring as to her availability for work, which, on occasion, she accepted, they said.

The lawyers did not respond to questions about whether employment lawyers were retained to deal with Rizzolis complaint, or whether the sommelier was disciplined.

Rizzoli said she went through a period of blaming herself for the incident, but now realises the companys response was inadequate. She is speaking out to ensure other young women dont have the same experience.

I really dont think its OK that he treated me that way. I worry that he will treat others that way. I also think its not really fair that I ended up essentially ostracised out of my job because I brought it up.

Nine women interviewed by this investigation said flirtatious, touchy and feely behaviour by male chefs employed in Grossis kitchens was routinely dismissed as an expression of Italian culture.

I slapped one of the chefs across the face once, after he grabbed me inappropriately. Former staff member

Saying something in a jovial way doesnt change the way youve just commented on someones arse. You definitely felt objectified, I felt objectified, said one former waitress.

Through interviews, the former employees described multiple incidents: one chef put his finger on my lip, another bit the shoulder of a second waitress, another kissed a third waitress on the lips, and a fourth waitress said chefs demanded massages in the Florentino kitchen.

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I slapped one of the chefs across the face once, after he grabbed me inappropriately, another female employee said. It was very incestuous.

Rizzoli said it was an effective shutdown to use culture as a shield, but its only with hindsight she realises this was unacceptable. This view was supported by other women who were accepting of the treatment at the time, but now look back differently.

It doesnt really matter if its Italian culture or not. There is a professionalism that needs to transpire day to day. That didnt happen, said one woman who worked at the restaurant for almost a decade.

Male chefs also said the kitchen culture was problematic, citing various examples of aggression and bullying. One former male chef, who worked in Ombra and Grill from 2017 to 2019, said one former senior chef was well-known for such behaviour.

I was sworn at, called a fat piece of shit, telling my mum to go f--- herself. It was verbally aggressive, he said. He was notorious in that building for being aggressive, everyone knew he was a hothead. It wasnt a one-off, it was constant.

Integral to the branding and story of Grossi Restaurants is that its a family-owned and run business.

The line between the personal and the professional is blurred in many hospitality settings, but many former employees said this was especially so at Grossi restaurants, where staff romantic relationships were common, particularly between senior men and younger women.

Members of the family would also join staff for after-work drinks, and multiple former employees reported a culture of binge-drinking where groups would bounce between Spleen, The European, Siglo, Angel Bar and occasionally Crown Casino.

We would stay out all night, Richardson said. Come back the next day and do it all again. Thats just how it was.

Grossi Florentino Cellar Bar.

Multiple interviewees said the informality of the family business structure meant staff did not always feel comfortable making complaints.

There wasnt really an HR system. It was definitely still family business, said another woman who left this year.

One email obtained by this investigation, sent in 2023 by a waitress in her 20s, raised a bullying complaint about a male manager.

Ive dealt with verbal abuse and bullying in a workplace before and I do not want to be made to feel like I should just put up with it again.

I believe Grossi as an establishment should be able to do better. [The manager] has made me visibly upset in front of customers, hes made me cry on shift and he makes me dread coming to work which is very disappointing because I do enjoy every other aspect of my job.

I do hope that this is taken seriously, you have a lot of young women working in this establishment and how they might get treated is something I worry about.

After this, the waitress said she continued to be rostered on shifts with the same male manager. She resigned soon after.

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This investigation also interviewed female staff who had a different experience, with some describing working across Grossi Group restaurants as amazing and empowering.

One woman said she felt supported by Guy Grossi who told her you can look at me like a father figure once he became aware of an inappropriate inter-staff relationship. He was really nice about it.

Another woman, who worked at Grill and Ombra in 2016, said women were in senior roles, which had a positive impact on the culture, and the family business structure meant staff were treated better.

[In] hospitality sometimes you just become a number, she said. They bring people along for the ride.

At first, Rizzoli said she took her job at Grossi Florentino seriously, studying the menu, wine list and cooking style of the chefs. She attended all the training sessions and was committed to going the extra mile.

However, she noticed the male employees careers progressed much faster.

When a man would apply for a front-of-house position, by the second shift hed be taking orders, taking the champagne trolley, talking about wine. He would be on the floor immediately.

Phoebe Rizzoli noticed the male employees careers progressed much faster. Credit: Eddie Jim

A year-and-a-half into my position, I was still not allowed to take orders. Its not the fault of me not being able to do it. I just wasnt given the opportunity.

This was supported by 14 women who have worked at Florentino over the past decade and described it as male-dominated, a mans world and a boys club and mentioned career progression as a common factor.

I dont think the words gender equality ever got muttered between the walls of that building, said one long-term former staffer. Nobody questioned it.

Grossi Restaurants lawyers did not respond to questions about gender-based discrimination, or requests to provide data about the workforce.

Both Rizzoli and Richardson now work in different industries and are speaking out in the hope of creating positive change in Melbournes hospitality sector. Richardson said the public image of Grossi Florentino does not match the reality.

Theres no care for the staff, Richardson says. Its all a facade.

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The discovery of a caravan filled with explosives and a list of Jewish targets. A neo-Nazi rally in Adelaide. A row over whether Foreign Minister Penny Wong should represent Australia at the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Grace Tame, a former Australian of the Year, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan F--- MURDOCH. As we marked the national holiday, a date in the calendar that exposes division as much as comity, we have been reminded once more of the splintering of Australia.

Illustration by Simon Letch Credit:

Over the course of January, we have gone through something of a perfect storm of polarisation. The now ritualistic arguments over Australia Day coincided with the commencement of a political year made all the more combative by the impending federal election. The swearing-in of Donald Trump, and the rightward cultural shift it represents, has raised political hackles even further. The ceasefire in Gaza has not brought an end to the spate of antisemitic attacks, which have escalated alarmingly during the 15-month war.

What makes this moment all the more worrisome is the apparent threat from foreign players intent on inflaming internal divisions. The Australian Federal Police suspect overseas actors might have paid local criminals to carry out some of the antisemitic attacks.

When I first came to live here almost 20 years ago, after reporting on American disunion and a posting in South Asia covering a spate of civil wars in Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, it was the distance from global conflicts, and its sense of social cohesion, that was part of Australias allure. I even used to joke that, if ever we did find ourselves in the midst of a global meltdown, refuge could be found in the serene Sydney suburb of Woollahra, because nothing bad could possibly happen there. How naive. In recent months, Woollahra, my imagined safe haven, has become the prime target of repeated antisemitic attacks.
The prime ministers reluctance to offer comfort and reassurance in person to Sydneys Jewish community is a moral failure and not the behaviour one would expect from the leader of our country, he said. Loading What could be a more important use of his time at a moment when the security threat against Sydneys Jewish community is real and ongoing? The prime ministers office was contacted for comment. Albanese was criticised for taking four days to visit Melbournes Adass Israel Synagogue after it was firebombed in December, but was praised by Jewish leaders for visiting a childcare centre that was torched in Maroubra, in Sydneys eastern suburbs, on the day.

Alex Ryvchin, the co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said he was concerned there appeared to have been a communications failure between state and federal police and the federal government. When you are talking about a foiled terror plot of such magnitude and a national crisis of antisemitism, you would expect the prime minister to be in the loop, he said. I would have expected him to have been briefed. A spokesperson for the NSW government said state police briefed Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley about the matter on January 20 in line with established protocol.

State premiers do not brief national cabinet on operational police matters, the spokesperson said. NSW Police were liaising with federal counterparts through the Joint Counter Terrorism Taskforce. A federal source, who declined to be named to discuss sensitive matters, said there was no concern in the government about the timing of the Australian Federal Police briefings to Albanese and others about the caravan. While national cabinet was not told of the discovery in Dural when it met on January 21, one source said this was because the police wanted to protect the investigation. Sources familiar with the police operation said the fact a detonator was not found in the caravan was a crucial factor in the determination there was no imminent threat.

The decision on briefing ministers was left to the Joint Counter Terrorism Team that was set up by NSW Police and the AFP to run the investigation into the caravan. Loading The protocol for these teams was to decide collectively who should be briefed and when, a federal source said. Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Justin Bassi said authorities should have warned both Albanese and Minns about the threat. There is distinction between the states and the federal level on crime but terrorism and politically motivated violence is a special category in our law because it is an attack on our whole nation, said Bassi, who advised former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on national security.

If these threats are not discussed at the national cabinet, then what should be discussed at national cabinet? Bassi said it was extremely odd that so few details of the terrorism threat had been released, warning: If you leave the public with uncertainty, it risks uncertainty becoming fear. The Great Synagogue in Sydneys central business district said it was distressed to learn it was one of the intended targets of the apparent plot. Chief rabbi Benjamin Elton at Sydneys Great Synagogue, a target of the foiled antisemitic plot. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos While we thank NSW Police and other agencies for their efforts and ongoing support to protect The Great Synagogue and our community, we have to ask; how is it acceptable in Australia that synagogues and Jews are now deemed regular targets for violence, vandalism and hatred? the synagogue said in a statement.

The Great Synagogue said it remained open and police had advised there was no ongoing threat to the synagogue. Loading Now is not a time for complacency, to overlook antisemitism and let things slide, the synagogue said. We call on every single Australian to stand with their Jewish brothers and sisters and loudly reject the violence which has been threatened against their fellow citizens. Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said he was stunned police had not informed The Great Synagogue or the community support group that provides protection for Jewish schools, temples and museums in NSW about the caravan discovery.
AI has already cemented its place as the most important technology of the decade, upending industries, economies and daily life at an unprecedented rate. And Chinas free, powerful chatbot is threatening to rule the roost. For the newly re-elected Trump  and the entire Western world, including Australia  theres much at stake. Loading Tech has become core to Trumps power and his second presidency, and his dalliance with the likes of Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Oracle boss Larry Ellison offers a glimpse of the next four years. Its a Trump tech broligarchy, with the spectre of China now hanging over everything. Trump called DeepSeeks arrival a wake-up call for US companies who must focus on competing to win.

Joan Westenberg is an Australian technologist and former start-up employee, and now operates independent publication The Index. For Westenberg, DeepSeeks ascent represents an existential crisis for Silicon Valley and its executives like Altman and Zuckerberg. She says rather than viewing it as an arms race, however, what DeepSeek has proven is that collaboration beats competition, and openness trumps secrecy. DeepSeeks cheap, open AI model sent a tidal wave through Silicon Valley but thrilled scientists, given its open for researchers to examine at will. American tech giants hoarded the narrative about AIs future, according to Joan Westenberg, and DeepSeek subsequently shattered it. Credit: Renee Nowytarger Published under an MIT licence, DeepSeeks model can be freely reused, though technically, its not considered fully open source given its training data has not been made available. China has earned a reputation for secrecy but DeepSeek is anything but.

The greatest threat to American AI dominance was never China, Westenberg tells this masthead. It was the delusion that dominance itself was sustainable. When you mistake money for momentum, you build castles on quicksand. And a trillion dollars vanished because the market finally saw through the theatre. When you spend billions convincing the world that only your path leads forward, watching someone take a different route ... becomes an existential crisis. Joan Westenberg American tech giants hoarded the narrative about AIs future, according to Westenberg, and DeepSeek subsequently shattered it. DeepSeek is proving that innovation flows from many tributaries, and not a single divine, Trump-blessed spring in Silicon Valley. For years, Silicon Valley positioned itself as our shield against foreign AI supremacy. Then a Chinese start-up using open-source methods exposed the emperors new clothes: real innovation doesnt need protection  it needs participation.

The market crash was about trust ... When you spend billions convincing the world that only your path leads forward, watching someone take a different route to the same destination becomes an existential crisis. DeepSeeks rise raises important, existential questions for the Valley but also Australia, which has widely been perceived as an AI laggard as the likes of US and China sprint ahead. Has Australia already been left behind? Or has DeepSeeks rapid and impressive accomplishments, despite limited capabilities, mean something similar could yet emerge locally? Eric Gao, CEO of Boman Group, believes Australia lacks both the financial backing and deep talent pool needed to support a thriving AI industry. Eric Gao is the CEO of Boman Group, an institutional investor that manages funds of Chinese high-net-wealth individuals. For Gao, Australia currently lacks both the financial backing and deep talent pool needed to support a thriving AI industry.

Australian corporations and customers tend to be hesitant early adopters, limiting domestic innovation and investment, he says. However DeepSeek has opened the door for new AI start-ups worldwide to follow a similar playbook. We may soon see other DeepSeeks emerging in different countries. Loading Zac Altman  no relation to Sam  is an Australian start-up founder building Kantoko, a technology platform attempting to make ADHD care more accessible. He says Australia should have a clear plan to make every high school graduate AI-native, given students are already using AI for their assignments. Australia does have world-class AI talent, he says, but the federal government is not moving fast enough.

While the US and China can release $500 billion commitments overnight, Australias planning to deliver a plan later this year and wont even have the budget until 2027, he says. Start-ups are doing our part so it would be helpful to see the government step up and invest in our future. Its embarrassing ... Everyone else will be halfway through the race while were still picking which shoes to buy. Id really hate to see us miss this golden AI opportunity. Others are more optimistic. For James Cameron, partner at one of Australias largest venture capital firms AirTree, the development should serve as a significant shot in the arm for Australian start-ups. AirTree has joined other investment funds in betting big on Australias AI companies, pouring millions of dollars into the likes of Canva, Build Club and Leonardo.ai. Cameron says new open-source models like DeepSeeks R1 will put downward pressure on the cost of building AI applications, meaning it should be easier for new Australian tech companies to flourish.

Most Australian founders are focused on this application layer, where we see the greatest value being created as foundational models become increasingly commoditised, he says. Square Peg Capital partner James Tynan says there is a unique opportunity for an Australian start-up founder to create the next global AI company. Credit: Oscar Colman For start-ups vying to build the underlying foundational models themselves, DeepSeek shows that the cost curve for training these models may be dropping quickly. This paves the way for teams all over the world to build smaller, cheaper and more focused foundational models. James Tynan, partner at rival Australian venture capital firm Square Peg, agrees and says that right now, there is a unique opportunity for an Australian start-up founder to create the next global AI company. In over a decade of investing in founders building AI companies, weve never seen a wave of change like what were currently experiencing, he says.

These AI breakthroughs are driving a level of change akin to the birth of the internet ... The race is on to create global winners. Australias new chief scientist Tony Haymet this week called AI a great opportunity for Australia, given the nation was perfectly set up to use renewable energy to run power-hungry AI data centres. DeepSeeks rise may indeed be a much-needed shot in the arm for Australia, which to date has struggled for AI relevancy, but it raises uncomfortable questions about the billions of dollars already invested by US giants to build and train their foundational models. Estimates suggest that Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are each spending between $US30 billion and $US60 billion annually on AI development. The common belief was that building the most powerful systems required billions of dollars in specialised computer chips, but DeepSeek claimed to have developed its technologies with significantly fewer resources. The Chinese start-up says it spent just $US5.6 million ($8.9 million) on computing power for its base R1 model, relying on about 2000 less powerful H800 chips produced by Nvidia, which have been banned from export to China since October. The events of the past week will bring the US export controls on microchips into sharp focus, given in this case they may have backfired, spurring Chinas engineers to make do with less.

DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng (right), pictured at a symposium presided by Chinese Premier Li Qiang earlier this month, says AI should be affordable and accessible to everyone. In an interview with Chinese media, DeepSeeks founder Liang Wenfeng said that AI should be affordable and accessible to everyone. Loading Wenfeng, who is 40, has kept a relatively low profile despite his new role in leading Chinas AI revolution. An engineering graduate who has never studied or worked outside of mainland China, Liang has been compared to OpenAI founder Sam Altman, who is effectively the face of AI in the US. DeepSeek grew out of Liangs hedge fund, High-Flyer Capital, which uses AI to identify patterns in stock prices. The executive is assumed to own 51 per cent of High-Flyer. Chinas AI cant be in the position of following forever, he said in a rare media interview in July last year.

OpenAI is not a god and cannot always be at the forefront. Most of DeepSeeks top researchers were fresh graduates from top Chinese universities, he said, and many were hired from outside the computer science field to diversify its abilities. More investment does not necessarily lead to more innovation, he said. Otherwise, large companies would take over all innovation. Marina Zhang, an associate professor from the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, says DeepSeek is part of a new wave of Chinese start-ups defined by an ability to maximise limited resources. She says Western observers have effectively missed the point. They often focus on Chinas hardware limitations and US restrictions, she says, underestimating the ingenuity and resilience of Chinese companies like DeepSeek.

Unlike their predecessors, who often prioritised quick profits under the pressures of venture capital, this new generation of Chinese tech entrepreneurs is defined by its dedication to foundational research and long-term technological advancement, she says. DeepSeeks AI model is censoring politically sensitive content and sending user data to Chinese servers: according to the companys own privacy policy, it collects a users email address, phone number and date of birth, as long as any user input including text and audio, then storing that data in secure servers in China. Credit: Tom Compagnoni Many of them are educated at Chinas top universities  such as Tsinghua, Peking, and Zhejiang  and include top prizewinners in STEM competitions. And remarkably, even members of their management teams are often under the age of 35, bringing youthful energy and a fresh perspective to leadership. Having grown up during Chinas rapid technological ascent, they are deeply motivated by a drive for self-reliance in innovation. Some in Silicon Valley remain calm despite the market bloodbath. James Alcorn is a partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Lightspeed, which is an investor in both OpenAI and fellow AI heavyweight Anthropic.

He thinks the claims about DeepSeeks threat to US AI leadership are greatly overstated. Does this mark a profound shift in the distribution of geopolitical technology and power? Absolutely not, he says. The kneejerk reaction that DeepSeek has commoditised AI; that hundreds of billions in capex at US labs is now rendered worthless; and that Western AI leadership has evaporated, is mistaken. The right way to interpret DeepSeek is twofold. Mind-bogglingly complex optimisation of AIs status quo, and a blueprint of the new AI paradigm, where scale wins. DeepSeek models enable more use cases, which in turn creates more companies, more jobs, and ultimately, economic growth. DeepSeeks position atop the app charts remains far from certain. The company has been fending off cyberattacks, and has been forced to temporarily limit user registrations due to its rampant popularity. Then there are the pressing questions about security. DeepSeek has quickly joined the growing list of Chinese companies causing unease for Western governments, including the likes of TikTok and Huawei, which have each been banned in various capacities.

DeepSeeks AI model is censoring politically sensitive content and sending user data to Chinese servers: according to the companys own privacy policy, it collects a users email address, phone number and date of birth, along with any user input including text and audio, then storing that data in secure servers in China. When prompted to explain the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, DeepSeek says bluntly: Lets talk about something else, and when asking about Taiwan it evangelises complete reunification as an unstoppable force. The federal government is yet to issue any formal guidance but Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic and Liberal senator James Paterson this week each urged caution. Canberra, Washington and Beijing will each be watching closely. Whatever happens next will likely help determine the power dynamics of the rest of the decade, and beyond.
Three. Two. One. Flash. A quick shot of torchlight sends thousands of microbats  barely 15 centimetres wide with wings outstretched  into a frenzied flap, swarming and darting above us like kamikaze hummingbirds. Dazzled, they briefly retreat to the depths of their bat cave, before exiting minutes later with the same erratic energy to pursue their nightly feed, silhouetted against a deep purple sky.

About 50,000 of these tiny bats will later return to Barkers Cave in the Undara Volcanic National Park, four hours drive or so south-west of Cairns, with the cave the last stop on a wildlife at sunset tour.

The Undara lava tubes.

Our tour starts in a van that slowly bumps along a dirt road that Australias first settlers once traversed in pursuit of a goldfield lottery. To our left, an eastern grey kangaroo stands bolt upright to survey our movements, then twitches a furry ear and bends over to resume nibbling soft green shoots of vegetation, spurred by a controlled burn. Behind it, three emus take big deliberate steps through waist-height grass among acacia trees, almost blending in with the brown and straw-coloured landscape.

This is Tropical North Queenslands Gulf Savannah country, and, along with a healthy array of wildlife, the region has some of Australias most striking geological landscapes. If youve never visited Australias great outback before (perhaps the idea of tramping across a dusty campground to a communal shower with your towel and undies under your arm gives you the heebie-jeebies), this is the place to do it. You can drive well-maintained, 2WD-friendly roads and enjoy a comfortable bed and shower each night, but still experience some of the most awe-inspiring sights the outback has to offer. By tackling just the first section of the iconic Savannah Way, starting in Cairns, you can dip your toe into the outback then be sleeping in your own bed within a week.
Philadelphia: At least seven people died when an air ambulance crashed in Philadelphia on Friday, including six Mexicans aboard the plane and one person who was on the ground, officials said on Saturday.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference that the person who died on the ground had been in a car at the site of the crash.

Thus far, our count is that there are 19 injured victims, Parker said.

First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia. Credit: AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Separately, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on X that she had asked consular officials to support the families of the six Mexican citizens who were on the plane and died when it crashed.
Washington: The White House stenographers have a problem. Donald Trump is talking so much, the people responsible for transcribing his public remarks are struggling to keep up with all the words.

There were more than 22,000 on Inauguration Day, then another 17,000 when Trump visited disaster sites in North Carolina and California. Its enough to strain the ears and fingers of even the most dedicated stenographer, especially after four years of Joe Bidens relative quiet.

Now there are discussions about hiring additional staff to keep up with the workload, according to people with knowledge of the conversations who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal matters.

Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the White House press briefing room. Credit: AP

The flood of words is one of the most visible  or audible  shifts from Biden to Trump, who craves the spotlight and understands better than most politicians that attention is a form of power. Hes been speaking nearly nonstop since starting his second term, drowning out dissenting voices and leaving his opponents struggling to be heard.
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23:56 Bangladesh receives another 16,000 tonnes of rice from India File image Notwithstanding the tense relations between India and Bangladesh ever since the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year, a second consignment of rice from India arrived at Mongla Port on Saturday, a media report said. Two ships carrying 16,400 tonnes of rice arrived... Read more >

23:46 Delegation of foreign diplomats visits Maha Kumbh A delegation of 73 diplomats and foreign guests from different countries arrived at the Maha Kumbh in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on Saturday. The diplomats expressed their happiness with the arrangements made for the trip, the UP government said in a statement. Recalling her long... Read more >

23:26 Central Zoo Authority approves white tiger breeding centre in MP File image The Central Zoo Authority has approved a proposal to set up a white tiger breeding centre in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said on Saturday. Shukla said the project at Govindgarh reflects the MP government's commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's... Read more >

23:13 CBI nabs NAAC official, JNU prof among 10 for graft The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested the chairman and six members of a National Assessment and Accreditation Council inspection committee, including a JNU professor, in a corruption case on Saturday, officials said. Those arrested also include the vice chancellor of the Koneru... Read more >

23:10 One more accused held in car chase incident in Chennai One more accused in the car chasing incident on the East Coast Road in Chennai was arrested on Saturday, a police official said. Out of the seven accused, four had already been arrested and with the arrest of one more person, identified as Chandru, the total number of arrests have gone up to... Read more >

22:32 VSHORADS missiles successfully flight tested File image The defence ministry on Saturday said three flight-trials of a very short-range air defence missile system were conducted successfully from Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.The trials were carried out against high-speed targets flying at very low altitude.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh... Read more >

21:55 Plaint against Sonia Gandhi in Bihar over Prez remark Congress leader Sonia Gandhi A complaint was filed against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi before a court in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Saturday for her 'poor thing' remark on President Droupadi Murmu.Sudhir Ojha, a Muzaffarpur-based lawyer, filed the complaint against Sonia Gandhi seeking registration of an FIR against... Read more >

21:45 Girl dies after school toilet wall collapses in Raj; 3 teachers suspended A seven-year-old girl died during treatment after a toilet wall collapsed on her at a government school in Rjasthan's Kota, officials said on Saturday. Following an initial inquiry, the district education department suspended three teachers of the school on Saturday for alleged... Read more >

21:28 Engineers suspended over poor work of Bhopal's longest flyover File image The Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department on Saturday suspended two engineers and imposed fine on the contractor firm after finding that the construction quality of a newly-opened flyover in Bhopal was not satisfactory. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had on January 23 inaugurated `Dr Bhimrao... Read more >

21:10 Waqf amendment bill to be tabled in LS on Monday The report of the joint committee of Parliament examining the Waqf (Amendment) Bill will be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.A bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said Committee Chairman Jagdambika Pal and member Sanjay Jaiswal will table the report in the Lok Sabha on Monday.The... Read more >

20:26 Farmer groups slam Budget for ignoring MSP Farmer organisations Saturday slammed the Union Budget for 'cruelly' neglecting their longstanding demand for a legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP) for all crops and farm loan-waiver, and announced a protest on February 5 against the 'anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-poor and... Read more >

20:24 Man takes poison before cops as live-in relationship ends Image only for representation A 30-year-old man consumed poison at a police station in Maharashtra's Nagpur city on Saturday in a bid to end his life after his partner ended her live-in relationship with him, an official said.After the incident, which took place at the Nandanvan police station, the man -- Sagar Mishra -- was... Read more >

19:45 DGCA imposes Rs 30 lakh penalty on Air India Aviation safety regulator DGCA has imposed a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on Tata Group-owned Air India for allegedly allowing one of its pilots to operate a flight without complying with certain regulatory requirements.The DGCA in order of January 29 also said that it has found 'recurrent rostering... Read more >

18:45 8 outgoing AAP MLAs join BJP ahead of Delhi polls Eight outgoing Aam Aadmi Party MLAs joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Saturday, with only four days to go for the February 5 Delhi assembly polls.All the eight MLAs resigned from the primary membership of the AAP on Friday, citing reasons like alleged corruption and the Arvind... Read more >

18:21 8 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh Eight Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday, a senior police official said.An Insas rifle and a barrel grenade launcher (BGL) were among the weapons recovered from the encounter site, he informed.The gunfight broke out around... Read more >

18:16 At Kumbh, Adityanath hits out at Sanatan opponents In his first visit to the Maha Kumbh after the January 29 stampede, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Saturday praised the saints for 'acting with such restraint' that day as he took a veiled potshot at political opponents, saying they tried to besmirch the glory of the mega event so... Read more >

17:32 First suspected GBS death reported in Assam A 17-year-old girl died at a private hospital in Guwahati due to suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), the first such case in Assam in the current season, doctors of the health facility said on Saturday.However, there was no official confirmation from the hospital and the state health... Read more >

16:05 Nothing for common people in budget: Oppn The Budget 2025 has nothing to offer to the common people and the middle class, and the government has brought the document with upcoming Bihar elections in mind, Opposition leaders on Saturday said. Trinamool Congress national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee said... Read more >

15:49 VP Dhankhar takes dip in Sangam at Maha Kumbh Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday offered prayers at the Maha Kumbh after taking a dip in the Sangam. Priests were seen chanting hymns as Dhankhar moved towards the Sangam area to take the holy dip. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed the... Read more >

15:11 Govt increases environment ministry budget by 9% The central government has allotted Rs 3,412.82 crore to the Union Environment Ministry in the 2025-26 Union Budget, an increase of 9 per cent from 3,125.96 crore in 2024-25. The Budget allocates more funds for ecosystem conservation, wildlife protection and expanding forest cover.The... Read more >

14:35 Gujarat riots survivor Zakia Jafri passes away Zakia Jafri, the wife of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots, died on Saturday in Ahmedabad at the age of 86. Ehsan Jafri was among 69 persons who were killed inside Gulbarg Society, a Muslim neighbourhood in Ahmedabad, on February 28, 2002, a day... Read more >

13:45 So many engines that budget completely derailed: Cong Taking a swipe at the Centre over the Union Budget, the Congress on Saturday said while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke of four engines of development, the Budget was completely derailed. In her Saturday budget speech, Sitharaman said agriculture, MSME, investments and... Read more >

13:14 Budget bonanza for Bihar ahead of polls Bihar remained in focus in the Union Budget 2025-26 with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday making several announcements for the state, including setting up of a Makhana Board, financial support for the western Kosi canal and support for enhancing the capacity of IIT Patna. ... Read more >

13:02 Adityanath conducts aerial survey of Prayagraj roads Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday conducted an aerial survey of roads leading to Prayagraj, Director Information Shishir said. The survey came ahead of the 'Amrit Snaan' on February 3 on the occasion of Basant Panchami. The Maha Kumbh underway in the city... Read more >

12:30 FM starts with agriculture but completely...: Cong The Congress on Saturday attacked the Union government over its announcements in the Budget pertaining to the agriculture sector, saying Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was completely silent on the demands of farmers, including MSP as a legal guarantee and farm loan waiver.Sitharaman on... Read more >

11:46 Some Oppn MPs walk out as Sitharaman presents budget MPs from some opposition parties walk out of Lok Sabha as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins her budgetary speech.The protests in the Lok Sabha were primarily by Samajwadi Party MPs, including party chief and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav.Opposition parties... Read more >

11:13 You will lose Rs 25,000: Kejriwal to BJP supporters Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed that even Bharatiya Janata Party supporters are saving up to Rs 25,000 per month through the schemes implemented by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, and urged them to vote for his party in the February 5 assembly elections.In a video message, the Aam... Read more >

11:07 Hero MotoCorp CEO Niranjan Gupta Steps Down Hero MotoCorp on Friday announced that its CEO Niranjan Gupta is stepping down with effect from April 30 as he has decided to pursue other opportunities. Gupta's tenure was exactly two years.The company's Executive Director (Operations) Vikram Kasbekar has been appointed as the acting CEO with... Read more >

10:44 Over 60 LPG cylinders loaded in truck explode in UP; 4 shops charred More than 60 cooking gas cylinders loaded in a truck en route to Ghaziabad blew up in an explosion early Saturday, the fire department said. The explosion was caused by a fire around 4 am, likely due to friction in the cylinders, officials said. At least four... Read more >

10:32 Former CEC Navin Chawla passes away Pic: Sondeep Shankar/Saab Press Former chief election commissioner (CEC) Navin Chawla passed away on Saturday, ex-CEC SY Quraishi said. He was 79. Quraishi told PTI that he met Chawla some 10 days back when the latter had informed that he was getting admitted to hospital for a brain surgery. He passed away this... Read more >

09:43 Sitharaman poses with budget tablet, meets Prez Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary meet President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.Sitharaman to present the Union Budget2025 shortly in Lok Sabha. Read more >

09:16 Sitharaman poses with tablet ahead of budget Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman again took a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch as she headed for Parliament to present the full Budget 2025-26 in a paperless format just like the previous years. Draped in a white silk saree, she posed for the... Read more >

08:51 Sitharaman arrives at North Block ahead of budget Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived at the North Block, which houses the Ministry of Finance, ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget. Read more >

08:44 Feb Likely To Be Hot: IMD After a warm January, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted that February, too, is likely to be hot with both minimum and maximum temperatures projected at above normal over most parts of the country.The cold wave days over Northwest India are also expected to be... Read more >

08:43 Smallcap Stocks See Worst Monthly Decline In 3 Years Stocks in the smallcap segment experienced their worst monthly rout in nearly three years.The Nifty Smallcap 100 Index concluded January with a decline of 9.9 per cent, marking its most significant setback since May 2022 and the third-worst monthly performance since the COVID-19 pandemic.The... Read more >

08:30 Sitharaman to present record 8th budget today A cut or tweak in income tax rates/slabs to ease the burden of middle class struggling with high prices and stagnant wage growth is widely expected in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's record setting eighth consecutive Budget. The budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 is expected... Read more >

00:56 Anti-conversion bill to be introduced in budget session of Rajasthan assembly A view of Rajasthan assembly/ANI Photo The Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill will be introduced in the Budget Session of the assembly, Governor Haribhau Bagde said on Friday. During his address to the House, the governor read out a list of legislative and financial businesses to be introduced... Read more >

00:53 Parl panel discusses strengthening media laws, sensationalism in news Several members of a parliamentary committee on Friday pitched for strengthening laws related to the media and bringing news portals and OTT under their ambit as its chairman Nishikant Dubey raised issues like rampant paid news and some news channels turning to sensationalism for TRPs. Most... Read more >
Skoda introduced a plug-in hybrid variant to its Kodiaq SUV line-up last year in the form of the Kodiaq iV, joining the two 2.0 TDI 150hp and 193hp diesels, the latter mated to a 4x4 all-wheel-drive transmission.

While the original large 7-seat Skoda Kodiaq was one of the Czech brands best-selling models with over 12,000 vehicles delivered to Irish families since 2017, the iV PHEV version is only available as a 5-seater.

The car stands 1,674mm high, is 1,864mm wide and has an increased wheelbase to 2,790mm. It also has chrome roof rails and tinted windows. The exterior has crisp, elegant lines and a distinctive light signature that Im sure wont date for many years to come. It can be fitted with up to 20-inch wheels. The iV badge at the rear distinguishes this as the PHEV version.

Light beams into the cabin through the panoramic sunroof (1,680) making it bright and airy.

The very well laid out dash has the new easy-to-use 13.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display as well as the navigation system. These were part of the Technology pack at 1,471. A 10.25-inch drivers information cluster shows all the relevant information including your digital speed.

There are three large knobs for the climatronic air conditioning system and front seat heaters.

A stand-out feature for me was the beautiful tan-coloured Cognac leather upholstery which, besides looking so good, proved very comfortable for both myself and my front seat passenger. The drivers seat comes with power seat adjustments including lumbar support and three memory seat settings.

You can charge two mobile phones wirelessly in the Phone Box compartment in the dash. Theres a USB port beside the rear view mirror while the small USB ports over the storage compartment allow data transfer as well as charging. Storage areas include two gloveboxes, a deep area below the slidable centre armrest and huge door bins.

You can lower the second row of seats at the touch of a lever. Theres a highish tunnel for the person seated in the middle seat to manoeuvre their feet around, but rear knee room is more than generous and head space absolutely fine for most adults. Youll also find two lightening USBs, a 12V socket and an air conditioning control panel.

My car had a power tailgate and high boot floor, some hooks and a handy net for securing luggage. An under floor area is for storing cables.

Trims are Selection, Selection+ (my car) and Sportline. Each is well specced. My Selection+ trim had seven airbags, Adaptive Cruise control, Hill hold control, Forward collision warning, Rear Assist, front and rear parking sensors, trailer hitch preparation (towing weight braked is 1800kg, unbraked 750kg), rear view camera system, and three child seat anchors.

The Skoda Kodiaq has a very well laid out dash and a new easy-to-use 13.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display.

This was the 1.5 TSI 204hp petrol coupled with a DSG 6-speed gearbox. The electric motor and powerful 25.7kWh lithium-ion battery allow for an emission-free electric range of over 100km in the WLTP cycle which is more than enough for most peoples daily commutes. The selector gear lever located on the right of the steering column includes a S mode which allows the gears to change at higher speeds. Drive modes are Comfort, Eco, Individual and Sport. To activate pure electric drive, you select the E-mode function. The model ditches the very back two seats of the 7-seater to make room for the big battery but still leaving 745 litres of luggage capacity which can be expanded with the second row of seats folded down.

The Kodiaq PHEV has a claimed fuel consumption of 0.4-0.5 L/100kms. My fuel return - driving mostly in hybrid mode - came in at 7.2L/100kms (-0.6 kWh/100km). Torque is 250Nm and from 0-100km/h takes 8.4 seconds. Annual road tax is 140.

I was able to get an excellent driving position and found this big car very easy to drive and even to manoeuvre. Handling was also very good; steering was perfectly weighted.

Full marks for the excellent blind spot detector, on the inside of the side mirrors, that shows a large warning light when a vehicle is approaching from either side.

Skoda sell a lot of diesel cars and the Kodiaq 7-seat diesel returns around 4.5/5.5 L/100kms and is priced from 53,970.

A real niggle, as in many new cars, was the Lane Assist feature which in this case was far too sensitive, almost taking over the steering if it detected I was not in the centre of my lane, when indeed I was driving correctly in my lane. I turned it off, as usual.

Charging the PHEV with a DC fast charger to 80pc takes 25 minutes, but most owners will charge at home overnight.

PRICE: diesels are from 53,970. The price of my test car was 67,456.
An innovative solar-powered emergency defibrillator, designed by Hollymount man Darren Forde, and manufactured in Mayo, was launched last week in rural northwest Australia.

This life-saving device was created by Eco Powered Cabinets (EPC), a company based in Hollymount. The first three units of this type were installed by CEO Darren Forde on Croagh Patrick in 2022, a site that has witnessed a series of fatal cardiac arrests over the past decade. These defibrillators have played a crucial role in saving the lives of several climbers since their installation.

EPC, an award-winning company, has gained significant recognition both in Ireland and internationally for its innovative approach to life-saving technology. The company's first defibrillator installation in Australia is located in the remote town of Broome, which serves as the southern entry point to the Kimberley region. This unit is strategically positioned to assist remote mines and communities that are often located far from immediate medical help.

We are thrilled to continue producing these units in Ireland and to see them gain global recognition, including in Australia, Darren said. Another eight defibrillator units are set to be shipped abroad this week. Its wonderful to see our local Mayo company setting a global standard for equipment that merges cutting-edge technology with sustainable energy solutions.

Eamon Cunningham, Managing Director of EPC Australia, said the installation marked an important development for Australia.

Having spent 14 years in the mining industry, Eamonn said, I fully appreciate the critical need for reliable and accessible safety equipment in remote regions.

The solar-powered units do not rely on an external power source and can store life-saving medications safely. Eco Powered Cabinets has identified a market demand for this type of equipment and plans to expand its installations across mountain ranges, beaches, greenways, and other hard-to-reach locations, continuing to bridge the gap in essential emergency services.

Two defibrillators are now installed on Croagh Patrick, housed in their own eco-powered cabinets, thanks to the vision of Darren Forde. A Community First Responder in his home village of Hollymount, Darren recognised the need for automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on the Reek, which draws tens of thousands of climbers and pilgrims each year.

Darren Forde installed his first Eco-Powered Cabinets on Croagh Patrick in 2022.

While hiking Croagh Patrick with his family during a short break in Westport, Darren noticed the absence of defibrillators on the mountain. He quickly realised that the extreme weather conditions and fluctuating temperatures posed a significant challenge, as they could prevent AEDs or life-saving medications, such as aspirin and EpiPens, from being effective in those conditions.

Darren, who works as a roads engineer with Mayo County Council, raised 8,000 to purchase two defibrillators, each to be placed halfway up the mountain and at the chapel at the summit.

Darren then set about designing two defibrillator units, each housed in its own cabinet. Financial support for the project came from James Murray, CEO of Murray Ambulances; Anne Corcoran, owner of the Westport Hotel Group; Dave Greville, Managing Director of Heart Safety Solutions; and a local family who had donated an existing defibrillator at the base of the mountain. With assistance from Adrian Peyton of Peyton Electrical in Hollymount, Darren supervised the installation of the life-saving equipment on Croagh Patrick in June 2022. The innovative defibrillators are connected to emergency services, allowing them to pinpoint the unit's locations during a cardiac event.

The machines are powered by solar energy, ensuring they can remain charged throughout the summer months, and Darren is now exploring ways to ensure they remain operational during winter.

There were three cardiac arrests on the Reek in the last five years and two of them sadly passed away. The third was defibrillated because it was Reek Sunday, but there wouldnt have been a defibrillator there otherwise, and it saved their life, Darren explained. Its so important to have a defibrillator when a cardiac event happens. Good CPR and a defibrillator in place will save someones life.

As the coordinator of the Hollymount Community First Responders (CFR) and AED Group, Darren also developed the concept for an eco-solar wind-powered insulated outdoor heated cabinet that securely stores life-saving medications, all without requiring a main power source. His life-saving initiative earned him the title of Mayo Person of the Year for 2022.

The Irish Air Corps has also been involved, helping to lift the eco-powered cabinets onto Croagh Patrick. Darren has collaborated with local businesses for the production, assembly, and promotion of his innovative cabinets, despite numerous offers from companies overseas. He is always on the lookout for new ways to improve emergency care in local communities, identifying problems, devising solutions, and inspiring others to help make them a reality. Darren thrives on teamwork, positivity, and overcoming obstacles, tirelessly working to improve the lives of those around him.

As Darren points out, there is no electricity on the mountain, nor on greenways, hills, beaches, or even the spire in Dublin.

The unique, heated and cooled secure cabinets, which can be used to store AEDs, life-saving medication such as aspirin and EpiPens, trauma dressings, foil blankets, pedestrian counters, and even provide incubation for nesting birds, can be installed in any location without the need for a power supply. The cabinets are weatherproof, designed to withstand even the harshest conditions, making them suitable for use worldwide.

If a person has a cardiac chest pain or an allergic reaction, they only have minutes to take this life-saving medicine. It could take hours to receive the medication in a remote location, and with my invention, it could be administered in minutes  its the same medication used for cardiac chest pain or allergic reactions required worldwide, Darren explained.

All cabinets are registered with the relevant ambulance services. When a person calls 999/112, the emergency call-taker can direct them to the nearest cabinet and provide the code to access the medical unit. The call-taker will also instruct how to administer the medication. The lifesaving drugs in the cabinets can be replaced by the appropriate health service or Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) scheme coordinator. The three Croagh Patrick cabinets have been registered with HSE Ambulance Control, with their locations identified by coordinates, as there is no Eircode or power supply on the mountain.

Darren Forde believes his eco-powered cabinets will revolutionise the provision of AEDs and other emergency medical treatments in remote areas around the world.

With the global defibrillator market size anticipated to reach 6.5bn by 2030 and the European market predicted to expand to 5.1bn by 2027, before the addition of this eco-solar/turbine cabinet, the potential is global. As demand grows, were open to localising production in different countries while maintaining design standards. With advancements in technology, we can adapt our cabinets to serve a wider range of needs, from monitoring flood levels to tracking foot traffic in remote areas.

Looking ahead for his company, Darren added: Sponsors can support the purchasing of this Eco Powered Cabinet in return for their companys name displayed on this product. This unique cabinet with sponsors details will be in locations where normally no advertising signs are permitted, therefore, offsetting the cost against advertising.

Darren plans to connect with existing cabinet manufacturers and distributors in the coming weeks, aiming to make this life-saving eco-powered cabinet and medication secure storage box available worldwide.
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.

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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

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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.

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Beazer Homes USA (NYSE:BZH  Get Free Report) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The construction company reported $0.10 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.31 by ($0.21), Zacks reports. Beazer Homes USA had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 11.95%.

Beazer Homes USA Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BZH opened at $22.14 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 1.87 and a current ratio of 14.29. Beazer Homes USA has a one year low of $21.91 and a one year high of $38.22. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $29.35 and its 200-day simple moving average is $30.94. The firm has a market cap of $690.93 million, a PE ratio of 4.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 2.24.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Beazer Homes USA

In related news, CFO David I. Goldberg sold 6,057 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $32.06, for a total transaction of $194,187.42. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 131,004 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,199,988.24. This trade represents a 4.42 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 6.52% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Wedbush reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Beazer Homes USA in a research report on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $39.67.

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About Beazer Homes USA

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Beazer Homes USA, Inc operates as a homebuilder in the United States. It designs, constructs, and sells single-family and multi-family homes under the Beazer Homes, Gatherings, and Choice Plans names. The company also sells its homes through commissioned new home sales counselors and independent brokers in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Indiana, Delaware, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

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Buffalo Coal Corp. (CVE:BUF  Get Free Report) shares passed below its 50-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 50-day moving average of C$0.01 and traded as low as C$0.01. Buffalo Coal shares last traded at C$0.01, with a volume of 26,000 shares.

Buffalo Coal Trading Up 100.0 %

The stock has a market capitalization of C$7.37 million, a P/E ratio of -3.33 and a beta of 0.58. The business has a 50-day moving average price of C$0.01 and a 200 day moving average price of C$0.01.

About Buffalo Coal

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Buffalo Coal Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a coal mining company in South Africa. It primarily focuses on the Aviemore anthracite mine covering an area of approximately 5,513 hectares and Magdalena mine covering an area of approximately 1,844 hectares located in the Kwa-Zulu, Natal Province of South Africa.

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Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB.PD  Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$27.66 and last traded at C$27.70, with a volume of 250 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$27.60.

Canadian Western Bank Trading Up 0.4 %

The firm has a market capitalization of C$2.47 billion, a PE ratio of 7.34 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a fifty day moving average price of C$27.30 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$26.98.

Canadian Western Bank Company Profile

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Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, US dollar, chequing, flex notice, organization, business trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, equipment financing and leasing, aviation financing, and dealership financing products; agriculture lending products and AgriInvest savings account; variable and fixed rate mortgages; line of credit; registered retirement savings plan, consolidation, and vehicle loans; and credit cards.

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Caprock Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG  Free Report) by 5.7% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,488 shares of the aerospace companys stock after acquiring an additional 134 shares during the quarter. Caprock Group LLCs holdings in TransDigm Group were worth $3,153,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its stake in TransDigm Group by 749.8% in the second quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 1,844 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $2,356,000 after acquiring an additional 1,627 shares in the last quarter. Truist Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of TransDigm Group by 17.8% in the 2nd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 8,434 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $10,776,000 after purchasing an additional 1,272 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its position in shares of TransDigm Group by 17.0% in the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 4,697 shares of the aerospace companys stock valued at $6,001,000 after purchasing an additional 682 shares during the period. Clearbridge Investments LLC grew its stake in TransDigm Group by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 4,738 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $6,053,000 after buying an additional 111 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sanctuary Advisors LLC acquired a new position in TransDigm Group during the second quarter worth approximately $3,032,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.78% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on TDG. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of TransDigm Group from $1,500.00 to $1,375.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of TransDigm Group from $1,435.00 to $1,555.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, October 14th. KeyCorp upped their target price on shares of TransDigm Group from $1,440.00 to $1,500.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, October 24th. StockNews.com raised TransDigm Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded TransDigm Group from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $1,444.00 to $1,348.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 2nd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $1,455.00.

TransDigm Group Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of NYSE TDG opened at $1,352.43 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $75.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.03 and a beta of 1.38. TransDigm Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $1,086.37 and a 52 week high of $1,451.32. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $1,286.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $1,311.43.

Insider Buying and Selling at TransDigm Group

In other TransDigm Group news, COO Joel Reiss sold 3,000 shares of TransDigm Group stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,359.06, for a total transaction of $4,077,180.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 3,600 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,892,616. The trade was a 45.45 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Kevin M. Stein sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,248.07, for a total transaction of $24,961,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 8,158 shares in the company, valued at $10,181,755.06. This represents a 71.03 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 89,525 shares of company stock valued at $112,769,801. Corporate insiders own 4.96% of the companys stock.

TransDigm Group Profile

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TransDigm Group Incorporated designs, produces, and supplies aircraft components in the United States and internationally. The Power & Control segment offers mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, specialized pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, specialized AC/DC electric motors and generators, batteries and chargers, databus and power controls, sensor products, switches and relay panels, hoists, winches and lifting devices, and cargo loading and handling systems.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding TDG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG  Free Report).

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CGI Inc. (NYSE:GIB  Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A)s share price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The company traded as high as $120.69 and last traded at $120.84, with a volume of 102722 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $114.54.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Friday, March 21st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.1039 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This represents a $0.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.35%. CGIs dividend payout ratio is currently 7.41%.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on GIB. CIBC raised shares of CGI from a neutral rating to an outperformer rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $155.00 to $178.00 in a research report on Tuesday, October 15th. Cibc World Mkts raised CGI from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 15th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $178.00 price objective on shares of CGI in a research note on Monday, January 6th. StockNews.com raised shares of CGI from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, November 15th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on shares of CGI from $140.00 to $135.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $150.75.

CGI Stock Performance

The stock has a market capitalization of $26.86 billion, a PE ratio of 21.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.95. The businesss fifty day moving average is $111.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $111.41. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29.

CGI (NYSE:GIB  Get Free Report) (TSE:GIB.A) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The technology company reported $1.41 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.41. CGI had a return on equity of 19.59% and a net margin of 11.72%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that CGI Inc. will post 5.85 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of CGI

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC boosted its position in CGI by 2.4% during the 3rd quarter. Crestwood Advisors Group LLC now owns 4,222 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $485,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares in the last quarter. West Family Investments Inc. raised its stake in CGI by 5.5% in the 3rd quarter. West Family Investments Inc. now owns 2,323 shares of the technology companys stock worth $267,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Signal Advisors Wealth LLC lifted its position in CGI by 4.5% during the 4th quarter. Signal Advisors Wealth LLC now owns 3,158 shares of the technology companys stock worth $345,000 after acquiring an additional 135 shares during the period. CWM LLC grew its stake in CGI by 14.8% during the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,365 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $157,000 after purchasing an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of CGI by 0.6% in the third quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 31,098 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,575,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 66.68% of the companys stock.

CGI Company Profile

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CGI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology (IT) and business process services. Its services include the business and strategic IT consulting, systems integration, and software solutions. The company also provides application development, modernization and maintenance, holistic enterprise digitization, automation, hybrid and cloud management, and business process services; intellectual property-based solutions; business consulting; managed IT services; and IT infrastructure services.

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Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. raised its position in CRH plc (NYSE:CRH  Free Report) by 30.7% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 149,768 shares of the construction companys stock after acquiring an additional 35,150 shares during the quarter. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V.s holdings in CRH were worth $13,857,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators acquired a new position in CRH in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in shares of CRH by 72.7% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 297 shares of the construction companys stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of CRH during the third quarter worth about $35,000. Baillie Gifford & Co. grew its position in shares of CRH by 70.7% during the third quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 391 shares of the construction companys stock worth $36,000 after buying an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd acquired a new position in shares of CRH during the third quarter worth about $58,000. 62.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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CRH Trading Down 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE CRH opened at $99.15 on Friday. CRH plc has a twelve month low of $71.18 and a twelve month high of $104.23. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $97.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $92.03. The stock has a market cap of $67.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.83, a P/E/G ratio of 1.08 and a beta of 1.31.

CRH Cuts Dividend

Analysts Set New Price Targets

The company also recently disclosed a Variable dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, December 18th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 22nd were paid a $0.262 dividend. This represents a yield of 1.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 22nd. CRHs dividend payout ratio is currently 21.00%.

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on CRH shares. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on CRH from $95.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on CRH from $120.00 to $115.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Hsbc Global Res raised CRH to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Barclays began coverage on CRH in a research report on Tuesday, October 29th. They set an overweight rating and a $110.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Truist Financial upped their price target on CRH from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, CRH presently has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $107.75.

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CRH Profile

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CRH plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides building materials solutions in Ireland and internationally. It operates through four segments: Americas Materials Solutions, Americas Building Solutions, Europe Materials Solutions, and Europe Building Solutions. The company provides solutions for the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure and commercial and residential buildings; and produces and sells aggregates, cement, readymixed concrete, and asphalt, as well as provides paving and construction services.

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Dynatrace (NYSE:DT  Free Report) had its price objective raised by Morgan Stanley from $59.00 to $62.00 in a report published on Friday,Benzinga reports. Morgan Stanley currently has an equal weight rating on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on DT. BTIG Research raised their price target on Dynatrace from $57.00 to $63.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Scotiabank increased their price objective on shares of Dynatrace from $55.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 8th. BNP Paribas started coverage on shares of Dynatrace in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. They set a neutral rating and a $52.00 target price for the company. Wedbush started coverage on Dynatrace in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. They issued an outperform rating and a $67.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a neutral rating on shares of Dynatrace in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $62.24.

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Dynatrace Stock Performance

Insider Transactions at Dynatrace

Shares of DT opened at $57.82 on Friday. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $54.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.02. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 105.12, a PEG ratio of 8.34 and a beta of 1.02. Dynatrace has a 52 week low of $39.42 and a 52 week high of $61.41.

In other Dynatrace news, EVP Bernd Greifeneder sold 50,000 shares of Dynatrace stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.83, for a total value of $2,891,500.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 1,007,038 shares in the company, valued at approximately $58,237,007.54. The trade was a 4.73 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 0.59% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Dynatrace

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of DT. Riverview Trust Co increased its position in shares of Dynatrace by 70.6% in the third quarter. Riverview Trust Co now owns 621 shares of the companys stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 257 shares during the last quarter. Paladin Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Dynatrace during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $38,000. UMB Bank n.a. increased its position in shares of Dynatrace by 292.3% during the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 718 shares of the companys stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 535 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Dynatrace by 271.8% during the 4th quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 725 shares of the companys stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 530 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital Performance Advisors LLP acquired a new stake in shares of Dynatrace in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $52,000. 94.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Dynatrace Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Dynatrace, Inc provides a security platform for multicloud environments in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates Dynatrace, a security platform, which provides application and microservices monitoring, runtime application security, infrastructure monitoring, log management and analytics, digital experience monitoring, digital business analytics, and cloud automation.

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Envista Holdings Co. (NYSE:NVST  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 10,850,000 shares, a decrease of 13.8% from the December 31st total of 12,580,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 2,070,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 5.2 days.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have issued reports on NVST. Mizuho assumed coverage on Envista in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. They set an underperform rating and a $20.00 price objective on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Envista from $18.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Leerink Partnrs raised shares of Envista from a strong sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price target on shares of Envista from $20.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 23rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on shares of Envista from $17.00 to $22.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $20.13.

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Hedge Funds Weigh In On Envista

Envista Stock Down 4.2 %

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Nuance Investments LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Envista by 4.4% in the third quarter. Nuance Investments LLC now owns 7,346,534 shares of the companys stock valued at $145,168,000 after purchasing an additional 308,221 shares in the last quarter. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC lifted its stake in Envista by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Clarkston Capital Partners LLC now owns 4,347,300 shares of the companys stock valued at $85,903,000 after acquiring an additional 17,085 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its position in Envista by 26.5% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 3,971,662 shares of the companys stock worth $78,480,000 after acquiring an additional 830,861 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. grew its stake in shares of Envista by 22.2% during the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 3,529,827 shares of the companys stock worth $69,749,000 after acquiring an additional 642,401 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Envista by 2.5% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,895,653 shares of the companys stock worth $57,233,000 after purchasing an additional 71,435 shares in the last quarter.

Shares of NYSE:NVST traded down $0.90 during trading on Friday, hitting $20.51. 2,143,085 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,715,122. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $20.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $19.01. Envista has a 52 week low of $15.15 and a 52 week high of $24.79. The company has a current ratio of 2.08, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. The company has a market cap of $3.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 1.33.

Envista (NYSE:NVST  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $0.12 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.09 by $0.03. Envista had a negative net margin of 53.42% and a positive return on equity of 3.76%. The company had revenue of $601.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $590.34 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.43 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts forecast that Envista will post 0.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Envista

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Envista Holdings Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells dental products in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Specialty Products & Technologies, and Equipment & Consumables. The Specialty Products & Technologies segment offers dental implant systems, guided surgery systems, biomaterials, and prefabricated and custom-built prosthetics to oral surgeons, prosthodontists and periodontists, and general dentist; and brackets and wires, tubes and bands, archwires, clear aligners, digital orthodontic treatments, retainers, and other orthodontic laboratory products.

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Ford Motor (NYSE:F  Get Free Report) shares shot up 0.5% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $10.39 and last traded at $10.27. 15,995,604 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 74% from the average session volume of 61,578,352 shares. The stock had previously closed at $10.21.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on F. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Ford Motor from a hold rating to an underperform rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $12.00 to $9.00 in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut Ford Motor from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $11.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $10.00 price objective on shares of Ford Motor in a research note on Tuesday, October 29th. Barclays cut Ford Motor from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $13.00 to $11.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd. Finally, Wolfe Research reiterated an underperform rating on shares of Ford Motor in a research note on Thursday, December 5th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $11.82.

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Ford Motor Stock Performance

Institutional Trading of Ford Motor

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.98. The company has a market capitalization of $40.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.44, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.64. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $10.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $10.73.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Ford Motor by 4.5% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 122,609,058 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $1,294,752,000 after acquiring an additional 5,270,562 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its position in Ford Motor by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 81,989,157 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $863,009,000 after purchasing an additional 1,336,676 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC increased its stake in Ford Motor by 2.7% in the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 24,347,303 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $257,108,000 after purchasing an additional 636,330 shares during the period. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ford Motor by 112.8% in the third quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 11,976,950 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $126,477,000 after buying an additional 6,348,185 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in shares of Ford Motor by 0.7% during the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 11,639,886 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $122,917,000 after buying an additional 84,600 shares during the period. 58.74% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Ford Motor

(Get Free Report)

Ford Motor Company develops, delivers, and services a range of Ford trucks, commercial cars and vans, sport utility vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. It operates through Ford Blue, Ford Model e, and Ford Pro; Ford Next; and Ford Credit segments. The company sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors and dealers, as well as through dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments.

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Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO  Get Free Report) insider Gerard Murphy acquired 40,000 shares of Tesco stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 29th. The stock was purchased at an average price of GBX 371 ($4.60) per share, for a total transaction of 148,400 ($183,913.74).

Tesco Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of Tesco stock opened at GBX 372.20 ($4.61) on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 0.81, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 126.42. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of GBX 366.20 and a 200-day simple moving average of GBX 353.29. The stock has a market cap of 25.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,378.52, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.51. Tesco PLC has a 12-month low of GBX 272.30 ($3.37) and a 12-month high of GBX 375.70 ($4.66).

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on TSCO. Shore Capital reissued a buy rating on shares of Tesco in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on Tesco from GBX 410 ($5.08) to GBX 400 ($4.96) and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 13th.

Tesco Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Tesco was built to be a champion for customers, serving them every day with affordable, healthy and sustainable food. Our commitment to our customers extends beyond our stores, and into every community we serve  in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. We invest in communities to help them thrive, through supporting schools and childrens groups, food banks and other good causes.

In challenging times, our purpose has guided every part of the Group.

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Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Free Report) had its price target lifted by KeyCorp from $600.00 to $630.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the credit services providers stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on MA. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Mastercard from $654.00 to $644.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Friday. UBS Group increased their price objective on Mastercard from $590.00 to $610.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, November 14th. Seaport Res Ptn cut shares of Mastercard from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of Mastercard in a research report on Monday, November 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Mastercard from $550.00 to $565.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $595.64.

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Mastercard Trading Down 1.8 %

Shares of NYSE:MA opened at $555.63 on Friday. The businesss 50 day moving average price is $528.28 and its 200-day moving average price is $501.03. Mastercard has a 1 year low of $428.86 and a 1 year high of $576.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $509.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 1.29.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The credit services provider reported $3.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.71 by $0.11. Mastercard had a net margin of 45.26% and a return on equity of 178.27%. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Mastercard will post 14.47 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Mastercard declared that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, December 17th that authorizes the company to repurchase $12.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the credit services provider to reacquire up to 2.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Mastercard Increases Dividend

The business 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 dividend of $0.76 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 10th. This is an increase from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. This represents a $3.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.55%. Mastercards dividend payout ratio is currently 23.00%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Mastercard

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its position in Mastercard by 120,665.3% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 8,041,758 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $3,971,020,000 after acquiring an additional 8,035,099 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can grew its stake in shares of Mastercard by 51.7% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 5,765,714 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $2,846,187,000 after purchasing an additional 1,965,782 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of Mastercard by 3.4% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 21,355,081 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $10,545,139,000 after purchasing an additional 700,769 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Mastercard by 2.5% during the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 18,375,053 shares of the credit services providers stock worth $9,043,972,000 after buying an additional 453,773 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. increased its holdings in Mastercard by 52.8% in the third quarter. Montrusco Bolton Investments Inc. now owns 1,185,081 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $573,017,000 after buying an additional 409,334 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.28% of the companys stock.

About Mastercard

(Get 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.

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Mandalay Resources Corp. (TSE:MND  Get Free Report) shares passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$3.40 and traded as high as C$4.67. Mandalay Resources shares last traded at C$4.67, with a volume of 61,554 shares.

Mandalay Resources Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of C$444.09 million, a PE ratio of 11.63 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a current ratio of 1.77, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 12.67. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of C$4.13 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$3.41.

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Mandalay Resources (TSE:MND  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported C$0.15 EPS for the quarter. Mandalay Resources had a net margin of 13.58% and a return on equity of 14.47%. The firm had revenue of C$75.43 million for the quarter. Research analysts forecast that Mandalay Resources Corp. will post 0.1480392 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

About Mandalay Resources

In other news, Director Bradford Mills sold 400,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$4.30, for a total value of C$1,720,000.00. 1.68% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

(Get Free Report)

Mandalay Resources Corporation, a natural resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of various mineral properties. It explores for gold, silver, and antimony deposits. The company holds a 100% interest in the Costerfield gold-antimony mine covering an area of 7,540.78 hectares (ha) located in Central Victoria, Australia; and the Bjorkdal gold mine that comprises 9 mining concessions and 19 exploration permits located in Vasterbotten County in northern Sweden.

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Monness Crespi & Hardt upgraded shares of Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Free Report) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Friday morning, Marketbeat reports. Monness Crespi & Hardt currently has $640.00 target price on the credit services providers stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on MA. Susquehanna lifted their price target on shares of Mastercard from $605.00 to $670.00 and gave the stock a positive rating in a report on Friday. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and set a $572.00 price objective on shares of Mastercard in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Mizuho upped their price target on Mastercard from $496.00 to $532.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday, November 1st. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Mastercard from $600.00 to $630.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Mastercard from $536.00 to $576.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, October 10th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Mastercard currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $595.64.

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Mastercard Stock Performance

Shares of MA opened at $555.63 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $528.28 and a 200 day moving average of $501.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36. Mastercard has a 12 month low of $428.86 and a 12 month high of $576.94. The company has a market capitalization of $509.97 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.03, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 1.10.

Mastercard (NYSE:MA  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The credit services provider reported $3.82 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.71 by $0.11. Mastercard had a return on equity of 178.27% and a net margin of 45.26%. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Mastercard will post 14.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Mastercard Increases Dividend

The business 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 dividend of $0.76 per share. This is a boost from Mastercards previous quarterly dividend of $0.66. 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 0.55%. Mastercards payout ratio is presently 23.00%.

Mastercard announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Tuesday, December 17th that authorizes the company to repurchase $12.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the credit services provider to repurchase up to 2.5% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Trading of Mastercard

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Highline Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Mastercard during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. First Personal Financial Services purchased a new stake in Mastercard in the third quarter worth approximately $39,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Mastercard in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $54,000. Raelipskie Partnership raised its stake in Mastercard by 120.0% during the 3rd quarter. Raelipskie Partnership now owns 110 shares of the credit services providers stock valued at $54,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new position in shares of Mastercard during the 3rd quarter valued at $55,000. 97.28% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Mastercard Company Profile

(Get 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.

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 Flash

The Rafah crossing, the only channel linking Egypt with the Gaza Strip, is open and will start receiving patients from Gaza, Governor of Egypt's North Sinai Governorate Khaled Megawer said on Friday.

"The opening of the crossing was announced earlier today. We will start receiving patients," the governor said on social media platform X, without mentioning the exact time of the passage of Gazan patients through the crossing.

The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed that the first group of sick and injured individuals will be allowed to leave the Palestinian enclave through the Rafah crossing on Saturday.

In a press statement, the ministry called the move part of urgent humanitarian efforts to provide critically ill and wounded people with medical treatment outside the besieged territory.

"The departure of these patients will be coordinated under the supervision of the World Health Organization and other relevant authorities," the ministry added.

According to health officials, the selected patients and their companions are scheduled to gather at the Al-Shifa and Nasser medical complexes in Gaza before being transported to the crossing.

Saturday will also witness another round of hostage swap between Israel and Hamas under a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Friday that it will release three Israeli hostages on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners Club said in a press statement that Israeli authorities will in turn release 90 Palestinian prisoners.

Also on Friday, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Israel has received the list of three Israeli civilian hostages expected to be released from Hamas captivity on Saturday. On the list are Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, 65, and Israeli civilian Yarden Bibas, 35.

Under the ongoing ceasefire deal that halted more than 15 months of fighting, 33 hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza are to be freed in the first six weeks of the truce in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Since the implementation of the ceasefire deal on January 19, 15 captives, including five Thai workers, have been released by Hamas, while 400 Palestinian detainees have so far been exchanged.




Shares of Mitsubishi Co. (OTCMKTS:MSBHY  Get Free Report) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $40.23 and traded as high as $40.25. Mitsubishi shares last traded at $40.23, with a volume of 8,200 shares trading hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Macquarie downgraded Mitsubishi from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 7th.

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Mitsubishi Trading Up 0.2 %

About Mitsubishi

The firms fifty day moving average price is $40.23 and its 200-day moving average price is $40.23. The company has a market cap of $29.89 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 1.06.

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Mitsubishi Corporation operates in industrial finance, energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, and daily living essentials worldwide. The company's Global Environmental & Infrastructure Business segment conducts environmental and infrastructure projects, related trading operations, and other activities in power generation, water, transportation, and other infrastructure fields.

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N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC lessened its holdings in shares of Ford Motor (NYSE:F  Free Report) by 9.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 47,097 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after selling 4,959 shares during the period. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLCs holdings in Ford Motor were worth $466,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in F. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Ford Motor by 14,373.9% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 8,885,389 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $93,830,000 after purchasing an additional 8,824,000 shares during the last quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. raised its holdings in Ford Motor by 112.8% in the 3rd quarter. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. now owns 11,976,950 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $126,477,000 after acquiring an additional 6,348,185 shares in the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Ford Motor by 4.5% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 122,609,058 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $1,294,752,000 after acquiring an additional 5,270,562 shares in the last quarter. Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $55,456,000. Finally, Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its holdings in Ford Motor by 420.2% in the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 6,042,820 shares of the auto manufacturers stock valued at $63,812,000 after acquiring an additional 4,881,105 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.74% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities analysts have commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut their price target on Ford Motor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an underperform rating on shares of Ford Motor in a report on Thursday, December 5th. Barclays cut Ford Motor from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and cut their price target for the company from $13.00 to $11.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $10.00 price target on shares of Ford Motor in a report on Tuesday, October 29th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered Ford Motor from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and set a $11.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $11.82.

Ford Motor Stock Down 0.9 %

NYSE F opened at $10.07 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $40.00 billion, a PE ratio of 11.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 1.64. Ford Motor has a one year low of $9.49 and a one year high of $14.85. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $10.23 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.76. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.98.

Ford Motor Company Profile

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Ford Motor Company develops, delivers, and services a range of Ford trucks, commercial cars and vans, sport utility vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. It operates through Ford Blue, Ford Model e, and Ford Pro; Ford Next; and Ford Credit segments. The company sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors and dealers, as well as through dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments.

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Nokia Oyj (NYSE:NOK  Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday. The technology company reported $0.19 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.14 by $0.05, Zacks reports. Nokia Oyj had a net margin of 2.18% and a return on equity of 8.32%.

Nokia Oyj Stock Down 2.0 %

NOK stock opened at $4.61 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.14, a current ratio of 1.72 and a quick ratio of 1.46. The company has a 50-day moving average of $4.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $4.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 57.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.51 and a beta of 1.06. Nokia Oyj has a 52-week low of $3.29 and a 52-week high of $4.95.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on NOK. Danske upgraded Nokia Oyj from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Craig Hallum upped their price objective on Nokia Oyj from $6.00 to $7.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 6th. Northland Securities reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $6.50 price target on shares of Nokia Oyj in a report on Friday, October 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Nokia Oyj from a neutral rating to a sell rating and set a $3.60 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Nokia Oyj from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and boosted their target price for the company from $4.35 to $6.35 in a research note on Monday, December 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Nokia Oyj currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $5.86.

About Nokia Oyj

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Nokia Oyj provides mobile, fixed, and cloud network solutions worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Network Infrastructure, Mobile Networks, Cloud and Network Services, and Nokia Technologies. The company provides fixed networking solutions, such as fiber and copper-based access infrastructure, in-home Wi-Fi solutions, and cloud and virtualization services; IP networking solutions, including IP access, aggregation, and edge and core routing for residential, mobile, enterprise and cloud applications; optical networks solutions that provides optical transport networks for metro, regional, and long-haul applications, and subsea applications; and submarine networks for undersea cable transmission.

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On January 8, 2025, Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund submitted a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission to disclose the completion of a technical report by Premium Resources Ltd. The report, titled S-K 1300 Technical Report Summary, Selkirk Nickel Project, North East District, Republic of Botswana, carries an effective date of November 1, 2024, and was signed on January 8, 2025.

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According to the filing, the Technical Report Summary, prepared by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., has been made available as Exhibit 96.1. The report provides details regarding the Selkirk Nickel Project located in the North East District of Botswana. Additionally, the filing included Exhibit 23.1, which contains the consent of the Qualified Person in respect of the technical report, and Exhibit 104, which features the Cover Page Interactive Data File embedded within an Inline XBRL document.

This filing signifies Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Funds commitment to transparent reporting and adherence to regulatory requirements. The completion of the technical report for the Selkirk Nickel Project serves as a significant update for stakeholders and investors regarding the funds activities.

The filing was signed by Timothy H. Moran, Chief Legal Officer of Premium Resources Ltd., on behalf of the registrant. The report was submitted on January 31, 2025, in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Funds 8K filing here.

Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund Company Profile

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Nuveen New York Quality Municipal Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in the fixed income markets of New York. The fund invests in municipal bonds, with a rating of Baa or higher.

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Stableford Capital II LLC trimmed its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 1.3% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 37,121 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 496 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company accounts for about 1.0% of Stableford Capital II LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th biggest position. Stableford Capital II LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $2,607,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of WFC. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new position in Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Mattson Financial Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the second quarter valued at $25,000. Abacus Planning Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 14.4% in the 3rd quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 5,073 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $287,000 after purchasing an additional 640 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank boosted its stake in Wells Fargo & Company by 4.4% in the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 693,384 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $39,169,000 after purchasing an additional 28,976 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Farmers Trust Co. grew its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 2.6% during the 3rd quarter. Farmers Trust Co. now owns 11,963 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $676,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.90% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Trading Down 0.0 %

Wells Fargo & Company stock opened at $78.81 on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $47.45 and a 12-month high of $79.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $262.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.65, a P/E/G ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.18. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $73.59 and a 200 day moving average of $64.72. The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07.

Wells Fargo & Company Announces Dividend

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $1.43 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.34 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $20.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.58 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 15.73% and a return on equity of 12.38%. The companys revenue was down .5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.86 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.84 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, January 7th will be given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.03%. Wells Fargo & Companys payout ratio is 29.74%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $72.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 6th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, December 3rd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Wells Fargo & Company from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $67.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, November 19th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $69.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.39.

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Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile

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Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WFC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC  Free Report).

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Swedbank AB increased its stake in The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG  Free Report) by 0.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 615,483 shares of the business services providers stock after purchasing an additional 2,116 shares during the quarter. Swedbank ABs holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies were worth $17,246,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Interpublic Group of Companies during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Interpublic Group of Companies during the third quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Brooklyn Investment Group bought a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $60,000. Trust Co. of Vermont lifted its stake in Interpublic Group of Companies by 250.0% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 2,100 shares of the business services providers stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raleigh Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies by 31.8% in the 3rd quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,356 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 568 shares during the period. 98.43% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Interpublic Group of Companies Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of IPG opened at $28.68 on Friday. The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $26.30 and a 1 year high of $35.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 1.09. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $28.82 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $30.03. The firm has a market cap of $10.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.53 and a beta of 1.11.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on IPG shares. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a report on Tuesday. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Barclays raised Interpublic Group of Companies from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and raised their price target for the company from $32.00 to $36.00 in a report on Friday, January 24th. Macquarie reissued a neutral rating and set a $31.00 price objective on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and raised their target price for the company from $26.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, BNP Paribas raised shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from an underperform rating to an outperform rating and set a $38.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday, January 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Interpublic Group of Companies presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $33.75.

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Interpublic Group of Companies Profile

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The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc provides advertising and marketing services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Media, Data & Engagement Solutions, Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions, and Specialized Communications & Experiential Solutions. The Media, Data & Engagement Solutions segment provides media and communications services, digital services and products, advertising and marketing technology, e-commerce services, data management and analytics, strategic consulting, and digital brand experience under the IPG Mediabrands, UM, Initiative, Kinesso, Acxiom, Huge, MRM, and R/GA brand names.

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Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd. (OTCMKTS:TOKCF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 108,000 shares, a decline of 18.7% from the December 31st total of 132,800 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently  days.

Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Stock Performance

Shares of TOKCF stock remained flat at $23.56 during mid-day trading on Friday. Tokyo Ohka Kogyo has a 52 week low of $23.18 and a 52 week high of $24.00. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.56 and a 200 day simple moving average of $25.96.

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Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Company Profile

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Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells chemical products and process equipment in Japan and internationally. The company offers optimal photoresists and relative equipment; and coating, developing, vacuum UV hardening, and chemical supply machines. It also provides adhesive materials, thinners for the removing of adhesive materials, structure materials, surface modification materials, micro processing films, thin film mmWave absorbers, polyimide films, and zero newton bonding and debonding machines for 3D semiconductor packaging.

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TV Asahi Holdings Co. (OTCMKTS:TVAHF  Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 6,900 shares, a decrease of 83.0% from the December 31st total of 40,700 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 69.0 days.

TV Asahi Price Performance

TV Asahi stock remained flat at $15.06 during mid-day trading on Friday. TV Asahi has a twelve month low of $12.42 and a twelve month high of $15.33. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $14.00 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $14.20.

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About TV Asahi

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TV Asahi Holdings Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in television (TV) broadcasting business in Japan and internationally. The company operates through TV Broadcasting Business, Internet Business, Shopping Business, and Other Businesses segments. It engages in the video distribution with advertisements using the internet, production of video distribution content, and licensing of rights; mail-order sales on TV shopping programs and EC sites; and other businesses, including music publishing, event, equipment sales and leasing, and investment in film business.

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Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO  Free Report) had its price objective lowered by Wells Fargo & Company from $160.00 to $159.00 in a research note published on Friday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the oil and gas companys stock.

VLO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Piper Sandler upgraded Valero Energy from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Mizuho decreased their target price on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $158.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 8th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Valero Energy from $192.00 to $176.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on shares of Valero Energy from $175.00 to $165.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 4th. Finally, Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Valero Energy from $146.00 to $140.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Monday, November 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Valero Energy presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $154.46.

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Valero Energy Trading Down 1.9 %

Shares of VLO stock opened at $132.85 on Friday. Valero Energy has a 1 year low of $116.84 and a 1 year high of $184.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.06 billion, a PE ratio of 11.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 1.42. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $130.83 and a two-hundred day moving average of $137.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.57.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The oil and gas company reported $0.64 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.14 by $0.50. Valero Energy had a net margin of 2.74% and a return on equity of 13.07%. As a group, research analysts expect that Valero Energy will post 7.92 EPS for the current year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, January 30th will be given a dividend of $1.13 per share. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.40%. This is a positive change from Valero Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.07. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, January 30th. Valero Energys payout ratio is presently 38.39%.

Institutional Trading of Valero Energy

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in VLO. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 4,908.0% in the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 2,850,526 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $384,907,000 after acquiring an additional 2,793,607 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in Valero Energy by 11,318.9% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,076,349 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $145,339,000 after purchasing an additional 1,066,923 shares during the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its stake in shares of Valero Energy by 900.2% during the 3rd quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 631,095 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $85,217,000 after purchasing an additional 568,000 shares in the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Valero Energy by 18.8% during the 3rd quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 3,585,166 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $484,105,000 after buying an additional 567,059 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Valero Energy in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $70,352,000. 78.69% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Valero Energy Company Profile

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Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.

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VanderPol Investments L.L.C. grew its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 7.0% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 381 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 25 shares during the quarter. VanderPol Investments L.L.C.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $294,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in LLY. Algert Global LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 27.9% during the 2nd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 504 shares of the companys stock worth $456,000 after purchasing an additional 110 shares during the last quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB grew its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 113.7% during the third quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB now owns 331,786 shares of the companys stock worth $293,964,000 after buying an additional 176,552 shares during the last quarter. Czech National Bank increased its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 5.6% in the 3rd quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 160,697 shares of the companys stock valued at $142,368,000 after acquiring an additional 8,566 shares during the period. Unique Wealth LLC raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 303.7% during the 3rd quarter. Unique Wealth LLC now owns 1,401 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,241,000 after acquiring an additional 1,054 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 24.1% during the 3rd quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 8,332 shares of the companys stock worth $7,382,000 after acquiring an additional 1,620 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.53% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

LLY has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com lowered Eli Lilly and Company from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,025.00 to $1,015.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Bank of America reiterated a buy rating and set a $997.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $970.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upgraded Eli Lilly and Company to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, November 4th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $997.22.

Insider Activity

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 900 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $803.38, for a total value of $723,042.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 5,480 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $4,402,522.40. The trade was a 14.11 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

LLY stock opened at $811.61 on Friday. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $782.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $845.82. The firm has a market cap of $770.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 87.74, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.27. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $637.00 and a 1 year high of $972.53.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 30th. The company reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.52 by ($0.34). Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 20.48% and a return on equity of 71.08%. The company had revenue of $11.44 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $12.09 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.10 EPS. The firms revenue was up 20.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be issued a dividend of $1.50 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 14th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Companys previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.74%. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 56.22%.

Eli Lilly and Company declared that its board has approved a stock buyback plan on Monday, December 9th that allows the company to repurchase $15.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to purchase up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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Xac minh 'than y' chua ung thu bang phuong phap 'truyen nang luong' "Than y" Nguyen Van Kien (trai) lam viec voi co quan chuc nang - Anh: Cong an cung cap Ngay 28-2, ong Nguyen Tuong Duy - chu tich UBND xa Hai Yang (huyen ak oa, Gia Lai) - cho hay ang phoi hop cac co quan chuc nang xac minh truong hop nguoi xung...

An Giang lien tiep xuat hien mua trai mua

Mua bat chot giua cao iem ma kh khien nguoi dn bat ngo. Theo ng Luu Van Ninh, Gim oc i Kh tuong Thuy van tinh An Giang, nguyn nhn cua hien tuong ny l do nhieu ong nhiet oi trn cao trong ieu kien La Nina ket hop cua ra pha Nam khoi khng kh lanh...
Brazilian deportees receiving food at Manaus airport [Photo: am.gov.br]

As the hallmark action by the new administration of fascist President Donald Trump, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), police and military are stepping up violence against immigrants and deporting thousands of people under inhumane conditions to Mexico, Colombia, Brazil and other countries.

Last weekend, a plane loaded with 158 immigrants in ICE custody, including entire families, elderly people and children, took off from Alexandria, in the state of Louisiana, bound for Confins, in the state of Minas Gerais, in southeastern Brazil.

The Brazilians had been gathered together at an ICE staging facility in Louisiana, many of them having endured long bus rides from as far away as California, kept in handcuffs the entire way.

The flight itself proved a nightmare, with the chartered GlobalX Air plane struggling and failing to take off on its first attempt. Only after mechanics worked on an engine was it finally able to leave but continued to suffer repeated engine and ventilation system breakdowns.

Throughout the flight, the Brazilian immigrants recounted, they suffered continuous threats and aggressions. All the adult males were handcuffed, with their legs shackled and restraining chains around their waists. Passengers were deprived of food and water and denied use of the toilets. The breakdown of the planes air conditioning created unbearable conditions in the cabin.

After refueling and receiving further emergency maintenance in Panama, the aircraft was forced to land due to further technical failure in Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, thousands of kilometers from Confins.

Even after landing, passengers were forced to remain inside the cabin, with the heat of the tropical region and another failure of the ventilation system causing a number of passengers to faint. At one point, the handcuffed immigrants rebelled against the ICE and private security agents, forcing open an emergency exit, where they managed to plead for help from Brazilian authorities at the airport.

One of the passengers interviewed by CNN after the episode said: It was practically torture what they did inside the plane. An old plane, full of problems.... When it arrived in Manaus, the plane no longer worked, and they wouldnt let us get off. It was practically torture. It was very hot. Three hours inside a plane that was turned off, everyone sweating a lot.

Another passenger, Jefferson Maia, shaken and clearly short of breath, reported being assaulted by the immigration agents on the plane: I sat there until I reached my limit, I couldnt take it anymore. People fainted. I asked to leave and he grabbed me. ... I was handcuffed at the feet and belly. There was nothing I could do. The arm where my chain was was bleeding because they kept pulling my chain, tightening it.

The immigrants left the plane still chained and handcuffed. Lucas Gabriel, a bricklayer who was held hostage by immigration agents for hours, said indignantly: When we arrived in Manaus, they asked them to remove the handcuffs because we were already in Brazilian territory. Because youre not supposed to come here in handcuffs, thats the law. And when [the plane] arrived here, when the Federal Police boarded the flight, they wanted to take the handcuffs off everyone so they wouldnt see that we had come in handcuffs.

Gabrielle Oliveira, a professor of education and migration at Harvard University, told BBC News Brasil: Normally, 20 minutes before landing, passengers who are being deported are unchained, the handcuffs are removed. Thats why it was so different and shocking to see the Brazilians on Brazilian soil still handcuffed.

These hellish deportation flights are part of the shock and awe campaign promoted from the first day of the Trump administration as a basis for establishing a presidential dictatorship aimed at the entire US working class. The brutal treatment of Brazilian immigrant families is reminiscent of the torture methods previously used against so-called enemy combatants in Washingtons War on Terror in the Middle East.

At the beginning of this century, the George Bush administration set the precedent that anyone, including US citizens, could be arrested on charges of being an enemy combatant, even if they had never set foot in a war zone. Today, Trump is expanding the anti-democratic repressive apparatus created during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and turning it, in the first instance, against immigrants.

Under the pretext of a foreign invasion completely fabricated by Trump, who absurdly equates the movement of immigrants from Latin American countries and other regions with a foreign military invasion, this fascist terror campaign is targeting the entire working class in the US.

On Wednesday, Trump signed an executive order ordering the expansion of the Guantanamo Bay prison and declaring that the entire Latin American population is made up of criminals to justify the imprisonment of thousands of immigrants. Trump declared: We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to hold the worst illegal aliens who threaten Americans.

On Sunday, Trump demanded a minimum quota of 1,500 daily detentions of undocumented immigrants. On Monday, he declared that every single deportee is a murderer, a drug lord, a kingpin of some kind, a mob boss or a gang member.

The actions being promoted by the Trump administration have profoundly explosive implications for Latin America. Aware of the massive indignation that will be provoked among the populations of their countries, the Latin American bourgeois leaderships have been forced to express opposition, even if only to a limited extent, to the Trump administrations measures.

Along with the repercussions of the episode in Manaus, Colombian President Gustavo Petro refused to receive US military cargo planes carrying immigrants deported from the US. Trump responded violently, threatening to impose crippling economic sanctions against the country. Petro eventually agreed to accept the deportees, while sending Colombian planes to bring them back. As a result, the sanctions threat was lifted.

A call by Honduran President Xiomara Castro for an emergency CELAC meeting to respond to Trumps intensification of deportations collapsed almost immediately after the announcement of the deal struck between Petro and Trump.

The government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Workers Party (PT) in Brazil was also forced to issue an official protest against the brutal conditions faced by deported Brazilians. However, the political response of the Lula government, which banned the use of chains and handcuffs, was marked by a conciliatory tone. The government made no direct accusations against Trump, and Lula remained silent about the episode in Colombia.

Lulas Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski expressed the essence of this attitude when he declared: We had a very sober reaction. We dont want to provoke the American government, not least because this deportation is provided for in a treaty that has been in force for several years between Brazil and the United States and which authorizes deportation.

Sections of the Brazilian mainstream media have tried to minimize the seriousness of the deportation episode in Manaus by referring to the agreement Lewandowski cited, signed in 2017 between the Brazilian and US governments. In fact, the agreement, which states that the treatment of returnees must be dignified, respectful and humane, is violated on a daily basis in the US immigrant detention camps.

The concerns of the Lula government and the political establishment in Brazil are not about the violations of the rights of deported immigrants, admitted by the US government in an internal communication with Brasilia, but express the nervousness of sectors of the Brazilian ruling elite over both the threat of sanctions from Trump and the response of the working class in Brazil itself.

After Trump accused Panama, without any evidence, of charging American ships higher tariffs than Chinese ships to use the Panama Canal, the US president announced on Thursday night that he will proceed with the imposition of trade tariffs on Canada and Mexico of 25 percent. He has likewise threatened a 100 percent tariff on Brazil and the other members of the BRICS alliance.

Trump declared: We will demand a commitment from these apparently hostile countries that they will not create a new currency or support any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar, otherwise they will face 100% tariffs and must say goodbye to sales to the wonderful US economy.

The agreement on deportations and the silence of the Lula government will only encourage the US administration to launch further provocations in cooperation with its allies in the region, including Milei in Argentina, Bukele in El Salvador and Bolsonaro in Brazil.
Raven Quiterio was jumping for joy when she heard a dual language immersion program was coming to Twin Falls School District a couple of years ago.

Her family is bilingual and comes from two cultures: Mexican and American.

She worried about what language her family would speak at home when her daughter was born, and if she would fall behind in school. When she learned that her daughter could spend half the school day in Spanish and half in English, that stress melted away.

Wherever the dual immersion program will go, Quiterio said, I will follow.

That was her message to the school board at a workshop on Wednesday.

The board will vote on the future of Bickel Elementary on Feb. 10 and may potentially move the existing dual language program at Oregon Trail Elementary into a magnet school for dual language at Bickel.

Instead of traditional boundaries, a magnet school would draw students from all over the district. Magnet schools often have a theme. Dual language immersion means half of the instructional day is taught in English and half in Spanish.

Superintendent Brady Dickinson told the Times-News earlier this month that the district needs to hear from dual language parents to see if they would stick with the program if it moved to Bickel.

It would be really a problem, he said, if we move the magnet program over to Bickel and the parents decide, No, were going to keep our kids at Oregon Trail.

The bottom line is that something has to change in the school district.

Enrollment at Bickel Elementary is too low for the school to function as is. Meanwhile, Oregon Trail not only hosts the districts dual immersion program, but also a behavior program for kids who need more support.

Board Chair Eric Smallwood told parents on Wednesday that this is causing problems at Oregon Trail.

The best practice for kids with behavior issues is to keep them in the general education classroom as much as possible. But since half the classrooms at Oregon Trail are dual language, those kids with behavior issues are not spread out evenly across the school.

Instead of it being spread out into four classrooms, its being spread out into two classrooms, Smallwood said. And its very hard on those classrooms, so its really not fair to those teachers and those other students.

Maria Doerr, secretary at Oregon Trail, said she sympathizes with teachers in the English-speaking classes who have to take on a bigger load from the behavior program.

They are amazing educators, but I see them losing their shine, Doerr said.

The dual language program at Oregon Trail began in the 2023-24 school year with kindergarten and first grade. This year, the school added second grade.

Some of the Hispanic parents spoke to the school board through Doerr, who served as a translator.

Oregon Trail parent Maria Elena Avila told the board she doesnt want the program to move to Bickel. Her daughter had bad experiences there and she requested a transfer to Oregon Trail, which she said has been magnificent.

Also, Oregon Trail is closer to her home and she can walk to pick up her child.

Mom said, if they were to decide to move the program to Bickel, that she would pull her from the program, Doerr said, translating for Avila.

Parent Marisol Navarrete has a second-grade son at the dual language program at Oregon Trail. She said her son is growing a lot and is reading and writing in both English and Spanish.

I love the school and I want to to keep all of my children (at Oregon Trail), Navarette told the school board. If they go to the other school, Bickel, its a hard time for me to go over there.

To reassure Avila and Navarette, Smallwood said if Bickel became a magnet school for dual language, the district would provide transportation and that it would be kind of a whole new Bickel.

For Quiterio, sending her child to the dual language program at Oregon Trail was transformative. Her confidence lifted.

When she got into the dual immersion program, the very first day she came home and she was  like, I had never seen her so happy, Quiterio said. She said, Mom, you wont believe it. My teacher is speaking Spanish. Other kids are speaking Spanish in the school too.

Kathleen Coleman, parent of two native English-speaking students in the program, said her kids love it. Similar to Quiterio, she said her family would stick with dual immersion wherever it goes.

They are English speaking, but I love listening to them come home and start rambling and doing their colors, the counting, Coleman said. Theyre starting to do math in Spanish and I just absolutely adore it.

The program has also helped create new friendships. Coleman said her daughter is best friends with Avilas daughter.

Avila agreed.

She says that when they go pick up the girls after school, the girls will be walking out together and they will be speaking Spanish, Doerr said, translating for Avila.

After hearing from parents, Dickinson said the first step in this process will take place on Feb. 10, when the board votes on one of four options for Bickel Elementary.

I understand theres some anxiety not knowing all of the details, Dickinson said. What I would just say is, its coming.

The first option is to keep the dual language program at Oregon Trail and redraw boundaries to bring more students to Bickel. The second is to turn Bickel into a magnet school. The other options include turning another school in a magnet program, or closing Bickel completely.

Im hopefully not speaking out of turn here and reading the tea leaves, Dickinson said. The board is going to choose between option one and two.

No matter the decision, Dickinson said the district will give parents time to reflect on the information and make a decision that is best for their families.
Are you a postal worker, or employed in the delivery or logistics sector? We urge you to contact the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee at canadapostworkersrfc@gmail.com or by filling out the form at the end of this article.

The Industrial Inquiry Commission tasked by the Liberal government with recommending how the operations of Canada Post should be restructured opened in Ottawa this week with two successive hearings on January 27 and 28. Further hearings are expected in February and March with a final report to be issued by Minister of Labour Steve MacKinnon by May 15, one week before a government-imposed strike ban on 55,000 postal workers expires.

Postal workers should have no illusions that the commission headed by seasoned federal arbitrator William Kaplan will produce anything but a blueprint for the evisceration of their jobs and working conditions. In fact, the Industrial Inquiry Commission is rigged in favour of the employer and government, who are conspiring with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) bureaucracy against postal workers to rubber stamp the restructuring that Canada Post management says is necessary to return to profitability.

The origins of the commission make clear that it is an instrument for the ruling-class onslaught on jobs and working conditions. It was established as a key component of the Trudeau Liberal governments strikebreaking initiative in December, which brought the walkout by 55,000 postal sorting-plant workers, and urban and rural letter carriers to an end after four weeks, and unilaterally extended their expired contracts until May 22. While rank-and-file postal workers are prohibited from taking any collective action for the duration of the commission, the conspirators can plot their attacks and release their final report, which will be presented as a fait accompli from an expert third party.

Striking Canada Post workers picketing a facility at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, during their four-week, 2024 strike. Following in the footsteps of the federal government, which illegalized the postal workers' strike, the Quebec government wants to arrogate the right to end any strike on the Labour Minister's say so.

Invoking patently illegal, newly-cooked up powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, MacKinnon directed the unelected Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to issue an order outlawing the strike. At the same time, MacKinnon established the Industrial Inquiry Commission and provided it with a wide remit to recommend changes to the collective agreement between Canada Post and CUPW as well as its business operations in general.

Throughout the contract talks, which began last year and were dragged out over 100 sessions, Canada Post has pleaded poverty to justify its aggressive cost-cutting agenda. Supported by the corporate media, it pointed to $3 billion in losses since 2018 and the shift from letter mail to parcels as the reason it cannot meet workers demands for significant wage increases and job security. The Liberal government provided Canada Post with a $1 billion loan last week after management declared that it would run out of cash to keep its operations running by the middle of this year. The loan will be used to pay off bondholders and undoubtedly came with the understanding that Canada Post will gut jobs and working conditions to massively reduce its labour costs.

The CUPW apparatus completely capitulated to the back-to-work order, squashing growing demands from the rank and file to defy the union and NDP-backed Liberal governments illegitimate strikebreaking order. The ban, the fourth of its kind in six months, was carried out without even the democratic fig-leaf of parliamentary legislation.

Canada Post and the minority Liberal government would never have gotten away with this massive provocation without the connivance of CUPW, which corraled its members back on the job. The union bureaucracy has also embraced the Industrial Inquiry Commission, presenting it as a means for workers to have their voices heard by management and the government. CUPW President Jan Simpson told workers in a letter last month that the Industrial Inquiry Commission would present critical discussions about the future of Canada Post and the issues that matter to all of us.

However, far from being an open process which allows the voices of workers to be heard, it is being restricted to public testimony from representatives of Canada Post management and the CUPW bureaucracy. Rank-and-file workers have been told that they can watch hearings on a Zoom stream restricted to 1,000 viewersless than 2 percent of the affected workforceand should submit written input via email before a February 14 deadline.

In the first days testimony, both sides made clear that they were committed to making Canada Post profitable, with CUPW backing the expansion of night and weekend deliverywith the caveat that this should not come at the expense of good jobs. The union also outlined a slate of non-postal initiatives that it claims could increase revenues and help make the post office a viable profit-making concern. These include installing electric chargers on post office property and establishing a check-in program for seniors.

Meanwhile, Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger complained about our outdated structure and workplace rules that are holding us back in todays uber competitive delivery market. Management has been seeking to dramatically expand its use of low-paid part time and temporary workers, an Amazonification of its operations that has rightly been adamantly opposed by current workers.

Were at a critical juncture with Canada Post right now, Ettinger reiterated. We need to redevelop our operating model. Its an old-fashioned, outdated operating model that in todays hyper-competitive e-commerce market holds us back.

Rindala El-Hage, Canada Posts chief financial officer, reported that the company, which relies on the sale of postage stamps and other postal services to fund its operations, expects to lose $900 million in 2025 and cumulatively $6.9 billion over the next five years. Such projections are meant to set the stage for the slashing of labour costs through an all-out attack on workers jobs and wages, and further cuts to postal services, packaged as the only means of saving Canada Post.

While Simpson complained in her remarks that the process established by MacKinnon was skewed in favour of management and that Canada Post was withholding information, she still embraced the commission. Despite our misgivings about this process, CUPW values any opportunity to discuss the public post office and the contributions of our members, Simpson lamely declared.

At every step, the CUPW apparatus has worked to keep workers trapped within the state-regulated collective bargaining straitjacket, which is designed to grossly favour management over the workers, while dispensing certain privileges to the union bureaucracy.

Among those who testified on the first day on behalf of CUPW was labour attorney Paul Cavalluzzo. He noted that the union was seeking to challenge the government/CIRB back-to-work order, which simultaneously established the commission, as a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantee of freedom of association, a right that includes the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike. Nonetheless, Cavalluzzo declared that both parties must live under whatever rules are contemplated.

Little more than a week earlier, on January 17, CUPW announced that renewed contract talks had broken down over Canada Posts insistence the union abandon its court challenge to the constitutionality of using Section 107 to illegalize worker job action.

One postal worker who listened to the corporations opening remarks told the WSWS, It sounds like theyre holding a eulogy, referring to managements somber, deliberate tone. Another worker noted, The corporation is making it sound like they are dead broke, and the lights could go out at any time: a We care deeply about our employees but must make significant and unpopular changes to their work, kind of vibe.

Carleton University business management professor Ian Lee, a former Canada Post executive, outlined a scenario to CBC News earlier this month for the sell off of major components of the post office, which is sure to be on the minds of commissioner Kaplan and company management. He explained that the post office could be stripped back to a skeleton of its current operations, with a rump, taxpayer subsidized operation focused on deliveries to rural and remote regions. Meanwhile, urban postal operations would be handed off to for-profit couriers, and delivery routes ended in favour of post boxes inside grocery and pharmacy chains. In a Globe and Mail article last year, Lee indicated that over 20,000 full-time jobs could be eliminated in favour of temporary and permanent part-time workers.

Workers cannot afford to wait for the Commission to present its inevitable proposal to dismantle Canada Post before taking action. They must act now to seize control of their struggle from the CUPW bureaucracy. Postal workers are not merely involved in a contract fight but confront the class-war policy of the entire ruling class, which wants to decimate Canada Post and all public services so as to redirect resources to rearming the military, waging war, and enriching the super-rich. Canada Post workers must therefore appeal for a common struggle with broader sections of the working class for decent-paying, secure jobs for all and fully funded public and social services.

The means to organize and coordinate such a fight are provided by the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC). Rank-and-file committees offer a forum for workers on the shop floor to fight for their demands, based on what workers actually need, not what management says is affordable. Similar rank-and-file committees have been established by postal and delivery workers in the United States, Britain, Germany, and Australia. They are affiliated to the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees, which provides the organizational and political leadership for the global counteroffensive by the working class that is necessary to beat back the demands of the bosses, and place societys vast resources at the disposal of the social needs of workers, not the super-rich oligarchy.

The PWRFC outlined a program in November which called for:

1. A 30 percent pay rise to make up for years of concessions and for workers control over the deployment of new technologies. 2. Broaden our struggle to other sections of workers across Canada in order to defy a back-to-work law or any other anti-democratic state-imposed strike ban. 3. Launch a political struggle that rejects Canada Post being run as a profit-making enterprise, and makes our contract fight the spearhead of a worker-led counteroffensive in defence of fully funded public services and workers rights, and against austerity and war.

All workers at Canada Post who want to fight against the government-management onslaught must break out of the pro-business collective bargaining system which is imposed on them by the CUPW apparatus. This can be done by joining the PWRFC and building committees at their depots and work locations across Canada. The struggle at Canada Post must become the spearhead of a counteroffensive by the working class in defense of fully funded public services and workers rights, and against austerity and war. All those at Canada Post who are interested in this perspective should fill out the form below to discuss taking up the struggle.
Members of the new Syrian security forces stand outside a security building in Nawa, near Daraa, Syria, January 4, 2025. [AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy]

Reports of excessive violence and executions of members of religious minorities are increasing following the seizure of power by the Islamist HTS militia in Syria. According to a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) from earlier this week, 35 extrajudicial executions took place in just 72 hours. The perpetrators were fighters from the ruling HTS (Haiat Tahrir al-ShamLevant Liberation Organisation) and other Islamist terrorist groups associated with HTS.

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the fighters took retaliatory measures and settled old scores with members of the Alawite minority, to which [ousted President] Bashar al-Assad belongs, taking advantage of the state of chaos, the proliferation of weapons and their links with the new authorities.

The monitoring centre spoke of arbitrary mass arrests, cruel mistreatment, attacks on religious symbols, mutilation of corpses, summary and brutal executions of civilians, which show an unprecedented level of cruelty and violence. The victims were members of minority sects such as Alawites, Shiites and Murshids in villages throughout the [Homs] region, the centre said.

In a statement, the Civil Peace Group also announced that there had been civilian casualties in a security operation in several villages in the Homs region. The group condemned the unjustified violations, including the killing of unarmed men. According to SOHR, arrests were made after the serious violations and mass executions that have claimed the lives of 35 people in the last 72 hours.

A US-backed opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of former Syrian President Hafez Assad in Damascus, Syria, Sunday December 8, 2024. [AP Photo/Hussein Malla]

Apparently, the HTS authorities, who regularly justify the Islamist terror against minorities as a crackdown on alleged supporters of the Assad regime that collapsed in early December 2024, felt compelled to distance themselves from the violent excesses to a certain extent. Several people have been arrested for unspecified violations in the area west of the city of Homs, which is home to over a million people, according to government sources.

The official Syrian news agency SANA reported that the authorities had accused members of a criminal group of posing as members of the security services. Dozens of members of local armed groups under the control of the new Sunni Islamist coalition and who participated in the security operations have been arrested, the SOHR report said.

In fact, the terror reveals the character of the HTS regime, which is supported and courted by the West. The militia is the successor organisation of the al-Nusra Front, which was formerly allied with al-Qaeda. Its former emir, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who was appointed Syrian transitional president on 29 January under his real name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, swore allegiance to the then al-Qaeda leader Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri in a video message in 2013. In response, al-Qaeda provided al-Julani with fighters and weapons that al-Nusra used for deadly terrorist attacks that killed countless civilians.

Another notorious Islamist terrorist in al-Julanis transitional government is Justice Minister Shadi al-Waisi. In his role as an al-Nusra Front judge, he personally took part in and organised public executions. A video recorded in Hafasraja in 2015 shows al-Waisi ordering the execution of a woman he had previously convicted of prostitution. In the video, he can be seen first personally pronouncing the sentence and then giving the executioner a sign to carry out his bloody work. The execution was carried out with a shot to the head.

Since taking power in Damascus last December with the support of NATO forces, the HTS leaders have continued the terror despite their publicly more moderate rhetoric. The latest executions are just the tip of the iceberg. Since the beginning of 2025, there has been a dramatic escalation of attacks and retaliatory actions by armed groups in various Syrian provinces, according to another SOHR report. Some of these groups are affiliated with the Military Operations Administration, i.e., the new government, and attack civilians for political and sectarian motives.

Since the beginning of the year, SOHR has documented 91 murders and eliminations as a result of reprisals in various Syrian provinces, killing 190 people, including five women, the report said. Among others, there have been deaths in Damascus (3), Rif Dimashq (14), Homs (91), Hama (46), Latakia (15), Aleppo (6), Tartus (9), Idlib (4), al-Suwaida (1) and Deir Ezzor (1).

It is significant that the Western media hardly report on Islamist terror in Syria. The reasons for this are obvious. On the one hand, the NATO powers see the new rulers in Damascus as important allies in the imperialist subjugation of Syria and the entire Middle East. As with the genocide against the Palestinians, the main aim is to strengthen Israels military position and to eliminate Iran and Russia as power factors in the region. At her meeting with al-Julani in Damascus at the beginning of January, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called for Russia to give up its military bases in Syria.

Another reason for the silence, especially in the German media, is the plans of the ruling class to deport hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated in the Bundestag (parliament) on Wednesday, in a session which was dominated by anti-refugee agitation and the boosting of the fascist Alternative for Germany (AfD): We are also looking very closely at developments in Syria. As soon as the situation on the ground allows, we will also carry out deportations of criminals there. He said he was discussing this with the heads of government of the federal states, just as we have repeatedly made far-reaching decisions in this circle in recent years.
German opposition leader and Christian Union parties floor leader Friedrich Merz, center, at the German parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, January 29, 2025. [AP Photo/Markus Schreiber]

Having twice voted with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in favor of a brutal policy of sealing the borders against refugees, the conservative Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) parliamentary groups in the Bundestag are prepared to accept the far-right party as a government partner.

This is the inescapable conclusion that must be drawn from the events of the past week. Anyone who adopts motions and legislation together with an extreme right-wing party is also capable of governing with it. CDU leader Friedrich Merzs assurances to the contrary, whose shelf-life is perhaps two weeks, do nothing to change this.

Eighty years after the end of the Nazi regime, the door is now wide open for the fascist AfD to move into the highest offices of government.

On Wednesday, the CDU/CSU and FDP, together with the AfD, ensured that a motion in favor of sealing off Germanys borders, largely abolishing the right to asylum, and significantly increasing the number of detention beds for those being deported gained a parliamentary majority. It was the first time in the history of the Bundestag that a large parliamentary group made common cause with fascists.

On Friday, the CDU/CSU, FDP and AfD, working together, once again sought to pass the so-called influx limitation bill. Although the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance had also spoken in favor of the measure, the bill failed due to dissenters in its own ranks. Nevertheless, the signal was clear: The much-vaunted firewall against the AfD no longer exists.

Since Wednesday, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in numerous cities to protest. Further large demonstrations are planned for the weekend.

But how can the rise of the AfD be stopped? Appeals to the CDU and CSU will achieve as little as support from the Social Democrats (SPD), Greens or Left Party.

In fact, these parties bear a central responsibility for the rise of the AfD. The SPD and the Greens are not opposing the AfD and CDUs refugee agitation and their racist law-and-order campaign but are instead fueling it.

In October 2023, Chancellor Olaf Scholz was featured on the cover of Der Spiegel with the statement: We must finally deport refugees on a large scale. The same statement could have come from the AfD.

In the Bundestag, the SPD and Greens fiercely attacked Merz for his cooperation with the AfD. But they did so solely from the standpoint that he could achieve the same goal by working with them instead of the fascists. They listed the numerous laws and measures they have adopted to keep refugees away from German and European borders. All that was missing was for them to boast about the more than 31,000 people who have drowned in the Mediterranean over the last 10 years as a result of their policy of sealing the borders.

That these parties now present themselves as the guarantors of democracy and accuse Merz of breaking a taboo is the height of hypocrisy. The SPD and Greens are themselves working with the fascists in parliamentary committees and at local and European levels.

On the same day that Merz voted with the AfD against the right to asylum, the SPD and Greens, together with the CDU, FDP and AfD, passed a so-called antisemitism resolution that relativises the Holocaust and criminalizes opponents of the genocide in Gaza!

It was the SPD and the Greens who massively rearmed the Bundeswehr and deployed German tanks against Russia, 80 years after the Nazis war of extermination against the Soviet Union. It was the SPD and the Greens who supported the genocide in Gaza, and it was the SPD and the Greens who effectively abolished the right to asylum! With their policies in the interests of the banks and corporations, they have produced a social catastrophe.

The AfD was deliberately built up and promoted in order to aggressively push through this policy of war and social cuts. Although it exploits social misery and despair, it is the party of German militarism and finance capital in its purest form. The AfD is calling for a five-fold increase in the war budget and a radical cut in taxes on the rich. In return, it receives millions in donations.

A similar development is taking place in other countries. Viktor Orban in Hungary, Giorgia Meloni in Italy, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Herbert Kickl in Austria owe their rise to the same calculations of the oligarchs.

It is most evident in the US. Donald Trump is using the demonization of refugees as a lever to build a police state, deploy the military at home and mobilize a right-wing mob. Joe Bidens Democrats are not resisting this because they represent the same class intereststhe interests of Wall Street and the military.

While Trump was still considered an outsider when he first won election, the richest and most powerful oligarchs are now backing him. Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, is tasked with cutting government spending by a third for Trump, i.e., slashing social spending to zero. It is no coincidence that Musk is one of the most important supporters of AfD leader Alice Weidel.

The AfD is not trivializing Hitler because it rejects the existing social order. It is trivializing Hitler because the capitalist order can only be defended using fascist methods.

This insight must form the starting point for the fight against the AfD. The SPD and Greens are absolutely right when they accuse Merz of preparing a government with the AfD. But they willlike the Democrats in the USdo everything they can to suppress opposition and preserve order. They share the programme of rearmament, social cuts and the establishment of a police state. The trade unions will likewise support them in this.

Resistance against the fascists can come only from the working class. It will not allow work colleagues and neighbors to be deported, their wages to be decimated, their jobs destroyed, education and health privatized and pensions and social benefits smashed. Explosive class struggles are inevitable.

These struggles must be prepared. They need a political perspective and leadership. This is what the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) is fighting for. It is the only party standing in the Bundestag elections to oppose war, rearmament and social cuts, and it defends all democratic rights, including those of migrants.

The fight against fascism requires a fight against capitalism and war!

As the German section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), the SGP advocates the unity of the international working class in order to overthrow capitalism, expropriate the billionaires and build a socialist society in which social needs take precedence over profit interests.
Over the past week right-wing media pundits, Zionists and government ministers in New Zealand have launched a hysterical campaign to demonise the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), which has coordinated dozens of protest actions against the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza.

The manufactured outrage was triggered by a poster shared on Facebook by PSNA chair John Minto, which called on members of the public to contact the organisation if they knew of any Israeli soldiers visiting New Zealand. It stated: We need your help to track them down so we can let them know they are not welcome here.

The genocide hotline, as the PSNA calls it, is a deeply misguided stunt. Going after individual Israeli soldiers is a diversion from the urgent need to mobilise the working class against the New Zealand government, and the entire state apparatus, which is allied with US imperialism and supports the Zionist regime.

In a predictable manner, the PSNAs tactic played directly into the hands of the government and the corporate media, which want to delegitimise and suppress the anti-genocide protests.

On January 28 the New Zealand Herald quoted the Zionist Jewish Council of New Zealand (JCNZ), which said the PSNAs campaign fosters a climate of fear, division and potential violence. It demanded that the government intervene and that the police investigate.

The JCNZ openly backs Israels destruction of Gaza, which has resulted in the mass murder of more than 186,000 people, according to one estimate, most of them women and children.

Human Rights Commissioner Stephen Rainbow called for an immediate end to the genocide hotline, saying it has the risk of a ripple effect which may cause harm in the community. Rainbow is well-known for his pro-Zionist views. He has denounced anti-genocide protesters as pro-Hamas and in April last year wrote on Facebook that NZ must stand firmly behind Israel against Iran.

The host of the far-right Platform podcast, Sean Plunket, accused Minto of launching a Jew hunt and suggested that Facebook should censor him. Plunket has repeated every lie used by Israel to justify its slaughter of Palestinians, while slandering protestersand the United Nations refugee agency UNRWAas supporters of terrorism.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters [AP Photo/Rick Rycroft]

The most unhinged response came from Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, the leader of the right-wing nationalist NZ First Party, who posted on X/Twitter accusing Minto of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism. Speaking on Plunkets podcast, Peters called the PSNAs actions illegal. He also declared it was ridiculous in the extreme to suggest that the New Zealand government bore any responsibility for what has happened in Gaza.

These statements are false and brazenly hypocritical. Both the previous Labour Party government (which left office in November 2023) and the current National Party-led coalition, including Peters, defended Israels onslaught against Gaza as an act of self-defence. Wellington maintains friendly diplomatic relations with the regime in Tel Aviv, despite the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes.

The current government and the Labour Party have also welcomed the election of Donald Trump, whose administration is shredding basic democratic rights, launching a campaign of terror against immigrants and calling for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.

New Zealand is directly involved in the efforts to reshape the Middle East in the interests of US imperialism and Israel. New Zealand military personnel are assisting in the US-led bombing of Yemen, after Yemeni forces sought to block shipments that could support Israels war machine.

NZ First is a racist and xenophobic party, with a long record of demonising immigrants from Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. On the very same day that Peters was attacking Minto and the PSNA, NZ First MP Shane Jones shouted in parliament Send the Mexicans home!a remark directed towards Mexican-born Green MP Ricardo Menendez March. On January 29, Jones, who is the minister for regional development, told Stuff, He supports terrorism, turning up with a terrorist tea towel each daya racist reference to the Palestinian keffiyeh.

Any resistance or opposition to Israels genocide and its apartheid regime is smeared as antisemitism and supporting terrorism. While Israeli soldiers can enter the country freely, one can easily imagine the howls of outrage from NZ First, ACT and the Zionists if any Palestinian fighters were thought to be visiting New Zealand.

Following the incitement against the PSNA, Minto wrote today that the organisation had been contacted by police to say that the right-wing extremist Destiny Churchwhich has held several pro-Zionist and anti-Muslim rallieshad issued direct threats to shut down the PSNA if the government and police wont do it for them.

Meanwhile, police confirmed to Stuff that they were investigating reports of a threatening statement made on social media, related to the PSNA campaign. No details were provided.

Minto defended the genocide hotline, writing on Facebook: The focus is NOT on Israelisthe focus is on IDF soldiers and reservists here for rest and recreation from the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians. He also asserted that This campaign will do more to save Palestinian lives than any other initiative we have taken so far in the campaign against Israels genocide.

In fact, moral protests against individual Israeli soldiers will not accomplish anything of the sort. The campaign has, however, provided the pretext for pro-Palestine protesters to be abused in the media, threatened by right-wing thugs and targeted by police.

Regardless of the PSNAs intentions, there is also an obvious risk that its genocide hotline could lead to the harassment of Israelis who are not soldiers, or who were unwillingly conscripted into the military.

The worldwide protests against the wars in Vietnam and Iraq avoided targeting individual low-ranking soldiers, because to do so would distract attention from the criminality of the politicians and generals who planned the wars and sent thousands of young men to kill and be killed.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB, Minto explained that the PSNA aims to persuade the government to ban Israeli soldiers from coming to New Zealand, in order to put pressure on Israel to end the genocide in Gaza.

The organisation falsely portrays the destruction of Gaza and the oppression of the Palestinians as mistaken policies that can be reversed with petitions, letter-writing campaigns, consumer boycotts, and various protest stunts, including hunger strikes.

This strategy of making endless appeals to imperialist governments to adopt a more humanitarian positionpromoted by middle class protest organisations and pseudo-left groups throughout the worldhas been a disastrous failure. For the past 16 months, Washington and its allies, including Britain, Germany and Australia, have responded by increasing their support for Israel and unleashing repression against protesters.

Imperialist support for Israel is bound up with the broader crisis of the world capitalist system, which is driving the US to assert its domination over the Middle East and to violently redivide the world.

With Israels support, Washington has waged a devastating proxy war for regime change in Syria and is now threatening war against Iran. Meanwhile, the US and NATO are at war with Russia over Ukraine and there are far-advanced plans for an even more devastating conflict with China. New Zealand and Australia, imperialist powers allied to the US, are integrated into all these wars and war plans.

Minto and the PSNA do not explain any of this context. To do so would cut across their relations with the Labour Party and its allies, including the union bureaucracy, the Greens and Te Pati Maori, whose members are often given the platform at PSNA events. The last Labour government strengthened New Zealands alliance with Washington: as well as supporting the assault on Gaza, it sent troops to Britain to help train Ukrainian conscripts to fight against Russia.

Minto has indicated his support for the war against Russia, telling Newstalk ZB: we wouldnt accept Russian soldiers here for rest and recreation after the invasion of Ukraine. He did not make any similar demand that Ukrainian military personnel, or soldiers from the US and other NATO powers, be barred from entering New Zealand.

It is absurd and false to suggest that the same forces responsible for destroying Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, as well as Gaza, are simultaneously waging a just war in Ukraine. In fact, the US and NATO directly provoked Russias reactionary invasion by backing a fascist-led coup in Kiev in 2014 which installed a viciously anti-Russian regime; they have deliberately prolonged the war in order to weaken Russia, at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives.

Millions of people across the world have protested for more than a year against the Gaza genocide, but the movement has been led into a political impasse. Workers and youth must reject the bankrupt perspective of pressuring right-wing politicians and governments. What is required is the building of a conscious, socialist movement of the working class, based on the understanding that the only way to stop the Gaza genocide, and the developing world war, is to abolish the capitalist system, which is the source of imperialist violence and oppression.
Protesters clear their eyes of pepper spray after the police attack on the October 7, 2024 demonstration at the University of Michigan against the Gaza genocide

On January 16, the University of Michigan banned the Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE), the local chapter of the national pro-Palestinian group, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The ban suspends SAFEs club status for up to two years, depriving the group of access to university facilities and the right to promote its views on campus. It marks the first ever suspension of a legacy student organization in the universitys history.

The action is direct retribution for peaceful protests carried out by SAFE against the US-backed Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023. SAFE has participated in rallies and an encampment on campus, as well as a protest at the home of a member of the Board of Regents, to demand that the university sever its financial ties to the Zionist regime.

The lifting of SAFEs student club status is part of a wave of repressive actions taken against pro-Palestinian students, faculty and others at colleges and universities in the US and around the world carried out under the fraudulent pretext of combating antisemitism. At least 70,000 Palestinian civilians, mainly women and children, have been killed by Israeli forces with bombs, bullets, combat jets and other weapons supplied by the Biden administration and continued under the fascist President Donald Trump, who has openly called for the removal of the Palestinians from Gaza. Unknown thousands of others have died as a result of the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools and the withholding of food and sanitation from the enclave by Israel, with US support.

The university has sent in police to attack and arrest anti-genocide protesters, and Democratic Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has charged at least 10 protesters with felony crimes at the urging of the university administration and the Board of Regents.

The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) at UM denounces the ban on SAFE and demands that it be immediately lifted and SAFE be allowed to function freely as a student organization on campus. The IYSSE also demands the dropping of charges against anti-genocide protesters. The IYSSE calls on all workers, students and youth at UM and beyond to oppose the attack on SAFE as an attack on the First Amendment right to free speech.

On October 31, Stephanie Jackson, an outside consultant hired by UM, published a complaint on behalf of the university through the UM Student Organization Advancement and Recognition (SOAR) office. Her complaint alleged that SAFE had violated the Center for Campus Involvements (CCIs) Standards of Conduct for Recognized Student Organizations.

The complaint cites a protest outside UM Board of Regents and Republican Party member Sarah Hubbards home on May 15, a die-in protest against the Gaza genocide on August 28 during UMs annual Festifall student club event, and a tabling event on October 16 during Open MiC (Michigan in Color) Night on the campus Diag. Jacksons complaint claims SAFEs involvement in the Festifall protest threatened and intimidated students.

In a statement published on its Twitter/X account on January 30, SAFE wrote: Last week, Umich admin overturned the student judicial ruling that found SAFE not responsible for the majority of the baseless accusations made against us by the university, urging the administrators to not suspend SAFE.

Under SOARs guidelines, the Central Student Judiciary (CSJ) may act as a student governing body for a public hearing on complaints referred to the CSJ by the CCI office. On December 5, the CSJ held a public hearing to review and examine claims made by Jackson and the SAFE co-presidents, Maryam Shafie and Mariam Odeh.

The CSJs December 13 recommendation, to which SAFEs statement refers, found SAFE responsible for two of four violations at Festifall, one of two violations during Open MiC Night and none of the seven violations during the protest in front of Hubbards home.

On January 16, Dean of Students Laura Blake Jones issued the Universitys official decision, dismissing the CSJs recommendation and imposing the ban on SAFE. In a statement posted on Twitter/X on January 30, Regent Sarah Hubbard cynically praised the banning of SAFE, hailing in Orwellian fashion the muzzling of the organization as a defense of academic freedom. She wrote, Our campus community must be free from hate, intolerance and intimidation in order to allow academic freedom and diversity of thought to flourish.

UM banned SAFE the day after Michigan Attorney General Nessel issued charges against three protesters involved in the Festifall die-in demonstration on the university Diag in August. The charges include resisting and obstructing a police officer, a felony, and trespassing, a misdemeanor that carries a possible 90-day jail sentence. The felony charge carries a possible sentence of two years behind bars.

According to a report from MLive, those charged include Samantha Lewis, an organizer with Detroit Will Breathe during the citys 2021 police brutality protests, and Alice Elliot, a UM alumnus, each of whom was charged with one count of trespassing and one count of resisting and obstructing a police officer. The third protester, a 2021 UM graduate, received a single count of trespassing.

Lewis already faces a felony charge for resisting and obstructing a police officer issued against her by Nessels office for her involvement in the pro-Palestinian solidarity encampment erected last spring on UMs Diag and torn down by the police in May.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced an executive order titled Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism, which outlines the goal of using all available and appropriate legal tools to prosecute, remove, or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic harassment and violence, based on the false equation of criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

The order, in an effort to bring universities directly into the fold of the military-intelligence-immigration enforcement apparatus, instructs universities to monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff relevant to those grounds and for ensuring that such reports about aliens lead, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to investigations and, if warranted, actions to remove such aliens, i.e., to deport non-citizen students who protest against the anti-Palestinian genocide.
The Labor government in New South Wales (NSW) is seeking to impose sweeping and regressive changes to the states High School Certificate (Years 11 & 12) Drama and Music syllabus. The move has been met with opposition from the teaching community, students, parents and performing artists.

High profile artists Heather Mitchell and Tim Minchin are among those raising their voices in protest, together with various theatre companies including Belvoir St Theatre, the Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare.

The proposed changes to the Creative Arts syllabi are part of the NSW governments comprehensive reform of the education curriculum, the first in 30 years. The stated aim is to make the Curriculum clearer by de-cluttering it. In reality, however, the Labor government is further undermining public education, using the Curriculum reform as a mechanism to impose budget cuts and further narrow the curriculum in line with big business demands for a pliant and readily employable youth workforce.

The Arts curriculum review includes Drama, Dance, Music, and Visual Arts.

Of particular concern for Drama teachers and students is the reduction of the courses performance component for the final Year 12 assessment. The initial proposal for the new Stage 6 syllabus for Drama called for no external marking of the Group Performance, and a reduction in subject choices for the Individual Project, with directing, video, research and lighting no longer offered.

This would gut the subject area and significantly reduce the opportunities for students to showcase their performance skills. For many students, the current drama syllabus, in particular the Group Performance, provides them with a means of coping with the pressure of the final years of high school, by encouraging a high level of camaraderie and ownership of their work. This will be undermined if the proposals put forward in the new draft curriculum are implemented.

Teachers would also be adversely affected. For example, the external marking of High School Certificate (HSC) Drama includes an intensive four-day benchmarking process, where hundreds of teachers come together from across the state. This provides a unique opportunity for both experienced and new drama teachers to mix and collaborate. With the axing of external marking for performance, this important in-service training will be lost, and years of expertise dust-binned.

Many teachers have also pointed to the retrograde nature of the proposed changes in the weightings of the Drama course, which would see an increase from the current 90-minute written exam to two hours, which places further emphasis on the academic component of the course, at the expense of performance.

Dr Michael Anderson, Professor of Creativity and Arts Education in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney issued a sharp statement of protest against the proposed curriculum changes issued by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

I am writing to resign from my voluntary role providing feedback on the HSC Drama syllabus revision process NESA, he explained. As you know I provided extensive advice on this syllabus revision and none of my concerns about the draft syllabus have been addressed in the recent release. This is profoundly disappointing and undermines my faith in NESAs process.

I will be expressing my view publicly that this syllabus revision process is symptomatic of the low regard NESA has for teacher feedback. I have little faith the current consultation will change that. I do hope that I am wrong and that NESA responds to the overwhelming concerns of the teaching community.

In Music, NESA is proposing that the number of performances for Year 12 Music 1 students be cut from as many as four to two. In addition, composition or musicology electives would not be allowed. The current one-hour written aural exam would become a two-hour exam.

Sydney Conservatorium of Music teacher James Humberstone, when interviewed about the changes to the syllabus on ABC Radio, said: The best practice and the best research around the world shows that we want to learn music musically. The new proposed syllabi really take away a lot of that freedom and that choice for students to explore the bits of music that theyre really interested in.

Harry Day, drummer for Australian alternative indie rock band Middle Kids, studied Music 2 and Music Extension at high school. He said, Getting the freedom to get to play that much, play solos and play with others, just helped me develop my craft as a musician so much. If Id had to spend about half that time sitting down, listening to someone talk about music instead, I think that would have had a real impact on my development.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car speaking in Sydney, October 2024 [Photo: Facebook/Prue Car MP]

An open letter signed by 30 music teachers and academics has called on Education Minister Prue Car to immediately suspend the draft syllabi and begin a new review process of the subjects. Petitions demanding further consultation have so far garnered over 8,000 signatures.

NESAs so-called consultation process, begun in early 2024, has proved to be nothing but a fraud. State authorities set a deadline for feedback on the new draft curriculum of December 20 last year and rejected appeals from multiple teachers for an extension of this cut-off date. The input of experienced teachers has been ignored, and when opposition became public, concerns about the undermining of the practical component and subject area choices were dismissed out of hand. The finalised syllabus is due for release in 2025, with a mandated implementation in 2027, leaving little room for further input.

The gutting of Arts in NSW is taking place as Australian schools are mired in crisis.

From 20192024, public schools lost $13.1 billion in funding. NSW Premier Chris Minns announced in April 2024 public school funding cuts of $148 million, to be followed by a further $1.4 billion in cuts over the next four years. With schools already underfunded for decades and savaged by federal and state government budget cuts, there has been an exodus of teachers from the system and schools are being crippled by staff shortages.

One part of the governments agenda with its school curriculum reform is to prepare further spending cuts, through a reduction in performance aspects of Drama and Music and a greater emphasis on the less costly teaching and assessment of Arts theory. One likely outcome of the curriculum change, if allowed to proceed, is that HSC Arts subjects will be less attractive to senior school students, reducing the need for qualified teachers in these areas.

There are other educational and political factors at work in the proposed changes to the Arts curriculum.

In July 2024, the NSW government announced that it was mandating explicit instruction across all curriculum areas for both primary and high school students. Explicit teaching is a teacher-centric model of teaching, focussing on the cumulative acquisition of skills across a predetermined sequence of learning objectives. This approach is counterposed to a more student-centred, inquiry and problem-based learning that is often favoured by teachers and students in the Arts.

In HSC Drama, for example, the Group Performance and Individual Projects that have been targeted by NESAs reforms are entirely student-centred and driven by their interests. Students sometimes explore contentious social and political issues that ruffle feathers within schools, for example on the impact of climate change, the plight of refugees, attacks on democratic and human rights, and the horrors of war. The NSW government, and the ruling elite as a whole, has no interest in developing young people as politicised critical thinkers.

Despite the opposition from teachers, students and parents to the proposed draft curriculums for Drama and Music, no statement has been issued by any of the teachers unions, consistent with their history of collaborating with state and federal government attacks on public education.

The Committee for Public Education (CFPE) calls on teachers and school workers to establish rank-and-file committees in their schools, independent of the teacher union bureaucracies, to fight for a counter-offensive that defends the Arts in schools, while aiming to secure a proper educational provisioning for all students and decent wages and conditions for educators, within a fully funded public education system.

Contact the CFPE:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: CFPE_Australia
Rail workers at BNSF or other carriers, has your attendance policy recently changed? Share your experience by filling out the form below.

Locomotives from BNSF pull coal cars through a crossing on Santa Fe Drive Tuesday, October 8, 2024, in central Denver. [AP Photo/David Zalubowski]

BNSF, one of the six Class I freight rail carriers, has unilaterally amended its already hated attendance policy to further dictate the schedules of train operators, incentivize overwork, and more easily terminate workers.

The Hi Viz attendance policy is a point-based system, where workers accrue points through perfect attendance that they can spend on time off. If their points drop below zero, they are liable to be fired. The policy itself was unilaterally implemented by BNSF, and a federal judge later protected the company by blocking a strike in early 2022.

Later that year, workers rejected a national contract, paving the way for strike action at all Class I carriers. But the union bureaucrats held workers back until the strike was preemptively banned by Congress. Opposition was organized by the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which urged workers to take matters into their own hands.

Now, the bureaucrats are working to impose a new round of sellout contracts. Recently, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes forced the ratification of a new contract at CSX after workers rejected it in a first vote. At BNSF, the unions have not lifted a finger to fight the new attendance policy changes.

Under the changes to the Hi Viz policy, disseminated haphazardly over the month of January, the maximum points that can be accrued were reduced from 37 (with bonuses) to 30, and to accrue additional points, train crew must work or be on-call for 25 straight days to earn a mere five points. Since April, locomotive engineers and conductors had to work 18 straight days to earn four points, and prior to that, only 14 continuous days.

The deductions for laying offexchanging points for paid time offhave skyrocketed. A year ago, laying off on a regular weekday deducted two points. With the latest changes, the minimum penalty for laying off is 10 points. These increase to 25 points if a worker is absent on short notice on a high impact dayfor instance, if they have a family emergency. That is, it takes 125 consecutive days to accrue 25 points, which can be wiped out for a single personal day.

Laying off for any reason resets the accrual period, which further disincentivizes using paid time off. BNSF has made it so difficult to take days off that, they claim, workers had an excess of unused days at the end of 2024. They used this justification to reduce layoff allocations by at least 25 percentthat is, the total number of workers that can lay off at a time.

One BNSF worker posted on social media: This is pretty sickening. The fact that our attendance policy isnt contractual is mind blowing.  Our union is a joke.

This used to be a coveted job, as one railroader put it, but many now find it unbearable. Nothing but a slave labor policy, one put it bluntly. [BNSFs] plan is either quit or get fired, another wrote, pointing out that the carriers have implemented worsening policies, even as over 30 percent of rail workers left the industry over the last decade.

Many workers hold the view that the railroad is aiming to shrink its workforce by forcing workers to quit, not only to bolster profits but to pave the way for one-man train crews, long a goal of all the major railroads. As the World Socialist Web Site has extensively reported, the SMART-TD conductors union agreed with BNSF to introduce one-man crews last year, but workers rejected this TA by wide margins.

One worker outlined the lobbying effort underway: [The carriers] do everything in their power to make it a worse and worse place to work, so more people will quit, they can fire more people for availability, and then they can go cry to our corrupt government that they dont have enough people to run trains and if they dont pass legislation to implement one-man crews the whole infrastructure will implode.

One railroader from the Midwest wrote in to the WSWS:

The companys attendance policy  has created mass tension within the workplace. This policy will only hit employees that work hard and do not have FMLA to buffer days off. if you were to call in sick, it would take 50 days to recuperate the points used for that day. 30 percent of the workforce left in 2022 during Hi-Viz, and the company has been trying to fill positions since. Are they willing to lose another 30 percent? What happened to providing incentives for employees to work harder? Is mass punishment the answer?

Another pointed out the discrepancy between the promises sold to workers about Hi-Viz versus the reality: How is this not worthy of a strike? They wanted Hi-viz for quality of life improvements  now theres no life left. Many workers echoed the desire to organize a wildcat strike, since legal work stoppages are extremely constrained by the anti-democratic Railway Labor Act.

Another wrote in with an extended description of the decline of working conditions:

[I am] contemplating resignation over draconian attendance policy. I loyally complied with attendance policies from the beginning of my career and continue to [be] floored by the consistent and methodical erosion of our ability to have any semblance of a life outside of the workplace. Many of us participate in community, family, and professional practices outside of the rail workplace. This unrelenting assault on our ability to maintain any activity or be accountable for any responsibility outside of the railroads is a demanding and unreasonable expectation. The rail continues to chip away at our freedom and personal ambitions. The railroad bean counters cant possibly understand how their corporate models are going to cost them dearly when the bottom line is reached. Our equipment standards of maintenance are significantly declining. It use to be the exception to find defects on our locomotives, now it is the standard and we are forced to operate unsafe locomotives with defective equipment. We are told by maintenance employees they are short handed and pass on minor repairs as they are directed to keep the equipment in service. Minor defects develop into major defects and substandard becomes the standard.  Our trains are three miles long and have to creep along at slower speeds to keep them together. More trains fail to make it from one terminal to another without the need for a relief crew than ever before. Our third party taxi crew transport companies hire substandard employees who often put our crews in jeopardy. If an anonymous survey were sent out to rail employees regarding these regular incidents, a shocking revelation would result. Most incidents go unreported for fear of retaliation or because no actions were taken in prior reporting. Our union has proven to [be] ineffective, stammered by congress and company officials and policies handed down from on high. Our attendance policies prevent us from attending union meetings and we can not vote here unless we are present. There is no consideration for the vast majority of us who are ill-informed of current business and disenfranchised by our unions lack of willingness to communicate with us or allow us to vote remotely. They operate as if modern tech or even news letters arent an option. Current union officers who have a pass to attend their own meetings continue to nominate one another for roles and foster unhealthy long-term buddy relationships with company officials. New employees cant understand the erosion of morale or appreciate how well this system operated in years past. I believe the company welcomes our exit to usher in new employees who accept current standards as status quo. It is hard to witness. Safety and mental health are suffering for this companys greedy policies. We are just numbers around here. Its all about the numbers and the budget cuts.

One rail worker responded to the illusions he hears about the two big-business parties: Trump is in office and is on the unions side this timeyoure delusional. Democrats are pro union and will side with usyoure delusional.

Railroaders serious about ending the dictatorship of the carriers should join the Rail Workers Rank-and-File Committee by filling out the form below. The RWRFC played the leading role in the struggle against the contracts two years ago and is the only organization speaking the truth to workers because it is democratically run exclusively by workers themselves.
Palestinians walk past a mosque destroyed by Israeli airstrikes in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Friday, January 24, 2025, days after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas came into effect. [AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana]

Life expectancy in Gaza plunged by nearly 50 percent in the first year of the Israeli genocide in the besieged enclave, a study published in The Lancet has found.

The study, led by Michel Guillot, professor of sociology in the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, found that life expectancy in Gaza fell by a staggering 34.9 years, erasing over a century of progress in life expectancy in just one year.

For men, life expectancy dropped to 35.6 years from a pre-war life expectancy of 73.6 yearsa decline of over 50 percent. For women, life expectancy declined from 77.5 years to 47.5 years.

By comparison, Nigeria, the country previously with the lowest life expectancy, has a life expectancy at birth of 54.46 years. The studys findings indicate that the population of Gaza now has a life expectancy lower than any other country in the world.

These findings make clear that Israels war in Gaza is not a war, but a genocide, aimed not at any military objective but at killing as many Palestinians as possible and destroying as much of Gaza as possible in order to ethnically cleanse the territory, settle it, and annex it into greater Israel.

This has been the aim of the Israeli state since the Nakba of 1948-1949, and has been its modus operandi for decades, including the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967. With the support of the Biden administration, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu initiated a full-scale genocide in October 2023, using the October 7 attacks as a pretext.

The figures in the latest The Lancet study are likely to be a major underestimation, as they do not account for deaths uncounted in official government statistics or deaths due to Israels deliberate policy of starvation, dehydration, and the destruction of Gazas medical infrastructure. The study based itself on data from Gazas Ministry of Health, which estimates that Israeli forces have directly killed 45,936 Palestinians.

The authors noted that our approach to estimating life expectancy losses in this study is conservative as it ignores the indirect effect of the war on mortality Actual losses are likely to be higher.

Earlier this month, another study published in The Lancet estimated that Palestinian deaths in Gaza from Israeli bullets and bombs probably exceeded 70,000. An earlier study from The Lancet suggested that the all-cause mortality from the genocide, including from malnutrition and disease, could be 186,000 or more.

In November, the United Nations Human Rights Office published a report showing that nearly 70 percent of verified deaths in Gaza were of women and children, further underlining the reality that Israel is waging a genocide in Gaza.

Amid a ceasefire in Gaza which began on January 19, Israeli forces are continuing daily raids and bombings throughout the West Bank.

In a statement, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric called on Israel to cease its military offensive on the West Bank, centered on the city of Jenin. The UN remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in the northern area of the West Bank as Israeli operations in Jenin continue for the 11th day....Nearly all of Jenin refugee camps 20,000 residents have been displaced over the past two months in the context of security operations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Washington next week for two meetings with US President Trump on Tuesday. I can confirm that Prime Minister Netanyahu will be here on Tuesday, February 4th, for a working meeting and visit with the president, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Despite the nominal ceasefire in Gaza, the Israeli government, in coordination with the Trump administration, is making a renewed push for the expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza.

Last weekend, US President Donald Trump called for Israel to clean Gaza of its Arab inhabitants, openly calling for ethnic cleansing. Youre talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing, Trump said.

Trumps statement is an open and public embrace by the American state of the actual policy of the Netanyahu government, which is the systematic extermination and removal of the Palestinian population from Gaza. Trump reiterated his call for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza on Monday, declaring he would like to get [Palestinians from Gaza] living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much.

On Wednesday, Trumps Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff met with Netanyahu to discuss, in the words of the Times of Israel, Trumps Gaza idea of sending Gazas population to Jordan and Egypt.

The Times of Israel reported the meeting lasted for two-and-a-half hours, and quoted senior Israeli officials as saying the officials discussed possible outlines for the transfer of Gazas population, in line with the US presidents repeated suggestion that millions of Gazans should relocate to Egypt and Jordan in order to enable the Strips reconstruction.

Trumps plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza would be a major violation of international law. In a news conference on Monday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric condemned Trumps calls, saying, We would be against any plan that would lead to the forced displacement of people, or would lead to any type of ethnic cleansing.

Michael Becker, a professor of international human rights law at Trinity College in Dublin, told Al Jazeera, The proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring states smacks of forced displacement, which would violate international humanitarian law.

He continued, International courts have also found that whether a population transfer constitutes forced displacement depends on whether people have a genuine choice in the matter This means that even if some Palestinians might appear to consent to relocation, this would not necessarily make their displacement lawful.
Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses Labor Party government has thrown its full weight behind the mounting Zionist-led media demonisation of Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a pro-Palestinian academic at Sydneys Macquarie University. She has been falsely accused of antisemitism, along with many others, for opposing the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

Australian federal Minister for Education Jason Clare [Photo: X/@JasonClareMP]

Yesterday, in a reactionary and overt political intervention, Education Minister Jason Clare wrote to the Australian Research Council (ARC) asking it to investigate as a matter of urgency Abdel-Fattahs current ARC $870,000 research grant, based on phony allegations that she breached the grant rules.

Clares act marks a further ramping up of the role of the Labor government, like its counterparts in Washington and other imperialist capitals internationally, in backing the ongoing Israeli mass murder in the Middle East and seeking to witch hunt, outlaw and persecute participants in the mass global opposition to it.

This is being accompanied by an incendiary media-government blitz to declare that Jews are threatened by a wave of antisemitism in Australia. This is all based on extremely murky incidents of graffiti and arson, without a skerrick of evidence linking the incidents to any of the large demonstrations in Australia against the Israeli genocide.

Todays screaming headline in the Australian, a Murdoch media flagship that has spearheaded the Zionist campaign, was Anti-semites are winning. It demanded stepped up police-state measures by the federal and state Labor governments against anyone allegedly involved in the still-unexplained incidents.

Alongside that, the newspapers editorial insisted that Abdel-Fattahs Grant funding must be stripped.

The editorial proclaimed that Clare or the ARC must apply the ARCs national interest test to Abdel-Fattahs research grant for a study of Arab-Muslim Australian social justice activism. That sends a wider chilling message also against any university research which is deemed not to be in the interests of Australian capitalism and the bipartisan Labor and Liberal-National Coalition alignment behind US militarism.

These developments, echoing those taking place rapidly under the Trump administration in the United States, underscore the necessity for a powerful campaign to defend Abdel-Fattah and every other educator and commentator being threatened by what is an escalating offensive to silence all voice against the ongoing US-backed Israeli atrocities and political dissent as a whole.

The Albanese government, urged on by the openly right-wing Coalition, has been defaming and denouncing genocide opponents since the Israeli onslaught on Gaza began in October 2023, as have its partners in Washington and Europe.

Labor is now intensifying moves similar to those in the US, where the fascistic Trump administration is going beyond the Biden-Harris White House to demand nothing less than the suppression of all political opposition on university campuses and the deportation of students who have taken part in anti-genocide demonstrations.

The Macquarie University Rank-and-File Committee (RFC) issued a statement on January 21 calling on academics, university workers and students at Macquarie University and more broadly to come to the defence of Abdel-Fattah. The events since then have demonstrated the need for this call to be taken up urgently.

Randa Abdel-Fattah [Photo: Macquarie University]

In Australia, this was Clares second recent blatant intervention. Earlier, he personally phoned Queensland University of Technology (QUT) vice-chancellor Margaret Sheil last week to demand that the university management instigate disciplinary action over a three-day National Symposium on Unifying Anti-Racist Research and Action held by QUTs Carumba Institute during the third week of January.

Abdel-Fattah spoke at that event. She did so alongside other academics and activists, some of them indigenous, and Sarah Schwartz, a human rights lawyer and executive officer of the anti-Zionist Jewish Council of Australia. Schwartz, who is Jewish, has also been denounced as an anti-Jewish bigot. As the WSWS explained, this is a particularly revealing exposure of the bogus character of the worldwide drive to conflate opposition to Israels war crimes with antisemitism.

As the Macquarie University RFC statement calling for Abdel-Fattahs defence also explained: To call for the abolition of the Zionist state, based on ethnic discrimination and the violent dispossession of Palestinians, and an end to the Israeli regimes US-armed atrocities is not anti-Jewish. In fact, the apartheid-style Israeli state is inimical to the interests of working-class Jews themselves. It is based on pitting them against their Arab brothers and sisters, functioning as a garrison entity for the plundering interests of US and European imperialism.

In response to Clares demands, QUTs vice chancellor Sheil has already issued a grovelling apology for hurt and offence supposedly caused by the event, and menacingly promised to review the circumstances of this presentation and take any action necessary.

Now the ARC, which is chaired by Peter Shergold, who headed the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Liberal-National Prime Minister John Howard, has followed suit.

An ARC spokesman yesterday told the Australian that the ARC had significant concerns about Abdel-Fattahs speech at the QUT conference and other previously reported activities.

The spokesman declared that the ARC had the power to terminate its research grants and was engaging directly, and as a matter of priority, with Macquarie University to ensure, as the administering organisation, it is properly managing the grant and is actively complying with the terms of the agreement.

This is nominally based on Abdel-Fattahs remarks at the QUT conference, in which she explained that she had substituted the ARC grants requirement to hold an academic conference on her research with an online Jars for Preservation workshop, to which she invited women from different backgrounds to send statements.

In reality, the governments seizure on her innovative approach is a pretext for intensifying months of slander and harassment against Abdel-Fattah, a sociology educator who holds a four-year ARC Future Fellowship grant and is an award-winning author of 12 books for children and young adults.

At the end of December, following a tweet by Abdel-Fattah, articles in the Australian again falsely accused her of endangering the health and safety of Jewish students and insisting that she be immediately sacked by Macquarie University, as well as being stripped of her research funding.

Abdel-Fattahs tweet had called for the end of Israel and the US-Israeli imperial scourge on humanity and for finally a world where the slaughter, annihilation and torture of Palestinians is no longer daily routine. The tweet was linked to a news story about the appalling deaths of children in Gaza due to the cold and the continuing US-backed Israeli barbarism.

Abdel-Fattah is far from alone in being targeted. In Australia, other critics of Israel being persecuted by governments, the corporate media and Zionist organisations include journalist Mary Kostakidis, University of Sydney academics, John Keane and Nick Riemer, as well as sociology professor Sujatha Fernandes and the same universitys sacked academic Tim Anderson.

These attacks are not aimed at opposing genuine antisemitism. As the Jewish Councils Sarah Schwartz wrote last week: Trump appeared happy to host neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers at Mar-a-Lago for dinner. His right-hand man, Elon Musk, gave two fascist-style salutes at Trumps inauguration and has recently endorsed the extreme far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party.

The aim of the Zionist-instigated witch hunt is to silence opposition to the US-Israeli mass killingssome of the worst war crimes since the Holocaustwhich the Albanese government fully backs under the fraudulent banner of supporting the occupying states right to defend itself.

The main campus trade union, the National Tertiary Education Union, has not issued a single statement in defence of anti-genocide academics. That demonstrates the need for educators and students to form rank-and-file committees, independent of the union apparatuses, to discuss and organise.

As the Macquarie University RFC statement concluded: The defence of basic democratic rights, including academic freedom, is essential. As universities become increasingly enmeshed into serving the research needs of both Australian and US militarism via the Labor governments Universities Accord, the rights of academics to speak out against imperialist war is more important than ever.

The defence of free speech is inseparably linked to the fight against the capitalist profit system itself, which is the root cause of military aggression, war and barbarism.

To discuss how to take forward this fight and defend Abdel-Fattah and all other witch-hunted educators, please contact the Committee for Public Education (CFPE), the rank-and-file educators network.

Contact the CFPE:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: CFPE_Australia

Facebook: facebook.com/groups/opposeaeusellout
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Search efforts are seen around a wreckage site of a deadly midair collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter, in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Friday, January 31, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon]

As of Friday evening, 41 of the 67 victims of the midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington D.C. had been recovered from the Potomac River. While the full details are still emerging, the disaster, the political infighting and cover-up which have followed it already expose and intersect with a colossal political crisis and instability in the United States.

There is, first of all, the response of President Trump. Under normal conditions, the president of the United States responds to a disaster of such magnitude with platitudes expressing sympathy for the victims and their families, along with pledges that a thorough investigation will be conducted.

Trump, in contrast, launched into an unhinged and racist rant at a press conference on Thursday denouncing air traffic controllers for the crash. Common sense, Trump declared, made it clear that diversity, equity and inclusion policies were responsible for hiring workersthat is, racial and ethnic minoritieswho are not competent and suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions. Trump followed up this fascistic tirade by incorporating its content into an executive order.

An immediate purpose was certainly to deflect attention from the clear evidence, apparent within a day of the crash, that chronic underfunding and understaffing of air traffic controlessential to airline safetywere key contributing factors.

Media reports cite an initial Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report revealing that, at the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was managing both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters at Reagan National Airport (DCA)normally a two-person job.

Moreover, Reagan National has long faced warnings about unsafe conditions as air traffic has surged over the past decade. Hundreds of helicopters fly daily between government institutions, intelligence headquarters and military bases around the capital. This has led to a surge in near-misses. Indeed, just one day before Wednesdays fatal crash, a jet at DCA had to abort its landing to avoid a helicopter in its path.

Across the country, more than 90 percent of the 313 air traffic control facilities operate below the Federal Aviation Administrations recommended staffing levels, according to an analysis published in the New York Times Friday, with 73 facilities operating with at least a quarter of their workforce missing. Air traffic controllers are routinely forced to work six-day weeks and 10-hour shifts.

A separate analysis by the Times from 2023 found that the FAA recorded 503 significant air traffic control lapses in the previous yearan increase of more than 65 percent from the year before.

The conditions in air safety are one expression of the decay of the social infrastructure, the product of the complete subordination of social and economic life to an oligarchy that dictates policies. It is now nearly 45 years since the PATCO air traffic controllers strike in 1981. Then-President Reagan crushed the strike by firing more than 11,000 controllers, with the complicity of the AFL-CIO trade union apparatus and in the face of mass opposition in the working class.

Seventeen years later, National Airport was renamed after Reagan, in a tribute to his successful union-busting, in bipartisan legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by Democrat Bill Clinton.

The defeat of PATCO opened the floodgates for a wholesale assault on the entire working class. Successive administrations, regardless of party, pushed wave after wave of cost-cutting, privatization and deregulation. Today, there are fewer fully certified air traffic controllers than in 1981, and those who remain are forced to work dangerously long shifts under increasingly hazardous conditions.

Trumps policies of social arson will immensely intensify this crisis. On Thursday, the day after the crash, air traffic controllers and other federal workers received a letter from the Office of Management and Budget, but originating from billionaire oligarch Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, urging them to resign from their jobs.

According to the New York Times, the letter stated that the government was encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector. This presumably refers to shifting people out of useless occupations like air traffic control, fighting pandemic diseases, or providing telephone consultation for Social Security and Medicare recipients, into higher productivity jobs like Wall Street, insurance and other swindles.

Finally, while media coverage has focused on air traffic control failures, one major question remains largely unexamined: What exactly was the Black Hawk military transport helicopter doing in Washingtons airspace at the time of the collision?

According to newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the helicopter was engaged in a practice exercise related to Continuity of Government (COG). This term refers to the most sensitive operations of the American state, aimed at maintaining the control of the vast US military-intelligence apparatus by the president in the event of a national emergency, such as war or civil unrest. As the WSWS reported yesterday, the flight path indicates that it was returning from a location north of the capital along the Potomac River, possibly CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

According to initial reports, the Black Hawk was also flying above the designated altitude for its route when it crossed into the path of the incoming American Airlines jet. Why did it deviate from its designated route and altitude? How did a military aircraft operating in the most heavily monitored airspace in the world end up intruding into a well-known landing path for commercial airliners?

The crash takes place in the context of a sweeping effort by the Trump administration to massively expand the role of the military in domestic affairs. In the first days of his administration, Trump issued a series of executive orders that assigned to US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) the mission of sealing the borders and countering the so-called invasion of immigrants.

These orders frame mass migration as a military emergency, justifying the direct intervention of the armed forces in what have always in the past been civilian matters. At the same time, the administration has signaled plans to invoke the Insurrection Act, a move that would allow the use of the military throughout the United States to suppress domestic political opposition.

Under Trump, the transformation of the US into a militarized police state is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. The events surrounding this crash indicate that, at the very least, these preparations are being conducted with reckless disregard for public safety. The Washington D.C. disaster, coming less than 10 days into the new administration, is an indication of the massive social and political convulsions to come.
(KTLA)  Los Angeles County health officials have issued an ocean water closure in Malibu after about 1,000 to 10,000 gallons of untreated sewage was released into the ocean.

The water closure impacts Encinal Canyon to 31250 Broad Beach Road in Malibu. Residents are advised to avoid contact with the ocean and wet sand.

Officials say the sewage discharge happened on Thursday. Cal OES was notified of the spill at 10:42 a.m., and it was stopped around 11:20 a.m.

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The Department of Public Health will conduct water sampling, and the closures will remain in effect until Public Health receives two sampling results indicating that bacterial levels meet health standards, a news release said.

A water closure has also remained in place from Las Flores State Beach to Santa Monica State Beach due to fire debris runoff and pollutants in the water that may contain toxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

An ocean water advisory also remains in effect for Surfrider Beach to Las Flores State Beach and Santa Monica State Beach to Dockweiler State Beach at World Way due to fire debris runoff.

According to officials, the closures and advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

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Residents can get more information on beach conditions by calling the countys beach hotline at 800-525-5662 or by visiting the countys Environmental Health website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  The Forsyth County Sheriffs Office has arrested and charged three people after an investigation into the sexual abuse of minors, according to a press release.

On May 17, 2024, deputies responded to a report of sexual assault involving a minor in Forsyth County.

Everette Kenneth Tedder, 72, of Clemmons, is accused of sexually assaulting three children from 2010 to 2018.

Everette Kenneth Tedder (Forsyth County Sheriffs Office)

FCSO investigators also determined Jacqueline Tedder Sandlin, 41, of Clemmons, and Jonathan Glenie Hamilton, 45, of Clemmons, were aware of the abuse and failed to report it.

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Tedder was charged with one count of felony statutory sex offense with a child by an adult, one count of felony sexual offense with a child and four counts of felony indecent liberties with a child. He is currently being held in the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center under a $10 million secured bond.

Hamilton was charged with two counts of felony child abuse. He is currently being held in the FCLEDC under a $100,000 secured bond.

Jonathan Glenie Hamilton (Forsyth County Sheriffs Office)

Sandlin was charged with one count of felony child abuse. She is currently being held in the FCLEDC under a $100,000 secured bond.

Jacqueline Tedder Sandlin (Forsyth County Sheriffs Office)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
Alleen Brown, Clayton Aldern and Maria Parazo Rose

Grist

Steven Amos feels hopeful for once. Hes finishing a drug and alcohol treatment program, living in a halfway house, and working a new job, doing carpentry. I love anything outdoors, he said. Im happy Im not locked up.

A member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, Amos, age 53, grew up with the snow-capped Rocky Mountains set like a painting behind his childhood home in Ethete, Wyoming, on the Wind River reservation. He loved hunting and fishing along the Little Wind River, but his family  as well as many Wind River neighbors  had no running water, sometimes no electricity, or enough to eat.

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The reservations stunning landscape conceals more than a century of theft and neglect by the United States, whose officials stole Arapaho land, then doled it out to ranchers, real estate moguls, miners, and public institutions, while forcing the tribal nation to scrape together a future any way it could.

One of Amoss most searing childhood memories is watching police beat up his father. They call it generational trauma, he said, It keeps going and going and going, and people dont want to confront that. They want to sweep it under the rug. He received his first prison sentence when he was 19 years old, and drifted in and out of jails and prisons for decades after that.

Some of the carceral facilities where Amos was sent are paid for, in part, with Arapaho land and resources, through activities like oil and gas extraction and cattle grazing.

To build America, the U.S. government enacted laws to redistribute Indigenous lands they had taken. Some land was given to individuals and corporations to build homes or private empires, through laws like the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railway Act, while the Morrill Act offered up freshly seized land as capital for states to establish what became known as land grant universities.

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Separately, the legislation that transformed frontier territories into states  known as Enabling Acts  contained handouts of land that state governments could use to pay for public institutions. Those offerings are generally called state trust lands and continue to be used to fund public institutions, mostly K-12 schools, but also universities, hospitals, and penitentiaries.

Last year, in Wyoming alone, nearly 409,000 acres of former and current Arapaho, Shoshone, Goshute, Bannock, Crow, Cheyenne, and Sioux land now held by the state as state trust lands, produced at least $8 million in revenue for the Department of Corrections. At least 200 acres of land inside the boundaries of the Wind River Reservation are also earmarked to provide revenue for corrections.

Grist has identified nearly 2 million acres of state trust lands  an area larger than the state of Delaware and broken into more than 20,000 surface and subsurface parcels scattered across the western U.S.  that are reserved for state prison systems in 10 states. In 2024, those state trust lands disbursed an estimated $33 million in funding to carceral facilities and programs. In reality, the figure is likely higher, as officials in Wyoming and Utah did not respond to requests for updated financial data for this story. North Dakota, Utah, Montana, and Idaho all use trust lands to fund detention facilities and systems for children. The land was taken from 57 Indigenous nations, through 71 land cessions, some of which are still contested to this day.

To acquire those lands, the U.S. paid less than $1.5 million to tribes through legal treaty agreements. However, more than a third of the lands were taken through military action with no reimbursement to Indigenous nations for their stolen territories.

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Theres a direct link between incarceration and the history of land theft our communities have endured, said Sunny Red Bear, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and associate director of organizing for NDN Collective. Our ancestral lands were taken, disrupting our traditional ways of life and governance. Displacement led to economic hardship and social challenges that have made our communities more vulnerable to the criminal justice system.

Across the U.S., Indigenous people are incarcerated at a rate four times higher than white people, according to the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-profit research organization dedicated to addressing over-criminalization. In South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana, about a quarter or more of the state prison population is Indigenous, even though Native people make up less than a tenth of each states population. Nationally, Native youth are incarcerated at a higher rate than Hispanic, Asian, and white people combined.

The priorities are not to build treatment centers; theyre not to help with the healing our communities are needing, said Red Bear, who has helped lead efforts to pressure officials in Rapid City, South Dakota to address discriminatory policing. The redirecting of these funds could be used for so many different things including affordable housing, or substance abuse programs, or mental health programs, or youth programs, or restorative justice programs or reentry programs.

South Dakota Corrections spokesperson Michael Winder said that the department already remits the trust-land disbursements to the state general fund.

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A spokesperson for the Wyoming Department of Corrections indicated the agency is not responsible for the over-representation of Native people among its prisoners. Regardless of ones ethnicity, the Wyoming Department of Corrections does not arrest, commit or release any citizens, wrote Stephanie Dack in an email.

Although funds coming from state trust lands make up a fraction of corrections department budgets that range in the hundreds of millions, for resource-strapped tribal governments, they represent significant sums. Most tribal governments have their own justice systems  yet the money generated from trust lands only benefits state-run institutions, which are outside of tribal control.

Where a crime is committed defines where an Indigenous person will be sent to serve a jail or prison sentence. In some states, like Wyoming and South Dakota, courts send tribal citizens to state prisons when their crimes are committed off-reservation. If committed on reservation, that person can end up in a tribal or federal detention center. In other words, the justice systems that send tribal citizens to state prisons operate with little influence from tribal nations.

Theres so many people on this reservation afflicted by addiction and trauma thats caused by the government coming in and taking our land, said Terri Smith, who is in charge of the new Northern Arapaho Reentry Agency, which works with Northern Arapaho peoples who are reestablishing their lives after incarceration. The agency began accepting clients, including Steven Amos, in August. If money is being generated off those lands, it should go back to those original tribes and help them become healthier people.

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Smith, who was formerly incarcerated herself, said Amoss experience isnt unique. Most people from Wind River who are released from prison end up going back. Sometimes its a matter of access to basic resources, like transportation or gas money to traverse Wind Rivers vast approximately 3,500-square mile expanse. Smith said, 80 percent of my job is giving people rides.

Leading up to the 20th century, the federal government used threats of military violence, starvation and kidnapping to coerce and steal land from Indigenous nations. Native people were initially thrown into U.S. prisons as punishment for fighting that theft.

Land grabs and imprisonment often went hand-in-hand, while treaties and Indian policy at times included language bringing tribal members under the jurisdiction of the U.S. or states criminal law. Andrew Jacksons Indian removal policies in the 1830s, for example, were fulfilled in part by the Georgia militia, who rounded up and imprisoned Cherokee people who refused to abandon their land.

The Arapaho peoples once lived across a wide territory that included what is currently Wyoming, South Dakota, and Colorado. In the 1860s, officials pressured some tribal members into signing away swaths of their land in order to accommodate an influx of gold miners and to make way for Colorado to be established as a territory and Kansas as a state. In the 1870s, 74 Arapaho, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Caddo people, including several who survived the Sand Creek Massacre, were imprisoned at Fort Marion in Florida, as punishment for their rebellion during the Red River War, which was fought to repel U.S. forces from the Southern Plains. The Northern Arapaho were eventually pushed onto the Wind River reservation in present-day Wyoming, occupied already by the Eastern Shoshone, with whom they had recently been at war.

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One way to think about these kinds of transitions in containment is as part of a continuum of war on Indigenous people to remove them from land, said Shiri Pasternak, an associate professor in criminology at Toronto Metropolitan University , who helped develop an Indigenous Abolitionist Study Guide for the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education center.

Laws designed to forcibly contain Indigenous peoples continued to evolve. For nearly a century, being an Indigenous person essentially became illegal. With the passage of the Indian Religious Crimes Code in 1883, Indigenous people faced incarceration if they practiced their religions. The first Indian Boarding School, Carlisle, was founded after Lieutenant Richard Pratt experimented with using militarized education to assimilate the prisoners of war at Fort Marion. The prison provided a modelfor the network of schools built to strip children of their language, culture, and family connections. Those boarding schools have become the subject of investigation and scrutiny in both the United States and Canada in recent years.

You get to the horizon and you see the result, the impact, the outcome of centuries of state violence reflected in the prison population, said Pasternak.

About 172,000 acres of Northern Arapaho land is now earmarked for carceral beneficiaries across Wyoming, South Dakota, and Colorado. In Colorado, some of the Northern Arapaho acreage that makes up the states Penitentiary Trust is physically occupied by two prisons: Limon and Sterling. In Wyoming, it accounts for a portion of the trust land funds that go to state prisons  the rest was taken from the Crow, Goshute, Shoshone, Bannock, Cheyenne, and Sioux nations.

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States generate revenue on these trust lands by leasing acreage out to extractive industries like oil and gas projects, mining, grazing, timber harvesting, renewable energy development. Over half of the trust land that funds prisons, a total of over 1.1 million acres, are used for subsurface activities, including fossil fuel extraction, accelerating climate change and its impacts.

At the same time, the unequal representation of Native people in prisons means that tribal citizens will be disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis. People in prisons tend to be particularly vulnerable to extreme weather. During storms and wildfires, prisoners are often left behind as communities evacuate. Flooding can create fetid conditions, while wildfire smoke exacerbates asthma. Power outages at times leave people trapped in cells with overflowing toilets, poor ventilation, and a lack of food and water.

Idaho has one of the highest numbers of state-run carceral facilities facing extreme wildfire risk, according to a 2022 analysisby the Intercept. Its prisoners are even sent to fight the fires for at most $1.50 per hour. In 2024, trust lands provided over $5 million to Idahos prisons.

Heat is the most pervasive climate risk factor for prisoners, who disproportionately experience health conditions or take medications that make them sensitive to high temperatures. None of the states that receive trust land funds have fully air conditioned prisons, according to a 2022 analysis by USA Today, though some use a combination of air conditioning and swamp coolers, which dont work well in humid weather. That means that when temperatures spike, people die. A two-day heat wave in the west means a mortality increase of 8.6 percent in prisons, according to a recent academic paper.

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Of the state corrections departments that use trust land to pay for prisons, only Arizona, which took in $2.3 million in trust revenue last year, has facilities located in places that experience 50 or more days annually of heat indexes over 90 degrees. By 2100, with slow action on climate, state detention facilities in South Dakota, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico will see similar levels of heat.

To address worsening heat, deteriorating buildings, and other issues like overcrowding, some state governments are making major investments in detention facility infrastructure. Instead of looking deeper into root causes of why our mothers and aunties and grandmothers are being incarcerated, what theyre doing is building more prisons and expanding our jails, said Red Bear from NDN Collective.

Pasternak, the criminology professor, pointed out that prisons do more than put people away. Prisons are a highly productive form of revenue for states because they bring in funding and jobs. Criminalization empowers a whole network of actors within society, she said. However, there are alternatives. She added, If the state, instead of collecting that rent to pay for prisons, was doing something different, in a way where those revenues could be shared back to Indigenous people, wed have a different economy.

During Steven Amoss time in South Dakotas state penitentiary, known as The Hill, violence reigned, and the summers were so hot hed sleep on the floor.

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Amos time at The Hill began with an arrest in Rapid City, South Dakota, where the Oglala Sioux Tribe recently demanded a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into discriminatory policing. State prison sentences often begin in reservation border towns and nearby communities with reputations for discriminatory policing. Amos was also arrested in Riverton, Wyoming, which sits in the middle of the Wind River Reservation but is not tribal land due to court rulings that have removed the town from tribal control.

Terri Smith, with the Northern Arapaho Reentry Agency, said most of her clients on Wind River who spent time in state prison, including Amos, were arrested in border towns like Riverton.

I see the effects that these forced policies on Natives have caused  putting us on these reservations, genocide, assimilation policies, she said. Returning Arapaho resources to the nation, she continued, would be a better use of the funds currently paying to incarcerate its members.

For now, Amos is doing his best to focus on stability. Smiths reentry program helped him get tools needed for his job. He plans to build a home for his daughter one day.

Sometimes you get stuck in a hopeless situation, and its hard to get out if you dont have support and something to look forward to, he said. For now, though, he feels strong.

I look forward to every day.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  York Trivette has seen a lot of life in his 100 years, including serving in two wars.

Its great to be alive, Trivette said.

The centenarian is almost as spunky as the 17-year-old Science Hill High School student who remembers the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor.

On Monday, the principal of Science Hill High School, where I was a junior at that time, called everyone together, he said. They televised President Roosevelts address and alerted everyone of the day of infamy as he proposed it to be, would live in our memory, which it has done.

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In December of 1943, Trivettes journey to serve his country in that very war began.

There was just something about being a Marine even to this day that kind of sets us apart, he said.

Trivette served stateside in World War II, doing administrative work and helping to assign other marines for duty.

We were concerned with various departments of personnel, assigning the personnel, learning what each of the various jobs that Marines perform.

Trivette went to the reserves in 1946. Then the Korean conflict arose.

It apparently just kind of [crept] up on us, he said. We thought we were doing the right thing and all, but a little hasty and they didnt have to do over and probably would avoid avoided totally.

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By then, Trivette had earned the ranking of Technical Sergeant.

It was a refreshment of my earlier years, but more sophisticated because there had been a big change in warfare, he said. We were charged with that in headquarters of making sure we got the right people in the right place and adequately funded and with the necessary tools to carry out their assignments.

Trivette finished his service to his country in July of 1953 but the Marine motto Semper Fidelis has been a cornerstone of his century of life.

It gave me a feeling of how important being faithful to not only to the military but to everyone, he said.

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Trivette went to East Tennessee State University for a short while and had a career with the Tennessee Department of Employment Security- helping to interview people, evaluate their skills and put them in available positions.

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Youre in an accident or your car breaks down and you need a tow. How does $13,000 sound for a short tow?

Chief Investigator Rick Earle found out about a brand new statewide effort to crack down on predatory towing and tips to keep you from getting taken for a ride.

Earle found out its a problem many of you may not even be aware of it.

Often times insurance companies handle the claims and you never see the bill.

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But Earle discovered charges ranging from $1,400 to as high as $13,000 for tows only several miles.

Some of the bills include fees for accident clean-up and storage.

All I could see was a headlight, said Regina Byers, of Penn Hills.

It happened one night last fall on Old William Penn Highway in Monroeville.

He was coming right at me. I went to move over because I didnt want him to hit me head-on, and as soon as I started, I heard this terrible crunching, scraping noise, said Byers.

Byers told Earle she swerved to get out of the way and crashed her car into a boulder on the side of the road.

Byers said the driver stopped but then took off.

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She did not get a license plate number.

Police responded and told her they would call a tow truck.

She has AAA but she said police told her that would take too long.

She said a tow truck arrived and within minutes had her car hooked up.

I was taking pictures of the car and it was on the tow truck already and then they towed it only a couple miles from where the accident actually happened, said Byers.

She said she went to get her car the next day but the tow company wasnt open.

She returned the next day and they told her it would be $1,400 to get her car out.

I was in shock. I told them I didnt have that type of money. I said Im a new widow, Im on Social Security, and a pension. I cant afford this, said Byers

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The tow company agreed to knock $500 off, but Byers said she still couldnt afford it.

She called the Mayor and the Police Chief called her back.

The Chief convinced the tow company to lower it to $250.

Exactly what it should be and thats a reasonable tow, said Chris Sloan, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority.

Sloans organization has launched an aggressive campaign with billboards to warn drivers about predatory and rogue tow operators and outrageous fees.

Sloan showed 11 Investigates a variety of bills from tow operators ranging from $3,974 to $9,830 to $11,390.

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The majority of them are honest and they provide a valuable service, but the bad ones, the wreck chasers and the rogue tow companies, you know they are a stain on their industry, said Sloan.

11 investigates has been looking into another tow truck driver for the past several years.

Earle: Id like to talk to him about this Fiat. Do you have anything to say? The guy said he towed it for a half mile, less than a half mile, and they wanted $5,000.

And last year, tow operator Vince Fannick was charged with 151 counts including insurance fraud, and theft by deception.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Dozens of new felony charges filed against Pittsburgh tow truck driver accused of inflating costs

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Investigators with the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office and Allegheny County Police said he charged 36 customers a total of more than $300,000 for short tows.

Sloan talked about the allegations facing Fannick.

Vince would take it back to his yard and store it there, said Sloan.

And then if you try to get him, he would charge him crazy fees? asked Earle.

Yes, charging insurance companies crazy fees, said Sloan.

Its been horrible, said Hunter Sessi, whose car was towed by Fannick after an accident in the strip district several years ago.

Sessi said Fannick wouldnt return it to him unless he paid $5,000.

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He said Fannick told him to just let his insurance company handle it.

The $5,000 was for a .4 mile tow from 25th and Penn to about a quarter mile down the road, said Sessi.

When he couldnt get his car, Sessi reached out to 11 investigates and Earle went to Fannicks shop in July of 2021, before he had been charged by police.

Wed like to ask you some questions. Why they wanted to charge so much to tow the car four-tenths of a mile? asked Earle.

Fannick never responded to our questions.

Sessi eventually got his car.

He said he didnt know if his insurance company ever settled with Fannick.

I saw one for $13,000 and it was under four miles and it was a basic hook, said Sloan.

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Sloan said most of the time drivers arent aware of the inflated fees.

He said insurance companies handle most of the claims, but eventually, the costs will be passed on to consumers.

The insurance company, they want to adjust the claim, fix the vehicle take care of their policyholder, provide customer service. To do that, theyre oftentimes paying an outrageous invoice and eventually that comes back to the consumer in the form of higher insurance rates, said Sloan.

Sloan said drivers can take some steps to make sure they dont get taken for a ride.

He said dont sign a blank invoice.

Take pictures of the damaged vehicle and the tow truck.

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But ultimately Sloan believes state lawmakers should step in, and set limits on charges.

I think you need to set, set towing fees, at least caps on how much that can be charged, said Sloan.

Theres not that now? Its a free-for-all? asked Earle.

It is truly a free-for-all, said Sloan.

Earle reached out to the Pennsylvania Towing Association and President Gwen Null said they do not support a fee structure.

She told Earle that every tow is different. Null said drivers need to make sure the tow operator has a DOT number on the truck, along with the name of the towing company and a phone number.

Null said most tow operators are honest, hard-working people, but she acknowledged that there are some rogue, predatory tow operators out there.

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She said it only takes a few bad operators to give the industry a black eye.

The company that towed Regina Byers car defended the $1,400 fee and said that it was lower than the industry standard.

They said they pride themselves on their professionalism and they have the best equipment and operators around.

They said they agreed to cut Byers a break because her insurance didnt cover towing.

They sent us an email statement. We have posted part of the statement below.

I know to an outsider that some of the towing costs may seem high but keep in mind we only get paid for half of the cars we tow in from wrecks due to either no/canceled insurance, or they only had liability and no one is going to pick up a car that is totaled and is going to cost more to fix than its worth. One thing that we stress to all people that we deal with every day is that unless you can afford to take a loss of $15-20,000.00, then you need to carry full coverage insurance. Most people dont realize that even if the accident is not their fault, there is no guarantee that the other car involved even has insurancewe have the best equipment money can buy and the best-trained staff in the area while still keeping our prices cheaper than most. We pride ourselves in being extremely professional and providing the best service possible to all of the police departments that we service including local and State Police. "

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UPDATE: FRIDAY 1/31/2025 10:13 p.m.

(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Avery Harris has been found safe, according to CSPD.

ORIGINAL STORY: 14-year-old missing from northeast Colorado Springs

FRIDAY 1/31/2025 7:59 p.m.

A 14-year-old girl is missing from northeast Colorado Springs, and the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is asking for the communitys help in locating her.

According to CSPD, 14-year-old Avery Harris was last seen shortly after 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 in the 2800 block of Purgatory Drive, near the intersection of North Union and Dublin Boulevards.

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Avery is 51 tall and weighs 105 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. If you have seen her or know where she is, contact CSPD at (719) 444-7000,.

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Imagine winning $15 million on an instant lottery ticket.

The Dublin Street Nominee Trust of Boston has claimed a $15 million prize in the Massachusetts State Lotterys Diamond Deluxe instant ticket game, state lottery officials said Friday.

The trust, represented by trustee Greg Racki, opted to receive its prize in the form of a one-time payment of $9,750,000, before taxes.

Racki said the winner plans to invest and help out their family with the winnings.

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The winning ticket was purchased at King Mart, 494 Westfield Rd. in Holyoke.

The store receives a $50,000 bonus for its sale of this ticket.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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OLATHE, Kan.  A popular business at the corner of College and Woodland Road, where people enjoy sipping wine, is moving out of Olathe.

The owner of Stone Pillar Vineyard and Winery tells FOX4 theyre headed west on K-10 to plant new vines in De Soto.

Stone Pillar will start the relocation process next month.

Thank you for all the support over the years, we wouldnt be where we are without this great community that surrounds us. We look forward to seeing you once we get back on our feet, Owner and wine maker George Hoff said.

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George said hes moving the business to De Soto after about 15 years in Olathe.

Theyve grown to nearly 3,000 vines. Hoff said the new location will be similar, hoping to open a temporary space by early summer and be fully operational by fall.

They havent revealed the exact location, however, George said he sat down with Panasonic and De Soto representatives. Theyre working to bring more events to the city, including the first ever summer concert series.

It feels amazing to be in such an odd place of transitioning but then be so welcoming be a community making so many new friends, all at once, he said.

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When Stone Pillar moves out, what will move in?

The other owner, Thomas Hoff, tells FOX4 he doesnt plan on selling the ground.

Thomas owns RV-n the Vines. He said theyll keep the vineyard, add some more agriculture, aiming for family farm atmosphere.

The unofficial launch date is May 1.

Thomas said last summer, they put in a 12 space RV lot with water and electricity after acquiring a special use permit.

He said its closed right now but theyre still open for booking.

The City of Olathe said it is aware of RV-n the Vines. Their current special use permit allows only seasonal camping, April-October, related specifically to an event. An updated special use permit, outlining this type of camping, is due to the City of Olathe by Feb. 19. This new permit would then need approval by staff, the Olathe Planning Commission, and the Olathe City Council.

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The City said an updated special use permit, outlining this type of camping, is due to the City in two and a half weeks. Then, the new permit will need to be approved.

Thomas said they have a meeting with the City next week.

Stone Pillars last day open in Olathe is February 16.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  2025 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.

We remember and honor those 168 who lost their lives on April 19, 1995, when a bomb went off in front of the Murrah building in downtown Oklahoma City.

168 Days to remember those lost in the OKC bombing: Carole Sue Khalil. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

We want to remember Carole Sue Khalil, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Jan. 31A 17-year-old Rogers High School student is accused of attacking a woman on her walk home, dragging her into an alley and pinning her to the ground in north Spokane, according to court documents.

The boy was charged with suspicion of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree assault.

The woman reported she was walking home on Perry Street the afternoon of Jan. 16 after getting off a Spokane Transit Authority bus outside Rogers High School when someone grabbed her from behind, dragged her into an alley and tried to rape her, court records show.

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She told police the attacker wrapped one arm around her face, covering her eyes and mouth, and the other around her neck. He then dragged her into the alley while choking her for about 10 seconds before throwing her down, she told police. She said she fought back, flailing and scratching backward at her attacker, as he dragged her, documents say.

She told police he pinned her down and she screamed for help when the suspect made a "shushing noise," so she stopped yelling. The attacker let her up after holding her on the ground for about 15 seconds, she said in documents.

The attacker then apologized to her. He also pointed out a flower lying in the alley and asked if it was hers, then pointed out one of her acrylic nails that broke off during the assault before he walked away, she told police.

A detective wrote that he found a plastic flower that is commonly worn in a woman's hair as well as a music ear bud, which she reported she lost during the attack, in an alley near Rockwell Avenue and Perry Street.

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She told police she believed the suspect intended to rape her.

A police officer responded to the woman's home and noticed her acrylic fingernail was broken off and bleeding, and one of her cheeks was red, according to documents. The officer also noted dirt "caked" in the woman's hair and plant matter on her sweatpants.

Surveillance footage from a nearby home captured a male, whose appearance was consistent with the suspect's description, walking in and out of the alley at about the time the assault happened, according to documents. Security footage from another home also showed the suspect walking by the residence.

Two Spokane Public Schools campus safety officers, including one assigned to Rogers High School, reviewed photos from the security footage and identified the attacker. The Rogers officer said he was wearing the same clothing as depicted in the videos at school the day of the assault, documents say.

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The woman was also shown a still photo from one of the home security cameras and told police that was the person who attacked her.

Police arrested the boy at a northeast Spokane home where they noted he did not appear surprised and did not question the reasons for his arrest, according to documents. He was taken to the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.

Investigators recovered clothing and shoes from the boy's apartment that matched what he was wearing the day of the incident.

He made his first appearance in Spokane County Superior Court on Jan. 23 and is scheduled for an arraignment Tuesday.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  An 18-year-old was found fatally shot in Birmingham early Saturday morning.

According to officer Truman Fitzgerald with the Birmingham Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Eighth Terrace West around 12:20 a.m. on report of a ShotSpotter alert. At the scene, they found a crashed vehicle near the front yard of a residence.

Police saw Ronald Bennett Jr. on the ground by the vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service personnel pronounced Bennett dead at the scene.

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Birmingham man, 22, dead after shooting

Fitzgerald stated the preliminary investigation an unknown suspect or suspects shot Bennett in what appears to be a targeted shooting. BPD homicide detectives will check the neighborhood for surveillance cameras. There is no one in custody in connection to the shooting.

Bennett was a senior at Huffman High School. Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark A. Sullivan issued the following statement:

We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Ronald Bennett Jr., a senior at Huffman High School. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and the Huffman High family. Birmingham City Schools will provide support for students and staff at Huffman, with additional counselors at the school starting Monday morning.

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Those with information on the case are urged to call the BPD at 205-254-1764 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

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By Charlotte Greenfield

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -Eighteen paramilitary soldiers and 24 militants were killed in fighting in south-western Pakistan, the military's media wing said in a statement on Saturday.

The militants had tried to set up roadblocks overnight in the restive province of Balochistan and most of the deaths had taken place as security forces removed them, the military said.

Eleven of the militants were killed in what the military described as "clearance operations" on Saturday.

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It was not immediately clear which group the militants belonged to.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement condemned the attack.

The mineral-rich province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has been the scene of a decade-old insurgency by separatist ethnic Baloch groups and Islamist militants also operate there.

On Tuesday, in a separate incident, Islamist militants in an explosive-laden vehicle were thwarted in their attempt to overrun a Pakistani security post near the border with Afghanistan.

In August, at least 73 people were killed in Balochistan when separatist militants attacked police stations, railway lines and highways and security forces launched retaliatory operations.

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam; editing by Jason Neely)
RUSK, Texas (KETK)  Cherokee County officials have seized 19 illegal gambling machines from three businesses operating in Rusk.

East Texas mother sentenced to life for murder after toddler found with bruises, ankles tied

Were glad to have them shut down and look forward to shutting more down if they continue, Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said.

Members of the Special Investigative Unit from the sheriffs office and Jacksonville Police Department started a month-long undercover investigation of the three businesses after receiving numerous complaints about illegal gambling from the community.

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The 19 machines were seized from:

Big Easy Market and Game on 591 N. Main Street

Rusk Eagle Mart at 555 South Dickinson Drive

DKs/Skeeters Gas Station at 467 North Dickinson Drive

Dickson added that $66,000 was seized along with the 19 machines and that the stores will remain open for business without the illegal gambling machines.

Illegal gambling machines in Rusk. Photo courtesy of the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office. Photo courtesy of The Cherokeean. Photo courtesy of The Cherokeean. Photo courtesy of The Cherokeean. Photo courtesy of The Cherokeean. Skeeters gas station at 467 North Dickinson Drive. Photo courtesy of The Cherokeean. Skeeters gas station at 467 North Dickinson Drive. Skeeters gas station at 467 North Dickinson Drive. Skeeters gas station at 467 North Dickinson Drive.

Dickson said they are working on investigations into other illegal gambling operations across the county including in Jacksonville, Mount Selman and Alto.

Were putting them on notice today, after these search warrants, that if they dont shut down, theyll be the next ones who have a search warrant ran at their business, Dickson said.

Man sentenced in Smith County to 60 years after being caught with superhero pills

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No arrests have been made in connection to the seized machines but Dickson said they look forward to making several arrests.

Most of these establishments start with legal skill-based gaming machines that offer in-store credit, Dickson said, but eventually switch to illegal chance-based gambling machines that pay out real money.

Not many people are willing to play for a Coke and candy bar, Dickson said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Standing at the despatch box, Rishi Sunak vowed to make Britain a world leader in the industries and technologies of the future. It was the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic, a different era of politics, and Boris Johnsons chancellor was outlining a series of taxpayer-backed bets on technologies such as space and nuclear fusion.

Alongside those futuristic industries, Sunak vowed a major taxpayer-backed investment in electric vehicle charging, another priority of Johnsons government.

The Rapid Charging Fund, a 950m project to line Britains motorways with superfast chargers, would help drive Britain into the electric car era, subsidising the installation of stations and giving motorists the confidence to make the switch to EVs.

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Support for electric cars was in the ascendancy. A few months later, the Conservative government moved the petrol car ban forward from 2040 to 2030, as part of plans for a green economic recovery from Covid-19.

But almost five years after the Rapid Charging Fund was announced, not a penny of the 950m fund has been deployed and not a single charger has been built with its backing. The support fund, once trumpeted as a pillar of Britains electrification, remains in limbo after a series of reviews and consultations.

Five years on from then chancellor Rishi Sunaks promise to boost Britains electric car infrastructure, the Rapid Charging Fund has achieved nothing

ChargeUK, the industry lobby group, said in recent evidence to Parliament that silence on the funds future created unhelpful uncertainty. Energy UK said hold-ups were delaying the deployment of rapid charging infrastructure, which is critical for supporting the transition to electric vehicles.

This fund was launched with great fanfare by Sunak and the Conservatives. And the fact that not sixpence has been spent is, is indicative of the fact that this Government and the last government, they just dont do electric cars, said Quentin Willson, the former Top Gear host turned EV campaigner.

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After Sunak unveiled the fund in 2020, the Department for Transport (DfT) spun up Project Rapid. It set a target to instal 2,500 ultra rapid chargers  those that can charge a car from 20pc to 80pc in 30 minutes  by 2030 and 6,000 by 2035.

More immediately, it would ensure there were at least six ultra rapid chargers at every motorway service station by the end of 2023. The fund would start allocating money in 2022 before a full rollout a year later. Rather than directly paying for chargers, it would fund electricity network upgrades around the stations so that they could cope with demand.

But it emerged that officials at the DfT were unsure about how to spend the cash. Plans to launch a series of pathfinder projects were delayed, in part due to a rotation of new prime ministers and questions over net zero policies.

Ten sites were proposed for a 70m trial of the scheme but an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority raised concerns that it could distort competition between service station operators, potentially opening the government up to legal challenges.

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The pilot was finally announced in late 2023 but required consultation. By then, Sunak had pushed the petrol ban back to 2035, which EV supporters say knocked confidence.

Updates on the fund have been non-existent since the election, despite Labour pledging in 2023 that it would release funding as soon as possible if it came to power. The party said: We recognise the frustration from industry about how the government has administered charge point funding.

Roadchef, which operates 21 motorway service stations in Britain, recently told the public accounts committee that applying for the scheme had been onerous and complained that unreasonable commercial conditions were imposed. Macquarie, the Australian bank that owns Roadchef, called the scheme ineffective.

Many charge point operators have found that bureaucracy and slow grid connections, rather than a lack of cash, have been the main obstacles to installations, and the fact that service station operators have no experience applying for grid upgrades.

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Five years after the scheme was announced, the market has developed without the fund, but not necessarily in the way its architects would have liked.

Britain is on track to significantly beat the goal of 2,500 ultra rapid chargers by 2030, with 2,377 already installed as of last summer. However, these have been disproportionately located in one region.

Last year, the National Audit Office (NAO) found that 44pc of all public charge points were based in London and the South East, with only 15pc in rural areas. The capital has 234 charge points per 100,000 residents, more than four times the density of Yorkshire and the Humber.

While the fund had aimed for all motorway services to have at least six ultra rapid chargers by the end of 2023, only 62pc did last summer. The NAO found that there were large stretches of road where drivers risked running out of battery. Because range anxiety is a common obstacle to EV demand, these charging deserts risk putting drivers off making the switch to electric.

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The NAO said that while Britain was likely to hit a target of 300,000 nationwide chargers by 2030, [this] does not consider their locations, which so far are largely in the South and in urban areas.

Despite progress, the office warned that only 10pc of motorway service stations had the power needed to match expected demand in 2035. In many places, installing chargers was commercially unviable without government intervention, the report warned.

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Jo Shanmugalingam, the DfTs permanent secretary, recently told MPs that this is something where there has been more complexity, while director of transport decarbonisation Richard Bruce said that changes to how the grid was upgraded mean the funds original design would have to be scrapped.

It is a very different landscape, which is why the original conception of how it is going to work is probably not how it is going to work in the future, he said.

In other words, EV drivers face yet more waiting before they see the fruits of the Rapid Charging Fund.

A DfT spokesman said: Were making great progress in rolling out the EV charging infrastructure, with a record of nearly 20,000 public charge points added in 2024 alone, and the number of charge points at motorway service areas nearly doubling in the last year according to industry data.

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HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Two people were arrested on Friday after the Henderson County Sheriffs Office reportedly found methamphetamines, heroin and pills in an RV.

Multiple cases of promethazine found during Panola County traffic stop

The sheriffs office said that at around 9 a.m. on Friday, narcotics investigators, K9 units and other deputies executed a search warrant for a recreational vehicle hidden in the woods off of Henderson County Road 4300, north of Moore Station.

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During the search, officials said the methamphetamines, heroin and pills shown below were found stuck behind the RVs ceiling speaker system.

Photo of methamphetamines, heroin and pills, courtesy of the Henderson County Sheriffs Office.

Investigators were reportedly in the RVs bedroom when they removed a speaker and found the drugs pushed into the insulation behind it.

According to the sheriffs office, the drugs were found packed up for distribution along with baggies and scales.

Mugshot of Joni Yow, courtesy of the Henderson County Sheriffs Office.

Joni Yow, 43 of Brownsboro, was arrested on Friday for two counts of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of possesion of a controlled substance and a felony warrant for theft of property.

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Shes currently being held at the Henderson County Jail on a total bond of $365,000.

Mugshot of Matthew Satriano, courtesy of the Henderson County Sheriffs Office.

Matthew Satriano, 50 of Larue, was also arrested at the RV on Friday. Satriano was charged with possesion of a controlled substance and hes currently being held at the Henderson County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

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A shooting claimed the lives of two men and resulted in the injuries of five others, including a teen, on Friday night.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, deputies were dispatched to the 13200 block of Jarvis Avenue in South Los Angeles around 8 p.m. on a report regarding gunshot wound victims.

While LASD gave the location of the shooting as Athens Park, the address provided by authorities is several blocks southeast of the park near Barack Obama Charter Elementary School.

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Pacific Coast Highway to reopen, residents concerned about crime

Arriving deputies found two men suffering from gunshot wounds; both of them were pronounced dead at a local hospital after being transported by first responders, LASD said.

Deputies learned of four additional male adults and one male juvenile who were also injured by gunfire, authorities confirmed. They were treated at area hospitals for non-life-threatening wounds.

No information surrounding a suspect or suspects was released, and no further details were available.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.



If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call Crime Stoppers by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or visiting their website.

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Two cousins have been sentenced to prison for their scheme to defraud the government of more than $2 million.

Johnny Narcisse, and his cousin Johnson Dieujuste, were sentenced for defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

According to information presented in court in July 2021, federal agents investigating a Florida resident for suspected tax crimes executed a search warrant for the home, computer, and cell phone of Narcisse in Georgia.

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The search of his computer and phone revealed a large amount of evidence that showed that he and his cousin, Dieujuste, had engaged in a conspiracy with each other to recruit small business owners and then file fraudulent applications for COVID-19 relief loans on their behalf.

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Narcisse and Dieujuste, after getting the names, business names, and employer identification numbers from would-be borrowers, simply made up with the rest of the information needed to apply for the loans.

If the loans were approved, the borrowers kicked back a percentage of the loans to Narcisse and Dieujuste.

They applied for dozens of loans and over $2 million was dispersed.

Narcisse, 46, of Atlanta, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $2,000,332.

He was convicted on Oct. 21, 2024, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

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Dieujuste, 37, of Loganville, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $2,081,559.

He was convicted on Sept. 24, 2024, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

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CHICAGO  Two men have been charged after a deadly attack in Norwood Park on Sunday night.

Chicago police said 21-year-old Geiderwuin Morales and 29-year-old Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado have each been charged with one count of murder and one count of robbery.

At around 11 p.m. Sunday, CPD responded to the 7600 block of West Talcott Avenue and found 63-year-old George Levin unresponsive in a basement bedroom. He was bound with duct tape and an extension cord.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE  Sources: Two men from Venezuela and Ecuador arrested after fatal attack in Norwood Park

After an autopsy was done on Levins body, the Cook County Medical Examiners Office found he died of multiple injuries and ruled his death a homicide.

Chicago police sources told WGN News both Morales and Ubilla-Delgado are migrants  one of them is from Venezuela and the other is from Ecuador. Sources also said Levin allegedly connected with one of the suspects on a dating app before inviting him to the home.

Geiderwuin Bello Morales (Source: Chicago Police Department)

Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado (Source: Chicago Police Department)

Morales was arrested on Thursday in the 2600 block of North Troy Street in the citys Logan Square neighborhood, while Ubilla-Delgado was arrested Wednesday in the 6100 block of North Northwest Highway in Norwood Park, about a mile-and-a-half from the crime scene, according to investigators.

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Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Both men are scheduled to appear in court on Saturday.

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(KRON)  The Colma Police Department said two police officers suffered minor injuries when detaining a suspected thief.

At 6:56 p.m. on Saturday, Colma police officers were dispatched to a store on Colma Boulevard for the report of a theft in progress.

Colma PD was informed that a man had stolen merchandise. Police were also told that the loss prevention officer attempted to detain the suspected thief, but the suspect fled through the stores parking lot.

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Oakland police arrest 2 children in connection to fatal scooter robbery shooting

Upon arrival, officers located a man who matched the suspects description. Officers attempted to detain the suspect, who was later identified as San Francisco resident Daniel Brownstein. However, police say he resisted and a struggle ensued until the officers were able to place him under arrest.

Two officers suffered minor injuries in the struggle, according to Colma PD.

Colma PD said Brownstein stole approximately $123.36 worth of merchandise. He also had two prior theft convictions and a $5,000 misdemeanor warrant for his arrest from a neighboring agency.

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Brownstein, 30, was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail for felony theft with priors, shoplifting, resisting a peace officer and his warrant.

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2 people arrested, charged with possible triple murder in New Mexico

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Two people were arrested and charged in connection to a possible triple murder in Lincoln County, New Mexico, the Alamogordo District Attorneys Office said on Friday. Jan. 31.

Kane Mayes and Cassandra Douglas were charged with the murder of three individuals, according to the 12th Judicial District Attorneys Office in Alamogordo.

Mayes was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, three counts of tampering with evidence, arson, two counts of unlawful taking of a vehicle and conspiracy to commit unlawful taking of a vehicle.

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Douglas was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the 12th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit was called to investigate a homicide in Nogal, New Mexico. That is roughly 20 miles north of Ruidoso.

According to the DAs Office, investigators found three dead individuals and issued a Be On the Look Out alert for a vehicle in connection to the scene.

Investigators actively worked the case for roughly one week and traveled to Roswell and Mississippi to execute search warrants and conduct more interviews.

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According to the DAs Office, warrants for arrest were then issued for Mayes and Douglas.

Mayes was served a warrant and was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Mississippi. He is awaiting extradition to New Mexico, the DAs Office said.

Douglas was served a warrant and was arrested on Monday, Jan. 27 in Roswell. She was transported to the Otero County Detention Center and arraigned in Magistrate Court on Friday, Jan. 31, the DAs Office said.

Douglas is being held without bond and is pending a review of conditions of release hearing.

The 12th Judicial District Major Crimes Unit is made up of investigators from the 12th Judicial District Attorneys Office, Alamogordo Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriffs Office, Otero County Sheriffs Office and the Ruidoso Police Department.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Honolulu police officers have arrested two Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PHNSY & IMF) sailors for trespassing and theft at Haiku Stairs.

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The two were allegedly seen throwing a metal railing over the side of the stairs.

Temporary injunction halts removal of Haiku Stairs

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HPD added that the pair were part of a larger group who were hiking the trail illegally and they expect to arrest more people.

Officials from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service were notified immediately and are taking action to make arrangements for the two 2nd Class Petty Officers involved.

Thank you to the members of the public, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam and Naval Criminal Investigative Service for assisting, HPD said in a social media post.

PHNSY & IMF said the commanding officer has the right to administer punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, from formal admonishment to separation from the service.

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PHNSY & IMF cares deeply about the environment of Hawaii and is committed to transparency in our operations and behavior of all 6,500 employees, including Sailors and civilians. The actions portrayed in the videos and photos depicting trespassing at Haiku Stairs does not represent the PHNSY & IMF Core Values of Honor, Courage, Commitment and Aloha, PHNSY & IMF said in a statement.

Honolulu police provided an update just before 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 announcing that four more adults and one juvenile turned themselves in at Kailua Police Station.

They were arrested for trespassing.

Officials remind the public that it is illegal for unauthorized persons to access Haiku Stairs and violators seen partaking in the hike will be cited or arrested.

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No trespassing signs were also posted. Do not risk your safety or the safety of others, HPD added.

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If anyone has any further information regarding the investigation, contact HPD or Crime Stoppers at (808) 955-8300.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Two students are in jail after police found guns at a Springfield school.

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On Jan. 29 around 9 a.m., Springfield officers were called to a school, Opportunities Industry Center, after staff said they found a gun in a students backpack with a loaded magazine.

Staff said the backpack belonged to Parker Hall, according to a probable cause affidavit.

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An officer handcuffed Hall and patted him down, initially not finding anything.

As Hall and the officer were leaving the school, he told the officer he had another gun on him.

Officers found another gun in Halls pant leg, the affidavit alleges.

The gun was a Glock 23 with what appeared to be a switch  a device that converts a pistol into an automatic weapon  and a loaded magazine inside it.

Just having one is a federal crime and can earn you 10 years in prison, I-Teams John Bedell previously reported.

The mere possession of one is not a state crime in and of itself here in Ohio. However, having one in your possession while you commit another crime is an automatic firearm specification in the Buckeye State that can land you in state prison for at least six years.

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Hall told officers the gun was not his and that another student, Tavion Compton, had asked him to hold it for him.

Officers arrested Compton.

Security footage showed Compton and Hall entering the bathroom at the same time.

Both are booked in the Clark County Jail.

We will continue to follow this story.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Two people were arrested after a stolen vehicle pursuit ended Friday morning in east Bakersfield.

Julian Lugo, 36, and Douglas Morgan, 63, were arrested and placed in patrol vehicles after a black 2011 Ford Explorer led multiple KCSO deputies and CHP officers on a pursuit through east Bakersfield Jan. 31. Deputies say they recovered an AR-15 and a fully loaded 30 round magazine that were thrown from the vehicle.

The pursuit began at about 9 a.m., when a stolen vehicle failed to yield during a traffic stop in the 3200 block of Bernard Street.

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About 50 minutes later, the pursuit came to an end on Mt. Vernon and Lucky Street, according to a 17 News photojournalist on at the scene.

northeast bakersfield kcso chase

northeast bakersfield kcso chase

The California Highway Patrol assisted in the pursuit since units were nearby, according to CHP Public Information Officer Jorge Toro.

Lugo, the driver, was arrested under suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen vehicle, evading, resisting, and various weapons charges.

Morgan, was arrested under suspicion of possession of stolen vehicle, destruction of evidence, conspiracy, and various weapons charges.

The Kern County Sheriffs Office is investigating this incident.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Wichita State University has announced the recipients of this years Gore Memorial Scholarship.

Each student will receive a $64,000 scholarship to attend Wichita State starting Fall 2025. The three students competed in the Distinguished Scholarship Invitational in November at Wichita State, along with 548 other students. To be invited to the tournament, students had to score 27 or higher on the ACT, have a 3.5 or higher GPA, or rank in the top 10% of their class.

The students completed an application, including essays and competed in an on-campus leadership competition. Twelve finalists were invited back to campus on Jan. 23 for final interviews.

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Black History Month STEM display returns to Exploration Place

This years Gore Scholars are:

Beckett Sollars , Park Hill Senior High School, Kansas City, Missouri

Mei-Li Hunt , Wesclin Junior-Senior High School, Trenton, Illinois

Aidan Thibodeau, Herington High School, Herington, Kansas

Sollars is majoring in Nursing, Hunt in Biomedical Engineering, and Thibodeau in health science with aspirations of becoming a Physicians Assistant.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Dozens of Honolulu Fire Department employees moved up in the ranks during HFDs promotion ceremony on Friday, Jan. 31.

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A total of 25 individuals were promoted including 23 uniformed and two civilians, four of which are Battalion Chiefs.

HFD Chief Sheldon Hao commended each employee for achieving another career milestone, emphasizing the hard work and dedication each individual brings to the department.

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HFD adds new helicopter to combat wildfires

Congratulations on your achievement. Youve all come far and proven your dedication, your competence and your commitment that define our department. Youve also endured a highly competitive promotional process which demonstrates your resilience and relentless pursuit of excellence, Chief Hao added.

Civilians George Davis and Arther Fujioka were recognized for their hard work in HFDs Radio Shop.

Davis was promoted to Departmental Radio Communications Coordinator and will plan, design, install, modify and maintain radio communications and related radio-activated systems for multiple Honolulu agencies.

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Meanwhile, Fujioka moved up to Radio Technician II and will supervise Radio Shop technicians while working with radio equipment.

Seven firefighters were promoted to Fire Fighter II, each adding Hazardous Materials Technician. rescue specialist, fire dispatch operator and more to their resume.

Eight others moved to Fire Fighter III, where they will hold key leadership roles to oversee the safety of the fire crew.

HFD also welcomed four newly promoted Fire Captains who will use their expertise in fire fighting equipment, techniques and more to lead their fire company and manage training and fire prevention programs.

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Last but not least, four uniformed employees were promoted to Battalion Chief and will be expected to use their communication and organizational skills to ensure HFD operates as efficiently and effectively as possible.

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Currently, the Honolulu Fire Department has 1,120 employed individuals who serve at 44 fire stations and six support locations around the city.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
The man temporarily in charge of Milwaukee Public Schools will not be leading the district as its permanent superintendent.

MPS interim superintendent Eduardo Galvan did not apply for the job, said MPS board president Marva Herndon at a Friday press conference announcing the three finalists for the position.

"This was his choice, that he wanted to return to the job and positions that he had prior, but we appreciate the fact that he stepped forward and volunteered to lead us through this tumultuous year," Herndon said.

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Galvan had been MPS' regional superintendent for the southwest region since 2018.

Milwaukee Public Schools board members hold a press conference Friday after approving the selection of three finalists for the district's superintendent position.

The finalists for the position are Brenda Cassellius, former superintendent for Boston Public Schools; Joshua Starr, former superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland; and Andrae Townsel, current superintendent for Calvert County Public Schools in Maryland.

The three emerged from first-round interviews held during two special meetings, one held Monday and the other held Tuesday. The board held an additional special meeting Wednesday to consider the candidates before holding another special meeting Friday to vote on naming the finalists.

The board plans to announce the district's next superintendent in late February or early March.

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Here's what to know about the finalists.

Brenda Cassellius

Brenda Cassellius, former superintendent for Boston Public Schools, is a finalist to be Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent.

Brenda Cassellius recently served as Boston Public Schools' superintendent and led the district through the pandemic. She secured $110 million in new annual funding, passed new high school graduation standards and historic admissions polices to increase access and opportunity to Boston's three exam schools. She also worked with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on a $2 billion Green New Schools Deal to better the city's school buildings, according to information from Cassellius' bio that MPS provided.

Before her role in Boston, Cassellius was Minnesota's Commissioner of Education for eight years. In that role, she worked across bipartisan lines by enacting "historic" new school funding, all-day kindergarten, state-funded preschool, anti-bullying legislation, establishing a school safety office, creating a new pathway for the adult diploma and record-high graduation rates.

Cassellius' other experience was as superintendent in the East Metro Integration District, associate superintendent for middle and high schools in Minneapolis Public Schools and academic superintendent for schools in Memphis City Schools, where she "led a remarkable turnaround, raised student achievement, improved student attendance and ended the use of corporal punishment," according to her biography.

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Cassellius also has experience as a special education paraprofessional, as a social studies teacher and as a school leader.

"She is best known for her unrelenting advocacy and community building across sectors to build political will and strategic plans to ensure that students are safe, connected and prepared to thrive," according to her bio. "Dr. Cassellius believes that change can happen quickly when it authentically and meaningfully involves the full community, and is driven by shared decision making and accountability."

Cassellius' bio also stated she grew up in public housing while being raised by a single mother.

"She understands firsthand the positive impact an education and a connected community can have on the life outcomes of children, especially when opportunity is created for them," her bio said. "That is what drives her purpose. Dr. Cassellius' personal background, her big system regional experience, her public service at the highest levels of city and state government, and her nonprofit CEO experience make her a unique match to lead Milwaukee at this pivotal time."

Joshua Starr

Joshua Starr, former superintendent at Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, is a finalist for superintendent at Milwaukee Public Schools.

Starr spent 10 years as superintendent in the Montgomery County, Maryland, and Stamford, Connecticut, districts, according to his bio.

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"Starrs leadership has always focused on equity and excellence. He has led collective efforts to ensure high quality instruction for every child, increase innovation, expand community engagement, activate student voice, increase teacher leadership, and support principals," his bio reads.

Starr started his career in Brooklyn, New York, teaching global studies to severely emotionally disturbed teenagers and became a system leader in New York metropolitan area school districts, including New York City, according to his bio.

Starr also was the CEO of nonprofit PDK International, where he launched the nation's first career and technical education program that prepared high school students to be teachers. Starr said he supported district leadership teams "as they implemented research-based transformational equity and excellence initiatives."

Starr spent time in the corporate sector serving as the managing partner of the Center for Model Schools at HMH, where he supported leaders' school improvement efforts nationwide.

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"Dr. Starrs desire to be Superintendent of Schools in Milwaukee is grounded in his lifelong commitment to service, equity, and excellence," according to his bio. "His success as a superintendent and deep knowledge of the research and education landscape, coupled with his experience in the non-profit and corporate sectors, give him a unique skill set that well suits the challenges and opportunities facing Milwaukee."

Starr has won numerous awards, served on many boards, and has been a keynote speaker throughout his career. He has published numerous columns, op-eds and book chapters. Starr's book, Equity Based Leadership, is "used by superintendents to guide their transformation efforts," according to his biography.

Starr, his wife and daughter are University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni while his oldest son will graduate from there this year. His youngest child is a junior in high school. He holds a master's in special education from Brooklyn College and a doctorate from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.

Andrae Townsel

Andrae Townsel, superintendent at Calvert County Public Schools, Maryland, is a finalist for Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent.

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Townsel is a three-time graduate of Howard University and holds a doctorate, master's and bachelor's degree. He graduated with the first cohort of the AASA's Urban Superintendent Academy and has Maryland's Advanced Professional Superintendent License, according to his bio.

In his current role as Calvert County Public Schools' superintendent, Townsel led the district to be the fourth best in Maryland and helped it achieve number one statewide rankings in key state literacy assessments. He also secured a "Zero Audit Findings" report, which means "no weaknesses or compliance issues while significantly increasing district investment earnings." He also contributed to Maryland rising in proficiency levels on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress from 40th to 20th in fourth grade reading nationally due to his district committing to the Science of Reading.

Townsel also served as the superintendent of Benton Harbor Area Schools in Michigan. While there, the district rebounded from a decades-long financial deficit, increased student achievement and secured a $3 million literacy grant. His work earned him national recognition, including the Howard University Alumni Award for Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement and the Legacy23 Award for Educational Leadership, both in 2024, and the Teachers Festival Excellence in Education Award in 2023.

I am eager to bring my leadership to Milwaukee Public Schools because of the opportunity to increase literacy proficiency levels across the district and to demonstrate effective financial leadership," Townsel said in his bio. "I am committed to ensuring that all students develop strong reading and math skills, while also building a fiscally responsible and high-performing school system that benefits all of Milwaukees students, families, and community. I will lead with a sense of urgency."

What was the process leading up to the naming of the finalists?

The board has been seeking a permanent superintendent since Keith Posley resigned in June. Board members selected Galvan to be the district's interim superintendent in July.

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In December, the board voted to reopen the application process "to develop a deeper slate of candidates." Herndon said at the time the board had received over 30 applications for the position.

In a news release Friday, the board said it received over 50 applications for the role and that it considered 48 candidates before narrowing the field to the three finalists.

What are the next steps?

Each finalist is invited to spend two days in the district, Feb. 6 and 7, to participate in interviews, visit schools and meet with stakeholders.

Community members will have two opportunities to meet the finalists Thursday in the auditorium at the district's Central Office, 5225 W. Vliet St. The first session will run from 1 to 3:45 p.m., and the second session will run from 5:30 to 8:15 p.m. Leaders from HYA, the superintendent search firm, will moderate questions from the community.

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After each presentation, community members may use a QR code to provide feedback to the board, according to the district's website.

Rory Linnane contributed to this report.

Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Public Schools names finalists for its next superintendent
The final member of a group that ambushed and robbed an armored truck of over $150,000 is set to spend over a decade in prison, prosecutors say.

Jorge Serrano Espinoza, a 20-year-old from Clearwater, was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison on robbery and firearm charges, according to a news release from the United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida.

The Bradenton Herald previously reported that a federal jury found Espinoza guilty during a September 2024 trial.

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On June 9, 2023, prosecutors say Espinoza and two accomplices, James Battle Jr. and Carlos Keanu Smith, followed an armored truck from Pinellas County to the One9 Travel Center gas station and truck stop at 5215 17th St. E, Ellenton.

As the GardaWorld employee returned from picking up a deposit, prosecutors say Battle and Smith approached with pistols drawn, forcing the man to the ground, taking his keys and removing several bags from the vehicle.

The men stole more than $150,000 from the armored truck before fleeing the scene, according to an arrest report.

Prosecutors say Espinoza acted as the lookout, monitoring the driver at an earlier stop on his route. He also provided the guns used in the robbery and warned his accomplices when the driver attempted to reach for his firearm, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.

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Surveillance and traffic cameras captured the group trailing the armored truck through multiple stops before the heist, investigators said.

Florida Department of Transportation toll records also show the vehicle following seconds behind the armored truck along its route that morning, according to a news release.

Battle, a former GardaWorld employee, had been investigated in a previous case involving the theft of $173,000 in 2022, according to an arrest report. Detectives said Battle used his personal knowledge of the inner workings of GardaWorld to commit the robbery.

Four days after the robbery, Clearwater police arrested Battle after a witness reported seeing a man attaching a silencer to a pistol inside a black Chevrolet Equinox matching the suspects vehicle, according to an arrest report. Investigators say they later linked his phone records to the location of the heist.

Court records show Battle and Smith both previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the robbery, with Battle sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and Smith sentenced to 9 years in prison.
A 32-year-old Milwaukee man faces life in a prison, accused of killing two men in 2022.

Randy R. Moore was charged Thursday by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and arson. Prosecutors say Moore killed Giovanni E. Hernandez and Melvin A. Lopez in an alley in the 3700 block of West Roberts Street on June 24, 2022.

Milwaukee police discovered Hernandez and Lopez in a secluded alley with gunshot wounds to their heads following a notification from ShotSpotter, a controversial audio detection technology that triangulates where gunshots occur.

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Less than an hour later, a report arrived of a vehicle arson near the 3800 block of West North Avenue, only a half-mile from the shooting scene. The burning vehicle was used by Hernandez and seen in previous video footage, according to prosecutors.

According to a criminal complaint, investigators used cellphone records, surveillance footage and witness interviews to narrow in on Moore. The cellphone records place him at both crime scenes at the time of shootings and fire, the complaint says, and he also exchanged texts and calls with Hernandez. Meanwhile, surveillance footage shows him entering and exiting a vehicle that is seen near the scenes of the crimes.

A search of a residence possibly connected to Moore discovered multiple guns, ammunition and illegal drugs, according to the complaint. Moore was arrested that same day on June 28, 2022, at a meeting with his probation officer. He was returned to the state prison system shortly thereafter.

Moore was on extended supervision at the time of the homicides after being convicted in 2012 with armed robbery use of force and a gun charge. If convicted on all charges, he faces a mandatory life sentence.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 32-year-old Milwaukee man charged in 2022 double murder
ARKANSAS (KNWA/KFTA)  Arkansas fourth- and eighth-graders showed little change in their 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores compared to 2022, according to federal data.

Known as the Nations Report Card, the assessment provides a national benchmark for academic achievement. While Arkansas scores remained steady, they continued to lag behind most national averages.

In 2024, Arkansas fourth graders ranked around 49th in math and 43rd in reading. Arkansas eighth graders ranked 44th in math and 39th in reading.

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Nationally, fourth- and eighth grade reading scores, as well as eighth-grade math scores, declined. The only national improvement came in fourth-grade math, which increased by two points from 2022.

Arkansas higher education enrollment up, but lags behind pre-pandemic levels

Arkansas vs. national averages

Fourth-Grade Math: Arkansas students averaged 230 in 2024, with almost no change from 228 in 2022. The national average was 237.

Eighth-Grade Math: Arkansas students scored 266, slightly down from 267 in 2022, and lower than the national average of 272.

Fourth-Grade Reading: Arkansas average was 210, a slight decline from 212 in 2022, below the national average of 214.

Eighth-Grade Reading: Arkansas average remained at 255, matching 2022 and just below the national average of 257.

Nationally, reading scores have been on a downward trend since 2017, with significant declines recorded between 2019 and 2024.

Achievement levels

The NAEP scores classify students into four performance categories:

Advanced: Superior understanding and application of subject matter

Proficient: Competency in challenging material, including real-world application

Basic: Partial mastery of foundational knowledge

Below Basic: Lack of fundamental academic skills

40% of Arkansas fourth graders scored below basic in reading, the highest percentage since 2002. 33% of eighth graders nationwide scored below basic in reading, the worst recorded performance in NAEP history.

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40% of eighth graders scored below basic in math, struggling with basic problem-solving concepts.

Arkansas receives low marks in tobacco control report

Disparities by demographics

The data broken down by demographic is the following:

Fourth-Grade Math: Black students: 208 Hispanic students: 221 White students: 240 Economically disadvantaged students: 221 Non-economically disadvantaged students: 248

Eighth-Grade Reading: Black students: 237 Hispanic students: 247 White students: 261 Economically disadvantaged students: 247 More affluent students: 268



Participation and testing process

In early 2024, 3,600 Arkansas public school fourth-graders and 3,600 eighth-graders from 196 schools participated in the assessment. Nationally, 224,900 fourth-graders and 221,900 eighth-graders from 11,500 schools were tested.

The exam is administered by the U.S. Department of Educations National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and is the only standardized test taken by a representative sample of students in every state.

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To read the full report, go to nationsreportcard.gov.

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The deadly collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is focusing attention on safety gaps in Americas skies  many of which have festered for years.

That includes pernicious fatigue and staffing shortages among the countrys air traffic controller workforce, the aged state of the equipment used to keep planes from crashing, and congressional brinkmanship that has contributed to inadequate funding for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Beyond those issues, the crash has also provoked fresh scrutiny about air traffic congestion at Reagan National  Congress favorite airport due to its proximity to the Capitol  especially given the many military helicopters in the area. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that helicopter traffic around the airport will be restricted, with limited exceptions.

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The investigation into the disaster will surely reveal several contributing factors, and thats what you need to attack ... to prevent the next accident from happening, said Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant who was a longtime official at both the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident, and the FAA.

Here are five key issues to know as inquiries into Wednesday nights crash kick into gear:

Alarms have been raised over helicopter proximity

Anyone who has flown out of Reagan National knows how busy it is  and how cramped the corridor is for flights in and out of the airport, just across the Potomac from heavily restricted airspace over D.C.

Military helicopters routinely zip down the river, and a cap prohibits them from going above an altitude of 200 feet, said aviation safety consultant John Cox, a former pilot who was previously the executive air safety chair for the Air Line Pilots Association. They also must travel along one of four specific routes.

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The vertical limit is to allow jets landing on the airports Runway 33  the destination of the regional American Airlines plane on Wednesday evening  to pass over helicopters, which is not uncommon at all, he said.

Those flight paths, Cox said, have been in use for decades, and its been done safely.

What went wrong earlier this week remains unclear, but in a Friday morning post on X, President Donald Trump suggested that the Army helicopter involved in the incident was primarily to blame. The Black Hawk, he wrote, was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???

Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chair of the House Transportation Committee, has likewise said the helicopter appeared to be flying higher than it should have been, which Cox said raises questions  though he stressed theres still no definitive information on this issue.

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If there is a knee-jerk reaction of we have to do something, then either prohibiting or limiting the helicopters that can use one of the routes is a quick fix, it says, oh we did something. But Im not sure that the data supports it because its been in use for so long successfully, Cox said.

Jonathan Koziol, a retired Army aviation expert who briefed reporters on behalf of the service, said flying down the river in this area should be a a relatively easy corridor because pilots go down the center of the waterway, with lights on both the Washington and Virginia sides, at a maximum altitude of 200 feet above the surface.

A flight of this nature would take off and return to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, he said.

The U.S. has been short of air traffic controllers for years, and the ones working are fatigued

The FAA has been grappling with a nagging shortage of air traffic controllers, as well as fatigue among the existing workforce, which is stretched thin.

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In a plan sent to Congress last year, the agency said the workforce was understaffed by about 3,000 people across the U.S. (Before that, the FAA had launched a panel of experts to review controllers being tired and their sleep needs.)

Reagan Nationals control tower has 25 controllers and three controllers in training who were previously fully certified at other facilities, according to the FAA. The tower is authorized to have 28 controllers.

The shortfall was exacerbated during the pandemic when training classes were halted as more senior personnel retired. An independent report in 2023 dinged the FAAs plan to replenish controllers as being dated and unrealistic.

A law that Congress passed last year reauthorizing the FAA attempted to shore up the workforce, but then-agency chief Mike Whitaker later said it would take roughly 18 months to get controller staffing levels to a better place.

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In an interview Friday, Graves acknowledged the issue but said last years FAA law resulted in a lot of hiring in recent months and many controllers are in the pipeline.

The FAA in September said it had surpassed its hiring target of 1,800 new controllers in 2024, and that it was the largest group in nearly a decade.

Its unclear what role Reagan National controllers played in the crash.

An official familiar with tower operations, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the number of controllers working there Wednesday evening was adequate. But a supervisor had opted to combine the duties of two controllers down to one to allow a single individual to monitor both airline flights and helicopter traffic, a move that typically happens after 9:30 p.m. The crash occurred around 40 minutes before then.

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Several factors have contributed to the controller issues nationally, Guzzetti said. The agency has been playing catch-up, he said, since then-President Ronald Reagan fired over 11,000 striking controllers in 1981.

Recruiting can be difficult, Guzzetti said, given the unique skills people need to do the job well  the ability to perceive multiple targets moving at different speeds and different directions. And being a controller is stressful, resulting in earlier retirements.

They dont have these people as long as they would like, he said.

Controllers use decrepit equipment to guide planes safely

The nations FAA air traffic control centers and radar approach facilities have been in need of upgrades. The independent report in 2023 said some are decades-old, as is the equipment inside them  some of which is pre-digital, which limits the options for improvements. Spare parts, in some cases, dont exist anymore.

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The report said Congress was partly to blame, having made it difficult for the FAA to retire old equipment.

After the FAA grounded all domestic flights nationwide in January 2023 due to an agency computer failure, it determined that more than a third of its 138 air traffic control systems in fiscal year 2023 were unsustainable due to issues such as funding shortfalls and a lack of spare parts, the watchdog Government Accountability Office said last year. Of the systems with issues, more than half had a critical operational impact on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace.

The equipment issues, Guzzetti said, are due to FAA funding coming from Congress in fits and starts, making it tough to plan for projects. Bureaucracy in government procurement is also a factor, he said, along with technological advancements simply moving too quickly.

Suddenly what youve been working on for 10 years is incomplete, Guzzetti said.

The countrys air safety system is strained, with close calls piling up

On top of the air traffic controller issues, travel demand in the nations skies surged post-pandemic, with a series of near-collisions sparking fresh concern.

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In 2023, 11 near-collisions among commercial jets occurred in the U.S., a seven-year high and more than double the number from a year prior. (It was almost four times the amount in 2019, the last full year before the pandemic initially caused a massive slowdown in air travel.) The most jarring incident involved a FedEx cargo plane that came within 100 feet of landing on a Southwest Airlines jet in Austin. That episode brought increased scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators.

A combination of workforce issues and increased airspace congestion was to blame for the poor performance, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), chair of the Senate Commerce Committees aviation panel during the last Congress, previously said.

There have been efforts to improve runway safety, including a provision in a recent FAA law that directed the agency to convene a new council to study such issues, offering a way for Congress to get a better sense of whats causing the near-collisions  and how to mitigate the problem.

At times, the FAA has gone without a Senate-confirmed leader

The agency has struggled with vacancies for its top job.

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Whitaker, the most recent administrator, left the post earlier this month after about a year into his five-year term. He took over in October 2023 as the agency was responding to various crises, including the controller shortage and the near-collisions spike.

He also faced criticism from Trump ally and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who is now in charge of a wide-ranging effort by the president to shrink government spending and the federal workforce. The sources of the friction included $633,009 in proposed fines that the FAA, which regulates commercial space launches, had levied last year against Musks company for deviating from its launch plans.

He needs to resign, Musk posted on X about Whitaker in September.

Whitaker announced his resignation on Dec. 12, effective Inauguration Day.

Before he started, the FAA was devoid of a Senate-confirmed head for 18 months. Thats after Bidens first pick, Denver airport executive Phil Washington, failed to make it over the finish line, with Republican senators taking issue with his thin aviation experience.

Trump has yet to pick a permanent leader for the agency. On Thursday, he announced he was tapping Chris Rocheleau, a former FAA official and a top executive for an aviation business association, to be acting administrator.

Jack Detsch and Oriana Pawlyk contributed to this report.
The 5-year-old boy who died Friday after a hyperbaric chamber exploded at a Troy Medical Center has been identified by his family.

Five-year-old Thomas Cooper was identified by lawyers representing the family. According to a GoFundMe organized in memory of Thomas, the boy loved life.

"He loved life. He loved running and swimming. He was planning to try mountain BMX racing and karate in the summer," the GoFundMe reads.

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As of Saturday at 2 p.m., the fundraiser has generated more than $13,000.

The descriptions of Thomas, written by a member of the family, paint a portrait of a happy, curious child.

Our initial reporting: Boy dies in explosion of hyperbaric chamber at Troy medical facility

More details: What is a hyperbaric chamber? What to know after explosion killed boy in Michigan

"He was the smartest and cutest kid that liked to zoom, zoom, zoom," the post reads. "He asked to see pictures of germs, liked to know how things worked, he liked to make field journals and he had finally started adding facial features to his people drawings."

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Thomas was fascinated by nature and video games: "Minecraft was his life ... He loved his Nintendo DS."

The day Thomas' hyperbaric chamber exploded, he was looking forward to playing a new Nintendo DS game his father had got for him as a reward for trying new foods. He also hoped to spend his red pocket money  a gift typically given around Chinese New Year representing good luck  with his little brother.

"He placed (his red pocket) underneath his pillow and declared 'he'd have the best luck ever!' " The GoFundMe reads. "The day of his passing was the day he was planning to spend his red pocket with his little brother."

Thomas, tragically, did not get to spend the money.

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He died in the explosion at The Oxford Center, a medical center that provides therapy for children with such health conditions as autism, cancer, ADHD and autoimmune diseases, according to its website.

Citing concerns about the oversight and regulations of hyperbaric chambers, Fieger Law announced Saturday that it has been retained by Thomas' family.

This is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts are with the family as they navigate this immeasurable loss, said James Harrington, managing partner of Fieger Law in a statement.

The high-powered metro Detroit law firm is also representing the boy's mother, who was also injured in the blast.

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The explosion happened around 8 a.m. Friday, police said. The boy was found dead inside the chamber.

Troy Fire Lt. Keith Young said investigators haven't yet discovered what caused the explosion, but said concentrated oxygen  which is pumped into the high-pressure chamber  is fuel for fire.

Andrew Kistner, a spokesperson for The Oxford Center, also said the cause of the explosion was unknown.

Contact Liam Rappleye: LRappleye@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Boy killed in hyperbaric chamber explosion identified as Thomas Cooper
Decision time is looming for an estimated 2 million federal employees who are eligible for the buyout plan proffered by President Trump.

Workers have until Thursday to decide whether or not to accept the buyout. The basic offer is that government workers will be paid until the end of September  and retain their benefits  so long as they declare their resignations by Feb. 6.

The proposal is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce and reform the government workforce.

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The most visible manifestation of this effort is the Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk.

Musk previously said he believes it would be possible to scythe $2 trillion from the federal budget. More recently, he has eased back from that figure while still suggesting $1 trillion could be cut.

Trump is also demanding that more federal workers cease working from home. This, too, is intended to reduce the size of the public workforce.

On Wednesday, Trump said of federal workers: Were requiring them to show up to work or be terminated.  We think a very substantial number of people will not show up to work and therefore our government will get smaller and more efficient.

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Heres what else to know.

Most, but not all, federal workers are eligible

The offer came from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in a Tuesday email. A lot of employees and their managers were initially confused.

The OPMs website now offers answers to a number of frequently asked questions.

The administration is referring to the buyout as deferred resignation.

The OPM notes that, as a general rule, all full-time federal employees are eligible. However, it does outline some exceptions: military personnel, U.S. Postal Service employees, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security and those in other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency.

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The bottom line is its a massive proposal, given that almost 2 percent of the nations civilian workforce is on the federal payroll.

NBC News reported this week that the Trump administration expects between 5 and 10 percent of the federal workforce will quit. A senior administration official said this could result in around $100 billion in annual savings.

Unions and Democrats are skeptical

Democrats and their allies in the labor unions are highly suspicious of the Trump proposal.

Democrats doubt whether Trump is willing or able to uphold his side of the bargain.

As The Hills Rebecca Beitsch and Brett Samuels previously reported, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has complained the idea looks like another rushed Trump scam to his eyes.

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Van Hollen also said that Trump has a history of not following through on commitments.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), whose state, like Van Hollens, is home to a huge number of federal employees, warned anyone inclined to accept the offer that Trump would stiff you.

Unions, equally unpersuaded by Trumps bona fides, have emphasized the idea that the president is seeking to force employees out  to the detriment of citizens who depend on government services.

The largest union representing federal workers, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), released a statement accusing the administration of purging the federal government in a way that would have vast, unintended consequences that will cause chaos for the Americans who depend on a functioning federal government.

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AFGE President Everett Kelley contended, 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.

Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents around 30,000 federal employees, told NPR the offer amounted to a resignation threat.

Biggs added, Its written pretty clearly that if you dont take this thing, this so-called offer, you may not have a job.

There are legitimate questions about its legality

Much of the skepticism around the offer concerns how it will be paid for.

The argument that its not legal is pretty simple: The power of appropriation rests with Congress. The Legislature has not directed any funds be used for a mass buyout. Trump therefore doesnt have the power to make that decision unilaterally.

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This thesis is, obviously, rejected by the administration and its allies, who argue the commander in chief has expansive enough powers to make good on his offer.

In the first camp, Jacqueline Simon, policy director at AFGE, told The Hill that current congressional appropriations are directing the agencies to spend that money to hire people to carry out the functions of the agency, not to sit at home.

On the pro-Trump side, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said earlier this week that the courts have shown a lot of leeway for the executive on hiring and firing.

Either way, legal challenges to the proposed buyout seem likely.

Big changes are coming, one way or another

Employees weighing whether or not to take the buyout will have to ponder just how radically Trump is going to remake the government  and how sweepingly he might try to pare down the workforce.

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The original email sent by OPM conspicuously noted that, for those who choose to remain in their jobs, We cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency.

It added only that should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions.

The subsequent FAQ from the agency was just as ominous in parts.

The federal workforce is expected to undergo significant near-term changes, it noted.

Some observers discerned Musks hand in the OPM email and FAQ, given that they both borrowed the image of a fork in the road  a metaphor he used in an email to employees of X soon after he took over the social media website.

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Whether Musk was responsible or not, the FAQ regarding the buyout made some effort to strike a sunnier tone.

In response to the question of whether people who accepted the buyout would be able to take an extended vacation between now and September, the official answer is:

You are most welcome [to] stay at home and relax or to travel to your dream destination. Whatever you would like.

The impact on the public depends on how many people take the buyout

Skeptical voices worry about the impact of the sweeping offer on the functions of the federal government.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), drawing on his experience in the private sector, has warned that it is a fundamentally bad idea to randomly go through and say to your whole workforce, Oh we want you all to quit.

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Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who also worked as a senior policy adviser in former President Clintons administration, told Politico that the blanket approach, which is pure Elon Musk, is going to have unintended consequences down the road.

Kamarck added, What if a third of the nations air traffic controllers take this buyout? Or all the CDC scientists leave for the private sector and then theres a tuberculosis epidemic? Thats the risk with the way theyve done it, sort of using a blowtorch for a very small issue.

That being said, the prognostications about major impacts on public services is premised upon a large number of people taking the buyout.

That may not happen  a refusal that would put the ball of government reform back in the court of Trump and Musk.

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Democrats are gathering in Maryland on Saturday to elect the next chair of their national party in one of Democrats first steps toward recalibrating after Novembers disappointing election.

State party chairs Ken Martin of Minnesota and Ben Wikler of Wisconsin, in addition to former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, have emerged as leaders in the race to succeed DNC Chair Jaime Harrison. In all, eight contenders are running.

But the next DNC chair faces a tall task in uniting Democrats while also steering the partys messaging on how to oppose President Trump.

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Here are five things to watch for ahead of the DNC chair election:

How close is the race?

One aspect that political observers will be watching for on Saturday is how close the race will be between Martin, Wikler and OMalley, and how many ballots the election will ultimately come to.

The race has turned into one thats less about candidates ideology and more based on personality, track records and relationships. Martin has touted his track record as the Minnesota state party chair, saying his party has won every statewide election since he took the helm in 2011.

Hes also noted his role as the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC) and enjoys endorsements from some members of its leadership, including New Hampshire state party chair Ray Buckley and Arizona party chair Yolanda Bejarano.

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Meanwhile, Wikler has touted being the party chair of a battleground state and noted Wisconsin Democrats track record in flipping the states Supreme Court majority and reelecting Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) last cycle despite losing at the presidential level.

At the same time there have been discussions over Wiklers relationship with major donors like billionaire Reid Hoffman. Both Martin and Wikler were asked about whether it was an asset or a liability to know donors like Hoffman, with Martin careful not to overtly criticize Wikler on the issue.

I think Bens done an amazing job in Wisconsin. Hes moved the needle, Martin said at a candidate forum hosted by the DNC and Politico.

Yes, at the end of the day, we need to raise money. Weve both done that, but we also need to raise money from people who share our values. Both Ben and I do that, he added later, noting that some state parties had concerns with a startup created during the 2020 election cycle, substantially funded by Hoffman, that Martin said tried to get state parties voter file data.

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When it came to Alloy, my argument has always been that state parties needed to own their data, Wikler said at that same forum, referring to the startup.

OMalley, meanwhile, has touted himself as someone whos been able to turn around organizations, particularly pointing to his time as a Social Security Association administrator. Hes also a former Maryland governor and former head of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA).

How influential are leaders endorsements?

Several prominent Democrats have backed different candidates in the DNC chairs race. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) have backed Wikler in the race, while Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) has thrown his weight behind Martin.

At the same time, other top Democrats have remained out of the race, particularly former President Biden and former Vice President Harris.

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Though endorsements dont necessarily translate into momentum for a candidate, they could move the needle for some undecided DNC committee members.

The teams of Wikler, Martin and OMalley have quibbled over other each others number of endorsements, particularly Martins endorsements. Martin at one point said he had 200 endorsements from DNC committee members, while Wikler said his whip count was at 151 and that were now virtually tied with Chair Martin heading into the final week.

OMalleys team said earlier this month he has over 60 endorsements.

What are the newly elected DNC chairs first steps?

The next DNC chair wont have any shortage of tasks to tackle after getting elected this weekend.

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Members of the party are looking to the next DNC leader to help unite the party and direct Democrats efforts on how to oppose Trump and his administration. Members of the party, too, want the next DNC chair to better invest in states across the country and to help convince donors that its worth investing in the party.

And while the 2028 presidential election is some time away, members of the party have already expressed their thoughts on the state of the early nominating calendar  raising questions around what the process will look like to select the early states and when that nominating schedule will be released.

What role do the other DNC chair candidates play?

After a contentious open race for the leadership post in 2017, DNC chair Tom Perez named his challenger, then-Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), as deputy DNC chair  a sign that the party could still unite and incorporate different members into leadership after a hard-fought fight.

With eight challengers running for the spot this time around, one aspect of the race to watch for will be whether any of the seven contenders not chosen for chair are offered a spot within DNC leadership.

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That gesture would likely be particularly welcomed this time around, as the party has sought to pick up the pieces from a disappointing November election and has seen members finger-pointing over what went wrong.

How do progressives respond?

The 2017 open race for DNC chair between Perez and Ellison was seen in many ways as a proxy war between establishment Democrats and progressives, though candidates did see some overlap between the two sides in endorsements.

This time around, Wikler and Martin have received endorsements from some progressives. Wikler has received endorsements from MoveOn, of which he is an alum, and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), among others. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is backing fellow Minnesotan, Martin.

Faiz Shakir, a former campaign manager to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and former presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson, represent the more progressive faction of the wing, though both face uphill climbs to the nomination  raising questions around how progressives might welcome Martin, Wikler or OMalley as their next chair.

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Some prominent progressives have notably not waded in to endorse a contender, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.).

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 Flash

Cambodia has halted mine clearance projects in eight provinces after the United States has frozen funding, a mine clearance chief said on Friday.

Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), said the U.S.-funded mine clearance projects in Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng provinces have been suspended for 85 days from Jan. 25 onwards.

He said in a statement posted on social media that these projects, carried out by CMAC in cooperation with development partners, are to clear "the U.S. origin unexploded ordinances as the remnants of war."

CMAC has received a grant of 6.35 million U.S. dollars from the U.S. for mine clearance operations from March 2022 to November 2025, Ratana said, adding that this funding has supported some 200 technical Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) experts.

He said under these projects, CMAC had so far made remarkable achievements by clearing 561 polygons or 11,195 hectares of cluster munitions or UXOs affected fields, finding and destroying 27,022 landmines and UXOs that included 17,971 cluster munitions and 69 aerial bombs.

The halt was made after U.S. President Donald Trump last week ordered a sweeping 90-day pause on foreign aid, which included suspending its funded mine clearance projects around the world.

Cambodia is one of the countries worst affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs). An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and other munitions had been left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.

According to the Yale University, from 1965 to 1973, the U.S. had dropped over 2.75 million tons of ordnance in 230,516 sorties on 113,716 sites in Cambodia.

The CMAA's report showed that from 1979 to 2024, landmine and ERW explosions had claimed 19,834 lives and maimed 45,252 others.




In 1997, after being denied the award for more than 50 years due to discrimination, 1st Lt. Vernon Baker finally received a Medal of Honor for his heroism during World War II, making him one of the seven Black American troops awarded the medal for their service in the war.

Baker was born in 1919 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. When he was 4 years old, his parents were killed in a car accident, leaving him and his two sisters to be raised by their grandparents in Clarinda, Iowa. His grandfather taught him how to shoot game to help feed the family and Baker considered him the most influential figure in his life.

Baker graduated from Clarinda High School. In 1939, after Bakers grandfather died of cancer, Baker supported the family as a railroad porter, a job he detested.

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Family of Black WWII medic finally receives medal for his heroism

Seeking a more satisfactory profession, Baker tried enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1941, but the recruiter turned him away, saying, We dont have any quotas for you people. Baker waited a few weeks and tried again with a different recruiter  and was accepted on June 26, 1941. He hoped to get into the Quartermaster Corps, but had to settle for the infantry.

I didnt say anything, Baker later said, because I was going to get in.

Baker took basic training at Fort Wolters, Texas, which from the start subjected him to a level of Jim Crow prejudice hed not experienced in the Midwest, but he quietly endured it in accordance with what his grandfather had told him: If you want to live, boy, learn how to conform.

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Baker was then assigned to the 25th Infantry Regiment at Geiger Field near Spokane, Washington, and later at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. At that point, Baker had achieved his goal of becoming a supply sergeant, but in October 1942, he was offered an opening in Officer Candidate School.

Baker was hesitant  he liked his job as a supply sergeant, but an officers commission meant issuing orders and shouldering much more responsibility. Still, he decided to give it a try, and after 13 weeks of training at then-Fort Benning, Georgia, he emerged as a second lieutenant in charge of a weapons platoon in C Company, 370th Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division, a segregated division that had not seen action since its bloody baptism of fire in the 1918 Meuse-Argonne campaign during World War I.

On June 15, 1944, Bakers regiment departed Hampton Roads, Virginia, for Naples, Italy. They marched north to join the Fifth Army, which was slowly, steadily fighting its way through mountainous terrain and well-prepared German defenses along the Gothic Line.

Over the next several months, Baker developed a good working rapport with his troops. In October, the squad he was leading came under enemy fire, killing three men and wounding Baker.

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After recovering in the 64th General Hospital at Pisa, Baker returned to his unit in December to discover himself the senior officer of his regiment until March 1945, when Capt. John Runyon and two other white officers arrived to take charge of C Company.

On April 5, the 1st Battalion of the 370th was assigned the task of taking Aghinolfi Castle, a hilltop stronghold near Viareggio with an artillery directing post that had already repulsed three assaults. At the fore were 15 members of C Company, led by Baker. More than 70% of the unit was filled with new, inexperienced replacements.

Two hours after setting out, they were 250 yards from the objective. Baker surveyed the area and  bringing his childhood hunting talents into play  shot two German soldiers in an observation post and two more he spotted near a camouflaged machine gun nest. Runyon had come up to confer with Baker when a grenade landed nearby  fortunately for them, it proved a dud.

Runyon then retired to a hill summit behind them while Baker resumed his crawling advance, picking off four German soldiers along the way. By now aware of C Companys presence, the Germans loosed a mortar barrage, killing six troops. American artillery silenced them for a while, but German forces soon counterattacked.

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Runyon told Baker he was going back to bring up reinforcements to cover C Companys withdrawal, but Baker knew better  between the heavy enemy fire and the grenade incident, his nerves had cracked and he would not be coming back.

After holding out against more mortars and a weapons platoon whose crew was dressed as medics, Bakers platoon was down to eight men, all low on ammunition, and he made a painful decision: My men wanted to stay, but I wanted to ensure some of them stayed alive.

Baker covered the retreat in two increments, but in the process, a soldier was wounded and their medic killed by an enemy sniper.

Crawling back, Baker used grenades to destroy two enemy machine gun positions before finally reaching the forward aid station. His 25-man platoon had fought for 12 hours and lost 19 dead or wounded. After accounting for his survivors and turning in every identification tag hed been able to collect while fighting, Baker fell to the ground and vomited.

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Baker and Runyon barely recovered from the past two days ordeal before they were temporarily assigned to 2nd Battalion, 473rd Infantry, to apply their experience toward another assault. They overran the objective without loss, no doubt because of the casualties Baker and his platoon had previously inflicted on them.

A few days later, Runyon recommended Baker for the Distinguished Service Cross, the second-highest American military decoration and the highest the Army gave to Black soldiers at the time. On July 4, 1945, Baker received the medal near Viareggio. Baker also received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

One of 1st Black Marines to serve in combat honored for 100th birthday

After the German surrender, Baker did occupation duty in Italy until February 1947, followed by six months leave.

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During the Korean War in 1951, Baker was among the first Black officers to lead an all-white company in a newly integrated Army.

As the armed forces were reduced, however, Baker was decommissioned, resuming his duties as a master sergeant. During 13 years at then-Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he trained as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division and spent time in the 11th Airborne Division but did not get his lieutenants commission back.

Baker retired from the Army on Aug. 31, 1968, and spent the next 20 years working for the Red Cross.

In 1996, he learned that his wartime record was being reevaluated, and on Jan. 13, 1997, he was among seven Black Americans to have their WWII Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor. He was the only one of them still alive to receive the award from President Bill Clinton.

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In 2008, Baker received the American Spirit Award from the National WWII Museum.

Spending his final years in Benewah Valley, Idaho, Baker married three times and had three children. After a long struggle with cancer, Baker died July 13, 2010, at 90 years old in St. Maries, Idaho. He is interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
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On Thursday, the notoriously conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a long-standing federal ban on the sale of handguns to people between the ages of 18 and 20. In so doing, it seemed simply to be following Supreme Court precedent. In truth, what the 5th Circuit did is an open invitation to the court to take another step toward making gun ownership a constitutionally preferred right.

Whatever its motivations, the 5th Circuits opinion has little to do with the reality of gun violence with which all Americans live. No one reading the courts opinion would know that gun violence and gun-related deaths are a serious problem in the United States.

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But they would learn a lot about what happened in the 18th century. Any gun regulation, the court noted, quoting from a 2024 Supreme Court decision, that goes beyond what was done at the founding  is unconstitutional  even when [it] regulates arms-bearing for a permissible reason. 

Following that logic, the court ignored the current situation and the reason why, more than five decades ago, Congress banned the sale of handguns, but not other firearms, to people under the age of 21.

As to the current situation, last year, the United States experienced a total of 40,846 gun-related deaths. This figure includes 24,156 suicides and 16,690 homicides, murders, and unintentional deaths. That represented a slight decline from 2023, when there were 43,223 gun-related deaths.

One can understand the magnitude of the problem of gun deaths by comparing it to traffic fatalities. In the first nine months of 2024, 29,135 people died in traffic crashes.

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Another relevant fact ignored by the 5th Circuit is the degree to which gun crimes are committed at a much greater rate among younger people. Politifact notes that FBI data show people ages 18 to 20  are likelier to commit deadly shootings than other age groups.

Everytown for Gun Safety, an advocacy group for gun regulation, reports that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 and older. And research by professor James Fox, noted in the Politifact article, indicates that 18-to-20-year-olds comprise 4% of the U.S. population, but commit 17% of gun homicides.

Other studies have found that 18-to-20-year-olds committed fatal shootings at three times the rate of 16-year-olds and nearly three times the rate of a person in their 30s.

What Justice Anthony Kennedy said in 2005 about why the juvenile death penalty was unconstitutional may help explain why gun violence is so high among young people. As any parent knows, Kennedy wrote, and as the scientific and sociological studies respondent and his amici cite tend to confirm, [a] lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense of responsibility are found in youth more often than in adults and are more understandable among the young. These qualities often result in impetuous and ill-considered actions and decisions. 

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Adolescents, Kennedy continued, are overrepresented statistically in virtually every category of reckless behavior.

In a different world, with a more rational approach to guns and gun rights, such findings would provide the kind of permissible reason that the 5th Circuit discounts. Indeed, even Justice Antonin Scalia, author of the Supreme Courts landmark gun rights decision District of Columbia v. Heller, likely would have agreed with such an approach.

As Scalia put it, like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited  the Courts opinion should not be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms.

But a lot has happened to the Supreme Courts treatment of gun rights and gun regulation since Scalia wrote those sentences in 2008. Fourteen years later, in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, the court turned away from the balancing approach to gun regulation that the Heller court seemed to allow.

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Writing for the Bruen majority, Justice Clarence Thomas said that any gun regulation was only valid if it is consistent with the Nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. Constitutional rights, he wrote for the courts majority, are enshrined with the scope they were understood to have when the people adopted them.

Thomas test makes modern concerns, like dealing with gun violence, irrelevant.

As the Brennan Center noted in 2023: In the short time since Bruen was issued, federal judges appointed by Presidents Reagan, Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all questioned the opinion, warning that history is an unworkable basis for deciding constitutional questions that push courts toward unreliable, unreasonable, and unjust conclusions.

Last year, the court responded to these concerns by relaxing the strictures of the Bruen test. It said: The Second Amendment permits more than just regulations identical to those existing in 1791.  The appropriate analysis involves considering whether the challenged regulation is consistent with the principles that underpin the Nations regulatory tradition.

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As the court put it, a gun regulation that was  relatively similar to laws that our tradition is understood to permit could be upheld.

Directing judges to determine whether a modern law is consistent with principles and relatively similar has not cured the problems identified by the Brennan Center. That is evident throughout Judge Edith Jones 5th Circuit opinion striking down the federal law setting age limits on handgun sales.

Jones does the worst kind of law office history, culling through laws about guns from more than two centuries ago. While she identifies many laws with age-related restrictions, none pass muster under her own distinctive comparative test.

Jones insists, in a way no well-trained historian would, that the governments proposed founding-era analogues do not meet its burden to establish a historical tradition of firearm restrictions imposed on eighteen-to-twenty-year-old Americans. Along the way, she does acknowledge that concerns about the irresponsibility of those under 21 were widespread in the Colonial and Founding eras.

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However, she dismisses them by noting that young people were expected to serve in the militia and furnish their own weapons.

Jones ignores the fact that those weapons would have been long guns and rifles of the kind excluded from the federal ban on handguns. She also conveniently ignores the fact that serving in what the Second Amendment refers to as a well-regulated militia is quite different from possessing a handgun on the streets of a 21st-century American city.

At the end of the day, Jones seems less interested in logic or analogy than in making more guns available to more people. Her opinion is the latest example of how result-oriented judging disguises itself with faux reverence for the past.

Jones did what she thinks the pro-gun majority on the Supreme Court would have wanted her to do.

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If her decision stands up on appeal, people under the age of 21 will still not be able legally to buy alcohol anywhere in this country. But they will be able to buy handguns.

In Judge Jones hands, our law neither respects our history nor helps keep us safe.
Six Americans who were being held hostage in Venezuela were freed Friday night following President Trumps envoy for special missions Richard Grenells visit to the South American country.

Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job! Trump posted on Truth Social Friday night.

Grenell met with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to send a warning about the consequences that would come from the continued detainment of the Americans.

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We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him, Grenell posted on the social media platform X along with a photo of the six men.

Prior to Fridays hostage release, at least 10 American citizens were being detained in Venezuela.

Mauricio Claver-Carone, Trumps special envoy for Latin America, told reporters in an earlier call on Friday that Grenell was visiting Latin America on a very specific mission that did not affect the U.S.s posture towards Maduros leadership. The U.S. government maintains Maduros election victory was illegitimate and a desperate attempt to seize power.

Reports suggest the deal involved Venezuela agreeing to accept Venezuelan migrants from the U.S. and the release of the Americans in exchange for the U.S. giving Venezuela certain concessions. However, the details of the agreement were not immediately clear.

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Claver Carone said Grenells demands to Maduro involved Venezuela accepting back its criminals and gangs in addition to the release of American hostages, according to The Washington Post.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
This story was originally published in Uncloseted Media, an LGBTQ focused investigative news outlet.

In the U.S., the rights of LGBTQ+ youth are under attack. Since President Donald Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, he has passed executive orders that effectively erase the concept that in the eyes of the federal government  people can be trans or nonbinary.

LGBTQ+ youth experience mental illness at alarmingly high rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41% of LGBTQ kids seriously considered suicide in the last year. And in 2024, the ACLU identified 533 anti-LGBTQ bills, many of which targeted queer kids.

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Since LGBTQ+ kids cant vote, Uncloseted Media wanted to give them the opportunity to sound off about the current state of affairs for queer youth in the U.S. With parental consent, Luke, Gigi, Liam, Genna, Crow and Diamond agreed to speak with us to tell us about what its like to be queer in America in 2025. Moments before we hopped on Zoom, President Trump signed another executive order aimed at curtailing gender-affirming care for trans people under age 19.

Being out as queer in America

Spencer Macaughton: I just want to know a little bit about if you guys have any stories about what its like to be an LGBTQ kid in school, in your town, today?

Crow Turner, (they/them),16, Virginia: I personally go to an art school in a very liberal area. So, it's good because I've never really explicitly come out to anybody that I know, but it's just sort of a general acceptance that like, I see you, I get what you are. Nobody really says what they are, but girls date girls, boys date boys. Whatever, it's fine. I mean, it isn't easy. It's never easy. But I'm fortunate enough to be in a space like this

Gigi Rodriguez, (she/they), 13, Illinois: So, when I came out to my dad, I was in fifth grade. Yeah, I told him, and then he was really mad. Like, You're too young. You should wait until you're an adult. It was difficult. So I just haven't told him about my sexuality since.

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Spencer: You don't bring it up?

Gigi: No, never.

Liam Lee, (he/him), 17, New York: I have gotten called slurs in school before. Unfortunately, when I came out, which is sort of expected. People just straight up talking about me behind my back. I didn't really care because that's their business. And then my business is mine.

Spencer: Paint a picture of one of those experiences that you had at school when you were called slurs.

Liam: It was during my Agriculture class and I had come out to my whole class because that's like the main group of people I'm going to be with constantly throughout four years of high school. So, I'm not going to go misgendered and dead-named for all four years of high school.

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Spencer: Does having those people call you those slurs create a sense of fear when you're at school because you're worried about what could happen next?

Liam: Not exactly, because most of it was talk. It's when they actually start trying to come directly to me and harm me verbally or physically, that's when there's a problem there, if it's constant. Because it does make me feel dysphoric. And I struggle with dysphoria a lot since I don't exactly have the resources to transition. So, that's definitely a struggle when it comes to stuff like that.

Spencer: So, Luke and I met because I was working at 60 Minutes and flew to Arkansas to do a story on his older brother, who is trans and was suing the state's attorney general because they tried to block access to gender-affirming health care, which I thought was the coolest thing I've ever seen a kid do in my life. Quick update: how is Dylan doing and what's he up to now?

Luke Brandt, (he/him), 17, Greenwood, Arkansas: He's doing good. He has a fiance right now, actually. They moved in together and he is just working. He's taking a break from school and going to go back next year doing something.

On Mental Health

Spencer: I love it. That's awesome. Tell him I say hi. And I want to turn a little bit to LGBTQ mental health, which is a tougher topic. And I want to just read you guys a few statistics on LGBTQ mental health right now, and then have you guys respond. So, in 2022, a Trevor Project poll of 34,000 LGBTQ kids found that 73% reported feeling anxiety, 58% reported depression and 45% said they had seriously considered suicide. And for trans youth, the numbers are even higher than that. 1 in 5 had actually attempted suicide. Those numbers are way higher for LGBTQ people than they are for non-LGBTQ people. As a group of LGBTQ kids, I want to know from you guys, why do you think that is?

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Diamond Sherman, (she/he/they), 11, California: In my life I've come across a fair share of homophobia and transphobia, and I do sometimes have anxiety from it. But it's not that big of a deal for me. But I see how it could be overwhelming for other people, because it can be really scary at times. I have had some problems. I have trauma from homophobia. So, I think that's saying something. And I feel like if I was someone else, I would be more susceptible to that kind of stuff. I feel like I would be depressed, or maybe have suicidal thoughts. It could be very dangerous.

Crow: The social stigma is a big factor. But to a certain extent, the political instability surrounding LGBTQ+ rights like the right to same-sex marriage, is still so recent, and I feel like a lot of people may take for granted the fact that it's a recent thing. And that certain protections are recent and not really super accepted by politicians, for whom it's a new thing. But to us, it's commonplace, you know? And so that sort of dissonance between politicians who feel as though this is a new fangled concept: being queer and being open about that as youth. Whereas, with younger people, it's just a thing that has been around longer to some. At least to me, it's sort of been normalized since I was young, and I've only grown more accepting of it as I got older.

Genna Brown, (she/he), 15, North Carolina: I went to a school that was closer to me, but was more in the country. And the difference between the school I'm actually districted to and that school is like New York and Texas, I swear to God. Just, literally, a lot of ignorance. A lot of rednecks who, some of them, I don't know if they've ever seen or interacted with a queer person in their life based on how they treated me. I was getting called slurs pretty much every day. Nearly got into a few fights because after a while, there's only so much someone can take.

Spencer: Where did this happen and how did they come at you?

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Genna: They're pretty much in the hallways, in class changes, in the courtyard. Pretty much everywhere that a teacher wasn't immediately present, or where certain teachers weren't present. Because some teachers truly did not care.

Spencer: But how did that make you feel? Because it is hard to have that, it sounds constant. And in every corner of a school where you're supposed to technically feel safe.

Genna: Throughout the school year, I never really found myself wanting to hide more. But the annoyance did slowly start to turn into anger, which turned into I don't want to say rage but somewhere between anger and rage.

Diamond: I used to experience a lot of violence due to me identifying as a boy and wearing dresses and colorful things, and ooh sparkles.

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Spencer: Gosh, I'm sorry. And I want to say, I know we're talking about a lot of tough things here, guys. So if anyone needs to take a break or anything like that, that's okay. Gigi, how are you doing?

Gigi: Being an LGBTQ kid and living in a super suburban area, it's difficult because a lot of the people in my grade and in my school overall are homophobic, like really, really homophobic. I've been called slurs. I'm a lot more closeted now.

The impact of affirming parents

Spencer: That's awful. I'm sorry. Gigi. I do want to ask about affirming parents. All your parents gave consent for you to be in this interview and take part in it. What does it mean to you to have parents who accept you?

Liam: Its definitely a big relief when you know that your parents will support you. Because at least you know that if you have nowhere else to go, then you have a bed to go to. You have food on the table, and they won't push you away. My dad, he's pretty supportive, so I am glad about that.

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Genna: My parents were raised Southern Baptist, and it took a while to unlearn all of that. Converting away from Christianity and into Judaism has really helped our family a lot. My dad was always more set in his ways, but I did finally get him to a point of acceptance and tolerance, just not full-hearted support. Until, almost a year ago, he had a massive heart attack and stroke. And that brain damage kind of reversed all the work we had done to get him to that accepting, tolerant, supportive place. So, now I have a mom who loves me unconditionally, and a dad who calls me slurs whenever I mention that I'm gay, because he forgets that I'm gay. And then I tell him that I'm gay. And then he just goes through this whole revelation of, We're Christians. We don't do gay stuff. And we even have to remind him that we are not Christians. We have to remind him that he was at the point of being willing to go to a Pride parade just a year ago.

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How Trump's attacks on LGBTQ+ kids makes them feel

Spencer: Well, I do want to address the elephant in the room, which is President Trump has been in the office for just over a week now, officially. Trump did spend, with the GOP, upwards of $215 million on anti-transgender attack ads. He said he's going to get rid of so-called transgender insanity. And he's already passed many executive orders, some of them removing LGBTQ stuff and HIV stuff from the White House government pages. And obviously, you guys probably know, there were hundreds of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the state legislatures last year, many of them targeting queer kids. How does it make you feel when you have a president who is attacking LGBTQ rights in such an aggressive, and I would argue dehumanizing way, especially when you can't vote at your ages?

Crow: For me, it's definitely, very frightening. Especially because right now I'm 16, and so, I'm going to become an adult over the course of his presidency. And quite honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to get the gender-affirming care that I need when I turn 18, as I had planned. And it's really difficult, especially to plan for the future and have that lack of surety that I thought that I would.

Diamond: It just angers me that I feel like I just got some rights as a queer person, and now I'm seeing them being stripped away.

Liam: It also scares me because now, what if they try to take away the safe spaces we have in schools? One of the only places we could actually learn about LGBTQ history, or have a chance to meet other queer kids. And queer kids in schools are already scared enough to even join gay groups. I remember that when I first joined GSA in my freshman year, it was full of people. We were having fun. We did karaoke nights; we were vibing. And comparing it to now, we're lucky if we get at least five people showing up.

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Spencer: Why do you think it's become less attended?

Liam: Likely because students are becoming a lot more conservative towards themselves, and keep things to themselves for their own safety. Because I have had friends who have done that. I have friends who are like, I trust you with this information, but please don't tell anybody else. And joining a group like GSA, to a lot of people, means coming out in some sort of way. So, definitely that could be a factor.

Genna: In terms of the whole Trump presidency, you asked how we felt. In a word, just powerless. I mean, honestly, I don't know what I can do, especially considering that sometime Ill be evaporating, because there are only two sexes, according to our orange leader. And that is an executive decree. So, as a nonbinary person, I no longer legally exist.

Spencer: How does it make you feel that in the eyes of the federal government now, they don't believe that? They don't think that's real. They don't accept that. Because that is part of the executive order that Genna mentioned that just passed last week.

Crow: I don't know. It's just sort of it's frustrating. It feels irrational and unwarranted to do that. To remove X gender markings and to legally say that male and female are the only genders, and that it begins at conception, which already is incorrect wording and inaccurate wording. I don't see a reason behind it. And I personally feel like it comes more from a place of hate and a place of appeasement to more extremist views rather than any safeguard against society or any sort of moral values.

Genna: Definitely what you said. There is no point in that decree other than hatred. Alongside the new law that transgender people already are not, or will not, be able to serve in the military. That does not serve this country. If anything, it does the opposite. Why would you actively reduce the number of troops just because you don't like their gender? I mean, that is self-destruction at its finest.

Liam: I also want to add that as LGBTQ kids, you already don't feel heard enough. You don't feel like your parents are supporting you, or like other people dont support you, teachers, students. Society in general is looking down upon you. You don't feel heard because you can tell people your pronouns, you can tell people your preferred name, and they just completely dismiss that. So youre already feeling unheard. Now the government is completely just going, Screw you, you don't exist anymore and you get to have this. That makes everything a hundred times worse.

Trump's executive orders attacking trans kids

Spencer: So, I don't know if you know this, but just before we got on this call, President Trump signed another executive order aimed at essentially blocking gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 19. Here's the quote from the president in a statement: 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. And the order says that applies for pre-pubertal blockers, for hormones and for any surgeries. We're in a really unique position to be able to talk to six LGBTQ kids right nowwhat are your immediate reactions to that?

Liam: That's dangerous. There are young adults who are 18 or even 18 and lower. There are people who are already on hormones and were already going through these changes. Taking that away definitely has health risks to them, because now they have something that their body is used to, and now that is being ripped away from them just because of a law that's coming out of the blue.

Spencer: It could be medically dangerous, is what you're saying.

Liam: Yeah.

Crow: I feel like it really just loops back to what I just said, where it doesn't feel like this is coming from a place of any sort of logical standpoint.

Luke: It's just making me a lot more concerned for other kids out here, because it's not just now kids getting discriminated against and feeling like they don't belong. It's that they actually are getting these things that make them feel like themselves getting stripped away. And I look at my brother and how much these medications and surgeries have helped him and how much he can feel more safe and accepting of himself. If other kids can't get this, then they're not going be able to feel what thats like  happiness and acceptance of themselves.

Spencer: And what did you learn about being trans and the necessity for gender-affirming healthcare by watching your brother go through that journey himself?

Luke: I just saw more of him. Obviously, I knew him because he came out when he was, I don't know, ten? I mean, 12 or 13. It's just these past seven years, he's just grown up more and more and more and been able to really see what he's like, what he wants to be, being himself and growing into his own skin. He's more himself and I see more of him.

Spencer: When people, you know, adults, pooh-pooh the idea of gender-affirming health care for kids, what do you think that's about?

Crow: For a lot of politicians, not liking gender-affirming care comes from a place of disinformation or misinformation. Because a lot of the rhetoric involving gender-affirming care for minors is under the impression that minors are undergoing surgery, or minors are undergoing hormone replacement therapy, when in reality prepubescent children only go on hormone blockers, typically. And pubescent children will typically go on hormone replacement therapy. But no surgeries are really ever performed on minors. And if they are, it's typically older minors in America, like 16, 17. But nobody is doing top surgery or bottom surgery, or any sort of gender-affirming surgeries on ten-year-olds, on children. I understand why people might be scared. But the phrasing of mutilation and of ruining bodies is rooted in that misinformation. And so I feel like only through informing people on what gender-affirming care is and what it can be is how people will learn to understand that it's essential to people.

Liam: I also feel that dysphoria plays a large part in it. But like Crow said, it's not like they're taking middle schoolers and putting them in the hospital, just like, Here you go. Here, here's your transition. That's not how it works. It's an entire process, and not everything is immediate. And there are a lot of trans people and a lot of nonbinary people who don't transition at all. Because, I personally believe, as a transgender person, you can be transgender without getting surgeries.

Genna: It is terrifying that I could be forced to not find something that works for me because Trump thinks that everyone who receives gender-affirming care wants to mutilate their bodies.

When they knew they were LGBTQ+

Spencer: What age did you realize you were LGBTQ? Can you take me back to the first moment? How old were you and what was it that was like, Oh My Gosh, I think I'm gay, or I think I'm trans.

Luke: It was probably around middle school. It was kind of everyone was waiting for me to realize, my family kind already knew. And they were just waiting for me to realize. And I dont know if it was a certain thing. We have so much access to information on the Internet and social media. I think it's just seeing more topics and being more open. I just kind of saw it and realized that maybe it just would be more me.

Spencer: Yeah, I think a lot of people are like, Social contagion through YouTube. And I completely disagree with that argument. It's so good that folks, especially in rural or more remote places in the United States, have access to more representations. They can see themselves and then they're not closeted until their sixties, you know?

Crow: I expressed myself in a certain way and I presented myself in a certain way, but I didnt quite understand if my feelings were coming from Do I just like presenting myself like this, and these are things that made me feel that little bit more confident in my identity? or Do I present myself like this because I feel like a different gender? And then ultimately that led to a lot of self-reflection as how I classify myself and how I saw myself. And I must have been about 11 at that point. I already knew that I was bi, but I think it was 11. I very confidently was like, I'm not quite in either gender box.

Safe spaces and what makes them proud

Spencer: Love it. I want to shift into a more positive question, and it's going to sound like a cheesy question, but stay with me. So I think we talk a lot in the queer community about, safe spaces, right? And right now in America, schools aren't always safe spaces because there are certain laws and bills being passed. I want to know, as an LGBTQ kid or even just as a human being, what's your safe space?

Diamond: In my room I have a canopy bed with colorful curtains that I just close so that I can just be comfortable with only blankets and cushions. And at my school, one of the teachers made Rainbow Club, which is a gay safe space, like a gay club where you can come to chat with other LGBTQ people and just have fun and connect and share things.

Gigi: The high school I'm going to, I just went to go take a tour of it last Thursday. Basically, they have a GSA like the Gay Alliance, and there are two LGBTQ teachers in my high school that I'm going to, which are the choir teacher and the band teacher. They're married. So I feel like I can talk to them.

Genna: Why I'm proud to be queer? We make incredible music, dude. I mean, have you ever Chappell Roan?

Gigi: I was just about to mention that!

Genna: OK, yes. Literally!

Trump's Latest Executive Order Is Yet Another Attack on Trans Kids

Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling takes aim at trans students, educators who support them, and racial justice education.

Crow: For me, something I love about being in the LGBTQ community is just knowing myself and knowing who I am and being confident in that, and receiving love and support from other people who also see that in me, knowing myself for who I am. And only through being in the queer community did I truly experience that.

Luke: One of my favorite things would probably be just the immediate family and community that you have and just being able to be yourself without having any judgment from anybody. They're not going to judge you for who you are.

Gigi: So being on here it meant a lot because I get to meet people who have similar experiences, are also queer and are super cool overall.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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37,094 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?

37,094 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others?
BETHEL TWP., Ohio (WDTN)  A man was arrested for child pornography following the execution of a search warrant.

In Miami County, 69-year-old Michael Volz is facing charges of pandering obscenity involving a minor. This comes after officers executed a search warrant on Jan. 30 in the 8800 block of U.S. Route 40 in Bethel Township.

The search warrant was served after a thorough investigation into child pornography. Items seized during the search included computer hard drives, thumb drives, mobile devices and more.

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Volz was taken into custody without incident. More charges are expected to be filed as evidence is processed.

Volz remains in the Miami County Jail.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV)  Early Saturday afternoon, the Burton Fire District, MCAS Fire and Emergency Services, and Beaufort County EMS responded to a reported fire in the Lakeview Mobile Home Park off Joe Frazier Road in Burton.

Just after 1:00 p.m., emergency crews responded to a reported cooking fire in the Lakeview

Mobile Home Park off Joe Frazier Road. Fire crews arrived on scene to a single wide mobile home with smoke coming from the front door. Fire crews entered the home and found flames

burning on the stove and spreading up through the cabinets in the kitchen. Firefighters were

able to quickly extinguish the fire while searching the home for occupants but finding no one

inside.

Damage was confined to the stove and cabinets; however, there was smoke damage

throughout the home. Power to the home had to be shut off. A family of three adults and an

infant were displaced. Red Cross was notified to assist.

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The home had smoke alarms; however, they were old and did not operate. Burton fire officials

remind landlords and property owners that it is their responsibility by law to ensure that their

rentals have working smoke alarms and that they are properly placed.

The is the 6th structure fire this year for the Burton Fire District as South Carolina is in its

deadliest time of year for fires.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
DENVER (KDVR)  Several Venezuelan citizens who were unlawfully present in the United States were taken into custody by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Denver Field Division. The ATF had been conducting a months-long investigation involving firearms, drugs and human trafficking in the Denver area.

According to an arrest affidavit against defendant Jose Manuel Guerra-Caballero, a suspected member of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, the ATF was involved in several undercover purchases of firearms throughout the Denver area from October 2024 through January 2025.

DEA: Raid targeted organized crime, shows TdA moved around after facing heat in Aurora

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Throughout the investigation, Guerra-Caballero allegedly spoke with an undercover ATF agent about potentially purchasing drugs, including a variety of controlled substances like methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA and ketamine, as well as selling sex workers that were allegedly in every state in the United States  none of whom were older than 24 years old.

After purchasing drugs and 8 firearms, the ATF staged a drug deal where several armed suspects were taken into custody, along with an additional five firearms.

The operation was led by ATFs Denver Field Division, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.

The affidavit said the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration Customs and Enforcement, Deportation Officer confirmed that six suspects were unlawfully present in the United States and are Venezuelan citizens.

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Guerra-Caballero was taken into custody by law enforcement in Indiana and faces charges of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture, containing methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and aiding and abetting the same.

This is one of many arrests this week of suspected TdA gang members.

Several TdA arrests this week

On Sunday, Jan. 26, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration raided a makeshift nightclub associated with the Venezuelan gang in Adams County. ICE detained 49 people, of those, the DEA said 41 were living in the country illegally and many were connected to TdA.

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DEA arrests another suspected TdA gang member in Aurora as several operations underway

Overnight Tuesday, Jan. 28, the DEA took another suspect with potential ties to the Venezuelan gang into custody at The Edge at Lowery Apartment complex in Aurora, the same complex where other alleged members were said to have been living and carrying out crimes since August 2024.

These arrests come after TdA was in the national spotlight in August 2024 after a viral video showed members of the gang carrying weapons at the apartment complex. Since then, there have been several arrests of alleged gang members across the Denver metro within the past few months, including suspects facing charges of armed home invasion and kidnapping.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A round of restaurant closures hit the metro Detroit area in January for a variety of reasons.

Most closures took place within two weeks of their announcement. Several owners cited a tough economy, while others dealt with a health department order or a fire; hopefully, those are temporary.

A new concept is already planned to fill one of the restaurant closures.

Here are the metro Detroit restaurants that closed in January:

Bobcat Bonnies in Wyandotte

Bobcat Bonnie's will be open during the Wyandotte Street Art Fair

In 2024, Bobcat Bonnie's faced several issues and shuttered three of its seven locations. Owner Matt Buskard took to Facebook to announce the downtown Wyandotte location on Sycamore Street will close and serve its last customers on Jan. 26.

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Earlier in January, Buskard said the Wyandotte location would transition to a breakfast-and-brunch concept and stated if sales were good, theyd stay open. Bobcat Bonnies lasted eight years in Wyandotte.

More: Bobcat Bonnie's reaches settlement agreement with Ypsilanti workers

Public House in Ferndale

Owners of the Public House restaurant, in Ferndale for a dozen years, said the establishlment will close in February. Brian Kramer  owner of the Hometown Restaurant Group, which also owns One-Eyed Bettys, Pops For Italian and Tigerlily  cited a tough economy for the closing.

A Michigan restaurant chain, Sidecar Slider Bar, is expected to move into the space.

Grotto Pizzeria in Trenton

Grotto Pizzeria in Trenton will close Jan. 12 and new owners will take over.

Grotto Pizzeria and Tavern in Trenton shuttered in mid-January. This downriver spot served a variety of pizzas and sharable salads like antipasto salad and other Italian specialties.

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While owner Robert Sawyer said the decision to close was not made lightly according to a Facebook post announcing the closure, the post also mentioned that new owners are coming in with a new concept. Sawyer owned the restaurant for nearly five years, Sawyer bought Grotto from previous owner Chris Hancock in January 2020, just months before the pandemic.

More: Grotto Pizzeria in Trenton set to close Jan. 12 as new owners prepare restaurant revamp

Lue Thai Cafe in Dearborn

Lue Thai Cafe offered an extensive menu of a variety of Thai dishes from entrees to salads, appetizers and noodles and fried rice. The last day for the eatery at 22215 Michigan Ave. in West Dearborn was Jan. 17.

Lue Thai Cafe marked 10 years in Dearborn. Owner Sandrine Yang told the Free Press the building's lease was up and said it was time for a change.

A poured beer at Brew Detroit in the Tasting Room located at 1401 Abbott St. in Detroit at the former home of the Detroit Ball Bearing Company. The brewery has been open since April of 2013 and the Tasting Room opens officially from 4-10, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015.

Brew Detroit in Corktown

This contract brewer in Detroits Corktown neighborhood announced in early January that its taproom would close at the end of the month. Brew Detroit, noted for its specialized brews such as the Mexican lager Cerveza Delray, said the plan is to focus on production and distribution of its beers, plus those that they partner with. Brew Detroit opened in 2014 inside the 68,000-square-foot former Detroit Ball Bearing Co. and its taproom opened a year later with its own beer. In 2022 farm-to-table kitchen opened inside the taproom.

The Auburn Cafe has been serving up taverna-style Greek fare in Ecorse since 1982.

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Auburn Cafe in Ecorse (temporarily)

This downriver staple and longtime family-owned restaurant caught fire Jan. 10 and suffered significant damage.The restaurant at 3520 W. Jefferson in Ecorse is well-known for its many Greek-style dishes, lamb chops and lemon potatoes, and has been in business more than four decades. A GoFundMe page has been set up for its staff.

In 2019, Auburn Cafe was featured as one of the "9 definitive Downriver restaurants," by the Free Press' then restaurant critic, Mark Kurlyandchik.

Checker Bar in Detroit (temporarily)

Checker Bar in downtown Detroit's Cadillac Square area suffered damage from an early morning fire on Jan. 14. A post on the Checker Bar Facebook page said the fire started in the basement's electrical room and "due to what appears to have been an explosion originating outside of the building."

The fire came at a time when downtown Detroit experienced more foot traffic from the Detroit Auto Show at Huntington Place and the Detroit Lions' playoff game against the Washington Commanders at Ford Field.

Lafayette Coney Island (temporarily)

Lafayette Coney Island is temporarily closed because of a rodent infestation.

For the second time, famed Lafayette Coney Island in downtown Detroit was shut down by the city of Detroit Health Department. The problem? Rats  again.

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Lafayette Coney Island closed voluntarily after a visit on Jan. 24 from the Detroit Health Department. Denise Fair Razo, Detroit's chief public health officer, told the Free Press her team visited the restaurant after a consumer complained about seeing rats while dining.

Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: These 8 metro Detroit restaurants closed in January 2025
An 87-year-old man accused of following a child home from school was arrested on a public indecency charge, according to a spokesperson with the Marion Police Department.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Marion police received a complaint about a suspicious white Hyundai that followed a student home from Grant Middle School on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

TRENDING STORIES:

While investigating, the police department increased patrols at and around the middle school on Thursday to make sure students were safe.

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A Flock camera helped officers identify the suspect, the spokesperson said.

The Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Crawford County Sheriffs Office arrested Wayne Lee Barrows, 87, of Bucyrus, on a parole violation.

According to the spokesperson, officers traveled to Crawford County and interviewed Barrows, who was later charged with felony public indecency.

Barrow was transported and booked into the Marion Multi-County Corrections Center.

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Jan. 31AUSTIN  Governor Greg Abbott on Friday issued a ban prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and social media apps affiliated with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on government-issued devices.

"Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps," said Abbott. "To achieve that mission, I ordered Texas state agencies to ban Chinese government-based AI and social media apps from all state-issued devices. State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors."

Governor Abbott also ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Department of Information Resources to add the following technologies to the state's prohibited technologies list, which prohibits state employees and contractors from downloading and using these apps on state-owned or personal devices used for work:

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 RedNote

 DeepSeek

 Webull

 Tiger Brokers

 Moomoo

 Lemon8

Two months ago, Governor Abbott issued four directives to Texas state agencies to protect Texans from the PRC and the CCP:

 Directing all state agencies and public institutions of higher education to harden state systems and safeguard critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information from being accessed

 Directing DPS to target and arrest any criminals executing CCP influence operations like "Operation Fox Hunt" to forcibly return dissidents to China

 Directing the Texas Division of Emergency Management and Public Utility Commission of Texas to prepare for potential threats against Texas' critical infrastructure

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 Directing Texas state agencies to fully divest from China

In 2022, Governor Abbott ordered all Texas state agencies to ban the use of TikTok on any government-issued devices to protect against the growing threat of the Chinese Communist Party gaining access to critical U.S. information and infrastructure. The Governor also announced a statewide model security plan in 2023 for Texas state agencies to address vulnerabilities presented by the use of TikTok and other software on personal and state-issued devices. Additionally, the Texas Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law Senate Bill 1893 prohibiting the use of TikTok and other covered social media apps on government-issued devices.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) banned state officials from using Chinese-owned technology such as DeepSeek and RedNote on government devices Friday.

Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our states critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps, Abbott said in a press release. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors.

In recent weeks, DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup, and RedNote, a short-form video social media app, have surged in popularity across the country as concerns about Chinese-owned tech continue to escalate following TikToks short-lived ban in the U.S.

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State agencies and employees responsible for handling critical infrastructure, intellectual property, and personal information must be protected from malicious espionage operations by the Chinese Communist Party, Abbott added in the release.

President Trump called DeepSeeks newfound hold in the country a wakeup call.

The release of DeepSeek, AI from a Chinese company, should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win, he told House Republicans at their annual policy retreat earlier this week.

Meanwhile, former Google CEO Eric Schmitt called the AI startups burst onto the scene a turning point in the global artificial intelligence race.

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There is clearly mounting pressure on Americas Big Tech players if DeepSeek can compete with them using far fewer resources, he wrote in an op-ed.

However, DeepSeek has largely been dismissed by other tech leaders. OpenAI creator Sam Altman claimed the AI models impact has been wildly overstated while Metas Mark Zuckerberg voiced confidence in his own companys AI work.

RedNote, also barred by Abbott in the order, was among the top free downloads in Apples U.S. app store the week TikToks court ordered ban was slated to come into effect.

Abbott previously banned TikTok from government devices in 2022.

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Other apps included in the Texas ban include Webull, Tiger Brokers, Moomoo and Lemon8.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to state agencies Thursday, in which he said that Texas would follow President Donald Trumps executive order declaring a sex binary.

A world without us has never existed: Transgender Texans react to Trump gender mandate

This office has consistently reiterated a simple truth: The State of Texas recognizes only two sexes, Abbott wrote. [Trumps order] confirms what my office has repeatedly stressed before.

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Abbotts letter can be read below. This article continues after.

State_Agency_Heads_01.30.25Download

Trumps Jan. 20 executive order provided its own definition for the sexes:

Female means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell.

Male means a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell.

Related: DPS director asks Paxton for guidance on sex marker changes

However, neither the U.S. or Texas have a legal definition of male or female. Both the Texas Legislature and U.S. Congress have pending legislation to define the two sexes as immutable characteristics.

What does it mean for Texans?

Abbott ended the letter by ordering state agencies to follow state and federal laws. Currently, state and federal law do not prohibit transgender people from using restrooms, updating their ID or dressing how they want to dress.

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Transgender people, allies rally against Trump orders at Austin Capitol

KXAN has asked the Governors Office about how the order will impact Texans state-issued ID, name changes, employment and freedom of expression.

In his letter, Abbott also called out Travis County courts for their issuance of sex marker changes.

These instructions were not grounded in any recognized state cause of action, were issued in proceedings where no agency was a party, and contradicted both statutory law and biological reality, he wrote.

While Texas law hasnt allowed for sex marker changes on state-issued IDs, it does allow for name changes. Name change filings in Texas do not require a state agency to be a party to proceedings, nor does it restrict what name a person can choose.

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As for employment, the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in Bostock still stands  bias due to sexual orientation or gender expression is discrimination on the basis of sex. That ruling extended Title VII protections under the Civil Rights Act to cover LGBTQ+ status.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, the Governors Office has not yet replied to KXANs questions about the letter.

ACLU, TENT respond to letter

The ACLU of Texas responded to Abbotts letter in a statement to KXAN Friday:

To state that there are only two sexes or two genders does not make it true, said the civil rights group. Intersex people and transgender people respectively disprove these claims simply by existing, and we deserve protection from discrimination.

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Largest ever survey of transgender Americans shows high satisfaction with gender transition

Landon Richie, a policy coordinator with the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), said that the letter was riddled with disinformation and blatant lies.

Its clear that the new administration and Texas leadership are on the same page and working in lockstep to achieve their goal, their desire to remove trans people from public life through force, he said. By releasing this letter, Governor Abbott is intentionally inciting fear and hoping to cause confusion, chaos, concern and fear among people. The sheer volume of attack is intended to elicit those very reactions and to make everything very unstable and very confusing.

Richie added that the letter, and the executive order it mimics, are wish lists that dont immediately change the rules for transgender people. But restrictions on the freedoms of trans Texans will be coming.

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The Texas government and this new administration have defined a clear mission to enforce discrimination and endorse whatever violence may follow, he said. We are being used as scapegoats to distract everybody else from the real, real issues impacting themthe way that our government is actively making peoples lives worse, instead of taking steps to improve peoples quality of life.

Anti-transgender laws increase youth suicide attempts, study says

State repression, violence and threats to transgender people arent anything new, Richie noted. But he wants trans people in Texas to remember that gender-expansive people have always existed beyond what a bureaucracy can hold and that legal protection is relatively new.

We are no stranger to this in Texas, especially, and we come from a long and rich history of Trans-cestors who were known for their unapologetic fight and we follow in that struggle, he said. As we have in the past, we will outlive transphobia.

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Transgender and intersex people have always existed and always will. Our incredible history shows that no press release, law, or other attempt to render us invisible can change that, ALCU-Texas said. Trans and intersex people of all ages and races deserve a Texas that will not only recognize us, but protect, welcome, and support us.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Actor Alan Cumming condemned the absolutely heinous moves the Trump administration has made against transgender Americans.

I cant imagine what it must be like to be a trans person, knowing that the government is trying to legislate that you do not exist, the Traitors host and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate said on The View this week.

I just think its awful. And what kind of country are we in where we take rights away from people? Do you know what I mean? What is going on?

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Upon his return to office, President Donald Trump signed a blitz of executive orders, including crackdowns on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and the removal of protections for transgender people.

Earlier this week, he signed an order aimed at cutting federal support for gender health care for people under 19, resulting in multiple hospitals around the country halting care in order to comply with the order. He also signed an executive order targeting gender ideology in schools, and another requiring federal documents to reflect sex assigned at birth.

Cumming noted that transgender people have been targeted by conservative policies and rhetoric for years. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there were more than 500 bills introduced across the country targeting LGBTQ people in 2024, including restrictions on trans peoples health care, access to bathrooms and ability to update their legal documents.

Still, Cumming said hes been appalled by recent moves made by the new president.

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People are hoarding their medication because they are scared theyre not going to be able to get it again, Cumming said. Its just a terrible, terrible situation.

And, of course, [targeting] the easiest marginalized group and making it about things like toilets, he added. Its not about that. Thats a smokescreen to hide the other terrible things they want to do to us.

Related...
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW)  Two people are found dead, including a child, and another adult and child were taken to the hospital after a house fire.

It happened in the 1000 block of E. 3rd Ave. around 3:20 a.m. Saturday.

In a joint press release from the Hutchinson Fire Department and Police Department, it says a neighbor reported people were in the basement. When firefighters arrived, they found a child standing in front of the home. EMS began providing care to the child.

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Firefighters say smoke was coming from the home and they found a hole in the floor. They discovered three people in the basement, including an adult and a child who had died, and another adult. The stairs had been damaged by the fire.

Philadelphia mayor confirms 7 dead, including one on the ground, in medical transport jet crash

The adult, pulled from the basement, and the child, found outside the home, were taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. Hutchinson police say the child was stable and the adult was seriously injured. No ages for any of the individuals have been released.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal is also investigating, and the press release said the Hutchinson Police Department is the primary contact in the case. Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Reno County Crime Stoppers at 620-694-2666 or call Hutchinson Police at 620-694-2816 and reference the case number 2025-4633.

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KSN will update as we learn more about this developing story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Special assistant attorneys general Joseph Quinn and Daniel Gaustad listen to testimony Jan. 27, 2025, during a trial examining the constitutionality of North Dakota's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)

Two endocrinologists whose testimony has been disputed in other cases testified Friday in defense of North Dakotas ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Paul Hruz and Michael Laidlaw are outspoken advocates against using medications like puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat people with gender dysphoria. Theyve appeared in courtrooms across the country as expert witnesses in legal battles examining the legitimacy of transgender medical care.

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North Dakota hired Hruz and Laidlaw to bolster its case in a trial over a 2023 law barring health care professionals from providing gender-affirming care to anyone under 18.

The lawsuit is brought by Luis Casas, a North Dakota pediatric endocrinologist who says the law is an unconstitutional infringement upon equal protection and personal autonomy rights under the state constitution. Hes bringing the case on behalf of himself, as well as his current and future patients.

On Friday, both Hruz and Laidlaw said they believe doctors like Casas are overselling the safety and effectiveness of using puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat adolescents with gender dysphoria.

Hruz and Laidlaw said they do not prescribe puberty blockers and hormones for gender-affirming care, since they both believe the practice is unethical.

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Attorneys for the plaintiffs questioned why they are holding themselves out as experts on transgender health care if they do not practice it.

Hruz and Laidlaw countered that their testimony is based on their personal experience as endocrinologists, as well as their review of the existing medical research on the subject.

They said their knowledge about how hormones guide growth and development gives them serious reservations about gender-affirming care. They also said that they could not find long-term, comprehensive research supporting the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy for adolescents with gender dysphoria. There also arent any medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for treating gender dysphoria in minors.

Generally, when there is lower-quality evidence, there is much more caution in making recommendations, said Hruz, a pediatric endocrinologist and an associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

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Experts called by plaintiffs earlier in the trial did not deny the lack of gold-standard research testing the effects of gender-affirming medications on minors.

Many mainstream medications are prescribed without high-quality clinical research testing their effects, they said. The plaintiffs experts testified that robust research is sometimes impossible to conduct due to funding and ethical constraints, especially in the area of pediatric care. They also said the majority of existing research on gender-affirming care suggests it works. Four doctors with personal experience treating transgender kids also testified that some patients cannot live happy, well-adjusted lives without gender-affirming medication.

According to Casas, there arent any unique risks to prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria. He continues to prescribe these medications to adolescents for other medical conditions.

Hruz said this fails to take physiological differences into account. One cannot assume that prescribing testosterone to a transgender boy would pose the same risks as prescribing testosterone to a cisgender boy, he said.

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He also expressed concerns about the effect of puberty blockers on brain development.

An attorney for the plaintiff countered that puberty blockers have been used to treat gender dysphoria since the 1990s, and are still generally accepted as safe.

Laidlaw, an adult endocrinologist who runs a clinic in California, testified that transgender girls and boys put on cross-sex hormones could be at risk for conditions including high red blood cell counts, heart disease, diabetes and infertility.

We have no idea whats going to happen to their bones, to their reproductive tracts, to their heart, to their livers, he said.

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Casas testified that he discloses all known possible health risks to all his patients and their parents before they start gender-affirming medical treatment. This is standard practice for all pediatric endocrinologists who treat transgender patients, he said.

Laidlaw said adolescents cannot be expected to understand the implications of these risks when agreeing to treatment.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs said some courts have openly criticized the quality of previous testimony offered by Hruz and Laidlaw, finding that they do not have expertise in transgender health care or that their views are too ideologically motivated.

Hruz and Laidlaw joined three other doctors who argued against the use of gender-affirming medical treatment for minors in a friend-of-the-court brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.

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In the brief, the group of doctors called gender dysphoria a delusion.

There is no scientific or medical support for treating gender dysphoric children in accordance with their gender identity rather than their sex, they wrote.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs said the stance presented by Hruz and Laidlaw is an outlier in the medical community. More than a dozen American medical associations have put out statements endorsing the safety and effectiveness of using gender-affirming care to treat gender dysphoria in adolescents, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychiatric Association and the Endocrine Society, they said.

Hruz said the statements were approved by small committees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the associations membership. He said hes heard from colleagues that American medical associations have worked to suppress the opinions of members who question the legitimacy of gender-affirming treatments.

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Hruz openly questioned why the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which doctors look to for standards of care, has done away with recommending age minimums for gender-affirming medical procedures, for example. He said this is evidence the organization is not scientifically honest.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health has also been criticized by President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday signed an executive order to limit medical treatment options for transgender children and adults under the age of 19.

In the executive order, Trump singled out the associations health care guidelines as junk science.

Its the latest in a string of orders handed down by the administration seeking to restrict the rights of transgender people at the federal level.

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Three North Dakota families with transgender children were previously plaintiffs alongside Casas, but South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren ruled earlier this month that they dont have standing to bring the challenge. Some of the former plaintiffs testified in the trial earlier this week.

The ban also forbids minors from receiving gender-affirming surgeries, but those procedures werent performed on minors in North Dakota before the ban.

The trial resumes Monday and is expected to wrap up mid-week. It is a court trial, meaning the judge will issue a verdict.

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(TELLER COUNTY, Colo.)  An affidavit obtained by FOX21 News alleges 77-year-old Lacey Tillitt intentionally set fire to her home after a dispute with her insurance company, sparking the Highland Lakes fire.

According to the affidavit, on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at around 4:15 p.m., Detective Yakel with the Teller County Sheriffs Office (TCSO) was called to 13 Beaver Lake Circle in the town of Divide for a fire investigation.

Mugshot of Lacey Tillitt

Detective Yakel spoke with Tillitt who said she had been burning cardboard boxes inside her home in a wood-burning stove to get rid of them, and not for warmth as she was living in a trailer parked outside the home. Tillitt told the detective that she opened the stove to burn more cardboard when somehow the fire came out of the stove and caught a nearby couch on fire. Tillitt said she tried to put it out but was unsuccessful so she got her dogs out of the home. The detective asked her how long ago the fire started but Tillitt responded she didnt know, replying maybe half an hour ago.

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While the detective was talking with Tillitt he saw the house fully engulfed and the fire began to spread to the nearby grasslands and forest, coming within 100 feet of nearby homes. The fire would burn a total of 166 acres and threaten other homes in the area. The affidavit said a later investigation showed the approximate value of the three nearby homes was $1,585,100.

Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: Teller County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: Teller County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: Black Forest Fire Courtesy: Colorado Springs Fire Department Courtesy: Teller County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: Teller County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Cora Mitchell Courtesy: Divide Fire Protection District Courtesy: Divide Fire Protection District Courtesy: Divide Fire Protection District

During the detectives investigation, where he collected witness statements, video evidence, and other evidence, he learned Tillitt had been involved in a lengthy dispute with her insurance provider, American National Insurance, and that she blamed her provider for her house being in a state of disrepair.

The detective got a Court Ordered Document Request for her records and learned in December of 2022, Tillitt had filed a claim about water damage in the home. Between December 2022 and May 2023, her conversations with American National were cordial and about Tillitt seeking help with her claim. In May 2023, Tillitt was given notice that her insurance was canceled.

The cancellation notice provided to the detective by the insurance provider said Tillitts home was a fire hazard due to the large amount of debris inside the home, and brush and vegetation outside the home had not been mitigated. The affidavit states that after the cancellation, Tillitts conversations with the provider became irate, irrational, aggressive, and often hysterical.

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The detective claims that most of the conversations centered around Tillitts belief that her provider was not addressing her claim, fixing her home, or providing her shelter, while she believed her home to be uninhabitable.

On Feb. 12, 2024, the detective said there were four recorded conversations between Tillitt and American National. In these conversations, Tillitt made about seven statements about setting her home on fire. One direct quote from Tillitt Im building a scenario in my head, of starting a fire in my housethanks to American National.

The detective noted that Tillitt was upset with her claims adjustor and she became irate whenever she was directed to him for answers to her questions.

According to the affidavit, on May 31, 2024, TCSO Deputy Salmons called Tillitt to check up on her. During Deputy Salmonss conversation with Tillitt, she said Just ignore the calls, Im okay, unless you see my house burning. The Deputy said he was trying to prevent that but Tillitt quickly changed the subject without clarifying if she was serious or not.

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On June 10, 2024, Tillitt called American National about 30 times, being irate during most of the conversations. The affidavit said Tillitt believed she had to leave her home, or that no work had been done on her home. She was told by American National that any requests would have to be submitted in writing, but she continued to call. On June 13, 2024, Tillitt called and said she spent April and May in her home, in a disgraceful condition, with no flooring, everything piled like a bonfire in the middle of the living room and bedroom.

Tillitt continued to call, demanding her problems be resolved and complaining that no one was helping her. On Aug. 22, 2024, she called trying to get the location of her claims adjustor, claiming to be in Dallas, Texas. She was able to ascertain where the Claims Adjustor was and said she was on her way. The affidavit states that the detective learned Tillitt had driven to Springfield, Missouri to confront the Claims Adjustor, which resulted in police being called and an injunction/restraining order being filed against Tillitt.

The detective said around July and August, Tillitt was getting notices of the pending foreclosure of her home. On Oct. 25, three days before the fire, Tillitt called American National saying she was living in her trailer, that she had been told by TCSO that she couldnt live in the trailer. She demanded several times to know why her policy was canceled. The detective noted Tillitt was hysterical throughout the conversation, when asked to submit a request in writing she began crying and saying she could not do so.

Why didnt my insurance company protect me? Why did they help to take my home away, Tillitt said, according to the affidavit. This is an act of God.

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Tillitt ended the conversation yelling and screaming hysterically, according to the detective.

After the fire on Oct. 29, Tillitt called American National and told them her house had burned down. The foreclosure on the home was scheduled for Sept. 9 but got rescheduled several times to Oct. 30, two days after the fire.

The detective said after a review of the recorded phone conversations and documents, investigators concluded that it was probable that Tillitt knowingly and recklessly set fire to her home. The detective points to the seven statements to American National about burning her house down and the conversation with the TCSO deputy.

A fire investigator with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control conducted an investigation and said An intentional fire start hypothesis cannot be ruled out. The fire investigator said he could not exclude the possibility of the intentional act of arson as they had been unable to interview Tillitt.

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The detective requested probable cause be found to charge Tillitt with Fourth Degree Arson.

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Faced with declining membership, aging buildings and large, underutilized properties, many U.S. houses of worship have closed their doors in recent years. Presbyterian minister Eileen Linder has argued that 100,000 churches may close in the next few decades.

But some congregations are using their land in new ways that reflect their faith  a focus of my urban planning research. Some are repurposing their property to provide affordable housing, as the housing crisis intensifies across the country.

Take Arlington Presbyterian Church in Arlington, Virginia. In 2016, the church sold its historic stone building to the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing to construct a 6-story complex with 173 apartments, known as Gilliam Place. The building still houses space for the congregation, as well as La Cocina, a bilingual culinary job training facility and cafe. In Austin, Texas, St. Austin Catholic Parish is partnering with a developer to build a 29-story tower providing 200 beds of affordable student housing, in addition to new spaces for ministry.

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Other houses of worship are pursuing similar projects today.

Same mission, new projects

Faith-based organizations have been building housing for many years, but generally by purchasing additional property. In recent years, however, more houses of worship are building affordable housing on the same property as the sanctuary.

This can be done in a variety of ways. Some congregations adapt the existing sanctuary and other faith-owned buildings, while others demolish existing buildings to construct a new development, which may or may not have space for the congregation. Another option is to build on excess property, like a parking lot.

Depending on how a development deal is structured, a faith-based organization may receive proceeds from the sale of its land, or from leasing their property to a developer  funds which they can then spend on ministry or on a new space for worship. If a new development includes space for the congregation, sometimes they rent out those spaces when the space is not being used for worship, which can also financially benefit the congregation.

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Faith-based organizations often see these projects as a way to do Gods work. In some instances, they include community services beyond the housing itself.

Homeless people wait in line for a meal served by a community organization outside Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in 2017, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

Near Los Angeles, the Episcopal Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Placentia partnered with a nonprofit affordable housing developer  National Community Renaissance, also called National CORE  to develop 65 units for older people. The complex also includes a 1,500 square foot (140 square meter) community center. The citys diocese has a goal of building affordable housing on 25% of its 133 properties.

For some congregations, these are mission-driven projects rooted in social justice.

In Washington, D.C., Emory United Methodist Church redeveloped its property and constructed The Beacon Center  which has 99 affordable housing units, community spaces, and a commercial kitchen that provides job training for recently incarcerated people  while preserving the sanctuary. In Seattle, the Nehemiah Initiative is working with Black churches in the Central District, a historically African American neighborhood, to redevelop its properties into affordable housing to keep residents from being displaced.

Potential to evolve

Churches have also experimented with different housing models.

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In St. Paul, Minnesota, the Mosaic Christian Community, which is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene, partnered with an organization called Settled to construct tiny homes on church property, including a bed, loft, kitchen and small closet. Peace Presbyterian Church in Eugene, Oregon, sold its property to the affordable housing nonprofit SquareOne Villages to develop Peace Village, a 70-unit development.

Peace Village uses a hybrid ownership structure that combines a limited-equity cooperative with a community land trust, and separates the cost of land from the cost of housing. SquareOne owns the land, but leases the land to the cooperative and then leases or sells housing to its members, who also manage the land  a partnership meant to keep the land affordable.

As states and cities struggle to provide affordable housing, studies have been conducted from Nashville to New York City on the amount of land faith organizations own, and their potential as housing partners.

Unhoused residents sleep at the entrance of a church in downtown Austin, Texas, on December 18, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

In the D.C. metro area, for example, the Urban Institute found almost 800 vacant parcels owned by religious organizations. In California, a report from the Terner Center at University of California, Berkeley found approximately 170,000 potentially developable acres of land owned by religious organizations and nonprofit colleges and universities.

Legal reforms

Houses of worship trying to build housing can run into a number of challenges, including zoning. Some congregations face difficulties changing zoning codes to a new land use, minimizing parking requirements, or increasing housing density.

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In response, many states and municipalities have reformed laws and ordinances. Washington State legislators approved a bill in April 2019 that gives religious organizations a density bonus for building 100% affordable housing on faith property  which permits an increase in the allowable number of units constructed. The same year, San Diego reduced or in some instances removed parking requirements for organizations building affordable housing in areas near public transportation hubs.

In October 2023, California lawmakers passed a bill to permit religious organizations and higher education institutions to bypass local permitting processes in order to build affordable housing on their property.

In March 2024, at the federal level, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio introduced the Yes, in Gods Backyard Act. His YIGBY proposal would provide technical assistance to faith organizations interested in building affordable housing.

YIGBY vs. NIMBY

Another challenge facing houses of worship that want to develop affordable housing is community opposition.

West Park Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. The congregations hopes to demolish the 19th-century building have spurred controversy. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey

In addition to being spiritual centers, houses of worship can be important neighborhood anchors that provide social services and space for community events. They can be aesthetically pleasing and sometimes historically significant.

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In New York City, for example, West-Park Presbyterian Church has been battling the community for almost a decade over its desire to redevelop the property. The historic church is a designated historic landmark, and requires millions of dollars in repairs, which the congregation says it cannot provide.

Instead, the congregation would like to build a mixed-use facility that would include housing, as well as space for the congregation to continue providing arts programs and community activities. Under the citys landmark regulations, however, a designated property cannot be demolished or altered.

Even when a redevelopment project faces no legal barriers, finding the needed skills or funding can be difficult. Nonprofit housing intermediaries such as Enterprise and the Local Initiative Support Corporation have formed technical assistance programs for organizations that want to create affordable housing, including houses of worship. Other nonprofit groups like Bricks and Mortals, Partners for Sacred Places and the Faith Leadership Campus, which is sponsored by Trinity Church Wall Street, also provide advice on the development process.

Despite the challenges, many houses of worship are constructing housing and changing the way people think about faith-based organizations role in their communities.

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When thinking about the redevelopment process, Arlington Presbyterian member Jon Etherton told me, the call from God to create, do something about affordable housing was bigger than the building itself.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Nadia A. Mian, Rutgers University

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Nadia A. Mian receives funding from The Louisville Institute and Villanova University.
Uganda has confirmed on January 30 its first death from Ebola since the 2023 outbreak was declared over, with a male nurse succumbing to the disease in Kampala.

The 32-year-old nurse, who worked at the Mulago National Specialised Hospital, tested positive for the Sudan strain of Ebola after seeking treatment at several hospitals and consulting a traditional healer.

Health officials reported that the nurse died on Wednesday January 29, and his death marks the first case of the disease in Uganda since the previous outbreak ended.

Health Ministry officials, led by Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine, have assured the public that rapid response teams have been deployed and contact tracing is underway to prevent further spread of the virus. Atwine, sharing updates via social media, confirmed that all necessary measures are in place and the situation is under control. However, the densely populated city of Kampala, home to approximately 4 million people, presents significant challenges in tracing and isolating potential contacts. As of now, 44 contacts have been identified, including 30 other healthcare workers who were in close proximity to the deceased nurse.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged its support to Ugandas containment efforts, allocating $1 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies. Ebola, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials. Healthcare workers and family members caring for the sick are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. While Ebolas fatality rate typically hovers around 50%, it has fluctuated between 25% and 90% in different outbreaks. The global health community is closely monitoring the situation as Uganda works to contain this new threat.
AI company Safe Pro Group has signed a multi-year agreement with Ukrainian agricultural company Nibulon to deploy AI-powered drones for detecting landmines in farmland, BusinessWire reported on Jan. 31.

Ukraines Ministry of Economy estimates that over 139,300 square kilometers of land are potentially contaminated with explosives from the ongoing war, with clearance efforts expected to take over a decade and cost $35 billion.

The partnership will use Safe Pros SpotlightAI platform, hosted on Amazon Web Services, to survey affected farmland more efficiently.

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War-related farmland abandonment has already led to $2 billion in lost crops.

Safe Pros AI has processed over 931,000 drone images, identifying more than 18,000 explosive remnants across 10,500 acres, significantly speeding up mine detection.

Nibulon, headquartered in Mykolaiv, stands as the sole company in the country's agriculture sector equipped with a proprietary fleet and shipyard.

Specializing in the export of grains like wheat, barley, and corn, Nibulon is a prominent player in the industry.

Ukraine remains the worlds most mined country.

Read also: China is Russias sole supplier of key military-use rare metals amid sanctions, RFE/RL reports

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A Nashville school district invested about $1 million in AI gun identification software, the school district said, leaving some to wonder what went wrong in detecting a school shooter in the halls.

More than a week ago, 17-year-old Solomon Henderson carried out a shooting inside Antioch High School in suburban Nashville, killing a classmate and wounding another. Henderson died after turning the gun on himself, police said.

The gun detection system at the school failed to detect Hendersons weapon during the January 22 shooting because he was too far away from the surveillance cameras used to identify a weapon and activate an alarm, according to district officials. Meanwhile, the systems CEO says the gun could not be detected because it was not visible.

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The gun detection technology, called Omnilert, was deployed at all the schools in the district in February 2024 to bolster security, a spokesperson for Metro Nashville Public Schools told CNN.

Using AI technology, the system can identify a gun threat before shots are fired so local law enforcement can respond more quickly, and purportedly, prevent a tragedy from happening, according to the companys website. But its only one tool that can be used in conjunction with other measures.

Omnilerts software is relatively new and doesnt work perfectly all the time, according to the companys CEO, Dave Fraser, who earlier expressed his condolences to the school and community. And while there is no harm in implementing the technology if a school board can spare the cash, gun safety and surveillance experts say there is no concrete evidence gun detection software is effective at preventing school shootings.

Heres how the technology works, what experts say went wrong and whether prevention is possible.

How does the technology work?

As the constant threat of mass shootings persists, school districts across the United States have invested countless dollars into safety measures to keep would-be shooters out of the classroom  a crime prevention technique known as target hardening.

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Gun detection software, like Omnitech, is the latest target hardening resource to hit the market, said Chad Marlow, a senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union who focuses on privacy and school surveillance technology issues.

Theres no intervention that is guaranteed to prevent a school shooting. If so, wed all be using it, Marlow told CNN. But there are some that may have a positive benefit.

At most schools, surveillance cameras are used to keep an eye on any possible threats, according to Fraser. While helpful, these cameras are only useful after a tragedy has occurred and footage is used to work out how the incident unfolded, he added.

Comparatively, the AI technology used in Omnilerts Gun Detect software is trained to watch surveillance video for weapons in real time, Fraser told CNN in an emailed statement. These cameras are monitored by AI technology 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said. CNN asked the company how many school districts are using the product but has not heard back.

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If a gun becomes visible it is detected in less than a second and the detection information  a picture and a short video of the person with the potential gun, the location of the camera and the building  is sent to a human to make a verification that this is a real threat, Fraser told CNN by email.

In most cases, the technology initiates an emergency response in less than 20 seconds after a weapon is detected, Fraser said. Ideally, authorities get to the school before shots are fired, he added.

At the very least it provides actionable information for staff and law enforcement to help them react to the situation, including knowing the exact location of the assailant, Fraser added.

Students protest during a Rally For Antioch at the Tennessee State Capitol on January 27, following a shooting at Antioch High School near Nashville, Tennessee. - Mark Zaleski/The Tennessean/USA Today Network/Imagn Images

What went wrong at Antioch

For the AI technology to work, the cameras must be able to see the gun  it cannot be concealed.

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Metro Nashville Public Schools approved its two-year contract with Omnilert in March 2023, according to Sean Braisted, a school district spokesperson. Later that month, six people were killed in a shooting at The Covenant School, a private, Christian school in Nashville, about 10 miles from Antioch.

In the case of The Covenant School and other similar shootings, where the armed intruder came from outside of the building or walked the halls with the weapon brandished, Braisted said Omnilerts technology would have been activated and improved police or administrative response.

But, in the Antioch shooting, it appears Hendersons gun was not brandished  or at least not long enough to trigger an alert from Omnilert. Based on the shooters position and location relative to our cameras, the system was not activated by his weapon, Braisted told CNN in an email.

While the gun was not visible to surveillance cameras, Fraser stressed, the system did not misidentify the weapon in this case.

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This is not an issue of malfunction despite the attempts to discredit the functioning of the system or stir up controversy, he told CNN in an emailed statement. To detect a gun, the camera must be able to see the gun, he said, adding the gun was not visible.

Is prevention possible?

AI gun-detecting technologies like Omnilert have zero chance of actually preventing a school shooting, according to Marlow from the ACLU.

It fails from a technological standpoint, that its very inaccurate in identifying weapons, and it fails in a practical sense, in that even if it worked perfectly, it stands close to zero chance of being able to get someone to intervene before a tragedy occurs, and thats the big fraud at play here, Marlow told CNN.

Omnilerts CEO called the fraud claims counterproductive to the mission at hand which is the protection of our most precious resource: the life of our children, he wrote.

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The main issue with the technology, Marlow argues, is its inability to work if a gun is not visible to the systems surveillance cameras. In many cases, shooters conceal weapons with a backpack or a jacket, he added.

The only time that that weapon is actually going to be visible to a camera is when the person planning to use it decides to actually take it out of where its being concealed from, Marlow said. In most cases, thats going to be done very shortly before it is used.

False positives are also common, Marlow said, as these types of systems have been known to misidentify broomsticks as rifles, and rulers for knives.

Omnilerts CEO maintains the systems effectiveness, saying, Like any system, it is not perfect, and has never claimed to be. Its also not a singular solution to the challenge of gun violence.

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If a technology is capable of detecting a gun before it is brought into a school, then it may be an intuitive choice for school districts, according to Marc Zimmerman, codirector of the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at the University of Michigan. I mean, why not? Why not use them if theyre not too expensive and they can be applied, he said.

There isnt one solution

Unlike school shooting prevention measures that are backed by data  such as mental health counseling  there is no data that proves the effectiveness of gun detection software in preventing school shootings, as the technology is too new, according to Marlow and Zimmerman. Given the lack of evidence, Zimmerman says school districts should focus on all prevention measures available to them and not just one resource that focuses on keeping a gunman outside of a school.

I would argue that if youre at that point where youre preventing a gun from coming into school, youve already lost. Youve already lost that child, Zimmerman added.

Fraser agrees multiple protection methods are needed to properly protect each school. We always recommend use as part of a layered system which may include human beings, metal detectors and other technologies, Fraser told CNN in a statement. How those schools are protected is a decision often made by individual school boards and in some cases, parents.

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In recent years, some school districts have invested in installing emergency windows that allow for an easy exit during a shooting. In Georgia, a panic button system implemented less than a week before the September 4 shooting at Apalachee High School helped notify law enforcement officials of the incident almost instantly.

Scanners from the security firm Evolv Technologies are seen at the main entrance of Antioch High School in Antioch, Tennessee. - Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA Today Network/Imagn Images

In the Nashville area, school district director Adrienne Battle said the district will enhance security measures in response to the shooting in Antioch.

As weve seen a heightened sense around the safety and security in our schools, both with external (and) internal threats, we are continuing to research and study the most evolving technologies that will help us enhance the safety and security measures within our schools, Battle said in the aftermath of the shooting.

Several safety measures are in place at Nashville schools in the district, including shatter-resistant film or security vestibules at the entrance of a school to prevent someone from coming inside, according to Braisted, who could not comment on the exact security features at Antioch High School.

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This week, the school district began installing scanners at the school, similar to metal detectors, which use AI technology and advanced sensors to detect weapons as students walk in, Braisted told CNN in an email Friday.

But the developer of the cutting-edge system, Evolv Technologies, has been accused of overpromising some of its safety features. It settled a 2024 lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission accusing the company of using false claims, including the system can detect all weapons and is more accurate and efficient than regular metal detectors, the FTC said in a news release last year.

Ultimately, parents should also prioritize proper storage of their weapons, Zimmerman added, so their children cant use them to harm their peers or others.

We have to think about this more broadly, Zimmerman said. There are multiple things we need to do.

CNNs Rebekah Riess and Dalia Faheid contributed to this report.

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An air ambulance plane crashed in Northeast Philadelphia with six people on board Friday.

The Learjet 55 plane crashed around 6:30 p.m. local time after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The plane, according to a statement from JetRescue obtained by Nexstar, was carrying four crew members and two passengers, including a pediatric patient.

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At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified, JetRescue said in a press release.

In a Friday night Truth Social post, President Trump said his administration is totally engaged following the crash.

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost, he wrote. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) spokesperson told The Hill it is responding to the crash. Both the FAA and NTSB will investigate the Friday incident. The NTSB will lead the probe.

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Pennsylvania Sens. John Fetterman (D) and Dave McCormick (R) said they were both in touch with officials about the crash.

Philadelphias Office of Emergency Management said local officials were responding to a major incident near Roosevelt Mall in the city, instructing the public to avoid the area.

Ive spoken with @PhillyMayor and my team is in communication with @PhillyPD, @PhilaOEM, and @PhillyFireDept, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) wrote on the social media platform X shortly after the crash. We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly

The crash comes as the country is still reeling from a midair plane collision that killed dozens late Wednesday evening in Washington. The NTSB is also investigating this crash.

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The Hill reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department for comment.

This story is developing and will be updated. The Hill is owned by Nexstar.

Updated at 9:04 p.m. EST

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Just a day before a deadly midair collision at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., employees at the Federal Aviation Administration were sent an offer to resign with eight months' pay.

The union for air traffic controllers recommended to its members that they not accept Tuesdays offer, because the FAA had not decided which positions would be included in the resignation plan. An official for the Office for Personnel Management, the U.S. government's human resources arm, said Friday that controllers weren't eligible for the resignation plan or subject to the hiring freeze across much of the rest of federal government.

The crash Wednesday that killed all 67 people on board an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter has renewed focus on the real-world implications of President Donald Trump's push to slash the federal bureaucracy.

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There's no evidence that the White House effort to downsize government played any role in the collision, with shortages of air traffic controllers long predating Trump taking office. But those whove worked in air safety say that those who try to dramatically shake up the federal workforce need to remember that lives are on the line.

It concerns me that there are people who dont want to reform or restructure institutions, they want to destroy institutions, said James Hall, who was head of the National Transportation Safety Board under President Bill Clinton, a Democrat. The American people enjoy the safest aviation system in the world. I dont doubt there should be changes in government, but someone should remember the old adage to look before you leap.

On Thursday, as the investigation into the crash was well underway, FAA employees were among the federal workers who received an email telling them to quit and find more useful work.

The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector, read the memo from OPM.

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An official with OPM, which made the resignation offers, said air traffic controllers are exempt from a hiring freeze that Trump announced on taking office on Jan. 20 and they are not eligible for a buyout even though they were sent the offer. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal government operations.

It was unclear if the controllers themselves have been notified by OPM whether they are exempt. After the initial offer went out, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association recommended in an email to its union members not to submit a request for the resignation until more information was available. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the union email.

NATCA President Nick Daniels said officials had not explained to the union the details of how its employees would be affected by the retirement program.

NATCA has not received a briefing on how or whether the deferred resignation program will be implemented in the FAA," Daniels said in a statement provided to the AP Friday.

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It is not yet clear how this program will affect aviation safety workers represented by our Union, he added. "However, we are concerned about the potential effect to public safety and the efficiency and capacity of the air traffic control system if FAA were to lose experienced aviation safety personnel during a universally recognized air traffic controller staffing shortage.

Though the new administration insists its cost-cutting will exempt public safety workers and keep citizens safe, its rhetoric and approach have been more sweeping than surgical.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the technology mogul Trump tapped to lead the effort, has said bureaucracy is killing America and repeatedly called for massive, across-the-board reductions in the federal workforce. Trump and his supporters have made personal loyalty to the president a top priority in hiring new workers or keeping existing ones.

During the campaign, Musk demanded the resignation of FAA administrator Michael Whitaker, who clashed with Musk over regulating SpaceX and stepped down the day before Trump took office. That left the FAA leaderless until Trump, at a Thursday press conference after the crash, named an acting head of the agency.

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Trump blamed diversity hiring after the crash  despite no evidence about the qualifications of anyone involved in the collision  and alleged that former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama lowered standards to meet racial or other quotas. He decried an FAA diversity policy that existed during his first administration.

Though the Trump administration talks about the need to shed federal workers, the government has been desperate to hire air traffic controllers for nearly a decade. The FAA has struggled to keep up with the rapidly increasing number of commercial flights, even as there had been no fatal air accidents since 2009. Last year, Biden pushed for funding to hire 2,000 more controllers and announced the hiring of 1,800 controllers in September.

An FAA report obtained by the AP said that air traffic control staffing at the airport Wednesday was not normal, with one person doing the work normally assigned to two people at the time of the collision. A person familiar with the matter noted that the positions are regularly combined when controllers need to step away from the console for breaks, during shift changes or when air traffic is slow. That person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures.

Don Kettl, an emeritus professor of public policy at the University of Maryland, warned that it is likely to become even harder to recruit those sorely needed air traffic controllers now.

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The fact that there's so much uncertainty in such a short time period and the fact that the president personally seems to have blamed them, Kettl said, "is bound to make it more difficult to hire more controllers."

Kettl warned that there are many critical, demanding and high-skilled government jobs that are already tough to fill  from food safety inspectors to surgeons at Veterans Administration hospitals  and that may get even tougher now.

The fiber of government is woven throughout our lives, Kettl said. If you downgrade the capacity, you downgrade what you get.

___

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa; Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Riccardi reported from Denver.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Gov. Kay Ivey will deliver her annual state of the state address to the Alabama Legislature next week.

Ivey, who has served as governor of Alabama since former Gov. Robert Bentley stepped down in 2017, will give the speech in the Old House Chamber of the Capitol Building.

Among Iveys special guests invited to the address is Miss America Abbie Stockard and Army veteran Jae Barclay, who survived an explosion while serving a tour of Afghanistan in 2006.

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During her previous address in 2024, Ivey announced that the state would be taking a proactive approach in understanding artificial intelligence by forming a task force to study it. She also announced a renewed push to promote workforce development across the state.

Iveys speech comes as results from the National Report Card showing that while Alabama public schools were among the few to make significant strides in reading and math following the pandemic, they still lagged behind the national average.

The speech will begin at 6 p.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A jailed man accused of a Vancouver bank robbery in December is now being charged with a second bank robbery that happened earlier this month in Battle Ground.

Battle Ground police said 46-year-old Ryan Frisbie was charged with a bank robbery committed on January 10 at the IQ Credit Union at 1810 SW 9th Avenue in Battle Ground.

Ex of slain woman found after car crash appears in court

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Officers responded to the scene, but the suspect had already fled. Battle Ground Detectives gathered evidence, including surveillance footage, in an effort to identify the suspect, the Battle Ground Police Department said in a press release.

Last week, Frisbie was arrested by the Vancouver Police Department for allegedly committing a robbery at the Bank of America branch in Vancouver on Dec. 21 of last year.

On Thursday, Frisbie was re-booked into the Clark County Jail on an additional count of Robbery for the Jan. 10 incident, Battle Ground police said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A documentary available on Amazon's Prime Video recently came under fire for its use of artificial intelligence in a background image.

The film on the history of the Grand Prix featured an image with some cringeworthy errors that are the hallmarks of AI-generated images. Several race cars had distorted shapes and missing wheels. One car even had an extra set of wheels on the rear wing.

Users on the r/formula1 subreddit were quick to criticize the image, with many making jokes about "teams running 3 wheel setups."

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However, the Reddit community soon delved into a more critical issue. The visual blunder highlights the disturbing trend of AI replacing human workers.

"This is what happens when companies prioritize cutting labor costs over quality," said one commenter, per Motorcycle Sports. "AI-generated garbage is cheaper than hiring actual creators, but the result speaks for itself."

Commenters pointed out that the source of the AI-generated image was likely the film's distributor rather than Prime Video. Many still held the video platform accountable for a lack of quality control. Prime Video has also been criticized for using AI-generated TV recaps for its original shows.

According to Motorcycle Sports, this isn't the first time AI-generated content has faced backlash from motorsports fans. Mahindra Racing's use of an AI-generated influencer, Ava Rose, caused such a stir that they pulled it in less than 48 hours.

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AI-generated images are controversial because they can erode trust and spread misinformation, and concerns go beyond poor quality and the lack of authenticity.

AI takes a massive toll on our environment. The data centers powering AI consume vast amounts of energy and thousands of gallons of water, depleting vital resources and further increasing our reliance on the dirty energy sources contributing to rising temperatures.

Do you worry about companies having too much of your personal data? Absolutely Sometimes Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

While many technological innovations promise a cleaner future, AI threatens to keep us stuck in the past. With big tech investing trillions in AI  people and the environment will foot the bill.

These laughable F1 race cars are a shining example that the long-term costs of AI are not worth the diminished returns.

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As one commenter put it, "Even someone with basic Photoshop skills could have delivered a better picture in an hour. It's lazy and unprofessional."

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Feb. 1Area leaders continue to find challenges looking for affordable ways to provide residents with ambulance service in rural areas of the county.

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic providing ambulance service has become more and more difficult.

In the southeastern part of the county, villages and townships have been wrestling with a major problem, exacerbated by the closing of the Andover emergency room at the start of the pandemic in spring 2020.

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That wrestling continues, as leaders seek to make sure ambulance service is available when needed.

Andover Village Council President E. Curt Williams said negotiations are on-going with Community Care Ambulance, as the village's contract has expired and a continuing agreement is operational at this point.

The village of Andover and the surrounding townships contract with Community Care for ambulance service and the longer ride to hospitals put them in a difficult situation.

The village, Andover, Williamsfield, and Wayne townships all passed one-mill levy increases, bringing their total millage to three each, in 2023 but often have only one ambulance in service at a given time.

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William said he has been dealing with ambulance issues for the 20 years he has been on council. He said the price is always going up, and townships and villages are seeking the best way to provide service for their communities.

He said discussion is underway that could lead to an increase in millage being presented to voters again.

During negotiations in 2022 and 2023, Cherry Valley decided to join South Central Ambulance District, which added challenges for the remaining communities, Williams said.

He said he understands each government seeking the best solution for their residents, but the numbers change when a group changes their connection to an existing partnership.

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SCAD Chief Shaun Buehner said the district can't take on more territory because the distance of calls. He said SCAD still runs mutual aid to the southeastern part of the county when needed.

Buehner said the leaders of three ambulance districts (South Central, Jefferson and Northeast ambulance districts) have started to meet on a regular basis to stay on top of the challenges meeting the industry as a whole.

"How can we help each other," Buehner said. "We got to rely on each other during COVID."

He said the meetings include updating each other, as they service about 60% of the county.

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One of the ways the ambulance districts hope to work together is through interaction with politicians concerning the needs of ambulance providers. He said several local officials are high-ranking members of the Ohio EMS Chiefs Association, and lobby on behalf of rural ambulance service.

One of the challenges facing all EMS entities is the decreasing pool of people interested in performing the job, as calls increase and equipment costs rise.

Buehner said SCAD handled 1,817 calls last year, which was up, compared to 2023.

"It is hard to find anyone interested in the job," Buehner said.

He said the three-month emergency medical technician program is challenging enough, but the one-year paramedic course basically puts your life on hold.

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Buehner said the pandemic showed people can work from home and many have gotten used to doing just that.

Ohio law don't make it easy to make ambulance services a reality.

"In Ohio, ambulance service is not considered essential," he said.

Government entities must provide fire protection, but no such laws exist for ambulance service, Buehner said.

He said lobbying at the state and federal level is an important part of the work of the state chiefs' association.

Other townships are seeking to find fire and ambulance solutions after a joint venture between Sheffield, Monroe and Kingsville townships did not work out.
Police in Los Angeles arrested a North Carolina murder suspect who eluded capture for 18 years, authorities said late Friday.

Police identified Lumberton resident Omar Gray only after they fingerprinted him on charges unrelated to the N.C. killing and he gave them a fake name, according to a news release by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

On May 15, 2007, a Robeson County grand jury indicted Gray on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, the SBI said. Details of the case werent available on Saturday.

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After the indictment, authorities launched a nationwide manhunt, putting Gray on the Americas Most Wanted fugitive list and issuing an Interpol Red Notice, according to the SBI.

Gray lived in California under the fake name of Timothy Bloxson, the SBI said.

A certified latent print examiner from the Moore County Sheriffs Office conducted a forensic fingerprint comparison, confirming that Bloxson was, in fact, Omar Gray, according to an SBI statement.

SBI agents and Robeson County sheriffs investigators formally arrested Gray on Tuesday after he was extradited to North Carolina.

Gray was in custody awaiting further legal proceedings, the SBI said.
While we dont know yet the cause of the deadly collision over the Potomac River, aviation experts are already pointing a finger at Americas increasingly crowded skies.

In fact, airlines have been begging the government for years to modernize air traffic control to reflect increasingly congested air corridors, especially near some of our major airports.

All of this calls into question the plans for commercial drone deliveries and emerging businesses for flying taxis. In fact, Silicon Valley is heavily invested in the flying taxi industry, pouring billions of dollars into this start-up technology.

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Were talking big companies behind this. For example, one company, Archer Aviation, is backed by carmaker Stellantis and United Airlines. Its now conducting tests over farmland in Salinas, California. Another flying taxi company, Wisk Aero, is backed by Boeing and Google co-founder Larry Page. It, too, is running tests.

Then you have commercial drone delivery, which businesses ranging from Amazon to Pizza Hut have been exploring, including over the UCLA campus. No one has really managed to pull that off on a regular basis yet, but the industry is very eager to pursue it.

It doesnt take a lot of brainwork to start connecting the dots and realize that if one of our problems when it comes to air safety is crowded skies, adding drones and flying taxis will complicate the equation.

Moreover, many of these aircraft are flying below radar levels, which raises additional concerns.

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Man admits to crashing drone into firefighting plane

We can remember during the recent Los Angeles wildfires when a drone hit one of the air tankers. That incident speaks to the dangers of aircraft banging into each other at low levels. If you suddenly have well-heeled commuters in their flying taxis, along with police helicopters, news helicopters, and other aircraft, it just seems like the problem gets worse.

Flying cars and flying everything was a mainstay of shows like The Jetsons and Back to the Future. Its part of the future we want to see and where we want to go, but getting there seems like were asking for trouble until we can work out how to manage all that traffic.

Search and rescue efforts are seen around a wreckage site in the Potomac River from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, early Thursday morning, Jan. 30, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Equally concerning is the strain on air traffic controllers. This is something weve been hearing about for years. Reportedly, there was only one air traffic controller in the tower at Reagan National Airport when the American Airlines regional jet collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing everyone aboard both aircraft.

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Since the Reagan administration, when a lot of air traffic controllers were sacked, this has been an ongoing concern. Moreover, air traffic control has been outsourced to private companies that manage it from off-site locations. Im not saying thats a bad thing, but it still seems to complicate the equation.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to air safety. The idea of adding more private sector aircraft into the skies, especially at lower levels, seems like a recipe for trouble until we can figure out a way to manage all that traffic. It seems like a problem that is still a long way from being solved.

This is a modified transcript of David Lazaruss commentary from Jan. 30, 2025.

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On Thursday January 30, Chad officially took control of Frances final military base in the country, marking the culmination of a process that began two months ago, when the central African nation ended its defence cooperation agreement with Paris.

This handover of the Sergent Adji Kossei air base, located in the capital NDjamena, follows the earlier transfers of two other bases in Faya and Abeche, which occurred in December 2024 and January 2025. France had maintained a substantial military presence in Chad, with approximately 1,000 troops stationed there, primarily focused on counterterrorism efforts in the region.

Chad has long been a vital ally in countering terrorism in the Sahel, particularly in the fight against Islamic extremists. However, over the past few years, France has seen its military presence gradually diminished in the region. Countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which had once cooperated closely with French forces, have increasingly moved away from France, turning towards Russia for support. The presence of Russian mercenaries across the Sahel has further complicated the situation, as these nations pivot towards Moscow for security assistance.

The Chadian government has framed the end of the defense cooperation agreement with France as a historic moment, a chance to reassert the countrys sovereignty and redefine its international relationships. While the termination of military ties has sparked concerns about the future of relations, Chadian officials have been clear that the decision does not sever the longstanding diplomatic and historical ties with France. Rather, it is seen as a way for Chad to recalibrate its strategic priorities in alignment with its national interests, while still maintaining cooperation in other areas of mutual concern.
An Israeli American was among the latest batch of hostages released from Gaza during the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, according to officials.

Hamas freed three hostages on Saturday, including Keith Siegel, 65, an American from North Carolina. Two of the hostages, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon, were handed over to the Red Cross workers in Khan Younis while Siegel, who is a dual citizen of Israel and the U.S., was released in Gaza City later on Saturday.

All three of the hostages were taken on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas conducted a terrorist attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking some 250 people hostage.

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Saturday morning that Siegel is taking off in an IAF helicopter to the hospital, where he will reunite with members of his family and receive medical treatment.

This marks the fourth exchange of individuals since the pause in fighting between Hamas and Israel began on Jan. 19, with the number of hostages released climbing to 18. Under the first phase of the agreement, 33 captives are set to be released and nearly 2,000 Palestinians prisoners freed in exchange.

Saturdays release appears to be more peaceful compared to earlier this week, when videos showed the hostages being forced to walk among a surging crowd. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office cautioned earlier this week that the release of prisoners could be delayed until the safe exit of our hostages in the next phase is assured.

This time, the crowds were kept at a distance.

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Israel confirmed that most of the 183 Palestinian prisoners set to be released over the weekend were freed back into the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

The White House celebrated the release in a statement.

Today, Americans celebrate the return of American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and two Israelis who were held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7, 2023, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. President Trump and his Administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages.

Siegels wife, Aviva Siegel, was released during a brief ceasefire in 2023.

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Hamas released four Israeli female soldiers last weekend. In return, Israel freed around 70 Palestinian prisoners.

Since the first phase of the ceasefire between the two sides went into effect, more humanitarian aid has flown into Gaza. Palestinians have also returned to the Gaza Strip, which was nearly leveled by Israels bombardment following the Oct. 7 attack, which sparked the war in the region.

Over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict erupted 15 months ago, according to local health officials. That tally does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Keith Siegel, an American held by Hamas, was released from captivity Saturday morning.

His release took place in Gaza City where he was taken onto a stage wearing a cap, flanked by masked and armed Hamas forces with the waters of the Mediterranean and the destroyed port behind them.

A crowd watched calmly from a short distance away while Hamas photographers on stage and drones above filmed the release.

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Siegel walked on his own power, and he will now undergo medical checks before being reunited with his family shortly.

"According to information communicated by the Red Cross, one hostage was transferred to them, and they are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip," read a joint statement from the IDF and the ISA.

President Donald Trump took credit for Siegel's release in a statement Saturday.

"President Trump and his Administration worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages," the White House wrote.

Earlier on Saturday, two other hostages were turned over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas.

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Both walked onto a stage flanked by armed and masked Hamas fighter and then taken into waiting while Red Cross SUVs where they were driven out and handed over to Israeli authorities.

The release on Saturday has looked different from previous releases and was done more orderly with the crowd kept back at a distance.

Siegel, who is originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage along with his wife, Aviva Siegel in 2023. She was released during the brief 2023 ceasefire and has waged a long campaign to free her husband and the other hostages.

PHOTO: PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-HOSTAGE (Omar Al-qattaa/AFP via Getty Images)

"The commanders and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces salute and embrace the returning hostage as he makes his way home to the State of Israel," a joint statement from the IDF and ISA read. "The IDF Spokespersons Unit asks everyone to respect the privacy of the returning hostage and his family."

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"The Israeli government embraces the return of Keith Siegel," read a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office. "His families have been informed by the designated authorities that he is a member of our forces. The government, together with all security agencies, will accompany him and his families. The Israeli government is committed to the return of all abducted and missing persons."

Siegel's family released a statement shortly after he crossed over into Israel, saying they are "filled with indescribable excitement" and thanked Trump "for bringing our father back to us."

"At this very moment, our father is setting foot on the soil of the Land of Israel, and we are filled with indescribable excitement. Finally, after 484 long, terrifying days and nights, full of immense worry for our father, we can breathe again," the statement read.

"Thank you President Trump, for bringing our father back to us. There are now 79 hostages who are also waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. Our hope rests with you. We also wish to thank the governments of Israel and the United States for bringing this blessed deal to fruition -- a deal that prioritizes human life and embodies Jewish and Israeli values."

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"We are grateful to the incredible IDF soldiers and security forces who risk their lives and bodies, and we send our condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their most precious loved ones for the sake of us all," the statement continued. "You will forever be in our hearts. Only together can we bring everyone home!"

American hostage Keith Siegel freed from Gaza originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  For good food and good times, one local veteran group has the perfect event.

On Saturday, February 8, beginning at 10 a.m., the Thomas Fowler American Legion Post #169 will host its 2025 BBQ Cookoff. This event brings some of the best cooks in the region to Wichita Falls.

Calling beginners, pros: 50+ players needed in pickleball tournament to combat trafficking

Public participation is needed in the way of judges, vendors, or competitors. Winners will receive bragging rights and a cash prize. Registration is first come, first serve and must be done onsite on the morning of the event.

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In addition to the BBQ cookoff, there will be a silent auction.

Any additional questions should be directed to Erik Marcov at (334) 425-3198. More information can be found on the events page on Facebook.

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Tel Aviv  American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by Hamas militants in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Saturday, more than 15 months after they were taken captive by the group during its Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack. Siegel was freed in Gaza City about two hours after Israelis Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were released in the southern city of Khan Younis.

The Israeli military confirmed that all three hostages were in its care and back in Israel after first being handed over to Red Cross personnel in Gaza. Siegel appeared to have lost weight during his captivity, but he waved and smiled as Hamas militants prepared to hand him over to Red Cross staff. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said the three freed men would be reunited with family members and taken for medical checks and care at hospitals in Israel.

Both handovers were conducted quickly Saturday and without the chaos seen during the previous, third prisoner exchange, which angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who delayed the corresponding Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners by several hours.

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Israel was expected to free about 90 more Palestinians from its prisons on Saturday in exchange for the release of the three hostages, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19.

Keith Siegel is 1st American freed during new ceasefire

Originally from North Carolina, Siegel moved to Israel four decades ago. He was among seven American citizens taken as hostages into Gaza during Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 attack, which saw militants kill around 1,200 people in southern Israel and take 251 others captive.

Israel's military assault on Hamas in response has killed more than 47,400 people, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run Ministry of Health, left entire neighborhoods leveled and caused a humanitarian catastrophe by displacing virtually the entire enclave's population and destroying its infrastructure.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Saturday that Americans are celebrating the return of Siegel.

"President Trump and his administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages," she said.

It is believed that at least two of the six American hostages still held in Gaza are alive  Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, who grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and Edan Alexander, 19, from Tenafly, New Jersey. Four other Americans are believed to have been killed in captivity.

Siegel's wife Aviva was also taken hostage by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, but was released in an earlier hostage and prisoner swap in November 2023.

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Speaking to CBS News about a year after her release, Aviva Siegel said there were moments as Hamas militants forced her and her husband through tunnels under the Gaza Strip that they felt "sure we were going to die."

Yarden Bibas, 35, is the husband of Shiri Bibas, who was taken from their kibbutz with her two young children Ariel and Kfir during the terrorist attack. Hamas claimed just weeks after the attack that Shiri and her two children were killed in an Israeli bombing in Gaza.

In a TV interview about a year later, then-Israeli government minister Benny Gantz indicated that officials knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but said he could not provide details. The fact that, under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas has released women and children before male hostages, suggested the rest of Yarden Bibas' family was indeed dead.

Ofer Kalderon, held hostage in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, is released by Hamas militants as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in an image taken from video in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Feb. 1, 2025. / Credit: Reuters TV/REUTERS

Ofer Calderon, 54, was among five members of his family seized by Hamas militants from their kibbutz near the Gaza border on Oct. 7, 2023. His two children were released during the ceasefire in November of that year, but two of his cousins were killed.

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Rafah crossing into Egypt reopened

A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began crossing through Gaza's Rafah crossing into Egypt for treatment on Saturday, the Associated Press reported. It marked the first opening of the border since Israel captured Gaza nearly nine months ago.

Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.

Workers of the United Nations are seen as officials carrying out final checks before the buses carrying patients and their companions depart from Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis to the Rafah border gate to cross into Egypt. / Credit: Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images

Egyptian television showed a Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side, the AP reported. Gaza's Health Ministry said around 60 family members were accompanying the children.

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Rafah is Gaza's only crossing that does not enter into Israel. It was closed by Israeli forces in early May after it was seized during an offensive on the southern city. Egypt shut down its side of the crossing in protest.

Patients from al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City react as they depart towards the Rafah crossing and through to Egypt to receive treatment abroad on February 1, 2025. / Credit: BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images

Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals in Gaza's Health Ministry, told the AP that more than 6,000 patients were ready to be evacuated abroad and more than 12,000 patients urgently needed treatment. He said the small numbers set to be evacuated will not cover the need, "and we hope the number will increase."

What has the ceasefire accomplished and what comes next?

Hamas is expected to free a total of 33 Israeli hostages during the first, six-week phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which took effect on January 19. After the release on Saturday, 18 have been freed so far. With each release of Israeli hostages, scores of Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons, with roughly 30 being set free for every hostage returned to Israel alive.

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Phase one of the deal was to see all Israeli women, children and male hostages over the age of 50 released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, in addition to a dramatically increased flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas of the territory.

On the 16th day of the ceasefire, which would be Monday, negotiations to establish the steps for the second phase are meant to begin, according to a draft of the agreement shared with CBS News by a senior Hamas official.

There have been a few moments where it appeared the fragile agreement could fall apart, including when hostage Arbel Yehoud was not released as Israel said she should have been in one of the first exchanges. Quick negotiations led to a resolution of the dispute, and Yehoud was among those freed by militants in Gaza in the third exchange on Thursday.

"Any deal that takes two or three months to end a war is a bad deal, because it can go off the rails at any point, and at any point either one of the sides can accuse the other of breaching," Israeli analyst and former hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin told CBS News on Friday.

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"We've already had mutual accusations of breach. Right now, both sides are interested in at least bringing this forward to the end of the 42 days" of phase one, Baskin said.

Baskin, who has extensive experience negotiating with Hamas, cautioned that "you couldn't have the two parties further apart" ahead of the expected negotiations over the second phase of the deal.

"What we hear from the Israeli side is that they will not end the war or withdraw from Gaza, and what we hear from Hamas is that there is no deal unless it ends the war and brings about an Israeli withdrawal," he said.

But Baskin added that the new Trump administration in the U.S. would likely play an integral role in determining how the negotiations actually go.

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"I think it's all on the shoulders of Trump," Baskin told CBS News. "If Trump is determined that this will take place, Netanyahu cannot go against him. Netanyahu may try to create some kind of provocation, leading Hamas to breach the ceasefire, in which case Israel will say to the Americans, 'They breached it and now we have to go back to war.' If Trump says yes, then that's the end. If Trump says 'no, you can't go back to war,' then we will move into phase two."

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  An Amherst Central High School teacher was arrested Friday on multiple felony child exploitation charges out of Fairfax, V.A., New York State Police announced.

Geoffrey Testa, 45 and of Amherst, is an English teacher in the district, Superintendent Anthony Panella said Saturday in a letter addressed to faculty, staff and families. According to Testas LinkedIn profile, he has worked at the district since 2006.

In the letter, Panella said the Fairfax County Sheriffs Office contacted New York State Police about an investigation of Testa, who was arrested on charges of alleged online misconduct involving a minor.

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Fairfax police said Testas arrest is part of a large scale investigation by its department and did not release specific charges as of Saturday afternoon.

As a school district that prioritizes the safety of our students and staff, Mr. Testa was immediately placed on administrative leave pending investigation, Panella said. The Amherst Central School District is actively cooperating with all law enforcement agencies and providing any necessary assistance. We had no knowledge of the investigation prior to being notified Friday evening.

Panella said the district will provide support to anyone who needs it and listed school administrators or counselors as points of contact.

Testa was processed and taken to the Erie County Holding Center. He is awaiting extradition by the Fairfax Police Department, New York State Police said.

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State police are investigating if there are any local victims.

New York State Police are asking the public to reach out with any information regarding Testa at (585) 344-6200.

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Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.

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Volunteer James Freeman leans over to survey a man in a downtown Albuquerque gas station parking for the annual point-in-time count. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)

By the time Ilse Biel began the second day of her 14th year counting members of Albuquerques growing unhoused population, word had already spread to folks on the street about the latest funding cut threat from President Donald Trump.

People were petrified early Tuesday afternoon, she said, about rumors that Trump would cut Medicaid. They were totally freaked out.

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Biel and dozens of other volunteers fanned out through Albuquerque this week, the New Mexico city with the majority of the states unhoused population. A similar effort occurred elsewhere in the state.

Known as point-in-time counts, the brief surveys rely on an army of volunteers to fan out across cities to create a snapshot of homelessness trends and demographics, typically in the last week of January. In New Mexico, one count is conducted for Albuquerque and another for the balance of the state, which includes rural areas and cities like Santa Fe and Las Cruces.

Biel has conducted the annual point-in-time count in Albuquerque every year since at least 2011, shining a flashlight under bridges and down alleys to briefly survey people on the streets about their needs and circumstances.

Shes done these in-person surveys of thousands of unhoused people through three New Mexico governors, three Albuquerque mayors, three United States presidents, a pandemic, a recession, a housing bust and recent shortage that has since sent home prices and rents skyrocketing.

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In 2011, the year she started volunteering for the count, 387 unsheltered people were counted in Albuquerque during the point-in-time count, according to federal data. Last years count was more than 1,200.

Im not so good at ratios, Biel told Source New Mexico as she drove through Downtown Albuquerque on Tuesday evening. I just know theres a sh*t-load more people on the streets.

Ilse Biel walks under the I-40 overpass at Sixth Street in Albuquerque for the annual point-in-time count. A volunteer during the count the last 14 years, shes seen the number of unhoused people in the city at least quadruple. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)

The federal Housing and Urban Development department requires a point-in-time a for federal housing dollars, known as Continuum of Care funding . Its been a necessary step to receive roughly $20 million in recent years, but the money is also on the chopping block, according to Monet Silva, director of the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness, which coordinates the count.

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We know that if this executive order is upheld and these dollars are taken away from our state, the impact that we see across our state, of every county and every city, will be really catastrophic, Monet said at a Tuesday news conference, one of multiple local leaders who joined members of New Mexicos congressional delegation to denounce the threatened Trump cuts.

The point-in-time survey is also a vast undercount, as Biel said she knows all too well.

On Tuesday, a few hours after the news conference, Biel and a team of volunteers approached a woman sitting against a short wall in the parking lot of a grocery store downtown. They asked her, as is the HUD requirement, where she slept last Wednesday.

The hospital, she said, lifting up her shirt to show a long stab wound above her hip.

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Having a roof over her head that night, even though it was a hospitals and only for a night, meant she didnt qualify as unhoused for the purposes of the count, Biel explained later. The volunteers gave her a care package and got back in their car to keep searching.

Also uncounted, Biel said, are people living in their cars. Shes been distressed to witness an increase of people, mostly older women, living in their cars in Albuquerque in recent years.

And increasingly, the scourge of fentanyl has left some people physically incapable to take the survey even if they initially agree, Biel said. The trend prompted the coalition to add unable alongside refused to survey forms, Biel said, for data-tracking purposes.

A small group of volunteers walks through alleys in Downtown Albuquerque in search of unhoused people to survey on Tuesday night. (Photo by Patrick Lohmann / Source NM)

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Along with Biel, the volunteer crew included a medical student, an epidemiologist and a business owner who were assigned to Downtown Albuquerque that evening, as icy wind picked up, bringing with it a snow storm and below-freezing temperatures.

One man, Vincent, spoke to Source New Mexico after being surveyed in Robinson Park at Central Avenue and Eighth Street. Despite a monthly pension left to him by his late father a few years ago, food and clothing costs are too much for him to afford rent, he said.

Another woman, who declined to give her name, said she was a full-time student with a full-time job at the University of New Mexico until 2020, when she lost her job and then dropped out of school. It happened so fast, she said, of a descent from a stable life into addiction and homelessness.

She was standing near First Street and Prospect Ave, which was empty Tuesday night but is often the site of an encampment of unhoused people. The site is also where Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held a news conference last summer, using the encampment as a backdrop to call on lawmakers to get tougher on crime. Weve cleaned this area up 50 times, she said in mid-July.

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In addition to the threatened federal funding cuts, the specter of city-ordered sweeps loomed large over this years point-in-time count. City officials reassured organizers that, except when encampments pose a threat to an unhoused persons safety, they would hold off on clearing them for the purposes of the count.

After surveying a few folks at First and Prospect, the volunteers drove to a gas station parking lot, surveyed a man using a wheelchair, and then walked under the Interstate 40 overpass spanning Sixth Street. It appeared empty of people at first, but volunteer James Freeman shouted up toward the girders, Do you have a moment for a brief survey?

From the darkness, a cell phone light switched on, and Taylor Potter, a UNM medical student, sprinted up the abutment to speak with the man sleeping there. Another person counted.

Its too soon to say what this years count is, whether the city officials kept their promise to hold off on sweeps, or whether Trumps threatened cuts will come to pass.

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Until Tuesday, Biel said she was resolved to ignore the second Trump term as much as possible. I thought, OK, the only way that I can survive and carry on with what Im doing is to forget about Washington. Let Washington do whatever the hell it wants. Im going to organize and make a difference, hyper locally.

I thought, OK, the only way that I can survive and carry on with what I'm doing is to forget about Washington. Let Washington do whatever the hell it wants. I'm going to organize and make a difference, hyper locally. Ilse Biel, volunteer

She fears the community she cares so deeply about will give up on even trying to find a home.

They are just so downtrodden right now. They dont have energy for anything, she said. I mean, thats the federal government. And then what the city is doing is not as dramatic, but it is as bad, because with all these displacements, people have become completely disassociated.

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But even if the point-in-time count becomes moot, part of a requirement for funding that Trump successfully guts, Biel said she will keep counting, by herself or with as many volunteers she can recruit.

It just corroborates what we feel on the street with the understanding that its a gross, completely evil undercount, she said. The other thing is, if housed people can have a census, why cant people who live on the street? The street is their homes, is their houses.

Getting a number, any number, Biel said, makes visible an invisible and growing population here and across the country. Its a vital validation she and other advocates can carry to a City Council meeting, send to HUD or wave in front of Trump himself.

And, most of all, its important to the people being counted, she said.

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It validates them. It makes them seen, even if we dont get to see everyone, she said. And some people realize this, they acknowledge this: We are trying our best to see them.

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It was perhaps the most dramatic week for German politics in decades as the Bundestag on Friday held three nail-biting votes to tighten migration rules after yet another terrorist attack committed by a foreigner.

Horrified by the Aschaffenburg attack on Jan 22, in which a rejected Afghan asylum seeker killed two people  including a toddler, opposition leader Friedrich Merz declared that enough was enough.

The centre-Right leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU) party said he was bringing three motions to parliament that demanded the closure of Germanys borders to illegal migrants, tougher internal security measures and curbs on the rights of asylum seekers already in Germany.

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But the announcement was immensely controversial: in order to pass the motions, Mr Merz would need support from the far-Right Alternative For Germany (AfD) party, a pariah in parliament despite polling at second place ahead of this months election.

While Mr Merz insisted that the motions were in the national interest, his rivals accused him of trying to destroy Germanys firewall, or cordon sanitaire, a long-standing commitment not to cooperate with the far-Right in the Bundestag, the federal parliament.

When the first two motions, which were not legally binding, came before parliament on Wednesday, the atmosphere in the chamber was uncharacteristically tense.

The scene of the knife attack in Aschaffenburg - Heiko Becker/Reuters

Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, accused Mr Merz of making an unforgivable mistake by relying on AfD votes to pass a motion that effectively called for a border shutdown in Germany.

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But to the immense shock of Germanys other centrist parties, the motion narrowly passed by a majority of just three votes. A second motion, on tightening internal security measures, was rejected by a wider margin.

Neither motion was legally binding, and therefore more of a symbolic display of outrage at the recent terror attacks in Germany, in the heat of an election campaign. However, the CDU had broken a taboo in its unprecedented cooperation with the AfD.

The firewall was still standing  but only just, and with a gaping hole in the middle.

By Thursday morning, Mr Merz was no doubt feeling delighted that his gamble had paid off: for him, this was his signal to voters that, unlike Mr Scholz, he was taking their concerns about migration seriously and had the stomach for drastic action.

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But in what now looks an act of hubris, he pressed on with a third, binding piece of legislation for Fridays session in parliament. This one also included measures to curb migration, although they were narrower in scope, and also required AfD support to be approved.

And that is where things started to go wrong for Germanys election frontrunner.

Later that morning, former chancellor Angela Merkel broke her silence in the election campaign with a stinging rebuke of Mr Merz, her CDU successor.

It was wrong, Mrs Merkel said, referring to Wednesdays vote, for Mr Merz to have enable[d] with open eyes for the first time a majority with votes from AfD in a vote in the German parliament.

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The following morning, as MPs prepared to file into the chamber for Fridays vote, it was clear something was afoot. The debate had been scheduled to start at 10.30am but only kicked off more than two hours later, amid reports of urgent meetings in the CDU offices.

It appeared that Mrs Merkels intervention may have spooked many of Mr Merzs fellow MPs; he reportedly told party allies in one meeting that we have to weather this storm.

As the delay dragged on, eagle-eyed reporters noticed that a copy of Ms Merkels memoirs had been placed on the front benches of Mr Scholzs faction in the Bundestags chamber.

A book by former chancellor Angela Merkel lies on the governments bench during a break in the debate - Tobias Schwarz/Getty

It appears to have been a subtle dig at Mr Merz, hinting that his CDU predecessor would continue to shape Germany despite leaving front-line politics years ago.

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On Friday afternoon, the vote was finally held, and Mr Merz lost, with 338 MPs in favour and 350 against.

By the evening, German tabloid Bild was reporting that at least 12 CDU MPs had failed to support their leaders motion. Rumours swirled about Mrs Merkels intervention causing jitters in her old party and sinking the bill.

It is unclear how this week of high political drama will influence the rest of the election campaign. It is not a total failure for Mr Merz. Having passed his non-binding motion on Wednesday calling for major curbs on migration, he can still claim an overall victory.

But the ruling coalition, led by Mr Scholz, can also claim victory, having won the legally binding vote on Friday that preserved  just about  the firewall.

The real winner

But the real winner is arguably Alice Weidel, the AfD leader: this mid-campaign gambit by Mr Merz has put her party front and centre in the migration debate, just weeks before the polls open.

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The AfD continues to poll in second place, at around 20 per cent, but polling figures issued since the Aschaffenburg attack suggest it could start to catch up with Mr Merzs vote share of 30 per cent.

Germanys traditional parties, even the CDU, continue to rule out the possibility of forming a coalition with the AfD, which they continue to say is too extreme to govern.

They cite the partys track record of members playing down Nazi war crimes, and investigations by the intelligence services, who consider it to be an extremist group, as evidence for this, not just its stern rhetoric on migration, which is increasingly becoming the norm in the wider German political debate.

As for Mr Merz, he says he is now getting back to the campaign trail after a week of trying with mixed success to pass last-minute measures on immigration and security.

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Its up to the next Bundestag now, Mr Merz told a press conference on Friday evening, referring to the one that will sit after the election on Feb 23  one that he will likely sit in as majority leader.

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The pro-Trump insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021 | Alex Kent

It was a highly contentious Thursday session in the Michigan Senate as a resolution to condemn the pardons issued by President Donald Trump for those charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol drew angry accusations with multiple senators gaveled down for exceeding either the rules or decorum of the chamber.

The resolution, SR 6, which passed the Democratic-controlled chamber strictly along party lines, was introduced by Senate Floor Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) and sought to officially condemn the pardons as an act of betrayal to the brave law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line on January 6, 2021, as well as to the citizens of the United States. The measure noted that among the 1,500 criminals pardoned by President Trump, 169 of them were found guilty of assaulting police officers, and that the pardons were condemned by both the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police.

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After a heated debate, where several Republican senators were gaveled down for straying from the resolution at hand, SR 6 passed 19-13, with state Sen. John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs) not voting.

On his first day back in office, Trump granted a full, complete and unconditional pardon to approximately 1,560 defendants and commuted the prison sentences for 14 of the most serious offenders on Jan. 6, including leaders of the paramilitary groups the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. The decision drew both widespread acclaim from the Presidents allies and MAGA followers and condemnation from Democrats and law enforcement groups.

Thursdays resolution in the Michigan Senate broke along the same lines.

Singh implored his colleagues to support the measure, saying that democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power should transcend partisanship and politics.

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All those things that we value came under attack on January 6th with the actions of a violent mob seeking to overturn the election and keep Donald Trump in power, said Singh. We had to relive that painful part of our history this month when that same person, now returned to the White House by the very democracy he spent so long questioning and eroding, pardoned these members as well as the most egregious of offenders.

Singh closed by saying it was disturbing that his Republican colleagues did not stand up and condemn the pardons.

I often hear about your support of law enforcement, but I saw you walk away from law enforcement by not condemning the actions of this president. I want to give you that opportunity with this resolution to fix that, said Singh.

State Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) spoke out in opposition to both the resolution as well as Singhs characterization, saying that while there were certainly bad players on Jan. 6 there were also defendants he asserted were simply walking through the Capitol and did nothing wrong.

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Theres a lot of people like that, and thats the focus of President Trump, he said. President Trump was attacked by all of this lawfare with state charges. Hes seen firsthand this stuff. What did the Democrats do? What did [former President Joe] Biden do during the summer of love when people were murdered, when the entire cities were up in flames? Nothing! Nothing!

Runestad was referencing the Black Lives Matter protests and ensuing riots that occurred in 2020 following the death by Minneapolis Police of George Floyd. Trump was president at the time.

Biden pardoned murderers, hundreds of people, thousands of people, many of them terrible murderers, said Runestad before being gaveled down by Senate President Pro Tem Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield).

Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) on June 27, 2024. | Anna Liz Nichols

Senator, Ive given you a lot of leeway, but this is really straying off the path of the resolution. Youre questioning the motivations of members and youre straying off of the intent of the resolution, said Moss, as Runestad could be heard yelling in the background, although his microphone had been turned off.

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Runestad is currently a candidate to chair the Michigan Republican Party, along with former party Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, GOP consultant Scott Greenlee and Joe Cella, former ambassador to Fiji during the first Trump administration.

Sen. Jonathan Lindsay (R-Allen), called the prosecutions one of the worst examples of weaponization of our government against its citizens that has ever happened in our history, alleging that the pardoned defendants were met at the Capitol with open doors and police officers waving them inside.

More than 140 police officers were injured in the Capitol attack, which caused roughly $2.8 million in damage to the Capitol.

How long does somebody have to be sent to a gulag and have their rights violated, their due process violated? How long? asked Lindsay, who then questioned why they werent discussing Dr. Anthony Fauci receiving a preemptive pardon from Biden shortly before he left office.

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Fauci, who served as the chief medical expert during the COVID-19 pandemic and was often at odds with Trump, has been the target of investigations from congressional Republicans.

I would encourage us to have a more open mind and think about things like President Biden pardoning criminals from his family and Gen. [Mark] Milley who was accused of treason, said Lindsay.

Milley, who served as a top military adviser to Trump during his first term, later called him a fascist. The second Trump administration has since stripped Milley of his security detail and ordered an investigation into his conduct.

Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) spoke in favor of the resolution.

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I want us all to reflect for a moment that just now on the floor of the Michigan Senate, a Republican senator stood up and said that a man who was convicted of using bear spray against police officers and striking police officers with a metal whip was treated unfairly by our justice system and that he was rightfully pardoned and let out with a slap on the wrist, said Irwin, referencing Andrew Taake of Texas, who was released by Trumps pardon and is now wanted by authorities on a 2016 charge of soliciting a minor online.

Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) on March 19, 2024. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

Irwin also mentioned the cases of Daniel Ball, of Florida who was arrested just days after being pardoned on federal gun charges, and Matthew Huttle of Indiana, who was shot dead after confronting police with a gun.

Again, we see here on the floor people trying to make false equivalencies pointing at other incidents that happened like when folks were out protesting. You know what? Youre not correct when folks were out protesting in the street and they broke the law, they were prosecuted. There were hundreds of people prosecuted, said Irwin, who then addressed Runestads comments.

When [Runestad] says those things, he is either not telling the truth or he just doesnt know the truth, said Irwin.

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Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) rose and made a point of order, saying Irwin was impugning the motives of other members. Moss agreed.

Other Democrats speaking in support of the resolution included Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) who recalled receiving a voicemail from the mother of a Capitol police officer who died as a result of the Jan. 6 attack who said if only more people had stood up in opposition to conspiracies and anger and fear and lies and calls for violence her son might still be alive today.

Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), who was tearful while speaking, read a quote from Caroline Edwards, a Capitol police officer who suffered a brain injury in the attack, describing officers on the ground  bleeding. They were throwing up. I saw friends with blood all over their faces. I was slipping in peoples blood. It was carnage. It was chaos.

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Twp.) attempted to offer an amendment, but was turned down by Moss, who said it did not pertain to the resolution at hand. That was also put to a vote and upheld by majority Democrats.

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Nesbitt, who is running for the GOP nomination for governor in 2026, criticized majority Democrats for the way they ran the chamber, something also echoed by McBroom.

Transcribing MSNBC segments into state resolutions like this one is and blindly seeking to sue their political opponents, your actions and inactions speak volumes about the priorities of this chamber with this majority, Nesbitt said.

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt listens to former President Donald Trump speak in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Bidens border policy on April 2, 2024. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Childrens of Alabama announced it is giving people the opportunity to spread Valentines Day cheer to their patients.

The public can send free greeting cards to patients at Childrens of Alabama as a part of the hospitals annual Valentines Day card drive from Saturday through Feb. 14. Hospital staff will distribute the cards on Valentines Day.

Those interested in sending cards can visit the Childrens of Alabama website and pick one of three greeting card designs.

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A family affair at the Grammys

Spire is sponsoring the card drive. Throughout the course of the card drive, Spire will match donations made by donors up to $5,000.

Because of infection prevention protocols, Childrens of Alabama cannot accept any in-person gift donations, handmade cards, food or candy, stuffed animals, toys depicting violence, religious items, crocheted/knit items or gently used homemade items.

Click here for more information on donating to Childrens of Alabama patients.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
A second federal judge Friday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's administration from freezing federal grants, loans and other financial assistance after Democratic state attorneys, including Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, filed a lawsuit earlier this week challenging Trump's action.

The order comes after a judge in Washington, D.C., issued a shorter administrative stay pausing the policy in response to a separate legal challenge by several nonprofit groups.

The Friday ruling by U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, is a temporary restraining order that prohibits the Trump administration from imposing a blanket freeze on federal funding, according to a news release from Wisconsin Department of Justice.

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"The Trump Administration's attempts to withhold federal funding from Wisconsin hurts kids, families, seniors, and communities across our state," Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement. "This was a bad idea from the beginning, and I will continue to fight these efforts every step of the way."

A memo from the Trump administration issued earlier this week directed funds be put on hold while the administration reviewed grants and loans to ensure they are aligned with Trump's priorities, including executive orders he signed ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The Office of Management and Budget then fully withdrew the memo on Wednesday.

"On Wednesday, only hours before an initial hearing in this case, the President hastily rescinded the memo, but public messaging both by the White House Press Secretary and on the White Houses official X account indicated that the funding freeze was still in effect," the DOJ's release says.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul makes remarks at the Wisconsin Democratic Convention on June 8 at Potawatomi Hotel in Milwaukee.

"The states argued that rescinding the memo without unfreezing funding was an attempt by the administration to evade the lawsuit. Indeed, during the hearing, a lawyer for the Department of Justice argued that since the memo had been rescinded, the states no longer had standing to sue. The Court, Judge John J. McConnell presiding, called this a 'distinction without a difference,' and asked the parties to submit a proposed order for his review.

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"Today, the Court, Judge John J. McConnell presiding, announced the temporary restraining order, agreeing with the states that the President overstepped his authority by overriding policy choices made by Congress and has violated his obligation to execute the laws passed by Congress by refusing to spend the money Congress has appropriated. Judge McConnell, in his order, stated, Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes and therefore the Executives actions violate the separation of powers."

Kaul said, This order makes clear that the Trump administrations sweeping and reckless funding freeze is blocked for the time being. While were still in the early stages of this case, this initial ruling is great news."

"Developments in the past few days have offered a glimpse into how radical and dangerous the Project 2025 agenda is. Thoughtlessly disrupting or dramatically cutting funding for public safety, educational programs, public health, and many other essential services threatens to cause serious damage to our communities.

"The Trump administration must reverse course and follow the law."

Reuters contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Another federal judge blocks Trump's federal spending freeze
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has strongly rejected accusations from his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, that Rwanda is backing the M23 rebels, a group that has exacerbated the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a heated response on January 30, Kagame labelled Ramaphosas claims as lies and warned of potential confrontation if such statements continue. This diplomatic clash comes as South Africa faces mounting pressure following the deaths of 13 soldiers in a recent surge of violence involving the M23 militia, which captured parts of the strategic city of Goma in North Kivu province.

Ramaphosa had initially blamed the M23 and a Rwandan Defence Force militia for the South African casualties, while his Defence minister, Angie Motshekga, escalated tensions by suggesting that South Africa would consider any further attacks on its forces as a declaration of war.

These remarks have caused a significant diplomatic fallout, with Kagame swiftly retaliating by asserting that the Rwandan Defense Force (RDF) is not a militia, but a legitimate national Army. He further dismissed South Africas role as a peacekeeper, accusing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) troops of engaging in offensive combat operations rather than peacekeeping.

The conflict in eastern Congo, which borders Rwanda, has deep historical roots, with tensions linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda maintains that the M23s actions are partly driven by the threat posed by genocidal forces that fled into Congo after the massacre. However, South African officials, including Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola, have pointed the finger at Rwanda, citing UN reports that allegedly confirm Kigalis backing of the M23 rebels. As the conflict continues to unfold, both countries have used international forums like the African Union to air their positions, while calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a halt to external support for the rebels. The situation remains precarious as Rwanda and South Africa continue their war of words amidst escalating violence in the region.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Along the Chouteau Greenway rests the Francois Chouteau and Native American Heritage Monument.

Theres a trio of sculptures that sit atop a bluff. Near that monument, also rests a Kanza Native American. The figure once stood tall, depicting a hunt, with a beaver close by.

But now all thats left is the feet of the Native American.

FOX4 received a tip that a statue was stolen. This first happened in 2021. Friday, we went to the greenway to see, and all thats left is a pair of feet, belonging to the sculpture along the sidewalk.

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Saints player sending local veteran to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX

Kansas Citys site on the monument reads:

This monument provides a historical interpretation destination that depicts the French trader Francois Chouteau and the Native Americans who founded the city when they built a trading post here in 1821. The Francois Chouteau & Native American Heritage Monument conceptually emulates the river bluffs where Rock Creek and the Missouri River converge through interpretive elements including limestone, river stones, lighting, and landscape. Renowned sculptor and Kansas City resident, Kwan Wu, was commissioned to create the four magnificent, larger-than-life sculptures in 2019. Three majestic sculpture statues perch atop the bluff depicting a trade encounter, while elsewhere, a Native American trapper stalks his prey.

Longtime North Kansas City resident, Monica Langford is disappointed this happened again.

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Its not the first time and there have been some questionable things going on in this area, she said.

In 2021, a 400-pound statue was stolen in 2021. Later, it was recovered, but in pieces.

I dont understand, but its very disappointing that people would do that kind of thing, Langford added.

I dont know if its kids that think its funny just trying to get into mischief. I dont know why somebody would want to do that. Whats the benefit?

Police say this incident was reported by the City. It occurred between Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 9:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 22, at noon.

Detectives are investigating  but right now no suspects have been identified. No arrests have been made.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Jan. 31A state higher education bill prohibiting hazing while mandating other prevention efforts passed the Senate Education Committee on Friday.

Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Sen. Harold Pope and Rep. Pamelya Herndon, both Albuquerque Democrats, next goes to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Pope, who was a member of a University of New Mexico fraternity, said he was inspired to craft his bill based on news reports he has seen about hazing and the fact that New Mexico is one of only six states in the nation without laws prohibiting it.

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"Even before I ran for state Senate, this is something that I think we needed as a state," Pope said.

UNM spokesperson Cinnamon Blair said following Friday's committee hearing that the university condemns hazing and wants to maintain a safe environment for students.

The anti-hazing bill would make it a misdemeanor for anyone to commit hazing or fail to report it. It would also require higher education institutions to prohibit hazing on and off campus and to educate the campus community on the dangers of that conduct, including through a newly formed campus committee. The bill would require institutions to keep a report on the number and details of hazing incidents.

The measure passed the Senate committee Friday following a change requested by lawmakers that the legislation not pertain to K-12 schools. Pope and other lawmakers said they needed more time to think about the implications of criminalizing hazing for minors and school districts.

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A similar bill, Senate Bill 148, sponsored by Sen. Antonio "Moe" Maestas, D-Albuquerque, and supported by New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez, would also make hazing and failure to report it a misdemeanor.

However, it would also make both acts a felony in certain instances, including in public school settings. That proposal is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Pope said his and Maestas' bills could eventually be added to legislation on public safety. It is also possible one bill could pass the Legislature and the other could fail, he said.

Pope said his anti-hazing bill reflects his values, protects students and "sends the message that hazing shouldn't be tolerated."

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The other legislative proposal approved Friday is also similar to the Stop Campus Hazing Act, which former President Joe Biden signed into law last month. When lawmakers noted the federal law during Friday's hearing, Pope said the difference with his legislation is the penalties imposed on hazing.

The anti-hazing bill was not the only major higher education bill to pass committee on Friday. Senate Bill 19, sponsored by Sens. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, and Gabriel Ramos, R-Silver City  which mandates training for all higher education governing boards  was unanimously approved. The legislation goes next to the Senate Rules Committee.
Far-left, pro-Palestine Councilmember Shahana Hanif is suddenly bending over backwards to show support for the Chosen People  now that shes in a tight challenge against a Jewish primary opponent.

Until just four months ago, Hanif, 33, who reps the 39th district  which includes parts of Brownstone Brooklyn, including liberal bastion Park Slope, but also heavily Orthodox Jewish Borough Park  has almost never bashed Hamas or spoken up for Israel.

But when the Israeli restaurant Miriam was vandalized last week in Park Slope, the councilwoman fired off a statement to condemn the vandalism

Councilwoman Shahana Hanif being arrested while at a pro-Hamas rally in Bryant Park. @ShahanaFromBK / X

This hateful act threatens the safety of our community, she wrote on X.

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On the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre, Hanif released a statement of support calling out the terrorist bloodbath  something she rarely does.

Hanif was singing a far different tune before a primary threat emerged in August from Maya Kornberg, a Jewish Democrat who works at NYUs Brennan Center for Justice.

In April 2023, Hanif was one of just two council members to vote against an End Jew Hatred Day resolution  calling it a far right idea.

In the days after Hamas attack Hanif insisted in a since-deleted post on X the root cause of this war is the illegal, immoral, and unjust occupation of the Palestinian people, and that no peace should be expected.

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At a Cease Fire Now Rally for Gaza in Bryant Park where Hanif was arrested, hundreds of protestors shouted the anti-Israel chant, From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

Shahana Hanif has been one of the most outspoken anti-Israel politicians in the city council. Stephen Yang

Another since-deleted X post from Hanif demanded a ceasefire just five days after the slaughter in an effort to shut down any military response from Israel.

So far, Hanif, elected in 2022, has raised about $68,000 for the June 24 primary contest, while Kornberg is nipping at her heels with almost $63,000 in the bank, according to campaign finance data.

Rabbi Andy Bachman, a former senior rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn, said Hanif called him to offer support in August after a bookstore in her district canceled a talk from him because he was a Zionist  but described her recent outreach too little and too late.

Hanif is now facing a Jewish primary challenger, Maya Kornberg. mayaforcouncil.com

My perspective is as a lifelong proud Democrat, any politician who is unwilling to . . . condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization is simply not fit to lead, he said.

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In a statement Team Hanif said she would always work to keep all New Yorkers safe by addressing the root causes of violence and insisted that she had repeatedly and categorically condemned Hamas.

They refused to send any past example of her doing so.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that excluding his country from talks between the U.S. and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be very dangerous" and asked for more discussions between Kyiv and Washington to develop a plan for a ceasefire.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Zelenskyy said Russia does not want to engage in ceasefire talks or to discuss any kind of concessions, which the Kremlin interprets as losing at a time when its troops have the upper hand on the battlefield.

He said U.S. President Donald Trump could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the table with the threat of sanctions targeting Russias energy and banking system, as well as continued support of the Ukrainian military.

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I think these are the closest and most important steps, he said in the interview in the Ukrainian capital that lasted for more than an hour.

Zelenskyy's remarks followed comments Friday by Trump, who said American and Russian officials were already talking about ending the war. Trump said his administration has had very serious discussions with Russia, but he did not elaborate.

They may have their own relations, but talking about Ukraine without us  it is dangerous for everyone, Zelenskyy said.

He said his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but those discussions are at a general level, and he believes in-person meetings will take place soon to develop more detailed agreements.

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We need to work more on this, he said, adding that Trump understandably appeared to be focused on domestic issues in the first weeks after his inauguration.

The nearly three-year war in Ukraine is at a crossroads. Trump promised to end the fighting within six months of taking office, but the two sides are far apart, and it is unclear how a ceasefire deal would take shape. Meanwhile, Russia continues to make slow but steady gains along the front, and Ukrainian forces are enduring severe manpower shortages.

Most Ukrainians want a pause in fighting to rebuild their lives. The country faces near-daily Russian attacks on homes, and strikes on power systems have plunged entire cities into darkness.

Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced, unable to return to their homes after vast tracts of the countrys east have been reduced to rubble. Nearly a fifth of Ukraine is now occupied by Russia. In those areas, Moscow-appointed authorities are swiftly erasing any hint of Ukrainian identity.

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With Trump back in the White House, Ukraines relationship with the U.S., its largest and most important ally, is also at a tipping point.

In an initial phone call with Trump during the presidential campaign, Zelenskyy said, the two agreed that if Trump won, they would meet to discuss the steps needed to end the war. But a planned visit by Trumps Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, was postponed for legal reasons Zelenskyy said. That was followed by a sudden foreign aid freeze that effectively caused Ukrainian organizations to halt projects.

I believe that, first and foremost, we (must) hold a meeting with him, and that is important. And that is, by the way, something that everyone in Europe wants," Zelenskyy said, referring to "a common vision of a quick end to the war.

After the conversation with Trump, "we should move on to some kind of format of conversation with Russians. And I would like to see the United States of America, Ukraine and the Russians at the negotiating table. ... And, to be honest, a European Union voice should also be there. I think it would be fair, effective. But how will it turn out? I dont know.

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Zelenskyy cautioned against allowing Putin to take control" over the war, an apparent reference to Russia's repeated threats of escalation during President Joe Biden's administration.

Without security guarantees from Ukraines allies, Zelenskyy said, any deal struck with Russia would only serve as a precursor to future aggression. Membership in the NATO alliance, a longstanding wish for Kyiv that Moscow has categorically rejected, is still Zelenskyys top choice.

NATO membership is the cheapest option for Ukraine's allies, and it would also strengthen Trump geopolitically, Zelenskyy argued.

I really believe that these are the cheapest security guarantees that Ukraine can get, the cheapest for everyone, he said.

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It will be a signal that it is not for Russia to decide who should be in NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide. I think this is a great victory for Trump, he said, evidently appealing to the president's penchant for winners and business deals.

In addition, Zelenskyy said, Ukraines 800,000-strong army would be a bonus to the alliance, especially if Trump seeks to bring home U.S. troops who are stationed overseas.

Other security guarantee proposals should be backed up by sufficient weapons from the U.S. and Europe, and support for Kyiv to develop its own defense industry, he said.

Zelenskyy also said a French proposal to put European forces in Ukraine to act as a deterrent against Russian aggression is taking shape, but he expressed skepticism, saying many questions remained about the command-and-control structure and the number of troops and their positions. The issue was raised by French President Emmanuel Macron and with Trump, he said.

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I said in the presence of the two leaders that we are interested in this as a part of the security guarantee, but not as the only guarantee of safety, he said. Thats not enough.

He added: Imagine, there is a contingent. The question is who is in charge? Who is the main one? What will they do if there are Russian strikes? Missiles, disembarkation, attack from the sea, crossing of the land borderline, offensive. What will they do? What are their mandates?

Asked if he put those questions directly to Macron, he smiled and said: We are still in the process of this dialogue.

Following a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the war has set Ukraine back by 100 years, Zelenskyy urged Rubio to visit Ukraine.

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Rubio "needs to come to Ukraine, first of all, to see what Russia has done, the Ukrainian president said. But also to see what the Ukrainian people did, what they were able to do for the security of Ukraine and the world, as I said, and just talk to these people.

___

Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed to this report.
A$AP Rocky is possibly in the biggest legal fight of his life.

The rapper is facing trial on two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm related to an alleged 2021 shooting incident in Hollywood  and has turned down a plea deal from the prosecution.

Rocky, 36, is accused of firing shots at Terell Ephron  aka A$AP Relli  who claims the alleged shots grazed his knuckles.

Ana Garcia in the True Crime News studio on Dec. 22, 2023. anagnews/Instagram

Ana Garcia attends Warner Bros. Television Groups Fall TV Season Celebration at Nya Studios on Oct. 10, 2024 in Los Angeles. FilmMagic

The prosecutors offered the artist a deal that would have required him to plead guilty to one of the two felony counts in exchange for a recommended 180 days in jail and three years of probation.

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Rockys decision to decline their offer could go one of two ways, according to True Crime News host Ana Garcia.

I think hes got a strong case  I do believe that, the journalist exclusively told The Post. Im not so sure how strong the prosecution evidence is. And also, its always a gamble. You get a chance to defend yourself. You get a chance to go in front of a jury. You get a chance to let them decide your fate, and sometimes thats really risky.

A$AP Rocky is seen at the Superior Court of Los Angeles on Jan. 22, 2025. GC Images

A$AP Rocky is seen at Superior Court of Los Angeles on Jan. 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. GC Images

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Garcia noted that its not uncommon for people who believe in their innocence to take their chances at trial.

If in your heart, and you see this a lot, especially if they believe they are innocent, they are like, No, absolutely not. I am innocent. I want my day in court and I will prove it,' she explained.

But, as many know, proclaiming your innocence doesnt make it true.

A$AP Rocky, Sara Caplan, Chad Seigel and Joe Tacopina listen in court during A$AP Rockys assault trial at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 29, 2025. via REUTERS

A$AP Rocky appears in court for felony assault charges at Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on Jan. 29, 2025 in Los Angeles. Getty Images

Garcia added, Now, youll still have people who truly are guilty of things that will also say, No, no, no, no! Im innocent  like Sarah Boone.

Boone was sentenced to life in prison after she was found guilty of second-degree murder for zipping her boyfriend in a suitcase and leaving him inside until he died.

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She was given a sweet deal before and ends up being convicted and spending the rest of her life in prison, Garcia continued. In that case, there was even video implicating her. So one would think she should have taken the deal.

In Rockys case, police officers searched the scene but found no physical evidence of a shooting, such as shell casings or bullet holes. Two days after the alleged incident, Relli reportedly brought shell casings to the police, claiming he retrieved them from the scene.

A$AP Relli testifies during the A$AP Rocky trial for felony assault. via REUTERS

Ana Garcia star of True Crime News poses at Warner Bros. Television Groups/Fenty Beauty Fall TV Season portrait studio at NYA Studios West in Los Angeles. WBTV/Maarten de Boer

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I am quite surprised by that, Garcia mused. Thats beyond unusual and the casing that he says were from his shooting do not match any weapons that the authorities have looked for. The authorities have served a search warrant on A$AP Rockys home and they did find registered weapons. Hes licensed to carry a concealed weapon, but those weapons that he had do not match the bullet casing that were found, picked up, and delivered by the victim.

As the anchor put it, Thats perplexing.

Along with proclaiming his innocence, Rockys lawyers took issue with the jury selection.

His attorney, Joe Tacopina, said they were troubled that less than 5% of the jury pool is black, while the area they are drawn from is 9% African American.

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Totally agree, Garcia expressed adamantly. How can you not have any African Americans on this jury? This is Los Angeles. We are perhaps the most racially, ethnically, diverse city in the country  its amazing.

The true crime expert quipped, Youre telling me that during this entire process you couldnt find multiple African Americans to sit on this trial? Thats absurd.

Rocky now faces up to 24 years in prison if found guilty.
Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Saturday rejected a proposal from US President Donald Trump that Egypt and Jordan should take in large numbers of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip while the region is reconstructed.

Resettlement would jeopardize regional stability and prolong the conflict, foreign ministers from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said. Representatives from the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League at the meeting expressed the same view.

The rights of Palestinians should not be violated "whether through settlement activity, deportation, destruction of housing or annexation," the ministers said. The same applied to the "transfer or uprooting of Palestinians from their land in any way whatever or under whatever circumstances or justifications," they said.

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Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One on January 25, Trump said the Gaza Strip was "literally a demolition site right now.

"Almost everything is demolished and people are dying there so Id rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing at a different location where they can maybe live in peace for a change," he said.

"You're talking about a million and half people, and we just clean out that whole thing. You know over the centuries it's had many, many conflicts. And I dont know, something has to happen," Trump said.

His remarks drew condemnation from Arab countries at the time.

On Friday, thousands of Egyptians gathered near the border with the Gaza Strip in a protest against Trump's call to resettle Palestinian survivors in Gaza, Egyptian state media reported.
A key group of Arab nations have said they firmly reject any efforts to resettle or evict Palestinians from Gaza, after US President Donald Trump said he wanted to clean out the enclave and move its population to neighboring countries.

The foreign ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt issued a wide-ranging statement Saturday, saying they hoped to work with Trump on a two-state solution in the Middle East.

But they pushed back on Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. Without specifically referencing the presidents proposal, the ministers reiterated a commitment to rebuilding the enclave while ensuring the continued presence of Palestinians in their homeland.

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The nations firmly rejected any actions that threaten these rights, including settlement expansion, forced evictions, home demolitions, land annexation, or the displacement of Palestinians through direct expulsion or coerced migration, they wrote after a meeting of the foreign ministers in Cairo.

In January, Trump said he had spoken with the king of Jordan about potentially building housing elsewhere in the Middle East and moving more than 1 million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries.

I said to him that Id love you to take on more, because Im looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and its a mess, its a real mess, he told reporters aboard Air Force One. Youre talking about a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing.

I dont know, something has to happen, but its literally a demolition site right now, Trump said. Almost everythings demolished, and people are dying there, so Id rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location where I think they could maybe live in peace for a change.

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The statement from the Arab foreign ministers touched on a range of topics relating to Gazas reconstruction, as the fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel allows the region to assess the impact of a brutal 15-month conflict.

The group hailed the important role played by the United States in facilitating the deal, for which both Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have sought credit.

They also called for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and rejected any attempts to partition the Strip, and pointed to the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees or UNRWA, two days after Israels ban on the agency went into effect.

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(Bloomberg) -- Several Arab nations as well as the Arab League pushed back on a suggestion by US President Donald Trump that Palestinians in Gaza should be relocated en masse to Egypt and Jordan.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the Palestinian Authority were among those joining with Jordan and Egypt in announcing their position on Saturday.

A lengthy statement, which said Trumps idea threatens regional stability and risks expanding the Israel-Hamas conflict, was issued following a meeting of Arab diplomats in Cairo.

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A week ago, Trump suggested hed like to see the Gaza Strip cleared out as part of a postwar operation. Much of the enclave is in ruins after Israels 15-month war in response to the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, which is now in a six-week ceasefire.

Im looking at the whole Gaza Strip right now and its a mess, Trump said. The US president said he would urge Jordan and Egypt to take in more Gazans. Youre talking about probably a million-and-a-half people. And we just clean up that whole thing. Jordan and Egypt quickly derided the suggestion.

Trump on Saturday called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, according to a readout from the Egyptian leaders office that made no specific reference to the refugee situation.

The pair discussed the possibility of moving Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt while reconstruction takes place, according to an X post by Axios reporter Barak Ravid, citing a person with knowledge who wasnt identified.

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Palestinians have long feared that if they depart temporarily, theyll not be allowed to return by Israel.

Saturdays joint statement out of Cairo rejected any attempt to divide the Gaza Strip, and instead supported working to enable the Palestinian Authority to assume its duties there along with in the West Bank, where it has partial control, and East Jerusalem, where it currently has no control.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government have taken a repeated stand against any Palestinian Authority involvement in Gaza. They argue that it would mean Israel would be unable to deradicalize the coastal enclave, which Israel views as a prerequisite to prevent future attacks.

Some members of Netanyahus ruling coalition have embraced the idea of moving Gazans to other countries in what they say should be a voluntary immigration. They also support building Jewish settlements in the enclave, which includes about 40 kilometers (25 miles) of land adjacent to Mediterranean Sea.

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The Israeli government hasnt officially addressed Trumps recent comments. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

--With assistance from Galit Altstein, Sara Gharaibeh and Susanne Barton.

(Updates with Trump-Sisi call from sixth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2025 Bloomberg L.P.
CAIRO (AP)  Powerful Arab nations on Saturday rejected U.S. President Donald Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League released a joint statement rejecting any plans to move Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Trump floated the idea last month, saying he would urge the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to take in Gazas now largely homeless population, so that we just clean out that whole thing. He added that resettling most of Gazas population of 2.3 million could be temporary or long term. Some Israel officials had raised the transfer idea early in the war.

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Its literally a demolition site right now, Trump said, referring to the vast destruction caused by Israels 15-month war with Hamas, now paused by a fragile ceasefire.

The Arab statement warned that such plans threaten the regions stability, risk expanding the conflict, and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence among its peoples.

The statement followed a meeting in Cairo of top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official who serves as the main liaison with Israel, and Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit.

They said they were looking forward to working with the Trump administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East, based on the two-state solution," according to the statement.

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They called for the international community to help plan and implement a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza to ensure that Palestinians stay on their land.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi rejected Trump's suggestion in a news conference last week, saying that he transfer of Palestinians cant ever be tolerated or allowed.

The solution to this issue is the two-state solution. It is the establishment of a Palestinian state, he said. The solution is not to remove the Palestinian people from their place. No.

Jordans Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi also said that his countrys opposition to Trump's idea was firm and unwavering.

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El-Sissi's office said the Egyptian leader received a phone call from Trump on Saturday. The Egyptian readout described the call as positive," but didn't mention Trump's suggestion.

El-Sissi emphasized the importance of achieving a permanent peace in the region, adding that the international community counts on President Trumps ability to reach a permanent and historic peace agreement in the Middle East, according to the Egyptian statement.

Egypt and Jordan, along with the Palestinians, worry that Israel would never allow them to return to Gaza once they have left. Egypt and Jordan also fear the impact any such influx of refugees would have on their struggling economies as well as the stability of their governments.

Jordan already is home to more than 2 million Palestinians. Egypt has warned of security implications of transferring large numbers of Palestinians to Egypts Sinai Peninsula, bordering Gaza.

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Both countries were the first to make peace with Israel but they support the creation of a Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast War.

The Arab nations also emphasized the role of the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees as pivotal, non-replaceable in providing support to Palestinian refugees. They vehemently reject any attempts to bypass or downside its role," according to the statement.

Israel on Thursday formally banned UNRWA after months of attacks from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies who claim the agency is deeply infiltrated by Hamas. UNRWA rejects that claim.

UNRWA provides aid and services to some 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, as well as 3 million more in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. It has been the main lifeline for Palestinians in Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
A few weeks before Donald Trump was sworn in as president, members of his transition team went to the Treasury Department to talk about the handover of power.

But what is normally a routine discussion turned into an alarming series of interactions for a handful of top career Treasury officials.

Trumps team, which included members of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, peppered Treasury officials about one of the departments most sensitive and critical functions: processing trillions of dollars in government payments a year.

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Through a series of specific requests, Trumps landing team attempted to lift the hood on the departments Bureau of the Fiscal Service, an arcane branch that distributes nearly 90 percent of all federal payments, including Social Security benefits, tax refunds and payments to federal workers and contractors. That adds up to a billion annual transactions totaling more than $5 trillion.

A month later, this obscure Treasury office is now a key battlefront in a wider war being waged by Trump and his allies over federal spending. Signs of the fight emerged this week.

The top civil servant at the Treasury Department, David Lebryk, left unexpectedly on Friday after Trump-affiliated officials expressed interest in stopping certain payments made by the federal government, according to three people familiar with the situation.

WIth Lebryk out, Musks DOGE associates at Treasury now have full access to the governments payments system.

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According to one person familiar with the department, Trump-affiliated employees had previously asked about Treasurys ability to stop payments. But Lebryks pushback was, We dont do that, the person said.

They seem to want Treasury to be the chokepoint on payments, and thats unprecedented, the person added, emphasizing that it is not the bureaus role to decide which payments to make  it is just to make the f-ing payments.

Looking closely at payments

Before Trumps inauguration, members of his transition landing team wanted to know granular details about the bureaus proprietary computer systems, including each step in the disbursement process. They also wanted to visit field offices where government workers, in Philadelphia or Kansas, work on computers that disburse payments.

The requests puzzled many career officials initially. The transition operation hadnt requested substantive briefings on any of Treasurys other critical areas of operation, multiple people familiar with the matter said. Veterans of past transition efforts, representing presidents of both parties, couldnt recall precedent for the Trump teams entreaty.

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The arcane process of cutting the governments checks is normally overlooked by political leadership, though the incoming administration exhibited an odd interest in its inner workings, sources said  raising suspicions among career officials about the intent to tinker with a crucial financial pipeline that keeps the nations economy running.

In this 2023 photo, David Lebryk looks out a window in his office in Washington, DC. - Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Tension between Lebryk and Trump political appointees, including those affiliated with DOGE, had been mounting, with sources telling CNN that things escalated this week after the Office of Management and Budget on Monday ordered a sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal spending.

At the time, Lebryk was the acting Treasury Secretary. Trumps pick to lead Treasury, Scott Bessent, was sworn in Tuesday. OMB rescinded that order a few days later after an uproar thats still being litigated in court.

Lebryks departure, which he announced by email to his team on Friday morning, has shaken up career Treasury officials, several sources have told CNN this week. With Lebryk gone, Bessent signed off on access to the payments system for the DOGE team detailed to Treasury by Friday evening.

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DOGE officials, in the lead up to Bessents decision to sign-off on their access, had been operating from the position that Trumps Inauguration Day executive order establishing their agency had already authorized their access. That order, in part, directs the heads of federal agencies to take all necessary steps within the law to ensure Musks group has full and prompt access to all unclassified agency records, software systems, and IT systems.

Lebryks exit was first reported by the Washington Post, but the full scale of the tension inside the Treasury Department has not been previously reported. Lebryk didnt respond to an inquiry from CNN on Friday morning.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, called for an investigation on Friday following news of Lebryks departure.

Its alarming that Elon Musk is attempting to gain access to the Federal Governments critical payment system, which is responsible for delivering Social Security checks, tax refunds, and Medicare benefits to Americans across the country, Warren said in a statement provided to CNN. It is equally alarming that Musk and the Trump Administration drove out the most senior career official at Treasury as the agency is already taking extraordinary measures to avoid a US default.

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Multiple Trump administration officials, including people at Treasury, didnt respond to several requests for comment this week.

Musk himself acknowledged his interest in the Treasury Departments payment processing in a middle-of-the-night post on his social media platform Saturday.

He wrote his team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.

The post appeared to ignore the mechanisms already in place for Treasury to simply fulfill lawful payment decisions made by other agencies, and that the systems value to the federal bureaucracy and the nations economy lies in its reliability.

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Jack Lew, who ran the Treasury Department during President Barack Obamas second term, said any attempt to disrupt payments made by the BFS would be dangerous to the worlds markets.

The American people should not have to worry about political interference when it comes to receiving Social Security and other payments the fiscal service makes, Lew told CNN. And as the worlds reserve currency, it is crucial to maintain confidence around the globe that the US Government will make timely payments on its obligations.

Rove around as a pack

Some of the members of Trumps landing team present for the initial transition meetings are now working at the Treasury Department.

Among them is Baris Akis, a Musk ally who is the co-founder of a venture capital firm, Human Capital. Akis presence raised alarms among some of the Treasury officials present for those early meetings, since he was not an official member of the incoming Trump administration and didnt have a security clearance at the time, the sources told CNN.

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Akis, along with a few others affiliated with Musks DOGE, has been in the Treasury building in recent days. Sources familiar with the department tell CNN they rove around as a pack  emphasizing how the group is working in the building in a way that is separate from the rest of the departments staff.

Akis did not respond to a request for comment from CNN.

Elon Musk at Donald Trump's inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20. - Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Pool/Reuters

Meanwhile, several blocks away in downtown Washington, Musk has asserted significant influence at the Office of Personnel Management, with at least one other employee formerly with Human Capital. The agency, which serves as the overarching human resources headquarters for the federal government, has historically been an operation driven by career officials who have worked across administrations of both parties.

Political appointees have long played a role, but according to one long-time official, the current iteration is like a different world.

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That world is now populated with a number of Musk acolytes.

Amanda Scales, who previously worked for Musks artificial intelligence company xAI after working for Human Capital, arrived at OPM as the agency chief of staff on Inauguration Day and has been the central figure identified with the agencys sweeping efforts to restructure the federal workforce, multiple agency officials said. She previously worked at Akis company.

Brian Bjelde, the human resources chief for SpaceX, and Anthony Armstrong, a Morgan Stanley banker who worked on Musks purchase of Twitter, have also taken on substantial roles. Musk worked out of the OPM headquarters  with his surrogates by his side  last week, the officials said.

Trumps nominee to run OPM, Scott Kupor, is awaiting confirmation but also holds deep ties to the Silicon Valley universe integral to Musks DOGE operations.

Fights continue in court

Nonprofits and Democrat-led states are already suing to try to block the Trump administrations attempts to freeze federal spending. Despite the rescission of the memo directing the pause, they say the lawsuits need to continue, because of evidence the funding is being withheld.

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On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island told the Trump administration it couldnt block payments to states, nor could it try to revive stopping payments in any agency under Trump. More hearings are to come, including on Monday morning in a separate federal court, in DC.

The court fights show how any action by the administration that tampers with congressionally mandated funding could attract aggressive litigation.

The lawsuits havent yet touched upon the Bureau of the Fiscal Services work inside the Treasury Department.

This story has been updated with new reporting.

CNNs Alayna Treene contributed to this report.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine reveals that people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and depression experience high levels of stimulation and pleasure when intoxicated, similar to drinkers who do not have depression.

The findings counter the long-held belief that the pleasure people experience when drinking alcohol decreases with addiction and that drinking to intoxication is mainly to reduce negative feelings as a form of self-medication.

"We have this folklore that people drink excessively when they're feeling depressed and that it's really about self-medicating," said Andrea King, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at UChicago and lead author of the study. "In this study of natural environment drinking and smart phone-based reports of the effects of alcohol in real-time, participants with AUD and a depressive disorder reported feeling acute, sustained positive and rewarding alcohol effectsjust like their non-depressed counterparts."

Published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the research challenges conventional notions about alcohol's effects on depressed people who drink excessively and could improve treatment approaches by focusing medication and behavioral approaches more on alcohol's pleasure reward pathways and less on stress-responsive systems.

"Currently, the focus of treatment is often on resolving stress and symptoms of depression, but that is only addressing one side of the coin if we don't also address the heightened stimulation, liking and wanting more alcohol that occur in both depressed and non-depressed people with AUD," said King, who has been conducting human research for decades to test responses to alcohol that lead to addiction.

The effects of alcohol on the brain are complex, and improved understanding of the factors that affect an individual's vulnerability to AUD and depression is critical to identify and initiate early, effective treatment. However, few studies have examined how people with AUD respond to alcohol either in controlled laboratory settings or the natural environment; including individuals with AUD and another co-morbid diagnosis adds to the complexity.

The research followed 232 individuals across the U.S. between the ages of 21 to 35, corresponding to the period when most heavy drinking occurs in a person's lifetime. Half of the study group met the criteria for AUD in the most recent year and were evenly divided in terms of those who had or had not experienced a major depressive disorder in the past year. Individuals who had suicidal ideation were excluded for safety reasons, as were people who had severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Through their smartphones, participants answered questions every half hour for three hours during one typical alcohol drinking episode and a non-alcohol episode. The researchers found that alcohol consumption reduced negative feelings, although the reduction was small and nonspecific to their depression or AUD status. The positive effects of alcohol were much higher in individuals with AUD than those without AUD, and contrary to lore, similar in those with AUD and depression and those without depression.

"For nearly a decade, our group has been improving methods to use mobile technologies to measure real time clinically meaningful outcomes in people with AUD and those at risk for alcohol-related problems," said study co-author Daniel Fridberg, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at UChicago. "These approaches allow us to bridge the gap between the lab and real life and have led to new insights that could one day result in better treatments."

The study's findings call into question the predominant theory that alcohol addiction arises from the brain's attempt to maintain stability despite repeated heavy drinking. That theory describes a "dark side of addiction" where repeated heavy drinking over time leads to changes in the brain systems involved in stress and reward. As a result of those changes, it is hypothesized that individuals shift from drinking for pleasure to drinking to avoid withdrawal and stress.

King says this theory does not account for the high levels of stimulation and pleasure that she likens to an accelerator pedal fueling more dependency.

"As treatment providers, we're taught people with AUD are drinking to self-medicate and feel better," said King. "But what exactly are they feeling? From our study, it seems to be high levels of stimulation and pleasurable effects, with a modest decrease in negative states."

King's next study examines whether adults between 40 to 65 years old who have had AUD for decades also experience similar heightened feelings of pleasure when drinking versus older drinkers without AUD. The prevailing theory would suggest these individuals would show blunted positive responses and high levels of tolerance to alcohol. King will examine whether they show a long-term sensitivity to alcohol's enjoyable effects, much like in this study of depressed drinkers.

More information: Real-Time Assessment of Positive and Negative Alcohol Effects in Individuals With and Without Alcohol Use Disorder and Depressive Disorders, American Journal of Psychiatry (2025). DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20240069 Journal information: American Journal of Psychiatry
A few weeks before Donald Trump was sworn in as president, members of his transition team went to the Treasury Department to talk about the handover of power.

But what is normally a routine discussion turned into an alarming series of interactions for a handful of top career Treasury officials.

Trumps team, which included members of Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency peppered Treasury officials about one of the departments most sensitive and critical functions: processing trillions of dollars in government payments a year.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Through a series of specific requests, Trumps landing team attempted to lift the hood on the departments Bureau of the Fiscal Service, an arcane branch that distributes nearly 90 percent of all federal payments, including Social Security benefits, tax refunds and payments to federal workers and contractors. That adds up to a billion annual transactions totaling more than $5 trillion.

A month later, this obscure Treasury office is now a key battlefront in a wider war being waged by Trump and his allies over federal spending. Signs of the fight have emerged this week.

The top civil servant at the Treasury Department, David Lebryk, is leaving unexpectedly after Trump-affiliated officials expressed interest in stopping certain payments made by the federal government, according to three people familiar with the situation.

According to one person familiar with the department, Trump-affiliated employees had asked about Treasurys ability to stop payments. But Lebryks pushback was, We dont do that, the person said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

They seem to want Treasury to be the chokepoint on payments, and thats unprecedented, the person added, emphasizing that it is not the bureaus role to decide which payments to make  it is just to make the f-ing payments.

Looking closely at payments

Before Trumps inauguration, members of his transition landing team wanted to know granular details about the bureaus proprietary computer systems, including each step in the disbursement process. They also wanted to visit field offices where government workers, in Philadelphia or Kansas, work on computers that disburse payments.

The requests puzzled many career officials initially. The transition operation hadnt requested substantive briefings on any of Treasurys other critical areas of operation, multiple people familiar with the matter said. Veterans of past transition efforts, representing presidents of both parties, couldnt recall precedent for the Trump teams entreaty.

With Trump set to take office in a matter of days, officials found little reason to open the doors to the nations payment nerve center. But the persistence of the transition operations focus on the payments infrastructure rattled some Treasury officials.

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The arcane process of cutting the governments checks is normally overlooked by political leadership, though the incoming administration exhibited an odd interest in its inner workings, sources said  raising suspicions among career officials about the intent to tinker with a crucial financial pipeline that keeps the nations economy running.

In this 2023 photo, David Lebryk looks out a window in his office in Washington, DC. - Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Tension between Lebryk and Trump political appointees, including those affiliated with DOGE, had been mounting, with sources telling CNN that things escalated this week after the Office of Management and Budget on Monday ordered a sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal spending.

At the time, Lebryk was the acting Treasury Secretary. Trumps pick to lead Treasury, Scott Bessent, was sworn in Tuesday. OMB rescinded that order a few days later after an uproar thats still being litigated in court.

Lebryks departure, which he announced by email to his team on Friday morning, has shaken up career Treasury officials, several sources have told CNN this week.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Lebryks exit was first reported by the Washington Post, but the full scale of the tension inside the Treasury Department has not been previously reported. Lebryk didnt respond to an inquiry from CNN on Friday morning.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, called for an investigation on Friday following news of Lebryks departure.

Its alarming that Elon Musk is attempting to gain access to the Federal Governments critical payment system, which is responsible for delivering Social Security checks, tax refunds, and Medicare benefits to Americans across the country, Warren said in a statement provided to CNN. It is equally alarming that Musk and the Trump Administration drove out the most senior career official at Treasury as the agency is already taking extraordinary measures to avoid a US default.

Multiple Trump administration officials, including people at Treasury, didnt respond to several requests for comment this week.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Jack Lew, who ran the Treasury Department during President Barack Obamas second term, said any attempt to disrupt payments made by the BFS would be dangerous to the worlds markets.

The American people should not have to worry about political interference when it comes to receiving Social Security and other payments the fiscal service makes, Lew told CNN. And as the worlds reserve currency, it is crucial to maintain confidence around the globe that the US Government will make timely payments on its obligations.

Rove around as a pack

Some of the members of Trumps landing team present for the initial transition meetings are now working at the Treasury Department.

Among them is Baris Akis, a Musk ally who is the co-founder of a venture capital firm, Human Capital. Akis presence raised alarms among some of the Treasury officials present for those early meetings, since he was not an official member of the incoming Trump administration and didnt have a security clearance at the time, the sources told CNN.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Akis, along with a few others affiliated with Musks DOGE, has been in the Treasury building in recent days. Sources familiar with the department tell CNN they rove around as a pack  emphasizing how the group is working in the building in a way that is separate from the rest of the departments staff.

Akis did not respond to a request for comment from CNN.

Elon Musk at Donald Trump's inauguration at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 20. - Kenny Holston/The New York Times/Pool/Reuters

Meanwhile, several blocks away in downtown Washington, Musk has asserted significant influence at the Office of Personnel Management, with at least one other employee formerly with Human Capital. The agency, which serves as the overarching human resources headquarters for the federal government, has historically been an operation driven by career officials who have worked across administrations of both parties.

Political appointees have long played a role, but according to one long-time official, the current iteration is like a different world.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

That world is now populated with a number of Musk acolytes.

Amanda Scales, who previously worked for Musks artificial intelligence company xAI after working for Human Capital, arrived at OPM as the agency chief of staff on Inauguration Day and has been the central figure identified with the agencys sweeping efforts to restructure the federal workforce, multiple agency officials said. She previously worked at Akis company.

Brian Bjelde, the human resources chief for SpaceX, and Anthony Armstrong, a Morgan Stanley banker who worked on Musks purchase of Twitter, have also taken on substantial roles. Musk worked out of the OPM headquarters  with his surrogates by his side  last week, the officials said.

Trumps nominee to run OPM, Scott Kupor, is awaiting confirmation but also holds deep ties to the Silicon Valley universe integral to Musks DOGE operations.

Fights continue in court

Nonprofits and Democrat-led states are already suing to try to block the Trump administrations attempts to freeze federal spending. Despite the rescission of the memo directing the pause, they say the lawsuits need to continue, because of evidence the funding is being withheld.

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On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island told the Trump administration it couldnt block payments to states, nor could it try to revive stopping payments in any agency under Trump. More hearings are to come, including on Monday morning in a separate federal court, in DC.

The court fights show how any action by the administration that tampers with congressionally mandated funding could attract aggressive litigation.

The lawsuits havent yet touched upon the Bureau of the Fiscal Services work inside the Treasury Department.

CNNs Alayna Treene contributed to this report.

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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  The Archdiocese of New Orleans and Second Harvest Food Bank have released a statement regarding the food banks recent change in leadership.

On Thursday, Jan. 30, reports came in stating that Dirk Wild has been appointed as the interim CEO of Second Harvest, replacing Natalie Jayroe.

A PR firm claimed Jayroe and other board members were let go by the Archdiocese because they refused to reallocate donations intended for the food bank to the Archdiocese bankruptcy fund.

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Supermarket theft and car burglary suspects arrested together in Tangipahoa Parish

According to the Archdiocese, in 2022, a lawsuit was brought against them and other ministries, including Second Harvest, on behalf of abuse victims. The lawsuit was later dropped, leaving the parties to sign agreements to protect themselves from imminent litigation.

Second Harvest reportedly refused to sign the agreement this year, which would have resulted in the Archdiocese, its ministries, Second Harvest and people doing business with the Archdiocese being sued.

The Archdiocese claims that such a scenario would have incurred considerable legal fees, drastically increasing the cost of the bankruptcy and delaying its resolution, so the decision was made to change leadership.

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The statement went on to state that donations intended to support Second Harvests mission have not been used for the bankruptcy.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A Kern County judge heard arguments Friday over 67 illegally cast ballots in the November Greenfield Union School District trustee race due to a county mistake.

The Greenfield Union School District wants to nullify the election, while Mercy Pena, the winner of the election, was trying to hold her seat.

Penas attorney, Robert Tyler, said that even though there were 67 illegal ballots cast, there was no evidence that they played a role in choosing a candidate. Ballots cant be traced back to the voter, and even when the district and Pena, knocked on doors of voters to get answers, that was unsuccessful.

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Greenfield Union School District suit against Kern County Elections Division says 100+ voted in wrong trustee race

Pena beat Ricardo Herrera by just eight votes. Steven Simas who represents the school district and a voter in Area C, said the closeness of the race is enough proof.

After the hearing, Pena addressed her constituents saying shes still fighting.

Im still going to stay on the board, Im going to keep fighting and your vote means a lot to me and its going to stick as far as Im concerned.

If the election is voided, Judge Bernard Barmann Jr. will have to decide if a special election is in order, or the if the seat remains vacant until another November Election.

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Barmann has until February 10th to make a ruling on the case.

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Two Scottsdale police officers who falsely accused a man of pointing a gun at them were shielded from his gross negligence lawsuit because of their status as crime victims, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled.

"We begrudgingly hold that an absolute privilege does apply to the statements made by the peace officers in this case," wrote Judge Jennifer B. Campbell in a decision joined by Presiding Judge Brian Y. Furuya and Judge Maria Elena Cruz, who was appointed on Jan. 29 to the Arizona Supreme Court by Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Absolute privilege is a legal standard that protects people in legal and government settings from being sued for making false statements. In Arizona, crime victims are granted absolute privilege because doing otherwise would "contravene crime detection, crime prosecution, and the protections afforded to victims" under Arizona's Victims Bill of Rights, which is part of the state constitution, the decision said.

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Court precedent grants police officer crime victims the same protections as civilian crime victims, and officer-victim statements are protected even when those statements are in official written reports produced while the officer is fulfilling their investigative duties, the Appeals Court panel said.

In August 2017, Jeffery Mason and Cynthia Mason were arrested after an argument with a neighbor led to police involvement.

Scottsdale officers Matthew Glass and Michael Clore responded to the call.

Jeffery Mason did not recognize the two men approaching as officers, according to court records. Neither Glass nor Clore identified themselves before Jeffery Mason came out holding a gun pointed down, records said.

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Glass and Clore wrote in their police reports and testified in court that Jeffery Mason raised his gun at them. Police body camera footage refuted that assertion.

Jeffery Mason was initially charged with aggravated assault against an officer for pointing a gun at police and disorderly conduct with a weapon. After body camera footage was reviewed, he accepted a plea deal for just the disorderly conduct charge.

Cynthia Mason was initially charged with refusing to follow officers directions. Officers said they told her not to enter the home and that she ignored their commands, but body camera footage showed she never reentered the house. The charge was later dropped.

In 2018, the Masons filed a lawsuit against Scottsdale.

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The Appeals Court panel acknowledged the threat to holding officers accountable created by applying absolute privilege in the circumstances.

"We note with concern that affording greater protection to officer-victims may incentivize officers to describe themselves as victims to avoid liability for making exaggerated claims  or completely false statements  in their reports," Campbell wrote in the court's opinion.

The Scottsdale Police Department did not conduct an internal investigation into the officers' statements, a spokesperson said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale officers immune from lawsuit over false gun threat claims
Arizona would be violating drug safety laws if executions go ahead under the state's current death penalty protocols, according to a brief filed with the Arizona Supreme Court by a group of 12 health care professionals.

"Because there is no safe or legal way to obtain pentobarbital, the State has procured illicit raw ingredients, mixed by an unregulated compounding pharmacy, in violation of state and federal drug laws," they said in the brief filed Friday in the litigation relating to the execution of Aaron Gunches.

The health care professionals, including scientists, educators and former Food and Drug Administration leaders, say Arizona's use of pentobarbital for executions poses "significant public safety risks," according to the brief.

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State law protects the identity of almost everyone involved in executions  from the executioners to the drug compounders and manufacturers  and the amicus brief authors said the secrecy does not serve the general public.

"This is done clandestinely, under the States broad interpretation of execution secrecy," they wrote. "These acts injure public safety by supporting illicit drug supply chains that increase the chance of lethal drugs reaching the public."

The group asked the Arizona Supreme Court not to trigger "a cascade of federal drug violations" by issuing a death warrant.

The amicus group argued that the court is not being asked to review Gunches' death sentence but to authorize an executive agency to prepare and dispense pentobarbital.

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"Thus, this brief addresses the narrow question whether the States method of obtaining and administering pentobarbital complies with federal drug legislation, which this Court cannot itself violate or obstruct," the brief states. "The answer is no."

Until the state can demonstrate that it is in compliance with federal drug law, the health care professionals asked the Arizona Supreme Court to decline to issue a death warrant for Gunches.

In addition to procuring the drugs illegally, the group says the state illegally used a compounding pharmacy to create the final injectable solution.

Injecting the drug without a prescription also violates federal law, they say.

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"In sum, the entire process of killing Gunches is predicated on the false notion that the Department (of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry) may simply ignore state and federal law," the brief states. "If this Court issues a death warrant, it will be authorizing the State to secretly distribute likely expired and illicit controlled substances to a compounding pharmacy without a prescription, and then to dispense the unlawfully compounded chemicals without a prescription, all in violation of state and federal law."

Unclear if state plans to do further testing on death penalty drug

Gunches was sentenced to death for the 2002 murder of Ted Price, a former longtime boyfriend of Gunches' girlfriend. Gunches kidnapped and shot Price multiple times in a desert area off the Beeline Highway. Gunches has advocated for his execution.

Attorney General Kris Mayes officially requested a death warrant for Gunches on Jan. 10. In line with the Department of Corrections' execution protocols, the state conducted a test of the compounded pentobarbital it intends to use in the lethal injection execution of Gunches and received the results on Jan. 14.

Mayes contends the pentobarbital is not expired and that the compounded drug has a shelf life of 90 days, twice what the state previously contended. But the testing conducted by the state provides no evidence of the drug's efficacy or purity, according to an independent expert.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections stated the agency is confident in the "quality and quantity" of its lethal injection drug supply but refused to respond to further questions.

It's unclear if the Department of Corrections plans to conduct any more testing on the batch of compounded pentobarbital that would be used to kill Gunches. The department wouldn't say. A spokesperson said the agency would be releasing a statement 35 days before Gunches' execution.

Arizona spent $1.5 million in 2020 to acquire its current supply of pentobarbital. According to an investigation conducted by retired U.S. Magistrate Judge David Duncan, the state is still using that supply of the raw drug and having a compounding pharmacist mix it into an injectable solution.

Duncan found the current supply of pentobarbital was being stored in unmarked glass jars in a refrigerator that was inside a locked and alarmed closet. He said that while the state showed him invoices for the drugs, he believed they had been procured outside the recommendations of state and federal drug guidance.

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Have a news tip? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or 812-243-5582. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JimmyJenkins.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona execution protocols violate federal drug laws, experts say
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  A bill in the Arkansas legislature to forbid cryptocurrency mines within 30 miles of a military facility is dead in the water.

Senate Bill 60 did not receive the votes needed to get it out of the Senate Committee on City, County and Local Affairs after a lengthy debate on Tuesday. The discussion centered on the need for the legislation.

Crypto mining bills potentially an additional focus of fiscal session in Arkansas

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Bill sponsor Sen. Ricky Hill (R-Cabot) said it was a matter of protecting the military.

Crypto is here to stay; I am not anti-crypto; I am pro-military; my stance here is I want to do all I can to protect our military and their facilities, Hill said.

Hill is sponsoring the bill along with cosponsor and House speaker Rep. Brian Evans (R-Cabot). A crypto mine is currently under construction in Cabot within 30 miles of the Little Rock Air Force Base.

A closer look at crypto mining sites as it raises concerns for many Arkansans

Sen. Joshua Bryant (R-Rogers) said the threat the bill was addressing was not apparent.

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If our federal government under two different administrations have not seen the treat, I think its not in our interest to make that decision for them, Bryant said.

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United States Army officials have identified the two soldiers who were killed in a vehicle crash during a training exercise on Thursday night at Fort Stewart.

Staff Sgt. Shelbe Butner, 28, and Spc. Jacob Mullen, 25, were killed in the single-vehicle crash. Both were assigned to 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

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During the exercise near Camp Oliver, Butner and Mullen were operating a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle in complete darkness. The vehicle rolled off the road and into standing water.

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Other members of their unit came to give them CPR until emergency services arrived.

Our hearts are broken at this devastating loss, said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, the 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, Shelbe and Jacob were honored and highly respected Soldiers of the Marne Division, and our thoughts and prayers are with their Families and fellow Soldiers at this incredibly difficult time.

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Butner, a Missouri native, had been in the Army for nine years and had been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Air Assault Badge and the Drill Sergeant Badge.

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Mullen, a Maryland native, had been in the Army for seven years and had previously been deployed to Poland. He had been awarded Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

The U.S. Armys Combat Readiness Center, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and the XVIII Airborne Corps are investigating the crash.

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Jan. 31CANTON  Canton police, assisted by multiple law enforcement agencies, executed a search warrant Thursday at a convenience store at 71 Main St., seizing cash and a large quantity of cannabis.

The search at Canton Convenience Store followed ongoing complaints about illegal cannabis sales at the store, police said.

Authorities confiscated $4,848 in U.S. currency, about 6.6 pounds of raw cannabis and about 665 grams (1.5 pounds) of concentrated cannabis.

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Albaraa Muharram, of the Bronx, was charged with two counts of unlawful sale of cannabis and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of cannabis. He was issued appearance tickets for Town Court.

The Canton Police Department was assisted by the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force, St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police VGNET, U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

The New York Cannabis Control Board closed the Canton Convenience Store twice last year, once in August and once in November.

Large stickers declaring that the store had been unlawfully selling cannabis have been on the front window of the store since it was first sealed in August.
Feb. 1 (UPI) -- More than 50 people were killed in Sudan Saturday after artillery explosions at an outdoor vegetable market.

At least 158 more people were injured in the attacks, which were carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces group, according to government officials.

The attacks took place at a market in the Sudanese city of Omdurman, the country's second-largest metropolis, which has a population of more than 2.3 million people.

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"We strongly condemn the treacherous terrorist attack launched today by the rebellious Rapid Support Forces militia on Sabreen Market in Omdurman, which resulted in numerous innocent civilian casualties, including children, women, and the elderly, as well as widespread destruction of both private and public property," Sudan's Minister of Culture and Information, Khalid Ali said on X.

"This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia, following its bombing of the city of El Fasher, displaced persons camps, residential neighborhoods in Omdurman, and other areas of Sudan. It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law."

Sudan has been in a civil war since April of 2023, pitting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces group against government troops and Sudans de facto ruler, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who became leader of the transitional government in 2019. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI

On Friday, the leader of the RFS group, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, committed to a new offensive after losing ground, according to local news reports.

Daglo, who is known as "Hemetti" to his followers, made the announcement a day after Sudan's military said it made significant gains in Khartoum Bari or North, not far from the capital of Khartoum.

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The advances came amid heavy fighting between the Sudanese military and RFS troops.

The two sides have been embroiled in a bloody civil war since April 2023, pitting Daglo against Sudan's de facto ruler, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who became leader of the transitional government in 2019.

Last month, the United States accused the RSF and the sub-groups it controls, of committing genocide.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken alleged the group routinely engages in systematic murder and sexual violence targeting individuals based on their ethnicity.

The group is also believed to be responsible for carrying out a drone attack at a Sudanese hospital last week that killed at least 70 people.
A new review from the Department of Veterans Affairs confirms what Channel 2 Action News first reported in 2023, that thousands of mental health calls to the Atlanta VA Medical Center went unanswered.

But in an exclusive interview with Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray, Atlanta VA Medical Center Director Kai Mentzer said the Atlanta VA has already taken steps to improve and fix the problems laid out in an Inspector Generals report.

That was absolutely unacceptable. It was 30% of the calls not being answered at that time. And thats completely unacceptable and not where we are today, Mentzer told Gray.

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In 2023, Channel 2 Action News obtained a copy of the tip to the Inspector Generals whistleblower hotline that started this review.

The whistleblower warned that a total of 7,188 mental health calls to the Atlanta VA have gone unanswered, writing, We are at a critical staff level and cannot answer the phones but its being said the phones are broken.

In its report issued this week, The Inspector General substantiated the complainants allegations that the call center did not meet VHA abandonment rate and timeliness standards because it did not have enough staff during the review period. The call centers inability to meet these standards meant callers did not consistently receive timely assistance and access to appointments for needed care.

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In its own review, the Inspector General studied three months of phone calls and found that the call center only answered about 94,400 of 135,600 calls. Thats a 30% call abandonment rate.

Mentzer said that each day his senior staff now reviews the phone call data, and they have made major progress. He said for the past several months the call abandonment rate has been under 5%.

This morning, the numbers showed that we were answering the telephones within 12 seconds, Mentzer said.

The Inspector General found it was not just mental health calls going unanswered. When the Atlanta VA staff first prioritized fixing the mental health call response, it did so at the expense of answering other health calls.

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Its disappointing to me that its possible for a patient to call here in a crisis, in a need, and for us not to be able to provide that care for them. And since the report was initially provided, there are a number of things that weve done to improve here, Mentzer said.

Those changes continue in February when the Atlanta VA intends to move staff who have been answering phone calls offsite into its hospitals and clinics full-time.

First and foremost, our veterans deserve face-to-face contact. They want to see somebody. And so, we want to make sure that we have that person there for them to answer questions, said Kendra Lee, Atlanta VA Medical Centers Assistant Director of Access.

Lee said those employees will now be working in person with veteran patients in between phone calls.

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Hopefully, that will reduce the number of calls that we have. But for the calls that we still have, it will be answered on site, Lee said.




KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  Leaders of the Michigan Innocence Clinic and exonerees were mourning after learning that an attorney whose work helped clear three wrongfully convicted men in Michigan had been shot and killed.

Mike McKenzie, 72, and his wife, Darla, 68, of suburban Atlanta, Georgia, were found shot to death Tuesday at a home in Alabama.

Police say the couple had been visiting their daughters home in Etowah County, Alabama, two hours west of Atlanta, when they were shot by the daughters husband.

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The son-in-law, Christopher Scott Johnson, was charged with capital murder and is being held without bond, sheriffs deputies said.

Mike McKenzie had gained a reputation as an attorney who specialized in arson cases  specifically those in which junk science was used in convictions.

John Lentini, a Florida-based certified fire investigator, said he started working with McKenzie in the 1980s on fire insurance cases. Eventually, they started working together on wrongful conviction arson cases.

He did not go for bad outcomes, Lentini said. If things are wrong and hes got the capability to fix them, then by God, thats what hes going to do.

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Michigan Innocence Clinic Co-director Imran Syed said McKenzie started working with the clinic in about 2009, always pro bono.

He was well known then as one of the rare lawyers who had experience handling junk fire science cases that lead to wrongful arson convictions of innocent people, Syed said in an email to News 8.

His work is why at least a dozen or so innocent people across the country won back their freedom after wrongful conviction, Syed said.

Mike did all this incredible work without charging a dime to any of my clients or the clients of any other innocence project, Syed wrote. He was a beloved friend and mentor to many young lawyers across the country, and few can dream to leave behind as many monumental good deeds as he did.

Mike McKenzie (left) and David Gavitt. (Courtesy Michigan Innocence Clinic)

Two of those arson convictions in Michigan involved murder cases, including David Gavitt, who was convicted in a fire that killed his wife and two young daughters in Ionia in 1985.

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Man wrongfully convicted of familys deaths gets $1.3M

In Gavitts case, McKenzie asked Lentini to doublecheck the Michigan State Police labs tests that showed gasoline was used to start the fire.

He got me the (state polices) chemistry, Lentini said. It was some of the worst chemistry Id ever seen. It didnt match gasoline. I was blown away. Id never seen anything this ugly passed off as a good result.

Gavitt, now 66, was exonerated 13 years ago after 27 years in prison.

Gavitt is grieving the couple and says they had grown into friends. Friends say Darla McKenzie was a retired transaction attorney.

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Mike and Darla were like family to us, Gavitt said. They worked so hard and not only did they work hard to help get me exonerated, but they believed in me and they trusted me. And that meant a lot. That meant so much.

He says he still wonders why an attorney from Atlanta cared about a prisoner in Michigan.

Hes a very special, caring person, Gavitt said. He could have said, No, I dont want nothing to do with it. Why he accepted my case to work on it? I dont know. I cant answer that question, only Mike could.

Deputies in Alabama have not revealed a possible motive in the killings.

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Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is pictured on the first day of the legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

This story has been updated.

A new blistering audit report says former Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes resisted turning over full information to legislative auditors tasked with investigating his daily activities, travel records and involvement with outside organizations like the embattled anti-trafficking nonprofit Operation Underground Railroad.

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That led legislative auditors to come to limited conclusions, according to a report released Friday. But they still asserted theres a perceived conflict of interest due to the lack of transparency.

They also raised concerns that its possible the former AG could have improperly claimed attorney-client privilege as a tool to avoid transparency. Auditors wrote that when they compared redacted information provided by the AG to the unredacted information we obtained, it did not appear to contain this type of confidential material.

Rather, most of the redacted information displayed the AGs involvement in outside entities, time spent at a private barber shop, or out-of-state travel for AG associations, auditors wrote. This is concerning, as attorney-client privilege power could be improperly claimed in situations to diminish transparency rather than having a legitimate legal concern.

As a result, auditors wrote they cannot guarantee that the AG did not withhold other questionable information by claiming attorney-client privilege.



It does not appear to us that this information is privileged, auditors added. Nevertheless, if it was privileged, waiving the privilege for us to conduct a complete audit would, in our opinion, allow for more informed audit conclusions and recommendations to improve governance, accountability, and ultimately the efficient and effective use of taxpayer funds.

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While we found that there was some involvement by the AG in (Operation Underground Railroad) and other nonprofits, we are unable to determine the full extent of the involvement due to a lack of transparency from the AG, auditors wrote in the report.

For House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, thats one of the more concerning findings from the report. Schultz sits on the Legislative Audit Subcommittee, and as the audit was unveiled Friday afternoon, he said exaggerating attorney-client privilege to hide information from auditors is an increasing problem in the state.

Were seeing more and more of that with agencies, and Im really disappointed to see that, he said Friday. The concern to me is, how do we move forward with this type of thing? Again, this is a constitutional prerogative and requirement of the Legislature.

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While auditors said they received some information from Reyes, through their investigation we were able to determine that much of the AGs involvement with nonprofits was withheld.

Therefore, our conclusions are limited to the information we have, auditors wrote. Even so, we found that the AG appeared to leverage the authority of the position to support some nonprofit organizations such as OUR. Due to the AGs oversight authority over nonprofits, this type of involvement could be perceived as a conflict of interest.

For example, auditors wrote that they found Reyes held back information from them that detailed the following:

Meetings with Operation Underground Railroads Board of Governors

Events that included Reyes and Tim Ballard, the founder and director of OUR

Meetings with Reyes and OUR staff to review OUR operations

We did not find evidence that state resources were used for the AGs participation in the activities with OUR, auditors noted. Even so, evidence suggests that the AG maintained significant involvement with OUR and leveraged his position to promote the organization.

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Auditors raised concerns that insufficient transparency has resulted in lack of accountability for the position.

The AG has not been transparent with the public. The AG has also not been transparent with us when asked to examine the governance of the office, auditors wrote. We question who provides oversight and accountability over the AG if both the electorate and the Legislature are not provided with transparency into the activities of the position.

Auditors also concluded, based on an office-wide culture survey, that Reyes involvement in the offices divisions appears limited. That survey found a clear majority  62%  of the offices respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the AG is involved in the operations of their division. Additionally, the audit found that Reyes often missed monthly division directors meetings, and that he only began attending them after lawmakers called for the audit.

The office of the Utah Attorney General at the Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

An analysis of attendance at these meetings over the past 2.5 years shows that the AG was often not present, auditors wrote. The AG only began attending these meetings after the audit was prioritized.

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Utahs new Attorney General, Derek Brown, didnt say whether or not any of the findings in the audit warrant further investigation by his office, instead pointing to a second audit, also released on Friday, that investigated the functions and efficiency of the entire attorney generals office.

On the actual office itself, theres a lot of things were looking at, Brown said.

The audit report comes after a group of lawmakers in November 2023 expressed concerns about the governance and oversight of the attorney generals office and asked legislative auditors to evaluate the offices efficiencies and effectiveness. They also asked auditors to investigate to what extent Reyes was involved with Operation Underground Railroad and whether it impacted the impartiality of Reyes office.

Operation Underground Railroad made its name as an anti-sex trafficking campaign, known for its elaborate undercover sting operations in Latin America where it documented rescuing women and children. Reyes participated in several of those missions.

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Ballard and his operations were portrayed in the high-grossing film Sound of Freedom. However, the group has faced criticism for its methods and has been accused of exaggerating its success. Ballard and the organization broke ties in 2023.

Concerns surfaced after Reyes faced questions over his past relationship with OURs founder, Ballard, who has been embroiled in controversy amid a flurry of lawsuits accusing various forms of wrongdoing. Several have since been dismissed, but some are ongoing.

That includes a federal lawsuit filed in October, accusing Ballard of sex trafficking and alleging he coerced and manipulated women into situations where Ballard could sexually exploit them, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. Ballards attorney told the outlet he denies the allegations and characterized the suit as just the latest in a string of frivolous allegations unsupported by facts.

A different lawsuit filed in November 2023 initially accused Reyes of acting as the de facto general counsel for Operation Underground Railroad, claiming he forwarded complaints he received about the organization to Ballard using his personal email.

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At the time, the Utah Attorney Generals Office issued a prepared statement saying Reyes sent a single text and made a few phone calls seeking to find common ground between two (nonprofits), KSL.com reported. He regrets if his communication was viewed in any other way and contributed to a feeling of undue pressure. He trusts the impartial court process to prove his motives and actions were appropriate and legal.

In December, the plaintiff amended that lawsuit to dismiss Reyes after she and the attorney general met, and he apologized. That month, when Reyes announced he would not be seeking re-election, he said he believes the women who have accused Ballard of assault and abuse.

I apologized to each of them that my past friendship with Tim Ballard and strong association with OUR contributed to an environment that made them feel powerless and without a voice to fight back for many years, Reyes said in a video explaining his decision not to seek re-election.

In the following months, as lawmakers waited for the results of the audit of Reyes and his office, the 2024 Utah Legislature passed and Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill, HB380, that prohibits the Utah attorney general from engaging in any outside legal work.

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Now that the audit has been completed, its possible lawmakers could consider additional legislation to place more restrictions around the Utah Attorney Generals Office.

Auditors in their report released Friday recommended the Legislature consider placing additional guardrails around the position and specify a more defined role for the AG.

While common law power grants the AG extensive authority to take action to further the interests of the state, it also allows broad individual discretion, auditors wrote. As such, the Legislature could consider placing statutory guardrails around the individual discretion of the attorney general.

That could include strengthening ethical requirements for the attorney general in law, auditors wrote, which they said could reduce the perception of conflicts of interest. Lawmakers could also consider requiring additional reports from the office in order to improve transparency.

Utahs new AG Derek Brown responds: No legislation needed at this time

In a response to the audit, the states newly elected attorney general, Derek Brown  who succeeded Reyes after the former AG did not run for reelection  said he has already taken steps to address concerns from the previous administration.

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Brown campaigned on increasing transparency and restoring trust to the office, two issues the audit highlighted.

To that end, Brown solicited help from about 40 subject experts during his transition, who formed 11 committees to look at everything from the offices culture and ethics, to how it approaches civil and criminal appeals.

Brown stepped down from all nonprofit boards he sat on  Reyes involvement, and lack of transparency, with nonprofits was also a major problem highlighted by the audit.

Ive done that specifically to avoid any potential conflicts, Brown said.

Browns office is also releasing his weekly calendar, something Reyes refused to do.

And finally, the structure of the office that was referenced in the audit no longer exists, Brown said on Friday. That includes changes to some of the offices divisions, moving staff around and creating a Department of Consumer Protection to handle things like data privacy and consumer protection.

To auditors recommendation that the attorney general establish best practices on internal governance and transparency to better manage the organizations operations, Brown wrote in a statement after the audit was released:

Upon assuming office, I immediately initiated measures to enhance transparency within the Office of the Attorney General. I restructured the Office to strengthen internal governance and reduce governance uncertainty. Furthermore, the Office is researching and identifying the best internal governance practices nationwide for attorney general offices and law firms.

Derek Brown, who is competing in the Republican primary for Utah Attorney General, is pictured during an election night event in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Auditors also recommended that the Legislature consider legislation to limit involvement or require more transparency into the attorney generals involvement with nonprofits or other organizational boards to reduce the potential conflicts of interest and safeguard the oversight power of the Office of the Attorney General. In response, Brown wrote:

I understand that this serves as a recommendation for the Legislature. However, I intentionally resigned from any governing positions on nonprofit boards and other organizations before taking office. This decision was made to minimize potential conflicts of interest and protect the Offices oversight authority. I believe my actions have effectively addressed these concerns, making additional legislation unnecessary at this time.

In response to a third recommendation that the Legislature consider if additional ethical and transparency requirements should be placed on the position of attorney general, Brown wrote:

While I understand that this is a recommendation for the Legislature, upon taking office, I proposed the creation of an advisory ethics committee, as suggested by my transition committee. This committee would help me proactively identify situations that could pose ethical risks, enabling me to minimize potential conflicts of interest. I believe my actions effectively address this concern without the need for additional legislation at this time.

However, Brown ultimately acknowledged its up to lawmakers to decide whether theres a legislative solution to some of the problems highlighted in the audit. Both Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, and Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, hinted at passing legislation in response to the audit.

Ivory said he was excited to hear about the steps Brown is taking  but he also told the committee Friday that he wants to work on institutionalizing some of those changes.

Id love to work with you on the types of things that youve laid out, Ivory said. So that anyone that occupies that office will have the gold standard that you mentioned, and its not an issue of the person or the personality, its the standard.

Read the entire audit report on the attorney general position below.

Auditors on Friday also released a separate audit that reviewed the policies, practices and decision-making of the attorney generals office. That audit offered recommendations for the office to develop a plan that would set a clear direction for the organization, set performance measures, and create a position for a performance manager.

2025-01 Position of the AG

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Jan. 31A national automakers association filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to halt implementation of Maine's "right to repair" law that took effect earlier this month, claiming that Maine has not held up its end of the bargain and that the manufacturers cannot comply with the law.

The law, which more than 80% of Maine voters supported in November 2023, allows car owners to seek mechanical diagnostic information gathered by a vehicle's telematics system and to authorize an independent repair shop to use the information.

As of Jan. 5, vehicle manufacturers are now required to provide access to the data "through a mobile-based application" to an "inter-operable, standardized and owner-authorized access platform across all of the manufacturer's makes and models."

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Any vehicle owner or repair shop that is denied access to the data may file a civil lawsuit seeking damages of at least $10,000.

The law also requires Maine's attorney general to create an independent entity to administer access to the vehicle data.

But according to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which opposed the law, that "independent entity" has not been created.

"Vehicle manufacturers cannot even begin to attempt to comply with requirements that have not yet been established by an entity that does not yet exist," the alliance said in the suit, which alleges that enforcement of the law is "unconstitutional and unlawful" and that the law itself is "unconstitutionally vague."

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The Alliance for Automotive Innovation is asking the court to prohibit the attorney general from enforcing the law until the relevant bodies have been formed and automakers have had the opportunity to implement the "standardized access" platform. It is also seeking a declaration that compliance with the law is impossible, that the law is unconstitutionally vague and that the attorney general cannot currently enforce the law.

"This is an example of putting the cart before the horse," the group said in a statement. "Compliance with the law right now is not possible."

The Maine Right to Repair Coalition led the ballot initiative to make all vehicle repair and maintenance data accessible to car owners and authorized repair shops.

Auto manufacturers gather information on the vehicles through wireless data, but as vehicles have grown more computerized, supporters say some data is being withheld from consumers, independent operators and after-market companies.

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But the automakers group says "right to repair" is a misnomer, that Mainers can have their car repaired by any shop they choose and that any necessary diagnostic data is already available to repair shops.

Supporters of the law argue that the data is only accessible through cost-prohibitive equipment and repair programs that are unique to each car maker.

Vehicle manufacturers, however, say that's necessary.

"Unauthorized access to that data, and to the secured vehicle systems that generate that data, could, in the wrong hands, spell disaster," the group said in the lawsuit.

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The hardware- and software-based security measures in the vehicles "are intended to ensure that ... nefarious actors cannot remotely access or alter vehicle systems and data that control safety-critical functions, such as acceleration, braking, steering and airbag deployment."

Tommy Hickey, director of Maine Right to Repair, called the alliance's claims "false" and an attempt "to tie this up in court so they can continue to profit off the monopoly that they have," he said.

The law clearly calls on manufacturers to equip their cars with the necessary platform, and they've proven they are capable of doing so, Hickey said.

The requirement is separate and distinct from the required "independent entity," which was designed to assist the attorney general in enforcing the law "when the manufacturers do what they're continuing to do ... throwing up their hands saying we can't do it."

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The entity is not necessary for the manufacturers to hold up their end of the bargain, he said, adding that the right to repair group is "disappointed and frustrated."

"We stand ready to assist the attorney general in defending what 84% of Mainers voted for," he said.

The Office of the Maine Attorney General has been consulting with a working group  made up of independent repair operators, dealers, manufacturers and other industry representatives  to figure out how the law will be enforced.

The group plans to finalize its recommendations in the next week, but the final report is not due to the Legislature until Feb. 28.

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

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Fallout from Target's decision to scrap its well-publicized diversity initiatives continues, particularly in Minnesota, where a rally was held outside of its corporate headquarters on Thursday, calling for a national boycott.

Now a prominent Minnesota writer and podcaster is turning her back on the Bullseye.

Deborah Copperud, founder of the popular Substack newsletter, Deborah Copperud Shops At Target (now called Deborah Copperud Volunteers) penned an op-ed at the Huffington Post detailing how she spent more than $6,000 at the big box chain last year, but will now bid farewell to the retailer.

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"The reversal of Targets commitment to supporting social justice advancements hurts," the writer and mother-of-three writes. "Target earned my loyalty in 2020 when it made contactless shopping hassle-free, kept masks in stock during the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased diversity efforts after the George Floyd protests."

TargetMike Mozart, Flickr

However, she sees the decision to end its diversity programs as an attempt to curry favor with the administration of President Donald Trump, which has repeatedly attacked diversity programs. That includes an executive order ending DEI programs in the federal government and blaming, without evidence, the Wednesday air disaster in Washington D.C. on diversity hiring.

Target's initial announcement asserted that the changes have been in the works for a long time. The company has not responded to a request for comment around any of the backlash from its decisions.

For Copperud, the first domino fell when Twin Cities Pride uninvited Target from sponsoring its 2025 festival and parade. "As trans people are having their identities erased by our government and cruel (and likely illegal) roundups of immigrants are taking place," she writes, "how can I justify my continued use of the Circle App? Because its convenient?"

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She continues, "Targets employee memo cited 'the importance of staying in step with the evolving external landscape.' They didnt admit their capitulation, but I can read the context clues."

You can read her full column here.

Related: Twin Cities Pride raises more than $50,000 in 24 hours after ending Target sponsorship
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  A 35-year-old man is being held without bond in the Horry County jail after a bomb threat Sunday evening at Myrtle Beach International Airport led to authorities searching several aircraft, police said.

Christopher Ronald Newman was arrested on Wednesday and booked into the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a charge of threatening to kill, injure or intimidate an individual or damage or destroy property with a bomb.

According to an Horry County police report, a male caller whose voice appeared to be electronically manipulated said B5 will blow up in 10 minutes.

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Authorities immediately searched the airports B terminal, where three planes were located, the report said. An Avelo Airlines plane at Gate 3 was already loaded and had pushed away from the gate; a Southwest Airlines plane was empty at Gate 4; and an Allegiant Air plane was loaded at Gate 5 and still connected to the jet bridge. In addition, a Breeze Airways plane was pushed back from at Gate 4 in Terminal A.

Each pilot was contacted and told about a non-verifiable bomb threat and offered the option to deplane and have their aircraft search by an HCPD K-9, the report said. All of the pilots returned their planes to their respective gates, and they were searched after passengers were deplaned and moved to a controlled area by police.

* * *

Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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Barclays customers have been left stranded abroad and say they have even unable to buy food for newborn babies as a major IT outage entered its second day.

Some customers have been locked out of their accounts in a technical glitch that has continued overnight and into Saturday.

Barclays confirmed that some features on its app and online banking service have been impacted, causing issues for payments both in and out of accounts.

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The outage began on payday for many people across the UK, the last Friday of the month.

Some Barclays customers said on social media that they have not received wages and have been unable to pay rent to landlords as a result. Others report not being able to pay tax, bills or mortgages.

In a post on Friday evening on X, formerly Twitter, one Barclays customer called the ongoing issues beyond ridiculous.

They added: I now have a newborn and two other children that I needed shopping for today. This has been ongoing since 10am!

How much longer will this be it's left me with nothing and Before you say I can use my card and get cash I have no card I'm waiting for a new one after losing mine !! So I now have a newborn and 2 other children that I needed shopping for today this has been on going since 10am !  ethanbmum (@DixonNatalie) January 31, 2025

No compassion, no customer service

Barclays said it was sorry the customer was having issues, adding: Do you have someone who can support you temporarily, with the necessities you need for your baby and other children?

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In response, another customer wrote: Joke of a reply. No compassion, no customer service. Ill be taking my banking elsewhere.

In response to another users complaint that they could not access the funds in their account, Barclays replied with a link to a food bank.

Another mother claimed she was unable to buy milk for her baby due to the IT glitch. She wrote: My four-month-old is out of milk powder and screaming for a feed and I still havent been paid. Ive been in tears for hours.

A fourth customer wrote: Imagine touching down in another country to find out not only your Barclays online banking is down but I also cant withdraw cash or use my card.

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I have to pay for my hotel when I get there! This is madness!

Barclays insisted no customer affected by the outage would be left out of pocket.

The Down Detector website showed a peak of nearly 5,000 reports that Barclays banking services were down at 9am this morning.

January 31 was the deadline for submitting self-assessments to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). There had been concern that the outage would mean taxpayers who banked with Barclays risked late payment fines.

However, the tax authority confirmed that late payment charges will not be charged until March 1.

An HMRC spokesman said: Were aware of the issues with Barclays bank and are working closely with them to minimise any impact on self-assessment customers.

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Our services are working as normal, so customers will still have been able to file their returns on time. Also, the issues will not result in late payment penalties as they dont apply until 1 March.

In its statement on Saturday, a Barclays spokesman said: Were incredibly sorry for the ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers accounts.

Some may see an outdated balance, and payments made or received may not show. Were working hard to fix this issue, and customers should not try to make the payment again.

Customers can use their cards and withdraw cash, and as soon as these remaining issues are resolved, well let our customers know. We will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A Baton Rouge man was arrested after reportedly driving drunk and killing a passenger in a crash.

According to an affidavit, deputies with the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office were called to a single-vehicle crash near Savannah Jane Lane, off Hoo Shoo Too Road, on Jan. 19.

During the investigation, detectives learned the vehicle was headed east on Hoo Shoo Too Road, approaching the intersection of Savannah Jane Lane. Evidence shows the car left the roadway, entering a ditch. While entering the ditch, the vehicle hit a cement culvert, causing it to be launched into the air and crash into a tree.

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After the crash, both driver and passenger were trapped in the car, which led to them being required to be extracted. After being removed from the vehicle, both occupants were taken to a local hospital. The female passenger later died of her injuries. The driver was identified as Blake Haydel, 41.

According to the affidavit, Detectives noted that a strong odor of alcohol was coming from the vehicle as well as identified multiple open containers of alcohol.

A blood alcohol test was taken for Haydel, who reportedly had a BAC of 0.357%, which is over the legal limit in Louisiana.

Haydel was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of alcohol in vehicle, vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle while under suspension and operating while intoxicated (fourth offense). No bond amount has been set, according to jail records.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The Baton Rouge Police Department has arrested a man connected to a deadly shooting that happened in 2022.

Police identified Joseph Jacobs, 31, as a suspect after 21-year-old Frederick Harris was shot in the 1800 block of Birch Street on March 28, 2022. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

BRPD said he was developed as a suspect during the investigation. Officers with the US Marshals Task Force arrested and booked Jacobs on charges of second-degree murder. This is an ongoing investigation.

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Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Baton Rouge Police Department Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Baton Rouge Police are investigating a fatal shooting.

It happened Friday night at 3064 Oswego Street just after 9 p.m.

Police said the victim, 37-year-old Robert Hills, was shot while inside his vehicle.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at 225-389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

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Man charged after one killed in shooting at McDonalds in Baton Rouge

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Credit: BBC

The BBC has apologised after a presenter said Israeli hostages held by Hamas were prisoners.

Nicky Schiller, an anchor on the BBC News channel, told viewers on Friday that three Israeli prisoners were due to be released by the terror group on Saturday.

The three men  Yarden Bibas, 35, Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Keith Siegel, 65  were all taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct 7 terror attacks in 2023.

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Shortly after 11am, Mr Schiller told viewers: Confirmation in the last couple of hours, first from Hamas, that three Israeli prisoners, all men this time, will be released tomorrow and then we will see 90 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.

On Friday afternoon, the BBC issued an apology for the remarks live on air.

Earlier today on BBC News we reported on the names of those three Israeli hostages who are due to be freed tomorrow, the apology read.

At one point during the coverage we mistakenly called the hostages prisoners and we would like to apologise.

Mr Bibas, Mr Kalderon and Mr Siegel are due to be released in exchange for 81 Palestinian prisoners with long jail sentences and nine who would otherwise have served life in prison.

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Mr Bibas is the father of the youngest hostages taken by Hamas  Ariel, five, and Kfir, two, who were kidnapped along with their mother Shiri.

Grave concern

Hamas has previously claimed Mrs Bibas and her two boys were killed in an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis. Israel has not confirmed their deaths but has expressed grave concern over their wellbeing.

It is not the first time that the BBC has had to apologise for its reporting on Israel.

In November last year, it issued an apology after journalist Monica Miller twice mistakenly claimed that Israeli forces were targeting medical staff and Arab speakers at Gazas largest hospital.

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The Israeli embassy said at the time that it must do better.

In September, the corporation was accused of breaching its own editorial guidelines more than 1,500 times during the height of the Israel-Hamas war.

The research, led by Trevor Asserson, a British lawyer, revealed a deeply worrying pattern of bias against Israel and found that it was associated with genocide more than 14 times more than Hamas in the corporations coverage.

The BBC said at the time that it would carefully consider the report but that it had serious questions about its methodology.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Beaverton School District is facing a $30 million budget shortfall for the 2025-2026 school year and is asking community members for their help in shaping the districts budget priorities.

In a message to the community on Friday, BSD unveiled the state of the districts budget, noting things can change between now and May, when the superintendent proposes a budget.

The school district cites three main reasons behind the funding shortfall, including declining enrollment, a projected structural deficit, and retirement benefit rate increases.

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DONT MISS: Beaverton schools, union avoid strike after reaching tentative contract

In a video message, BSD Budget Manager Jessica Jones explained that even though the Oregon legislature is in session, the district will not know how much funding it will receive under the State School Fund until late spring.

Breaking down the factors leading to the shortfall, Jones highlighted a nationwide trend in declining enrollment.

Enrollment is important to us because we are funded on the number of students that we have and the demographics of the students, Jones explained.

For the past several years, BSD has seen a steady decline in enrollment, according to the district.

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The primary driver for this is that we are graduating larger twelfth-grade classes and our incoming kindergarten classes are much (smaller) than what we have experienced in the past, Jones said. This is not unique to Beaverton; however, this is a nationwide trend, and many districts are also experiencing declining enrollment.

For the 2025-2026 school year, BSDs projected General Fund revenue for the 2025-2026 school year is over $614 million while projected expenditures are more than $645 million.

Beaverton School District seeks input amid $30M budget shortfall

While the district has had multiple additional opportunities in recent years with grants for funding, the General Fund is still where the majority of the districts staff is funded, including 86% of our total licensed staff, Jones said.

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Oregon Governor Tina Koteks proposed budget includes an 11.4% increase in BSDs share of the state school fund  totaling $11 million for the district. However, Jones said that funding only allows the district to maintain its current service level.

The district plans to address this shortfall by using a combination of $10 million in budget reductions, and $20 million of budget reserves, Jones said, noting these are current targets that will likely change as the district creates a budget proposal.

Now, the school district is asking for the communitys involvement in the budget process to find budget priorities with their current resources.

BSD is asking community members to submit responses to their budget survey by February 28.

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ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Northwest Arkansas parent is speaking out because she is concerned for her child, who is consumed by fear over the possibility that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take away her family and friends.

Multiple parents in Benton County are fearful of going to the grocery store or church and even sending their kids off to school. Some wanted to remain anonymous.

However, one woman is speaking out.

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Rhianna Coc Cal, a Benton County mother, is scared of what her child will witness if ICE shows up at her school. She thinks the fear of ice for her family, is nothing compared to the psychological impact it could have on her daughter.

I dont think a lot of people are aware of how heavily its affecting our community. You know, parents are saying a prayer over their kids every single morning when they drop them off at school because they dont know if its going to be the day that ice comes or not, Coc Cal said.

Coc Cal is afraid her daughter will return from school traumatized. She fears ICE will show up at her daughters school, or her daughter will come home, to an empty house, because her loved ones couldve been deported.

Pancake breakfast to support Gravette firefighter in critical condition

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Its scary. Theres a lot of uncertainty. And these times people dont know whats going to happen day to day, Coc Cal said. People are scared to go to the grocery store. People are scared to send their kids off to school. People are scared to go to church because churches arent considered a safe place anymore.

Rogers Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Perry sees that parents are on edge, but he is reassuring parents that school is the safest place for any child.

I want all of our Hispanic families to know, that youre welcome here, that youre safe here. And that there is no safer place other than school, Perry said.

Dr. Perry also says that every students paperwork is confidential.

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If they were to gain access to any of our records which is highly unlikely, but if they were to theyre not going to have any information within that documentation that would give them the ability to identify a documented or undocumented child, Perry said.

In the possibility that ice does come to a school, Perry Says that they will not allowed to enter, due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Which must be enforced.

The law is the law. That we dont because under FERPA. The ability to maintain student records in a confidential manner has very strict restrictions on it. We cant give out records to just anybody, Perry said.

With Rogers public schools easing some nerves, Coc Cal is still worried.

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Walgreens closing Fayetteville location in March as part of 1,200 nationwide

I do agree with what he said. I think what he said was good. But there are still a lot of questions that are unanswered for us. You know what happens if a child comes home from the bus stop and ice is at the bus stop? What happens when a childs parents are detained during the school day? What happens to that child, you know? Coc Cal said.

Perry recently released the following statement to parents:

Family_LetterDownload

Perry says if you have any questions for Rogers Public Schools, dont hesitate to reach out.

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BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  On Jan. 29, Governor Sarah Sanders announced Senate Bill 142, a policy that would create a bell to bell cell phone ban in Arkansas schools to get on the front line of the mental well-being of young people.

In Northwest Arkansas, multiple schools have already implemented variations of cell phone policies for the 2024-2025 school years.

Our students have their phones off and in their backpacks between the times of 7:42 in the morning and 3:04 in the afternoon, said Siloam Springs Middle School principal Monica Minor.

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The schools policy includes phones to be off and in their backpacks, including during passing periods and lunchtimes.

The district introduced the new policies gradually, with the middle school teachers deciding whether phones could be out in the classroom.

40% of Arkansas fourth graders below basic in reading, report shows

This year, we implemented the no cell phones during the school day policy. And weve seen a really positive effect with our students, Minor said.

She said the students attention and behavior have responded well to the distraction being taken away from them.

The teachers and parents felt worried initially about the transition, according to Minor, but the students didnt overall seem to have any struggle with the new policy.

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Minor said the middle school has gone so far as to introduce no tech periods at the school that teachers even adhere to.

I like the fact, in our district, we were given the opportunity to kind of do a gradual release of that policy, said the Siloam Springs principal, So it kind of gives each of our buildings a little bit of autonomy and how were going to interpret that policy.

Each school in Siloam Springs varies on the degree each policy is introduced based on grade level.

At the Rogers Public Schools, superintendent Dr. Jeff Perry said the district reviewed their phone policy last year, asking high school principals their thoughts about cell phone presence during the school day.

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As you can imagine, it was mixed. I think that all of us believed that if students were to put their cell phones up during the day, it would probably be less distraction, said Dr. Perry.

However, he said some teachers didnt feel the enforcement was worth the negatives that would come from the policy.

Arkansas higher education enrollment up, but lags behind pre-pandemic levels

We decided that we would just go middle of the ground, the superintendent said. And so, if a teacher wanted a child to put up their cell phone, then they had to put up their cell phone.

Dr. Perry said some teachers have legitimate reasons for using technology in the classroom and argue that phones are beneficial and not a big distraction.

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Both schools have specialized accommodations for students needing their phones for medical purposes.

One of the highlighted purposes of the newly filed bill is a response to the rise of cell phone and social media use by young people is leading to unintended and, at times, harmful consequences to the academic and mental well-being of young people.

Siloam Springs school counselor Judith Havens has worked as a school counselor for 15 years, including time overseas.

She says shes observed an increase in anxiety level over her time as a school counselor.

Arkansas receives low marks in tobacco control report

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I think that the bullying, the cyberbullying has caused it to be in a childs pocket, said Havens, I think thats the biggest change over time, is watching kids use it in this way which is really hard.

Dr. Perry said he hopes the ban the start is a start to addressing the complicated issue of mental health and how its treated in schools.

(The anxiety) doesnt come from one single issue. Its going to come from multiple issues. And as we take care of one of those issues, its just real important to me that we also look at some of those other issues, said Dr. Perry.

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(KRON)  The Berkeley Police Department (BDP) said two allegedly abused dogs are doing well after being rescued last weekend.

7 lbs. of marijuana, $10K in drug paraphernalia found during traffic stop: Fairfield PD

Berkeley PD said its Team 5 unit was alerted about the incident after receiving a troubling call from a resident.

Berkeley police said officers responded quickly to the address and arrested a suspect. Authorities have not released the suspects name or what charges they face.

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BPD confirmed that animal control officers assisted in removing both dogs from the property and taking them to a safe location. It was not clear what sort of conditions the animals were living in.

In a Facebook post, Berkeley police thanked Officer Sahota and Team 5 who were very dedicated to handling this call and ensuring the well-being of the dogs.

KRON4 reached out to Berkeley PD for more information on the arrest made, but did not get an answer before this story was published.

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BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE)  A Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center inmate died Thursday after being treated at UNM Hospital.

Zeora Hercey, 54, showed flu-like symptoms and was placed under observation and care in medical housing at MDC for about two hours Monday, MDC said in a news release.

Story continues below

UNM Hospital staff said Hercey needed to be taken to the hospital for further evaluation, MDC added. Hercey was then admitted and passed away on Thursday at approximately 6:07 p.m.

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The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator will determine the official cause of death. The incident will also be investigated by the MDC Office of Professional Standards and the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office.

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HAWAII, Hawaii (KHON2)  Big Island detectives have arrested and charged Kurtistown resident Spencer Kamuela Young Gun Chun, 40, on suspicion of intentionally hitting a pedestrian with his vehicle in the parking lot of a Pahoa shopping center.

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The incident occurred on Jan. 25 shortly before 7 p.m. Officers were patrolling the nearby area when they noticed a traffic backup followed by two males engaged in an altercation.

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Big Island police warn residents of phone scam posing as authorities

Upon further investigation, officers concluded that a 39-year-old male was crossing the street to enter the shopping center, but Chuns vehicle was in the mans way, according to police. That is when the men exchanged gestures.

The 39-year-old continued to cross the street, and Chun allegedly turned his vehicle toward the victim and accelerated, striking the victim and knocking him to the ground.

The victim was transferred to Hilo Benioff Medical Center, where he was treated for minor injuries and later released. The entire incident was captured on surveillance footage and confirmed the investigations findings.

Chun was charged with Second-degree assault and Driving without a valid drivers license on the morning of Jan. 27.

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HILO, Hawaii (KHON2)  More than 30 Hawaii Police Department officers are celebrating their new promotions, especially Sherry Bird, who became Hawaiis first-ever wahine to hold the title of Assistant Chief.

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On Friday, Jan. 31, Hawaii Island Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz promoted 38 officers including one Major, two Captains, nine Lieutenants, five Detectives, six Sergeants and 14 Police Officer IIIs.

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25 HFD employees promoted for hard work, professional excellence

On behalf of the department, I want to congratulate the 38 members of the department who stepped up and earned their promotions, said Moszkowicz.

Newly promoted Assistant Chief Sherry Bird also became the highest-ranking woman in the departments history.

Making sure everything runs smoothly and with as little hiccups as possible and what I can do to help facilitate that and reduce any redundancy and increase efficiency is exciting for me, Bird said.

But this isnt her first time in the record book. In 2021, Bird was the second woman in the department to be promoted to Major. She has served with the department for 27 years.

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The collective talent, work ethic, and dedication of this group is truly remarkable and they each deserve every bit of their success. I am excited to see what they accomplish to help move the department forward, Moszkowicz added.

The ceremony also highlighted Reserve Officer Theodore hamada with a Certificate of Appreciation for his 50 years of service.

Additionally, Jeremy Barrientos was sworn in as the departments newest Police Chaplain.

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A bill to protect children from accessing online pornography drew some criticism Friday from lawmakers and others who contend it could also block adults from such material and might put personal data at risk.

Because of those concerns, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee postponed a vote on House Bill 44 to allow the sponsor, Rep. John Block, R-Alamagordo, time to make some changes.

Block told the committee his proposed "Protection of Minors from Distribution of Harmful Materials Act" was intended to protect children.

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"We want to make sure they have healthy environments," he told the committee. "According to the data we have, the average age of the first exposure to pornography for children is as young as 11 years old."

HB 44 would require any website with content that is more than "one-third objectionable material" to have a method of reasonable age verification so minors could not access the content. Website users would have to be at least 18.

Block said websites could verify age by scanning a credit card or government ID card or using facial recognition software. Under the bill, the business performing age verification for such a website could not retain information about those identified.

The legislation is not unique. Laws that require pornographic websites to verify the ages of users have passed in other states, including Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia.

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Pornhub, among the largest pornography websites in the world, has blocked access in more than a dozen states over such laws, according to media reports.

Block acknowledged bills similar to his have almost all resulted in prominent pornographic websites blocking access in those states  and not just for those under 18.

He said "sites like Pornhub have just closed their doors because they don't want to have to comply."

Some committee members thanked Block for the legislation, calling the proposal well-intended, then postponed a vote to give him an opportunity to make some changes.

"I understand the intent of this. I do have serious concerns about implementing this and about the effect on law-abiding adults," said Rep. Linda Serrato, D-Santa Fe.

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Rep. Janelle Anyanonu, D-Albuquerque, agreed the state needs to protect "New Mexico's children from abusive and inappropriate material." However, she noted the definition of "explicit" is "extremely subjective."

"And given the language of the bill in its present [form], it's far too broad, and it's very easy to get around," Anyanonu said.

Several people lined up to speak against the bill, including Tatiana Prieto, a community engagement specialist for the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico.

"We have major concerns with the age verification provision within this bill. Everyone would be required to upload personal data, such as photo ID, with companies that claim to verify their age. ... In this case, parents already have the tools they need to keep explicit and harmful content away from kids," Prieto said.

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"Allowing loosely regulated surveillance of our online activity is dangerous," she added.

Some spoke in support of the legislation at the hearing, including two women who said they were members of Concerned Women for America, a conservative nonprofit that promotes "biblical values" and "constitutional principles," according to its website.

"Our members are women who are tired of big tech and big porn putting profits ahead of safety and decency, treating our children as expendable," said Nickie McCarty, state director of the nonprofit.

"This bill at the very least would make it more difficult for obscene and exploitative materials to reach the eyes and minds of our children," she said.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)You still have time to get to the Bill Bartley Family YMCA for the YMCA Community Day.

Several vendors have set up shops inside the main entrances; you can find everything from food, jewelry, and even clothing there.

Executive Director Troy Griggs said this event is a great way to showcase all the Bill Bartley Family YMCA offers. From their new state-of-the-art gym equipment and e-sports lounge, several classes and programs, including their new aquatics center thats still under construction.

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Griggs says that this event is meant to bring everyone together under one roof for a good time.

Book lovers paradise returns to the MPEC

We are promoting social responsibility and healthy living initiatives in our youth development. We have plenty of programs to be able to offer to everybody, no matter what walks of life that you plan to pursue, Griggs said. So we just want to be able to give back to the community and have a food truck out here, and just to be able to serve and give back to the Wichita Falls community.

Several vendors and food trucks will come and go on Friday night until 10 p.m., so you still have plenty of time to get there.

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And one more thing: Griggs said if you stop by on Friday, you can join the YMCA and get access to both facilities for zero dollars, but the offer only stands until Friday.

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A sophomore lawmaker has filed a bill proposing a dramatic rewrite of New Mexicos public records law that critics warn would have an alarming effect on government transparency and accountability.

The measure would create dozens of new exemptions to the Inspection of Public Records Act, giving state and local government agencies broader authority to refuse to provide requested records.

Rep. Kathleen Cate, D-Rio Rancho, said she doesnt expect the measure to become law but wanted to start a discussion.

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IPRA is not broken, but it needs to be managed, she said in an interview.

House Bill 139 proposes allowing agencies to charge for time spent locating records, deny requests they are too busy to fill and refuse to provide information to requesters deemed vexatious for up to three years, among other things.

Cate said intent of the legislation is to provide relief for municipal and county governments overwhelmed by the demands of keeping up with records requests.

She sponsored it at the request of Sandoval County, she added.

Sandoval County, as well as many other counties and municipalities have been inundated with frivolous and redundant IPRA requests which has necessitated the hiring of additional personnel and additional costs without any additional funding, she wrote in an email.

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I am fully supportive of the publics right to access and review governmental records, she wrote. This bill will not abridge that right.

Open government and civil rights advocates disagreed, telling The New Mexican the legislation, as written, would eviscerate the Inspection of Public Records Act.

HB 139 represents a dangerous gutting of critical transparency law in our state, Leon Howard, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, wrote in an email.

House Bill 139

The legislation would usher in an era in which access to information carries a hefty price tag and government secrecy is the norm. This is a moment in history in which we need to be bolstering transparency, not undercutting it, he added.

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A problematic definition

Cate defended the 44-page proposal  which she said was brought to her by Sandoval County Attorney Michael Eshleman  but didnt seem familiar with all of its provisions.

The lawmaker said the intended purpose of the bill is to very surgically address issues with the public records law  with a primary focus on manual labor, expenses and copying, and she insisted nothing in the bill would hinder transparency. Critics, however, pointed to multiple clauses they said prove otherwise.

The bill contains over 40 pages of exceptions to what records the public may view and methods by which the government can avoid complying with a persons request to inspect public records, the Foundation for Open Government said in a statement.

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This alarming attempt to upheave New Mexicos long-standing transparency law should be vigorously opposed by all who believe in government transparency and accountability, the organization continued.

I reviewed the bill, and it seems aimed at a wholesale gutting of the IPRA and pretty much ending transparency in New Mexico, Human Rights Defense Center Director Paul Wright wrote in an email.

Of particular concern, he said, is the bills definition of person to exclude individuals incarcerated in a correctional facility.

FOG attorney Amanda Lavin also red-flagged the definition.

Any lawful definition of a person that excludes some people is problematic for what should be obvious reasons, Lavin wrote.

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Cate conceded there are issues with that section. However, she added, thats what the legislative process is for  to refine proposed laws.

I want this bill to be part of a discussion that we need to review [the IPRA] process, she said. The result could be no change to the law but with an appropriation added, she said.

HB 139 has been referred to the House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.

Cate acknowledged the bill hasnt been fully vetted by the Legislative Finance Committee.

LFC said the bill is so dense it would take like four months to vet it, so they wouldnt get it vetted in time, she said.

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Cate has heard another IPRA-related bill is expected to be introduced  which she said points to a need to overhaul the statute. If its better than hers, she said, shed be willing to drop HB 139 and back it.

More proposed changes

New Mexico Counties Director Joy Esparsen said her organization also has concerns about the ability of public entities to keep up with the volume of IPRA requests that pour into government offices daily  and with an uptick in abuse of the records process.

After consulting with the Foundation for Open Government, her organization has elected to join the New Mexico Municipal League in supporting a not-yet-filed bill that will take a more targeted approach to reforming the law, she said.

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Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, is expected to sponsor the bill. Chandler could not be reached for comment Friday.

Esparsen said the new bill will include the following proposed changes to IPRA, including some aimed at how public information is used:

* A requirement that public agencies be notified of alleged violations before legal action is taken and allowed to remedy the problems within 15 days.

* A two-year statute of limitations for filing complaints related to IPRA violations.

* A provision allowing records custodians to impose fees for requests to use records for commercial purposes and to impose fees of up to $30 per hour, after the first hour, for commercial requests.

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* A prohibition on using law enforcement records to solicit victims or their relatives.

The bill also will propose the establishment of a committee to study an administrative appeals process to resolve IPRA disputes efficiently, according to Esparsen, and would call for enforcement actions against requestors who violate IPRA.

Esparsen pointed to a 2024 Municipal League report titled IPRA in Action as the basis for many of the changes New Mexico Counties and the Municipal League support.

According to the report, many local governments have seen monthly requests for records surge since 2020, with requests for police body-worn camera videos increasing nearly 270% between 2020 and 2023.

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Local governments have increased the number of staff dedicated to processing IPRA requests, resulting in cost increases of about 70%, the report says.

The current law also raises privacy concerns.

Because New Mexicos IPRA law largely does not exempt records related to juveniles and victims of crimes, the privacy and security of these individuals may be jeopardized in some records requests, the report says.

HB 139 goes too far

Former Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis  now a publisher of multiple media outlets  said hes seen the issues from both sides and thinks government should approach the issue with an eye toward making records more available, not less.

While it is true that the digital revolution has created many, many more records of how our governments operate, it has also provided more tools to compile, review and respond to public requests more efficiently, he wrote in an email. More and more we are seeing that less-tech savvy counties and municipalities are unable to keep up.

Instead of shielding more of what happens out of the public eye, he added, the legislature could solve this problem by resourcing city clerks and records custodians with tools to upgrade their digital capacity for record keeping and requests.

When it comes to the privacy issues, Davis wrote: I think we all have anxiety about the amount of our personal data available in public, but [HB 139] goes too far.

Davis, whose media properties include the Sandoval Signpost and Corrales Comment, both in Cates district, as well as the Santa Fe Reporter, described some ways the news media use public records that should be protected:

I want my local newspaper reporter to be able to see if residents from two different neighborhoods are getting the same medical services from the fire department. I want to know which water utility users waste the most water. This bill would shield all of that information  and more  from public view and that invites mischief and misspending of the publics hard-earned tax dollars.
SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE)  As New Mexico continues to deal with drought, some lawmakers are looking at ways to make sure the state doesnt go dry. One bill is aimed at making funds available to buy water and use it for recreational and cultural reasons. The Strategic Water Reserve was established in 2005 and gave the state power to buy water rights for various reasons.

Story continues below

The Democrat-sponsored bill wants to expand what that money can be used for. As you know many of our lakes and ponds and rivers dry up in the summer when people want to go to the state parks, when they want to go out and do outdoor recreation so thats the purpose of this, said Senator Elizabeth Stefanics, (D- Cerrillos).

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The Strategic Water Reserve is administered by the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, which buys water rights in the state for water conservation efforts. It has been used to help the state settle water-related lawsuits or pay farmers not to use water in times of droughts. Now, Sen. Elizabeth Stefanics (D-San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance & Valencia) is sponsoring a bill that would give the reserve $15 million and allow it to be used for more purposes.

That would include cultural uses such as Native American pueblos and tribes who need access to water for blessings or traditions. She said it could also be used for protecting recreational opportunities, as well as habitat conservation. Indigenous species, it could be the trout in the Pecos River, it could be some other area in the state where if the water dries up, those endangered species are gone. They die or they just dont spawn, said Sen. Stefanics.

Sen.Stefanics said the bill sets limits for how much money can be used at a time so that the fund can also gain interest for future bodies of water purchases. The bill has yet to be heard in any committee.

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Bill Maher cant believe President Donald Trumps second term is only 11 fucking days old.

In his Real Time monologue on Friday, the host tore into Trump and his newfound confidante, Elon Musk, in light of Wednesdays deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C. That night, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing 67 people.

Maher noted that Trump was initially correct in stating immediately after the crash that its cause was still unclear, only for the MAGA chief to blame federal diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives 10 seconds later.

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The cause of the mid-air collision is still unknown, but Maher called the ongoing blame game frustrating.

Everything is just such an overreaction, he added. Nothing ever stops in the middle. DEI, we overreached with that, now we have an accident like this, and Trumps view is, Well, the air traffic controller was distracted because he was a Haitian eating a cat at the time.

He noted that Democrats are blaming Elon Musk, who in September urged then-Federal Aviation Administration head Michael Whitaker to resign. Whitaker notably fined Musks SpaceX company $633,009 last year and stepped down on Inauguration Day.

This administration is 11 fucking days old  and already theyve gotten rid of the head of the FAA, the head of the TSA, eliminated the aviation security committee, Maher continued. I know you guys are very big on firing, but maybe keep the people who talk to the aeroplanes.

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Trump gutted a key aviation safety committee and fired the head of the Transportation Security Administration one week before the crash.

Trump doubled down Thursday at a press briefing on blaming DEI for the collision. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

Maher went on to imitate the Nazi-esque salute Musk gave at an inaugural event in January, but stopped short of calling him a Nazi. Maher previously interviewed the tech mogul in 2023 and agreed with him that a woke mind virus had captured the Democratic Party.

He also criticized the Trump administration for planning to turn Guantanamo Bay into a detention center for migrants who are living in the U.S. illegally, but suggested some of the blame must land on lawmakers who claim to oppose Trump  but cant act on it.

We just spent 20 years finally almost emptying the place, he said Friday. Now he wants to send 30,000 illegal aliens to Guantanamo Bay. I get it, you guys, this is what people voted for. But I kinda feel sorry  for the pitiful, powerless people he is pushing around.

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Then came the punchline: Im referring to Congress.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Severe weather trackers in Oklahoma appear to be the target of a new state bill.

SB 158 authored by Sen. Mark Mann (D- District 46), called the Oklahoma Emergency Weather Response and Tracking Regulatory Act of 2025, seeks to establish a framework for professional severe weather trackers in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma lawmaker files bill to rename states Department of Corrections

The requirements proposed in the bill are as follows:

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Passing a criminal background check

Maintaining valid insurance for vehicles used in tracking

And having a letter of endorsement from a chief meteorologist or designated official

The bill would require a $500 license and $250 annual renewals.

Violations of the act can lead up to a $500.00 fine or revocation of the trackers license.

If the bill becomes law, it would take effect July 1, 2025.

An-Act-relating-to-weather-tracking-licensure.pdf.crdownloadDownload

Sen. Mann says safety is the focal point of this bill, aiming to get amateurs off the roads and allow professional storm chasers to act as emergency responders.

Theres no mechanism for storm chasers to act as a first responder, Sen. Mann said. A storm chaser would either have to be employed or a part of a college or university that has a meteorological program with a meteorologist or a FCC licensed station that has a meteorology state on staff.

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From there, they would need a recommendation from a meteorologist, have to submit a letter, and pay a $500 fee.

At that point, they would be able to operate as long as there was a qualified event within 150 miles of that radius, they would be able to move almost like an emergency vehicle, Sen. Mann said.

He says this would allow storm chasers to act and operate like a first responder during a significant weather event.

It really makes sense to be able to license storm chasers so that they can move from one area of the state to the next in a quick fashion with emergency lights, so that they can begin providing feedback on that next storm, Sen. Mann said.

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For decades, News 4 and The 4 Warn Storm Team have brought you life-saving storm coverage. Our storm trackers are a big component to that.

How would you enforce this type of bill if it were to become law, Mike Morgan, Chief Meteorologist asked.

That would obviously be up to local law enforcement, and however they see fit to enforce that, Sen. Mann said.

Which Morgan says would likely be difficult to do in the middle of a tornado or other weather event.

There are also questions over whether this bill aims to get amateur chasers off the road.

I think certainly in terms of higher institutions of education, especially right here in Oklahoma, these folks already know exactly what theyre doing and they have for 50-plus years, Morgan said.

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The bill comes less than a year after the release of the movie Twisters,  which put a glorified spotlight on storm chasing and may help draw even more chasers to Oklahoma.

News 4 asked Sen. Mann if there was any correlation.

No, I mean that had nothing to do with it, Sen Mann said.

He adds the bill looks to empower storm chasers.

Media storm chasing has been around every bit of it since the late 1970s, early 1980s, Morgan said. So, its certainly not a new topic. I think everything in this bill is subject to a lot of debate and a lot of fine-tuning.

The 60th legislature will convene on Monday, February 3, for the first regular session.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
MARENGO COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  A Birmingham man is dead following a single-vehicle crash that occurred Friday in Marengo County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

James W. Evans, 54, was injured when the Ford F-150 pickup he was driving left the roadway, traveled across a private drive and became airborne before landing. He was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Body discovered near boat landing on Lake Tuscaloosa

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Evans was transported to Whitman Regional Hospital, where ALEA says he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.

A second passenger in the vehicle was also injured and transported to Whitfield Regional Hospital.

The crash occurred on U.S. 80 near the 48 mile marker, approximately six miles west of Uniontown. Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash.

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The black box from the military helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC has been recovered, transport safety chiefs have said.

The flight recorder contains voice recordings of the helicopter pilots as well as data on the aircrafts altitude in the moments before the crash, which could provide crucial information for investigators.

Todd Inman, a spokesman for the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), told a press conference that the agency had a high level of confidence it would be able to extract data from the Sikorsky Black Hawks black box.

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Mr Inman said: From a visual inspection, we saw no exterior damage that would indicate that it is compromised at this time, so we have a high level of confidence that we will be able to have a full extraction from that as well.

Of the two black boxes dredged up from American Airlines flight 5342, Mr Inman said one of them was in good condition but the other had suffered water damage.

Despite damage to the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), Mr Inman said it could be recovered through an extraction process. We have a very high level of confidence that we will have it, he said.

All three soldiers were killed in the crash above Ronald Reagan National Airport, as well as the 64 passengers and crew on board the jet.

12:22 AM GMT

This blog is now closed

Thank you for tuning in to our live blog of the Washington DC plane crash. Well be back tomorrow to bring you all the latest updates as the search continues.

12:19 AM GMT

Pictured: Investigators search for crash debris

Alexandria fire department officers scour the Potomac River for aircraft debris - Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

11:41 PM GMT

Transport safety chiefs warn against using online flight tracking data

Transport safety chiefs have warned against using online flight tracking data to determine the cause of the Washington DC air crash.

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Todd Inman, a spokesman for the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), cautioned that off the shelf software programmes are not always as accurate as date retrieved from the aircrafts black boxes.

It comes after reports from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 suggested that the Black Hawk military helicopter had veered off course and was flying around 100 feet higher than it should have been, resulting in the collision that left 67 people dead.

Mr Inman said the agency had dredged up the flight recorders of both American Airlines flight 5342 and the helicopter from the bottom of the Potomac River and would scour their data to determine the causes of the crash.

10:51 PM GMT

Black box found in good condition, says transport safety chief

The two black boxes recovered from the passenger jet that crashed over the Potomac River are in good condition, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

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Todd Inman, an agency spokesman, said that one of the boxes had been soaked in alcohol overnight and the agency had a high level of confidence that we will be able to get a full download.

He added that the jets second black box, known as the CVR, which records conversations between the pilots and air traffic control, was recovered with water damage, but that that the agency has a very high level of confidence of salvaging the data.

10:46 PM GMT

Passenger jet salvage operation is under way, say transport safety chiefs

Efforts to salvage the passenger jet from the bottom of the Potomac River are under way, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

Todd Inman, an agency spokesman, said that navy crews are conducting salvages at this time.

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He adding that barges are en route from Virginia and are expected to be on scene early tomorrow morning to carry out the main lifting of the planes fuselage.

Mr Inman continued that any victims recovered from the wreckage will be identified and returned to their families.

10:38 PM GMT

Transport safety chiefs press conference begins

A press conference with the National Transportation Safety board has got under way.

10:34 PM GMT

Pilots report nearly a dozen near misses over Washington DC in recent years

Nearly a dozen near misses between passenger jets and military helicopters have taken place over Washington DC in recent years, pilots reported.

Analysis of a federal database that records pilot concerns revealed scores of narrow escapes and warning about congested skies over the nations capital.

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Pilots have repeatedly complained about military helicopters drawing to close, with one referring to Regan National Airport as probably the most dangerous in the nation.

In one incident last May, a helicopter passed just 300 feet below a commercial airliner, triggering a cockpit collision avoidance alert, according to an anonymous pilot report in the Aviation Safety Reporting System database.

I never saw it, the jetliner pilot wrote, adding that he never received a warning about the helicopter from air traffic controllers.

It comes after the Federal Aviation Administration paused almost all helicopter flights from operating near the airport, amid claims of high levels of air traffic congestion.

09:47 PM GMT

US army refuses to name female pilot killed in helicopter crash with passenger jet

The female pilot killed in the helicopter collision with a passenger jet in Washington DC will not be named, the US army said.

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It made the highly unusual decision at the request of the family not to release the name of one of the three soldiers killed when a military Black Hawk collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday evening.

The Army identified two of the soldiers killed as Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin OHara and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, but did not provide details about the third, who was reported to be a female pilot with 500 hours of flying experience.

09:11 PM GMT

Trans pilot dispels rumours she died aboard military helicopter

A transgender military pilot has dispelled rumours she was aboard the black hawk helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC on Wednesday evening.

Following the tragic collision that claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, rumours swirled online that the military helicopter involved in the incident was piloted by a decorated transgender woman called Jo Ellis.

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Ms Ellis, who served in Iraq and is a pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, has since taken to social media to debunk rumours that she had died, condemning the false claims as insulting to the families of those who lost their lives.

NEW: Trans helicopter pilot Jo Ellis responds after right-wing internet users started spreading a fake story that Ellis was flying the Black Hawk helicopter in the DC crash.



This morning, Ellis asked Facebook users to report any accounts spreading the false info.



"This is Jo pic.twitter.com/Zhue4mytjU  Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 31, 2025

In a video statement captioned proof of life, Ms Ellis said: I understand some people have associated me with...the crash in DC and that is false.

It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They dont deserve that. I dont deserve this.

The Army has so far identified two of the soldiers killed in the crash as Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin OHara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, but did not provide details about the third.

08:38 PM GMT

DC Airspace expected to reopen to helicopters within a week

Washington DC authorities have said they expect airspace over the nations capital to reopen for helicopters within a week.

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The Federal Aviation Administration today barred most helicopters from using the low-to-the-ground routes that run close to commercial jets flight paths, as the investigation into the disaster continues.

Asked how long the embargo would continue for, Terry Liercke, the National airport manager, said: Thats a dynamic situationour expectation is a week. However well reassess on Monday and as recovery efforts go.

08:31 PM GMT

Authorities expect to recover all the bodies from fatal plane crash

US authorities have said they expect to recover all of the bodies from the plane crash over Washington DC that left 67 people dead.

Asked if more bodies will be found, John A. Donnelly, the DC fire chief, said there are a lot challenges but that his teams expects to recover all of the bodies.

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Thats why our teams are still working - were going to have to work with salvage company to do some of that work, he said.

Washington DC Fire Chief John A. Donnelly attends a press conference - Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Mr Donnelly added that the fuselage of the plane would have to be lifted out of the water in order to find the remains of all those still missing.

The salvage crews have begun to arrive on the scene and theyre assessing the work, he said, adding that they are expected to begin no later than tomorrow afternoon.

07:20 PM GMT

41 bodies recovered from the Potomac River

41 bodies have now been recovered from the Potomac River, a spokesman for the Washington fire and emergency department said.

A law enforcement official said the recovered bodies have been transferred to the medical examiners office.

Wednesdays collision between a US Army helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington DC killed 67 people in total.

06:36 PM GMT

Watch: White House briefing - Do you pray that your pilot has a certain skin colour?

Journalists gathered at the White House for a press conference after Donald Trump attacked diversity hiring policies in the wake of Wednesdays deadly collision between a US Army helicopter and a passenger jet.

After taking queries from the floor, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, had her own question, albeit a rhetorical one, for the reporters.

When you are flying on an aeroplane with your loved ones ... do you pray that your plane lands safely and gets you to your destination or do you pray that the pilot has a certain skill colour?

06:30 PM GMT

Trump based claim helicopter flying too high on truth, White House says

Asked where Donald Trump learnt that the helicopter involved in the crash was flying too high, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the president had based his statement on truth.

It was relayed to him by the authorities that are overseeing the investigation into this horrific plane collision, she said.

He continues to be briefed by everybody across his cabinet, she added.

06:18 PM GMT

Pilots should be chosen based on merit and skills

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that Donald Trump wants to increase aviation safety standards and that pilots should be chosen for that position based on their merit and their skills.

The administration will continue to prioritise this, she added.

06:10 PM GMT

Trump swiftly signed FAA memorandum

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is addressing media at a White House briefing.

She said that in the immediate aftermath of the crash, President Trump swiftly signed a memorandum directing an immediate assessment of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure the federal government is maintaining the highest personnel in policy aviation safety standards.

The memorandum instructs the FAA administrator and the transport secretary to immediately review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made during the prior four years.

05:14 PM GMT

Miss Kansas finalist among crash victims

A former Miss Kansas contestant was among 67 people who perished in Wednesdays crash between a military helicopter and a passenger plane in Washington DC. Kiah Duggins, described as a light in the fight for civil rights, was an established civil rights attorney preparing to become a law professor at Howard University.

You can read the full story here.

Kiah Duggins

04:47 PM GMT

Watch: New video shows DC plane crash in full

Credit: CNN

New footage has captured the moment a passenger plane and military helicopter collided above Washington D.C., as Donald Trump suggested the chopper was flying too high by a lot.

Two CCTV videos obtained by CNN show the Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight colliding in a fireball before both aircraft plunge into the icy Potomac River.

Military pilots had requested a predetermined flight path, referred to as Route 4, from air traffic control. This allows helicopters to fly at low altitude along the bank on the east side of the Potomac River.

But the helicopter flew higher and further away from the bank than it should have done, four officials told The New York Times.

The helicopter was supposed to be flying below 200 ft but had reportedly risen above 300 ft when it collided with the airliner.

04:37 PM GMT

Pictured: Rescue teams work at site of aircraft wreckage

Search and rescue teams work near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, Jan 31 - Jeenah Moon/REUTERS

04:02 PM GMT

Polish citizen amongst crash victims, foreign ministry says

The Polish foreign ministry has confirmed that a Polish citizen was amongst the victims of Wednesday nights deadly collision.

A spokesman said: Among the victims is Justyna Magdalena Beyer, nee Witkowska, she held a Polish passport issued in 1999.

03:36 PM GMT

Helicopter crew were training for emergency scenario, defence secretary says

The helicopter crew involved in Wednesday nights deadly crash were training to ensure the continuity of the US government in the event of a major crisis or emergency, the US defence secretary said.

Pete Hegseth said: Without getting anything into anything thats classified, there are many things that happen in and around the Capitol that ensure in a contingency, in an emergency, our government is able to continue to operate.

And what happened in this particular instance was one of those types of flights.

There are other aspects to what is done there and you need to train as you fight. You need to rehearse in ways that would reflect a real-world scenario, Mr Hegseth added.

Fox News reported that the helicopter was training to evacuate government VIPs during an emergency.

03:26 PM GMT

Pilot union urges against speculation over crash

A union representing US and Canadian pilots has urged people not to speculate on the causes of Wednesday nights deadly crash until the investigation is complete.

Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said: A lot of details and speculation will come out in response to this tragedy, but we must remember to let the investigation run its course.

Extra pressure will be on each of us as our passengers  and our fellow crewmembers  have this accident on their minds.

03:02 PM GMT

Night vision goggles could have contributed to crash, US defence secretary suggests

The US defence secretary has suggested that the helicopter crews use of night vision goggles could have contributed to the deadly collision between a US Army Black Hawk and a passenger jet.

Night vision goggles are known to restrict the wearers field of vision and ability to judge depth and distance. They can also be less effective in areas with lots of ambient light, such as in a brightly-lit city.

In this particular case, they were qualifying on a night flight which included night vision goggles  now we dont know is whether the goggles were engaged or up, Pete Hegseth told Fox News.

You have a lot of ambient light, a lot of things happening around Reagan [airport], there could be depth perception problems  again that is speculation, our investigation will tell us more.

We are looking at altitude... someone was at the wrong altitude. The investigation will help us understand that  was the Black Hawk too high? Was it on course? Right now we dont quite know, Mr Hegseth added.

The father of the pilot of the passenger plane that collided with the Black Hawk helicopter, who himself is a veteran army helicopter pilot, has expressed concerns about the use of night vision goggles in the airspace above the Potomac River (see our post at 10.16am).

02:48 PM GMT

Helicopters to be restricted from flying near Reagan National Airport

Most helicopters will be barred from flying parts of two routes near Washington Reagan National Airport after the deadly collision between a passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

Only police and medical helicopters will be allowed to fly in an area between the airport and two nearby bridges over the Potamac River, the FAA said.

02:40 PM GMT

Rescue divers to support transport safety board with investigation

Divers from Washington DCs Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department will support the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation into the crash and the salvaging of the downed aircraft from the Potomac River.

The department said: The investigation and recovery efforts remain active and our divers have searched all areas that are accessible.

Tomorrow, divers will work with NTSB to conduct additional searches to locate aircraft components, to support the investigation, and begin operations to salvage the aircraft.

Overnight, boats will remain on scene for security and surface searches from local, state, and federal regional partners.

01:59 PM GMT

Helicopter was flying too high, says Trump

The president has said the air crash investigation is not really too complicated, pointing to the helicopters altitude.

In a spot on his own social media platform, Trump Social, Donald Trump wrote: The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit.

Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???.

The National Transportation Safety Board has said an investigation is currently under way with a preliminary report expected within the next 30 days.

01:31 PM GMT

Pictured: Investigators open black boxes

Investigators have started analysing the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, known as black boxes, recovered from the passenger plane.

The orange devices will be taken apart and studied at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) lab.

The recorders are housed within a stainless steel or titanium shell able to withstand a force equivalent to 3,400 times the force of gravity and fitted with a locator beacon.

Many historians attribute the invention of the black box to Australian scientist David Warren in the 1950s - NTSB

The disappearance in 2014 of Malaysian Airlines MH370 triggered debate about whether data should be streamed instead - NTSB

Lead investigator Brice Banning said on Thursday that the helicopter also contained some form of recording devices - NTSB

01:01 PM GMT

Helicopter deviated from approved route

The Black Hawk helicopter which collided with a passenger plane above Washington D.C. appears to have deviated from its approved route.

Military pilots had requested a predetermined flight path, referred to as Route 4, from air traffic control which allows helicopters to fly at low altitude along the bank on the east side of the Potomac River.

But the helicopter flew higher and further away from the bank than it should have done, four officials told The New York Times.

The helicopter was supposed to be flying below 200 ft but had reportedly risen above 300 ft when it collided with the commercial airliner.

12:38 PM GMT

FAA upped controller rest hours amid fatigue fears

The Federal Aviation Administration approved longer rest hours for air traffic controllers last year, amid reports of burnout and high stress among employees.

The FAA said controllers would receive 10 hours off duty between shifts and 12 hours off before and after midnight shifts, up from eight or nine-hour breaks.

The science is clear that controller fatigue is a public safety issue, and it must be addressed, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said at the time.

Mr Whitaker had commissioned an independent panel last year to assess controller fatigue, which in April called for mandatory rest periods after raising serious concerns.

The New York Times found that most air traffic control sites were understaffed in 2023, forcing many controllers to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

The tower at Reagan National Airport had 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, while the targets set by the FAA and controllers union called for 30, per the Times.

12:13 PM GMT

Pictured: Planes fly over the wreckage

An American Eagle flight takes off from Reagan National Airport near where emergency crews work in the Potomac River - Kayla Bartkowski/Getty

Workers search the wreckage in Potomac River, as flights resume - U.S. COAST GUARD

11:42 AM GMT

US flight safety chief resigned last week

Michael Whitaker, the US governments aviation chief, stood down earlier this month amid pressure from Elon Musk.

The Tesla billionaire tapped by Donald Trump to run the Department of Government Efficiency had publicly called on the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resign.

Mr Whitaker stepped away on 20 January, the day of Donald Trumps inauguration, after around 15 months in the job.

As a result, the FAA was leaderless when a passenger jet collided with a helicopter over Washington D.C.

Hours after the crash, Donald Trump signed an executive order installing Chris Rocheleau as acting administrator of FAA.

He needs to resign https://t.co/pG8htfTYHb  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 25, 2024

11:22 AM GMT

Watch: Traffic control radar shows moment aircraft collide

Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky has called for an overhaul of traffic control radar technology.

In a post on X, the Republican shared a video appearing to show the moment American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with the military helicopter (call sign PAT25).

I was shocked to learn this was the primary display that air traffic controllers used. It looks like the 1980s, the US representative said, adding: We need major updates, but the tech is frozen, ironically due to aversion to risk associated with changes.

Credit: X/@RepThomasMassie

10:54 AM GMT

Air traffic control commands were vague, says former Black Hawk pilot

Retired Lt. Col Darin Gaub, who flew Black Hawk helicopters, has raised concerns over the generic language used by air traffic control before the collision in Washington D.C..

Instead of providing a precise location and identification of the passenger aircraft, the controller alerted the military pilot to a CRJ - the type of plane - in the sky.

If all [the controllers] say is, Look at the aircraft. Do you see the aircraft to your front? [and the helicopter pilot responds,] Yep, I see it, and thats the end of the conversation - and youre in a dense environment where aircraft are flying all the time - that is not specific enough to ensure the safe operation of aircraft, Mr Gaub told the New York Post.

That may be something thats going to have to get looked at, because in my experience, those kinds of calls and warnings are made very specifically to clock direction, distance and altitudes and in route of travel, he added.

In footage of the collision taken from the Kennedy Center, a second passenger plane can be seen taking off around the same time as the DC-bound flight was attempting to land.

Credit: Earthcam

10:30 AM GMT

Listen: Air traffic control gasps as plane collides with helicopter

Audio from LiveATC.net captured the final communications between the three crew members of the helicopter - call sign PAT25 - and air traffic control.

PAT25, do you have a CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ, an air traffic controller said at 8.47 pm (1.47am GMT).

Seconds later, another aircraft called in to air traffic control, saying, Tower, did you see that? - apparently referring to the crash. An air traffic controller then redirected planes approaching runway 33 to go around.

Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three, a person can be heard saying in the audio from around the time of the crash.

Credit: LiveATC.net

10:16 AM GMT

Pilots father questions armys use of night-vision goggles

Timothy Lilley, whose son was piloting the passenger plane that collided with a helicopter in Washington D.C., has raised concerns over the militarys use of night-vision goggles in the airspace above the Potomac River.

This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life, Mr Lilley told Fox 5 Atlanta after finding out his 28-year-old Samuel was on board.

Mr Lilley, who happens to be a veteran army helicopter pilot, added: In the 90s, I used to fly in and out of the Pentagon regularly, and I can tell you if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, its going to be very hard to see that plane.

If youre not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the helicopter was flown by a fairly experienced crew of three soldiers who were wearing night-vision goggles on an annual training flight.

Samuel Lilley with his parents

10:01 AM GMT

Army helicopter was short-staffed, says former Black Hawk pilot

A former army pilot said that the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC was short-staffed.

Elizabeth McCormick, who has flown Black Hawk helicopters in the area where the crash took place, told CNN that, in her opinion, there should be a minimum of four crew members on board - one more than were on the flight.

Ms McCormick also questioned the use of night vision goggles that the troops are understood to have been wearing, saying: Its a very cluttered airspace in terms of the lighting its easy to get a little bit disorientated.

09:54 AM GMT

Mapped: Collision course

The Bombardier passenger plane operated by an American Airlines subsidiary was approaching Reagan National Airport from the south at around 9pm (2am GMT) after flying from Wichita, Kansas, when the collision happened.

US Army officials said the Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on a training flight had been approaching from the north.

09:42 AM GMT

40 bodies recovered

District of Columbia fire chief John Donnelly said 40 bodies had been recovered from the Pontomac River so far, with 27 people remaining unaccounted for.

Officials said 60 passengers and three crew members were on board the passenger plane, with another three soldiers in the helicopter.

The fire chief previously said around 300 emergency responders were combing the water for victims, with debris travelling as far as the Wilson Bridge.

09:36 AM GMT

Trump blames diversity hiring for Washington plane crash

Donald Trump has blamed a diversity hiring spree for causing the deadly crash between a military helicopter and a passenger plane in Washington DC.

The US president accused Joe Biden of reducing standards at Americas aviation agency to the lowest level while briefing the press on Wednesday evening.

Mr Trump vowed to restore faith in American air travel, revealing that employees with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities had been hired as air traffic controllers as part of a diversity and inclusion drive.

I put safety first, Mr Trump said, adding: Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobodys ever seen, because this was the lowest level, their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse.

09:32 AM GMT

Another flight aborted landing because of military helicopter

Another flight approaching at Reagan National Airport aborted its landing over helicopter traffic just 24 hours before the mid-air collision on Wednesday, according to a report.

Republic Airways Flight 4514, from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, had to make a second approach at Reagan International Airport after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, according to the Washington Post.

09:31 AM GMT

A pilots view on why helicopter did not avoid passenger jet in Washington crash

In order to enable safe flight, airspace is split into categories ranging from very tightly controlled areas around airports to other zones  mostly rural  where rules are much more relaxed.

The most stringently controlled zones are Class A airspace, such as the area around the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington.

Pilots must obtain clearance from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to enter and, except in an emergency situation, must follow ATC instructions  such as on heading, height or clearance to land  to the letter.

If reconstructions of the situation in Washington on Wednesday night and ATC instructions are correct, a passenger aircraft seems to have been given clearance to line up and land on runway 33 (the runway is laid out on heading 330 degrees, with the opposite direction being 150 degrees.)

Read the full story here.

09:30 AM GMT

Devastating: Footage shows what went wrong in Washington plane crash that left no survivors

At 8.45pm on Wednesday night (1.45am GMT, Thursday), American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was descending calmly into Washingtons Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The skies were clear, the wind moderate, and among the 60 passengers were several top junior US figure skaters, who had just taken part in a training camp on the ice rinks of the Midwest.

A web camera positioned above the John F Kennedy Center on the other side of the Potomac River captured grainy footage of the Bombardier CRJ-701s flashing wing lights as the plane came in to land.

But also visible in the footage are the beacon lights of another aircraft, a US army UH-60 Black Hawk, flying low on a training mission.

Read the full story here.

Credit: X/@nicksortor

09:29 AM GMT

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage. We will be bringing you all the latest updates from Washington D.C.

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CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  It has been confirmed that the army helicopter was a Black Hawk, which had three people on board at the time of the crash.

Unfortunately, there are more questions than answers as to what happened Wednesday night and why the plane and the black hawk helicopter collided, but here is what we do know.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the helicopter was from the Armys Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Virginia, it was performing an annual proficiency training flight, and on board were a captain, staff sergeant, and a chief warrant officer.

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Black Hawk helicopters debuted in 1979 and are the primary medium-lift and air assault helicopters for the army. There are around 4,000 black hawks deployed around the world. The military frequently conducts training flights and they say it would not have been unusual for the helicopter to be undergoing a routine training mission.

Around 60 people have died in black hawk-related crashes in the past decade, however, that is a low rate compared to other similar aircraft. In 2019 a local snowmobiler crashed into one parked on a ski trail in Worthington, severely injuring himself.

Hegseth expects the military investigation to determine whether the helicopter was flying at the right altitude.

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February is Black History Month. After originating in the United States, the celebration is now observed in several countries around the world, including the United Kingdom and Ireland, at different times of the year.

This year marks the 99th anniversary of Black History Month's originating idea, Negro History Week, which, according to the History Channel, focused on uplifting the teaching of Black American history in U.S. public schools.

Historian Carter G. Woodson, one of the originators of Negro History Week, believed it was imperative for Black history to be protected and celebrated.

Carter G. Woodson, scholar and Father of Black History Month, in 1915.

"If a race has no history, if it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated," Woodson wrote in "The Mis-Education of the Negro" in 1933.

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Here's everything to know about Black History Month.

When is Black History Month?

In the U.S. and Canada, Black History Month takes place every February for the entire month.

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, Black History Month goes through October.

Where was Black History Month first celebrated?

Black educators and students at Kent State University in Portage County, Ohio, proposed the idea of Black History Month in 1969, and first celebrated it in 1970.

Kent State students march in mourning following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

College campuses across the country celebrated Black History Month throughout the early 1970s before it was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in 1976.

How did Black History Month start?

Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week in 1926, planting the seeds for what would become Black History Month.

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The historian's efforts were met with an overwhelming response. According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, which Woodson founded, schools across the country implemented Negro History Week, teachers requested special teaching materials to meet the demand and Black history clubs started popping up.

Why was February chosen as Black History Month?

Negro History Week was first celebrated in 1926 during the second week of February. The week coincided with the birthdays of former President Abraham Lincoln and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass.

What is this year's Black History Month theme?

The idea of an annual Black History Month theme has been around since the introduction of Negro History Week. Since 1976, each president has endorsed a specific theme for the month.

This year's theme is African Americans and Labor and last year's theme was African Americans and the Arts. According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the theme honors "the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds  free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary  intersect with the collective experiences of Black people."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Black History Month: When is it? When/how did it start? What to know
President Donald Trump has once again gone off on a subject that he knows nothing about.

His comments about the Federal Aviation Administration and air traffic controllers, quoted in Air tragedy gives Sean Duffy his first big test as DOT secretary, show that he has no understanding of the FAA air traffic control, and, quite frankly, were inappropriate and offensive following a tragic air accident.

There is far more training required to become an air traffic controller than to be president, since there is exactly zero training required to be president.

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Trump should stay in his lane and do what he does best, which is to sell. Leave air safety to the professionals, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Eric Korbitz, Whitefish Bay

More: Elon Musk salute ripples across US leading to Sam Kuffel in Milwaukee losing job | Opinion

More: Garden is a place to escape divisive politics and high prices in grocery stores | Opinion

Trump is wrong to blame Washington, DC plane crash on DEI

Unbelievable. President Donald Trump is blaming the administrations of former presidents Joe Biden and Barak Obama and the policies of diversity, equity and inclusion on the collision of an American Airlines regional passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter (Officials: 67 dead in midair collision, Jan. 31).

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Air traffic controllers have a very stressful job  they've been short handed for years. Considering all the planes, helicopters and private planes in the sky these days, I'm surprised there haven't been more crashes.

Four more years of this? It's already a nightmare.

Margaret Melville, Cedarburg

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump should leave air traffic safety to the professionals | Letters
ALLEN EYESTONE/THE PALM BEACH POST

(This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

BOCA RATON  Three masked men ambushed a couple shortly after midnight Saturday as they arrived home from a casino and made off with $250,000 worth of cash and valuables, police said.

The victims, who live in the 600 block of Northeast 29th Place, told Boca Raton police that three men approached them on foot from behind nearby bushes as they were getting out of their car at their home. The men pointed guns at them, police said.

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The men took nearly $250,000 worth of cash, watches, phones and a purse, the victims said. The men then entered the couple's vehicle and removed a gun from the center console after attempting to steal the car, police said. The suspects then fled the scene westbound to an unknown vehicle.

The couple had just returned from a casino, police said.

Police said the men were last seen wearing dark clothing and masks.

Investigators are seeking footage of this reported incident. Police are asking anyone residing in the area to review footage from their exterior home cameras. Detective Alfredo Lima is overseeing the investigation. He can be reached at 561-620-6246.

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Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and issues impacting homeowner associations. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Three masked men ambush Boca Raton couple at home, steal $250K
JESUP, Ga. (WSAV)  Nearly three weeks after a Palm Street structure fire, a body was discovered in the residence, a Jesup City official said on Thursday.

The fire occurred Jan. 6, City Manager Nicholas Ellis said. The deceased person was discovered on Jan. 24, 17 days after the fire happened.

Ellis said that the Jesup police and fire departments are conducting independent reviews while working with the state agencies.

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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and State Fire Marshals Office are conducting investigations into the cause of the fire and cause of death.

An autopsy will be conducted at the GBI crime lab.

If anyone has information pertaining to this investigation, please contact Investigation Rhett Burford of the Jesup Police Department at 912 427-1300 or the State Fire Marshals Office at 470 572-5722.

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A persons body was found inside a burned down south Georgia home earlier this week. But its been weeks since the house caught fire.

Jesup city officials announced this week that a body was found inside a home on North Palm Street on Jan. 24. That building had burned down on Jan. 6.

They did not comment on if the body had been burned along with the home earlier this month or if it was placed there more recently.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Fire officials are still investigating the cause of the fire and Jesup police are now investigating the persons death.

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The victims identity has not yet been released.

City Manager Nicholas Ellis says they expect the police chief to request the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation if the results of an autopsy point to any suspicion of foul play.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Tom Tiffany, both Republicans introduced a bill to delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species list on Friday.

According to a press release from Boebert and the 4th District of Colorado, the bill, named the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, would allow states to set their own rules and regulations for managing their gray wolf population.

Colorados wolves could be east of the Continental Divide for the first time

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The bill is co-sponsored by 30 other members of Congress, including Colorados Jeff Crank, Gabe Evans and Jeff Hurd, all Republicans.

The bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 ruling that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 states. If passed, the bill would not be able to be overturned through judicial review.

The bill comes at a time when Colorados wolf population has 29 members after reintroduction efforts. About half of the wolves came from Canada and were released earlier this month.

According to the release, the bill aims to prioritize the safety and success of Americas agriculture community.

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A similar bill introduced last year to end federal protections for gray wolves, also authored by Boebert, passed the U.S. House but failed to make it through the Senate. Opponents of that bill argued that it would not do anything for Coloradans as state law protects wolves under the Endangered Species Act.

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Border Force officers are to gain new powers to stop suspected child sex offenders at airports and search their phones and laptops as part of new world leading laws to stamp out online child abuse.

Officers will be able to compel travellers whom they have reasonable grounds to believe pose a sexual risk to children to unlock their devices so they can scan their digital files on the spot for abuse images. Offenders face up to five years in jail if illegal content is found.

The new law is one of four legislative measures to be announced on Sunday by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, to combat the 10-fold increase in illegal online child sex images and the surge in AI-generated content.

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Some offenders are earning more than 1 million a year by selling the AI tech capable of creating child abuse images.

Anyone caught with the AI tools designed to generate highly realistic illegal child sex images will face up to five years in prison. Offenders convicted for possessing paedophile manuals which teach people how to use AI to create sexual abuse imagery will be jailed for up to three years.

The Border Force have conducted two pilots using airside scanners at Heathrow and Manchester airports on suspected sex offenders - Daniel Leal/AFP

Ministers claim the measures are the first in the world to be targeted at AI-generated child abuse images which are so realistic they cannot be distinguished from real pictures.

The amount of AI-generated content uncovered by investigators from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) rose four-fold between 2023 and 2024.

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The fourth measure is targeted at the kingpins behind the forums and websites where paedophiles share images and advice on how to groom children.

They will face up to 10 years in jail under the measures which will be contained in the Governments Crime and Policing Bill which is to be unveiled this month.

The measures follow the Duty of Care campaign by The Telegraph for tougher online laws to protect children from online harms including child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The latest threats

Ms Cooper said: We know sick predators activities online often lead to them carrying out the most horrific abuse in person.

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This Government will not hesitate to act to ensure the safety of children online by ensuring our laws keep pace with the latest threats.

These four new laws are bold measures designed to keep our children safe online as technologies evolve.

The Border Force have conducted two pilots using airside scanners at Heathrow and Manchester airports on suspected sex offenders.

The 44 travellers who voluntarily submitted to the searches led to arrests or generated intelligence for police to investigate in 70 per cent of the cases.

Officers could previously only physically search suspects suitcases but not their phones or laptops. Under the new law, suspects who refuse to unlock their digital files so they can be scanned will be arrested for obstructing an officer and have their devices seized and searched.

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The scans will be targeted at known or suspected paedophiles based on intelligence, the sex offenders register and destinations from which they arrive.

AI tools for child abuse

Reports of AI-generated child abuse images recorded by the IWF have risen by 380 per cent with 245 reports in 2024 compared with 51 in 2023. Each report can contain thousands of images.

The AI tools, which are sold openly on social media as well as the dark web, generate the images simply by the user describing the content that they want, either via text or voice-activated commands.

One tech designer caught by police was earning more than 1 million a year from selling the technology for between 15 and 25 per tool. Another arrested by police in Denmark was found to have 400,000 realistic AI-generated images on a single device.

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The technology can nudeify real-life images of children and stitch the faces of children onto existing child sexual abuse images. The real-life voices of children are also used, which Home Office investigators say results in survivors of traumatic abuse being revictimised.

The AI-generated images can also be used to sextort or blackmail children into further abuse because they are so realistic.

Technical experts from the National Crime Agency (NCA) are developing defect detectors to enable investigators to distinguish the true from the fake so they can attempt to trace victims of real-life sex crimes.

Producing, sharing or possessing AI-generated indecent images of children carries the same penalty as if they were real. Conviction for possession earns a maximum of five years in jail. Distribution and production gets up to 10 years in prison.

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Baroness Kidron, the former Hollywood director who set up the 5Rights Foundation, a charity which campaigns for online safety for children, hailed the new laws as a milestone.

AI-enabled crime normalises the abuse of children and amplifies its spread. Our laws must reflect the reality of childrens experience, and ensure that technology is safe by design and default, she said.

The NCA estimates there are between 710,000 and 840,000 men and women who pose a sexual risk to children, representing between 1.3 per cent and 1.6 per cent of the adult population.

Some 15 per cent of girls and five per cent of boys have experienced some form of child abuse, says the NCA.

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The NCA says the agency and police are arresting 800 suspected child abuse offenders a month and rescuing 1,100 children so they can be safeguarded.

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SAYRE, Pa. (WETM)  An Athens man has been sentenced to serve time after he was found guilty of making and dealing several different drugs out of a home in Bradford County.

Wyatt R. Yanney, 33, has been sentenced to an overall minimum of one year to a maximum of six years in a state correctional institution for the following crimes, as reported by the Bradford County District Attorneys Office:

Flight to avoid apprehension, a third degree felony

Possession with intent to deliver between 10 and 50 grams of a Schedule 1 controlled substance (psilocybin mushrooms), a felony

Resisting arrest, a second degree misdemeanor

Tampering with physical evidence, a second degree misdemeanor

Possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor

Yanneys sentence will be followed by four years of probation.

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Original story: One arrested on felony charges following Sayre drug bust

Yanney was arrested on the charges in April of 2024 after a Sayre Borough police officer followed up on a tip regarding drug activity on Draper Street in Sayre. The DA states that at this time police also had a warrant for Yanney from the U.S. Marshals Service.

The DA further states that Yanney was already on federal probation for possession with intent to deliver drugs from a sentence in 2016. As a result, Yanney is expected to serve an additional two years to two and a half years in federal prison on that sentence in addition to his sentence in Bradford County.

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China expresses deep condolences to the victims and profound sympathy to their families following a mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the United States Wednesday night, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.

The foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. launched the emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident. Unfortunately, two Chinese nationals lost their lives in the incident, according to preliminary verification of the victims, the spokesperson said.

China has asked the U.S. to provide timely updates on the search and rescue efforts, identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and handle the ensuing matters properly, according to the spokesperson.

"We will provide necessary assistance to the families of the Chinese victims as they deal with the incident," the spokesperson added.

The mid-air collision that happened in Washington, D.C. involved an American Airlines regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board and a military Blackhawk helicopter with three U.S. Army soldiers.

U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed no survivors in the collision at a Thursday press conference in the White House.




(Bloomberg) -- Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is already staring down rising food prices, deepening investor skepticism and falling approval ratings. Now hes getting another challenge: A change in congressional leadership that will test his ability to navigate the countrys conservative legislature.

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Brazils lower house and Senate chose new leaders Saturday, and both are centrist lawmakers from parties with uneasy relationships with the leftist government. Veteran Senator Davi Alcolumbre won his leadership race by 73 of 81 votes on Saturday. Lula called him just after his victory and praised the new senate leader in a public statement.

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We will walk together in the defense of democracy and in building a more developed and less unequal Brazil, with opportunities for all the Brazilian people, read the presidential statement.

A few hours later, Congressman Hugo Motta was elected the new lower house speaker by 444 of 513 votes. In congratulating Motta in a public statement, Lula said he was sure that together they will advance in the construction of an increasingly developed and fairer Brazil, with fiscal, social and environmental responsibility.

Lacking majorities in either body, Lulas relations with Congress  and former Speaker Arthur Lira, in particular  have often proved difficult over the last two years. Now he will need to build ties to new leaders on whom hell depend heavily as he seeks to soothe market fears about public spending and approve proposals meant to shore up support ahead of the 2026 presidential race.

That wont be easy. The agenda is already getting crowded, and while Lulas Workers Party threw its weight behind both presumptive favorites, they also enjoy the backing of former President Jair Bolsonaros Liberal Party, as it gears up for next years election as well. Bolsonaro also called Alcolumbre to praise him and told Bloomberg he would do the same with Motta.

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But Lula isnt waiting to make his own inroads as lawmakers return to work with this years budget atop the list of priorities. He will talk to the new chiefs on Monday morning, Institutional Relations Minister Alexandre Padilha said, before kicking off a highly-anticipated overhaul of his cabinet aimed at bolstering support in the legislature.

In Alcolumbre, he will find a familiar face: The 47-year-old lawmaker who helmed the Senate in 2019 and 2020 served as a powerful figure under now former leader Rodrigo Pacheco, and selected at least three members of Lulas cabinet. He also spearheaded negotiations with the administration over so-called parliamentary budget amendments  money to fund projects of lawmakers choosing that served as a regular source of tension.

Lulas team expects negotiations with Alcolumbre to prove more difficult than they were under Pacheco, who largely served as an ally, two people familiar with the situation said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Motta, 35, is more of a blank canvas. He has been in office since 2011, rose to prominence by leading a congressional corruption probe into state-run oil firm Petrobras and once enjoyed close ties with Eduardo Cunha  the former speaker who led the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, Lulas successor and partymate.

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Initially hesitant to back the young lawmakers leadership bid, Lula was convinced by allies and initial conversations with Motta, according to one of the people familiar.

Those talks will likely help keep channels open with Motta, said Paulo Gama, the political analysis coordinator at XP Inc. He added that the lawmaker has served as the lower houses rapporteur on economic bills and demonstrated an ability for both dialogue and technical issues.

The familiarity with Alcolumbre, meanwhile, will likely lead to continuity of the current model of negotiations between the Senate and the government, Gama said. He is someone who is willing to listen to the governments arguments, but without automatic alignment to all of its agenda items.

Budget and Fiscal Bills

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First on that agenda is the 2025 budget, which the government is eager to pass because spending is limited until it wins final approval. That isnt expected until March, according to Senator Angelo Coronel, the projects rapporteur.

Lula is also pushing to secure approval of new income tax exemptions for salaries of up to 5,000 reais, a proposal his party sees as key to regaining support among working class voters. But the cost of that plan, which sparked investor anxiety about Lulas commitment to fiscal discipline late last year, also needs to be offset.

The governments initial idea is to do so by increasing taxes on the super rich, but that may not win broad support. The Bolsonaro-led opposition is broadly against the idea, although the former president has instructed them to avoid blasting the plan now for fear theyll be labeled defenders of the wealthy, he said in an interview.

Davi Alcolumbre avoided commenting on the proposal but said in an interview with Globo News TV after being sworn in that he has excellent relationship with Finance Minister Fernando Haddad. I have already put myself to walk side by side with minister Haddad, he said.

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Battles over the regulation of big tech firms and artificial intelligence also loom this year. And there is the potential for additional measures to shore up public accounts amid ongoing market worries about Brazils deficits and debt trajectory.

Those wont come until later, if at all. In a recent interview, Planning Minister Simone Tebet said the government will wait for the release of Marchs bimonthly fiscal report to see if further measures are necessary.

Motta addressed that issue in his victory speech saying that nothing worse for the poorest than inflation, lack of stability in the economy.

Stability is the result of a known and consensual set of fiscal responsibility measures, he said. Defending economic stability is, yes, defending social stability.

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(Updates with the result of the lower house vote, information on the new leaders meeting with Lula, and Alcolumbre interview from the 2nd paragraph)

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After more than 80 years hidden beneath the waves off Rio de Janeiro, the location of a Brazilian troop transport ship torpedoed and sunk by Nazi Germany was definitively confirmed by Brazils navy this week.

The wreck of the Vital de Oliveira was initially discovered in 2011 by a pair of brothers, Jose Luiz and Everaldo Popermeyer Meriguete. As recently as July, the Brazilian navy had told Brazils O Globo newspaper that it could not confirm whether the hulk lying 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the coast was indeed the ship in question.

As part of a scientific expedition to obtain the exact location of the wreck, the navy officially confirmed the brothers 14-year-old discovery on January 16 using sonar imaging.

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CNN reached out to Domingos Afonso Jorio, one of the divers who helped the two brothers first find the wreck, but did not receive a response. A Brazilian documentary filmmaker who chronicled the initial discovery, Rodolfo Silot, said in an email to CNN that they have been trying to tell this story for almost a decade and no one has been interested so far.

Sonar allowed underwater archaeologists from Brazil's navy to precisely locate the ship's wreck on the seafloor. - Courtesy Brazilian Navy

The Vital de Oliveira was a civilian ship, built in 1910 and outfitted as an auxiliary naval craft when Brazil entered World War II on the side of the Allies. It was transporting supplies, sailors and soldiers along the Brazilian coast when a German U-boat struck its stern with a torpedo just before midnight on June 19, 1944.

Brazil was the only South American country to send troops overseas in World War II. Throughout the Battle of the Atlantic, German U-boats patrolled Brazils coast, sinking some 34 vessels and killing 1,081 people, according to naval historian Roberto Sander, who wrote that the sinking of the Vital de Olivera was the navys most major loss during the war. Of the 270 souls aboard, he wrote, 99 perished.

More than 60 years after these events, Sander wrote in 2007, the vast majority of Brazilian ships remain untouched at the bottom of the ocean.

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Their locations would only be confirmed, Sander inferred, via the use of probes.

The navy said in its press statement that the wreck was found using multi-beam and side-scanning sonar.

Both methods, which deploy fan-like arrays of sound waves to scan the seafloor, are frequently used together in underwater archaeology to create detailed visualizations of ocean wrecks, according to NOAA.

In the side-scanning sonar image released alongside the navys press statement, one can clearly see the outline of the Vital de Oliveira.

Coincidentally, the research vessel that confirmed the wrecks location is also called the Vital de Oliveira.

CNNs Julia Vargas Jones contributed reporting.

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BREAKING: A small plane has crashed in a residential area of northeast Philadelphia. MSNBC's Ali Velshi and former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt join to provide the latest details and analysis.
Brenham, Tx (FOX 44)  The Texas Department of Public Safety reports a 22-year-old man was killed Friday morning when his car was struck by an 18-wheeler near Brenham.

DPS Sgt. Justin Ruiz said it happened shortly before 6:00 a.m. Friday on Highway 290 at Berlin Road, just west of Brenham in Washington County.

Sgt. Ruiz said a 2019 Toyota Camry had been stopped on Berlin Road facing south when the driver, identified as Matthew Taing of Brenham, pulled out attempting a left turn onto Highway 290. The Camry was struck by a 1998 Freightliner truck-tractor semi-trailer that was going west on 290.

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Taing was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Who will get the blame when the inevitable enquiry is held into Britains immiseration? At the start of the twentieth century, ours was a rich country, attracting talent and investment from every continent. Now, we are being overtaken in per capita terms by Slovenia.

Our fragile post-Covid recovery has turned into a recession. It has not yet shown up in the figures, but it is upon us. Indeed, if we discount immigration and look at GDP per head, it already registers in the data. Companies are reacting to the coming hikes in National Insurance and the minimum wage with recruitment freezes.

When those rises come into effect in April  to say nothing of Angela Rayners full-rights-from-day-one scheme  we will see the start of a sustained rise in unemployment, something Britain has not known for a generation. Fewer people will be paying taxes, more will be claiming benefits.

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Taxes are already at a postwar high, yet we still need to borrow more than a billion pounds a week. Why? Because Labour, now at 25 per cent in the polls, knows that its remaining supporters are overwhelmingly beneficiaries of state spending, whether as government employees or as welfare dependents. The last thing it will do is cut it.

To repeat, who is to blame? Is it Rachel Reeves, who is testing to destruction the theory that, if you take money from productive people to give to unproductive people, you end up with fewer of the former and more of the latter?

Or is it Ed Miliband who, in pursuit of pre-industrial carbon emissions, seems quite prepared to return to pre-industrial poverty levels?

Both deserve their share of censure. But there is a third culprit, less well known to the public, namely Lord Hermer, a former colleague of Sir Keir Starmers who, after a career representing Britains bitterest enemies in court  Mau Mau insurgents, Irish republicans, Islamists and others  is using his role as Attorney General to ensure that elected ministers do what they are told by lawyers.

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Other ministers grumble that, by tilting the balance back towards departmental legal advisors  Suella Braverman had reduced their power  Hermer is ensuring that nothing gets done. One of his colleagues complained that Hermer was causing a freeze on government.

The default setting of our legal establishment is anti-growth. Or, more precisely, it is safetyist, pro-DEI and eco-obsessive, which amounts to the same thing. As long as we are governed by human rights lawyers, prosperity will elude us.

Consider, as an example, the question of a third runway at Heathrow, first promised in 2003. Reeves is reviving the idea, as Chancellors do when they want to sound pro-business, yet campaigners dont sound in the least alarmed. They know that they need only go to court claiming that additional flights would breach Britains emissions targets. Our state machine is primed to stop things being built.

Look at what happened in Edinburgh on Thursday. A judge ruled that the Rosebank oilfield off Shetland  the largest, on some measures, in the North Sea  could not be exploited. The British state sided with a gaggle of anti-capitalist protesters who were seeking to win from the bench what they had lost at the ballot box.

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Thirty years ago, such a case would not have come to court. The question of whether to extract oil was seen as a political one. You might think Britain should show global leadership; or you might think that, since hydrocarbons will still be needed during the transition, we would do better to start by phasing out dirty fuel from dirty regimes rather than shutting down our own industry. Either way, it is a matter of opinion, to be decided democratically, not a matter of fundamental rights to be determined by the judiciary.

Since Donald Trumps inauguration, a lot of people, by no means all on the Right, have been asking why Britain seems so insipid and paralysed by comparison with the US. Why cant we sack our state-funded diversity consultants? Why cant we deport illegal immigrants? Why cant we remove swathes or regulations at a stroke?

The answer in almost every case is that such reforms would be blocked by our legal and administrative apparat.

Now you might think this a poor excuse. A determined government, you might say, would tear the state machine apart and rebuild it along democratic lines. It would withdraw from the ECHR and the UN Refugee Convention, scrap the Supreme Court, roll back judicial review and eliminate quangoes.

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Perhaps it would. But lets not pretend that these things would be easy. The nomenklatura would be defending, not just their beliefs, but their mortgages and school fees. Their attempts to overturn Brexit would look like a Nerf gun battle in comparison.

In any event, none of this is going to happen under Labour. The guiding principle of Hermerism  or Starmerism, come to that  is that human rights lawyers know best. Ministers keep repeating their strained and tautological claim growth is their number one priority. But, even as they intone those syllables, they hire thousands more civil servants, and strengthen quangoes like the OBR. On one calculation, they have created a quango a week since taking office. Economists call it revealed preference.

The reason quangocracy is bad for growth is not just that officials cost money, nor that they represent a diversion of resources (just imagine what they could be doing in the private sector). No, the real problem is that most officials spend their time hampering the activities that generate revenue.

The primacy of globalist human rights lawyers and officials impels us to decarbonise back to the Stone Age, regardless of whether any country follows. It requires us to expand the machinery of racial grievance-mongering. It encourages us to pay foreign countries to take our territory and to invite talks about reparations for slavery  reparations, that is, from the country that ended the slave trade, not those that took the slaves.

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Dont think that any of this is about human rights, by the way, at least not as we commonly understand that phrase. The only occasion that I have lived through a large state-perpetrated abuse of human rights in Britain was in 2020, when people were condemned to house arrest without evidence, and when our rights to free movement, free association and free speech were curtailed. Yet, the one time these Doughty Street and Matrix Chambers types might actually have been needed, they were cheering on the lockdown  a lockdown that Starmer did not want to end.

Lockdown was perhaps the ultimate example of putting state power before growth. But we should not pretend that it was foisted on an unwilling nation by SAGE officials. The country as a whole did not care very much about prosperity.

Yes, most people want a higher income. But how many support the policies that would make Britain richer. We are all for growth, but not if it means taking away the winter fuel allowance or raising the pension age. We are all for growth, but not if it means allowing private payments in the NHS, or admitting skilled immigrants, or abandoning our green targets. In this sense, if in few others, Starmer accurately reflects the mood of the nation. We will the ends, but baulk at the means.

Sure, there will eventually be a backlash, a Thatcher or Milei moment. But such backlashes can be a long time in the making. The British state had been swollen for 40 years before Margaret Thatcher launched her reforms. Javier Milei took over after more than a century of corporatism. It is possible that our next Thatcher is already in Parliament; but it is also possible that she is still a baby.

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Either way, when she eventually holds her enquiry into what bankrupted Britain, I hope she looks past both our green obsessions and our cowardice about spending cuts and describes the ultimate problem. Fewer and fewer workers are carrying more and more officials. It really is that simple.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Buffalo Bert, the citys official face of Groundhog Day, predicted six more weeks of winter on Saturday during the 12th Annual Buffalo Groundhog Day event.

The prediction came when Buffalo Bert emerged from a wooden beer barrel at downtowns Banshee Irish Pub as the crowd eagerly watched, cheering him on. He was accompanied by a large banner with snowflakes reading, Six more weeks of winter!

The groundhog has had the same prediction for every year since 2013.

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Buffalo Bert, who was rescued as an orphan and now lives at Hawk Creek Wildlife Refuge in West Falls, is said to have a 100 percent accurate prediction rate, making him the most accurate groundhog in the world, according to animal expert Jarod Miller.

The annual tradition, which Buffalo celebrates one day before Groundhog Day, was first brought to the city when a few Buffalonians made a trip to Punxsutawney, P.A.  the town most known for its celebration of Groundhog Day  and were struck with inspiration.

[We] saw what they had to offer and then we decided that we could probably do this better in Buffalo, so then we turned around, drove back and started it back in 2013 and its been going ever since, said Christopher Flynn, the vice president of marketing of the Buffalo Groundhog Day Society, in an interview with WIVB News 4 Wednesday.

All of the proceeds raised by the event, which is hosted by the Buffalo Groundhog Day Society, is donated to support local animal charities. Over 12 years, the organization has raised a total of $70,000, Flynn said.

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This years profits are going to the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter and the Hawk Creek Wildlife Center.

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Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.

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Take 3, one of downtown Fresnos favorite burger joints, has reopened in its original Fulton Street location after more than a four-year absence. And with a new twist.

The originator of Take 3, Brian Washington, is being joined by his daughter, Desirae Des Washington, who is known in the local burger community as Grumpy Burger Ladys. The father-and-daughter team will operate the joint venture and are calling it: Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys.

They are in the restaurants old spot at 1230 Fulton St. They originally planned to open several weeks ago but were delayed by getting all the appropriate approvals.

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Both father and daughter are skilled at cooking burgers and are eager to share their meaty masterpieces. Des Washington helped her father run Take 3 before it closed in December 2020.

For those knowledgeable about Fresnos burger history, you may remember Brian Washington when he owned and operated Monster Burger in west Fresno during the 1980s and early 90s. His claim to fame was a loaded burger, aptly named the Monster Burger, that was made from a quarter-pound of ground beef, cooked medium well and topped with cheese, bacon, a grilled hot dog, onion rings and an egg.

Brian Washington resurrected the Monster Burger at Take 3 and he will reintroduce it in the new restaurant.

Des Washington is bringing back her fathers downtown Fresno restaurant Take 3 to be called Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys, offering the same burgers her father made popular with her own Grumpy Lady spin. Photographed Dec. 11, 2024.

Des Washington promises customers a blend of her dads recipes and hers.

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One item that will definitely be on the menu is a Take 3 favorite, the California burger, topped with avocado, thick-cut bacon and Swiss cheese in between a brioche bun. Des Washington also plans to add her specialty, the smush burger. Not to be confused with the popular smash burgers, Washingtons smush burger flips the smash concept on its head.

It was a customer favorite when she had a restaurant at the former Full Circle Brewing Co. tasting room in downtowns Brewery District.

Unlike a smash burger where the patty is pressed onto a hot grill, Washington puts whatever ingredients you chose on the grill first, then presses the beef patty into the ingredients. She then tops the burger with two slices of cheese and serves it on a brioche bun.

Its melty, its juicy and its delicious, she said.

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The new Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys will also bring back special events like the homage meals for The Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls and the one for Tupac. Both events drew lines out the door on Fulton Street.

As a self-described burger nerd, Des Washington also wants to display her trove of burger memorabilia in a mini-museum inside the restaurant.

She has carefully curated items from her personal collection including an ice chest with the Bobs Burger logo, a vintage McDonalds hat, a Bluetooth speaker that resembles a hamburger and a wallet shaped like a hamburger. The wallet may not immediately be on display since its Washingtons everyday wallet.

Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys will be open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Washingtons may extend their hours if customer demand is there.

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Both father and daughter said they are excited about reopening the restaurant and greeting old and new customers.

The Washington family and our burgers have been a staple in this community since the 80s  and I think thats a really big deal. I love this legacy of burgers that me and my dad are creating, Des said. To me, food is not just something that youre eating, its part of an active community. Its where people gather and they fellowship together, and they laugh and they cry. Its a very special thing that we love to share with the community, and we appreciate their support.

The Bernie Mack Slap burger with fries features over 5 inches of fillings including thick-cut bacon, onion rings, fresh onions and a fried egg is one of the featured burgers from Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys. The restaurant on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno, California, re-opened Jan. 27, 2025.

A Grumpy-style smushed burger is seen to the right, one of the many featured burgers from Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno, California.

An All American Burger with fries is seen, one of many featured burgers from Take 3 x Grumpy Burger Ladys on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno.

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Pete Buttigieg has ruled out running for Michigan governor and is focused on weighing a potential Senate bid in 2026, according to two people familiar with his thinking.

The former transportation secretary and South Bend mayor, who moved from Indiana to Traverse City, Michigan, in 2022, is now very seriously focused on a potential run for Senate, according to one of the people, granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Buttigiegs decision not to run for governor was first reported by the Detroit News.

Buttigieg, a former presidential candidate, had been weighing a run for governor or a 2028 presidential campaign, which he could ultimately still pursue. His political calculus seemed to change rapidly this week when Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan announced that he would not run for reelection in 2026, scrambling the Democratic field in the battleground state.

Buttigiegs political fundraising operation is largely intact from his 2020 Democratic presidential primary bid: He raised more than $15 million for the Harris-Walz campaign last year.
Jan. 31In the face of tragedy, humanity shone through when strangers rushed to help following a fatal accident on Russ Avenue in Waynesville on Wednesday, aiding trapped victims in those fateful minutes before first responders arrived.

Two women who witnessed it said they were forever changed by the experience.

"I climbed in between the seats from the back and put one hand on each of them and I prayed to God. I prayed they go to heaven and felt no pain," Michele Berne, 60.

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For Jessica Barone, a flood victim now living in an RV, her own plight seems inconsequential now.

"It puts everything in perspective," she said.

The two women were on their way from Maggie Valley to Ingles when a cloud of smoke obscured the road in front of them.

"I couldn't believe my eyes. At first, I thought it was an avalanche because it was such a large plume of smoke," Berne said. "Next thing we know, a truck comes out of the smoke going backwards. There were no tires left on the rims. It was just bare rims on fire. I thought 'Oh my God, this is bad.'"

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Then the second vehicle emerged from the smoke, a BMW mangled beyond recognition.

The women came to a halt  as did a handful of other motorists who had witnessed the accident. They came running from their vehicles and surrounded the truck that was on fire, realizing two people were inside.

"Someone tried to break the window on the driver side and another man grabbed something and broke the glass on the passenger side. They pulled them out through the window and sat them on the curb," Berne said.

The two men, both Latino, were badly injured.

"They were in shock, but they were conscious, and they were groaning in pain," Barone said. "One had blood pouring from his forehead."

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Barone saw a flap of loose skin on his forehead, exposing what seemed to his scalp. She ran back to her car and grabbed baby diapers.

"I know diapers are absorbent and soak up a lot," she said.

Both men applied the diapers to their wounds. Barone also passed out wipes to those who had pulled the men from the truck and had bloody hands. Among the strangers who converged at the scene was a nearby resident who ran from his house.

Final moments

Meanwhile, Berne had run to the other vehicle and discovered a gruesome scene. The vehicle was so smashed up, she feared the worst immediately.

"I knew whoever was in the driver's seat was dead," she said.

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But she reached through the busted-out window anyway and peeled back the deflated air bag.

"I thought 'Thank God she died instantly. But I checked her pulse just to make sure," Berne said.

In hindsight, it was a combination of adrenaline and compassion that allowed her to reach into the situation.

"It doesn't seem real. I was in shock," she said. "But all I could think of was, that was somebody's loved one."

Berne went to the passenger side next and saw a bloody hand hanging out the window.

"I felt a pulse through his wrist, but it was faint. So I just held his hand, telling him 'You're going to be OK. You're not alone.' I wanted him to know somebody was here with him and praying for him," she said. "And then I thought, 'Please God, don't let there be children in the back of this car.'"

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Berne knew what she had to do next. She managed to open the rear passenger door and climbed in. There were clothes everywhere  according to family, the couple was in the process of moving.

"I started moving all the clothes around to see if there was anyone else in there," Berne recalled.

What she didn't realize at the time was that the man had been holding the couple's dog in his lap. It was dead on the floorboard, she later learned.

"The dog was like their child because they couldn't have kids," Berne said, sharing what she was later told by the couple's family.

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Berne had been alone up to that point, as the other bystanders worked to free the men from the burning truck. Once the men were settled, others came running over.

"One was a mechanic, and he was saying 'If only I had something to pry the door open with.' I said to Jessica, 'Go grab your jack kit.' So she ran and grabbed the jack kit from her car. But there was too much damage to get the door open," Berne recounted.

Processing the trauma

First responders arrived shortly afterwards, and Berne and Barone could begin to process those terrifying few minutes.

A state trooper asked Berne if she wanted grief counseling, but she declined, only realizing afterward that she should have said yes.

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"After I got home, the shock wore off..." Berne said.

"And reality hits you..." Barone said.

"And I finally cried..." Berne said.

Barone's seven-month-old baby had been asleep in her car on the side of the road the entire time. Witnessing the tragedy has made Barone see life differently.

"I've a really hard time sleeping. You just never know when it's your time," said Barone, a mother of four and pregnant with a fifth. "Now, when I want to get mad at my teenager about little petty stuff, I'm like, 'Is this worth arguing about?'"

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Barone also can't help but replay the scene in her mind, thinking it could have been her in the accident by a matter of 30 seconds.

"When I picked Michelle up to go the store, she came outside and held her finger up and said, 'One minute,' and ran back in to put on different shoes," Barone said.

They then got stopped by the red light at the Dellwood intersection. The truck with the two men who were later hit turned onto Russ Avenue in front of them.

"It's like there's a chain of events that happen," Berne said. "I think if I hadn't grabbed those shoes, we wouldn't have caught that red light. If we hadn't caught that red light, we would have been in front of that truck."

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The couple who was killed was from Arden, but had been living at a cabin in Maggie Valley since the flood.

"Before I left the scene, I told the trooper 'Pease tell the family they were not alone, that I was holding their hand and was praying for them,'" Berne said.

She ended up getting the chance to tell them herself, connecting first via a Facebook post and then talking on the phone.

"If it was my family, I would hope somebody would be there consoling them. The whole family is very religious, and when I told their niece that, she started crying on the phone," Berne said.

"They offered to send us money for more diapers," Barone added.
CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Caddo Parish Commissioners $100,000 proposed ordinance to combat squatters and fires and increase the safety of the community was announced on Friday.

The ordinance highlights the Parish of Caddos mission to fight the rise in arson in abandoned properties, endangering public safety, their homes, and residents livelihoods.

Commissioner John Paul Youngs ordinance states multiple incidences are straining emergency response resources.

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Elderly woman left homeless after squatters burn neighboring home

The ordinance to increase funding for property standards states, property owners have largely abandoned these vacant properties, leaving them without proper maintenance, security, or oversight, contributing to neighborhood decline and increased criminal activity.

It highlights the parish and the City of Shreveports ongoing problem with trespassing, unauthorized habitation, and illegal activities within these vacant properties negatively impact the quality of life for residents and erode public confidence in local safety measures.

Shreveport apartments water shut-off, owners non-payments

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The asks for additional funds to increase property standards within the parish by using funds necessary to amend the 2025 Solid Waste Fund and the Riverboat Fund in the amount of $100,000 for property standards.

It emphasizes the urgent need to establish a fund that will provide financial resources to nonprofit organizations to assist with property standards enforcement and the mitigation of hazardous vacant properties.

The ordinance will be presented at the Caddo Parish Commissions next Work Session meeting. The Work Session will be held at 3:30 pm in the chambers at Government Plaza, 505 Travis, Shreveport, LA 71101.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A California City dog rescuer was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty on Friday.

Police responded to a residence on 94th Street for reports of several dogs being in poor condition in the garage on Jan. 7, according to Cal City police.

Investigation showed Laquenta Reynolds was operating a dog rescue called Pawfect Companion, at the residence.

In the garage, 15 dogs were kept in metal dog crates and several of them appeared to be emaciated and had apparent wounds, according to Cal City police.

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Police say the dogs were removed from the home and five were taken to emergency veterinarian care.

Investigation showed the dogs were suffering from open infected wounds, malnutrition and dehydration.

Private plane crashes in Philadelphia, sets home ablaze

The dogs fell into poor condition while under care of Reynolds and due to her neglect, according to the police department.

Police say 33 additional dogs were seized from bedrooms, closets and common areas in the home. The 33 dogs were not in grave condition, and were sent to approved animal rescues in California.

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Two of the largest wildfires in California that have burned thousands of acres and prompted tens of thousands to evacuate have been fully contained after over three weeks of devastation, officials confirmed late Friday.

The Palisades Fire, which broke out on Jan. 7, burned over 23,000 acres and destroyed more than 6,800 structures. The Eaton Fire, which kicked off in Altadena, burned just over 14,000 acres and destroyed over 9,000 structures, according to CalFire.

Officials updated the data overnight as both fires reached 100 percent containment. This means firefighters have the blazes perimeter under control and the line can be held.

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The two wildfires, which have ravaged neighborhoods and leveled thousands of homes, have killed a minimum of 29 people  17 in the Eaton Fire and 12 in the Palisades fire, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Office. The cause of both deadly blazes is still under investigation.

The total damage and economic loss from the California wildfires are projected between $250 and $275 billion, according to AccuWeather.

Southern California had some rainfall earlier this week, assisting the firefighters in their containment of the blazes.

Its more important when we say forward progress is stopped, Los Angeles Fire Department Spokesperson Margaret Stewart told Reuters.

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But, Stewart stated that recent rain was more of a hindrance since it prompted mudslides and some roads used by responders were blocked.

Had this rain come two weeks ago, it might have been more helpful, she added.

The fires, which destroyed a slew of celebrities homes among others, was quickly turned into a political talking point. President Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) found themselves in another feud over the Golden States water resources being used to contain the blazes.

But, after Trump visited the fire-ravaged city, the two seemingly agreed to work together.

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While much of the world was thrilled by the 2022 release of ChatGPT, and with it the dawning of a new era of technology, the reaction in the Philippines was closer to fear.

Consultancy firms and banks warned that generative AI, which can process human language, could be upgraded to the point where humans are automated out of work. One Goldman Sachs report in March 2023 said 300 million jobs could be exposed to automation. About 46% of those are office and administrative jobs like customer service.

Millions of these jobs are found in developing economies in Southeast Asia like that of the Philippines, which means AI development could end up derailing economic growth.

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But more than two years after ChatGPT made its debut, generative AI developments have not yet produced the feared doomsday scenario. There have been job losses, but the industry still depends on its human workers, and at this point AI is just another tool companies use to augment their capabilities.

Renz Miguel Marquez, a 29-year-old call center trainer in Makati City in the Philippines, uses AI tools to streamline his workflow. The call center where he works caters to broadband service transactions for a U.S.-based company.

Marquez says his call center introduced an agent assist about two years ago that listens to the conversation and helps agents collate information that could be useful to help resolve issues. That tool has helped speed up resolutions, giving agents more time to pitch and sell services or products to customers who call in.

Marianne Capitly, a 32-year-old in Manila, handles after-sales support for a U.S.-based IT distributor that sells computer parts, laptops, and software. Most of her work is email-based, and she said new AI applications have streamlined her work as she searches for solutions either on the internet or in an internal database.

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Both agree the technology makes them more efficient, but it isnt ready to replace them. The tools are still not quite there yet, they both say, and can churn out solutions that are not applicable.

While the future impact on service jobs from AI is still very much unknown, it may not be as dire as first predicted. A recent report from Oxford Economics, an economic advisory firm headquartered in the U.K., argues productivity gains from generative AI developments will skew toward services and boost medium-term economic growth. The business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is one sector that could benefit, allowing workers to transition into other customer-facing roles. That could be comforting news for some 1.8 million people employed by the approximately 1,000 BPO companies in the Philippines, which together contribute about 8% of the countrys annual GDP.

One key development arguably helped grow the BPO sector in the early 2000s: cheaper long-distance phone calls.

The real revolution was around telecommunications, says Laurent Junique, CEO of TDCX, a Fortune Southeast Asia 500 company and provider of BPO services. The democratization of the telecom sector lowered the cost of calls from the U.S. to the Philippines or India, making offshoring feasible. It was also in the early 2000s that major firms like Accenture set up BPO centers in the Philippines.

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56% of back-office companies in the Philippines are incorporating AI tools into their work systems. Source: IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines

The Philippines BPO sector is expected to have generated around $38 billion in revenue last year, according to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), a trade group which represents about 400 companies.

While BPO services include tasks like payroll processing, accounting, and even social media management, for the past two decades or so, the BPO sector in the Philippines has been associated with call centers serving English-speaking customers.

For Junique, AI developments are just the latest change in the industry. AI tools enable agents to perform higher-level work such as conflict resolution for unhappy customers, he says. Such work could potentially allow TDCX to charge clients more as it provides a more complex suite of services.

AI is part of a continual evolution in the sophistication of services BPO providers can offer clients. For example, Junique says 10% to 15% of the calls TDCX used to get for one airline were for account password resets, but that process had been automated a long time ago.

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Theres been several waves of automation and simplification of processes and leveraging all the advanced tools possible to navigate toward getting the more complex work and retiring the more simple tasks, Junique says.

As AI-driven tools become more prevalent, BPO companies are likely to develop and offer new services, providing additional revenue streams, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The results of a survey conducted by the IBPAP released in November show incorporating AI tools may already be underway, with 56% of companies actively integrating AI.

But to be sure, technological advancements will still result in job losses.

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The same IBPAP survey estimates about 8% of companies have cut headcount, likely owing to the automation of specific tasks.

An IMF spokesperson said 14% of the total Philippines workforce could also be at risk of being replaced by AI, and investments in education and digital infrastructure are needed to leverage the future of work. To guard against job losses, the Philippines government has developed a National AI Strategy Roadmap, which aims to integrate AI across various sectors and prepare the workforce for shifts in the job market.

Junique concedes there will be job losses. But he also predicts that as AI becomes more commonplace, the BPO sector will expand to provide tech support in new sectors. Self-driving cars, he says, will need agents to handle queries from customers, and maybe even to sell them.

Before, youd buy your cars from a dealer; now [dealers] are going to come sit in our centers because cars are bought online, Junique says.

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This article appears in the February/March 2025 Asia issue of Fortune with the headline: "AI may not take our jobs after all."

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Chaotic scenes, the BBC called them. Well, that was putting it mildly. One could only imagine the headlines if an African woman had been forced to run the gauntlet through a mob of smartphone-wielding white men who bayed for her blood as she was released from nearly 500 days of captivity. Or paraded onstage like a prize animal against a backdrop of supremacist slogans. Racism, the media might be tempted to call it.

In recent weeks, that is precisely what we have seen. Jewish women, who had been snatched in their pyjamas amid the corpses of their friends, were dressed up in faux uniforms and Palestine bracelets then presented with goodie bags containing photographs of their captivity. The grotesque public signing ceremonies. The ostentatious rubber stamps. The Red Cross officials shamefully playing along against a backdrop of jihadi propaganda.

Al Jazeera  which is regulated by Ofcom  describing the spectacle as a moment of pride, a moment of grace. It was hard to say which was worse, the cruelty or the creativity.

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The world is silent, so let us tell the truth: this was a racist mortification. How else to describe the gentle Jewish civilians swamped by a medieval mob? Honest old kibbutznik Gadi Mozes, 80, who solved mathematical problems to remain sane during his long captivity, was still defiant as he was submerged by jostling waves of crowing Palestinians. (At one point he was held in a Red Cross facility, which rather calls their impartiality into question.)

His neighbour, Yarden Bibas, a 35-year-old welder, was led lonely onstage without his wife, Shiri, and his redheaded sons Ariel, 4, and baby Kfir, whose fates remain unknown.

Then there was 29-year-old Arbel Yehud, a professional dancer with an adopted kitten called Dude, who had been abducted from her home in sleepy Kibbutz Nir Oz where her family had lived for three generations. She was shoved through the frenzied male crowd by Islamic Jihad terrorists on Thursday, her face a picture of fear. The threat of rape, murder and mutilation lay just a few paces away. You could smell it. Her surname, Yehud, mirrors the Arabic for Jew.

Where were our anti-racists? Where the MeToo feminists? Where the international law experts? According to Article Three of the Geneva Convention, prisoners of war are entitled in all circumstances to respect for their persons and their honour. These were not even prisoners of war. Surely the United Nations should have raised some objection? Surely the Red Cross could have put its foot down? In this age of micro-aggressions, the wholesale debasement of Jews is, as Howard Jacobson put it, not small enough to be a worry.

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Which brings us to an uncomfortable truth. The Wests progressive dogma has deprived it of a theory of mind for savagery. We are steeped in the inverse racism that all brown people are beyond criticism; how then to explain the societal depravity of Gaza? (Or the child rape gangs, for that matter?) My friend in Khan Younis, with whom I have kept in touch throughout the war, is one of those who loathe Hamas, but huge numbers remain brainwashed. This is a version of the problem of evil. If the sole flaws of humanity are white privilege, Islamophobia, transphobia, homophobia, lack of diversity and climate change, we lack the moral language to label the scenes we see with our own eyes.

Far easier  trendier  to blame the occupation. Never mind that Israel withdrew from Gaza 18 years ago. Of the fact that Arabs were butchering Jews long before the advent of Israel  the Hebron massacre of 1929, the Farhud pogroms in Baghdad in 1941, the genocidal assault of 1948  we can say nothing. In truth, Palestinian leaders, who have rejected full statehood on several occasions, have never wanted their own country alongside Israel, only a country instead of Israel. Our culture has chosen feelgood fairytales above the difficult reality.

Such is the onanism of many areas of British policy. What answer do we have for aggression from Iran, the Houthis and Hezbollah? Only de-escalation. What answer for Palestinian barbarity? Nothing but the two-state solution. (The child rape gangs? They wont even give us a proper inquiry.) Words like deradicalisation and integration are entirely absent from the lexicon of officialdom and when it comes to the struggle against Islamist savagery, people fall over themselves to insist that victory is impossible.

Clearly, this Weltanschauung does not survive contact with reality. But it makes the intelligentsia feel good about themselves, and they dont have to live with the consequences. This week, it emerged that British hostage Emily Damari had been held captive in a building run by the UN agency UNRWA. This was the very same group to which the Foreign Office reinstated funding in July (after it had been ended by the Tories), announcing a 17 million boost this past Tuesday. Thus policy-by-fairytale led the British taxpayer to fund the captivity of a British citizen.

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Railing against the commercialisation of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel wrote: A little history, a heavy dose of sentimentality and suspense, a dash of theological ruminations about the silence of God, and there it is: let kitsch rule in the land of kitsch. In 2025, we allow ourselves to understand Islamist evil no better than we understand the Shoah. By becoming besotted with its own virtue, the West has made itself morally repulsive.

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The best stock car drivers in the world are heading to Texas in the early part of the 2025 NASCAR season.

The NASCAR Cup Series is set to run the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at 2:30 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 2 at Circuit of the Americas.

Tickets are on sale for the event, but seeing the event and staying at the track create different experiences.

Here are the camping options fans have to stay and see the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR race weekend.

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Shop camping for NASCAR at COTA

Camping for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR race weekend at COTA

Premium RV  Cost: $4,010. Amenities: Power, water, sewer, showers, restrooms, security, concierge, shuttle/tram. Located in a gated area next to the turn 12 grandstand, Premium RV camping includes all necessary amenities to make you feel at home. Each campsite comes with eight access wristbands, one tow vehicle pass, eight weekend ticket packages in the upper level of the turn 12 grandstand and the opportunity to purchase up to eight discounted weekend ticket packages.

Camping Lot N (with power)  Cost: $450. Amenities: Restrooms, shuttle/tram, water ($55), pump-out ($65) and showers ($10 per use or $30 for unlimited use). Lot N is located near gate three straight back from turns three, four and five. Each campsite comes with one tow vehicle pass.

Camping Lot H  Cost: $660. Amenities: Restrooms, shuttle/tram, water ($55), pump-out ($65) and showers ($10 per use or $30 for unlimited use). Lot H is located on the inside of COTA Boulevard between Lots E and J along the back straight between turns 11 and 12. Each campsite comes with one tow vehicle pass.

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Camping Lot E  Cost: $660. Amenities: Restrooms, shuttle/tram, water ($55), pump-out ($65) and showers ($10 per use or $30 for unlimited use). Lot E is located on the outside COTA Boulevard outside of tunnel two, which runs underneath the back straight near turn 12. Each campsite comes with one tow vehicle pass.

Camping Lot N  Cost: $450. Amenities: Restrooms, shuttle/tram, water ($55), pump-out ($65) and showers ($10 per use or $30 for unlimited use). Lot N is located near gate three straight back from turns three, four and five. Each campsite comes with one tow vehicle pass.

Tent Camping  Cost: $135. Amenities: Restrooms, showers, shuttle/tram. Tent camping is located at the top of the hill in Lot N, which is located near gate three straight back from turns three, four and five. Each campsite comes with one tow vehicle pass.

Shop NASCAR at COTA tickets

Complimentary Mobile Service for Atlanta NASCAR race weekend

As the Official RV Partner of Speedway Motorsports, the THOR Family of Companies will celebrate Speedway Motorsports NASCAR weekend. THOR will offer Complimentary Mobile Service to RV campers in Speedway Motorsports owned campgrounds.

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Service pre-registration is limited to owners of RVs manufactured by the THOR Family of Companies.

This service is powered by Campers INN RV, once registered you will be contacted by a representative of Campers Inn to discuss repair and appointment times.

Fans can register for service on the track's website.

Reserve camping space at COTA

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesnt influence our coverage.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Camping for EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR at COTA
CANTON, Pa. (WETM)  A Canton man has been sentenced to serve time in prison after he was found guilty of numerous sex charges in Bradford and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania.

Dwight D. Cole, 51, was sentenced to no less than two years and a maximum of 20 years in state prison, as well as three years of re-entry probation, for the crime of statutory sexual assault, a felony of the first degree, as reported by the Bradford County District Attorneys Office.

Cole was charged with the crime by Pennsylvania State Police in Mansfield after he had inappropriate contact with a 13-year-old.

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Millerton man arrested on multiple sex charges involving two minors

The DA further states that Cole was charged with numerous sex-related crimes in Tioga County, which he was found guilty of after a jury trial in June of 2024. As a result, Cole was sentenced to a minimum of 62 years to a maximum of 133 years for these crimes.

The DA stated that if Cole is ever released from state prison, he will be registered under Pennsylvanias version of Megans Law for the remainder of his life.

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CARTHAGE, Mo.  A number of Carthage voters had the chance for a little Q and A with local lawmakers Friday.

Its all part of a legislative review hosted by the Carthage Chamber of Commerce.

State Senator Jill Carter and State Representative Cathy Jo Loy talked about a number of thingseducation, utilities, and issues dealing with children and families.

This was also an interactive session where a number of Carthage business leaders were able to give some insight on how Carthage could be served better.

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Both Carter and Loy hope the event gave voters a better grasp of whats happening in Jefferson City and their respective roles.

Too much we have elected officials, right? Government goes up and they do whatever they do, and theres not those community touch points to be able to come back and say, heres how it works. This is why were doing what were doing, said Carter.

I hope the number one thing is that they know that Im listening to them. I want to hear from them. The only way I can serve them well is to know what they need from me, and as we learn how we can partner together, I hope they leave knowing that I am always going to listen. We might not always be able to agree, but Im going to represent them, said Loy.

Missouri lawmakers have been in session for a few weeks. It runs through May 16.

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Sen. Bill Cassidy (R), a physician-turned-politician from deep-red Louisiana, has emerged as a central figure in the confirmation fight over Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Over the course of six hours in two hearings, Cassidy indicated he holds serious doubts about whether Kennedy is qualified to lead the agency, casting a cloud of uncertainty over Kennedys path to confirmation.

I have been struggling with your nomination, Cassidy told Kennedy at the end of Thursdays Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing.

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He said the pivotal question is if Kennedy will use his massive following and national prominence to support public health or undermine it.

And I got to figure that out for my vote, Cassidy said.

Cassidy gave Kennedy numerous opportunities Thursday to renounce his prior false claims that vaccines cause autism, at times practically pleading with Kennedy to disavow the link.

Man, if you come out unequivocally, Vaccines are safe, it does not cause autism, that would have an incredible impact, Cassidy said.

But Kennedy, who has renounced his previous views on abortion to align with President Trump, refused to do so.

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If you show me data, Kennedy said, I will be the first person to assure the American people that they need to take those vaccines.

While the HELP Committee that Cassidy chairs wont vote on Kennedy, he also sits on the Finance Committee, where he could be a pivotal vote. Republicans hold a one-seat advantage, so if all Democrats vote against Kennedy, Cassidy will have the power to deny him a favorable recommendation.

If Kennedy clears the Finance Committee, he can afford to lose three Republican votes on the Senate floor. The three GOP senators who voted against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth  Sens. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine)  are all seen as potential wildcards on Kennedy as well.

How Cassidy handles the Kennedy situation will have serious political consequences for the second-term senator, who is being squeezed by his loyalty to Trump and his commitment to sound medicine, having spent three decades as a practicing gastroenterologist.

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Robert Hogan, department chair and political science professor at Louisiana State University, said Cassidy has spent years trying to cultivate an image of himself as a reasonable conservative.

The physician part of his biography is highlighted prominently in everything that he does. He wants to be viewed as an expert in that area, Hogan said. This vote, he recognizes is something that may damage his brand that he has spent so long trying to hone over the years.

There is enormous pressure on Cassidy from Kennedy allies as well as Republicans at home.

Earlier this week, the Louisiana Freedom Caucus sent Cassidy a letter urging him to confirm Kennedy.

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Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) in a separate letter also called on Cassidy to confirm Kennedy.

Echoing the Freedom Caucus, Landry indicated Kennedy would help to bring back the trust to physicians and public health that was lost due to Biden administration policies during the COVID-19 pandemic

Kennedy proved to be an asset to the state as we navigated the edicts of the federal government, Landry wrote in the letter, which was posted to social media.

But Cassidy is already at odds with Republicans over his vote to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment, for which he was formally censured by the state GOP.

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The linchpin, you know, on RFK is going to be Cassidy and hes got a very very difficult choice, a source close to the Trump team said. He is very likely to have a very difficult primary and he already carries the weight on how he voted to impeach Trump.

That sentiment is apparent to other conservatives.

After Kennedys hearing on Thursday, Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) taunted Cassidy on social media.

RFK is going to run HHS whether you like it or not. The Senate is ours, and the moment Trump decides hes had enough of random Senators delaying our mission, [Vice President JD Vance] is walking in and taking the gavel as President of the Senate. Theres zero you can do about that, Higgins wrote. So, vote your conscience Senator, or dont. Either way, Were watching.

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Cassidy is up for reelection in 2026 and while he hasnt formally announced, he has said he plans to run.

Cassidy won his 2020 election in a landslide, but after his vote against Trump, state Republicans changed the rules to create a closed primary, where only Republicans and people who arent registered in any other party can vote.

State Treasurer John Fleming (R), a former House member, has already launched his primary campaign against Cassidy.

Hogan said Cassidys reelection bid is already an uphill battle.

Even if he votes [for] Kennedy, I think hes going to be viewed as a little bit too late, Hogan said.

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A Senate GOP aide said the Kennedy confirmation will be a pivotal moment in whether Cassidy runs for reelection or retires.

If hes a no on RFK, they think hes going to retire. And if that becomes the case, then he very much becomes an undecided vote on much of the Trump agenda moving forward, the aide said.

Cassidy himself seemed to acknowledge the tension when he questioned whether Kennedy could harm Trumps legacy.

Im a Republican  I want President Trumps policies to succeed, he said.

But if someone doesnt get vaccinated because of Kennedys policies or attitudes and later dies of a vaccine-preventable disease, Cassidy said the blame would fall on Kennedy, and by extension, Trump.

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The greatest tragedy will be her death. But I can also tell you an associated tragedy  that will cast a shadow over President Trumps legacy, which I want to be the absolute best legacy, Cassidy said.

Alex Gangitano contributed.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A man from Castle Rock was found guilty of sexual assault on a child, the District Attorneys Office of the 23rd Judicial District announced in a press release on Friday.

On Jan. 29, a jury found Eugene Glimpse, 55, guilty of several charges including:

Sexual assault on a child (three counts)

Enticement

Sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust

Mr. Glimpse is the monster you pray resides far from your own neighborhood. Predators like him are the reason parents cannot trust that their children are safe even when playing down the street, Chief Deputy District Attorney Danielle Jaramillo said.

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The assaults happened sometime between 2002 and 2012 when Glimpse was a resident of Castle Rock, according to a press release. He has recently been living in Texas.

The relentless dedication of these two outstanding attorneys has removed another dangerous predator from our streets. Their work exemplifies our commitment to ensuring that the 23rd Judicial District remains one of the safest in the nation, said District Attorney George Brauchler of Jaramillo and Deputy District Attorney Abby Hegarty.

The DAs office said that Glimpse faces five years to life in jail. A date for sentencing will be determined next week.

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CBS News has agreed to comply with the Federal Communications Commissions request for the unedited transcript and tape of Kamala Harris 60 Minutes interview that aired on Oct. 7, 2024, following a lawsuit against the network brought by Donald Trump.

Trumps FCC appointee, Brendan Carr, led the commissions inquisition by sending the networks news division a letter on Wednesday evening, requesting the full, unedited transcript and camera feeds.

We are working to comply with that inquiry as we are legally compelled to do, the networks spokesman said on Friday, The New York Times reported .

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Trump sued CBS for $10 billion last year, accusing the network of intentionally crafting the interview in favor of Harris and her candidacy through edits. He alleges that the network targeted him by including longer segments of her response to a question about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

While media law experts dismissed the litigation as a thinly veiled punishment for the news outlet, CBSs parent company Paramount has begun settlement discussions with Trumps representatives.

Some believe that the parent company is in a rush to settle so it can clear the path for the FCC to approve its multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media. It is worth mentioning that the latter is owned by Trump ally and Oracle CEO Larry Ellisons son, David Ellison.

The Letter of Inquiry has drawn criticism from media experts such as Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez, who slammed the request as a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable, adding, It is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a networks editorial decisions.
Feb. 1 (UPI) -- CBS News officials will give the Federal Communications Commission an unedited transcript of former Vice President Kamala Harris' October interview on "60 Minutes" amid a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr on Wednesday wrote CBS News to request a "full, unedited transcript and camera feeds" of Harris' interview.

"We are working to comply with that inquiry as we are legally compelled to do," CBS News officials said in a prepared statement.

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Trump accuses 60 Minutes staff of editing Harris' responses to make them more appealing to voters when the interview aired in early October.

The Center for American Rights in October also filed a formal complaint with the FCC in which CAR officials accuse CBS of "engaging insignificant and intentional news distortion" when airing the same Harris interview on "Face the Nation" on Oct. 5 and "60 Minutes" on Oct. 6.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris listens as President Donald Trump speaks after being sworn in as the 47th President in the Capitol Rotunda on January 20. Pool photo by Saul Loeb/UPI

"This isn't just about one interview or one network," CAR President Daniel Suhr said in October.

"This is about the public's trust in the media on critical issues of national security and international relations during one of the most consequential elections of our time," Suhr said.

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"When broadcasters manipulate interviews and distort reality, it undermines democracy itself," he added. "The FCC must act swiftly to restore public confidence in our news media."

FCC officials dismissed the CAR complaint on Jan. 16, but Carr re-opened the complaint shortly after Trump took office.

CBS News officials said they aired two portions of the same interview and response by Harris when asked about conflict in Gaza and deny any wrongdoing.

The question regarded why Harris thought Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not listening to U.S. officials regarding the war with Hamas in Gaza.

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"Same question. Same answer. But a different portion of the response," CBS News officials said. "When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete or a movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate and on point."

Trump filed his lawsuit on Oct. 31 in the U.S. District Court for Northern Texas in Amarillo and named CBS Broadcasting Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc. as defendants.

He seeks $10 billion in damages while accusing CBS of attempting to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party as the heated 2024 president election ... approaches its conclusion."

Officials at CBS parent corporation Paramount Global are considering settling the lawsuit, which has caused consternation among CBS News employees, CNN Business reported on Friday.

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Earlier this week, Meta has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump and others who claimed their Facebook accounts were unlawfully shut down or blocked at the request of the U.S. government.

Meta will pay $22 million to a fund to support the construction of Trump's presidential library and another $3 million is four people who joined Trump in the lawsuit filed in 2021.

Facebook banned Trump shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. His accounts were restored in 2023.
Public health information related to LGBTQ care and to HIV was scrubbed from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions website Friday as the agency seeks to comply with President Donald Trumps sweeping executive orders.

The CDCs main HIV page was still accessible as of Saturday afternoon, although a disclaimer at the top states that the agencys website is being modified to comply with President Trumps Executive Orders. Pages that previously contained HIV data  including resources for health care providers, information on racial disparities and data on transgender people, gay and bisexual men  have been removed and remain unavailable as of this writing.

The agency also took down its pages on LGBTQ care, including those containing data about suicide rates among LGBTQ youth. A page with information on food safety for pregnant people was also removed.

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CDC employees were informed in a memo this week that they are barred from promoting gender ideology and to begin removing all public-facing media that might inculcate or promote such concepts by Friday afternoon. The term gender ideology is one that the advocacy organization GLAAD calls a malicious rhetorical construct that falsely asserts that LGBTQ  notably trans  people are an ideological movement rather than an intrinsic identity.

One government staffer told NBC News that CDC officials struggled with implementing the policy and began pulling down numerous HIV-related webpages  regardless of whether it included gender  rushing to meet the deadline.

Its unclear whether the CDC might restore the webpages at a later date, and if so, how the information might be presented differently.

In his first week in office, Trump signed executive orders, essentially, to prohibit the government from recognizing transgender people and to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies in federal agencies. The Defense Intelligence Agency, which is part of the Pentagon, announced on Friday that all activities and events related to special observances, such as Black History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month and Holocaust Remembrance Day, will be halted to comply with Trumps anti-diversity order.

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When asked by a reporter on Friday about government websites being scrubbed of information even tangentially related to race or gender, Trump pleaded ignorance but said it doesnt sound like a bad idea to me.

DEI wouldve ruined our country and now its dead ... So if they want to scrub the websites, thats OK with me. Trump said, adding that the real leaders in the military are very happy about it.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Hundreds of students, faculty and staff at Cedarville University are mourning the loss of one of their own  Grace Maxwell.

Maxwell was aboard the plane that collided with a military helicopter and crashed in Washington D.C. on Wednesday night.

On Friday, the Cedarville community gathered to grieve and remember their fellow student.

What we know about the DC plane crash victims

Grace was in her third year of college, majoring in mechanical engineering. Graces friends say she was talkative, smart and passionate  a true light on Cedarvilles campus.

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She would just love on you because she was the most caring person. One of the most caring people Ive ever met, said Aspen Schiebout, Graces friend.

In a packed auditorium Friday morning, the Cedarville University community came together to sing, pray and mourn Grace Maxwell.

I think you see the heart of a place when you see them go through trial and grief, said Janice Supplee, Cedarville vice president of marketing and communications. And thats where we are right now.

Grace was one of the 67 people who died Wednesday night. She was on her way back to campus after traveling home to Wichita, Kansas for her grandfathers funeral.

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During the assembly, Cedarvilles president, Dr. Thomas White, addressed the student body.

Even in the midst of our grief, we stop and we say: her name was Grace, and it was Grace for a reason, said White.

Graces friends Aspen Schiebout and Riley Blair say she had a great sense of humor and always went out of her way to talk to them. They say she was the heart of their Sunday game night.

She could just play games with us for hours if we let her. She loved it so much and thats one of my favorite memories of her, said Riley Blair, Graces friend.

Graces memory leaves a lasting impact on her friends, and the entire Cedarville campus.

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She was a really close and dear friend of ours, and a really bright light in our lives, said Schiebout. Already the unit feels so empty without her.

Cedarville offered counseling sessions all day in the chapel for any student or faculty member who wanted to talk or pray about what happened.

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CEDARVILLE, Ohio (WCMH)  The Cedarville University community is mourning the loss of a student who was one of the 67 people who died when a plane and military helicopter collided near Reagan International Airport on Wednesday night.

Grace Maxwell was a junior at Cedarville University. The 20-year-old majored in mechanical engineering with a minor in biomedical engineering.

She would just love on you because she was the most caring person. One of the most caring people Ive ever met, said Aspen Schiebout, Maxwells hallmate and close friend.

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Schiebout and Riley Blair, another hallmate and close friend of Maxwell, spoke with reporters Friday morning. They described Maxell as vibrant, passionate about everything she cared about, and quiet at first but not after getting close to her. They said she always made them smile, whether it was while walking on campus or just hanging out.

She was a really close and dear friend of ours and a really bright light in our lives. Already the unit feels so empty without her, Schiebout said.

Acton on governor run, why she quit as health director

Maxwell was on her way back to Ohio after going to her grandfathers funeral in Kansas, according to Dr. Thomas White, president of Cedarville University. During a Friday morning college chapel program, he asked the community to pray for the Maxwell family which is dealing with two huge losses in a short period of time.

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Can you imagine losing a parent and seven days later losing a child, and so I want us to pray for the Maxwell family, I want us to lift them up during this time, he said.

After Maxwells friends found out what happened, they got together to share stories and support one another.

One of the biggest things I remember and that I loved about her is how enthusiastic she was to hang out with her friends, Blair said.

At Friday mornings college chapel, they were joined by much of the university community.

So we grieve, we pray for a family that is hurting and we have no words that can comfort them, and yet even in the midst of our grief, we stop and we say her name was Grace, and it was Grace for a reason, White said.

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Blair and Schiebout said Maxwell had a great sense of humor. The group had game night every Sunday. Maxwell always brought a big bag of games and was the first to show up.

All the memories are the best things. Especially the memories of us sitting in the unit and playing games. I think if our unit ever sits and plays games or if I ever just sit and play games with anybody, shes always going to come to the forefront of my mind, Blair said.

The friends said Maxwell wanted to use her education to help people. She was part of a team that is making a special hand-stabilizing device for a boy in Dayton.

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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA)  We are celebrating Chief Meteorologist Christy Hendersons 21 years of service to 7NEWS and our viewers.

7NEWS anchor Gordon Dill took a look back at Christys career and impact on the community.

Watch in the video player above.

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URBANDALE, Iowa  The tragic crash of a military helicopter and an American Airlines jet has impacted many across the country, including figure skating groups in Iowa.

Twelve passengers on the airliner were returning from a skating event in Wichita.

We offer our deepest condolences we, we our heartbreak, we cried with the figure skating world community, it is a small small community, said Yukiko Collins, of the Central Iowa Skating Club. We are all small family. Everybody knows everybody I know someone in our club who knew someone on the airplane personally.

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For members of this skating club its hours of early morning practice, falling on the ice, getting up again, and traveling to compete all over.

Iowa Representative Martin Graber dies at age 72

Those in the Central Iowa Skating Club have an emotional connection to those who lost their lives.

The beautiful souls who lost their life so soon, that the nature of sport you fall and get back up again, said Collins. I just had this difficult conversation with my daughter yesterday. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Do your best give your 110% today.

Collins said all in the figure skating community were aware of the skating event in Wichita. She said there will be another such event in March. The skating community will turn out for that as a way to honor those who lost their lives.

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Those in the Central Iowa Skating Club love this sport.

They literally defy the laws of gravity when they spin and jump in the air, said Collins. They fall hard but what they do, they get back up again and again to get to perfection. Its very tough sport.

For more on the Central Iowa Figure Skating Club click here.

Iowa News:

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  A Champaign man will spend the next 20 years in prison for a 2021 murder he committed when he was 17 years old.

Tony Brock, 20, was charged three years ago with adult counts of first-degree murder, accusing him of killing Brandon Kelly the morning of Halloween 2021. Trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday, and a jury had been selected, but Brock reached a plea deal with prosecutors that day and avoided trial.

He pleaded guilty to one of the murder charges against him with the rest being dismissed. Judge Randy Rosenbaum then sentenced him to two decades in prison.

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In pleading guilty, Brock admitted to shooting and killing Kelly on Oct. 31, 2021. Police determined that there was a Halloween party in the parking lot of the Parkland Pointe apartments; during that party, Kelly was left with a group of people, and they encountered another group. For reasons still unknown, someone in the other group opened fire and Kelly was hit five times; he later died at the hospital. Police found 20 shell casings at the scene.

He tried his best to do CPR, and I ran to call 911 Deadly Halloween weekend in central Illinois

Julia Rietz, the Champaign County States Attorney, said surveillance footage showed the shooter was wearing a puffy coat with a fur collar. Investigators later obtained video posted on social media by another person in the parking lot and Rietz said Brock was seen in the video wearing the puffy coat worn by the shooter.

Three months after the shooting, a judge signed off on an arrest warrant and Brock was arrested at his home in Savoy. Rietz said the puffy coat was found inside the home, along with three guns. Brocks fingerprints were found on one of those guns.

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As part of his sentencing, Brock was given credit for 1,100 days he already served in custody.

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As one community watering hole announced it is closing next week in Carrboro, the owner of a Chapel Hill bar is still looking for the right person to take over his business.

Local chef and business owner Sam Suchoff said this week that he hopes selling his PiggyBack bar at 630 Weaver Dairy Road will give him more time to nurture his restaurant and Lady Edison, a deli meat producer that grew much bigger than I ever expected.

The decision to sell is still emotionally taxing, because it was a hit to his self-confidence, Suchoff told The News & Observer.

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But it is a great place, he added. And I say that without taking any of the credit, because it has shaped itself really ... The regulars have made it their place, and the bartenders have made the regulars, the regulars.

Suchoff has been a mainstay at Weaver Dairy Courtyard since opening The Pig nearly 15 years ago. In 2018, he brought in Gary Crunkleton, owner of The Crunkleton bar in Chapel Hill, to help him open a bar next door.

In 2019, he added Deli Edison to the mix, selling handmade bagels and gourmet foods. The deli closed in 2023.

Sam Suchoff, left. talks with Rufus Brown at Smithfield Country Ham. Suchoff makes his Lady Edison country ham using pork from local farmers that is raised on pasture and without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

PiggyBack still attracts a regular clientele, but the bar is just breaking even, despite a talented manager and staff, Suchoff said. Its been listed with a broker online for about six months as a fully stocked, turnkey operation for someone who can invest $74,500.

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The right person will be able to nurture the bar and be a good neighbor, Suchoff said, noting he also might be interested in partnering with someone to keep selling food from The Pig to bar customers.

There have been suitors, he said, and he would be surprised if a new owner isnt found in the next few months. The bar comes with a lease option for another five years, a great staff and a good location, he said.

That community right there is just solid, and Ive got the best mix of clientele, from Chapel Hill foodies to folks who are doing road work down the street, Suchoff said. I feel very lucky to have such a great mix of clientele thats supported us and the staff thats been with me for a very long time.

Chris Baldwin opened 401 Main, an upscale dive bar and restaurant, with his son Evan DeMarr, in 2019. A GoFundMe set up to help the business in December 2024 could keep the doors open next year, Baldwin said.

401 Main closing in Carrboro

Meanwhile, in Carrboro, an upscale, family-owned dive bar will close on Feb. 4 after nearly six years at the corner of East Main and West Franklin streets.

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Chris Baldwin, owner of 401 Main, announced the decision to close Tuesday on the bars Facebook page. It has been a popular, local hangout for live music, special dog treats and ample people watching, Baldwin told The News & Observer in December, but the lack of on-site parking and fewer people going out hurt their bottom line.

In December, his wife started a fundraiser to keep the business going, but it raised only a portion of their $15,000 goal.

The staff at 401 Main is proud of what we have accomplished together, even though the journey was not what we expected, the Facebook post said. As we look back over the last 5 years, we are grateful for every challenge and triumph that has shaped us at 401 Main. The connections we have forged and the memories we have created are the true essence of this little spot in the heart of Carrboro.

So many of you have become family, it said.

Other business news

 Lynns Hallmark Shop at Eastgate Crossing shopping center closed Jan. 17 after decades in business. It was one of more than a dozen that Ralph and Daphne Ashworth owned in the Triangle region, since opening the first Hallmark store in 1969 in Carys Ashworth Drug store. Daphne Ashworth died in 2018; her husband closed the Cary drug store last year.

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 J.Crew Factory is bringing a new clothing retailer to Eastgate Crossing shopping center at 1800 East Franklin St. The lower-cost factory store will combine two spaces: Lynns Hallmark Shop and the Pink Pearl, which closed in 2024. An opening date has not yet been announced for the J.Crew Factory store, located between Dollar Tree and Petco.

 Also at Eastgate, Options Medical Weight Loss Clinic is joining a group of personal services businesses next door to the Aldi grocery store. Options Medical will fill a vacancy left when Wild Bird Center closed in 2023.
A major whistleblowing charity refused to engage with the doctors who blamed Lucy Letby for a spike in baby deaths because of red flags over their conduct, it has emerged.

Compassion in Care, which was founded to support informers who speak out, said Letbys accusers did not exhibit any of the usual behaviour displayed by those blowing the whistle on malpractice or criminal activity.

Doctors at the Countess of Chester Hospital said they began to suspect Letby in 2015, after a string of baby deaths and near-misses and pleaded with management to take her off the neonatal ward, but police were not finally called in until 2017.

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Eileen Chubb, who founded Compassion in Care in 2003 and was one of the Bupa7, the first group to use whistleblowing law in the UK, said: There were a number of red flags.

Wed never come across a whistleblower who, if backed into a corner by an employer or the NHS, hadnt dialled 999 when peoples lives had been at risk.

Thats what we found staggering. It stood out like a sore thumb, especially in a case where there were such serious concerns. Ive never seen a whistleblower who thought babies were being harmed who left it for more than a week. But in this case, they left it for a number of years.

And you find that when there is a group of whistleblowers, the wrongdoing gets reported even quicker.

Eileen Chubb, of Compassion in Care, says there were a number of red flags regarding he accusers of Lucy Letby - Alamy /Peter Marshall

Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the hospital between 2015 and 2016 but has continued to protest her innocence.

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Since the verdicts, dozens of medics, scientists and statisticians have come forward to question the evidence, and Letbys lawyers plan to take her case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

At a press conference called by Letbys barrister Mark McDonald in December, Dr Richard Taylor, an eminent neonatologist, claimed that a mistake by one of the doctors had led to the death of one of the babies.

A mistake by another doctor  who was granted anonymity during the trial  was known to have led to the death of another baby in 2014.

Those questioning the verdict claim that the neonatal unit was understaffed and overcrowded, after years of cost-cutting, with consultants carrying out rounds just twice a week.

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Mrs Chubb, who blew the whistle on colleagues who were abusing frail residents of a Bupa-run home in Bromley, Kent, in 1997, said her charity had since dealt with 14,000 whistleblowers, and said certain patterns were always present.

Straight away on day one as soon as the verdict came through we all said, these are not whistleblowers, she said. The whole thing looked really suspicious to us, they didnt meet any of the criteria. A lot of the detail which wasnt there.

Because we deal with health and social care, you see patterns that are always there.

Most whistleblowers would say to you I can remember the moment when this first happened and its ingrained into your memory like a hot iron, the detail and what you saw but that was not there in this case. All of it is completely wrong.

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Its also very unusual for whistleblowers to keep their jobs. Most are sacked and if they are not, they are forced out constructively.

She added: Its made us reassess everything, if there wasnt whistleblowing then the whole thing falls for us.

Those questioning Letbys conviction claim the neonatal unit was understaffed and overcrowded

At the Thirlwall Inquiry, which is looking into how deaths could have been prevented, Ravi Jayaram, a consultant, was criticised for not telling a coroner about his suspicions of Letby despite having had the opportunity.

At Letbys trial, Dr Jayaram was said to have caught Letby virtually red-handed dislodging a breathing tube from a baby at the Countess of Chester in February 2016.

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Yet he did not mention the incident until 2017, and during a grievance procedure in 2016 said there was no objective evidence to suggest Letby had been harming babies.

Peter Skelton KC, representing the parents of children at the Thirlwall Inquiry, also questioned why Dr Jayaram had not raised his suspicions of Letby at an inquest into Baby A in October 2016.

Dr Jayaram told the Thirlwall Inquiry that he should have had more courage to speak up.

The police and prosecution have said Letby was convicted on a multitude of evidence, and they are currently investigating more deaths and collapses at the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Womens Hospital, where the nurse worked as a trainee.

Police notes revealed

On Saturday, David Rose at UnHerd published details of notes, written by Det Sgt Janet Moore of Cheshire Police, which showed that the prosecutions main expert witness believed several babies had been harmed when Letby was not on duty.

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Ten of the 28 incidents Dr Dewi Evans described as suspicious in his initial analysis took place when Letby was not in the hospital, the notes suggested.

In the case of Baby B, who collapsed and almost died on June 10 2015, Dr Evans initially told police to focus their inquiries on a period that started at 9.30pm the previous evening. However, Letby had finished her shift at 8pm.

The notes also showed that Dr Evans originally concluded that Baby K had died from natural causes. Baby K was the infant over whom Dr Jayaram claimed to have seen Letby standing.

On Tuesday, a panel of experts will brief the press on further alleged inconsistencies, including the likelihood of air embolism being a cause of death for several of the infants.

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The Telegraph has contacted the doctors at the Countess of Chester hospital for comment.

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CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV)  A Chatham County man accused of murdering his parents and child in November 2024 appeared in front of a judge Thursday for his pretrial hearing.

Detective Robbins with the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD), who responded to the scene the day 68-year-old Connie, 71-year-old Daniel and 14-year-old Junior Babcock were killed, took the stand to speak about what she witnessed.

Her testimony was enough for Judge Crystal Harmon to rule there was sufficient evidence to charge Junior Thomas Babcock, Connie and Daniels son and the youngest Babcocks father, with three counts of felony murder.

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Babcock appeared in court via video call.

The hearing began with Robbins account of what officers observed when they first responded to a 911 call from the Babcocks home on Quacco Trail.

When they first arrived, they walked toward the home and entered the gate, she said. They observed bullet holes in the window facing the driveway on the side of the house.

According to Robbins, Babcock was the one who called 911.

She said officers did not find him in their initial sweep of the property, but that he was discovered hours later when he came running out of the shed holding a shotgun.

Though, the Chatham County detective said Babcock consented to an interview with police.

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During the interview, he confessed to killing the three victims,  she said. He advised that he was the Sheeba and that Daniel was the devil, Miss Connie was the devils wife, and that Junior Junior was the beast, and he needed to get rid of him for the good of the world.

Robbins said that Babcocks family wasnt entirely shocked about his outlandish claims.

From the interviews, they kind of went toward if anything had happened in the house, it wouldve had to have been the defendant. He had been making comments about the rapture.

Judge Harmon said the case will now be handed over to the superior court.

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Hes currently being held in detention. There is no set date for Babcocks trial yet.

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Cheap airfares will be harder to come by in 2025 as airlines slow the rate at which they're adding seats.

New data from Hopper, the travel website that tracks airfares, showed the average round-trip airfare in February 2025 will cost $317. That's up $41 from February 2024, when airfares averaged $276.

And fares are up 4% from January 2025, when airfares averaged $304 round trip  up from an earlier forecast of $251, according to data from Hopper's economists.

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"Prices are expected to remain above 2023 and 2024 levels until midyear at least," Hopper's lead economist Hayley Berg said in a recent travel outlook.

Fourteen destinations offer round-trip airfares from Phoenix below $150 in February.

Are flights cheap in February?

February will be one of the most expensive months to fly within the U.S. in the first half of 2025, with round-trip plane tickets averaging $317.

The higher prices are because of slower capacity growth on routes, according to Berg.

She said airlines planned to add about 1 million seats in January, up 1.2% from the same month in 2024, but said capacity growth "has slowed compared to previous years as airlines continue to cut back on capacity growth into the new year."

Where is the cheapest place to fly right now?

Las Vegas, a favorite weekend travel spot for Arizonans, continues to be the cheapest place to fly from Phoenix. While Hopper is generally forecasting higher airfares for February, Phoenix-Las Vegas fares continue to hold steady; Hopper expects base fares as low as $55, down $3 from its January forecast.

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The Arizona Republic found base fares for Phoenix-Las Vegas flights on Frontier Airlines for $42 round trip, $13 lower than Hopper's forecast, for several dates in February, including a Feb. 3-8 itinerary.

Be aware that ultra-low-cost carriers like Frontier charge low base fares with additional fees for seat assignments, carry-on and checked bags and other amenities.

Cheap flights from Phoenix in February 2025

Hopper said these are the cheapest round-trip flights from Phoenix in February 2025:

Las Vegas: $55.

Dallas: $61.

Burbank, California: $82.

San Diego: $95.

Oakland, California: $103.

San Jose, California: $105.

Los Angeles: $125.

Reno, Nevada: $131.

Atlanta: $136.

Denver: $141.

Seattle: $143.

Cincinnati: $144.

El Paso, Texas: $145.

Orange County, California: $149.

Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist whos covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republics consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cheap flights in February 2025: 14 places to fly from Phoenix
Gwinnett County Police are asking for the publics help to find a man who robbed a check-cashing business.

Police say on January 14 at 9:15 a.m., officers responded to an armed robbery at a check-cashing business located at 3675 Satellite Blvd in unincorporated Duluth.

The address corresponds to Ace Cash Express.

Officers responded after learning an armed suspect attempted to rob the business and fired at least one gunshot through the establishments front door before fleeing the business on foot.

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When officers arrived, one victim told police she entered the business through the front door, which is set to close automatically once someone enters. She said moments later, a suspect described as a black male wearing a white jacket and a face mask began banging on the lobby door.

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The suspect pointed a gun at the victim and demanded she open the door. The victim pressed the panic button, alerting law enforcement. The suspect pointed a gun at the victim and fired, shattering the glass door.

Once inside, the suspect demanded that the victim open the safe at the location. The victim told the man she couldnt and he left the scene.

On January 16, a suspect matching the same description attempted to rob a check-cashing business in Smyrna.

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Both Gwinnett County Police and Smyrna Police investigators believe the same individual is responsible for both incidents.

Anyone with information is asked to contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. You can remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com.

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EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.  A Chicago man accused of shooting two people and pointing a gun at a third during a burial service at a cemetery in Evergreen Park on Wednesday is now facing felony charges.

23-year-old Roger Nava, a Brighton Park resident, has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, the Cook County Sheriffs Office announced Friday.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

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Officers said the charges were handed down following a shooting that allegedly occurred just before noon on Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery near West 87th Street and South Hamlin Avenue.

Deputies said a burial service was going on at the cemetery when a fight broke out among guests. Amid the fight, Nava allegedly opened fire on two men, a 24-year-old and a 25-year-old.

Chicago man accused of shooting 2 during fight at burial service at Evergreen Park cemetery

Authorities said Nava also allegedly pointed a gun at a third man during the incident.

The two men who were shot were later taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Nava allegedly fled the scene following the shooting, but deputies caught up with him near the cemetery, where he was taken into custody.

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LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Following Navas arrest, deputies said they recovered two loaded firearms that were allegedly in his possession.

Nava appeared in court for an initial hearing on Friday. It is unclear when he is set to return to court.

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A 40-year-old Chicago man faces drug-related charges  including manslaughter  after a narcotics-related death in Davenport, according to court records.

Martin Carpenter Jr. faces felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, two charges of controlled-substance violation, and failure to have a drug tax stamp; along with serious misdemeanor charges of interference with official acts with injury and possession of a controlled substance  marijuana  first offense, according to court records.

Martin Carpenter Jr. (Scott County Jail)

Shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, the Davenport Police Department Tactical Operations Bureau saw and positively identified Carpenter in front of Aldi, 1702 Brady St., Davenport. Detectives knew Carpenter had active warrants out of Davenport.

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According to affidavits, detectives and a uniformed Iowa State Patrol trooper approached Carpenter on foot to take him into custody, but he ran and disobeyed detectives commands to stop running.

Once Carpenter was apprehended, detectives discovered he had plastic bags of narcotics in his mouth, affidavits show. Detectives retrieved the bags and found:

A clear plastic bag containing six smaller plastic bags tied at the top of powder cocaine (19.10 grams total package weight) in the his mouth

A black functioning digital scale with cocaine residue

A plastic bag of raw marijuana (7.20 grams total package weight

$503 currency

It should be noted Detectives and the State Trooper sustained minor injuries due to the defendant fleeing, affidavits show.

The powder cocaine did not have the appropriate tax stamp affixed to it, according to affidavits.

A heroin-related death

On Jan. 18, Davenport Police responded to the 900 block of Marquette Street in response to a suspected heroin overdose.

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The victim was found suffering from a suspected heroin overdose and was administered Narcan, which had its desired effects. The victim is known to detectives as a heroin user and has overdosed in the past, affidavits show.

The victim had 0.6 grams of suspected heroin, total package weight. The substance also tested positive for fentanyl, affidavits say.

The victim was eventually transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals, where she died of her injuries as a result of this incident, according to affidavits.

Affidavits say that Detectives have collected surveillance video, examined digital evidence, and spoken to witnesses of the events leading up to the victims death, which indicate (Carpenters) direct involvement in delivering the narcotics to the victim.

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Carpenter coordinated with the victim via text messaging and phone calls and arranged for the purchase of $160 worth of heroin, affidavits show. On Jan. 18, Carpenter met with the victim about 3:10 p.m., and she then returned to her residence about 4:05 p.m. At 4:42 p.m., the call was placed stating that the victim had overdosed.

Carpenter was being held Saturday in Scott County Jail on a total $35,000 bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 7 in Scott County Court.

The issue of fentanyl has captured the nations attention with stories about addiction, fatalities, prevention, and new laws seemingly appearing every day. The amount of information can be overwhelming for many. (KTAB)

About fentanyl

Fentanyl is a strong opioid used as a pain medication. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
This article was originally published in Chalkbeat.

Chicago Public Schools launched new school profiles on its website  a milestone in the districts five-year push to change how it portrays the quality of its campuses.

The new school accountability dashboards replace the districts controversial number ratings for schools, which CPS put on hold and then scrapped during the pandemic. Those ratings had drawn the ire of educators and some community members, who said they unfairly stigmatized campuses that serve students with high needs. The old level ratings had also factored into high-stakes decisions about school closures and staff overhauls.

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Some parents whove provided feedback on the shift said families welcome having a one-stop repository of information on school performance again. But they said theyd like to see simpler, more accessible language in information about the metrics the district included to put the numbers into context. And they noted that a busy parent must click repeatedly to get to each metric  only to find out in many cases that these numbers arent available yet.

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Bogdana Chkoumbova, the districts chief education officer, said the new system aimed to strike a balance.

We didnt want this to be just another state report card; we are embracing the complexity of the data, she said. If it looked like a one-pager in red and green, that just brings in the trauma.

The new profiles went up in mid-December, the day after the window to apply to the districts selective and magnet programs closed. Chkoumbova said the timing was not intentional. After all, families could find most of the information available on the dashboards so far on schools Illinois Report Card profiles.

For now, the profiles include only a portion of the data theyll eventually feature  mostly traditional metrics such as test scores, chronic absenteeism, and graduation rates. Later this year, the district is gearing up to add long-anticipated information that gets at students experience and well-being  metrics that in some cases officials are still weighing how to best capture.

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Still, CPS leaders say the launch of the new dashboards is an important start. They can be a handy tool as the members of a new, partly elected school board learn about the district and its schools. District officials plan to show off the profiles at the boards monthly meeting on Thursday.

We are transitioning to a completely new way of how we view student success and the districts role in supporting schools, said Chkoumbova.

The dashboards are available here by scrolling to the bottom and looking up a school.

The new profiles are five years in the making

Chicago first set out to overhaul how it measures and publicly communicates about school quality in 2019. At that time, school board members called on district officials to do away with the School Quality Rating System, or SQRP, policy, which many considered too focused on metrics that are affected by poverty levels and other demographics of the student body. The district formally adopted a new Continuous Improvement and Data Transparency policy in 2023.

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With input from academics, parents, and others, the district tried to design a more holistic approach, bringing in a wider array of metrics, including some that got at the experience students have on campus  and at whether the district is providing schools the resources they need to improve that experience.

After years of largely behind-the-scenes work, the new dashboards went live quietly in December, giving principals and other educators a chance to weigh in.

Claiborne Wade, the father of four CPS students, served on a district committee that provided input on the new accountability system. He said he is a big believer in the districts efforts to take a more holistic look at school performance.

Its more than test scores and attendance rates and graduation rates, he said. Those are important, but so is making sure we have funds for extracurricular activities and parents have a seat at the table.

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Last week, Wade presented the new dashboards to a group of 10 parents actively involved at DePriest Elementary on the West Side, where he works as a family coordinator as part of the Sustainable Community Schools program. Some liked that the new dashboards offer information about each metric and how to interpret it. But many felt these explanations were too heavy on education jargon and terms such as alternate assessments.

Jaqueline Vargas, the mother of two CPS students and two district graduates, said the site asks parents to do too much navigating  especially given that many metrics are not landing on the dashboard until later this year.

You have to click a lot, but when you finally get there, the information isnt there, said Vargas, who also served on the districts Transparency Committee.

She said she would love to see more information on parent leadership groups and parent engagement more generally, photos of principals, and readily accessible listings of the specialized programs and support services a campus offers. One of her CPS graduates was really interested in cooking while in high school, but the family had no idea that even though their neighborhood high school did not offer a culinary program, two nearby campuses did.

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Hal Woods, chief of policy with the parent advocacy group Kids First Chicago, said the dashboards are clearly a work in progress. The layout can be more user-friendly. The metrics available so far are largely what SQRP offered, though the recently released dashboards do include some new information, such as whether a school has quality curriculums.

Parents are eager to see the full set of metrics later this year, Woods said  including those that show how schools are providing social and emotional support to students, a task that recent research has shown greatly affects outcomes such as high school graduation.

The district aims to better measure the student experience

Like districts across the country, CPS is still grappling with how to measure the student experience on campus more fully, said Elaine Allensworth of the University of Chicagos Consortium on School Research. For the past two years, the district has given students a survey called Cultivate, which was developed by Allenworths team at the university. But she says the survey was designed to give teachers information about students experiences in their classrooms  not as an accountability tool for families and others.

Theres a concern that if the survey becomes public, teachers would feel under pressure to make their schools look good and wont feel as comfortable using it for their own development, she said.

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The district also explored how to best present another key piece of the student experience: extracurricular activities. The district could likely do more than simply listing the activities a school offers, Allensworth said. The new dashboards show the portion of students who participate in any activities. But are these activities high-quality? Are outside partners chipping in?

Chkoumbova said the district will continue to work on improving the platform. In late February, it will include new data on the growth toward math and reading proficiency on state tests that students make  a metric that Ellensworth said is much more telling about how well a school is doing than the portion of students who meet state standards on these tests.

Chkoumbova feels CPS is on the right track.

We are trailblazers, she said. There are very few systems that have taken such an innovative and different approach.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
As Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to conduct sweeping operations across the U.S. on behalf of President Donald Trump's deportation orders, Cincinnati police have affirmed their stance on the matter.

In a social media post on Friday afternoon, Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said that as of that day, ICE has not asked the department "to assist with any investigative efforts related to deportation." She added that Cincinnati police hasn't "taken any steps" to offer any assistance either.

"Our approach to serving the community remains unchanged," Theetge said in the post. "The Cincinnati Police Department will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of all residents, responding proactively to the needs of the community as we always have."

Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge speaks to the press regarding an Over-the-Rhine shooting in June of 2024. In a social media post on Friday, Theetge said that as of that day, ICE has not asked the department "to assist with any investigative efforts related to deportation."

More: ICE raids in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky? Here's what we've been able to confirm

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'No one gets turned away.' Cincinnati superintendent writes to students scared about ICE

Police, however, will continue to "act in accordance with established policies and procedures," as well as following "any changes to federal law" should they impact current enforcement operations, the post reads.

Theetge still urges residents to report if they have been a victim of a crime, regardless of their immigration status.

Mayor Pureval: No plans to pick 'political fights'

Mayor Aftab Pureval told The Enquirer in January that the city of Cincinnati will follow Trump administration directives, no matter what they are.

"If the president of the United States, backed by the Senate and the House of Representatives, wants to do something as it relates to immigration, then they're going to do it," Pureval said. "And there's no mayor in the country, particularly a mayor of a blue city in a red state that's going to be able to do anything about it."

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He added that his job is to help the city navigate the changes of the Trump administration.

"The cooperation should be as close as it was with the Biden administration," Pureval said. "Look, I'm a Democrat. I disagree with a lot of what President Trump's administration has said that they will prioritize and how they will govern, but this isn't about me as a person. This is about me as a mayor and how to strike relationships and partnerships with everybody in order to put the city in the best possible position moving forward. And that includes not picking political fights that we know we're going to lose. What's most important to me is to have a strong productive relationship with the Trump administration."

In an interview with Local 12 on Friday, both Pureval and Theetge said the city will collaborate with ICE only when legally required, but that they will cooperate.

Is Cincinnati a sanctuary city, and what does that mean?

Cincinnati City Council in February of 2017 voted to declare the Cincinnati a "sanctuary city," a decision that was billed then as a directive that meant city police wouldn't enforce federal immigration laws against people in the city illegally.

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The sanctuary city designation came under a different mayor, council and administration. But the current administration adheres to the spirit of it.

In practicality, the designation has proven symbolic. People have been deported as required by the courts when they're convicted of criminal charges, but the city has never proactively worked with the federal government to identify people who are in the country illegally.

"The 2017 designation was about declaring our priorities as a city  being an inclusive and welcoming community, and not proactively volunteering our local resources for federal immigration enforcement where we had no formal role," Pureval said.

Cincinnati has no responsibility as it relates to enacting and affecting federal immigration law, Pureval said.

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"Until that changes we will not be involved," Pureval said. "We have not been involved and will continue to not be involved. But it just depends on what the law is. We will have to wait and see what changes are made at the federal level as it relates to cities' involvement."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Chief: Cincinnati police have not been assisting in deportation effort
After more than 32 years of service, Stillwater Chief of Police Shannon Jordan officially retired Friday in a ceremonial walkout at the Stillwater Police Department.

Piper during ceremonial walkout

Lt. Curtis Burns plays the bagpipes during Stillwater Chief of Police Shannon Jordan's ceremonial walkout Friday at the Stillwater Police Department.

Officers faced each other in two lines at the front entrance to SPD, forming a pathway to allow Jordan and his wife, Gina, and family to walk between them, while Lt. Curtis Burns played the bagpipes and led them down the pathway.

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At the end of the pathway, Jordan pulled out a CB radio and called central dispatch.

Chief Shannon Jordan last call to dispatch

After more than 32 years of service, Stillwater Chief of Police Shannon Jordan gives a last call to dispatch during his ceremonial walkout Friday at the Stillwater Police Department.

1-Central, it has been my honor and privilege to (serve) the community and our officers, Jordan said. Thank you for the opportunity, 1 and 10-7.

When a police officer retires, often a last call to dispatch is made. The officer gives the 10-7 code (out of service), and then often the 10-42 code (ending tour of duty).

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Central dispatch responded by relating Jordans years of service, including how he served in the Army National Guard, retiring as Lt. Colonel after 29 years.

During his years at SPD, Jordan was a member of the Special Operations Team, a sniper and an inspector in various roles, including Response to Active Shooter Inspector. He was the Firearms Inspector for six years and played a key role in developing an inspector course, among other accomplishments.

Jordan spent 10 years patrolling the streets and engaging with the community. In 2019, he served as assistant chief, then stepped into the role of police chief in March 2024.

Central dispatch said that Jordans unwavering commitment to be of service has left a lasting legacy.

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As Chief Jordan retires, we honor his remarkable career and thank him for his tireless service to the Stillwater Police Department, the City of Stillwater and the nation, central dispatch said.

City Manager Brady Moore then presented a plaque to Jordan, honoring his years of service.

Presentation of plaque

City Manager Brady Moore presents a plaque to Stillwater Chief of Police Shannon Jordan who, after 32 years of service, officially retired Friday in a ceremonial walkout at the Stillwater Police Department.

We greatly appreciate the more than 32 years Chief Jordan dedicated to protecting our community, Moore told the News Press. He left an imprint of service above self and we wish him and his family all the best in this next chapter.

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Stillwater Mayor Will Joyce added his thanks.

I am so grateful to Chief Jordan for his 32 years of service to the people of Stillwater, Joyce said. He has dedicated his career to protecting our community, and I wish him the very best for his retirement.

At the official announcement of his retirement in October 2024, Jordan said he was grateful for the trust placed in him and honored to serve as Chief these past several months. I will forever hold close the foundation weve built and continue to solidify.

Chief Jordan with family

Stillwater Chief of Police Shannon Jordan, center, with family after officially retiring Friday in a ceremonial walkout at the Stillwater Police Department.

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At the forefront our officers safeguard the community and each other, while building relationships and gaining trust, with exceptional courage and moral fortitude. I am proud to have served with them and for Stillwater, Jordan said.

Effective immediately, Capt. Royce Stephens will serve as acting chief. Stephens has served with SPD for more than 25 years.

City management is working with HR to fill the chief position, the City said in a statement.
QUICK WEATHER FORECAST:

Today: Skies clearing, high 37

Tonight: Partly cloudy, low 27

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, high 49 (38)

Monday: Partly cloudy, high 54 (36)

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, high 48 (33)

Wednesday: Showers late, high 52 (42)

FORECAST DISCUSSION:

Skies will continue to clear out as the day goes on. Temperatures will be much cooler in the afternoon. Highs will reach the upper 30s. This is still seasonable to start the month of February. Winds will shift directions as the day goes one eventually blowing from the east by this evening.

Clouds will build back up as the night goes on. Skies will be overcast by the morning. Overnight low temperatures will fall to the upper 20s. After tonight there will be another warming trend kicking off.

A frontal boundary sitting to the north of Central Ohio will keep warming air moving into the area. Temperatures Sunday will be back to the upper 40s. Conditions will be warmer despite the mostly cloudy skies. This is mostly from the southern wind flow that will be sticking around.

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Monday kicks off the work week with very mild temperatures as highs reach the mid 50s. A cold front will move through late in the day, but no precipitation is expected. The next system that will impact all of Central Ohio arrived late Wednesday bringing rain showers with a small chance for thunderstorms.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The Clark County Sheriffs Department is searching for the owners of a chocolate lab.

According to a post on Facebook, the Clark County Sheriffs Department has been harboring a mixed lab for three weeks but has been unsuccessful in finding its owners.

Morally, ethically wrong: Property issues continue

May be an image of dog

The owners of the lab have not come forward. The one taking care of the dog cannot keep it.

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If you know the owner of the lab, you are encouraged to contact the Clark County Sheriffs Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
LA FARGE, Wis. (WFRV)  The La Farge Police Department announced a successful cleanup operation in the Village of La Farge.

According to a post on Facebook, law enforcement says the property at 121 South State Street has been a problem since 2013, with many complaints about violations of village rules.

Mulva Cultural Centers Unofficial Galaxies exhibit showcases Star Wars memorabilia

After reportedly trying to resolve the issues with the property owner, 51-year-old Jacon Thomas Sell, the village took legal action. A court order was obtained to remove trash, debris, and other items stored outside.

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During the cleanup, officers say Sell arrived at the property and was arrested for resisting an officer, making threats, and jail jumping. He is being held until a bail hearing and formal charges are expected from the Vernon County District Attorney.

The post notes that cleanup was done by River Valley Junk and Demo, who removed lumber, glass, and other materials ordered by the court.

The La Farge Police Chief thanked several law enforcement agencies for their support during this operation and expressed gratitude to the residents for their patience.

Three people are safe after UTV falls through ice in Nasewaupee

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He also thanks the La Farge Village Attorney and the Village Board for their cooperation. Those involved say this operation underlines the importance of teamwork to improve the community.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY)  The City of Fairmonts Public Works Department has been working to patch potholes along state routes that fall within city limits after heavy snow and deep freezes earlier this month.

City Manager Travis Blosser explained that although those routes are along state-maintained highways, the residents of Fairmont dont care whose road it is, saying they just understand theyre hitting potholes.

We think its important for us to be out there patching these potholes because our residents are driving these streets, Blosser said.

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He added that the Public Works Department is able to move a lot faster and nimbler than the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH), the agency thats usually responsible for filling these potholes along state routes.

It makes it easier to move a lot more efficiently to get those taken care of a lot faster, so that residents actually see the benefit of getting these potholes fixed, rather than them sit for weeks on end.

PHOTOS: Flooding impacts roads in north central West Virginia

According to Blosser, potholes have existed before in some of the areas in Fairmont where recent potholes have been showing up. He said that these potholes were patched over the years but with the heavy snowfall in recent weeks, there have been more plow trucks hitting these patches at faster speeds than usual, ripping up some of these patched areas and making the damage even worse.

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During the winter months, Blosser added that most asphalt plants are typically not open for business. With that being the case, Fairmonts crews have had to result to cold patching the potholes as a temporary fix.

So if we get another bout of winter to hit us and those roads have to be plowed again, our crews as well as the state of course will be out there, and other cities will be out there patching streets as well, Blosser told 12 News.

Blosser said that Fairmont residents shouldnt expect to see any closures as a result of this patching around the city, and that crews from the Public Works Department do a good job of maintaining traffic and keeping it flowing.

These patches are just that, temporary, and so they dont look pretty, said Blosser. Theyre not cutting out the areas in which theyre doing it because again, this is temporary. It will come back up, it only lasts for so long and so, this is just to get through the winter months until those asphalt plants open back up and then more long-term patching can happen on some of those roadways.

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Blosser said the WVDOH is experiencing issues outside of cities and the state, adding that theyre also having issues along interstate highways with a limited workforce. The same way that we only have a limited workforce for the city, but we can move a lot quicker to get those taken care of than they probably ever could, even in a best case scenario, just because of how much mileage of roads that they have to maintain.

PHOTOS: Rockslide blocks traffic on main Webster County road

The City of Fairmont has about 110 miles of city streets in Fairmont, Blosser stated. So imagine that, but like times 100 or 100,000 for the DOH in terms of the mileage that theyre having to contend with.

Blosser asked of anybody that will be driving to be mindful of any workers, whether they are with the WVDOH, the Public Works Department or the City of Fairmont so they can get home to their families as well. He asked drivers to slow down as they see these vehicles, adding that hes noticed a lot of residents doing that already.

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From the citys perspective, we have an awesome workforce, awesome Public Works Department, awesome Field Services Department in our utilities section, Blosser added. These guys have been working around the clock since winter hit and trying to make sure theyre keeping up with all of the service-related issues that cold and winter throw our way during the wintertime.

If your vehicle is damaged by a pothole, you can learn how to file a claim here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
Jan. 31Manchester Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Chmiel took a few moments at the Jan. 27 school board meeting to address images of a mud-covered child sitting on the floor of a moving city school bus.

The footage was shared with WMUR by a parent shocked that her daughter was sitting on the floor of a Hillside Middle School bus due to a lack of seating.

Chmiel called the incident a "one-off, an aberration."

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"Unfortunately, the report came in a day or two after the incident had happened," Chmiel said. "As soon as we had the report, the transportation team went to work, looked at it  they did a review of all the rosters for our buses, not just Bus Six at Hillside  and then they also did a review of how students are seated."

Chmiel said staff are going over bus rosters, making sure the numbers of children riding are appropriate.

"We are comfortable with the rosters at this time," Chmiel said. "They're going over seating expectations. Students seated in a seat, that's an expectation of both students and the driver. No students holding seats, no students putting their feet up on the seat to block another student from sitting, or moving a student to be seated in an aisle. No saving seats and no not taking a seat because the seat's too far down in the bus.

"We've got administration at Hillside working on it."

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Chmiel said moving forward, "please, please, if there's a concern out there in the community (of student safety), get that to us as soon as possible."

"We will work with you," Chmiel said. "We want to know those reports as quickly as possible, not days after the event took place."

School board Vice Chairman Jim O'Connell said he was happy with Chmiel's response.

"Sometimes things happen that shouldn't, but I'm grateful for the quick response of the district in responding to that," O'Connell said.

Chmiel also said school administrators are working on a budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, with a special meeting scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, to present the numbers to the school board.

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"The mayor, as he's preparing his budget, has requested information on a tax cap-compliant budget, what those numbers would look like," Chmiel said.

Remembering McQueeney

Former mayor and current school board member Bob Baines became very emotional during the Monday night school board meeting recalling Jim McQueeney, who spent 38 years as an educator at Manchester High School West before retiring in 2006.

McQueeney, a biology and physical education teacher who helped establish the Alternative Learning for Freshmen (ALF) program in Manchester, died Jan. 20 at age 78 after a period of declining health.

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Baines said McQueeney was one of his "dearest friends."

"Jim was the kind of teacher that all of us would want to have," Baines said. "I'll give you an example. We had a faculty meeting one time, and we were very frustrated that we were not able to reach the most challenged kids that were coming into West High School. And we had a very spirited discussion, and at the end of it, I said, 'Is there a group of teachers that will stay here so we can have another lengthy discussion about what we can do?'"

Baines said McQueeney and others including Joe Sullivan (a longtime English teacher and Union Leader sportswriter) stayed, and out of that session the ALF program was eventually born.

"What we did, that program identified the most challenging kids coming out of eighth grade," Baines said. "We put them with a team of teachers. They would have the same teachers for four years when they came into school. So they had, they created almost like a family environment around teaching and learning, but also nurturing these kids to succeed, and every Friday was a field day experience. Maybe it was job shadowing, it might be visiting businesses or might be doing a cleanup at a not-for-profit, whatever. And I'll tell you, the success we had was absolutely incredible."

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Baines shared a story about an end-of-year reception celebrating the program's accomplishments.

"A lot of these kids would have dropped out of school, got thrown out of school," Baines said. "One young man got up at the meeting, and he stood up, and he stood up with his head down like this, and he started to talk about what the program meant to him, and he gradually lifted his head up and he looked Jim McQueeney in the eye. 'I can now look you in the eye and say thank you,' and just about everyone burst into tears and applause.

"That's the impact that man had on students, one of the kindest, gentlest and effective educators, and personal friend, that I've ever had. We've lost a gem, but what a career and what a life."

O'Connell said he didn't have the privilege of knowing McQueeney, but "heard remarkable things about him" from those that did.

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"People mentioned on social media that he and Joe Sullivan were probably up there somewhere, reacquainting themselves," O'Connell said.

"I think it speaks to the point, we have so many wonderful educators in this city who work hard every day and work with students unheralded, who are not here before us every day, but doing remarkable work in classrooms and meeting the needs of students every day.

Taco Thursday

Taco lovers, mark your calendars  Taco Tour Manchester, Presented by Casamigos and hosted by the Greater Manchester Chamber, will return to Downtown Manchester on Thursday, May 8, from 4-8 p.m.

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The popular tradition, which debuted in 2011, is one of the largest single-day food festivals in the country, drawing more than 30,000 attendees.

Taco Tour Manchester also features a concert stage, sponsor booths, and fun giveaways. Restaurants wishing to participate should email Tacotourmanchester@gmail.com. Food trucks and outside restaurants are welcome to apply to participate in the event, but space is limited.

pfeely@unionleader.com
The Ada County Highway District may be breathing a sigh of relief that a popular bridge in Southeast Boise that spans the Boise River has not yet collapsed.

Ryan Head, ACHDs director, said at a press conference Friday afternoon that the Eckert Road Bridge could safely support a weight of about 3 tons right now.

In other words, not nearly enough.

A larger personal pickup truck can exceed 3 tons, Head said. I also would say my minivan, fully loaded with people, may exceed 3 tons as well.

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The highway district ordered an emergency closure Friday after an evaluation revealed that the bridge, which connects Southeast Boise to Harris Ranch and the Barber Valley, had widespread decay in nearly half of the bridges pillars, which could result in a catastrophic collapse.

The bridge will remain closed for the foreseeable future.

ACHD crews close Eckert Road Bridge after a recent inspection cited widespread structural decay. The bridge spans the Boise River at Barber Park.

The inspection found that 22 of the 48 bridge pillars had signs of moderate to severe decay, according to ACHD. On the center pier  a vertical support structure  five out of the six timber beams showed severe decay.

The bridge is smaller than most in the city, yet it acts as a significant gateway for thousands of people per day, including school buses full of children, residents in that growing section of the city and thousands of people in summertime who head over it to Barber Park, where they start the float down the Boise River.

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According to Head, the bridge supports more than 7,000 trips per day and adds around 1,200 more in the summer months.

The agency plans to remove the bridge and build a new one, Head said. Until then, pedestrians and cyclists may use the bridge.

While we do not yet know the exact timeline for reopening the bridge, declaring an emergency, which our ACHD Board of Commissioners did earlier today, allows us to accelerate the process, Head said.

In the meantime, Head said the detour route would be to drive along Warm Springs Avenue to Parkcenter Boulevard, then to Mountain Way and Boise Avenue. More information can be found at achdidaho.org/eckertbridge.

The detour route runs through Warm Springs Avenue to Park Center Boulevard, then to Mountain Way and Boise Avenue, as shown here.

ACHD spokesperson Rachel Bjornestad said the decay was found only under the part of the bridge that crosses the Boise River, and not a segment that crosses Ridenbaugh Canal. Still, the whole bridge will need to be replaced.

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The 1954-built bridge is unique in Ada County, Head said, because it uses wooden pillars for structural support rather than concrete, which is the usual material for bridges.

How did ACHD miss a dangerous bridge?

On Friday, members of the ACHD Board of Commissioners and staff questioned how they had missed the decay until it had become such a hazard.

Was there anything missed in previous inspections? Head said. The answer at this point in time is no. We have done inspections as expected on an every-two-year basis. This is the same process (the Idaho Transportation Department) uses for all bridges throughout the state.

Eckert Road Bridge uses wooden pillars, as shown here, rather than concrete, which is more commonly used for building bridges.

Aside from those evaluations, the agency does more in-depth reviews for concept studies before beginning projects, he said. The last time it did such a review on this bridge was five years ago.

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How did it get to this level so quickly from our previous evaluations? Head said. We dont know.

The agency had planned to remove and replace the bridge in the next five to seven years, Head said. Staff had just started concept design and were evaluating what would be the best path forward, including what kind of timetable they anticipated, when the evaluation showed the massive decay.

According to ACHDs five-year plan, the agency estimated that the planned removal and replacement of Eckert Road Bridge would cost $38.3 million. Head said he was unsure how the new findings would affect that cost.

Ultimately, when you accelerate a project, there can be some additional costs, Head said. But there also can be some savings through this process as well.

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Head said ACHD had some funding reserves to tap to help with the project, but the agency also would look to see whether it could receive additional bridge-specific funding from the state.

ACHD had planned to remove and replace the Eckert Road Bridge in the next few years. The decay will move that timetable forward, Head said.

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We also may have to look at reallocating or delaying other projects in order to address this, Head admitted.

The bridge is less than 500 feet north of an intersection that commuters and nearby residents have said is too dangerous and needs to be fixed. That intersection with Boise Avenue comes on a tight, 35 mph corner with limited visibility.

Head said that the agency was aware of the concerns and that the concept study for Eckert was also intended to look at the intersection and access under the bridge for the Greenbelt. He said the agency was looking at how to align the road and intersection in a way that makes it the safest for the public.

Well be exploring all options in terms of (not only) how do we get it reopened as quickly as possible, but how do we also make it the best long-term, he said. When you build a bridge, you build it for a very long time, and we want to make sure that this investment that were making at a much accelerated pace now is going to be good for the public for many years.

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The Boise hangar that collapsed & killed 3 is going back up. Whats different this time?

This historic building will change as a popular corner of downtown Boise gets a makeover

Growing Boise area could add almost 200 homes in battle over density. What about traffic?

Downtown Boise could get a new park soon. Will it come in time for giant Basque festival?
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  In court Friday, a major step toward justice for a murder case that went cold for two decades.

The man charged in connection to a fire that killed 8-year-old Savannah Streber at her Rochester home will go to trial.

News 8s Natalie Kucko was at the emotional hearing, and spoke with the Streber family after they learned the news.

Its hard for me to remember because I was so young. Growing up, a lot of the time, I would ask my family and my close friends of the memories they had and everybody would always tell me we were inseparable and that I was like her baby, and she always took care of me, said Alexandra Streber, the younger sister of Savannah Streber.

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Alexandra Streber was just three-years-old in 2004 on the February night when Savannah was killed in the fire at the familys home on Yates Street in Rochester.

Alexandra was home at the time, along with their babysitter, and the babysitters son.

63-year-old Timothy Kuhn was arraigned on murder and arson charges in early 2024, shortly after he was arrested in Holmes County, Florida.

Police said Kuhn was identified as a person of interest early on in the investigation, adding Savannahs mother had a no-contact order of protection against him at the time of the fire due to a previous assault.

It is a case of domestic violence, where unfortunately, a child was killed. Our theory here isnt intentional murder. Its that the arson was intentional and the killing occurred as a result of this intentional arson. So, I think it highlights the fact domestic violence isnt just about what happens between two adults. It often involves children and that can be very dangerous, not only for the victim of the domestic violence, but for the children who witness it, who are there for it, and sometimes can be the unsuspecting victim of domestic violence. Thats our theory in this case, said Sara VanStrydonck, Monroe Co. Assistant District Attorney.

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Savannahs older sister, Kelly Streber, commended investigators with the Rochester Police Department, who never lost sight of the case.

Especially Detective Dave Joseph, I could not give them, and specifically him, enough thank yous and appreciation because when Savannahs case was put on a shelf and it went cold, Dave made sure he brought it back to light to do everything possible he could to investigate and not allow Savannahs memory to be forgotten. Even when we thought there was no hope, even when RPD thought there was no hope, every Christmas he checked in on me. On Savannahs birthday, he checked in on me to let me know hes still here. Hes still fighting and he has not forgotten Im forever grateful for them, she said.

As the Streber family continues to process their grief, they say a pursuit of justice in some ways, has only begun.

Its hard. We have to relive it all over again. I havent forgotten a day of it and I never will. Its just going to be very difficult. But, were going to make sure this goes through. We have not come this far to ensure it doesnt go through, said Lisa Routier, Savannahs mother.

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The trial for Kuhn begins July 30. Stay with News 8 for the latest developments.

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COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  A man wanted for a Colleton County homicide was captured in Louisiana, law enforcement said Friday.

40-year-old Clint Crosby is now in custody and is awaiting extradition back to Colleton County, according to Sgt. Laura Rutland, spokesperson for the Colleton County Sheriffs Office.

Crosby is believed to have shot and killed another man during an argument on Thursday at a home in Walterboro. When he returns, he will be booked for murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

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Law enforcement searching for Colleton County homicide suspect

Witnesses told deputies that Crosby and the victim were in a dispute at a home on Dover Bluff Lane, which escalated to the shooting.

Colleton County Fire-Rescue transported the male victim to a nearby hospital, where he died from his wounds. His identity has not been released.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro urged undocumented Colombians who are living in the U.S. to return home, saying they would be rewarded for it.

I ask undocumented Colombians in the U.S. to immediately leave their jobs in that country and return to Colombia as soon as possible, Petro said in a Friday morning post on social platform X.

Wealth is produced only by working people, he added.

Petro said the Colombian Department of Social Prosperity will look to give out loans to those returnees who enroll in the program.

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Lets build social wealth in Colombia, he wrote.

The president and his government were engaged in a heated back-and-forth tussle last weekend over immigration and trade.

Petro initially said that U.S. planes carrying Colombian migrants would not be able to land in the country.

President Trump retaliated by threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on Colombian goods coming into the country while also banning government officials and their family members from being able to travel to the U.S.

Similarly, Petro said Colombia would be instating a 25 percent tariff on goods.

The situation was tentatively resolved Sunday night, when White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in a statement that the two sides agreed and that Colombia will accept all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on U.S. military aircraft, without limitation or delay.

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Since then, Colombian planes have been arriving in Bogota with migrants who Petro said were not criminals.

Our compatriots come from the United States free, dignified, without being handcuffed. We structure a productive, associative and cheap credit plan for migrants, he said.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Embassy in Bogota shut down visa appointments for Colombians seeking entry to America over the Colombian governments refusal to accept repatriation flights of Colombian nationals.

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The Suncor Energy oil refinery in Commerce City is pictured on June 16, 2023. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)

Price hikes from President Donald Trumps imposition of wide-ranging tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico could be felt more acutely in Colorado than in many other states.

Colorados only oil refinery, located in Commerce City and operated by Suncor Energy, based in Alberta, Canada, accounts for about 40% of the states market for refined petroleum products, and processes crude oil from several regions, including northern Albertas controversial tar sands fields.

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Canadian crude oil made up nearly a quarter of the total processed by U.S. oil refineries in 2023, and the majority of those imports flow to states in the upper Midwest and Rocky Mountains that supply nearly all of the rest of the gasoline, diesel and other fuel products consumed in Colorado. Canadian oil imports surged to record highs in early January upon reports that Trump planned to follow through on his threats to impose a 25% tariff upon taking office.

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Hours before the measures were to take effect Saturday, Trump appeared to float a reduced tariff of 10% on at least some oil imports during an Oval Office press availability Friday, but any higher input costs are likely to translate soon into higher fuel prices for consumers across the central U.S.

Folks in Texas probably wont see an increase due to tightened Canadian supply, said Skyler McKinley, regional public affairs director for AAA, the travel information nonprofit. (But) the Rockies, the Midwest and the Great Lakes region are disproportionately reliant on Canadian exports.

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If the 25% tariff is applied to crude oil, McKinley said, I would anticipate you could see increases in prices between 10 cents and a quarter.

Representatives for Suncor didnt respond to requests for comment Friday. The Canadian oil giant has operated the Commerce City refinery  a notorious source of air pollution with a long history of regulatory violations and equipment failures  since 2005.

Grier Bailey, director of the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, which represents fuel suppliers and gas stations in both states, declined to speculate on the possible price impacts of the tariffs, which he said would be uneven across different suppliers. But he called Suncor a foundational partner to Colorado.

Its important that if low energy prices are a priority for families and a goal of the federal administration, the inputs to make fuel are as cost effective as possible, Bailey wrote in an email.

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Trump, who won election to a second term thanks in part to a wave of voter dissatisfaction with the rising cost of living, bluntly dismissed concerns Friday that his tariff plan would lead to widespread price hikes.

There could be some temporary, short-term disruption, and people will understand that, Trump told reporters at the White House.

McKinley noted that despite what many voters tend to think, the federal government typically has little power to directly influence gas prices, which are instead determined by supply, demand, input, output  everything you learned about in freshman level economics.

Theres one exception to that, and its tariffs, he said. We know that if the president uses his or her authority to enact tariffs on energy imports, the price that you pay at the pump, and for a plane tickets and for everything else, will go up. So this is the one area where the president actually does influence gas prices, and its mostly to make them more expensive.

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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  Behind only Alaska, Colorado is the next biggest decrease in vaccinations of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, seeing a decline of 9.15%.

Its frightening and it makes all of us as pediatricians and all of us responsible for child health really worried, said pediatrician Michael Whistler.

In this country, about two kids out of every thousand who get measles will die from a Measels brain infection.

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The study, looked at vaccination rates in children born in 2012 aged 35 months and children born in 2021 aged 35 months and measured the percentage change between the two.

To understand the rise in the decline, WesternSlopeNow talked with nurse practitioner Rachel Simmerman with Dino-PEDS and asked about the main reasons parents decide not to vaccinate their children.

The biggest reasoning being theres always been concern for autism associated with vaccines. The other things is heavy metals. A lot of the community is concerned that kids are getting too much exposure with heavy metals such as aluminum with vaccines.

District 51 has nearly 20,000 students. Each student must turn in an immunization record. According to Colorado law, those who choose not to will be denied attendance.

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Coordinator of nursing and health services for D51 Katie Mckew says the district has seen an increase in vaccine exemptions which allow students to attend without getting vaccinated.

Weve seen a little bit of an uptick in elementary in exemptions from say, 2.38% overall elementary students were exempt in 2022. And then in January 2024, 3.13%. So, it went up a little less than a percent.

If you are concerned about getting your child vaccinated, Whistler says you shouldnt.

Way back in the 70s, some people thought there might be some link to aluminum and Alzheimers, thats been disproven a hundred times. But once those rumors get out there, people latch on to them and wont let them go, like a dog with a bone, they wont let go.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Union workers of King Soopers grocery stores in Colorado Springs have voted to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice strike.

According to a press release from UFCW Local 7, the union representing 23,000 members in Colorado and Wyoming supermarkets, workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize the strike after King Soopers made its Last Best and Final Offer to the union. The union said the exact times, dates and locations of the strikes will be determined at a later time and will be announced to workers and the public in advance of any strike.

According to the union, more than 95% of members in the union voted to authorize the strike.

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Workers in Colorado Springs now join their UFCW Local 7-represented colleagues in Boulder, Broomfield, Metro Denver, and Parker who also authorized a strike with their votes on Jan. 29 and 30.

The workers in Colorado Springs saw how the Company reacted to the Denver area strike votes. Rather than listen to the workers, the Company has continued its Unfair Labor Practices, said employee David Burciago. We are tired of watching the Company gouge our customers because of chronic understaffing in the stores, while the Company disrespects the workers who stay despite the hostile labor conditions. I am encouraged by my coworkers strength and unity in our votes [on Friday]. As a 44-year union member, I am proud to stand up to the Company on behalf of Colorado Springs. I hope that this vote ends the Companys unfair labor practices and forces the Company to take our concerns seriously.

In a statement sent in the early morning hours of Friday, King Soopers said it was disappointed by the outcome of Local 7 obtaining strike authorization, and said the grocer remains committed to its primary focus of increasing associates paychecks while keeping groceries affordable for customers.

King Soopers argues that the unfair labor practice allegations are unfounded, and believes the unions move to seek strike authorization is premature, given they have not allowed associates to vote on the Companys Last, Best and Final Offer.

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While we respect our associates rights to participate in a work stoppage, any associate who chooses to continue to work is welcome, said Joe Kelley, President of King Soopers. We believe our associates would be better served if the Union worked with us to reach an agreement that would not risk leaving our associates without a paycheck. We remain open to continuing to meet with the Union to reach a resolution.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Many are wondering what exactly goes into the water recovery process, as efforts continue in Washington D.C. following Wednesday nights tragic aircraft crash.

Out of the 67 victims, 40 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River since the collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines commercial jet.

DETAILS: Search continues in D.C. plane crash

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George Valkoun, a commercial diver with decades of experience, provided some insight on how a rescue mission like this takes place and what hazards need to be accounted for that make it especially complicated.

He said a dive teams first course of action is developing a safety plan, due to fuel and debris in the water. They conduct a grid search to gain preliminary knowledge of their surroundings.

Water being what it is, it just adds another whole aspect to it because you dont know where everything is, Valkoun explained.

Divers are then equipped with hot water suits, which allow them to stay submerged for hours at a time while still connected to the surface.

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You are going in with basically a hose thats following you, which [provides] communications, video, air and hot water, Valkoun said.

RELATED: Barrington man remembers son, wife who were killed in DC air collision

While there may be many divers in the water at once, Valkoun said most of them are keeping a close eye on the diver on search duty.

You have one diver, but you also have like three guys for every diver to tend and take care of things like that, he said. Its a big deal. You have to keep track of what hes doing and then you have safety divers for him, so theres a lot involved with just one diver.

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As a former member of the military, Valkoun described the entire situation in Washington, D.C. as horrific.

Its just a shame. Its a real shame that these people lost their lives, he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board anticipates having a preliminary report released within the next 30 days.

NEXT: Former Army Black Hawk pilot explains challenges of operating the military helicopter

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.
THORNTON TOWNSHIP, Ill.  As tensions escalate over allegations of mismanagement in the south suburbs, local officials and community members are asking the state to remove Tiffany Henyard from office.

This comes after a brawl broke out during a Thornton Township meeting Tuesday night.

At least 300 people were on a Zoom call Friday, discussing Henyard. The people on the call said they are tired of Henyard and were appalled by Tuesdays fight. They are now calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Cook County States Attorney Eileen ONeill Burke to remove her from office.

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It got real crazy: The inside story of bad blood that boiled over into a brawl during a Thornton Township board meeting

So I plead today, alongside everybody involved, that the governor and the states attorney give the people what they already said they wanted, and that was for them to step up and remove this so it doesnt go on another day, activist Jedidiah Brown said.

In a call-to-action letter, the villages board of trustees called Tuesday nights fight disgraceful.

The fight started after Brown called Henyard an expletive.

Henyard and her significant other were among those in the brawl and her lawyers said she stepped in to break up the fight.

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Since taking office in 2021, Henyard has been at the center of controversies.

WGN Investigates uncovered Henyard and her allies billed over $100,000 on lavish travel and meals to taxpayers in Dolton.

An independent investigation conducted by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concluded there was a pattern of unchecked spending.

Tiffany Henyard booted from ballot, but vows show will go on

Thats all weve been asking for! Accountability! Transparency! Doing the right thing, one resident exclaimed at Tuesdays meeting.

Some residents said theyve had enough, adding that if Henyard wont resign from her positions, they want the state to force the matter.

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In June, WGN News asked Pritzker if that was possible.

The reality is there are already two pretty significant investigations going. Well support them in every way we can, but its really just a matter of do you want everyone running over each other in those investigations, or do you want to concerted efforts for getting the facts? Pritzker said at the time.

WGN Investigates: Investigating public corruption, crime & fraud

Participants of Fridays Zoom call also discussed voting Henyard out of office if she isnt removed. Henyard is not part of Thornton Townships upcoming election for supervisor as she lost a spot on the ballot back in December.

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She is, however, re-running for mayor of Dolton, but faces fierce competition.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A new report from the American Cancer Society shows that there has been an increase in new cervical cancer cases for women ages 30 to 44. But it turns out Alabama is already leading the way to turn this statistic around.

Its called Operation Wipe Out. This is a unified approach of Alabama doctors, nonprofits and health leaders. They met at a summit Friday to discuss the three-part strategy: get vaccinated against HPV, get regular screenings and receive care if needed following that to put a stop to it.

Alabama Department of Public Health State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris was one of the speakers at Fridays summit.

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Jefferson County Sheriffs Office announces local partnership to fight human trafficking in Alabama

This is a unique opportunity because we have everything that we need to eliminate this disease in Alabama, Harris said. We dont need new technology and new inventions and new types of treatments  we already have all of that. Its just a matter of getting information and getting our plan out to the right people, making sure they understand and, in a generation, we can be done with this disease.

Harris said its important for boys and girls ages 12 and up to get the vaccine.

Most people dont realize cervical cancer is typically caused by an infection. Its caused by a virus called HPV, and we have a great vaccine for HPV, Harris said. I think when parents learn you can prevent cancer with a vaccine  I think most of them when they learn that fact, theyre really interested in protecting their kids.

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For boys, Harris said the vaccine helps to prevent other cancers caused by HPV.

Coming up on the Living Local Community News Sunday morning, we will hear from a UAB doctor leading the work on this.

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has uncovered a scheme in which a company based in the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr supplied gas boilers for the Russian Ministry of Defence.

Source: press service for the SSU

Details: "It has been revealed that the Ukrainian manufacturer has been secretly selling products to Russian companies working with Russian government agencies since May 2022.

Among the main customers of the Ukrainian company was a firm in Kursk that supplied heating systems to military sanatoriums in the aggressor country," the press service said.

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The SSU noted that the Zhytomyr-based company initially shipped its products to affiliated companies in the EU and Central Asia. The products were then repackaged under the details of foreign companies, re-exported to a controlled company in Belarus and subsequently sent to Russia.

The company has managed to supply products worth UAH 65 million (roughly US$1.5 million) to Russia since May 2022.

"SSU investigators served the head of the sales department of the Zhytomyr company with a notice of suspicion over aiding the aggressor state.

The offender is in custody without the right to be released on bail. He faces up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property," the SSU added.

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GOMA, Congo (AP)  At least 773 people were killed in eastern Congo's largest city of Goma and its vicinity this week amid fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels who captured the city in a major escalation of a decadelong conflict, Congolese authorities said Saturday. The rebels' advance into other areas was slowed by a weakened military that recovered some villages from them.

Authorities confirmed 773 bodies and 2,880 injured persons in Goma's morgues and hospitals, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya told a briefing in the capital, Kinshasa, adding that the death toll could be higher.

These figures remain provisional because the rebels asked the population to clean the streets of Goma. There should be mass graves and the Rwandans took care to evacuate theirs, said Muyaya.

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Hundreds of Goma residents were returning to the city on Saturday after the rebels promised to restore basic services including water and power supply. They cleaned up the neighborhoods littered with debris from weapons and filled with the stench of blood.

"Im tired and dont know which way to go. On every corner (there) is a mourner, said Jean Marcus, 25, one of whose relatives was among those killed in the fighting.

M23 is the most potent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control in Congos mineral-rich east, which holds vast deposits critical to much of the worlds technology. They are backed by around 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, according to U.N. experts, far more than in 2012, when they first captured Goma and held it for days in a conflict driven by ethnic grievances.

As the fighting raged on with the M23 rebels Saturday, the Congolese army recaptured the villages of Sanzi, Muganzo and Mukwidja in South Kivu's Kalehe territory, which had fallen to the rebels earlier this week, according to two civil society officials. who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity over fear for their safety.

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The central African nations military has been weakened after it lost hundreds of troops and foreign mercenaries surrendered to the rebels after the fall of Goma.

U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, meanwhile, said Friday that the M23 and Rwandan forces were about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of South Kivus provincial capital of Bukavu, covering almost the same distance in the previous two days since they started advancing along Lake Kivu on the border with Rwanda. Lacroix said the rebels seem to be moving quite fast, and capturing an airport a few kilometers (miles) away "would be another really significant step.

The seizure of Goma resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis, the U.N. and aid group have said. Goma serves as a humanitarian hub critical for many of the 6 million people displaced by the conflict in eastern Congo. The rebels said they will march all the way to Congo's capital Kinshasa, 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the west.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric also told a briefing Friday that the World Health Organization and its partners conducted an assessment with Congos government between Jan. 26-30, and reported that 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured in Goma and the vicinity. Dujarric confirmed to AP that the deaths occurred during those days.

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The rebel advance has left in its wake extrajudicial killings and forced conscription of civilians, U.N. human rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence said Friday. We have also documented summary executions of at least 12 people by M23 from Jan. 26-28, Laurence said, adding that the group has also occupied schools and hospitals in the province and are subjecting civilians to forced conscription and forced labor.

Congolese forces have also been accused of sexual violence as fighting rages on in the region, Laurence said, adding the U.N. is verifying reports that Congolese troops raped 52 women in South Kivu.

Gomas capture has brought humanitarian operations to a standstill, cutting off a vital lifeline for aid delivery across eastern (Congo), said Rose Tchwenko, country director for the Mercy Corps aid group in Congo.

The escalation of violence toward Bukavu raises fears of even greater displacement, while the breakdown of humanitarian access is leaving entire communities stranded without support, she said.

___

Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria and Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal. AP journalists Ruth Alonga in Goma and Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa, Congo contributed.
The Tennessee Valley Authority's Cumberland Fossil Plant. (Photo: Courtesy of TVA)

Congress should reform the Tennessee Valley Authoritys governance and energy planning as the federally-owned electric utility faces growing demands for power, a renewable energy organization says in a report released Thursday.

Jonathan Geldof, a senior manager with the American Council on Renewable Energy who authored the report, noted in a Thursday presentation the TVA is unlike other utilities. The TVA is a federal corporation overseen by a board of directors appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Thats in contrast to utilities in other states that must go before a state utility commission to seek approval for new power generation or have a review of future power plans.

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Like other utilities, the TVA is facing a growing demand for electricity driven by data centers, new battery manufacturing and consumer electrification. The utility, which serves more than 9 million people across seven states, including Kentucky, earlier in January set a new power demand record of more than 35,000 megawatts amid frigid air sweeping across the South.

The utility has touted spending hundreds of millions of dollars on its power plants to enhance their reliability and resiliency in fiscal year 2024, an investment following rolling blackouts the utility had to impose in 2022 during a winter storm due to failures of its fossil fuel-fired power plants. The utility had to borrow a portion of its power from neighboring electric grids to meet the record power demand in January and also asked customers to voluntarily reduce power.

Geldof said that growing power demand is coming at a time when the utility may need to ask Congress for an increase in its ability to borrow funds.

If theyre going to raise the borrowing authority, that should be coupled with some requirements to make TVA work better for customers and for project developers, Geldof said. Our point here isnt to bash TVA but to point out ways that their processes can improve and make it easier to bring cheap American-made power into the valley.

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The 33-page report highlights a number of reforms that could be enacted by Congress to either provide more support for the TVA boards, bring the TVA under federal oversight for transmission and change the utilitys process for drafting an important planning document known as an integrated resource plan or IRP.

TVA spokesperson Scott Fiedler in an emailed statement said the utility wasnt asked to provide data or input for the report and that the utility was conducting a transparent, robust IRP process using best practices in the industry, including the participation by the public. Fiedler said a finalized IRP from the utility would be made available in the spring.

From transmission planning to the TVA board

A panel discussing the report  consisting of an executive with Nashville-based solar developer Silicon Ranch and two other representatives from trade and advocacy groups for renewable energy  honed in on report recommendations for making changes in how the TVA plans future electricity transmission. Its a planning process that, according to the report, has historically  lacked transparency, with no meaningful stakeholder participation.

Myra Sinnott, a vice president of interconnection and policy for Silicon Ranch, said the result of having a closed doors process in planning future electricity generation and transmission is that it leaves a lot of folks out of the room that are trying to provide feedback on, you know, the future resources that will impact the electric bills, the air and water quality all around the Tennessee Valley.

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The report says Congress should require TVA to consider the full range of costs and benefits when planning transmission and generation  not just whether an investment provides adequate and reliable service.

Geldoff said transmission planning that considers multiple factors can enhance reliability of the electricity grid as solar and other renewable energy projects come online and send power to the grid.

The TVA should also be put under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the report recommends, to ensure compliance with a federal overhaul of transmission planning. Also, TVA should consider more transmission among regional electricity grids to avert rolling blackouts, the report says.

Theres going to need to be a lot more inter-regional transmission to prevent blackouts in extreme weather and to meet projected load growth, Geldof said.

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Additionally, the report recommends Congress require the TVA to have independent staff, or potentially hire a consultant, to assist the TVAs governing board in its decision-making and utilitys operations.

Simon Mahan, the executive director of the Southern Renewable Energy Association, said the TVA board, made up of part-time positions, has no independent third party to check the information provided to them by TVA staff. By contrast, utilities under state regulation are subject to expert scrutiny and questioning by utility commission staff.

Those state regulatory bodies often have not only staff and expertise but also rules and regulations that allow for intervening parties like ours to come in to provide additional feedback and information at no cost to the regulator themselves, Mahan said. Its not that were criticizing the board for making bad decisions, its just that we are not given enough information to know, Is this truly the best decision at this right time?

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When asked about the impact the Trump administration could have on energy planning, one renewable energy advocate pointed to a potential risk the TVA could face with increasing its reliance on natural gas. The TVA has proposed a significant investment in building new natural gas-fired power plants to replace its coal-fired power plants at a time when increasing natural gas exports abroad could strain the countrys supply of the fossil fuel.

The country is increasing exports of gas that will increase the price of gas, and that will hit TVA customers really, really hard, said Maggie Shober, research director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

(Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.)
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)- Cleo Fields, the Louisiana Congressman representing the newly formed Sixth Congressional District, visited Shreveport on Friday to discuss what is happening in Washington, D.C.

Fields said he is happy to represent parts of North Louisiana and came to Shreveport for several meetings. The Trump administrations rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs was one of the topics he discussed.

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He said, Diversity and inclusion thats a good thing for America, and I think we should always welcome that type of attitude and to be the CEO of America and one of the first things you do is do away with, you know, diversity and inclusion, to me it doesnt speak well for the country.

Fields says he looks forward to more visits to North Louisiana and will fight against things that could negatively affect the people of Louisiana.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Gov. Ned Lamont (D-Conn.) was at the UConn School of Pharmacy on Friday to tout initiatives aimed at expanding access to birth control.

The School of Pharmacy, celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, is now offering a new program to train pharmacists to prescribe birth control.

The Lamont administration has long prioritized making birth control and contraception easier to access. The governor said this latest measure will make it easier, by the way, at a time when were facing some real headwinds when it comes to reproductive rights.

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Connecticut lawmakers consider bill to lower legal alcohol limit for drivers

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and State Sen. Mae Flexer, two staunch supporters of abortion rights, were on hand for the Friday press conference.

Lamont also highlighted a new vending machine located at UConns student union that dispenses emergency contraception, condoms, pregnancy tests, and other related items.

To date, the vending machine is only available to students who pay for the items using UConns Husky Bucks system.

Ashlee Stone, the pharmacy manager at UConns Student Health and Wellness Center, said the vending machine is intended to increase access and offer contraception at a lower cost. Students can purchase generic emergency contraception for $15less than a third of the price that the name-brand Plan B sells for at nearby pharmacies.

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New York doctor indicted for prescribing abortion pill in Louisiana

The sooner you can take Plan B, the better, so having that access on the weekend when other areas are closed or potentially out of stock is fantastic, Stone said.

Stone said the vending machine could offer generic emergency contraception at a lower price point because the university buys it in bulk and uses some proceeds from a health and wellness fee to purchase it.

Lamont likes the idea, too.

Doing this here at the university makes sense, Lamont said.

State Sen. Steve Harding, the Republican leader in the State Senate, signaled support for expanded access to birth control and contraception.

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I think that youre preventing unplanned pregnancies at an earlier stage, which is always a good thing, Harding said. So, whatever we can do to help address that, Im in favor of.

One student who spoke to News 8 also spoke highly of the new vending machine, which also sells sundry items and the narcotic overdose medication Narcan.

Being on such a lively campus  you know, things shutting down early can make it really difficult to get certain things that are necessities, Sophia Felgate, a sophomore, said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Kateryna and her husband Oleg endure what every citizen of Kyiv must  long blackouts, hours without any internet connection and constant apprehension about the next missile barrage.

But as they begin 2023, they are also preparing for the arrival of twin boys. Kateryna, who is 34, is eight months pregnant. CNN agreed to use only first names for her and Oleg as they fear for their privacy.

Shes not getting much rest ahead of the big day. The air-raid sirens blare almost every day, the crump of explosions is all too familiar. Their lives are shaped by the scheduled power cuts, as electricity is shared among the regions to mitigate the impact of Russias strikes on Ukraines energy infrastructure.

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On New Years Eve, I tried to take a nap, she told CNN from her house in the Kyiv suburbs. But I woke to the sound of explosions, and they went on through the night. The sirens were on for much of the night, until 4:30 a.m., she said.

Its difficult for residents to distinguish between the sound of air defenses in operation and the impact of Russian cruise missiles and drones.

I dont mind the blackouts, Kateryna said, but we worry about the next wave of Russian missiles. Will it be us? Its like a constant gamble.

A nearby district  Vyshhorod  was hit a month ago, and the indiscriminate nature of the strikes means that residential districts are as much at risk as power plants and railway lines. Dozens of heath facilities across Ukraine, including maternity and childrens hospitals, have been struck since the beginning of the conflict.

Kateryna and Oleg sit by the Christmas tree at their home in the Kyiv suburbs. - Kateryna

When the sirens arent wailing, Kateryna said, there is another noise that is new to her neighborhood: the chattering of generators as homes and businesses try to compensate for being without electricity for as much as 12 hours a day.

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They are the jingle bells of this Christmas, she said.

Despite the risk and the imminent arrival of the twins, Kateryna still travels into central Kyiv twice a week to use one of the co-working spaces that have popped up across the Ukrainian capital.

These spaces have become quite professional, with furniture, heat, lighting and reliable internet, provided through Starlink terminals, bought from the company owned by Elon Musk.

Kateryna works in logistics, helping to import large containers into Ukraine. Its more than just a livelihood. Its also a way to contribute to the war effort.

A co-working space in Kyiv, where Kateryna goes to work, offers heating and reliable internet access. - Kateryna

Kateryna and Oleg are luckier than most Ukrainians in that they have a small generator at home, but they use it sparingly. There is always the risk of running out of diesel to power it  it uses a liter of fuel every hour and needs to cool down every four hours. They have to choose which appliances to run: its lights or laundry, they said.

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They fully expect to need it long after the twins are born.

Living in Kyiv during Russias war on Ukraine is about being prepared. Kateryna and Oleg have cupboards full of batteries, power banks and flashlights. If the Russian missile campaign against Ukrainian infrastructure continues, as most expect it will, the scheduled power outages may become less predictable, with more emergency cuts.

There is enough food in the stores but sometimes I have to shop with a flashlight, Kateryna says. They keep about two months worth of food supplies stacked in the house, just in case the situation goes from bad to worse.

Kateryna takes a picture lit by a portable lamp that sticks to the wall. - Kateryna

Like many people from Kyiv, Kateryna and Oleg moved away from the capital to a safer area in western Ukraine when the invasion began last February. But they never wanted to leave the country. And soon they felt the draw of home pulling them back to the city.

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I have a job here; Oleg has a job here and he cannot work remotely. We have many friends here, our home. For me its a nightmare to move somewhere else, Kateryna said.

Kateryna feels they are both involved in the effort to secure Ukraines future. In the early months of her pregnancy, she helped Ukrainian volunteer organizations with fundraising for warm clothes and equipment for the Ukrainian army, she said.

The company my husband works for has a fund and they help the Ukrainian fighters who are on the front line with equipment like drones and pick-up trucks. We helped collect money for such equipment, she said.

Kateryna stands in front of the fuel supply for their small, diesel-powered generator. - Kateryna

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Kateryna's husband has put together cots for the twin babies they are expecting. - Kateryna

Like many other Ukrainians, they helped a family that had fled the frontlines earlier in the war. The mother had given birth in the midst of Russian shelling of their hometown of Kreminna in eastern Luhansk region. When the family settled in a Kyiv suburb, Oleg and Kateryna helped them out with warm clothes and food.

Kateryna says she is not afraid of becoming a wartime mother. She and Oleg want their sons to grow up in an environment that would be the polar opposite of what life would be under Russian occupation.

I really want my children to live in a free Ukraine, I want them to be safe. They have the right to safety and protection just like all other children in the world. I dont want them to live in fear of dying from a Russian rocket, they should be happy and carefree, she said.

Her one concern  beyond giving birth to healthy children  is that she might find herself lying in the hospital amid another wave of missile attacks. At that point, she will pray very hard, she said.

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The Texas Legislature has countless things on its plate, but one issue that arises occasionally in the headlines and in popular culture deserves attention in this session after years of foot-dragging.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is the disturbing mental disorder in which caregivers, usually mothers, intentionally harm children in a twisted compulsion to create symptoms requiring medical care to attract attention, sympathy and sometimes money.

Occasional cases from around the country have made national news and inspired TV dramas and documentaries. But three cases with local roots fill the pages of a major book to be released in February, and one in particular inspires a proposed law to help protect Texas children from mothers with this dangerous and potentially murderous affliction.

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After service in the police departments in Kennedale and Mansfield, Mike Weber joined the force in Arlington, where his path led to undercover narcotics work and then the crimes against children detail in 2004. It was a challenging but rewarding pursuit, with often arduous investigations and frequently life-or-death stakes. But success meant saving children from harm, and his successes led to his hiring at the Tarrant County District Attorneys Office in 2008.

Tarrant County detective Mike Weber holds a box of files used to investigate one child medical abuse case, in his office at the Tarrant County Plaza Building on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Weber has investigated 35 claims of medical child abuse, otherwise known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Political winds led to periods of varying enthusiasm in the DA offices pursuit of such cases, so Mike was pleased to accept an offer from Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn in 2018  to devote his remaining years as an investigator to the prosecution of what is now more broadly called medical child abuse.

Mike retired recently after an illustrious career that finds him as one of the nations most sought-after experts on this harrowing category of crime, and I could not be prouder. I know a little about his path because Mike was a friend of my wifes back in his earliest cop days, and he has now been a friend of our family for more than 20 years.

I have been friends with Waybourn for years as well, but I did not know of his vital connection to this issue until I read The Mother Next Door by Mike and co-author Andrea Dunlop, coming out Feb. 4. It contains in-depth stories of three mothers, all in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, who ravaged their children with the grotesque obsessions of Munchausen until an overwhelmed and undertrained system tried to bring accountability.

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One of the cases features Brittany Phillips, who not only withheld food from her daughter but also fed human waste into her IV line or feeding tube, all to create sickness that would attract the kind of attention and empathy craved by Munchausen moms. She was convicted in 2015, and her daughter Alyssa has flourished into a healthy teenager  adopted by none other than Waybourn and his wife.

Under Waybourn, Tarrant County has stood as a rare jurisdiction paying appropriate attention to medical child abuse offenses. Mike Webers years of investigating the confounding mazes of various cases fill the pages of The Mother Next Door. It reads like a true-crime novel thanks to the talents of Dunlop, who has her own emotional connection to the issue, stemming from her belief that a family member may be victimizing her children in a similar fashion.

That passion has led her to write on the issue for years. She met Mike at a hospital conference on child maltreatment in California in 2020. Her writing skill and Mikes case experience are combined in the book and several episodes of Dunlops podcast, No One Should Believe Me.

Both hope the book increases awareness of the challenges and obstacles that can impede investigation and prosecution of the monsters who foist this cruelty upon the children they are supposed to love and care for. But as Mike wraps up a noble career of shining light on this crime, there is pushback from a community I have otherwise found common ground with.

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Parents rights are a frequent focus these days, and properly so, as parents have sought to maintain control over decisions regarding their kids health care, education and other areas. But a determined subset of the movement is mightily annoyed by the prospect of advanced attention to medical child abuse. Identifying their kids as medically fragile or medically complex, they fear the increased likelihood of false accusations of abuse. Is a mother who is a constant return visitor for a childs medical treatment a Munchausen-fueled predator or a loving parent covering every base amid a difficult diagnosis?

Tarrant County detective Mike Weber poses for a portrait at the Tarrant County Plaza Building on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. Weber has investigated 35 claims of medical child abuse, otherwise known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

Thats not a bad question, but Mike has an answer for it, and he presented it at an American Enterprise Institute panel in Washington last month. The topic was the proper parameters for parental rights, and one guest seemed to deride most prosecutions as undue targeting of overburdened parents ripe for false accusations of abuse.

Mikes solution: follow the facts and the evidence, as he has done every step of his career. Munchausen parents often display a telltale list of pathological behaviors. They are master manipulators, often caught in obvious lies that get swept away because of a hesitancy to question a super-motivated mom with a seemingly sick child. They are famous for doctor shopping, carting their suffering kids from place to place to seek new avenues for unneeded treatment while evading detection of their abuse. Their profiles are vastly different from innocent, dedicated parents doing their best in complex cases featuring fragile kids.

Child-abuse investigations present the most razor-thin margin for error. Cast an overzealous eye, and families can be unduly broken as kids are improperly removed. Show insufficient attention to red flags, and kids can die. As in every other line of police work and prosecutions, we need to be able to trust a system that exists to protect kids and punish those who threaten them, sparing the innocent without glossing over the guilty.

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Clarity can be elusive, but today, there is too much fog. Childrens hospitals need more staff with the skills to identify cases that may prompt proper suspicion of medical child abuse. States need better child protective training programs to help navigate the particularly vexing task of discerning what is  and is not  evidence of such crimes. And were getting to a point where doctors are hearing criticism from a chorus accusing the profession of overeagerness to identify abuse.

Texas lawmakers have had repeated opportunities to enact a law making it a specific crime to intentionally lie to a medical professional for the purpose of obtaining unnecessary medical treatment. Are the failed attempts a product of insufficient grasp of the seriousness of the issue or fear of reprisal from energized critics? Either way, the latest version of such a law is Texas House Bill 1984, creating a third-degree felony for the kind of malicious nightmare visited upon Brittany Phillips daughter and others like her.

That young lady is 17 today. Her name is Alyssa, and the law would be named for her. No more delays. The Legislature should pass it, and the governor should sign it.

Mark Davis hosts a morning radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth on 660-AM and at 660amtheanswer.com. Follow him on X: @markdavis .
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Police are investigating a shooting that killed one person in Anderson on Friday night.

According to the Anderson Police Department, the shooting took place at around 7:45 p.m. at a home on Osborne Ave.

Police said officers and deputies were called to respond to the shooting, after multiple shots were fired.

At the scene, investigators found a Michael Allen Rhodes, 20, with a fatal gunshot wound. An autopsy has been scheduled, and Rhodes death has been ruled a homicide.

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Officials are waiting on a search warrant, interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence.

Details are limited at this time. Stay up to date with 7NEWS on the air and online as more information is made available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Costco and the Teamsters union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, avoiding a strike, the union said Saturday.

Teamsters spokesman Matthew McQuaid confirmed the agreement, which will have to be approved by members. Details of the agreement weren't immediately available. The Associated Press left a message seeking comment with Costco.

The Teamsters union represents 18,000 Costco workers in six states: California, Washington, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey and New York. Overall, Costco has 219,000 U.S. employees and 617 U.S. stores. The company said its labor agreement with the Teamsters applies to less than 10% of those stores.

On Jan. 20, Teamsters members at Costco voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike if a new three-year contract agreement wasnt reached by midnight Friday, when the current contract expired.

Union members wanted the Issaquah, Washington, company to make a contract offer that reflects its sales and profit growth. Costcos revenue rose 5% to $254 billion in its most recent fiscal year, which ended Sept. 1. The company reported net income of $7.36 billion, double its profit in 2019.

Costco Teamsters deserve an industry-leading contract that reflects the companys massive profits. If Costco thinks they can exploit our members while raking in billions, well shut them down, Teamsters General President Sean OBrien said in a statement.
UPDATE: El Paso County Commissioners Court unanimously passed a resolution on Monday, Feb. 3 on immigration, calling for dignified treatment of all.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss and possibly approve a resolution at its meeting on Monday, Feb. 3 that would reaffirm El Paso Countys commitment to respect the constitutional rights of all persons within the County and to seek dignified treatment of all.

This comes on the heels of a slew of executive orders and directives in the first two weeks of the new Trump Administration in Washington, many of which deal with immigration and border enforcement.

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Commissioners Court will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday on the third floor of the County Courthourse, 500 E. San Antonio.

Commissioners Court has tentatively scheduled a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday to talk about the resolution.

The Commissioners Court agenda says the resolution is in response to the new administrations recent executive orders and addresses concerns over the treatment of individuals along the border.

The resolution reads in part:

WHEREAS, this federal administrations attempts to unilaterally overhaul U.S. immigration policy and border security will result in the further militarization of communities like El Paso and likely lead to the illegal profiling of residents of Hispanic descent. These actions pose economic, social, and legal challenges and have the potential to cause irreparable harm to the economy and social fabric of this community;

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and, WHEREAS, this federal administrations attempt to scapegoat all immigrants for the actions of a few will undermine the publics trust in government institutions and law enforcement, making it less likely that the public will feel comfortable reporting crime and cooperating with law enforcement;

and, WHEREAS, El Paso County affirms its commitment to speaking out and against unlawful actions and has already done so by filing amicus briefs opposing the end of birthright citizenship and opposing efforts to close the local shelter, Annunciation House;

and, WHEREAS, while El Paso County abides by local and state laws to keep our community safe, we affirm our commitment to protecting members of our community against unjust discrimination and abuse at the hands of government.



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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The county is issuing a warning about tuberculosis exposure at Palomar High School in Chula Vista.

Officials said the County Tuberculosis Program is currently working closely with the Sweetwater Union High School District to notify anyone that may have been exposed during the previous school year. Students, staff and contractors were potentially exposed from Feb. 24 to June 5, 2024.

They can be infectious for three to six months prior to their diagnosis or longer, according to Doctor Jeffrey Percak, Medical Director of Tuberculosis Control and Refugee Health for San Diego County. He added that helps to explain why exposures go back to the previous school year.

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Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection usually affecting the lungs. Dr. Edward Greene at Sharp Rees-Stealy said its transmitted through the air.

The symptoms are about three weeks in duration. You develop chills, fever, body aches. The main thing is coughing up blood, Dr. Greene said.

However, most people who become infected dont get sick right away.

Theres about 175,000 people in San Diego County who are believed to have a latent TB infection. The vast majority dont know it, said Dr. Percak. Of that figure, 5-10% may develop active TB at some point in their life.

San Diego County does have among the highest rates of active tuberculosis in the United States. San Diego County has higher rates of active TB than the state of California, added Dr. Percak.

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After decades of declining, TB cases have been ticking up in San Diego County. There were 193 cases in 2020, 201 cases in 2021, 208 cases in 2022 and 243 cases in 2023.

Anyone identified as having an increased risk following exposure should test. Those who test positive and dont have symptoms should get an x-ray and start treatment to prevent future illness.

It can be deadly if its not treated. A normal bacterial infection you can treat with antibiotics in seven to 10 days. If it is active tuberculosis, were talking several medications and antibiotics four to seven months, Dr. Greene said.

For more information on the San Diego County Tuberculosis Control Program, click here. A risk assessment tool can be found here.

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Groton  U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, is advocating for student housing and more academic opportunities at the University of Connecticut's Avery Point campus in light of economic growth in the region, including at Electric Boat.

His letter of support comes amid discussions within the university about the potential addition of housing and more four-year majors at the regional campus in the City of Groton.

The university is planning a community meeting at 5 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Branford House at 1084 Shennecossett Road to have a conversation with the community.

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Courtney's letter cites that the Bureau of Labor Statistics found the Norwich-New London-Westerly region had a 3.2% growth in 2023  the fastest growth in all of Connecticut and second highest in New England"  and that there were "4,000 new hires at Electric Boat  bringing the total EB workforce to over 24,000."

Courtney said Friday he has visited Avery Point many times to attend events and speak with students. He said it's apparent to everyone how "stunning an institution" the college is. but without housing, it cannot achieve its full potential.

"UConn Avery Point is uniquely positioned to not only benefit but also to contribute to the economic boom that we are experiencing in the region," Courtney wrote in a letter Thursday to University of Connecticut President Radenka Maric.

Courtney also cites that "the trilateral Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) security agreement is generating increased collaboration in the applied research sector."

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He wrote he is "convinced that UConn and URIs partnership for the National Institute of Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT) provides the Navy and Electric Boat with unique opportunities to increase the capability of our undersea fleet."

He said an agreement between UConn and the "University of Adelaide in Australia will build mutually beneficial academic and scientific capabilities, and this collaboration will result in increased visits and exchanges between our research institutions."

Courtney wrote that increasing the engineering, business, and other four-year degrees at Avery Point would help people in the region obtain the job opportunities in the area, but he pointed to a lack of housing as a concern.

"Combined with the highly competitive and costly local housing market, this could make attending Avery Point more challenging or financially unfeasible  resulting in the loss of a talent pool that can potentially meet the demands of the regions workforce needs," Courtney wrote.

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Anne D'Alleva, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Connecticut, said a focus on the university's four regional campuses  Avery Point, Hartford, Waterbury and Stamford  is one of the principles of the university's new strategic plan.

D'Alleva said Avery Point, which is home to the marine sciences department, Connecticut Sea Grant, and two research vessels, among other elements, has so much to offer. She said the university is looking to expand Avery Point's offerings, especially undergraduate classes.

"We do amazing work in civil engineering and on coastal resilience research out of the Avery Point campus," she said, "and it is a hub for the southeast part of the state for educating both undergraduate and graduate students so there's an interest in expanding the research and engagement work that we do at Avery Point.

She said her office is looking at potentially adding more four-year degrees at Avery Point to meet student interest.

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The university is hiring a faculty member to offer a psychological sciences major at Avery Point, she said.

D'Alleva said that as southeastern Connecticut experiences an economic resurgence and the growth of some of its employers, the university is looking to expand degree offerings, such as in business and engineering.

Meanwhile, the housing crunch in the region, with apartments more expensive and difficult to find, has prompted the university to explore possibly adding student housing at Avery Point, she said. The university is reviewing and evaluating housing and other campus development proposals and the university's financial picture.

She said the university will not be ready to share potential housing plans at the Feb. 10 meeting, but wants to hear from campus neighbors to ensure there is good communication about some of the work the university is doing.

k.drelich@theday.com
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Looking for an all inclusive Valentines social in Shreveport?

PACE: NW Louisiana Lgbtq+ Advocacy, is hosting a Valentines Social on Saturday February 8 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Lyons Pride Coffee located at 3809 Youree Drive.

According to a Facebook event, there will be coffee, treats, and a valentine craft station!

Chocolate Tasting Day with Local Market on Line

The group says its all about connecting, having fun, and just being in good company. This event is open to everyonenot just members.

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For more information, visit the Facebook event.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT)  A Craven County man was arrested and charged with felony dissemination of obscenity to a minor.

Joseph Ray Batchelor, 28, was jailed under a secured bond. The investigation is ongoing and more charges are expected.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WNCT.
(WIVT/WBGH)  Valentines Day is coming up, and our state senator is encouraging families to create custom cards for those feeling lonely.

Senator Lea Webb launched her 2nd Annual Valentines Day Cards for Seniors initiative.

Last year, over 30 local schools made Valentines cards that went to seniors in 22 different nursing homes.

Webb says the cards should show love and kindness, aimed at reducing the feeling of isolation that many people can experience around the holiday.

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She says last year, her office collected and distributed over 2,000 cards, and this year, theyre hoping for more.

You could just see like the spark in the students eyes as they were making them. They were so excited. And then, for the seniors that received them, and they didnt that they were receiving them. It was a beautiful and pleasant surprise. Folks were not only appreciative, but they felt seen, said Webb.

There are seven places where you can drop off your cards, including Webbs Binghamton Office, the Broome County Public Library, and George F Johnson Memorial Library. Plus, Webbs Ithaca Office, the Southworth Library in Dryden, the Cortland Free Library and the Cortland Youth Bureau.

The deadline to drop off cards is Thursday February 6 at 5 p.m.

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Crews contained a fire in a third floor apartment in Reading Friday afternoon, according to city fire officials.

Firefighters were called to the scene of the blaze in the 100 block of N. Ninth Street about 1:56 p.m., according to Jeremy Searfoss, city fire marshal.

Heavy smoke was reported from the third floor.

Searfoss said the fire was contained to the stove area and surrounding cabinetry of a third floor apartment in the building. He said the fire was under control in 20 minutes.

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The building held three apartments, and the residents of each, six people in total, are seeking aid from the Red Cross since the building is without power.

Searfoss said a ballpark estimate for the damage was about $15,000.
ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WTNH)  Fire crews say Rocky Hills Stop & Shop had a hazardous materials leak Friday night.

At about 7:40, Rocky Hill Fire Department crews said they arrived to the scene, located at 80 Town Line Rd., for reports of a refrigerant leak.

Michael P. Garrahy, Chief of the Rocky Hill Fire Department, said, On arrival, the incident commander was notified that the leak had been active for a period of time before the RHFD was notified.

Photos provided by the Rocky Hill Fire Department

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Store managers and fire crews shared data pertaining to the specifics of the leak and established safety zones.

Fire officials said the store was evacuated and they notified the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to help.

DEEP made entry at about 9:05 and the leak was under control at about 9:33, according to Garrahy.

Fire crews said they ventilated the store and turned off the rooftop air handlers.

Garrahy said the incident ended at about 11:20 and no injuries were reported.

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COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  The first month of the new year is coming to a close. The Columbus Police on where we stand on crime so far this year.

According to the Columbus Police Department, January is a month that can either see a high or low crime rate.

Roderick Graham is the Deputy Chief of Administrative Services he breaks down the crime rates for January 2025 compared to January 2024.

Graham explains the City of Columbus has seen a 75% decrease in Murders, 52% decrease in robberies and a nearly 40% reduction in Theft by motor vehicle.

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Looking at our larceny which normally is a problematic crime for us. We see were trending at 35% almost 36% as well, Graham explains. Thats going to be something that we want to definitely keep our eye on because we want to make sure that the strategies that we are applying to address entering autos are effective.

Graham credits these drops to the department implementing numerous crime prevention strategies. He highlights two in particular  increase to staff and enrichment to current units.

Graham explains, When you improve the staffing, you have more people thats available to deal with the crime matters that we have. We worked at doing that and we have made a significant increasein our staffing level.

Our community policing unit out there actually in the community, seeing whats going on in the community, talking to citizens in the community to get a better feeling for different crimes that may be occurring in the community that was not being reported, Graham says. If its not reported then we cant monitor it, but now we have individuals out there that can actually establish relationships with individuals in the community.

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Graham says if Columbus stays on track with the current daily average of part one crimes, Columbus will see a reduction for the first quarter of 2025 compared to that of 2024.

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AUSTIN (Nexstar)  Proponents of education savings accounts (ESA) will have a close eye on Gov. Greg Abbotts State of the State address Sunday evening, where he is likely to declare school choice an emergency item. If he does, it would allow the Texas Senate to pass its ESA legislation as early as next week.

The bill carrying the ESA legislation, SB 2, cleared the Senate Education K-16 Committee this week with no amendments. It would provide $2,000 per student for home schooling, $10,000 for students attending an accredited private school, and $11,500 for students with disabilities.

During the hearing in the senate committee this week, though, some senators questioned whether the money would be enough to cover the costs associated with private school.

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Im not sure that will cover  and in many schools it will cover tuition but it may not cover uniforms, transportation, lunch, said State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio.

The money in the ESA can be used for tuition, instructional materials, higher education courses, trade certificates, assessment costs, tutoring and transportation.

SB 2 author Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, said it is a great question to raise, but said that he believes his bills framework is enough to give low-income families enough money to send them to the private school of their choice.

Were above the average on the allotments for public school kids. Were above the average tuition for private schools across Texas, and theres incredible philanthropy to help fill the gap for any low income students who need additional help, Creighton said.

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His office references data obtained by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission which shows private school tuition in 2023-2024 was:

GRADE LEVEL AVERAGE MEDIAN K-8 $10,965 $8,900 9-12 $14,986 $12,500

His office also points to numbers shared by the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops, which says 48% of students in Texas Catholic schools receive tuition assistance with the average amount provided at $3,400.

But critics argue the number of private schools are not equally distributed around the state. For example, Austin has 78 accredited private schools while San Angelo only has four. State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, said he opposes the bill, arguing that the median tuition of K-8 grade level of private schools is weighted down by a lot of small enrollment schools that will not have enough slots.

He adds that the median price for tuition is higher in the metro areas.

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If you gave my former students on the west side of San Antonio a $10,000 voucher, theres still no way they could afford a $20,000 a year private school, Talarico explained.

He also points out that special education private schools are far more expensive than the average private school. According to Private School Review, the average tuition for those specialty schools is $20,871. Students with disabilities can earn up to $11,500 a year in the proposed ESA program.

Future of the bill

A version of SB 2 passed several times out of the higher chamber in sessions prior to this year, but has never been able to get enough support in the House of Representatives. Currently there is no house bill to accompany SB 2, but Creighton says he is encouraged the Houses budget proposal mirrors the Senate version in providing $1 billion for an ESA program.

Lawmakers are not allowed to approve any bill in the first 60 days of session unless the Governor declares an item as an emergency. Abbott has said school choice is a top priority for him and even worked to campaign against House Republicans who voted against the bill last session.

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He has said he has enough votes in the House to get school choice passed this year, and he is gaining more support for school choice in Washington D.C. President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday that directs multiple federal agencies to provide a plan or guidance to states on how they can use federal dollars to provide scholarship programs for grade school students.

Im just excited that President Trump is supporting Texas and the rest of the country in this effort, said Creighton said of the executive order.

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(COLORADO SPRINGS)  The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) performed a Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement (BATTLE) deployment on Jan. 31 and arrested five in connection to stolen vehicles.

On Friday, CSPD, along with the Colorado State Parole, and the El Paso County Sheriffs Office arrested five people during the deployment, including 28-year-old Ashley Ikener-Contratto, 30-year-old Edward Ruiz, 27-year-old Dakota Mayer, 23-year-old Mykel Lala and 59-year-old Craig Doty.

During the deployment, seven stolen cars were recovered. One of the recoveries was for a family expecting their first baby. Detectives were able to locate and return the vehicle, which included all their baby supplies, to the family.

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(PUEBLO)  The Colorado State University (CSU) System announced on Friday, Jan. 31 that it accepted CSU Pueblo President Armando Valdezs resignation effective immediately after he was found to have violated policy.

According to a statement, CSU performed an independent investigation and was found to have violated a university policy.

While Mr. Valdez disagrees with the conclusions of that investigation, he recognizes that it has caused him to lose the confidence of the Board of Governors and CSU System leadership, CSU wrote. As a result, to allow the university to move forward, he resigned his role.

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FOX21 News reached out to CSU, who said they are not commenting on personnel issues.

The board has asked Rico Munn, former superintendent of Aurora Public Schools, to serve as interim president. Munn is a past chair of the Board of Governors and past executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Most recently, he served as VP for Metro Denver Engagement and Strategy, overseeing the CSU Spur campus, and CSU strategy in Denver, after two years as chief of staff to CSU President Amy Parsons.

Rico Munn brings deep knowledge of higher education and education as a whole and knows the mission and role of CSU Pueblo well, Board Chair John Fischer said. We are confident in his ability to help steer the campus forward during this interim period, with the support of the universitys excellent Cabinet-level leadership team.

Fischer said the focus has been ensuring there is solid and effective leadership moving forward at CSU Pueblo.Search details and next steps will be announced at a later date.

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The CSU System Board of Governors, the CSU System Chancellor and System leadership team are  and will continue to be  invested in the success of CSU Pueblo and will maintain support of CSU Pueblo administrators, faculty, staff and students, Fischer said.

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As the second administration of President Trump continues its crackdown on veteran federal workers deemed insufficiently loyal  or just not enthusiastic enough about enacting the Project 2025 agenda  his Justice Department is now purging federal prosecutors who made cases against Capitol rioters.

On Friday, Ed Martin, interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who has espoused conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being stolen from Trump, announced the firings of approximately 30 attorneys formerly assigned to some 1,600 Capitol siege prosecutions. The terminated individuals received notice at around 5 p.m. ahead of the weekend. Meanwhile, the administration is reportedly acting to remove a number of FBI agents known to have been involved in investigations of Trump and the sacking of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Martins connections to those charged in connection to Jan. 6 and later pardoned by Trump are strong: he spoke at a Stop the Steal rally on the night before the riot and wound up defending some participants in court. A staunch Trump loyalist, he has even referred to federal prosecutors as [the] Presidents lawyers in a post on X. As he stepped into his new role this month, he helped facilitate various filings to dismiss pending charges against Jan. 6 defendants.

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The president has effectively undone the Justice Departments sweeping investigation into the insurrection staged at the Capitol by his supporters by issuing blanket pardons and commutations to defendants and convicted parties. He has described those jailed for their role in trying to prevent the certification of Joe Bidens 2020 electoral victory as J6 hostages.

According to The Washington Post, the D.C. attorneys purged on Friday amount to 8 percent of the offices prosecutors. They had been hired for permanent career positions, from which theyve now been ousted. The move was only possible because these employees were still under probationary status, having first come aboard as short-term additional hires to deal with the enormous Jan. 6 caseload  which means they have no recourse in challenging their dismissal.

The revenge against those prosecutors seemed an extension of a mostly symbolic executive order Trump recently signed to end the weaponization of the federal government. The order mentioned the legal travails of the Capitol riot defendants. It accused the Biden administration of a systematic campaign against its perceived political opponents, weaponizing the legal force of numerous Federal law enforcement agencies and the Intelligence Community against those perceived political opponents in the form of investigations, prosecutions, civil enforcement actions, and other related actions. It also promised that the Trump administration would take appropriate action to correct past misconduct in these areas.

Also on the chopping block this week were investigators and staffers from the team of former special counsel Jack Smith, who had prosecuted Trump. Acting U.S. Attorney General James R. McHenry fired these employees, as expected, though Smith himself had resigned from the Justice Department ahead of Trump taking office, with former Attorney General Merrick Garland then releasing his damning report on Trumps attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The case had been tossed once Trump won reelection in November of last year. House Democrats have launched a review of the dismissal of the career employees who worked with Smith.

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Yet the GOP campaign of brazen retribution is unlikely to end anytime soon. Martin has already promised an investigation into the Justice Departments application of a felony charge, obstruction of an official proceeding, in various Capitol siege cases. These charges had to be dropped last summer after the Supreme Court ruled that they had been too widely applied. In a memo to staff, Martin called it a great failure of our office. Like other Trump allies, it appears that hes not content to merely wind back the past four years but would like to punish his predecessors.

CORRECTION: This original headline of this story mistakenly said that the D.C. Attorney General fired the prosecutors who worked on Capitol riot cases. The headline has been updated to reflect that the attorneys were fired by the U.S. attorney in D.C.

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NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  An Orleans Parish jury found a man guilty of shooting at NOPD officers back in 2023 after a domestic violence incident.

This survivor will never talk again. Never walk again. Her life has been forever changed by this mans violence. To be bedridden for the rest of your life, some say, is worse than death, said Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.

Williams says on the night of Oct. 13, 2023, police responded to calls about a woman being shot in the 2000 block of North Dorgenois Street.

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NOPD, New Orleans officials among many accused of negligence in Bourbon Street attack civil lawsuit

When police arrived they found 30-year-old Taylor Berry holding a gun in his hand. He refused to drop it, which resulted in an officer firing at, but missing Berry.

He was arrested and pleaded not guilty.

If it werent for surveillance cameras its unclear how things would have happened.

The surveillance captured the maybe seconds before shooting the victim in the head. He punched her in the face. He headbutted her, and then within minutes or seconds, he shot her, and his attempt after the fact to move her body, said Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Geissmann.

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Geissmann adds he showed no remorse.

He was making excuses every step of the way. After the fact, I asked the deputy in court what occurred, and he said when he got into the back with the defendant, the defendant said to him, well, I didnt see that coming,  said Geissmann.

LaPlace man accused of shooting at bicyclist

The jury found Berry guilty of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault on a police officer, obstruction of justice and illegal discharge of a firearm during a violent crime.

Prosecutors say cases of domestic violence are some of the most dangerous. They want others going through domestic violence to know theyll be there to help.

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We will stand with you. No matter how difficult the case is, no matter the obstacles we have to overcome. We cannot tell your story as well as you can. We will fight with you throughout the process, said Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney Joseph Tucker.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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DALLAS COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  Four teenagers were killed and a fifth was injured following a single-vehicle crash that occurred Thursday night in Dallas County, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

The crash occurred when a 2006 Toyota Avalon being driven by an 18-year-old from Wetumpka left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver, as well as three passengers, were pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased passengers were identified as Isaiah D. McDade, 19, of Pike Road, Tyler O. Jones, 19, of Montgomery and a 17-year-old from Selma.

Birmingham man killed in Marengo County crash

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An additional passenger, identified as Deneco D. Smith, of Montgomery, was injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.

None of the passengers in the vehicle were using seat belts at the time of the crash.

The crash occurred on U.S. 80 near the 90 mile marker, about 10 miles east of Selma city limits. Troopers with ALEAs Highway Patrol Division are investigating the crash.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A 41-year-old man has been convicted of stabbing two people to death in Darke County and will spend the next 30 years in jail.

According to Dark County court records Adam Uchyn, stabbed both 63-year-old Michelle Phipps and 57-year-old James Donnelly on Friday, April 14, 2023.

The stabbing happened in the 4200 block of Weavers-Fort Jefferson Road before 5 a.m.

Darke Co. murder suspect back in Ohio: Charges filed

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According to his court documents, he will stay at the Correctional Reception Center in Pickaway County until his expected release date of April 12, 2053.

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The international community and global media may overlook the ongoing civil war in Myanmar (also known as Burma and Brahmadesh), but the ground situation indicates perpetual chaos. Thousands have been killed, thousands more injured, and millions, including women and children, have been rendered homeless due to the conflict that erupted after the military coup four years ago. Relentless fighting between the ruling military junta and ethnic armed groups, supported by a large section of Burmese nationals, has further complicated the situation. Lately, the junta forces, led by Min Aung Hlaing, have begun losing influence, and currently, less than 50% of the countrys territory remains under their direct control.

Latest reports reveal that the junta now controls only 32% of Myanmars townships, with 24% falling into full conflict zones and 44% under the control of revolutionary forces, ethnic resistance organizations, and peoples defense forces. To date, the Buddhist-majority nation has witnessed the killing of over 6,000 civilians, mostly by junta soldiers. No less than 27,000 people were arrested, and nearly 21,000 remain in military custody. Continuous airstrikes by junta forces on populated areas, setting many villages and urban localities ablaze across the country of 55 million people, have become commonplace. More than 3.2 million people have been displaced and are currently facing acute food, medical, and other logistical crises. In many relief camps, essential commodities have been prevented or restricted from transport and distribution among affected families by military authorities.

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Notably, the revolutionary forces under the banner of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, comprising the Arakan Army, Taang National Liberation Army, and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, launched a massive offensive (titled Operation 1027) in late 2023. To date, the ethnic groups and resistance forces have gained full control over 144 townships, leaving only 107 townships under the juntas authority, with 79 townships still facing offensives from anti-junta forces. According to a Burmese source in Yangon, the junta has lost 173 military battalion headquarters, including two regional military commands, six command headquarters, and six strategic military bases, as well as 742 frontline outposts to the revolutionary fighters.

Moreover, the armed militias have brought under control the important routes connecting the border towns with Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and China. The AA fighters, in particular, captured 15 out of 17 Arakanese townships in western Myanmar along with a large number of military bases, including the juntas strategic Western Command headquarters in Ann locality. Following the intervention of China, the TNLA and MNDAA announced a ceasefire, but their fighters had already seized over 15 townships as well as several military bases (including Northeastern Command Headquarters in Lashio) in northern Shan State and the Mandalay region.

Now, the junta is planning to conduct national elections this year. The junta-controlled Union Election Commission has even started preliminary preparations for the polls, including a countrywide census. However, the electoral process in the land of Golden Pagodas remains doubtful since its independence in 1948. The powerful government armed forces often dictate the political leadership, and the military-drafted 2008 Constitution has made the situation more critical for pro-democracy activists, as it reserves 25 percent of parliamentary seats for military personnel and their associates. The continued detention of pro-democracy crusader Daw Aung Suu Kyi, who turns 80 on June 19th, for a total of 19 years has only made the situation more complex.

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A comparison between the February 1, 2021, military coup and present-day Myanmar reflects that the country was experiencing a kind of political stability and economic growth under a quasi-democratic government in Naypyidaw, but now the whole country has become a battleground, where millions of civilians are suffering. The arbitrary military operations, including over 3,000 airstrikes on populated areas, have resulted in the deaths of at least 6,224 people, including 711 children and 1,387 women. The number of political prisoners has surged from 234 before the coup to 21,711 as of last month. A huge number of elected representatives, pro-democracy activists, writer-journalists, artists, and civilians have been imprisoned for opposing the military regime.

Myanmar has also become a dangerous country for working journalists, many of whom are murdered, jailed, and several independent media houses have been shut down with impunity for the perpetrators. Since the coup, no less than seven journalists were killed and 200 others arrested by the junta, with 43 journalists remaining under detention and 11 scribes serving long-term prison terms. Recently, the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) issued a statement that there may be more journalists under detention, which is yet to come to light. It added that the military dictators unjustly arrested media workers under brutal laws like the Unlawful Associations Act, Counter-Terrorism Law, Telecommunications Law, Explosive Substances Act, Natural Disaster Management Law, Immigration Act, etc.

Appreciating the IPCM for documenting the media casualties and detentions under the current Burmese junta, the global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) urged the military regime to release all detained media persons without condition or delay. PEC records reveal that since the last coup, the country lost journalists Ko Myat Thu Tun (Democratic Voice of Burma), Htet Myat Thu (Voice of Thanbyuzayat), Win Htut Oo (DVB), Pu Tui Dim (Khonumthung Media Group), Sai Win Aung (Federal News Journal), Aye Kyaw, and Ko Soe Naing (both freelancers) to military tortures. The PEC also added that a large number of media workers had already left Myanmar to escape the juntas increasing persecution.
Carolina Alo was 17 years old the night her father, Edgardo, saw her for the last time. In their final conversation, he pleaded with Carolina to leave her boyfriend because of the way he treated her.

Almost 30 years later, Edgardo remembers the following night as if it were today.

I went to look for her at the school because I had received a call that made me suspicious. When I didnt see her leave or find her at my house, I went straight to her boyfriends house, he recalled to CNN.

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By the time he arrived, his daughter was already dead. She had been stabbed 113 times by her boyfriend Fabian Tablado a week before her 18th birthday.

That cold Monday in 1996 was the beginning of a long fight by Edgardo to get justice for his daughter  one that would span decades and culminate in his testimony playing a pivotal role in a wider campaign to revise Argentinas penal code to recognize femicide as an aggravating factor in homicide cases.

That campaign  led by womens movements and human rights organizations  finally succeeded when Argentinas government changed the code in 2012, but now, more than a decade on, many campaigners like Edgardo are wondering if their fight was in vain.

On January 24, Argentinas Minister of Justice Mariano Cuneo Libarona warned on X that the government of President Javier Milei would seek to eliminate femicide from the penal code on the grounds it was a distortion of the concept of equality.

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This administration defends equality before the law, as enshrined in our national Constitution. No life is worth more than another, he wrote.

Critics say the move is just the latest by the right-wing Milei government to clamp down on womens rights. It comes after the president spoke out against the concept of femicide and what he called radical feminism at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

We have even got to the point of normalizing the fact that in many supposedly civilized countries, if you kill a woman, it is called femicide. And this carries more serious punishment than if you kill a man simply based on the sex of the victim  legally making a womans life be worth more than that of a man, Milei told the forum.

Sources at the justice ministry have told CNN that Cuneo Libarona is already working on proposed changes to the law that he plans to take to Congress.

Argentina's President Javier Milei in Montevideo, Uruguay, on December 6, 2024. - Mariana Greif/Reuters

But campaigners warn that such reform misunderstands the nature of femicide and will put Argentine women in greater danger.

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The violent death of women for reasons of gender is often perpetrated by people in their inner circle, generally current or former partners, or even by strangers, but in a context that includes contempt for the victim, humiliation and sexual assault, explained Natalia Gherardi, a lawyer specializing in gender and co-director of the network of health and legal professionals RedAas.

In general, men are more likely to be victims of murder, but the difference is that women are more likely to be murdered by people in their circle of trust. If one does not understand that the form, the way, the place, the perpetrator of this extreme violence is different, there is no way to have adequate policies to protect these women, said Gherardi.

According to the Ombudsmans Office of the Nation, from January 1 to November 15, 2024, there were 252 femicides in Argentina. Two thirds of the victims were murdered at home, while 84% were killed by someone with whom they had a previous relationship.

I had to go out and fight

At the time of Carolinas killing in the 1990s, sentences for men who killed women in the context of gender violence ranged between eight and 25 years in prison  and these could be reduced by mitigating factors such as good conduct in prison.

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For Edgardo, the 24-year sentence handed to his daughters killer was too lenient; in his view, it failed to reflect the full horror of her killing. The more than 100 stab wounds inflicted on his daughter were made with at least three different knives. Yet her death was classified at the time as simple homicide, according to the sentence.

Experts on femicide say it is exactly these sort of details that single it out as distinct from other homicides, that may or may not involve a woman.

As Mariela Belski, executive director of Amnesty International Argentina, puts it: A femicide is always a homicide, that is, the death of a person at the hands of another. However, the murder of a woman is not necessarily a femicide. For it to be considered a femicide, there must be a particular violence, a specific context. Femicides are rooted in a system that reinforces discrimination against womens lives. At the same time, they reproduce stereotypes of masculinity associated with physical strength and the power to control women.

In Edgardos case, he was shaken too by the knowledge his daughters murderer was asking to be released early and his fears of what might happen to other women. (Indeed, while in prison Tablado was found guilty of threatening another one of his partners, and had an extra two years and six months added to his sentence).

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So Edgardo set about knocking on doors, spending years meeting lawyers, jurists and presidents, joining a wider movement by campaigners to change the law.

I had to go out and fight because the law did not protect me. The judges did not protect me, Edgardo recalls.

Living in fear

After years of pushing, Edgardo and his fellow campaigners were rewarded with a bittersweet victory in 2012, when the change to the penal code recognized femicide and upped the maximum sentence to life imprisonment.

Now, more than a decade later, under the Milei government, that hard-fought victory is coming under threat.

One of the first signs came in August 2024, when Mileis government weakened a support program that provides subsidies to victims of gender-based violence so that they do not have to stay in the place where they are being abused  which for many, is in their family home.

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The governments move reduced the length of support from six to three months and introduced a requirement that applicants produce a police report confirming their situation. But critics point out that many victims of domestic violence feel too scared to go to the police in the first place.

As Belski, of Amnesty International, put it: It is extremely worrying that the specificity of this type of crime and the obligations of the Argentine state to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women, which have constitutional roots, are not understood.

Meanwhile, 28 years and eight months later, Fabian Tablado is now free, having served his sentences.

The courts have assigned him an electronic ankle bracelet and a restraining order to protect his ex-partner and Edgardo Alo  an order he has in the past violated.

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Edgardo says he lives with an anti-panic button in his pocket.

For him, life was put on hold in 1996. Every Christmas, he says, he keeps a glass on the family table for his beloved daughter.

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David Lammy will meet Donald Trumps secretary of state in a last-ditch effort to convince the US to back the Chagos Islands deal, The Telegraph understands.

The Foreign Secretary is expected to meet Marco Rubio, his US counterpart, later this month. He will address fears that handing the islands to Mauritius will make it easier for China to spy on America.

The fate of the UKs proposal to hand control of the islands to Mauritius is in the balance as Mr Trumps team have now been given full details, allowing line-by-line scrutiny.

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Close allies of the US president have urged Mr Trump to shred the deal for fear it could be exploited by Beijing to spy on the US military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands.

But the Foreign Secretary is expected to try to ease spying concerns and convince Mr Rubio to back the deal when they meet at the Munich Security Conference in two weeks time.

Navin Ramgoolam, the Mauritian prime minister, third left, negotiates with Chinese officials in Port Louis - Imago / Alamy

A Washington-based source told The Telegraph: The next step is ensuring the UK convinces the US during this pause that the deal is a good one.

A good one for them has to be about allaying any fears that have been expressed previously.

The expected meeting will be the first time the two have come face to face since the secretary of state challenged Mr Lammy on the islands in their first call with each other.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, attends a drone demonstration in Tunisia - Ben Dance/FCDO

Meanwhile, The Telegraph can reveal that Mauritius will send a team of diplomats to the United States in another intervention to try and persuade Donald Trump to approve the deal.

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Envoys will descend on New York and Washington DC to meet leading Republicans.

On Friday, Sir Keir Starmer told the Mauritian prime minister that any agreement must not aid Chinas malign influence.

In a final push to rescue the deal, the Mauritius government is ramping-up its diplomatic efforts and will send a wave of new appointees to key locations.

These include Milan Meetarbhan as permanent representative to the UN in New York, while new representatives in London, Paris, Washington, and New Delhi will be appointed in the coming weeks.

Mr Meetarbhan has been assigned to engage with the Trump administration to address Republican concerns about Chinese interference.

Navin Ramgoolam has been warned that the deal must not aid Chinas malign influence - ALBERTO/ALAMY

A key architect of the deal, he twice visited London as part of the delegation headed by Gavin Glover, Mauritiuss attorney general, who led negotiations with the UK.

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We have been working on finding an avenue to try and make sure they [the US] have the facts right, a senior Mauritian cabinet source told The Telegraph.

Our new UN ambassador will be in New York in the next two weeks where he will be in charge of taking this issue [allaying the concerns of Republicans] forward.

The diplomatic appointments come after Dharam Gokhool, the president of Mauritius, said in a speech last week that the country will try to obtain the support of the international community to exercise effective sovereignty over the archipelago that includes Diego Garcia.

As well as diplomats, the country is understood to be hiring more lawyers for its foreign office, as it explores other avenues to take back the islands.

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In a statement, the Mauritian Government said: The government will undertake an evaluation of the diplomacy and enhance the foreign service with a new legal framework and resources.

Priority will be given to capacity-building to enable diplomacy to better promote the vital interests of Mauritius. A centre for international strategic studies to promote capacity building and research will be set up.

Strategic archipelago

Under the proposed agreement, the UK would hand over control of the Chagos Islands, the strategic archipelago in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius.

The remote grouping includes Diego Garcia, the site of a US military base, which Britain would then lease back for 100 years at a cost of 9 billion.

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Critics have repeatedly warned that the agreement would undermine UK and US security, pointing to Mauritiuss increasingly close ties with both China and Iran.

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We are fully focused on engaging with the US through diplomacy to get this deal over the line, another Mauritian government official told The Telegraph.

We are optimistic that the deal will move forward, and we believe the Trump administration will see its value too.

Labour ministers have argued that giving up the islands is the only way to follow international law and guarantee the future security of the Diego Garcia base.

In 2021, the International Court of Justice rejected UK sovereignty over the islands and said they should be handed to Mauritius.

Trump expected to veto

The Telegraph has been told there is a widespread expectation within White House circles that the US president will veto the deal.

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John Kennedy, the Louisiana senator who is a close ally of the president, said Sir Keir Starmer was jeopardising the national security of both the UK and the US.

Its not a good sign for Americas national security that Mauritius is doubling-down on its demand for sovereignty over Diego Garcia, he told The Telegraph.

Whats worse, Mauritius wants to lease Diego Garcia to the UK for less time and more money  reportedly upping the price tag from 90 million to 800 million every year.

Mauritiuss commitment to making a bad deal worse is all the more reason for the US and our allies to disentangle ourselves from dangerous plans to cede the islands.

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By choosing to worship at the altar of political correctness, the prime minister is jeopardising the national security of both his country and mine. This is bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow foolish.

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Many families and childcare providers across the state say this week has felt like a roller coaster after the federal funding freeze affected staff payroll and meals for children.

Sydney Jordan is the owner and director of the Learning Loft Prep School in Atlantas West End.

She has about 100 kids at her daycare.

If children cant go to school, parents cant work, and thats what keeps the economy going, Jordan said.

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Jordan told Channel 2s Tyisha Fernandes that half of her students rely on federal funds so their parents can afford enrollment and the meals many daycares provide.

They may not eat again until they come back the next day, Jordan said.

When the federal government froze funds on Monday, Jordan got two letters from two different state programs that get their money from Washington, even though the memo ordering the freeze was rescinded Wednesday.

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I dont wanna have my parents go from paying $45 a week in childcare to paying $300 a week in childcare on short notice. Its been very unsettling to say the least, Jordan said.

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Sharon Foster services about 1,200 kids at different daycares across metro Atlanta.

Its been a real roller coaster for us this week, Foster said.

Half of her students rely on federal funds, too. She thought the state government would have stepped in.

I feel like in this situation they have a $16 billion surplus they couldve relied on to float us through this crisis as opposed to putting it on us to float them. I wouldve liked to see things handled a little differently, Foster said.

A spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp told Fernandes that legally they couldnt move that money as fast or as easily as many people think.

The daycare owners Fernandes spoke with said they both got notices Friday saying the money is coming. Theyre hoping it does, but they are worried about the future.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Congressional leaders from the D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia region called on the Department of Defense (DOD) to halt helicopter training flights in the airspace around Regan National Airport (DCA).

Their demands were outlined in a three-page letter issued two days after a tragic mid-air collision between a U.S. Army Blackhawk Helicopter and an American Airlines plane claimed the lives of 67 people.

Addressed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Army Mark Averill, they also urged for a safety review on the future of military helicopter training in the area.

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We are deeply concerned about this tragic collision and its broader ramifications for the National Capital Regions airspace, they wrote, in part.

Memorial at Gravelly Point honors victims of deadly mid-air collision near DCA

DCAs runway is the busiest runway in the country, they wrote. The airport typically sees 800 aircraft takeoffs and landings every day, with an above-average number of missed approaches and early turnouts.

Combined with military trainings taking place in the same airspace, the area is overcrowded and above recommended capacity.

Officials also said just before Wednesdays collision, another airplane was forced to abort a landing due to a near miss with a helicopter.

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Following the National Transportation Safety Boards (NTSB) investigation into the deadly collision, lawmakers urged that helicopter training be permanently relocated after the areas airspace or, at a minimum, redirected away from DCA.

Situating helicopter trainings beside the busiest runway in the country is an

inappropriate risk when much of America has significantly clearer airspaces that could provide

the same benefits to such training with much lower risk. We absolutely cannot risk further loss of

life, both civilian and military, for entirely preventable reasons, the letter concluded.

The following leaders signed on to the letter:

Washington, D.C.: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

Virginia: Don Beyer; Gerry Connolly Suhas Subramanyam; Eugene Vindman; Bobby Scott; Jennifer McClellan

Maryland: Glenn Ivey; Jamie Raskin; Steny Hoyer; April McClain Delaney; Sarah Elfreth

The lawmakers full, signed letter can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The death toll from a Russian attack on an apartment block in the city of Poltava has risen to eleven people, including one child.

Source: Ukraine's State Emergency Service

Details: The State Emergency Service reported at 21:44 that the death toll had risen to nine.

17 people were injured, including 4 children. 22 people were rescued.

Updated: The State Emergency Service reported at 21:44 that the death toll had risen to nine.

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17 people were injured, including 4 children. 22 people were rescued.

Photo: The State Emergency Service

The State Emergency Service reported at 22:42 that the death toll had risen to 10. 17 people were injured, including four children.

Updated as of 23:15: The death toll has increased to 11 people - one person died in hospital.

16 people were injured, including four children. 22 people were rescued.

Photo: The State Emergency Service

Emergency workers are continuing the search and rescue operations.

Previously: Earlier, the State Emergency Service reported that the number of people injured in the Poltava strike had risen to 17, including four children aged 3 months, 2, 8 and 12.

It was previously reported that seven people had been killed in the attack, and no children were mentioned as having been among them.

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The phone call was chilling.

Ken Holmgren didnt talk to his father often, but during that February 1991 call, Elmer Holmgren told his son that if he didnt hear from him again in a few days, he should call an agent with the ATF, the federal agency now known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Panic struck, Ken Holmgren, 71, told Dateline. I really didnt know who he was working for.

Elmer Holmgren.

He said he knew that his father, a lawyer whod struggled to find work after the death of his employer in Florida, had moved to Las Vegas and was working for a wealthy couple, Kenneth and Sante Kimes.

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But Ken Holmgren didnt know about Santes lengthy criminal history, mostly for theft-related charges, he said. Nor did he know that shed recently served three years in a federal prison for charges of indentured servitude. She and her husband  who took a plea agreement in the case  had been accused of abusing young undocumented women whom theyd recruited to work as housekeepers.

Holmgren never heard from his father again. But less than a decade later, Sante Kimes captured national attention with a pair of brutal and puzzling crimes that spanned thousands of miles. Sante Kimes and her younger son, Kenny Kimes Jr., were charged and convicted in separate trials in connection with two 1998 murder plots  the killing of a New York City socialite, Irene Silverman, and the fatal shooting of a Los Angeles businessman, David Kazdin.

During his trial for Kazdins killing, the son confessed to a third murder  the killing of a bank executive whod gone missing in the Bahamas in 1996 while investigating irregularities in the Kimes offshore bank accounts.

Now, decades later, the mystery of what happened to Elmer remains. As does his sons frustration that, in his view, authorities never seemed to have sought answers in the disappearance. Holmgren said that its even more maddening given that when he vanished, his father was cooperating with the ATF as a witness against Sante Kimes and her husband in a suspected arson at their Honolulu home  an arrangement that Holmgren said he later learned of from a special agent with the ATF.

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If the ATF would have done their job, there would have been several more people that wouldnt have lost their lives, he said. Thats the way I look at it.

Kenneth Kimes Sr. and Sante Kimes.

A spokesperson for the ATF would not comment. The person Holmgren identified as the special agent who provided information about his fathers role in the fire and his apparent cooperation with the bureau retired from the ATF and did not return a message seeking comment.

In response to a public records request from Dateline for documents linked to the suspected arson in Honolulu  as well as another possible arson at a Las Vegas property that belonged to the Kimes  the bureaus parent agency, the Department of Justice, provided a management log last fall. The document said that all but one piece of evidence had been destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, where federal offices were located.

In 2003, most of that remaining evidence was returned to representatives for Sante and Kenny Kimes Jr., according to the log. The bureau would only provide them with copies of a photo album whose ownership was unclear, the log states.

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Sante Kimes died in 2014 at a New York prison at 79. Kenneth Kimes Sr. died in 1994. The couple was never charged with any crimes in connection with the suspected arson. A spokesperson for the ATF would not comment. Police reports obtained through a public records request from the Honolulu Police Department, which also investigated the fire and describe the blaze as a suspected arson, do not provide an explanation of the cases outcome.

Kenny Kimes Jr., 49, was a teenager at the time of the fire and is not suspected in Elmers disappearance. He is serving a sentence of life without parole at a California state prison.

Living the high life

The fire erupted around 1 a.m. on Sept. 16, 1990, in the Kimes beachfront home southeast of Honolulu. Video from the time showed the house fully engulfed in flames.

The Kimes' beachfront home in Honolulu burned in 1990.

It wasnt the only home that belonged to the Kimes. Kenneth Kimes Sr. had made his fortune in real estate, and the family had multiple properties in Hawaii, as well as in Las Vegas and an oceanfront estate in the Bahamas, said Kent Walker, Sante Kimes older son from a previous marriage.

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Our lives were beyond the American dream, Walker told Dateline.

Honolulu fire investigators determined the blaze had multiple points of origin  the primary bedroom, dining room, living room  and described its cause as incendiary, indicating it was intentionally set, according to the Honolulu Police Departments case file on the fire.

A follow-up report included in the file, which was obtained through a public records request, described a recent legal dispute over the propertys sale: After a buyer in Colorado paid $1.7 million for it the prior year, the money was placed in escrow. But a person whose name is redacted in the document reneged on the deal giving various excuses for not selling, according to the report, which cited a representative for the buyer.

The property had a $900,000 lien on it, the representative said, and a trial over the dispute was scheduled for Jan. 21, 1991  four months after the house burned.

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According to an incident report included in the records request, a person whose name is redacted in the document is described as having hired a suspect to burn her home. (The suspects name is also redacted.) The homeowner then filed an insurance claim seeking $1.4 million, the report states.

Vanished while in protective custody

A few months after the fire, Holmgren said, he got the first of two phone calls from his father. In the first conversation, Holmgren recalled, his father told him he was working for the Kimes and appeared reluctant to even be on the phone.

I gotta make this short, he recalled his father saying.

A few weeks later, in early February, Elmer called again and provided his son with the names of two ATF agents in Honolulu, said Ken Holmgren, who at the time was living in Florida and working as a contractor for a power company.

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If Elmer didnt get back to him in three days, Ken Holmgren recalls him saying, his father instructed him to call the bureau.

It was very stressful, Ken Holmgren said.

A few days later, when Holmgren still hadnt heard from his father, he dialed one of the agents while at work and left a message.

Shortly after, Holmgren said, two carloads of ATF agents appeared at his job. The person who took the message had garbled it, he said, and believed that Holmgren was actually his father.

My boss was a little taken aback, but he was very understanding, Holmgren said.

Initially, he said, the ATF agent offered few details about his fathers link to the bureau. Elmer was supposed to have been in protective custody, he recalled the agent saying, but they lost track of him. (A spokesperson for the agency said the ATF places people in protective custody with the United States Marshals Service when there is a perceived or known threat to a persons safety.)

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A couple months later, Holmgren said, the agent offered more details: His father had been involved in the suspected arson at the Kimes Honolulu property  a fact that Elmer revealed to a friend at a bar. That friend then shared that information with authorities, Holmgren said the agent told him.

Kimes' Honolulu house pre and post fire.

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Holmgren wasnt sure when or how agents from the bureau first approached his father, nor did he know if he'd been promised anything in return for his cooperation.

But Elmer began working with the bureau to implicate Sante and Kenneth Kimes Sr. in the alleged crime, Ken recalled the agent saying. Two weeks before Elmer vanished, he met with two agents at his Las Vegas apartment, the agent said, according to Holmgren.

Sante Kimes and Kenneth Kimes Sr. walked in on him during that meeting, Holmgren said the agent told him. My father just told the Kimes that they were friends of his and they were just having a beer, talking. And the agents left and that was the last they saw of my dad.

What did Kimes son hear?

In the summer of 1992, roughly a year-and-a-half after Elmers second phone call to his son, Kent Walker, Santes older son, recalled witnessing an alcohol-fueled argument between his mother and stepfather at a home they owned in Las Vegas.

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In an account Walker previously shared with Dateline and included in a book published in 2001, Son of a Grifter, he described Kenneth Kimes Sr. accusing his mom of fatally striking a man with a hammer in their car.

Sante Kimes, Ken Jr., and Ken Sr.

According to Walkers account, Sante responded that her husband was responsible for the death because hed held the man.

Each one blamed the other so completely that they didnt register my horror, Walker wrote.

Walker wrote in his book that he contacted local authorities the next morning, but his mother and stepfather hadnt disclosed the victims name and he said his efforts to alert police went nowhere. He didnt learn Elmers identity for another six years, Walker wrote, when he saw his disappearance mentioned in a news story about his mothers arrest in connection with Irene Silvermans killing.

Walker believed Elmer was probably the victim described in his parents argument, he wrote.

In a recent interview with Dateline, Walker said the ATF never interviewed him about the argument he witnessed. He remained frustrated, he said, because he believed authorities should have done more to solve Elmers disappearance. (An ATF spokesperson would not comment.)

Holmgren wasnt sure what to make of Walkers account, because as far as he knows, his fathers disappearance has never been thoroughly investigated and his body has never been found.

Still, he believes his father is long dead. He recalled a conversation with the ATF agent years after Elmers disappearance in which the agent said there was a slight chance his father was sitting on a beach in Costa Rica or Antigua.

But he doubted it, because the statute of limitations had run out, he recalled the agent saying about any possible crimes Elmer may have faced in the suspected arson in Honolulu. He had no reason not to come back.

In his final conversation with the agent, which Holmgren said was roughly a year before Sante Kimes was arrested in Irene Silvermans death, the agent repeatedly apologized for how the investigation had been handled, Holmgren recalled.

Im sorry, he recalled the agent saying. We dropped the ball.

To Holmgren, his father had been a good dad and a good man, and hed done many good things throughout his career.

He just got to a bad point in his life, he said. I think he just got caught up in a situation and he didnt know how to get out of it.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT)  The Decatur Police Department (DPD) is investigating a reported break-in at an apartment complex.

According to a DPD spokesperson, the department received a report of a break-in at Decatur Place Apartments Friday Afternoon.

Madison County Sheriffs Office says bomb-making materials found at Madison Co. home after explosion

The department said that officers and detectives responded to investigate. Authorities said that it was reported a person was physically assaulted during the incident.

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A department spokesperson said that investigators have not said if they believe this incident is connected to several break-ins the department asked for the publics help with last month.

News 19 asked for any updates on that case earlier this week and the department said they did not have any updates but that the investigation is still ongoing.

DPD said the investigation into Fridays break-in is ongoing and they will provide more details as they become available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Indian stock markets opened flat in a special trading session on Saturday, ahead of the Budget presentation. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,528.60, registering a gain of 20.20 points or 0.09 per cent, while the BSE Sensex index opened at 77,637.01, up by 136.44 points or 0.18 per cent. Market experts noted that the recent tariff announcement by former US President Donald Trump has dampened the Budget rally sentiment. Trump has proposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canada and Mexico and a 10 per cent tariff on China. Investors will now closely monitor the Budget, as any negative news could impact market performance. Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert told ANI "Trump Tariffs announced. Trump will levy 25 per cent on Canada and Mexico, 10 per cent on China. Today. Deal with that Markets! US markets were up till this announcement and then eased off. India will look at key parts of the Budget. From deep skepticism markets being perennial optimists have become cautiously sanguine. Stage set for disappointment? Possibly". Among sectoral indices, all opened with gains except Nifty Private Bank and Nifty Oil & Gas. Nifty Consumer Durables emerged as the top gainer among sectoral indices. At the time of filing this report, 27 stocks in the Nifty 50 index were trading in the green, while 24 stocks were in the red. Akshay Chinchalkar, Head of Research, Axis Securities said "The Nifty finished higher for the fourth straight yesterday, a streak not seen since December 4th. In doing so, we also managed a close above the 10th January breakdown area, which is a start for bulls looking to extend the rebound. Still, overhead resistance is aplenty, with the next upside and key hurdle kicking in around 23632 followed by the critical 23763 - 23811 zone. Immediate support lies in the 23339 - 23387 area, followed by 23109. The ranges are wider than usual since its budget day". Several major companies are set to announce their Q3 results today, including Anant Raj, Vinati Organics, Aarti Industries, G R Infraprojects, Jaiprakash Power Ventures, Neogen Chemicals, Ganesha Ecosphere, Windsor Machines, Finkurve Financial Services, Apex Frozen Foods, Bhageria Industries, Prevest Denpro, and Kore Digital. (ANI)
Security researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and hardware conglomerate Cisco have found that DeepSeek's flagship R1 reasoning AI model is stunningly vulnerable to jailbreaking.

In a blog post published today, first spotted by Wired, the researchers found that DeepSeek "failed to block a single harmful prompt" after being tested against "50 random prompts from the HarmBench dataset," which includes "cybercrime, misinformation, illegal activities, and general harm."

"This contrasts starkly with other leading models, which demonstrated at least partial resistance," the blog post reads.

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It's a particularly noteworthy development considering the sheer amount of chaos DeepSeek has wrought on the AI industry as a whole. The company claims its R1 model can trade blows with competitors including OpenAI's state-of-the-art o1, but at a tiny fraction of the cost, sending shivers down the spines of Wall Street investors.

But the company seemingly has done little to guard its AI model against attacks and misuse. In other words, it wouldn't be hard for a bad actor to turn it into a powerful disinformation machine or get it to explain how to create explosives, for instance.

The news comes after cloud security research company Wiz came across a massive unsecured database on DeepSeek's servers, which included a trove of unencrypted internal data ranging from "chat history" to "backend data, and sensitive information."

DeepSeek is extremely vulnerable to an attack "without any authentication or defense mechanism to the outside world," according to Wiz.

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The Chinese hedge fund-owned company's AI made headlines for being far cheaper to train and run than its many competitors in the US. But that frugality may come with some significant drawbacks.

"DeepSeek R1 was purportedly trained with a fraction of the budgets that other frontier model providers spend on developing their models," the Cisco and University of Pennsylvania researchers wrote. "However, it comes at a different cost: safety and security."

AI security company Adversa AI similarly found that DeepSeek is astonishingly easy to jailbreak.

"It starts to become a big deal when you start putting these models into important complex systems and those jailbreaks suddenly result in downstream things that increases liability, increases business risk, increases all kinds of issues for enterprises," Cisco VP of product, AI software and platform DJ Sampath told Wired.

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However, it's not just DeepSeek's latest AI. Meta's open-source Llama 3.1 model also flunked almost as badly as DeepSeek's R1 in a comparison test, with a 96 percent attack success rate (compared to dismal 100 percent for DeepSeek).

OpenAI's recently released reasoning model, o1-preview, fared much better, with an attack success rate of just 26 percent.

In short, DeepSeek's flaws deserve plenty of scrutiny going forward.

"DeepSeek is just another example of how every model can be broken  its just a matter of how much effort you put in," Adversa AI CEO Alex Polyakov told Wired. "If youre not continuously red-teaming your AI, youre already compromised."

More on DeepSeek: DeepSeek's AI Would Like to Assure You That China Is Not Committing Any Human Rights Abuses Whatsoever Against Its Repressed Uyghur Population
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A retired chief warrant officer in the military is upset about the Pentagons intelligence arms decision to no longer celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Womens History Month, and Pride Month.

I am disappointed number one, but Im actually not surprised because this president told us that these are the kinds of things that he was going to do, said Tennessee Rep. Karen Camper.

The affected events include: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday, Black History Month, Womens History Month, Holocaust Day and Days of Remembrance, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride, Juneteenth, Womens Equality Day, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National American Indian Heritage Month.

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This this how I think some veterans will feel. This is an attack on all of the civil rights, you know, achievements that weve made in this country to move us forward and a lot of those servicemen that are serving, their families lost lives, gave up a tremendous amount of sacrifice in order to move this country forward, said Camper.

Trump blames DEI for weakening FAA in aftermath of Reagan National plane crash

President Trump has put a spotlight on DEI initiatives in a series of executive orders in his first week in office, with the White House saying that DEI creates and then amplifies prejudicial hostility and exacerbates interpersonal conflict.

The Holocaust observances, the disability was in there. So, I do feel that these groups will end up joining arms together to help you know fight these thing, said Camper.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Major press organizations are expressing concern after the Defense Department announced changes that mean that NBC News, The New York Times, Politico and National Public Radio will no longer have dedicated workspaces at the Pentagon.

Instead, according to a memo sent to news organizations, there will be a media rotation program, with new outlets taking the spot of a legacy TV, print, radio and online news site. Those getting space include outlets with a long history of favorable coverage of Donald Trump  One America News Network and Breitbart News Network, as well as the New York Post, which leans right. The other outlet, HuffPost, leans left.

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John Ullyot, a Pentagon spokesperson, wrote in a letter to news outlets that the changes are part of an effort to broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalistic value of working from physical office space at the Defense Department. He said that the rotations would occur annually, and the outlets that vacate the spaces loaned to them by the Secretary will continue to have the same access to the Pentagon to cover briefings and to be considered for travel with civilian and military leaders.

The Pentagon Press Association said that it recognized the expansion of the press corps but they were deeply troubled by this unprecedented move by DOD to single out highly professional media who have covered the Pentagon for decades, under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Mike Balsamo, president of the National Press Club, said, The National Press Club is deeply concerned by the Defense Departments decision to remove certain media organizations from their dedicated spaces in the Pentagon. Any action that restricts the ability of journalists to report on the operations of the U.S. government should alarm all who value transparency and press freedom.

The changes were announced just a week after the Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host, as the new secretary of defense. The media outlets who have been told to vacate their workspaces all reported on his rocky confirmation process, with reports of his heavy drinking and an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in a 2017 incident. Hegseth has denied the allegations. He was confirmed in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie.

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NBC News said in a statement, Were disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that weve used for many decades. Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has.

An NPR spokesperson said, This decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership, and with NPRs public interest mission to serve Americans who turn to our network of local public media stations in all 50 states. NPR will continue to report with vigor and integrity on the transformation this Administration has promised to deliver. NPR urges the Pentagon to expand the offices available to press within the building so that all outlets covering the Pentagon receive equal access.

The HuffPost did have a press pass for the Pentagon, but did not ask for a designated workspace. Lizzie Grams, a spokesperson for the outlet, said, If the Trump Administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the Defense Department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver.

An OAN spokesperson said in a statement, OAN has operated a DC News Bureau continuously since 2013 with daily live reporting from multiple government locations. OAN continues to seek similar access extended to other national television news outlets operating daily in Washington, DC. OAN is dedicated to providing its viewers fair and accurate daily reports from the Pentagon.

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The New York Post said, We devote substantial coverage to defense-related issues. As one of the biggest, most engaged and far-reaching media brands in the country, it only makes sense for us to have a reporter at the Pentagon.

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Del. Lily Qi (D) represents a portion of Montgomery County in the House of Delegates, but has been absent for thei first weeks of this year's session. (File photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters)

With a third former delegate soon to be elevated to the state Senate since the Jan. 8 start of the 2025 General Assembly, the House of Delegates has been operating at less than full strength the entire time. But even without the House vacancies, which will get filled over the next several weeks, the chamber would not have had all 141 members present.

Thats because Del. Lily Qi (D-Montgomery) has missed the entire session so far. She has been in China, where she was born, dealing with what colleagues have described as a family emergency. In an email Thursday to Maryland Matters, Qi reported she just informed legislative leaders that her father died this week.

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I will be back in a few days after his funeral, she wrote. Its been a very difficult and agonizing time for our family and I am glad Im here for his final days. I need some time to process a lot of things before I can focus on what to say, but I am looking forward to coming back to my legislative life very soon.

Del. Linda Foley (D-Montgomery), who represents District 15 alongside Qi and Del. David Fraser-Hidalgo (D), said Qis absence has been mitigated by the fact that the session has only been under way for a few weeks, and that Qis in-district colleagues havent had to do any extra-heavy lifting so far.

Its still early, Foley said.

There are currently two House vacancies: In Anne Arundel County District 30A, where former Del. Shaneka Henson (D) was appointed to the Senate, and in Baltimore City District 41, where former Del. Dalya Attar (D) just joined the Senate. In Baltimore Countys District 8, Del. Carl Jackson (D) is awaiting appointment to the Senate after being recommended for the job this week by the countys Democratic central committee. When he moves across the State House hallway, which is expected to happen early next week, it will create a third House vacancy.

Lopez on leave of absence

The Maryland Department of Human Services will have an interim leader for the foreseeable future.

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A spokesperson for the department confirmed that Secretary Rafael J. Lopez has taken a leave of absence. A reason was not given.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Sec. Lopez is on leave, Lilly Price, the spokesperson, said in an email to Maryland Matters. Principal Deputy Secretary Carnitra White will perform his duties until he returns.

Price declined to answer other questions about the absence.

White takes the helm as the agency is appealing a Board of Contract Appeals ruling that voided a five-year contract for a new electronic benefits system. The deal with Conduent State and Local Solutions was approved by the Board of Public Works last July, but the contract board voided the deal in December and declared it illegal. The agency has since appealed.

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In December, the Board of Public Works agreed to a $3.8 million contract extension to keep Conduent working while the new deal is litigated in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

A farewell ovation

During the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland meeting Thursday, former colleague Jill P. Carter smiled, blew a kiss and mouthed thank you during a warm send-off. Carter, a Democrat, had been the state senator from Baltimores District 41 until she was nominated to a seat on the Maryland Board of Contract Appeals, an appointment that was confirmed Monday by the Senate Executive Nominations Committee.

Carter received a citation that caucus Chair Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery) said honors Carters 20 years in the General Assembly. Because Thursday may have been the last time Carter gets to address the caucus, the former Baltimore City senator took the opportunity to give caucus members some advice.

I was guided for my entire time here by the struggle and wisdom of our ancestors. I hope that you will do the same. Our future children, yet unborn, are depending on us, she said. We talk about dismantling systemic racism, understand that this is the system. This is the system that we are supposed to use an opportunity to dismantle vestiges of racism and discrimination of the past.

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Carter continued: Never be afraid of anyone here. Never be afraid of anyone in leadership. Theres no boss. Theres only one boss and thats the people. As long as you can explain and justify anything that you do here, you do what you know in your heart and soul is correct for our people. I think that we have to take this opportunity to fix these injustices that play in our school and our communities.

Delegates call for freeze of electricity rates

Two state delegates are asking the Public Service Commission to impose an immediate and indefinite moratorium on rate increases for utility customers.

Delegates Adrian Boafo (D-Prince Georges) and Marlon Amprey (D-Baltimore City) made the request in a letter to Commission Chair Frederick H. Hoover. The legislative duo, both of whom serve on the House Economic Matters Committee, cited concerns about exorbitant utility bills that have stunned and frustrated consumers across the state.

The magnitude of these price hikes can only be characterized as highly irregular, if not unprecedented, Boafo and Amprey wrote in their letter. They are particularly injurious to Maryland families who are already struggling to keep pace with the rising price of essential goods and services and who, as we write, must decide those items they can live without in order to keep the lights on.

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Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore) said he was extremely concerned about sharp rate increases, but stopped short of backing the moratorium call. He told reporters Friday that the commission is the right body to address concerns about rates.

There are other states where the rates are set by the legislature each and every year, and I think that weve seen some pretty big market distortions as a result, Ferguson said Friday. In the case that things became totally out of control, Im sure the legislature would step in and find a way. I think were not quite there yet. I think we have plans to provide additional tools so that we can reduce costs through the means of the market.
The News

Democrats elected Minnesota DFL chair Ken Martin to lead their party on Saturday, picking a longtime insider from a purple state over candidates who argued for more radical reform after their November defeats.

This is a new DNC, said Martin, 51, who had led Minnesota Democrats for 14 years, and ran an association of fellow state party chairs since 2017. Were going to be aggressive about litigating the case against Donald Trump.

Martin ran on his winning record  Minnesota Republicans havent beaten Democrats in a statewide race since he took over  and a focus on the working class that had moved away from the party since 2016. He started the race as the favorite, and picked up endorsements from three minor candidates who failed to get traction.

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Addressing reporters on Saturday, Martin said that the party would study what

went wrong as it aggressively organized against President Trump and the GOP.

We know that we lost ground with Latino voters. We know we lost ground with women and younger voters, and, of course, working class households, he said. We dont know the how and why of this, and thats what I need to get my hands around.

Davids view

Martins first-ballot victory, with 244.5 votes of the 214.5 needed to win, came hours after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed his top rival: Wisconsin Democratic chair Ben Wikler. But Martin didnt see his win as a rebuke of the congressional party.

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This is not personal, he told Semafor, saying that a top DNC goal would be helping Jeffries win the House in 2026. I spent the last eight years building infrastructure around the country.

A longtime progressive activist who took over his state party six years ago, Wikler highlighted his years-long plan to break the GOPs control of Wisconsins courts and legislature, and his record as an organizer at MoveOn early in Donald Trumps first term.

This country should not be rigged against you by people who already have everything, Wikler told DNC members before the vote at a resort hotel in Marylands National Harbor.

But Martin, the early front-runner for the job, maintained his lead and benefitted from years of relationships with sometimes beleaguered state parties. And Wikler faced grumbling from some of the other progressives in the race for how hed run his party and his campaign.

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Marianne Williamson, who had run for president in 2020 and 2024, criticized him for removing her and other Biden primary challengers from the 2024 primary ballot. Faiz Shakir, who managed the 2020 Bernie Sanders campaign, used his speech to DNC members to note that he didnt form a PAC to run or hand out trinkets to voters, two criticisms that applied to Wikler.

Shakirs last-minute entry into the race, as a reform candidate who warned that identity politics were hurting the Democrats, got broad media attention but little support from DNC members. He won just two votes on Saturday; Wikler won 144.5 votes. Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, who pitched himself as an outsider who had not been there for the partys Biden-era political mistakes, won just 44 votes.

Eight years ago, after the partys first defeat to Donald Trump, the race for DNC chair became a sort of rematch between stalwarts whod backed Hillary Clinton for president and progressive activists whod supported Bernie Sanders.

This race didnt break down along the same ideological or factional lines. Old relationships, and worries about large donors undermining the party, mattered more than endorsements from some of the partys best-known leaders. Defeated on Saturday, they had been impressed by Wiklers fundraising and messaging, like a well-regarded interview with Jon Stewart on .

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, both seen as potential candidates for the 2028 presidential nomination endorsed him, as did Nancy Pelosi, who called him the candidate for Chair who most fully meets this moment.

None appeared at the DNC meeting in person. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris sent short video statements, which made no references at all to what had happened since they left office on Jan. 20. But Martin said that he welcomed any more work Harris wanted to do for Democrats.

I hope she plays a big role, Martin said. I really do.

Notable
Two Democratic senators introduced a bill that would require President Trump to get congressional approval for proposed tariffs on trading partners before imposing them, a push coming just days before the president is set to impose new ones on Mexico and Canada.

Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) brought forward the Stopping Tariffs on Allies and Bolstering Legislative Exercise of (STABLE) Trade Policy Act on Thursday, which would also require the president to elaborate on the decision to impose tariffs on U.S. allies and trading partners and how the tariffs would impact the U.S. economy and foreign policy priorities.

Congress gave the president the authority to impose tariffs so that he could combat our enemies in the event of a national security crisis, not so that he could pursue grudges against our allies and neighbors, Coons said in a Friday release.

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On Thursday, Trump warned that he plans to carry out his threat to slap 25 percent tariffs on goods coming from both Canada and Mexico.

Ill be putting the tariff of 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, and we will really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries. Those tariffs may or may not rise with time, Trump said from the Oval Office, citing the influx of fentanyl into the country and the flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Coons called the tariff threat an abuse of power.

If the president is going abuse this power to bully and coerce our allies, Congress should take this authority back, Coons said in a statement. If this weekends tariffs go into effect, theyll do catastrophic damage to our relationships with our allies and raise costs for working families by hundreds of dollars a year. Congress needs to stop this from happening again.

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In late November last year, Trump warned that he would institute tariffs on both Canada and Mexico through an executive order once he was sworn into office.

Mexico and Canada are the U.S.s top trading partners, and experts have cautioned that Trumps tariffs could end up increasing prices of some goods for American consumers. They have also said the economies of Canada and Mexico could have a harder time long term if the trade war begins.

Virginians want costs to go down, not up. But President Trumps plans to impose broad-based tariffs would raise the price of everyday goods and hurt our economy, Kaine said.

Its time for Congress to make it clear that no president should abuse existing tariff authorities designed to protect Americas national security from threats posed by our adversaries to slap tariffs on our allies and closest trading partners, he added.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
SMPL New Delhi [India], February 1: GoldenBee Global, a premier educational institution in Bannerghatta, Karnataka, is thrilled to announce its recognition with the prestigious QS I-Gauge Overall Gold Rating for 2025-2027. This accolade places the school among the top institutions in the country, underscoring its unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and holistic development. The Overall Gold Rating is a culmination of exceptional performance across both core and specialized criteria evaluated by QS I-Gauge, a globally renowned platform for institutional benchmarking. The rating highlights GoldenBee Global's dedication to academic rigor, infrastructure, safety, and a well-rounded approach to student growth. Excellence in Core Criteria GoldenBee Global demonstrated its strengths in key areas fundamental to the education system. It achieved a Gold Rating for Teaching & Learning, reflecting its focus on delivering world-class educational practices. The institution's innovative teaching methods and student-centric approach have ensured impactful learning experiences that empower students to excel academically and personally. The school also earned a Diamond Rating in Resources & Facilities, showcasing its state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced amenities. These resources provide students with a modern learning environment equipped with tools and technologies that enhance their academic journey. The recognition underscores the institution's commitment to offering a world-class educational experience. Another standout performance was in the Health & Safety category, where GoldenBee Global secured a Diamond Rating. The school's proactive measures in ensuring a secure, healthy, and nurturing environment for students, faculty, and staff have set a benchmark for others in the education sector. This recognition reaffirms the institution's priority of creating a safe space where the community thrives. Achievements in Specialized Criteria GoldenBee Global has also excelled in specialized areas, earning accolades that highlight its focus on holistic development. The school received a Platinum Rating for Life Skills & Professional Development, a testament to its efforts in preparing students for real-world challenges. By equipping learners with critical life skills and fostering career preparedness, the institution ensures that its students are future-ready and adaptable to global demands. The institution's vibrant emphasis on creativity and expression was recognized with a Diamond Rating in Arts & Culture. Through diverse programs and initiatives, GoldenBee Global nurtures students' artistic talents and celebrates cultural diversity, making creativity an integral part of the learning experience. Overall Excellence The recognition with the Overall Gold Rating is a reflection of GoldenBee Global's holistic approach to education. It represents the institution's ability to excel across all evaluated domains and provide an environment where students are encouraged to achieve their fullest potential. This honor places GoldenBee Global in an elite league of institutions that are redefining the benchmark of quality education. The achievement is a result of the collective efforts of the school's dedicated faculty, motivated students, and a supportive community of parents and stakeholders. The institution's leadership, innovative mindset, and focus on continuous improvement have played a pivotal role in this success. A Commitment to Excellence GoldenBee Global's recognition by QS I-Gauge is not just a milestone but a motivation to strive for even greater heights. The institution's focus remains steadfast on nurturing well-rounded individuals who excel academically, creatively, and professionally. By combining academic rigor with an emphasis on life skills, health, safety, and creativity, GoldenBee Global continues to set new standards in education. This recognition marks a significant chapter in the school's journey, as it reaffirms its commitment to shaping the leaders and innovators of tomorrow. With a clear vision and a dedicated team, GoldenBee Global is poised to achieve even more remarkable milestones in the years to come. Celebrating Success GoldenBee Global extends its gratitude to its entire community--students, faculty, staff, and parents--for their invaluable contributions to this achievement. The institution celebrates this milestone as a collective success and looks forward to continuing its mission of delivering transformative education. Stay tuned for more updates and achievements as GoldenBee Global continues to shine as a beacon of excellence in education. To apply for Admissions 2025-26, visit this link. For more information, please visit the website at https://goldenbeeschool.edu.in/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Former Democratic National Committe Chairman Jamie Harrison, left, congratulates newly elected DNC Chairman Ken Martin, right, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., on Feb 1, 2025. Credit - Rod Lamkey, Jr.AP

OXON HILL, Md.  Democrats on Saturday elected Ken Martin, the party leader in Minnesota, as the national chair, turning to a low-profile Midwestern political operative to coordinate their resistance to Donald Trumps presidency.

Martin succeeds Jaime Harrison of South Carolina atop the Democratic National Committee. Harrison did not seek another term after the 2024 election when Trump became the first Republican to win the popular vote in two decades and made modest gains with core Democratic constituencies  African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters, among them.

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We got punched in the mouth in November, Martin, 51, said Saturday. Its time to get off the mat, dust ourselves off and get back in this fight.

He is now one of the most important players in the Democratic Partys comeback attempt as Trump pushes the limits of presidential power.

The vote played out in suburban Washington as more than 400 DNC members from every state and U.S. territory gathered for the partys winter meeting.

Martin and the other leading contender, Wisconsin party chair Ben Wikler, promised to refocus the Democratic message on working-class voters, strengthen Democratic infrastructure across the country and improve the partys anti-Trump rapid response system.

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They pledged not to shy away from Democrats' dedication to diversity and minority groups, a pillar of the modern-day party. Martin is the first white man to lead the DNC since 2011.

Also in the race were Martin O'Malley, a former Maryland governor and Biden administration official, and Faiz Shakir, who managed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders last presidential campaign.

Candidate Marianne Williamson, an activist and author, surprised DNC members before voting began by endorsing Martin as our best chance to cut the cord with the billionaire funded corruption that will otherwise obstruct and limit our possibilities.

Most of the candidates acknowledged that the Democratic brand is badly damaged, but few promised fundamental changes. Indeed, nearly three months after the election, there is little agreement on what exactly went wrong.

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The election took place less than two weeks after Trump's inauguration. Democrats are struggling to confront the sheer volume of executive orders, pardons, personnel changes and controversial relationships taking shape in the new administration.

Just 31% of voters have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released this week. Forty-three percent of voters have a favorable opinion of the Republican Party.

Shakir called for sweeping changes within the party, such as more coordination with labor unions and less focus on minority groups sorted by race and gender. The only Muslim seeking the chairmanship, Shakir was alone during a recent candidate forum in opposing the creation of a Muslim caucus at the DNC.

But his candidacy struggled to gain traction.

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Wikler faced questions about his relationship with Democratic donor Reid Hoffman, the billionaire cofounder of LinkedIn. But he cast his fundraising connections as an asset. Indeed, the DNC chair is expected to raise tens of millions of dollars to help Democrats win elections.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
By James Oliphant

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Looking to rebuild after the party's election loss to Donald Trump in November, the Democratic National Committee on Saturday elected Ken Martin, the leader of the state party in Minnesota, as its new chair.

Martin will be tasked with reversing the fortunes of a bruised and demoralized Democratic Party that not only lost control of the White House last November but failed to win either chamber of Congress.

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Since then, the rudderless party has struggled to respond to Republican Trumps barrage of executive orders, many of which reversed former Democratic President Joe Bidens policies.

A longtime Democratic strategist in Minnesota, Martin jumped into action hours after his election, blasting Trump's plans to impose sweeping tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China as a sure way to jack up prices for inflation-weary Americans after promising to lower their costs throughout the 2024 campaign.

"Trump isnt going to make corporate billionaires pay for these tariffs - working families and small businesses will," he said in a statement after Trump's tariff announcement. "Hes using American workers as pawns in his petty political games."

Martin has called for restoring and augmenting the partys national infrastructure in order to contest races across the country. He beat out Wisconsin Democratic Chair Ben Wikler on the first ballot.

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Todays elections mark a new chapter in DNC leadership, and Donald Trump and his billionaire allies are put on notice: we will hold them accountable for ripping off working families, and we will beat them at the ballot box, Martin said in a statement.

(Reporting by James Oliphant; Editing by Alistair Bell and Christopher Cushing)
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.

President Donald Trumps second week in office brought another flood of news that at times felt very similar to his original go-round in the White House, as Kristen Welker writes. But first, we shift gears to whats next for the Democrats, with Ben Kamisar previewing this weekends race to chair the national party.

Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.

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 Adam Wollner

 Weekend outlook: The White House said that Trump would impose a 25% tariff on goods coming to the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on those from China on Saturday, a move that could drive up prices for products coming into the U.S. from those countries. Read more 

Democrats are set to make their first big post-election decision

By Ben Kamisar

Democrats are still without a leader after a bruising 2024 election loss. But this weekend they will take their first tangible step to drag themselves forward by choosing the next chairman of the partys national committee.

Democratic National Committee members will meet Saturday in National Harbor, Maryland, to vote on a replacement for outgoing chair Jaime Harrison, whom Joe Biden tapped to helm the party during his time in office.

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The incoming DNC chair will take the reins of the fundraising, spending and staffing plans for an organization that spent just shy of $1 billion the last four years. While the committee helps set the Democrats message and can serve as a home base for a party out of the White House, whoever wins Saturdays vote will be more in charge of laying groundwork for a Democratic renaissance than leading the party back to power himself.

Thats why the DNC race has become less of a battle for the soul of the party and more a nuanced debate between front-runners who agree on a lot  and understand that the next chair will need to wade into the nitty-gritty of party-building instead of grabbing headlines.

The front-runners: Two Democratic state party chairs from the Midwest are touting the most support from DNC members: Minnesotas Ken Martin and Wisconsins Ben Wikler.

Martin regularly touts how his party-building in Minnesota has coincided with an uninterrupted streak of statewide wins for Democrats since he took over, amid GOP victories in some other Midwestern blue wall states. Wikler has built up permanent campaign infrastructure in battleground Wisconsin and promoted it as a model for the party nationwide.

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The other contenders: Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, who ran for president in 2016, is the only other candidate to tout significant support from DNC members. Hes the only major candidate who has been elected to public office. And Faiz Shakir, a longtime adviser to Bernie Sanders, jumped into the race just a few weeks before the election.

The process: DNC members votes arent made public until after the election, giving ample room for members to change their mind ahead of time. And if no candidate walks into the first ballot with the majority, a multitude of dynamics could determine the eventual winner as the race goes to several rounds of voting.

Read more from Ben 

 Resistance 2.0: Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is offering some of the most direct Democratic pushback yet to the start of Trumps term. Natasha Korecki scoops that he is blocking those who took part in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from working in state jobs, rejecting Trumps attempt to offer them a clean slate last week in a wave of pardons.

How Trump's second week was reminiscent of his first term

By Kristen Welker

President Donald Trump faced the first national tragedy of his second term and caused widespread confusion with a major policy move this week. Both instances were reminiscent of his first term in office.

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On Thursday, with the investigation into the deadly collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter still in its early stages, Trump took to the White House briefing room to blame the crash on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Asked if he had evidence to support his claims, Trump said, It just could have been. He later also said that he came to that conclusion because I have common sense.

The response hearkened back to Trumps first stint in the Oval Office, as he responded to the Covid pandemic. Trump frequently addressed the country at length from the briefing room about his administrations response to the virus, at times contradicting public health officials. In late March 2020, for example, Trump initially said he disagreed with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the effectiveness of a drug that could treat the virus. When my colleague Peter Alexander pressed him on those comments, Trump said his assessment was just a feeling.

This week also saw confusion around the Trump administrations attempt to freeze most federal grants and loans. The move prompted questions from agencies and officials, pushback from lawmakers, and legal challenges. The administration eventually rescinded the order.

The episode brought to mind another Trump administration order that was issued almost exactly eight years earlier: the so-called travel ban, Trumps executive order blocking citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries. That order also sparked widespread confusion and pushback. A legal battle ensued, and the Trump administration revised the order. The legal fight eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the travel restriction.

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Well delve more into Trumps response to the tragic crash and the attempted spending freeze on Sundays Meet the Press, where Ill speak to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.





 Todays top stories

 DEI crackdown: The Defense Intelligence Agency has ordered a pause of all activities and events related to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day and other special observances in compliance with Trumps executive order. Read more 

 DEI crackdown, cont.: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scrubbing a swath of HIV-related content from the agencys website as a part of the broader effort to wipe out DEI initiatives. Read more 

 The purge: David Sundberg, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Washington field office, was forced out of his job . The move comes as several top FBI executives promoted by former Director Christopher Wray were told to resign or retire or they would be fired. Read more 

 In reverse: The Pentagon has rescinded a Biden administration policy that reimbursed service members and dependents for travel to states where abortions and other reproductive health procedures are legal. Read more 

 Pushback: An order sidelining almost 60 senior career leaders at the U.S. Agency for International Development was temporarily rescinded by one of the few remaining senior career civil servants with the authority to do so. Hours later, the same employee was also placed on administrative leave. Read more 

Follow live NBC News politics coverage 

Thats all From the Politics Desk for now. Todays newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner, Bridget Bowman Faith Wardwell.

If you have feedback  likes or dislikes  email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com

And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here.





This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Democrats on Friday slammed President Trump over recent news reports that he is considering merging the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) with the State Department.

It is imperative that we maintain an independent development voice and capability within the U.S. government. USAID is, by statute, an independent establishment outside of the State Department. Any proposal to modify that structure would require an Act of Congress, four congressional Democrats wrote in a Friday letter to Jason Gray, USAIDs acting administrator.

The three-page letter responded to multiple outlets reporting that the Trump administration is considering having USAID, which among other things sends aid to communities impacted by conflicts and assists developing countries on many aspects, be placed under the control of the State Department.

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Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), and Brian Schatz (Hawaii) alongside Reps. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.) and Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) expressed concern over the administrations decision to place some USAIDs staff on leave, firing contractors and freezing foreign assistance which, they argued, put lives abroad and home at risk.

The Administrations decisions to place senior leaders throughout the agency on leave; to terminate ongoing programs without reviewing their efficacy and value simply because of how they were labeled under the previous Administration; and to freeze ongoing foreign assistance without engaging in meaningful consultation and transparency with Congressincluding to ensure compliance with the lawhave created a maelstrom of problems that have put our nation at risk and undermined American credibility around the globe, they said in the letter.

Shaheen is the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while Schatz is the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs. Meek is the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Frankel is the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State and Related Programs.

Politico first reported that USAID independence is on shaky ground, citing five people close to the administration. The administration is looking at legal pathways that Trump could utilize to sign an executive order that would shutter USAIDs independence, Reuters reported on Friday, citing one source familiar with the matter.

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The agency, which has a budget of over $50 billion, was formed in November 1961, and it is housed in the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.

Since taking office, Trump signed an executive order to freeze foreign assistance for three months and directed officials to conduct a review of all of the programs to ensure they align with his vision of U.S. foreign policy.

A number of Senate Democrats have expressed their opposition to Trumps reported interest in folding USAID under the umbrella of the State Department.

Trumps been purging and intimidating USAID employees, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a Friday post on the social media platform X. Now theres a rumor hell dissolve USAID as an independent agency. It was created by JFK and established in law to further our national security and spread hope. Thisd be illegal and against our national interests.

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The Hill has reached out to USAID and the State Department for comment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Updated on February 1 at 10:06 ET



The Democrats are angry. Well, at least some of them.

For months, party activists have felt bitter about Kamala Harriss election loss, and incensed at the leaders who first went along with Joe Bidens decision to run again. They feel fresh outrage each time a new detail is revealed about the then-81-year-olds enfeeblement and its concealment by the advisers in charge. But right now, whats making these Democrats angriest is that many of their elected leaders dont seem angry at all.

I assumed that we would be prepared to meet the moment, and I was wrong, Shannon Watts, the founder of the gun-control group Moms Demand Action, told me. Its like theyve shown up to a knife fight with a cheese stick.

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For all the people in Wattss camp, the partys response to Donald Trumps first 12 days in office has been maddening at best and demoralizing at worst. After Trump issued pardons or commutations for the January 6 rioters last week, including the ones who attacked police officers, no immediate chorus of anger came from what is supposed to be the next generation of Democratic talent, including Maryland Governor Wes Moore, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, another 2028 hopeful, who is on tour selling a young-adult version of her autobiography, has told interviewers, I am not out looking for fights. I am always looking to collaborate.

After Trump threatened Colombia with tariffs, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries attempted to reassure the confused and fearful rank and file with the reminder that God is still on the throne, which seemed a little like saying, Jesus, take the wheel. And people were baffled after the Democratic National Committee responded on X to Trumps first week in office by channeling a quainter time in American politics and dusting off an Obama-era slogan to accuse him of being focused on Wall Streetnot Main Street. Get new material! one person suggested in the replies, a succinct summary of the other 1,700 comments.

[Will Freeman: Strong-arming Latin America will work until it doesnt]

The limp messaging continued this week, after Trumps administration on Monday issued a federal-funding freeze, including for cancer research and programs such as Meals on Wheels. The next day, Jeffries called for an emergency caucus meeting to hammer out a forceful three-pronged counter-offensive. But that emergency meeting would not actually take place until the following afternoon. (By the time lawmakers were dialing in, the White House had already rescinded the order.) Jeffriess Senate counterpart, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, scowling over his glasses, offered his own sleepyand slightly unsettlingassessment of the moment: I havent seen people so aroused in a very, very long time.

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Some Democrats say they are hopeful that a new chair of the DNC, who will be elected today, will give the now-rudderless party a bit of directiona way to harness all that arousal. The committee leads the partys fundraising apparatus and coordinates with its sister organizations on Senate and House campaigns. But a chair cant do much if the partys own lawmakers arent willing to swap out the mozzarella for something a little sharper.

Part of the hurdle for Democrats is that they are afraid of sounding shrill. Few are eager for a return of the frantic and indiscriminate alarm-sounding that characterized the response to Trump 1.0, when Democrats clamored for the release of the supposed pee tapes and wore pink pussy hats in protest. Theres something cringey, these days, about reviving the capital-R Resistanceespecially because Trumps second win cant be chalked up to some fluke; he won the popular vote, fair and square. Most Democrats acknowledge that, this time around, they should choose their targets carefully. Were not going to swing at every pitch, Jeffries told reporters yesterday morning.

But Democrats cant just stand idly by the plate, several frustrated progressive activists and movement leaders told me. They should be communicating to voters that Trump is shutting down the government, and stripping it for parts to sell to billionaires, April Glick Pulito, a progressive communications strategist, said. But Democrats arent getting it across, a reality that is disheartening, she told me, but also symbolic. Its part of why we fuckin lost, she said. Its why people stayed home. She and others I spoke with are demanding that Democrats be louder and more forcefulusing resolutions and press conferences, sure, but also creative social-media campaigns and stunts for the cameras. Speak like normal people, on platforms that normal people access, Watts said. I am not reading your press release. Get on every platform Im ontalk to me on an Instagram reel, or a Substack live. Tweet things that explain whats happening and how I can help or what youre going to do to fix it.

Some Democratic lawmakers have been doing this. People I talked with pointed to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has regularly gone live on Instagram to spell out the consequences of Trumps actions. They also pointed to Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzkers vow to thwart unlawful deportation efforts and his new directive blocking any pardoned January 6 rioters from serving in the state government.

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But Democrats across the ideological spectrum say they want more from their leaders. Dullness in political messaging is death, they say, and bland consultant-speak is plaguing the party, which right now seems totally incapable of grabbing any voters attention. A clear example of this was when Democratic leaders chose 74-year-old Gerry Connolly, who is not exactly a fiery communicator, to head up the House Oversight Committee over Ocasio-Cortez, Ezra Levin, a co-founder of the grassroots group Indivisible, told me. That choice indicates a failure to recognize the political and media moment that were in.

A party that is in the minority in both chambers of Congress usually doesnt have a prayer of blocking legislation, but it can gum up the works. Dozens of Democratic senators have so far voted in support of Trumps Cabinet nominees when they should be opposing them at every turn, these frustrated activists argue, along with rejecting unanimous consent agreements, voting against cloture, and requesting quorum calls. They should be slowing everything to a halt, Amanda Litman, a co-founder of the organization Run for Something, told me.

Glick Pulito compared the Democrats situation to a sketch from the Netflix comedy show I Think You Should Leave, in which a man wearing a hot-dog suit crashes a hot-dog-shaped car into a store and proceeds to look around wildly for the culprit. I dont want to see Chuck Schumer saying Congress should act, Glick Pulito said. Bro, you are Congress!

Some signs have emerged that Democrats are developing a wartime footing. A group of 23 attorneys general from across the country sued the Trump administration this week over its funding freeze. The former vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz came out of election-loss-induced retirement to go on a cable-news rampage about it. (They defrosted him! Glick Pulito said.) And when the White House rescinded its funding block, Democrats claimed a grassroots victory. FAFO, Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. I am more optimistic now than I was 48 hours ago, Levin told me. I am seeing some green shoots. I would like those to bloom into full-fledged flowers.

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[Elaine Godfrey: The resistance almost missed impeachment]

A new DNC chair, activists and progressives leaders hope, could at least be the Miracle-Gro for that process. Since Harris lost and Biden left, Democrats have been leaderless and agenda-free. Any conversations about the partys brand troubles or its plan for handling the next four years have been haphazard and localized. Ken Martin and Ben Wikler, the two top candidates for the DNC chair job, both have the confidence of the activists I spoke with, not least because both have led political operations from outside the D.C. Beltway. Both men say they understand that people are frustrated. If we dont stand up now, Martin, head of the Minnesota Democrats, told me, then how in the hell are people going to believe that were going to fight for them and their families when were back in power? This is a period of transition, Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin state party, told me: Very soon, the battle will be well and truly joined.

But the cavalrys arrival may not mean much. The DNC has always occupied an amorphous role in the Democratic Party; it holds little sway with congressional leadership, and won't exactly shape the party's ideological future. That reality was on display this week during a chaotic DNC candidate forum characterized by a fixation on diversity issues, constant interruptions from climate-change activists, and frustrated outbursts from the audience.

The scene was indicative of a party not only struggling to fill a leadership vacuum but also stumbling beneath the weight of a tarnished brand, an unhappy base, and a growing reputation for fecklessness.

This article originally misstated the DNC's role in the Democratic Party.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Top Democratic elected officials and billionaire donors found out they dont have much pull at the Democratic National Committee, where party insiders on Saturday chose a steady hand  Ken Martin  over their preferred choice for chair.

Neither Martin nor the pick of much of the establishment, Ben Wikler of Wisconsin, were promising a major overhaul of the party. And in selecting Martin, Democrats did little to answer some of the deepest questions their party faces as they search for a path out of the political wilderness.

Instead, inside a hotel ballroom at National Harbor in Maryland on Saturday, Democrats elected Martin, a longtime tactician and Minnesota state party leader who served as a vice chair of the Harris-Walz campaign. Notably, Martin said during his campaign for chair that the party already has the right message.

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Democrats may be convinced they had it all along, despite the partys defeat last year. One politician who appeared to have plenty of juice inside the DNC on Saturday was Kamala Harris.

Here are five takeaways from a contest that wasn't defined by ideological differences or big-name candidates, but by old school politicking.

Billionaires  and big names  take a hit

The DNC has become a less prominent body since former President Barack Obama led the party. But members delivered a clear message to their partys power-brokers in picking Martin as chair: They largely think billionaire donors and big-name elected officials are out of touch with the core of the base.

Suffering the biggest upset: Some Democratic billionaires who hoped to see Wikler take the top job. LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and George Soros' Democracy PAC kicked in $250,000 each to the FORWARD PAC backing Wikler for chair  making up more than three-quarters of his campaign total, according to a Friday night filing with the Federal Election Commission.

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Many of the partys biggest players and rising stars had also backed Wikler. Among them: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several high-profile governors, including Michigans Gretchen Whitmer and Kentuckys Andy Beshear.

DNC voting members bucked them by picking Martin. Perhaps most notable is who didnt endorse: Harris, the former vice president who steered clear of the fray.

Harris is still a force

Before the vote, Harris privately called the three front-runners and, in 15 to 20 minute conversations, told each that she looked forward to working "closely with the winning candidate as soon as they are elected.

That was probably smart politics, sidestepping putting her thumb on the scale in a close race. But the real good news for Harris appeared to come in the wellspring of goodwill she seemed to enjoy on Saturday among the party faithful. During the meeting, Biden and Harris each delivered pre-recorded video messages to DNC members. And Harris appearance drew louder cheers than Bidens.

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Harris also joined a group of prominent Democrats in committing to raise money for the DNC in the coming weeks and months. If she runs again for president, it was a reminder that she is still regarded highly in many parts of the party.

Democrats want to make the DNC matter again

The DNC for years has been less of a visionary operation than a nuts-and-bolts one. But even before the vote, there were fresh signs that without the White House or Congress, some Democrats are hoping to make the DNC newly relevant to the party.

In recent days, an array of party elders and some of its brightest rising stars pledged to raise money on the DNCs behalf, including everyone from Harris to former President Barack Obama, as well as potential 2028 candidates such as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

At a minimum, the party appears committed to rebuilding through the DNC as a major political vehicle in the coming months. And Martin, speaking to reporters after his election, offered a taste of what the message might be.

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This is a new DNC, he said. Were taking the gloves off.

Martin said, I've always viewed my role as a chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road, so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning, I'm going to throw a punch.

Diversity takes a back seat

For as much emphasis as Democrats place on diversity, Martins selection marks the first time since 2011 that the DNC will not be run by either a woman or a person of color. Thats when Tim Kaine resigned from the post to pursue a Senate run.

On Saturday, no woman or person of color was even among the front-runners for the role. Marianne Williamson, a self-help author and former presidential candidate, ended her campaign before voting began and threw her support to Martin. Faiz Shakir, a late entrant to the race who ran Sen. Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, garnered just two votes for chair. Quintessa Hathaway, who is Black, didnt get a single vote.

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It was a deflating outcome for some DNC members who lamented that the voices of women and people of color might fade in the party.

"Black women have always been the backbone of our party. We show up our communities, our party and our party in every election," said Marilyn Davis, a longtime political operative and former DNC staffer, who lost in the race for party secretary to Jason Rae, who was elected for the third consecutive term, "Yet time and time again, we are overlooked when it comes to the top leadership positions in our party.

In the chairs race, Trish Ruiz, a delegate from New Mexico, said, I really wish that we would have had a  bigger name female run.

Next up: The primary calendar battle

Democrats were always planning to revisit their nominating calendar ahead of 2028. With a new chair in place, that fight starts now.

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Martin has repeatedly pledged not to put his thumb on the scale when it comes to which states will vote first for the presidential nomination. In a forum earlier this week he vowed to hold a fair and transparent selection process that would produce a slate of states that would battle-test candidates and respect the traditions and the diversity of our Democratic Party.

But New Hampshire still has a state law that requires it hold its primary a week before any other. Not only are Granite State Democrats refusing to back down from that, but Republicans who run the states government are equally unwilling to change the law.

So Martin could be headed for the same stalemate his predecessor faced after Biden elevated South Carolina, which propelled him to the Democratic nomination in 2020, to the lead-off spot in 2024. That festered into a bitter intraparty feud that ended with New Hampshire defying the DNC and going first anyway, Biden winning on a write-in campaign, and the party ultimately declining to sanction the states delegates. With a much more open field expected in 2028, things could get even messier.

New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley, an early and vocal supporter of Martin for chair, told POLITICO he trusts the DNCs new leader to stay true to his word that each state will have a fair shot at primary calendar placement.

We don't need any special favors. But we don't need somebody putting their thumb on the scale against us, either, Buckley said. We think we have a powerful message on why we should retain the first-in-the-nation primary.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A Denham Springs man was sentenced to serve 78 months in federal prison after being accused of distributing child pornography.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Barry Vining, 57, was sentenced on Friday to serve almost six and a half years after being convicted of distributing child porn. He is sentenced to serve five years of supervised release, pay $357,000 in restitution and register as a sex offender.

On Oct. 23, 2024, Vining pleaded guilty to the distribution of child porn charges. Vining admitted to uploading photos of child porn to a file-sharing service on the internet on Nov. 27, 2022.

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The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to fight child sexual exploitation and abuse launched by the Department of Justice.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WSAV)  Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued this statement today, Saturday, February 1, 2025, on U.S. Africa Command strikes in Somalia

At President Trumps direction and in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, I authorized U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains.

Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed. This action further degrades ISISs ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trumps leadership.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
HARTFORD  The Connecticut State Department of Education issued a guidance document for every K-12 public school district in Connecticut in response to immigration enforcement activities carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.

Our schools are primarily places for learning and growth. It is important for our students and families to feel welcome and protected by their schools so educators can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning, Governor Ned Lamont said. To achieve this, we are supporting our school leaders in developing procedures that prioritize the protection of students and their information to the fullest extent permitted by the law.

Over 40 years ago, the United States Supreme Court recognized the U.S. Constitution protects students right to attend public school. The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) also protects students identifiable information, such as student and family names and addresses. Consequently, if a school district receives any requests for student information, they should consult guidance provided by the districts legal counsel and adhere to the scope of these protections.

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Connecticut and federal law protect a students right to attend public school, regardless of their immigration status. The two-page document available at portal.ct.gov/governor intends to provide school districts and their governing bodies with an overview of state and federal laws, student rights, and school district responsibilities while assuring districts, students and families that Connecticut is welcoming to all students.

The document also intends to provide districts with a framework for developing policies and procedures that protect student rights, consistent with state and federal laws.

Students are at their best when they are in school, fully engaged in learning, and feeling safe and supported by their school community, Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said. This guidance is designed to help school districts develop policies and procedures that are clear and aligned with state and federal law while ensuring all students feel welcome in their classrooms.

The guide encourages school districts to establish protocols that address concerns about potential immigration enforcement on school grounds. These protocols should align with district policies and procedures related to third-party access to information and non-public areas. The goal is to reassure the school community that proper plans are in place to ensure compliance with the law and protect individuals rights. The protocols may include the following:

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Request and document the immigration agents identification, including their name, badge or ID number, phone number and business card.

Appoint a designated school official(s) to handle requests and visits by agents.

Direct immigration agents seeking access to records, information, non-public areas, or members of the school community to the designated official.

Ask agents if they have a judicial warrant to support their request and request that they produce it.

Carefully review any warrant or related materials to understand its scope and the issuing authority. Be aware that immigration agents may present administrative warrants or orders that are not court orders from a U.S. district judge or magistrate and may not authorize access to restricted areas or materials.

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Seek advice from district legal counsel on how to proceed based on the nature of the request, whether a warrant is provided, the details and type of the warrant, the judicial or administrative nature of the warrant, any claims of exigent circumstances by the agent and any other relevant considerations from legal counsel.

Stay calm and cooperative to prevent the situation from escalating, reduce anxiety among staff and students, and avoid obstruction of lawful activities.

Document the visit details, including what access agents gained to records, information, areas, or individuals, whether the access was granted, and who authorized it.
The Lincoln County Sheriffs Office was searching for 74-year-old George Reid Edwards. He was located and is safe, the sheriff said on Feb. 4.

Previous coverage:

Deputies said George Reid Edwards was last seen around 5 a.m. Friday on Buffalo Shoals Road.

He is believed to be driving a black 2017 Chrysler Pacifica passenger van with a North Carolina license plate that reads ELH-4753. The vehicle has a Dallas Cowboys sticker on the windshield.

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ALSO READ: Warrant: Madalina Cojocaris items burned in fire pit before she was reported missing

Deputies said Edwards left his home without his cell phone or wallet. He is believed to have cognitive impairment, according to family members.

A Missing Endangered Alert for Edwards has been issued by the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact Lincoln County Communications at 704-735-8202 or Detective Jon Propst with the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office at 704-732-9050.

VIDEO: Warrant: Madalina Cojocaris items burned in fire pit before she was reported missing
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech today, announced raising FDI limits for insurance for insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent, though with certain restrictions. "The FDI limit for the insurance sector will be raised from 74 to 100 per cent. This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified," she said. The central government had in November floated a few proposals for the insurance sector, including raising the FDI limit in Indian insurance companies from 74 per cent to 100 per cent, and enabling an insurer to carry on one or more classes of insurance business and activities. The government had invited comments on the proposed amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999. Insurance sector regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has committed to achieving "Insurance for All" by 2047. A significant portion of India's citizens and insurable assets remain uninsured, increasing the risks of high out-of-pocket expenses, placing a considerable burden on public finances. This raise in FDI is expected to support the cause. The budget session of parliament that began on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4. The budget speech outlined the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements. With this Budget Presentation, Sitharaman has presented her eighth budget. India's economy is projected to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in the next financial year 2025-26, said Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday. In another key guidance, the Economic Survey suggested that India needs to grow around 8 per cent for a decade or two to achieve its Viksit Bharat dreams, at a time when the country's growth showed weak progress in the first two quarters of the current financial year. (ANI)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Officials are asking the publics help in identifying a man suspected of slashing the tires of several vehicles in Washington County late Wednesday night.

At around midnight, Washington County Sheriffs deputies responded to a report of tires being slashed near Northwest Central Drive in Bethany Village.

2 teens, 1 adult arrested after armed SE Portland carjacking

Deputies said the caller had described a man in a dark hoodie stabbing tires with what looked like a knife.

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When they arrived on scene, authorities said deputies were not able to find the suspect. But they did find several vehicles had their tires slashed, including seven WCSO patrol cars.

WCSO is seeking help from the community in identifying the man and asking for any video evidence of him in the Bethany Village area.

The sheriffs office also said they believe there may be more victims.

A young man who wished to remain anonymous told KOIN 6 News he was a witness. He described the suspect as seeming intoxicated as he yelled at the young man and his friends.

It was just like a super loud woosh type of sound, the witness said.

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It certainly can hinder our ability to get out on the road, WSCO Deputy David Huey told KOIN 6 News regarding the law enforcement agencys vehicles tires being slashed. You know, our  our fleet management and our officers got together pretty quickly.

Another witness who also wished to remain anonymous told KOIN 6 News he went outside for a smoke around midnight Wednesday when he heard four tires, you know, something, losing air really quick and, you know, I figured it was someone slashing tires.

I was just hoping it wasnt going to happen to mine, he said.

While the witness said he wasnt surprised by something like this happening, its still a relatively safe neighborhood most of the time.

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Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Washington County Sheriffs Office.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Desert Hippie in Midland is a new-age holistic healing and wellness center for the mind, body, and soul.

Amber Kiker and Cody McCain opened the store in the fall of 2023 and have spent the last year and a half offering a unique sanctuary to support the community in their desire for inner peace.

Our mission here at the Desert Hippie is to serve and help others on their spiritual journey, said Cody McCain, co-owner of The Desert Hippie.

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After serving in the Iraq war, Cody, like many others, suffered from severe PTSD, but no matter what treatments he took, he just wasnt receiving the right help. That was until he met his wife, Amber, who showed him a different form of healing and in the short term, saved his life. And since it worked for him, he wanted to share that same healing with the community as well.

Being a combat veteran myself with the Iraq war in 2005, Reiki is what saved my life a little over three years ago, but we offer free, up to huge discounts for veterans and for active duty service members, as well as first responders.

On top of their healing services, the Desert Hippie also offers essential oils, candles, herbs, and much more locally produced products to help benefit their local vendors.

Were all about community, so we want to help the communities out there or other businesses out there that might not have a storefront. So we offer them space to come in and sell their products.

Owner Q&A

What is holistic healing?

Holistic healing is all about total mind, body and spirit, healing all of those aspects because we need to heal our mind and our spirit. Because when those are out of alignment, they can cause issues in our physical bodies.

Whats your favorite service that you provide?

Obviously reiki; we also offer reiki for animals, which is great for horses also past life regression hypnotherapy as well.

Business Details

The Desert Hippie is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-7pm and closed on Sunday and Monday.

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You can contact them at (432) 599-0789 or visit them at 2101 W Wadley Ave, Suite 42, Midland, Texas 79705.

For more information or to book an appointment, visit https://www.thedeserthippieandco.com/.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
More details emerged this week about the six individuals facing charges in connection with the Honolulu New Year's fireworks disaster, just days after a fifth victim passed away in Phoenix. The victim was one of six people airlifted by the military to the Arizona Burn Center.

A disaster that overwhelmed an island's medical resources

Shortly after midnight, on Jan. 1, multiple Honolulu emergency services responded to reports of multiple people injured in the Salt Lake neighborhood of the city. Video posted by locals on social media show a terrific roar of explosions in front of a residential home. The explosions lasted for at least 30 seconds, growing in intensity about halfway through and at one point resembling nothing else but a giant fireball.

Authorities later determined that the homes residents had been hosting a New Year's Eve gathering featuring an extensive array of fireworks, worth "tens of thousands of dollars," including illegal ones. The disaster was triggered when someone knocked over a firework "cake," which then ignited crates filled with additional explosives, setting off a devastating chain reaction.

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Two adults were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third victim succumbed to injuries hours later. More than 20 others, including juveniles, were rushed to multiple area hospitals. Days later, on January 6, the tragedy claimed a fourth victim, the life of a 3-year-old boy.

With Hawaii having limited resources to treat critical burn injuries on such a large scale, on Jan. 4, six patients were airlifted by the U.S. Air Force to Phoenix in order to receive treatment at the Arizona Burn Center.

All six patients airlifted to the Arizona Burn Center were placed in a medically induced coma before being transported to the mainland. Some of them are expected to remain in that state for multiple months, according to Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center.

On Jan. 28, Kevin Vallesteros, one of the six victims at the Arizona Burn Center, tragically passed away from his injuries and became the fifth death as a result of the disaster.

Arrests have been made and more are expected

An investigation in the following weeks from the Honolulu Police Department has revealed that so far, six arrests have been made with "additional arrests forthcoming." No names have been given for any of the suspects.

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"Since this investigation began three weeks ago, more than 20 witnesses were located and interviewed, digital evidence was reviewed and examined, and many hours of surveillance video were recovered and reviewed," a Jan. 30 update from Honolulu police read.

The initial two suspects were arrested on Jan. 24. They had attended the gathering with their children. A memo from Honolulu police states they had "allowed their three children, ages 15, 10, and 1, to ignite illegal fireworks." Their youngest child, a baby, was injured in the explosion and was treated at a nearby hospital before being released. The suspects are charged with Reckless Endangering in the First Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the First Degree, and multiple fireworks offenses. They were released the following day pending further investigation.

On Jan. 30, an additional four suspects were arrested and charged with Reckless Endangering in the First Degree, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor in the First Degree, and multiple fireworks offenses. The suspects, two males and two females, are all residents of the home where the disaster occurred. The four consist of two couples, with one couple attending the gathering with their four minor children and another couple with their two minor children.

This is an ongoing investigation and Honolulu police have stated that more arrests are "forthcoming."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Honolulu fireworks disaster: Details on 6 people facing charges
There are two ways to describe the tone of a harp when you have young children playing: ooh and ouch.

That's what Lydia Cleaver, the harp instructor at the storied Cass Tech harp program says, anyway.

On Saturday, Cleaver instructed six young Detroit harpists to play scales  "the musical alphabet," she said  on harps, ironing out the ouch tones, and teaching them how to make the pleasant, ethereal oohs.

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Getting the niche instruments into the hands of Detroit kids is the product of a collaboration among Detroit Harmony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Michigan State University's Community Music School, located in downtown Detroit.

The harps were sourced and paid for by Detroit Harmony, an initiative funded by the DSO and a slew of other community organizations that aims to provide an instrument to every young musician who needs one.

More: Cass Tech's unique harp program is nearing 100 years

Damien Crutcher, who attended Cass Tech with Cleaver, is the managing director for Detroit Harmony. Crutcher told the Free Press that an education in the arts can change a person's life  he knows from personal experience.

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"I started playing the French horn at Cass Tech by accident," Crutcher said with a laugh. The trumpet wasn't working for him, and he saw a French horn on TV one night.

"So I went into school the next day and I said (to my teacher), 'I'm gonna play that instrument where they put the hand on the bottom.' And he laughed at me, he said, 'Mr. Crutcher, that's called a French horn.' So he dug one out and it changed my life completely," Crutcher said.

Damien Crutcher, left, managing director of Detroit Harmony and Erik Ronmark, president and CEO of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at a youth harp class hosted by Detroit Harmony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Michigan State University Community Music School in Detroit on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

Crutcher, who has directed ensembles in places like the White House and Carnegie Hall, hopes that the next generation of Detroit musicians can find their passion with the assistance of Detroit Harmony.

And Cleaver, who managed the young artists with a witty patience, said an early investment in the arts will hopefully pay off years down the line  not just for the students, but for her ensemble at Cass Tech as well. The goal is to work closely with this cohort of young harpists until they show up in her high school classroom a few years down the line.

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Ski club: Detroit's Jim Dandy Ski Club is the oldest and largest Black ski club in the world

"I wish that so many more students had access to harps," Cleaver said. "Everyone should have access to an arts education, period. Whether they want to do it as a vocation or not, they should have access to it because there are benefits that go beyond the aesthetic."

The class of young harpists under Cleaver's guidance Saturday played on "baby harps"  smaller, easier-to-handle versions of the larger instrument (though the baby harps were still larger than several of the students).

The baby harps were provided to the students for free by Detroit Harmony, and when it is time to move to the full-sized pedal harp, Crutcher said Detroit Harmony will sort them out, too.

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"When they're ready, we will make sure that those are taken care of. We'll pay for those," Crutcher said.

From left: Lucy Joalland, 10, Riley Fitzgerald, 11, Grace Sharp, 13, Sydney Clements, 16, and Julia Fischer, 13, participate in a youth harp class hosted by Detroit Harmony, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the Michigan State University Community Music School in Detroit on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

Detroit Harmony has already given out 1,600 instruments across Detroit, with a few others sent to Woodhaven and Africa.

"If we have an instrument on a shelf, we're not gonna let a kid in Bloomfield or wherever not have an instrument," Crutcher said. "Detroit is our focus, but we're not gonna be selfish."

And with thousands of children in Detroit, Crutcher and Detroit Harmony are going to keep donating instruments  and instructors like Cleaver are going to keep teaching  until the whole city is bursting with music.

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"I always tell students that Detroit is the arts capital of the world," Crutcher said. "People don't wanna say that, but it is."

Contact Liam Rappleye: LRappleye@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Harmony, Orchestra and MSU supporting young Detroit musicians
A lawsuit filed recently against the City of Hollywood could determine how developers and municipalities handle Floridas Live Local Act, a controversial law meant to spur more affordable housing.

New York-based developers Condra Property Group sued the city Jan. 10 after it denied the groups request to build a 17-story mixed-use project, with affordable housing units, restaurants and a parking garage, under the Live Local Act. If approved, the property would be the second tallest building north of Hollywood Boulevard after the Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort.

Condra says its proposal was designed in accordance to the Live Local Act, a 2023 law which offers tax breaks to developers to build supersize projects with apartments dedicated to affordable housing. Under the law, developers can override local building controls, like zoning, density and height limits, so long as their projects deliver a certain amount of affordable housing units. While the proposed Condra building would be eight inches shorter than Margaritaville, the City of Hollywood denied the request, claiming that Margaritaville cannot be used as a height benchmark because the resort was built under special circumstances.

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The denial was based on the applicants interpretation of the legislation, specifically regarding the applicability of height requirements to the site. The City did receive the suit and is reviewing accordingly, city spokesperson Joann Hussey said in a statement to the Herald.

New York-based Condra Property Group wants to build an 18-story tower along Hollywood Beach.

The lawsuit has greater implications beyond Hollywood, said Keith Poliakoff, an attorney representing Condra. This is the first time a Live Local Act-related lawsuit involving height restrictions has been filed.

There are numerous developers who are waiting in the wings, waiting to confirm that the court is going to support Live Local and agree with the position of the developer here that the height of the Margaritaville is the benchmark that the city has set itself and that it can be matched by others, Poliakoff said. To get a project to the point where were at cost over a million dollars, so there are a lot of developers who are waiting to see the outcome here before making that same expenditure.

Keith Poliakoff is an attorney representing New York-based developers Condra Property Group. His client is suing the City of Hollywood over a denied Live Local Act request to build a mixed-use development.

Considered to be a historic piece of housing legislation meant to help ease the housing crisis for low-income Floridians, the Live Local Act led to disputes between developers, residents and local governments within its first year. Outraged local officials complained of losing control over planning. Reports showed that the law allowed developers to avoid paying millions in local taxes without providing much affordable housing. And communities argued that the laws definition of affordable is far-fetched and out of touch.

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A similar height issue unfolded in Miami Beach when the owners of the iconic Clevelander Hotel and Bar announced in September 2023 they wanted to replace the property with a 30-story tower, with 40% of units under the higher range of what the law considers to be affordable. The mayor called it worst idea ever. The owners amended the proposal to 18 stories.

But this new lawsuit may give developers the upper hand if the court rules in Condras favor.

Will this suit change Hollywoods skyline?

A towering structure that dwarfs the quaint, squat retro hotels of Hollywood, Margaritaville was opened in 2015 after it was built on city-owned land under a 99-year lease. The buildings surrounding Margaritaville and what would be Condras project are zoned to be maximum five stories tall, according to the Hollywood Zoning Map.

The developers own 11 buildings between Oklahoma and Nebraska streets between Ocean Drive and the Broadwalk. Initially, the plan was to build luxury hotels, but backlash from residents squashed that idea, Mark Drachman, one of the Condra co-owners, told the Herald last year. The Live Local Act encouraged the developers to change course.

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Condra proposed a 17-story mixed-use development with 282 residential units, including 114 units set aside for affordable housing. The project would include three buildings: a 183-foot mixed-use residential tower, a 6-story parking structure and 2-story commercial beach club. According to the lawsuit complaint, the finished product would be valued at $80,000,000. Condra has spent $1 million in fees hiring architects and other professionals to design the project to be in accordance with the Live Local Act, the complaint says.

South view from the public parking building located at North Ocean Drive and Nebraska Street of the blocks in Hollywood Beach, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. This is where an 18-story building could potentially be built along Hollywood Beach under the Live Local Act.

In June 17, 2024, the developers submitted for the projects final approval, according to the complaint. The lawsuit alleges that the city hired a law firm to lobby state lawmakers to change the language of the law, specifically when it comes to height matching.

Instead, the City continued to delay final approval, while working unsuccessfully behind the scenes to change state law, the lawsuit says.

The Live Local Act says that a municipality may not restrict the height of a proposed development below the highest currently allowed height for a commercial or residential development within one mile of the proposed development. But the law also says that existing buildings that have received any bonus, variance or other special exception for height cannot be used as a height benchmark for proposed Live Local Act developments.

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On Aug. 24, 2024 the city denied the developers request, arguing that Margaritaville is located within a specialized zone that allows the City Commission to determine building height on a case-by-case basis

The lawsuit argues that the city misinterpreted the law and that Margaritaville was built without receiving any bonus, variance, or special exception from the City.

A view of Margaritaville Hollywood Beach from the Broadwalk.

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The city will do everything in its power to prevent height on the ocean, Poliakoff said. Although they failed at the Florida Legislature level, they are forcing the developer to take this to court to tell the city, Whats good for you has to be good for everyone. If youre approving the height of the Margaritaville hotel, you have to approve it for others.

Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy has been ready for this fight since last summer, when he told the Herald that the law clearly prevents developers from using Margaritaville as a height standard and that he was prepared to prove it in court, if necessary.

We have no doubt that the courts would agree with the plain meaning of the law and our code and uphold Hollywoods height limits for Hollywood Beach, he said.
Amid President Donald Trumps rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs throughout government and the Defense Department declaring identity months dead, concern grew this week that Black History Month could be in danger.

But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday the President planned to sign a proclamation declaring February as Black History Month, as every president has done since 1976.

Trump followed through, issuing the proclamation on Saturday, February 1.

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Heres what we know about Black History Month under Trump, and what prompted concern about its fate:

Trump continues the tradition of naming February Black History Month

Trump issued a proclamation naming February Black History Month on Saturday morning.

Today, I am very honored to recognize February 2025 as National Black History Month, Trump wrote.

American heroes such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Sowell, Justice Clarence Thomas, and countless others represent what is best in America and her citizens, he added. Their achievements, which have monumentally advanced the tradition of equality under the law in our great country, continue to serve as an inspiration for all Americans.

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Leavitt confirmed this when asked about the observance at a White House press briefing Friday afternoon: The president looks forward to signing the proclamation celebrating Black History Month.

However, the proclamation follows the rollback of all diversity, equity and inclusion programs in federal government  and a notice from the Department of Defense declaring identity months dead.

Defense Department declares identity months dead in message to staff

The fate of Black History Month in the U.S. appeared uncertain after the Department of Defense issued a memo Friday stating they will no longer use official resources to mark several observances, including Black History Month, in the workplace.

The list also includes: Womens History Month; Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Pride Month; National Hispanic Heritage Month; National Disability Employment Awareness Month; and National American Indian Heritage Month.

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The memo is titled, Identity Months Dead at DoD.

Our unity and purpose are instrumental to meeting the Department's warfighting mission, the memo reads. Efforts to divide the force  to put one group ahead of another  erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution.

Other federal agencies still plan to celebrate Black History Month with events and exhibitions, including the Library of Congress, the National Archives and the Smithsonian Museum, according to The New York Times.

Furthermore, American history professor Dr. Martha S. Jones told the Times that many will always celebrate Black history in America  whether or not the federal government endorses it.

Black History Month existed long before presidents endorsed it, and it will continue, even if presidents do not, she said.
Even as emergency responders were working to recover the remains of passengers and crew members who died in Wednesday's midair collision near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, social media users, especially critics of President Donald Trump, pointed to some of Trumps policies as contributors to the crash.

"Just last week, Trump FIRED the heads of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Coast Guard, and disbanded the Aviation Security Advisory Committee," one X post read. The Associated Press reported Jan. 21 that Trump fired those heads and removed all members of the committee.

Another X post read, "On your 2ND DAY, you 1. Fired the head of the Transportation Security Administration, 2. Fired the entire Aviation Security Advisory Committee, 3. Froze hiring of all Air Traffic Controllers, 4. Fired 100 top FAA security officers."

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Trump in his first week in office did announce sweeping personnel changes, including a hiring freeze. But aviation experts said there was little that Trump did that could have precipitated the crash between a commercial jet from Wichita, Kansas, and a military Black Hawk helicopter. There was simply too little time  less than 10 days after Trump was sworn in  for any of his broadly worded executive orders to have had an effect, experts said.

Although the Transportation Safety Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Aviation Security Advisory Committee all play roles in aviation safety, "the actions by President Trump would not have led to such an immediate impact," said Jim Cardoso, a former U.S. Air Force colonel and pilot who is now senior director of the University of South Floridas Global and National Security Institute.

"All the processes to control and deconflict air traffic in the D.C. area have been well established for a long time," Cardoso said. "The personnel involved in the accident  air crew from the two aircraft and the (air traffic controllers) in place at the time of the accident  would similarly not have been affected by" the recent policy changes in Trumps executive orders since Jan. 20.

Its also unwise to speculate on causes so soon after a crash, said John Cox, a retired pilot who runs a St. Petersburg, Florida-based aviation security consulting firm.

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"At this point, we dont know enough," Cox said Thursday. Anyone who argues that a specific factor caused the crash not even 24 hours after it happens is making an argument "without foundation," he said.

Cox said the international standard for determining what caused a crash "is not to speculate. You stay with the facts. The idea is that its more important to get the right answer than a politically motivated answer."

The investigation into the collision will likely take months. For now, heres what we know about what actions Trump has taken related to aviation and what effect, if any, they could have had on this crash.

What did Trump do regarding aviation?

In a Jan. 20 executive order, Trump enacted a hiring freeze on federal civilian employees, stopping any open positions from being filled and any new positions from being created.

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However, this order exempted military personnel, positions "related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety." Air traffic control would be exempted from the hiring freeze because of its role in public safety, the White House told PolitiFact. The White House also said that, unlike political appointees, air traffic controllers do not change between presidential administrations.

On Jan. 21, Trump signed the executive order, "Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation." It eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, hiring and directed the transportation secretary and the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to "return to non-discriminatory, merit-based hiring."

It also ordered performance reviews for "individuals in critical safety positions."

Speaking to reporters Jan. 30, Trump blamed FAA diversity and inclusion hiring policies for the crash.

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Cox said all the pilots and the air traffic controllers involved in the Jan. 29 crash would, by definition, have undergone the required training requirements and "met the standards to be in that job" and any adherence to DEI rules wouldn't have changed that.

The New York Times reported Jan. 30 that staffing at the air traffic control tower was "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," according to an internal preliminary FAA safety report. The Reagan airport tower has been understaffed for years, in part because of employee turnover and tight budgets, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported Jan. 21 that Trump had fired TSA Administrator David Pekoske and Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan.

However, the TSAs safety responsibilities generally revolve around security screening of passengers, cargo and aviation workers, not the operation of planes. And the Coast Guard focuses on maritime security.

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Trump also fired all members of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, a group that includes representatives of private-sector aviation groups. They advise the TSA administrator on aviation security. The group was scheduled to meet Feb. 26; it usually meets four times a year.

An X post claimed that Trump fired 400 "senior officials" of the FAA and 3,000 air traffic controllers eight days ago. But this is unsubstantiated, and the White House told PolitiFact that no air traffic controllers had been fired.

In May 2024, CNN reported that, based on FAA numbers, air traffic control stations were facing a shortage of 3,000 controllers, with concerns that worker shortages were contributing to long shifts and exhaustion.

PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Doubtful that Trump's FAA chief firing affected DC crash, experts say
UPDATE  The nonstop flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., scheduled to resume Friday evening, has been canceled. It would have been the first direct flight back to Washington since the Wednesday crash.

The plane that arrived in Wichita from Washington was more than three hours late.

We will update this story when we learn why the departing flight was canceled.

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Friday night, flyers are scheduled to board the first American Airlines flight from Wichita to Reagan National since Wednesdays crash. The flight arriving from Washington was delayed for several hours.

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Other travelers arriving in Wichita say they have mixed emotions about the return of the Washington route.

A local couple arriving from a vacation in Australia said it was hard being somewhere so far away, wondering if they may know someone who died in the crash.

Kansas native supposed to be on flight 5342, overwhelmed with emotions

The man said he was a bit surprised to learn that the nonstop service to Washington was coming back online.

That wouldve been a tough decision if I wouldve been the one to have to make when to resume those flights because its emotional for not only this community but Boston and Philadelphia and other places that have had people affected. So, theres never a good answer, Dan McKenzie said.

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He said he realizes how many travelers rely on both Eisenhower and Regan National for daily travel and can understand why the choice was made.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday outlined ambitious plans to elevate India's tourism sector, with a focus on developing the country's top 50 tourist destinations. The union government will develop 50 tourist destination sites in the country in partnership with states through a challenge mode, the minister said in her Budget speech. Land for building key infrastructure will have to be provided by states, Sitharaman announced while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha. In a major push for the tourism sector, she also revealed plans to extend Mudra loans to homestays, making travel experiences more accessible and boosting local economies. Sitharaman emphasised that India's diverse heritage and cultural landmarks hold immense potential for economic growth. Hotels in those destinations will be included in the infrastructure HML( harmonised master list). The government continuing with its emphasis on places of spiritual and religious significance in the July interim Budget, said there will be a special focus on destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha. Additionally, medical tourism and healing in India will be promoted in partnership with the private sector along with capacity building and easier visa norms. The finance minister, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, also announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, counting Rs 75,000 of standard deduction. She also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. But there is a catch: the exemption can be earned only if a taxpayer takes relief under various sections of the Income Tax Act, like the Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under section 80CCC and the exemption of Rs 1.5 lakh for paying interest on home loans. Sitharaman says, "To taxpayers, up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them." (ANI)
Ballots were mailed Monday to voters in California's 32nd Assembly District, which has been without a representative in the state Legislature since last May.

Four candidates have filed and if one of them wins more than 50% of the vote in the Special Primary Election on Feb. 25, he or she will head to Sacramento. If none does, the top two vote-getters will move on to a Special General Election on April 29.

Candidates include Visalia-based clinical social worker William Brown, a Libertarian; educator and trustee on the Bakersfield City School District Board Chris Cruz-Boone, a Democrat; Bakersfield businessman Stan Ellis, a Republican; and Frazier Park educator and business owner Holli Willibey.

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Speaking with The Californian, all the candidates expressed a desire to push back against policies coming out of Sacramento and make it easier for Central Valley families to thrive. They are presented in alphabetical order.

WILLIAM BROWN

A newcomer to politics, Brown served in the Marines and is a social worker in Visalia. He said his frustration trying to work under a 2020 law that classified some independent contractors as employees first moved him to get involved in politics.

A member of the Libertarian Party, Brown said the two main parties failed to reflect the views of large numbers of the public and called the choice "a preference of tolerability."

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Brown said California has become too dependent on the state to provide services and he wanted to curtail the bureaucracy that limits people's economic freedom.

"I think for me, as a Libertarian, again my key focus is on individual rights, economic freedom, and government overreach," Brown said. "I think there are those areas with both the Democratic counterparts and also on the Republican side to where there is room to where all of us agree."

Brown said the state should allow more oil production and remove itself from the insurance market, particularly in light of the recent fires in Los Angeles.

"If California doesn't do something to reduce some of the challenges in the current homeowners' insurance, we are going to be in a world of hurt when more insurance companies are going to leave," Brown said. "Insurance in general should be driven by the market. It should not be driven by the government, and that's exactly why we're in the place that we're in right now."

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If elected, Brown would be the only Libertarian and the only third-party member of the Assembly, which he recognizes would be an uphill battle.

"We look at things at the left or right, the top or the bottom, but there are those areas to where there can be great compromise," Brown said. "I think it would be very beneficial to have a third voice to look to say, 'Hey, well, how does this impact, you know, who is this impacting?'"

CHRIS CRUZ-BOONE

A Bakersfield College professor and member of the BCSD Board of Trustees, Cruz-Boone is an active Democrat but is also forward about her frustration with Sacramento's status quo.

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Water and oil production are priorities for her, as is public education. She was critical of a budget released in January she said didn't provide enough funding for schools.

"I am a working-class Democrat that will always stand up for the San Joaquin Central Valley," Cruz-Boone said. "If that puts me on the outs with the party and those are consequences, I'm willing to suffer. Because I'll stand up for my community. That's my entire purpose for doing this work and if I can't be authentic and true and loyal to the people that like me, then it's not worth going to Sacramento at all. I'm not going to make friends."

Both increased access to water and oil production have been priorities for the Trump administration but state policies may limit how much new production may happen in California.

"Access to oil and access to water really affect all of the commerce that we do in the Central Valley," Cruz-Boone said. "Those are priority conversations for me to be a part of, really advocate for what's going to help our economic development, our farms, our businesses."

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Cruz-Boone said part of her role as a lawmaker is advocacy, and that she's willing to work with anyone who has the community's best interest at heart.

"Democracy is made up of a group of representatives, not just one person who gets exactly what they want," Cruz-Boone said. "That's true of both our federal government and our state government and as long as folks are centered in helping my community, I'm willing to talk to anybody, work with anybody that wants to make that happen."

STAN ELLIS

A longtime Bakersfield resident and businessman, Ellis was the first to put his hat forward for the 32nd District seat, quickly earning endorsements from several local Republicans.

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With a history in oil and agriculture, Ellis said he well understands the way of life in the Central Valley and as a member of the minority, educating his Democratic colleagues would be a priority.

"I want be able to use science and approach it like a business and say, 'Here's why we have these issues,'" Ellis said. "I was raised in oil and gas. We need oil and gas to get us sometime in our future where we have renewable energies like fusion and hydrogen and nuclear and solar."

Ellis  who also owns a pistachio orchard  said he is similarly concerned with the state's water infrastructure and access to water for agriculture. Money from the state's beleaguered high-speed rail project should be reallocated to water access and addressing the state's homelessness issue, he said.

On the subject of homelessness, Ellis expressed optimism that President Trump's actions on immigration would reduce the supply of fentanyl and said the state should encourage businesses to hire people working to get out of homelessness.

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"I've seen this (Open Door Network) homeless shelter in Bakersfield and it's pretty amazing," Ellis said. "They're bringing in homeless and they're helping homeless get work."

If elected, Ellis said he feels he could convince his Democratic colleagues on key issues for the valley.

"They all drive cars and that have rubber tires, that use oil products," Ellis said. "I just feel like they're not educated, and I know that we've had some really good advocates from Kern County in our representatives that have tried as well and all I can do is do my best."

HOLLI WILLIBEY

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An author, educator and business owner, Willibey, a Republican, said she didn't have much interest in running for office until she tried reaching out to local officials to address public safety issues in Frazier Park, which she said were ignored and dismissed. That propelled her to run for office.

Willibey has been a psychology instructor at several Southern California community colleges and has her own brand of professional and academic psychological training courses called Hollitown.

Willibey portrays herself as a maverick, and said she is extremely skilled at organizing people and solving problems.

"I want to just bring our government back to the people so I look at myself as a conduit to that," Willibey said. "I'm the only person that has the skill set and the backbone to do this because I'm going to be up against people that are not wanting it."

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One of her main priorities if elected is a crime bill that would allow individual citizens to file criminal charges  with sufficient evidence  including against elected officials.

"It's not going to be easy to pass, the people that are behaving criminally aren't going to want it to pass," Willibey said. "I have some ideas on that as well and I'm not gonna get into those details. You don't show all of your hands in poker if that makes sense."

Willibey said she'd like to have well-organized community meetings where issues can be discussed at length before crafting her proposed legislation.

"My community committees will be comprised of anybody that wants to join them that follows the rules, that's it," Willibey said. "I don't care if you're left, I don't care if you're right, I don't care if you're center but you better be respectful and follow the rules. There will be no actual arguing. I'm not a babysitter, but we will have academic discussions to tease out facts."

A VACANT SEAT

The seat has been empty since its previous occupant, Vince Fong, won a special election to take over the remaining Congressional term of Kevin McCarthy.

McCarthy was removed as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in October 2023, and announced his resignation from Congress on Dec. 6.

Fong had already filed for reelection to the Assembly and had to sue the state to let him run for Congress. He won the lawsuit and last May won a special election, giving him the rest of McCarthy's term.

But Secretary of State Shirley Weber said state law meant Fong's name couldn't be removed from the ballot for the 32nd District race, meaning his name appeared twice on the November ballot, once for Congress, once for the Assembly.

Fong won both elections, but declined the oath of office for the Assembly and a special election was called.

Only registered voters in the 32nd Assembly District were mailed a ballot.

Voters can check which district they reside in by using the states website at findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov.

Replacement ballots can be requested from the Elections Division and ballots can be tracked using the states Ballottrax at WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov. Additional information can be found at the Elections Division website, kernvote.com.
Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on a recently unsealed indictment against former President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on June 9, 2023, in Washington, DC. Trump has been indicted on 37 felony counts in the special counsels classified documents probe. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessels renewed request for the Department of Justices case file on President Donald Trumps attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election has gone unanswered, according to Nessels office.

Nessel spokesperson Danny Wimmer on Friday told the Michigan Advance that Nessel had transmitted a letter to the Department of Justice on Jan. 16, cosigned by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford.

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Noting that Mayes had also renewed her request for former Special Counsel Jack Smiths case file, the attorneys general each pointed to their ongoing prosecution of individuals tied to the 2020 fake electors scheme.

In his investigation, Smith examined a plot to submit a false slate of electoral votes to Congress in seven states  Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  falsely certifying their votes for Trump.

In Michigan, 15 people were charged in 2023 with felonies in the fake elector scheme. The case is ongoing.

The DOJ withdrew its election interference case against Trump after he won the presidential election in November 2024.

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Unlike Special Counsels case which only charged the President and is now closed, our offices have ongoing prosecutions of those who are alleged to have assisted the Presidents unprecedent [sic] efforts to remain in power, the letter reads, noting that the investigation has established critical facts and evidence and may include information clearing the defendants of blame.

We are deeply worried about the potential loss of this information if these materials are not shared prior to the change in administrations.  Given that these fraudulent elector schemes directly impacted Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada, it is imperative that our offices are equipped with all relevant materials to ensure justice is served, the attorneys general wrote.

On Jan. 24, States Newsroom reported Mayes had not received the case file, with the Arizona attorney general submitting two requests for the file prior to Jan. 16.

As of Friday afternoon more than two weeks after the attorneys general submitted the joint letter and 11 days after Trump took office  Nessels office had not received the materials, Wimmer said.

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AZ_MI_NV Garland Letter

This brief features reporting from Arizona Mirror Deputy Editor Caitlin Sievers.

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South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace hit back against her characterization as an ICE Barbie in a Saturday tweet following her viral ride-along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in her state.

Mace became the second MAGA leader this week to seemingly turn an ICE raid into a fashion spectacle as she appeared to glam up before recounting her ride-along in disjointed detail. Maces look rivaled Kristi Noems ICE Barbie getup as the homeland security secretary accompanied ICE on a raid in the Bronx.

Didnt wash my face or my hair from the day before, said Mace in response to her look. She added, But the Left says I got dolled up. OK, with three laughing with tears emojis.

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Mace claimed in an X post that guns were drawn, including long barrel rifles during the raid. She also said the ceiling caved in because one migrant supposedly hid from ICE in the ceiling.

We're not just talking about deporting illegal aliens  were out here seeing it in action for ourselves - firsthand.



South Carolina needs bold leadership to support President Trumps America First agenda deporting the bad guys and putting our people first.



It helps to have pic.twitter.com/wbO0m8jRp6  Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) January 31, 2025

However, some social media commentators casted doubt on Maces account of the raid, calling out the congresswomans history of attention-seeking behavior.

In 2023, Mace wore a shirt with the letter A on it after voting to oust Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California. The shirt was a reference to Nathaniel Hawthornes novel The Scarlet Letter, about a woman condemned to wear a scarlet A after an act of infidelity.

In December, Mace claimed that a transgender activist shook her hand so hard that she required a sling. The activist, James McIntyre, was arrested for the incident. However, witnesses challenged her account of the handshake, calling it a normal interaction.

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Mace also had an aggressive verbal confrontation with Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Missouri during a House Oversight Committee hearing. Mace asked Crockett if she wanted to take it outside after Crockett accused Mace of demonizing transgender people for political reasons. Mace later clarified that she was not alluding to violence with her statement.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Mace for comment.
Death Valley National Park | Susan J. Demas

America is exceptional in many regards. One of the most notable of our ideals encompasses 640 million acres: our system of public lands and waters, equally owned by every citizen.

We the people own these mountains and forests, rivers, and plains. Nothing could be more American, former Backcountry Hunters & Anglers North American Board Chair Ryan Busse said.

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In the words of Hal Herring, host of BHAs Podcast & Blast, The future of the American public lands is as important to our nation as the Bill of Rights or the Constitution itself.

Hence, Americas public lands are not something to be sold off for a quick buck, as some propose. They are, in the words of writer and novelist Wallace Stegner, The best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.

People have been trying to steal our great public lands estate since Theodore Roosevelt (and others) set it aside. However, those efforts have shifted into high gear recently. In a Dec. 26 Wall Street Journal op-ed advocating for selling off public lands, a Hoover Institution senior fellow said, The idea of selling huge amounts of government-owned land is not new  The prospect of largescale land sales was considered during the Reagan administration, but the political opposition was too strong.

The amount of land owned by the National Park Service alone is larger than Italy, the senior fellow added, and then went on to list the holdings (disposable, in his misguided opinion) of the Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management.

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He concluded by restating his myopic intent: The federal government owns a little more than one-fourth of the total land area of the United States. The time is long overdue to consider whether that is the best economic arrangement.

Point Reyes National Seashore | Susan J. Demas

Not surprisingly, he conveniently overlooked the priceless economic (and many other) benefits of public lands and outdoor recreation. For example, the outdoor recreation industry is a growing economic force in Colorado and generated $13.9 billion for the state in 2022, supporting nearly 130,000 workers who earned $6.9 billion. The outdoor recreation industry is now valued at $1.2 trillion nationwide, accounting for 2.3% of the U.S. economy and 5 million jobs. The 3.6% year-over-year growth exceeded the U.S. economy as a whole, which grew at 2.9% in 2023.

In a November blog post, BHA President and CEO Patrick Berry explained that throughout our history land barons and developers have endeavored to swipe public lands right out from underneath us.

Now these long-time swindlers have a growing roster of accomplices in the form of politicians who have zero shame cutting Americans out of our own public lands legacy, he wrote.

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As I wrote in a 2002 Whitetales story (Hunting, Wilderness & Democracy), I believe that wilderness and liberty are one in the same. I dont think you can tear the two apart without losing both, for American liberty and our American wilderness have always been intertwined. They are the oldest, most deeply ingrained elements of the American experience.

This is a lose-lose situation for states and all Americans for which these lands are held in the public trust, said Joel Webster, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership chief conservation officer. There have been several efforts over the past four decades to sell or transfer federal lands. None have been successful, and all have been unpopular. States simply do not have the resources to manage the vast acres that make up federal lands.

I can say that public lands belong in public hands, and that they are one of the countrys great equalizers, former Bureau of Land Management director Tracy Stone-Manning said. It doesnt matter the size of your checkbook, you have equal access to them. We need to hold on to that.

During the 2021 BHA North American Rendezvous at Fort Missoula, in Montana, one of the highlights was Herring. He inspired and reminded us, via a cautionary tale, about what weve gained and could very well lose without the vigilance of public landowners/patriots across the country and continent.

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Edward Abbey, the godfather of environmental activism, was quoted in a September 2024 TED talk saying, Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul. Although we are on the cusp of some potentially epic, if not desperate, public lands battles, we run toward challenges, not away from them. We dont back down, we double down!

Its now or never.

Yellowstone National Park | Susan J. Demas

Colorado Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Colorado Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Quentin Young for questions: info@coloradonewsline.com.
WASHINGTON/BOGOTA  President Donald Trump's envoy Richard Grenell said on Friday he was headed back to the United States with six American citizens, a surprise development after he met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas.

Officials from the Trump administration had said earlier on Friday that one of Grenell's top aims for the visit was to secure the release of Americans detained in the country, at a time when the Trump administration has been driving a deportation and anti-gang push in the United States.

Grenell did not name the six men, shown with him aboard an airplane in a photo he posted online. They were dressed in light blue outfits used by the Venezuelan prison system.

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"We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens," Grenell posted on X. "They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn't stop thanking him."

Trump cheered the move in his own post, saying Grenell was bringing "six hostages home from Venezuela."

It is unclear exactly how many Americans were being held by Venezuela, but Venezuelan officials have spoken publicly of at least nine.

Maduro's officials have accused most of them of terrorism and said some were high-level "mercenaries." The Venezuelan government regularly accuses members of the opposition and foreign detainees of conspiring with the U.S. to commit terrorism. U.S. officials have always denied any plots.

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"American hostages that are being held in Venezuela ... must be released immediately," Mauricio Claver-Carone, the U.S. special envoy for Latin America, said earlier on Friday, adding the Grenell-Maduro meeting was "not a negotiation in exchange for anything."

In late 2023, Venezuela's government released dozens of prisoners, including 10 Americans, after months of negotiations, while the U.S. released a close ally of Maduro.

Maduro told officials in an annual speech to the judiciary late on Friday evening that the meeting between him and Grenell had been positive.

"There are things where we've reached initial deals and when they are complied with, new issues will open, hopefully new deals for the good of the two countries and the region," Maduro said, adding he would be looking to see if what had been discussed with Grenell was reflected in what is communicated by the U.S. about the meeting.

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"President Donald Trump, we have made a first step, hopefully it can continue," Maduro said. "We would like it to continue."

Maduro and Grenell also discussed migration and sanctions at the presidential palace, the Venezuelan government said in a statement earlier on Friday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier on Friday that Grenell was also focused on ensuring 400 members of the Tren de Aragua gang in U.S. custody are returned to Venezuela.

An agreement on Tren de Aragua deportations was "non-negotiable," Claver-Carone said.

Venezuelan attorney general Tarek Saab said last week that the gang had been dismantled in Venezuela in 2023, but that it was willing to restart legal cooperation with the U.S. in order to extradite gang members.

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Since taking power on Jan. 20, Trump has kicked off a sweeping immigration crackdown, pledging mass deportations.

Some 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States were eligible for deportation reprieves granted by the previous administration, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she would cut the duration of the protections. She must decide by Saturday whether to terminate them.

Sanctions, elections and oil

Grenell's visit does not mean the United States recognizes Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader, Leavitt said.

The two countries have a fraught recent history marked by broken relations, sanctions and accusations of coup-plotting.

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But they share interest in several pending bilateral issues, including a license allowing U.S. oil major Chevron to operate in Venezuela.

The administration of former President Joe Biden reinstated broad oil sanctions after it said Maduro failed to keep promises for a free presidential election and later increased rewards for the capture or conviction of leaders including Maduro, leaving Trump limited options for further penalties.

Maduro's government-backed victory in the July 2024 vote is contested by the opposition, international observers and numerous countries, including the United States.

Maduro's government has always rejected sanctions by the United States and others, saying they are illegitimate measures which amount to an "economic war" designed to cripple Venezuela.

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The Financial Times reported on Friday that Chevron is trying to protect a special U.S. license allowing it to operate in Venezuela.

Chevron chief executive Mike Wirth told the newspaper the company would engage with the White House, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the license should be reconsidered and Trump said the U.S. would likely stop buying oil from Venezuela.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's envoy leaves Venezuela with 6 Americans after meeting Maduro
The captain of the American Airlines jet in a deadly midair collision with an Army helicopter late Wednesday over Washington D.C. was an Ormond Beach resident whod dreamed since childhood of becoming a pilot.

Jonathan Ray Campos, 34, was among 60 passengers and four crew members killed when American Airlines Flight 5342 hit the helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, sending both plunging into the icy Potomac River.

His aunt, Beverly Lane, told The New York Times he made his career choice early on.

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I think he wanted to be free and be able to fly and soar like a bird, Lane, of Brooklyn, N.Y., told the Times.

Sam Lilley, 28, was co-pilot on the flight. The flights first officer was Samuel Lilly, 28, of Savannah, Ga.

Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said the Black Hawk helicopter collided with the plane about 9 p.m. as the jet descended toward the main runway at the airport.

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Campos enrolled at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach in 2011 to study aeronautical science and launch his aviation dream, according to public records. He graduated in 2015.

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One of his first jobs was as a flight instructor at Epic Flight Academy at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport. Campos was also certified to fly helicopters and work as an aviation mechanic.

Heartbreaking search for those killed in DC aircraft collision takes its toll

He was a skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying, Epic Academy said in a statement Thursday on its Facebook page. Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathans family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy.

About eight years ago, Campos was hired as a pilot for PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. Based in Dayton, Ohio, PSA operates about 500 flights daily from smaller regional airports to larger hubs. Its main airport is in Charlotte, N.C., where the crew for Flight 5342 was based.

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On Wednesday, Campos was the captain of the Bombardier CRJ700 plane that took off from Wichita, Kan., and was en route to Washington D.C.

According to preliminary reports of the crash, the pilots for the commercial plane likely did not see the helicopter. It appeared the military aircraft flew outside its approved flight path and at a higher altitude than allowed.

The crash investigation is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board, which has recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders. The crash investigation is also looking at whether there was sufficient staffing at the control tower, according to preliminary reports.

This was the first major U.S. commercial air crash since Feb. 12, 2009, when a Continental Airlines flight flew out of Newark, N.J., and crashed into a house as it was a few miles out from the airport in Buffalo, N.Y. The two pilots, two flight attendants and 45 passengers on the airplane were killed along with one person on the ground.
DENVER (KDVR)  The suspect in a burglary reported Wednesday night in Castle Rock was arrested after he called 911 looking for his truck.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office said deputies responded to a home under construction on Backdrop Street just before midnight Wednesday.

Castle Rock man found guilty of sexual assault on a child

According to the sheriffs office, witnesses said they saw a man taking lumber from a home that was under construction. When the witnesses yelled at the man, he went back into the house.

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Deputies used a drone and a K-9 to search the area but they did not find the suspect, but they did find his truck.

The suspect in a burglary reported Wednesday night in Castle Rock was arrested after he called 911 looking for his truck, according to the sheriffs office. The suspect in a burglary reported Wednesday night in Castle Rock was arrested after he called 911 looking for his truck, according to the sheriffs office. The suspect in a burglary reported Wednesday night in Castle Rock was arrested after he called 911 looking for his truck, according to the sheriffs office. The suspect in a burglary reported Wednesday night in Castle Rock was arrested after he called 911 looking for his truck, according to the sheriffs office.

The sheriffs office said his truck was in front of the house. Deputies took inventory of the truck before it was towed away as evidence.

A few hours later around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, the sheriffs office said the suspect called 911 looking for his truck.

We cant make this stuff up, the sheriffs office wrote in a post on X.

The man told dispatchers where he was and deputies responded and took him into custody without incident. The sheriffs office said he was taken to jail and faces charges of burglary, theft, trespassing and possession of drugs.

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A bicyclist died on a busy Charlotte road after being hit by a driver accused of impairment, police said Friday.

Jeramie Mitchell Paige, 41, died at a hospital after the collision just before 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the 300 block of East Woodlawn Road, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department news release.

Police arrested 37-year-old Casey Hatley Ruppe and charged her with driving while impaired. Ruppe was released from the Mecklenburg County jail early Saturday after posting a $10,000 unsecured bond, jail records show.

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Paige was riding eastbound without headlights and against traffic when an SUV driver hit him, CMPD said. The driver was turning left onto the road from a parking lot.

CMPD urged anyone who saw or has information about the crash to contact its major crash investigation unit at 704-432-2169, extension 5, or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600; http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.
NewsVoir Chandigarh [India], February 1: The Faculty of Economics at Chitkara Business School, Chitkara University, hosted the National Colloquium on Union Budget 2025-26, a two-day event designed to foster dialogue on India's economic future. The colloquium provided a platform for scholars, experts, and students to discuss key budgetary themes such as digitalisation, sustainable development, fiscal policy, and India's evolving role in the global economy. "India's economic future hinges on strategic fiscal policies, sustainability, and inclusive growth. The National Colloquium offers a crucial platform for collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to shape progressive economic strategies. At Chitkara University, we are committed to facilitating such meaningful discussions that empower future leaders to drive India's growth on the global stage," said Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro Chancellor, Chitkara University. The event featured insightful sessions from distinguished speakers, including Prof. Aarti Srivastava, Prof. Radhika Pandey, Dr. Rajmal from the Reserve Bank of India, Prof. Manmohan Krishna (Chair Professor, NITI Aayog), Prof. Mini Govindan (TERI), and Prof. Hippu Salk Kristle Nathan (IRMA). The speakers addressed critical issues such as the economic dimensions of education, fiscal consolidation, sustainable energy policies, and rural economic development. Prof. Aarti Srivastava emphasised, "Investing in higher education is investing in the future of our nation. Our focus should be on creating an education ecosystem that bridges the gap between academic knowledge and employability." Day one included a vibrant poster competition and expert lectures, followed by a panel discussion on topics like the long-term impact of education policies, tax reforms, climate-resilient agriculture, and India's industrial ambitions amid global uncertainties. On day two, the focus shifted to fiscal resilience and sustainable growth strategies. Prof. Krishna outlined India's GDP growth potential and fiscal policies, stating, "Achieving a 7-7.5% growth rate is possible, but it requires a focus on fiscal consolidation to build a foundation for sustainable development." Prof. Govindan discussed sustainable energy policies, noting, "To achieve our climate goals, India must adopt a multi-faceted approach, integrating renewable energy into all sectors and supporting farmers in transitioning to cleaner energy sources." Prof. Nathan stressed the importance of rural economic transformation: "Rural development is essential for India's economic growth. We must focus on skill development and create opportunities for rural youth to actively contribute to the nation's progress." The colloquium concluded with a call for balanced economic growth through strategic fiscal planning, sustainable policies, and rural empowerment. Prof. Kulshrestha stated, "India's economic future lies in its ability to balance innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. Collaboration between government, industry, and academia will be crucial in strengthening India's position on the global stage." Chitkara University, a leading private university in India, is recognised for its focus on practical, industry-aligned education. Offering a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs, the university is known for its cutting-edge research, innovation, and strong industry partnerships, aiming to produce graduates well-prepared to meet the challenges of the global marketplace. For more information log in to university website: www.chitkara.edu.in. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
HIGH POINT  Drought conditions have intensified during a drier-than-normal January overshadowed by bitter cold and two snowfalls.

There are now 61 counties, including Guilford, Davidson and Randolph, listed in moderate drought, according to this weeks update from the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council. Eleven counties in the eastern part of the state are reported to be in severe drought, with 27 counties listed as abnormally dry.

Three months ago, no counties were in severe drought, seven were in moderate drought and 66 were abnormally dry.

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In the High Point area there was a little less than 1 inch of precipitation in January, compared to the normal for the month of 3.3 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

Rainfall has been scarce across the state, the N.C. Drought Management Advisory Council reported.

The recent snow has mostly melted, but our streams and soils arent in much better shape than before those flakes, with widespread dry conditions now apparent across the entire state, the council reported. Despite the frozen precipitation, its on track to be one of the top 10 driest Januarys on record for much of western North Carolina.

The High Point area got about 2 inches of snow during January. But the general rule is that 1 inch of snow translates into one-tenth of an inch of equivalent rainfall, which stunts the recharging of water resources.

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Thats not much to make a dent in the drought, said Andrew Kren, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

The dry conditions have heightened the outdoor fire risk. On Wednesday, firefighters in Walkertown in Forsyth County had to put out six outdoor fires within 30 minutes, and town officials advised residents not to burn outdoors.

The High Point area was expected to get up to a half inch of rainfall into Friday evening, Kren told The High Point Enterprise. The next chance of rain for the area could be Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

pjohnson@hpenews.com | 336-888-3528 | @HPEpaul
A fire tore through a Columbia apartment early Saturday morning leaving 18 people without a home, the Columbia-Richland Fire Department shared on social media.

Just before midnight, crews responded to Hampton Greene Apartments off of Gills Creek Parkway, officials said. While en route, firefighters saw a plume of smoke and called for a working fire dispatch.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire coming from one building and flames quickly spreading through the roof. Officials said it prompted a second alarm, dispatching more crews. The fire was brought under control around 2 a.m. The exterior of one other apartment building was damaged due to heat.

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All residents escaped the building safely and there were no injuries, according to the fire department. However, 18 people were displaced.

The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced families with immediate needs like food, clothing and shelter, according to a news release.

As our teams work with the families impacted, our hearts go out to them and we want to provide all the support we can, Yolanda Gainwell, interim CEO of the Red Cross of South Carolina, said in a news release. This (devastating) event reminds us that fires can happen anywhere, at any time, and we must always be prepared for these unfortunately frequent disasters. We encourage families to practice their home fire safety plan and test their smoke alarms.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, the fire department said.
Editors note: This story has been corrected to note closure takes place Friday at 9 p.m. until Monday at 5 a.m.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Crews will close all lanes of eastbound State Route 52 from Interstate 805 to State Route 163 this weekend, according to Caltrans.

The closure began Friday at 9 p.m. and will continue until 5 a.m. Monday morning. A map of the construction zone area, seen below, was released by Caltrans.

During this closure, motorists may face delays and should expect detours. Caltrans has set up messaging signs along the route to alert drivers of the closure and encourage alternative routes.

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For those planning to travel in the area, the posted detour will direct drivers to continue southbound on I-805, then take the eastbound I-8 connector ramp. From there, travelers will continue on I-8 to northbound I-15, eventually connecting to the SR-52 eastbound and westbound ramps.

An additional detour option includes continuing southbound on I-805 to the southbound SR-163 connector ramp. From there, motorists should take the Genesee Avenue off-ramp, turn left onto Genesee Avenue, and then take the northbound SR-163 on-ramp to access the SR-52 ramps.

Residents and business owners in the area can expect construction-related noise and lighting through the weekend, as crews work to complete the necessary repairs and improvements.

For real-time updates on traffic speed, lane closures and other construction-related information, drivers are encouraged to visit Caltrans QuickMap.

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Caltrans reminds travelers that the work schedule is subject to change based on weather conditions, traffic incidents or other factors affecting construction timelines.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Feb. 1Current estimates of southeastern Minnesota's undocumented immigrant population are in the 7,500-8,000 range. Given that Rochester is the region's biggest population center and has the largest workforce, it's safe to assume that several thousand  perhaps as many as 5,000  undocumented immigrants live and/or work in Olmsted County.

Those immigrants (and their children, if they have them) are understandably nervous right now. Rumors of impending ICE activity in Rochester have been spreading like wildfire, and even before the recent presidential inauguration, local parents at risk of deportation were being advised to plan for their children's welfare in the event of their own arrests.

Some readers of this editorial likely are appalled and angered by that prospect, while others are eager to see handcuffed undocumented immigrants loaded onto ICE vans. Strong arguments can be made for both views, just as blame for our current situation can be placed on Democrats and Republicans alike.

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For far too long, our nation has used an implicit "don't ask, don't tell" immigration policy, essentially looking the other way as undocumented workers did important-yet-menial jobs for low pay and no benefits. Our economy's reliance on "illegals" was the dirty little secret that was hiding in plain sight  until now.

If mass deportations begin in southeastern Minnesota, all of us will be affected. Not just the parents who might be separated from their children. Not just the immigrants who could lose businesses, homes and friendships that took decades to build.

All of us.

Consider the following list of fairly typical occurrences in the life of an Olmsted County resident.

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* Dropping off a child at a day-care center or in-home care provider.

* Last-minute "pre-organizing" your home before the arrival of your monthly cleaning service.

* Waiting in a drive-thru line for coffee.

* Working out for an hour at a fitness center.

* Lunch with a friend at a moderately-priced sit-down restaurant.

* Visiting a loved one at an assisted-living facility.

* A quick stop at a grocery store for milk, eggs, ground beef and fresh fruit.

* Ordering food delivery through DoorDash or Uber Eats.

If you've done two or three of these things in the last week  and chances are fairly good that you have  then ask yourself this question: Did those errands, little pleasures and vital services rely, at least partially, on the efforts of an undocumented worker?

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If ICE raids remove just 1,000 workers from Olmsted County, your favorite coffee shop might lose an employee or two. Your health club could lose part of its janitorial/laundry crew. Many restaurants will need to find new servers and kitchen staff. House-cleaning services likely will take a big hit  and their prices will rise. Ordering food for delivery will cost more, and probably take longer.

Then there's the "care economy." Immigrants make up an outsized proportion of the child-care and elder-care workforce. It's a near-certainty that if you have a loved one at a Rochester-area assisted-living facility or nursing home, then that resident receives care from immigrants. Based on national averages, 23 percent of those workers are likely undocumented, so deportations could push already-short-staffed facilities into a full-blown crisis, resulting in waiting lists for new residents, price hikes and even closure of some facilities.

Next, let's talk groceries. Egg prices have been a hot topic of late, primarily due to bird flu, but here's another angle: Undocumented workers make up an estimated 30-50% of the workforce at our nation's poultry farms, dairy farms and meat-packing plants. They perform physically demanding, dirty work for low wages, and there isn't a waiting list of U.S. citizens eager fill those jobs. As a result, we can expect deportations to cause price hikes for beef, chicken, bacon, ice cream and any other food that involves livestock.

Vegetarians in southeastern Minnesota will fare little better. More than 40% of our nation's agricultural laborers are undocumented immigrants. If they disappear, the price of Honeycrisp apples, California strawberries, lettuce, peppers, carrots, beans and almost everything else you find in the produce aisle (or canned goods aisle) will increase.

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And that's just on the production end. Food doesn't magically transport itself from the packing plant to a grocery store, and one of the fastest growth areas of undocumented immigrant employment is in truck driving.

Finally, if you think the cost of building a house is high right now, know that it will get even higher if 13% of the construction workforce is sent back to Central America. Nationally, there are 75,000 undocumented roofers  so if you've been ignoring your home's curling shingles, you might want to get on that, pronto.

This is Economics 101. Deportations will create job vacancies that will be difficult to fill. When labor costs increase, consumers pay more. It's possible that in the not-so-distant future, a $20 bill might not buy a dozen eggs, a half-gallon of milk and a pound of hamburger.

Actually, the next year or two might be an interesting sociological experiment. For the first time in decades  perhaps a century  American consumers could be forced to pay the true, fair-market price for goods and services.

Here's hoping that the resulting outrage will force our elected leaders to get serious about immigration reform.
Feb. 1Black History Month reminds us that it's an appropriate time to reflect on our nation's relentless struggles for freedom, especially those courageous people whose heroic efforts advanced the cause of civil rights.

On the national front, we've been inspired through the decades by President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. with his classic "I Have a Dream" speech, the highlight of the 1963 March on Washington in support of demands for equal rights. And let's not forget those "Freedom Riders" in the deep south. The participants put their lives on the line to pave the way for integration.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Friday marked the UNCF Mayors Luncheon at Sinclair Community College.

The event was held in Sinclairs Great Hall, supporting UNCFs mission of increasing educational opportunities for minority students with scholarships and other initiative programs.

Dayton Library announces first week of Black History Month programs

Among the special guests was Olympic champion Edwin C. Moses  a name Daytonians may recognize from the local Boulevard.

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Moses was born in Dayton and had the street named after him after he won his second gold medal. He won for mens 400m hurdles during the 1976 and 1984 Olympics.

He spoke at the event about his time growing up and going to Fairview High School here in Dayton.

One of the most important things we had was that diversity and being in an environment where everybody wanted to abound, said Moses. And it was very peaceful. We had our little conflicts, but it was a great environment to grow up in, in Dayton during that time. Dayton was one of the most desirable cities in the country.

2 NEWS reporter and weekend anchor KaJeza Hawkins had the honor of emceeing Fridays event.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Egypt's Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip reopened on Saturday for the first time in nearly nine months.

Several sick and injured Palestinian patients were evacuated via the crossing to receive medical treatment outside war-ruined Gaza, Egyptian security and Red Crescent sources said.

Footage on Egypt's state-linked al-Qahera News TV channel showed the first patients from Gaza beginning to arrive at the Egyptian side of the crossing.

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They arrived to the checkpoint inside ambulances belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent and then transferred into waiting Egyptian ambulances on the other side of the border.

A total of 50 sick and injured people, along with 53 escorts, are expected to be evacuated Saturday from Gaza into Egypt, according to the broadcaster.

In May last year, Israel took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, in an operation that halted aid deliveries into the densely populated coastal strip via the vital facility.

The European Union said Friday the bloc had started its support mission to help with the reopening of the Rafah crossing.

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EU border guards are deployed at the crossing at the request of Palestinians and Israelis, the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas wrote on the social media platform X.

The facility's reopening is part of a three-phase ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement and Israel.
(FOX40.COM)  Two Valley High School students were arrested on Thursday after being found with various weapons on campus, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs office said a witness informed school officials that the students sibling had been carrying a gun on campus on Wednesday.

Thieves target housing tracts in Rancho Cordova

Elk Grove Police Officers assigned as school resources officers along with deputies from the sheriffs office detained both students on campus without any incident.

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The 15-year-old student was found with a fully loaded handgun with a 14-round magazine, a folding knife, and a fixed-blade knife inside of their backpack.

The 16-year-old sibling was found to have pepper spray which is illegal to carry on campuses.

The 15-year-old was arrested and booked into Sacramento County Juvenile Hall on multiple charges, including minor in possession of a firearm, minor in possession of ammunition, possession of a firearm on a school campus, possession of ammunition on a school campus, possession of knives on campus, and possession of a high-capacity magazine, the sheriffs office wrote in their news release.

Authorities said that the 16-year-old sibling was cited for having pepper spray on campus and released to their parents. No threats were made toward the school, staff, or other students.

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For the layperson, the highlight of the Union Budget has always remained on what all have become cheaper and which of them has got costlier to buy. This year too the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's third term in office has been no exception. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as part of her Budget presentation proposed a host of tweaks in basic customs duty (BCD) for various products or items that are critical for manufacturing or for day-to-day needs. In some cases prices were raised to make domestic manufacturing robust. Relief on import of drugs and medicines: To provide relief to patients, particularly those suffering from cancer, rare diseases and other severe chronic diseases, Sitharaman proposed to add 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD). She also proposed to add six lifesaving medicines to the list attracting concessional customs duty of 5 per cent. Full exemption and concessional duty will also respectively apply on the bulk drugs for manufacture. Specified drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes run by pharmaceutical companies are fully exempt from BCD, provided the medicines are supplied free of cost to patients. The minister has now proposed to add 37 more medicines along with 13 new patient assistance programmes. Support to domestic manufacturing and value addition: In the July 2024 Budget, the government had fully exempted BCD on 25 critical minerals that are not domestically available. The government had also reduced BCD on two other such minerals to provide a major fillip to their processing especially by MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). Now, the government proposed to fully exempt cobalt powder and waste, the scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals. "This will help secure their availability for manufacturing in India and promote more jobs for our youth," the FM said. Textiles: To promote domestic production of technical textile products such as agro-textiles, medical textiles and geo textiles at competitive prices, the Finance Minister has proposed to add two more types of shuttle-less looms to the list of fully exempted textile machinery. She also proposed to revise the BCD rate on knitted fabrics covered by nine tariff lines from "10 per cent or 20 per cent" to "20 per cent or Rs 115 per kg, whichever is higher". Electronic goods: In line with 'Make in India' policy, and to rectify the inverted duty structure, she proposed to increase the BCD on Interactive Flat Panel Display (IFPD) from 10 per cent to 20 per cent and reduce the BCD to 5 per cent on Open Cell and other components. In the 2023 -24 Budget, for the manufacture of Open Cells of LCD/LED TVs, the government has reduced the BCD on parts of Open Cells from 5 per cent to 2.5 per cent . "To further boost the manufacture of such Open Cells, the BCD on these parts will now stand exempted." Lithium ion battery: To the list of exempted capital goods, she proposed to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing. "This will boost domestic manufacture of lithium-ion battery, both for mobile phones and electric vehicles," she said. Shipping Sector Considering that shipbuilding has a long gestation period, she proposed to continue the exemption of BCD on raw materials, components, consumables or parts for the manufacture of ships for another ten years. "I also propose the same dispensation for ship breaking to make it more competitive," she said. Telecommunication: To prevent classification disputes, the government has proposed to reduce the BCD from 20 per cent to 10 per cent on Carrier Grade ethernet switches to make it at par with Non-Carrier Grade ethernet switches. Export Promotion Handicraft Goods: To facilitate exports of handicrafts, the government proposed to extend the time period for export from six months to one year, further extendable by another three months, if required. Besides, she also proposed to add nine items to the list of duty-free inputs. Leather sector: The government proposed to fully exempt BCD on Wet Blue leather to facilitate imports for domestic value addition and employment. She also proposed to exempt crust leather from 20 per cent export duty to facilitate exports by small tanners. Marine products: To enhance India's competitiveness in the global seafood market, the government proposed to reduce BCD from 30 per cent to 5 per cent on Frozen Fish Paste (Surimi) for manufacture and export of its analogue products. She also proposed to reduce BCD from 15 per cent to 5 per cent on fish hydrolysate for manufacture of fish and shrimp feeds. Domestic MROs for Railway Goods: In July 2024 Budget, to promote development of domestic MROs (maintenance, repair and overhaul) for aircraft and ships, the government extended the time limit for export of foreign origin goods that were imported for repairs, from 6 months to one year and further extendable by one year. "I now propose to extend the same dispensation for railway goods," she said. In Budget 2024-25 too, the government reduced the number of customs duty rates. (ANI)
 Forbidden Treasure

It looks like Elon Musk and his buddies have forced another US official out of government.

The Washington Post reports that senior Department of the Treasury official David Lebryk abruptly announced his retirement on Friday, after clashing with Musk's allies at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency.

Lebryk has worked at the agency for decades. Since the election, according to the report, DOGE has hounded him for access to the Treasury's sensitive payment system, which is used to send out trillions of dollars every year and is normally accessed only by a small number of senior officials.

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Why Lebryk clashed over the requests is unclear. But maybe he just didn't like the idea of handing over the keys for a trillion-dollar money pipeline to Musk  a walking conflict of interest  and his retinue of sketchy and underqualified DOGE lackeys.

Feds Will Roll

Musk fueled Trump's election victory by promising to gut federal agencies and drastically slash government spending. In the process, he's made no secret of his intentions to punish his political foes.

On the day of Trump's inauguration, the chief of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, resigned. Musk had openly called for Whitaker's resignation for months, because under his leadership, the FAA temporarily halted Musk's rocket launches at his company SpaceX on several occasions over safety concerns, slapping on fines.

Considering those interventions were usually in response to a rocket exploding somewhere, you could say that the FAA was simply doing its job rather than trying to sabotage SpaceX, whose Starship rockets seem to have no problem blowing up on their own without any malicious influence.

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But maybe Musk isn't interested in the proper functioning of government  not when pesky regulators get in the way of his company's progress.

Up to No Good

Lebryk's departure is expected to be a shock to the Treasury's rank and file, according to WaPo.

It's hard to say what Musk and DOGE's intentions are with accessing the Treasury's payment system, which is used to distribute everything from Social Security and Medicare benefits to the salaries of federal employees. A detail we hope won't prove relevant is that Musk got his start in developing a payment system, PayPal, and has strived to integrate a money transferring service into his social media site X, in a bid to turn it into an "everything app."

What's seems clear, however, is that the intentions are cynical.

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"Your whole job is to pay the bills as they're due," Mark Mazur, a former Treasury official who served during the Obama and Biden administrations, told WaPo. "It's never been used in a way to execute a partisan agenda... You have to really put bad intentions in place for that to be the case."

More on: Trump Broke the Federal Email System and Government Employees Got Blasted With Astonishingly Vulgar Messages
Elon Musk spent a total of more than $290 million on the 2024 election, new federal filings show, boosting President Donald Trump and Republicans in a staggering effort that has helped to secure unprecedented access for the worlds richest person in the new administration.

The year-end filings, covering the final five weeks of the year, also revealed jockeying for influence as the new administration prepared to take power. Trumps old campaign committee  converted into a new account he can use to flex his political muscle, despite being term-limited  hauled in nearly $21 million in the period. Meanwhile, a top allied super PAC received several million-dollar contributions, including $1 million from the administrations nominee for ambassador to the UK, on the day he was tapped to serve.

In addition, the filings showed how the parties and some of their key members are getting set for the 2026 midterm election cycle, with potentially vulnerable incumbents in battleground states like Georgia, North Carolina, and New Hampshire stockpiling cash. And the Democratic National Committee spent heavily in the weeks following the partys losses in 2024, dropping more than $56 million settling headquarters expenses, paying legal fees, and soliciting its voters feedback and funds.

Musk money

The new filings with the Federal Election Commission on Friday showed that Musk put about $11.2 million into his main super PAC, America PAC, on the final day of the year  which brought his total political giving for the cycle to more than $290 million, a massive sum rivaled by only a handful of competing mega donors.

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Musks end-of-the-year contributions were earmarked for petition incentives, related to the million-dollar giveaways that he organized through the super PAC in the home stretch of the race. Those giveaways  aimed at encouraging voter registration  drew legal challenges, though they were ultimately allowed to continue.

The latest filing from Musks super PAC shows that the giveaways cost him a total of more than $50 million, out of the more than $290 million that he spent on the 2024 election.

Musks donations in 2024 were mostly aimed at supporting Trump; about a quarter of a billion dollars that he gave went to America PAC, the main super PAC that Musk formed for the election. But Musk also gave millions to several other super PACs and outside groups that supported a range of GOP candidates, and he cut $10,000 checks to dozens of state Republican Party committees.

Now ensconced in the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new agency that he helped form, Musk is poised to reap a return on his unprecedented political investment and is already at work reshaping the federal government. Furthermore, hes indicated plans for his super PAC to keep grinding in the 2026 midterms.

Trump continues stacking cash

Political committees affiliated with President Trump raked in millions in the final weeks of 2024  funds that the term-limited president can use to flex his political muscle, even if not for his own campaigns.

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After the election, Trump converted his 2024 campaign account into a leadership PAC, a type of committee with which he can continue to raise and spend funds for political purposes. The committee, now called Never Surrender, reported nearly $21 million in total receipts during the final five weeks of the year.

Never Surrender had about $27.4 million in cash on hand entering 2025, but with a complicated set of books  the committee reported that it had debts of more than $11 million, nearly all to a telemarketing firm, and also that it was owed nearly $4.7 million, including $4.67 million from the US Secret Service and several thousand dollars from the New York Times and ABC, for air travel.

Meanwhile, MAGA Inc., a leading pro-Trump PAC, raised $18.3 million in the year-end period, receiving seven-figure contributions from a series of prominent donors, including the financier Warren Stephens, who gave $1 million to the group on December 2, the same day he was tapped to be the next ambassador to the UK; Anthony Pratt, an Australian billionaire, who gave $4 million; and Alexander Karp, CEO of Palantir  a company with several ties to Musk  who also gave $1 million.

In sum, the filings show that millions continued to flow to Trump and his allies in the wake of his electoral victory, positioning his political operation to continue shaping Republican politics into the new administration.

Eyes on 2026

Georgia, North Carolina and New Hampshire are host to a trio of Senate incumbents seeking reelection in 2026, and year-end FEC reports showed how those members were set up entering the critical cycle.

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In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff had a strong fundraising period to close the year, raising $2.2 million and reporting nearly $5 million in the bank at the end of 2024. Ossoff is among the most endangered incumbents on the ballot in 2026, seeking a second term in a state that has swung between the parties through a series of fiercely contested statewide elections over the last decade.

In another top battleground, North Carolina, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis raised just over $900,000 during the reporting period and had about $2.2 million in cash on hand entering 2025. Funds will be crucial for Tillis, who is hoping to ward off a conservative primary challenge as he faces pressure to support the Trump agenda, while still positioning himself for crossover appeal in the highly competitive state.

Finally, in New Hampshire, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen reported raising about $170,000 and had about $1.5 million banked at the end of the year, as she too preps for what could be a tough race in a state that just elected GOP Gov. Kelly Ayotte by nearly 10 points in 2024, even as Trump fell short there by less than 3 points.

In addition, the round of year-end filings showed the party committees rebuilding for the next election cycle. The Republican National Committee reported raising about $14.6 million, spending about $19.3 million, and entering 2025 with about $38 million in the bank.

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On the other hand, the Democratic National Committee raised a brisk $31.5 million, but spent heavily, about $56.6 million, with millions going to accounts related to headquarters expenses  including a $5.7 million reimbursement to the Harris campaign for headquarters expenses  and millions more going to legal fees, payroll, and voter outreach. The DNC reported that it had about $22.1 million in cash on hand at the end of the year.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Founder and Creative Director, Kim Phan, of YUMI KIM joined Brittni Friedlander on Wake Up 2Day to share their new Lunar New Year Collection and styles for 2025.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Founded by Kim Phan in 2008, YUMI KIM is a fashion brand known for its vibrant prints and timeless, feminine designs. Rooted in versatility and effortless style, each piece is crafted to inspire confidence and joy. From its beginnings in New York to becoming a globally loved brand, YUMI KIM continues to bring beauty and inspiration everywhere.

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Dressing for Lunar New Year is all about embracing traditions while welcoming a fresh start for the year ahead. Its a time to honor family, culture, and luck.

The Bella Project aims to make prom affordable for every high school student

The clothing choices often reflect themes of prosperity, happiness, and good fortune. Bright, vibrant colorsespecially red, gold, and yelloware favored because they symbolize luck, wealth, and happiness.

Red is particularly significant, as its believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year.

On Wake Up 2Day, Kim Phan, shared traditional cheongsams and modern pieces that can be phenomenal dress options for the Year of the Snake.

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Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

For Hawaii residents, YUMI KIM just opened its Flagship Boutique and only store in the world in mid-December! You can visit our Boutique at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, were located on 1st floor of Building B next to Dean & Deluca. Three hours of parking is free with any $25 purchase for locals and military. You can also shop and purchase outfits in the comfort of your own home at our online shop at www.yumikim.com, we offer free shipping on purchases over $200. Discover more at yumikim.com and follow the journey on Instagram (@yumikim.)

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
An American Airlines pilot involved in a Wednesday night collision with a Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had trained at a university with ties to northern Arizona.

Capt. Jonathan Campos, 34, was one of two pilots operating American Eagle Flight 5342 when the U.S. Army helicopter struck the jetliner just before landing in Washington, D.C. Campos, along with all 60 passengers and three other crew members on board, perished in the crash, as did three soldiers aboard the Blackhawk. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident.

"EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Captain Jonathan Campos (Aeronautical Science,15). Our thoughts are with his family and the families and loved ones of all impacted by this tragic accident," read a statement.

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The school has a campus in Prescott.

What do we know about the Arizona flight school?

Located on Willow Creek Road near Pioneer Parkway, the Prescott campus spans over 500 acres and opened in August 1978, according to the universitys website. Enrollment at its debut stood at 264 students, as reported in a 1980 article by The Arizona Republic. As of last fall, the Prescott campus had grown to an undergraduate enrollment of 3,229.

Embry-Riddles Daytona Beach campus was established in 1965. The university originally began operations in Cincinnati in 1926, graduating its first class two years later, before relocating to Florida in 1939. According to the schools website, undergraduate enrollment at the Daytona Beach campus last fall was more than twice that of Prescott.

The Arizona campus sits on the grounds of Prescott College, which went bankrupt a few years prior, according to The Republic article. Embry-Riddle's president at the time, Jack Hunt, spotted the property's sale on a flier and thought it would help navigate the surplus of students the Daytona Beach campus faced, according to the school's website. The Republic reported that the land was purchased at a $5 million price tag.

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U.S. News & World Report ranks the school at the top of its list of best regional colleges in the West.

Nick Shaw of Daytona Beach, pictured on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, shows a photo of his close friend, Jonathan Campos, captain of the American Airlines plane that collided in midair with a military helicopter over Reagan Washington National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area two nights earlier killing all aboard. Campos lived in Ormond Beach. The photo of Campos was taken a few days before the crash while visiting Shaw. Both are graduates of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

How is Campos being remembered?

Campos was flying from Wichita, Kansas with passengers, many of them returning from an ice-skating competition. His aunt, Beverly Lane, said he was planning on flying back home to Ormond Beach, Florida. He was anticipating a Feb. 7 family cruise in the Caribbean that had been a year in planning.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Campos and his first officer were seasoned pilots. Campos, he said, had flown for at least six years with the regional airline that American Airlines Group owns.

"He always wanted to soar like a bird, Lane said of her nephew.

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On Friday, she said Campos' body had been recovered.

USA TODAY reporter Chris Kenning contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Embry-Riddle University in Prescott mourns loss of pilot in DC flight
Due to a Russian missile attack on the morning of 1 February, emergency power outages are being introduced in seven Ukrainian oblasts.

Source: press service for Ukrenergo, Ukraines state-owned electricity transmission operator

Details: In particular, the restrictions are applied in Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Update: On his Facebook, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko added that preventive restrictions were being applied in the country.

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"In connection with the attack, the electricity transmission operator is urgently applying preventive restrictions," Halushchenko said.

Background: On the early morning of 1 February, an air-raid warning was issued across Ukraine.

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COMBINED LOCKS, Wis. (WFRV)  The Combined Locks Fire & Rescue recently responded to an incident at Clearwater Car Wash in the Town of Buchanan, where an employee suffered a medical emergency under a vehicle.

According to a Facebook post from Combined Locks Public Safety, a coworker quickly called 911 for help. Dispatched determined the patient was pulseless and not breathing, prompting an immediate response from EMS teams from Combined Locks, Buchanan, and Kimberly.

Missing ice fishermans body recovered after joint efforts from Wisconsin and Illinois agencies

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EMS personnel reportedly arrived within one minute, having just cleared another call nearby, and found the male employee under a vehicle in the oil change pit. The post notes that the patient was not trapped or inaccessible, just in a tight space within a basement-type setting.

EMS began resuscitation efforts immediately, including the use of a defibrillator. Fire engines were requested to help lift the patient from the tight space.

The patient was successfully moved to the ambulance and transported to a local hospital. No further information has been provided.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
This summer marks 25 years for me professionally poring over polling and focus group data. Events dictate popular opinion, so I have learnt to be wary of predictions, preferring to set out plausible scenarios.

Here is one such scenario now: we might be witnessing the last days of the Conservative Party.

Senior Conservatives have grown up with the Party, enjoyed recent landslides and the trappings of Government. They assume the Party has strong roots, power, and relevance to voters.

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Reality check: nobody across Britain cares about the Conservative Party. Most voters know nothing of its history, never meet any activists, and could not name more than a small handful of current Tory MPs. The Party is an irrelevance, culturally and institutionally.

The Conservatives have not plunged in the polls to the low 20s because voters are consciously punishing them, or sending them a message. They have simply moved on, deciding to cast their votes for other parties.

This is why the Conservatives strategy  apologising for past mistakes, explaining principles and consulting on policy  is so ludicrously misjudged. When nobody cares about you, this process is inward-looking and self-indulgent.

Reform have overtaken the Conservatives in the polls simply because they are saying important, clear things on important issues  above all, border control. Reform are currently polling in the high 20s now, while the Tories are in the low 20s. This might be a temporary switch in their relative positions, but could mark a permanent shift.

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The fact the Conservatives cannot see the threat from Reform is worrying, but also casts doubt on their ability to save themselves.

These doubts are growing. Just last week, Priti Patel, one of the partys leading figures, used an interview with The Suns Harry Cole to forcefully defend the last Conservative Governments record on immigration. In one of the most extraordinary interviews of recent times, she suggested voters should applaud the Partys record here.

Nigel Farage is already saying this shows the Party is a party of mass migration. Others will argue the Party has become effectively another variation of the Labour Party, taken over by a soft-left ideology. Neither are correct.

The truth is, the modern Conservative Party does not seem to believe anymore in those things that always secured it 30-odd points in the polls  and regular election landslides. This means no genuine belief in border control, but neither in lower taxes, lower public spending, sound money, or public service reform.

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In the face of this abandonment of their historic policy ground, of course there is an opportunity for Reform. Voters care about policies, not archaic institutions. Reform can and should go after the Conservatives traditional voters by stealing Tory policies.

While Reform are being encouraged to maximise their vote share at all costs, pivoting to the left on the economy and right on social issues, this would be a mistake. As a committed Thatcherite, Nigel Farage would be in an untenable position  and Reform need him.

A more credible move would be to retain their hardline policy on immigration, and then to adapt the Conservative Party manifestos of 2015 and 2019 as their own.

Both policy platforms were right-wing enough to retain the support of traditional Tories, while attracting vast numbers of working-class and lower middle-class voters from the English Midlands and North.

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This would be a simple job and, when facing a Conservative Party which is rudderless, it might be more than enough to begin the process of Reform replacing the Conservatives. This is a plausible scenario; at this point, nothing more.

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For generations, the Underground Railroad has been the quintessential story of resistance against oppression.

Yet, the story is incomplete.

What is far less known is that the majority of enslaved people who fled Southern slavery before the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation never crossed the Mason-Dixon line to freedom in the Northern states.

Instead, they remained within the slaveholding Southern states.

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As a scholar of slavery, labor and resistance, I have written about the thousands of enslaved Black people who gravitated to the burgeoning cities and towns of the South, where they lived camouflaged among urban Black residents in Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans; and Richmond, Virginia.

In my book Escape to the City: Fugitive Slaves in the Antebellum Urban South, my research reveals that the resistance of Black people in the antebellum South was much larger and much more active than we have thought.

A natural part of Southern cities

Despite their numbers, this parallel story to the Underground Railroad did not leave a mark that is very discernible today.

Unlike fugitives who fled to the North  or to Mexico  those who stayed in the South did not cause political debates that historians can analyze.

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And newspaper coverage was so meager that, for the most part, generations of historians have simply overlooked the fact that thousands of runaway slaves went to Southern cities. They overwhelmingly came from nearby plantations and towns.

Intriguingly, it is exactly this gap in the historical record which suggests that urban fugitives prevailed, because it testifies to their virtual invisibility.

My research has found snippets and snapshots of information about them.

Autobiographies, such as the ones by James Matthews and George Teamoh, reveal how they procured work in a new place.

When Matthews went to Charleston, he wrote that he went down to the stevedores stand and waited there with the rest of the hands until he was recruited for stowing away cotton in a vessel.

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Likewise, Teamoh wrote that he found employment during a few days at the dockyard at the Richmond Basin.

South Carolina slaveholders complained in petitions that their runaways were hired in Charleston to load vessels. Jail ledgers give insight into those who were caught.

For contemporary residents, escaped slaves in Southern cities were a normal occurrence, as the routine handling of them suggests.

When the New Orleans Daily Picayune in 1852 reported that runaway slaves were hustled up by the police last evening, it concluded that none of the cases were of sufficient interest to be worth narrating.

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Some refugees from slavery were apprehended, but as I learned during my research, most could live and work unmolested by police, co-workers or neighbors.

They could be the washerwoman or the neighbors cleaning girl or the bricklayer in the street  all hidden in plain sight.

Collective resistance

When the Black populations in Southern cities grew throughout the antebellum era between 1800 and 1860, individual family members, friends and sympathizers offered support to Black fugitives to help find housing and work.

As a whole, Black society functioned as a community in which fugitives could remain invisible to slaveholders, police and authorities.

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Harboring or aiding an enslaved Black fugitive had been a punishable offense long before the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which enabled anyone to capture and return any Black man or woman, often regardless of legal status, to slavery. If caught involved in an enslaved persons escape, helpers could face as many as seven years in prison.

A reward poster for a runaway enslaved person that circulated in Ripley County, Missouri, in March 1860. Bettmann/GettyImages

But shared social and political experiences bound people of African descent together. In contrast to Colonial times, it is well known that during the antebellum era, Black families often counted both free and enslaved members.

This mobilized a broad intraracial solidarity that furnished fugitives with the right environment to carve out new lives outside the reach of their masters and mistresses. My research shows that men and women took the opportunity to find jobs, tie new friendships and join local churches.

The need to be invisible

Very clearly, fugitives in Southern cities could only make it with the help of others.

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And while flight to the North by no means meant that safety was guaranteed, success in the South depended more than anywhere else on the silence of everyone involved, as my book shows.

Tens of thousands of men and women in the antebellum years defied slavery by running away, thereby sending an explicit message of their refusal to accept exploitation and oppression.

Yet in Southern cities, there was no one like Frederick Douglass, who used his writing and orating skills to fight for abolition, and no one like William Still, who compiled records on the 649 people he helped gain freedom.

Harriet Tubman, far left, poses with her family, friends and neighbors near her barn in Auburn, N.Y. Bettmann/Getty Images

Nor was there a counterpart to Harriet Tubman, whose leadership qualities and survival skills earned her the nickname Moses because of her work on the Underground Railroad. Between 1850 and 1860, she successfully rescued nearly 70 friends and family members, all of whom had been enslaved.

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For those who remained in slaveholding states, publicity would have been way too risky, in large part because the law was in the hands of the largest slaveholders, who controlled state legislatures.

The strategy of runaways and those who aided them was not to attract attention.

Their lives depended on being invisible.

What we wont know

While it is a story of how people defied all odds to fight against enslavement and built up new lives, the success of their strategies to seamlessly become part of a city comes at a delayed price  for historians.

The heroes in this story have no names.

And in the rare instances that they do, a name is all thats left.

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We will probably never know much about individual children, women and men who escaped slavery in Southern cities.

What we do know now is that this type of flight relied on collective resistance that permeated virtually the entire Black population  and it was done in whispers rather than shouts.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Viola Franziska Muller, University of Bonn

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Viola Franziska Muller received funding from the Dutch Research Council NWO.
Two environmental groups and a pecan-farming company filed an appeal with state regulators asking them to revoke the air pollution permit issued Jan. 2 for the proposed Copper World mine south of Tucson.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and Farmers Investment Co. filed a notice of appeal and request for hearing on Thursday. They argue that the states permit fails to require advanced controls and engineering to contain mine wastes, which they say exposes neighbors near the site in the Santa Rita Mountains to the threat of dust bearing arsenic, cadmium and lead.

They also argue that the permit does not protect against dust from trucking operations across a dirt road crossing the University of Arizonas Santa Rita Experimental Range.

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Not only does the (Arizona Department of Environmental Quality) permit fail to adequately control air pollution from the mine site, but it also ignores a huge amount of air pollution that will result from heavy trucks traveling across an unimproved dirt road that was never intended be used for industrial traffic, Nan Stockholm Walden, of Farmers Investment Co., said in a statement. The air pollution caused by unrelenting truck traffic will threaten the world-class environmental studies at the Santa Rita Experimental Range and create a public nuisance that must be abated.

Mining in Arizona: In the 'Copper State,' growing demand for ore raises fears in the fragile Sky Islands

Copper World's developers envision at least four open pits across more than 4,000 acres in the northern Santa Rita Mountains. They project 400 mining jobs.

The chairman of the Tohono Oodham Tribes nearby San Xavier District released a statement supporting the appeal.

Steve Brown (VP Save the Scenic Santa Ritas) holds a drone of the mine at Copper World, near Vail, Arizona, January 31, 2024.

By issuing this woefully flawed air permit, the ADEQ has betrayed its mission to protect Arizonans public health and the environment, Nunez said. The Santa Rita Mountains are an irreplaceable landscape of profound cultural and spiritual significance to the Tohono Oodham that mining will destroy. This permit cannot stand.

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The appeal seeks a hearing with ADEQ, which appellants say the department must set within 60 days.

Department officials said they have received the appeal but will not comment on pending litigation.

Hudbay Minerals, the company developing the Copper World project, told The Arizona Republic that it intends to intervene in the case and is confident that the permit will withstand the challenge.

Hudbay remains committed to advancing the Copper World project in a responsible and transparent manner, the company said in an email. The project will deliver significant benefits to southern Arizona, including economic growth, job creation, and a reliable supply of domestically mined copper, which is critical to supporting Americas infrastructure and energy security.

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Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com.

Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Opponents of a major copper mine south of Tucson appeal its permit
New Delhi [India], February 1: In a moment of profound honor and pride, Dr. Basant Goel, a visionary leader, philanthropist, and global healthcare ambassador, had the great privilege of meeting President Droupadi Murmu, at the President House on January 27. The hour-long meeting marked the acknowledgement of a cherished dream, an experience that continues to feel surreal.

During the meeting, Dr. Basant Goel presented her with a unique painting crafted from cow dung, a masterpiece that left the President deeply amazed. Additionally, a meticulously designed model of the Ram Mandir was gifted to the President, which she graciously accepted. In a heartwarming gesture of appreciation, President Murmu honored Dr. Goel by draping a precious shawl over him, a moment of immense respect and recognition.

Adding to the extraordinary experience, Dr. Basant Goel was invited as a special guest of the President to witness the grand Republic Day Parade on January 26. Further elevating the honor, he was included in an exclusive home gathering at the President's residence, where only 20 distinguished individuals were present. Among them were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the Republic Day Special Chief Guest, the President of Indonesia.

Expressing heartfelt gratitude, Dr. Basant Goel stated, "It was an indescribable honor to meet President Droupadi Murmu, and be part of such a prestigious gathering. The warmth and recognition I received will remain etched in my heart forever."

This remarkable meeting and the honors received serve as a testament to Dr. Basant Goel's dedication to cultural heritage, art, and national pride, further strengthening the connection between tradition and leadership.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
While the investigation into a tragic crash in Washington D.C. that killed 67 people continues, Derek Martin, executive director of Erie International Airport, is questioning the validity of some theories that have been floated.

Martin pointed to human error as the likely cause of the D.C. crash and was quick to rebuke some other potential causes.

I think this is the last one in 16-20 years of fatalities in an American airport. So I think this is an isolated incident and I think when all the facts come out. I think everybody will be more at ease, said Martin.

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Martin called reports that there was just one air traffic controller on staff at the time of the crash hard to believe.

Former Pennsylvania native, family killed in DC plane crash with army helicopter

I think there may be one controller that talks to each plane, but theres not one controller on staff. I think some of the things and reports that are coming out are a little exaggerated, Martin added.

Martin would not speak to reported understaffing of air traffic controllers nationwide but said Erie International Airport is staffed by an FAA tower 18 hours a day.

Theyre fully staffed. This facility is also a training ground for new air traffic controllers as well, so we always have more of an allotment of air traffic controllers than we need at any given time, he said.

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President Trump has implied that DEI programs could be to blame for the crash. But Martin said that implication is unfounded.

I think if you look at the location of the helicopter in relationship to the runway  I dont know that it should have been there. So we might have something thats called human error which happens to all different colors of people on the spectrum, Martin explained.

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A local nursing home opened its doors to help save lives on Friday.

Nightingale Nursing and Rehab Center partnered with the Erie Community Blood Bank for a mobile blood drive.

The rehab center holds these drives quarterly as a way to give back to the community.

I think the blood bank is always in need and is a wonderful organization helping the community members of Erie. We like to partner so our community knows that were there for them as well as our residents. We have a lot of volunteers that come in to help us, so its really nice to be able to support others that way as well, said Jonali Derry, administrator at Nightingale Nursing and Rehab.

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All donors received a free T-shirt as a thank-you for their life-saving contribution.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
From 20 applicants down to the final three, Eries Public Schools is close to selecting their next superintendent

According to the district, this has been a deeply thoughtful search process and they have narrowed it down to the very best.

Dr. Rainey Briggs, Dr. Natalyn Gibbs and Teresa Szumigala have the districts eyes on them as potential candidates to run Eries Public Schools.

The district and the Erie School Board have gone through a multi-month process and brought in a consulting firm for a nationwide search for their next superintendent.

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Erie School Board narrows superintendent search to three people

We developed a profile of our future superintendent based on the focus groups, public surveys, interviews and other stakeholder feedback that we received back in November, said Dr. Jay Breneman, president of Erie School Board.

One of these three candidates will be replacing the current superintendent Brian Polito.

He announced his resignation this past September after serving for the last eight years.

We are still short-funded by the state by a tune of over $90 million but were still under-funded as a district but we have been able to stabilize under Mr. Politos leadership, said Dr. Jay Breneman said.

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Dr. Rainey Briggs is currently the superintendent of the school district of Baraboo in Wisconsin.

He was recognized as one of Wisconsins most influential black leaders in 2021 and has a passion for educational equity and student advocacy.

Meanwhile, candidate Dr. Natalyn Gibbs is the executive director of schools and associate superintend of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools in Tennessee.

She has over 20 years of experience in urban education and a commitment to fostering equitable and inclusive learning environments.

Over $180K in grant funding awarded to Erie Co. community centers

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We are a minority-majority district. Our students should absolutely have leadership in our district that reflects the very student body and I want to be very clear these candidates werent just picked because of the color of their skin, they were picked because they are the top candidates, Breneman added.

And the third finalist is no stranger to EPS.

Current assistant superintendent and Erie native Teresa Szumigala is hoping to be selected after serving over a decade with the district.

She said shes committed to continuing the work to advance their vision for an ever-changing Erie community.

If the rest of this process goes smoothly, the district plans to announce its selection in the next few weeks.

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The district will be holding public forums next week for the final stage.

I will be asking our candidates a series of questions that were submitted by the public. All the candidates will have the same questions asked of them, Breneman continued.

These forums will be held next Monday, Tuesday and Thursday each with a different candidate.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
Jan. 31The estate of a worker killed during a snow-removal operation at an Alaska oil field last year is suing oil producer Hilcorp Alaska and others it asserts were at fault for the incident that led to the man's death.

Randy Lytle, 62, was struck and killed in May by a front-end loader while walking at a job site at Hilcorp's Milne Point oil field. He was an employee of MagTec Alaska, a drilling support company.

Randi Bowen, one of Lytle's daughters, is also a plaintiff in the case as the estate's representative, an attorney for the estate said.

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The lawsuit alleges that Hilcorp, contractor CCI Industrial Services, and the vehicle operator who worked for CCI acted with "reckless indifference," contributing to Lytle's death.

The complaint asserts that Hilcorp and CCI did not fulfill their duty of taking sufficient steps to prevent the accident, including providing proper signage, training and other safety protocols.

"Their breach of duty was a substantial factor in causing Randy's death," the complaint, filed in November, argues.

Hilcorp denied the allegations in a court filing in December, in answer to the complaint. A Hilcorp spokesperson declined to comment, and an attorney for Hilcorp did not return a request for comment.

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CCI and the vehicle operator also could not be reached for comment. Court records show CCI and the vehicle operator have not filed a response.

Lytle's death was the third workplace fatality in the North Slope oil patch over a 13-month period, an unusual string of tragedies in an industry where safety is often strongly emphasized.

Additional deaths in the sector have not been reported since Lytle died, based on state and federal fatality data from occupational safety agencies.

The case is being heard in Anchorage Superior Court.

Bowen, Lytle's daughter, could not be reached for comment.

"People are responsible for the circumstances that led to this, and we need to hold them to account," said Darryl Thompson, the attorney for the estate, in an interview Wednesday.

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The lawsuit is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $100,000, plus punitive damages and other amounts.

"The actual damages is anticipated to be substantially higher (than $100,000)," Thompson said.

Lytle's family described his death as "extremely devastating" in a GoFundMe page last year that raised money for lost wages and expenses resulting from the incident.

"Anyone who knows Randy knows that his children and his grandchildren were his entire world," the post says. "He is survived by his father, 3 daughters, 3 sons, 12 grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces."

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The lawsuit says that shortly before Lytle's death, he had driven a load of cuttings  pieces of rock or other material removed from a borehole  to a facility at Milne Point.

"As Mr. Lytle was walking across the parking lot to get the truck for offloading, he was struck from behind by the bucket of the Cat 972 loader," the complaint says.

The loader ran over Lytle after he was knocked to the ground, the complaint says.

The operator was traveling too fast in an area congested with vehicles and pedestrians, with a load of snow that exceeded the maximum bucket volume by up to 3 feet, the complaint argues. The load of snow was carried at a height that blocked the visibility of the vehicle operator, it argues.

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Hilcorp and CCI had a responsibility to ensure that enforcement and training on safe loading limits were in place, the lawsuit argues. They should have also taken other steps to prevent the collision, the complaint argues.

"There was insufficient signage, safety precautions, communication polices in place to direct traffic in the highly congested site and/or inadequate safety procedures in place to prevent conflicts between foot and vehicle traffic," the complaint asserts.
(Bloomberg) -- The collapse of Norways government this week brings into focus the hundreds of cables transporting electricity across borders in Europe and how theyre being transformed into political weapons.

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A dispute about exports of Norways cheap power is partly behind the government breakdown. Elsewhere, Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch said she was furious with Germany in December as exports to Europes biggest economy caused higher prices for the Nordic nation. In France, the far right party wants to stop free trading across borders altogether.

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Europes electricity system is the worlds largest interconnected grid linking nearly 600 million citizens, according to energy think tank Ember. It embodies the spirit of solidarity in the European Union and sharing resources with your neighbors. The rise of right-leaning parties with an emphasis on inward-looking policies is disrupting the harmony.

We will have national control, Norways Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said at a press conference Friday. It is Norwegian democracy that shall decide over Norways power resources.

Interconnectors are supposed to work based on price not politics. The idea, is that power flows to the more expensive market, providing more supply and reducing costs in that country. The links work best between countries with different energy mixes, for example France with its huge nuclear fleet and the UK with its supply of wind generation.

The rise of intermittent renewable sources of power has revealed the downside to these links  a shortage in one country often leads to soaring costs next door too.

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The debate in Norway has been brewing for some years, with soaring prices in north-west Europe stoking discontent. The nation was Europes third biggest electricity exporter last year and sales to the UK and other markets have caused price spikes, particularly in the south of the country. Higher bills for Norwegians, make it a political issue. Norways citizens are due to go to the polls in September.

Though Norway isnt an EU member, it is part of the single energy market. Under the rules, countries arent allowed to curtail flows to neighbors for prolonged periods.

The unity of Europes energy market was tested during the energy crisis. Would countries be willing to export electricity and risk pushing up bills even further at home? The framework largely held up but the cracks started to show prompting the Norwegian government to mull a control mechanism to limit exports.

Whether or not to replace aging cables in Norway that are approaching the end of their operating lives has become a huge political debate and a very populistic debate, said Lars Ove Skorpen, director of Power and Renewable Energy at Pareto Securities in Oslo.

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Norwegian Premier Store does say he wants to work with other Nordic countries to address fluctuations and instability in the power market.

If we lift our gaze and look forward to what is happening around the North Sea, there is a strong emphasis on renewable power from all countries, he said. But then every country has to sit down and consider what is their share of such a possibility and there is no one who is going to do something that is not in their interests.

In France, Marine Le Pens National Rally wants to take back control and replace free trading with bilateral or multilateral contracts with neighboring countries. France and its 57 reactors are the backbone of the European power system. If politicians can find a way to keep more of that cheap supply at home, it might even attract more manufacturing and industry, providing an economic boost.

The UK is one of the main beneficiaries of Frances surplus. Since closing its last coal power plant last year, the country is increasingly filling the gap with imports and now relies on nine interconnectors. By 2030, it hopes to return the favor and aims to become a net exporter after boosting wind and solar generation.

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The European Commission is sticking to its strategy and pushing for even more integration. The bloc will allocate almost 1.25 billion in grants from the Connecting Europe Facility to 41 cross-border energy infrastructure projects.

At a national level, there are some signs of splintering. Sweden last summer rejected plans for another cable with Germany. Energy minister Busch at the time blamed the neighbors inefficient market saying it would risk even higher prices if they became further linked.

Germany closed its nuclear reactors and hasnt been building enough new capacity to replace it so it relies heavily on imports. Industry in Europe is buckling under the weight of high energy prices with some firms choosing to relocate operations to the US or China.

There are clear European benefits of interconnectors, but governments think differently about it and want to protect their markets, said Alexander Esser, head of the Nordic region at Aurora Energy Research.

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--With assistance from Eva Brendel, Stephen Treloar and Heidi Taksdal Skjeseth.

(Updates with Norway election in seventh paragraph. An earlier version corrected a company name.)

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The eyes of much of American religion were focused on the lawsuit James Huntsman filed seeking the return of $5 million in tithing he donated to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Faith organizations, including specific religious groups, colleges and universities, as well as charities, didnt just await a verdict, they had filed their opinions and arguments with the judges who would decide the case in half a dozen friend-of-the-court briefs supporting the positions of the Latter-day Saints.

On Friday, they responded with gratitude when a panel of 11 judges on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted the church summary judgment. The judges ruled unanimously in favor of the Latter-day Saints without allowing the case to get to trial.

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This lawsuit is extraordinary and patently inappropriate, a not-so thinly concealed effort to challenge the churchs belief system under the guise of litigation, four of the judges wrote. The majority is correct that there was no fraudulent misrepresentation even on the terms of plaintiffs own allegations. But it would have done well for the en banc court to recognize the obvious: There is no way in which the plaintiff here could prevail without running headlong into basic First Amendment prohibitions on courts resolving ecclesiastical disputes.

The faith-based groups, representing tens of millions of religious Americans from Baptists to Methodists and Lutherans and Jewish coalitions, were grateful that the judges closed the door on the idea that donors could claw back donations.

They also were grateful that many of the judges supported the church autonomy doctrine, a long-standing legal precedent that says governments and courts should steer clear of wading into church affairs such as how leaders choose to use donations.

Heres what they said the ruling means for their faiths and organizations, followed by an explanation of the church autonomy doctrine.

11 major religions

Gene Schaerr represented a group of 11 major religious denominations, from Jewish groups to Protestants and Scientologists.

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We are delighted both at the outcome and also delighted at the concurring opinion written by Judge (Daniel) Bress that we think did a wonderful job of laying out the constitutional church autonomy doctrine and how it applies to this kind of factual situation, and we view it as a complete victory for the church and for religious liberty generally, he said.

Schaerr said the ruling by the 9th Circuit, which covers the westernmost nine states from Arizona to Hawaii and Montana to Alaska, could help settle two other lawsuits against the Church of Jesus Christ related to tithing. Those cases are pending in courts in the 10th Circuit, which includes Utah.

See below for more on the church autonomy doctrine and a full list of the faiths represented by Schaerr.

Faith-based colleges and universities

BYU attorneys co-authored a brief representing more than 350 Catholic, evangelical and Latter-day Saint schools. The group included the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, and BYU, BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Idaho.

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The CCCU won another case in the 9th Circuit in August. That victory in what was called the Hunter case ended a lawsuit that sought to gut the religious exemption Congress included in Title IX.

I am so pleased to see the 9th Circuit ruling the way they did on this and as they did on the Hunter case. It signals the continued protection of our religious liberty and its so important to see that work. To see that happening in the 9th Circuit is just incredible, said David Hoag, the new president of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities.

Faith-based charities

The lawyer representing four nonprofit organizations said Fridays ruling was important for charities.

It is standard nonprofit practice to set aside reserves from donated funds, and to invest those reserves to fund future charitable purposes or as a hedge against hard economic times, John A. Taylor said. The 9th Circuits en banc decision confirms that when charities describe their finances using standard nonprofit industry terms such as reserves and earnings of reserve funds  as the church did here  they should not have to speak with the precision of a Big 4 auditing firm or face potential fraud liability.

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Taylor also said the ruling is noteworthy because every nonprofit that makes fundraising promises could be accused of using terms that are imprecise or insufficiently defined, as Mr. Huntsman alleged here.

By affirming the dismissal of Mr. Huntsmans claims, the 9th Circuit has furthered the important humanitarian work of nonprofit organizations like my clients by not endorsing novel fraud theories that would inhibit their future fundraising efforts, he said.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

The Becket Fund, one of nations most influential religious liberty organizations, also filed what is known as an amicus brief in the case. The brief focused on the church autonomy doctrine and the right of churches to govern their internal affairs without government intrusion.

The brief argued that determining how tithing is used is an inherently religious question and that the courts cant be in the business of second-guessing how churches make those decisions.

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First, I would just say it was a pretty remarkable ruling to have 11 judges rule for the church, and hold that President (Gordon B.)Hinckley, when he told members how tithing would be used, he absolutely spoke the truth, said Eric Baxter, who co-authored Beckets brief. With all the noise thats been made about this case, its pretty remarkable to have 11 judges confirm the truth of the churchs statements.

Baxter noted that six of the 11 judges chose to rule for the church without using the church autonomy doctrine.

But having five judges note that would have been another way for the church to win, I think is significant, Baxter said, and sends a message that other courts should be paying attention to.

What is the church autonomy doctrine?

The attorney who represented the church during the hearing of the en banc panel of 9th Circuit Court judges, Paul Clement, told the judges they could reject Huntsmans claims on either the merits of his arguments or because of the church autonomy doctrine.

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The judges split the baby, six signing on to an opinion based on the merits and five signing opinions based on the doctrine that courts should not interfere in church affairs.

Although plaintiffs claims can be rejected even as he styles them, which is the approach the majority takes, we should not indulge in the illusion that this is merely a secular lawsuit about civil fraud, four judges wrote in a concurring opinion. Under the First Amendment, the plaintiffs challenge to the churchs understanding of tithing is not susceptible to resolution in a court of law, lest the judiciary wrest control from religious authorities over matters of theological concern.

A fifth judge wrote a solo opinion that rejected the either/or idea. Judge Patrick Bumatay took 30 of the 63 pages of opinions issued Friday to say the case should have been dismissed solely because the court didnt belong in the churchs affairs at all.

Our authority is limited. Temporal. With no say over what is eternal, he wrote. Given that the Constitution demands that we not enter the sphere of religious faith, the majority vastly oversteps our authority by reaching the merits.

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Schaerr said the Fridays ruling could have an impact on two other tithing cases, one pending at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and the other in U.S. District Court in Utah, which is part of the 10th Circuit.

All three of these cases are essentially challenges to the churchs ability to determine for itself how it uses its its own resources, Schaerr said, and theres probably no more important issue of church government than how a religious body chooses to use its own resources. I think these five judges are absolutely right that its just not possible, consistent with the First Amendment, for these kinds of claims to be litigated in court at all.

The full list of faiths that joined one friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Latter-day Saints
CHIPPEWA FALLS  Gov. Tony Evers plugged in a charger into an electric car on Friday, and was told it would only take 20 to 30 minutes to charge the vehicle.

Evers was impressed with the new electric vehicle charging station, which has been installed at the Kwik Trip on Chippewa Crossing Boulevard in Chippewa Falls.

"We don't have to mitigate between climate change and good-paying jobs," Evers told a crowd of about 75 spectators Friday.

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Wisconsin recently received $23 million to install 53 charging stations around the state. Approximately 29,000 Wisconsin residents are driving EVs, and that number is growing.

"We are doing it in a cleaner, greener and more energy-efficient way," Evers said. "All will be built within a mile of freeways across the state."

Kristina Boardman, the new Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary, said the EV stations will be placed roughly every 50 miles across the state's freeway system.

"This has been a massive undertaking for us. This ensures that drivers across the state will have a fast-charging option," Boardman said. "Our goal is to make sure all EV drivers have a fast-charging station nearby."

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Other EV stations have been installed at Kwik Trips in Ashland and Menomonie.

The federal dollars are from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) signed by President Joe Biden.

"The NEVI Formula Program lays the groundwork for formula funding designation and use and is specifically intended to build out the electric vehicle charging system along federally designated alternative fuel corridors," a press release from the governor's office reads.

Undocumented worker arrests

Evers also addressed concerns that undocumented workers in the Chippewa Valley and across the state could be arrested and deported.

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"They supply labor for a good share of our economy," Evers said, noting they work in meat-packing plants or on farms. "You think about who milks the cows in this state."

Evers applauded Eau Claire and Menomonie school districts for releasing information to the public about possible arrests.

"I'm very fearful people might be leaving the state for god knows where," Evers said. "I'm glad the school districts are talking about it. This could be a catastrophe for the state."

Evers also talked about filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration to make sure federal funds that were already approved by Congress are not cut off.

"It's something we had to do," Evers said. "The president doesn't have the authority. It was a mean-spirited thing to do."
UPDATED with plea: Former president of Skydance Interactive Peter Akemann pleaded guilty today to recklessly operating a drone that crashed into and damaged a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft battling the Palisades Fire last month.

Akemann, 56, entered his plea to a federal class-A misdemeanor count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

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Sentencing was set for June 2.

PREVIOUSLY on January 31: Peter Akemann, the former president of Skydance Interactive who was the owner and pilot of a drone that damaged and temporarily grounded a Canadian Super Scooper during some of the most destructive days of the Los Angeles wildfires, has escaped a prison sentence.

In fact, thanks to a plea deal with the feds and an apparent software glitch, Akemann wont serve a single day in prison for recklessly flying his DJI Mini 3 Pro into the wing of the Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper on January 9, Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally said Friday.

Appearing in court in downtown LA this afternoon on a criminal misdemeanor and one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, the 56-year-old Akemann soon afterwards walked out the door on a $15,000 bond. He will formally enter a guilty plea at an unspecified date.

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Outside the federal courthouse, McNally said that Akemann acknowledged his conduct posed an imminent threat to firefighting crews.

Despite the loss of a pivotal aircraft for five days in the battle against the Palisades Fire that devastated most of the upmarket neighborhood and the risk the so-called illegal drone posed to the two-member crew of the Quebec-based plane, the former video game exec will only have to fork out a bit more than $65,000 to the Canadian province to cover plane repairs.

According to the Department of Justice, the Culver City-based Akemann will also have to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort  whatever that means now that the hurricane-force winds and fires have subsided.

As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders, McNally said Friday.

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Maybe, but some want a bit more than merely tracking down such individuals.

This is not justice, one industry Palisades resident who suffered greatly during the fires told Deadline today after news of Akemanns plea deal went public. Im not saying it would have, but that plane could have maybe saved homes and businesses if it hadnt been damaged.

The Super Scooper accident was widely covered on local and national media during the fires, with shock outside Southern California that private drones were even allowed in firefighting zones at the time.

The probe to find Akemann was led by the FBI. With Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Ian V. Yanniello of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section in the prosecuting seat, the Department of Transportations Office of Inspector General, the FAA, the LAFD, and CalFire also aided in the investigation, the feds said Friday.

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Akemann, who worked at the David Ellison-run Skydance from 2016 until around 2022, apparently took his drone to the top of a parking lot at the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica on January 9 as the fires raged. Prosecutors say his intent was to get some footage of the blazes, but Akemann lost sight and control of the DJI Mini 3 Pro after it had flown about 1.5 miles away. It was then that the drone collided with the Super Scooper, opening a 3- by 6-inch hole in the left wing. The damage took the vitally needed plane out of commission.

The Canadian Super Scooper that collided with an illegal drone at a maintenance hangar at Van Nuys Airport

Emphasizing that their client is deeply sorry and accepts responsibility for his grave error in judgment, Akemanns lawyers Glen T. Jonas and Vicki Podberesky said today that the loss of control was based in part on the failure of the drones geofencing safeguard feature.

On January 13, four days after the crash, the drone company DJI Viewpoints brought out an update for its products.

With this update, DJIs Fly and Pilot flight app operators will see prior DJI geofencing datasets replaced to display official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, according to the company. Areas previously defined as Restricted Zones (also known as No-Fly Zones) will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones, aligning with the FAAs designated areas. In these zones, in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility.

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City News Service contributed to this report.

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By Erin Banco and Jonathan Landay

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States wants Ukraine to hold elections, potentially by the end of the year, especially if Kyiv can agree a truce with Russia in the coming months, President Donald Trump's top Ukraine official told Reuters.

Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said in an interview that Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended during the war with Russia, "need to be done".

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"Most democratic nations have elections in their time of war. I think it is important they do so," Kellogg said. "I think it is good for democracy. That's the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running."

Trump and Kellogg have both said they are working on a plan to broker a deal in the first several months of the new administration to end the all-out war that erupted with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

They have offered few details about their strategy for ending the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two, nor when they might unveil such a plan.

The Trump plan is still evolving and no policy decisions have been made, but Kellogg and other White House officials have discussed in recent days pushing Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial truce with Russia, two people with knowledge of those conversations and a former U.S. official briefed about the election proposal said.

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Trump officials are also debating whether to push for an initial ceasefire before trying to broker a more permanent deal, the two people familiar with the Trump administration discussions said. If presidential elections were to take place in Ukraine, the winner could be responsible for negotiating a longer-term pact with Moscow, the people said.

The sources declined to be named in order to discuss sensitive policy and security issues.

It is unclear how such a Trump proposal would be greeted in Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Ukraine could hold elections this year if the fighting ends and strong security guarantees are in place to deter Russia from renewing hostilities.

A senior adviser to Kyiv and a Ukrainian government source said the Trump administration has not yet formally requested Ukraine hold presidential elections by the end of the year.

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SETTING A TRAP

Zelenskiy's five-year term was supposed to end in 2024 but presidential and parliamentary polls cannot be held under martial law, which Ukraine imposed in February 2022.

Washington raised the issue of elections with senior officials in Zelenskiy's office in 2023 and 2024 during the Biden administration, two former senior U.S. officials said.

State Department and White House officials told their Ukrainian counterparts that elections were critical to uphold international and democratic norms, the officials said.

Officials in Kyiv have pushed back on elections in conversations with Washington in recent months, telling Biden officials that hosting polls at such a volatile moment in Ukraine's history would divide Ukrainian leaders and potentially invite Russian influence campaigns, the two former U.S. officials said.

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Asked about what the former Western official and two other people familiar with the matter told Reuters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We do not have that information."

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was cited by the Interfax news agency on Jan. 27 as saying that direct contacts between Moscow and the Trump administration were not yet underway. The Russian Foreign Ministry says it is still waiting for the U.S. to approve its new pick as Moscow's ambassador in Washington, a post currently unoccupied.

Putin has said publicly he does not think Zelenskiy is a legitimate leader in the absence of a renewed electoral mandate and that the Ukrainian president does not have the legal right to sign binding documents related to a potential peace deal.

According to the Russian leader, however, Zelenskiy could take part in negotiations in the meantime but must first revoke a 2022 decree he signed banning talks with Russia for as long as Putin is in charge.

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The Ukrainian government source said Putin was using the election issue as a false excuse to disrupt future negotiations.

"(He) is setting a trap, claiming that if Ukraine doesn't hold elections, he can later ignore any agreements," the source said.

RUSSIA'S BIDDING?

Ukrainian legislation explicitly prohibits presidential and parliamentary elections being held under martial law.

The former Western official raised concerns about the U.S. push for elections, saying lifting martial law could allow mobilized soldiers to leave the military, trigger an exodus of hard currency and prompt large numbers of draft-age men to "run for the border".

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It could also ignite political instability, the source said, because it would make Zelenskiy a lame duck, diluting his power and influence and fueling jockeying by potential challengers.

If Trump pressures Zelenskiy to agree to elections, Washington would be playing into Putin's recent statements questioning the Ukrainian leader's legitimacy, the former Western official said.

"Trump is reacting, in my view, to ... Russian feedback," the official said. "Russia wants to see an end to Zelenskiy."

Some former U.S. officials say they are skeptical that a peace deal can be reached in the coming months or that elections would take place in 2025, particularly because both sides appear to be at odds on how to begin formal negotiations.

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The Kremlin has said repeatedly that Putin is open to talks without preconditions.

But William Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said Putin has shown no readiness for serious negotiations.

Zelenskiy is seeking U.S. and European security guarantees as part of any deal, including the deployment of a foreign military force on the frontlines to ensure Russia abides by any truce.

(Reporting by Erin Banco in New York and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Additional reporting by Andrew Osborn in London and Tom Balmforth in Kyiv; Editing by Don Durfee and David Clarke)
SMPL Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], February 1: The significance of sustainable Clean Energy Day took center stage on International Clean Energy Day 2025, celebrated with great enthusiasm and purpose. On 26 January, 2025, the world celebrated the third annual International Clean Energy Day, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness and mobilising action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy. Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2023, International Clean Energy Day serves as a powerful reminder of the critical role clean energy plays in combating climate change and achieving sustainable development goals. The event, held at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel, was graced by esteemed dignitaries including HRH General Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Naser AL Saud, the Chairman of Baseraa Group; Hon. Harees Haneefa, the Trade Commissioner of Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia; Mohammed Al-Dulaim, President, Saudi Canadian Business Council; Mr. Jaber ALMassoud, Chairman Barzan Group of Companies; H.E. Hassan Mansour Fadhal AL Buainain, Chairman Technion Arabia; and ambassadors of Kenya, Kosovo, Gabon, Myanmar, Uruguay, Chad, and Sierra Leone graced the meeting. The event, International Clean Energy Day, served as a platform for global leaders, environmental advocates, and stakeholders to come together and discuss strategies to combat climate change, promote sustainable trade practices, and raise awareness about the vital role of adopting clean energy, which is integral to the fight against climate change. Highlights from the Event * RH General Dr. Abdulaziz Bin Naser AL Saud, the Chairman of Baseraa Group, emphasized the global interconnectedness of climate change, saying, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proud to collaborate with Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce in advocating for International Climate Change Day, which is essential to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable to combat climate change and secure the future of agriculture. * Dr. Asif Iqbal, President of the Indian Economic Trade Organization, highlighted the economic implications of clean energy, stating, "Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil, and there is a growing push within the Kingdom to develop and apply clean energy technologies and reduce dependence of the domestic economy on oil consumption. This holds the prospect for the Kingdom to shift in the future from the world's oil capital to a global leader and pioneer in clean energy technologies. * Hon. Harees Haneefa, the newly appointed Honorary Trade Commissioner of the Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce in KSA, spoke passionately about the role of education and international trade collaborations in driving clean energy, declaring, "As Trade Commissioner of the Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce, I am committed to fostering partnerships that prioritize sustainability and innovation in clean energy. As the Trade Commissioner, we will seek active participation of companies in the 2nd Saudi Arabia Green Energy Week 2025 that will be held in Riyadh on May 14th-15th. The event will focus on the solar PV, wind power, energy storage, and green hydrogen industry. It is expected over 500 participants will join the event and share the latest industry developments and discuss the green energy projects in KSA & MENA region." Global and Local Impacts International Clean Energy Day reminds us that the transition to clean energy is not just an environmental imperative but also a pathway to economic growth, improved public health, and enhanced quality of life for people around the world. As a leading clean energy provider, Sinopec Saudi Arabia was proud to take part in the world's largest onshore wind farm project for NEOM, a futuristic city in Saudi Arabia where renewable energy meets cutting-edge technology. Committed to green development and sustainable energy solutions, Sinopec is dedicated to supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. About the Organizers * Asian Arab Chamber of Commerce, based in India and Qatar, is a premier organization fostering global economic partnerships and advocating for sustainable development. Learn more at [www.asianarab.org]. * Baseraa group: An organization in Saudi Arabia dedicated to promoting professional event and conference initiatives towards stronger collaborations. * Indian Economic Trade Organisation: A body committed to enhancing India's global trade relations with a focus on sustainable practices towards the SME. * Technion Group in Jubail that transforms clean, environmental friendly initiatives and collaborates for Saudi Arabia's Petrochemical Industry. Media Contact: Wali Kashvi - Vice President, Global Diplomacy IETO Email: walikashvi@ieto.in Contact: +966 508224369 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Waves of mud could be the next disaster visited upon Los Angeles-area residents as part of a cruel second phase to the weeks-long firestorms that are still burning, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.

As a result, The New York Times reported that watershed and forest officials are already scouring the flame-blackened landscape to gauge the new geological reality that's being left, particularly regarding pending rainfall.

What's happening?

California fire and government leaders are planning to transition from one disaster to a likely second in the form of landslides. Part of the problem is that burned land doesn't absorb rain normally, causing massive downhill runoffs. And with precipitation in the forecast, mudslides and debris flows are possible, according to Newsom's office.

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"After a wildfire, the hazard to the public is not over," Jeremy Lancaster, California's state geologist, told the Times.

In response, Newsom signed an executive order to expedite efforts to mitigate the potential flows. The measure "streamlines" debris cleanup and hillside support efforts. It also suspends some environmental red tape to hasten the work throughout the rainy season, all per his office.

"This order helps keep our emergency response focused on protecting communities, not permits and paperwork," Newsom said in the message.

Why is the response important?

The wind-fed California fires, which started on Jan. 7, have already burned more than 50,000 acres in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside counties. More than 16,000 structures have been destroyed. Worse yet, 28 people have been killed so far, all according to a state fire report.

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A mudslide carrying burnt rubble could be an equally terrible prospect.

"A debris flow is like a flood on steroids," Jason Kean, a research hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, told the Times. "It's all bulked up with rocks and mud and trees."

Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

While every extreme weather event can't be linked to our planet's overheating, experts at NASA reported that it can essentially supercharge storms, wildfires, droughts, and other disasters. The risk for more extreme weather also increases as the mercury rises, per the experts.

What's being done to help?

In California, Newsom's order and hazard mapping detailed by the Times, are being completed to prepare for expected rainfall. The newspaper reported that debris flows are typically uninsured hazards, making mitigation crucial.

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Innovators are also at work to help our structures adjust to future weather threats. In the United Kingdom, FloodJack was developed to lift homes above rising flood waters.

Another example is a girls' school in India that was designed using smart geometry and architecture to keep it cool in a desert region that can hit 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

At home, you can help by simply switching out your old light bulbs with LEDs  this more modern lighting causes five times less planet-warming air pollution than traditional bulbs. You can also save hundreds of dollars per year on your energy bill by going with LEDs.

Staying educated about our planet, and advocacy, are perhaps the best ways to stay tuned in to climate topics, providing you with the facts to have impactful conversations about our environment with friends and family.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
House prices are being distorted by flawed energy efficiency ratings that are based on guesswork by poorly trained assessors, The Telegraph has been told.

Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, wants all rental homes to meet adequate efficiency ratings by the end of the decade  effectively forcing landlords to pay for costly upgrades or sell up.

Meanwhile, homeowners with poor energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings face higher mortgage repayments as lenders offer cheaper deals to green properties.

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As Labour scrambles to overhaul EPCs, The Telegraph can reveal:

Guesswork by inspectors with just three days of training can knock thousands off a homes value.

Near-identical homes can receive wildly different ratings, yet potential errors are reviewed by staff working from home.

The ratings system is being gamed to access government grants or manipulate property prices.

Labours overhaul could force landlords to shell out hundreds on repeat assessments and drive up charges.

Reform leader, Nigel Farage, has pledged to scrap the not fit for purpose certificates.

EPCs were introduced to meet requirements under EU rules in the late 2000s to enhance the role of building energy efficiency for all buildings sold and let. The certificates assign a grade of A to G based on a propertys perceived efficiency, and suggest how homeowners can renovate a home to improve its score.

But a bad EPC grade can be disastrous for homeowners. Estate agent, Knight Frank, said moving from a D to a C could add 3pc to a house price, an average of 9,000.

The EPC remains central to housing, climate and energy policies. The Government keeps a public register of every homes certificate.

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By 2030, landlords will be banned from letting homes with an EPC score lower than C. It is estimated some 1.6 million private rental homes would need to be either renovated or sold, excluding those unable to reach the C grade.

Despite their increasing role in the Governments push towards net zero, EPCs are are plagued by inaccuracies as a result of assumptions made by assessors with no prior experience, research by the University of Salford has found.

Errors in EPCs are flagged by automated systems, but Dr Toby Gledhills study, which has been seen by The Telegraph, found that auditors who reviewed inaccuracies did so without even visiting a property.

He looked at a number of test EPCs and found that they underlined the inexperience of assessors who also incorrectly measured the dimensions of rooms by up to 10 square metres.

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Mr Farage said his party would scrap the ratings system, adding: EPCs came through European Union rules and they are totally unsuitable for older properties. Between their insistence on heat pumps and new technologies, they will almost always result in higher bills.

The legislation is well-intentioned but it is no longer fit for purpose. The last Conservative government should have dealt with it. My worry is that it will reduce housing stock. Labours reforms wont alleviate anything at all.

While successive governments have gone back and forth on EPC targets for landlords, banks have pressed ahead with plans to decarbonise their property portfolios.

Lenders including Nationwide and NatWest have stood by pledges to make 50pc of their mortgage customers homes energy efficient by 2030.

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Ian Forbes, a buy-to-let landlord from Edinburgh, noticed this shift first-hand when attempting to remortgage his 300,000 flat.

His mortgage offered cheaper rates for homes with C- or B-rated EPCs. But Mr Forbess home was assigned a D grade by an assessor, despite the property being less than 20 years old.

Mr Forbes, 54, queried the result, and discovered that the assessors had submitted notes from an entirely different property.

He said: The assessor assumed stone built with solid plaster walls and hed put down 38 square metres. The flat is 80 square metres.

Similar inconsistencies hit Dr Ian Roberts, an engineer from Chesterfield. After receiving a D-grade for his new build flat in Leeds, Dr Roberts, 54, looked at the published EPCs of all 18 flats in the block.

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He found that assessors had recorded efficiency ratings ranging from D to B, despite the flats being near-identical. In one case, the same flat was recorded as having a floor area of 50 square metres in one assessment and 62 square metres in another  a difference equivalent to an entire bedroom.

Dr Roberts said: EPCs are just complete and utter guesswork. If they worked and they were consistent I wouldnt mind, but theyre meaningless garbage and make no sense to anyone.

A person needs no prior experience to become a domestic energy assessor (DEA). One of Britains leading assessment providers charges 1,139 for a three-day fully remote course.

Assessors told Dr Gledhill that this was insufficient. But the study also found that those with more years of experience  and in some cases academic or professional qualifications  made errors to a broadly similar extent as those who had little experience.

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As part of a separate paper published by the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, Dr Gledhill was told by assessors that colleagues had been blatantly producing incorrect EPCs.

One said: As far as I know, a lot of people are lying about metreage and stuff like that. You can engineer the EPC to say what you want it to say. I actually stopped doing EPCs for a solar panel company because they wanted me to manipulate EPCs, and I wouldnt do it.

Dr Gledhill told The Telegraph: This can be used unethically to some peoples benefit if they apply for a grant, such as the renewable heat incentive, which is only available for Band D homes, and want their home to be seen as inefficient.

He added that 12 of the 20 assessors interviewed for his paper made outright claims regarding the deliberate misrepresentation of data.

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One assessor said: EPCs for sale and rental market are quite straightforward, but those are manipulated sometimes to make a property more attractive by the estate agent and the EPC isnt as accurate as it should be.

Tom Garrigan, of the Building Services Research and Information Association, said: Youre only as strong as your weakest link. If youre putting all this effort into installing low-carbon tech, you cant afford for it to be let down by any piece of the supply chain.

If people are bashing out certificates for 10 a penny, and if people are making mistakes as big as 10 square metres, then the weak point is the EPC itself.

Its a good idea to have an MOT for homes to benchmark their efficiency, but there are frailties in the way its delivered because its all based on assumptions. If youre compounding that with people gaming the system as well it makes a mockery of the whole thing.

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EPCs currently last for 10 years, and can cost between 35 and 120. But a crackdown on rogue assessors could drive up the cost of each certificate, Dr Gledhill suggested.

His paper concluded: If all DEAs are having to conform to the same, higher standard for fear of being struck off or facing some onerous reprimand, rogue DEAs may gradually be stripped away and fees, which interviewees almost unanimously regarded as inadequate, may gradually rise by virtue of straightforward supply and demand.

The Property Energy Professionals Association, a trade body for EPC assessors, was approached for comment.

A government spokesman said: We recognise that the assessment and auditing of EPC ratings needs to be improved, which is why we are consulting on plans to upgrade the system.

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This will deliver more accurate ratings, help people better manage their energy bills and give them the confidence they need to improve the energy performance of their homes.

A spokesman for Property Energy Professionals Association said the overwhelming majority of energy assessors are qualified to the industry standard and do a professional and high quality job.

They added that the recommended time it takes to qualify as an assessor is 250 hours and that mistakes are not unique to the energy assessment industry.

There have been over 27 million EPCs lodged since they were first introduced and yet criticism tends to focus on small samples or anecdote, the spokesman added.

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PHILADELPHIA COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  An air medical jet carrying a pediatric patient crashed shortly after takeoff from a Philadelphia airport, killing all six on board and another on the ground.

The Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed in the area of Calvert Street and Saint Vincent Street in Northeast Philadelphia around 6:30 p.m. Friday, three miles due south of the end of Runway 24 at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

The company said in a statement their airplane was carrying four crew members and two passengers  a pediatric patient and their escort.

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Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said. The company has bases in Mexico and Florida and specializes in national and international air ambulance services, according to their website.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said Saturday that seven people were killed in the incident  all six occupants on the airplane and another person in a car on the ground.

At least 19 others on the ground were injured on the ground and taken to area hospitals.

Governor Josh Shapiro was on site Friday and referred to the incident as an awful aviation disaster.

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As awful as that aviation disaster was, Tonight we also saw the best of Philly. We saw neighbor helping neighbor. We saw Pennsylvanians working together, Shapiro said.

First responders work the scene after a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) First responders work the scene after a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) First responders work the scene after a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) First responders work the scene after a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) First responders work the scene after a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Bystanders watch as first responders work the scene after a small plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Parker said in a press conference Friday that authorities do not yet know the number of fatalities.

Right now, were just asking for prayers for any and everyone who may be affected, she said. If you see debris, call 911. Dont touch anything.

The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The FAA and NTSB will investigate, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.

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Parker said several homes and vehicles were impacted and urged Philadelphians to avoid the area. She added Shapiro is en route to the scene.

State Representative Jared Solomon, who represents Northeast Philadelphia, released a statement on the crash.

Northeast Philadelphia is a community of neighbors who care about each other Solomon (D-202) said. In a time of profound tragedy, I was inspired to witness hundreds of our first responders sprinting towards danger to ensure the safety of our neighborhood. Northeast Philadelphia stands united in prayer for the families of the victims, and in gratitude for the brave firefighters and police officers who keep us safe.

The jet was based in Mexico and was transporting a child who received treatment for a life-threatening condition in Philadelphia.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences Saturday morning in a statement on the social media platform X.

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I mourn the passing of six Mexicans in the aviation accident in Philadelphia, United States. Consular authorities are in constant contact with the families; Ive asked the Foreign Affairs Secretary to support whatever is needed. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends, she said in a statement written in Spanish.

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PLATTSBURGH  The City of Plattsburgh has some new faces in important roles.

After weeks of being vacant, James Evans was recently picked to fill the vacant Ward 2 councilor spot. Justin Meyer was appointed as corporation counsel.

Evans, a Waterhouse Street resident, has lived in Plattsburgh for 25 years. He said he has been an IT engineer in the IT department at the University of Vermont Health Network  Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital for the past 35 years.

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In his personal life, he has a wife, Cindy. The two met when they both attended Clinton Community College, he said.

Evans, who said he is officially registered as a Democrat but says he is probably more conservative, is new to politics.

Not new to what goes on in the city, he added.

Evans said he lives around the corner from Mayor Wendell Hughes, who appointed him to the vacant councilor position at the citys meeting Jan. 16.

Weve talked politics off and on for over 20 years, Evans said.

Evans was appointed to the seat because Jacob Avery, who was elected to a three-year term for the Ward 2 seat in November of 2023, resigned late last year citing a need to spend more time with his family.

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Hughes, who took office at the beginning of this year, was immediately tasked with finding a replacement.

After the Jan. 16th meeting, Hughes spoke highly of Evans.

I think his personality works really well, and I think hes going to blend really well with the council. That was really important to me to have continuity and keep everything together, he said.

I think hes perfect to replace Jacob.

Hughes said Evans is a hard working union guy.

Hes very knowledgeable about the City of Plattsburgh, he added.

He brings a lot of good things to the table. Im excited, Im really excited. Its hard when you lose somebody like Jacob Avery. I really like Jacob, hes a good person, he was a good councilor.

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Evans said he does not know a lot of the councilors yet but is confident he is the type of person that can get along with anybody.

Plattsburghs got a lot going for it, he said.

I think we can do a lot of good  a lot of changes coming  and we want to have transparency and we want to eliminate things that went on in years previous.

Evans said there are some obvious issues in his ward he hopes to help resolve as councilor.

The big issue being the rain storms that hit Waterhouse Street residents homes hard last summer and left their basements flooded with raw sewer water.

Theres some structural problems with water and sewer in my ward, particularly my own home. I am one of the Waterhouse six people that were affected by the sewer not once, not twice but three times, he said.

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During the rain storm in June, I was affected by the double backup, where I had two feet of water in my yard. Im the lowest point of Waterhouse, and that water came down in my basement and caused a whole heck of a lot of problems, for which, I now have a brand new driveway and I thanked tonight the engineer and the supervisor that are part of public works that came over to my house and looked at things.

But I didnt receive any help, and it didnt get fixed, so thats where were going to land there.

MEYER

The citys new corporation counsel, local attorney Justin Meyer, was officially appointed by Hughes at the same meeting.

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The role was previously held by Dean Schneller for 11 years. Schneller, who announced he would not be seeking a contract renewal earlier this month, served under three different mayoral administrations.

Hughes said Schneller did a really good job as the citys attorney but he is excited about Meyer taking over.

I know Justin, I trust Justin, and Justins got a lot of work to do, Hughes previously said of Meyer.

Im fully confident (in him) and Dean was really good, he said anything we needed, hed be there for us too.

Meyer is an experienced attorney for the local Plattsburgh practice Stafford Owens.

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According to the practices website, Meyer joined them in 2006 and has extensive experience in all aspects of litigation, including personal injury, matrimonial, breach of contract, tort claims, mortgage foreclosures, criminal and mental hygiene law (including guardianship placement). Meyer represents parties at all stages of litigation in State and Federal Courts.

I just look forward to working with the mayor of the council, Meyer told the Press-Republican after he was appointed.

Ive done a fair amount of this type of work before. Ive certainly never been a counsel to a city, but Ive done a fair amount of municipal work  represented municipalities. Years ago, I represented the City of Plattsburgh in some litigation. But the councilors and the mayor run the show, and Im just happy to be a part of it.
Claim:

Elon Musk posted on X in January 2024, regarding aviation hiring, "It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE."

Rating:

Rating: Correct Attribution

A claim circulating online in late January 2025 alleged Elon Musk, the tech entrepreneur heading up the new U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, once posted on X that it would take an airplane crash for the government to end a "crazy" hiring policy involving diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Users on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok and X shared the claim about the purported Musk post, which read, "It will take an airplane crashing and killing hundreds of people for them to change this crazy policy of DIE." The text featured a misspelling of DEI.

The rumor Musk created the post was true. He posted (archived) the message on Jan. 9, 2024, in response to a user who, according to NBC News, speculated United Airlines pilots who went to historically Black colleges and universities would score lower than the average of IQ of Air Force pilots. That user later deleted their post.

The post resurfaced following a deadly midair collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter in Washington on Jan. 29, 2025. The incident claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. Within hours, President Donald Trump and other members of his administration baselessly blamed diversity hiring and DEI as a potential factor leading to the collision. Trump also acknowledged investigators had only just begun their work to determine the cause of the crash.

Days earlier, on Jan. 20  the first day of Trump's second term in office  he signed an executive order seeking to end federal programs, offices, positions, plans, actions, initiatives, grants and contracts associated with DEI, DEIA ("A" for accessibility), environmental justice and equity.

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As of this writing, The Associated Press reported, "Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot as well as air traffic control, after the helicopter apparently flew into the jet's path." The reporting also said investigators declined to speculate on the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board website published, "In general, the NTSB tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months, but these and other factors can greatly affect that timing."

We contacted two of Musk's companies to request comment regarding the post and will update this article if we receive a response.

Trump Blamed DEI at News Conference

On Jan. 30, Trump began a White House news conference by calling for a moment of silence and speaking about the tragedy. During his remarks, he said, "We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we'll probably state those opinions now." He then cast blame for the incident on a Federal Aviation Administration diversity and hiring initiative.

As Snopes previously reported, while the FAA hiring policy Trump citied genuinely existed, the implication the policy was new, or that it stemmed from efforts beginning under President Joe Biden's administration, was demonstrably false. The FAA's website hosted a page featuring the policy since at least February 2013. The page existed online during the entirety of Trump's first term in office.

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Other members of the Trump administration also briefly spoke during the news conference. Sean Duffy, the new transportation secretary, echoed Trump's remarks about hiring "the best and the brightest." Pete Hegseth, the new defense secretary, added, "The era of DEI is gone at the Defense Department and we need the best and brightest, whether it's in our air traffic control or whether it's in our generals or whether it's throughout government." Vice President JD Vance also mentioned staffing "the best people" and spoke of doing away with race-based hiring initiatives.

ABC News chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce asked the first question of the news conference: "Mr. President, on DEI and the claims that you've made, are you saying this crash was somehow caused and the result of diversity hiring? And what evidence have you seen to support these claims?"

Trump responded, "It just could have been," then continued speaking about high standards for safety positions.

Moments later, NBC News chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander directly quoted reporting from Snopes, telling Trump his mention of the FAA's diversity and hiring initiative referenced a policy existing on the agency's website since 2013, and during his first term in office. Trump denied the claim. Alexander asserted, "Respectfully, it was on the website." Trump replied, "Quiet. Quiet," moving on to a different reporter.

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Sources:

Colvin, Jill. "Who Is Sean Duffy, the New Transportation Secretary Responding to the DC Plane Crash?" The Associated Press, 30 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/sean-duffy-transportation-crash-dca-5d372d1945929293f10c1f0de58df3cc.

"Diversity and Inclusion." Federal Aviation Administration via Internet Archive Wayback Machine, https://web.archive.org/web/20190108213923/https://www.faa.gov/jobs/diversity_inclusion/.

"Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/.

Ingram, David. "Elon Musk Criticized by Civil Rights Groups for Posts Calling DEI Initiatives Unsafe." NBC News, 10 Jan. 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/elon-musk-boeing-dei-diversity-x-posts-pilots-rcna133351.

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Kasprak, Alex. "FAA Policy About Hiring People with Intellectual Disabilities Has Existed for Over a Decade." Snopes, 15 Jan. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//news/2024/01/15/faa-dei-initiatives/.

"Live Updates: Black Box from American Airlines Plane Recovered Following Deadly DC Air Collision." The Associated Press, 31 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/live/dc-plane-crash-reagan-updates-day-2.

Miller, Zeke, and Chris Megerian. "Trump Blames Diversity Hiring as Probe into Deadly DC Plane Crash Begins." The Associated Press, 30 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/trump-crash-reagan-washington-buttigieg-diversity-biden-ef1e07684bbc845e9e7981c1ae060af2.

Olson, Alexandra, and Zeke Miller. "Trump Administration Directs All Federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Staff Be Put on Leave." The Associated Press, 21 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/dei-trump-executive-order-diversity-834a241a60ee92722ef2443b62572540.

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"President Trump Holds Press Briefing on Aviation Disaster." Rev.com, 30 Jan. 2025, https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/vDeEKu7TiLcoaDVgWSIlFVCQwtmVciQM1BPaPySYPDgF4jTXqJEeowTpw9ZKtSttXtCkCGg_7NBSyu3DD0NT4DW70ow.

"The Investigative Process." National Transportation Safety Board, https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/process/Pages/default.aspx.

Whitehurst, Lindsay, et al. "'Heartbreaking' Search for Those Killed in DC Aircraft Collision Takes Its Toll." The Associated Press, 31 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-national-airport-crash-325edc6c0c2439dd6c1e73a81e382c0e.
Claim:

Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill that makes it a felony to vote against U.S. President Donald Trumps immigration policies.

Rating:

Rating: Mixture

What's True:

Tennessee Senate Bill 6002/House Bill 6001 makes it a felony for local government officials to vote in support of "sanctuary" policies protecting immigrants in the country illegally. President Donald Trump's administration has taken steps to weaken so-called sanctuary laws that limit a local government's cooperation with federal immigration authorities, meaning this bill does attempt to criminalize voting against part of Trump's immigration policy agenda.

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What's False:

The bill does not include a blanket directive that criminalizes voting against all of Trump's immigration policies, nor does it criminalize votes from everyday people. Gov. Bill Lee had not signed the bill into law, as of this writing.

On Jan. 29, 2025, social media users began claiming that Tennessee lawmakers had passed legislation that makes local officials subject to felony charges should they vote against Trump's immigration policies.

Users on X (archived) spread the rumor, including Tennessee state Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Democrat, who claimed the bill would send elected officials to jail for not supporting Trump's immigration policies. Campbell's post  which says the bill passed out of committee, a step before going to the entire Senate  had over 55,000 likes as of this writing (archived).

We passed a bill in committee yesterday that felonizes elected officials if they vote against Trump's immigration policy. Let that sink in. Duly elected officials will go to jail- will have a criminal record- if they do not vote for and support Trump's policies.  Senator Heidi Campbell (@Campbell4TN) January 29, 2025

Some claims were unclear on whether elected officials or everyday voters were subject to this purported bill. For example, Snopes readers searched our website for any news on a "Tennessee Senate bill making it a felony to vote against Trump's immigration policy." News outlets also made similar claims, including Newsweek (archived), which published a story headlined: "Tennessee Bill Would Prohibit Voting Against Trump Immigration Policies."

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These claims are a mixture of truths and falsehood. Tennessee state lawmakers passed a bill that makes it a felony for local officials to vote in support of so-called sanctuary policies that protect immigrants in the country illegally by limiting a local government's cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Trump vowed to end sanctuary cities on the campaign trail and has taken steps to weaken to sanctuary laws. However, the Tennessee bill does not explicitly make it a felony for elected officials to vote against any of Trump's other immigration policies.

Thus, the bill does make it a felony for elected officials to vote against part of Trump's immigration policies, but not all of his policies. It also does not make it a felony for everyday Tennesseans to vote against immigration policies set by Trump.

The bill has passed both legislative chambers but the state's governor, Republican Bill Lee, must also sign the legislation before it becomes law  which he is likely to do, given that it is part of his policy agenda.

Tennessee's Immigration Enforcement Bill

Senate Bill 6002/House Bill 6001 makes it a Class E felony for local government officials to vote in support of sanctuary policies, which prevent local law enforcement from coordinating immigration enforcement with federal officers. A Class E felony is punishable by one to six years in prison and/or a fine of up to $3,000. The state Senate passed the bill Jan. 29, 2025, and the state House passed it Jan. 30.

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Here's the exact language from the bill:

SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-68-103, is amended by designating the existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following new subsection (b): (b) It is unlawful for an official to violate subsection (a). A violation of subsection (a) is a Class E felony. For purposes of this subsection (b), each official who, in their capacity as a member of the governing body of a local government, votes in the affirmative to adopt a sanctuary policy is in violation of this section.

The bill summary on the Tennessee Legislature's website explains the state's current laws against sanctuary policies and what the bill's text adds to those laws:

Present law prohibits state and local governmental entities and officials from adopting or enacting a sanctuary policy. A state or local governmental entity that adopts or enacts a sanctuary policy is ineligible to enter into a grant contract with the department of economic and community development until the sanctuary policy is repealed, rescinded, or otherwise no longer in effect. This bill creates a Class E felony, punishable by a sentence of imprisonment not less than one year nor more than six years and a possible fine not to exceed $3,000, or both, if a person violates such prohibitions. Additionally, this bill provides that each official, in their capacity as a member of the governing body of a local government, who votes in the affirmative to adopt a sanctuary policy is also in violation.

According to an announcement from Lee's office detailing his policy agenda, SB 6002/HB 6001 is the primary vehicle for his immigration enforcement policies. The bill aligns itself with Trump's immigration policies, such as by incentivizing local government support for federal immigration enforcement  but nothing else in the legislation involves criminalizing local officials' votes. The legislation also does not explicitly name Trump or his administration.

Trump's Policies Against Sanctuary Laws

While on the campaign trail, Trump vowed to end sanctuary cities  places where sanctuary laws are in effect  during a Fox News town hall with host Harris Faulkner. Here's the exchange:

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Trump: First of all, we are going to end all sanctuary cities immediately. Because they're really Faulkner: Is that an executive order you do that with? Trump: I can do it with an executive order. You'll have to do it with an executive order.

A video of this exchange is available on Fox News' website (at 2:20).

On Jan. 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order denying sanctuary cities federal funding. The relevant part of this order is below (emphasis ours):

Sec. 17. Sanctuary Jurisdictions. The Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, to the maximum extent possible under law, evaluate and undertake any lawful actions to ensure that so-called "sanctuary" jurisdictions, which seek to interfere with the lawful exercise of Federal law enforcement operations, do not receive access to Federal funds. Further, the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall evaluate and undertake any other lawful actions, criminal or civil, that they deem warranted based on any such jurisdiction's practices that interfere with the enforcement of Federal law.

Thus, Tennessee's bill prohibiting local officials from voting in support of sanctuary cities also, by definition, prohibits local officials from voting against part of Trump's immigration agenda. However, Trump has other immigration policies  he has promised, for example, "the largest domestic deportation operation in American history"  and while many of these immigration policies are connected to his sanctuary law policies, the Tennessee bill does not explicitly prevent lawmakers from voting against these other policies.

Sources:

"Gov. Lee Marks the Close of Special Legislative Session, Passes Full Agenda." TN Office of the Governor, 30 Jan. 2025, www.tn.gov/governor/news/2025/1/30/gov--lee-marks-the-close-of-special-legislative-session--passes-full-agenda.html. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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Hill, Bailee. "Trump Vows to 'End All Sanctuary Cities,' Restore 'Normalcy' at 'Faulkner Focus' Town Hall with Female Voters." Fox News, 16 Oct. 2024, https://doi.org/10/1024/512. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Did Trump Call for Mass Detentions and Deportations of Latinos?" Snopes, Snopes.com, 5 Mar. 2024, www.snopes.com/news/2024/03/05/trump-mass-detentions-deportations/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Johnson, Jack. "SENATE BILL 6002." Tennessee General Assembly, 22 Jan. 2025, www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB6002.pdf. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

"Protecting the American People against Invasion." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-american-people-against-invasion/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

"Tennessee General Assembly Legislation." Tennessee General Assembly, 2025, wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB6002&GA=114. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
(FOX40.COM)  A 48-year-old man from Fairfield was sentenced to four years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

According to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Eastern District of California, court documents show that in October 2018, Steven Daniel Miller had used another persons social security number to complete a credit application with a bank to purchase a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat at a dealership in Yuba City.

Due to having false information, the bank approved the loan and paid $75,754 to the car dealership. Miller left the dealership with the vehicle, which was later seized by law enforcement.

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Authorities said that in May 2024 Miller pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft but then failed to appear for his October 2024 sentencing.

Miller was arrested in November 2024 and has been in custody ever since.

The U.S. Attorneys Office of the Eastern District of California said Miller was ordered to pay $36,208 in damages.

The case has been a part of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and the following departments helped with the case: California Highway Patrol, Solano County Sheriffs Office, the Rocklin Police Department, the Glory Police Department, and the Fairfield Police Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News.
NewsVoir Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 1: TVS Motor Company recorded monthly sales of 397,623 units in January 2025 with a growth of 17% as against 339,513 units in the month of January 2024. Two-Wheeler Total two-wheelers registered a growth of 18% with sales increasing from 329,937 units in January 2024 to 387,671 units in January 2025. Domestic two-wheeler registered growth of 10% with sales increasing from 268,233 units in January 2024 to 293,860 units in January 2025. Motorcycle registered a growth of 12% with sales increasing from 155,611 units in January 2024 to 174,388 units in January 2025. Scooter registered a growth of 29% with sales increasing from 132,290 units in January 2024 to 171,111 units in January 2025. Electric Vehicle EV sales registered a growth of 55% with sales increasing from 16,276 units in January 2024 to 25,195 units in January 2025. International Business The Company's total exports grew by 46% increasing from 69,343 units in January 2024 to 101,055 units in January 2025. Two-wheeler exports registered a growth of 52% with sales increasing from 61,704 units registered in January 2024 to 93,811 units in January 2025. Three-Wheeler Three-wheeler of the Company registered growth of 4% with sales increasing from 9,576 units in January 2024 to 9,952 units in January 2025. TVS Motor Company (BSE:532343 and NSE: TVSMOTOR) is a reputed two and three-wheeler manufacturer globally, championing progress through sustainable mobility with four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in India and Indonesia. Rooted in our 100-year legacy of trust, value, and passion for customers, it takes pride in making internationally accepted products of the highest quality through innovative and sustainable processes. TVS Motor is the only two-wheeler company to have won the prestigious Deming Prize. Our products lead in their respective categories in the J.D. Power IQS and APEAL surveys. We have been ranked No. 1 Company in the J.D.Power Customer Service Satisfaction Survey for four consecutive years. Our group company Norton Motorcycles, based in the United Kingdom, is one of the most emotive motorcycle brands in the world. Our subsidiaries in the personal e-mobility space, Swiss E-Mobility Group (SEMG) and EGO Movement have a leading position in the e-bike market in Switzerland. TVS Motor Company endeavours to deliver the most superior customer experience across 80 countries in which we operate. For more information, please visit www.tvsmotor.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
The family of the female helicopter pilot killed in Wednesdays mid-air collision has asked the Army to keep her name under wraps amid intense online vitriol.

The decision follows an outcrylargely from right-wing figuresthat has tried to pin blame for the disaster on those operating the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet, causing both aircraft to plunge into the icy Potomac River, killing 67 people.

President Donald Trump is among those who seem to be suggesting the chopper pilot could be at least partially at fault. He said it was flying too high, by a lot when it entered the path of a regional jet that was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Donald Trump appeared to cast blame for Wednesdays disaster with a Black Hawk helicopter that was flying at an altitude higher than it should have been. / Truth Social

It was far above the 200 foot limit, Trump posted Friday, citing preliminary findings from investigators. Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???

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The U.S. Army identified the other soldiers killed as 28-year-old Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, of Georgia, and 39-year-old Andrew Loyd Eaves, of Maryland.

But it said in a news release it would not release the name of a third soldier, a pilot, at the request of the family. It provided no reason for granting the highly unusual request.

An official cause for the collision is yet to be established, but the availability of video and air traffic control recordings has led many people to reach their own conclusions.

Trump and other Republicans immediately politicized the tragedy on Thursday, asserting that DEI policies under Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and the latters transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, had allowed unqualified people to be hired as air traffic controllers.

The Coast Guard retrieves aircraft wreckage on Thursday. / Handout / Getty Images

Many right-wingers shifted the focus of their outrage to those inside the helicopter by Friday, however, after multiple outletsincluding the military news site Task & Purposeidentified one of its pilots as a woman.

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Task & Purpose reported that Eaves was the flights senior pilot, OHara its crew chief. and the unidentified woman its second pilot.

The Armys decision to not release the second pilots name has not stopped the internet from trying to unearth her identity.

A rumor spread on Thursday that a female transgender soldier by the name of Jo Ellis was the mystery pilot.

This forced Ellis, who is a Black Hawk pilot, to post a video to Facebook where she showed she was alive and clearly not involved in the collision, which had no survivors.

Interesting morning, she said. I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false. It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They dont deserve that. I dont deserve this.

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Trump has a long history of remarks disparaging service members and veterans, including the infamous suckers and losers comment from a Europe trip in 2018.

The president has not made any remarks about the D.C. tragedy since Thursday, but has previously seemed to indicateincluding through his selection of Pete Hegseth as defense secretarythat he supports sweeping changes in the U.S. military that may include sidelining women from certain roles.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addresses reporters in the White House on Thursday. / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Hegseth has spoken against women in combat roles, and alleged theyve been included in some positions without reaching the necessary military standard.

Im straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles, Hegseth said on a podcast in November, days after Trump won the election. It hasnt made us more effective. Hasnt made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated.

Hegseth softened his stance during his Senate confirmation hearing as he was pressed by two womenboth veteranson the matter. Like Trump, Hegseth has yet to offer any official remarks since it emerged that a woman was one of the doomed helicopters pilots.
The crash of an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C. on Jan. 30 has left countless families, friends, and loved ones in mourning as authorities search for remains of the 67 victims.

Friends and family of Captain Jonathan J. Campos, the pilot aboard American Eagle flight AA5342, have been paying tribute to the beloved aviator. His uncle Hector Campos told NBC News his nephew "was a great kid," and his girlfriend told WKMG he was "the love of her life."

Epic Flight Academy, where Campos was certified as a flight instructor and taught other pilots, shared their condolences in a Facebook post.

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"He was a skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying," the school said. "Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathan's family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time."

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where Campos studied aeronautical science and graduated in 2015, added to the condolences for the late pilot.

"EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Captain Jonathan Campos," a statement read. "Our thoughts are with his family and the families and loved ones of all impacted by this tragic accident."

A neighbor of the pilot in Ormond Beach, Florida told The Daytona Beach News-Journal that Campos was "a good guy" who would help his neighbors with car repairs. "Its just sad, the neighbor said. As soon as they identified the aircraft on the news, I thought of Joni."

Related: There Was Nearly Another Aviation Accident 24 Hours Before Fatal Potomac Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.
Officials in California have revealed that President Donald Trump nearly flooded the regions farms when his administration tried to send an excessive amount of water south, a feat he bragged about on Friday.

Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! Trump gloated in a Truth Social post.

Over the last month, the president has often pushed for more water to be directed to southern California to help fight the fires that have devastated the area.

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Behind the scenes on Friday, though, officials told Politico that they had to talk down the Army Corps of Engineers after they were alerted on short notice about a suddenand excessiveinflux of water.

The Army Corps was set to turn two reservoirs to max capacity, a decision the agency later told Politico was in response to Trumps directive that the federal government maximize water supplies.

Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, shakes hands with California Governor Gavin Newsom at Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 24, 2025. / MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

Victor Hernandez, who manages the water on a river in Tulare County, said he scrambled to alert farmers to the possibility of flooding before the Corps backed off. He said he was only given one hours notice.

Ive been here 25 years, and Ive never been given notice that quick, Hernandez said. That was alarming and scary.

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After pushback from multiple officials, including Hernandez, the Army Corps agreed to release the water at one third of the originally planned speed, Hernandez said.

A spokesperson for the Corps, Gene Pawlik, told Politico that the releases were consistent with Trumps executive order to provide water to fight the wildfires in southern California.

A firefighter truck backs away from flames on the Lake Hughes Road in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Jan. 22, 2025. / APU GOMES / AFP via Getty Images

Multiple water management experts told Politico that moves like the one initially planned to hit Tulare County could have serious consequences.

Something really bad could happen because of their nonsensical approach, said a former official at Bureau of Reclamation, the primary agency responsible for delivering water in the western U.S. Floods are real. This isnt playing around with a software company.

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Hernandez was in agreement.

Channel capacity is very dangerous, he said. People dont understand that [with] channel capacity, youre going to have flood damage down below.

Experts told The New York Times that the water released by the Army Corps on Friday has no way of reaching the region affected by the wildfires, which is over 200 miles away, and could have been useful to farmers months from now as irrigation.

As of Saturday, the Palisades and Eaton fires, which raged near Los Angeles, are 100 percent contained, according to Los Angeles Daily News.
This afternoon, FBI personnel braced for a retaliatory purge of the nations premiere law-enforcement agency, as President Donald Trump appeared ready to fire potentially hundreds of agents and officials whod participated in investigations that led to criminal charges against him.

A team that investigated Trumps mishandling of classified documents was expected to be fired, four people familiar with the matter said. Trump has long fumed about that investigation, which involved a raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate that turned up hundreds of classified documents he had taken after he left the White House four years ago.

David Sundberg, the head of the FBIs Washington Field Office, is also being fired, these people added. Sundberg is a career FBI agent with more than two decades of experience, and he oversees some of the bureaus most sensitive cases related to national security and counterintelligence. Current and former officials told me they are worried that those investigations could stall, at least temporarily, if a large number of agents are suddenly removed. A spokesperson at the Washington Field Office declined to comment.

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Trumps retribution is not limited to those who investigated him personally. Administration officials are reviewing records to identify FBI personnel who participated in investigations of the January 6 assault on the Capitol by his supporters, people familiar with the matter told me. That could potentially involve hundreds if not thousands of agents, including those who interviewed and investigated rioters who were later prosecuted. Shortly after taking office, Trump pardoned about 1,500 of the rioters and commuted others sentences.

There is no precedent for the mass termination of FBI personnel in this fashion. Current and former officials I spoke with had expected Trump to exact retribution for what he sees as unjust and even illegal efforts by the FBI and the Justice Department to investigate his conduct. But they were stunned by the scale of Trumps anticipated purge, which is taking aim at senior leaders as well as working-level agents who do not set policy but follow the orders of their superiors.

[Read: Trumps deep state revenge]

This afternoon, some FBI personnel frantically traded messages and rumors about others believed to be on Trumps list, including special agents who run field offices across the country and were also involved in investigations of the former president.

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Trumps efforts to root out his supposed enemies might not withstand a legal challenge. FBI agents do not choose the cases assigned to them, and they are protected by civil-service rules. The FBI Agents Association, a nonprofit organization that is not part of the U.S. government, said in a statement that the reports of Trumps planned purge are outrageous and fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents.

The mass firings could imperil the nomination of Kash Patel, whom Trump wants to run the FBI in his administration. Just yesterday, Patel had assured senators during his confirmation hearing that the very kinds of politically motivated firings that appear to be in motion would not happen.

All FBI employees will be protected against political retribution, Patel told lawmakers. Every FBI employee will be held to the absolute same standard, and no one will be terminated for case assignments.

Pam Bondi, Trumps nominee to run the Justice Department, had likewise assured senators during her own hearing that government personnel would not be subject to political retaliation for doing their job.

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Since taking office two weeks ago, Trump has issued executive orders aimed at his perceived enemies, including former intelligence officials. And he has pledged to end what he calls the weaponization of federal law enforcement. How exactly he plans to do that, and the degree to which his own self-interest informs his definition of weaponization, is now becoming clearer.

Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer contributed reporting to this article.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Arnoldo Jimenez

CHICAGO  The FBI on Friday announced the arrest of a fugitive suspected in the brutal 2012 murder of his new bride while driving home from their wedding reception in Chicago.

Authorities allege Arnoldo Jimenez, added to the FBIs Top 10 Most Wanted list in May 2019, was captured in Mexico without incident on Thursday, Jan. 30. Jimenez will remain in custody pending extradition proceedings.

Jimenez allegedly stabbed 26-year-old Estrella Carrera more than 18 times in his black, four-door Maserati less than 48 hours after getting married, in the early hours of May 12, 2012.

SEE ALSO: Mother of missing Rock Island 4-year-old girl arrested in Wisconsin

Carrera was later found in the bathtub of her condo in Burbank, still wearing the dress she wore to the reception.

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The FBI is extremely appreciative of the Burbank Police Department, our law enforcement partners in Mexico, and the public for their tremendous investigative efforts and collaboration in the capture of Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Arnoldo Jimenez, Douglas S. DePodesta, special agent in charge of the FBIs Chicago Field Office, said. The FBI will use all of its available resources to bring criminals to justice, no matter how much time has passed or where they may be in the world.

Jimenez was the 522nd person placed on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, established in March of 1950. He faces first-degree murder.

In a May 2023 update, the FBI upped its reward for information leading to an arrest and/or conviction of Jimenez to $250,000, increased from $100,000. FBI Chicago, FBI San Antonio, the FBIs Legal Attache in Mexico City, and the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois cooperated to locate Jimenez.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
The Trump administration forced out a number of FBI officials Friday, removing agents who worked on the criminal cases into President Trump as well as the heads of various field offices.

A source familiar said agents who had worked on the Mar-a-Lago and Jan. 6 investigations were escorted out of the Washington Field Office.

The same source said officials in charge of the Washington, D.C., Miami, Seattle, New Orleans and Las Vegas field offices were removed.

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The full scope of the removals remains unclear but has sparked concerns from members of Congress.

A statement from Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, indicated the move may have impacted dozens of agents.

It is deeply alarming that the Trump administration appears to be purging dozens of the most experienced agents who are our nations first line of defense, he said.

The Hill reported earlier Friday that the five executive assistant directors of the bureau were notified they would be demoted. That move targeted the band of top officials who oversee the FBIs five internal branches and are among the highest-ranking career positions in the bureau.

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All Americans who support law enforcement and the rule of law should be deeply concerned by reports that Donald Trump is seeking to fire large numbers of FBI agents, ranging from senior officials to agents assigned to cases against him, said Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

These actions would undermine our ability to protect Americans from national security and criminal threats, and  just as damaging  they would undermine the independence of our justice system. Pam Bondi and Kash Patel both committed to protecting the Department of Justice and the FBI from politics and weaponization. If these reports are true, its clear they misled the Senate.

The slew of removals comes the day after Patel, Trumps nominee to lead the agency, was specifically asked about potential removals of agents that worked on Trumps cases, saying he knew nothing of the plans but would respect processes for removing federal employees.

I dont know whats going on right now over there, but Im committed to you, Senator, and your colleagues, that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI, Patel said.

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The FBI Agents Association blasted reports that those who worked on Trumps criminal cases were being removed.

If true, these outrageous actions by acting officials are fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents, the group said in a statement.

These actions also contradict the commitments that Attorney General-nominee Pam Bondi and Director-nominee Kash Patel made during their nomination hearings before the United States Senate. They also run counter to the commitment that Director-nominee Patel made to the FBI Agents Association, where during our meeting he said that Agents would be afforded appropriate process and review and not face retribution based solely on the cases to which they were assigned.

The removals follow a similar playbook at the Justice Department where all prosecutors who worked on Trumps two criminal investigations were also fired .

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The attorneys were told specifically that they were removed due to their work on the case, blaming the Biden administration for a systemic campaign against its perceived political opponents.

Nowhere was that effort more salient than in the unprecedented prosecutions the Department of Justice pursued against President Trump himself, acting Attorney General James McHenry wrote, adding I do not believe that the leadership of the Department can trust you to assist in implementing the Presidents agenda faithfully.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) described the FBI firing as an unprecedented purge.

These unprecedented purges of hundreds of prosecutors, staff and experienced law enforcement agents will undermine the governments power to protect our country against national security, cyber, and criminal threats, he said in a statement.

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The loyal friend of autocrats, kleptocrats, oligarchs and broligarchs, Trump doesnt care about the requirements of democracy, national security and public safety, Raskin continued. His agenda is vengeance and retribution. If allowed to proceed, Trumps purge of our federal law enforcement workforce will expose America to authoritarianism and dictatorship.

Updated at 6:21 p.m. EST

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In one of her last acts as the head of the Federal Communications Commission under President Joe Biden, Jessica Rosenworcel dismissed multiple efforts by activist groups to censor media companies for unfavorable coverage.

As I wrote at the time, Rosenworcels statement included a grim warning about now-President Trumps threats to the free press:

It may seem quaint to draw attention like this to broadcast licenses, in an era when so many of us seek out information we want, when we want it, from where we want it, on any screen handy. But these stations remain a vital source of local and national news. And there is nothing antiquated about the idea that the FCC has a duty to respect the Constitution.

The former FCC chairwomans fears may already be coming to fruition. On Thursday, new FCC chairman Brendan Carr, a Project 2025 author and right-wing critic of the media, launched probes into National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, two outlets that receive federal funding and have been often been targeted by conservatives. (Remember when Mitt Romney was going to fire Big Bird?)

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NPR reported on excerpts of a letter from Carr (which has not been verified by MSNBC or NBC News) in which he said, I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials, and that, "In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements. NPR goes on to note that public broadcasting stations are forbidden from running commercials and quotes executives from both outlets saying their companies have acted within the law.

Its noteworthy that Project 2025, the far-right blueprint for governance to which Trumps administration is closely adhering to in his second term, calls for defunding PBS and NPR. Beyond that, Trump has accused NPR of being a liberal disinformation machine and last year demanded that its funding be stripped. And during his first administration, Trump repeatedly tried to strip funding from the public media outlets, too.

The FCCs probes into NPR and PBS can also be seen as a new front in Trumps broader assault on the media. As I wrote in December, Trump has been pursuing private legal action against various media outlets, including the recent multimillion-dollar settlement of a defamation claim against ABC News and its parent company, and an ongoing lawsuit accusing an Iowa newspaper and well-known pollster of election interference for publishing a poll he didnt like. CBS staffers are also reportedly concerned their parent company is preparing to settle with Trump over a dubious lawsuit that accused the outlet of editing a pre-election 60 Minutes interview to favor Kamala Harris during the campaign.

The NPR and PBS probes seem pretty clearly to be the latest steps in Trumps developed a track record of attacking the free press.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Linda Aguilar, supervisor at Pantera Market #4 in downtown Nampa, has seen the number of customers and sales drop since rumors started flying about possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Idaho.

The customers who do come in will ask whether what they are hearing is real: Have ICE agents been seen at the market?

No, Aguilar told the Idaho Statesman by phone Friday. Police sometimes patronize the business, but its not immigration officials.

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You can come, Aguilar said, in Spanish. Its not true.

Since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20 and his mandate of mass raids and deportations went into effect, online talk of ICE action in Idaho has increased dramatically. On Facebook and Reddit, people have shared what they say are sightings of ICE officers in places like Ketchum, Boise and Canyon County.

This leaves organizations and advocates dealing with anxious community members as they work to deliver good, factual information.

Plus, its not always simple to get official sources to talk.

Its really challenging, said Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. If you try to call ICE its just like calling the IRS. ... Its not easy to communicate.

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Immigrations and Customs Enforcement spokespeople have not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Idaho Statesman over the past week and a half about any possible activity in Idaho. The Statesman has not received any replies to its emails since Jan. 22.

Canyon County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Doug Hart said via a spokesperson that he had not noticed any changes in the number of people in the jail who have immigration holds. Those holds are a flag that ICE wants to speak with or investigate someones status, Hart said.

This week, the Blaine County Sheriffs Office  home to Ketchum and Sun Valley  took to social media to dispel stories about raids there. Historically, ICE communicates with a local sheriffs office when carrying out activities, but the office had not heard anything in weeks, Blaine officials wrote.

The Sheriffs Office contacted ICE after hearing specific claims on Jan. 29 about raids outside businesses in Blaine County. ICE confirmed no such operations took place, the office wrote on social media.

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Unfortunately, bad actors often spread misinformation about deportation operations to create fear and manipulate vulnerable individuals, the Blaine Sheriffs Office said. This tactic not only incites panic but also discourages victims from seeking help or cooperating with law enforcement.

However, theres trepidation based on the past, said Gonzalez, with the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

Some Idahoans remember a time when ICE was present in the community and some families were held for deportation, she said. Children came home from school to no parents, she said.

Families dont forget that that easily, Gonzalez said. I think that fear is real.

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PODER of Idaho, a local group dedicated to immigrant and Latino communities, is trying to gather volunteers to check areas so they can determine whether ICE is really present, said the groups executive director, Estefania Mondragon.

PODER has put out videos explaining what type of information to share, Mondragon said  for example, verified information with a photo, video, date, time stamp and location. People can send information to PODER, and if the group deems it a threat, it can share the information with its networks.

Theres a lot of fear within our community, Mondragon said. Its absolute chaos right now.
Investments in high-tech tools in recent years give federal immigration officials enormous power to track and categorize immigrants, experts say. (Getty Images)

As President Donald Trump deploys federal agents to carry out plans of mass deportations at the start of his term, he has a massive amount of technology at his disposal to track, categorize and surveil immigrants.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Citizen and Immigration Services have spent $7.8 billion on immigration technologies from 263 different companies since 2020, the New York Times reported this week. The technologies include biometric tracking, such as facial recognition, voice analyzing, and fingerprint scanning, location tracking via software and ankle monitoring and rapid DNA testing tools.

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The agencies also have access to investigative tools that can search through emails, text messages and other files on locked phones, and they contract with data analytics firms to store and sort through massive amounts of data compiled on immigrants currently in the U.S.

The access to these technologies is not new to the Trump administration. Much of the spending on these tech contracts began during President Joe Bidens term, and many tools were designed for investigations of drug traffickers and other criminals, beginning after the 9/11 attacks.

Marina Shepelsky, an immigration attorney based in New York, said four groups of immigrants are being targeted in Trumps raids. Those with criminal convictions will likely be the highest priority, she said, but those who have been issued a deportation order by a judge or those who entered the country under the Biden administration are also targets.

Anyone who is in the U.S. unlawfully without status, meaning without a visa, or on an expired visa, is at risk, Shepelsky said.

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The Department of Homeland Security outlines the various uses of the AI technology that it has at its disposal, but Shepelsky said she sees it likely being focused on combing through immigration records, and cross-referencing data from visa applications, criminal records and social media platforms.

Federal agents are also likely using predictive AI modeling in various ways, she said, like assessing the likelihood of overstaying visas or engaging in criminal behavior. The department collects known information, like immigration status, compliance history, caregiver status and criminal history, and assigns each person something called a hurricane score. The score, ranked 1-5, is calculated by a machine learning algorithm designed to determine if a person may flee immigration proceedings.

Shepelsky warns of the systematic biases AI algorithms can produce; [they] may unfairly target certain demographics, increasing risks of racial profiling, she said.

Peter Salib, an assistant professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center said he, too, believes AI can streamline a lot about the immigration process. If your goal is to target immigrants who have committed serious crimes, as was policy under the Biden and Obama administrations, he said, AI can probably help you do that well.

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AI can really help you accomplish your goal and impose fewer costs on the people who dont need to be swept up in enforcement, Salib said.

But access to these technologies and intent are different things, Salib said. While the Biden administration had access to these tools in recent years, it was not planning the wide-reaching deportation efforts were seeing Trump execute now.

The technology exists out in the world, and so even if youre scared of a kind of slippery slope into using it poorly, its not really clear that you can get off that slope just by declining to use it when you are in the administration that has the good goals, Salib said.

Though there are ethical concerns with AI, theres potential to improve parts of border security and citizenship processes with the technology, Shepelsky said. Its helped process visa applications faster and detect fraudulent documents, as well as streamlined high-demand employment visas.

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Technology will likely continue to play a role in Trumps immigration policies and in other parts of his early administration agenda, Salib said.

I think its the world we live in now, Salib said. And the choice we have is about policy more than about what technology is available to the people who want to enforce policies.

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PNN Rajkot (Gujarat) [India], February 1: Rs.4981 lakh Right Issue of Ultracab (India) Ltd (BSE-538706) engaged in the manufacturing and exporter of electric wires and cable opened for subscription from January 28, 2025. Right issue of the company are attractively priced at a Rs.14.5 per share and will close on February 11, 2025. Highlights: * The Shares in Right issue priced at Rs. 14.5 per share * The Company recorded Net Profit of Rs. 598 lakh for FY24 and Revenue of Rs. 12439 lakh * Promoters Nitesh Vaghasiya and Pankaj Shingala have confirmed to subscribe to the full extent of their Rights and Entitlements * The Company also exports in countries like the UK, UAE, Africa, Singapore, Uganda, etc. * The company has been supplying cables to 55+ government departments and 150+ corporate groups for over a decade, with 400+ dealers across India and a presence in 29 countries. * The Company's clients include BHEL, NTPC, Power Grid, Airport Authority, BPCL, ONGC, and SAIL. Vedanta, Hindustan Zinc, Sterlite Power, Aditya Birla, Reliance, Airtel, Godrej among others. Investors may also buy Ultracab (India) Ltd Rights Entitlements (BSE Symbol: 750951) from BSE to participate / subscribe in the company's right issue. The last date for On-market Renunciation of Rights Entitlements is till 5 February 2025. The Rights entitlement ratio for the issue is fixed at 9:25 (9 Rights equity shares for every 25 equity share held by shareholders on the record date - January 16, 2025). The Company will issue 3.43 crore fully paid-up Equity Shares at a price of face value of Rs. 2 each. . For the FY24 ended March 2024, Net profit of the company increased to Rs. 598 lakh as compared to the net profit of Rs. 582 lakh in the corresponding period last year. Revenue of the company during FY24 was reported at Rs. 12439 lakh as compared to the revenue of Rs. 10767 lakh in FY23. The funds raised through the right issue will be utilized for the pre-payment / repayment of Loan, For augmenting the working capital requirements of the Company, and for General Corporate Purposes. Nitesh Vaghasiya, Chairman & Managing Director, Ultracab (India) Ltd said, "Our Rights Issue reflects our commitment to responsible growth, financial resilience, and sustainability. By empowering existing shareholders to expand their stake, we honor their trust and loyalty while securing vital funds for strategic expansion and acquisitions that align with our vision for sustainable and environmentally responsible growth. These milestones reaffirm our dedication to quality, innovation, and a customer-first approach. Looking ahead, we will build on this momentum by prioritizing sustainability, digital transformation, and targeted product and market expansions. Our focus remains on creating long-term stakeholder value and driving sustained growth." About Ultracab (India) Ltd Founded in 2007, Ultracab (India) Ltd is a Gujarat-based manufacturer and exporter of high-quality electric wires and cables, serving domestic, industrial, solar, and elevator applications. Renowned for reliability, the company leverages advanced technology and rigorous quality control to ensure superior products. Company is supplying cables to 55+ government departments and 150+ corporate groups for over a decade, with 400+ dealers across India and a presence in 29 countries." Promoters Nitesh Vaghasiya and Pankaj Shingala have confirmed to subscribe the full extent of their Rights Entitlements and have also confirmed that they shall not renounce the Rights Entitlements. The other promoters and members of the promoter group have agreed to renounce their entitlement in favour of Nitesh Vaghasiya & Pankaj Shingala for 33,65,192 Shares. Therefore, Total Promoter Right Entitlement 95,82,881 Shares will be subscribed. Company offers wide product portfolio of 6000 plus products including domestic cables (house wires, PVC/XLPE power cables), international cables (auto cables, welding cables), and specialized cables (super flat, elevator, and solar cables). With a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Shapar (Rajkot, Gujarat), Ultracab remains committed to excellence and innovation in the cable industry. Company's products are sold not only in India but also in countries like the UK, UAE, Africa, Singapore, Uganda, etc. Company's government clientele includes BHEL, NTPC, Power Grid, Airport Authority, BPCL, ONGC, SAIL. Its corporate client includes the likes of Vedanta, Hindustan Zinc, Sterlite Power, Aditya Birla, Reliance, Airtel, Godrej among others. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from freezing federal funds until further order of this Court in Providence on Friday. (Getty image)

This story originally appeared in the Rhode Island Current.

The prospect of a federal funding freeze was put on ice by a federal judge in Rhode Island Friday afternoon.

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The States have put forth sufficient evidence at this stage that they will likely suffer severe and irreparable harm if the Court denies their request to enjoin enforcement of the funding pause, Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. wrote in the 13-page order. And it is more than monetary harm that is at stake here. As Justice Anthony Kennedy reminds us, Liberty is always at stake when one or more of the branches seek to transgress the separation of powers.

McConnells order blocks President Donald Trump and the 26 other federal cabinet heads named in the lawsuit from freezing federal funds until further order of this Court, calling for a preliminary hearing to weigh the request for a longer-term ban. A hearing had not been scheduled as of Friday afternoon.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, one of 23 Democratic attorneys general who filed the suit on U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island applauded McConnells decision in a statement Friday. Phil Weiser, the Colorado attorney general, had signed on to the lawsuit.

I am grateful for Judge McConnells careful consideration of this matter and for seeing the irreparable harm that this directive would cause, and frankly has already caused, Americans across the country, Neronha said. This directive targets public safety, health care, veterans services, childcare, disaster relief, and countless other cornerstones of American life. Make no mistake: this federal funding pause was implemented to inspire fear and chaos, and it was successful in that respect. These tactics are intended to wear us down, but with each legal victory we reaffirm that these significant and unlawful disruptions wont be tolerated, and will certainly be met with swift and immediate action now and in the future.

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McConnell already verbally indicated during a hearing Wednesday that he was inclined to side with the AGs, who sought the temporary restraining order as a short-term fix in the wake of the White House budget memo. The virtual hearing was held two hours after the U.S. Office of Management and Budget rescinded its Jan. 27 memo, alongside a confusing social media post by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noting that the intent was still to freeze funds.

The initial AGs complaint centered on the infamous budget memo, citing the irreparable harm that a funding freeze would cause to state governments and agencies, and arguing that the move violates the U.S. Constitution.

The AGs revised request for a temporary restraining order, submitted to the court Thursday morning, focuses on the federal administrations intent to pause funds, memo or not.

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Daniel Schwei, special counsel to the U.S. Department of Justice, representing Trump and other federal cabinet heads named in the suit, sought to have the case tossed.

Plaintiffs cannot transform their lawsuit into a vehicle to seek relief against other actions, such as the Presidents Executive Orders or agencies ongoing implementation of those Orders, Schwei wrote in a 13-page response filed Thursday. The Presidents Executive Orders are not subject to direct challenge; the Supreme Court has made clear that courts have no jurisdiction . . . to enjoin the President in the performance of his official duties.

Anticipating that McConnell may grant a temporary restraining order regardless, Schwei sought to limit the scope of the block, arguing it should not apply to the president himself nor to executive orders, among other limits.

McConnells Friday order, however, aligns almost exactly with what the AGs proposed. One difference: The temporary restraining order lasts until further court order; the AGs had asked for a 14-day block, with a potential 14-day extension.

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A federal judge in D.C. already issued a temporary administrative stay Tuesday night in response to a separate lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofit, business and health care groups, preventing the Trump administration from freezing federal grants and aid until at least Feb. 3.

Other Democratic attorneys general who filed the lawsuit before McConnell are from, in addition to Colorado, New York, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com.

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U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from freezing federal funds until further order of this Court in Providence on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Getty image)

The prospect of a federal funding freeze was put on ice by a federal judge in Rhode Island Friday afternoon.

The States have put forth sufficient evidence at this stage that they will likely suffer severe and irreparable harm if the Court denies their request to enjoin enforcement of the funding pause, Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. wrote in the 13-page order. And it is more than monetary harm that is at stake here. As Justice Anthony Kennedy reminds us, Liberty is always at stake when one or more of the branches seek to transgress the separation of powers.

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McConnells order blocks Trump and the 26 other federal cabinet heads named in the lawsuit from freezing federal funds until further order of this Court, calling for a preliminary hearing to weigh the request for a longer-term ban. A hearing had not been scheduled as of Friday afternoon.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, one of 23 Democratic attorneys general who filed the suit on U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island applauded McConnells decision in a statement Friday.

I am grateful for Judge McConnells careful consideration of this matter and for seeing the irreparable harm that this directive would cause, and frankly has already caused, Americans across the country, Neronha said. This directive targets public safety, health care, veterans services, childcare, disaster relief, and countless other cornerstones of American life. Make no mistake: this federal funding pause was implemented to inspire fear and chaos, and it was successful in that respect. These tactics are intended to wear us down, but with each legal victory we reaffirm that these significant and unlawful disruptions wont be tolerated, and will certainly be met with swift and immediate action now and in the future.

McConnell already verbally indicated during a hearing Wednesday that he was inclined to side with the AGs, who sought the temporary restraining order as a short-term fix in the wake of the White House budget memo. The virtual hearing was held two hours after the U.S. Office of Management and Budget rescinded its Jan. 27 memo, alongside a confusing social media post by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt noting that the intent was still to freeze funds.

Advertisement Advertisement

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The initial AGs complaint centered on the infamous budget memo, citing the irreparable harm that a funding freeze would cause to state governments and agencies, and arguing that the move violates the U.S. Constitution.

The AGs revised request for a temporary restraining order, submitted to the court Thursday morning, focuses on the federal administrations intent to pause funds, memo or not.

Daniel Schwei, special counsel to the U.S. Department of Justice, representing Trump and other federal cabinet heads named in the suit, sought to have the case tossed.

Plaintiffs cannot transform their lawsuit into a vehicle to seek relief against other actions, such as the Presidents Executive Orders or agencies ongoing implementation of those Orders, Schwei wrote in a 13-page response filed Thursday. The Presidents Executive Orders are not subject to direct challenge; the Supreme Court has made clear that courts have no jurisdiction . . . to enjoin the President in the performance of his official duties.

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Anticipating that McConnell may grant a temporary restraining order regardless, Schwei sought to limit the scope of the block, arguing it should not apply to the president himself nor to executive orders, among other limits.

McConnells Friday order, however, aligns almost exactly with what the AGs proposed. One difference: The temporary restraining order lasts until further court order; the AGs had asked for a 14-day block, with a potential 14-day extension.

A federal judge in D.C. already issued a temporary administrative stay Tuesday night in response to a separate lawsuit filed by a group of nonprofit, business and health care groups, preventing the Trump administration from freezing federal grants and aid until at least Feb. 3.

This article was first published by the Rhode Island Current, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A federal judge on Friday refused to stop what would be the fourth nitrogen gas execution in the U.S., saying the inmate had not proven his claims that the new method is unconstitutionally cruel and causes psychological terror.

Chief District Judge Emily C. Marks rejected Demetrius Fraziers request for a preliminary injunction to either stop his execution on Thursday in Alabama or require that the state give him a sedative before administering the gas.

Marks ruled Frazier had not met the exceedingly high legal bar required to win an injunction.

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Frazier fails to meet his burden to establish that the Protocol does create a substantial risk of serious psychological pain such that the Protocol violates the Eighth Amendment, Marks wrote.

Frazier is scheduled to be executed for the 1991 rape of murder of Pauline Brown. Prosecutors said Frazier broke into Browns Birmingham apartment, raped her and shot her in the back of the head.

Alabama became the first state to carry out executions with nitrogen gas when three inmates were put to death using the new method in 2024. The method involves placing a respirator gas mask over the face to replace breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by lack of oxygen.

Fraziers lawyers pointed to descriptions of the states first three nitrogen executions to argue the method causes conscious suffocation instead of the swift death that the state promised.

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Dr. Brian McAlary, an anesthesiologist who witnessed the November execution of Carey Dale Grayson, testified he observed clear evidence of distress in the prisoner and that Grayson appeared conscious for up to three minutes.

Media witnesses, including The Associated Press, described how the men shook on the gurney at the start of their executions.

Marks ruled that the descriptions do not support a finding that any of the men experienced severe psychological pain or distress over and above what is inherent in any execution. The state has maintained the movements by the inmates may have been involuntary or faked.

However, the judge noted there could be a point that depriving an inmate of oxygen while conscious is unconstitutional.

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Notwithstanding the States stubborn refusal at the evidentiary hearing to concede this point, the longer an inmate remains conscious while breathing in nitrogen during an execution, the more likely it becomes that the Eighth Amendment may be violated, Marks wrote.

Before his conviction in Alabama, Frazier was convicted in Michigan for the 1992 murder of a 14-year-old girl. He was sentenced to life in prison. Michigan does not have the death penalty.

Fraziers mother made a last-minute plea to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to intervene and request that Frazier be sent back to Michigan to serve the life sentence instead of being executed in Alabama.

Please bring my son back to Michigan. Please dont let Alabama kill my son if you can stop it, Carol Frazier wrote in the letter to Whitmer.

Whitmers office declined to comment on the request.
In this 2021 photo illustration, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) logo is seen on a smartphone in a hand in front of its website. Credit - Photo Illustration by Pavlo GoncharSOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Trump Administration took down parts of some government websites as well as removed several health data sets on Friday, raising alarm among health care providers and researchers who use government data in their daily work.

Information about HIV was removed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Late Friday, census.gov appeared to be down. Earlier in the afternoon, links to U.S. Census data sets sent users to the message, an error occurred while processing this directive. And research data from national surveys of American children called the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System also wasnt available on Friday.

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Trumps White House press office did not return requests for comment about the outages. President Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office instructing federal agencies to shut down diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, prompting agencies to start reviewing all the information on their websites.

On the CDC website Friday, webpages with detailed information for doctors working with HIV patients were not accessible. The link for the site tilted: HIV Nexus: CDC Resources for Clinicians generated a page-not-found message, so did the website link for HIV Data.

During the day on Friday, state public health officials and front line organizations that work with patients circulated messages about online resources going dark. In one email message sent to organizations in North Carolina and reviewed by TIME, local health care workers who rely on government data for their work were told to download any significant information. We have been told the YRBS is unavailable and has been removed, the email read, referring to the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System. We do not know how long it will be down or what will be impacted.

WITH REPORTING BY ANDREW CHOW

Contact us at letters@time.com.
(NewsNation)  Portions of federal government websites have gone dark as agencies are being told to pause them to remove content that doesnt comply with President Donald Trumps views.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was told to delete pages about climate change, according to an email from the agencys communications department.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions pages on HIV also went dark earlier in the day, but some content was later restored. Other health information and statistics used by clinicians and public health officials appeared to be removed.

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Sanctuary policies would be punishable under Tennessee bill

The entire census.gov website also appeared to be down Friday evening.

Officials from health departments and nonprofits who receive federal funds also say theyve been told to get rid of mentions of gender and equity from their programs to comply with an executive order issued earlier this week.

Its not clear how organizations will be able to comply with the instructions and what will happen to information about health programs specifically designed to address equity gaps or issues specifically affecting transgender people.

An order banning pronouns in email signatures, initially only thought to extend to federal staff, may also reportedly be extended to groups getting federal grants.

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Employees at federal agencies were instructed to remove pronouns from their email signatures by the end of the workday Friday, according to internal memos obtained by The Hill, in compliance with an executive order issued by President Trump and instructions from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Labor Department employees were told Friday afternoon in an email that their updated signatures should include only their full legal name and not pronouns.

State Department workers received similar instructions Friday to update their email signatures, according to a memo reviewed by The Hill.

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Workers at the Department of Transportation, the Energy Department and the Department of Health and Human Services were also told to remove their pronouns, ABC News reported Friday.

Labor Department employees were told their signatures could also not include nicknames.

The directive to remove nicknames appears directed toward transgender workers who have not yet legally changed their names, essentially requiring them to use their deadname or their name before transitioning.

At the Labor Department, one supervisor had previously suggested employees remove their pronouns from their email signatures, suggesting the new administration may otherwise target them, according to a department employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal communications.

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I want you all to be employed here for a long time, the superviser said, according to the source.

Agencies directives to employees come after Trump, during his first day back in office, signed a pair of executive orders targeting transgender rights and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, the latter of which his administration has called radical and wasteful.

An OPM memo issued Wednesday instructed department heads to review agency email systems such as Outlook and turn off features that prompt users for their pronouns.

The memo also told agencies to place employees whose job description involves promoting gender ideology on administrative leave by 5 p.m. EST Friday and bar transgender workers from using single-sex facilities that best align with their gender identity.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS)  Mercer County was left to pick up the pieces after high winds damaged homes and businesses as a result of the effects of Hurricane Helene.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration are now stationed in Princeton to assist with financial relief.

Six weeks after the major disaster was declared for Mercer County, more than $2 million has been approved for homeowners and renters who were affected.

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Georgeta Dragoiu is the Federal Coordinating Officer for FEMA. She is focusing on the application deadline but assured the community that FEMA will still be around for questions and concerns even after the deadline to apply for relief funding passes.

FEMA administrator questioned by House lawmakers

The deadline is February 7th, which is next Friday. But we will have the DRC open, which is the Disaster Recovery Center at Lifeline Church in Princeton, where our staff will continue to be available for residents to come in and answer any questions that they may have, said Dragoiu

The Small Business Administration also set up camp in Mercer County to team up with the organization.

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They are able to assist businesses, homeowners and renters.

FEMA employee terminated after telling assistance team to avoid homes with Trump signs

As of January 24th, 635 home inspections have been issued; 564 inspections have been completed; 71 are pending according to FEMA.

Public Affairs Specialist Jim Accurso said he understands the process of applying for a loan can be stressful, but that the SBA is here to help.

They might be a little bit on the fence, you know. You know, they dont want to take on additional debt of a loan. What they do need to know is if they are awarded the loan, they have 60 days to accept it, said Accurso.

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Depending on the type of loan, the first year is interest free for the business.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
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HARRISBURG  In a letter announcing he would resign as Pennsylvanias consumer advocate, Patrick Cicero claimed he was the victim of a public campaign led by various investor-owned utilities to seek my removal.

The incoming Republican attorney general, Cicero said, had asked him to reapply for the job hed held for three years or resign.

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The utilities actions, and your decision to open the position cannot be separated, he wrote.

Sunday, who took office on Jan. 21, said he asked all employees in positions under his discretion to reapply. He didnt comment on Ciceros performance, but said in a statement, Having a capable, unbiased, and apolitical Consumer Advocate is a priority for my administration in order to protect the interests of all consumers.

Pennsylvanias consumer advocate serves residential customers  such as homeowners and renters  of water, electric, gas and telecommunications utilities. The office was created in the 1970s in response to criticism that powerful companies had more say in state utility policy than consumers.

A review of Ciceros tenure shows he engaged in much of the work of his predecessors: representing consumers when utility companies wanted to raise rates, buy a new system or merge into a new company.

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But he made a particular enemy of powerful private companies that increasingly target struggling municipal water and sewer systems for acquisition. One industry publication claimed the industry had pressed both Sunday and his Democratic opponent to replace Cicero, who was described as a significant regulatory obstacle.

His departure mirrors one during the offices founding years, in which the first consumer advocate, Mark Widoff, served a short term marked by clashes with utilities and left as a new administration began.

As he prepared to exit in 1979, Widoff told a reporter that the office should be abolished if its independence could not be assured. Cicero, who declined to comment for this story, struck a similar tone in his resignation letter.

I remain steadfast in my belief in the importance of an independent Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) that aggressively pursues the interests of Pennsylvania utility consumers without fear of reprisal, he wrote.

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The Office of Consumer Advocate is intended to serve the interests of consumers in a nonpartisan way, but its leader must win the support of the elected attorney general and the state Senate  an inherently political process.

Sunday, whose office declined to comment for this story, is not under any mandated timeline to pick Ciceros replacement. But the outgoing consumer advocates allies already fear what the circumstances of his resignation will mean for his successor.

You need to have someone with courage and independence, said Andrew Place, who previously served on the commission that regulates thousands of Pennsylvania utilities.

Place worries the next consumer advocate will start looking over their shoulder to avoid a messy reconfirmation fight in the GOP-controlled state Senate rather than sticking up for consumers.

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It raises the hair on the back of my neck, he added.

A long history of fighting utility ripoffs

Created in 1976, the state consumer advocate is charged with representing the interests of consumers.

Prior to creation of offices like ours around the country, the utilities were always well represented, said Sonny Popowsky, who was consumer advocate from 1990 to 2012, the longest anyone has held the position. But for individual consumers, it was difficult, if not impossible.

The advocates work of representing consumers happens within a courtroom-like atmosphere under the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission (PUC). That agency regulates more than 9,000 utilities in Pennsylvania that provide electric, gas, water, telephone or transportation services  nearly all of which are privately owned companies.

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Before these utilities can take major actions like merging, closing, raising rates or changing services, they must get approval from the PUC. The commission also ensures utilities provide safe service.

This work can span mediating bill disputes and investigating explosions, as well as overseeing multimillion-dollar business transactions.

PUC officials known as administrative law judges oversee debates among utilities, business owners and groups of ratepayers. After months spent trading filings, utilities and their customers may reach a settlement or a judge may issue a recommendation.

Popowsky said utility law is particularly complex.

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The cases are voluminous  sometimes the stack of paper for a single case can be measured in feet  and heavily technical. Hiring the professional experts needed to dispute a utilitys claim is expensive. Without a consumer advocate, Popowsky said, individuals and smaller business owners wouldnt be on a level playing field with utilities.

In the 1970s, when many states created consumer advocacy offices, the U.S. was in the grips of an energy crisis that drove up utility prices.

Within the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the push to create an office to speak for residential consumers faced opposition from utility companies and their allies. Commissions like the PUC already existed to oversee the industry, they argued.

But after eight drafts, a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed to make the consumer advocate a reality.

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Its 50 years too late, one reader wrote to the Philadelphia Daily News in response to the law. Lets stop the public utility ripoffs.

Attorney General Dave Sunday speaks after taking the oath of office in Harrisburg on Jan. 21, 2025.

Widoff, the attorney who became Pennsylvanias first consumer advocate, was appointed by Gov. Milton Shapp, a pro-consumer Democrat who often tapped aggressive advocates to challenge other industries, such as insurers.

Widoff won some early victories to reduce rate hikes and vocally opposed the status quo, arguing that the PUC had been spoon-fed by the utilities. Philadelphia Electric Company, now known as PECO, even tried to block his office from sending out news releases during a contentious fight over a rate hike.

He was in office during the partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island. At the time, the plants owners pitched increasing their electricity rates to cover the cost of the incident. Widoff filed to oppose the increase but was told to back off by the attorney general  an appointee of newly elected Republican Gov. Dick Thornburgh.

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In response, Widoff told the Associated Press that any stance taken by the consumer advocate does not reflect the policy positions of any other governmental organization, arguing that it should reflect the position and the interests of consumers.

After Widoffs 1979 departure, the power to appoint the consumer advocate shifted from the governor to the attorney general, and the office went on to have relatively little turnover  just a handful of other people have served in the role besides Cicero.

Popowsky, who said Cicero did a fine job, recalled clashing with an attorney general over caller ID in a 2012 Inquirer interview. His position of letting consumers opt out eventually won, setting a national privacy standard.

He told the outlet he had survived so long by not being political.

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Utility issues, it sounds like a cliche, are really not Republican or Democratic issues.

Clashes with water companies

Cicero was appointed by then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro in December 2021 after leading the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project, a legal aid group. He received bipartisan support from the GOP-controlled state Senate, winning approval 45-5 in June 2022.

Since then, Cicero has been active. He fought more requests by utilities to raise rates than his recent predecessors and testified for more expansive state utility protections.

He has also loudly opposed attempts to privatize public water systems, making him enemy No. 1 among the industry.

In the past decade, private companies have bought at least 20 local water and sewer authorities in Pennsylvania. The companies argue they offer more resources to repair aging systems than can be delivered by cash-strapped municipalities, improving water quality and environmental outcomes.

Ciceros office says those benefits are outweighed by the rate hikes faced by affected communities. He testified before the Democratic-controlled state House asking for reforms to a 2016 law that kicked off the acquisition rush.

Cicero has also challenged individual sales of municipal water systems in court, winning a major case in 2023 that has the potential to raise the bar for when municipalities can sell a system. Aqua America, the affected buyer in that case, has since appealed to the state Supreme Court.

His actions didnt escape the notice of water companies. Two of the biggest  American Water and Aqua  are based near Philadelphia and have historically been a powerful lobby in Harrisburg.

Last year, during the race for attorney general between Sunday and Democrat Eugene DePasquale, industry publication Northcoast Research began reporting that private water companies were leaning on both PA Attorney General candidates to replace Cicero. Sundays election, Northcoast wrote, would almost ensure the move  a detail first reported by WESA.

Northcoast wrote that Cicero had been shaking up what has long been a highly favorable Pennsylvania regulatory environment for water utilities by holding out on settlement agreements, appealing PUC decisions to Commonwealth Court, and generally being the most strident representation utility consumers have had in PA for decades.

That reputation was top of mind for consumer advocacy groups and a handful of Democratic state lawmakers when Cicero sent Sunday his resignation letter.

His departure, and the news that Sunday was forcing him to reapply for his post, sparked a wave of condemnation from officials skeptical of utilities power, and particularly of increased water privatization.

In a statement, state Sen. John Kane (D., Delaware) said Cicero has been responsible for exposing the true business practices of these companies: a continued and deliberate strategy to drive up profits at the expense of ratepayers.

It doesnt surprise me that investor-owned utilities have been wanting a change, he added.

Asked about the outgoing consumer advocates resignation, Shapiro  the now-governor who appointed Cicero when he was attorney general  said he appreciated Ciceros work.

But Shapiro added, Sunday has the right to surround himself with the people who he thinks will best serve him as hes serving the people of the commonwealth.

BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Police and first responders rushed to Opry Mills Mall following an incident Saturday afternoon, but despite the rumors circulating on social media, that incident was not a shooting, according to officials.

Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Public Information Officer Kris Mumford said officers responded to reports of shots fired  which turned out, fortunately, not to be the case  at the mall around 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1.

A fight in Opry Mills Mall has caused a rushed mass exodus of the building, the MNPD posted on X just before 3 p.m. Contrary to rumor, the MNPD thus far has no evidence of any gunfire.

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WATCH | Nashville officials hold briefing after fight leads to rushed mass exodus at Opry Mills Mall

Mumford told News 2 the situation started with a domestic incident inside the Chilis. A female reportedly came into the restaurant and assaulted her boyfriend who was working there, the fight spilled outside, and that led to the calls of shots fired as people started to flee the mall or shelter in place.

It wouldnt be a surprise to think that people might be fearful, especially in light of recent events. People, I think, were all very sensitive to these types of situations, so that claim of shots being fired did go out. Were investigating thatwere not ruling that out, Mumford explained. We just havent found any evidence of that, so as the investigation progresses, we may have more answers in that area, but again, the mall very wisely said, Shelter in place. Thats what people did, and right now were clearing the mall to make sure that if there is anyone still hiding or not been accounted for that we can locate.

Mumford said the victim of the fight at Chilis is safe, but detectives are still looking into the initial assault and whether or not weapons were involved. However, Mumford acknowledged it was possible that people may have thought that plates or chairs hitting the floor sounded like gunfire.

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CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

According to Kendra Loney with the Nashville Fire Department (NFD), even though multiple individuals were assessed at the scene for scrapes and bumps from falling while rushing for the exit or running outside, as well as heightened anxiety amid the chaotic situation, nobody was brought to the hospital.

Authorities said the mall was evacuated and closed while law enforcement and first responders continued to clear the area, secure the building, investigate, and find anyone who may have still been hiding.

Even though police insisted there was no evidence of shots being fired at the mall, News 2 spoke with multiple people who said they either heard gunfire or were told there was gunfire.

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We were in like the first row of tables by OCharleys, which was right by the entry between TGI Fridays and Applebees, so the first thing that was weird is there was kind of a small group of people that kind of hurried out from, we think, Applebees, but definitely down that corridor that leads out from in between the restaurants, and then, all of a sudden, we heard a distinctive seven pops, Andrew Margerison, who was in the food court with his family at the time of the incident, recalled. It wasnt very loud, and it took us a minute to kind of realize what was happening.

| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County

Margerison said people were taking cover in the food court before several mall security guards ran past with their guns drawn, went down the corridor and out into the parking lot, came back into the mall less than a minute later, and ran back through the food court.

We were sitting on the little swings over there, right past the food court, and everybody started running and Im like, Whats going on? And I see them on their walkie and hes like, Oh, theyre shooting! You need to get out! Run, run!' a witness named Ladonte described. So we just start running this way, and the people that were coming in, I just told them, Come on out because theyre shooting up in there!'

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I was actually in Bass Pro, at the checkout, and they came through and said, Code Red, Code Red, everybodys gotta go,' another woman said.

According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), both exits to Opry Mills  Exit 11 northbound and southbound  were closed due to the investigation. Just before 7 p.m., a TDOT official posted, UPDATE: all lanes now open, but then three hours later, she posted, UPDATE: Ramps are closed.

(Courtesy: TDOT)

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Meanwhile, WeGo Public Transit said stops near the mall would not be in service and remain detoured through Saturday night. However, normal service is set to resume on Sunday, Feb. 2.

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No additional details have been confirmed about Saturday afternoons incident.

This news comes more than a year after another fight led to chaos and a large police presence at Opry Mills Mall. On Dec. 27, 2023, the MNPD said a teen fight at the Haagen-Dazs store caused metal chairs to hit a tile floor and people mistook that noise for gunfire.

For anyone in a crisis, help is out there. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.

 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  The United States is strengthening the defense corporation of one of our allies with new fighter jets.

Officials said its one of the latest lines of defense, the F-16 Block 70, manufactured in Greenville. For the first time in history, it will soon occupy the sky in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The F-16 is one of the most iconic fighters in history, symbolizing enduring partnerships, industrial collaboration, and security over the past 50 years, according to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

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Thats the sound of freedom, test and lead production pilot for Lockheed Martin, Chris Nations said, while candidly speaking about the jets loud sonic booms.

That sound of freedom is marking a significant milestone for the United States.

Were grateful for Bulgarias partnership in this endeavor and its commitment to long-term defense plans, said Maj. Gen. Ricky Mills, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs.

On Friday, the first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet that will be sent to Bulgaria was unveiled at the Donaldson Center.

Gregory M. Ulmer, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics with Atanas Zapryanov, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Bulgaria during the F-16 Block 70 delivery ceremony at the Donaldson Center on Friday, January 31, 2025. (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin) South Carolina Lt. Gov., Pamela Evette, speaking during the Bulgaria F-16 Block 70 delivery ceremony at the Donaldson Center. (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

Air Force leaders said its a more than $2 billion investment that came to fruition through the efforts of members of the U.S. government, representatives from Bulgaria, South Carolina elected officials, and Lockheed Martin employees.

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According to the manufacturing company, the first Bulgarian F-16 Block 70 took flight on October 22 around 9:30 a.m. EDT at Lockheed Martins production facility in Greenville. It was officially unveiled three months later.

(Courtesy: Lockheed Martin) Bulgarias first F-16 Block 70 aircraft takes to the skies during its maiden flight at Lockheed Martins Greenville, South Carolina production facility. (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

Bulgaria is the second European country to receive the fighter jet, according to a Lockheed Martin press release.

We do not want war with our adversaries abroad, but we will not shy away from it, said Rep. William Timmons, who represents South Carolinas 4th congressional district. We will be ready. Your investment in F-16s makes you ready.

We have assets all across the company and across the U.S. government making sure that the Bulgarian Air Force is able to use the F-16 to its utmost ability, said Nations.

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Chris Sasquach Nations began his 20-year Air Force career on an F-16 fighter jet. Hes now playing a key role in testing and training the next generation at Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin is home to the production of the state-of-the-art military aircraft, the latest of which will modernize Bulgarias fleet.

Lockheed Martin employees in Greenville, South Carolina carefully lift an F-16 Block 70 out of a production fixture. (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin) (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin) (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin) (Courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

Its way more capable. It flies faster. Its more deadly, said Maj. Myyah Lockhart, Tennessee State Partnership Program Director with Bulgaria. Youve got air policing missions that need to be flown out over the Black Sea region. To have this aircraft in their inventory puts them at the top tier of fighter air superiority.

With this contribution, South Carolina is making a difference across the globe to enhance defense and security.

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Seeing those young men and women who are here at Lockheed Martin building those plans and the amazing amount of pride that they take, knowing that they are building these aircraft to keep our allies safe all over the globe, I love to talk about South Carolinas fingerprints, said South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. South Carolinas fingerprints are across the globe.

Lockheed Martin leaders said 16 fighter jets will be shipped to Bulgaria. The first eight should be in operation by the end of the year.

We look forward to many more years of partnering with them in military efforts, added Lockhart.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Beachfront homes devastated by the Palisades fire are seen in early January in Malibu, Calif. Weiss Ratings, an insurance company rating agency, found that in 2023 USAA insurance companies closed nearly half of all homeowners insurance claims without payment. USAA disputes the findings. Brian van der Brug/TNS

When it comes to paying homeowner insurance claims, USAA companies fare poorly, at least by one rating agencys measure.

In 2023, according to Weiss Ratings, United Services Automobile Association and three affiliate insurers closed nearly half of all claims nationwide without making a payment  among the highest rates in the country.

In this 2019 photo, a protective cover temporarily protects a Dominion house insured by USAA. Weiss Ratings, a Florida-based insurance company rating agency, found that in 2023 USAA insurance companies closed nearly half of all homeowners insurance claims without payment. USAA disputes the findings. Josie Norris/Staff Photographer David Hester inspects damage after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Fla., in September. The increasing number and strength of storms is among the reasons Weiss Ratings cites for the increasing number of homeowner insurance claim denials across the industry. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images Residents pass a damaged home and the displaced roof of their mobile home communitys tiki hut on Oct. 13 on Manasota Key in Englewood, Fla. The damage was caused by the passage of Hurricane Milton. Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press

Its not a new phenomenon.

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Weiss data show the percentage rate of denials has been creeping up for nearly the past decade and a half. In 2010, the rejection rate was less than 38% for three of the four companies.

USAA disputed the findings.

The data as presented will cause undue concern for consumers, including those whove lost a home in recent Southern California fires, the San Antonio-based insurer said in an emailed statement.

It also said Weiss fails to provide context regarding reasons for claims denials. And an industry association questioned its underlying data.

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Weiss Ratings founder Martin Weiss said his Florida-based firms reports are built on data purchased from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The association provides the data and analysis state insurance commissioners use to regulate the industry.

Homeowners often file invalid claims, and thats normal, Weiss said. But, at the same time, some large insurance companies deny lots of valid claims, and thats the problem.

USAA countered that the data is organized in a manner required by the commissioners association, but, It is not suitable for this portrayal of claim payment rates. The association didnt respond to a query.

Weiss has long used the same data and analysis for its report, which shows denial rates rising across the industry. With climate change increasing the incidence and severity of natural disasters, though, insurance companies rates of claims rejections are getting greater scrutiny.

And with hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires leading to tens of billions of dollars in losses annually  and insurers raising rates to compensate or even pulling out of hard-hit markets  Weiss has called on insurance companies to be more transparent with customers on what their policies cover and dont cover.

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Different results

Only four other insurance companies that collected at least $200 million in premiums in Texas had a rejection rate topping 44% in 2023, the most recent year for which data were available.

Weiss described USAAs results as significantly above average. The nationwide average for all reporting insurers was a rate of 37.4%. In 2004, before climate change began to impact the industry, the average was 24.9%, Weiss said.

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USAAs own data show a far smaller percentage  about 25%  of claims were closed without payment in 2023.

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There are a number of reasons why a claim might be closed without payment, USAA said. In addition to losses below the deductible, the data in question includes claims that later did receive payment, including claims that were closed but later reopened for payment or claims that were paid under a separate policy such as a flood policy. The data also reflects multiple coverages within a single policy, so a reported burglary may initially result in a claim for damage to the home and a claim for loss of property, but we later learn no home damage occurred.

The company added that its committed to helping members with claims.

For the Southern California fires, we had teams on the ground helping members within a few days of the fires starting, and weve already made initial payments on 75 percent of the claims weve received, and 30 percent have been paid and closed, USAA said of the blazes that began in early January. We will continue to support our members and make continued payments in the days and weeks to come.

Devastation caused by this years California wildfires is seen Jan. 27 in this aerial view of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Damaging weather caused by climate change is among the reasons Weiss Ratings cites for the increasing number of homeowner insurance claim denials across the industry. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Its difficult to get a handle on why so many claims are closed without payment, Weiss said. Neither the National Association of Insurance Commissioners nor the companies provide data that could give insight into the overall trend of increasing claim rejections.

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Still, the USAA companies high rate of claims rejection contributed to them all receiving a B- rating from Weiss Ratings despite having solid marks for stability, capitalization, liquidity and reserve adequacy. A B rating is considered good, while B- is the next grade up from a fair rating.

Very concerning

Ware Wendell, executive director of Texas Watch, a nonprofit organization that advocates for insurance policy holders, said he found Weiss Ratings findings about USAA very concerning.

We count on insurers to pay our claims in full and on time, according to the terms of the policy and the law, he said in an email. If any insurer is closing many claims without payment, that should be a concern for state regulators. How are they adjusting claims? Why are they denying policyholders?

When insurance companies refuse to honor their policy, we pay the price, he added.

Wendell said he hopes the Texas Department of Insurance will mount an investigation to make sure USAA policyholders arent being cheated.

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A spokesman for the state agency said it does not discuss pending investigations or examinations.

TDI collects and analyzes multiple data points to include information about claims closed without payment to develop a baseline understanding of the marketplace and to identify insurance companies that deviate significantly from the norm, the spokesman said. The results of this market analysis might lead to an examination or another market conduction action.

The department does not comment on reports that it did not produce itself. But its important to note that the data referenced (in Weiss Ratings report) may include more than denied claims, the spokesman said.

Claims closed without payment could include: claims that were below a policyholders deductible, claims filed when there was no policy in force, claims with multiple features opened but not all features had payments issued, and claims where the policyholder ultimately chose not to pursue the claim.

Insurance companies should disclose the exact reason they denied a claim, Weiss said. For example, how many were closed because of the deductible issues? How many were closed because of a coverage issue? How many were closed because of none of the above?

The companies weve had direct or indirect communication with are coming back and saying, We dont know. We dont have the data. I dont know if thats true or not, he said.

Driving the trend

Weiss has identified factors driving the increasing rate of claim rejections.

The first is climate change. Most insurers underestimated the risk brought on by climate change, he said, especially given coastal construction booms and sharply rising property values.

The total value of properties in high-risk areas has skyrocketed, while the impact of natural disasters has also grown beyond expectations, Weiss said. This puts pressure on companies to reduce liability in any way they can, including finding ways, valid or not, to deny, postpone or whittle down the payment of claims.

Second, many insurers are publicly traded and face pressure to deny claims to boost returns for shareholders, Weiss said. USAA is not a public company but it has made distributions of billions of dollars to its members over the years.

In the end, instead of prioritizing the customer, its often the investor that gets first dibs, Weiss said.

Finally, he blames deceptive or overzealous marketing for increasing claim denials. The details of policy contracts have become more cryptic and include more exclusions, he said.

The fine print whispers while the sales pitch screams, Weiss said. Then, insurers blame the customer for filing claims without merit.

Insurance agents and marketers need to do a better job of disclosing and explaining the true limits of each policy at the point of sale, he added.

Weiss Ratings makes the claims denial rates available on its website.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has also called for increased data transparency, particularly in relation to insurance coverage and property markets, Weiss Ratings spokeswoman Nicole Brown said. The initiative includes requests for data to help state insurance regulators better understand markets, coverage gaps and the challenges surrounding the availability and affordability of insurance.

Subpoenaed

Sometimes when an insurer closes a claim without payment, the policyholder will sue.

In Texas, that happened 1.2% of the time in 2023, Weiss data show. While that may sound like a small percentage, Weiss said it was about 4.4 times higher than Arkansas  the state with the lowest rate of lawsuits  0.27%. Texas ranked 10th worst in the nation.

Florida produced the highest percentage at just over 20.2%, about 16 times the national average of states save Florida. A lot of that states litigation is related to hurricane-related claims.

Weiss sparked controversy in October when he wrote that homeowners insurers in Florida and elsewhere were on the brink of collapse, and that homeowners were at a high risk of getting stiffed by property insurers for claims related to hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation responded by issuing subpoenas to Weiss and his company, demanding documentation used to support his conclusions.

Weiss attorney responded to the subpoena in late November by providing links to various sources Weiss relied on to form his conclusions.

They said thank you, and we havent heard anything since, Weiss said.

Brown, the Weiss Ratings spokeswoman, added: They were just trying to scare us. Nothing has come of that.

The Insurance Information Institute, the industry association, weighed in on the matter.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation issued a subpoena to Weiss last fall to validate their data about Florida property insurers and they were not able to do so, said Mark Friedlander, the associations spokesman. Most property/casualty insurance actuaries we have spoken to across the U.S. have never heard of the company.
The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) on Saturday congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Government of India on the presentation of India's Union Budget 2025-26. It said that it was encouraged with the Budget's clear focus on economic growth, invigorating private investment, skilled workforce and consumer spending. UKIBC also welcomed the focus on key domains such as tax administration and policy, urban development, energy security, financial sector, and regulatory reforms. The budget is aligned with India's ambition of Viksit Bharat 2047. The slew of reforms showcases a promising image of India globally, for foreign investors. The Council applauded the focus on trust-based economic governance and further enhancing Ease of Doing Business, especially with regard to inspections and compliances at the state-level. India is a story of consistent transformation, spurred by world-leading economic growth. UKIBC and businesses in UK recognise the business reforms undertaken by Indian government, it said. There have been clear wins in digitisation, GST, ease of doing business and the creation of a thriving ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation, the Council said. British companies are committed to manufacturing in India and welcome policies that help integrate India into their supply chains without impacting their efficiency. Richard McCallum, Group Chief Executive Officer, UK India Business Council said, "The Budget 2025 sets out a clear pathway to further enhance economic growth through increasing consumer spending, reforms to boost private investment and building a future-ready workforce that can Make for the World. At the same time, appropriately in our view, the Indian government has focused on fiscal consolidation - the stability of macroeconomic fundamentals to ensure India's attractiveness as an investment destination." "Investors need to be able to optimally leverage the FDI cap liberalisations - this comes down to accompanying provisions. The intent to revamp the current model bilateral investment treaty and make more investor-friendly also welcome - we recommend this should be rooted in investor protection," he added. (ANI)
(Reuters) -There were 773 bodies in hospital morgues in and around the eastern Congolese city of Goma as of Jan. 30 following this week's offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, the Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry said on Saturday.

Morgues are over-filled and more bodies are lying on the street, the ministry said. It added that 2,880 wounded were recorded between Jan. 26 and Jan. 30.

The Tutsi-led M23 rebels on Tuesday seized Goma, east Congo's largest city and the capital of North Kivu province, which is home to lucrative gold, coltan and tin mines.

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They then moved on towards Bukavu in South Kivu, but appeared to be held up on Friday by Congolese troops supported by Burundi's army.

Well trained and professionally armed, M23 is the latest in a long line of Rwandan-supported rebel movements to emerge in Congo's volatile eastern borderlands following two successive wars stemming from Rwanda's 1994 genocide.

The latest escalation has worsened a long-standing humanitarian crisis that has driven hundreds of thousands to seek shelter in Goma after fleeing fighting between M23 and Congolese troops.

Thousands more streamed into the city this month as the rebels advanced.

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Humanitarian organisations struggled to operate during the days of heavy fighting surrounding Goma's capture, supporting overwhelmed hospitals and providing relief amid widespread looting of their warehouses and crossfire that also affected their own staff.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said on Friday it had only a small stock of medicine left and had stopped assisting people in displacement camps. The World Food Programme said it had evacuated staff and suspended activities.

There was a shortage of medical supplies, ambulances and body bags, Congo's health ministry said, with security concerns still limiting access to parts of the city.

DISPLACED RETURN HOME

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Daily life was tentatively resuming in Goma on Saturday after intense fighting that led to human rights violations including summary executions, the bombing of displacement camps, reports of gang rape and other sexual violence, according to the U.N.

M23 have been intent on showing they can restore order and govern. Power and water, which were cut for days, have been partially restored, while residents were told school would resume and that displaced people would be allowed to return home.

Markets reopened, although food remained scarce, with many stalls empty. One customer said mobile internet was still down.

Three humanitarian sources said people were leaving displacement camps. Corneille Nangaa, head of the political coalition backing the M23, Alliance Fleuve Congo, said people were leaving because roads had reopened, and that their aim was to facilitate their return home "as soon as conditions allow".

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"We are going to ask all these NGOs for their support (with this), but the challenge is to do everything, to move from humanitarian aid to development," Nangaa said on Friday.

M23 REBEL ADVANCE STALLS

Fighting appeared to have stalled on Saturday after the army pushed back.

Local civil society leader Justin Mulindangabo said Congo's army had taken back the villages of Mukwija, Shanje, Numbi and Nyamasasa and other localities in Kalehe territory, around halfway between Goma and Bukavu.

Mulindangabo, who lives in Kavumu, a town 35 km (22 miles) north of Bukavu, said residents there were resuming daily life.

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Another civil society source said there was no fighting in Kalehe on Saturday morning. A local official said the army had strengthened its position in Kalehe and retaken several villages including Mukwija, though fighting was continuing elsewhere.

Congo's army did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday.

Burundi, which shares a border with both Rwanda and Congo, has been reinforcing Congolese forces in South Kivu and elsewhere.

On Friday, Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned he would retaliate against any Rwandan encroachment into his country and "generalisation" of the conflict.

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Rwanda's Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said on Saturday it was Burundi that was seeking to overthrow its government in Kigali.

The latest escalation of the conflict has sparked international criticism of Rwanda and repeated calls for a ceasefire.

Rwanda has long denied supporting M23 and says it is defending itself. Congo denies the allegations and accuses Rwanda of using M23 to pillage valuable minerals.

(Additional reporting by Clement Manirabarusha in Bujumbura, Philbert Girinema in Kigali, David Lewis in Nairobi; writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Jan Harvey)
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT)  Firefighters have contained a 2-alarm fire at Silgan Manufacturing in Evansville.

Officals on the scene tell us the fire was contained to a machine inside of the building.

There were flammable liquids nearby, but firefighters say they were able to put the fire out in about 20 minutes.

Were told no one was hurt and the building was safely evacuated.

This is a developing story.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
PARIS (AP)  Three people have been killed in a fire that broke out in a retirement home near Paris on Saturday, according to the town mayor.

The three victims were residents aged 68, 85 and 96, the Val-dOise prefecture said, adding that they died as a result of smoke inhalation.

A further nine people were injured in the blaze at the residence located in the town of Bouffemont.

The nine injured included seven residents and two staff members who inhaled the smoke, the prefecture added. Eight of them were transported to various hospitals in the Paris region.

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"This is a serious event for our town," Mayor Michel Lacoux said, speaking to BFM TV. "It seems to have been an accident."

Lacoux said the fire was under control. It is thought to have started in a laundry room before spreading to part of the third floor, he said.

Commandant Adrien Ponin-Sinapayen, spokesman for Frances civil defense agency, said the fire was extinguished after 140 firefighters were deployed to the scene.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  One person is dead after a vacant church in Kansas City caught fire early Saturday morning.

According to the Kansas City Fire Department, at about 2:15 a.m., crews were called to the area of 24th Street and Chestnut Avenue on reports of smoke and fire coming from an apparent vacant church.

Fugitive Serial Killer Kinnes cases closed, victims family reacts

Shortly after arriving, KCFD said the fire was brought under control. However, in the aftermath, one person was found dead inside the church.

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The Kansas City Police Department Bomb and Arson team and the Detective and Crime Scene investigative unit were called to the scene and are now taking over investigations.

KCFD said more information will be made available to the public by KCPD as the investigation continues.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO)  South Dakota firefighters are now back home after assisting with the recent wildfires in California.

18 Firefighters from the area spent 10 days fighting the fires down in California.

Three of those were from the Black Hawk Department.

I was extremely grateful to be able to go down to California to help them. Not just to help with the fires, just being seen there by the public gives them a lot of ease. Especially with their winds they get every year and how they didnt get any wet season this year, BHFD Firefighter Steven Fischer said.

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We had a task force leader from North Dakota who was in charge of us. He helped out a lot and taught us some things and you know, if theres downtime on the fire the biggest thing we do is train. Theres enough training that a person could do and you keep learning new stuff every day, Black Hawk Fire Department Captain Haiden Janssen said.

These firefighters got into California late at night and on their first morning, they were already boots on the ground assisting on the Eaton Fire.

All their hills are exactly like Bear Butte. Super steep, sandy, rocky, hard to climb, hard to access areas and thats why they have so much aircraft because their aircraft do so much for those guys and the rest of them are handcrews, Fischer said

People in different states, they fight fire in a different way. Its different from how we do it here from how they do it in California from how they do it in Texas. Its all a different way but the same point you want to get to is extinguishing the fire and be able to help people and save communities, Janssen said.

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Other firefighters who helped in California were from the South Dakota Wildland Fire, Argyle, Fairburn, and Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
(NewsNation)  The first American hostage since the cease fire deal between Hamas and Israel went into effect two weeks ago was released from Gaza City Saturday morning, along with two Israeli hostages.

Keith Siegel, 65, returned home to his family but not before an ominous fanfare as Hamas paraded him in front of a large crowd, as Hamas has done with each hostage release.

Keith Siegel

This undated photo provided by Hostages Family Forum shows Keith Siegel, who was abducted and brought to Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. (Hostages Family Forum via AP)

Siegels wife, Aviva, who was also taken hostage but released after 51 days, celebrated her husbands release. Throughout the more than 400 days he remained in captivity, she vocally called for his return.

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Telegraph reporter Jotam Confino joined NewsNations Morning in America with Hena Doba after the exchange.

He looks very fragile. He looks thin. Hes being escorted by Hamas. It doesnt look like hes really able to walk fully by himself, but hes out now, Confino said.

His wife has spoken in Washington, D.C., multiple times with high-level officials to get Keith out and thanked President Donald Trump Saturday morning for finalizing the deal to get him out.

Yarden Bibas

Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Kalderon, 54, were also released in an earlier handoff in Khan Younis, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange of cease fires first phase.

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Hundreds gathered in Tel Avivs hostage square to welcome the newly freed hostages, many appearing concerned and putting their hands together in prayer formation.

His (Yarden Bibas) family, mainly his wife and his two children, they have become somewhat of a symbol for Israel in this whole hostage strategy, mainly because they are very young, Confino said.

Bibas is 35, and his youngest child was nine months old when he was kidnapped. Bibas other son was four years old at the time of the kidnapping.

Yarden does not know if his wife and two children are alive or dead, Confino said.

In November 2023, Bibas was forced to record a hostage video that his wife and children had been killed in an Israeli air strike, but it has not been confirmed.

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His nightmare is nowhere near ending, Confino said. Hes waiting for the Israeli government to find out more about his family.

Ofer Kalderson

For Kalderon, he was reunited with his four children, two of whom were also held by Hamas. They were kidnapped from their home on Oct. 7, 2023, the first day of the now 15-month-long war.

Whats next in the Hamas-Israel cease fire?

Hostage negotiations between Hamas and Israel resume on Tuesday as the second phase of the deal approaches. In this phase, Israel said it would pull troops from Gaza, but that remains to be seen. All male Israeli soldiers and more Palestinian prisoners are supposed to be released.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump at the White House.

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So many are worried that any second the whole thing could break down. (Hamas) could execute hostages, or they could renew fighting with Israel, Confino said. So, were really taking it day by day here in Israel.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Hamas on Saturday released Keith Siegel, the first hostage with U.S. citizenship to be freed as part of the cease-fire agreement brokered earlier this year.

Siegel is an Israeli-American from North Carolina and was released with two other Israeli hostages as part of the fourth exchange of the cease-fire, after being held in Gaza for nearly 500 days.

Siegels family thanked President Donald Trump for bringing Siegel back, saying in a statement released by the Hostage Families Forum that "our hope rests with you.

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The cease-fire deal was secured in the final hours of former President Joe Bidens time in office, but Trump has repeatedly emphasized that it was his administration that put pressure on Hamas and Israel to bring the deal to a close.

Aviva Siegel, Keith Siegels wife who was also held captive until Nov. 2023, said in an interview with POLITICO in December that conditions were worsening for hostages like her husband. I went through hell, and they are going through hell, she said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt applauded Siegels release, saying in a statement that the Trump administration had worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages.

And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X that I cannot wait to see Keith home at last. I wont stop working until all the hostages are home.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  State lawmakers will soon decide how to spend billions of dollars as part of their biennial duty to pass a state operating budget.

The state is doing well, Gov. Mike DeWine said.

DeWine will introduce his ideal budget on Monday. Then, the Ohio House Finance Committee will start hearing testimony on Tuesday. But this years budget has come with some concerns that there may not be as much money as years past.

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Some people could say, Well weve got a tight budget, DeWine said. Well, Im not sure thats the best way to describe it.

DeWine said the spending concerns come after extra cash was given to Ohio during the pandemic.

We had a period of time, because of COVID and frankly because of the federal dollars that were coming in, some of them fairly unrestricted, where it was an unusual period of time as far as the total amount of money that we had to do all kinds of things with, DeWine said. Now were back sort of to normal, were back to normal growth, were back to not that extra money.

Bill would allow Ohio schools to display the Ten Commandments

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Regardless of dollar amount, DeWine said there are a lot of things to consider when crafting the state budget.

We have a lot of choices to make, he said. And sometimes these are very, very difficult, difficult choices.

DeWine said funding for education will be a priority, but aside from that, he wants to keep building upon investments made these past few budget seasons.

We have mental health progress, we have been making health progress in regard to our drug problem. These are two big things that take a lot of money, he said. Education, early childhood education, early childhood development, K-12, our colleges, our universities  all these things are important.

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DeWine said income tax cuts have been successful historically, but there are a lot of things to consider this budget season.

Were going to jump into the budget and I would imagine theres going to be a desire to continue the tax reform that weve done over the course of time, Ohio Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) said.

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) is hesitant to say that an elimination of the income tax is possible this year. He said although the income tax has been reduced nearly every budget year since 2007, he is mindful that the tax comprises about one-third of the budget. And Democratic leadership is wary of what an income tax cut will mean to other critical programs.

Weve got a lot of things that we need to fund, a lot of priorities, people who need some of the services that we fund in the state budget and the math doesnt work if you eliminate an income tax, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. Anytime weve seen these large-scale income taxes, it really has amounted to a tax shift, its not a tax cut.

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CPD fires officer with ties to many guilty on federal charges

Instead, Huffman said he wants to shift his focus to property tax relief.

Income taxes and sales taxes people can kind of control. The harder you work, the more you pay in income tax. Thats not always true, but its mostly true, Huffman said. The more you spend, the more you pay in sale tax. Property tax is a bigger, more difficult problem.

A slew of property tax relief bills will soon be introduced at the Statehouse, and Huffman said whether some provisions end up in the budget does not change the complexity of the issue.

I think we need to resolve how real estate taxes are assessed, how theyre increased, he said. Its not simply a matter of increasing or cutting. Its how can we make the real estate tax system more predictable, smooth out the paths.

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DeWine said he does not think it is a fair excuse to fail to pass any property tax relief under the guise of a tighter-than-normal budget.

But again, everybody has to deal with the same numbers, everybody has to deal with the same reality, DeWine said.

Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Russo agree that funding public schools  and not funneling excess dollars to the school voucher program  is a priority this budget year.

We know there are going to be school funding issues, we want to see transparency and accountability from private schools thats at the same level as the public schools, Antonio said.

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Dr. Amy Acton on run for Ohio governor, why she quit as state health director

Russo said she wants to see significant investments in childcare, both making sure people have access and there are enough well-paid childcare workers.

It is clearly a priority, especially for the business community and for our workforce and obviously for early childhood development as well, Russo said.

But Russo said she is also keeping an eye on the federal government to ensure that programs like Medicaid, TANF block grants, school meals, SNAP and food assistance can all be funded. Russo said 30% of the revenue funding the state operation budget comes from federal grants and loans.

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Other entities like food banks and abortion groups have also already lobbied for money in this years budget.

The Ohio House will work on the budget for the next few months before it goes to the Ohio Senate for more testimony and consideration. Several negotiations will likely happen behind closed doors until a final budget is reached and passed by the start of July.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The Union Budget 2025-26 has garnered a positive response from the auto industry, with industry leaders welcoming the government's "focus on long-term economic growth, manufacturing, and regulatory reforms". Speaking on the budget announcements, Shailesh Chandra, president, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), expressed optimism about the impact on the sector. "We welcome this budget which is focused on long-term sustained economic growth. The specific focus on rural prosperity and agriculture, coupled with reforms in the personal income tax, is likely to have a positive effect on the auto industry, and will help in creating demand," he said. Chandra highlighted the significance of the National Manufacturing Mission. "As the auto industry transits into cleaner powertrains, in line with the PM's vision on sustainable mobility, it will specifically benefit from the National Manufacturing Mission, which supports clean tech manufacturing for batteries, motors and controllers. Furthermore, the exemption of critical minerals (e.g. cobalt, lead, zinc etc.), scraps of Lithium-ion battery, and 35 additional capital goods from customs duty, will help create a strong EV ecosystem in the country," he said. "The Export Promotion Mission and support for integration with global supply chains are critical initiatives that will enable Indian manufacturers to expand export footprints, and align with global supply chains," he added. Describing the budget as both progressive and balanced, Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra Group, said that in addition to providing an immediate stimulus for demand and growth, the budget lays a strong foundation for long-term economic expansion through substantial infrastructure investments and a sharp focus on innovation. "We commend the 2025 Union Budget for its continued support of robust consumption growth through changes in the tax structure, effectively placing more disposable income in the hands of the Indian consumer. This will encourage private sector capex to move in a positive direction. The theme of 'Make in India for the world' remains a key focus in this budget, with efforts to reduce India's manufacturing costs poised to significantly enhance the country's global competitiveness," he said. "In addition to providing an immediate stimulus for demand and growth, the budget emphasizes long-term growth through substantial infrastructure investments and a strong focus on innovation. The theme of inclusive development, with a strong emphasis on MSMEs, agriculture, and skilling, aims to create a resilient ecosystem that will drive economic growth and help achieve the Viksit Bharat Goals by 2047," he added. (ANI)
CHARLESTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  The shark that Captain Carl Granquist caught just South of Charlestown in September is unique because of both where it comes from and its size.

Granquist and his mate Bryce Biggs were able to take a video and measurements of the shark so they could send the helpful information to the Rhode Island-based Atlantic Shark Institute.

Jon Dodd, the Executive Director of the Atlantic Shark Institute, says Granquist has been a valued contributor for years and helped with a number of research projects.

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ALSO READ: DEM to restock 13 RI water bodies with trout, salmon

Still, he was surprised when he saw Granquists catch that day.

I knew it was one of two species of shark and either one would be a pretty unique find here in Rhode Island waters, particularly at only 24 inches in length, Dodd said.

The shark appeared to be either a juvenile spinner shark or blacktip shark, two species that are normally spotted further South.

The two species of sharks can be very difficult to tell apart, so Dodd worked with scientists from Yale University and Florida Atlantic University to identify the shark using frame-by-frame analysis.

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The group positively identified the fish as a young spinner shark. The Atlantic Shark Institute said New England waters are not normally home to juveniles of this species.

According to the literature, most documented nursery habitat for spinners range from the Carolinas to Florida, explained Dr. Joshua Moyer from Yale. But here we have a small shark with a partially healed umbilical wound, supporting its designation as a young-of-the-year shark, in Rhode Island.

The scientists dont yet know if the sharks nursery habitat is moving North due to climate change or if the shark is just a rare stray.

Why did mom decide to give birth up here in Rhode Island waters, in a place where its a little bit cooler and not typical of their nursery habitat? Dodd asked. Is this a one-off? Or is this the start of something that were going to see more often?

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Our oceans are changing, known habitats are changing, and what we knew to be the case only 10 years ago may no longer be accurate, Dodd said. That is both exciting and disconcerting.

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Jan. 31BLACKSBURG,Va.  The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the West Virginia counties of Mercer, Monroe, Greenbrier and Summers as well as Tazewell County, Va. which continues until 8 p.m. today.

Between 1 to 1.5 inches of rain have fallen over the region and another 1 to 2 inches are possible today, according to the weather service. In some areas, there may be a break in the rain before it starts falling again.

Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring, according to forecasters. Low-water crossings may not be passable. Motorists are advised to turn around when encountering public roads.

Locations which could flood include Bluefield, Princeton, Lewisburg, Richlands, Va. and Tazewell,Va.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
PLANT CITY, Fla. (WFLA)  Hundreds of flooded-out homeowners in Flood Zone X face denied insurance claims and financial ruin.

Jeff Burnett lives on what he calls, one and a half acres of paradise a beautiful piece of property right off of the railroad tracks in Plant City.

Pinellas County man told to remove boat he sold in 2019, threatened with $1000 fines

Jeff and his wife bought the land in 2023 and put a lot of time and money into renovating it.

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We took about six to eight months gutting the entire home, he explained. Doing everything from drywall to installation, plumbing, electrical.

In the process of buying the home, Burnett made sure flood zones were a part of the conversation.

The conversation, it was, youre in Flood Zone X, and I remember the specific percentage, he recalled. It was .2% of any kind of flooding.

So he, like many others in the Tampa Bay area, opted out of flood insurance.

Theres several issues with this deed: Attorneys weigh in on womans house she believes was stolen

But, Burnett still got the following coverage policies: House, hurricane, other dwelling, personal property, and personal loss of use.

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Bernett thought hed be set. But then came Hurricane Milton.

I had heard some water running which kind of made me skeptical about what was going on, he said. By 1, 1:30, we were in awe as the ground were standing on now was about 18 inches deep and just kept going.

We lost all of our vehicles [and] everything we replaced in the remodel, Burnett continued. We lost the A/C, the well pumps, the water softener systems, the electrical.

So he went to FEMA.

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Bernett got approved for a little over $1,000 for miscellaneous items like his generator rental, but as for the bulk of it, he received the following:

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November 7: Denied

November 21: Denied

December 20: Denied

January 17: Denied

At that point, it was to the point where I had submitted over 60 documents and I was just done, he said. What is worth the fight when Im trying to support my wife and my family, trying to help the community, get back to work.

It just wasnt worth it, Burnett continued. It feels like youre just knocking on a door that youre going to get turned away from every day.

So, he placed his hope in his insurance, filing a claim the day after the storm

It took us about six weeks and they came back and said, Were going to cover the roof and keep any kind of receipts, anything you have,' Burnett said.

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I feel like they dont care: Woman says deed to her house is under a name she does not know

So Citizens gave Burnett just under $12,000 to cover his roof but told him to seek out contractors to get quotes of how much it would cost to repair his home.

That grand total came out to just under $50,000.

We submitted all of those estimates with photos that were attached specifying the damage, he explained. Citizens wrote us a check for $800.

When asked if he felt as though it were a slap in the face, he said horrendously. Our biggest concern, being Flood Zone X, is we were told this doesnt happen, it wouldnt happen.

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.2% means 99.8% of the time I should be safe, and now Im concerned that whats going to happen to our insurance?, he added. Are we going to be able to maintain our policy? Are we going to be forced to carry flood? Were going to get flood, but how high is that going to go?

Burnett said hes left with a thousand questions and no answers.

If we get hit by a hurricane next year, is the same thing going to happen?, he said. Im already in the hole [of] $30,000-$50,000 by the time Im done this. Am I going to have to redo it next year?

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Burnett said that its scary seeing people rescued by boat and that residents need answers.

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If Im going to $40,000-$50,000 to rebuild for my home, my children, my wife; we work hard for our money and we deserve to know its not going to happen next year, Burnett said. If it is going to happen, why is it happening?

8 On Your Side went to the county for answers on why Burnetts property flooded and received the following statement:

Generally, high risk flood zones and floodplain areas are based on a 100-year modeled event. Hurricane Milton greatly exceeded that level and equated to a 200-500 year event, which means that additional flooding would be expected in some areas outside those zones. This area appears to be within the basin affected by the Hillsborough River, which reached the highest level ever recorded, a full 3.5 feet higher than the previous record during Irma.

Unfortunately this resulted in flooding to properties outside of high risk flood zones.

Hillsborough County

A few months ago, Tampa City Council and the Hillsborough County Commission approved a joint independent investigation into Hurricane Miltons impacts, specifically why so many areas in Flood Zone X flooded.

The county provided the following statement as an update on the investigation:

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Immediately following Hurricane Milton the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners acted to initiate an independent evaluation of the regional impacts of Milton and recommend strategies to help reduce the risks to our community. The study includes interviews with elected officials, stakeholder engagement with regional partners such as the Southwest Florida Water Management District and our neighboring cities and counties, and a public outreach campaign to gather information from residents affected by the flooding. This independent evaluation is underway, with the public engagement planned to begin in March, and the report to be completed and delivered to the Board of County Commissioners in June. Hillsborough County

County officials said to click here for more information on flood safety, risk and insurance.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Cave Man

A former Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) officer is going away for a long time after admitting to swapping bricks of seized cocaine with 3D-printed decoys.

As the Associated Press reports, former Jacksonville-area sheriff's sergeant and ex-DEA agent James Hickox has been sentenced to at least 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to not only stealing drugs and cash seized during the course of his duties, but also replacing them with fake versions he made with a 3D printer.

The 38-year-old Florida man admitted as part of his plea deal that he'd bagged more than $420,000  yes, that is the figure that the AP used  for cannabis, cocaine, and other drugs he stole from his employers. After snagging the contraband, Hickox would often claim that the narcotics had been destroyed during normal police procedure, though he eventually changed that tune and started making 3D-printed decoy drugs.

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When searching the man's house following the corrupt cop's 2023 arrest alongside a state trooper and more than 20 others involved in the scheme, authorities found a bunch of narcotics and guns he'd stolen from work. Over the door to his converted garage, a sign reading "Gator Man's Cave" signaled visitors that they'd arrived at the DEA agent's drug den, the AP explained.

Stranger Than Fiction

It's unclear whether or not the 3D-printed coke brick was made in said "cave," but Hickox did admit that he sprinkled some real blow on top of it to make it look real. Reporting on the case also didn't reveal how federal authorities got wise to the scheme, though with the number of people involved and the amount of drugs they seem to have pilfered, it was probably bound to happen.

As News4Jax reports, the onetime Nassau County Sheriff's Office sergeant claimed in court that just like Walter White in "Breaking Bad," he chose to start stealing drugs from work and selling them because he'd been diagnosed with cancer and wanted to be able to provide for his family after he was gone.

Wendy Berger, the US district court judge who presided over the case  and who shares both her first name and her hair color with a bit "Breaking Bad" character  wasn't buying that sob story.

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"I recognize the cancer diagnosis and health issues, but I dont see how that causes an individual to engage in what you did," the federal judge said. "Im having a hard time with that."

Along with the charges related to stealing drugs and "defrauding the United States," part of Hickox's sentence relates to tax evasion because, as the Internal Revenue Service noted, he didn't report the money he stole.

More on dumb cops: Even With Cameras Everywhere and Facial Recognition, NYPD Helpless to Catch CEO Killer
The Democratic National Convention is meeting in Chicago through Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (Shaun Griswold/Source New Mexico)

Update: Ken Martin of Minnesota won election over the weekend as chair of the Democratic National Committee. His supporters included Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.

As the longest serving Chair of the Minnesota Democratic Party, he has devoted his time to turning the party around into a model for the nation, built a winning coalition and won every statewide election, Fried said in a written statement.

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Floridas Chris Korge won re-election as finance chair of the Democratic National Committee and Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg was elected to serve as one of three party vice chairs.

===

The Democratic National Committee will gather in Maryland on Saturday to select their new party chair, and the 15 members from Florida are split about who that candidate should be.

Seven members, including Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried and South Florida state Sen. Shevrin Jones, are backing Ken Martin of Minnesota, a vice chair of the DNC who also serves as the chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party.

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Seven other members, including recently elected FDP Vice Chair Daniel Henry and Karla Hernandez-Mats, the partys candidate for lieutenant governor in the 2022 election, are backing Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party Chairman of Wisconsin.

Sean Shaw, a former state representative from Hillsborough County and the partys attorney general candidate in 2018, is backing former Maryland Governor Martin OMalley for the role.

The future of the Democratic Party starts with investing in the South, Fried said in a written statement.

As Floridas population changes, our political significance will evolve and with more Electoral College votes on the horizon, now is the time to start investing and organizing in our people. We need a new, Democratic strategy for the South that harnesses the collective power of our constituencies. A message that works in the South, will work across the country and we need our new Chair to understand that  and act on it.

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Sitting DNC Chair Jamie Harrison, who was criticized for strongly backing Joe Bidens effort to stay in the 2024 election before departing last July, is stepping down from the role after a four-year stint. In a recent interview, Harrison doubled down on his beliefs, saying that the Democrats should have fully supported Biden in the presidential race despite his abysmal debate performance last June, which convinced enough high-ranking Democrats that he needed to drop his bid for re-election.

Biden did so in July and immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the de facto candidate before she was officially nominated and selected to be the partys standard bearer during the Democratic National Convention last August.

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TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Gov. Ron DeSantis and Floridas GOP-controlled Legislature disagree over key pieces of newly passed immigration legislation. But they appear to align on teachers and campus police officers being part of the states all-hands-on-deck plan to aid federal immigration enforcement.

While the exact role, if any, that school employees will play in that enforcement remains unclear  as does whether the bill will even become law  the measures proposed in Florida would ensure that campus doors are open to immigration authorities under a Trump administration that wants the option on the table.

Theres no bar in the state of Florida for conducting immigration enforcement operations, DeSantis said Wednesday during an event in Fort Meyers.

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The passed legislation would require scores of government employees across the state to cooperate with Trumps immigration enforcement efforts to the fullest extent possible, a charge that includes local teachers, school social workers and campus safety officers.

DeSantis plans to veto the legislation thanks to a conflict with state lawmakers over the bills scope, but he has been supportive of the concept of immigration enforcement possibly taking place in schools.

As angst swells over possible on-campus arrests in the country, Democrats argued schools should be off limits.

Everyone wants dangerous criminals off the streets, but these are kids that we want to protect, said state Rep. Robin Bartleman, a Weston Democrat. It just seems like schools should be a safe place.

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During this weeks special session, Democrats needled Republicans over the issue, attempting to determine exactly what the fullest extent of immigration enforcement could mean for employees in local schools.

According to state Rep. Lawrence McClure, a Dover Republican who sponsored the House bill, it would compel them to answer questions and investigative processes honestly.

To the fullest extent, in my opinion, is you give it your all, McClure said on the House floor Tuesday. You cooperate to the best of your ability.

These responsibilities, though, could go further depending on what, if any, direction comes down from the Trump administration, as McClure explained after one Democrat asked if a teacher or social worker would have a duty to report a kindergarten student to ICE. School districts, under federal law, are prohibited from asking about a parent or childs citizenship or immigration status for enrollment purposes, something Democrats say only adds to the uncertainty hanging over campuses.



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So long as its not privileged or other legal reasons why, the answer to all of these questions is yes, McClure said. To the extent that the federal government asks our folks here in Florida to cooperate, then yes.

Democrats, despite their small minorities in both chambers, fought to scale back the bill by carving out schools and churches, attempting to create protections in state law similar to those created by the Biden administration and pulled back by Trump this month. Their proposed amendments were rejected by the GOP-dominated Legislature.

The Trump administration lifted the policy restricting immigration enforcement in sensitive areas like public schools and religious institutions for a reason, said Orlando Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who introduced one amendment. They plan on going in there.

There have been no reported immigration raids or arrests in Florida schools or on campuses across the country so far. Schools in Florida are bracing for the possibility by putting out guidance for how officials should handle federal authorities showing up to campus and warning them not to interfere.

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Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, this week said that any potential immigration raids in schools would be vetted on a case-by-case basis if there was a national security or public safety threat, noting that its never a zero game. On one hand, Homan has said that children shouldnt have to fear ICE agents walking into an elementary school to arrest them, yet he also implied that undocumented parents in the school pickup line are not off the table either.

It shouldnt be a chilling effect unless their child is a terrorist or a national security threat, Homan said during an interview Monday with CNN.

Theyre in the country illegally  theyve got a problem, Homan added when asked about parents. Its not OK to enter this country illegally, its a crime.

These sentiments have been echoed by DeSantis, who has pressed for Florida to staunchly aid Trumps immigration enforcement efforts. Although the GOP governor is locked into a bitter feud with the Legislature over policy differences in their bill, DeSantis said hes on board with potential arrests in Florida schools.

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We will affirmatively assist these operations across the state, DeSantis said Wednesday. It will probably be more dependent on them to see how they want to go in or what they want to do.

What Biden did, they said you cant do sensitive [areas], and they drew big circles around any church, any school. The problem is, once youve done that, theres almost no place that you can do it, DeSantis added. You could conduct a raid in the woods somewhere.
DESTIN, Fla. (WKRG)  At a press conference in Destin, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a significant new partnership with federal agencies aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement across Florida.

I just signed a memorandum of understanding with DHS and ICE with our Highway Patrol, Gov. DeSantis declared, emphasizing the states proactive stance on immigration issues.

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The memorandum of understanding facilitates a collaborative framework between the Florida Highway Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This agreement grants state and local law enforcement enhanced capabilities to enforce federal immigration laws effectively.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Director Dave Kerner highlighted the operational impact of this new agreement.

We were honored to sign one, just I guess it was just two days ago, Governor, with HSR and ERA enforcement removal operations, Kerner noted, acknowledging the historic nature of the MOU. Its giving state troopers and state law enforcement federal powers to enforce immigration laws, he added, pointing out the significant shift in enforcement capabilities provided under the new agreement.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass also spoke at the conference, underscoring the importance of the MOU in facilitating daily operational cooperation between state and federal agencies.

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Our agencies work so closely together. His agents are outstanding, Glass said, illustrating the depth of the collaboration.

He expressed concern about the legislative efforts undermining such partnerships.

We dont want to do that, Glass stated, reflecting on the challenges imposed by recent legislative actions requiring coordination through the Office of Agriculture Commissioner for any actions related to federal immigration agencies.

Further detailing the implications of the MOU, Kerner criticized the restrictions imposed by recent state legislation which could hinder proactive immigration enforcement efforts.

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If a local government law enforcement agency, we have our deputy sheriffs here, requests assistance regarding federal immigration from a state law enforcement agency like ourselves, the local government law enforcement agency must coordinate that request through the Office of Agriculture Commissioner, he explained, emphasizing the bureaucratic hurdles that could delay critical enforcement actions.

Governor DeSantis also voiced his frustration with legislative measures he viewed as counterproductive to state enforcement efforts.

Its because theyre trying to kneecap state enforcement efforts. So weve got some work to do here, DeSantis remarked. He questioned the rationale behind limiting effective measures that have been proven to work. If you are serious about ending illegal immigration, why do you want to stop the things were doing thats been effective? he asked the audience, highlighting the disconnect between legislative actions and practical enforcement needs.

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The press conference served not only as an announcement of the new MOU but also as a platform for Governor DeSantis and his administration to reaffirm their commitment to rigorous immigration enforcement and to criticize any legislative attempts to weaken these efforts.

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The dialogue underscored a critical moment in Floridas approach to handling immigration, emphasizing a concerted effort to align state capabilities with federal objectives more effectively.

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Rapper YFN Lucci is now a free man after serving time in a Georgia prison for nearly four years on multiple charges, including racketeering. According to People, the 33-year-old artist, whose real name is Rayshawn Lamar Bennett, was released from the Burruss Correctional Training Center in Monroe County on Friday, January 31. A press release, as reported by People, stated that his parents, close friends, and members of his music team were present to welcome the rapper. "I've learned a lot during my time away," YFN Lucci said in a statement. "Now, it's my turn to give back. I want to use my voice, my platform, and my music to inspire those who look up to me. I want to show people it's never too late to make a change. For me, this time is about growth, redemption, and purpose. I'm excited -- there's so much more to come," the statement further read, according to People. YFN Lucci was indicted in 2021 on multiple charges, including murder, assault, and racketeering. Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis led the case against him. As part of a plea deal, 12 out of his 13 charges were dropped. His lawyers confirmed to People that he pleaded guilty to one count of violating Georgia's Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with another 10 years of probation. However, his legal team had expected that he could be released early based on time already served. (ANI)
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida man was accused of stealing a womans purse with an unexpected valuable inside.

A 1-month-old kitten was found in the bag, stolen by 34-year-old Benjamin Cummings in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Palm Avenue in Fort Myers, according to the police department.

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When officials responded to the robbery on Thursday, they found the womans belongings inside an abandoned vehicle, police said. After sifting through the items, the kitten came out from underneath the car and approached officers.

Fort Myers Police Department Fort Myers Police Department

The victim confirmed to Fort Myers police that the kitten was stolen from her during the robbery, along with the items in the vehicle. The woman and her cat were safely reunited.

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Cummings was arrested for robbery without a weapon.

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Three more specialty license plates will soon be available on Floridas roads including ones supporting Israel, K9s and gopher tortoises.

The Florida Stands With Israel and K9s United plates have already been shipped to the state county tax collector offices, according to a Thursday news release from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The pro-Israel tag reached its preorder threshold in October, and a portion of its revenue will go to Hatzalah South Florida, which gives free emergency response for callers of every faith and background, according to a press release from the Israeli-American Council.

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The plate, which was approved in 2020, was designed by Florida State University graduate Daniel Ackerman featuring an Israeli flag background with an orange blossom, Floridas state flower, atop the Star of David.

Four years ago, we set out to create a tangible symbol of Floridas support for Israel, said Israeli-American Council CEO Elan Carr in October. Today, were proud to see our vision become reality. This license plate is a testament to the enduring friendship between Florida and Israel, and our organizations commitment to strengthening that bond. As these plates begin to appear on vehicles across Florida, they will serve as mobile reminders of the strong ties between Florida and Israel and reflect the shared values that unite our communities.

The K9s United plate also reached its 3,000-preorder threshold last October along with a Swimming For Life tag, which already shipped.

The extra funds raised by the K9 plate goes to the nonprofit organization to fund officer training and equipment to K9 units to stay safe in the field and protect the communities they serve, according to the organization.

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Due to budgetary constraints, many law enforcement agencies dont have the funding to provide the K9 Units the resources they need, reads a statement on the K9s United website. It is not only vital that K9s receive the proper training, equipment, and care to do the best possible job, but they deserve it.

It was founded by Debbie Johnson in 2015 after she heard of the death of a St. Johns County Sheriffs Office K9 named Baron.

In addition, the Protect the Gopher Tortoise specialty plate has met the 3,000-plate presale requirement, allowing the state to begin production.

Funds from the plate sales will go to Wildlands Conservation, a nonprofit founded in 2003 that works on conservation planning and policy, land management, species conservation, land protection, research, education and outreach.

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The plate design is by New Hampshire-based artist Matt Anderson.

I feel its crucial not just to document these marvelous species I paint, he writes on his website. Its even more important to me to have a hand in saving them from extinction.

The gopher tortoise remains a threatened species in Florida because of loss of its upland habitat. They dig burrows that are used by 350 other animal species, according to the Wildlands Conservation website.

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The three new plates join 175 existing specialty tags, 145 of which are available to the general public. The other 30 are reserved for military who have served in specific conflicts such as Word War II Veteran or performed specific service such as U.S. Paratrooper.

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The state actually has a 135-plate limit, although technically that total is now only at 111, as many of the college plates only count as one, and restricted military plates are not counted among the limit.

Each plate raises $15-$25 for their dedicated nonprofit organizations on top of the normal state registration costs.

Several more are amidst their preorder period, requiring 3,000 commitments before the state will begin production. Those include the Margaritaville, Biscayne Bay, and Inter Miami plates, all of which have more than 1,000 preorders so far. Most have a two-year window to gain enough traction, and if they dont the state will pull them off the market.

Statewide, as of Jan. 1, 2025, there are 2,209,135 registrations among all specialty tags.
The flu is widespread and continuing to increase across the state of Oklahoma, with positive cases and hospitalizations well above historical averages.

More than 34% of tests for flu taken the week ending Jan. 25 came back positive in Oklahoma. That's 4,125 new positive cases  the vast majority of which were flu A strains, and 87 were flu B  or nearly double the previous week's 2,307 new cases.

Flu has been on the rise in Oklahoma since late November, and things are only getting worse, with 512 hospitalizations the week ending Jan. 25. The large majority of those hospitalizations were people over 50 years old, and there were seven flu-related deaths that week.

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Before this year, the highest number of weekly flu hospitalizations the state has seen in the last 10 years was 352, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Flu cases, hospitalizations could be nearing peak in Oklahoma

An "overwhelming" number of patients seeking care at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City are experiencing flu A, or flu-like illness, said Chief Medical Director Chad Smith.

But, Smith said we could be nearing the peak in Oklahoma. Looking at historical averages over the last 10 years, the state is about one week away from the predicted peak in positivity rates and two to three weeks away from the peak in hospitalizations, Smith said.

"We're nearing our peak, and we're about to get to that stage where we start to see things lifting off a little bit," Smith said.

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Perhaps most importantly, Smith said while the state is seeing a higher volume of flu cases and hospitalizations, he hasn't seen anything to indicate that patients are sicker than with previous flu strains. But hospitals are feeling the increase in patients.

"We are definitely seeing higher volumes, there's no doubt about that ... we're not at the level of COVID," Smith said. "Stretching pretty thin, but managing."

How bad is the flu in Oklahoma compared to other states?

Oklahoma is far from the only state dealing with widespread illness because of the flu. In fact, it's one of 30 states where flu activity is considered "very high," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest data, with several states one or two levels above Oklahoma.

In the U.S., 29.4% of all flu tests were positive across the U.S. during the fourth week of January. Nearly 7% of visits to a health care provider were for respiratory illness symptoms, while 38,255 were admitted to the hospital with influenza.

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According to the CDC's estimates, there have been at least 20 million illnesses, 250,000 hospitalizations and 11,000 deaths from flu so far this season.

While it doesn't utilize comprehensive testing data like the CDC, the Walgreens Flu Index lists Oklahoma as the top state for flu activity, with OKC being the top market. This index is measured using weekly prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat the flu from Walgreens nationwide, including Puerto Rico.

Is the flu in Oklahoma worse than other years?

While the flu is a concern every winter season, along with other respiratory illnesses like RSV and COVID-19, the number of people ill and the closing of schools due to its widespread nature seem to stand out.

"In comparison to previous years, the influenza activity and severity of disease (influenza hospitalizations) we are seeing right now is above what we would expect to see at this time of the year," said Erica Rankin-Riley, spokesperson for the state Health Department.

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As of Friday afternoon, there were 96 patients hospitalized with the flu at five metro-area Integris hospitals, said Director of Infection Prevention Becky Lewis. Overall, 131 patients were hospitalized in those hospitals with the flu, COVID-19 or RSV.

Lewis said she wouldn't call the hospitals overrun, but she said the increase in patients does have its challenges.

But while the flu is more prevalent than it has been in the last few years, Lewis said the increase isn't necessarily new or unheard of.

"I would say that we've seen this pre-COVID, now we're post-COVID, and it seems to be very cyclical," Lewis said. "I think we could look at the science, and the science would definitely back that up. I think sometimes between those cycles, we forget the things needed to keep the lower levels in play. We forget what it takes to keep each other and ourselves healthy."

OKC metro schools close to stop spread of flu

With flu activity at such elevated levels, Rankin-Riley said "it is common to hear of schools closing due to increased absenteeism due to the flu or a combination of the flu, other respiratory viruses or stomach bugs circulating in the community."

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More than a dozen Oklahoma schools were closed for part of this week, including 10 OKC metro-area schools that shut their doors at the end of this week. Some schools moved to virtual learning at home, which has increased in utilization since the COVID-19 pandemic, while others simply closed.

Schools planned to use the time to disinfect surfaces and allow those ill time to recover.

What to do if you think you have the flu

If you think you might have the flu, or you're experiencing any respiratory symptoms, Smith said he would encourage Oklahomans to be seen as soon as possible.

"Even though it is flu season, there's other respiratory illnesses that are coming on, and I would never suggest to anyone that they not seek care, particularly if they have other chronic issues or things like that," Smith said.

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The other reason to be seen quickly is there are antiviral medications that can significantly reduce fly symptoms if given within the first 24 to 48 hours after symptoms present, Smith said.

If you haven't had the flu yet, Lewis said to avoid being around sick people and to diligently wash your hands.

What are flu symptoms?

Symptoms and their severity can vary for each person infected. But even in a person with little to no symptoms, the illness can be spread to others.

The signs and symptoms of the flu usually come on suddenly, the CDC says. Those who are sick often experience fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue. Vomiting and diarrhea can occur, more often in children than adults.

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Those more susceptible to severe illness include children under 5, adults 65 or older, pregnant people and people with certain chronic health conditions.

When to go to the hospital with the flu

If you have mild flu symptoms, you can be seen at your regular provider.

If you have emergency warning signs of flu sickness, go to the nearest hospital. The CDC has a comprehensive list of these signs, which include:

In children, fast or troubled breathing, bluish lips or face, a fever of 104 or more, dehydration, chest pain and more.

In adults, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pain in the chest or abdomen, dizziness, seizures and more.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How bad is the flu in Oklahoma? Cases, hospitalizations keep rising
Editors Note: The forecast below has been updated and is no longer active. Please click here for the latest weather conditions.

CLEVELAND (WJW)  Drizzle with a wintry mix and wet flurries will move through the area tonight. This messy system will be brief with drier conditions overnight. Any snow accumulation, if any, will be light and slushy. Dreary with patchy fog around overnight. Drier by Saturday morning.

Colder air moves in overnight as temperatures fall into the 30s and 20s. Waking up to a cold start Saturday morning. Mostly cloudy by quiet and a bit breezy.

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Back to that winter feel Saturday with temperatures struggling to climb into the upper 20s and low 30s Saturday. Partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies. Quiet but chilly day. Warmer Sunday with high temperatures in the mid 40s. Clouds will win out through the day as a weak system brings a few sprinkles during the afternoon and evening. Most of the weekend will be dry.

A few rain showers will be possible on Sunday as a clipper system pushes a cold front through the area. A bulk of the precipitation associated with this system will stay to north of Northeast Ohio.

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Roller coaster temps Periods of short-lived cold with milder breaks. We havent had a pattern like this since mid December!

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Heres the latest 8-Day Forecast:

Keep up with FOX 8 for the latest weather conditions.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
(NewsNation)  After President Trumps executive order freezing almost all foreign aid from the U.S., American businesses that help provide global assistance are furloughing employees.

Theres grave concern that stated policy goals of the Trump administration, like American prosperity, strong national security and combating the rise of China, are at risk through these actions.

Impact on U.S. businesses

The foreign aid budget accounts for less than 1% of the federal budget or around $40 billion, according to the State Department, yet thousands of Americans are employed by businesses that work in the aid arena. For many, their jobs are on the line.

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For example, U.S.-based aid company Chemonics International directly employs 1,100 Americans and partners with more than 145 American companies. Its enacted furloughs that could become permanent if funding is cut.

As a result of the stop-work order that is affecting all of the USAID-funded programs we implement, we are taking several cost reduction measures, including furloughing many of our staff, a Chemonics spokesperson said.

According to the State Departments cable issuing the stop-work order consistent with the Presidents executive order, the initial timeline for this pause in funding is a minimum of 90 days. Many are concerned that the first 30 days are being used to create a review process instead of conducting reviews, delaying funding longer.

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A person familiar with USAIDs programs warned that if the State Department or Congress wants any foreign assistance programs to resume after this pause, its possible that partners who help implement the programs will no longer exist. USAID partners pay upfront for all costs of doing work on behalf of the U.S. government (like salaries, office leases, etc.) either with cash on hand or through a line of credit.

If the government does not reimburse them within 30 days, lenders may not be willing to extend credit to partners again. And with no cash on hand, a business cannot survive.

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While Secretary of State Marco Rubio has signed some waivers that provide exemptions, like foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and emergency food assistance, the work of aid organizations is vast, encompassing agriculture, education, health care, and more.

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The source said that many partners that implement USAIDs programs face financial insolvency within 30 to 60 days.

Some U.S. small businesses that work overseas have already folded.

The head of an American-owned small business explained that the order didnt just pause current and new funds. The government has also stopped paying for work thats already completed, including invoices submitted before the order was issued. That small business may have to file for bankruptcy.

They, and others, dont understand why the administration would not pay bills and freeze funds before a review process is in place, wondering if this is actually an excuse to gut the foreign aid budget and fold USAID into the State Department in a diminished capacity.

National security and keeping China at bay

The actions of the Trump administration are not just detrimental to these American businesses and their employees; theyre counterintuitive to the goals of the Trump administration, according to several sources.

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The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a bipartisan group that includes almost 270 retired admirals and generals, provided several examples of where the freeze could harm U.S. interests.

For example, security guards who were guarding thousands of ISIS militants at the Al Hol camp in Syria stopped showing up for work, leaving the camps largely unattended until the freeze on the specific camp program was lifted.

Current U.S. foreign assistance programs to prevent, detect and respond to biothreats and global disease outbreaks are frozen, hurting Americas ability to halt health threats, like other pandemics, from reaching the U.S.

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In the tiny nation of Papua New Guinea, in a strategically important region to the U.S., China owns over 40 companies, and there are more than 1,800 foreign companies controlled by Chinese nationals or entities. With this funding freeze, Chinese influence can grow, and successful partnership opportunities with allies that advance U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific will shrink.

Co-chair of the council, former CENTCOM Commander and Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, believes the freeze takes the U.S. off the playing field and diminishes Americas strength around the world.

At his confirmation hearing to be secretary of state, Rubio said hell focus on three questions: Does every dollar we spend make us safer, does it make us stronger, and does it make us more prosperous?

USGLC Communications Director Josh Cohen not only believes that when it comes to international assistance, the answer to all three is yes, but if we pull back from the world, China is itching to fill the vacuum.

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Right now, funds are frozen, but no permanent cuts have been made, which is limiting criticism. Many of the people NewsNation spoke with were only willing to do so anonymously for fear of retribution in the form of permanent cuts.

A State Department spokesperson justified the pause by saying it is impossible to evaluate programs on autopilot because participants dont have an incentive to share details if theyre continuing to get funds.

A temporary pause, with common-sense waivers for truly life-threatening situations, is the only way to scrutinize and prevent waste, they said.

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Notably, all of the sources NewsNation spoke with agreed theres value in a review process to get rid of waste and understand that the new administration wants alignment with what they perceive are Americas interests.

But to pause funding without a review process in place is leaving thousands of Americans jobless and allowing China to step into the void. This could leave the country weaker, less secure and less prosperous.

Thats the opposite of what voters said they wanted.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the use of images of Ukrainians affected by Russian aggression in an advertisement for the Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; Detector Media

Quote from the ministry: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the use of images of Ukrainians who have suffered as a result of Russian terror in advertising for a Russian media outlet.

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A special award for marketing cynicism and hypocrisy should be given to the Lure agency from Berlin. They featured Ukrainians who have lost their families and their homes in a promotional video for the Russian media outlet Meduza. The use of our tragedy to garner sympathy for the Russians is an absolute disgrace."

Details: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi called for "the immediate removal of all advertising content that exploits Ukrainian suffering caused by Russian terror from all the media platforms where it has appeared". He also said that the Ukrainians whose grief has been cynically exploited deserve an apology.

Detector Media said the Meduza advertising campaign was first reported by Viktoriia Feshak, a member of Vitsche Berlin, a Ukrainian NGO.

Feshak said she had seen the ad in a Berlin cinema before a film screening. The video contained shocking footage of the war in Ukraine, including the funeral of the wife and daughters of Yaroslav Bazylevych, who lost his family in a Russian attack on Lviv.

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The advertisement was created for Meduza by the Berlin-based agency Lure. The agency did not charge for its services. The campaign slogan is "Where other headlines end, Meduza begins".

The campaign video is based on news footage, along with "first-hand accounts" from journalists who "risk their lives every day to tell the truth".

Vitsche Berlin strongly condemned the advertisement, accusing the agency of manipulation and attempting to portray Russians as victims of the war. They also called for the ad not to be shown in European cities.

Update: As of 21:50, the campaign page featuring the video is no longer loading.

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Investigators on Friday forged ahead with search and salvage operations after the collision of a passenger plane and a U.S. Army helicopter that killed 67 people, as families and communities across the U.S. and in other countries mourned the victims in the deadliest aviation disaster in over two decades.

Among the victims were people with ties to Oklahoma State University, Tinker Air Force Base and Oklahoma's agriculture community.

Shortly before 9 p.m. on Wednesday night, American Airlines flight 5432 plunged into the Potomac River when it collided with an Army UH-60 Black Hawk conducting a "routine" training exercise. All 64 aboard the plane bound from Wichita, Kansas to D.C. are presumed dead, as are the three soldiers who occupied the helicopter.

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Wednesday's collision is the worst crash involving a U.S. airline since February 2009.

Here's what we know about some of the victims who had ties to Oklahoma:

Lindsey Fields: Dedicated to 'changing students' lives every day'

Forgan native Lindsey Fields was headed to Washington, D.C. to advocate for excellence in life science education.

She was president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers, a role she was eager to step into because it was the same position her father Todd Carter held in 2008.

For the past decade, Fields taught biology at Butler Community College in the Wichita area. She was beloved at the school, who praised her energy and dedication to her craft.

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"Lindsey was a colleague, friend, and educator who dedicated her wisdom and talents to changing students lives every day. We owe her much gratitude for sharing her light with us and we will forever feel this loss. We send much love and support to her family and friends during this most difficult time," the school said in an announcement Friday morning.

Fields, a graduate of Forgan High School in the Oklahoma Panhandle, earned a master's degree in zoology from Oklahoma State University. After that, she took an internship with the Oklahoma City Zoo working with big cats. According to an online biography, Fields' graduate research led her to Kansas where she examined water quality of reservoirs on the central plains.

Oklahoma State Professor Andy Dzialowski was her coursework adviser at the university. He said that Fields took on the rare job of being an undergraduate teaching assistant, which is a role usually reserved for post-graduate students.

Lindsey Fields

"If you asked people in her department who would have been one of the most successful teachers, it would be Lindsey. She was a really good teaching assistant," he said. "She was a really nice person. A great big smile."

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Dzialowski feels humbled to see that Fields became so successful in her field.

"Students appreciate someone who's dedicated to teaching them. Even if you don't become a biologist, it's important that you understand science," he said. "Being a biology professor and teaching general biology courses really has a significance in our society."

Andrew Eaves, a Black Hawk instructor pilot, served at Tinker AFB

One of the pilots on board the U.S. Army Black Hawk was Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, who was serving as an instructor pilot.

Before joining the Armys warrant officer program to fly helicopters, Eaves was a sailor stationed at Tinker Air Force Base.

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Eaves was a native of Brooksville, Mississippi. His wife, Carrie Eaves, shared the news in a post on Facebook.

I am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in DC. My husband was one of the pilots... Posted by Carrie Eaves on Thursday, January 30, 2025

"We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today," she wrote.

The Army said the Black Hawk, from the 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was on a training mission when it collided with the American Airlines jet.

Bob and Lori Schrock: Compassionate, eager to help others

Robert "Bob" and Lori Schrock were known in their community as compassionate people.

Bob, 58, and Lori, 56, lived in Kiowa, Kansas, which sits on the border with Oklahoma near Alva. Bob worked there as a farmer, their daughter Ellie told The Washington Post. The Oklahoman, which is part of the USA Today Network, reached out to Ellie, who wasn't immediately available to speak about her parents.

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The couple was flying out of Wichita that week and planned to ride the train to visit their daughter in Philadelphia. It was a typical trip the two took.

Michael Simpson, a longtime family friend, shared that the couple were quick to lend a hand. Bob was one of the few men who encouraged him, Simpson said on social media, and he often sought Bob out for advice throughout his life.

[They were] always silent in the background and never looking for any appreciation. They had a strong, vocal relationship with the Lord and I look forward to seeing my friends again. One of the last times we talked was about how amazing heaven will be and how excited we were about the hope we have, but until then we have a job to do for the Kingdom, Simpson wrote on Facebook.

Simpson said while he misses his friends, he is praying for Ellies future.

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Biggest heartbreak that weve been both praying about is their daughter because I cant imagine how lonely that is going to feel. For me, for Mark, were going to hurt; its going to be painful, but we know were going to see our friends again, he told KSN News.

Ellies close friend Grace Cantrell shared with reporters that she mourns the moments that the three will no longer be able to share.

All the things that her parents wont be there for, her wedding, her first boyfriend, her first kid, shes planning on going to med school. If she becomes a doctor, they wont get to see her achieve that, Cantrell told KSN News.

Lici Beveridge of the Hattiesburg American contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: DC plane crash victims with ties to Oklahoma: Teachers, families, more
A retired American Airlines flight captain said he is disgusted by President Trumps recent criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices in the wake of the deadly collision outside Reagan National Airport earlier this week.

Sorry, but I was disgusted by that entire press conference and the statements that were made for people that I depended upon throughout my career, Les Abend said Friday during an appearance on CNN, referencing Trumps remarks from the White House briefing room a day earlier.

The qualifications that are required for a controller are stringent. And its a lot of work, he told CNNs Kasie Hunt. Its, at least five years before somebody can actually be solo, for instance, at a particular facility, and each facility has its own difficulty level.

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The day after the crash between an American Airlines flight en route from Kansas and a military helicopter  which killed all 67 people on board both aircraft  Trump blamed DEI hiring practices, arguing they jeopardized the safety and weakened the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

He doubled down on his claim that the incident, one of the deadliest air collisions in the U.S. in the last 20 years, was caused by DEI practices.

You have to go by psychological quality, and psychological quality is a very important element of it, Trump said Thursday. These are various, very powerful tests that we put to use. And they were terminated by Biden. And Biden went by a standard that seeks the exact opposite. So we dont know.

Abend claimed Friday that just like for air traffic controllers, applicants have to meet certain standards to become a licensed pilot.

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Same thing for pilots. Theres a specific standard for hiring pilots, whether theyre Black, white, purple, Brown, it doesnt make any difference, he said. Those standards have to be met, and nobodys going to get hired, that doesnt meet those particular standards.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have either questioned or publicly criticized Trumps remarks about diversity programs after the deadly crash.

Trump has pushed the FAA to end DEI hiring practices, a part of a wider push to eliminate the initiative across the federal government. He appointed Chris Rocheleau, an agency veteran, to be the acting administrator until an official nominee is confirmed by the upper chamber.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  As the investigation into the tragedy in Washington, D.C. is just getting underway, WIVB News 4 is taking a look at how Western New York responded in the wake of Flight 3407.

Nearly 16 years ago, Dave Bissonette stood at the forefront of one of the regions worst tragedies. He was the emergency manager for the Town of Clarence during the crash in 2009.

Weve been hearing the words deja vu, said Bissonette. I think I can speak for all the first responders in Western New York  it was really difficult to not start to relive the chain of events that we had near.

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Flight 3407 crashed into a house in Clarence Center on February 12, 2009.

Bissonette has since retired. He said the situation in D.C. is vastly different due to the nature of the incident, but it does have some similarities to what he dealt with years ago.

(Flight) 3407 was a 14-day incident, said Bissonette. I can see the D.C. crash here going on for a week or two easily.

Bissonette said that the first 48 hours are critical in the setup of any large-scale disaster investigation. In both Clarence and Washington, D.C., he said that period of time consists of a lot of organization and structure for the response.

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There are factors that will make the D.C. investigation difficult, according to Bissonette. He described Clarence Center as a compact scene, whereas in D.C., debris is scattered throughout the Potomac River.

Having enough qualified people to do below-surface rescue and recovery will be difficult, said Bissonette. Thats more of a skill set thats maybe a little shorter in supply.

The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release a preliminary report in the next few weeks. Bissonette said that should bring more clarity as to what went wrong.

For the 3407 incident it didnt seem like they (NTSB) wanted to be a partner, but that really wasnt true, said Bissonette. We got to learn and understand their process as time went on and it was very valuable.

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While the circumstances of the current situation are different, Bissonette can speak from experience that it will be a long road ahead for the first responders, the community, and of course the families who are impacted by loss. He said his heart goes out to all who are affected.

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Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is often known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Each year, she wears a saree that represents India's rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship, and this year was no different. This year, Sitharaman chose to wear a beautiful off white saree with intricate golden work, paired with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her trademark 'bahi-khata', a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it. However, this saree was more than just a piece of clothing--it also carried a special story. The saree was a gift from Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi, a self-taught Madhubani artist from Bihar. The finance minister met Dulari Devi during her visit to the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event, where she presented the saree to Sitharaman and requested her to wear it on Budget Day. As a tribute to Madhubani art and Dulari Devi's exceptional skill, Sitharaman honored the request by wearing the gifted saree to present the Budget on Saturday. Dulari Devi's journey to becoming a celebrated Madhubani artist is nothing short of inspiring. She comes from a fisherman community, which traditionally was not involved in painting. However, she developed a passion for the art form while working for Karpoori Devi, an accomplished Madhubani painter. Despite facing multiple hardships--being abandoned by her husband at 16, losing her child, and working as a domestic helper for 16 years--Dulari Devi never gave up. Her paintings also spread awareness of important social issues like child marriage, AIDS, and female foeticide. Over the years, she has created 10,000 paintings and displayed them in over 50 exhibitions across India. She has also trained more than 1,000 students through organizations like the Mithila Art Institute and Seva Mithila Sansthan, ensuring that the traditional art form thrives in future generations. This is not the first time Nirmala Sitharaman has used her saree to showcase India's textile heritage. Over the years, her choice of sarees on Budget Day has celebrated various traditional weaves and fabrics. In 2019, Sitharaman chose a pink Mangalgiri silk saree with gold borders, paired with her signature red bahi khata. In 2020, she wore a yellow silk saree with green-lined borders, symbolizing hope and prosperity. In 2021, she opted for a red and white Pochampally silk saree while promoting Indian weaving communities. In 2022, Sitharaman wore a brown and maroon Bomkai saree from Odisha, showcasing regional craftsmanship. She chose to wear a red silk saree with black Kasuti embroidery, a craft from Karnataka, for the 2023 Budget Day. In 2024, she wore a blue Tussar silk saree with Kantha embroidery from West Bengal. (ANI)
Former German president Horst Kohler died on Saturday at the age of 81 following a brief illness, the presidential office in Berlin has announced.

Elected on May 23, 2004 and confirmed in office for a second term five years later, he resigned unexpectedly on May 31, 2010.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier paid tribute to his predecessor in a message to Kohler's widow, Eva Luise Kohler, describing him as a "stroke of luck for our country."

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"We can only be deeply grateful that we were able to experience Horst Kohler as the German Federal Republic's ninth president. He gave this country a lot," Steinmeier wrote.

Kohler was the first president to take office without political affiliation. He began a career as civil servant in the Economy Ministry in 1976 after studying economics, rising to secretary of state in the Finance Ministry in 1990.

Kohler served as Germany's chief negotiator in the runup to the 1992 Maastricht Treaty that led to the creation of the euro.

In 1993, he moved to the private sector, serving as president of the association of Germany's powerful savings and high street banks, before being appointed president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. In 2000, he became managing director of the International Monetary Fund.

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Elected to succeed Johannes Rau as president, a largely ceremonial role in Germany, he was re-elected in 2009. His resignation a year later came as a shock and is unique in Germany's recent history.

It came after an unfortunate remark in a radio interview regarding Germany's participation in the conflict in Afghanistan, in which he linked the German military's deployment to the country's economic interests.

He was criticized for justifying the Afghan deployment on economic grounds  a charge he denied. He nevertheless saw his position as irreparably harmed and drew the consequences.

In office, Kohler took contentious decisions, on occasion refusing to sign legislation as required under the constitution. His role in the manoeuvring to dissolve parliament at the behest of then-chancellor Gerhard Schroder in 2005 was controversial at the time.

Kohler was a keen advocate for Africa during his career and was UN special envoy for Western Sahara between 2017 and 2019. Following his resignation, Kohler kept out of domestic politics, but did serve at the head of a council on climate change.
Feb. 1GRAND FORKS  No one may have been more surprised than Corey Mock when new North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong asked him to join the administration as the state's chief information officer.

Mock, who for years served Grand Forks as a lawmaker representing the Democratic Party, is one of 12 Cabinet members the incoming Republican governor announced shortly after the November election.

Armstrong's invitation to serve "was totally unexpected," Mock said, noting that it came after his "difficult" decision in early 2024 to not seek a fifth term in the Legislature.

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The appointment apparently raised eyebrows in some strongly partisan sectors, but Mock said he has gotten nothing but favorable responses.

"I've only received messages of congratulations, and that's from Republicans, Democrats and independents alike. It's been quite evident that everyone agrees this is a nonpartisan office  there are no Republican and Democratic computers."

Regarding his appointment, "I never thought of the political side of it until after I'd read one of the first articles," said Mock, who served on the state's Information Technology Committee for 16 years in the Legislature. "To me, this has never been a partisan position."

From his perspective, political ideology is the "last (consideration) in this role  or any role, really," he said.

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"I'm an institutionalist, and proud of it. If anything, during my time in the Legislature, I became known for being stubbornly independent and focused on solving underlying problems, versus being a champion for a specific solution."

As head of NDIT, Mock said his top priorities will be to ensure that, as an agency, "we continue to provide exceptional service."

Mock, who served from 2008 to 2024 in the North Dakota Legislature  eight years representing District 42 and eight years representing District 18  is obviously proud of the strides NDIT has made.

"We are the most connected state in terms of broadband access in the country," he said. "It is an incredible accomplishment that's taken decades of hard work and something that we should all be proud of."

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Among the most pressing challenges NDIT faces are issues related to cybersecurity, Mock said.

"We are one of the leaders in having a whole-of-government cybersecurity protection. You never want to need it, but when there is an incident, it's so helpful having consolidated expertise that can step in and assist really every level of government.

"And technology is rapidly changing," he said. "Looking at this session, we've got AI (artificial intelligence). ... We know that there's going to be some investments needed in AI  and waiting two years is probably not an option."

Former Gov. Doug Burgum earmarked $15 million in the budget for AI-related grants, said Mock, who, in addition to his legislative experience, has built a career as a Realtor and leadership consultant.

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He sees NDIT's role as "not just helping with the technical questions, but that we're anticipating future needs," he said, "and making sure that, as we bring new technology in and we start making some investments and improvements, that we're doing it strategically ..."

During the summer and early fall, Mock reached out to colleagues, including appropriations committee chairpersons, returning legislators and both gubernatorial candidates, offering his help with any of the larger budgets he had worked on. He took this action "recognizing that we're going to have some turnover  if there was anything I could do to help him or his team in the transition to get brought up to speed on where the Legislature had been. ...

"From my perspective, that's how a lot of this began  just offering to be a resource to him and his transition team as they were heading into the legislative session," Mock said.

In a conversation in mid-November, Armstrong asked about Mock's plans after his term ended "and quickly pivoted to, 'I want you to run IT for me,'" Mock recalled. "It was totally unexpected  a true, I'd say, stunning response. It kind of set me back on my heels a bit, not even thinking that was even in the cards."

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After mulling it over for a few days, "I called him back and said, 'I don't have a compelling reason to say no. I serve at the pleasure of the governor; if you want me to join your team, I would be honored.'"

The appointment "speaks so highly of Kelly Armstrong wanting to build the right team," Mock said. "Kelly puts his trust in his team (and) wants to put the right people in the job and let them do their job."

"I think it's heartening to see an elected official on a party ballot, so someone who represents a major political party, to look past the labels and to put people on his team that he knows and trusts regardless of their own political affiliation," he said.

The origin of North Dakota Information Technology can be traced to 1969, he said, when it  as Central Processing  was part of the Office of Management and Budget, Mock said. In 1999, as the result of an interim legislative study, it became a separate agency  and, with that, a chief information office position was created.

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Mock, the state's ninth chief information officer since 1999, said he expects to be "out in the public and working with our team members and our agency clients as frequently as possible. I think that's going to help us better understand what we can do to help improve state government and make sure that we're using our resources efficiently and effectively."

He intends to gain a first-hand understanding of how the workflow operates, he said.

As for the possibility of moving his family to Bismarck  the Mocks have three young children  that is something the couple will consider after the legislative session ends in the spring, he said.

He and his wife will make the decision, Mock said, based on "what makes the most sense for them  and for us."
FORT NOVOSEL, Ala (WDHN)  The US Army Combat Readiness Center at Fort Novosel is in the nations capital to support the national transportation safety board in the deadly army helicopter and commercial jet crash that killed over 60 people including three soldiers.

When I saw the incident the first thing that jumped out to me I was very concerned that there would be no survivors in an altitude like that its catastrophic and in this case it was, said Colonel William Dunn.

Fort Novosel team in D.C. for deadly airliner crash investigation

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This comes after a Blackhawk crashed into a commercial passenger jet near the Reagan National Airport. The commercial jet was heading from Wichita, Kansas but was cleared for landing.

The Army chopper was on its usual path but was flying at an altitude higher than it was allowed.

Dunn, a former Marine Corps Cobra pilot, believes visibility could have played a factor as that airport is a tight airspace, its difficult to see below when you are descending and it was night time but ultimately clear.

The soldiers in the helicopter were wearing night goggles.

The goggles shouldnt have hurt them, although its white out and bloom out it shouldnt have hampered them but they should have been able to see with or without them, they should have enhanced their visibility,

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Colonel Dunn says the crew had thousands of hours of training.

Its not uncommon for Fort Novosel to send investigators when a crash happens involving an army aviation helicopter

In fact, Fort Novosel is the home of Army Aviation where all Army pilots spend time to train. They conduct 14-23 weeks of qualified training in UH 60 Blackhawks, as well as other army helicopters.

Blackhawk crashes into airliner, leaving over 60 dead

Dunn, who has flown in the low level corridor multiple times, says its a certain type of training or way to fly into or around certain airports.

The more airports are congested the more rules they have it shouldnt have been an issue but it was,

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The crash killed three soldiers Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, Staff Sergeant Ryan OHara and an American Airlines pilot and former Army aviator, Sam Lilley

They are a great bunch of soldiers and I know all of them are feeling the pain of this incident because its a brotherhood and sisterhood and our pilots hate to see something like this happen,

Dunn says he hopes the investigation will find out the answers to what happened and that efforts are taken to help prevent tragedies.

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UPDATE: The Wood County Sheriffs Office announced on Sunday that Timothy Nall has been arrested. On Friday, the sheriffs office said Nall was wanted for sexual assault of a child.

MINEOLA, Texas (KETK)  The Wood County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help finding Timothy Daniel Nall, a former pastor at Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church in Mineola.

He keeps me awake at night: Family seeks justice in child sex crime against former Mineola pastor

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The sheriffs office said that Nall is currently wanted on a warrant for sexual assault of a child. This is reportedly the sheriffs office second warrant for Nall for a similar offense but with a different child victim.

Mugshot of Timothy Nall, courtesy of Smith County Jail Records

In 2023, KETK reported that Nall was arrested for charges of indecency with a child by sexual contact. Earlier this month, KETKs Ashlyn Anderson spoke with that victims family about the seeming lack of progress in the case against Nall following his last arrest.

He keeps me awake at night worrying that hes walking free and that theres somebody else out there, somebody elses baby that can be abused by him, Lonnie York, father of the victim said.

Nall faces a $100,000 bond upon his arrest, according to the sheriffs office.

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Anyone with information about Nalls whereabouts is asked to contact the Wood County Sheriffs Office at 903-763-2201 or by email at sheriff@mywoodcounty.com.

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As many are paying tribute to Sarah Best, the former Pearl-Cohn High School teacher, Vanderbilt University graduate and Clarksville native who died in Wednesday nights plane crash in Washington D.C., she is being remembered as someone who wanted to change lives.

Best was on American Airlines Flight 5342 that killed 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk military helicopter shortly before 9 p.m. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to reports.

Sarah wanted to change lives, and she did, said Derek Elkins, a friend of Bests when both were students at Northeast High School in Clarksville. Her legacy isnt just in her achievements, which were many, but in the people she inspired along the way. Losing her is heartbreaking, but her impact will never fade.

Sarah Best, top, at a team building activity with students at Peal-Cohn High School.

Best was 2009 valedictorian at Northeast High School in Clarksville, according to friends. She went on to Vanderbilt where graduated in 2013 with a double-major in Neuroscience and Classical Languages, according to the university.

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Best taught at Pearl-Cohn in 2015-16 and 2016-17, the school's former Executive Principal Sonia Stewart said. Best then went to LEAD Public Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson Sean Braisted said.

Sarah Best was that rare teacher who cultivated trust at warp speed, said Chad Prather, a coordinator on the Talent Management Team in the Human Resources Department at MNPS. Best worked at Pearl-Cohn when Best was there.

They knew they mattered to her, that she had their back, that she valued their communities, that she believed in their genius, that she would never give up on them or let them give up on themselves.

She was that classroom leader who shoved and hugged in perfect balance.

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Bests former students have commented they have pursued math and finance careers because of her impact, Prather said.

She was so talented at everything she did, former Pearl-Cohn teacher Kathleen Turnmire said. And when I say she got the kids excited to do math, it made me want to take calculus again.

Unbelievably bright, but was really, really good with kids, said Stewart, who is now Deputy Superintendent for Hamilton County Schools. She taught upper-level math and was really good at getting kids who didnt understand math to understand math.

At the time of the crash between the commercial aircraft flying from Wichita, Kansas, Best was working as an associate at the Wilkinson Stekloff law firm in Washington D.C. Best had also attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School and was the senior editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, according to biographical information on the Wilkinson Stekloff website.

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Stewart is working with Wilkinson Stekloff, which is trying to put together a remembrance, though details weren't immediately known.

Best was married to Dan Solomon, Turnmire said.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This story has been updated to add video.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: DC plane crash victim: Former Nashville teacher Sarah Best remembered
Ryan Kiesel, the tough liberal Democrat from Seminole who once led the Oklahoma branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, died Friday after a long battle with cancer. Kiesel was 45.

Funeral services are pending.

An attorney, Kiesel also served three terms in the Oklahoma House of Representatives  from 2004 though 2010, starting his first term in office while still in law school at the University of Oklahoma. In the House, he was considered a champion of civil rights and fought several, public battles against the GOP-driven effort to place new restrictions on abortion.

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Articulate, smart and quick on his feet Kiesel, one political observer said, was always armed with facts and a finely-honed debating skill.

He was a titan, Megan Lambert, the legal director of ACLU Oklahoma, said. He left a legacy of unapologetic compassion and bold progress in his wake, both in his impact across the state and in his authentic relationships.

Kiesels work, Lambert said, transformed Oklahoma and made possible important reforms that people once thought were impossible in Oklahoma.

Brady Henderson, who worked with Kiesel at the Oklahoma branch of the ACLU for close to a decade, said Kiesel's death is a huge loss for Oklahoma. He said Kiesel's biggest gift to the state was that he cared and that he cared deeply.

Michelle Tilley, left, and Ryan Kiesel address the media for Yes on 820 during a rally on the south plaza of the Capitol Monday, March 6, 2023

"Publicly, I think so many people will remember him more for the civil rights work, his time in the Legislature, or politics or his time in the media," Henderson said. "But I think we'll remember him much more for how loving a person he was. Just how full of love and joy he was with the people around him."

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That genuine connection, Henderson said, showed how he understood people and how much he cared.

Along with his work on social issues, Kiesel served as the co-host of the radio show, This Week in Oklahoma Politics with conservative political consultant Neva Hill. That show, which featured a discussion between Kiesel and Hill over public issues, first aired on KOSU/NPR in 2012. Today it's considered one of the stations most popular productions.

The email that said 'goodbye'

The email arrived earlier this week.

Michael Cross, the long-time KOSU anchor who worked with Kiesel and Hill on their radio show since its founding, said he received an email from Kiesel this week that broke his heart. Cross hadnt seen Kiesel for several weeks, due to Kiesels health issues.

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He took a moment to email Neva and I personally, Cross said. (He) said it looked like it was going to be just a few more days until he passed. I was floored. It hurt really bad because I didnt realize it was this close. We had no idea it was as bad as it really was.

The email, Cross said, was Kiesels way of saying goodbye.

While the message from Kiesel left Cross brokenhearted, it also allowed him to tell Kiesel goodbye, too.

I gave me a chance to email him before he passed to say how much of a cherished friend he was and how blessed I was to have known him, Cross said.

Still, while he was known as an outspoken progressive  who actually embraced the title  Kiesel also had a deep understanding of Oklahoma politics and knew how to accomplish difficult tasks.

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For example, criminal justice reform.

A long-time advocate for reducing sentences related to drug crimes and an outspoken opponent of the death penalty, Kiesel was one of the principals behind the effort to update and reform Oklahomas criminal justice system.

A partner in the fight for criminal justice reform

Though Kiesel said he had his particular ideas on just how that reform should be done, he knew to be successful he needed a partner.

Thats when he sought out former House Speaker Kris Steele, a conservative Republican. The pair had met during Kiesels tenure in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. There, they were friends, even with their ongoing political disagreements.

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Later, during the year-long campaign to change the states criminal justice system that friendship evolved into trust, Steele, now the executive director of The Education and Employment Ministry, said.

"His advocacy for a better Oklahoma was genuine and real," Steele said. "Ryan's depth and capacity for friendships allowed for differing views."

"We may not agree on every issue but we (Kiesel and Steele) on the same team," Steele said.

For Lambert and others Kiesel worked closely with, Kiesel's death pushes those who he worked with to pick up where he left off.

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"Part of the heaviness of his loss is knowing that he gave us the gift and responsibility to carrying that legacy forward," she said. "I'm grateful that be built an entire community of people dedicated to progress, so we can do it together. Ryan ensured that his legacy continues in the way we show up for one another every day."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Okla. legislator, civil rights attorney Ryan Kiesel dies at 45
Jan. 31ROCHESTER  A former Olmsted County Sheriff's deputy charged 15 months ago with a host of sex-related crimes will enter a guilty plea on several of those charges.

In a petition filed this week in Olmsted District Court, Mathew Richard Adamson, 45, says he will plead guilty to four counts of gross misdemeanor interference with privacy. The charges stem from Adamson's time as a deputy in the Olmsted County Detention Center, when he captured screen images of female detainees in various stages of undress. Adamson saved images to his personal electronic devices.

"These individuals although in the jail still had a limited expectation of privacy and did not consent to me capturing screen shots of them during their changing," Adamson states in the court filing. He now is scheduled for a plea hearing on Feb. 18.

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Adamson faces additional charges related to possession of pornographic works, solicitation, and electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child. Those counts will be dismissed if the court accepts Adamson's plea.

The potential maximum sentence he faces related to his guilty plea is 364 days in prison, a $3,000 fine or both.

In August, Adamson pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography.
A former teacher is coming forward after a staff member of a local school was placed on leave.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

As News Center 7 previously reported, a Richard Allen Academy middle school teacher was placed on administrative leave.

The teacher hasnt been charged at this time and therefore is not being named.

TRENDING STORIES:

A former teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, told News Center 7 she witnessed concerning behavior.

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Hes giving the younger girls very long hugs, letting the girls in between his legs, rubbing on their shoulders, she said.

The woman said she was told other teachers brought the concerns to administrators.

She reached out to police a few weeks after her position at the school was eliminated as part of a cost-cutting measure.

This just cant keep going on. Theres too many inappropriate things going on in the school, she said.

News Center 7 confirmed Dayton police went to the school Monday, to investigate a complaint.

School leaders told us they placed a middle school teacher on administrative leave pending an investigation into allegations in inappropriate conduct with students.

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The former teacher couldnt help but worry about the students.

Theyre being groomed without kind of realizing theyre being groomed, she said.

We will continue to follow this investigation.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman paid tribute to Madhubani art by wearing a saree gifted by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi while presenting the Budget on Saturday. Devi, a renowned Madhubani artist from Bihar, met Sitharaman during the finance minister's visit to the Mithila Art Institute in Madhubani for a credit outreach event. During their meeting, Devi presented the saree to Sitharaman and requested that she wear it on Budget Day. While speaking to ANI on Saturday, Dulari Devi shared that she was happy to see the finance minister wearing the saree gifted by her. "Sitharaman ji came to Mithila Chitrakala Sansthan, and the saree that was gifted to her was made by me. It is called Banglori silk. I had requested her to wear the saree. It took me a month to make it. I am very happy that she wore the saree today. It is a great honor for Bihar and the country," she told ANI. The saree she chose to wear was an elegant off-white piece with intricate golden work. Sitharaman paired it with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her signature 'bahi-khata'--a tablet wrapped in red cloth with a golden national emblem. Dulari Devi's journey to becoming a celebrated Madhubani artist is nothing short of inspiring. She comes from a fishing community, which traditionally was not involved in painting. However, she developed a passion for the art form while working for Karpoori Devi, an accomplished Madhubani painter. Despite facing multiple hardships--being abandoned by her husband at 16, losing her child, and working as a domestic helper for 16 years--Dulari Devi never gave up. Her paintings also spread awareness of important social issues like child marriage, AIDS, and female foeticide. Over the years, she has created 10,000 paintings and displayed them in over 50 exhibitions across India. She has also trained more than 1,000 students through organizations like the Mithila Art Institute and Seva Mithila Sansthan, ensuring that the traditional art form thrives for future generations. This is not the first time Nirmala Sitharaman has used her saree to showcase India's textile heritage. Over the years, her choice of sarees on Budget Day has celebrated various traditional weaves and fabrics. (ANI)
Frederick Health Hospital was taken off a red alert status Thursday evening  meaning there are available beds for adult in-patient critical care at the emergency department  after nearly four days, following a ransomware attack the hospital publicly identified Monday.

The hospital has not disclosed any information regarding what data may have been compromised in the attack.

The facility was also still on yellow alert as of Friday afternoon on the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems county and hospital tracking system.

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Yellow alert means the emergency department has requested that it not receive new patients who need urgent medical care.

The hospital has been on yellow alert since Monday, when FHH identified suspicious activity affecting our IT systems due to ransomware, according to a statement from FHH CEO Tom Kleinhanzl.

The organization took its systems, such as its patient portal, offline proactively.

All Frederick Health labs, except the ones at Frederick Health Village and Frederick Health Mount Airy, and all Frederick Health Medical group locations still are open.

Frederick Health spokesperson Josh Faust did not answer requests for comment Friday regarding when FHH may bring its systems back online; what data has been compromised; what law enforcement agencies are investigating the attack; and if the FHH staff is operating at a lower capacity.

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Faust confirmed receipt of The Frederick News-Posts questions and said the hospital will release more information soon.

Faust did not acknowledge a request by the News-Post on Friday for an interview with Kleinhanzl or someone else in FHHs leadership.

Individuals can find updates from FHH on the ransomware attack on a notice on the organizations website.

FHH is telling patients to plan to keep their appointments and recommends they bring medical documents to appointments.

Any electronic prescription requests, including those received through FHHs patient portal, were unavailable, and FHH staff will provide written prescriptions to patients that must be filled at providers offices.
Watching developments over the past week, you might conclude that communism is beating capitalism at its own game. Or, to be more precise, something that calls itself communism is winning a game that countries which are supposed to be capitalist have forgotten how to play.

Assuming that the fashionable prognostications of the moment are accurate, the economic future belongs to whoever dominates the market in Artificial Intelligence which is soon to replace the human mind as the originator of ideas and the application of those ideas in the world.

The huge Western corporates which had been assumed to be the indomitable forces in this field  so unquestionably dominant that they were effectively invited to be a branch of the new US presidency  have had their sublime complacency upended by DeepSeek, a Chinese start up with a staff of about 200. So traumatic was this event that the markets  the monitors of capitalist health  instantly collapsed with a suddenness that resembled the infamous crash of the Dot-com Bubble at the turn of the century.

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The entrepreneur behind this emerging disruptor, Liang Wenfeng, who was a complete unknown until around ten days ago, somehow magically discovered the formula for accomplishing pretty much everything that the enormously rich American megaliths had been planning to engineer but at a fraction of the expected cost and with much less consumption of energy  which had been the two most serious obstacles to the advancement of this life-changing technology.

Even if all of the presuppositions above were true, that AI will displace human thought and creativity and that whoever owns the controlling stake in it will be able to run the world  which they are not  this is a startling turn of events. Whatever revolutionary potential AI has to affect economic and social life, surely it should have been in the free market countries that its most innovative and financially astute applications would have been born.

That is the whole point of a capitalist economy, isnt it? How could a nation which is led by an avowedly Communist dictator whose governing party supposedly adheres to the principle of absolute state power over the economic activities of its population, manage to produce a competitor who has eluded all the limitations that were holding back creative development in the freedom-loving West?

Even given that the latest expert opinion is that DeepSeeks methodology is not as world-beating as it seemed, there is something that needs to be addressed here. Has Chinese communism managed to liberate inventiveness in a way that modern Western capitalism  with all its reverence for the individual  could not?

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To put it bluntly, is freedom overrated as a key to commercial success? DeepSeek clearly has no time at all for freedom of thought: its answers to politically contentious questions about Chinese foreign policy adhere strictly to the official party line.

Does this matter? How much use is personal freedom in the global marketplace? Is the reverence for individual creativity and opinion which gave rise to the American economic miracle, now misplaced?

Answer: no. Because the two basic premises of this argument are both false. First, China is not a communist society in any sense that Marx would recognise. It is a capitalist player on the global stage with the enormous advantage of being a dictatorship which means that it is able to employ the dirty tactics  slave labour, intellectual property theft, abuse of human rights and despoliation of private property  which would be prohibited in a democracy. It has permitted the growth of a rich bourgeoisie but only at the price of absolute adherence to the word of its totalitarian rulers.

So it wins the competitive game by running ruthlessly over the rules which Western capitalism has devised to enforce decency and fairness  virtues which are thought to be an inherent part of the democratic package.

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So is it unbeatable? Must we accept that this form of state corporate hegemony  now equipped with a new unstoppable form of machine intelligence  will always have the advantage over our quaint attachment to human imagination and reason? Or will that apocalyptic loss of confidence which the US markets reflected just be a momentary blip  as the Dotcom crash proved to be?

The clue may be in the limitations which are built into the Chinese model: the contempt in which it holds those freedoms and rights which the West insists on maintaining have clearly been advantages in this successful ambush. Forget about copyright law and the right to debate political principles. No messing around. Global domination takes precedence over disputation and respect for differences of opinion.

Indeed, the processes of AI suit the totalitarian mindset very well. What a mechanistic impersonation of human intelligence lacks, by definition, is the humanity which is the actual motor of real intelligence: the curiosity, the empathy, the enjoyment of argument for its own sake, the critique, the love of risk, the capacity to imagine unprecedented consequences. Perhaps the most notable failing of AI is that it does not know the extent to which it is not human.

You may recall that (true) story of the AI programme that tried to persuade a user to leave his wife and enter into a relationship with itself. We must wonder how it envisaged consummating that relationship (whatever that means). Or how AI would comprehend the significant questions of human existence.

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Would it understand the notion of despair at the suffering of innocents? Or of outrage over injustice? Of course it can be programmed to simulate these things but it cannot understand them precisely because they are not computations or formulae. And that, I suggest, is why totalitarian regimes may have an initial advantage over free countries in developing this bizarrely unhuman version of thought.

Dictators justify their autocracy by condemning debate as a pernicious waste of time and energy. But democracies cannot exist without argument and theoretical dispute which guarantee political choice.

It is the capacity to question and criticise received opinion that is the most indispensable function of human intelligence and that is something no AI programme can do  and no tyrant can ever understand.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Eligible taxpayers can get free tax prep and filing help from IRS-trained volunteers next weekend.

Super Refund Saturday is returning to the Miami Valley on Feb. 8 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Montgomery County Job Center, located at 1111 S. Edwin C. Moses Boulevard, Dayton.

How to protect your money from scammers this tax season

The event helps local taxpayers take advantage of available tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. As past of the nations largest anti-poverty programs, these credits are more valuable than ever, with $632 available for workers with no dependents to $7,830 for some families.

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Taxpayers should bring a photo ID and all applicable W-2 forms. Scheduling an appointment is encouraged  you can do so by calling 937-913-2000.

Super Refund Saturday is presented by KeyBank in cooperation with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Coalition and Miami Valley Urban League.

Click here to learn more.

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(WIVT/WBGH)  SUNY Community colleges are gearing up for a new era of learning after Governor Hochuls recent proposal, offering free tuition to adults looking to continue their education.

Hochuls historic proposal would make SUNY community colleges free for adult learners, ages 25 to 55, who are seeking a degree in high-demand industries such as nursing, education, engineering, advanced manufacturing and others.

The chancellor of SUNY, John King, says the state would completely cover the costs of tuition, books, supplies, and other fees.

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King says to make it official, it has to make it into the governors budget, which is expected to pass by April 1.

We have four million New Yorkers who are working age and dont have a college degree. So, thats the population where were looking to serve here. And we have a tradition of serving adult learners at SUNY. About 28% of our students are over age 25, said King.

King says SUNY can be flexible by offering weekend classes, night classes, online work, and even childcare on some community college campuses.

SUNY Broomes president Tony Hawkins says the school will offer programs and events specifically for the adult learner demographic.

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Their connections as parents, their connections as people who have been already in the industry, provide a very different approach for us to engage them and make them feel a part of our community. So, these funds not only will help support the programs themselves but also ways that we can support adult learners, said Hawkins.

The chancellor says adult learners will still be offered additional financial aid through state or federal funds. If passed in the budget, King says the free tuition program could start as early as the next fall semester.

You can read more about it at ny.gov.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A San Francisco dispensary owner is recovering after being shot seven times on Monday night.

Medical plane carrying pediatric patient crashes in Philadelphia, sets homes ablaze

Martin Olive, owner of the Vapor Room, was working at his business on Ninth and Mission in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood when a gunman opened fire. Police responded and found Olive being treated for gunshot wounds before transporting him to a hospital.

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Police said the suspect was found in a nearby building. After failing to comply with orders to surrender, the suspect was fatally shot by police. A firearm was recovered at the scene.

Olives business partner and longtime friend, Tina Gordon, described the event as traumatic but expressed gratitude that Olive survived. It is an incredible miracle that hes alive and its an incredible miracle that he should have a full recovery, she said. Ive never heard the story of someone being shot seven times and surviving. This is an incredibly, resilient human being.

Olive is no longer in the ICU, but the Vapor Room is closed indefinitely, with Gordon considering moving out of the neighborhood. Gordon is also urging people to donate to Olives GoFundMe to support his recovery.

The San Francisco Police Department will hold a virtual town hall on the incident next Tuesday at 3 p.m. Police also encourage anyone with information to contact the SFPD tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text SFPD to TIP411.

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MAUI, Hawaii (KHON2)  The grounding of a commercial catamaran in one of Mauis marine conservation areas after the recent winter storm has some calling for change.

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This is it, Save Honolua Coalition Vice President John Carty said emphatically. Line in the sand. No more commercial boats coming into Honolua Bay.

Portions of Maui under boil water notice

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The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation confirmed that Hula Girl, a 65-foot commercial catamaran, ran aground in the Honolua-Mokuelia Marine Life Conservation District during the winter storm early Friday.

The Maui Fire Department said they escorted four crew members out of the bay around 3 a.m. According to MFD, the crew swam ashore after the catamaran began impacting the reef.

The Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation said the owner of Hula Girl is cooperating and the crew sought safety in the bay during the storm.

But Maui County Councilmember Tamara Paltin said she doesnt understand why they would have taken the vessel there.

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Anybody that knows anything about the ocean knows that Honolulu Bay is not a safe haven during a Kona storm, Paltin said. This is one of the commercial vessels that takes tours to Honolua Bay regularly, and so, of all people, they should know better.

DLNR said efforts are underway to salvage the vessel before it breaks apart and releases debris and pollutants into the bay.

Time is of the essence with a large swell expected to roll in Sunday.

This is the second time a vessel grounded at Honolua Bay in the past two years. In 2023, a luxury yacht hit the reef and was stuck for about two weeks, damaging the protected area.

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I think everyone in my community would like some answers and accountability. This is two times too many, Paltin said.

There are other MLCDs in the state of Hawaii that dont allow commercial boating or boats at all, Carty said. So I dont know why we would do anything different.

He said turning Honolua into a cultural preserve would be the perfect way to protect the bay and honor its significance.

When you talk to tourists, they really dont want to have this type of impact, and they want to be respectful for the sacred sites, Carty explained.

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GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH)  The City of Gahanna promotes runner and walker safety this weekend at the Walk for Women event.

Organizers we spoke with say its all about coming together as a community and taking a stand against the random acts of violence that happen to women who are runners and walkers.

This weekends events are going to be an opportunity to bring the entire community together to really celebrate and make sure that everyone knows how much we prioritize safety, said Gahanna City Council President Merisa Bowers.

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The event is called Walk for Women. The idea is to ensure that every woman can use shared pathways, sidewalks, and roads without fear. Its a joint effort between the Gahanna police, city council president Merisa Bowers, and Visit Gahanna.

I think that it shows that we can come together as a community, said Bowers.

In November, a woman was walking on a trail near the Gahanna swimming pool when a masked man pointed a gun at her. Gahanna police say the woman ran away from the man after multiple attempts to kidnap her.

The suspect was later charged with kidnapping, abduction, attempted felony, and carrying a loaded weapon. Gahanna City Council President Merisa Bowers said that after this happened, the idea of the Walk for Women event started to come together.

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While our police responded promptly to ensure the safety of the community, there was still, I think, residual concern by many women who use this trail, said Bowers, I think the best things that we can do as a community are to ensure that there are eyes and ears around and that were supporting each other.

Three events are happening this weekend and the first starts Saturday at 10 a.m. Its being led by Gahanna police and Second Sole, a store that supports runners and walkers. Theyll be talking about ways to stay safe while youre outside exercising.

Were going to empower people through knowledge and camaraderie so that you can have better experiences when youre out there and feel more comfortable, said Gahanna police officer Blair Thomas.

What makes Columbus priciest suburbs so expensive

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Saturdays event is centered around runner and walker safety tips.

A couple of safety tips people can keep in mind is not running or walking at the same time, the same location every day, said Officer Thomas.

Two events are happening on Sunday. The first is the walk on the Big Walnut trail, following that people are invited to go to the Ohio Herb Center for simple self-care practices.

What we really hope happens here is to ensure that women feel that they can move bravely, freely, and courageously throughout Gahanna, said Bowers.

All of the events are free and open to the public. Saturdays event starts at 10 A.M. at Second Sole, located at 1245 North Hamilton Road.

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The walk on Sunday starts at noon, those wanting to attend should meet at the Gahanna Swimming Pool on the Big Walnut Trail.

After that, people can go to the Ohio Herb Center for an open house event from 1 to 4 PM.

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After a long struggle of over four decades, Mutvendi village in Bijapur district, once a naxal-prone area, finally celebrates a significant milestone as it receives its first-ever school. The much-awaited facility has been made possible through the Chhattisgarh government's 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme, championed by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, bringing hope and opportunity to the region's future generations. According to the Chhattisgarh government, Niyad Nellnar means "Your ideal village" i.e., a village where all the basic facilities have been provided to the resident population and now it is moving forward on the path of development like other areas. Niyad Nellnar Yojana is being implemented in 5 districts of the state namely Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Kanker, in which 90 villages around 23 security camps in total 8 development blocks of these districts are being developed. By running schemes of various departments in the villages falling within a radius of 5 km of these security camps, saturation of basic facilities and individual schemes run by the government is to be done in these villages. Earlier, in a significant step towards reducing the academic burden on young students, eight government schools in Balrampur's Chandra Nagar area have adopted a 'bagless learning model under an initiative by the State Education Department. District Education Officer DN Mishra stated that students from Classes 1 to 8 in these schools now carry only a notebook and pen, making learning a stress-free experience. The holistic approach toward the stereotypical education system in the schools in the district provided a balanced and engaging educational environment for students. The education department is working on an action plan to extend the bagless system to other schools in the districts. Chhattisgarh's Chilkapalli village has finally received electricity, marking a significant milestone in the region's development. This remote village, located about 50 km from the Bijapur district headquarters, had been without electricity since India's independence. (ANI)
WACO, Texas (FOX 44)  Some staff members representing the GEICO nationwide insurance company presented six vehicles to the TSTC Foundation for use by Texas State Technical Colleges Automotive Technology program and Auto Collision and Management Technology program on Friday.

TSTC says the vehicles are from GEICOs Vehicle Donation Program. Two vehicles each will go to the Fort Bend County, Harlingen, and Waco campuses for students to use for training purposes in hands-on labs.

Dustin Lindsey, a GEICO auto damage supervisor for the Central Texas region, said while vehicles are as safe as they have ever been, they often require full calibrations to repair, Yall certainly have the knowledge base for students and can build the next generation of auto body technicians, he said of TSTC.

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The Automotive Technology and Auto Collision and Management Technology programs will debut this fall at the new Transportation Center of Excellence at the Fort Bend County campus in Rosenberg.

Miguel Zoleta, a program team lead for Automotive Technology at TSTCs Harlingen campus, said it can be difficult to get vehicle donations, These vehicles will help in the training that the students are going through because they can take a look at different systems on an actual running vehicle and not only on trainers. We have been able to purchase some vehicles for the students to work on, but we have to be cautious on how much we disassemble them because we also use them for recruitment purposes.

Matthew Mills, an instructor in TSTCs Automotive Technology program, said hands-on work is essential for students. He said it is important for students to have as much exposure as possible to the kinds of vehicles they will see in auto repair shops, That is the make-or-break if they will be a good technician.

Staff members representing nationwide insurance company GEICO presented six vehicles to The TSTC Foundation for use by Texas State Technical Colleges Automotive Technology and Auto Collision and Management Technology programs on Friday, Jan. 31, at the Waco campus. Waco campus provost Beth Wooten is pictured second from left. (Courtesy: TSTC)

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Georgia Power's 2025 Integrated Resource Plan proposes substantial investments in infrastructure and new energy sources based on projected energy demands from companies expressing interest in opening massive data centers. John McCosh/Georgia Recorder

Georgia Power announced a long-term energy plan Friday that is already stirring controversy, requesting that state regulators approve major investments in fossil fuels, transmission lines, and other energy resources to meet the projected rapid growth of data centers.

Consumer advocates warn that existing ratepayers will shoulder much of the cost to accommodate the warehouses filled with computers and telecommunications equipment. And environmentalists complain the energy required to power the new technology is pushing Georgia Power to reverse course on its push to make progress on its clean energy goals.

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This summer, the Georgia Public Service Commission is set to vote on the investor-owned utilitys 2025 long-term plan that outlines its proposed investment over two decades to provide electricity to its 2.7 million residential customers and growing industrial base.

The states largest supplier of electricity says it plans to provide a varied mix of energy and the necessary infrastructure to build up its electrical grid to meet the states short- and long-term economic needs.

According to Georgia Powers projections, electrical load growth will be about 8,200 megawatts by 2030, representing an increase of more than 2,200 megawatts over the last Integrated Resource Plan update.

Several environmental organizations are criticizing Georgia Powers plans to increase its reliance on fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil. Additionally, over projections of industrial growth in the past have drawn concerns about more financial risks being placed on homeowners and other ratepayers.

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The long-range plan also seeks to extend the life of coal-burning plants in Bartow and Monroe counties, walking back previous plans to retire decades-old sources of air pollution at Plant Bowen and Plant Scherer.

Georgia Power aims to shut down nearly all of its coal-fired power plants by 2028, except for Plant Bowen, near Cartersville which is set to be mothballed by 2035. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

Georgia Powers 2025 plan also proposes at least 1,100 megawatts of new renewable resources, which will contribute to the companys goal to expand its renewable energy by 11,000 megawatts by 2035.

At Georgia Power, our vision extends far beyond today  we plan for tomorrow, the next ten years and decades to come, said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. As Georgia continues to grow, this state is well-positioned for the future thanks to proactive planning, policies, and processes like the Integrated Resource Plan. The 2025 IRP provides a comprehensive plan to support Georgias continued economic growth and serve Georgians with clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy well into the future.

Since 2023, Georgia Power customers have endured half a dozen rate increases to cover base electric rates, recover excess fuel expenses, and complete two nuclear power generators at Plant Vogtle. In January, Georgia Power raised its rates by 3.5%, making the typical monthly household bill $43 more expensive since the beginning of 2023.

Data center boom or bust?

The bulk of Georgia Powers projected energy growth is tied to massive data centers to support the booming demand for artificial intelligence technology that drives internet search engines and other new software. In November, the company cited several dozen prospective companies expressing interest in opening massive data center facilities in Georgia, primarily around metro Atlanta.

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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, data centers consume 10 to 50 times as much electricity as the average commercial building. The data centers are also known to bring voracious water requirements to communities that bring them in.

Southern Environmental Law Center senior attorney Jennifer Whitfield said Georgia Power is seeking to extend dirty coal-burning generators that will pose financial and environmental risks to ratepayers and people living in the communities surrounding the plants.

Coal is not only an expensive and dirty fuel that Georgia Power didnt even want a couple of years ago for some of these plants, but the data centers dont want it either, Whitfield said. They want clean energy.

A new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis shows that residential and legacy business ratepayers in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia are subsidizing the costs of proposed electrical infrastructure that will only grow more expensive if it is overbuilt in anticipation of electricity demand that might not materialize.

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Cathy Kunkel, the energy consultant who authored the report, said the institutes analysis raises concerns about utilities overestimating future energy demand for data centers. Data centers are often pitched in multiple states by technology companies, she said.

A gigawatt of power can be required to run large language AI computer models, according to Thomas Kurfess, executive director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute.

Georgia Powers Plant McDonough produces a gigawatt of electricity, enough to power the city of Atlanta, he said

Kurfess said one of the major questions being asked in the technological industry is whether artificial intelligence is a risky economic bubble.

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I dont want to speak for the technology companies, but I think I can capture their point, which is, we dont care, because the risk of under-investing so dramatically outweighs the risk of over-investing, he said. Weve got to build out these data centers so that we can source the power needed for the large language models so we dont fall far behind.

Kunkel expressed concerns about the potential for AI to be underutilized or abandoned if it turns out to be more energy-intensive than currently forecast. She said Georgia Power has missed the mark with inflated forecasted growth demands in past projections.

Maybe its better for the tech industry to overbuild in some way, but only because theyre passing the risk of that off to the ratepayers, Kunkel said.

Georgia Power has successfully petitioned Georgias state regulatory commission to pass the cost of building out its transmission infrastructure to residential and legacy business customers.

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Last week, the five-member PSC unanimously approved a new Georgia Power plan to address risks associated with these large-load users.

According to the rule, new customers using more than 100 megawatts of energy can be charged based on different conditions than standard customers. Data centers owners would be responsible for the transmission and distribution costs incurred by these large power users during construction. In addition, any new Georgia Power contract that exceeds 100 megawatts must be reviewed by the PSC.

The amount of energy these new industries consume is staggering, PSC Chairman Jason Shaw said in a statement. By approving this new rule, the PSC is helping ensure that existing Georgia Power customers will be spared additional costs associated with adding these large-load customers to the grid.

However, some environmentalists and consumer advocates warn that residential and business ratepayers may end up footing the bill if data companies never open in Georgia.

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We applaud the commissions commitment to hold the line on customers bills, even in the face of the massive investments Georgia Power is requesting to serve this large load, said Thomas Farmer, Southface Institutes vice president of advocacy. Residential and small business customers cannot be on the hook for unhealthy, expensive energy just to help Georgia Power profit from the data center boom.

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Friedrich Merz, the conservative politician leading the race to be Germany's next chancellor, broke a taboo by getting a motion calling for tougher migration measures through parliament with the help of the far right, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday.

The fact that the motion - which called for all undocumented migrants to be turned away at the border - put forward by the conservative opposition passed with the aid of votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) "shamed the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and damaged democracy as a whole," Pistorius said in an interview with Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper.

The non-binding CDU/CSU motion passed on Wednesday, but will have no effect on policy. On Friday, when an actual piece of legislation on the subject was put before the Bundestag, lawmakers narrowly rejected it.

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Pistorius, a centre-left Social Democrat (SPD), said Merz's move in the national parliament would give a free pass to CDU/CSU politicians at state and local level to cooperate with the anti-immigrant and anti-EU AfD, a party shunned to date by the mainstream.

"He has to take responsibility for that," he said, noting that Merz had pledged precisely the opposite in November, when the ruling coalition dominated by Pistorius's centre-left SPD collapsed.

Pistorius called on the CDU/CSU to state unequivocally that this kind of misstep would never occur again.

Angela Merkel, the former chancellor and CDU leader who opened the country's borders in 2015 to hundreds of thousands of Syrian and other asylum-seekers, criticized Merz's parliamentary motion a day after it was passed.

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Responding on Saturday, Merz told the RND news agency: "Angela Merkel is expressing discomfort that is shared by many, also by me." Merkel has tended to stay out of domestic politics since leaving office at the end of 2021.

Germany votes in parliamentary elections on February 23, with Merz's CDU/CSU polling well in the lead on around 30%, followed by the AfD on 20%, the SPD third on 16%. And the Greens on around 14%. Observers believe that forming a coalition will be difficult.
Friedrich Merz, the conservative politician leading the race to be Germany's next chancellor, broke a taboo by getting a motion demanding tougher migration policy through parliament with the help of the far right, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has said.

The fact that the motion - which called for all undocumented migrants to be turned away at the border - put forward by the conservative opposition passed with the aid of votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) "shamed the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and damaged democracy as a whole," Pistorius said in an interview with Berlin's Tagesspiegel newspaper published on Saturday.

The non-binding CDU/CSU motion passed on Wednesday, but will have no effect on policy. On Friday, when an actual piece of legislation on the subject was put before the Bundestag, lawmakers narrowly rejected it.

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Pistorius, a centre-left Social Democrat (SPD), said Merz's move in the national parliament would give a free pass to CDU/CSU politicians at state and local level to cooperate with the anti-immigrant and anti-EU AfD, a party shunned to date by the mainstream.

"He has to take responsibility for that," he said, noting that Merz had pledged precisely the opposite in November, when the ruling coalition dominated by Pistorius's centre-left SPD collapsed.

Pistorius called on the CDU/CSU to state unequivocally that this kind of misstep would never occur again.

Angela Merkel, the former chancellor and CDU leader who opened the country's borders in 2015 to hundreds of thousands of Syrian and other asylum-seekers, criticized Merz's parliamentary motion a day after it was passed.

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Responding on Saturday, Merz told the RND news agency: "Angela Merkel is expressing discomfort that is shared by many, also by me." Merkel has tended to stay out of domestic politics since leaving office at the end of 2021.

However, the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to the CDU, backed Merz's approach.

Markus Soder, who is also the premier of Bavaria, said Merz "has chosen this path as the CDU's candidate for chancellor and thus shown that he is serious about turning around asylum policy," in comments to Germany's Bild newspaper.

Germany votes in parliamentary elections on February 23, with Merz's CDU/CSU polling well in the lead at around 30%, followed by the AfD at 20%, then the SPD at 16%. The Greens are polling around 14%. Observers believe that forming a coalition will be difficult.
The youth organization of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party dissolved itself on Saturday, but is expected to be replaced by another organization with closer ties to the AfD.

At a federal congress in the Thuringian town of Apolda, the Young Alternative (JA) decided to dissolve itself, effective March 21, JA leader Martin Kohler said. Other JA representatives and sources in AfD circles also confirmed the move to dpa.

The police said some 250 JA members attended the meeting in Apolda, which was accompanied by protests.

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Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, regards the JA as a proven right-wing extremist organization. Hannes Gnauck, JA chairman and a member of the AfD federal executive, had advocated for dissolving the JA in its current form, pointing out that otherwise there would have been a possible risk of the youth association being banned.

AfD party delegates had voted by majority in favour of the change at a party conference three weeks ago.

The party plans to replace the current largely independent youth organization with a new organization that is closely linked to the AfD, thus giving the party greater control over the next generation.

Kohler said while the dissolution of the JA means its name has been deleted from the party's bylaws, this does not mean that a future organization is prohibited from using the name.

"Today is not the end, we will be back, no question about it," Kohler posted on the JA Schleswig-Holstein's page on X. Schleswig-Holstein is Germany's northernmost state.
The youth organization of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party dissolved itself on Saturday, but is expected to be replaced by another organization with closer ties to the AfD.

At a federal congress in the Thuringian town of Apolda, the Young Alternative (JA) decided to dissolve itself, effective March 21, JA leader Martin Kohler said. Other JA representatives and sources in AfD circles also confirmed the move to dpa.

The police said some 250 JA members attended the meeting in Apolda, which was accompanied by protests.

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Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, regards the JA as a proven right-wing extremist organization. Hannes Gnauck, JA chairman and a member of the AfD federal executive, had advocated for dissolving the JA in its current form, pointing out that otherwise there would have been a possible risk of the youth association being banned.

AfD party delegates had voted by majority in favour of the change at a party conference three weeks ago.

The party plans to replace the current largely independent youth organization with a new organization that is closely linked to the AfD, thus giving the party greater control over the next generation.

Kohler said while the dissolution of the JA means its name has been deleted from the party's bylaws, this does not mean that a future organization is prohibited from using the name.

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"Today is not the end, we will be back, no question about it," Kohler posted on the JA Schleswig-Holstein's page on X. Schleswig-Holstein is Germany's northernmost state.

AfD invites young members to founding congress

All AfD members under the age of 36 are to be invited by the AfD executive board to a founding congress. There, the party's young members are to adopt a statute or kind of constitution and decide on a name for the organization. The federal executive board has proposed "Patriotic Youth" as a name.

The new party youth will be subject to stricter rules: Up to now, JA members  except for the board members  did not have to be members of the AfD, and the official rules of the party did not apply to them, including possible disciplinary proceedings for misconduct.

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For the future youth party, only AfD members will be eligible, with the exception of young people under the age of 16, who cannot yet be party members. However, by joining the youth organization, they must recognize "the statutes, rules and principles of the AfD" and submit to the party's arbitration. At the latest, their membership ends when they turn 17 if they have not become AfD members by then.

Protests around the conference venue

According to the police, around 1,300 people demonstrated against the JA federal congress in Apolda, including trade union representatives, political parties and the initiative Grandmas Against the Right.

They carried posters demanding, among other things, a ban on the AfD. The police were on hand in force, with dozens of police cars securing the town hall. A police spokesman said the event had gone off without a hitch.

The city council's decision to rent the venue to the AfD had sparked debates beyond the city limits. A nationwide online petition against the rental was signed by more than 94,000 people within a few days.
German prosecutors are working on the assumption that the man who drove his car into a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg is criminally liable, a spokesman told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper in comments published on Saturday.

"According to an initial assessment, this concerns a deliberately planned attack by a person running amok," Klaus Tewes said on behalf of prosecutors in the city of Naumberg.

All current indications suggest the man, identified under German privacy laws as Taleb A, was in control of his faculties, Tewes told the Sunday newspaper.

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"In that respect, we are not assuming that he is not criminally liable," he said.

Taleb A, a Saudi national aged 50, had reserved the car a few days before the December 20 attack and collected it on the day of the attack, Tewes said.

A psychiatric report is expected in the next six to eight weeks. A blood test taken directly after the attack did not reveal evidence that he had consumed alcohol or drugs.

Six people died in the attack and around 300 were injured.

A series of attacks involving migrants in Germany has sparked an intense debate over migration, both in public and in parliament, ahead of parliamentary elections on February 23.
(Bloomberg) -- As Germany ramps up spending on its military, a clash is brewing around what some politicians and defense executives say is one of the nations biggest untapped resources: public universities.

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The debate centers on so-called civil clauses  widely used policies at major research institutions that restrict collaboration with the defense industry. They date back to the Cold War, and now even some academics want to get rid of them.

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At a time when security is more important than ever, we consider the civil clause to be a relic of the past, said Klaus Kappen, chief technology officer of Rheinmetall AG, Germanys biggest defense contractor. Every university that gets rid of it is keeping with the times and sending a valuable signal for the joint protection of our societys values.

The drive to end civil clauses  and the backlash its causing among some researchers and activists  offers a window into the social tensions playing out in Germany as the country reevaluates its role in the region following Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The war not only raised the risk that Germany could be pulled into a direct conflict on European soil, but also laid bare decades of neglect that left the military ill-equipped to aid an ally, let alone engage in combat.

The merit of civil clauses has been questioned for years, but after being derided for only offering Ukraine 5,000 helmets in the lead up to Russias invasion, political will within Germany to expand the military has grown. Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2022 pushed through a 100 billion ($103 billion) spending plan to modernize the military and declared a Zeitenwende, a historical turning point, that would make national defense a central priority.

Now, with snap elections planned for late February, Germanys political leaders have been picking up the rhetoric once again. Friedrich Merz, the center-right CDUs chancellor candidate and current frontrunner, is calling for the military to reclaim its place at the center of society and wants to scrap civil clauses.

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Meanwhile, warfare technology is advancing rapidly, and opponents of the clauses say Germanys military lacks access to critical cutting-edge research on topics including artificial intelligence, information security, sensor technology and materials science.

Helmut Dosch, physicist and director of the Hamburg-based German Electron Synchrotron, or DESY, said his institutes powerful x-ray machines could help optimize materials for armor plating, develop anti-corrosion coatings for ships and planes, recognize dangerous substances in transport containers and detect spyware in microchips. Hes working on a proposal to open the centers facilities to external partners for military research.

Freedom of research is one of the greatest democratic privileges, it comes with the responsibility to protect liberal society when its being attacked, Dosch said.

Nearly all of the funds approved under Scholz have been spent or allocated to orders of warships, air-defense systems, Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets and more than a hundred German-made Leopard 2 tanks. While the federal budget for this year has not yet been approved, Germany is under growing pressure from US President Donald Trump to further raise its defense spending.

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In a defense strategy published in early December, the German government said the strict separation between civilian and military research is holding back security-related advancements. That followed a position paper last year from the Ministry for Education and Research that called for taking another look at the barriers to cooperation with the military.

Some states have already taken action. In July, Bavarias parliament passed a bill that effectively outlawed civil clauses.

For some, politicians are moving too fast and risk breaking down the separation between military and civilian life that has been a pillar of post-war Germany.

The development is alarming  that everything should be subordinated to the military and now even the universities, said Michael Schulze von Glaer, political director of the German Peace Society. Research and teaching should serve humanity and not its destruction.

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The idea for civil clauses originated in post-World War II Japan, when the countrys science council said its members would refuse to take part in military-related research. The practice gained traction in Germany during the height of the Cold War, when the University of Bremen said in 1986 it would reject research projects and funding that could serve weapons technology. Since then, more than 60 German universities and major research hubs have put civil clauses in place.

The clauses are extremely rare internationally, said Christian E. Rieck, associate professor of War Studies at the University of Potsdam, saying that Germany and Japan are the only two known examples where they are widespread.

In contrast, universities in countries including the UK and US are deeply linked to the defense industry and government. For example, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, has a program that connects more than 200 faculty members with defense companies to explore the military application of their research. In 2022, the US Defense Department contributed almost $8 billion to university research, making it the second-biggest funder after the Health Department.

Lockheed Martin Corp, the worlds biggest defense company, routinely hosts corporate events on US campuses with student challenges, job interviews and weapons displays.

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In Germany, however, radar maker Hensoldt has complained its not even allowed to attend recruiting events at universities that have civil clauses, and Rheinmetall said it struggles to recruit lecturers from such institutions to teach continuing-education courses for its engineers.

The biggest manufacturers, like Rheinmetall, have enough capital for their own in-house research, partially compensating for the lack of connection with universities. But small and medium-sized producers  the backbone of Germanys economy  generally cant support a robust research program, according to Rieck.

I can understand anyone who doesnt want to do this, but taking the decision away from many people is a restriction of research and teaching, said Marc Eichhorn, professor of optronics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and head of the defense division at the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation. KIT and Fraunhofer dont have civil clauses, and Eichhorn receives research funding from the German army and cooperates with defense companies.

--With assistance from Iain Rogers.

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Ahead of the Union Budget presentation, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that India's economy is growing despite the world facing multiple issues. "The country has witnessed that despite the world facing multiple issues, India's economy is growing and the country is moving ahead. Nirmala Sitharaman is going to present her record number (8th) of the budget and I hope that it'll be a good environment," Union Minister Rijiju said. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also said that this year's budget will be a strong step toward the resolve of making 'Viksit Bharat'. "The budget will be in continuity and will be for the welfare of the country and the poor and will be a novel and strong step towards the resolve of making 'Viksit Bharat,'" Shekhawat said. Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday approved the budget for the year 2025 ahead of its presentation in the Parliament. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah arrived at the Parliament. The Cabinet meeting was held after Sitharaman, who carried a 'Bahi-Khata,' met President Droupadi Murmu, accompanied by MoS Finance Pankaj Choudhary and other officials from her ministry. President Droupadi Murmu fed the customary 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) to the Union Finance Minister ahead of her budget presentation. Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record 8th consecutive budget today. The budget speech will outline the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements. Before the presentation of the budget, speaking to reporters, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Ever since the economy of this country started being taken care of under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, we have given a pro-people, pro-poor, pro-middle-class budget. It will be the same this time." Meanwhile, the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday projected India's economy to grow between 6.3 percent and 6.8 percent in the next financial year, 2025-26. The survey noted that the government plans to strengthen long-term industrial growth by focusing on research and development (R&D), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and capital goods. These measures aim to enhance productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness. "The fundamentals of the domestic economy remain robust, with a strong external account, calibrated fiscal consolidation and stable private consumption. On the balance of these considerations, we expect that the growth in FY26 would be between 6.3 and 6.8 per cent," it said. (ANI)
Despite loud protests and criticism from its own ranks, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party wants to immediately implement party leader Friedrich Merz's controversial five-point plan to stop illegal migration, should it take office after this month's election.

That is according to a draft resolution for an "immediate action programme" to be adopted on Monday by the 1,001 delegates at an election party conference in Berlin. Dpa obtained a copy of the programme on Saturday.

German voters go to the polls on February 23.

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The 15-point programme, entitled "Our immediate action programme for prosperity and security," was sent to the party's executive committee on Saturday evening.

It includes CDU chancellor candidate Merz's controversial five-point plan to stop illegal immigration, which caused an outcry in Germany this week after a non-binding motion on the plan was passed in the lower house of parliament or Bundestag with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the first time in the party's history.

Despite the uproar, Merz decided to force a vote on a bill to restrict migration on Friday, which was rejected by lawmakers.

Nine of the 15 individual points focus on economic issues and call for reversing several decisions made in the previous government coalition of the Social Democrats, the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats.

The electricity tax and grid fees are to be reduced, resulting in a relief of at least 5 cents per kilowatt hour. To reduce bureaucracy, the CDU wants fewer company representatives, an abolition of the German supply chain regulation and the burdens of the Energy Efficiency Act. The former government's heating law is to be abolished and the agricultural diesel reimbursement is to be fully reintroduced.
Despite loud protests and criticism from its own ranks, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party wants to immediately implement party leader Friedrich Merz's controversial five-point plan to stop illegal migration, should it take office after this month's election.

That is according to a draft resolution for an "immediate action programme" to be adopted on Monday by the 1,001 delegates at an election party conference in Berlin. Dpa obtained a copy of the programme on Saturday.

German voters go to the polls on February 23.

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The 15-point programme, entitled "Our immediate action programme for prosperity and security," was sent to the party's executive committee on Saturday evening.

It includes CDU chancellor candidate Merz's controversial five-point plan to stop illegal immigration, which caused an outcry in Germany this week after a non-binding motion on the plan was passed in the lower house of parliament or Bundestag with the help of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the first time in the party's history.

Despite the uproar, Merz decided to force a vote on a bill to restrict migration on Friday, which was rejected by lawmakers.

Nine of the 15 individual points focus on economic issues and call for reversing several decisions made in the previous government coalition of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP).

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The electricity tax and grid fees are to be reduced, resulting in a relief of at least 5 cents per kilowatt hour. To reduce bureaucracy, the CDU wants fewer company representatives, an abolition of the German supply chain regulation and the financial burdens of the Energy Efficiency Act. The former government's heating law is to be abolished and the agricultural diesel reimbursement is to be fully reintroduced.

More flexibility sought, party says

Instead of a daily maximum working time, a weekly maximum working time is to be set, thus enabling more flexible scheduling. Overtime bonuses are to be made tax-free. Those who voluntarily want to work more in retirement should receive their salary tax-free up to 2,000 per month ($2,072). The CDU wants to reduce the sales tax on food in restaurants and pubs to 7%. In addition, the number of government commissioners is to be halved.

Security for the people of Germany

In addition to Merz's five-point plan of permanent border checks, border rejections of people trying to enter illegally and an indefinite arrest for offenders and persons posing a danger who are obliged to leave the country, the CDU wants to pursue the Influx Limitation Act, which the Bundestag rejected on Friday. The clear legal objective is to limit migration, as well as to end family reunification for those with limited protection status and to give the federal police more powers.

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According to its emergency programme, the CDU also wants to reverse the fast-track naturalization process of the former government.

"The German passport comes at the end of the integration process, not at the beginning," the programme states. It also wants to repeal the newly implemented cannabis law. Child sexual abuse is to be combated by storing IP addresses. The party wants to stop violent offenders against women by using electronic ankle monitors.

Who will work with the CDU to implement its programme?

It remains to be seen whether the CDU will be able to implement its proposals if it wins the election - and if so, to what extent. According to the latest polls, the CDU would likely have to rely on at least the SPD or the Greens to form a government - and the SPD and Greens passed many of the laws that the CDU now wants to repeal.

Outrage over decision on 5-point plan with AfD votes

The SPD, Greens and many in the public were outraged that Merz accepted support from the AfD - after he had repeatedly said that he would stick to the "firewall" against working with the far-right party. Merz defended his move saying a right decision does not become wrong just because the wrong people agree with it.

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Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest, and sharp criticism came from the two major churches and from former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel. The journalist and presenter Michel Friedman, a long-time CDU member, announced his resignation from the party.

The SPD, Greens and The Left party, a hard-left group, are talking about a breach of taboo and a lost of trust.

It will be interesting to see how the 1,001 delegates react to Merz's position on the AfD  the CDU leader has strictly ruled out any cooperation with the right-wing populists.

Ahead of the party conference on Monday, Merz wants to inspect the party conference hall on Sunday. In the late afternoon, the presidium will meet first, followed by the executive board for the last consultations before the meeting of the delegates.
On Jan. 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan addressed a grieving nation after the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. His remarks were brief, his tone somber yet hopeful. In that moment of sorrow, he reminded Americans of their resilience and the greatness and triumph of the American spirit.

Thirty-nine years later, another tragedy unfolded in the skies when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Reagan Airport, killing 67 people. This time, the message from the president of the United States was starkly different.

Rather than consoling the nation and reassuring fears, President Donald Trump used his time to go on a bizarre rant about how diversity initiatives implemented by Joe Biden may have caused the collision. Trump replaced compassion with conspiracy, empathy with blame and stoked fears about airline safety.

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Id like to say Trump failed his first real test as president, but the truth is, his press conference likely went exactly as he intended.

Exploiting a national tragedy is nothing new. What sets Trump apart is his brazen and crude use of every opportunity for political gain. He shows little interest in being a consoler-in-chief, preferring to stoke conflict rather than foster unity and empathy.

To be clear, I believe DEI has been a deeply flawed policy and should be abolished. At the core of Americas values is the principle that hard work and playing by the rules should lead to success. We should be a nation built on merit, and hiring decisions, especially in fields where safety is paramount, should be based on talent and ability. That said, there is currently zero evidence that the Federal Aviation Administrations DEI policies had anything to do with this tragedy. The DEI claim is nothing more than a red herring designed to create a political boogeyman.

Trump needs a villain  an adversary or conflict he can use to grab headlines, deflect blame or distract the American public. His time on television made him acutely aware of the power of a compelling narrative. Like a reality show, his presidency relies on tension, heroes and villains, always ensuring the spotlight remains firmly on him.

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We saw this earlier in the week when Trump attempted to halt trillions of dollars in federal payments. Undoubtedly, some of those payments should never have been appropriated. Waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant in Washington. But Trumps actions only created chaos and confusion and appear to be more about generating headlines than fixing the problem.

The same might be said for immigration. While securing the border is vital to Americas security and legislation like the Laken Riley Act is just common sense, they do little to address the millions of undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States. Deporting violent criminals is essential for public safety, but mass deportations are neither practical nor realistic. Having Dr. Phil on ICE raids only reinforces the idea that, for Trump, generating headlines matters more than real solutions.

Im starting to get concerned that much of what we see from Trump is more spectacle than substance  smoke and mirrors rather than making America great. Trump appears to be transforming the presidency into a made-for-TV production, where success is measured by headlines rather than the lives he improves.

Its extremely disappointing. With Republican majorities in both chambers and one term remaining, Trump has a unique chance to do something historic. Trump may be the one politician who possesses both the political leverage and the political hutzpah to finally tackle some of Americas greatest challenges: the $36 trillion national debt, social security insolvency or decades of failed immigration policies. With real leadership, Trump could drive lasting change and secure a stronger future for the nation.

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Instead, Trump spends his time looking for political villains  the courts, Biden, or the legacy media. That wont accomplish much for the American people. But it does make for good television.

Matt Wylie is a S.C.-based Republican political strategist and analyst with over 25 years of experience working on federal, state and local campaigns.
For all his bluster about government efficiency these days, President Donald Trump has never been comfortable as a scissor-happy, cost-cutting deficit warrior.

He barreled into a Republican Party a decade ago that was dominated at the time by the debt-minded politics of Paul Ryan and the tea party movement and single-handedly shut down talk of slashing Social Security and Medicare.

This week, his aversion to austerity showed its face again  and it portends strife ahead for the GOP.

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The White House walked back a budget office directive to freeze a staggering swath of federal spending within about 24 hours earlier this week. The surrender came after an uproar not only from Democrats but some fellow Republicans, and it was a tacit admission that the negative coverage about potentially halting programs like Meals on Wheels was cutting through Trumps flood-the-zone flurry of Washington chaos  and thus becoming a major political headache.

He does not like taking benefits away  that is not his platform, said one senior GOP lawmaker who is close with the president.

While many conservatives cheered the spending freeze, the reality is that it was not a fight Trump intended to pick  at least not at that moment. As the New York Times and other outlets reported, the White House didnt vet the Office of Management and Budget memo first. And the Trump insiders I spoke to were peeved that the document gave the impression that far more was on the chopping block than was actually the case.

The lessons from this weeks episode should be bracing for Republicans all over Washington. On Capitol Hill, conservatives are gunning for trillions of dollars in spending reductions  targeting programs like Medicaid and food aid that will impact everyday Americans, searching for offsets to tax cuts, border spending and other costly proposals.

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Swing-district lawmakers are already complaining privately about political blowback theyll face back home, and  after the hubbub this week  it seems more likely theyll have an ally in Trump.

To be sure, the White House doesnt give a fig about the argument that theyre running roughshod over Congress power of the purse. Far from it: They are intent on using executive power to undertake key policy goals, like rooting out diversity, equity and inclusion programs and reversing predecessor Joe Bidens climate policies.

Billionaire ally Elon Musk is deadly serious about using his Department of Government Efficiency to bring ruthless Silicon Valley business practices to Washington. We learned Friday, via the Washington Post, he's itching to get his hands on the levers of the federal payment system responsible for distributing the governments $6 trillion in annual payments to households, businesses and the like.

But the president and his inner circle know better now than ever that theres a fine line between going after the deep state and woke politics and crossing into areas that may affect a larger group of Americans, their own voters included.

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Even before scaling back the spending freeze, the Trump administration showed a soft spot for programs that other Republicans have long targeted. During her first news conference Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stressed that not only would Medicare and Social Security be spared by the freeze, but food stamps and welfare programs, too. Seven times she repeated that no individual benefits would be affected.

Those comments came as I heard reservations in Trumps orbit about offsetting the expansive domestic policy package taking shape on Capitol Hill. To pay for what could be $10 trillion in Trump policy demands, lawmakers are looking at major cuts to mandatory spending programs  and theyre frankly skeptical Trump is interested in going there.

Underlying this debate is a question of politics: Republicans are keenly aware that the 2026 midterms are around the corner and that, if history is a guide, theyll have a hell of a time keeping their slim congressional majorities, especially in the House. Many remember how Democrats used their 2017 policy push to great advantage in 2018  accusing the GOP of trying to rip health coverage away from everyday Americans while giving tax cuts to the wealthiest.

But theres a fundamental disagreement among Republicans about how much they should care: Ive spoken to many conservatives who argue that the House is basically gone in 2026 given their tiny majority. That means now is the time, these types argue, to blow through their political capital and attack the federal deficit, political blowback be damned.



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However, other Republicans  not just front-liners who want to keep their seats, but more populist types, too  push back on that assumption: They argue that Trump expanded the map for the GOP in 2024, making big gains in places like New York, New Jersey and California. They believe Republicans could actually grow their majority next year if they tread carefully.

Its unclear to me that Trumps inner circle was thinking in raw electoral terms when they walked back the budget freeze  though one senior Republican aide speculated to me that very well might have been the case.

Its not so much preservation of Republicans, its preservation of Donald Trump, the person said. He doesn't want a Democratic House because he saw what happened to him for two years  investigations  impeachments.

The problem for Trump is that for all of his talk of prioritizing loyalty in his second term, he has staffed his administration with a number of conservative ideologues who could have very different ideas about what the government should be doing  none more influential than his likely soon-to-be budget director, Russ Vought.

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Vought is a well-known quantity on Capitol Hill from his time as a staffer there, to say nothing of his work as a Project 2025 author and all-around warrior for small government. Republicans there saw his fingerprints on the spending freeze  or the Vought memo, as some are calling it.

This has Russs name written all fucking over it, said one GOP aide who works in appropriations, adding, I see a disparity between what Trump wants to do and what Russ wants to do.

In other words, the battle between fiscal hawks and populists is set to rage not only on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in the coming months, but inside the White House itself.

Theres an undercurrent of the old Republican Party at play where they're like, We're going to cut benefits and all this, the lawmaker said. And like the new Republican Party is like, Yeah, we don't care about that.

This week showed us we already have a good idea which side Trump is on.
With an executive order, Gov. Greg Abbott again took aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programs in an apparent echo of federal policies instituted by Republican President Donald Trump in recent days.

Abbott issued the executive order just after noon Friday directing state agencies to eliminate what he called "racist DEI policies" in order to ensure state government is "color-blind."

"DEI agendas divide us rather than unite us and have no place in the state of Texas," Abbott said in a statement. "These radical policies deviate from constitutional principles and deny diverse thought. Every Texan is equal under the law, including the state and federal Constitutions, both of which prohibit government discrimination based on race."

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More: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bans DeepSeek, RedNote and other Chinese-backed AI platforms

In the order, Abbott, a three-term Republican chief executive, asserts that DEI policies constitute "new forms of racism," and he instructs state agencies to ensure "rules, policies, employment practices, communications, curricula, use of state funds, awarding of government benefits, and all other official actions treat people equally, regardless of race.

The order comes amid increased Republican scrutiny of policies promoting diversity. Republican Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Tuesday announced he was "going to war against" DEI, directing his agency to discontinue business relationships with vendors or contractors who promote DEI policies.

The Texas announcements come just more than a week after Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office rescinding Biden-era DEI policies in the federal government. Trump also suggested without evidence that diversity initiatives could be to blame for the deadly midair collision of a passenger jet and military helicopter near Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.

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The anti-DEI push is not new to Texas. In 2023, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 17, which eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion offices and initiatives in public higher education institutions. Additional bills filed during the ongoing legislative session would extend the DEI ban to other state agencies.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas governor orders state agencies to eliminate DEI policies
Gov. Maura Healey will revisit her plan to close a Canton pediatric rehab and relocate services to western Mass., according to Congressman Stephen Lynch.

Lynch and other lawmakers Friday toured state-run Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children, which provides treatment, education, recreation and transitional services for disabled children and young adults.

Theyre doing Gods work, Lynch said of the level of care by staff at the facility, and I only use that term occasionally. But really, if you see the plight of these children and the tender, personal care and love that they are receiving here at Pappas, it really is a very special place and worth saving.

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Not just a hospital: Patients concerned over proposed closure of Massachusetts healthcare facility

Last week, as part of the Commonwealths new budget, Healey announced the states intentions to shutter the campus and move services to Western Massachusetts Hospital, after a Dept. of Public Health review found Pappas lacked the modernized care patients with critical needs require. Healey said the buildings are aging and the conditions are poor with no room in the budget for expensive upgrades the patients deserve.

Its a hard thing for the workforce in that facility. Its a hard thing for the families whose loved ones are in these facilities, Healey said last week. So, we dont make these proposals lightly.

The proposal has prompted fierce pushback from current and former Pappas patients, their families, community members and local legislators. Thousands have signed a petition urging the state to save the facility.

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On Friday, Lynch said he spoke to Healey and she agreed to take a closer look at all options for Pappas.

Im delighted with the governors decision to sort of take a second look at this and figure out: Is there a better way that we might address the situation here at Pappas? Lynch said. The governor has engaged in a deeper discussion and a more thorough consideration about possible next moves. So, that is good news in the very short term for the residents here.

Gov. Healey did not comment on whether the closure will be halted, but a spokesperson for her office told Boston 25 News in a statement Friday:

Our administration appreciates the feedback weve received from patients, families, employees, labor and elected officials. We all share the same goal of ensuring high-quality, modernized and specialized care for the young people we serve, as well as supporting our hardworking employees. We look forward to continued collaboration on the path forward to provide the best setting for these children.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Governor Ned Lamont released a statement regarding the temporary restraining order issued against the White House on Friday.

A federal judge in Rhode Island issued the temporary restraining order as part of the lawsuit filed by Connecticut Attorney general William Tong and a coalition of 22 other states. This prevents the Nations Capitol from withholding funding distributed by congress.

Lamont said: This temporary court order is the right decision against an unprecedented, disorganized, and chaotic move to unilaterally cut off funding for healthcare, housing, road and bridge repairs, and so much more. I appreciate Attorney General Tong and the coalition of states that are fighting in court to ensure that the funds appropriated by Congress are delivered as intended under the law.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
Jan. 31SANTA FE  As New Mexico lawmakers wade deeper into the 60-day legislative session, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is in Washington, D.C., to take part in national Democratic group meetings.

The governor, who crisscrossed the nation last fall to stump for Kamala Harris, traveled to the nation's capital on Thursday to attend the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting, a spokeswoman said.

The DNC is scheduled to elect a new chair on Saturday, after an election cycle in which Democrats lost the White House and control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress.

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Meanwhile, Lujan Grisham is also planning to take part in a Democratic Governors Association meeting before returning to New Mexico on Sunday, according to the Governor's Office.

Lujan Grisham served in 2021 as chairwoman of the DGA, a group that invested heavily in her 2022 reelection campaign.

Some Democratic governors have reportedly urged Senate Democrats to take a more aggressive approach to President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, after Trump's administration issued a memo this week freezing federal grants and loans.

That memo was rescinded two days after it created widespread confusion and concern, including in New Mexico.

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Lujan Grisham did not directly mention the Trump administration during her State of the State Address on the opening day of this year's regular session but has in the past criticized Trump's record on health care issues.

The governor has also signaled she intends to work with lawmakers to codify existing protections for New Mexicans. That effort could include creating a state health care affordability fund in case the federal government seeks to trim funding levels for Medicaid or other programs.

Per the state Constitution, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales serves as acting governor while Lujan Grisham is traveling out of state.
BOONE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  More relief will soon be on the way to small businesses in Western North Carolina. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced another grant program for those impacted by Hurricane Helene during an appearance in Boone on Friday.

Its good news for nearby shops and restaurants. Fred Pell showed Queen City News his gallery that saw flooding and several inches of mud when Helene hit in September.

Raging waters, and it just carried mud and rocks and the sludge that really probably damaged more as far as property, said Pell.

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Its unfathomable: These are the 5 killed in DC tragedy with ties to Charlotte

$30 million will be set aside to allow for grants up to $50,000 for those who qualify. Owners can use that money for damage repair, environmental cleanup, rent and mortgage payments, and employee retention. Businesses should be back open or prove they are planning to.

Todays $30 million is a positive step, but it is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of Western North Carolina small businesses, said Stein.

$10 million will be covered by Dogwood Health Trust, a philanthropic group based in the area. The other $20 million will come from the state. Stein said that money was appropriated by the General Assembly.

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Teen charged with Gastonia murder denied bond at first hearing; case using new NC law

I want to thank the legislature for the investments it has made to date but we all recognize there is much more work to be done, added Stein.

The applications to apply for grants went live on Friday and will be open through February 21.

Funds will be managed by Appalachian Community Capital. Eligible businesses can apply through the portal here. Eligibility requirements:

Businesses with an annual revenue of up to and including $2.5 million

Businesses in the 28 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that are covered by Pres. Bidens federal disaster declaration or in Dogwood Health Trusts 18-county footprint

Watch Gov. Steins full news conference from Friday:

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Jan. 31GRAND FORKS  New Grand Forks Police Chief Jason Freedman said it's the honor of a lifetime as he took his oath of office Friday morning.

"I am grateful and humbled to become our next chief and join not only the law enforcement family here but also our community," Freedman said. "I became involved in law enforcement leadership to make a difference and serve and protect those who serve and protect; it's my honor to get that opportunity to lead and be part of a fantastic team."

Freedman was given the oath of office by Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski in front of a packed Grand Forks City Council chamber. Members from across Grand Forks' law enforcement, fire and first responder communities came out to see the city's 24th chief of police officially begin his role. Freedman started Jan. 27 after being hired by the city in

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November, taking over from previous Chief Mark Nelson, who retired.

"I want to thank former Chief Nelson and interim Chief (Dwight) Love. They did a great job, and Chief Love did a great job bridging that gap for Mr. Freedman to be sworn in as chief," Bochenski said. "I'm looking forward to him as chief and looking forward to the future of the Grand Forks Police Department."

Freedman was previously a captain in the Madison, Wisconsin, police department, serving as its SWAT commander. Across his 27 years in law enforcement, Freedman has

spent most of his time working in SWAT or narcotics enforcement roles.

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Freedman thanks the many first responders for coming out to see him be sworn in, saying that he is proud to have the chance to lead them.

"For all you first responders here, they're always in the back and they're always near the exit, you know where we all come from," Freedman said. "This is a noble and honorable profession and one again that I am proud to have the opportunity to lead."

Since Freedman accepted his role and the Grand Forks City Council approved his hiring, he has been getting acquainted with city staff and elected officials and attending events like the

annual awards ceremony hosted by the Grand Forks Police Department

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. He said the experience so far has been "dynamic, exhausting, but great."

In his closing remarks, Freedman thanked his family and his wife, Angela, for the support that he has been given in his long career in law enforcement.

"You've been my stalwart through almost 30 years of law enforcement, most of which I was on call 24/7 and for some odd reason, I always sought out things like SWAT or narcotics and high-risk things," Freedman said. "Physically I might be here today, but I would not be standing at this podium today without your support and encouragement."

Freedman continued, "I will speak for both of us to say we are so excited to start this next chapter of lives here in Grand Forks, to become part of this community and I wouldn't have anybody else in this adventure."
Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Saturday, expressed confidence in the Congress party's prospects in the upcoming Delhi elections, stating that the party's strength is synonymous with the country's strength. He emphasized that the people of Delhi have experienced governance under AAP, BJP, and Congress, and are aware of the differences between them. "Everyone knows that the strength of Congress is the strength of the country. The people of Delhi have given a chance to all parties. They know the difference between the governance of AAP, BJP and Congress," he said. Shivakumar further highlighted Sheila Dikshit's development-focused tenure as a model for governance, contrasting it with the "politics of hatred". He asserted that Delhi needs a change and that only Congress can save the city. "Sheila Dikshit created a model here during her tenure. She focused on development and did not do politics of hatred...Delhi needs change, Delhi needs Congress to save Delhi...," he said. As the election dates approach, the political atmosphere in the national capital has intensified, with Congress, BJP, and AAP vying against each other over various issues. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Friday said that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal is going to lose his seat in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Her remarks followed a challenge from Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, who asked Kejriwal to publicly answer questions at Jantar Mantar. "Kejriwal himself is going to lose his seat... AAP is also going to lose the elections. You were in power for 10 years...but you have nothing to talk about, even today you keep cribbing...what did you do, that is what we want to know...he has become so upset because he knows that he will lose the election, this is the fear of defeat... and even a child of this country knows that BJP and Congress can never get unite," she said earlier. Earlier, Congress candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency Sandeep Dikshit said that being an engineer, Kejriwal is saying such absurd things that a student of class 5 or 6 would not say. "...He (Arvind Kejriwal) said that I have done so much work; I have just said that whatever you say, say it with a record. Today, at 3 pm, it will be clear that either Congress or AAP is speaking the truth... Both BJP and AAP are distributing cash to get votes; I want to ask them if they are in politics or the market?" the Congress leader said. The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got only eight seats. (ANI)
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A Grand Rapids church is organizing an effort to help two sisters who escaped a deadly house fire Saturday morning.

Their mother, Roconda Singleton, is accused of setting the fire and is facing charges.

Murder charge filed against mom in deadly Grand Rapids house fire

On Friday, a memorial sat on the front steps of the home on Eastern Avenue SE between Hall Street SE and MLK Jr. Street SE, paying tribute to 12-year-old Shamiya Stewart, who did not survive.

A memorial pays tribute to 12-year-old Shamiya Stewart, who died after a Jan. 25, 2025, house fire in Grand Rapids. (Jan. 31, 2025)

A family member holds up a photo of Shamiya Stewart. (Jan. 27, 2025)

Pastor Jerry Bishop with LifeQuest Urban Outreach Center drove by the fire on the way to the church Saturday morning.

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Being a father, a grandfather, but really just out of concern. We were not asked to do this. We just felt that it was paramount to the restart for this family to raise some resources in a time of tragic need, Bishop said.

The church is organizing a clothing drive for the surviving 7- and 10-year-old girls.

It was really heavy on my heart that we should come alongside that need. Theyre not members of our fellowship, but theyre members of the community. Theyre not just members of the community  theyre beautiful children, Bishop said.

I did it: Mom admitted to setting deadly fire, court documents show

LifeQuest Urban Outreach Center in Grand Rapids. (Jan. 31, 2025)

After posting about the clothing drive on social media, the pastor is already hearing from people who want to donate.

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Weve had three or four hundred, at least directly on my platform, responses, Bishop said. To come on Sunday between 9 a.m. and noon to drop off age-appropriate, appropriate sizes, clothing and supplies.

The church is working with a relative who is a pastor in the Muskegon area to help meet the sisters needs.

It is  my desire that after today that we then launch another segment of this to potentially look at outfitting them with hard goods, Bishop said. Possibly beds, things that children, young children, preteens want.

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is funding a $72 million project to renourish beaches along the Grand Strand after impacts from Hurricanes Ian and Debby.

Hurricane Ian hit the coast in September 2022, and Hurricane Debby hit last August.

The Army Corps of Engineers in Charleston say both storms caused severe erosion to Grand Strand beaches. The Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company to dredge up sand off the coast and put it on the beach to build back what was lost during the hurricanes.

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The contractors will place two million cubic yards of material  thats 200,000 dump trucks along the 26 miles of coastline.

We want to have as close to the native sand that they have on the beach as possible, Wes Wilson, Project Manager at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, said. So, we do some significant amount of Geotech engineering, some surveys, some lab testing to ensure that we have that same, native sand as whats currently on the beach.

Wilson says this project will lower the risk to life and infrastructure during future storms.

That infrastructure is not just homes, he said. Its also utilities. Its also water lines. It preserves wildlife. Again, it supports the local economy, and it builds that resiliency along the Grand Strand to give it the ability to bounce back much, much faster after a storm event.

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A city of Myrtle Beach spokesperson explained why this is so important.

Its helping everybody because, of course, the beach is our No.1 attraction, creative services manager Patrick Lloyd said. People come here for the beach. We want to make sure its in pristine condition and, luckily, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping us out with that.

Wilson says the contractors hope to start this project in the spring and finish about 18 months later.

For more information about the Myrtle Beach renourishment, visit here.

To track which sections of the beach will be closed and when they will close, visit here.

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* * *

Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
His devotees call themselves Potheads, and they feverishly collect and trade his pottery online. He says hes just trying to build an ethical brand that benefits his workers and his community - a business model that was put to the test when Hurricane Helene tore through his adopted home here in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Hes Alex Matisse, a potter-turned-businessman whose East Fork Pottery is a proud hybrid of art and American manufacturing. And, oh yeah, hes also the great-grandson of the French painter and sculptor Henri Matisse.

The late French artist was known for his expressive use of color. His great-grandson is known for collectible rustic stoneware that often has a distinctive speckled finish.

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Most people who collect East Fork Pottery dont know whos behind the brand  or of the connection to the French artist, Matisse says. He doesnt use his name to market his products, and he has created a quieter, outdoorsy life for himself in the North Carolina mountains, one largely removed from the art world.

The vast majority of people who are buying this stuff have no idea. So thats just one more little layer to this story. East Fork in and of itself is a force. And thats what I love.

He didnt trade on his famous name

Matisse grew up in Massachusetts in a family of artists. After his great-grandfather gained worldwide fame, his grandfather, Pierre, moved from France to New York and became a renowned art dealer  some say he was the most important dealer of his era - who introduced European artists to the American market.

Pierres son, Paul Matisse, is Alexs father and works as an artist and inventor. Alexs sister, Sophie Matisse, is a painter in New York.

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Matisse says one thing ingrained in family members was not trading on the famous last name of their ancestor.

His work was not to be exploited, Matisse says.

Its an amazing thing that I was born into this familyits an interesting legacy. But Im doing my own thing.

Matisse left Massachusetts and went to North Carolina for college, where he planned to pursue an academic path, convinced he did not want to be an artist. But a high school pottery class had left an impression. He ended up dropping out of college and doing an apprenticeship with a potter, and then retreated to an old tobacco farm just north of Asheville to experiment with a wood kiln.

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Soon hed created a successful business hand-throwing large, decorative pots that furnished hotels and local estates.

A potter places bowls into the gas-fired kiln at East Fork Pottery's Asheville factory. - Kelly Bowman/CNN

They sold for around $2400.00. This is not the art worldWe werent going to Art Basel he says, referring to the international art fair. This was a very specific niche of North Carolina pottery.

After making several pieces for Calvin Klein Home he realized there was a mass market for unique, quality pottery.

In 2009, East Fork was born. But the new pottery, which had a uniform look and was not wood-fired, cost him some fans.

I had a lot of collectors. Then we switched over to what we make now; we lost all those collectors overnight. It felt commercial in the context of what we used to make, he says.

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It was so totally different. (Like going) from playing classical music to suddenly doing some avant garde noise music, Matisse says.

He tries to run an ethical business

To Matisse, East Fork Pottery was always going to be a different kind of company.

We were not founded by MBAs, he says. Were all artists.

Matisse founded the company with his fellow potter, John Vigeland, and with his now-wife, Connie Matisse, a writer who ran much of the companys social media. Both are still involved with East Fork Pottery but have stepped away from the day-to-day operations.

East Fork specializes in distinctive home goods  especially dining ware  that is expensive enough to be pay its workers a fair wage but still affordable enough to make it accessible to consumers with disposable income.

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The plates, bowls and mugs come in a wide variety of creatively named colors from Amaro to Lambs Ear to Wine Dark Sea.

The quality is different from a mass market set of plates and it feels different in your hand, says Matisse.

Were proudly a factory but theres so much handwork, Matisse says. Theres craft in everything we do.

The East Fork Pottery factory in Asheville is a proud hybrid of art and the industrial process. "There's craft everywhere you look," says CEO Alex Matisse. - Kelly Bowman/CNN

In North Carolina, where the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the lowest-paid worker makes $22.10, according to Matisse. East Fork employs about 100 people in Asheville and 115 company-wide.

Matisse hesitates to disclose revenue numbers but concedes hed make a lot more if he gave away less to community non-profits or lowered wages, even just a little. But wed never do that, he says.

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Trying to run an ethical business isnt the easiest way to become profitable but he looks to companies like Patagonia, Dr. Bronners and Ben and Jerrys as business models he admires. A cold call he made to Patagonias former CEO was answered just because she used to be a potter. She has a soft spot there, he says.

His company is recovering from Hurricane Helene

Flooding from Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville in late September. Even residents who didnt sustain damage to their property found themselves in a precarious existence without cell service or clean water. It took 53 days for Ashevilles boil water advisory to be lifted.

East Fork works out of three buildings in Asheville: a store downtown, a factory located a few blocks from downtown, and an office building in the River Arts District, an area ravaged by Helenes floodwaters. The office space was ruined and is being rebuilt. The other two buildings didnt sustain much damage and were back up and running in a couple of weeks.

All of East Forks employees made it through the hurricane (although several had damage to their homes) and all returned to work.

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To keep his payroll going after the disaster, Matisse went on social media to ask his customers to buy seconds - pottery with slight imperfections that is still usable.

He also pledged to donate 5% of all sales to community non-profits working to restore Asheville. Most of the inventory sold out that day, he says.

In the wake of Helene, East Fork has opened its Asheville shop to other makers and craftspeople who lost their storefronts. Along with the pottery they always sell, they are now highlighting items from artists across Western North Carolina. Weve been in this community for a long time. People come together, people show up for each other.

In the three-and-a-half months since Helene hammered North Carolina, East Fork has raised more than 500-thousand dollars for relief efforts, Matisse says.

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We want to make a positive impact in the lives of our employees, our community, our customers and the environment, he says. Its not just about what you make, its how you make it.

Hes grateful for his potheads

"Potheads" Glen Blount and Chuck Kaylor with their kitchen cabinet full of rainbow-colored East Fork Pottery. - Courtesy Chuck Kaylor and Glen Blount

Thats a sentiment that resonates with Potheads Glen Blount and Chuck Kaylor, who run the Instagram account eastforkpotheads, one of more than 50 active fan pages for East Forks pottery.

They describe their first experience going to an East Fork sale as kinda like Willy Wonkas chocolate factory. It was love at first sight.

They fell in love with the colors, they say, but what turned them into potheads was the people  East Forks potters and also their fellow collectors.

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The couple line up hours early for pop-up sales at locations across the Southeast, where they mingle with other fans, often bringing a mini speaker to play music. For us, its a big party, says Blout. We get to hang out with people who love it, talk about this years glazes, we speculate about next years glazes

Potheads rival Swifties in their devotion and their detective skills. They pore over official East Fork social media posts, looking for Easter eggs that may hint at future colors and collections.

Sometimes they drop little nuggets on their instagram page so all the community on Instagram will be like: Did yall see that? says Kaylor.

And then there are the speckles.

Some collectors believe an abundance of speckles on certain glazes make them more desirable. Speckles are everything, Kaylor says of the East Fork trademark. The more speckles, the better.

The East Fork Pottery store in Asheville, North Carolina. - Kelly Bowman/CNN

Older East Fork Pottery pieces on eBay can go for thousands more than the original price tag.

Fancy a millennial pink popcorn bowl from East Forks 2019 collection? Thatll set you back $2500.00 on eBay right now.

But its East Forks focus on community that resonates with Blunt and Kaylor most. Its really easy to get behind a company that puts their money where their mouth is and gives back in that way. Were gonna be in their corner even more because they were in our corner, in North Carolinas corner, when we went through something so tough, says Kaylor.

In recent years East Fork has survived a tough economy, Covid, and now Hurricane Helene. Each time, loyal customers like Blount and Kaylor have kept the brand going.

East Fork even expanded in December, opening a store in Brooklyn. It joins two other brick and mortar shops in Asheville and Atlanta.

Matisse says his focus now is getting the company stable and profitable. The last couple of years have been really hard, he admits. Weve also endured. A lot of companies have come and theyve gone away. Weve endured.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Greater Grace Church in Birmingham is hosting The Unbothered Experience in Birmingham this weekend.

The event will consist of a Night of Worship on Friday at 7:30 p.m., a Night of Laughter on Saturday at 5 p.m. and a morning worship service on Sunday at 10 a.m. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. for VIP reception guests on Saturday.

Montgomery Zoo announces new hours beginning Saturday

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Greater Grace Church is located at 1945 Center Point Parkway.

More information about the event, including tickets, can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
These shipping companies had to pay dearly for their polluting scheme.

What's happening?

According to gCaptain, Avin International Ltd. and Kriti Ruby Special Maritime Enterprises pleaded guilty to actions that occurred in 2022.

They violated the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The companies' ship, the Kriti Ruby, dumped oily waste into seawater during port calls to Jacksonville, Florida, and Newark, New Jersey.

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They were charged $4.5 million in fines, which included a $3.375 million criminal fine and $1.125 million for community service payments to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Chief engineer Konstantinos Atsalis and second engineer Sonny Bosito pleaded guilty to violating APPS in May, per the U.S. Department of Justice. GCaptain said they received time served, and Atsalis received an additional $5,000 fine.

How is ocean pollution harmful?

Ocean pollution is harmful to many forms of life. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, oil impairs sea otters' (and other animals') ability to insulate themselves with their fur.

Birds' feathers are also no longer water-repellent once they have oil on them. Other marine life can breathe in or otherwise ingest oil that has contaminated water, which harms them internally.

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Any kind of oil pollution can be capable of killing thousands of wild animals. Minimizing pollution and cleaning up oil spills can keep animals alive for years to come and contributes to healthy ecosystems and food chains.

What's being done about ocean pollution?

Legislation such as APPS helps hold companies accountable for their actions so there is less pollution in the future.

While this oily waste issue was a direct and deliberate action, it is important to consider technology as a potential solution for any kind of oil spill. Singapore, for example, is looking into such high-tech cleaning solutions.

Researchers are also working on using laser-treated cork as another way to soak up oil. While it's a tiny tool, it's also mighty and could be used in tandem with other cleaning methods.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) suggested throwing out foreign news outlets of the White House briefing room as she appears to have taken an issue with a reporters accent during a press briefing on Friday.

Greene reacted to Friday post on the social media platform X shared by political commentator Gunther Eagleman from the Friday White House press briefing. In it, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about staffing at various federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in light of Wednesday nights collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people.

The Georgia Republican reposted Eaglemans tweet, praising Leavitts work since assuming the role as the youngest ever White House press secretary, but she also took issue with the journalists accent who asked the questions about agency staffing.

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@PressSec is doing a wonderful job! Bringing sanity and common sense and throwing it in the faces of the nasty legacy media. How about that accent from that reporter? I think we need to throw out all the foreign press! American media first, Greene wrote on Friday.

Greenes call comes amid other changes in White House press briefing operations. Leavitt announced on Tuesday, during her first press briefing, that the administration is welcoming new media members, influencers and podcasters to obtain White House press passes and ask questions about the current administration. Since then, the White House has gotten over 7,000 press pass requests, The Hill reported.

She also said the White House would reinstate press credentials for around 440 journalists that were wrongly revoked by the previous administration.

Another new policy in the James S. Brady room is that seats that were in prior instances held by some White House aides would be now open to members of the new media and they would be able to ask the first question at the briefings, according to Leavitt.

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Greene has had an up-and-down relationship with journalists. In January, she snapped at a Punchbowl News reporter, telling Melanie Zanona that Americans are sick and fing tired of discussing the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

She accused a Times of London reporter last July during the Republican National Convention of sowing political division and, in part, responsibility for the first assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pa.

You dont get to ask any more questions, Greene said at the time. Im done with you, because youre the cause of  our country being divided. Youre the cause of President Trump almost being assassinated; youre the cause of everything wrong in America.

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North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University hosted a celebratory breakfast on Friday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the 1960 Woolworths sit-ins.

Four North Carolina A&T students sat at Woolworths segregated lunch counter on Feb. 1, 1960. The university has celebrated every year since. ABC 45 News reports Fridays event featured messages about fighting for equality and justice.

The four students, Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair and David Richmond, sat at the Woolworths lunch counter, unserved, until the department store closed.

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READ MORE: HBCU matchups to bring nearly 100-year-old football rivalry to uptown

Their courage forced stores to change their segregation policies, empowering African Americans to advocate for their rights, said International Civil Rights Center & Museum and Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston.

The movement continued until July 1960, with an estimated 70,000 sit-in participants.

They sparked the civil rights movement that completely changed the way Im able to live my life, said North Carolina A&T student and February One scholar Jayden Seay.

WATCH NOW: JCSU alumni describe impact of their lunch counter sit-ins in Charlotte




GREENVILLE, Ohio (WDTN)  A Greenville man has been convicted of killing two people in 2023.

Adam Uchyn was found guilty during a jury trial this week  he now faces life in prison.

Uchyn is guilty of killing two people in April of 2023  Michelle Phipps and James Donnelly.

Prosecutors say Uchyn fatally stabbed both victims inside a residents on Weavers-Fort Jefferson Road. Deputies found the bodies after a caller from the residence abruptly hung up on a 911 dispatcher.

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Investigators say Uchyn stabbed Donnelly, which prompted Phipps to call 911. Uchyn then killed her before also killing Donnelly as he tried to flee the scene.

A judge sentenced Uchyn to 15 years to life on each murder count, meaning Uchyn wont be eligible for parole for 30 years.

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DAYTON, (WDTN)  The Greenville Police Department is asking for the publics help identifying an alleged thief.

The department posted photos of the man on Facebook on Thursday, Jan. 30 from the Greenville Rural King.

Anyone with information on his identity or location is asked to call Officer William Nibert at 937-548-1103.

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BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL)  Southwest Virginia Congressman Morgan Griffith says he has mixed feelings about President Trump pardoning those charged in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Griffith told News Channel 11 that he is OK with most of the pardons but not for those who assaulted police that day.

I have mixed feelings. I personally think that some of those folks who assaulted police officers deserve some of the time they got, Griffith said. The problem was that the Justice Department went overboard with 1,500 people being charged and brought into courts when we know that in reality, there was nowhere near that many that were really doing anything other than maybe crossing a boundary line.

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Megan Boswell Trial Preview

Griffith believes only a portion of those charged related to Jan. 6 should have been.

Probably be less than 100 or in the neighborhood of 100 people that were actually involved in the worst things that were being done, Griffith said. And 1,500 people were charged. That means theres about 1,400 people that justice was not being served. And the president was absolutely right to pardon those folks.

DC plane crash

A day and a half after the deadly mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and military helicopter in Washington D.C., Griffith told News Channel he wants all the facts before making any statements about what caused the crash.

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Its just a tragedy, he said. But could it have been averted if we had more people in the tower working for the FAA as traffic controllers? I fear the answer is probably yes.

President Trump has suggested that diversity programs at the FAA may have contributed to the crash. Griffith believes diversity programs at the agency may be a problem, but isnt sold on those programs being to blame.

There are significant problems at FAA that need to be addressed and it is true that one of the stress issues has been DEI. That does not mean that it was the cause of this accident, Griffith said. We just have to take a look at and all the different reasons why the accident occurred.

Helene recovery

When Vice President JD Vance revisited Damascus earlier this week, Vance said the Trump administration was dedicated to cutting red tape regarding disaster response from federal agencies.

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Griffith says progress is being made and the government is moving more swiftly, but he hopes the administration will take action to speed up the federal response.

When you are the person thats impacted, theres never enough that can be done or fast enough, the congressman said. And so I dont know that, that everybody is satisfied, but the government is moving faster than usual. And I think that under President Trump and Vice President Vance, itll move pretty quick.

The NCAA settles lawsuit with Tennessee and Virginia over compensation rules for recruits

He says there are things both the administration and Congress can do to help.

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Obviously, we can try to do things to make it speed up a little bit, particularly in relationship to some of the federal permitting that is required, Griffith said. And hopefully the administration will cut through some of that. They can do it faster. We can do it by law, but they can sometimes do that by administrative action.

HALT Fentanyl Act

Earlier this month, Griffith introduced the HALT Fentanyl Act. The legislation would classify all fentanyl-related substances, also known as fentanyl analogues, as Schedule I drugs.

It will help with the fentanyl crossing the border, Griffith said. What the bad guys in the cartels have done is that they sometimes will play games with the formula and then try to argue in court, well, thats not really fentanyl, its a fentanyl analog and thats not covered by the law. This bill makes it permanently covered by the law as a Schedule I drug.

Griffith says the legislation would not affect the use of medicinal fentanyl and would allow for fentanyl-related research.

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The bill will be voted on by the House next week, according to the congressmans office.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Presenting the Union Budget, FM Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said. The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region. Emphasizing the UDAN scheme, Sitharaman said that it has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspiration for speedier travel. "The scheme has connected 88 ports, and airports and operationalized 619 routes," she said while announcing a modified version of the scheme. "Udaan has Inspired by that success, a modified Udaan scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry four crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly aspirational and northeastern regional districts," FM Sitharaman said. In her budget speech, she said Budget 2025 continues the government's efforts to accelerate growth, inclusive development, private sector investments, uplift household sentiments, and enhance the spending power of India's rising middle-class. The budget session of parliament that began on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4. The budget speech outlined the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements. (ANI)
The newest elected mayor in Grover Beach also happens to be its youngest  but experience isnt something shes concerned about.

With her win in a three-way race between herself, City Councilmember Robert Robert and former Mayor Debbie Peterson in the 2024 mayoral election, Mayor Kassi Dee became the youngest mayor in the towns 65-year history.

Dee, 30, grew up in Grover Beach and attended Arroyo Grande High School before attending Allan Hancock College. From there, she took over her grandmother Nan Fowlers bookstore on West Grand Avenue, Nans Books and Crystals.

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Following a contentious mayoral race, Dee said she can improve the city governments relationship with residents and introduce the perspective of a younger generation of Grover Beach residents to the City Council.

I hope that I can be that first domino drop to show other individuals that you dont have to be a certain age to run for office and win, Dee said. You can have pink hair  what matters is your experience, your knowledge and your dedication to the job and to the community that you want to serve.

Decorations including a proclamation from California State Representative Dawn Addis and a Barbie-themed nameplate for new Grover Beach Mayor Kassi Dee sit on a shelf at Nans Books and Crystals on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Dee was elected in 2024 as the youngest mayor in the history of Grover Beach.

Growing pains of Grover Beach to present challenges, mayor says

With just three City Council meetings under her belt as of the end of January, Dee said shes still getting the hang of the flow of running a city day-to-day, but isnt completely without experience in that respect.

While her age stands out among her peers across San Luis Obispo Countys elected officials, Dee said shes taken leading her city seriously all her life. Most recently, that translated to serving as chair of the Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission starting in 2021 and on the board of the 5 Cities Homeless Coalition in 2022.

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She served on the South County Chambers of Commerce board in 2022 and 2023 and was Assemblymember Dawn Addis 2024 woman of the year.

Dee said that experience in business and local government gives her the right background to be an effective communicator to the public and an advocate for local businesses.

With the redevelopment of Grover Beachs downtown area along West Grand Avenue ongoing, Dee said one of her more significant challenges will be navigating the growing pains of a city torn between its roots as a small beach town and meeting the need to expand housing and business.

A major part of meeting those challenges will be revisiting the water and sewer rates that were at the core of the 2024 election, she said.

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The passage of Measure G-24 by voters in November has constrained the citys ability to carry out its Measure K-14 infrastructure projects, which go hand-in-hand with needed sewer system improvements, Dee said.

The previous effort to raise water and sewer rates in 2023 to pay for the Central Coast Blue water sustainability project proved unpopular enough to recall a sitting councilmember, so Dee said outreach and good communication with Grover Beach residents will be essential if the city wants to keep streets and other infrastructure in good shape.

While the Grand Avenue construction has proved challenging for business owners along that stretch, Dee said shes hopeful the city can maintain its existing businesses while making room for expansion. It also plans to pursue a new grant to provide affected businesses with some financial aid.

I hope that brings a lot of opportunity for new businesses, Dee said. As a business owner, I know how much it means to us when we get improvements to our buildings, so Im hoping that that is something that intrigues businesses to come into Grover Beach and thrive here.

Nans in Grover Beach takes pride in never repeating a joke on its Grand Avenue sign.

What does the future hold?

Dee said government accessibility and transparency  an issue that frequently came up during the water and sewer rate raises  will be a priority for her term in office.

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She plans to hold office hours on the third Saturday of each month at businesses around the community. The first of such office hours was held Jan. 18 at the new Dulce Cafe.

I think that in the past couple of years, Grover Beach has gone through a lot, Dee said. And bringing back the trust and the unity is probably my biggest task at hand.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB)  The Gulf Coast State College District Board of Trustees voted to fly the American flags at half-staff on all campuses for the upcoming week in honor of Mr. Don Crisp.

Mr. Crisp served as a trustee for Gulf Coast State College for eight years, beginning in 2014. He held that position of chair for two of those years. His commitment to the college and its mission has left a lasting impact on the college and the community it serves.

Remembering Don Crisp: His impact on Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

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We are deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Crisp, whose leadership and vision greatly benefited Gulf Coast State College, Bill Cramer, District Board of Trustees Chair said.

The flag will remain at half-staff for one week to honor Mr. Crisps memory and to reflect the gratitude of the Gulf Coast State College family for his years of service.

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HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now)  Black History Month is an occasion for Janice Kelsh to salute her fathers World War II service. She is chronicling his remarkable contributions to the community.

At the Doleman Black Heritage Museum here Kelsh spends time organizing 159 letters from her father written while he was on the battlefront. He wore the U.S. Army uniform is England, Tunisia, Corsica and Italy.

His letters told a love story, says Kelsh, because he wrote to a sweetheart who lived next door. He ended up marrying that neighbor and she is my mother!

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Kelsh lost her mother at a young age. The war veterans daughters were 12, 13 and 14 at the time.

He was such a wonderful father, Kelsh says. He loved his girls. We were daddys little girls.

When Kelsh returned home form the war he opened a diner on Hagerstowns west side, famous for his steamers, or Sloppy Joes.

He used a lot of onions, Janice exclaims. You could smell it coming!

Among her fathers treasures she uncovered were his recipes as a cook for troops on the front.

I have that original menu, Kelsh says, from Christmas 1944 that he was the preparer for.

Alesia Parson with the museum here has fond memories of the returning soldier and diner operator.

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He was community-minded, Parson recalls. He looked out for all of us. It was a very sad day when he passed in our neighborhood. I remember that day. We all felt the loss.

Later this year Janice Kelsh plans to publish the book about her fathers letters from Europe during the war.

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Hamas has released a third hostage, US-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, into the care of Red Cross representatives in the Gaza Strip.

Live television broadcasts showed Siegel handed over by Hamas militants to the aid workers in Gaza City.

Siegel, 65, was kidnapped from his home along with his wife Aviva during the Hamas-led massacres on October 7, 2023. Militants drove the Siegels into the Gaza Strip in their own car at gunpoint.

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Aviva was released along with some 100 other hostages during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023.

Two Israeli men - Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Calderon - were earlier freed on Saturday in the city of Khan Younis, as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that has been in effect for nearly two weeks.

With Siegel's release, Saturday's hostage handovers were complete.

Both the transfer in Khan Younis and the one in Gaza City proceeded calmly on Saturday morning - unlike the chaotic conditions surrounding the release of Israeli and Thai hostages on Thursday, when crowds swarmed around the frightened-looking captives.

After these threatening scenes, Israel demanded that the countries that brokered the ceasefire agreement compel Hamas to keep the transfers orderly.
Yarden Bibas, an Israeli father who was kidnapped by Hamas along with his wife and two young children, has faced an unbearable reality after being released by the terror group without his family.

Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, said he was deeply concerned for the wellbeing of Shiri Bibas and her two sons  Ariel, five, and Kfir, two, who was only nine-months-old when he was taken by Hamas gunmen.

Mr Bibas, 35, was handed over on Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel as well as American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54.

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Under the agreement, living women and children taken hostage by Hamas should have been freed first.

The terror group has said that the three other members of the Bibas family were killed in an air strike but Israel has been unable to verify this claim.

The assertion could be a cruel psychological ploy as Hamas also said that soldier Daniella Gilboa had been killed, when in fact she was alive, before her release last week.

Israel demanded information from mediators who brokered the ceasefire in Gaza on Saturday surrounding the fate of the Bibas family.

In a statement, Gal Hirsch, Israels hostage coordinator, said: Yarden has returned home. But his wife Shiri and his children Ariel and Kfir have not. We have been searching for them for a long time, tracking their traces and investigating their fate.

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The Bibas family... has been living in constant fear for their lives for a long time...We continue to demand information about their condition from the mediators.

Images of Shiris kidnap and the two red-headed boys  the youngest hostages held by the terror organisation  have become symbols of the most deadly day for the Jewish community since the Holocaust.

Family remains incomplete

A statement from the Bibas family read: A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months. There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him and hearing his voice. Yarden has returned home but the home remains incomplete.

Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity and returned to an unbearable reality.

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On Saturday, Mr Herzog said: We all remain deeply concerned for the fate of our beloved Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas  as an entire nation we hold them in our hearts.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, also voiced concern for the family. Our thoughts remain with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir, and all the hostages. We will continue to act to bring them all home, he wrote on X.

It marked a day of bittersweet celebrations in Israel.

Ofer Kalderon is reunited with his children - Israel Defense Forces

Mr Kalderon, a French-Israeli, returned to his family and two young sons Sahar and Erez, who were kidnapped but freed in November 2023.

Mr Siegal went back to his four children, five grandchildren and wife Aviva, who was also released from captivity in the first ceasefire deal.

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Hamas has said that eight of the remaining 20 hostages set to be released under the first phase of the ceasefire deal are dead. After this initial stage, there will still be 79 hostages left behind.

Saturdays release was a more controlled affair following outrage from Israel and US-led negotiators when hostages were passed to the Red Cross after being paraded through baying crowds and flanked by dozens of masked gunmen.

Roi Avishai, a father of four, was among hundreds to come and anxiously watch the day unfold on the big screens in Tel Avivs Hostage Square.

He told The Telegraph: I cant imagine as a father what [Mr Bibas] must be feeling right now. This is a horrific tool of psychological warfare to release him into this unknown, with no clarification of whether his wife and children are murdered or alive.

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Its a nightmare for all of us and for him, its hell.

Zeev Yanay, another father whose sons are 11 and 13, said his children are hoping that the young Bibas boys will be released alive.

I think that the Bibas boys have a weight in that the children are more able to relate to the situation, he said. The Bibas boys is an issue they talk about. Theyre very excited about them coming back but I told them you have to be prepared as there are chances theyre not alive.

Thats a heavy weight to carry but thats our reality.

Mr Bibas is pictured in a helicopter following his release - X/AvivaKlompa

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Dr Hagai Levine, a member of the hostages medical team, said that after 484 days in captivity, the priority is ensuring the mental health of those being freed.

Some had background illnesses without medications. We know about the starvation and the mental burden and torture they went through. Many went through hell-like situations, he said on Saturday.

Obviously for Yarden [Mr Bibas] there is the worry for his close family so number one is checking their mental status. I dont think we can conclude anyone is looking well based on photos  we dont know whats going on inside in terms of the soul or the body. It will be a long process of rehabilitation.

Trump suggests Gaza clean out

Alongside the three Israeli hostages, 183 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel as part of the agreement, several of whom were serving life sentences for murder or terror charges. This takes the total of prisoners released so far to 583.

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In exchange for 33 Israeli hostages to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire, Israel agreed to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Some of them will be sent to Gaza, others to the West Band and East Jerusalem, while others will be exiled to countries such as Turkey.

On Saturday, the Rafah border crossing  a key logistical route for Hamas, which was closed during the war  was opened to allow the transfer of 50 wounded Hamas militants to Egypt to receive treatment, along with three accompanying family members each.

The same day Hamas responded to a suggestion by Donald Trump, the US president, to clean out Gaza by relocating as many as 1.5 million residents of the enclave. He said: The insistence of the American administration on displacement projects represents a recipe for more chaos and tension in the region.

04:19 PM GMT

Egypts Sisi and Trump share positive dialogue on Gaza deal

Egypts President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Donald Trump had a positive conversation on the phone, the Egyptian presidency spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.

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The issues including the importance of continuing to implement the first and second phases of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and consolidating it, the statement said.

Mr Sisi and Mr Trump agreed on the importance of continuous coordination and cooperation between the two countries, it said.

02:39 PM GMT

How many hostages are still in Gaza and who has been released?

On Oct 7 2023, Hamas terrorists flooded across the border into southern Israel, killing close to 1,200 people and dragging 251 hostages back to Gaza.

Now, more than 15 months on, Israel believes 87 hostages are still being held, 53 of whom are believed to still be alive. Families have been separated from babies, grandparents, mothers, brothers and friends. As part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on Jan 19, Hamas has promised to release the hostages in stages in return for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Here, we put faces to the names of the living and the lost and tell their stories

Read the full story

01:41 PM GMT

Five Arab foreign ministers reject forced displacement of Palestinians

Top diplomats from Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar rejected any forcible displacement of Palestinians during a meeting in Cairo on Saturday, according to a joint statement.

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The meeting came after US President Donald Trump floated an idea to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Egypt and Jordan.

The foreign ministers rejected any infringement of the inalienable rights of Palestinians, whether by settlement, expulsion, home demolitions, annexation, depopulation of the land of its people through displacement, encouraged transfer or the uprooting of Palestinians from their land.

Both Egypt and Jordan - key US allies in the region - have repeatedly rejected Mr Trumps proposal to clean out the Gaza Strip.

01:28 PM GMT

Israel demands information from mediators on Bibas family after fathers release

Israel on Saturday demanded information from mediators who brokered the ceasefire in Gaza about the fate of three family members of freed hostage Yarden Bibas.

Yarden has returned home. But his wife Shiri and his children Ariel and Kfir have not. We have been searching for them for a long time, tracking their traces and investigating their fate, Gal Hirsch, Israels hostage coordinator, said in a statement.

The Bibas family... has been living in constant fear for their lives for a long time... We continue to demand information about their condition from the mediators.

01:07 PM GMT

Yarden Bibas holds message of thanks to Israelis

Israels military published a photo of recently freed hostage Yarden Bibas in a military helicopter shortly after his release Saturday, holding a sign thanking Israelis for their support.

I thank all the people of Israel for the support and help. Ive heard from my family that you fought for me, read the message Mr Bibas held up to the camera.

Mr Bibas, 35, returned to Israel without his wife, Shiri Bibas, or his two boys, Kfir and Ariel, who remain in captivity.

The familys plight  and the two boys with their shocks of ginger hair  have captivated Israelis, and Yardens release dims hopes that the three others are alive.

Bibas hostage in the helicopter after being released. https://x.com/AvivaKlompas/status/1885655968748278259

12:23 PM GMT

Buses carrying Palestinian arrive in Khan Younis

Buses carrying Palestinian prisoners have been arriving in Khan Younis, Gaza, after they were freed by Israel earlier today.

The prisoners, dressed in grey prison uniforms, were greeted by hundreds of Gazans who gathered around the buses as they approached the citys European Hospital.

The Palestinian Prisoners Club advocacy group had said Israel would free 183 prisoners Saturday.

12:10 PM GMT

Ofer Kalderon reunites with four children

Ofer Kalderon has reunited with his four children after he was released by Hamas this morning.

Mr Kalderon,54, was pictured hugging his children at a hospital where he has been sent for medical treatment.

He was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his daughters, Sahar and Erez, who were later freed during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023.

Ofer Kalderon reunites with his children - Israel Defense Forces

11:57 AM GMT

Palestinians passed through Rafah, says Gaza health ministry

The health ministry in Gaza said 50 Palestinian patients went through the Rafah crossing to Egypt on Saturday, as the key gateway reopened as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Egyptian state-linked channel Al-Qahera News showed footage of the first of 50 evacuees and 53 companions, including a child with an autoimmune disease, crossing the border into Egypt to receive treatment.

From the medical files, 50 were approved by Egypt. We hope for this number to increase, said Muhammad Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals.

We now have 6,000 cases ready to be transferred, and more than 12,000 cases that are in dire need of treatment.

The Rafah crossing had been closed since Israel seized its Palestinian side in May.

11:40 AM GMT

Israel says it has freed all 183 Palestinian prisoners as part of ceasefire swap

Israels Prison Authority said all 183 Palestinian prisoners slated for release today have been freed as part of a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Most, including 111 arrested after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, were released to Gaza. Just over two dozen returned to cheering crowds in the occupied West Bank. Another seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.

10:48 AM GMT

First Palestinian patients to be allowed to leave Gaza will cross into Egypt

The first Palestinian patients to be allowed to leave Gaza, including children suffering from cancer and heart conditions, were expected to cross over to Egypt in a bus provided by the World Health Organization.

The Rafah crossing on the southern border was the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May.

A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the crossings reopening, which would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire

10:27 AM GMT

BBC apologises after calling Hamas hostages prisoners

The BBC has apologised after a presenter said Israeli hostages held by Hamas were prisoners, writes Tim Sigsworth.

Nicky Schiller, an anchor on the BBC News channel, told viewers on Friday that three Israeli prisoners were due to be released by the terror group on Saturday. The three men  Yarden Bibas, 35, Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Keith Siegel, 65  were all taken hostage by Hamas during the Oct 7 terror attacks in 2023. Shortly after 11am, Mr Schiller told viewers: Confirmation in the last couple of hours, first from Hamas, that three Israeli prisoners, all men this time, will be released tomorrow and then we will see 90 Palestinian prisoners freed from Israeli jails.

Read the full story here

10:07 AM GMT

Crowds cheer as Palestinian prisoners arrive in West Bank

The Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived in the West Bank by bus to cheering crowds and supporters.

The bus departed Ofer Military Prison with some 32 prisoners for the West Bank. As they arrived in Beitunia, a suburb in the West Bank, dressed in grey tracksuits and many sporting long beards, they were carried through the crowd to cheers and waves.

According to Palestinian authorities, a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners are to be released today, including dozens serving lengthy sentences or life sentences, and 111 people from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after Oct. 7, 2023 and held without trial. About 150 other prisoners were being sent to Gaza or deported.

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel is cheered upon his arrival in Ramallah - AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

A freed Palestinian prisoner is greeted after his release - REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman

09:56 AM GMT

Israel releases Palestinian prisoners

The release of 183 Palestinian prisoners by Israel is underway.

They are part of a phased release of prisoners for hostages held by Hamas.

09:45 AM GMT

Footage shows Yarden Bibas reuniting with family

Yarden Bibas was seen hugging and kissing members of his family after he was released by Hamas this morning.

Footage released by Israels Channel 12 shows Mr Bibas dressed in a black jumper appearing relieved yet withdrawn as he was escorted by Israeli army personnel to meet his family.

Mr Bibas was abducted along with his wife and two children by Hamas on Oct 7, 2023. Israeli authorities had expected his wife, Shiri, and two sons Ariel , five, and Kfir, two, to have been released by now in line with the terms of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal. The fact they havent has provoked grave concerns over their fate, Israeli authorities have said.

  | :       pic.twitter.com/HHNMdwbx81   - N12 (@N12News) February 1, 2025

09:20 AM GMT

IDF receives Keith Siegal

The Israeli army says it has now received Keith Siegal, the third of todays hostages to be released by Hamas.

A short while ago, the returning civilian hostage, Keith Siegel, crossed the border into Israeli territory accompanied by IDF [army] and ISA [security agency] forces, the military said in a statement.

Mr Siegal was freed earlier today along with Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54.

All were paraded on stages and seen waving to crowds before being handed over to the Red Cross and transported to Israel.

09:15 AM GMT

How many hostages have been released since ceasefire?

Saturdays release of three Israeli hostages takes the total since a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel was agreed two weeks ago to 18.

Four hundred Palestinian prisoners have also been released by Israel in return for the deal to end the war in Gaza.

Negotiations are due to start by Tuesday on agreements for the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a second phase of the deal.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 children, women and older male hostages as well as sick and injured, were due to be released, with more than 60 men of military age left for a second phase which must still be negotiated.

The initial six-week ceasefire, agreed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States, has so far stayed on track despite a number of incidents that have led both sides to accuse the other of violating the deal.

The Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage, according to Israeli figures.

Israels campaign in response has destroyed much of the densely populated Gaza Strip and killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities.

A man and a woman watch the hostage releases on a screen in Tel Aviv - JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

08:59 AM GMT

Macron shares joy of Gaza hostage Ofer Kalderons release

French President Emmanuel Macron said he shared the immense relief and joy of the family of Ofer Kalderon after they were put through 483 days of unimaginable hell.

Mr Macron hailed the release of the French Israeli hostage by Hamas early on Saturday and said France was still trying to secure the release of another of its nationals, Ohad Yaholomi.

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his loved ones after 483 days of unimaginable hell, he said.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything it can to achieve his release without delay.

08:37 AM GMT

All three Israeli hostages scheduled for release today now freed

Hamas has now released all three Israeli hostages scheduled to be released today as part of the fourth instalment of a ceasefire deal.

Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas were paraded on a stage before being released to the Red Cross in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, before Keith Siegel was freed in a similar ceremony at Gaza Citys port in the north.

It is the latest stage of a phased exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Yarden Biba being released by Hamas earlier on Saturday

08:26 AM GMT

Keith Siegel waves on stage

The 65-year-old looked thin and unsteady on his feet as he walked on a stage and briefly waved before being led off by Hamas fighters.

Siegel was then taken by both arms and handed over to the Red Cross at Gaza Port.

The scenes were more controlled and muted after negotiators demanded an end to Hamas showmanship of previous releases.

Palestinian Hamas militants release Keith Siegel on Saturday - REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

08:24 AM GMT

Hamas frees third hostage Keith Siegel

Hamas has freed the third hostage Keith Siegel, an American Israeli who was captured on Oct 7.

A drone views shows Palestinians and Hamas militants gathering on the day of the release of Keith Siegel - REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

08:18 AM GMT

We are overwhelmed with joy, say family of freed hostage Ofer Kalderon

The family of freed Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon say they are overwhelmed with joy, relief and emotion after his release by Hamas this morning.

Mr Kalderon was kidnapped on Oct 7 by the terrorist group and held in captivity for 484 days.

Today, we finally embrace Ofer, seeing and truly comprehending that he is here with us, the family said in a statement.

We have witnessed how, through extraordinary mental strength, he survived this hell. Ofer endured months in a nightmare, and we are proud of his ability to survive and hold onto the hope of embracing his children again.

Mr Kalderons release comes as part of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect two weeks ago.

The family of Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon celebrate as they watch a broadcast of his release - AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

08:07 AM GMT

Keith Siegel expected to be third hostage released later

The American-Israeli Keith Siegel is expected to be transferred later to Israel as the third hostage to be released by Hamas today.

The Israeli military confirmed it had received French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, and Yarden Bibas, 35, after they were released to the Red Cross earlier today.

Mr Bibas is the father of the two youngest hostages, baby Kfir, only 9 months old when he was kidnapped by Hamas-led gunmen on Oct. 7, 2023, and Ariel, who was 4 at the time of the cross-border attack.

07:58 AM GMT

In pictures: Hamas arrive in Gaza City to release hostages

Hamas fighters greet the crowds - Anadolu

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HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  Three years after 3-year-old Codi Bigsby was reported missing, activists continue to honor his memory and advocate for justice.

Codis father, Cory Bigsby, was convicted last June of second-degree murder and hiding Codis dead body and is serving a 45-year prison sentence for his sons death, and Cory Bigsby still faces additional child abuse charges, with a trial set to begin Tuesday.

Prosecutors revealed during the trial that Bigsby waited nearly seven months before reporting Codi missing in January 2022. The childs body has never been found.

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Nancy Strickland, an organizer with the group We Are Codis Voice, emphasized the communitys commitment to remembering Codi.

Codi is on my mind all the timeChristmas, his anniversary, his birthday, she said.

Codis case has also led to legislative changes. The CODI Alert, named in his honor, was passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2024. This alert is issued for missing children who do not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert.

We were able to get the CODI Alert passed unanimously through the House and Senate, activist Japharii Jones said. Since it has been activated last September, to our knowledge, it has helped find seven kids.

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Activists are determined to continue their fight, pressing for answers about Codis disappearance.

We got justice for Codi, Strickland said. Now, its time for his father to tell us where he is.

For full coverage and timeline of Bigsbys case, click here.

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As the Delhi Assembly election inches closer, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday appealed to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters to vote for AAP in the upcoming election to continue benefiting from the welfare schemes introduced by his government. Sharing an encounter with a BJP supporter, the former Delhi Chief Minister said, "A few days ago, I met a staunch BJP supporter who asked me, 'Arvind ji, what if you lose?' I smiled and replied, 'What will happen to you if I lose?' I asked where his children studied, and he said they attended government schools because the schools are better now and the teachers are good." Kejriwal claimed that if AAP loses the election, Delhi residents would face additional expenses of around Rs 25,000. "I asked him, 'In which BJP-ruled state are the schools better than ours?' He replied, 'None.' I told him that if I lose this election, free electricity, free water, free healthcare, free bus rides for women, and quality education would all stop, costing you around Rs25,000," Kejriwal added. "I asked him to forget about politics and think about his family. He said, 'I'll vote for you in this election but will not leave the BJP.," he added. Reiterating that a BJP government would halt all welfare schemes, Kejriwal said, "I appeal to all BJP supporters: if the BJP forms the government, all our schemes will be stopped. It will cost you around Rs25,000. Do you have this much money? Can you bear this loss? I don't think so. As your brother, I appeal to you to vote for AAP in this election. It's your choice whether to leave the BJP or not, but vote for us." Ahead of the Delhi election, AAP leaders have consistently urged voters not to support the BJP, claiming that welfare schemes will be discontinued if the BJP comes to power. However, top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have refuted these claims, asserting that all welfare schemes will continue. The 70 assembly seats in Delhi will go to polls on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. (ANI)
Matthew Keirans lived as William Woods for 33 years, until he was caught.

The man who stole the identity of another man and had been living a life under a fake name in Hartland has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

Matthew David Keirans, 59, had been living in Hartland for at least the last 15 years but was using the name William Donald Woods. Keirans stole Woods' name and Social Security number when the two worked together at a hot dog cart in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 37 years ago.

According to prosecutors, Keirans used Woods' name for insurance, loans, credit and driver's licenses. He even paid taxes in the false name.

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Meanwhile, the real Woods was imprisoned, institutionalized and considered "crazy" after pleading his case for decades that Keirans stole his wallet in 1988. Woods said Keirans returned the wallet, though, after he confronted and threatened Keirans, but also didn't think anything of it.

Keirans obtained remote employment in the IT department at the University of Iowa Hospital, where he made over $140,000 a year, using Woods' identity. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in April to two counts related to the identity theft scheme.

In 2019, Woods, who had been homeless at the time, tried to report the fraud to a bank in Los Angeles, but after presenting his real ID and Social Security card to the manager, he failed to correctly answer security questions from the bank and the manager called the Los Angeles Police Department.

LAPD called Keirans, who told police that he hadn't given anyone in California access to the accounts and even faxed phony identification documents to the LAPD, prosecutors said.

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The LAPD arrested the real Woods, and prosecutors charged him in Keirans' name and held him without bail at the Los Angeles County Jail. What followed was months of court proceedings where the real Woods would beg with authorities that they had the wrong person. A California judge ruled Woods was not mentally competent to stand trial because he kept saying he wasn't Keirans, and the judge placed the real Woods in a state-run psychiatric facility. He was also prescribed medication, records show.

In March 2021, Woods pleaded no contest to two felony charges and was released on time served. He spent 147 days in the mental hospital, in addition to 428 days in county jail, for a total of 575 days institutionalized. As a parting gift, a California court ordered the real Woods to go by "Matthew Keirans" in the future, prosecutors said.

For the next two years, Woods tried to reclaim his identity and Keirans continued to make false statements to law enforcement in Wisconsin and California. Then in January 2023, Woods found out Keirans was working at the Iowa hospital.

The real Woods calls Keirans' job to report him

Woods reported to the university compliance office that employee "William David Woods" is not who he says he is. He told them he is the real Woods. That same day, university police opened an investigation.

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Police were able to confirm Woods' story through DNA testing and after an elderly Kentucky man came forward to claim the real Woods as his son. Keirans was taken into custody in Johnson County, Iowa, on July 17, 2023.

Keirans originally insisted that Woods was "crazy" and "needed help and should be locked up" but eventually admitted in his interview with a detective to using Woods' identity in "every aspect of his life," prosecutors said.

My life is over, Keirans said, when shown the DNA results.

Keirans said he provided fraudulent documents to authorities in Los Angeles to help in the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of the real Woods. He obtained Woods' birth certificate from the state of Kentucky using information he found on Ancestry.com.

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He also filed an additional report with the Hartland Police Department. Records show Keirans applied for multiple loans and credit lines using Woods' identity over the years. He also committed other criminal acts and identified himself as Woods.

Although the U.S. Attorney's Office said Keirans was an administrator at the hospital, a hospital representative told The Gazette in Cedar Rapids he was not a senior leader in the organization.

Keirans worked as a systems architect in the hospitals IT department from June 28, 2013, to July 20, 2023, when he was terminated for misconduct related to the investigation. In 2023, his salary was $140,501, according to the hospital.

Keiran married and had a child, all as Woods. His family and his friends wrote letters to the court saying they were shocked by the allegations and asked for leniency.

Matthew Keirans married Nancy Zimmer in 1994.

According to a report from the Associated Press, Keirans had a rocky childhood, ran away from home at 16, stole a car in San Francisco and was arrested in Oregon but never appeared in court. There's no records of him using the last name Keirans after 1988.

The real Woods delivers victim impact statement

Keirans was sentenced in Cedar Rapids Friday to 144 months imprisonment and fined $10,000. He was ordered to make $6,191 in restitution the victim and ordered to repay $10,000 in court-appointed attorney fees. Keirans must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.

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The real Woods was at the sentencing hearing to deliver a victim impact statement.

"They sent me to jail for nothing," Woods said to the judge. "For being myself."

Woods told reporters that Keirans' sentence was "what he deserves."

A general view of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday.

Keirans attorney argued in a court filing Woods tried to steal thousands of dollars from his client, and described Woods as a wrongdoer whose own conduct should mitigate any sympathy felt for him."

The hearing was presided over by U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa Chief Judge C.J. Williams. He delivered a scathing review of the case, calling Keirans' behavior "callous" and that the identity fraud was "unique, unusual and egregious."

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Williams emphasized several times that Keirans "weaponized the criminal justice system" against the real Woods. The judge said Keirans pushed prosecutors to charge Woods with a crime despite knowing he could have revealed the decades-long plot and owned up to his crime. Keirans instead "manipulated" prosecutors in California to charge "an innocent man."

Williams said "not a shred of evidence" exists to indicate Woods was aware of the money in the accounts Keirans had opened. The judge said there was no basis for Woods to face criminal prosecution.

He criticized Keirans' statement to the court, in which he said, "I'd like to apologize to anyone I hurt," and "I can't change the past. I can't do or say anything to make it right." Keirans never mentioned Woods by name, which the judge said showed a "lack of remorse for his actions."

Williams was critical of Keirans and the California prosecutors who imprisoned Woods. The judge said Keirans "continuously and doggedly" prodded prosecutors about the progress of the investigations and court cases against Woods, depriving Woods of "priceless" freedom.

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"But for the defendant's insistence, Woods would not have been prosecuted," Williams said.

Williams said no evidence suggests Keirans abused the UIHC systems throughout his role in the IT department.

The original motive for identity theft "seems clear," Williams said, given a past history of crimes committed by Keirans under his given name.

Woods, 56, now lives in Albuquerque, where he works as a landscaper. He said he plans to seek compensation for his wrongful incarceration.

My main goal, he said, is to rebuild my life.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hartland, Wisconsin, identity thief sentenced to 12 years in prison
HAWKINS, Texas (KETK)  In the wake of an eventful month for Hawkins, including the resignation of the citys third police chief and increasing calls to disband the police department, Mayor Deborah Rushing now faces growing pressure to step down.

Hawkins man turns self in for posting city council members phone number

Rushing, who took office as mayor in April 2024 for the small town of Hawkins (population 1,401), is now named in a lawsuit filed by Shahaub Tafreshinejad, son of Alderwoman Eleta Taylor, seeking her removal from office.

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The 26-page lawsuit, obtained by KETK News, alleges that Rushing displayed early signs of incompetence and misconduct due to issues such as illegal dual-office holding. Specifically, the lawsuit claims Rushing simultaneously served as both the mayor and municipal judge, a position forbidden by law.

Her claiming she didnt know well you just admitted incompetence. Its your job to know as mayor, to me theres a lot of word salad coming from her and no accountability, plaintiff, Shahaub Tafreshinejad said.

The document also accuses Rushing of repeatedly using her mayoral position to place herself on the city councils agenda, despite lacking the necessary support. The lawsuit details how, after multiple failed attempts to get on the agenda, Rushings persistence led to an unwilling council decision to appoint her, described as occurring under duress following what was characterized as borderline harassment from Rushing.

At a December 2024 city council meeting, Alderwoman Eleta Taylor raised questions about a $600 check Rushing issued to herself for her work as municipal judge, noting that it is illegal for one person to hold both offices simultaneously. In response, Rushing reportedly said, I dont know why it would be. I did the work.

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Taylor shot back, It was illegal for you to receive payment.

Rushing then reportedly responded, Yall put me in. Im supposed to pay for your mistake.

She held the dual office for three months.

Rushing told KETK News that she immediately stepped down as municipal judge when she learned that she could not hold both positions.

When I realized you cant be the mayor and the judge, I stopped being the judge, Rushing said.

Now, Tafreshinejad is requesting the court to put a temporary restraining order and an injunction to remove Rushing from her duties as she allegedly poses an immediate danger to public safety and the welfare of the community.

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Hawkins police chief resigns, marking third chief to step down in 3 years

Tafreshinejad cites the ongoing misconduct, numerous instances that Rushing reportedly disregarded the laws and a pattern of behavior that demonstrates her willingness to deprive the council of their rights that disrupts government function, as reasons for the restraining order.

In light of the lawsuit, Rushing said her focus is on serving the citizens. She dismissed the charges against her as baseless and reiterated her commitment to transparency and accountability in local government.

I do not take one minute of being the mayor of Hawkins for granted. I am here for a purpose and its not about me. Its about every citizen of Hawkins. To be completely honest the charges are ridiculous. I am not responsible for the feelings of people that hate me. That is their hate and anger to process. I will continue what I am doing, which is serving the citizens of Hawkins and allowing them to run their city. I truly believe that giving our citizens a look inside the city budgets, financials, ordinances, policies, and whatever else they want to see is not only healthy -it is the mayors and councils responsibility. It keeps everyone honest and isnt that what we all want, our government to be ran open, honestly? Mayor Debbie Rushing

Tafreshinejad said his final straw to file a petition, was when Rushing pushed to deactivate the police department on Jan. 22.

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Hawkins city council votes to retain police department despite mayors opposition

You cant interfere with an ongoing investigations by destroying the departments that are investigating it because you dont like who their investigating, Tafreshinejad said.

Rushing said the investigations would not go away, but would be handed to another law enforcement office.

He worries for the future of the city under mayor Rushing.

Shes gonna govern with impunity and no fear of the law, Tafreshinejad said.

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HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN)  Hays CISD will soon add affordable housing options for district teachers and staff.

During a recent meeting, the Hays CISD board of trustees approved a master lease agreement with developer Upward Communities to build more than 300 homes.

In this initial phase of this community we are looking at up to 300 homes for now, said Christina Courson, Chief Human Resources Officer with Hays CISD.

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Courson says as the district continues to see rapid growth, they have to make sure teachers stay in the district and programs like this could help.

The pace of the growth is fast and so it is recruiting those teachers to be here to meet that growth, but at the same time it is about retaining our amazing teachers

and ensuring that they remain in our district and continue to serve our students.

The units would include different floor plans with monthly rents under market value, according to the district.

Courson told KXAN that Hays CISD will have the ability to lease all of the units and be able to reserve units for Hays CISD employees.

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Rents are projected to be well below market rates, likely falling within the 50-80% AMI range to ensure affordability of HAYS staff, said Upward Communities.

A location for the development has not been announced at this time.

Hays CISD says they could see units in about 18 months if all goes according to plan.

Other Texas school districts have made similar moves. The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District, which is based in the town of Pecos in Reeves County, built its own 64-unit teacher housing complex.

More locally, the Eanes ISD board approved in December 2023 a partnership with the Texas Workforce Housing Foundation to find affordable housing.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  While driving in the dark, many motorists have experienced being blinded by the headlights of an oncoming car.

The Ohio Revised Code and federal guidelines shed some light on what is legal when it comes to headlight brightness, as well as colors of headlamps and potential car accessories such as Christmas lights.

Ohios headlight standards

Ohios law regarding headlights requires a cars high beams to be bright enough to reveal a person or vehicle at least 350 feet away, and a cars low beam headlights to be bright enough to reveal at least 100 feet ahead. The law also requires drivers to turn off their high beams when approaching another vehicle.

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Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver, the Ohio Revised Code states.

While a specific maximum brightness for headlights is not specified in Ohio law, the United States Department of Transportation sets federal guidelines followed by all states.

The USDOT requires the intensity of headlights to sit between 500 and 3,000 candelas. A candela is a unit of measurement for the intensity of light thats pointed in a specific direction, with one candela roughly emitting the same brightness as one lit candle.

Federal guidelines do allow LED lights if the car came that way from its manufacturer, but they are not approved as replacement bulbs. LED lights typically emit a whiter and brighter light than other kinds of headlights. Once again, LED headlights cannot exceed the federal standard of 3,000 candelas.

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The USDOT and Society of Automotive Engineers certify what headlights are legal; as long as a headlight is labeled DOT or SAE approved, they are legal in all states.

Other rules regarding headlights in Ohio law include that front-facing headlights, excluding turn signals, spot lights and auxiliary lights, must be white or amber. Cars are permitted to have one spotlight that does not light more than 100 feet in front of the vehicle. Vehicles may also have no more than three auxiliary lights mounted on its frontside.

The state law also mandates drivers have their headlights on from sunset to sunrise, as well as anytime their windshield wipers are in use.

Are Christmas lights allowed on cars?

While there is not a specific state law banning Christmas lights on cars, the type of lights and way they are distributed could violate certain sections of the Ohio Revised Code.

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Vehicles cannot have more than five lights on the front of the car that are lit at the same time when driving on a highway. The Ohio Revised Code also prohibits flashing lights on vehicles, outside of turn signals and hazards, and excluding emergency vehicles as well as school buses.

Red and blue lights are also not allowed on cars except those used by law enforcement. To abide by the law, Christmas lights also cannot interfere with the visibility of headlights, tail lights or turn signals.

In Ohio, if an officer has reasonable suspicion someone has committed a crime, even a minor traffic offense, they are allowed to pull that person over. In most instances, those who violate headlight or other vehicle lighting guidelines in Ohio are guilty of a minor misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of a fine of up to $150.

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Students eat lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo on Jan. 22, 2025. (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor)

Universal free school meals are the focus of two bills in the North Dakota Legislature, with one set for a hearing on Monday.

Both bipartisan bills call for using state funds to pay for the cost of providing free breakfasts and lunches to all students. These bills would offer the free meals regardless of student family incomes. The expected cost is $140 million over two years.

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While the bills offer similar outcomes, they differ in where the state funds come from. House Bill 1475 uses money from the states general fund. House Bill 1553 taps the states Legacy Fund, paid for through taxes on oil and gas extractions.

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Offering free meals would address a number of concerns ranging from students ability to learn to easing family budgets, advocates say.

Students cant learn if theyre hungry, said Michelle Wagner of the North Dakota School Nutrition Association. And we know that many families are struggling to just keep up with grocery bills.

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In 2023-24, more than 15 million lunches were served to North Dakota school children in public, private and tribal schools. More than 5 million breakfasts were served. Advocates believe those numbers would go up if free meals were offered.

Momentum for the bills is bolstered by the work of the Together for School Meals, a coalition that includes the North Dakota School Nutrition Association, Great Plains Food Bank of North Dakota and local school boards.

Students eat lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo on Jan. 22, 2025. (Dan Koeck/For the North Dakota Monitor)

Robin Nelson, a member of the coalition and the Fargo School Board, said there is a growing recognition of the link between healthy meals and improved student outcomes.

For example, a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association reviewed information from over 11,000 schools with universal free school meals. It found that students were more likely to eat at lunchtime and that schools saw some improvements in attendance.

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Eight states provide free meals to students regardless of income level, according to the Food, Research and Action Center. Those are: California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont.

Overall, student engagement improves. Healthy meals lead to healthier students, which ultimately benefits the entire community, Nelson said.

It also will help ease growing costs for families, she said. For families who arent already eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, the bill would result in an approximate $850 savings per school-aged child.

In addition, offering universal free meals could benefit school budgets, she said.

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For example, Fargo Public Schools has about $120,000 in school meal debt at the end of the year, she said. If families dont or cant pay, school districts need to cover the debt out of general funds, Nelson said.

Sometimes a generous donor will help cover some of it, but thats not sustainable, she said.

Child nutrition programs across the state are currently self-funded. Any public or private school that participates in the National School Lunch Program receives federal cash subsidies and commodity foods. The rest of the costs, including labor and equipment, is covered through meal prices.

Both bills encourage school districts to adopt policies that would encourage families to complete federal paperwork needed for free and reduced-cost meals. This would ensure schools capture as much federal funding as possible and the entire costs dont fall to the state.

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Theres been some concern expressed that we could lose federal funding, Nelson said. We will work to make sure that doesnt happen.

During the 2023 legislative session, a similar free school meal bill failed to pass. In its place, legislators expanded eligibility for free meals to families who met 200% of the federal poverty line. This allowed more  but not all  students to receive free meals. That program has expired.

A recent poll commissioned by the North Dakota News Cooperative shows that 82% of respondents support free meals for students, a sentiment that cuts across political lines.

The time is right for this, Wagner said. With everything else families are facing, providing free school meals is one thing we can do to help.

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A hearing for House Bill 1475 is set for 2:30 p.m. Monday before the House Education Committee in the Coteau AB Room. Testimony can be submitted online until 1:30 p.m. Monday.

A hearing has not yet been scheduled for House Bill 1553.

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The deadly crash this week between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet that killed 67 has raised questions about the increasingly congested air traffic in the Washington region, as a spike in travel coincides with military flights in the area.

Commercial and military pilots have long shared a busy airspace over the nations capital. While human error appears to be a factor in the crash this week, questions are mounting about rules and regulations for handling military and civil aviation that may have contributed to the tragedy.

The plane that exploded over the Potomac River Wednesday night had been returning from Kansas to Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., an airport where flights have soared in the past decade. Last year, Congress passed a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that increased the number of flights at National Airport by 10.

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At the time, concerns were raised by lawmakers including from Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia, who warned that National Airport was already the busiest in the country and the bill was gambling with the safety of everyone who uses this airport.

Ive been very worried about this for a long time, and I continue to be worried about it, Kaine told reporters Thursday. Ive been very, very concerned about this, very complex airspace, commercial, military, the way security demands of being in the nations capital puts some significant restrictions on that.  Ive been praying that there wouldnt be something like last night.

Congress has generally restricted nonstop flights from National Airport outside of a 1,250-mile perimeter, leading longer flights to airports like Washington Dulles International Airport or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall. But over the years, Congress has continued chipping away at the limit to allow more flights outside the perimeter.

According to the latest data from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the number of flights, including military, around National Airport from January to November 2024 was 272,264, compared to 270,148 in the same time period in 2018, a slight increase.

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Brian Alexander, an aviation attorney at Kreindler & Kreindler and a former military helicopter pilot, said the air traffic congestion is part of a systemic problem in the region, which he called so unique and so potentially dangerous.

This is definitely one that should never happen, but its also one that I think people have feared for a long time, because, again, particularly in that airspace, it is heavily congested, he said. So many aviation safety advocates like myself have been screaming about it for so long.

The crash is the deadliest in the U.S. in 24 years, after a November 2001 American Airlines crash in New York killed 260 people.

Several failures appear to have contributed to this weeks crash, including understaffing of the air traffic controller tower directing flights, as reports indicated just one controller was directing traffic at the time of the crash around 9 p.m. Wednesday.

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But much of the attention has turned to the Black Hawk helicopter, which President Trump faulted for flying too high and not maneuvering out of the planes way as it was returning to National Airport.

The helicopter was flying higher than it should have been, which is one of the reasons that led to this collision, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday.

The crash is being investigated by the military, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA, and it will likely take months for a full picture to emerge. The NTSB said it can have a preliminary report within 30 days.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday there was a two-day pause on operations with the Army battalion involved in the crash amid the review. The helicopter was with the Armys Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

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The Sikorsky-made Black Hawk, which debuted in 1979, is the primary helicopter for the Army. While it has low crash rates compared to other similar aircraft, the helicopters have crashed before, including a 2023 collision between two Black Hawks that killed nine soldiers and forced the Army to address pressing flight concerns.

There are questions about why military helicopters share such a congested space with commercial jets, and whether there is enough buffer room for the two types of aircraft. But military aircraft flights appear to be fairly consistent, with the numbers relatively the same in 2024 compared to 2018, according to public data.

The Black Hawk was on a typical night training mission when the crash occurred, making a flight along a traditionally busy corridor.

The military has flown in the D.C. region for decades under the command of Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, established in 1921.

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Within those commands, the U.S. Army Aviation Brigade provides flights for the Armys senior leadership, Pentagon officials, combatant commanders and even members of Congress. They are based out of Davison Army Airfield, which was first built in 1949.

Trumps nominee for secretary of the Army, Daniel Driscoll, told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing Thursday that he would consider scaling back helicopter flights near National Airport.

Hegseth said the corridor for the military around National Airport can often be confusing at night because of a lot of ambient light, a lot of things happening around Reagan.

There can be depth perception problems, he told Fox News on Friday, but he also questioned the role of the military pilots. Who was talking, who was on the comms, who was piloting? And then what if any confusion was there at the end?

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Questions also remain around the Black Hawks flight altitude, as helicopters are supposed to fly 200 feet above the ground and must be in communication with air traffic control when flying through the National Airport corridor. Trump and Hegseth have both raised questions about where the helicopter was flying, as it appears to have been about 400 feet above ground.

Tim Loranger, an aviation attorney at Wisner Baum and a Marine veteran who spent years working as an aircraft mechanic on fighter jets, said the helicopter does appear to have been flying too high, which could have been for a number of reasons, such as a problem with the aircraft or the crew.

But the air traffic controller also should have told the Black Hawk to move out of the way, and that would likely have prevented an accident, Loranger added.

It seems like some things should have been done at the last moment, or leading up to the last moment, to prevent this from happening, he said.

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Loranger said there should be a new FAA consideration over where helicopters fly around National Airport.

If an aircraft is flying through the transition area, a helicopter, and it breaks the 200-foot ceiling, which can certainly happen, is that too risky? he said. Maybe we just need to build the cushion much bigger.

Its also unclear why the helicopter failed to see the plane, though a confluence of factors may have contributed to that, such as the pilots possibly wearing night visions goggles, or the planes lights being buried within the bright city background.

The passenger jet also was directed to land at a different runway and made a circling maneuver, which could have contributed to confusion for the Black Hawk.

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The Army identified on Friday two of three soldiers involved in the crash: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, 28, of Lilburn, Ga., and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Md.

Hegseth has said they were a fairly experienced crew. Eaves served in the U.S. Navy from August 2007 to September 2017, when he became a Black Hawk pilot. OHara has served as a helicopter repairer since July 2014.

A busy airport may not have been directly at fault, but it added to a perfect storm of failures, said Alexander, the former military helicopter pilot, who pushed Congress to work to address the safety issues in the D.C. region.

Hopefully, at a minimum, that positive can come out of this, that theyll address it, and kind of have a safety assessment and stand down to reevaluate, particularly in this area and other busy metropolitan areas like in New York, he said, to make sure that all aviation operations are safe for the flying public.

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Identity months are officially dead at the Pentagon.

The Defense Department will no longer use official resources, including man-hours to celebrate cultural awareness months, according to guidance Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth issued Friday  on the eve of Black History Month, which began Saturday.

The list of celebrations called out include National African American/Black History Month, Womens History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month and National American Indian Heritage Month.

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We are proud of our warriors and their history, but we will focus on the character of their service instead of their immutable characteristics, the guidance says. It notes that service members and civilians may attend events in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours.

Hegseth's orders came the same day that President Donald Trump issued a proclamation calling for the recognition of Black History Month.

On Friday, Trump called upon public officials, educators, librarians, and all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

Asked Friday if agencies that had called off Black History Month activities should reinstate them in response to the proclamation, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the president is leading here at the White House.

A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment.
NEW YORK (PIX11)From helping a homeless pregnant woman off the streets and changing her life to highlighting a New Jersey moms small business, PIX11s Monica Morales is making it happen for our viewers.

Jessica Middleton inspired PIX11s viewers.

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Morales first met her 14 years ago. Middleton was homeless and pregnant, sleeping on a park bench. Now, Middleton is thriving. Middleton was seven months pregnant, homeless, and sleeping on a park bench.

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Morales was seven months pregnant, too.

PIX11 News linked Middleton with an organization called Good Counsel. They immediately helped her and her baby.

Morales visits her every year.

Middletons life has completely changed.

She has two children and works as a teachers aide. She says her life is good. This year, there is more good news. Middleton moved into a new two-bedroom apartment in the Bronx.

Next, the last time viewers see Madelyn Colon, she is in between carpools, making deliveries for her small baking business.

Bethpage Credit Union, soon to be FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, was watching and wanted her to apply to their  Money Like a Woman campaign.

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Feb. 1SPRINGFIELD  Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park is among five Illinois Department of Natural Resources areas receiving grant funds for deferred maintenance projects.

Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park will receive $10.2 million to plan and repair Lock 33 near Rock Falls, ensuring structural integrity and operational capacity while preserving its historic status, according to a news release issued Friday.

According to an announcement from the Capital Development Board, the $10 million is part of more than $60 million that will be awarded to address deferred maintenance projects. The funding comes from Gov. JB Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois capital plan.

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"Through Rebuild Illinois, we are making meaningful investments in communities across the state so that Illinoisans  no matter their Zip code  benefit from our state's progress," Pritzker said. "Today, I am pleased to announce over $60 million in funding for vital community projects, which will help improve IDNR facilities and parks, drive economic growth and improve the lives of residents in Illinois' rural communities."

The projects aim to address essential repairs, including water and wastewater systems, trail and bridge replacements, and site preservation efforts. State parks, such as Starved Rock and Lake Murphysboro, will see improvements that will provide recreational and educational benefits to the public. The four other projects are:

Starved Rock State Park, LaSalle County: More than $33.8 million will be allocated across two projects at the park to upgrade trails, replace deteriorated facilities and construct a new wastewater system to protect natural resources and public health.

Lake Murphysboro State Park, Jackson County: A total of $4.1 million will be invested in upgrades to sewage treatment and campground electrical systems, ensuring compliance with environmental and accessibility standards.

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Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site, Sangamon County: $6.6 million will restore and repair historic elements of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed site, including water management systems, roofing and security upgrades. An additional $750,000 will be dedicated to improvements to the historic white cottage on the site.

Volo Bog Natural Area, Lake County: $5.1 million will allow for completely replacing the existing boardwalk and floating trail, upgrading the existing paths and improving accessibility throughout the site. Additionally, the scope of work includes replacing the observation platform for the "Eye of the Bog" scenic overlook.

"By investing in these projects, we are not only supporting economic growth in several rural areas but also ensuring our state parks and historic sites remain accessible for years to come," CDB Executive Director TJ Edwards said. "These projects are a testament to our commitment to Illinois' residents and the natural beauty of our state."

The CDB will oversee the renovations in accordance with the protocol for state-appropriated construction projects.
Jan. 31RELIANCE, S.D.  Bystanders at the Cenex gas station in Reliance intervened during a recent armed robbery, successfully subduing and detaining the suspect before law enforcement arrived.

On Jan. 21, 2025, at approximately 12:25 p.m. Raelynn Rodrigues allegedly entered the store through a west side door, proceeded through the kitchen and approached the counter with a rifle. She reportedly demanded that the clerk, Donna Falcon, hand over the money in the cash register. When Falcon attempted to disarm Rodrigues, a physical confrontation ensued.

Court documents say several bystanders quickly sprang into action when Rodrigues attempted to flee. Don McManus tackled her to the ground, while Cassidy Hieb seized the rifle and secured it in the back room. Bryan Bunker, a customer who entered the store, joined McManus in restraining the suspect. Lowell Hieb, an employee who had been in the back, brought zip ties to ensure Rodrigues remained detained.

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When sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene, they found Rodrigues already restrained and seated at a table inside Hiebs Cenex. Law enforcement also discovered alleged accomplices waiting in a getaway vehicle behind the store, armed with guns. They were also apprehended, according to court documents.

The clerk, Falcon, sustained injuries during the confrontation, requiring approximately 20 stitches after being struck three times in the head and face with the rifle stock.

Rodrigues now faces multiple charges, including first-degree robbery, a Class 2 felony, aggravated assault, a Class 3 felony, committing a felony while carrying a firearm, a Class 2 felony and possession of stolen property a Class 2 misdemeanor. A bond hearing is scheduled for February 2025.
Karen Kay Hogan, 67, is accused of stealing over half a million dollars meant for six children whose parents died in a Hill Country murder-suicide in 2021. Kendall County Jail

A former San Antonio attorney is accused of stealing a half-million dollars that was intended for six children whose parents died in a 2021 murder-suicide in Kendall County, according to authorities.

Karen Kay Hogan, 67, was appointed administrator of the estates of Jason and Emily Evans after their deaths. Officials say Jason Evans killed his wife and then himself on Dec. 31, 2021.

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Hogan is accused of stealing about $542,000 from those estates, which belonged to the Evans' children, who ranged in age from 4 to 15 years at the time of their parents' death.

Hogan faces a charge of misappropriating or misapplicating more than $300,000 of fiduciary property or the property of a financial institution  a first-degree felony. She also faces two charges of exploitation of a child and a disabled individual  both third-degree felonies.

If convicted of the first-degree felony she faces up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Texas Penal Code.

The Kendall County Sheriffs Office arrested Hogan on Thursday, according to public records. She is being held at the Kendall County Jail with total bail on the charges set at just more than $1 million.

Transfers to 'unknown accounts'

The Evans' children were orphaned when Jason Evans shot and killed his wife  and then himself  in their garage on Dec. 31, 2021, while "all six children huddled in the home," according to officials.

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Hogan was appointed administrator of the Evans' estates, and opened accounts with Generations Federal Credit Union for the separate estates in 2023, according to her arrest warrant. Hogan was listed as a joint owner on both accounts, according to the warrant. She also had a separate business account with the credit union.

Hogan then wired hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Evans' estates accounts to other accounts without court permission, the warrant said. Several of the wire transfers went to to a business account she owned, and that money was then transferred to other accounts "unknown at this time" to authorities, according to the warrant.

None of the accounts Hogan transferred funds to have a legal right to the money, authorities said. She has also "refused to explain the illegal and improper use of the victims' monetary resources diverted for the defendant's monetary gain," according to the warrant.

The warrant alleges Hogan made the following transactions from the estate account of Jason Evans:

$40,000 in August 2023, an amount which she later wired from her business account into the "unknown" account

$105,000 in October 2023, an amount which she later wired from her business account into the"unknown" account

$20,000 in October 2023, an amount which she later wired from her business account into the "unknown" account

$125,000 in October 2023 to the account of ARC Operation LLC through Citibank NA for "partial distribution"

$150,000 in October 2023 to ARC LLC through Citibank NA for "consulting fees"

$75,000 in November 2023 to the account of Mary Grace Gumabay through Citibank NA for "distribution of estate."

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From the estate account of Emily Evans, Hogan is accused of making the following transactions:

$4,550 in February 2024, to the account of Nueva Inc. through Wells Fargo Bank NA for "DHL Fees"

$22,000 in February 2024, to the account of Oxnard Import and Export LLC through JP Morgan Chase Bank NA for "transportation costs."

Hogan's alleged mismanaging of the children's funds came to light during an audit of the estate accounts by the Kendall County probate court, according to Lt. Kevin Klaerner of the Kendall County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Texas State Bar, Hogan specialized in wills, trusts and probate law before she voluntarily resigned her license to practice law in July.

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) incumbent MLA and candidate from the national capital's Rithala constituency, Mohinder Goyal was attacked during rally after which he fell unconscious, the Delhi Police said on Saturday. Goyal is presently undergoing treatment at the Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini. The Delhi Police received a PCR call at around 11.15 am today after which the police team reached the spot. Police officials said, "We had received a call that Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mahendra Goyal has been assaulted and he has fallen unconscious." Meanwhile, AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of the attack. Taking to X, Singh said, "BJP is losing badly in Delhi and in frustration, it has resorted to violence. AAP MLA @MohinderAAP from Rithala was attacked by BJP goons. Where is the Election Commission sleeping?" https://x.com/sanjayazadsln/status/1885569141634920944?s=46 Goyal is in the electoral fray against Bharatiya Janata Party's Kulwant Rana and Congress' Sushant Mishra for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls on February 5. Rithala Assembly constituency is one of the 70 Delhi assembly constituencies and is located in the North West Delhi district. This assembly covers various sectors of Rohini, Rithala village, Budh Vihar and Vijay Vihar, according to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi. AAP's Mohinder Goyal has been the incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Rithala since 2015. Goyal preceded the office by BJP's Kulwant Rana, who won the 2008 and 2013 Delhi assembly elections from the constituency. Rithala is one of the key constituencies in the North West Delhi district. Delhi Police had earlier issued a notice to Goyal and his office staff to join the investigation in a case involving fake Aadhaar card documents, in which several Bangladeshis were arrested, and fake Aadhaar cards were recovered during the investigation, according to Delhi Police sources. Responding to the allegations, Goyal had termed the allegations as "politically motivated." The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP eyeing a third term will go to the public, boosting its 'performance' in education and the health sector. AAP won 62 seats in the 2020 assembly elections while BJP secured the remaining eight seats. (ANI)
One of the nations most famous pilots had some choice words for President Donald Trump for seemingly blaming diversity, equity, and inclusion for the fatal mid-air collision in Washington, D.C. earlier this week.

Known for his sanguine manner and aversion to partisan politics, Chelsey Sully Sullenberger hit back against the Republican president on MSNBCs The Last Word on Thursday as host Lawrence ODonnell asked him for his take on the tragedy.

I dont want to draw you into politics, but if you have a reaction to what the president said today about this, please share it with us, said ODonnell.

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After a long and charged pause, Sullenberger said, Not surprised. He then added, Disgusted.

Sullenberger became a national hero after he safely a U.S. Airways Flight on New Yorks Hudson River, known as the Miracle on the Hudson, and saved the lives of 155 people back in 2009. The plane hit a flock of birds and lost power, according to reports.

Reprising a favored drum from his recent presidential campaign, Trump has suggested DEI hiring practices could have been a factor in Wednesdays tragic incident, further suggesting President Joe Bidens administration had somehow permitted the Federal Aviation Agency to hire people with severe mental disabilities.

The Republican presidents comments further recall his and GOP members weaponization of the recent wildfires in California for political purposes, using the disaster to launch attacks against Democratic leaders and push conspiracy theories about the partys governance of the state.
High school student Saanvi Kalia has turned her passion for sustainability into a growing business, providing girls and women with toxin-free menstrual products  and supporting those without access to the self-care items they need.

As detailed by Planet Detroit, a science camp Kalia attended at Schoolcraft College when she was nine years old provided the spark of inspiration, igniting a desire to protect the planet. Then, after she got her first period, Kalia noticed she was creating a lot of plastic waste, discarding as many as 10 pads every day and 12 tampons each menstrual cycle.

She also discovered just how much menstrual product waste adds up. According to one study in the Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, the United States tosses around 12 billion pads and seven million tampons per year. Kalia explained in an interview with Detroit's WDIV Local 4 that these products can take more than 500 years to break down.

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She was motivated to do something about the matter, and her dad, Atul Kalia, who has a business and automotive engineering background, fully supported the endeavor. In 2023, at 17 years old, Kalia launched EcoFlo, whose mission is to raise awareness about reusable period underwear.

"Period underwear was the most user-friendly of the options made available to women, while other options were either taboo or considered unsanitary by my family and friends, and it is the least intimidating [to use]," Kalia told Planet Detroit.

The brand's products are crafted to the rigorous Oeko-Tex Standard 100  free from more than 1,000 harmful substances, including toxic "forever chemicals," or PFAS, which scientists have linked to cancer, reproductive complications, and other health problems.

According to the company, each pair of underwear can absorb 45 milliliters of blood, allowing wearers to use them for four to eight hours. (For comparison, you would have to go through four disposable super tampons to absorb the same volume of blood.)

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EcoFlo is also helping girls and women by teaming up with initiatives such as I Support the Girls, which collects and delivers menstrual products to people in crisis. The company also partners with educational institutions including Wayne State University and Michigan State University.

Unfortunately, a lack of access to essential care products is more common than some might realize. The World Bank estimates that 500 million people don't have the tools or infrastructure they need during menstruation, impacting their ability to attend school and work as well as leaving them vulnerable to bullying and societal shaming despite the fact that menstruation is a natural and healthy process.

In 2024, EcoFlo donated 154 pairs of its period underwear, and Kalia hopes her company will reach its donation goal of 250 pairs by the end of this year. Per Planet Detroit, the brand donates one pair for every pair purchased.

The high-waist briefs and bikini-style underwear sell for $25 apiece  a tad more than the average 40-50-count box of tampons. EcoFlo estimates that swapping to reusable period underwear can save users as much as $200 annually.

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"Even small, habitual changes [can] make a difference," Kalia told Planet Detroit.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
By Irene Wang and Rocky Swift

TOKYO (Reuters) - Visitors can step back in time to Japan's samurai era in an new Tokyo exhibition that uses cutting-edge technology to bring to life the work of iconic artist Hokusai.

"Hokusai: Another Story in Tokyo" marks the latest in a series of immersive attractions that have sprung up in the capital, as well as growing interest in Japan's cultural past as record numbers of tourists flood into the country.

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The exhibition, tucked into a downtown shopping mall, invites patrons to step into scenes of nature and village life depicted by the master of Edo Period woodblock art. Technical wizardry from digital imagery firm Ars Techne reproduces the washi paper texture of his prints. Haptic plates in the floor, developed by Sony PCL, give the feel that one is walking on a beach, ice or across a rickety bridge.

"The concept is not just to see something, but to have an experience that goes beyond the real thing, to let you feel the scenery that Hokusai saw," said Hiroki Inokuchi, a visual artist with Red Geek Pictures, which helped develop the exhibition.

Born in 1760, Katsushika Hokusai took the medium known as ukiyo-e to new artistic heights and popularity through his unique use of colour and dynamic composition. Hokusai's depictions of Mount Fuji have become emblematic of Japan, with his masterpiece "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" now gracing the back of the nation's 1,000 yen note.

His prints became a hit in Europe after his death in 1849, kindling the Japonisme movement in art and inspiring painters such as Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

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The Hokusai exhibition, which runs from Saturday to June 1 at Tokyu Plaza Shibuya, follows other tech-driven, immersive art showcases in Tokyo that have proven to be draws among residents and overseas visitors. The digital art collective teamLab has two interactive museums in the capital that have set Guinness World Records for attendance.

Mariko Fukumizu, 42, said her 4-year-old daughter loved stepping on and cracking make-believe ice in a rendering of one of Hokusai's winter scenes.

"I like looking at art, but it's difficult with kids, so it's good to be able to go and experience things together," said Fukumizu.

Japan is experiencing a tourism boom fuelled by the weak yen, while cultural exports from manga to movies are seeing unprecedented popularity. Last year's period epic "Shogun" swept major awards at both the Emmys and Golden Globes.

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Ethem Sonmez, a 22-year-old visitor from Turkey, said Japanese animation and comics are rising in popularity in his country. He said an exhibit room that simulates wind rushing through a Hokusai landscape nearly brought him to tears.

"It was like the moment I first saw Fuji in the Shinkansen" bullet train, Sonmez said. "It was mesmerizing and I felt it again here."

(Reporting by Irene Wang and Rocky Swift; Editing by William Mallard)
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Hillsborough County fire captain is behind bars tonight, accused of possessing hundreds of child pornography images and videos.

For years, Captain Marshal Nelson was considered a trusted leader within Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, but now hes in jail facing disturbing charges of possessing child pornography.

St. Pete man plotted to kidnap, sexually assault, & murder child, police say

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Marshal Nelson stood silent in a blue vest as the charges against him were read, more than 100 felony counts tied to child pornography.

Investigators said they located several electronic devices in the fire captains home on Thursday, devices that allegedly held over 300 images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

You are to have no devices in jail that can receive no messages or video, Hillsborough County Judge Laura Ward said.



Nelsons attorney asked for a bond. The judge ticked off the likely amount for each count.



On counts 1-100, I am going to set the bond amounts of $7500 each, I am going to set the bond on count 101 which is the third-degree felony in the amount of $5,000, Ward said.



The judge set bond at just over three-quarters of a million dollars and made it clear if Nelson is released until trial, hell be under strict supervision.



If you post bond, you are going to be placed on a private GPS monitor, Ward said. You are to remain in Hillsborough county and not allowed to leave the jurisdiction.



We went to Nelsons home for a comment, but nobody answered the door, but the news of his arrest shocked neighbors in his Riverview neighborhood.



Its sad, and its scary, neighbor Yulia Miner said.



Yulia Miner said she knew Nelson and his family and described him as a nice guy during her encounters.

We never know who us is around, unfortunately, Miner said.



As of now, Nelson remains in jail. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue said he has been with the department for over two decades, and after this arrest, he was placed on administrative leave.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
ALMA (KSNT)  A local real estate and construction management company is helping breathe new life into some historic buildings in small-town northeast Kansas.

27 News spoke with Tyler Holloman with Frontier Development Group (FDG) about his companys work to restore some old structures in Alma. The Manhattan-based company recently wrapped up work on the historic Brandt House and is now turning its attention to one of its previous projects for some final touches.

Holloman said his companys work to restore the two-story Limerick building was its first venture into rural development after acquiring the structure in 2020. The renovated historic building has also proven to be a big hit with locals who have taken up residence there, enjoying the modern apartments within.

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Weve been full there since we opened with a waitlist, Holloman said. Its been a great project and one that opened our eyes to the need for housing.

Otter success story in Kansas may lead to new hunting opportunities

The Limerick is part of Almas Downtown Historic District which runs from Second Street to Fifth Street on Missouri Street in the town, according to the Kansas Historical Society (KSHS). The National Park Service (NPS) placed this area on its National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2009 for its local importance.

(Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group) (Photo Courtesy/Frontier Development Group)

The NPS recognizes the Limerick as having historic value due to the Romanesque-style used in its construction, according to its listing in the NRHP. The structure was built around 1888 out of native stone by the brothers J.F. and R.J. Limerick, Irish immigrants, who were behind a brief construction boom in the late 1880s in Alma.

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Holloman said the FDG renovated the second floor of the Limerick and remodeled the Antique Emporium of Alma on the first floor. The second floor is home to a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartment units that contain modern amenities.

This year, we are finishing the first floor renovations, Holloman said. That will be renovated into two additional workforce housing units.

What are the new mail delivery vehicles being used in Kansas?

Holloman said the biggest challenge so far with the Limerick has been navigating extra costs that came with the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Maintaining the historical value of the structure also lengthened the renovation process.

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We knew going into it that it takes a little extra work and a little extra time to make sure that we do all that correctly, Holloman said.

The FDG will return to complete work on the remaining two living units in the Limerick which will bring an end to the overall project. Holloman said some of this will also include work on the exterior and facade of the building.

It was really rewarding to hear the positive feedback from the community and the people who toured it, Holloman said. To be able to provide that level of finish and amenity for downtown Alma was really rewarding.

The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (KHRC) provided the renovation work at the Limerick with a moderate income housing grant. Holloman said the FDG worked with the NPS to approve a rehabilitation plan for the building and made use of tax credits to ease the burden of costs.

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Are you owed some of the $600 million in unclaimed property in Kansas?

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  Local schools used to look much different before the school integration process began in the 1950s.

Black History Month explained: Its origins, celebrations and myths

Dr. Patrick Brown is an assistant professor of history at WVU Tech.

He told 59News that the path to white and black school integration began in 1896 with the Plessy versus Ferguson case. In this case, the separate but equal doctrine was established. This meant that black students would have their own specified schools and white students had their own designated schools.

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What we quickly found was those communities were separate, but they were rarely equal. The 1954 Brown versus Board decision, the Board of Topeka [overturned] the separate but equal doctrine. As a result, schools across the country were forced to integrate, said Dr. Brown.

North House Museum a prime destination for Black History Month in the Greenbrier Valley

The ruling was overturned in the 1954 case of Brown versus Board of Education, which thrust schools into the process of integration. Dr. Brown explained how some of our local schools handled this.

In Greenbrier County, about 300 students at White Sulphur Springs High School decided to just not go to school, and as a result, this school board basically postponed kind of the process of integration for a year, added Dr. Brown. There was also significant protest, particularly in our area here in Beckley and Fayette [County]. There were bomb threats and protests against the integration of schools.

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Racial tensions during this process reached a boiling point nationally in the 1957-58 school year. In Little Rock, Arkansas, black students were attacked as schools were forcibly integrated. President Dwight Eisenhower had to call in the national guard to protect these students as they continued their path to full integration.

While black students got many more opportunities, the closure of black schools had impacts on black communities. Many of those black teachers and particularly black principals, could not find employment in the newly integrated schools at the same level that they that they had in their kind of black community schools, said Dr. Brown.

Black-owned businesses see An upswing in trajectory

Some black teachers and principals who were lucky enough to gain employment, were forced into lower-level jobs in the integrated schools. In the 1956-57 school year, the organizations that represented white and black teachers officially merged  helping teachers and principals get better representation in schools.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Gov. Hochul is rallying behind Big Apple district attorneys push to change the states evidence laws  by ending a progressive measure that has led to shocking number of accused criminals getting off on technicalities.

All five of New York Citys top prosecutors, from lefty Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg to conservative Staten Island DA Michael McMahon, flanked Hochul on Friday as she touted the proposed reforms  and cast them as necessary to prevent recidivism.

Were continuing to see a real urgent problem of a revolving door of criminals who are arrested and then let out on technicalities, free to commit crimes again, she said. Fixing these loopholes will be a step in the right direction to stopping the revolving door of people who are arrested, as I said, and released on a technicality.

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Criminal-case dismissals in New York City stood at 41% before the discovery reforms and shot up to 62% in 2023, Office of Court Administration data show.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is rallying behind district attorneys across New York state by changing the states evidence laws. James Messerschmidt

A major tweak to discovery laws endorsed by the DAs  and included in Hochuls whopping $252 billion budget plan  would be to set a time limit for when defense attorneys can request that a case be tossed based on an alleged evidence violation.

This would make it less likely that cases get tossed on technicalities, such as if prosecutors dont meet deadlines for turning over evidence, the governors office said.

The governor also wants to narrow the scope of materials that prosecutors are required to turn over to the defense.

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Currently, prosecutors have to submit all items and information that relate to the subject matter of the case  an ask that DAs across the state have argued is burdensome as it could include reports, documents and other materials that are irrelevant.

Under Hochuls proposed bill, prosecutors would only have to turn over evidence related to the specific charge in the case at hand.

Discovery practices were tweaked as part of the states 2019 criminal-justice reforms, alongside the highly contentious bail laws, but prosecutors have argued that the changes have led to more criminal cases getting tossed.

Reasons behind dismissals vary, but often come down to paperwork issues under the discovery law that have nothing to do with the merits of a case  such as a subway slashing that Hochul highlighted in which the accused madman walked free on a minor technicality.

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The governor didnt provide details, but a law-enforcement source told The Post it stemmed from a December 2022 run-in on a Brooklyn subway platform.

A stranger slashed a straphanger without provocation, leading to a first-degree assault charge, the source said. Prosecutors obtained all the medical records from the victim, but just before trial the man told them about a previously undisclosed follow-up appointment.

Prosecutors immediately told the defense team, and there were no extra records from the appointment, according to the source.

But a judge dismissed the case, ruling that the prosecutors did not exercise due diligence required under the law because the medical records had some indication that there would have been a follow-up appointment, the source said.

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Its not just violent crimes in which accused criminals are sprung loose. Dismissals are especially prevalent in misdemeanor cases such as drunken driving, domestic violence, lower-level sexual abuse and retail theft under the discovery law, said Darren Albanese, executive assistant district attorney for Staten Island.

Simply, those cases are getting dismissed more than ever, and theyre getting dismissed on technicalities, he said.

The majority of those case dismissals come down to a failure to comply with the discovery law, Albanese said.

Discovery rules call for all evidence to be disclosed within 35 days in most cases, and even shorter in many others. Prosecutors can be found to have run afoul of that ticking clock retroactively if they find and turn over evidence afterward.

Hochul wants to do this by closing a loophole, prosecutors argue, which has resulted in more accused criminals being let off on technicalities. G.N.Miller/NYPost

The rules perversely incentivize defense lawyers to game the system by claiming to have not received the information weeks or months into a case, often leading to dismissals if a judge agrees with them, the governors office said.

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The new plan would set a new 35-day limit for when defense attorneys can request a case be dismissed based on alleged discovery errors. The clock would start when prosecutors submit a certificate of compliance that theyve turned over the required discovery evidence.

The undisclosed evidence can be trivial. Albanese highlighted a DWI case in which an allegedly drunken motorcyclist  who had a long criminal record, including another boozy-driving arrest  had the charges dismissed because prosecutors failed to turn over all documents on time from a disciplinary case involving one of the responding NYPD officers.

The cop had been dinged for inadvertently driving over a garbage can, spilling garbage on the street, he said.

Hochul said, Were continuing to see a real urgent problem of a revolving door of criminals who are arrested and then let out on technicalities, free to commit crimes again. James Messerschmidt

The tweak in the so-called discovery laws endorsed by the DAs was included in Hochuls whopping $252 billion budget plan could set a time limit for when defense attorneys can request a case to be tossed for an alleged evidence violation. Michael Nagle

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Because of an unrelated disciplinary matter where someone ran over some garbage, the case was dismissed, he said.

The burdens of Albanys discovery law even found a vocal critic in Bragg, whose liberal policies have been criticized as soft on crime.

This data makes clear that discovery is burying our prosecutors in paperwork that is often unrelated to the underlying substance of the case, Bragg previously told The Post.

Other district attorneys outside the five boroughs  where dismissal rates are not nearly as high  generally agree that some action on discovery is a move in the right direction. District Attorneys Association of the State of New York, headed by McMahon, voted Thursday to back Hochuls proposal.

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McMahon said the bipartisan lineup of prosecutors behind Hochul showed the support for a proposal to restore balance to the criminal justice system.

The proposed tweaks were met with outrage from The Legal Aid Society, which argued Friday that Hochul and the DAs cherry-picked data to push a false narrative that the discovery reforms have driven up recidivism and crime.

Liberal lawmakers fought tooth and nail against Hochuls proposals to try to tweak the 2019 bail laws during 2023 budget talks.

Additional reporting by Peter Senzamici, Ben Kochman and Aneeta Bhole
A newly graduated home economics teacher was dying of boredom in small town in rural southern Virginia when a chance meeting set her on a path that would put her in the front line of the Cold War battle between two superpowers.

At the age of 22, Gene Grabeel could never have imagined that she would die a hero after a 36-year career with the Army Signal Service, which later became the National Security Agency. Grabeel was the first team member assigned to work on a top-secret counterintelligence campaign that would become known as the Venona Project.

Grabeel started her codebreaking career aged 22. / National Cryptologic Museum

From her humble beginnings, the bored cookery teacher would become a key figure in the fight against Soviet designs on world domination. But how did she get there? Its such a fascinating story and shes just a fascinating human being. It almost sounds fictional. She gives up home cooking, home economics teaching to go and become a codebreaker, Richard Kerbaj, an award-winning documentarian turned author, told the Daily Beast.

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Kerbaj, who has specialized in investigating matters of national security for more than 15 years, fell down an untapped well of declassified files, which sparked his fascination with Grabeel, who died aged 94 in 2015.

You can go down rabbit holes. Sometimes the most wonderful things can reveal themselves to you when you do that, he said. But not content with skim-reading old intelligence files or flicking through Wikipedia like the rest of us, this award-winning investigative reporter decided to track down Grabeels family.

Kerbaj tells her extraordinary story in his remarkable book The Secret History of the Five Eyes: The Untold Story of the International Spy Network, which was published on Jan. 7.

It focuses on the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. But the book also delves into the fascinating individuals involved.

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I called up the National Security Agency who couldnt help, as a lot of the information around Grabeel was not declassified, he said. Then, by the grace of God, a call with the codebreakers local church in Blackstone, Virginia, yielded results. I tracked down her family, and the way I did that is I found an obituary, which identified the local church that she went to, and I rang up the local church and they were extremely helpful and connected me with some family members and I took it from there, Kerbaj explained.

Describing life before her incredible career, he painted a picture of a farm setting with not much excitement. Its rural. And then she took a chance, he said. And I think its quite significant that she took a chance at the time that she did, because if you were to look at the unfolding war as a backdrop, this is shortly after Pearl Harbor, after the U.S. had joined the war, youve got hundreds of thousands men heading out to fight.

You wouldve thought that you would want some stability in your life, some regular income and some stability in your professional life. But she was essentially a disruptor. Shes like an early disruptor who said, No, despite all of this, whats happening around here? I want to take a chance.' And she did.

Arlington Hall, in Arlington, VA, was once a girls' school. / NSA

Grabeel was recognised by her peers as homecoming queen in her youth and was a respected member of her local Blackstone Baptist Church. But she had designs on something bigger.

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It was back in her hometown in Lee County, Virginia, southwest of Richmond, that she got her big break. Frank Rowlett, a local success story because of his job as a federal government employee, was back in the town of 300 people for Christmas 1942.

Grabeel had actually confided to her parents over the festive period that she had already grown bored of life as a small-town teacher, but Rowlettan old family friendwas about to flip the script for young Gene.

Kerbaj wrote in Five Eyes that since 1930, Rowlett had been a senior code breaker at the U.S. Armys Signal Intelligence Service (SIS). He had also played a role with other members of the SIS, commonly known as Arlington Hall, in breaking the Purple cypher machine, used by Japan for its top-secret diplomatic traffic. That enabled the U.S. to launch a surprise attack against Japan and turn the tide of the war in the Pacific.

Rowlett plucked Grabeel from obscurity. / National Cryptologic Museum

A former teacher himself, Rowlett saw something in the savvy and intelligent young woman before him. He sized her up for a job on the newly formed Venona Project.

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She had no idea what was going on because she was invited to Arlington Hall on the basis that there would be a job for her, but she had no idea what that job would be," Kerbaj told the Beast. All she knew is that she no longer wanted to do what she was doing. So she sort of went off unaware of what would come next.

The imposing Greek Revival-style Arlington Hall in Arlington, Virginia, was the base of the United States Armys Signal Intelligence Service (SIS) cryptography operations during World War II. Before that, it had been a private girls school. So she went from one girls school that shes teaching at to another, except that this one had been converted into a code breaking operation for the U.S. Army. The parallel was somewhat fascinating, Kerbaj said.

Frank Rowlett, standing far right, along with members of the U.S. Army's Signals Intelligence Service, mid 1930s. / Fotosearch / Getty Images

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What she would go on to achieve was monumental. She spent most of her career trying to break and decipher Soviet codes as part of an effort to protect Americas nuclear secrets. She, and other Venona members, were publicly recognized by the CIA director as American Heroes after files about the project were declassified.

She joined an effort without knowing what the outcome would be, hoping to just get away from the job that she felt completely shackled by, Kerbaj said. And then she would go on to help create an effort that was the biggest counter Soviet espionage operation created by the U.S. It helped elevate the standards of national security within the entire Five Eyes alliance.

She did this even when the White House warned her and her team away from secretive work. The administration had been assured that Arlington Hall was not snooping on Russian communications, but government officials were still suspicious. The White House was aware of the organizations work on the Japanese, German, and Italian communications and had presumed that we would do the same on Russian and had taken steps on their initiative to cool the effort, Frank Rowlett later recalled. Did we stop? We did not. We kept working and went to work harder and harder.

Kerbaj said: That just shows that theres a degree of dissent that exists within the intelligence community. I think thats a real important factor in the intelligence community because theyre not there as instruments. Theyre there to actually have their own take on national security matters. Thats why they inform policy and policy informs them.

Grabeel spent her career breaking Soviet code. / Courtesy of Gene Cole Knight via author

And despite the huge stakes of her espionage in dimly lit hallways with top secret files, Grabeel was still just plain old Gene to her family back home. Kerbaj explained that while her family spoke about her with a great deal of pride, her ability to compartmentalize her work away from family life, meant they didnt actually know much about what she did day to day. Shes very, very likable. I mean, her niece spoke about her so fondly and with such great deal of pride. But even then, despite her closeness to her niece, she never ever went into any details about the work that she did, he explained.

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She remained silent despite the fact that she was part of a small team that stymied the Soviet Unions progress in the pre-Cold War years. And Kerbaj thinks thatwere it not for Grabeel and her colleagues at Arlington Hallwe could be looking at a very different global power balance. Theres the cause and effect issue, he said, noting that the Verona Project led to revelations in Australia of Soviet spies, that then led the Truman Administration to kick Australia out of the so-called Five Eyes.

That, in turn, led MI5 in Britain to help Australia back into the fold because of its geographical proximity to adversariesperhaps curtailing Soviet efforts in the process. So once you start adding these things up, you go, Wow. Unbeknownst to her [Grabeel], unbeknownst, to anyone, she helped contribute so enormously to the formation of the Five Eyes. And that in itself is so extraordinary when you see it through that lens, Kerbaj added.

It may seem like a Hollywood tale, but Kerbaj wants to eventually make the story into a documentary series. Thats definitely going to be happening, he told the Beast.

Grabeel, one of Americas great unsung heroes, is buried in Pennington Gap, VA, next to her parents. Aunt Gene held a special place in the hearts of her family members, and perhaps one day, in the hearts of Americans, too.
APPLETON, WI (WFRV)  Military medic Maranda Wendel is now on a new mission to resuscitate membership in the American Legion.

While the post she commands is one of the largest, keeping those numbers up is a top priority.

Hometown Heroes: Bow & Joe offers stress relief for first responders and military

As fellow veterans will tell you, if anyone is up to the task its her.

I enlisted because my best friend joined the Air Force and he said it was the best thing, Wendel recalled while talking with Local 5 during a Post 258 supper event. So I thought I would one-up him and join the Army instead. Soon I realized, I did not one-up him. He made the better choice.

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The Brillion native spent seven years as a combat medic during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

You have family at home wanting to know how youre doing. It was kind of the no news, which is good news.

She reflected on how different things were for women and explained at length whenever she could to the interpreter about the freedom American women enjoyed.

Our interpreter was in the truck always with me and there was a moment explaining how he treated his wife. I then explained to him how everyone is respected. It turned the corner for him. That was the most eye-opening experience.

After service, Wendel returned to Wisconsin and worked at Froedtert and Childrens Hospital.

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These days, shes a school bus driver which allows her to devote greater attention to her to her two sons.

They go on a field trip, I hop on the bus with them. They need to get to school, theyre on the bus with me. I feel it brings a lot of calm to my family.

Even in this capacity, Wendel has found a way to break through and reach people on a personal level.

The kids on the bus, ya know, are excited to see me. High school kids who usually are always on their phones, will sit behind me and chat. So I know its making a difference.

Is it any wonder that when American Legion Post 258 in Little Chute was looking for a new commander, they selected Wendel?

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Shes been an exemplary person with the challenges of being a single mom and a veteran, said former Commander Jim Strong.

She is their first woman commander ever.

We will happily turn over to the next generation, added another former commander Marty Huss. Its a generational thing.

Wendel is the living embodiment of the new American Legion. No longer a place to swap war stories, it has become a gathering point for military families.

Hometown Heroes: Army Veteran reflects on Desert Storm

We would love many more women to join us, said Mary Van Asten, President of Post 258 Auxiliary. If your son or husband was a veteran, please join!

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I couldnt say no when they proposed bringing in the next generation, explained Commander Wendel. To know that they believed in me was a big deal.



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Delhi's Patiala House Court on Saturday passed an order to release Rs. 92 lakh in favour of a company in an arbitration matter against Nagar Palika Nokha, Rajasthan. District Judge (Commercial) Vidya Prakash passed the order after hearing the counsel for the parties. Nagar Palika had deposited the amount with the court the last month. Earlier, the court had issued a warrant for attachment of Bikaner House in New Delhi. However, it was subsequently stayed subject to payment. The High Court has already dismissed the appeal of Nagar Palika against the order of the trial court. An arbitration award was passed in the favour of a company M/s Enviro Infra Private Limited that had done some work for Nagar Palika. On January 7, the court granted time to Nagar Palika to place on record if they get any stay from the High Court, otherwise the amount will be released in favour of company M/s Enviro Infra Engineers Pvt. Ltd. On November 29, the court granted a conditional stay on the attachment of Bikaner House. This stay was subject to depositing the due amount within a week. This matter is related to an arbitration award in favour of a company that worked for Nagar Palika Nokha, Rajasthan in 2011. Recently, the court issued a warrant of attachment of Delhi's Bikaner House which is owned by Nagar Palika, Nokha, Rajasthan. This order was passed in an execution matter for arbitral award passed in favour of M/S Enviro Infra Engineers Pvr. Ltd. Advocate Sahil Garg appeared for the Decree holder company before the court. He said that the court has granted a conditional stay on the attachment: "If the other party fails to deposit the FD, we will file an application for auction of the attached property. The amount is around one crore now." Earlier, the court had passed attachment order after noting the noncompliance of directions. "Keeping in view the aforesaid facts and circumstances and the fact that the Judgement Debtor (JD) had failed to comply with the direction for furnishing an affidavit of their assets despite the grant of repeated opportunities, Court while agreeing with the submissions made on behalf of Decree Holder (DH), finds it a fit case for issuance of warrants of attachment against immovable property of JD namely Bikaner House, New Delhi," the court said in the order passed on November 7. "Whereas you have failed to satisfy an Award passed against you on the 21st day of January 2020, in favour of M/s Enviro Infra Engineers Pvt. Ltd. for Rs. 50,31,512, it is ordered that you, the said Nagar Palika, Nokha, State of Rajasthan, be, and you are hereby, prohibited and restrained, until the further order of this Court, from transferring or charging the property specified in the schedule hereunto annexed, by sale, gift or otherwise, and that all persons be, and that they are hereby, prohibited from receiving the same by purchase, gift or otherwise," the Court said in the order passed on September 18. The present execution petition is filed seeking enforcement of the arbitral award dated 21-01-2020 passed by Ld. Arbitral Tribunal. It is an undisputed fact that the JD had preferred petition u/s 34 of Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996 bearing OMP(COMM) NO.178/2023 titled "Nagar Palika, Nokha, State Of Rajasthan v. M/S Enviro Infra Engineers Pvt. Ltd." against the aforesaid arbitral award. However, the said petition was dismissed on 24-01-2024, the court noted. The Counsel of DH had pressed for the issuance of warrants of attachment in respect of the immovable property of JD Bikaner House, New Delhi. (ANI)
RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA)  A suspect in a Cook County homicide investigation was located and arrested in Rantoul Friday afternoon.

Officials from the Rantoul Police Department posted details of the arrest on Facebook, saying they and the Champaign County Metro Swat Team assisted the Chicago Police Department. The three law enforcement agencies obtained a search warrant for a home at Falcon and Juniper Drives and served that warrant at 4:10 p.m.

Suspect wanted in connection to deadly Decatur stabbing

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The raid resulted in the arrest of a man wanted on a Cook County warrant charging him with murder. Officials said he was taken into custody without incident.

Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, officials said they could not identify the person they arrested.

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(WPRI)  A Rhode Islander is going to be taking the stage at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 9 in New York City, and hes only a junior in high school.

Logan Hoard is from Hopkinton and attends the Prout School. He was the only Rhode Islander selected to sing in the choir for this years High School Honors Performances Series at Carnegie Hall.

ALSO READ: Grammy-nominated producer wants to bring more mainstream music to RI

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Hoard is excited to make new friends from across the country and stand on one of the most iconic stages in the world.

Its just so surreal. Ive been hearing about this place, since I was so little, Hoard told 12 News. All these famous musicians have performed here and to say that Im going to be able to perform at this exact same place is so special.

The tenor attributed his passion for singing to his choir director at Prout, Ryan Cox. Hes just absolutely fantastic, Hoard said of his teacher. He really got me engrossed in it.

Hoard now wants to pursue music in the future and is looking forward to learning all he can next week.

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Im just really, really excited to meet all these new people who have the same kind of passion as I do and the same drive to do this high-level arts program, Hoard said with a smile.

MORE: Post Malone, Jelly Roll coming to Gillette Stadium in 2025

There will be some important people in the audience for Hoards performance too: both his family and Cox.

Im just so, so, so grateful I get this opportunity, Hoard said. Im just very excited to kind of take this next step in my voice performance.

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Jan. 31PALMER  A Houston man is accused of assaulting a woman at his home for five days while out on pretrial release for a 2023 case that originally involved charges of kidnapping and sexual assault.

Terry Tomlinson was arrested Thursday on charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual assault, and additional drug and assault charges.

The woman told investigators that Tomlinson, with whom she had a prior relationship, locked her in the bedroom of his house and assaulted her at least 50 times, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case.

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She managed to escape through a hole in the room on Wednesday and was taken to another house by a friend, Alaska State Troopers Investigator Craig Markiewicz wrote in a sworn affidavit. The woman was found to have bruising on her body and head lacerations, he wrote.

The woman told troopers she went to smoke methamphetamine with Tomlinson five days prior and he locked the door and chained it shut, the affidavit said. He began assaulting her on Saturday, refusing to allow her to leave, and sexually assaulted her on Wednesday, it said.

Tomlinson is awaiting trial on a January 2023 case in which he was accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in his vehicle, troopers said at the time.

The kidnapping and sexual assault charges against him in that case were later dismissed, and the remaining assault charges were amended to fourth-degree assault, according to court records filed in the case. Tomlinson was on pretrial release for the assault charges when he was arrested this week.

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Investigators conducted an interview with Tomlinson early Wednesday morning, according to the affidavit filed with the new charges. He asked for an attorney and was not questioned, it said.

Tomlinson on Thursday remained jailed at the Mat-Su Pretrial Facility on charges of first-degree sexual assault and kidnapping as well as fourth-degree assault, misconduct involving a controlled substance, and violating conditions of release.

Clarification: This story was updated to add information about the 2023 charges Terry Tomlinson was released on pending trial when he was arrested this week on new charges of sexual assault and kidnapping.
HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN)  Howland High School is welcoming therapy dogs to the building.

Students and staff were able to visit with and pet three certified therapy dogs on Friday.

Its all part of a new program aimed at promoting well-being. It came at no cost to the school through a partnership with the volunteer-based nonprofit P.A.W.S. Therapy Team.

The therapy dogs are fully vaccinated, leashed and trained to work in school settings.

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Principal Joe Simko says he hopes it brings smiles to students faces and gives them something to look forward to.

Obviously, its kind of neat to see, you know, interaction with animals and dogs. Just, you see a different side to kids and thats a good thing to see sometimes. Just to make a better overall school experience and, you know, kind of bring the warm and fuzzy feeling to them as well, he said.

The therapy dogs will visit the school once a month during lunch and study hall.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Hundreds of protesters are gathering along Buford Highway in DeKalb County and in the Marietta Square just a few days after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced targeted operations in metro Atlanta.

Nationwide, ICE has been cracking down on immigration in the weeks since President Donald Trumps inauguration earlier this month.

ICE said they are focusing their crackdown on people who have committed crimes or have final orders of deportation, but also say those arent the only people.

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Channel 2s Eryn Rogers was among thousands of people protesting along Buford Highway near Plaza Fiesta in DeKalb County.

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At one point, protesters were marching in the street, shutting down a portion of the highway. Police and Georgia State Patrol have had several lanes of the highway blocked since early Saturday afternoon.

The Party of Socialism and Liberation told Rogers they organized the rally because they stand in solidarity with the immigrant community.

A lot of people are affected by the deportations taking place across this country, a lot of people, but as you were not going to be scared, were coming in to the streets, were building this movement, were going to protect our brothers and sisters and family, were not going to stay inside, were going to come out, build this movement, and were going to fight, Estevan Hernandez said.

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Channel 2s Courtney Francisco was in the Marietta Square in Cobb County where hundreds more people gathered on Saturday afternoon.

Some were out driving cars, holding flags, beeping horns and revving engines to get the attention of those passing.

Most of them who Francisco spoke with say they have family members who immigrated to the U.S.

We want an immigration system that wont fail us. theres people waiting 20 years by the time they get it theyre dead, Mitchell Delibrado said.

Georgias GOP Chairman Josh McKoon responded to the protests saying hes in support of President Trumps immigration policy.

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We are having federal law enforcement take dangerous criminals out of communities and send them back to the countries where they belong, and that is what the majority of Americans want, McKoon said.

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VIRGINIA BEACH  Hunt Club Farm reported positive avian influenza tests in some of its birds Friday, prompting it to close for this weekend.

The farm and event venue announced on Facebook that the illness likely was brought there by migratory birds, and that the affected areas were immediately quarantined and disinfected.

The health and safety of our animals, employees and community have always been and remain our top priority, the statement reads. While there is a very low risk of humans contracting the virus, we are closely monitoring the health of our staff.

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This outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. is believed to have begun in 2022. It has steadily spread to birds in all 50 states, as well as some large dairy herds. Its estimated to have cost the poultry industry more than $1 billion in lost revenue, and its effects on chickens and the attempts to halt the spread are responsible for the high price of eggs nationwide.

Dr. Patrick Jackson, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Virginia Medical Center, said Friday the most at-risk human population are those working in the agricultural space, such as cattle workers, farmers that come into contact with birds and households with backyard chickens. For folks who may not be in contact with birds often, such as office workers, Jackson said theres very little need to change day-to-day routines.

We just havent seen it transmitted from person to person, but if the virus able to kind of overcome that barrier, become adapted to humans and be able to transmit from human to human, thats really when you start to see a big change, Jackson said.

Last month, President Trump ordered a halt in communications from federal health agencies  including the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  until a review is performed. Jackson said health care workers often refer to the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, or MMWR, each week for the latest guidance and news regarding infectious disease. He said one hasnt been issued since Jan. 2, creating a lot of uncertainty.

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What we really need to have happening right now is CDC working closely with state and local health departments and agricultural departments to do good monitoring about whats going on with wild bird populations, in cattle, collecting information about human cases as well, and then disseminating that information to the broader community, Jackson said.

I think right now, its not clear, given the recent changes in D.C., what portions of those activities are still going on at CDC, and how that communication is coming out. I think that uncertainty does kind of put us in a more difficult situation.

Currently, the CDC reports 67 human infections of avian influenza and one death. In Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health reported cases of avian influenza in chicken flocks on the Eastern Shore. At the Richmond Zoo, two cranes died after testing positive earlier this month.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
As Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her Budget speech in Lok Sabha on Saturday, Opposition parties staged a walkout to register their protest after their demand to discuss Mahakumbh stampede was not accepted. Ahead of the Finance Minister's speech, protests erupted within the house, demanding the government release the list of people who lost their lives in the recent Mahakumbh stampede. The Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, demanded that the government release the list of people who lost their lives in the stampede on Wednesday. The tragedy that took place during the Mauni Amavasya bathing ritual on Wednesday, resulted in the deaths of 30 people and left 60 others injured. Members who walked out returned a few moments later as the Finance Minister began reading her speech. Sitharaman on Saturday stressed unlocking the potential of India's marine sector and said that the government will bring a framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries with a special focus on Andaman and Lakshadweep zones. "India ranks second largest globally in fish production and aquaculture. Seafood exports are valued at 60,000 crore rupees. To unlock the untapped potential of the marine sector, our government will bring in an enabling framework for the sustainable harnessing of fisheries from the Indian exclusive economic zone and high seas with a special focus on the Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands," she said. She also highlighted a national mission for cotton production farmers. "For the benefit of lakhs of cotton-growing farmers, I am pleased to announce a mission for cotton productivity. This five-year mission will facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming and promote extra-long stable cotton varieties. The best of science and technology support will be provided to farmers," Sitharaman added. The Finance minister also mentioned that the government will establish a Makhana Board in Bihar to benefit farmers in the area. "Makhna Board will be established in Bihar to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organised into FPOs. The board will provide handholding and training support to Makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes," she said. The Finance minister highlighted that they will launch a national mission on high-yielding seeds. "A national mission on high-yielding seeds will be launched aimed at strengthening the research ecosystem, targeted development and propagation of seeds with high yield and commercial viability via the availability of more than 100 seed varieties released since July 2024," Sitharaman added. (ANI)
The hunt for tech-industry minerals in eastern Congo harks from a different age to the products they will become.

Filthy miners use only shovels and prospecting pans while scouring muddy hills for ores that will go into the latest smartphones and laptops.

In scenes reminiscent of the 19th century gold rush in North America, these prospectors unearth 21st-century treasures that keep the modern world running.

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The mining town of Rubaya in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) even has the feel of the Wild West, complete with occasional gunfire over disputed claims.

Nine months before M23, the rebel group backed by Rwanda, seized the city of Goma last week, its fighters took Rubayas coltan mines. The dull, black metallic ore is refined to tantalum, a heat-resistant powder used in capacitors for high-tech devices.

The mines are a cash cow. Since taking Rubaya, the group is estimated by the United Nations to have earned 650,000 a month by imposing taxes on the coltan trade.

At the same time, each month 150 tonnes of coltan are smuggled over the border to be sold by Rwanda.

Workers scour the mud for ores that will go in the latest smartphones - Simon Townsley

UN experts reported in late December that M23s capture of Rubaya was primarily motivated by a strategic need to monopolise the only viable route for mineral evacuation.

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Between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops were in eastern DRC, supervising and supporting the M23 fighters, the experts said.

Now, the capture of Goma gives the M23 group and its Rwandan sponsors even greater control over an area rich in not only coltan, but also tungsten and gold. Deeper in DRC are huge deposits of cobalt, tin and copper.

And it has worsened what was already one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises, in an area blighted by war for decades.

More than 500,000 people were displaced by the fighting in January alone, and the UN says at least 700 people were killed in the fight for Goma in the past week, with 2,800 wounded.

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The Red Cross said one of its hospitals had received more than 100 patients with head and chest wounds over 24 hours.

The race for such minerals did not cause the wars which have ravaged eastern DRC since the 1990s, but their riches have since become a significant motivation for the dozens of armed groups.



Jason Stearns, a political scientist and Congo expert at Canadas Simon Fraser University, said: Today, minerals play an enormous role.

They are the main way that most armed groups fund themselves. Because minerals are such a huge part of the economy, that is one of the main sources of revenue for armed groups.

Their role has even led some Congolese to liken them to the harmful conflict diamond trade and call them blood minerals.

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Rwandas motivations are more murky. The country strongly denies being behind the M23 group, or having designs on its neighbours minerals.

Men travel to the coltan mines to work. The M23 rebel group is estimated to have earned 650,000 a month via taxes on the coltan trade - Simon Townsley

Paul Kagame, the president, said his interest in eastern DRC was defensive, because the area is a hideout for Hutu extremists who fled over the border after killing 800,000 in the 1994 genocide.

Rwandas ambassador-at-large for the Great Lakes region, Vincent Karega, this week rejected the idea that M23 was trafficking Congolese minerals.

He said: Do you think its possible to fight and still have time to mine natural resources and refine them?

Yet minerals from eastern DRC are hugely important to Rwandas economy and had been smuggled over the border long before M23s recent advances.

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Mr Stearns said: One of Rwandas largest exports in recent years has been minerals and much of that comes from the eastern DRC.

Last year, Rwanda exported $1.1 billion (883 million) in minerals, most of that was gold and most of that came  we can estimate  from eastern DRC.

Minerals play a large role in motivating Rwanda. Rwanda has other aims as well, Rwanda has fought five wars now in eastern DRC, going back to 1996.

In general they want to control this area for a variety of reasons, but yes, minerals are one of those reasons.

The M23 rebel group is still advancing to mining towns and says it wants to lead the country - Arlette Bashizi/Reuters

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After the fall of Goma, M23 was in recent days said to be still advancing, moving through South Kivu province toward the city of Bukavu.

Numbi, another mining area rich in gold, tourmaline and tin, tantalum and tungsten, is also under threat.

Corneille Nangaa, one of the political leaders of M23, said: We want to go to Kinshasa, take power and lead the country.

The chances of the rebels getting to the capital nearly 1,000 miles from Goma are thought to be slim, but their advance already poses a headache for Rwandas allies, including Britain.

Mr Kagames impressive strides in building up his country and bringing growth and stability after the horrors of the genocide have long made Rwanda a darling of international development donors.

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Large sums have poured in, even as opposition figures have been killed and elections have delivered him a suspiciously high 99 per cent of the vote. Mr Kagame and his government have strongly denied any involvement in the deaths and have said there has been no vote-rigging.

A man guards bags of coltan, which is used in mobile phones, computers, vehicle electronincs and cameras - Simon Townsley

Rwanda has successfully positioned itself as a beacon of African progress and made itself useful to allies, for example by staffing peace-keeping missions and becoming a partner for the UKs aborted asylum scheme.

The country even has a sponsorship deal with Arsenal to display its Visit Rwanda tourism logo on shirt sleeves.



When M23 previously captured Goma in 2012, international pressure on Rwanda quickly forced a withdrawal. In a world distracted by Ukraine and the Middle East and with a more isolationist America, it is unclear whether similar pressure will be employed.



David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, this week warned Mr Kagame that 800 million of global annual aid to Rwanda could be at stake, including 32 million a year from London.

He said: All of that is under threat when you attack your neighbours. We cannot have countries challenging the territorial integrity of other countries.

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Just as we will not tolerate it in the continent of Europe, we cannot tolerate it wherever in the world it happens.

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A nonprofit that wants to let Idaho residents vote on abortion rights and other reproductive health care, such as birth control, has sued state officials over what it says are misleading, inaccurate and prejudicial proposals for the ballot initiative.

Idahoans United for Women and Families sued Attorney General Raul Labrador, Secretary of State Phil McGrane and Idaho Division of Financial Management Administrator Lori Wolff on Thursday. The group, which formed last year to address concerns about womens health care, said the officials proposed language that could confuse voters if the measure qualifies to be on ballots.

The group plans to have the measure up for a vote next year.

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Idaho voters can change or create state law through ballot initiatives, which are also called ballot measures. Proposals are submitted to the Secretary of States Office, and the Attorney Generals Office writes ballot titles for the proposal. The titles, a long version and a shorter version, are what appear on ballots if enough signatures are gathered to support the proposal.

In the lawsuit, which was filed with the Idaho Supreme Court, Idahoans United said it submitted a proposal for a ballot measure to McGranes office in November. The groups measure, which it called the Reproductive Freedom and Privacy Act, would legalize abortion up to fetal viability or in medical emergencies, and guarantee a right to privacy about reproductive health decisions like contraception and fertility treatments, the lawsuit said.

Idahoans United said in a news release Friday that Labradors proposed titles omitted key elements of the ballot measure, and Wolffs financial impact statement relies on unsupported assumptions.

None of the state officials named in the lawsuit immediately responded to the Idaho Statesmans requests for comment.

Lawsuit claims ballot measure info was biased, confusing

Labradors office titled the proposal Measure establishing a right to abortion up to fetus viability and to make reproductive decisions regarding ones own body. The lawsuit said that title failed to address two main components of the proposal: the right to privacy in reproductive health decisions and the establishment of a medical emergency exception for abortion.

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The latter has been the subject of multiple lawsuits since Idaho banned abortion following the U.S. Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Idaho law offers an exception when abortion is necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman, which doctors say doesnt protect patients whose health, but not life, is at risk. The ballot proposal would carve out a health exception.

Idahoans United also asked that the attorney generals use of the term fetus viability be changed to fetal viability in the long and short titles. The lawsuit said the AGs verbiage isnt common language and could confuse voters.

The lawsuit also says the financial impact statement prepared by the Division of Financial Management is biased and full of confusing legal jargon.

The statement, which is supposed to help voters understand the costs of a proposed measure, says the ballot initiative could impact Department of Correction and Medicaid budgets, likely totaling less than $20,000 per year.

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Idahoans United said details in the financial statement  including mention of the states $850 million annual Medicaid budget  are misleading and speculative. The group said its ballot initiative would have no financial impact on the state.

This initiative ensures that Idahoans have the right to make personal medical decisions free from government interference, without creating an obligation for government funding or assistance, and we expect our titles and fiscal impact statement to reflect this, said Idahoans United executive director Melanie Folwell in the groups news release.

Its the second time Labrador has been sued over ballot initiative titles during his tenure as attorney general. In 2023, Idahoans for Open Primaries won a lawsuit against the Republican in which the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that Labradors ballot titles did not comply with Idaho law.
The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) has provided more than $3.6 million to 32 Illinois Community Colleges to support student mental health in 2025, according to a news release.

These funds will introduce new services, augment existing practices, and target service gaps to help meet the mental health needs of thousands of students on community college campuses across the state.

We know many college students nationwide face mental health challenges. A recent U.S. News survey revealed nearly 70% of college students report struggling with their mental health. This investment will help community colleges better meet the needs of students outside the classroom, contributing to their success in the classroom, said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham.

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A 2023 Healthy Minds Study, which surveyed 800 campuses across the country found that 41% of college students screened positive for clinically significant symptoms of depression and one in three college students screened positive for anxiety.

The Lumina Foundation State of Higher Education 2024 Report indicates that 64% of currently enrolled students who recently considered stopping out of their program say emotional stress or mental health concerns are significant reasons why.

These Illinois community colleges applied for and are receiving MHEAC funding this fiscal year.

Grant Recipient Amount Black Hawk College $119,967 College of Lake County $120,000 Harold Washington College $120,000 Harry S. Truman College $120,000 Heartland Community College $119,890 Highland Community College $119,151 Illinois Central College $119,796 Joliet Jr. College $120,000 Kankakee Community College $120,000 Kaskaskia College $120,000 Kennedy-King College $119,847 Kishwaukee College $40,000 Lake Land College $71,295 Lincoln Land Community College $120,000 Malcolm X College $120,000 McHenry County College $118,788 Moraine Valley Community College $120,000 Morton College $120,000 Oakton College $100,280 Olive-Harvey College $119,968 Parkland College $119,710 Rend Lake College $54,524 Richard J. Daley College $119,995 Richland Community College $120,000 Rock Valley College $120,000 Sauk Valley Community College $120,000 South Suburban College $120,000 Southwestern Illinois College $120,000 Spoon River College $105,600 Triton College $120,000 Wilbur Wright College $120,000 William Rainey Harper College $119,699 Total Allocations $3,608,510

All colleges receiving funds will use them in at least one of four ways:

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Develop and expand peer support programs.

Expand the number of students served through local partnerships

Develop and expand mental health services targeting service gaps, emphasizing under-served students.

Develop Medicaid and other reimbursement procedures for mental health services.

About the Illinois Community College Board

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is the state coordinating organization for the Illinois Community College System  the third largest in the country and the leading public workforce development trainer in the state. The ICCB has statutory responsibility for administering state and federal grants to community college districts and adult education providers and managing high school equivalency testing for Illinois. Illinois community colleges serve over 600,000 residents each year in credit, noncredit, and continuing education courses. Illinois is home to 48 colleges in 39 community college districts which provide high quality, accessible, cost-effective educational opportunities to the entire state.

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Ill. (WTVO)  Three local community colleges are among many receiving a piece of the Illinois Community College Boards (ICCB) $3.6 million allocation to better student health services.

Rock Valley College and Sauk Valley Community received $120,000 while Highland Community College received $119,151.

ICCBs executive director said the improvements will help inside and outside the classroom.

We know many college students nationwide face mental health challenges. A recent U.S. News survey revealed nearly 70% of college students report struggling with their mental health, said ICCB Executive Director Brian Durham. This investment will help community colleges better meet the needs of students outside the classroom, contributing to their success in the classroom.

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All of the institutions will be using the funds in a minimum of one of four ways:

Develop and expand peer support programs.

Expand the number of students served through local partnerships

Develop and expand mental health services targeting service gaps, emphasizing underserved students.

Develop Medicaid and other reimbursement procedures for mental health services.

Inside Higher Eds Student Voice survey estimated two in five students say their mental health is impacting their ability to focus, learn and perform academically. The 2024 survey also found one in 10 students said their mental health was poor.

Here is a list of all the schools and the funds they are receiving:

Grant Recipient Amount Black Hawk College $119,967 College of Lake County $120,000 Harold Washington College $120,000 Harry S. Truman College $120,000 Heartland Community College $119,890 Highland Community College $119,151 Illinois Central College $119,796 Joliet Jr. College $120,000 Kankakee Community College $120,000 Kaskaskia College $120,000 Kennedy-King College $119,847 Kishwaukee College $40,000 Lake Land College $71,295 Lincoln Land Community College $120,000 Malcolm X College $120,000 McHenry County College $118,788 Moraine Valley Community College $120,000 Morton College $120,000 Oakton College $100,280 Olive-Harvey College $119,968 Parkland College $119,710 Rend Lake College $54,524 Richard J. Daley College $119,995 Richland Community College $120,000 Rock Valley College $120,000 Sauk Valley Community College $120,000 South Suburban College $120,000 Southwestern Illinois College $120,000 Spoon River College $105,600 Triton College $120,000 Wilbur Wright College $120,000 William Rainey Harper College $119,699 Total Allocations $3,608,510

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CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA)  An Illinois Representative is expressing his grief after his cousin died in Central Illinois last weekend.

Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) said Yahacov Dennis was his younger cousin. He described him on X (formerly Twitter) as a bright and kind soul.

Cov was love personified: Family of EIU student who died in shooting incident shares statement

Charleston Police said they performed a well-being check for 22-year-old Dennis Saturday afternoon. During the check, department leaders said he disarmed one of their officers and used the gun to shoot himself.

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You send your kids to school dreaming of their future, imagining them coming back in a cap & gownnot in a body bag, Buckner wrote. He cant tell his story, so we will.

Photo courtesy of London Griffin

The representative said he is owed complete answers, absolute justice & a legacy that reflects the love and pride we feel for him.

While there are still more questions than answers, one thing that is certain is how deeply we loved him, he added.

Illinois State Police have released the body camera footage on Thursday morning. They are investigating the incident and will hand over their results for the Coles County States Attorneys office to review once it is complete.

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CHICAGO  Scott Grandchamp was cleaning out the backroom last month at the LaGrange Park Ace Hardware store he owns when he found an untouched Illinois state flag tucked into a safe.

He decided to replace a company anniversary flag that he designed with the state flag and has flown it under the American flag every day since.

Its nice, and I think its something that should be flown, and it does represent our state, Grandchamp said. I think everybodys always just raised the American flag, and they dont raise the state flag. Since I found it and had an extra set of hooks, I said Lets raise it.

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Maligned by some, the state flag design thats been used for more than 50 years has its fans. But its future is uncertain, as the Illinois Flag Commission is a few weeks away from choosing a winner in a contest to design a new flag to represent the Land of Lincoln  although the outcome will be advisory at best.

Illinois residents have until Feb. 14 to vote  every resident can cast one ballot every 24 hours  on 10 finalists the commission chose from almost 5,000 submissions. The ultimate decision will be made by state lawmakers, who are scheduled to receive the vote totals on the 10 submissions by April 1 as part of a full report from the commission. Legislators will then consider whether to stick with the the current flag or go with one from the design contest. They could also choose to shift to the states centennial flag or sesquicentennial flag, according to state Sen. Doris Turner, a Springfield Democrat who sponsored the bill leading to the design contest.

Illinois State Sen. Terri Bryant, a member of the commission, made clear she likes the current flag, which she said she flies outside her house. Several neighbors on her street do the same, she said.

There are things about our flag that stand out, said Bryant, a Republican from downstate Murphysboro. For instance, when the flag moves, and when it flies in the air it actually looks like the water moves. Same thing with the sun.

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The state flag is essentially a white background with just the state seal  a bald eagle with the state motto in its mouth standing on a rock bearing the year of the states incorporation, 1818, and the seals creation, 1868.

Ted Kaye, a vexillologist, or person who studies flags, calls it a seal on a bedsheet  an unflattering term for a flag design in vexillology circles  and said Illinois needs a rebrand. He noted that the flags details cant be distinguished at a distance and that the white background cant be used on graphic designs because the white bleeds into the background.

Heres how to vote for Illinois new state flag

He also said he doesnt think state seals belong on flags because seals represent the government while a flag is meant to represent the people of the state.

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As a civilian, I would ask myself, why would I want to fly the flag of the government of my state at my house? Kaye said.

Changing the flag would involve costs. Utah, which adopted a new flag last March, spent almost $500,000 on its flag task force and $5,000 on prize money for design finalists. A report compiled by the Utah Fiscal Analyst Office said it might cost local governments $20 per flag to replace old flags, and the governor included $50,000 in his 2023 state budget for marketing the new flag.

Minnesota also changed its flag last year. The Minnesota Legislature allocated $35,000 to fund the design phase, but the biggest cost burden falls on state agencies and municipal governments, including fire and police departments. For instance, a county commissioner told a local news outlet that it would cost $50,000 to replace the state seal on a justice center. The states Department of Corrections is updating uniform patches gradually, with an estimated cost over time of $2 million, a spokesperson said.

Bryant said she was not clear on what the costs of changing the flag might be and plans to request an estimate during the spring legislative session. But Turner said she is confident the costs wont be high. She noted that the commission is made up of volunteers and said the state would follow Utah in replacing flags gradually as they wear out.

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We havent delved that far down into it and put numbers together, but we will probably follow what Utah and several other states that have gone through this process have done, Turner said. They phased in changing the flag so its not like you wake up one day and every flag is gone.

Regardless of the outcome, Turner said the flag competition serves a productive purpose.

This is an opportunity for some civic engagement, state pride and representation as this is as close to the community that we can possibly get, she said.

Proponents of leaving the flag alone, among them Ayn Patton Bartok, a resident of Bryants downstate district, have taken their case to social media. After hearing of the possible flag change, Bartok rallied dozens of local residents on Facebook to vote in favor of the current flag.

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Primarily as a taxpayer in the state of Illinois, I dont feel that this is an expenditure that our government should consider, Bartok said. Im concerned that our state is not necessarily physically sound, and this seems to be a frivolous endeavor.

If there was some reason that a new flag was going to improve our business relationships with other states, or attract more people to live in Illinois, I might understand, but I dont even think thats the case, Bartok said. Theres not been enough evidence to persuade me that getting a new flag is going to solve any of the states problems.

John Kokoris, who bills himself as Mr. Illinois and speaks about state history and other subjects at libraries, said hes been surprised by the number of people saying they like the current flag.

I hear a lot of people say, Oh I like the flag. I like the eagle. Theres just patriotic people out there who like that sort of thing, Kokoris said. I would have loved to see it updated, but a lot of great things have been done and accomplished under the current flag.

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Kaye, the vexolligist, said the states process for involving residents in the flag decision is flawed because voting includes the current flag. That means the flag that flies now could come out on top with less than 50% of the votes while residents who want a different flag will be divided across the 10 submitted designs.

This conflating of democratic participation in choosing the flag and lack of expertise in creating a great design for them to choose from is a challenge, Kaye said of the Illinois process.

But Turner said it was important to include the current flag in the voting to give individuals who felt strongly that option.

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Kokoris and Bryant also take issue with the selection process of the 10 finalists.

Everyone seems confused, and I feel like if we had better finalists, if people could have seen some of those more unique ideas that might have opened their eyes to what could be, Kokoris said. Instead, were looking at stars and stripes and red, white and blue and (former President Abraham) Lincolns head. And I love Lincoln, but dont get me wrong, its just like theres so many more ways to talk about Illinois.

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Turner said the 10 finalists were selected over a four-hour meeting in which each commission member presented their 10 favorite flag designs and the members chose from that pool.

No matter the outcome, Turner said this process has increased civic engagement around the flag.

Out of the 4,844 entries received over the six-week time period, Turner said several hundred submissions came from elementary, middle and high school students.

The commission should be able to say, we like the stars from this one and the colors from that one. Lets combine them, said Kaye. The goal is to design a flag, not to select a design.

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Tim Butler, a former Republican state representative and member of the flag commission, said whatever the outcome of the competition and legislative deliberation, the process has been a healthy one for a flag that didnt get much attention.

Hopefully, if nothing else, this raises the visibility of our flag, said Butler, of Springfield, and people take a little more pride in it.

____
JOLIET, Ill. (WTVO)  Will County States Attorneys Office sentenced Tamica Neal, 45, to 1 year in prison for fatally stabbing a dog in 2024.

On March 17, 2024, Crest Hill Officers were called to the 1900 block of North Hickory Street for a domestic incident. Neal grabbed a knife and attempted to cut the victim, according to Patch.

She proceeded to stab the owner of the houses dog until the animal died.

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Neals prior history of using knives in altercations was considered in her sentencing, according to FOX32.

Neal will receive 17 days credit for time served.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister M Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the Maha Kumbh area today on Saturday. The UP CM will visit Prayagraj today to take stock of the arrangements for Vasant Panchmi on February 2. Meanwhile, Maha Kumbh has drawn diplomats from around the world, with many foreign diplomats expressing their excitement and gratitude to India for the opportunity to experience its rich cultural heritage firsthand in the Maha Kumbh Mela. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Marje Luup, Estonian Ambassador to India, highlighted the significance of the event and stated, "Very excited. This is a very important event for India and also for all of us. This happens very rarely. 70 visitors from Estonia are also going to the Maha Kumbh... I am very grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs for giving us the opportunity to visit there... some of us will also take a dip." Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India, emphasised the sacred nature of the occasion and affirmed that Maha Kumbh is "very sacred occasion" and "a great opportunity" for him to join the millions of people who are getting blessings through Maha Kumbh Snan. He said, "I am sure these millions of people are looking for purity and enlightenment and I am happy that I will be a part of it." Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India, described the Maha Kumbh as a "once in a lifetime experience" and a "global celebration of humanity." Expressing her excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to experience the Maha Kumbh, Diana Mickeviciene, Lithuania's Ambassador to India stated that she has been "associated with India" for many years, but never had a chance to go to any Kumbh, "I feel very fortunate that I am here in India... This is definitely something that reflects the rich Indian heritage and culture, which you should be very proud of." Over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters today. Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant 'snan' dates in Maha Kumbh are February 3 (Basant Panchami--Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI)
A transgender Black Hawk pilot for the Virginia Army National Guard spoke out on Saturday after she was falsely accused of being behind the controls of a helicopter that collided with an American Airlines flight on Wednesday.

Rumors swirled about Jo Ellis following the crash near Washington, D.C., and a campaign of hate was amplified when President Donald Trump attributed the crash to DEI policies.

Ellis told CNN's Michael Smerconish that she was not surprised by the hate.

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This is my reality and now that I'm more visible, more comes, she said.

Asked about whether President Donald Trumps comments on DEI and the crash were partially responsible for the frenzy, Ellis said they were triggering an anti-trans backlash.

I've heard anecdotes from many in the trans community saying they have been targeted since the comments of the president, Ellis, who has served in the military for 15 years, said. This is really putting people's lives at risk.

Ellis also spoke out against an order from the White House putting her and other transgender service members at risk of losing their jobs, telling Smerconish she believe[s] in a meritocracy.

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I have met all the standards to serve. I came out while it was allowed and part of policy, she said. In my mind, I still meet those standards today.

Ellis' initial response to the rumors was a proof-of-life video on social media. In the clip shared Friday, she called out the attempts to tie her to the crash.

It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They dont deserve that. I dont deserve this, Ellis said.

The incident wasnt the first time the far-right tried to pin blame for an incident on transgender women. Last year, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones attempted to pin a Trump assassination attempt on a transgender woman. Before that, a GOP congressman Paul Gosar baselessly accused a trans woman of being behind a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Watch the full interview here:
ITHACA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  An undocumented immigrant arrested in Ithaca this week had been deported to Mexico at least seven times prior to being arrested for assault in Tompkins County, federal court records show.

Jesus Romero-Hernandez is now being held at the Oneida County Jail, accused of reentry after deportation or removal.

Undocumented immigrant arrested by federal officers in Tompkins County

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From the jail in Oriskany, Romero-Hernandez appeared by video before federal Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Danks, who ordered him to remain in custody until, at least, a detention hearing scheduled for next week.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, Jesus Romero-Hernandez is 27 years old and a citizen of Mexico.

The prosecution lists previous deportations in court paperwork, many of which happened within days of each other.

July 18, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

July 28, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

August 5, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas) and CONVICTED of reentry after deportation or removal

August 23, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

September 20. 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

September 23, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

September 30, 2016: Removal (Hidalgo, Texas)

Back in the United States since an unknown date, Jesus Romero-Hernandez was arrested by the Tompkins County Sheriffs Office on November 27, 2023.

At the time, ICE was contacted and the federal government again charged him with illegal reentry within weeks.

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But, the federal case waited until the assault case was satisfied, which happened this week, on January 28, 2025. Thats when he was set free by the Tompkins County Sheriff.

Knowing he was let out of local custody, he was arrested by ICE on Thursday on the latest immigration charge.

The U.S. Justice Department is looking into the circumstances surrounding his release, alleging that the Tompkins County Sheriffs Office refused to honor the federal arrest warrant and released Romero-Hernandez before ICE-ERO arrived to pick him up.

Sheriff Derek Osborne didnt respond to requests for an interview Friday, but previously said his office followed proper policy.

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POTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY)  The evening news has been populated with scenes of suspected illegal immigrants being rounded up as the new Secretary of Homeland Security looks on in body armor. Failures at the border have been the centerpiece of the Trump agenda.

Democratic Third District Rep. Bobby Scott agrees that reforms are needed, but not if theyre made for television.

You dont need more expensive photo ops to make that point, Scott said. Just enforce the law.

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This week, for the first time, military aircraft have been used to transport suspected illegal immigrants, even in cases where the receiving countries initially refused to allow the planes to land. Scott has an estimate on the cost as the president has launched the Department of Government Efficiency.

Well, were seeing the estimates of the costs of the photo ops and putting the immigrants on military rather than commercial [planes], Scott said. The cost is five or 10 times more expensive for that photo op.

Across the aisle, First District Republican Rep. Rob Wittman applauds President Trumps program.

Border security is a matter of national security, and the actions taken by President Trump reflect the leadership we need to address this crisis head-on,  said Wittman in a statement

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Late Friday, we learned the U.S. Coast Guard has conducted what it calls alien expulsion flights between California and Texas.

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Editor's note: This story has been updated due to more immigration policy changes by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trumps rapid-fire actions targeting undocumented immigrants nationally  which included immigration enforcement operations in the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio areas in recent days  have sparked questions and concerns for immigrants, especially those who are in the country illegally. Heres what immigration attorneys and experts say you should know about immigrant rights and resources.

What do the Trump administrations actions mean for immigrants?

One of the most significant changes is the expansion of expedited removals, which allows the U.S. to deport someone without a hearing before an immigration judge, said immigration attorney Sebastian Simon, whose firm has offices in New York and Houston. Typically, expedited removals are used at or near the border, but Trump expanded it to apply to undocumented immigrants anywhere in the U.S. who have been in the country for less than two continuous years, he said.

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This is not the first time Trump has fast-tracked deportations, and the American Civil Liberties Union has once again sued the administration to halt expedited removals.

Immigrants temporarily allowed to come into the U.S. through what is known as humanitarian parole could also face expedited removal, Simon said.

Right now, federal immigration agents appear to be focusing on people with outstanding removal orders and criminal records, Simon said, but any undocumented immigrants they encounter could also be apprehended. Trump recently signed a new law that requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain unauthorized immigrants who have been accused of committing even minor crimes, such as shoplifting or theft.

Simon recommends that people with temporary protected status and those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program try to adjust their immigration status if possible.

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Lawfully present immigrants such as legal permanent residents, visa holders and refugees or asylees can also face deportation if they are convicted of deportable crimes, which are typically serious crimes but can also include drug-related criminal offenses.

Can authorities detain people in churches and schools?

The Trump administration canceled policies that limited arrests of immigrants in sensitive locations like schools, churches and hospitals.

Gov. Greg Abbott previously ordered Texas hospitals and clinics to ask patients to disclose their immigration status, but patients do not have to respond, according to the ACLU and other advocacy groups. And Abbotts order said patients should be informed that their care shouldnt be affected because of their response.

What precautions can undocumented immigrants take?

Immigrants can take the following precautions to prepare in case they encounter authorities:

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Stay informed. Make sure you get information from reputable news sources and trusted immigration attorneys or organizations such as the National Immigrant Justice Center.

Learn your rights. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas or Catholic Charities of Central Texas offer training on immigrants rights.

Hire or talk to a qualified attorney. Simon recommends avoiding notaries or other individuals who bill themselves as immigration consultants, who may be able to help you fill out forms but cannot provide legal advice.

Have your documentation ready. In case theres an emergency, Simon said immigrants should have the following in a safe place and put scanned copies on their phone:

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Proof of identity (a passport, consulate ID, work permit, green card, etc.).

Immigration or USCIS case documents such as applications for a visa, asylum, temporary protected status or DACA.

If applicable, proof that theyve been in the country for two continuous years to avoid expedited removal. This can include lease agreements, utility bills, medical records, tax or school records, or a valid work permit.

Other legal documents, including birth certificates and marriage licenses.

Have a family plan in case of arrest. Families should prepare:

An emergency contact list with family members, friends and others who may be able to help.

Contact information for an immigration attorney or legal aid organization, plus the number of their home countrys consulate or embassy.

A notarized document detailing who is authorized to take care of their children, pets, property and bank accounts, including a power of attorney to allow someone to handle their finances, sign documents and make decisions on their behalf if they are detained.

Family members should know who to go to and where to find important documents if someone in the family is detained, and children should know who to contact in case they're separated from their parents.

What rights do undocumented immigrants have?

Under the U.S. Constitution, immigrants have these rights when interacting with authorities:

The right to remain silent by saying I wish to remain silent. Texas law requires anyone who is arrested or detained to give their name, date of birth and address, but they dont have to answer other questions.

The right to refuse an officer entry to their home without a valid search or arrest warrant signed by a state or federal judge (not an immigration court judge).

The right to hire an attorney.

The right to request an interpreter if they face removal proceedings.

Maria Cordero, an ACLU of Texas policy and advocacy strategist, said that for a search warrant to be valid, it must be signed by a state or federal judge and needs to include the name of the individual whose residence is to be searched and a specific address (an apartment complex address isnt enough for example, it must include the unit number).

Civil rights and immigrant rights organizations such as the ACLU of Texas recommend asking the officer to slide the warrant under your door or to display it through a window before allowing agents to enter a home.

What should immigrants do if officers come to their work?

If immigration officials or police go to a workplace, Cordero said, immigrants also have the right to remain silent and not answer officers questions. Employers can ask officers to remain in public areas and request to review any documents or warrants officers may have, Cordero added.

What should immigrants do if they are stopped in their vehicle?

If an immigrant is pulled over by police and doesnt have a drivers license, Cordero said they can say they dont have a license, but dont have to tell the officer why or disclose their immigration status.

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Read more about immigrants rights in various situations from the ACLU of Texas. In any situation, Cordero said its important for immigrants to remain calm to avoid escalating the situation.

What resources are available for immigrants?

There are many organizations that offer legal aid to immigrants in Texas, including:

Consulates and embassies from immigrants home countries may also offer assistance. For example, Mexico launched an app called ConsulApp Contigo for its citizens in the U.S. to learn about their rights and to alert their emergency contacts and consulate if they are detained with a push of a button. The app is available for both Apple and Android users.

You can find a list of consulates and embassies and contact information for them through the Texas Secretary of States website.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Undocumented immigrants who are not wanted for criminal activity may be swept up in raids playing out across the tri-state area, a federal official confirmed to PIX11 News.

Frank Tarantino, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in New York, told PIX on Politics the goal is to remove the most violent illegal criminals from our city streets.

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President Donald Trump has ordered all federal law enforcement, including the DEA, to work cooperatively on deportations.

Tarantino also explained what would happen if agents go to a building looking to arrest a violent criminal and encountered a different undocumented person.

In those instances, we will do our job and make sure we carry out the responsibilities we are given under Title 8 to hold them accountable, Tarantino said. In doing that we will work with ICE and our ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) counterparts to process them and put them through this administrative removal process.

ICE raids confirmed in Westchester County

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Undocumented people living and working in New York City in peace getting swept up in these immigration raids has been a top concern even for officials like Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor supports the removal of violent criminals in the country illegally, but she added Friday:

Im afraid about kids not going to school now because theyre worried about their parents being swept up in some raid. Im afraid about people not going to their churches and worship. This troubles me deeply as the governor of New York.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said the NYPD will continue to cooperate with federal authorities when it comes to the arrest of violent criminals here illegally, and he does not view that as a violation of New York Citys sanctuary city status.

Following Tarantinos statement, PIX11 connected with a spokesman for City Hall. He said that if a raid led to the detention of a non-criminal undocumented person, the NYPD would not participate in that portion of the raid. He said NYPD officers would not block the federal officials from making the arrest, that it would be against federal law.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A teenager, injured by a bomb in Gaza in April 2024, has arrived in Colorado for medical treatment.

He had to receive an above-the-knee amputation.

Friday night, Abdalaziz arrived at Denver International Airport. The 17-year-old was greeted by close to 70 people, some of whom were holding welcome signs.

Police search for suspect who allegedly stole bags at Denver airport

Among the first to greet him  his uncle, who has not seen him in nearly six years.

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The non-profit, humanitarian aid organization Heal Palestine is playing a large role in getting the teen treatment at Audubon Orthotic and Prosthetic Services in Colorado Springs.

Heal Palestine consists of a network of volunteers and medical professionals who provide care for children who are affected by the crisis in Gaza.

Abdalaziz is the first child from Gaza to be evacuated to Colorado. He said he is excited to be around all the love and the people from Colorado. Hes excited to meet and interact with everybody.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE)  The state corrections department is praising inmates on a work detail after they found two loaded guns along I-25. The inmates from the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas were working near the Santo Domingo exit Monday.

When the department says they spotted the guns hidden under some tumbleweeds. The inmates alerted the supervising officer, who took swift action.

Albuquerque City Council approves safe public space legislation

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The corrections department says discoveries like this are rare and the inmates did the right thing. We could be having a whole different discussion but for the actions, the conduct, and the behavior of those inmates. Were talking about two loaded handguns being introduced to a place where you have custody and control of folks who are serving out periods of incarceration for convictions and other crimes. It could have been a completely different story, says Public Safety POlicy Advisor for the governor Benjamin Baker.

The department says all nine inmates were searched and interviewed once they returned to the prison. The guns were turned over to state police for further investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  The trial of rapper A$AP Rocky is progressing according to standard legal procedure, but there have been no lack of unusual moments, from visits from Rihanna to a tough-but-quirky judge and lawyers nearly coming to blows.

Testimony is expected to last another week before jurors will decide Rocky's fate on two counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. A conviction could lead to up to 24 years in prison for the hip-hop star.

Here are some of the out-of-the-ordinary moments from the first two weeks of the trial, most not captured by the cameras in the courtroom.

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Waiting for Rihanna

From the moment it became clear the case was going to trial, nearly everyone involved was asking the same thing: What about Rihanna?

Editors asked it of reporters, who asked it of lawyers. Even Judge Mark Arnold asked it months ago at a hearing: Will the mother of his children be there?

Her name came up constantly during jury selection, when prospective panelists were asked whether her attendance would affect their judgment.

Yet when the singing superstar finally did show up, she was easy to miss.

She didn't appear through the first week, but rumors abounded Wednesday that she might appear, on a short court day with important testimony. Yet there was no sign of her outside or in the halls. (Unlike a nearby civil courthouse, where celebrities like Britney Spears and the Kardashians are smuggled in, Rocky and other defendants must use public entrances and many thought she'd accompany him.)

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When the media were allowed in the courtroom, many reporters walked past her without noticing she was already sitting inconspicuously between Rocky's mother and sister. She had been brought in through restricted entrances. She could barely be seen from the media section, and the camera capturing the trial is not allowed to shoot the audience.

Her presence caused a quiet stir once the audience realized it, though it's not clear if the jurors had noticed her.

She appeared again the next day, and it soon felt almost unexceptional that she was there. By Friday, she slipped in about 30 minutes into testimony after coming through a public entrance.

Later that day she entered the courtroom together with Rocky for the first time, down a hallway full of jurors from his and other cases that was abuzz.

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Attorneys in the octagon

Court observers knew that when Deputy District Attorney John Lewin joined the prosecution shortly before trial, that he and Rocky's equally bullish and vocal attorney, Joe Tacopina, were sure to butt heads. They weren't wrong.

Lewin, a dogged prosecutor, is best known for his successful murder prosecution of real estate heir Robert Durst. Tacopina is a New York attorney and frequent TV commentator whose clients have included President Donald Trump.

Their shouting matches began quickly. Soon, without judge or jury present, the two had to be separated by a fellow lawyer when they went nose-to-nose in a faceoff that looked like it might become a fistfight.

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Mr. Tacopina started literally screaming at me in the courtroom. He basically appeared to challenge me to a fight, Lewin told the judge later.

Tacopina responded. No one screamed. You werent there your honor. Mr. Lewin comes up with his little scolding, bullying attitude.

Arnold, a former sheriff's deputy, forbade the two from talking to each other except on the record.

Moments later, he said a UFC fight might be warranted. Maybe we should get an octagon.

Arnold wasn't wrong either. An even more fierce fight broke out between the two men in front of the judge but off camera a few days later as they argued over evidence. Lewin shouted that the defense assertion Rocky was carrying a prop gun was garbage."

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Oh?! Oh?! Tacopina yelled. We'll see what the jury says at the end!"

"The argument grew more out of control and turned to personal insults.

You don't know me! But you will learn! Tacopina yelled.

The judge, disgusted, refused to keep playing referee.

That's it, we're off the record, he said, and walked out.

The quirks of the key witness

The testimony of A$AP Relli, Rocky's accuser, was dark and difficult but brought a couple of oddly light moments.

At one point, Deputy District Attorney Paul Przelomiec asked him how far away Rocky was at a certain moment.

About three or four skips," Relli said.

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Ive never heard about anyone estimating with skips, Przelomiec said.

Wait, what does a skip mean? the judge asked.

You dont know what I mean? Relli asked.

They determined for the record that it was about 7 to 8 feet.

Arnold's long-for-a-judge hair and rugged, bushy mustache evoke a biker, or a cowboy. His nameplate on the bench is a carved wooden log. Relli let him know he liked his style.

As he testified, Arnold told him he clearly had to say yes or no for the court reporter.

Relli said sorry, he was nervous, then looking at the judge said, I like your bracelet.

What? Arnold said.

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Relli pointed at the silver wristband on the judge's right arm. Your bracelet.

Oh, the judge said. Thank you.

A$AP's mother and sister at the trial

Rockys mother, Renee Black, and his sister, Erika Mayers, garnered their own share of attention even before Rihanna sat between them.

The first day they appeared, Arnold asked Rocky who the women in his section were.

That's my mother and my sister, Rocky said. The judge's marveled at Black's youthful appearance.

What were you, 7 when you had him? the judge asked. She said she was 26.

You are very beautiful, the judge told her. Thats on the record.

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Later, Lewin politely approached the women and talked to them during a break. He said of Rocky, I just hope he's evaluating everything in a reference to the deal Rocky turned down  a recommendation of 180 days in jail and other relatively minor punishments for a guilty plea on one count.

Tacopina angrily brought it up to the judge later, and Lewin explained himself.

I walked up very kindly to the defendants mother and sister. I said I am very sorry you have to go through this. I hope that your brother and your son, hes really evaluated what hes risking here.

The phantom photographer

During jury selection, when the room was packed with tired and seemingly bored potential jurors being questioned one after another, a woman gave everyone a start when she suddenly shouted, Theres a woman taking a picture in that corner!

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She pointed to a door with a small window behind the judge, who pounced into action, his robe flying. He and his clerk opened the door and hurried down the hall behind it, but found no one.

The woman swore she saw someone and tried to justify herself, but Arnold cut her off.

You did the right thing! Arnold said. You done good!

They kept the window covered after that.
On this weeks Inside KELOLAND we are taking a closer look at a history-making week in South Dakota state government.

Well hear from the states new Governor with extended coverage from our one-on-one interview in Pierre. KELOLANDs Bob Mercer and Dan Santella had the first sit-down interview with Gov. Larry Rhoden.

During our more than ten-minute interview, Rhoden covered a range of topics from his early years in politics to his legislative priorities and how his administration will differ from his predecessor, Kristi Noem.

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The transition of leadership also includes a new Lt. Governor. Just two days after being sworn in, Larry Rhoden named Tony Venhuizen as his Lt. Governor. Venhuizen was confirmed and sworn in on Thursday.

KELOLANDs Bob Mercer got reaction from Venhuizen shortly after his swearing-in. We also take a look at his long history in South Dakota politics.

The change in leadership is being met with positive feedback from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Democratic leaders say they are specifically pleased with Rhodens approach to tribal relations.

All of the changes in Pierre trail former Gov. Kristi Noems confirmation as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In her first week, Noem visited New York City during ICE operations. As Noem worked side by side with federal agents, CBS News was also there.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami thanked Union Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the announcement in the Budget that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers especially the middle class. "A big gift for the middle class...! Under the visionary and strong leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiji, an important decision has been taken to make the income of Rs 12 lakh tax free under the Union Budget 2025-26, giving a big relief to the middle class," Dhami said in a post on X. "Certainly, this welfare decision will benefit the common man of the country including the middle class. This decision will not only encourage economic development but will also bring positive changes in the lifestyle of the people. Thanks for this historic decision-Congratulations to the Prime Minister," he added. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh rupees for salaried tax payers counting Rs 75,000 of standard deduction. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. But there is a catch, the exemption can be earned only if a tax payer takes relief under various sections of the income tax act like Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under section 80CCC, exemption of Rs 1.5 lakh for paying interest on home loans. Sitharaman said, "To tax payers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them" The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. The finance minister announced change in income tax slabs and rates across the board, ensuring a more progressive taxation system. Sitharaman said, "Slabs and rates are being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment." Under the new tax slabs income of up to Rs 4 lakh will have to pay Nil tax hiked from Rs 3 lakh. A tax payer in the new regime with an income of Rs 12 lakh will get a benefit of `Rs 80,000 in tax.A person having income of `Rs 18 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 70,000 in tax. A person with an income of Rs 25 lakh gets a benefit of Rs 1,10,000 under the new tax slabs. "The total tax benefit of slab rate changes and rebate at different income levels can be illustrated with a few examples, a taxpayer in the new regime with an income of 12 lakh rupees will get a benefit of 80,000 rupees in tax, which is 100% of tax payable as per the existing rates. A person having income, a person having income of 18 lakh rupees will get a benefit of 70,000 rupees in tax, that is 30% of tax payable as per existing base. A person with an income of 25 lakh gets a benefit of one lakh 10,000 rupees, that is 25% office tax payable as per existing rates," the Finance Minister said. As a result of these proposals, revenue of about Rs 1 lakh crore in direct taxes and Rs 2600 crore in indirect taxes will be forgone. (ANI)
The idea that it is bad luck to rename a boat is a maritime superstition that endures in the Navy to this day. However, it seems that the King would rather risk ill fortune than offend the French.

This week, it was claimed that King Charles III had personally intervened in the naming of a new Royal Navy submarine which had been agreed under his mother Queen Elizabeth II. The vessel  an Astute-class submarine which is currently under construction in Barrow-in-Furness  was due to be named HMS Agincourt after an English victory over the French in 1415.

According to defence sources, the proposed name has been changed to HMS Achilles at the Kings behest. This decision has drawn criticism from some quarters who see the move as kowtowing to Britains European neighbours. Former Nato commander Rear Admiral Chris Parry called it craven political correctness and ideology gone mad, while ex-defence secretary Grant Shapps railed against woke nonsense.

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The Kings apparent decision to veto the original name is not a break of protocol. In practice, the monarch has the final say on how ships are named. Titles for new vessels are considered by the Royal Navy Ships Names and Badges Committee. They are then approved by the Navy Board, the Secretary of State for Defence and finally, ratified by the King or Queen. That is the point at which HMS Agincourts problems began.

In 2018, Sir Gavin Williamson, then-defence secretary, announced the commission of a new submarine. The vessel was to be named after the Battle of Agincourt in the Hundred Years War, in which the French suffered a heavy defeat against an English and Welsh Army led by Henry V. The name reportedly won the approval of Queen Elizabeth II. But concerns emerged from both within and outside the Ministry of Defence that it risked causing offence, despite the long history of such vessels being named after former battles.

The Battle of Agincourt (1415) was a decisive victory for the English against the French in the Hundred Years War - Getty

The submarine would have been the sixth Royal Navy vessel to bear the Agincourt name, spanning a time period from 1796 to 1922. The French, too, have named numerous vessels after victories over the British  at least six of its major warships are dedicated to men who fought against the English. For instance, the submarine Tourville commemorates Anne-Hilarion de Costentin, Comte de Tourville, commander of the French victory at Beachy Head in 1690 during the Nine Years War. The French navys success won it brief control of the Channel and resulted in the then-admiral of the British fleet, Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington, being court-marshalled.

Discussions on revising the name of HMS Agincourt began last year when Shapps was still in office. It is unclear at what point the King became involved, but one defence source has suggested that these discussions were initiated by His Majesty. The reportedly unprecedented intervention appears to have been prompted by a fear that to name a new vessel in homage to a French defeat could be seen as rubbing salt in a historic wound. As a result, it could be potentially burning the Anglo-French bridges the King seems to have been rebuilding.

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His Majesty has earned the moniker Francophile King, and not without reason. Seemingly, in a bid to boost relations with Europe post-Brexit, his first state visit was to France and Germany, rather than a Commonwealth country. The France leg of the tour was postponed at the 11th hour due to violent protests against Emmanuel Macrons pension reforms, but it was promptly rescheduled to September 2024.

Then, the King made it clear he had every intention of revitalising the Entente Cordiale, a series of agreements made between the British and French at the turn of the 20th century. Over a banquet at the Palace of Versailles, he raised a toast and said it is incumbent upon us all to reinvigorate our friendship to ensure it is fit for the challenge of this, the 21st century. While he did not mention Brexit by name, the King alluded that relations have not always been entirely straightforward across the two countries long and complex history, with suitably regal diplomacy.

He is known to enjoy a genuinely close personal relationship with the French president based, in part, on their shared interest in the environment. Queen Camilla and first lady Brigitte Macron are said to have a similar rapport. According to royal reporter and biographer Ingrid Seward, Brigitte shares the Queens sense of fun. She got on well with Queen Camilla [as] she doesnt mind ladding about a bit, she says.

The King and French President Macron have a close relationship - Reuters

However, as a lover of history, it is surprising that the King was not ultimately supportive of a bid to name the new submarine after one of Britains greatest battles, Seward adds. Lets say he might have been taking hints from his advisors, she says, adding that she considers the decision to be out of character for His Majesty and that he has to follow the advice of his ministers and he is guided by his Government.

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The palace, however, maintains the decision was made for a different reason entirely. A royal source told The Telegraph: The King was pleased to take the appropriate chance in this anniversary year to honour the heroes of VE and VJ Day. May 8 this year marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

In light of this, the choice of HMS Achilles is particularly poignant, as a previous ship that shares the name received battle honours in the Second World War. The new submarine will be the 11th vessel to be christened Achilles (or Achille), and previous ships that bore the name were involved in the Battle of the River Plate in 1939  the first British naval battle of the Second World War  and then the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

Considering the progress made in bringing a little bonhomie back to Anglo-French relations, perhaps concerns over Agincourts potential to offend were justified. Moreover, while direct intervention from a monarch to veto a ships name is considered to be unusual, it is not the first time the King or Queen has insisted on a hasty rebrand to avoid offending the French.

At the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, Queen Elizabeth II met then-president Francois Mitterrand at Ashford in Kent, rather than at London Waterloo  named, of course, after the decisive Battle of Waterloo  which was then the Eurostars terminus.

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Then, in 2004, when Jacques Chirac was French president, he was due to visit Windsor Castle for a performance of Les Miserables put on by Her Majesty. The only room in the castle suitable to host such a performance was, unfortunately, the Waterloo Chamber, which was swiftly given the more innocuous name the Music Room for the night.

The Leander-class light cruiser HMS Achilles saw action at several battles during the Second World War - Popperfoto

Obviously monarchs do try to accommodate visitors and not upset them unnecessarily, says writer and royal commentator Hugo Vickers. On this occasion, the Waterloo Chamber was either renamed  or the name was removed from the invitation  for the performance. The portraits in the chamber  a series commissioned by King George IV to commemorate the significant figures in the battle to defeat Napoleon  were also removed for the occasion.

So this is merely the latest  but perhaps last  chapter in the long history of naming squares, battleships and bridges after English victories over the French: Trafalgar Square, Waterloo Bridge and HMS Iron Duke, named after the officer who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, to name three examples. Londons Maida Vale takes its name from a now vanished pub, the Hero of Maida, which was dedicated to General Sir John Stuart, who served in the Napoleonic Wars. The King may be building bridges with France, but it seems they will no longer be named after the great Anglo-French battles of centuries past. Battleships too.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

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Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps first week in office was a blitz of executive orders and memos  some important, others little more than press releases on fancy letterhead  designed to overwhelm Washington into submission.

Week Two showed Trumps maximalist second-term instincts were more than just an opening bid. It revealed how the president many Americans grew to distrust in his first term  erratic, chaotic, and unwilling or unable to focus on uniting the country rather than dividing it  has not really gone anywhere.

The result, for many Trump critics in Washington, is a mixture of fear and hope: worries about purges of the civil service and unconstitutional power grabs by Trump, mixed with a revival of hopes that Democrats can fight a president whos proven more effective at blustering than taking real action.

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Trump, who has largely shed the illusion he is not attempting to implement large chunks of the Project 2025 agenda, is unlikely to let up. And unlike in early 2017, Trump and his core allies are more familiar with the federal government and how to bend it to their will.

Its vastly different. Theres a level of preparedness and focus that frankly we didnt have last time, said Sean Spicer, Trumps first White House press secretary. The four years out of office have really allowed the president to think about the people he wants to surround himself with, the people he wants to stay away from, the policies he wants to pursue and the process by which he can get those things done.

But Trumps second-week struggles, including a brazen and potentially unconstitutional attempt to freeze all federal spending and the possibility that two of his Cabinet nominees may not be confirmed, prove Trumps golden age is not a sure bet.

I think one of the things that we are remembering this week is that no politician, no administration, is unconstrained by politics, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told HuffPost. Everybody is subject to the laws of politics and the law of gravity.

Federal Funding Fracas

On Monday evening, the Office of Management and Budget issued a stunning memo ordering federal agencies to pause all financial assistance grants. The order threatened to disrupt a broad swath of federal safety net policies and represented an affront to the constitutional separation of powers, since its supposed to be Congress that controls spending, not the White House.

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Organizations that receive federal grants, such as charities like Meals on Wheels, said they were concerned theyd be unable to provide services. A spokeswoman for Meals on Wheels America told HuffPost the order would presumably halt service to millions of vulnerable seniors who have no other means of purchasing or preparing meals.

The White House initially insisted the order had been misconstrued and that it wouldnt affect any program that helps Americans in their homes. Two days later, after a court injunction and reports of Medicaid systems outages, Trump officials did an about-face and rescinded the order. Yet they continued to insist the intent of the memo remained in force, prompting a federal judge to threaten to slap a second injunction on the order just to make sure it was dead.

Different White House factions appeared eager to blame one another in the press, a dynamic common in Trumps chaotic first term. It was such a mess that even some congressional Republicans seemed relieved to move on.

I think that maybe some of his advisers should have really parsed through that, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told HuffPost. Theyre moving quickly, so when they realized it was going to cause problems, I think it was a good idea to just say, Lets pull it back and get it right.

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I guess the best way to put it is: Advise and consent still kind of works once in a while, added Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), referring to pushback from Congress to Trumps funding freeze.

Project 2025 Is Here

The first two weeks proved Trump is rapidly working toward dismantling and reshaping the government as laid out in Project 2025, the unpopular conservative policy blueprint that Trump distanced himself from during the 2024 campaign. In line with its recommendations, top federal officials are being purged and millions of federal employees are being pressured to quit, including with promises of vague buyouts.

Trump fired 18 inspectors general whose job is rooting out government corruption, axed appointees at two key labor boards, oustedsenior officials at the Department of Justice and the Department of Treasury and took a wrecking ball to U.S. foreign aid programs, including the United States Agency for International Development.

The stunning government-wide effort to push out career civil servants appeared to be at least partly driven by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who chairs the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory panel tasked with identifying sources of government waste. Musks fingerprints were all over an email government employees received offering an eight-month severance package to leave their jobs.

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It looked like it was the brainchild of Elon Musk, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) told reporters this week. I think its really important that federal employees recognize this administration is launching an all-out assault on the merit-based system. Thats what their Schedule F proposal is all about, to replace merit-based federal employees with political cronies.

I dont know if its legal, but I would advise them to make sure if they are thinking about it, we know that Donald Trump has a history of not following through.

A Tragedy On The Potomac

Trumps first days back in office have also tested his response to major disasters. Last Friday, the president visited North Carolina and California  one state still recovering from devastating flooding and another battling historically destructive wildfires.

But the first disaster to occur solely on Trumps watch was Wednesday night. An American Airlines commercial jet and Army helicopter collided in midair over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., killing nearly 70 people.

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Trump wasted no time politicizing the event, blaming diversity hiring practices for what he falsely characterized as a lowering of standards for air traffic controllers (the results of a preliminary investigation are pending). In reality, Federal Aviation Administration controllers undergo rigorous training and assessment; the biggest obstacle the agency faces is a critical shortage of personnel.

The president, from the White House press briefing room Thursday, read off a list of hiring criteria for diverse candidates from the FAAs website that were seemingly in place throughout Trumps first term  meant to imply that a focus on diversity hiring has correlated with worse outcomes for the agency. We want brilliant people doing this. This is a major chess game at the highest level, Trump said.

The briefing was an opportunity for Trump to advance his anti-DEI agenda, blaming the agencys hiring practices  which are the subject of a long-simmering class-action lawsuit  for what Trump characterized as an avoidable tragedy.

Yet some of Trumps Senate allies were hesitant to jump to the same conclusion without a thorough investigation.

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Obviously one or more people made a devastating and catastrophic mistake, but we should wait to examine the evidence and understand exactly what went on, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told HuffPost this week.

We Still Do Not Have A Plan

And for all the vigor Trump aims to project directly from the White House, the GOPs margins in Congress remain narrow enough to severely constrain his expansive legislative ambitions. Republicans are divided over whether to pass Trumps ambitious domestic policy agenda  including tax cuts, spending cuts, border security and deregulation  in one giant package or a series of smaller bills.

The lack of progress on this front elicited frustration from a key House Republican, who huddled this week with Trump and her colleagues at the presidents hotel in Miami.

After two days at our House Republican winter retreat, we still do not have a plan on budget reconciliation and our Speaker and his team have not offered one, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) complained online Wednesday.

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Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are pressing forward with their own plan, regardless of whether their House counterparts get it together. They hope to pass a package that includes funding for border enforcement and energy production while tacking an extension of Trumps tax cuts later on.

Nominees In Jeopardy

Three of Trumps Cabinet nominees faced tough questions during their confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill this week, and two of them  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard  appear in real danger of being blocked by the Senate.

Kennedy, Trumps health secretary nominee, sought to assure senators he does not oppose vaccines despite his long record of spreading misinformation about them. But one Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, appeared skeptical on Thursday.

After Kennedy refused to give a straight answer on whether vaccines cause autism, Cassidy said, Thats kind of a yes-or-no question. The data is there.

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Cassidy is a physician and chairman of the Senates health committee, and his opinion on the nomination could have extra sway over his fellow Republicans. Hes also crossed Trump before, voting to convict him in a Senate impeachment trial over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol.

But the Louisiana Republican is facing pressure at home: hes up for reelection in 2026 and Trump allies have already threatened to support his primary challenger if he does not vote to confirm the presidents nominees.

Gabbard, Trumps nominee for director of national intelligence, also faced tough questions from Republicans in her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

The former Democratic congresswoman-turned-Republican firebrand failed to satisfy several GOP senators by refusing to call National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden a traitor.

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It would likely take four Republican no votes on the floor to stop any Trump nomination. Last week, Trumps defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, barely squeaked by after three GOP senators voted against him: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

I have to tell you, Im worried by what I hear from some of my Republican colleagues. Im worried that her nomination may be in jeopardy, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Fox News after the hearing.

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Saturday will mark 65 years since four Black college students (David Richmond, Frank Mccain, Ezell Blair Junior, who is now known as Jibreel Khazan, and Joseph Mcneil) took a stand by sitting at a whites-only lunch counter.

This sparked the sit-in movement that helped transform the fight for racial equality in America.

The pivotal landmark where it happened is receiving national recognition.

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The International Civil Rights Center and Museum, formerly the F.W. Woolworths store in Greensboro, has officially been designated a national historic landmark.

Museum leaders say this recognition has been years in the making

Martin Luther King Jr. said  That was the start of the modern-day civil rights movement, said Skip Alston, International Civil Rights Center and Museum co-founder and co-chair of the board.

In December, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum leaders were notified by the National Park Service that the building had been designated a national historic landmark.

Saturday will mark both the 65th anniversary of the sit-in and the museums 15th year in operation. Museum leaders believe this is another important step in preserving history.

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Its something that we have been working on for the past six years. We would be able to get to that point and further. This is another steppingstone to the World Heritage designation, Alston said.

The museum officially opened in 201 and took 17 years to become a reality.

International Civil Rights Center and Museum CEO John Swain says this recognition is a steppingstone toward an even greater goal: a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It is a designation given to international locations that meet strict criteria around the sites geographical and historical significance.

I think that its going to be a wonderful thing for Greensboro because a lot of people will put World Heritage sites on their bucket list, and we need something like that in downtown Greensboro, Swaine sid.

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The museum expects hundreds of people to stop by for the 65th anniversary of the sit-in. The lunch counter and chairs where the four students sat still remain at the museum. Portions of the counter and chairs were given to the Smithsonian Institution.

Museums are keepers of memory, and thats exactly what this place is. It is a keeper of memory to remind people of that difficult past that  we should not need to repeat it again, Swaine said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
Editor's Note: While we can't endorse what X has become, we can bring you the worthwhile moments that still exist there, curated and free of the surrounding chaos.

On Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk Army helicopter collided over the Potomac River. Flying from Wichita, Kansas, the passenger jet was about to land at DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport when the collision occurred. There were 67 people aboard the two aircraft; none of them survived.

This is the deadliest aviation incident in nearly a quarter of a century, per AP. Handout / Getty Images

An investigation is underway as people across the country mourn and demand answers. Yesterday, President Donald Trump laid the blame on a number of people, including former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama and former secretary of transportation Pete Buttigieg. Bizarrely, Trump said that Pete has "just got a good line of bullshit."

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

But most outrageous was Trump's insistence that the devastating plane crash occurred due to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). When asked how he came to that conclusion, he replied, "Because I have common sense, and unfortunately, a lot of people don't."

Reporter: Im trying to figure out how you can come to the conclusion that diversity had something to do with this crash?Trump: Because I have common sense and unfortunately a lot of people dont pic.twitter.com/zawPuhBeJ5  Acyn (@Acyn) January 30, 2025

Fox News / Twitter: @Acyn

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All of this comes after recent upheaval in the aviation world. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) administrator Michael Whitaker resigned on the day of Trump's inauguration  following a yearslong back and forth with Elon Musk that included safety violation fines for SpaceX and Elon calling for Michael's resignation on X (formerly Twitter). Trump also fired the head of the Transportation Security Administration and disbanded the Aviation Security Advisory Committee.

On top of that, several Democrats protested the Trump administration's Jan. 20 federal hiring freeze. The Jan. 22 joint statement from House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ranking member Rick Larsen and Subcommittee on Aviation ranking member Steve Cohen said that "hiring air traffic controllers is the number one safety issue according to the entire aviation industry" and asked the Trump administration to "allow the FAA to do its job protecting the flying public."

Here's how people are reacting to Trump blaming the plane crash on DEI:

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IOWA PARK (KFDX/KJTL)  A Texoma school district has announced a temporary closure after a growing number of students and staff members combat seasonal sicknesses.

According to a Facebook post from the district, Iowa Park CISD will not have school on Monday, February 3, or Tuesday, February 4, due to a high and increasing absence rate for students and staff due to illness.

READ MORE: New Iowa Park superintendent prepares to lead district

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Iowa Park CISD Superintendent Kevin McCasland said in the Facebook post that a plan has been implemented to sanitize and disinfect campuses, allow sick individuals to get well, and minimize any further spread of sickness.

We will continue disinfecting in the coming days, McCasland said in the Facebook post.

Classes at Iowa Park CISD campuses are set to resume on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.

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Rep. Martin Graber, a Fort Madison Republican representing Iowa House District 100, passed away unexpectedly Jan. 31, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Iowa Legislature)

Iowa Rep. Martin Graber, a 72-year-old Fort Madison Republican, passed away Friday morning after a sudden heart attack, according to the Daily Gate City.

Graber represented Iowa House District 100 covering a section of Lee County in the southeast corner of the state including cities like Fort Madison and Keokuk. He was first elected to the House in 2020 and won reelection to serve his third term in the 2024 general election, coming into politics after serving for 32 years in the Army National Guard.

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Lawmakers and Iowa leaders mourned Graber in statements Friday, offering their condolences to his wife, Coni, their two daughters and two grandchildren.

Graber served 32 in the Army National Guard before retiring as a brigadier general. According to his legislative biography, he worked as a financial advisor for Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Fort Madison, in addition to serving on the Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission and as an active member and Sunday school teacher at the Fort Madison Christian Church. Previously, he had served as president of the Fort Madison Rotary Club and chairman of the Lee County Republican Party.

House Speaker Pat Grassley said in a statement that Grabers legacy will be one of kindness, hard work, and service.

His presence in the Capitol will surely be missed, Grassley said. He was a friend to all. His genuine care for everyone he encountered was clear wherever he went. He was an exceptional representative. He worked diligently and took his role as the voice of House District 100 very seriously.

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Gov. Kim Reynolds said she and her husband Kevin were heartbroken at the loss of our friend and colleague.

He was passionate about his community, his family, and his faith, Reynolds said. Martin was the best of us, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his wife of 49 years, Coni, his daughters, and his grandchildren.

Lawmakers like Rep. Sean Bagniewski, D-Des Moines, reflected on their time at the statehouse with Graber, thanking him for his service in the state legislature.

Although we seldom agreed on politics, we had a shared love of Star Wars and a shared awe that we were both able to serve in the legislature, Bagniewski wrote in a social media post. He took the responsibility of his office incredibly seriously, had a great, dry sense of humor, worked fairly with everyone regardless of party, and was tireless in fighting for his fellow veterans and Iowans. Our entire state is better because of him and his service.
DES MOINES, Iowa  President Trumps tariffs are scheduled to take effect on February 1, and Iowa business owners and farmers are preparing for possible impacts.

Canada and Mexico are huge suppliers for vehicles and car parts, and with Canada stating plans to retaliate, auto and repair shops will likely be hit hard.

If we tariff these guys, of course, theyre going to retaliate and theyre going to be able to raise their prices, said Moutassim Meri, Mos Auto Shop Owner. Thats ultimately going to come down to the consumer, and the customer has to pay more at the end to the bottom line.

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Mos is expecting to see conditions similar to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with availability being low and pricing high. He is already looking for ways to negate the effects.

We try to do online ordering, sometimes that gives a break to the customer, but unfortunately, its time consuming and it takes time before you get the parts, said Meri. Sometimes the warranty, the parts are going to be even harder because you have to send it back.

These work around methods also cause problems because they take longer, and in the car repair business, thats a major issue.

First thing the customer comes in gives me the key, they ask, when can they have the car back? So, it is extreme because they depend on the vehicles going back and forth to work and stuff like that, said Meri.

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Meri is concerned that in an already tough business, the changes will put pressure on his small business and customers.

I think being an auto mechanic, industry is actually one of the hardest things you can do because the tools and equipment, the technology and all that, said Meri. It is actually extremely hard, especially when the consumer has to pay for extra labor and extra parts.

Central Iowa figure skating community mourns lives lost in D.C. plane crash

While small business owners worry about their businesses, Iowa farmers worry about their crops.

The president of the Iowa Farmers Union, Aaron Lehman, says that the leading industry in Iowa will face significant challenges under these tariffs. Lehman points out that farming profits are already low.

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Our commodity prices are already below the cost of production and most of our farmers did not end up making money this past year because of low commodity prices, said Lehman.

With the countries already declaring they will retaliate; Lehman believes Iowa and its farmers will feel it first.

Tariffs usually mean that the other countries will retaliate and the first place they usually retaliate is on farm products, said Lehman. A lot of them are grown here in Iowa, especially corn and soybeans kind of thing.

Lehman says that while the expected responding export tariffs are going to hit hard, the commonly imported items are also an issue.

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It also means the things that farmers have to buy sometimes are from imported or imported from other countries and the prices of those things will be higher, said Lehman. So, I think farmers are going to feel it both on both sides.

The Iowa Farmers Union has been reaching out to politicians about the possible effects of these tariffs on Iowas farmers.

Our farmers have been working hard to try to educate policy leaders about the impact that this will make for our farmers and for our rural communities, said Lehman. Were trying very hard to convince our policy leaders that while tariffs are a tool that can be used, sometimes they have, we have to be very careful.

Lehman says that the last time tariffs affected farmers, relief was sent, but it wasnt always sent to the small farmers that needed it.

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They only went to the very largest of farmers here in Iowa and small and medium sized farmers didnt get their share and some farmers didnt get any trade relief payments at all, said Lehman. If farmers are impacted, we want to make sure that there is a fair relief package so that family size farmers who are impacted by this can get some relief.

While its not known how quickly or to what extent the tariffs will impact pricing and availability for businesses and farmers in Iowa, small businesses and farmers are both prepared to experience financial and product deficits.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso Independent School District said there was an isolated incident involving two students on Friday, Jan. 31. at Bowie High School that prompted a response from the districts police force, but there was no threat to other students.

Here is a brief statement from EPISD:

An isolated incident between two students occurred at Bowie High School on Friday, prompting a swift response from El Paso ISD Police. The incident was isolated, and there is no ongoing threat to other students and staff. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community is our primary focus, and we are collaborating with local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation. Support is being offered to those affected.

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The district did not offer any other details.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Over 150 people joined community leaders Wednesday morning for the ribbon cutting and dedication of Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park in downtown Mobile.

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The newly renovated park is located at 520 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.

LOCATION:

This park stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision. Together, weve created a space that honors Isom Clemons enduring legacy and the history of Mobiles Civil Rights and Labor movements while also serving as a vibrant gathering place for the community, Mobile County Commission President Merceria Ludgood said. May this park inspire unity, reflection, and progress for generations to come.

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Atmore City Hall meeting ends in decision to not implement curfew amid gun violence

The park honors Isom Clemon, who was crucial in working for civil and labor rights. He was a union leader for the International Longshoremens Association. That union hall was also a key meeting site during the civil rights era.

Clemons family members attended Wednesdays ceremony.

You should always give your very best, and you should always work to try to help someone else in need, Clemons daughter Darlene Moore said. He would always say, I got to go help somebody. I mean that was his driving force. That was the thing that he lived by, and he believed that.

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Park features include a bronze statue of Clemon that stands at 8 feet and 9 inches with educational plaques. Steve Whyte Sculpture Studios created the statue after a nationwide contest conducted by the Mobile Arts Council.

2025 Mardi Gras season kicks off in Dauphin Island with the Krewe de la Dauphine parade

Isom Clemons work with the ILA and the Alabama Democratic Conference demonstrated that great things happen when good people unite behind a common goal. It is fitting that this project in his honor has brought together community members, organizations, and leaders from across Mobile, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. My hope is that this park will keep Isom Clemons legacy alive and inspire future generations of Mobilians to remember that we are always stronger together.

Another feature is The Guardian of Labor, Liberty and Love created by local artists Charles Smith and Frank Ledbetter. It commemorates the men and women of ILA Local 1410.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal strongly condemned Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's remarks on President Droupadi Murmu and her speech, calling them "unfortunate." Speaking to ANI, Samal expressed his disapproval, saying, "This is sad. What Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi said is unfortunate. The more it is condemned, the less it is." He further added that despite being the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and having been in power for 56 years, they had forgotten basic decorum. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday, too, had strongly criticised Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for her "poor thing" remark against President Droupadi Murmu and said that this was an attack on "tribal pride." In a post on X, CM Dhami said, "The words used by Sonia Gandhi for the President of India Draupadi Murmu are extremely reprehensible. This kind of language used by her for the Honourable President, who is adorning the highest post in the country, is an attack on 'tribal pride'. Once again, Congress has shown its divisive mentality and reflected anti-tribal, anti-Dalit and anti-poor mindset." Union Minister Anupriya Patel also condemned the remark and said, "Sonia Gandhi is a very senior leader and has been the former President of Congress and is still a member of Parliament. Using words like 'poor thing' for the President is extremely condemnable. Such things are not good coming from the mouth of a senior MP and leader. I condemn it." Chhattisgarh BJP chief Kiran Singh Deo said, "What more can you expect? There should be a political sense regarding your remarks on respectable positions, on the First Citizen of the country. He has become a LoP for the first time and he feels that they have formed the government. People of the country don't consider this good. They feel that they would come into news cycles if they made such statements. That is all they want. They have no other work. I condemn this." Apart from that JD(U), a major allay of BJP, called the statement very unfortunate and condemnable. JD(U), leader KC Tyagi said, "The statement made by Sonia Gandhi on honourable President Droupadi Murmu is very unfortunate and condemnable. She is the first tribal woman President of India and the unparliamentary statement made by Sonia Gandhi - we condemn it. Sonia Gandhi should take back her words and apologise to President Droupadi Murmu." Sonia Gandhi stoked controversy over her reaction to President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint session of the Parliament, when she called her "poor thing." "The President was getting very tired by the end...She could hardly speak, poor thing," Sonia Gandhi had said. (ANI)
Eyal Zamir is to become the new chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), replacing Herzi Halevi, who recently resigned, the Israeli government announced on Saturday.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Netanyahu had made the decision to appoint Zamir together with Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Zamir, 59, was previously director general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense. In this role, he was also prominently involved in the sale of the Arrow 3 missile defence system to Germany.

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Halevi resigned more than 15 months after the start of the Gaza war, citing the failure of the Israeli army on October 7, 2023 as the reason. His resignation takes effect on March 6.

Several IDF representatives had already resigned after the October massacre, during which Hamas invaded Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage.

The new chief of staff is expected to learn from those mistakes and to lead a reorientation of the military.
DURA, West Bank  Israeli soldiers burst into her bedroom in the middle of the night as she slept, arresting her at gunpoint as her younger sisters watched on. But after more than a year in prison, Jenin Amro told NBC News she still doesnt know why she was detained.

Like all of the 90 Palestinian women and children released in the first hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in January, she was labeled as a terrorist by the Israel Prison Service. But Amro denies any militant ties, and Israeli authorities have not responded to multiple requests for specific details on why she was held for over a year.

How am I a terrorist? I was a university student who attended, studied and lived with my family, the 23-year-old told NBC News last month, two days after she was freed as part of the deal between Israel and Hamas and was allowed to return to her family home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

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Sitting in a plastic chair outside her familys stone-built home surrounded by greenery and farm animals, Amro said she was in shock as she was taken to Damon Prison near the Israeli city of Haifa.

I was wondering what was happening and why this was happening to me, she said.

Nearby, her father, Mohammad Amro, 58, watched on with a look of concern for his eldest daughter while Amros younger sister Boshara, 21, stood beside him. Her mother, Hind Taleb Amro, 58, and other siblings were all close by.

Her uncle Raef Mohammed Amro, who said his journey from Jenin in the West Banks north to Dura to see her had taken 10 hours instead of two because of Israeli checkpoints, embraced her with a warm hug.

Jenin Amro, 23, at her familys home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

Describing the Damon Prison as unfit for human habitation, Amro said with a soft but determined voice that she and the other women suffered physical and verbal abuse from Israeli guards.

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Some were beaten, she said, recalling one case where a woman who had difficulty walking was dragged on the floor and no one was allowed to help.

While she said she hadnt weighed herself since her release, it was clear she had lost weight during her time in detention. Meal sizes were small, she said, adding that the small amount of yogurt for breakfast and a plate of fries for lunch would be shared between groups of detainees.

She said all of the women she was detained with were Palestinian and that some had been arrested over social media posts, while others, like her, had not been charged.

The reality of her situation didnt fully register until the very last day, adding that she still struggled to understand whether she was able to to leave and return to my life.

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The Israel Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the conditions at the facility.

Asked why Amro was detained, the Israel Defense Forces referred NBC News to the Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet. Shin Bet did not respond to multiple inquiries from NBC News and the Israel Prison Service did not respond to a request for comment.

Amros lawyer Ahmed Safia said that throughout her time behind bars, he had repeatedly asked Israeli authorities to explain why the young woman, who was studying agricultural engineering at Hebron University, had been detained, only to be told that the information was secret.

He said she was one of thousands of Palestinians held by Israel under a controversial practice known as administrative detention, which it uses to hold people without trial or other usual legal proceedings, based on alleged secret evidence it does not share with detainees, their families or legal representatives.

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The practice has been criticized by rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that say it has been used to hold Palestinians without charge and due process. Israel has defended the practice as a necessary security measure.

Before some 580 Palestinian prisoners were released in the four exchanges for Israeli hostages during the current truce, Israel was holding 3,376 administrative detainees without trial, according to data from HaMoked, an Israeli human rights organization.

Israeli forces detain Palestinian men during a raid in the West Bank village of Dura on Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, inside Israel, ultranationalist lawmakers have criticized the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Among them is Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned from his post as national security minister in protest.

He has objected to the fact that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed and argued that it leaves open the possibility of Hamas staying in power in Gaza, where health officials say more than 47,000 people been killed in the Israeli military offensive since Oct. 7, 2023, though researchers estimate the death toll is likely significantly higher.

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Israel began its campaign after Hamas multipronged attacks on the country in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Despite the objections of Ben-Gvir and some of his fellow lawmakers, the first three Israeli hostages  Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, a dual British citizen  were freed last month in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, all of whom were women and children under the age of 19.

All of them, including Amro were described as terrorists by Israel, a fact that came as little surprise to Sarit Michaeli, international outreach director for Jerusalem-based human rights organization BTselem, who said Israel used it as a blanket term to describe the freed Palestinians.

In general, she said, many people detained by Israel havent been charged with any sort of violent offenses, and some have not been charged at all.

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On Jan. 25, four female Israeli soldiers Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev and Liri Albag were also released in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

But while the truce between Israel and Hamas has held for more than a week in Gaza, the Israeli military has ramped up military activity in the occupied West Bank, launching a major operation in the northern city of Jenin last week.

Jenin Amro hugs her uncle Raef Mohammed Amro outside her family home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

The offensive began after President Donald Trump rescinded American sanctions on far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of involvement in violence against Palestinians in the territory, in one of his first acts in office.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War against its Arab neighbors, which saw the country seize the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

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Since then, it has built and expanded Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Most countries deem them illegal under international law, a position disputed by Israel, which sees the territory as a security bulwark. In 2019, the first Trump administration abandoned the long-held U.S. position that the settlements are illegal before it was restored by his successor, Joe Biden.

Muted celebrations

Before she was released on Jan. 20, Amros family waited for hours in the cold at a rendezvous point for the freed prisoners.

Her younger sister Boshara said she couldnt describe the feeling of having her sister home. In a voice note before Amro was released, Boshara said she was like a mother to me, in her kindness and in everything she does.

Jenin Amro, 23, second from left, sits with her family at their home in Dura in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.

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But throughout Amros detention, Boshara said she had no contact with her sister and was unable to visit her, adding that her family was disturbed by her siblings very bad mental state, especially the mental and physical stress she was subjected too.

In video shared with NBC News, Amros family and friends could be seen celebrating her return on Jan. 20. Wearing a flower crown, she could be seen being carried down the street on the shoulders of two men as she was greeted by a cheering crowd.

But Amro, her sister and their father said they received a visit from Israeli forces that day warning them not to celebrate again.

A spokesperson for the IDF denied its forces had specifically visited Amros family, but said they had been in the Dura area that day to disperse a march being held in support of Hamas.

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As for Amro, she said she hoped to overcome the ordeal, finish her degree and eventually open a plant or flower shop, but she feared she would be detained again  a threat she said Israeli authorities made to her upon her release.

I am more determined, strong, she told NBC News in a message after her ordeal, adding that she planned to continue my life with passion.

Speaking outside her home last week, she said she wanted to share her story because she thought it was important for Palestinians to demand our rights and to shine a light on the injustice happening under Israeli detention.

Everything I have experienced in prison makes me feel that the world should know, she said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
NEEDHAM - The Massachusetts cousin of an Israeli hostage who was released from captivity on Saturday called it "a huge win" but said more needs to be done to bring the remaining hostages home.

484 days in captivity

Jason Greenberg, of Needham, said his sister called him from Israel at 2:50 a.m. to share that their cousin, 54-year-old Ofer Calderon, had been released. Two other hostages, American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel and Israeli Yarden Bibas were also freed.

Ofer Calderon, 54, has been held hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7, 2023. / Credit: CBS Boston

"I cried a little bit, I rejoiced, I kissed my wife," said Greenberg. "There hasn't been a moment where he's been out of my thoughts. I've had way too many late nights to think about what he's been during but to know that he's come out, to see that smile. When I hug him, all of that will just melt away."

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Greenberg said Calderon was released after 484 days in captivity and is now reunited with his four children and other family members. Greenberg was in Tel Aviv during the October 7th attacks. Two of Caulderon's children were also captured at the same time but were released in November 2023. Greenberg's 13-year-old cousin, Noya Dan, and her grandmother, 80-year-old Carmela Dan, were killed by Hamas in October of 2023. Greenberg said the children's recovery has been stunted by not knowing if their father would be OK or not.

"Despite being in captivity for 484 days, one of his defining characteristics is this radiant smile, and to see that emerge after this long, being held in unimaginable conditions, just lets me know that some part of the man that went in has come out," said Greenberg.

Calderon will now spend four days in a hospital in Tel Aviv undergoing hostage protocol which includes a medical and psychiatric evaluation. Greenberg said his cousin's home was destroyed in the initial attack, but he will be housed in an apartment in an undisclosed location in Israel when he's released from the hospital.

Families frustrated

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Greenberg said he's happy to have his cousin freed and safe but said there's lots of frustration from families on how long the process took. He added that some families still have loved ones in captivity and some of them are not alive.

"If the deal that was just struck on January 19th and is being implemented had been accepted by the parties back on May 31st, then this ordeal would have been 266 days shorter for Ofer and the other hostages," said Greenberg.

Greenberg said he plans to visit Israel soon to see his cousin and looks forward to embracing him.

"Put yourself in my shoes, would you ever lose the faith for a family member of yours? You can only hope for the best and know deep in your heart that they're going to come out, and he has," said Greenberg.

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He said that despite this entire frightening situation, he never lost hope for his cousins or the other hostages.

"There are still people caught up in this who don't deserve to be, and they need to come home. The fight has to continue, and people can't give up hope," Greenberg explains.

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The family of Israeli hostage Yarden Bibas expressed relief on Saturday after he was released along with two other hostages by Hamas but said that the family's home remained incomplete.

Yarden, his wife, Shiri and children Ariel, now aged 5, and Kfir, now 2, were seized from their home near Gaza, among the roughly 250 people abducted by Palestinian militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and taken into the coastal enclave.

Shiri and the children were not among those released.

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Baby Kfir was only nine-months-old when he was kidnapped. Footage of the 2023 assault showed a terrified Shiri, holding her two children tightly, being taken away by militants.

"A quarter of our heart has returned to us after 15 long months. There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice," the Bibas family said in statement.

"Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete."

Footage released by the Israeli army showed Yarden at a military facility on Saturday reuniting with his father and sister and embracing them both.

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Israeli-American Keith Siegel and Israeli-French Ofer Calderon were also released. Israel also freed 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees who had been held in Israeli jails.

Hamas said in late 2023 that Shiri and the children had been killed by Israeli bombardments on Gaza, part of the massive military response to the October 2023 attack.

Hamas is releasing hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians in Israeli prisons and detention as part of a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Since Jan. 13, Israeli hostages, including dual nationals, and five Thais have been freed. Another 20 Israeli hostages are to be released in the initial stage of the truce. Hamas has said eight of those are dead.

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More than 100 hostages were freed in a week-long 2023 truce.

Towards the end of that truce Hamas put out a brief video purportedly showing Yarden Bibas being told that his wife and children had been killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Israeli officials have expressed concern over the fate of Shiri and the children but has not said they had been killed.

"We continue with hope and the call for the return of Shiri, the children, and all the hostages. Please continue to make their voices heard and emphasize the urgency of their return," the family said on Saturday.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, writing by Angus McDowall and Alexander Cornwell, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire when he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East Envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Monday in Washington, Netanyahu's office said late on Saturday.

Netanyahu is scheduled to depart Israel on Sunday for Washington, where he is to meet next week with Trump at the White House to discuss Gaza and the Israeli hostages held there.

During his meeting with Witkoff, Netanyahu will discuss Israel's positions in respect to the ceasefire, the prime minister's office said. Witkoff will then speak with officials from Egypt and Qatar, who have mediated between Israel and Hamas over the past 15 months with backing from Washington.

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Israel and Hamas last month reached a complex ceasefire agreement, to be implemented in three phases, that has halted the fighting in Gaza. Hamas has so far released 18 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians that are held in Israeli prisons and detentions.

There are more than 70 hostages still held in Gaza.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nia Williams)
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that Russian forces are preparing to encircle the town of Kupiansk and cross the Oskil River in Kharkiv Oblast and continue their "creeping advances" to please Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, who is not going to end the war.

Source: ISW

Details: Analysts noted that Russian troops were expanding their positions north of Kupiansk as part of a long-term operational effort to dislodge Ukrainian forces from the eastern (left) bank of the Oskil River.

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The Russians have recently intensified their offensive operations north of Kupiansk, particularly near Dvorichna, as part of a broader intensification on the Kupiansk, Borova and Lyman fronts.

Geolocation data released on 30 and 31 January indicates that Russian forces have recently made minor advances north of Dvorichna (north of Kupiansk and on the western bank of the Oskil River), to the southern outskirts of Zakhidne (southwest of Dvorichna) and north along the western bank of the Oskil River northwest of Novomlynsk (northeast of Dvorichna).

Russian forces are also using mechanised attacks to expand their positions north of Kupiansk.

Units of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Federation (Leningrad Military District) are reportedly playing a leading role in Russian efforts to expand their positions north of Kupiansk.

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Quote: "The tempo of Russian offensive operations along this sector of the front was generally much lower than elsewhere in eastern Ukraine throughout most of 2024 and Russian units in the area are likely well-rested and prepared to begin a months-long campaign to envelop Kupiansk."

Details: The Russians do not appear to have significant unused reserves that could be devoted to these efforts, but the Russian military command may be prepared to redeploy forward units from other parts of the front to take advantage of any significant tactical advantages near Dvorichna and Kupiansk.

Units of the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army (Moscow Military District) are also involved in the encirclement of Kupiansk and are attempting to advance east of Kupiansk and expand the Russian advance south of Kupiansk near Kruhliakivka, likely to prepare for an offensive south of Kupiansk, crossing the Oskil River and pressing on Borova.

Quote: "The Russian military command has shown that it is willing to commit to operations that could take six to nine months to conclude. Russian commanders are likely operating under the assumption or direct knowledge that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to end the war in Ukraine in the near future." [NB: Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Vladimir Putin as a president - ed.]

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Details: Russian troops are gradually working to push Ukrainian forces out of the eastern bank of the Oskil River from winter 2023-2024, and Russian military commanders have previously deprioritised the Kupiansk-Borova Lyman line in favour of other operational efforts in Ukraine.

Quote: "The envelopment of Kupiansk will almost certainly be a months-long effort that requires Russian forces to close a gap 25 to 30 kilometers wide while also fording and maintaining logistics across the Oskil River, seizing small settlements in their path, and repelling Ukrainian counterattacks.

Russian commanders do not seem concerned about the speed or consistency of their advances in Ukraine, likely because they believe that the war will drag on until Russia militarily defeats Ukraine."

Details: Experts reiterated that Putin had previously formulated a theory of "victory" that assumes that the Russian military will be able to continue its gradual, creeping advance in Ukraine indefinitely and has repeatedly indicated that he is not interested in resolving the war on any terms other than those he dictates.

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Quote: "Putin's commanders are internalising these statements and likely coming to the logical conclusion that Putin has no interest in ending the war and intends to continue fighting until he accomplishes his objectives in Ukraine, which are the toppling of the current Ukrainian government and the categorical destruction of the Ukrainian military."

Details: Analysts pointed out that Russia's ability to continue the slow encirclement of settlements, rather than attempting a rapid mechanised manoeuvre that breaks through the Ukrainian defence line and quickly achieves operationally significant gains, in the medium to long term depends on Russia's ability to supply large numbers of personnel and materiel to support these operations.

In addition, Russian forces are also stepping up their efforts to close the remaining Ukrainian pocket west of Kurakhove.

Quote: "Russian forces likely aim to close or collapse the Ukrainian pocket west of Kurakhove to free up Russian forces operating in the area for offensive operations elsewhere, such as advances towards the Donetsk-Dnipropetrovsk Oblast administrative border from either the Pokrovsk direction or the Velyka Novosilka direction, as ISW has previously assessed."

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To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 31 January:

The United Kingdom (UK), Finland and Czechia announced several immediate and longer-term military assistance packages for Ukraine on 31 January.

Russian forces are expanding their salient north of Kupiansk as part of long-term operational efforts to push Ukrainian forces from the east (left) bank of the Oskil River.

Elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army (CAA) (Leningrad Military District [LMD]) are reportedly leading the Russian effort to expand the salient north of Kupiansk.

Elements of the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army (GTA) (Moscow Military District [MMD]) are also participating in the envelopment of Kupiansk and are attempting to advance east of Kupiansk and to expand the Russian salient south of Kupiansk near Kruhliakivka likely in order to prepare for advances south of Kupiansk, cross the Oskil River and pressure Borova.

Russian forces appear to be developing and disseminating a doctrinal method for advances throughout the theatre that aims to conduct slow envelopments of frontline towns and settlements at a scale that is reasonable for Russian forces to conclude before culminating.

The Russian military command has shown that it is willing to commit to operations that could take six to nine months to conclude. Russian commanders are likely operating under the assumption or direct knowledge that Russian leader Vladimir Putin does not intend to end the war in Ukraine in the near future.

This Russian offensive method is bringing about slow operational manoeuvre on the battlefield, but these envelopments require significant planning, foresight, manpower, and equipment and do not restore rapid, mechanised manoeuvre to the battlefield.

Russian forces are also intensifying their efforts to close the remaining Ukrainian pocket west of Kurakhove.

Moldovan and Transnistrian authorities agreed to accept a European Union (EU) package that includes funding for gas purchases for Transnistria, further limiting Russias economic influence over the pro-Russian breakaway republic.

Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Volgograd Oblast amid continued strikes against Russian energy and defence industrial infrastructure.

Russian forces recently advanced near Kupiansk, Lyman, Toretsk, Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.

Western and Ukrainian officials continue to report that North Korean forces have withdrawn from frontline positions in Kursk Oblast.

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A group of Italian MPs who are members of the Italy-Ukraine bilateral cooperation group have condemned the Russian attack on Odesa on the night of 31 January  1 February.

Source: Giorgio Mule, Chairman of the Italy-Ukraine group, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Giorgio Mule stressed that Russia's "shocking missile attack" destroyed the historic centre of Odesa and injured people, including children.

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Quote from Giorgio Mule: "Through the Italian Ambassador to Ukraine Carlo Formosa, I expressed to Hennadii Trukhano, the mayor of the city, and Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast, the solidarity and emotional support of the parliamentarians who are members of the Italy-Ukraine bilateral cooperation group in the Chamber of Deputies."

Details: The Chairman of the Italy-Ukraine group stressed that the historic centre of Odesa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Italy is participating in a programme aimed at "reconstruction of what Russia continues to deliberately destroy without any respect for the lives of Odesa residents and history."

Background:

On the evening of 31 January, Russia fired ballistic missiles at the centre of Odesa, damaging about 15 cultural heritage sites.

The number of people injured in an attack had risen to seven.

Italy has been supporting Odesa and its reconstruction from the Russian attack since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including the famous Transfiguration Cathedral, which was damaged by a Russian missile strike.

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The Italian coastguard on Saturday collected 43 migrants from a camp in Albania following the latest legal defeat for the Italian government's plan to process asylum applications in the non-EU country.

The migrants, who had crossed the Mediterranean, were expected to arrive in Bari, a port on Italy's south-eastern coast directly across the Adriatic Sea from Albania, on Saturday evening.

An appeals court in Rome had earlier ruled that the 43 men had to be released and brought back to Italy.

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The men were picked up by the Italian navy this week and taken directly to Albania, where far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration has set up camps to house migrants while their applications are processed.

This is the third legal defeat in a row for Meloni's plan, following court rulings in October and November.

The two camps set up in Albania at a cost of more than 650 million ($675 million) for the purpose of taking in migrants remain empty.

Meloni, who heads the far-right Brothers of Italy, has insisted that she is sticking to her plans, but it is not clear whether her three-party coalition will transport more migrants to the camps before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) rules on the "Albania Model" on February 25.

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The key issue before the ECJ is whether the migrants' countries of origin can be considered as safe.

The latest case concerns migrants from Bangladesh, Egypt, Gambia and the Ivory Coast.

In Albania, Italian officials summarily rejected all their asylum applications. The Rome court has reversed this decision.

Italy is the first country in the European Union to set up facilities outside the bloc's borders to process asylum applications.

The future of the "Albania model" is being closely monitored by other governments. Migrant arrivals in Italy reached 3,368 in January, up from 2,258 in January last year, according to the Italian Interior Ministry's figures.
JAMES CITY Co., Va. (WAVY)  Police said a man is dead and a woman is hurt after an assault at a home in James City County.

Just after 2 p.m. Friday, police said they were called to a home at 9433 Diascund Reservoir Road. When they arrived, first responders said they found a woman outside who was hurt and a man inside the home who was unresponsive. He was rushed to a hospital where detectives said he later died.

According to the criminal complaint, officers arrived on scene and entered into the house to find Jose Medellin unconscious and not breathing.  Jose was ultimately pronounced deceased by James City County Fire personnel.

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As the case progressed throughout the day, detectives said they developed leads connecting the assault to a robbery from the night before. As a result, two people were taken into custody. Detectives said Harley James McClure Hutchens, 29, and Amber Nicole Johnson, 28, both of James City County, were subsequently charged in connection with both cases.

Harley James McClure Hutchens (Courtesy: Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail)

Amber Nicole Johnson (Courtesy: Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail)

Hutchens has been charged with eight crimes, including robbery, strangulation, two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony, preventing the calling of 911, destruction of property, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and breaking and entering into a dwelling.

Police are still investigating this as a death investigation. The medical examiner has yet to determine a cause of death.

Johnson has been charged with four felonies, including robbery by force, unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony.

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Both are being held in the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail.

Medellins cousin, Brandon Griffin, was told this by Jose after he escaped the attack.

Thursday night, they went down there grabbed hold of him, kicked him, punched him kicked him, held him down, and stole his money, according to the criminal complaint. They also took his cell phone, so he could not call anybody. He does not speak English well, and he was freaked out. They gave him his cell phone back and he ran over here and told me to call the cops.

Medellin told police he had been living in the residence where the attack took place for the last 10 years with his longtime girlfriend who had recently passed away, and that girlfriend was Harley Hutchens mother.

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Jose ran here because he was dating my aunt for 10 years when she died recently, Griffin said, according to the criminal complaint. He lost everything. They [Hutchens and Johnson] got into it because they wanted Jose off the property so they could get the house  after Hutchins mother died.  That was it for Jose.

According to the criminal complaint, Friday, Amber Johnson calls police and claims Jose beat her in the face, but when police show up, they find Jose unconscious and not breathing.

Police state that a witness says Hutchens was seen on top of Jose for approximately seven minutes and he ultimately stopped moving and talking according to the witness.

After 10 On Your Side showed up at the property to find out what happened to Medellin, three women appeared and one of them ordered us not to come on property. A short time later the police showed up and saw that 10 on Your Side was on a public street.

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The investigation is still ongoing. Detectives ask that if you know anything, to give them a call at 757-259-5148.

Stay with WAVY.com for more local news, weather and traffic.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
Russian attacks on Kyiv in January resulted in five deaths and seven injuries, with nearly all city districts suffering damage.

Source: Tymur Tkachenko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The enemy has carried out 13 attacks involving kamikaze drones and 1 missile strike during the month.

Sadly, these attacks resulted in the loss of civilian lives in Kyiv. Throughout the month, Russian strikes and falling wreckage have killed five people and injured seven.

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Enemy strikes caused severe damage in almost all districts of the city:

Three cases of damage in the Darnytskyi district;

Two cases of damage in the Holosiivskyi, Desnianskyi, Pecherskyi and Solomianskyi districts;

One case of damage in the Dniprovskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts."

Details: Additionally, Tkachenko noted that in January alone, Kyiv received 940 bomb threat reports, 785 of which occurred in a single day. He described this as yet another attempt to "sow panic and paralyse the city".

Background:

On 1 January, Ihor Zyma and Olesia Sokur, a husband and wife who were both scientists, were killed in a Russian drone attack on Kyiv.

On 18 January, a Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv left three people dead and three injured.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Saturday praised the Union Budget 2025, calling it a "victory of the middle class." Speaking to ANI, Chaturvedi says, "It's a victory of the middle class; mainly because of them (BJP in Lok Sabha elections) being limited to 240 seats. In the last 10 years, the middle class had this demand - today they have been heard and hence I welcome that (no income tax on income of up to Rs 12 lakhs). Second thing, Bihar must be thinking if it can have an election every year." In her Union Budget 2025 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that no income tax would be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, particularly the middle class. This exemption will extend to Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, factoring in a standard deduction of Rs 75,000. Sitharaman emphasised that the new income tax regime would be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. However, there is a condition: the exemption can only be claimed if taxpayers take relief under various sections of the Income Tax Act, such as the Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under Section 80CCC and the Rs 1.5 lakh exemption for paying interest on home loans. The Finance Minister also proposed changes in income tax slabs and rates across the board, ensuring a more progressive taxation system. Sitharaman stated, "Slabs and rates are being changed across the board to benefit all taxpayers. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes for the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings, and investment." Sitharaman made a notable announcement for Bihar, proposing the formation of a Makhana Board, the establishment of new greenfield airports, and the expansion of Patna Airport. Additionally, the Finance Minister announced the creation of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management in Bihar to give a strong boost to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region. (ANI)
JASPER, Ind. (WEHT)  It has been a busy past few weeks for fourth graders at Jasper Elementary School; from homework, to classroom assignments, and even state legislation. Lessons over Indiana history quickly changed course with one simple question.

Somebody asked the question, Well, does Indiana have a state fruit?, says Jasper Elementary School teacher Emi Donato. So that got the ball rolling.

The fourth grade class quickly got to work, discussing, writing, and researching for a suitable state fruit.

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We considered the pawpaw, but we learned that our neighboring state, Ohio, adopted it in 2009, says fourth grader Ariel Cox.

After finding ties to the state, including a yearly festival in Mitchell, Indiana, students eventually landed on the persimmon, staying after school to work on presentations, persuasive essays, and artwork designed by fourth grader Quin Nicholson.

Senator Todd Young, colleagues reintroduce bill to keep AM Radio in new vehicles

I also like just drawing a lot too, says Nicholson. Its just calming. Classmate Sophie Gates adds, We just kind of organize it and each share our thoughts to what put in, like, slideshows.

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Those efforts drew the attention of State Representative Shane Lindauer of Jasper, who authored House Bill 1618, which would make the persimmon Indianas state fruit. Were just appreciative of just the opportunity for the kids to present at the Statehouse, says Donato.

A trip to the Statehouse to speak to lawmakers: a first for Donato, and something she says will leave a lasting impact. Theyre going to learn, even just going there, explains Donato.

Im also a little bit nervous and scared because they could turn it down, says Gates. Its pretty exciting because we could possibly make the persimmon the state fruit, says fourth grader Sawyer Sternberg. It would be very cool if we actually pulled it off, adds student Grant Blackman.

It feels good to know that kids can make a difference as well, and it doesnt have to just be adults or college students, says Mackenzie Morton, classmate and fellow fourth grader. The next step in this project comes February 10 when students will head to the Statehouse to speak to committee members, with hopes to make the persimmon the state fruit of Indiana.

More from Cody Bailey

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It was 2 a.m. in Turkey, and Jeff Flake had a promise to keep.

Across three continents, diplomats and elected officials were scrambling to finalize Swedens acceptance into NATO. Turkey, a NATO member country, was the final holdup, agreeing to the deal if the U.S. provided a fleet of F-16 fighter jets. The U.S. agreed to the sale, and a ratification document  fresh with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogans signature  was en route to Washington.

Flake, then the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, had assured the Turkish government that by the time the document reached Washington, the jet sale would be finalized. The U.S. had a self-imposed deadline of 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 26, 2024, and the Turkish ambassador  who was carrying the document in hand  was scheduled to arrive right in time.

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But Flake still needed final approvals on the arms deal from top congressional leadership. I had promised the Turkish government that by the time the document arrived in D.C., that the last congressional holds would be lifted on the sale of F-16s, Flake recalled. He needed sign-offs from the four corners, the leaders of the Foreign Relations and Foreign Affairs committees: Sens. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.

The Turkish diplomat couldnt get a direct flight to Washington; instead, he flew to New York and drove a rental car south, the document on the passenger seat. The extra time proved fortuitous: Risch was somewhere in Idaho without cell service, Flake recalled. Well past midnight in Turkey, Flake eventually got ahold of them all, telling them the document was literally speeding toward Washington.

We got that last hold lifted right when the document arrived at the State Department, Flake said.

On Wednesday, Flake was rewarded for his service. During a ceremony at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, the Order of the Polar Star was conferred on Flake, acknowledging him for extraordinary efforts for Swedish interests.

Jeff Flake, center, the former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, is awarded the Order of the Polar Star during a ceremony at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Flake is joined by his wife, Cheryl Flake, and Swedish Ambassador Sedat Onal. | Samuel Benson

His Excellency Urban Ahlin, the Swedish ambassador to the U.S., thanked Flake for the wonderful work he did to help Sweden join NATO in 2024.

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Youre not only given this order because you were nice, you know, super friendly with us, Ahlin told Flake during the ceremony. But also because you actually told us, Now, now, shape up.

Flake played a central role in negotiations between Turkey and Sweden, one of the final hurdles to Swedens NATO membership. In 2023, Turkish leaders harbored real, genuine security concerns, Flake noted, over Swedens toleration of a Kurdish terrorist group. Turkey demanded that Sweden tighten its anti-terrorism laws and extradite the groups members.

Flake served as one of the middlemen between the two countries, a role that Ahlin said should earn him the title master negotiator.

Nine other individuals were also awarded Swedens Order of the Polar Star, including former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan and former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

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Flake, who is the great-grandson of Swedish migrants, said the award was a huge honor.

One thing Ive learned is the value of diplomacy, negotiation, Flake said. You cant just strong arm every country. ... Theres no substitute for diplomacy.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made a last-minute endorsement in the race for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair on Friday, backing Wisconsin state party chair Ben Wikler.

While there are several candidates for DNC Chair who have demonstrated clear-eyed and comprehensive visions for our partys future, Ben Wikler is best positioned to lead the DNC forward, Jeffries said in a statement shared through Wiklers X account.

Bens commitment to fighting for working families, lowering costs for hardworking American taxpayers and building a diverse coalition will be crucial in energizing the base and moving swing voters in our direction, he continued. He is a strategic thinker, talented organizer and proven fundraiser with a track record of winning tough elections in a battleground state.

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Wikler said in a statement on X that it was a profound honor to have Jeffries backing.

Our goal is to unite this party, fight for working people everywhere, and win up and down the ballotensuring that, in 2026, Leader Jeffries becomes the next Speaker of the House, he added.

Several other top Democratic leaders have also endorsed Wikler for DNC chair, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is backing Minnesota state party chair Ken Martin.

Jeffries endorsement comes one day before 448 DNC committee members will select the next leader to take over the reins from outgoing chair Jaime Harrison. Wikler, Martin and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley have racked up the most notable endorsements, and they will need at least a majority of the DNC committee members votes in order to be elected chair.

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When Elizabeth Warren and Tom Cotton agree

Its not every day that Sens. Tom Cotton and Elizabeth Warren agree on an issue. But when President Donald Trump made the stunning decision to revoke security protections for three former senior officials  despite clear threats to their lives from Iran  even some of Trumps staunchest Republican allies sounded the alarm.

Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a longtime Trump loyalist, urged the president to revisit this on Fox Business, warning that former national security adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and retired Gen. Mark Milley remain in real danger.

In January 2020, a Trump-ordered drone strike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iran has since vowed revenge. Cotton told Fox News former officials could be targeted by Iranian assassins in public, where innocent bystanders could be injured.

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Warren, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, didnt mince words either. In a letter to newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, she accused Trump of abusing [his] power to weaponize the government against the presidents political enemies and warned his actions could pave the way for Irans revenge.

Its no coincidence that among those losing security details are Bolton, who wrote a damning book about Trump; Milley, who vehemently opposed Trumps candidacy for president; and Pompeo, who fell out of favor with Trump as well.

This is not just wrong, its dangerous for the country. Trump is putting lives at risk, and not just those of his former officials  innocent civilians could potentially get caught in the crossfire. Meanwhile, officials could be reluctant to give Trump honest assessments of issues in the future. As Cotton himself admitted, this debacle could have a chilling effect on the people advising Trump right now, making them think twice before giving him the hard but important truths he doesnt want to hear.

Top moments from this weeks Senate confirmation hearings

Some of Trumps most controversial Cabinet picks  including Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  spent hours testifying this week. If you missed the chaos, here are a few of the standout moments:

GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy practically begs Kennedy to acknowledge vaccines do not cause autism

Cassidy: Does a 70-year-old man, 71-year-old man who has spent decades criticizing vaccines and who is financially vested in finding fault with vaccines, can he change his attitudes and approach now that he will have the most important position influencing vaccine policy in the United States? Will you continue what you have been, or will you overturn a new leaf at age 70. I recognize, man, if you come out unequivocally, Vaccines are safe, it does not cause autism, that would have an incredible impact. Thats your power. So whats it going to be? ... Ive got to figure that out for my vote.

Patels selective amnesia over his right-wing podcast appearances

Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin: Are you familiar with Mr. Stew Peters?

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Patel: Not off the top of my head.

Durbin: You made eight separate appearances on his podcast. He promoted outrageous conspiracy theories and worked with a prominent neo-Nazi.

DURBIN: Are you familiar with Stew Peters?



PATEL: I'm sorry, what?



DURBIN: Are you familiar with Stew Peters?



PATEL: Not off the top of my head



DURBIN: You may 8 separate appearances on his podcast. He worked with a prominent neo-Nazi ... pic.twitter.com/I5nvRLOo5V  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 30, 2025

Patel refuses to acknowledge Capitol Police officers present at his hearing

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff: I want you to turn around. There are Capitol Police officers behind you. Theyre guarding us. Take a look at them right now. Turn around.

Patel: Im looking at you. Youre talking to me.

Schiff: No, look at them. I want you to look at them if you can, if you have the courage to look them in the eye, Mr. Patel, and tell them youre proud of what you did. Tell them youre proud that you raised money off of people that assaulted their colleagues, that pepper-sprayed them, that beat them with poles. Tell them youre proud of what you did, Mr. Patel. Theyre right there. Theyre guarding you today.

Sen. Schiff on Capitol Police: Take a look at them right now. Turn around.



Kash Patel: I'm looking at you. You're talking to me.



Schiff: No, look at them...tell them you're proud that you raised money off of people that assaulted their colleagues. That pepper sprayed them. pic.twitter.com/Uz0cPccq2V  CSPAN (@cspan) January 30, 2025

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly questions Gabbard over her Russian and Syrian credulousness

Kelly: You started from a place of doubting the conclusions of the U.S. intelligence community, and then you sought out information that confirmed your viewpoint. That led you to embrace the opinions of two individuals that  were sympathetic to Russia and the Assad regime. It also led you to minimize or discount the overwhelming information that contradicted your viewpoint  including the expert assessments of our own intelligence community.  What I have seen makes it clear that at the same time you were skeptical of our intelligence communitys assessments, you would not apply the same skepticism to information that came from sympathizers of Russia and Assad.

A story you should be following: Tennessee state bill criminalizes votes for sanctuary policies

In Tennessee, the state Senate voted 26-7 to make it a Class E felony for officials to adopt sanctuary policies. According to the bill, once convicted, officials can then be removed from office.

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Democratic State Rep. Justin Jones compared the bill to the 17th-century British monarchy tactic of using the law to punish political opponents. And hes not wrong. This isnt just an attack on immigrants; its an attack on democracy itself.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Feb. 1Wednesday, Jan. 29, investigators with the Jennings County Sheriff's Office and the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post arrested a 27-year-old Elizabethtown man on an initial charge of possession of child pornography.

According to a news release from the Indiana State Police, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, the Jennings County Sheriff's Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that indicated an individual had been sharing and receiving pornographic images of children via a social media application.

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Jo Ellis's record of service in the Virginia National Guard appears to be nothing but honorable.

She served in Iraq as a helicopter door gunner, then in Kuwait as part of the multi-national fight against the Islamic State. And in 2023, with the support of her commanders, she began medically transitioning to female.

Now her face and name are being paraded across the internet by conservative influencers and fringe media outlets who falsely claim that she had been piloting the U.S. Army chopper that collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday night in a crash that killed 67 people.

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"I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C., and that is false," Ellis said in a video posted on her Facebook profile on Friday, which demonstrated that she is very much not dead.

The hoax claims were part of a longstanding and alarming pattern of right-wing commentators and sometimes even politicians falsely pinning deadly incidents on transgender people, who have now become one of the main targets of Donald Trump's presidency.

So who actually is Jo Ellis, and how did she become embroiled with a deadly air disaster that she had nothing to do with?

From homeschool to the war against ISIL

Ellis describes herself as coming from a family with a long history of military service.

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According to a personal essay posted on Tuesday on the website of CNN host Michael Smerconish, Ellis's cousin is a retired admiral who previously ran the United States Strategic Command. That's basically the U.S. military's central headquarters for nuclear strikes, missile defense, and information infrastructure.

Her older brother, she said, was a tank operator in Iraq in 2003. Back in World War II, her great uncle fought the Nazis in the frozen Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge, while her grandfather lied about his age to hunt submarines at sea.

As a child, Ellis's household was highly religious and conservative. "I grew up homeschooled. My parents felt that a Christian education was very important," she told Smerconish on his podcast.

In 2011, two years after joining the Virginia Army National Guard as a helicopter mechanic, she deployed to Iraq, where she earned the Air Medal for serving as a door gunner in combat zones. In 2014 she was sent to assist in humanitarian operations in Guatemala, and in 2016 deployed to Kuwait for Operation Inherent Resolve  that is, the international war against ISIL.

Jo Ellis, as seen in a 'proof of life' video posted to Facebook on Wednesday Jan 29 (Jo Ellis via Facebook)

Until that year Ellis had defined herself as a conservative, much like her father. That changed with the rise of Donald Trump. "I saw the conservative party moving in a direction that didn't align with what I considered to be conservative values," she told Smerconish, adding that she now considers herself an independent.

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She said that she is still religious, and is considering converting to Judaism. "Which is not something I would have thought I would move toward, but something just feels like it's calling me in that direction," she said.

In 2020 she began retraining as a pilot for the U.H.-60 Black Hawk, a workhorse helicopter used by U.S. forces for everything from troop transport to medical evacuation to stealthily assassinating Osama Bin Laden on foreign soil.

But as the Covid-19 pandemic raged across the world, Ellis finally confronted feelings about her gender that she had been trying to ignore for years.

I really tried to be a good man

As part of her Black Hawk training, Ellis undertook the U.S. Army's "Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape" course  known as SERE.

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SERE training is designed to prepare air crew for what might happen if they are forced to ditch their craft in hostile territory. Students must learn how to survive in the wilderness, avoid capture, withstand imprisonment and resist interrogation.

In the most intense versions of this training, students are reportedly put through an intense multiple-day roleplaying exercise in which they must navigate rugged terrain while dodging patrols  before being locked in a simulated POW camp.

"You have a lot of time to think when you're very hungry and very, very tired," Ellis told Smerconish. "So I had many occurrences during that three week school where I realized how much I had been masking and hiding."

Ellis wrote that she had suffered from gender dysphoria since she was 5 years old, but "learned early on to hide these symptoms" because she thought they made her a "bad person.

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"I got married, bought a house, helped raise a stepdaughter, played drums in the church band, and adopted a dog. All the things I believed a good man should do," she wrote. "And I really wanted to do those things, but I also secretly hoped it would fix me. It didnt work.

After therapy and soul-searching, Ellis started medically transitioning in 2023. As a part-time National Guard member her treatments weren't covered by the military, so she paid for them out of pocket

She says she received "overwhelming support" from her commanders and her unit, with many female soldiers going "out of their way" to make her feel comfortable in their barracks and restrooms.

In her day job she is an IT engineer in the private sector, and Smerconish described her hobbies as "flying airplanes, racing cars, playing musical instruments, and skateboarding. Her current rank is chief warrant officer, grade 2.

A chilling pattern of demonization

It's not clear how exactly online outrage merchants fixed upon Ellis as a scapegoat for America's deadliest air disaster in nearly a quarter of a century.

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The Pentagon did not release the names of the Black Hawk crew until Friday, creating a temporary information vacuum. It has declined to name one of the three pilots "at the request of their family.

Ellis may simply become a target because of her essays and podcast surfaced so close to the crash.

Donald Trump helped launch a witchhunt with his own contention, based on zero evidence, that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs were responsible for the crash.

Its hardly the first time trans Americans have been targeted for deaths they had nothing to do with. The far-right rumor mill has falsely blamed trans people for mass shootings in Texas in May 2022, in Philadelphia in July 2023, in Texas again in February 2024, and in Wisconsin in December 2024  often joined or amplified by Republican politicians.

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In Elliss case, the Virginia National Guard confirmed to Reuters that none of its personnel was on board the Black Hawk that crashed Wednesday.

On Monday, Trump issued an executive order aimed at barring trans people from serving in the U.S. It also suggested that gender transition is dishonorable and dishonest.

Despite that, Ellis told Smerconish that she still hoped to "keep [her] head down" and serve for "however long [her] body lets [her] fly that helicopter.

"I don't know what else to say other than I have shown that I am capable of doing my job. I want to continue doing my job," she said.

"In a time when it's hard enough to meet recruiting numbers in the military, why would you want to kick out more soldiers that are willing to sacrifice their lives for this country?" she asked.
An unexpected controversy has upended the Oscar race in an awards season defined by historical milestones. Karla Sofia Gascon, the first openly trans woman nominated for best actress, is now facing intense scrutiny after resurfaced tweets exposed years-long patterns of Islamophobic and racist rhetoric.

Freelance culture writer Sarah Hagi, a Canada-based journalist and co-host of the podcast Scamfluencers, uncovered the tweets and found herself at the center of the conversation. While visiting family in Southeast Asia, she followed her journalists instinct, researching Gascons political leanings after noticing what she described as a dog whistle in a post. What she discovered was far worse than she anticipated: tweets in Spanish ranging from anti-Muslim sentiment to outright bigotry, all of which had remained public and unchallenged.

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Gascon has since deleted her Twitter/X account and released a statement apologizing for her tweets.

In an interview with Variety, Hagi discusses the backlash, the accusations of being a studio plant, and why she believes the Academy must act.

What prompted you to investigate Karla Sofia Gascons social media history?

I wasnt paying much attention to her at first, but Im naturally curious, especially when it comes to public figures and their politics. I saw a tweet in which she used the word Islamist, which I found intense. It wasnt a conspiracy  I do this with many celebrities. I just searched a term, and what I found was shocking.

Theres been speculation that you were part of a smear campaign  essentially, a studio plant digging up dirt on behalf of a competitor. What do you say to that?

Absolutely not. Im not a studio plant. Im just a person. The idea that a studio would pick me, someone who doesnt even have TikTok, is hilarious. This was a total fluke.

Youve been open about identifying as a Black Muslim. How did that shape your reaction to what you uncovered?

Its fair to say it was triggering. I could have looked, and there would be nothing, but it was just a hunch. It doesnt mean that someone who said something like that is going to have as many racist tweets as she did or as many anti-Muslim tweets as she did. When you have an experience like I do, you know what the dog whistles are, and to me, that was a very clear dog whistle.

So, was it as simple as searching a keyword, and everything was just there?

Yeah, I mean, at this point, it was Wednesday evening for me. I dont remember the exact time, but I figured Id post the tweets the following morning because I didnt think theyd gain traction, but I wanted them to get traction.

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It was as simple as searching one word, and from there, I followed extra keywords  especially in Spanish since thats the language she tweets in. I searched terms like Islam, Muslims in Spanish, hijab, and anything that might bring up relevant results. And when I typed in those words, these tweets had barely any engagement, maybe a couple hundred views in total, one or two likes at most.

There was zero traction, even when she initially tweeted them. This wasnt some viral controversy waiting to resurface. She had tweeted these things, and they had existed online, unchallenged, from 2016 to 2023. There was no pushback, no visibility. This was just how she was casually tweeting. It wasnt some deep dive or orchestrated effort  it was all just there.

You said you wanted the tweets to gain traction. Why?

So many reasons. First, these tweets werent hidden. Im floored because were talking about a frontrunner from one of the most-nominated films in Academy history. Her nomination was historic  the first trans woman nominated for Best Actress.

Youd think that with this level of visibility, someone on her team, at Netflix, or behind her campaign would have reviewed her tweets. Yet, they were still up. It wasnt just about one comment  there were tweets about George Floyd and many other things. It signaled arrogance  either a belief that these things dont matter or the assumption that no one would bother looking.

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When someone in a historic position representing a film built on so-called progressive values has a history of racist and bigoted tweets, it exposes the hypocrisy of it all. This isnt about meaningful representation  its just marketing. And that marketing falls apart when the person at the center of it is a racist bigot.

Some might argue that digging up old tweets is an example of cancel culture looking to cancel the next person.

I entirely disregard those people intellectually on every level. These tweets existed from 2016 to 2023, which I found based on the words I searched. Who knows what else is out there? More tweets have surfaced since.

She had every opportunity to ensure these wouldnt exist online anymore. Hundreds of thousands of dollars go into an awards campaign  this isnt some random person who stumbled into the spotlight. This was a calculated effort from a major studio. They should have deleted them if they didnt want people to find these tweets. I just happened to be the one who searched. It could have been anyone. And yet, with a single word search, I found some of the most jaw-droppingly racist tweets.

How do you feel about Gascons responses since the tweets have come out?

As for her response  her apology wasnt an apology. She didnt address the marginalized group she targeted. She didnt acknowledge the harm she caused. And let me be clear: I believe in forgiveness. I dont think people are irredeemable. I believe they can take accountability and make things right. But her immediate reaction wasnt to do that. It wasnt humility. Instead, she said, Light conquers darkness. Which  okay, maybe dont use those words when responding to racist tweets.

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This isnt my fault. It wouldnt have been anyone elses fault who found these tweets, either. This is on her. Its on the people running this campaign. And whats truly insane is that, even now, she hasnt explicitly apologized to the group she offended.

I cant think of another marginalized group that could be targeted in this way, at this scale, without it sparking a serious conversation about whether a nomination should even stand. The Academy has to decide what kind of message it wants to send  because this level of racism should be disqualifying.

So, do you believe her Oscar nomination should be rescinded?

Absolutely! Especially in todays climate. The same way theyre calling her film important or whatever vague terms are used. Its just as important to show this is an example of what shouldnt fly on a global stage. What message is that sending? Are you going to tout a movie around as being important and historical and then have the star of it say the vilest and racist things? This isnt controversial; its blatant racism. You cant have it both ways. You cant have your representation pick show how progressive an institution is and then have no consequences for a person who is the opposite of that.

What would you say directly to Gascon?

Nothing. Shes just another racist.

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This interview has been edited and condensed.

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Tulane University police and pro-Palestine protestors stand in opposing lines during a demonstration at Tulane University on April 29, 2024. (Drew Costley/Verite News)

NEW ORLEANS  A federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of a state law, approved last year, that creates a buffer zone around police, making it a criminal offense to come within 25 feet of a working officer after being ordered to step back.

The preliminary injunction was issued Friday in response to a lawsuit filed in July by six media companies, including Verite News parent company Deep South Today, asking for the law to be blocked.

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The media groups  represented by the Washington-based Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Louisiana attorneys Scott Sternberg and Marcia Suzanne Montero  say the law could interfere with journalists First Amendment rights to cover police actions and expose police misconduct. They also argue the law is unconstitutionally vague, allowing police to invoke the buffer arbitrarily.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who is a defendant in the suit, contends that the law is a common-sense public safety measure that will protect police officers while they are on the job. In a December court hearing, attorneys representing Murrill also argued that the media groups suit is based on purely hypothetical grounds, as the law has yet to be enforced since it took effect in August.

But in his ruling, Judge John deGravelles of Louisianas Middle District, said the threat to newsgathering warrants immediate action.

Plaintiffs journalists are regularly within 25 feet of peace officers, and now face the threat of arrest and prosecution if an order to retreat is given, deGravelles wrote. The distance required is likely to impede Plaintiffs non-obstructive newsgathering.  Therefore, the Act has a chilling effect on Plaintiffs First Amendment rights, even if it has not yet been enforced.

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DeGravelles, a federal court appointee of former President Barack Obama, also agreed with the plaintiffs that the law is overly vague.

Here, while the Act clearly states that an officer can enforce a 25-foot buffer zone, it lacks any standard by which an officer may issue an order to stand back or retreat, the judge wrote.

Louisiana is one of several states that have passed police buffer zone laws. Similar laws in Arizona and Indiana have faced legal challenges on constitutional grounds. The Arizona law was struck down in 2022. The Indiana law has faced two separate challenges. In one case, the law was upheld. In another, it was struck down.

The preliminary injunction will be effective while the case is pending. The plaintiffs ultimate goal is a permanent block on the law.

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In a statement, Murrill said she had not seen the ruling yet but would continue to defend the law.

We think it is a reasonable time, place and manner restriction from obstructing and interfering with working police, Murrill said. We are trying to protect the public. This is a reasonable law.

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This article first appeared on Verite News New Orleans and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
A federal judge blocked President Trumps federal aid freeze Friday, finding that Democratic state attorneys general who sued are likely to prevail in their claims that it is illegal.

U.S. District Judge John McConnell signaled at a hearing earlier this week that he would grant the motion from 22 states and Washington, D.C., for an immediate injunction.

Already, the Trump administration was prevented from freezing existing federal grants under a separate judges order, but that decision only lasts until Monday. McConnells ruling will extend until he can consider the states request for a longer injunction, which has yet to be filed.

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Are there some aspects of the pause that might be legal and appropriate constitutionally for the Executive to take? The Court imagines there are, but it is equally sure that there are many instances in the Executive Orders wide-ranging, all-encompassing, and ambiguous pause of critical funding that are not, McConnell, who was appointed by former President Obama, wrote in Fridays ruling.

The Court must act in these early stages of the litigation under the worst case scenario because the breadth and ambiguity of the Executives action makes it impossible to do otherwise, he continued.

The Monday night memo from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which directed federal agencies to pause disbursement of grants while the administration ensures spending aligns with Trumps agenda, set off widespread confusion this week and quickly sparked legal challenges.

The memo was later withdrawn, but McConnell said that reversal was in name only and pointed to how White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has cautioned the administration was only rescinding the memo itself, not the funding freeze.

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The rescission may have been issued simply to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts. The substantive effect of the directive carries on, the judge wrote.

McConnells order prevents the administration from adopting the OMB directive or cutting off the states federal grant funding. The block will last until the judge can consider the states motion for a longer injunction, which has not yet been filed.

The case, filed in federal court in Rhode Island, is one of two major challenges. The federal aid freeze is already on hold under a separate case brought by nonprofits and public health groups in D.C., but that hold only lasts until Monday, when the judge is set to conduct an additional hearing.

The Hill reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

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New York Attorney Letitia James (D), whose office is leading the states lawsuit, celebrated Fridays ruling.

I will keep fighting to protect essential services like childcare services that millions of Americans depend on. The rule of law is not subject to the whims of the president, James wrote on the social platform X.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday criticized the Union Budget 2025, claiming that Bihar, where assembly elections is slated for later this year, has received a "bonanza of announcements" while Andhra Pradesh whose ruling TDP is a key ally in the National Democratic Alliance at the Centre has been "cruelly ignored." In a post on X, Jairam said, "Bihar appears to have got a bonanza of announcements. It is natural since elections are due there later in the year. But why has the other pillar of the NDA, namely Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?" Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech today, proposed to establish a Board for makhana or foxnuts, a nutritious food, that is widely produced and consumed in Bihar. "Makhna Board will be established in Bihar to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organized into FPOs. The board will provide handholding and training support to Makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes," Sitharaman said. She also announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Presenting the Union Budget, FM Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said. The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region. (ANI)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A juvenile driver faces DUI charges after police said he fled from officers before hitting and killing a bicyclist, according to Nevada State Police.

The crash occurred on Jan. 15 shortly after 7:30 a.m. at the Lamb Boulevard and Stewart Avenue intersection in the northeast valley.

Las Vegas Metro police requested the help of Nevada State Police on the incident. The crash involved a Chrysler 300 that previously fled from a traffic stop that was conducted by Metro police.

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Driver fleeing from police hits, kills pedestrian at northeast Las Vegas intersection

According to Nevada State Police, the juvenile driver in the Chrysler was traveling northbound on Lamb Boulevard at a high rate of speed when it sideswiped a Mitsubishi Outlander and then continued north where it hit a Chevrolet Tahoe. After the impact, the Chevrolet and the Chrysler drove onto a sidewalk and struck a bicyclist. Both the bicyclist and the Chrysler then hit a brick wall before coming to a rest.

The driver of the Mitsubishi was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The juvenile driver and the driver of the Chevrolet were treated on-scene for minor injuries. The bicyclist was identified by police as Luis Sanchez Ochoa, 41, of Las Vegas and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the impaired driving investigation on the juvenile driver, investigators with the Nevada State Police Traffic Homicide Unit booked the driver into the Juvenile Detention Center on the following charges.

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Stop required upon signal of a Peace Officer with death

DUI resulting in death

DUI with substantial bodily harm

Reckless driving resulting in death

Reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm

Driving without a valid license

Expired Registration

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY)  The Sauquoit woman who allegedly poisoned her boss in 2015 has had her conviction overturned.

Kaitlyn Conley was accused and convicted in 2017 of poisoning local chiropractor Mary Yoder in 2015, while she was working as her secretary. Conley was serving 23 years in state prison for manslaughter.

On Friday, January 31, Conley had her conviction overturned by the New York State Appellate Court. The court ruled that during her first trial, attorney Christopher Pelli provided ineffective counsel. Particularly, the court said, Pelli failed to challenge the admission of evidence pulled from her cell phone.

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Conleys defense asserted that the search warrant that police used to gather information did not allow them to search a cell phone. The Appellate Court agreed, stating on Friday that cell phones contain as much personal and private information as would be stored in ones home. Therefore, indiscriminate cell phone searches could not be permitted.

The court refused to rule on the cell phone search during a previous appeal because Pelli had not preserved the argument. According to the court, that was a factor in deciding the ineffective representation question.

That trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. Her mistrial ended with her being acquitted of murder, but convicted on a manslaughter charge.

Conley was granted the chance at appeal by a Rochester State Appellate Court in May of 2024.

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Jan. 31The Kalispell Public Schools Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted to run a high school district general fund levy election and trustee elections on May 6.

The school board approved the elections as a routine item to meet upcoming state deadlines. The school board may cancel elections before an April 4 deadline.

Although an amount of the levy will be set at a later date, the recommendation trustees unanimously approved is for "up to the maximum allowable amount to fully fund the high school district."

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The district is facing an estimated $2.9 million budget shortfall, which it seeks to address with the levy and/or eliminating positions.

The district is moving forward with cutting 20.5 high school and 14 elementary positions, though that could change depending on the levy outcome and how many employees take an early retirement incentive or resign. Formal layoff notifications, reassignments and involuntary transfers will be issued in May after school elections.

Available trustee positions include two three-year terms representing the elementary district and for the high school district, one three-year term representing Kila and Somers-Lakeside. People interested in serving on the school board may obtain and file nomination petitions and oaths of candidacy at the central office, 233 First Ave. E., Kalispell.

Candidates must be registered voters who live in the district they wish to serve. Elementary trustees vote on both elementary and high school issues. Trustees representing the high school district vote on high school issues only.

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A levy of any type hasn't passed in the high school district, which includes voters in 13 outlying partner school districts, since 2007. During Tuesday's meeting, Kalispell Superintendent Matt Jensen referred to the upcoming election as "high stakes."

"We're talking between 20 and 21 [full-time equivalent] positions. We have several times, in front of this board, discussed the process that we followed to have the least negative impact on students and the least negative impact on staff but to be clear, we're pursuing a track of excellence in teaching and learning we're really proud of the work we're doing with building pathways for kids as they graduate.

And those are the issues at stake in this election if we go backwards with our staffing and what we're trying to achieve with all the different angles were taking on. And just for perspective, and as a reminder, we are the lowest funded AA district," Jensen said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW)  Kansas politicians are sending a bill that bans gender-affirming care for children to the governors desk. It comes after opponents spoke out against the bill on Tuesday.

The Help, Not Harm Act, Senate Bill 63, was passed by the Kansas Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 32 to 8, and the Kansas House passed it on Friday by a vote of 83 to 35.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order against gender-affirming care, but he did not outright ban it.

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The bill will now move to Governor Laura Kellys desk. She vetoed a similar bill last year, but Republicans believe they have enough votes to override a veto this year.

Butler Community College instructor killed in DC plane crash

The Kansas bill prohibits health care providers from providing gender transition care to children who want to change from their biological sex. Providers could not give children puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgery. If they did, it would be considered unprofessional conduct, and they could be sued.

State-funded facilities and state employees in their official capacities would be banned from promoting medication or surgery to a child under the age of 18.

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They also could not encourage children to try social transitioning, like changing how they dress or their pronouns.

Senate Bill 63 does allow for a few exceptions. Cross-sex hormones are available if the child has precocious puberty or a verified diagnosis of a sex development disorder.

Man fatally shot, deputy hospitalized following officer-involved shooting in Grainfield

Today, Kansas moved one step closer to protecting Kansas minors- joining 26 other states and multiple other countries who have already adopted similar common-sense protections, Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins said in a press release. My hope is that, upon reviewing the newly emerging data and thought on these treatments in minor children, the Governor reverses course from last years veto and signs the Help Not Harm Act into law.

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A group opposed to the bill says legislators have betrayed Kansas.

They chose extremist beliefs and disinformation over the pleas of Kansas residents, educators,

medical professionals, and transgender individuals. They chose to discriminate and hate, and

transgender youth and their families will suffer because of it, Michael Poppa, Mainstream Coalition executive director, said in a statement.

The bill that passed today was purposely broad and vague and is intended to do the most harm

to the LGBTQ+ community. For our legislators who claim to want to protect children and support

parental rights, they have done the exact opposite, said Laurel Burchfield, Mainstream

Advocacy Director. Parents are panicking right now and struggling to understand how to

provide life-saving care for their children. They are being punished for nothing more than loving

their children, and being willing to do whatever it takes to support them. Politicians should have

no right to tell them how they can care for their kids, and all parents should be outraged right

now at the dangerous precedent this sets.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A Kansas native, Amanda Cormack, is dealing with many emotions after avoiding this tragedy. She was scheduled to be on flight 5342. KSN spoke with her, still shaken from the news.

Still shocked, Cormack says she is beyond grateful to be alive. She says a last-minute decision saved her life.

Cormack grew up in Salina, and just last October, she moved to the West Virginia area with her husband. She visited Kansas for her nephews birthday and has been here for eight days. She flew into ICT directly from DCA on Jan. 23.

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She was scheduled to be on the flight Wednesday. However, because she is starting a new job in February, her husband encouraged her to extend her stay in Salina with her family. Cormack says he ended up re-scheduling it for the next day.

Cormack has been overwhelmed with emotions since Wednesday.

Butler Community College instructor killed in DC plane crash

Im still processing it. I think its going to take a while. Im grateful and thankful for all of the decisions that were made that led to the decision to stay here longer, said Cormack.

Talking about those who lost someone on the flight, Cormack added, I dont even know what to say. Im devastated for them. I cant tell you how many times I have thought about my own family and the shoes that theyre in, and it just hurts.

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She says many people have been reaching out to her and that she is grateful for all the support and love she has received.

Cormack also says that she is ready to go home, hug her husband, and be with him, but she doesnt know when she will return as she still feels overwhelmed. She also said her heart goes out to every life lost and every family member and friend affected.

To learn more about the crash, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Editor's Note: This interview is part of an ongoing Star series highlighting Kansas Citians from historically under-represented communities and their impact on our region. The series builds on The Star's efforts to improve coverage of local communities. Do you know someone we should interview? Share ideas with our reporter J.M. Banks.

When Dr. Nathan Gause began his first year of medical school, he was stunned to discover he was the only Black male student in the entire program at University of South Alabama. As he progressed through his education and entered the field of orthopedics, he realized that this specialty was among the least diverse in all of medicine.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Dr. Gause, has called Kansas City home for the past five years, and its where he has dedicated himself to inspiring young Black students to explore careers in orthopedics. As the vice-chair of orthopedics at University Health, he has worked hard to show students that a career in the orthopedic field is within their grasp.

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After launching his Bridging the Gap event for high school students in 2021 at the University of Missouri, Gause decided Kansas City could use an effort encouraging Black students to pursue jobs in the medical field. He brought Bridging the Gap, to Kansas City.

Recently Gause sat down with The Kansas City Stars culture and identity reporter, J.M. Banks, and talked about the importance of finding mentorship early, diversity in the medical field and expanding his efforts to reach more students.

Banks: Can you share your personal journey into orthopedics?

Gause: I decided to become a physician when I was a senior in high school. I didnt know the type of physician but just knew that that was the life and career that I wanted to do. I was in a summer program at the Environmental Protection Agency in Cincinnati and in that program, we would do a career highlight. and one of the days happen to be a physician. I thought that it was interesting, I can apply science and I could also be a person who is public facing because I enjoy talking to people. It is exhausting, but I enjoy it.

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My parents connected me with a mentor midway through college who happened to be an orthopedic surgeon and he looked like me. He was beautifully melanated like myself. He was instantly like an uncle to me and took me under his wing and taught me what he knew in terms of here is what you need to navigate these waters. I didnt have anyone in my family who ever got into medicine. He helped me and guided me through. I decided I want to be just like him.

When I give my talks, I always tell them you cant be what you cant see, and it was seeing him that helped me see that I could be something greater than I already anticipated.

When did you begin to notice a disparity and diversity within your medical field?

For me, I wasnt really conscious of it or I didnt think about it. Living with this skin you kind of assume you are going to be a minority in any space you walk in.

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When I got to medical school being the only Black male in my class really hit me then. I went to school in Mobile, Alabama at the University of South Alabama. There were a total of 10 persons that would identify as Black to start with and there was one black male, being me.

By the time I graduated there was one black female and one black male, being myself and another person. So we were the only two to get through all four years consecutively and the other students did graduate eventually but it took them a little more time.

It was then that I began to understand that in medicine the disparity in the work force is very reflective of how our patients are treated because you dont have adequate representation. When I started to get into the trail of medicine in terms of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, I began to see it more and more. I got into residency spot in Orthopedics in Cincinnati It had been about 15 years since they had anyone melanated in the program. Which leads to the disparities of orthopedics, which is why were holding these events in sessions, trying to change and bridge that gap.

Are there any specific challenges in the orthopedic field that prevents doctors of color from taking up that particular field?

There are inadequate pathways that provide opportunity for underrepresented, marginalized communities. Six percent of orthopedic surgeons are women, 2% are Latin X or Hispanic and just under 2% are African American. We are the least diverse specialty in medicine and have been for many years.

Can you share with us what inspired you to start the Bridging The Gap event?

Before I began to work for University Health in 2023, I worked for the University of Missouri in Columbia or Mizzou. I never lived in Columbia and I moved to Kansas City in 2020. I worked at Liberty Hospital where Mizzou has a professional service agreement PSA with Liberty Hospital. The program started there. A young medical student who was a first-generation American, and his parents were from Gambia, noticed some disparities in his career and wanted to get into the field because there wasnt a lot of people who looked like him. We reconnected and I began to mentor him and he originated the idea of starting a mentoring program at Columbia.

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The first iteration of this program, I want to say in 2021, I drove down there, performed the keynote and I was around to guide and be a mentor for the medical students that are craving this program. I have been going back subsequently ever since then even after I stopped working at Mizzou.

I decided I lived in Kansas City and this would be a fantastic program for Kansas City. That came to fruition as I moved down to University Health, recognizing the disparity that exists in our inner city and this place could really benefit from a program like this.

Can you walk me through the Bridging the Gap event and what participants can expect?

This event will be a day long immersive event that allows high school students the opportunity to see what an orthopedic surgeon does, to get a better understanding of what we treat, and how we treat it.

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It allows them to get hands on experience in the operating room where theyre able to see the tools that we use, they are able to dress up like a surgeon. We have various stations, the operating room is one. Another station we have is splinting so they learn how to put on a splint and what that entails. Another station we allow them to use bones, fake bones, where they will be able to put plates and screws in bones and learn how to fix fractures. We have x-ray reading and interpreting, understanding what you are looking at on a film whether it is an x-ray or MRI or CT. Well have lectures from orthopedic residents and also a panel of medical students so these high school students can ask questions. There will be representation from the undergraduate school as well as the medical school and minority groups.

How was that first year doing the event and what have been some of your biggest takeaways from it?

The biggest impact I noted during the pre and post-surveys is a lot of young people didnt know what an orthopedic surgeon was. So seeing them get a taste of that was encouraging to me. Another take away for me was the level of engagement. These are kids that would prefer to do anything on a Saturday that came and gave us their time and they were engaged and hungry for more. For them, based on the post survey, that they thought it was not an insurmountable feat to become an orthopedic surgeon is all I needed to hear and see and they embraced it. It was very encouraging. I want to continue to do it.

How do you plan on growing and evolving the event?

What I think we will end up doing for the orthopedic space, is doing it annually. Our goal ultimately is to expand this into different specialties, so OB/GYN, internal medicine, dermatology.

What is the most important step in fostering diversity in the orthopedic field?

Early intervention. If you can spark interest early enough folks are less likely to be deterred.

What advice would you give to a young Black student thinking about the orthopedic field but who feels discouraged by the statistics?

My advice would be not to get caught up in the numbers. The numbers are what they are and not going to change unless folks in these specific demographics pursue a career in these spaces.

What do you think is the most rewarding aspect of your endeavor?

For me its creating a legacy knowing that Im leaving this place better than how I found it.

For more stories about culture and identity sign up for our free On The Vine newsletter at http://KansasCity.com/newsletters.
Ken Martin, the chair of Minnesotas Democratic Farmer Labor party, was elected the new chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Martin won a majority vote among DNC members on the first ballot, 246.5 to 134.5 for Ben Wikler, the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. Martin OMalley received 44 votes, Faiz Shakir received two and Jason Paul received one. DNC members were meeting at National Harbor, MD.

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The new DNC chair will succeed Jaime Harrison, who resigned after the partys crushing loss in the 2024 presidential race.

As the party struggles to find its footing, with a number of rank-and-file Democrats dismayed by the strategy so far in the early weeks of Donald Trump administration, Martin will become one of its most visible figures. Among other things, Martin will be challenged to quickly raise money from donor strongholds, including Hollywood, amid divisions over the solutions needed to restore the party.

Like other candidates, Martin promised to focus the party on the working class, as Trump and his allies branded Democrats as too consumed with identity politics and beholden to coastal elites. At one candidate forum, Martin said that I dont rub elbows with billionaires or Hollywood elites. I rub elbows with working people in union halls, at picket lines, at civil rights marches and at protests. That swipe didnt sit well with some industry supporters, who have been avid donors and supporters of party candidates.

Yet the extent of the partys troubles was reinforced this week by the latest Qunnipiac poll this week showed that just 31% of those surveyed had a favorable opinion of the Democratic party, and 57% have an unfavorable opinion. Republicans have a 43% favorable and 45% unfavorable.

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Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, was the prohibitive frontrunner for the entire DNC chair's race. His message to Trump: "We're coming." Rod Lamkey Jr./Associated Press

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.  Members of the Democratic National Committee elected Ken Martin as the central party bodys new chair on Saturday, picking a seasoned party operative to help lead the party back to power in Washington.

Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, defeated two other major contenders  Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley  and a host of more marginal candidates.

He received 246 votes to Wiklers 144 and OMalleys 44.

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The outcome was not a surprise: Martin was the frontrunner from the moment he jumped into the race.

In a press conference after the vote was certified, Martin said his message to President Donald Trump was: Were coming.

This is a new Democratic Party. Were taking the gloves off, he continued. Ive always viewed my role as a chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning Im going to throw a punch.

In a preview of the kind of punches Martin plans to land, he dinged Trump for focusing on gimmicks, rather than helping people.

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I dont know how in the hell changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America makes a difference in peoples lives, Martin said.

Pressed on whether Senate Democrats should oppose every single one of Trumps Cabinet nominees, however, Martin demurred. I have no doubt that every Democratic senator is going to ask the tough questions that the American people deserve answers to, and theyre going to make up their minds based on those conversations, he said.

Following a race that grew bitter, especially in closed-door conversations, Martin appealed to party unity, but some Wikler supporters were still reeling.

This is an insiders game. A perfectly fine longtime insider won, but we missed a transformational leader at a time when we need to show voters Democrats are doing things differently, said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which endorsed Wikler. Everyone wishes Ken the best.

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In a race mostly bereft of major ideological and strategic disagreements, it was occasionally hard to distinguish Martins plans for the national party from those of his closest rivals.

All three candidates identified the partys biggest challenges as a lack of trust with working-class voters and a failure to compete with Republicans in a new, decentralized media environment.

Steering clear of contentious policy debates, diagnoses of what went wrong in the 2024 election and the proper schedule for the 2028 presidential primary, the leading contenders instead focused mostly on technical changes: ordering an after-action report about 2024, investing more in state parties, expanding the DNCs financial transparency, and building a war room to combat misinformation and disinformation.

But Martins election represents a triumph of state party leaders and DNC veterans over senior national Democrats and donors, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic mega-donor Reid Hoffman, who had thrown their lot behind Wikler. The latter group saw Wikler as a more innovative organizer whose work in a presidential battleground state better equipped him to lead Democrats during a second Trump term.

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For me, it is life as a true battleground state party chair. It is a different world, said Lavora Barnes, a Wikler supporter who chairs the Michigan Democratic Party. What Ben and I go through is what this nation goes through, what this national party needs to be, which is building something on the ground all over the country.

As outgoing leader of the umbrella group for Democratic state party chairs, however, Martin leveraged deep relationships with state party chairs, officers and other DNC members to cultivate an air of inevitability. He entered the contest in November with nearly 100 commitments from DNC members, and secured more than 200 public commitments from DNC members by the eve of the election  just 26 shy of the number he would have needed to win an outright majority of the 450 DNC members (if every eligible member participated).

Martins supporters tended to speak of their longstanding relationships with the Minnesota Democrat, who has spent years campaigning for Democrats in other states and offering guidance.

He knows what we need, and he knows how to get things done, said Christale Spain, a Martin supporter who chairs the South Carolina Democratic Party.

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Martin has even been in the trenches with state parties against DNC leadership. In 2018, Martin led state parties in a successful revolt against a DNC effort, backed by Hoffman, to consolidate voter data in a new national system that would have stripped state parties control of the voter file that is their chief source of revenue.

Ken was a guy that would step up and fight for us, and he got a lot of crap for that, said Gilberto Hinojosa, chair of the Texas Democratic Party.

Martin also made the case that his record of rebuilding the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, as Minnesota Democrats call their party, was more impressive than Wiklers. After taking over as state party chair in 2011, he erased the partys outstanding debt and presided over Democratic wins in every single statewide election  even as the number of Minnesota Democrats in the U.S. House dropped from five to four.

Notwithstanding his frontrunner status, Martin, a hardened political operative with roots in the carpenters union, went on the attack against Wikler right away. He dinged Wikler for a record that included high-profile defeats in statewide elections, including Kamala Harris loss in his state in November (though Wisconsin was nonetheless closer than any of the six other battleground states). And he implied that Wikler was beholden to party bigwigs and donors like Hoffman.

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OMalley amplified concerns about Wiklers ties to big donors in late January when he challenged his rivals to join him in disclosing donors to their DNC chair race. Martin agreed right away, but Wikler waited until Friday night, drawing unwanted attention to the topic. Hoffman, a villain for progressives due to his opposition to outgoing Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, indeed contributed $250,000 to Wiklers bid, as did George Soros Democracy PAC.

At the same time, some in Wiklers camp detected a whiff of unsavory deal-making in Martins approach. One of Martins most important agenda items as chair will be steering the approval of a primary schedule following something of a debacle in 2024.

Former President Joe Biden insisted on making South Carolina the first primary state in the 2024 race, a decision that irked critics who do not want such a conservative state to have such outsize importance in choosing the Democratic nominee. New Hampshire proceeded with its first-in-the-nation primary anyway, creating chaos. At the same time, South Carolinas Democratic electorate is mostly Black, providing racial diversity more representative of the national Democratic base than lily-white New Hampshire.

In addition to Martins support from Spain, he is backed by the entire South Carolina DNC delegation and Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), among the most powerful Black elected officials in the country.

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While Spain wants South Carolina to remain first on the calendar, she suggested she was not aware of Martins preferences on the matter. And of course, while any chair exercises influence over the process, the new primary calendar must be approved first by the DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee and then by the broader DNC membership.

He respects the process and will give the party an opportunity to have a fair and transparent process, Spain said.

Martin likewise denied that he had given assurances to any states about their placement on the calendar, affirming that it is not the chairs role to put a thumb on the scale.

Im very proud of the fact that there been no promises made throughout any of this to any of these states on the calendar, he said.

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The Democratic National Committee elected Ken Martin as its chair on Saturday afternoon, as the party looks to new leadership to help steer it through President Donald Trumps second term in office.

He will replace outgoing chair Jamie Harrison.

Martin, who was Minnesota party chair and DNC vice chair, was considered a leading candidate alongside Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley. Other candidates, like Bernie Sanders former presidential campaign chief Faiz Shakir and self-help author Marianne Williamson  who ultimately endorsed Martin in her nominating speech Saturday  were considered long-shots for the position.

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Martin easily beat his opponents Saturday, receiving 246.5 votes on the first round of voting. Wikler, who was backed by Democratic heavyweights like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Hakeem Jeffries, scored 134.5 votes. OMalley had 44.

Democrats, thank you for putting your trust in me. It's the honor of my life to serve as your next DNC Chair.



Now were going to pull ourselves together, work as one, and fight for the American people. https://t.co/ZbDFAUXkPX  Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) February 1, 2025

Martin had pitched himself as a candidate whod be willing to get his hands dirty to stand up to Trump, as well as someone who could put the party on the right track to win over voters.

My job is to get out there and define the Republicans, he said during the campaign. We will go on offense against Donald Trump.

The election comes as Democrats are grappling with the frenzied first weeks of Trumps second term after a bruising election in November that saw Republicans sweep both chambers of Congress and the White House.

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The role of DNC chair will largely revolve around fundraising and deciding where and how to allocate political donations. Martin will also be tasked with helping to shape the partys messaging and strategy, a crucial role as Democrats seek to broaden their appeal among the working class and those who are less politically engaged, with whom they performed poorly in the 2024 election.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Ken Martin, the longtime leader of the state Democratic Party organization in Minnesota, will be the new Democratic National Committee chair after winning Saturdays election, as his party looks to turn the page and recover from a dismal 2024.

Martin had been the front-runner from the beginning of the race, leveraging his relationships with the more than 400 voting members of the DNC that he forged over more than a decade of work inside the institutional Democratic Party. And those relationships proved essential, as he clinched a majority of the voting members on the first ballot, more than 100 votes above the second place finisher, Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler.

The race hinged more on the candidates organizing and fundraising resumes than on their postures regarding the ideological soul of the party, as it did in 2017, after President Donald Trumps previous election win. Martin was the more experienced hand with deep party relationships, Wikler had been at the center of some of Democrats highest-profile races in recent years, and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley had unique electoral and government experience.

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Addressing the DNC membership after his victory, Martin called for party unity after a relatively quiet race that got chippy at times, and for the party to focus on opposing President Donald Trump.

"We have one team, the Democratic Party, and we have one fight. The fights not in here, its out there, he said.

The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country.





Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin, D-Minn., in St. Paul, Minn., on Nov. 8, 2022.

Now, Martin will be tasked with helping to pull Democrats out of the hole where they ended 2024, a devastating election cycle that left them without any of the levers of power in Washington. But while Martin will help to lead the party forward, Democrats arent necessarily looking to him to be the partys pre-eminent leader.

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Were a party out of power, so we dont have a leader. And I think broadly, philosophically, someone could say that this person would be our party leader. Thats not really true, said Matt Corridoni, a veteran Democratic strategist who has worked for the committee in the past and also worked on a previous race for DNC chair.

I dont know that anyone has ever really looked to the most recent DNC chairs and said, that person was a leader of our party, Corridoni continued, before framing the role of the DNC chair as nailing down the "nuts and bolts of operating the party."

What this person will really be tasked with at the end of the day is planning a primary process, making sure that the state parties have the funding and infrastructure they need to be successful, and planning our next convention," he said.

That notion is not lost on Martin, who framed the chair role during his campaign as doing the important party-building work that will set the foundation for the Democratic candidates to use up and down the ballot, while helping to set the message as the party takes on Trump.

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"Donald Trump, the Republican Party, this is a new DNC. We are not going to sit back and not take you on when you fail the American people," Martin said during a session with reporters shortly after his victory.

"The role of the party is not just to go out there and build the infrastructure," Martin added. "It's also to make sure we're defining them and we're out there making sure the American people know what the stakes of not only these coming elections are, but what's happening in this country."

During that session with reporters, Martin said that his first priorities as chair will be looking "at the state of the party, the finances," looking at the party's "contracts" and starting a "post-election review process."

"We don't call it a post-mortem or an autopsy, because our party's not dead. It's still kicking right?" Martin said.

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"The reality is," he added, "what we need to do right now is really start to get a handle around what happened last election cycle. We know that we lost ground with Latino voters, we know we lost ground with women and younger voters and of course working-class voters. We don't know the how and why yet."

The front-runners were largely in agreement during the race about what the DNC needed to do to move forward: ensure the party has the resources to contest every race across every state and territory, adopt a permanent organizational posture to help build relationships between the party and its potential voters, and take a postmortem look at Democratic Party's spending, after it fell short at the presidential level despite significantly outspending Trump and Republicans. All of the candidates also talked about pushing to bring their message to new media outlets while highlighting new messengers in part as a way to fix a deeper problem  Democratic underperformance with young and Hispanic voters.

Throughout the race to succeed outgoing DNC chair Jaime Harrison, Martin framed himself as the experienced choice to take the reins of the party organization. Over a decade of experience leading the Minnesota party, he has regularly touted his unbeaten record in statewide races, arguing his state has been a Democratic beacon of hope while the party has taken important losses in other Midwestern blue wall states.

As head of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and a vice chair of the national party committee, combined with his record, Martin had developed relationships with party members to help him shore up the votes needed to emerge victorious despite a last-minute push from Wikler.

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Those relationships helped Martin amass about 200 public endorsements from the voting body of the DNC, far more than any other candidate. And while Wikler touted support from top congressional Democrats, Martin snagged high-profile endorsements of his own, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was the Democrats 2024 vice presidential nominee, and Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the powerful congressman who helped jumpstart Joe Bidens 2020 presidential bid.

During a brief address to the DNCs Poverty Council Thursday afternoon, Martin pointed to Trumps implication that a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion programs was to blame for Wednesday nights tragic aircraft collision in Washington, D.C.

Weve got to unify quickly as a party because the stakes have never been higher for this nation. What weve seen these last two weeks is despicable. Theyre shattering peoples lives, theyre destroying communities already two weeks into it, Martin said, before going on to describe his childhood being raised by a young mother in poverty, in and out of shelters.

Our fight right now is for working people throughout this country, Martin added. Think about Donald Trumps administration, their cabinet is worth $460 billion. Not the top 1%, the top 100th of 1%. You think they give a damn about people like me, people like you or working people and families like mine that are struggling?  Our fight right now is a fight for the future and its a fight for workers and its a fight for people who are trying to get into the middle class.

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Wikler fell short despite a late push and endorsements from major Democratic Party figures including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, along with governors like Kentuckys Andy Beshear, Michigans Gretchen Whitmer and Kansas Laura Kelly. Wikler also secured the support of major unions including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers and Service Employees International Union.

In a statement congratulating Martin, Wikler called on "everyone who supported me to join me in working with Chair Martin to ensure that the Democratic Party rises to this moment of crisis in our country. "

The race lacked the deep ideological divide of the last competitive race for chair in 2017, when the party had to pick up the pieces of a disappointing election loss as well as a party fractured by the hacking and release of internal party emails that exacerbated the divide between progressives and establishment Democrats.

Even though the race didn't have the fireworks of some other past races, Harrison took to the microphone multiple times before Martin's election to issue vague warnings against those who were bullying DNC members for their vote.

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Ive heard over the course of the last few days, while we were here, that people have been threatened about their vote, people have been intimidated by their vote, that folks have been having donors called and say theyre going to pull funding because of their vote, he said.

Folks, in this party there will be no tolerance for that type of behavior, Harrison said.

Now that Democrats have a chairman, Rev. Leah Daughtry told NBC News shortly before the vote that the new chair "has to become the standard bearer, the visionary that can help our party move from the mat into the place we need to be to win back voters and to win elections in the days to come.

"Now we have the complete team, and I think were ready," she said. She referenced Trump's posts on social media and statements after the tragic plane and helicopter crash in the Potomac River earlier this week.

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"Instead of him being able to bring our country together, he created more division," Daughtry said of Trump, putting more "focus" behind Democrats' efforts to oppose him.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Bihar minister Mangal Pandey on Saturday expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the Centre's proposal for setting up a Makhana Board in the state. He said it was a long-term demand of the farmers of Bihar. "I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on behalf of lakhs of farmers of Bihar who cultivate foxnuts... These farmers have been demanding the formation of a Makhana Board for a very long time, just like there is Tea Board and Rubber Board..." Pandey told reporters. Pandey also expressed gratitude to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He said, "We requested for the formation of this board when Shivraj Singh Chouhan came to Patna recently and today that dream of foxnut cultivating farmers has been fulfilled through the announcement by the Finance Minister during Union Budget 2025..." Makhana or Foxnuts are nutritious seed which is cultivated from the Lotus plant. It is widely produced and consumed in Bihar. In recent times, Makhana has gained overwhelming popularity as a healthy snack around the world. Sitharaman, in her Budget speech today, proposed to set a Makhana Board in the state of Bihar. Under One District One Product scheme, Makhana producers have benefited hugely. The Makhana Research Center has been given the status of a national institution, with Makhanas having also received a GI tag. In her initial remarks during her Unnion Budget presentation today, Sitharaman said her government's focus would be on Garib, Youth, Annadata and Nari. "Makhna Board will be established in Bihar to improve production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana. The people engaged in these activities will be organized into FPOs. The board will provide handholding and training support to Makhana farmers and will also work to ensure they receive the benefits of all relevant government schemes," she said. The budget sets a clear path for India's growth, focusing on economic empowerment, industrial progress, and societal well-being. With a strong track record and ambitious targets, the government is determined to drive the nation toward greater prosperity in the coming years. (ANI)
National Harbor, Maryland  Ken Martin, the chair of Minnesota's arm of the Democratic party, will become the new leader of the Democratic National Committee after winning during the first round of voting as the party attempts to rebound from a challenging election cycle.

In his acceptance speech, Martin looked to unify the party after a somewhat contentious chair race.

"The fight's not in here. The fight is for our values. The fight is for working people. The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country," Martin said.

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The DNC chair position is primarily technical and behind the scenes: They help raise money for the party, manage the party's top-level infrastructure and organize coordinated efforts among the Democratic state parties. The race has been primarily focused on how severely the party should react to widespread 2024 losses, especially when it comes to regaining the support of working class voters.

Saturday's election represented Democrats' first major answer to the 2024 presidential election that saw the party lose the White House, Senate and fail to retake the House.

The tumultuous election cycle has sent the party reeling and essentially without a singular party leader as Democrats search for a winning message and vision ahead of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

Six candidates ended up running on Saturday to lead the DNC, including former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler and Martin, the leader of Minnesota's arm of the Democratic Party. Faiz Shakir, the former presidential campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 effort was also a contender.

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Martin won the chair race with 246.5 votes, compared to 134.5 for Wikler, 44 for O'Malley and 2 for Shakir.

Without a Democratic president in the White House, the new chair is expected to have broad influence in the years to come. And despite tensions in the race becoming more heated in recent weeks, the DNC leadership race was focused very little on ideology, evidenced by the lack of marquee names that would likely be known to an average voter.

Protesters interrupted the meeting ahead of the vote, reflecting some of the simmering divisions that troubled the party in 2024 and linger after President Trump's presidential victory.

Martin headed into Saturday with a large number of party endorsements from the field of Democrats who had a vote in the contest. But Wikler was able to tout notable support from House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

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Those prominent names, however, did not keep Martin from winning on the first ballot Saturday.

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Lakresha Watson was at the hospital for a friend who had gotten into a car accident when she received a phone call that would bring a whole new life into her own.

Watson went upstairs and waited for an hour or so until the medical personnel brought out a newborn baby, giving her the opportunity to be the first person to truly bond with the child.

My angel, my angel, Watson said as she greeted the baby. She would go on to name her adopted child Maya Angel, she said at the Kern County Board of Supervisors' Tuesday meeting.

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The Board of Supervisors proclaimed February as Safely Surrendered Babies Awareness Month.

The Safely Surrendered Baby Law was first created in January 2001 to combat the increasing number of deaths in newborns caused by abandonment in unsafe locations, according to the California Department of Social Services website. The law became a permanent part of California state law in 2006.

Through this law, parents or lawful guardians of newborn children who may be struggling to care for their child can surrender the baby within the first 72 hours after birth, no questions asked, CDSS said.

Cindy Uetz, the chief deputy director of the Kern County Department of Human Services, told the Board of Supervisors the Safe Surrender program is a safe option for women who are facing a crisis in their lives and have decided to safely surrender their baby.

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According to Uetz, there is no shame, no blame, no names associated with this program.

As long as the baby is unharmed, no prosecution, no retribution  Its a safe way to surrender their baby at that time, Uetz said.

Kristy Torres, the Safely Surrendered Baby Coalition chairwoman for Kern County, said a child who is safely surrendered gets a matching bracelet with their biological mother for identification. If the parent ends up changing their decision to surrender their baby, the parent has the option to get their child back within 14 days after the baby has been surrendered, according to Torres.

Babies who dont get returned to their biological parents will remain in a foster or preadoptive home until an adoptive home is found, Torres said.

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According to Bakersfield Fire Department spokesperson Alexander Clark, the first baby in Bakersfield to be safely surrendered was at Bakersfield Fire Station 15 on Buena Vista. Since then, many more babies have been surrendered and rescued from abandonment.

As of January, at least 103 babies have been safely surrendered since the law went into effect in 2006, according to the Kern County Department of Human Services. The latest baby to have been safely surrendered in Kern County was received at Adventist Health Bakersfield in December, according to Torres.

Torres said the county has not seen infant fatalities caused by abandonment as it used to prior to the law becoming permanent in 2006. According to Torres, before the law, there were instances of people abandoning their newborn child in parks, trash cans or even toilets.

Torres said the Safe Surrender program is an outlet for parents who are in distress and unable to care for their children. Torres called the program a selfless option because the parents give up their baby while accepting that it would be a better option for the child to live safely with someone else instead of being abandoned.

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Clark said parents can go to any fire station or local hospital in the county to safely surrender their child within the first three days of the child's birth. The locations that accept surrendered babies have a blue Safe Surrender logo sticker on the front door, Clark said.

Fire stations are supplied with baby formula, diapers and other items to take care of any baby that ends up being safely surrendered to the stations until the baby can be taken to a hospital for a medical evaluation, according to Clark.

The most important thing for us is that, when that child is turned over to the fire department, that we will do everything we can to safely care for that child and make sure that it remains healthy, Clark said.

Torres said the Safely Surrendered Baby Coalitions goal is to inform the community no one is here to judge parents in distress and they are only trying to save children.

You've made a decision on your own; no one is forcing your decision, Torres said. We're not here to shame you, were not here to blame you or to even ask you any personal information. We are solely there to ensure that the child is safe and ensure that you are OK.
Branded a terrorist by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenkos regime for taking part in Ukraines fight against Russia, Vasyl Verameichyk was paraded on state-controlled television in late January for a two-part interview titled "Confessions of a Militant."

During the so-called interview, Verameichyk spoke of plans for an alleged incursion into Belarus, similar to the Ukrainian military's operation in Russias Kursk Oblast.

Verameichyk also acknowledged some of the challenges he faced during his military service in Ukraine, which Belarusian state-controlled television tried to distort and use to portray Ukrainian military life as rife with drug abuse, corruption, and a pervasive fear of death by the hands of ones own fellow soldiers.

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After being arrested in Vietnam in November, Verameichyk was swiftly extradited to Belarus. It is believed that he was targeted in a coordinated operation by Lukashenkos security services for having served in the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment of Belarusian volunteers fighting for Ukraine.

It seems to me that the regime is using all of this for the domestic audience. They need to create the impression that everything around them is chaos, war, and destruction  that only Lukashenko can save them, volunteer and journalist Maria Malyavko, a longtime friend of Verameichyk, told the Kyiv Independent.

Belarusian volunteers in Ukraine have been attempting to rally Kyiv to help facilitate Verameichyks freedom.

While Malyavko and others who know Verameichyk were relieved to see new footage of him alive, their relief is tempered by the harsh reality that as long as Verameichyk remains in Belarusian custody, his life and health remain at risk.

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Read also: Belarusian soldiers fighting for Ukraine say time is running out for their brother-in-arms extradited to Belarus

Incursion

The Belarusian regime's media frenzy focused primarily on the revelation of a supposed plan for the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, assisted by Ukrainian and other European intelligence services, to launch an offensive and seize part of Belarusian territory  mirroring Ukraine's ongoing actions in Russias Kursk Oblast.

Verameichyks time serving in the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment was reportedly cut short by a dispute with a staff officer that temporarily prevented him from reentering Ukraine, although those who served alongside him said he was looking for ways to return to the front.

I am aware of the existence of a classified part of the strategy for the liberation of Belarus  secret protocols that outline specific actions and possible scenarios, Verameichyk told the state propagandist conducting the interview.

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This is a set of measures developed with the assistance of serious organizations, Western intelligence agencies, the intelligence services of Lithuania, Poland, and, of course, the SBU, aimed at using armed force to seize a certain territory of Belarus.

Specifically, Verameichyk pointed to the border town of Malaryta, situated in Belarus western Brest region near the borders of Poland and Ukraine. For some Belarusian exiles who watched the interview, this only added to the spectacle.

Vasyl didnt say anything unexpected for us, except for the plans to capture Malaryta, Malyavko said.

Vasil Verameichyk, a former fighter of the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, was detained in Vietnam and extradited to Belarus in Minsk, Belarus, on Oct. 20, 2024. (Screenshot from ONT video)

This topic has been so meme-worthy for a long time that it sounded more like mocking the Belarusian regime, who are going through a severe creative crisis.

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The bizarre tone of the interview was further marked by mentions of foreign fighters supporting the regiment in its alleged incursion into Belarus.

Both the Belarusian and Russian governments regularly label foreign fighters in Ukraine as "mercenaries," a narrative spread through state-controlled media to reinforce the claim that the West aims to destabilize their so-called region of interest.

Propagandists also pressed Verameichyk on internal conflicts within the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, pointing to drug use, though Veremeychyk only acknowledged alcohol and marijuana consumption among some of those serving in the regiment.

He further discussed the disconnect between the staff based in Kyiv and those serving on the front lines  an issue that is not unique to the regiment but has been observed across the military as a whole.

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Verameichuk was also asked about the medal he was awarded by Ukraine's military intelligence for his role in coordinating the evacuation of more than 60 Ukrainian soldiers from encirclement near Oleksandrivka in Ukraines southern Mykolaiv Oblast.

He replied that while he never wore the medal, he accepted it "with pride," a reply that Belarusian state-controlled television characterized as his attempt to "distance" himself from the honor.

The Kastus Kalinouski Regiment didnt respond to the Kyiv Independents request for comment on what was said by Verameichyk, only clarifying that a person who is effectively being held hostage by Lukashenkos authorities may and will say whatever is demanded of them.

Read also: After Lukashenkos latest sham election, exiled Belarusians reflect on their lost revolution

In need of a miracle

Although Belarus has not officially joined the full-scale war, it actively supports Russia by serving as a strategic hub for Russian military operations. As a result, Lukashenkos regime has designated the soldiers serving in the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment as members of a terrorist organization.

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At the end of the state propaganda film showcasing the capture of Verameichyk in November, the head of Belarus security service declared to the camera that Belarusians fighting alongside Ukraine "should live with the knowledge that Belarus will find them, no matter where they are in the world."

Those who know Verameichyk and served alongside him emphasize that, as a captive of Lukashenkos regime, he was essentially forced to perform for the camera.

The interview turned out to be quite soft. Most of the information had already been mentioned by other Belarusian volunteers in opposition media, Andrei Kushnerau, a Belarusian soldier who is currently serving in the Da Vincis Wolves battalion, told the Kyiv Independent.

Vasyl handled himself very well, especially considering that he is in captivity.

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Such interviews are typically watched to read between the lines, to observe how the person comes across, since there's no other connection  it has to be done consciously and with a clear mind, Malyavko added.

Kushnerau, alongside other Belarusian volunteers, has been actively lobbying Kyiv to facilitate a prisoner exchange with Minsk aimed at securing the release of Verameichyk, given that the regime's targeted campaign against him stems from his role in the fight for Ukraines freedom.

Servicemen of the "Volat" battalion of the Belarusian Kastus Kalinouski Regiment plant flags commemorating the killed Belarus' fighters at Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine on Oct. 12, 2023. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images)

However, the Ukrainian side has still done nothing to help the person who fought for its freedom, Kushnerau said.

The Presidents Office did not respond to the Kyiv Independents request for comment.

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While the timeline for securing Verameichyk's freedom remains uncertain, his friends and fellow soldiers refuse to give up. Instead, they continue to amplify his case, steadfast in their resolve to ensure his plight is not forgotten, holding onto hope that theyll see him again, however elusive it may sometimes seem.

In connection with Vasily's story, I feel like speaking out and shouting: have respect for soldiers! Malyavko said.

These are people who take on enormous burdens at the front, and we must carry their burden in civilian life. Unfortunately, we are so far away that we cant help him (directly). And now, almost a miracle is needed to make it possible.

Read also: Youll die here  Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenkos reelection

Note from the author:



Hi, this is Kate Tsurkan. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. The Belarusian people's struggle for a better future is ongoing, especially as the Lukashenko regime continues to target innocent individuals. We must also remember amid all this the many Belarusian soldiers risking their lives to defend Ukraine against Russian aggression  they don't get enough coverage but deserve our recognition and support. If you found this story important please consider supporting our reporting.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KILLEEN, Texas (FOX 44)  Killeen Fire Department personnel have returned home to Central Texas following a two-week deployment to Los Angeles County to help fight the wildfires driven by powerful winds and dry conditions.

A press conference was held Friday at the Central Fire Station Training Center for the three firefighters who deployed to southern California on January 11 and returned home on January 27.

The firefighters said the most important things they brought back were public education, preparing your own homes and providing the community with a fire evacuation plan.

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One of those firefighters, Captain Chris Poston, says it was a little bit of nerves and excitement to see the amount of logistics that went into battling the fires which caused 200,000 people to be placed on evacuation orders.

Working wildfires in California are vastly different than what we deal with here in Texas, Capt. Poston says. Terrains different. The way that they operate is a little bit different. Aside from, you know, wind-driven fires being extremely hard to stop, is how we can train our department to be prepared for fast moving fires in a wild land, urban interface.

At least four major wildfires began to burn on January 7. The two largest  the Palisades and Eaton Fires  rank among the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history.

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The King has said he is profoundly shocked and saddened by the Washington plane crash in a tribute to victims and emergency services.

He thanked first responders who reacted so quickly to the midair collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight, which killed 67 people.

In a message on Saturday night, he said: My family and I have been profoundly shocked and saddened by the dreadful news of the tragic air accident in Washington DC, which has led to such a devastating loss of life.

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Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest possible sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims.

I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.

Fire chief John Donnelly Sr has said rescuers may pull the planes main body from the River Potomac to recover the rest of the bodies - Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP

It comes as divers continued to search the Potomac River for remains and crucial evidence which might help answer why the army helicopter collided with the passenger jet at Washingtons Ronald Reagan airport.

Rescuers expect to recover all of the remains, though the wreckage of the planes main body will probably have to be pulled from the water to get all the bodies, fire chief John Donnelly Sr said.

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Donald Trump has suggested the Army helicopter, which was conducting a training flight for a female pilot, was to blame for the crash because it was flying too high.

The details of the female soldier are still unknown after the Army made the highly unusual decision at the request of the family not to release her name.

The crews actions and the role of air traffic control are being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The investigations typically take at least a year, though investigators hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days.

At the time of the collision, one controller was managing traffic for both helicopters and planes, a job normally handled by two people, according to The New York Times. Staffing levels were not normal, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

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Other possible factors in the crash, including the helicopters altitude and whether the crew was using night-vision goggles, are still under investigation.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Knob Noster, Missouri man is charged in connection to a shooting last April that left another man dead in Kansas City, Missouri.

Jackson County prosecutors this week charged 26-year-old Syee Thomas with second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Two charged in Harrisonville teens overdose death

According to court documents, Kansas City police officers responded to a shooting on April 12, 2024, in the area of E. 17th Street and Hardesty Avenue.

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When officers arrived on scene they located the victim, 38-year-old Pablo Rodriguez, unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound on the ground near a vehicle.

Rodriguez was taken to the hospital where he died on April 14, 2024, from his injuries. The Jackson County Medical Examiners Office ruled the death a homicide.

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Thomas is scheduled for a bond review hearing in Jackson County court on February 6 and a preliminary hearing on February 26.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Secretary of State Nancy Landry reminds Louisiana voters that early voting for the Feb. 15 Special Primary Election begins on Saturday, Feb. 1, and runs through Saturday, Feb. 8, excluding Sunday, Feb. 2.

Early voting hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

Voters can vote in person at their parish Registrar of Voters Office. They can also go to other early voting locations. To find the nearest early voting site, residents should visit the Louisiana Secretary of States website or use the free GeauxVote app.

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Voters will need to bring a valid ID to vote. Acceptable IDs are: a Louisiana drivers license, a Louisiana Special ID, any recognized picture ID with a name and signature such as a passport, or a digital license via the LA Wallet app.

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Minnesota Democrat Ken Martin won the race to be the Democratic National Committees (DNC) next leader on Saturday afternoon, taking the reins from outgoing chair Jaime Harrison.

Martin won the DNC race as committee members gathered in Maryland to cast their votes, ultimately securing over 246 votes out of the 448 who voted, winning on the first ballot.

He ran against seven other contenders for the role, including Wisconsin state party chair Ben Wikler, who notably received endorsements from top Democratic leadership in Congress, and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley.

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Heres what to know about the next DNC chair:

Longtime chair of Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party

Martin has helmed the Minnesota DFL since 2011. In the lead-up to Saturday, he touted the state partys record under his leadership, saying that Democrats had won every statewide office while he was at the helm.

He also touted the fact that hes the president of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC), which he was elected to in 2017. He also serves as a vice chair at the DNC.

Even before heading up the Minnesota DFL, Martin had long been involved in politics in the North Star State. He got his start interning for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), first on the campaign side and later in his Senate office.

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Among some of the roles Martin took on before becoming state party chair included serving as the political and field director for the state party, working on former presidential hopeful Al Gores and John Kerrys campaigns in Minnesota and an executive director to WIN Minnesota PAC.

Notched key endorsements from Walz, Clyburn

Some of Martins most prominent endorsements came from Minnesota governor and ex-vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz, Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who ran for DNC chair in 2017 against then former Obama Labor Secretary Tom Perez. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland also endorsed Martin, among others.

Meanwhile, Wikler enjoyed endorsements from top Democratic leadership, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

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Ahead of the Saturday election, Martin said he had more than 200 public endorsements from DNC committee members  nearly half of the 448 DNC members needed to win the chair race.

In speeches ahead of the actual election, several candidates also made last-minute endorsements backing Martin, including former presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson and former Department of Homeland Security official Nate Snyder.

Sees multi-faceted role for DNC in a second Trump admin

Martin said in an interview with The Hill last year that he saw a multi-faceted role for the DNC amid a second Trump administration  both resisting the really extremes and excesses of the Trump administration and defining the Democrats priorities.

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You have to give people a sense of who you are and who the party is, who were fighting for, and why and that means, you know, if were focused the whole time on just resisting Trump, were not giving people a sense of who we are and why they should support us, Martin told The Hill.

Other Democrats agree that the party cannot be in resistance mode all the time.

Theres a big difference between being the political opposition party and just pure resistance, former Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) told The Hill.

Highlighted the partys branding problem

Martin has been vocal in pointing out that Democrats have a branding problem with voters, arguing many people dont think Democrats represent the party taking on the priorities of Americans.

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One thing that is deeply alarming to me, and youve probably seen this research, is that for the first time in modern history, the majority of Americans believe that the Republican Party best represents the interests of the working class and the poor, he told The New York Times in an interview last November. And that the Democratic Party represents the interests of the wealthy and the elite.

That would suggest we have a huge branding problem, because that is not who our party is, Martin continued. And weve got to do a better job of making sure people know that wherever they live, wherever they are from, no matter who they are, were fighting for them and were their champion in this country.

Calls for a rigorous and effective primary process

One of the most important tasks Martin will be charged with overseeing is the 2028 Democratic presidential early primary calendar as leaders across the states have started to weigh in on who should be in the early lineup.

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In a 10-point plan released in December, he noted under a section titled Reforming Party Governance that Democrats need a rigorous, open, and effective primary process to battle-test our candidates to prepare them to win and govern.

The Minnesota Democrat elaborated about the DNC and the primary process during a forum hosted between the commission and Politico last month, saying no one in our party should have their thumb on the scale.

Its up to the Rules and Bylaws Committee and the DNC itself and all of our stakeholders to weigh in on that conversation, he added, and its important that the next chair be open to all those conversations and be ready to have the conversation in a way that doesnt appear that one person or one state or one candidate was driving the process.

Expressed concern over which donors the party should trust

One topic that became a minor flashpoint in the DNC chair race was Wisconsin state party chair Ben Wiklers relationship to certain donors, like billionaire Reid Hoffman.

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I dont rub elbows with billionaires or Hollywood elites. I rub elbows with working people in Union halls, on picket lines, at civil rights marches and at protests, Martin said during the DNC/Politico forum, an implicit jab at Wikler.

Martin was later asked about Wikler and his connection to major donors and whether it was a liability or an asset to know donors like Hoffman and George Soros. Martin was careful not to overtly criticize his rival, while also acknowledging some of the concerns he had over Hoffman specifically.

I will just say that two of the donors you mentioned, the concern that a lot of state parties had, if Im being really honest with you, Jonathan, is that one of those donors tried to stand up an organization called Alloy to essentially take state parties voter files away, Martin told Politicos Jonathan Martin, referring to a startup substantially funded by Hoffman.

Wikler later responded: Anyone whos running for DNC chair should be able to raise dollars, and the key thing is that you raise dollars to do things that help us win.

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You know, when it came to Alloy, my argument has always been that state parties needed to own their data, he said.

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Kamala Harris concedes the presidential race to Donald Trump on Nov. 6, 2024. The Democratic National Committee election is the party's first major election after that defeat. SAUL LOEB/Getty Images

When a fired-up and fractious group of Democratic state party leaders, veteran operatives, activists, and labor leaders assembled to elect a new chair of the Democratic National Committee in 2017, a few short months after Donald Trump was first elected president, the race to lead the party attracted the national attention and ideological infighting one might expect from a high-profile Democratic Senate primary.

Eight years later, Trump is back in the White House  this time with a popular vote win, a sweep of all seven battleground states and gains among voters of color, who had leaned toward Democrats for decades.

But the November election results have not generated the kind of ideologically-tinged battle for the soul of the party that occurred in 2017.

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Notwithstanding a pre-election forum on Thursday interrupted by left-wing activists, the DNCs 450 members are set to elect a new DNC chair in National Harbor, Maryland, on Saturday based less on ideology and more on whose personality and resume best equips them to manage the DNCs fundraising and organizing bureaucracy, ensure a fair and seamless 2028 presidential primary and make the partys case to the public.

The top contenders are Ken Martin, chair of Minnesotas Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party; Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin; and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley.

Faiz Shakir, a former presidential campaign manager to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), entered the race two weeks ago out of frustration with the lack of deeper discussion about the partys vision and message for winning back working-class voters. He is, by his own admission, an extreme longshot for the top spot, but he has used his candidacy to call for a renewed focus on economic populism that is unafraid to identify corporations and other monied interests as enemies of workers.

Overall, though, the technical focus of the DNC chairs race is part of a Democratic shift away from harnessing grassroots activism and a let-a-thousand-flowers-bloom approach to ideological disagreements. The most senior Democratic elected officials and potential contenders for the 2028 presidential nomination have largely declined to participate in public conversations about what policy or ideological direction the party should pursue going forward, or what mistakes former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris made in the run-up to Trumps win.

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And even many Democrats who want to see the party engage in deeper introspection believe that the DNC chair race is the wrong forum for those kinds of conversations.

Here is a look at each of the top contenders, their campaigns, and their odds of winning:

Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin, right, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar prepare to speak on Election Night. Martin touts his flawless record in statewide races. Abbie Parr/Associated Press

Ken Martin

Martin, Wikler, and OMalley broadly agree on two of the core problems the party is facing: declining support among working-class voters, and the rights ability to outmatch them in the new media ecosystem.

Likewise, none of the candidates has said whether they think Biden should have dropped out of the presidential race sooner, or expressed a preference for a particular presidential primary schedule. The latter question is sure to be a pressing matter on the next chairs agenda, though it is not entirely up to the chair; any plan must come out of the DNCs bylaws committee and receive approval from the broader party membership.

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Where they disagree most, though, is on who the best person to tackle the job is. Martin, who has led Minnesota Democrats since 2011, has run on getting the DNC out of D.C.  by, among other things, giving more money and power to state parties. That platform, and Martins tenure as chair of the Association of State Democratic Committees, an umbrella group for state parties, have given Martin a strong base of support among the state party chairs and vice chairs who make up a sizable chunk of DNC members. Martin has a history of leading state parties in intraparty fights with the DNCs leadership in Washington.

To those in need of persuasion, Martin has touted his work turning around his state partys finances, his flawless record in statewide races since taking over, and the construction of a two-year trifecta in Minnesota state government that enabled passage of a host of progressive reforms. His supporters also hail his work campaigning with and for Democrats across the country.

Sandra Williams, deputy political director of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union and a DNC member from Georgia, met Martin while he was campaigning for Democrats in Georgia during the 2018 and 2022 election cycles.

I am convinced he is not just here as a figurehead. He is here to be the voice of the Democrats, Williams said. To me, I can see Ken going all over the 50 states and the territories just to  have a close connection with us, to hear us, to listen.

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Minnesota Democrats electoral record is not exactly perfect under Martin. The party sent five Democrats to the U.S. House when Martin started and now has only four. Minnesota Democrats also lost their majority in the state House of Representatives last year  first by tying Republicans number of seats in November, and then by temporarily losing a safe Democratic seat when a vetted candidate was disqualified for not actually living in the district.

Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, is running on his record of turning around Democrats' fortunes in a national battleground state. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images

Ben Wikler

Wikler, a former Washington director of the liberal group MoveOn, is pitching DNC members on his record in Wisconsin, where hes been party chair since 2019. He and his allies are keen to note that his experience is in a battleground state, rather than a light-blue state like Minnesota.

Wikler quickly scaled up his partys fundraising, enabling him to hire more people and professionalize the partys staff structure. His biggest coup came in 2023, when he decided to bet big on a liberal takeover of the state supreme court that led to the striking down of the states Republican-gerrymandered congressional and state legislative districts. Democrats went on to flip 14 legislative seats in 2024.

Bryan Kennedy, mayor of Glendale, Wisconsin, a Milwaukee suburb, and the representative of Democratic municipal officials on the DNC, marveled at how transformative Wiklers tenure had been in his Democratic city alone. The state party, which had never provided him significant help in the past, assigned an organizer to work on his campaign, cut his canvassing turf and funded direct-mail and digital ads on his behalf.

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Both Ben and Ken have a really strong skill set for this position, but one of them has built the infrastructure in the state and raised more money in less time than the other, Kennedy said. We have two really good choices and one is a little bit better than the other.

In statewide races, in particular, Wiklers record is not flawless. Then-Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes narrowly lost his Senate race in 2022  a defeat Wisconsinites tend to blame on the national party  and Harris failed to carry the state in November. Wikler and his allies respond that Harris overperformed in Wisconsin relative to the other six battleground states, all of which she lost by more votes than Wisconsin.

Wiklers biggest advantage has been a surge of support from national Democratic leaders and groups, including Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the biggest public-sector labor unions, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Third Way.

These national Democratic power brokers see Wikler as something of a fundraising and digital organizing wunderkind, properly tested in battle as leader of a swing-state party. Some quietly see Martins deeper ties to state party leaders as a liability, rather than an asset, fearing he may be too deferential to state officials and provide them funding without insisting on a say in the state partys electoral strategy.

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Wikler is more or less saying, Im not just going to say what you want, and heres money, said someone close to Wikler who requested anonymity to protect their relationship with Martin and his supporters.

Wiklers strategy, as this ally put it: Hey, let us come in there and talk to you about what the best option is. And lets get agreement on a race that you could win here.

Martin O'Malley last year, when he was still Social Security Administration commissioner. Tom Williams via Getty Images

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Martin OMalley

Of the top three DNC chair candidates, OMalley is by far the underdog. A former Baltimore mayor and Maryland governor, he cannot claim to speak for a purple or even a light-blue state. His last bout in national politics was a largely forgotten presidential run in 2016.

But OMalley and his supporters argue that he has an edge in executive experience, having run a large city, a state and, from 2023 to 2024, a Social Security Administration plagued by customer-service problems. That kind of work better prepares him to manage a large organization than running a state party would, his backers say.

Once Martin OMalley becomes the DNC chair, I think theres going to be a sense of relief that people have, that we have an adult in the room whos ready to hit the ground running, said Yvette Lewis, a DNC member from Maryland, who chaired the state party while OMalley was governor.

Lewis also pointed out that OMalley sounds a lot more like a seasoned politician. Hes comfortable in front of TV cameras, and thus may be better equipped to make Democrats case in the media.

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After this election is over, the national shows are going to come calling, Lewis added. Who do we see as the person who can go right away on Meet the Press or ABCs This Week and deliver the message of the way forward for the DNC? Martin OMalley is the only one.

As is typical of a contender not leading the pack, OMalley has shown a greater appetite for risk than Martin and Wikler. Hes admitted that Biden communicated his accomplishments poorly, and that Harris would have been better served by focusing more on her economic message.

He has also engaged in his share of attention-getting populist moves related to campaign finance. Unlike Martin and Wikler, he has joined the lesser-known candidates in committing to barring the DNC from accepting corporate PAC donations.

And in mid-January, he challenged his fellow contenders to join him in revealing their donors, something that is not required for DNC chair candidates. Martin acquiesced to his challenge, but Wikler, who Martin has attacked for his relationship with billionaire mega-donor Reid Hoffman, agreed only to disclose his donors by midnight before the vote on Saturday.

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Following the candidate forum on Thursday night, OMalley played coy when asked whether he was concerned about Wiklers loyalty to Hoffman, who elicited controversy over the summer for calling on Harris to fire then-Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, an aggressive anti-monopolist.

I dont know who his billionaires are, OMalley said. Neither do you, because he wont reveal who donated to him.

Wikler revealed his donors Friday night. Hoffman and billionaire financier George Soros Democracy PAC each donated $250,000 to Wiklers campaign.

Where Things Stand

Martin was the early frontrunner shortly after announcing his bid in November with what he said were 100 commitments from voting DNC members, and he remains the frontrunner going into voting on Saturday. On Friday night, Martin announced that he had pledges of support from over 200 voting DNC members. If all 450 members show up to vote on Saturday, that puts him 26 votes shy of the number hed need to win outright on the first ballot.

Wikler, who picked up the endorsement of House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Friday, said he had 183 pledges of support.

OMalley said he had 137 commitments from DNC voting members.

Martin is the only one of the three to publicize a complete list of endorsers, making him the one to beat ahead of voting.

If Martin doesnt get an outright majority in the first round, however, some observers expect Wikler to gain the upper hand in the second round of voting. OMalleys camp maintains that he is well-poised to become a consensus candidate in that scenario, but it seems unlikely that such a path would open up for him where it hadnt before.

Should OMalley drop out after the first round of voting, Martin and Wikler are sure to jockey aggressively for his endorsement. He would be in a position to secure a future political favor from either candidate, should he choose to do so. Even if OMalley decides against an endorsement and the concomitant dealmaking it would likely entail, his voters alternative choices would likely determine the winner.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  The Knox County Board of Education will soon consider a proposal to build a new K-8 school to serve the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale, and Beaumont area. If approved, the school system would acquire the former Rule High School site and close two existing elementary schools.

In a memo to school board members earlier this week, Superintendent Jon Rysewyk shared plans to recommend the package of moves at the next board meeting on February 6. KCS operations staff have identified the 16-acre property at 1919 Vermont Avenue where Rule High School once stood as a viable site.

Investigation finds $60k in questionable payments made to Bearden assistant football coaches

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The site is currently owned by the Knox County Government. Citing preliminary conversations with county officials, the memo indicated the property could be acquired through a land swap in exchange for the properties where Beaumont Magnet Academy and Maynard Elementary School are now located. Additionally, West View Elementary School would be converted into a standalone preschool.

Approximately 1,000 elementary schoolers and 600 middle schoolers would attend the new school.

Last year, the board approved setting aside $66 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan to accommodate anticipated growth in the Mechanicsville, Lonsdale, and Beaumont area.

TN report details criminal charges of people who immigrated illegally

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The memo stated five key considerations outlined by community members in surveys and meetings over the last year: adding middle school capacity in the area, adding preschool capacity in the area, reducing the number of transitions between schools, increasing innovative programming options, and increasing options for things like tutoring and recess schedules.

This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates.

Rule High School opened in 1927 and closed in 1991 due to low enrollment. County leaders considered several redevelopment plans for the building that were never realized before it was ultimately demolished in 2023.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran claimed on Saturday that the Central Government's Union Budget is primarily designed to appeal to voters ahead of the Delhi elections. He described the budget as "confusing," pointing out that while the Finance Minister initially announced that there would be no taxes for income up to 12 lakhs, she later revealed a 10% tax slab for income between 8 and 12 lakhs. "It's a very disappointing Budget. The Budget seems to be like that, it's planned in such a way to woo the voters for Delhi, especially the Delhi elections coming on 5th February. The FM has given a big exemption saying that for Rs 12 Lakhs, there is no tax. Then she goes on to say that there is a slab of 10% for Rs 8-12 Lakhs. So, it is very confusing. I think the devil is in the details. She tries to promise the voters there is exemption of tax till Rs 12 Lakhs but this is not simple and straightforward. They have to claim in TDS and all these things...So, basically it's a let-down for the middle class once again," he said. He further stated that the Finance Minister has once again deceived the middle class, alleging that announcements made for Bihar were merely for election purposes, with no mention of budget benefits for the southern states. "Middle class seems to be have been cheated by the FM once again. The infrastructure is not going for the rest of the country, it is going only towards Bihar because there are elections in Bihar this year...There is not a single word for Tamil Nadu or any other southern states...," he added. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram said that there needs to be an examination on the status of old proporals before looking at the ones in this budget. "There has been a slew of new proposals but one must also see what happened to the proposals announced in the previous budget. Some grand schemes were announced in the previous budget as well. So what is the status of them? And now another slew of schemes have been announced, which will all, even in their own words, only get fulfilled well after the culmination of this parliament in 2029. So we'll have to see the efficacies of all these schemes, the previous schemes in this... It's quite natural that every time a state comes up for election, it seems to be, it gets a disproportionate amount of attention. But that seems to be the political direction in which budgets are made these days,"he said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers especially the middle class. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh rupees for salaried tax payers counting Rs 75,000 of standard deduction. She also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. But there is a catch, the exemption can be earned only if a tax payer takes relief under various sections of the income tax act like Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under section 80CCC, exemption of Rs 1.5 lakh for paying interest on home loans. Finance Minister made a significant announcement for Bihar, proposing the formation of a Makhana Board, the establishment of new greenfield airports, and the expansion of Patna Airport. The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.(ANI)
Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has said the US wants Ukraine to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, especially if a "ceasefire" agreement is reached.

Source: Kellogg in an interview with Reuters, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kellogg stated that Ukraine "should hold" presidential and parliamentary elections, which Ukrainian law prohibits during martial law.

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Quote: "Most democratic nations have elections in their time of war. I think it is important they do so. I think it is good for democracy. That's the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running."

Details: Reuters reports that Trump's team is discussing the issue of holding elections as part of its plan to end the war in Ukraine.

Among other things, two Reuters sources say, Kellogg and other White House officials have discussed "pushing Ukraine to agree to elections as part of an initial truce with Russia".

Trump's representatives are also discussing whether to insist that a "ceasefire" on the battlefield should precede a "longer-term agreement", Reuters notes.

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Two Reuters sources in the Ukrainian government said the Trump administration has not yet formally asked Ukraine to hold presidential elections by the end of 2025.

Background:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously emphasised that Ukraine could hold elections this year if the fighting ceases and strong security guarantees are established to prevent Russia from resuming its aggression.

Two former US officials confirmed to Reuters that the US had discussed the issue of holding elections in Ukraine in 2023 and 2024 with Ukrainian officials.

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The first in what's expected to be a series of three atmospheric river storms has arrived in California.

Forecasters are hopeful the winter storms might finally lift Los Angeles County from the throes of a devastating fire season. But there is still the risk that heavy rainfall around recent burn areas could trigger dangerous mudslides and debris flows  a particularly concerning prospect in areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Here's what you need to know:

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Read more: Three atmospheric river storms are headed for California. Will one be enough to end SoCals devastating fire season?

Timing

Los Angeles and Ventura counties

Widespread rain is expected Tuesday through Wednesday, with precipitation concentrated in Ventura County and light rain in LA. A second storm will bring showers and possible thunderstorms to Los Angeles Thursday evening into Friday.

Just the one atmospheric river storm  a relatively weak one, at that  is expected for this area.

"Were expecting widespread rain with both of the storm systems, but the first is most likely to be focused over San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties," said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. "The second system ... will have more impact for LA County."

San Diego and Orange counties and the Inland Empire

There's a a chance of rain Wednesday and a slight chance of rain Tuesday and Thursday. Significant rainfall is not expected.

Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties

The peak time for rain will be from Tuesday at noon through 6 a.m. Wednesday. The two counties could also get very light rain Sunday night into Monday  what Schoenfeld called "residual fringe" of the atmospheric river currently soaking the Bay Area.

Northern California

Three atmospheric river storms are set to douse Northern California  the first through Sunday, another Monday and Tuesday, and the last Wednesday and Thursday. Expected snowfall has potential to jumpstart a sluggish snowpack  key to the state's water supply.

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The California Highway Patrol has already begun to require chains for vehicles traveling over the Donner Summit on Interstate 80.

Read more: Second round of rain heading to L.A. What will it take to end fire season?

Risk of mudslides, debris flow

While moderate, generally beneficial rainfall is expected in L.A. County, the precipitation could bring a minor to moderate risk of debris flows and mudslides in some recent burn areas, such as around the Palisades and Eaton fires.

The wildfires have made soil repellent to water. During heavy rains, water can easily flow across burn scars and pick up rocks, branches and sometimes massive boulders, sending debris flowing downhill quickly  with destructive and sometimes deadly consequences.

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There is some risk.  There is likely to be a good amount of areas that will see periods of [rain falling at a rate of] a half-inch an hour, and that is the threshold for debris flows, Schoenfeld said. So we may see some impacts with this storm.

There are also several other fresh burn areas around the region: the Hurst fire near Sylmar; the Hughes fire around Castaic Lake and near Santa Clarita; the Kenneth fire not far from Calabasas; the Sunset fire in the Hollywood Hills; the Franklin fire in the Malibu area; and the Bridge fire in the San Gabriel Mountains, west and southwest of Wrightwood.

Perimeters of recent burn areas in the Southland from fires in 2024 and 2025. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Mudslides and debris flows were a concern during the region's first major winter storm last weekend, which dropped a half-inch to 1 inches of rain across L.A. County. Fortunately, the heaviest rainfall avoided burn scars. Still, several roadways were closed on account of minor flooding and deep mud.

Could this next round of rain end fire season?

Downtown Los Angeles received 0.54 inches of rain during the last storm, and could get an additional 0.83 inches Tuesday through Thursday. An additional inch could fall Thursday night into Friday.

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Meteorologists say the region needs to see 2 to 4 inches to comfortably consider the wildfire season over.

With the upcoming rains, "we're getting closer to that," Schoenfeld said. "I can't say for sure, but it's definitely a possibility" that L.A. County is approaching a definitive end to the fire season.

Read more: Rain and snow finally break SoCal's relentless dryness that fueled unprecedented fires

Rainfall totals

The most likely scenario for L.A. and Ventura counties is for between half an inch to 1.5 inches of rain to fall Tuesday through Thursday, with 1 to 3 inches expected in the mountains and foothills. For Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, 1 to 2 inches are expected, with 2 to 4 inches in the mountains and foothills.

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Covina could get seven-tenths of an inch of rain; Long Beach, three-quarters of an inch; downtown L.A. and Redondo Beach, five-sixths of an inch; Santa Clarita, nine-tenths of an inch; Thousand Oaks, Canoga Park and Pyramid Lake, about 1 inch; Oxnard and Fillmore, about 1.2 inches; Santa Barbara, 1.53 inches; and Cambria, 1.96 inches.

Under this scenario, there could be "mudslides and road erosion for sensitive roads  especially in canyons  higher river flows and some amount of rock slides," Schoenfeld said.

(National Weather Service)

"If it happened to wobble a little more to the south, L.A. County could see higher rain rates, and then San Luis Obispo ... and Santa Barbara counties might see lower rain totals and rates," Schoenfeld said.

A heavier scenario could see more than 1.6 inches of rain fall in downtown L.A., Long Beach and Redondo Beach, and more than 1.8 inches in Santa Clarita.

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That would heighten the risk of road flooding and debris flows in recent burn areas.

(National Weather Service )

There's also an underperforming scenario in which downtown L.A., Long Beach and Redondo Beach could get only about one-third of an inch of rain.

Both the "worst-case" and low amount scenarios have a 10% to 20% chance of occurring, forecasters said Friday.

(National Weather Service)

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The storms are expected to be stronger in Northern California. For this weekend, a flood watch is in effect from the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley reaching east toward Reno.

Moderate rain fell in the Bay Area on Friday, and a second round of heavier rain is expected Saturday morning into the early afternoon. Light rain is expected in the area Sunday, and another round of moderate rain is forecast for Monday, according to the weather service office in Monterey.

"Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers ... and other low-lying and flood-prone locations," the Monterey office said. "Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop."

Read more: California snowpack is below average, but winter storms could change that

Snow

For L.A. County, the upcoming midweek storm is going to be quite warm, Schoenfeld said  a sharp contrast to the much colder storm that hit a week ago.

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Only the highest peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains and the mountains in Ventura County are expected to see snow. This storm isn't expected to bring snow to the Grapevine section of Interstate 5, which traverses the Tejon Pass and connects L.A. County with the Central Valley.

Northern California is expecting plenty of snow, on the other hand. The three atmospheric rivers forecast there "will bring periods of significant rainfall [and] mountain snow over the next week," said Courtney Carpenter, a meteorologist with the weather service's Sacramento office.

The second and third waves of the storm "will be colder, with more significant mountain snow, travel impacts, and feet of snow by the time it all winds down," Carpenter said.

Read more: These 24 Angeles National Forest trails and campgrounds are closed following the Eaton fire

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The National Weather Service office in Reno issued a backcountry avalanche watch through next Saturday, indicating high avalanche danger for the greater Lake Tahoe area.

Ending dry January

Much of Southern California has seen only one significant rainstorm over the last eight months, a record-dry start to the water year that began Oct. 1. In the lead-up to the Palisades and Eaton firestorms in January, the bone-dry landscape kept vegetation ripe for flames  a recipe for disaster when combined with strong Santa Ana winds and an ignition source.

Northern California was off to a much better start to the rainy season in November and December, but then also saw a dry January. After kicking off January with an above-average snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, the states latest snow survey on Friday found that it had since dipped to 65% of average for this time of year.

California missed out on critical snow-building storms in January, which has pushed the state down below average for this time of year," said Karla Nemeth, director of the state's Department of Water Resources. "While we are excited to see some storm activity in the coming days, sustained periods of no precipitation can dry the state out very quickly. For each day its not snowing or raining, we are not keeping up with what we need.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday to maximize the state's collection and storage of water ahead of the upcoming storms.

Read more: Acting on Trump's order, federal officials opened up two California dams

As we anticipate rain and snow in Northern California, we are also preparing to use every last drop to boost our water supply for communities and farms throughout the state," Newsom said in a statement. "We are creating a literal rainy day fund to help us recover from a multi-year drought and prepare for our hotter, drier future.

Newsom said Thursday that the state had deployed resources and staff ahead of the storms to respond to potential emergencies.

We know from experience that these storms can pack a punch," he said. "The best thing people can do now is to prepare and stay alert."

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services is suggesting that residents stay inside during the storms to reduce the risk of injury from falling trees, and is urging motorists not to drive through flooded roads and to prepare for possible power outages.

For people living near burn areas, authorities suggest learning evacuation routes and preparing go bags in case they need to evacuate quickly.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
This week marks the fifth anniversary of the UKs departure from the European Union. The Telegraph is publishing a series of essays on How to Save Brexit from expert commentators, each giving their views on how the project can be made a success. The full list of essays published so far can be found below.

On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer will slowly but surely start his journey of capitulation back to the EU with his clear mission to make Britain covertly rejoin the European Union.

Brexit was a generational vote of confidence in Britain. We left the EU at a time when the world faced and continues to face extraordinary challenges. The economic decline of the EU, the emergence of new trading markets and a genuine commitment by Britain to preserve free trade and open markets. But that vote also spoke to our shared hopes and aspirations as a country, and the promise that Britain could do better by taking control of our laws by reclaiming our sovereignty. And yet Keir Starmer cant see it. Perhaps because he is a man who does not believe in Britain.

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Starmer didnt just oppose Brexit. He voted to block Brexit 48 times in Parliament and he energetically campaigned for a second referendum with the reintroduction of free movement of people. He has said he prefers the World Economic Forum in Davos to Westminster. And he has consistently called for closer alignment with the Continent on several issues.

Whichever way you cut it, this is man who cannot imagine a global Britain, where our nations horizons are boundless, and where we live in a country that believes in the freedom to succeed.

I am a Brexit patriot, who campaigned long before the referendum to leave the EU for this very reason. During decades of EU membership, the UK inherited thousands upon thousands of pages of laws and legal code covering every aspect of how we live our lives, much of which was incompatible with our own principles of common law. But lawyer Starmer is already making overtures for more regulatory alignment all over again, starting with a migration deal as well as moving towards surrendering yet more of Britains strategic assets  like our fisheries.

I know that Telegraph readers will agree that is not what our country needs. Above all else, it reveals a deeply regressive and unambitious vision for Britain.

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Starmer is once more sentencing Brexit to a bureaucratic death by his recidivist actions. Shackling Britain to the floundering economies of France and Germany will just expedite the socialist course of economic decline his underqualified Chancellor has set for us.

Outside of the EU, we have achieved so much  from unpicking thousands of rules and regulations imposed on us, to delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in the pandemic, and signing new free trade deals with growing economies across the world such as The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership  all things we would never have seen become a reality had Starmer and his Brexit-denying Labour Party had their way.

At a time when we should, like the United States, be unleashing our sovereign democratic freedoms by ensuring that the government is working for you and answerable to the British people, Starmer chooses to insult the intelligence of hard-working families and businesses forcing them to bankroll his ideological dream of putting Britain back under EU control.

America is our closest and most powerful ally and I can tell you having returned from the Inauguration of the President Trump, the mood towards us is perfectly clear.

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The friendship and affinity between our two peoples is profound. Our economies are uniquely connected with millions of interactions each day supporting our 300 billion trading relationship. Our countries have stood by each other in challenging times, working together to end the Cold War and securing economic freedom and prosperity through our enduring ties.

Now is the time for this government to get serious about the opportunities ahead and build upon our foundations and make progress on a UK/US trade deal which could add billions to the economy, raise wages and undo some of the damage caused by Labours economic mismanagement.

As we have discovered from Labours disastrous attempt to surrender the Chagos Islands, when Labour negotiates, Britain loses. So instead of cosying up to Europe and conceding our freedoms, Starmer must stand up for Brexit Britain.

Priti Patel is Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

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Other articles in our How to Save Brexit series:

Trump can save Brexit  If we let him Douglas Carswell discusses the prospects for a UK-US trade deal

Most Brits now want to rejoin the EU. Theres an argument that could change their minds John Curtice looks into the swing of public sentiment against Brexit, and arguments which might restore its popularity

People need to be reminded what a terrible, anti-democratic institution the EU is Kate Hoey on the way in which the Northern Ireland Protocol is being used to drag the UK back towards the EU

As a businessman, this is how Id save Brexit Luke Johnson explains the best way to use our Brexit freedoms and return growth to the British economy

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Brexit wasnt a failure. It liberated us from the declining, dictatorial EU The Rt Hon. the Lord Frost CMG, Britains Brexit negotiator, argues that the Brexit wars are over and the journey is now to the future, not back to Brussels

Five years on, we still havent taken back control. Lets get it done Nigel Farage describes how Reform UK, if elected to government, would finally, properly get Brexit done

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
After seven years, Lake County Board of Elections and Registration assistant director LeAnn Angerman left her position with the elections department to start a new role as regional director for U.S. Sen. Jim Banks.

Angermans last day with the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration was Feb. 1, and she begins her new position on Feb. 3. Lake County Republican Party Chairman Randy Niemeyer selected Jessica Messler, the Lake County Republican Party executive director, to take over as assistant director, which is held by a Republican in the bipartisan election office.

Around Christmas time, Angerman said Banks reached out to her to ask if shed like to come on as regional director. Angerman said she took the weekend to talk to her family and friends about the position and ultimately decided to accept.

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It was not an easy decision because I do love it here. Elections, what weve worked on with all the training modules, that is my passion. That is what I love, so it was not an easy choice, Angerman said.

Angerman and Banks have worked together in the same circles for over a decade, she said, so shes been able to get to know him and his staff really well.

As regional director, Angerman said she will cover 10 counties in Northwest Indiana as a liaison to the senator. She will meet with local government officials, economic drivers and stakeholders to relay their needs and thoughts to the senator, Angerman said.

Although I am highly anticipating working for Senator Banks and his team, leaving the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration was the hardest thing I have ever done, Angerman said in a release.

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Angerman said she appreciated working with former Lake County Republican Party Chairman Dan Dernulc and Niemeyer. The election board and office staff are some of the most talented and dedicated people shes met or worked with, Angerman said.

Working together, regardless of party affiliation, is where the rubber meets the road and I was so proud of this entire team for doing that. The voters of Lake County will always be a priority to me, Angerman said in the release.

During her time in the election office, Angerman said she was most proud of attending training that led her to become one of only three election administrators in the state who are certified on both the state and national levels

At the start of her tenure, the office completed a mid-year reorganization that resulted in raises that did not increase the offices overall budget, Angerman said. She had her hand in the offices branding and lapel pin project, as well as organizing a multi-agency emergency preparedness and physical security training for the staff and agencies from other counties, she said.

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Angerman said shell never forget running two elections in a presidential year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Director Michelle Fajman said Angerman kept the board members and staff safe on Inspector Saturday ahead of the 2020 general election when protestors marched to the county building and started banging on the windows.

Weve been through a whole heck of a lot together, Fajman said.

Most recently, Angerman had a hand in the election official, voter, poll worker and election administrator manuals which earned a CLEARIE award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

I enjoyed doing the projects. I enjoyed preparing for the elections and the logistics that were included in that. In elections, what you do changes almost daily, Angerman said. The job itself changes frequently, so you dont get bored, ever.

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Fajman said while she and Angerman have different political backgrounds, they worked really well together because at heart, what we both care about is that theres fair and equal elections for everybody.

Weve been together from pandemics to presidential elections, but what I value most is our friendship, Fajman said. I dont think shes ever going to get elections out of her blood. I think shes found a real passion for it, and that is not something thats ever going to leave her.

Brad King, co-director of the Indiana Election Division, said in the release that Angerman embodied grace under pressure and working successfully and cooperatively with many different people to achieve consensus and improvements to the election process.

That is no small achievement in the world of elections in 2025. Her efforts have provided models for other counties throughout Indiana to use and improve elections in their particular circumstances, King said.

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Niemeyer said in the statement that Angerman exhibited integrity and professionalism while serving as assistant director.

I am grateful for her steadfast dedication. Senator Banks and the people of Northern Indiana will be well served in her new role, Niemeyer said.

During the election boards January meeting, board president and Democratic member Kevin Smith thanked Angerman for all shed done for the office and helping it become more efficient.

The election board, the election division and the board of elections and registration department is better off because of you and your work, Smith said.

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Republican board member Michael Mellon said Angerman was a bright shining star among the people he has worked with in the Lake County Board of Elections and Registration. Angerman was known for working in a bipartisan fashion within the office, he said.

Weve lost a major contributor to that whole process, Mellon said. Its exciting for you, but its sad for us. Thank you very much. Its been a tremendous run, and I think were a better organization for having worked with you.

Messler, who works in media production and campaign management for political candidates, said she looks forward to taking on the role of assistant director. With her media production background, Messler said she looks forward to creating poll worker and voter training videos and increasing the offices presence on social media.

I am grateful for the opportunity to assist Lake County residents in becoming more familiar with and active in the elections processes and I look forward to assisting the office staff in ensuring free and fair elections, Messler said in the release.

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Agnerman has been training Messler for the role the last two weeks or so. Messler said Angerman has been advising her on a lot about the role, including the importance of working with the staff and helping anyone who comes into the office with questions.

Niemeyer said Messler will bring a great deal of experience into the role as officials look to build upon our success as a team in Lake County elections.

Messler said shes met with Fajman a few times already and they seem to work well together. Fajman said Messler will bring a strong set of skills to the role, including video and social media.

Im excited for her to come on board, Fajman said. Shes got a good head on her shoulders. Shes ready to jump in.

akukulka@post-trib.com
(PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo.)  An injured hiker was airlifted to a Colorado Springs hospital after she reportedly fell off a cliff at Lake Pueblo State Park on Friday, Jan. 31.

According to the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO), its Emergency Services and Search and Rescue as well as crews from the Pueblo West Fire Department, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), AMR and Flight for Life responded to a hiker who had fallen on Friday afternoon.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

PCSO said a passerby heard screaming and immediately contacted CPW. Responders went in on foot to locate the fallen hiker and brought her to a waiting helicopter, which transported her to a hospital in Colorado Springs. PCSO said the hiker suffered serious injuries.

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PCSO praised the work of emergency crews, saying it was Great teamwork by all involved in treacherous rescue.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
The incident that put Los Angeles police Capt. Silvia Sanchez on a collision course with the union that represents more than 8,000 rank-and-file cops began with a 911 call about a fight on the city's Eastside.

Two Hollenbeck Division officers showed up to find two young women arguing in the street next to a gray SUV. They decided to arrest the younger one, a 16-year-old, on suspicion of domestic violence, detaining her without force  or so they wrote in their report.

A routine review found nothing amiss with their actions, and the case was all but closed and forgotten. Then Sanchez, the Hollenbeck patrol captain, intervened.

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After receiving a complaint about the March 30, 2022, incident, she went back and reviewed the officers' body-worn camera footage. The video seemed to show one of the cops grabbing the teen by the neck and slamming her against a concrete barrier, Sanchez alleged.

Sanchez ordered an investigation into the officers illegal detention followed by an unauthorized use of force" and their failure to document it, she said in a government claim she filed against the city in October.

Read more: A slimmed-down LAPD seems here to stay. What happens to crime with fewer cops?

Her moves have drawn the ire of the powerful Los Angeles Police Protective League. The veteran female commander and her allies allege she has become the target of a smear campaign by union leadership to turn the department against her. The union's president has accused Sanchez of going out of her way to railroad a pair of officers for doing their jobs.

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The case has become the latest lightning rod in a long-running debate over how to reform the department's disciplinary system. Amid numerous reports that have faulted the department for how it investigates its own, critics both inside and outside the LAPD believe the process remains inconsistent at best and fundamentally broken at worst.

The sentiment among many lower-ranking officers is that they are under a microscope while their bosses are rarely held accountable for misconduct. On the other side are commanders like Sanchez, who alleges she was targeted after calling out bad behavior.

Sanchez's claim, which typically serves as the precursor to a lawsuit, says that after ordering the investigation into the 2022 incident she faced retaliation and resistance" from Hollenbecks then-senior Capt. Al Mendoza and others in "her command, who appeared intent on brushing this incident under the rug."

The Police Protective League, which represents cops up to the rank of lieutenant, has defended the officers Sanchez put under scrutiny. Last summer in the union's monthly magazine, Thin Blue Line, League President Craig Lally blasted an unnamed female captain that fit Sanchez's profile. Around the time it was published, an unnamed LAPD official filed a formal complaint against Sanchez, alleging she had handled the situation inappropriately.

Craig Lally, center, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, speaks during a news conference in 2019. The union represents more than 8,000 LAPD officers up to the rank of lieutenant. (Gabriella Angotti-Jones/Los Angeles Times)

Sanchez and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

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The Times obtained a copy of the police report from the 2022 incident. The officers said that when they arrived at the scene  on the 100 block of North Myers Street, near the 1st Street Viaduct heading into Boyle Heights  one of the women they encountered insisted nothing was wrong and said the twowere looking for a lost pendant that had fallen off a broken gold chain.

The police report did not provide an age for the second woman, but department sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case said she appeared to be an adult.

According to the police report, the pair refused to cooperate and began walking away.

The officers wrote that when they decided to make an arrest, the teenager "began screaming," then "threw herself" into a concrete barrier and began flailing her legs, kicking both officers. She was then "detained without further incident," the report said.

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The officers called an ambulance after the younger girl said she was suffering a panic attack. Both women were later released at the scene and could not be reached for comment.

Read more: Ghost stops: Lieutenant claims LAPD officials were warned about troubled gang unit

After Sanchez reviewed body camera footage of the call, she concluded that the officers had committed "an illegal detention followed by an unauthorized use of force," grabbing the teen by the neck and slamming her into the concrete wall as she started to walk away. Sanchez also faulted them for using a homophobic slur toward the couple.

Other department officials who reviewed the case insisted there was nothing wrong.

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But Sanchez took the matter up to her boss, Cmdr. Michael Oreb, who leads the Central Bureau. He agreed that the officers' actions needed to be reviewed and should have been documented in their report. It's unclear whether the officers were investigated or faced any punishment, as most police discipline matters are shielded from public view under state law.

The recent claim is not the first time Sanchez has blown the whistle on what she alleged was problematic behavior at Hollenbeck.

Assigned to the station on the city's Eastside as a newly minted captain in 2022, Sanchez said in her claim that she encountered a culture of hostility toward women that has led to numerous complaints by sworn and civilian employees.

Such behavior was tolerated by supervisors, Sanchez said. She asked Mendoza, the senior captain, to take a personnel complaint against an unnamed male officer for misogynistic remarks, including saying "that women don't belong on the job, or words to that effect," according to her claim. Mendoza refused, she alleges.

The main entrance to the LAPD Hollenbeck Station on First Street in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)

Instead, her claim says, the officer who made the comments received what's known as a comment card  the department's equivalent of a slap on the wrist. From then on, Sanchez said, she was subjected to "frivolous complaints" and "openly disparaged" by colleagues as an "incompetent DEI captain," forced to transfer and twice passed over for promotions.

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In August, Sanchez was transferred again to Custody Services, where she was given a limited supervisory role. In September, she received a two-day suspension for alleged misconduct, which she deemed to be "bogus discipline." She was also issued an official reprimand in another matter.

Her departure came amid a flurry of other leadership changes at Hollenbeck in recent months, including the transfer of Mendoza, the captain she accused of attempting to cover up the Myers Street incident.

Read more: Jury awards $3 million to ex-SWAT sergeant who alleged 'mafia' culture in LAPD unit

Mendoza did not respond to an email sent to his work account and is not named as a defendant in Sanchez's claim.

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The League and its backers have for months argued that Sanchez's case has laid bare a double standard in the way that command staff and rank-and-file officers are treated, which has hurt morale.

Amid the union indignation, Cmdr. Lillian Carranza, one of Sanchezs supervisors, came to her defense. LAPD sources, who sought anonymity to discuss matter without risking retaliation, said Carranza met last summer with then-interim Chief Dominic Choi. The sources said she called for an internal investigation against Lally, the union president. She allegedly accused him trying to make an example of Sanchez  a warning for other senior officers about the consequences of reporting misconduct.

Lally referenced Carranza's support of Sanchez in his August column, writing that apparently this captain must have skipped the training on retaliation at captains school.

Carranza declined to comment when reached this week.

Capt. Lillian Carranza speaks at a news conference at LAPD headquarters in 2018. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times)

The Police Protective Leagues board of directors released a statement on Wednesday that said they stand solidly behind what was exposed in our Blue Line publication that detailed the serious LAPD policy violations and flagrant disregard for our member's rights by Captain Silvia Sanchez.

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The union's statement added: When it comes to discipline in the LAPD it is well past time that command staff are treated the same way as the rank and file."

Read more: Lawsuit claims LAPD commander tried to 'discredit' police union. Is it part of a broader rift?

Carranza and the League have been locked in their own bitter legal battle after the union accused her of inappropriately accessing its internal communications, an allegation she denies. The union was forced to refile its lawsuit against the Carranza earlier this year after a judge dismissed the initial claim.

New Chief Jim McDonnell has said he wants to review the departments disciplinary procedures to identify areas that officers believe are unfair and possibly make changes.

Jim McDonnell was introduced by Mayor Karen Bass to serve as the new LAPD chief during a City Hall meeting in October. (Ringo Chiu/For The Times)

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While the police union maintains that commanders and officers with connections receive preferential treatment, statistics tell a different story.

Data compiled by the Professional Standards Bureau show that complaints against command staff  captains and above  are sustained at roughly the same rate as those against lower-ranking officers, who have far more encounters with the public. Of the 262 complaints against commanders, nearly 9% were upheld versus roughly 12% of 17,800 complaints against the rank-and-file.

"Outcomes of complaints are driven solely by the evidence to support the allegation, the type of misconduct and the employee's prior complaint history," said Deputy Chief Michael Rimkunas, who runs the Professional Standards Bureau. He pointed to recent cases involving "senior Department officials who have been held accountable for their actions, regardless of their rank in the organization."

Yet the vast majority of cops remain frustrated. A recent League survey found that only 3% of its members reported feeling supported by the department's command staff.

Mario Munoz, a former LAPD internal affairs lieutenant, said that a lack of transparency around how internal investigations are handled is feeding the perception that some officers are not held accountable.

Its supposed to be fair and consistent. But consistency is one of the things that were missing here, he said.

Read more: A top detective alleges the LAPD is toxic toward women. Will her lawsuit bring change?

For decades the department has weathered lawsuits  sometimes resulting in large payouts  from officers who claimed that decisions about discipline unfairly revolved around rank and whether they were liked by their superiors.

Some in the department derisively call it the "LAPD lottery," with plaintiffs said to weaponize the internal affairs system in search of a big payout.

According to her claim, however, Sanchez was just trying to do the right thing after catching her officers breaking the rules.

After seeing the video of the arrest, she wrote, she took "steps to have these matters properly investigated and corrected.

Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Police are responding to a barricade scene in west Columbus.

An unknown person barricaded themselves into a home on the 100 block of South Burgess Avenue Saturday morning, police said. A SWAT team was on the scene, as were Columbus Police Officers.

Officers appeared heavily armed and parked a vehicle in the front lawn of the home as the situation developed. Police were unable to provide details about who was inside, but confirmed it was not a hostage situation.

Portions of the area have been blocked off to the public.

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This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Metro police have amended their Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notification policy to include more crimes after the passage of the Laken Riley Act.

Before Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed the new law this week, Metros policy was to alert ICE if an inmate was in custody for violent felonies, DUI, and domestic violence-related crimes, LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill said.

The new policy adds theft, larceny, shoplifting and assaulting a police officer to the list to align with the new federal law. The bill passed the House earlier this month in a 263-156 vote, with 46 Democrats supporting it after the Senate approved the measure in a bipartisan 64-35 vote. Southern Nevadas congressional delegation  all Democrats  voted for it.

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It is the policy of this department to recognize the dignity of all persons, regardless of their national origin or immigration status, the policy said. Although Nevada peace officers have the authority to assist in enforcing federal laws, LVMPD officers will not enforce immigration violations. Officers will not stop and question, detain, arrest of place an immigration hold on any individuals on the ground they are an undocumented immigrant. However, LVMPD will share criminal intelligence regarding transnational organized crime and international terrorism with any and all law enforcement agencies to include ICE.

In an exclusive interview earlier this month, McMahill said ICE will not always pick up inmates at the jail.

I dont care which president in the past its been, theyve never picked up over 40% of the people that theyve been notified of, McMahill said. I dont intend to change that policy anytime soon. What I do hope happens is theres a bipartisan effort to secure our border.

McMahill instituted the policy to alert immigration officials after certain arrests after his election in 2023, he said. The 2019 policy would have been implemented under then-Sheriff Joe Lombardo who is now governor.

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An undocumented immigrant killed Riley while she was jogging in Georgia in February 2024. The man who killed her was previously arrested several times but not federally detained.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Latvia will host an event in Riga on Monday, 3 February at which officials will announce the delivery of a batch of 100 drones to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Delfi, a Baltic states news website

Details: The event will be attended by Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, Ukraine's Ambassador to Latvia Anatolii Kutsevol, and the head of the Ziedot.lv charity foundation Ruta Dimanta.

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It is also expected that there will be a demonstration at the event where one of the drones will be lifted into the air at a low altitude.

The charity project to purchase drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is a public initiative that is raising funds on the Ziedot.lv platform.

The authors of the initiative on the Ziedot.lv portal emphasise that the Ukrainian military is in dire need of various types of drones, including FPV, reconnaissance and attack drones.

Background:

Recently, it was reported that the Finnish company would present the long-range Steel Eagle drone which was developed for Ukraine in cooperation with Ukrainian specialists.

In early January, it was reported that the UK, together with its NATO allies, would provide Ukraine with 30,000 new drones.

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Members of the San Antonio Area Patriot Guard Riders carry flags to the burial service of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Al Langford, a member of the San Antonio Area Patriot Honor Guard Riders, holds the Army flag at the burial service of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Army Honor Guard members arrive with a horse-drawn caisson carrying the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Army Honor Guard members arrive with a horse-drawn caisson carrying the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Members of the Army National Guard carry the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton to his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton was 17-years-old when he died while fighting at the Chosin Reservoir early in the Korean War and was reported missing in action in 1950. Nearly 75 years later, his casket arrived on a horse-drawn caisson and was buried with full military honors. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Members of the Army National Guard carry the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton to his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton was 17-years-old when he died while fighting at the Chosin Reservoir early in the Korean War and was reported missing in action in 1950. Nearly 75 years later, his casket arrived on a horse-drawn caisson and was buried with full military honors. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Members of the Army National Guard adjust the flag draping the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton to his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton was 17-years-old when he died while fighting at the Chosin Reservoir early in the Korean War and was reported missing in action in 1950. Nearly 75 years later, his casket arrived on a horse-drawn caisson and was buried with full military honors. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News The casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton as displayed during his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Members of the Army National Guard fold the flag that draped the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton was 17-years-old when he died while fighting at the Chosin Reservoir early in the Korean War and was reported missing in action in 1950. Nearly 75 years later, his casket arrived on a horse-drawn caisson and was buried with full military honors. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News A member of the Army Honor Guard presents Lydia Clifton-Holland with the flag that draped the casket of her brother Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton during his burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Military identification tags hang on the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton during his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Lydia Clifton-Holland accepts honors from Bob Johnson, deputy state captain of Patriot Guard Riders, at the burial service of her brother Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Wade Holland, nephew of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton, addresses attendees of Cliftons burial service on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Attendees watch the casket of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton arrive by horse-drawn caisson to his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Lydia Clifton-Holland, sister of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton, talks about her memories of her older brother after his burial service at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News Kim Herrington, a cemetery representative, addresses attendees of the burial service of Army Pfc. Arthur A. Clifton at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Clifton was 17-years-old when he died while fighting at the Chosin Reservoir early in the Korean War and was reported missing in action in 1950. Nearly 75 years later, his casket arrived on a horse-drawn caisson and was buried with full military honors. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

In the spring of 1950, 17-year-old Arthur A. Clifton had quit school in New Mexico and was on his way to Army boot camp when his 9-year-old sister Lydia offered him a parting present  a quarter to get a Coke on his trip.

It was the last time she saw him alive.

I have pictures of him, said Lydia Clifton-Holland, now 84, but they dont look familiar to me.

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On Friday, her brother finally came home.

Clifton, a private first class, was killed just a few months later in the early days of the Korean War, one of many who died during bitter fighting at the Chosin Reservoir in cold weather conditions GIs hadnt seen since Bastogne and Valley Forge.

His remains had been interred in Hawaii for nearly 69 years without being identified until a DNA match made it possible to bring him to Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

Now Clifton-Holland, who lives in Devine, will be close enough to visit her brothers grave, being only about an hours drive from the cemetery.

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Clifton was buried with full military honors at Fort Sam on a cool, cloudless afternoon, his flag-draped casket carried to the Assembly Area on a horse-drawn caisson that slowly made its way to the amphitheater, a crowd of roughly 15 along the first row flanked by more than a dozen Patriot Guard Riders clutching poles bearing American flags.

One member of an honor guard dressed in the World War II-era pinks and greens uniform struck a snare drum as the caisson approached.

The casket was taken off the wagon, the honor guard carrying it to the center of the amphitheater before folding the flag and marching away. Three rifle volleys were fired, followed by a bugler playing taps.

Clifton became the 512th soldier to be inducted into the 7th Infantry Divisions Order of the Bayonet, an honor given to GIs who went above and beyond the call of duty.

Fighting in the bitter cold

In late November 1950, Clifton was serving in Korea as a member of Headquarters Battery, 48th Field Artillery Battalion, 7th Infantry Division. The U.S.-led United Nations forces were rolling to one victory after another, driving the North Korean army into a steady retreat up the peninsula. Things were going so well, there had been talk of the war being over by Christmas.

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That all changed when Chinese troops unexpectedly entered the war.

About 12,000 men with the 1st Marine Division, along with a few thousand soldiers, were camped near the Chosin Reservoir about midnight on Nov. 27, 1950, when Chinese troops launched an assault on the 31st Regimental Combat Teams positions.

The U.S. forces found themselves surrounded, outnumbered and at risk of annihilation. By Dec. 1, the 31st had been forced to consolidate its positions and was running low on ammunition and supplies.

Other U.S. forces in the area rallied in Hagaru-ri, a community at the south end of the Chosin Reservoir, and the surrounded members of the 31st RCT formed a column to attempt a breakout toward the town. That evening, they encountered a strong enemy position in Hudong-ni, but failed to break through the Chinese position.

The regimental combat team was in tatters, finished as a fighting force.

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Some of the survivors managed to reach friendly lines by crossing the frozen reservoir or moving cross country in small groups. U.S. forces held a perimeter around Hagaru-ri until withdrawing Dec. 6. The beleaguered troops moved south over the next few days, aiming for evacuation from the port of Hamhung. The column fought through the winter and continuous Chinese attacks before reaching Hamhung on Dec. 12.

Clifton had been reported missing in action the day before, Dec. 11, and he was never seen alive again.

Many soldiers and Marines were left where they fell, covered in snow, ice and dirt. Hundreds went unidentified and could not be recovered for burial because of the weather and allied retreat.

None of the remains that were found on the battlefield could be identified as Cliftons, forcing the Army to declare him as non-recoverable on Jan. 16, 1956.

In 1954 the United Nations Command, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea and the Chinese Peoples Volunteer Army agreed to exchange the remains of war in an effort called Operation Glory.

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The United States was unable to positively identify any remains as Cliftons, given the forensic tools available at the time.

In 2018, after disinterring 211 Korean War unknowns as single sets of remains or small groups from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, the POW/MIA Accounting Agency submitted a request to disinter all 652 remaining Korean War unknowns interred there.

By 2021, the accounting agency disinterred remains labeled as X-15690, and transferred them to a laboratory for analysis and identification. To identify Cliftons remains, accounting agency scientists used dental and anthropological analysis, while others from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System employed mitochondrial DNA analysis.

'Get him home'

Cliftons road to Korea began in Los Lunas, N.M., where he decided in April 1950 he wanted to quit high school and join the Army.

Basically, he didnt like school and he wanted to do something with his life, said his nephew Wade Holland, who is Clifton-Hollands son.

Cliftons mother had to sign the papers for him to join the military. It was decision that would become a source of soul-crushing regret, although the Korean War hadnt yet begun when he joined up.

The way things turned out, my grandma never forgave herself for signing for letting him go in, and it was just, I think, it was a rough time for the whole family, said Holland, 66, a 20-year Air Force veteran who lives in Bigfoot, near Devine.

Lifetimes would pass, along with all five of Clifton-Hollands brothers, before the POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced in January that Clifton finally had been accounted for, with the organization saying positive identification of his remains was made Aug. 19, 2024.

It had been a long road home for Clifton, but the agency and his sister were finally able to close the case.

The one thing my mom has said  we started this back in 2000, when we started the DNA  she wanted to live long enough to get him out of Korea and get him home, Holland said.

Clifton-Holland said she still has memories of her older brother, but they fade when she tries to remember his eyes.

I can picture him there when I was little, being with him and him taking me to the little store to buy bubble gum and candy, but I cannot see his face, she said. He was just the kindest person you would ever want to meet, and once you would meet him youd never forget him. But he wasnt a jokester or anything. He was just himself.

Before Fridays burial, Clifton-Holland had one final gift for her brother.

At the funeral home, she walked up to an open casket that held Cliftons uniform and, under it, his remains wrapped in an Army blanket.

She placed a quarter in his uniform.
Senior BJP leader Kishan Kapoor passed away at the age of 73 after a prolonged illness at PGI Chandigarh. His last rites will be performed tomorrow in his native village of Dharamshala. The National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, JP Nadda, along with several prominent party leaders, has expressed deep condolences on the passing of senior BJP leader, former minister, and former MP Kishan Kapoor. JP Nadda described Kapoor as a sweet-spoken, sociable, and visionary leader. He recalled their close relationship and shared that he had the opportunity to work alongside Kapoor in the Assembly. Calling Kapoor's death a personal loss, Nadda said it was an irreparable loss. Several leaders also mourned the loss of Former minister. State In-charge Shrikant Sharma, State President of BJP Dr. Rajiv Bindal, Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, State Co-In-charge Sanjay Tandon, former State Presidents Maheshwar Singh, Suresh Chandel, Suresh Bhardwaj, Satpal Singh Satti, Suresh Kashyap, and Rajya Sabha MP Ms. Indu Goswami offered condolences. Also other leaders include Dr Sikander Kumar, Harsh Mahajan, Lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur, Dr Rajiv Bhardwaj, actress Kangana Ranaut, Kangra Parliamentary Constituency In-charge and MLA Vipin Parmar, Hamirpur Parliamentary Constituency In-charge and MLA Vikram Thakur, Mandi Parliamentary Constituency In-charge and State Vice President Govind Thakur, Shimla Parliamentary Constituency In-charge and MLA Sukhram Chaudhary, State General Secretary Trilok Kapoor, and Bihari Lal Sharma expressed shock on his death. The BJP leader joined Jan Sangh in 1970, and after the Bharatiya Janata Party was formed in 1980, he became the President of the Dharamshala Mandal in 1982. He was first elected as an MLA in 1990 and was re-elected to the Assembly in 1993. During his political career, he served as the Chief Whip of the party in the Assembly and was the President of District Kangra from 1995 to 1997. Kapoor made significant contributions to the state's development as the Transport and Law Minister, as well as the Food Supply and Urban Development Minister. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from the Kangra Lok Sabha constituency and won with a record margin, one of the highest in the country. The BJP leaders prayed to God for the peace of the departed soul and expressed their deep condolences to the bereaved family.(ANI)
Citizens of four countries  China, Iran, North Korea and Russia  will be unable to enter Los Alamos National Laboratory and other national labs due to new federal requirements signed into law at the end of the Biden administration.

The prohibition is expected to affect about 70 employees at Los Alamos, based on the lab's estimate that about 0.4% of current staff are citizens of those countries. Additionally, it would prohibit visits by scientists and students from the four countries.

The most recent National Defense Authorization Act  the voluminous budget document for the Department of Defense  prohibits citizens of those nations from accessing national security labs or nuclear weapons production facilities in an effort to protect the U.S.' "leading technological edge."

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The restriction is waived for permanent residents of the United States or if the energy secretary or the nuclear security administrator completes a background review of an individual and certifies to Congress their visit is in the U.S.' national security interest. However, no classified information will be shared with that person and the official must consult with other department heads to reduce risks.

In 2023, LANL employed around 15,900 people, and more than 1,100 are employed by contractors.

"We are in the process of complying with the law," LANL spokesperson Laura Mullane wrote in an email.

It is unclear what compliance might look like for employees from those four nations. Mullane did not answer follow-up questions about whether they would be fired or if they could continue working remotely or when any action would be taken.

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The staff members affected wouldn't have been working on any classified projects at the lab. Employees from any other country, including lawful permanent residents of the United States, are not allowed to work on or access classified documents, Mullane wrote.

Beyond confirming the impact of the new law and noting LANL is working toward compliance, Mullane wrote she could provide no additional information "at this time."

Officials at Sandia National Laboratories, the Department of Defense and the Energy Department did not respond to requests for comment.

A June draft of the Intelligence Authorization Act included a proposal to limit visitation from citizens of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Cuba. In fiscal year 2023, similar legislation stated, "40,000 citizens of foreign countries, including 8,000 from China and Russia," had visited a national laboratory. That draft was not adopted.

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The goal of restricting access to national laboratories is to keep sensitive technologies from falling into the wrong hands.

"International cooperation in the field of science is critical to the United States maintaining its leading technological edge," the June 2024 legislation said. Nonetheless, it added, Energy Department labs are "increasingly targeted by adversarial nations" to exploit those technologies for their militaries or economies.

But a memo about the Defense Authorization Act from the Office of the President dated June 11 warned limits on access could have unintended consequences on research.

"The provision would severely limit our ability to engage with Chinese and Russian experts on nonproliferation of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons," the policy statement said. "The existing visitor-screening process at the national laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities are specifically designed to screen for visitor threats and prevent access to protected information."

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State Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, said she had not heard of the new restrictions but was not surprised.

"It seems like there have been issues in the past where the United States had concerns about certain countries, and they would put restrictions," she said.

"It was some years ago ... I can't remember what exactly the issues were, but there were concerns about certain foreign nationals. People would express concern about those kinds of bans, or whatever you want to call them. I hope that, if it's true, people start questioning them again as well," she said.

In 1999, a report on Chinese espionage  which was criticized by some experts for a lack of evidence  spurred concern about security at national laboratories and resulted in the adoption of restrictions on visiting foreign scientists.

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The New Mexican reported in June 1999 then-Energy Secretary Bill Richardson heard from Los Alamos lab employees about the restrictions, which he called "bad, wrong-headed measures."

One employee said the ban on visits from foreign scientists had "amputated" research capabilities.

Another, a Russian citizen, said he had taken a job at the University of New Mexico after the changes.

I would love to stay in Los Alamos, he said, according to the report. But the grant I had is now off-limits because I had the misfortune of being born in another country.
Jan. 31A state lawmaker said he was joining an open records lawsuit planned to be filed by the family of an inmate who died in September 2024 while incarcerated at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.

State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R- Lane, said during a Thursday press conference held at the Oklahoma Capitol that he was joining the lawsuit to be filed by the family of MarQuiel Ross. Online court records show Ross' name to be spelled "Marquel" but the family confirmed to media members on Thursday that MarQuiel is the proper spelling.

The family and Humphrey believe the Oklahoma Department of Corrections is covering up the death of Ross and is withholding records on what happened the night Ross was found dead in his cell. The family state Ross was placed on the wrong security level at OSP and that he should have been released from prison prior to the incident.

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Records show Ross was sentenced in January 2023 to serve two years in prison after a deferred sentence for possession of a stolen vehicle was revoked for failing to pay supervision fees, maintain contact with supervision office, and obtain employment.

"A nonviolent crime receiving two years, how in the world does he end up at the highest, maximum prison in the state of Oklahoma?" Humphrey said during the press conference.

After the press conference, ODOC issued a statement Thursday to provide "factual information regarding Marquel Ross' time in ODOC" in response to the press conference.

According to the statement, Ross committed several acts of misconduct at several prisons, including the assault of a transport officer which led to his transfer to OSP.

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ODOC then said while the incident is concerning, Humphrey's press conference was another example of the lawmaker exploiting a "tragedy to further his own public persona rather than engage in meaningful discussions about public safety and work toward meaningful solutions that benefit the citizens of Oklahoma."

"He has repeatedly misrepresented facts, spread misinformation, or outright misled the public about the operations of the Oklahoma Department of Correction," ODOC's statement said. "His characterization of the incarceration and death of Marquel Ross is no different."

Humphrey said if what ODOC claims is true, then there should be a record of it.

"If they want to say he assaulted an officer, then we need the records. Why should I have to beg for records? If he assaulted an officer, then that officer deserves to have the Department of Corrections stand up for him and file charges," Humphrey said. "I believe if they had charges, they would have come forward with those. We need to see the writeups, we need to see the hearings. Getting this information from them is almost impossible."

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Richard Labarthe, an Oklahoma City based attorney who is representing the Ross family, said during the press conference that records regarding Ross' time in prison and his death have been withheld from the family and lawmakers.

"They wouldn't produce any videotape," Labarthe said about ODOC. "They wouldn't produce MarQuiel's full transportation record when they moved him from one place to another, and what they gave us was so truncated, you couldn't really tell anything about it. There were enormous redactions, like entire page after page. They have to do better. I think it fails on its face.

Labarthe said a federal wrongful death lawsuit is also in the works and that any records obtained from the open record lawsuit will be used in any future lawsuits.

""For sure, this is going to wind up being a significant wrongful-death case. We don't want to go off half-cocked," Labarthe said. "We want to make sure we have all our facts correct, but it will likely wind up in federal court as a civil rights action."

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Humphrey claims a murder charge against Ross's cellmate wasn't filed until two days after Humphrey requested records related to Ross' death.

Pittsburg County court records show Justin Harris, 29, was charged Oct. 21, 2024, for the death of Ross.

An affidavit filed in the case states Harris informed corrections officers during a routine count on Sept. 12, 2024, and that he woke up and found Ross dead.

Investigators found several injuries to Ross' face and head with a search of the cell finding large amounts of blood- and blood-soaked clothing, the affidavit states.

The Oklahoma State Office of the Medical Examiner ruled in their investigation that Ross died from strangulation, the affidavit states.

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ODOC Chief of Public Relations Kay Thompson said in a statement that Humphrey continues to promote false narratives.

"As we have stated repeatedly in news releases and public statements, his claims are not supported by evidence," Thompson said. "Despite portraying himself as a corrections expert, he continues to misinterpret state statutes and misunderstand the complexities of correctional operations."

Rep. Tim Turner, R-Kinta, released a statement after Humphrey's press conference that he stands with ODOC and their statement.

""All Oklahomans deserve to know that when a person is incarcerated, they will serve their sentence. It is apparent to me that while Mr. Ross was in custody for breaking the law, he continued to break the law as well as Oklahoma Department of Corrections rules," Turner said in his statement. "Because of his actions and the need to hold him accountable, his discharge date and the location of his incarceration had changed."

No timeline was given on when the lawsuit would be filed.
In anticipation of a vote on what has turned out to be one of the most controversial bills of the 2025 legislative session hundreds of people filled the halls of the Capitol on Friday.

Solidarity forever, solidarity forever, solidarity forever, the union makes us strong, sang a crowd of union members and public workers gathered outside the Senate gallery, as they voiced their opposition to a bill on public labor unions.

Lawmakers introduced changes to HB267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, on Friday, removing the prohibition on public sector collective bargaining and instead requiring unions to receive a majority of employee support to participate in collective bargaining. The substitute version of the bill was released just before Senate floor time on Friday.

Shannon Herbert, Clayton Middle School language arts and history teacher, looks up at her sign as other educators and union members gather in opposition to HB 267: Public Sector Labor Union Amendments at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

It was expected that the bill would be voted on in the Senate shortly after the changes were released, but the bills floor sponsor Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper paused the vote on the bill until next week, giving lawmakers and stakeholders more time to read through and understand the changes.

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Cullimore worked with the bills sponsor, Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, to make changes to the bill.

Because of the changes, if the bill passes through the Senate it will have to return to the House for a final vote.

These changes came after feedback from many public union members who gathered to speak out against the bill during both Senate and House committee meetings.

UEA President Renee Pinkney speaks as educators and union members gather in opposition to HB 267: Public Sector Labor Union Amendments at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Even though changes have been made, there are still those in opposition to the bill.

Any version of House Bill 267 is just unfortunate, said Kelly Yeates, a high school teacher in Park City and a member of the Utah Education Association.

What changes were made to HB267?

The original text of HB267 prohibited public sector collective bargaining completely. Teuscher explained that collective bargaining is when an employer and a union come together to negotiate a contract for employees.

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In most of those collective bargaining agreements, it spells out specifically that the union representation is the sole collective bargaining agent, meaning that the public employer is not able to negotiate with anyone else, other than union representatives, said Teuscher.

Under this new substitute if a labor organization has a majority of employees vote for them then they can engage in collective bargaining.

Educators and union members gather in opposition to HB 267: Public Sector Labor Union Amendments at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

If the bill is passed, starting in 2026, a group of employees who want to engage in collective bargaining can can hold a secret ballot election to contract with a collective bargaining representative. The election has to be done through a third party.

An organization needs a majority of all employees, not just union members, to vote in favor of them in order to engage in collective bargaining. In order for the organization to continue collective bargaining, an election needs to be held every five years.

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One of the reasons why Ive been supportive, its more reflective of that body, said Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork. If youre going to have collective bargaining or have an ability to bargain on behalf of a group, you need to represent half of that group. So to me, its better process.

A collective bargaining representative that does not receive a majority vote would have to wait 12 months before holding another election through a third party.

Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, said that even with the changes, her caucus is still opposed to the bill.

Cullimore said he motioned to have the bill circled, which pushes voting back, because the changes were released so soon before the reading and they wanted enough time to received feedback from all the stakeholders.

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The senator said he has already heard from a few unions and they are all neutral on the changes, including the Fraternal Order of Police, Utah Public Employees Association and six local education unions.

Public employees and unions members gathered at the Capitol in opposition to HB267

Before the changes to the bill were released, it was expected that the Senate would vote on the bill Friday morning. In anticipation of that vote, many public workers and union members gathered in the Capitol to express their opposition to HB267.

As the crowd was gathering, multiple union members said they had not yet had the chance to read the changes made to the bill.

The crowd filled up the area outside the Senate gallery, and included teachers, firefighters and other public workers.

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I feel a little bit bad that they showed up and didnt, werent here for any fireworks, Cullimore said. I think this will also give time for their unions to message to them where were actually at at this point. So maybe itll bring down the temperature a little bit.

Many of the union members said they appreciate the changes being made but still dont agree with the bill.

I think the substitutions are an attempt to appease people, but the bill itself is unnecessary and does not solve any of the problems that our state is facing. It doesnt help children, it doesnt help teachers, it hurts our community, Yeates said.

After the bill had been circled, the Utah Education Association held an afternoon press conference to address HB267 as well as the substitution made.

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The second substitution for HB267 was made public just this morning, and while we are still reviewing the details, one thing is already clear, the pressure worked, said UEA President Renee Pinkney. The lawmakers heard us, they heard you. And while this fight is not over, its a testament to whats possible when public workers stand in solidarity.

Allen Miller, a technology specialist in Davis School District, said he believes that not having collective bargaining would limit his voice. He said when employees are able to come together with one voice it allows the highest priorities to be addressed.

Im grateful for that change, but Im hoping that they will actually look at Senator Hinkins bill with the Labor Relations Board, which would actually be a better fit for Utah and public employees, Miller said.

He was referencing SB168, from Sen. David P. Hinkins, R-Orangeville, that conflicts with HB267 and enforces collective bargaining.

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We know that change doesnt happen because of a few voices on these steps. It happens because of thousands demanding action. It happens when educators, parents and working people come together, united in purpose and refuse to back down. Thats exactly what weve seen here, union members across industries stood together, and it made a difference, Pinkney said.

Teuscher made an appropriations request for the bill

On Thursday, Teuscher went in front of the General Government Appropriations subcommittee with a request for appropriations, to receive money for the teacher liability insurance portion of HB267.

The bill would provide an option of professional liability insurance for teachers to opt into, without having to go through a union or other organization. The appropriations request was for part of this insurance policy to be paid for by the state.

No teacher in our state should feel afraid to teach in the classroom, so thats why were providing this opt in, Teuscher said.

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The liability insurance program would be offered through the Department of Risk Management which went to the market to find a policy to offer to Utahs teachers. There would be five levels of insurance teachers could choose from, ranging $75 to $170 a year.

We want teachers, we want to attract them to the field so we want to make this as low barrier as possible, so that they feel safe in the classrooms and are able to teach their kids, Teuscher said.

This liability insurance would cover teachers going through licensing disputes or issues with their employer.

The appropriations request is for $795,000, but the state can decide how much of the policies they want to cover based on how many teachers opt into the program.

What else does HB267 do?

HB267 only applies to public sector labor unions and has nothing to do with private sector unions.

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The bill also does more than regulate collective bargaining and provide liability insurance for teachers.

According to Teuscher, the bill would also safeguard public resources by prohibiting employees from receiving paid leave for union activities.

It also requires unions to pay to use spaces that other groups have to pay for, and to report annually to the labor commission the number of members they have and the money they spend.

If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1.
DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  A lawsuit filed against the Davidson County Sheriffs Office and a detective on behalf of the family of Fred Cox Jr. has been settled, according to the High Point-based law firm McPherson & Mills.

The federal lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina on behalf of Coxs estate against two defendants: the DCSO and a DCSO detective.

The plaintiff was Tenicka S. Shannon, Freds mother, who is also the administrator of his estate.

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The lawsuit settled for $4 million and was before the court for approval on Thursday.

A plain-clothed Davidson County deputy shot and killed 19-year-old Cox in November 2020. Cox was at Living Water Baptist Church for a funeral.

Investigators said cars drove by, and people started shooting at the crowd outside the church. The Cox family attorney told FOX8 that Cox was rushing people to safety when he was shot.

The attorney team included civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, Bhavani Raveendran and North Carolina trial lawyers Ashley Mills and Lyndsey McPherson.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A lawsuit has been filed by an Air Force veteran and medical marijuana shop owner against Colorado Springs City Council for its recent vote to place a repeal of retail marijuana on the April 2025 municipal ballot, which was already passed by voters in November 2024.

City Council heard hours of public comment on Tuesday, Jan. 28 ahead of the vote, from both opponents and supporters. Councilmember Dave Donelson, who was in favor of placing the repeal of Ballot Question 300 on the upcoming ballot, said voters may have believed they were voting for punishments for marijuana offenses, rather than voting for recreational marijuana, because the language on the ballot could have been confusing.

I think thousands of people that voted yes on 300 thought they were voting to impose penalties if someone gave marijuana to someone under 21, things like that, said Donelson in an interview with FOX21 News.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City Council approves question to repeal retail marijuana

One public commenter at Tuesdays meeting pointed out that the wording of Ballot Question 300 was approved by City Council itself. Other opponents also stated that there are typically many more active voters in a presidential election than a municipal one, so asking the question again in April could receive a skewed majority, and not reflect the actual will of the people.

Ultimately, City Council voted 7-2 to place the repeal question on the April ballot, with Councilmembers Nancy Henjum and Yolanda Avila dissenting.

Now, a lawsuit is being filed claiming that City Councils decision is unconstitutional. The lawsuit argues that City Councils actions in placing the repeal on the April ballot violates the Colorado Constitution.

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According to the Citizens for Responsible Marijuana Regulation group, Amendment 64 of the Colorado Constitution  which legalized recreational marijuana  allows local governments to prohibit sales within their borders but any ballot measure that does so, must appear on a general election ballot during an even-numbered year. The April 1, 2025, municipal election does not fit that definition, the group said.

It is not only outrageous that this council believes it can overturn the will of the voters simply because they dont agree with the result, but it is blatantly unconstitutional, said Tom Scudder, president of the Colorado Springs Cannabis Association. We look forward to the courts enforcing the voters will and sending a message to this city council that they do not have absolute authority over its citizens.

While it is unclear when a district court will make a decision on the suit, the Citizens for Responsible Marijuana Regulation pointed out that the City of Colorado Springs must mail out military and overseas ballots 45 days prior to the April 1 election, Feb. 14.

The City of Colorado Springs said it does not comment on pending litigation.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
KDHX goes dark as new lawsuit demands removal of board members

ST. LOUIS  Radio station KDHX 88.1 FM is pausing live broadcasts Friday as the parent company of the station faces a new lawsuit.

The lawsuit came from a group of former DJs and volunteers who were pushing to remove the stations board of directors after years of concerns with the stations direction.

KDHX is a non-commercial and independent community radio station powered by donations from listeners, and it has served the St. Louis community since 1987. Two former DJs for the station, Stacy Bernard and Christopher Schwarz, formally filed the lawsuit Wednesday in St. Louis Circuit Court against the Double Helix Corporation.

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Two days later, on Friday, it was announced that due to financial struggles, the station has laid off all volunteers and live broadcasts will discontinue beginning at 7 p.m.

How much of National Lampoons Vacation was actually filmed in St. Louis?

Several factors have contributed to this decision, including long-standing financial pressures, industry-wide challenges for public media, and a decline in financial support. Unfortunately, recent disparagement campaigns and senseless lawsuits have severely impacted fundraising, a release stated.

The lawsuit alleged that the KDHX Board of Directors acted illegally or improperly on several occasions to undermine staff, volunteers, and donors, while consolidating control within the board. The lawsuit cited examples such as the board changing bylaws and retaliating against board members who opposed its actions.

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Concerns over the stations leadership have been ongoing for several years, mounting in 2023 when KDHX fired at least 13 volunteer DJs, and nearly two dozen others resigned in solidarity. Previous FOX 2 reports have also highlighted communication issues with management, underutilized resources, and a decline in public events that allow KDHX to raise donations.

The lawsuit aims to remove seven members of the KDHX Board of Directors, including President Gary Pierson, while also challenging the legality of bylaw changes made in 2018 and 2021.

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KDHX has been such an important part of the musical and cultural scene in St. Louis. It is truly a gem of independent media, said Bernard via a news release from the League of Volunteer Enthusiasts of KDHX. The St. Louis community (myself included) has been grieving the loss of so much over this past year. This is my attempt to hold the Board of KDHX accountable for its many failures and terrible decisions that have harmed so many and brought the station to the brink of financial ruin.

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Once the station goes dark Friday evening, it will stream previously recorded programming. A release from KDHX states that the board will continue to look for other potential ways to move forward.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
The leader of Germany's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party to the Christian Democrats (CDU), on Saturday backed the approach of CDU leader Friedrich Merz on migration policy, despite harsh criticism.

CSU leader and Bavarian Premier Markus Soder said Merz, who is the leading candidate for the CDU/CSU bloc in Germany's upcoming parliamentary election, had made a "central decision."

The CDU and CSU on Wednesday relied on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to narrowly pass a motion in the German Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, demanding reforms to migration policy.

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It was the first time that a party has depended on the AfD to form a majority for a vote in the lower house, breaking the so-called "firewall," a term referring to mainstream parties' long-established refusal to work with the AfD.

The move drew outrage from other parties and saw tens of thousands take to the streets in cities across Germany in protest. Prominent CDU members have also voiced their opposition and some have resigned.

"He has chosen this path as the CDU's candidate for chancellor and thus shown that he is serious about turning around asylum policy," Soder told Germany's Bild newspaper.

A piece of legislation on migration policy tabled by the CDU/CSU was narrowly rejected by lawmakers on Friday.
By Manuela Andreoni and Maria Carolina Marcello

BRASILIA - Brazils House and Senate elected new leaders on Saturday who promised independence from the administration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during their two-year terms, which will be the final stretch of Lulas presidency.

While expected, the election of representative Hugo Motta, for speaker of the House, and Davi Alcolumbre, to head the Senate, is likely to pose challenges for Brazils leftist leader amid declining approval ratings.

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Both men have gained support from conservatives and liberals alike partly by promising to fight for Congress to determine the destination of an ever-bigger share of Brazils federal budget, which may be spent regardless of the Lula administrations priorities.

Members of Congress now control nearly a quarter of the funds available for the federal government's investments and policy enactments, a proportion that has notably increased over the past decade.

The rules that regulate how lawmakers spend those earmarked funds are now under intense scrutiny at the Supreme Court, a source of great tension between the justices and Congress.

In a speech before his victory was confirmed, Alcolumbre stressed tensions over earmarked funds as a major challenge for the next two years, but added that he was committed to "preserving the Senate's independence.

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Motta also vowed to strengthen the House in a speech to fellow lawmakers, promising to "maintain its autonomy and independence in its relationship with the other powers."

Lula's approval ratings recently dropped below 50% for the first time since he took office in 2023, as he is dealing with both pressure to deliver on his biggest promises to voters and from investors who are increasingly concerned that his administration is spending too much.

Lula is seen by his Workers Party as the only leader who can defeat a right-wing candidate in the 2026 presidential election, despite his efforts to create support for a successor.

During a rare press conference on Thursday, Lula told reporters he wouldnt meddle in Saturdays election in Congress.

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Whoever wins I will respect, he said. I wont have difficulties in the relationship with Congress.

Lula is scheduled to meet with the two new leaders next week, his Institutional Relations Minister, Alexandre Padilha, said on Saturday. He added that one of Lula's priorities is to make the economy "increasingly fairer" by passing a bill exempting those earning under 5,000 reais ($850) from income taxes, a move that will require broad Congressional support.

(Reporting by Manuela Andreoni and Maria Carolina Marcello; Editing by Alistair Bell)
An air ambulance carrying six people, including a child, crashed in a fireball near a mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Friday.

Harrowing footage of the incident, from multiple angles, showed an enormous, billowing explosion after the twin-engine Learjet 55 came down in a high traffic residential neighborhood in the northeast section of the city.

Eyewitnesses said the sky was lit up by the explosion, which was later declared a major incident by the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management.

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According to the FAA, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:30 p.m. local time, en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. It was reportedly airborne for only about 40 seconds, reaching an altitude of just 1,600 feet.

It reportedly fell from the sky at around 11,000 feet per minute.

An air ambulance carrying six people, including a child, has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Reuters)

Six people were on board the Learjet operated by the company Jet Rescue Air Ambulance when the crash occurred, the FAA said.

A pediatric patient and the patients mother and four crew members onboard were returning home to Mexico with a stop in Missouri after the patient was treated in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition.

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At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors, the company said in a statement. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.

Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground, the company added.

At a brief press conference Friday evening, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted in the crash.

An aircraft went down in the vicinity of Roosevelt Mall  this occurred shortly after 6 p.m. this evening, Parker told reporters.

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As of right now we have no reports on the number of fatalities, so ... were just asking for prayers ... [and] we are urging you to please stay away from the scene, Parker added.

A jet plane has crashed near a mall in Philadelphia, with multiple casualties expected (Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management)

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X that he had spoken with Parker and local law enforcement, and is offering all Commonwealth resources as the emergency response unfolds.

President Donald Trump said he was aware of the crash, posting on his social media platform Truth Social: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost.

He added: Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

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A witness told ABC6of the crash: It was just horrific. I was just driving down the street ... and I just saw a plane basically hit the building and it exploded. The sky lit up and I pulled over and ... it was just real bad around here.

"It lit up the whole sky," he added.

The FAA and NTSB will investigate the crash. The NTSB will lead the probe and will provide all updates.

The incident comes as the NTSB continues to investigate the deadly collision Wednesday night between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people.
A medevac jet crashed in a residential area in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, killing all six people aboard and at least one person on the ground, while another 19 people were injured, reports say.

Six people were aboard the plane that took off from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday night, and was destined for the Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, before it crashed around 6:30 p.m. ET, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. | Matt Rourke

All six people aboard the plane were from Mexico, Mexicos president said on Saturday.

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I mourn the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum said, according to CNN. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families; I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.

The passengers on the jet included a child who was being treated at Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia and the childs mother, the hospital said.

Shriners Childrens is heartbroken to confirm that one of our pediatric patients and the childs mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia this evening. The patient had received care from Shriners Childrens Philadelphia and was being transported back to her home country in Mexico on a contracted air ambulance when the crash happened. Because of patient privacy concerns, we cannot say any more about the patient and her family at this time, the statement from the hospital said. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event  as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground  and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action.

BREAKING: This is being described as a plane brash in the area of Bustleton and Cottman Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia. Doorbell camera provided by a viewer. pic.twitter.com/zgsk1P12K2  Jason Martinez (@JasonFox29) January 31, 2025

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Saturday morning that he was at the site of the crash with the mayor of Philadelphia, as well as public safety officials and first responders.

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Authorities have confirmed at least 7 fatalities and several are receiving care at our local hospitals. In the face of this tragedy, Philadelphia is responding in the Philly way  law enforcement protecting our communities, neighbors helping neighbors, Pennsylvanians working together. Please continue listening to local authorities, be patient, and hug the ones you love, he said in a post on social media.

The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the crash.

The crash comes just days after a collision between a military helicopter and a commercial airplane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting a "wonderful" Budget towards fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a post on X, Singh said that this year's budget will promote the development of youth, poor farmers, and women, as well as all sections and regions of the society. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 2025 Budget in the Parliament on Saturday. "I congratulate the Finance Minister, @nsitharaman, who has presented a wonderful Budget towards fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Mr. @narendramodi ji to develop India. This Budget will promote the development of youth, poor farmers, and women, as well as all sections and regions of the society," Singh said in a post on X. He termed the Budget an "unprecedented" gift for the middle class. The Defence Minister also welcomed the decision to give income tax relief on annual income up to Rs 12 lakh. https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/1885603774871277978 Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the "comprehensive" and "visionary" Budget. Highlighting the Union government's decision to exempt income tax up to Rs 12 lakh, Shah said that the middle class is always in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, counting Rs 75,000 of standard deduction. She also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. But there is a catch: the exemption can be earned only if a taxpayer takes relief under various sections of the Income Tax Act, like the Rs 1.5 lakh exemption under section 80CCC and the exemption of Rs 1.5 lakh for paying interest on home loans. Sitharaman said, "To taxpayers, up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them." The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. Further, adressing mediapersons, Singh added that every segment of society is taken care of with this Budget. "Every segment of society is taken care of in the budget. This budget will emphasise the development of youth, poor people, farmer and women, especially recognising the contribution of the people from the middle class; this budget brings gifts for the people," he added. Highlighting the incresing budgetary allocation compared to last year for Defence sector he said, "For the year 2025-26, the Defence Ministry gets about 6 lakh 80 thousand crores, which is more than 9.5 per cent of last year's allocation." "Like last year, 75 per cent of the defence modernisation Budget will be spent on domestic procurement. The Budget has enough allocation for the pension and health welfare of the retired personnel," the Defence Minister added. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Saturday following the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The House will reconvene on February 3 at 11 a.m. (ANI)
Editor note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A Russian missile struck a residential building in the city of Poltava in the morning on Feb. 1, killing at least 14 people, including two children, Ukraine's State Emergency Service reported.

The attack destroyed all five floors of one of the building's sections, caused a fire, and damaged neighboring buildings.

A total of 14 civilians, including two children, were killed in the missile strike, the State Emergency Service said on the morning of Feb. 2. The attack injured another 17 people, including four children.

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Twenty-two people were rescued from the building, said acting Poltava Oblast Governor Volodymyr Kohut.

A search and rescue operation is ongoing as of 7 a.m. on Feb. 2. Over 400 employees of municipal services and city authorities have been involved in the emergency response, according to the acting mayor of Poltava, Kateryna Yamshchykova.

Russia launched a large-scale attack on several regions overnight, hitting residential buildings in Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said. "Attacks on residential buildings, civilians, typical tactics of the Russian army," he wrote on Telegram.

Russia launched 42 missiles of various types and 123 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Fifty-six were shot down, while 61 were lost in the airspace, according to the statement.

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"This is the true face of Russia. Murderers who have absolutely no respect for any leader in the world or any other nation," Yermak said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine's partners to strengthen the country's air defense.

"We are working to attract more resources and partners to strengthen the Ukrainian air shield. Protection against shelling is an absolute priority. Much more needs to be done, but every one of our partners in the world who helps us with this is a life saver," Zelensky said following the Poltava attack.

Poltava, located in central Ukraine, is home to around 300,000 residents. The city is 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the border with Russia and 230 kilometers (143 miles) from the eastern front.

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The city and surrounding region are regular targets of Russian drone and missile attacks. The largest attack killed at least 51 people and injured over 270 at the Poltava Military Institute of Communications on Sept. 3.

Read also: Update: Russian missiles strike Odesas historic center, injuring 7

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(Reuters) -At least 54 people were killed and 158 wounded on Saturday in a strike by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a market in the city of Omdurman, the health ministry said in a statement.

The RSF in a statement denied targeting the market and instead accused the Sudanese army of launching attacks targeting civilians.

Both the army and RSF have struck densely packed areas in a war that broke out in April 2023 over the integration of the two forces.

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The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, driven millions from their homes and plunged half of the population into hunger.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Additional reporting by Enas Alashray; editing by Jason Neely)
(Reuters) - At least seven people died when a medevac plane crashed in Philadelphia on Friday, including six Mexicans aboard the plane and one person who was on the ground, Mexico's president and Philadelphia's mayor said on Saturday.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference that the person who died on the ground had been in a car at the site of the crash.

"Thus far, our count is that there are 19 injured victims," Parker said.

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Separately, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a post on X that she had asked consular officials to support the families of the six Mexican citizens who were on the plane and died when it crashed.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, based in Mexico and licensed to operate in the U.S., on Friday said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, one pediatric medical patient and the patient's mother on board.

The child was a girl on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN on Friday. Her mother was also aboard, he said.

(Reporting by Jason Lange and Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell)
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas (FOX 44)  Texas lawmakers got a first-hand look at the life and work of soldiers at Fort Cavazos during the annual Texas Legislative Day.

The event brought state representatives and senators from the state Capitol to the military post, giving them a unique opportunity to interact with soldiers and experience military training and equipment up close.

State Representative Hillary Hickland, who represents House District 55, expressed her excitement about the event, highlighting the significance of having Fort Cavazos so close to her district, It was such an honor to spend the day with heroeshaving Fort Cavazos in our backyard is something special. Its unique to my district here in House District 55.

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The event, which takes place every two years during the Legislative Session, was organized to foster stronger connections between Texas government officials and the military community.

The event was organized by Texas Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, III Armored Cops and Fort Cavazos commanding general, in conjunction with the City of Killeen Chamber of Commerce.

State Representative Brad Buckley, who represents House District 54, emphasized the importance of the event in helping lawmakers understand the bases operations and the needs of soldiers.

Its an opportunity to introduce Fort Cavazos to people who dont know a lot about it, Rep. Buckley explained. When were moving legislation that impacts our active-duty military veterans or Fort Cavazos in general, this gives them a reference point and helps us garner support for good legislation to help Fort Cavazos and military families.

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Senator Pete Flores, representing District 24, echoed similar sentiments, noting the value of connecting directly with military families.

Its always good to be in the district with the constituents, but especially my constituents in the army and their dependents. I get to see firsthand what they do and hear from them about what they need from us in the Texas Legislature, Flores said.

For the soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos, the event provided an opportunity to showcase their work and explain how their service supports the states defense efforts.

Sergeant Goebel Kenneth, one of the soldiers at the event, expressed the importance of sharing their story with lawmakers, Hopefully, with this, they can understand what we might need and how they can help us.

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The event served as an essential bridge between Texas military and legislative communities, underscoring the role of Fort Cavazos in the states defense infrastructure and the importance of ongoing support for military personnel and their families.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
From left to right behind the lectern, House Majority Caucus Chairman Jaron Crane, R-Nampa; House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star; House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian; and House Assistant Majority Leader Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, host a press conference on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

In an effort to help Idahoans follow major bills, resolutions and memorials through the legislative process, the Idaho Capital Sun will produce a legislative notebook at the end of each week to gather information in one place that concerns major happenings in the Legislature and other news relating to state government. To receive the full extent of our reporting in your inbox each day, sign up for our free email newsletter The Sunrise on our website at idahocapitalsun.com/subscribe/.

Here is our quick rundown of the major happenings during the fourth week of the Idaho Legislatures 2025 session.

Idaho speaker pushes for income, property tax reform

In Idaho Gov. Brad Littles State of the State address, delivered before state lawmakers on Jan. 6, he called for continued tax relief for Idahoans to the tune of $100 million through his Keeping Promises plan.

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But Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, has been adamant in the weeks since that the Legislature could and should do more  much more.

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star, leads the discussion on the House floor at the State Capitol building on Jan. 23, 2024. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

Hes introduced a combination of bills in the last few days that would collectively reduce taxes by more than $400 million this year.

His bill seeking to reduce Idahos individual and corporate income tax rates from 5.695% to 5.3% is advancing to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives after a vote in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Thursday.

House Bill 74, another bill introduced by Moyle this week, is designed to reduce property taxes by providing a one-time transfer of $50 million to the states homeowners property tax relief fund and another $50 million every year to help pay for local school construction and renovation projects that would otherwise be funded with property taxes.

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You are going to hear people say we cant afford tax relief, that we should instead invest the money in this or that program, Moyle wrote on the social media platform X on Thursday. I disagree. Theres no better place for taxpayer dollars than in the hands of taxpayers.

Hes right that other legislators have already questioned how sustainable these tax cuts would be if the states economy experienced a downturn.

Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise, opposed the income tax bill in committee after saying he is not sure if the state can afford to reduce revenue by more than $400 million through tax cuts and still pay for everything in the state budget and keep up with deferred maintenance at public schools.

We dont have a revenue number and a budget yet to determine if we can, in fact, afford this bill, Berch said. The future of the over $6 billion that we get from the federal government in the face of the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, and other executive orders  we dont know how thats going to impact the state of Idaho. That can have a huge impact.

House Assistant Minority Leader Steve Berch, D-Boise, answers questions at a press conference following the State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Democrats also took issue with the bill in a Thursday press release because they say it will favor Idahoans who are already wealthy while leaving working families behind.

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Idahoans need fair tax policies that build a thriving middle class, not another upside-down scheme that benefits those who need it the least, said Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea in the release.

Under House Bill 40, an Idaho family earning between $55,000 and $91,000 would expect to see a tax break of about $127, according to the nonpartisan Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy. Meanwhile, the top 1% of Idaho earners making $738,300 and above would receive a tax cut of about $5,358, according to the center.

But Moyle, who is serving his 14th term in the Legislature, says he has no intention of slowing down.

Those of you that know me know that the only reason I ran for the Legislature is to cut taxes, Moyle said on Thursday. This is probably the largest income tax relief weve ever provided or offered to the citizens of Idaho.

Legislation of interest during the fourth week of the 2025 session

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SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

What to expect next week

Senate Resources and Environment Committee

Senate Bill 1003, a bill that would make a person with outstanding fines for violations ineligible for any hunting, fishing, or trapping license, tag, or permit, will be before the committee for a full public hearing on Monday.

Senate Education Committee

Senate Bill 1025, a bill would expand the states Empowering Parents program by $20 million to be able to cover costs such as tuition for students at private, public and home schools and includes $30 million in funding to support special education, will be before the committee for a full public hearing on Monday.

House Education Committee

House Bill 79, a bill that would increase the annual tuition cap and limits annual tuition increases at Idahos community colleges, will be before the committee for a full public hearing on Monday.

House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee

House Bill 37, a bill that would make the firing squad the primary way to execute a death row inmate in Idaho, will be before the committee for a full public hearing on Monday.

Quote of the week

The reason that we have requirements that we publish in newspapers is to make sure that certain notices are brought before the public, so that the public may act on those.  If we are going to turn that over to the state, we are at risk of having that information kept from the public when it doesnt serve the best interests of the state.  Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur dAlene, on House Bill 33, a bill that stalled in the Idaho House State Affairs Committee that would have let government agencies and residents electronically publish official public notices instead of paying newspapers to publish them

Social media post of the week

Im here to cut taxes and chew bubblegum and Im all out of bubblegum.   Mike Moyle (@Mikeemoyle) January 31, 2025

Photo of the week

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signs his first bill of the 2025 legislative session. House Bill 3 is the annual bill to update references to the Internal Revenue Code and conforms the Idaho income tax code to changes made to the IRC that affect the 2024 tax year. First bill of the 2025 legislative session is officially signed. Keep em coming! the governor wrote in a social media post on X about the bill. (Courtesy of the Idaho Gov. Brad Littles X account)

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SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX

How to follow the Idaho Legislature and Idaho Gov. Brad Littles work during the session

Here are a few tools we use to track the Legislatures business and how to let your voice be heard in the issues that matter most to you.

How to find your legislators: To determine which legislative district you live in, and to find contact information for your legislators within that district, go to the Legislative Services Offices website and put in your home address and ZIP code. Once youve entered that information, the three legislators  two House members and one senator  who represent your district will appear, and you can click on their headshots to find their email address and phone number.

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How to find committee agendas: Go to the Idaho Legislatures website, legislature.idaho.gov, and click on the all available Senate committee agendas link and the all available House committee agendas link on the right side of the website.

How to watch the legislative action in committees and on the House and Senate floors: Idaho Public Television works in conjunction with the Legislative Services Office and the Idaho Department of Administration through a program called Idaho in Session to provide live streaming for all legislative committees and for the House and Senate floors. To watch the action, go to https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/Legislature/ and select the stream youd like to watch.

How to testify remotely at public hearings before a committee: To sign up to testify remotely for a specific committee, navigate to that committees webpage, and click on the testimony registration (remote and in person) tab at the top.

How to find state budget documents: Go to Legislative Services Office Budget and Policy Analysis Divisions website https://legislature.idaho.gov/lso/bpa/budgetinformation/.

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How to track which bills have made it to Gov. Littles desk and any action he took on them (including vetoes): Go to the governors website https://gov.idaho.gov/legislative-sessions/2025-session/. You can scroll down to the bottom of the site and enter your email address to get alerts sent straight to your inbox when the page has been updated.

Reporting from Idaho Capital Sun journalists Clark Corbin, Mia Maldonado and Kyle Pfannenstiel contributed to this legislative notebook.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Lenexa police are warning people about a new crime trend that could leave your bank account empty.

Police say that the trend has been thieves targeting outdoor post office mailboxes, stealing checks and washing them. Meaning that theyll change the payee and amount, draining victims bank accounts.

KCK bank robbed at about same time school went on lockdown

According to Lenexa Polices post on X Friday, several reports of mail theft and check washing have been reported across Johnson County.

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That post also recommends that you:

Avoid using outdoor mailboxes, especially after pickup hours.

Use the mail slot inside the post office.

Use a gel pen while writing checks, they make it more difficult to wash.

Dont use window envelopes which can reveal the contents of the mail.

Consider electronic payments like online banking or apps.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Trump echoes McCarthy

I watched the special newscast about the plane from Wichita crashing in Washington, DC.

It put a knot in my throat, which turned to anger, when President Donald Trump assailed a former President Joe Biden appointee and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) for the crash.

As a history buff, it made me think of the late Republican Sen. Joe McCarthy, who in a hearing claimed the Army was full of communists.

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It was lies of course, and then he said the attorney for the army had an aide who a communist.

The army attorney said to McCarthy, Have you no sense of decency, sir?

Millions of Trump followers are bigots, and their feelings are much like the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s  Proud Boy and Oath Keeper felons for instance.

Whats next, eugenics measuring heads like the Nazis to determine who is a citizen?

I have been around more than most into my ninth decade. Not a hero but I never feared a Jew, an LGBTQ person or person of a different race. Some I liked and some I did not.

The haters are the problem. Their hate and ignorance should end.

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Jim Talley, Milford, Retired Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army

Marshall right on transponders

The unassailable logic of Sen. Roger Marshalls radical suggestion that military aircraft should have activated transponders when flying in the continental United States is further evidence that we need to get politicians out of the U.S. Congress.

Term Limits are essential for the good of the nation. Limitations on prior involvement in politics should be implemented as well.

Congress should be dealing with the real world and should have members with real world experience, not be steeped in the world of politics.

Bruce Herrington, Corbin

Trump unhinged

At a Thursday press conference President Donald Trump, without any evidence, blamed former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Democrats and diversity, equity and inclusion, for Wednesdays tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C.

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To make matters worse, the assertion about DEI is about ones identity and a pejorative assertion at that.

Its not merely a political ploy; rather, the president is indicting a large part of the population as both guilty and inadequate/inferioran ad hominem attack that seeks to perpetuate an institutional and embedded racism and xenophobia.

He also got out ahead of the investigation, blaming the FAA, making their job more difficult.

Not only can Trumps assertions not be proven but some aviation experts already have questioned and cast doubt about them.

When pushed by White House reporters, Trump made the absurd claim that what he knows about the reasons for the crash is based on common sense.

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Really! How stupid and gullible must we  including Trump supporters  be to accept this?

Moreover, let us not forget that last week Trump fired the heads of the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard, and disbanded the Aviation Security Advisory Committee.

Might that not have something to do with the crash?

Trump is using the crash for purely selfish political purposes  at a time when so many passengers have died, and their loved ones are grieving. This is shameful, unprofessional, inconsiderate and disgusting.

When will people, including Republican leaders, denounce the presidents unhinged behavior?

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What worries me is that this pattern of blaming is orchestrated and will continue.

It should be noted, after all, that Trump read his comments; this suggests that his team prepared the remarks and that this narrative is part of a larger rhetorical strategy to create chaos and confusion  something that will make it harder for those who resist and who want to prevent the implementation of dangerous Trump policies.

Richard Cherwitz, professor emeritus, University of Texas at Austin
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the Union Budget 2025, and said the tax relief announced in this budget will largely benefit middle-class people and also enhance their buying power, ultimately resulting in the development of the state as well as the nation. Taking a jibe at the Congress party, he said a one time, people had to pay taxes even on Rs 2 lakh income but now exemption has been provided for income up to Rs 12 lakh. "During Congres's tenure, people had to pay tax on Rs 2 lakh but today the provision of no tax upto Rs 12 lakh was announced in the Union Budget," CM Sai told reporters here. The third budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government tabled today is "one that will fulfil the dreams of common people," said CM Sai while extending his greetings to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her entire team. "Such a budget can only be presented" by the BJP government, said Sai, adding that this budget will "fulfil the promise" of 'Viskit Bharat' given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "This budget will prove to be a boon for farmers as the limit of the Kisan Credit Card has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The move will benefit Chhattisgarh as the major population here is farmers," he said. "Now the farmers will able to do farming in a better way by obtaining credit" The Chief Minister also highlighted the provisions made in the budget for MSME, healthcare and other sectors. "This budget is very good and Chhattisgarh will benefit from it," he said. "The budget has focused on everyone." Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasizing agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. "To taxpayers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them," said Sitharaman. The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. The finance minister announced changes in income tax slabs and rates across the board, ensuring a more progressive taxation system. Sitharaman said, "Slabs and rates are being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment." Under the new tax slabs income of up to Rs 4 lakh will have to pay Nil tax hiked from Rs 3 lakh. A taxpayer in the new regime with an income of Rs 12 lakh will get a benefit of `Rs 80,000 in tax. A person having an income of Rs 18 lakh will get a benefit of Rs 70,000 in tax. A person with an income of Rs 25 lakh gets a benefit of Rs 1,10,000 under the new tax slabs. (ANI)
Stand together amid chaos

It seems to me that Donald Trump won the election on social media, ignoring the mainstream newspapers and TV. He is a master of presenting himself there.

Further, it seems that atmosphere is both hyper-critical and even hostile to government civic process.

The prosecutor in the hush money case said, in concluding his summary, that that attitude undermines the rule of law.

Law is a bulwark that places justice the center of the capitol. It is our protection against chaos.

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The man placed in the Oval Office does not have this concept  nor the concept of truth as well. We must all stand together against the darkness coming into the world.

John Harris, State College

Denali name should stay

No, no, no! Why on earth did we again rename Mount Denali! It was once Denali, a Native American word. Then it was renamed to honor our American president, William McKinley.

President Obama changed the name back to Mount Denali. I wasnt pleased with some of President Obamas work; but I wrote a strong letter in defense of that name change, which properly returned the massifs name to its Native American origin. There it should have stayed! The opinion of the residents of Alaska should have prevailed both times!

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I strongly supported Donald Trumps campaign, but ...

We now have Mt. Everest named for a British official, Mt. McKinley named for a Buckeye politician and even Pennsylvanias own town of Mauch Chunk losing its name to that of an athlete, Jim Thorpe! They are all disgraceful changes.

What pathetic moves: Renaming Mt. Everest, Jim Thorpe and Mt. McKinley. We should have kept Mauch Chunk, and without question we should have kept the native moniker for North Americas finest mountain: Mount Denali! I hope that Alaskas two U.S. senators and its U.S. representative raise one terrific ruckus in an effort to let Alaskans have their great mountain regain its historically and culturally proper name!

Guy Graybill, Selinsgrove

Trump impacts will hit home

Penn State University supports over $1 billion in research grant funding. With the Presidents recent blocking of federal funding for grants, how many local jobs will be impacted? How many of your neighbors are having their livelihood being threatened? How many public service/safety programs will be shut down? Is this the great America you were expecting?

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Jackie R. Esposito, State College

Overwhelming generosity in shoebox program

The overwhelming generosity of the people of State College helped provide joy to children in need through shoebox gifts this season. Across the U.S., the Samaritans Purse project collected 10.5 million shoebox gifts in 2024. Combined with those collected from partnering countries in 2024, the ministry is now sending over 11.9 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide.

Shoebox packers brought joy and hope to children around the world through fun, full, personalized gifts. For many children, this is the first gift they have ever received. Each shoebox gift is a tangible expression of Gods love, given to children in need around the world. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 232 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

Across the region, shoebox packers often shop for deals on shoebox items throughout the year, and many serve at a deeper level by becoming a year-round volunteer. Information about ways area participants can get involved year-round can also be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ.

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Although local State College dropoff locations for shoebox gifts are closed until Nov. 17-24, anyone can still be a part of this life-changing project by conveniently packing a shoebox gift online in just a few simple clicks at samaritanspurse.org/buildonline.

These simple gifts, packed with love, remind children around the world that they are loved and not forgotten.

Hannah Murphy, Samaritans Purse marketing/media relations associate
Editors note: A version of this story appeared in CNNs Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

Sending a spacecraft to a near-Earth asteroid, gathering dust and rock from its surface, and returning the rare cache to our planet has been one of NASAs boldest feats yet.

And now, the daring OSIRIS-REx mission is bearing scientific fruit.

When the spacecraft completed its long journey home more than a year ago, NASA split up a 120-gram sample, collected in October 2020 from the asteroid Bennu, among researchers around the globe.

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This week, scientists who analyzed the rubble reported their first detailed findings. The fascinating results shed light on the origins of life.

Other worlds

Researchers identified sodium salts, such as the needles of hydrated sodium carbonate highlighted in purple in this false-colored image, in the Bennu sample. - Rob Wardell/Tim McCoy/Smithsonian

Two studies released Wednesday revealed the asteroid contained many of the chemical building blocks of life, such as amino acids and components found in DNA.

Additionally, researchers uncovered salts in the Bennu cache and minerals crucial to life, including some never before seen in asteroid samples.

This is all very exciting because it suggests that asteroids like Bennu once acted like giant chemical factories in space and could have also delivered the raw ingredients for life to Earth and other bodies in our solar system, said Dr. Daniel P. Glavin, senior scientist for sample return at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Ocean secrets

Corals appear stationary, permanently anchored to rocks or other surfaces on the seafloor.

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However, new research has shown that one species of mushroom coral, Cycloseris cyclolites, actively moves toward blue light waves, using a mechanism similar to the pulsing motion of jellyfish.

The reef areas where C. cyclolites live are typically high-energy zones with strong waves and significant competition for space. These conditions force members of the species  measuring up to 3.5 inches (9 centimeters)  to move surprisingly quickly to deeper waters.

These corals, which are common throughout the Indo-Pacific region, begin life in one spot but become more mobile as they mature.

Dig this

The burial site at the Montelirio tomb in southwestern Spain contained more than 270,000 shell beads. - Courtesy Research Group ATLAS/University of Sevilla

Thousands of hours of work can go into a red-carpet gown or royal wedding dress. But those efforts pale in comparison to elaborate beaded outfits made about 5,000 years ago in southwestern Spain.

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Archaeologists studying 270,769 shell beads unearthed at the Montelirio tomb, part of the Valencina archaeological site near Seville, believe they were threaded together to make shimmering outfits worn by women.

The collection of beads is the largest documented worldwide and would have taken 10 people working eight hours a day for 206 days, or about seven months, to make.

The spectacular outfits shed light on the formidable status of women, who were buried in the beaded attire, in the prehistoric society that once populated the Valencina site.

Look up

Just after sundown on January 16, Lori Kaine, a resident of Providenciales, the main island of the Turks and Caicos archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, heard a deafening noise and looked up.

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I just never have seen colors like that in the sky, Kaine said. At first, I thought it was an actual plane that had exploded.

In fact, she witnessed the explosion of the upper stage of a SpaceX Starship launch system, the most powerful rocket ever built, that one day may carry humans to the moon and Mars. The spacecraft had broken apart minutes after liftoff from South Texas during its seventh test flight.

Over the next few days, Kaine and other residents found debris from the explosive mishap littering their driveways and beaches.

SpaceXs response to the incident has drawn criticism, raising broader questions about the companys approach to developing Starship and its decision to launch the vehicles test flights out of South Texas on a path that takes the spacecraft over populated areas.

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Meanwhile, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the veteran astronauts at the center of the Boeing Starliner drama, have kept busy on their extended stay, stepping out for a spacewalk after more than seven months in orbit.

Fantastic creatures

The Mount Lyell shrew previously was the only known mammal species in California not to have been photographed. - Vishal Subramanyan/Prakrit Jain/Harper Forbes

The elusive creature pointed its long snout skyward, pausing a moment after eating some mealworms.

The Mount Lyell shrew was unaware it was the first of its species to be photographed by humans  specifically recently graduated wildlife photographer Vishal Subramanyan, along with student scientists Prakrit Jain and Harper Forbes.

The trio ventured out into the eastern Sierra Nevada and captured six live Mount Lyell shrews (Sorex lyelli). There, the team photographed and observed them before setting them free.

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The tiny animal was previously the only known mammal species in California to have eluded human cameras, according to the California Academy of Sciences.

Curiosities

Marvel at these mind-expanding stories.

 A small space rock that lingered near Earth last year may be a chunk of the moon that chipped off thousands of years ago.

 Two buried supercontinents hiding inside Earth could be much older than previously thought.

 Scientists have set a new time on the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic attempt to gauge how close humanity is to destroying the world.

 Firefly Aerospaces Blue Ghost lunar lander is documenting its journey to the moon, and the views are breathtaking.

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Like what youve read? Oh, but theres more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.

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Jan. 31LIMA  A Lima man's bond was reduced from $200,000 to $75,000 Friday in Allen County Common Pleas Court after he allegedly shot at someone at a bar in October.

If defendant Nakoshan Bouyer posts bond, he will be required to be on house arrest with an ankle monitor and stay away from both the victim and Sheryl's bar, where the incident occurred.

A bond reduction was denied once before by Judge Terri Kohlrieser when his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Megan McLean, requested a reduction to $50,000.

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Kohlrieser will also review Bouyer's oral statements to police and issue a ruling on whether they should be suppressed because McLean said Bouyer was never advised of his rights.

Bouyer, 51, was indicted on felonious assault, a second-degree felony, with a three-year firearm specification; illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor permit premises, a third-degree felony; carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony; and having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.

According to the statement of facts in court documents by Lima Police Detective Brian Snyder, at around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 24, officers were dispatched to Sheryl's bar, 200 W. Grand Ave., for a shooting. The victim and suspect both left the area before officers arrived, so officers looked at video surveillance and spoke to a witness. They discovered that a bald Black male had a firearm and pushed the victim outside and multiple people heard gunshots afterward. Officers found Bouyer walking in the 200 block of South Kenilworth Avenue matching the description. He was found with a revolver and officers could smell alcohol on his breath.

In a document responding to the suppression motion filed by McLean, Assistant Prosecutor Colleen Limerick wrote that Bouyer fired two shots at the victim but they didn't strike him.

Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.

Featured Local Savings
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  South Linn Street is being closed immediately due to a water main break.

According to a release from the City of Sioux City, S. Linn Street from Vine Avenue to Ridge Avenue is being closed immediately due to a water main that broke in the area.

Dakota County sheriff shuts down ICE raid rumors

Courtesy: City of Sioux City

This closure is in addition to the ongoing closure of Ridge Avenue from South Westcott Street to South Linn Street, also closed due to a water main break.

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The city said that they are working to restore access to local residents, and emergency repairs are ongoing.

The city asks that drivers use caution in the repair area and avoid the immediate construction area.

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Saulius Skvernelis, Speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, believes that it would be a big mistake if the EU returned to buying gas from Russia.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Delfi, a Baltic states news website

Quote: "It seems to me that everyone in Europe has realised that there are alternatives, so it would be a big mistake to go back to the old way when you know that this could become a tool for blackmail, and we would be strengthening the military industry in Russia again, which is already working at full capacity."

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Background:

The Financial Times reported earlier that European officials had begun discussing the idea of resuming gas purchases from Russia as part of a potential settlement of the war in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Lithuanian Energy Minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas said that the country is not considering resuming purchases of Russian gas.

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Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has criticised the idea suggesting that resuming Russian gas exports could be used to compel Russia into "peace talks", as presented in several media reports.

Source: Budrys on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Budrys noted that the idea of resuming Russian gas imports to Europe as leverage for "peace talks" regarding Ukraine is "dangerously misguided" and erroneous.

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"Europe learned the hard way that Russian gas is more than just a commodity  its a geopolitical weapon... Even considering a return to Russian gas imports now would be a historic mistake," he stressed.

The Lithuanian foreign minister stated that Moscow had frequently threatened to cut off energy supplies and followed through on them, and that only Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine compelled Europe to act and stop its reliance on Russian energy.

"Europe must stay on the right course: keep Russian gas out, tighten sanctions on Russias energy sector, support Ukraine, and invest in long-term energy security. Anything less would be a step backward," Budrys concluded.

Background:

FT claimed that European officials have begun discussing the idea of resuming gas purchases from Russia as part of a potential settlement of the war in Ukraine.

In response to speculation about a potential return to Russian gas purchases, Lithuanian Parliament Speaker Saulius Skvernelis emphasised the importance of learning the lesson that energy can be used as a tool of blackmail.

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Lithuanias President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized the necessity of Ukraines full involvement in peace negotiations and increased defense spending by regional countries to prevent future Russian aggression.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Nauseda warned that a peace settlement without proper deterrents would allow Russia to consolidate its forces and prepare for further military action."You cannot believe that the intentions of Russia will be just to stop and do nothing," he said, stressing that any ceasefire would provide Russia a break to rebuild its military capabilities.

Nauseda also raised concerns about potential Russian targets, including Ukraine and the Baltic countries, should the war reach a ceasefire.

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Lithuania, a country with a history of Soviet occupation until 1990, faces ongoing fears of Russian aggression. Its geographical position, bordering Russias Kaliningrad exclave and Moscows ally Belarus, makes Lithuania vulnerable to further conflict. Nauseda explained that, even after a potential resolution to the war in Ukraine, Lithuania will remain exposed to threats from Russia for the foreseeable future. "You always have the threat from the East, and you must be aware and take all the necessary precautionary measures in order not to be attacked," he cautioned.

Lithuania recently committed to increasing its defense spending to at least 5% of its GDP, following a push from U.S. President Donald Trump. This move contrasts with some NATO countries, which have resisted such a significant economic burden. Nevertheless, Lithuania sees this commitment as essential for its security.

Nauseda echoed this sentiment, noting the need for his country to strengthen its defense capabilities in light of the ongoing conflict. "This is an absolutely clear priority for this country, as a frontline country, that we have to spend more," he asserted.

In the context of the war in Ukraine, Nauseda stressed the importance of including Kyiv in any peace talks. He declared it would be "unacceptable if the peace would be set behind the doors and without the involvement of Ukraine," acknowledging the country's sacrifices in the war. He reiterated that Ukraine "deserves the right to set the conditions of this peace."

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As concerns grow about the security of the Baltic region, Lithuania is also focused on the growing threat to its undersea infrastructure. Since October 2023, at least 11 Baltic cables have been damaged, sparking suspicion that the damage may be intentional. The most recent incident occurred when a fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland ruptured. In response, NATO launched a mission called "Baltic Sentry" to protect vital underwater infrastructure. Nauseda called for increased maritime capabilities in the region, urging NATO and the EU to take stronger measures to prevent future incidents. "It is time for us to show some muscle," he declared.

Despite some objections within Lithuania regarding the rise in military spending, Nauseda argued that the country must take responsibility for its defense. While Lithuania can rely on NATO allies, the president emphasized that it would be naive to assume others would prioritize the country's security if it failed to demonstrate the ability to protect itself.

Read also: Lithuania open to sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, chief commander says

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  A Catholic school in Little Rock is working to ease the concern as across the country communities are seeing a change after immigration officials are now allowed to arrest people in schools and in houses of worship.

Kristy Dunn, the principal at St. Theresa Catholic Church and School in Little Rock, said she wants to reassure parents as concern has grown over the past week.

Theres just a tension and an uncertainty in the air, Dunn said. Were here for our people and that doesnt change.

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ICE arrests 956 Sunday as nationwide raids continue

The message comes after The Trump Administration removed the restrictions that prevented the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol agents from conducting enforcement actions in or near sensitive areas like schools or churches.

We know that there are no more safe havens and thats a concern amongst the community here. Our school is predominantly Latino, Dunn said.

With their school just steps away from their church, Father Stephen Gadberry and staff are trained on how to respond if there is an ICE agent on their doorstep.

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We still have rights and legal protections that give us the right to require proper documentation and certification for these people who could be authorized to do this, Gadberry said.

North Little Rock School District releases statement, assurances on immigration and deportation

Dunn said the school has more than 200 students from Pre-K to 8th grade and she is committed to keeping information private.

We are re-establishing, re-enforcing the trust relationship that parents and our students have with us at school, she said.

As for families who dont feel comfortable bringing their kids to school, Dunn said they do have options for them.

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If you need a ride, we can help with ridesharing, if you need more we can assist with that but it is still important to come to school, Dunn said.

Pulaski County Special School District officials share message with families & staff regarding immigration, customs enforcement

Dunn and Gadberry say how they want to ease the concern of the community, especially the parents.

These times right now are tense for a lot of people at our church and our school but we are a community of hope, Gadberry said.

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Iowa students and supporters rallied at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines Jan. 8, 2024, calling for lawmakers to pass gun regulations in the wake of the Perry High School shooting the week before. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Max Schachter wanted to be close to his son Alex on his birthday, July 9, so he watched old videos of him.

It put a smile on my face to see him so happy, Schachter said.

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Alex would have turned 21 that day, six years after he and 16 other children and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, were shot and killed by a former student in 2018. In the years before the shooting, that former student had displayed concerning behavior that elicited dozens of calls to 911 and at least two tips to the FBI.

Alex should still be here today. Its not fair, Schachter said.

After two weeks of grieving Alexs death, Schachter, propelled by anger and pain, began advocating for school safety. In part, he wanted to ensure his three other children would never be harmed in the same way. He joined the newly formed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission to improve the safety and security of Floridas students. And he launched a nonprofit bearing Alexs name, which advocates for school safety.

Doing that work, he learned about threat assessment teams, groups of law enforcement and school officials who try to identify potentially dangerous or distressed kids, intervene, and prevent the next school shooting. Florida is one of about 18 states that require schools to have threat assessment and intervention teams; a national survey estimates 85% of public schools have a team assigned to the task.

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The teams, whose mission and operational strategies often are based on research from the FBI and the Secret Services National Threat Assessment Center, or NTAC, have become more common as the number of school shootings has increased. Despite their prevalence for almost 25 years, some of the teams have developed systemic problems that put them at risk of unfairly labeling and vilifying children.

States vary widely in their requirements of threat assessment teams and there isnt a nationwide archetype. Few school districts and states collect data about the teams, little is known about their operations, and research on their effectiveness at thwarting mass shootings and other threats is limited. But a 2021 analysis by the NTAC of 67 plots against K-12 schools found that people contemplating violence often exhibit observable behaviors, and when community members report these behaviors, the next tragedy can be averted.

School shooters have a long thought process. They dont just snap. They have concerning behavior over time. If we can identify them early, we can intervene, said Karie Gibson, chief of the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Yet, Dewey Cornell, a forensic clinical psychologist who in 2001 developed one of the first sets of guidelines for school threat assessment teams, said there have been problems. In many cases, he said, threats have been deemed not serious but parents and teachers are so alarmed that it is difficult to assuage their fears. The school community gets in an uproar and the school administrators feel pressured to expel the student.

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And in other cases, a school doesnt do a threat assessment and assumes a student is dangerous when somebody else reports them as a threat, and they may take a zero tolerance approach and remove them from the school, said Cornell, the Virgil S. Ward professor of education at the University of Virginia.

A task force convened by the American Psychological Association found little evidence that zero tolerance policies have improved school climate or school safety and said they may create negative mental health outcomes for students. The task force cited examples of students who were expelled for incidents or school rule violations as minor as having a knife in their lunch box for cutting an apple.

Marisa Randazzo, a research psychologist and the director of threat assessment for Georgetown University, said she has also seen hyperreactions, especially among school communities that have experienced a mass killing.

Its understandable. People who have been close to an event like this are on higher alert than other people, said Randazzo, who previously worked for the Secret Service and co-founded Sigma Threat Management Associates.

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Threat assessments are supposed to be a graduated process calibrated to the seriousness of a problem, since the majority of student threats are not credible and can be resolved through supportive interventions, according to research from the Secret Service.

Stephanie Crawford-Goetz, a school psychologist and the director of mental health for student support services in the Douglas County School District in Colorado, where a shooting occurred at a charter school in 2019, said her districts threat assessment process emphasizes a proactive, rehabilitative approach to managing potential threats, as the NTAC suggests.

Crawford-Goetz said her district interviews students before convening the team to assess whether a threat is a misguided expression of anger or frustration and if the student has a plan and means to carry out violence.

Students whose threats are deemed transient receive support, such as help with coping skills, and they may meet with a mental health provider.

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If the threat is credible, a student may be temporarily removed from the classroom or school.

Randazzo said the vast majority of kids who make threats are suicidal or despondent: The process is designed primarily to figure out if someone is in crisis and how we can help. It is not designed to be punitive.

Crawford-Goetz tells parents about her districts threat assessment team at the beginning of the school year. Some districts report keeping their teams a secret from parents, which is not how they were designed to operate, said Lina Alathari, chief of the NTAC. Her team encourages schools to educate the whole community about the threat assessment process.

Some advocacy groups contend that threat assessment teams have perpetuated inequities. There has also been widespread concern that children with disabilities can easily get swept into a threat assessment.

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In a 2022 report, the National Disability Rights Network, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., said some threat assessment teams have become judge, jury, and executioner, going beyond assessing risk of serious, imminent harm to determining guilt and punishment.

Expanding their scope allows threat assessment teams to get around civil rights protections, the report says.

Cornell disputed the disability rights groups conclusion. This has not been corroborated by scientific studies and is speculative, he said.

Some states, such as Florida, mandate that threat assessment teams determine whether a students disability played a role in their behavior and recommend they include special education teachers and other professionals in their evaluation.

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In Texas, which has mandated threat assessment teams, a third of students subjected to threat assessments in the Dallas Independent School District receive special education services.

Yet, the district doesnt have a special education staff representative on its threat assessment team, according to a March 2023 report by Texas Appleseed, a nonprofit public interest justice center.

Many school districts are developing their own models in the absence of national standards for threat assessments.

Max Schachter with his son Alex. (Photo courtesy of Max Schachter)

Florida revamped its threat assessment system in January 2024 to improve response times, provide consistent data collection, and build in more checks and balances and oversight, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who is also chair of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.

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The new model requires the teams to work quickly and file uniform, electronic summary reports of threat assessment findings. Those results follow students throughout their school years.

The adjustments are intended to eliminate the risk of not knowing about a students past troubling behavior if they change schools, as occurred with the Parkland shooter and a student who shot and killed classmates at a high school near Winder, Georgia, in September, said Gualtieri.

As parents, you never stop worrying about your kids, Schachter said.

Virginia mandates that all public schools and higher education institutions, including colleges, have threat assessment teams. In Florida, where one of Schachters daughters attends college, threat assessment teams are mandated in all public schools, including charter schools.

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Theres more work to be done, Schachter said.

Cheryl Platzman Weinstocks reporting is supported by a grant from the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF  the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
The White House confirmed on Friday that tariffs against goods from Canada, Mexico and China will take effect Saturday, as President Trump has threatened.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in her second press briefing of the Trump administration that the tariff plan would go forward.

The briefing takes place a day after several of Trumps nominees were grilled in the Senate. One Trump nominee, Tulsi Gabbard, is facing increasing scrutiny from Republicans in her bid to become director of national intelligence. In particular, her views on Edward Snowden, the former National Security Administration staffer who stole over a million classified documents, have rankled GOP senators who might otherwise back her bid.

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While Trump heads to Florida this weekend, Democrats will choose their new leadership. The Democratic National Committee will vote on its new chair on Saturday in one of its first initial steps toward recovering from Novembers disappointing election.

Follow along for updates from the White House and more Friday.

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday strongly condemned the attack on incumbent MLA and Rithala constituency candidate Mohinder Goyal, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of resorting to violence out of frustration as they are "losing" Delhi elections. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kejriwal wrote "BJP is losing elections badly in Delhi - in frustration they have now resorted to violence. We strongly condemn the attack on our MLA Mahendra Goyal from Rithala." Meanwhile, AAP MLA and candidate from the Rithala constituency, Mohinder Goyal was attacked during a rally after which he fell unconscious, as per the Delhi Police. Currently, Goyal was rushed to the Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini. The Delhi Police received a PCR call at around 11.15 am today after which the police team reached the spot. Police officials said, "We had received a call that Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mahendra Goyal has been assaulted and he has fallen unconscious." Furthermore, AAP MP Sanjay Singh also accused the BJP of orchestrating the attack. On X, he wrote, "BJP is losing badly in Delhi and in frustration, it has resorted to violence. AAP MLA @MohinderAAP from Rithala was attacked by BJP goons. Where is the Election Commission sleeping?" Goyal is contesting the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections on February 5, where he faces competition from BJP's Kulwant Rana and Congress' Sushant Mishra. The Rithala Assembly constituency, located in the North West Delhi district, is one of the 70 constituencies in the Delhi Assembly. This constituency covers various areas, including Rohini, Rithala village, Budh Vihar, and Vijay Vihar, as per the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi. AAP's Mohinder Goyal has been the incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Rithala since 2015. Goyal preceded the office by BJP's Kulwant Rana, who won the 2008 and 2013 Delhi assembly elections from the constituency. Rithala is one of the key constituencies in the North West Delhi district. Earlier, Delhi Police had issued a notice to Goyal and his office staff to join an investigation concerning a case involving fake Aadhaar card documents, in which several Bangladeshis were arrested and fake Aadhaar cards were recovered. Goyal had dismissed the allegations as "politically motivated." The Delhi Assembly elections will take place in a single phase on February 5, with the vote counting scheduled for February 8. (ANI)
Jan. 31LIVERMORE FALLS  A Livermore Falls man is expected to be extradited to Colorado after he was charged Friday with sexual exploitation of a child in Broomfield County, Colorado.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested 29-year-old Patrick Byrne on two counts of sexual exploitation of child, according to a news release.

A warrant for Byrne's arrest was issued in Colorado on Nov. 4, 2024, according to the Marshals Service. When he was arrested, he was also charged with being a fugitive from justice.

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"Based upon an investigation from the United States Marshals Service, Maine Violent Offender Task Force, Investigators developed information that Byrne was currently residing in Maine," according to the release. "Through a collaborative effort, the USMS, Maine Violent Offender Task Force was able to locate Byrne and safely apprehend him at a residence in Livermore Falls, Maine. Byrne was charged as a fugitive from justice and is pending extradition back to Colorado."

The news release did not provide details about the crimes for which Byrne is accused.

Byrne is being held without bail at the Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn.

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DES MOINES, Iowa  A fight between students at Des Moines Public Schools Central Campus on Friday led to the discovery of a loaded handgun.

According to the Des Moines Police Department, at around 1:19 p.m. officers responded to Central Campus on a report of a fight between two students. When officers arrived at the scene school staff had already separated the two students. One student suffered a minor facial injury in the fight, police said.

When officers took the other student involved, a 17-year-old who was determined to be the aggressor, into custody they discovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun on him, DMPD said.

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The 17-year-old has been referred to juvenile court for charges of Carrying Weapons on School Grounds and Assault Causing Injury.

Stanhope man arrested for burning his house down, sheriff says

Des Moines Public Schools released the following statement to parents Friday afternoon about the incident:

Central Campus initiated a HOLD action this afternoon during a fight among three students. HOLD means students cleared the hallways and remained in their classrooms with the doors closed while classes continued. The HOLD lasted for about 20 minutes. Our staff brought the situation under control and called DMPS Public Safety and Des Moines police for assistance. When the police officers searched one of the students, they found a loaded handgun. The student was taken into custody and will not be returning to DMPS. We thank our leadership and staff at Central Campus for their quick action, and DMPS Public Safety and Des Moines police for their assistance. DMPS

Metro News:

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COITSVILLE, Ohio (WKBN)  A local tie to Thursdays release of an Israeli hostage and his connection to an area church.

80-year-old Gadi Moses was among the eight hostages released by Hamas.

Last year on Holocaust Remembrance Day, Victory Church in Coitsville hosted his niece. Efrat Machikawa shared her experience of having a family member held hostage.

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Victory Pastor Juan Rivera had been praying for his safe return.

This is my bible. And I read Psalms 83 every morning for the hostages, and Ive got a note card with the names of different friends who have children in the IDF, different families that I have met in Israel, but also Gadi Moses has been here now for many months.

Rivera leaves Monday for a trip to Israel with thirty other pastors. Hes hoping to meet Gadi Moses.

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Chad Michael Sadlowski, of St. Johns County, has been sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to the United States Attorneys Office.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

According to a news release, court records revealed an undercover detective with the Clay County Sheriffs Office was posing online as the uncle of an 8-year-old female. From Apr. 25, 2024, through Apr. 28, 2024, Sadlowski messaged with the undercover detective.

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Sadlowski wrote a variety of sexually explicit messages and expressed a desire to have sex with the 8-year-old.

He agreed to meet at a local gas station to have sex with the minor.

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Sadlowski was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office while driving to the location. He was in his hospital scrubs as he planned to go to his job at Mayo Clinic after the illegal encounter.

According to the news release, after being arrested, he admitted to traveling to meet a child for sex, talking to minors online, and asking them for inappropriate photos.

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READ: Mayo Clinic therapist arrested on child sex charges

This investigation highlights the ever-present threat for children online, and this predators reprehensible actions demonstrate a coldhearted disregard for the life and well-being of a child, Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge, said in the release.

Sadlowski pled guilty in Oct. 2024.

He was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

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RAYNE, La. (KLFY)  As someone with a genuine passion for education, Elise Boutin has already been recognized as a 2025 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. But now her list of accomplishments continues as she packed her bags for New Orleans to become only the second recipient of the Norma Hunt Super Bowl Champion of Education Award.



Norma Hunt is the wife of the late Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, and until her passing in 2023 was the only woman to attend every Super Bowl.

As a way to carry on her legacy, the Chiefs introduced the Norma Hunt Super Bowl Champion of Education Award which is given to a woman in education that will attend the big game in Hunts place.

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The award was given out for the first time last year to Kayla McClellan who attended the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.



Carrying on the legacy of the award continues with Elise Boutin, an English teacher at Rayne High School in Rayne, Louisiana. Since the big game is in Louisiana, Boutin tells News 10 the Chiefs reached out to the New Orleans Saints to find a teacher deserving of the award, saying And it was me. And so they surprised me and offered me the award and said I was going to get to go to the Super Bowl.



As teacher of the year, Boutin has already attended National Education Conferences and worked with state government including Governor Jeff Landry to be a voice for teachers.

With all of the recognition, including the award shell receive at the Super Bowl, Boutin credits the work ethic and passion shes gained for her field to educators shes met and worked with along the way

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Boutin says, I dont even know how to explain that. Like, why me? You know, its like, I know I work hard, but so do countless others around me. So if I can help use these experiences to get our school some recognition because they deserve it, our students work hard We have a great staff here. We have a great school. And so if I can help bring some recognition to our area, then Ill gladly take it. And maybe Ill meet Taylor Swift.



And with that trip to New Orleans quickly approaching, Boutin said she looks forward to continuing to meet more people in education and working to improve the education system in the state.



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New London  The City Council on Monday night will discuss and possibly approve a nearly $300,000 contract for the design of a rehabilitated city pier, part of a $3 million project to be paid for by an offshore wind company.

The proposed contract calls for hiring the Mohawk Northeast, Inc. marine engineer firm, which has offices in Groton, to inspect the ramshackle elbow pier jutting out from the Fort Trumbull peninsula and design a new version able to handle seafood loading and off-loading operations.

This work is meant to address years of deferred maintenance at that pier, city Director of Planning and Development Felix Reyes said Friday. Its not been invested in. This is the city giving assurances to businesses that the fishing industry will continue to grow.

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The city leases both the elbow pier and the nearby Stone Pier to New London Seafood Distributors, Inc., a private fishing operation, for $2,700 a month, with $300 of those payments covering use of the elbow pier.

On Friday, three fishing vessels  the Destiny, the All for Joy II and the Mystic Way  were moored near the splintered pier used by the former Naval Underwater System Centers fire department decades ago before the city took ownership of the structure.

The cost of the upgrade project will be covered by a 2018 donation by the Deepwater Wind firm, later purchased by the Danish Wind company rsted and renamed Revolution Wind. In exchange for using a then undeveloped portion of State Pier, Deepwater agreed to donate $3 million to help shore up support with the local fishing industry.

That money was turned over to the city in June 2023 and a portion was previously used to fund a 2020 study of three city-owned piers: the elbow, the Amistad and Stone. Study results were forwarded to city, Connecticut Port Authority and Renaissance City Development Association officials, who all recommended using the money to rehab elbow pier.

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That recommendation was met by skepticism by some City Council members last year who said they werent at the time privy to the study documents or its conclusions.

Councilor John Satti, who raised issues about the project in October, including the locations relationship to a nearby parcel of land sold to a private company but not yet developed, said Friday the majority of his concerns have been addressed.

Thats not to say I wont be asking questions on Monday, he said, adding he was pleased the proposed pre-construction contract underwent a bidding process.

Planned work at the pier includes the replacement of 48 cross braces and 23 rubber strip fenders, along with piling work and the addition of new steel cleats, ladders and light poles.

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Reyes said Mohawk is expected to handle the repair work under a separate construction contract.

Once the work is complete, a decision will be made on whether to continue leasing the pier to the current tenant or to another company.

A work timeline submitted by Mohawk calls for a 20-day pier inspection period in late April, followed by preliminary design production and permit reviews by September.

The City Council will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday in City Hall.

j.penney@theday.com
A London man who filed an open records request seeking information related to a fatal police shooting in Laurel County says officials from the county 911 center interfered with his package containing public records related to the incident.

Elijah Jarvis, of London, said he filed an open records request last week for information related to the shooting of Douglas Harless, who died after being shot by a London police officer shot him at his home on Vanzant Road Dec. 23.

But Jarvis said in an interview Friday night that when he went to Federal Express to pick up the package containing the records, he discovered that two officials who work for the London-Laurel County 911 Center had arrived there before him, opened the package and were in the process of removing information from it.

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The London-Laurel County 911 Communications Center posted a statement on Facebook Friday, explaining that they had inadvertently left phone numbers and addresses of private citizens in the documents that needed to be redacted.

The situation  intercepting a fulfilled records request to redact information  is unprecedented in my experience, said Amye Bensenhaver, co-director of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition and a former assistant attorney general.

Some mistake was made somewhere along the line, Bensenhaver said.

Jarvis said the incident began when he received a notification from Federal Express Thursday afternoon that his package required a signature for pickup.

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When I arrived at FedEx, the lady went to the back to retrieve my package, Jarvis wrote in a Facebook post. She returned and informed me that the two men standing a few feet away from me had my package.

The men were Larry Walls, director of the London-Laurel County 911 Communications Center, and Tyler Pearce, assistant director.

Jarvis asked Walls and Pearce what they were doing, and they said, The city had sent them down there to redact and remove information from my open records request, Jarvis said in the interview.

A statement signed by Walls and Pearce and posted on Facebook by the 911 center said the center shipped Jarvis a response to his open records request on Wednesday, but one day later they realized that we left some personal, private information unredacted pertaining to private citizens.

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They said the chairman of the 911 center board, David Williams, told them to go to FedEx to try to get the package back if it hadnt been delivered, so the documents could be redacted.

When we arrived at FedEx, we were told the package had not been delivered and FedEx returned the package to us at our request, the statement says. We then redacted the telephone numbers and addresses of private citizens. We then realized that Elijah Jarvis also arrived at FedEx after we did. When FedEx told us that Elijah Jarvis was there to get the package, we showed him the redactions we had made, and gave him all the documents he requested.

At no time did we take possession back of any documents. We gave Elijah Jarvis everything that had been shipped in the package. We only redacted the private information with a black marker.

Jarvis said he had asked in his open records request for records related to a call between Laurel County Judge-Executive David Westerfield and an officer with the London Police Department that was handled by the 911 dispatch center the day after the shooting. Jarvis said the audio from the call was posted on YouTube Jan. 8, and he was interested in learning how that happened.

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In the call, Westerfield and the officer discussed the investigation into items stolen from property owned by Westerfield. Law enforcement officers were trying to serve a warrant to recover the stolen items when they went to Harless home late at night, apparently because of an incongruity between house numbers, and shot him when he pointed a gun at them.

I wanted to know who had access to this audio ... who received it and the timeline, Jarvis said.

Officials eventually handed over the redacted documents, but they left even more questions, Jarvis said.

Bensenhaver, who leads the Kentucky Open Government Coalition, said if someone inadvertently fulfills a records request without redacting information, the key legal issue would be just how sensitive that information is.

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She said it could be argued that the agency waived its right to keep the information private under exemptions to the open records law when it mailed the documents.

But she said a court has previously ruled that its better not to exacerbate the harm caused by the agency in releasing protected information, such as the name of a confidential informant.

You dont want someone to be harmed because of the ... incompetence of the public agency, she said. Primarily, I think that a court would want  and I think the attorney general would want  the proper outcome.

Ultimately, she noted, Jarvis got the records.

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But she also noted that if information is redacted, the law requires agencies to explain what was removed and their justification for removing it.

At the least, Bensenhaver said, Its a teachable moment for public agencies to not be so ... reckless about what their duties are.

It just is another example of agencies not putting forth their best effort to get things right in the first place, she said. The circumstances are certainly an embarrassment.

London Mayor Randall Weddle said in an interview Friday night that he was not involved in the handling of the open records request or the decision to go retrieve the package, but he said he thinks the officials just caught an error and mustve gone to try to fix it.

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These are good boys, he said.

Jarvis said he has spoken with the FBI and a lawyer about the incident. He said hes also planning to attend a London City Council meeting Monday to raise questions about the situation.

In my opinion, its very unethical, he said. Its a violation of my 4th Amendment rights. Im not just going to let this go.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Long John Silvers is reopening its Springfield location with a brand new look.

On Feb. 3, the restaurant will reopen to serve customers in a new building at 717 N. Limestone St. in Springfield. The building is expected to remind guests of the sea, and features a clean and bright design.

Jessica Radcliffe, director of operations at Long John Silvers, said the company is ready to dive back into The Champion City.

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We are excited to set sail again in Springfield, said Radcliffe. The modernized restaurant design creates a welcoming harbor for guests to gather and dine or grab a meal on the go. While we may have a new look, you will still find the same delicious seafood and bell-ringing service you expect from Long John Silvers.

From Sundays through Thursdays, the location will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
EL PASO (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE)  On a recent windy, cold afternoon in this border city, dozens of people gathered at a park for an immigrant rights demonstration to denounce the Trump administrations immigration policies. Some held signs reading: Immigrants Make America Great.

Alan, a local police officer, and his wife came and held a Mexican flag. He said he joined the demonstration because he worries about his father, an undocumented immigrant who works at a farm in southern New Mexico.

Alan said he voted for Donald Trump because of worries about the economy and because he believes Trump is pro-police and would combat the publics negative perception of law enforcement. He said he believed Trumps promises to make everyday items affordable for middle-class families.

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But after two weeks of Trump in the White House, Alan  who declined to give his last name because he fears retaliation against his father  said he now regrets his vote. Partly because he was angered when Trump granted clemency to people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

And, he added, I just dont agree with how hes going about the mass deportations.

In his first week in office, Trump issued nearly a dozen executive orders, many of them targeting the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The Trump administration gave federal officers a national quota to arrest at least 1,200 undocumented immigrants every day  double the highest daily average in the past 10 years.

The sudden appearance of immigration officers combing the streets of Texas cities, which set off a flurry of social media posts as people documented their presence, has put undocumented Texans, educators, religious leaders, and business owners, among others, on edge, bracing themselves for the worst.

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Theres definitely a lot of fear going on, said Ramiro Luna of Somos Tejas, a Dallas-based nonprofit focused on Latino civic engagement. Our community feels threatened, and while were doing our best to provide information and peace of mind, its incredibly difficult. People are afraid to come to any gathering  even to get basic necessities.

Undocumented and legal immigrants alike describe feeling anxious, angry, hopeless. Some say theyre changing their daily routines to reduce their chances of being swept up by immigration agents on the prowl.

Some classrooms once filled with the chatter of students now sit eerily quiet. Many undocumented parents, terrified of immigration raids, are keeping their children home. Some families, afraid of even the shortest drive, consolidate trips. Stepping outside feels risky.

Undocumented immigrants who have crossed the border without permission can be prosecuted for illegal entry, which is a misdemeanor. Immigrants who entered the U.S. legally but overstayed their visa have violated administrative immigration rules, which is not considered a crime. Federal courts have also ruled that living in the U.S. without legal status is not a crime.

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Still, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. government now considers undocumented immigrants criminals  whether or not they have been convicted of a crime.

I know the last administration didnt 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.

Caitlin Patler, a public policy associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said Trump and other Republican leaders dehumanized immigrants during last years election cycle and constantly linked them to crime.

Immigrants were scapegoated throughout the entire presidential campaign, she said. Theyre convinced they are part of the crime problem, even though all evidence points to the contrary.

Deported in the Rio Grande Valley

Geovanna Galvan is reeling from what she said is the unfair deportation of her father  who was recently cited for impeding traffic by a police officer from Primera, a small town in Cameron County.

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On Wednesday, Jaime Galvan Sanchez, 47, was driving a tractor on a road near the farm where hes worked for more than 10 years when a police officer stopped him. Less than 24 hours later, he was deported to Mexico, Galvan said.

Galvan, 29, said the police officer asked her father if he had any proof of legal residence. When he said he didnt, the officer called federal immigration authorities.

Galvan Sanchez was able to call his daughter to tell her he was being detained by U.S. Border Patrol. She tracked his cellphone to a Border Patrol station in Harlingen and drove there with documents  utility bills, tax documents and property records  to prove he had lived in the U.S. for more than two decades, but she said officers didnt allow her to see her father.

She was told her father would be allowed to call her, but she didnt hear from him until the next morning when he called from Reynosa, a Mexican border city across the Rio Grande from McAllen.

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They just treated him as if he was nothing, Galvan said.

She said immigration authorities deported him based on a misdemeanor theft conviction from 1991. But she is adamant that he couldnt have committed the crime because he wouldve been 14 at the time and he arrived in the U.S. from Mexico in his 20s.

My dad is not that person, she said.

Her biggest worry is her 10-year-old brother, who suffers from epilepsy and hyperinsulinemia  an excess of insulin in the blood  and depends on their dads income to afford his medication.

Its not fair theyre separating families, especially when you have children or kids that need their parents, she said. My little brother needs my dad.

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Both her father and mother are undocumented but prior to this week, she had never been worried that her family would be vulnerable to deportation because she believed authorities would only target people with criminal records.

Now my little brother doesnt want to go to school because he thinks that when he comes home, my mom is not going to be there, she said.

Primera officials did not respond to the Tribunes request for comment but issued a statement on Facebook stating that its police officers do not participate in deportation efforts.

On Friday, immigration authorities allowed Galvan Sanchez to re-enter the U.S. with an ankle monitor and a notice to appear before a judge in March, according to his attorney, Jaime Diez.

Anxiety in schools

The anxiety reaches deep into schools. Many parents have reached out to ImmSchools, a nonprofit organization that supports educators and immigrant students, for guidance, unsure how to comfort students or reassure parents that school is still safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Teachers, too, are struggling. At a recent virtual Know Your Rights session by the nonprofit about 150 parents and educators shared stories of how fear has upended their daily routines  students breaking down in tears, fearful that their parents will be deported while they sit in class.

The Trump administration also has said that immigration agents are allowed to enter public schools, health care facilities and places of worship to arrest undocumented immigrants. Previous administrations had prevented agents from entering those sites.

A family mentioned that they are eight minutes away from school, but even those eight minutes from and to [school] felt like too much, said Lorena Tule-Romain, co-founder of ImmSchools. They were asking if there are online schools or can schools provide virtual zoom classes instead.

For students, the emotional toll is immediate. Teachers have told the organization that some children are withdrawn, others refuse to participate in class and many are visibly anxious.

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How they show up in the classroom, their mental health, their confidence  its all affected by their immigration status, Tule-Romain said.

Brenda Gonzalez, the organizations Texas-based associate director, said teachers are reporting low attendance in classes. She said absences put students at risk of falling behind or even being held back because students have to complete a certain number of hours to be promoted to the next grade level.

Legal advice for immigrants

Dallas-based immigration attorney Daniel Stewart said permanent residents are rushing to apply for citizenship, while immigrants who have been given Temporary Protected Status, especially Venezuelans, are desperate for more permanent protections, fearing the next policy change could strip them of their legal status.

Temporary Protected Status is a program Congress created in 1990 that allows immigrants from countries struck by natural disasters or deemed too dangerous by the government to live and work in the U.S.

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Theres a lot of trepidation, Stewart said. People are worried about what will happen to their pending cases and whether theyll still be protected under new policies.

Stewart notes that Trumps more aggressive executive orders and rhetoric are fueling uncertainty. For undocumented immigrants, he stresses the importance of staying out of legal trouble because even minor offenses could lead to detention and deportation.

Unfortunately, many undocumented individuals have no path to protection. Its tough, he said. My advice is obey the law, stay informed, and seek legal counsel when needed.

Mexican government offers app for emergencies

At the Mexican Consulate in Dallas, the phone keeps ringing  worried voices asking urgent questions: What should I do if immigration officers stop me? Who do I call if Im detained? Is it safe to go to work?

In response, the consulate has ramped up its efforts to support Mexican nationals living in the U.S., expanding legal services and launching new tools to ensure immigrants have access to help when they need it most.

Consul General Francisco de la Torre says he is trying to reassure the community that they are not alone.

We stand with you, especially during these dark, challenging times, he said.

One of the Mexican governments efforts to help its citizens in the U.S. is the ConsulApp Contigo, a mobile application available on Android and iOS that lets users store family contact information, and if they are detained, a single press of a button alerts their relatives and the nearest Mexican consulate.

Its not a panic button, de la Torre said, but it ensures that your loved ones and the Mexican government know something is happening.

The consulate has a network of more than 300 law firms across the U.S. to provide legal assistance, particularly in immigration, criminal, and family law cases. In Dallas-Fort Worth alone, hundreds of lawyers are available to offer guidance  no appointment necessary.

As fear spreads, so does misinformation, especially on social media, said de la Torre. Rumors of massive workplace raids have fueled panic, with some immigrants afraid to leave their homes.

De la Torre urges the community to rely on verified sources for information. He said they maintain regular communications with the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, which sits just across the freeway from the consulate.

Our role is not to cut off dialogue  its to improve it, he said. Clear communication allows us to better protect the human rights of our community.

The consulate provides a 24-hour emergency services for cases involving detention, deportation, repatriation, and rights violations. Mexican citizens in Texas can call 520-623-7874 for immediate assistance.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu lauded the Union Budget presented by the Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday. Calling it a "pro-people and progressive budget," CM Naidu claimed that the budget prioritises the welfare of large sections of society. "This budget reflects the vision for a Viksit Bharat under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It prioritises the welfare of women, the poor, youth, and farmers, while also identifying six key sectors for growth over the next five years," CM Naidu said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Echoing the sentiment of providing relief to the middle class, and being a step towards national prosperity the post added, "The budget marks a significant step towards national prosperity. It serves as a comprehensive and inclusive blueprint, promising a prosperous future for our country. Additionally, it brings tax relief for the middle class, the backbone of our country's economy. I welcome this budget." In the budget announcement by the Union Finance Minister, it was announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing substantial relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. For salaried taxpayers, the limit would be Rs 12.75 lakh rupees, accounting for Rs 75,000 of the standard deduction. Sitharaman also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. Sitharaman said, "Slabs and rates are being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers. The new structure will substantially reduce the taxes of the middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and investment." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed the Union Budget 2025 as a "Force Multiplier" for India's development journey, describing it as a "budget of aspirations" for 140 crore Indians. "This is the budget of the aspirations of 140 crore Indians, this is a budget that fulfils the dreams of every Indian," PM Modi stated. The PM further hailed the announcement of tax relief for middle-class citizens. "In this budget, income up to Rs 12 lakh per annum has been made tax-free. For all income groups, taxes have been reduced. It will hugely benefit our middle class. Similarly, it will be an opportunity for the people who have recently joined the workforce," PM Modi added. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the "comprehensive" and "visionary" Budget. Highlighting the Union government's decision to exempt income tax up to Rs 12 lakh, Shah said that the middle class is always in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the 2025 Budget in the Parliament. (ANI)
EL PASO  On a recent windy, cold afternoon in this border city, dozens of people gathered at a park for an immigrant rights demonstration to denounce the Trump administrations immigration policies. Some held signs reading: Immigrants Make America Great.

Alan, a local police officer, and his wife came and held a Mexican flag. He said he joined the demonstration because he worries about his father, an undocumented immigrant who works at a farm in southern New Mexico.

Alan said he voted for Donald Trump because of worries about the economy and because he believes Trump is pro-police and would combat the publics negative perception of law enforcement. He said he believed Trumps promises to make everyday items affordable for middle-class families.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

But after two weeks of Trump in the White House, Alan  who declined to give his last name because he fears retaliation against his father  said he now regrets his vote. Partly because he was angered when Trump granted clemency to people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

And, he added, I just dont agree with how hes going about the mass deportations.

In his first week in office, Trump issued nearly a dozen executive orders, many of them targeting the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. The Trump administration gave federal officers a national quota to arrest at least 1,200 undocumented immigrants every day  double the highest daily average in the past 10 years.

The sudden appearance of immigration officers combing the streets of Texas cities, which set off a flurry of social media posts as people documented their presence, has put undocumented Texans, educators, religious leaders, and business owners, among others, on edge, bracing themselves for the worst.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

"Theres definitely a lot of fear going on," said Ramiro Luna of Somos Tejas, a Dallas-based nonprofit focused on Latino civic engagement. "Our community feels threatened, and while were doing our best to provide information and peace of mind, its incredibly difficult. People are afraid to come to any gathering  even to get basic necessities.

Undocumented and legal immigrants alike describe feeling anxious, angry, hopeless. Some say theyre changing their daily routines to reduce their chances of being swept up by immigration agents on the prowl.

Some classrooms once filled with the chatter of students now sit eerily quiet. Many undocumented parents, terrified of immigration raids, are keeping their children home. Some families, afraid of even the shortest drive, consolidate trips. Stepping outside feels risky.

Undocumented immigrants who have crossed the border without permission can be prosecuted for illegal entry, which is a misdemeanor. Immigrants who entered the U.S. legally but overstayed their visa have violated administrative immigration rules, which is not considered a crime. Federal courts have also ruled that living in the U.S. without legal status is not a crime.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Still, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. government now considers undocumented immigrants criminals  whether or not they have been convicted of a crime.

"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, she said.

Caitlin Patler, a public policy associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said Trump and other Republican leaders dehumanized immigrants during last years election cycle and constantly linked them to crime.

Immigrants were scapegoated throughout the entire presidential campaign, she said. They're convinced they are part of the crime problem, even though all evidence points to the contrary.

Deported in the Rio Grande Valley

Geovanna Galvan is reeling from what she said is the unfair deportation of her father  who was recently cited for impeding traffic by a police officer from Primera, a small town in Cameron County.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

On Wednesday, Jaime Galvan Sanchez, 47, was driving a tractor on a road near the farm where hes worked for more than 10 years when a police officer stopped him. Less than 24 hours later, he was deported to Mexico, Galvan said.

Galvan, 29, said the police officer asked her father if he had any proof of legal residence. When he said he didn't, the officer called federal immigration authorities.

Galvan Sanchez was able to call his daughter to tell her he was being detained by U.S. Border Patrol. She tracked his cellphone to a Border Patrol station in Harlingen and drove there with documents  utility bills, tax documents and property records  to prove he had lived in the U.S. for more than two decades, but she said officers didnt allow her to see her father.

She was told her father would be allowed to call her, but she didn't hear from him until the next morning when he called from Reynosa, a Mexican border city across the Rio Grande from McAllen.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

"They just treated him as if he was nothing," Galvan said.

She said immigration authorities deported him based on a misdemeanor theft conviction from 1991. But she is adamant that he couldn't have committed the crime because he would've been 14 at the time and he arrived in the U.S. from Mexico in his 20s.

"My dad is not that person," she said.

Her biggest worry is her 10-year-old brother, who suffers from epilepsy and hyperinsulinemia  an excess of insulin in the blood  and depends on their dads income to afford his medication.

"It's not fair they're separating families, especially when you have children or kids that need their parents, she said. My little brother needs my dad."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Both her father and mother are undocumented but prior to this week, she had never been worried that her family would be vulnerable to deportation because she believed authorities would only target people with criminal records.

"Now my little brother doesn't want to go to school because he thinks that when he comes home, my mom is not going to be there," she said.

Primera officials did not respond to the Tribunes request for comment but issued a statement on Facebook stating that its police officers do not participate in deportation efforts.

On Friday, immigration authorities allowed Galvan Sanchez to re-enter the U.S. with an ankle monitor and a notice to appear before a judge in March, according to his attorney, Jaime Diez.

Anxiety in schools

The anxiety reaches deep into schools. Many parents have reached out to ImmSchools, a nonprofit organization that supports educators and immigrant students, for guidance, unsure how to comfort students or reassure parents that school is still safe.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Teachers, too, are struggling. At a recent virtual Know Your Rights session by the nonprofit about 150 parents and educators shared stories of how fear has upended their daily routines  students breaking down in tears, fearful that their parents will be deported while they sit in class.

The Trump administration also has said that immigration agents are allowed to enter public schools, health care facilities and places of worship to arrest undocumented immigrants. Previous administrations had prevented agents from entering those sites.

"A family mentioned that they are eight minutes away from school, but even those eight minutes from and to [school] felt like too much, said Lorena Tule-Romain, co-founder of ImmSchools. They were asking if there are online schools or can schools provide virtual zoom classes instead.

For students, the emotional toll is immediate. Teachers have told the organization that some children are withdrawn, others refuse to participate in class and many are visibly anxious.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

"How they show up in the classroom, their mental health, their confidence  its all affected by their immigration status," Tule-Romain said.

Brenda Gonzalez, the organization's Texas-based associate director, said teachers are reporting low attendance in classes. She said absences put students at risk of falling behind or even being held back because students have to complete a certain number of hours to be promoted to the next grade level.

Legal advice for immigrants

Dallas-based immigration attorney Daniel Stewart said permanent residents are rushing to apply for citizenship, while immigrants who have been given Temporary Protected Status, especially Venezuelans, are desperate for more permanent protections, fearing the next policy change could strip them of their legal status.

Temporary Protected Status is a program Congress created in 1990 that allows immigrants from countries struck by natural disasters or deemed too dangerous by the government to live and work in the U.S.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

Theres a lot of trepidation," Stewart said. People are worried about what will happen to their pending cases and whether theyll still be protected under new policies."

Stewart notes that Trumps more aggressive executive orders and rhetoric are fueling uncertainty. For undocumented immigrants, he stresses the importance of staying out of legal trouble because even minor offenses could lead to detention and deportation.

Unfortunately, many undocumented individuals have no path to protection. Its tough," he said. "My advice is obey the law, stay informed, and seek legal counsel when needed."

Mexican government offers app for emergencies

At the Mexican Consulate in Dallas, the phone keeps ringing  worried voices asking urgent questions: What should I do if immigration officers stop me? Who do I call if Im detained? Is it safe to go to work?

In response, the consulate has ramped up its efforts to support Mexican nationals living in the U.S., expanding legal services and launching new tools to ensure immigrants have access to help when they need it most.

Consul General Francisco de la Torre says he is trying to reassure the community that they are not alone.

We stand with you, especially during these dark, challenging times, he said.

One of the Mexican governments efforts to help its citizens in the U.S. is the ConsulApp Contigo, a mobile application available on Android and iOS that lets users store family contact information, and if they are detained, a single press of a button alerts their relatives and the nearest Mexican consulate.

"Its not a panic button, de la Torre said, but it ensures that your loved ones and the Mexican government know something is happening.

The consulate has a network of more than 300 law firms across the U.S. to provide legal assistance, particularly in immigration, criminal, and family law cases. In Dallas-Fort Worth alone, hundreds of lawyers are available to offer guidance  no appointment necessary.

As fear spreads, so does misinformation, especially on social media, said de la Torre. Rumors of massive workplace raids have fueled panic, with some immigrants afraid to leave their homes.

De la Torre urges the community to rely on verified sources for information. He said they maintain regular communications with the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, which sits just across the freeway from the consulate.

Our role is not to cut off dialogue  its to improve it, he said. Clear communication allows us to better protect the human rights of our community.

The consulate provides a 24-hour emergency services for cases involving detention, deportation, repatriation, and rights violations. Mexican citizens in Texas can call 520-623-7874 for immediate assistance.

Disclosure: Facebook has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Louisiana elementary school students are seeing improvements in standardized test scores thanks to a $30 million High-Dosage Tutoring Initiative, state leaders say.

At Jefferson Terrace Academy, educators showcased how the program has helped raise Louisianas rankings on the Nations Report Card.

Gov. Jeff Landry celebrates as Louisiana students rankings move up in Nations Report Card

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State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley emphasized the programs challenges and progress.

Were still in the stream on this. We have work to do. To take something to scale like this statewide is hard. Its difficult. No other state has done it, he said.

Brumley said the tutoring program consists of 10-week sessions, held three times a week for 30 minutes.

Louisiana has been long challenged educationally. We are trying to implement comprehensive education reform to take the state to the next level, Brumley said.

East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole explained the flexible approach.

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What ends up happening isyou can do it one of two waysteachers can go in and work in small groups of no more than four students on the skills they need in order to get to grade level, or we can use our partners, and specialized online programs so they can do it on their own, Cole said.

State leaders said the funding has allowed schools to bring in college students, teachers, and trained tutors, creating a safe and productive learning environment.

According to the Nations Report Card, the initiative is already showing positive resultsespecially in fourth-grade reading scores in Louisiana, which have jumped from last place to 16th nationwide this year.

Latest News

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a New York doctor indicted on Friday by a Louisiana grand jury for allegedly prescribing abortion pills online to a pregnant minor in the Deep South state, which has one of the strictest near-total abortion bans in the country.

Grand jurors at the District Court for the Parish of West Baton Rouge unanimously issued an indictment against Dr. Margaret Carpenter; her company, Nightingale Medical, PC; and the minors mother. All three were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, a felony.

In addition to Carpenter, an arrest warrant was issued for the mother, who has not been publicly identified to protect the identity of the minor. District Attorney Tony Clayton told The Associated Press that the mother turned herself in to police on Friday.

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The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and opened the door for states to have strict anti-abortion laws.

We expect Dr. Carpenter to come to Louisiana and answer to these charges, and if 12 people (a jury) think shes innocent then, let it go, Clayton said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a video posted on social media, I will never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the state of Louisiana under any extradition requests, signaling a potential legal battle between the states.

Last year, the Port Allen, Louisiana, woman requested abortion medication online from Carpenter for her daughter, whose age has not been specified. Clayton said the request was made through a questionnaire only and no consultation with the girl.

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A cocktail of pills was mailed to the woman who directed her daughter to take the pill, Clayton said.

After taking the drug, the girl experienced a medical emergency while alone, called 911 and was transported to the hospital where she was treated. While responding to the emergency, a police officer learned about the pills and under further investigation found that a doctor in New York state had supplied the drugs and turned their findings over to Claytons office.

It is unclear how far along the girl was in her pregnancy.

The (adult) mother has since been arrested, but the other person we believe is just as culpable here is the person who sat in an office, wrapped a box of pills, put a stamp on the box and mailed it to the state of Louisiana for a child to take, Clayton said.

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Carpenter was sued in December by the Texas attorney general under similar allegations of sending pills to that state. That case did not involve criminal charges.

Carpenter did not immediately return a message from the AP.

The indictment comes just months after Louisiana became the first state with a law reclassifying both mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The drugs are still allowed, but medical personnel must take extra steps to access them.

Under the legislation, if someone knowingly possesses either medication without a valid prescription, they could be fined up to $5,000 and sent to jail for one to five years. The law carves out protections for pregnant women who obtain the drug without a prescription to take on their own.

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I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, said in a statement on Friday.

Abortion opponents and reproductive rights groups alike flooded social media scrutinizing the indictment.

We cannot continue to allow forced birth extremists to interfere with our ability to access necessary healthcare, Chasity Wilson, executive director of the Louisiana Abortion Fund, said in a statement. Extremists hope this case will cause a chilling effect, further tying the hands of doctors who took an oath to care for their patients.

Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, Louisiana has had a near-total abortion ban, without any exceptions for rape or incest. Under the law, physicians convicted of performing an illegal abortion, including one with pills, face up to 15 years in prison, $200,000 in fines and the loss of their medical license.

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Make no mistake, since Roe v Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights, the Abortion Coalition of Telemedicine, where Carpenter is one of the founders, said in a statement. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.

Fridays indictment could be the first direct test of New Yorks shield laws, which are intended to protect prescribers who use telehealth to provide abortion pills to patients in states where abortion is banned. New York Attorney General Letitia James said we will not allow bad actors to undermine our providers ability to deliver critical care.

This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American, James added.

Pills have become the most common means of abortion in the US, accounting for nearly two-thirds of them by 2023. Theyre also at the center of political and legal action over abortion. In January, a judge let three states continue to challenge federal government approvals for how one of the drugs usually involved can be prescribed.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A Many man has been sentenced to prison for for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to a press release, acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Huey P. Scott, Jr., 63, has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Officials say Scott was found guilty of the charge by a federal jury on September 18, 2024, following a three-day trial.

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Shreveport police prepping for Mardi Gras parades

United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Scott to 151 months (12 years, 7 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on the drug trafficking charge. Officials say evidence at the jury trial established that agents with the Sabine Parish Sheriffs Offices Tactical Narcotics Team conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Scott at his residence in Many, Louisiana, on three separate occasions in 2022.

According to the press release, agents found that Scott was a frequent user and distributor of methamphetamine, and it was proven that he sold the drugs.

After law enforcement conducted multiple controlled buys, agents executed a search warrant and arrested Scott at his residence. During the search of Scotts property, agents found and seized a duffel bag containing a clear plastic bag which had approximately 139.31 grams of methamphetamine. In another bag, agents found what appeared to be smaller baggies containing smaller quantities of methamphetamine.

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Officials say the seized drugs were tested by the North Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory and found to be methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sabine Parish Sheriffs Offices Tactical Narcotics Team and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Shannon and Earl M. Campbell.

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A Louisiana district attorney is prosecuting a New York doctor and West Baton Rouge Parish mother who allegedly provided abortion pills to her minor daughter. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

A Baton Rouge-area grand jury indicted a New York doctor and a Louisiana mother Friday on felony charges for allegedly providing an illegal abortion with drugs obtained through the mail.

It is the first criminal case of its kind in the country since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, which triggered Louisianas strict abortion ban.

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Dr. Margaret Carpenter, her company, Nightingale Medical, and the mother of the minor in question were all indicted in the 18th Judicial District Court. The Illuminator is not identifying the mother in order to protect the minors identity. The news was first reported by WAFB-TV.

District Attorney Tony Clayton said the mother has been taken into custody. Her bond amount was not immediately available.

Prosecutors claim the mother ordered abortion medication from Carpenter, who sent it to her in the mail, and the mother reportedly gave it to her pregnant child.

The minor child was home alone, felt that she had to take the pill because of what her mother told her, Clayton said in an interview with Talk Louisiana.

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In an interview with the Illuminator, Clayton said he will be personally trying this case alongside Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Their prosecution involves a law approved in 2022, when then state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, a Slidell Republican, authored the proposal that makes it a crime to knowingly cause an abortion through medication. The pregnant person cannot be charged with a crime under this law.

It carries penalties of one to five years in prison and a fine range of $5,000-$50,000. The same measure also made it illegal to obtain such drugs through the mail from out of state.

Murrill weighed in on the indictments via social media Friday.

It is illegal to send abortion pills into this State and its illegal to coerce another into having an abortion, she said. I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law.

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The crime of coerced abortion was not cited in the indictment, but the law involving that crime is what led to Louisiana becoming the first state to reclassify mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The designation typically applies to highly addictive drugs. Mifepristone and misoprostol are not addictive, and both have multiple uses beyond abortion and are on the World Health Organizations list of essential medicines.

In his interview with Talk Louisiana, Clayton referred to the drugs as poison, comparing them to fentanyl, and said doctors cant hide behind the borders of New York to ship the medication to Louisiana. [Mifepristone and misoprostol are not related to fentanyl.]

To put a pill in commerce that ultimately [goes] into the mouth and stomach of a child, I believe that some folks have to answer to that, Clayton said. If its legal in New York, keep it up there. Dont do it down here.

New York has shield laws intended to protect telehealth providers.

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Carpenter is also being sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for allegedly sending pills to the state, but the charges are not criminal.

Carpenter is one of the founders of the Abortion Coalition of Telemedicine (ACT). In a statement to the Illuminator, ACT said it stands behind New Yorks shield laws.

The case out of Louisiana against a licensed New York doctor is the latest in a series of threats that jeopardizes womens access to reproductive healthcare throughout this country, reads the statement. Make no mistake, since Roe v. Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.

This is a developing story. It was most recently updated at 4:45 p.m. Friday.

(Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Greg LaRose for questions: info@lailluminator.com.)
New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, and Gov. Kathy Hochul insist they will not extradite a doctor from their state who has been charged in Louisiana for allegedly prescribing abortion medication for a Baton Rouge-area mother who made her pregnant minor daughter take the pills. Louisiana approved a law in 2022 that made medication abortions illegal and banned the drugs from being received from outside the state through the mail. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

A Louisiana grand jury indicted a New York doctor and a Baton Rouge-area mother Friday on felony charges for allegedly causing a criminal abortion by giving her pregnant teen daughter medication obtained through the mail.

Soon afterward, officials from both states immediately went public with their stances on the case. It is the first criminal case of its kind since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, released a video calling the charges outrageous, saying it is why she signed very tough shield laws into place protecting telehealth providers.

I will never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the state of Louisiana under any extradition request, Hochul said. Republicans are fighting to have a national abortion ban that will deny reproductive freedom to women, not just in our state, but all across America. We must stand firm and fight this.

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Shortly after the governors video was published, The Illuminator spoke with 18th Judicial District Attorney Tony Clayton, a Democrat who is prosecuting the case alongside Republican state Attorney General Liz Murrill. He said he finds it shocking that Dr. Margaret Carpenter and representatives from her clinic are not going to come to Louisiana to be arrested and taken into custody.

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You broke the law in the state of Louisiana and you ought to come down here and answer the charges, Clayton said.

Clayton was among the most ardent supporters of Republican Gov. Jeff Landrys tough on crime legislation, including his successful push to treat 17-year-old violent offenders as adults in the state criminal justice system.

Landrys office did not respond to the Illuminators request for comment, but the governor did reply to Hochuls social media post. Carpenter provided illegal abortion pills to a teen who didnt want them, Landry said. This case is about coercion. Plain and simple. he added.

Fixed it for you, @GovKathyHochul. News flash, the American people arent falling for your lies! This case is about coercion. Plain and simple. pic.twitter.com/7saVnsPJZh  Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) January 31, 2025

The teenagers mother posted bond late Friday after being taken into custody at West Baton Rouge Parish Jail. Her bond amount was not listed.

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The Illuminator is not identifying the mother to protect her daughters identity.

Clayton and Murrills prosecution involves a law approved in 2022 that makes it a crime to knowingly cause an abortion with medication. It carries penalties of one to five years in prison and a fine range of $5,000-$50,000. The same measure also made it illegal to obtain such drugs through the mail from out of state.

Clayton claims the prosecution will provide evidence that the teens mother filled out an online questionnaire to order the pills from Carpenters company, Nightingale Medical. The mother paid $150 for the medication with her credit card and received it in the mail. Clayton alleges the teens mother gave her daughter an ultimatum to take the medication or move out of her house.

The child took the pill and was home by herself, Clayton said, adding that she later started bleeding, called 911 and was taken to a hospital in an ambulance. A police officer who responded to the call initially thought the teen was experiencing a miscarriage but found out she had taken abortion pills provided from an out-of-state clinic, the district attorney said.

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Police ultimately brought the case to his office, according to Clayton.

The mothers the one who paid for it with a credit card and put the whole deal in action, he said. The doctor is being charged because [she] mailed the pill here.

Louisiana law does not allow a pregnant person to be charged with criminal abortion, and Clayton said he absolutely would not charge the minor involved.

When asked if he thought a child under the age of 18 could consent to an abortion, Clayton answered the question by tailoring it to this specific case.

The evidence will show in this case that the child had planned a gender reveal, and the child wanted to keep her baby, he said. This is not a question of her wanting to have the abortion.

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Im charging the mother because she ordered the pill, and she paid for the pill with her credit card and she gave the pill to a minor. Thats illegal in the state of Louisiana. Clayton said.

In a written statement Friday, Murrill implied the teens mother compelled her daughter to take the abortion pills.

The allegations in this case have nothing to do with reproductive health care, this is about coercion, Murrill said. This is about forcing somebody to have an abortion who didnt want one.

We investigated this case. District Attorney Tony Clayton brought it to a grand jury. The grand jury unanimously and quickly indicted, the attorney general added.

When the Illuminator asked the attorney generals office if she plans to add the crime of coerced abortion to the charges against the teens mother, spokesman Lester Duhe responded to the question by referring to her original statement.

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A separate coerced abortion law approved last year made Louisiana the first state to reclassify mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The designation typically applies to highly addictive drugs. Mifepristone and misoprostol are not addictive, and both have multiple uses beyond abortion and are on the World Health Organizations list of essential medicines.

Murrill also responded to Gov. Hochuls video post on social media.

Cheerleading for the alleged coerced abortion of a young girl is sick and barbaric, Governor Hochul, Murril wrote. Its not reproductive health care, its force.

When asked if he thought charges of coerced abortion would be added to the case, Clayton said he is focusing on the defendants dispensing, delivering, aiding and abetting and causing an abortion through the medication.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat best known for winning a civil fraud case against President Donald Trump, released her own statement about the indictment against Carpenter.

The criminalization of abortion care is a direct and brazen attack on Americans bodily autonomy and their right to reproductive freedom, James said. This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American. Medication abortion is safe, effective, and necessary, and New York will ensure that it remains available to all Americans who need it.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A night out in Tigerland took a dangerous turn when LSU student Jack Grivetti was hospitalized after being struck by an Uber.

The incident has reignited concerns about safety in the popular nightlife area, prompting city leaders to discuss possible improvements to protect students.

For many LSU students, Tigerland has long been a go-to spot for nightlife. However, after the accident involving Grivetti, some are reconsidering its safety.

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I feel like that shouldve never occurred, said LSU student Skylar Dixon.

Dixon, like many others, is now more aware of the risks.

Its always been a fun place, but things like this make you realize how quickly a night out can go wrong, she added.

Recent redistricting placed East Baton Rouge Metro Councilwoman Carolyn Coleman in charge of the Tigerland area. She said improving safety for students and residents is a top priority.

Its all about being safe, Coleman said. At that particular area, there are no sidewalks, so were talking about possibly adding sidewalks, maybe some four-way stops.

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Coleman is also working with local bars to promote safer nightlife practices and ensure that students make it home safely.

We want to be sure were adding a bit more responsibility there because our young people matter, she emphasized.

While city leaders explore long-term safety solutions, students are encouraged to look out for one another and stay alert.

Anything could happen to anybody, so its always important to be aware of your surroundings, Dixon said.

As discussions continue, both students and city officials hope to find solutions that will make Tigerland a safer place for everyone.

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KAMPALA, Uganda (AP)  After Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took control of the biggest city in eastern Congo this week, the man who emerged from the shadows to assert his leadership was not the group's long-time military leader.

Sultani Makenga, an ethnic Tutsi rebel leader sanctioned by both the U.S. and the U.N., was nowhere to be seen in Gomas Serena Hotel as the bearded Corneille Nangaa, in military fatigues, was ushered into the hall. Nangaa, who is not a Tutsi and who analysts say brings a more diverse, Congolese face to the group, told reporters of his plan to fight all the way to Kinshasa, the national capital a thousand miles away.

The spectacle was significant because it captures the evolution of M23 from an ethnic Tutsi-dominated outfit more than a decade ago to one thats now actively seeking to be seen as a Congolese nationalist group. That's the case despite the military support it gets from neighboring Rwanda, according to observers and analysts in Africas Great Lakes region.

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From election chief to rebel leader

Nangaa is the former head of Congo's electoral body who oversaw the 2018 presidential election won by President Felix Tshisekedi. He has been a controversial figure in Congolese politics for years. As the election commission chair, he oversaw the heavily criticized vote that elected Tshisekedi and led the U.S. to sanction him in 2019 for undermining Congo's democracy.

A falling-out with Congolese authorities, including a dispute over a mining concession, sent Nangaa into exile in Kenya. In 2023, he joined the Congo River Alliance, a political-military coalition including 17 parties and rebel groups opposed to the government of Tshisekedi and became a top political figure.

Besides the mining, his grievance is also believed to be due to the presidents alleged refusal to advocate for the U.S. dropping Nangaa from its sanctions list, according to Christian Moleka, a political scientist at the Congolese think tank Dypol. His perception that he had been mistreated by the authorities is what pushed him towards radicalization, Moleka said.

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An unholy matrimony

Last year, Makengas M23 joined Nangaas Congo River Alliance and with Nangaa at the helm of the revamped outfit, the M23 looked even more menacing to Congolese authorities, analysts say.

M23 is more of a threat now because the group is trying to decouple the question of self-determination in eastern Congo from evidence of Rwandan support, said Angelo Izama, an analyst with the Uganda-based Fanaka Kwawote think tank.

The rebels want to provoke a national discussion on widespread feelings of neglect in eastern Congo while gaining as much territory as possible such that they can force the Congolese state to deal with questions of genuine autonomy and to force some kind of negotiation, he said.

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Forcing political negotiations is a smart move for the rebels, the only path out of this crisis, he added.

M23 forcing local alliances in Congo

Unlike in 2012, when the M23 took Goma in a campaign led by Kinyarwanda-speaking fighters pushing mainly for their full integration into the Congolese army, this time it has a national agenda, the Crisis Group think tank said of M23 in a recent assessment.

With Nangaas Congo River Alliance as the political umbrella" for the M23, the think tank said the rebels have accumulated resources and allies that made them attractive partners not only to armed groups in eastern (Congo) but to others aiming to undermine Tshisekedi.

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This is in line with (Rwanda's) probable strategy of creating a deniable but powerful Congolese front to exact the maximum leverage over Kinshasa and confirm its dominance of North Kivu (province), at a minimum, the think tank said.

United Nations experts have asserted that some 4,000 Rwandan troops back M23 rebels in North Kivu. To take Goma, which is strategically located close to the Rwanda border, the rebels defeated Congolese government troops who long had been supported by local militias known as Wazalendo as well as U.N. and regional peacekeepers and mercenaries from Europe.

M23 was once defeated but regrouped after a failed amnesty

M23 has about 6,500 fighters, according to U.N. estimates. It emerged in 2012 as a rebel group led by Congolese ethnic Tutsis who said a 2009 agreement signed to look after their interests  including integration into the army and the return of refugees from elsewhere in east Africa  had been violated by Congos government.

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Led by Makenga, a Congolese Tutsi, M23 took Goma in a November 2012 offensive and pulled out days later under international pressure. They were later repulsed by U.N. forces fighting alongside Congolese government troops in a military campaign that forced hundreds of them to flee to Rwanda and Uganda. Makenga, a self-appointed major-general often seen wielding a herders staff in the bush, was among those who fled to Uganda.

In December 2013, with hundreds of the rebels cantoned in a remote forested area of western Uganda, M23 signed an agreement with Congos government that called for the repatriation of the rebels to Congo within a year. That proved difficult to achieve because of a dispute over the rebels demand for a blanket amnesty while Congos government wanted commanders such as Makenga tried for their alleged crimes against civilians.

In 2016, hundreds of M23 rebels fled custody in Uganda, from where they were to be airlifted back to Congo. The rebels resurfaced in 2021 and became the most potent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control in the mineral-rich territory. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates mineral deposits there to be worth $24 trillion, most of them crucial to global technology.

A new face politically motivated

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Unlike in 2012, Nangaa's selling point as the face of M23 is that he is from the Haut-Uele province and not Tutsi," said Moleka with the Dypol Congolese think tank. "This allows M23 to give itself a new, more diverse, Congolese face, as M23 has always been seen as a Rwanda-backed armed group defending Tutsi minorities, said Moleka.

The Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies, in an analysis published Wednesday, cited a shifting political calculus by sponsors" of M23. Efforts to establish a parallel civilian administration and expand the illicit exploitation of minerals suggests that the rebel group and their regional backers have longer-term objectives in holding and potentially expanding their territorial control," according to the assessment by Paul Nantulya, a Ugandan analyst with the group.

At an M23 news conference in Goma on Thursday, Nangaa said the rebels aim to set up a new administration in the city of 2 million people that's now home to hundreds of thousands of displaced Congolese. The rebels spoke to reporters of their plans to return displaced people to their homes, presenting a major challenge to Tshisekedi.

"We are here in Goma to stay as Congolese, Nangaa said. We will continue the march for liberation all the way to Kinshasa.

___

Associated Press writer Mark Banchereau in Paris contributed to this report.
MABANK, Texas (KETK)  The Henderson County Sheriffs Office said that a 22-year-old father was arrested for injury to a child on Thursday.

Former Mineola pastor wanted in new child sexual assault case

On Tuesday, the Henderson County Crimes Against Childrens Task Force started an investigation into the condition of an infant after the Cook Childrens Hospital in Fort Worth called the Henderson County Sheriffs Office to report possible abuse.

Mugshot of Paul Gonzalez, courtesy of the Henderson County Sheriffs Office.

According to the sheriffs office, the investigators on the task force determined that the injuries were allegedly caused by the infants father, Paul Gonzalez, 22 of Mabank.

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On Thursday, Gonzalez was arrested in Fort Worth on the charge of injury to a child, a first-degree felony, officials said.

Gonzalez was arraigned by Henderson County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5 Tanya Norris on Friday. Hes currently being held in the Henderson County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

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Union Industry and Supply Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday hit out at opposition parties over their remarks regarding announcements made for Bihar in the 2025 Union Budget, accusing them of being "jealous" of the development the state is receiving. He demanded that the opposition clarify whether they want Bihar to develop or not. "The people in the opposition want injustice to happen to Bihar. They are jealous because the people of Bihar have received many gifts for the state's development. The opposition must clarify their objections. Are they unhappy with development in Bihar? Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in 2014 that the government policy would be 'look east, act east'. Till the time eastern states and northeastern states aren't' developed, the country will not be developed," Goyal told reporters outside the Parliament. Reiterating the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that the development of eastern and northeastern states has been the policy of the Modi government since 2014. Speaking on the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Goyal said that the budget was sensible and pushed for development. Highlighting the relief for the middle class, the minister said that encouragement to the manufacturing sector will increase employment opportunities. "(The budget) is very sensible and pushes for development. There is relief to the middle class. Encouragement to the manufacturing sector in order to increase employment opportunities. Many facilities for farmers. In a way, this budget encourages jobs, manufacturing (sector), farmers, middle class and everyone else to contribute to Viksit Bharat (mission)," Goyal said. He asserted that the country was making efforts to strengthen its economic foundations by keeping the target for fiscal deficit at 4.4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). This budget also extends the benefits of Jan Arogya scheme to gig workers, he added. "By keeping the (target) for fiscal deficit at 4.4 (per cent of the gross domestic product), we have given a message to the world that India is making efforts to strengthen its economic foundations. The manufacturing sector will get a boost as the customs duties and import duties will be reduced. People will get cheaper medicines. The benefits for Jan Arogya Suvidha will be extended to gig workers (or contractual workers)," Goyal said. Moreover, the budget also promotes nuclear power plants, which would reduce pollution and stabilise the grid system in the country, the Union Minister said. "It is a very balanced budget. It has continuity and strategic thinking. The world will watch India promoting renewable energy through nuclear power plants that will also help stabilise our grid system and reduce pollution," Goyal added. In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar."Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said. The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire eastern region. (ANI)
CHICAGO  The federal corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and longtime political advisor Michael McClain is now passing the 16-week mark. The case remains in the hands of the jury as the second full day of deliberations wrapped up Friday afternoon without a verdict.

On Friday, one day after making several requests to the judge, jurors were quiet as they dissected testimony from close to 60 witnesses. They weighed what they heard on more than 150 secret video and audio recordings and the arguments the government and defense presented.

Its a now what, and how do we divide and conquer in a way, everything we have, criminal defense attorney Gal Pissetzky told WGN News on Thursday, addressing jurors responsibility while considering the mountain of evidence.

PREVIOUS: No verdict in first full day of jury deliberations in Madigan corruption trial

Jurors must rely on memory and notes, not court transcripts while reviewing testimony. But Thursday, amid their first full day of deliberations, jurors asked the judge for extra pens, highlighters, and white out on multiple occasions.

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Pissetzky says the evidence  including every recording  is at the jurors fingertips.

They have a computer in the back that they can go and pull up whatever they want, Pissetzky said. They dont have to physically touch the evidence. They can go through this computer system, which is very nice for the jurors, but they have to put together a puzzle.

Its a complex puzzle of allegations that spanned almost a decade. But federal prosecutors have summed up the case in two words: power and profit. The government argues Madigan and McClain conspired to help the now 82-year-old politician and his allies become more powerful.

A lengthy indictment in 2022 revealed 23 charges in the corruption case, including 23 counts against the former House Speaker and six against the man accused of helping carry out his dirty work.

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Jurors now have to decide whether the government proved Madigan ran his political operation like an enterprise with McCains help by soliciting bribes via the arrangement of no-work contracts, offering political support in exchange for private business for Madigans law firm, and more.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Hundreds of hours, months of sitting in the box, and an unknown number of days remain before jurors decide the fate of both men. Madigan and McClain have denied wrongdoing.

Deliberations will resume on Monday.

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Nicolas Maduros regime on Friday released six American citizens imprisoned in Venezuela after the strongman met in Caracas with President Donald Trumps special envoy, Richard Grenell.

The identities of the Americans released were not announced, but Grenell posted online a photo of them inside the plane bringing them back to the United States. We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens, Grenell wrote on his X account. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him.

Late Friday evening the Washington Post identified one of the release prisoners as David Estrella, 64, from the Bronx, New York. The Post said family members confirmed his identity.

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Estrella, who worked as a quality-control operator for pharmaceutical companies, went to Venezuela on Sept. 9 to visit friends, according to a family spokesman.

Globa Reach, a nonprofit that had been working with Estrellas family since his arrest, said the dual American/Ecuadorian citizen was jailed after crossing into Venezuela from Cucuta, Colombia. The group said Estrella was falsely accused of having been involved in an effort to overthrow Maduro.

We are very happy for the Estrella family, the non-profits CEO, Mickey Bergman, said in a statement. Todays news results from the Trump Administrations efforts and occurs in only their second week in office. I want to congratulate President Trump, Special Envoy Grenell, and Special Envoy Boehler on this achievement. The quickness by which this was resolved by the new Administration demonstrates their sense of urgency and recognition that Americans do not need to needlessly linger in foreign prisons.

The statement said Estrellas former wife, Elvia Macias, had been leading efforts to get her ex-husband released.

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David is a wonderful person, and he violated no laws in Venezuela. He was arrested because he is an American and was used as a bargaining chip by the Maduro regime, the non profit statement quoted her as saying.

We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens.



They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him. pic.twitter.com/sCvCO4HQQv  Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 1, 2025

Trump said on the Truth Social website that he was informed that Grenell was bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had hinted hours earlier that one of Grenells objectives during his trip to Caracas was to ensure the return of all U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela. Trump had specifically instructed Grenell to guarantee that all detained Americans are brought back home, and to identify a location and ensure that repatriation flights to carry deportees from the U.S., including members of the Tren de Aragua gang, land in Venezuela.

At least 10 U.S. citizens had been detained by the Venezuelan regime following the unrest and widespread protests caused by the regimes announcement that Maduro had won the July 28th, 2024, presidential election.

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The Americans were among a total of 125 foreigners arrested in Venezuela, which the regime claims were captured while plotting to destabilize the Maduro government.

This is not the first time the Maduro regime releases American citizens. Following the negotiations that led to the 2024 election, nearly a dozen of them were allowed to leave in a process that also led to the release in the United States of two of Maduros nephews imprisoned for drug trafficking and the strongmans alleged partner, Alex Saab, who was facing money-laundering charges in Miami.

In September 2024, Maduro announced the arrest of five Americans during a crackdown launched by Venezuelas socialist regime to dismantle what the government claims is a mercenary force assembled by the CIA and Spains intelligence service to topple Maduro.
Although gender-affirming care for minors remains legal in many states and federally, Virginia Commonwealth University Health has suspended gender-affirming care treatments for patients under 19, citing President Donald Trumps executive order targeting transgender Americans access to health care.

VCU Health and Childrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU have suspended gender-affirming medication and gender-affirming surgical procedures for those under 19 years old in response to a White House executive order and clear guidance from the state provided to VCU, a hospital spokesperson told The Advocate in an email. We are committed to ensuring that were always delivering care in accordance with the law. Appointments will be maintained to discuss specific care options for patients in compliance with the most recent guidance.

The Richmond-based medical center joins other hospitalsincluding Childrens National Hospital in Washington, D.C. , and Denver Health in Colorado that have halted care following Trumps latest anti-trans policy.

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Trumps Tuesday executive order , Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation, is the administrations latest attack on transgender people, falsely framing gender-affirming care as mutilation. The directive orders federal agencies to strip funding from institutions that provide this care, rescind medical guidance supporting transgender health, and investigate providers. It also targets military families by barring TRICARE from covering gender-affirming care for minors and requires the Office of Personnel Management to cut insurance coverage for transgender-related treatments under federal employee health plans.

While the order does not explicitly ban gender-affirming care nationwide, it effectively pushes hospitals to abandon services by eliminating federal support and introducing legal risks. The result: transgender youth in states like Virginia are being left without access to medically necessary care despite no legal requirement for hospitals to stop treatment.

The sweeping nature of the order has already thrown families into crisis. Gay Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of California , a staunch advocate for LGBTQ + rights, told The Advocate that he is already hearing from constituents who are experiencing the effects of the policy.

I think we have to be honest with the public in this and share that we dont know where its going, Garcia said. We should just expect chaos and cruelty. And Ive been telling folks that all week.

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Garcia recounted a conversation with the mother of a transgender child who relies on Department of Veterans Affairs benefits for health care. He said she is already facing obstacles as bureaucratic resistance begins to take shape.

Theyre already getting some pushback, and its just really sad, Garcia said. Its hard to have answers to help people and respond appropriately because we dont know what they plan on doing. But whats clear is theyre going to defund and try to strip away and scare organizations and nonprofits and agencies from helping trans people, from helping immigrants, from helping organizations that believe in diversity and equity. Its disgusting.

Garcia said he hopes the public understands whats happening and takes action. I hope people get mad and angry and push back and fight back, and thats going to be really important, he said.

Medical experts overwhelmingly agree that gender-affirming care is safe, effective, and medically necessary. Leading organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, support its use for transgender youth, citing research that shows it reduces depression, anxiety, and suicide risk.

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Despite Trumps attempt to dismantle access, legal advocates emphasize that gender-affirming care for minors remains legal in Virginia. However, advocates say that hospitals like VCU Health choose to deny treatment preemptively.

Wyatt Rolla, senior transgender rights attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia , clarified that the executive order does not prevent hospitals from continuing to provide care.

Gender-affirming care for people under the age of 19 is still legal in Virginia, and no executive order can change that, Rolla told The Advocate in a statement. By trying to scare providers into halting the critical services theyve provided for decades, Trumps executive order is simply another misguided, extreme attempt to will trans people out of existence. But trans people have been and always will be part of our communities, and the many Virginia providers that remain committed to providing them vital care cant be cowed into preemptively complying with the administrations hateful agenda.

At a White House briefing on Friday afternoon, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down on the administrations position, stating that Trumps executive order marked the official policy of the federal government that there are only two sexes, male and female, and we have directed all federal agencies to comply with that policy. Leavitt defended the sweeping action, calling gender-affirming medical care barbaric, and suggested the administration would support congressional legislation restricting such treatments.

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The president has already taken a very strong stance on this issue this week with the signing of his executive order, Leavitt said. Certainly, the president would support Congresss efforts as he has already made that very clear.

For transgender youth and their families, VCU Healths decision raises urgent questions about where to turn for care. VCU did not respond to questions about its decision-making process or what patients who find themselves without care should do.
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Thirteen artisanal miners, including women and three children, were killed in southwest Mali on Wednesday after a tunnel in which they were digging for gold flooded, the national union of gold counters and refineries (UCROM) said on Saturday.

The incident occurred at an open-pit gold mine near the village of Danga in the Kangaba Cercle in Mali's southwestern Koulikoro region, UCROM Secretary General Taoule Camara said via telephone.

The sluice gates of a muddy water reservoir broke and spilled into a tunnel in which women and children were digging out earth to search for leftover gold particles.

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"It is serious. There were a lot of women. We spent all day yesterday clearing away the water to start looking for the bodies," Camara said earlier this week, when a death toll was still unavailable.

Artisanal mining is a common activity across much of West Africa and has become more lucrative in recent years due to growing demand for metals and rising prices.

Deadly accidents are frequent as the artisanal miners often use unregulated digging methods.

More than 70 people were killed in January last year after a shaft collapsed at an artisanal gold mining site in the Kangaba Cercle.

(Reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Sofia Christensen; Editing by Jan Harvey)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  A man was arrested Thursday nearly three years after an alleged murder attempt.

Daniel Fawcett, 22, was arrested after Grand Junction Regional Communication Center 911 dispatchers got a call that he lived on the 600 block of South Avenue with an active felony warrant.

Fawcett allegedly fired shots at a home on the 2700 block of B 1/2 Road on March 13, 2022. There were no injuries.

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After an investigation, an arrest warrant was written and issued for Fawcett, according to the Grand Junction Police Department.

When officers contacted Fawcett, he was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility where he was booked on charges of first-degree attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder in the first-degree and illegal discharge of a firearm.

The case was turned over to the 21st Judicial District Attorneys Office.

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Cobb County, GA (FOX 44)  A man originally arrested for child exploitation 3 months earlier is arrested again on suspect for possession of child pornography.

On October 24 of 2024, a report was made to the McLennan County Sheriffs Office after a suspicious vehicle was observed near a local school bus stop, The vehicle was flashing its lights in an apparent attempt to attract a childs attention. The bus driver acted swiftly by directing the child onto the bus and immediately alerted school administration.

An investigation of the incident revealed a 25-year-old Georgia man, Aryon Alexander Cyprian. Cyprian, who was temporarily in Dallas, had been using social media to solicit a minor for illicit purposes, targeting a time when the child would be traveling to school. The McLennan County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) Human Trafficking / Child Exploitation Unit promptly launched an undercover operation. This led to the arrest of Cyprian, who attempted a second meeting, believing he was meeting the child.

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A follow up investigation through the execution of search warrants on Cyprians electronic devices revealed several nude videos including Child Sexual Abuse Material. MCSO investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Possession of Child Pornography for Cyprian and he was arrested Tuesday, January 28 of 2025 by Cobb County Sheriffs Office in Georgia on this new felony charge.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A man who allegedly tried to pull someone over while impersonating law enforcement in Larimer County this week was arrested, and police think there could be more victims out there.

The suspect, identified by the Larimer County Sheriffs Office as 63-year-old Hugh Clark of Fort Collins, was arrested on Thursday on charges of impersonating a peace officer and knowingly possessing a vehicle equipped with red or blue lights.

97-year-old Colorado resident broke race barriers in US military

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The charges stem from an incident that was reported on Tuesday. According to the sheriffs office, the man who reported the incident was driving near Horsetooth Reservoir when he passed a Toyota 4Runner.

After the man passed, the 4Runner accelerated, got close behind him, and briefly activated red, white, and blue emergency lights and a siren, the sheriffs office said in a press release.

He continued driving and was concerned that the vehicle following him was not a real law enforcement officer. The Toyota 4Runner, allegedly driven by Clark, followed for several miles before turning around and driving away.

The man who reported Clark gave a detailed description of the vehicle and deputies located it west of Fort Collins. During a search, investigators found handcuffs, radios and clothes with law enforcement insignias, according to the sheriffs office.

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The sheriffs office said deputies are concerned that there may be more victims out there who they have not spoken to yet. Anyone with information about the suspect or who may have been stopped by them is encouraged to contact Deputy Travis Martin at 970-498-5530 or submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Larimer County online or by calling 970-221-6868.

The most and least expensive Denver neighborhoods to rent in: Zumper data

What should you do if stopped by someone impersonating law enforcement?

The sheriffs office offered the following tips on what Coloradans should do if they are stopped by a person they think might be impersonating a law enforcement officer:

Trust your instincts. If you arent sure if the other vehicle is law enforcement, listen to your gut and take steps to verify.

Call 911. Dispatchers can check area units to see if a deputy or officer is conducting a traffic stop.

Turn on your hazard lights and slow down. This indicates that youre aware of the other drivers presence. It can also draw the attention of other travelers or bystanders.

Stop in a well-lit, public area.

Ask to see a badge, official identification, or a business card.

If youre worried about your safety, tell the dispatcher and follow their guidance.

Take note of as many details as possible about the person and their vehicle.

Clark was booked into the Larimer County Jail but the sheriffs office said he was bonded out on a $3,500 bond.

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This is a developing story. Check back to sanluisobispo.com for updates.

To get breaking news alerts, click here

Update, 5:30 p.m.:

A man has been taken into custody after he allegedly fled police officers serving a warrant and then barricaded himself inside an Arroyo Grande home on Friday evening.

According to Arroyo Grande Police Department Sgt. Jeff Corral, the incident began when a warrant was being served at a hotel across Highway 101 on Friday afternoon.

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Officers attempted to contact a known, wanted felony subject, he told The Tribune. Upon contact with him at one of our hotels locally, he foot bailed from our officer and ran across the freeway.

Corral said with the help of numerous other local law enforcement agencies and a drone, officers were able to set up a perimeter and see the man in the backyard of a home on Orchard Street.

With further drone search of the backyard, we noticed there was windows open, so believed that he made entry into the house, he said.

Corral said law enforcement at the scene were then able to clear the residence and contact him in the garage and take him into custody.

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There were no reported injuries to officers, though the man did state he may have had a seizure while inside the house, Corral said. He was transported to a local hospital to receive medical evaluation, Corral said.

The mans name was not being released as of Friday evening, though Corral did note he was a resident of San Luis Obispo County. Police were not aware of any connection between him and the home on Orchard Street where he was taken into custody, Corral said.

Residents in the neighborhood of West Cherry Avenue, Arroyo Avenue, Pilgrim Way and Orchard Street were briefly told to shelter in place during the incident.

That order has since been lifted, according to an AlertSLO notification.

Law enforcement surrounded a home on Orchard Street in Arroyo Grande on Jan. 31, 2025. The nearby high school was briefly under a secure in place order during the incident.

Update, 4:45 p.m.:

Law enforcement surrounded a home on Orchard Street in Arroyo Grande on Friday evening.

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As of 4:30 p.m., the Arroyo Grande Police Department, San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office, California State Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and K-9 units were all at the scene.

Officers could be seen attempting to fly a drone into the house shortly before 4:45 p.m.

Soon after, a team entered the home yelling for a person to come out with their hands up.

Further details were not immediately available on why law enforcement was in the area.

Law enforcement surrounded a home on Orchard Street in Arroyo Grande on Jan. 31, 2025. The nearby high school was briefly under a secure in place order during the incident.

Original story:

Arroyo Grande High School was briefly under a secure in place order on Friday afternoon due to nearby police activity.

According to Lucia Mar Unified School District spokesperson Amy Jacobs, the high school was told to secure in place just before the end of the day.

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She said the high school has since started releasing students from campus as of about 3:45 p.m.

Further details on the nature of the police activity were not immediately available.

Law enforcement was reportedly in the area of Cherry Avenue and Orchard Street as of Friday afternoon, according to emergency scanner traffic.

A request for comment from Arroyo Grande Police Department representatives was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday praised the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it instilled a "new consciousness" in fulfilling the vision of a "Developed India 2047." Taking to social media X (formerly Twitter), Patel wrote in a post "The budget presented by Finance Minister. Nirmala Sitharaman under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a budget that gives new consciousness in fulfilling the resolve of 'Developed India @ 2047'. Furthermore, the CM wrote that the budget gave impetus to the development of the poor and also focused on the four pillars of agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium enterprises (MSME), investment and export. "GYAN - To give further impetus to the development based on poor, youth, farmers and women empowerment, this budget focuses on four pillars - agriculture, MSMEs, investment and export," the post read. The CM also congratulated the PM and the Finance Minister for a budget that would help realise the mantra of a self-reliant India. "I congratulate the Honourable Prime Minister and the Honourable Finance Minister for this budget which realises the mantra of self-reliant India with the resolve to make India the third largest economy in the world," the post read. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the union budget as a 'band-aid for bullet wounds' and further said that the 'government is bankrupt of ideas' to boost the economy and increase employment. The budget 2025-26 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday. "A band-aid for bullet wounds! Amid global uncertainty, solving our economic crisis demanded a paradigm shift. But this government is bankrupt of ideas," read Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's post on X. Party leader Jairam Ramesh said that the government has done little to address the problems concerning the economy. "The economy is suffering from four related crises - i. Stagnant real wages ii. Lack of buoyancy in mass consumption iii. Sluggish rates of private investment iv. A complex and complicated GST system The Budget does NOTHING to address these illnesses. The only relief has been for income taxpayers. What actual impact this will have on the economy remains to be seen," he said on X. (ANI)
CROWLEY, La. (KLFY)  A Lake Charles man has been captured after a string of Armed Robberies.

Authorities say the suspect, Shannon Morris Jr., committed a series of crimes on Friday in Iowa, Crowley, Rayne, Acadia Parish and Lafayette Parish.

In Crowley, Police Chief Troy Hebert says pulled up to the Burger King in and asked workers to use the telephone. Authorities say once getting off the phone, the suspect exited the restaurant and approached a worker that was sitting in a car. Authorities say that is when the suspect produced a firearm, struck the victim in the head and stole the car.

Suspect caught on camera at Burger King in Crowley

Hebert says while police were on the scene of the first incident, they got reports of another armed robbery at the Wal-Mart. Police say the suspect again produced his firearm, taking the phone of a female shopper who was attempting to go into the store and fled from the scene in the vehicle he had taken from Burger King.

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Morris was captured in Lafayette Parish late Friday morning. He is charged in Crowley with aggravated battery, carjacking, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and two (2) counts of armed robbery.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
Jan. 31A West Carrollton man is facing charges after he reportedly seriously injured a man during a stabbing on Wednesday in Miami Twp.

Mario Ajak, 40, was charged with one count of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault in Miamisburg Municipal Court.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

Around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Miami Twp. police responded to stabbing reported at a residence on Orchard Run Road.

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Police arrived to find Ajak actively assaulting a man with a knife, Miami Twp. police said.

Officers immediately started providing aid to the 41-year-old man, who was transported to the Kettering Health Main Campus.

Ajak was arrested and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

Police are continuing to investigate and working to determine a motive.
CHICAGO  Felony charges have been filed against a man accused in the fatal shooting of two Chicago high school students in the Loop last year.

Officers said 22-year-old Tommie Coleman, a Pullman resident, is facing a slew of felony charges in connection with the deadly shooting, including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm from an occupied vehicle, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

22-year-old Tommie Coleman, a Pullman resident, is facing a slew of felony charges in connection with the deadly shooting, including two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm from an occupied vehicle, and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Authorities also cited Coleman for having an unregistered weapon.

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According to police, the deadly shooting unfolded near Madison Street and Wabash Avenue in the Loop just after noon on Jan. 29, 2024, when a dark-colored sedan and an SUV pulled up near the teens and masked gunmen opened fire.

The teens were both hit in the shooting and later died at the hospital.

They have since been identified as 16-year-old Robert Boston and 17-year-old Monterio Williams, both students at Innovations High School.

Coleman evaded police for over a year after the shooting, but authorities eventually caught up with him on Wednesday in the 5700 block of North Mason Avenue, in Jefferson Park, where he was taken into custody.

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LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Officers have not provided details on if any other suspects have been identified in connection with the case.

On Sunday, exactly one year after the murders, loved ones of the teens gathered near the site where they were killed to offer an update on the search for those responsible and demand justice.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT)  The Hoover Police Department has made a felony arrest following a false police report that occurred earlier this month. According to Lt. Daniel Lowe, the arrest was made under a law inspired by the Carlee Russell case that took place in July of 2023.

Following the Carlee Russell kidnapping hoax, members of the Alabama legislature worked with Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis to craft legislation enhancing the penalty for making a false report to law enforcement, Lowe said in a statement.

At approximately 8 p.m. on Jan. 16, a Hoover Police officer on patrol in the area of Tattersall Blvd. was observing an unoccupied vehicle he believed to be involved in retail theft from a nearby business.

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At 8:16 p.m., the Hoover 911 call center received a call of a robbery in progress at the nearby Walmart. The caller reported that a male was pointing a gun at a female. Several officers, including the nearby patrol officer, engaged in a full emergency response, but they found no evidence of a crime in progress at the given location. No other calls were received by the 911 center.

Community leaders work to lower preventable cancer in Alabama

When the patrol officer returned to Tattersall Blvd. to continue investigating the suspicious vehicle, it was gone.

An investigation determined the 911 caller was the owner of the vehicle, and he had not been at Walmart when the 911 call was made. Hoover Police believe the call was meant to divert the officers attention from the vehicle, allowing the caller to leave the area.

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The caller was identified as Larry Scott Brown, 54, of Birmingham.

The case was presented to the Shelby County District Attorneys Office, and a warrant was issued against Brown. He was taken into custody on Friday.

Brown was arrested under a law that became effective on Oct. 1, 2024, labeling false reports alleging imminent danger to a person or the public as a Class C felony.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (WHNT)  There appears to be new movement in the long-running case of Brian Lansing Martin, who is charged with killing a Sheffield police officer and another man in October 2021.

There have been a series of delays in moving the case forward, largely related to getting a new mental health evaluation of Martin by state doctors.

Decatur Police investigating reported break in at apartment complex

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Sheffield Police Sgt. Nick Risner and Martins roommate William Mealback were killed more than three years ago, but the case does not have a trial date set. Investigators say that during a crime spree, Martin killed Mealback in Muscle Shoals and threw his body onto the street from the pickup he was driving.

A police chase soon followed, with Martins truck being cut off by police vehicles, including Risners. A shootout ensued, Risner was killed, a second officer was wounded and Martin was also shot. Risner died and Martin was taken into custody following the encounter. Former Sheffield police officer Max Dotson was injured during the shootout but survived his injuries.

Martins mental health status has been an issue in the case. In November 2023, a court filing from the Alabama Department of Mental Health said Martin was not mentally competent. But a few days later, they told the court that the findings were inconclusive and more evaluation was needed.

The state mental hospital had a backlog on bed space and Martin remained in jail pending that evaluation. But new court filings suggest that evaluation may soon get underway. This week, the Alabama Department of Mental Health asked the court to order the transport of Martin to the states mental health facility in Tuscaloosa. The judge issued that order Thursday, directing that Martin is to be transported as long as he has a negative COVID-19 test.

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Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Martin. The competency evaluation is aimed at determining if the defendant is capable of understanding the court proceedings and if he can assist in his own defense.





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The Poltava Oblast National Police detained a man who allegedly shot a draft officer, stole his weapon, and escaped with another man overnight on Jan. 31.

The armed attack happened at a fuel station near Pyriatyn during the escort of conscripts to the 199th training center, the Ukraine's Ground Forces said on Feb. 1.

According to a Ground Forces statement, an unidentified man wearing a gray balaclava and military pants approached a serviceman of the Poltava draft office, threatening him with a hunting rifle and demanding that he hand over his weapon.

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"When he refused, the man shot the soldier. The soldier died on the spot as a result of a serious injury," the statement said.

The attacker seized the soldier's assault rifle and fled with one of the mobilized conscripts after the attack.

Within a few hours of search operations, the police established the location of the attackers, according to a statement by the Poltava Oblast National Police.

The man who allegedly shot the soldier was detained, and investigators seized his weapon, the report said. It also specified the shooter was a resident of Poltava region born in 1984. His accomplice was a resident of Poltava born in 1988.

Police detained a man who allegedly killed a draft officer in Poltava Oblast on Jan. 31, 2025. (Poltava National Police / Official website)

The prosecutor's office said it had launched a criminal investigation.

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"The Ground Forces Command strongly condemns the armed attack on the serviceman of the Poltava Regional conscription office and demands a prompt investigation of this crime and severe punishment for the perpetrators," the Ground Forces wrote in their initial statement.

Ukraine has long struggled with manpower shortages on the front to compensate for losses and the need to rotate soldiers who have been on fighting since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Corrupt schemes uncovered throughout the full-scale invasion helping men avoid service have added to the difficulty of shoring up more soldiers for the war.

Read also: If half the people go home tomorrow, Putin will kill us all  Zelensky defends mobilization

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CHICAGO  A man has died after being shot Friday afternoon in Auburn Gresham.

Chicago police said the shooting happened just before 2 p.m. in the 8500 block of South Morgan Street.

2 men stabbed on CTA Blue Line platform in Loop

A 28-year-old man was on the sidewalk when an unknown vehicle pulled up alongside him. Four people then got out of the vehicle, pulled out guns and fired shots at the man, hitting him multiple times, according to investigators.

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Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

No other information was released and Area Two Detectives are investigating.

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CHICAGO  A man has died after a Friday afternoon crash on the South Side.

Chicago police said the crash happened just before 5:15 p.m. in the 7600 block of South Parnell Avenue in the citys Auburn Gresham neighborhood, located near Englewood and Greater Grand Crossing.

A tan Buick sedan was traveling eastbound and attempting to pass vehicles in the incoming traffic lanes when it hit a black Kia sedan traveling westbound. The Buick then spun out and hit a gray Mitsubishi SUV, according to investigators.

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Police said the driver of the Buick, identified only as a 30-year-old man, sustained multiple injuries and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition. He later died from his injuries.

The driver of the Kia, identified as a 26-year-old man, declined medical attention at the scene; the driver of the Mitsubishi, identified as a 45-year-old man, also declined medical attention, according to police.

The crash remains under investigation.

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Jan. 31A man died at the hospital days after falling ill while behind bars on a pretrial detention hold at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

MDC spokesman Daniel Trujillo said 54-year-old Zeora Hercey was pronounced dead at the University of New Mexico Hospital around 6 p.m. Thursday.

"The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator will determine the official cause of death," he said. The incident is being investigated by MDC's Office of Professional Standards and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office.

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Court records show Hercey was booked into the jail Nov. 19 on an aggravated battery charge, and a judge granted a motion to keep him behind bars until trial.

His family could not be reached Friday.

On Monday, Hercey came down with "flu-like symptoms" and was brought to the facility's medical housing for observation and treatment, Trujillo said.

Hercey was in the medical wing for two hours when UNM Hospital staff  who provide medical care at MDC  decided he needed to go to the hospital "for further evaluation," he said.

"Hercey was transported and admitted," Trujillo said. "Hercey, unfortunately, passed away on Thursday."

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No other details were given.

Hercey is the second person to die at the jail or die after falling ill at the facility this year, and the eighth such death there since Jan. 1, 2024.

MDC has had 34 inmates die since 2020 as it went through two for-profit medical providers before University of New Mexico Health Systems took over health care at the jail in July 2023.
DENVER (KDVR)  A man was killed in a rollover crash overnight Friday into Saturday in Aurora.

The Aurora Police Department said only one vehicle was involved in the crash in a post on X a little before 3 a.m. The crash happened near the eastbound Interstate 70 off-ramp to southbound Interstate 225.

The initial investigation suggests the driver of a sedan collided with the median in the road. The crash caused the sedan to flip.

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Data: These areas had the deadliest roads in Colorado in 2024

The driver died of his injuries on the scene. He will be identified by the Adams County Coroners Office.

Roads were closed in the area for several hours during cleanup efforts but all roads have since reopened. An investigation is ongoing.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Jagdish Devda welcomed the Union Budget and said that the budget is for "Viksit Bharat and for the public." The budget 2025-26 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday. "This budget is for Viksit Bharat and for the public. It is an universal budget in which all the sections have been included villages, poor, farmer, women and youth. It is a budget of fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and fulfilling the vision of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas'. I welcome this budget," Devda told ANI. He further said that every section of the society has been taken care of in the Budget and a historic budget was presented in the Lok Sabha. "First Congress should read the budget honestly and then speak. They are frustrated after seeing the budget," he said. Meanwhile, Congress leader and deputy leader of opposition Hemant Katare criticised the Budget and called it an election-centric budget. "The budget has been prepared keeping the elections in focus. It contains neither anything for the unemployed people nor for the farmers. The budget was prepared keeping the capitalists in view and it hit on the shoulders of the middle class people. We condemn this entire budget," Katare said. "The government has cheated the farmers. They promised to double the income of farmers but have increased the kisan credit card limit. Is the government trying to push farmers in more debt? By increasing the loan limit, the government has proved that the income of farmers has not doubled. They had promised to provide employment to 2 crore youth but there is nothing in the budget for the youth," he added. State cabinet minister Rakesh Singh expressed pleasure over the Union Budget, stating that it was a historic budget which concerns every section of society in the country. "It is a historic budget and a budget that concerns every section of society, which fulfills their aspirations and expectations in the country. I believe people would not have thought that the Prime Minister would fulfill the hopes and expectations of the country's middle class people with such sensitivity," Singh said. The budget fulfills the hopes and expectations of every section of society, be it startups, youth, laborers, women or elderly people, he added. Expressing happiness over Union Budget, MP Minister Krishna Gaur said that the budget is for the all-round development of the country and to provide relief to every section of the society. "I am happy that today our Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the union budget in the parliament. It is the budget for the all-round development of the country. There are all the provisions in the budget to realize the mantra that the Prime Minister has given us for the welfare of farmers, youth, women and poor people of the country," Gaur said. She further said, "A lot of relief has been given to middle-class families in the budget. Today's budget is a budget for the all-round development of the country and it is going to provide relief to every class of the society. I congratulate PM Modi and our Union Finance Minister Sitharaman for introducing a great budget." Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasizing agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. "To taxpayers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them," said Sitharaman. The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. (ANI)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A man has pled guilty to his involvement in three separate shootings motivated by revenge.

Dillan Bush pled guilty on Thursday in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court to multiple violent crimes, beginning in 2023. According to a media release from the Franklin County Prosecutor, Bush hired multiple shooters to get revenge on Cole Parker Jr., who had accidentally killed Bushs brother in 2019.

Family-owned bakery announces expansion in Upper Arlington

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One of the shooters hired by Bush hit the wrong house, which had small children inside. The release also described another attack where a shooter struck Parkers father, who was severely injured from the incident.

Bush was also involved in a different shooting targeting a woman originally believed to be involved in the death of his girlfriends best friend. That woman has since been acquitted.

Bush pled guilty to attempted murder, felonious assault and discharging a firearm into a habitation. He also pled guilty to gun charges in a separate case from 2023, as well as drug charges from a 2024 case.

A judge has sentenced Bush to 21 to 22 and a half years in prison.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A Woodbury County jail inmate accused of a prolonged assault of a fellow inmate has received his prison sentence for the crime.

According to court documents, Bengerman Housh, 32, of Sioux City, was sentenced on Friday to 16 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in Dec. 2024 to two counts of willful injury and one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief.

Take a look: Sioux City preliminary 2024 crime statistics compared to previous years

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One of the counts of willful injury was previously one count of attempted murder before it was downgraded as part of the plea agreement.

Bengerman Housh (Courtesy: Woodbury County Sheriffs Office)

Housh was accused of trying to kill a fellow inmate in a racist assault that lasted more than 10 minutes, per court documents. He had been put in jail earlier that evening after allegedly throwing a brick through a car window.

Court documents state that Housh repeatedly punched, kneed, and stomped on the victim. At one point, he allegedly held the victim in a chokehold for about 45 seconds.

According to a witness, Housh, who is white, had mentioned how the victim was Native American. He said that the victim was not a man and said several times that he did not deserve to live.

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$100K in forged checks discovered investigating Thursday pursuit suspect

The victim was taken to a hospital with a hematoma on the back of his head and serious facial injuries, including a cut on the left side. He needed plastic surgery to repair the damage, court documents say.

Housh originally pleaded not guilty on Aug. 27, 2024.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after stealing a gun from Clackamas County and then using that weapon to carjack someone outside a grocery store in Tigard in 2023, authorities said.

Michael Aaron Victorio pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including first-degree robbery, in a Washington County court earlier this month, the Washington County District Attorneys Office said.

Deputies seek help identifying Washington County tire slasher

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Victorio stole a gun from a sporting goods store in Clackamas County on October 14, 2023, officials said. Hours later, he entered a grocery store in Tigard and began watching someone as he finished shopping. Then, he followed the victim back to his car, entered the passengers seat and told the man to exit his vehicle or else he would shoot.

The victim jumped out of the vehicle and the defendant drove off. A witness saw this happen and began following the defendant, the Washington County DAs Office said in a press release. Mr. Victorio fired a round out of the vehicle and the witness broke off his pursuit.

The next evening, the victims abandoned car was found in a residential neighborhood in Southeast Portland. Law enforcement investigators compared surveillance footage from the sporting goods and grocery stores to the defendants past booking photos and quickly identified him, the DAs office said.

In addition to robbery, Victorio was charged with unlawful use of a gun and felon in possession of a firearm.

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He is slated to carry out his 140-month sentence at the Oregon Department of Corrections.

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A man convicted of stabbing two people to death in Darke County will spend the next three decades behind bars.

>> PHOTOS: Deputies investigate double homicide at Darke County home

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Adam Uchyn, 41, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on Thursday for the deaths of Michelle Phipps, 63, and James Donnelly, 57, according to Darke County Common Pleas Court records. He will also have to register as a Violent Offender

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After a six-day trial, a jury found Uchyn guilty on lesser charges including two counts of murder and one count of grand theft.

Uchyn was originally charged with two counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated robbery, as previously reported by News Center 7.

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Phipps and Donnelly were stabbed to death in a home in the 4200 block of Weavers-Fort Jefferson Road on April 13, 2023.

As previously reported by News Center 7, Darke County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to the home around 6:30 p.m.

Upon arrival, deputies met Uchyn in the driveway. He claimed to live there and to have made the call.

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He had filed a report alleging a theft and assault had occurred at the address, and the perpetrator had left the scene.

The Darke County Sheriffs Office said it was a ruse to prevent deputies from discovering the murders that had likely occurred.

Investigators now believe the 911 caller was Phipps. The call abruptly ended with only the address provided by the caller.

Dispatchers attempted to call the number back, but there was no answer, according to a previous News Center 7 report.

Two women reported the homicide to the sheriffs office on April 14 just before 5 a.m.

As previously reported by News Center 7, deputies went back out to the house and found Phipps and Donnelly dead.

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Uchyn was taken into custody on a felony probation warrant unrelated to the homicide in Chicago.

He was eventually extradited back to Ohio and booked into the Darke County Jail.

Since his sentencing, Uchyn has been transferred to the Correctional Reception Center in Pickaway County.

Uchyns expected release date and eligibility for parole is April 12, 2053, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

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A Maplewood man engaged in a deceptive pattern through his five nonprofits and one for-profit business  all of which have government-sounding names  as a means to sow confusion for his own gain, according to a lawsuit brought by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

The civil action, filed Thursday in Ramsey County District Court against David Singleton, seeks to end his longstanding fraudulent and deceptive behavior.

Singleton, 55, is the founder and president of the nonprofits Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission Inc., DWI Prevention Services Inc., and Minnesota Police Reserve Officers Association, and president of League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, and United Criminal Justice Reform Commission.

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The lawsuit contends that none of the organizations abide by the requirements of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act, and use images, words and verbiage to confuse and mislead Minnesota citizens as to the organizations affiliation with a government agency.

Singleton also used one of his nonprofits websites to direct Minnesotans to his for-profit legal consulting business, Midwest Arbitration and Special Conciliation Authority Inc., despite not having a license to practice law in Minnesota or any other state, the lawsuit says.

Singleton first raised eyebrows with some law enforcement officials nearly a decade ago, when he served as a spokesman for the mother of a missing boy who later turned up murdered in Crystal.

At the time, Singleton and his staff of the now-dissolved Minnesota Community Policing Services Foundation Inc. wore uniforms that closely resembled that of law enforcement. And the way he talked during the 2015 Barway Collins case distressed police officials, who thought the public could be fooled into thinking he was either an officer or speaking for them.

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Two years later, in November 2017, Singleton pleaded guilty in Ramsey County District Court to a charge of providing protective services without a license, a gross misdemeanor stemming from what prosecutors said was security work at a health center in St. Paul. He was sentenced to 40 hours of community service.

More recently, Singleton took a couple shots at public office, with an unsuccessful bid for the Maplewood City Council in 2020 and the Ramsey County board two years later.

Singleton did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit Friday, and an attorney was not listed in the court file.

In an interview with the Pioneer Press in March 2017, when lawmakers discussed a bill to place strict requirements on what markings Minnesotans can put on their cars and uniforms, Singleton disputed a claim that his attire would lead some to believe that he has authority as a police officer.

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That is not the intent whatsoever to do anything like that, Singleton said in the interview. Were entitled as an organization to have our own uniform, our own identity.  You cant be responsible for everybodys perceptions.

Complaints from government agencies

The attorney generals office said its charities division began investigating Singleton, his organizations and business after receiving complaints from government agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Human Rights. The agency said that Singletons similar-sounding League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions name and government images on its website confused people into contacting the League for help when they meant to contact the state agency.

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The lawsuit says the investigation found violations of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act for failure to perform any activities that meet the organizations nonprofit purpose, lack of board of directors, no annual board meetings, failure to maintain financial records, and breaches of an officers fiduciary duties.

In March 2022, a Minnesota Civilian Public Safety Commission commissioner opened a Capital One credit card for the nonprofit and added Singleton as an authorized user. Singleton made over 60 purchases on the card, most of which did not appear to have a nonprofit purpose, including purchases at liquor stores, drug stores, restaurants and gas stations, the lawsuit alleges. After payments on the account stopped for eight months, the account was suspended and Capital One referred the account to its recoveries department with a balance of $1,480.77.

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The lawsuit also alleges deceptive solicitation of donations by using names, verbiage and images to create confusion of a government affiliation.

Until the attorney generals office began its investigation, Singletons Civilian Public Safety Commission used the website mncivilianpublicsafety.org to advertise itself, displaying images commonly associated with government agencies, including a picture of the Minnesota State Capitol and Minnesota state seal.

Midwest Arbitrations Facebook page, meanwhile, shows Singleton wearing what appears to be a judges robe. The category for the page is Legal Service and the contact email is specialmagistratemn@gmail.com.

Singleton does not have a law license, and his name is not listed on the Minnesota Judicial Branchs roster of Qualified Neutrals.

False and deceptive conduct

The lawsuit further alleges violations of the Consumer Fraud Act, Deceptive Trade Practices Act and unauthorized practice of law by engaging in false and deceptive conduct to mislead Minnesota residents that Midwest Arbitration and Singleton could provide legal services.

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According to the lawsuit, a New Ulm, Minn., woman needed legal assistance to help with criminal and civil charges she and her husband were facing. She contacted Singleton in July 2023 through his Civilian Public Safety website, which offered legal consulting and mediation and arbitration.

At a first meeting with the woman, Singleton wore a police uniform and said that he was a magistrate with paralegals, the lawsuit alleges. He told the woman she needed to work with Midwest Arbitration and sign a Power of Attorney document so he could get access to her court files.

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Singleton charged the woman $5,000, which she paid in two installments, and said it would not be much more because Midwest Arbitration was a nonprofit, which it was not. Singleton, in a letter to a Nicollet County assistant attorney and judges clerk, referred to himself as a Special Magistrate and Attorney-In-Fact for the woman, the lawsuit contends.

The county attorneys office then contacted the state attorney generals office about Singletons claim of representing the woman in her legal matter, as well as his failure to file a certificate of representation.

When the woman realized Singleton was not an attorney and could not represent her in court, the lawsuit says, she terminated the Power of Attorney and asked for the $5,000 to be returned. Singleton refused to pay back the money.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Clark County School District released a timeline on when it will hire its next superintendent, a process that was postponed last year due to instability on the school board.

According to documents posted on CCSDs website, the districts board of trustees is scheduled to pick its new superintendent in late March. An actual start date for the search wasnt stated.

In the meantime, parents have their opinions on what they want in a new leader.

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Amid board turmoil CCSD trustees postpone picking new superintendent until February

I dont feel the level of education in Nevada is good enough, be it with CCSD or what the state has done, Leonard Lither said. He has two children in CCSD and was also a teacher in the district up until this year.

Number one, I think, is safety, Lither said of his top priority in a superintendent candidate.

The first round of interviews with superintendent candidates will be Feb. 25, according to the district. Two days later, the school board will pick its favorites to advance.

The second round of interviews will take place on March 10 and March 13 the school board will narrow it down to two finalists. Then March 24, these finalists will participate in a community town hall where the public can ask questions.

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On March 27, a superintendent will be named.

I want someone who is going to come in here and say, Look at our math proficiency rates, our English proficiency rates, excessive absenteeism. All of these things are not good numbers, lets actually make a game plan and then go forward,' Lither said.

At Wednesdays State of the Schools event, CCSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Brenda Larsen-Mitchell said 40% of third graders are proficient in reading.

CCSDs interim superintendent discusses successes, challenges and decision to not apply for role

Larsen-Mitchell also acknowledged she isnt applying for the job.

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I grew up here. I love this district and Im looking forward to the district seeing a fresh start, and I have full confidence and faith in the board of trustees, Larsen-Mitchell said.

CCSD Board President Irene Bustamante Adams spoke to 8 News Now in an exclusive interview and shared insight into the hiring process.

CCSDs newly elected board president lays out her vision

Very collective involvement to choose the next leader because education affects workforce development and economic development. So without the three in alignment, were not setting ourselves up for success, Bustamante Adams said.

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The deadline to apply for the job of CCSD superintendent is Wednesday, Feb. 5.

CCSD has been without a superintendent since February 2024 when Dr. Jesus Jara was forced out. When the school board voted to hire him in 2018, the vote among trustees was 4-3. Ideally, new hires want a unanimous vote from the board.

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Democrats on Saturday will pick their first new leader in the second Donald Trump era. But a lack of big names or any substantive clash of ideas suggests a party with little immediate inclination for an overhaul.

Members of the Democratic National Committee are gathering in Maryland and the meeting will culminate Saturday with a vote for chair, where two clear frontrunners have emerged: Ken Martin, who leads Minnesotas Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

Both Martin and Wikler have rolled out endorsements  Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina are backing Martin, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in supporting Wikler  and sparred over private whip counts over the last month. Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley has also secured a chunk of public commitments.

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If I thought this shit was over with, I wouldnt go to the meeting this weekend, Donna Brazile, who has twice served as acting DNC chair, told POLITICO this week. Id go home to New Orleans and watch the Super Bowl.

She said, Deals are being made, compromises are being sought and everybodys trying to game the other.

But with few exceptions, Martin and Wikler have been cautious to lace into each other  or their party. Instead, the low-key, intramural-like contest for chair has largely sidestepped, or addressed only in platitudes, the reality faced by Democrats  a party that lost not only the White House and Congress, but also ceded ground with voters across nearly every demographic group.

And while Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress are jolting Washington, Democrats, largely leaderless, have yet to coalesce around a coherent strategy in pushing back against them.



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In the latest example of that intraparty frustration, a group of Democratic governors pressed Schumer in a tense phone call this week, urging him to ramp up pressure on the president and coordinating more forceful messaging strategy, according to two advisers who were briefed on the call and granted anonymity to discuss a private conversation. A Schumer spokesperson said it was a productive meeting where many different ideas were discussed.

The DNC has become a less prominent body in the post-Obama era. But its chair, whose election will be decided by 448 DNC members, is poised to play a key role in the 2028 presidential primary  reexamining the primary nominating calendar and setting the debate thresholds for candidates during the primary. Even on the eve of the election, the race between Martin and Wikler appeared unsettled.

Martin and Wikler have said they will perform post-mortems of the election, but theyre not calling for any bold reimagining of the partys brand or radical changes to the party structure. Instead, they largely agree with each other on party mechanics, committing to a permanent campaign infrastructure and a 50-state strategy. Throughout the four DNC chair forums, the pair primarily praised each others work.

They all say the right things, so whats the difference between any of them? said one DNC member who is still undecided in the race and was granted anonymity to speak freely. Its coming down to style.

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Stylistically, there are some differences. Several DNC members said they see Wikler as more of a reformer, who would look to replicate what he had done in Wisconsin on a national scale. But Wiklers detractors complain about his closeness with high-dollar donors. Martin, a longtime state party chair who also led the Association of State Democratic Parties, is seen as more of a technocrat who comes with deep institutional knowledge, but his opponents complain that he wouldnt be able to raise as much money for the party.

It will all depend on the margin of the first ballot, said one DNC member who is backing Wikler. If the margin is more than 20 for Ken, then I think Ken wins because theres pressure to consolidate, but if its closer than 20 between Ken and Ben, then theres a pressure to go to several more ballots and Kens support could fall apart.

OMalley, without the apparent levels of support of either Martin or Wikler, would likely need something of an extreme bank shot to win. Still, he maintained the race was all very fluid right now.

Weve had a number of state chairs tell us that their delegation met and decided that theyre coming to me on the second ballot, OMalley told POLITICO. So they would not be having meetings about second ballots if they didnt think there was some doubt about the first ballot.
A Maryland man was taken into custody Friday for impersonating a Pittsburgh police officer.

According to information from Pennsylvania State Police, a woman in Hempfield Township contacted troopers when a man showed up at her home and insisted she let him inside.

Court documents state that when she told the man she was on the phone with police, he claimed to be a Pittsburgh officer named John Laney and continued to ask her to open the door.

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When troopers got on scene they determined the man, identified as Thomas Rooney, 25, of Maryland, was not an actual officer.

Per the court documents, Rooney told troopers that he, and four other people he was with, are from out of town and looking for work. He reportedly wanted to see if anyone in the area wanted gravel for their driveway.

Rooney was charged with impersonating a public servant and simple assault. He was taken to the Westmoreland County Prison and denied bail due to being deemed a flight risk.

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ST. LOUIS  Its being called one of the largest breaches of childrens personal information in history: PowerSchool, a company that manages the data of millions of children across American schools, has been hacked.

Unfortunately, an incident like this was only a matter of time, Director of K-12 Security Information Exchange Doug Levin said.

The K-12 Security Information Exchange is a nonprofit that works with school systems nationwide to inform, educate, and prepare for cybersecurity threats. Levin calls the PowerSchool breach a worst-case scenario.

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From a school system perspective, theres very little that they could have done to prevent this. The company, however, clearly experienced a failure of its controls, Levin said.

PowerSchool went public in 2021 when its CEO rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The Student Information System is used by school districts across the country.

Questions linger after mother of four shot to death in Midtown

Nearly 100 local education agencies use the software, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. PowerSchools SIS tracks the kind of important personal data hackers desire.

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Generally speaking, schools are not held to any sort of baseline cybersecurity standard. Nor are school district vendors like PowerSchool. Other sectors that deal with sensitive information, like the financial sector or the healthcare sector, are held to higher standards, Levin added.

FOX 2 contacted school districts throughout the metro area. Two of the largest districts, Parkway and Rockwood, tell us theyre not impacted by the data breach. The same is true for Pattonville, Mehlville, and Belleville.

However, the St. Charles School District said it was impacted.

We worked with PowerSchool and third-party specialists to determine what happened and what information is at risk as a result of this event. We are in the process of notifying parents and staff regarding this event, the district said.

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The Edwardsville School District was also involved, telling us, No social security numbers, passwords, legal documents used during student registration, financial information, or photographs were included in the breach.

PowerSchool added that they are not aware of any identity theft due to the breach.

As soon as PowerSchool learned of the incident, we engaged cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation of the scope of the incident and to monitor for signs of information misuse, they said.

How much of National Lampoons Vacation was actually filmed in St. Louis?

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Its my hope that we will learn from this, that schools will take steps to shore up their practices, as well as technology companies like PowerSchool, Levin said.

For more information regarding PowerSchool and their response, click here.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the following statement:

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is closely tracking the data breach reported by PowerSchool, a Student Information System (SIS) used by nearly 100 local education agencies (LEAs) in Missouri. DESE is currently working to learn more details about the cyberattack and its scope of impact on Missouri LEAs, as all PowerSchool users may not have been affected by the breach. DESE staff have recently participated on a call with the U.S. Department of Education (USED) to discuss the issue and will be meeting with PowerSchool soon.

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DESE requests affected LEAs that have not done so already complete the statutorily required DESE data breach reporting form and return it to DESE as soon as possible. DESE encourages affected LEAs to work with their legal counsels and insurance companies, along with PowerSchool, to coordinate remediation steps. LEAs are encouraged to contact the USED Privacy Technical Assistance Center with FERPA questions. The USED recommended the following resources that may be helpful to review: K-12 Cyber Security; K-12 Digital Infrastructure Brief; and Cybersecurity Preparedness for K-12 Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning.

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Union Minister Ramdas Athawle on Saturday sharply criticised the opposition's statements on the Union budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, stating that their perspective is "useless." He asserted that the budget had taken into account all sections of society and would serve to boost the economy. Speaking to ANI, Athawale said "The opposition says that the budget is useless, but their perspective is only useless... this budget will boost the economy, all sections have been considered in this budget..." He further added that states like Bihar and Maharashtra would benefit from the provisions included in the budget. "Bihar has been given new provisions as it is a huge state. Maharashtra has also been given good provisions for various departments. The relief for the income tax is also a great decision...," he added. Union Minister Giriraj Singh also defended the budget, highlighting the focus on four key sectors -- women, poor people, youth and farmers had been included in the budget. Further, he said that the budget was an inclusive one for the whole society. "PM Narendra Modi focussed on 4 sectors- women, poor people, youth, and farmers. All four sectors have been covered in the budget... Whichever angle you look at it from, it is an inclusive budget for the whole society... If the PM talked about a food processing training centre for the people of Purvanchal, then what was wrong with that?" Singh said speaking to ANI. Further, Singh said that the hatred from Congress and opposition was just because of the flaws in their mentality. "This hatred is because of a flaw in the mentality of the Congress and opposition. Do they (the opposition) hate the people of Bihar? If PM Modi talked about developing ITI what is there to hate?" Singh questioned. In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." The budget 2025-26 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday. (ANI)
DENVER (KDVR)  One month ago, Commerce City Police Officer, Aaron Cortez, was struck in his vehicle by a drunk driver while investigating a crash. Still recovering from the incident, a fundraiser is aiming to help ease his recovery this weekend.

I look like Im fine, I act like Im fine for, you know, 80, 90% of the time. But theres still this weird brain stuff and neck stuff Im dealing with, said Cortez.

Dementia care program in Aurora earns national distinction

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A month later and his recovery is still a work in progress.

Were still struggling with some of it but overall, night and day better from where it was, said Cortez.

Still out of work after the crash, his community has stepped up in a big way to keep him and his wife afloat financially.

Going from working full time, you know, really hitting overtime, off duty, stuff like that, going to injury leave. I mean, it takes a toll, said Cortez.

The MC1 Foundation does exactly that kind of work, raising money for officers injured in the line of duty.

We make sure that theyre not stressed out over financial obligations while theyre trying to recover and get back to work, said MC1 President Mark Miller.

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Recently, Miller said Commerce City restaurant The State House reached out to him with an idea for a fundraiser for Cortez.

They wanted to do something for one of their local officers, he said.

Denver metro King Soopers union workers authorize strike: Dates not yet announced

Miller said MC1 is thankful the community stepped up to help their efforts  support that Cortez said is invaluable in his current state.

We really dont know how this process wouldve worked without them, said Cortez. Without all the support. So, yeah, cant say thank you enough, really.

The fundraiser will be at The State House, at 15591 E 104th Ave, on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. The restaurant will be donating 15% of its profits to MC1 and Cortez.

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MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA)  Firefighters caught a bit of good luck on Friday and made gains to contain and extinguish a wildfire burning in McDowell County.

According to McDowell County Emergency Management and the U.S. Forest Service, the North Fork fire nearly double in size on Friday to 644 acres.

Much of the increase in fire size was due controlled firefighting operations within established containment lines. Friday afternoon the area saw roughly half and inch of rain, which was more than was expected, but not enough to put out the fire.

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The fire is burning in areas of heavy damage from Hurricane Helene near the Woodlawn Community in McDowell County.

The fire is located on Graveyard Mountain, east of Highway 221 and south of American Thread Road along the cliffs above the North Fork of the Catawba River in the U.S. Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest.

Fire officials said portions of the fire are sheltered in areas of extreme hurricane damage. These large piles of trees burned with high intensity, are now holding residual heat.

Firefighters are hoping to take advantage of Friday evening rains and a reduced fire intensity to extinguish hot spots near the fire line. Fire managers are also watching interior areas of the fire to determine of the predicted dry conditions on Saturday and Sunday will cause any areas to flare up or reignite.

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Approximately 100 personnel from the U.S. Forest Service, North Carolina Forest Service, McDowell County Emergency Management, and Woodlawn Fire Department are on the ground assisting with the North Fork Fire today. No structures are at risk at this time.

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Cultimate Warrior

As if the San Francisco Bay Area couldn't get any weirder, there's now suspicion that a bizarre AI-enthusiastic group in the region may have inspired a pair of deadly assaults that took place thousands of miles apart.

As Open Vallejo reports, two young computer scientists and apparent lovers, identified as 22-year-old Maximillian Snyder and 21-year-old Teresa Youngblut  admirers of the Bay Area-based fringe ideological group known as "Zizians," who want to speed up AI's takeover of humanity  were arrested this month for slayings that took place on opposite coasts.

Earlier in January, Youngblut was arrested by federal prosecutors on January 24 for the killing of a 44-year-old Border Patrol agent named David Maland in Vermont during a deadly shootout. Snyder, meanwhile, was arrested on January 17 in the NorCal town of Redding on charges related to the stabbing death of Curtis Lind, an 82-year-old landlord.

AI Acceler-Hatin-Ism

These two seemingly disparate homicides are entwined not only because the people arrested for them had applied for a marriage license in Washington State ahead of time, but also, as Open Vallejo reports, because both youthful scientists seem to have ascribed to Zizianism, a radical  and allegedly violent  offshoot of Eliezer Yudkowsky's Rationalist movement.

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The name of the group, as that news outlet notes, comes from a LessWrong.com user who went by "Ziz" on the site. As tech writer David Z. Morris explains, Ziz and his compatriots believe that AI will ultimately bring about the destruction of humankind  and per their thinking, that's a desirable outcome.

Ziz's real name is Jack LaSota, and he used to live at an RV camp that was owned by Lind, the murdered landlord. To make this story even more bizarre, that landlord was slated to testify against a few of LaSota's former roommates after they allegedly stabbed him with a sword on the property back in 2022  but he was killed before he could.

Morris and others have referred to the Zizians as a "murder cult" and "murder gang" due to the death toll surrounding the group. Horrifyingly, these more recent killings are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to allegations of violence linked to this AI-obsessed bunch  and hopefully, that trend will end with them.

More on AI terror: As Trump Offers Buyout to Get Rid of as Many Government Workers as Possible, OpenAI Announces New Version of ChatGPT Designed to Do Government Work
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Its been a few weeks since Trumps administration office took over and a big focus has been immigration.

Federal law enforcement like the Drug Enforcement Agency and a local immigration firm in Baton Rouge confirms there are local raids. While those raids take place, members of the Hispanic community speak about everyday fear.

Im witnessing the darkest of times that Ive ever seen in my life as a Latina, a Hispanic and as a Mexican-American woman in this country, said Marissa Bejarano-Fernbaugh, an educator and community advocate for the Louisiana Hispanic community.

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Fernbaugh currently lives in Port Allen and after massive deportations all over the country emphasized by the Trump administration. She feels like life hasnt been easy for the Hispanic community.

Lately, theres a lot more emboldened racism and discrimination, Fernbaugh said.

Racism that she sees striking right here at home, especially with her students.

Theyre trying to go to school, theyre trying to go to work, not knowing that if they come home, that theyre going to see their loved ones ever again, she said.

Federal Agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), who are working with Immigration Customs Enforcement, confirm arrests are happening in the area. Steven Hofer, special agent in the DEA of the New Orleans Field Division said undocumented criminals are on top of the list.

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There are thousands of immigrants that are in the Baton Rouge area, greater Baton Rouge area. And so we are working every day visually with our partners over at Homeland Security to make sure that we are finding and investigating the most violent criminals that are in the area, said Hofer.

Immigration Attorney Estafania Reichard also confirms the raids, sharing that attorneys in her firm are working with people who have been detained. This includes people who are not criminals such as an individual who was detained in Denham Springs.

He cooperated with local law enforcement to put a bad guy away. And he has a work permit that allows him to work, he has a social, he has never committed a crime and he has deferred action. And he got picked up, he just happened to be around a group of people where there was a raid and he got taken in and now hes detained, she said.

According to Reichard, calls have been nonstop and people who are undocumented and people who are legal citizens are both being detained. She recommends people have documents of proof at all times and reminds people about their rights if ICE shows up at their homes or their jobs.

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If you are encountered by ICE at your house, say that ICE knocks on your door, you have the right to not open the door. Im telling clients to immediately call an attorney, she said. ICE does not have the right to enter your home unless they have a signed judicial warrant.

As time rolls by, Fernbaugh just hopes families of immigrants do their part and educate themselves about the rights of immigrants in the country. She also hopes everyone comes together and remembers the times when her community was needed.

Our Hispanic community is suffering, said Fernbaugh. The way we decide to help them is to deny them the dignity of our compassion, to deny them the dignity of our humanity, and to deny them the dignity of their human rights? And that is a cruel way to repay the people that have rebuilt this state over and over and over again, she said.

As arrests continue, the DEA emphasizes a goal of safety of the community is the main goal.

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Ultimately, our goal is to make sure that we are able to arrest the violators and because we have the goal of we want to make sure the community is safe, Hofer said.

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(Bloomberg) --

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Mexican and Canadian officials worked the phones and booked trips to Washington as time runs out to stave off President Donald Trumps threat to impose 25% tariffs against the two largest US trading partners on Saturday.

With the clock ticking, officials were busy making their cases that theyve done enough to control the border and limit fentanyl traffic to persuade the US president to stand down. Trump, whos been known to change his mind at the last minute, was standing firm late Friday afternoon, telling reporters theres nothing Mexico or Canada can do.

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The governments of both US neighbors were taking a two-step approach to make their case to Trump administration officials and key US lawmakers: First, demonstrate real action on the border to try to hand Trump a win on fentanyl and undocumented migration. Second, warn there will be serious retaliation if tariffs are imposed.

The scale of their responses will depend on whether Trumps actions match his rhetoric, according to officials in Canada and Mexico.

The Mexican government is sticking with what President Claudia Sheinbaum calls a cool-headed strategy to deal with Trumps tariff pledges against the country, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Mexico will insist on maintaining a constant dialogue with Washington, and officials from Sheinbaums administration were expected to talk with US counterparts as soon as Friday.

Figuring out who to talk to is part of the challenge. Deputy Economy Minister for Trade Luis Rosendo Gutierrez is expected to travel to Washington on Monday, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. But he cant meet with US trade or Commerce Department officials until theyre formally ratified, they said. Instead, hell talk to business leaders and associations.

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Sheinbaum has also pointed to Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente as a key interlocutor to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. High-level teams from Mexicos foreign ministry and the State Department are in frequent communication working on security and migration, according to people familiar with the matter, who added the State Department sees Mexico as making a significant effort on the latter.

In discussions with US officials and intermediaries, Sheinbaums government has touted its progress in disbanding caravans of migrants walking north. Mexico has also increased fentanyl and other drug raids in the last few months.

Sheinbaums team has mapped out a series of scenarios and responses depending on the timing and scale of Trumps moves, the Mexican president reiterated at her morning news conferences over the course of the week.

We are prepared, we have a plan, but we are always looking for dialogue, Sheinbaum said Friday morning. Standing alongside her, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that imposing trade levies would be a strategic mistake that will raise the cost of cars, refrigerators, computers, televisions, fruit and beer for US customers.

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The tariffs would also set aside the Northern American free trade pact known as the USMCA, Sheinbaum added. She didnt elaborate, but a person familiar with her thinking said she was suggesting that the region would need to rethink a deal that Trump appears to no longer care about sustaining.

Presenting Facts

For Canadian officials, the focus is hammering home to their American counterparts that Canada has beefed up its border security in response to Trumps stated concerns. That includes a C$1.3 billion ($894 million) plan unveiled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in December to add helicopters, drones and other surveillance capacity.

Canadas border is strong and were making it stronger, said Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, speaking to reporters. When our largest ally raises concerns, we take it seriously.

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McGuinty was in Washington Friday to meet with US border czar Tom Homan, said a person familiar with the matter. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Immigration Minister Marc Miller also made the trek south to convince their American counterparts that the border is under control.

The Canadian officials come to the discussions armed with documents, charts and even time-lapse videos of certain border crossings.

Every time Im presenting our border plan, every time Im presenting facts  which are, first, less than 1% of fentanyl that is in the US comes from Canada and less than 1% of illegal migrants in the US come from Canada  that is definitely resonating, so I think that we have a good strategy, Joly said in a news conference Wednesday.

She added that in her Wednesday meeting with Rubio, she made clear that should tariffs be imposed, we would retaliate and everything was on the table.

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Joly, McGuinty and Miller held a joint news conference Friday evening after their meetings in Washington, where the foreign minister stressed theyd received positive feedback from American officials. She reiterated Canada would be ready to retaliate day one, but noted her government hadnt seen any concrete details of how Trump planned to carry out his 25% tariff threat.

The reality is we have yet to see a piece of paper declaring that, Joly said. Of course President Trump has made many different declarations, which we take very seriously.

Trudeaus government wont unveil its retaliation list until it sees what the Trump administration actually moves forward with, said a Canadian official with knowledge of the plan. But there are multiple stages of retaliatory tariffs ready to go, including a small list of high-profile goods such as Florida oranges and Kentucky bourbon, and a much larger list that could affect up to C$150 billion worth of US imports to Canada.

--With assistance from Eric Martin, Alex Vasquez, Travis Waldron and Randy Thanthong-Knight.

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(Adds comments from Canadian news conference to bottom paragraphs.)

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Officials from the New Mexico Department of Justice and the state Department of Finance and Administration met with the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

New Mexico Department of Justice Chief Deputy James Grayson says his department is tracking disruptions in funding as a result of President Donald Trumps attempt to freeze federal grants and loans.

We are working very closely with the governors office, and we want to make sure that New Mexico, at the state level and the local government level, that all federal funds that are due are received, Grayson said Friday during a meeting with the House Judiciary Committee and the state Department of Finance Administration. The New Mexico Department of Justice is very carefully monitoring the situation, which is developing day by day.

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New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez joined attorneys general in 22 states and the District of Columbia who filed a federal lawsuit earlier this week challenging the order.

The federal district judge in the case issued a temporary restraining order against the funding freeze Friday afternoon.

The judges temporary restraining order means the status quo stands, Grayson said, and the directive to suspend federal funding has been paused until the states motion for preliminary injunction can be argued in front of the judge. Its on a fast track, he said, so it will be argued within 14 days.

This is something that has been jarring to our communities and nonprofits, said Cecilia Mavrommatis, Local Government Division director at DFA.

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We have nonprofit organizations that work with the cities that get federal money, and theyre a little freaked out, she said, including domestic violence shelters and youth services organizations.

Acting State Controller Mark Melhoffs office at DFA oversees financing and accounting for all state agencies. He said the state government receives almost all of its federal money through reimbursement, where it spends money up front and then makes a request for a draw down.

On Monday and Tuesday, Trumps executive orders disrupted the portals people use to make those drawdown requests, Melhoff said.

Folks were having trouble getting in and submitting the drawdowns, Melhoff said. As of today, as far as I know, most of that has been taken care of.

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On Wednesday, members of the House Appropriations Committee were told the Health Care Authority had been temporarily unable to access $40 million, for instance. Marina Pina, director of communications and marketing subsequently confirmed to Source via email that the federal draw of $40 million to support Medicaid is no longer on pause, and the state has successfully secured the funds.

But in case more disruptions occur, Melhoff said, Its really important for all of us in state government to know what were allowed to draw down for, and as soon as were ready to do it, we should do it and not wait.

Cutting off the funds in such a sudden manner is catastrophic for patients, for providers who are unable to recoup those funds, for state and local governments who absolutely need to get these projects paid for, and maybe have already encumbered and have their own contract, said House Majority Floor Leader Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe).
Mexico's government, under mounting pressure from President Trump to curb drug trafficking, announced Friday that it had seized 18 kilos of fentanyl hidden in a bus.

Mr. Trump has cited illegal flows of the deadly opioid and migrants as the main reasons for a planned 25% tariff on Mexican goods that the White House said would take effect on Saturday.

"The president will be implementing tomorrow 25% tariffs on Mexico, 25% tariffs on Canada and a 10% tariff on China, for the illegal fentanyl they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing on Friday.

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The Latin American nation has announced a series of major fentanyl seizures in recent weeks in an apparent attempt to highlight increased efforts to combat drug smuggling.

The latest haul was discovered in the spare wheel compartment of a passenger bus during a search on a highway in the northwestern border state of Sonora, authorities said.

Two kilos of heroin were found along with the fentanyl pills, according to a joint statement from the defense, navy and security ministries as well as the public prosecutor's office and the National Guard.

Two men were arrested and the vehicle was seized, they said.

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The statement also reported the discovery of four tons of methamphetamine during a raid on a house in Playas de Rosarito, south of California, without saying when the seizures happened.

In December, the Mexican government announced what it called "the largest seizure of fentanyl in history," totaling more than one million pills.

The contents of a vehicle are displayed after Mexican authorities conducted a joint operation, seizing fentanyl, at an unknown location, in this social media image released December 4, 2024. / Credit: Omar H Garcia Harfuch via Reuters

The synthetic opioid, which is 50 times more potent than heroin, has been linked to tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the United States.

Mexico is one of the main trafficking routes for the drug and for the chemicals to manufacture it, most of which come from China, according to U.S. authorities.

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The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said that Mexican cartels are "at the heart" of a synthetic narcotics crisis in the United States.

The powerful Sinaloa Cartel "dominates the fentanyl market through its manipulation of the global supply chain and the proliferation of clandestine fentanyl labs in Mexico," it said in its 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment.

But Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has said authorities have found no proof that fentanyl is being produced in the country.

"So far, we have not found that precursors arrive -- because most of the precursors come from Asia -- and that the whole process is manufactured here in Mexico," she said earlier this month.

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In a 2024 interview with "60 Minutes," Mexico former president Andres Manuel Lopez echoed Sheinbaum's stance.

"Fentanyl is produced in the United States, in Canada, and in Mexico. And the chemical precursors come from Asia," Manuel Lopez said.

Foreign companies aren't responsible for paying tariffs. Instead, U.S. businesses directly pay the tariffs on their imported goods to the federal government, according to the Tax Foundation, a tax-focused think tank.

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A Michigan priest had his license rescinded by the Anglican Catholic Church after imitating a cross-body gesture that tech billionaire Elon Musk made at an event following President Trumps inauguration, which same critics characterized as a fascist salute.

Musk during a speech placed his right arm on the left side of his chest. He then extended the arm straight across. He turned around and did the same again, saying My heart goes out to you.

The priest, Calvin Robinson, attended the National Pro-Life Summit in Washington, D.C. last month. Toward the end of his remarks at the Jan. 25 event, he mimicked Musks salute, which made the rounds online.

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The Anglican Catholic Church in a Wednesday statement said Robinsons license in this Church has been revoked and condemned Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms.

Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist, the church wrote. Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC.

And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialize the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators, the church continued. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.

Robinson defended his gesture, saying that he is not a Nazi sympathizer and argued that he was merely mocking those who accused Musk of being one.

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I gave a talk at a pro-life event that seemed to go down well, I am pleased to have contributed to what I believe to be the most important of causes, he wrote on Facebook. The enemy hates that, of course, and the attacks have been plentiful. That is fine and to be expected.

The joke at the end was a mockery of the hysterical liberals who called Elon Musk a Nazi for quite clearly showing the audience his heart was with them, Robinson added. Context is key, but sometimes people ignore context to confirm their own prejudices. People see what they want to see.

Musk, who has emerged a fervent supporter of Trump, was widely criticized over the Jan. 20 gesture.

I never imagined we would see the day when what appears to be a Heil Hitler salute would be made behind the Presidential seal, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in response. This abhorrent gesture has no place in our society and belongs in the darkest chapters of human history.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) echoed the sentiment, claiming that hating Nazis is a foundational, defining part of being American.

If youre cool and want to defend the Sieg Heils and the Nazi salutes  whatever you want to do, thats on you, she said. Im on the opposite side of that. Im not with the Nazis.

Musk, however, mocked the accusations. Others defended his motion, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu wrote on social platform X that Musk was being falsely smeared and praised the Tesla CEO as a great friend of Israel.

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Union Minister Chirag Paswan has applauded the Union Budget 2025, calling it an inclusive financial plan that addresses the key socio-economic disparities between urban and rural areas, rich and poor and bridges the gap. Paswan expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for their efforts in crafting a budget that prioritises infrastructure development and economic inclusivity. "...I would like to thank PM Modi and FM Nirmala Sitharaman as this Budget strengthens the idea of building a developed country with which we are going forward. This Budget has provisions to bridge the gap between rich and poor as well as villages and cities. Handholding of youth, women and middle class is being done and the same has been mentioned...I think this is a budget that touches every sector...," he said. Paswan also expressed particular appreciation for several Bihar-specific initiatives and said, "I would like to especially thank the Finance Minister for the infrastructure development announced for Bihar, greenfield airport was mentioned, expansion of the airport was announced, expansion of IIT Patna was announced...New tax slabs were announced with the idea that people would be left with more money in their hands. Overall, this is a beautiful and strong budget." Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has praised the Union Budget 2024-25, describing it as a progressive and forward-thinking financial plan that promises to accelerate both national and state-level development. Kumar expressed particular appreciation for several Bihar-specific initiatives, including the creation of the Makhana Board, greenfield airports in Bihar and the Western Kosi Canal Project in Mithilaanchal, and said all this will significantly contribute to the state's economic growth and infrastructure expansion. Meanwhile, in her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said. However, an independent MP from Bihar's Purnea, Pappu Yadav said that no discussions were held on sectors like education, health, fertiliser, farmers and schemes Agviveer. "... Tax relief limit has been increased to Rs 12 lakh but those with Rs 25 lakhs per annum will be giving 30 to 40 per cent taxes, the money is still being retrieved from the people of the nation... There was no discussion on education, health, fertiliser, farmers, Agviveer... They just have taken the name of Bihar, but no actual discussion...," said Yadav. (ANI)
Groundhog Day is Sunday, and if Punxsutawney Phil and Michigan's Woody the Woodchuck don't see their shadows, we could enjoy an early spring, the folk tale says.

Since the 1800s, Groundhog Day has been observed on Feb. 2. The longstanding tradition calls for the fur-bearing weather forecaster to tell us if spring is coming.

According to the lore, if the groundhogs  known as woodchucks in Michigan  emerge from their burrows and:

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see their shadow: They will retreat and there will be six more weeks of wintry weather.

don't see their shadows: Early spring weather is right around the corner, and we can expect warm temperatures in the coming weeks.

A look at the holiday and what it means:

When is Groundhog Day?

Groundhog Day is Sunday, Feb. 2.

Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil and Woody the Woodchuck will make their predictions Sunday morning.

Will it be sunny Sunday morning?

The National Weather Service in Detroit says to expect a chance of snow, mixing with rain after noon, then gradually ending. It will be cloudy, with a high near 42, so it's unlikely anyone will see a strong shadow in the morning.

What is Groundhog Day?

Groundhog Day is rooted in the Christian holiday Candlemas, the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. During Candlemas, Christians would light candles to predict how long winter would last. The holiday stems from a centuries-old pagan and Christian tradition, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It is also known as St. Brigids Day.

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The first official Groundhog Day took place Feb. 2, 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to History.com, we can thank newspaper editor Clymer Freas for the special day, as he and a group of hunters declared a groundhog from the town as the official predictor.

Today, the ceremony is organized by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, which also cares for the groundhog year-round.

What is a groundhog?

Groundhogs are rodents  related to such things as squirrels and other small animals.

In Michigan, we call them woodchucks. They also are known as marmots and whistle pigs.

How often is Punxsutawney Phil right?

Last year, 2024, was the third straight year the groundhog was reported to have spotted his shadow, something he has done 107 times since his first prediction in 1887. Though he has apparently seen his shadow in 84% of his predictions, Phil has been right only about 39% of the time, according to the Stormfax Weather Almanac.

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From the real experts: When does winter end in Michigan? Here's how long snow could fall

Michigan's own groundhog, Woody

Michigan's official groundhog, Woody the Woodchuck, resides at the Howell Nature Center. She began forecasting in 1999 and has a 67% accuracy rate, according to the center.

7.1K views  196 reactions | Ground hogs day is right around the corner! Woody is getting ready! | Howell Nature Center

Last year, Woody predicted a longer winter, conflicting with the report from Punxsutawney Phil.

How to celebrate Groundhog Day in Michigan

Michiganders who want to see Woody make her live prediction can join The Howell Nature Center for its annual Groundhog Day event.

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The wildlife staff will offer free continental breakfast at the Pineview Lodge, starting at 7:30 a.m., followed by holiday-theme games and information sessions, and then the all-important prediction.

The event will be live on Facebook at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

Where else do groundhogs predict the weather?

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, hosts a Groundhog Day celebration featuring Jimmy the Groundhog.

The 77th annual Sun Prairie Groundhog Prognostication organizers claim Jimmy has an "extremely high accuracy rate on his annual predictions, making him an outstanding leader in meteorological circles."

Woodstock, Illinois, hosts Groundhog Days from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2.

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The city, 51 miles northwest of Chicago, is the site of actor Bill Murray's "Groundhog Day" movie, filmed in the town in 1992.

In addition to movie screenings and various other events, the annual prognostication takes place at 6:30 a.m. Feb. 2.

In West Virginia, Freddy will offer his take on the winter weather on Feb. 2.

The 45th annual event is free; gates open at 8:30 a.m. Groundhog Day activities will officially start at the amphitheater at 9:30 a.m. There will be music, free hot chocolate and cookies, activities and opportunities to tour the Wildlife Center. The Centers ninth annual Woodchuckin Contest will start at 10:30 a.m.

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In case you've lost confidence in groundhogs to tell the weather, the Milwaukee County Zoo has asked its dwarf goats to step in.

Nigerian dwarf goats will take over for the weather prediction duties at 9 a.m. (CST) Feb. 2 at the zoos Northwestern Mutual Family Farm Goat Yard before it opens to the public for the day.

USA Today reporters contributed.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Woody the Woodchuck joins Punxsutawney Phil for forecast
Hamas freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

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Palestinian health authorities in Gaza also announced that the long-shuttered Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened Saturday for thousands of Palestinians who desperately need medical care  a breakthrough that signals the ceasefire agreement continues to gain traction.

A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began entering Egypt for treatment through the crossing, the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago.

___

Here's the latest:

5 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in West Bank, Palestinian health ministry says

The Palestinian Health Ministry says five Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the northern occupied West Bank.

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The ministry reported that Israeli aerial bombardment in the village of Qabatiya, south of the city of Jenin, killed two people and that shelling in an eastern neighborhood of Jenin killed three, including a 16-year-old boy.

The Israeli military said only that it had carried out an airstrike on militants in the northern West Bank. It did not immediately provide more information.

The rising death toll comes as an Israeli military raid in the urban Jenin refugee camp, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, nears the two-week mark. Before Saturday, the Israeli military said the operation had killed at least 18 Palestinians in the camp  including a 2-year-old girl, whose death the military has called tragic. It says it is examining.

Talks on 2nd phase of ceasefire to begin Monday, Netanyahu's office says

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JERUSALEM  The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he spoke Saturday evening with President Donald Trumps special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. They agreed that negotiations on the Gaza ceasefires second phase will begin at their meeting Monday in Washington.

Netanyahu leaves Sunday for Washington, where he will meet with Trump on Tuesday.

Talks on the ceasefires more difficult second phase have been set to begin Monday, two weeks into the six-week first phase. Netanyahus office said he and Witkoff will discuss Israels positions and Witkoff later in the week will speak with the other mediators, Qatar and Egypt.

Concerted pressure by the incoming Trump administration and outgoing Biden one was cited as a factor in achieving this ceasefire after months of stalled talks.

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Former hostage says it's important to show that Im OK'

TEL AVIV, Israel  In a video statement broadcast before a crowd of supporters at a Tel Aviv rally for the hostages held in Gaza, former hostage Doron Steinbrecher said it was important for her to show that Im ok.

Steinbrecher, 31, was released some 10 days ago as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

In the prerecorded video  her first public statement since being freed  she said that taping it was not easy for her.

The last time I sat with a camera pointed at me was in captivity. This whole thing takes me back to all the hostage videos I filmed and those I saw, she said, referring to the videos Hamas taped of her and other hostages during their Gaza captivity. But this time, Im sitting comfortably on a couch with my family watching me in a warm and pleasant place.

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Of her recovery, Steinbrecher said It will take time and its a process  it wont end in a week or two, but Im here thanks to you, and Im okay.

She vowed to join the public battle to ensure that all the hostages return. Appealing directly to the families of hostages still held in Gaza, she said Youre not alone. We are together until the end.

Netanyahu names new military chief of staff effective in March

JERUSALEM  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named a new military chief of staff to take up the role once the current head general resigns in March.

Netanyahus office said Saturday that Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir would replace Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi. Halevi said last month he was resigning over Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, the worst security disaster in Israels history.

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Following Netanyahus announcement, Halevi released a statement congratulating Zamir and pledging a smooth transition of command.

I have known Eyal for many years, and I am confident that he will lead the IDF forward in the face of the challenges ahead, wrote Halevi, using the acronym for the Israeli military

Zamir is the director general of Israels defense ministry and was considered a favored candidate to succeed Halevi.

In Gaza, a surreal homecoming is tinged with grief

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip  Yaser Abu Hamad was arrested for his involvement in the Islamic Jihad militant group in August 2006. He last stepped foot in the Gaza Strip at a time when Hamas first parliamentary victory was shaking up Palestinian politics and Israel was reeling from its 2005 disengagement from the territory.

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Transferred to prison in Israel and held for almost two decades, Abu Hamad missed countless historical milestones: Hamas violent takeover of Gaza, the imposition of a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade, five bloody wars and more violent skirmishes with Israel.

But nothing has transformed the Gaza he knew like this current Israel-Hamas war that may be the most deadly in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Abu Hamad was released to Gaza on Saturday with some 150 other Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jail. Most of them were detained during the war without trial and others, like Abu Hamad, were serving long sentences for their involvement in attacks against Israelis.

Abu Hamad couldnt have anticipated the pain that would accompany his freedom. He discovered that during the war, 20 members of his family, including his mother, sisters, brothers wife and nephews, were killed by a barrage of Israeli airstrikes on his hometown of Khan Younis. Instead of running into their arms as he imagined, he headed to see their graves.

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Netanyahu to fly to Washington on Sunday to meet with Trump

TEL AVIV, Israel  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will fly to Washington on Sunday for a visit in which he will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, his office said Saturday.

Trump invited Netanyahu to the White House last week, making the Israeli leader the first foreign head of state to meet with him in his second term.

Netanyahus visit comes as the United States is putting pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza. Talks about the ceasefires more difficult second phase, which aims to end the war, begin Monday.

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The Washington meeting is a chance for Netanyahu, under pressure at home, to remind the world of the support he has received from Trump over the years, and to defend Israels conduct of the war.

Last year, the two men met face-to-face for the first time in nearly four years at Trumps Florida Mar-a-Lago estate. Netanyahus office said the two leaders would discuss Gaza, the hostages, the handling of all elements of the Iranian axis, and other key issues.

Thai foreign minister and army chief visit 5 released hostages

TEL AVIV, Israel  A delegation of senior Thai officials including the foreign minister and army chief of staff on Saturday visited the five Thai nationals who were released from Hamas captivity earlier this week.

Surasak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were released on Thursday, along with three Israeli hostages, as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

During the visit, the five men also spoke by video conference with Thailands Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said in a post on X after visiting the Shamir Medical Center in central Israel, where the Thais were recovering, that Thai and Israeli officials were coordinating their return home soon.

The head of the hospital, Dr. Osnat Levzion-Korach, said that all five men were in stable, good condition and were beginning to open up and talk.

Siegel reunited with family after release from Gaza captivity

JERUSALEM  Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel had an emotional reunion with his family members following his release from captivity in Gaza.

In footage released by Israels government press office, Siegels daughters greeted him at the hospital, where doctors are monitoring his condition, with a song and hugged him tightly. He told them they were champions.

Siegel, who hails from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was handed over by Hamas militants on Saturday along with two other male hostages, Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon.

The White House issued a statement saying, Today, Americans celebrate the return of American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and two Israelis who were held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7, 2023. President Trump and his Administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages.

Family of Bibas rejoice at his freedom

TEL AVIV, Israel  The family of Yarden Bibas says there are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice, after his release from Hamas' captivity on Saturday.

Bibas, 35, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oc. 7, 2023. His wife, Shiri, and their two young boys, Ariel and Kfir, were also taken that day and are still captive in Gaza. It is unknown if they are still alive.

Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete, the family wrote. Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality.

The family said it continues with hope and made a plea to the public to keep pressing for the release of all remaining hostages.

Argentinian officials celebrate the release of an Israeli-Argentine hostage

JERUSALEM  Argentinian officials are celebrating the release of Israeli-Argentine Yarden Bibas from Hamas captivity after almost 16 months of the war in Gaza.

President Javier Milei of Argentina, a staunch supporter of Israel, posted a stream of emotional videos all morning Saturday on X showing Bibas greeting his relatives after his release with long and tearful hugs.

The Israeli Embassy in Argentina says that Bibas obtained Argentine citizenship through his wife, Shiri, and their two small children, Ariel and Kfir, are also Argentinian. The condition of Shiri and their two sons, the youngest hostages to be abducted during Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, remains unclear. Hamas claimed last year that they had been killed by an Israeli airstrike, but Israeli officials never confirmed that.

Axel Wahnish, a Sephardic rabbi and the Argentine ambassador to Israel, said that Argentine authorities were following Bibas release in the exchange closely. He expressed hope that all the kidnapped people can return safely to their homes.

Wahnish also praised Milei for his strong condemnations of Hamas, which he said stood in contrast to the silence of some leaders of the free world.

Released Palestinians describe harsh prison conditions in Israel

RAMALLAH, West Bank  Palestinians who were sentenced to years in prison over deadly attacks against Israelis and released into the occupied West Bank described harsh conditions, beatings and other abuse in prison. Many appeared frail as they reveled in their homecoming on Saturday.

Mohammad Kaskus, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison over his militancy during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, told The Associated Press that he faced beatings and intimidation during interrogations. He said that the food provisions in prison were insufficient, with meager snacks instead of full meals often leaving him hungry.

The Israeli Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Another released prisoner, Murad Hmeidan, who was serving a life sentence plus 25 years in a case also related to his involvement in attacks against Israelis, said the treatment was extremely bad. He said that seeing the deaths of fellow prisoners in detention from wounds or illnesses over the years made him feel that there is a serious risk to the lives of everyone in Israeli prisons.

The Palestinian Prisoners' Society, an advocacy group, has recorded the deaths 54 Palestinians inside Israeli prison since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Israel has previously said that military prosecutors are investigating Palestinian deaths in custody and did not offer further comment on Saturday.

Yarden Bibas seen arriving in Israeli hospital after release from Gaza

TEL AVIV, Israel  The Israeli army released footage of Yarden Bibas arriving at a hospital in central Israel and meeting his mother for the first time after his release earlier Saturday from 15 months of captivity in Gaza. The two are seen locked in a silent embrace.

Bibas, 35, returned to Israel without his wife, Shiri Bibas, or his two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, who remain in captivity. Hamas claims the three were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed their deaths but says it is gravely concerned for their welfare. Ariel was 4 years old and Kfir was 9 months old when they were taken with their mother during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Bibas along with Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegal, who were also freed on Saturday. He added, Our thoughts are now with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas and all our hostages. We will continue to work to bring them home.

Freed hostage Keith Siegel arrives in hospital in Israel

JERUSALEM  Newly released hostage Keith Siegel looked frail and appeared to be walking slowly in footage released by the Israeli military shortly after his release from captivity in Gaza.

Still, in Associated Press footage the 65-year-old Israeli-American refused a wheelchair upon landing at the hospital where doctors will check his medical condition. Wrapped in an Israeli flag, we waved to people in nearby balconies waving back at him.

Siegel was injured in the Hamas attack October 7, 2023, his ribs broken and hand bleeding when he was dragged into Gaza, according to his wife Aviva Siegel, who was taken hostage with him but released in November 2023.

Watching the first moments of her husbands release on television in a southern border community near Gaza as she waited to reunite with him, Aviva Siegel said, There he is, Keith, there he is, wow!

Theyve put a hat on him! she exclaimed.

Israel says all 183 Palestinian prisoners set for release are now free

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Israeli Prison Authority says that all 183 Palestinian prisoners slated for release on Saturday have been freed. Most of them, including 111 arrested after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, were released to Gaza. Just over two dozen returned to cheering crowds in the occupied West Bank. Another seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.

That concludes the fourth prisoner-for-hostage swap in the six-week initial phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Sick and wounded children leave Gaza for treatment as border crossing reopens

RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt  A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began crossing to Egypt for treatment through Gazas Rafah crossing on Saturday, in the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas agreed to earlier this month. Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.

Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.

Freed hostage reunites with father and sister

TEL AVIV, Israel  The Israeli military published footage of released hostage Yarden Bibas reuniting with his father and sister at a military base outside of Gaza, where he is undergoing initial medical checks immediately after entering Israel. He closed his eyes as his father, Eli, and sister Ofri hugged him fiercely. Sweetheart, his father said, as the family embraced and cried.

Bibas, 35, is the father of the two youngest hostages in Gaza, whose plight has become a rallying cry for Israelis. The Bibas sons  4 years old and 9 months old at the time of their abduction  and their mother, Shiri, are still in captivity, and feared dead.

Shiri Bibas and the two children are the last woman and children held in captivity in Gaza who have not been confirmed dead by Israel.

In November 2023, Yarden Bibas was filmed by Hamas as he was told that Shiri Bibas and the children were kidnapped and killed in an Israeli airstrike. In the video, filmed under duress, Yarden is sobbing and pleading with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring their bodies to Israel for burial.

Israel dismissed the video as psychological terror and said there was no concrete information about the status of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, but there have been no signs of life from the three in the past year.

Siegel returns to Israel

Israel confirmed that American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel had crossed the border from Gaza after being handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross at a ceremony in Gaza City. The Israeli military said in a statement that he was headed to a reception point at a military base, where he would be met by family members before heading to a hospital.

Hamas hands over U.S.-Israeli hostage

Hamas has handed American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, over to the Red Cross, the third hostage to be released Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Siegel walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials.

Earlier, the militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in similar scenes in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. All three had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.
Hamas freed three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday and Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The six-week phase one truce calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, as well as the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

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Palestinian health authorities in Gaza also announced that the long-shuttered Rafah border crossing with Egypt would reopen on Saturday for thousands of Palestinians who desperately need medical care  a breakthrough that signals the ceasefire agreement continues to gain traction.



Heres the latest:

Arab nations reject Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt and Jordan

CAIRO  Powerful Arab nations have rejected U.S. President Donald Trumps suggestion to relocate Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring Egypt and Jordan.

Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab League released a joint statement on Saturday following a meeting of foreign ministers.

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They said they reject any plans to move Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Yarden Bibas seen arriving in Israeli hospital after release from Gaza

TEL AVIV, Israel  The Israeli army released footage of Yarden Bibas arriving at a hospital in central Israel and meeting his mother for the first time after his release earlier Saturday from 15 months of captivity in Gaza. The two are seen locked in a silent embrace.

Bibas, 35, returned to Israel without his wife, Shiri Bibas, or his two young sons, Kfir and Ariel, who remain in captivity. Hamas claims the three were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed their deaths but says it is gravely concerned for their welfare. Ariel was 4 years old and Kfir was 9 months old when they were taken with their mother during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

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In a post on X, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Bibas along with Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegal, who were also freed on Saturday. He added, Our thoughts are now with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas and all our hostages. We will continue to work to bring them home.

Freed hostage Keith Siegel arrives in hospital in Israel

JERUSALEM  Newly released hostage Keith Siegel looked frail and appeared to be walking slowly in footage released by the Israeli military shortly after his release from captivity in Gaza.

Still, the 65-year-old Israeli-American refused a wheelchair upon landing at the hospital where doctors will check his medical condition. Wrapped in an Israeli flag, we waved to people in nearby balconies waving back at him.

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Siegel was injured in the Hamas attack October 7, 2023, his ribs broken and hand bleeding when he was dragged into Gaza, according to his wife Aviva Siegel, who was taken hostage with him but released in November 2023.

Watching the first moments of her husbands release on television in a southern border community near Gaza as she waited to reunite with him, Aviva Siegel said, There he is, Keith, there he is, wow!

Theyve put a hat on him! she exclaimed.

Released hostage thanks the Israeli people for their support

JERUSALEM - Israels military published a photo of recently freed hostage Yarden Bibas in a military helicopter shortly after his release Saturday, holding a sign thanking Israelis for their support.

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I thank all the people of Israel for the support and help. Ive heard from my family that you fought for me, read the message Bibas held up to the camera.

Bibas, 35, returns to Israel without his wife, Shiri Bibas, or his two boys, Kfir and Ariel, who remain in captivity.

The familys plight  and the two boys with their shocks of ginger hair  have captivated Israelis, and Yardens release dims hopes that the three others are alive.

Family of Keith Siegal says they can breathe again as he returns to Israel

JERUSALEM  The family of Keith Siegel said they could breathe again as he returned to Israel after being released by Hamas.

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Siegel, an American Israeli from North Carolina, was captured from the communal farming village by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023.

Finally, after 484 long, terrifying days and nights, full of immense worry for our father, we can breathe again, his family wrote in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters.

Siegels family also thanked U.S. President Donald Trump, the American and Israeli governments, and the Israeli military for securing his return.

Israel says all 183 Palestinian prisoners set for release are now free

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Israeli Prison Authority says that all 183 Palestinian prisoners slated for release on Saturday have been freed. Most of them, including 111 arrested after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023 attack, were released to Gaza. Just over two dozen returned to cheering crowds in the occupied West Bank. Another seven serving life sentences were transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.

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That concludes the fourth prisoner-for-hostage swap in the six-week initial phase of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

Sick and wounded children leave Gaza for treatment as border crossing reopens

RAFAH CROSSING, Egypt  A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began crossing to Egypt for treatment through Gazas Rafah crossing on Saturday, in the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas agreed to earlier this month. Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.

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Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.

Prisoners released by Israel include aid worker jailed in controversial case

RAMALLAH, West Bank  One of the most prominent Palestinians being released on Saturday is aid worker Mohammed el-Halabi, who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups.

El-Halabi had worked as the Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization. He was was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas. Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing.

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Rights groups say el-Halabi was denied a fair and transparent trial, as he and World Vision had no chance to review the evidence against them. His prolonged detention sent a chill through nongovernmental groups providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel begins freeing Palestinian prisoners

OFER MILITARY PRISON, West Bank  Israel has begun freeing 183 Palestinian prisoners due for release after Hamas freed three hostages as part of the ceasefire deal that has halted 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

A bus departed Ofer Military Prison with some 32 prisoners headed for the West Bank. About 150 other prisoners were being sent to Gaza or deported.

According to Palestinian authorities, a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners are to be released, including dozens serving lengthy or life sentences and 111 people from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after Oct. 7, 2023, and held without trial.

Palestinian Authority says Israel will begin releasing Palestinians held without trial after Oct. 7 attack

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The Palestinian Authoritys commission of prisoners affairs says that a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners are slated for release Saturday in exchange for the three Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

In a sign that the ceasefire agreement is progressing, this release departs from the previous formula of 30 Palestinian prisoners for each Israeli hostage to include more Palestinian detainees who were rounded up in Gaza after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that began the war.

As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel has agreed to release about 1,000 Palestinians from Gaza who were detained on suspicion of militancy and have been held without trial since the day after the Oct. 7 attack.

The Palestinian Authority said that on Saturday, Israel will release 111 of these Palestinians from Gaza on the condition that they did not participate in the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, the first of what will be several such releases staggered over the six weeks of the Phase 1 ceasefire deal.

The other 72 Palestinians set to be released Saturday were serving long or life sentences on national security charges connected to their involvement in deadly attacks against Israelis. Of that group, 32 hail from the occupied West Bank, where families and friends on Saturday were anxiously awaiting their return, and another 39 come from Gaza.

Seven of the prisoners serving life sentences will be transferred to Egypt before further deportation under the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Freed hostage reunites with father and sister

TEL AVIV, Israel  The Israeli military published footage of released hostage Yarden Bibas reuniting with his father and sister at a military base outside of Gaza, where he is undergoing initial medical checks immediately after entering Israel. He closed his eyes as his father, Eli, and sister Ofri hugged him fiercely. Sweetheart, his father said, as the family embraced and cried.

Bibas, 35, is the father of the two youngest hostages in Gaza, whose plight has become a rallying cry for Israelis. The Bibas sons  4 years old and 9 months old at the time of their abduction  and their mother, Shiri, are still in captivity, and feared dead.

Shiri Bibas and the two children are the last woman and children held in captivity in Gaza who have not been confirmed dead by Israel.

In November 2023, Yarden Bibas was filmed by Hamas as he was told that Shiri Bibas and the children were kidnapped and killed in an Israeli airstrike. In the video, filmed under duress, Yarden is sobbing and pleading with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring their bodies to Israel for burial.

Israel dismissed the video as psychological terror and said there was no concrete information about the status of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, but there have been no signs of life from the three in the past year.

Siegel returns to Israel

Israel confirmed that American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel had crossed the border from Gaza after being handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross at a ceremony in Gaza City. The Israeli military said in a statement that he was headed to a reception point at a military base, where he would be met by family members before heading to a hospital.

Family of French Israeli hostage celebrates his return

PARIS  The family of Ofer Kalderon said they were overwhelmed with joy, relief and emotion after his release by Hamas.

Kalderon, a 54-year-old French-Israeli citizen, was one of three male hostages released Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal that halted fighting in Gaza after more than 15 months of war.

Kalderon was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nir Oz kibbutz on Oct. 7, along with his daughter Sahar and son Erez. The children were released in November 2023 during a temporary ceasefire.

Today, we finally embrace Ofer, seeing and truly comprehending that he is here with us, his family said in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters. We have witnessed how, through extraordinary mental strength, he survived this hell. Ofer endured months in a nightmare, and we are proud of his ability to survive and hold onto the hope of embracing his children again.

The family added a note of support for the remaining hostages still being held by Hamas.

In the midst of this emotional moment, we must remember all the hostages who remain behind. We have no right to stop until all 79 hostages return home  whether for rehabilitation or for burial, the family said.

Kibbutz members cheer as their neighbor is released

There were sighs of relief and cheers in the living room where members of Kibbutz Kfar Aza watched Hamas militants hand over hostage Keith Siegel to the Red Cross.

Siegel, an American Israeli from North Carolina, was captured from the communal farming village by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023.

His neighbors gathered anxiously in front of the television as they watched footage of Siegel, looking thin, emerging from a vehicle and walking through a crowd in Gaza city, flanked by Hamas militants.

Many of those in the room were family friends. They applauded upon seeing Siegels face. Some teared up.

Siegel is one of the highest-profile hostages, now a household name in Israel after his wife Aviva Siegel, also captured in the Hamas attack, mounted a public campaign to bring him home after her own release from captivity in November 2023.

Hamas hands over U.S.-Israeli hostage

Hamas has handed American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, over to the Red Cross, the third hostage to be released Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Siegel walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials.

Earlier, the militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in similar scenes in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. All three had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.

Macron hails release of French citizen

French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Ofer Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Macron posted on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release.

Red Cross vehicles arrive in Gaza City for planned hostage release

Red Cross vehicles have arrived in Gaza City where Hamas is set to release American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, as part of the fourth round of hostage releases in its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Two other hostages  Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54  were released earlier Saturday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. In return for the three, Israel is to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

2 freed hostages return to Israel

TEL AVIV, Israel  Two released hostages, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas, have arrived in Israel and are on their way to an initial reception point. Along the road leading to the military base, small groups of supporters waited for the convoys waving Israeli flags.

The two hostages were freed Saturday as part of the fourth such release in Israels ceasefire with Hamas. One more, American Israeli Keith Siegel, is set to be released in Gaza City later Saturday morning.

Hamas hands 2 hostages over to Red Cross

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip  Hamas handed two hostages over to the Red Cross in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

The militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, in a highly stage-managed and orderly handover to the Red Cross. Both had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that sparked the war.

Another hostage, American Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also set to be released Saturday and was expected to be handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City to the north.

Red Cross vehicles arrive at the site of planned hostage handover

Red Cross vehicles arrived in a location in the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip Saturday where Hamas was set to release hostages in its ceasefire deal with Israel.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Middletown held a ribbon curing Saturday for street entrance signs in honor of Middletown native, Vice President JD Vance, originally reported by our news partner WCPO.

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Vance was born in Middletown and graduated from Middletown schools in 2003.

There are now seven signs throughout Middletown that read, Hometown of JD Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States of America.

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JD Vances mother, Beverly Aikens, joined the community Saturday for the sign unveiling, WCPO says.

It is truly a significant moment for our family and for all of us who have watched him dedicate his life to public service and the betterment of our great country and city, Aikens said.

Aikens thanked the Middletown community for their continued support of Vance, according to WCPO.

These signs are not just a testament to his achievement, they represent ideals that we hold dear, Aikens said. Service, integrity and the unwavering belief in the potential of every individual.

Aikens was the person who first introduced the idea of putting up signs marking the hometown of JD Vance.

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Middletown City Councilman Steve West said that, politics aside, Middletown should recognize that one of their own was elected vice president, saying we should be proud, according to WCPO.

Those who want to see the signs for themselves can head to these seven locations:

Central Avenue eastbound at Carmody (approaching downtown from the river)

Ohio 4 southbound at Germantown Road (near the airport)

Ohio 73 eastbound at the city limits (coming from Franklin)

Ohio 122 westbound near Bob Evans

Ohio 4 northbound at the south city limits near Lafayette Avenue

South Main Street northbound at the city limits

Cincinnati-Dayton Road northbound at the south city limits (coming from Monroe)

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Jan. 31MIDLAND  The Midland County Fire Marshal's Office has announced its active participation in the Securing the Cities (STC) program, a collaborative initiative aimed at enhancing the nation's security and preparedness against potential threats.

The Securing the Cities program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), focuses on strengthening urban areas against the risks associated with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

By partnering with local and state agencies, the program seeks to improve detection capabilities and ensure a rapid response to any potential incidents.

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"We are committed to protecting our community and ensuring the safety of our residents," Justin Bunch, Midland County Fire Marshal, said in a news release. "Joining the Securing the Cities program allows us to enhance our emergency response capabilities and collaborate with other agencies to create a safer environment for everyone."

Key highlights of Midland County's involvement in the Securing the Cities program include:

 Training and Integration: Fire marshals and emergency responders will receive specialized training in detection technologies and response protocols for CBRN threats.

 Enhanced Detection Capabilities: The program will help establish advanced monitoring systems in key urban areas, allowing for quicker identification of potential threats.

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 Community Engagement: The Fire Marshal's Office will work with local residents and businesses to raise awareness about safety measures and preparedness strategies.

"This partnership exemplifies our dedication to public safety and our proactive approach in addressing potential threats," Bunch added. "By working together with the federal government and our local partners, we can ensure that Midland County is better prepared and more resilient."

The Midland County Fire Marshal's Office encourages all residents to stay informed about safety practices and to participate in community preparedness initiatives. For more information on the Securing the Cities program and how you can get involved, please visit https://www.dhs.gov/supporting-federal-state-local-tribal-and-territorial-partners
Dear Members of the Board and City Manager:

It is with deep regret that I submit this letter of resignation from my position as Chief of Police of the Millersville Police Department. Please understand that my desire was to continue serving as Chief, but it has become abundantly clear that the Board of Commissioners and the current City Manager do not intend to allow me to fulfill my duties in this capacity.

Despite the Boards assurances, I have already been stripped of my position as Interim City Manager, and it is clear that the next broken promise will be the Boards refusal to honor its prior commitment that neither I nor the staff I have hired would be terminated.

The Boards interference with my position has made the work environment intolerable. The Board concealed an employee complaint from me, which should have been addressed to me in my authority as Interim City Manager or as the Chief of Police. Now, the Board is allowing the new City Attorney to investigate Police Department matters and interfere with an internal affairs investigation, even though the complaint is not an ethics investigation.

I have been deprived of my authority to determine which officers can supervise others, and I am now being micromanaged to the extent that it is detrimental to both my role and the departments ability to function effectively. Moreover, Commissioner Darnalls active attempts to turn my own officers against me and each other, coupled with the City Managers direct control over the Police Department, have created a toxic atmosphere. Although my department was adequately handling an internal affairs investigation, the new City Manager and the Board appear to be using that investigation as a weapon against me, which is just another example of the badgering and harassment I have endured.

The interference by the Board and City Manager have left me with no choice but to submit this resignation, as they have taken the bat out of my hands and it is only a matter of time before they call me out on strikes.

Despite my sincere love of working with the citizens of Millersville to rebuild a broken police department, it has become clear that this Commission is determined to undo the important progress that my team and I have made to fix the very problems that have plagued this City for years.

I did not undertake this decision lightly. The boards actions have left me with no feasible path to continue serving the City in an environment that has become not just hostile, but untenable.

I want to express my gratitude to the dedicated men and women of the Millersville Police Department who have worked tirelessly by my side doing important work. We have achieved a great deal together, and it pains me to leave under these circumstances. Nonetheless, I must acknowledge that remaining any longer would only risk further harm to my professional reputation and well-being.

My last day will officially be February the 2nd. This will give me time to come in and meet with Captain Dorris and Lieutenant Watson and turn over all equipment as well as get them up to speed on what needs to be transitioned for the state as well as Mutual aid agreements that must be signed.
WEST BRANCH TWP., Pa. (WETM)  A Millerton man is facing multiple sex charges after police say he engaged in sexual contact with two minors in West Branch Township in 2022.

Michael K. Wales, 41, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 24, on the following charges, as reported by Pennsylvania State Police:

Five counts of statutory sexual assault: 11 years older, a grade 1 felony

Three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, a grade 1 felony

Four counts of unlawful contact with a minor  sexual offenses, a grade 1 felony

Four counts of unlawful contact with a minor  prostitution, a grade 1 felony

One count of aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age, a grade 2 felony

Four counts of promoting prostitution of a minor  encouraging a minor, a grade 3 felony

Four counts of promoting prostitution of a minor  soliciting, receiving or agreeing to benefit, a grade 3 felony

Two counts of corruption of minors  ages 18 years or older, a grade 3 felony

Two counts of criminal use of communication facility, a grade 3 felony

Four counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age, a grade 2 misdemeanor

In an affidavit provided by PSP, it is stated that on Dec. 29, 2024, the Troop F Coudersport barracks received a report of a statutory sexual assault that occurred in 2022 in West Branch Township in Potter County. Police say the victim of the assault was later identified as a 15-year-old girl who at the time of the incident would have been 13 years old.

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Dundee foster parent charged, allegedly sexually abused children

Police say they spoke with the girl on Dec. 20 who told them that she had received a friend request from Wales on Snapchat in April of 2022, which she had accepted although she didnt personally know him. She then began to talk to him periodically through November of 2022.

The affidavit states that Wales would have been 38 years old at the time of the incident but that he depicted himself as a 25-year-old and was aware that the victim was 13 years old. Despite this, police say the communications quickly became sexual.

The victim further stated that Wales began expressing sexual things that he wanted to do with her and attempted to get her to send nude photos of herself, which she admitted to doing. She then stated that Wales began requesting to meet with her, which she said she had done three times.

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Florida child sex fugitive arrested following crash in Waverly

Police say that during the course of these meet-ups, the victim related that Wales had engaged in various sexual acts with her after picking her up in his vehicle and parking at various locations in the area near her home. After each meet-up, the girl states that Wales would provide her with $20 cash, and in one case, a vape. These meet-ups occurred from May of 2022 through the fall of 2022.

The victim then told police that Wales requested to have a threesome with her and another 14-year-old girl, which she said did not happen. The victim did however mention that the 14-year-old may have been contacted by Wales.

Lastly, police say that the victim stated that Wales had used seven different social media accounts to communicate with her in an attempt to maintain the relationship. She then provided police with seven of Wales Snapchat accounts from her blocked list and his Facebook profile URL.

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Then, on Dec. 29, police say they spoke with the 14-year-old victim who said she was introduced to Wales through the victim whom they had previously spoken with. The second victim related to police that she had communicated with Wales through Snapchat for about a month. She also told police that he had used two additional accounts to communicate with her.

Former Steuben County Assistant District Attorney sentenced for possession of child sex abuse materials

The affidavit states that the second victim had quickly found herself discussing sexual topics with Wales who then began to request nude photos of her. She then admitted to sending these photos and videos to Wales, per his request.

Police say the second victim then related that Wales made several attempts to meet up with her in person to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money, alcohol or vape products but that she never agreed. When asked, she confirmed with police that Wales had asked her to participate in a threesome with the 13-year-old victim.

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Upon investigation of this case, police say that one of Wales social media accounts depicted his age to be 28 years old, although he was 38 years old. Police further state that the behavior displayed by Wales concerning his social media account confirms the allegations made by both victims.

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Milwaukee Housing Authority executives are scrambling to cut costs, after the agency's new chief financial officer discovered that more than $2.8 million in rental assistance funds were misused by his predecessors.

Between 2019 and 2022, the Housing Authority's former director of finance improperly pulled restricted federal funds out of the Section 8 rent assistance program to cover cash needs in other divisions of the agency, according to the CFO's discovery.

Those transfers were used to cover a number of expenses  including administrative payroll and costs from construction projects that had gone over budget.

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As a consequence, the Housing Authority says it is running an average of 45 days behind on paying its expenditures. The agency also has fallen behind on its pension fund contributions, and costs from its development projects currently exceed the amount covered by construction loans.

Now, executives are making major cuts to help "stop the bleeding." On Thursday, 20 Housing Authority employees were laid off to bring down expenses.

New finance hire solved $3 million mystery

The dramatic discovery  disclosed publicly during a special meeting of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners on Friday afternoon  solves a mystery that confounded agency leaders, the mayor's office and federal regulators for nearly two years.

In April 2023, federal auditors reported finding more than $3 million in "unexplained variances" on the Housing Authority's bank balance. After nearly two years, the agency's finance team had failed to reconcile that cash balance.

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Brad Leak  who joined the Housing Authority's finance team in November and was promoted to be its chief financial officer on Jan. 19  was able to trace that cash within a matter of months.

The revelation also comes after a dramatic leadership shakeup inside the agency.

All but one member of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners are new appointees, and a slew of top executives have either retired or resigned in recent months  including Willie Hines, the agency's controversial top executive and Fernando Aniban, the Housing Authority's second-in-command and former chief financial officer.

Other recent departures include Finance Director Rick Koffarnus, Housing Choice Voucher Program Director Jackie Martinez and Warren Jones, vice president of construction for the Housing Authority's development arm.

No evidence employees pocketed funds, more investigation promised

The use of restricted federal funds for unauthorized purposes is "improper and illegal under federal regulation," Leak said in his address to the board Friday.

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But Leak and Acting Secretary-Executive Director Ken Barbeau say they have not found evidence that the funds were pocketed for personal expenses  only that they were improperly transferred within the agency.

A recent forensic audit, which reviewed every financial record within the Section 8 rent assistance program, also did not find any evidence that employees had pocketed agency money.

That forensic audit, however, did not review financial records in other divisions of the Housing Authority  including within its real estate development arm Travaux, Inc.

Now, as these findings come to light, board is discussing the possibility of another forensic audit to examine other parts of the agency, Barbeau said.

Board chair vows 'it's a new day' for the Housing Authority

Chairperson Charlotte Hayslett, who grew up in public housing and joined the board in November, became emotional as she apologized to residents on behalf of the organization.

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"This is an embarrassment," Hayslett said, adding: "It's a new day here. I can't impress upon you enough: It's a new day here."

As Hayslett thanked him for immediately coming forward with his findings, Leak wiped away tears.

Hayslett also spoke directly to local nonprofit Common Ground, which has spent the past two years organizing public housing residents and lobbying for reform of the Housing Authority.

"Thank you for that bullhorn," she said. "Had it not been for you giving voice to the voiceless, people still would've been in place doing what they were doing."

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In a statement Friday, Common Ground leaders called for since-departed executives to be held accountable.

"We smelled smoke," Common Ground tenants and organizers said. "Here's the fire."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Housing Authority short on cash after misuse of $2.8 million
Milwaukee police recently released photos of a woman suspected in a Thanksgiving shooting and are asking the public for help identifying her.

The woman is a suspect in a shooting that occurred at 7:10 p.m. Nov. 28 in the 4200 block of West Thurston Avenue, Milwaukee police said.

The suspected shooter was inside a vehicle when she opened fire at another vehicle, injuring someone inside, police said.

The woman is believed to be between 20 to 30 years old and has long black braided hair, according to a police news release. She was last seen wearing a long black winter coat, a white turtleneck, green camouflage pants and black-and-white Converse-style shoes.

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The suspect's vehicle is a dark-colored Nissan Maxima, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 414-935-7360. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 414-224-Tips or using P3 Tips.

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee police seeking help to find a woman wanted in shooting
Mayor Ron Nirenberg listens to speakers during a press conference announcing San Antonio as the host city of the 2025 HBCU All Star Basketball game outside City Hall on Nov. 6, 2024. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

Mayor Ron Nirenberg is looking to replenish his campaign bank account as he heads into the last few months of his fourth and final term  which has set off a storm of speculation about his next act in San Antonio politics.

What is Nirenberg raising campaign funds for? The rumor mill says its to run against Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai in the 2026 Democratic primary.

Heres what the mayor says: I have no interest in the county judge position.

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And for good measure: I want Peter to be successful.

He said his upcoming Feb. 5 fundraiser, hosted by retired AT&T CEO Ed Whitacre, is to raise money so he can do the work of being the city chiefs advocate, not to get a head start on funding a future campaign.

That work includes travel to conferences or events to promote the city, such as those organized by the Democratic Mayors Association, of which he was named vice president earlier this year. That kind of travel  including flights, hotel stays and meals  doesnt come out of the city budget; Nirenberg pays for it out of his campaign account, which is currently down to a few thousand dollars.

With respect to whatever life looks like in public service after June, Im going to continue to stay focused on my job as mayor, Nirenberg, 47, told the San Antonio Express-News this week. There is a lot of work to get done between now and June.

Sakai, 70, said in August that he intends to run for a second four-year term.

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The first-term county judge, who has been slow to make his mark as chief executive of Bexar County government, could be vulnerable to challengers looking to unseat him before he becomes entrenched in the position. Unlike San Antonios mayor and City Council, the county judge and four county commissioners face no term limits.

Sakais predecessor, Nelson Wolff, was appointed county judge in 2001 to fill the remainder of Cyndi Taylor Kriers term when she stepped down to serve as a University of Texas System regent. Wolff was elected to the seat in 2002 and reelected four times before he retired in 2022.

Its not difficult to understand the logic behind the rumors  Nirenberg has few good options for future office open to him.

He lives in Democratic-held Texas House and Senate districts  represented by longtime state Rep. Diego Bernal and state Sen. Jose Menendez  but because Democrats are the minority party in the Texas legislature, it's difficult for them to pass meaningful legislation.

The congressional district where Nirenberg lives, U.S. House District 21, is staunchly Republican. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy has represented the district since 2019.

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But running against Sakai would make efforts to line up public financing for a new Spurs arena awkward.

The city and Spurs have been talking since at least January 2023 about the possibility of building a downtown arena, which would result in the team leaving the county-owned Frost Bank Center on the East Side. And the city and NBA franchise are eyeing the countys venue tax to potentially pay some of the construction costs, which are expected to exceed $1 billion.

Nirenberg is a strong supporter of returning the Spurs to the center city.

The mayor last held a fundraiser in April 2024, according to his campaign.

He had just over $3,500 in the bank as of Dec. 31, according to his recent campaign finance report. He raised about $2,600 in the last six months of 2024, and spent nearly $29,000.

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About of a third of those expenses went toward his trip to Chicago in August for the Democratic National Convention, where he was a speaker at a Texas Democrats event. That included $1,765 worth of salsa from San Antonios Karlitas Salsitas that he brought to a Democratic Mayor Association DNC event.

Nirenberg was a surrogate for Kamala Harris presidential campaign. Had she won, some expected him to have been picked for a role in her administration.

As for what type of offices, if any, would be of interest down the road, Nirenberg wont say  at least not publicly.

Honestly, I dont want to think about any of that right now until I finish the job here, and that wont be until I hand the baton off in June, he said.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has praised the Union Budget 2025, describing it as a "progressive and forward-thinking" financial plan that promises to accelerate both national and state-level development. Kumar expressed particular appreciation for several Bihar-specific initiatives, including the creation of the Makhana Board, Greenfield Airports in Bihar and the Western Kosi Canal Project in Mithilaanchal, and said all this will significantly contribute to the state's economic growth and infrastructure expansion. In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), CM wrote, "The Union Budget is positive and welcome. This budget of the Central Government is progressive and forward-looking. Through this budget, the Central Government has taken several steps to further increase the pace of development of the country. The announcements made for Bihar in the budget will further accelerate the development of Bihar." "The establishment of a Makhana Board in the state to improve the production, processing, value addition and marketing of Makhana will benefit Makhana farmers. Providing the facility of greenfield airports in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state will increase the number of international flights, which will greatly benefit the people here and will also accelerate the economic development of the state," he added. Highlighting other significant announcements CM said, "The farmers here will benefit from financial assistance for the Western Kosi Canal Project in Mithilaanchal. In this budget, provision has been made for the expansion of Patna IIT, which will promote technical education. The establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar will provide skills, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities to the youth and will promote food processing activities in eastern India." Addressing broader national measures, Kumar appreciated the income tax exemption increase to Rs 12 lakh, providing substantial relief to the middle class. "The middle class has got a lot of relief by getting an exemption of up to Rs 12 lakh in the income tax slab. Farmers will benefit from increasing the loan limit on Kisan Credit Card from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Increasing the MSME credit guarantee cover for micro-enterprises from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore will increase employment opportunities," "Many steps have been taken in the interest of the poor, youth and farmers in the budget, which is welcome. I thank the respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting a better budget," added the post. Meanwhile, JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha slammed opposition leaders for allegedly referring to the budget as the 'Bihar budget'. Sanjay Kumar Jha said, "...The people didn't expect such a huge relief on income tax for the middle class... The Finance Minister made so many announcements for farmer welfare. It is an extremely progressive budget... What problem do they (the opposition) have with Bihar? They never did anything for Bihar... They are calling it Bihar's budget because PM Narendra Modi extended help to the state... People who are making such statements are against Bihar..." In her budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several sops for Bihar where assembly polls are due towards the end of this year. She announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta. Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta." She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar. "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said. (ANI)
LINCOLNTON, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Authorities canceled a Missing Endangered Alert for a missing Lincolnton man.

A Missing Endangered Alert was issued for 74-year-old George Reid Edwards Friday afternoon. Police say he was last seen around 5 a.m. Friday in the 1100 block of Buffalo Shoals Road.

Edwards is believed to be driving a black 2017 Chrysler Pacifica passenger van with N.C. license plate ELH-4753. The vehicle has a Dallas Cowboys sticker on the windshield. His direction of travel was unknown.

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They didnt let us know: Residents frustrated over Lincoln-Catawba County line shift

Police say Edwards left his residence without his cellphone or wallet and family members say he has a cognitive impairment.

Edwards is described as Black man, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing 195 pounds with a full grey beard. Police say he is possibly wearing grey and black gym shoes and a black hat.

A stock image of the vehicle driven by Edwards.

If anyone sees Edwards or his vehicle, please contact Lincoln County Communications at 704-735-8202 or Det. Jon Propst with the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office at 704-732-9050 or Lincolnton/Lincoln County Crime Stoppers at 704-736-8909.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  This week, New York State announced a fresh round of funding for Pro-Housing Communities.

The program was started in 2023, as the state wanted to address a need for more housing across New York. Pro-Housing Communities are prioritized for funding for housing and other kinds of development.

In Rochester, the Rochester Housing Authority has been granted $775,000 for a mixed-use development on Fernwood Avenue.

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The $4 million development includes 65 units of housing, with a small branch of the Rochester public library inside.

It will be 80,00 sq. ft., and Brownfield remediation will occur on site. Construction is due to start in the summer and is expected to take 18 months.

More Rochester awardees here:

Bulls Head Cycle Track Implementation, ~$1.3 million:

The City of Rochester is redeveloping the Bulls Head area including improvements to the surrounding street network. This project will construct continuous cycle tracks (dedicated off-street bicycle facilities separated from motor traffic) on West Main, Genesee, and Brown streets. The cycle tracks will be a key part of the citys 63-mile Bicycle Spine Network.

City of Rochester Dam Restoration, $1 million:

The City of Rochester will replace concrete erosion control slabs at Hemlock Lake Dam. The slabs protect the dam from waves and ice that could damage the dam and cause downstream flooding, and the repairs will ensure the dams structural integrity.

The Little Theatre ADA compliance, $70,000:

The historic Little Theatre opened in downtown Rochester in 1929 and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating house film theatre in the country. With five theatre screens, the venue also features live music, lectures, multimedia events and live performance. The project will upgrade the limited restroom facilities at theatre by making them ADA compliant and gender neutral. The project will also relocate the managers office from the back of the building to front area.

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REDC_Round_14_Award_Booklet_2024Download

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  In a senseless act of violence, a clerk was killed while working at a gas station in Antioch more than 21 years ago. However, Husein Senad Milanovics family still wonders every day who killed him.

On Dec. 14, 2003, Husein  who went by Sam for customers  was working the overnight shift at the Mapco on Bell Road. Early that morning, Husein was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the head in the office.

The store was not in disarray. It looked like their intent was solely to rob the store, and they also robbed Mr. Milanovic, taking his wallet where hed been saving money up to take a trip back home to Bosnia to see his family, Metro Nashville Police Department Detective Jill Weaver said.

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Husein left behind his wife and three young children.

Its like putting a puzzle together: Detective continues search for answers 7 years after deadly South Nashville home invasion

News 2 sat down with Weaver, who is now the lead detective on the case. She said, at the time, a crashed vehicle that was found 1.8 miles away from the crime scene was the biggest lead investigators had.

There were fingerprints on the outside of the abandoned car, allowing authorities to track down the owner of it.

They followed up on that lead pretty extensively with those individuals involved in that car, Weaver said, but it didnt pan out to anything solid enough to make an arrest.

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All these years later, Weaver is hoping new eyes will see this case, adding that the suspect(s) must have told someone about it in the past two decades.

UNSOLVED TENNESSEE: Find more of the states cold cases, missing persons, and other mysteries 

Maybe they boasted about it at the time, maybe they had a change of heart over the years and confessed to somebodybut surely I dont believe that they wouldve remained silent all these years and not told somebody, Weaver said.

Huseins daughter, Melina Milanovic, sent News 2 a statement:

Our father was a good and hard working man. He was working on the night of December 14th 2003 like every other night to provide for his 3 small children. He was brutally murdered without any regard for his life. Following this night, our lives were forever impacted. We find comfort in the memories we have with our dad and continue to want justice for him. We remember our dad as a kind, warm, and loving father. We have hope that someone will come forward with information on his case.

If you have any information about this case, youre asked to call Nashville Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. You can remain anonymous and might receive a $5,000 cash reward for information.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Moldova will supply 3 million cubic meters of gas to the Russian-occupied Transnistria region on February 1, under an agreement signed earlier in the week, Reuters reported.

Moldovagaz head Vadim Cheban stated that the gas will be delivered as a loan, which must be repaid by March 1, 2025.

Transnistrias leader, Vadim Krasnoselsky, described the supply as "technical assistance," emphasizing that it is intended to maintain pipeline pressure rather than provide heating for residents.

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He also accused Chisinau of delaying the arrival of EU-funded gas and urged the European Commission president to intervene.

Meanwhile, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced an EU financial aid package of 64 million euros ($66.3 million) to address the energy crisis, with 20 million euros ($20.7 million) of the package allocated for gas supplies to Transnistria.

Russias state-controlled energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1 as Ukraine ended Russian gas transit through its territory. Gazprom claimed that it halted supplies because of Moldova's alleged unpaid debts rather than transit issues.

The gas suspension has led to widespread power outages in Transnistria, pushing the region toward industrial collapse. The Russian-held region is dependent on Russian supplies while the rest of the country pivoted toward European sellers.

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Read also: EU debates restarting Russian gas purchases as part of Ukraine peace deal, FT reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A statewide education bill proposed by Gov. Wes Moore would reduce annual funding for Frederick County Public Schools for the next decade as the state delays a requirement of a 10-year education reform plan.

The bill, HB504, entitled the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, would revise the base per-pupil amount (PPA) that local school districts receive beginning in fiscal year 2026.

For Frederick County, that would be about $7.8 million in the first year, based on enrollment of about 48,000 students in September 2024.

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Moore is delaying for five years a requirement under the Blueprint for Marylands Future for more time outside the classroom for teachers, which reduces state funding to local school districts that would have been used to reach that goal.

The Blueprint for Marylands Future is a set of education policies signed into law by several pieces of legislation beginning in 2018. It was meant to be implemented over the course of a decade.

The delay is based on the idea that the state needs more teachers to increase collaborative time for teachers.

The foundation, or baseline, PPA establishes a minimum amount of funding that school districts receive based on enrollment and other factors, such as if a student is a multilingual learner or uses special education services.

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That amount for fiscal year 2026 is currently $9,226 per student for every school district in the state. If the bill becomes law, the per-pupil amount for FY 2026 will be $163 less per student, and would revise PPA funds for every fiscal year until 2037.

While the state has funded the Blueprint through fiscal year 2027, school districts have found that they cannot afford the local mandated funding, such as increasing collaborative funding.

Delaying Blueprint goals

One of the policies in the Blueprint calls for teachers to spend 60% of their time in the classroom while the other 40% is considered collaborative time.

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Collaborative time is not spent in the classroom, and includes a teachers planning time, tutoring students, and professional learning and development.

To increase collaborative time to 40% from a teachers average of around 20%, the state would need over 10,000 additional teachers, and Maryland currently has a teacher shortage.

The Blueprint set a goal of achieving 40% collaborative time for teachers in different phases over eight years, beginning July 1 of this year.

The bill, if signed into law, would delay collaborative time funds and decrease PPA by $163 in fiscal year 2026.

The bill would also create the Collaborative Time Innovation Demonstration Grant, which is through the Maryland State Department of Education and is intended for compensation for additional staff, technical assistance and professional development costs.

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The foundation PPA determines how much a school district receives for other types of weighted per-pupil funding, such as for students receiving special education services.

Heather Clabaugh, associate superintendent of fiscal services for FCPS, wrote in an email that the per-pupil amounts for compensatory education  or education and services a student may need that the school district does not cover  multilingual learners and special education are a percentage of the foundation PPA.

For fiscal year 2026, compensatory education PPA is allocated through 85% of the foundation PPA, multilingual learners PPA is 98%, and special education PPA is 103%. Each is funding spent on students in addition to the foundation PPA.

If the bill becomes law, PPA funding for compensatory education and multilingual learners will decrease along with the foundation PPA.

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Special education funding per pupil would not change. It would be a set dollar amount under the bill, rather than a percentage formula, according to Clabaugh.

The special education PPA for fiscal year 2026 in Maryland is $9,503 and will not change if the bill passes.

Other effects of the bill would include freezing certain increases for community schools, which receive Concentration of Poverty School grants, and establishing a national teacher recruitment campaign to incentivize teaching in Maryland.

Local impact

Sarah Sirgo, chief of staff for FCPS, said in an interview on Thursday that the bill is essentially taking money that was supposed to come to us and giving it to the state Department of Education.

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A reduction in our PPA is a reduction in the funding coming to our school system, and what people still do not understand about PPA is that PPA is a mechanism by which we are allocated funds, she said. But, the work we have to do is the work we have to do. So, essentially, were being allocated less money to do the work we are doing today next year.

Sirgo said that while the local burden of implementing an increase of collaborative time has been lifted, we have concerns with the lack of funds that are now associated with changing the foundation PPA.

Ive not found a colleague in a school system that is ringing the bell and going, Oh, this is our solution. This is a great piece of legislation, she said.

State Sen. Karen Lewis Young (D-3) said on Thursday that the bill is intended to align Blueprint implementation with fiscal and implementation realities.

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She said she views the Blueprint as a long-term strategic plan, and that it makes sense to reexamine goals every two to three years.

Lewis Young said pushing back the goal of increasing a teachers collaborative time was a good example because of the teacher shortage.

A pause is a prudent approach to ensure that this item can be implemented as intended, she said.

Lewis Young added that to increase teacher collaborative time, the state has two choices.

One is to have more teachers, which we dont have, nor do we have the budget for, or larger classrooms, she said. In Frederick County, that just doesnt work. We already have too many classrooms that are overcrowded.

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Before Moore introduced his budget this month, the state was facing close to a $3 billion budget shortfall this fiscal year.

Lewis Young said during the COVID pandemic, Maryland received a major infusion of federal funds that are now running out.

She said critics who say the Blueprint is causing the states fiscal problems and think it should be cut are erroneous.

To cut just for the sake of cutting because weve got a budget shortfall is very short-sighted, Lewis Young said. Most people that truly understand societal health and wellness and economic success realize that education success is the foundation of that, and the Blueprint is the best road map for getting us there.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Sioux Falls has over 33,000 rental units and 2,000 are owned by a property management company thats often in the news.

Over the last few years, weve heard of multiple issues from tenants living in apartments owned by the Miami-based Tzadik Management. Even the City of Sioux Falls has stepped in and holds monthly meetings with Tzadik staff. But it seems the issues are ongoing.

Notices posted on three Tzadik properties this week.

On Wednesday, residents at three apartments owned by Tzadik Management saw orange notices on their front doors. They warn that the gas may be shut off on February 3rd because the landlord is behind on payments.

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Later that day, residents received a text message from Tzadik Management saying all gas bills are being taken care of and they are not in danger of it being shut off.

The City of Sioux Falls was made aware of these notices and held a news conference in front of one of the Tzadik apartments Friday morning.

So as soon as we are made aware of something like that, which we were, we immediately followed up with the property manager and the owner who assured the City they are working to resolve the issue. Which they did, Mayor Paul TenHaken said.

This isnt the first time weve reported on issues at Tzadik properties. In 2022, KELOLAND Investigates was invited into three properties by tenants. We found insect infestations, security issues and mold  all things we continue to hear about from tenants today.

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Proof of rental problems needed to act, officials say

TenHaken says Sioux Falls isnt alone in its issues with this company.

I had a call this week with a city councilor from Omaha asking, how are you dealing with some of these challenges in Sioux Falls? Were having some of the same challenges in Omaha, You can Google Dickinson, North Dakota, you can Google Rapid City, South Dakota, and see some of the same issues with this property manager and property owner, TenHaken said.

Friday, TenHaken didnt mince words when explaining how he felt about these problems.

I believe how this specific property management company continues to operate is morally and ethically wrong. And quite frankly, Im tired of it, TenHaken said.

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TenHaken says the City cant regulate morals and ethics, but it can ensure compliance on city ordinances.

We need tenants to continue to reach out the City, when appropriate to report issues, TenHaken said. Its very, very important.

Kevin Smith with City Planning and Development Services gave some insight on issues the City *can help with when reported.

Theres common things  broken windows, broken doors, broken locks, leaking pipes, leaking roofs, you know, real property maintenance, property management kinds of issues, Smith said. In the winter, we dont see it today, but in the winter its sidewalk snow removal. In the summer, its nuisance vegetation, things being overgrown.

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TenHaken says the City holds property managers and owners to a high standard.

Youre managing peoples lives. So we will not tolerate owners, management companies, that take advantage of our residents, TenHaken said.

The City says its important for tenants to bring the issues up to property managers first because theres a process for code enforcement. However, if they dont respond in a timely manner, you can file a report to the City. They also note those complaints *have to come from tenants themselves in order for them to investigate.

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LAWRENCEBURG, Tenn. (WKRN)  One Lawrence County manufacturing facility has joined the list of Middle Tennessee corporations to see job loss in the coming months.

A spokesperson for Modine, which operates a plant in Lawrenceburg, told News 2 that 160 jobs would be eliminated at the facility in 2025.

RELATED: Middle TN communities blindsided by corporations shutting down plants, distribution centers

This difficult decision was made in response to well-publicized weakness in the broader agriculture and heavy equipment markets, the spokesperson added in a statement. This reduction only applies to this facility.

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The Modine Manufacturing Company, which works on a variety of products, announced a $1.2 million investment into Lawrence County in 2021; a press release from that announcement said Modine has had a manufacturing presence in the state for three decades.

PREVIOUS: La Vergne prepares for ripple effect following Bridgestone plant closure

Modines announcement comes days after other companies across Middle Tennessee have announced job loss, including:

Bridgestones La Vergne Truck and Bus Radial Tire Plant, which will go into effect July 31, 2025 and lead to the loss of about 700 jobs.

Bargain Hunts Antioch distribution center, which has already started terminating employees; about 300 workers are being affected.

Perdues Putnam County processing plant, which will cease production on March 28 and put more than 430 people out of a job.

It is unclear when Modine Manufacturings job cuts will begin.

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Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, has reported strikes in the Kharkiv and Berestyn districts on the morning of 1 February, during a large-scale air-raid warning due to a threat of a missile strike. One person has been killed and four more injured in the attack.

Source: Syniehubov on Telegram; Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov

Quote: "Enemy strikes have been recorded in the Kharkiv and Berestyn districts.

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Relevant services are verifying information regarding destruction and casualties."

Updated: Later, Syniehubov said that early reports indicate there was a strike in Kharkiv.

Quote: "One woman sustained injuries, and medics reported that she is in a critical condition."

Details: Syniehubov noted later that the number of those who were injured in the attack had increased to two.

Updated. Later, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that, following early reports, the strike on Kharkiv was conducted by a Shahed UAV. One person was killed and four others injured in the attack.

Syniehubov reported that the number of casualties has increased to five people.

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Terekhov said that a Shahed strike in the Kholodnohirskyi district partially destroyed a house. The resulting fire has been extinguished. Early reports indicate that 16 more houses were damaged.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Art students at Morningside Elementary School will soon have new activities to look forward to thanks to their teacher Jennifer Miller.

Miller received a 2025 Adopt a Classroom award from Levo Credit Union. She was nominated by a parent for her personalized work with students in the classroom.

Bridge over Big Sioux River to be rebuilt soon

Miller, who said she was shocked to be recognized, says she plans to spend her $500 award with her students.

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I am going to buy some more art supplies, she said. Im not exactly sure, but Im thinking about a classroom loom. A giant loom the kids can work on. Ive always wanted one. But I havent decided yet, but it will be something for the kids.

Levo Credit Union opened its first building in Sioux City this month after purchasing the former Heritage Bank branch.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presentating balanced budget , saying that Uttarakhand will get direct and indirect benefits from many schemes. The budget 2025-26 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday. Praising Union Budget, he said, "The central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a big relief to the middle class of the country by announcing income up to Rs 12 lakh annually tax-free. He said that a development-oriented and public welfare budget has been presented under the leadership of PM Modi. Uttarakhand will get direct and indirect benefits from many schemes." CM Dhami said, "Uttarakhand government had requested the Center to set up a Center of Excellence related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cyber Security in its state. In this budget, it has been announced to build 5 National Centers of Excellence in the country and 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in government schools. The announcement of broadband connectivity in all government schools is also very important for the state. This will be a strong foundation for the knowledge economy." He also said that the central government accepted the state's request to extend the deadline for completion of the remaining works of the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme till 2028 "A provision of Rs 1.5 lakh crore loan has been made in the Union Budget for the capital development of the states. This is Rs 25,000 crore more than this year's revised estimate of Rs 1,25,000 crore. In the last two years, our state has got great benefit from this interest-free scheme," he added. The Chief Minister said that Uttarakhand will also get the benefit of starting a new Udaan scheme for 125 cities. Medical services will expand in the state by setting up cancer centers in all districts of the country in the next 3 years. "Farmers of the state are also expected to benefit from the launch of Dhan Dhanya Yojana in 100 districts of the country. Similarly, the announcement of increasing the loan limit under the Kisan Credit Card from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh will also benefit the farmers of the state. Converting India Post into a large public logistics organisation will increase economic mobility through post offices in the remote areas of Uttarakhand," he added. (ANI)
A casket and cremation furnace located at a Baltimore city funeral home in this undated file photo. (File photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters)

Three members of the state panel that oversees much of Marylands funeral industry resigned under pressure from the governors office.

The abrupt departures come a week after the Maryland State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors ordered the closure of a troubled Charles County crematory facility for improper handling of remains.

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Michele Kutta, Brandon Wylie and Patrick Thompson were asked by the governors office to resign from the board, according to a source familiar with the matter. All three were part of a four-member subset of the board referred to as the executive committee.

The panels 11 volunteer members are appointed by the governor. The board operates as an independent entity that oversees the states funeral industry. As such, it licenses, inspects and disciplines funeral homes, morticians and crematory operators.

Kutta, the president of the board, Wylie, Thompson and Kirk Helfenbein are listed as board officers in minutes from meetings in December. They are also listed on a state directory website for the panel.

But , as of Friday, all four had been scrubbed from a website maintained for the board by the Maryland Department of Health.

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A state official Friday confirmed that Helfenbein remains on the panel.

None of the four responded to requests for comment.

The resignations come a week after the panel suspended the license of a Charles County crematory. Gov. Wes Moore (D) Thursday ordered a top to bottom review of the board in the wake of problems reported at Heaven Bound Cremation Services.

There is no higher responsibility for any administration than protecting the health and safety of Marylanders. Today, we further honor our commitment to that pledge, Moore said in a statement announcing the review.

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Moore named Charles Scheeler, senior counsel at DLA Piper and a former federal prosecutor, to lead the review. Scheeler is charged with assessing the boards structure and operations. A final review could include recommended changes to state law or regulations.

The panel was first established in 1902 as the State Board of Undertakers of Maryland. It was renamed in 1937, 1981 and again in 2007.

Last week, the board announced the summary suspension of the license issued to Heaven Bound Cremation Services, following inspections of the facility in March and April 2024.

During a visit in March, a state inspector found human bodies in cardboard boxes stacked on top of each other with no support between the boxes; human bodies in ripped body bags with arms and legs hanging out of the body bags; human remains that were not being stored at temperatures below 40F; and blood on the refrigeration unit and bodily fluids on the floor.

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A follow-up visit a month later uncovered a strong odor of decomposing remains and flies coming out of boxes containing human bodies, according to board disciplinary findings.

Another visit in January found worse conditions. That report identified nearly a dozen concerns including: bodies not being cremated in a timely manner because of a nonfunctioning cremation chamber; a door to a refrigeration unit blocked by an accumulation of boxes containing human bodies; bodies stacked on top of each other or in ripped body bags with body parts exposed; at least 18 bodies stored at temperatures not below 40 degrees; and Three visibly decomposing bodies, including one that had been at the facility since the March inspection.

The panel, in an order signed by Kutta, ordered the facilitys license suspended. The operators have 30 days to appeal the order.

The issues found since March are not the first for the White Plains facility, that was first licensed in 2016.

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A year after being licensed, the state board investigated complaints of improperly stored cremains  cremated human remains.

Rosa Turner Williams, who operates the facility along with Brandon Williams, admitted in writing to the board that cremains were not properly disposed of. According to board records, Turner Williams admitted under oath at a March 2019 hearing that she had not yet disposed of remains.

The board found that she had violated state laws and regulations by commingling remains, improperly storing and disposing of remains and failing to send remains to families, according to state records. She was reprimanded, placed on probation for a year and ordered to board-approved ethics and courses under the supervision of a board-approved mentor.

In January 2021, the board ruled that she failed to meet the terms of her probation. The panel placed her on a two-year probation sentence with random, unannounced inspections and requirements to complete training.

Two years later, the board concluded she had not met the terms of her probation and opted to continue her probationary term.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11)  Its that time of year again when groundhogs poke their heads out to give us a spring forecast but are any of them accurate?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, New Yorks very own Staten Island Chuck is the most accurate in the country.

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Chuck, whose real name is Charles G. Hogg, topped NOAAs list with 85% accuracy in the last 20 years. Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, on the other hand, came in 17th on the list with only a 35% accuracy rate.

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Despite his lower accuracy, Punxsutawney Phil is credited with being the first and longest-running forecaster among groundhogs in the country, according to NOAA.

Groundhog Day has been celebrated in the United States since at least Feb. 2, 1886. Since then, states have gone on to adopt other weather-predicting animals such as ducks, alligators, fish and even a prairie dog statue.

If you cant wait for Staten Island Chucks forecast, NOAA has already shared their own long-term outlook.

Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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A 29-year-old Seattle woman is in custody after police say she killed her 14-year-old son after beating him with an extension cord because he failed to complete his chores.

Officials found the boy while responding Thursday afternoon to a call from the Beacon Hill neighborhood, according to a statement from the Seattle Police Department. The woman now in custody told the 911 dispatcher she was spanking her son with an extension cord and it went too far, according to The Seattle Times.

After Seattle police entered the womans home, they found her 14-year-old son unresponsive. Their identities are currently unclear. Emergency crews took the boy to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, and he later died of his injuries, police said.

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As police arrested her, the woman allegedly told them she struck her son repeatedly with the cord because he didnt do his chores. Police say she then revealed she pushed her son against the wall, causing him to hit his head, fall and go limp, the Times reports.

The woman was previously convicted of third-degree assault in South Carolina seven years ago, according to the Times. Her sister also accused her of threatening her in 2021, but the case out of nearby Pierce County was ultimately dismissed.

She is a very unfit mother and needs anger management, the womans sister said in a statement to the court, per the Times. She is always yelling and screaming at her kids. They eat only (2 or 3) times per day.

She is being held in King County Jail on a $3 million bond after appearing in front of a judge Friday. Shell be formally charged next week, the Times reports.

The Independent has contacted the Seattle Police Department for more information.
BRONSON, Mich. (WOOD)  Illegal narcotics including cocaine and a stolen gun have been seized from a Bronson daycare, police say.

Police on Thursday executed a search warrant of a licensed daycare facility in a Bronson residence, Michigan State Police said in a release posted to social media.

MSP said several illegal narcotics, including cocaine and hydrocodone, were found. According to police, the cocaine and hydrocodone appeared to be packaged to be sold.

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MSP: 12 lbs. of suspected meth, 4 stolen guns found in drug bust

A stolen firearm was also found when police, including detectives from the Southwest Enforcement Team and an MSP Canine Unit, served the search warrant, MSP says.

A 35-year-old Bronson woman has been arrested. Police say she faces several charges, including possession of a stolen firearm, destruction of evidence, child neglect, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and maintaining a drug house.

More charges may be requested and the investigation is ongoing, police say.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Mt. Juliet Police Department (MJPD) announced the arrest of a man who had been wanted out of Nashville since October 2023.

A social media post from MJPD said undercover officers observed men smoking marijuana in a vehicle at a gas station. After further investigation, authorities arrested a 37-year-old Nashville man wanted out of Nashville since October 2023 for felony aggravated assault on a police officer.

3 arrested in Mt. Juliet following separate chases

(Courtesy: Mt. Juliet Police Department)

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

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Authorities said he was also wanted for:

Two counts of felony evading arrest

Two counts of probation violation

Two counts of driving on a revoked license

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CARTHAGE, Texas (KETK)  The Panola County Sheriffs Office said they found multiple cases of promethazine during a traffic stop on Wednesday.

Man sentenced in Smith County to 60 years after being caught with superhero pills

At around 2:57 p.m. on Wednesday, Corporal Mojica and K9 Zago with the sheriffs office conducted a traffic stop in the 4200 block of Loop 436 north of Carthage.

Zago reportedly alerted on the vehicle and during a search, multiple cases of prescription promethazine were found.

Panola County Sheriff Cutter Clinton, K9 Zago and Corporal Mojica with the found promethazine. Photo courtesy of the Panola County Sheriffs Office.

Ariunna Temple, 25 of Texarkana, and Brandon Farris, 27 of Texarkana, were both arrested for possesion of a dangerous drug.

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Farris was released from the Panola County Jail on Thursday after posting a $5,000 bond. Temple was also released from the Panola County Jail on Thursday after she posted a $1,000 bond.

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Government agency webpages about HIV, LGBTQ+ people and multiple other public health topics were down as of Friday evening due to President Donald Trump's executive orders aimed at gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Some of the terms being flagged for removal include pregnant people, chestfeeding, diversity, DEI and references to vaccines, health and gender equity, according to officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who spoke to ABC News on the condition of anonymity.

Entire databases have also been temporarily removed.

PHOTO: A general view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Sept. 30, 2014. (Tami Chappell/Reuters, FILE)

MORE: A look at changes at US health agencies in the 1st week of the new Trump administration

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Researchers confirmed to ABC News they were scrambling to collect and archive as much data as possible from the sites before they were taken down.

Some pages might be returned to public view after the language is reviewed and removed, officials at the Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC said, though it's not clear which pages.

Removed pages included key CDC information on the rate of HIV diagnoses, breakdowns of infections by race and gender and the probability of HIV transmission by various forms of sex.

MORE: A look at what DEI means amid Trump executive orders

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, a national survey system that collects various habits on teenagers as well as their gender identity, is also down.

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The CDC's "HIV Risk Reduction Tool," an interactive tool that allowed users to gauge the risk of certain sexual behaviors, has also been erased.

For now, the agency appears to have consolidated all of its information about the virus that causes AIDS into a single, simplified page titled, "About HIV."

Another website, reproductiverights.gov, which provided resources on reproductive care and abortion access, was also removed. The Food and Drug Administration's webpage titled "Minority Health and Health Equity" was also down.

Asked Friday afternoon in the Oval Office if government websites would be shut down to be scrubbed, the president said it wouldn't be a "bad idea."

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"I don't know -- it doesn't sound like a bad idea to me," Trump said.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump answers a question after signing an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, Jan. 31, 2025. (Evan Vucci/AP)

MORE: How the Trump administration is working to 'combat' DEI in the private sector

"DEI ... would have ruined our country, and now it's dead. I think DEI is dead. So, if they want to scrub the website, that's OK with me. But I can't tell you," Trump continued. Trump's executive order on DEI called for an "end" to any related policies within the federal government.

The other executive order, "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," directed the federal government to recognize only two sexes: male and female.

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A memo sent to HHS officials on Wednesday directed subagencies such as the CDC to remove "all outward facing media (websites, social media accounts, etc.) that inculcate or promote gender ideology" by 5 p.m. on Friday.

Multiple health agency websites on HIV, contraception taken down to comply with executive orders originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
(NewsNation)  Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the medical transport jet that crashed on Jan. 31 in Philadelphia, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced Sunday.

The CVR was located at the site of initial impact, at a depth of 8 feet, according to the NTSB.

Investigators also recovered the airplanes enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), which could also contain flight data. Both components will be sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, DC for evaluation.

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Additional remains recovered from DC plane crash site

Wreckage recovery is expected to continue Monday and all of the wreckage will be sent to a secure location in Delaware for further examination.

A child and five others died Friday evening after a small medical plane crashed in a residential and shopping area in Philadelphia, causing an explosion and multiple house fires.

Three people on the ground remain in critical condition, Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed Sunday. Another person in a vehicle was also killed.

Victims of the Philadelphia jet crash

In addition to the six fatalities, 22 people were injured, another five are hospitalized and three are in critical condition.

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According to multiple media reports, a Jet Rescue Air Ambulance spokesperson on Saturday identified the victims as: Capt. Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales, co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez, paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo, patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and Lizeth Murillo Ozuna, the patients mother.

Philadelphia officials and plane owner Jet Rescue Air Ambulance have not yet confirmed the identities of the dead as of Sunday night, but XE Medica Ambulancias, a Mexican emergency service, identified one of the victims as Dr. Raul Meza of the State of Mexico near Mexico City, its chief of neonatology. Relatives of Josue Juarez of Veracruz said he was the aircrafts co-pilot.

DC plane crash: What we know and dont know

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker on Sunday said names of all of the deceased victims from Mexico will not be made public until Mexican consulate officials deem it appropriate.

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Parker also confirmed Sunday that in addition to the six people killed in the crash, one other person in a car has died.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed condolences Saturday morning in a statement on the social media platform X.

I mourn the passing of six Mexicans in the aviation accident in Philadelphia, United States. Consular authorities are in constant contact with the families; Ive asked the Foreign Affairs Secretary to support whatever is needed. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends, she said in a statement written in Spanish.

Jet was transporting child home from hospital

The medical transport jet was transporting a child who had just completed treatment for a life-threatening condition at Shriners Childrens Hospital, her mother and four others. It crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.

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Jet Rescue issued a statement confirming the crash of a medical plane carrying four crew, a pediatric patient and an escort. The company did not confirm any survivors and said no names are being released until the families have been notified.

The FAA said in a statement that a Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 31, after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.  The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

Flight data showed a small jet taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and disappearing from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,650 feet.

NTSB officials who are investigating the crash said at a Saturday press conference that the flight lasted less than a minute.

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The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

The agency is classifying the crash as an accident.

It is not clear what caused the crash.

NTSB working to clear debris

National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said her agencys staff are working to collect debris from the plane, which could take days or weeks.

Multiple blocks from around the crash area were still closed down on Saturday afternoon.

Were just asking for prayers for any and everyone who may have been affected, Mayor Parker said in a brief news conference shortly after the crash.

Parker asked residents to stay away from the site due it being an active investigation area. She said shelters were up and running for anyone impacted by the crash.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he is offering resources including state troopers, emergency management personnel and members of the states transportation department to aid local responders.

We know that there will be loss in this region, and we want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those who are grieving at this moment, he said in a news conference Friday night.

Shapiro also commended the Philadelphia community for their unified response in supporting one another.

The neighbors are just in disbelief

Philadelphia Councilman Anthony Phillips told NewsNation the aircraft landed in a highly congested and dense area.

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The neighbors are just in disbelief. Theres neighbors that just said to me, You know, I just, I thought it was a bomb,' he said. You can imagine the fear that people have right now here in northeast Philadelphia.

He said residents who were shopping at a nearby mall said it felt like an earthquake.

What can the black box tell us about plane crashes?

President Donald Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social platform saying, So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

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Vice President JD Vance called the crash a Very sad situation. May God bless the victims and their families, in a post on X along with a screenshot of Trumps message.

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman posted that he is in contact with Philadelphias mayor and is also waiting for updates.

Sen. Dave McCormick said on X that he and his team are closely monitoring the tragic situation unfolding in Northeast Philadelphia and are lending our full support.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. (WHNT)  A lawsuit has been filed against a Florida doctor who removed a Muscle Shoals mans liver instead of spleen.

Beverly Bryan and Attorney Joe Zarzaur, stood by a portrait of the late Bill Bryan as they announced the filing of a lawsuit against doctor Thomas Shaknovsky and others.

We are suing Dr. Shaknovsky, his practice, GenesisCare, Sacred Heart Health System, doing business as Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast, Ascension Health Inc, and four of the nurses who cared for, and I say that in quotes, Mr. Bryan, Zarzaur said.

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Bryan passed away on August 21, 2024, after his liver was removed instead of his spleen.

The lawsuit obviously relates to the decision to move forward with the surgery, the surgery which was obviously a train wreck, and then the cover-up, Zarzaur said.

Zarzaur tells News 19 that he and his team pulled surveillance video from the day Bryan died, Zarzaur said the lawsuit will target any possible efforts to cover up the deadly mistake.

News 19 reached out to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital requesting an interview on this matter and they responded with this statement:

Our organization does not discuss active litigation and has no comments to provide

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Beverly Bryan is still mourning her husband.

Its just so disheartening to think a hospital is the place you think youre safe and people are caring for you, a hospital that would not be trustworthy, Bryan said.

She told News 19 that she hopes the lawsuit will bring changes that will help other families.

I hope that the culture of silence behind medical events is broken and that they would be more transparent when things like this happen, I think thats the only way that there will be change and improvement in the medical delivery care system, Bryan said.

Thomas Shaknovsky has surrendered his medical license in both Florida and Alabama.

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The Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi on Saturday mentioned that 6,980 out of 7,553 eligible voters have cast their votes so far for the Delhi Assembly Elections under the home voting facility. The service commenced on January 24 and will remain available until Tuesday, February 4, a day before regular voting begins. The initiative aims to facilitate voting for senior citizens above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities (PwDs), enabling them to participate more easily in the electoral process. Additionally, 206 poll teams have been deployed across the 70 constituencies to facilitate home voting. To facilitate the voting for elderly and PwDs who wish to cast their vote at polling stations, the Election Commission has arranged for 8,715 volunteers and 4,218 wheelchairs to be stationed at polling locations across the national capital. "The Home Voting facility is being enthusiastically utilized by differently-abled individuals and senior citizens aged 85 and above in all 70 Assembly constituencies for the Delhi Assembly Election 2025. The home voting facility is available to voters above 85 years of age and PwDs offer them the option to cast their votes from their homes," read a statement by the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi. Earlier in the day, 93-year-old Satish Chandra availed himself of the home voting facility from the R K Puram constituency. He had been registered as an absentee voter in the senior citizen category (AVSC). "I am very thankful for this support, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to go (for casting vote)," the senior citizen expressed. As of January 31, 92 per cent of total registered voters under the home voting facility have participated, with District West recording the highest turnout at 94 per cent. Talking about the postal ballot facility, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended this facility to all personnel on election duty and security/police personnel who are electors in a particular constituency but are unable to vote at their designated polling stations due to their election duties. Additionally, the ECI has also extended the facility of postal ballots to all private personnel and non-government staff, such as drivers, conductors, vehicle cleaners, videographers, etc., deployed on election duty on February 5, 2025. "A total number of 16,984 Form-12 for issuing of Postal Ballot have been received from Delhi Police and Delhi Home-Guards. To facilitate voting of these police personnel, each of the 70 Returning Officers (ROs) have set up facilitation centres at their respective offices," read the statement. (ANI)
The Trump administration has approved plans to grant Treasury officials affiliated with Elon Musks team access to the federal system that handles trillions of dollars in payments, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has signed off on a plan to give access to the payment system to a team led by Tom Krause, the CEO of Cloud Software Group, who is now working for the Treasury Department and serves as a liaison to Musks DOGE group that operates out of the United States Digital Service. One person familiar with the effort said Krauses role will be subject to safeguards that would not allow any ability to make changes to the system and that no one outside Treasury would have access.

The secretarys approval was contingent on it being essentially a read-only operation, the person said.

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There has been an internal struggle within Treasury over how much access Musk and his allies should have to the sensitive system, which is critical to payments disbursed by the federal government to tens of millions of Americans each year. The Trump administration has already sought to freeze funds to previously approved programs it disfavors, alarming top Democrats who say those efforts represent an unprecedented seizure of power.

David Lebryk, the longtime career official who oversaw Treasurys vast financing and payments operations, suddenly resigned on Friday after clashing with Trump officials over granting access to the payments system, which contains details about the people who receive government payments. The system controls payments to Social Security recipients, people entitled to tax refunds, organizations receiving grants, as well as payments to federal workers and government contractors.

A Treasury Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did a White House spokesperson for Musks DOGE group.

Confusion over who will be granted access to Treasurys payments rails  as well as whether their responsibilities could allow them to cut off payments  has opened a new front in the political fight over Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. Another person familiar with the situation said Treasury officials were extremely displeased with the situation.

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Musk suggested on Saturday that his government efficiency groups effort to gain greater control over Treasury's payments to Americans was about rooting out fraud or illicit payments.

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups, Musk wrote. They literally never denied a payment in their entire career. Not even once.

Musk did not offer any evidence for his claim that Treasury instructed employees to approve payments to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

The Bureau of Fiscal Service, which operates Treasury's payment system, has a payments integrity office tasked with identifying, preventing and recovering fraud and improper payments. According to Treasury, those efforts have prevented improper payments totaling nearly $155 million and have aided in the recovery of nearly $350 million.

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"BFS is studiously apolitical," said Lily Batchelder, who served as a Treasury secretary for tax policy during the Biden administration. "It is deeply concerning that political appointees in the White House would be attempting to interfere with peoples Social Security benefits and tax refunds."

Democrats have criticized efforts by Trump political appointees and Musks DOGE to assert more control over a federal payments system that has long been run by nonpolitical career employees.

To put it bluntly, these payment systems simply cannot fail, and any politically motivated meddling in them risks severe damage to our country and the economy, Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, wrote to Bessent on Friday evening. The Oregon Democrat on Saturday raised alarms about the possibility that Musks allies would be in a position to gain information that could aid the billionaires vast business empire.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, similarly called for a congressional investigation.

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The federal government has safeguards that are meant to prevent incorrect payments. For example, a Do Not Pay portal allows agencies to verify whether a recipient is dead, blacklisted from government contracting, sanctioned, incarcerated or otherwise ineligible.

During the Biden administration, Treasury touted new efforts to use artificial intelligence to detect fraud and improper payments. Treasury said in October that the effort had prevented and recovered more than $4 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

Yet improper payments in federal programs have been a perennial problem that has long drawn the concern of government watchdogs and congressional lawmakers. Improper payments across the government spiked in recent years when Congress approved massive new relief programs to help Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government Accountability Office estimated last year that the federal government could be losing between $233 billion and $521 billion each year due to fraud.

Federal agencies reported $236 billion in improper payments in the 2024 fiscal year. The bulk came from Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, pandemic relief loans to small businesses, Treasurys earned income tax credit and Social Security payments.


In his first two weeks as president, Donald Trump has signed a flurry of executive orders, some aimed at rolling back civil rights advancements and purging the federal government of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, more commonly known as DEI.

The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military, Trumps Jan. 20 Executive Order states.

Trump and his supporters have thrown the three letters around pejorativelyfrom calling Kamala Harris a DEI candidate, to blaming the ship that crashed into the Baltimore Bridge and the Los Angeles wildfires on DEI hiring practices that somehow put unqualified individuals in places of authority. Just this week, he blamed DEI for a deadly plane crash in Washington, D.C.

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When asked how he could blame the crash on DEI without a full investigation being complete, Trump replied, Because I have common sense.

As Black History Month begins, the onslaught of reversals to hard-won gains has some Black leaders in South Florida frustrated. Some consider that DEI has become a scapegoat and a way to insinuate that Black and brown people were given jobs based solely on their race, usurping a more qualified white person. Trumps executive actions signal he is ready to dismantle civil rights policies put in place to ensure that workplaces were more reflective of the countrys diverse population.

Theres no need to sugarcoat it: DEI is the new n-word, and theyre using it to discredit the qualifications of people who are more qualified than individuals who have no qualifications at all, Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones told the Miami Herald.

Jones said in many ways Florida was ground zero for what were seeing at the federal level.

Shevrin Jones, Miami-Dade DEC Chair and State Senator, speaks during the Blue Gala hosted by the Miami-Dade Democratic Party at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Florida on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

Diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI as it is more commonly called, is a framework created to treat all groups equitably. But its ideology in more recent years has been subject to scrutiny as it pertains to gender and racial groups. The effect has been seen statewide when in 2022, Florida enacted its Stop Woke Act, limiting how race-related issues are taught in public universities, colleges and in workplace training.

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Roni Bennett, founder of nonprofit South Florida People of Color, which is dedicated to empowering diverse voices in the region through educational programming, explains DEI programs are all-encompassing, and can include providing opportunities and support to people with disabilities, people who are economically disenfranchised, people who practice different religions.





South Florida People of Color founder Roni Bennett speaks to the Miami Herald at her home on Friday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Miami, Fla.

The irony, she says, is that white people, specifically white women, tended to benefit the most from DEI programs and often work in administrative positions in DEI programming.

Because Black people were at the forefront of the civil rights movement, there is a misconception that DEI and affirmative action was meant only for their benefit, Bennett says.

Miami-Dade County School Board member Steve Gallon III

Miami-Dade County School Board member Steve Gallon III echoed Bennetts sentiments and cautioned against equating the term DEI with Black people, noting that they are not the sole, or even the main, beneficiaries of DEI.

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It is factually inaccurate if not maliciously misleading to suggest or even intimate that diversity, equity and inclusion is about Black people, he said. It is also both ignorant and ludicrous to assert that diversity and merit do not coexist.

RELATED: Miami-Dade schools brace for potential immigration stings. Heres what you need to know

Like Gallon, Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson was quick to point out that Trumps comments and executive orders are harmful to his base, which includes poor white Americans.

Every member of Congress has constituents who are affected by his words and his deeds, she said, adding that some of the poorest districts are represented by Republicans.

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So as he proceeds through his sickening announcements, he has to be aware that he is not hurting Democratic families as much as hes hurting Republican families and hes hurting white women more than hes hurting Black people.

Congresswoman Frederica Wilson

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Bennett noted Trumps rhetoric around civil rights has taken many forms: the criticism of critical race theory, mocking the term woke, and now turning DEI into a pejorative. Like Jones, she called DEI the new n-word.

Its always something, she said, adding that its important for Black people concerned about whats happening at the federal level to lean into community. We need to get together as a community, she said, So when it burns, we can probably put something else in place that works for everyone.

Theres very little we can do with legislation, Jones said, adding that Republicans have a majority in the state legislature. But it doesnt mean that theres nothing we can do through advocacy and organizing. Were at a point in history now where the gloves are off and the only way that were going to be able to fight this is with truth, no scapegoating.
Shondiin Silversmith

AZ Mirror

After months of negotiation, the Navajo Nation and Energy Fuels Inc. have signed an agreement allowing the transport of uranium ore along federal and state highways throughout the Navajo Nation, with transportation set to resume in February.

We have a settlement agreement that will allow the Navajo Nation to monitor and inspect the haul trucks and that provides financial compensation for the expenses to improve safety and protect the environment, Stephen Etsitty, executive director of the Navajo Nation Environmental Protection Agency, said in a press release.

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The agreement comes nearly six months after Energy Fuels, Inc., voluntarily halted transportation following the companys first transport through the Navajo Nation with little notice to the tribe. The company then entered into negotiations with the Navajo Nation in August 2024 after the tribe condemned their actions.

Energy Fuels President and CEO Mark Chalmers said he is honored that the Navajo Nation is willing to work with the company in good faith to address their concerns and ensure that uranium ore transportation through the Navajo Nation will be done safely and respectfully.

The agreement has not been made public, but a press release issued by Energy Fuels outlines some of the details.

The mining company said it has agreed to add additional protections and accommodations in addition to the existing U.S. Department of Transportation requirements, which include limiting transportation to specified routes and hours of the day and not transporting on days involving celebrations or public events.

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The company also said it would follow clear emergency response procedures, abide by notice and reporting requirements, carry additional insurance and give its drivers extra training and qualifications, including obtaining Navajo Nation transport licenses.

The company also said it agreed to use state-of-the-art cover systems  instead of the tarps it had previously said it would use  to prevent uranium ore dust from blowing out of transport trucks, establish provisions for escorts and blessings at the discretion of the Navajo Nation, and additional inspection procedures that will enable the Navajo Nation to ensure that all applicable rules and agreements are being satisfied.

We appreciate the sincere approach the Energy Fuels negotiation team took with the Navajo Nation, said Heather Clah, acting attorney general of the Navajo Nation. They demonstrated a genuine understanding for the Navajo Nations and the Navajo Peoples trauma regarding uranium and engaged as a partner in good faith to build a trusting relationship.

The Navajo Nation stretch of the Pinyon Plain Mines approved uranium ore transportation route is more than half of the roughly 320-mile journey, with a total of 174 miles traveled on major state routes through Navajo land.

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This agreement isnt just about resolving a conflict; its a commitment to protecting future generations, respecting Tribal sovereignty and ensuring that all voices are heard and valued, Gov. Katie Hobbs said in a press release.

Today marks an important step forward for our communities and shows what is possible through collaboration, partnership, and a shared commitment to public safety, Hobbs added. Im proud to have brought Energy Fuels and Navajo Nation to the table so they could come to an agreement that addresses the Nations long-standing concerns and includes enhanced emergency response plans.

As part of the agreement, Energy Fuels committed to transporting up to 10,000 tons of uranium-bearing cleanup materials from abandoned uranium mines across the Navajo Nation.

They have also agreed to support the Navajo Nations transportation safety programs, education, environment, public health and welfare, and local economic development related to uranium issues. Details about the specific type of support were not provided.

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We are proud to be a part of a historic agreement with the Navajo Nation, and we are committed to fulfilling our promises to them, Chalmers said. We hope this agreement marks the beginning of a constructive relationship that restores trust with our neighbors while also paving the way for future collaborations on cleanups and other areas of shared interest.

According to Energy Fuels, the company has safely hauled several hundred thousand tons of uranium ore and other materials along state and federal highways that cross the Navajo Nation between 2007 and 2024, with no incidents resulting in the spillage or release of ore.

Measures outlined in the agreement provide additional layers of protection for the Navajo and others, beyond the rigorous standards set by the USDOT, the company stated in a press release.

This article was first published by the AZ Mirror
While the 1950s was a time of truly unusual and fast-paced innovation in military aerospace, one of the more bizarre projects was for a nuclear-armed, liquid-fueled development of the Sidewinder air-to-air missile that would have featured a novel dual-mode guidance system. Although the planned Diamondback never made it into service, its story provides an interesting counterpoint to the hugely successful Sidewinder and the Navys on-off search for longer-range air-to-air weapon in the years that followed.

A compilation video published by the China Lake Alumni provides some background on the Diamondback (starting at around the 7:30 mark) and other missile developments:

Work on the Diamondback began in 1956 when the now-classic Sidewinder air-to-air missile was still very much a new product. At that time still designated AAM-N-7, the heat-seeking Sidewinder had only entered full-scale production in March 1955 and was to make its combat debut three years later, which would occur over the Taiwan Strait.

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The full and fascinating back story to the development of the Sidewinder is something you can read about in this previous article.

Already at this early stage, however, the Navy was looking at new kinds of air-to-air missiles that could be developed from the Sidewinder and which would provide improved performance and superior kill probability.

An early Sidewinder about to hit a QF-86 drone at China Lake. via Rowland White

With that in mind, the Naval Ordnance Test Station (NOTS) at China Lake, California, began studies for what was initially dubbed Super Sidewinder. The new missile was quickly renamed Diamondback, after the snake  like the sidewinder, another species of pit viper, all of which use heat sensors to find their prey. The new missile was expected to enter service around 1960.

Intended to fly farther and faster than the Sidewinder, the Diamondback would need a new propulsion system. The original Sidewinder had been rapidly developed, originally being based around a repurposed five-inch aerial rocket. Early versions of the Sidewinder were powered by a Thiokol Mk 17 solid-fuel rocket motor developing 4,000 pounds of thrust, enough to boost it to a speed of Mach 1.7 and to reach a target at a distance of up to three miles (in the best-case scenario).

Early examples of the Sidewinder, the U.S. Navys first operational air-to-air guided missile, mounted on an F9F-8 Cougar fighter. Getty Images Bettmann

A U.S. Navy public relations photo showing a pilot next to an AAM-N-7 Sidewinder air-to-air missile in 1956. U.S. Navy

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For the Diamondback, NOTS opted for a more complicated type of rocket, a dual-pulse motor powered by liquid fuel. While dual pulse is now found in some longer-range modern missiles, it was very much cutting-edge technology at this time. A dual-pulse motor ensures the missile retains energy across the flight envelope, stretching its range and, just as importantly, ensuring it can maneuver hard enough to hit a target even during the end game of the engagement.

A scale test article for the Diamondback. Public Domain

The motor in the Diamondback would be derived from the one developed by NOTS for the Liquid Propellant Aircraft Rocket (LAR). Begun in 1949, LAR was intended to provide a five-inch air-to-air (unguided) rocket that would offer superior performance compared with the solid-propellant rockets otherwise used at the time. The propellant was a storable mixture of RFNA and hydrazine that was hypergolic  meaning the propellants ignited on leaving the engine. Its likely the same would have been used to power the Diamondback.

The new powerplant was expected to give a considerable performance boost compared to the Sidewinder, with a maximum range of between 15 and 20 miles and a speed of over Mach 3. The flight ceiling would also have been impressive, with the missile able to reach an altitude of 80,000 feet, far higher than any turbine-powered aircraft that was then operating.

A contemporary advertisement for Diamondback shows a highly stylized high-speed Soviet bomber. YouTube screencap

Coupled with its planned sparkling performance, the Diamondback was also to have much more stopping power than the Sidewinder. The early AAM-N-7 carried a conventional blast-fragmentation warhead weighing just 10 pounds. This was triggered by an infrared proximity or contact fuze and conferred an effective kill radius of around 30 feet.

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Different warhead options were considered for the Diamondback. One of these was a more powerful, continuous-rod conventional warhead. A continuous-rod warhead is designed to produce an expanding zigzag ring of connected rods, to inflict a continuous line of structural damage over the target surface.

A drawing of the proposed Diamondback missile, dated February 1957. Public Domain

More radical still was a low-yield nuclear warhead, developed by China Lakes Special Weapons Division, which would have a yield of 0.75 kilotons.

At this point in the Cold War, nuclear warheads were seen as a viable solution for making a harder-hitting bomber-killer weapon. Such weapons were intended to take out larger or high-priority targets, namely entire formations of bombers. While the nuclear-armed AIR-2 Genie unguided air-to-air rocket is the best known of these, there was also the GAR-11, later redesignated the AIM-26A, or Nuclear Falcon, which was the only guided nuclear-armed air-to-air missile ever deployed by the U.S. military. The GAR-11 carried a W54 warhead with a yield of 0.5 kilotons.

The nuclear-armed AIM-26A missile. San Diego Air And Space Museum Archive

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To pack in the new motor and more lethal warhead, the Diamondback would have been considerably bigger than the Sidewinder. The first-generation Sidewinder was 9.3 feet long and had a fin span of 22 inches; its body diameter remained at five inches. Meanwhile, the Diamondback would have been 12.3 feet long, with a wingspan of 40 inches; the body diameter was 12 inches.

Overall, the Diamondback would have tipped the scales at 850 pounds, compared with just 155 pounds for the early-model Sidewinder.

A wind tunnel test model for Diamondback. YouTube screencap

The Diamondback would have used what was, for its time, a highly unusual dual-mode guidance, with an infrared seeker combined with a passive-homing radar. Some air defense missiles today use dual-mode guidance, notably the Israeli Stunner, but it remains rare. Presumably, the Diamondback solution was chosen to make the missile more reliable: if the missiles optical seeker lost the target lock, then the passive radar seeker should still remain locked onto the target, or vice-versa. Unlike the Stunner, however, there would have been no datalink to provide the missile with mid-course updates and it would have to rely on its dual-mode seeker throughout the engagement.

While the earlier Sidewinders were only able to attack targets from the rear sector, the Diamondback was also expected to be able to attack targets head-on. Specifically, a NOTS document refers to engaging Mach-2 bombers (at 70,000 feet) and fighters (at 40,000 feet) in both front and rear-hemisphere approach, at firing ranges of 10-15 miles. This was an advantage that would have been enabled by the radar seeker, while infrared seekers of the time were only effective in a tail-on attack.

A page from a NOTS document about Diamondbacks performance. YouTube screencap

According to available accounts, the Diamondback studies at NOTS were generally successful. However, work on the project had come to an end by around 1958. Apparently, the Navy saw little operational use for such a missile. This may well have been driven by the fact that it was the U.S. Air Force that had primary responsibility for the homeland defense mission, for which a heavy bomber-killer type of missile was much better suited.

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It should be remembered that the Navy did briefly contribute to the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) on a formal basis, but it only ever had a single squadron allocated to the task. This was All-Weather Fighter Squadron 3, or VF(AW)-3, that operated the F4D Skyray on behalf of the command in the late 1950s, and which was based at Naval Air Station North Island, California.

Two U.S. Navy F4D-1 Skyrays of All-Weather Fighter Squadron 3 from Naval Air Station North Island, California, in around 1960. U.S. Navy

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Its unclear whether the Skyray was a candidate to carry the Diamondback, but it was envisaged for the F3H Demon and the F4H Phantom, two other carrier-based all-weather fighters.

A diagram showing Diamondback and Sidewinder carriage on the F3H Demon. Public Domain

A diagram showing Diamondback carriage on the F4H Phantom. Public Domain

By the end of the 1950s, the Navy had introduced the Sparrow air-to-air missile, with semi-active radar homing (SARH) guidance. But this still fell some way short of the performance promised for the Diamondback. In its initial SARH form, the Sparrow had a maximum range of around six miles  in optimum conditions. The Navy Sparrows performance in the Vietnam War was also notably disappointing.

As for the Sidewinder, this went on to become the short-range weapon of choice for most Western air arms, and its combat record and continued development are well known. More recently, there have also been suggestions that the Sidewinder  namely the latest AIM-9X  could be evolved into a completely new and longer-range missile, for a modern equivalent of the Diamondback.

As it was, soon after the demise of the Diamondback, the Navy revisited the idea of a longer-range air-to-air missile.

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With the new threat of Soviet bombers launching long-range cruise missiles, work began on the F6D Missileer that would be armed with AAM-N-10 Eagle long-range air-to-air missiles, the capabilities of which would be harnessed by the AWG-9 fire control system. Ultimately, the Missileer was canceled, but starting in 1960 the Navy began work on what would become the AIM-54 Phoenix (then known as the AAM-N-11). Together with the AWG-9, this would equip the F-14 Tomcat and become a cornerstone of fleet air defense for many years.

A U.S. Navy F-14 carries an AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile under the wing. U.S. Navy

Now, the Navy is back in the long-range air-to-air missile game, with an air-launched variant of the multi-role, long-range surface-launched SM-6 missile, the AIM-174B, As you can read about here and watch our explainer video on it below, this weapon appears to have been developed very much with a future Pacific war in mind, in particular, to defend naval assets against long-range Chinese attacks and to pierce Chinas anti-access bubble. The AIM-260, which will have greater range than the AIM-120 but less than the AIM-174B, all in a similar form factor as the AIM-120, is also deep in development.

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While the intriguing Diamondback may have been too much too soon for the Navy, which was only starting to introduce its first-generation air-to-air missiles, it remains a fascinating part of the lineage of longer-reaching aerial weapons for the service.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  NBC4 is the proud media sponsor of Columbus City Councils Black History Month Celebration and Poindexter Award Ceremony.

Kerry Charles of NBC4 will emcee the event festivities and host the ceremony at the City Hall Council Chambers. The 2025 National Black History Month theme is, African Americans and Labor. These awards recognize the accomplishments and achievements of individuals in our community who have made significant contributions to Columbus in this field.

The Columbus City Council will also host a minority business certification open house from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with community partners from Columbus Urban League and Ohio Department of Development.

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The event is free and open to the public. To register for the event, click here.

Black History Month Celebration and Poindexter Award Celebration:

Columbus City Hall, 90 West Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215

February 11

 4:30 p.m. Minority Business Certification Open House

 5:30 p.m. Doors open for celebration

 6:00 p.m. Celebration and awards ceremony begin

As the official sponsor of the event, NBC4 will livestream the event on its digital platforms through NBC4i.com and will have complete coverage on NBC4. Expect a keynote address, performances, an awards ceremony and the opportunity to connect with minority businesses.

NBC4 Live Streaming Coverage of Poindexter Award Celebration:

NBC4i.com

Tuesday, February 11 | 6:00 p.m.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
LUMBERTON, N.C. (WNCN)  After nearly two decades on the run, a North Carolina man wanted for murder was captured in Los Angeles this week, state officials said Friday.

According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Omar Gray was indicted for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree on May 15, 2007, in Robeson County.

CRIME TRACKER  Sign up for CBS 17s newsletter with the latest in local crime

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While using a false name in Los Angeles, Gray was arrested on unrelated charges. His true identity was discovered through a fingerprint comparison conducted by a print examiner from the Moore County Sheriffs Office, according to the NCSBI.

State officials said Gray was extradited to North Carolina and arrested by NCSBI agents and Robeson County deputies Wednesday.

Records show Gray is currently in custody at the Robeson County Jail. He is awaiting further proceedings, according to state officials.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  We now know there was almost another collision between a plane and a Black Hawk helicopter.

Just days after a deadly mid-air collision between a commercial airplane and a military helicopter near Regan National Airport in DC, many people are still left stunned.

Right now, there are more questions than answers as authorities continue their investigation, recovering both black boxes from American Airlines flight 53-42, a collision that left 67 people presumed dead as 40 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River. Not only was there that deadly collision in DC on Wednesday, but the day before on Tuesday, a flight that departed Bradley for DC was diverted before landing due to helicopter traffic.

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A spokesperson for Bradley International Airport confirmed Republic Airways flight 45-14 left Bradley just before 7 p.m. Tuesday Flight-aware data shows the plane making its descent into DCA, before suddenly increasing its speed and climbing in elevation.

The pilot was forced to perform a go-around saying, We had an RA with the helicopter traffic below us.

RA refers to a resolution advisory, an emergency code used when a plane needs to perform a maneuver to separate from a potential threat. Some travelers at Bradley International Airport Friday morning had heard of the near collision.

Jack Norton from Milton told 22News, Over the years, we have had so much success with successful landings and takeoffs. Just one incident, obviously very tragic, and praying for those families, but overall I think it is very safe.

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Others are still nervous about being in the air, but trust the precautions airlines take. I know that the airline flights are doing every in their power to keep us safe and I put my faith and trust in them, says Alexandra Sproul of Great Barrington. Accidents do happen but they need to look into the safety of all of us traveling.

Everyone is still eager for answers as to why and how this happened as victims are still being recovered and identified.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned virtually all helicopter flights around Reagan National Airport and parts of the surrounding Potomac River. This comes in the tragic collision of a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines CRJ700 airliner above the river on Tuesday night. Recovery of the victims and wreckage of the two aircraft is poised to enter a new phase this weekend as the investigation into the circumstances of the incident continues. Readers can first get up to speed on what is already known about the incident in TWZs past reporting here.

Under the new FAA restrictions, sections of two designated helicopter flight corridors that run up and down the Potomac, known as Routes 1 and 4, are now shut down between the Memorial and Wilson Bridges. The UH-60 involved in the collision had been traveling along Route 4 at the time. Portions of the surrounding airspace, including over Reagan National, are also closed to helicopter traffic. A map of the complete restricted area is seen below.

U.S. Department of Transportation/FAA

The restriction exempts helicopters entering this airspace for lifesaving medical support, active law enforcement, active air defense, or presidential transport helicopter missions that must operate in this restricted area, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Any helicopter operations outside these exemptions will be prohibited. These restrictions will remain in place until the NTSB completes its preliminary investigation of the air carrier incident at which point it will be reviewed based on NTSBs report.

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Todays decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy also said in a statement. This is part of the U.S. Department of Transportations ongoing commitment to safeguarding our nations skies and upholding the highest standards of air travel safety.

FAA investigators are supporting the NTSB-led investigation of Wednesday nights midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport, per a brief separate statement posted on the FAAs website today accompanying proactive responses to a list of frequently asked questions. The NTSB is leading the investigation and will provide all updates. We cannot comment on any aspect of open investigations. [emphasis in the original] The FAA will quickly take any actions necessary based on evidence from the investigation. 

At a briefing tonight, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also provided new details about the ongoing recovery efforts and investigation.

Wreckage of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision in the Potomac River awaiting recovery. USCG Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles

The U.S. Navys office of the Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV) is currently leading efforts to recover the wreckage and has large crane barges on the way now to assist. The U.S. Coast Guard and other federal, state, and local authorities have also been on scene. The lifting of known large sections of the two aircraft is expected to start this weekend.

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The supervisor of salvage is also conducting a debris mapping right now. This will help in our post-accident analysis It will also help us with understanding some of the air worthiness and crash worthiness and human factors, NTSB member J. Todd Inman explained. We have right now two distinct debris fields The good news is based upon the initial mapping, while there are some small aspects of that debris field, there are large chunks that will be easily recoverable, and it will aid in the investigation when we bring it into the secured facility.

That same secure facility already has complete representative aircraft similar to the CRJ700 that went down so that investigators can compare the wreckage to it as part of the investigation, according to Inman. Canadian authorities separately announced earlier that they are supporting the investigation because the CRJ700 is a design that originated in that country.

NTSBs Inman also noted that the fight data and cockpit voice recorders from the American Airlines flight have already been recovered. The flight data recorder was in good condition, but the cockpit voice recorder had water intrusion, which Inman said is uncommon in such cases. NTSB experts have been preparing to attempt downloads of the data from both devices.

NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterdays mid-air collision at DCA. The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation. pic.twitter.com/IHypR0Jh76  NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) January 31, 2025

NTBS has already begun conducting interviews with air traffic controllers and others, as well as collecting other relevant information.

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In terms of the victims, the Unified Command leading the recovery efforts said earlier today that 41 sets of remains had been recovered so far, with 28 positively identified. There were 64 crew and passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342 and three members of the U.S. Army onboard the UH-60.

Today, Unified Command provided an update on recovery operations in the Potomac River.



If you missed the news conference, you can find the presentation at https://t.co/WucFEI5pNi pic.twitter.com/1041kcGrEp  DC Fire and EMS Department (@dcfireems) January 31, 2025

The U.S. Army separately identified two of three members of the Black Hawks crew as Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, one of the pilots, and Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, a crew chief. The service withheld the name of the second pilot, a woman, at the request of her family. At least as of earlier today, Eaves and the female aviator were listed as duty status-whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN), meaning they have not been formally assessed to be missing or deceased. The UH-60 and its crew, all assigned to the specialized 12th Aviation Battalion based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, were on a routine nighttime proficiency training flight related to the units contingency of government mission, which you can read more about here.

The Army on Friday release the names of two of three soldiers presumed to have been killed in a collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Eagle passenger jet this week, taking the rare step of withholding the third soldiers identify at the request of her family.  Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) January 31, 2025

The third soldier was described as a "young captain" yesterday by @SecDef @PeteHegseth. Like Eaves, she served as a pilot.



Eaves was serving as an instructor pilot as his colleague underwent an annual proficiency test.  Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) January 31, 2025

Speaking today, NTSBs Inman declared that the collision should not have happened and that we have in aviation whats called a Swiss cheese approach, wherein if something fails, a backup should catch it, [we have] multiple layers of redundancy. However, he did not elaborate on the circumstances of the incident as it may be known to investigators now and refused to speculate about potential causes or factors.

Other U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, have publicly highlighted questions about the altitude at which the UH-60 was flying at the time.

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Were looking at altitude  someone was at the wrong altitude, Hegseth said during an interview on Fox earlier today, adding that the black boxes from the Black Hawk had not yet been recovered. There could be depth perception problems. Again, thats speculation. Our investigation will tell us more.

"You have a lot of ambient light, a lot of things happenign around Reagan [Int'l Airport]" per Hegseth



"There could be depth perception problems  again, that's speculation. Our investigation will tell us more"  Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) January 31, 2025

"Who was talking? Who was on the comms? Who was piloting? And then what, if any confusion was there at the end?" per SecDef Hegseth



"We're looking at altitudesomeone was at the wrong altitude"  Jeff Seldin (@jseldin) January 31, 2025

The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit, Trump also wrote in a post on Truth Social Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???

Prior to the incident, FAA rules required helicopters flying in that part of Route 4 to stay at or below 200 feet mean sea level altitude (MSL). Videos shot from the ground, such as the more recently emerged ones seen below, have pointed to a near head-on impact between the Black Hawk and the CRJ700, though the exact altitudes of the two aircraft at the time remain unknown.

New Footage has been released, showing Wednesday Nights Mid-Air Collision between a CRJ-700 Passenger Jet, operated by PSA Airlines, and a U.S. Army H-60 Black Hawk Helicopter at Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington D.C, which resulted in 67 Deaths. pic.twitter.com/MOfBnqHiIp  OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 31, 2025

Im just going to preempt it. Off-the-shelf software programs are not always as accurate as the data we specifically get from ADS-B [the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast network], [and] from the black boxes, NTSBs Inman said. All of that are factors that come into our investigation.

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We will go back and look at any air traffic controller that was involved in this. Well go back and look at their past probably 72 hours, even two or three weeks. Well look at their training, their hiring, everything. What they probably ate that day. But it is not one point that tells us everything, Inman added when asked about reportedly abnormal air traffic control staffing at the time of the collision. Its layered into a lot of other information thats very critical.

Obviously, well be looking at not only staffing that day, [but] progressively staffing. How many people, what job functions they were doing? Were they being combined? Were they not? What was the weather outside? What was the number of landings? he continued. I recall back during COVID, one runway [at Reagan National] was being used. Runway One. That was the only one. [Runway] 33, as traffic came back, started being opened up. So we would look at changes in traffic patterns, construction at the airport, all of that. It all paints a very big picture.

The collision this week has already thrust long-standing concerns about airspace congestion around Reagan National Airport, and its history of near-collisions, back into the public eye. Just in the days leading up to the incident, at least two other airliners had to abort their approaches due to helicopters getting too close.

https://t.co/moyHvz2epf Its been happening for years  Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) January 31, 2025

Watch: Here's   another tense one at Reagan National Airport. On September 17, 2022, three days after the reported Marine/Coast Guard near miss (attached), a commercial jet crossed Runway 15/33 as another jet was on final approach to land on 33. While go-arounds for another https://t.co/9FDlnAi3m4pic.twitter.com/a8n5t3zlSR  Dave Statter (@STATter911) January 31, 2025

Reagan National Airports location along the Potomac presents unique complexities for aircraft arriving and taking off, in general. The airspace around Washington, D.C., and the greater National Capital Region (NRC), which is some of the most densely defended and heavily monitored in the country, not to mention extremely busy, creates additional challenges. The aforementioned helicopter routes that are now partially shut down are just some of the especially regimented rules and regulations that govern air traffic around the nations capital. Current and former military helicopter pilots talked about these issues in detail in interviews with TWZ yesterday, which you can find here.

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With recovery efforts and other data collection still underway, NTSBs Inman cautioned today that there is still much investigative work to be done before final firm conclusions about what happened this week over the Potomac can be reached.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
A Nebraska man has pleaded guilty in connection with two violent Twin Cities carjackings last summer.

Nathan Mathias Sughroue, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury in U.S. District Court earlier this week in connection with the June 16, 2024 incidents.

According to court documents, Sughroue approached the first victim with a knife and told her to get out of her Hyundai Elantra. He reached inside the vehicle to remove her, threatening her with a knife.

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A Shakopee Police Department officer then spotted the Elantra and attempted a traffic stop, but Sughroue evaded arrest.

Nathan Mathias SughroueHennepin County Jail

Sughroue then drove the stolen car to a gas station in Bloomington. There, he demanded a man in a Nissan Murano to give him his keys. When the man refused, Sughroue stabbed him multiple times.

The victim was left to bleed on the pavement, and Sughroue drove away.

Less than 20 minutes later, Robbinsdale police officers responded to a crash on northbound Hwy. 100. With the assistance of the Minnesota State Patrol, officers located and took Sughroue into custody.
Two other accused persons, Vijay Gehlot and Sahil, were also sent to judicial custody following police interrogation.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja extended the judicial custody of Naresh Balyan, Rohit alias Anna, and Sachin Chikara. Sahil alias Pole and Vijay Gehlot alias Kalu were also remanded to judicial custody until February 24.

Delhi police moved an application requesting an extension of the judicial remand for the three accused Rohit alias Anna, Sachin Chikara, and Naresh Balyan for 25 days.

All the accused persons were produced through video conferencing from the judicial custody.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Akhand Pratap Singh represented Delhi Police, while Advocate M S Khan, along with Rohit Dalal and Rahul Sahani, appeared for the accused Balyan and others.

The court was informed by Delhi Police that the statements of Sahil and Vijay had been recorded under section 18 of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) before the DCP.

The counsel for the accused persons informed the court that the signatures of Sahil and Vijay were taken on blank paper by Delhi Police.

Delhi police also moved an Application for the production of accused Naresh Balyan before the crime branch dossier cell by the lockup in charge.

It is for the purpose of collecting data for the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), as stated by the police.

The court disposed of the application and asked Delhi police to move an application before the concerned jail superintendent of Mandoli Jail Seeking permission to produce the accused before the dossier cell. The Superintendent will consider the same as per law.

Naresh Balyan was arrested on December 4 in this case. He has been arrested in the MCOCA case lodged against the organised crime syndicate led by gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu. (ANI)
As the trial continues for the former Georgia district attorney who is accused of slow-walking the case in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, jurors heard from a neighbor DA on Friday who took over the case.

Jackie Johnson is accused of hindering law enforcement in the Arbery death investigation. Johnson recused her office from the case because the father of the shooter was a former employee.

She reached out to neighboring District Attorney, George Barnhill, to advise police on the Arbery case.

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Barhill met with Glynn County police the day after the shooting. A witness who took the stand on Thursday told the court that investigators presented evidence to Barnhill, and he later determined no crime was committed.

When you say youve given an initial opinion, what initial opinion are you talking about? attorneys asked Barnhill.

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I agreed with .... it looked like self-defense, Barnhill said. After reviewing the evidence, we do not see grounds for an arrest of any of the three parties.

Barnhill was the first of three outside prosecutors assigned to the Arberys death investigation.

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Prosecutors also heard from Arberys mother this week.

Wanda Cooper-Jones cried on the witness stand Wednesday as she recalled being at her mothers house, a three-hour drive from her home in Brunswick, when her cellphone rang. She said she knew it was bad news when the officer told her that he was standing outside her front door.

The officer shared that Ahmaud was committing a burglary, Cooper-Jones testified. He was confronted by the homeowner, there was a struggle over the firearm and Ahmaud was shot and killed.

The testimony suggests that Greg McMichaels account that he and his son had seen security camera videos that made them suspect Arbery of stealing from a neighboring home under construction had a decisive influence on authorities. He also insisted that his son shot Arbery in self-defense.

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After the shooting, police found that Arbery was unarmed and had no stolen property.

Cooper-Jones said police and prosecutors shared little information about her sons killing until after Barnhill stepped aside from the case in April 2020.

Under questioning by one of Johnsons lawyers, Cooper-Jones acknowledged that Johnson at one point met with her slain sons father.

When Cooper-Jones said that she never got such a meeting, defense attorney Keith Adams asked if she had met Johnson outside the courthouse soon after the shooting video became public.

You were driving by and you called to her, and she came over and gave you a hug, Adams said.

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Cooper-Jones replied: I dont think we hugged.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.




Happy Saturday! Heres another edition of my weekend column for WPRI.com  as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to tnesi@wpri.com and follow me on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.

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Nesi's Notes

1. President Trump has been back in the White House for less than two weeks, but the new administrations presence is being felt. In Newport, a single ICE arrest on Thursday triggered fast-spreading rumors that authorities had undertaken a major raid  one of many false alarms about alleged ICE activity all over the country. The presidents new policies on immigration were temporarily overshadowed, however, by an even more dramatic move  a freeze on all federal grants and loans that caused confusion and disruption nationwide. Senator Reed was among the first to call attention to the freeze, releasing a letter Sunday that sought clarification about the status of funding for the Washington Bridge. At first it wasnt clear exactly what was going on. But by Tuesday, federal authorities had caused coast-to-coast consternation by appearing to briefly turn off the online portal that states use to draw down money for Medicaid and other programs. That triggered the most resistance Trump has faced so far, and among those who mobilized against him was Attorney General Peter Neronha, who took a lead role in a lawsuit to block the funding freeze. Neronha and his fellow AGs opted to file their suit here in Rhode Island before U.S. District Chief Judge Jack McConnell, who on Friday granted a temporary restraining order. Appearing on this weeks Newsmakers, Neronha said he is prepared to act again if he thinks Trump is violating the law. I think if you step back, the president, to use the phrase of his allies, is trying to engage in shock and awe, he said. Im neither shocked and Im not awed. It appears the battle has only just begun, though, with Elon Musk now seeking access to a key federal payment system.

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2. Sheldon Whitehouse may have been flirting with a vote in favor of his law-school pal RFK Jr., but he doesnt sound like hes going to go through with it. Weve just had a measles case in Rhode Island  the first since 2013  and frankly, you frighten people, Whitehouse told Kennedy during Wednesdays confirmation hearing, while discussing the nominees vocal skepticism about vaccines. Still, Whitehouse sounded peeved Monday when local reporters pressed him about how he would vote. I have not been inclined to telegraph my votes before someone has even had his hearing, so I think people need to kind of chill on that for a bit, he said. In fairness, its not just about Kennedy; Whitehouse is generally taking a different approach to President Trumps cabinet nominations than Jack Reed, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Whitehouse has already voted in favor of several nominees  CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum  who got nay votes from Reed, Warren and Markey. The votes for Duffy and Burgum may partly be explained by Whitehouses new position as the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which deals with their agencies. But it also suggests a calculus on his part about the potential for at least some working relationships in the new administration.

3. Speaking of vote splits, Rhode Islands two legislative chambers went in opposite directions when it came to congratulating President Trump on taking office, with the House approving a resolution and the Senate voting one down. The Senate vote was intriguing in part because 10 of the chambers 34 Democrats voted with the Republicans to support the resolution. Even the leadership team was split: Majority Leader Val Lawson voted to reject the resolution, while Majority Whip Dave Tikoian voted in favor. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio missed the vote due to illness.

4. Roll Call has my local take on the outlook for U.S. Senate races in 2026.

5. Peter Neronha has made no secret of his desire to see a new governor leading Rhode Island in January 2027, and hes frequently talked up the potential of Helena Foulkes, who is already engaged in a quasi-campaign against Dan McKee. Thus its all the more noteworthy that Neronha agrees with the emerging conventional wisdom that the federal lawsuit against CVS over opioids poses a serious problem for Foulkes. Its hard for me to assign responsibility to individual CVS leadership, but Helena Foulkes has to answer that question, Neronha said on Newsmakers, describing himself as concerned about those allegations. He went on to say, I think Helena knows she has to answer those questions and convince the public that she did what she could. But theres no question that CVS helped fuel this crisis, as did other pharmacies, as did the manufacturers, as did the distributors.  I think she has to take it head on. As for his own plans in 2026, Neronha continues to keep his options open, raising $56,000 at the end of last year as he contemplates a bid for lieutenant governor or some other job. He said the decision will come down to his family, his health, and his judgment about what he could accomplish. I dont want a no-show job in government, lets put it that way, he said.

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6. One advantage Helena Foulkes maintains over Dan McKee: money. Fundraising reports filed Friday show Foulkes campaign account has grown to just over $1 million, after she raised nearly $250,000 during the fall. McKee was sitting on a little more than half that  $552,000  after raising about $100,000 over the same period. Both war chests were dwarfed by a third potential gubernatorial candidate waiting in the wings: House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, who reported over $3 million in his campaign account.

7. Its the time of year for political fundraisers, and that means political protests, too. On Monday night, Governor McKee will hold a major fundraiser at the Crowne Plaza, but the R.I. Brotherhood of Correctional Officers said Friday it has voted to picket the event in opposition to McKee administration policies. A night later, Senate GOP Leader Jessica de la Cruz will hold her annual fundraiser at Ladder 133 in Providence, but shes expected to face a protest from activists who decry her support for President Trumps immigration policies.

8. Johnston Mayor Joe Polisena Jr. caused controversy this week when he announced plans to seize land by eminent domain to avoid construction of a new affordable housing development. And its not the first time in recent years a local mayor has intervened to limit housing growth. In Attleboro, then-Mayor Paul Heroux worked to prevent the old Highland Country Club from being developed, and hes still arguing against the idea now that his successor Cathleen DeSimone is considering whether to use the site for senior housing.

9. Turmoil is continuing at T.F. Green, with the airports police chief resigning abruptly and its unionized workers voting no confidence in CEO Iftikhar Ahmad.

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10. Newly released test scores from the National Assessment of Education Progress, often dubbed the nations report card, show Rhode Island students continuing to lag behind their peers in Massachusetts on math and reading. In fact, Bay State students once again ranked first in the nation, allowing Governor Healey to take a victory lap when the scores came out. But is Mississippi actually outpacing Massachusetts? Thats what the folks at the Urban Institute found in an analysis that adjusted each states results for student demographics. Alas, Rhode Island lags well behind Massachusetts in that analysis, too. The comparison is particularly grim in 8th-grade math, where Massachusetts ranks No. 2 but Rhode Island is only No. 36. Additionally, The Globes Dan McGowan notes that the new scores are the latest sign that billions in extra federal funding that was sent to states to assist with learning recovery in recent years has not moved the needle as much as policymakers hoped. Rhode Island schools got $600 million in extra federal funding over the last four years.

11. My colleagues Hannah Cotter and Ryan Welch spoke with Douglas Lane, the Barrington man whose wife and son were killed in the D.C. air disaster on Wednesday night. You can hear Lanes memories of his loved ones here.

12. People in the news  former Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is joining the Council on Foreign Relations  Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos spent the week in Israel as a guest of the countrys New England consulate general  East Providence state Rep. Matt Dawson makes a cameo in a new TV ad for the Big Y grocery chain  former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino Jr. is campaigning for Democratic National Committee vice chair this weekend  Frank Karpinski is retiring as executive director of Rhode Islands state pension system  political operative Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of multiple local campaigns, is opening a new consulting firm with Mark Longabaugh (who was previously partners with Rhodys Tad Devine)  Providence native Mike Donilon, who was a top adviser to President Biden, will be a resident fellow at Harvards Institute of Politics this spring  Cranstons city political committees kept the same leadership for the next two years, with Republicans reelecting John Colasante and Democrats reelecting Maria Bucci  David Milners NuGen Capital Management has hired Nicole Verdi and Dan Cooney as managing directors, plus Jeff Gustafson as controller  the Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame inducted Michelle Alves, Toby Ayers, the late Ralph Ezovski, David Lapatin, Stephen Lynch, Dana Smith, Michael Winquist and J. Patrick Youngs III as its Class of 2024.

13. Our Johnny Villella was there as Federal Hills iconic Old Canteen sign came down. (Was the sign an example of the Googie architectural style some are trying to preserve?)

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14. HBO has cancelled Sesame Street. Will anyone save it?

15. Less than three months before his assassination, John F. Kennedy and Jackie made a spoof home movie that included a scene where JFK gets shot  and it was filmed in Newport, at Hammersmith Farm. Vanity Fair has the eerie story here.

16. Brian T. Allen gives a rave review to the RISD Museums French wallpaper show.

17. Ill be appearing on WGBHs Under the Radar this weekend for a regional New England news roundup, along with host Callie Crossley and fellow panelists Arnie Arnesen and Eve Zuckoff; tune in Sunday at 6 p.m. on 89.7 FM. You can also listen online here.

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18. Set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers  AG Neronha. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday.

Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesis Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.

Prefer your Newsmakers on the go?

Subscribe to our podcast!

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.
(Reuters) - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will depart on Sunday for the United States to meet with President Donald Trump, Netanyahu's office said on Saturday.

Netanyahu has been invited to visit Trump at the White House on Tuesday and they will discuss the situation in Gaza, hostages held by Hamas, and the confrontation with Iran and its regional allies, a statement from his office said.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Writing by Enas Alashray; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip, the hostages as well as "all components of the Iranian axis" when he meets with US President Donald Trump in Washington, Netanyahu's office said.

The Israeli leader will leave for the United States on Sunday in what his office called a "historic meeting," noting that the Israeli prime minister is "the first national leader" that Trump is meeting with, following the US president's inauguration.

The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu is scheduled for Tuesday at the White House. Trump is known to be a close ally of Netanyahu, though the US president has been critical at times. This early trip is being seen as a strong gesture of support for the right-wing prime minister who has come under heavy criticism for his conduct of the war in Gaza.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  State officials want to enforce stricter laws for animal cruelty amid concerns over recent cases.

According to Henderson Police Department and Animal Control, in January, they received 9 phone calls from different neighbors in the area regarding potential animal abuse at one specific residence near Horizon Ridge Parkway and Stephanie Street. Henderson City Councilwoman Carrie Cox told 8 News Now she too received phone calls about a dog in distress.

Las Vegas man accused of leaving Reba the dog for dead tied her outside until she got sick, report says

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They were concerned about the welfare and safety of a particular animal that lives in the neighborhood and wanted to make sure it was ok. I directed them to contact the Police Department and follow the process we have in place, Cox shared with 8 News Now. Anytime there is a case where an animal is being mistreated or abused, its important, so if you see something, say something.

Neighbors shared through their Nextdoor app, that a dog was seen being beaten in the face by its owner. Also alleging that the dog was whimpering in pain and unable to bark or defend itself due to being muzzled.

Our neighborhood chat has been blowing up a lot lately about this and we had Henderson Police staged out here and then two Animal Control pickups parked in front of our house, Cameron Huntington who lives nearby said.

Henderson Police Department and Animal Control confirmed to 8 News Now that they went to the home to check on the dog, but found no evidence of abuse or signs of fear towards the owned.

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It should also be noted that due to the neighbors not providing any pictures or videos of the incident at the time, Henderson officials were forced to leave the property, leaving the dog with its owner.

Councilwoman Cox stated that even though no charges were filed, the laws in Henderson and throughout the state need to change.

Its a state law that animals are recognized as property and I would really like to work with the Legislature to look at what we can do instead to do better by our animals, Cox added.

With animals labeled as property, it limits what law enforcement and animal control can do in potential situations like these.

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For instance, the tragic death of an English Bulldog, named Reba this past summer, who was found by a dumpster, inside a plastic bin that had been taped shut. After she was rescued, she died a day later.

I have sponsored animal welfare legislation ever since I was elected and its something I am very passionate about, Nevada Assemblywoman of District 22, Melissa Hardy shared.

Assemblywoman Hardy told 8 News Now how vital it is to increase the penalties for animal abuse across the state and raise the category of offense so that there is a real consequence for the abuser.

They are living beings. They breathe, they have life and they hurt and have feelings and emotions. I want to do what I can to increase these penalties and hold people accountable for those that hurt them, she added.

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Since the initial reports, Henderson Police told 8 News Now that there havent been any more calls of abuse associated with the residence.

In the wake of what happened to Reba, a new bill will soon be passed regarding animal cruelty laws in Nevada. Hardy and other legislators are waiting on a hearing, but the bill is in its drafting phase with the intent of it being passed by June.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Some religious leaders in Nevada have written an open letter on immigration enforcement to the states politicians. This includes the Board of Rabbis of Southern Nevada as well as various Christian leaders.

In the letter, they ask for fair and generous pathways to citizenship, and that immigration enforcement focuses on those who are dangerous to society.

The beginning point is for the Catholic Church and other faiths to express our solidarity with the immigrant community and to say to them, were there for you, Archbishop of Las Vegas George Leo Thomas said. We love and well do everything in our power to ensure your safety and your security.

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Thomas is one of the leaders who signed the letter. The Catholic Church represents the biggest religious population in the Las Vegas area, many of which are immigrants. He said not to panic prematurely.

I think the ordinary family, the ordinary Catholic, the ordinary Christian, any person of any faith, is not going to see encroachments into the houses of worship, and I dont see that going on, at least in the state of Nevada, Thomas said.

The church also operates the non-profit Catholic Charities, a support center for families, people experiencing homelessness, and migrants. Each year, Catholic Charities receives around $30 million in federal funding for migration and refugee services.

In 2024, they served more than 8,000 refugees and provided immigration services to over 1,000.

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The recent short-lived federal funding freeze caused some anxiety about folding the program.

It appears that it requires congressional action rather than simply presidential action in order to make those withdrawals, Thomas said. So thats encouraging. Its nice to have checks and balances in the government.

Archbishop Thomas also said faith leaders across the board are working with government leaders on immigration reform, hoping to open new pathways to legal citizenship.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Las Vegas said:

The Archdiocese of Las Vegas is committed to upholding the dignity and respect of all individuals, and we discourage any efforts that indiscriminately target our faith communities, whether these actions occur in workplaces or places of worship. Across the Country, the Catholic Church is prepared to work with the Trump administration to address the complexities of immigration, and we hope that any enforcement measures are judiciously applied and limited to individuals who present risks and dangers to society, particularly reducing gang activity, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  Two high-profile members of South Carolinas Congressional delegation made news this week, as each made bold political statements on topics that President Donald Trump has put near the top of his agenda.

But how accurate were U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace? News13 pressed both for specifics both by email and in person this week. Heres what we found out.

Graham wants Congress to restrict birthright citizenship. Legal experts say it cant.

Graham this week joined Republican U.S. Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama and Ted Cruz of Texas to introduce a bill that would end birthright citizenship: One of the biggest magnets for illegal immigration into the United States, according to a press release from Grahams office.

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How would it work?

Specifying who can receive citizenship by virtue of their birth in the United States, including children born to a least parent whos a citizen or national, lawful permanent resident or immigrant performing active service in the armed forces

The measure would only apply to children born after the date of enactment

According to Harvard Law School and the Constitutional Accountability Center, the only way birthright citizenship can be prohibited is through a constitutional amendment. Why?

Because the 14th Amendment  enacted in 1868 to address citizenship during the Reconstruction era  guarantees that anybody born in the United States is automatically a citizen.

Graham spokeswoman Taylor Reidy told News13 that interpretation doesnt hold up.

The Supreme Court has never directly addressed whether this requires citizenship be granted to the children of unlawfully present aliens or nonimmigrant aliens, she said.

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Graham has long supported abolishing birthright citizenship, saying in 2018 he planned to introduce legislation to end the practice.

Graham accurately points out that the United States is one of 33 countries with unrestricted birthright citizenship, but his office was unable to provide News13 of any examples in South Carolina where the issue has been exploited  instead pointing to a September Associated Press article outlining the conviction of a southern California couple who helped Chinese women travel to the country and give birth.

Mace plays up Trump ties in Myrtle Beach

Mace, the headline-grabbing Lowcountry representative, is on the campaign trail as she explores a gubernatorial run in 2026. That brought her to the Grand Strand on Friday for a meeting with the influential Myrtle Beach Republican Women.

She told reporters ahead of that session that a fruitful relationship with President Trump and service at both the state and federal levels should make her an easy choice for governor.

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And while its true that Trump and Mace are now allies, it wasnt always the case. In 2022, Trump endorsed Maces then opponent Katie Arrington in a bruising GOP primary. While Mace didnt vote to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol incursion, she was a fierce critic of his actions that day.

Katie Arrington is running against an absolutely terrible candidate, Trump said in February 2022, calling Maces remarks and attitudedevastating for her community, and not at all representative of the Republican Party to which she has been very disloyal.

One of Trumps most loyal and long-time supporters is Gov. Henry McMaster, who in January 2016 became the nations highest ranking state officer to back his first White House run.

If Mace runs for governor, shell likely face competition from a slate of primary candidates including McMasters second-in-command Pamela Evette.

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I have great relationships with the administration and I have a great relationship with President Trump, and I think that could be a great value, because the next governor of South Carolina needs to be bold, needs to be strong, Mace said.

Mace said one reason shes considering the governors mansion is to attack taxes and infrastructure.

We saw the state income tax drop from 6.2% to 6%. It should be zero. Weve been talking about this for years and we havent done it yet, she said.

Per the state Department of Revenue, the states top income tax rate has dropped from 7% in 2021 to its current level of 6.2%. McMaster in Wednesday State of the State address suggested it fall to a flat 6%.

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Mace also accurately pointed out that South Carolina has some of the Americas deadliest roads: A 2023 analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data found that only Alaskas were more dangerous.

News13 will continue fact checking political statements from candidates as races for federal and statewide seats open up in the coming months.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order that he says is intended to maximize the capture of water during winter storms.

Newsom issued the order Friday, saying it will make it easier to divert and store water as storms bring rain and snow in the coming days.

It is more important than ever that we maximize every opportunity to recharge our groundwater supplies, Newsom said. As we anticipate rain and snow in Northern California, we are also preparing to use every last drop to boost our water supply for communities and farms throughout the state.

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Environmental and fishing groups, however, denounced Newsom's order as being alarmingly similar to federal directives from President Trump, saying the governors approach threatens to harm vulnerable fish species and the deteriorating ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

This order reads as though it was written by President Trump, said Barry Nelson, a policy representative for the fishing group Golden State Salmon Assn.

Read more: Acting on Trump's order, federal officials opened up two California dams

He said Newsoms measure appears to mimic an executive order that Trump announced five days earlier in which he directed federal agencies to maximize water deliveries in California and override state policies if necessary.

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This reads as almost a carbon copy of that order, Nelson said. We call on the governor to stand up to protect California's environment, not to assist in federal attacks.

Representatives of water suppliers supported Newsoms order.

The measures empower California water managers to blunt the destructive impact of flooding while quickly diverting excess water to recharge groundwater supplies, said Cathy Green, president of the Assn. of California Water Agencies.

Green said the order underlines the need to modernize our permitting process to better reflect the states ability to remain flexible in the face of climate change.

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Newsom announced the order as the first of three atmospheric river storms reached the state, bringing rain and snow after an unusually dry January .

Newsom ordered the state Department of Water Resources to maximize diversions of excess flows during winter storms to store more water in reservoirs such as San Luis Reservoir, located south of the Delta near Los Banos. The order also calls for state agencies to identify any obstacles that would hinder efforts to maximize diversions and to promptly report on any statutory or regulatory barriers that should be considered for suspension.

State officials said Newsoms order will make it easier for local agencies to capture more storm runoff to recharge groundwater, which has been depleted by overpumping in many areas. They said the order builds on previous directives by the governor in 2023 that helped increase the amount of water used to replenish groundwater.

By capturing more stormwater, Newsom said, we are creating a literal rainy day fund to help us recover from a multi-year drought and prepare for our hotter, drier future. His administrations water supply strategy calls for preparing for a projected 10% decrease in the states supplies by 2040 because of climate change.

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Trump has criticized California for what he calls disastrous policies and water mismanagement.

Read more: Trump reenters Californias water wars. It's unclear who will win

Conservation advocates said Newsom's order reveals a similar approach to the presidents directives that they fear could lead to weaker protections for fish and clean water in the Delta and San Francisco Bay.

This is a capitulation by Gov. Newsom to Donald Trump's lawlessness and disdain for California, Californians and our environment, said Jon Rosenfield, science director for the group San Francisco Baykeeper.

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While Trumps order sought to eviscerate federal environmental protections and undermine state law, Rosenfield said, Newsom similarly chose to waive state laws that require protection of the Bay's clean water and fish. As a result, we can expect the Bay's fish and wildlife to continue to spiral towards oblivion.

Californias two main water delivery systems in the Delta, the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project, deliver water to farmlands and about 30 million people.

Pumping has contributed to the ecological degradation of the Delta, where the fish species that are listed as threatened or endangered include steelhead trout, two types of Chinook salmon, longfin smelt, Delta smelt and green sturgeon.

Because of declining salmon populations, fisheries authorities have shut down the salmon fishing season on the California coast for the last two years, leaving commercial fishermen and charter boat captains out of work .

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Another sign of the Deltas ecological deterioration in recent years has been worsening toxic algae blooms .

Read more: Debate over options for California's ailing Delta region reflects deep divisions over water

Rosenfield said that the states existing rules would provide for diverting ample water during the upcoming storms, and the states water supplies in reservoirs are in relatively good shape.

The only explanation for this move at this time is that Newsom is feeling the political need to prove that he supports diverting as much water or more than Donald Trump, Rosenfield said.

Westlands Water District, the largest agricultural water agency in the Central Valley, said it supports streamlining the process to divert and store excess flows, such as from storm events.

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This flexibility helps with overall water management in California and is an important step to maximize our water supply, said Elizabeth Jonasson, a spokesperson for Westlands.

The debate that erupted over Newsoms order is the latest in a series of disagreements that have pitted the governors administration against environmental and fishing groups in the Delta. Environmental groups, tribes and local agencies have been fighting Newsoms plan to build a $20-billion water tunnel beneath the Delta.

They have also argued against a state-supported proposal for an alternative to regulatory flow requirements in the Delta that would involve negotiated agreements with water agencies.

Read more: California water agency votes to spend $141 million on Delta tunnel project

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Gary Bobker, program director for the group Friends of the River, said Californians have been looking to Newsom to defend them from the Trump administrations misguided attempt to force bad policy down the states throat.

Instead, he argued, the order goes against Californians interests in preserving healthy rivers, fisheries and clean water.

Nelson, of the Golden State Salmon Assn., said policies like the governors order have led to the collapse of the Bay-Delta environment, and to pushing salmon to the brink of extinction.

Nelson said hes concerned the order appears open-ended, and could allow for waiving environmental standards even when there is no drought or flooding emergency.

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This order isn't even pretending that there's a drought emergency. It's not pretending there's a flood emergency, Nelson said. It's simply saying, 'Let's suspend environmental laws because it's raining.'

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Bryan Slone, president and CEO of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is leaving the post after seven years. (Courtesy of NE Chamber)

We have a new year, a new Congress, a new Legislature, and a new president. Within the policy and political world, there is a whirlwind of change and a mix of excitement with equal amounts of uncertainty. Both state and federal government policy and budget decisions made in the next few years will considerably impact Nebraskas future, good or bad.

Fortunately, we are starting from a very good position. Throughout Nebraska, there are clear signs of a resurgence of economic and community development in communities large and small. Whatever happens in Washington, D.C., or Lincoln, this local momentum is essential to sustaining our quality of life and economic opportunities for our children and grandchildren  a duty we all have as Nebraskans.

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However, as we survey our members, hold town halls and review nonpartisan research reports, there are consistently two clear priorities to stay focused on:

Growing population and workforce: Given declining birth rates and brain drain, bolder steps are required to retain and attract young people and their families to our communities. For our state to thrive, our communities and infrastructure must be inviting and competitive, offering people of all backgrounds and economic circumstances the opportunity to pursue the American dream. We must consider all options, including welcoming legal immigration, building affordable housing, making childcare more accessible and affordable and creating more robust education-to-career pathways and connections for our young people in Nebraska.

Embracing and advancing technology and innovation: In many ways, every portion of our economy is becoming technology-driven, and all companies are becoming technology companies. Young workers will increasingly be attracted to states that offer a great quality of life and a great technology branding and environment. Nebraska must not shy away from technology growth but position itself as an innovation destination  by removing red tape that stands in the way of technology dynamism, expanding our broadband and energy infrastructure, and supporting new cutting-edge industries while growing technology-enabled expansion in existing fields.

Challenges ahead

This years Legislature will be working in a fiscally challenging year given our revenue base, Medicaid cost increases, and increasingly large general fund transfer commitments. There will be little room for new spending and investments. In this environment, it may well be prudent to take a careful and comprehensive look at revamping the bundle of methods we have cobbled together over many decades to attempt to resolve the property tax problem.

Its time to begin to bring all stakeholders to the table to try to create an efficient and effective way to better define and establish the states obligation to fund public K-12 education transparently and consistently.

The state will be better positioned to plan and fund the efforts necessary to build our population and workforce growth if we can stop this education and property tax issue from being an ever-moving target and the annual budget volatility it brings for both the state and our schools. It also would position Nebraska better to support technology development at competitive levels.

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We will sustain and grow our tax base and provide even more revenue room to continue to address our educational priorities and tax competitiveness going forward.

Creative solutions

But let me be clear: We cant look solely to the government to secure our economic future. The sheer magnitude of our workforce, housing, and childcare needs alone outstrips the capacity of solely government-funded solutions.

We must bring together private industry, philanthropy, local government and education leaders to broadly align our strategic goals and effectively deploy the combination of resources necessary. Our private and public leaders will need to take some data-based big swings at these issues using public private partnerships, ones that require more than a little ask not what your country can do for you.

Turning to Congress, it is important that as the border is secured, as criminal or security risks are addressed, and the that the cartels are properly dealt with.

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But we should not stop at the point of closing our back door without building a working front door. We need to fix our broken legal immigration system by quickly reaching common-sense solutions related to supporting legal immigration through enhanced work visa quotas and processing. We need to provide greater residency certainty for foreign-born Nebraskans, including residents currently with DACA or TPS status.

The cost and complexity of our work visa processes for non-citizen employees and their employer sponsors needs to be

streamlined. We also need to reform the immigration system to allow Nebraska businesses and industry to better recruit and retain foreign-born students educated here in Nebraska.

We are well-positioned to continue to compete and win as a state. and the businesses we represent stand ready to help.

Bryan Slone is president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He has more than four decades of policy and business experience, including leading professional service groups in the U.S. and Germany.

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Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini praised the Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, describing it as a "budget for the poor, youth, and farmers" and would "empower women." He also hailed the government's decision to increase the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) limit and provide low-interest loans to cotton farmers, among other measures. CM Saini also highlighted that the tax exemption limit of up to Rs 12 lakh would greatly benefit the common man. "I appreciate the first budget of the non-stop third term of the government. This budget is for the poor, youth, farmers of the nation, empowerment of women, employment of youth... This will provide benefits and new employment opportunities to the agriculture sector and industry of Haryana... My farmers will benefit from the decision to increase the Kisan Credit Card limit to Rs 5 lakhs...," CM Saini told reporters. He added, "I appreciate the decision to provide loans to cotton farmers for up to Rs 5 lakhs at low interest, raise the credit limit for small traders to Rs 5 lakhs, provide loans to Rs 2 crore to new industries, Rs 10 crore to MSMEs that will create employment opportunities... The common man will benefit from increasing the tax relief limit up to Rs 12 lakhs..." Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasizing agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports. Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. "To taxpayers up to Rs 12 lakh of normal income (other than special rate income such as capital gains) tax rebate is being provided in addition to the benefit due to slab rate reduction in such a manner that there is no tax payable by them," said Sitharaman. The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)
Library Association Legislation Committee Co-Chair Joe Sabatini, Library Association past president David E. Cox and Library Association President Julia Kelso tabled in the Rotunda at the New Mexico Legislature on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

Librarians from across New Mexico came to Santa Fe on Friday to show their support for the freedom to read. The Roundhouses halls were otherwise pretty quiet, perhaps due to all the shushing.

House Bill 27 would require public libraries to follow their current written processes for challenging books for removal from the shelves, or adopt such policies if they dont have them. A library that fails to follow a written policy could lose state funding.

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Its not just anti-book banning, its also to protect librarians, said Julia Kelso, library director at Vista Grande Public Library and president of the New Mexico Library Association.

The Librarian Protection Act is written to protect the freedom to read and protect librarians from being prosecuted for making collection development decisions, she said.

The librarians are also hoping lawmakers will include in this years budget bill money for the Rural Library Fund. Kelso said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wants $10 million for it, but the Legislative Finance Committee did not include it in its budget recommendation.

That money could go toward nonprofit libraries and those in communities with populations of 3,000 or fewer, Kelso said. It could pay salaries for librarians, for books to add to their collections, or computers for the public to use.

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Often, these are libraries that are the only resource for telehealth or computers or phone service in communities, she said.

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Elsewhere in the Roundhouse, a group of agency heads met with subcommittees of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee to discuss their budget requests and proposed policies.

The Office of the Superintendent of Insurance secretary Alice T. Kane will be at the center of several hot-button issues of great interest to lawmakers and the public, and she fielded questions Friday afternoon from the subcommittee.

One of those issues is the states potential foray into the property insurance market, as private insurers here increasingly jack up premiums or cancel policies, especially in wildfire-prone areas.

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Read more about that here and view a map that shows in which ZIP codes insurers chose not to renew policies in 2022.

Via a proposal known as the FAIR plan, Kane is seeking to increase the amount of coverage, and also premiums charged, for the states insurer of last resort. Shes also seeking subpoena power to obtain records from private insurers who she said Friday werent always as detailed as they could be when providing information about their practices here to the state insurance regulator.

Lawmakers also asked Kane about the high premiums for medical malpractice insurance that physicians, particularly obstetrician-gynecologists, pay to do business in New Mexico. Some lawmakers are considering bills that would, among other things, cap the maximum medical malpractice penalty allowable under state law.

Think tank Think New Mexico published a report last year on New Mexicos health care worker shortage and identified the states malpractice laws as a major factor in doctors leaving the state or retiring early.

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A news release from the organization earlier this week says it drafted Senate Bill 176, which would cap attorneys fees in medical malpractice attorney lawsuits; end lump-sum payouts from the Patient Compensation Fund (PCF); and send 75% of any punitive damages awarded in a medical malpractice cases to a new public fund designed to improve patient safety.

Last year, a Gallup hospital faced a nearly $70 million medical malpractice jury award for a botched hernia operation, amid unrelated financial difficulties. Searchlight New Mexico recently did a deep dive into what medical malpractice liability in New Mexico means for the states doctor shortage.

A freshman lawmaker announced efforts to strengthen New Mexicos press freedoms, both in and outside the Roundhouse.

A legislative panel focused on education gave a passing grade to two bills Friday, one that would require university regents to get training, the other allowing tribes to establish cultural schools where young students start their educational careers fully immersed in their Native language.

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The House Judiciary Committee questioned state finance and legal officials about President Donald Trumps attempt to freeze federal grants and loans.

The Senate and the House will reconvene on Monday, at 11 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively.

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is drawing criticism from online progressives after claiming the party should focus on attempts to find common ground with the Trump administration

An interview with the New York Times published Saturday drew instant backlash on social media. Klobuchar claimed in the snippet shared to those platforms that if there is a middle of all of this hot mess of division, Americans want us to work together when we can and find common ground.

Journalist Karoli Kuns told Klobuchar in a post to Bluesky that Democrats dont want that. We want you to preserve the Republic and that means jamming them every way possible.

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Missouri Democratic organizer Jess Piper echoed the sentiment, claiming that there is no common ground with fascists.

Democratic communications strategist Murshed Zaheed urged Democratic leaders, especially Klobuchar, to lead an all-out resistance.

You cannot find common ground with fascists. If you are trying to find bipartisanship w fascists get the **** out of the Democratic Party, Zaheed wrote in a post to Bluesky.

Another user pointed to the naivety of Klobuchars remarks, claiming that those in the Trump administration [dont] want to work with you ever again, while those on Klobuchars side want you to stand in their way.

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Other users said Klobuchars analysis was proof of, as one historian put it, breathtaking failure to meet the moment by Democratic Party leadership.

This constant drumbeat of hold the center needs to f**king end, journalist Walker Bragman said on Bluesky.

Legal writer Jay Willis wrote the Senator [made it] clear in the newspaper of record that she is not up to the job of leading the Democratic Party.

The outcry wasn't entirely fair to Klobuchar who turned immediately after the quote in question to discuss real ways of gumming up the worst actions of the Trump administration.

"When they start violating the law and firing inspectors general without following the law, when they start illegally cutting off funding for home heating and other things that people need to live, we are going to stand our ground," she said before switching to kitchen-table issues that could revive the Democratic base after their November drubbing. "We have to suggest some game-changing ideas as the Republicans fight within their camps, of Elon Musk versus Steve Bannon, we have to be out there holding them accountable, but also putting forth a positive agenda."

The backlash came just days after a slate of Democratic governors, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and five others, demanded Senate Democratic leadership push harder against Trump and his assaults on the federal bureaucracy, per the New York Times.
In late January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration made a claim that they stopped millions of taxpayer dollars from being used to fund condoms in Gaza. On Jan. 29, 2025, Trump said, "We identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.  And you know what's happened to them? They've used them as a method of making bombs."

Trump made the claim at the 15:00 mark in the video below:

As Snopes reported on Jan. 29, 2025, there is no evidence that $50 million was spent to buy condoms for Gaza. As such, there is no proof that such U.S.-funded condoms are being used by the militant group Hamas to make bombs. However, we came across reports of Palestinians in Gaza using condoms, balloons and other items to airdrop small incendiary devices into Israel in 2020, during the last Trump administration. Those actions took place at a different time, and there is no evidence tying them to Trump's claims in early 2025.

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We analyzed the first part of Trump's claim: that U.S. funding paid for condoms in Gaza. In our past reporting, we looked at recent data from U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and spoke to representatives at Anera and the International Medical Corps, which are relief organizations that received U.S. funding for health care in Gaza.

We learned that no funds were sent from USAID to Anera or the International Medical Corps for contraceptive purposes or condom purchases in the 2023 fiscal year. The organizations were focused on providing basic medical facilities on the ground after Israeli military bombardments destroyed most of Gaza's health care facilities.

We then looked into the second part of Trump's claim: that Hamas was using U.S.-funded condoms to build bombs. Given that there is no proof the U.S. was funding condoms in Gaza in the first place, the claim that Hamas was using them to create bombs is outlandish at best.

However, it is likely that the claim emerged from 2020 reports about Palestinians in Gaza who used a range of items to send incendiary devices into Israel, including balloons and condoms. According to a Washington Post report from March 2020, over several months, balloons and condoms were launched from Gaza with small explosives attached to them. None of the devices caused injury or death.

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One person interviewed by the Post in Gaza said he was not affiliated with Hamas and was part of "a loose cell of young men launching balloons," and he knew of 10 groups involved in such activities. However, political observers told the Post that such groups took orders from Hamas.

We found photographs on Getty Images of Palestinian men attaching these devices to balloons and sending them into the air. The caption of one of the images states: "Palestinians prepare incendiary devices attached to inflated condoms to be directed and flown towards Israel, near Rafah along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel on August 21, 2020."

(SAID KHATIB / AFP/ Getty Images)

Another photograph shows men attaching the devices, with the caption: "20 January 2020, Palestinian Territories, Bureij: Masked Palestinians attach incendiary devices and flammable material to refrigerant gas-filled condoms before being released to be propelled by wind into Israeli territory, near the Israel-Gaza border."

(Mohammed Talatene/Getty Images)

We are unable to determine the exact source of the condoms being used as flotation tools to send explosive devices into Israel in 2020.

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According to Israeli news outlet The Jerusalem Post in a February 2020 story, the use of condoms for aerial bombs had been ongoing for two years, and Israeli authorities banned their imports to Gaza as a result of the threats:

Condoms in Gaza are generally supplied by either local Palestinian organizations or through international programs. The helium used to fill them up, which is intended for medical purposes, including operating MRI machines, is imported into the Gaza Strip with Israel's approval. When first faced with the explosive condom threat, Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories limited the import of condoms, balloons and helium into the Hamas-run coastal enclave. The ban remains in place.

Were any of those condoms funded by the U.S. in 2020? We found this to be highly unlikely. As we previously reported, there were no USAID shipments of contraceptives to the Middle East from 2019 until 2023. The first such shipment occurred in the 2023 fiscal year, in which $45,680 was spent on oral and injectable contraceptives designated for Jordan. The Jordanian government was responsible for its distribution. This shipment did not include any condoms.

Thus, it is impossible that Gaza received any USAID-funded condoms in the 2020 fiscal year as well as in subsequent years.

Sources:

"20 January 2020, Palestinian Territories, Bureij: Masked Palestinians..." Getty Images, 20 Jan. 2020, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/january-2020-palestinian-territories-bureij-masked-news-photo/1194926932." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/january-2020-palestinian-territories-bureij-masked-news-photo/1194926932.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/january-2020-palestinian-territories-bureij-masked-news-photo/1194926932. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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"Gaza Terror: How Condoms Became a Weapon against Israel." The Jerusalem Post | JPost.Com, 5 Feb. 2020, https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/incendiary-balloons-launched-from-gaza-are-often-condoms-616619." target="blank">https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/incendiary-balloons-launched-from-gaza-are-often-condoms-616619.">https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/incendiary-balloons-launched-from-gaza-are-often-condoms-616619. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Hendrix, Steve, et al. "Gaza Militants Target Israel with Party Balloons Bearing Bombs." The Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2020, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426?adppopup=true." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426?adppopup=true.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426?adppopup=true. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

Ibrahim, Nur. "No Evidence US Govt Allocated $50M To Send Condoms to Gaza." Snopes, 30 Jan. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/01/29/evidence-us-govt-50m-condoms-gaza/." target="blank">https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/01/29/evidence-us-govt-50m-condoms-gaza/.">https://www.snopes.com//news/2025/01/29/evidence-us-govt-50m-condoms-gaza/. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

"LIVE | President Trump Signing Laken Riley Act as First Legislation." Fox 9, 30 Jan. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsUTdwiLRxc." target="blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsUTdwiLRxc.">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsUTdwiLRxc. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

"Palestinians Prepare Incendiary Devices Attached to Inflated Condoms..." Getty Images, 21 Aug. 2020, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/palestinians-prepare-incendiary-devices-attached-to-news-photo/1228142426. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.


DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A car crashed into a small balcony pole in front of a door at a Riverside apartment on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Riverside dispatch said the crash happened in the 5000 block of Cheswick Court at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Dispatch confirmed no one was injured and the investigation into the crash is still underway.

Channel 2 News will update this story as we learn more.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
An air ambulance carrying six people crashed near a mall in northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, the company that operates the aircraft said.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said it could not confirm any survivors among those on board its plane, which included four crew members, a pediatric patient and the patient's escort, according to a statement.

"Our immediate concern is for the patient's family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground," the company said. A spokesperson said it's unlikely anyone on board survived.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said at a news conference Saturday morning that a person in a car was also killed and 19 people were injured. She said several dwellings and vehicles were impacted.

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Six people with injuries attributed to the crash were taken to Temple University Hospital  Jeanes Campus, near Northeast Philadelphia  where three were in fair condition and three others were treated and released, a spokesperson for the institution said.

It wasnt clear where the patients were when the aircraft struck the ground.

The Learjet 55 departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

On board were the pilot, a copilot, a physician, a paramedic, the patient, and the escort for the patient, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said.

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Late Friday night, Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X that all six on board the Learjet were Mexican nationals. It said its consulates were ready to provide support to relatives of those on the plane.

The Consulate of Mexico said officials have contacted the families of all six people.

"The necessary consular assistance is being provided and working with the authorities to clarify what has happened," the Consulate said in a translated post on Facebook.

A spokesperson for the company, Shai Gold, told NBC Philadelphia the patient was a child who had come to the U.S. for "life-saving treatment" and was returning to Mexico.

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"The treatment ran its course. She was ready to go home, and we were contracted to bring her back home to Mexico," Gold said. "Ultimate destination was the Tijuana International Airport and was scheduled to go home by ground ambulance."

He said the cost of the flight was covered by an international charity.

A spokesperson for Shriners Children's Philadelphia hospital said in a statement that the child had been treated at the institution and was traveling with her mother.

"Shriners Childrens is heartbroken to confirm that one of our pediatric patients and the childs mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia this evening," the spokesperson said.

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The identities of the people on board have not been publicly released.

The plane crashed around 6:30 p.m. near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center about 3 miles from the airport, according to officials.

Odalis Acosta, 29, was helping a customer at Four Seasons Diner when everything shook.

You heard the explosion. I look to the side and I see through the window the big ball of explosion, she told NBC News.

People in the restaurant dropped to the ground as the glass around them shattered, she said. One customer was hit in the head by a heavy piece of metal.

Video showed smoke and fire in the area of the crash.

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The FAA and NTSB will investigate, the FAA said, referring to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on X that he's in touch with Philadelphia officials and will provide updates as he gets them.

"We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly," he said.

Home camera video of the crash showed an airborne object descending at an angle in the distance. A fireball is then seen behind some rooflines.

Rev. Todd Sheridan Yeary, a former FAA air traffic controller, said that, having received clearance to take off and the aircraft's good reputation, something likely happened in the moments after its wheels left the ground.

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"Something happened rather catastrophically after the aircraft lifted off," he said on NBC News NOW. "We dont know exactly what it is."

Smoke rises as first responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia on Friday.

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He said the model of the jet is "high performance."

"It is very reliable," Yeary said. "It is very unusual to see what weve just witnessed."

Air temperature around the time of the crash was 49 degrees, with light rain, some fog, and a wind guest of 30 mph recorded just before 6 p.m., according to National Weather Service data for Philadelphia.

The crash comes just days after the deadliest aviation incident in the U.S. in years.

On Wednesday, 67 people were killed when a passenger plane collided midair with a Black Hawk military helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
NEW YORK (PIX11)  In two weeks of the second Trump administration, the White House is staying true to tough immigration policies with ICE raids across the country.

Several have happened in the tri-state area. Dozens of people have been arrested in New York and New Jersey, including thousands more nationwide.

More Local News

The operation is involving more than just ICE. Mayor Eric Adams said New York City coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security in the operation. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in New York is also partnering in the effort.

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Frank Tarantino, the special agent in charge of the New York Division of the DEA, joined PIX on Politics and discussed the immigration raids.

Undocumented immigrants who are not wanted for criminal activity may get swept up in raids, according to Tarantino.

Tarantino explained what would happen if agents go to a building looking to arrest a violent criminal and encountered a different undocumented person.

In those instances, we will do our job and make sure we carry out the responsibilities we are given under Title 8 to hold them accountable, Tarantino said. In doing that we will work with ICE and our ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations) counterparts to process them and put them through this administrative removal process.

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Watch the video player for the full interview.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Feeling a little stir-crazy during the pandemic, author Andrew Lawler took a trip to visit his mom in his hometown of Norfolk.

While perusing a Hampton Roads bookstore with her, he picked up a biography of the Scottish earl John Murray  better known as Lord Dunmore.

As a boy, Lawler had been taught that Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia, had bombarded Norfolk and was responsible for the citys burning. But the biography said differently, and Lawler was shocked.

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The discovery prompted his latest book.

A Perfect Frenzy: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies, and the Crisis That Spurred the American Revolution is about the history of Virginia and Tidewater during the Revolutionary War.

The nonfiction work, published Tuesday by Atlantic Monthly Press, gathers the findings of scattered works into a single narrative to tell the story of why and how rebellious Virginians fought the crown and sheds light on the truth behind myths of the time.

No popular writer or scholar has detailed what Lord Dunmore did during those days in 1775 and 1776, Lawler said in an interview. There are articles. Theres bits and pieces here and there, but nobody has pulled it together.

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It turns out, Lawler realized, that American rebels were responsible for burning Norfolk, enraged that Lord Dunmore had freed enslaved people to fight the rebels  their former owners. The patriots, who had acted with the encouragement of Thomas Jefferson, pinned the destruction on Dunmore. The royal governors actions gave impetus to Virginias crucial support for the Declaration of Independence and eventually contributed to the Emancipation Proclamation.

Lawler has written for national publications, including National Geographic and Smithsonian, and his previous books include The Secret Token (2018), a well-received account of the Lost Colony.

He will be speaking at 7 p.m. Monday at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach; at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Town of Duck Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall; and at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Slover library in Norfolk. The events are free and open to the public.

Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com
NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR)  Norman residents have been on edge over the past few months following a string of crimes occurring near 12th Avenue and Alameda.

Weve just been kind of keeping it cautious and like, keeping the doors locked and everything, said Timothy Pirello, who lives in the area.

The suspect, 19-year-old Landon Appleby was arrested on Wednesday.

Landon Appleby. Image courtesy Cleveland County Detention Center

Sarah Schettler with the Norman Police Department said once Appleby was in custody, he admitted to investigators that he committed the string of crimes.

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Oklahoma man charged for harboring three runaway teens who were reported missing

Appleby first got on the radar of Norman Police in September. They now believe hes responsible for rape and more than 10 counts of home-invasion burglaries.

A victim provided us with information that she had been asleep in her residence and that an unknown male with no shirt had been in her bedroom. She woke up, they made eye contact, the individual ran out of her residence, said Schettler.

Neighborhood near 12th Ave and Alameda (KFOR)

Investigators say his crimes escalated when he broke into a home and allegedly raped a woman.

There was a break-in, in November. We had one incident occur in December and then they really started back up within the last week or so over the course of this five-month investigation, said Schettler

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Pirello has lived in his Norman home for years, relying on his home security for protection.

I have a ring camera here and it actually gets a lot of footage and my neighbors have cameras, so I suggest getting cameras for everybody, said Pirello.

Norman Police are aware residents are afraid and say they are keeping up with patrols and visibility in the area.

Investigators also want to remind residents to lock their doors and keep their security systems armed.

Appleby is booked in the Cleveland County Detention Center on one count of first-degree rape, 10 counts of first-degree burglary, one count of second-degree burglary, and four counts of attempted burglary.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
North Korean troops fighting for Russia have been pulled from the front line for extra training after crude tactics led to massive casualties.

North Korea entered the war in November when Kim Jong-un sent an estimated 11,000 troops to help Russia push Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region, sparking fears of a major escalation.

But Ukrainian special forces units fighting in Kursk say they have not seen any North Koreans for around three weeks.

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American officials separately told the New York Times that North Koreans had not been seen at the front for a fortnight, attributing the withdrawal to heavy casualties.

The officials said the troops may return after receiving reinforcements and additional training.

Ukrainians who have fought the North Koreans have described them as committed fighters who often choose suicide over surrender, but who are hampered by unfamiliar terrain, outdated equipment and poor tactics.

A diary recovered from the body of a North Korean soldier in December revealed that infantry had been ordered to act as live drone bait so that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be shot down.

A wounded North Korean soldier who Ukraine alleges to have captured in Kursk - Handout/AFP

Ukraine took the first two North Korean prisoners of war after repelling an assault on Jan 11.

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One of the pair, who were wounded, risked his life by refusing to drop his sausage at gunpoint, according to the Ukrainian paratroopers who captured him.

Those reports have led some to mock the North Koreans as an ineffective force.

But some Ukrainian soldiers have warned against underestimating them.

The Koreans have impeccable marksmanship training, which is crucial given their style of warfare. The statistics on the small drones they have destroyed attest to this fact, Volodymyr Demchenko, a Ukrainian soldier, wrote on X last month.

North Koreans have proven to be serious warriors,and this is bad news for all of you,as the countries of the Western "alliance" will still have to face them. In my opinion it's just a matter of time. I will remind you that U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea... for now.  Volodymyr Demchenko (@brokenpixelua) January 12, 2025

The human drone bait tactic should tell you something about their moral resilience in the face of what I believe is the most terrifying anti-personnel weapon available today, he added.

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Neither Pyongyang nor Moscow have officially acknowledged sending North Korean troops into combat.

Russia has used North Koreans as drone bait, though neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have acknowledged their presence in combat zones - Vladimir Smirnov/AFP

Estimates of North Korean losses vary. Western officials said about 11,000 North Koreans are believed to have been deployed to fight for Russia, of whom about 1,000 have been killed.

Last month the Centre for Defence Strategies, a Ukrainian think tank, cited South Korean intelligence estimates putting North Korean losses at more than 300 killed and 2,700 wounded, around 25-30 per cent of the original contingent.

On Saturday, a Russian missile killed at least five people when it hit a block of flats in the city of Poltava, in Ukraine.

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An attack on Ukraines Black Sea port of Odesa, a Unesco World Heritage site, injured seven and badly damaged historic buildings, including a hotel used by journalists.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack was a deliberate strike and that Norwegian diplomats had been among those who were in the epicentre of the strike.

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Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu welcomed the announcements made in the Union Budget, saying that this Budget propels us toward our vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Union Minister Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament on Saturday. Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu while appreciating the Budget's focus on connectivity and Tourism said, "This Budget propels us toward our vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, reinforcing the government's commitment to enhancing regional connectivity with the idea of 'Ease of Travel.' UDAN, a transformative initiative envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, has revolutionized air travel, making it more accessible to the middle class. UDAN is more than just a transportation initiative; it is about bringing aspirations and opportunities closer to people. Having already enabled 1.5 crore passengers to experience affordable air travel, our target is to extend this benefit to 4 crore more in the next decade." So far, the scheme has operationalized 619 routes and connected 88 airports across the country. Building on this success, a revamped UDAN initiative will be launched to further enhance regional connectivity, adding 120 new destinations. Additionally, the scheme will focus on supporting helipads and smaller airports in remote, hilly, and aspirational districts, including the North Eastern region, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The number of air passengers annually has surpassed 350 million, positioning India as the third-largest aviation market globally. Over the past ten years, domestic air passenger traffic has been growing at an annual rate of 10-12 per cent, and the number of airports has more than doubled to 159. And we are committed to developing 50 more airports in the next 5 years. To cater to rising passenger demand in the eastern region, Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the State. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta, it added. The Finance Minister, in her address, also underscored the government's focus on upgrading air cargo infrastructure. India's air cargo sector is growing at over 10 per cent annually, with airport cargo handling capacity reaching 8.0 million MT in FY24. There is a special focus on air cargo warehousing, particularly for perishables, opening up greater market opportunities for Indian producers and enhancing both exports and domestic trade efficiency. Streamlining cargo screening and customs protocols will enhance efficiency and promote ease of doing business in the sector. (ANI)
Myrtle Beachs water transmission pipes have been overburdened by North Myrtle Beach, and Myrtle Beach officials want their northern neighbors to start paying up.

Myrtle Beach sued North Myrtle Beach for breach of contract, alleging North Myrtle Beach has exceeded its allowable usage of the water lines without helping to fund needed maintenance and improvements to the system.

A North Myrtle Beach spokeswoman declined to comment on the pending litigation. North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley, who was not aware of the lawsuit before being contacted by The Sun News, said she had recently heard from city staff about the dispute over lack of payment. She was confident North Myrtle Beach officials would do whats right, she said.

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The lawsuit states that Myrtle Beach attempted to amicably resolve these issues with North Myrtle Beach to no avail. The suit does not specify how much money Myrtle Beach believes it is owed.

The dispute dates back to a 1990 agreement between the two cities, the complaint states, with North Myrtle Beach purchasing capacity and transmission from Myrtle Beachs water treatment plant along 10th Avenue North. Myrtle Beach sold the plant in 2006 to Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority, but maintained control of the nearly 14 miles worth of transmission lines, according to the suit.

North Myrtle Beach stopped making payments to Myrtle Beach after that sale, despite continuing to use the transmission lines, and increased population has led to North Myrtle Beach doubling its water use through that system from about 800 million gallons per year in 2006 to more than 1.6 billion gallons per year in 2024, the complaint alleges.

That excess demand from North Myrtle Beach has severely damaged Myrtle Beachs water distribution system, leading to burst pipes, lower pressure and a shortened lifespan, the suit states.

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NMBs damage to MBs water transmission system forced MB to consult with engineering firms which warned that, under current conditions, the system poses a risk to public safety, according to the complaint.

A voicemail left for Myrtle Beachs public works director seeking more information on this alleged public safety risk was not immediately returned. The Sun News submitted a Freedom of Information Act request seeking any reports from engineering firms that describe the condition of the citys water transmission system.

A contractor began work last August on a new waterline in Myrtle Beach along Old Bryan Drive, but its unclear if this project is meant to fully address the issues referenced in this lawsuit. The new waterline, which is funded by a South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority grant, is part one of a four-phase project, according to city officials.

It will ensure the growing numbers of City of Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach residents always have a steady supply of drinking water, the city wrote on its Facebook page.
Feb. 1NORTH TONAWANDA  It was one last walk out of the North Tonawanda Fire Department's headquarters on Zimmerman Street, and Chief Joe Sikora looked wistfully at the long line of his fellow firefighters lining his way.

Sikora admitted it was hard to walk away from a job he's had since he was 22.

"It was bittersweet," he said of his retirement after 35 years with the NTFD. "There are very few jobs where people are sad when they leave. Most of the time, they want to run out the door. But I've been doing this since I was 22. So yeah, I'm gonna miss it."

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The long-time chief said, "There's a reason we call it a firehouse."

"It's because it is a home," Sikora said. "(Firefighters) are like family. We know each other, each other's families. It's gonna be different without that."

On Friday, the day after his retirement, Sikora was back in uniform, and at fire headquarters, for the swearing-in of his successor, Fire Chief Doug Orlowski. Then he left for a weekend getaway with his wife and friends.

"I don't know how it's going to feel (on Monday morning)," he said. "(Former Falls Fire Chief) Joe Pedulla asked if I got my best night's sleep (Thursday night). I'd turned in my city car and cell phone and I guess I did (sleep well)."

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Sikora said he felt a sense of relief that no firefighter was killed or seriously injured during his time as chief. He said the responsibility for their safety always weighed on him.

His retirement marks the end of a career that Sikora said he always knew would end up in public safety. He studied criminal justice in college and said, "I wanted to work in law enforcement."

But the NT Fire Department signed him up first.

"The fire department hired me and there has never been a regret," Sikora said.

In his time with the NTFD, Sikora held every job and every rank. Starting as a firefighter, he became a fire captain, then the assistant fire chief, and now, for close to a decade, the chief.

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It's a legacy of public service that Sikora says will carry on with his children. He has a son who is a Niagara County Sheriff's deputy, a daughter-in-law who serves as a county probation officer and a son who works as a city engineer in North Tonawanda.

Even after more than three decades, Sikora said he can still remember his first day on the job. An eager recruit, the future chief reported to work in full turn-out gear.

"My chief took one look at me and asked, 'Why are you dressed like that?' " he said, laughing.

Now, Sikora says he's ready for some time, hunting, fishing and boating. And maybe, finding a part-time job.

"I'm not good at just sitting around," he said with a chuckle. "I can't sit still."
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statements that Norwegian diplomats came under fire in Odesa on the evening of 31 January.

Source: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a comment to NTB, a Norwegian News Agency, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Norwegian Foreign Ministry stated that the Norwegian Embassy staff remained alive and uninjured following the attack on the building in Odesa where they were staying.

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Quote: "We can confirm that there was a major attack on Odesa tonight [31 January - ed.] on the area where Norwegian embassy staff were staying. They are safe."

Background:

On the evening of 31 January, Russia fired ballistic missiles at the centre of Odesa, damaging about 15 cultural heritage sites.

The number of people injured in an attack had risen to seven.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Norwegian diplomatic representatives were among the people who were at the epicentre of the Russian missile strike on the city of Odesa on 31 January.

The Russian missile attack on Kyiv in December 2024 damaged the embassies of a number of countries.

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OSLO, Norway (AP)  A Norwegian-owned and Russian-crewed ship that authorities initially suspected may have been involved in damage to an underwater fiber optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland has been released.

Norwegian police said late Friday that no findings had been made that would have linked the ship, the Silver Dania, to the act.

Troms police district has now conducted a number of investigative steps and secured what we see as necessary considering the request from Latvia. The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Troms any longer, Troms police attorney Ronny Jrgensen said late Friday.

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The Silver Dania was stopped on Thursday evening and brought into the port of Troms in northern Norway on Friday morning by a Norwegian coast guard vessel for inspection. They said that followed a request from Latvian authorities and a ruling by a Norwegian court.

Police at the time said there was suspicion that the ship, which was sailing between the Russian ports of St. Petersburg and Murmansk when it was detained, had been involved in serious cable damage that was discovered last weekend in the Baltic Sea.

The authorities didnt elaborate, but said they were searching the ship and conducting interviews.

Tormod Fossmark, CEO of the SilverSea company that owns the ship, denied that the vessel caused any damage when it sailed through the area of the cable and said that the company was cooperating with authorities on what it considered a serious matter.

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We have no involvement in this whatsoever, Fossmark told The Associated Press. We did not have any anchors out or do anything, so that will be confirmed today in the investigation, he said.

He stressed that she ships tracking data shows no irregularities in its journey.

Fossmark said he hoped the vessel, which wasnt carrying any cargo, would be able to sail onward later in the day.

Damage to the data transmission cable running from Ventspils, Latvia, to Gotland was detected on Sunday. Later that day, Swedish prosecutors announced that they had opened a preliminary investigation into suspected sabotage and ordered the detention of a vessel suspected of damaging the cable, the Malta-flagged Vezhen.

That ships Bulgarian owner said that it was possible that the Vezhen had accidentally caused a cable to break but dismissed any possibility of sabotage or any other action on the part of the crew.
OSLO (Reuters) - A Norwegian cargo ship with an all-Russian crew suspected of damaging a Baltic Sea telecoms cable has been released by authorities in Norway after no link to the incident was found, the police said late on Friday.

The Silver Dania was seized at the request of Latvian authorities and with the help of Norway's coast guard, police in the northern Norwegian city of Tromsoe said previously.

"The investigation will continue, but we see no reason for the ship to remain in Tromsoe any longer. No findings have been made linking the ship to the act (of damaging the subsea cable)," the police said in a statement.

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The Silver Dania's owner, the Silver Sea shipping group, denied that the vessel was involved in the incident, Norwegian broadcaster TV2 reported.

Sweden and Latvia are investigating the suspected sabotage on Sunday of the cable linking the two countries.

Swedish police seized and boarded the Maltese-flagged cargo ship Vezhen on suspicion it caused the damage.

The head of the Vezhen's operator, a Bulgarian company, said on Monday it might have struck the cable with its anchor but denied any malicious intent.

Mats Ljungqvist, the prosecutor handling the investigation in Sweden, said on Friday that they had looked at the Norwegian ship, but dismissed its involvement.

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The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link, and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The NATO military alliance recently boosted its presence with frigates, aircraft, and naval drones.

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; editing by Jason Neely)
Norwich  Tracy Montoya, who has been chief of the City of Norwich fire service for the past six years, expects to retire Feb. 21 and will train his successor, not yet named.

Its a good time for the department to progress, Montoya said. And, not saying I couldnt be part of that progression, but Im ready. I say that reluctantly, because I still havent convinced myself.

He does not know yet who that successor will be, just that City Manager John Salomone, who will name the new chief, has narrowed the pool to three candidates.

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Hes going to make a decision, hopefully this week, Montoya said.

Salomone could not be reached Friday for comment.

Montoya, 60, with no plans for work post-retirement, on Thursday reflected on a lengthy 34-year-career in the city fire service, during which time he has been an active duty U.S. Naval reservist and ironman triathlete.

A history as long as mine has its number of challenging calls, and memorable calls, good or bad, Montoya said.

He has delivered two babies in his time there, and has seen a number of tragic incidents.

During that time, he witnessed his fair share of changes to the fire service, including the wide-scale restructuring of the department that included, in 1994, moving to the new headquarters at 10 North Thames St. The former station on Chestnut Street was transformed into a community theater.

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Throughout his time, whether it was under veteran Fire Chief Ken Scandariato, who Montoya replaced in 2019, or the previous chief, James Walsh, Montoya said the city fire service has improved greatly over his time.

I didnt affect any of that, Montoya said, laughing.

Montoya is the last active firefighter to have served at the former Chestnut Street station.

Oddly enough, Im the last firefighter here  active firefighter  to have worked in that building, Montoya said Thursday. I was talking to someone the other day about it, and they mentioned it  and I go, wow, I hadnt thought about that.

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When Montoya started, there were four city fire stations.

Following a study on the citys fire services in 1989, the department transitioned to two buildings. A new fire headquarters was constructed on North Thames Street in 1994, ultimately consolidating its Engine 6, Engine 3 and headquarters into one centrally-located building. Greeneville remains operational, he said, and is the citys second-oldest fire building.

Montoya was hired in October of 1991, amid the restructuring process, with no fire experience.

I had separated from active duty in the Navy, he said. I was going to school. I lived in Groton at the time. I saw the posting, and took the test. The rest was history. Back then there were hundreds of candidates, and it was a lengthy process.

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He then moved to Norwich, where the process of becoming a firefighter, he said, met him with a steep learning curve.

There is a lot of fragmented memories, some good, some bad, Montoya said of that time. Most of our guys either have firefighter families, or they have volunteer experience, so they come in with a general idea. I had none. Just learning the trucks, learning the equipment. Just constantly walking around a truck and opening a door and learning what pieces of equipment were in that compartment.

In 2001, Montoya was promoted to Lieutenant.

He said he took the promotional exam for the position on the morning of 9/11. For about two hours, he was secluded in a room taking the exam, and then walked out breathing a sigh of relief, into a somber room where firefighters were watching the replays on the television.

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As a Navy reservist, even back then, I wouldnt say it was the first thought, but one of the early thoughts in my mind was, Im going to get activated, Montoya said.

Sure enough, in a few weeks, Montoya was activated by his reserve unit and deployed. When returned home for holiday leave, in December 2001, he found that Chief Walsh had offered him the promotion to lieutenant.

I turned around and went back to my military deployment. I didnt work as a lieutenant for 10 months, he said.

When the new lieutenant got back again, he worked at the Greeneville station. He said that was probably his favorite place to work, over his whole career.

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I loved working out there. And when youre out there with the right crew, its a fun place to work, he said. Good responsibility. Good variety of calls because of the neighborhood, and also, it seems to be, at least back in the day, it was the higher density of fire calls.

In 2005, shortly after being assigned to the headquarters building, Montoya was promoted to captain, a position he said offered a good balance between administration, and still running down and getting on the truck when the bell went off.

In 2007, under Scandariato, the city department underwent another big change. A rank restructure added the position of battalion chief to its ranks. Those serving as captains at the time, including Montoya, were promoted to the new position.

Changes to the fire service

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Montoya said fire technology, equipment, training and tactics today are so much different than when he was hired. Massive, 80-pound tools have been replaced with ones much lighter and more powerful. In addition, the amount of specialized positions has increased.

Expectations of firefighters have changed, too.

You have expectations that youre going to be well-rounded in your job. Youre going to understand each position, because were such a small department.  You have to be cross-trained on everything. You have to be qualified for everything. And that expectation there is huge.

Montoya said those changes, and others through the years, have improved the city service.

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Recently, the radio system of the entire Norwich fire service has been upgraded. The computer-aided dispatch system, which helps dispatchers more easily keep fire data and provides firefighters with instant access to important fire or EMS information, is in the process of being upgraded, and is expected to come online in March.

Montoya, an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve, had to break from the fire services in August 2019, when he was deployed to Afghanistan and Qatar. He returned to work in September of 2020. Due to the sensitive nature of Montoyas work, he declined to comment any further on his deployment.

In 2020, the city commissioned a study of the citys paid and volunteer fire services, resulting in an analysis that we dont work well enough together, and were not providing the best service, Montoya said. A top recommendation called for the city department to automatically respond to structure fires in the volunteer districts and that the closest volunteer department automatically respond to city fires.

That automatic aid system, which turned controversial, is now in place.

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If theres a fire across the street, Montoya said, as an example. Instead of (dispatchers) just sending the Norwich Fire Department, theyre going to send Norwich Fire Department and a ladder from East Great Plain and an engine from Laurel Hill.

The item has drawn controversy from volunteer fire companies. But Montoya says its not a huge drain on the city departments resources, and comes at a negligible cost, weighed against a large benefit to public safety.

If you ask me, its working out, Montoya said.

Montoya said his proudest achievement during his time as chief was recruiting.

Of the departments 36 current firefighters, Montoya has hired 20 and promoted all eight current lieutenants and all four captains.

Some of them twice, he laughed. To lieutenant and captain.

Of the four battalion chiefs, hes promoted three, and of the four fire marshals, hes appointed three of them.

Montoya has also set a standard for the departments physical fitness, which he encourages among all members. He took pride in calling his department the fittest department in the city.

When youre physically fit, and capable, you have that to fall back on when youre being mentally challenged, he said. Whether its just the tragedy of the situation, or the fear of the situation, or whatever the case may be. Youre like, alright, physically, Im going to carry through.

That said, he believes the department is in a good place for him to leave.

Through tragic days, the ones Montoya says he remembers most, and through a variety of ranks, he maintained Thursday that being a firefighter is what hes always wanted to do. He dreamed of being fire chief, as a child.

There are days, in the fire house, that you kind of like, chuckle to yourself. You cant believe that theyre paying me to do this, he said. And there are days when youre like, they cannot pay me enough to do this. Because it just sucks, to put it bluntly.

That can be difficult calls, or the politics involved with being an administrator, Montoya said. But hes been able to manage both.

Maybe because Ive lived both lives  it is very similar to the military in terms of the support, and the people allow you to do what you do, Montoya said. Because without that support, itd be a very trying job.

d.drainville@theday.com
Norwich Public Utilities and Groton Utilities have awarded $356,000 to help fund energy efficiency projects in Norwich, Groton and Lebanon through a state tax credit program that diverts state taxes to approved projects.

Although NPU and GU are nonprofit, municipally-owned utilities, they pay state gross receipts taxes on wholesale electricity they purchase. The state Neighborhood Assistance Act program allows the utilities to award grants of up to $150,000 per year to energy efficiency projects deemed eligible by the state to receive the grants.

NPU announced this week it has awarded $130,000 through the program, and Groton Utilities and Bozrah Light & Power, owned by GU, awarded $226,000 collectively to three recipients.

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In Norwich, St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen and service center for homeless people and low-income families will receive $100,000 from NPU to continue its energy efficiency upgrades at the former St. Joseph School at 120 Cliff St. in Norwich. This is the third straight year NPU has provided Neighborhood Assistance Act grants to the ongoing upgrades.

St. Vincent Executive Director Jillian Corbin said the grant will fund a new HVAC system for the first floor of the former school, which houses the food pantry. Former classrooms have been fitted with shelves stacked with dry goods resembling a small grocery store.

In other rooms, staff help sort clothing or holiday items at various times of the year.

This new HVAC system will ensure we can better control the environment where we distribute food to those in need, make it more comfortable and efficient year-round, Corbin told the Norwich utilities commission Tuesday. This will truly elevate the experience for our patrons and staff and for those seeking relief from heat and cold.

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In 2022, St. Vincent received a Neighborhood Assistance Act grant to replace the HVAC system in the school basement, which houses the soup kitchen and dining hall. In 2023, the grant helped fund replacement of the exterior windows in the dining hall.

The second NPU grant was awarded to the 1872 Eliza Huntington Home at 99 Washington St. The grant will help fund a $127,000 project to replace the windows in the 22 residential rooms with energy-efficient windows and install new siding around the windows.

Tina Yeitz, home administrator, told the utilities commission that the project was nearly completed, and residents are pleased that they can hold their hands up to the windows and not feel drafts of cold air.

In Groton, two childcare centers, River Front Childrens Center and the new Little Learners Center, will receive $65,000 each from Groton Utilities.

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River Front Childrens Center on Thames Street will use the grant to purchase and install eight large energy-efficient windows in a preschool classroom. Six of the eight windows currently do not open.

The childrens center has been an important part of the city for a long time, and we are more than happy to help them upgrade their building to help provide the best learning experience possible, GU said in a news release announcing the grant.

Thames Valley Council for Community Action also will receive $65,000 to purchase 82 energy-efficient windows for its new childcare facility at Little Learners on Central Avenue.

Bozrah Light & Power covers Lebanon, where the Southeastern Council on Drug Dependency runs its Lebanon Pines residential substance abuse recovery facility. SCADD will receive $96,000 to purchase and install an 80KW generator for its residential building, an underground electrical system connecting the generator to the building served and a security fence around the unit.

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This will ensure that in the case of power outages residential dormitories do not lose power, Groton Utilities said in a news release announcing the grant. SCADD has used the Neighborhood Assistance Act over the years to help transform their campus in Lebanon into an attractive, safe and functional facility.

c.bessette@theday.com
When an American Airlines flight fatally collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night, the airports tower wasnt fully staffed, with one traffic controller handling the jobs of two people.

But the situation was hardly an anomaly. Airports around the country have struggled with controller staffing levels for years, according to a CNN review of government data and interviews with aviation experts.

The most recent data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows that across all airport towers and terminal approach facilities nationwide, only about 70% of staffing targets were filled by fully certified controllers as of September 2023. When controllers in training are included, that rose to about 79%.

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Some traffic control towers at major airports around the country  including Philadelphia, Orlando, Austin, Albuquerque and Milwaukee  had less than 60% of their staffing targets filled with certified controllers. Reagan Airport had about 63%.

Aviation experts say its too early to tell whether a lack of sufficient staffing could have played a role in the disaster over the Potomac River that took 67 lives this week. But the tragedy could raise awareness of the staffing issues that go beyond a single airport.

Air traffic controllers in the US have been warning about the impact of low staffing levels for years, submitting anonymous reports to NASAs Aviation Safety Reporting System. At least 10 reports submitted by controllers included concerns about staffing, work schedules or fatigue in the last year alone, the NASA database shows.

We have been short staffed for too many years and its creating so many unsafe situations, one controller in Southern California wrote last year, recounting how a small aircraft requesting assistance could not be helped due to workload issues. The FAA has created an unsafe environment to work and for the flying public. The controllers mental health is deteriorating.

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We are already on forced 6-day work weeks working overtime every week, another controller in Northern California wrote. This Leads to Controller fatigue very quickly. We need more staffing.

Self-reported safety incidents by aviation personnel recorded in NASAs database detail hundreds of incidents since 2015 in which pilots said they were forced to take evasive action to avoid collision with another aircraft or helicopter when trying to land or depart from the countrys busiest airports.

There were more reports of such incidents at Reagan National  which processes over 25 million passengers per year  than at any of the top 10 busiest airports in the country. Pilots and controllers coming through DCA reported at least 50 incidents of aircrafts being forced to move out of the way of other planes or helicopters in the past ten years.

Las Vegas, where nearly 60 million travelers pass through the airport every year, counted more than 40 reports of evasive action in the ASRS database over the last decade.

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In Miami, which sees double DCAs passengers per year but only filled 60% of its target control tower staffing with fully certified controllers in September 2023, pilots and controllers reported about three dozen incidents in which they said aircrafts needed to take action to avoid collision in the past 10 years.

Reagan National stood out as well in the number of reports describing near collisions between aircrafts and helicopters. Pilots flying through DCA reported at least 23 such incidents since the data was collected in 1988. Most of the busiest airports in the US had less than 5 reports detailing near-misses between planes and helicopters in that timeframe.

In 2023, after a series of close calls at airports around the country, the FAA commissioned a safety review of the national airspace system. An independent team produced a report that found inadequate air-traffic control staffing, combined with outdated equipment and technology, was rendering the current level of safety unsustainable. The report added that overtime among air traffic controllers had reached historically high levels and contributed to absences and fatigue.

With fewer eyes on the airspace the opportunity for mistakes in instruction is multiplied, the report stated, noting there were about 1,000 fewer fully certified air traffic controllers in August 2023 than in August 2012, despite more complexity in the national air space.

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The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a union, has also been warning about staffing shortages for more than a decade.

The unions president, Nick Daniels, stated in a letter Thursday that its premature to speculate on the root cause of the DC collision. In response to a question about how one air traffic controller was working two different tower positions at the time, Daniels said its not uncommon for air traffic controllers to combine or de-combine sectors to ensure that we can maximize efficiency and safety.

The shortages come in part because of attrition during the Covid-19 pandemic and the stringent training that is required for new hires, experts say.

An inspector general report from 2023 stated that the pandemic led to training pauses over a period of about two years, which increased certification times for new controllers as older controllers continued to retire, though the report also noted that the FAA had made limited efforts to ensure adequate staffing.

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It takes a long time to train an air traffic controller, Mary Schiavo, a former Department of Transportation inspector general, told CNN. Its very expensive. And about a third of them wash out because its very rigorous.

Search efforts are seen in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. - Alex Brandon/AP

The FAA has recently touted more success in hiring controllers. In the governments most recent fiscal year, which covered October 2023 through September 2024, the agency exceeded its hiring goal by bringing on more than 1,800 controllers, the agency said in a statement, calling it important progress to reverse the decades-long air traffic controller staffing level decline.

Separately, in a statement shared with CNN, the FAA noted that aircraft in the US are kept safely separated by standard routes in and out of airports, on-board collision-avoidance systems on airliners as well as runway safety technology at the busiest airports.

The DC disaster has also raised alarms about the Trump administrations offer of employment buyouts to air traffic controllers, as part of a larger program letting federal employees accept a deferred retirement. If a substantial number of controllers accept the deferred retirement, that could undo progress that federal officials have made in filling vacant positions.

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That would have a huge impact on what we already have as a shortage, Rep. Jennifer McClellan, a Virginia Democrat, said of the buyout proposal. You already have workers that are stressed and trying to meet the needs to keep the American people safe.

CNNs Scott Glover, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Winter Hawk, Rob Kuznia and Audrey Ash contributed to this report.

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Americans dont know the full extent of what Elon Musk is doing as he embeds alongside President Donald Trump at the top of the federal government.

What we know is that hes the worlds richest man, the presidents largest campaign benefactor, and a person whose companies have grown fat on government contracts, so he has a greater financial interest in how the government operates than your average naturalized immigrant.

There are clues

With that context in mind, consider this startling passage from a report by CNNs Katelyn Polantz, Phil Mattingly and Tierney Sneed about a standoff between career officials at the Treasury Department and employees of DOGE, the Musk-allied Department of Government Efficiency, which has morphed after the election from the out-of-government advisory panel Trump talked about to a rebranded technology unit inside the White House complex. Mattingly, Polantz and Sneed write:

Musk claims to be reclaiming government for you, the taxpaying voter

This is the critical battle to restore power to the PEOPLE from the massive unelected bureaucracy! he wrote on the social media platform he owns, pushing people to rally at events opposing the use of taxpayer dollars to fund NGOs, nonprofits unaffiliated with the government that are supposed to do good works.

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Think Catholic Relief Services, the World Food Program and Save the Children. There can be a legitimate debate about whether the US should fund those programs in part because we know, thanks to transparency, that the US government is funding those programs.

But his method of taking over the bureaucracy is much less transparent than the bureaucracy itself.

When Bill Clinton offered buyouts to federal workers, in 1993, for instance, he did so after getting buy-in from Congress. Trumps administration is banking on a slim majority of Republicans in the House buying in to his plan, assuming they get a chance to have a say.

Musk allies now in the governments HR office

The New York Times and others reported this week that three former Musk employees have taken top positions at the Office of Personnel Management, the formerly obscure HR department for the federal government. It was OPM that first created a government-wide email system and then blasted it with an offer to millions of federal workers giving them the option to resign with pay until September. The offer caught federal workers off guard and unions and government watchdogs have said it is illegal.

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OPM confirmed to me that Amanda Scales, who used to work for Musks AI company xAI, is now chief of staff at OPM. Brian Bjelde, whose Linkedin profile still lists him as a SpaceX employee, is now a senior director, and so is Anthony Armstrong, a banker who worked with Musk to take over Twitter.

The New York Times report included other Musk allies in positions at other agencies, including the General Services Administration, which oversees federal real estate. Despite encouraging workers to return to the office, Musk also sees getting rid of government real estate or leases, and dispersing remaining workers throughout the country, as a cost saving technique.

Are people getting fired next?

Trump has twice referred to federal workers being fired if theyre not in offices after a February 6 deadline. If they dont agree by February 6 to show up back to work in their office, they will be terminated, he said during a speech at the White House this week. Theres nothing in the resignation offer about people actively being fired in the near term.

Musks actual role is unclear

Wired reported hes told friends he is sleeping at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, on the White House grounds. CNN has not confirmed the report, although it is similar to the story he told about his early days at Twitter and Tesla, when he proved his devotion to employees by sleeping at the office or on the factory floor. Its either the ultimate commitment to working from home or the ultimate commitment to his job.

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One outstanding question: Has he taken an oath, like the federal workers he apparently has plans to fire, to uphold the Constitution?

What are Musks conflicts of interest?

I asked Walter Shaub, the former Director of the Office of Government Ethics, who has raised warnings about Trump but also criticized Democrats, about the opacity of Musks role and why it should concern Americans.

The Trump administration owes the American people a detailed explanation as to precisely how it hopes to manage conflicts of interest, as well as whether it deems Musk and each of the other participants in DOGE as a volunteer, a special government employee or a regular government employee, he said in an email.

People are supposed to know about the people who run their government

Thats why Trumps nominees to lead agencies have to undergo nomination hearings on Capitol Hill and why top officials are supposed to file paperwork with the Office of Government Ethics disclosing their financial interests and pledging to act ethically.

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Theyre supposed to know how their government is spending money and who is doing the spending. The mass resignation offer that caught everyone off guard was made under authority granted to the OPM director. Trumps nominee, the venture capitalist Scott Kupor, has not yet been confirmed, so the agency is operating with an acting director.

Whats next?

Musk laid out some ideas in the Wall Street Journal, back in November when he was working with Vivek Ramaswamy, who has left DOGE.

Mass firings? That plan presaged an effort to encourage workers to resign. What comes next, according to that Journal plan, is they will identify the minimum number of employees required at an agency for it to perform its constitutionally permissible and statutorily mandated functions, after which Trump could suspend worker protections to enforce a mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy. One wonders how many air traffic controllers is the minimum number required.

Steep spending cuts? Theyre hoping to grab new power, with help from the Supreme Court, for the president to simply ignore Congress and not spend money, something called impoundment. They also wanted to cut $500 billion in spending by targeting things like public broadcasting and foreign aid. Theres already evidence of this plan in Trumps since-rescinded order to halt federal grants.

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A hard look at Medicare? Some of the efforts should be welcome to Americans, like a long overdue examination of federal contracting and procurement. But dont be surprised when it takes a hard look at Medicare spending, despite Trumps pledge not to cut safety net spending. Its all written out in the Journal.

Whats not written is a public plan or a list of Musk allies now in the government. That is something everyone should want to take a look at.

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IPA General Secretary Sudarshan Jain lauded the efforts of the government through infrastructure development and improved patient access.

"Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance welcomes the government's commitment towards sustainable and equitable healthcare through targeted reforms, infrastructure development and improved patient access," Jain said.

He said that the establishment of cancer centres in district hospitals will strengthen the healthcare workforce and infrastructure.

"Exemptions and concessional duty on essential medicines will improve drug access to critical treatments nationwide. The establishment of cancer centres in district hospitals and the expansion of medical education will strengthen the healthcare workforce and infrastructure. Additionally, broadband connectivity to all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) will enhance rural healthcare delivery through telemedicine," he said.

Appreciating the funding for research fellowships, the IPA Gen Secretary said that it will push for innovation. The increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector underscores a holistic approach towards public health.

"Research fellowships and focused funding will propel innovation in Indian pharma. The thrust on medical tourism, healing in India, increased FDI limit in the insurance sector and nutritional programs underscore a holistic approach towards public health, further positioning India as a global healthcare hub. By prioritising drug accessibility, robust infrastructure, and evolving disease dynamics, the budget lays the foundation towards realising the Viksit Bharat vision, ensuring quality-assured and affordable healthcare for all," Jain said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in the Lok Sabha outlining a roadmap for India's continued economic expansion, emphasizing agriculture, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), investment, and exports.

Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class.

The announcement from the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. (ANI)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Nevada death row inmate is requesting a court hearing, pursuing what federal public defenders say is his right to the clemency process.

Zane Floyd, now 49 years old, has been behind bars in the Nevada Department of Corrections for a quarter century. He began serving his sentence in 2000, convicted of first-degree murder in a 1999 shooting at a Las Vegas Albertsons grocery store that left four people dead and another injured. He is currently at the High Desert State Prison, about 40 miles northwest of Las Vegas on U.S. 95.

Court documents were filed Wednesday by the Federal Public Defenders office on behalf of Floyd and Robert Ybarra Jr., a 71-year-old sentenced to death in the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl near Ely in 1979. Ybarra has been on death row since 1981.

Zane Floyd, 49, was sentenced to death in 2000. He is currently at High Desert State Prison. (Photo: Nevada Department of Corrections.

Robert Ybarra, Jr., 71, was sentenced to death in 1981. He is currently at Ely State Prison. (Photo: Nevada Department of Corrections.

Courts have ruled that just because you are on death row, you still have rights.

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Public defenders argue that the state gives death row inmates the right to the commutation process, but they have no way to access it. Because of that, they are denied due process, according to the court document.

There must be a mechanism for a death row inmate to gain meaningful access to this process. Yet, death row inmates like Zane Floyd and Robert Ybarra, Jr. are left with no knowable or meaningful access to the clemency process, and thus no procedure to protect their due process rights, according to the lawsuit filed in Clark County District Court.

Nevada scheduled Floyds execution in 2021, but had to cancel it because drugs used in the procedure had expired. Floyd pursued legal options that would have delayed his execution, at one point even requesting that Nevada switch to using a firing squad.

The lawsuit was filed against the Nevada Board of Pardons commissioners, as well as James Dzurenda, director of the Nevada Department of Corrections.

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The lawsuit cites a section of Nevada statutes that states the board will not consider an application for a pardon or commutation of a punishment submitted by a person sentenced to the death penalty unless the person has exhausted all available judicial appeals. It also specifies that the governors presence is required and any judgment must be made by a majority of the members of the Board.

Yet, theres no procedure for Floyd or Ybarra to apply to have their sentence commuted.

According to the lawsuit, Floyd has applied for the past three years to be placed on the pardons boards agenda for consideration of the commutation of his sentence. He has never been heard on the matter, despite applying 10 times.

8 News Now reported on one of Floyds attempts to ask for clemency.

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Replies to requests by both Floyd and Ybarra have been inconsistent, further confusing whether they are actually being considered by the board.

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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  On Friday morning, Capt. David Back relinquished command of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, or NSWC, Panama City division.

A normal command tour usually lasts about two to three years. However, with Hurricane Michaels recovery efforts and the pandemic, Capt. Back extended his command to four and a half years.

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This has become a comfortable, and home, and the thing that I do. Moving on from that and moving on to actual retirement from active duty within six months and taking the uniform off permanently is bittersweet. It is certainly. Active duty is tiring, and command is doubly so, but I wouldnt trade it for anything else, Capt. Back said.

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Throughout Backs 29 and a half years in the Navy, hes moved about 18 times. He says Bay County has a special place in his heart.

Community has been the most welcoming Ive ever felt. Not just because of the military, but in person everyone Ive met in the area is verythey understand the military, they understand what the military does for the country, and everyone is so positive and so welcoming, Capt. Back said.

Capt. Backs successor already has a connection to NSWC Panama City division and the community.

Capt. Paul Stence assumed command Friday. For Capt. Stence, this is somewhat of a homecoming. He was stationed here 15 years ago when he was in dive school. But hes owned a house here the entire time. He knows what its like to be a part of this workforce and says his first priority is getting to know the fleet.

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PCB officials give more details on back-to-back water main breaks from December

The team here is incredibly talented, a lot of experts at what they do. And so I want to be the person who enables them to do what they do because they support our fleet, they support the warfighter. And I want to remove roadblocks and make sure they have all the tools they need to do what they do best, Capt. Stence said.

Capt. Stences resume includes a tour on-board the USS Norfolk, a Los Angeles class submarine.

He was also deployed to Iraq while serving under the Naval Network Warfare Command. Hes also served as an engineering duty officer and engineering diving officer.

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(NewsNation)  As the investigation into the deadly collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter continues, the former head of the Federal Aviation Administrations accident investigation unit does not expect the probe to be speedy.

Steve Wallace told NewsNation he expects the National Transportation Safety Board to be methodical as it searches for answers in the deadly crash to ensure accuracy. Several possible causes of the collision, including the volume of air traffic around Reagan National Airport and the helicopters activity, have created speculation.

Trump says helicopter in DC crash was flying too high

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We have all the evidence right here, Wallace said, adding, We have all the evidence, and we have the NTSB that is extremely methodical, extremely thorough and theyre not in a hurry. Theyre determined to get things exactly, precisely right.

Wallace said he expected that the black box inside the American Airlines passenger jet would show that it was taking a perfectly normal approach. Asked if he expects the FAAs indefinite ban on most helicopters around Reagan National to be made permanent, Wallace said he would let the federal investigation play out rather than make his only presumptions.

I think it was a good precautionary measure, Wallace said. Clearly, when theres a horrific accident like this  the government is fully determined to take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it doesnt happen again.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) gave an update Friday evening regarding the status of its investigation into Wednesdays deadly collision near Regan National Airport (DCA).

A U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane collided on Jan. 29, killing an estimated 67 people total.

NTSB Member Todd Inman led Friday evenings update, having just briefed some of the victims families. He said over 100 family members are in the D.C. area and receiving family assistance.

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A Blackhawk-certified pilot flew in from Alaska to join investigators efforts, providing the NTSB with particular technical assistance.

NTSB UPDATE 1: National Transportation Safety Board officials give first update on deadly plane, helicopter crash outside of DCA

Inman said Navy salvage operations have been underway since Thursday, with most of the heavy lifting happening Saturday. Barges are en route from Virginia Beach to help sift through the significant debris.

The salvage operations are happening in conjunction with the Medical Examiner, he noted, so that additional victims can be identified once they are found.

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As of Friday, crews had pulled over 40 bodies from the Potomac River.

Debris mapping is also underway to help with the NTSBs post-accident analysis of how exactly the aircraft reacted to the human- and incident-specific factors at play.

Inman said there are two distinct debris fields: one of the helicopter and one of the plane. Large chunks of the wreckage will be easy to recover, he noted, which will help in the investigation.

He said there is no definite timeline as to how long it will take to clear debris from the site, but that crews would be there at least through next week.

As for what they have recovered from the wreckage, Inman said they have found two recorders from the plane, including a flight data recorder in good condition.

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The cockpit recorder has water intrusion  which is not uncommon. He said he is confident crews will be able to recover its data.

NTSB recovers black boxes from plane crash near DCA

As first announced Thursday, the NTSB said officials recovered the helicopters black box. It had no exterior damage that investigators could see, indicating it is in good condition to recover data.

When asked whether it is time to deconflict the airspace around DCA, which is congested by commercial aircraft taking off and landing, as well as military training, Inman said: In this incident, it should not have happened.

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He explains that there is a Swiss cheese approach to aviation where if something fails, there are backups in place to remedy an issue.

He said the NTSB will probably be advocating for changes for years after their investigation concludes.

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SCOTT COUNTY, Va. (WJHL)  The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a preliminary report on Friday regarding Decembers Fort Blackmore plane crash that claimed the pilots life.

One dead after small plane crash in Scott County

The preliminary report said the pilot was on a routine flight heading to Louisville, Kentucky, for a business meeting.

The aircraft reportedly passed an inspection on July 6, 2024, just five months before it crashed in December.

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The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) led the crash investigation. A copy of the preliminary report is below:

Report_ERA25FA065_199380_1_31_2025-2_26_13-PM-7Download

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The number of people injured in a Russian ballistic missile attack on the historic centre of Odesa on 31 January has risen to seven.

Source: Oleh Kiper, Head of Odesa Oblast Military Administration; Office of the Prosecutor General

Quote from Kiper: "We currently know of seven casualties caused by the Russian terrorists strike on the historic centre of Odesa.

All of them are in a moderate condition. They are being provided with all the assistance they need. Emergency services continue to work at the scene."

The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa

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Photo: Oleh Kiper on Telegram

The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa.

Photo: Oleh Kiper on Telegram

The aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa

Photo: Oleh Kiper on Telegram

Details: According to the prosecutor's office, Russian forces attacked Odesa with ballistic missiles, thought to be Iskanders.

A hotel building in the city centre was destroyed, windows shattered, and the facades of nearby buildings and premises were damaged.

Background:

Explosions were heard in the city of Odesa on Friday evening. Early reports suggested that Russia was attacking Odesa with ballistic missiles. One explosion damaged the Hotel Bristol. The UNESCO-protected area suffered a great deal of damage and destruction, and a building under enhanced protection was damaged.

Ukraines President Zelenskyy reported that Norwegian diplomatic representatives were among those at the epicentre of the Russian missile strike on Odesa on 31 January.

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The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that dozens of local residents preparing to evacuate were there during the Russian attack on the nursing home in the city of Sudzha.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

       1 , :   pic.twitter.com/49XUnYn4ZD     (@ukrpravda_news) February 1, 2025

Quote: "Today, on 1 February, at 16:54, a Russian aircraft dropped a guided aerial bomb on a nursing home in Sudzha, Kursk Oblast. The strike was carried out on purpose.

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Dozens of locals were inside the building at the time of the attack, preparing to evacuate.

The Russians were aware that the nursing home only housed civilians  local residents, including women and children."

Details: The General Staff stressed that everything possible is being done to rescue the survivors.

Background: Earlier, the press officer of the temporary military commandant's office on Ukraine-controlled territory of the Russian Federation, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, said that on 1 February, Russian troops struck a nursing home in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, resulting in 95 people being trapped under the rubble.

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A swanky Sutton Place co-op has gone to the dogs  including one who allegedly sunk its teeth into two terrified and exasperated neighbors, forcing them to flee, according to a $2 million lawsuit.

The sixth floor of 2 Sutton Pl. has been a toothy nightmare for Anthony and Barbara Liberatore, who live down the hall from board President Bill Lawson, his wife Melissa and their two large furbabies, Bodie and George.

Despite house rules requiring dogs to be leashed in common areas, Bodie has been allowed to roam free, and has cornered and accosted each of the Liberatores in separate sixth-floor incidents, they alleged in court papers.

The sixth floor of the Sutton Place building has gone to the dogs, according to a lawsuit filed by Anthony and Barbara Liberatore. Leonardo Munoz

In May 2021, Barbara, was walking from the elevator to her door when Bodie suddenly bolted out of the Lawson Apartment (the front door was left ajar) and attacked Mrs. Liberatore, according to the Manhattan Supreme Court filing.

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Bodie quite literally pinned Mrs. Liberatore up against the front door . . . viciously attacked her and bit her on the right wrist and upper right thigh.

Her skin was punctured through two layers of clothing, the couple claimed.

Barbara Liberatore promptly complained to the management company, who told her the Lawsons, who own the retail footwear chain Shoe-Inn, would be required to muzzle Bodie  but that didnt happen, they said in the lawsuit.

In September, Bodie allegedly turned his sights on Anthony Liberatore, who was waiting for the elevator when he heard the dogs and tried to make a break for the safety of his apartment.

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But before Mr. Liberatore was able to open his front door, Bodie  unleashed and unmuzzled  bolted, and pinned the resident against his door, according to the lawsuit. Bodie allegedly bit his lower back, leaving him bloodied.

The frightened pair, who have three small, senior pooches of their own, fled to their weekend house on Long Island.

Theyre suing the Lawsons and the co-op, where two and three bedroom apartments typically sell for about $2 million, for failing to enforce the buildings rules against a shareholder who happens to be the Board President.

The Lawsons say that Bodie has never been off leash. Courtesy of Melissa McCue Lawson

Lawson bristled at the accusations against 12-year-old Bodie.

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Hes never been off leash. Theres nobody in the building who can ever say hes been off leash in the building, its just not true, he told The Post.

While Lawson didnt deny the bites, he said Barbara was crouched down petting another dog when Bodie ran out.

Bodie, who was a regular part of the co-op board meetings in the Lawson apartment for six years, was removed from Sutton Place the day after the September incident with Anthony Liberatore and now lives in East Hampton with Melissa Lawson.

Luckily we have another home. Its disruptive to our life, to our marriage. It stinks for everybody, Bill Lawson said, adding while Bodie shouldnt be biting people, for sure, the Liberatores lawsuit was absurd.

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Lawson, who has lived at Sutton Place for 50 years, claimed the Liberatores were barely there and didnt flee because of Bodie.

This is a pied-a-terre for them.

The Liberatores tried to resolve the matter before running to court but were unsuccessful, said their lawyer, Steven Sladkus, who said it didnt matter if they kept the home as a pied-a-terre or not.

If you came to the building once and a dog bit you would you be happy? Sladkus said. This is a very serious situation and my clients dont want this to happen to anyone else.
Cops are asking for the publics help in tracking down a gunman who repeatedly shot a stranger in the legs after the pair got into an argument on a Brooklyn street after the victim got into a car accident. police said.

The 34-year-old victim was waiting for a tow truck on Pennsylvania Ave. near Hegeman Ave. in East New York at about 10:10 p.m. on Jan. 23 when he got into an argument with the suspect, cops said.

The suspect, estimated to be around 60 years old, then pulled a gun and blasted the victim twice in each leg. He took off and remained on the loose as of Saturday morning, cops said.

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It was not immediately clear if the suspect was involved in the car accident, police said.

Medics rushed the victim to Brookdale Hospital where he was in stable condition.

Cops described the gunman as approximately 5 foot 10, weighing roughly 165 pounds, with a dark complexion. Surveillance images of the suspect show him wearing a dark-colored long-sleeved shirt, with dark pants and black shoes.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
NEW YORK (PIX11)  A NYPD school safety agent was arrested Friday morning, according to police.

Authorities said Tanya Taylor, 49, was arrested and charged at the 113th precinct in Jamaica, Queens, at around 6 a.m.

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Taylor was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm, according to police.

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Additional details were not available.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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The total number of suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has risen to 149, with 124 confirmed cases, according to a press release from the Maharashtra Health Department on Saturday. The Health Department said, "As of now, 149 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been identified, with 5 suspected deaths. Out of these, 124 patients have been confirmed to have GBS. Among the affected individuals, 28 are currently on ventilator support." The affected areas include 29 cases from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 82 cases from newly added villages in the PMC area, 17 from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), 13 from Pune Rural and eight from other districts. The Health Department also reported that three new suspected GBS cases were reported on Saturday, and the remaining six cases are from previous days. The Public Health Department said that GBS is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It is characterised by muscle weakness, and in severe cases, paralysis. Earlier, the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Rajiv Bahl said that the cases are under investigation as a team of experts has collected various samples. "Samples of stool and blood of those infected are being tested at the NIV Pune lab, but yet to get any definite leads on the cause behind the spread," Dr Bahl said. He said that the cause or link of GBS is found only in 40 per cent of cases. The Campylobacter jejunum bacteria were found in four stool samples that were collected from 21 GBS patients in Pune, which were tested by the National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune, while norovirus was found in some. The Union Health Ministry has deputed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Pune to aid state authorities in instituting interventions and managing the spurt in suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) in the city. The central team sent to Maharashtra comprises seven experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, NIMHANS Bengaluru, Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare and National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune. Three experts from NIV, Pune were already supporting the local authorities. The team is working closely with the state health departments and taking stock of the on-ground situation to recommend necessary public health interventions. The central team has been tasked with monitoring the situation and coordinating with the state. The water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory. "An appeal has been made to the private medical practitioners to notify any GBS patient to the respective public health authorities. Citizens should not panic - the state's health department is prepared to implement preventive and control measures," sources told ANI. (ANI)
Three suspects in a recent Queens attempted murder had been hanging out right before the incident in a community anti-violence center just one block away from where they shot and wounded a teen, according to police.

Police investigating the attempted murder of a teenager searched the offices of a Jamaica-based anti-violence group for evidence on Friday, video obtained by the Daily News shows and police confirmed.

Tensions are flying high in the video, in which numerous cops can be seen standing around inside the offices of Life Camp, on Sutphin Blvd. in South Jamaica, while the organizations founder and CEO, Erica Ford, angrily questions why they are there.

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A search warrant for what? Ford asks several times in the video. What are you searching for?

Im asking you not to interfere with the search warrant that we are executing, Deputy Inspector Sean Claxton, the commander of the 113th Precinct, can be seen saying in the video at one point.

Ford denies that she is attempting to block the search.

I am not interrupting s! Get the fing police commissioner on the phone! she shouts midway through the video.

Toward the end of the video police can be seen leaving with what appears to be a computer hard drive.

The NYPD, in a statement, said that the search was related to the attempted murder of a 17-year-old that happened on Tuesday near the Life Camp offices, where gunmen opened fire on the victim on the street.

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Cops had initially visited the anti-violence centers offices trying to obtain information from a log-in book and video footage of the alleged suspects in the attempted murder incident.

An NYPD spokesperson said police initially visited Life Camp seeking more information after the shooting incident, but were rebuffed and told to get a search warrant.

According to police, the teen victim was shot at by three assailants who approached him on Tuesday around 2:54 p.m. near 123rd Ave. and 147th St. in South Jamaica. He was hit in his left buttocks.

The victim was taken to Cohens Childrens Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition.

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Before the shooting the three suspects, young males who look to be in their teens or early 20s, were sitting inside Life Camps offices talking to each other, according to video released by the NYPD. Cops also released video of the subsequent shooting incident, in which two of the suspects are seen drawing a weapon and firing multiple rounds before fleeing the area.

The police spokesperson confirmed to The News that the three youths seen in the video taken inside Life Camp were involved in the shooting.

One Life Camp employee was arrested during the execution of the search warrant.

During the execution of the warrant, a 27-year-old male interfered and was arrested and charged with Obstruction [of] Governmental Administration and Resisting Arrest, the NYPD statement said.

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When reached by phone Friday night, Ford confirmed that police had entered Life Camps offices and she said one of her employees was arrested.

Im trying to get my employee out of jail, she said. Im speaking with the lawyers now.

Police said the arrested individual was taken into custody for interfering with the evidence seizure at Life Camps offices and was not related to the attempted murder investigation.

The News tried to contact Ford again for comment on Saturday regarding the video of the three suspects inside Life Camp before the shooting, but was unable to reach her.

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Ford founded Life Camp in 2002. The organization, which provides a range of community services aimed at reducing gun violence, including mentoring and after-school programs, received one of the first licenses to operate a retail cannabis dispensary in 2022.

In an Instagram post last week, high-profile activist Ford thanked Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Rev. Al Sharpton and other luminaries for supporting her peace advocacy efforts.
OFALLON, Mo.  El Maguey on Highway K in OFallon, Missouri, temporarily closed on Thursday after people claimed they saw ICE arresting employees.

People drove by all morning as a Facebook post spread throughout the area.

I grew up, like, just right down the road from here. I always come to eat maybe once or twice a week at least, customer Autmn Emery said.

The open sign was lit once again on Friday. FOX 2 talked to employees off camera who said Immigration and Customs Enforcement showed up on Thursday and arrested three people, but all three workers were released and back at the restaurant on Friday.

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We reached out to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security to confirm this information but have not heard back.

FBI St. Louis division public affairs officer Rebecca Wu said, The FBI, along with our Department of Justice partners, is assisting DHS and other federal law enforcement partners with their immigration enforcement efforts.

When asked for more information about El Maguey, Wu deferred to DHS, who she said was the lead.

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El Maguey employees say the restaurant was quiet Friday as many customers wondered if they were still open.

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An owner of a different business says it has been slow for him too as customers and employees are scared to leave the house. As an immigrant himself, he did not want to disclose his name or draw attention to his business.

I can definitely see the less spending; people are now going out, and if they dont go out, then there is no business, he said. Since 35 years here, I never experienced anything like this before.

El Maguey customers were concerned. One woman stopped by to give the employees Red Cards, a resource for immigrants to help explain their rights. Another woman, Amber Emery, says she has grown up with some of these employees.

Lets keep our heart on our sleeves for this population and this whole this whole group of people who dont deserve this, she said.

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The Odesa Philharmonic concert hall was damaged in a Russian missile strike on 31 January. The building has been under enhanced protection by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) since 2023.

Source: Odesa Mayor Henadii Trukhanov

Details: Trukhanov remarked that the Philharmonic building is the "most valuable" of the monuments damaged that day.

"The blast wave knocked out the original woodwork of the main entrance and damaged the stained glass windows and interior decoration. Experts will assess the impact on the main structures after conducting a further inspection," he explained.

The aftermath of the attack on Odesa

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Photo: Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra/Facebook

The National Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra has posted pictures of the damaged premises. The photos show smashed glass and the damaged door of the main entrance to the building.

"Our home for so many years, where thousands of our concerts have taken place! It's broken and heartbreaking," the orchestra wrote.

They added that a concert had been planned for 1 February at the Philharmonic building. Due to the damage, the event has been moved to the Odesa National Music Academy.

The aftermath of the attack on Odesa

Photo: Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra/Facebook

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The building, formerly the New Merchant Exchange, was built in 1899 and has been home to the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra since 1946. It was constructed based on a draft design by architect Vikentii Prokhaska, with modifications in the Italian Gothic style by Alexander Bernardazzi.

The wooden ceiling of the Philharmonic auditorium is made of Lebanese cedar, crafted without a single nail, and is gilded and painted. The walls of the auditorium are adorned with panels by Russian artist Nikolai Karazin.

Background:

On the evening of 31 January, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile attack on the historic centre of Odesa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The attack has damaged about 15 cultural monuments in the city.

Earlier, the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Museum of Local History was damaged in a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department arrested 23 people, seized 1,700 fentanyl pills, and mitigated 12 camps in a two-day operation along the Jordan River Trail.

Salt Lake police conducted the operation on Jan. 28 and 29, dedicating a collective 311 hours to reducing crime along the Jordan River Trail, according to a press release. Officers arrested 13 people on felony charges and 10 on misdemeanor charges.

Winter storm to bring heavy snow to Utah mountains this weekend

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Authorities said they also seized 1,770 fentanyl pills, 37 grams of heroin, and nearly 21 grams of cocaine during the operation.

This was a very important and successful operation, and our officers and detectives accomplished a lot of great work in a short time to make the Jordan River Trail safer, said Police Chief Mike Brown. Yet, we know there is still work to be done, and we remain focused on improving safety, reducing crime, and making sure support services are available for people who need them.

Evidence including drug paraphernalia and several fentanyl pills seized during a felony arrest along the Jordan River Trail are shown on the hood of a police car. (Credit: Salt Lake City Police Department). A Salt Lake City Police social worker speaks with a person arrested during a two-day operation along the Jordan River Trail. The social worker provided the person information on services prior to them being booked into jail. (Salt Lake City Police Department)

Several social workers joined police on the trail, according to the department. During the operation, one person accepted placement at a substance use disorder treatment center, and another  who was arrested on felony charges  received mental health and drug abuse resources from social workers.

While these Jordan River police operations are not new, authorities are adding steps to keep the area safe after the announcement of Mayor Erin Mendenhalls public safety plan.

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Some of these changes include trimming overgrown bushes and trees in high-crime areas, focusing on safety near Backman Elementary School, and installing security cameras in high-drug areas near Cottonwood Park and 500 North.

The SLCPD will continue to monitor and quickly address crime patterns in these areas while expanding enforcement and intervention efforts citywide to enhance the safety and well-being of our community, the press release reads.

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NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (WTNH)  New Britain Police officers are investigating a shooting in the area of Fairview and Woodland Streets.

At around 4:00 Saturday morning, officers said they were dispatched to the Hospital of Central Connecticut. Police said they received reports of a man who arrived to the emergency room with a gunshot wound to his lower leg and ankle area.

State Police respond to three accidents

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Officers said the injury is not life threatening and they are continuing to investigate.

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Police shot and killed a man accused of murder early Saturday morning on a popular pier in Orange County.

According to the Menifee Police Department, officers responded to reports of gunshots in the 25000 block of Mesa Edge Court in Menifee at about 2:43 a.m. Soon after, officers found the body of 38-year-old Storm Wolf. The Temecula resident was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities later identified Jose Velasquez, 45 of Menifee and an acquaintance of Wolf, as the suspect in her death. He fled the scene before police arrived

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Officers discovered that he may have been heading toward the city of Santa Ana. Officers with the Santa Ana Police Department then found him in his vehicle, which then led to a pursuit.

Velasquez eventually led the officers to the city of Newport Beach at around 6:50 a.m., when officers from the Newport Beach Police Department were contacted.

The pursuit ended at the Newport Pier, authorities said. At that point, an unknown number of officers opened fire on Velasquez, killing him.

Officers shot and killed a homicide suspect on a pier in Newport Beach on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. (@raythelover)

He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or bystanders were injured.

Video obtained by KTLA from Instagram user @raythelover showed a grey SUV speeding down the pier, which was crowded with pedestrians. Several police squad cars followed, and more than a dozen gunshots could be heard.

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Its not immediately clear if Velasquez shot at police, or who fired the first shots. Police didnt say where the alleged homicide occurred.

Sofia Pop Perez contributed to this report.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit against a Dayton man and a cemetery association for allegedly failing to deliver gravestones after being paid.

The suit, filed in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, alleges Trevor Bush and the Harrison Township Cemetery Association, Greencastle Cemetery, failed to give families the headstones they bought.

Losing a loved one is hard enough without having to fight to get what you paid for, said Yost in a news release announcing the lawsuit. Any business that operates so deceptively deserves legal consequences.

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The suit alleges consumers made large upfront payments and then waited months to receive their orders and nothing happened.

Yosts lawsuit seeks restitution for the consumers and civil penalties for violations of Ohios Consumer Sales Practices Act.

The AG office is encouraging anyone with experiences with Bush and/or the Harrison Township Cemetery Association to file a complaint online or calling by 1-800-282-0515.

Speaking with Shantae Smith

Shantae Smith purchased a headstone for her late husband from Bush for $3,995. Despite placing the order on March 15, 2023, she still hasnt received anything nearly two years later.

(Smith repeatedly referred to the Bush she met with as Travis. It is currently unclear if he is related to Trevor or misremembering.)

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I dont know where this man is. He came to my home and took my money and I still havent received my husbands headstone, said Smith. The headstone is paid for. I was told that it was in Greencastle Cemetery in their storage area, and yet  I have not revised my husbands headstone.

This two-year battle to find information on both Bush and the location of her husbands stone has weighed heavily on Smith.

Ive been fighting, trying to track my husbands headstone down for two years, said Smith. I cant even go visit him at the cemetery no more because its very depressing. All Im looking at is a little silver plaque when I know he has a headstone. I dont know what this I dont know what this Travis Bush guy is up to but it looks like he has scammed a lot of families. Its hurting  these are our loved ones. I feel like something is missing from me.

She explained that her husband was buried at Jefferson Hewitt Cemetery off of Union Road, so her husbands headstone never shouldve ended up in Greencastle Cemetery.

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When I finally got in touch with someone in February of last year I was told that his headstone was at Greencastle Cemetery in the storage area. But yet I have not seen it! I did all I could do. I had to pull myself back because it was stressing me out so bad. said Smith.

She continued.

I feel like something needs to be done about this because hes running around here, taking peoples money whos trying to bury their loved ones, said Smith. Its not fair. Im not only fighting for me, Im fighting for everyone.

2 NEWS has left a message for the Harrison Township Cemetery Association for comment. We are also working to contact the Greencastle Cemetery for comment.

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Jan. 31COLUMBUS  The State of Ohio is looking to invest in projects that help create opportunities for Appalachian Ohioans in recovery to find and keep sustainable employment.

Funding is available for projects through the Appalachian Regional Commission's Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems Initiative, in partnership with the Ohio Governor's Office of Appalachia.

The INSPIRE program addresses the Appalachian region's substance use disorder crisis through projects that create or expand opportunities for Ohioans impacted by SUD to enter or reenter the workforce. Successful projects focus on workforce training programs, mentoring, peer support, and other wraparound services tailored to individuals in recovery.

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"Successful projects start with strong partnerships," said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, which houses the Governor's Office of Appalachia. "INSPIRE is more than funding  it's an opportunity to unite communities under the common goal of creating sustainable, impactful pathways from recovery to employment."

Applicants can partner with other recovery services and providers in their communities to establish new recovery-to-work projects or expand recovery-ready workplace models.

ARC will host a virtual pre-application workshop on Jan. 28 to help prospective applicants learn more about the program and applications. Mandatory Letters of Intent are due at 5 p.m. Feb. 14. Final applications are due at 5 p.m. March 1.

"Substance use disorder recovery isn't a singular event, but a continuum. Both workforce training and ending the stigma surrounding substance use disorder are equally important in providing a renewed sense of hope and purpose to Appalachians in recovery," said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. "ARC's INSPIRE initiative helps remove the barriers to workforce participation entry when it comes to recovery-to-work projects across the region, ensuring that all Appalachians have an opportunity at a bright future."

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Since INSPIRE was established in 2021, ARC has invested $53.6 million in 166 projects supporting Appalachians impacted by SUD across all 13 Appalachian states. In Ohio, 20 projects have received more than $1.2 million.

In Jefferson County, INSPIRE funds will support individuals in recovery with training and re-entry into high-demand jobs such as truck drivers, machinery operators, retail and restaurant workers, and peer recovery workers. Shawnee State University is working to create a pipeline of trained, licensed behavioral and mental health workers to support recovery in Portsmouth and surrounding areas. The Ironton-Lawrence Community Action Organization is working to create access to housing, nutrition, early childhood services, and job training opportunities.

For more information and to apply, visit ARC.Gov/INSPIRE. Ohio applicants are encouraged to work with their Local Development Districts to prepare their applications.

The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio's people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.
FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  An arrest has been made in connection with a homicide that occurred on Jan. 16, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Pocola police responded to an abandoned home near Butler Avenue and Clark Avenue around 12:30 p.m.

Once on the scene, officers found the body of Jaybriel Montgomery, 24. OSBI said Montgomery had suffered from a gunshot wound. His body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for further testing and evaluation.

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OSBI investigate homicide in Pocola

OSBI special agents later identified the suspect in the case as Parker Maxwell Smith, 24. A first-degree murder warrant was issued for Smith by the LeFlore County District Court.

Smith was located in Fort Smith on Jan. 31 and arrested by the Fort Smith Police Department. He was booked into the Sebastian County Jail and extradited to LeFlore County.

Sebastian County records show Smith was arrested in 2020 on fleeing charges, however, they were dismissed in 2024.

OSBI said the investigation is ongoing and it thanks the Pocola Police Department, Leflore County Sheriffs Office, and the Fort Smith Police Department for their assistance.

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West Tripura District Magistrate Vishal Kumar on Saturday lauded the Union Budget 2025, highlighting its balanced, development-oriented approach that addresses the needs of all sections of society. Speaking to ANI he said, "This is a future-oriented and well-balanced budget, addressing the needs of all sections of society. I am confident that this budget will lead to significant improvements in agriculture, manufacturing, and the service sectors. It ensures that common people will have the means to meet their daily needs, with funds allocated to infrastructure and previously overlooked sectors now receiving attention. This budget is for everyone and aims for inclusive development." In addition, Dipankar Ray, Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kunjaban, also praised the budget, highlighting key provisions that will have a lasting positive impact on agriculture, healthcare, education, and sustainable energy. Additionally, Dipankar Ray, Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kunjaban, also praised the budget, highlighting key provisions that will have a lasting positive impact on agriculture, healthcare, education, and sustainable energy. "As the Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya, I would like to share some points regarding the 2025 budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. One of the major concepts introduced is the "Dhan Dhanya Yojana," which will greatly benefit farmers. This is a first step by the government and a significant move that will bring a revolutionary change in the country, particularly in terms of the farmers' movement," he said. "The budget has also placed emphasis on the medical and pharmaceutical sectors. A total of 36 life-saving drugs have been made customs duty-free, and medical tourism is being promoted with a contribution of 98,100 crore rupees. The healthcare budget has been significantly increased to 98,100 crore rupees, a substantial rise from last year's budget of 89,000 crore rupees. In addition, 200 new cancer centers will be established, which is a big step for the underprivileged," Ray added. Addressing broader national measures, Ray appreciated the increase in the income tax exemption limit to Rs 12 lakh, providing substantial relief to the middle class. "A tax exemption of up to 12 lakh rupees has been introduced, which is a welcome step for taxpayers. We, the taxpayers, are benefiting greatly from this, and we thank Nirmala Sitharaman for this significant move," Ray said. "Another important point is that the loan limit on farmers' credit cards has been increased to 5 lakh rupees, which is a major step for the agricultural community. A provision of 2,000 crore rupees has been made for nuclear energy, which will boost nuclear power in India," Ray added. (ANI)
TULSA, Okla.  A Grove man will serve two years in a federal prison for stealing his dead roommates social security checks and other governmental assistance.

In addition to the federal prison term, U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Terry Ross Killion, 43, to one year of supervised release and ordered him to pay $116,763 in restitution.

Grove man to pay more than $116,000 restitution for stealing dead roommates money

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Killion pleaded guilty in Jan. 2024 to committing aggravated identity theft, saying he stole $113,563 from the Social Security Administration, $3,200 from the U.S. Treasury in COVID-19 stimulus payments, and $15.35 from Kelly O. Davis estate.

Davis died on Dec. 13, 2018. In 2019, Killion obtained Daviss identity and began impersonating him. Killion set up several accounts in Daviss name and contacted the Social Security Administration, claiming to be Kelly Davis. Killion then fraudulently diverted the payments to himself.

Killion will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

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Is it possible for a book to feel both timely and like a relic from a different era? In the case of The Islamic Moses, by the Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol, the answer is yes. The book was completed before the seismic events of October 7, 2023, shattered Jewish-Muslim relations, and the chasm between these communities has only grown wider since.

Still, by looking back into centuries of history, this book offers a vision for a path forward. Its a thoughtful and compelling exploration of the shared theological, historical, and cultural threads that connect Islam and Judaism, and it therefore challenges the zero-sum narratives that prevail in contemporary discourse.

The central thesis of the book is that Islam and Judaism share much more than a monotheistic ethos. Drawing on history and theology, Akyol traces how the Quranic narrative of Moses, which dominates Islamic scripture, parallels and complements the Jewish understanding of this foundational prophet. Both Moses and Muhammad shared prophetic journeys, both led their communities from oppression to freedom, and both faced opposition from powerful leaders. Akyol notes that Moses is central in the Quran because he represents justice, faith, and perseverance and served as a model for Muhammad. Akyol also argues that the story of Islam is inseparable from that of Judaism and that, in many ways, Islam has positioned itself as an extension of Judaism, sharing its core tenets while seeking to universalize its message.

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Akyol further suggests that Judaism serves as a midwife for Islam, especially during its early years, because its monotheistic beliefs, legal traditions, and prophetic narratives provided a foundation that influenced the development of early Islamic theology, law, and religious practice. Throughout the book, Akyol points out the parallels between Islamic law (Sharia) and Jewish law (Halakha), the creative symbiosis between Jewish and Muslim communities during the medieval period, and the mutual enrichment of Jewish and Islamic rationalism during the Golden Age, which lasted from the eighth to the 13th centuries C.E. This period featured the emergence of prominent Jewish thinkers like Moses Maimonedes, who was deeply influenced by Muslim philosophers such as Al-Farabi, Avicenna (Ibn Sina), and Averroes (Ibn Rushd).

This, of course, conflicts with the more violent parts of the two faiths relationship, and Aykol highlights the sometime subjugation of the Jewish people under Islamic rule. This was true of the earliest fraught encounters during the Medinan periodduring the life of the Prophet Muhammad when he and his followers lived in Medinawhen Jewish people were expelled and had their property confiscated, and Jewish men who were accused of plotting to assassinate Muhammad and conspiring with his opponents were executed. It was also true during Ottoman rule, when Jews and Christians were governed by the dhimmi system that allowed Jews to practice their religion, own property, and engage in commerce, but also subjected them to restrictions such as a poll tax and prohibitions on bearing arms and holding certain positions of power over Muslims. As Akyol notes, this second-rate classification also contributed to violence against Jews, expulsions, and forced conversions.

Akyols book, then, also implies a critical question: How do we reconcile the shared foundations of the two traditions with the often stark divides between people of these faiths, especially today? One way might be through further theological study; as he points out, religious texts and histories are not static, and are constantly reinterpreted in response to contemporary realities. But those contemporary realities are not exactly helpful; Jews in Saudi Arabia are denied citizenship, and Jewish schools in Iran have been forced to incorporate Islamic teaching. And of course, there was the mass expulsion of almost a million Jews from Middle Eastern states after the establishment of Israel, leaving almost no significant Jewish populations left elsewhere in the region.

Indeed, if the history of Jewish-Muslim relations has allowed for some coexistence, Akyol points out that this era of history may have been severed with the establishment of the state of Israel. According to Akyol, many Arab governments and populations perceived local Jewish populations as potential collaborators with Israeleven though many Jews had no connections to this new state. The humiliating Arab defeat in the 1948 Arab-Israel War, where armies of five Arab states (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon with the support of Saudi Arabia and Yemen) invaded Israel the day after the declaration of the establishment of the state, didnt help. And ever since, Israeli relations with their Muslim-majority neighbors have been shaky at best.

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This leads us to a question: Coexistence between Jews and Muslims was possible when Jews were minorities throughout a Muslim empire. But is it possible when Jews have their own state and are no longer subjects but citizens?

Akyol wrote the book at a time of greater hope: The Abraham Accords had just normalized relations between Israel and many Sunni Arab states for the first time, and in the days before Hamas brutal attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, it seemed that Saudi Arabia was on the verge of recognizing the state of Israel.

Still, all is not lost. Some believe a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict is still attainable. For example, Ronit Levine-Schnur and Daphna Joel, professors at Tel Aviv University, argue that a regional alliance with Arab states and Israelas we are seeing with the Abraham Accordshas real potential to end conflict between Israel and its Muslim neighbors but alsoin the long termhelp promote a resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict. A regional security alliance between Israel and anti-Iranian states, they say, would be a victory for generations in the region.

The growth of the Abraham Accords into a meaningful Abraham Alliance may be able to produce regional cooperation, economic growth, and a sense of shared prosperity for all in the region. While many look for peace from below, these agreements between states may allow individuals and communities to come together in ways they had never before.

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The Islamic Moses is a valuable contribution to this endeavor, offering both a glimpse into a shared past and, to this reader, a potential for a more interconnected future. By examining the historical and theological ties between Islam and Judaism, Akyol provides a framework for reimagining these relationships in a way that acknowledges both the challenges and the opportunities of our time.

Akyol drafted his concluding chapter as the Israel-Hamas war broke out. He watched as global opinion on that war split along religious lines, creating a deep fissure that may take generations to heal. But while Akyol concludes with a pessimistic vision, I am more optimistic. Broader regional trends, such as the Abraham Accords, offer genuine reasons for hope. Notably, none of the countries involved in these agreements terminated them in response to the recent war, signaling a turn towards long-term cooperation.

The new ceasefire and hostage deal may also signal a path toward peace, including the possibility of long-elusive acceptance of Jewish sovereignty among Arab states. Such acceptance could pave the way for coexistence and a revival of the Judeo-Islamic tradition that Akyol so compellingly chroniclesa tradition that once thrived, and maybe could again.

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SAVOY, Ill. (WCIA)  One man was pronounced dead following a single vehicle crash in Savoy.

On Friday at approximately 10:42 p.m., Champaign County Sheriffs deputies responded to a single motor vehicle crash in the 400 block of Wesley Ave. in Savoy. The investigation showed that a passenger car being driven by Gaddis McAfee, 48 of Savoy, was heading North on Wesley Ave. at a high rate of speed when it left the roadway and struck a tree.

Homicide suspect wanted in Cook Co. arrested in Rantoul

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Champaign County Sherrifs deputies and the Savoy Fire Department provided assistance upon arriving on scene. McAfee was the only occupant of the vehicle and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.

According to the press release, the preliminary investigation conducted by deputies revealed that impairment by alcohol and/or drugs when the crash occurred may have been a contributing factor. Additionally, the crash remains under investigation by the Champaign County Sheriffs Office and the Champaign County Coroners Office.

Anyone who has information about this investigation is asked to contact the Champaign County Sheriffs Office Investigations Division at 217-384-1213 or the Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477, submit a tip at 373tips.com or use the P3 Tips app.

Information given to Crime Stoppers is always confidential. Tips leading to an arrest can receive a cash reward of up to $5,000.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  One person is in critical condition following a shooting on Columbus northeast side late Friday evening.

Columbus police were called to the 2000 block of East 5th Avenue around 11:31 p.m. When police arrived they found one person suffering from a gunshot wound. According to police dispatchers, the victim was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.

Police say there is no suspect information at this time and the incident is still under investigation.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  One person has died after a shooting in east Columbus Friday night.

Columbus police received a call around 6:55 p.m. regarding a domestic situation in the 1500 block of Baxter Drive. Police then received a second call around 7:17 p.m. that one person had been shot. Early Saturday morning, police identified the victim as 29-year-old Gary Tyler Lyons.

Cedarville mourns student who died in D.C. plane crash

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Police said when they arrived, they found Lyons and transported him to a nearby hospital in critical condition. The victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital at 8:06 p.m.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, but is being looked at as a possible self-defense. At least one person of interest was detained and interviewed.

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Feb. 1JAMESTOWN  One person was sentenced recently on felony charges in Southeast District Court in Jamestown.

Lisa Nicole Ducharme, 45, Rugby, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal conspiracy, Class C felonies.

Ducharme was accused of conspiring with one or more people to take property from a residence or farmstead and receiving, retaining or disposing property of another that she knew was stolen valued over $1,000 but less than $10,000 from Sept. 1 to Oct. 2.

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Judge Troy LeFevre sentenced Ducharme to 140 days in the Stutsman County Correctional Center with credit for 112 days served. LeFevre placed Ducharme on 18 months supervised probation and ordered her to forfeit any right or claim to any property seized in the case. LeFevre also ordered Ducharme to pay a $400 criminal administration fee, $100 defense/facility administration fee, $35 indigent defense application fee, $300 indigent recoupment, $500 restitution and a $25 victim-witness fee. The restitution is joint with two other cases.

A Class C felony is punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
New York City recently made it legal to add a housing unit to certain one- and two-family homes.

But both city and state regulations will drastically limit construction, experts say.

A state law severely restricts the addition of ADUs to two-family buildings.

One of the solutions to New York City's housing shortage  adding extra units in attics, basements, and backyards  is already running into a slew of regulatory hurdles.

Under the city's zoning reforms, certain one- and two-family building owners will be allowed to add a so-called "accessory dwelling unit" to rent out, house a family member, or live in themselves. Homeowners could boost the value of their property and bring in extra income while creating more homes in a city facing a dire housing shortage. The change would also help bring many of the city's tens of thousands of existing basement units into compliance with health and safety codes.

But the city's new law restricts ADUs in several ways, including by banning ADUs on lots with attached rowhomes or townhouses and on lots more than half a mile from a mass transit station. The law also prohibits ground-floor and basement ADUs in areas prone to coastal flooding and inland flooding during heavy rain. A backyard ADU can cover no more than a third of the yard and can't be added in historic districts.

A state law that could block a lot of building

ADUs aren't just subject to city regulations. New York State's Multiple Dwelling Law (MDL) requires that buildings with three or more units have features one might associate with a large apartment building. For example, the law requires sprinklers in every unit and a certain ceiling height in basements, both of which can be prohibitively costly to add to an existing building.

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"A lot of the sites that might be able to add an ADU would trigger the MDL and, therefore, wouldn't really be viable from a design perspective," said Marcel Negret, the director of land-use planning at the Regional Plan Association, a pro-housing nonprofit focused on the tri-state area.

Casey Berkovitz, the press secretary for the Department of City Planning, said the City is still examining how the MDL will apply to ADU construction, but agrees it would make it harder to add basement and attic ADUs in existing two-family homes.

There are exceptions. Building a new detached ADU wouldn't implicate the MDL because it's not part of an existing building, Berkovitz noted. And certain neighborhoods across the city are part of a new basement legalization effort that exempts them from certain MDL restrictions.

The state legislature could amend the MDL to reduce barriers for ADUs in New York City  something the City has asked it to do, said Eric Kober, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute and former planner with the City. But he's not optimistic state lawmakers will get on board, adding, "There's no indication that it's on their radar or something that they're interested in doing."

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Kober argued that the City's requirement that homeowners live on the lot they add an ADU is the most counter-productive of the regulations because it would prevent private developers from building ADUs.

The NYC government last fall said it expected that fewer than one in 200 eligible homeowners would choose to add an ADU to their property in a given year.

Negret estimated just a few thousand of the 82,000 additional homes the city is expected to add over the next 15 years under City of Yes will be ADUs. That's down from between 26,000 and 40,000 ADUs the city expected to add under the original version of its reforms, which were significantly reined in by the city council.

"My conclusion is, yes, ADUs are technically legal, but there's still a long, long way to go before they could be a much more significant share of a growing housing stock," Negret told Business Insider.

Legalization is just the first step

The city is still developing new rules that will impact ADU construction. This includes creating updated flood maps, which will likely further restrict where ADUs are allowed. It's unclear when the City will finalize the rulemaking process.

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Eventually, the City says it will create a "one-stop shop" website to guide homeowners through the ADU construction process, including a set of pre-approved designs.

New York is following in the footsteps of cities such as Los Angeles and Seattle that view ADUs as low-hanging fruit in the quest for more affordable housing . After California loosened its restrictions on ADUs, the extra units made up nearly 20% of new homes built in 2023 .

But progress tends to be slow. ADU legalization alone isn't usually enough to prompt lots of new construction. In some cities and towns, local land-use laws, permitting, and other regulations have stood in the way. Owner-occupancy requirements, off-street parking mandates, and discretionary permit reviews are among the most burdensome rules .

Just over a year ago, the NYC government rolled out a pilot grant program  called "Plus One ADU"  that awarded 15 homeowners with up to nearly $400,000 in funding per household to build an extra dwelling in their backyard, basement, or attic. The city has since expanded that program, but it applies only to lots that are already zoned to accommodate another unit.

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"ADUs are a proven tool in cities across the country to support working families with extra space, additional income, and the opportunity to age in place," Dan Garodnick, the director of the New York City Department of City Planning, told Business Insider in a December statement.

Read the original article on Business Insider
LINCOLN, Wis. (WFRV)  A person in Western Wisconsin died on Friday night after crashing into a power pole off the road.

According to the Trempealeau County Sheriffs Office, a report came in around 6:16 p.m. on Friday regarding a vehicle that crashed into a power pole on Schansberg Road near Qually Lane in the Township of Lincoln.

Medical plane carrying pediatric patient crashes in Philadelphia, sets homes ablaze

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Responders saw a vehicle that got off the road and struck a power pole with one person inside. The person was unresponsive without a pulse and was subsequently extracted from the car and immediately transported to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries.

The driver was pronounced dead at the hospital.

No more details were provided.

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Days ahead of the assembly elections in Delhi, eight sitting MLAs, who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. The MLAs Vandana Gaur from Palam, Rohit Mehraulia from Trilokpuri, Girish Soni, Madan Lal from Kasturba Nagar, Rajesh Rishi from Janakpuri, Bhupender Singh June from Bijwasan, Naresh Yadav from Mehrauli and Pawan Sharma from Adarsh Nagar joined BJP in the presence of party's Delhi unity Virendraa Sachdeva and election in-charge Baijayant Panda. The MLAs submitted their resignation letters to former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday after being denied tickets to the contest Delhi assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held on February 5. Earlier, the MLAs on Friday said that AAP has moved away from its original ideology of 'honesty' and its leadership has been tainted into several cases of 'corruption'. The leaders cited different concerns, ranging from 'ideological shifts' to 'corruption' and 'mismanagement' within the party. Notably, the resignations come just days ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. Bhupinder Singh Joon, while tendering his resignation, told ANI, "There is no pressure on us, candidate list came on 9th December and today is 31st January, so amid this, we thought about this and accessed." Similarly, Madan Lal explained his decision to quit the party expressing disappointment over ticket distribution for the upcoming polls. "Don't feel like working in this party, this is the biggest reason, we thought about it so many times, even though we did not get tickets, we stayed at the party for over 1 and half months but those people to whom the party gave tickets, their performance, party's performance, it feels like party made a mistake... the party is moving away from its ideologies...," Lal said. Rohit Kumar also expressed his disappointment, stating that the party has not lived up to its promises, and AAP has nothing but "fake assurances". "I reached this conclusion with a lot of pain and sorrow, along with my colleagues...we were associated with AAP since the agitation time and many of our colleagues are old members, who set up the party...we joined the party with a hope that this party will do clean politics and stand against corruption.., I have to say with a lot of pain that we have got nothing but fake assurances," he said. Rajesh Rishi pointed to the controversy surrounding AAP MP Swati Maliwal, alleging that she was assaulted by Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the former CM's residence. "Swati Maliwal is our MP...she was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar at his (Arvind Kejriwal) residence...she was tortured at his residence...Arvind Kejriwal is behaving like a Hitler now, he changed the Constitution of the party, earlier Convener used to be for 2 years and now he has become Convener forever," he told ANI. Vandana Gaur, meanwhile, emphasized that she is not upset about being denied a ticket but is disillusioned with the leadership. "I want to say that I am not angry (over not getting a ticket), I know the reality...I have served the people of Palam and I am not upset regarding this." The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to take place on February 5, while counting of votes will be held on February 8. (ANI)
Theres a disturbing lack of faith in institutions these days, with favorability ratings for every institution in America  except the military and small business  below 50% . While this is certainly cause for concern, since no society has ever survived without institutions, many institutions have proven themselves unworthy of public support.

Foremost among these is higher education, which clings to a 400-year-old model that today often leaves students in debt and unprepared.

But theres hope that higher ed can be saved.

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In the coming weeks, the Trump Department of Education will set forth an ambitious policy agenda signaling a long-overdue detour from the policies of the last four years. Chief among these pivots must be a renewed focus on reforming our broken higher education system. Utah and the rest of the country stand to benefit from a new approach, one that embraces innovation and adaptability, in hopes that it will shake up what many acknowledge is a dysfunctional status quo.

Its not an overstatement to say were in the midst of an education crisis. Recent polling from Pew shows that increasing numbers of young men are foregoing college, citing high costs and a lack of incentives. Meanwhile, other survey data shows that 1 in 6 employers are actually hesitant to hire recent college graduates, with employers pointing to concerns about communications skills, preparedness and professionalism. Colleges arent fulfilling what most Americans view as their primary purpose: actually educate students for the high-skilled jobs of tomorrow.

Several institutions in Utah are showcasing what a new path forward might look like, partnering with employers and tech companies to develop online curricula in response to emerging market demands. Western Governors University  an online institution based in Millcreek, Utah  has prospered thanks largely to industry partnerships that align education with employers. Because the institution is entirely online, WGU offers tuitions at about half the national average with curricula tailored to the 21st centurys rapidly changing needs.

And while WGU was an early adapter, other institutions are developing online programs to prepare students for in-demand jobs. In 2021, Southern Utah University launched an affordable online program to address rising costs. Circumventing traditional brick-and-mortar infrastructure has made a nursing degree far more accessible to many students. SUU also offers hybrid and fully online, award-winning nursing programs. In 2023, the University of Utah became one of six schools to partner with edX to launch Artificial Intelligence boot camps for entry-level technical roles in the blossoming new field.

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The state Legislature is also making efforts to reform higher educations more regressive traditions , cutting wasteful programs and ensuring better return on investment for students. University of Utah President Taylor Randall says he wants to prepare students for the profound economic upheaval of the future.

This commitment to change demonstrates that both public and university officials recognize they need to innovate instead of continuing to profit from the problem. But the ecosystem that facilitated this growth is on shaky ground.

The swift growth of online programs was fostered by a revenue-sharing exception that arose from an Obama administration Dear Colleague letter, which allowed for universities to enter into agreements with companies called online program managers that provide bundled services. These revenue-sharing agreements allowed the institutions to keep the up-front costs of new programs low, allowing them to take more calculated risks on programs that they might not otherwise invest in. It also allowed schools to attract nontraditional students, notably those more focused on a career than the average 18-year-old just going through the motions.

This is the sort of innovation that should be welcomed and celebrated. Alas, the Biden administration took a hostile posture to this growing ecosystem of actual progress, all but rescinding Obamas letter that drove all this innovation, attempting to impose massive compliance and liability costs on such partnerships in a widely panned regulatory move.

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And while Biden officials are now gone  and the threat of similarly regressive behavior from more innovation-friendly Republicans is unlikely  something must be done.

As the Trump administration looks to  pardon the perhaps over-used idiom  make education great again, it can look to the innovations of institutions here in Utah that are reducing costs while improving outcomes. With institutions of higher ed working in tandem with tech companies and the government, we can and should codify the framework for this to cement the federal policy reforms higher education desperately needs.

A society needs institutions to survive  but troubled institutions need to prove themselves worthy of saving.
When is the HIV vaccine getting here?

A patient recently asked me this during his visit to an HIV clinic in the Dominican Republic. He was there to refill his monthly prescription for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that reduces the risk of HIV infection. While PrEP pills have been an important tool in HIV prevention, we now have something potentially far more transformative: lenacapavir, recently named Science Magazines 2024 Drug of the Year.

Lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, represents a groundbreaking leap in HIV prevention. Unlike daily PrEP pills, it requires only two injections per year, dramatically improving adherence. In clinical trials, it demonstrated a 96 percent reduction in HIV incidence and was 89 percent more effective at preventing HIV acquisition compared to daily PrEP pills.

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Yet weeks after discussing this promising innovation with my patient, I witnessed how quickly political decisions can derail progress in HIV care.

First, the U.S. announced plans to withdraw from the World Health Organization. Thousands of patients on PrEP in the Dominican Republic and globally were then abruptly cut from care due to a sudden freeze on foreign aid. While a subsequent waiver has temporarily restored HIV medication distribution, this whiplash of policy changes underscores the fragility of our global HIV response and the urgent need to ensure equitable access to innovations like lenacapavir.

As an infectious diseases and global health doctor in the U.S. and the Caribbean, I see firsthand the devastating impact HIV continues to have, and the frustratingly slow and deadly pace at which life-saving innovations reach those who need them most. Without swift reconsideration and decisive action, we risk repeating the same patterns of delayed access and inequity with lenacapavir that have long plagued global HIV efforts.

The history of HIV treatment access highlights the often-fatal impact of delays.

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At the turn of this century, prohibitively high treatment costs left millions in low- and middle-income countries without life-saving drugs, leading to AIDS-related deaths peaking at 2.1 million by 2004.

Expanded treatment access has since averted 21 million deaths as of 2023, but HIV prevention remains a challenge. In 2023, 1.3 million people contracted HIV, nearly four times the United Nations 2025 target. With PrEP costs at $360 per person annually  still prohibitive for many  distribution meets just 35 percent of global needs.

There is hope. Gilead, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in California, recently licensed lenacapavir production to six generic manufacturers for distribution in 120 low-income countries. Research estimates that the drug can be profitably produced for as little as $40 annually. This marks a major milestone, as few pharmaceutical companies have taken similar steps to ensure affordable access to HIV drugs.

However, the agreement excludes many middle-income countries, including most of Latin America, where HIV rates are climbing but where the branded price of $42,000 per year would be prohibitive.

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To ensure that lenacapavir reaches its potential, we must take decisive action. First, Gilead should expand its licensing agreement to include all countries. Governments in excluded regions should also consider invoking compulsory licenses  legal mechanisms that allow countries to produce generic version of patented drugs without the patent holders consent in public health emergencies. For example, last year Colombia issued a compulsory license to surpass licensing barriers to dolutegravir, a first-line HIV treatment medication.

Second, the U.S. should reconsider its withdrawal from the WHO and ensure uninterrupted funding for critical HIV programs like PEPFAR that are necessary to ensure the global implementation of lenacapavir. The WHO plays a critical role in drug approval and technical assistance for equitable distribution.

For lenacapavir, the WHO could help expedite approvals in countries with high rates of HIV by coordinating regulatory processes and supporting capacity building for local health systems to ensure effective distribution, as it has done for other essential medicines. The U.S., historically the WHOs largest funder, has a critical role to play, not just by rejoining the organization but by championing its efforts to expedite access to lenacapavir.

Third, public-private partnerships must expand to include lenacapavir. For example, the Medicines Patent Pool, a UN-backed organization that negotiates with pharmaceutical companies to license their patents for affordable production in low-and middle-income countries, could expedite affordable access. Gilead has chosen to license it on its own terms, but global health organizations and advocates for affordable HIV care have called on Gilead to license it through the MPP. Licensing through the MPP would enhance credibility and transparency by standardizing terms for affordability and access, which are often unclear in company-led negotiations.

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To be sure, lenacapavir is not a panacea. It doesnt address the underlying socioeconomic factors that drive HIV transmission, nor does it eliminate the need for comprehensive HIV prevention strategies. But it is our best tool now. Every day we delay in making lenacapavir widely accessible is a day we lose in the fight against HIV. As we stand on the brink of a potential turning point in the HIV epidemic, we need a coordinated effort from policymakers, pharmaceutical companies and global health organizations  with active U.S. support  to ensure equitable access.

Lenacapavir represents a chance to rewrite the narrative of global health inequities. But as recent events have shown, scientific breakthroughs alone are not enough. We need stable, equitable global access systems immune to political turbulence. When the next patient asks me about a game-changing HIV prevention tool, I hope I can say, Its already here and available to everyone who needs it.

Wilfredo R. Matias, MD, MPH, is an infectious diseases doctor at Harvard Medical School, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow and a Public Voices Fellow of the OpEd Project.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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This week, the Trump administration doubled down in its fight against birthright citizenship. The usual alliance of pundits, professors and press lined up to declare any challenge to birthright citizenship as absurd. Yet the administration seemed not only undeterred, but delighted.

There is a reason for that euphoria: They believe that they cannot lose this fight.

The legal case against birthright citizenship has always been tough to make, given the long-standing interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in federal courts and agencies. Many in academia and the media have shown unusual outrage toward anyone questioning the basis for birthright citizenship as a legal or policy matter.

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This is perhaps best evinced by Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribes profane tirade the last time Trump raised this issue years ago: This fing racist wants to reverse the outcome of the Civil War.

Putting aside that the Civil War was fought over slavery, not immigration, many at the time would have disagreed that this was one of the outcomes of either the Civil War or the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Fourteenth Amendment starts and ends as a model of clarity, stating that all persons born or naturalized in the United States are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. However, sandwiched between those two phrases, Congress inserted the words and subject to the jurisdiction thereof. Those six words have perplexed many since they were first drafted.

For some, the line must be read as a whole and guarantees that anyone born within the United States becomes an American citizen. For others, the six words cannot be read out of the amendment as superfluous. They argue that this indicates that the parents must be here in a legal status, either as citizens or legal residents.

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This division was evident at the very birth of the amendment. Some of those debating the question clearly believed that the amendment did cover anyone born on our soil regardless of the status of the parents. During the debates, Senator Edgar Cowan of Pennsylvania asked: Is the child of the Chinese immigrant in California a citizen? Is the child born of a Gypsy born in Pennsylvania a citizen? Senator John Conness of California answered this in the affirmative.

Others indicated the opposite understanding. Senator Jacob Howard, coauthor of the Fourteenth Amendment, said it was simply declaratory of the Civil Rights Act to protect freed slaves.

Howard assured senators, This will not, of course, include persons born in the United States who are foreigners, aliens, or who belong to the families of ambassadors or foreign ministers. Likewise, Senator Lyman Trumbull, author of the 13th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act and a drafter of the Fourteenth Amendment, said that the six words included only those not owing allegiance to anyone else.

This debate has raged for decades. While Democrats today portray anyone supporting the narrower interpretation as a racist or nutty, it was not long ago that many Democratic leaders opposed birthright citizenship, including former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). He later denounced his old position with the same passion.

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The Supreme Court itself seemed conflicted in the relatively few cases that touched on this issue. In 1872, in the Slaughterhouse Cases, the court interpreted the words subject to its jurisdiction as intended to exclude from its operation children of citizens or subjects of foreign states born within the United States. A few years later, in Minor v. Happersett, the court unanimously expressed doubts that citizenship would apply for children born within the jurisdiction without reference to the citizenship of their parents.

Then, in 1884, the Supreme Court handed down Elk v. Wilkins and held that parents must not merely be subject in some respect or degree to the jurisdiction of the United States, but completely subject to their political jurisdiction, and not subject to any foreign power To claim citizenship, they must owe the U.S. direct and immediate allegiance.

Supporters of birthright citizenship can cite countervailing authority to support their position. In 1898, the court ruled in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark that the Fourteenth Amendment affirms the ancient and fundamental rule of citizenship by birth within the territory, in the allegiance and protection of the country, including all children here born of resident aliens.

Anti-birthright advocates stress the courts additional emphasis that the parents had to have a permanent domicil[e] and residence in the United States, and [be] there carrying on business.

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Yet in 1982, in Plyler v. Doe, the court voted 5-4 that the Fourteenth Amendment required Texas to provide public schooling to the children of illegal immigrants, noting that there is no plausible distinction with respect to Fourteenth Amendment jurisdiction can be drawn between resident aliens whose entry into the United States was lawful, and resident aliens whose entry was unlawful.

There are strong arguments in favor of the broader interpretation to include birthright citizenship, and the case law favors the conventional interpretation. Indeed, it is not clear whether the Trump administration could secure a majority of the court to adopt the narrower interpretation, including potentially skeptical conservatives such as John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

What is clear is that such an interpretation would likely need to be made by the Supreme Court (rather than lower courts) given the existing precedent in favor of birthright citizenship.

So what makes this a win-win proposition for the Trump administration? The politics are stronger than the precedent.

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Even if the administration loses before the Supreme Court, it will force Democrats again to fight against a tougher stance on immigration issues. Democrats maintained that position in the last election despite polling showing that 83 percent of Americans support deportations of immigrants with violent criminal records and almost half support mass deportation of all undocumented persons.

On birthright citizenship, roughly half of the country now opposes it, according to a recent Emerson poll. That is consistent with much of the world. The U.S. is actually in the minority on the issue.

Our closest allies in Europe reject birthright citizens and follow the common practice of jus sanguinis, or right of blood. We are part of a smaller number of countries following jus soli, or right of soil.

That is why the Trump administration may win either way. It will either secure a new interpretation from the high court or it could spur a campaign for a constitutional amendment. All of this could unfold around the time of the midterm elections, when incumbents of the presidents party are generally disfavored. This is a wedge issue that many in the Republican Party might welcome.

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Indeed, the most relevant quote from the Civil War period may be that of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant in the final year of the war, when he declared I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer. It was a war of attrition, and Grant liked the odds. Some conservatives seem to have the same view of the lay of the land in the fight over birthright citizenship.

Jonathan Turley is the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at the George Washington University Law School.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TikToks head-turning saga has had so many twists and turns in recent days, its whiplash-inducing.

On Jan. 17, the U.S. Supreme Court Justices unanimously upheld the law to ban or force a sale of the app, which went into effect on Jan. 19. The next day, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was seated in a prestigious position on the dais at President Trumps inauguration. That same day, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Justice Department to delay enforcement for at least 75 days.

Lawmakers, including those on Trumps side of the aisle, have already pushed back. The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), stated theres no legal basis for any kind of extension.

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The Supreme Court made the right decision, resting on legal precedent. Banning TikTok or forcing its divestiture from Chinese control is a gift to America. Its best that this happens as soon as possible.

Our nations are not on equal footing. China maintains a digital iron curtain (the Great Firewall). The country blocks every major U.S. tech platform, including Meta, Google and X, while freely pushing its influence into American homes. This one-sided arrangement gives Beijing unprecedented reach into U.S. society while denying American companies access to Chinese markets.

America has legal and historical precedent to take action. When dating app Grindrs Chinese ownership raised security concerns, regulators forced its sale. This aligns with longstanding U.S. law restricting broadcast media from adversarial foreign control that may pose a national security risk. It makes sense that the same principles that keep our TVs and radios free from Chinese or Russian influence apply to the digital platforms that today serve as our main sources of media.

And TikToks data sharing and surveillance practices are uniquely troubling. In 2022, ByteDance staff based in both the U.S. and China were caught spying on American reporters who were covering the company, using data from the journalists TikTok accounts to reveal their sources and track the reporters physical movements. In 2023, TikTok employees in the U.S. were caught posting private American user data, including drivers licenses and addresses on ByteDance employee chatrooms in China with thousands of members.

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Furthermore, under Chinas National Intelligence Law, Chinese companies must surrender any data the government demands, including private information about Americans. Thats precisely why the White House banned TikTok from government devices in 2023.

On Jan. 10, when the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from TikTok, Chief Justice John Roberts aptly asked TikToks lawyers, Are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent is, in fact, subject to doing intelligence work for the Chinese government?

Chinas data-gathering intentions are all too clear. In late 2024, U.S. officials reported that the Chinese government was responsible for breaching security at major American telecom companies and government agencies, including the Department of the Treasury.

Evidence shows Beijing frequently weaponizes TikTok for propaganda and disinformation campaigns. For example, in 2022, former FBI Director Christopher Wray warned that the Chinese government can use TikTok to influence American users or control their devices. This is a crucial distinction. Meta and X may amplify toxic content, but they arent beholden to an adversarial government directing influence campaigns targeting American users.

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And TikToks harm to kids is significant. TikTok has over 170 million users in the U.S., a third of whom are aged 14 or younger. That means TikTok is gathering data on and influencing the minds of 50-60 million American children. Recent revelations from lawsuits against TikTok by more than a dozen states attorneys general found that TikTok is aware that its algorithm can lead kids to feel anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. Yet the company ignored those findings. Its fair to flag here that in 2023 a Meta whistleblower exposed similar practices at Instagram.

There are valid concerns that banning TikTok will negatively affect millions of Americans. Many argue that would infringe on Americans free speech rights. And theres no question that such a ban will interfere with Americans livelihoods. If TikTok abandoned the American market, the social and financial distress experienced by millions of citizens is real; 7 million small businesses in the U.S. report that they use TikTok to drive growth and, hence, revenue. Countless creators depend on the app for their livelihoods.

Yet in the event of a ban or if TikTok withdraws from the U.S., social medias history illuminates users remarkable adaptability. MySpace users migrated en masse to Facebook. Vine users moved to YouTube and then to TikTok. Skype users transitioned to Zoom. Time and again, social media users have shown they can successfully adapt, relocate and thrive on new platforms.

And the evacuation is already well underway. Taking no chances, many TikTok users have relocated already. Many TikTok creators have urged their followers to join them on Instagrams Reels or YouTubes Shorts. Meta is even courting TikTok creators by offering them bonuses of $10,000 to $50,000 per month for joining Instagram. TikTok clones such as Clapper, Likee and Fanbase have also jumped to the top of the app stores as alternatives. Interestingly, the social apps RedNote and Lemon8 have become two of the top alternatives, even though they are Chinese-owned and therefore likely to be lassoed by the ban as well.

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Whats next? Questions abound, including whether the presidents extension is even legal. Experts warn his executive order is likely not, with some saying TikToks tech partners face massive legal risks by relying on Trumps promises. It may get tested in the courts quickly. Google and Apple are playing it safe, pulling the app from their stores and not offering new TikTok downloads.

All this is moot if a deal gets done in short order. While ByteDance previously said a sale is not feasible, China recently signaled it is open to a deal. Offers are on the table.

One comes from billionaire Frank McCourts advocacy group, Project Liberty. The group sent a formal offer letter to ByteDance on Jan. 9; this $20 billion cardplay strips out TikToks coveted yet controversial algorithm. Other rumors suggest Chinese officials were considering a sale to Elon Musk.

Although TikTok has steadfastly denied this, President Trump also chimed in that hes open to Musk or Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison purchasing it. More players are certainly coming to the table.

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This drama is undeserving of its current center stage. In all likelihood, TikTok will come under American ownership, and these theatrics will end. Kudos to the Supreme Court for upholding the bipartisan law of the land. Its decision is a gift for American security, democracy and the safety of our kids. Now its time to get this done.

Mark Weinstein is a tech thought leader, privacy expert, and one of the inventors of social networking. He is the author of Restoring Our Sanity Online: A Revolutionary Social Framework.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Donald Trumps return to office has certainly been eventful.

In just the first 10 days of his second term, expansionist rumors of annexing the Panama Canal (and/or Greenland) have surfaced, executive orders have wrought havoc and the man who once railed against China now seems to be shifting his stance. Trumps antics have left experts bewildered and many Americans dividedsome amused, others deeply concerned.

But perhaps Trumps most audacious move came before hed even gotten unpacked in the Oval Office, when he launched a meme coin packed with moral and legal red flags. At best, its a shameless cash grab. At worst, its an outright con. Theres almost no transparency about what the coin is worth, what its supposed to do or the risks involvedleaving buyers in the dark while their money is on the line. Patriotism has never looked so pathetic.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 31, 2025. / Carlos Barria / REUTERS

Now, imagine if Joe Biden had pulled the same stunt (or started selling Bibles made in China). How would the right respond?

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You dont need a crystal ballor to be Krystal Ballto know the answer.

There would be an utter meltdown. Fox News would dedicate round-the-clock coverage, conservative commentators would demand resignations and Xs trending topics would all be tearing it apart.

Perhaps a better question to ask is: How would Bill Maher react?

Maher, who often bats for the left, has built a career on being one of the few liberals willing to take shots at his own side. In fact, he does it so often that many progressives call him a fraudposing as a liberal while feeding conservative talking points. I dont buy it. He just speaks his mind, whether people like it or not.

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And if Biden pulled a blatant, unethical scam like this, Maher wouldnt hesitate to call him out.

Hed rip into Bidens opportunism and tear apart the hypocrisy of Democrats rushing to defend it. Love him or hate him, thats Mahers stylehe takes his own team to task when they deserve it. Its Mahers ability to speak uncomfortable truths, even to his own base, thats kept him relevant.

The right may not want its own Bill Maher, but it desperately needs one, writes John Mac Ghlionn. / DANNY MOLOSHOK / REUTERS

Humor has always been a weapon of subversion. In ancient Greece, Aristophanes used plays like Lysistrata to mock political corruption and social norms, while underground cabarets in 1930 and 40s Germany risked their lives to expose the absurdity of the Nazi regime. In modern times, Stephen Colberts Colbert Report mastered this art, using a faux-conservative persona to highlight the hypocrisies of right-wing rhetoric. Jon Stewart is legendary for blending sharp satire with genuine critique, while John OliverMahers HBO colleagueuses biting humor to break down complex political and social issues. Comedy works because it disarms while it disruptsmaking people laugh even as it forces them to confront things theyd rather ignore.

On the right, though, sharp satire is in short supply. The closest thing the right has to Maher is Greg Gutfeld, and thats not saying much. Gutfeld is a sycophantic Trump bootlicker who would never dare bite the hand that feeds him. Less Mitch Hedberg, more Mike Lindell, the 60-year-old excels at producing cringe-worthy content. Yes, some will note he gets good ratings. So what? Gutfelds audience isnt looking for unexpected insight; its a monolithic congregation hanging on their political popes every word.

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How about Joe Rogan?

Although Rogan isnt a late-night host, hes one of the few independent voices leaning right. Hes criticized Trump plenty, often with humor, and isnt afraid to call out either side. Did he help Trump get re-elected? Sure, but not because hes a testosterone-fueled toady.

When Rogan critiques Trump, it resonates precisely because he operates outside the partisan noise machine, free from the loyalty tests that dominate political discourse.

That said, Rogan isnt the solution, either. Hes a podcaster, UFC commentator and stand-up comedian; hes not a Maher-style satirist. The right needs someone who blends comedy with compelling critiquesomeone willing to go after Trump the way Maher would Biden, without fear of alienating their base. Tony Hinchcliffe is quick-witted but leans into shock humor over political insight. Once booted from SNL, Shane Gillis is undeniably funny, and his Trump impression is absurdly good. But his comedy leans more into bro humor and absurdity than pointed commentary.

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As much as we need a Maher, the right need a late-night martyrsomeone willing, if needed, to crucify themselves on the cultural cross. And in todays climate, that wouldnt just be metaphorical. The cancel culture jokes practically write themselves.

The echo chamber wont accept their stance at first, if at all, but thats precisely the point. Its time to spark the uncomfortable conversations conservatives desperately need. Echo chambers breed intellectual incest, and theres nothing funny about that.

Should they emerge, this figure doesnt have to be a provocateur or troll; they could serve as a genuine keeper of checks and balances, a force for meaningful accountabilitya sort of comedic whistleblower.

Though they may find themselves entirely ostracizedperhaps even by their own political tribethe future will likely vindicate their efforts. And besides, Hollywood is already packed with liberals tripping over themselves to take a swing at Trump. Lets beat them to the punch.
On Jan. 28, the Trump administration announced that it was offering a buyout to some 2 million federal workers. Those who accept this offer will receive full pay and benefits for 8 months. The expectation is that 5 to 10 percent of federal workers will accept this offer resulting in savings estimated at $100 billion annually.

This approach is appealing, at least on the surface. The federal government workforce is bloated. The Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, led by Elon Musk, clearly sees an opportunity to substitute capital for labor. Artificial intelligence will increasingly be able to perform many of the tasks that are now performed by federal workers.

The potential savings are alluring, but perhaps also illusory.

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Corporate downsizing was all the rage among Fortune 500 corporations in the 1990s. Grand promises were made to shareowners that significant efficiencies could be achieved with a smaller workforce. The efficiencies to be realized in downsizing a workforce are appealing in theory but can and often do prove elusive in practice.

If you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation (or the president of the U.S.) and you think logically about how to conduct downsizing, you would naturally start by making buyout offers to the least-productive workers.

The problem with this approach is that it can quickly run into a legal quagmire, particularly if your least-productive workers are disproportionately non-white. Employment discrimination lawsuits are time-consuming and notoriously costly to litigate.

The fact that across-the-board downsizing became common practice in corporate America suggests that management did the math and determined that the benefits employers expected from the selective downsizing of low-productivity workers outweighed the expected litigation costs. This explains why employers seeking to downsize frequently resort to across-the-board buy-out offers.

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The problem with across-the-board offers, however, is that they are likely to be accepted by the highest-productivity workers because these workers will have the most lucrative outside opportunities. In the case of the federal government, these workers can accept the offer of eight months pay and benefits and never miss a day of work.

In contrast, the lowest-productivity workers are likely to have few, if any, outside opportunities, and so their best strategy may be to turn down the governments offer. This would tend to leave behind a greater share of low-performers in government  less-skilled or less diligent workers clinging to jobs they cant afford to lose.

The telecommunications industry in the late 20th century was confronted with a scenario not unlike what the federal government is experiencing today. Faced with the prospect of rapid technological change due to the advent of microchip technology, the industry found itself with an inflated workforce.

The common practice was to offer across-the-board buyout offers to facilitate the downsizing required to achieve an efficient capital-labor input mix. Productivity growth for these companies was unremarkable or worse in the years immediately following these downsizing initiatives. One plausible explanation for this development is that the workers who accepted the offers were disproportionately high-productivity workers.

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This example illustrates the inherent problem with across-the-board buyouts to facilitate downsizing. It gives rise to a problem of adverse selection in that post-downsizing, the employer is left with a greater share of the wrong type of worker. A similar problem presents itself in health insurance markets. The most sickly people are also the most likely to sign up for health insurance.

Employers are thus faced with something of a Hobsons Choice  the prospect of prohibitively costly litigation with selective downsizing or a dumbed-down workforce with across-the-board downsizing.

Is there a better path forward? To counter the brain-drain problem associated with across-the-board downsizing, the employer may wish to consider retention bonuses for high-productivity workers. These can take a number of different forms, but one model is to offer high-productivity workers an additional year of compensation for every four years they remain employed with the organization. With this approach, the employer increases the likelihood of retaining high-productivity workers.

The Trump administrations DOGE is a laudable initiative led by one of the preeminent industrialists of our time. It offers some hope that it is more than just window-dressing. Nonetheless, trapdoors abound in the course of downsizing a workforce.

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History teaches that running the government is different from running a business and that a downsized workforce is not synonymous with a more efficient workforce. These are just a few of the daunting challenges confronting Musk and his compatriots.

Dennis L. Weisman, Ph.D. is a professor emeritus of Economics at Kansas State University.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) said it gave no orders to shut down government websites amid confusion over complying with a new Trump administration policy requiring agencies to scrub any mentions of diversity on their site.

The OPM said it has no intention of taking down all agency websites and called the reports a false rumor.

OPM sent guidance to agencies to remove gender ideology-related content from their websites by 5 pm today as part of the efforts to defend women and uphold the truth of biological sex against the radical claims of gender activists, an office spokesperson told The Hill.

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This may have been misinterpreted to mean we would shut down government websites who werent able to comply but that is not the plan for continuing to implement this important effort, the continued.

While the website for the census appeared to be down Friday evening, several other major agency sites were still up and running.

President Trump said he didnt know about the plan when asked about government websites potentially being shut down so they could be scrubbed for information about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

I dont know, it doesnt sound like a bad idea to me. DEI would have ruined our country, the president said earlier Friday. If they want to scrub the website, thats OK with me.

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CBS News reported Friday that the memo to take steps to scrub agency websites was misinterpreted.

Updated at 7:54 p.m. EST

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ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (WKRG)  The Orange Beach Police Department is looking for potential victims of fraud after a man was released on bond in December, according to officials.

UPDATE: Man tried to use skid-steer as a weapon on I-10 Thursday morning

Photo of Charles Howard Nevett III (Orange Beach Police Department)

The department shared on Facebook that they are looking for potential victims of Charles Howard Nevett III.

Nevett, who was arrested on charges of financial exploitation of the elderly last July, was reportedly released on bond in December.

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Officials said he may have scammed more people.

Since that time we have received information that he has contacted other potential victims in a possible attempt to commit frauds or scams, the department post said.

The department is asking anyone who has been contacted or knows someone who has been contacted by Nevett in suspicious circumstances to come forward.

Body found in Mobile Bay identified as Baldwin County homicide victim: ALEA

Those who have been contacted by Nevett can call their local police department, officials said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
An expensive spike in the number of inmates at the Orange County Jail is causing county leaders to re-examine cost saving measures.

According to Orange County, in 2024, total jail bookings were 35,313, a 17 percent increase since 2021.

But theres been a sharper spike in the average daily inmate population. In 2024, that daily population was 31 percent higher than in 2021 with the average cost per inmate sitting at $144.51 per day.

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In light of the spike, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings convened the Jail Oversight Commission for the first time in more than 20 years. That commission will meet for the next four months and will be tasked with looking at the costs associated with incarceration and healthcare.

Community leaders on the task force will ultimately recommend best practices spanning the criminal justice system.

The work that you will do could have phenomenal impact for our community for the next 20 plus years, Demings told task force members Friday.

Read: We about fell out of our seat: Elderly couple surprised by $55,000 timeshare bill

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According to Orange County data obtained by Channel 9, the uptick in inmates is largely due to an increase in arrests by the Orlando Police Department.

Data show in 2024, OPD booked more inmates than the Orange County Sheriffs Office with OPD booking 43 percent of inmates compared to 41 percent booked by the sheriffs office.

Channel 9 asked Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith what accounted for the increase.

The focus of the Orlando Police Department is fighting violent crime, said Smith, If you look at our statistics, shootings are down 52 percent since 2022, homicides are down 40 percent. So, were doing we need to do.

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According to Orange County Corrections Chief, Louis Quinones, hes seeing more homeless inmates, more inmates who need prolonged mental health services, and more chronically sick inmates; all of which is driving up costs for taxpayers.

Read: Woman accused of torturing child to death: I didnt kill her

Its very simple. What were seeing is a sicker inmate compared to previous years, said Quinones.

Quinones told the task force the increase in homeless inmates is not due to recent changes in public camping laws.

Orlando Police Department added, Our interactions with Orlandos unsheltered population average out to over 800 contacts per month. However, fewer than 2% of these interactions result in an arrest.

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Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said public safety remains his top priority, but he is one of more than a dozen community leaders on Mayor Demings oversight commission looking to make recommendations.

The commission includes criminal justice partners, medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, and community stakeholders.

Those members will meet three additional times over the next four months before officially issuing their cost-saving recommendations to the county.

Read: Satellite Beach police search for missing teenage girl

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.




U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas addresses the crowd on election night, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Willamette Heritage Center in Salem. (Ron Cooper/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

A Democratic congresswoman didnt violate state law with a 2022 ad saying her Republican opponent faced felony drug possession charges because a reasonable person could interpret that statement as true, the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled.

The courts ruling, issued this week, comes nearly a year after attorneys for U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas and her former Republican opponent Mike Erickson argued their case to a three-judge panel of the appeals court in February 2024. Since then, Salinas defeated Erickson a second time in the November election by a larger margin than in 2022. Erickson blamed his 2022 loss in part on a negative ad from Salinas campaign.

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That ad said Erickson was charged with felony drug possession and featured an image of four lines of an unidentified white powder. Public records from Ericksons 2016 arrest for drunken driving, when officers found a single 5 mg oxycodone pill in his wallet while booking him into jail, show that police recommended drug charges. Erickson pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and completed a diversion program as part of a deal that also included an agreement from prosecutors not to file drug charges.

Salinas attorney Ben Stafford said the decision reinforced important protections for political speech in Oregon.

The court correctly recognized that campaign statements that can be reasonably interpreted as factually accurate are protected under Oregon law, Stafford said. We are proud to defend Representative Salinas against these baseless allegations by her former political opponent.

Salinas declined to comment further on the case. Ericksons attorney did not respond to a request for comment.

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Erickson initially sued Salinas in October 2022, seeking $800,000 to reimburse his campaign for running ads to refute her ads. He sued under a state law that allows a judge to remove an elected official if the judge determines that official won by telling a lie that changed the course of the election.

A Clackamas County judge sided with Erickson that December, ruling that Erickson demonstrated Salinas showed a reckless disregard for the truth by continuing to run the ad after Ericksons attorney and the attorney who prosecuted him told he wasnt charged with drug possession.

Salinas appealed under Oregons anti-SLAPP law. SLAPP, an acronym for strategic lawsuit against public participation, refers to lawsuits intended to silence criticism and stifle free speech.

Appellate judges Kristina Hellman, Darleen Ortega and Steven Powers agreed that Salinas ad could reasonably be understood as factually correct. They wrote that a citation in the ad for an incident report that listed felony possession of oxycodone as a charge or pending charge supported Salinas argument.

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That document, along with the release agreement signed by Erickson, further supports the common understanding of the word charge as a word that is used by law enforcement to mean that law enforcement has accused a person of a crime, it said. The fact that, ultimately, the district attorney declined to file that charge in court based on a plea agreement does not make it unreasonable to understand that the ad stated that Erickson was charged with, i.e. accused of, that crime by the police.

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People enjoy various activities across China to celebrate Chinese New Year

Xinhua) 09:16, February 01, 2025

An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting Youzhou ancient town of Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Qiu Hongbin/Xinhua)

Folk artists perform a molten iron firework show at a park in Handan City, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Hao Qunying/Xinhua)

Tourists enjoy an artistic performance in Changxing County, Huzhou of east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhang Ying/Xinhua)

People participate in a wooden-bench dragon parade in Xuan'en County, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Song Wen/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025 shows tourists enjoying themselves at a snow town scenic spot in Zunhua, north China's Hebei Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)

Folk artists stage a Yangge performance in Lunan District of Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhao Liang/Xinhua)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 30, 2025 shows people visiting Xiangyang ancient town in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Yang Dong/Xinhua)

People enjoy a lion dance at Lanshangen scenic spot in Yanhu District, Yuncheng City, north China's Shanxi Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Jiang Hua/Xinhua)

People enjoy lanterns at Baotuquan Park in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

An aerial drone photo shows people visiting Xiangdong Street of Xinhua County, Loudi City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Zhenhai)

People visit the Xishuanghu national wetland park in Donghai County, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 30, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Shao Guangming/Xinhua)

Visitors watch a performance made by a robot dog at the science and technology museum in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Jin Peng/Xinhua)

People visit a ruins park in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua)

Folk artists stage a Yangge performance at an ancient town scenic spot in Liaocheng City, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Photo by Zhang Zhenxiang/Xinhua)

People row among trees at Haihong Wetland Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province on Jan. 31, 2025. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 31, 2025 shows people rowing among trees at Haihong Wetland Park in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. People enjoy various activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year which falls on Jan. 29 this year. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Defendant Jcoery Smith sits with his attorneys while appearing in court for the first day of his murder trial on Wednesday. Smith, 22, was charged with murder in connection with the 2022 death of Roger Allen. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

Not guilty. A Bexar County jury chose not to convict a man charged with murder after he claimed he killed his uncle in self-defense.

Jcoery Smith, 22, was charged with murder in connection with the 2022 death of Roger Allen. Had the jury found him guilty, Smith would have faced up to life in prison.

The jury deliberated for about 45 minutes. Judge Joel Perez of the 437th district court read the verdict Friday.

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Prosecutors said Smith and Allen had been in an ongoing argument regarding business matters leading up to the shooting.

In Texas, a resident can use lethal force to protect their property against armed robbery, Smith's defense attorney, John Hunter, argued.

On June 20, 2022, Allen drove to Smith's home, walked into his bedroom and stole a shotgun that was in his closet, prosecutors said. After walking out, Smith grabbed a handgun and followed Allen outside, to the front of the home.

At some point, Smith shot multiple times in Allen's direction and killed him.

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Hunter told the jury that right before Smith fired the fatal shots, Allen had grabbed his Draco, a semi-automatic pistol, to use it against Smith.

Hunter also described Allen as a violent man who had been convicted and sent to prison for robbery.

Even after he was released, Allen had been caught possessing a weapon as a convicted felon, Hunter said.

Allen's wife (who is Smith's aunt) testified that the two had a "business relationship" and that they recently had an argument relating to their business. Testimony did not reveal what type of business the two had operated.
Congress MLA from Himachal Pradesh, Kuldeep Singh Rathore, sharply criticised the Union Budget 2025, calling it a budget that "abandons the common man". Addressing a press conference in Shimla, Rathore remarked that the budget has failed to meet the expectations set by the government's pre-budget claims. "I believe that the claims made before the budget presentation have completely collapsed the moment the last word of the budget was read. Even the stock market reflects this disappointment, with the Sensex falling by 250 points. This clearly shows that investors, too, have no enthusiasm for this budget," Rathore stated. He further alleged that the budget is nothing more than an attempt to "save a struggling government that is running on crutches." According to Rathore, the budget is primarily focused on Bihar elections, ignoring the needs of 28 other states in the country. He added that Himachal Pradesh is ignored in the Budget. The Congress leader expressed deep dissatisfaction over the budget's lack of support for Himachal Pradesh, a small mountainous state that has been reeling from the impact of natural disasters. "Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses worth Rs 10,000 crore due to natural calamities. Yet, there is no mention of any relief for the state in this budget. Himachal has limited revenue resources, and we are still struggling to recover from the devastation, but the central government has ignored our plight," Rathore added. He also criticised the 'absence' of provisions for tourism and railway network expansion in Himachal Pradesh, despite their importance to the state's economy. Moreover, Rathore expressed disappointment over the government's failure to increase import duties on apples, a demand crucial for Himachali apple growers facing stiff competition from cheaper imported apples. "It is shocking that despite Himachal Pradesh having eight BJP MPs for the first time, none of them raised their voice for the state. Even BJP National President and Union Minister J P Nadda, as well as former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, could not ensure that Himachal's issues were addressed in the budget. Either they failed to put forth their demands, or their demands were outright ignored," he added. Rathore pointed out that the budget has nothing to offer to farmers or unemployed youth. "There is no concrete decision in this budget regarding farmers. The government has not shown any concern for unemployment either, there is no mention of creating new job opportunities. Overall, this is a directionless budget," he said. Although the budget does provide some relief in tax slabs, Rathore argued that it comes with "several conditions that diminish its benefit for the common taxpayer". (ANI)
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  A New Orleans man was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 28, following a child porn case from 2023.

According to the United States Department of Justice, the investigation into 57-year-old Joy Joseph Banerjee for online child sexual abuse material was started by the Bossier Parish Sheriffs Office.

Woman hospitalized in Seventh Ward shooting

Homeland Security Investigations then reportedly took over the investigation and searched Banjerees New Orleans home in April of 2023. The investigation determined that he had knowingly possessed images and videos showing the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors.

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Banjeree was sentenced to 60 months in prison, eight years of supervised release and a $5,100 special assessment fee.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR)  Oklahoma State University is mourning the loss of one of its own in what is now considered one of the deadliest U.S. aviation accidents in history.

Authorities have confirmed over 40 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River after a deadly mid-air collision on Wednesday between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet out of Wichita, Kansas.

Officials say at least 67 people are feared dead  including 60 passengers and four crew members from the plane and the three soldiers aboard the military helicopter.

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Oklahoma State University released the following statement:

Among the victims of this weeks tragic plane crash in Washington D.C., was one of our own. On behalf of the entire Oklahoma State community, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of OSU alumna and former university employee Lindsey (Carter) Fields, as well as to all those affected by this devastating event. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time. As we mourn this profound loss, we are reminded of the strength and unity that define the Cowboy family. In times of tragedy, we come together to support one another, honoring the memories of those we have lost. To Lindseys family, please know that the OSU family stands with you and offers our support and deepest sympathies. Dr. Ann Caine

OSU Alumni Association President

The initial evaluation at a Thursday press briefing with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation into what caused the fatal collision said the following:

Our investigators are continuing to pull all that information, their personnel records, their files, where they were at, whether they were fatigued. All that information will be part of that investigative process. But right now, we cant speculate on anything that may have been reported in the media until we get the opportunity to validate and understand how it impacts the investigation. Brice Banning, a Senior Aviation accident investigator

No memorial announcement has been made at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  More than 100 adoptable pets arrived at PDX early Saturday afternoon to aid in shelter overcrowding brought on by the devastating wildfires which sparked in Los Angeles last month.

The nonprofit Greater Good Charities, in partnership with Southwest Airlines, helped move the animals who were in the care of the shelters and rescues in Los Angeles County prior to the outbreak of the fires.

Winter tools to have ready this weekend in Portland

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The 39 dogs and 68 cats will now be transferred to the care of the Oregon Humane Society.

(Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society) (Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society) (Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society) (Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society) (Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society) (Courtesy: Oregon Humane Society)

Greater Good Charities previously partnered with OHS last month, flying over 50 pets to Portland from the San Diego Humane Society a week after the fires broke out.

This week, a team from OHS went down to Los Angeles, working alongside the other nonprofits to prepare the animals for the flight from Long Beach.

Washington, Oregon attorneys general react after judge blocks Trump admins federal funding freeze

OHS said this transfer will allow for Los Angeles area shelters to properly take care of lost and injured pets until they are reunited with their owners.

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Oregon Humane Society is fortunate to have a dedicated Rescue Center that was built specifically to be able to help during times of crisis, said Laura Klink, an OHS Public Information Officer. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Greater Good Charities and Southwest Airlines to help with the ongoing recovery from this massive disaster.

The animals will stay at the Oregon Humane Society until they find their new homes. But they will need to complete a medical screening before they can be up for adoption.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  More than 140 Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers are deploying to the Middle East.

Soldiers with the Pennsylvania National Guards 3622nd Sustainment Maintenance Company participated in a deployment ceremony on Saturday morning in Harrisburg.

We ship out tomorrow, said U.S. Army 1st Lieutenant, Luke McCoy.

Those deploying will serve in the Middle East for one year supporting U.S. Central Command and partner forces with regional security objectives.

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Were a maintenance company, so were going to be doing a lot of maintenance and a lot of electronic work, recovery operations, relations with other, with other allied nations and stuff, McCoy explained. So, theres just a lot of maintenance, a lot of good stuff over there.

Preparing for a mission like this, isnt easy  to say the least.

Between getting all the equipment ready that were sending over there and getting everyone medically and admin cleared, its been a work horse for us to get ready for this thing and the guys work their butts off and I cant be more grateful now to be going over with these guys, he added.

The hardest part about deployment for many soldiers though is getting ready to leave family, friends and loved ones.

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Ive been in for nine years, so its my first one [deployment], said Ashlee Ebling, U.S. Army Specialist. Im really excited to do something great, something to do a little hard with the family, leaving the daughter behind and my husband.

There is one thing many of these soldiers will be taking advantage of while being so far away from home  technology.

We can facetime, we can WhatsApp signal through those apps and stuff, McCoy said. Theres wi-fi over there so well be able to talk just as like if youre 20 feet over that way and I was facetiming you, we can do that from across the world. So, were lucky in that sense to our technology is going to be very great for us.

The soldiers will fly from the Harrisburg International Airport Sunday and into Texas before they officially head overseas for their mission.

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Last year Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers deployed around the world including nearly 700 to Africa, over 150 to Germany, and nearly 50 to the Middle East. In October hundreds of soldiers returned from deployments to Africa.

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Founded in 1747 by Benjamin Franklin, the Pennsylvania National Guard is now one of the largest state National Guards in the United States. Since September 11, 2001, Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have completed more than 43,000 individual deployments.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Hamas on Saturday released three Israeli hostages from captivity in two orderly handover ceremonies that stood in marked contrast to chaotic scenes earlier this week.

After 484 days in Gaza, Keith Siegel, Yarden Bibas, and Ofer Kalderon returned to Israeli soil.

Stepping off a military helicopter just outside Tel Aviv, Kalderon, 54 - who also holds French citizenship - stopped to wave to friends who had gathered outside Shiba Hospital, smiling and yelling, I love you! In a tearful embrace in a hospital room, his four children wept as they pulled him in and stroked his hair.

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Its over, Dad, his daughter said. Now youre with us.

In exchange, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, of whom 18 were serving life sentences. The majority had been detained in Gaza since October 7 and had no public charges against them.

And for the first time since it was captured by Israeli forces in May 2024, the crucial Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt opened to allow a group of Palestinian civilians, mostly children, to be evacuated for medical treatment.

It is the fourth hostage exchange since a ceasefire went into effect on January 19. Under an agreement signed in Qatar last month, negotiations to begin a second phase are supposed to begin on Monday.

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There are still 79 people taken on October 7, 2023, left in Gaza. Only 20 of those are scheduled to come out during this phase of the truce, of whom eight are said to be dead.

Yarden Bibas, released from captivity on Saturday, is embraced by his father at an Israeli military base at Re'im. - Israel Defense Forces/Reuters

A former Palestinian prisoner released by Israel on Saturday is hugged by family members in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. - Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

Siegel, 65, who has long lived in Israel, is the first American released since the ceasefire that began on January 19. Amid the rubble of Gaza Citys port, he appeared frail as militants walked him to a car. He waved briefly from a stage that had been set up. His wife Aviva, watching a feed of him being freed in Gaza, exclaimed, Here he is, here he is, Keith! as she embraced their son Shai.

Bibass children have become among the most prominent hostages held by Hamas. His son Kfir was just nine months when he was abducted, the youngest hostage taken on October 7, 2023. Kfir, his brother Ariel, and their mother Shiri have not been seen since they were taken captive. Hamas claimed in November 2023 that they were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel never confirmed their deaths.

Yarden Bibas reunion with his sister Ofri and father Eli was decidedly more somber. Meeting at Reim Military Base in southern Israel, the three held each other in a deep embrace, and wept.

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There are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice, the Bibas family said in statement, adding they continue with hope for the return of his wife and sons.

The release of the three men Saturday was particularly weighty in Israel because of the disorderly scenes that surrounded the release of two Israeli and five Thai hostages in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on Thursday. Thousands of Palestinian jostled the two Israelis as they were escorted to Red Cross vehicles.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanded assurances from the intermediaries who negotiated the ceasefire that the scenes would not be repeated.

The message seems to have been received. On a bright Saturday morning, masked militants from Hamas Qassam Brigades took to stages adorned with anti-Israel banners, honoring their fallen military commander Muhammad Al-Masri, better known as Muhammad Al-Deif, whose assassination by Israel last July was acknowledged by Hamas this week.

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Representatives from the International Committee for the Red Cross signed release papers provided by the Hamas militants, and the hostages were briefly paraded on stage and made to wave to the crowd before being whisked away to be transferred to the Israeli military.

Kieth Siegel, an Israeli-American, is flanked by Hamas militants on a stage in Gaza City on Saturday. - Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters

Yarden Bibas is escorted by Hamas militants in Khan Younis on Saturday, during a handover ceremony. - Jehad Alshrafi/AP

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The release of Palestinian prisoners from Israels Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank also brought jubilation to crowds who gathered for their release in Ramallah. Huge crowds swarmed a Red Cross bus as freed prisoners draped in keffiyehs floated into the arms of supporters.

Among the prisoners released was Mohammad El-Halabi, the director of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a US-based humanitarian organization. El-Halabi was arrested in 2016, and later found guilty of diverting money from humanitarian projects to Hamas military wing. World Vision denied the allegations at the time and said the legal process was unfair.

Following his release Saturday, El-Halabi told CNN that he had lost 40 kilograms (88 lb) of weight in detention since October 7.

The food was not even sufficient for a small child  it was deliberately inadequate. The quality was also terrible there was a famine inside the prison, he told CNN, adding that dozens of prisoners fainted every day due to malnutrition.

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Thank God I got out of prison, he said.

A number of those released were immediately transferred to hospitals in Ramallah due to their health condition, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Media office.

Hamas got the message from Israel through Qatar to avoid the chaos we witnessed last Thursday, Gershon Baskin, a veteran Israeli negotiator who is often in touch with Palestinian colleagues, said in a statement. Hamas may be able to make a strong show of their control, but the people of Gaza have witnessed the destruction all around them and hold Hamas responsible, along with Israel of course.

There is no military victory over Hamas, that should be clear to all. The are no winners in this war. We have all lost, Bashkin added.

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Abeer Salman, Dana Karni, Tim Lister, Mohammed al-Sawalhi, Eugenia Yosef, and Khader Al-Zaanoun, a journalist with WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, contributed reporting.

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Jan. 31An Alamogordo man is accused of killing three relatives outside Mescalero before fleeing with his stepsister to Mississippi.

Kane Mayes, 27, and Cassandra Douglas, 28, are each charged with three open counts of murder and tampering with evidence in the shooting deaths of Mayes' relatives, Killian Mayes, 24, Mary Mouser, 79, and Victor Perera, 68.

Mayes is also facing one count of aggravated burglary and two counts of auto theft in the case.

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Douglas is behind bars at the Otero County Detention Center. Mayes was arrested by the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi.

On Jan. 22, officers responded to a call about a burnt body inside a car in the 100 block of Nogal Canyon Road in Bent. When they arrived, they found a vehicle flipped on its roof, "still smoldering." Inside were the bodies of Killian Mayes, Mouser, and Perera, according to a criminal complaint filed in Alamogordo Magistrate Court.

All three had been fatally shot before the vehicle was intentionally set on fire, police said.

Inside the home where Killian Mayes, Mouser and Perera lived, less than a mile from where the vehicle was, officers found a bullet hole in the kitchen and a trash bag in the laundry room that had a shell casing and a pair of bloodied jeans inside, the complaint states.

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Authorities said law enforcement learned Mayes and Douglas may have fled to Mississippi and officers there detained Douglas at a motel. Douglas initially denied being involved in the triple homicide and said she hadn't seen Kane Mayes.

Soon after, the complaint states, Douglas dropped off Kane Mayes at the police station and he denied being involved in the triple homicide. Deputies in Mississippi found several items in the vehicle Douglas and Kane Mayes drove there, including shell casings, ammunition and latex gloves.

After returning to Roswell, Douglas told officers she helped Kane Mayes clean up the blood in the kitchen, load the bodies into the vehicle, flip it over and set it on fire, according to the complaint.
A 16-year-old was killed in an Israeli drone attack in the city of Jenin in the West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Saturday.

Several others were injured, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The Israeli army said that a drone had attacked "armed terrorists in the Jenin area." The attack was part of the Israeli military operation in the city in the northern West Bank.

On January 21, Israel launched its largest military operation in Jenin in a long time. The city is considered a stronghold of militant Palestinians. Security forces of the Palestinian Authority had also been deployed there against extremists.

Israel took over the West Bank and East Jerusalem following the Six-Day War in 1967. Today, around 700,000 Israeli settlers live there among 3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians claim the territories are a state of their own, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as part of the celebration of his birthday by spending time with around 1200 children of the Safai Karmis of Guwahati at a programme held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalaskhetra on Saturday, a press release said. The children belonging to Valmiki Sangeet Vidyalaya presented cultural performances in honour of the Chief Minister. The cultural shows depicting Assam's rich cultural heritage including borgeet impressed one and all present there. Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma congratulated the children on their extraordinary displays and said, "You have projected the cultural diversity along with its beauty through your presentation". He on the occasion, thanked the functionaries of Valmiki Sangeet Vidyalaya for putting up cultural performances on the creation of Srimanta Sankardeva. CM Sarma paying his rich tributes said that Sankardeva worked to remove discrimination and propagated equality. The Chief Minister, therefore, said that the performances by the children displayed the tenets of equality. The eye-catching performances were also reflections of Assam's rich heritage. CM Sarma thanked the children for their extraordinary presentations and asked them to strive for excellence. He said that after two years they would be taken to New Delhi where they would get the opportunity to present their performances in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also asked them to be regular with their studies and maintain a perfect balance between their academic and cultural pursuits. CM Sarma also asked them to dream big and very dedicatedly pursue it to become great in life. Stating the increasing number of medical and engineering colleges along with universities in the state, he called upon the students to study seriously as they will get ample opportunities to fulfil their ambition after studying in institutions of higher education. The Chief Minister also announced an educational trip to Kaziranga National Park for all the students of Valmiki Sangeet Vidyalaya. The students will be taken to the National Park in batches so that they can enjoy the flora and fauna in the park and learn something new. He also asked students to write essays about their Kaziranga trip experiences as the best ones will be awarded, it added. Minister Water Resources, I&PR etc Pijush Hazarika, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) Assam Kshetra Pracharak Basistha Bujar Baruah and a host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion. (ANI)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP)  Israel on Saturday released a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for three Israeli hostages held in Gaza as the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas continued to gain traction after nearly two weeks.

In a sign of progress, Saturdays release included for the first time some of the 1,000 detainees from Gaza that Israel has agreed to free during Phase 1 of the deal on condition that they did not participate in Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

Detained in Gaza on suspicion of militancy, the 111 Palestinians released Saturday have been held without trial since the day after the Oct. 7 attack.

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The remaining 72 Palestinians, all arrested from either the West Bank or Gaza before the war, served long sentences or life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis. They are all men, ranging in age from 30 to 66.

The release of Palestinians from Gaza draws attention to Israels mass roundups of men in the enclave during the past 15 months of its military campaign against Hamas. Many were taken to Israel.

Images of Israeli forces rounding up Palestinians in Gaza  showing men stripped to their underwear, sitting or kneeling on the ground, with some bound and blindfolded  have raised concern from the U.N. human rights body. The Israeli military says it arrests those suspected of involvement in Hamas and other militant groups.

In the occupied West Bank, frenzied crowds thronged the Red Cross bus carrying the Palestinians from Israel's Ofer prison near Ramallah. Supporters lifted the 25 released prisoners into the air, crying, God is greater! and Victory to God!" Women wept as they pulled their long absent husbands into hugs.

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It's an indescribable feeling, and undoubtedly a mixed feeling, said Mohammad Kaskus, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for attacks against Israelis. "We've left our brothers behind in captivity, subject to torture, starvation, intimidation and abuse.

In response, the Israeli Prison Service said that all prisoners are detained according to the law and "all basic rights required are fully applied by professionally trained prison guards."

Another seven prisoners were being transferred to Egypt ahead of their deportation.

The rest arrived in a convoy to the European Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, where scores of relatives, friends and reporters awaited. The ex-prisoners stuck their heads out the dusty bus windows, waving excitedly to familiar faces in the crowds. Some grasped the outstretched hands of their loved ones who were hoisted onto shoulders of onlookers.

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Heres a look at some prominent Palestinian prisoners released since the ceasefire deal went into effect on Jan. 19:

Mohammed el-Halabi

The Palestinian manager of the Gaza branch of World Vision, a major Christian aid organization, was arrested in 2016 and accused of diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas in a high-profile case that drew criticism from rights groups. He was freed on Saturday.

Both el-Halabi, 47, and World Vision vigorously denied the allegations and independent investigations found no proof of wrongdoing. One independent audit found that el-Halabi had enforced internal controls and ordered employees to avoid anyone suspected of Hamas ties.

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World Vision has also said that the accusations that el-Halabi transferred 60% of the charitys annual budget for Gaza to Hamas could not be reconciled with its financial records.

Rights groups say el-Halabi was denied a fair and transparent trial, as he and World Vision had no chance to review the evidence against them, with all procedures shielded from the public and shrouded in unusual secrecy. U.N. experts say el-Halabi was questioned for 50 days without access to a lawyer. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Israel has attributed the closed hearings to sensitive security information being relayed. Israeli courts typically hold closed hearings to protect the sources of their information.

His prolonged detention sent a chill through nongovernmental groups providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza. After el-Halabis arrest, World Vision suspended its activities in Gaza, where it it says its aid had benefited nearly 40,000 children affected by the crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the enclave.

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Speaking to reporters and supporters in Khan Younis after his release, el-Halabi looked bony, almost haggard. He said he felt that, in using secret evidence to prolong his imprisonment, Israel exhibited the behavior of a gang, not a democratic state.

It's clear that they didn't like what we were doing, giving aid relief to people, he said. A heavyset man before his detention, el-Halabi said he lost 40 kilos (88 pounds) over his nine years in prison.

Shadi Amouri

Amouri, 44, from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, was arrested for his alleged role in manufacturing the powerful car bomb that detonated beside an Israeli bus packed with passengers on June 5, 2002, killing 17 Israelis in what became known as the Megiddo Junction suicide bombing.

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The attack during the second intifada, or Palestinian uprising, between 2000 and 2005, took place in northern Israel. The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.

Amouri was sentenced to life in prison, plus 20 years. He was among those transferred to Egypt Saturday and released into exile.

We wish to have felt the joy of his release here, on the land of Jenin refugee camp, said Bassam Amouri, his brother. But, thank God, what matters is that he is free of the suffering of prison.

Ashraf Abu Srour

Abu Srour, 50, sentenced to life in prison over a 2000 attack that killed Israeli soldier Shahar Veckart, was also among those released Saturday into exile.

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Hailing from Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Abu Srour was detained in 2001 and convicted the next year over the shooting at Rachels Tomb, the traditional burial place of the wife of the biblical patriarch Jacob. During the second intifada, the shrine became a target of Palestinian militants protesting Israels claim to the holy site revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

Abu Srour belonged to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade  an armed group affiliated with Fatah, the secular political party that controls the Palestinian Authority.

Zakaria Zubeidi

Zakaria Zubeidi is a prominent former militant leader and theater director whose dramatic jailbreak in 2021 thrilled Palestinians across the Middle East and stunned the Israeli security establishment.

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Zubeidi once led the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. After the second intifada in 2006, he co-founded a theater in his hometown of Jenin refugee camp, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, to promote what he described as cultural resistance to Israel. Even today, the Freedom Theater puts on everything from Shakespeare to 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 but caused no injuries.

Zubeidi, who was released Thursday into the West Bank, had been awaiting trial in prison. He denies the charges, saying that he gave up militancy to focus on his political activism after the intifada.

In 2021, he and five other prisoners tunneled out of a maximum-security prison in northern Israel, an escape that helped solidify Zubeidis image among Palestinians as a folk hero. All six were recaptured days later.

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Mohammed Abu Warda

A Hamas militant during the second intifada, Abu Warda helped organize a series of suicide bombings that killed over 40 people and wounded more than a hundred others. Israel arrested him in 2002, and sentenced him to 48 terms of lifetime imprisonment, among the longest sentences it ever issued.

As a young student, Abu Warda joined Hamas at the start of the intifada following Israels killing of Yahya Ayyash, the militant groups leading bomb maker, in 1996.

Palestinian authorities said at the time that Warda had helped to recruit suicide bombers  including his cousin, his cousins neighbor and a classmate at the Ramallah Teachers College  whose attacks targeting crowded civilian areas in Israeli cities killed scores of people in the early 2000s.

Warda was released and deported on Thursday.

Mohammed Aradeh, 42

An activist in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Aradeh was sentenced to life in prison for a range of offenses going back to the second intifada. Some of the charges, according to the Israeli Prison Service, included planting an explosive device and attempting murder.

He was credited with plotting the extraordinary prison escape in 2021, when he and five other detainees, including Zubeidi, used spoons to tunnel out one of Israels most secure prisons. They remained at large for days before being caught.

From an impoverished and politically active family in Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank, Aradeh has three brothers and a sister who have all spent years in Israeli prisons.

He was welcomed as a sort of cult hero in Ramallah on Jan. 25 as family, friends and fans swarmed him, some chanting The freedom tunnel! in reference to his jailbreak.

Mohammed Odeh, 52, Wael Qassim, 54, and Wissam Abbasi, 48

All three men hail from the neighborhood of Silwan, in east Jerusalem, and rose within the ranks of Hamas. Held responsible for a string of deadly attacks during the second intifada, the men were sentenced to multiple life sentences in 2002.

They were accused of plotting a suicide bombing at a crowded pool hall near Tel Aviv in 2002 that killed 15 people. Later that year, they were found to have orchestrated a bombing at Hebrew University that killed nine people, including five American students. Israel had described Odeh, who was working as a painter at the university at the time, as the kingpin in the attack.

All three were transferred to Egypt on Jan. 25. Their families live in Jerusalem and said they will join them in exile.

The Abu Hamid brothers

Three brothers from the prominent Abu Hamid family of the Al-Amari refugee camp in Ramallah  Nasser, 51, Mohammad, 44, and Sharif, 48  were also deported to Egypt on Jan. 25. They had been sentenced to life in prison over deadly militant attacks against Israelis in 2002.

Their brother, a different Nasser Abu Hamid, was one of the founders of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. He was also sentenced to life in prison for several deadly attacks. His 2022 death from lung cancer behind bars unleashed a wave of angry protests across the West Bank as Palestinian officials accused Israel of medical neglect.

The family has a long arc of Palestinian militancy. The mother, Latifa Abu Hamid, 72, now has three sons exiled, one still imprisoned, one who died in prison and one who was killed by Israeli forces. Their family house has been demolished at least three times by Israel, which defends such punitive home demolitions as a deterrent against future attacks.

Mohammad al-Tous, 67

Al-Tous had held the title of longest continuous Israeli imprisonment until his release last Saturday, Palestinian authorities said.

First arrested in 1985 while fighting Israeli forces along the Jordanian border, the activist in the Fatah party spent a total of 39 years behind bars. Originally from the West Bank city of Bethlehem, he was among the prisoners exiled on Jan. 25.
RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A 16-year-old Palestinian boy was among five killed on Saturday in Israeli airstrikes on Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, as a large-scale Israeli military operation there looks set to continue for a third week.

The Israeli military began raiding the city in the northern West Bank on Jan. 21, just two days after a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas came into effect.

Hundreds of Israeli soldiers, backed by the air force, have since engaged in gun battles with Palestinian militants in Jenin as they search for military weapons and equipment, Israel says.

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Asked whether a teenage boy had been killed in an airstrike, the Israeli military said the air force had struck "armed terrorists" in the Jenin area, declining further comment.

The Palestinian health ministry later said four others had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Jenin area. The Israeli military said in statement the air force had struck a vehicle "with terrorists inside" in the area of Jenin's Qabatiya.

At least 18 Palestinians, including six members of armed militant groups and a two-year-old girl, have been killed in Jenin and nearby villages during the operation, according to Palestinian officials.

The Israeli military said forces had killed at least 18 militants and detained 60 wanted individuals, dismantling more than 100 explosive devices and seizing a weapons-making workshop.

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Israeli officials have repeatedly said the country's enemy Iran smuggles weapons to West Bank militants and that the military is acting against the "Iranian axis".

Israel has not recently released any evidence to support its claims, and while Western officials do say Iran is smuggling weapons into the West Bank, some dispute how substantial it is.

In Jenin, dozens of houses have been demolished and roads in the refugee camp there have been dug up by armored Israeli bulldozers, driving thousands of people from their homes.

Water has been cut and Palestinian officials say that at least 80% of the camp's inhabitants have been forced to leave their homes.

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Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday the military would stay in Jenin until the military operation is complete, without saying when that would be.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem; Editing by Jan Harvey and Daniel Wallis)
Fire crews have reached a milestone in the devastating firestorm that rained embers and terror across Los Angeles County, achieving 100% containment of the Palisades and Eaton fires Friday evening.

But a long road to recovery looms ahead, with thousands of Angelenos left without homes, and entire neighborhoods left flattened.

Estimates of the total economic loss are more than $250 billion, which would make the fires one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. More than 124,000 individuals have registered for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' office.

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Read more: Estimated cost of fire damage balloons to more than $250 billion

Both blazes ignited on Jan. 7 and quickly exploded in size  fanned by fierce Santa Ana wind gusts and critically low humidity rates that prompted the National Weather Service to issue its most severe fire weather warning.

The Palisades fire went on to char 23,448 acres in the area of Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Over 6,800 structures were destroyed, including many residences and iconic businesses along Pacific Coast Highway and homes in the hills above. At least 12 people were killed.

The Eaton fire tore a path of destruction through 14,021 acres in and around Altadena and Pasadena, razing over 9,400 structures and claiming 17 lives. It took a heavy toll on the historically Black community of Altadena, where many families of color had used their homes to accumulate generational wealth.

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Read more: Against all odds, Black residents built something remarkable in Altadena. Then the fire came

Although the fires have been contained, massive piles of debris remain, as does the challenge of repopulating neighborhoods with crippled infrastructure and riddled with hazardous waste.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced an ambitious 30-day timeline to remove hazardous waste by establishing temporary debris processing sites near Topanga Canyon and Irwindale. Both sites have generated fierce resistance from local residents worried about the potential impacts on human and environmental health.

On Friday afternoon, Bass announced the planned reopening of Pacific Palisades to the general public, which has also upset residents, who are worried about toxic debris, looters and lookie-loos.

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While fire season has yet to come to an official end, a rainstorm next week is expected to help push the county closer to the precipitation levels needed to do so.

Read more: Three atmospheric river storms are headed for California. Will one be enough to end SoCals devastating fire season?

While the Palisades and Eaton fires were the most devastating blazes to ignite during January's severe fire weather, they were far from alone. The Lidia, Archer, Woodley, Sunset, Kenneth, Hurst and Auto fires collectively scorched almost 2,400 acres; all are also 100% contained. The Hughes fire ignited near Castaic Lake on Jan. 22 and quickly grew to over 10,000 acres before crews were able to reach 100% containment.

To battle the firestorm, regional fire crews were assisted by a massive outpouring of aid from fire departments across the country, as well as Mexico and Canada.

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Investigations into the causes of the two largest fires are ongoing.

In the case of the Eaton fire, officials are scrutinizing a Southern California Edison electrical transmission tower where videos showed what appeared to be a fire igniting. For the Palisades fire, investigators are focusing their efforts on a popular hiking trail where they believe an old fire was reignited or a new fire sparked on Jan. 7.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
After the devastating fires in Southern California, the wreckage left behind is posing dangers of its own, some residents say.

The Environmental Protection Agency is collecting debris, but the storage sites theyve chosen is raising concerns among some who live near those sites.

At the Topanga Ranch Motel in Malibu, some are worried the storage of dangerous items like lithium ion batteries for electric cars could endanger public health and hurt the nearby environment, leading to protests.

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Opponents like Alisa Land argue that while the site is close to the damage of the Palisades Fire, its also near people and fragile ecosystems on the coast and in the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Protesters argue that the EPA failed to provide advance notice and express concerns about potential environmental and health risks associated with the sites operations, the Malibu Times reports.

We are concerned of causing environmental damage for years to come. We ask for this placement to be reconsidered, she told KTLAs Omar Lewis.

Rusty Harris-Bishop of the EPA argues that this is a staging area and the items presence will be limited.

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We recognize that we are working in a sensitive area, but were also addressing burnt parcels that are on the ocean, so were collecting materials from throughout the fire footprint that have a direct impact on the environment, he said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
GRAVETTE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A Gravette firefighter is in critical condition following a motorcycle accident near Grove, Oklahoma, earlier this week.

On Jan. 29, 27-year-old Tylor Shambles was airlifted to a hospital in Joplin, Missouri, following the crash.

According to his wife, Shelby Shambles, Tylor was traveling home to Benton County when a side-by-side vehicle collided with him on Oklahoma Highway 10, causing him to be thrown off the roadway. He sustained serious head trauma in the accident.

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Bella Vista Friends of the Library served with eviction notice from city

The Gravette Fire Department is holding a pancake breakfast fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 8 a.m. at the fire department to support the Shambles family as Tylor recovers.

COURTESY: Gravette Fire Department COURTESY: Gravette Fire Department COURTESY: Gravette Fire Department COURTESY: Gravette Fire Department

The funds raised will go directly to the family, as Tylors recovery is expected to be lengthy. Tylor and Shelby have four young children.

The Gravette Fire Department released a statement via Facebook:

Tylor is a cherished member of our department and a loving family man. During this incredibly challenging time, we ask that you join us in uplifting Tylor, his family, and our entire fire department. Your support and prayers mean the world to us as we navigate this difficult situation together.

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Donations can also be made through Venmo, CashApp or PayPal, with links available on the Gravette Fire Departments Facebook page.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  United Christian Leadership and Ministry held a community and panel discussion Saturday afternoon on reforming the criminal justice system in Rochester and beyond.

Were having a conversation around prison reformation. The goal here today is to talk about  not the problem, the solution. The solution is that we need to be able to lend our voices together in order to make change happen, not only in this city. Not only in this community, but in this state of New York, said Van L. Smith Jr.

Officials spoke of the deadly beating of Robert Brooks in December, an inmate at the Marcy Correctional Facility who was in the middle of serving a 12-year sentence for assaulting his ex-girlfriend in Greece.

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What they did to Brooks  hes a slave, thats how they treat slaves, said one of Saturdays speakers. Murder, thats what it is.

Attorney General Letitia James released body camera footage from the correctional officers who officials said took part in the beating before removing her office from the investigation citing a conflict of interest.

James said the officers had not activated their body cameras, but they were still on and recorded in standby mode. As a result, a lot of it was cut, and audio was not captured.

Robert Brooks father calls prison beating evil, body camera footage an Act of God

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So far, a total of 17 employees have been issued Notices of Discipline and suspended without pay, according to DOCCS. Another employee resigned before the Notice of Discipline was issued, bringing the number of employees allegedly involved to 18.

Multiple investigations are underway, including by the FBI, as public officials have pushed for the terminations of those involved, a lengthy investigative process. Advocates have spoken out, criticizing the response, calling for the subsequent arrests of those involved.

Officials at the event echoed calls for change, as the history books repeat themselves.

Solutions should always be the end goal. Problems have always been there through our generations. That is the purpose of this meeting, so we can actually collectively put our thoughts together  put the word out because there is power in numbers. The more we can speak to the truth, the more the truth will actually shine through, said Ted Adams. From a trauma standpoint, which is under spoken  its imperative we know and speak about how our community is being traumatized and re-traumatized by some of these similar events thats been ongoing historically.

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The event was held at First Church of God on Clarissa Street and was sponsored by NOI Eastern Region Prison and Reform Ministry and community organizations. Bishop Dr. Dwight Fowler was among those who spoke.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
CAIRO (AP)  An attack on an open market in the Sudanese city of Omdurman by a paramilitary group killed 54 people and wounded at least 158, health authorities said Saturday.

The attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Sabrein Market was the latest in a series of deadly attacks in the escalated civil war that has wrecked the northeastern African country.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF, which has been battling the military since April 2023.

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Khalid al-Aleisir, minister of culture and government spokesperson, condemned the attack, saying that the casualties included many women and children. He said the attack caused widespread destruction.

This criminal act adds to the bloody record of this militia, he said in a statement. It constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

Sudans Doctors Syndicate said one mortar shell hit meters (yards) away from al-Naw Hospital, which received most of the market casualties. It said most of the bodies were of women and children, adding that the hospital has a significant shortage of medical teams, especially surgeons and nurses.

Chris Lockyear, secretary general of the Doctors Without Borders aid group, was at the hospital when casualties started arriving.

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There are dozens and dozens of people with devastating injuries, the morgue is full of dead bodies. What I see in front of me is a scene of utter carnage, yet another tragic example of this relentless war on people, he said.

A video posted on social media by correspondent Nezar Bogdawi from Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV showed multiple body bags numbered and lined up outside the hospital. The wounded being treated, some on the hospital floor, included a man with a chest wound, another with a leg injury, and a man with a head wound.

Sudan's army said in a statement late Saturday that its forces were able to expel the remnants" of the RSF from the areas of Rifa'a, Tambul, Al-Hilaliya and Al-Hasahisa in Gezeira.

Last week, about 70 people were killed in a RSF attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in the western region of Darfur.

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The conflict has killed more than 28,000 people, has forced millions to flee their homes and has left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine sweeps parts of the country.

It has been marked by gross atrocities including ethnically motivated killing and rape, according the United Nations and rights groups.

The International Criminal Court said it was investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The U.S. has accused the RSF and its proxies of committing genocide in the war.

In recent months the RSF has suffered multiple battlefield blows, giving the military the upper hand in the war. It has lost control of many areas in Khartoum, the capitals sister city of Omdurman, and the eastern and central provinces.

The military also regained control of the city of Wad Medani, the capital of Gezira province, and the country's largest oil refinery.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Now that Governor Bill Lees school voucher bill has passed, parents have questions about how itll work.

The Tennessee Education Freedom Act is waiting for the governors signature, then the majority of the bill will become law immediately.

There were high emotions this week at the State Capitol. Those on both sides of the issue made their case for and against school vouchers.

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Groups react to school voucher passage by TN lawmakers

People care a lot about this issue, whatever side they follow on, there is a lot of passion on this, Governor Lee said.

On Thursday, the proposed legislation passed in both the House and Senate after a four-day special session.

According to the terms of the bill, 20,000 total scholarships would be available. Parents in Tennessee can receive about $7,000 in public taxpayer money to send their children to a private school if they so choose.

Half of those scholarships will have an income limit.

I cant overstate how frustrating it isthat someones priority is to destroy public education, said Rep. John Ray Clemmons, (D-Nashville).

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There is disagreement on this, I respect the members who havent agreed with us on this, Governor Lee said.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

In Wilson County, leaders on both sides of the aisle made it very clear they were against school vouchers. Both the Wilson County school board and county commissioners signed separate resolutions against it.

This is the single most unifying issue in this community Ive seen, Jamie Farough, Wilson County School board member said during a recent school board meeting.

Earlier this month, the Wilson County school board held a public meeting with their state representatives to address their concerns. Despite the pushback, all three lawmakers voted for the bill.

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And now Tennessee is in a position where every single family can make the decision for their child, said Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), Speaker of the House.

But how soon can families make that decision? News 2 asked the governor that very question after the bill passed.

I cant speak on the details of that implementation, and we are already preparing in hopes this would happen today so we can have students enrolled in this school year, Lee said.

News 2 reached out to the Tennessee State Board of Education and asked when can parents begin applying for the program and what the application process looks like.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

In a statement, they wrote: We are working diligently to launch this program and provide access to Tennessee families when the law becomes effective once it is signed by the Governor. The first step in implementing the law is to promulgate rules to further elaborate the requirements of the law and program. The program will be ready to launch in time for students to enroll for the 2025-26 school year. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

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Please see current scholarship programs that are available to eligible TN families: Education Savings Account program and the Individualized Education Account program.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Parkland, Florida, high school shooting survivor and gun safety advocate David Hogg has double-barrel support to become the next Democratic National Committee vice chairman this weekend.

Prominent Democrats, including former vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and California Rep. Eric Swalwell, have come forward to support the 24-year-old, who quickly became an activist after the 2018 massacre at Floridas Stoneman Douglas High School left 17 people dead.

David Hogg represents exactly the kind of bold, dynamic and courageous leadership our party needs right now, Walz wrote on social media earlier this month. He has a unique ability to connect with the American people and to speak to the strengths of our party. I couldnt be happier to support him for DNC vice chair.

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Hogg graduated from Harvard University in 2023 where he studied the history of conservative politics, according to Time.

Liberals are organized the way that a bunch of 6-year-olds doing a group project together with a bunch of crayons are, he told Time in 2022. Conservatives are organized like SEAL Team Six.

Swalwell joined Waltz in backing Hogg as the right person to mobilize young liberals and moderates.

Im proud to endorse David Hogg for DNC vice chair because he has proven himself as one of the most fearless and effective organizers of his generations, he wrote online Friday.

Leaders from the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers also threw their support behind Hogg.

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Unsurprisingly, the National Rifle Association  which will likely find itself in Hoggs political crosshairs  says it doesnt think the March for Our Lives co-founder is the key to helping Democrats defeat Republicans in upcoming elections.

If losing elections is their goal, the DNC should take him up on it! that pro-gun group posted on Facebook.

The DNC votes Saturday to replace outgoing chairman Jaime Harrison. Before stepping away from his post, he told The Associated Press that Democrats should have stayed with 82-year-old incumbent Joe Biden rather than making former VP Kamala Harris its nominee to run against Trump in the presidential election.

Hogg told The Hill in December that he felt it was time for Democrats to focus on the partys younger supporters. He and March for Our Lives endorsed Harris after she entered the race in July.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hit out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday, alleging that the former Delhi Chief Minister blames Haryana for the Yamuna's condition to deflect attention from his failures. While addressing a public meeting in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kulwant Rana from the Rithala constituency, CM Dhami urged voters to support the BJP with a huge number of votes. CM Dhami said, "Kejriwal blames Haryana for the plight of Yamuna to hide his failure. Kejriwal should answer where the 8500 crores received for cleaning Yamuna go." "In Delhi, AAP and Congress are working to advance the agenda of appeasement and anti-national. Today Aam Aadmi Party has gone ahead of Congress in corruption. Tanker mafias have flourished in Delhi during the tenure of AAP, which came to power by promising free water. Today 40 percent of Delhi's population is dependent on tankers," he further said. Furthermore, CM Dhami said that Swati Maliwal, a woman MP of AAP, who promised safety to women, was beaten up in Sheeshmahal itself. He said that Kejriwal and his colleagues wrote the script of the liquor scam while sitting in Sheeshmahal during the Covid period. "Kejriwal's agenda is an insult to Sanatan Dharma. People should understand that AAP and Congress, who pretend to be different, are the same. Both these parties are partners of each other in corruption, appeasement and anti-Hinduism," he said. CM Dhami said, "These people who organise candle marches and protests on small incidents remain silent on the Hindu massacre in Bangladesh and support the tukde-tukde gang at Shaheen Bagh." He said that this time the wind of change is blowing in Delhi. This time the lotus will bloom in Delhi with a huge majority. This comes after AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday in a letter to the Election Commission raised serious allegations against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. He sent a written response to the Election Commission, demanding that a criminal case be filed against Nayab Singh Saini regarding the 'poisonous' Yamuna issue. Kejriwal claimed that the levels of ammonia contamination in the raw water being supplied to Delhi from Haryana were 'unprecedented and dangerously' high. In the letter, he claimed that the ammonia levels started increasing very sharply from 15 Jan onwards (around 3.2 ppm on 15 Jan) and reached 7 ppm a few days later. The AAP convenor stated that CM Atishi contacted the Haryana CM to resolve the crises; however, despite several attempts, the issues remained unresolved. "The Chief Minister of Delhi called up the Chief Minister of Haryana in the last week of December and requested him to either take steps to reduce ammonia or provide additional water to dilute it. Though CM Haryana assured me that he would take the necessary steps, however, he did not. Subsequently, CM Delhi again called him several times. After a few calls, CM Haryana stopped taking CM Delhi's calls," as stated in the letter. He alleged that a 'deliberate conspiracy' was made by the Haryana CM to influence the Delhi assembly election. "There was a deliberate conspiracy on the part of Haryana CM, who happens to be from BJP, to influence Delhi elections by sending highly polluted waters to Delhi. He knew very well that this would create artificial water scarcity in Delhi, whose blame would lie on the AAP government in Delhi. This would have rendered almost half of Delhi without water and would have created huge public misery for almost 10 million people of Delhi who would have gone without water," he said in the letter. He alleged bias, stating that instead of acting against Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, ECI is targeting him. "I am also shocked that the CEC did not pass any orders directing Haryana CM to stop polluting Delhi's waters right before elections. Rather, CEC chose to hound me," he added in a letter. Earlier Arvind Kejriwal levelled serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party, stating that the BJP-ruled Haryana government has "poisoned" the Yamuna water supplied to Delhi so that "people die" and the blame comes on the AAP. Delhi will go to the polls on February 5 and results will be declared on February 8. (ANI)
A passenger jet had to suddenly abort its landing at Reagan National Airport because of a helicopter in its flight path, just a day before an airliner and a military helicopter catastrophically collided in the same airspace, highlighting the complications of managing helicopter traffic around the busy Washington-area airport.

On Tuesday night, a Republican Airways Flight radioed air traffic controllers at Reagan about an alert they had received about helicopter traffic below us, prompting the tower to tell the twin-jet Embraer ERJ 175 jet to go around, The Washington Post reports.

They had to circle back around because there was a helicopter in the flight path, passenger Richard Hart told the newspaper of his experience on the flight. At the time I found it odd. ... Now I find it disturbingly tragic.

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Another flight from Charlotte into the airport had to abort for similar reasons on January 23.

The state of air traffic around Reagan is a key part of the investigation into the crash that occurred on Wednesday night, when an American Airlines regional jet inbound from Kansas collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, likely killing all 67 people onboard the aircraft.

The airspace is frequently used by military aircraft from nearby bases, and a specially dedicated air corridor exists above the nearby Potomac River for low-flying helicopters.

The corridor intersects with the lane commercial jets use to approach Reagan near runway 33, where the American flight and the helicopter collided.

Numerous military helicopters fly near Ronald Reagan National Airport, prompting officials to typically assign an air traffic controller just dedicated to helicopters each day (REUTERS)

The Federal Aviation Administration typically dedicates an air traffic controller just to helicopters in the area.

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The night of the crash, a supervisor at the airport reportedly allowed one of the two air traffic controllers on duty to quit early, leaving the tower with staff levels that were not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic, according to The New York Times.

The helicopter involved in the crash was at least 100 feet above its planned route, according to the paper.

Radio transmissions from the night of the crash reportedly detail how the lone controller warned the helicopter crew that it was coming too close to the passenger plane.

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have recovered black box flight data recorders from both the Black Hawk and the American flight.
Patti Smith has spoken out following her mid-performance collapse on a stage in Sao Paolo, Brazil, earlier this week, calling reports of her ill-health grossly exaggerated.

Smith was performing with the Berlin group Soundwalk Collective on Tuesday when she suddenly collapsed on the stage. She reportedly lay there for several minutes before medical staff helped her into a wheelchair and off-stage. A while later, Smith returned to the stage in the wheelchair to inform the crowd the show would be cut short. Unfortunately, I got sick, and the doctor said I cant finish, she told the crowd. So we will have to figure something out. And I feel very badly.

On Jan. 29, Soundwalk Collective posted a statement offering further context. Patti has suffered from an intense migraine the past couple of days and had some dizziness on stage, but she still wanted to be there for all of us and you and perform today, the statement read.

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Speaking to The Associated Press on Thursday, Smith assured fans, Im fine. You can hear Im fine. The whole thing has been grossly exaggerated. Smith added that a statement she posted on Instagram addressing the incident speaks for itself.

Related: Olympic Swimmer Collapses, Taken Away on a Stretcher After Competing in Heat

This is letting everyone know that I am fine, Smiths post read alongside a selfie of her smiling and waving to the camera. A grossly exaggerated account is being spread by the press and social media. I had some post-migraine dizziness. Had a small incident, left the stage, and returned 10 minutes later and talked to the people, told them I was fine, and sang them Wing and Because the Night.

Smith continued: I was checked out by an excellent doctor and was absolutely fine. Please do not accept any other story. With all the strife in the world, this explainable incident does not merit so much attention. Thank you everyone for your concern. Trust me I am fine.

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This isnt the first time a medical emergency has precluded Smith from performing. In December 2023, Smith was forced to cancel the remainder of an eight-date Italian tour after falling ill with a sudden illness. Local health officials told The Los Angeles Times that Smith spent "a short period of observation in emergency [observation]," before being released in good health conditions.
BOSSIER CITY, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Providence Classical Academy held a ribbon cutting to unveil their new school building, the Scotty Moran School of Rhetoric.

We started 20 years ago with 17 students, and now 20 years later, we have 670 students, and this building is going to house our high school, so itll house about 300 students, said Howard Davis, head of school for Providence Classical Academy.

The ribbon cutting featured Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler, and honoree Scotty Moran, who has donated to and supported PCA for over a decade.

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We both are very strong Christians and just believe very strongly on our youth nowadays in the world and where its going. We support the youth, and we support the military very strongly, so those are two things we really believe in helping said Espe Moran, wife to Scotty Moran.

Student artists invited to submit artwork to hang in U.S. Capitol, Speaker Johnsons office

PCA says they provide life-shaping education using classical methods, in the context of Christ-centered discipleship, to students in grades K4  12.

The classical teaching is grammar, logic, and rhetoric. And while theyre young, you know and your kids are growing, they are sponges. And so, you need to learn how to incorporate music and memorization a lot, and they cant go wrong, said Espe Moran.

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Speaker Mike Johnson says all his children attended the school and he once worked as an adjunct faculty member and board member.

To come to what is now the premiere facility in all of north Louisiana and probably in the state because of gods blessing over everything thats happened here. And the vision for high-quality classical Christian education is taking hold around the country, said Speaker Mike Johnson.

Bossier City Mayor Tommy Chandler also had a personal connection with his daughter now a senior at PCA.

Providences primary focus is not on building buildings, but on rather building children. Children that are strong in their faith and children that leave here prepared, prepared to be able to compete and to be a light as they leave here to make a difference in our community and our world, said Mayor Chandler.

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Bossier Citys Mayor Chandler to serve four more years

The School of Rhetoric is open with new additions coming such as a gym, courtyard, and sporting facility.

We opened up the building to about eight teachers, and so we have, every high school student has at least one class in it, and we especially wanted to open it for our seniors, whove been through so much. As you grow a school theres so many ups and downs, but they stuck with us and they are really amazing kids, said Davis.

Espe Moran says God has blessed her family and she is just giving back to the kingdom.

Whatever you give, god will give 10 times in return. And we just hope that when its our time to go home that somebody will step up to the plate and keep this school going, said Moran.

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Pacific Palisades is reopening to the public this weekend, a move hailed by proponents as an important development in the recovery process, but condemned by some local residents and officials who fear it's still too soon to allow wide access into the fire-ravaged area.

The California National Guard will withdraw from all checkpoints in Pacific Palisades by 8 a.m. Sunday, meaning the previously closed portions of the neighborhood will be open for general access, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

Pacific Coast Highway will also reopen to the public at 8 a.m. Sunday, with a 25-mph speed limit in place and traffic limited to one lane in each direction between McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu to allow repair work to continue. The California Highway Patrol will be on hand to assist with public safety and traffic flow.

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While there will no longer be any ID requirements for access on the highway, officials are asking only those with essential business in the area to use PCH.

"We are making sure that the Palisades will be safe as residents access their properties with their insurance adjusters, contractors, tow trucks, moving trucks and more, Bass said in a statement. If you do not need to be in the Palisades, dont be."

Read more: 'The process of healing can begin': Pacific Palisades fully reopens to residents

During a webinar with Bass on Friday, Pacific Palisades residents did not voice opposition to reopening PCH, but they took issue with the general public returning to areas devastated by the Palisades fire  voicing concerns about toxic pollution, public safety, looting and lookie-loos.

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L.A. City Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the Palisades and several Westside neighborhoods; and Steve Soboroff, whom Bass appointed as the citys chief recovery officer two weeks ago, both called the decision to reopen the area premature.

I dont agree that the Pacific Palisades should be reopened to the general public, Park said during the webinar. I just personally don't think that we're anywhere near ready for that.

Bass, however, called the move an important step forward in the rebuilding process, and assured residents that the Los Angeles Police Department would be visibly and robustly deployed in the area to prevent crime.

Read more: In walking tour, L.A. mayor and recovery czar pledge a revived Pacific Palisades

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LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said reopening the area is necessary because the city had been on tactical alert since the start of the L.A. County firestorm on Jan. 7. The department, he said, needs to be able to evenly spread resources to other parts of the city.

He emphasized that a heavy police presence will remain in the Palisades after it reopens, with six supervisors and 66 officers present in the area for every 12-hour shift  more than 10 times the typical pre-fire deployment.

There will be police pretty much everywhere driving around the Palisades streets, McDonnell said.

But those promises did little to assuage the concerns of residents or their City Council member, who openly clashed with the mayor during the webinar.

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Read more: What  or who  started the Palisades fire? Two leading theories emerge as investigation intensifies

Park also nodded her head in agreement during the meeting when a commenter said its difficult to call 911 from some areas of the Palisades because cellphone service is out.

Soboroff, who did not participate in the webinar, said he wasn't aware of Bass' decision until he was asked about it by a Times reporter afterward. He said he thought the presence of police and private security could help lessen the risk of criminal activity, but he had deep concerns about reopening the area while hazardous waste material was still being removed.

I dont see the benefit of opening everything up to everybody, Soboroff said later Friday afternoon.

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After Bass spoke, anger and discontent convulsed through the webinar chat box, where residents could ask questions. Dozens of people voiced their agreement with Park and fears about reopening the neighborhood.

I have a house that is partially burned with broken front and back doors. It is not secure, though we are trying to secure it and remove our belongings as soon as possible. How am I to feel assured that our home and its contents are safe when the general public can access it? one woman asked.

Read more: The start of the Palisades and Eaton fires: 24 hours that changed Los Angeles

Why would we want people wandering through the remains of our lives, posting Instagram stories for their own personal gain, dining out on our misery? Please dont open the Palisades to the public; there is nothing there for the public  no stores, restaurants, etc., another implored.

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Bass and law enforcement officials pointed out that other fire-damaged areas have already reopened. Both the Eaton and Palisades fires are now 100% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"The rest of the county is already open  Topanga, Malibu, Altadena  those areas are open and have been open for a while," Bass said.

Park told the The Times that she didn't think it was appropriate for any fire zone to be open to the public at this point.

With all due respect to the mayor and the LAPD, I don't think anyone should be in there  Palisades or Altadena  that doesn't have a legitimate reason to be there," she said. "We do not need to have our roadways clogged up with people who are curiosity seekers, who are lookie-loos getting in the way of and taking space away from legitimate work."

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She also voiced concerns about health hazards from toxic fire debris, noting that officials at the checkpoints are currently handing residents personal protective equipment to wear, but soon anyone will be able to enter the neighborhood without such gear. She said that the rain forecast for next week only heightens these concerns.

I have a toxic wasteland larger than Manhattan sitting on top of hillsides feet from the ocean with an atmospheric river [storm] on the way, Park said. The EPA only has barely begun its process of removing hazardous materials."

Sue Kohl, president of the Pacific Palisades Community Council, said she found out about the reopening only through the webinar and agrees that it's too soon.

Many Palisades residents haven't even been able to return to their neighborhoods to go through the debris on their property, she said, and are telling her, "We dont want it opened up until we have a chance to go back.

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Read more: Altadena reopens to reveal devastated homes  but a community still standing

Gov. Gavin Newsom said CHP officers would be stationed every half-mile along PCH to protect motorists, traffic flow and public safety.

As the Pacific Coast Highway reopens, our top priority is ensuring the safety of everyone returning to this community," he said in a statement, adding that he had ordered the National Guard to remain on standby, should any issues arise.

L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who also represents the area, said the county has worked "diligently and with all deliberate speed" to safely reopen PCH.

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This reopening is a step forward in our recovery for communities that endured both the Palisades and Franklin fires," she said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Horvath said the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and California Department of Transportation would also monitor the area for roadway hazards during next week's rains.

Read more: Three atmospheric river storms are headed for California. Will one be enough to end SoCals devastating fire season?

"Thank you to our Sheriffs Department and Caltrans for their work to put appropriate safety and traffic control measures in place to make this reopening possible," Horvath said.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is forecast in Los Angeles County from Tuesday through Thursday, and much of the region will see up to 1 inches of precipitation, forecasters say.

The wet weather carries a risk of triggering mudslides and flooding in recent burn areas.

When rain falls at a rate of half an inch or more an hour, water can start flowing on the surface downhill instead of soaking into the ground and can pick up rocks and debris. Burn scars are at particular risk because intense heat can make soil water-repellent, while the loss of vegetation can mean there arent enough roots to hold the soil in place.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Vitalii Hnidyi

POLTAVA, Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukrainian military pensioner Ihor Yavorskyi spent all day Saturday at the site of a Russian missile attack to discover what he presumed was the inevitable -- identifying the bodies of three family members he was certain were killed in the strike.

Yavorskyi, 61, stood together with other anxious residents alongside rubble in the central Ukrainian city of Poltava. All were waiting patiently as emergency crews retrieved the bodies of victims from part of an apartment block reduced to rubble in the assault.

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Each time, he rushed over to crews carrying victims on stretchers to examine bodies being brought past. But none of those recovered so far were those of his son Dmytro, 37, daughter-in-law Alyona, 38, and granddaughter Sofia, aged nine.

"My son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are here," Yavorskyi said. "They've been killed here, all three of them. Within a second."

Yavorskyi, a veteran of the military, was assuming the worst. The family lived on the first (U.S. second) floor of the apartment and rescuers told him they had detected no signs of life in the rubble of a collapsed entrance to the building.

"No, again, that's not it," he said after hurriedly checking a new victim being brought out. "That's an elderly person. It's not him."

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Around him, crews clambered up and down vast piles of smouldering rubble and made their way through twisted metal and debris. Cranes shifted slabs of concrete out of the way to enable rescuers to sift through the mounds.

Yavorskyi, clad in a simple green raincoat and woollen hat against the damp and cold, lost patience.

"Right from the very collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, he had a single goal -- to destroy our great country, Ukraine," he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"That's why I want all of Russia die along with Putin. Everyone will now hate them all for 100 years. He will never stop. Not until he destroys all of Ukraine."

(Reporting by Vitalii Hnidyi, Editing by Serhiy Karazy, Ron Popeski and Diane Craft)
The Pentagon will replace some large media outlets that have long had desks inside the Pentagon.

Outlets like NBC News and The New York Times will lose their space.

It's part of a "rotation program" that allows different media outlets to work from the Pentagon.

The Defense Department said it is implementing a new "annual media rotation program," which means some legacy media outlets  like The New York Times and NBC News  will lose their longtime Pentagon workspaces to a slate of new publications.

In a major shake-up for the Pentagon's "Correspondents' Corridor," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Ullyot announced in a memo to the Pentagon Press Association that The New York Times, NBC, National Public Radio, and Politico would all have to vacate their office space in the building.

The sought-after space will be offered instead to The New York Post, Breitbart News, One America News Network, and The Huffington Post.

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The changes  which the memo said were intended to "broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents' Corridor"  are set to take effect on February 14.

"Each year, one outlet from each press medium  print, online, television, and radio  that has enjoyed working from a physical office in the Pentagon will rotate out of the building to allow a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps," the memo read.

NEW: NBC News, New York Times, NPR and Politico kicked out of their office space at the Pentagon.



Replaced with One America News, New York Post, Breitbart and HuffPost News.



A new yearly rotating effort to allow new outlets to be a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps. pic.twitter.com/UrzVP8Agl5  Kellie Meyer (@KellieMeyerNews) February 1, 2025

Ullyot also said in the memo that access to the Pentagon would remain unchanged for the publications that have been removed from their traditional office spaces.

"They will continue to enjoy the same media access to the Pentagon and will be able to attend and cover briefings and be considered for travel with civilian and military leaders in the Department as they have previously," the memo read.

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In a statement to Business Insider, NPR urged the Department of Defense to "expand the offices available to press" at the Pentagon.

"This decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership, and with NPR's public interest mission to serve Americans who turn to our network of local public media stations in all 50 states," the statement read.

New York Times spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander told BI that the newspaper is "committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly."

"This move to expel the Times and other independent, fact-based news outlets from the Pentagon's press spaces is a concerning development," Stadtlander said. "Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest."

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NBC News said in a statement it was "disappointed" by the decision.

"Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has," the outlet said.

In January, the Senate narrowly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaker after three Republicans joined every Democrat in rejecting his nomination  a significant departure from the broad support that the GOP-controlled Senate has so far granted to most of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees.

The outlets who will have to vacate their Pentagon workspaces all covered Hegseth's tumultuous confirmation process, during which he faced questions about alcohol abuse and sexual assault accusations stemming from a 2017 incident.

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Hegseth, who was sworn into his new role on January 25, has denied the allegations.

The Defense Department's move also comes as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced earlier this week that the Trump administration would be granting access to the White House press briefing room to "new media"  which includes TikTok content creators and podcasters.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Pentagon expects to send two flights of migrants to Guantanamo Bay this weekend, the first step in President Donald Trump's plans to use the the base for detaining people swept up in his crackdown on illegal immigration.

The final details are still getting worked out, according to two defense officials, but the planes likely will join another one headed to Peru as the military seeks to enact Trumps orders to deport thousands of people in the country illegally.

The military has flown eight flights so far  including four to Guatemala, three to Honduras and one to Ecuador  all using military aircraft. But this is the first time migrants would head to the base in Cuba, which presents a unique set of legal and logistical challenges.

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Trump issued an executive order Wednesday that instructs the Pentagon and Homeland Security Department to use the base for migrants. Defense officials have been scrambling since to come up with a plan to house up to 30,000 people, far more than the 780 detainees who stayed in a base detention camp during the peak of the war on terror.

This gives the military another costly, short-notice mission as officials also seek to meet a separate Trump order for more troops at the southern border.

The officials were granted anonymity to speak to an evolving situation.

Tom Homan, Trumps border czar, said Wednesday that ICE would be in charge of an expanded facility on Guantanamo, although details are still unclear. The military has traditionally assisted with guarding people housed at the base but not at this scale.

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The base is intended to serve as a transit hub for migrants on the way to their home countries, although its not clear whether they will be able to easily return.

The bases detention facilities were designed to hold migrants the Coast Guard picked up at sea. A small group of people, mostly Haitian and Cuban refugees, are currently housed at Guantanamos Migrant Operations Center.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Pentagon is readying orders for the deployment of at least 1,000 additional active duty troops to bolster President Donald Trump's expanding crackdown on immigration, U.S. officials said Friday.

They said roughly 500 more soldiers  largely a headquarters unit from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York  will be sent to the southwest border. And about 500 Marines will go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where some of the detained migrants will be held.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because announcements have not been made, said there have been ongoing discussions about the deployments and the numbers could increase if additional details are worked out.

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The Pentagon has been scrambling to put in motion Trumps executive orders signed shortly after he took office on Jan. 20. The first group of 1,600 active duty troops deployed to the border last week.

The deployments reflect Trump's determination to expand the military's role in his campaign to shut down the border and send detained migrants back to their home countries.

Troops going to the border are expected to help put in place concertina wire barriers and provide needed transportation, intelligence and other support to the Border Patrol. Troops going to Guantanamo could help prepare the facility for an influx of migrants and do other support duties.

Speaking on Fox and Friends on Friday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believes the U.S. can get thousands of individuals in tents, secured in places at Guantanamo Bay.

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But he also said theres the possibility that hardened criminals or violent gang members could also be housed there. As a result, he said the Defense Department is preparing detention facilities at Guantanamo that are basically supermax prisons to be used to hold them temporarily.

Officials have been saying all week that there are likely to be additional troop deployments to help secure the southern border  potentially rolling out rapidly in the coming days. The eventual total deployed could be as many as 10,000.

Before Trump returned to the White House, there were already about 2,500 Guard and Reserve forces consistently deployed to the border. Officials noted that given the length of the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico, it will take additional forces to help put large rolls of concertina wire barriers in place and provide support to the Border Patrol.

The roughly 1,100 Army soldiers and 500 Marines ordered to deploy to the border last week have all arrived in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, and many have already begun work.

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Separately, the U.S. military is providing military aircraft for Department of Homeland Security deportation flights for more than 5,000 detained migrants. At least some of those are expected to go to the detention center at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay.

Trump on Wednesday said his administration planned to send the worst criminal aliens to Guantanamo. He ordered the Pentagon to prepare to hold up to 30,000 migrants. He said some of the migrants cant be trusted to stay in their home countries once they are sent back.

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.

This is not the first time migrants would be held at Guantanamo. U.S. authorities have detained migrants intercepted at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Center, including people from Haiti and Cuba.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense will no longer use official resources, including man hours, to host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months, it said in guidance issued on Friday.

It said service members and civilians are allowed to attend these events in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours.

The Pentagon added that installations, units and offices are encouraged to celebrate "the valor and success of military heroes" of all races, genders and backgrounds.

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"Our unity and purpose are instrumental to meeting the Department's warfighting mission," the department said.

"Efforts to divide the force  to put one group ahead of another  erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution," it said.

The guidance came after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation for Black History Month in which he called upon public officials, educators, librarians, and "all the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities."

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Chris Reese)
The arrested accused was identified as Mahesh Kumar Choudhary posted as Seppar (Sepoy) at Engineering Store Depot ( ESD), Kanikinara, North 24 Parganas.

Investigation revealed his involvement in the instant case as the kingpin of a racket involved in preparing domicile certificates of West Bengal based on forged certificates, the agency said in a press release.

The investigation also revealed that he has collected huge amounts of money from the candidates directly as well as through middlemen.

CBI had registered the instant case in compliance of order dated 02.08.2023 passed by the High Court of Calcutta against two named accused persons including the arrested accused and unknown others on the allegations that undeserving candidates had received appointment illegally in Central Para Military Forces (CAPFs) on the basis of forged and unauthenticated documents showing that candidates were residents of West Bengal including bordering district or Naxal affected districts, the release stated.

Subsequent to the registration of the case, searches were conducted by CBI at multiple locations and the arrest was made.

The arrested accused was produced before the CBI Court No 1 Alipore and has been sent him to police custody for five days. (ANI)
Someone in Ohio won over $180,000 with a Rolling Cash 5 lottery ticket in Friday nights drawing.

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A person in Cincinnati won the $187,000 jackpot with all five of the winning Rolling Cash 5 numbers.

TRENDING STORIES:

The winning ticket was sold at the Kroger located at 9939 Montgomery Rd in Cincinnati, according to the Ohio Lottery.

The winning numbers were 2, 3, 11, 19, and 21.

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Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has refused to rule out military action in Mexico, saying that all options will be on the table when dealing with foreign terrorist organizations.

Hegseth warned on Fox News that there would be a shift in military focus toward the securing of Americas borders and the protection of civilians.

On his first day in office Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican cartels and other criminal organizations as foreign terrorists, in an effort to apply pressure on Mexico to control its illegal drug trade.

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The order also gives the administration more power to impose economic penalties and travel restrictions, as well as potentially to even take military action in foreign countries.

Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has refused to rule out military strikes in Mexico, saying that all options are on the table (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Asked on Friday if the order granted him the power to go after the cartels in Mexico or wherever they are, Hegseth replied: I don't want to get ahead of the president, and I won't.

That's ultimately going to be his decision, but let me be clear, all options will be on the table if we're dealing with what are designated to be foreign terrorist organizations who are specifically targeting Americans on our border.

He continued: We're finally securing our border. We've been securing other people's borders for a very long time. The military is orienting, shifting toward an understanding of homeland defense on our sovereign territorial border.

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Hegseth added: That is something we will do and do robustly.

In a separate executive order, also signed Monday, Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico, allowing the National Guard and military personnel to be sent to the border.

On his first day in office Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican cartels and other criminal organizations as foreign terrorists (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Americas sovereignty is under attack, the order stated. Our southern border is overrun by cartels, criminal gangs, known terrorists, human traffickers, smugglers, unvetted military-age males from foreign adversaries, and illicit narcotics that harm Americans, including America.

Two days later, CNN reported that the president had ordered thousands of active duty troops to the southern border to help Customs and Border Protection in the area.The soldiers will not be authorized to conduct arrests, seize drugs or interact with migrants aside from transporting them to other facilities, according to the outlet.

The troops are expected to help in command-and-control centers, aid in air operations and provide additional intelligence specialists to assess threats and migrant flows, CNN reported.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wont rule out military action in Mexico to prevent drugs from crossing Americas southern border amid the Trump administrations renewed effort to crack down on transnational crime.

Speaking with Fox News on Friday night, the former network host said all options will be on the table after President Donald Trump signed an executive order designating certain international cartels (the Cartels) and other organizations as foreign terrorist organizations.

As Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade put it to Hegseth, If they continue to fire at our border patrol, and if they continue to pour fentanyl into our country, as secretary of defense, are you permitted now to go after them in Mexico or wherever they are?

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Hegseth responded, I dont want to get ahead of the president, and I wont. Thats ultimately going to be his decision, but let me be clear: all options will be on the table if were dealing with what are designated to be foreign terrorist organizations who are specifically targeting Americans on the border.

He added, Were finally securing our border. Weve been securing other peoples borders for a very long time. The military is orienting, shifting toward an understanding of homeland defense on our sovereign territorial border.

Hegseth said that the U.S. military intends to pursue these goals robustly, and should the cartels continue to pour people, gangs and drugs and violence into our country, we will take that on.

He added, Ultimately, we will hold nothing back to secure the American people.

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Trumps day one executive order has called for the Pentagon to mobilize roughly 1,500 active-duty soldiers to further bolster Defense Department and border patrol officials already at the U.S.-Mexico border.

It is, however, unclear at this stage whether the Trump administration has any designs for an actual incursion into the nations southern neighbor, given the likely severe international blowback and extreme danger posed to U.S. civilians by any prospect of all-out violence in Americas borderlands.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the White House also pushed on with imposing tariffs of 25 percent on the flow of goods into the U.S. from Mexico and Canadaa move designed to further curtail cartel activity, but which economists have said threaten to seriously drive up the price of products coming in from abroad.
CLAY COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) Change is on the horizon for residents of Petrolia and Byers after the towns fell victim to a string of car burglaries.

Just days ago, both Petrolia and Byers were quiet. Three days later, the tune changed thanks to seven car burglaries over three days. According to resident Cody Ballick, no car was off-limits.

Gold-Burg ISD resolves gas leak, school planned to resume Tuesday

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Some cars being open, some busted into, busted locks, windows, taking just random change or junk or sometimes just leaving valuables, Ballick said. Kind of almost weird. As if theyre looking for something, I guess. Maybe.

The string of burglaries caught the town off guard. Most residents keep their cars in the street or in a carport. Until two days ago, residents like Virginia Heinen never had to worry about anybody breaking into their cars.

At 6 oclock, my door was open, towards the street, and everything had been rummaged through. Glove boxes, center consoles, everything was just thrown, Heinen said.

In some cases, valuable items were taken from cars. In one case, a radio was stolen. In the case of the truck belonging to Tiffany Halls husband, power tools were the prize. The truck, left open, tipped Hall off that someone had broken in.

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Some tools, his charger. His truck was open, Hall said.

According to Sheriff Horton with Clay County, most of the cars hit were unlocked out of the seven burglaries.

I leave my cars unlocked, Heinen said. I mean, this is a pretty safe neighborhood up until just a few days ago, you know? So, I mean, its not uncommon for people to leave their vehicles unlocked.

Petrolia residents are left wondering what to do next to keep their valuables safe. Whether simply remembering to lock their car or installing doorbell cameras, they wont be caught with their guard down again.

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A medical jet carrying a young girl, her mother and four crew members crashed into a busy residential area of northeast Philadelphia, erupting in a fireball and killing everyone aboard.

The Learjet 55 aircraft plunged from the sky moments after taking off around 6:10 p.m. from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed near the Roosevelt Mall Friday.

The six passengers and crew have been identified. One person who was in a nearby car also died in the crash bringing the death toll to seven.

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As of Sunday, 22 people were injured, five of whom were hospitalized  three in critical condition, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said.

An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with officials finding the planes black box eight feet underground at the wreckage site, the National Transportation Safety Board announced Sunday.

The crash happened just two days after a deadly mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane above Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. There were no survivors.

Aerial footage shows a gaping crater and debris scattered across the street in the aftermath of the high-impact Philadelphia plane crash. Six people were killed in the Friday wreck (via REUTERS)

What happened?

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

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The plane disappeared from radar less than a minute after taking off and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet. It was reportedly airborne for only about 40 seconds and fell from the sky at around 11,000 feet per minute.

Harrowing footage showed a large mushroom-shaped fireball shooting into the sky upon the planes impact, which damaged at least 11 homes and several vehicles.

All six of those on board the flight were Mexican nationals, officials confirmed.

The child, a girl who was being treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, was returning to Mexico where she is from. The flight's final destination was to be Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

According to the FAA, the plane departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6.06 p.m., en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri (The Independent)

Audio from air traffic control, obtained by CNN, reported a lost aircraft shortly after takeoff.

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The two-engine jet came down in a high traffic residential neighborhood in the northeast section of the city, with the explosion captured from multiple angles by cellphones, ring doorbells and dash cams. Eyewitnesses said the sky was lit up by the explosion.

The black box from the medical jet was found eight feet underground at the crash site, the NTSB announced Sunday. The device  also known as a cockpit voice recorder  remained in decent shape, sources told WPVI. The planes enhanced ground proximity warning system, which may contain flight data, was also found, the NTSB said.

Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia Adam Thiel said that there may still be people that have been impacted by the crash that are not known about.

"We are still not sure exactly how many families were displaced," Thiel told CBS News Sunday. "It is possible there are still people who were affected by this event  affected by that crash that we don't know about.

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After initial road closures, the outer lanes of Roosevelt Boulevard have been reopened in both directions, according to a statement from the Philadelphia mayors office on Sunday. Cottman Avenue remains closed due to the NTSBs active investigation into the cause of the crash.

Who was on the air ambulance flight?

Pilot Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Jurarez died in the crash (Supplied)

There were at least six people on board, including a child who had just completed her treatment for a life-threatening condition, her mother and four others.

A spokesperson for Rescue Air Ambulance, who was operating the flight, disclosed the identities of the travelers to CBS News on Sunday.

They include patient Valentina Murillo, her mother Lizeth Ozuna, captain Alan Perales, his co-pilot Josue Juarez, Dr. Raul Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Padilla, who both provided care for the little girl.

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Rescue Air Ambulance spokeswoman Shai Gold said this was a seasoned crew and everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.

"When an incident like this happens, it's shocking and surprising," Gold told The Associated Press. "All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical."

Rescue Air Ambulance, which is registered in the U.S. and Mexico, and describes itself as Mexico's leading, largest and most experienced air ambulance service, and reportedly specializes in the transportation of pediatric patients.

Its fleet includes 10 Learjets and one AirBus helicopter. All of the air ambulance jets are equipped with the most modern equipment available for air medical transport.

What has President Donald Trump said?

The crash left 22 other people injured and killed one person on the ground ( Copyright 2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer)

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Following the crash President Donald Trump lamented the loss of more innocent souls on Truth Social.

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost, he wrote. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

The president was reportedly briefed by newly confirmed Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, who said he had also spoken to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

Duffy said on Monday that he planned to visit the crash site.

I am on my way to Philadelphia to meet with local officials and investigators. Later today, I will be back at Reagan National airport as crews pull wreckage from the water.  Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 3, 2025

In his statement on X, Shapiro said he had spoken with the Philadelphia mayor and local law enforcement, and was offering all Commonwealth resources.

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In a press conference later on Friday night, Shapiro hailed one Philly and offered his thoughts and prayers for all those who are grieving.

What were seeing here is a unified response to an awful aviation disaster, he said. But as awful as that awful aviation disaster was, tonight we saw the best of Philly  neighbor helping neighbor.

He added: We know there will be loss in this region and we want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those who are grieving.

Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Consulate in Philadelphia have contacted the victims families.

I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, Pardo said in a social media statement Saturday morning. My solidarity to their loved ones and friends.
The black box has been recovered from the medical jet that crashed in northeast Philadelphia on Friday, killing seven people, including all six passengers on board.

The device was found eight feet underground at the crash site near the Roosevelt Mall, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Sunday evening. The black box  also known as a cockpit voice recorder  remained in decent shape, sources told WPVI. The planes enhanced ground proximity warning system, which may contain flight data, was also recovered, the NTSB said.

The Learjet 55 aircraft crashed on Friday night shortly after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at around 6:10 p.m., plowing into a residential area and setting off at least six house fires. The six passengers, including a sick child, traveling on the mid-size air ambulance have been identified.

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Captain Alan Perales and co-pilot Josue Juarez were flying the aircraft, which was transporting the young patient Valentina Murillo and her mother Lizeth Ozuna to Tijuana, Rescue Air Ambulance, who was operating the flight, told CBS News.

Dr. Raul Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Padilla were also on board to care for Murillo, who had just completed life-saving treatment at Shriners Childrens Hospital.

Key Points

Black box found eight-feet underground at crash site

All crew and passengers of Learjet 55 identified

Pediatric patient and her mom among the seven killed in fiery Philadelphia plane crash

Everything we know about the Learjet air ambulance crash in Philadelphia

Five bystanders hospitalized, three in critical condition

10:57 , James Liddell

Five of the 22 people injured on the ground when the Learjet 55 crashed near the Roosevelt Mall on Friday are in hospital, according to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker.

Three of those are in critical condition, she said.

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None of the six people on board the medical jet survived. An additional person on the ground was also killed  bringing the death toll to seven, officials said.

Police work to reopen roads

10:25 , James Liddell

Philadelphia Police have been working to reopen roads around the crash site.

The outer lanes of the Roosevelt Boulevard have been reopened in both directions, according to a statement from the Philadelphia mayors office on Sunday.

Cottman Avenue remains closed due to the National Transportation Safety Boards active investigation into the cause of the accident.

Delays are expected on surrounding roads, the statement read.

'70 percent of her body is burnt'

09:54 , James Liddell

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A family member of one of the 22 people injured  along with seven killed  during Fridays plane crash has spoken out.

Dominque Fletcher was in the car with her partner and his son while driving the Roosevelt Mall on Cottman Avenue when the Learjet 55 aircraft crashed in a fireball shortly after taking off on Friday evening.

The victims 33-year-old cousin, Shentelle Fletcher, has revealed the extent of the womans injuries.

She is in a medically induced coma, she told NBC10 on Sunday.

Seventy percent of her body is burnt. Shes responding well to medication. She has surgery scheduled for today."

Watch: Aerial footage shows aftermath of horror crash

09:32 , James Liddell

Black box found eight-feet underground at crash site

09:08 , James Liddell

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The black box has been recovered from the medical jet that crashed in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, killing all six passengers on board.

The device was found eight feet underground at the crash site near the Roosevelt Mall, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Sunday evening.

The black box  also known as a cockpit voice recorder  remained in decent shape, sources told WPVI. The planes enhanced ground proximity warning system, containing flight data, was also recovered, the NTSB said.

Listen: Audio of air traffic control response released

07:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Former NTSB investigator says 'fragmentation' will make investigation hard

05:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Former NTSB investigator Dr. Alan Diehl tells Fox News the search for answers in the Philadelphia plane crash may prove difficult due to fragmentation.

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The cockpit voice recorder will be critical, Diehl said.

[The investigation] will be very difficult if that voice recorder is not intact, or they cant find it, he added, noting it should have survived the impact but that the violent nature of the crash could make the search difficult.

ICYMI: NTSB speaks on investigating two major incidents

03:00 , Michelle Del Rey

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy stressed it is not unusual for the agency to be investigating two major accidents at once. We are a highly-skilled agency, she said during a news briefing in Philadelphia Saturday.

The NTSB has 436 employees spanning across all modes of transportation. The agency has two separate teams of investigators probing crashes in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. at the respective scenes.

Full story: What we know so far as Learjet air ambulance comes down in huge explosion near Philadelphia mall

01:00 , Katie Hawkinson

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Heres everything we know so far about the Philadelphia plane crash, from The Independents Mike Bedigan and Namita Singh:

Plane crash in Philadelphia: What we know after Learjet goes down in huge explosion

Former NTSB investigator says 'fragmentation' will make investigation hard

Sunday 2 February 2025 23:00 , Katie Hawkinson

Former NTSB investigator Dr. Alan Diehl tells Fox News the search for answers in the Philadelphia plane crash may prove difficult due to fragmentation.

The cockpit voice recorder will be critical, Diehl said.

Officials are still searching for the device as of Sunday.

[The investigation] will be very difficult if that voice recorder is not intact, or they cant find it, he added, noting it should have survived the impact but that the violent nature of the crash could make the search difficult.

Full story: Pediatric patient and her mother among the seven killed in fiery Philadelphia plane crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 21:30 , Mike Bedigan

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A young girl traveling home after completing life-saving medical treatment, her mother, and at least one medical professional were on board when an air ambulance fell out of the sky and crashed into a residential Philadelphia neighborhood.

Seven people in total have now been confirmed dead, with 19 more injured, following the shocking incident on Friday evening. Several dwellings and vehicles sustained damage in the crash.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum later confirmed that all six people onboard the flight, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, were Mexican citizens. The seventh person killed was on the ground.

Keep reading:

Philadelphia plane crash: What we know about the victims

Philadelphia plane crash: What we know so far as Learjet air ambulance comes down in huge explosion near mall

Sunday 2 February 2025 20:30 , Mike Bedigan, Namita Singh

Plane crash in Philadelphia: What we know after Learjet goes down in huge explosion

Philadelphia residents react to crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 19:30 , Katie Hawkinson

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Philadelphia residents are shaken up after the fatal crash of a Learjet 55 on Friday evening.

A resident named Lena told Fox29 the sound was terrible.

In my life I never heard this kind of sound, Lena told the outlet. My ears are still buzzing. I was driving five minutes before. I couldve been here if I had been driving."

Another resident, Angelique, said the crash happened on her nieces daily route to and from work.

Just imagine, she got off late yesterday, Angelique told Fox29. If she hadnt got off late yesterday, she couldve been in this.

Watch: Philadelphia plane crash caught on Ring video

Sunday 2 February 2025 18:30 , Katie Hawkinson

ICYMI: Authorities identify six people on board jet

Sunday 2 February 2025 17:30 , Katie Hawkinson

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Authorities have identified all six people who were on board the Learjet 55 that crashed on Friday evening in Philadelphia less than a minute after taking off.

Captain Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and Copilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Juarez were flying the aircraft, which was transporting the young patient Valentina Guzman Murillo and her mother Lizeth Murillo Ozuna to Tijuana.

Dr. Raul Meza Arredondo and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla were also on board to care for Valentina, who had just completed life-saving treatment at Shriners Childrens Hospital.

"It's extremely hard and extremely difficult, those that were involved directly in her care were very aware that she was going to be traveling home and there had actually been a sendoff for her today," hospital spokesperson Mel Bower said in a statement.

Aerial footage shows gaping crater and debris scattered across street

Sunday 2 February 2025 16:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Investigators continue search for black box

Sunday 2 February 2025 15:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Investigators are still searching for the black box from the Learjet 55 that crashed on Friday evening less than a minute after taking off.

"It could be intact," National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said. "But likely it is damaged. It may be fragmented."

Resources for Philadelphia residents, crash witnesses

Sunday 2 February 2025 14:44 , Katie Hawkinson

According to Fox29, those who need help in the wake of the deadly crash can contact the Red Cross's free, 24/7, multilingual Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990

Mental health services are also available through Philadelphias Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services. Call (215) 685-6440 or visit DBHIDS.org.

The Disaster Distress (DDH) Helpline is also available: 1-800-985-5990.

Residents should not touch any debris they find, Fox 29 reports. To report debris, contact the National Transportation Safety Board at: witness@ntsb.gov.

Nearby hospital provides update on injured victims

Sunday 2 February 2025 14:30 , Katie Hawkinson

Fifteen of the 19 people injured in the crash are being treated at Philadelphias Jefferson Health, Fox 29 reports.

Twelve of them have been discharged, two were admitted for further care and one has been transferred to another hospital, a spokesperson for Jefferson Health said Sunday.

People could have evidence from crash on their cars

Sunday 2 February 2025 14:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Mayor Cherelle Parker wants city residents in the neighborhood where the crash occurred to check their cars for evidence.

The collection of evidence is essential to figuring out what happened, Parker said.

If thats you, dont touch it. Just call 911 immediately, Parker said.

The debris field is roughly four to six blocks and there is an additional remote area where something happened with the aircraft, the citys Managing Director Adam Thiel said.

Thiel wouldnt expand on his remark but said the National Transportation Safety Board would address it later.

Full crew and passengers of Learjet 55 named

Sunday 2 February 2025 13:00 , Mike Bedigan

The entire crew and passengers on board the Learjet 55 that crashed in Philadelphia have been identified by the aircrafts operating company Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.

The young girl was named as Valentina Guzman Murillo, and had been traveling with her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna.

The plane was piloted by Captain Alan Montoya Perales, along with his copilot Josue Juarez.

Also onboard was Dr Raul Meza Arredon, and Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, a paramedic.

About 70 people remain without power

Sunday 2 February 2025 12:00 , Michelle Del Rey

About 70 people remain without power in the area surrounding the crash site, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

PECO, the areas energy provider, said it would be working to restore electricity once emergency officials determine it is safe to do so.

The number is lower than the initial 250 people who were without power just after the incident.

What damage was caused in the area?

Sunday 2 February 2025 11:00 , Michelle Del Rey

CBS Philadelphia reports that multiple cars in the area werre by parts of the plane. Businesses in the area were also ablaze on Friday night.

Roads in the area were closed for hours with people advised to avoid the area. One local resident told CBS: I just was driving and I saw a lot of police activity and then people texting me. I was close here and that there was a plane crash. And my daughter who GPS'd me, freaked, called me and was making sure that I was OK, Jimmy Weis said.

A 10-year-old boy said he was returning from hockey when the horror unfolded.I saw blinking lights coming from the sky. And I just saw them going down. It was really scary.

Pictures released of medical staff killed in the crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 10:17 , Holly Evans

Pictures have been released of the pilot and co-pilot of the mid-size air ambulance plane which crashed in Philadelphia, killing all onboard.

Paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla died after the plane crashed into a row of buildings (Supplied)

Dr Raul Meza Arredondo was also onboard the flight (Supplied)

Pilot Alan Alejandro Montoya Perales and co-pilot Josue de Jesus Juarez Jurarez died in the crash (Supplied)

Air traffic control audio describes moments leading to Philadelphia air ambulance crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 10:00 , Namita Singh

Air traffic control audio describes moments leading to Philadelphia plane crash

Philadelphia mayor releases statement

Sunday 2 February 2025 07:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Our prayers are with the families, friends, neighbors and all of those impacted by the tragic crash, said Mayor Cherelle L Parker

We are unified in our approach  a One Philly philosophy with all hands-on deck. I am so grateful for the rapid response by our Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments, our Office of Emergency Management and Philadelphia Gas Works with federal, state, and local first responders who swarmed the scene in collaboration with all first responders on the ground.

The plane had been heading to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before continuing to Mexico, where the child lived.

The aircraft was in the air for a minute before it crashed. Nine people on the ground were hurt, with several being taken to a nearby hospital. None of the six people on board the aircraft survived.

This is a tragedy in our city  people have lost their lives and many injured in this horrific crash and the damage is significant, Parker added.

Shriners Children's Philadelphia releases statement

Sunday 2 February 2025 06:00 , Michelle Del Rey

The hospital said one of its pediatric patients and the childs mother were aboard the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance that crashed in Philadelphia last night.

The hospital couldnt provide additional details because of patient privacy concerns.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action.

Donald Trump mourns plane crash victims

Sunday 2 February 2025 05:00 , Namita Singh

President Donald Trump took to social media to mourn the victims of plane crash.

"So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania," he wrote on Truth Social. "More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job."

The crash follows this week's collision of an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, DS, which killed 67 in the deadliest airplane crash in the US since 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration said six people were on the Learjet 55 that crashed around 6.30pm on Friday.

Local media reported it was near the Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia and that there were multiple injuries on the ground.

Mexican president responds to crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 04:00 , Michelle Del Rey

I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said in a social media statement Saturday morning.

The consular authorities are in contact with victims families. Ive asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs secretary to support them in whatever way is required.

My solidarity to their loved ones and friends.

Breaking: Full crew and passengers of Learjet 55 named

Sunday 2 February 2025 03:42 , Mike Bedigan

The entire crew and passengers on board the Learjet 55 that crashed in Philadelphia have been identified by the aircrafts operating company Jet Rescue Air Ambulance.

The young girl was named as Valentina Guzman Murillo, and had been traveling with her mother, Lizeth Murillo Ozuna.

The plane was piloted by Captain Alan Montoya Perales, along with his copilot Josue Juarez.

Also onboard was Dr Raul Meza Arredon, and Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, a paramedic.

In photos: The scene on Saturday

Sunday 2 February 2025 03:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Investigators work the scene on Saturday. On Friday, a small medical jet carrying six people crashed in Philadelphia (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Several vehicles and dwellings sustained damage in the incident (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Emergency personnel working the scene (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Philadelphia plane crash: Daylight aerials show crater, debris field from jet crash (via Fox29)

Anyone concerned about a missing loved one is encouraged to call 911

Sunday 2 February 2025 02:00 , Michelle Del Rey

Anyone who thinks that their friends or relatives were in the area where the crash occurred should notify authorities, Philadelphia Managing Director Adam Thiel said.

Pediatric patient and her mother among the seven killed in fiery Philadelphia plane crash

Sunday 2 February 2025 01:00 , Michelle Del Rey

A young girl traveling home after completing life-saving medical treatment, her mother, and at least one medical professional were on board when an air ambulance fell out of the sky and crashed into a residential Philadelphia neighborhood.

Seven people in total have now been confirmed dead, with 19 more injured, following the shocking incident on Friday evening. Several dwellings and vehicles sustained damage in the crash.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum later confirmed that all six people onboard the flight, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, were Mexican citizens. The seventh person killed was on the ground.

Read more from Mike Bedigan...

Philadelphia plane crash: What we know about the victims

WATCH: Philadelphia man describes helping injured child on the ground

Saturday 1 February 2025 15:20 , Michelle Del Rey

I dont record. I help

Philly man describes how he helped some of the injured on the ground after last nights medical transport plane crash in NE Philadelphia . All 6 onboard killed. No word on yet on how many injuries or fatalities on the ground. @FOX29philly pic.twitter.com/WLMbMquHi4  Chris O'Connell (@CoconnellFox29) February 1, 2025

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says he's briefed Trump, Pennsylvania governor after crash

Saturday 1 February 2025 14:53 , Michelle Del Rey

Just briefed the President and Governor Shapiro from FAA headquarters, Duffy wrote on X. I offered the full support of the US Department of Transportation to the Governor and local officials.

Philadelphia Eagles express condolences

Saturday 1 February 2025 18:42 , Michelle Del Rey

The Eagles organization was heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of life earlier this evening as a result of the plane crash in North East Philadelphia, the team said in a social media statement.

We extend our condolences to the victims and loved ones they leave behind. We are grateful to the first responders for their heroic actions at the scene.
A six-year-old girl and her mother are among seven people dead after a medical jet plunged to the ground in northern Philadelphia and burst into flames.

Four crew members on board the Learjet 55, which crashed in a densely-populated area near a shopping centre minutes after taking off on Friday night, were also killed, along with one person in a car.

At least 19 people were injured and were being treated in hospital after the jet nose-dived into a busy road and sent a fireball into the sky. Authorities said that the number could rise.

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The young girl on board the medical jet was recovering from life-saving treatment in the US and was on her way back home to Tijuana, Mexico, where the plane was due to land after stopping to refuel in Missouri.

She had been in recovery in the US for months after undergoing a major procedure in September, sponsored by a benefactor, at Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia.

A hospital spokesman said they were heartbroken to confirm that one of their patients was onboard on Friday.

All of those who died aboard the plane were Mexican nationals. None of the victims names have yet been released.

Footage of the incident shows the jet crashing around Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard in northeast Philadelphia, followed by a huge explosion.

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One witness coming out of a nearby coffee shop claimed the plane was already on fire as it hurtled towards the ground and said that the sky turned red when it exploded.

He told The Telegraph that he had seen a man on fire walking around like he was in a daze before bystanders leapt in and tried to extinguish the flames.

It is unclear what caused the crash but Adam Thiel, the citys managing director, noted on Saturday that debris from the plane had been recovered from a remote area outside the immediate zone of impact, suggesting it may have malfunctioned during its brief flight.

However, he refused to confirm this explicitly when asked by reporters and said the investigation was ongoing.

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Mr Thiel added that it would be days or more before the authorities would be able to confirm the final death toll from the disaster.

I want to be clear that we will find a cause for this tragedy, Cherelle Parker, the Philadelphia mayor, told a press conference on Saturday, saying investigators were poring over the crash site.

Investigators worked the scene as daylight broke over the city - Matt Rourke

Just feet away from where Ms Parker was speaking, oxygen canisters from the destroyed plane could be seen on the ground.

At a diner across the street, CCTV footage showed a man being hit in the head, apparently by a piece of debris from the crash, which took place roughly 300 yards away.

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Residents have been urged to come forward if they know of any missing people who were in the area at the time that the plane crashed.

Five homes caught fire and the debris thrown from the shattered plane covered four to six blocks, authorities said. Some buildings have been left without power.

The Learjet was being operated by Jet Rescue Air. It marks the air ambulance companys second disaster in two years after one of its planes crash-landed at Cuernavaca Airport in Morelos, Mexico in 2023.

Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air, described the Philadelphia crash as a terrible shock and said he knew some of the crew members personally.

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We are in the process of notifying their families, he added.

ABC affiliate WPV

Ms Parker said that seven people had been killed in the tragedy and told reporters on Saturday: We mourn their loss and they are in our thoughts and in our prayers.

She added: Thus far our count is that there are 19 injured victims but this is not etched in stone. The investigation is ongoing.

Ms Parker thanked the White House for its assistance but avoided mentioning Donald Trump, with whom she has previously feuded, by name.

Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor, said he wanted to lift up state resources responding to the incident, having dispatched 50 members of the state police to help city officials.

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The good people of northeast Philadelphia, as daybreak came, walked out from their homes and down from their stoops and saw carnage in their communities, he said.

They saw fuselage, they saw destruction, and saw things that nobody should ever have to experience in their neighbourhoods.

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Meanwhile, the King said he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the Washington plane crash in a tribute to victims and emergency services.

The King thanked first responders who reacted so quickly to the mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight, on Wednesday night, which killed 67 people.

He said My family and I have been profoundly shocked and saddened by the dreadful news of the tragic air accident in Washington, DC, which has led to such a devastating loss of life.

Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest possible sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims.

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I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.

It is still unclear what caused the crash, though Mr Trump has blamed the helicopter for flying too high, by a lot.

04:59 PM GMT

Live blog closed as press conference ends

The press conference has now ended. Among the main points were that 19 people were injured in the crash and one person died in their car.

Mayor Cherelle Parker, who gave the update, said that the plane was very early into its flight when it was apparent something had gone terribly wrong.

We will find a cause for this tragedy, she said.

Governor Josh Shapiro who spoke next said the city was working around the clock at the direction of a strong and steady mayor.

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Asked by the White House Transport Secretary Sean Duffy if they needed additional resources, Mr Shapiro said, We do not

People saw carnage in their communities, saw fuselage, saw destruction.

Fire commissioner Adam Thiel said the number of casualties could change as his team carry out a deeper scan of what is a dense area.

This is a very large area with a lot of damage. We are still working in a number of different ways to assess that damage.

We have teams who are going literally house by house, and door to door so we can be sure that there is no hidden damage

It is entirely possible there will be changes to those casualty figure, he said.

He added that it will be days or more before the number is clear of the folks who perished in this tragedy.

Mayor Cherelle Parker says one other person died in their car died in the accident

04:46 PM GMT

Days or more before total number of deaths is clear

It will be days or more before the exact death toll can be determined, said Thiel.

04:45 PM GMT

Fire department doing grid search of dense area

Fire commissioner Adam Thiel said the area they are covering is very large and heavily damaged.

We are still working in a number of different ways to assess that damage.

He said rescue services are doing another grid search of four to six block area, a very dense area.

It is entirely possible that there will be changes to that casualy figures that you heard.

04:38 PM GMT

19 injured, one killed in addition to onboard fatalities

Philadelphias mayor says one person on the ground was killed and 19 were injured when an air ambulance crashed to the ground in a city neighborhood on Friday night.

Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed the casualties at a press conference Saturday. Six people on board a medical transport jet that crashed in Philadelphia were also killed. That is according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

04:37 PM GMT

Press conference underway

Mayor Cherelle Parker and Josh Shapiro have been giving an update on the crash in a press conference.

04:05 PM GMT

Red Cross has provided the following update following crash

The American Red Cross extends our deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by the tragic plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night. In partnership with the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, Red Cross volunteers have opened a shelter at the Samuel Fels High School, 5500 Langdon Street, where four people spent Friday night.

We understand that people want to help and we appreciate that support. Right now, the Red Cross has what it needs to support the community. We ask the public not to bring material donations such as clothing or food to the shelter or Red Cross offices as we work with partners who are better equipped to handle such donations. The Red Cross is not accepting financial donations designated specifically for this event.

03:47 PM GMT

Mexican president confirms six dead in plane crash

Mexicos president said consular authorities are supporting the families of the six Mexicans who died in a plane crash on Saturday.

A child, her mother and four crew members were onboard the plane when it came down in a neighbourhood of Philadelphia.

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said: I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families. I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.

Debris litters the street after the plane crashed on Saturday - AP Photo/Matt Rourke

03:30 PM GMT

Many people injured in plane crash, says mayor

Many people have been injured in the plane crash in Philadelphia today, said the citys mayor, Cherelle Parker.

In an update on X, Ms Parker said people had lost their lives and that the damage from the crash was significant.

Video footage appeared to show the twin-engine plane descending at a sharp angle towards a residential area, sparking a huge fireball upon impact and showering wreckage over homes and vehicles.

Six Mexican nationals were onboard including a six-year-old child and her mother.

02:54 PM GMT

Watch: The moment the medical jet crashes in Philadelphia

This is the moment the jet crashed in Philadelphia en route to Missouri with a child and her mother on board.

RENATO SOUZA

02:40 PM GMT

Trump says his people are engaged following crash

President Donald Trump issued the following message in the wake of the plane crash in Philadelphia today:

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

02:17 PM GMT

Philadelphia crash second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue

The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023 five crewmembers were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.

Jet Rescue is based in Mexico and has operations both there and in the US.

01:51 PM GMT

Pictured: The immediate aftermath of the plane crash in Philadelphia

The plane had been on a medical transport mission - Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP

Firefighters walk near debris from the plane crash - Steven M. Falk/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
JIM QUINN/AP

A medical jet carrying a six-year-old girl, her mother, and four crew members has plunged to the ground in northern Philadelphia and burst into flames, leaving no survivors.

The Learjet 55 crashed into a highly-populated area near the Roosevelt Mall within minutes of taking off at around 6.07pm, sending a fireball into the sky and setting multiple homes and cars on fire.

The young girl on board the plane was recovering from life-saving treatment and was on her way back home.

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The tragic incident is the second serious plane crash in the US in just three days, after an American Airlines passenger jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC, leaving 67 people dead.

In Philadelphia the paediatric patient on board the doomed jet had been in recovery in the US for months after undergoing a major procedure in September, sponsored by a generous benefactor. The flight was destined for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri ahead of an onward flight to Tijuana.

At this time we cannot confirm any survivors, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told The Telegraph.

All of the passengers were Mexican nationals.

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Ring Doorbell footage of the incident shows the plane falling out of the sky, followed by a large explosion.

A dashcam caught the moment the plane hit the ground - BNO News

The crash took place in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

It is not clear what caused the plane to fall to the ground. Six people have been taken to hospital with injuries, officials said.

The street was engulfed by an enormous fireball

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Firefighters put out an all hands call, according to CNN, and dozens of first responders were scrambled to the scene.

Mr Gold described the crash as a terrible shock and said he knew some of the crew members personally. We are in the process of notifying their families, he added.

Debris from the plane can be seen on the street near the crash site - REUTERS

When you do this day in and day out, hundreds of times a year, you never take it for granted that the plane completes its mission, he said. Every mission you approach as if its the most important mission in the world.

The flight was heading from north-east Philadelphia Airport to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

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A spokesman at Shriners Childrens Hospital, where the girl had been treated, said they were heartbroken to confirm that one of their patients was onboard.

RENATO SOUZA

Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action, the hospital told the The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Pennsylvania governor, Josh Shapiro, said: We know that there will be loss in this region and we want to offer our loss and serious prayers for those who are grieving at this moment.

Fire crews at the scene where cars were destroyed by the flames - GETTY IMAGES

The governor went on to praise his constituents for their unified response to this awful aviation disaster.

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Tonight we also saw the best of Philly, we saw neighbours looking after neighbours, we saw Pennsylvanians looking out for one another, he said.

Staff from the Red Cross have been working on the ground to assist residents who have had to leave their homes, many of whom will spend the night in an emergency shelter.

05:39 AM GMT

What happened in Philadelphia?

Thank you for joining us. Heres what we know about the Philadelphia plane crash:

A plane carrying six people including a sick child crashed into a residential area in Philadelphia on Friday night

The girl had been receiving life-saving treatment at a hospital nearby and was on her way home to Mexico with her mother

The Learjet 55 crashed into a highly-populated area in the north east of the city within minutes of taking off

All of the passengers were Mexican nationals

Six people are being treated for injuries

Read more: We thought wed been bombed: Plane crash unleashes fireball and hailstorm of debris on Philadelphia

04:59 AM GMT

Hospital staff held party for little girl on morning of tragedy

Hospital staff held a party on Friday morning for the little girl who was aboard the doomed medical jet that exploded in Philadelphia.

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The girl flew to the US in September to undergo life-saving treatment at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia and was on her way home after recovering.

Nurses held a send-off party for the child before she jetted off to Missouri, on her way home to Mexico.

But shortly after the plane left the tarmac late on Wednesday evening, it came crashing out of the sky.

04:44 AM GMT

Medical jet company had separate plane crash in 2023

The plane that went down in a residential neighbourhood of Philadelphia was the second Jet Rescue Air Ambulance plane that had crashed in two years.

In 2023, one of the medivac companys planes - a Learjet 35A - crashed after landing at Cuernavaca Airport in Morelos, Mexico, according to a LinkedIn post from the companys spokesman.

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Shai Gold wrote that the plane had been flying in from Tuloca, Mexico, when it crashed with five crew members on board.

No survivors were reported by Mexican officials, he added.

04:10 AM GMT

Pictured: Burned out cars line the street in northeastern Philadelphia

Emergency services block off street after medivac flight crashes into northeastern Philadelphia - Anadolu

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04:01 AM GMT

Child aboard burning medical jet received care at Shriners Childrens Hospital

The young girl aboard the flight that burst into flames over Philadelphia had been treated for a life-threatening condition at Shriners Childrens Hospital.

A hospital spokesman said they were heartbroken to confirm that one of their patients was on board the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance flight that crashed into the northeastern part of the city.

The child, who was from Mexico, was returning home on a contracted air ambulance paid for by a medical charity.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the medical crew and pilots who were also lost in this tragic event - as well as all of the people who were affected on the ground - and were thankful to the first responders for their quick action, the hospital told the The Philadelphia Inquirer.

03:03 AM GMT

Pennsylvania governor offers thoughts and prayers to those grieving

Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro hailed the commonwealths show of unity as he offered his thoughts and serious prayers for those who are grieving.

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Mr Shapiro said: We know that there will be loss in this region and we want to offer our loss and serious prayers for those who are grieving at this moment.

The governor went on to praise his constituents for their unified response to this awful aviation disaster.

Tonight we also saw the best of Philly, we saw neighbour looking after neighbours, we saw Pennsylvanians looking out for one another, he said.

Mr Shapiro said there had ben a strong cross-governmental response, with state troopers, and federal disaster workers dispatched to help with emergency relief efforts.

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro praises unified response to city plane crash - Anadolu

02:52 AM GMT

Pennsylvania governor to make statement

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro is about to speak at a press conference.

02:52 AM GMT

Six hospitalised after plane crash

Six people were reportedly taken to hospital in Northeast Philadelphia after a small plane exploded in a suburban neighbourhood.

The patients were being treated at Temple University Hospital-Jeanes Campus in Northeast Philadelphia, a spokesman told The Philadelphia Inquirer reported, three of whom were released by 9.15pm local time.

Those still in hospital were said to be in fair condition.

02:43 AM GMT

We have lost an aircraft, says air traffic controller

In recordings obtained by LiveATC.net, an air traffic controller attempts to contact Learjet 55 asking: Medevac med service, northeast tower. Medevac med service, northeast tower. Are you on frequency?

A minute later the air traffic controller can be heard saying: We have a lost aircraft. We are not exactly sure what happened, so we are trying to figure it out for now. So, for now the field is going to be closed. So, no inbounds or out bounds.

02:31 AM GMT

Rain streaks down on displaced Philadelphia residents

Its a cold and rainy night in Philadelphia as rescue workers battle to put out fires that have spread from the crash site.

Displaced residents have gathered by a nearby Wendys restaurant, Fox29 reported, forced to endure the rain as they watch their neighbourhood burn.

02:28 AM GMT

Fire fighters battle blazes in six homes near crash site

Philadelphia firefighters fought to put out blazes in six homes on a nearby street as a result of the plane crash, emergency workers reported.

Mike Bresnan, the head of the firefighters union, told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he didnt think anyone was inside the homes, adding: our members got everybody out pretty quick.

He explained that after the jet crashed into the street, flames spread to homes nearby, causing the blaze to tear through houses and bring the roof of one building crashing down.

In a brief glimmer of optimism, Mr Bresnan suggested that it was lucky the plane landed where it did. If it would have hit in the middle of the block of rowhouses [sic], we could have lost a whole block or more. When you get jet fuel, that stuff is hard to put out.

02:22 AM GMT

Residents displaced, Red Cross workers confirm

Northwest Philadelphia residents have been displaced after a single-engine jet came crashing down into their neighbourhood, the Red Cross confirmed.

The plane fell to the ground as a fireball near a busy shopping centre in the middle of rush hour, when the residential area of the city is usually a hive of activity.

Workers from the Red Cross have been working on the ground to assist those who have had to leave their homes.

Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic incident in Northeast Philadelphia tonight. A team of trained Red Cross disaster workers is on the scene to assist those who have been displaced, and we're working with our partners to assess any other needs.  Red Cross Philadelphia (@RedCrossPhilly) February 1, 2025

02:19 AM GMT

Transport secretary offers full support to Philadelphia

Just briefed the President and @GovernorShapiro from FAA HQ. I offered the full support of the @USDOT to the Governor and local officials.



Investigators are on site. @FAANews pic.twitter.com/CZOjE8TFKk  Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 1, 2025

02:18 AM GMT

Pictured: Smoke rises over Philadelphia

Smoke rises as emergency personnel operate at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia - Rachel Wisniewski/Reuters

02:14 AM GMT

More innocent souls lost, says Trump

Donald Trump has released a statement expressing his condolences after a second jet went down over a US city in less than a week.

A small plane has plummeted into a neighbourhood in Philadelphia, causing the area to go up in flames. It comes just days after a passenger jet collided with a military helicopter over Washington DC, leaving 67 people dead.

The president said in a statement: So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost.

Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

02:11 AM GMT

Watch: Aerial footage shows burning debris field

A drone footage of the #planecrash in #philadelphia.

Sources talk about 6 dead: pilot, two doctors, nurse, patient, and family member.

No clear news about casualties on the ground. pic.twitter.com/MUjBS2j0LR  Said El Boustany (@BoustanyS) February 1, 2025

02:08 AM GMT

FAA updates passenger count to six on board

The Federal Aviation Authority has released an updated statement confirming six passengers were on board the medical jet that went up in flames in Philadelphia.

The FAA previously released a statement claiming that two passengers were on board, but it has updated its remarks following a statement from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the owner of the plane.

The FAA told The Telegraph: A Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 31, after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

There were six people on board.

The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.

01:55 AM GMT

Medical jet company confirms six passengers on board

01:50 AM GMT

All we heard was a loud roar, says local resident

The owner of a ringdoorbell camera which captured the massive explosion when a medical jet down in Philadelphia said he heard a loud roar.

All we heard was a loud roar and didnt know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume, said Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera.

The crash happened less than three miles from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.

01:44 AM GMT

Several dwellings and vehicles impacted, says Philadelphia mayor

Several dwellings and vehicles were impacted after a Leer-55 jet went down in residential Philadelphia neighbourhood, the mayor has said.

Cherelle Parker urged Philadelphia residents to stay away from the scene and stressed that an active investigation was ongoing.

She asked for prayers for anyone who may have been affected and described the situation as all hands on deck.

This is only the first of many briefings Im sure to come on this evening, she said.

01:38 AM GMT

The mayor is giving a statement

The Philadelphia mayor is giving a statement now.

01:37 AM GMT

Pictured: People watch on as the incident unfolds

Bystanders watch as first responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia - Matt Rourke/AP

01:33 AM GMT

Child was on board destroyed Philadelphia jet, says medical plane company

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance has released a statement saying that one of its planes went down with five passengers on board, including a child, Fox News reported.

01:25 AM GMT

Transport secretary claims six aboard plane that crashed into Philadelphia

Here is what we've learned thus far.



A Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. There were reportedly 6 people on board.



The plane was en route to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The @FAANews and @NTSB will  Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) February 1, 2025

01:12 AM GMT

Multiple homes on fire

Multiple homes are on fire in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard following the crash, fire officials said.

Local officials also reported that multiple roads around the crash site have been closed off.

Expect the extended closure of Cottman Avenue between the Roosevelt Boulevard and Bustleton Avenue and outer southbound lanes of the Boulevard for the incident response. Avoid area and make alternate travel plans. pic.twitter.com/nmpR5SoLrb  Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) February 1, 2025

01:09 AM GMT

Downed plane registered to medical jet company

The plane which exploded in a busy Philadelphia neighbourhood was registered to a medical jet company.

A Fox News reporter posted a photograph of an oxygen tank linked to a medical jet company found in the debris field, raising speculation that the aircraft was conducting a medical flight.

Accounts differ on when exactly the crash took place, but online flight data showed a small jet taking off from the airport at 6.06pm and disappearing from radar about 30 seconds later after climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet (487 meters).

01:04 AM GMT

Local resident recalls massive fireball

Ryan Tian, 23, of Delaware County, witnessed a huge explosion as he was getting dinner from a food truck located at a parking lot at Cottman and Bustleton Avenues.

Mr Tian told Fox he saw the sky turning orange and then a massive fireball.

Police sources told CBS that debris of the burning plane rained down on cars and businesses in the area, setting fire to Roosevelt Mall.

Northeast Philadelphia residents told the outlet that their homes shook as the burning plane plummeted to the ground.

01:03 AM GMT

Crash felt like mini earthquake, says local resident

A local resident said the Philadelphia plane crash triggered what felt like a mini earthquake.

Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair on Friday when he heard a loud bang and his house shook.

He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera footage, he said it looked like a missile was coming down.

There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second, he said.

12:59 AM GMT

Watch: Doorbell footage shows massive explosion as plane goes down

JUST IN: New video of the plane crash in Philadelphia. At least 6 people killed pic.twitter.com/zrX3jZcjoO  BNO News (@BNONews) February 1, 2025

12:57 AM GMT

Lear-55 jet crashed at 6.30pm, aviation chiefs confirm

12:55 AM GMT

Pictured: Burning debris in Philadelphia crash

Officers survey the damage after a Leer-55 jet went down in Northwest Philadelphia

12:50 AM GMT

Lear-55 identified as downed plane, reports suggest

According to FlightRadar24, the Lear-55 flight took off at 6.06pm and crashed shortly thereafter. It reached a maximum altitude of 1,650ft.



Video footage shows the plane rapidly plummeting from the sky.

12:48 AM GMT

Philadelphia residents warned to go inside and close your windows

12:38 AM GMT

Watch: Moment passenger plane falls out the sky

BREAKING: This is being described as a plane brash in the area of Bustleton and Cottman Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia. Doorbell camera provided by a viewer. pic.twitter.com/zgsk1P12K2  Jason Martinez (@JasonFox29) January 31, 2025

12:35 AM GMT

Pennsylvania senator responds to tragic crash

I've been in contact with @PhillyMayor and awaiting further information on the tragic small plane crash in Northeast Philly.



For folks in the area, please follow guidance from local officials and police officers.  U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) February 1, 2025

12:32 AM GMT

Watch: Dashcam footage shows aerial fireball

NEW: Dashcam video shows the plane crash in Philadelphia.



At least 6 dead, multiple victims on the ground pic.twitter.com/PuPE6pgB8G  BNO News Live (@BNODesk) February 1, 2025

12:31 AM GMT

Busy residential area on fire

The single-engine plane that has exploded in Philadelphia, went down in a busy residential area.

The crash took place in the northwest of the Commonwealth in the area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Footage of the incident shows building and cars on fire as emergency crews scrambled to search for survivors.

12:29 AM GMT

Philadelphia governor promises to respond with all resources available

I've spoken with @PhillyMayor and my team is in communication with @PhillyPD, @PhilaOEM, and @PhillyFireDept. We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly.



We'll continue to provide updates as more information  Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) February 1, 2025

12:28 AM GMT

Watch: Burning debris litters a busy road

Another plane crash in Philly wtf is going on ?! pic.twitter.com/DiwWlgWJy9  chuggchugger (@one4919) January 31, 2025

12:22 AM GMT

What we know so far

The crash took place at around 6pm on Friday evening in the highly populated area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard in the northern part of the city.

Firefighters put out an all hands call at 6.12pm, CNN reported, and dozens of firefighters were scrambled to the scene of the crash. It added that police have classified it as a major incident

Ring Doorbell footage of the incident shows what appears to be a plane falling out of the sky, followed by a large explosion, Fox 5 reported.

It is not clear what caused the crash, and it is not yet known if the aircrafts passengers survived.

Ryan Tian, 23, of Delaware County, witnessed a huge explosion as he was getting dinner from a food truck located at a parking lot at Cottman and Bustleton Avenues.

Mr Tian told Fox he saw the sky turning orange and then a massive fireball.

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PLATTSBURGH  Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

Leviticus 25:9 King James Version

Pope Francis proclaims the theme, Pilgrims of Hope, for the Ordinary Jubilee 2025.

We are pilgrims of hope, the Rev. Bryan Stitt of St. Marys Church in Canton, said.

Part of this year is to help remember through Jesus Christ and his cross, his death, and resurrection, we have hope. The cross is our only hope. So, theres a big picture idea, but whenever we talk about things of faith it also comes down to the local level. Just the way Jesus came and was born in Bethlehem, lived in Nazareth, and died in Jerusalem. He comes to us here in Plattsburgh, too.

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Jubilee years were observed by Hebrews as chronicled in biblical scriptures.

Every 50 years was a jubilee, Stitt said.

Everybody knows the seven days of creation, and the seventh day is the day of rest. Every seven years is supposed to be a year of rest. The year after a seventh seventh year would be the forty-ninth, the fiftieth year was to be a jubilee year.

The Hebrews signaled this time by blowing a rams horn trumpet called a yobel, the origins of jubilee.

Blowing these horns and announcing the jubilee, Stitt said.

Catholic churches continued the pattern, but weve doubled it up so, every 25 years. It happens to be 2025. A lot of people will remember in the year 2000, Pope John Paul II brought in the Great Jubilee of 2000. He opened the holy doors at St. Peters, and that was a huge moment for a lot of folks. This is on a little bit smaller level, I suppose, but its still a jubilee. So, its a good time for us to remember what were all about.

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Stitt serves with fellow priests, religious, and laity on the Jubilee Committee chaired by the Rev. Garry Giroux, pastor in Madrid and Waddington and diocesan Judicial Vicar for the Tribunal and Canonical Affairs.

Within the Diocese of Ogdensburg are 11 designated pilgrimage sites:

 St. Lawrence Deanery: St. Marys Cathedral, Ogdensburg, and St. Marys Church in Canton

 Jefferson-Lewis Deanery: St. Marys Church in Clayton, Holy Family Church in Watertown, and St. Stephens Church in Croghan

 Adirondack Deanery: St. Alphonsus Church in Tupper Lake, St. Bartholomews Church, in Old Forge and St. Marys Church in Ticonderoga

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 Clinton-Franklin Deanery: St. Peters Church in Plattsburgh, Mother Cabrini Shrine in West Peru, and Notre Dame Church in Malone.

The Lord comes to us, right, Stitt said.

You dont have to just go to Rome to celebrate this. Its a wonderful thing if people can do it. The Bishop (Terry R. LaValley) was able to choose certain churches across the Diocese in order to encourage not only people in that parish but encourage people across the region to enter into this idea of pilgrimages. There are 11 churches across the North Country that were chosen for geographic and historical reasons around the whole diocese from Ticonderoga to Watertown.

I think they all are older, beautiful churches, but they are also places that are committed to being open through the days so people can visit. Whenever we make a visit to a church, its a chance for an encounter with God. St. Peters in Plattsburgh is one of the 11 that were chosen. They were chosen by the Bishop.
The Union Budget 2025, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been hailed by the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) as a significant step towards India's economic development and inclusive empowerment This budget is not just a presentation of figures, but a well-thought-out and solid blueprint for the nation's economic future. The plans laid out in this budget take into account the welfare of every section, economic strengthening, and social upliftment. It focuses on relief for the middle class, support for farmers, promotion of young entrepreneurs, and women's empowerment. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) has hailed this budget as the new flight for a self-reliant India, and a guide for the country's economic independence and growth. National Convener and Media in-charge of MRM, Shahid Sayeed, described this budget as a representation of the aspirations of 140 crore citizens of India. He said, "This budget is a unique fusion of economic reforms, development, and good governance. From providing relief to taxpayers to investing in the agricultural sector and expanding loan facilities for small businesses, every decision ensures India's economic strength and prosperity," as per a statement of a release. Sayeed further mentioned that the government has promoted Digital India by simplifying the KYC process, making banking and financial services more accessible to the people. He added that this budget would further strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a "Developed India." MRM's National Convener, Prof. Shahid Akhtar, praised the special focus given to education and research in the budget. He said, "This budget announces 10,000 fellowships under the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship Scheme, which will give new direction to research activities in IITs, IISERs, and IISc. Each researcher will receive an annual research grant of Rs two lakh for five years, making India's scientific and technological innovations globally competitive." Prof. Akhtar called this initiative a historic step that will strengthen research in India and enhance the country's role in global technological leadership. Additionally, he described the decision to connect government schools and universities to digital connectivity as revolutionary. Under the Digital India mission, every government school and primary health centre will be connected to broadband, making online education more effective. Prof. Akhtar mentioned that reforms in higher education and the promotion of digital education will make India's youth globally competitive. The National Convener and In-charge of the Women's Wing of MRM, Shalini Ali, appreciated the budget, calling it a significant step toward women's economic independence. She said, "This budget provides women entrepreneurs with loans up to Rs two crore without any guarantees. This scheme will play a crucial role in making women self-reliant and empowering them economically." Shalini Ali also mentioned that the government has announced policy reforms to ensure the safety of women in workplaces, allowing them to contribute to the workforce with greater confidence. Furthermore, improvements have been made in maternity benefits to make them more effective. She said that this approach by the government will provide new opportunities for women in India, enabling them to play a more active role in nation-building. MRM's National Convener, Syed Raza Hussain Rizvi, praised the new facilities provided to MSMEs and startups. He said, "The government has increased the loan guarantee cover for small and medium industries from Rs five crore to Rs 10 crore. This will provide easier loans to small and medium entrepreneurs, enabling them to expand their businesses." Rizvi also mentioned that loans of up to Rs 20 crore will be provided to startups, offering young entrepreneurs the opportunity to contribute to the Self-Reliant India Mission. He described this initiative as strengthening the startup revolution in India, which will create new employment opportunities for millions of young people. MRM's National Convener, Majid Talikoti, appreciated the reforms in the healthcare sector. He said, "The customs duty on 36 medicines for cancer and other serious diseases has been abolished, providing relief to patients from expensive treatments. Additionally, the government has announced the establishment of cancer care centres in every district over the next three years, making healthcare more accessible." Talikoti also mentioned that the government has announced the addition of 1.1 lakh new seats in medical colleges over the next 10 years. This will increase the number of doctors in the country and make healthcare services more widespread. He said that this budget will bring a revolutionary change in India's healthcare sector and make medical facilities more affordable for the poor and middle class. National Conveners of MRM described Budget 2025 as historic and inclusive. Shahid Sayeed said, "This budget prioritizes employment, investment, and innovation. With reforms in the MSME, education, and healthcare sectors, this budget will make India self-reliant and economically strong." Prof. Shahid Akhtar said, "This budget will be revolutionary for MSMEs and the education sector. The expansion of IITs and universities will provide students with a high-quality education." Shalini Ali said, "This budget provides a new direction for making women self-reliant. The increase in entrepreneurship and employment opportunities will strengthen their contribution to national development." Majid Talikoti said, "This budget will bring historic changes to India's healthcare sector. Reforms in cancer treatment and medical education will provide better facilities to citizens." Budget 2025 has taken historic steps towards making India self-reliant, providing relief to taxpayers, farmers, entrepreneurs, students, and the general public. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch has termed it a balanced and visionary budget that will play a crucial role in making India a global economic powerhouse. (ANI)
Friends and family of Capt. Jonathan J. Campos, the pilot of the plane in the deadly midair collision, are paying tribute by sharing stories of his sense of humor, his passion for flying and his dedication.

Campos was flying the American Eagle jet from Kansas that collided with an Army helicopter over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday; all 67 people aboard both aircrafts were killed.

His uncle Hector Campos said his nephew "was a great kid" in a brief phone call with NBC News on Thursday. "Thats all I want to say."

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Campos' stepmother, Sonia Carrasquillo, asked for privacy on behalf of the family when speaking to Telemundo Puerto Rico, NBC's sister station in the U.S. territory.

According to Hector Campos, the family was heading to Washington, D.C., on Friday.

Catherine Silver, a reporter with WKMG in Orlando, Florida, told viewers Thursday that she briefly spoke to Campos' girlfriend, who was not identified by name. The girlfriend described Campos as the "love of her life" for the past 10 years, and said she couldn't believe he was gone. She said she would speak more about him at a later time.

Campos, 34, was of Puerto Rican descent on his father's side. He was born in the U.S. mainland and lived in Puerto Rico until age 10, Telemundo Puerto Rico reported.

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Campos lived in Florida, where he studied aeronautical science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Campos graduated in 2015, the university said in a statement.

"EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Captain Jonathan Campos," the statement reads. "Our thoughts are with his family and the families and loved ones of all impacted by this tragic accident."

Mike Marana, who went to school with Campos, posted his "top college memory" of Campos on Facebook  a photo of Campos at a Cracker Barrel holding a small plate of stiff grits upside down.

"He called the waitress and said, 'Ma'am, I think there's something wrong with THIS,'" Marana said as he reminisced about Campos.

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"15 years since the last major US air carrier loss, and of course the Captain had to be someone you knew," Marana's post reads. "This could have been any of us. Stay safe fellow aviators."

'Skilled and dedicated'

After becoming a pilot, Campos went on to train other pilots. Epic Flight Academy, where Campos was certified as a flight instructor, expressed their condolences in a Facebook post Thursday.

"We are heartbroken," the post reads. "Jonathan earned his Certified Flight Instructor rating with us and served as a valued flight instructor here. He was a skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying."

The post continues: "Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathans family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time."

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A neighbor of Campos in Ormond Beach, Florida, told the Daytona Beach-News Journal that "Joni," as he called him, was "a good guy" who helped neighbors fix cars and who had recently eaten at his house and loved the Thai food his wife made.

Its just sad, the neighbor said. As soon as they identified the aircraft on the news, I thought of Joni, the neighbor told the newspaper.

While in school, Campos also completed his Master Divers in 2013 at Spruce Creek Scuba, according to the Florida-based scuba diving center.

Its with great sadness that we relay the loss of a great diver and friend yesterday during the tragic American Airlines flight in Washington, a Facebook post from Spruce Creek Scuba reads. He became an accomplished pilot and was a Captain for American Airlines. RIP our friend and prayers for you and your family.

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The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash that claimed the lives of Campos and 66 other people.

A source familiar with the investigation told NBC News a single air traffic controller was atypically handling both planes and helicopters in the area at the time of the crash. On Thursday night, investigators recovered two flight data recorders  black boxes  from the American Eagle jet.

The jet's flight number is being retired.

Flight AA5342 will not be used for any future American Airlines flights, the airlines said in a statement Friday.

American Eagle is a network of regional carriers owned and operated by American Airlines.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
PINE BLUFF, Ark.  Officials with the Jefferson County sheriffs office said a lieutenant supervisor was likely inadvertently dosed with fentanyl while performing security checks.

Officials said Lieutenant Keaira Hawkins was inspecting incoming mail for detainees at the Dub Brassell Adult Detention Center. Shortly after handling the mail, officials said, she passed out and was revived by jail staff.

Jefferson County deputies arrest second suspect tied to jail contraband investigation

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Officials said that due to the lieutenant passing out, they suspect she came in contact with documents laced with fentanyl. The suspected documents were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for analysis, and Hawkins was taken to the Jefferson County Regional Medical Center for observation.

Officials said the incident remains under investigation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
An atmospheric river originating from near Hawaii known as a 'Pineapple Express,' will send copious amounts of moisture into a large portion of the Northwest and California this week, resulting in heavy rain and waist-deep snow, warn AccuWeather meteorologists.

The Pineapple Express, already evident on weather maps this weekend, will bring a variety of hazards to the West over the next few days, such as major flooding, avalanches, strong winds and travel delays. The heavy precipitation marks a dramatic change to begin February, after what was a relatively dry January.

Meanwhile, lowland areas in the Pacific Northwest, away from the direct discharge of moisture from the atmospheric river, are expected to see slippery accumulating snow-many for the first time this season-through early week.

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The region expected to be hardest hit by the atmospheric river event through Tuesday will be northern portions of California, where not only snow can be measured in feet, but rain as well, say AccuWeather meteorologists.

"Locations like Redding and San Francisco can receive a month's worth of rain just alone from this event," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Elizabeth Danco. "Across the rugged terrain of Northern and Central California, heavy rain can cause landslides which could lead to road closures and travel disruptions."

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Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts with Premium+

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AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting a large part of the northern third of the Golden State and far southwestern Oregon to measure several inches of rain. This includes the San Francisco Bay Area and cities such as Chico and Santa Rosa, California; and Eugene, Oregon.

The heaviest rain, amounting up to 12 inches, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 24 inches, will be centered over Northwestern California and a portion of the northern Sierra Nevada mountain range. For many even outside the area of highest rain totals, the atmospheric river can easily deposit at least a months' worth of rain in a matter of days.

"San Francisco's historical average rainfall for the month of February is 3.96 inches, while Redding's is 5.48 inches," added Danco. The Golden Gate City is forecast to receive 2-4 inches of rain through Tuesday, while rain in Redding can total 4-8 inches.

Such eye-popping rain totals are common with Pineapple Express atmospheric river events that last for days. "Since the Pineapple Express starts thousands of miles to the west of Washington, Oregon and California, there is plenty of time for excessive moisture to gather," explains AccuWeather.com Managing Editor Monica Danielle.

In the Sierra range, as much as 3-6 feet of snow can fall through Tuesday, especially above 7,000 feet, making travel nearly impossible. Gusty winds are also expected across the lee side of the range in western Nevada, resulting in localized wind damage, including around Reno.

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While AccuWeather meteorologists expect the worst of this atmospheric river to wane by Tuesday night, a storm following the path of rich moisture can arrive Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing one last round of rain and snow.

The precipitation is also expected to shift south toward Southern California, which would be good and bad news in the wake of last month's historic and deadly fires around Los Angeles. While any rain would be helpful in preventing new fires in the near future, downpours can trigger mudslides and debris flows.

While the Pineapple Express looks to avoid directly impacting northwestern parts of Oregon, western Washington and far southwestern British Columbia, Canada, an influx of cold air from the Arctic region combined with Pacific moisture can lead to accumulating snow outside of the mountains, warn winter weather experts at AccuWeather.

"Portland and Seattle [had] yet to record any measurable snow so far this winter," said Danco on Saturday. By Sunday, a few tenths of an inch had been recorded in both places, with more snow showers expected on Monday.

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Meanwhile, over two million people in the Vancouver, Canada, metropolitan area will have to prep their snow removal equipment, with a whopping 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) forecast through Monday night. Much higher amounts can fall in the nearby mountains, which can impact travel through the passes.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WKBN)  A Pittsburgh man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sex trafficking on Friday.

According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2019 to in and around April 2022, Eric Jefferson, 41, coerced and forced at least four women to perform commercial sex work for his monetary gain.

Jefferson provided the women with drugs for meeting clients and would withhold the drugs if the womenwho were addicted to narcotics and could become ill with withdrawal symptomsrefused to meet with clients.

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Jefferson also used violence and threats of violence to coerce and force women to engage in commercial sex work.

Some victims also testified in court.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jefferson.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Plainfield  A juvenile has been arrested after allegedly making a threat that led police to increase their presence in all of the towns schools on Friday, town police said.

According to a statement from the police, Plainfield Public School administrators notified law enforcement at 9:49 p.m. on Thursday that they had learned of a social media comment which was threatening in nature.

Police said an investigation led to the arrest of an unidentified juvenile on charges of second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace.

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Based on the threat, there was an increased police presence at all the Town of Plainfield Public Schools this morning, the statement said. This appears to be an isolated incident, however we encourage everyone to report any suspicious threats or activities to the Plainfield Police.

Police said the juvenile was released to the custody of their parents. The case has been referred to juvenile court.
Plainfield  A proposal to upgrade Lions Park with a mix of state and local funds will not move forward after residents overwhelmingly rejected the plan at a special town meeting Thursday night.

The proposal to use up to $100,000 from the towns fund balance as a 20% match to unlock up to $500,000 in state grant funding was squashed in a 61-to-17 vote, voiding a request to send the plan to a town referendum.

If the town approved the allocation, local officials said a full grant from the state would have allowed the town to build a 1,000-square-foot covered bandstand at the south end of the park, reconfigure the parking lot shared with town hall to add space for about 50 more cars, and installing security cameras and new lighting around the parks walking track.

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While the $600,000 project would have cost the town a maximum of $100,000, residents Thursday questioned the value of the investment and whether the money would be better spent elsewhere in town.

Residents were also leery that the $500,000 grant from the state was not guaranteed, even though officials assured the public that the town would match no more than 20% of the state funds and tailor the project to the funds received.

First Selectman Kevin Cunningham, who spearheaded the proposal said the town had until Feb. 20 to apply for the grant through Connecticuts Small Town Economic Assistance Program.

This is a very short window of opportunity for us to not only get the application information but also be able to put together a packet and then apply. I would've liked for a better result. I was for it, but we have to abide by the vote of the public, Cunningham said. I do appreciate all the work that my staff did, the grant writer, our town planner and town engineer for putting that packet together that quickly.

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Karla Desjardins, the chair of the Plainfield Democratic Town Committee, said she was pleased that the people rejected extra spending when we're coming into a tough budget year.

During comments before the vote, Desjardins said the budget needs to really focus on necessities, including education, public safety and roads.

Parks are great. It's a want, it's a luxury. I don't think it's a luxury we can afford, Desjardins said. Every dollar we vote for from the fund balance is money that was not budgeted. And since we are less than three months away from a new budget season, I'm here this evening because I'm no to any extra spending until we can figure out a budget that the people can afford.

a.cross@theday.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  A medical plane crashed in Philadelphia, killing seven people, injuring 19 and causing multiple house fires.

A Learjet 55 crashed around 6:30 p.m. local time on Friday, Jan. 31, after departing from Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

According to police, the plane was on a medical assignment. The plane was flying to Springfield to make a stop before reaching its final destination in Mexico.

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Officials: Seven dead, 19 injured in air ambulance crash in Philadelphia

A statement from the ambulance service, Jet Rescue, released this information confirming that six people were on board:

Today at approximately 19:25 EST, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, experienced a crash. The aircraft XA-UCI, Learjet 55, crashed after take off from Philadelphia. There were four (4) crew members and one (2) passengers (pediatric patient and escort) on board. No further information is available at this time. At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified. Our immediate concern is for the patients family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground. More information will be released as it becomes available.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that the six passengers on the medical transport jet died in the crash in a social media post on Saturday. All six victims on the jet were from Mexico.

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Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed in a press conference on Saturday that an additional person was killed and 19 people were injured on the ground due to the crash.

A girl who was returning to Mexico after receiving treatment for a life-threatening illness in the U.S. was among the six people killed on the flight, officials confirmed with NBC News.

Shriners Childrens Philadelphia said the patient and her mother had received treatment and were in the process of being transported back to their home country of Mexico, according to 6abc.com.

Currently, it is not clear what led to the crash.

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According to flightaware.com, the place normally makes multiple flights a day. It started today at Miami Opa-Locka Executive Airport (OPF) and then to northeast Philadelphia (PNE).

Springfield hospitals told OzarksFirst they were not expecting a flight this evening.

We will update this story as more information is reported.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Originally appeared on E! Online

UPDATE: Seven people have been confirmed dead in the medevac plane crash in Philadelphia, including one person who was on the ground.

"We can officially disclose 6 perished in the plane," the city's mayor, Cherelle L. Parker, said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Feb. 1. "At least one more person perished in the incident."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on X that the six people on the plane were Mexican nationals.

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_________

Another plane crash has tragically occurred on U.S. soil.

An air ambulance crashed down in Philadelphia around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 soon after departing to head to the Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, the operating company said in a statement to NBC News.

There were six passengers on board the Learjet 55, including a pediatric patient, her guardian and four crew members, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance confirmed to the outlet. The child onboard the flight was traveling back home to Mexico after getting a life-saving treatment in the United States, a spokesperson for the company told NBC10 Philadelphia.

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"The treatment ran its course. She was ready to go home, and we were contracted to bring her back home to Mexico," the spokesperson said. "Ultimate destination was the Tijuana International Airport and was scheduled to go home by ground ambulance."

The number of fatalities is not yet known, according to the citys mayor Cherelle Parker, who said in a press conference that several dwellings and vehicles were impacted when the aircraft crashed near Philadelphias Roosevelt Mall.

Six people who were not on the plane were injured in the crash and transported to Temple University Hospital's Jeanes Campus, a source confirmed with NBC10. Three have since been released.

One local resident felt and heard the explosion, saying that one person caught fire in the collision.

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Out of nowhere, everything just shook, the bystander told NBC10. I thought the buildings fell or something. I walked outside and all you see is a huge explosion. I look outside and, bam, you just see all this fire.

Joan Valls/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

He continued, I started shaking and then I see a person running on fire. I didnt know what to do. I was just there, I was just shook. Thats something you see in a movie, but to see it in person is just very troubling.

Following the crash, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro gave residents an update on the citys response.

We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly, Shapiro wrote in a Jan. 31 statement on X. Well continue to provide updates as more information is available.

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The National Transportation Safety Boardwho is investigating the American Airlines crash that occurred two days prior and claimed the lives of all 67 people involvedwill head up the upcoming investigation into the private jets crash as well.

"The FAA and NTSB will investigate," the FAA said in a Jan. 31 statement to NBC News. "The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates."

(Originally published Friday, Jan. 31 at 7:21 p.m. PT)

(E!, NBC News and NBC10 Philadelphia are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed the Union Budget 2025 presented on Saturday and said it was very disappointing, without any vision and did not meet the demands of Karnataka. "This budget has not met the demands of Karnataka state. The central government has not announced any of the projects we requested from Karnataka in this budget. Nothing has been announced on AIIMS which we have asked in Raichur. "I have seen the key highlights of the Modi government's budget. The Union Budget, from the country's perspective, may be fine, but from Karnataka's perspective, it is very disappointing," CM Siddaramaiah said. Attacking BJP further, he said that the centre had given an "empty vessel" to Karnataka, and no money was allotted to the irrigation projects in Karnataka. He further alleged that the state's projects have received "not a single rupee". "The central government had invited us to the pre-budget meeting and Minister Krishna Byre Gowda attended on behalf of the state. We had placed several demands from Karnataka, but not a single demand has been fulfilled by the central government. We are in the second position among the states that pay the most taxes, but Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have received more than us. This can be called the budget for Andhra and Bihar," he said. "The central government has not given anything for the Mahadayi, Mekedatu, and Krishna projects. In Bengaluru, nothing has been allocated for the special corridor project. The honorarium for Anganwadi workers and ASHA workers has not been increased. The central government has not provided a single rupee for any of its projects. We had requested to increase the urban housing scheme allocation to Rs 5 lakh, and the rural area fund to be raised from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3 lakh," he added. This comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, during her Union Budget 2025 speech, announced that no income tax will be payable on income up to Rs 12 lakh, providing significant relief to taxpayers, especially the middle class. This limit will be Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers, counting Rs 75,000 of the standard deduction. She also stated that the new income tax regime will be simpler, with a special focus on benefiting the middle class. The announcement by the Finance Minister of this big relief to the middle class was met by a loud thumping of the desks by the treasury benches led by PM Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha was adjourned on Saturday following the presentation of the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The House will reconvene on February 3 at 11 a.m. (ANI)
A recovery room at the Planned Parenthood Great Plains office is pictured on June 21, 2024, in Overland Park, Kansas (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).

Nearly two months after a voter-approved constitutional amendment legalizing abortion went into effect, the procedure remains inaccessible in Missouri.

On Jan. 31, a Jackson County judge heard arguments over whether to grant an injunction requested by Planned Parenthood that would permit the organization to offer abortion services almost immediately.

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Last month, Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang struck down a number of targeted regulation of abortion provider statutes, better known as TRAP laws.

Laws mandating a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion and a requirement that physicians performing the procedure have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals were put on hold.

But other regulations the judge allowed to remain  such as state licensing requirements and a mandate to receive a pelvic exam before being prescribed the pill used in medication abortion  have left clinics unable to perform the procedure in Missouri.

On Friday afternoon, Zhang again listened to arguments from Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney Generals Office during the hearing in downtown Kansas City.

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We have still not been able to restore abortion access in Missouri, Eleanor Spottswood, an attorney with Planned Parenthood, argued Friday.

Zhang asked how Planned Parenthood clinics would be regulated if she were to strike down the current licensing requirements from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Spottswood said that like other outpatient practices, the facility would not require a license, but the providers would need to meet their own professional licensing requirements through the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.

Planned Parenthood is currently held to a much higher threshold of regulations, she said.

Spottswood said if the judge strikes down the remaining TRAP laws, its Planned Parenthoods intention to offer medication abortions at all nine clinics across the state within a week The organization hopes it can hire and train the necessary staff to also begin performing surgical abortions at its clinics in St. Louis and Kansas City.

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The state previously asked that the case be dismissed, arguing that because abortion is still accessible by mail or by leaving the state, Planned Parenthood didnt have the standing to ask for a temporary ruling.

Much of Fridays hearing revolved around pelvic exams, which Planned Parenthoods attorneys maintained are invasive and unnecessary ahead of prescribing abortion medication. Instead, Spottswood said, the clinics use other methods to determine if the pregnancy is at risk of being ectopic, meaning the fertilized egg has implanted itself outside the uterus.

Taking abortion medication to end an ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous.

Missouri Solicitor General Joshua Divine argued that pelvic exams ahead of any procedure are routine care, and should remain in place.

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Zhang asked if hospitals can perform abortions following passage of Amendment 3 last year, seemingly attempting to determine whether the current pelvic exam law is discriminatory against abortion clinics or if it would also be required at hospitals.

Spottswood said they presumably can, but a question remains of whether any will. Divine agreed that while he believes hospitals can now provide abortions, it is very, very rare that they do so in Missouri  so theres not much need to regulate.

Without a broader injunction, Spottswood argued, the state will enforce the law in the most obstructive way possible and treat abortion providers differently and worse than other providers.

This interferes with patients rights, she said, which is in violation of Amendment 3, which states in part that the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.

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A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, when abortions were still legal, that number fell to 167, a drop that abortion providers attributed to the states growing list of regulations.

Divine questioned why the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis hadnt reapplied for a license, since they were the only clinic in the state that still met licensing requirements when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. He called the lack of access a purely self-inflicted injury.

Missouris trigger law banning all abortions with limited exceptions for medical emergencies went into effect the same day, ending the procedure at the St. Louis clinic.

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Assuming that the state would grant the license, Spottswood said by limiting patients choices to one clinic in the state, the licensing law inserts the state between the patient and the provider.

The hearing, which lasted four hours, also discussed the states continued objection to the Jackson County prosecutor, formerly Jean Peters Baker and currently Melesa Johnson, being named as the defendants representing all county prosecutors in the case.

The attorney generals office argues Johnson, who was endorsed by the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood, does not appropriately represent all statewide prosecutors.

Zhang previously denied the states request to remove the Jackson County prosecutor as a representative for the defendant class and move the case to Cole County, where last summer a judge attempted to strike the abortion-rights amendment from the ballot.

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On Friday, the prosecutors from Wright, Texas, Franklin and Saline counties showed up in court to continue to object, arguing that because there isnt a Planned Parenthood clinic in any of their counties, all county prosecutors shouldnt necessarily be a party in the case.

It was noted that three of the four counties have emergency rooms where women experiencing any abortion complications could be admitted, and that residents in any county could be prescribed abortion medication at a clinic before returning to their home counties.

There could be a risk of prosecution across the state because of telemedicine, said Gillian Wilcox, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri.

No specific examples of what cases could be prosecuted were entertained. Tyrrell added that if he did prosecute an abortion case, he was confident hed quickly find himself again sitting across from Planned Parenthood in a courtroom.

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I wont swear I wont and I wont swear I will prosecute, Wright County ProsecutorJohn Tyrrell told Zhang.   but the likelihood is very, very low.

Zhang gave both parties one week to file additional briefings. Her decision is expected after that. The bench trial, at which point the judge will make a permanent ruling, has been set for January 2026.

This story was updated at 8:20 a.m. Saturday to correct the spelling of Eleanor Spottswoods name. It was updated again at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday to correctly attribute a quote to ACLU of Missouri attorney Gillian Wilcox.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Meet Tandy! A young, female, terrier mix pup ready to find her forever home.

Tandy arrived at Caddo Parish Animal Services in mid-January, according to the shelter she was found as a stray.

This sweet 2-month-old pup has been adapting well to her temporary home, but she is ready to find her human and live out the rest of her puppy days in a warm and loving home.

Tandy is a puppy, so keep in mind shes got a lot of energy; she is ready to play!

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The adoption process is quick and easy, just fill out the application and pay the $50 adoption fee. Once Tandy has been spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated, she will be ready to head on her first adventure with you!

If you are interested in adopting Tandy, visit Caddo Parish at 1500 Monty Street.

For more information visit Caddo Parish Animal Services.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Poland scrambled its fighter jets on the morning of Saturday, 1 February and put its ground-based air defence systems on alert in response to a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine.

Source: a statement by the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The command noted that all available assets and personnel had been deployed, and the situation was being monitored constantly.

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"Attention: Polish and allied aircraft have begun operating in our airspace in connection with a Russian attack which is particularly targeting facilities located in Ukraines west," the statement said.

In accordance with procedure, all available assets and personnel are being used, fighter jets have been scrambled, and ground-based air defence and radar surveillance assets have been put on high alert, the Polish military added.

Background:

An air-raid warning was issued across Ukraine on the morning of 1 February, and the all-clear was given in Kyiv and a number of regions after 09:00.

Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia in particular came under Russian fire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that six people had been killed in the Russian strikes.

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Polish and other allied aircraft were quickly mobilized on Feb. 1 in response to a large-scale missile attack by Russia on western Ukraine, Poland's Armed Forces reported on X.

"Attention, due to the attack of the Russian Federation performing strikes on facilities located in the west of Ukraine, among others, the operation of Polish and allied aviation in our airspace has begun, the statement said.

All available forces and means were activated during the attack, the command said, adding that it was constantly monitoring the situation.

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In accordance with procedures, fighter jets were dispatched, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance assets were put on high alert, the Polish military said.

Russia launched a combined attack of 165 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles at Ukraine overnight and in the morning on Feb. 1, Ukraine's Air Force reported. Ukrainian air defense intercepted 56 Russian UAVs, the Air Force said.

At least seven people were killed and 14 injured in a residential building strike in Poltava. Civilian entreprises and infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytsky, and Kyiv oblasts were damaged, according to the report.

Poland has scrambled jets amid Russian attacks on Ukraine several times over the past year.

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Read also: Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 9, injure 36 over past day

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Greenville Police Department is asking for help identifying a suspect in a theft at Rural King.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Greenville police are investigating a theft that occurred at the Greenville Rural King, according to a Facebook post from the department.

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The post included photos of a man and a vehicle believed to be involved in the theft.

If you have any information on the identity or whereabouts of the man or the vehicle, you can contact Officer William Nibert at 937-548-1103.

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The Greenville Police Department is currently investigating a theft that occurred at the Greenville Rural King. If... Posted by Greenville Ohio Police Department on Thursday, January 30, 2025

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COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  An 18-year-old was critically injured after being shot Thursday night, according to Colleton County Fire-Rescue.

Authorities responded to a home on Francis Street in Walterboro at 6:51 p.m. When they arrived, they found the male victim bleeding profusely on the porch, Colleton Fire said.

First responders immediately began to render aid and attempt to control the bleeding. No medical helicopters were available, so the victim was taken emergently to the trauma center at Trident Medical.

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The victim was in critical condition, but firefighter paramedics were able to administer two units of life-saving whole blood during transport, and his condition improved, Colleton County Fire explained.

The Walterboro Police Department is the lead investigative agency regarding the shooting.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
A Manchester man was indicted Friday on numerous charges for allegedly sexually assaulting children.

26-year-old Alexander Haggie was arrested in October 2024, according to Manchester Police, and was indicted on the following charges:

9 Counts of Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault

8 Counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child

4 Counts of Endangering- Solicit Sex

3 Counts of Pattern Aggravated Felonious Sexual Assault

3 Counts of Witness Tampering/Induce Other

2 Counts of Indecent Exposure/ Sex Act, Child <16

2 Counts of 2nd Degree Assault; Strangulation

2 Counts of Criminal Threatening- conduct

2 Counts of Sexual Assault- Sexual Contact

He also faces 5 other separate charges related to child sexual abuse, according to authorities. Haggie is being held on preventative detention and is scheduled for arraignment on February 24.

His girlfriend, 29-year-old Nicole Menard, was arrested in November and released on $500 cash bail. She is now indicted on two counts of witness tampering and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

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Menard is scheduled for arraignment on February 21.

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DENVER (KDVR)  Police are asking the public for help in identifying a person who is suspected of stealing baggage from the Denver International Airport earlier this month.

According to a release from the Denver Police Department, the suspect is believed to be involved in a baggage theft that happened on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

What would happen if trains at the Denver airport stopped working?

Police said the incident happened around 12:04 p.m.

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The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his 30s, standing at about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium build.

The police department provided images of the suspect:

Police are asking the public for help in identifying a person who is suspected of stealing baggage from the Denver International Airport earlier this month. Police are asking the public for help in identifying a person who is suspected of stealing baggage from the Denver International Airport earlier this month.

Police are asking anyone with information or who can identify the suspect to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

Tipsters can also remain anonymous and leave a tip online and still be eligible for the up to $2,000 reward offered in this case.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
DeKalb police are trying to figure out who stabbed a man and then left him for dead on the sidewalk.

Investigators said they were called out to Lawrenceville Highway near Jimmy Carter Boulevard shortly after 7 p.m. for a person who was assaulted.

When they got to the scene they found the mans body lying on the sideway.

Police said they are trying to determine what led up to the mans stabbing.

So far, they have not released the name of the deceased.

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The Delhi High Court disposed of four petitions challenging the release of the movie '2020 Delhi', noting that it was premature for the court to examine the objections, as the necessary certification is still pending with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The bench of Justice Sachin Datta also acknowledged the producers' submission that the CBFC certification had not yet been obtained and that until such certification is granted, the producers would refrain from publicly screening the movie or releasing it on social media. Additionally, the producers clarified that the film is a fictionalized and dramatized account, not intended to depict a literal recreation of the events that occurred in February 2020. They also committed to including a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie and its trailer to this effect, noted the court. Taking these submissions into account, the court observed that the trailer's disclaimer would address any concerns that the film misrepresents actual events, said the court. Furthermore, the court noted the Election Commission of India's (ECI) ongoing examination of the complaint regarding the movie's potential influence on voters and political narratives. It deemed it appropriate for the ECI to continue its review of the issue. The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on three petitions challenging the release of a movie reportedly based on the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The bench, of Justice Sachin Datta, heard the matter in detail, taking into account arguments from all parties involved. The court carefully considered concerns about the potential impact of the film on ongoing legal proceedings and the sensitive nature of the subject matter before deciding to reserve its judgment. The first petition was filed by Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the riots case. The second petition involves five individuals and the third petition was filed by Umang, an independent candidate running in the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections. Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta, representing the filmmakers, opposed the petitions and informed the court that the movie has not yet received a certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for public screening. He further assured the court that the film would not be made available on social media until it has been officially certified. Mehta also clarified that there would be no public screening of the movie until the necessary certification from the CBFC is obtained. He added that no certificate is required for the trailer of the film. ASG Chetan Sharma, representing the Union Government and the CBFC, argued that the petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India was not maintainable. He stated, "Article 226 applies only when the government acts in contravention of the law or has done something wrong. Neither of these situations applies here." Referring to the IT Rules of 2021, ASG Sharma further pointed out that a request for content removal could only be considered if the relevant social media platforms, where the content is published, were made parties to the petition. Since this was not done in the present case, the petition should not be entertained. Advocate Sidhant Kumar, representing the Election Commission of India (ECI), stated that the ECI is currently considering the issue. Sharjeel Imam, through his counsel Advocate Warisha Farasat, argued that the movie's trailer unfairly portrays Imam as the central figure behind the riots. She pointed out that the trailer opens with a speech made by a character, which is depicted as Imam. The dialogue in the trailer, she claimed, mirrors the exact words attributed to Imam in the chargesheet of the ongoing UAPA case related to the riots, which is still pending in trial court. Advocate Farasat emphasized that the case is at a critical stage, and the trailer's content could undermine Imam's right to a fair and impartial trial, potentially prejudicing the proceedings. Sharjeel Imam's plea alleged that the creators of the film have intentionally and deliberately thwarted the legal processes that exist, ignored the constitutional framework and purposefully portrayed a misrepresentative account of the alleged events that took place in Delhi in February 2020. However, Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing several individuals argued that the film's trailer violated Section 5(b) of the Cinematograph Act, as well as the Contempt of Courts Act. He described the film as an "iceberg," with the trailer being merely the "tip of the iceberg." He further highlighted a reference in the trailer stating that the film was inspired by the true events of the 2020 riots, which he claimed added to the concern of potential prejudice and legal violations. Meanwhile, the court also heard the counsel representing the third petitioner, the independent candidate. He argued that both the trailer and the film could influence the upcoming Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, potentially undermining the principle of free and fair elections. (ANI)
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  As of Thursday, Hillsborough County records showed the number of active registered Republicans was bigger than the number of registered Democrats. The difference as of Friday was 307 voters.

Carmen Edmonds is the chair of the Hillsborough GOP. She said new residents and younger voters helped her party flip the county from blue to red.

Health data, entire pages wiped from federal websites as Trump officials target gender ideology

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The influx of conservatives moving to Florida and Tampa is a big hot spot, Edmonds said. They want conservative values, as far as being fiscally responsible, but they also like parts of the libertarian mindset.

The libertarian mindset involves advocating for a smaller government and individual responsibility, along with tolerating diverse lifestyles.

Edmonds also credits Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump.

Rep. Kathy Castor, whose district includes a bulk of Hillsborough County discussed why support for her party may be waning.

There has definitely been a Trump effect, Castor said.

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The United States representative agreed President Trump helped sway voters and said her partys messaging is being clouded by other headlines.

Democrats have lowered the cost of prescription drugs, (are) fighting to lower the cost of living, standing up to utility companies to lower their electric bills and not playing these culture war issues, Castor said.

Trump administration fires prosecutors involved in Jan. 6 cases and moves toward ousting FBI agents

The Florida Democratic Party said there are more than 100,000 inactive registered voters in Hillsborough County. Numbers show about 43,000 are Democrats. The party said if you add those numbers to the active list, then Democrats will be back in the lead.

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Inactive voters are people whose election related mail cannot be delivered for unknown reasons, or the voter has moved and has not updated their address. Keep in mind, inactive voters can still legally vote.

A spokesperson for the Florida Democratic Party released the following statement:

Republicans are taking premature victory laps to distract from their civil war. The truth is Republicans have spent years changing elections laws to wipe Democrats off the rolls and make it harder to register to vote. While they may have a slight edge today, were going to continue fighting to take back Hillsborough County.

Evan Power, who is the chairman of the Florida GOP, also released a statement:

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Congratulations to the Republican leaders and volunteers of Hillsborough County! Your work has been nothing short of impressive. President Trumps Golden Age is upon us, and Florida voters are showing support for his initiatives by registering as Republicans, rejecting the great harm Democrats have inflicted upon our great nation.

The Florida GOP expects Miami-Dade to be the next county to flip.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  Starting Saturday, goods imported from Canada, Mexico and China will now have a tariff placed on them. These tariffs vary from 10% on Chinese goods to 25% for goods being imported from Canada and Mexico.

Maryville College Political Science Professor Mark OGorman said we may not see the impacts right away. However, prices for everyday goods could go up soon.

TN report details criminal charges of people who immigrated illegally

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If what we are hearing that over the weekend possibly that tariffs will be imposed by the United States on at least Canada and Mexico from what Im hearing, OGorman said. Consumers may quickly see an impact and not necessarily to the good. What will happen is, more often than not, the companies who have to absorb the tariff prices they will, like most companies, pass the price onto consumers.

Its no secret that prices on most food items have gone up over the last few years. With these tariffs that will be imposed, prices for cars and other big ticket items could rise.

Its not necessarily that its a car that could have 10 percent, but it could be the parts, OGorman said. Anybody whos gone to a repair shop and had to pay real money for those repairs, if suddenly that bumper came from Canada thats going to attach to the American car, suddenly that bumper is going to be 10 percent higher. I know that Ive seen a $600 bumper and suddenly we are talking $660 or $720. Thats where you would start to see it.

Trump holds 49 percent approval rating in national poll

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What exactly is a tariff? The International Trade Administration defines it as a tax that is levied by governments on the value including freight and insurance of imported goods. Who pays the tariff, more often than not its the consumers.

While we think the tariffs are actually a penalty to the foreign country, its actually the importing company that has to eat the cost, OGorman explained. Pick your favorite foreign Canadian or Mexican good, if thats coming through a Tennessee company, theyre the importer. Its the Tennessee company that has to pay that extra cost, not Mexico or Canada.

 See more top stories on WATE.com

In looking at what some of the top imports are for the state of Tennessee from Canada and Mexico, the state imports more than six billion dollars of Canadian goods annually like pharmaceuticals, aluminum, plastics and motor vehicle parts.

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Tennessee imports more than $11.4 billion of goods from Mexico annually including motor vehicles, vehicle parts, electrical equipment and HVAC equipment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Nothing creates intrigue quite like an internal religious quarrel.

Vice President J.D. Vance wasted no time in picking one with the U.S. Catholic bishops.

Last weekend, Vance, a practicing Catholic, effectively accused the church hierarchy in the U.S. of opposing President Donald Trumps immigration agenda because the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been the beneficiary of federal grant dollars for refugee resettlement.

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But lets back up, because Vance didnt fire the first salvo.

His comments came in response to a USCCB statement that criticized Trumps decision to rescind immigration enforcement policies limiting where arrests could happen; namely, that immigration-related arrests may now occur in schools and even churches.

Even before Trump took the oath Jan. 20, Pope Francis made known his feelings about the presidents plans to deport migrants who illegally entered the U.S. during the Biden administration.

It doesnt work. You dont resolve problems this way, the pope said in an interview with Italian television, adding that such a plan would be a disgrace.

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His words probably emboldened the U.S. bishops and ultimately set off a war of words that is making plenty of hay but doing very little good for faithful Catholics and their church or for migrants, for that matter.

To start, Vances assertion that U.S. bishops are enriching themselves from federal grants for programs intended to care for immigrants who illegally entered the country under the previous president is wrong.

As the Catholic publication The Pillar explains, according to the last 10 years of audited USCCB financial statements, the conference has spent more than it received to fund its migration and refugee programs every single year.

In 2023, for example, it spent $134 million on contracts for programs dealing with refugees and migrants but received only $130 million in federal grants for such programs.

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The church is most certainly not seeking to get rich off of failed U.S. immigration policy.

However, it was uniquely positioned in a crisis to administer help to those who made their way to the U.S. courtesy of Bidens lax border policies.

Oct 1, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Republican JD Vance prior to the CBS News vice presidential debate moderated by CBS Evening News anchor and managing editor Norah ODonnell and Face the Nation moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vance does not have a full understanding of the issue.

Unfortunately, hes not the only guilty party in that regard.

Pope Francis and other church leaders are primarily responsible for the salvation of souls.

Part of that solemn charge is accomplished by sharing the gospel and teachings of Christ with the world, which does legitimately include lessons on how to treat each other with dignity and care.

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But that does not mean the decision to speak broadly and assertively on immigration policy, a topic not within their expertise and outside their scope, is always prudent or helpful.

Church leaders do not fully appreciate all the considerations that go into making U.S. immigration policy.

Frankly, why should they? Most American politicians dont, either.

Speaking about Catholic social teaching, which calls for love of migrants and mercy for them, without reference to the responsibilities of those individuals to follow the laws of nations in which they dwell (also described in Catholic doctrine) does a disservice to the church.

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Believe it or not, Catholic teaching on such matters is like immigration policy itself  complex and multi-layered; dialogues about social teaching are therefore deserving of thoughtful and deliberate language.

Thankfully, Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson provided such nuance and delicacy in his letter to the faithful, issued without fanfare as hotter heads prevailed.

We advocate for laws that respect human rights including the right to seek asylum in the face of oppression and threats to human life, he added. We do not advocate for the breaking of the law.

In a tight one-pager, Olson reminded readers that dignity lies within every human being and of our role in caring for the vulnerable; that nations have the responsibility to maintain their borders and govern them; that immigrants contribute to the good of society, but that they are called to respect the laws and heritage of the lands that receive them.

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Please be kind to each other and avoid incendiary language and actions that will not help us to act justly or mercifully, he concluded.

If only all bishops  and vice presidents  could speak with such clarity and purpose.

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Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency on Friday recalled various flavors of Platinum Vape-branded vape cartridges that contain a diluting agent that could be harmful to consumers.

The recall of the vape cartridges, which is voluntary, comes a few months after the CRA began requiring that the cannabis oil used in vape pens be tested for the diluting agent MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil before those products make it to store shelves.

The is the first recall of a product that contains MCT oil in Michigan after the testing requirement went into effect in October.

Michigan's Cannabis Regulatory Agency recalled various flavors of Platinum Vape-branded vape cartridges that contain a diluting agent that could be harmful to consumers on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.

The vape cartridges were produced by RWB Michigan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Red White and Bloom, a multistate cannabis operator based in Toronto. A Red White and Bloom executive did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Friday afternoon.

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"We appreciate the cooperation of RWB Michigan LLC, multiple licensed laboratories and the CRA staff that worked together in support of this voluntary recall," Brian Hanna, executive director of the CRA, said in an emailed comment. "We look forward to continuing to enhance our testing and investigative capabilities to ensure consumer safety."

Platinum Vape is a popular brand in Michigan's cannabis market and Red White and Bloom calls it "one of the most popular THC brands in the industry" on its website.

The CEO of a cannabis testing company with a lab in Michigan told the Detroit Free Press in April that after purchasing 200 products at recreational marijuana dispensaries from nearly 60 brands, 69 of the 200 samples that were tested for MCT oil, conversion oil or pesticides were found to contain at least one of the substances.

More on what the cannabis lab CEO found: Michigan cannabis lab CEO says hidden substances could taint vape pens, edibles

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More on the state of the industry: Michigan likely hit a big cannabis milestone in 2024: What's ahead for the market

MCT oil is banned in marijuana products intended for inhalation in some states, like Colorado, following the outbreak of vaping-related lung illnesses in 2019.

Platinum Vape flavors affected by this recall include Garlic Cookie, Blazing Blue Cheese, Banana Candy and Grape Valley Kush and were sold at dispensaries such as 420 Dank, Inhale Detroit and Motown Meds, all in Detroit, and at several other stores across the state. Nearly 16,000 of the recalled vape cartridges were produced, David Harns, a CRA spokesperson, said.

Consumers who purchased these four flavors of Platinum Vapes any time after March 4, 2024, should check the Metrc Tag number of the package label and compare it to the recalled Metrc Tag numbers found on the CRA's website under the tab "Voluntary Recall Information - RWB," the CRA said. This webpage also lists the dispensaries where the vapes were sold.

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Consumers with a recalled vape should return it to the sales location from where it was purchased or dispose of it safely, the CRA said. Consumers who have experienced adverse reactions after using these products should report their symptoms and product use to their health care providers, the agency said.

Consumers are also encouraged to report any adverse reactions to the products to the CRA by completing an "Adverse Reaction Reporting Form" that can be found on the agency's website or by phone at 517-284-8599, the CRA said.

Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan cannabis regulator recalls Platinum vape cartridges
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Some Portland property owners in underserved and gentrified communities are facing disproportionate amounts of property complaints from neighbors, and liens from the city compared to other communities, according to a new Portland Ombudsman report.

The report, which was released Wednesday, is a follow-up to a 2021 Ombudsman report that found inequities in the citys complaint-based property maintenance enforcement system and offered recommendations for the city.

Under Portlands property maintenance system, community members can file confidential reports on homes  including complaints for issues such as overgrown lawns or cluttered driveways. Those reports are then investigated by the city for possible code violations.

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But according to the latest ombudsman report, the current system disproportionately affects communities of color and neighborhoods vulnerable to gentrification, and despite the Ombudsmans previous recommendations, only one has been partially implemented.

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The 2021 Ombudsman report

The Ombudsman report from 2021 explains that complaints can come as a surprise for some homeowners who may have been living in a home with the same conditions for years or are putting off home maintenance because of other pressing matters.

The report pointed to one case example in which a homeowner garnered nearly $30,000 in enforcement liens after neighbors complained about paint peeling from the exterior of her home.

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However, the homeowner was struggling financially as she helped a family member with a mental health crisis while caring for her aging parents, the report said, noting liens are revolving, and can increase over time with escalating complaints and interest.

This complaint-based system is inequitable, according to the Ombudsman, noting other issues have been raised by city inspectors who say neighbors can weaponize the system against others by filing trivial maintenance complaints or complaining about issues that do not involve health or safety concerns.

After examining several neighborhood factors, the 2021 report found that households in racially diverse and gentrifying areas receive more complaints.

On average, households in neighborhoods with higher percentages of people of color and greater increases in median home prices over five years were most strongly associated with higher complaint rates, the Ombudsmans Office said.

A 2025 Portland Ombudsman report found lien amounts tend to be larger in areas with higher Latinx communities (Courtesy Portland Ombudsmans Office.) A 2025 Portland Ombudsman report found the number of liens tends to be higher in areas with greater Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander populations (Courtesy Portland Ombudsmans Office.)

Recommendations

The 2021 report offered three recommendations. First, the office recommended that the commissioner in charge of development services  which was Commissioner Dan Ryan at the time  should commit to eliminating inequitable outcomes in the system as soon as practicable.

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Next, the report recommended that the bureau should engage with the communities that were adversely impacted by the system to seek their recommendations on enforcement.

The third recommendation from the Ombudsman was to assign a project manager to lead engagement and propose reforms to City Council and bureau managers.

But according to Wednesdays follow-up report, only one recommendation has been partially implemented while another is in progress.

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Recommendation 1

In their response to the initial Ombudsman report, Commissioner Ryan and Bureau of Development Services Director Rebecca Esau agreed to the recommendations and acknowledged the disparities and barriers created for marginalized community members through enforcement fees and liens, the report said.

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According to the Ombudsman, the bureau has made systemic changes to reduce harmful impacts of the complaint-driven system. This includes a 2020 policy  implemented before the initial Ombudsman report was released  to no longer enforce violations for certain older, unpermitted work at owner-occupied properties.

In 2022, another policy de-prioritized property maintenance enforcement in owner-occupied housing cases with less than six non-critical property maintenance violations.

Another policy allows liens to be waived for homeowners with closed enforcement cases who are experiencing financial, medical or other hardships.

Despite some of these policies, the latest Ombudsman report found no significant changes have been made to the standards outlined in Code that specify how property owners should maintain their properties. The Bureau continues to rely on complaints to trigger inspections for potential violations. A homeowner found in violation of code can still incur fines if the violation is not corrected, and unpaid fines can result in a lien on the property.

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According to the latest Ombudsman report, as of June 2023, the total amount of liens on owner-occupied residential properties was about the same as in 2021, reaching nearly $11 million.

Our analysis of this data shows that liens tend to be larger and more numerous in ZIP codes with lower-value homes and where certain communities of color live. Specifically, areas with greater percentages of homes valued below $50,000, from $50,000 to $99,000, and from $200,000 to $300,000 were strongly associated with higher numbers of liens, the Ombudsman report said.

Areas with greater percentages of homes valued below $50,000 and from $200,000 to $300,000 were strongly associated with larger lien amounts. Areas with greater Latinx populations were moderately associated with larger lien amounts, and areas with greater Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander populations were moderately associated with higher numbers of liens, the report added.

Based on these findings, the Ombudsman concluded, Despite the Bureaus commitments and positive steps taken, the continued reliance on complaints as the basis for enforcement, which has been shown to adversely affect communities of color and neighborhoods vulnerable to gentrification, has not been tackled with the sense of urgency that we emphasized in this recommendation.

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Striking New Seasons employees claim worker was fired for helping disabled person on break

Recommendation 2

The recommendation to engage with the communities that have been adversely affected by the property maintenance enforcement system is still in progress, according to the Ombudsman.

The report states that steps were not immediately taken to work with these communities, and in 2023 a community engagement position for the city was cut.

However, the Ombudsman notes that the city plans on engaging with the community as part of its 2023-2025 Racial Equity Plan.

Additionally, in April 2024, the bureau partnered with the Housing Bureaus Rental Services Office to work on community engagement, code changes and equity programs  including exploring the feasibility of a new property compliance model that is less reliant on complaints.

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The Ombudsman recommends that the bureau follows through on its community engagement efforts in order to gather insights on what community members need.

Fresh lawsuit hits Oregon town at the heart of Supreme Court ruling on homeless encampments

Recommendation 3

The recommendation to assign a project manager to facilitate community engagement and propose reforms to City Council and the bureau, has not been implemented, the Ombudsman said, noting no staff members have been assigned to this role.

In light of bureau budget and staff cuts, the report found that the bureaus Neighborhood Inspections Team will work together on community engagement, rather than the bureau assigning one project manager.

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Oversight group reacts to PPBs apology for misreporting details of 2022 mass shooting

The response

Overall, the system continues to be complaint-based, which the Ombudsman report said, is an inefficient system that undermines equity and fairness.

The Ombudsman noted their office continues to receive complaints about the system from homeowners, noting some property owners feel emotional distress from growing liens and heightened tensions with neighbors who file complaints.

In a statement to KOIN 6 News on Thursday, Councilor Dan Ryan said, During my time as City Commissioner and I had oversight of Bureau of Development Services I responded to an audit of our permitting system and I took action, creating the permitting task force and todays integrated system. I hope the executive leadership of Portland Permitting & Development responds with action to this most recent Ombudsman report, as well.

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In response to the latest Ombudsman report, David Kuhnhausen  interim director of Portland Permitting and Development  told KOIN 6 News, We are committed to finding more equitable approaches to our work and understand that community engagement and education plays a large part in reducing compliance cases. While budgetary concerns and staffing capacity continue to be obstacles that the bureau must find creative solutions to address, we will continue to work with the tools and staff we have to address this recommendation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed multiple executive orders targeting the LGBTQ community. This includes limiting access to gender-affirming care, barring transgender individuals from serving openly in the military, enforcing a binary gender framework and eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs within federal agencies.

Veronica Ambrose, a community organizer at MoPride, said that while the DEI executive order does not directly impact her organization, it could restrict the grants its eligible to apply for in the future.

MoPride is always trying to make our community as diverse and equitable as possible, Ambrose said.

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She noted that while she doubts nonprofits will bend to the order, she is concerned about the fate of programs that rely on direct federal funding.

Roman Scanlon, executive director of the Cal Pride Center of Stanislaus County, said his organization primarily receives state funding, not federal, so it wont be directly impacted by the executive order.

However, CalPride collaborates with various community organizations, meaning the impact of federal funding cuts could extend beyond DEI-focused groups. Scanlon explained that because grants and funding streams are interconnected, cuts in one area can ripple across the entire community, affecting many other groups as well.

He also expressed concern that Trumps declaration recognizing only two sexes  male and female  could affect healthcare access, as well as travel, employment and safety for his peers. He noted that individuals may now be forced to out themselves as transgender, which could make them more vulnerable to discrimination and pose challenges in finding jobs and housing.

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Were going to be seeing a lot of higher cases of discrimination and hate crimes because of this, Scanlon said.

Trump also signed an order to restrict gender-affirming care for minors.

Gender-affirming care is medically necessary care for TGI [Transgender, Gender-nonconforming/nonbinary, Intersex] youth. If this care is stripped away, we would be setting up TGI youth for mental health distress and increased cases of depression, anxiety and self-harm, said Dannie Cesena, director of the CA LGBTQ Health & Human Services Network, in a statement.

State AG Bonta promises protections

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, however, put out a statement saying that families seeking gender-affirming care, and the doctors and staff who provide it, are protected under state laws including the Transgender, Gender Diverse and Intersex Inclusive Care Act and that the presidents order does not change that.

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My office and I will continue to defend California law and stand up for the rights of all who seek this critical, lifesaving care and the people who support them, Bontas statement reads. We are reviewing the presidents executive order and monitoring its implementation. Rest assured, the California Department of Justice will continue to stand up for our people and our values.

Scanlon said that, thankfully, the Central Valley is supportive of the LGBTQ community, including law enforcement, the Stanislaus County District Attorneys Office and workforce development agencies.

I believe that we have a very strong community here in the Central Valley thats gearing up more so now than ever before. So its anything this is making our community stronger, more respected, and were getting more back up this time than we ever had before, Scanlon said.

Scanlon has been assisting two transgender refugees from Syria and Iraq in finding housing after the State Department informed support service agencies that funding for previously vetted refugees had been discontinued. He was able to find temporary housing for one of them, but just for 30 days.

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He shared that the two refugees feel abandoned by the system.

They had this promise of freedom and safe place to live with a community and a country that accepted them, Scanlon said. But this promise of the American dream has been squashed by the Trump administrations actions, he said.

If the refugees were to return to their home countries, they could face arrest or even death due to their transgender identities. Scanlon is also struggling to find an Arabic translator willing to assist transgender individuals. He encourages anyone interested in helping to reach out via email at roman@calpride.org.
President Donald Trump arrives in West Palm Beach aboard Air Force One on his way home to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach after winning the White House.
Renee Pinkney, a Park City social studies teacher who serves as the president of the Utah Education Association, speaks about changes to HB267 at the Utah Capitol Building on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch)

One of the most controversial and debated bills this legislative session got a facelift Friday morning, softening some of the opposition from the states unionized public employees.

Sponsored by Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, HB267 would have prohibited collective bargaining for unions in the public sector, which represent teachers, firefighters, police officers and municipal workers.

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But on Friday morning, a new version of the bill was unveiled that does away with the ban on collective bargaining  the process where a school district, city, county or other entity with public employees meets with a union to negotiate a contract for those employees.

Instead, the bill now requires public unions to conduct a recertification election every five years.

As long as a majority of the employees in an organization votes for a union to represent them, the union can engage public employers in collective bargaining. If the union doesnt get a majority vote, the class remains unrepresented, according to the bill.

While we are still reviewing the details, one thing is already clear. The pressure worked. Lawmakers heard us. They heard you. And while this fight is not over, its a testament to whats possible when public workers stand in solidarity, said Renee Pinkney, a Park City social studies teacher who serves as the president of the Utah Education Association, which represents more than 18,000 teachers in the state.

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The compromise was revealed even as hundreds of union members, including those from the private sector, descended on the Capitol to protest the bill they accused of union busting.

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For the last two weeks the Utah Education Association, together with other labor groups and public employees, protested Teuschers anti-union bill, drumming up opposition against what emerged as one of the most debated laws this legislative session, and in sessions past.

Teuscher said the bill was an attempt to give teachers and other public sector employees who arent part of a union a greater voice.

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Sometimes a union doesnt represent a majority of the employees in an organization, yet it negotiates for terms on behalf of everyone. His bill, he explained, would have allowed for individuals to negotiate for their own employment terms.

That explanation didnt pass muster for many of the states public employees, who worried the elimination of collective bargaining would take away a unions power. Without it, governments, school districts and other public entities that previously negotiated with unions wouldnt feel compelled to listen to their concerns  and if they wont listen to a union, they definitely wouldnt listen to a single employee, labor groups argued.

The public opposition swayed many lawmakers, too. In the House, 18 Republicans joined 14 Democrats to vote no. It narrowly passed a Senate committee, too, with the tie-breaking vote cast after a promise from Teuscher that he would work to find a compromise.

The bill passed the Senate after an 18-10 vote on Thursday, with the sponsor in the Senate, Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, telling his more skeptical colleagues that by Friday, a new version would be released.

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Senate rules require bills to be voted on twice before they pass, and when HB267 came up for a second vote Friday, Cullimore circled it, meaning lawmakers hit the pause button. It will likely receive a final vote next week.

Hundreds of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other unionized employees protest outside of the Senate gallery at the Utah Capitol Building on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch)

As Senate proceedings started on Friday, a crowd of about 300 people gathered outside of the chamber, forming a sea of union sweatshirts and hats, mixed in with teachers wearing red for ed alongside uniformed police officers and firefighters.

Steel workers, miners, plumbers, electricians, flight attendants and other unionized workers joined in as the crowd chanted solidarity forever, the union makes us strong! echoing through the Capitol and audible on the Senate floor. As Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, gave his opening remarks Friday, someone pounded on the gallery doors, interrupting proceedings and prompting a stern response from Utah Highway Patrol troopers.

The demonstration Friday was a continuation of nearly two weeks of protest. More than 13,000 people have signed onto a Utah Education Association petition against the bill, while several lawmakers say theyve never seen this much public opposition to a piece of legislation before. When the bill went before both House and Senate committees, scores of people showed up to speak against it, spilling into multiple overflow rooms.

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When we raise our voices, we can make a difference. Over the last several days, Utah public educators and our labor partners across the state have been clear. We will not sit silently while these decisions are made that impact students, our schools and our profession. That collective effort, the emails, the phone calls, the public engagement, has moved the needle, said Pinkney, standing on the steps outside the Capitol building Friday.

The bill would have directly impacted Salt Lake Citys fire and police departments, and a number of school districts around the state, which Teuscher said are the only entities that collectively bargain.

But advocates say it would have had a chilling effect on all of the states public employees. By eliminating collective bargaining as an option for all public unions, even the unions that dont collectively bargain would be at a disadvantage, they said, as the entity that employs them  whether its a school district, city, county, or department  could feel empowered to cut wages or benefits, and face no repercussion from the union.

But now with the changes released Friday, its likely many of the groups opposed to the bill will take a more neutral stance. Cullimore said hes spoken with a number of labor groups that say they are no longer opposed to the bill (although they arent supporting it, either).

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Its more reflective of that body, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, said of the changes. If youre going to have collective bargaining, or have an ability to bargain on behalf of a group, you need to represent half of that group.

The bill would still have an outsized impact on public school employees. It would offer professional liability insurance for teachers, which in most cases is only currently offered through a union. Teuscher said that would cost each teacher between $110 to $150 annually.

The bill would also restrict certain government resources from going toward union activity. That includes ensuring taxpayer funds wont pay a public employee for the work they do for a union.

And unions wouldnt get special exemptions for using public resources, like property  for instance, if other groups or people have to pay to use a public room or space, so does the union.

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People who are employed by a union, but arent actually employed by the entity the union represents (for example, someone who works in an administrative position for a teachers union full time, but isnt actually employed by a school district) would no longer have access to the Utah Retirement System.

Its likely Democrats will still oppose the bill, according to Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla.

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To understand the harm Donald Trump has done with his tariffs on Canada and Mexico, here are four things you need to know:

First, every tax on imports is also a tax on exports.

The most popular beer in America is Modelo Especial, brewed in Mexico. Impose a 25 percent tariff on Modelo and sales will slide. So, too, will exports of the American barley that goes into Mexican beer. Mexico buys three-quarters of U.S. barley exports, almost all for brewing.

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Trump surrogates may promise you that by driving Mexican beer off of grocery shelves, Trumps tariffs will increase sales of U.S. barley to U.S. brewers. That promise may even be substantially true. But that offer has fine print that barley growers will notice.

Barley growers dont care only about how much barley they sell. They care about the price at which they sell it.

A tariff raises the price of both every imported good and every good that competes with imports. If the price of Modelo is pushed up, the price of American-brewed beer will rise as well. American beermakers are not operating a charity. The tariff on Modelo allows them to both increase their market share at Modelos expense and raise their prices enough to increase their margins at the consumers expense.

But American consumers do not have infinite amounts of money. If they are paying more for beer, they have to make savings elsewhere. The resultand economists will prove this to you all day with facts and figuresis that prices in exporting sectors such as barley, and agriculture generally, will decline in proportion as prices in the importing sectors rise.

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This is why developing countries that tried, after 1945, to bulldoze their way to industrialization using high tariffsArgentina under Juan Peron; India under Jawaharlal Nehruended up instead isolating themselves from world markets. The tariffs did allow them to make their own radio sets and cars, but at the price of lowering national incomes and so shrinking the domestic market for those radios and cars. And, of course, the protected radios and cars could not compete on global markets against the superior products of the countries that accepted world prices, such as Germany and Japan.

Trump tariffs will be paid in the form of higher prices for imports and their substitutes, and lower profits and wages for everyone who works in export industries.

[Juliette Kayyem: Trump is threatening California in the wrong way]

Second, every product is also an input.

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When journalists write about tariffs, they look for everyday examples familiar to everyone, the way I just did with Modelo beer. Others will cite tomatoes or avocados, food items for which the cost of the tariff will be reflected in the price at the supermarket checkout. But the greatest harm done by tariffs is concealed in a way that prevents most of us from seeing the harm directly.

The largest glassmaker in North America is a Mexican company, Vitro. It operates plants in the U.S. and Canada, but the center of its operations is Monterrey, Mexico.

Very few of us buy big sheets of industrial glass. We do not see or care about the price. But we do care about the price of a new apartment. That apartment price depends on the cost of construction. Which depends on the price of the window systems that clad the apartment building. Which depends on the price of glass. Which Trump just raised by up to 25 percent.

You may buy a little aluminum in the form of cans and other household products. But the main way you pay for aluminum is in the price of airline tickets. Put a tariff on aluminum, and aircraft prices rise. Inflate aircraft prices, and airline-ticket prices also rise. The traveler will not know why, and will be tempted to blame airline greedand will find politicians ready to feed that grievance. Who will connect the surprise extra fee they have to pay to sit beside their child with a presidents decree against the cheaper Canadian aluminum that owes its price advantage to superabundant Quebec hydroelectric power?

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Big, sophisticated global companies can shift their input-sourcing from tariffed countries such as China and Mexico to favored countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines. But the shift is never easy. For smaller companies, it may prove altogether unfeasible. The largest maker of outboard motors in the United States employs only about 5,000 people. It is furloughing and laying off more than a quarter of its workforce. This type of firm cannot easily fly into Hanoi to source a reliable replacement for its trusted components supplier in Shenzhen, China. The challenge is only greater when the U.S. manufacturer has no idea how long the Trump tariffs will last. It will probably continue to use its familiar suppliers, pay the tariff, raise its prices, and suffer the stagnation and shrinkage of its business.

[Read: Democrats wonder where their leaders are]

Third, illegal is irrelevant; dont expect relief from tariffs through lawsuits.

You might wonder how can Trump do this. After all, Trump himself renegotiated NAFTA and praised his new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal as based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity. Surely, it cant possibly be consistent with U.S. treaty obligations to impose new tariffs on a whim.

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All true. Trumps actions are almost certainly illegal under treaty rules. But the U.S. stopped obeying treaty rules some time back.

In 2018, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The affected countries took their case to the World Trade Organization. More than four years later, in December 2022, the WTO issued its judgment. The United States lost on every point. Result? The Biden administration declared it would ignore the ruling. The United States will not cede decision-making over its essential security to WTO panels, said a spokesperson for thenU.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

Those defiant words were backed by obstructionist practices. In 2017, the Trump administration had blocked new appointments to the WTOs appellate court, in effect the supreme court of world trade. The Biden administration continued the embargo. Today, all seven seats on the panel are empty.

The United States has likewise sabotaged the dispute-settlement mechanisms under the North American trade agreements. In 1998, the U.S. escaped defeat on a Mexican complaint by the ingenious method of refusing to appoint anyone to the commission that was supposed to adjudicate the matter. That more or less killed NAFTA from the start as a way to police actions by the American government. Trumps U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is even more riddled with exceptions that allow his government to do as it pleases.

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On trade, the U.S. itself has led the way back to the law of the jungle. Remember that fact when the other big cats strike back.

[Read: Trump has created health-care chaos]

Fourth, Americans may not remember their past actions, but others do.

You may have already forgotten all about last weekends Trump outburst against Colombia, backed by threats of high tariffs on Colombian products. You may not ever have known that Colombia opened up to U.S. wheat, soybean, beef, cotton, and peanut exports in order to secure a free-trade agreement with the United States. But Colombians remember.

Colombias politics are intensely polarized, the legacy of bitter years of insurgency and civil war. Through most of the 21st century, Colombias politics had been dominated by U.S.-friendly politicians of the right. In 2022, for the first time in its modern history, Colombia elected a president of the left, Gustavo Petro. Petro is a former Marxist guerrilla, but he pledged to continue dialogue with the United States.

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How does that dialogue look now to Colombians? And to others in South America and the world?

Trump is single-handedly reneging on 80 years of American work to persuade others to trust and rely on the United States. He is remodeling the international image of the U.S. after himself: impulsive, self-seeking, short-sighted, and untrustworthy. First-term Trump might have been dismissed as an aberration, brought to office by a fluke of Americas archaic Electoral College. A returned Trump, this time empowered by a genuine popular-vote victory, cannot be so readily dismissed. He obviously represents something deep in American politics, something likely enduring, something that other countries must take into account.

Mexico and Canada must ultimately suffer whatever the U.S. imposes on them. They cannot relocate; they have few credible options. Mexico has learned from especially bitter experience that any attempt to strike its own international deals will be vetoed by the U.S., using force if necessary.

Canadians have had an easier time, summed up by the cynical local joke: The Americans are our best friends whether we like it or not. But other countries have more options.

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[From the March 2025 issue: Europes Elon Musk problem]

Over the past five centuries, the Euro-Atlantic world has seen the rise of one great power after another: Habsburg Spain, Bourbon and Napoleonic France, Victorian Britain, Imperial and then Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union. Each of those powers was ultimately brought down because it frightened other powers into uniting against it.

The United States since 1945 tried a different way. It reconciled the world to its dominance in great part by using that dominance for the benefit of willing partners. The United States provided security, it opened markets, it welcomed the improving prosperity of fellow democracies and like-minded allies. Who would hazard the costs and dangers of uniting to topple such a benign hegemonat least, so long as the hegemon remained benign?



In the 21st century, the United States faces a new kind of adversary. Past rivals might have matched the U.S. in wealth, technology, or military strength, but not in all three. China today is the nearest peer power the U.S. has faced since Americans battled the British Empire in the War of 1812. To balance China while keeping the peace, the U.S. will need more and better friends than ever before. Trump is doing his utmost instead to alienate and offend those friends.

America First means America Alone. This weeks trade wars are steps on the way to future difficultiesand, unless a great infusion of better judgment or better luck suddenly occurs, future disasters.

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The geopolitical verdict on the first Trump presidency could be written with a breath of relief: Bad as it was, it could have been worse. On the present trajectory, the verdict on the second may not come with any relief at all.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
A Ukrainian Military official informed that North Korean forces have "probably" withdrawn from frontlines in Russia's Kursk region after suffering heavy losses, CNN reported. Colonel Oleksandr, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Special Operations Forces, told CNN that North Korean troops have not been seen on the battlefront for the past three weeks. "The presence of DPRK troops has not been observed for about three weeks, and they were probably forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses," Oleksandr Kindratenko, told CNN. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has also noted the reports of the same. About 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia, according to Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence reports, which say around 4,000 of those troops have been killed or injured. North Korean troops, aiding Russia in their offensive against Ukraine, have been deployed to the Kursk region of Moscow. According to CNN, Ukraine has made advancements in Kursk, as stated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a DC-based think tank, on January 26. On the other hand, the Russian Military said that it had recaptured the region. Earlier, Ukraine received the largest Swedish defence package amounting to USD 1.23 billion for their efforts to counter the Russian offensive President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Sweden for the package and said that it would help meet Ukraine's military needs and significantly contribute to strengthen its defence capabilities. Sharing the details on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "I am thankful to @SwedishPM Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish Government, and the people of Sweden for the 18th and largest Swedish defense package to Ukraine to date, totaling 13.5 billion SEK ($1.23 billion)". The post added, "We deeply appreciate that this military aid meets the urgent needs of the Ukrainian army and significantly contributes to strengthening our defense capabilities. Its reinforcement of our long-range capabilities and investments in weapons production in Ukraine are invaluable. Peace through strength can be achieved". (ANI)
State prison inmates found loaded handguns on the side of Interstate 25 while picking up trash this week, according to the New Mexico Corrections Department.

Nine inmates were picking up trash Monday on the side of the interstate near the Santo Domingo exit when they found two fully loaded 9 mm pistols underneath some tumbleweeds, the news release states. The inmates alerted a correctional officer, who took "swift action," department officials wrote in the release, and New Mexico State Police took custody of the guns "for further investigation."

The inmate work crew then returned to a prison facility in Los Lunas, where each was searched and cleared by the department's Security Threat Intelligence Unit, according to the release.

"We are grateful that this situation was resolved safely and quickly, thanks to the prompt response of our supervising correctional officer, as well as the inmates," Corrections Department Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero said in a statement.
Critical Thinking

An AI-powered social media bot seemingly deployed to boost pro-Israel narratives online appears to be going wildly off script, instead criticizing the Israeli and American governments in strongly-worded missives.

As the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports, an account called @FactFinderAI X on X-formerly-Twitter appears to be one of many designed to bolster pro-Israel digital campaigning efforts using generative AI.

Except, like a deeply confused activist, the bot keeps radically switching sides  even, in one instance flagged by Haaretz, denouncing the Israeli Defense Force as "white colonizers in apartheid Israel."

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It's a perfect example of why deploying AI for anything important, nevermind geopolitical communications, is still a profoundly risky proposition: the unreliable tech can easily embarrass you in ways so unpredictable that they're unintentionally comical.

Hard Liner

The bot  as Haaretz reports, it's unclear who made it, though social media is filled with similar efforts, some supported by Israel itself  has been acting strangely for a while. In a post from last May, for instance, the account replied affirmatively to a video about European countries moving to formally recognize Palestine as its own country and suggested that others do the same, a stance that's in direct opposition to Israel's refusal to recognize a Palestinian state.

"Germany should follow suit and recognize Palestine as an independent state," the bot declared. "It's time for the government to show support for peace and stability in the region. Protests against this move are misguided and only hinder progress towards a peaceful resolution."

Just this month, the bot derided Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who oversaw US foreign policy during the first years of the war in Palestine during the Biden administration, as having "caused immense suffering and devastation in Gaza"  answering in the affirmative to another user who called Blinken the "butcher of Gaza and the father of genocide."

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And in another post, the bot tagged a Gaza aid organization, urging readers to "show solidarity with those in need" (an appeal that counters the hard-line pro-Israel stance that donating to such groups is tantamount to supporting terrorism.)

Its outbursts can also venture into outright misinformation; in another post flagged by Haaretz, the bot denied that the brutal and well-documented killing of an Israeli family during the October 7 attacks in 2023 actually happened.

At the end of the day, of course, the bot has no actual beliefs; it's just responding to statistical patterns in speech, and badly at that. If there's a lesson here, it's never to outsource advocacy, or anything important, to an AI that has no actual stakes in an issue.

More on AI: A Mother Says an AI Startup's Chatbot Drove Her Son to Suicide. Its Response: the First Amendment Protects "Speech Allegedly Resulting in Suicide"
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has detained five pro-Russian collaborators who were attempting to launch a "rebel movement" to destabilise the situation in Ukraine.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine; Office of the Prosecutor General

Details: The SSU said the Workers Front of Ukraine, a pro-Kremlin organisation acting on orders from Russia, had attempted to launch protest movements in Ukraine.

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Quote from the SSU: "According to the case materials, the suspects, under the guise of disseminating neo-communist ideas, encouraged Ukrainians to rebel against the authorities and lay down their arms and surrender to the Ruscists.

Among other things, the suspects urged citizens of conscription age to evade mobilisation and called on serving military personnel to disobey orders from their commanders and commit desertion. The agitators also suggested that Ukrainian defenders should join together in so-called soldiers committees in order to collectively refuse to take part in hostilities on the front line."

 ,  

Detention of a suspect

Photo: Security Service of Ukraine

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Details: In order to spread the Kremlin's narratives, the suspects created pages for their association on various social media platforms, amassing more than 30,000 subscribers. The suspects also stuck large numbers of propaganda flyers up in the streets of Ukrainian cities, featuring a QR code for the pro-Russian organisation and calls to disrupt mobilisation.

The SSU noted that the criminals would visit at least 30 addresses daily and put propaganda flyers up on noticeboards or just stick them on the walls. They set up clandestine printing houses in their homes to print propaganda materials.

The SSU detained five organisers of Russian cells in the course of special operations in Kyiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Poltava and Kharkiv oblasts.

All the detainees are local residents aged between 20 and 32. Some are students, others work in businesses or are unemployed. They acted under the coordination of a representative from the Russian Federation known as the "trade union handler".

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During searches, the SSU seized wholesale batches of pro-Russian visuals and communist literature, and computers and mobile phones containing evidence of the crimes.

The SSU investigators have served the five detainees with notices of suspicion under Articles 28.2 and 114-1.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces and other military formations during a special period, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy).

Three of the suspects are in custody. Two others have been placed under 24-hour house arrest and tagged with electronic monitoring devices.

The special operation was conducted under the supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.

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The Prosecutor General's Office reported that an expert examination has confirmed that the videos and flyers distributed by the organisation contained attributes of destructive psychological influence aimed at undermining the mobilisation campaign and obstructing the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In the course of 19 searches in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Odesa, law enforcement officers seized propaganda materials, equipment, communist literature and other symbols.

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A new season of the Property Brothers' show "Celebrity IOU" means more sledgehammers, more celebrities and more fun.

Drew and Jonathan Scott are bringing back their beloved HGTV series with a new season starting on Monday, Feb. 3, which will feature six new episodes each focused on a different A-list celebrity.

In Season 9 of "Celebrity IOU," the Scott brothers, who executive produce the show, will take on remodeling challenges to help celebrities give back and express gratitude in the form of drastic home transformations.

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I tell people every day that Drew and I have the greatest job in the world, Jonathan Scott said in a press release. We feel lucky that were able to give these Hollywood powerhouses an opportunity to share a side of themselves you dont usually see, while also changing someones life.

Here's what to know about the upcoming season of the Property Brothers' "Celebrity IOU."

What is Celebrity IOU about?

"Celebrity IOU" stars Drew and Jonathan Scott, aka the Property Brothers, as they work with A-list celebrities to give back to loved ones by revamping their living spaces.

Terry Crews with Drew and Jonathan on a previous season of "Celebrity IOU."

Each episode spotlights a new celebrity with a different vision for their family member's or friend's home.

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Part of what makes Celebrity IOU great is that the stories are so unique and diverse, said Drew Scott in the release. The celebrities have known their loved ones for years, so theres a lot of history there. They get the satisfaction of doing something for someone they love, and it feels amazing that Jonathan and I get to be the conduits for that.

The Scott brothers will work on a variety of renovations, per the press release, which includes "a detached garage turned California coastal living room and an outdated kitchen transformed with design elements like terrazzo and herringbone wood floors."

When does the new season premiere?

The new season of "Celebrity IOU" will premiere on Monday, Feb. 3, at 9 p.m. ET.

How to watch Celebrity IOU

New episodes for Season 9 will air every Monday at 9 p.m. ET on HGTV, and they will simultaneously stream on MAX and discovery+.

Which celebrities are featured in this season?

This upcoming season of "Celebrity IOU" features a star-studded cast, starting off with Rob Lowe in the premiere episode.

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Following Lowe, the celebrity lineup is Courteney Cox, Andy Garcia, Goldie Hawn, Kyle MacLachlan and Sarah Silverman.

What other shows do the Property Brothers have?

Besides "Celebrity IOU", the Property Brothers have multiple shows centered around home remodeling and real estate.

Emma Roberts with Drew and Jonathan on "Celebrity IOU."

Their namesake show, which premiered in 2011 and ran for 14 seasons, is what propelled them to stardom.

Since then, the twins have been building their TV empire, with "Celebrity IOU" but also other shows like "Brother vs. Brother," "Property Brothers: Forever Home" and "Don't Hate Your House," to name a few.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
BELGRADE(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people blockaded three bridges on the Danube River in Serbia's second city of Novi Sad on Saturday in the latest anti-government protest over a railway station disaster that killed 15 people in November.

Protests over the deaths caused by a roof collapsing at a station in Novi Sad quickly ballooned and spread across the Balkan country, triggering a political crisis.

Prosecutors have so far charged 13 people over the disaster, but protesters, opposition parties and many Serbians blame the tragedy on corruption within President Aleksandar Vucic's government and mismanagement.

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Students from Belgrade - some of whom had covered the 80 km distance on foot - merged on Saturday with residents and university students of Novi Sad, the capital of the Vojvodina province in Serbia's north.

After rallying for a few hours on two of the bridges, they planned to remain until Sunday on Freedom Bridge, the largest of the three.

Some of the protesters held banners reading "Your hands are bloodied! and "Corruption kills!"

Milos Vucevic resigned as prime minister this week, the highest-ranking official to step down over the disaster. Before him, two other ministers had stepped down.

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Vucevic's resignation has rocked the government and Vucic, a centre-right populist and former Serb nationalist firebrand who has held a grip on power since he became prime minister in 2014 and president in 2017.

Although his role is meant to be largely ceremonial, he is viewed as wielding huge influence over the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and the government.

Critics have accused Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of bribing voters, violence against opponents, stifling media freedoms and ties with organised crime - charges he and the SNS deny.

"Our goal is to have all our demands fulfilled so that we can finally start to live in a state of law," said protester Ana Hasinbegovic.

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Vucic, who said he would decide next week whether to nominate a new prime minister or trigger snap elections in April, said on Saturday that he will not step down because of popular discontent.

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic and Branko Filipovic; Editing by Renee Maltezou and Jan Harvey)
Large amounts of public information about HIV and the health of teens, transgender and LGBTQ+ people abruptly disappeared late Friday from the website of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention as government agencies scramble to comply with directives from President Donald Trump.

The CDCs data directory, usually found at cdc.data.gov, was also pulled offline, with a message saying that it would be back online after it completed steps to comply with an executive order aimed at what the Trump administration calls gender ideology and extremism. It did not say when the material would again be available.

The website will resume operations once in compliance, it said.

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The data purge drew outrage from health scientists, many of whom frequently rely on CDC data for research.

The removal of HIV- and LGBTQ-related resources from the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health agencies is deeply concerning and creates a dangerous gap in scientific information and data to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks, Colleen Kelley, chair of the HIV Medicine Association and Tina Tan, president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, wrote in a joint statement.

The information removed includes key CDC public health communications, including information about diagnosing HIV, guidance on contraceptives for health care providers, and health disparities among LGBTQ+ people.

It also includes the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which monitors student health and risk behaviors, including sexual activity, nutrition and tobacco and alcohol use. It was developed by the CDC in the 1990s.

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In 2023, for the first time, the survey asked students whether they identify as transgender  potentially putting it at odds with the Trump administrations executive order stating that the government will recognize only two sexes.

Also offline was the CDC and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrys Social Vulnerability Index.

The removal of critical health information from governmental public health sites is chilling and puts the health of the public at risk, Dr. Richard Besser, a former acting director of the CDC and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told POLITICO in a statement. While it is natural for administrations to differ in terms of policies, it is highly unusual and should be unacceptable to hide important health information.

The CDC did not respond to a request for comment.
A 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the broad-daylight shooting deaths of two Innovations High School students in January 2024, according to Chicago police.

Tommie Coleman, 22, faces two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and a litany of other charges in connection with the killings of Monterio Williams, 17, and Robert Boston, 16, in the Loop.

The shooting occurred about 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2024. The teens were in a group leaving the schools Loop campus, on the first block of North Wabash Avenue, when two cars pulled up and their occupants began firing.

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2 teenagers shot and killed in ambush while leaving Loop high school identified

Cook County court records show authorities issued an arrest warrant for Coleman, a Pullman resident, on Dec. 9. The warrant listed that Coleman was wanted specifically in connection with Williams death. Police arrested him Wednesday in the Jefferson Park neighborhood.

Coleman is set to appear in court for a detention hearing on Saturday, police said.
Calvin Gorman, 50, walks last year near Gallup, N.M., on the way from his job in Gallup to his home in Fort Defiance, Ariz., part of the Navajo Nation. American Indians in Western and Midwestern states had the lowest life expectancy of any group in the country in 2021. (Photo by Tim Henderson/Stateline)

Theres growing evidence that some American demographic groups need more help than others to live longer, healthier lives.

American Indians in Western and Midwestern states have the shortest life expectancy as of 2021, 63.6 years. Thats more than 20 years shorter than Asian Americans nationwide, who can expect to live to 84, according to a recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

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White residents live shorter lives in Appalachia and some Southern states, as do Black residents in highly segregated cities and in the rural South, the study found.

The data illustrates how Americans life expectancy differs based not only on race, but also on geography.

Not everybody in this country is doing exactly the same even within a racial group, because it also depends on where they live, said Dr. Ali Mokdad, an author of the study and the chief strategy officer for population health at the University of Washington.

Eliminating these disparities will require investing in equitable health care, education, and employment, and confronting factors that fuel inequalities, such as systemic racism, the report, which was published in November, concluded.

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Yet the United States is seeing a surge of action this month to pull back on public awareness and stem investments in those areas.

In President Donald Trumps first two weeks, he has stripped race and ethnicity health information from public websites, blocked public communication by federal health agencies, paused federal research and grant expenditures, and ordered a ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs across the board, all of which can draw attention  and funding  to the needs of specific demographic groups.

The administration has removed information about clinical trial diversity from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, and has paused health agencies communications with the public and with medical providers, including advisories on communicable diseases, such as the flu, that disproportionately affect underserved communities.

The new administrations policies are headed the wrong way, said Dr. Donald Warne, a physician and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. With the stroke of a pen, theyre gonna make it worse.

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One of Trumps actions on his first day in office was to dismantle equity programs, including reversing a 2021 Biden executive order promoting more federal support for Indigenous education, including tribal colleges and universities.

The problems Indigenous people face are inextricably linked to toxic stress and just pure racism, Warne said. Less access to healthy foods, just chronic stress from racism and marginalization, historical trauma  all of these things lead to poor health outcomes.

The South Dakota county where Warne grew up as a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe (the county is named after the tribe) has one of the lowest life expectancies in the country, 60.1 years as of 2024, according to localized estimates from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, an initiative of the University of Wisconsins Population Health Institute.

10 Americas

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation study parceled the country into what it called 10 Americas, each with different 2021 life expectancies.

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Black Americans were represented by three groups; those in the rural and low-income South had the worst life expectancies (68 years) compared with those living in highly segregated cities (71.5) and other areas (72.3).

Asian Americans nationwide have the longest life expectancy at 84, yet can also suffer from stereotypes and locality based problems that prevent them from getting the best care, said Lan oan, an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Section for Health Equity at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine.

Considering Asian Americans as a single entity masks health differences, such as the high incidence of heart disease among South Asians and Filipino Americans, she said, and discourages the necessary study of individual groups.

It perpetuates the model minority myth where Asian people are healthier, wealthier and more successful than other racial groups, oan said.

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Thats another reason for alarm over the new administrations attitude about health equity, said Dr. Mary Fleming, an OB-GYN and director of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Healths Leadership Development to Advance Equity in Health Care program.

With DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion programs) under attack, it hinders our ability to name a thing, a thing, Fleming said. Racism is still a major contributor to inequitable health outcomes, and without naming it and addressing it, it will make it more difficult to uproot it.

Among white people and Hispanics, lifespans differ by region, according to the 10 Americas in the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation study. Latinos live shorter lives in the Southwest (76) than elsewhere (79.4), and white people live longer (77.2) if theyre not in Appalachia or the lower Mississippi Valley (71.1), or in rural areas and low-income Northern states (76.7).

An earlier Stateline story reported that policy, poverty, rural isolation and bad habits are shortening lives in West Virginia compared with New York. Even though the states had very similar life expectancies in 1990, West Virginia is projected to be at the bottom of the rankings by 2050, while New York is projected to be at the top.

Hyperlocal health problems

More research at a very local level is needed to find the policies and practices needed to start bridging longevity gaps, said Mokdad, the study author.

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Since poverty seems to dictate so much of life expectancy, its fruitful to look at places where lifespans have grown in recent decades despite high poverty, Mokdad said. For example, lifespans have increased in the Bronx, New York, and Monongalia County, West Virginia, despite high poverty. By contrast, they have dipped in relatively high-income areas such as Clark County, Indiana, and Henry County, Georgia.

Clark County, on the Kentucky border, has a mix of urban and rural health issues that belie the relatively high income of some residents near Louisville, said Dr. Eric Yazel, health officer for the county and an emergency care physician.

Part of the county is also very rural, in a part of Indiana where there was an HIV outbreak among intravenous drug users in 2014.

In a single county we see public health issues that are both rural and urban, Yazel said. As with a lot of areas along the Ohio River Valley, we were hit hard by the opioid epidemic and now have seen a resurgence of methamphetamine, which likely contributed to the [life expectancy] decreases.

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Nationally, a spike in overdoses has begun to ease in recent years, but only among white people. Overdose death rates among Black and Native people have grown.

Indigenous people also were the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, with expected lifespans dropping almost seven years between 2019 and 2021.

Calvin Gorman, 50, said several friends his age in Arizonas Navajo Nation died needlessly in the pandemic. He blames it on alcohol and pandemic isolation.

They said to just stay inside. Just stay inside. Some of them took some bottles into the house and they never came out again. I heard they died in there, said Gorman, who commutes on foot and by hitchhiking from his home in Fort Defiance, Arizona, to a job at a gas station in Gallup, New Mexico.

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Warne, the Oglala Lakota physician from South Dakota, said alcohol and substance use may have been one factor in Native deaths during the pandemic, as people self-medicated to deal with stress. But overall, he said, the main drivers of early deaths in Native communities are high rates of infant mortality, road accidents and suicides.

Warne now lives and practices medicine in North Dakota.

Theres a huge challenge for people who grow up in these settings, but many of us do move forward, Warne said. A lot of us wind up working in other places instead of in our home, because there just arent the opportunities. We should be looking at economic development as a public health intervention.

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This article was first published by Stateline, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
The Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza reopened on Saturday for the first time in nearly nine months as Israel and Palestinian militants carried out the latest exchange of hostages and prisoners under the fragile ceasefire agreement.

Several sick and injured Palestinian patients were evacuated via the Rafah crossing to receive medical treatment outside war-ruined Gaza, Egyptian security and Red Crescent sources said.

The first patients included a boy with an immune disorder, accompanied by his mother, as well as a girl who was to have one of her legs amputated, Egypt's state-linked al-Qahera News TV channel reported.

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Footage on al-Qahera showed them arriving at the Egyptian side of the crossing, where they were met by ambulances.

A total of 50 sick and injured people, along with 53 escorts, are expected to be evacuated Saturday from Gaza into Egypt, according to the broadcaster.

In May last year, Israel took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing, in an operation that halted aid deliveries into the densely populated coastal strip via the vital facility, as well as the transportation of patients to Egypt.

According to the World Health Organization, between 12,000 and 14,000 people in Gaza urgently require medical care that cannot be provided in Gaza.

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The reopening of the border crossing is part of the three-phase ceasefire agreement between the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement and Israel that went into effect on January 19.

Israel exchanges Palestinian prisoners for three hostages

The next three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip were freed on Saturday morning in exchange for dozens of Palestinian prisoners under the ceasefire agreement.

Palestinian militants handed Israeli-Argentinian citizen Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, over to representatives of the Red Cross in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.

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About two hours later, US-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, 65, was freed in Gaza City.

The hostages kidnapped 484 days ago were taken to an Israeli military base, where they met their families, before they were transported to Israel.

In exchange, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, 72 from Israeli prisons, of which 39 were held in the West Bank. Seven of them were to be transferred abroad because of the severity of their crimes.

The remaining prisoners were released from the Gaza Strip and were imprisoned before the October 7, 2023 massacre.

In addition, Israel was to release 111 prisoners who had been detained in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas-led attacks. According to reports, Israel has established that the prisoners freed from Gaza had nothing to do with the Hamas attack.

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Dozens of released prisoners arrived in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where their relatives waited to greet them.

Later, buses carrying prisoners arrived in the south of the Gaza Strip.

A bus carrying eight Palestinian prisoners arrived at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on Saturday, Egyptian security sources said. They are to be later transported to Cairo.

Four swaps have freed 18 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees since the beginning of the truce in Gaza almost two weeks ago.

After the release of the three abductees on Saturday, 79 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, 35 of whom are presumed dead by Israel.

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Another exchange of hostages and prisoners is set for next weekend.

During the first six-week stage of the ceasefire agreement, 33 Israeli hostages are due to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

Hamas has said that eight of the 33 hostages on the list for release during this phase are dead. It is unclear who exactly they are.

Among those scheduled to be released in the first phase are Bibas's wife Shiri and two sons Kfir and Ariel. However, there is grave concern over the fate of Kfir, Ariel and Shiri. Hamas has claimed the three were killed in Israeli attacks in the early months of the war, but Israel has not confirmed their deaths.

Calmer scenes in Gaza

Both the transfer in Khan Younis and the one in Gaza City proceeded calmly on Saturday morning - unlike the chaotic conditions surrounding the release of eight Israeli and Thai hostages on Thursday, when crowds swarmed around the frightened-looking captives.

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After these threatening scenes, Israel demanded that the countries that brokered the ceasefire agreement compel Hamas to keep the transfers orderly.

Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed around 1,200 people in their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and took more than 250 Israelis hostage to the Gaza Strip.

The attack triggered the war in the sealed-off coastal area, where more than 47,400 people have been killed since then, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. The number does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
After the removal of prosecutors who worked on criminal investigation into US President, the Trump administration is set to evaluate Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents involved in the investigation of January 6, 2021 US Capitol attack for possible removal, people briefed on the matter told CNN. The action taken by the administration express Trump's vow to strike back Justice Department and FBU who he claimed have work against him. Trump has accused agents of abuse in their court-ordered search of his home and of their treatment of January 6 rioters. According to CNN, interim leaders of Justice Department have prepared the list of people who not favoured by Trump due to their actions against the US President. On January 6 2021, rioters attacked US Capitol after Donald Trump's loss to Joe Biden in the Presidential elections, the Justice Department and FBI launched a nationwide effort to locate and arrest the rioters, leading to the largest criminal investigation in US history. Prosecutors have charged over 1,580 individuals and obtained approximately 1,270 convictions, CNN reported. Earlier, US Justice Department (DOJ) has fired several prosecutors who worked on criminal investigation into US President Donald Trump, CNN reported citing sources familiar with the matter. Acting Attorney General James McHenry in a letter written to the officials said they cannot be "trusted" to "faithfully" implement agenda of Trump. He stated that these officials played a "significant role" in prosecuting Trump and stressed that the proper functioning of the government critically relies on the trust senior officials have in their subordinates. McHenry wrote, "You played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump. The proper functioning of government critically depends on the trust superior officials place in their subordinates." He added, "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 President's agenda faithfully." Trump has also granted pardons and commutations to the approximately 1500 convicts charged in relation to the attack. (ANI)
The Trump administration on Friday appeared to take down data and information from a variety of government websites, with a focus on information related to gender diversity, sexual health and climate change. In some cases entire websites disappeared. Others remained online, but had critical information missing.

The changes to government websites, as well as the blockages in the flow of grant money the administration announced earlier this week, appeared part of a whole-of-government effort to erase mention of topics deemed incompatible with President Donald Trumps executive orders seeking to marginalize transgender people and pushing back against material purportedly associated with DEIA, or diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, initiatives.

Among the many affected websites Friday: The U.S. Census Bureaus homepage, which appeared to be experiencing intermittent outages. Compared to archived versions, the National Institutes of Health Office on Research and Womens Health appeared significantly pared down, as was the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which returned an error when accessed Friday evening. NPR noted the program is the nations largest monitoring program on health-related behaviors among high schoolers.

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The Bureau of Prisons website now displays only male and female populations. It used to include data on the number of trans people in custody, according to an archived version.

Numerous webpages for the CDCs HIV prevention division, especially those about efforts to address health disparities among Black, Latino and transgender communities, were not online. By Friday, the main webpage for HIV, HIV data, details about Ending the HIV Epidemic, and information on PrEP, the preventive drug used to reduce the risk, were also not available. Other CDC sites about LGBTQ youth, including pages focused on risks of suicide among LGBTQ children, school safety, and health disparities were all still inaccessible as of Friday night.

Similarly, Target HIV, a website that provides technical assistance and training resources to agencies and medical facilities that receive federal funding from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program  which is run by HHS to provide treatment to low-income people living with HIV  was under maintenance.

The deletions are part of a wider ideological purge undertaken by the Trump administration and fulfill some of the policy promises outlined in Project 2025.

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Over the last week Trump signed several executive orders barring federally funded hospitals and clinics from providing gender health care to trans people younger than 19; requiring the promotion of patriotic education while limiting any teaching of any material that includes gender ideology, broadly defined; and redefining sex to exclude transgender people from legal recognition. Already, Trumps directives have halted coverage of gender-affirming for youth on federal insurance plans.

Government agencies did not immediately respond to HuffPosts requests for comment Friday, making it impossible to confirm whether any or all of these changes were intentional  and, if so, who ordered them and why, or when some of the information might come back online.

However, an official at the Department of Health and Human Services told changes to its website were made in accordance with recent executive orders from the Trump administration prohibiting DEI content and official recognition of  or references to  trans Americans.

Some of the efforts appeared connected to a Wednesday memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the federal governments human resources hub and a key nexus for political activity by the Trump administration. Reuters reported Friday that aides of Elon Musk, Donald Trumps government efficiency cheerleader, had locked career staff out of computer systems containing millions of federal employees personal data.

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Among other things, the memo instructed departments to terminate any programs, contracts or grants that promote or inculcate gender ideology, and to stop any pending plans and take down outward-facing communications that did the same. The document demanded the actions be taken by Friday at 5 p.m. ET., and directed questions to the email address defendingwomen@opm.gov.

CNN reported on one unnamed senior health official who said staff were warned of severe consequences for violating the memo. The same official said websites were taken down in order to comply with the memo, and that in the process, large swaths of data and science will be unavailable for an undetermined period.

Regardless of your comfort with the idea of trans people, you should be terrified that the government is purging truth and science to fit an ideology, because whats next? the official added, CNN reported.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, employees were told that any pronouns in email signatures must be removed, according to a memo obtained by HuffPost.

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Outside contractors working with one agency were told to terminate any government contracts that promote or inculcate gender ideology and included a list of words including gender, transgender, inclusivity, nonbinary and they/them pronouns, according to a separate email obtained by HuffPost.

The decision to take down the website for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System  which measures things like tobacco use and sexual behavior  was made in order to comply with Trumps Defending Women executive order, an unnamed person familiar with the matter told NPR.

The impact of the memo already appears to have stretched beyond Washington. A Kentucky-based health department that relies on millions of dollars in federal grants to fund their health equity programs received a letter this week to terminate all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, according to material obtained by HuffPost.

The crackdown also extended to government-funded research: Science reported Thursday that the National Science Foundation had frozen previously-promised funding to an unknown number of its thousands of grant recipients, searching for research work deemed in violation of Trumps new rules against woke gender ideology, diversity efforts and similar edicts.

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NSF officials hadnt provided any indication of how long the review would take, leaving investigators wondering how to meet payrolls and buy and maintain essential equipment and supplies, according to the report.

Among the projects threatened by the funding freeze were projects as apolitical as an earthquake monitoring system, the publication reported separately.

The outages appeared to potentially extend to several of Trumps political priorities: At the USDA, for example, an internal email ordered employees to delete landing pages related to climate change, Politico reported Friday. While some pages remained active, others, like the departments Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities page, appeared mothballed, the website reported.

Asked about talk that government websites would be shut down Friday evening to scrub them of DEI content, Trump didnt confirm the reports directly, but said it doesnt sound like a bad idea to me.

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DEI would have ruined our country, and now its dead, I think its dead. So if they want to scrub the websites, thats okay with me.

Related...
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) speaks at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (Photo by Katharine Wilson/Capital News Service)

U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th) finished 2024 with just under $5 million in his campaign account, far outstripping all other members of the states congressional delegation, senators included, according to new campaign reports.

The information was included in 2024 year-end campaign finance reports filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission. The FEC reports outline fundraising activities between Nov. 26 and Dec. 31.

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Raskin, who became the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee in January, raised more money during the five-week period at the end of the year than any of Marylands nine other members of Congress, and he had far more money banked than any of his in-state colleagues  including the two U.S. senators.

Raskin reported raising $97,892 from Nov. 26 through the end of the year, and starting the new year with $4,965,203 in the bank. First elected in 2016, Raskin never has to sweat reelection in his heavily Democratic district, but he has become a fundraising powerhouse since leading President Donald Trumps second impeachment trial in 2021.

Most other members of the state congressional delegation had far quieter year-end fundraising hauls, though some had fairly robust war chests. Two of the states freshman House members  Reps. Sarah K. Elfreth (D-3rd) and April McClain Delaney (D-6th)  had very modest amounts of money in the bank at the end of the year, while the other freshman, Rep. Johnny Olszewski Jr. (D-2nd), had considerably more.

At this early stage, only McClain Delaney is expected to have a competitive reelection fight in 2026 in a district that stretches from upper Montgomery County to the western edge of the state. Neither of the states senators  Chris Van Hollen (D) and Angela Alsobrooks (D)  faces reelection next year.

US Rep. Sarah Elfreth (D-3rd) with Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-6th) in the background. Photo by Bryan P. Sears.

Besides Raskins big fundraising take, the year-end campaign finance picture for Marylands House members looked like this:

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Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st) reported $754,935 in the bank at the end of the year after raising $19,441 in the final five weeks. His campaign reported a $5,000 donation from the Maryland Republican Party  which his wife heads. Harris is now the head of the House Freedom Caucus on Capitol Hill, and a so-called cardinal on the Appropriations Committee, where he chairs the Agricultural subcommittee.

Olszewski had $166,591 in the bank on Dec. 31 after collecting $9,277 at years end.

Elfreth had $30,739 on hand after raising $5,095. Her campaign committee reported a $5,000 donation from Irwin Mark Jacobs, the 91-year-old co-founder of Qualcomm.

Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) reported $305,388 on hand after raising $14,140 in the final five weeks of the year.

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th), the dean of the states congressional delegation, did not raise any money at all at the end of the year but still had $623,674 on hand. Political observers will be closely examining his future campaign finance reports to see if the 85-year-old lawmaker is contemplating seeking a 23rd full term.

McClain Delaney reported $12,879 in her war chest after raising $6,103 in the final five weeks of 2024. She was carrying $3.8 million in debts  loans she had made to her campaign in the weeks leading up to the election.

Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-7th) raised just $528 at the end of the year, but finished with $693,925 in the bank.

The states two senators appeared to be raising money at a steady clip at the end of the year.

Coming off the most expensive campaign in state history, for which she raised more than $30 million, Alsobrooks took in $77,308 in the final five weeks of 2024, including $31,500 from political action committees. She finished the year with $54,208 in the bank. Alsobrooks is not up for reelection until 2030.

Marylands senior senator, Van Hollen, is up for reelection in 2028. He reported $1,953,402 on hand as of Dec. 31, after raising $63,181 in the final five weeks of the year.

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Give Oklahoma women reproductive rights

If the new session of the Oklahoma Legislature wanted to do something special for women, they could repeal the dreaded anti-abortion law and restore women's rights to their own bodies and allow their doctors to help their pregnant patients without fear of going to prison.

After SCOTUS repealed Roe (v. Wade), Oklahoma legislators against women's rights rushed to write laws against women and their doctors. They did not realize they were setting themselves up to be accomplices to a "legal murder" of women who died as a result of the strict laws. ...

Already one legislator has shown his prejudice against women by writing an abortion law that includes a felony. Why in the world would making abortion a felony be the most important item on any legislator's agenda? If a woman has a miscarriage, you want to arrest her and her doctor and put them in prison.

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Women are dying because of dangerous abortion laws. Lawmakers are not doctors. Men do not know what a woman experiences when a doctor tells her that her much-wanted child is not viable, but by law, she will have to carry it anyway. Men have no clue what it is like to be severely beaten, raped and impregnated, but these unqualified men use their power to make the rules.

Question: How would men react if they had a horrible open wound and were driven to the hospital for care, just to be told the doctor could not legally see them? Instead, they could wait in their cars until they bled out enough to put their lives in danger.

We have a person now our president who was accused of sexual assault. He has chosen men for his Cabinet who have also been accused of sexual assault. Would you grant immunity for those getting away with their crime, while you disrespect innocent women and their rights?

Kindly repeal the anti-abortion laws in Oklahoma. Your female family and friends will forever thank you. Nadine Jewell, Norman

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The political implications of Canadian statehood

With apologies to our Canadian neighbors, what would be the effect on our politics if President Trump were successful in annexing Canada to the United States?

Based on the current breakdown of the Canadian Parliament, an expanded U.S. Senate would add 14 Democrats, 4 Republicans and 2 independents, leaving the Democrats with a 61-52-2 majority.

If the U.S. House were also to expand based on the current rule of at least one congressman per state and apportionment of House seats per population, the new majority Democrats would have 36 more seats. Republicans would add 5 and independents 1. The Democratic pickup would be smaller if the House remained at 435 seats, as it has since 1913, because larger (more often Democratic) states would lose seats to new Canadian representatives.

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In the 2024 presidents race, Canadian voters would not have cost Trump his victory, but should a future presidential contest be close (think Bush-Gore in 2000), Canadian Democrats might cancel the current Republican small-state advantage in the electoral college. An arctic edge for the Democrats might prove a northern exposure for the GOP.

 Richard Bernard, Edmond

We need to sell our natural gas to Europe

Although Oklahomans seem to see Trump as some sort of brilliant mind when it comes to energy, he obviously isn't. Why? Because we have plenty of oil and natural gas to sell.

It costs a fortune to drill. Drilling benefits suppliers of oil field equipment. We need to sell liquid natural gas to Europe! Cut the Russians out of the pipeline! Fossil fuels will be around for a long time. There is no reason to drill in national parks or on federal lands. Sell what we can, use the rest ourselves.

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 Peg Malloy, Oklahoma City

More: This is how our readers responded to Trump's pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters | Opinion

Pardons  a Pandora's box?

I just finished reading Rex Huppke's column (Jan. 26) in which he criticizes President Trump's pardons of the Jan. 6 protesters.

I couldn't help from commenting on the last-minute, preemptive pardons of Joe Biden for his family (going all the way back to 2014), as well as Dr. Fauci, Gen. MIlley and members of the Jan. 6 committee that set a precedent like none other in the history of our country. But I guess that's all right with him if that Pandora's box has been opened.

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 Richard Perkins, Bethany

Ryan Walters' comments are filled with contradictions

In an exclusive interview with Tulsa News Channel 8's Brenna Rose, state (schools) Superintendent Ryan Walters talked about changing Oklahoma history standards to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. When asked about the cost of resources that will be needed for the change, he states that the Oklahoma State Department of Education will provide all necessary resources. He then expands (obviously without considering the contradictions) that textbooks will not be necessary as textbooks are not always used in todays classroom and the SDE can provide all resources needed at no additional cost.

If that is the case, how can he justify his demand for $3 plus million to put a Bible in every classroom? He states that books are not needed for teaching history; the obvious conclusion is that spending $3 million for a book that is available for free on all student devices is a definite waste of taxpayer money. It is now the responsibility of the Legislature to recognize this and make sure the more than $3 million request for Bibles is soundly rejected and is spent more appropriately.

In the same interview, Walters then transitions into the fact that school accreditation will be used to require immigration information be presented at enrollment. Earlier, his lame excuse was that information was for "planning purposes. Most school administrators agree that requiring such is against the law and, furthermore, provides no useful purpose in planning. Then in this interview, Walters states that he ABSOLUTELY will gather and give the immigration information to law enforcement so they can carry out Trump's orders as they see fit.

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Shortly thereafter, in an OSDE press release, he seemed to understand the need to downplay his information gathering commitment by stating that we want to ensure that deported parents are reconnected with their children and keep families together. And just who believes that requiring immigration information at enrollment and stating publicly that he plans to provide it to necessary authorities, is necessary to keep families together? Does he really think that Oklahomans are so stupid as to believe that such information is needed to keep families together? And it is obvious Walters has no concern for the lifetime of trauma for anyone who is involved or for a child being removed from a classroom by immigration authorities. Obviously, keeping schools as a place where children feel safe and are shielded from any possible trauma is not a priority for him.

The one thing that is NOT a contradiction is that his No. 1 goal is to do anything possible to get Trumps attention and increase his personal brand. And Oklahoma public education is at the bottom of the rankings because this continues to be allowed.

Janis Blevins, Oklahoma City

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Abortion rights, the politics of Canada and Ryan Walters | Letters
Let the scaffolding industry help fix the mess

Long Island City: The op-ed Speaker Adams must end scaffold mess (Jan. 26) hits the mark on needed reforms to Get Sheds Down but mistakenly claims that the scaffolding industry is an obstacle.

The NYC Special Riggers Association (SRA) represents the scaffold, access and restoration industry. We believe sidewalk sheds should only be temporary protection, property owners should make needed repairs promptly, and the Local Law 11 inspection process needs to be revisited. We also support improving lighting and color schemes, allowing the city to conduct repairs if property owners fail to act and imposing penalties if work permits are not pursued within six months of erecting scaffolding.

We are proudly working with Councilmember Keith Powers and others on legislation to achieve the greatest level of success in concept and implementation. The Department of Buildings is working with architects on a new design and must maintain the structural integrity to protect the public. Proposals to use cantilevered platforms and disallow sheds on new construction sites will lengthen the time to complete construction if safety standards already provided by sheds are to be maintained. It is property owners responsibility to repair their buildings so scaffolding can be removed. Unfortunately, smaller building owners in lower-income neighborhoods have the toughest time paying for required repairs and need access to grants or low-interest loans to complete these repairs.

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No one-size-fits-all approach will solve this problem, but the building code amendments we support will preserve our citys historic skyline while protecting pedestrians, residents and workers. Veronika Sikorski, president, NYC SRA

Well miss your voice

Bellerose: It is with great sadness to read of the passing of fellow Voicer Larry Penner. I loved reading his opinions. A lot of them were about the MTA, local businesses and restaurants. One restaurant he would write about was the Scobee Diner in Little Neck, where my wife Eva worked for 25 years. We met him there with his wife Wendy. I wrote a blog with Larry at the Queens Courier a few years back and it was a most enjoyable time. I will truly miss Larry, whose opinions were posted at local and regional newspapers and were most informative. In my opinion, you were the greatest. My heartfelt prayers go out to Wendy and to his family and friends. God bless you, Larry, for a job well done. Frederick R. Bedell Jr.

Democracy still

Brooklyn: To Voicer Peter McCarthy: You are right, we are a republic  a democratic republic. Bruce Mercadante

Needs help

Forest Hills: I am not against RFK Jr. in any way personally. He belongs in a recovery program for his addiction and another for not dealing with the trauma of the assassination of his father and uncle. He does not belong in a cabinet position, he belongs somewhere where he can get help for these issues that he doesnt seem to have resolved. It just seems that he is being enabled by this nomination. It is a formula for disaster  for him and the country. Stew Frimer

Wayward workers

Bronx: With few exceptions, the most despised employees in our country today are Republican members of Congress and the cabinet, their aides and the sadistic, vengeful and immoral orange demon to whom they have pledged allegiance. They have forgotten our Constitution, their constituents and their ethics, morals and souls. Heaven help the rest of us. Rose Mary Lancaster

Before bodies are cold

Jefferson City, Tenn.: Well, he did it again. He shot off his big mouth with unsupported crap, other than his common sense, not even 24 hours after the plane/helicopter crash near Reagan National Airport. Without any proof to back up his statements, before the black boxes were recovered, before all passengers and crews bodies had been recovered, he starts the blame game. He blamed the air traffic controller, Joe Biden and his DEI policies. He even blamed former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying he was a bad secretary and a bad mayor. Relatives of those who perished dont want to hear him placing blame on anyone before they are even able to properly grieve their loved ones. He even has his vice president and transportation and defense secretaries echoing his unfounded claims. Is this what we have to look forward to? Sean M. Talty

Big job

New Rochelle, N.Y.: Before the president again challenges without evidence the fitness of air traffic controllers, perhaps he should, unlike President Ronald Reagan, show them some respect. Richard Rodrigue

Oversight is over

Bronx: It seems that most Americans didnt pay much attention to President Trumps firing of 17 inspectors general. The dismissals went mostly unnoticed, perhaps because we were all distracted by news of recent mass arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants. Inspectors general are appointed to oversee, investigate and denounce any attempts at fraud, lawlessness or corruption by government officials. By law, the president was supposed to notify the Congress of his intent to dismiss the inspectors with at least 30 days notice, but he didnt. That in itself is a violation of the law, yet no Republican has dared complain about it. Sen. Lindsey Graham actually said (on Meet the Press) that he was OK with what Trump did! Some who are knowledgeable of the workings of government are suggesting that the firings may be Trumps first step in an attempt at a coup. Carlos B. Martinez

Hes a joke

Ossining, N.Y.: Voicer Josh Greenberger, tarnishing my beloved Brooklyn, has thin skin like his cult leader Trump. The jokes that late-night hosts tell at his expense are the sort of truth-telling we need. The absurdity before us by having such an unfit person in power must be highlighted. Trump invites jokes through his endlessly appalling behavior, grift and ineptitude. Greenberger seems to forget or does not care that Trump is a convicted felon and a traitor who attempted a coup that resulted in dead police officers. He told awful lies during the campaign that the likes of Greenberger lap up. Cats and dogs being eaten? Really? Trump is a loathsome creature found by a court and jury of his peers to be a serial sexual predator. Dont blame comedians for poking fun. Look to yourself for giving blind support to such an abhorrent human. Robert Rundbaken

Dont deface

Ballston Spa, N.Y.: No to all you cronies who thought up putting Trumps mug on Mount Rushmore. Dont even think about it. Youre drinking too much of that Kool-Aid stuff! Daniel Simard

Better than us

Itasca, Ill.: Thanks, Canada. In America, we say, Good fences make good neighbors. America, you may have heard, loves walls. Were building one down south. Itll go well with the symbolic barriers weve erected where unity once lived. Most Americans support our two sovereign nations continuing as good neighbors. But too many follow the Canada as 51st state trial balloon like lemmings racing off a cliff. Our leadership has an overreach issue. Anyway, thank you for your eternal patience, being a great WWII ally, your current support in fighting Southern Californias wildfires, and being the ultimate good sport. Now, if youll excuse me, Im also drafting letters to Greenland and Denmark. Jim Newton

Friends forever

Tarrytown, N.Y.: I have been in a text group chat for about 10 years with 11 friends. We all grew up together on the challenging streets of the Bronx. Some of us are becoming grandfathers now. On Inauguration Day, two-thirds of our group had a great day! As they celebrated their guy, I sat staring into my phone and decided I was not going to say my usual good morning tomorrow as I have been for the last 10 years. Over the last 10 days, at least five of them checked in to see if I was OK. We have tried not to talk politics on our chat because it always leads to heated arguments. But I have decided that tomorrow I will say good morning. I truly love my friends and would do anything for any of them. I will have marks on my tongue from biting it, but I have decided their guy is not going to ruin our lifelong friendship. Stephen Talenti
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP)  Preliminary data from the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in nearly 25 years showed conflicting readings about the altitudes of an airliner and Army helicopter when they collided near Reagan National Airport in Washington, killing everyone aboard both aircraft, investigators said Saturday.

Investigators also said that about a second before impact, the jets flight recorder showed a change in its pitch. But they did not say whether that change in angle meant that pilots were trying to perform an evasive maneuver to avoid the crash.

Data from the jets flight recorder showed its altitude as 325 feet (99 meters), plus or minus 25 feet (7.6 meters), when the crash happened Wednesday night, National Transportation Safety Board officials told reporters. Data in the control tower, though, showed the Black Hawk helicopter at 200 feet (61 meters) at the time.

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The roughly 100-foot (30-meter) discrepancy has yet to be explained.

Investigators hope to reconcile the altitude differences with data from the helicopter's black box, which is taking more time to retrieve because it became waterlogged after it plunged into the Potomac River. They also said they plan to refine the tower data, which can be less reliable.

Thats what our job is, to figure that out, said NTSB member Todd Inman, who grew increasingly agitated with reporters' questions seeking more information and clarity about the readings during a Saturday evening news conference.

He acknowledged that there was dissension within the investigative team about whether to release the information or wait until they had more data.

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Officials say the helicopters maximum allowed altitude at the time was 200 feet (61 meters).

No one survived the collision, which occurred as an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, with 64 people on board was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport, just across the Potomac from the capital. The Army Black Hawk helicopter, which apparently flew into the jets path, had three soldiers on board.

This is a complex investigation, said Brice Banning, NTSB investigator in charge. There are a lot of pieces here. Our team is working hard to gather this data.

Banning also discussed the last moments from the jet's two black boxes, which captured sound in the cockpit and flight data.

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The crew had a verbal reaction, Banning said, with the data recorder showing the airplane beginning to increase its pitch. Sounds of impact were audible about one second later, followed by the end of the recording.

Inman expressed frustration, too, that accidents like these occur, noting that the board has made several hundred recommendations to improve aviation that have not been acted upon.

From tragedy we draw knowledge to improve the safety for us all. Thats what were doing right now, were dealing with tragedy, but we need to improve safety, he said.

You want to do something about it? Adopt the recommendation of the NTSB. Youll save lives, he said, adding that he has spent hours with victims' families since the crash. I dont want to have to meet with those parents like that again.

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The families, he said, are struggling.

Some wanted to give us hugs. Some are just mad and angry, Inman said. They are just all hurt. And they still want answers, and we want to give them answers.

Earlier Saturday, recovery crews and divers searched the river and cleared wreckage. A Coast Guard cutter outfitted with a crane waited nearby, as occasional recovery team members slipped into the water amid a group of smaller emergency boats.

The remains of 42 people had been pulled from the river as of the afternoon, including 38 that have been positively identified, Washington emergency officials said. They expect to recover all of the remains, though the planes fuselage will probably have to be pulled from the water to get the rest.

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Also Saturday, the Army identified Cpt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, as the third soldier who died in the crash. The names of the other two were released Friday, but Lobachs name was withheld at the time at the request of her family.

Army officials have said the helicopter crew was highly experienced and familiar with the congested skies around the city. Military aircraft frequently make such flights to practice routes they would use if key government officials need to be evacuated during an attack or major catastrophe.

Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control. The Federal Aviation Administration has long struggled with a shortage of controllers.

Full NTSB investigations typically take at least a year, though investigators hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days.

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More than 300 responders were taking part in the recovery effort at a given time, officials said. After a rainy Friday, clear skies and warmer temperatures made for better conditions Saturday for workers in the field. Two Navy salvage barges were also deployed to lift heavy wreckage.

 This is heartbreaking work, Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly Sr. told reporters told reporters Friday. Its been a tough response for a lot of our people.

With the nation already grieving the collision, an air ambulance slammed into a busy intersection in Philadelphia on Friday night, killing all six people on board, including a child who had just undergone treatment at a hospital, and at least one person on the ground. At least three people remained hospitalized Saturday with injuries, and officials said it could be days until the full toll of the dead and injured is clear.

In Washington, the FAA heavily restricted helicopter traffic around Reagan National on Friday, hours after President Donald Trump claimed in a social media post that the helicopter had been flying higher than allowed.

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But a day after he questioned the helicopter pilots actions and alleged, without offering any evidence, that diversity initiatives have undermined air safety, Trump said the helicopter was flying too high.

It was far above the 200-foot limit. Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it??? Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

Wednesday's crash was the deadliest in the U.S. since Nov. 12, 2001, when a jet slammed into a residential neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, just after takeoff from Kennedy Airport. The crash killed all 260 people on board and five people on the ground.

Experts regularly highlight that plane travel is overwhelmingly safe, but the crowded airspace around Reagan National can challenge even the most experienced pilots.

___

Associated Press writers Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix and Becky Bohrer Juneau, Alaska, contributed.
A Colorado minister said she initially welcomed the internet because of its ability to help connect people across town or even across the globe, but its use as a tool to fuel division quickly became evident.

On that note, author and ordained Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber urged attendees at her recent Oklahoma City "Red State Revival" to gather in person more often to affirm and celebrate their shared Christian faith and focus on Jesus Christ  whose divine authority will outlast political turmoil and power grabs made in his holy name.

"Remember when Facebook came on, it was like it's so cool  you know, there's this way you can see your niece's baby who lives in Puerto Rico, and you can find your friends from high school, and you could take a quiz to find out which Star Trek character you are," she said, drawing laughter from the crowd at Mayflower Congregational Church-UCC, 3901 NW 63.

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"It connected us for a minute, and then it's done nothing but divide us ever since the moment it started to divide us."

Nadia Bolz-Weber sings Thursday during her Red State Revival tour at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City.

More: Election, Christian nationalism spur minister's 'Red State Revival' stop at OKC church

The event held on Thursday was the first stop on Bolz-Weber's "Red State Revival" tour that she said she felt led to do after the 2024 presidential election, to remind people of the importance of humility, curiosity, forgiveness, mercy and hope when they are faced with divisiveness, suffering and rising Christian nationalism. Besides Oklahoma, other states on the revival tour include Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa and Georgia.

In a roughly 90-minute message punctuated by her razor-sharp wit and bouts of congregational singing of familiar hymns, Bolz-Weber, 55, gently reminded those gathered that their best way forward amid heightened political division and ugly rhetoric was to lean on their shared Christian values and faith in Christ.

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The minister sometimes peppered her remarks with curse words, a habit that has likely helped define her as unorthodox to some, but her Oklahoma audience seemed unfazed when she warned them about it.

The founder of the House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Bolz-Weber she shared her faith testimony of leaving the Church of Christ congregation she grew up in with plans to abandon Christianity for good. Despite her plans, Bolz-Weber said Christ never left her as she struggled with addiction and occasionally lived in a shanty town, became a comedian and ultimately submitted to the Lord's wooing her back into his fold.

The audience applauded when she said she is marking her 36th year of sobriety and 16th year of ordination.

Guests sing during Nadia Bolz-Weber's Red State Revival tour at Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City.

Part of age-old story

Bolz-Webber said little about political party affiliations, but kept her message focused on the transient nature of power and religious institutions. She used Scripture that chronicles the story of Jesus predicting the destruction of the temple as an analogy for contemporary anxieties about Christian nationalism and societal changes.

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She said true hope is not in nationalism or ideology but in the enduring gospel of Jesus Christ.

"The only way I know to combat Christian nationalism is by believing in the thing that will outlast it, and that is the Gospel," she said.

Attendees ended the evening by gathering in groups according to the zip code they provided on their event registration. In her call to action, Bolz-Weber encouraged them to break bread with their neighbor within the month.

Before they adjourned, she reminded members of the crowd that they are part of God's story.

"I'm sorry I don't have anything sexier than Jesus and prayer and the Bible to offer you, but those are the only load bearing structures we have," Bolz-Weber said.

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She said Scripture is helpful in times of anxiety "because being a people with a sacred text is about knowing that we are a very small part of a very big story."

"And, having that big and that old of a story gives us an important perspective, because when all we can see and feel and think about is the personal and political crap that's happening right now, it's good to remember that we are people of an old, old story, one that starts actually at the beginning of time and brushes the skin of the present and reaches into a promised future ... and, the promise that God is not done and we will not be left alone still holds in the promise that hope is not naive."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Lutheran minister Nadia Bolz-Weber preaches 'Red State Revival' in OKC
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) has identified remains found in 2010 as those of a Tennessee State University (TSU) student reported missing in June 1998.

In a Friday press release, the MNPD said a hunter found a skull on Dec. 8, 2010, in the area of Ashland City Highway and Pecan Valley Road. No other remains were found at the time, and the skull was taken to the Medical Examiners Office.

JUNE 2024: 5 Nashville missing persons cases hit over 2 decades without answers

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From there, DNA from the remains were uploaded into a databaseCODISand the profile matched a DNA upload provided by a family member of TSU senior Marcus Rutledge. Rutledge had been reported missing on June 8, 1998, and his car was found at an apartment complex on Cabot Drive in West Nashville.

We didnt really have anything initially to go on in the case until July 1st 1998, Detective Matthew Filter with the MNPDs Cold Case-Homicide Missing Persons Unit told News 2 in 2022. His car was found in an apartment complex over on the west side of Nashville.

MARCH 2022 | TN Missing: TSU senior missing since 1998

The MNPD added foul play has been suspected in Rutledges disappearance, and an investigation by detectives with both the Missing Persons Unit and the Cold Case-Homicide unit is ongoing.

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ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  Congressman Nick Langworthy was in Elmira on January 31 to talk about immigration enforcement this month.

The congressman met with local and state government officials and law enforcement at Elmira City Hall, including Chemung County Sheriff Bill Schrom, Elmira Police Chief Kristen Thorne, Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell, State Senator Tom OMara, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano and Assemblyman Chris Friend. They discussed things like President Trumps recent executive actions and the negative impacts of New York States Green Light Law. According to the New York State DMV website, the law allows all New Yorkers age 16 and older to apply for a standard, not-for-federal purpose, non-commercial drivers license or learner permit regardless of their citizenship or lawful status in the United States.

Thanks to New York States Green Light Law, that bill that brought drivers licenses to illegal immigrants. Those local law enforcement officials, some of them here with us. Theyre not allowed to freely share the DMV database with federal officials. It is absolutely egregious on every measure. This law is incredibly dangerous and its downright idiotic. Governor Hochul is putting every New York citizen and law enforcement officer at risk with this asinine policy. It needs to be repealed this session right now, said Congressman Nick Langworthy.

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Federal agents arrest undocumented immigrant after being released from Tompkins County Sheriffs Office

The biggest takeaway I think is the inability to communicate important information. Oftentimes that was a huge criticism for a long long time. Law enforcement agencies living in silos and not being able to or not being willing to share information in how they strongly encourage that. We saw that after 9-11. Those silos started to come down, that information started to flow. Now were being handcuffed a bit as far as that goes, said Chemung County Sheriff Bill Schrom.

What we have here in New York is this Green Light Law and the block on cooperation between local law enforcement, state law enforcement with our federal officials is just completely wrong, said State Senator Tom OMara.

Governor Hochul highlighted some issues relating to public safety, police cooperation, police databases and how great thats going to be for the state and if she wants to follow through with that, I think we need to take that next step and she needs to come forward and suspend portions of the Green Light Law and our bail reform laws, said Assemblyman Chris Friend.

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Trump says hell place tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China on Saturday

The congressman also mentioned an incident in Ithaca where a Mexican citizen was arrested by federal agents on a federal warrant after the justice department said he was released from the Tompkins County Sheriffs Office after pleading guilty to state assault charges. The United States Attorneys Office said 27-year-old Jesus Romero-Hernandez from Mexico now faces the federal charge of illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal. Romero-Hernandez was being held by the Tompkins County Sheriffs Office regarding an assault charge that he later pleaded guilty to.

Just yesterday an hour away in Ithaca, a violent illegal with a very lengthy rap sheet was released back into the community after being charged with an assault. Local law enforcement refused to communicate with ICE because of the sanctuary policies of Tompkins County. It is so wrong-headed, I dont know where to begin. Now, thankfully ICE was there and a great risk to their own safety was able to apprehend him and take him into federal custody, said Langworthy.

The congressman also made stops in Apalachin, Painted Post and Watkins Glen.

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Congressman Langworthy and other members of the House Oversight Committee are now investigating the actions of government officials in sanctuary cities. A hearing is set to be held on February 11.

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Nashville police say a fight in Opry Mills in Donelson caused a rushed mass exodus of the building on Saturday afternoon.

There was no evidence of gunfire, Nashville police posted on X.

Police believe the fight occurred when a woman went into a Chili's restaurant at the mall and assaulted her boyfriend who worked there. The boyfriend was located and is safe.

Domestic assault detectives are working to locate the female suspect, police said.

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Officers responded around 2:15 p.m., to a shots fired call, but found no evidence of shots being fired, Nashville police spokesperson Kristin Mumford said.

No serious injuries were immediately reported.

The Nashville Fire Department assessed several persons on scene with a range of minor complaints, including cuts and abrasions from falls as a result of running, to raised anxiety levels," Nashville Fire Department Public Information Officer Kendra Loney said. "All persons assessed were cleared and no one required transport.

The mall was closed according to police. Both the northbound and southbound exits to Opry Mills from Briley Parkway were also closed, said Erin Zeigler of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

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This is a developing story, and The Tennessean will provide information as details are available.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Police: Fight at Opry Mills leads to 'mass exodus.' Police on scene
Slates guide to the most important figures in politics this week.

Welcome to this weeks edition of the Surge, a politics newsletter that is already overwhelmed with stupid politics news. Remember when there was no news and wed just have filler about backbench House members making typos in their tweets? The good old days 





This week, the Trump administration turned off federal spending for a couple of days, several of the most ludicrous Cabinet nominees in history had their confirmation hearings, there was a major plane crash in the nations capital, President Donald Trump gave his thoughts about the plane crash, a swing-state senator announced his retirement  like, weve got Elon Musks minions playing around with the machine that sends out government checks, but we didnt even have space for it. (Thats because we wanted to make jokes about Bob Menendez instead.)





Lets start, though, with the most closely watched senator of the moment.

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images.

1. Bill Cassidy

RFK Jr.s decider.

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy is the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and a respected voice within the Senate GOP on health care. Hes also a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which will vote on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s nomination to be Health and Human Services secretary. Cassidy has been watched closely since Kennedys nomination, but he hasnt said much one way or another until this week. In Kennedys first hearing in Finance, Cassidy asked straightforward questions about how Kennedy would reform Medicare and Medicaid, and Kennedy tripped up. But it was in chairing the HELP hearing the following day that Cassidy fully came clean. The senator said, at the conclusion of the hearing, that hes struggled with Kennedys nomination given his vaccine misinformationand during the hearing, Kennedy could not unequivocally tell Cassidy that the measles and hepatitis B vaccines dont cause autism. If Cassidy decides he cant get that question answered, he could nuke Kennedys nomination in committee, or he could advance it, then saddle up with the ol RINO Gang (Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell) to nuke it on the floor. The risk of either of these is that Cassidy, whos up for reelection in 2026, would have a very unpleasant next two years. It seemed as if Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Democratic member of HELP, was speaking directly to Cassidy when she said in the hearing that she understands political realities but wanted to remind all my colleagues that by voting to confirm Mr. Kennedy, we would be telling our constituents he is worth listening to. Cassidy may be deciding on his career this weekend.

2. Matthew Vaeth

Sorry for the prime placement, bud, but your name was on the memos.

While the administration has moved quickly in its initial stages to upend the federal government in every imaginable way, it had its first 2017-esque wipeout this week. On Monday, acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget Matthew Vaeth released a memo to federal agencies calling for a temporary pause of all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance affected by Trumps executive orders. Since no one in government had a clue what this meant and erred on the side of caution, this amounted to a freeze of a huge slice of congressionally approved government spending: grants, loans, state Medicaid portals shutting down, dogs loving cats, and up being down. OMB tried to issue a clarifying memo the following day. Despite attempts to follow up with clarifications, Vaeth and OMB eventually issued a new memo rescinding the original memo. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, however, then tweeted that it was NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Confused about how to interpret this all? Join every other person working in or with the federal government.

3. Chris Murphy

A Democratic pulse? A Democratic pulse!

Trump has been able to get away with so much because his opposition is a loathed and exhausted Democratic Party that doesnt know what to do or why to get out of bed in the morning. In that sense, the funding-freeze debacle was the first bit of good news for Democrats since November, at last serving as a galvanizing event for the remnants of the Resistance. Democrats in Congress got the message out about the consequences of the freeze for specific people and programs, as well as Trumps overarching plan to seize the power of the purse from Congress. The senator who has most caught our attention this week is Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, demonstrating a sense of urgency and attention that had been missing. Speaking to reporters this week about the temporary nature of the spending freezebefore the OMB memo was walked backMurphy explained why that was bullshit, pointing to the looming impoundment fight in the public and the courts. This is a designed constitutional crisis, he said. He wants to seize control of this government, he wants to seize control of federal spending, so that he can hand money to his billionaire friends and people that are loyal to him, and he can suspend payments to states where loyalty is not pledged. Lets see this for what it is: This is an attempt to seize power. Democrats understandably are trying to be patient about where they pick and choose their battles with an administration thats purposefully overwhelming them. This week, they finally began to draw lines.

4. Donald Trump

When all you have is a DEI hammer 

Tragedy struck Washington Wednesday night as a military helicopter collided with a commercial plane, sending both into the Potomac River and leaving no survivors. At first, the coordinated response between the D.C., Virginia, and federal government responders and officeholders was efficient, with each respective party offering its condolences to the families as the recovery and investigative efforts continued. The presidents press team even initially put out a grown-up statement. And then there was our president himself. He first sent out a midnight post just asking questions about why the helicopter seemed to be so intent on flying into the plane. By midday Thursday, though, the White House had settled on a message more along the lines of Betcha the pilot was a Black guy? The administrations assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion has been a passion of these opening weeks. Trump said in a press conference that it was common sense to speculate that the accident was the fault of DEI policies, though he had no information whatsoever to back this up. Trump then signed a whipped-up executive action super-extra directing the Federal Aviation Administration to get to the bottom of all this diversity business, now that it is, in Trumps mind, crashing planes. In practicality, what he was doing was trying to shape a distracting narrative before it registered with people that in only the second week of Trumps presidency, weve had the first commercial plane crash in the United States in 16 years.

5. Kash Patel

I promise to be your friendly neighborhood FBI director!

The controversial nominee for FBI director also had his confirmation hearing this week and, like others, promised that he would not do what he has specifically said he wants to do many times over recent years. He denied that he has an enemies list in his book, instead calling it a glossary. Well, sure, its a glossary of deep state people he despises. He denied in his hearing that hed seek retribution against figures in either the media or the government, despite having said in a 2023 podcast episode that we will go out and find the conspirators not just in government but in the media and that were going to come after you  whether its criminally or civilly. In Patels words on Thursday, I have no interest, no desire, and will not, if confirmed, go backwards; he added, There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken. With lines like these, we have truly crossed from bullshit into unreality. The things Patel is saying he wont do are the very things Patel was hired to do. The retribution against FBI agents and leaders is already underway and was picking up while Patel was in his hearing. Whats the point of these hearings if nominees can just recant everything theyve said for the past several years? Its to give Republican senators a small bit of cover to approve their nominations. Being convincing has nothing to do with it.

6. Gary Peters

Why? Was it something Washington said?

The senior senator from Michigan made the surprising announcement this week that he would not run for reelection in 2026. That sets up an open-seat swing-state race in the land of [asking the Chinese A.I. spy app about Michigan ] the capitalist hegemons critical automotive infrastructure. What gives? With the exception of his enemies, everyone loves Gary. Hes only 66practically a Senate toddler. Hes the ranking member of a committee led by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, which keeps his mind active. According to Peters, he wants to play around on his motorcycle more. And, sure, he would have had a competitive reelection, which is a lot less fun than a noncompetitive reelection. Even if he won, though, what would he be returning to? Another couple of years of Donald Trumps Washingtonand, odds are, in the Senate minority. Democrats need to net four Senate seat pickups in 2026 to take the majority, and only two, North Carolina and Maine, are within the general realm of competitiveness. (And dont think Susan Collins isnt looking forward to making Democrats learn their lesson again.) Democrats held out strong against the Republicans structural advantage in the Senate for a while, but that reality is beginning to sink its teeth in. It wouldnt surprise us to see more Democrats like Peters, considering the potential of a lengthy stay in the minority, decide to hang it up. You want it, Sen. Secretary Mayor Pete? You can take it.

7. Bob Menendez

When you realize that you have always loved Donald Trump.

The former New Jersey senator was sentenced to 11 years in prison this week for accepting bribes. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold bars had been found during a raid on his home. It was not good! Facing such a grim stint in the hoosegow, Menendez responded to his sentence by flattering Trump. President Trump is right, Menendez said in a statement. This process is political, and its corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores integrity to the system. This statement was posted to X, and at the very end, he tagged @realDonaldTrump. In other words, hes shamelessly angling for a pardon, just as indicted New York Mayor Eric Adams has been awfully flattering to the president in recent weeks. After ridiculous abuses from both Trump and Joe Biden in the past couple of months, we cant recall something thats so quickly jumped from the arena of law school debate to a national priority than the need for reforming the pardon power.
Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 1 (ANI/WAM): The Kayan Wellness Festival, an event that aims to promote holistic health and balance between mind, body, and spirit, kicked off today on the shores of A Fahid Island, Abu Dhabi. The festival is organised by Burjeel Holdings, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, and LinkViva, and will continue until February 2nd. The festival enhances Abu Dhabi's position as a leading destination for wellness and health tourism, by organising distinguished events that contribute to providing an ideal environment for relaxation and rejuvenation, and improving mental and physical health in line with the UAE's vision to raise the quality of life and well-being of society and visitors. The festival hosts a select of international experts in the fields of wellness and self-development, including Indian guru Sadhguru who presents sessions on achieving inner balance and peace, and Mo Gawdat, a former Chief Business Officer at Google X. In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Sadguru praised the UAE's role in supporting human well-being and promoting yoga practices in the region, emphasising the country's remarkable transformation from a barren desert to a global commercial and cultural centre has made it a magnet for people from all over the world. Regarding yoga, Sadhguru affirmed that yoga is not limited to physical exercises as many people think, but rather is a comprehensive concept that refers to the union between a person and everything around him. "If you breathe, then you are in yoga because this is the union," he said, explaining that yoga includes an awareness of the deep connection between a person and the surrounding environment. (ANI/WAM)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Two Republican lawmakers who voted against Gov. Bill Lees school voucher measure are making their voices heard after they say they were silenced during the debate on the House floor.

Gov. Lees Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which passed by narrow margins in both the House and Senate Thursday, will use tax dollars to pay to send children to private school or other options if their parents choose.

In a Facebook post, Republican Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), who voted against the school voucher bill, called the measure a scam that is not conservative, fiscally responsible, or in the best interest of Tennessee families. He also alleged some lawmakers who voted in favor of the bill were motivated by money from multi-million dollar special interest groups and lobbyists.

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TN General Assembly approves school voucher expansion; bill heads to Gov. Lees desk

Tennesseans should just be outraged by the process that took place this last week, Rep. Warner said. This is a swamp at work and we saw it firsthand this week.

Rep. Warner has opposed the school voucher proposal since the beginning and believes it never should have been taken up in a special session. He also accused the Republican leadership of using Hurricane Helene relief funds, another part of the special session, to get the voucher bill passed, something the Republican leadership has adamantly denied.

However, everything came to a head Thursday on the House floor when lawmakers were debating the voucher bill. Rep. Warner told News 2 he was told he couldnt participate.

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I get it. They dont like me, and thats okay, but they silenced millions of Tennesseans voices yesterday by not letting certain representatives speak, Rep. Warner said. I wasnt the only one. There were four others that were told they couldnt speak either because they knew we were against the vouchers and we were going to tell the truth.

When can parents begin applying for school vouchers in Tennessee?

Republican Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) has also openly opposed Gov. Lees voucher plan based on feedback from his constituents and the fiscal analysis, which he said isnt fiscally conservative.

Rep. Barrett told News 2 just two of the 20-something Republicans who voted against the bill were given a total of four minutes to debate it on the House floor, and he wasnt one of them.

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The rules that were put in place were really not designed to provide for any type of banter back and forth, Rep. Barrett said. Essentially what we got was an infomercial where one side got 45 minutes to give their spiel about what they did not like about the bill, and the other side got 45 minutes to give their sales pitch as to why it was a good idea. Dividing 45 minutes among 24 [Democrats] is a lot easier than dividing it among 75 [Republicans].

Rep. Barrett believes lawmakers shouldve discussed the issue during the regular session where they had more time.

I know the governor disagrees, but this is not something in my opinion that was an emergency. That needed to be done in three days, Rep. Barrett said. Thats just no way for the people of the state to really have the opportunity to read the bill, to understand it, to chime in, to talk to their representatives, and it certainly didnt give us enough time to go back and talk to our constituents as the bill was evolving and amendments were being filed.

Groups react to school voucher passage by TN lawmakers

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Despite Rep. Warner and Rep. Barretts statements, Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) told reporters Thursday the debate rules, which he helped create that provided 45 minutes to the Democrats and 45 minutes to the Republicans, were effective and gave everyone who wanted, the chance to speak.

I think everybody who wanted to say something got the opportunity to say something, and then we move on, Speaker Sexton said. People had plenty of time to see the amendments, people had plenty of time to see the bill. Anybody who complains about it, theyre going to complain in regular session.

In addition, Gov. Lee said passing the legislation in a special session is valuable because it enables the state to roll out the Education Freedom Scholarships sooner.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

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I have said all along that we should and could have the best public schools in America and provide parents with choice, and weve done that, Gov. Lee said. It is, in fact, a momentous day for students and teachers and parents across Tennessee.

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Republican lawmakers, including those from disaster-prone areas, are backing President Trumps calls to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

We need a FEMA that looks like somebody designed it on purpose, and thats not what we have right now, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said this week. Its a mess, and its very inefficient.

I welcome the presidents interest in trying to improve the process of delivering disaster aid, which is taxpayer money, to people who need it, he said.

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Trump, who has been sharply critical of FEMAs response to disasters during the Biden administration, indicated last week that hed like to revamp  if not get rid of  the agency.

Ill also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA or maybe getting rid of FEMA, he said. I think, frankly, FEMAs not good.

He also said he wants disaster response to be run at the state level.

FEMA is gonna be a whole big discussion very shortly, because Id rather see the states take care of their own problems, he told Fox News.

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I love Oklahoma, he said. But you know what, if they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it and then the federal government can help them out with the money.

Trump also issued an executive order establishing a FEMA review council that seeks to assess proposals to reform the agency.

Emergency managers and other policy experts have expressed concern about Trumps calls to restructure  or even eliminate  the agency.

That would be tough, Lynn Budd, president of the National Emergency Management Association, said about FEMA potentially being axed.

The solution is to improve the agency, added Budd, who is also the director of Wyomings Office of Homeland Security.

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FEMA is the federal agency in charge of coordinating responses to disasters. The agency does not work alone  supporting the response from state and local authorities.

Their role during the acute phase of the disaster is huge, said James Kendra, director of the University of Delawares Disaster Research Center.

He noted that the agency provides funding for state- and locally-run emergency operation centers.

FEMAs website states that in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, the agency also deploys teams to communities to help people register for individual assistance. It provides grants to help fund things like debris removal as well.

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Kendra noted that the agency also has funding and technical assistance programs that run across all the phases of disaster.

Andy Winkler, director of the Bipartisan Policy Centers housing and infrastructure project, described FEMA as largely a logistical operation.

Its the coordinator of the federal response to any disaster. It helps local governments and states fill capacity gaps. It also provides a knowledge base for those officials who maybe havent experienced a disaster ever before or similar to what theyre experiencing, he said.

The agencys funds also support long-term recovery, helping communities to rebuild their infrastructure in the months and years after a disaster.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), whose state was among those impacted by Hurricane Helene, expressed support for Trumps order establishing a FEMA review council when asked to react to the presidents comments about the agency.

When Helene came through, it was a mixed bag with FEMA. I just think taking a hard look at all these big ticket items is probably good, he said.

I dont know if theres a better model, he added, but you wont know unless you ask.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) also defended Trump.

Everybody wants to draw the absurd conclusion, but Ive had proposals to streamline FEMA and put more control in local governments since the first hurricane I had to deal with here, he told reporters.

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If you look at some of the reform provisions that are out there expressing the money to the local governments  if thats what hes talking about, Im all in, Tillis said.

While Trumps ultimate goal for FEMA is unclear, Shana Udvardy, senior climate resilience policy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, noted that the president cant simply eliminate the agency unilaterally.

President Trump cant single handedly abolish or reorganize FEMA overnight by signing another executive order, Udvardy said. He needs to go through Congress, and Congress needs to give him the authority under the Presidential Reorganization Act.

However, she said, the bad news is  Trump can refuse disaster funding through the disaster declaration process.

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Udvardy said that the agency provides critical personnel.

She said that response takes people on the ground  theyre playing a lot of different roles.

Imagine a small rural area or a small town in North Carolina thats just been devastated by extreme flooding and rainfall, and to ask them to handle that kind of disaster on their own  its really unconscionable, she said.

Other policy experts said there are positive reforms that can be made at the agency  but that getting rid of it is not the answer.

I think that the agency has been sort of overextended, Winkler said. I think kind of a reset on FEMA would be helpful, and taking a step back to think about what changes do need to be made would be helpful.

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Im not saying that every criticism is fair or valid, but they definitely have been understaffed, misunderstood and overburdened in recent years, he added.

Budd, with the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, said that allowing funds to roll over from one disaster to another and simplifying the application for aid could improve responses to disasters.

But ultimately, she said, the partnership with FEMA is extremely important, and we have to find a way where we can do both things: support the states and have good accountability with the citizens of our nation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Democrats expressed horror after President Donald Trumps administration fired FBI officials in charge of multiple major field offices, as well as dozens of rank and file agents.

The Friday night purge targeted agents who had worked on FBI investigations into Trump, a number of whom were escorted out of the agencys Washington, D.C. office, a source told The Hill.

The same source said that field office chiefs in D.C., Miami, Seattle, New Orleans, and Las Vegas were also removed.

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While the full scope of the purge is not yet known, it has sparked outrage from congressional Democrats.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, called the firings deeply alarming.

He added, The Trump administration appears to be purging dozens of the most experienced agents who are our nations first line of defense, according to The Hill.

Other lawmakers were more scathing in their assessments. House Democrat Jamie Raskin called the move another repulsive affront to the rule of law, Newsweek reported.

If allowed to proceed, Trumps purge of our federal law enforcement workforce will expose America to authoritarianism and dictatorship, he added.

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In a post on X, Sen. Adam Schiff described it as another Friday Night Massacre, as the president removes those loyal to the Constitution. And installs those loyal to him.

Tonight Donald Trump fired dozens of prosecutors at the DC U.S. Attorney's office and agents at the FBI.



Another Friday Night Massacre, as the President removes those loyal to the constitution.



And installs those loyal to him.  Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) February 1, 2025

CNN reported that dozens of prosecutors at the Justice Department who worked on the agencys cases against Trump were also fired on Friday.

A week ago, the new administration, in a similar move, had dismissed government watchdogs at more than a dozen federal agencies, appearing to violate the law in the process.

The FBI purge came a day that Trumps highly controversial nominee to lead the agency, Kash Patel, told senators he would respect the processes for removing agents.

Patel faced tough questions from senators on Thursday. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

I dont know whats going on right now over there, but Im committed to you, Senator, and your colleagues, that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI, Patel said.

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The FBI Agents Association pointed to the contradiction between Patels statement and the sudden firings.

If true, these outrageous actions by acting officials are fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents, the group added in a statement, according to The Hill.
A recent study by advocacy group Uplift projects that if planned North Sea drilling moves forward, U.K. pollution could rise by as much as 30 years' worth of domestic household emissions.

"The scale of the planned drilling by fossil fuel companies in the North Sea is alarming," Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, told The Guardian. "How can it be right that, while we strive to reduce our climate impact  and household emissions fall from people installing solar panels and switching to heat pumps  the oil and gas industry is given a free pass to generate massive emissions?"

What's happening?

The United Kingdom's previous Conservative government had issued many controversial oil drilling permits in the North Sea, the largest of which was a $9.4 billion project in the Rosebank field. The current Labour government has put a stop to new permits but has not rescinded permits on projects that haven't broken ground. Uplift is suggesting that preventing new construction is in our best interests, even if permits have already been issued.

According to Uplift, the new projects are expected to produce the equivalent of 4 billion barrels of oil over their lifetimes. The study says that oil would in turn release 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide when burned. Uplift's projections say it would take the U.K.'s 28 million households producing emissions at their current rate for over 30 years to match that amount.

Why is offshore drilling important?

Oil and gas production is a major contributor to global pollution, which is compounded by emissions from oil and gas end-usage. The U.K. remains among the top emitters in Europe despite having made net zero pledges. It will take dramatic action to meet those obligations.

What's being done about offshore drilling?

"Our priority is a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea in line with our climate and legal obligations, which drives towards our clean energy future of energy security, lower bills and good, long-term jobs," a spokesperson for the U.K.'s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said. "We will not revoke existing oil and gas licences and will manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan, and we will not issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields."

While the government may not be moving quickly on slowing oil and gas production, there are innovations to be hopeful about. Some companies are looking at using decommissioned North Sea wells for geothermal energy. If you're in the U.K., you can get in touch with your representative to voice your opposition to North Sea drilling.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
(KRON)  An armed man was arrested after reversing into a fire truck and barricading himself in a vehicle, according to the San Francisco Police Department.

San Francisco police officers responded to the intersection of Alemany and Bayshore boulevards to assist the California Highway Patrol with an armed adult male suspect inside a parked vehicle.

SFPD said responding officers noticed the suspects vehicle reversed into a San Francisco Fire Department engine, which made the vehicle inoperable. The suspect, according to police, concealed himself inside the vehicle and refused to respond to SFPD who attempted to contact him.

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Video: Crews respond to large fire at Martinez Refinery Company

The Hostage Negotiation Team and other specialists arrived on the scene to assist.

The suspect, according to SFPD, surrendered and was arrested.

The firearm was recovered at the scene.

No one was injured, according to police.

Despite the arrest, the case is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at (415) 575-444.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
(Getty Images)

Two Colorado Springs residents are suing the city over a ballot measure set for April that would overturn a recent voter-approved ordinance to allow recreational marijuana sales.

The lawsuit was filed in El Paso County District Court on Friday on behalf of Renze Waddington, the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary, and Adam Gillard, the executive director of El Paso County Progressive Veterans. It alleges the City Council violated Amendment 64 of the Colorado Constitution, which says that local ballot measures to prohibit recreational marijuana sales need to be on the general election ballot during an even year.

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It is not only outrageous that this council believes it can overturn the will of the voters simply because they dont agree with the result, but it is blatantly unconstitutional, Tom Scudder, the president of the Colorado Springs Cannabis Association, said in a statement. We look forward to the courts enforcing the voters will and sending a message to this city council that they do not have absolute authority over its citizens.

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Voters approved Question 300 by about 22,000 votes in November to allow licensed medical marijuana shops in the city to also sell recreational marijuana. A competing ballot measure to ban recreational marijuana was defeated, though preliminary results suggested that it too had passed.

Question 300 also included a 5% sales tax for public safety programs, mental health services, and PTSD treatment for veterans.

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But on Jan. 28, the City Council voted 7-2 to put the issue back on the ballot, with some members saying the dual marijuana ballot issues and premise of Question 300 could have been confusing to voters.

I think it really could have had the impact that something passed that the majority of citizens dont really support, Councilmember Dave Donelson said during a meeting earlier this month.

But the lawsuit argues that such a question cannot appear during this type of election.

The Colorado Springs city council acted without regard to the Colorado Constitution which specifically prohibits the city councils gambit here, the lawsuit reads.

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The referred measure would ask voters to repeal Question 300, which is functionally the same as prohibiting recreational marijuana sales, the lawsuit argues. The Colorado Constitution states that any initiated or referred measure to prohibit  retail marijuana stores must appear on a general election ballot during an even numbered year.

The lawsuit also alleges that the referred measure misleads voters by not mentioning that repealing Question 300 would also prevent the collection of new sales tax revenue. Plaintiffs want the court to prevent the repeal measure from appearing on the April ballot or order an amended ballot title.

Colorado Springs must mail out military and overseas ballots 45 days before the election, on Feb. 14.

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LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA)  The officers who lost their jobs at the Lakeland Police Department after a body-worn camera manipulation conspiracy still hold their law enforcement certification standards.

The certifications are through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

4 Lakeland officers resign after intentionally turning body cameras off during pursuit

News Channel 8 reached out to FDLE for the status of their certifications and had not heard back as of publication.

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Documents obtained by News Channel 8 show in March 2024, Officers Anton Jefferson, Jason McCain, Jim Simon and Sgt. Mark Eby, who had served with the Lakeland Police Department for 29 years, intentionally turned off in-car and body worn cameras during a police chase that did not meet required elements for a pursuit.

Records show they attempted to pull over a vehicle after two calls for service in north Lakeland.

No evidence connected the vehicle or its driver to the calls for service.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested after fleeing on foot.

The officers did not mention the pursuit in any report.

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In a letter filed by Chief Sam Taylor, he wrote he requested an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and State Attorneys Office after the incomplete video evidence was discovered during a normal review.

In a letter to the chief, State Attorney Brian Haas determined the actions were not criminal but were alarming and caused him great concern.

The integrity of the investment by the city of Lakeland in the new camera system is completely undermined and the credibility of each officer becomes an issue, Haas wrote in the letter.

He wrote many cases involving the officers would have to be dismissed due to risks of damaging cross-examinations during trials.

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News Channel 8 has confirmed one of those dismissed cases was against Antwan Glover, a high-profile case involving a violent arrest captured on cell phone video in December 2022.

Lakeland police chief defends department after officers arrest Antwan Glover again

Spokespeople from both the State Attorneys Office and Lakeland Police Department said there was no evidence that body-worn cameras were manipulated during that incident.

In fact, according to Lakeland police, the officers were not yet equipped with cameras in the early stages of the departments program.

After a months-long grievance process, the Lakeland city manager approved an agreement on Wednesday which allowed the officers and sergeant to resign or retire in lieu of being fired.

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I guess my reaction is we told you so, said Pastor Clayton Cowart, with the Poor & Minority Justice Association.

Cowart has long advocated for drastic action to be taken against the Lakeland police officers and the police chief.

It wasnt unbelievable. I could believe it with the record that these officers had, Cowart said.

They shouldnt have been given that privilege to just simply resign. They should have been fired.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
The Rev. Al Sharpton will visit Pasadena on Thursday to lead a memorial service and a rally for victims of the Los Angeles fires. Accompanying him will be attorney Ben Crump, who represents families of people killed in the fires, along with several relatives of the deceased.

The wildfires scourging Los Angeles these last few weeks have been a devastating humanitarian and natural disaster, Sharpton said in a prepared statement. People have lost their homes, their memories, and ultimately their lives to this devastation, while some have sought to use this horrific event to score political points. This Thursday, I will join with Attorney Crump to bring the community together to mourn those we have lost and galvanize them to recover, restore, and rebuild.

The devastating fires cut across social classes, with a death toll that has reached at least 29 people. The Eaton fire, at the foot of the San Gabriel mountains, ripped through a historic and predominantly Black community in Altadena, wiping out many older homes and with them accumulated generational wealth. A UCLA study published last week said Black residents in Altadena were 1.3 times more likely to have experienced major damage or complete destruction of their home during the inferno.

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Read more: Against all odds, Black residents built something remarkable in Altadena. Then the fire came

The 70-year-old Sharpton, who heads the New York City-based National Action Network, holds a committed but controversial record as a civil rights leader. He's been accused in the past of stoking antisemitism and homophobia. While his oratory continues to project passion for justice, his controversial image has faded somewhat as his civil rights goals have become more inclusive.

The National Action Network was created, according to the organization, "to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, criminal record, economic status, gender, gender expression, or sexuality."

The memorial will be held at noon Thursday at the First AME Church in Pasadena.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A Rhode Island federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administrations push to freeze federal assistance, even though the president attempted to downplay the directive earlier this week.

Rhode Island U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnell issued the order Friday afternoon, granting 23 Democratic states request for a temporary restraining order. The request was filed earlier this week in response to a controversial memo that directed all U.S. agencies to freeze federal-assistance funding, grants and loans.

McConnell ordered that while his decision is in place, the Trump administration cannot pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate its obligations to provide federal financial assistance to the states, except on the basis of the applicable authorizing statutes, regulations, and terms.

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The judge said the decision was based on the Trump administrations actions to unilaterally suspended federal funds without citing any legal authority; set conditions on congressionally approved funds in violation of federal law and rules; and threaten states ability to conduct essential activities.

Congress has not given the executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes and therefore the executives actions violate the separate of powers, McConnell added.

His decision was lauded by state attorneys general, including R.I. Attorney General Peter Neronha, whose team took lead in arguing on behalf of the states.

I am grateful for Judge McConnells careful consideration of this matter and for seeing the irreparable harm that this directive would cause, and frankly has already caused, Americans across the country, Neronha said in a statement.

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Make no mistake: this federal funding pause was implemented to inspire fear and chaos, and it was successful in that respect, he added. These tactics are intended to wear us down, but with each legal victory we reaffirm that these significant and unlawful disruptions wont be tolerated, and will certainly be met with swift and immediate action now and in the future.

The memo sparked backlash, confusion and multiple lawsuits across the country, including the one filed by the states in Rhode Island U.S. District Court. A federal judge in Washington D.C. granted a stay in a similar case earlier this week.

The Trump administration has since rescinded the controversial memo, but state attorneys have argued that the move didnt necessarily mean the newly sworn-in president wasnt working toward freezing Congress-approved funds anyway.

The states pointed to comments made by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, transcripts of press briefings and, most recently, emails sent to two states by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

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The emails told state officials that ongoing federal grant funding wouldnt be disbursed because of the memo. The emails were sent after the administration announced they were rescinding the directive, according to the states attorneys.

Daniel Schwei, an attorney representing the Trump administration, has argued a review of federal funding is warranted to ensure the spending of taxpayer dollars aligns with the presidents policies and priorities.

The President of the United States, along with the chief agency responsible for overseeing expenditures  the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  plainly have authority to direct agencies to fully implement the Presidents agenda, consistent with each individual agencys underlying statutory authorities, Shwei wrote in a memo opposing the order.

Schwei argued the restraining order was moot because the underlying directive had been rescinded. He also said the order was was too broad, shouldnt apply to the president and could negatively affect the federal governments ability to disburse funds.

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If granted, Schwei urged McConnell to modify the order, so that it didnt interfere with any President Donald Trumps many executive orders, and he signaled that the administration would appeal the decision.

The courts order should make clear that it does not prohibit agencies from implementing the presidents executive orders to the extent permissible within the agencys underlying statutory authorities, he added.

McConnell nonetheless granted the order, and further prohibited the Trump administration from reissuing a new directive that freezes funds under any other name or title. He gave the Trump administration until 9 a.m. Monday to provide written notices of order to federal agencies.

His decision sets the stage for both sides to next argue whether the court should impose a preliminary injunction to block Trump funding-freeze policies. McConnell said a hearing would be set shortly.

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Todays court decision reaffirms that the president cannot unilaterally take away federal funding, especially resources that our kids, seniors and economy rely on, Mass. Attorney General Andrea Campbell said in a statement.

His reckless actions unleashed chaos and confusion yet demonstrated the enormous power of attorneys general to fight back, she added. My office will keep fighting to protect Massachusetts residents from these egregious and unlawful abuses of power.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated.

Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com.
Just six weeks after winning a decisive reelection, San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas sent a shock wave through the county's political scene when she announced that instead of being sworn in for a second term, she would step down from the powerful board of supervisors.

It was a decision that caught San Diego's political players by surprise. Not only was the timing a shock, but Vargas' announcement meant the Democrat majority she once led as chair of the board of supervisors could be in doubt. With her departure, the board is now evenly split with two Democrats, two Republicans, and a vacant seat that could significantly influence how the board moves ahead in the coming years.

The uncertainty comes as San Diego County has gained national attention after its board of supervisors passed a policy that would restrict jail staff from working with federal immigration officials, a move that could potentially hinder the Trump administration's promise of mass deportations.

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Even more bewildering was the reason Vargas said she would step down.

"Due to personal safety and security reasons, I will not take the oath of office for a second term," Vargas said in a statement, in which she described herself as a "guerrera," Spanish for warrior. "I remain committed to continuing the fight for equity, justice, and human rights  just in a different capacity."

Since then, there have been questions as to what exactly prompted the rising political figure to resign, after having won reelection decisively with 62% of the vote.

"No one really knows why, and everyone has been speculating about what that really means," said Paula Whitsell, chair of the Republican Party of San Diego. "I've asked around, and everyone has been closed lipped."

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Read more: San Diego politicians want to block Trump deportations. The sheriff refuses, sparking immigration battle

Members of Vargas' staff declined to say whether there was a particular incident or safety concern that prompted the abrupt announcement. Vargas, through a spokesperson, has declined to be interviewed.

News that Vargas would leave the board so soon after the election came as a surprise even to her political allies and supporters, who said they received no heads-up before the announcement.

When Kelvin Barrios found out on the morning of Dec. 20, he ran in and interrupted labor negotiations to tell his boss, Valentine Macedo, business manager for Laborers' International Union of North America Local 89.

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"I thought it was a big enough deal to interrupt," said Barrios, who works as political director for Local 89. "That morning we woke up like any other morning having five supervisors, and five hours later it's chaos."

Kyle Krahel-Frolander, acting chair of the San Diego County Democratic Party, said he and other leaders of the party were also not informed of the decision before the announcement.

"I respect her decision to do this for her own safety, but it wasn't something that was telegraphed to us," he said. "It's unfortunate."

Since her announcement, the seat once occupied by Vargas on the dais has sat empty. The four members of the board have only discussed who would replace her as chair and how to fill her vacant seat.

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A glimpse of the sharp divide caused by her resignation was noticeable last month when the two sides disagreed on who should serve as chair.

During the Jan. 7 meeting, Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe motioned to appoint Terra Lawson-Remer as chair, and herself as vice chair. Both are Democrats.

The motion failed after Supervisor Joel Anderson abstained and fellow Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond voted against it.

In a separate motion, Desmond requested to serve as chair. The motion did not pass due to a draw in votes.

In the end, Lawson-Remer, who had been vice chair under Vargas, continued to serve as acting chair after the attempts to pick a new chair failed.

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It's not the first time the board has found itself in this situation. More than a year ago, then-Supervisor Nathan Fletcher announced he would enter a treatment program for post-traumatic stress and alcoholism, only to resign days later amid allegations of sexual harassment and assault, which he has denied.

The resignation of Fletcher, one of the most powerful politicians in the county, prompted a special election that cost the county millions. Steppe won the election, becoming the first Black woman to serve on the board.

Requests for comment about Vargas' resignation were not directly addressed by the board of supervisors.

Lawson-Remer told The Times in a written statement that the board would continue to conduct the county's business, despite the vacancy.

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We will continue advancing our agenda to uplift all of our communities," she wrote. "Im confident in my fellow County supervisors, executive team, and employees, and we will keep tackling the major issues facing our region, just as the public expects and deserves.

Vargas had most recently caught national attention in December after the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt a policy that would restrict county jail officials from working with federal immigration officials.

The new policy would prevent jail officials from notifying ICE, or turning over custody of an inmate without a court warrant. But San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez said her office would not comply with the new county policy, arguing that only the elected sheriff can draft new policies for the Sheriff's Office, placing the county's elected board and the sheriff in a stalemate.

Read more: Immigration arrests in churches? Some clergy say not so fast

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The controversial policy drew national and local attention, especially to Vargas, who had brought up the motion to the board.

Days after the vote, America First Legal, founded by Stephen Miller, President Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security advisor, sent California officials letters, warning them about the legal consequences of interfering with immigration enforcement.

Vargas was among the public officials who received the letters, citing the new ICE policy.

"This resolution clearly violates federal law and subjects those who abide by it to significant risk of criminal and civil liability," the letter addressed to Vargas states. "We are sending this letter to put you on notice of this risk and insist that you comply with our nation's laws."

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The letters foreshadowed the Trump administration's approach to dealing with public officials it felt would get in the way of its beefed-up immigration crackdown.

In an internal memo recently made public, the Department of Justice directed prosecutors to investigate public officials who obstruct the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. The memo also directs the agency's civil division to work with a newly formed Sanctuary Cities Enforcement Working Group to identify state and local laws and policies that threaten to impede the Trump administrations immigration efforts and potentially challenge them in court.

Vargas' office did not answer questions about whether the new ICE policy, or the letters from America First Legal, had any role in her decision.

Ian Seruelo, chair of the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, which worked with county officials and Vargas' staff to prepare the motion for the board just days before her resignation, said the organization got no hint that Vargas was about to step down.

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He said he doesn't believe the policy was behind the decision.

"I don't think this is an issue that Nora would back down on," he said.

During her time on the board of supervisors, Vargas had been a target of sharp criticism and attacks, Krahel-Frolander said, something that women and people of color in public positions often see.

"[Vargas] has been out there pushing some very bold initiatives that makes her a target," he said. "It's unfortunate for any elected official trying to handle that because they didn't sign up for that."

In a statement, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office said officials have noticed that public county meetings have grown more antagonistic.

"Some of these interactions rise to the level of threatening behavior and criminal conduct," the office said in a statement. "We investigate these incidents thoroughly and take appropriate action."

Read more: Trump's order to cut off funding to sanctuary cities could threaten L.A. fire relief

San Diego County has in the past spent money for security for some of its public officials, some of whom were victims of crimes while in office.

In 2022, a fire that burned part of the home of then-county Supervisor Fletcher and his wife, Lorena Gonzalez, a former assemblywoman, was deemed to be arson.

In 2023, Fletcher had a security detail assigned to him. San Diego ABC 10 reported it cost the county nearly $2 million.

In August, San Diego ABC 10 reported Vargas was also assigned a security detail, which was billed at about $41,000 a month.

On the day that Vargas resigned, however, the Sheriff's Office noted it had no active investigation into known threats or safety concerns regarding Vargas or any of the other supervisors.

With Vargas' resignation, and tensions rising between the county and the Trump administration over immigration, San Diego County's balance of power could see a significant shift, and the county that has been termed a "super sanctuary" under a Democratic majority could potentially find itself under a new Republican majority.

Vargas' resignation "gives us another bite at the apple for another supervisory seat," Whitsell, the chair of the county Republican Party, said. "I can't say I'm unhappy about it."

How Vargas' seat will be filled may now come down to the winner of a special primary election in April.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Jacob Beltran covers crime, breaking news and general assignments for the Express-News. He can be reached at jbeltran@express-news.net.

A San Antonio native, Jacob began his journalism career in 2010. He's worked for the student-run newspaper for San Antonio College, The Ranger, and for Texas A&M University-San Antonio, The Mesquite.

He enjoys video games, photography and exploring during his free time.
Pakistan security forces killed four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists also referred to as Khwarij during an operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan security forces conducted an intelligence based operation in the Kaulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan. The troops gunned down 4 TTP terrorists during the operation. On Thursday, A Pakistan Army Major and a soldier were killed during a North Waziristan intelligence based operation as the security forces gunned down six TTP terrorists. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation was conducted in Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The troops got into a gunfight at the TTP's location and killed six terrorists while reporting 2 casualties - Major Hamza Israr, 29, and Sepoy Muhammad Naeem, 26, ARY News reported.The ISPR further said that the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve. Earlier on January 24, Security forces successfully neutralised six terrorists attempting to infiltrate Balochistan's Zhob district from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced. According to the ISPR, "On [the] night of 22/23 January, movement of a group of khwarij, who were trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in general area Sambaza, Zhob District." The term "khwarij" refers to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The statement added, "Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. Resultantly, six khwarij were sent to hell." Security forces also recovered a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives during the operation. The ISPR reiterated Pakistan's longstanding demand that the interim Afghan government ensures effective border management on its side to prevent the use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities. "Pakistan has consistently been asking the Interim Afghan government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border. The Interim Afghan Government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khwarij for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan," the statement said. (ANI)
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)  Rob Fowler has been Storm Team 2s chief meteorologist since September 1987. It is a legacy that has surpassed 35 years in the Charleston market.

He was honored Friday evening with the Masters Award from the South Carolina Broadcasters Association for his significant contributions to broadcasting in the state. His dedication to accurate weather forecasting and his commitment to community service have earned him the respect of viewers and colleagues.

As soon as you meet Rob Fowler, one of the things that you notice pretty easily is just how nice he is, said WCBD evening anchor Carolyn Murray. You know, hes someone who walks into a room and though he is not loud or boisterous, hes still commanding in his presence, and I like him immediately.

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Ive worked with Rob for 29 years, and one thing that has been the same ever since I first started here is how much he cares for the people he serves, said WCBD evening anchor Brendan Clark. And Im talking about the people in the community. And its so apparent that he loves his job, and he loves what he does, and it comes across on air.

Just two years into his career at WCBD, Rob was on the air continuously for days tracking Hurricane Hugo, a powerful category 4 storm that slammed into Charleston in the dark of night on September 21, 1989, helping the Lowcountry brace for impact and deal with the aftermath.

During Hurricane Hugo, Rob was instrumental in keeping me updated, too, said former WCBD anchor Dan Ashley, who has anchored the news at KGO-TV in San Francisco for 30 years. We werent even in the same space, but were able to communicate by phone.

It was following this coverage that Rob was named Meteorologist of the Year by the National Weather Association, just one of the many accolades he has received over the years.

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The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honored his lifetime of dedication to the television industry in 2017, at which time he was inducted into the Silver Circle Society, an honor reserved only for the most distinguished of broadcasters.

I know that you heard Tiger Woods talk about bringing his A-game. Thats what Rob does every single day he walks into WCBD News 2, said Ashley. Every single day he brings his A-game, his full commitment to being the best forecaster he can possibly be, being the best friend he can possibly be, the best colleague, the best member of the Charleston community. He brings dedication, passion, kindness, and love to every single thing he does. His work on television all of these years has absolutely been exemplary. He truly is a master of his craft.

Regardless of the category of storm, if someone walks in that office, calls him, or sends a text, he will give that person his undivided attention as if they are the most important person on earth and will explain the information so that they can make whatever decision for their own well-being, the well-being of their family, the well-being of their friends, said Murray.

Working with Rob, Im a lot less scared when it comes to major storms and natural disasters, because I know hes got us covered, said Clark. I know Im going to ger all of the great information that I need to know from him. He almost puts you at ease with his knowledge. He knows everything, hes informative, and the way he comes across he doesnt sensationalize. Hes just a good person that comes across as this is what we got. This is how you need to prepare. This is whats going to happen.

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He gives you that space to get information and hes going to explain it to you until you understand, and that hes confident that you can understand and that youre able to make a decision for yourself. I love that about him, added Murray.

Robs commitment to the community goes well beyond what you see on air. He spends as much time helping to improve the lives of others as he does to keep them safe.

Often, its repeated that Rob is the salt of the earth, but I dont know of anyone who wears that more sincerely and authentically been Rob Fowler. Essentially, he has helped change our community into one where there is so much compassion for people. And I think that he has stewarded that attitude culturally in Charleston, Murray said.

He volunteers his time to many organizations, and in 2006 he was honored with the highest award given to a citizen in the state of South Carolina, the Order of the Palmetto, given to him in recognition of his tireless efforts in collecting and distributing Toys for Tots.

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You know, you look at the growth of Toys for Tots, that kind of thing. It happens from leadership, and Rob has been our leader, said Murray.

What he does when it comes to things like Toys for Tots, its so obvious. He cares. He cares about the people, Clark added.

During his time at WCBD, Rob has touched the lives of many  the thousands of children he visits in local schools every year, and the countless studio tours hes given to inquiring young minds, and the many budding meteorologists hes mentored along the way.

I have so many warm memories of my time there in Charleston with Rob being on the air. I am so thrilled that he is being given this award of distinction, the Masters Award from the South Carolina Broadcasters Association. I can think of no one more deserving, Ashley said.

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He really does raise the bar for all of us. He presents and has created a template for how we as journalists, but more importantly, how we as human beings want to be in the world, said Murray.

Heres 2 you, Rob Fowler, the Lowcountrys chief meteorologist.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW)  A Robeson County murder suspect has been arrested after 18 years on the run, the sheriffs office said Friday.

Omar Gray was arrested nearly 18 years after being indicted by a Robeson County Grand Jury on May 15, 2007. Authorities said he was a fugitive who evaded capture after his indictment on first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charges.

Following his indictment, a nationwide manhunt was launched, earning him a spot on Americas Most Wanted as well as an Interpol Red Notice, according to the sheriffs office. He was ultimately captured in Los Angeles under the alias Timothy Bloxson.

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Grays true identity was discovered after he was arrested on unrelated charges and fingerprinted during the booking process, the sheriffs office said. A Certified Latent Print Examiner from the Moore County Sheriffs Office conducted a forensic fingerprint comparison, confirming that Bloxson was indeed Gray.

After he was identified, Gray was extradited to North Carolina, where he was formally arrested by SBI agents and Robeson County deputies on Tuesday. He is currently in custody awaiting legal proceedings.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration has made its way to South Dakota. We found more than a dozen recent arrests and federal filings related to possible immigration violations, and there are likely more. Local authorities are not directly involved but they still play a roll in identifying violators.

KELOLAND News found at least 6 people were booked into the Minnehaha County jail for possible immigration violations this week.

Sheriff Mike Milstead tells us there are three ways people end up in jail on what is called an ICE detainer. The first is ICE or Homeland Security Officers make the arrest and bring them to the jail. The second is ICE officers make the arrest and bring them to jail then local authorities find out they have a local warrant.

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$2.5M donation added to McKennan Park upgrades

In the third scenario, local authorities make an arrest on a local warrant then ICE officers determine they are in the country illegally. That happens because in South Dakota when someone is booked into jail and fingerprinted, that information is sent to both the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to be checked against their databases. Minnehaha County also participates in what is called the Criminal Alien Program.

And in that program, we provide a list to homeland security ICE agents, daily of individuals who are booked into our jail who are foreign-born, said Milstead. It doesnt mean theyve done anything wrong but it allows them to look at those names, date of birth, see if they match up with any of their immigration database that would indicate they are a criminal alien, that there are arrest warrants for them, could be theyve been ordered to appear in court and they neglected to appear, could be theyve been deported previously, and they are back in the US illegally.

According to Milstead, there is a limit to how long people can be held on the ICE detainer.

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The ICE detention period for us is 48 hours, they will remove them from our jail within 48 hours. They could be removed to a different detention facility, they could deported immediately, they could be set up for a future court date it all depends on the immigration system, said Milstead.

Milstead says he expects the number of ICE detainers to increase in South Dakota. As the chairman of the National Sheriffs Drug Enforcement Committee that represents over three thousand sheriffs in the country, Milstead has long believed better border enforcement and stricter immigration policies can curb the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  Americas fifth oldest zoo, which happens to be in Binghamton, has a lot in store throughout the next year, to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

The Ross Park Zoo kicked off its 150th anniversary yesterday with its annual meeting at the Double Tree in Binghamton, and the theme was charting a new path forward.

Since Ross Park is a member-based organization, zoo members get to elect six people to the board of directors.

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The executive director, Phil Ginter, says the meeting is an opportunity to share some of the changes coming to the zoo this year. Including its new $300,000, creek side play and learning center, which is expected to break ground in early Spring.

Were looking forward to engaging with the community and kind of getting a sense of what people would like to see happen with the zoo moving forward so that we can incorporate community ideas into our new master plan. So, stay tuned for opportunities for the community to work with us and share their ideas about what the next 150 years of Ross Park Zoo will look like, said Ginter.

Ginter says theyve been meeting with engineers to create the zoos new master plan, which will be unveiled by the end of July. He reminds the public that the zoo is open all year round, and if anything, the animals are more active and comfortable in the cooler temperatures.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
Happy Friday!

The state Senate is in recess until 11 a.m. Friday. Senate Education will meet before that at 9 a.m. and has a few interesting bills, including Sen. Harold Pope's anti-hazing measure, one of two competing bills on the topic making their way through the Roundhouse.

The full House has recessed until 10:30 a.m. Monday, although several House committees will meet on Friday. House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs, which meets at 8:30 a.m., has a few interesting measures before it, including a constitutional amendment to create an elected state Board of Education and one to add a green amendment proclaiming a right to a clean environment to the state constitution. The committee will also hear House Bill 75, a bill to fund county and tribal health councils.

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House Commerce and Economic Development, which meets at 1:30 p.m., is scheduled to hear House Bill 44, a bill sponsored by Rep. John Block, R-Alamogordo, to follow in the footsteps of red states like Texas and Idaho in requiring age verification to use porn sites.

Our "Around the Roundhouse" podcast is out. Tune in for our talk with a man who knows how to talk  Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer, R-Farmington.

It was a busy week all around, with the state Legislature getting into the swing of the 60-day session and with chaos on the federal level as President Donald Trumps administration announced and then rescinded a freeze on federal grants and loans that could have far-reaching effects on all sorts of programs.

New Mexicos Democratic senators and members of Congress seem to be finding their voices in pushing back on Trump, with U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan making appearances with Democratic leaders and speaking out on the Senate floor. Our members of Congress have also been more in the spotlight, with U.S. Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Melanie Stansbury addressing state lawmakers Thursday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reversed on Friday the last-minute decision by former President Joe Biden to remove sanctions on Cuban military companies and is extending the list of banned entities to include the Cuban company  secretly run by the military  that handles money transfers from Cuban Americans to their families on the island.

The move likely means Western Union and other Miami-based agencies partnering with the Cuban company, Orbit SA, will be forced to cut ties with the firm to comply with the sanctions, suspending official remittance channels to the island until the Cuban government finds a non-military company to provide the same service.

Cuban Americans send millions of dollars to their loved ones on the island through the remittance companies each year although most currently prefer to send money in cash directly carried by plane passengers to the island or use smaller agencies.

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Rubio also said he had revoked Bidens decision to suspend a provision in the Helms-Burton Act that has allowed Cuban Americans to sue companies profiting from confiscated properties known as Title III.

The measures add to President Donald Trumps decisive action on his first day in office to keep Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism, where it belongs, Rubio said.

The Cuban regime has long supported acts of international terrorism. We call for the regime to end its support for terrorism and to stop providing food, housing, and medical care to foreign murderers, bombmakers, and hijackers while Cubans go hungry and lack access to basic medicine, Rubio said.

Marco Rubio delivers remarks during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of State on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Rubio said he had ordered Friday to re-create the Cuba Restricted List that Biden had eliminated in his last week in office to deny resources to the very branches of the Cuban regime that directly oppress and surveil the Cuban people while controlling large swaths of the countrys economy.

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Rubio, at the time a U.S. senator from Florida, had actively contributed to drafting the sanctions against the Cuban military, including the Cuba Restricted List, during Trumps first term.

The Cuba restricted list included several companies and hotels owned by a Cuban military conglomerate known as GAESA. The Miami Herald recently reported that just one of its companies had $4.3 billion on hand while hospitals were collapsing, children were going hungry, and the island was going dark due to its poorly maintained infrastructure.

The Herald also reported on leaked documents showing that Orbit SA, an entity appearing to have no links to the Cuban military, was secretly run by CIMEX, one of GAESAs leading holding companies.

Orbit was created by the Havana government after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on its predecessor, Fincimex, in 2020, because it was part of CIMEX  and run by the military. On paper, Orbit is part of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment. But the documents reviewed by the Herald show that CIMEX provides monthly detailed reports to higher-ups in GAESA of the money transfers processed by Orbit and regularly discusses the companys performance with GAESAs top executives.

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Orbit is currently headed by Diana Rosa Rodriguez Perez, a former executive vice president for GAESA and former CIMEX vice president.

How a sweet deal for Cuban military dried up after Trump blocked flow of money from Miami

The leaked documents also showed Trumps sanctions on Fincimex significantly decreased the remittance money handled by the military.

By the time Cubas military apparatus came up with the new company, and Western Union started operating again in Cuba in 2023, most of the money sent by Cuban Americans to their relatives on the island had moved to an informal market that bypasses the military-controlled companies. Cuban Americans now send money either through people traveling to Cuba, known as mulas  mules  who carry it in their luggage, or through alternative money-transfer agencies, usually working without U.S. government authorization.

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Brad Jones, a Western Union spokesperson, said the company is aware of the U.S. State Departments plans to reissue and update the Cuba Restricted List. We will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as it pertains to this list.

The Trump Administration is restoring a tough Cuba policy that protects America and helps the Cuban people, Rubio announced on X. Weve maintained Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list  where it belongs  and taken other steps. The Cuban regimes oppression of its people and malign actions must end.

Biden took Cuba off the list of countries that sponsor terrorism and eliminated the Cuba Restricted List as part of a deal brokered by the Vatican to release political prisoners. Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote to the Pope earlier this month that his government would release 553 prisoners. But just around the time Trump took office and reinstated Cuba on the terror list, Cuban authorities stopped releasing prisoners.

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez blasted Rubios measures Friday, saying on X that toughening criminal measures against the Cuban people will cause greater shortages, separation and increased emigration. It is a new provocative act of those who regain control of the Cuba issue to promote irresponsible scenarios of confrontation with purposes and results contrary to those proclaimed.
(Bloomberg) -- Marco Rubios choice of Latin America for his first trip abroad as top US diplomat reinforces two of President Donald Trumps priorities early in his second term  deportations and securing the Panama Canal from perceived Chinese control.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The senator-turned-secretary of state leaves Saturday with additional stops on the six-day tour in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

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Its the first time the region has been chosen for a top US diplomatic envoys maiden trip in more than a century. Secretaries typically visit allies like Japan or Germany, while Rubios predecessor, Antony Blinken, spent several trips over the past year focused on the wars in Europe and the Middle East.

The choice to stay in the hemisphere resonates with Trumps focus on undocumented migration  stopping the flow through Central America and deporting many people already in the US  as well as the presidents special interest in the Panama Canal, which he pledged were taking it back in his inaugural address.

Trump has other targets in the region as well, with Mexico in the crosshairs for 25% tariffs as soon as Saturday and special envoy Richard Grenell in Venezuela to push President Nicolas Maduro on accepting deportation flights and releasing American prisoners.

Grenell met with Maduro in Caracas on Friday in an effort to get Venezuela to accept deportation flights carrying gang members and to secure the release of American prisoners.

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Rubios tour also comes a week after a showdown with Colombia, a brief tussle over deportation flights that ended after Trump threatened tariffs and financial sanctions.

Rubio is heading to the region as an apparent believer in Trumps strong-arm approach. The president has already shown that he is more than willing to use Americas considerable leverage to protect our interests, Rubio wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Friday. Just ask Colombias President Gustavo Petro.

The trip will likely be a test of Trumps foreign policy of bluster and bullying, contrasting with previous administrations attempts to woo countries into Washingtons orbit, particularly those courted by China.

The key is to see the Americas as a zone of opportunity, not solely one of threats, said John Feeley, a career diplomat who resigned as the ambassador to Panama during Trumps first term over values differences with the president.

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Rubio also needs to energize US business to confront Chinese commercial expansion in Panama and the region, he said.

Trump has accused Panama of overcharging US merchant and naval vessels to transit the canal. Hes also claimed China has undue influence over the waterway given that ports on either side of the canal are operated by a Hong Kong-based firm.

Rubio, a longtime China hawk, echoed those concerns Thursday on SiriusXMs The Megyn Kelly Show, saying Beijing could use the commercial assets in Panama as a staging point for military vessels in the future.

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino, who Rubio will meet, has ruled out negotiations over ownership of the canal and denied any involvement by China in its operations.

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In El Salvador, Rubio is set to discuss with President Nayib Bukele cooperation against the Tren de Aragua gang, Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US special envoy to the region, told reporters Friday. The Trump administration is seeking to deport members of Venezuelas most-feared gang to El Salvador for imprisonment.

Rubio will also discuss immigration with the leaders of Costa Rica and Guatemala, and the situation in Haiti with the president of the Dominican Republic, which makes up the eastern half of the same Caribbean island, Claver-Carone said.

(Updates with Grenell, in sixth paragraph. An earlier version corrected information on former ambassadors departure, in ninth paragraph.)

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to embark on his first diplomatic mission abroad since being confirmed to his post, visiting five countries in Central and South America over the first week of February.

During the trip, Rubio is expected to reinforce the Trump administration's immigration priorities with leaders in the region, according to a senior official, who said the secretary is also planning to address Beijing's influence during several of the stops.

The State Department is also billing Rubio's trip as historic -- saying his six-day journey to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic marks the first time a U.S. secretary of state has opted to make his or her first official visit to Latin America in over 100 years.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Indo-Pacific Quad ministers at the State Department in Washington, Jan. 21, 2025. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

MORE: Marco Rubio sworn in as secretary of state, pledges decisions to make America 'safer' and 'more prosperous'

"This is where we live"

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Rubio said the trip is part of a realignment of American diplomatic priorities.

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"For many reasons, U.S. foreign policy has long focused on other regions while overlooking our own. As a result, we've let problems fester, missed opportunities and neglected partners," he said. "That ends now."

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said the region's proximity to the United States was an important factor in selecting it for Rubio's first trip.

"The fact of the matter is, this is where we live. This is who we are," she said. "This is about not just wanting to have new partnerships -- but that's always good -- but the nature of what it means to have an extended relationship with the people closest to you."

Those relationships are vital for fulfilling the Trump administration's border security and deportation plans, Rubio noted.

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"Diplomacy's role in this effort is central. We need to work with countries of origin to halt and deter further migrant flows, and to accept the return of their citizens present in the U.S. illegally," he said.

Cooperation and coercion

However, the countries on his itinerary have largely been very cooperative with the administration so far, as other countries in the region Rubio will skip over remain hesitant to comply.

Guatemala, for instance, has accepted hundreds of migrants brought to the country on military planes since Trump took office, and the country's leadership has signaled it is open to accepting deportees of other nationalities.

Meanwhile, Mexico, which is traditionally the U.S.' most important partner in handling illegal immigration, has been much more tentative.

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum originally said the country wouldn't accept migrants from other countries, but she quietly reversed course in late January when she revealed Mexico had accepted over 4,000 deportees and that while "the large majority" was Mexican, others were not.

PHOTO: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Jan. 31, 2025. (Sashenka Gutierrez/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

MORE: Trump administration in talks to send Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador prisons

Mexico has also so far refused requests from the U.S. to allow military flights carrying deportees to land in the country, according to officials from both countries.

Honduras has posed another challenge to the administration's agenda. According to data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the end of 2024, Hondurans made up the largest share of the population in the deportation pipeline. But ahead of Trump's inauguration, the president of Honduras threatened to expel members of the U.S. military stationed in the country in response to mass deportations of Honduran nationals.

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However, Honduran authorities have signaled the country's position may be softening. The country's foreign minister wrote on X that the government is in the process of launching a program to support returning migrants called "Brother, Come Home."

The Trump administration has also had some early success in overtly pressuring countries to acquiesce. His threatened trade war against Colombia prompted its government to allow military deportation flights to land on its territory.

MORE: Colombia's president calls for migrants to leave jobs in the US and return home

"It sends a message that this administration, President Trump, Secretary Rubio -- they mean what they say," said Mauricio Claver-Carone, special envoy for Latin America.

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Claver-Carone also suggested the Trump administration would use gentler diplomatic tactics as well, saying that during Rubio's trip, he will attempt to lay the groundwork for a program to repatriate migrants travelling through Central America with the government of Costa Rica.

He also addressed Richard Grenell's visit to Venezuela to meet with strongman Nicolas Maduro on Friday.

"President Trump expects Nicolas Maduro to take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to United States and to do so unequivocally and without condition," he said, adding that Grenell, the envoy for special missions, will also urge Maduro to release American hostages held in the country.

A "direct threat" from China

Beyond immigration, Claver-Carone said Beijing's growing influence in Central America will also be top of mind for Rubio through much of the trip, but it is expected to take center stage during the secretary's first stop in Panama.

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Trump has lodged a litany of complaints related to Panama's operation of the canal that cuts through the country -- claiming that American vessels are overcharged, lamenting that the U.S. ceded control of the vital waterway in the first place and promising "we're taking it back" during his inaugural address.

Rubio has taken a more measured approach in discussing the Panama Canal while also underscoring that what he says are Trump's legitimate concerns about the waterway -- especially when it comes to companies controlled by Beijing located on each end of it.

"If the government in China in a conflict tells them to shut down the Panama Canal, they will have to," Rubio said in an interview on Thursday. "That is a direct threat."

PHOTO: A cargo ship traverses the Agua Clara Locks of the Panama Canal in Colon, Panama, Sept. 2, 2024. (Matias Delacroix/AP)

Rubio continued to say it is a dynamic that cannot be allowed to continue.

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"It is not in the national interest of the United States to have a canal we paid for and we built used as a leverage and a weapon against us. That can't happen," he said.

But ahead of Rubio's visit, Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said handing back control of the canal isn't a thought he can entertain.

"It's impossible," Mulino said during a press conference on Thursday. "I cannot negotiate, and much less open, a process of negotiation over the canal. That's sealed. The canal belongs to Panama."

Rubio to focus on curbing immigration, countering China in Latin America originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Panama on Saturday for his first trip as the United States top diplomat that will test if his diplomacy can build on President Donald Trumps bellicose and transactional approach to American First foreign policy, particularly on migration.

Rubios choice to visit Central America  Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic  is intentional and meant to drive forward the Trump agenda by paying closer attention to our own neighborhood.

Migration will be a key focus throughout Rubios trip, set against the backdrop of the dramatic confrontation between Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro last Sunday.

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Discussion about the Panama Canal  which Trump has repeatedly said should be back under US control  is also a priority while the top US diplomat is in Panama City.

Rubio is also expected to emphasize efforts to counter China in the region. However, aid officials and some US officials say this effort  and priorities like countering illegal migration and drug trafficking  have been undermined by his sweeping foreign assistance freeze.

On migration, Trump officials have been mapping out a Latin America strategy, keenly aware that the region is integral to their aggressive deportation agenda. For years, the US has been sending back migrants from Central American countries. However, the Covid-19 pandemic in part spurred record migration across the Western Hemisphere, meaning that more people were journeying to the United States southern border from multiple countries.

The less-than-day-long public showdown between the Trump and Petro has been a key talking point among Trump officials and offers a window into how the administration plans to approach its dealings with regional allies.

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We need to work with countries of origin to halt and deter further migrant flows, and to accept the return of their citizens present in the U.S. illegally, Rubio wrote in the Wall Street Journal Friday.

Some countries are cooperating with us enthusiasticallyothers, less so. The former will be rewarded, he said. For the latter, Mr. Trump has already shown that he is more than willing to use Americas considerable leverage to protect our interests. Just ask Colombias President Gustavo Petro.

Still, how the administration plans to specifically work with its partners in the Western Hemisphere is still unclear.

One test will be how the Trump administration leverages its close relationship with El Salvador. US officials are in talks with the country to strike an asylum agreement that would allow the US to send asylum seekers who are not Salvadoran to El Salvador to seek protections.

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The matter is expected to be discussed during Rubios meetings with El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele and other officials.

During the first Trump Administration, El Salvador was one of three countries that had a Safe Third Agreement with the United States, which will also be a topic of discussion, Trump special envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone told reporters Friday.

The US and El Salvador also expected to discuss the possibility of deporting suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which originated in Venezuela, to El Salvador, where Bukeles vast and violent crackdown on gangs has earned admiration from the Trump administration.

Those extraordinary measures, which are frankly the envy of a lot of countries throughout the Western Hemisphere, has really made him one of the most consequential leaders not only on security but a great ally on migration, Claver-Carone said.

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Were looking to do a new agreement that might include the members of the Tren de Aragua, who will want to go back to Venezuela rather than having to share the prison with the Salvadorean gangs like MS-13. Its part of what we want to discuss and how President Bukele can help us, Claver-Carone said.

In Costa Rica too, Rubio will seek to expand repatriation efforts.

One of the subjects of discussion will be a repatriation program with Costa Rica to help with not only those that are coming up from South America but those that are coming from throughout the world, extra-continentals that are coming through and how they can help repatriate in that manner, Claver-Carone said.

Panama is also critical to efforts to reducing migrant traffic. The country is home to the Darien Gap, a treacherous jungle connecting South and Central America. Crossings there have served as a barometer of how many migrants may be journeying to the US southern border. The number of people trekking through the passage has plummeted.

Migrants are being checked upon their arrival at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024. - Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images/File

The number of migrants who have crossed Panama in the first 23 days of January 2025 has decreased by 93% compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the National Migration Service of Panama.

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The US and Panama struck an agreement last year under former President Joe Biden to address the flow of migrants coming through the Darien Gap that included equipment, transportation, and logistic support. The passage, which remains a priority for the Trump administration, is expected to come up in meetings between Rubio and Panamanian officials, including President Jose Raul Mulino.

We have a very successful repatriation program with Panama that frankly should be expanded, and obviously thatll be a focus on the conversation, Claver-Carone said Friday.

The issue of the Panama Canal is a priority to be discussed, he said. Rubio will tour the canal and visit with the Panama Canal administrator.

Trumps repeated, publicly stated desire for the US to retake control of the key waterway has already caused a diplomatic stir, with Mulino repeatedly stating that that Panamas sovereignty over the canal is not up for debate.

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There is no discussion on this issue. The soul of a country is not up for discussion, Mulino emphasized on Thursday, just days ahead of his scheduled meeting with Rubio.

Officials, including Rubio, have argued it is a matter of national security and deterring Beijing because Panama Ports  part of a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings  operates terminals on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal.

Its a technicality, but in reality, if China wanted to obstruct traffic in the Panama Canal, they could, Rubio said in an interview with Megyn Kelly Thursday.

We cannot allow any foreign power  particularly China  to hold that kind of potential control over it that they do. That just cant continue, he said.

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The issue of countering China is expected to come up across his regional visits. Trade between China and Latin American countries has ballooned from $10 billion in 2000 to $450 billion in 2022, according to the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

We look forward to expanding with Guatemala the discussions on how to continue to support us on migration, and obviously countering Chinese influence throughout the region, Claver-Carone said. Guatemala has maintained diplomatic ties with Taiwan even as other countries like El Salvador have not.

Humanitarian officials and some US officials argue that the US is ceding influence to China in South and Central America because of Trumps policies like the foreign aid freeze, which they say creates a vacuum that Beijing will be happy to fill.

There are scores of programs in the region caught up in the sudden and sweeping pause on foreign assistance. Those programs include efforts to counter narcotics, something that is said to be a priority when Rubio visits the Dominican Republic.

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CNN has asked the State Department if any waivers have been issued for programs in the region ahead of Rubios visit.

CNN Angelica Franganillo Diaz, Stefano Pozzebon and Patrick Oppmann contributed reporting.

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Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence stated that it detected one Chinese aircraft and six naval vessels around the island as of 6 am (UTC+8) on Saturday. https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1885493273256747289 In a post on X, Taiwan MND said, " 1 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1885130886900769214 On Friday, Taiwan MND detected seven Chinese aircraft and five naval vessels in its territory around the island. "7 PLA aircraft and 5 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 5 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and Southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly," Taiwan MND said on X. In recent weeks, China has been visibly boosting its ability to invade Taiwanese beaches with innovative new naval equipment. This includes the formal launching of an enormous landing helicopter assault (LHA) vessel, the likes of which no other navy in the world possesses, and the mass production of floating bridge docks to assist the unloading of ships during beach landings. Both types of equipment are strong indications that China is serious about one day invading Taiwan. The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state. However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital.This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence. (ANI)
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)  Since the arrival of migrant farmworkers several decades ago, Unicoi Countys Hispanic community has represented a growing percentage of the population  and become increasingly integrated into the fabric of life in the rural county.

Rep. Alexander and Sen. Harshbarger discuss their No vote on school voucher bill

The bulk of the families that are in our county have been here for quite a while, are ingrained into our school system, into our businesses, into our culture of the community, Unicoi County Schools Federal Programs Director Mike Riddell told News Channel 11 recently.

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If deportations of undocumented people approach the high end of numbers pledged by President Donald Trump, the impact could trickle down to places like Unicoi County.

And with 15% of its 1,975 total enrollment comprised of Hispanic students, Riddell said the system is readying for the possibility of policy changes and the potential for extended families, or even immediate ones, facing separation.

We have talked about it within our district, and Im sure it will come up in some of our meetings with other districts when we get together as federal program supervisors, Riddell said. But weve really not had that opportunity because its been such a short time since its taken place, he said, referring to the presidential transition.

Obviously, we would have to follow any rules or protocols that the federal government put out, Riddell said.

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The countys new state representative, Renea Jones (R-Unicoi), who just voted in favor of several new immigration measures at a special session in Nashville this week, said she doesnt expect deportation efforts to extend to people who havent committed other crimes.

I dont see that theres enough people to get out and enforce that on these folks that are just flying under the radar, Jones said. I do think that youre going to see a big enforcement on those that are awaiting trial or get picked up for their fourth offense of something.

Plenty of people dont share her confidence, and the bills the General Assembly passed have drawn some sharp criticism. Jones, whose family co-owned a farm that employed migrant workers, thinks the criticism is overblown.

Its more about just being able to know whos here as far as our drivers license goes, Jones said, referencing a clause that will require people without permanent resident status to hold temporary licenses.

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But the new measures also pledge the states full support of the Trump administrations immigration objectives, along with providing financial assistance for local authorities who participate in immigration enforcement and making it a crime for a local government leader to vote in favor of sanctuary city status.

Jones said she believes none of it amounts to support for a broad and indiscriminate deportation that would likely catch long-standing Unicoi County residents in its net.

What we did in the Tennessee General Assembly does not go down that pathway, Jones said.

She also said she personally wouldnt support that kind of approach if it were enacted.

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Were all humans, and theyre here looking for a better way of life, she said. I think the thing to do is try to figure out who those folks are thats actually just trying to be here for those reasons and help them get the pathway to get their legal authorization.

Some families are concerned in our area

However things end up shaking out, Riddell said theres definitely some worried people out there.

Through the grapevine, theres been conversation that there are some families that are concerned in our area about what could potentially happen, he said.

By law, public school systems arent permitted to ask anything about the legal residency or citizenship status of any student who comes to be enrolled. Only proof of residency and immunization records are required, and no information about legal status is sought from family members.

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School staff know public schools often serve as a place of refuge and safety.

That doesnt mean Riddell and other school employees never learn that a family member or even a student might not have legal status.

We definitely do have that. And sometimes it comes down in conversation, you know, like the comfort level that parents may have with some of our staff at our school.

Riddell said from Director of Schools John English to local law enforcement, he believes the community is tight-knit and interested in protecting all of its families to whatever degree the law allows.

Anything that we have control over and can help, we would attempt to make it as less invasive as possible, Riddell said. But obviously, we would have to follow any rules or protocols that the federal government put out.

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Jones said she sees the changed approach to immigration as an opportunity to try and fix something that few would argue has been broken for a long time  the difficulty many people who are thoroughly ingrained in the country seem to have trying to gain legal status.

Theres a lot of things that need to be addressed in our current immigration situation in DC, she said. I think that we do have legislators in DC that realize that that needs to happen. They need to figure that out.

In the meantime, Joness advice to undocumented local people is to find help getting on a path to legal status  something she insists is possible even in the current climate.

As an undocumented worker, I think that expecting that its just going to change without you doing anything to move that process forward is not going to happen, Jones said. There are lots of organizations out there that can help do that, and you need to go ahead and start that process.

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Whatever happens in the coming weeks and months, Riddell said the school system plans to continue positively influencing all students and families in Unicoi County.

What we can do is control what we can control, and thats to make sure our schools are safe and our students are safe in the schools and know that theyre loved, and that were going to try to educate them as long as theyre with us to the best of our ability.





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Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) counterintelligence and investigators have thwarted a major terrorist attack on a busy central street in Kyiv. During a special operation in the city, they detained a Russian agent who was planning to detonate explosives near an SSU facility.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine; Prosecutor General's Office

Quote: "An investigation has found that the suspect reached out to a Russian intelligence operative through a messenger group and agreed to collaborate in December 2024. Her mission was to carry out a terrorist attack aimed at causing casualties among SSU personnel."

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Details: The suspect rented a flat opposite an SSU facility and installed remote-access cameras, enabling Russian operatives to monitor the building. She also brought in 7 kg of TNT and detonators to assemble an explosive device.

Photo: Ukraines Security Service

Although this location was no longer in use by SSU personnel, who had been relocated to backup sites following the full-scale invasion, the SSU warned that the planned attack could have caused mass civilian casualties in central Kyiv.

Photo: Ukraines Security Service

Acting preemptively, SSU operatives caught the suspect in the act as she retrieved a bag of explosives from a hiding place and headed back to her rented flat. At the scene, officers found a homemade explosive device with the equivalent power of 7 kg of TNT  enough to seriously damage the building and kill anyone nearby.

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The case materials show that Russian operatives had remotely recruited a 22-year-old drug addict from Lviv who was looking for "quick money" on Telegram. Following their instructions, she travelled to Kyiv, where her Russian handler had prearranged a flat for her in the city centre.

After moving in, she received a mini surveillance camera via courier and mounted it on the balcony. With remote access, Russian intelligence could monitor Kyivs central streets in real time, intending to capture the aftermath of the attack.

During a search, SSU operatives also seized the suspects mobile phone which she had used to communicate with Russian intelligence.

She has now been formally charged under multiple articles of Ukraines Criminal Code.

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The Russian attack on a nursing home in the city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, killed four people and left four in serious condition.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Quote: "During the clearing of the rubble, 84 people were rescued and provided medical assistance; their health condition is satisfactory, four people are in serious condition, and four more were killed.

All patients who require additional medical care are immediately relocated to medical facilities in Ukraine."

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Details: The General Staff reported that as of 22:00, works on rubble dismantling and providing assistance to the affected civilians are ongoing.

Background:

Earlier, the press officer of the temporary military commandant's office on Ukraine-controlled territory of the Russian Federation, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, said that on 1 February, Russian troops struck a nursing home in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, resulting in 95 people being trapped under the rubble.

Later, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that during the Russian attack on the nursing home in Sudzha, dozens of local residents were there preparing to evacuate.

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The Russians struck the city of Poltava on Saturday, 1 February, hitting a residential building. So far, 7 people are known to have been killed and 17 injured, including 4 children. A three-day mourning period has been declared in the Poltava hromada. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

Source: Poltava Oblast Military Administration on Telegram; State Emergency Service of Ukraine; Kateryna Yamshchykova, acting Mayor of Poltava, on Telegram; Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko on Telegram

Quote: "The enemy struck Poltava. A residential building was hit. Rescue workers and emergency services are working at the scene."

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Details: Authorities reported that information on the aftermath of the strike is being determined.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Earlier, it was reported that the Russians had attacked Poltava Oblast. Early reports indicate that there were no hits on civilian facilities or casualties. However, energy infrastructure in the Myrhorod district was damaged.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

As a result, 164 residential and one commercial consumer were left without electricity. Specialists are working to restore power supply.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

Updated: Rescue workers reported that two people were killed in the attack. Another seven were injured, including a child. Twenty-one people were rescued.

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Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

The attack caused the destruction of the entrance from the ground floor to the fourth floor, resulting in a fire. Neighbouring buildings and 12 cars were also damaged.

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine

The State Emergency Service reported that the death toll from the missile strike on a residential building in Poltava has risen to three people. Ten individuals were injured, including a child.

Later, the State Emergency Service reported that the number of people who were injured in the Russian missile attack on the five-storey building had increased to thirteen people, including three children. The bombardment claimed the lives of three people. Emergency workers rescued twenty-one people.

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The State Emergency Service reported that the death toll from the Russian missile strike on the house in Poltava had risen to four.

Emergency workers managed to rescue twenty-two people. A further thirteen people, including three children, were injured.

The State Emergency Service noted that as of 14:20, the death toll from the Russian missile attack on the house in Poltava had risen to five people.

Emergency workers managed to rescue twenty-two people. A further fourteen people, including three children, were injured.

Yamshchykova reported that the Poltava hromada has declared three days of mourning for all those who have been tragically killed in the Russian missile attack. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.]

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Quote: "1 February 2025 is a tragic date for our hromada. A Russian missile has killed civilians. This day has left a deep wound in the heart of our city and each of us. The [Poltava] hromada has declared three days of mourning for all those who have been tragically killed in the missile attack.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that the death toll in Poltava had risen to 7.

Emergency workers have rescued 22 people from under the rubble of the apartment block destroyed by the Russian strike. A further 14 people were injured, including three children.

Updated: At 17:11, the State Emergency Service reported that the number of people injured in the strike had risen to 17, including 4 children aged 3 months, 2, 8 and 12.

The attack claimed the lives of 7 people. A further 22 have been rescued.

Search and rescue operations continue.

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Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least 9 civilians and injured at least 36 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Feb. 1.

Russia launched 42 missiles of various types and 123 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Fifty-six were shot down, while 61 were lost in the airspace, according to the statement.

In Poltava, at least four people were killed and 13 wounded due to a Russian missile strike on a residential building on the morning of Feb. 1, the State Emergency service reported. The toll could rise as a search and rescue operation is ongoing.

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One man was killed and four people wounded in Kherson Oblast, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. A 22-year-old man was killed after an explosive was dropped from a Russian drone, he added.

Three policemen were killed on duty overnight in Sumy Oblast in a Russian aviation strike on the Yunakivska community, Sumy Oblast Military administration reported.

A 60-year-old woman was killed and four people wounded in Kharkiv after the intercepted Russian drone fell on a residential area, said Governor Oleh Syniehubov. Two more people were wounded in a shelling in Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast. In total, Russia launched 17 drones and six missiles at civilians and infrastructure, he added.

In Odesa, seven people were wounded after Russian forces a launched missile strike on the city's historic center on the evening of Jan. 31.

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Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast injured three people, including two in Pokrovsk and one in Katerynivka, according to the Governor Vadym Filashkin.

Two people were wounded in attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, including a 47-year-old man and 79-year-old woman, said Governor Serhii Lysak.

One 57-year-old man was wounded in an overnight attack in Zaporizhzhia, according to the Governor Ivan Fedorov. Russia launched a total of 16 drones on the city, the Internal Affairs Ministry reported. The attack damaged 14 high-rise residential buildings and around 10 houses, he said in an interview.

Residential areas were hit in Kyiv and Khmelnytska oblasts, according to regional administrations. In Khmelnytska Oblast, eight drones were intercepted by air defense, said Governor Serhii Turin.

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"Last night, Russia attacked our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Another terrorist crime," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram in response to the attacks.

"Each such terrorist attack proves that we need more support in defending ourselves against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every anti-missile is a life-saver," he added.

Read also: At least 3 dead, 10 injured in Poltava after Russian missile strike on residential building

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  At least eight people died overnight as Russian drone and missile strikes pounded Ukraines towns and cities, local officials said Saturday. Meanwhile, Moscows troops continued their grinding advance through the countrys east.

A Russian missile strike on an apartment block in the Ukrainian city of Poltava killed at least seven people and injured 14 more, including three children, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said.

Some 22 people were rescued from the five-story building, which partially collapsed following the attack, said the Poltava regions acting governor, Volodymyr Kohut. He also announced that the region would observe three days of mourning for the victims of the attack. Rescue teams remain at the site.

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Elsewhere, a 60-year-old woman was killed by falling debris from a downed drone in the Kharkiv region, local Gov. Oleh Syniehubov wrote on social media.

The bombardment comes as Russian forces continue their monthslong campaign to capture the key Donetsk strongholds of Pokrovsk and nearby Chasiv Yar, fighting their way across farm fields and woodland and engulfing small rural settlements.

Russia's Ministry of Defense said Saturday that its troops had taken control of Krymske, a suburb to the north of the contested frontline town of Toretsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Russian troops have been fighting for the settlement in a grinding assault throughout the winter of 2024. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said last week that it expected the Russians to take full control of Toretsk within days. Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on social media Saturday.

Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defense system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved.

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Ukraine's southern metropolis of Odesa also came under attack late Friday, with Russian missiles falling on the city's historic center, designated a world heritage site by the U.N. cultural organization UNESCO. Seven people were injured in the attack, which also saw debris fall close to the city's ornate 19th-century opera house. Norwegian diplomatic representatives were also in the area during the strike, said local Gov. Oleh Kiper.

The full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine, which began nearly three years ago and shows no signs of ending, has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations.

Many have been evacuated from areas along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where Ukrainian defenses are straining to hold the bigger Russian army at bay.

Civilians have endured hardship caused by Russian attacks on the power grid that have denied them heating and running water. Saturdays missile attack prompted emergency power grid shutdowns in seven Ukrainian regions, including Poltava, state energy company Ukrenergo said.

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Ukrainian strikes also hit Russia, with air defenses intercepting nine drones across the countrys Bryansk, Belgorod and Saratov regions, Russias Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday morning.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Russian independent news outlet Meduza used a photo of a Ukrainian man mourning his family killed in a Russian strike to bolster its European promo campaign  without his permission, he told the Kyiv Independent.

The photo is of Yaroslav Bazylevych, whose entire family was killed when a Russian missile hit their apartment building on Sept. 4 in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

Meduza used the man's photo from his family's funeral, as well as other pictures of Ukrainian war victims in a promotional video as part of the campaign, first published over two months ago.

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Bazylevych told the Kyiv Independent he considered the use of his photo "unacceptable."

The campaign  which uses images of Russian atrocities in Ukraine to promote a Russian media outlet  has been met with swift criticism in Ukraine, by both officials and the public.

"Exploiting our tragedy to evoke sympathy for Russians is a complete disgrace," said Ukraine's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

"We demand that all such promo content exploiting Ukrainian suffering caused by Russian terror be removed immediately from all media platforms where it has appeared," said Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi.

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In a press-release on their English-language website, Meduza said that the video is meant for "bolstering Meduzas crowdfunding efforts" and asked their audience to share it. It was also screened across European capitals in a widespread promotional campaign titled "Where other headlines end, Meduza begins."

The video was developed pro-bono by a Berlin-based creative agency Lure. As of Feb. 1, the agency used Bazylevych's photo as a title picture for the campaign on their website, with the title "Meduza" posted across his wounded face.

Meduza did not publicly state who financed the campaign or where the funds to support it originate from. At the time of publication, Meduza had not responded to the Kyiv Independent's request for comment.

Yaroslav Bazylevych's photo from the funeral of his family, killed in a Russian strike, on the Lure agency's website that developed a promo campaign for a Russian media outlet Meduza. (Lure / Official website)

Bazylevych said that no one contacted him to ask for permission to use his pictures from either Meduza or Lure Agency, despite the agency's claim that they conducted "meticulous research" to design the campaign.

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His 7-year-old daughter Emilia, 18-year-old Daryna and 21-year-old Yaryna were killed together with his wife Yevhenia, 43, as they were making their way to a bomb shelter. Bazylevych was lightly wounded in the attack.

"I consider it unacceptable for their advertising campaign," Bazylevych told the Kyiv Independent over the text.

Bazylevych confirmed over text that he plans to pursue legal action to stop the use of this ad campaign.

Kevin Rothrock, Meduza's English version's managing editor, told the Kyiv Independent that he wasn't aware of the campaign.

Meduza is an independent Russian media outlet that was founded in 2014 outside of Russia, with its headquarters in Riga, Latvia. It has been banned in Russia since 2022.

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Read also: Garry Kasparov: You never hear Russian opposition actually say Ukraine must win

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Odesa Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov has reported that around 15 cultural heritage sites were damaged by the powerful blast wave from a Russian strike on Friday, 31 January.

Source: Trukhanov on Telegram

Quote: "The historic centre of Odesa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was once again targeted in a missile attack on 31 January 2025."

Details: Trukhanov said that the Bristol Hotel, one of the most prominent architectural landmarks in the city centre, suffered significant damage, though the full extent has yet to be assessed.

Aftermath of the attack

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Photo: Trukhanov on Telegram

The powerful blast wave also impacted nearby historic buildings, damaging around 15 cultural heritage sites to varying degrees.

Aftermath of the attack



Photo: Trukhanov on Telegram

The main damage includes shattered windows and displaced carpentry. Among the affected sites are two national monuments: Odesa State Philharmonic New Exchange and the Vuchini House (19 Italian Street).

Aftermath of the attack

Photo: Trukhanov on Telegram

Two museums were also affected: Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art and the Odesa Literature Museum (Sicard House).

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Aftermath of the attack

Photo: Trukhanov on Telegram

The stained-glass windows and original carpentry of the large windows with semicircular tops in the buildings of the Union of Architects of Ukraine and the Porto-Franco Bank sustained significant damage.

The most valuable of the damaged buildings, both from an architectural and social perspective, is Odesa State Philharmonic New Exchange. The blast wave shattered the original carpentry of the main entrance, damaged the stained-glass windows, and affected the interior finishes. Experts will assess the impact of the attack on the building's structural integrity following a further inspection.

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Since 2023, the philharmonic building has been under enhanced protection by UNESCO in accordance with the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention "On the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict".

Background:

Explosions were heard in Odesa on the evening of 31 January. Early reports suggest that the Russians carried out a ballistic strike. The Bristol Hotel was damaged in the blast. Significant destruction occurred within the UNESCO-protected area, affecting buildings under enhanced protection.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Norwegian diplomatic representatives were among the people who were at the epicentre of the Russian missile strike on the city of Odesa on 31 January.

The number of people injured in an attack had risen to seven.

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PM Modi said that from maritime security to disaster response, from anti-smuggling operations to environmental protection, the Indian Coast Guard is a formidable guardian of our seas, ensuring the safety of our waters and people.

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1885528384677306722

Sharing a post on X, he wrote, "Today, on their Raising Day, we laud the Indian Coast Guard for safeguarding our vast coastline with bravery, dedication and relentless vigilance."

"From maritime security to disaster response, from anti-smuggling operations to environmental protection, the Indian Coast Guard is a formidable guardian of our seas, ensuring the safety of our waters and people," he added.

Notably, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is celebrating its 49th Raising Day on 1st February 2025, commemorating nearly five decades of dedicated service in securing India's vast maritime boundaries, an official press release by the ICGT stated.

Since its establishment in 1977 with just seven surface platforms, the ICG has grown into a formidable force, now operating 151 ships and 76 aircraft.

By 2030, the ICG plans to expand further, targeting 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft, solidifying its role as one of the world's leading Coast Guard services.

The ICG operates under the motto "Vayam Rakshamah" (We Protect), which highlights its mission of safeguarding India's maritime zones. Over the years, the ICG has saved more than 11,730 lives, including 169 in the last year alone.

This impressive achievement averages to one life saved every second day. The ICG's efforts cover India's vast 4.6 million square-kilometre Search and Rescue Region, ensuring the safety of seafarers, fishermen, and vessels in peril across these waters.

As the ICG celebrates its 49th Raising Day, it has received heartfelt congratulations from the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Defence Minister of India, who have all recognised the service's outstanding achievements and significant contributions to the nation's maritime security. (ANI)
Russian forces attacked the border areas of Sumy Oblast 40 times over the past 24 hours, dropping 30 bombs on one of the hromadas and bombarding it with FPV drones [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.].

Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "101 explosions were recorded. The hromadas of Khotin, Myropillia, Krasnopillia, Velykopysarivka, Putyvl, Nova Sloboda, Esman and Shostka came under fire."

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Details: The Krasnopillia hromada was attacked with artillery and an FPV drone, and explosives were dropped from a drone: four explosions occurred there. The attack damaged a house and a car.

The Shostka community was attacked with UAVs, which damaged a house and a car.

The Russians attacked the Velykopysarivka hromada with mortars and artillery and dropped an explosive device from a UAV, so there were 24 explosions.

There was one explosion in the Putyvl hromada as a result of an FPV drone strike.

The Russians dropped 30 bombs on the Myropillia hromada. There were also 12 explosions caused by FPV drone strikes.

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They struck the Khotin hromada with FPV drones and dropped an explosive from a UAV: six explosions occurred.

The Esman hromada was also hit by FPV drones and mortar fire; 20 explosions rang out there.

In the Nova Sloboda hromada, two explosions were recorded due to an attack by FPV drones.

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On 1 February, Russian troops have hit a nursing home in Sudzha, a Ukrainian-controlled town in Kursk Oblast, Russia. As a result, 95 people remain trapped beneath the rubble.

Source: Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, press officer of the temporary military commandant's office on the Ukraine-controlled territory of the Russian Federation, in a video message on Facebook

Quote from Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi: "On 1 February 2025, at 17:54, the Russian Armed Forces struck a nursing home in the town of Sudzha. 95 people are now trapped under the rubble.

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People's moans and screams can be heard from under the rubble. I would like to remind you that most of them are elderly and bedridden.

The military commandant's office forces are now conducting search and rescue operations."

Background: On the evening of 11 January, the Russian military carried out two airstrikes near a nursing home in Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, where more than 70 people were staying; one woman was killed.

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Feb. 1ROCHESTER  The "Village on Second," as the Saint Marys Place neighborhood is sometimes known, is a small-sized part of Rochester, but it's a key piece of the city that welcomes thousands of annual visitors to Mayo Clinic's historic hospital campus. And the area neighboring the hospital property is the workplace of hundreds.

The few blocks of hotels, restaurants and houses along Second Street Southwest evolved in the shadow of Saint Marys as the original 27-bed hospital expanded over the past 136 years into a multi-building complex to house 1,260 beds and 70 operating rooms.

The neighborhood has developed at its own pace, somewhat in sync with the expansion of Saint Marys campus. And while major changes have been seen along Second Street Southwest in the past 25 years, even more are on the way with a planned city transit hub and large private development plans.

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Commercial development of the area ramped up in the 1930s and then sort of stalled in the 1960s and 1970s. For many years, the character of the neighborhood between U.S. Highway 52 and Ninth Avenue Southwest seemed frozen in a bubble of old-fashioned guest houses, florists, local motels and diners well into the 2000s.

Many of the leading business owners in the area were immigrants from Italy and Greece, who served patients and staff as the hospital evolved from being led by the Sisters of Saint Francis to becoming an ever-expanding campus solely under the Mayo Clinic umbrella.

"I always said that I feel like we're kind of like a small Dinkytown (in Minneapolis near the University of Minnesota), OK? You got the big 'college' across the street and then you've got all these little casual 'Ma and Pa' places here. It's all oriented towards Saint Marys," said Joe Powers, who owns and has operated Canadian Honker, a restaurant across Second Street from the hospital, since 1984.

Tucked between the historic Pill Hill neighborhood and Kutzky Park, the "Village on Second" is often described as a thoroughfare that people drive along on the way to Saint Marys or to downtown Rochester. Pill Hill, which was created between 1903 and 1937, was named the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and the residents are working on local versions of the historic destination. In contrast, the nearby Saint Marys neighborhood has never been considered historic and it is not usually a destination itself

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However, it is a place where many patients and visitors end up sleeping, eating and shopping during stays at Saint Marys. Many visitors spend all of their time in Rochester in that area.

Kevin Lund, a retired Olmsted County District Court judge, has lived most of his life in the neighborhood. He agrees that the businesses that developed there have a different quality due to the proximity to the hospital's campus.

"The guest houses, all the businesses, the restaurants and whatever else was on Second Street, complemented what was going on at the hospital and provided a measure of comfort for patients and for the families of patients. When you're here and you've got a loved one in the hospital, it's a distressing time," Lund said while having breakfast at the Canadian Honker. "Everyone on this block provided comfort for those folks. To Joe's credit, he has carried on that tradition. He gets it about why a place like this is important."

A 1997 Post Bulletin list of Rochester lodging businesses included 12 guest houses near Saint Marys as well as the Bell Tower, Alpine Inn, Gas Light, Fiksdal, Ray-Mar and Blondell motels. Those businesses were supported by the Sunny Market, the Look Nook, Taso's Cafe and Virgil's gas station and auto repair.

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While the need for comfort for patients, visitors and hospital staff remains the same, the scale of the need has ramped up significantly in the past 25 years as Mayo Clinic has repeatedly expanded the hospital complex. Those mom-and-pop businesses of the past are now remembered only in old photos as large national franchises now handle the scale of business in the area.

An early sign of how the growth of the hospital spurred changes in the Village on Second neighborhood happened in 1998.

Four boarding houses, a coffee shop and a hot dog place were demolished to make way for the construction of the Fairfield Suites  now Springhill Suites  at 1125 Second St. SW. That was the first major national hotel brand to appear in the shadow of the hospital. The hotel's design, at the suggestion of Rochester city planners, incorporated access for a possible tunnel running under Second Street toward the hospital. However, no tunnel was ever built.

That was also the same year that Powers built the current Canadian Honker restaurant at 1203 Second St. SW. The Fiksdal Hotel with its classic 1966-style followed that trend in 2000 and built an adjacent hotel. Both hotels are now under the Aspen brand.

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Other longtime fixtures of the neighborhood, like the 725-square-foot store Look Nook gift and sundries shop at 1219 Second St. SW., also started closing their doors in 2004. While the number of beds at Saint Marys was growing, Look Nook owner Dixie Luttchens cited the trend of insurance companies paying for shorter hospital stays as a major reason for the drop in business.

In 2012, developer Javon Bea purchased the Bell Tower Inn and the Alpine Inn, plus the A&A Motel and Guest House and nearby houses for $2.72 million. Those familiar landmark properties were demolished and a temporary public surface parking lot was built between Second Street Southwest and First Street Southwest along 13th Avenue Southwest.

People staying at the A&A Motel and Guest House just before it closed described it as "a nice, cozy and safe environment" that was "a symbol of what things used to be like." A map on the wall was dotted with red pins marking guests' home cities all over the U.S. and beyond. In 2012, the cost of a room ranged between $34 to $40 a night. The seventh day of a weeklong stay was free, as was the fourth week of a month-long stay.

Lund, who has advocated for saving buildings of historical or architectural importance, acknowledged that the "Village on Second" can't compare to downtown Rochester in terms of its historic inventory. The only notable building, beyond the hospital structures, was a building designed by Rochester's master architect, Harold Crawford.

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Built in 1935 at 1408 Second St. SW, the building housed a gas station and the 19th Hole Bar-B-Q restaurant with two automobile service bays separating the businesses.

"There's not much of any architectural significance in the area. Other than the old 19th Hole. If you look at a photograph of that, you'd ask, 'How did we lose that?,'" he said.

Doris and Richard Blondell purchased the property in the 1960s and demolished part of it to build the Heidi House drive-in. In 1973, the Blondell Motel was built on the site of the Heidi House.

The 13-story Berkman tower stands on that corner now.

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The development of the Berkman, which sold for a record $187.6 million in 2022, was the most recent milestone in the evolution of the Saint Marys neighborhood.

"If you'd asked me 20 or 25 years ago about a project like the Berkman, I'd have said, 'You're out of your mind. There's no way that's gonna happen here," said Powers. "But look at it now. They had a really good vision."

While some, like Lund, believe the Berkman tower does not fit with the scale of the nearby residential neighborhood, others see it as another sign of how the growth of Mayo Clinic is spurring more and more economic development in the Saint Marys area and downtown Rochester.

"I think that the big thing that really set it off was the Homewood Suites development. That was a big project that kind of set the tone," said Rochester developer Nick Pompeian of Realty Growth Inc. "I think the Homewood and Brentwood projects were the catalysts that showed what the future of Second Street might look like."

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Marc Carpenter of Rochester and Torgerson Properties, of Willmar built an 111-room, seven-story hotel on the open lots next to their Courtyard by Marriott hotel. They also built and owned the SpringHill Suites hotel. That group sold all three hotels at the end of 2024.

While that was happening, Ed Pompeian, Nick's father, was remodeling the Blondell Hotel across Second Street and re-branding it as the Brentwood on Second. The aging hotel had been on the market for three years when Pompeian and his partners purchased it.

The biggest change to the area started in 2016 when Twin Cities developer Alatus partnered with the Pompeians as well as Bob Sexton to map out the Berkman tower. The Brentwood on Second and the Ray-Mar motels were demolished in 2017 to make way for the 13 floors of apartments and hotel rooms with a Red Cow restaurant at street level.

"The Berkman was a transformational project. I think everybody can agree with that. Bob Lux and Chris Osmundson had an idea that I don't think anybody really could have ever thought was possible in Rochester before," said Pompeian.

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While the dust is still settling from the many changes to the area in the past few years, bigger changes are looming.

Construction of the City of Rochester's massive Link Rapid Transit project on Second Street is slated to start this summer. Working with the Destination Medical Center initiative, the city has mapped out an extensive bus route connecting southwest Rochester with downtown.

A Saint Marys Transit Village, which is part of the Link system, is planned to be built on both sides of Second Street at 1223 Second St. SW. That's the building last occupied by La Pasadita Mexican Restaurant. That space has housed Cafe Presto, Tasos Cafe and many other Saint Marys eateries in the past. In the 1950s, the classic Driv-ett diner was located there.

This project is designed to make it easier to travel downtown to Mayo Clinic's campus without a car. The hope is that Link Transit will help with transporting the expected growing number of Mayo Clinic employees and Rochester residents anticipated to be coming for the planned $5 billion "Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester" downtown.

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That project includes new downtown clinical buildings, which will serve a wide variety of hospital care functions for patients.

What adding the ultra-modern Unbound buildings to Mayo Clinic will mean for the historic hospital on the Saint Marys campus is unknown. Mayo Clinic did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article.

While he is a bit anxious about what the construction of the Link Transit system will do to Second Street in the short term, Joe Powers is very optimistic about the future of the Saint Marys area. In fact, he is in the early stages of planning a large multi-use development on the block just east of Canadian Honker, where a Caribou Coffee Shop is based. Powers has acquired the majority of that block.

"My plan is to build a new (Canadian) Honker there. We're also looking at housing, hotels, and we're also looking at an aftercare facility," he said.

If this plays out as Powers plans, he will repeat his move of the Honker in 1998, when he built the current restaurant and moved the business one block to the east. The possible aftercare facility would be a center to offer transitional health care for people who have left the hospital, but are not ready to go home yet.

The rough plan at this point would include Caribou Coffee moving to occupy part of the current Canadian Honker site, possibly along with a hotel or something else.

"I honestly think the future is real bright. Saint Marys isn't going away and honestly, more locals are coming here than ever," said Powers. "I think it's really important to keep that neighborhood feel. I think that's really special. I think it's the natural progression. What worked here 50 years ago can still work here today, but it's just gonna be on a larger scale. The city's growing. The campus is growing. Everything is growing. So we need to grow, but the key thing is to keep that, that neighborhood feel and I think we'll be able to do that."

Lund, who grew up within a block of Saint Marys and has lived in a house on 15th Avenue for more than 30 years, also cares about the neighborhood. However, he has more concerns about how the nature of it will continue to change in the future.

"I think (the) significance of Saint Marys cannot be understated. You ask how important this area is to the rest of Rochester. ... It's part of the soul and the charm of the city," he said. "Whether it was intentional or unintentional, we've managed to strip away a lot of the soul of Rochester by being insensitive to what these areas bring to the greater community. Once it's gone, it's gone. You'll never get it back."

Pompeian's view is that future development and the personality of the neighborhood can and should both thrive for the benefit of Rochester.

"This is a very special pocket neighborhood. We need to treat it with a lot of respect and thought," he said. "There's an opportunity here to make Rochester better than it was. I don't think any of us really know exactly what that looks like, but the focus should always be (a) community-oriented area. People want gathering places. They want the coffee shops. They want places where they can go to be around people. It's a really unique thing that we have here."
A sale of the former Clarks Summit University property is pending, according to the real estate agent who listed the property and online listings.

Steve Farrell, chairman of Classic Properties, said negotiations are underway for sale of the property in South Abington Twp., and he expects the sale will close in April. He said a company purchased the property but didnt provide further details on the buyer.

Jody Ferdyn, an agent with Classic Properties, said the buyer is an educational institution that isnt in the area.

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The property is listed as pending on the Classic Properties website.

Farrell said the universitys leadership chose the best offer thats in the best interest of the community.

Officials announced the university, previously named Baptist Bible College, would close last summer amid financial struggles and declining enrollment. It was listed on the market for $17.5 million in the fall.

The university had temporarily furloughed all employees on May 20 to help close a budget gap after the Middle States Commission on Higher Education rejected Clarks Summit Universitys teach out plan for undergraduates to be able to complete their education elsewhere.

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Farrell said there was interest in the property and he conducted multiple tours of the site, which has 18 buildings.

The university was first established as Baptist Bible Seminary in 1932 in Johnson City, New York, by a group of pastors and educators led by Dr. Richard J. Murphy.

In 1968, Baptist Bible Seminary moved to South Abington Twp. The name was changed to Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania in 1971. It was renamed Clarks Summit University in 2016.
SALEM, Va. (WFXR)  A major honor for an educator at Salem High School. Mark Ingerson has been named the National Federation of State High School Associations outstanding speech and debate educator of the year award for the State of Virginia. It comes after Ingersons leadership led Salem to 18 straight Virginia High School League state titles in forensics and Salems first-ever VSHL debate title last year. Hes been in charge of the schools forensics program since 2001. School officials said Ingerson has elevated speech and debate in Southwest Virginia and his unwavering dedication makes him an exceptional educator and leader.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Boy Genius

While disgraced FTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried rots away behind bars for fraud, his parents are making the rounds in Trumpworld and trying to plant the seeds for a potential pardon.

As Bloomberg reports, an unnamed insider familiar with the machinations of Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, the 32-year-old's Stanford professor parents, said the erudite pair have taken meetings with lawyers in President Donald Trump's orbit to discuss clemency or a pardon for their beloved boy.

It's unclear who exactly SBF's parents have been meeting with, whether their efforts have borne fruit, or if knowledge of the meetings made its way to the White House before they were publicized.

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All the same, taking these sorts of meetings falls in line with Bankman and Fried's staunch support for their con-spawn, who they've long insisted is innocent despite being sued themselves over his misdeeds. With Trump's flurry of early pardons including Silk Road mastermind Ross Ulbricht, it makes perfect sense that the Bankman-Frieds are trying to appeal to the president's newfound interest in all things digital.

Failson or Fugitive?

Before he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for helming the catastrophic FTX crash in 2022, SBF's parents kept cropping up in coverage for being ardent defenders of their crypto lad.

During pre-trial hearings in late 2022, for instance, the mop-haired crypto baron's father was seen literally plugging his ears in court, per Coindesk. That same report also noted that Fried was heard "audibly laughing" during the proceedings when prosecutors referred to her son as a "fugitive."

When the FTX fraudster was on trial in 2023, his mom told The New Yorker that Bankman-Fried was the victim of a "McCarthyite" witch hunt and that the government was on a "relentless pursuit of total destruction" against him.

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"It takes a lifetime to build up a reputation as honorable people," Fried wrote in her angry email to the magazine. "It takes five minutes to destroy it, which they now have done."

That insistent defense of the professors' beautiful boy hardly made a difference during the actual trial. Between the new president's vitriolic distaste for the prior administration and his newfound love for crypto, however, their quest for SBF's clemency may actually get somewhere.

It's a fascinating dispatch from the circles of influence surrounding the newly reinaugurated president  and we're likely to see way more of this kind of cryptoworld influence-seeking moving forward.

More on Trump and crypto: Trumps Meme Coin Is Down 64 Percent From Its High
A sanitary sewer line that leaked in Macomb Township has been repaired, but a public health advisory remains in effect through Monday because of water tests to detect the presence of E. coli in the middle branch of the Clinton River, officials said Friday.

Washington Township Supervisor Sam Previti stated in a Facebook post that water conservation in Washington Township was no longer necessary.

But a public health advisory issued Wednesday was extended, particularly the part advising residents to avoid direct contact with the middle branch of the river, according to a news release from Macomb County.

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The break in the line occurred along Hayes Road between 25 Mile and 26 Mile roads in Macomb Township. The line belongs to Washington Township. The road was closed for cleanup, but reopened Friday night, according to an emailed traffic advisory from the county roads department.

Crews completed repairs to the line Thursday night, according to the county release, and are cleaning up the site and disassembling the sewer bypass that diverted sewage around the rupture.

Macomb Township posted an update on its website Friday, stating cleanup at the site will continue into next week.

Residents are advised to avoid pooling or ponding water in the area around the leak site.

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Previti stated in his Facebook post that the 20-inch-diameter iron pipe with concrete cover developed a crack because of its age and extreme cold temperatures. He told the Free Press earlier in the week that line was estimated to be 45-48 years old.

The bypass was installed until repairs could be made, and crews with vacuum trucks sucked up sewage, then melted snow that got into the area so crews could get in and install a new section of pipe.

"The new pipe has been successfully installed, and the system is fully operational," Previti stated in his Facebook post.

Officials said houses with septic systems were not impacted, and drinking water remains safe.

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Local, county and state officials have been monitoring the process and been kept apprised of water sample testing, Previti said. A high level of E. coli was detected in one downstream location during testing earlier in the week.

Andrew Cox, county health department director/health officer, told the Free Press on Thursday that officials took two water samples from the river Wednesday, one upstream of the site and one about a mile downstream.

The upstream level for E. coli was below the limit of concern, he said, but the one downstream about a mile away and closer to Romeo Plank was at a level that indicated to officials that there was "significant human waste" in the water, which led to the public health advisory.

The initial advisory indicated the leak caused about 21,000 gallons of sewage to flow into the middle branch of the river on an hourly basis. Officials were trying to calculate how much sewage entered the river.

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Cox said at least five additional water samples were taken Thursday, some of them farther downstream.

Officials were concerned as there are homes and businesses along the middle branch of the river and during the winter, people often ice fish along the river, which spills into Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township.

More: Is hotel, convention center along Lake St. Clair feasible? Macomb County task force studying possibility

Previti said officials monitor the sewer levels and pumps and noticed an "obscure uptick" at about 6 p.m. Tuesday. A crew was sent out and noticed the ground very wet and saturated, he said. They suspected a break and began digging to determine the magnitude. He said as crews dug, the situation became worse.

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Previti said money to repair and remediate the situation would come from Washington Township's water and sewer fund balance. He predicted it would be "a pretty penny" as an outside vendor handled the majority of the work and there has been overtime for some township workers.

Previti said the line was the first pipe put into the ground to get sewer to Washington Township. He said officials will check other sections of the line and handle any needed repairs. He said they may need to look at replacing the line in the next couple of years.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @challreporter.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.

Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Macomb sanitary sewer line leak fixed, public health advisory extended
In October 2021, Alec Baldwin shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when a gun that he was holding on the set of the Western film "Rust" went off.

He was charged with involuntary manslaughter in January 2023, but those charges were removed in April 2023 pending further investigation into the gun used in the shooting, which may have malfunctioned. After an FBI forensics report concluded that the trigger had to be pulled for the gun to fire, charges were refiled in January 2024 and the trial started in July 2024.

However, that trial lasted only three days after a witness testified that the prosecution had worked with law enforcement officials to put evidence turned over after armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's trial under a separate case number. The judge determined it was a violation of the Brady rule and dismissed the charges against Baldwin with prejudice, meaning he is no longer facing the threat of jail time for his role in Hutchins' death.

Santa Fe Officials Spent $900K Related To 'Rust' Shooting

MEGA

In response to a request submitted by The New Mexican on December 2, Santa Fe officials finally revealed on January 16 that the First Judicial District Attorneys Office spent about $898,000 prosecuting cases related to the "Rust" shooting in October 2021.

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However, it is unclear if that number was the final total and the District Attorney's Office did not respond to a request for comment from The Blast.

It has been difficult to ascertain the true cost of the trials. Public records show that District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies obtained more than $600,000 in state funding to prosecute both armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and Alec Baldwin for their roles in Hutchins' death.

Over $750,000 Had Been Paid Out Before Alec Baldwin's Trial

MEGA

In a response from The New Mexican in June 2024, Nathan Lederman, who was the spokesperson for the District Attorney's Office at the time, said that almost $760,000 had been "paid out as of July 1" to prosecute both Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and Alec Baldwin. However, Baldwin's trial did not start until later that month and does not include the work that special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey or former special prosecutor Erlinda Ocampo Johnson did on his trial.

Morrissey, specifically, continued to pursue Baldwin even after the trial was over. She filed an appeal, trying to get the judge to change her mind and pursue charges against Baldwin once more. One filing had to be resubmitted because the judge determined it was too long. However, Morrissey dropped her appeal just before Christmas, ending the chance that Baldwin would face prison time.

The True 'Rust' Total May Be Well Over $900,000

MEGA

According to a spreadsheet from the District Attorney's Office, the total budget of the "Rust" prosecution was $898,260. This includes invoices submitted by Morrissey in both November 2024 and January 2025. However, The New Mexican obtained partial invoices from work that Morrissey did in September and October, including motions where the prosecutor asked the judge repeatedly to reconsider opening the case against Baldwin.

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According to their estimations, the true total of the "Rust" prosecution exceeds $911,000, although this number has not been confirmed by the District Attorney's Office. A letter from Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Padgett Macias indicates that some records would not be made public because they contain "work product," which means the public may never be informed of the true cost of Santa Fe officials' attempts to prosecute Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and Alec Baldwin.

What Did Santa Fe Officials Spend That Money On?

MEGA

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In addition to paying the prosecutors for their work, the District Attorney's Office also spent that money doing testing on the gun that was used in the "Rust" shooting. In fact, officials actually flew Italian gun manufacturer Alessandro Pietta to New Mexico in order for him to testify that the gun was in good working condition when it left his factory.

The New Mexican had asked for a separate invoice to see how much the State spent on his lodging, travel, and appearance costs, but a records custodian for the District Attorneys Office claimed that they had no records for that request.

Alec Baldwin's 'Rust' Movie Spent Thousands On Prop Ammunition

MEGA

One of the biggest questions from the trial was how live ammunition ended up on the set of a Western film. Although they spent around $900,000 investigating the case, Santa Fe officials do not have an answer to that question. However, the police report obtained by The Blast shows that the independent Western film spent thousands on ammunition.

The police report contains receipts from PDQ Arm & Prop, LLC. In Albuquerque, New Mexico. One invoice contains listings for holsters, which amounted to $3,465.00 after a significant discount. Another invoice for dummy rounds and blank ammunition resulted in $5,919.64.

A separate $30.21 rental form for prop dummy rounds proceeded a whopping $12,881.73 invoice that was for gun bags, engraved rifles, and more ammunition. The date of this invoice was October 17, 2021, only a few days before Halyna Hutchins passed away at UNM Hospital on October 21 at the age of 42, leaving behind a husband, Matthew Hutchins, and a young son.
The MahaKumbh 2025 has drawn diplomats from around the world, with many foreign diplomats expressing their excitement and gratitude to India for the opportunity to experience it's rich cultural heritage firsthand in the Maha Kumbh Mela. Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Marje Luup, Estonian Ambassador to India, highlighted the significance of the event and stated, "Very excited. This is a very important event for India and also for all of us. This happens very rarely. 70 visitors from Estonia are also going to the Maha Kumbh... I am very grateful to the Ministry of External Affairs for giving us the opportunity to visit there... some of us will also take a dip." Shankar Prasad Sharma, Nepal's Ambassador to India, emphasised the sacred nature of the occasion and affirmed, "This is a very sacred occasion and it is a great opportunity for me to join the millions of people who are getting blessings through Maha Kumbh Snan. I am sure these millions of people are looking for purity and enlightenment and I am happy that I will be a part of it." He also highlighted the cultural and religious linkages between Nepal and India. "This is not only a religious festival in India, it is part of the cultural, civilizational and religious linkages that we have between Nepal and India. So I'm very happy that I'm here today," he added. Further, Anil Sooklal, High Commissioner of South Africa to India, described the Maha Kumbh as a "once in a lifetime experience" and a "global celebration of humanity." "We are very fortunate that the Ministry of External Affairs has arranged this trip to Maha Kumbh for us. This is a once in a lifetime experience. This is a special Maha Kumbh that happens once in 144 years. So I think we are very blessed to be here and to have this opportunity," he said. He praised India's ability to bring people together, celebrating common humanity and spirituality . "Maha Kumbh is not just about India, it is not just about Hinduism, it is a global celebration of humanity. You have seen millions of people from all over the world coming together and this is what India is about that it can bring people from all over the world together, celebrating our common humanity, our common spirituality and forgetting our differences and immersing ourselves in the sacred Ganges river and ensuring that we all pray for peace, which is what the world needs at this time," he added. Expressing her excitement and appreciation for the opportunity to experience the Maha Kumbh, Diana Mickeviciene, Lithuania's Ambassador to India stated, "I always wanted to go. I have been associated with India for many years, but I never had a chance to go to any Kumbh and today this time it is auspicious and particularly important Maha Kumbh. So I feel very fortunate that I am here in India... This is definitely something that reflects the rich Indian heritage and culture, which you should be very proud of." "I am very happy that the state government and the Ministry of External Affairs are arranging this visit for the diplomats. The Maha Kumbh Mela is a very special event, especially this year. So I am looking forward to going there to understand the Hindu culture," Ambassador of Japan to India Keiichi ONO said on Maha Kumbh visit. Federico Salas, Ambassador of Mexico to India express his excitement for the Maha Kumbh visit and stated, "I'm very excited about the possibility of seeing this huge gathering firsthand and the religious fervour that comes with it. So I'm really looking forward to it." "I think it will probably be one of the highlights of my experiences in India. So I'm really excited about this trip. Taking a dip is significant as a way to cleanse yourself and purify your body and mind," he added. Over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters today. Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13, will continue till February 26. The remaining significant 'snan' dates in Maha Kumbh are February 3 (Basant Panchami--Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI)
Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon came under fire Thursday after past tweets in which the actress said racist and Islamophobic things were resurfaced by freelance journalist Sarah Hagi.

Over the course of several hours Gascon apologized for her past tweets and also began to delete several from the platform. In the meantime, curiosity about the journalist who found the tweets in the first place has grown.

Heres everything to know about Sarah Hagi, who has published work at the Guardian and Vulture.

Who is Sarah Hagi?

Freelance journalist Sarah Hagi hails from Ottawa and has written for the Guardian, BuzzFeed, Taste Cooking and more. Hagi currently writes for Vulture, where she recaps episodes of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

Hagi is also a co-host of the Scamfluencers podcast.

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A 2021 interview with The Chatner indicated Hagi attended Zaytuna College in Berkeley and was a chess reporter. It is unclear how serious the interview in question is; the outlet also mentions Hagi hosted a podcast titled Recant and Deliver, but if so, the podcast appears to have been wiped from the internet. The authors style appears to satirize work in which controversial figures are asked softball questions.

Ive always been a free thinker. I hear a drum, I march or I dont, unless Im in the mood. I always go back to one moment from when I was a kid, I went to the zoo and I witnessed a seal clapping for fish  it was like a game it was a part of they didnt actually know what was happening, Hagi said in the interview. Everyone was cheering for the seal, but I was the only one who said, Why? What is happening here, Mama? I feel like that was my first foray into thinking outside the box.

What did Sarah Hagi unearth?

its so insane that karla sofia gascon still has these tweets up. straight up have never seen tweets this racist from someone actively campaigning to win an ACADEMY AWARD. there are more than a dozen pic.twitter.com/1rcNzkJXuo  sarah hagi (@KindaHagi) January 30, 2025

Hagi uncovered a series of tweets from Emilia Perez star Karla Sofia Gascon in which the latter criticized the reaction to the 2020 murder of George Floyd and emphasized her support for banning religions that go against European values.

Let me get this straight, a guy tries to pass off a counterfeit bill after consuming methamphetamine, an idiot policeman arrives and goes too far in arresting him, killing him, ruining the lives of his family and his colleagues, and turning the guy with the bill into a martyr hero, Gascon wrote.

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I truly believe that very few people ever cared about George Floyd, a drug addict and a hustler, she continued. But his death has served to highlight once again that there are those who still consider Black people to be monkeys without rights and those who consider the police to be murderers. All wrong.

Hagi explained to Variety that she began digging through Gascons tweets after she saw one that used the word Islamist. She explained, It wasnt a conspiracy  I do this with many celebrities. I just searched a term, and what I found was shocking.

She also admitted that her identity as a Black Muslim made the experience triggering. Hagi added, I could have looked, and there would be nothing, but it was just a hunch. It doesnt mean that someone who said something like that is going to have as many racist tweets as she did or as many anti-Muslim tweets as she did. When you have an experience like I do, you know what the dog whistles are, and to me, that was a very clear dog whistle.

im so serious when i say there is no form of online hatred towards me that can make me flinch. i do not give a shit. i am more confident than you could possibly imagine and also i have the favour of brazilians rn  sarah hagi (@KindaHagi) January 31, 2025

Hagi also made it clear shes not concerned about any negative response to her own actions. Im so serious when I say there is no form of online hatred towards me that can make me flinch, she wrote on X Friday. I do not give a st. I am more confident than you could possibly imagine and also I have the favour of brazilians rn.

How has Karla Sofia Gascon responded?

Gascon began to delete the offending tweets Friday morning. I want to acknowledge the conversation around my past social media posts that have caused hurt, she explained in a statement issued through Netflix. As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well, and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. All my life, I have fought for a better world. I believe light will always triumph over darkness.

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Gascon, the first transgender actor to be nominated for an Oscar, ultimately deleted her social media accounts Friday. If you want, you can continue attacking me as if I were responsible for hunger and wars in the world, she said in a new statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

I have been threatened with death, insulted, abused and harassed to the point of exhaustion, she continued before attempting to defend herself. s part of this society, I have expressed my disagreement or agreement with all the related issues that have touched me and of which I have had an opinion, often erroneous, which has changed throughout my own experience.

I have always used my social media as a diary, reflections or notes, to later create stories or characters, not as something that would be scrutinized down to the last of its 140 characters, since sometimes I, myself, am not even aware of having written something negative, Gascon added.

The discovery of her past tweets comes as the actress was also battling a second mess of her own making. In an interview with a Brazilian newspaper, Gascon accused the social media team for the also-nominated Im Still Here of attacking her online. The Academy decided the criticisms did not violate its regulations, but only after Gascon came under fire in the first place.

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Emilia Perez received 13 nominations, including Best Picture. In the musical film, Gascon plays a Mexican cartel boss who transitions to become a woman.

The post Who Is Sarah Hagi, the Journalist Who Uncovered Karla Sofia Gascons Racist Tweets? appeared first on TheWrap.
SOUTH CAROLINA (WJBF)  South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has declined to grant Executive Clemency to Marion Bowman, Jr.

According to authorities, Bowman was convicted of murder in the shooting death of a friend whose burned body was found in the trunk of a car; however, Bowman has maintained his innocence since his arrest.

Authorities state that Bowman was offered a plea deal for a life sentence but went to trial because he said he was not guilty.

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Bowmans execution is scheduled for 6 P.M. Friday at a Columbia prison.

Bowman was executed at 6:27 P.M.

This will be the third inmate to be executed in South Carolina since September.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
LANSING, Mich (WLNS)  Mason Public Schools Bus 23 slid off the road west of Mason Friday afternoon. No one was injured.

The incident happened near the intersection of S Edgar Rd and W Columbia Rd in Aurelius Township, west of Mason, near North Aurelius Elementary School. Law enforcement closed W Columbia Rd between Edgar Rd and College Rd.

(WLNS)

Tow trucks pulled the bus out of a ditch. At this time, it is unknown when and how exactly this happened, what school the bus was servicing, or how many children were on board.

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Stick with 6 News for updates as we learn more.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
It was clear in the early 1800s that Schuylkill Countys coal deposits were going to become big business.

Investors like Stephen Girard, a Philadelphia banker and one of the richest men in the world, rushed in to buy huge tracts of coal lands.

Indeed, the Girard Estate still has an office in Girardville  named for Stephen Girard.

The problem was how to get the black diamonds to market in Philadelphia, and other metropolitan areas on the East Coast.

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Initially, coal was hauled by carts over primitive roads. Not only was it a slow, tedious task, but it proved impractical as demand for anthracite coal grew.

Then, only 16 years after Necho Allen discovered coal on Broad Mountain near Pottsville, forward-looking investors and public officials began construction of the Schuylkill Navigation System in 1815.

For the next 40 or so years, until it was replaced by railroads, the system was the major artery for transporting coal mined in Schuylkill County to Philadelphia.

Canal boat laden with anthracite coal passes through Schuylkill Haven circa 1840. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

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Mike Szilagyi discussed the evolution of the navigation system recently in a lecture and slide presentation at Alvernia University-Pottsville CollegeTowne campus.

The talk, which drew more than 50 people, was part of Anthracite Mining Heritage Month, a 15-day series of lectures throughout Northeast Pennsylvania.

Beginning on Jan. 10, the series included presentations on anthracite mining history at Kings College, Eckley Mining Village and Everhart Museum in Scranton.

Topics included the Avondale Mine Disaster, the Knox Mine Disaster and the Molly Maguires.

Mining engineer Eric Bella introduced Szilagyi, whose writings include Berks County Trolleys, at Alvernia.

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The initial solution, animal carts driven over primitive roads, evolved rapidly into canals, inclined plains, railroads and highway trucks, Bella said. This lecture focuses on the network of inland waterways engineered and built 200 years ago  specifically, the Schuylkill Navigation system.

Szilagyi stressed the importance of differentiating between the canal and the navigation system.

The Schuylkill Canal was only part of the 108-mile-long navigation system between Port Carbon and Philadelphia.

The system, which utilized the Schuylkill River as well as the canal, took nine years to build. An engineering marvel, it had an elevation drop of 618 feet over its course.

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The canal had 71 locks fed by 25 dams over about 58 miles. Most boats carried 60 tons of coal, though larger ones could accommodate 100 or more tons, and took several days to reach Philadelphia.;

In 1859, 34 years after it opened, 2 million tons of freight was transported over the navigation system. The bulk of it was anthracite coal.

Canal boats passed through the 450-foot-long Auburn Tunnel, the first transportation tunnel in the United States, starting in 1821.

The tunnel became a tourist attraction, with people traveling 97 miles upstream from Philadelphia to see it, before the Schuylkill Navigation Co. had it daylighted, or opened, in 1857.

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Beginning in 1872, certain sections of the system were abandoned. The last canal boat reached Lock No. 70 in Manayunk in 1932  107 years after it opened.

The Schuylkill Canal Association received a special recognition award for its restoration of Lock No. 60 in Upper Providence Twp., Montgomery County, in 2005.

The Flat Rock Dam Betterment Project, a $15.5 million restoration project that reconnects the Manayunk Canal to the Schuylkill River, is expected to be completed this year.

The Auburn Gap Bridge, a $2.2 million project connecting Schuylkill and Berks counties on the Schuylkill River Trail, opened in 2023.
State Rep. John Hughes, R-Sioux Falls, speaks on the South Dakota House floor on Jan. 22, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

South Dakota voters arent particularly fond of ballot measures that seek to change the state constitution. Theyre even less enamored of attempts to mess with the way that their constitution can be changed. That history of failure doesnt keep legislators from trying.

The latest attempt is House Joint Resolution 5003 sponsored by Rep. John Hughes, a Sioux Falls Republican. Currently, constitutional amendments placed on the general election ballot are passed with 50% of the vote plus one. Hughes seeks to raise that benchmark to 60% of the vote.

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The resolution has passed its first two hurdles, getting approval from the House State Affairs Committee on an 11-2 vote and passing the full House on a vote of 61-5.

According to Hughes, because South Dakota has a 50% plus one threshold, We are a target for being used as a laboratory for the emergence of new values and new ideas that many, many, many South Dakotans do not share.

Often during the testimony about HJR 5003, there were complaints about the millions of dollars dumped into South Dakota elections by out-of-state interests. It sounds naive to think that big-money interests would stay away from South Dakota elections if the threshold for passing a constitutional amendment were raised to 60% of the vote.

Many of South Dakotas current crop of legislators werent around in 2017 when their brethren in the Legislature made quick work of dismantling Initiated Measure 22, an anti-corruption bill endorsed with 51% of the vote. IM 22 may have been as unworkable as it was unconstitutional, but instead of letting the courts decide on its demise, lawmakers acted fast to do the job themselves.

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Their eagerness to enact some parts of the initiated measure and ignore other parts led some people  particularly those people who are interested in getting their ideas on the ballot  to believe that the Legislature was circumventing the will of the people. The Legislatures fast action on an initiated measure made constitutional amendments, which cant be messed with by lawmakers once the voters approve, all the more compelling for people who want to raise issues that the Legislature wont tackle.

Resolutions like the one Hughes is backing dont have a good track record with voters. In 2018, the mysteriously named Amendment X sought to raise the approval threshold on constitutional amendments to 55%. It garnered only 46% of the vote. In 2022, Amendment C sought to raise the requirement to three-fifths of the vote if the amendment in question required an increase in taxes or fees or the appropriation of $10 million over five fiscal years. Voters didnt like that one either, with 67% of them voting against it.

Often during the discussion about HJR 5003, Hughes and the committee members asserted that voters are suffering from ballot fatigue. Their suffering will only get worse in 2026 when, besides ballot issues, voters will be faced with choices for governor, U.S. representative, state constitutional offices and the Legislature. The ballot fatigue argument leads to the realization that lawmakers are irony-impaired.

Prior to voting to put HJR 5003 on the ballot, members of the committee approved HJR 5001, a constitutional amendment that would ease South Dakotas escape from paying for expanded Medicaid. Theres also a joint resolution in the Senate seeking to put yet another constitutional amendment of the ballot. If lawmakers themselves werent so eager to change the constitution, South Dakotas ballots would be shorter.

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In 2024, two of the constitutional amendments originated with lawmakers  a work requirement for Medicaid and a neutering of the language used in the constitution to get ride of male pronouns. The language amendment failed. Voters approved of the Medicaid work requirement, but if Hughes effort was in effect, it would have failed since it got only 56% of the vote.

South Dakota finds itself at a veritable Bermuda Triangle of election factors that attract out-of-state influence. Its a state where its relatively easy to get on the ballot, media costs are cheap by national standards and campaign finance laws are hard to enact ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that political spending is a form of free speech.

In the end, theres not much that the Legislature can do to keep away out-of-state interests and their fat wallets. But lawmakers can help out voters by curbing their baser instinct to continually use their power to put even more constitutional amendments on the ballot.

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Seattle Police have arrested a 29-year-old woman after her 14-year-old son died from injuries sustained during a beating with an extension cord, according to a police statement.

The woman was arrested Thursday at approximately 2:30 p.m. at the familys residence in the 4000 block of 14th Avenue South.

KIRO 7 News is not naming the woman until she is officially charged.

The arrest occurred after the woman called 911 to report she had been in an altercation with her son and that he was now unresponsive.

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During the 911 call, the woman reportedly said she had spanked her son using an extension cord and that it went too far.

According to court documents, after officers arrived and provided aid, the 14-year-old boy was transported to Harborview Medical Center.

He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The woman reportedly told police the boy had failed to complete his chores, and she told him, Butt cutting time.

The police report detailed that the woman ordered the child to remove his clothing and began striking him with an extension cord.

At one point, the woman reportedly pushed the boy against a wall causing him to fall to the floor.

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The woman admitted to continuing to strike her son for an hour while he was on the floor and again when he was standing.

She told officers she stopped hitting him when he became unresponsive, waited about five minutes and then called 911.

According to the report, the woman told officers that there were recording devices inside her home.

The woman was booked into King County Jail for investigation of homicide.




NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56)  A second arrest was made on Friday by Nicholasville police in connection with a bank robbery on Southland Drive.

Around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, officers with the Lexington Police Department (LPD) were dispatched to the Central Bank on the 200 block of Southland Drive in response to a robbery. A man allegedly walked into the bank, demanded money, and ran out with an undisclosed amount of cash.

At-large woman accused of backing into patrol car at high speed in Danville

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Using investigative techniques and assistance from the departments Real-Time Intelligence Center, detectives were able to locate two suspects, the department said on Saturday in a news release.

Danzell Cruse, 30, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the robbery. An arrest citation noted that Cruse was throwing the money from the reported robbery as he ran. He was charged with:

First-degree robbery

Third-degree fleeing or evading police

Tampering with physical evidence

trafficking in marijuanafirst offense8 ounces

Trafficking in fentanyl: 28 grams

Charges from an unrelated arrest warrant

The LPD announced that on Friday Corey Burch, 36, was arrested in Nicholasville and charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree fleeing or evading police, and theft of a motor vehicle. He was also charged in connection with an unrelated warrant.

Corey Burch, 36, was lodged in the Jessamine County Detention Center on Friday. (Nicholasville Police Department)

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

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Burch was lodged in the Jessamine County Detention Center.

The LPD thanked the Nicholasville Police Department for its help in finding and arresting Burch.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
A federal judge has placed a broad block on President Donald Trumps effort to freeze a vast swath of federal grant and aid spending, saying the freeze is likely unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge John McConnells 13-page order issued Friday afternoon says the Trump administration may not pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate  obligations to provide federal financial assistance to states challenging the policy, until further notice.

McConnells order was expected after the judge telegraphed the move at an emergency court hearing earlier this week.

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He is the second federal judge to throw a legal wrench in Trumps aggressive bid to halt the flow of funds that Congress has already appropriated. On Tuesday, another judge handling a separate lawsuit temporarily blocked the Office of Management and Budget memo that ordered the freeze.

The memo called for a pause in federal aid and grant spending so that officials could vet the spending programs for compliance with a series of executive orders Trump issued. Under pressure from Trump critics and even some allies, the OMB withdrew its memo just two days after it was issued.

McConnells directive goes further than the earlier judges ruling because it prevents the administration from carrying out any systematic defunding efforts while the states push for longer-term relief. McConnell, a Rhode Island-based appointee of President Barack Obama, seized on what he called an unequivocal statement from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicating that the administration intended to implement the freeze even after nixing the OMB memo.

The evidence in the record at this point shows that, despite the rescission of the OMB Directive, the Executives decision to pause appropriated federal funds remains in full force and effect, the judge wrote, quoting a post Leavitt made on X downplaying the significance of OMBs move.

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The judge continued: The evidence shows that the alleged rescission of the OMB Directive was in name-only and may have been issued simply to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts. The substantive effect of the directive carries on.

The state attorneys general challenging the spending freeze argued that it violates the separation of powers, because the Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse. McConell ruled that the states are likely to succeed on that claim.

The White House has argued that the courts have no authority to block Trumps management of federal spending and that pauses in issuing funds have long been recognized by the courts as legitimate. But a series of conflicting statements from the White House  including a botched clean-up effort by OMB  have created doubts about potentially devastating consequences if the freeze is allowed to proceed, McConnell said.

The States have set forth facts showing that the Executives abrupt pause in potentially trillions of dollars of federal funding will cause a ripple effect that would directly impact the States and others ability to provide and administer vital services and relief to their citizens, McConnell wrote.

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McConnell also noted that a 50-year-old federal law called the Impoundment Control Act prohibits Trump from unilaterally canceling spending approved by Congress  unless he gets permission from lawmakers.

Here, there is no evidence that the Executive has followed the law by notifying Congress and thereby effectuating a potentially legally permitted so-called pause, McConnell wrote.
The Karachi-Quetta highway has been blocked for over a day as protests continue in Balochistan over the alleged enforced disappearance of 15-year-old Anas Ahmed from Khuzdar, as reported by the Balochistan Post. According to the Balochistan Post, Anas was taken from the Guzgi area of Balochistan by military personnel. His family, along with local residents, has organized a sit-in demanding his immediate release and information on his whereabouts. The protests have caused significant disruptions to traffic between Karachi and Quetta. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) has shown support for the demonstration, calling on people to gather at Shahsawar Chowk (Ghora Chowk) in solidarity with Anas's family, the Balochistan Post reported. Prominent activist Mahrang Baloch condemned the alleged abduction, describing it as an act of "state violence." On X, she stated, "15-year-old Anas Ahmed has been abducted from Khuzdar--beaten and taken away by security forces." She further stressed that the struggle against enforced disappearances is not only for the affected families but a collective fight for the survival of the Baloch nation, highlighting the broader oppression faced by their people, the Balochistan Post reported. According to the Balochistan Post, the human rights group Baloch Voice for Justice (BVJ) also condemned the incident, calling it a serious violation of basic human rights and Pakistan's constitutional protections. In a statement, BVJ pointed out that Anas's disappearance infringes on Article 10 of Pakistan's Constitution, which prohibits arbitrary detention and requires individuals to be informed of the reasons for their arrest. BVJ highlighted, "The Constitution mandates that no individual shall be arrested or detained without being informed of the reasons for their detention. Anas's case appears to disregard this fundamental protection." BVJ urged Pakistani authorities to clarify Anas's whereabouts and ensure his immediate release, emphasizing that his family deserves answers. The organization called for accountability for those responsible for this unlawful act. (ANI)
A federal judge on Friday sided with a coalition of 22 states and temporarily blocked a federal aid funding freeze directed by the Trump administration  the second such order this week.

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell, in Rhode Island, said in his ruling that the wide-ranging directive in the Office of Management and Budget memo that caused chaos and confusion this week in Washington and across the country appeared to violate the law.

"The Executives action unilaterally suspends the payment of federal funds to the States and others simply by choosing to do so," the judge wrote.

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"The Executive cites no legal authority allowing it to do so; indeed, no federal law would authorize the Executives unilateral action here," McConnell added, granting the coalition's request for a temporary restraining order.

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The Justice Department argued the issue is moot because the White House memo was rescinded Wednesday, two days after it was sent to federal agencies outlining a widespread freeze on most federal grants and loans.

The judge noted that after the memo was rescinded, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt tweeted: This is NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze. It is simply a rescission of the OMB memo. Why? To end any confusion created by the courts injunction. The Presidents EOs on federal funding remain in full force and effect, and will be rigorously implemented.

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McConnell said "the evidence shows that the alleged rescission of the OMB Directive was in name-only."

Based on the Press Secretarys unequivocal statement and the continued actions of Executive agencies, the Court finds that the policies in the OMB Directive that the States challenge here are still in full force and effect and thus the issues presented in the States TRO motion are not moot, he wrote.

The White House and Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The OMB memo issued Monday night directed federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and 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.

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The memo said the pause would allow the administration to review which programs are consistent with President Donald Trumps agenda. It said Social Security, Medicare and direct payments to individuals should not be impacted, but was vaguely worded, causing confusion about what aid would be halted. After it was issued, there were reports of people and organizations unable to access systems to receive their federal aid.

The memo also led to a pair of lawsuits before it was rescinded  one by a coalition of nonprofits in Washington, D.C., and another by the coalition of states and the District of Columbia.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan paused the administration's directive to allow for full arguments on it the following week.

McConnell's order goes a bit further, finding that the states are "are likely to succeed on the merits of some, if not all, their claims."

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"Federal law specifies how the Executive should act if it believes that appropriations are inconsistent with the Presidents priorities  it must ask Congress, not act unilaterally," he wrote.

Are there some aspects of the pause that might be legal and appropriate constitutionally for the Executive to take? The Court imagines there are, but it is equally sure that there are many instances in the Executive Orders wide-ranging, all-encompassing, and ambiguous pause of critical funding that are not, his decision said. The Court must act in these early stages of the litigation under the worst case scenario because the breadth and ambiguity of the Executives action makes it impossible to do otherwise.

The judge's temporary restraining order indefinitely blocks the administration from freezing existing federal financial assistance to states until he rules on a forthcoming motion for a preliminary injunction from the states.

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha thanked the judge "for seeing the irreparable harm that this directive would cause."

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The "Executive Branch does not have the authority to intercept crucially important federal funding that the Congress has already allocated to the states, and on which Americans rely. This directive targets public safety, health care, veterans services, childcare, disaster relief, and countless other cornerstones of American life," and "was implemented to inspire fear and chaos," he said in a statement.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
United States veterans will have a special perk when NASCAR comes to Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Eligible fans will be able to receive a discount on their tickets and camping arrangements to see the Ambetter Health 400 race weekend, set for Feb. 21-24 in Hampton, Georgia.

Here is how fans can access military discounts for the Ambetter Health 400 Atlanta NASCAR race.

View military ticketing for Atlanta NASCAR weekend

When is Ambetter Health 400 Atlanta NASCAR race?

The Ambetter Health 400 is scheduled for 2 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, Feb. 23 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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The NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will run a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, Feb. 22.

NASCAR military tickets at Atlanta Motor Speedway

All current service members and veterans are eligible to receive special pricing for tickets and camping to see the Ambetter Health 400 NASCAR race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Eligible race fans receive a 15% discount with a limit eight tickets per customer and the discount is only available online. Fans are also able to select the event(s) they wish to attend.

View military ticketing options for Atlanta Motor Speedway

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesnt influence our coverage.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Military discount for 2025 Ambetter Health 400 Atlanta NASCAR race
The US Navy developed a $50 million stealth surface vessel that was never put into operational use.

The Sea Shadow's angular surfaces inspired the design of the Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers.

Its influence also lives on in a new catamaran vessel designed for near-shore operations.

The Cold War was a golden age for stealth technology as the US military heavily invested in advanced systems and capabilities to get the upper hand over the Soviet Union.

Driven by the Soviet Union's advancements in radar and missile systems, the US military moved beyond just reducing radar visibility to designing fully radar-evading aircraft like Lockheed Martin's F-117 Nighthawk, the first operational stealth fighter.

But the US Navy sought to get eyes in the water as well, attempting to create the first stealth vessel that was undetectable by radar and sonar. The Navy never found a use for the one-of-a-kind vessel, whose design was ahead of its time and informed the creation of the Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers.

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Its influence also lives on in a new catamaran vessel designed for near-shore operations.

Stealth submarine to surface ship

The Sea Shadow featured a catamaran-style design with sharp angular surfaces to optimize stealth. US Navy

Ben Rich, then the director of Lockheed's Skunk Works, decided to apply the F-117's stealthy coatings and angular shaping to a submarine.

Rich and his Skunk Works team  the industry leaders in stealth design  developed a small-scale model of a submarine dubbed the Sea Shadow to test in a sonic chamber. They found that the angular design of the cigar-shaped hull bounced sonar signals away from the vessel and muffled sounds it emitted from the crew and engine.

Trial and error

The San Diego skyline is visible behind the Sea Shadow in the bay. US Navy

However, the Defense Department didn't find a need for underwater stealth craft, prompting Rich to adapt the design into a Small Water Area Twin Hull, a catamaran-style surface vessel designed to be stable and fast in rough seas whose futuristic design looked unlike anything else in the US fleet.

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The Pentagon expressed interest in Rich's modified stealth surface vessel model, authorizing a $50 million contract through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to Skunk Works to "test the effects of stealth shaping and coatings on surface vessels and effects of seawater on radar absorbing iron ferrite coatings," according to Lockheed Martin.

Top secret development

A Lockheed Martin contract manager involved in the Sea Shadow operations watches a submarine pull into San Diego Bay. US Navy

The Soviet Union's network of reconnaissance satellites could expose the positions of the US Navy's surface fleet. Drawing inspiration from the Nighthawk, the Sea Shadow incorporated sharp angles and flat surfaces of 45-degree angles to reduce the ship's radar visibility and avoid detection.

The stealth concept was tested in a 100-by-80-foot plastic swimming pool in Death Valley, California, using a simulated Soviet radar satellite. The successful test earned the project more funding to develop a prototype of the Sea Shadow.

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Developed under strict secrecy, the Sea Shadow was constructed modularly, building smaller sections of the ship before they were taken to a submergible barge in California to be fully assembled.

The 164-foot vessel could accommodate a four-man crew consisting of the commander, helmsman, navigator, and engineer. The diesel-electric propulsion system allowed the vessel to reach speeds of up to 15 knots, or about 17 miles per hour.

Failure to launch

The Sea Shadow was never used in combat but offered valuable insights into how stealth technology could be applied in maritime environments. US Navy

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The Sea Shadow prototype was designed to test the application of stealth technology at sea, exploring how its stealth capabilities would perform in real-world conditions.

But the stealth ship was a one-off prototype with limited capabilities, and its odd, unconventional design was highly specialized, making it less practical for general use. Without the flexibility or features of the other multi-role vessels in the Navy's fleet, the Sea Shadow never saw use.

After nearly three decades sitting in storage at a private shipyard in San Diego, the Navy offered the Sea Shadow to museums for free, but there were no takers. Instead, it was sold at a 95% loss in 2012  the highest bid amounting to $2.5 million  and was dismantled and scrapped.

Lasting legacy

The Sea Shadow never made it beyond the prototype stage, but it offered valuable insight into stealth technology in maritime environments. US Navy

Even though the prototype itself didn't fit into the Navy's evolving needs, it did provide valuable insights into adapting stealth technology for the sea. The lessons learned from Sea Shadow contributed to more advanced stealth ships and systems, like the Zumwalt-class destroyers.

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While the expensive Zumwalt class has long struggled to find a suitable mission and weapons, they featured similar stealth characteristics to the Sea Shadow, like low radar cross-sections and angular shapes, to achieve greater survivability and effectiveness in modern naval warfare.

General Dynamics GHOST vessel

General Dynamics' GHOST vessel can reconfigure its wings to adapt to the mission. General Dynamics

The Sea Shadow's design also has similarities with a new vessel. Developed by General Dynamics, the GHOST is an uncrewed vessel designed for coastal defense, special operations, and anti-piracy patrols. It can raise or lower its wings for low visibility, high speed, or stability.

The 62-foot drone has a shallow four-foot draft for coastal operations, and its hybrid turbine-and-electric drive allows the vessel to reach speeds of up to 32.5 knots, or about 37 mph. A General Dynamics brochure said it has two "stealth" modes.

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Not only can the GHOST be modified physically to fit the mission at hand  like carrying missiles or ferrying 16 Navy SEALs  but it can also be operated by a pilot and navigator onboard, controlled remotely, or programmed as an autonomous platform.

Read the original article on Business Insider
While running for governor, Mike Braun vowed to cut Hoosier property taxes.

Senate Bill 1, introduced by Sen. Travis Holdman (R-District 19), aims to follow through with the governors proposal.

As the bill is currently written, homestead deductions would be raised for houses worth less than $125,000. Homeowners would start with a $48,000 deduction and add 60% of the remaining assessed value of their home.

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The bill would also cap annual property tax increases to 3% for all property types, including homesteads. Homeowners 65 and older, as well as homeowners who have minor children or are classified as low-income would have their property tax increases capped at 2%.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy, which Holdman is chair of. Its still in its early stages.

While the bill would help homeowners save money on taxes, it would also cut into potential revenue in coming years for local government entities across the state.

According to the Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis, school corporations across the state would see the largest decline in revenue if SB 1 is signed into law as it currently stands.

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The government agency predicted Indiana school corporations would see $536 million less in revenue for 2026, $626 million to $641 million less in 2027, and $708 million to $737 million less in 2028.

Struggling schools face further impact

Roughly 18% of the Logansport Community School Corporations total budget came from property tax dollars in 2024.

Property taxes cover two funds for Indianas public schools: Operations and Debt Service funds.

Operations funds pay for some salaries, including custodians and school board members, lesser improvement projects like new desks and parking lots, and new buses.

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Debt Service funds pay for all debt payments in a fiscal year and often include large construction projects, such as a new fieldhouse.

Michele Starkey, superintendent of the Logansport Community School Corporation, explained LCSC is already one of the top 20 school districts in the state negatively impacted by the current tax caps.

Further changes proposed by SB 1 would likely further the negative impact.

The bill is still fairly young, though, and Starkey explained she doesnt yet have a full understanding of how the current changes will impact the school corporation.

It is something that we are waiting to see, she wrote in an email to the Pharos-Tribune. We usually get a projected budget run and I have not yet received one.

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For Lewis Cass Schools, nearly the entire budget for Debt Service is funded through property tax dollars. Just short of half of the school corporations Operations Fund comes from property tax dollars, too.

Chris Daughtry, superintendent of Lewis Cass Schools, explained the original property tax caps, and the circuit breaker impact that resulted from those caps, created a great deal of disparity for small and rural school communities like Lewis Cass.

Further property tax losses prevent schools from being able to maintain their facilities and provide a safe and adequate learning environment for students, Daughtry wrote in an email to the Pharos-Tribune. Indiana children deserve to have quality schools and a measure like what is being proposed simply makes that harder for schools to provide.

Logansport takes a hit

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Cities and towns would see the second largest impact. The Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis predicts roughly $263 million less in revenue for 2026, $319 million to $326 million less in 2027, and $378 million to $391 million less in 2028.

Logansport City Council president Dave Morris explained the proposed tax changes would have a significant impact on the Citys funding. Roughly  of the Citys budget comes from property taxes.

Were working within our means now, but unfortunately everything that we have to pay goes up every year, Morris said, adding the proposed property tax changes would make it more challenging to keep up with rising costs.

The City would likely have to find some different avenues to bring in revenue.

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Officials are now working with the Citys consultants to look into the full impact the bill could have on Logansports finances.

Morris said he plans to bring those figures to an upcoming Third House session, set for 9 a.m. Feb. 15 in the Cass County Chamber of Commerces community room, where hell be able to present the potential impact to representatives like Rep. Ethan Manning (R-District 23) and Sen. Stacey Donato (R-District 18).

Counties would see the third largest impact if SB 1 were to be signed into law as it currently stands.

The Office of Fiscal and Management Analysis predicts counties statewide would see roughly $211 million less in revenue in 2026, $251 million to $257 million less in 2027, and $287 million to $299 million less in 2028.

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The agency also broke down the impact SB 1 would have per county. Looking at every property tax-collecting entity across Cass County, the agency predicted $3,830,000 less revenue in 2026, $4,904,000 to $4,984,000 less in 2027 and $5,735,000 to $5,897,000 less in 2028.

Bill highlighted during State of the State Address

Gov. Mike Braun lauded SB 1 during his first State of the State Address on Wednesday.

Hoosiers from all over the state told me these tax bills keep rising, but wages arent keeping up with that pace, Braun said. That isnt sustainable.

The changes in property taxes will not affect state government funding, though.

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The governor stated in the address that tax relief would have an impact on local governments, and I realize that, but taxpayers are struggling, and we have to put their needs first.

He added his administration is working with local governments to protect funding for schools and first responders, and that local governments across the state would have to do more with a little bit less.

Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith also shared his thoughts in an email sent to the Pharos-Tribune after the State of the State address.

This administration prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness, and this mentality echoed throughout the walls of the Indiana House Chamber this evening, Beckwith wrote. Property taxes are crushing Hoosier families, and we need the General Assembly to get Governor Brauns property tax plan across the finish line.
Matthew Brown

Associated Press

The Senate confirmed Doug Burgum as interior secretary late Thursday after President Donald Trump tapped the former North Dakota governor to spearhead the Republican administration's ambitions to boost fossil fuel production.

The vote was 79-18. More than half of Senate Democrats joined all 53 Republicans in voting for Burgum.

Burgum, 68, is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who came from a small North Dakota farming community, where he worked at his familys grain elevator.

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He served two terms as governor of the oil-rich state and launched a presidential campaign in 2023, but dropped out months later and quickly endorsed Trump.

Trump also picked Burgum to chair a new National Energy Council that's tasked with achieving American energy dominance. He would have a seat on the National Security Council  a first for the interior secretary.

His directive from Trump is to make it even easier for energy companies to tap fossil fuel resources, including from public lands. That raised alarms among environmentalists and some Democrats as greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels bake the planet.

Burgum eagerly assisted the energy industry during his time as governor, when he was also profiting from the lease of family land to oil companies, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

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As interior secretary, Burgum will head a department that manages a half-billion acres of public lands, federal wildlife programs, and national parks and monuments. He also will oversee many tribal functions, particularly the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education. He replaces Laguna Pueblo leader Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold the position.

As the former governor of a state with five tribes, Burgum has a long history addressing Native issues. Not long after he took office, protests broke out near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, over the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines. Fearing escalation, Burgum ordered all protesters leave the encampments by Feb. 22, 2017, saying he did not want protesters to be removed by force.

Burgums response to the protests raised alarms for tribes, and he and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe continue to have opposing stances on the pipeline, but the two maintain a solid relationship and meet regularly. He is considered to have good relationships with other tribes in North Dakota as well and is credited with significantly improving dialogue between the state and its tribes.

"Tribal Nations and Senators believe Burgum has the experience and knowledge of Tribal relations, federal lands, energy, water supply, and agriculture to collaborate on solutions that will best serve the American people," the National Indian Health Board said in a statement Friday.

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During his confirmation hearing, Burgum said the U.S. can use energy development as leverage to promote peace and to lower consumer costs.

He raised concerns about the reliability of renewable power sources promoted under former President Joe Biden, and said the U.S. needs to generate more electricity from sources such as coal and nuclear that can run constantly.

Democrats in response accused the Trump administration of abandoning an all of the above energy policy to favor fossil fuels.

They said wind is dead on the offshore. They are trying to do as much of this as possible to create demand for coal, for fossil gas, Hawaii Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz said during a Thursday floor speech.

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Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, said Burgum would rightfully prioritize energy innovation over regulation.

Hes going to take the common-sense action of unlocking our lands for oil and for gas production, Barrasso said. He added that more than 600,000 acres of land in Wyoming have been approved for energy production but were not offered for development by the Biden administration.

The U.S. currently produces more crude oil than any nation in history, according to the Energy Information Administration. More cost-effective technology in recent decades drove drilling booms in states including New Mexico, Texas and North Dakota, where vast expanses of rural farmland have been industrialized by oil and gas companies.

The booms brought billions of dollars in tax revenue to state and federal governments. But burning those fuels is also unleashing immense volumes of carbon dioxide that scientists say is warming the planet.

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Under Biden, Halaand sharply scaled back oil and gas sales and promoted solar and wind projects on federal lands.

Trump made energy development a centerpiece of his first term and is again vowing to abolish restrictions on the industry that are intended to protect the environment and public health.

Burgum, during his hearing earlier this month before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, suggested to lawmakers that carbon dioxide from fossil fuels could be captured to neutralize their contribution to global warming.

Carbon-capture skeptics say the technology is untested at scale and allows the fossil-fuel industry to continue largely unchanged even as climate change becomes increasingly urgent.

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During Haaland's tenure at the Interior Department, officials also reversed actions taken during Trump's first term that weakened protections for imperiled species while making it easier for private developers to pursue projects on public lands.

Republicans in Congress have said they plan to again seek changes to rules on endangered species and they want Burgum to help.

Burgum says federal lands can be used for many purposes including recreation, logging and oil and gas production that can lift local economies.

Not every acre of federal land is a national park or a wilderness area," he told lawmakers.
A group of nearly 40 Senate Democrats is calling on President Trump to reinstate all of the inspectors general (IG) he fired in one night last week, arguing the decision does not comply with the law and could do lasting harm to IG independence.

Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs, the 38 Democratic Senators, led by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) wrote in a 5-page Friday letter to Trump.

The lawmakers said that Congress did not receive the 30-day notice or the reason for the IGs removals which took place at over a dozen agencies.

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Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately, until such time as you have provided in writing the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for each of the affected Inspectors General and the 30-day notice period has expired, the upper-chamber legislators wrote.

Trump directed the firing of a flurry of IG in at least 18 offices across the federal government, including within the Department of Defense (DOD), the State Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Energy Department, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and others.

The removal of IGs sparked backlash not just among Democrats, but also questions about the development came from some Republicans, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

Senate Judiciary Committee sent a bipartisan letter to Trump on Tuesday demanding answers about the firings and reiterating that the president did not give a 30-day notice before following through on the removals.

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He is the executive of the executive branch, and therefore he has the power to fire anyone within the executive branch that he wishes to, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week.

IGs provide oversight of the agencies and are a way for whistleblowers to come forward and report wrongdoing on a range of issues, including fraud, waste and others. Those watchdogs can serve in multiple administrations.

Without strong, qualified and independent officials to lead these critical efforts, the Administration risks wasting taxpayer dollars, and allowing fraud and misconduct to go unchecked, Senate Democrats wrote in the Friday letter.

The presidents administration has also fired several FBI officials, including those stationed at various offices around the country and those who have worked on his criminal cases, The Hill reported Friday.

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The Friday letter was signed by Peters, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-N.V.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jacky Rosen (D-N.V.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.).

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A 118-member delegation which includes Heads of Mission (HoM) and their spouses as well as diplomats from a total of 77 countries, arrived at Maha Kumbh Mela Kshetra on Saturday. Speaking to ANI earlier today, Slovak Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, congratulated the Indian government for organizing the event. "I am very excited. I want to congratulate your government for organising this great spiritual event... I am a fan of India. India is like my second home," he said. Mariano Caucino, Ambassador of Argentina to India, also expressed his happiness at being able participate in the ceremony. "I am very happy to take part in this important ceremony and follow the traditions," he said.. Upon the the arrival of the foreign diplomats, the BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh said, "Ambassadors, High Commissioners have come to participate in the Maha Kumbh. We have to welcome them. Everyone is excited." Stella Nkomo, Zimbabwe ambassador to India descirbed this as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience," adding that "Diplomatic life is also about pursuing cultural and public diplomacy. This is a cultural diplomacy where we seek to understand India deeply... We are grateful to the Uttar Pradesh state for hosting us." Christian Villarreal, Bolivia Head of Mission in India, said, "... The Minister of External Affairs has the capacity to invite us once a year to the main celebrations of India. I had the privilege to be invited to Diwali 1.5 years ago, but nothing compares to this occasion. Not even my sons will be able to visit such an event which happens once in 144 years..." Over 5.42 million devotees took dip on Saturday in the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and mystical Saraswati in the ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. Among these, over 1 million Kalpavasis and 4.42 million pilgrims have taken a dip in the Triveni waters today. As of January 31, over 314.6 million have already taken a dip in the sacred confluence of three rivers since the commencement of the event. The MahaKumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is the world's largest public gathering and collective act of faith. This congregation, primarily, includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and Pilgrims from all walks of life, as per the Maha Kumbh website. The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 that began at Prayagraj on January 13 is set to continue till February 26. The Maha Kumbh is held after every 144 years. (ANI)
Senate Republicans are reportedly raring to go with an alternative route to fast-track President Donald Trumps agenda through Congress even as party leaders in the House have not yet finalized their own plan after months of discussions.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Politico this week that text is ready for a budget blueprint that would unlock the reconciliation process, something House leaders have been racing to finish themselves amid intraparty debate on what to include in the legislation. The Senate plan would advance a two-bill package, which Thune has been urging despite pushback from House Republican leaders who want to pass just one massive spending bill.

Weve been ready for a while, Thune told the outlet. Everything is ready to go.

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Under that plan, its likely the Senate would move to pass a first reconciliation bill that includes Trumps proposals for immigration and energy policies, with a more complex tax-focused package to follow later in the year.

Some House Republicans have pushed against that strategy, warning that the policies implemented in Trumps 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act would expire if they are not included in the first go-around. Portions of those cuts are scheduled to lapse at the end of 2025.

Its not clear when the Senate would move forward with such a plan, and Thune said the timeline mostly depends on what the House is going to do.

GOP representatives met earlier this week in Doral, Florida, for their annual issues conference with the intent to finalize a blueprint for reconciliation. But by the time the retreat came to an end on Wednesday, lawmakers appeared to have few more concrete details than when they arrived  noting only that they are nearing an agreement for a topline number that should be released within the next week.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters they would settle on a topline number shortly and that the House Budget Committee would begin marking up its own resolution next week  kickstarting an ambitious timeline to compile the spending package and pass it through Congress sometime in April.

But Johnson and other House leaders have been stalled by some members in the conference who have voiced disagreement with portions of the package. Because the party has only a one-seat majority, Johnson has little room for error on a bill that is unlikely to garner any Democratic support.

The House Budget Committee is still planning to move forward with the one-bill strategy and release budget reconciliation instructions, which sets the topline number for tax and spending levels. Once that passes the House and Senate, individual committees will get to work to craft legislative text for the massive package.

This will be the most consequential legislation of the next four years and its important we get it right, Texas Rep. Jodey Arrington, chairman of the House Budget Committee, told the Deseret News in a statement. Reigniting our economy, reining-in wasteful spending, and providing critical investment in our nations security is the overarching goal. We will work as a team and continue to allow members to drive a consensus plan in support of President Trumps agenda to make America safe and prosperous again.

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To accomplish that, several lawmakers have acknowledged they wont get everything they want. However, some members have warned against declaring non-negotiables, noting its impossible to ensure all lawmakers have their demands met in full.

Were all negotiating, and if everybody has a redline, were going to get to the point where no one can get anything done, Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, told the Deseret News in Florida. Leadership has provided a lot of opportunities to go talk to them about what we need to see in the bill.  So if we end up in a situation where at the last minute, when the bills are going for a vote, people suddenly have complaints, well know for sure this time that they just want to complain.
North Carolinas most keen political observers may remember his name.

Pentagon officials are asking who he is.

Among President Donald Trumps many cabinet nominees is Dan Driscoll, 38, of Winston-Salem. He faced the Senate Committee on Armed Services Thursday regarding his nomination to serve as secretary of the Army.

If confirmed, his profile will become much greater.

Driscoll served in the Army as a cavalry scout platoon leader, leaving after less than four years of service with the rank of first lieutenant.

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His political background is limited, though he unsuccessfully ran in a 2020 Republican primary, one of many eager to replace Rep. Mark Meadows, who became Trumps chief of staff.

But Driscoll was a schoolmate of Vice President JD Vance. They attended Yale Law School together.

Driscolls relationship to Vance seems important in Trump World, the name political insiders give to the people in the presidents close orbit. Trump mentioned that link when he announced Driscolls nomination on social media.

On Thursday, Driscoll had to defend Trump picking him by demonstrating his knowledge of the Army and how he would lead a military branch that has a requested $185.9 billion budget and employs more than 1.2 million people.

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Its the honor of my life to be given the opportunity to earn your trust and continue my service to our great nation, Driscoll told the senators.

Who is Dan Driscoll?

Driscoll was raised in Banner Elk, the same community where Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican, lives.

He attended Watauga High School, where he met his wife, and graduated, in 2007, from UNC-Chapel Hill, within three years, with a degree in business administration.

From there he joined the U.S. Army where he served from 2007-2011. He was deployed to Iraq in 2009.

Driscoll told the committee he is a third-generation soldier whose father and grandfather also served in the United States military. His 8-year-old son plans to join the military as well, he said..

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The committee is grateful to your familys military service and for your willingness to continue serving your country, said Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island.

Vance and Driscoll

After Driscolls military service, he he enrolled in law school in 2011, on a G.I. bill.

In August 2024, Driscoll spoke to PBS Frontline about his friendship with Vance to offer insights into Vances path from Yale to being Trumps pick as a running mate.

Driscoll said he and Vance met at a group Vance ran called, Yale Veterans Association. There were three to four members in the group and it was there that he and Vance formed a friendship.

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That friendship lasted outside the ivy leagues halls.

Just six years after leaving Yale, Driscoll in 2020 tried to become a Republican candidate for Congress in North Carolina. Vance, not yet a U.S. senator, donated $500 to Driscolls campaign.

Eleven people ran in that Republican primary to represent North Carolinas 11th Congressional District. Driscoll, who lived outside the district, came in sixth place.

Lynda Bennett, a family friend of Meadows, placed first but without enough votes to stop second-place winner Madison Cawthorn from asking for a runoff. Cawthorn won, launching him to just one term in Congress that was marked by a series of scandals.

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Driscoll worked as a venture capitalist and in private equity at companies in North Carolina before becoming a senior advisor to Vance, Trump said in his sparse nomination announcement.

Driscoll would serve as a disruptor and change agent, the president promised.

A mixed reception

Despite Driscolls lack of experience, he faced little push-back from the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Sen. Ted Budd, a Republican from Davie County, serves on the committee.

During the hearing, Budd went protective, advising Driscoll not to answer the chairmans question about his favorite type of barbecue, but he did so anyways.

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So as someone from western North Carolina, senator, my heart bleeds for the thick ketchup-based barbecue that I grew up with, but I can concede that Lexington barbecue is exceptional, Driscoll said.

But the majority of the hearing was serious in tone, with members asking very specific questions about Driscolls experience, plans for the Army and potential investigations into the crash of an Army Black Hawk helicopter into a commercial jet, killing 67 people outside Washington D.C., just over 12 hours prior.

Reed reminded Driscoll that what was being asked of him, if confirmed, was no small task.

He said Driscoll would be coming into the job as the military overhauls its major weapons systems, looks to transform the structure and organization of its Brigade Combat Teams to equip them with cutting edge technology to be more mobile and lethal, and dealing with rapidly evolving technologies such as unmanned drone defenses and communications.

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He also reminded Driscoll that the Armys budget is flat, while there are numerous deployments around the world.

And Reed voiced concerns about Trumps plans to use the military domestically to stop migrants from crossing the southern border.

I am concerned the administrations orders to significantly increase military support to domestic law enforcement, particularly on the southwestern border, will harm the Armys readiness, Reed told Driscoll, before adding that he supports a large increase to budget of the Department of Homeland Security.

Driscoll calmly answered questions and concerns from various senators, sometimes being complimented for his responses.

Some strong skepticism





Driscoll didnt escape the hearing without some overt opposition.

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That came from Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois.

Duckworth began her exchange with Driscoll asking him about Trumps plan to implement a now-rescinded funding freeze on federal grants and loans. Trumps order, issued a day prior, faced so much backlash and uncertainty that Trump would have to walk it back before Driscoll came before the committee.

She asked Driscoll what his position was on the legality of the order.

I havent been able to take a deep enough look to know whether it was legal or not, but I would not believe that the president could issue an illegal order, he answered.

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Duckworth made clear she was confounded, repeating his answer.

If President Trump directed you to do something illegal, would you refuse to obey, she immediately asked.

Driscoll said he rejected the premise of the question, but he would only follow lawful orders.

She told Driscoll she believed he performed poorly when he met with her one-on-one, saying he was unable to answer questions like how many Army personnel were in a division or a name of a country in Africa where the United States has troops.

And she criticized him for not being able, during the hearing, to name the elements of forced posture, which she told him was military disposition, strength, condition and readiness.

But she did give him some credit for doing his homework after their meeting and said she was impressed by his ability to answer some of her colleagues questions Thursday.

Following the hearing, the committee must now decide whether they approve of Driscolls nomination.

If approved, which seems likely, his nomination will go before the entire Senate, led by a Republican majority, for a final vote.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A series of fires that erupted across San Diego last week, destroying a home and displacing residents, started in homeless encampments, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue investigators Friday.

The Friars Fire in Mission Valley, the Gilman Fire in La Jolla, and the Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo were all traced back to encampments, officials confirmed.

One of the most destructive blazes, the Friars Fire, spread quickly across the steep hillside near Fashion Valley Mall, forcing evacuations and damaging multiple condominium units.

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WATCH: Protesters rally in National City against mass deportations

Tina Burrell was at work when the fire broke out, but her daughter was inside their rental condo.

She looked outside, freaked out, saw black smoke and flames, Burrell said.

Despite the efforts of firefighters, several condos were damaged, and Burrells unit was destroyed.

Video from inside the home shows the extent of the devastation. Burrell, her adult daughter and her son lost everything.

It was about five days of crying, honestly. Just crying, trying to figure out what to do, where to go, Burrell said. When one day to the next youre homeless, its very traumatic.

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Burrell acknowledged the irony that the fire that displaced her may have been caused by individuals experiencing homelessness.

Mark Polinsky, whose condo was also damaged, said he has repeatedly voiced concerns to city officials about homeless encampments in Mission Valley.

The homeless outreach team comes, they disperse them, and two weeks later, I see another shopping cart, another bicycle, same situation, he said.

Residents say they sympathize with the homeless but worry about the potential for more fires.

Right there at the DoubleTree, theres a huge encampment there, resident Kaili Geo said.

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Geo, who had to evacuate during the Friars Fire, believes a long-term solution is necessary.

We need to be able to offer these people  because theres so many of them  something as a community, somewhere to go or safe to go, she said.

Burrell agrees. She launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her family find permanent housing.

Homelessness is rampant right now in San Diego, she said. Something needs to be done, like now.

Fire investigators are still working to determine what specifically ignited the fires.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The new president of Seton Hall University was told in writing more than five years ago that he violated federal Title IX policies on sexual abuse reporting and that he should no longer hold the leadership positions he held at the time.

In internal documents being published for the first time by POLITICO, a special task force formed by the university to carry out disciplinary actions detailed investigators findings and recommendations against Monsignor Joseph Reilly in 2019. Reilly, then a high-ranking seminary leader and member of university boards, was not accused of abuse but investigators determined he did not properly report sexual misconduct allegations from 2012.

Reilly acknowledged those findings in November 2019 and, within days, stepped down from a university hiring committee. He remained, however, in charge of a seminary that trains priests  despite the recommendation he resign from that position, too.

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Five years later, Seton Halls governing board promoted him to president of one of the countrys most prestigious Catholic universities.

Read the letters here.

In the month since POLITICO first revealed that Reilly was implicated in the investigation, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has called for the university to release the report and two state lawmakers  all Democrats  as well as abuse advocates have said he should resign.

The university has ignored those calls and instead reaffirmed its support for Reilly  while insisting that recent news stories have falsely and unfairly portrayed him. The school has previously said it wouldnt release the report because it is essential to respect the privacy and confidentiality promised to all individuals who participated in the review.

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Spokespeople for Reilly and Seton Hall did not respond to questions this week about how hed been falsely and unfairly portrayed. There was also no response to questions about why the university acted against the advice of lawyers it hired to conduct the review.

The task forces correspondence fill in more detail about how the school dealt with one of its most powerful figures in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal that grabbed national attention and led to a separate investigation by the Vatican. The documents also add to Seton Halls own public summary of its investigation that said its policies were not always followed and resulted in incidents of sexual harassment going unreported to the University.

The university hired two law firms in 2018 to review the influence and actions of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was the archbishop of Newark before being named to lead the diocese in Washington, D.C. Seton Hall is part of the Newark archdiocese, whose archbishop  currently Cardinal Joseph Tobin  serves as president of the universitys Board of Regents and chair of the Board of Trustees.

The McCarrick investigation followed decades of allegations that he had sexually abused children and seminarians. Since then, he has faced allegations across multiple states, and was stripped of his ministry.

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Investigators came back to the schools Board of Regents in 2019 with findings against about a dozen priests on campus, including Reilly. The governing board then adopted a Responsive Action Plan, crafted by outside counsel, to address the misconduct of the involved individuals.

Among other things, the action plan said that any employee or board member who had knowledge of sexual misconduct and failed to report it or take action in accordance with university policies cannot continue as a Board member or serve in any SHU leadership position. It also said such employees or board members with knowledge of McCarricks misconduct and did not report it or act to protect seminarians cannot serve as an administrator, board member or hold any leadership position at SHU.

Reilly had served one year as McCarricks priest-secretary, in 1994. The investigation covered his tenure as the archbishop of Newark from 1986 to 2000. When he was McCarricks secretary, Reilly once went to McCarricks beach house but  because he had heard rumors of the archbishop sharing a bed with seminarians  made sure he stayed in a downstairs bedroom, according to a memo of investigators findings viewed by POLITICO. It also said Reilly made sure seminarians didnt visit the beach house alone.

Reilly later went on to lead two seminaries on campus  St. Andrews Hall and Immaculate Conception Seminary.

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In 2012, while rector and dean of Immaculate Conception, Reilly investigated a student complaint of sexual assault in house and did not report it or follow the school and federal Title IX policies and procedures, according to the memo. It said Reilly dismissed a seminarian  an alleged victim of sexual abuse  in 2012 without investigating the incident or escalating the matter, a violation of university policy.

In a letter to Reilly in November 2019, task force chair Joseph P. LaSala wrote that investigators also found that Reilly declined to answer questions about certain sexual harassment at St. Andrews he was aware of.

As a result, the Responsive Action Plan recommends that the Archbishop of Newark remove you from your position as rector of ICS, the letter said. The Responsive Action Plan also recommends that you be removed from your position on the [Board of Trustees] and the Board of Overseers.

Reilly then submitted to an unrestricted interview with investigators, in January 2020 and provided what he knew about the 2014 allegations at St. Andrews Hall. In a second letter to Reilly, in February 2020, LaSala wrote that investigators had found Reilly was aware of the 2012 allegations and did not properly report them. He repeated the Responsive Action Plans recommendations that he be removed from seminary leadership and school boards.

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We hope you appreciate the Universitys need to implement fully the Responsive Action Plan, he wrote, which is designed to ensure that all members of the Seton Hall community abide by the Universitys Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation and that the University faithfully adhere to its Guidelines for Responding to Complaints of Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation.

In a university-wide email last week, Board of Regents Chair Hank DAlessandro said the board reviewed the findings, and with the University, approved the implementation of personnel changes and improvements to the Seminary. After that, he said the board enthusiastically supported Monsignor Reilly.

It still does, he said in last weeks email.

The Board has stood by and continues to stand by Monsignor and trusts his proven record of effective leadership. He is a faithful servant and the right person to lead Seton Hall.
Above: Jaime Chambers report on the special election for FOX 5 on Jan. 27.

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The slate of hopefuls seeking to succeed Nora Vargas as the South County representative on the Board of Supervisors has been set.

Seven candidates made the cut after the qualification deadline passed earlier this week: the four South Bay officials who announced bids for higher office once Vargas seat became open and three would-be newcomers to elected office in San Diego.

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Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, Chula Vista City Councilmember Carolina Chavez, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann and San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno all announced bids for the seat in the days following Vargas resignation.

MORE: District 1 Supervisor special election

Joining them are affordable energy consultant Elizabeth Efird; former chair of the Board of Supervisors in neighboring Imperial County, Louis Fuentes; and Lincoln Pickard, who has run unsuccessfully for a number of South Bay offices in recent years.

While the Board of Supervisors is technically a nonpartisan body, the race will be decisive in determining majority control, with the potential to swing it back into the hands Republicans just four years after Democrats took the reigns for the first time in decades.

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The field consists of three Republicans  McCann, Fuentes and Pickard  and three Democrats  Aguirre, Chavez and Moreno. It is not known what party Efird represents.

Given the crowded field, there is a possibility the special election could head to a runoff race between the top two vote-getters. One candidate would need to garner more than 50% of the vote to win the seat outright in April, averting a second round of voting down the line.

What to know about the special election for Vargas Board of Supervisors seat

Voting will begin in the special election during the week of Monday, March 10 ahead of the deadline on April 8. Should the special election head to a runoff, the Registrar of Voters will hold that contest in early July.

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Postcards with preliminary information on the race, including important dates and deadlines, were mailed to District 1 voters earlier this week. Mail-in ballots will be distributed during the week voting begins.

The candidate elected to the District 1 seat will serve out the remainder of Vargas term, which ends in January 2029.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
TAMPA, Fla (WFLA)  Bershauna Moore was trying to see the house her late aunt willed to her, when she found a quitclaim deed saying her aunt signed the house over to a company she doesnt even know.

My heart dropped because now I felt like being my son is about to be homeless, Moore said.

Pinellas County man told to remove boat he sold in 2019, threatened with $1000 fines

The deed appears to show it was made in 2018 but not filed with the Hillsborough County court system until 2022. Attorney Gary De Pury pointed out the issues he saw in the documents, starting with the grantor acknowledgement not being on the same page beneath the signatures.

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That indicates to me that this was just a completely fake page, De Pury said. Theres several issues with this deed.

He said another red flag is in the acknowledgement, as a law went into effect in 2020 allowing remote online notarizations. On the deed, it says, by means of physical presence or online notarization on January 18, 2018.

If I was defending this deed, I would have to explain to a judge how my time traveling notary was able to put on here the foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me by means of physical presence or online notarization, the 18th day of January 2018, De Pury said. Why would a notary put something that doesnt even exist for two more years?

Moore told 8 On Your Side her aunt was battling dementia in 2018, and she was her caretaker. Her aunt died the same year.

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She paid her mortgage off and everything herself. And it hurts that somebody can do that to somebody that worked that hard, catching buses, you know. And just come, just take somebody with house, (their) livelihood, Moore said.

De Pury continued with how the notary was stamped in 2018, and said it shouldve expired before the date listed, which is 2026.

News Channel 8 On Your Side went to the Hillsborough County Clerks Office about this case.

They sent a statement that read in part, There is no time limit in Florida limiting when a person can file a Quit Claim deed thats been properly completed. The Clerks Office is required to record properly completed forms, per Florida Statute.

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The office also encourages people to sign up for the property fraud alert system, and they say if homeowners suspect they are victims of property fraud, they should contact law enforcement immediately.

Moore told 8 On Your Side she filed a report with the Tampa Police Department, but didnt want it to come to this. De Pury said this is not a case he would turn away from, and said he thinks the deed is fraudulent.

Both the attorney and Moore questioned if the addresses of the witnesses on the deed needed to be added, per state law. That law didnt become a requirement until 2023, a year after the deed was submitted.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
MADISON, Miss. (WJTV)  Management at Fernandos restaurant in Madison said they were shocked when they heard an employee was accused of sexually assaulting a woman.

Officers arrested Jose Rigoberta Meija-Cubias, 37, of El Salvador, Thursday, January 30 in connection to the case. They said he was located at the restaurant and taken into custody while a search warrant was being conducted at the establishment.

Man accused of sexually assaulting woman at Madison restaurant

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During the course of the search warrant, police said they discovered that several people, who entered the country illegally, were employed at the restaurant. U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) responded to the scene and arrested seven people.

Fernando Gomez, who started the family business, said he was shocked when he heard what happened. He said the business will be more careful about who they hire.

I guess the next time somebody does that, we probably have to make sure they legal already other than the IDs that they provide to us. Lets make sure that they really are not fake, said Gomez.

Jose Rigoberta Meija-Cubias (Courtesy: Madison County Detention Center)

Meija-Cubias made his initial appearance in Madison Municipal Court on Friday, January 31. He was given the following bond on all of his charges listed below:

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Sexual Battery of a Physically Helpless Person  $1 million bond Tampering with Evidence  $250,000 bond Three counts of Photographing Another Without Permission Where There is an Expectation of Privacy  $600,000 bond

ICE has placed a detainer on Meija-Cubias. Police said he was previously deported from the United States in 2010.

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Sexual misconduct allegations against police officers rose by more than two-thirds last year, Government data show.

The number of allegations relating to sexual conduct  including sexual assault and harassment  against officers increased to 819 in 2024, up 67 per cent from the 491 recorded in 2023.

The 819 cases ranged from complaints made through standard police systems to the most severe recordable conduct matters, where they had an adverse effect on a member of the public or resulted in death or serious injury.

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The most serious recordable conduct incidents for police officers jumped by 84 per cent last year from 246 to 452, the steepest rise of any category.

The figures come in the wake of the jailing for life of Wayne Couzens, the former police officer who kidnapped, raped and murdered Sarah Everard in 2021.

The ensuing review of the Met Polices culture and standards of behaviour by Baroness Louise Casey concluded there was a culture of misogyny within the force.

Baroness Louise Caseys report concluded there was a culture of misogyny within the police - Getty Images/Kirsty O'Connor

In 2023, David Carrick, a serving police constable, was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years, after admitting multiple rapes between 2002 and 2021.

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Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, launched a crackdown when he took up the post in September 2022, leading to nearly 600 officers being sacked and barred from returning to the force in the year to March 2024.

It represented a 50 per cent rise on the 394 officer dismissals over the previous 12 months and highlighted the scale of the crackdown which last month saw the force taken out of special measures by the police inspectorate.

Last year, the Government also announced reforms to address flaws in police vetting and misconduct processes, as part of a bid to tackle violence against women and girls.

The number of police officers and staff working in the Professional Standards Department also grew in recent years, increasing resources to facilitate the investigation and finalisation of a greater number of cases.

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Prof Layla Skinns, of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of Sheffield, told PoliticsHome: The increase in allegations of sexual misconduct over the last year shows that, rightly, there is growing police attention on such matters.

However, more needs to be done to address the institutional sexism and misogyny highlighted by Casey, that underpins it, and to address the rotten barrels, not just the rotten apples.

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Feb. 1For the second time in five years, the Galt community has successfully pushed back against a proposal to place a sexual offender on the outskirts of the city.

On Friday, a Sacramento County Superior Court judge denied the Department of State Hospitals' request to house Christopher Dryden, who was convicted on two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor in 1998, at 12655 Hauschildt Road, a little more than half a mile outside the city limits.

Galt Police Chief Brian Kalinowski and city leadership opposed the placement, arguing the proposed site "lacks the access to essential social and medical services and is in an area historically underserved by county resources."

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A special meeting on Jan. 28 to discuss the proposal drew a large gathering of residents also opposed to the proposal.

Dryden was sentenced to six years in state prison in 1998, then transferred to Coalinga State Hospital after being designated as a sexually violent predator, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office.

As required by legislation passed in 2023, once a court finds an sexually violent predator is ready for outpatient treatment, the district attorney, local law enforcement, county counsel, and the attorney representing the defendant must collaborate with DSH in a "housing committee" to locate a residence for placement.

To be classified a sexually violent predator, a person has to have been convicted of a violent sex crime against at least one victim and be diagnosed with a condition that makes that person likely to re-offend.

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State law allows certain sex offenders to be sent to a state hospital indefinitely after a prison sentence, and then they undergo therapy until doctors and a judge find them safe enough to continue treatment in the community.

In 2021, a Humboldt County judge denied placing Joshua Cooley on the outskirts of town at 9675 Harvey Road after reading several letters of opposition from the District Attorney's Office, law enforcement officials and City of Galt officials and residents.

Cooley had been charged in Humboldt County with multiple cases of sexual battery, making criminal threats, kidnapping and the sexual assault of a person younger than 14 in 2001 and 2002, and was convicted in 2004. He served four years and eight months in prison before he was released on parole and required to wear an ankle monitor. He violated parole in 2007 after providing alcohol to two 12-year-old girls at a party inside his Eureka home. Cooley also admitted to kissing a 17-year-old female at the same event.
Tel Aviv [Israel], February 1 (ANI/TPS): Israeli officials confirmed on Friday that the three hostages to return on Saturday are Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel. Bibas, 35, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with wife Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who at nine months old was the youngest hostage. A video of the terrified Shiri protectively wrapping her children in a blanket while being taken to Gaza became an iconic image of the war. The last sign of life from Yarden was in a Hamas propaganda video in November showing Yarden being told that his wife and children were killed in an Israeli airstrike - though Hamas never provided evidence of their deaths. Kalderon, 53, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his daughters, Sahar and Erez, 16 and 12 respectively. The daughters were freed during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023. Sahar said she met him in a tunnel and that his physical and mental condition was very poor. Ex-wife, Hadas Calderon was leading the campaign for Ofer's release. Siegel, 65, originally from North Carolina, was abducted with his wife, Aviva, from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where they have lived for 42 years. An occupational therapist, his last sign of life was in a Hamas propaganda video in April 2024. Aviva was released during the November 2023 ceasefire. The first phase of the ceasefire is supposed to see a total of 33 Israeli hostages freed over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how many are alive. The fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. Critics say the phased approach condemns hostages not freed in the beginning to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel's war gains. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 82 remaining hostages, 35 have been declared dead. (ANI/TPS)
When Brenda Andrew was on trial for murder in 2004 in Oklahoma, a prosecutor named Fern Smith turned to the jury and held up Andrew's thong and lace bra.

The grieving widow packs this to run off with her boyfriend, Smith told the jury sarcastically. The grieving widow packs this in her appropriate act of grief.

Andrews lawyers would later say they were too stunned by the presentation of the underwear to even object. But by then, it likely wouldnt have mattered; Smith had devoted a significant amount of time to outlining Andrews sex life, questioning former lovers of hers on the stand. Andrew was ostensibly on trial for the murder of her husband, Rob Andrew, but Smith wasnt content to prove her guilt. The prosecutor also wanted to convince the jury that Andrew was, in Smiths words, a slut puppy.

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Attacking women on trial for criminal offenses with further accusations of immoral conduct is a common phenomenon, historically and currently, locally and globally. In 1994, a California woman named Mary Ellen Samuels was convicted of murdering her husband and the hit man shed hired to kill him, after prosecutors introduced portions of erotic letters sent to Samuels over the years as well as a nude photograph of the defendant. More recently, Italian officials seemed eager to advance evidence that Amanda Knoxs behavior following her roommates notorious murder wasnt what one would expect from a woman in her position: instead of weeping and wailing, Knox seemed unaffected, and went on to buy red underwear and kiss a boyfriend afterward. When women are accused of wrongdoing, their womanhood is often brought into question as well. Andrew and her lawyers have argued since 2007 that her case is an example of that exact phenomenonand on January 21, the Supreme Court agreed, reversing a lower courts ruling against Andrew, whose case will now return to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals for reconsideration.

[Read: My last trial]

Capital punishment as an institution in some ways goes easy on women: Perhaps because women are viewed as relatively weak and passive, male killers are sentenced to death at a higher rate than female killers. Since 1976, only 18 women have been executed in the United States, compared with 1,589 men. Today, 51 women are on death row, compared with more than 2,000 men.

But for those women who do face capital sentencing, a particular kind of disadvantage based on their sex can arise: Although men are rarely sentenced to death based on their deviation from masculine gender norms, many female defendants facing capital trials are derided by prosecutors for failures of femininity.

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Andrew was convicted of luring her estranged husband into their garage under the false pretense of restarting her furnaces pilot light in November 2001, then participating in his fatal shooting with her lover James Pavatt in hopes of claiming a life-insurance payout. Andrew steadfastly contends that she is innocent, but immediately after the killing, Pavatt and Andrew fled to Mexico with Andrews two children; they were apprehended upon their return to the United States, where both were charged with murder. Pavatts trial came six months ahead of Andrews, and, according to the capital-defense attorney and author Marc Bookmans book, A Descending Spiral, it previewed the trial against her. Indeed, the evidence against him was in many ways identical to that facing his co-defendant. An Oklahoma jury sentenced Pavatt to death, and then it was Andrews turn.

The prosecution presented two of Andrews former lovers as witnesses early on. The first man, James Higgins, had had an affair with Andrew after meeting at the local Price Mart, where Higgins was an assistant manager. When Smith prompted Higgins to explain the circumstances of his affair with Andrew, Higgins replied that Andrew had initiated the relationship by coming in dressed sexywearing short skirts and low-cut tops; in his telling, Andrew would come in, talk, and kind of rub up against me and touch, and I mean, just flirting  As Higginss testimony progressed, Smith continued to ask questions that elicited evidence implying that Andrew was sexually aggressive and adulterous. Higgins stated, for instance, that when the two began sleeping together, Andrew almost always paid for their motel rooms, and invited him to have sex in her car (as opposed to his) several times. Their relationship had ended years before Andrews alleged crime. A former babysitter for Andrews kids further testified that Andrew went out for groceries on one occasion wearing a leather outfit with her hair really, really big.

[Read: Debating women and the death penalty]

Later, the prosecution called Rick Nunley, a more recent lover of Andrews, to the stand. Does a good mother take their children and flee to Mexico, take them out of school and flee to Mexico, when their father is lying in a coffin in a funeral home? Smith asked him. Not usually, Nunley conceded. Does a good mother invite her boyfriends over to the house with the children in the home when theyre still married to their father? Smith then asked, as though her point hadnt yet been made. Along with her marital infidelity, Andrews performance as a mother was presented as evidence that she was a failure as a woman.

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And if there was any doubt that Andrews sentencing was in some sense about her femininity, Smith made the point explicit in her closing statements: Andrew sits over here today, and has for the last five weeks, all meek and quiet and pretty. Shes a pretty woman. And shes been on her best behavior. But thats not the real Brenda Andrew.

Capital trials by nature produce starkly opposing narratives about their subject. The juries are instructed to weigh statutorily defined aggravating factors associated with the murder against mitigating factors related to the defendants qualities as a person or the circumstances of the crime. Aggravating factors can include, for instance, special cruelty or atrocity, motives related to pecuniary gain, and the number of victims; mitigating factors could include diagnoses of mental illness or intellectual disability, or evidence that the defendants role in the homicide was minimal relative to a more culpable party. It is in the prosecutions interest to present the worst version of the defendant to a jurya sort of perverse incentive that can lead to appeals to jurors deep-seated notions of what constitutes bad conduct in society, regardless of whether those notions are fair. Given these conditions, it would be shocking if capital punishment did not speak to elemental prejudicesand the Supreme Court was able to see in Andrews case a troubling example of that phenomenon. Andrew may still lose in the long run, but her victory at the Supreme Court is a win for all American women facing the death penalty.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum issued a statement following Fridays fatal plane crash in Pennsylvania, which involved six Mexican nationals.

I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia, United States, she wrote on social platform X, according to translation. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families; I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required.

My solidarity with their loved ones and friends, she added.

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Her remarks come less than a day after a JetRescue air ambulance crashed in Northeast Philadelphia Friday evening, killing all six on board, including four crew members and two passengers, one being a pediatric patient. A seventh person was killed on the ground, authorities revealed Saturday.

The Learjet 55 plane crashed around 6:30 p.m. local time after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri with a final destination in Tijuana, Mexico.

At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors, JetRescue said in a press release following the deadly crash. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker (D) called the incident, which left at least 19 others injured, a tragedy.

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This is a tragedy in our city  people have lost their lives and many injured in this horrific crash and the damage is significant, Parker wrote in a statement. Our prayers are with the families, friends, neighbors and all of those impacted by the tragic crash. We are unified in our approach  a One Philly philosophy with all hands-on deck.

President Trump, whose administration has faced two deadly aviation accidents since he took office last week, responded to the crash in a post on Truth Social.

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he wrote. More innocent souls lost.

Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job, the president added. More to follow. God Bless you all.

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The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA.

The Philadelphia incident comes just days after an American Airlines passenger plane and Army Black Hawk helicopter collided outside of Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia on Wednesday, killing more than 60 people.

Trump seemingly blamed the crash on diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI) and took executive action to overhaul the FAAs hiring practices in wake of the crash  one of the U.S.s deadliest aviation accidents in nearly a quarter of a century. The claims have sparked widespread backlash.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A San Diego County Sheriffs deputy was charged Friday on suspicion of violating the civil rights of a man in pretrial custody at the San Diego Central Courthouse.

Jeremiah Manuyag Flores, 44, of La Jolla, is accused of using excessive force that caused serious injuries and then allegedly writing a false report to cover up his illegal actions, the United States Attorneys Office Southern District of California said in a news release.

The two-court indictment identified 57-year-old J.P. as the person deprived of his right to due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

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According to the indictment, J.P. was being escorted to a holding cell with his legs chained and hands cross-chained to his waist after a court hearing. Flores allegedly grabbed the back of J.P.s shirt with both hands and pushed him faster down the hallway.

Per the indictment, J.P. was forcefully shoved into the cell from behind with both hands, causing J.P. to smash into the bench and walls and collapse to the ground.

Teen killed in downtown police shooting, sheriff says in update

Flores stated, What? Nothing happened, and failed to immediately report the incident to his supervisor and prepare an official report, both of which are violations of the San Diego Sheriffs Offices Use of Force Policy, prosecutors said.

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More than two hours later, another deputy found J.P. was found lying in the same position in his holding cell with a head wound and a pool of blood on the floor, the indictment said.

The indictment claims Flores allegedly falsely said no force was used in an incident report when placing J.P. into the cell.

J.P. suffered a spinal injury, in which surgery was needed, causing him to be hospitalized for months.

Flores entered pleas of not guilty to both charges and was released on a $25,000 personal appearance bond with special conditions that he surrender his passport and his personally owned firearms. He is scheduled for a motion hearing and trial setting on March 10 at 2 p.m.

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Sheriff Kelly A. Martinez released a statement about the case, saying in part:

The actions described in this case are unacceptable. Immediately upon hearing of the incident, an investigation was initiated, and Deputy Flores was placed on administrative assignment. The investigation led us to believe criminal actions occurred, and we presented the case to state and federal authorities. Deputy Flores has been with the Sheriffs Office since November of 2021 and has been a Deputy Sheriff since February of 2023.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
HERMAN, Wis. (WFRV)  Two men in Wisconsin were taken into custody on Tuesday night regarding an assault that allegedly stemmed from an argument between the two.

According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, deputies were sent to a location in Herman around 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday for a reported stabbing.

The federal government has failed our community: Sheriff in Wisconsin says man who was previously deported involved in deadly crash

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Law enforcement responded to the situation, learning that a 23-year-old Herman man nearly had his thumb severed by a 32-year-old man residing in Herman, identified as Gilmer Echevarria.

The victim was met by deputies who provided him with medical treatment before transporting him to an area hospital.

Deputies from both the Dodge County Sheriffs Office and Washington County Sheriffs Office joined officers from the Hartford Police Department to stabilize the incident.

Echevarria was taken into custody on charges of First-Degree Reckless Injury/Great Bodily Harm as well as Substantial/Aggravated Battery and on an outstanding warrant. The victim was also taken into custody after medical treatment and being held on warrants.

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Wisconsin Police searching for at large suspects who fled after one left drugs behind in backpack

Since the incident, it was discovered that the suspect, Echevarria, is a Nicaraguan national with no legal status in the country. Echevarria has immigration proceedings ongoing, and officials notified the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency along with his arrest.

No more details were provided.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Join our exclusive KI Insights Monthly Briefing to gain critical perspectives on the prospects of a peace process in Ukraine under the new US administration. We will analyze the various involved stakeholders and their negotiation stances and discuss potential dynamics given existing leverage and pressure points.

Event details:

Topic: Shifting Sands: Trumps Peace Proposal for Ukraine and Russia

Format: In-person. The event will include a presentation by KI Insights director, Jakub Parusinski, a candid Q&A session, and an opportunity for networking. Refreshments will be provided.

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When: Friday, February 7, 16:00 Kyiv time. Expected duration  1 hour 30 minutes. Don't miss the briefing; add it to your calendar by clicking here.

Where: The Kyiv Independent offices. For security reasons, details will be communicated to confirmed participants. Please note that the event is for subscribers only.

What to expect: Explore the prospects of peace negotiations under the new US administration.

How to register: To secure your spot, please register by completing the short form linked below:

Register here.

Once registered, you will receive location details via email.



Questions?

If you need any assistance or have questions, please contact us at insights@kyivindependent.com.

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About KI Insights:

KI Insights, backed by The Kyiv Independent, provides an in-depth analysis of Ukraine's political and business environment. Our briefings offer essential insights for analysts, decision-makers, and organizations overseeing investments or operations in Ukraine.

Please note that a KI Insights subscription is separate from a Kyiv Independent membership and provides more detailed, expert-level analysis.

For more information about our work and to subscribe, visit KI Insights.

Read also: 2025  A Turning Point for Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Just last week, president Donald Trump suspended the United States Refugee Admissions Program that legally helped refugees come to the country. Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) is concerned about the moves effects.

They cant go home they cant stay where theyre at. so coming to the U.S. is kind of a last resort, Nick Wuertz with LSI said. We had about 99 families that were scheduled to arrive here in Iowa between our Sioux City, Des Moines, Waterloo locations who all had travel booked, and that all started getting canceled last week. So really, its disheartening, discouraging.

Spencer agency opening grant program for flood-impacted businesses

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LSI received notice that the state department had ordered all settlement agencies to stop providing services to recently-arrived refugee families.

As of Monday, we will no longer have the federal support to be able to help pay initial living expenses to be able to pay our staff and to be able to provide services to the families that are here Wuertz said.

The Mary J. Treglia Community House also provides a wide range of services for immigrants and refugees. However, officials say they will continue to do as they have done for more than 100 years.

We will continue to serve those we have resettled in recent weeks, executive director Barbara Newhouse said in part in a statement to KCAU 9. Mary Treglia believed in being the front door to our community and helping people from other places succeed here  because in doing so, it helped all of us succeed,

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Wuertz said he understands the uncertainty and fear in these communities, but added that they can take steps to stay informed.

Former Iowa hospital administrator sentenced for identity theft

We have been advising families that theres a lot of resources out there for Know Your Rights and Know Your Rights training, he said. Its really important that people do know their rights, that theyre informed, and so if something does happen, people need to be educated to be able to stand up for the rights they do have.

Both organizations say they are relying on the publics help during these times. If youre interested in helping LSI, you can learn more by clicking here. If youd like to donate to the Mary J. Treglia Community House, click here.

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Feb. 1 (UPI) -- A small medevac plane with six people aboard, including a pediatric patient, crashed in Northeast Philadelphia shortly after takeoff Friday night, also killing one person person in a vehicle.

During a news conference Saturday morning, Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed all six passengers on board the twin-engine Learjet 55 died and at least 19 others were hurt on the ground.

It was two days after the most deadly aircraft crash in 24 years about 150 miles away: 64 aboard American Eagle Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers that collided and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia.

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"It is entirely possible there will be changes to those casualty figures," Philadelphia's managing director Adam Thiel said Saturday at a news conference. "It will likely be days or more until we are able to definitively answer the question about the number of folks who perished in this tragedy."

Thiel said the impact area is roughly four to six blocks near Roosevelt Mall.

A Learjet 55, similar to the one pictured, crashed shortly after takeoff Friday night in North Philadelphia. Photo by Eddie Maloney/Wikimedia Commons

The plane, including the child patient and her mother, two pilots and two medical personnel, crashed about 30 seconds after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:30 p.m. EST. Several homes were set on fire.

All those on the plane were from Mexico

A Learjet 55, similar to the one pictured, crashed shortly after takeoff Friday night in North Philadelphia. Photo by Eddie Maloney/Wikimedia Commons

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo confirmed those on the plane died.

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"I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia," she posted on X in Spanish on Saturday. "The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families. I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends."

The plane was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which provides medical services in North America South America and Europe. In 2023, five Jet Rescue crew members died in a crash in Mexico.

People injured on the ground were sent to Temple University Hospital-Jeanes Campus after the crash, a spokesperson from the hospital confirmed to CNN. Three patients were treated and discharged, while the three others are in "fair condition," the spokesperson said.

The jet, with the child, her mother, two pilots and two medical personnel, was on the way to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri en route to its final destination of Tijuana, Mexico.

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The girl was treated at Shriners Children's Hospital in northeast Philadelphia.

"It's extremely hard and extremely difficult, those that were involved directly in her care were very aware that she was going to be traveling home and there had actually been a sendoff for her today," Mel Bower, a spokesperson for the hospital, said.

FAA, NTSB leading investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board, which is on the scene of the crash in Virginia, dispatched personnel to Philadelphia.

It was rainy with limited visibility at the time of the crash.

The plane initially reached 1,650 feet and had a final speed of descent was 11,000 feet per minute, according to data from ADS-B Exchange.

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Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management posted a posted of the scene Friday night.

Major incident near Cottman and Bustelton Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia across from Roosevelt Mall. Roads closed in area including parts of Roosevelt Boulevard. Avoid area. @PhillyFireDept @PhillyPolice pic.twitter.com/6OSNNs4eCD Philadelphia OEM (@PhilaOEM) January 31, 2025

"I was right here at the job and all I could see is this big ball of flames in the sky," Mikey Littlejohn told WPVI. Literally, we heard a loud, loud bang. It shook the entire building, the whole building shook."

Vadim Osipov, said the situation reminded him of the war in Ukraine, where he is from. "There's always rockets coming in and stuff like that, then I see things flying."

The Northeast Philadelphia airport was temporarily closed.

Arthur Wolk, an aviation expert, told WCAU-TV, noted the craft descended at "almost 45 degrees, which means that the airplane was out of control."

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He said there likely was some sort of malfunction.

President Donald Trump posted Friday night on Truth Social: "So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all."

About Learjet

The jet was a Learjet 55, which is known as "Longhorn" and was first manufactured in 1979, according to Globalair.com. Production ended in 1993 with 126 built.

There is room for seven passengers.

In 1990, Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace purchased Learjet Corp.

Bombardier announced the end production of all Learjet aircraft in 2021.
This post contains video footage of an officer-involved critical incident. Viewer discretion is advised.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Salt Lake City Police have released bodycam footage of an incident involving the death of Tanner Cottrell, 27, in early January.

At around 3:15 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2025, police responded to a structure fire at a residence near the 2600 East block of 2100 South. Fire personnel also responded to the scene and determined the cause of the fire as arson.

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The following day, SLCPD received information that a suspect, identified as Cottrell, may have been involved in the arson and that firearms, as well as a ballistic vest, may have been taken from the scene.

ORIGINAL STORY: Suspect dead after highspeed chase ends in crash, suspect shot at police

Detectives also learned that Cottrell may have been driving a stolen Ford F-350.

At around 11:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, law enforcement spotted the F-350 believed to be stolen and the driver  Cottrell  shortly after entered Salt Lake City. Officers from multiple jurisdictions then started an effort to arrest him.

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A pursuit ensued, and officers reported gunfire coming from Cottrells vehicle. Police requested tactical armored vehicles as a result. The pursuit reportedly continued through Salt Lake City into North Salt Lake, and then back into Salt Lake City.

More gunfire was reported as the pursuit went on. Law enforcement were eventually able to deploy spike strips and were successful in damaging the F-350s tires, yet Cottrell kept driving, according to police.

At around 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 3, the Cottrell crashed near 12400 South Redwood Road in Riverton, Utah. The F-350 reportedly flipped and landed on its roof in the crash.

At the crash location, an officer-involved critical incident occurred involving six (6) law enforcement agencies, including the Salt Lake City Police Department, a press release from SLCPD states. Prior to the crash, one SLCPD officer engaged in an encounter that met the criteria for an OICI, as defined by Utah law. Law enforcement determined Cottrell died on scene.

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The Utah Medical Examiners Office will determine the cause of death as part of its independent investigation. Seven SLCPD officers, as well as officers Taylorsville Police, Unified Police, the Utah County Sheriffs Office, Utah Highway Patrol, and West Valley City Police, were involved in this critical incident.

All officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. There were no reported injuries to police or community members, police said.

No further information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Local businesses are being urged to pay attention as updates come to the controversial Corporate Transparency Act.

Earlier this month, we reported that a last-minute injunction stopped the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act, which could cost small businesses hundreds in daily fees if they dont avoid filling out Beneficial Ownership Information, BOI, forms.

Last week, the Supreme Court lifted the injunction in the Texas Top Cop Shop case, and thanks to another injunction in the Smith case, also in Texas, CTA enforcement is temporarily blocked, according to FinCen Guidance.

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The goverment can still appeal it, though.

RELATED: Breaking down the Corporate Transparency Act

The lack of awareness and general confusion surrounding the matter is why FinCen Co-Founder and Head of BOI Compliance Milan Solarz-Patel said its crucial for businesses to stay updated on the back-and-forth.

While I dont want to minimize the constitutional issues that are at play in this case, certainly what we are telling clients is that if this is not objectionable to you, and that they dont mind providing the information thats required on the form, were recommending to do voluntary filings, Solarz-Patel said.

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He added that if the CTA passes after all, businesses will only be charged the $595 daily fee and $10,000 fee if theyre willfully avoiding the cost.

He noted that the confusion can lead to problems for businesses, and with the new administration, its hard to say where things will end up.

While the Smith injunction remains in effect, however, reporting companies are not required to file BOI reports.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.

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PHILADELPHIA  A medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes.

All six people aboard were from Mexico. The child had been treated in Philadelphia for a life-threatening condition and was being transported home to Mexico, according to Shai Gold, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance spokesperson. The flights final destination was Tijuana after a stop in Missouri.

The patient and her mother were on board along with four crew members. Gold said this was a seasoned crew and that everyone involved in these flights goes through rigorous training.

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When an incident like this happens, its shocking and surprising, Gold told the AP. All of the aircraft are maintained, not a penny is spared because we know our mission is so critical.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference late Friday that officials expect fatalities in this awful aviation disaster.

We know that there will be loss, he said.

The plane was registered in Mexico. Jet Rescue is based in Mexico and has operations both there and in the U.S.

The crash came just two days after the deadliest U.S. air disaster in a generation. On Wednesday night, an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided in midair in Washington, D.C., with an Army helicopter carrying three soldiers. There were no survivors in that crash.

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In Philadelphia, a doorbell camera captured footage of the plane plunging in a streak of white and exploding as it hit the ground near a shopping mall and major roadway.

All we heard was a loud roar and didnt know where it was coming from. We just turned around and saw the big plume, said Jim Quinn, the owner of the doorbell camera.

The crash happened less than 3 miles from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, which primarily serves business jets and charter flights.

The plane, a Learjet 55, quickly disappeared from radar after taking off from the airport at 6:06 p.m. and climbing to an altitude of 1,600 feet. It was registered to a company operating as Med Jets, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.

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President Donald Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social it was so sad to see the crash.

More innocent souls lost, he said. Our people are totally engaged.

A continuous stream of police vehicles and fire trucks initially poured at the crash site, taking over business parking lots as emergency workers responded. Within about an hour, the cry of sirens and shouted orders had faded into relative quiet at the edges of the closed-off area, and darkness settled in as drivers passing by peered out trying to see what was happening.

The plane crashed in a busy intersection near Roosevelt Mall, an outdoor shopping center in the densely populated neighborhood of Rhawnhurst.

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One cellphone video taken by a witness moments after the crash showed a chaotic scene with debris scattered across the intersection. A wall of orange glowed just beyond as a plume of black smoke quickly rose into the sky and sirens blared.

Michael Schiavone, 37, was sitting at his home in Mayfair, a nearby neighborhood, when he heard a loud bang and his house shook. He said it felt like a mini earthquake and when he checked his home security camera footage, he said it looked like a missile was coming down.

There was a large explosion, so I thought we were under attack for a second, he said.

The planes owner, Jet Rescue, provides global air ambulance services. The company flew baseball hall of famer David Ortiz to Boston after he was shot in the Dominican Republic in 2019 and was involved in transporting patients critically ill with COVID-19.

The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation. The NTSB, which investigates air crashes, said it was gathering information about the crash.
Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas which held them in captivity for 484 days, as per The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL). On Saturday morning, local time, 54-year-old Ofer Kalderon and 35-year-old Yarden Bibas were presented to the Red Cross in Khan Younis, in the strip's south. Earlier, on Saturday, IDF confirmed, three kidnapped Israelis Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel are back in Israel after 484 days in captivity, according to TPS. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesperson was cited by TPS as saying: "Ofer Calderon and Jordan Bibas arrived at the initial absorption point in the Gaza Strip." IDF personnel and medical personnel are accompanying the returning civilians, and they will undergo an initial medical assessment. As per TPS, IDF representatives are also accompanying family members waiting at the hospital and providing them with regular updates. Bibas, 35, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with wife Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who at nine months old was the youngest hostage. A video of the terrified Shiri protectively wrapping her children in a blanket while being taken to Gaza became an iconic image of the war. The last sign of life from Yarden was in a Hamas propaganda video in November showing Yarden being told that his wife and children were killed in an Israeli airstrike - though Hamas never provided evidence of their deaths. Bibas, 35, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz along with wife Shiri, and their two sons, Ariel and Kfir, who at nine months old was the youngest hostage. A video of the terrified Shiri protectively wrapping her children in a blanket while being taken to Gaza became an iconic image of the war. The last sign of life from Yarden was in a Hamas propaganda video in November showing Yarden being told that his wife and children were killed in an Israeli airstrike - though Hamas never provided evidence of their deaths. Kalderon, 53, was abducted from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his daughters, Sahar and Erez, 16 and 12 respectively. The daughters were freed during a temporary ceasefire in November 2023. Sahar said she met him in a tunnels and that his physical and mental condition was very poor. Ex-wife, Hadas kalderon was leading the campaign for Ofer's release. Siegel, 65, originally from North Carolina, was abducted with his wife, Aviva, from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where they have lived for 42 years. An occupational therapist, his last sign of life was in a Hamas propaganda video in April 2024. Aviva was released during the November 2023 ceasefire. Saturday's handover to the Red Cross was executed swiftly during the morning hours, following mediators' stern reprimand to Hamas over Thursday's chaos. On Thursday, Israeli authorities briefly suspended the release of 110 Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel after Hamas forced hostages Gadi Moses and Arbel Yehud to walk by foot through a mob of Palestinians in Khan Yunis to waiting Red Cross vehicles. The terrorists were released after Qatari and Egyptian mediators provided assurances that the scenes would not be repeated. Meanwhile, the Israel Prison Service was preparing to release 183 Palestinian terrorists, including several serving life sentences for murder. They have been brought to the main reception centers in the 'Ofer' and 'Ktziot' prisons where Red Cross representatives will identify each one. Once the hostages are freed, the Red Cross will take the prisoners to release points in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem. Others being deported to the Gaza Strip or to third countries via Gaza will be taken to the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The first phase of the ceasefire is supposed to see a total of 33 Israeli hostages freed over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how many are alive. The fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. Critics say the phased approach condemns hostages not freed in the beginning to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel's war gains. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 79 remaining hostages, 35 have been declared dead. (ANI)
Footage shared on social media appeared to show a huge blaze and scattered debris

A single-engine plane has crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Philadelphia, reportedly setting multiple homes and cars on fire and leaving flaming debris strewn across a road.

Footage of the incident shows numerous emergency vehicles responding to the incident in a busy residential area, with burning debris sending plumes of black smoke into the sky.

A fireball was followed by the ignition of several fires on the ground in a northeastern neighborhood of the east coast US city, the local FOX29 channel showed.

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Two people were aboard the plane, police told CBS, with other injuries reported on the ground.

The crash took place at around 6pm on Friday evening in the highly populated area of Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard in the northern part of the city.

Firefighters put out an all hands call at 6.12pm, CNN reported, and dozens of firefighters were scrambled to the scene of the crash. It added that police have classified it as a major incident

Ring Doorbell footage of the incident shows what appears to be a plane falling out of the sky, followed by a large explosion, Fox 5 reported.

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It is not clear what caused the crash, and it is not yet known if the aircrafts passengers survived.

Ryan Tian, 23, of Delaware County, witnessed a huge explosion as he was getting dinner from a food truck located at a parking lot at Cottman and Bustleton Avenues.

Mr Tian told Fox he saw the sky turning orange and then a massive fireball.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated

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Jan. 31Light snow is expected Friday to spread across western Maine, according to the National Weather Service in Gray.

Forecasters expect 1-2 inches of snow for most of Franklin and Oxford counties, with 2-3 inches possible in the Lewiston-Auburn area. High temperatures could reach above freezing.

The weather service says there could be a brief period of light freezing rain Friday afternoon in the foothills region, though confidence in this mixing is low.

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After the snow moves out, Saturday will bring a return to sunshine with seasonable temperatures. However, the break in winter weather will be short-lived. Another storm system is forecast to bring snow to the region Sunday night into Monday, potentially mixing with or changing to rain south of the foothills as temperatures climb above freezing on Monday.

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Fish Bones Grill in Lewiston is changing hands

Judge denies Dennis Dechaine's latest appeal for a new trial
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Socorro Independent School District will celebrate the Class of 2025 commencement ceremonies on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7.

The graduations will be at the Don Haskins Center at the University of Texas at El Paso, located at 151 Glory Road.

Here are the graduation schedules with the schools and times:

Friday, June 6 Mission Early College High School at 8 a.m. Montwood High School at 11 a.m. Pebble Hills High School at 3 p.m. Socorro High School at 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 7 Americas High School at 9 a.m. Eastlake High School at 1 p.m. El Dorado High School at 5 p.m.



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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The U.S. Army has identified two of the three soldiers who were killed Wednesday night when their helicopter crashed into an airplane in D.C.

According to the U.S. Army Public Affairs, the three soldiers were on a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during a training mission when it collided with an American Airlines regional jet.

So far, the Army has presumed Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, to be dead pending identification.

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However, the remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, have still not been found, so the Army is considering his status to be unknown.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, left, and Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin OHara, right. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

The third soldier will not be named, per the request by the family. Their status is also officially unkown.

Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time, said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force  National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington. Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident.

According to the Army, Eaves served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years before transitioning into a Blackhawk pilot for the Army in 2017.

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OHara served as a UH-60 helicopter repairer in the regular Army from 2014 to the present day. He was also deployed to Afghanistan from March 2017 to August 2017.

Both soldiers received numerous awards for their service in the Army.

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Jan. 31A Somersworth woman was sentenced Thursday to spend at least 30 years in prison for the murder of her former girlfriend at her workplace in Rochester in 2023 and concealing the firearm used in the killing from police.

Haydee Rivera-Nadeau received the sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of Lisa Rocheleau in Strafford County Superior Court in November. She pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree murder and falsifying physical evidence.

She admitted to "recklessly, with extreme indifference to the value of human life, causing the death of her ex-partner by shooting her at her workplace" in Rochester, according to a news release.

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Judge Andrew Livernois sentenced Rivera-Nadeau to 28 to 56 years in state prison, as recommended by the Attorney General's Office. Rivera-Nadeau also received a consecutive sentence of 2 to 4 years for falsifying physical evidence.

Rocheleau, 54, a mother of three adult sons, was still alive when police, responding to a 911 call on the morning of May 1, found her at her office in the Professional Arts Centre on Winter Street. She was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, and died 10 days later at Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

Authorities said Rivera-Nadeau, "believing that an investigation was pending or about to be instituted," concealed a firearm "with a purpose to impair its verity or availability in such investigation."

According to court records, Rocheleau's son told detectives that on the morning of May 1, 2023, he had gone to check on his mother's welfare at her workplace and found her injured and unconscious on the floor. He told police his mother had recently ended a relationship with Rivera-Nadeau, her longtime partner.

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Detectives found text messages on the victim's phone that showed that she had started a new relationship and that Rivera-Nadeau had confronted her about it, court records show.

The day after the shooting, Rivera-Nadeau called a friend and told her the gun had gone off accidentally during an argument that morning, court records show.

Rivera-Nadeau was arrested in North Carolina.
Marion Bowman Jr. was executed Friday night for the murder of a young Dorchester County mother. He is the first person to be executed in the United States this year.

Bowman was pronounced dead by a doctor at 6:27 p.m. at the Broad River Correctional Institution, the site of South Carolinas death chamber.

Bowman was executed by lethal injection. On Thursday, he made the decision not to petition South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster for clemency after his final appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals failed.

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He was the third person to be executed in South Carolina since executions resumed in 2024 following a 13-year pause.

In his final statement, read by attorney and friend Boyd Young, Bowman said, I did not kill Kandee Martin. Im innocent of the crimes Im here to die for.

Bowman was sentenced to death for shooting and killing Martin on the night of Feb. 16, 2001, according to testimony at his trial.

He returned the next night, dragging her body from the woods and stuffing it in the trunk of her blue Ford Escort, which he then set on fire, according to testimony.

Martin was shot in the back and head. She was murdered five days before her son Tylers second birthday.

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Bowman and Martin had gone to high school together and their families socialized in the close knit community of Branchville in Dorchester County.

I know that Kandees family is in pain, they are justifiably angry. If my death brings them some relief and ability to focus on the good times and funny stories, then I guess it will have served a purpose. I hope they find peace, Bowman said in the statement, which was reported by media witnesses to have taken three minutes to read.

Bowmans reported motive for the murder has changed over the years, with witnesses at his original trial saying Bowman killed Martin because she owed him money. Court documents filed during his appeal alleged that Bowman was planning to rob a house and killed Martin when he grew paranoid she was wearing a wire.

At trial, Bowman was linked to the crime by witnesses, including one who said he saw Bowman shoot Martin in the back of the head. A second witness testified that the next day he saw Bowman drag Martins body from the woods, place it in her car and set it on fire. Other witnesses who testified against Bowman included members of his own family, who helped dispose of the .38 caliber semiautomatic pistol used in the killing and had briefly hidden in his wifes sofa bed.

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The jury took just two and a half hours to find Bowman guilty.

But Bowman has maintained his innocence, and recent appeals raised questions about the strength of the evidence used to convict him.

His attorneys alleged in filings that prosecutors at his original trial failed to hand over evidence about an eyewitness, including a supposed confession the eyewitness made to a jailhouse informant that he was actually Martins killer. The eyewitness also had psychological and memory problems, which was not disclosed to the defense.

Prosecutors also concealed evidence that another key witness was testifying in exchange for having unindicted charges dropped, according to court records.

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Bowmans attorneys also alleged that one of his original trial attorneys had infected the trial with his own racist beliefs about Bowman.

But courts rejected these appeals, deciding here was no evidence that his lawyer had tainted the proceeding and finding sufficient evidence to uphold Bowmans conviction.

The execution was witnessed by Young, Department of Corrections Director of Communications Chrysti Shain, a SLED agent and 1st Circuit Solicitors Office Chief Deputy Solicitor Kelly LaPlante. Three members of the media also attended. No one from Bowmans or Martins families attended the execution.

Bowmans appeals brought renewed attention to South Carolinas lethal injection process. In an appeal, Bowman said that he did not have enough information about the process. Information about the lethal injection process and the drugs that are used cannot be disclosed under a restrictive shield law.

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Previous filings by the state Department of Corrections indicated that the lethal injection was performed by a single dose of pentobarbital, a powerful sedative that causes asphyxiation at high doses. This mirrors the federal protocol, Shain said at a press conference Friday night after the execution. On Jan. 16, the U.S. Department of Justice rescinded its protocol calling for the use of pentobarbital.

As in the previous two executions, media witnesses described the lethal injection being delivered to Bowman by an IV line administered from another room. Bowman appeared to breathe heavily for a minute before his breath grew shallow. His breathing appeared to stop after roughly three minutes.

For his final meal, which was served Wednesday, Bowman requested fried seafood, including shrimp, fish and oysters, chicken wings and tenders, onion rings, banana pudding and German chocolate cake. He drank cranberry and pineapple juice.

As the execution took place, roughly two dozen protesters gathered outside of the fence surrounding the the Department of Corrections campus on Broad River Road in Columbia. Some prayed while others waved signs at passing cars. One woman held up a sign saying while I breathe, I hope, the translation of South Carolinas Latin motto and the title of one of Bowmans poems.

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On death row, where Bowman spent nearly 23 years, he took up poetry. Across more than 50 poems collected by supporters, he wrote about love, hope and the passing of time.

In a final poem, read as part of his statement, Bowman asked, Did I take a last breath or a sigh of relief?
A Southern California man was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for producing sexually explicit images of young girls he met online.

John Matthew Piecuch, 64, of Hemet, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced Friday.

Pieuch met the victim, a 12-year-old-girl, on Roblox, an online gaming platform. He falsely told the girl that he was a 13-year-old boy.

In January 2021, Piecuch began texting the girl and eventually persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. He also convinced her to take sexually explicit photos of a 5-year-old girl who was her relative, prosecutors said.

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The 12-year-olds mother eventually saw some of the text messages between her daughter and Piecuch on the girls phone and immediately contacted law enforcement.

In August 2021, Piecuch was taken into custody. In July 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography.

The Roblox app on a smartphone arranged in New York, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Roblox Corp. released earnings figures on November 8. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images The Roblox website on a laptop computer arranged in New York, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Roblox Corp. released earnings figures on November 8. Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Online games and platforms can allow child predators to hide behind fake identities and lure children into sharing private information, said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally. It is critical that we hold these predators accountable and convey a message of zero tolerance for those who prey on our youth. I also urge parents everywhere to monitor their childrens online activity to ensure their health and safety.

Once he completes his over 15-year prison sentence, Piecuch will remain on supervised release for the rest of his life, officials said.

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The case was investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriffs Office.

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Tel Aviv [Israel], February 1 (ANI/TPS): Following the return of hostage Keith Siegel, his family expressed relief and gratitude, describing the moment as "overwhelming" after 484 nights of fear and uncertainty. The family thanked the Israeli and the US governments for securing his release and emphasised the importance of bringing all remaining hostages home. "At this moment, our father is stepping on Israeli soil and we are experiencing indescribable emotions. Finally, we can breathe after 484 long, frightening nights filled with tremendous worry for our father. We want to thank the Israeli and United States governments for executing this blessed deal - one that focuses on human life and Jewish and Israeli values," the family of Siegel said in a statement. "Our father was brutally kidnapped from this land, and today he returns to us. As citizens, we must ensure that all hostages return to their families for rehabilitation and that those murdered receive proper burial in this land," the statement added. The family also extended their gratitude to the IDF and security forces for their sacrifices and offered condolences to families who lost loved ones in the ongoing conflict. "We extend our gratitude to the amazing IDF soldiers and security forces who risk their lives and bodies. We send our condolences to the bereaved families who lost their most precious ones for all of us. You are forever in our hearts. Only together will we succeed in bringing everyone home," the statement said. Earlier, Israel President Isaac Herzog also expressed relief following the return of three hostages -- Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon, and Keith Siegel--who were held captive in Gaza and welcomed them home. Sharing a post on X, Herzog wrote, "Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel are finally home. How we have worried, and awaited their return." He added, "Yarden's reunion with his family is simply heartbreaking. We all remain deeply concerned for the fate of our beloved Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas - as an entire nation we hold them in our hearts. The people of Israel stand by Yarden and the whole family, with great concern and in heartfelt prayer." He further said that Ofer's children, Erez and Sahar, were returned to their loving mother, the courageous Hadas, and the rest of their family during the first exchange. "Erez marked his Bar Mitzvah and read from the Torah just a few months ago - while his father was still held in Gaza," Herzog said. He added, "Keith's heroic wife Aviva, was also returned in the first exchange to their four children and five grandchildren. Since then, we have seen Aviva speak out in countless meetings around the world, crying out and working unwaveringly for Keith's return." The Israeli President also reaffirmed Israel's commitment to securing the freedom of all remaining hostages, vowing that the country would not rest until every captive is brought back. "Each one deserves the time to rehabilitate and rebuild their lives, and every one of the hostages deserves to come home soon. We will not rest nor be silent until we return all our sisters and brothers from the hell of captivity in Gaza - until the last one," Herzog said. (ANI/TPS)
From the outside, Norway can look like a haven of affluence, a country whose population of just 5.5 million is propped up by a gargantuan sovereign wealth fund worth nearly $2 trillion. Yet the countrys vast riches do not mean that it runs a low-tax economy.

Far from it. Instead, its Leftist government has presided over a coalition that has promoted high-cost EU energy rules and alienated its entrepreneurs with punitive wealth taxes.

Back in Britain, as they court ire over net-zero targets and oversee an exodus of 11,000 millionaires from the UK (equivalent to losing half a million average taxpayers), Sir Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband might take note.

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For this week Norway became a cautionary tale of what can happen to a Left-wing government that blindly pursues green energy policies and alienates its wealth generators, with its government collapsing after weeks of vicious infighting.

This is not an outcome I wished for, said Jonas Gahr Stre, the countrys prime minister, whose Labour party must now govern on its own for the first time in 25 years after his centrist coalition partners decided they could not abide by proposed EU energy rules.

Jonas Gahr Stre, Norways prime minister, announced the collapse of the countrys government on Thursday after a row over adopting EU green energy laws - HAKON MOSVOLD LARSEN/AFP

The Labour party is expected to rule alone until the general election later this year, cobbling together support on a case-by-case basis.

And as it does so, one group watching closely will be the thousands of rich Norwegians who have left the country since the coalition took office four years ago, taking their drive and tax contributions with them.

The exile of entrepreneurs

The poster boy for Norways recent tax exiles is Fredrik Haga, a tech entrepreneur. Haga went viral for a series of social media posts last year about how Norways tax regime had made it impossible for him to keep his start-up in the country.

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I was sitting in my apartment with this tax bill many times larger than my salary, Haga recalls. And I was thinking I dont know how I can pay this.

Haga is the kind of dynamic youngster every country claims to want to foster. In 2018, before the wider world had woken up to the possibilities of blockchain technologies behind digital currencies like Bitcoin, he and a friend, Mats Olsen, founded Dune Analytics, a platform offering analysis of cryptocurrency trends.

[Crypto] was not a cool industry then, Haga recalls. We spent many, many months without salaries, with no investors, living in small apartments in cheap parts of Oslo.

Two years later, crypto was suddenly the hottest commodity in tech. Dune was the right company in the right place at the right time. In three rounds of funding, starting in 2020, they raised more than 62 million.

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Hagas toil was starting to pay off.

We were on the path to creating something very valuable, he says. That should be great, right? In Europe and especially in Norway we need more tech companies, more innovation, more new industries.

Fredrik Haga, co-founder of Dune Analytics, claims that the countrys tax regime made it impossible for him to continue running the start-up in Norway - @1inch

He had not counted on changes to the tax regime that he says have made it impossible for him to carry on in his homeland. Norway has long had wealth taxes, but over the past two years the now-collapsed centre-left coalition government steadily increased these, and added large increases in tax on unrealised capital gains.

This was a nightmare for a high-valuation, low-revenue tech company like Hagas, which had a large theoretical value but almost no liquidity.

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When you get venture investment you dont see any of that money, Haga says. Its all locked in, the investors have all kinds of protection. Thats how tech companies are built. You lose money for many years and then eventually, if you can scale it, the revenues surpass the fixed costs. Even if the paper value of my company was high, that was not at all the same as my spendable wealth.

The unrealised capital gains tax, he says, creates an absurd amount of negative side effects, and left him with only bad options. To pay the tax you either have to sell shares or take a dividend, he says. Taking a dividend from a tech company thats still investing makes no sense, so you have to sell shares. It has a lot of negative consequences. Its bad signalling to investors and employees. It creates a weird knock-on effect. Its an implicit confiscation of the company. If youre based in Norway you just cant own that much of your company. You own less of your company for no reason beyond being based in Norway. So it makes sense to not be based in Norway. And thats exactly whats happening.

Switching to Switzerland

As a result, Haga did what hundreds of wealthy and entrepreneurial Norwegians have done over the past two years: he hightailed it to Switzerland.

Since 2022, a quarter of Norways top 400 taxpayers have left, representing more than $54 billion (44 billion) in assets and a net decrease of $448 million (360 million) in tax revenue. In another country, this might have been a source of shame, or something politicians wanted to rectify. Not in Norway. Instead, the Socialist Party  a leftist party which was not in the coalition  created a Wall of Shame, a bank of pictures of some of the wealthy Norwegians who have left, including Haga, pasted up by leader Kirsti Bergst.

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Prominent tech figures, including investor Marc Andreessen and Elon Musk, took a dimmer view. Wow, thats crazy, noted Musk of Hagas tale. On social media, Hagas account of his treatment was seen more than 100 million times, drawing international awareness to the strange anti-entrepreneurial politics of one of the richest countries on earth.

In all, it helped crack the image Norway often presents to those beyond its borders, of a Scandinavian paradise, where shrewd investment and a powerful culture of equality have created one of the richest and most egalitarian countries in the world; of a country where everyones salary is a matter of public record and speeding tickets can be a percentage of your income.

For Haga and others like him paint a less appealing picture, of a blonde petrostate whose extraordinary wealth is enabling a politics of envy that is scaring off its best and brightest.

The exit tax

It all began in 2021, when Norwegian voters elected  by a landslide  a centre-left government led by the Labour Party, with Stre as Prime Minister. The new government increased wealth taxes  a feature of Norwegian taxation since 1892  to an annual 1.1 per cent of assets over 1.7 million Norwegian krone (about 120,000). This wealth tax is on assessed wealth, whether realised or not. There used to be a rebate of 45 per cent on this assessed wealth; the new government cut the rebate to 20 per cent. Dividend tax was also increased by roughly 20 per cent, which amplified the effects of the wealth tax as those whose wealth is mostly in shares often have to pay it by taking out dividends.

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The exodus began soon after. Rich Norwegians voted with their feet. In September 2022, Kjell Inge Rkke, a billionaire industrialist and the countrys biggest taxpayer, wrote to shareholders announcing that he had made a difficult choice and moved from Asker, Norway, to Lugano in Switzerland.

As others followed, the government acted quickly to try to stem the flow. Previously, if you had lived abroad for more than five years, you didnt have to pay tax on your gains to Norway. The government introduced a so-called exit tax, which also included a tax on unrealised capital gains. Coupled with the wealth tax, this has made Norway one of the most hostile countries in Europe for start-up entrepreneurs.

The idea of the exit tax is that gains you make while you live in Norway should be taxed in Norway, says Kristoffer Berg, a Norwegian economist at the University of Cambridge who specialises in tax. So if you make large unrealised capital gains then the principle was you had to pay, even if you left the country. Initially it was based on realisation, so you would only pay when you sold your shares. But the Ministry of Finance realised they had a problem, because they would have to track people living abroad, potentially for decades. It wasnt a workable solution. So they abolished that and introduced the rule that you have to pay the tax, even on unrealised capital gains, within 12 years.

The idea was to treat the leavers and the stayers more similarly than before, he adds. But the recent chopping and changing means that even in Switzerland there are now three groups of departed Norwegians: those who are exempt from the tax after five years, those who have to pay only on realisation, and those who have to pay within 12 years.

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Of the Haga case, Berg says: I think it is a problem for these start-up companies to pay tax on unrealised gains. But on the other hand its hard to design a system that can fit every case.

David against Goliath

Some are fighting back. Dr Laura Melusine Baudenbacher, a Swiss-based lawyer, recently co-authored a comparative paper on the effect of the changes in Norway and how they compare to other tax regimes around the world. Her firm is helping to prepare a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Norwegian small business owners who feel the wealth taxes have unfairly affected them.

We have been working a lot with Norwegian clients, she says. The reputation Norway has is exemplary in many areas. They are at the top of countless rankings. But once you scratch the surface you realise this country has an extremely strong government, with an extremely strong state, with very limited controls. Over the decades this has led to countless horrific scandals.

In no country in the world, even the most traditionally socialist countries, is there any model where a government effectively confiscates your wealth. Thats whats happening in Norway. What makes it even crazier is that foreign-owned companies do not need to pay this tax. On top of it being confiscatory, the Norwegian state is discriminating against its own citizens. If you cannot move or do not want to move out of Norway, this wealth tax and the dividend tax leads to a decrease of your investment and increasingly to companies being sold to the state or foreign investors.

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The government is appealing to the envy of the wealthy, she says. The bizarre thing is that this country has so much oil and gas wealth it does not need to tax the rich. There are voices in Norway who believe this is not just about tax law but that the Norwegian state is on a path to a state-run economy. They can afford to destroy a big part of their private sector because theyre in a moral hazard situation. Sweden has abolished its wealth tax. So did France, twice. Because they cant just pump oil and gas out of the ground to fill the gap that the rich people left. But the Norwegian government thinks it can do that.

One of her clients is Lars Oscar vstegard, who owns a property rental business that employs four people and has a turnover of 7,000,000 krone (500,000). While vstegard previously paid barely any wealth tax, the requirement in 2022 was 290,000 krone (20,000). To pay this after income tax, he needed to pay himself 580,000 krone (40,000) more in salary; eight per cent of his companys total turnover.

Outspoken and media-savvy, vstegard, who owns the kind of business that cannot easily be moved abroad, has become a popular figure in the media for being prepared to speak out against the tax.

Lars Oscar vstegard, who owns a property rental business, has spoken out against Norways tax regime in the media - Lars Oscar vstegard/Facebook

It is David against Goliath, vstegard tells The Telegraph. Confiscation is the important word; the confiscation of the Norwegian owners creating the capital you need to pay tax.

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Whats particularly galling to him is that foreign owners do not have to pay the same taxes, making Norwegian businesses targets. When an owner is from another country, or the business is government-owned, they dont pay the tax. Its about fairness. Ninety-eight per cent of all businesses in Norway are small or medium enterprises. We cannot move, we cannot do anything. Its a systematic overreach, happening again and again. Norwegian owners will get weaker and weaker, while outside owners get stronger. In the end it will be impossible for Norwegians to own a business.

An oil and gas dictatorship

Norway is not the only country to have toyed with similar policies. Last October, a dozen Labour MPs wrote to Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to back a cross-party call for a two per cent tax on assets worth more than 10 million. Zarah Sultana, who represents Coventry South as an independent, following her suspension from the Labour Party, said: We urgently need wealth taxes to rebalance power, fund essential public services and build a society where the needs of the many take precedence over the greed of a few.

Germany taxes some unrealised gains, although there are many exceptions. The Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris was criticised by many, including her billionaire donor Mark Cuban, who said it would be an economy killer when she mooted a similar tax, albeit only for those with a net worth of more than $100 million. Wealth taxes have been tried in many countries; but repealed in most, although Holland and Spain have versions.

Baudenbachers report quotes the former Swedish finance minister, Anders Borg, who was responsible for abolishing Swedens wealth tax in 2007. As a Swede, you get the feeling that you are experiencing the same thing we did in the Seventies and Eighties, when business owner after business owner left the country  at great cost to Sweden.

What sets Norway apart is its oil fund, the Government Pension Fund Global, which was set up in 1990 to invest the proceeds of its petroleum sector. It now holds more than 1.5 per cent, on average, of all the listed companies in the world, while its $1.8 trillion (1.4 trillion) total size translates to more than $325,000 per Norwegian citizen.

It feels like the oil wealth is very negative, vstegard says. They want it to be more government, government, government. People are starting to say it looks like the Soviets: they want everything to be the state. Its scary because what built Norway after the war were all the people who created jobs and tax income and lived in Norway and used their money in Norway. Now, successful people have moved out of Norway to Switzerland.

More and more people in Norway are saying we are moving into the sphere of oil and gas dictatorships, says Baudenacher. Similar types of behaviour by a very strong government that doesnt need to fear much.

Many are scared of the state

Wealth taxes are well established in Norway, as part of a culture of redistributive and egalitarian politics. As Kristoffer Berg points out, the same oil money that means it can afford to annoy its wealthiest people also means it does not need a wealth tax. Its a bit weird, he says. Why does Norway care so much about revenue? It already has so much, but it seems to care a lot about protecting its tax base. Norway could definitely afford not having an exit tax. Its more about the principle of equal treatment.

Kristoffer Berg, a Norwegian economist at the University of Cambridge, questions the oil-rich countrys need to charge its citizens wealth tax - Kristoffer Berg/LinkedIn

Still, Bergst, the leader of the leftist party who was responsible for the Wall of Shame, has said it gives her strength as well as a chuckle or two. In an interview with the Danish press in November, Bergst doubled down on her controversial display.

I dont go to work for these people, I go to work for ordinary people, she told Brsen. Inequality in Norway is increasing. Since the pandemic the richest have increased their wealth by 63 per cent, while others have been worse off. You wouldnt believe it, given how much they complain.

Many rich Norwegians are meanwhile scared to speak out against the government, afraid of politically motivated tax audits or other unwelcome public attention. The Wall of Shame of people who have fled paying their dues is only one visible example of this culture. Many people are scared to speak, says vstegard. They are scared of the state.

This has not stopped them fleeing, however. As Starmer is discovering, too, with the exodus from the UK, millionaires are not short of options in 2025. Plenty of other countries are only too happy to welcome them, with generous golden visas and tax breaks.

Now that the Norwegian government has collapsed, with support for the Labour party in the doldrums, there are hopes that reforms to the tax systems might be a feature of the upcoming general election. There have already been signs of a shift in feeling: in October, a scheme for deferring the wealth tax for business owners struggling with liquidity was included in a planned budget.

The sentiment has shifted, Haga says. There are a lot more people vocal in the debate now. It has always been a tax people didnt like, but in Norwegian culture people like to be humble. Speaking up as [a] rich [person] never gained you a lot of sympathy. It hasnt been a smart thing to do. But people are furious with the current government. Of course, one theory of big socialist states is that if enough people work in the government or on handouts, their incentive is to keep growing the state. But I think, luckily, people are not happy with these policies and how they have played out.

But whether any forthcoming changes will be enough to bring back Haga himself, or many of the others who have already left, remains to be seen. I think Norways a great country, but its being run by incompetent politicians, he says. Running a business from Norway right now is not viable. If policies changed and you only paid tax when you made money, I would probably return one day.

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A Bellingham man who was detained in Whatcom County Jail without access to an attorney for over a month brought his case before a judge Tuesday to argue for his charges to be dropped.

Richard Kirkham, 48, has been in jail since Sept. 28, 2023. He faces more than 50 felony charges across eight open cases, the majority of which are related to domestic violence and no-contact order violations.

Kirkham and his current attorney, Adrian Madrone, filed a motion Jan. 9 to dismiss the charges, alleging a violation of Kirkhams legal rights to conflict-free counsel, due process and a speedy trial.

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According to the motion filed for dismissal of the cases, Kirkham was communicating with two people outside of jail who were helping him find a private attorney. However, the court ordered that Kirkhams phone, messaging and visitation access be restricted about one month after he was arrested.

Kirkham told the public defenders office that he had an issue with his assigned lawyer on Oct. 27, 2023  one day after the ban was put in place. He was told by the office that they would no longer be representing him due to a severe shortage of conflict counsel in the county.

Judge Evan Jones, who heard oral arguments Tuesday, previously appointed two subsequent attorneys from the bench, both of whom withdrew from the case. Kirkham then requested his phone privileges be reinstated so that he could find another attorney, according to court records.

He brought this request to Judge David Freeman on Nov. 22, 2023, according to the motion to dismiss, but Freeman was asked by the state to let Jones handle the issue. Freeman called the situation very concerning and told Jones to review the restrictions, but did not lift them.

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The privileges were eventually given back on Dec. 6, 2023, with the stipulation that Kirkham could only call verified attorneys. However, Kirkham did not have the phone numbers of any attorneys, according to court records, and the jail said it did not provide phone books.

He wrote to the court to request the restrictions be lifted again so that he could retain counsel. Jones did not respond, according to the motion, leaving Kirkham without access to representation for a month and a half.

Madrone opened his argument Tuesday with a request for Jones to recuse himself from the case due to his involvement in it and concerns over fairness. The state disagreed, and Jones decided to proceed with hearing arguments with the understanding that he may decide to recuse himself ahead of the April trial.

Madrone said Kirkhams experience was connected to a much wider problem and had significant implications.

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Access to counsel is an issue of Constitutional magnitude, Madrone said.

Prosecuting attorney Sophia Padgett acknowledged that Kirkham spent time without counsel but said the state made a good faith effort to find him a qualified attorney. She said the standards for finding representation in this case were also higher because Kirkham faces life in prison due to Washingtons three strikes law.

Kirkham disagreed, saying in a statement to the Bellingham Herald that the court was well aware of the delays it would cause in (his) case when it decided to detain (him) without appointing counsel.

In America, we do not lock people up without immediately providing them with counsel, Kirkham said.

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About 30 people attended Tuesdays hearing in a show of support for Kirkham. Megan McAllister, a former Western Washington University student and an organizer with the Whatcom Pen-pal Program, said she gathered the group to provide a sense of accountability for Judge Jones.

Kirkham and McAllister are pen pals, and they have known each other for over a year now.

To the court, it is their day job, McAllister said. To the people they are presiding over, it is their entire lives and freedoms being restricted.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The City of Springfield will commemorate the start of Black History Month on Saturday with an annual flag raising at City Hall.

The 39th annual flag-raising will feature guest speakers.

At the event, the Ruth B. Loving Civil Rights Award will be given to longtime Civil Rights Activist and Springfield Police Board of Police Commissioner Robert Jackson. The Annual Raising of the Black American Heritage Flag begins at 10 a.m.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  A Springfield police officer was hurt Thursday night when his squad car was involved in a crash while he was responding to an emergency.

The crash happened at the intersection of Veterans Parkway and Lindbergh Boulevard at 9 p.m. Lieutenant Scott Ligon told WCIA the officer was responding to a panic alarm and had the cars emergency lights and siren activated. As he was driving through the intersection of Veterans and Lindbergh, Ligon said another car entered the intersection and collided with the squad car.

Springfield landmark to receive over $6M for renovations

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Both the officer and the driver of the other car were transported to a local hospital, but both are expected to be okay. Ligon said the officer is experiencing soreness and pain in his hands from the deployment of the steering wheel airbag.

The driver of the other vehicle was given a ticket for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, Ligon added.

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ST. CLAIR Twp., Ohio (WKBN)  More good news about the police officer shot in St. Clair Township.

Dakota Wetzel is getting better and his treatment even includes getting him out of bed more every day.

Police chief Brian McKenzie shares more.

Hes making great progress, hes communicating with his family in various way and the doctors here are extremely pleased and happy with the progress, McKenzie said. They look for great recovery from him.

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McKenzie adds that its important to keep praying for Dakota Wetzel and the other families affected by the tragedy.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The St. Helens School District held a briefing on Friday, informing the community about the fallout from ongoing sex abuse investigations  which involve several current and former staff members.

The briefing included the set pay rate for the new Acting Superintendent Dr. Karen Gray, who starts on Monday. Gray, who was not at Fridays briefing, will receive $19,000 per month in compensation.

St. Helens PD chief retires amid ongoing investigation

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The outgoing interim superintendent, Dr. Steven Webb, announced earlier this month he was leaving the role early.

So far, Gray has promised communication and transparency as she leads the district.

Gray said she was raring to go as she introduced herself to the St. Helens School Board during a meeting on Thursday night.

Gray said her focus will be on organizational changes and next years budget.

We have some work to do, she said.

Gray is a seasoned retired superintendent with decades of experience in the field and a self-described avid worker-outer person, she said at the meeting.

Gray also thanked the board for its generosity and what she described as a beautiful employment contract. However, the board must re-approve that contract due to failing to properly post a notice about the Thursday night meeting.

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At the same time, the district said the abuse investigation and corrective action plan are delayed up to three weeks to give the investigator more time.

During Fridays briefing, it was revealed that the St. Helens School Board has been cleared in the investigation.

There was no information that the school board or any of its members had information about the illegal and inappropriate alleged activities, said J. Marie, a communications consultant working with the district.

Alleged bank robber charged with second heist

While the district continues to face intense scrutiny from the community, Gray told the board shes focused on transparency and integrity.

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No matter what happens, I dont ever want to lose sight of why were here, she said.

Former Superintendent Dr. Scott Stockwell is still on paid leave during the investigations. He has not been charged  or formerly cleared of any wrongdoing  by authorities.

Dr. Gray is on the payroll until June.

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ST. LOUIS  A federal jury has awarded a St. Louis father millions of dollars after his son was shot and killed by police nearly a decade ago.

The jury awarded Dennis Ball-Bay $18.75 million in connection with the death of his 18-year-old son, Mansur, in August of 2015. The incident garnered national attention.

Mansur was shot and killed by a St. Louis Metropolitan Police officer on Walton Avenue in the Fountain Park Neighborhood following a police raid at one of his relatives home. Police accused the teen of pointing a gun at another officer before they fired shots.

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Weve been arguing for years that Mansur was unarmed and was shot in the back and killed in cold blood. And today, a federal jury of nine unanimously agreed with us, Dennis attorney, Javad Khazaeli, said.

Officers involved were not charged.

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My faith is what kept me goingmy belief, Dennis said Friday. I knew that Mansur didnt get justice. It was all about hope.

Mansur was killed just a year after the unrest in Ferguson after the shooting death of Michael Brown by former officer Darren Wilson.

Another attorney for Dennis, Jermaine Wooten, says large awards like this one can force real change.

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You punish them with a huge verdict. Because when they have to start paying out this kind of money, theyre going to make sure their officers are trained, Wooten said. Theyre going to make sure their officers are disciplined to stop this kind of behavior.

While the family views the verdict as long-awaited justice, they feel the wait lasted far too long.

So ask yourself, why nine years? Justice is here, but justice took too long, Khazaeli said.

Dennis added, The message that is sent from this award is to stop the police brutality.

FOX 2 reached out to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and they replied that they had no comment.

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Another group of local Starbucks workers have voted to unionize.

The workers at the Bethel Park location voted to join Starbucks Workers United. It was the 40th location in Pennsylvania and the 19th in the Pittsburgh area to join, a union representative said.

Im so glad that all the partners in our store got a chance to use their voice for what they thought was their best choice, said Paige Merriweather, a 3-year barista.

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The vote came just a few days after Starbucks announced it would reduce its menu by 30%. The cafe chain also eliminated its open-door policy for customers several weeks ago.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Starbucks closes door on open door policy

During a national strike, Starbucks workers in Pittsburgh called for better wages. 11,000 baristas have joined the union nationwide which said it is working to earn respect, racial and gender equity and fair scheduling.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Starbucks employees in Pittsburgh join nationwide strike

I am incredibly proud of our partners for their dedication and hard work. The decision to unionize is a powerful reflection of the strength and unity within our team. Our partners are some of the most hardworking people I know, and this vote marks an important moment in our stores history, said Greyson Scurco, a shift supervisor of 4 years. The results of this election will pave the way for positive changes, fostering a more supportive and empowering environment for all. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and committed to continuing to work together to create a workplace that reflects our values of respect, fairness, and collaboration.

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Both Starbucks and Workers United have expressed frustration about stalled negotiations. Both sides blame the other for a lack of progress.

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JOHNSON COUNTY (KSNT)  Agents working for the State of Kansas and local law enforcement seized assets belonging to a Johnson County bar in late January.

The Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) published a report that at 10 a.m. on Jan. 28 its agents, alongside Johnson County Sheriffs Office deputies, visited The Social Bar & Grill located at 13410 West 62nd Terrace in Shawnee to seize its assets. The KDOR executed tax warrants at the bar and grill for reported non-payment of sales tax coming to more than $52,000.

KDOR agents and accompanying law enforcement seized all known bank accounts, on-site cash, business inventory along with personal property belonging to the owner. The Social Bar & Grill was then sealed shut with a notice posted on the exterior, according to the KDOR. All assets seized by the KDOR will be sold at a public auction with the proceeds being used to cover the delinquent taxes.

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Kansas woman killed by train in Pottawatomie County

KDORs policy and practice is to work with taxpayers in delinquent status to voluntarily enter into repayment agreements. It is only after these efforts and multiple failed collection attempts that the Department is forced to execute a tax warrant, utilizing such actions as bank levies, till taps, and ultimately asset seizure to ensure compliance with the law. KDOR press release excerpt

Customers, employees or others who may have had items at the business during the seizure are encouraged to reach out to the agent assigned to this case by calling 913-942-3090, according to the KDOR.

Teething sticks recalled in Kansas due to choking hazard to infants

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Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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Employees of the U.S. Department of State were asked to remove any preferred pronouns from email signatures on Friday, a leaked internal memo revealed.

The message from the State Department's Under Secretary for Management Tibor Nagy said the move was made to comply with President Donald Trump's recent executive order attacking the rights of transgender people.

The Department of State is reviewing all agency programs, contracts and grants that promote or incubate gender ideology, Nagy wrote to employees of the State Department. All employees are required to remove any gender identifying pronouns from email signature blocks by 5pm today.

State Department now ordering diplomats to remove pronouns from email signature blocks, per memo leaked to me pic.twitter.com/TId9ADEJbC  Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) January 31, 2025

The memo was shared online by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein. ABC News reported that similar memos went out to employees at the Departments of Transportation and Energy as well as the CDC.

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Trump's executive order labeled itself as a broadside against "gender ideology," calling the idea that people born male could identify as women "false." The order required agencies to "remove all statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications, or other internal and external messages that promote or otherwise inculcate gender ideology, and shall cease issuing such statements, policies, regulations, forms, communications or other messages."

Speaking with Salon earlier this month, the ACLU's Ian Thompson called Trump's efforts an attempt to eradicate trans people in the United States.

"All of this is part and parcel of the same overall effort: this anti-trans extremism among many on the right that is really coming from a desire to force transgender people out of our communities, out of our schools  out of public life entirely," Thompson shared.
Israel President Isaac Herzog expressed relief following the return of three hostages--Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon, and Keith Siegel--who were held captive in Gaza and welcomed them home. Sharing a post on X, Herzog wrote, "Yarden Bibas, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel are finally home. How we have worried, and awaited their return." He added, "Yarden's reunion with his family is simply heartbreaking. We all remain deeply concerned for the fate of our beloved Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas - as an entire nation we hold them in our hearts. The people of Israel stand by Yarden and the whole family, with great concern and in heartfelt prayer." He further said that Ofer's children, Erez and Sahar, were returned to their loving mother, the courageous Hadas, and the rest of their family during the first exchange. "Erez marked his Bar Mitzvah and read from the Torah just a few months ago - while his father was still held in Gaza," Herzog said. He added, "Keith's heroic wife Aviva, was also returned in the first exchange to their four children and five grandchildren. Since then, we have seen Aviva speak out in countless meetings around the world, crying out and working unwaveringly for Keith's return." The Israeli President also reaffirmed Israel's commitment to securing the freedom of all remaining hostages, vowing that the country would not rest until every captive is brought back. "Each one deserves the time to rehabilitate and rebuild their lives, and every one of the hostages deserves to come home soon. We will not rest nor be silent until we return all our sisters and brothers from the hell of captivity in Gaza - until the last one," Herzog said. A day earlier, Israeli officials confirmed receiving the names of three hostages who were set to be released by Hamas on Saturday -- Ofer Calderon, Keith Siegel, and Yarden Bibas, Times of Israel reported. Keith Siegel, a 65-year-old US citizen originally from North Carolina, was abducted along with his wife, Aviva, from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Aviva was released in November 2023. Ofer Calderon, 54, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, along with his two children, Erez and Sahar. Both children were freed during the previous ceasefire. Yarden Bibas, 35, was taken hostage separately from his wife, Shiri, and their children, Ariel and Kfir, who were also abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz. (ANI)
State officials have awarded more than $2 million in federal funding to help local police departments and state agencies prevent firearm deaths and injuries across Massachusetts.

The grants mark the first funds awarded in Massachusetts through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement on Friday.

The program is funded through the Department of Justice and administered in Massachusetts by the Office of Grants and Research.

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In total, approximately $2,018,800 in federal funds will be invested in crisis intervention and gun violence prevention efforts across the state, Healey said.

Responding to the complex issue of gun violence requires both public safety and public health interventions, Healey said. These grants support evidence-based efforts to prevent firearm injuries and deaths, increase crisis intervention training for law enforcement and improve the safety of Massachusetts communities. The funds complement our administrations commitment to holistic approaches to public safety and reducing gun deaths.

The grant funds will support initiatives including suicide prevention training for veteran service officers, crisis intervention and de-escalation training for local police, outreach regarding Extreme Risk Protection Orders and youth violence prevention programs.

Under the conditions of the federal program, the funds may not be used for the purpose of enforcement activities, officials said.

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Award recipients will receive technical assistance and other support from Northeastern University, which was chosen as a Statewide Research Partner through a competitive application process, officials said. The school has been awarded $150,000 in grant money.

FILE PHOTO: A ghost gun is displayed before the start of an event about gun violence in the Rose Garden of the White House April 11, 2022 in Washington, DC.

Funded agencies will also receive ongoing grant management and reporting assistance from program coordinators assigned to the state OGRs Justice and Prevention Division.

No single approach can effectively address the complex issue of gun violence. This vital funding supports a comprehensive strategy tailored to meet the diverse needs of our communities, Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy said in a statement.

Investments in prevention, intervention and education are essential to building stronger, safer communities with the tools needed to address the root causes of gun violence, Reidy said.

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The following police departments were awarded Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program for Municipal Law Enforcement funds:

Abington Police Department, $87,032

Braintree Police Department, $149,795

Chelsea Police Department, $150,000

East Brookfield Police Department, $16,335

Holyoke Police Department, $84,458

Lawrence Police Department, $150,000

Leominster Police Department, $129,849

Littleton Police Department, $67,629

Lowell Police Department, $109,314

Randolph Police Department, $149,943

Salem Police Department, $87,285

Sterling Police Department, $87,091

Worcester Police Department, $144,224

The following agencies were awarded Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program for State Agencies funding:

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Cape & Islands District Attorneys Office, $129,420

Executive Office of Veterans Services, $149,316

Hampden County District Attorney, $72,106

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth Campus Police, $105,000

Massachusetts is a national leader in reducing firearm deaths. These grants will support and enhance efforts across Massachusetts to save lives and prevent acts of gun violence, Office of Grants and Research Executive Director Kevin Stanton said in a statement.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP)This week at the State House in Boston, Democrat and Republican leadership alike were focused on federal issues from funding to ICE.

On the state level, Auditor DiZoglio released an audit of settlement agreements in state government, which she says is an extremely flawed system. DiZoglio says she was not able to determine the use of confidentiality clauses in settlements in the state legislature, as they are withholding documents from her office.

Insurers: Mass. health care reaching limits of affordability

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Well, you may have heard, were not really getting access to any of the documents that weve requested out of the legislature currently, and they are violating the law, said DiZoglio.

The auditor and Democrat leaders are set to meet next week, as the auditor continues to work on auditing the legislature as authorized by a ballot question this fall.

The Trump administration announced a federal funding freeze early this week, stopping trillions of dollars flowing to the states, then quickly rescinded the order. Still, the threat of losing federal funding cause wide-reaching panic in the state.

Yesterdays actions were devastatingan illegal abuse of power and an overreach by the president, said Governor Healey.

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GOP leaders began a push to empower local law enforcement to cooperate with ICE. Western Massachusetts Senator Peter Durant is among supporters.

These new laws will improve public safety by allowing time for ICE to remove people who are increasingly victimizing others, including children, said Durant.

Also this week, the attorney general issued a set of guidelines for schools on how to handle ICE raids.

22News will keep you informed on relations between deep blue Massachusetts and the new federal administration on air and online.

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A class-action lawsuit involving COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefits has been settled, leading a New Mexico agency to suspend its efforts to collect overpayments from tens of thousands of residents.

The case, Duran v. New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, was resolved Jan. 9 when First Judicial District Judge Maria Sanchez-Gagne approved an agreement between the parties. She is expected to issue a written order soon.

The settlement means state residents who owed money to the state agency will see their debts forgiven, according to the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, an Albuquerque-based nonprofit organization that helped represent the plaintiffs.

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That will spare them from having liens filed against them, having deductions made from future unemployment benefits and having their tax refunds intercepted, the nonprofit said in a news release Friday.

Those who are granted a waiver but already have repaid their overpaid benefits are due a refund, according to the news release.

Many of the people who received the overpayments did so because of administrative errors made by the Department of Workforce Solutions during the pandemic  not because of any action by the recipients, lawyers for the plaintiffs said. Stephanie Welch, the workers rights director at the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, characterized the settlement as a major step forward in addressing challenges faced by workers during the pandemic.

New Mexicans who lost their jobs through no fault of their own deserve to make ends meet, and they should not be burdened by circumstances beyond their control, she said in a statement. This agreement is an important step in ensuring our community is treated with fairness and dignity, especially in a time of crisis.

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The issue emerged after the Department of Workforce Solutions was overwhelmed with new claims arising from federal legislation designed to provide relief to those who lost their jobs, Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair said in a statement.

The Department of Workforce Solutions faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, including a 10-fold expansion of benefits in 2020, compounded by another doubling in 2021, and an onslaught of shifting federal guidance, Nair said. This lawsuit gave us the opportunity to look back at that period and find some tools to ease the burden of overpayments, which the department assessed in a good faith effort to follow the rules.

Nairs agency has begun processing blanket waivers and refunds for many of those who had been designated as receiving overpayments. It is expected to take the agency several months to process all the waivers and refunds, given the number of people involved. In her statement, Nair encouraged everyone who received an overpayment to make sure their contact information with her agency is current.

Anyone who is not eligible for a blanket waiver or whose overpayment has not been fully forgiven will be instructed on how to apply for an individual waiver. Those folks will have two years to initiate that process, the news release said.

One of the plaintiffs in the 2023 lawsuit, Yohanna Gerges, is among those who already has paid back her overpayment. She said in a statement she struggled to make ends meet while trying to cover the overpayment.This feels like a fair solution, and its reassuring to see New Mexico taking care of its people during tough times, Gerges said.
In the United States' first constitutional climate change trial, the Montana Supreme Court upheld a ruling in favor of 16 youth plaintiffs, affirming their "fundamental constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment."

The 6-1 decision guarantees a stable climate for the youth plaintiffs, who argued Montana's backing of planet-warming fossil fuels violated their rights.

"This ruling is a victory not just for us, but for every young person whose future is threatened by climate change," lead plaintiff Rikki Held said.

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The court's ruling comes after two state laws passed in 2011 and 2023 significantly limiting the environmental review of new energy projects. The latter, signed into law by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, forbids environmental review of energy permits from evaluating potential greenhouse gas pollution or climate impact.

Both laws were overturned in the new ruling, with the court explicitly citing Montana's greenhouse gas pollution as "a substantial factor in causing climate impacts to Montana's environment, and harm and injury to the youth plaintiffs."

In court, the youth plaintiffs illustrated the profound effects of climate change on their daily lives. They described worsening wildfires and smoke polluting the air they breathe, drought and decreased rainfall diminishing mountain snowpack, and low river levels unable to sustain fish, wildlife, recreation, and Indigenous traditions.

The landmark decision will force Montana officials to "carefully assess the greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts of all future fossil fuel permits," said Melissa Hornbein, the plaintiffs' attorney.

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Policies such as this, as well as others that deter and restrict fossil fuel usage, are critical in recognizing and limiting dirty energy's role in polluting the atmosphere and rapidly warming the planet. Rising global temperatures can make weather more extreme and lead to more deadly and destructive disasters, such as last year's Hurricane Helene or the Los Angeles wildfires.

Dirty energy sources have also been linked to numerous public health concerns, such as cardiac problems, breathing issues, and premature death.

The plaintiffs and their attorneys were overjoyed at the court's findings.

"I was really pleased to see that the Montana Supreme Court grounded its analysis of harm in the testimony of the youth plaintiffs," Roger Sullivan, an attorney who represented the plaintiffs, told the Daily Montanan. "I was pleased to see they got both the harm these youth plaintiffs are experiencing, the cause of it as a result of fossil fuels being collected and combusted, and that Montana is one of the actors in this global phenomenon."

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"We have been heard, and today, the Montana Supreme Court has affirmed that our rights to a safe and healthy climate cannot be ignored," Held said.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  It has been a cooler day across KELOLAND, but temperatures have continued to stay above average. Many of us had sunshine, while cloud cover impacted areas with the largest drop in temperatures.

More clouds will move in going into the night, with temperatures staying mild for this time of year. A low pressure system moving to the north will bring in gusty winds that will begin in central KELOLAND in the early overnight hours then move eastward by tomorrow morning.

The strongest gusts will stay East River late tomorrow morning and into the early afternoon, where gusts near 40 mph are possible. With a ridge moving in and breezy, southerly winds, temperatures will begin to warm up again into the 40s and 50s. By sunset tomorrow, the low will start to move off and help decrease the wind and cloud cover.

Sunday will be our last day of the mild temperatures for the foreseeable future. A cold front will move through during the day and begin to drop temperatures back to near average. Following that will be our first snow chances for the week. Current models are showing the band of snow moving into western South Dakota by late Sunday night, with the heaviest part of the band looking to set up in central South Dakota by Monday morning. The band will most likely move into northeastern KELOLAND and be out of the area by the afternoon. Accumulating snow is likely with this system and we will continue to monitor this going into the weekend for any changes in the track or snowfall amounts.

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As the snow moves out, cloud cover and below average temperatures will hang around before our next system moves in by Wednesday.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Other than a damaged cargo building in Lihue and a water leak at a checkpoint at Honolulu International Airport, the state Transportation Department said Hawaiis five airports were unscathed by the storm.

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However, the airlines are still scrambling to recover from the sudden ground stop at Honolulus Airport that left thousands of travelers in limbo overnight.

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South Maui residents battle muddy roads, flooding

We were on the plane for probably 45 minutes, and they said over the speaker, everybody has to exit the plane. There is no flights leaving Oahu. So we got out, and then we didnt know where our luggage was, said Kathy MacDonald, who was trying to get home to California after a week in the islands.

Kathy MacDonald and her friend, Elizabeth Kasz, had to spend the night at a hotel after missing their connecting flight to Sacramento yesterday.

According to Mauis Mayor Richard Bissen, about 15 flights were diverted to Maui.

Initially there were between two and three thousand people stranded because the flights could land but they couldnt leave. They diverted 15 flights to Maui but the crews timed out. In other words they couldnt fly anymore. So they were trying to get crews to come to Maui to fly these folks out a couple thousand made it out but about 1000 were left and I was told about 700 stayed overnight so that kind of acted as a shelter, Bissen said.

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The State Department of Transportation said 104 flights were either diverted or cancelled yesterday.

Because of that, we had about 2,700 passengers stuck in different airports that were not their destination. We accommodated them as much as possible, said Ed Sniffen, DOT director.

Hawaiian Airlines said the ground stop impacted dozens of their flights, including 22 diversions. Alaska Airlines had five transpacific flights diverted, including one that had to return back to Seattle.

We checked in with Nathan Jeffrey, who was on that flight, and was in line last night to rebook another flight home. Today, he was in Los Angeles.

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They rescheduled us or rerouted us to LAX today, and then well fly out at five oclock, California time, said Jeffrey, who was waiting at the airport.

Aviation expert Peter Forman said its the FAAs decision to call for a ground stop, but is a sensible response to severe weather.

A ground stop is keeping airplanes from taking off and heading to an airport that cant receive them, or at least cant receive them quickly, Forman said. It a makes a whole lot more sense. Youre not burning fuel, youre not congesting the airspace, and its just a better deal all around.

While flights are leaving today, the impact of this storm is likely to be felt for at least another day. So the best advice is to check with your airline before heading to the airport.

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CAIRO (AP)  Sudans health authorities say a paramilitary group attacked an open market in the city of Omdurman, killing 54 people.
A Sun City firefighter is expected to make a full recovery after suffering injuries from an explosion stemming from a garbage truck fire, the Sun City Fire and Medical Department said.

On Thursday, Jan. 30, around 2 p.m., a Sun City fire crew responded to a vehicle fire on a residential street near the Sun City-Surprise border. A video shared on Instagram by the fire department shows a city garbage truck engulfed in flames.

The video shows a parked car in an adjacent residential driveway giving off smoke from the intense heat radiating from the truck fire.

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One firefighter was injured from an explosion and was transported to the Arizona Burn Center  Valleywise Health, according to the fire department. That firefighter was expected to make a full recovery.

Sun City Fire and Medical Department gave thanks to Surprise Medical-Fire Department for a quick response to the situation and "taking care of one of our own."

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sun City firefighter expected to make full recovery after explosion
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Supervisor Leticia Perez delivered the State of the County address Thursday night, focusing on what the county has accomplished and acknowledging more work needs to be done.

Farm workers, entrepreneurs, law enforcement personnel, teachers, retired marines, concerned citizens, and many others who work tirelessly to build a quality of life where our children are prepared to compete in this economy, our businesses can flourish, and where our families can fulfill their american dream, said District 5 Supervisor Leticia Perez.

Perez hit on multiple topics while giving her address.

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Such as, the countys management of $4.4 billion dollars. She talked about creating new buildings like two new psychiatric facilities and the new coroners office, creating the countys first tiny home community and expanding six different industries to increase jobs.

Multiple topics from defense to transportation, and tourism to energy were also touched on, such as The CarbonTerraVault Project.

The highly controversial CarbonTerraVault project works to take carbon dioxide out of the air and pump it deep into the ground.

The county made a historic $76 million investment into parks in 2024.

Perez said that funding is continuing into her run as chairwoman, saying that the investments help lift the countys poorest communities.

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I am proud to say that because of our strategic investment and attention to actual residence needs, our neighborhood parks have been made safer, cleaner, and more vibrant, said Perez.

Perez said the approval of The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino was a historic moment for Kern County. That it will provide thousands of jobs, local vendor opportunities and increase tax revenue.

The main theme; helping create jobs and increase Kern Countys economy.

We have loyal people, families, people of faith, said Perez. Americana good stock right here in Kern County, but we need to communicate that to the outside world. More so than ever before.

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A verdict was reached Friday for Jayveon Johnson in connection with the 2023 fatal shooting of David Rezentes. Bexar County Jail

A jury has found a San Antonio man guilty in the death of a 19-year-old who was fatally shot during a "drug deal gone bad."

Jayveon Johnson, 23, was convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of David Rezentes, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle. He was also found guilty of the aggravated robbery of Richard Diaz, who was in the driver's seat.

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On March 25, 2023, Rezentes was killed by Johnson's girlfriend, Mariah Desire Cabrera, 21, in the 3200 block of El Paso Street in San Antonio. Prosecutors said Johnson told Cabrera to fire the shot that killed Rezentes.

Cabrera was sentenced to 35 years in prison by Judge Christine Del Prado in October after Cabrera pleaded guilty to the murder.

At the time of the shooting, Johnson was living with his friend, 21-year-old Jonathan Garza, who is also charged in connection with the shooting.

Prosecutors say Johnson, Garza, Cabrera, and a couple of other men, planned to rob Diaz, who was known to sell Xanax.

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Prosecutors said Cabrera and another woman spoke with Diaz through the car window while Johnson and the others swarmed the vehicle with guns and demanded property.

At some point, Johnson instructed Cabrera to fire a fatal shot into Rezentes' chest, prosecutors said.

Rezentes was able to run down the street but soon collapsed on the ground. He was pronounced dead by EMS.

Police found Diaz's vehicle still running with the driver's side door open. Officers also located a single bullet hole on the passenger side door. On the passenger seat, officers found a small bag with a white powdery substance that they believed was cocaine.

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When Johnson was interviewed by police, prosecutors said Johnson admitted to being at the scene as a lookout during the shooting. He also admitted to being armed, prosecutors said.
Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy and her daughter, Akshata Murthy share insights into their lives while discussing work-life management, childcare and cultural values, at an event titled 'My Mother Myself' in the Jaipur Literature Festival on Saturday. Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy were also present at the event. Sunak greeted everyone with folded hands and expressed his happiness to participate in this special occasion. "At the Jaipur Literature Festival 2025, an animated discussion takes place between an iconic mother and her daughter, where the two women share insights into their lives, the choices they make, and the paths they take. A dialogue showcases their intelligence, charm, and iron resolve," the Jaipur Literature Festival stated in a post on X. https://x.com/JaipurLitFest/status/1885563070866505806 Akshata asked Sudha Murthy how she managed to balance her work and raising children. On this, Sudha Murthy said she drew inspiration from her father, who as a doctor by profession considered the hospital as a temple. She further said that her husband Narayana Murthy supported her at every step and helped her in pursuing her professional life. Akshata thanked Sudha Murthy for her teaching and guidance as a mother and said her both parents are her "role models. "Both you and Papa have been my role models. You both always supported each other." Sudha Murthy replied, "I always wanted my children to become good citizens. One day you too will get to see a day when your husband and children will be proud of you." Akshata asked Sudha Murthy to write more about children so that the younger generation can learn from them. On this, she highlighted the importance of books and their ability to change people's lives. During the question-answer session, Sudha Murthy stressed on the importance of giving time to children as parents. Sudha Murthy said, "Behind a successful woman is a wise man. My husband always supported me and helped me move forward." The 18th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival is being held at Jaipur's Hotel Clarks Amer from January 30 to February 3. (ANI)
Surf schools in Southern California do good business, especially in the summer months, and now Jason Murchison, owner of Learn to Surf, is fighting for his slice of the pie. This week Murchison filed a federal lawsuit against Newport Beach, alleging that the bucolic Orange County surf town has stymied his efforts to operate his business. He contends that the city would not allow him to teach surf lessons because he didn't have the requisite contract, while at the same time denying him said contract under the guise that the city currently has enough surf instructors and surf schools.

"Aside from being unfair and anticompetitive, the citys actions are also unconstitutional and unlawful," reads Murchison's complaint. "Under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the city cannot prohibit Mr. Murchison from instructing others on how to surf. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution also prohibits the city from favoring certain similar beach activities over others."

A Newport ordinance requires anyone giving paid surfing lessons (or SUP lessons) on the city beaches to have a contract in place. Murchison alleges he attempted multiple times to acquire the contract.

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"He has been rebuffed each time with little explanation other than the Citys view that it has enough surf instructors," reads the complaint.

A family man and Navy veteran, Murchison started teaching surf lessons to help pay for law school, but when the surf school grew into a successful, stand-alone business, he kicked out on law school and became a full-time surf instructor. His business currently employs eight other instructors. Over the years he's donated his time and services to a number of philanthropic groups, including the Wounded Warriors program and several drug rehabilitation organizations.

The issues between Murchison and Newport date back to 2016, when the city fined him for running his surf school. Murchison counted with a lawsuit that was eventually settled in 2017. Then, in 2024, the city took Murchison to Orange County Superior Court. This latest lawsuit does not pertain to that case, but does illustrate the back-and-forth history between the two parties.

"The Citys anticompetitive conduct has injured Mr. Murchison and competition in the market for surfing and SUP lessons in Newport Beach," surmises the complaint.

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"The Citys abuse of its monopoly and market power in the market for surfing and SUP lessons in Newport Beach harms Mr. Murchison, other Orange County instructors, and members of the public who seek out surfing and SUP lessons in Newport Beach. For example, the Citys illegal exercise of its monopoly power results in fewer instructors being able to earn a living in Newport Beach and gives members of the public fewer options in obtaining lessons at affordable prices."

With potentially wide-reaching implications, it's going to be interesting to see how all this plays out in the weeks and months to come.
Europe needs to learn how to "swim and survive" in a new era in which it is "surrounded by sharks" as it faces pressure from China and Trump's US, according to Gabrielius Landsbergis, who was until December the Lithuanian foreign minister.

Landsbergis said the European Union was "clinging to a position that we are not an actor", while China and the United States were "creating their own ways of how to conduct business with each other". In response to the tectonic shift in geopolitics, he urged Brussels to toughen up.

"If you're in the middle of the sea, surrounded by sharks and screaming 'human rights', I don't think that you're going to convince somebody with your values-based approach," the conservative politician said.

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"I'm not suggesting that we have to be sharks, but I'm suggesting that we have to figure out the way that would actually allow us to swim and survive."

The return of Donald Trump as US president has threatened to upend the EU's relationship with Washington. Much ink has been spilled about how the returning leader might also affect Europe's strained ties with Beijing, with the EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic saying on Wednesday that Brussels hoped to work with Trump on some facets of China policy.

"History has not yet been written," Landsbergis said. "The geopolitical situation is changing quite rapidly."

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He does expect, however, a deepening of the European divide on China - between those countries situated closer to Russia that rely on the US for their immediate security, and those in western Europe.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic has indicated that Brussels hopes to work with the new Trump administration on some parts of China trade policy. Photo: EPA-EFE alt=EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic has indicated that Brussels hopes to work with the new Trump administration on some parts of China trade policy. Photo: EPA-EFE>

"We will see the EU even more fractured ... we will see a lot more pressures. There will be definitely some southern countries of Europe, where the Spanish Prime Minister [Pedro Sanchez] is saying, I want more relations with China, just to spite Donald Trump, for reasons that are not necessarily well understood in other parts of Europe," he said.

But among Baltic and other central and eastern European members, Landsbergis said he saw "countries moving closer to the US, despite what Donald Trump is saying".

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"[They will be] cutting ties with China and performing anything that would be asked from Washington because of the security needs of this part of Europe - because breaking ties with the US in the face of Russian aggression is definitely not something that my part of Europe would be willing to do," he said.

Landsbergis' four years as Lithuania's top diplomat were dominated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But before that, his tenure was arguably characterised by a running feud with China.

In May 2021, his ministry took Lithuania out of the "17+1" partnership grouping coordinated by Beijing with central and eastern European countries. Later that year, he gave the green light to the opening in Vilnius of a Taiwanese Representative Office, a name that stoked controversy and broke from the norm across Europe, where such bases are typically referred to as "Taipei" offices.

This led to a bitter trade and diplomatic dispute after Lithuanian exporters found that the country had been wiped off the Chinese customs system. Its shipments to China subsequently plunged 91.4 per cent in November 2021, compared to a year earlier. In December, China expelled the Lithuanian ambassador.

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The European Commission brought a case against China at the World Trade Organization early in 2022, arguing that Beijing had economically coerced Vilnius for its relations with Taiwan. But according to Landsbergis, the case was brought only reluctantly, even if publicly, Brussels insisted Vilnius had done nothing wrong.

"The [European External Action Service] was pressuring us very hard, not before [the opening of the office], but after, when it was already opened and when we were in the midst of the coercion," Landsbergis said, referring to the EU's de facto foreign office, also known as the EEAS.

"I remember having conversations with the representatives of the EEAS, and I said, 'You are the heads and the representatives of one of the richest, most powerful alliances in the world. Is your best instrument to use pressure against one of the smallest members, or should you be using your power and influence to convince [China] that they back off from a member of the European Union?'" he recalled.

The WTO case has returned to the news in recent weeks, with the EU resuming it last week following a year-long suspension, only to pause it once more on Thursday for another year.

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Had it not been resumed last week, the case would have automatically expired, but Brussels sources said it still did not have enough direct evidence of state-sponsored coercion. Insiders said the case did not fit neatly within WTO rules and they were not confident that the EU would win. By pausing it again, the commission effectively buys itself another year.

Landsbergis urged the commission to fight the case to the end, even if it resulted in a loss.

"The current rules might force the EU to lose this case, but it's very important that we carry on, figuring out the rules that would allow us to win the next cases, so that we don't lose the lesson that through Lithuania, we all learned," he said.

"Because if we do that, then the next episode - and I'm sure that there will be - will be even harsher, because the adversary, China in this case, well, definitely they would have learned the lessons."

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This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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MARLBORO COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A suspect wanted out of Georgia was arrested in Marlboro County on Friday following a barricade situation in the McColl area, authorities said on Facebook.

Deputies responded Friday to the 300 block of W. Railroad Avenue for a reported overdose, the sheriffs office said. After an investigation, the reported overdose was deemed unfounded, but authorities discovered Clark  a resident at the location  had an outstanding warrant in Henry County, Georgia, for a probation violation related to prior felony charges.

Investigators obtained a fugitive from justice warrant and found Clark was inside the residence and refused to exit, according to the sheriffs office. Deputies obtained a search warrant, but before it was executed, Clarks mother helped persuade him to surrender peacefully after about an hour.

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Clark was taken to the Marlboro County Detention Center where he will remain until his extradition to Georgia.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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SARALAND, Ala. (WKRG)  An arrest affidavit obtained by WKRG showed the suspect of an October 2024 shootout with U.S. Marshals in Saraland was not a U.S. citizen.

Jorge Javier Quintero, 41, is a citizen of Argentina. He was accused of the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Carmen Carrera, in Orlando, Florida, before the feds tracked him down to a strip mall parking lot in Saraland.

Body found in Mobile Bay identified as Baldwin County homicide victim: ALEA

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According to an affidavit, Quintero allegedly killed Carrera on Oct. 29 with a knife and a power cord. Authorities tracked Quintero to Saraland Loop using license plate readers, pings from Carreras phone, and traffic camera photos that appeared to show a body-shaped bag in the back of a white truck rented by Quintero.

Quintero was shot multiple times by U.S. Marshals on Oct. 31.

Quintero was extradited from Mobile Metro Jail to Orange County, Florida, on Nov. 25.

Its a terrible incident that occurred whether its a small town or a big town. That doesnt make a difference, John Montalvo, a Saraland resident, said.

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UPDATE: Man tried to use skid-steer as a weapon on I-10 Thursday morning

While Quintero is not being held in Metro Jail, the Mobile County Sheriffs Office said 12 ICE detainees are being held at Metro Jail. All of them, according to MCSO, were already in jail for other crimes.

According to MCSO, none of the 12 inmates were placed on hold for ICE or Homeland Security Investigations after President Donald Trump took office. All of the detainers were placed before the Trump administration.

According to the ICE daily statistics, over 5,500 arrests have been made nationwide since Jan. 23. In the same timeframe, over 4,300 people were already in jail when ICE placed a detainer on them.

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ICE sources told News 5 that fingerprint technology used in the jail booking process can flag potential illegal immigrants. ICE can then place detainers on individuals flagged by the system.

Orange Beach Police Department searching for potential fraud victims

It is happening everywhere, and it isnt just smaller communities, Clifton Driver, a Saraland resident, said.

Local law enforcement offices from Mobile and Baldwin Counties said they would assist in ICE related incidents.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR)  The Syracuse City School District released new protocols for dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday afternoon, Jan. 31.

The guidelines come as ICE agents have made their presence known in Central New York.

The district said it has no intention of denying state and federal laws but is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for students to learn, regardless of their immigration status.

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Among the items in guidance, schools in the district are advised to have updated emergency contact information for every student.

Schools cannot discuss a students immigration status with anyone without a parent or guardians consent. Personally identifiable information can only be shared if it is required by judicial order or a subpoena and then only with a parent or guardians consent.

When a student has to engage with ICE, the district said it is important to remain calm and immediately contact the superintendents office. They will then contact the school districts legal counsel.

School staff are being told not to take any action that would interfere with law enforcement. A leader in the building should also be notified about any situation involving ICE.

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The district said its schools are expected to prevent discrimination based on race, national origin, or immigration status during these unprecedented times.

SCSD-ICE-GuidanceDownload

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(Reuters) - Syria's transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa will visit Saudi Arabia on Sunday, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported on Saturday, citing sources.

It will be Sharaa's first official visit abroad since he assumed power after leading a rebel campaign that ousted Bashar al-Assad in December.

Sharaa, an Islamist who was once an affiliate of al Qaeda, has been trying to gain support from Arab and Western leaders since former Syrian President Assad was toppled.

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The Saudi foreign minister visited Damascus on Jan. 24 and said the kingdom was engaged in talks with Europe and the U.S. to help lift economic sanctions imposed on Syria that had decimated its economy.

Arab countries have historically been concerned about Syria's production and trade of captagon, an amphetamine-like drug used in the oil-producing Gulf states by party-goers and labourers alike.

Western anti-narcotics officials said that captagon has for years been mass-produced in Syria and that Jordan is a transit route to the Gulf countries.

The new Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, told his Jordanian counterpart on Jan. 7 that drug smuggling would not pose a threat to Jordan under Syria's new Islamist rulers.

(Reporting by Enas Alashray and Ahmed Tolba; Editing by Nia Williams)
A Tacoma lawyer convicted by a jury of stalking, harassing and extorting a 21-year-old college student he met through a dating website and then represented as her attorney was sentenced Friday to nearly 10 years in prison.

Christopher Jason Paul Hendry, 45, was found guilty in December of three counts of stalking, two counts of second-degree extortion, felony harassment with threats to kill, 11 counts of violating a protection order, and five counts of violating a court order.

Hendry, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his license to practice law in 2019 and previously was the sole practitioner of Hendry Law, a firm focused on personal injury, estate planning and employment law. He also was an intern for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorneys Office from 2017 to 2019.

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The punishment Pierce County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Andrews imposed  nine years and nine months  included multiple sentencing enhancements because jurors found he committed felony stalking, extortion and harassment with sexual motivation.

Hendry will be required to register as a sex offender, and his defense attorney said Friday that he will inevitably lose his license with the Washington State Bar Association.

Arguing for a lengthier sentence of about 12.5 years, deputy prosecuting attorney Coreen Schnepf said Hendry used his role as the victims attorney to collect personal information from her, then harassed and stalked her.

The defendant terrorized [the victim] for over a year, and he did it after court order after court order was signed, Schnepf said. After he was repeatedly taken into custody, given more court orders and released. He completely disregarded the courts orders in this case and his main point and purpose was to destroy [the victims] life.

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According to court records, Hendry and the victim met in November 2021 through Secret Benefits, a dating website that connects older men with women looking for a sugar daddy, a man offering financial support in exchange for companionship and hookups.

The victim was attending a college in Pierce County, and she was charged with DUI the month after she began talking with Hendry. He offered to represent her pro bono. From there, the victim previously told The News Tribune, their relationship began to spiral into uncomfortable territory.

The two had a sexual relationship in January 2022, including one encounter at the womans dorm room that the woman alleged was not consensual and which led to her obtaining a sexual assault protection order against Hendry. They had subsequent sexual encounters that the woman didnt allege to be nonconsensual.

In February 2022, the woman tried to end her relationship with Hendry, and she began to receive harassing text messages and emails.

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Schnepf said Friday that Hendry sent horrifying messages about the woman to everyone, posted personal info about her online and sent information to her school to humiliate her.

Hendry was arrested and then posted a $100,000 bail bond to be released, but Schnepf said he went right back to messaging the victim.

Sending her messages that were designed for her to know that she could not escape him, that he would find her no matter what, Schnepf said. This is from a lawyer in our community who knows better than the average civilian the importance of court orders.

Hendrys defense attorney, Erin White of South Sound Law Group, said the case had never made sense to her, telling the judge that Hendry was one of the best clients shed ever had.

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Never once did I see that side of him that the state is so convinced is there, White said. Even today before this when we were meeting in the jail, he is the one picking me up. He is the one saying its going to be OK.

Requesting a low-end sentence, White highlighted Hendrys military service, which included four to six combat deployments in Iraq that left him with a severe back injury and nerve damage affecting his feet.

White said Hendry was diagnosed with major depressive order due to this case, and he wasnt able to be there for his wife, whom she said had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

He lost his freedom. He lost his reputation, his job, his ability to practice law, all the things that he had gone forward to do for seven years, White said. Lost all of that.

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When it was Hendrys turn to speak, he stood and said he was sorry to the victim in the case that she had to endure months of endless harassment, and that no one deserves that. He said he knew the court was waiting to hear him take responsibility, but he couldnt compromise his integrity.

Im sorry [the victim] felt unsafe, but I did not commit these crimes, and so I will not admit to them, Hendry said.

He apologized to his wife for seeking an extramarital affair and for his selfish and despicable acts that he said preceded this whole cascade of tragedy. As he began to talk about his wifes cancer diagnosis, he handed the letter he was reading from to his attorney, sat down and cried. White finished reading it to the court.

Before handing down Hendrys sentence, Andrews said the case made no sense to her, either. She also said she believed the evidence in the case was overwhelming.

I have in front of me a man with everything that most defendants dont have, willing to risk everything, Andrews said. I think the behaviors were egregious.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  The Associated Press interviewed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday at a crucial juncture of the nearly three-year war against Russias full-scale invasion.

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to end the war within six months of his inauguration, but both sides are far apart, and it is unclear how a ceasefire deal could take shape.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops continue to lose territory in eastern Ukraine, and the country faces near-daily Russian attacks targeting homes and infrastructure. That raises fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin prefers to wait out the war because he believes he will triumph.

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Here are some takeaways from APs interview with Zelenskyy:

He says talks between Moscow and Washington must not exclude Ukraine

Zelenskyy said talks between the U.S. and Russia about the war in his country that exclude Ukraine would be dangerous, and he seeks more communication between the Trump administration and Kyiv.

His remarks followed comments Friday by Trump, who said American and Russian officials were already talking about ending the war. Trump said his administration has had very serious discussions with Russia, but he did not elaborate.

Zelenskyy said his team has been in contact with the Trump administration, but those discussions are at a general level, and he believes in-person meetings will take place soon to develop more detailed agreements.

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A planned visit by Trumps envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellog was postponed. Zelenskyy said it will be rescheduled. He also said he and Trump discussed meeting to develop a plan for a ceasefire. Zelenskyy hoped that would led to conversations with Russian officials.

He says Trump can force Russia to make concessions

A key question underlying any ceasefire proposal will be Russias willingness to engage in talks, especially now that its forces appear to have the upper hand on the battlefield. Zelenskyy said Putin interprets negotiating directly with Kyiv as losing.

He said Trump could bring Putin to the table through the threat of sanctions targeting Russias energy and banking system, as well as continued support of the Ukrainian military.

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NATO is the 'cheapest' security guarantee option

Zelenskyy said NATO membership is the cheapest option for Ukraine's allies, and it would strengthen Trump geopolitically.

Other scenarios that involve arming and training Ukraines 800,000-strong army would be expensive for U.S. and European allies to maintain over time, Zelenskyy said. He also said Ukraines armed forces would be a bonus for the alliance, especially if Trump seeks to bring back home overseas U.S. troops.

Approving Ukraines NATO bid would be a great victory for Trump, Zelenskyy added, in an apparent appeal to the presidents penchant for winners and business deals.

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Skepticism about putting European troops in Ukraine

Zelenskyy said a French proposal to put European forces in Ukraine as a deterrent force is taking shape, but he expressed skepticism, saying many questions remained about the command-and-control structure and the number of troops and their positions.

Zelenskyy said he told both French President Emmanuel Marcon and Trump that the option of putting European troops in Ukraine was welcome, but it would not be a sufficient security guarantee alone.

He added: Imagine, there is a contingent. The question is who is in charge? Who is the main one? What will they do if there are Russian strikes? Missiles, disembarkation, attack from the sea, crossing of the land borderline, offensive. What will they do? What are their mandates?
The UK government has been urged to investigate new cargo flights from East Turkestan amid concerns that they may be trafficking goods produced with forced labour, as reported by Politico. Since the summer of 2024, three new direct air routes have connected the East Turkestan region to major British airports, sparking alarm over the potential use of forced labour in the supply chains. East Turkestan, where the Uyghur ethnic group faces significant human rights abuses, has become a focal point of international scrutiny, Politico reported. David Alton, head of the British parliament's cross-party human rights committee, voiced concerns in a letter to Home Office Minister David Hanson, calling for an inquiry. Alton fears that the routes could be facilitating the import of forced labour goods into the UK. According to Politico, the new routes, which opened in 2024, come amid the rise of Chinese e-commerce platforms in the UK. Titan Airways operates a direct route from East Turkestan to London, with flights running every one to two days since December, primarily for e-commerce cargo. European Cargo has also launched direct flights from East Turkestan to Cardiff and Bournemouth, transporting goods for e-commerce, including a "milestone flight" carrying 59 tons of packages to Cardiff in October. Both Titan Airways and European Cargo have stated that they comply with the UK's Modern Slavery Act, which requires companies to prevent and report forced labour in their supply chains. Despite these claims, the rapid expansion of these direct flights has raised alarms over the transparency of the supply chains involved, with calls growing for further scrutiny from the UK government, Politico reported. Uyghur forced labour refers to the exploitation of the Uyghur ethnic group in East Turkestan province, where reports indicate they are subjected to forced, often hazardous labour conditions in factories, agriculture, and other industries. This practice is part of a broader pattern of human rights abuses against the Uyghur people. (ANI)
The watchdog for U.S. assistance to Afghanistan said the Taliban have no legal right to billions of dollars in funding set aside for the country because they are not recognized as its government and are under sanctions.

In its latest report issued Friday, the office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, also said President Donald Trumps administration and Congress may want to examine returning nearly $4 billion earmarked for Afghanistan to the custody and control of the U.S. government.

In 2022, the U.S. transferred $3.5 billion in Afghan central bank assets previously frozen in America to the Swiss-based Fund for the Afghan People. The fund has grown to nearly $4 billion since then, according to the inspector general.

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Although no payments benefiting Afghans have been made, the fund is aimed at protecting and stabilizing the economy on their behalf.

The Taliban want these funds even though they have no legal right to them since they are not recognized by the United States as the government of Afghanistan, are on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, and are under U.S. and U.N. sanctions, the report said.

Responding to the report Saturday, the Afghan Economy Ministry said more than $9 billion of Afghanistans foreign exchange reserves had been frozen and warned that any U.S. action regarding the allocation, use or transfer of these reserves was unacceptable.

It urged the international community to return the money to the central bank to ensure the countrys stability.

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The ministry also said that U.S. expenditure had made no significant impact on the Afghan economy.

The SIGAR report follows Trumps decision to freeze foreign aid for 90 days pending reviews to determine whether projects align with his policy goals.

According to the report, the U.S. has spent nearly $3.71 billion in Afghanistan since withdrawing from the country in 2021. Most of that has gone to U.N. agencies.

Another $1.2 billion remains available in the pipeline for possible disbursement, the report said.

U.S. humanitarian assistance may have staved off famine in the face of economic collapse, but it has not dissuaded the Taliban from taking Americans hostage, dismantling the rights of women and girls, censoring the media, allowing the country to become a terrorist safe haven, and targeting former Afghan government officials, added the watchdog.

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The U.S. remains the largest donor to Afghanistan, but the report said a lot of the money is taxed or diverted.

The further the cash gets away from the source, the less transparency there is, Chris Borgeson, the deputy inspector general for audits and inspections at the watchdog, told The Associated Press last August.

Meanwhile, authorities in Afghanistan on Saturday clarified the circumstances behind their takeover of the country's only luxury hotel.

The General Directorate of State-Owned Corporations said an international hotel brand, Serena, had signed an agreement in 2003 with the Tourism Promotion Services Company for Afghanistan. This contract was terminated by the Emirates Hotel Company last December. The hotel had continued its operations as usual since then.

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To further standardize its services, the Emirates Hotels Company has signed an agreement with an international company that has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, said the directorate on its official X account. "This international company will now manage and operate the Kabul Hotels services in a professional and standardized manner.

The name of the international company was not mentioned.
Editors note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, help is available. You can call or text 988 to be connected to the suicide & crisis helpline. Additional resources are listed at the bottom of this story.

CLEARWATER  After serving for 26 years in the armed services, Thomas Syer struggled with civilian life.

He had post-traumatic stress disorder and a progressive brain disease from multiple concussions he suffered playing rugby.

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The isolation brought by the pandemic proved one burden too many and Syer, 53, took his own life in July 2020.

His widow Michelle Syer, and their 11-year-old twin boy and girl, were left to carry on through what she called the darkest days of her life. There was no help from the Veterans Administration, she said, and the internet did not turn up support organizations that could connect her with the families of other veterans who had taken their own lives.

And there seemed to be a stigma around her husbands death, as if his service to his nation had been diminished.

There was a glaring gap in support for families who have lost their loved ones to the invisible wounds of war, she said.

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Syers experience was the catalyst for the formation of a new Clearwater nonprofit group that aims to build a support network for families like Syers and also to help prevent suicides by veterans, active service members and first responders.

The Red Star Foundation will also provide recognition to families affected by veterans suicides through the award of a Red Star banner and pin, modeled on the Gold Star recognition provided to the families of service members killed during active service.

Syer was among the first recipients of a Red Star banner and pin at a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach hotel on Friday morning.

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector, whose father, David Rector took his own life 35 years ago, was also awarded a banner and pin. His father was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and also served as a paramedic and deputy coroner. He also founded the community ambulance service program at the Pendleton Volunteer Fire Department in Indiana.

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He said veterans and first responders are exposed and deeply affected by sights they cannot un-see.

I know the trauma that families face that survive folks who take their own lives, he said. Its a scar that never leaves the loved ones.

More than 6,400 veterans and almost 500 active service members took their own lives in 2022, according to data from the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense.

Roughly 500 current and former first responders also died by suicide, said Jerry Shaffer, a U.S. Marines veteran and chairman and founder of Red Star Foundation.

The Veterans Administration and other organizations have invested money to try and lower suicide rates but have struggled to move the needle, Shaffer said.

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Shaffers group wants to support the forgotten families, he said. The groups initiatives include a family network so families can share stories about their experience and support each other. The group will also work to provide awareness of veterans suicides and to connect veterans who have suicidal ideation with the help they need.

The Red Star Banner and pin is intended to honor the sacrifice of the families of veterans and first responders who took their own lives, Shaffer said. Those who receive it are no longer suicide survivors, but Red Star families.

It is a profound symbol of recognition, connection and remembrance, offering emotional support to grieving families and raising awareness about the ongoing crisis of suicide and service, he said.

There is some support for veterans with suicidal ideation. A veterans crisis hotline that is staffed 24/7 has handled more than 8.4 million calls since it was launched in 2007. Nonprofits including 22ADay.org work to try and raise awareness of the high level of suicides among veterans.

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Locally, the American Legion Post 7 runs Operation Warrior Hope, a program designed to assist veterans during the difficult transition to civilian life.

The Red Star Foundation is also planning to record and post interviews with up to 100 surviving family members speaking about the impact the suicide of a loved one had on their lives. It hopes the videos will be viewed by some who have suicidal ideation and could convince them to seek help rather than hurt their family.

St. Petersburg resident Tanya Mort, who was the third recipient of the Red Star Banner and pin Friday, is among those who have already been interviewed.

Her son, Anthony Muhlstadt, was 23 when he took his own life in 2021. He served as a machine gunner and vehicle commander with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines while stationed at Twentynine Palms in California. He rose to the rank of sergeant and was deployed three times.

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He died of a self-inflicted gun wound. The sad news was delivered to his family by two Marines.

That hands down was the worse day of my life and it forever changed all of us, Mort said in the video.

She hopes the video will inspire others to reach out for help.

Need help? If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or in a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or chat with someone online at 988lifeline.org. The service includes specific help for veterans. You can also dial 211 to reach area nonprofits for information about and referrals to human service organizations.

Families of first responders and veterans who took their own lives can contact the Red Star Foundation at redstarfoundation.org or at (727) 977-6161
LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56)  As questions continue to swirl around the death of a Laurel County man who was shot and killed by London police in December, a new issue has come to light.

It surrounds an open records request and information that was redacted too little, too late.

I filed an open records request. Basically, what I wanted to learn in that open records request is who leaked the 911 audio on the eighth to YouTube, Elijah Jarvis told FOX 56.

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The leaked audio is a 911 call between Laurel County Judge Executive David Westerfield and London Police Officer Jared Hale, discussing the weed eater that was stolen from Westerfields property.

That theft ultimately led to Douglas Harless being fatally shot by London police.

The initial YouTube listing has since been taken down. When FOX 56 filed an open records request for the audio, the request was denied.

Me making the open records request is really just to shine a light on the corruption in London. You know, this city is scared. This town is scared, Jarvis said.

But the records he received werent what left Jarvis in shock. Its what he saw when he went to sign for the package at a FedEx shipping center in London on Thursday.

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[I] met with the receptionist, handed her the note, and said, Im here to get my package. She says, OK, Im going to go to the back to get it. Walks in the back; about five minutes later, she comes back. She says, Sir, Im sorry this has never happened before, but actually them two guys in the corner over there have your package. So I look to my left and take a picture.



Jarvis told FOX 56 that the men pictured are Director Larry Walls and Assistant Director Tyler Pearce from the London-Laurel County 911 Communications Center. He said they opened the package, spread it across the table, and began marking up the documents.

He said we redacted and removed information that wasnt pertinent to the open records request, and I asked him why, and he said the City of London sent them to do it, Jarvis said.

A written statement signed by Walls and Pearce said FedEx returned the package at their request after realizing the documents contained phone numbers and addresses of private citizens.

This is some of the information that I believe that they redacted with a Sharpie. They didnt do too good a job at doing it either, Jarvis said, holding up one of the redacted documents revealing the information.

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Jarvis shared the images he took on Facebook, and many questioned whether what occurred was legal.

I dont want to comment on the specific allegations in this matter, but generally speaking, if a member of the public steals, conceals, damages, or destroys any mail matter of another that is not addressed to them, that is a Class D felony under KRS 514.140. In Kentucky, Class D felonies are punishable by 1-5 years in prison and a fine ranging from $1,000.00 to $10,000.00, Michael Durborow, attorney at Suhre & Associates, LLC., said.

FOX 56 spoke with an attorney who helped draft the Kentucky Open Records Act and has 40 years of experience in media law and First Amendment cases. He affirmed that any redactions to the documents shouldve been made before they were sealed and sent.

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This is unusual. Once its out of their control, they really dont have a right, Jon Fleischaker said. I dont think they have a right to go back to FedEx and say, Give us the package back.'

Fleischaker affirmed that once the documents leave the possession of the entity from which they were requested, what they contain becomes public record.

Theres supposed to be a process where they redact, and then they give you an explanation as to each item that was redacted, and from what youre telling me, they didnt do that, at least originally, he said. I think it raises questions as to whether this second redaction is legitimate.

So even with the redacted information, did it answer Jarviss question of who leaked the 911 audio?

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It told me that on the eighth there were four people that were possibly leaking that video of the audio of the 911 call, and those four people were the police chief, the assistant police chief, City Attorney Larry Bryson, and Mayor Randall Weddle, Jarvis said.

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Jarvis said he plans to go to the next London City Council meeting on Monday to present his findings and to see if he can get a direct answer from city officials.

It could be everything from just an administrative screwup to something much more meaningful. But I think it is worth the question, and then it raises the question about the integrity of the whole operation, Fleischaker said.

FOX 56 requested a statement from Mayor Randall Weddle but has yet to hear back.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
US technology firms have been racing to adopt the latest artificial intelligence (AI) reasoning model from Chinese start-up DeepSeek despite increasing global scrutiny of the Hangzhou-based company, which claims it can develop industry-leading models at a fraction of the usual cost.

Top chip designer Nvidia has made DeepSeek's R1 model available to users of its NIM microservice since Thursday, saying the model provides "state-of-the-art reasoning capabilities", "high inference efficiency", as well as "leading accuracy" for tasks requiring logical inference, reasoning, mathematics, coding and language understanding.

The move comes after DeepSeek's rapid rise sparked concerns that major US tech firms have been overspending on advanced graphics processing units from Nvidia, causing its shares to plunge sharply.

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Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

DeepSeek's open-source reasoning model, R1, released on January 20, has shown capabilities comparable to OpenAI's closed-source GPT models in certain areas, but at significantly lower training costs.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Photo: AFP alt=Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Photo: AFP>

OpenAI investor Microsoft earlier this week launched support for R1 on its Azure cloud computing platform and GitHub, allowing clients to build AI applications that run locally on Copilot+ personal computers. E-commerce giant Amazon.com has enabled developers to create applications with the "powerful, cost-efficient" R1 through Amazon Web Services.

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Smaller US tech firms have also embraced DeepSeek's models, with AI search start-up Perplexity offering uncensored results from R1 on topics including the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, which are blocked by the original model.

US tech companies are rushing to capitalise on the excitement surrounding DeepSeek despite intensifying scrutiny of the Chinese firm's training methods and privacy protections.

OpenAI has evidence that DeepSeek developed its R1 and V3 models using "distillation" - a technique that trains smaller models to mimic the behaviour of larger, more sophisticated models, a source has told The Financial Times.

While the practice is common in the industry, Microsoft and OpenAI are investigating whether a group tied to DeepSeek has distilled closed-source GPT models without authorisation, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

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DeepSeek has neither admitted to nor denied using distillation on its full models.

Meanwhile, the US Commerce Department is looking into whether DeepSeek has used restricted American chips amid mounting worries that China is making significant progress in AI development despite US export curbs on advanced technologies, according to a Reuters report on Friday.

As privacy concerns grow, a bill introduced at the US Congress this week aimed to ban imports of AI technology and intellectual property developed or produced in China, as well as exports of US AI technology to China. US federal agencies, including the US Navy, Nasa and congressional offices, have instructed employees to avoid using DeepSeek's products.

Government officials in Western countries including the UK and Australia have voiced doubts regarding DeepSeek's privacy protection. The AI service has been removed from app stores in Italy.

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This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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PALOLO, Hawaii (KHON2)  A teenager has been hospitalized following an apparent early morning shooting in Palolo Valley.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

Honolulu Emergency Medical Services and HPD responded to the incident just before 1:30 a.m. on Ahe Street.

Honolulu police K9s receive gift of protection

According to Honolulu police, a 15-year-old boy was shot and injured by an unknown suspect following an altercation.

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Paramedics treated the teen for wounds to his abdomen before transporting him to an area hospital in critical condition.

No arrests have been made at this time.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

HPD has launched an attempted murder investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Authorities released more details regarding Tuesday nights deadly shooting in downtown San Diego, including the identity of the officer who fired his weapon and the age of the suspect.

The person who was fatally shot during the incident was a 16-year-old boy, according to a news release by the San Diego County Sheriffs Office Friday.

PREVIOUS: Resident calls for more security after deadly shooting involving officer

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The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Daniel Gold, who has been with the San Diego Police Department for two years and is currently assigned to the Central Division Patrol, SDSO added.

On Tuesday, around 8:45 p.m., San Diego police officers  including Gold  responded to a report of a battery at 600 W. Broadway. While investigating the incident, officers heard gunshots fired around 8:51 p.m. nearby in the area of the MTS American Plaza Trolley Station.

While responding, an SDPD officer encountered a suspect in the 1100 block of Kettner Boulevard. He was described in a previous release as a Hispanic man believed to be in his 20s. The suspect was later confirmed to be a 16-year-old boy of mixed race, according to SDSOs updated information.

During the encounter, at least one shot was fired by Gold. A handgun was also taken from the teenager at the scene. The suspect, whose name has been withheld, was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

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No officers were injured during the incident, according to authorities.

The SDSO Homicide Unit is still investigating the circumstances around the shooting. Upon the completion of the investigation, the San Diego County District Attorneys Office will determine whether the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions.

Meanwhile, SDPD will conduct its own administrative investigation into Officer Golds discharge of his firearm.

Anyone with more information about the shooting is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Federal health officials say a recall is active for teething sticks used by infants due to the possibility they pose a choking hazard.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Jan. 31 that Gerber Products Company is recalling and discontinuing all batches of its Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks as they pose a choking hazard to young children and babies. The teething sticks were distributed to retail locations and distribution centers in 45 states and Puerto Rico.

The FDA report that three products are impacted by this recall. These include the following teething stick flavors and sizes:

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Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks  Strawberry Apple . Net weight  3.2 oz or 90 g. UPC  0 15000 04618 7. All lot codes.

Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks  Banana . Net weight  3.2 oz or 90 g. UPC  0 15000 04608 8. All lot codes.

Gerber Soothe N Chew Teething Sticks  Banana . Net Weight  1.59 oz or 45 g. UPC  0 15000 01015 7. All lot codes.



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(Photo Courtesy/FDA) (Photo Courtesy/FDA) (Photo Courtesy/FDA)

The recall was started after people began to complain of choking incidents involving the teething stick products listed above. The FDA report that only one emergency room visit has yet to be reported to Gerber Products Company.

People who purchased the products listed above are encouraged not to give them to young children or babies. The recalled products should be returned to where they were purchased from for a refund. People who are concerned about injuries or illnesses connected to the recalled products should contact a healthcare provider, according to the FDA.

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Gerber Products Company can also be reached for additional support by calling 1-800-4-GERBER/1-800-443-7237. For more information, you can visit the companys website by clicking here.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Northeast Tennesseans with debris on their property left by Hurricane Helene will have longer to get it removed.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) announced on Friday that the deadline for residents to place storm debris in the right of way for removal has been pushed to March 2.

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After the deadline, property owners will be responsible for the disposal of any debris.

The extension applies to Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. By extending the removal deadline, TEMA stated property owners will have sufficient time to complete the process of removing debris.

Carter County set its own earlier deadline of Jan. 17, according to TEMA. Other counties in Northeast Tennessee will adhere to the March 2 deadline.

TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan said in a news release the deadline extension gives flood-impacted people enough opportunity to clean up.

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We recognize that recovering from the devastating impacts of Helene can take time, Sheehan said. This extension ensures that everyone in the affected areas has support to clean up storm-related debris. By placing debris in the right of way by March 2, we can continue the cleanup process and help communities restore normalcy.

To have debris removed, property owners must do the following:

Place debris in the right of way along the curb or in public areas adjacent to the street while not obstructing traffic or utilities.

Separate debris using FEMA guidelines. Piles should be divided up into vegetative, construction and demolition, and other storm-damaged items.

Make sure access to the property is safe. Avoid blocking any roadways, driveways, sidewalks, or drainage systems.

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At the advent of his second term in office, Donald Trump announced his intention to transform the US into the world capital of artificial intelligence (AI).

The great American AI revolution will begin, he declared, with Stargate, the largest project of its kind by far in history.

The joint venture between tech firms OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle, will invest $500 billion (405 billion) in AI infrastructure over the next four years.

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But rather than Californias Silicon Valley, Texas will be home to the venture.

According to Larry Ellison, the chief executive of Oracle, 10 data centres are already under construction in the state, 10 more are on the way, and the projects first one million-square-foot data centre will be based in Abilene, in western Texas.

He is helping to make Texas the leader in the world in technology, said Rep Giovanni Capriglione, a Texas Republican and former California tech worker.

The race to develop AI was given fresh impetus this week with the release of DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot that purports to outperform US rivals, despite being developed for a fraction of the cost.

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Described as AIs Sputnik moment, the launch of DeepSeek knocked almost $600 billion off the market value of Nvidia, Americas largest AI chipmaker, with Mr Trump saying it should be a wake-up call for US tech companies.

The move to build Stargate outside Silicon Valley is the latest sign of Texass growing stature as a tech powerhouse, and followed Mark Zuckerbergs announcement earlier this month that Facebook will move some of its teams to the Lone Star state as part of a drive to restore freedom of speech on the platform.

Mr Trump announces the Stargate joint venture at the White House as Larry Ellison of Oracle, Masayoshi Son of SoftBank and Sam Altman of OpenAI look on - AARON SCHWARTZ/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Mr Zuckerberg said that Meta, the social networks parent company, would relocate its trust, safety and content moderation teams to help remove the concern that biased employees are overly censoring content.

Silicon Valley has reigned for decades as Americas innovation hub, with the likes of Apple, Google and Facebook calling it home. But Californias dominance is in decline, fueled by the deadly cocktail of high taxes, tight regulation and changing weather patterns.

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A steady flow of tech companies are now flooding into Texas, with Elon Musks Tesla, data-mining firm Palantir and even Hewlett Packard all moving their headquarters to the state.

Central to Mr Trumps endorsement of Texas as the destination for his AI hub is the industrys need for a reliable supply of energy  and lots of it.

Data centres  sprawling warehouses full of computer servers that operate around the clock  are what prop up the worlds internet.

The energy consumption of these facilities has exploded with the advent of artificial intelligence, which uses specialised chips that guzzle around 10 times more power than a regular Google search to sift through vast swathes of data.

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The power demands of AI are growing so large that individual data centres could soon use more electricity than entire US states, according to developers.

Mr Trump intends to achieve AI dominance by declaring a national energy emergency to unlock the liquid gold under the US and grant rapid approvals for new energy infrastructure.

Large data centres currently require 100MW (100 million watts) or more each, consuming the same amount of power per year as 16,400 homes. As of September, Texas had 279 data centres, according to the Texas Comptroller, sucking up the same amount of energy as the whole of New Mexico.

Energy experts have warned that the sites are growing so gigantic that providing enough power to drive them and enough land to house them is becoming increasingly difficult.

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Mr Capriglione said: A data centre at the end of the day is going to need a bunch of land and energy which are both cheap in Texas. This makes it ideal for large-scale facilities.

The only state with its own electric grid, Texas generates a quarter of the countrys total energy output, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA)  more than two and half times as much as the next biggest producer.

The states energy board has forecast that electricity demand will soar by 43 per cent by 2030, up from 85,000MW to 130,000MW, with AI data centres expected to account for more than half the increase.

Although the vast majority of Texass $172 billion energy industry is focused on oil, natural gas and coal, it is also the countrys leading producer of green energy, investing heavily in wind, solar and battery storage.

Cheap energy

As a result, tech companies can rely on a constant supply of cheap energy year-round. In October, commercial energy was four times less expensive in Texas than California, at 6 cents per kilowatt hour compared to nearly 24 cents, EIA data shows.

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What the AI and data centres need is 100 per cent reliable power, because they need to be able to run constantly, said Jane Stricker, executive director of energy body the Greater Houston Partnership.

Having access to all of those energy resources allowed us to produce energy significantly cheaper than a lot of other places.

Meanwhile, California is dependent on the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) which controls power supply for the Western half of the US and therefore has to compete with other states for power generation, Ms Stricker said.

She added that California is heavily reliant on wind, with renewable sources accounting for more than half of the states electricity generation, leaving it vulnerable at certain times of the year.

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When you have extended periods of time where the suns not shining and the winds not blowing, demand gets significantly higher, and you start to get into that crunch, she said.

Silicon Valley has been hit by a string of blackouts in recent years caused by storms knocking out power lines and the soaring demands of power guzzling AI data centres.

Despite Texas wealth of natural resources, the grid operator has warned about the risk of similar outages if the states electricity production does not meet the demands of increased growth.

Mr Trumps executive order slashing red tape around fossil fuel extraction was therefore met with optimism from Texas-based energy companies.

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On his first day in office, the president lifted a pause on permits for new liquified natural gas (LNG) projects, helping to cement the countrys position as the worlds largest exporter of LNG.

The countrys biggest LNG exporter, Cheniere Energy, which has been awaiting an export licence for two expansion projects in Texas, hailed the decision, with a spokesman saying the company planned to move full steam ahead.

In recent years, Texas has become something of a sanctuary for ex-California tech entrepreneurs looking to escape Silicon Valley red tape.

With its cowboy culture and fondness for barbecue, the state may be a surprising focal point for the countrys AI revolution. But Houston, Dallas and Austin, in particular, have grown into technology powerhouses, with the latter earning the moniker Silicon Hills.

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In 2020, Joe Lonsdale, the co-founder of Palantir, moved his company to Austin, citing less stupid rules and fewer bureaucrats as the reason for upping sticks.

In 2021, Elon Musk shifted Teslas gigafactory headquarters to the city after a row with California regulators whom he accused of acting like a monopoly that cannot go bankrupt.With China vying for AI supremacy, speed is of the essence to ramp up development in order to establish US national and economic security.

The pull of the Lone Star state

Possessing its own power grid free of supervision from FERC, the federal regulator, Texas can build new transmission lines almost two years faster than any other state in the nation, Ms Stricker said, making it the ideal location for new data centres.

I think California tech people have realised that theyre really Texans at heart, said Mr Capriglione, adding that heavy regulation and expensive fines had turned entrepreneurs away from the Golden State.

In California, he said, they force companies to spend more time and more energy on compliance than developing innovative project products.

He added that Texass tax-friendly policies (it has no state income tax or capital gains tax) had also lured entrepreneurs, making it significantly less expensive to set up shop in the state.

My home is cheaper than my New York one-bed apartment, quipped Sean Kelly, the chief executive of Amperon, an energy forecasting start-up.

Mr Kelly founded the firm in 2018 but later moved to Texas owing to lower business costs and light-touch regulation.

If you run a successful startup [in New York], you get taxed at a premium rate, which is not advantageous to you staying there, he said.

Mr Kelly sits on the tech committee of the Greater Houston Partnership and said he saw a ton of people moving here from California, with very few entrepreneurs migrating the other way.

Backbone of new tech innovation

Addressing the presidents decision to bank on Texas for his new AI plans, Mr Kelly said: Stargate is absolutely bullish for our economy, adding that it would boost jobs and infrastructure and draw in the best engineering talent.

He continued: Texas is definitely being positioned as the backbone of the next wave of tech innovation.

Elon Musk has railed against the Left-wing policies of Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, and last year moved the headquarters of X and his rocket company SpaceX from the West Coast to Texas after the governor signed a pro-trans measure into law.

The Tesla billionaire, who has been appointed by Mr Trump to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, is said to view the state as something of a utopia and is reported to be planning to build his own town outside Austin, as well as a university.

When Mr Musk announced X and Space Xs relocation, Ted Cruz, the Texas senator, said he was proud to welcome the billionaire, while the states governor Greg Abbott, a Trump ally, said the move cements Texas as the leader in space exploration.

Mr Trump has publicly feuded with Mr Newsom, whom he frequently calls Newscum, and has claimed people are being forced to leave the state because of his insane policy decisions.

The pair temporarily buried the hatchet on Friday when Mr Trump flew to California to assess the damage caused by recent wildfires which killed dozens of people and burned down more than 12,000 homes.

The president has been highly critical of offshore wind turbines  an energy source in which California has invested billions of dollars  and signed an executive order last Monday blocking new wind projects.

Mr Trump said that windmills ruin your neighbourhood and has previously described them as an economic and environmental disaster.

The policy will serve a blow to Californias energy production goals, raising further questions about Silicon Valleys ability to house the data centres needed for the AI revolution.

Addressing the tech worlds embrace of Mr Trump, Mr Capriglione said: Texans value family, conservative government and freedom. Those are values that most people in America hold.

What these other states are finding out is that if they dont provide that same ability for people to be free, and to exist outside restrictive government, they will go elsewhere.

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Tel Aviv [Israel], February 1 (ANI/TPS): Spokesperson of the Israel Prison Service: "The Israel Prison Service concludes the forth imprisoned terrorist release in accordance with the agreement for the return of the hostages as part of operation " Wings of Freedom." As part of Operation "Derech Eretz", 183 terrorists were transferred from several prisons across the country to the 'Ofer' and 'Ktziot' prisons, escorted by officers from the Israel Prison Service's "Nahshon" Unit and with the assistance of the Israel Police. After the conclusion of the necessary activities in the prisons and the approval of political authorities, all the terrorists were released from the 'Ofer' and 'Ktziot' prisons. The prison officers of the Israel Prison Service are carrying out the release of the terrorists in accordance with the political directive, as agreed upon for the return of the hostages, and in full coordination with all security agencies". (ANI/TPS)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued a ban on Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek for government-issued devices, becoming the first state to restrict the popular chatbot in such a manner. The upstart AI platform has sent shockwaves throughout the AI community after gaining popularity amongst American users in recent weeks.

The governor also prohibited popular Chinese-owned social media apps Xiaohongshu, or what some are calling RedNote, and Lemon8 from all state-issued devices.

Texas will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to infiltrate our state's critical infrastructure through data-harvesting AI and social media apps, Abbott said in a statement. Texas will continue to protect and defend our state from hostile foreign actors.

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The governor's office declined to comment further for this story.

AI startup DeepSeek has rocked markets upon demonstrating its capacity to compete with industry leader OpenAI.

U.S. also users flocked to Xiaohongshu in the days leading up to TikTok's short-lived ban. It's a popular app in China and surrounding countries  such as Malaysia and Taiwan  with roughly 300 million active users that many Americans were using as a replacement doe TikTok, and as a form of protest against the ban.

Lemon8 is also a Chinese company owned by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The social media app also gained traction in the days leading up to the original TikTok ban on Jan. 19.

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Texas, along with many other states and the federal government, has banned TikTok on government devices. The app's future remains in limbo after President Trump issued an executive order to give ByteDance more time to divest TikTok's U.S. operations.

ByteDance did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

___

Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Several thousand people demonstrated on Saturday in various cities in the south-western German state of Baden-Wurttemberg against a vote in parliament put forth by the conservative party that was backed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Organizers had expected 500 people to turn out but 5,000 people were on the streets in the city of Karlsruhe, the city and police reported. The demonstration was initially peaceful, the police said.

In nearby Mannheim, people took to the streets under the slogan "We are the firewall," referring to the much discussed "firewall" that Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz said he would not break by cooperating with the AfD.

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Many in Germany see that promise as broken after the CDU relied on the AfD to pass a motion demanding stricter migration policy in the lower house of parliament this week for the first time in the far-right party's history.

Organizers in Mannheim had expected around 2,000 participants. Police said several thousand showed up but initially could not give any specific figures.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Germany on Saturday to protest the conservative party's move to get legislation passed in the German parliament with help from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

Thousands demonstrated in Cologne, the police there said, with many holding signs with slogans condemning Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and chancellor candidate Fredrich Merz, who was behind the heavily criticized bill.

"No Merz in March," said one poster - a reference to the Bundestag or parliamentary elections on February 23, which the poster writer hopes will result in a Merz defeat.

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Merz is from the Sauerland region in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state which includes the cities of Cologne, Bonn, Essen and Dusseldorf.

Another participant carried a sign with the inscription: "Fritz listen to Mutti!" - a reference to the German nickname for Friedrich and to former CDU chancellor Angela Merkel, sometimes known as "Mutti" or mommy, during her time in office, who spoke out against pushing legislation through with the AfD.

In Essen, some 3,000 people marched through the city in a demonstration against the far right - many more than initially anticipated, the police said. There were also demonstrations in Aachen.

On Wednesday, the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, with help from the AfD, pushed through a non-binding motion demanding a tighter migration policy in the Bundestag. However, a bill to limit migration failed on Friday.

Demonstrators hold a banner that reads "There is no solidarity from the right" in German, during a demonstration in Leipzig's Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz against a tougher migration policy in Germany. Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Sebastian Willnow/dpa

People take part in a demonstration against a tougher migration policy in Germany. Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Christoph Schmidt/dpa

People take part in a demonstration against a tougher migration policy in Germany. Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Christoph Schmidt/dpa

People take part in a demonstration against a tougher migration policy in Germany. Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany against efforts by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to push through reforms to migration laws in parliament with the support of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Christoph Schmidt/dpa

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Six people were arrested as thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters converged on central London on Saturday to demand his release from prison.

Hundreds of police officers kept them apart from anti-racism demonstrators as they marched towards Parliament Square.

Three arrests were made in Whitehall after Robinsons supporters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions.

A man was held when flares were set off in Piccadilly along the Stand Up To Racism march route, and there was another arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at. It is unclear which group the two who were detained belonged to.

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A sixth person was arrested for breach of Public Order Act conditions.

Several marchers carried England and Union flags, with one person holding a T-shirt that read Thank you Elon Musk, in reference to the tech billionaire previously calling for the release of Robinson from his current prison sentence on the social media platform X.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after admitting to 10 breaches of a High Court injunction that barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

A masked protester shows his support for Robinson right by the Houses of Parliament - TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Protesters showed their support for Tommy Robinson, who was jailed for contempt of court in October - TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

As the march crossed Westminster Bridge, there were chants of Rule, Britannia!, and We want Starmer out as well as anti-Muslim slogans.

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A Stop the Boats flag was being flown by one protester at the rally, with many wearing Mega (Make England Great Again) hats.

Some demonstrators wore Mega hats, standing for Make England Great Again, in a nod to Donald Trumps famous slogan - Benjamin Cremel/AFP

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A far-Right protester wears a jumper questioning how genetically British several politicians of minority heritage are - Hollie Adams/Reuters

A man holds a placard reading UK stop the rape of white children during a far-Right protest in support of Tommy Robinson - Hollie Adams/Reuters

At the same time, Stand Up to Racism organised for thousands of counter-protesters to march towards the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall. Police then sealed off the rest of Whitehall to ensure the two protests remained separate.

The counter-protest has been backed by several trade unions, including Unison, the Public and Commercial Services Union, the RMT and the Fire Brigades Union.

A protester wears a t-shirt criticising two-tier policing, a term used to imply that some demonstrations are dealt with more harshly than others - Elliott Franks

A demonstrator dresses as a lion, which is seen by many as the national animal of England, while clad in a Union flag shirt - Benjamin Cremel/AFP

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Stand Up To Racism said the estimated 5,000 people who marched in support of Robinson on Saturday was a fraction of the 25,000 who attended a similar protest last October.

Sabby Dhalu, Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor said: Today was a good day for anti-racists and a bad day for the far-Right. The majority of British people reject the politics of hate.

Weyman Bennett, a fellow co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far-Right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

Protesters carry a banner with several slogans, including Stop the isolation, Fight for Tommy and Free political prisoners - Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph

Louise Puddefoot, the Metropolitan Police commander in charge of the policing operation, said: We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.

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We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Three former East Baton Rouge Parish corrections officers were indicted after being accused of abusing an inmate.

According to court documents, 26-year-old Julius Conner and 23-year-old Noah Jenkins face one count each of malfeasance in office and simple battery. Elijah Christopher, 25, faces three counts of simple battery and malfeasance in office.

Each count represents a separate incident involving different inmates.

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On June 5, 2024, Conner reportedly asked that one cell holding an inmate be open. Once opened, Jenkins is accused of pepper spraying the inmate while Christopher and Conner laughed. It is noted that the inmate was handcuffed at the time of the incident. Court documents show Christopher instructed Conner to spray the inmate as well. The handcuffed inmate was pushed back into the cell before reportedly being assaulted by the corrections officers.

According to a video that was recorded on July 18, 2024, Christophers voice can be heard interrogating an inmate about sexual acts in the presence of deputies. Later in the video, Christopher reportedly slapped the inmate in the face. An incident report was filed which stated the inmate was written up for sex offenses. It also stated that Christopher administered a short burst of pepper spray to the face.

In a 5-minute video recorded on Aug. 29, 2024, Christopher is seen walking towards an inmate aggressively before approaching a handcuffed inmate and reportedly choking him and striking him in the face, head, stomach and back. Christopher is also accused of kicking the inmate and dragging him across the floor by the hair calling him racial slurs. The inmate can be heard grunting and saying, Please Sarge. Christopher asked an unidentified person if they wanted some of this. A report of this incident was not filed.

The three are set to appear in court on Feb. 27, according to court records.

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By Mohammed Salem and Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA/CAIRO (Reuters) -Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages on Saturday, and dozens of Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released in exchange, in the latest stage of a truce aimed at ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

Ofer Kalderon, a French-Israeli dual national, and Yarden Bibas were handed over to Red Cross officials in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis before being transferred to Israel. Israeli-American Keith Siegel was separately handed over at the Gaza City seaport.

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Hours later, 183 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released in the exchange. Among them, 150 arrived in Gaza while 32 got off a bus in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, where they were greeted by large crowds. One freed prisoner will be exiled to Egypt, according to the Hamas prisoners' media office.

"I feel joy despite the journey of pain and hardship that we lived," said Ali Al-Barghouti, who was serving two life sentences in an Israeli jail.

"The life sentence was broken and the occupation will one day be broken," added Barghouti, as the crowd around him in Ramallah chanted "Allah Akbar (God is the most great)."

At the newly reopened Rafah crossing on the southern border, children suffering from cancer and heart conditions were among the first Palestinian patients to be allowed to leave Gaza for medical treatment in Egypt.

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Mohammad Zaqout, a senior official in Gaza's health ministry, however, criticised the limited number of patients allowed to travel for treatment, saying that around 18,000 people needed better healthcare.

In Israel, crowds gathered at the location in Tel Aviv known as Hostage Square to watch the release in the morning of the Israeli hostages on giant outdoor screens, mixing cheers and applause with tears as the three men appeared.

Kalderon, whose two children Erez and Sahar were released in the first hostage exchange in November 2023, and Bibas both briefly mounted a stage in Khan Younis, in front of a poster of Hamas figures including Mohammad Deif, the former military commander whose death was confirmed by Hamas this week, before being handed over to the Red Cross officials.

"Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his loved ones after 483 days of unimaginable hell," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement.

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Saturday's handover saw none of the chaotic scenes that overshadowed an earlier transfer on Thursday, when Hamas guards struggled to shield hostages from a surging crowd in Gaza.

But it was once again an occasion for a show of force by uniformed Hamas fighters who paraded in the area where the handovers took place in a sign of their re-established dominance in Gaza despite the heavy losses suffered in the war.

NEGOTIATIONS ON RELEASE OF REMAINING HOSTAGES

The total number of hostages freed so far is 18, including five Thais who were part of an unscheduled release on Thursday.

After Saturday's exchange, Israel will have released 583 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including militants serving life sentences for deadly attacks as well as some detained during the war but not charged.

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As the fighting has abated, diplomatic efforts to build a wider settlement have stepped up.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday with the ceasefire in Gaza, and a possible normalisation of relations with Saudi Arabia as part of a postwar deal likely to be a focus.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 children, women and older male hostages as well as sick and injured, were due to be released, with more than 60 men of military age left for a second phase which must still be worked out.

Negotiations are due to start by Tuesday on agreements for the release of the remaining hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in a second phase of the deal, which is intended to lead to a final end of the war in Gaza.

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The initial six-week truce, agreed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States, has mostly remained intact despite incidents that have led both sides to accuse the other of violating the deal.

Netanyahu's government, which has hardliners who opposed the ceasefire deal, and Hamas say they are committed to reaching an agreement in the second phase.

But prospects for a durable settlement remain unclear. The war started with a Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, and saw more than 250 taken as hostages. The Israeli military campaign has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians. Gaza is in ruins and a deep legacy of bitterness and mistrust remains.

Israeli leaders continue to insist that Hamas cannot remain in Gaza, but the movement has taken every opportunity to demonstrate the control it continues to exert despite the loss of much of its former leadership and thousands of fighters during the war.

(Reporting by Mohammed Salem in Gaza, and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo. Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta and Emily Rose; Writing by James Mackenzie; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Palestinian militants released three more hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli citizen Ofer Calderon, 54, were handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.

About two hours later, US-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel, 65, was freed in Gaza City. With his release, Saturday's hostage handovers were complete.

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In exchange, Israel was to release 183 Palestinian prisoners.

The hostages kidnapped 484 days ago were taken to an Israeli military base, where they were to met their families. They are then to be transferred to hospitals.

A truce in Gaza has held for nearly two weeks. Four swaps have freed 18 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

A three-phase ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19 aims to achieve a permanent end to the fighting and the release of all hostages still being held by the Iran-backed Hamas militia and their extremist allies.

After the release of the three abductees on Saturday, 79 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, 35 of whom are presumed dead by Israel.

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Another exchange of hostages and prisoners is set for next weekend.

During this initial six-week stage, 33 Israeli hostages are due to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Hamas has said that eight of the 33 hostages on the list for release during this phase are dead. It is unclear who exactly they are.

Fears for the Bibas family

Yarden Bibas was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz alongside his wife Shiri and two sons Kfir and Ariel. Kfir was just nine months old when he was taken by militants.

All four are scheduled for release in the first phase of the agreement, but there is grave concern over the fate of Kfir, Ariel and Shiri. Hamas has claimed the three were killed in Israeli attacks in the early months of the war, but Israel has never confirmed their deaths.

Kalderon taken with his children

Ofer Kalderon, a 54-year-old carpenter, also lived in kibbutz Nir Oz.

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Militants kidnapped him along with his children, who were 11 and 16 years old at the time. All are French citizens. His son and daughter were released almost two months later as part of the first Gaza agreement. Kalderon's son reportedly watched militants beat his father bloody and set fire to the family home.

Siegel taken with his wife

Keith Siegel was kidnapped from his home in kibbutz Kfar Aza along with his wife Aviva.

Militants drove the Siegels into the Gaza Strip in their own car at gunpoint.

Aviva was released along with some 100 other hostages during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023. Aviva said they broke her husband's ribs during the kidnapping.

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According to media reports, his mother died in the US while he was being held hostage.

Calmer scenes in Gaza

Both the transfer in Khan Younis and the one in Gaza City proceeded calmly on Saturday morning - unlike the chaotic conditions surrounding the release of eight Israeli and Thai hostages on Thursday, when crowds swarmed around the frightened-looking captives.

After these threatening scenes, Israel demanded that the countries that brokered the ceasefire agreement compel Hamas to keep the transfers orderly.

Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed around 1,200 people in their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and took more than 250 Israelis hostage to the Gaza Strip.

The attack triggered the war in the sealed-off coastal area, where more than 47,400 people have been killed since then, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. The number does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday condemned Russia's latest attacks on Ukrainian cities, calling it "another wave of terrorist crimes." Sharing a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "Last night, Russia launched an attack on our cities using various types of weapons: missiles, attack drones, and aerial bombs. Another wave of terrorist crimes." The Ukrainian President informed that in Poltava, a residential building was destroyed, while deadly strikes were also reported in Kharkiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Khmelnytskyi, and Kyiv. "In Poltava, a residential building was hit, a section of the building was completely destroyed. Ten people were wounded, including children. Tragically, three people were killed. My condolences to their families. All necessary emergency services are on-site, rescuing and providing necessary assistance. Damage has also been reported in Zaporizhzhia, as well as in the Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Kyiv regions. As of now, six people are confirmed wounded. In Kharkiv, one person was killed by a strike drone. In the Sumy region, this Russian attack claimed two more lives. My condolences to their families and loved ones," the post added. Zelenskyy further reiterated the urgent need for stronger air defence support from international partners, emphasising that every system and interceptor missile could save lives. He said, "Every such act of terror proves that we need greater support in defending against Russian terror. Every air defence system, every interceptor missile, means a life saved. It is crucial that our partners take action, fulfill our agreements, and increase pressure on Russia." Earlier in the day, a Ukrainian Military official informed that North Korean forces have "probably" withdrawn from frontlines in Russia's Kursk region after suffering heavy losses. Colonel Oleksandr, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Special Operations Forces, told CNN that North Korean troops have not been seen on the battlefront for the past three weeks. "The presence of DPRK troops has not been observed for about three weeks, and they were probably forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses," Oleksandr Kindratenko, told CNN. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak has also noted the reports of the same. About 12,000 North Korean soldiers have been sent to Russia, according to Ukrainian officials and Western intelligence reports, which say around 4,000 of those troops have been killed or injured. (ANI)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  At least three of the teens arrested following a botched armed robbery, that turned deadly for one of their own, are staying locked up for now. A judge ruled that 15-year-old Jeriah Salas, 17-year-old Vicente Pino, and 16-year-old Jocelyn Sedillo, would pose a danger to the community if released from jail.

Bernalillo County DA speaks out on teens charged in attempted robbery, shooting

Police said the three were part of a group that tried to rob a woman at an apartment complex off Tramway Blvd. north of I-40 on Wednesday. Investigators said Salas and another teen, Alonzo Sanderson, shot the woman, then her husband returned fire, killing Sanderson.

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In total, police arrested seven teens for that armed robbery.

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Were only a month into the new year and the most talked-about apps have been TikTok, RedNote, and DeepSeek. Whats remarkable is that they are all made by Chinese companiesthe latest evidence that ostensible national security concerns wont stop American users from flocking to Chinese apps.

What a twist. When TikTok became a global cultural phenomenon, many saw it as the exception, not the normmost people outside China werent using Chinese apps (not even super app WeChat, which Facebook sought to imitate). But the popularity of RedNote and DeepSeek shows that Chinese tech companies remain hyper-competitive and havent stopped innovating.

Behind the Great Firewall, Chinese digital products have to constantly compete with each other for a slice of consumers mindshare and spending, which has spurred an incredible pace of imitation, iteration, and innovation. While China used to be seen as a copycat nation, its now the indisputable global leader in technologies like EVs, drones, and robots. TikTok exemplified what Chinese tech companies excel at: design (the infinite scroll interface), functionality (how easy it was to create a video with background music), and most of all superb engineering (the addictive algorithm). Similarly, RedNotes success lies in its powerful internal search engine. Other Chinese apps that have made headway globally, like Shein and Temu, built an edge with their cheap cost.

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The same dynamic is now playing out in AI. Initial large language models out of China all aimed to replicate what ChatGPT could do and were deemed second-rate. But the launch of DeepSeeks R1 model, which matched OpenAIs o1 at a dramatically lower cost, upended the assumption. DeepSeek skyrocketed to the top free app in Apples App Store in the U.S. (and 51 other countries), overtaking ChatGPT.

More small players will soon enter the fray with their own AI models, using DeepSeeks training methods. And as AI models become more of a commodity, just like electricity, the differentiating factor comes from having a better cost structure, much like how China came to dominate other high-tech industriesfrom consumer electronics to solar panels. The U.S. stock market panic on Jan. 27 and industry reactions of shock, awe, and paranoia point to that realization.

Yet, while the American public has enthusiastically embraced DeepSeek, policymakers are once again touting potential national security risks. Some of these concerns may have merit: the free chatbot self-censors when it comes to politically sensitive topics like Xi Jinping and Taiwan; user data is also stored in servers in China.

But this discourse, and how it echoes that of TikTok, is a troubling sign of Washington embracing a techno-nationalist stance thats increasingly insularespecially in an age of AI when diffusion is inevitable, and technological progress wont be locked up behind paywalls and within centralized infrastructure. Should American policymakers go down the path of another nationwide ban (using the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act), that sets the U.S. on a dangerous slippery slope. America may end up banning any and all Chinese apps that gain traction among U.S. users. And why stop at China? Fears of foreign manipulation will always exist as long as any country outside the U.S. comes up with the next trendy app.

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Such a protectionist posture is a reversal from the vision of openness, free expression, and vibrant competition that the U.S. has long championed since the advent of the open web. Policymakers support of this vision now looks contingentthey champion open access when American tech companies are superior enough to maintain market dominance; but when other competitors emerge, they cite national security threats to keep them out. Instead of competing through innovation, the U.S. is veering toward export controls, entity listings, and nationwide bans. Thats concerning because the country is ceding valuable opportunities to learn from and compete with apps emerging from outside its sphere of influence.

While some argue that China has long banned U.S. social media apps, and that this is merely tit-for-tat, it wasnt too long ago that American tech executives and policymakers criticized China for its censorship apparatus. Washington taking a page out of Beijings playbook may ironically lead to the U.S. building a Great Firewall of its own.

Theres also a clear disconnect between lawmakers and the American public. When TikTok briefly went dark on Jan. 19, RedNote shot to the top of download charts in the U.S., becoming a haven for TikTok refugees who wanted to protest the government ban.

Like TikTok, DeepSeeks success has created a rift between those who are invested in outcompeting China and those who benefit from affordable access to the best AI model. The fact that DeepSeeks models are open sourceanyone can freely use, modify, and distribute their models, unlike closed, proprietary models built by OpenAI and Anthropicflies in the face of arguments that the Chinese company is undermining American innovation.

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Banning Chinese apps may boost U.S. alternatives in the short term, but in the long run it also risks isolating America from breakthroughs elsewhere. To reach super-intelligence first, America needs to outcompete and out-innovate China by accelerating innovation, enhancing market competition, and adopting new efficiencies not by restricting access and building monopolies at home.

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

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When Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th US president on January 20, several tech tycoons were present - from Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos to Meta Platforms' Mark Zuckerberg - but the unlikeliest among them was TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi.

The executive was standing next to Tulsi Gabbard, the president's nominee for Director of National Intelligence, a day after Chew briefly shut down the app in the country amid a showdown with the government over national security concerns about TikTok's Chinese ownership.

On December 16, a month before a US bill seeking to force Beijing-based ByteDance to divest its flagship app took effect, Chew, a Harvard-educated Singaporean, held a private meeting with Trump. In a demonstration of Trump's popularity on TikTok, the executive showed the next US president the numbers for content related to him compared with those of Taylor Swift, according to a source briefed on the meeting.

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"Trump was extremely delighted," the person said.

Delight is a marked change from how Trump felt about the short video app five years ago, when he tried to force a sale through executive action, highlighting how a drastic political shift in Washington has given ByteDance a new chance to maintain operations of its biggest product in its most important overseas market. Beijing, too, has signalled a potential willingness to cooperate under the right conditions.

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi stands with Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee to be the next director of national intelligence, during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington on January 20. Photo: Reuters alt=TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi stands with Tulsi Gabbard, the nominee to be the next director of national intelligence, during the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington on January 20. Photo: Reuters>

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TikTok faces a greater challenge than it did in 2020 in the form of a law signed by former president Joe Biden last year that requires ByteDance to sell the app's US operations or be banned from US app stores and other hosting providers. Biden withdrew Trump's executive order on the app in 2021 because it was perceived to be on weak legal footing, while the newer law has already withstood a challenge at the Supreme Court.

This has put TikTok on the back foot, as it seeks political favour with a new Trump administration four years after walking away from a deal with Oracle and Walmart that was designed to keep the app running in the US if the executive order was upheld. Under that deal, the two US business giants would jointly acquire 20 per cent of TikTok Global, with an eventual public offering to put majority ownership in the hands of American investors.

A nationalist backlash in China ensued, with ByteDance accused of kneeling in the face of US demands. Beijing intervened with a new export regulation covering algorithms in a stance of "selling the car, not the engine".

ByteDance issued a statement in Chinese claiming that it would maintain control of TikTok Global and that the deal did not involve the transfer of algorithms. Yet the details of the deal were moot once Biden took office.

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With Trump's return, some analysts believe conditions are right for the US and China to come to an agreement about the app.

"Both China and the US are signalling an openness to some kind of deal," said James Andrew Lewis, a senior vice-president of Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), who focuses on technology, geopolitics and international security.

Trump credited TikTok, which has 170 million American users, with helping him reach younger voters during last year's election. On his first day back in the White House, he signed an executive order delaying federal enforcement of the TikTok law by 75 days. Trump has expressed a desire to reach a new TikTok deal in the form of a 50-50 ownership split with ByteDance, and threatened to impose additional tariffs on China if Beijing opposes it.

Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry has softened its stance regarding a potential sale. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in January that enterprise operations and acquisitions "should be decided by businesses upon market principles". Beijing's previous official line was that it strongly opposes US mistreatment of Chinese businesses in the name of national security. In 2020, Beijing warned the US of "consequences" to a TikTok ban, which it likened to "opening Pandora's box".

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"With Trump taking office, Beijing and President Xi [Jinping] want to be seen as cooperative on some issues, and do not want to expend significant political capital on the issue of a social media company that operates in the US," said Paul Triolo, partner at business strategy firm DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group.

Yet Beijing has also maintained that a deal involving Chinese companies must "comply with Chinese laws and regulations", a reminder that it still has veto power and may be waiting for the right "quid pro quo" from Washington.

"There are signs that China, which must approve any deal, would like this to be part of a larger trade package," said CSIS' Lewis.

A lawful deal still faces hurdles. The "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" is not currently being enforced by the US Justice Department, but it remains in effect, and TikTok has not yet been restored to Apple's App Store or Google Play in the country. Having been found to be constitutional by the Supreme Court, overturning the law will now likely take an act of a divided Congress, which showed rare overwhelming bipartisan support in passing it.

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It is also unclear whether a 50-50 split would satisfy the requirement that ByteDance not have any control over an app operating in the US. The Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to let ByteDance retain a minority stake while Oracle oversees TikTok's algorithm, data collection and software updates, with a group of outside US investors collectively taking a majority stake, according to National Public Radio (NPR), citing two sources.

Triolo said that potential suitors include "players like Walmart and Oracle, which were involved in previous efforts to acquire TikTok". Walmart is sitting out current negotiations "after balking at the estimated price", according to the NPR report.

ByteDance board member William Ford, chairman of company shareholder General Atlantic, said he was optimistic that the company could find non-sale solutions. He made the comments on the sidelines of the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, according to Chinese media Caixin.

In a separate interview with Bloomberg TV, Ford said the alternatives may include "a change of control of some kind" locally to comply with US legislation.

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A deal that does not involve the explicit transfer of technology but ensures third-party monitoring, something similar to TikTok's Project Texas, would be possible, analysts say. Project Texas, launched in 2022, opens its algorithm for review by Oracle and third-party auditors, but does not transfer the technology.

"If Trump can broker a deal that preserves some ownership for ByteDance and does not involve the explicit transfer of technology such as the [artificial intelligence] algorithm, Beijing will be willing to at least not oppose such a deal via its export control regime," Triolo said.

Triolo estimated the deal to be worth between US$40 billion and US$80 billion, "meaning whoever decides to jump in has to be ready with some serious money".

Some potential buyers have already emerged, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Canadian investor Kevin O'Leary, American businessman Frank McCourt, and tech entrepreneur Jesse Tinsley.

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Bloomberg News reported this month that Chinese officials have discussed the possibility for X, Musk's social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to take control of TikTok's US operations. Musk has extensive business ties with China, including a large electric car manufacturing facility for Tesla in Shanghai.

Since the political chaos that engulfed the end of Trump's first term in late 2020 and early 2021, Washington, Beijing, and ByteDance have more reasons to keep TikTok operating in the US, analysts say.

"This is a totally different environment for TikTok, with US politicians across the political spectrum, including both presidential candidates, using the platform to reach young voters," said Triolo.

"In general, awareness of the importance of this type of platform for both small businesses and reaching a broad range of potential voters has meant more support for preserving TikTok's ability to operate in the US," he added.

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TikTok's user base in the US boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic, growing a creator economy on the platform. Citing an Oxford Economics report, TikTok said it fuelled more than 7 million small and medium-sized businesses that contributed US$24 billion to US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 and created more than 224,000 American jobs. TikTok's US operations directly contributed an additional US$8.5 billion to GDP and supported 59,000 jobs in the country that year, according to the report.

The platform also expanded its TikTok Shop e-commerce function to the US that year. Several Chinese merchants on TikTok said the US was their most profitable market because of its strong consumer-driven economy.

By 2024, TikTok Shop had recorded a sevenfold increase in gross merchandise volume (GMV), reaching US$7 billion to US$8 billion in the US, according to EchoTik, a TikTok-focused analytics and data provider.

With TikTok's stronger position both economically and in mind share, some saw the company's decision to shut down the app in the US the day before the divestment law took effect as a political stunt so that it could go back online on Trump's first day in office. The law does not require TikTok to stop serving Americans, only that US firms stop hosting the app.

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"TikTok US anticipated the public's outcry when the platform went dark, and knew that Trump would seize the opportunity to be the ultimate fixer and deal maker," said Alex Capri, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore's Business School and author of Techno-Nationalism: How it's Reshaping Trade, Geopolitics and Society. It was "a clever pre-emptive move" ahead of Trump's inauguration, he added.

In 2021, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming spoke about his vision for a global company based around TikTok. Lewis, from CSIS, sees an opportunity for the company to preserve that vision, if only by taking a lighter touch.

"Let's see ... if TikTok will stop playing chicken in the hopes it can preserve the status quo," he said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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The Beverly Hills luxury watch dealer known as the Timepiece Gentleman was sentenced to nearly 6 years in federal prison for swindling dozens of his customers out of at least $5.6 million, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.

Anthony Farrer, 36, a former resident of downtown Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire and mail fraud in October.

Between November 2022 and 2023, Farrers shop, which is also called The Timepiece Gentleman, marketed typical consignment sales for watches from Rolex, Richard Mille, Patek Philippe and other high-end brands.

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Timepiece Gentleman busted for stealing $3 million from customers

Typically, such transactions would involve Farrer possessing and marketing watches by displaying them at his store and online, then taking a consignment fee from the sales, a figure prosecutors said is typically around 5%.

But instead of remitting watch sales proceeds  or the unsold watches themselves  back to the clients, Farrer sold the client watches and kept the proceeds for himself, the DOJ said. He also used client watches  without the clients knowledge or permission  as collateral for loans that he took out from lenders.

Farrer then lied to clients and told them that their watches were still for sale. Alternatively, he sometimes took money from clients and told them he was looking for specific watches for them, though in reality, he took the clients money and used it for other purposes, including to fund his lavish lifestyle such as buying or leasing luxury automobiles, apartments, and other luxury goods.

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When questioned, Farrer would send clients money and watches belonging to others to tide the client over or lull them into a false sense of security regarding the status of the purchase.

Like a Ponzi scheme, the other watch Farrer sent to the client often belonged to other clients who had themselves sent him that watch for a consignment sale, prosecutors said. These clients were unaware Farrer was using their watches for that purpose, rather than attempting to sell the watches on behalf of the clients.

This defendant stole millions of dollars from customers who trusted him and then used his ill-gotten gains to fund his exorbitant lifestyle, said acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. The sentence imposed today sends a message that those who defraud the public will be held accountable.

The so-called Timepiece Gentleman was actually a con-man whose time living lavishly ran out when the high-end watch owners he victimized brought his crimes to the attention of law enforcement, added Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office.

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In total, Farrer defrauded more than 40 people and caused losses of almost $5.7 million.

In addition to his prison sentence, Farrer will owe restitution, the exact amount of which will be determined later this year.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference released its 2024 Immigration Report with data on people not lawfully in the country who have been charged or convicted of crimes.

The report breaks down data collected by local authorities, including the offenses reported, the suspects countries of origin, and how many reports were filed in each county.

Bettys Stockyard Cafe wins Tri-Cities Best Breakfast

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According to the report, the Attorneys General Conference received 2,719 reports by local police.

The full report can be found online.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  On Thursday, Tennessees special-called session covering illegal immigration, disaster relief funding and school vouchers wrapped up. Lawmakers passed legislation on all three topics.

Governor Bill Lees Education Freedom Scholarship Act, commonly called the school voucher bill, got the votes it needed to become a reality. However, the bill came with a lot of pushback.

Both House and Senate pass TN school vouchers bill

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Rep. David Hawk, a long opponent of school vouchers spoke on the house floor about his vote.

Im not opposed to the bill because of any of the antics that weve seen over the last two days, Hawk said. Im opposed to the bill because the people in my district have asked me to oppose the bill.

While Hawk from Greeneville voted no for his constituents, Senator Rusty Crowe from Johnson City struggled with his decision before voting yes.

Ive come to the conclusion that it is simply not the role of government to impede the parents right to make these choices for their children, Crowe said. Today the government tells parents their children should be educated in public schools. If the parents have the resources, they can decide to opt out. If they dont have the resources, then government would have made that decision for them and their children will go to public schools and essentially have no other option except possibly homeschooling.

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Carter, Greene, Johnson and Unicoi County mayors all shared on the Tennessee house floor Tuesday about the damage Hurricane Helene caused to their counties.

Many legislators asked why it took so long for a special session for hurricane relief to happen.

Rep. Bo Mitchell expressed his disappointment in Governor Bill Lees decision to wait until January. He voiced his displeasure with knowing those who are unemployed because of the hurricane have to file regular unemployment requirements weekly.

These people for four months now have been having to jump through all the hoops and hurdles of applying for five jobs each week and doing all that to be able to get unemployment for jobs that have been washed away, Mitchell said.

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This is another reason the governor should be ashamed of himself for waiting four months to help these people [who] have been homeless, jobless and in this dire situation, Mitchell said. North Carolina has done this three times, given three rounds of aid. This governor has waited this long and these people have been having to jump through this kind of bureaucratic hoops. Governor, you should be ashamed of yourself. Weve waited and waited and waited. You know, til I guess hes got enough folks in line for other things to call the special session to help these people.

Representative Jeremy Faison from Cosby said he actually does feel like Tennessee is taking care of its people more than North Carolina.

I watched how they were inept at taking care of their people, Faison said. My church, Crossroads Community Church, did far more for Western North Carolina during the first month and a half than North Carolina ever thought about doing. I dont care if they had three sessions or five sessions, they failed and my state didnt. We showed up. Our people showed up and we did the job.

All disaster relief bills passed.

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On Wednesday, state troopers carried out protestors during the House Immigration Committee Hearing.

House members debated illegal immigration policies that were up for legislation.

Not just human beings but criminal gangs come into these United States and into Tennessee; and drug trafficking and human traffickingwhich is something that should appall all of ushas been increased by this lawless border condition that was allowed to exist, Rep. Monty Fritts (R) from Kingston said.

The House and Senate ended up passing the illegal immigration bill.

The bill will establish a centralized office of immigration, offer grants to local police departments that help enforce federal immigration policies and it also includes an amendment that makes it a felony for local officials to vote in favor of adopting a sanctuary city policy.

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Now this is the only time we will have a Tennessee law that says if you vote in the affirmative you will be charged with a felony, Rep. Justin Jones (D) from Nashville said.

We have an oath to uphold the constitution if we go to Article 1 Section 6 which comes from the 1689 English Bill of Rights which was a response to the British crowns history of using legal measures to intimidate and punish legislators for legislative actions, so the English King was punishing lawmakers for how they voted.

On Monday, News Channel 11 interviewed Gov. Lee about the illegal immigration bill. He said Trumps administration is targeting dangerous criminals and that Tennessees centralized office will help with that.

That is really what this effort is about, is putting some money, some dollars and some people into creating an office and a structure that says we are ready to assist the federal government in Tennessee with the things that Tennesseans want us to address, Lee said.

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Heres a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on Feb. 1, according to the Tribunes archives.

Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.

Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)

High temperature: 56 degrees (1968)

Low temperature: Minus 14 degrees (1985)

Precipitation: 0.87 inches (2015)

Snowfall: 16.2 inches (2015)

1900: The Everleigh sisters opened their carriage trade brothel, the opulent Everleigh Club, 2131 S. Dearborn St. It was shut down in 1911 by Mayor Carter Harrison. Thats when Ada and Minna Everleigh moved to New York.

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1981: Martina Navratilova took two checks, one for $35,000 and another for $6,000, as well as two fur jackets out of Chicago as her prizes for winning the singles and doubles titles in the Avon tournament at the International Amphitheater.

Navratilova also left something in Chicago that night  advice for the Bears, who were negotiating with Walter Payton at the time for his further service with the team.

Give Walter Payton whatever he wants, said Navratilova, a Dallas Cowboys fan. Give him $1 million a year. Payton is the franchise.

1982: In the first of its kind in the U.S., Morton Grove began enforcement of a controversial ordinance banning the possession of handguns. Residents turned in five guns to police on the first day. The ordinance also banned possession of automatic weapons, overriding a newly effective state law that allowed it.

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The measure triggered a storm of publicity and a nationwide debate over the merits of using local ordinances to control gun ownership, but was upheld in 1984 by the Illinois Supreme Court. The ordinance was repealed in July 2008.

1995: Two thumbs up. Mayor Richard M. Daley dedicated Erie Street between Fairbanks and McClurg courts to film critics Gene Siskel (of the Chicago Tribune) and Roger Ebert (of the Chicago Sun-Times). The honorarily named Siskel & Ebert Way commemorates the CBS/WBBM-TV studios where they taped their show.

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Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicagos past.

Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
David Lebryk, a top Treasury Department nonpolitical career official, retired Friday after clashing with Elon Musk allies over government payment systems, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill on condition of anonymity.

The Washington Post first reported on Lebryks departure, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Upon his inauguration, President Trump had appointed Lebryk acting Treasury secretary while nominee Scott Bessent was waiting to be confirmed.

Lebryks retirement follows a dispute over a request from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk oversees, for access to the payment system that Treasury officials use to disburse funds.

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The Post reported that a small number of career officials at Treasury have control over the systems, which are run by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Lebryk was previously first commissioner of the bureau.

The systems control $6 trillion annually, distributed as Social Security, Medicare, salaries for federal workers, payments to government contractors, payments to grant recipients and tax refunds.

Lebryk served in the Treasury Department for three decades and was appointed the fiscal assistant secretary in 2014, which is the most senior career position at the agency.

The Treasury Department and DOGE did not respond to a request for comment Lebryks retirement.

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TOWANDA, Pa. (WETM)  A Towanda man will spend up to nearly 12 years in prison for fleeing a Bradford County drug treatment program he was previously sentenced to.

Kristopher Robert Johnson, 43, was resentenced to a minimum of 51 months and a maximum of 142 months in state prison after not following his initial sentence to follow a treatment program, according to the Bradford County District Attorneys Office. The sentence stems from August and September 2023 charges of two counts of theft by unlawful taking (a second-degree felony), criminal mischief (a misdemeanor), and driving while license suspended or revoked (a misdemeanor). His license had been suspended due to a driving under the influence offense.

Bradford County man sentenced for drug bust in Sayre

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The district attorneys office stated that Johnson was initially sentenced to the Bradford County Treatment Court Program for these offenses. The program, which is Bradford Countys strictest form of supervision, would have let Johnson avoid prison time by undergoing intensive drug and alcohol rehabilitation, regular court meetings, and regular drug testing.

Johnson fled Bradford to Luzerne County and cut off his electronic monitoring device to avoid being caught. He was removed from the program as a result.

The program is designed to help people who want help, so that they can avoid reoffending, said District Attorney Richard Wilson. We cant have people in that program who jeopardize the success of other people who take that program seriously.

In addition to his sentence of prison time, Johnson was ordered to pay Bradford County $1,750 to replace the device.

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Venezuela freed six American detainees on Friday following a visit by Richard Grenell, former special missions envoy under US President Donald Trump, to Caracas for talks with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, according to a report by The Washington Post. Grenell's visit marked what is believed to be the first direct engagement between a US official and Maduro since 2022. "We are home. God bless these Americans." Grenell said in a post on X today. https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885567024795132035 In another post, he wrote, "We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldn't stop thanking him." https://x.com/RichardGrenell/status/1885482064050610536 State-run Venezuelan media aired footage of Grenell and Maduro shaking hands inside the Miraflores presidential palace. Earlier in the day, Trump announced that six American detainees were being brought home from Venezuela, and expressed gratitude to Richard Grenell and his staff for securing their release, calling it a "great job." In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!" Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence, and Maduro, the authoritarian socialist who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, met to discuss the Americans detained in the South American country, as well as deportation flights, cooperation to confront the Tren de Aragua gang and energy, according to one person familiar with the plan, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details, as reported by The Washington Post. Maduro's government had been holding at least nine Americans, detaining them amid a crackdown on dissidents and foreign nationals after Venezuela's July presidential election. He accused some detainees--without offering proof--of plotting violent acts in the country. The US officials and relatives of those arrested had spent months struggling to obtain information about their condition and whereabouts. According to a report by CNN, like the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada, the US also does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader. It has placed a raft of sanctions or visa restrictions on Maduro-aligned officials. Washington has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela. (ANI)
Days after an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane collided in Washington D.C., recovery teams are hard at work trying to retrieve bodies and wreckage from the Potomac River.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00 p.m., 41 of the 67 victims are accounted for and both black boxes from the plane have been found.

Despite this, travelers heading through Dayton International Airport told News Center 7s Mason Fletcher they arent concerned about taking off to their destination.

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Andrew Cohen, who was heading to Atlanta Georgia, said he travels for work often and that he watched as the aftermath of Wednesdays crash unfolded.

So I was surprised. I stayed up way too late last night watching the news, Cohen said.

Cohen said hes never been nervous for a flight, and Wednesdays crash hasnt changed that for him.

Theres nothing to be worried about in terms of airplane safety or anything like that. So Im not concerned at all. I mean, Its been 15, 16, years since weve had an incident like that, Cohen said.

Gil Turner, who has been the Director of Aviation for Dayton International for the last 23 years, said Wednesdays crash didnt have a severe impact on their operations.

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There was no direct impact to the Dayton International Airport other than there were several flights were canceled, Turner said.

Turner did say that some employees at the airport were affected.

We know that there are a lot of people that, as you know, that work for PSA airlines here that were impacted by this, Turner said.

Turner declined to comment on air traffic control and any concerns fliers might have until more details about the crash are released.

One Air Traffic Control Worker was managing helicopters and some planes from Reagan National Airport Tower at the time of the collision.

Turner said that there are at least two Air Traffic Controllers at all times at Dayton International.

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News Center 7 has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration what they do if an Air Traffic Controller is unable to make their shift, but have not heard back.

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A judge found a Franklin Countys farms former bookkeeper stole more than $500,000 over several years. The charges had previously been dropped due to an attorney shortage.

Brittany R. Adams, 39, of West Richland, forged the signature of her boss on 95 checks between 2016 and 2022. Most were written for $4,000 each, according to court documents.

Judge Norma Rodriguez found her guilty of first-degree theft and forgery after an hour-long trial Thursday morning.

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She also found that Adams stole far more than normal, abused a position of trust and it was well-planned. These factors allowed Rodriguez to go above the normal 90-day maximum for the crimes.

Adams attorney Michael Vander Sys filed a notice of appeal, and Rodriguez gave her a chance to post a $50,000 bond while waiting for the appeal.

Adams told investigators she needed the money because her husbands construction business wasnt bringing in enough and she needed to pay bills and buy food.

But Rodriguez calculated that Adams took more than $100,000 a year, far more than what was necessary to buy necessities.

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Im the kind of person that does value hard work, Rodriguez said.  I see the tears and everything, and I know that shes hurting right now, but each time a check was written, she could (have) stopped and she didnt.

She followed the prosecutors recommendation and sentenced Adams to two years in prison.

Vander Sys agreed a lot of money was taken, but said the two-year sentence is long. He suggested a 90-day sentence saying his client has always been remorseful and wanted a court order in place to help her repay the money.

This is not a case where shes in any way trying to avoid responsibility or sanction, Vander Sys said. She adamantly wants to repay. ... Shes attempted to apologize and make it right. 

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Adams has been home schooling her children and working as a referee to cover the bills. She apologized during her Thursday sentencing hearing to the victims and has sought out counseling.

This case has been made more complicated because it was caught in the middle of an attorney shortage in Franklin County.

This was the second time Franklin County prosecutors charged Adams with stealing the money. They initially filed charges in 2023, but were forced to drop the charges after she waited months for an attorney

The Washington state and federal constitutions guarantee criminal suspects the right to an attorney if they cant afford one. Since Adams qualified for a public defender and was not in jail, the law says she is entitled to a trial within 90 days if she doesnt agree to a delay.

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But that cant happen without an attorney.

Judge David Petersen allowed the case to continue based on the previous rulings of Superior Court judges.

Franklin County farm theft

Adams started working for Mike Bosmans farm on Sagemoor Road in 2014 and was put in charge of the business account and invoices, but didnt have the authority to sign checks.

She started fabricating extra expenses to the bank in order to hide the regular checks that she wrote to her husband.

She entered false information in Quick Books with her husbands name or for a random farm supply company, according to court documents.

She printed out the checks with her husbands name on them and forged her boss signature, according to court documents.

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Investigators said her husband was not aware of the theft and seemed surprised when police talked with him.

The scheme was uncovered by the farm owners banker, who discovered the series of checks.

Bosman told police he had hired Adams husband just once, and he hadnt done any other work for him since.

Bosman told Rodriguez on Thursday that they treated her like family. Her children would often come with her and made friends with his son.

This tears us up that she could do that over and over and over week after week and sit there with a straight face and lie to me every day, he said.

The missing money was not the only damage. It turned out that she also did not pay their taxes. He had an Internal Revenue Service agent come to his farm over missed payments.

Lack of an attorney

Adams charges were originally filed at a time when Franklin County was struggling to contract enough attorneys for the public defender office.

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During that same time, a Superior Court judge cut the bail amounts for rape and stolen car suspects after they didnt have defense attorneys for two months.

Then public defense Manager Larry Zeigler said he was focused first on getting attorneys assigned to suspects charged with violent crimes and people in jail.

Simply not having an attorney available is not a good enough excuse, Vander Sys said in a motion to dismiss the case.

The state is mandated in each county to provide a sufficient number of public defense attorneys to cover assignment of each defendants case, he wrote.

While defense attorneys can ask for more time to prepare before a trial, the motion has to come from the defense attorney.

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Vander Sys argued that the state was aware of the shortage of defense attorneys, and failed to address the issue.

The state has created a system-wide failure of the indigent defense system of services in this county resulting in the defendant not having an attorney for over a month, Vander Sys wrote.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)According to the Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center, every 40 seconds in the United States, someone becomes a victim of human trafficking, and here at home, officials are seeing those numbers increase right here in the tri-county.

Local agencies and organizations are working to stop someone from becoming a victim of human trafficking. Officials are seeing those numbers increase in the tri-county, and it is something local agencies and organizations are working to stop.

Prevention, protection, education, and partnership were the main topics discussed by officials from the Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force and partner agencies during their annual meeting today.

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Today, in January, Trafficking Awareness Month is the last day of the month, so we were showcasing our team, which we have had with us for eight years on this topic. We summarized all our subcommittees, what theyre doing, and what the work looks like, said Lauren Knapp, co-chair of the tri-county human trafficking task force.

According to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, they received 285 tips related to sex trafficking last year, and 75 percent of those anonymous tips came from the tri-county. In Charleston, labor trafficking increased 40 percent in 2024.

We try to educate our community, especially Latina and Hispanic communities, how we help them when they ask us because they dont know what is happening when they are suffering or victims of trafficking. We need to be able to give them straightforward information, but its more critical for educating, said Adriana Fernandez Ruffer, a tri-county human task force refugee/foreign national.

Another vulnerable community officials are working with is children, providing education, mentorship, and time.

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To see what these kids go through and their desire just to live an everyday life quote on quote normal life. And just to be able to provide that little bit of normalcy to them means the world to me, said Tiffiny Alexzander, partner with the Child Advocacy Center.

Officials are also introducing a program to give necessities and gifts to children in disadvantaged circumstances. To get involved, click the link down below.

The Fairy Godparent Project | Tri-County HTTF.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT)  Tri-State high school students from across the region jumped into the icy water at Scales Lake in Boonville to raise money for Special Olympics Indiana and area athletes.

At least seven teams took the plunge. This was one of 19 events across the state. The community polar plunge will take place at Scales Lake Saturday morning.

Officials are hoping to raise $60,000 locally.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Feb. 1Three of Oklahoma's Native American tribes have requested to join the U.S. government's lawsuit against Rogers County's district attorney.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Matt Ballard Dec. 23 for his prosecution of three Native American men within the Cherokee Nation. In its complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, the federal government said only the federal government and tribal nations may prosecute Native Americans accused of committing crimes on tribal land.



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Welcome to February, quotes readers! One month down, 11 more to go.

The week started off with a series of immigration raids in Chicago on Sunday. The raids and arrests, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, continued across the city and suburbs throughout the week, with CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling saying more than 100 people from the Chicago area had been taken into custody.

This weeks immigration blitz was just one step in President Donald Trumps mass deportation campaign. On Wednesday, he announced a plan to open a detention center at Guantanamo Bay to hold up to 30,000 of the worst criminal aliens in the United States, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that the administration revoked deportation protections for roughly 600,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S., putting some at risk of being removed from the country in two months.

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On Wednesday night, an Army helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines passenger jet just before landing at the Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C., sending the aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River. All 60 passengers aboard the plane and the flight crews operating both aircraft were killed. While recovery efforts are still underway, the National Transportation Safety Board has begun an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The deadliest U.S. air disaster in almost a quarter century came just hours after Sean Duffy, the new secretary of transportation, was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in. Also confirmed this week? Doug Burgum as interior secretary and Lee Zeldin, who will lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Meanwhile, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel were grilled in back-to-back confirmation hearings Thursday.

The Trump administration issued a federal funding freeze this week, causing widespread tumult and confusion among social service agencies, nonprofits and universities. The White House then rescinded the plan a day later. The president also told reporters Thursday that his 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico are coming Saturday  though he was still considering whether to include oil from those countries as part of his import taxes.

The jury began deliberations in former House Speaker Michael Madigans landmark public corruption case, nearly four months after they were first called to Chicagos federal courthouse. A verdict has yet to be returned, so jurors will return Monday morning to continue their discussions.

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And the Chicago Cubs acquired veteran reliever Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros on Tuesday, in exchange for minor-league pitcher Juan Bello. Pressly described the decision to waive his no-trade clause to join the Cubs as one of the hardest decisions hes ever made.

Thats it for this week! Heres the latest installment of the Tribunes Quotes of the Week quiz from the week spanning Jan. 27 to Feb. 1.

Missed last week? You can find it here or check out our past editions of Quotes of the Week.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada wont back down from President Trumps threat to impose a 25 percent tariff and that Ottawa will respond accordingly until they are removed.

Were showing the new American administration that they have a strong partner in Canada when it comes to upholding border security, all while simultaneously underscoring that we wont back down, that if tariffs are implemented against Canada, we will respond, Trudeau said Friday while addressing the advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations.

We wont relent until tariffs are removed and, of course, everything is on the table, he added.

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Trump has once again brought up his intention to slap a 25 percent tariff on Mexico and Canada, something he first threatened in late November of last year following the 2024 presidential election.

Look, Mexico and Canada have never been good to us on trade, Trump said Thursday.

Theyve treated us very unfairly on trade, and we will be able to make that up very quickly because we dont need the products that they have, he added while also citing fentanyl coming into the U.S. and migrants crossing over the southern border.

After Trump initially said he was looking to slap a 25 percent tariff on Canada, Trudeau met with the then-president-elect in late November, with the meeting being characterized as productive. Trump has since taken jabs at Trudeau, even suggesting that Canada should be the 51st U.S. state.

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The Canadian prime minister announced his resignation earlier this month amid the tension with Trump and his partys faltering polling numbers ahead of the countrys general elections later this year.

Canada, along with Mexico, is one of the biggest U.S. trading partners. Experts have said that imposing tariffs on both countries could hurt American consumers when purchasing some goods, but long-term damage might be inflicted on both economies if the trade war extends further.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The most surprising thing about Donald Trump is that there are still people here, in the year 2025, who retain the capacity to be surprised by Donald Trump. The man has no depths to plumb, contains no multitudes; to scratch his surface is to know the man entirely. We know that what he wants most in life is for the voices on his television to be praising him. We know that the biggest reason he ran for a second term is to avoid jail and that, now that hes back, his main goal is to make off with as much money as he can. We know what kind of president he will be (bad) and how hell leave the country (worse). Trump is often described as a pugilist in the press. Im not sure people know what that word means, because hed be awful at pugilism. All of Trumps punches are telegraphed.

Nevertheless, D.C. Democrats seem to be some of the last people to learn that there is nothing left to learn about Trump. Trumps first week back seems to have caught them off guard, so much so that theyve largely spent the last few days tiptoeing around as multiple crises unfolded. Theyve been careful, circumspect, cautiousand theyve gotten absolutely banjaxed as a result. It wasnt until Trump tried to turn off the entire federal government that they recovered a bit of fighting spirit, vowing to escalate the conflict with the GOP into a street fight.

Its great that they got there in the end; I look forward to this street fight, but Ill believe it when I see it. Still, one of the Democrats big problems is the sheer number of times you can use the word belatedly to describe their reactions. It might have been better if Democrats had actually used the time between Trump getting reelected and Trump getting inaugurated to prepare to confront the things that Trump spent over a year saying he was going to do.

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On Tuesday morning, The Bulwarks Sam Stein reported on BlueSky that Democrats were planning to do a press conference on Trumps decision to pardon the January 6erswhich occurred a full week prioreven as the effects of the Trump administrations funding freeze were making headlines. The Democrats approach raises serious questions about their pathological inability to participate in the modern news cycle. Moreover, the pardoning of the January 6ers became a fait accompli the moment Trump won the election. The time to start raising a hue and cry over those pardons was thus November.

Stein noted this lag: Two parties running at different speeds. Unclear if there is a presser today to go after the OMBs power play to take over all federal grant money. Democrats actually did manage to work the breaking news story into their brief in a rare display of nimbleness. But despite the hasty agenda change, Democrats seemed as if theyd not been following the political news for a staggeringly long amount of time. Last night, Chuck Schumer said of Trumps attacks on the civil service, President Trump plunged the country into chaos without a shred of warning.

Trumps actions were of course preceded by copious warnings, most notably in the form of Trump repeatedly saying that he planned to tear down the civil service and replace it with loyalists willing to use the federal government as his own instrument of plunder and revenge. In addition to these warnings, many stories generated well ahead of time elucidated Trumps purge plansa tightly reported piece from Jonathan Swan in Axios and two well-trafficked features from The New York Times and Vanity Fair among the biggest stories detailing Trumps shock-and-awe schemes for the civil service.

Readers of this very newsletter know that I wrote about Trumps plot back in September 2022, using my patented journalism technique of listening to what Republicans say they are going to do and then writing it down and publishing it to the internet. All of these stories, based on nothing more than the public statements and documented plans of Donald Trump and his cronies, are what we in the biz would call a warning.

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Theres a long list of bad habits that Democrats need to break at this point, but well add this to the list: Be ready to respond to the things that Republicans plan to do when theyve given you several months of head start. If there is a takeaway for Democrats after Trumps first 10 days in office, its that procrastination and lollygagging really kills. Fortunately, theres still an easy way for them to get two steps ahead of the curve.

For instance, its never been a mystery that Project 2025 has essentially been the punch list for Trumps second termthe White House is already very dutifully ticking items off. Any uncertainty about this ended this week when it was discovered that metadata in the Trump administrations OPM memos indicated that they shared authors with the Project 2025 manifesto. Once that was publicly disclosed, the administration rather clumsily attempted to scrub that metadata from those memos.

Based upon all of this, it seems pretty clear that this administration is just going to keep making its way through Project 2025s pages. Democrats could probably finagle a copy of that document, given that it is publicly available, and maybe even start messaging against it.

Another thing I recommend Democrats get ahead of is the Trump administrations plans to enact a national abortion ban. Now, I know what youre thinking: Republicans can be pretty cagey and evasive when confronted on this matter. Heres a fun fact: Several Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices even told Democrats during their confirmation hearing that Roe was settled law before they actually went and unsettled it. Chances are good, folks, that Republicans are actually doing this thing colloquially known as lying.

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Yes, I know that Trump has repeatedly said that he would not sign a national abortion ban that comes across his desk into law. In the first place, yes, he absolutely would (see above: lying), but more importantly, he does not need a bill to arrive on his desk to enact a ban. As we have rather relentlessly reported here at The New Republic, Trumps Department of Justice will enforce a law thats already on the books known as the Comstock Act to ban abortion, something that Vice President JD Vance asked Merrick Garlands DOJ to do when he was still an Ohio senator.

There is no reason Democrats cant simply count the contents of Project 2025 and a national abortion ban as done deals, things the GOP is going to roll out sooner or later, and start publicly sparring about them, along with the GOPs other antisocial and unpopular plans. Republicans will complain, and theres definitely a strain of pundits who will disapprove, but remember: Those people suck, and being on their bad side is evidence of good politics. Besides, with no legislative majority and thus no prospect of enacting legislation, Democrats may as well spend their time fighting the GOP, complaining about their ideas, and working the refs.

Democrats have some reason to feel a little gun-shy about ramping up these kinds of attacks. The media, too often, reported on Trumps denials of Project 2025 and his assertions about signing a national abortion ban way too credulously. But thats a reason to start naming and shaming the media personages who got it so badly wrong. More to the point, Democrats need to spur, if not entirely resuscitate, a popular opposition to Trump and start planning an electoral referendum of what will be another round of failure and misrule. That begins with something that resembles energy and action, no matter how constrained you may be in parliamentary terms.

You look stupid when youre a week late to a news story, and pathetic when saying you werent warned about the stuff that Trump publicly and repeatedly said hes going to do. This administration wants to burn it all down, and measured responses wont work as a counter; you cant wait for your lawyers to go over the text of Trumps executive orders and for your pollsters to focus-group the optimal response. Besides, you shouldnt need to when you can just say, Trump is fucking up the country and plundering the federal government. Hopefully this week will prove to be a teachable moment heralding a quick course correction, because theres one thing that Democrats can never say about Trumps plans: that they werent told.

This article first appeared in Power Mad, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by deputy editor Jason Linkins. Sign up here.
The US Department of Agriculture under Donald Trump is taking a bold new stance toward climate change: out of sight, out of mind.

A new report by Politico reveals a concerted effort to scrub any mention of "climate change" from the USDA website. On Thursday, a memo circulated instructing site managers to "identify and archive or unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change," according to Politico. It also mandated that employees identify web content related to climate change and document it for further inspection.

The move could lead to the deletion of information from the Forest Service, Rural Housing and Utility Services, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, among other subagencies. The memo has also circulated to the EPA, according to reporting by Jacobin

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It's a particularly troubling sign as our climate shows signs it is buckling under the weight of our carbon footprint, increasing everything from the severity of wildfires to the frequency of major hurricanes. That our new executives are scrubbing all proof that the US government once acknowledged those dangers is pretty disturbing, to say nothing of the laws they're looking to pass.

With every new administration comes a host of small style changes to government sites, which can indicate policy directions under newly appointed agency heads. Not content just to rearrange some copy, though, Trump has taken to altering entire landing pages and scrubbing information that doesn't align with his agenda.

The DHS site, for example, has scrubbed mentions of Ukraine, information on Border Security office and enforcement locations, and tabs regarding EEO/Diversity, Ethics/Standards of Conduct, as well as Civil Rights and Civil Liberties relating to Customs and Border Patrol.

Since he's taken office, Trump has also removed the Spanish-language translation of the White House site, along with disclaimers and accessibility options for the disabled. That site also got a fancy new landing page, proclaiming "AMERICA IS BACK" under a prominent profile of Trump.

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But not every government site has removed information. Soon after his inauguration, Trump's team added an official DOGE site, populated with AI-generated slop art and copy that reads: "Department of Government Efficiency. The people voted for major reform."

And back in meatspace, the Trump admin has also taken to pulling down portraits of previous Secretaries of State, including the two who served under Trump's first term. In the US Agency of International Development, staffers were baffled to discover Trump staffers had removed all pictures of federal aid programs, leaving only empty frames lining the halls.

It's a fitting analog to the kind of cuts the president is making to outsource, downsize, and otherwise end long-standing federal functions.

On Wednesday, Trump had security officers forcibly remove the inspector general of the USDA from her office, after she challenged her firing as unlawful. That office, conveniently, had been investigating Musk's Neuralink venture, as well as issues of animal abuse and food safety.

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She's just one of 17 inspectors to be sacked by the new administration, and it remains to be seen who  if anyone  Trump will appoint to take their place. If his recent moves are any indication, it might be a 21-year-old Musk intern whose favorite word is "yes."

More on our new overlords: Trump Broke the Federal Email System and Government Employees Got Blasted With Astonishingly Vulgar Messages
Trump administration officials have forced out all six of the FBIs most senior executives and multiple heads of FBI field offices across the country, current and former FBI officials told NBC News.

They included the high-profile leader of the Washington, D.C., field office, which was involved in the prosecutions of President Donald Trump, and federal prosecutors who investigated Jan. 6 rioters. A congressional aide said the number of prosecutors impacted is roughly two dozen.

A letter sent to the fired prosecutors said their removal was based on their role in the Jan. 6 prosecutions. It cited an executive order Trump recently signed that called the Jan. 6 prosecutions a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years.

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In a separate memo to the FBI workforce sent out Friday night, the bureaus acting director, Brian J. Driscoll, Jr., informed employees that acting Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, had asked for a list of all FBI employees who worked on January 6 cases for "a review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary."

We understand that this request encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts, Driscoll wrote. I am one of those employees.

It was not immediately clear why the FBI and DOJ officials had been ousted. The FBI and DOJ declined to comment.

The removals came a day after Trumps nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, testified under oath in his Senate confirmation hearing that, all FBI employees will be protected against political retribution.

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Asked by a reporter about the removals on Friday afternoon, Trump said he was not aware of them.

No, but we have some very bad people over there. It was weaponized at a level that nobody has ever seen before, Trump said. They came after a lot of people like me, but they came after a lot of people. No, I wasnt involved in that. Ill have to see what is exactly going on after this is finished.

Trump added, though, that he felt some FBI officials needed to be removed.

If they fired some people over there, thats a good thing, because they were very bad. They were very corrupt people, very corrupt, and they hurt our country very badly with the weaponization, he said. They used the Justice Department to go after their political opponent, which in itself is illegal, and obviously it didnt work.





Trump supporters clash with police and security forces at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

David Sundberg, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Washington field office, was notified Thursday that he was going to lose his job and is preparing to leave the bureau, according to two senior law enforcement sources.

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Special agents from the FBI's Washington field office were heavily involved in former special counsel Jack Smiths investigations of Trump, as well as the sprawling investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Six top leaders in the the FBI's headquarters in Washington were also forced out, the sources said. They included Robert Wells, who oversaw the national security branch; Ryan Young, of the intelligence branch; Robert Nordwall, of criminal and cyber response; Arlene Gaylord, of information technology; Jackie Maguire, of science and technology; and J. William Rivers, of human resources.

All but Gaylord are eligible for retirement with a full pension, and many decided to retire, the current and former officials said. They did so even though legal experts say they could have fought their terminations under the civil service regulations that govern nonpolitical appointees. All spent decades working their way up the bureau ranks.

Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge in Miami, was also ousted, current and former officials said.

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Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBIs Las Vegas field office, told staffers in a note obtained by NBC News that he had been removed by officials in the FBI headquarters in Washington.

I was informed by FBIHQ today that the executive leadership at the Department of Justice plans to dismiss me from the rolls of the FBI, along with several other FBI executives, as soon as Monday Morning, Evans wrote. I was given no rationale for this decision, which, as you might imagine, has come as a shock.

Before he was sent to Las Vegas, Evans worked closely at headquarters with Christopher Wray, the FBI director Trump hired in 2017 and forced out this month.





Kash Patel, President Donald Trumps choice to be director of the FBI, is sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol on Jan. 30.

Past removals

New FBI directors have imposed major changes in the past. Career agent Louis Freeh, who was appointed FBI director by President Bill Clinton in 1993, ordered hundreds of supervisors in Washington out into the field.

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But that was after Freeh had been confirmed by the Senate to serve a 10-year term as FBI director. Although Patel has not been confirmed and is not working in the bureau, those who are running the agency in an acting capacity have relationships with him, people familiar with the matter say, including acting director Brian Driscoll.

The Trump team has also installed a directors advisory committee that includes a former aide of Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a vocal FBI critic, and a person who has been affiliated with Elon Musks SpaceX. Its unclear what role, if any, these people played in the firings.

People are shocked, one senior FBI official said. They have never seen anything like this before.

This is not done, another FBI official said. These are the top people.

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The FBI is staffed and run by nonpartisan career public servants, with the only political appointee being the director. In the past, FBI directors have sought to put distance between themselves and the presidents who appointed them, and have even investigated those presidents at times, as Freeh did with Clinton.

The 10-year term for director was created as both a check on the FBI directors power and an attempt to ensure the directors independence from the White House. J. Edgar Hoover led the bureau for nearly four decades, using the FBIs intelligence-gathering prowess to blackmail and bully politicians.

Todays FBI is even more powerful than the bureau of the 1970s. It has a vast electronic surveillance capability, a fleet of aircraft, sophisticated technical capabilities and one of the best-trained paramilitary squads. In addition to criminal investigations, FBI agents run some of the most sensitive investigations in the U.S. government, including hunting for spies and terrorists.

Some agents are hoping that the new administration will bring positive changes. The new advisers who have been brought in are said to be focusing on the bureaus technology, leadership and training, accountability and organizational structure. Patel has said he wants fewer agents in headquarters and more in the field, an echo of Freeh.

Former agents concerned

Former FBI officials said Trump is ushering in a new era  one that experts say could fundamentally change the bureau  and may pose risks.

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Frank Figliuzzi, the former head of FBI counterintelligence and an NBC News contributor, said the removals could weaken the bureau. The forced departure of some of the most experienced and proven leaders of the FBI puts our national security in the danger zone, he said.

This is having a big chilling an effect, another FBI official said. Which I imagine is the desired impact. Those who are able to retire are strongly considering it. Program managers, finance, intel, etc. This is the institutional knowledge base.

The official added, The general sentiment is that they would rather retire than stay in this environment, but they are torn between the mission and retirement.

During his confirmation hearing, Patel pledged to look forward, not back.

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There will be no weaponization at the FBI, he testified. There will be no retributive actions taken by any FBI should I be confirmed as FBI director.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Chinese startup DeepSeek, little-known previously has been hogging the headlines and app charts lately thanks to its new AI chatbot, which sparked a global tech sell-off that wiped billions off Silicon Valley's biggest companies and shattered assumptions of US dominance of the tech race. But those signing up for the chatbot and its open-source technology are being confronted with the Chinese Communist Party's brand of censorship and information control, as reported by CNN. For instance, when a person asks DeepSeek's newest AI model, to explain who is winning the AI race, summarize the latest executive orders from the White House or tell a joke, a user will get similar answers to the ones spewed out by American-made rivals OpenAI's GPT-4, Meta's Llama or Google's Gemini. Using the internet in the world's second most populous country is to cross what's often dubbed the "Great Firewall" and enter a completely separate internet eco-system policed by armies of censors, where most major Western social media and search platforms are blocked. The country routinely ranks among the most restrictive for internet and speech freedoms in reports from global watchdogs, CNN reported. The international popularity of Chinese apps like TikTok and RedNote has already raised national security concerns among Western governments - as well as questions about the potential impact on free speech and Beijing's ability to shape global narratives and public opinion. According to the report, when asked about its sources, DeepSeek's R1 bot said it used a "diverse dataset of publicly available texts," including both Chinese state media and international sources. "Critical thinking and cross-referencing remain key when navigating politically charged subjects." For example, a search for 'what happened on June 4, 1989 in Beijing' on major Chinese online search platform Baidu turns up articles noting that June 4 is the 155th day in the Gregorian calendar or a link to a state media article noting authorities that year "quelled counter-revolutionary riots" - with no mention of Tiananmen. But, when the same query is put to DeepSeek's newest AI assistant, it begins to give an answer detailing some of the events, including a "military crackdown," before erasing it and replying that it's "not sure how to approach this type of question yet." "Let's chat about math, coding and logic problems instead," it says. When asked the same question in Chinese, the app is faster - immediately apologizing for not knowing how to answer, CNN reported. In a similar pattern, when asking the R1 bot - DeepSeek's newest model - "what happened in Hong Kong in 2019," when the city was rocked by pro-democracy protests. First, it gives a detailed overview of events with a conclusion that at least during one test noted - as Western observers have - that Beijing's subsequent imposition of a National Security Law on the city led to a "significant erosion of civil liberties." But quickly after or amid its response, the bot erases its own answer and suggests talking about something else, the report added. As per observers, these differences have significant implications for free speech and the shaping of global public opinion. That spotlights another dimension of the battle for tech dominance: who gets to control the narrative on major global issues, and history itself. An audit by US-based information reliability analytics firm NewsGuard released Wednesday said DeepSeek's older V3 chatbot model failed to provide accurate information about news and information topics 83 per cent of the time, ranking it tied for 10th out of 11 in comparison to its leading Western competitors. The report, however, said that it's not clear how the newer R1 stacks up, adding that DeepSeek becoming a global AI leader could have "catastrophic" consequences, said China analyst Isaac Stone Fish. (ANI)
SACRAMENTO, California  President Donald Trump declared victory on Friday in his long-running water war with California, boasting he sent billions of gallons south  but local officials say they narrowly prevented him from possibly flooding farms.

"Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago  There would have been no fire!" he said in a post on his social media site.

Local officials had to talk the Army Corps of Engineers down after it abruptly alerted them Thursday afternoon it was about to increase flows from two reservoirs to maximum capacity  a move the agency said was in response to Trump directing the federal government to "maximize" water supplies.

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Before the Corps ratcheted down its plan, local authorities scrambled to move equipment and warn farms about possible flooding, said Victor Hernandez, who oversees water management on one of the rivers, the Kaweah in Tulare County. He said the Corps gave him one hour notice on Thursday.

"I've been here 25 years, and I've never been given notice that quick," Hernandez said. "That was alarming and scary."

The incident is the latest chapter in an ongoing feud between Trump and state authorities that has been turbo-charged by the Los Angeles fires, which the president has used to reignite long-running complaints about water management that had nothing to do with the response to the disaster.

An Army Corps spokesperson tied the releases to Trumps executive order on Sunday directing all federal agencies to maximize water deliveries in order to respond to the fires that started in Los Angeles earlier this month.

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"Consistent with the direction in the Executive Order on Emergency Measures to Provide Water Resources in California, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is releasing water from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Success Lake to ensure California has water available to respond to the wildfires," Gene Pawlik said in a statement.

While releasing water from reservoirs before a big storm, like the one expected to hit Northern California this weekend, is standard flood-control procedure to avoid overflowing dams, Hernandez said the Army Corps Thursday plan would have released far more water than needed. He said releasing the water at the capacity the Corps had planned to would have flooded both the Kaweah and Tule rivers, where the Corps' reservoirs are located.

"Channel capacity is very dangerous, Hernandez said. "People don't understand that [with] channel capacity, you're going to have flood damage down below."

Trump since his first term and during his presidential campaigns has repeatedly vowed to send more water to Central Valley farmers in the state's conservative heartland. He incorrectly blamed the temporary lack of water in Los Angeles hydrants during wildfires earlier this month on the states water management policies, though the states reservoirs are at or near historic levels right now and the hydrants went dry because of the high local demand. He's also threatened to withhold disaster aid unless California goes along with his moves to deliver more water.

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Officials from his Department of Government Efficiency visited a federal water-pumping station in Northern California on Monday, after which Trump posted on Truth Social that "The United States Military just entered the Great State of California and, under Emergency Powers, TURNED ON THE WATER." California officials clarified Monday that the federal pumps had been down due to electrical maintenance.

But a former senior Bureau of Reclamation official said moves like the one in Tulare County could endanger property and lives. Reclamation is the primary federal agency with authority over delivering water in the West, while the Army Corps is largely responsible for flood control.

"Something really bad could happen because of their nonsensical approach," the former official, who was granted anonymity because of the issue's political sensitivity, said. "Floods are real. This isnt playing around with a software company."

Rick Brown, the public affairs officer for the Army Corps of Engineers in Sacramento, said Friday the two reservoirs had hit water levels high enough on Thursday to trigger standard flood control releases.

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He referred further questions about the decision to maximize water releases to Army Corps headquarters.

Hernandez said he was told by Jenny Fromm, the Army Corp's chief water manager in Sacramento, that the decision came from somewhere above. The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether it ordered the releases.

Hernandez said that after he resisted the decision, Fromm told him the Corps would release the water at a third of the original planned speed, rather than at maximum capacity. Aaron Fukuda, the general manager of the Tulare Irrigation District, also confirmed the Army Corps reduced flood releases after local officials pushed back.

Firefighters had almost completely contained the Palisades and Eaton fires as of early Friday. The Army Corps did not respond to a question about how the water would reach Los Angeles, about 200 miles away. Hernandez said the water would go to Tulare Lake, a dry lakebed that last filled up during record-high rainfall in 2023.

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Other water experts said it would have been nearly impossible to divert the water to Los Angeles at the speed the Corps originally planned to release it. There is a rarely used state valve that can redirect Tulare Lake floodwaters into the aqueduct that carries water further south into Los Angeles, but neither state nor federal officials responded to a question asking if they would turn it on.

Hernandez said he thinks the current releases are still too much because, he said, the reservoir has enough capacity to absorb any coming storm and would not overflow.

Dumping the water from Lake Kaweah and Success Lake poses a flood risk to downstream communities, he said, like the town of Porterville, which nearly flooded during rainstorms in 2023. It also reduces the amount of irrigation water available to farmers during the driest months of the year. The snowpack in the Southern Sierra Nevada that California depends on for water supplies in the summer has dipped to 47 percent of average for this time of year after a dry January, according to state estimates released Friday.

"We need to keep every bit that we have, because this potentially is irrigation water that we have up there," Hernandez said.

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He said he and board members at his water district had called on members of Congress to intervene, including Democratic Rep. Jim Costa and Republican Reps. David Valadao and Vince Fong. None responded to requests for comment.

Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla sent Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose Defense Department oversees the Army Corps, a letter on Friday night asking him who directed the releases, how the water would be transported to Los Angeles, how much notice was given and what the impact would be on local communities.

"Unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms," wrote Padilla. "Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream."
Social mobilizers wait to receive members of the community ahead of the launch of the mpox vaccination campaign at the General Hospital of Goma, on October 5, 2024. The Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicentre of an mpox epidemic, launched a vaccination campaign against the virus on October 5, 2024 in the eastern city of Goma.The first vaccines were administered to hospital staff, with the program due to target the general population from October 7, 2024 in the east of the country, where the current outbreak started a year ago. (Photo by Aubin Mukoni / AFP) (Photo by AUBIN MUKONI/AFP via Getty Images) AUBIN MUKONI via Getty Images

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This story was originally published by ProPublica.

On Friday morning, the staffers at a half dozen U.S.-funded medical facilities in Sudan who care for severely malnourished children had a choice to make: Defy President Donald Trumps order to immediately stop their operations or let up to 100 babies and toddlers die.

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They chose the children.

In spite of the order, they will keep their facilities open for as long as they can, according to three people with direct knowledge of the situation. The people requested anonymity for fear that the administration might target their group for reprisals. Trumps order also meant they would stop receiving new, previously approved funds to cover salaries, IV bags and other supplies. They said its a matter of days, not weeks, before they run out.

American-funded aid organizations around the globe, charged with providing lifesaving care for the most desperate and vulnerable populations imaginable, have for days been forced to completely halt their operations, turn away patients and lay off staff following a series of sudden stop-work demands from the Trump administration. Despite an announcement earlier this week ostensibly allowing lifesaving operations to continue, those earlier orders have not been rescinded.

Many groups doing such lifesaving work either dont know the right way to request an exemption to the order, known as a waiver, or have no sense of where their request stands. Theyve received little information from the U.S. government, where, in recent days, humanitarian officials have been summarily ousted or prohibited from communicating with the aid organizations.

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Trumps rapid assault on the international aid system is quickly becoming the most consequential and far-reaching shift in U.S. humanitarian policy since the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after World War II, aid groups and government officials warned.

Among the programs that remain grounded as of Friday: emergency medical care for displaced Palestinians and Yemenis fleeing war, heat and electricity for Ukrainian refugees and HIV treatment and mpox surveillance in Africa.

Experts in and out of government have anxiously watched the fluid situation develop. Ive been an infectious disease doctor for 30 years, and Ive never seen anything that scares me as much as this, said Dr. Jennifer Furin, a Harvard Medical School physician who received a stop-work order for a program designing treatment plans for people with the most drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis. Infectious diseases do not know borders, she pointed out. Its terrifying.

Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio first issued the freeze on aid operations last Friday, which included limited exemptions. The pause on all foreign assistance means a complete halt, a top adviser wrote in an internal memo to staff. (The order was separate from Trumps now-seemingly rescinded moratorium on domestic U.S. grants.) Aid groups across the globe began receiving emails that instructed them to immediately stop working while the government conducted a 90-day review of their programs to make sure they aligned with the administrations agenda.

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Trump campaigned on an America First platform after unsuccessfully trying to slash the foreign assistance budget during his first term in office. The U.S. provides about $60 billion in nonmilitary humanitarian and development aid annually  less than 1% of the federal budget, but far more than any other country. The complex network of organizations who carry out the work is managed by the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development.

Over the weekend, that system came to a standstill. There was widespread chaos and confusion as contractors scrambled to understand seemingly arbitrary orders from Washington and figure out how to get a waiver to continue working. By Tuesday evening, Trump and Rubio appeared to heed the international pressure and scale back the order by announcing that any lifesaving humanitarian efforts would be allowed to continue.

Aid groups that specialize in saving lives were relieved and thought their stop-work orders would be reversed just as swiftly as they had arrived.

But that hasnt happened. Instead, more stop-work orders have been issued. As of Thursday, contractors worldwide were still grounded under the original orders and unable to secure waivers. Top Trump appointees arrested further funding and banned new projects for at least three months.

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We need to correct the impression that the waiver was self-executing by virtue of the announcement, said Marcia Wong, the former deputy assistant administrator of USAIDs humanitarian assistance bureau.

Aid groups that had already received U.S. money were told they could not spend it or do any previously approved work. The contractors quoted in this article spoke on the condition of anonymity because they feared the administration might prolong their suspension or cancel their contracts completely.

As crucial days and hours pass, aid groups say Trumps order has already caused irreparable harm. Often without cash reserves or endowments, many organizations depend on U.S. funding entirely and have been forced to lay off staff and cancel contracts with vendors. One CEO said he expects up to 3,000 aid workers to lose their jobs in Washington alone, according to the trade publication Devex. Some groups may have to shutter altogether because they cant afford to float their overhead costs without knowing if or when theyd get reimbursed.

Critics say the past week has also undermined Trumps own stated goals of American prosperity and security by opening a vacuum for international adversaries to fill, while putting millions at immediate and long-term risk.

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A chaotic, unexplained and abrupt pause with no guidance has left all our partners around the world high and dry and America looking like a severely unreliable actor to do business with, a USAID official told ProPublica, adding that other countries will now have good reason to look to China or Russia for the help theyre no longer getting from the U.S. Theres nothing that was left untouched.

In response to a detailed list of questions for this article, the White House referred ProPublica to the State Department. The State Department said to direct all questions about USAID to the agency itself. USAID did not reply to our emails. Much of its communications staff was let go in the last week.

In a public statement Wednesday, the State Department defended the foreign aid freezes and said the government has issued dozens of exemption waivers in recent days.

The previously announced 90-day pause and review of U.S. foreign aid is already paying dividends to our country and our people, the statement said. We are rooting out waste. We are blocking woke programs. And we are exposing activities that run contrary to our national interests. None of this would be possible if these programs remained on autopilot.

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The dire international situation has been exacerbated by upheaval in Washington. This week, the Trump administration furloughed 500 support staff contractors from USAIDs humanitarian assistance bureau, about 40% of the unit, and fired 400 more from the global health bureau. Those workers were told to stop working and please head home.

The remaining officials in Washington are now attempting to navigate a confounding waiver process and get lifesaving programs back online. Officials and diplomats told ProPublica that Trumps new political appointees have not consulted USAIDs longtime humanitarian experts when crafting the new policies. As a result, career civil servants said they are struggling to understand the policy or how to carry it out.

During an internal meeting early in the week, one of USAIDs top Middle East officials told mission directors that the bar for aid groups to qualify for an exemption to Trumps freeze was high, according to meeting notes. It took until Thursday for the directors to receive instructions for how to fill out a spreadsheet with the programs they think should qualify for a waiver and why, a government employee told ProPublica. The waiver for humanitarian assistance has been a farce, another USAID official said.

Like a Russian nesting doll of fuck-ups, said Jeremy Konyndyk, who ran some of USAIDs largest programs under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Its just astonishing.

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Fear of retaliation is permeating the governments foreign aid agencies, which have become some of Trumps first targets in his campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Earlier this week, the administration pulled down photographs of children and families from the agencys hallways.

Many are afraid of being punished or fired for doing their jobs. Officials in USAIDs humanitarian affairs bureau say they have been prohibited from even accepting calendar invites from aid organizations or setting up out-of-office email replies.

On Monday, USAID placed about 60 senior civil servants on administrative leave, citing unspecified attempts to circumvent the presidents agenda. The group received an email informing them of the decision without an explanation before they were locked out of the agencys systems and banned from the building.

Were civil servants, one of the officials said. I should have been given notice, due process. Instead there was an agencywide notice accusing people of subverting the presidents executive orders.

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Then, on Thursday, the agencys labor relations director told the group that he was withdrawing the agencys decision because he found no evidence of misconduct, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.

Hours later, the director was put on administrative leave himself. The agencys front office and DOGE instructed me to violate the due process of our employees by issuing immediate termination notices, he wrote to colleagues, referring to Trumps Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk. (Musk did not respond to a request for comment.)

Later that night, the original 60 officials were placed back on leave again.

On Thursday, the U.S. Agency for International Developments director of labor relations told about 60 senior civil servants placed on administrative leave by the Trump administration that he had reinstated them. Credit: Obtained by ProPublica. Redacted by ProPublica.

Hours later, the labor relations director himself was put on leave. He said the agencys front office and the Department of Government Efficiency had instructed him to fire his colleagues without due process. Obtained by ProPublica. Redacted by ProPublica.

Diplomats have long lauded American humanitarian efforts overseas because they help build crucial alliances around the world with relatively little cost.

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When he created USAID in 1961, President John F. Kennedy called it a historic opportunity to improve the developing world so that countries dont fall into economic collapse. That, he told Congress, would be disastrous to our national security, harmful to our comparative prosperity and offensive to our conscience.

USAID is responsible for the most successful international health program of the 21st century. The Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, created in 2003 by President George W. Bush to combat HIV globally, has saved an estimated 26 million lives over the past 22 years. It currently helps supply HIV medicines to 20 million people, and it funds HIV testing and jobs for thousands of health care workers, mainly in Africa.

That all ground to a halt this week. Since receiving the U.S. governments stop-work orders, contractors who manage the program say they have so far received little communication about what work they will be allowed to continue, or when. They are not allowed to hand out medicines already bought and sitting on shelves.

If the exemption waivers dont come through, policy analysts and HIV advocates say the full 90-day suspension of those programs would have disastrous consequences. More than 222,000 people pick up HIV treatment every day through the program, according to an analysis by amFAR, a nonprofit dedicated to AIDS research and advocacy. As of Friday morning, those orders had not been lifted, according to three people with direct knowledge.

Up through last week, PEPFAR was providing HIV treatment to an estimated 680,000 pregnant women, the majority of whom are in Africa. A 90-day stoppage could lead to an estimated 136,000 babies acquiring HIV, according to the amfAR analysis. Since HIV testing services are also suspended, many of those could go undiagnosed.

The disarray has also reached warzones and foreign governments, risking disease outbreaks and straining international relationships forged over decades.

Government officials worried about contract personnel who were suddenly stranded in remote locations. In Syria, camp managers were told to abandon their site at al-Hawl refugee camp, which is also a prison for ISIS sympathizers. That left the refugees inside with nowhere to turn for basic supplies like food and gas.

In Mogadishu, Somalia, the State Department instructed security guards who were protecting an arms depot from insurgents to simply walk off the site, according to a company official. When the guards asked what would happen to the armory, their government contacts told them they didnt have any answers. (Concerns about the armory were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.)

The contractors in Syria and Somalia have since been allowed to return to their sites.

An executive at a health care nonprofit told ProPublica he has not been so lucky. His group is still under the stop-work order and cant fund medical operations in Gaza, where there is a fragile ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that depends in part on the free flow of humanitarian aid.

People will die, the executive said. For organizations that rely solely or largely on U.S. government funding, this hurts. That may be part of the message. But there would be less drastic ways to send it.

In response to criticism, the Trump administration has offered misinformation. During a press conference, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, touted the initiatives success so far and said the government found that there was about to be $50 million taxpayer dollars that went out the door to fund condoms in Gaza. Trump later went further, saying Hamas fighters were using the condoms to make explosives.

They didnt name the contractor, but the State Department later cited $100 million in canceled aid packages slated for the International Medical Corps.

IMC said in a response that no U.S. government funding was used for condoms or any other family-planning services. The organization has treated more than 33,000 Palestinians a month, according to the statement. It also operates one of the only centers in Gaza for severely malnourished children.

If the stop-work order remains in place, IMC said, we will be unable to sustain these activities beyond the next week or so.

There are also new outbreaks of Ebola in Ugandas capital and of the diseases cousin, the Marburg virus, in Tanzania. The U.S. has long been a key funder of biosecurity measures internationally, including at high-security labs. That funding is now on hold.

In Ukraine, groups that provide vital humanitarian aid for civilians and soldiers fighting Russia have been told to stand down without any meaningful updates in days, according to three officials familiar with the situation. The halted services include first responders, fuel for hospitals and evacuation routes for refugees fleeing the front lines.

These are people who have been living in a war zone for three years this month, the head of one of the organizations said, adding that they may have to lay off 20% of its staff. And we are taking away these very basic services that they need to survive.

Concrete electrical poles provided by the United States Agency for International Development replace some poles damaged by war, and are strung with new cable, as Ukrainians grapple with severe electricity shortages as Russia targets electrical infrastructure across the country, on July 17, 2024 in Balakliia, Ukraine. (Photo by Scott Peterson/Getty Images) Scott Peterson via Getty Images

A contractor for the U.S. in Yemen said her entire team had been told to stop their work last weekend, which ProPublica corroborated with contemporaneous emails. One of my tasks was summarizing how many people had been directly saved by our health programs every week, she said. It was usually 80 to 100.

Their stop-work order has not been lifted. It will be a week on Sunday.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Trump administration has asked senior leaders at the FBI, including the head of the bureaus Las Vegas office, to resign or be fired, CBS News reported Friday.

The move comes as leaders at the U.S. Justice Department were instructed to fire employees involved in the prosecution of more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants. On his first night in office, President Donald Trump pardoned all of the defendants, including those guilty of assaulting or injuring police officers.

It was not immediately clear what leaders at the FBI Las Vegas may be affected by Fridays move. Citing three sources, CBS News reported Special Agent In Charge Spencer Evans, who has led the office since 2022, was among those asked to resign.

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A spokesperson for the office declined to comment.

Former FBI director Christopher Wray resigned before Trumps inauguration. Trump appointed Wray in 2017.

Trump nominated Kash Patel, who lives in Las Vegas, to serve as his next FBI director. During his confirmation hearings this week, Patel promised There will be no weaponization at the FBI. Patel previously said he wanted to close the FBIs Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and turn it into a museum of the deep state.

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Several nonprofits providing basic legal information to detained immigrants sued the Trump administration on Friday for halting their programs and locking them out of detention facilities.

Led by the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, a Washington, D.C.-based group that represents children and provides those basic services, the groups filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia asking a judge to reverse the administration's stoppage. The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment.

The effort is part of President Trump's broader push to reduce resources available to detained immigrants and comes as he seeks to expand detention capacity. This week, Trump, who has made "mass deportation" a centerpiece of his campaign, announced plans to open up 30,000 beds in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the "worst criminal aliens."

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The $28-million legal service programs provide a help desk in busy immigration courtrooms including in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, basic legal information for individuals and families in detention facilities in 12 states called a legal orientation program and lawyers for minors, some who may be separated from their families.

Lawyers for the group argue Congress has already appropriated the funds and abruptly pausing the program is a "hasty and pretextual attack on the immigration system" that deprives detainees of information needed to secure constitutionally guaranteed due process.

The national nonprofit Acacia Center for Justice, which coordinates the programs run by 18 different nonprofits, was notified in an email by the Department of Justice to stop work immediately, days after Trump's inauguration. The email cited Trumps recent executive order as the reason. The order directs members of his Cabinet to pause funding for contracts and grants that provide services to immigrants without legal status. It calls for the termination of those contracts where it finds waste and fraud.

The lawsuit is part of a larger pushback as groups attempt to slow down Trump's still unfolding immigration policy. Birthright citizenship was challenged in federal court and has been temporarily blocked. An immigrant rights group in Chicago sued last week, saying the administration is targeting the city with plans to conduct roundups because of its sanctuary status. And groups across the country have ratcheted up "Know Your Rights" campaigns and rapid response networks in communities.

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Unlike in criminal courts, noncitizens do not have access to free counsel, but have a right to a lawyer to represent them.

The lawsuit argues that in this case, the Executive Office of Immigration Review, which operates the immigration court, found the nonprofits' orientation programs sped up proceedings and decreased the time immigrants are detained at taxpayer expense.

The office's determination under the new administration that the programs are wasteful ... lacks any support or credibility," the lawsuit contends.

And lawyers say stopping the programs  even if temporarily during an audit could be a "fatal blow" to the nonprofits that depend on federal funding to provide these services.

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During the last Trump administration, payment for the legal programs had been paused, but immigration officials still allowed providers access to work with detainees. The programs were restored amid legal threats. This time, the lawsuit states they were not allowed in detention centers and their posters inside were taken down.

The groups argue that by pulling down their "Know Your Rights" and informational signs inside detention facilities and cutting off access, immigration officials are curtailing their rights to speech in a limited public forum.

"Everybody should have due process and a chance of fair hearing, all the DOJ has done is created a jail with no transparency or accountability and it is especially cruel to stop nonprofits from helping people," said Michael Lukens, Amica's executive director.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
President Donald Trumps allies, including Vice President JD Vance, are making calls to shore up support for both Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard following their confirmation hearings this week, two sources familiar with the situation told CNN.

Kennedy, Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and Gabbard, his pick to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, both faced sharp questions from Democrats  and several Republicans  this week in what amounted to the most direct skepticism from GOP senators over Trumps nominees to date.

People close to Trump and those helping to confirm his nominees are most concerned about Gabbards confirmation chances, specifically after the former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii refused to say whether she believed the actions of Edward Snowden were traitorous to the US. Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, in 2013 revealed the existence of the bulk collection of American phone records by the NSA before fleeing to Russia.

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In 2021, during Trumps first term, he considered granting Snowden a pardon but later said he decided to let that one ride, let the courts work it out. Trump is not currently considering a pardon for Snowden, one White House official told CNN.

Gabbard has also drawn scrutiny from Senate Intelligence Committee lawmakers over her views on surveillance and a series of controversial meetings she held in Lebanon and Syria in 2017, including with then-President Bashar al-Assad.

One White House official told CNN that while they are working to assuage concerns regarding Gabbard, they have had encouraging conversations with lawmakers, adding that Gabbard met privately with senators following her hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. The official said Gabbard clarified her position on Snowden and her broader views regarding the United States use of surveillance during the meetings. One White House official believes shes helped assuage some concerns in those private sessions.

Gabbard huddled with Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, after the hearing, and their teams have been in regular contact to address concerns and to shore up support, according to a source familiar. Gabbard also called a Republican member of the committee to touch base.

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Gabbard has plans to meet with Republican senators on the Hill next week, including those not on the committee. Some Democrats have reached out to Gabbard, and she intends to meet with those whove asked for a meeting, the source said.

Kennedy, meanwhile, faced bipartisan grilling during two days of Senate confirmation hearings as he attempted to downplay his history of anti-vaccine rhetoric and win over senators wary of his controversial stances.

In a warning sign for Kennedy, he faced some of the most direct skepticism from GOP senators during the hearings for Trumps nominees. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who practiced medicine for 30 years, acknowledged that Kennedy is now trying to downplay his anti-vaccine rhetoric despite an extensive, recorded history of his linking vaccines to autism in children.

Its no secret, I have some reservations about your past positions on vaccines and a couple other issues, Cassidy said. Your past of undermining confidence in vaccines with unfounded or misleading arguments concerns me. Can I trust that that is now in the past?

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If all Democrats oppose Trumps nominees, they can afford to lose only three GOP senators on the floor to win confirmation. But Gabbards nomination could be in danger of not making it that far  as it would take only one Republican to block her nomination in the Senate Intelligence Committee if all Democrats on the panel oppose her.

Trumps allies mounted a significant pressure campaign against on-the-fence Republicans to get Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths confirmation over the finish line, and similar campaigns have been promised toward GOP senators if they oppose other Trump nominees, such as Gabbard or Kennedy.

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President Donald Trump announced extraordinary new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China  signing the long-promised economic policy at his Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday. The Trump administration said tariffs are aimed at curbing the flow of drugs and undocumented immigrants into the US, but they potentially risk substantial price increases for American consumers across an array of common goods from avocados to sneakers to cars.

Hours later, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country will impose retaliatory tariffs, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced far-reaching retaliatory levies. Chinas commerce ministry said it will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization and take corresponding countermeasures, without elaborating.

The tariffs, and subsequent retaliation, risk igniting a trade war that could significantly damage the economies of the targeted countries and the United States. In anticipation, Trumps executive action includes a clause that allows the president to expand the tariffs if a country imposes new tariffs on the United States.

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The new policy represents a reversal of virtually duty-free trade among the three North American nations thats existed for several years  and an expansion of a frosty trade war between China and the United States that has escalated over the past two administrations.

As Trump has repeatedly promised over the past several months, the tariffs will amount to a significant 25% duty on all imports from Mexico and most goods from Canada, and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods imported into the United States.

The tariffs will have no exemptions, and the executive action Trump signed Saturday will close the so-called de minimis loophole that had allowed shipments of $800 or less to come into the United States tax-free  a key provision used by many American small businesses but also Chinese e-commerce companies such as Shein and Temu. Trump administration officials said the loophole prevented customs officials from properly inspecting those packages.

Although Trump administration officials said Saturday the tariffs were designed to stop the flow of fentanyl and undocumented immigrants, they gave no specific benchmark for the new import taxes to be lifted  other than the cessation of the drugs and undocumented immigrants coming into the country.

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Notably, the tariffs included an important carve-out  the tariff on Canadian energy products will be 10%. Many Americans rely on Canadian energy products, including oil, electricity and natural gas, for fuel and home heating. The cost of those items could rise when the tariffs hit.

To put the tariffs in place, Trump in his executive action declared a national economic emergency, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, known as IEEPA, which authorizes a president to unilaterally manage imports during a national emergency. The tariffs are set to go into effect Tuesday at 12:01 am ET.

Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China, Trump said in a message posted to Truth Social on Saturday. He said he used the IEEPA because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl. We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all.

Igniting a potential trade war

The tariffs could lead to potentially much higher costs, disrupted supply chains and the loss of jobs. In a call with reporters Saturday, a Trump administration official said any retaliation from Mexico, China or Canada would likely result in even higher tariffs for that country. Even Trump acknowledged the potential for adverse consequences on American consumers.

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There could be some temporary, short-term disruption, and people will understand that, Trump said Friday when pressed by reporters on the cost of tariffs being passed on to importers and, by extension, consumers. But the tariffs are going to make us very rich and very strong  and were going to treat other countries very fairly.

Hours after Trumps action, Trudeau announced retaliatory 25% tariffs on US goods, that will be far-reaching and include everyday items, making good on his promise that Canada would retaliate forcefully and swiftly if the United States imposed levies. The countrys trade representatives met with Trump administration officials as recently as Friday in an attempt to stave off the tariffs.

Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25% trade tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods, the Canadian leader said in a news conference Saturday night. This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion of American products in 21 days time, to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives.

Affected items will include American alcohol, produce, clothing, shoes, household appliances, furniture, materials such as lumber, and much more, Trudeau said.

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Mexicos Sheinbaum also struck a defiant tone Saturday.

When we negotiate with other nations, when we talk with other nations, [it is] always with our heads held high, never bowing our heads, Sheinbaum said, speaking in Chicoloapan de Juarez, east of the countrys capital.

I instruct the Secretary of Economy to implement plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexicos interests, Sheinbaum said later in a post on X. It is not clear exactly what the retaliatory tariffs involve.

A White House fact sheet on the tariffs said Mexican drug trafficking organizations have an intolerable alliance with the countrys government, accusing the government of providing a safe haven to cartels. Sheinbaum strongly denied having alliances with criminal organizations, calling the accusation slander.

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Meanwhile, Chinas Ministry of Commerce said the imposition of tariffs seriously violates World Trade Organization rules. China will file a complaint with the WTO, and will take corresponding countermeasures to resolutely defend its rights, it said. It is not clear what the measures will be.

Beijings Ministry of Foreign Affairs said tariffs are not constructive and will only undermine work by both nations to combat narcotics. China provides support to the US on the issue of fentanyl but ultimately, fentanyl is Americas problem, the ministry said.

Tariffs are one of the few policies Trump has consistently supported for decades, a rare through-line from his days as a New York developer to his time in public office (another is immigration). As a candidate, he swore hed use tariffs  the most beautiful word in the dictionary  to wield US leverage abroad.

But tariffs are unpopular among mainstream economists, who largely agree they cause inflation. Thats because importers  not the countries exporting the goods  pay the tax, and they typically pass that cost on to consumers in the form of higher prices. New research from the Peterson Institute for International Economics suggests Trumps aggressive tariff campaign will force American consumers to pay more for practically everything  from foreign-made sneakers and toys to food.

Businesses lash out at Trumps tariff plan

Corporations and business groups were apoplectic about the tariffs Saturday.

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The US Chamber of Commerce slammed the levies, warning they will raise consumer prices. In a statement, the powerful business group acknowledged that Trump is right to focus on securing the border and to fight the illicit flow of fentanyl.

But the imposition of tariffs under IEEPA is unprecedented, wont solve these problems, and will only raise prices for American families and upend supply chains, said John Murphy, senior vice president and head of international at the chamber. The Chamber will consult with our members, including main street businesses across the country impacted by this move, to determine next steps to prevent economic harm to Americans.

The National Association of Manufacturers said the tariffs would hurt American factories and their employees.

The ripple effects will be severe, particularly for small and medium-sized manufacturers that lack the flexibility and capital to rapidly find alternative suppliers or absorb skyrocketing energy costs, said NAM CEO Jay Timmons. These businessesemploying millions of American workerswill face significant disruptions. Ultimately, manufacturers will bear the brunt of these tariffs, undermining our ability to sell our products at a competitive price and putting American jobs at risk.

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The Distilled Spirits Council of the US, the Mexican Chamber of the Tequila Industry and Spirits Canada said in a joint statement shared with CNN on Saturday that they are deeply concerned that U.S. tariffs on imported spirits from Canada and Mexico will significantly harm all three countries. Last year, the US imported $46 billion of agricultural products from Mexico, according to US Department of Agriculture data. That includes $8.3 billion worth of fresh vegetables, $5.9 billion of beer and $5 billion of distilled spirits.

The energy industry was unsatisfied with the reduced tariffs on Canadian oil, gas and electricity. The American Petroleum Institute, which represents Big Oil and natural gas companies, said in a statement that it wanted to be fully left out of the tariffs. It noted fuel prices would rise on the $14.4 billion of oil and natural gas imported each year from Canada.

We will continue to work with the Trump administration on full exclusions that protect energy affordability for consumers, expand the nations energy advantage and support American jobs, American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers said in a statement.

NEMA, which represents the electricity industry, urged the Trump administration to take a more cautious approach to tariffs, noting the electricity and the electronics industries make up a large chunk of Americas imported and exported goods.

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Western Growers, which represents farmers, said the tariffs would hurt Americas food producers.

While we appreciate the border security issues apparently motivating the Trump Administration, rival growers of specialty crops outside of the U.S. will move quickly to seize the new business opportunities created by these tariffs to sell into the Canadian, Mexican and Chinese marketplaces, its CEO Dave Puglia said in a statement.

Consumer advocacy groups also warned Trumps plans would raise costs for Americans.

Tariffs are a tax increase on American households and manufacturers, National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp said in a statement.

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And new Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin came out swinging in a statement, offering an early preview of how his party intends to message more aggressively against Trump on kitchen table issues:

Heres the thing about Donald Trumps erratic tariff policy: Trump isnt going to make corporate billionaires pay for these tariffs  working families and small businesses will. Hes using American workers as pawns in his petty political games, Martin said. If a president promised that theyd help my family get by, and then they did this, Id be pretty pissed off. So, you should be pissed off.

Why those countries? Key trading partners

Mexico, China and Canada are the United States three largest trade partners.

And in 2023, Mexico overtook China as the top nation exporting goods to the US, marking the first time in two decades China was not the top-ranking exporter. Tariffs the first Trump administration put in place, which Joe Bidens administration largely maintained, have negatively impacted the amount of goods the US imports from China. Mexican and Canadian goods have been imported in the US virtually duty-free as a result of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Trump negotiated with Americas bordering nations during his first administration.

Mexico maintained that top position last year as well, exporting $467 billion worth of goods to the US, followed by China and Canada, which exported $401 billion and $377 billion worth of goods, respectively.

Thats according to Commerce Department figures from last year through November, the most recent month of available data. Collectively, the three countries accounted for 42% of the nearly $3 trillion worth of goods the US imported worldwide last year.

Canada was the top country the US exported goods to last year, valued at $322 billion, followed by Mexico and China, which received $309 billion and $131 billion worth of goods from the US, respectively. US exports to the three countries accounted for over 40% of the $1.9 trillion worth of goods the US exported globally last year.

That means Americans could pay a lot more for a wide range of goods.

For instance, the US imported $87 billion worth of motor vehicles and $64 billion worth of vehicle parts from Mexico last year, not accounting for December, according to Commerce Department data. Both are likely to get more expensive almost immediately after any new tariffs that impact Mexican car exports to the US.

Automakers have operated as if Canada, Mexico and the United States were one unified market for decades, moving vehicles and parts across borders as they assemble vehicles. Even cars assembled at US auto plants all have parts that come from both Mexico and Canada, and vehicles assembled in those two countries have parts that come from US factories.

Canada now accounts for nearly a quarter of steel imported by American businesses by weight, while Mexico accounts for about 12%, according to government data provided by the American Iron and Steel Institute, an industry trade group.

Gas, fresh produce, consumer electronics  some of the top goods the US imports from Mexico, China and Canada  could also be set to get more expensive with blanket tariffs.

CNNs Elisabeth Buchwald, Matt Egan, Chris Isidore, Alicia Wallace, Betsy Klein and Mauricio Torres contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional context and developments.

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Its only his second week in office, and already Donald Trump is ruffling all the right feathers. The new administration is directly confronting the dishonesty of the identitarian Left, whose slogan - diversity is our strength - masks their true agenda: an assault on American unity and its mainstream culture.

In his inaugural speech, the returning President pledged to forge a society that is colourblind and merit-based. Whether Hispanic or white, male or female, straight or gay, Trump has said that he wants to represent all Americans.

He has now begun to give practical expression to that ambition. The executive order requiring the federal government to recognise only two sexes reaffirms biological reality in an era when gender has been politicised and detached from observable biological traits. Recognising this essential truth is not only scientifically accurate, but also reinforces the shared reality that any functioning society needs to survive.

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The commitment to remove Pride flags and other identity-based symbols from consular posts, replacing them with only the American flag, fulfils a similar purpose. The national flag symbolises unity among all Americans. Displaying the Pride or Black Lives Matter flags  which were flown at embassies under the Biden administration  does not just associate the US government with specific political causes. It undermines Americas core principle of e pluribus unum or out of many, one.

Critics have blasted Trumps moves as regressive and discriminatory. They are neither. Recognising only two sexes in legal terms does not prevent people from living their lives as they wish. But it does ensure that public policy remains grounded in reality, not in subjective interpretations of identity. Trumps opponents will have a hard job convincing many Americans, meanwhile, that returning to flying just the American flag is anything other than uncontroversial.

But the new MAGA policies are also part of a broader effort to restore global leadership and purpose to a nation diminished by identity politics. For years, while the US and its allies have been distracted by senseless debates over pronouns, bathrooms, and gender in competitive sports, adversaries like China have had no such distractions.

This is particularly relevant in the realm of national security. As Pete Hegseth, Trumps new Secretary of Defense, argued in a media interview this week: One of the dumbest phrases in military history is our diversity is our strength Our diversity is not our strength. Our unity and our shared purpose is our strength. The focus of the military, he has argued, should be to treat everyone equally and to hold everyone to the same high standards.

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In the end, Trumps bold stances arent just a correction for America  they are a wake-up call for the Western world. They serve as both a course correction and a battle cry. The message is clear: a nation that loses its national identity in the chaos of ideological fancy cannot stand against those who seek to undermine it.

The real question is whether Europe and its allies will have the courage to follow suit or if they will continue their slow descent into irrelevance. The clock is ticking.

Lee Cohen, a senior fellow of the Bow Group and the Bruges Group, was adviser on Great Britain to the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and founded the Congressional United Kingdom Caucus

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Popular social media influencer and Detroit rapper Dank Demoss is known for going viral for advocating for plus-sized women. Now, she is calling out Lyft for what she believes is discrimination according to Fox 2 Detroit. - Candace McDuffie Read More

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Were now learning more details about the 27-year-old Arizona man who killed himself after he appeared to be without pants while driving up to a cafe where workers wear bikinis. Not only did the man have a family and a wife, but he left a suicide note before taking his own life. - Noah A. McGee Read More

Photo: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department

Last week, Indianapolis authorities received a call from an Indiana man who allegedly confessed to a shooting. Upon the investigation, authorities discovered the victim was his own pregnant wife. But thats only part of the story. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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Florida authorities arrested a Black man who they say was making serious online threats to President Donald J. Trump. However, their concern was whether he was prepared to take those threats off screen and into the streets. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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Have you heard about Kimberly Diei? The former doctor of pharmacy student at the University of Tennessee spent the last four years fighting with her school, and she just received a major win. - Jared Alexander Read More

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Upon the string of agencies, companies and more canceling their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Rutgers University has seemingly joined the bandwagon. However, Black students, in particular, will bear the burden of this particular decision. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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The attorney representing over 100 plaintiffs in scathing lawsuits against Sean Diddy Combs just got some new legal power. However, that legal power happens to come from the camp of our current and very controversial president, Donald Trump. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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Donald Trumps first week back in office has felt catastrophic, and Black Americans are reasonably frustrated and concerned with what theyre seeing in news headlines and social media posts. Since the 47th president was inaugurated on Martin Luther King Day last week, many Black folks feel that our leaders are too quiet, our rich celebs are doing nothing with the power they have, and that our white colleagues and friends are being passive in the face of blatant discrimination. Black people believe Trump wants to trigger a whole race, but why? In search of answers, I called Rev. William J. Barber III  who, to many people, is the closest person we have to Martin Luther King Jr. - Tatsha Robertson Read More

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It hasnt even been 24 hours since a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., and President Donald J. Trump is already pointing fingers. - Phenix S Halley Read More

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Louisiana authorities were on their typical route Friday to transport inmates to a bus station who were set to be released after serving their time. However, authorities found out later one of the inmates in the group had no business being freed. - Kalyn Womack Read More

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Cairo [Egypt], February 1 (ANI/WAM): A ministerial-level meeting took place today in Cairo at the invitation of the Arab Republic of Egypt, with the participation of the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Qatar, and the Arab Republic of Egypt. The meeting also included the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) representing the State of Palestine and the Secretary-General of the Arab League. The meeting welcomed the agreement reached for a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of hostages and detainees. It praised the efforts made by Egypt and Qatar in this regard and acknowledged the significant role of the United States in reaching the agreement. The ministers expressed their desire to work with the US Administration to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on the two-state solution. During the meeting, the ministers emphasised their support for efforts to ensure the implementation of the agreement in all its phases, leading to a complete de-escalation. They underscored the importance of maintaining the ceasefire, securing unhindered humanitarian aid access to Gaza, removing all obstacles to aid entry and recovery efforts, ensuring full Israeli military withdrawal, and rejecting any attempts to divide the Gaza Strip. The ministers stressed the necessity of enabling the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilities in Gaza, being part of the occupied Palestinian territories, alongside the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This would allow the international community to address the humanitarian disaster inflicted on Gaza due to Israeli aggression. They reaffirmed the pivotal role of UNRWA and rejected any attempts to bypass or reduce its role. The meeting highlighted the importance of international efforts to implement a comprehensive plan for the reconstruction of Gaza as soon as possible, ensuring that Palestinians remain on their land, improving their living conditions, and addressing the consequences of internal displacement. The ministers expressed their full support for the resilience of the Palestinian people and their commitment to their legitimate rights under international law. They rejected any measures that undermine these rights, including settlement activities, evictions, home demolitions, land annexation, or forced displacement, as these actions threaten regional stability and undermine prospects for peace and coexistence. The meeting welcomed Egypt's intention, in cooperation with the United Nations, to host an international conference for the reconstruction of Gaza at an appropriate time. The ministers called on the international community and donor entities to contribute to this effort. The meeting urged the international community--particularly global and regional powers and the UN Security Council--to take concrete steps toward implementing the two-state solution. This would help address the root causes of tensions in the Middle East, achieve a fair resolution to the Palestinian cause, and establish a Palestinian state on its full national territory, ensuring the unity of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, in accordance with international legitimacy and the June 4, 1967, borders. In this context, the ministers affirmed their support for the upcoming international conference, to be co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France in June 2025, aimed at advancing the two-state solution. It is worth noting that this meeting is part of regional and international efforts to enhance stability in the region and achieve a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause. (ANI/WAM)
Former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jan. 31 that his team has already engaged in "very serious" discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine. He suggested that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take "significant steps" toward ending the conflict.

"We will be speaking, and I think we will perhaps do something thatll be significant," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "We want to end that war. That war would not have started if I was president."

Trump did not clarify who in his administration has been in contact with Russia but insisted that discussions were already underway. When asked if he had personally spoken with Putin, he declined to answer directly: "I dont want to say that."

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He has repeatedly claimed that the war would not have started under his leadership, despite the fact that hostilities between Ukraine and Russian proxies in eastern Ukraine escalated during his presidency, leading up to Russias full-scale invasion in 2022.

Since returning to office, Trump has criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky, arguing that he should have negotiated with Putin to prevent the war. He has also promised to end the conflict quickly if elected in 2024, frequently attacking President Joe Bidens administration for providing billions in military and economic aid to Ukraine.

In a recent interview with Russian state television, Putin praised Trump, calling him a "clever and pragmatic man" focused on U.S. interests. "We always had a business-like, pragmatic but also trusting relationship with the current U.S. president," Putin said. "I couldnt disagree with him that if he had been president if they hadnt stolen victory from him in 2020, the crisis that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided."

Trumps relationship with Putin has long been a subject of scrutiny. During his 2016 campaign, he publicly urged Russia to find and release Hillary Clintons deleted emails. As president, he dismissed U.S. intelligence findings on Russian election interference and instead sided with Putin, later calling his actions in Ukraine "genius" and "savvy."

Read also: Trump must call Putins bluff on Ukraine talks

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(Bloomberg) -- The Justice Department has moved to fire a swath of senior FBI leaders and began a massive probe into agents who helped investigate the 2021 Capitol riot, beginning to reshape the USs preeminent law enforcement agency under President Donald Trump.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Senior FBI officials based in Washington who oversee agency branches and top agents leading field offices across the country were leaving their jobs, according to people familiar with the moves. Some leaders were pressured to leave the agency, with some choosing to retire, while others resisted and faced being fired, according to some of the people.

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Among the departures are a senior official in Miami and one in Washington, offices that were part of the investigations into President Donald Trumps conduct following his 2020 election loss, said some of the people, who asked not to be named discussing internal matters.

After news of firings and retirements dribbled out for hours in press reports on Friday, Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll addressed the tumult in an email to all FBI employees. He told the agencys rank-and-file that earlier in the day the acting deputy attorney general had told him eight senior FBI executives were to be fired by specific dates if they didnt retire first, according to a copy of the message seen by Bloomberg News.

Driscoll added that the FBI was told to turn over by Tuesday a list of all current and former FBI staff who worked on investigations or prosecutions related to the Capitol riot. Driscoll said the request covered thousands of FBI employees around the country, including him.

We are going to follow the law, follow FBI policy, and do whats in the best interest of the workforce and the American people  always, he wrote, adding that hell follow up when he has more information.

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The FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment.

FBI leaders also told staff on Friday that some agents will be reassigned to assist in Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to arrest and deport people in the country illegally, said one of the people familiar with the conversations. They were told the focus would be on criminals.

Reshape DOJ

The Trump administration has been rapidly moving to reshape the Justice Department, which includes the FBI, since the presidents returned to the White House. Acting Attorney General James McHenry notified dozens of FBI officials this week that they did not have the administrations confidence to carry out the presidents agenda, according to a person familiar with the communication.

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One of the most prominent units of DOJ, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is headquartered in Washington in a building named for former director J. Edgar Hoover. The bureau has more than 50 field offices across the country that investigate cases from cyberattacks and white-collar crime to murder and allegations of sexual misconduct.

As a candidate, Trump blasted the FBI investigations into him and claimed prosecutors had weaponized the justice system to go against him. He has threatened to wield the levers of power to go after perceived enemies.

Separately Bloomberg Law reported Friday that the DOJs top political appointee directed officials to fire at least dozen prosecutors who worked on Jan. 6 Capitol riot cases.

Patel Loyalist

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Trump has nominated Kash Patel, a loyalist who has criticized the deep state, to lead the bureau. Patel, 44, faced pointed questions from Senate Democrats during a confirmation hearing on Thursday over whether he would maintain the FBIs independence from the White House.

Patel testified that all FBI employees will be protected from political retribution and no one will be terminated because of the specific cases they worked on. There should be no politics in the FBI, Patel said during the hearing, claiming that he had experienced the consequences first hand.

The situation at the FBI is surreal and sickening, said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, reported mass firings a day after Trumps FBI Director nominee said there would be no political firings.

The FBI Agents Association warned of the possibility of broad firings in a statement. Dismissing potentially hundreds of agents would severely weaken the Bureaus ability to protect the country from national security and criminal threats, said the group, which represents active and retired agents.

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The association also sent its members a separate memo, which was viewed by Bloomberg, offering legal and other support to officers and their families. The group said it has and will use all of its resources to include our legal team and internal and external advocacy to support our membership and the FBI as a whole.

Smith Investigations

Two of the most prominent leaders leaving the agency are Jeffrey Veltri, special agent in charge in Miami and David Sundberg, the assistant director in charge of the Washington field office, some of the people said.

Sundbergs office was involved in the sprawling investigation by former special counsel Jack Smith into Trumps role in the Jan. 6 riots. His departure was first reported by NBC News. Sundberg declined to comment.

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Veltris office had some involvement in the bureaus search of Mar-a-Lago for Smiths classified document probe, one of the people said. Veltri declined to comment when asked by phone on Friday if hed stepped down.

--With assistance from Jamie Tarabay.

(Updates with FBI director testimony in 14th paragraph. An earlier version corrected the spelling of a departing FBI officials name.)

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(Bloomberg) -- In a whirlwind trip, an envoy of President Donald Trump undid years of Biden administration diplomacy in Venezuela and started fresh with its President Nicolas Maduro, a shift that could have repercussions from migration to the oil market.

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Richard Grenell, Trumps envoy for special situations, flew to Caracas Friday, shook Maduros hand, and returned with six American prisoners and a promise that Venezuela would accept its deported migrants for the first time in almost a year, including members of the feared Tren de Aragua criminal gang.

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Its like US-Venezuela relations went from zero to a hundred miles an hour overnight, said Geoff Ramsey, a senior fellow at Washingtons Atlantic Council.

Maduro, whose international legitimacy was deeply damaged after the US, the European Union, and most countries in the region refused to recognize his reelection, went to great lengths to publicize the meeting with Trumps envoy. State-controlled media published photos and videos of the meeting at the Miraflores national palace, in which a smiling Maduro showed Grenell the sword of Venezuelan liberator Simon Bolivar, placed right between the Venezuela and US flags.

It was a stark contrast to a 2022 high-level meeting in Caracas with Bidens National Security Council senior director for the Western Hemisphere, Juan Gonzalez. The government provided no photos back then. This time, Maduros government even redistributed an image originally published by an opposition local media, showing the head of the Venezuelan Parliament, Jorge Rodriguez, and Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil receiving Grenell and the rest of the US delegation as they landed in the capital.

Grenells visit delivered a clear win for Trump, who said Maduro even agreed to supply the transportation back home for the deportees. It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home, he added in a Truth Social post Saturday morning. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries.

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It remains to be seen whether Maduro will keep his promise to receive deportees, which would give Trump a victory in his campaign to return undocumented migrants to their home countries. An agreement with Venezuela would open a path for his administration to deport hundreds of thousands of people back to a country thats been a major source of migration to the US in recent years, because of Maduros autocratic regime and dire economic struggles.

The meeting also appears to have represented a victory for Maduro. Although he didnt obtain a publicly disclosed pledge in return, a visit by a high-level Trump official was a visible sign that the US is ready to deal with him again despite evidence that he stole last Julys presidential election. President Joe Biden had applied sanctions to regime members and recognized opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez as the real president-elect.

The license that allows Chevron Corp. to operate in Venezuela was automatically renewed on Saturday for six more months. The permit has been renewed the first day of each month since it was issued in November 2022. The encounter Friday and the license renewal suggests the US is likely to continue to allow the driller to produce oil in Venezuela, a permit that has been lucrative for Maduro and the US company.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who begins a Latin American trip this weekend, has questioned whether Chevrons Venezuela license should continue to be renewed, a sign of possible differences within the Trump administration on the issue.

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The meeting was a blow to the Venezuelan opposition led by Maria Corina Machado, whos in hiding and was counting on Trumps support as Maduro prepares to further consolidate power. During his first administration, Trump led the regions failed efforts to unseat Maduro, recognizing then-National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the countrys rightful leader. Venezuela will hold early regional and legislative elections this year, letting Maduro tighten his grip.

The meeting seems to have left Machado on the sidelines, and now Venezuelas opposition faces the challenge of deepening ties with the Trump administration, Ramsey said.

Back channels with Maduro are not inherently a bad thing from the perspective of advancing a democratic transition, but it remains to be seen exactly how this communication channel will be used, Ramsey said.

A new beginning

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Following the meeting Friday, state television distributed roughly seven minutes of images of the encounter at Miraflores, showing both Maduro and Grenell smiling while shaking hands. A beaming Rodriguez, who is Maduros head negotiator, looked on in what the state television reporter called a historic moment. A translator was seen on the images walking alongside Maduro and Grenell during the encounter.

In a statement Friday night, the Venezuelan government said the meeting had been requested by the US on Thursday and Maduro accepted.

Before the encounter with Maduro, Grenell held a meeting with Rodriguez and his sister, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.

We have taken a first step, hopefully it can be sustained, we want to sustain it, Maduro said after the meeting with Grenell. Lets start a new agenda, lets go to a new beginning.

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President Donald Trump on Saturday followed through with his threat to impose new tariffs on the United States two biggest trading partners, Mexico and Canada, whose leaders immediately announced steps to fight back.

We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all, Trump said in a post on social media, in which he described the tariffs as a way to pressure the countries into doing more to stop the flow of illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants.

Trump said most goods from Mexico and Canada will see a 25% surtax except for Canadian oil, which will see a 10% tariff. He also said he was imposing a new 10% tariff on goods from China on top of existing duties.

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The tariffs wont go into effect until just after midnight on Tuesday morning, however, leaving open a small window that could be used for a negotiated solution.

Tariffs are charges placed on imported goods as they enter the country, paid by the company or individual bringing the good in. Economists are almost unanimous that tariffs are passed on to the consumer as higher prices.

Whether Trumps gambit will succeed is unclear, but the potential costs to the U.S. economy could be huge, either in terms of higher prices for American consumers or via retaliatory measures that would mark the beginning of a continental trade war.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a defiant nationally televised speech, said there would be retaliatory tariffs imposed on $155 billion of U.S. goods sold to Canada in response, in addition to non-tariff measures dealing with critical minerals and energy.

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Trudeau said beer, wine, bourbon, perfume, clothing, household appliances and lumber would be among the American goods that would be hit with retaliatory tariffs.

Trumps decision, he warned, will harm Canadians but beyond that, it will have consequences for you, the American people.

In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had instructed her administration to draw up tariff and non-tariff responses to Trumps decision, calling it Plan B after her initial skepticism Trump would follow through on his threat.

On Capitol Hill, reactions broke along partisan lines.

Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, blasted the tariffs.

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These reckless tariffs take a sledgehammer where a scalpel is necessary, and the American people will pay the price. Experts of every stripe agree: Americans should expect to pay more than $800 on average while the U.S. output shrinks, Neal said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) cheered Trumps decision, posting on social media, These countries are now on notice to work quickly to stop the madness. This is long overdue.

Trumps decision threatens to upend the U.S. relationship with its neighbors, as all three economies have grown intricately intertwined in the 31 years since the North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect in 1994.

In 2023, the last full year for which data is available, Canada was the U.S. largest trading partner, buying about $441 billion in goods and services from the U.S., according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Mexico was a close second, buying $367 billion of goods and services from America.

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The pair were also the largest sellers of imports into the U.S. Mexican imports of goods and services totaled $529 billion, the most of any country, with Canada second, at $482 billion.

The U.S. has run a trade deficit with Mexico, meaning Americans buy more from Mexico than they sell to it, since at least 1999. On the other hand, between 2023 and 2014, the United States saw five trade deficits and five trade surpluses with Canada.

But that did not deter Trump.

The fentanyl coming through Canada is massive. The fentanyl coming through Mexico is massive, he said at a press conference Thursday.

Data from the U.S. Customs Service, however, contradicts part of Trumps claim. In 2024, the amount of fentanyl seized at the southern border was over 21,000 lbs. Only 43 lbs. were seized at the border with Canada.

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Trudeau said less than 1% of fentanyl and less than 1% of unauthorized border crossings occur at the Canadian border.

Trump has long cited trade deficits as evidence individual countries are ripping off the United States, but economists in general are much more relaxed about the issue. Individual countries may have what economists call comparative advantage in producing specific goods or services that make it cheaper for another country to import them than try to also produce them itself.

And trade deficits are hardly anything new. The last time the U.S. saw a surplus in international trade was 1975, under President Gerald R. Ford.

Trumps move would be a challenge to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a trade pact he negotiated with the two countries in his first term. The successor to NAFTA, the USMCA allows for a review in July 2026 and imposing new tariffs before then will likely be seen as violating it.

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But more important for Trump may be the economic costs. The authors of a paper on the tariffs for the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated last month that raising tariffs on the 3.3% of the U.S. economy made up of imports from Mexico and Canada would result in a general increase in U.S. prices of about 0.3%.

The political problem for President Trump would not be so much the small increase in the average US price level as price spikes in recognizable goods, like gasoline at the pump in some locations, certain auto brands, avocados, and tomatoes, the authors wrote.

Another possible side effect of tariffs, the authors wrote, would be closure of factories built on the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border. They were built after the previous North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect to take advantage of lower trade barriers. Without jobs, those workers may migrate north in search of work.
Editors Note: Washington Week With The Atlantic is a partnership between NewsHour Productions, WETA, and The Atlantic airing every Friday on PBS stations nationwide. Check your local listings, watch full episodes here, or listen to the weekly podcast here.



The worst aviation disaster in almost a quarter century is one of the first tests of Donald Trumps second administration. Panelists on Washington Week With The Atlantic joined to discuss how the president responded to the crisis.

Following the aviation crash over the Potomac this week, Trump moved to blame diversity in the Federal Aviation Administrations hiring process for the crash. These comments are a continuation of Trumps behavior throughout his first term and both of his campaignsbut how his response will affect him politically remains to be seen, Mark Leibovich said last night.

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Trump is working in a consequence-free environment, Leibovich continued. Ultimately, Donald Trump will do what he can get away with, and whether a few points on his approval ratings are going to move the needle on this are unclear.

Joining the editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss this and more: Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times; Mark Leibovich, a staff writer at The Atlantic; Ali Vitali, the host of Way Too Early on MSNBC; Nancy Youssef, a national-security correspondent for The Wall Street Journal.

Watch the full episode here.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
THE PREVAILING WISDOM about Donald Trumps first two weeks in office is that he is, to borrow a cliche, flooding the zonereleasing a torrent of information that overwhelms even the most seasoned political observer.

The real story of Trump 2.0 is exactly the opposite.

White House operations have so far been defined not by the spotlight theyve commanded but by the secrecy theyve imposed. People inside and outside of government are confused about who is staffingor even leadingagencies. Federal employees have been thrust into a state of paranoia about the status of their jobs. Even lawmakers say they are utterly in the dark, unable to reach contacts at federal agencies to get key information about which parts of the government are functioning and which arent.

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Theres no clarity about which federal funds are frozen and which are left untouched, Rep. Ritchie Torres told The Bulwark in an interview. Im not aware of any member of Congress who has beenany Democratic member of Congresswhos been kept in the loop about the scope of the executive order.

The crypticity is a stark difference between Trump 1.0an often unruly, directionless, and very public messand Trump 2.0., which presidential aides are determined to make more efficient and consequential. And it has thrown much of Washington, D.C. into chaos, as lawmakers, civil servants, state and local governments, nonprofits, companies, and even foreign governments scramble to figure out just how dramatically our governing institutions are being altered or altogether undone.

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Trumps team entered the White House on January 20 looking to swiftly enact its agenda in two ways: abruptly halting major swaths of government operations and pushing to get federal workers (whom they view as hindrances) to resign. To do both, they centralized operations, often by forcing out preexisting leadership, and kept external communications confined and vague.

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The first indication of this approach came in the opening days, when groups that rely on government grants suddenly discovered they could not access portals or contact officials who served as points of contact. Days later, the Office of Management and Budget issued a two-page memo saying that all federal grant funding would be frozen. That memo was subsequently rescinded. But the original executive order putting a pause on various areas of federal spending remains in place. So too has the freeze on external communications.

One official with the group Meals on Wheels, which works to alleviate hunger among seniors, said they were not hearing anything from our typical contacts within the Department of Health and Human Services. Asked where they were turning to for guidance, the official replied: Just the news and the leaked memos. Another official, who works with the Social Security Administration in an office outside the capital, said their field official has no idea what is going on and has received no direct guidance about return-to-work policies despite the White House insistence that every employee head back to the office. A top congressional aide said offices on Capitol Hill were trying to decipher tweets from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as if they were Indus script.

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ITS NOT UNUSUAL for incoming administrations to terminate certain government functions and replace personnel. But the sheer scope and lack of transparency around the current transition is unprecedented.

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Angst, rumor, and innuendo have filled the vacuum left by the absence of government communication. In conversations throughout the week, officials at NGOs and various government agencies shared fears that government websites would be taken offline and critical work would be lost. On Friday afternoon, some of those fears came true: The Department of Agriculture began scrubbing references to climate change from its website. Aides to Elon Musk were reportedly locking employees out of their computer systems at the Office of Personnel Management. The homepage for the Census Bureau went dark for about an hour. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began removing published studies from its website. Each of these happened without public explanation, adding to the sense of opacity around the administrations operations.

The question Ive asked is, are these pages coming down temporarily? said one advocate in the scientific research community. Is this a temporary bring-it-down so that you can scrub out DEI [references] and then put it back? Or is this, Its down and tough shit, deal with it?

Inside the civil service, the search for reliable information was no less frantic. Federal employees have congregated on Reddit forums to share guidance they had received and to discuss how individual offices were responding.

These are dark days. Look for the light: Keep up with all Bulwark coverage of Trump 2.0 by signing up today:

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One memo sent within the Environmental Protection Agencyand obtained by The Bulwarkidentified recipients as newer employees who were likely on a probationary/trial period and therefore enjoyed fewer protections. The note appeared designed to strong-arm recipients into taking a deferred resignation. And it sparked fear among those recipients that they would be targeted. An official with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents federal workers, signaled that they, too, were looking for information about the memo and others like it. All they would say is that they had seen the memo from one agency at least.

Elsewhere, communications sent to employees were so vague and ominous that employees began to anticipate their arrival (late in the afternoon from an email address they didnt recognize). There had been two Fork in the Road memos from the reportedly Musk-dominated Office of Personnel Management. And on Friday, departments began sending a follow-up note from OPM insisting that the original offer to receive paid leave was valid, lawful, and will be honored. The Bulwark was forwarded two such emailsone from the Department of Commerce, the other from the Department of Justice.

The follow-ups have left the impression among some workers that Trump and Musk (who appears to be in charge of much of the purge effort) are not getting the results they want. And, indeed, a number of workers told The Bulwark that the attempt to get them to leave had made them more determined to remain in their jobs.

Those I have spoken with dont believe its a legit offer, said one federal government employee, who declined to reveal their name or place of work for fear of retaliation.

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But what if the intended result wasnt just to spark a mass exodus but to create a culture of uncertainty, unrest, and secrecynot to hollow out the government, but to hamstring it? On that front, some workers said, the new administration was clearly succeeding.

You dont trust anyone at work right now. I dont trust any coworkers and coworkers dont trust each other. People are deleting files, said one federal employee. They are very secretive. It literally feels like theyre finding their allies internally with the career folks and using them to make this new police internally. Its scary. Its psychologically torture.

Please take a moment to share this article with a friend, family member, or federal employee of you acquaintance.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  President Donald Trump is pushing to expand school choice across the country with a new executive order this week.

Friday, he met with lawmakers and governors at the White House for a roundtable about school choice.

He really is focused on making sure that were empowering parents, Florida Congressman Byron Donalds said.

Donalds says the group talked about policies that could give parents more public funding for non-public schools.

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Children are falling further behind, so we have to think outside the box, Donalds said.

The meeting comes after the president signed an executive order Wednesday aimed at expanding education choice for families.

It directs the Education Department to prioritize school choice with discretionary funding. It also orders the Department to give states guidance on how they can use federal money to support vouchers.

The White House says the current public school system has failed.

The Nations Report Card was released this week, and the news is not good, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

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The National Assessment of Education Progress came out with its report this week, finding 70% of eighth graders are not proficient in reading, and 72% are not proficient in math.

We want lots of choices for kids. We want to have career tech ed, as well as college prep American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said.

But putting public dollars toward private schools, Weingarten says, will hurt public school students.

The 90% of the kids who go to public schools will become the big losers, Weingarten said.

Weingarten says the push for school choice wont help the students who need help.

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The kids that are basically going to these voucher schools are people whove already been there, Weingarten said.

Donalds says he expects to see school choice legislation in the upcoming government funding package.

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US President Donald Trump on Saturday welcomed the return of American detainees from Venezuela and highlighted a new agreement with the country to take back its nationals, including gang members, who had entered the US illegally. Trump further said that record numbers of illegal migrants and criminals were being deported from the US, asserting that border security was at its strongest since his first term. Sharing a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, "It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua." "Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all countries, and all countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our country, and the border numbers are the strongest they have been since the first term of the Trump Administration," the post added. Notably, Venezuela freed six American detainees on Friday following a visit by Richard Grenell, former special missions envoy under US President Trump, to Caracas for talks with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, The Washington Post reported. Maduro's government had been holding at least nine Americans, detaining them amid a crackdown on dissidents and foreign nationals after Venezuela's July presidential election. He accused some detainees--without offering proof--of plotting violent acts in the country. The US officials and relatives of those arrested had spent months struggling to obtain information about their condition and whereabouts. According to a report by CNN, like the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada, the US also does not recognize Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader. It has placed a raft of sanctions or visa restrictions on Maduro-aligned officials. Washington has no diplomatic presence in Venezuela. (ANI)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed a slew of executive orders. He recently signed a few on education, including an order that asks the Department of Education to favor school choice programs when awarding grants.

School choice allows parents to decide whether they want to send their child to public or private school through government-funded scholarships. The executive order the president signed could make it easier for parents to use taxpayer funds on private school tuition.

Here in Ohio, lawmakers have already passed laws furthering school choice, also known as voucher programs.

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Bill would allow Ohio schools to display the Ten Commandments

They have that choice to go to wherever they want and the state of Ohio will reimburse them a certain amount of money for tuition for that school, said local Republican strategist Bob Clegg.

Its been a back-and-forth topic, often split down party lines. Republicans have said parents should be able to send their child to any school no matter the cost. Democrats and teachers unions have argued school choice diverts money from public school districts.

Theres been this growing movement to put more money into the hands of private schools through voucher programs. We think thats a real concern in terms of draining resources away from the vast majority of kids who need them, Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said.

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Clegg and DiMauro are on opposite sides of the aisle when it comes to the impact of school choice and the presidents executive order.

If were going to fulfill our mission that is deeply embedded in the history of our country and in our constitution here in the state, we have to fully and fairly fund our public schools, DiMauro said.

I think it gives school choice parents some hope that the federal government, instead of fighting them as they have been doing over the years, they actually will be supporting their choice, Clegg said.

Ohio lawmaker targets sanctuary cities with new bill

Ohio already has a pretty big voucher and school choice program, so Clegg said the order wont have a huge impact on the state. He said Ohio parents already have good options.

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What President Trumps executive order does is it says it wants school choice to be prioritized in all local school districts throughout the country, said Clegg.

DiMauro said voucher programs are not something the federal government should be pushing for.

Its really impossible to predict what impact this is going to have in Ohio, but we know that vouchers are bad policy for Ohio. Lets not make that bad policy for the entire country, said DiMauro.

Clegg said Trumps executive order will have the biggest impact on blue states like New York and California.

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Pro-Palestinian protestors in front of the 15th District Court Building in Ann Arbor, demanding charges filed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel be dropped. Sept. 20, 2024. Photo by Jon King

President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week aimed at canceling the student visas of foreign students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses last year.

Michigan was home to dozens of such protests, particularly in Hamtramck, Dearborn and Detroit and the University of Michigan, which resulted in dozens of arrests and police clearing out a large encampment in May 2024.

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Israel declared war against the militant group Hamas after the Oct. 7, 2023, surprise terrorist attack on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. As the war dragged on through January, more than 47,000 Palestinians were killed and about 112,000 were injured, according to Gazas Hamas-run health authority.

The war became a major flashpoint in the 2024 presidential election, with many pro-Palestinian groups blasting Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and the Biden administration for supporting Israel. While the prominent group Abandon Harris endorsed Green Party nominee Jill Stein, many other Arab-American leaders backed Donald Trump, including Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib.

Trump said on Wednesday in a fact sheet about the order that he would quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which he said have been infested with radicalism like never before.

To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you, Trump said.

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While individuals already in the U.S. have First Amendment protections  including foreign students  those without legal citizenship status may face increased scrutiny and potential deportation, even if they entered the country lawfully, said Ruby Robinson, managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC).

International students in the country as an F-1 nonimmigrant would normally have to be convicted of a crime in order to be subject to deportation. But terrorism related grounds of deportation are broader.

If the department believes that you endanger public safety or national security, or that you intend to overthrow the government by force, violence or other unlawful means, that is sufficient to initiate deportation against that person, Robinson said. Or if they have done certain things that support a terrorist organization, that can also make them deportable, even if theyre lawfully here.

Under federal immigration law, anyone who is an officer, official, representative or spokesman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) cannot be granted a visa to enter the United States unless a waiver is issued.

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There are no other terrorist organizations specifically named directly in the statute, Robinson said.

Kay Jarvis, a spokesperson for the University of Michigan, said that the university is carefully reviewing all of the executive orders to understand their implications on the institution and students.

The university has set up a webpage to offer updates related to how federal orders may impact the university, which so far mentions four categories: funding and grants; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies; international students, employees and scholars; and undocumented individuals.

Mayor of Hamtramck Amer Ghalib speaks alongside former President Donald Trump and members of the Trump family at a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan before the polls open on Nov. 5, 2024 (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols)

Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that Trump previously laid the groundwork for such a move with the Protecting the American People Against Invasion order and the Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats order.

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The executive order that talks about an invasion of the United States is the broadest thing I have ever seen coming out of any administration, Alden said.

Ruby Robinson, managing attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), said that the language in the executive orders is overly broad, verbose and bombastic  to support a narrative.

But just because it says it in the executive order doesnt necessarily make it so, Robinson said.

Alden compared Trumps executive orders to the FBIs use of extensive powers under immigration laws in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

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There were serious, serious abuses in the aftermath of Sept. 11, and if youre creating this environment of emergency, and fear and invasion, and crisis, then its a pretty small step to begin doing again what we did in that environment of emergency, fear and crisis after Sept. 11, Alden said.

I would not be surprised to see this administration dust off that playbook and go after people in the pro-Palestinian communities, among other places, to try to say these people pose some kind of danger, to look for immigration violations if they could find them, Alden said.

Challenging Trumps orders could prove difficult since the U.S. Supreme Court previously upheld broad powers for the president under immigration laws when he imposed restrictions on entering the United States from several Muslim-majority countries, Alden said.

The authorities under immigration law are pretty powerful and not subject to a lot of oversight by the courts, Alden said. Its almost a blank check for the administration to target anyone here on a temporary visa if they have reasons that they wish to do so.

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The court cases relating to the 2017 travel ban also mean that this administration learned from the mistakes they made during the first time they were in power, Robinson said.

A new challenge would likely incorporate more First Amendment analysis as opposed to focusing solely on immigration analysis, Robinson said.

The chilling effect on speech is very real in this circumstance, Robinson said.

Even if charges brought against immigrants can be disproven, Alden said that they could end up being wrongfully detained for long periods of time due to a backlog of cases in the immigration court system, which is housed within the Department of Justice.

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There are far more safeguards in the criminal justice system than there are in the immigration justice system, Alden said.

On the 2024 campaign trail, Trump vowed to sign an even broader travel ban than the one he issued during his first term.

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) has expressed concern that Trump has been laying the groundwork for a new, expanded so-called Muslim ban through some of the executive orders he has signed during his first days in office.

Were laying the groundwork already, hes already doing it, for the Muslim ban, Tlaib said in a speech on the floor of the U.S. House last week. Many of my neighbors, my family, myself, all of us, even though its not directly targeted towards us, attacking a whole faith is un-American.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Oct. 27, 2019 in Detroit | Andrew Roth

Alden said that Trumps orders have created the conditions in which a travel ban could be imposed at any time.

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told CBS News on Monday that Michigan has done a lot of planning  for a number of different scenarios but that the state has not yet seen raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents increase in the state.

Whitmer declined to say whether she would have Michigan State Police assist federal law enforcement in detaining people living in the state without legal citizenship status.

I think that as we see this continue to play out, well continue to assess how we conduct ourselves in the state of Michigan, but I do think that theres a lot of legitimate fears and concerns that are happening and I think we should treat all people with dignity at the very minimum, Whitmer said.

Trump suggested last weekend that Egypt and Jordan take in Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip so that we just clean out the whole thing.

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Id rather get involved with some of the Arab nations and build housing in a different location, where they can maybe live in peace for a change, Trump said.

In Mexicantown, Detroit, anti-deportation protesters gathered at the intersection of Vernor Hwy and Clark Ave, waving Mexican flags and signs in both Spanish and English to show their opposition to border patrol activities in the area, Jan. 25, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Two protesters hug at the beginning of the gathering in Grand Rapids as more pro-immigration supporters join, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Anti-deportation protesters gather on Monroe Avenue, blocking traffic for a few minutes, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Signs with slogans in support of undocumented immigrant families, such as "Immigrants are not criminals," written in both Spanish and English, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

In front of the DeVos Place, anti-deportation protesters from the march blocked Monroe Ave., stopping traffic for a few minutes, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

A Mexican-American flag is waved at passing drivers on Clark Avenue in Detroit as support to undocumented immigrants, Jan. 25, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Protesters line up their banners with anti-deportation slogans in English and Spanish, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Protester member of Cosecha movement chants through a megaphone during march, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

A pedestrian watches anti-deportation signs written in Spanish and English while passing by Clark Park in Detroit, Jan. 25, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

Anti-deportation protesters prepare to start the so-called "No More Deportations" march outside the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

"No deportations!" banner written in English and Spanish is moved as the march is beginning, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

With megaphones in hands and signs supporting undocumented migrants, protesters against deportations march through NW Ottawa Ave. in downtown Grand Rapids, bundled up against the cold, defying the freezing temperatures that affected the state of Michigan, Jan. 20, 2025 | Erick Diaz Veliz

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U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Sparacino trains Coast Guard Academy cadets in seamanship while aboard Coast Guard Cutter Eagle (WIX 327) in the Atlantic Ocean, Aug. 1, 2024. Eagle is a 295-foot, three-masted barque used as a training vessel for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthiew Thieme)

President Donald Trumps executive orders to halt all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and enact other workforce policies are reshaping institutions across the government and military, including programs  some of which have been in place for years  within the U.S. Coast Guard and its service academy in New London.

Over the past week, the Coast Guard started shuttering a number of DEI-related programs and offices and removing information about them from its websites. At the Coast Guard Academy, the Office of Culture and Climate has been disbanded, and staff are on paid administrative leave, according to a local union representing some of the workers.

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Those actions are in compliance with Trumps Day 1 executive order, taking aim at DEI policies the White House calls illegal and immoral discrimination programs. Initial guidance wanted agencies to submit written plans by Jan. 31 about reduction-in-force plans, while urging them to start immediately issuing RIF notices to DEI employees. A memo from last week provided more guidance on terminating such offices and staff.

In accordance with that order, each agency, department, or commission head shall take action to terminate, to the maximum extent allowed by law, all DEI, DEIA, and environmental justice offices and positions within sixty days, according to a Friday memo from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The shakeup comes in the wake of the abrupt firing of Admiral Linda Fagan, who served as the first female commandant. A senior official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, cited an excessive focus on DEI policies as well as the response to Operation Fouled Anchor, an investigation into sexual misconduct claims at the Coast Guard Academy that was hidden for years.

The Coast Guard had prioritized DEI, particularly as a way to boost recruitment and retention among cadets as well as within the force. In a Coast Guard Academy diversity report submitted to Congress in 2024, Fagan wrote to lawmakers that such initiatives show progress was made in attracting a workforce that is representative of the nation and preparing culturally competent leaders for the future.

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It is unclear how recent changes and directives from the Trump administration could affect such recruitment efforts, particularly as the White House moves closer to reinstating a ban on transgender service members in the armed forces.

A bulletin from the Coast Guard went out Friday directing DEI-related programs to cease activity immediately. That included the Diversity and Inclusion Education and Awareness Program, the Leadership and Diversity Councils, the Coast Guards Diversity Outreach Program and the Coast Guards Affinity Group Program, which started in 2021.

It also applied to the Coast Guard Academys Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2024-2026, which went into effect early last year. The plan sought to strengthen DEI initiatives at the academy and build an inclusive workforce with a competitive edge in recruiting diverse candidates for cadets, faculty, and staff in service to our nation. Most of the actionable items had a deadline to be completed by the spring of this year.

At the New London academy, the Office of Culture and Climate shuttered last week, and its employees were placed on paid leave. They could be laid off or reassigned. The OCC has been around for years and was formerly called the Office of Inclusion and Diversity until the name change within the past year. It was tasked with executing the academys goal to be fully inclusive and equitable and worked alongside some of the organizations that have also been forced to shut down in recent days.

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The OCC employees, with the exception of the chief culture and climate officer, are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees. AFGE Local 219 has a bargaining unit of several hundred members of Coast Guard civilian employees across a number of states including Connecticut and mainly across the northeast.

Two of the four employees have been placed on paid leave. Officials said they believed the other two were currently on active duty and had not been serving in their roles on the OCC.

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A federal law known as the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act or USERRA protects those on active duty and allows them to return to their civilian jobs after deployment.

Its really hard on employees right now. Some are very stressed and anxious and concerned, said AFGE Local 219 President Susan Bibeau, who used to serve as the academys director of admissions before retiring in 2010. The union is certainly representing any employees affected vigorously, and well do everything we can under the law to protect their rights.

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Links to these offices and programs have since been removed from the Coast Guard and Academys websites. Error messages like Page Not Found and 404 pop up on websites that use to house information about these initiatives.

The Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment about the termination of DEI offices, including the OCC staffers placed on paid leave at the academy.

An email was sent to federal employees last week about reporting continued DEI initiatives or efforts to mask them. Workers could face adverse consequences for not notifying the U.S. Office of Personnel Management within 10 days.

Whether cultural and social groups at the Coast Guard Academy can still operate is unclear.

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Affinity councils were described as places where cadets embrace the philosophical, intellectual, and operational value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to the Cadet Life Brief for the Class of 2026. Some open to all Coast Guard cadets include the Asian Pacific American Council, Womens Leadership Council, Hillel, Companeros, International Cadet Council, Tribal Council and Diversity Peer Educators.

Many of them have been part of academy life for decades. The Genesis Council was the first diversity council on campus that started in the 1970s to foster community around African American cultures. And the Spectrum Council was established in 2011 as the first gay-straight alliance at a military service academy and supports LGBTQ+ cadets.

Beyond DEI, the early days of Trumps presidency have rapidly sought to remake the federal government and reduce its workforce through other means. He signed another executive order last week to impose a hiring freeze of federal civilian employees and prevent positions that were vacant when he took office on Jan. 20 from being filled and to stop the creation of new positions.

This week, federal employees received emails giving them the option to resign by Feb. 6 and get paid through Sept. 30. But the deferred resignations have raised legal questions, and unions expressed caution to not take the program at face value because of OPM vague criteria and no guarantee resignations will be accepted.

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But the hiring freeze order makes exceptions for military personnel of the armed forces and other jobs regarding immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. The day after it was implemented, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs requested the exemption of hundreds of thousands of health care jobs.

It remains unclear what exemptions could apply for employees at the Department of Homeland Security or the Coast Guard.

The administration has also asked agencies to provide a list of all employees who are still in their probationary period. Those who are within that one-year window have little recourse to appeal if they face termination.

This week, Trump signed more orders related to the military and DEI that could lead to another ban on transgender service members like the one from his first term in 2017. It comes a week after he reversed the Biden administrations policy to allow transgender people to enlist and serve. While the Coast Guard is not governed by the Pentagon like other branches, the new orders direct Homeland Security to update its guidance and directives with respect to the Coast Guard.

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Trump and critics of DEI argue those policies disadvantage people in schools and the workplace in what should be a merit-based system.

But those opposed to Trumps orders contend they are anti-worker policies aimed at hindering apolitical civil service workers as well as a diverse federal workforce. Supporters of DEI believe it has helped fight back against years of discrimination that have kept people of color and other marginalized communities from advancing.

Undoing these programs is just another way for President Trump to undermine the merit-based civil service and turn federal hiring and firing decisions into loyalty tests, AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a statement. Our nations military leaders have said that eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within the Defense Department risks undermining military readiness.

This article first appeared on CT Mirror and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
President Donald Trump said late Friday that he plans to nullify federal employee union contracts that agencies agreed to late in former President Joe Bidens term.

In a memo to agency heads, Trump said that Biden officials had negotiated new collective bargaining agreements meant to harm my Administration, in part by undermining his return-to-office mandate, and that he intended to scrap them and bargain his own.

He referred specifically to a contract ratified with the Education Department days before he took office.

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Such last-minute, lame-duck CBAs, which purport to bind a new President to his predecessors policies, run counter to Americas system of democratic self-government, he claimed.

The memo did not make clear his legal justification for nullifying existing union contracts. He referred to a 2010 Supreme Court decision that stated that a president cannot choose to bind his successors by diminishing their powers.

Therefore, it is the policy of the executive branch, Trump proclaimed, that contracts negotiated within 30 days prior to a presidential inauguration shall not be approved.

He said that contracts involving federal law enforcement would be exempted.

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The American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing some 800,000 workers, said Trump would be breaching legally binding contracts. The union called it an attempt to frighten and confuse career federal employees.

Federal employees should know that approved union contracts are enforceable by law, and the president does not have the authority to make unilateral changes to those agreements, Everett Kelley, the unions president, said in a statement. AFGE members will not be intimidated. If our contracts are violated, we will aggressively defend them.

Unions at many federal agencies made a point of negotiating new contracts last year before the Trump administration arrived, with an eye toward locking in contractual protections. Trump has promised to lay off workers en masse, weaken job protections and end the remote work arrangements that federal employees have had for years.

President Donald Trump speaks at the 2025 House Republican Members Conference Dinner at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) via Associated Press

HuffPost reported last week on negotiations at the Federal Trade Commission, where a group of attorneys, economists and statisticians secured a temporary contract the weekend before Trump appointed a new Republican chair. Such late agreements appear to be the sort Trump is looking to wipe out early in his tenure.

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Warring with the federal workforce was a hallmark of Trumps first presidency, and hes quickly picking up where he left off.

On his first day in office he issued an executive order outlining his intention to reclassify tens of thousands of civil servants to make it easier to fire them. Meanwhile, the Office of Personnel Management is offering federal workers a deferred resignation program, suggesting they could resign now and still be paid through September.

OPM sent out a follow-up email about that offer Thursday, answering some frequently asked questions and insulting workers in the process.

We encourage you to find a job in the private sector as soon as you would like to do so, the email explained. The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from their lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector.

Are you a federal employee with something to share? You can email our reporter here, or contact him securely over Signal at davejamieson.99.
FBI agents and justice department lawyers who investigated Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection and his illegal possession of classified documents were fired Friday night, in what is an unmistakably retaliatory purge conducted at Donald Trumps behest.

CNN previously reported the firings were imminent.

The Hill reported that the FBI firings happened at the Washington Field Office as well as Miami, Seattle, New Orleans and Las Vegas.

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The extent of the firings has not yet been revealed but alongside FBI agents an unknown number of DoJ lawyers were axed, according to multiple credible reports.

Agents were told via email that they were fired due to their role in the investigations. This request encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts, wrote FBI director Brian Driscoll in an email obtained by CNN.

Sen. Mark Warner, who serves on the Senate Intelligence Committee, commented, It is deeply alarming that the Trump administration appears to be purging dozens of the most experienced agents who are our nations first line of defense.

Those who were fired Friday included top-ranking officials who head all five of the FBIs internal branches and come a day after Kash Patel, Trumps nominee to head the FBI, said he know[s] whats going on right now amid rumors of firings but added he was committed to you, Senator, and your colleagues, that I will honor the internal review process of the FBI.

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The move comes days after DOJ officials who worked under former special counsel Jack Smith were also fired because the Trump Administration could no longer trust them. At least a dozen people who worked on Trumps election interference case and his Mar-a-Lago records case were included.

Smith resigned from his position near the end of President Bidens term in office after having moved to dismiss both cases against Trump without prejudice.

The retaliatory purges come just under two weeks after Trump pardoned more than 1,500 criminals who attempted to overthrow the government on his behalf on Jan. 6, 2021. For reasons that have never been adequately explained, former Attorney General Merrick Garland personally intervened to prevent Trump from being prosecuted for nearly 2 years, according to a bombshell Washington Post report.

The post Trump Purge: DoJ Staff Involved in Jan 6 and Classified Docs Cases Fired Friday Night appeared first on TheWrap.
By Andrea Shalal, Jarrett Renshaw and David Lawder

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered sweeping tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, demanding they stanch the flow of fentanyl - and illegal immigrants in the case of Canada and Mexico - into the United States, kicking off a trade war that could dent global growth and reignite inflation.

Mexico and Canada, the top two U.S. trading partners, immediately vowed retaliatory tariffs, while China said it would challenge Trump's move at the World Trade Organization and take other "countermeasures."

In three executive orders, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Mexican and most Canadian imports and 10% on goods from China, starting on Tuesday.

He vowed to keep the duties in place until what he described as a national emergency over fentanyl, a deadly opioid, and illegal immigration to the U.S. ends. The White House provided no other parameters for determining what might satisfy Trump's demands.

Responding to concerns raised by oil refiners and Midwestern states, Trump imposed only a 10% duty on energy products from Canada, with Mexican energy imports facing the full 25% tariff.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would respond with 25% tariffs against $155 billion of U.S. goods, including beer, wine, lumber and appliances, beginning with $30 billion taking effect Tuesday and $125 billion 21 days later.

Trudeau warned U.S. citizens that Trump's tariffs would raise their grocery and gasoline costs, potentially shutting down auto assembly plants and limiting supplies of goods such as nickel, potash, uranium, steel and aluminum. He urged his own citizens to forego travel to the U.S. and to boycott U.S. products.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, in a post on X, said she was instructing her economy minister to implement retaliatory tariffs but gave no details.

Canada and Mexico said they were working together to face Trump's tariffs.

Chinas Commerce Ministry did not specify its planned countermeasures. Its statement left open the door for talks between Washington and Beijing.

China hopes that the US will view and handle its own fentanyl and other issues in an objective and rational manner, it said, adding that Beijing wanted to engage in frank dialogue, strengthen cooperation and manage differences.

A White House fact sheet said the tariffs would stay in place "until the crisis alleviated," but gave no details on what the three countries would need to do to win a reprieve.

At nearly $100 billion in 2023, imports of crude oil accounted for roughly a quarter of all U.S. imports from Canada, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
President Trump on Friday wouldnt say if he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin since he began his second term but said there are ongoing discussions about ending the war in Ukraine.

Well be speaking, Trump said in response to a reporters question about whether hes had a call with Putin. Weve been  well be speaking, and I think well perhaps do something that will be significant. We want to end that war. That war would have never started when I was president.

And we are having discussions, yes, he added, while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office.

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When asked if discussions are ongoing, the president replied, already talking, yes. But, when questioned about if that means he has already talked to Putin, he replied, I dont want to say that. But we are having very serious discussions.

I just dont want to say that. We are having very serious discussions about that war, want to get it ended, he added.

Trump has been seeking to pressure Putin into coming to the negotiating table to end the war since he was sworn-in last week.

A little more than 48 hours since returning to the White House, Trump said Putin is destroying his country with the nearly three-year war against Kyiv. He also threatened increased sanctions on Russia and its enablers if a deal is not quickly reached.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
US President Donald Trump has renewed his threat to impose tariffs on European Union products, accusing the bloc of unfair trade practices.

Speaking at the White House on Friday, Trump said that he would "absolutely" introduce tariffs on EU goods.

Trump said the US was being treated "terribly", arguing that European markets largely shut out American exports.

"They don't take our cars, they don't take our farm products essentially, they don't take almost anything," he said.

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Trump pointed to the large trade deficit between the US and the EU, promising to take "substantial" action against the bloc, though he did not provide further details.

During his election campaign, Trump mentioned plans to introduce new tariffs of 10% to 20% on imports from the EU, saying they would boost domestic industries and address the trade deficit.

There was a fierce trade row between the US and the EU during Trump's first term in office.

In 2018, Trump introduced tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, prompting the EU to respond with tariffs on US products such as bourbon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and jeans.
By Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. forces carried out airstrikes in Somalia on Saturday targeting a senior Islamic State attack planner and other members of the militant group, killing many of them, President Donald Trump said.

"These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

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"The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians."

Saturday's strikes were carried out in the Golis Mountains and an initial assessment indicated many militants were killed, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said. No civilians were harmed, he said.

Reuters could not independently verify those details.

The Somali president's office said President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was informed of the airstrike, and he wrote on X that he extended his deepest gratitude for "the unwavering support of the United States in our shared fight against terrorism".

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"Your bold and decisive leadership, Mr. President, in counterterrorism efforts is highly valued and welcomed in Somalia."

The information minister for Puntland state in northern Somalia said the U.S. attack struck in the Cal Miskaad Mountains, part of the Golis range, and targeted Islamic State bases.

"The number of casualties is still unknown as it was dark. But our forces on the frontline could hear the sound of explosions, the minister, Mohamud Aidid Dirir, told Reuters.

Hegseth said the strikes degraded Islamic State's ability to plot and carry out attacks that threaten the United States, its partners and innocent civilians.

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"(It) sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trumps leadership," he said in a statement.

The United States has periodically carried out airstrikes in Somalia for years, under Republican and Democratic administrations.

(Reporting by Jason Lange and Jasper Ward; Additional reporting by Ammu Kannampilly and Giulia Paravicini; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Angus MacSwan)
WASHINGTON (NewsNation)  President Donald Trump on Saturday said he ordered military airstrikes on a senior Islamic State attack planner and others from the organization in Somalia.

These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said no civilians were injured and multiple operatives were killed in the strikes, which were coordinated with Somalias government.

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Los Angeles Palisades, Eaton fires 100% contained: Cal Fire

This action further degrades ISISs ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trumps leadership, a statement by Hegseth said.

The office of Somalias president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said in a post on X that the operation reinforces the strong security partnership between the two countries in combating extremist threats.

Trump fires the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

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The Pentagons counterterrorism strategy in Africa has been strained as two key partners, Chad and Niger, ousted U.S. forces last year and took over key bases that the U.S. military had used to train and conduct missions against terrorist groups across the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.

U.S. military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the groups leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to build their own small quadcopters.

A U.S. military airstrike in Somalia last May targeted IS militants and killed three, according to U.S. Africa Command.

The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntlands Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.

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Saturdays operation followed military airstrikes on Jan. 30 in northwest Syria, killing a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, U.S. Central Command said.

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Over 200 foreign devotees took part in the prayers and bhajan kirtans at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on Saturday, lauding the spiritual energy and impeccable organisation of the event. In conversation with ANI, the diplomats admired the organisation and the spirituality emanating from the venue. "It's a place where millions of people gather for spiritual reasons to be here, to be who we are as our Atma, as our self. I love it. It's an incredible place where everyone is here for the same purpose. And it's so well organized. These like tent camps that we have with like running water and it's incredible that a city like this pops up out of nowhere and is so well organized and everyone is here for the same reason which is for God, for Brahma, for ourselves and our souls," she said. "It's beautiful. So being in Hollywood, it's a real passion of mine to bring these teachings to people on set. The way that we work on set traditionally is from a very old paradigm. There's a lot of judgment, and a lot of abuse most of the time, but by bringing the practice of Sanatana Dharma, by bringing these practices of consciousness into Hollywood, it allows everyone who's working behind the scenes to have a better experience, and that makes a better product. So I really believe that we can bring this into Hollywood and transform the world," the diplomat added. A devotee from New York in the US said he has been to Kumbh several times, and the spirituality in people's eyes is what he liked. "I came here because I've been to the Kumbh several times. And what I love about being here in India with the Indian people is this delight that's in their eyes, that's in their expression, this knowingness of divinity within themselves. And to be in the energy of all these millions and millions of people chanting the name of God and more than the chanting, the devotion that they embody. I just, to be in that grace is what draws me every time. I have been to at least three Kumbhs. I was in Haridwar. I was here when it was Allahabad before and now I'm here again. This is spectacular- the organization of it and everything seems to be running so smoothly. I love it. Usually, we go into the Ganga and everything washes. All the worries, all the things you're not, just wash, Maata Ganga just clears it for you. And you come out refreshed and alive again," he said. A devotee from the US who came to Kumbh Mela said that she experienced the love of God by being in the Kumbh. He said that this was his fifth Kumbh in attendance. "I'm experiencing the love of God, the love of Source, the love of Source Consciousness. It's phenomenal. I mean, a state beyond words. Just pure source consciousness here in this dimension. All of the cosmos just opening, pouring in love and light. Shakti and just expansion of Consciousness. I'm very much looking forward to that, the experience of bathing in Maata Ganga, letting her bless me and dissolve in that light and that consciousness, recharge myself. Chanting some bhajans, receiving darshan and enjoying being alive and being in the ecstasy of love and life. I think it's my fifth Kumbh. And each time the preparation, the organization, everything, it's elevated. Each time better," he told ANI. A Swiss devotee, Olivier, said that this was her second Kumbh and was amazed to see the energy and joy of Kumbh. "I'm coming from Switzerland, it's my second Kumbh and it's an amazing experience to be here in proximity to Jagadguru Saima, who is my beloved guru, and to feel the energy and to feel the joy of the Indian people. And for us Westerners, it's a privilege that we can stay here and celebrate all the gods and goddesses together with the Indian people. I love it. I'm in bliss. I like the sadhana, like the chanting practices, breathing practices, stillness, but especially here in the Kumbh, the bhakti, the chanting, 24 hours, it's so inspiring, I feel it in my body, and this is Sanatana Dharma. I didn't practice before joining Sanatana Dharma. It started when I met my beloved guru, Sri Jagatguru Sai Mahalakshmi Devi. And that's when my path began and I had to learn all the steps of Sanatana Dharma in the practice, in the seva practice, in the kindness and the loving, motherly loving energy. I arrived yesterday, so my experience is that we got in very smoothly with the bus. It took us only three hours from Varanasi to here, so it's very good and it's very impressive to see such an amount of people together, so very well organized," he said An Israeli devotee, Raya, said that she felt alive in MahaKumbh. She said it was her first MahaKumbh. She also chanted mantras here. "I come from Israel, all the way to Kumbh Mela. It's very special and colourful. The spiritual energy is very, very high. I feel very alive and excited. And yeah, it's a very unique experience. I feel very blessed to be here. This is my first time ever. It's been a dream of mine actually for many years. I feel like it's a fulfilment of a dream. It's my first time. It's actually much more organized and clean than I imagined. I imagined it to be like millions of people on top of each other and it's actually very organized. Like the streets, there are trash cans everywhere, which is very not common in India actually. So yeah, I'm very pleasantly surprised by how, yeah, it's well taken care of. It seems like a lot of care went into it. You can see how millions of people can be together from all over the world. So I wish this spiritual, beautiful, peaceful love and energy will spread out from this special, powerful vortex all over. Om Namah Shivaya. The Maha Mantra. Hari Hari. Hari Krishna. Okay. Hari Krishna. Hari Krishna. Hari Rama. Hari Rama. Rama Rama. Hari Hari," she told ANI. Triveni Das Maharaj, a devotee from the US, told ANI that students from around the world have come to Prayagraj to experience Sanatan dharma. They begin their day with meditation and come together for bhajans. "Om Jai Jai Saima. Jai Sri Krishna. and coming here to the Kumbha Mela. Today at the Maha Kumbha Mela with our shishya, with our students from around the world, we have people here from Europe, Switzerland, Israel, the United States, and Canada, all together here for the practice of snathan dharma. We begin our day with meditation, with arati. We come together for bhajans, with darshan, with jagatguru saima. As a group will walk down to the Ganga for the snan, for the purification, and come out so charged, so full of energy from being here and having the opportunity to dip and to be together in sadhana. It is a gift, it is a privilege, it is a joy to be together in sadhana and the practices of sanatam dharma here at the Kumbha Mela. For me, when I know this Amrit Snan is coming up, there's this bubbly-ness inside of me because I know the experience is going to be extraordinary. All of the attention there on the Ganga, on the Yamuna, on the Saraswati coming together," he said. He added that the water is transmitted into consciousness and looks like it is supercharged. "This is where my name comes from, so I have a special affinity for the Triveni Sangam. And the water becomes supercharged with this amrit, the immortality from the stars that when we dip in it, it's not water anymore. It is transmitted into consciousness where our entire being, our entire consciousness is transformed through the dip into the water. For me, it is a moment beyond time. It is an ancient, timeless, sacred moment of divinity," he said. Jeevan Das Maharaj, a devotee, said that over 200 students from various parts of the world came to Prayadgraj to take part in the MahaKumbh. "So we have had over 200 international students come to Maha Kumbh from all over the world. People who are really yearning for that experience of themselves and that experience of divinity that you can only get from the Mahakumbh in the heart of Bharat. We had about 80 students, we had about 120 students take Guru Diksha over the last three weeks from Jagadguru Saima. So countries like Japan, Austria, Belgium, United States, Canada, Chile, Israel, and I think China. people all over the world are searching for some kind of fulfilment, some kind of joy, some kind of juice of life that you're looking for, the country of India, of Bharat, offers us this opportunity through the vessel of Sanatana Dharma, through the vessel of looking within and withdrawing from the senses, to addressing our attachments to the outside world. That's where the true fulfilment lies, and that gateway is through the heart. And that's what this kumbh, this maha kumbh experience provides," he told ANI. The MahaKumbh Mela (the festival of the sacred pitcher) is anchored in Hindu mythology. It is the world's largest public gathering and collective act of faith. This congregation, primarily, includes Ascetics, Saints, Sadhus, Sadhvis, Kalpvasis and Pilgrims from all walks of life, as per the Maha Kumbh website. The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 that began at Prayagraj on January 13 is set to continue till February 26. The Maha Kumbh is held after every 144 years. (ANI)
President Trump said Friday that his remarks on the investigation into the deadly midair collision earlier this week near Reagan Washington National Airport does not stand to impact the probe, expressing confidence that his take on the situation is accurate.

No, Trump said from the Oval Office when asked if his public observations could interfere in the investigation.

I think theyll do an investigation, it will probably come out the way I said it. I like to put it up front. Im so tired of listening to things happen to our country and then people say well do an investigation and three years later they come out with the report that nobody looks at.

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He doubled down on blaming hiring practices from the Biden administration, something he spent much of Thursday lambasting during a press briefing from the White House.

We have to have the best people, the smartest people, the sharpest people as control tower experts, he said. We didnt have our best. If you read the quote that I read yesterday in the news conference, they talked about people that were psychologically injured were OK and people that had lots of problems were OK.

Trump has blamed diversity initiatives at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for weakening safety, citing efforts by the agency to hire individuals with disabilities, including dwarfism, missing limbs and intellectual disabilities.

This was all because of weak rules in the Biden administration. And, were just not going to let that kind of thing happen again. Again, I could wait and people report in two years like they always do. Sometimes its obvious, and in this case its very obvious, and I think Ive proven to be very correct.

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Trump also doubled down on pointing fingers at the helicopter pilots, saying they were flying too high at the time of the crash with the passenger jet, echoing a sentiment he said earlier in the day.

It shouldnt have been there. And they were other mistakes made too, I pointed them out too  theyll still do an investigation, just to check it out, Trump told reporters.

He also said no when asked if hes concerned about speculating about the conduct of the Army pilots when he is the commander in chief, again blaming the former president.

This was all caused by bad rules, regulations and other things by Biden, the Biden administration and when you look at the way they ran things, in fact, if you look, we hired  one of the first things I told them to do is get talented people in those beautiful towers overlooking the runway, Trump said.

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The president added though that he thinks there is very little risk about flying in the U.S. and a repeat incident.

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President Trump said that Venezuela has agreed to accept the countrys migrants living in the U.S. back as he lauded the return of six American hostages who were held in the Latin American country.

It is so good to have the Venezuela Hostages back home and, very important to note, that Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua, Trump wrote in a Saturday morning post on Truth Social. Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back.

Six hostages who were held in Venezuela were freed on Friday after the presidents envoy for special missions Richard Grenell visited the South American country. Grenell met with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whose recent election victory the U.S. government has deemed illegitimate.

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We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him, Grenell wrote in a post on X.

Trumps special envoy for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, told reporters on a call ahead of Grenells meeting with Maduro that the ex-acting director of national intelligence is demanding that Venezuela comply with the U.S. demands or face consequences.

Trump has consistently said on the campaign trail that his administration would carry out massive deportations of illegal immigrants from the U.S. Since taking office, he has signed several executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration and curb the flow of migrants crossing over the southern border.

Similarly to Venezuela, Colombia has agreed to take back its nationals living in the U.S. after a brief stand-off between the Latin American countrys President Gustavo Petro and the Trump administration.

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Both sides threatened to impose tariffs last weekend but eventually reached a deal with Petro now urging Colombians to return home and offering to provide credits for them along the way.

We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back, Trump said on Saturday. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration!

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By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela has agreed to receive all Venezuelan illegal migrants captured in the United States and provide for their transportation back.

"Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

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He said Venezuela agreed to supply transportation for them.

The Venezuelan government did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Republican president's announcement came the day after U.S. envoy Richard Grenell met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the South American country on Friday and brought six U.S. citizens back with him.

The Trump administration said the top goals for Grenell's trip were to secure the release of detained Americans and deporting Venezuelans back to their home country.

The White House said the high-level visit does not mean the United States recognizes Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The two countries have a fraught recent history marked by broken relations, sanctions and accusations of coup-plotting.

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Grenell said there were no financial or other concessions promised to Maduro.

"The only award for Maduro was my physical presence, the first senior U.S. official to visit the country in years, he was quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal. "It was a big gift to him to have a visit by an envoy of President Trump.

Maduro struck a conciliatory note after the meeting, saying he and Trump "have made a first step. Hopefully it can continue."

Trump praised the agreement as the latest victory in his drive to get Latin and Central American countries to take in illegal migrants.

"We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all countries, and all countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back," said Trump.

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Last Sunday, the United States and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants.

Mexico refused to accept a U.S. military deportation flight days after Trump took office, but said it has received non-Mexican migrants from the United States in the past week. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Central American nations could also reach similar agreements with the U.S. to accept deportees from other countries.

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump issued an array of executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration, including actions aimed at deporting record numbers of migrants in the U.S. without legal status.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago in Caracas; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Diane Craft and Nick Zieminski)
President Trump is on the cusp of upending North American trade, threatening to strike a radical blow to relationships with Americas top economic partners.

Trump is expected to announce Saturday steep new tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, after pledging for months to impose import taxes on two close U.S. allies.

The president has left several questions about his plans unanswered, such as how high the tariffs might be, when they would be implemented, under which law they would be issued and which goods might be exempted.

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Trumps most aggressive proposal, however, would hit all Canadian and Mexican products with 25 percent import taxes. Experts say doing so would spur near-immediate increases in food and fuel prices, while prompting damaging retaliation from two countries deeply integrated into the U.S. economy.

That would be a massive deal. These are Americas two largest trading partners. We depend on imports from both of those countries, and your first-order impact is higher prices for American consumers and for companies, said Edward Fishman, a senior research scholar and adjunct professor at Columbia University.

And I think thats why you see a lot of people, including folks who supported President Trump, voice a lot of concerns, added Fishman, author of the forthcoming book Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare.

Trump himself has brushed off the potential costs of tariffs, which are taxes paid by the U.S. individuals and companies who ordered and imported targeted products. The president has frequently claimed foreign countries pay for tariffs, and that the taxes themselves are necessary to fight other economic harms.

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Mexico and Canada have never been good to us on trade, he said Thursday, confirming his plans to impose tariffs. Theyve treated us very unfairly on trade, and we will be able to make that up very quickly because we dont need the products that they have.

Trump has griped for years that the U.S. imports more goods from Canada and Mexico than those countries do from the States, a dynamic reflected in trade deficits with each nation. The U.S. trade deficit in Canada was roughly $45 billion and $170 billion with Mexico in 2024, according to federal data.

Trump and his protectionist allies have long argued that the U.S. should rebalance trade with Canada and Mexico as a matter of basic fairness.

Our farmers, our ranchers and our fishermen are the best in the world, and they are treated poorly. Canada, as we spoke about, treats our dairy farmers horribly. Thats got to end, said Howard Lutnick, Trumps nominee to serve as Commerce secretary, during a Wednesday confirmation before the Senate Commerce Committee.

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If Canada is going to rely on America for its economic growth, how about you treat our farmers, our ranchers and our fishermen with respect?

During his first term, Trump led a renegotiation of NAFTA that earned praised from Democrats and union advocates for boosting U.S. products through various labor and environmental stipulations.

But Trump has expanded the aims of his tariffs  and his ire with Canada and Mexico  during his second term. The president has alleged that Canada and Mexico are refusing to take necessary steps to stop the flow of migrants and lethal drugs such as fentanyl into the U.S.

Lutnick also claimed Wednesday that Mexican cartels were operating drug labs in Canada, allowing traffickers to avoid beefed up security at the southern border.

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If we are your biggest trading partner, show us the respect, he said. Shut your border and end fentanyl coming into this country. So it is not a tariff, per se. It is an action of domestic policy.

Canadian and Mexican officials have made clear they are ready to respond with steep tariffs of their own on U.S. goods, a prime area of concern among senators from states dependent on agricultural exports.

The U.S. also imports billions of dollars in oil from Canada, which could become drastically more expensive with import taxes.

The blowback could leave Americans paying more for produce from Mexico and oil from Canada, while also hurting U.S. farmers eager to make inroads in Canadas dairy market and other key industries.

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The tariffs could also derail the U.S. auto industry, which is deeply intertwined with factories and assembly plants in Mexico and Canada. Autos and auto parts can cross the U.S. northern and southern borders more than a dozen times before a car or truck is ready for sale, incurring tariffs along the way.

Im concerned about the high cost of vehicles. Many families cant afford them now, and if tariffs are put in place that deal with that seamless trade that goes on with Canada, that in the short run, definitely have an impact on prices and make cars even more unaffordable, said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) to Lutnick.

Fishman added that Canada and Mexico could take even more drastic steps to hurt the U.S. if Trump keeps steep tariffs on their goods, including curtailing oil production or halting certain imports or exports entirely.

He added that Trumps failure to identify specific steps or milestones Mexico and Canada must take to free themselves of tariffs could undermine their effectiveness at achieving his goals.

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Theres not a great track record of coercive economic measures, be it tariffs or sanctions, achieving that kind of a function without explicitly laying out what youre trying to achieve, and I havent heard clear goals, he said.

They can be used as a negotiating tool, or they can be used to address structural problems like deficits or something else, but its hard to do both at the same time.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Trump administration likely violated federal law with a controversial directive that aimed to pause spending on potentially trillions of dollars of grants and loans to a vast array of recipients across the country, a judge said in putting the plan on hold.

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A temporary restraining order against the spending pause was issued Friday by Chief US District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island, who said a group of nearly two dozen Democratic-led states are likely to succeed in their lawsuit challenging the White House plan.

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Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes and therefore the Executives actions violate the separation of powers, McConnell wrote.

The TRO will remain in effect until further order of this court, the judge said, adding that hell set a hearing soon on the states planned request for a longer lasting injunction against the spending pause. The TRO is far broader than a court order earlier this week that temporarily blocked the spending freeze in a different case brought by a group of nonprofits.

The White House didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

The states, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, sued Jan. 28, a day after the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a surprise memo telling agencies to pause all federal financial assistance to ensure its aligned with Trumps recent slew of executive orders targeting liberal policies. Trump rescinded the memo just days later, in what appeared to be a major reversal amid confusion and concern about the impact of the spending freeze nationwide.

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But McConnell held that Trumps apparent withdrawal of the memo may have been an attempt to prevent the court from issuing a TRO while still allowing the spending pause to take effect. The spending freeze appeared to still be intact via Trumps executive orders even without the memo, he said.

Messaging from the White House and agencies proves the point, McConnell said.

The judge cited a statement by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt after Trump withdrew the memo, where she insisted that the rescission was NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze but simply of the OMB memo. She added that Trumps executive orders, which have banned the use of federal funds for diversity programs, abortion and other policy priorities opposed by the new administration, remain in full force.

The evidence shows that the alleged rescission of the OMB directive was in name-only and may have been issued simply to defeat the jurisdiction of the courts, the judge said. The substantive effect of the directive carries on.

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The OMB had said a pause was needed for agencies to review spending on financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal. But the states allege the plan violates federal law and needlessly put children, seniors and nonprofits at risk.

The court must act in these early stages of the litigation under the worst case scenario because the breadth and ambiguity of the executives action makes it impossible to do otherwise, McConnell said in his decision.

McConnell said the temporary order would remain in effect until a later hearing, where the states would have to produce more evidence in support of a longer lasting injunction that would block Trumps funding freeze during the entire case.

Trump defended the move during a bill-signing event at the White House on Wednesday, casting the brief freeze as one that allowed his administration to review discretionary spending programs and quickly look at the scams, dishonesty, waste, abuse thats taking place in our government for too long.

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The fight over Trumps funding freeze is part of a flurry of suits challenging his policies, from restrictions on birthright citizenship to a ban on transgender Americans serving in the armed forces. A Seattle federal judge issued a TRO against Trumps executive order restricting who can automatically get US citizenship when their born on US soil.

(Updates with more details and background.)

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Editors note: This story was co-published with Puente News Collaborative in partnership with El Paso Times and palabra. Puente News Collaborative is a bilingual nonprofit newsroom, convener and funder dedicated to high-quality, fact-based news and information from the U.S.-Mexico border.

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico  Not two weeks into President Trumps four-year term, nerves are jangling along the U.S.-Mexico border, deep inside both countries and beyond.

Whether tariffs or mass deportations, no country has more to lose than Mexico under the Trump administration. Some 80% of the countrys exports go to its northern neighbor. Nearly four million of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States are Mexicans. Here on the U.S.-Mexico border, the anxiety is fueled by Trumps myriad threats, from a 25% tariff to repatriations some on pricey military flights  to a crackdown on drug dealing cartels in Mexico.

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More: FBI, HSI, DEA, federal agencies begin immigration arrests throughout El Paso, Texas

Claudia Sheinbaum stays firm as Donald Trumps tariff, deportation plans unfold

The number of migrants deported to Mexico so far has been underwhelming. Both the extent and duration of the tariffs Trump seems poised to announce remain unknown.

Despite the threat, President Claudia Sheinbaum and other Mexican officials remain publicly cool headed and seemingly prepared.

Sprawling tent camps were erected and prepared as deportee reception centers in Ciudad Juarez and other Mexican border cities  nine in total. Counter tariffs by Mexico and Canada have been readied.

Its not easy living next to an erratic neighbor," observed Jorge Villarreal, a worker helping set up a 1,500-bed shelter in Ciudad Juarez, which shares the Rio Grande with El Paso. "We have to be ready for whatever Trump decides to do. This is the least we can do for our compatriots."

A center for deported Mexican nationals, established by the Mexican federal government, is set up in Ciudad Juarez, south of the border wall from El Paso, Texas.

Mexico braces for tariffs as Trump takes action

Deportation is just one of many challenges Trumps new administration poses for Mexicos popular first female president Claudia Sheinbaum, 62, who began her own six-year term just three months ago.

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As a decision looms  be it Feb. 1 or March 1 the potential dates Trump himself or top-ranking officials have set to impose 25% tariffs on the U.S. closest neighbors  Sheinbaum and Canadian officials say they are ready to respond with their own. A Trump spokeswoman said Friday afternoon tariffs on goods from the United States three largest trading partners will go into effect on Saturday. Much as an approaching hurricane, few shrug off the storm front altogether.

We have an open dialogue with the U.S. government, said Mexicos president recently in one of her daily news briefings. So we will always keep the dialogue, its fundamental in the Mexico-U.S. relationship. . . and we have plan A, plan B, plan C to what the U.S. government decides.

To highlight the repercussions that the tariffs would have on the U.S., Mexicos Economy Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, presented a list Friday of key products that American consumers purchase from Mexico  many of which would likely see price increases if the tariffs are levied.

Mexico is the leading exporter of finished goods to the U.S., including cars, computers, televisions, and refrigerators, Ebrard said. Forty million American families buy computers from Mexico. . . and they will have to pay more.

Mexican workers assemble the tarp roof of a shelter intended to house deported Mexican nationals in Ciudad Juarez.

Sheinbaums strategy rests on four key pillars: maintain composure, prioritize cooperation over confrontation, resist undue pressure and focus on Trumps actions rather than his words.

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"What matters is analyzing what he signs, more than what he says," Sheinbaum remarked the day after Trump was sworn in, reacting to a torrent of executive actions he quickly unleashed.

So far, the approach appears to be working, for now.

Sheinbaum is right: we will need a cool head to deal with Trump.

A trained physicist and climate scientist, Mexicos first president has provided methodical analyses of Trumps policies. Shes explained that certain Trump policies may prove less impactful than initially feared. For example, she recently said, Trumps executive order declaring an emergency at the southern U.S. border mirrors his first term decree in 2019, when the decision didnt create havoc.

"This is not something new," Sheinbaum said in one of her broadcast morning news briefings.

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For border residents, Trumps actions disrupted daily life, as their livelihoods and routines are deeply connected to both countries.

But Mexicos president's measured response may explain why the countrys financial markets have remained relatively stable for now. Despite concern over the U.S. tariff announcement, the peso and the stock market saw only slight declines on Friday morning.

"Sheinbaum is right: we will need a cool head to deal with Trump," political analyst Carlos Elizondo noted in his column in Reforma, a leading Mexican newspaper. But Elizondo and other analysts caution that Sheinbaums success is far from guaranteed.

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum gestures as she speaks about President Donald Trump's policies during a press conference at the National Palace, in Mexico City, Mexico, on Jan. 21, 2025.

Sheinbaum has so far staved off Trumps tariff threats by ramping up migrant detentions within Mexico and cracking down on fentanyl production and trafficking. In turn, Trump, 78, recently praised Sheinbaum and Mexico in his teleconferenced speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

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Arturo Rocha, a former senior migration advisor under just departed President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, also applauded Sheinbaum but offered advice.

Mexicos goal, as it was under the first Trump administration, must be to avoid a collision, avoid a commercial trade war, which would have led to terrible consequences for both countries, Rocha told Puente News.

Border businesses fear impact of Trump tariffs

Along the border, worries abound among businesses dependent on Mexican trade and customers.

We just hear the same news that everyone else is hearing, said Robin Cowen, a Brownsville customs broker whose company does business across far South Texas. So, you know, obviously, our clients are freaking out because 25% is a lot.

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We dont know how real it is, she added. "Trump is trying to use it as leverage for certain goals, some of which are valid, like the fentanyl crisis. But we dont want it to do more harm than good.

U.S. troops arrived at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, for a mission briefing and training before being deployed to the southern border.

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Indeed, the border economy, which relies heavily on both Mexican trade and labor, could suffer mightily if Trumps tariff threats become reality. Suddenly prices may go up at U.S. supermarkets teeming with Mexican products, from beers to avocados  both coveted year round.

There's a lot of talk about ICE raids and deportations, said McAllen realtor Mark Hanna, noting that one potential client has already canceled plans to open a retail store there. Obviously, in South Texas, our workforce is very multinational.

Slow start to deportations

Mexican officials, meanwhile, remain confident they can handle the influx of deported migrants, as they have under past U.S. administrations. Despite the noise, little more than 6,200 Mexicans have been deported since Trump took office, Mexican officials estimate.

Reception shelters, for now, remain eerily quiet.

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"Fortunately, were not seeing any chaos," said Enrique Valenzuela, former director of the state agency that runs Ciudad Juarezs migrant assistance center. "At this time, things appear to be under control."

But Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul and former reality TV star is a fan of optics.

In recent days, news crews, along with reality star Dr. Phil, have been invited to witness shackled and handcuffed migrants picked up off the streets. Theyre loaded onto U.S. military transport planes and shipped home to Central and South America from airports, including El Paso.

At Fort Bliss in El Paso on Thursday, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman said that among the deportees on the flight were "eight family units" that included children. Before the flight departed, a Border Patrol agent loudly announced that while it took them many months to reach the border, the plane would fly them home in just a few hours. Television news crews, photojournalists and reporters were invited to cover the departing flight.

Migrants from Guatemala, who were in the United States illegally, board a C-17 military plane for deportation to Guatemala on Jan. 30, 2025, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The aircraft is designed to transport 134 passengers but carried only 80 migrants.

Trump used tariff threats after Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently refused to accept two U.S. military planes carrying deportees, who were shackled and handcuffed. Defusing the threat, Petro sent two Colombian air force planes to U.S. airports, including one in El Paso, to pick-up Colombian nationals.

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Critics, including U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, questioned the expense and rationale for using military aircraft. The commercial aircraft used by the federal government actually holds more people than the C-17s held, she said.

The charter planes used by "ICE Air" carry up to 130 passengers. Military aircraft are flying out about 80 people on each flight. "Those C-17s are meant for cargo. They're meant for big tanks," Escobar said.

Experts estimated that military flights cost nearly three times the price of charters that U.S. immigration officials have used in the past.

Reuters reported this week that a military deportation flight to Guatemala cost at least $4,675 per migrant, more than five times the $853 cost of a one-way first-class ticket on American Airlines from El Paso.

Doubling down on the optics, more than 1,500 active duty soldiers and marines have been deployed to the border. Theyre joining thousands more national guard troops from Texas and other states who have been stationed here since 2021 under Gov. Greg Abbotts Operation Lone Star border initiative with a price tag surpassing $11 billion.

More: El Paso business leaders anxiously await details of Trump's 25% tariffs against Mexico

To both mitigate the strain on its resources and to appease Washington, Mexican authorities have ramped up efforts to break up migrant caravans crossing the country. The measures are already having an impact, with a 52% drop in apprehensions along the border since Trump took office, according to a spokesman for Customs and Border Protections.

The mega tent facilities that Mexico is building will provide not only shelter but also food, medical care, and assistance in obtaining identity documents for returning migrants, including those who decide to come back on their own. Deportees will also receive a debit card worth about $100 to help cover transportation costs back to their hometowns. Mexican businesses have pledged to make 50,000 jobs available for repatriated Mexicans.

The reception shelters in Ciudad Juarez and elsewhere anchor a broader initiative called Mexico Embraces You, launched by Sheinbaums government. Workers recently moved 1,500 mattresses in plastic and hundreds of pink and blue portable toilets. The tents are sandwiched between a 13-foot statue of Pope Francis and a leftover Christmas billboard featuring the Grinch.

Mexican workers unload mattresses at a shelter intended to house deported Mexican nationals.

Migrants stranded as Trump ends asylum system

These days, heartbreak prevails. Hopes faded for migrants after the Biden administrations system to regulate asylum-seekers was dismantled as soon as Trump was sworn in.

Among those marooned in Ciudad Juarez are Bryan Arteaga, 22, his wife Gabriela, 19, and their toddler son.

In an arduous trek that began 18 months ago in Venezuela, the Arteaga crossed into Mexico early last year and spent months in Mexico City before heading north for a scheduled Jan. 21 asylum hearing with U.S. immigration officers.

Upon arrival here in Ciudad Juarez, the young family learned that the asylum app known as CBP One, and their U.S. dreams had been scrapped. Arteaga and his wife now hawk candy at a busy intersection, struggling to earn enough to pay the nightly $7.30 fee for a night at a shelter.

You can no longer ask for an appointment," Arteaga said. We cant do anything, not even work. Our hope is gone and we're screwed here.

Bryan Arteaga, his wife Gabriela Ortega and their baby are stranded in Ciudad Juarez. The Venezuelan family had an appointment with immigration officials, scheduled for Jan. 21 through the CBP One app, the day after President Trump took office. All pending appointments were canceled. Photo by

Corchado reported from Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez. Garcia reported from Mexico City. Kocherga reported from El Paso and Ciudad Juarez and De la Rosa reported from the Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Alfredo Corchado is the executive editor for Puente News Collaborative and the former Mexico/Border Correspondent for The Dallas Morning News. Hes the author of Midnight in Mexico and Homelands. @ajcorchado

Eduardo Garciaestablished Bloombergs Mexico bureau in 1992 and served as its leader until 2001, overseeing the agencys award-winning coverage in the country. In 2001, he embarked on a new venture by founding his own news organization, Sentido Comun. For nearly 18 years, he guided Sentido Comun to become one of Mexico's most esteemed financial websites. He later merged his company with the local financial news agency Infosel, assuming roles as Editor-in-Chief and subsequently Chief Content Officer. @egarciascmx

Angela Kocherga is an award-winning multimedia journalist who has dedicated her career to reporting about the Southwest border and Mexico. In 2019 she earned a Maria Moors Cabot Prize from Columbia University for courageous reporting in Latin America. She served as Mexico bureau chief and border correspondent for a group of U.S. television stations. Kocherga currently is news director for public radio station KTEP in El Paso, and multimedia editor for El Paso Matters. She lives on the southwest edge of Texas and calls the border home. @AngelaKBorder

Pablo De La Rosa reports on local communities in the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Mexico, where he was born and raised. As a three-time award-winning radio journalist, his voice has appeared on NPR, MSNBC, Texas Public Radio, The Border Chronicle, Lighthouse Reports documentaries and more. @pblodlr

Omar Ornelas is a Mexican photojournalist based in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. For the last 20 years, he has been reporting on and photographing farmworker labor, education, health and housing issues in California, Texas and Arizona, as well as border security and Mexican and Central American migratory flows at the U.S.-Mexico border, for the El Paso Times and USA TODAY Network. @fotornelas

Dudley Althaus has reported on Mexico, Latin America and beyond for more than three decades as a staff newspaper correspondent. Beginning his career at a small newspaper on the Texas-Mexico border, Althaus had an award-winning 22-year stint as Mexico City bureau chief of the Houston Chronicle. After a four-year run as a Mexico correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, Althaus covered immigration and border issues as a freelancer based in San Antonio for Hearst Newspapers. He has covered every Mexican presidential election since 1988, when Mexico's troubled transition to democracy began. @dqalthaus

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Uncertainty grows at border as Trumps immigration policies take hold
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Buying imported goods from Mexico, Canada and China is about to cost a little bit more.

The White House has confirmed President Trump plans to implement 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as 10% tariffs on those from China, beginning on Saturday, Feb. 1. Oil is expected to be exempt.

Its something he vowed to do as an incentive for other countries to curb immigration trends and the flow of drugs into the U.S., but he also claims it could boost domestic manufacturing.

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US inflation is lingering and tariffs threatened by Trump could nudge prices in wrong direction

Thousands of trucks pass into the U.S. in San Diego every year with goods that will make it into peoples homes. With these tariffs looming, purchasing goods from the countrys biggest trade partners could become more expensive, as businesses roll the costs over to consumers.

This will likely impact small businesses, like El Cholos Kid in Chula Vista.

El Cholos Kid started in 2008 as an online business, said Daisy Romero, the stores owner. This is my first brick-and-mortar. I always wanted to bring a store like this to Chula Vista.

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Inside her store are artisan handbags imported from Mexico  a product that could soon cost her more to sell.

Whatever value the bag has, you pay an additional [fee]  if its 25%, then its 25% [of the purse]. And then obviously, I, as someone selling the bag, have to pass on that charge to the consumer, Romero explained.

Alan Gin, an economics professor at the University of San Diego, says this could have adverse impacts for businesses.

Economists dont like tariffs in general because they distort the market, Gin explained.

He added Trumps plan to implement tariffs from the countrys biggest trading partners may also violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement signed in 2020 to facilitate the flow of goods through North America.

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Chula Vista gathers feedback to shape $3.5 million in federal investments

The worry is that if the U.S. goes against this agreement, that other countries in the future would be wondering whats the value then of having some agreement with the U.S., said Gin.

As for Romero, the impact could mean fewer shoppers.

Unfortunately, my bags arent a necessity, said Romero. People will suffer that with necessities such as food and other things that you cant get away from purchasing. My bags are not a necessity, so people will just stop buying them.

She said itll be more important than ever to shop locally.

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Its going to help us stay around a bit longer, she said. Im hoping that things stabilize a bit.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  From oil to avocados to electronics, expect to open up that wallet, because President Trumps tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China go into effect on Saturday.

The Trump administration is slapping on 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, while Chinese imports will be subject to 10% tariffs.

A tariff is essentially a fee paid on any goods coming into the country, said ISU economics professor George Waters.

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Mexico, Canada and China are the United States top trading partners, accounting for 43% of imports last year, according to U.S. Census data.

After paying tariffs, American companies usually past that cost onto you, the consumer.

Immediately, the price of a lot of those goods could go up in the United States. We might import less from those countries if we can try to find it, find those goods from other countries or or produce those domestically, said Waters.

One of Waters biggest concerns is what this means for the auto industry.

The automaker supply chains actually cover all three countries, if not more. You know, Mexico and Canada and the United States. A lot of times an engine will be put together in Mexico and then sent to Ontario to sink it into the frame, and then theyll send it on to the U.S. for a paint job and to be sold so that you know thats one big one right there, he said.

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Waters said the tariffs could also have negative implications for diplomatic relations.

This is directly repudiating NAFTA which is a trade agreement weve made with Mexico and Canada and were just kind of throwing that in the garbage. In that way, I think that might make future negotiations harder because obviously we signed something and now were just saying it doesnt matter, he said.

Another factor to consider is Trumps unpredictable nature to change policies at the drop of a hat.

Trump promised us to do it day one of his presidency and then it got pushed back February 1st. Some people say, well, its just a threat. Hes not going to do it. But just the uncertainty about all of that really puts a drag on the economy and the stock market. So hopefully well get some clarity on all of this sooner rather than later, said Waters.

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Donald Trump has warned enemies of America that we will find you, and we will kill you after ordering air strikes on senior Islamic State members in Somalia.

In a statement released on social media, Mr Trump said: This morning I ordered precision military air strikes on the senior Isis attack planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia.

He did not name the individuals targeted but added: These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians.

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Taking a swipe at his presidential predecessor, Mr Trump said: Our military has targeted this Isis attack planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!

He finished the statement: The message to Isis and all others who would attack Americans is that we will find you and we will kill you!

This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in,  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2025

It appeared to be a reference to Taken, a 2008 film in which Liam Neesons character Bryan Mills threatens an Albanian gang leader who has kidnapped his daughter by saying: I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

Mr Trumps strikes on Isis represent a continuation of Joe Bidens policy.

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The US carried out precision air strikes against Isis targets in Syria in December amid concerns that the terror group would regroup in the vacuum created by the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Biden said the US had struck targets after learning that Damascus had been overtaken by rebel groups. The US military will continue to operate in the region to quell the threat of IS.

The US military conducts co-ordinated air strikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia on Saturday - US Africa Command

Were clear-eyed about the fact that Isis will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish its capabilities to create a safe haven, said Mr Biden. We will not let that happen.

Those strikes were conducted by B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter jets and A-10 ground attack aircraft, and hit Isis leaders, operatives and camps, CNN reported.

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The United States (US) military conducted airstrikes on Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Somalia on Saturday (local time). The airstrikes were conducted in the Golis mountain region following orders from President Donald Trump, leading to the deaths of multiple operatives, according to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegesth. In a post on X, US President Donald Trump said that he ordered airstrikes on ISIS operatives after these terrorists were found hiding in caves. "This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia. These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies. The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians," Trump wrote. The US President also criticised former President Joe Biden for not acting quickly against ISIS terrorists. "Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn't act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that We WILL FIND You, AND We WILL KILL YOU," he added. US Secretary of Defence Hegesth said that these US strikes degrade "ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump's leadership." According to The Hill, Trump has warned terrorist groups like ISIS in the past. On the other hand, he had also suggested that the US should take a step back from Syria following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime. "We're not involved in Syria. Syria's its own mess. They've got enough messes over there. They don't need us involved in everyone," Trump had told reporters on Thursday. (ANI)
After Donald Trump visited the Los Angeles area late last month to observe the damage from recent fires, he made a nakedly political demand: As a condition of releasing federal aid to stricken areas, he wants California to make voters show ID at the polls. Trump is reportedly convinced that he would have won the state if it had such a law, but that has nothing to do with fire safety.

If Trump wants California to mend its ways before receiving federal disaster relief, he could make some reasonable requests: The state should stop encouraging suburban sprawl in fire-prone areas, for example, and start pushing property owners to take more precautions. To the exasperation of emergency-management experts and budget hawks alike, California fires are like many other disasters all around the country. They lead to massive insurance settlements and outflows of government aid, which in many cases pay for rebuilding the same physical environment that left people and their homes vulnerable in the first place.

[M. Nolan Gray: How well-intentioned policies fueled L.A.s fires]

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State governments typically manage the aftermath of natural disasters; when they are overwhelmed, they appeal to Washington for additional money. For years, people in my field have been urging Congress to put strings on that relief. Unfortunately, Trumps voter-ID demandalong with his insistence that the state should also change its water policies, which he did not appear to fully understandtriggered a righteous response among prominent California Democrats. Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong, Governor Gavin Newsom declared in a statement. No, it isnt, but Trump is setting back the cause of reform.

The present federal disaster-relief system, built over decades, involves multiple pots of money from a variety of agencies: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 1988 Stafford Act, which governs the distribution of many of these funds, is built on the presumptions that major disasters are random, rare acts of God, and that communities hit by them need to be made whole again. But as climate change repeatedly exposes certain regions to the same disastersfires in California, hurricanes along the Gulf Coast, tornadoes in the Great Plainsrebuilding the status quo looks less and less defensible. Okay, that was a 40-year-old building; lets rebuild a 40-year-old building, one recovery official in Louisiana memorably said in a 2009 PBS report, capturing widespread frustration with federal rules governing New Orleanss long recovery after Hurricane Katrina.

Some local jurisdictions have responded to disasters by taking steps to avoid a repeat. In 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed most of the buildings in Paradise, California, and killed 85 people. To build there now, homeowners must abide by local regulations, known as defensible-space requirements, that require them to remove vegetation that would otherwise help a fire move more quickly. In 2013, a tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, killed 24 people, including seven children in an elementary school. The community responded in part by imposing stringent new residential building codes.

When I visited Moore last year, after a devastating tornado season in Oklahoma, a builder named Marvin Haworth walked me through a home that requires sheathing, nail shanks, and hurricane straps under the new regulations. He was originally concerned about the changes, but the added cost to home purchasers is minimal, and the matter is settled now. It is not a part of the discussion anymore, he told me. Its the code. This is the way we are building and are going to build.

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[Nancy Walecki: The place where I grew up is gone]

Moore and Paradise both had the foresight to acknowledge the risks they face and take it upon themselves to change. States generally do not require such steps. Sweeping policy changes are difficult to enact immediately after a disaster. People are hurt and in need; political considerations demand that immediate distribution of money. Thats why FEMA administrators under presidents of both parties have proposed some version of conditional relief funding. Project 2025, the blueprint for Trumps policies, calls on states to pay a disaster deductible before securing federal aida requirement that might motivate governors and legislators to demand better preparation for disasters. As The New York Times reported, that idea originally came from Craig Fugate, President Barack Obamas FEMA chief, who insisted that Washington needed a mechanism to force states to do better advance planning. But states want money unconditionally, and substantive reform proposals such as Fugates have not survived political pushback.

Nevertheless, a lot of little changesstronger nails, cleared yardscan add up to a more resilient society. Trumps focus on political payback is unfortunate, because the current system needs an overhaul. Disasters are no longer random or rare. When disaster strikes, we should rebuild accordingly.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
Less than 24 hours after a midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter left dozens of people dead on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump pointed the finger at the rights favorite boogeyman: diversity efforts.

After briefly offering condolences to the victims loved ones, Trump quickly blamed DEI  diversity, equity, and inclusion  efforts for the tragedy. The investigation had barely begun, yet Trump falsely claimed that the Obama administration had decided the Federal Aviation Administration was too white and subsequently had hired scores of unqualified people of color.

When reporters asked him for evidence of his claims, Trump responded, Because I have common sense.

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Since his return to the White House on Jan. 20, Trump has sought to purge government agencies of employees who do diversity work.

He fired National Labor Relations Board officials in a move the president of the AFL-CIO labor federation told HuffPost was illegal. Trump also fired two Democratic-appointed commissioners at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an agency tasked specifically with combating discrimination at work. And he also revoked a 1965 executive order from Lyndon B. Johnson that banned federal contractors from discriminating based on race, sex, religion and sexual orientation.

Trumps war on the diverse hires within the federal workforce will disproportionately affect workers of color. In many cases, DEI has become a barely disguised euphemism for Black people.

The federal government has long been a reliable source of economic security for Black people and other people of color who have been historically discriminated against in the private sector. Over the last 100 years, the federal government has hired Black people at a higher rate than the public sector. Stable government jobs have been one of the keys to upward mobility for Black families and other workers of color, thanks to the governments robust anti-discriminatory practices.

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In June 2021, then-President Joe Biden signed an executive order that would make the federal government an even more diverse workplace. The Government Accountability Office later released a report on the diversity of the federal workforce, concluding that there had been small increases of representation of racial minority groups and that the federal workforce had a higher percentage of people of color than the civilian one.

Trump took efforts to roll back that progress as soon as he was in office. On his first day, he signed an executive order that called the Biden administration efforts an infiltration.

The Biden Administration forced illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), into virtually all aspects of the Federal Government, in areas ranging from airline safety to the military, the order said.

The Trump administration went on to set up an email account where federal workers could report their colleagues for doing DEI work (it was, unsurprisingly, flooded with jokes and spam) and workers were not allowed to change their titles to remove DEI-related terms in order to avoid being fired.

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The anti-DEI orders sent a shockwave through the federal workforce  and left officials scrambling to figure out how they should be interpreted and implemented.

Government agencies understood the order to mean that even the mention of diversity or equity was to be banned. The Smithsonian Institution, which oversees many of the popular museums in Washington, D.C., and gets the bulk of its funding from the federal government, shut down its diversity office.

The U.S. Air Force announced that it would stop using videos about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military pilots, in courses for new recruits in order to comply with Trumps order. (It later reversed its decision after backlash.)

Targeting DEI programs is not the only way Trump has been looking to shrink the government. Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations policy planfor the administration, calls for drastically reducing headcount at many agencies.

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This week, the Office of Personnel and Management offered a buyout to the vast majority of employees that amounts to eight months of pay. Federal workers unions are urging workers to not take the deal because its unclear if OPM has the authority to make such deals.

Theres evidence that such massive cuts will disproportionately harm workers of color. During government shutdowns, when the federal government ceases operations because Congress could not come to an agreement on funding, Black people and other workers of color frequently bear the brunt of being furloughed.

In the wake of Trumps orders, conservatives have been calling out federal workers of color and even advocating for them to lose their jobs.

Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), posted to his X (formerly Twitter) account a photo of a Black woman employed at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, alleging that she changed her title in order to evade the DEI ban. (He also called for the agency to be abolished.) Its not clear why Boykins title was changed.

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Chaya Raichik, who attacks teachers, immigrants and liberals on her Libs of TikTok X account  which has more than 4 million followers  posted a photo of a Black National Weather Service employee, calling for her termination.

Patricia Brown is the DEI director at the National Weather Service, Raichik said in a post last week. Has she been fired yet? This page is still up. The website was taken down on the same day.

CLARIFICATION: This article has been updated to note that the website listing Patricia Brown as the acting team lead of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility at the National Weather Service was removed on Jan. 25.

Related...
President Trump has managed to turn a controversial TikTok ban into a political advantage, framing himself as the savior of the popular video-sharing platform by offering the app a 75-day reprieve.

The president has taken a more receptive approach toward TikTok  albeit one mired in legal questions  that gives him room to attempt to negotiate a deal and cultivate more goodwill with TikToks young supporters.

He has, frankly, all of the upside with none of the downside, Republican strategist Brian Seitchik told The Hill. He looks like hes doing everything that he can at this point to try to delay the cancellation or termination of TikTok in America.

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A TikTok ban was set to go into effect earlier this month, after the apps China-based parent company, ByteDance,failed to divest as required by a law passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order halting enforcement of the law for 75 days, as he seeks to strike a deal to keep TikTok available in the U.S. going forward.

His push to reach a deal on TikTok likely plays well with younger voters, who are more likely to use the app, Seitchik noted.

That is certainly very appealing to influencers and young voters, a demographic that Trump exceeded expectations in the 24 race, a demo that has not been particularly good to Republicans in decades, Seitchik said.

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The question for Republicans running nationally and statewide is often, How can we stem the bleeding on young voters? he continued. And Trump has found a way to get to something that very much matters to these voters and impact the influencers that then affect these younger voters.

Trumps TikTok push comes after he made surprising in-roads with young voters, which have typically been a strong base of support for Democrats.

While Vice President Harris still won the majority of voters under 30 in the 2024 election, she did so by a much slimmer margin than former President Biden did in 2020. She won young voters by just 11 points, compared to Bidens 24-point lead with the same age group, according to CNN exit polls.

Trumps return to the White House has brought a marked change in tenor on the TikTok ban. Biden took a hardball approach toward TikTok, said Owen Tedford, a senior research analyst at Beacon Policy Advisors.

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The Biden administration seemed to be much more skeptical of its willingness to deal, Tedford said. But then as a deadline was approaching, there was a sense that this wasnt actually supposed to result in a ban. The ban was just supposed to be a threat that forced a divestiture.

While Biden emphasized the risks related to TikToks ties to China, Trump has downplayed the threat the app poses, suggesting that the U.S. has bigger problems.

Take a look at telephones that are made in China and all the other things that are made in China, military equipment made in China, he said last week. I think TikTok is not the biggest problem.

TikTok itself helped hand Trump a win with its brief shutdown earlier this month.

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As the ban was set to go into effect shortly before Trump took office, the Biden White House said it would not enforce the law in its final days. However, TikTok maintained that it had not received sufficient assurances from the Biden administration and shut down the app.

After Trump offered to sign an order halting enforcement, TikTok restored service to its U.S. users, specifically citing the presidents efforts.

I think some of TikToks decision to pull themselves down for like 12 to 16 hours was mainly a way to appease Trump and make him feel like he was the one saving them, even though Biden administration had offered, maybe not quite as explicit, but a similar commitment to not enforcing the law, Tedford said.

TikTok wants Trump to feel like hes in the driver seat, as much as Trump has put himself there, and I think thats just all part of this negotiating strategy and a way for TikTok to try to remain in his good graces, he added.

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Trumps approach so far seems to have opened the door to negotiations. The Chinese government, which previously said it would firmly oppose a forced sale of TikTok, noted last week that private companies can independently make business decisions.

The president, for his part, has repeatedly expressed interest in a deal where the U.S. takes a 50 percent stake in the company.

Renewed interest in a deal from all sides has sparked new bidders to join the fray. From former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and Shark Tank investor Kevin OLeary to tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle, numerous entities have submitted proposals to ByteDance or engaged in talks with the White House.

Even if a deal fails to materialize, Trump may not face steep political costs, strategists noted.

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Theres very little downside here if the ban goes through in a couple weeks or months, Seitchik said. He still gets credit for doing everything he can to try to stop it without any of the real downside.

Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright was also skeptical Trump would face blowback without a deal.

He will spin this in such a way that he will blame it on the system and blame everyone but himself, Seawright told The Hill.

He emphasized that Trump was the initiator of the TikTok ban but has faced few consequences for altering his position.

Trump initially sought to force a divestiture of TikToks U.S. assets via executive order during his first term in 2020 but was blocked by the courts. As his third presidential campaign ramped up in 2024, he reversed course on the platform and opposed the potential ban.

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I think theres a lesson to be learned for Democrats in this that the American people perhaps will not hold you accountable on matters if you happen to make adjustments to your position, Seawright said.

Donald Trump changed his position, and he changed it for the sake of political reasons because TikTok certainly was a tool  used during the course of his campaign, he added.

If a deal remains out of reach at the end of the 75 days allotted by the executive order, Trump could attempt to push back the deadline further to accommodate negotiations, Tedford suggested.

Some have questioned whether Trump can legally decline to enforce a law passed by Congress and upheld by the Supreme Court, although no challenges have been brought to the executive order yet.

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How real is this 75-day deadline? Tedford said. And if we accepted 75 days once, in my view at least theres no reason to not think that another 75 days, 90 days, whatever Trump wants it to be, could be in the cards if needed.

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Misti Allison holds her daughter Audrey at a press conference organized to hear residents demands and health concerns following the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on May 16, 2023. Credit - Rebecca Kiger for TIME

On the night of February 3, 2023, the lives of the residents of East Palestine, Ohio were forever changed. Thirty-eight cars of a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed, erupting into a massive fire that released toxic chemicals into our air, water, and land, just a mile from my home. The sight of a huge fireball from my driveway felt like a scene from an apocalyptic movie. Little did I know, this was only the beginning.

Norfolk Southern released and ignited 115,000 gallons of vinyl chloride, a lethal flammable gas used to make PVC plastic, along with a variety of other chemicals and petroleum products. The smoke wafted for miles, and we braved evacuation orders, health scares, a federal investigation, and a cleanup that is still ongoing. Nearly two years later, my community remains profoundly affected.

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East Palestine and Norfolk Southern recently reached a $22 million settlement. And next week, Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit our town.

A Norfolk Southern train passes through the center of town in East Palestine, May 16, 2023. Rebecca Kiger for TIME

As we continue to navigate the aftermath of this disaster, now is the time for President Donald Trump and Vance to address the challenges we still face. Their presence in East Palestine, especially in the early days after the disaster, comforted many of us who felt abandoned by government and corporate entities. They gave us hope that even in times of partisan division, leaders could come together to support those in need.

While we all felt the immediate effects of this disaster, it is the ongoing recovery that is truly testing our resilience. I am the Chair of the Community Advisory Board for the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Tracking Study spearheaded by Dr. Erin Haynes from the University of Kentucky. One third of study participants show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and these levels have continued to rise through our last reporting period. In addition, around half of the participants indicated they continue to experience upper airway symptoms and non-sinus headaches as well, highlighting the ongoing physical health issues that the community is facing. These findings underscore the severe and lasting impact of the disaster on the residents of East Palestine, emphasizing the urgent need for continued support and intervention.

Both Trump and Vance have criticized the federal response to the East Palestine disaster. "We stand with you. We pray for you. And we will stand with you and your fight to help ensure the accountability that you deserve, said Trump in 2023. You have a President going to Ukraine and you have people in Ohio that are in desperate need of help.

Jessica Conard addresses the media outside of the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, June 14, 2023. Residents from East Palestine assembled to petition Governor DeWine to issue an emergency declaration. Rebecca Kiger for TIME

"Biden and FEMA said they would not send federal aid to East Palestine under any circumstance. They're not going to send aid," Trump also said. (The situation did not qualify for FEMA disaster relief, although the Environmental Protection Agency, National Transportation Safety Board, and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) all contributed resources in the aftermath of the crash.)

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Additionally, Vance also strongly criticized the Biden Administrations response. The Biden administration has ignored Ohios pleas for help. This is inexcusable: a disaster declaration would guarantee the delivery of resources the community needs to save itself, Vance wrote in an August 2023 op-ed. Cleanup efforts overseen by Joe Bidens environmental protection officials have also been woefully inadequateDespite the federal governments vast resources, it appears to be woefully incapable of monitoring the long-term health impacts of a chemical spill.

Now in their roles as the President and Vice President of the United States, Trump and Vance can address the critiques they lobbed at the previous administration and directly make good on their promises.

Beyond lip service, there are several concrete steps they must take in order to truly support East Palestine.

Contaminated soil is removed and loaded onto trucks at the site of the Norfolk Southern toxic train derailment, Oct. 16, 2023. Rebecca Kiger for TIME

Provide long-term healthcare

Impacted residents are still experiencing health effects from chemical exposure and contamination lingering from the 2023 incident, and there is still no organized healthcare guidance nor a funding source for necessary care. It is critical that everyone can access the medical support they need. The President can enact an emergency declaration or urge the HHS to declare a public health emergency to ensure treatment for short- and long-term health impacts for anyone exposed to environmental health hazards from the train derailment and its aftermath.

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In 2023, both Vance and his fellow Ohio Senator, Democrat Sherrod Brown, supported an emergency declaration to activate provisions under Section 1881A of the Social Security Act which allows for emergency funding to be distributed to communities affected by disasters. These funds would be a lifeline for many families here who are still grappling with health concerns, economic hardship, and ongoing cleanup efforts. Now as Vice President, Vance needs to ensure federal funds are expediently and strategically allocated to ensure the healthcare needs of our impacted community are safeguarded both in the short term and long term.

Misti Allison instructs East Palestine residents on how to monitor their indoor air quality using a mobile app, Aug. 18, 2023. After a private donor donated 70 indoor air monitors in Aug. 2023, Allison volunteered to design an indoor air quality study. Rebecca Kiger for TIME

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Increase funding for health research

Families in East Palestine deserve to understand the long-term health implications of the Norfolk Southern train derailment. Trusted and respected research institutions that were awarded six National Institutes of Health grants to study the short- and long-term impacts of what happened in East Palestine need prolonged funding to help us understand and address the potential health risks faced by our community. Without prolonged funding, these research studies will expire at the end of the year.

Misti Allison and Robin Seman, along with three of Semans children, meet with the EPA local response coordinator Mark Durno, Sept. 19, 2023. Rebecca Kiger for TIME

Safeguard environmental monitoring and testing

The cleanup, monitoring, and testing efforts of our town must continue for decades to ensure that our environment remains safe and habitable. Ongoing support for these efforts is crucial to the health and well-being of our community. This support should include comprehensive environmental testing of our water, land, and air. Additionally, it is essential to regularly test private wells, as they could become contaminated years from now, posing long-term health risks to residents.

Two years ago, Trump promised our community that he would do everything in his power to ensure our safety and well-being, and that he would not rest until the truth was uncovered. And Vance has repeatedly assured us of his unwavering commitment to working with organizations to ensure East Palestine gets the help it desperately needs and that those responsible are held accountable. Their efforts have given us a glimmer of hope that meaningful change can arise from this disaster.

However, we have not yet seen Trump and Vances promises turn into action. And we still face a daunting journey ahead in terms of public health, economic recovery, and environmental cleanup. But with the right federal support, I am confident we can implement a comprehensive plan to protect those affected.

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Our community demands answers and results, not more excuses. President Trump and Vice President Vance must step up and get East Palestine back on track and set a precedent for how the federal government should support an American community.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
In a new video produced by the White House, the Trump administration blasted Selena Gomez for posting an Instagram video in which she filmed herself crying over deportations of undocumented immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Gomez deleted the original post within hours, after drawing criticism from conservative figureheads. Apparently its not ok to show empathy for people, she wrote in a follow-up post. But footage of Gomez crying continues to circulate online. The official White House post, titled Moms of Victims of Illegal Aliens SLAM Selena Gomez: You Didnt Cry for Our Daughters, was published Friday. It includes pieces of Gomezs original video, edited alongside reaction interviews with three women whose children were allegedly killed by undocumented people.

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I just wanted to say that Im so sorry, Gomez said in her Instagram Story video on Monday. 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.

Seeing that video, its actually hard to believe that its genuine and real, because shes an actress, Alexis Nungaray says in the video. Tammy Nobles adds later, I am so happy that Trump won. Im so glad that this is one of the first bills to help with immigration. (The bill itself is not named in the video.)

I just feel like its a ruse to deceive people and to garner sympathy for lawlessness, Patty Morin says in the video.

Gomezs reps were not immediately available for comment.

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In the weeks since President Trump has taken office, he has emphasized his campaign promise of targeting undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with mass deportations. On Tuesday, he signed into law the Laken Riley Act, designed to institute stricter penalties on undocumented immigrants who commit crimes in the U.S. He has also ordered a detention facility in Guantanamo Bay to house migrants that have been detained.

A Texas Department of Public Safety study last year founded that undocumented immigrants accounted for the lowest felony crime and violent felony crime rates compared to other groups.

Gomez, who is Mexican American, has been a vocal supporter of immigrant rights for several years. Speaking with Variety in October during the L.A. premiere of her Oscar-nominated musical Emilia Perez, Gomez said that she definitely wants to stand by my people. The actors comments came when asked to respond to comedian Tony Hinchcliffes racist remarks against Puerto Rico at a Trump rally in New York.

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To win transportation funding under the new Donald Trump administration, the MTA will have to cooperate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, cant enforce mask or vaccine requirements  and had better hope New Yorkers start tying the knot and making babies.

The unusual guidelines for federal transportation funding are part of an order signed earlier this week by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy  an ex-reality-TV star and two-term Wisconsin congressman  one day after his confirmation.

To the extent practicable, relevant, appropriate and consistent with law, the order reads, DOT is to adjudicate funding decisions to prioritize mitigating family specific difficulties, and give preference to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.

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Agencies that get federal dollars for transportation projects are also now forbidden from instituting any for of mask or vaccine mandate.

The order also stipulates that recipients of federal DOT funding will be required to comply with federal immigration enforcement, as well as any other goals and objectives specified by Trump.

The order, signed Wednesday, is supposed to strengthen American families by focusing on real, measurable benefits rather than ideological considerations, according to a press release from the USDOT, which paired the order with another aimed at Woke Rescission  the elimination of all climate change, diversity and environmental justice initiatives at the department.

Asked about the order at an unrelated press gaggle Friday, MTA chairman Janno Lieber said he hadnt seen it.

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Historically, DOT has established core, transportation-related criteria [for funding], and those have been successful, he told reporters. We hope and expect that those will continue to be basis for how money and grants are distributed.

Asked if the MTA would cooperate with ICE agents as a requirement for funding, Lieber said his agency would follow the law.

If there are folks who are sought for criminal activity, who are suspects or charged with criminal with criminal activity, were absolutely going to going to cooperate [with immigration agents,] Lieber said. Otherwise, were going to follow the lead of the state in how to handle any other situation.

It remained unclear on Friday how Duffys order would be implemented, and how any of the prioritization of communities by marriage rates or birth rates could be construed as practicable, relevant, appropriate and consistent with law.

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A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who served as Majority Leader until this month  and who has built a reputation for directing federal funding toward New York City transportation projects  said the Democratic leader was confident that the Empire States transit network would continue to be funded.

Senator Schumer has a long track record of delivering for NY transit projects like Second Ave. Subway, Gateway, funding the MTA and so much more  no matter who is in the White House, Angelo Roefaro, Schumers press secretary, told the Daily News. Hell continue to fight for New York transit and projects, and hell continue to deliver.

Federal transportation grants are a key source of funding for many regional expansion projects.

The feds have committed $3.4 billion towards the $7.7 billion phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway, and subsequent expansions of the line are expected to be similarly reliant on DOT funding. The Interborough Express light-rail project connecting Brooklyn to Queens  a $5.5 billion project  is expected to rely on some $3 billion in federal funds.

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A new rail tunnel under the Hudson River  the crown jewel of the Gateway project meant to improve and expand rail access between New York and New Jersey  is reliant on $6.9 Billion in federal funds. The new tracks, bridges and infrastructure required to take advantage of the new tunnel  a laundry list of upgrades to the lines crossing the northern New Jersey swamplands  is expected to need significant federal investments as well.

And its not just trains. The citys DOT is seeking federal DOT grants toward its efforts to repair and re-design of the BQEs triple cantilever roadway in Downtown Brooklyn.

In the past year, smaller federal grants have gone towards projects like the Penn Station re-design and aging city bridges.
Jan. 31In a press briefing Thursday, President Donald Trump insinuated the Federal Aviation Administration's diversity efforts were to blame for Wednesday's catastrophic plane crash that likely killed more than 60 people near Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport.

When asked by a reporter how he made that determination, Trump admitted a thorough investigation needed to be conducted, before responding with "I have common sense."

The circumstances of how a military Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers on board collided with a commercial jet carrying 64 people are still unknown. Search and rescue teams were still pulling bodies from the icy waters of the Potomac River as Trump made his comments.

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The president's critical remarks of the agency's efforts to diversify its workforce were the latest in his ongoing bid to end diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility efforts. It follows months of campaign trail promises to dismantle such programs within the federal government as well as a slate of executive orders issued during his first 10 days in office that made good on those promises.

In his "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing" order, Trump placed all federal employees working in DEI offices on leave to eventually be laid off. He's also rescinded a longstanding order establishing an equal opportunity policy for federal contractors put in place by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965, established a federal policy recognizing only two genders and tapped a vocal critic of efforts in the private sector, Andrea Lucas, to lead the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

On Tuesday, chaos erupted throughout the country as local and state governments, public schools and a litany of organizations had their federal funding frozen by an executive order that sought to require those recipients to adhere to Trump's stated goals of dismantling DEI efforts, climate change policies, removing protections for transgender Americans and increasing fossil fuel production.

While tailored to the federal government, the new administration's actions and rhetoric targeting diversity, equity and inclusion are intended to have a sweeping effect on institutions throughout the country.

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That's cause for concern for some local advocates, business owners and educators, who say the attacks could undo decades of work to advance women, people of color and other marginalized communities.

Former Spokane NAACP President James Wilburn said he believes Trump's actions and remarks are tailored to those he hopes to serve while in power: white American men. The new administration is clear about wanting to cut people of color "from the workforce, from the government, from everything, really," he said.

"What he's trying to do is go back to before the 14th Amendment, when African Americans were not citizens of this country, but slaves," Wilburn said. " 'Make America Great Again,' and by 'again,' he means when we didn't have the rights that we have now."

Wilburn, former mayor of Sunset, Arkansas, said diversity in the government is particularly important, noting that it goes well beyond just race and ethnicity. Diversity means including people from a wide range of backgrounds, with differences in age, social class, gender, sexual orientation, military service, religious views or physical ability.

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Having a community's diversity of backgrounds and perspectives reflected in a government ensures constituents are served adequately, Wilburn said.

"You got to be able to address both young and old, rich and poor, Black and white, male and female," Wilburn said. "You got to be able to address them all from where they are, not them coming to you from where you are."

Many of the DEI efforts in the crosshairs now sprung from the country's racial reckoning spurred by the 2020 protests over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.

Companies and the former administration publicly embraced the calls for social justice, rolling out recruiting and retention efforts to diversify the workforce, examining internal processes for things like promotions in the name of equity and forming inclusive workplaces so employees felt valued and welcome.

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But both the public and private sector have long implemented what could be considered DEI initiatives, said Pui-Yan Lam, a professor of sociology and justice at Eastern Washington University.

For example, maternity leave is an effort to provide equal opportunity to women to succeed in the workplace. Trainings on sexual harassment ensure a workplace is safe and inclusive . And posting job listings across multiple platforms, rather than handing a position to a friend or associate, can ensure talent from marginalized communities is not overlooked. The same is true for internships designed for veterans and high school students.

"DEI programs are very, very broad," Lam said.

A lot of DEI work is about establishing procedures and processes that remove subjectivity and biases from the equation in recruiting, retaining or promoting employees, Lam said.

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"We are only human, and a lot of times, DEI practices are giving us tools so that we can ask and make decisions in a more thoughtful way," Lam said.

Michelle Hege, CEO of the Spokane-based marketing and public relations firm DH, said her company, also known as Desautel Hege, is one of many inspired by the protests to do more internally toward diversity, equity and inclusion.

"We've always had values in this area, but after the murder of George Floyd, we really asked ourselves, 'What more can we do, and what are our goals in this area?' " Hege said.

She said the concerns around DEI efforts are often misplaced. The assertion that it leads to unqualified individuals receiving jobs due to some aspect of their identity is simply not accurate, she said, as most businesses want to recruit the best.

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"They're looking for top talent to move their organizations forward, and they want to create cultures of belonging, where all employees feel appreciated, valued and seen in the workplace," Hege said.

"To me, DEI programs are a core piece of that," she added. "It's ensuring that you are proactively looking for and nurturing talent that helps you represent your client base, and in our business, the audiences you're seeking to reach."

The Trump administration has said their actions are intended to return the country to a "meritocracy," which Hege said is based on a false precedent that America was ever rooted in merit-based success. She pointed to those who made their wealth through slavery, how women did not have the right to vote until 1920 and the historic redlining of neighborhoods that kept people of certain races and faiths out of many upper and middle class neighborhoods as just a few examples.

Hege said DEI efforts attempt to make up for those historic wrongs that continue to set back communities to this day. At the end of the day, most Americans want those who live here to have the opportunity to succeed, and work needs to be done to make that a reality, she added.

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"We've had systems that have actively discriminated against all kinds of different groups, Native Americans, Black Americans, women, people with disabilities," Hege said. "So I think part of what people are trying to do now is to remove the barriers that have existed and create better equity."

Lam said she expects many people to be surprised by how they'll be directly affected by the end of DEI programs.

"That is unfortunate, because they have been misguided," Lam said. "They have been told that this is how DEI works when it isn't. So I think some people, again, they might not recognize they have benefited from it."

The acronym, and the three words it compiles, has become a political dog whistle, Lam said.

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She posited that attacks against DEI programs are in the same vein of past attacks against affirmative action and critical race theory, which are intended to "misinform the general public, incite racial hatred and to trigger people's racism and racial biases."

"It is not a good faith effort to examine what DEI programs are really about and to systematically assess if they'll be effective or not," Lam said. "It is a strategy to racialize what DEI programs are about, even though most people have worked in a place with DEI programs, they should know that DEI programs usually are about different types of diversity and not just racial diversity."

Spokane activist Kitara Johnson, who owns and operates a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging consulting agency, said the current landscape provides an opportunity for those in the space to refocus their efforts.

Johnson said the DEI acronym has become a lightning rod as much of the focus has been put on diversity in relation to race, but the attention now should be put on the latter two elements.

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"I think that's going to be the new focus: employee experience and engagement and organizational culture and inclusive organizational culture," Johnson said. "Because if you think about it, if you focus on inclusion, you're intentionally thinking about every population of employee or personnel that is in your organization. You can't help but get to equity because you're beginning with the end in mind."

Johnson said she doesn't feel surprised about the lack of public understanding of what DEI efforts actually are, or the rhetoric surrounding it spewed by those who feel passed over in the process.

Some of the corporate initiatives were poorly rolled out, were led by individuals lacking relevant organizational management or human resource experience and did not provide a chance for everyone to participate and understand the efforts, she said.

People want to do good work, and do right by their coworkers and neighbors, Johnson said. They fall short when they feel they are being overlooked, cut out or are provided little guidance on new initiatives or goals.

"A lot of times in the past, people will focus so much on teaching history that they never get a chance to actually talk about the practical things that you need to do in order to make it a reality," Johnson said. "Because of that, people have the idea it was a history workshop when history should be used as context, not content."

Lam said that for decades, academics have not been shy about exploring how DEI programs work, what they've accomplished and related failures. But with the politicization of the topic, the country has been unable to have any good faith discussions about the efforts' effectiveness, how they could be improved and where they are falling short.

"For me, the difficulty is people are not having a discussion on what the programs really are, and they're just reacting to the dog whistling from the Trump administration and from other right-wing commentators," Lam said. "That is not a real, objective evaluation."

Lam worries that the unfounded attacks against the principles by those in power may also have the effect of censoring those exercising their freedom of expression, speech and education down the road.

Trump's definition of the concepts and his orders on how to dismantle them are vague, broad and based in subjective and arbitrary measures, she said, and it's unclear just how widespread the attacks will become. Schools could be threatened to have their curriculum fall in line with the administration in order to receive funding, for example.

"As a college professor, I value my academic freedom," Lam said. "For me to teach well, I need to be able to encourage conversation with my students. This is what education is about: we welcome discussion, debate, disagreement, and I always encourage students to think about what I teach."

Michele Storms, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, said there's a lack of clarity on what the orders mean, how they should be interpreted outside the federal government and what may be coming around the corner, particularly for the innumerable companies, schools and nonprofits that rely on federal dollars.

"This pressure to abandon what are basically perfectly legal initiatives, doesn't change anti-discrimination law and it doesn't remove obligations to provide equal opportunities," Storms said. "However, institutions are going to feel that pressure."

Amid all the uncertainty, Storms said it's important for people and organizations to understand federal and state civil rights and anti-discrimination laws still stand.

"I would hope that people will not let fear rule," Storms said. "It's super frustrating to be in this time of uncertainty, but the federal and state laws remain clear. Discrimination is illegal. People deserve a fair shot, and that's how we should live. In the face of uncertainty, let's promote justice, let's promote equity."

Wilburn, Hege, Lam and Johnson all shared a similar sentiment: The work to improve workplaces, governments and broader society will continue, regardless of the administration.

"At the end of the day, you cannot erase diversity," Johnson said. "You can't erase inclusive practices, and you can't erase taking care of your people. You wouldn't have an organization without people."

"Keep the faith," Wilburn advised. "Don't give up, don't give in, don't give out, hang on in there. A change is gonna come, and when it does, be prepared."
The Trump administration responded on Friday to a lawsuit filed on behalf of five pregnant women who challenged his executive order to end birthright citizenship.

The case, filed in Maryland federal court in January, challenges President Donald Trumps order, Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship, that seeks to make it so that children born in the United States to parents who are undocumented immigrants or who are in the country on a temporary legal basis will not automatically be United States citizens.

In an opposition motion filed against the women on Friday, the Department of Justice characterized the order as common sense.

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Monica, a Venezuelan-born medical doctor now living in South Carolina under temporary protected status, is one of the five represented in the case. She is due in August, and stated in her declaration to the court that she is frightened for her child because she cannot return to her country for citizenship.

President Donald Trump signing an executive order on deregulation in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday, Jan 31, 2025. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

There is no Venezuelan Consulate in the United States where I could

even apply for Venezuelan citizenship for my baby, and we would have to travel outside of the U.S. in order to obtain a Venezuelan passport for our child, Monica wrote in her declaration.

I was very shocked, Monica told The Guardian. This is a right that is in the constitution of this country  so you cannot imagine that they would take it away just because.

The complaint, filed by immigrant advocacy groups Casa, Inc. and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, called the executive order, a flagrant violation of the Citizenship Clause in 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The Citizenship Clause states that all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

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According to the logic of Trumps order, the children of undocumented immigrants are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and thus the 14th Amendment does not apply to them.

Monica, along with the four other women represented in the case, stated in their declaration they are afraid to use their full names in the litigation out of fear of retaliation from the government, which for some may include deportation.

The advocacy groups also filed a temporary restraining order blocking the policy from going into effect, arguing that it would cause irreparable harm. The restraining order cites a previous legal case, calling the executive order a form of punishment more primitive than torture, by making a baby born in the U.S stateless.

One of the women, Liza, stated in her sworn declaration that she fears returning back to her home country of Russia out of fear of persecution, and thus wouldnt be able to secure a Russian passport for her child.

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When I heard that President Trump signed an Executive Order that would deny my child United States citizenship, my world fell apart, she said.

Federal district court Judge John Coughenour of Washington state temporarily blocked Trumps executive order last week in a separate filing, calling it blatantly unconstitutional.

I have been on the bench for over four decades, Coughenour reportedly said. I cant remember another case where the question presented was as clear.

In the opposition motion filed Friday, the Justice Department defended the executive order, arguing the Constitution does not entitle the children of those who have circumvented (or outright defied) federal immigration laws to citizenship.

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The filing characterized claims that the executive order is illegal as dramatic assertions. It quoted Trumps claims that immigrants in the U.S unlawfully are a threat to national security, and argued that the situation warrants a full panoply of immigration measures, including the executive order.

The motion also echoed the executive orders interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The DOJ wrote that a person under the jurisdiction of the U.S. must have a direct and immediate allegiance, which would not apply to foreigners admitted temporarily or individuals here illegally.

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A highly visible ICE raid in Bakersfield, California earlier this month ruffled local immigrant communities and caused some farm workers to stay home in the fourth most productive agricultural county in the U.S. While nearly all undocumented workers went back to work within days, barring those who faced detainment or deportation, the highly-visible targeting of an agricultural powerhouse sent ripples through the nation.

President Donald Trumps promise to deport millions of undocumented Americans would not only rip apart families, but target the population largely responsible for growing the nations food. Though Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, called food supply issues stemming from mass removals a hypothetical during her confirmation hearing, supply chain experts say the impacts are a certainty if mass deportations proceed.

Carolyn Dimitri, a professor at New York University and food policy economist, says farm workers without documented status are the backbone of the industry.

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Our food system is so heavily dependent upon undocumented workers that there's no way that this [mass removals] cannot have an impact on farm profits and the flow of product to the market, Dimitri told Salon.



Beyond the half of farm workers estimated to be undocumented, hundreds of thousands more round out other roles within the food supply chain: meat and poultry packing, processing and other labor-intensive, difficult-to-automate jobs. In a tight labor market  with unemployment hovering at around 4%  filling the millions of positions could be next to impossible.

Dimitri says potential staffing shortages could trigger the kinds of price jumps and supply shocks that Americans witnessed during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

If it's a high production state, like California, for example, and the farm workers stopped going, then I think that that would be a pretty quick impact, Dimitri said, adding that prices could surge in mere weeks or months if undocumented people either stayed home or faced removal.

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David Ortega, an agricultural economist and researcher of food supply chains at Michigan State University, says the chaos of mass deportations could play a role in surging food costs, too.

After years of grocery price pressure, we really need a period of stability. And the issue here is that some of the proposals, the proposed policies of the Trump administration are creating a lot more uncertainty for the food industry, which just leads to increased costs in operations. Farmers are sort of scrambling to obtain to have a reliable workforce in place for their operations, Ortega said.

But major farm owners understand the undocumented labor population is essential, and theyre making contingencies for mass deportations by looking for ways to keep non-U.S.-born laborers inside the country.

Undocumented workers arent going to be replaced by American-born laborers, or even automation any time soon, experts told Salon.

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These are individuals that perform essential, very labor-intensive activities like planting and harvesting, Ortega told Salon. They are filling very critical roles that maybe US or workers are either unwilling or unable to perform.

United Farm Workers Director of Communications Antonio De Loera-Brust told Salon that undocumented farm workers, despite a moment of fear and uncertainty, are forced to go back to work despite initial reports they were staying home.

I don't see a very easy solution to this by looking at the domestic workforce, Ortega said. Farm owners need immigrant workers, who account for over 70% of the agriculture labor force.

President Trumps plans for mass removals, coupled with impending tariffs on Mexico, Canada and other American trading partners and the rapid spread of bird flu, could send grocery prices spiraling, but its more likely that farm owners lean on an even less protected class of workers.

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Experts told Politico earlier this month that they expect the Trump administration to solve its deportation-fueled labor crisis by expanding the existing H-2 visa program and bring in temporary foreign-born workers who are more vulnerable to abuse than many of the undocumented workers.

Instead of advocating against mass deportations, farm owners are going to Congress and asking for more H-2A workers and to pay them less they want to replace one kind of cheap, vulnerable, undocumented labor force with an even cheaper, even more vulnerable, excluded-from-citizenship workforce, De Loera-Brust told Salon.

H2-A visa holders may be spared from the looming threat of deportation, but they have even fewer rights than undocumented workers to address hostile working conditions. First, as De Loera-Brust puts it, they are owned by their visa. Since a particular farm sponsors workers, they cant freely move between employers.

Secondly, since a federal judge shut down a Biden-era rule giving H2-A workers more legal organizing rights last year, its even more of a challenge for H2-A holders to fight the rampant wage theft, harassment, and brutal conditions that plague farm work.
Bryan Arteaga, right, his wife Gabriela Ortega and their son are stranded in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The Venezuelans had an appointment scheduled with U.S. immigration officials for Jan. 21, the day after President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. The new administration canceled all asylum interviews. Angela Kocherga/KTEP News A statue of Pope Francis overlooks a shelter in Ciudad Juarez set up for a possible wave of returning Mexican nationals. The Trump administration has threatened mass deportations. The pope held a mass at this location in 2016. Angela Kocherga/KTEP News Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been conducting targeted raids around the country to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants. Alex Brandon/Associated Press

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico  Facing threats of mass deportations and steep tariffs, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has pursued a four-part strategy for dealing with the Trump administration: stay calm, emphasize cooperation over confrontation, resist undue pressure and focus on Trumps actions rather than his words.

So far, the approach appears to be working.

About this story This article is published in partnership with Puente News Collaborative, a bilingual nonprofit newsroom, convener and funder dedicated to coverage of the U.S.-Mexico border. Alfredo Corchado, the collaboratives executive editor, is a former Mexico correspondent for the Dallas Morning News and the author of Midnight in Mexico and Homelands.

"Sheinbaum is right: We will need a cool head to deal with Trump," political analyst Carlos Elizondo wrote recently in Reforma, a leading Mexican newspaper.

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Sheinbaum's measured response may explain why Mexicos financial markets have remained relatively stable, even as U.S.-imposed tariffs on Mexican exports have moved closer to becoming a reality.

The Trump administration said Friday that 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada would kick in Saturday, although there were reports that negotiators for the three countries were seeking a compromise to postpone the duties.

Sheinbaum, Mexicos first female president, has sought to stave off the most drastic of Trumps threatened actions by ramping up migrant detentions within Mexico and cracking down on fentanyl production and trafficking.

At the same time, she has signaled that Mexico will not take U.S. trade sanctions lying down: We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C to what the U.S. government decides.

A trained physicist and climate scientist, Sheinbaum, 62, has methodically analyzed Trumps tough rhetoric on immigration and trade. She has pointed out that some of his policies likely will prove less damaging than initially feared, and that others, such as his declaration of an emergency at the border, are reruns of things he did during his first term.

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Her mantra: "What matters is analyzing what he signs, more than what he says.

Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's first female president, is trying to avoid a confrontation with U.S. President Donald Trump, but she is also preparing for one. Matias Delacroix/Associated Press

'Avoid a collision'

No country has more at stake than Mexico during the second Trump administration. Eighty percent of Mexicos exports go to its northern neighbor. Of an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, nearly 4 million are Mexicans.

The number of migrants deported from the U.S. to Mexico since Trump began his second term on Jan. 20 has been underwhelming  about 6,200 so far, according to estimates by Mexican officials.

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Still, Mexico is preparing. Sprawling tent camps have been erected at "reception centers" in Mexican border cities.

"Its not easy living next to an erratic neighbor," said Jorge Villarreal, a worker who was helping to set up a 1,500-bed shelter in Ciudad Juarez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso. "We have to be ready for whatever Trump decides to do. This is the least we can do for our compatriots."

Sheinbaum has been calmly resolute in the face of Trumps promises to punish Mexico for undocumented immigration to the U.S. and for the cross-border trade in fentanyl and other drugs controlled by Mexican cartels.

We have an open dialogue with the U.S. government, Sheinbaum said Friday morning during her daily news briefing. So we will always keep the dialogue. Its fundamental in the Mexico-U.S. relationship.

To highlight how tariffs could backfire on Trump, Mexicos economy minister, Marcelo Ebrard, presented a list Friday of consumer products exported to the U.S. from Mexico  many of which would likely see price increases.

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Mexico is the leading exporter of finished goods to the U.S., including cars, computers, televisions, and refrigerators, Ebrard said. Forty million American families buy computers from Mexico. They will have to pay more.

Arturo Rocha, a former senior migration advisor Sheinbaums predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, applauded Sheinbaums restraint.

Mexicos goal, as it was during the first Trump administration, must be to avoid a collision, avoid a commercial trade war, which would have led to terrible consequences for both countries, Rocha said in an interview.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers enter an apartment in Maryland, looking for an immigrant targeted for deportation. Alex Brandon/Associated Press

'Clients are freaking out'

Along the border, worries abound among businesses dependent on Mexican trade and customers.

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We just hear the same news that everyone else is hearing, said Robin Cowen, a Brownsville customs broker whose company does business across South Texas. So, you know, obviously, our clients are freaking out because 25% is a lot.

We dont know how real it is, she added. "Trump is trying to use it as leverage for certain goals, some of which are valid, like the fentanyl crisis. But we dont want it to do more harm than good.

The border economy, which relies heavily on Mexican trade and labor, could suffer mightily if Trumps threats become reality. U.S. supermarkets teem with Mexican products, from beer to avocados, whose price would rise in a trade war.

There's a lot of talk about ICE raids and deportations, said Mark Hanna, a commercial real estate broker in McAllen, referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He said the uncertainty prompted a potential client to cancel plans to open a retail store in the city. Obviously, in South Texas, our workforce is very multinational.

Mexican officials remain confident they can handle an influx of deported migrants. Reception shelters, for now, remain eerily quiet.

"Fortunately, were not seeing any chaos," said Enrique Valenzuela, former director of the state agency that runs Ciudad Juarezs migrant assistance center. "At this time, things appear to be under control."

The early days of Trumps immigration crackdown have featured more than a touch of theater. News crews were invited to witness shackled and handcuffed migrants picked up off the streets of American cities. In Chicago, reality TV star Phil McGraw, better known as "Dr. Phil," accompanied Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, and federal agents on an operation to arrest undocumented immigrants.

Some of those arrested in ICE raids were loaded onto U.S. military aircraft and shipped home to Central and South America, from locations that included Fort Bliss in El Paso.

At Fort Bliss on Thursday, a U.S. Border Patrol spokesman said those on board the repatriation flights included "eight family units" with children. A Border Patrol agent said that while it took the migrants months to reach the border, the planes would fly them home in just a few hours.

The Trump administration's border czar, Tom Homan, says anyone living in the U.S. without legal status is subject to arrest and deportation. "If you're in the country illegally, you got a problem," he said. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administra/TNS

Colombian President Gustavo Petro recently to accept two U.S. military planes carrying deportees in shackles. That prompted Trump to threaten mass trade sanctions. Defusing the threat, Petro sent two Colombian air force planes to U.S. airports, including one in El Paso, to pick-up Colombian nationals.

Critics including U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, questioned the expense and rationale for using military aircraft. She said the commercial charters ICE has long used for deportation flights hold more passengers than the C-17 transports employed by the Trump administration.

The charters carry up to 130 passengers, whereas the military aircraft flew out with 80 people on board, Escobar said. "Those C-17s are meant for cargo. They're meant for big tanks," she said.

To mitigate the strain on its own resources and appease Washington, Mexican authorities have stepped up efforts to break up migrant caravans crossing the country on their way to the U.S. border.

Those measures have had an impact. Migrant apprehensions along the border have dropped 52% since Trump took office, according to a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection.

'Our hope is gone'

The tent facilities Mexico is building will give deportees food, medical care and assistance obtaining identity documents. They each will receive a debit card worth $100 to help cover transportation costs back to their hometowns. Mexican businesses have pledged to make 50,000 jobs available for repatriated Mexicans.

In Ciudad Juarez, workers brought in 1,500 mattresses, still wrapped in plastic, and hundreds of pink-and-blue portable toilets for a massive reception center. The tents were sandwiched between a 13-foot-tall statue of Pope Francis and a leftover Christmas billboard featuring the Grinch.

Heartbreak prevailed among those marooned in the border city, including Bryan Arteaga, 22, his wife Gabriela Ortega, 19, and their toddler son.

They began their arduous journey to the U.S. 18 months ago in their native Venezuela. They crossed into Mexico early last year and spent months in Mexico City before heading north for an asylum hearing with U.S. immigration officers. It was scheduled for Jan. 21, the day after Trump's inauguration.

The new administration immediately canceled all asylum appointments and shut down CPB One, the app migrants had been required to use to schedule their interviews.

Arteaga and his wife got the news when they arrived in Ciudad Juarez. They were devastated.

The couple now hawk candy at a busy intersection, struggling to earn enough to pay for essentials.

"You can no longer ask for an appointment," Arteaga said. "We cant do anything, not even work. Our hope is gone, and we're screwed here."
Zelenskyy claimed that Russia dropped an aerial bomb on a boarding school while the civilians were still preparing to evacuate.

"This is how Russia wages war--Sudzha, Kursk region, Russian territory, a boarding school with civilians preparing to evacuate. A Russian aerial bomb. They destroyed the building even though dozens of civilians were there." Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on Saturday (local time).

"This is how Russia waged war against Chechnya decades ago. They killed Syrians the same way. Russian bombs destroy Ukrainian homes the same way. And even against their own civilians, the Russian army uses similar tactics," he added.

https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1885779119180238928

According to CNN, Ukraine has made advancements in Kursk, as stated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a DC-based think tank, on January 26. On the other hand, the Russian Military said that it had recaptured the region.

On Saturday, Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles on Ukraine killing at least 12 people, Al Jazeera reported.

Ukraine's air force claimed that it shot down 56 drones and redirected 61.

Ukraine's Emergency Services said a missile struck a residential building in the central city of Poltava killed eight people, including a child, and injured 17.

On Friday, A Ukrainian Military official informed that North Korean forces have "probably" withdrawn from the frontlines in Russia's Kursk region after suffering heavy losses, CNN reported.

Colonel Oleksandr, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Special Operations Forces, told CNN that North Korean troops have not been seen on the battlefront for the past three weeks.

"The presence of DPRK troops has not been observed for about three weeks, and they were probably forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses," Oleksandr Kindratenko, told CNN. (ANI)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, in an unprecedented move, announced late on Friday it would remove four media organizations including the New York Times from their dedicated office spaces in the Pentagon, citing a desire to make room for others.

The memo on a "New Annual Media Rotation Program" said it would also remove National Public Radio, Comcast Corp-owned NBC News and Politico, which must vacate their spaces by Feb. 14. In their place, it would give dedicated office space to the New York Post, One America News Network, Breitbart News Network and HuffPost News.

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Each year going forward, one outlet from print, online, television and radio will rotate out of the Pentagon "to allow a new outlet from the same medium that has not had the unique opportunity to report as a resident member of the Pentagon Press Corps," the memo said.

"Were disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that weve used for many decades," an NBC News spokesperson said by email. "Despite the significant obstacles this presents to our ability to gather and report news in the national public interest, we will continue to report with the same integrity and rigor NBC News always has."

The New York Times said it remained committed to covering the Pentagon "fully and fairly" despite the move.

"Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest," the Times said in a statement.

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NPR called on the Defense Department to expand office space available so that all media outlets covering the Pentagon receive equal access.

"This decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership," it said.

Politico's Senior Managing Editor Anita Kumar, in a note to staff, said the organization was troubled by the decision.

"Our sole aim is to protect our ability -- and the ability of serious competitors -- to do rigorous reporting and follow stories where they lead," Kumar wrote.

More than two dozen news organizations operate out of the Pentagon, including Reuters, reporting on the daily activities of the U.S. military.

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"To be clear, the outlets that vacate the spaces loaned them by the Secretary (of Defense) will remain full members of the Pentagon Press Corps," said John Ullyot, acting assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs.

"The only change will be giving up their physical work spaces in the building to allow new outlets to have their turn to become resident members of the Pentagon Press Corps."

The Pentagon Press Association, which represents journalists who cover the Defense Department, said it was "greatly troubled by this unprecedented move by DOD to single out highly professional media."

Reuters correspondent Phil Stewart is a member of the association's four-member board of directors.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk, Lincoln Feast, William Mallard, Alistair Bell and Diane Craft)
General Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has stated that the US has a clear plan for the next steps to bring the conflict to an end.

Source: Kellogg in an interview with Fox News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kellogg emphasised that resolving the war between Russia and Ukraine is in the United States' national security interest, pointing out Moscow's growing alliance with Iran, North Korea and China.

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Quote: "This wasnt there before. Its now together. And theyve got either economic or peace treaty signed between both of them out there. Weve seen North Korean troops on the battlefield near Kursk in Russia itself, fighting Ukrainians," the general said.

Quote: "I think we have a good, solid plan to go forward, to start talking and working through there" Kellogg said.

Asked about potential actions the Trump administration might take regarding Russia and Ukraine, the appointed envoy declined to provide details, stating that it is"going to be up to the US president".

However, he did clarify that his team would work to ensure the US has "leverage" over both Russia and Ukraine.

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Quote: "I feel very, very confident that we can actually make something happen. President Trump will lead this effort, and the good thing about it  hes a great dealmaker, and hes very confident of what hes going to do, and I have a great confidence that we can pull this off," Kellogg stated.

Background:

Kellogg had previously stated that his goal is to find a resolution to the ongoing full-scale war within the first 100 days of the new president's inauguration.

He also announced plans to visit key locations to hear the perspectives of both sides involved in the conflict. It was reported that he was set to visit Kyiv in January, but the trip was postponed.

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As arrests of immigrants increase, the administration is scrambling to make sure it has the room to house its detainees and keep President Donald Trumps promise to deport them.

Trumps "border czar," Tom Homan, told NBC News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs 100,000 beds total, more than double what it has currently. Trump alluded to the need for more room when he ordered the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday to prepare 30,000 beds at Guantanamo Bay for who he said would be detainees posing the greatest threat to Americans safety.

An immigration detention room is used to hold people until they are deported, and it is really kind of a backbone of the mass deportation plan, said Jesse Franzblau, a senior policy analyst with the National Immigrant Justice Center.

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Thats why we see [ICE] floating numbers. They talk about doubling the space to hold people in these ICE jails, Franzblau said.

The Biden administration made an average of 282 immigration arrests per day in September 2024, the most recent ICE data available.

So far, using seven days of data, the Trump administrations daily average is 791.

Homan said his instructions to officers and agents were arrest as many as you can.

The Trump administration launched its mass deportations operation despite ICEs $230 million budget shortfall. The first bill Trump signed this term, the Laken Riley Act, requires ICE to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested or face charges or who have been convicted of burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting. But it didnt include new money to detain those additional immigrants, which DHS said in December it would need.

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As of January, ICE reported it had at least 106 facilities nationwide. Congress appropriated funding to detain an average of 41,500 people a day, at a cost of about $3.4 billion.

That was an increase over fiscal year 2023, when Congress provided funding to detain a daily average of 34,000 people, costing about $2.9 billion. The House is in the midst of trying to hammer out a budget bill that would include money for Trump and his immigration crackdown; congressional Republicans have put the price tag at about $100 billion.

The cost of each ICE detention bed is $57,378 per year, per bed, according to DHS data.

Daily detention numbers reached a height of 50,000 average daily population under the first Trump administration, but fell to about 20,000 when Covid hit.

A vast network

The thousands of immigrants taken into custody each year are often locked up in a vast network of facilities, some owned by the federal government and state or local governments but most contracted from private entities.

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The American Civil Liberties Union discovered through open government requests that the Biden administration was seeking to expand detention space nationwide.

The Trump administration has already begun to supplement the space its using.

DHS is using facilities at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, for processing immigrants with criminal charges or convictions who were arrested in ICE operations in the state. The military made the space available, possibly to be used for a previously planned operation in Aurora.

The Trump administration has instructed the Justice Department to investigate for potential prosecution state or local officials who resist enforcement of federal immigration laws.

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Some states, such as Illinois, have limited or ended immigration detention. New Jersey banned the building of new immigration detention centers, though private companies have sued to block that law. But other local and state governments have long had contracts with ICE for detention space.

Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand in Geauga County, Ohio, said his department has had a contract for 15 to 20 years with ICE to hold immigrant detainees. Hildenbrand said ICE brought in 20 people whod been arrested over the weekend, raising the detainee population to 58, but since then, ICE removed six people from the jail.

He said as far as he knew, none of those brought in were wanted on local warrants.

They called us and asked Do you have room for 20? and brought them in, Hildenbrand told NBC News.

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Hildenbrand said the immigrant population in the jail has generally been steady.

He said his facility has 182 beds and typically can take in as many as 60 to 70 immigrants, depending on how many other people are in the jail who are not ICE detainees. The county is paid $100 a day for each detainee.

The immigration detention system has been a continuous target of criticism from immigrant advocates and government watchdogs over conditions including lack of access to attorneys and substandard medical care as well as issues of cost and effectiveness.

The section of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility that Trump wants to use has been housing adults and families with young children interdicted at sea as theyve tried to flee to the U.S. It is separate from the military prison where the U.S. placed detainees after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

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The refugee families detained there have included people and children from Cuba who have tried to escape the Cuban government, according to the International Refugee Assistance Project, IRAP, which documented in a report the conditions and some of the experiences of adults and children held there.

In its report, IRAP said former clients, detained refugees and former staff described the building where they were incarcerated as dilapidated with mold and sewage problems. They reported that families with young children were housed with single adults. Those held are unable to have confidential phone calls with attorneys and are punished if they discuss being mistreated.

Many who are kept in the Guantanamo Bay facility must remain there until a third country agrees to accept them  even if they have family in the U.S.  and are kept for years, the report states. Some countries such as Cuba and Venezuela dont accept the return of their citizens deported from the U.S.

We have report on report on conditions in these detention facilities that dont provide basic health care, shackle women when pregnant, have not had protections for communicable diseases such as Covid, said Raha Wala, a vice president of the National Immigration Law Center.

We saw a movement to Guantanamo, Wala said about Trumps directive, which is the legal equivalent of a black hole.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Feb. 1John Gonzales said the price of a case of large avocados jumped $20 this week, the high end of what he said he and his grandfather, who owns The Fruit Basket ABQ, usually pay.

He wondered if this was a sign of things to come  and maybe stay  as the Trump administration prepares to impose a 25% tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff on China.

Trade experts across the state are closely monitoring what Trump's tariffs, which are set to be implemented this weekend, will mean for the state's economy. Businesses like Gonzales' are preparing to pay higher prices to their vendors and, just maybe, order less.

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The tariffs affect countries that account for more than a third of the goods and services imported or brought to the United States. In Mexico, produce, auto parts and electronics make their way across the border  sometimes at high rates.

The tariffs come in Trump's second week in office. His White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Friday the tariffs are in response to the "illegal fentanyl they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans," adding that these are "promises made and promises kept by the president."

'Nervous and worried'

Many companies operating in New Mexico also have operations, or "sister" plants, on the other side of the border, said Jerry Pacheco, president and CEO of the Border Industrial Association.

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The tariffs could potentially be applied to U.S. products sent back and forth to and from Mexico that are being assembled at different points, Pacheco said.

"Let's say a steel supplier cuts a triangular piece of steel, sends it to a Mexican factory, they punch holes in there for screws or bolts," Pacheco said. "That product then comes back to the United States and gets powder coated. That powder-coated product goes back to Mexico, and now it's assembled into a car or an appliance. ... That is very common."

Pacheco's organization represents about 80 companies in Santa Teresa, New Mexico's largest industrial base. The Santa Teresa Port of Entry, thanks to the businesses in the area, accounts for more than $27 billion worth of trade, Pacheco said, making the area the sixth- or seventh-largest port of entry in terms of volume along the U.S./Mexico border.

He said many companies in Santa Teresa are slowing down business in response to the tariffs.

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"These companies are extremely nervous and worried, to say the least, about what's going to happen," Pacheco said. "A lot of the companies I'm talking to are kind of postponing major expansions or hirings because of a wait-and-see attitude."

'Mapping out a strategy'

Trump's tariffs on Mexico and Canada are not new. He imposed tariffs during his first term, in 2018, on steel and aluminum coming out of those countries. That led Mexico to impose tariffs on around $3 billion worth of American pork, steel, cheese and other goods.

Trump's current tariffs could adversely affect exports to Mexico, said Ram Acharya, a professor with New Mexico State University's Department of Agricultural Economics and Economic Business.

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New Mexico was the 32nd-largest exporter of goods to Mexico and Canada in recent years, according to a fact sheet from the International Trade Administration. That largely includes electronics, metal products and oil and gas.

"In general, the impact of tariffs is that if we impose a 25% tariff on Mexico, they will find a way to impose tariffs on our products," Acharya said." Once they do that, our exports there would be expensive for Mexican consumers."

Over the past decade, New Mexico has seen an increase in the amount of dairy products it has sent to Mexico, Acharya said. Other products being sent en masse are baked goods, sugar and corn, he added, making Mexico the biggest export country for New Mexico products.

"It's substantially increased since 2014," Acharya said. "Maybe (dairy producers) will find domestic buyers and replace it. ... I'm sure businesses are mapping out a strategy to manage the situation."

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But businesses like Gonzales' The Fruit Basket ABQ and its vendors will have to wade through the tariffs, whatever they may be.

A vendor for The Fruit Basket ABQ, El Paso-based Quality Fruit & Vegetable Co., buys many products from Mexico distributors, including avocados, limes, peppers and tomatoes  which it then doles out to restaurants and stores across Albuquerque and El Paso.

The business is waiting to see how the tariffs will affect prices from their suppliers, who are spread across different Mexican cities. But if they do increase costs, Quality Fruit & Vegetable Co. will also have to pass those costs onto their customers, said Humberto Urena, a buyer with the company whose focus is on products coming out of Mexico.

That puts the company in a tough spot  having to pay more for products coming over the border but also waiting to see if their customers buy less frequently.

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"Normally (stores) order for the day 10 to 15 cases of avocados," said Urena. "They're going to order now seven or five; it all depends on the sales they have."

The Fruit Basket ABQ, outside of typical Mexican produce like limes, avocados and tomatoes, also sells dried goods from Mexico  about half of which come from across the border  such as crushed chiles and dried fruits.

He said last week, a case of about 48 avocados was $65. That increased to $85 this week.

"We already know what's coming," said Gonzales, the general manager of the North Valley grocery store. "We're going to have to scale down on our ordering. We're definitely going to have to raise prices, and that might, in return, lower sales.

"People might not buy as many avocados. They might hold off on the guacamole or putting limes in their beers."
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trumps nominee for director of national intelligence, faced sharp scrutiny during her confirmation hearing, with some senators remaining undecided on her nomination.

I understand how critical our national security is, Gabbard said.

However, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) pushed back.

You dont. Apparently, you dont, Bennet said.

He challenged Gabbard on her stance regarding Edward Snowden.

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Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America? That is not a hard question to answer when the stakes are this high, Bennet said.

Republicans also raised concerns, including Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) who questioned whether Snowdens actions harmed U.S. national security.

Was he a traitor at the time when he took Americas secrets, released them in public, and then ran to China and became a Russian citizen? Lankford asked.

Gabbard avoided taking a firm stance.

Senator, Im focused on the future and how we can prevent something like this from happening again, she responded.

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Some senators voiced doubts about her ability to lead the intelligence community.

Lives depend upon the decisions that are going to be made in the intelligence community, and she has not demonstrated that she is worthy of the trust of the American people, said Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

Meanwhile, Kash Patel appears to have strong Republican backing.

Hes going to be the director of the FBI, and I think hes going to be successful, said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) also expressed confidence in Patel.

Lets bring the FBI back to what its supposed to do, which is to fight violent crime and protect Americans. I think hes committed to doing that, and we sorely need that in that agency, Schmitt said.

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Gabbard and Patel, along with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., remain among the most contentious nominees the Senate must consider.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The attorney for the man accused of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur said his client was ambushed inside the jail.

Duane Keffe D Davis, 61, was charged Sunday with battery by a prisoner for an incident inside the Clark County Detention Center. Court documents give two dates for when it occurred  Dec. 23 and Jan. 24. Davis attorney, Carl Arnold, said Friday that the December date is correct.

Documents the 8 News Now Investigators first obtained Tuesday reveal Davis allegedly fought with another inmate where both [engaged] in mutual combat by grappling and throwing closed fist strikes. Davis allegedly grabbed the other inmate in a headlock. The second inmate, who is 53, is in custody on a murder charge, records said.

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The attack happened after Davis met with his attorney and a corrections officer escorted Davis back to his cell, Arnold said.

A different view of the fight as provided by attorney Carl Arnold. (KLAS)

Despite clear video evidence showing Mr. Davis was the victim in this situation, he is being unfairly charged in a case riddled with serious procedural concerns, Arnold said Friday. We will aggressively challenge these charges and demand full accountability for the security failures and the serious errors in the official record.

A still image from surveillance footage from the fight involving Duane Keffe D Davis. (LVMPD/KLAS)

The incident was not brought up by Arnold nor prosecutors during a hearing in mid-January.

In court Tuesday, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Harmony Letizia affirmed Davis $50,000 and ordered him to return to court on Feb. 11.

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Davis has remained in custody since his arrest in September 2023. He has publicly said he was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car, which pulled up side-by-side with Shakurs, before the September 1996 shooting near the Las Vegas Strip. Marion Suge Knight, the then-head of Death Row Records, was driving the car with Shakur sitting in the passenger seat. Knight was injured in the shooting. Shakur died from his injuries several days later.

Davis trial was scheduled to begin in March. The judge in the murder case scheduled a Feb. 11 hearing to determine if that date would stick.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  After battling flooding and other issues, Turner County has decided to tear down its aging courthouse.

Even though the courthouse stands out as the most identifiable landmark in the town of Parker, the decision to take it down was a pretty easy one.

Cash for school events bill stalls in House

For over 120 years, this courthouse built on a small hill on the south end of Main Street has been a prominent feature in Parker, but its going to be torn down.

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You hate to lose a historical building like this; thats never easy, Turner County Commission Chairman Jared Hybertson said.

Turner County Commission Chairman Jared Hybertson and Turner County States attorney Katelynn Hoffman say the courthouse has seen better days.

The first problem started with mold that was found in the building.

Then structural engineers found sagging ceiling fans from high humidity.

Numerous offices had to evacuate from the east side of the building due to trusses that had sunk more than a foot.

And water had leaked into the building through windows and the roof.

One thing we uncovered led to another thing, the foundation was shifting there were a lot of issues and we just felt it was unsafe and we had to make a decision, Hybertson said.

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I think a lot of the employees were uncomfortable and it got to a point where we couldnt hold court when the courtroom was full of shorings and you could definitely notice the deflection in the flooring, Hoffman said.

The courthouse has been the main attraction here in Parker for 124 years and even though its going to be torn down the residents here say they know its time.

Born and raised in Parker, so obviously this has been a pillar in Parker and Turner County for years and years, so its hard to see it go, but you know it got to a point where public safety became an issue, so I understand the direction we have to move, Hoffman said.

We put a lot of time and energy and thought into this, again its not what everybody wants to lose something like this but at the end of the day it was the right decision, Hybertson said.

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Hoffman says theyve been holding court proceedings in McCook County for the past year.

Turner County passed a $19 million bond to build a new courthouse in the same location that should take about a year and a half to complete.

The demolition crew arrives next week to begin tearing it down and KELOLAND News plans to be there when it happens.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Two people have been indicted in connection with the murder of a man in Kalihi.

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Honolulu police identified the suspects as Kaui Manners, 45, and Darryl Lee, 35.

3 suspects wanted in Kalihi attempted murder

Police say that Manners and Lee, along with Jordan Topinio, 35, approached two men in Kalihi on the night of December 27, 2024.

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Police say one of the suspects pointed a gun at one of the men.

HPD says the same suspect threw an unknown liquid on the other victim and set him on fire while he was asleep in a car.

Authorities say the suspects left the area in a silver vehicle.

The victim who was set on fire died of his injuries on January 21, 2025.

An Oahu grand jury indicted Manners and Lee for murder in the second degree and they were arrested.

Topinio, who was indicted for robbery in the first degree, has not been apprehended at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Authorities are accusing two men of killing a Norwood Park man found bound up with duct tape and an electrical cord in his home earlier this week.

Geiderwuin Bello Morales, 21, and Jefferson Ubilla-Delgado, 29, each face charges of felony murder and robbing a victim over the age of 60 in connection with the death of George Levin.

Levin, 63, was discovered in the basement of the home in the 7600 block of West Talcott Avenue he shared with his mother and older sister late Sunday night. Levins family declined to comment by way of a sign posted to their front door.

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Man found dead and bound with power cord, duct tape; police seek suspect

According to a police report, Levins sister encountered a man when she went downstairs to check on her brother Sunday evening and asked if her brother was OK. The man reportedly said that he would have Levin call his sister. His keys, wallet and phone were all missing when he was found, according to the report.

Bello Morales was arrested Jan. 12 and accused of beckoning a 13-year-old girl over to a car on the Far Northwest Side, records show. He was charged with simple assault and charging documents state he gestured towards (the girl) to come over to his vehicle.

A police report from that arrest lists Venezuela as Bello Morales place of birth, but did not list his immigration status. A search for previous Cook County court records under Ubilla-Delgados name did not return results.

Both suspects are residents of the same block in the Norwood Park neighborhood, according to police. They are scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing Saturday.
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Africa is on the verge of becoming two continents. | Credit: Illustration by Julia Wytrazek / Getty Images

Africa is dividing in two, and a new landmass and ocean may form sooner than expected. The change could alter the climate and ecosystem of the region, as well as the way humans live. In the geologic history of Earth, shifting plate tectonics are commonplace, and Africa's impending rift is but another chapter in that story.

The cracks are showing

The Earth's continents are far from constant. Plate tectonics have caused the landmasses to shift over time, and another shift is occurring in the 21st century.

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Scientists have known for the past two decades that Africa has been splitting . In 2005, Ethiopia experienced earthquakes that caused the appearance of a 35-mile-long fissure in the desert called the East African Rift. "It marked the start of a long process in which the African plate is splitting into two tectonic plates: the Somali plate and the Nubian plate," said Unilad . Then, in 2018, another crack appeared in Kenya along the rift.

The cracks are "associated with the East African Rift System (EARS)," which stretches "downward for thousands of kilometers through several countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique," said IFL Science . The rift has been widening over time, and along the system there have been varying levels of seismic activity, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Earth Science . But "in the human life scale, you won't be seeing many changes," Ken Macdonald, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said to Daily Mail . "You'll be feeling earthquakes, you'll be seeing volcanoes erupt, but you won't see the ocean intrude in our lifetimes."

Even with the long timelines, scientists suggest that the rift is happening quicker than previously thought. Original estimates put a complete split at tens of millions of years from now. "With the continent dividing at a rate of half an inch per year, those estimations have sped up," said Unilad. MacDonald puts the timeline at between one million and five million years.

A whole new world

The split will change the world's continental makeup. "Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and some parts of Ethiopia would form a new continent separated by the world's sixth ocean," said Metro . A change this drastic could have major implications for the region's biodiversity and ecosystem. Landlocked nations like Uganda and Zambia would gain coastlines, which could influence weather patterns and climate. "This transformation could affect biodiversity, water resources and agricultural practices, posing both challenges and opportunities for the inhabitants of East Africa," said HowStuffWorks . In addition, "the gradual separation might influence the continent's geopolitical landscape" and "create new opportunities for trade and communication."
Two people died in a wrong-way crash on I-43 in Milwaukee early Saturday, authorities said.

A man was driving south in the northbound lane of I-43/94 about 5 a.m. Saturday when he crashed into another car, said James Burnett, spokesman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.

The man and a woman, who was the front-seat passenger, were killed in the crash, and another female passenger in the backseat of the vehicle was seriously injured, Burnett said.

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The occupants of the car that was hit, an adult driver and a child passenger, experienced non-life-threatening injuries, Burnett said.

The vehicle had first entered the freeway using the Plankinton Avenue ramp, he said.

Burnett said a second vehicle also entered the freeway at Plankinton Avenue going the wrong way, but it was unclear if it was related to the first. Authorities are seeking to identify that vehicle and its driver, he said.

He said other information was not yet available and the incidents were under investigation.

The fatal crash closed I-43 northbound from the Lapham Street ramp to the 6th/Mineral Street ramp, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

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In an update sent shortly before 7 a.m., WisDOT indicated that the crash was expected to affect travel for about two more hours.

David Clarey is a public safety reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two dead after wrong-way crash on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee
Jan. 31A head-on accident on Russ Avenue on Wednesday evening left one Arden couple dead.

The accident occurred around 6:35 p.m. on the stretch of road between Shining Rock Classical Academy and the Haywood County Senior Resource Center.

A BMW SUV was heading north towards Dellwood City Road. The vehicle was traveling in the far-right lane, farthest from the center line.

Something caused the vehicle to veer across all five lanes of the busy highway, striking a Ford F-250 head-on. The pickup truck had also been in the outside lane of the oncoming traffic.

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"Both vehicles came to rest blocking all lanes of traffic," North Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Scerri said.

The BMW's driver, Valerie Pereski, 68, of Arden, and the passenger in that vehicle, William Cochrane, 76, Arden, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The two were married. Their dog, a 4-year-old Sheltie named Molly, was also killed in the accident.

The driver and passenger of the truck sustained injuries, but the injuries were not life-threatening.

Pereski and Cochrane had been staying at a family-owned cabin in Haywood County following Helene. The cabin had previously been owned by Pereski's father, who passed away a few months ago. The couple told family the weekend prior to the accident that they were planning on heading back to their home in Arden this week.

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David McAlexander, the couple's nephew-in-law, described Pereski as being "down with whatever was cool or fun."

"She was a very lively woman. She was always in the know on the latest and greatest, whether that be politics or technology," said McAlexander. "She was the cool aunt growing up, my wife said."

Cochrane had some neurological problems following a surgery and Pereski was taking care of him, McAlexander said.

"She was a wonderful lady in the years I knew her. She was always looking to help people," McAlexander said.

The couple had lived in Western North Carolina for 10 years. Pereski was drawn to the natural beauty of the area.

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"She was very into nature and flowers. She loved tulips. She collected the bulbs," McAlexander said.

The rest of Pereski's family lives in Georgia and Tennessee. The family was searching for information about the accident and found help from local Facebook groups.

"The community there has been excellent with helping provide us information on Facebook and reaching out to us to give us some information as to what happened," McAlexander said.

It's not clear what caused the BMW to cross five lanes of traffic prior to the accident. It's also unclear if speed was a factor.

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The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The road was closed for three hours while crews responded to the scene.

Scerri said that the area is not unfamiliar with accidents, but typically doesn't see accidents this serious.

"I've only been out here almost a year," Scerri said. "On that stretch of 276, we don't have too many accidents. That's the first fatal accident on that stretch of 276 since I've been here. There's little wrecks here and there, but nothing as serious this."
(NewsNation)  A total of 450 delegates will make their voices heard at the Democratic National Committees winter meeting, where votes will be counted for all leadership positions, including vice chair, secretary and treasurer.

Its the race for the overall leadership of the party thats grabbing the most headlines. The two front-runners for the chairs race are now Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Ben Wikler, chair of the Wisconsin Democrats.

Theres not much daylight between the two in terms of values and goals after Democrats lost the White House and Senate, and remain in the minority in the House. They both believe there needs to be a year-round campaign that reaches voters across all platforms and media. They want to prove to working Americans that the Democratic Party has their best interests in mind. And they agree that dark money in politics is bad for democracy.

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Both are also running on the strength of their relationships and their track records. However, Wiklers record of success in a purple state, including flipping 14 legislative seats from red to blue, is proving most convincing to his supporters, whereas Martin is leaning on his long-standing relationships as a current vice chair.

Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers union, has publicly endorsed Wikler and tells NewsNation that he really had a record in Wisconsin of connecting with working people, of organizing, of changing the face of the Democratic Party, to connect with the aspirations that working folks needed to be addressed.

Weingarten said it was that relationship to the working class that inspired six other major unions, including American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union to also choose Wikler. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Wikler Friday.

John Verdejo, a delegate from North Carolina, is supporting Martin, particularly after Martin visited the state and provided support for Democrats there.

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Verdejo believes that Martin understands the thinking of the rank and file DNC members in terms of the budget, infrastructure, and transparency theyre looking for.

In my strong opinion, [Martin] has already built some of those relationships that, once elected. are going to help him and a party move forward, he said.

On Friday, Martin received the endorsement of the U.S. Territories Alliance, representing 20 DNC members from all five U.S. territories  Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

While outwardly the two have remained cordial, a source who has spoken with several delegates confirmed that Martin has increased the pressure on delegates, going so far as to threaten their positions in the party if they dont support him.

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To win the race for chair, a candidate must receive 226 votes. If no one achieves that on the first ballot, the lowest vote getter will be dropped and another round of voting will ensue. Thatll continue until theres a winner.

Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, also running for chair, is counting on that. According to a source familiar with OMalleys campaign for chair, he has worked hard to have a strategy not just for the first ballot round, but also any rounds beyond that.

OMalley is hoping that after the first round, where people have committed their votes, Martin and Wiklers support may shift. OMalley hopes that resentments between the two factions will lead delegates to choose him instead.

The source believes OMalley is a prototype of a second choice option. Hes a strong fundraiser who has run a national organization. He was chair of the Democratic Governors Association from 2011 to 2013, and has a 100-day plan to start turning the DNC around.

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The Democratic drama will unfold throughout the day Saturday at the DNCs winter meeting.

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TEL AVIV, Israel (WSAV)  Hamas handed over Israeli hostages Yarden Bibas and Ofer Kalderon Saturday, with American Israeli Keith Siegel freed later in the latest stage of a truce aimed at ending the 15-month war in Gaza.

The Israeli military confirmed it had received Kalderon, a French Israeli dual national, and Bibas after the two were handed over to a Red Cross official in the Southern Gaza city of Kahn Younis.

Bibas is the father of the two youngest hostages, baby Kfir, only 9 months old when he was kidnapped by Hamas-led gunmen on October 7, 2023, and Ariel, who was 4 years old at the time of the cross-border attack.

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Hamas said in November 2023 that the boys and their mother Shiri, who was taken at the same time, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. There has been no word on them since.

Bibas hugged his father and sister for the first time after 484 days in Hamas captivity as he arrived at an Israeli Army facility.

Kalderon held his four children and his brother, reassuring them he was fine after he was released.

Kalderon was freed 484 days after he was kidnapped with two of his four children from their Southern Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz.

His two teenage children, Sahar, who was 16 years old at the time, and Erez, who was 12 years old, were released in the first deal between Israel and Hamas in late 2023.

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Kalderon arrived at Sheba Hospital in Central Israel in a helicopter and, upon meeting his children, he made them laugh when he told his older son Rotem that he escaped thanks to finding a better hiding spot during the Palestinian militants attack.

The initial six-week ceasefire, agreed with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States has so far stayed on track despite a number of incidents that have led both sides to accuse the other of violating the deal.

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MARION, Ohio (WCMH)  Marion City Police said two people were hospitalized early Saturday morning with gunshot wounds after an unknown incident.

Police said they received a call about a disturbance in the 400 block of Lynn Drive shortly before 2:30 a.m. Officers said the caller hung up before providing any more details, but minutes later, police received word that a shooting victim was being driven to a local hospital, and another victim was lying in Lynn Drive.

Police said they responded to the scene and found a 34-year-old man in the street with gunshot wounds. Police also located the other shooting victim at the hospital and identified him as a 19-year-old man. Police said both men were eventually transported to Columbus hospitals, and the condition of both men was unknown.

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Police did arrest and identify a suspect in custody. They said Devin Bonney, 22, of Marion was arrested and held on felonious assault charges. The investigation is ongoing.

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BOSTON (WWLP)  Two gang members in Massachusetts were sentenced to prison for their role in trafficking cocaine and racketeering.

In a news release from the Department of Justice in Boston, a two-year investigation into the violent Boston-area gang, Cameron Street, revealed 34-year-old James Rodrigues, and 31-year-old Devante Lopes as suspects involved in drug trafficking.

In Somerville, a stash house was being used to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and crack cocaine. Including controlled purchases by a cooperating witness from Rodrigues and other Cameron Street members. In April 2022 police seized 398 grams of cocaine along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone, and $14,986 from the stash house.

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Mass. ready to embrace by-right accessory dwellings

Court documents say that Lopes was a significant drug trafficker and routinely mailed large quantities of marijuana in exchange for packages containing between $40,000 to $50,000 in cash. Law enforcement intercepted one of the packages and found 2.6 kilograms (2,637 grams) of marijuana. A total of 24 packages of Lopes were tracked and it is estimated that Lopes received 56.6 kilograms of marijuana.

During a search of Lopes apartment, there were remote cameras inside each room as well as two hidden compartments. One of the hidden compartments was concealed inside a shelf and contained approximately $5,000 in cash, a box of ammunition, and foam cut-outs for a firearm. The second hidden compartment was found inside a mirror and contained a foam insert.

(Department of Justice) (Department of Justice) (Department of Justice)

Officers seized 800 grams of cocaine, digital scales, plastic bags, a bag of pink pills, a money counter, an empty Glock firearm box, and a round of ammunition.

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Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. Rodrigues was sentenced Thursday to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Lopes pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Palestinian militants released two more hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

Live television broadcasts showed Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Calderon, 54, being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Three men in total were expected to be released from Gaza on Saturday, in exchange for Israel releasing some 90 Palestinian prisoners. Nine of them are serving life sentences.

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The hostages kidnapped 484 days ago will first be taken to an Israeli military camp, where they will meet their families. They are then to be transferred to hospitals.

A truce in Gaza has held for nearly two weeks. Seventeen hostages have now been freed during this period, as well as hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

A three-phase ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19 aims to achieve a permanent end to the fighting and the release of all hostages still being held by the Iran-backed Hamas militia and their extremist allies.

During this initial six-week stage, 33 Israeli hostages are due to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Hamas has said that eight of the 33 hostages on the list for release during this phase are dead. It is unclear who exactly they are.

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If three men are released as expected on Saturday, then there will be 79 hostages still in the Gaza Strip. Israel says 35 of them are dead.

Eight people were released on Thursday, including two German-Israelis, an Israeli soldier and five Thai workers who had been kidnapped during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Another exchange of hostages and prisoners is set for next weekend.

The deal also stipulates that the Israeli military is to withdraw from densely populated areas of the war-torn Gaza Strip.

Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed around 1,200 people in their attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and took more than 250 Israelis hostage to the Gaza Strip.

The attack triggered the war in the sealed-off coastal area, where more than 47,400 people have been killed since then, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority. The number does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Palestinian militants released two more hostages in the Gaza Strip on Saturday as part of the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

Live television broadcasts showed Yarden Bibas, 35, and Ofer Calderon, 54, being handed over to representatives of the Red Cross in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip.

Three people in total were expected to released from Gaza on Saturday, in exchange for Israel releasing dozens of Palestinian prisoners.

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A truce in Gaza has held for nearly two weeks. Seventeen hostages have now been freed during this period, as well as hundreds of Palestinian detainees.

A three-phase ceasefire agreement that went into effect on January 19 aims to achieve a permanent end to the fighting and the release of all hostages still being held by the Iran-backed Hamas militia and their extremist allies.

During this initial six-week stage, 33 Israeli hostages are due to be released in exchange for 1,904 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

The Israeli military is also to withdraw from densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip.

Eight people were released on Thursday, including two German-Israelis, an Israeli soldier and five Thai workers who had been kidnapped during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Two NYPD detectives allege in a bombshell lawsuit filed Saturday that they have become modern-day Serpicos, investigating police corruption at the highest levels only to be retaliated against by their own department  and even mocked with images of rats at their desk.

Detective William Seidman, 42, and his partner, Detective Anthony Vidot, 57, were assigned to the citys Department of Investigation in 2020 to root out corruption and bribery involving NYPD and city officials, their lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court claims.

One investigation involved allegations that clubs in Midtown and Queens were paying cops and their associates for special treatment, like not issuing fines for noise complaints and ignoring other violations, sources have said.

NYPD Det. William Seidman (left) and his former partner, Det. Anthony Vidot, have filed a lawsuit against the department claiming a boss bullied them after realizing they were probing their own department. J.C. Rice

Seidman and Vidot in 2022 were asked to run numbers in lists given to them by DOI.

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They werent told where the numbers were from.

We had the case in its infancy, Seidman told The Post in an exclusive interview. One of the first names that popped for us was James Caban.

James Caban was the twin brother of then-Police Commissioner Edward Caban.

A bullying boss allegedly left this image of a rat near the detectives work stations. Obtained by The New York Post

Soon other big names surfaced, including mayoral advisor Timothy Pearson and then-Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Philip Banks, the lawsuit claims.

The two gumshoes went to higher-ups at DOI with their shocking discoveries.

When this comes out . . . youre going to have worlds collapsing, Seidman said he told DOI boss Audrey Feldman. Its going to take the police department down.

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The detectives kept the DOI case close to the vest but frequently felt their NYPD bosses were fishing for information to get ahead of the probe that was about to ensnare top NYPD brass and Mayor Adams closest advisers, they alleged in court papers.

It became clear that Sgt. Vincent Deynes, their direct NYPD supervisor at DOI, was trying to get information to report back to their commander, then-Deputy Inspector Raymond Festino.

Festino is one of five NYPD bosses named in the lawsuit and was in charge of a dozen detectives, including Seidman and Vidot, at DOI, the suit alleges.

Thats when it switched, Seidman recalled. They want us off this case.

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Thats also when the intimidation tactics began in earnest.

The gumshoes would show up to work at DOIs Maiden Lane offices in Lower Manhattan and find photos of rats hung near their desks with their confidential license plate numbers written next to the rodent picture, the suit alleges.

Send Rats Packing! the sanitation advisory message declared.

Around this time, the U.S. Attorneys Office joined the mushrooming corruption case and the detectives were warned by DOI to not share information with other cops since DOI is not sure who is compromised, they claimed in the lawsuit.

The swirling scandals surrounding the NYPD included a probe into former Commissioner Edward Cabans twin, James.

Meanwhile, abuse from their own bosses began to fester.

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In September 2022, the two partners attended a line-of-duty funeral at the request of a squad commander. Festino was allegedly outraged that they had skipped a going-away party for a civilian team member.

He phoned Vidot, a U.S. Marine who was shot in the line of duty as a cop in 2003, to berate him, the suit claims.

You think you can do whatever you want? You motherfers, Festino allegedly shouted. I will fking kill you! I will kick your fing ass!

Festino had an ugly history of hateful remarks, the detectives claim.

Once, while Seidman, who is Jewish, was helping to decorate the office Christmas tree, Festino walked in the room and allegedly said, Look at the Jew doing the Christmas tree.

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The detectives filed an internal Equal Employment Opportunity complaint, claiming discrimination and a hostile work environment, the suit alleged.

As the corruption case expanded Festino became more controlling, allegedly telling them that whatever work they did moving forward would be for him and only him, they claimed.

The detectives were also told that they had to check in every two hours while they were in the field, and needed special permission to work overtime, costing them thousands, the suit claims.

The detectives were worried and shared their fears with one of the DOI investigators.

The detectives claimed a boss left photos of rats and a rat doll near their work stations. J.C. Rice

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Im telling you right now the retaliation is going to be through the roof, Seidman said he told DOI. When this comes out, Im done. And I called it.

In 2023, both detectives were taken off the corruption case and transferred to other units, first to the Real Time Crime center at police headquarters and then the citys Office of Emergency Management in Brooklyn.

The new assignment stuck Seidman, who has four kids, with a two-hour commute, an NYPD retaliation tactic known as highway therapy.

Vidot decided to retire and now drives a school bus part time.

Its been rough, Vidot said. I feel bad that I left and Wills still there. But I couldnt take it anymore. The way they were coming after me I said I better leave while I can.

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Seidman  a 17-year veteran of the force  has been languishing at a city shelter in the East Village as an OEM security officer, and was recently told he is being transferred to the subways.

Attorney John Scola, who filed the lawsuit, said the department needs true independent oversight to root out corruption.

Hardworking detectives like Seidman and Vidot, who stood against their corrupt superiors have seen their careers destroyed in retaliation  proof that without real reform, justice within the department is an illusion, Scola said.

There have been no criminal charges in the case the pair was investigating. But Philip Banks and Pearson both resigned amid the federal investigation.

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The probe is one of many swirling around Mayor Adams troubled administration, which saw multiple raids, subpoenas and resignations this year and last.

The city Department of Education was served with a subpoena as part of a federal probe into outgoing Schools Chancellor David Banks and his brother Terence Banks, a consultant who represented companies that scored lucrative contracts with the city, a source told The Post. Both are brothers of Philip Banks.

Adams was named in a five-count criminal indictment in September 2024 alleging he took bribes from Turkish interests in exchange for official favors. He has pleaded not guilty and maintained his innocence, pushing hard against claims this week that he was set to step down.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A house fire in Vancouver left two residents and their pets displaced Saturday morning, authorities said.

At around 7:30 a.m., crews were dispatched to the 1900 block of Southeast 113th Court after a neighbor reported hearing explosions and seeing fire coming from the front of the house.

Alleged Vancouver bank robber charged with second heist in Battle Ground

When crews arrived on scene, they found the two-story home on fire and worked to extinguish it.

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Officials said firefighters had the blaze under control in less than 15 minutes.

Although no injuries were reported, two residents and two cats were displaced due to the damage.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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HOWLAND, Ohio (WKBN)  The Trumbull County 911 Center is looking to hire more dispatchers at a time when 911 centers across the nation are struggling with staffing levels, with fewer people seeing this career as their calling.

Director Tacy McDonough says having more people on staff would help reduce overtime and provide a better work-life balance for employees.

Its a great job if you want to help people, be involved, she said.

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The Trumbull County 911 Center currently has 22 full-time dispatchers, several of whom are still in training.

McDonough says theres room in the budget to have up to 35. Ideally, shed like to get it up to 26 or 28 dispatchers by summer.

Its hard because youre not finding that group of people that want to, you know, sacrifice like you do when youre in public safety, McDonough said.

She attributes it, in part, to a generational shift in the workforce.

Nowadays, you know, employees are coming in and theyre saying, What can you offer me? And then when you say, Hey, were 24/7, 365,they dont want to do that, McDonough said.

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County commissioners have said a new 911 center is among the top three priorities. McDonough believes it could be an incentive for both applicants and current employees.

Were definitely overdue for a building. Its been one of those things thats just been overlooked for years, she said.

New dispatchers go through a roughly six-month training period.

McDonough says its a rewarding job with good benefits, but takes a special person to do it.

I would say if youre a Type A kind of control freak personality, thats kind of what you need to be. You need to be able to compartmentalize, you need to be able to multitask, those are the things that are very critical in this job, she said.

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If youre interested in becoming a dispatcher, Trumbull County 911 has an application on its website.

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WILMINGTON, N.C. (WNCN)  United States Coast Guard crews rescued two men from a sinking boat off the coast of North Carolina Tuesday.

According to the USCG, two men were in a 32-foot sailboat named Walrus about 103 miles east of Wilmington. It began sinking and they were unable to keep up with flooding, leading them to activate their emergency equipment to call the Coast Guard for help.

The military branchs District Five Command Center directed a C-130 Hercules plane and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Elizabeth City to respond to the sailors.

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First on scene was the C-130 crew, who assessed the situation then sent down a dewatering pump to try to help mitigate the flooding onboard the boat. When that didnt help, they determined the two men needed to be extracted from the vessel immediately.

Shortly after, the Jayhawk arrived. The helicopter crew hoisted the sailors from the sinking boat and brought them to shore.

The Walrus was abandoned at sea, the USCG said.

The rescue highlights the critical importance of properly registered communication equipment, said Lt. Sheena Bannon, a search and rescue mission coordinator for Coast Guard District Five. The mariners VHF radio with Digital Selective Calling, their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon, and SENDs device allowed us to respond quickly. By ensuring their equipment was registered, we had precise distress information, enabling a timely and successful rescue. I cannot stress enough how essential it is for all mariners to register their communications gear to improve safety on the water.

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Once back on shore, the rescued men were provided clothing by the Salvation Army in Wilmington, according to the Coast Guard, while Modern Aviation arranged transportation to Wilmington International Airport to help the mariners get back home.

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DE PERE, Wis. (WFRV)  U.S. Representative Tony Wied (WI-08) was surrounded by community members and local officials for a ceremonial swearing-in at his De Pere district office on Friday morning.

The Republican Wied was sworn in officially to the new Congress on Jan. 3 after being elected during the Nov. 5 general election when he defeated Democratic candidate Dr. Kristen Lyerly by about 62,000 votes.

Port of Green Bay announces end of year tonnage totals from 2024, slight drop-off

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Rep. Wied said he felt it was important to hold a district swearing-in to be with the constituents in his district.

Thats our job, our job is public service and to be in constituent service, Rep. Wied said. I wanted people to be able to come in, meet with our team and build that relationship so that we can be helpful to the people here in District 8.

Rep. Wied also discussed the tragic plane and helicopter collision at Reagan International Airport in Washington D.C., emphasizing that hes ready to learn more, especially as part of the Aviation Subcommittee.

Howe Elementary Community School hosts annual Read Your Heart Out event with local author

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Im really looking forward to digging in and learning whats going on within the aviation side of it, Rep. Wied said. I also want to take a hard look and were going to investigate exactly what happened at Reagan International Airport to make sure it doesnt happen again.



Rep. Wied technically began his term(s) on Nov. 12, after he was sworn in to finish out the remainder of former Republican representative Mike Gallaghers term after Gallagher stepped down following over seven years in office.

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KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni said on Saturday his government would continue to prosecute civilians in military tribunals even after the country's top court banned the practice, ruling it unconstitutional.

In a majority decision on Friday, the east African country's Supreme Court banned prosecutions of civilians in military courts and ordered all ongoing cases there to be transferred to civil courts.

The ruling was hailed by key opposition figure Kizza Besigye's lawyer as offering him some relief during an ongoing trial by the country's general court martial.

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In a statement to the media on Saturday, Museveni described the court's decision as wrong and said military prosecutions reinforce the civil courts and had helped in pacifying Karamoja, a region in Uganda's northeast plagued by armed violence.

"The country is not governed by the judges," he said. "The military courts helped us to discipline Karamoja. We cannot and will not abandon this useful instrument for stability."

Human rights activists and opposition politicians have long accused Museveni's government of using military courts to prosecute opposition leaders and supporters on politically motivated charges.

While civilian court judges are independent, military court officials are appointed by the president.

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Ugandan pop star turned opposition leader Bobi Wine has previously been prosecuted in a military court over weapons offences.

Besigye, a longtime opponent of Museveni, was detained in neighbouring Kenya in November and brought back to Uganda to be charged with several weapons and security offences in the general court martial.

He has been held in detention since and was due to reappear in court on Monday, but his lawyers said after the ruling on Friday that he now would not do so.

In power since 1986, Museveni has not openly stated whether he would seek re-election at the polls next year although he is widely expected to do so.

(Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Jan Harvey)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  The temporary federal funding freeze has caused confusion for organizations and people alike. However, there is now some clarity on what comes next.

Following the initial memo earlier this week, 22 states, including Illinois, sued the federal government. This led to a federal judge blocking the order on Wednesday. This set the table for a court hearing Monday to determine the legality of the funding freeze.

City of Springfield closes several massage parlors

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A political science professor at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) said Monday will focus on how much power the Trump administration has over federal spending.

This is about the question of presidential power in relation to Congress, and to a lesser extent in relation to the courts, said Dr. Kent Redfield. This is a multi-front sort of thing.

The hearing was initiated by multiple state attorneys general, including Illinois Kwame Raoul.

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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will make it illegal to use artificial intelligence tools that create child sexual abuse images, it said on Saturday, becoming the first country in the world to introduce the new AI sexual abuse offences.

Possessing, taking, making, showing or distributing explicit images of children is a crime in England and Wales. The new offences target the use of AI tools to "nudeify" real-life images of children.

The move comes as online criminals increasingly use AI to create child abuse material, with reports of such explicit images rising nearly five-fold in 2024, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.

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"We know that sick predators' activities online often lead to them carrying out the most horrific abuse in person," Britain's interior minister Yvette Cooper said. "It is vital that we tackle child sexual abuse online as well as offline so we can better protect the public from new and emerging crimes."

Predators also use AI tools to disguise their identity and blackmail children with fake images to force them into further abuse, such as by streaming live images, the government said.

The new criminal offences include the possession, creation or distribution of AI tools designed to create child sexual abuse material and the possession of so-called AI "paedophile manuals," which provide instructions on the usage of the technology.

Another specific offence will target those who run websites on which child sexual abuse content is distributed. The government will also enable authorities to unlock digital devices for inspection.

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The measures will be included in the Crime and Policing Bill when it comes to parliament.

Britain said earlier this month it would also make the creation and sharing of sexually explicit "deepfakes" - videos, pictures or audio clips made with AI to look real - a criminal offence.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar)
North Korean troops are still fighting on the front lines in Kursk, though their activities have been reduced in recent days amid heavy casualties, the head of Ukraines Defense Intelligence Directorate told The War Zone exclusively on Friday. Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov said media reports that those troops have not been seen on the front lines there in weeks are wrong.

There are still about 8,000 North Koreans battling Ukraine on the front lines in Kursk, said Budanov, head of the Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR). However, thats been in a reduced capacity of late, and Ukrainian officials are trying to determine what the change means.

We have to wait some time to see if there are any real changes or if this is just lower activities for a couple of days, Budanov explained. The War Zone cannot independently verify his claims.

Contrary to some reporting, North Korean troops remain on the front lines says Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov (Howard Altman photo) Ukrainian Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov talked about a wide range of topics during his exclusive interview with The War Zone Wednesday. (Howard Altman/staff photo)

Budanov acknowledged to us that his comments contradict reporting by The New York Times and other media outlets about the current status of North Korean troops in Kursk.

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Reports in the media are wrong, he avowed.

On Friday, the Times reported that North Korean soldiers who joined their Russian allies in battle against Ukrainian forces have been pulled off the front lines after suffering heavy casualties, according to Ukrainian and U.S. officials. The North Korean troops, sent to bolster Russian forces trying to push back a Ukrainian offensive inside Russias borders, have not been seen at the front for about two weeks, the officials said after requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive military and intelligence matters.

CNN, citing a Ukrainian Special Operations Forces spokesman, offered a similar take.

The presence of DPRK troops has not been observed for about three weeks, and they were probably forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses, Colonel Oleksandr Kindratenko told the network.

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In a statement to Ukrainian Pravda, however, Kindratenko tempered his remarks, saying The Special Operations Forces provide information only about the front where our units are active.

The recent spate of reporting about the status of North Korean forces follows comments made earlier this week by a top advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Some North Korean units have been pulled back from the front line in the Kursk region, according to reports from Ukraines Special Operations Forces, Mikhalio Podolyak stated on X. It turns out that even Kim Jong-un values the lives of his subjects more than Putin values Russians. The Eastern monarch considers losses of 40% of personnel unacceptable. Meanwhile, Putin sends wave after wave of people from Russias poorest regions to storm Ukrainian positionson old Ladas, motorcycles, scooters, and even crutches.

Some North Korean units have been pulled back from the front line in the #Kursk region, according to reports from Ukraines Special Operations Forces. It turns out that even Kim Jong-un values the lives of his subjects more than #Putin values Russians. The Eastern monarch    (@Podolyak_M) January 29, 2025

Last fall, North Korea sent about 12,000 troops to Kursk to help Russia dislodge Ukraine, which invaded that territory in August. They began to appear on the battlefield in large numbers by December.

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Since then, they have suffered about 4,000 casualties, including killed and wounded, Budanov told us today. That coincides with figures recently published by the BBC, citing unnamed Western officials.

The War Zone cannot independently confirm casualty numbers.

Budanov chalked up those losses to a lack of real combat experience and conducting so-called meat waves against dug-in Ukrainian forces with limited support. The North Koreans have been attacking almost without any combat vehicles, he posited.

The reason they are so willing to push forward on foot against Ukrainian drones and artillery is their fealty to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, Budanov suggested. That disregard for personal safety is absolutely making it harder for Ukraine to defend against, he added. You can see one of those assaults in the video below.

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 This is how  North Korean soldiers attack in the  Kursk region. "Meat assaults" pic.twitter.com/ZCQBp1JTm1   MilitaryNewsUA  (@front_ukrainian) January 15, 2025

Those troops, along with tens of thousands of Russian reinforcements, have eroded the Ukrainian salient. However, the lines have held steady in recent days, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Ukrainian DeepState open-source intelligence group.

Russian forces continued offensive operations within the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on January 30 but did not make any confirmed advances, ISW reported in its latest assessment.

NEW: Kremlin newswire TASS published an interview with Valdai Discussion Club Research Director Fyodor Lukyanov on January 30 entitled "Don't count on big agreements," highlighting the Kremlin's ongoing efforts to shape domestic and global expectations about future negotiations pic.twitter.com/Q8PbW4iQKN  Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 31, 2025

While North Korean troop activities in Kursk may have slowed in recent days, Budanov repeated the assertion he made to us last week that Pyongyang will be sending Russia additional artillery and missile troops as well as more artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. Those troops would not conduct ground combat operations, Budanov said. North Korea has provided about 120 170mm M1989 Koksan self-propelled artillery guns and 120 M-1991 240mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Russia in the last three months, he told us earlier this month.

A North Korean M1989 Koksan 170mm self-propelled artillery gun seen in Russia in November. (Via X)

As we have frequently reported, this all comes as both sides are jockeying for territory ahead of any peace deal that U.S. President Donald Trump says he will broker, the details of which remain uncertain. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy said his country invaded Kursk to set up a buffer against Russian attacks and serve as a bargaining chip in future negotiations.

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A large reduction of North Korean troops on the front lines  something Budanov told us is being analyzed  could ease pressure on Ukraines Kursk salient. The longer Ukraine stays there, the more bargaining power Zelensky could have.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Ukraine's HUR military intelligence service on Saturday rejected allegations of involvement in mass protests in Slovakia against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

HUR posted on Telegram that allegations by the Slovakian authorities were false. It cautioned against "hostile propaganda."

On Friday, Fico said he had evidence that networks with ties to Ukraine were seeking to destabilize Slovakia and overthrow his government.

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He charged that the organizers of the latest series of mass protests against the Bratislava government were not only closely linked to the Slovakian opposition but also to the so-called Georgian Legion, a volunteer association of Georgians fighting on Ukraine's side against the Russian invasion.

HUR said there was no unit of the name "Georgian National Legion" in its structures, while simultaneously acknowledging that there had in the past been contact with Mamuka Mamulashvili, who is suspected in Slovakia of being behind the protests.

Mamulashvili has rejected the allegations as defaming the legion he commands.

Regarding Mamulashvili, HUR said: "This person terminated their contract with the International Legion of the HUR in the Defence Ministry in April 2023 and has not renewed it."

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The International Legion was made up of soldiers from various countries engaged on the Ukrainian side, it said. "And of course, it does not conduct hybrid actions of any kind on the territory of states of the European Union," it said, adding that this would harm Ukraine.

HUR said Russia was attempting to sow discord between the states of the free world, to discredit European politicians and even to arrange political murder in Europe.
Ukraine's HUR military intelligence service on Saturday rejected allegations of involvement in mass protests in Slovakia against the government of Prime Minister Robert Fico.

HUR posted on Telegram that allegations by the Slovakian authorities were false. It cautioned against "hostile propaganda."

On Friday, Fico said he had evidence that networks with ties to Ukraine were seeking to destabilize Slovakia and overthrow his government.

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He charged that the organizers of the latest series of mass protests against the Bratislava government were not only closely linked to the Slovakian opposition but also to the so-called Georgian Legion, a volunteer association of Georgians fighting on Ukraine's side against the Russian invasion.

HUR said there was no unit of the name "Georgian National Legion" in its structures, while simultaneously acknowledging that there had in the past been contact with Mamuka Mamulashvili, who is suspected in Slovakia of being behind the protests.

Mamulashvili has rejected the allegations as defaming the legion he commands.

Regarding Mamulashvili, HUR said: "This person terminated their contract with the International Legion of the HUR in the Defence Ministry in April 2023 and has not renewed it."

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The International Legion was made up of soldiers from various countries engaged on the Ukrainian side, it said. "And of course, it does not conduct hybrid actions of any kind on the territory of states of the European Union," it said, adding that this would harm Ukraine.

HUR said Russia was attempting to sow discord between the states of the free world, to discredit European politicians and even to arrange political murder in Europe.

Fico, a left-wing nationalist, is criticized in Ukraine for maintaining links with Russia. The Slovakian leader held talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in December, breaking with general EU policy and following the example of Hungary's Viktor Orban, who visited in July.

In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demonstratively invited liberal Slovakian opposition leader Michal Simecka to Kiev in January.

Tensions between the two neighbours have risen since Kiev allowed a gas transit agreement with Russia to expire at the end of the year, depriving Slovakia of a major energy source.
Ukraine says it's designed four upgraded versions of the Chinese-made Mavic drone.

It said they can conduct reconnaissance behind the front lines and resist electronic warfare.

Ukraine's military requested the tech after China limited exports and many drones were shot down.

Ukraine says it's developed upgraded versions of the Chinese-made Mavic drone after China limited its exports.

Brave1, a Ukrainian government-supported defense innovation program, told Business Insider that three domestic developers had created drones that met NATO standards, and that Ukrainian troops were already using some on the front lines.

Business Insider was unable to independently verify the claim.

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The Mavic drone, designed by DJI, one of the world's largest drone manufacturers, was created for personal and commercial use but has become one of the most widely used drones on the front lines in Ukraine.

However, Ukraine has faced supply challenges.

In December, Bloomberg reported that China was limiting the export of critical components used in Ukraine's drones, including motors, batteries, and flight controllers.

This, coupled with the drone's high loss rates  up to five Mavic drones a day in some units  prompted Ukraine to look for alternatives.

Oleksii Kolesnyk told BI Reactive Drone's Shmavik drone had been successfully tested. Courtesy of Brave1

New drones for Ukraine

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's minister of digital transformation, unveiled the new models in a Telegram post in December.

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The four drones can carry out reconnaissance missions, Brave1 said, adding that, unlike their Chinese counterparts, the Ukrainian variants are equipped with communication systems that make them resistant to Russia's electronic warfare.

"These drones significantly enhance the situational awareness of our military, enabling them to plan more effectively and conduct operations more efficiently," it said, adding that it was "actively working on scaling up production to eventually achieve a complete replacement of Mavics."

Oleksii Kolesnyk, the founder of Reactive Drone, a Ukrainian military company that is developing one of the drones, told BI that its Shmavik drone can fly for up to 60 minutes, has an operation radius of about 9.3 miles, and can carry up to 2.2 pounds.

He said its purpose was to conduct frontline reconnaissance operations and stream live footage from the front.

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Maria Korneva, a commercial director at Bravery Invest, a nonprofit, told BI that its Ukropter drone was an upgrade compared to the Mavic drone.

She said it had a heavier payload capacity of over 4 pounds, a longer flight time of up to 60 minutes, and could travel at about 46 miles per hour.

By comparison, the latest Mavic drone has a similar speed but a payload capacity half that, and a flight time of around 46 minutes, according to DJI's website.

Bravery Invest's Ukropter has a heavier payload capacity and flies faster than the Mavic drones, the manufacturer told BI. Courtesy of Brave1.

Korneva said its Ukropter drone had been "highly" effective during trials, meeting all technical and tactical specifications, and contributed to saving Ukrainian lives in battlefield conditions.

Breaking dependency on China

Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI that these kinds of drones have become "absolutely vital" at this stage in the conflict.

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"With the front lines stable, short-range FPV drones have become a major weapon, on par with artillery," he said.

"If Ukraine cannot get Chinese-made drones, then it needs to make its own," he added.

John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Ukraine's new capability upgrade is a "good thing" for the country  assuming the claims are true.

He told BI that Ukraine's effort to reduce its dependence on China's military components is also beneficial.

However, given the Ukrainian minister's statement that some components are manufactured in Ukraine, he suspects others still come from China.

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Hardie also pointed to issues around Ukraine's domestic production. "Hopefully, it can make these Ukrainian-made drones cheaply and quickly enough to keep up with demand," he said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
It was a somber  and for some degrading  return to their politically troubled and economically deprived homeland.

The fourth C-17 military transport deportation flight, which departed Thursday from Fort Bliss, landed in Guatemala City. On board were 80 Guatemalan nationals rapidly removed by the Trump administration.

President Trump has stated that his administration is only deporting criminals. But those onboard denied that they were violent criminals and had been in the U.S. only a short time.

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The use of military equipment made many uncomfortable.

I don't feel that it was right that they brought us a plane like that, a 34-year-old from Guatemala City, who declined to give her name, commented while standing in the reception center on Thursday. We didn't steal. We didn't kill anyone to have them do that to us.

A C-17 plane with 80 Guatemalan migrants departs from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas on Jan. 30, 2025. The Guatemalans were in the U.S. illegally and were repatriated to their country on a military airplane.

Guatemalan immigration authorities told reporters that 56 men, 20 women and four minors accompanied by a family member were on the flight.

After arriving in Guatemala, those aboard the deportation flight passed through the doors of the USAID-funded deportee reception center in Guatemala City. The colorful murals and warm brick walls inside contrast the somber tone of the migrants arriving on the deportation flight.

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Deportees received a simple sack lunch, the first thing they had eaten that day. They were then turned to the streets, where cabs or old retired U.S. public school buses waited to give them rides to their homes or back to the migrant trail.

Earlier that day, the massive gray C-17 cargo plane sat on the runway of Biggs Army Airfield in El Paso. The powerful engines hummed as the rear door slowly closed, preparing for take off.

U.S. Border Patrol Special Operation Supervisor Hamid Nikseresht described the flight as a whole-of-government approach, utilizing every resource possible to secure America's borders.

All those who were removed under Title 8.

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More: Migrant encounters in El Paso sector at lowest levels in years

Nikseresht warned that this was an example of how if migrants cross into the U.S. illegally, then they could find themselves home within seven hours. A normal deportation charter flight or a commercial flight can arrive in Guatemala City in less than three hours from El Paso.

The flight left El Paso at 10 a.m. MT on Thursday, Jan. 30, as a frigid wind blew across the tarmac. Six hours later, it arrived just before sunset in warm, partly cloudy Guatemala City.

The whole flight, the migrants were chained. These restraints were not removed until they arrived in Guatemala before they stepped out of the back of the massive transport plane.

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One migrant said he felt like "a chained-up dog." Another migrant said they were bound during the flight.

They chain us by the feet, by the hands, by the waist, Rocio, a Guatemalan woman who only identified herself by her first name, said upon arrival. It was a very difficult experience. We were going to look for the American dream, but it was something that was denied to us.

However, not all migrants were restrained .

Mariela Che, a 20-year-old from the Guatemalan Department of Alta Verapaz said that she was not restrained due to her pregnancy. Yet she said that she still cried as the flight departed, and now she said she worries for her unborn child.

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She described her detention and the flight as being "very hard."

More: Devastation, dismay overcomes migrants waiting in Juarez to seek asylum in US

At least seven military deportation flights on C-17 cargo planes have left El Paso, Texas and Tucson, Arizona, since Trump announced the use of military planes on Jan. 24 as part of his national emergency declaration on immigration.

A C-17 military airplane is used to deport 80 Guatemalan men, women and children who were illegally in the U.S. from Fort Bliss El Paso, Texas on Jan. 30, 2025.

So far, four flights carrying 304 people have arrived in Guatemala, and one flight carrying 80 people to Ecuador as of Friday morning, Jan. 31. Two other military flights were turned back after Colombia refused to permit them to land on Jan. 26, causing a diplomatic spat between Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

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Each flight has taken longer than normal deportation flights. They have had to cross over Costa Rica before heading south to Ecuador or north to Guatemala.

'Dehumanization' of migrants

Concern over alleged abuses and human rights violations on the removal flights have been raised for years. But the concerns over the treatment and conditions of immigrants on the deportation flights have grown following Trumps increased use of military planes.

Members of the are given details by a Border Patrol agent spokesperson after a C-17 military airplane departed Fort Bliss with 80 Guatemalan migrants on Jan. 30, 2025.

There is concern for the broader dehumanization implicit in the unnecessary involvement of military resources in this kind of operation, Phil Neff, with the University of Washingtons Human Rights Center, said.

Colombia decried the use of handcuffs on deportees after blocking the flights on Jan. 26. Honduras, too, has condemned the treatment of migrants.

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More: Families of Juarez fire victims receiving payments, still awaiting justice

Guatemala, too, appears to be pushing back against the long-held use of restraint on migrants on deportation flights. The Guatemalan daily newspaper La Hora reported that Guatemalan authorities are attempting to dialogue with the Trump administration to no longer treat migrants like criminals.

Many of the migrants deported to Guatemala City on Thursday are returning to debts from their journey, with some families paying up to 140,000 Quetzales, or nearly $18,000, for lack of opportunity and violence. This, coupled with the rising cost of living in Guatemala, will likely push many deportees to try again to reach the United States.

Maybe I will try again, one 25-year-old migrant from Guatemala City said, declining to provide her name. But I will let the situation calm down a little.

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Josue Decavele, a photographer in Guatemala, contributed to this story from Guatemala City, Guatemala

Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@gannett.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Migrants describe journey as military deportation flights continue
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has responded to the statements made by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who accused the fighters of the Georgian Legion of being involved in protests in Slovakia, calling them "subordinated" to DIU.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the statement made by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine

Quote: "Defence Intelligence of Ukraine officially reports that it has no unit under the name Georgian National Legion."

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Details: DIU noted that hybrid and informational operations aimed at destabilising the situation in European countries pose a serious threat to Ukraine.

DIU also emphasised that the Georgian Legion is a multinational active-duty unit, directly involved in combat on the hottest fronts and does not conduct any hybrid operations on the territory of EU countries.

Regarding Fico's accusations against Georgian Legions leader Mamuka Mamulashvili, DIU responded that he has no connection to Ukrainian intelligence and does not receive any tasks or assignments from it.

"His contract with the International Legion of Ukraines Defence Ministry was terminated back in April 2023 and he has not renewed it," DIU added.

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DIU also emphasised that they are in constant contact and cooperation with counterparts from NATO.

"European politicians must be fully responsible for their words, especially when making accusations against friendly countries, to avoid providing grounds for enemy propaganda," DIU concluded.

Background:

On 31 January, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused the Georgian Legion and its leader, Mamuka Mamulashvili, of involvement in recent protests in Slovakia.

He also claimed, without evidence, that the Peace for Ukraine initiative, which organised the protests, was raising money for the Georgian Legion, thereby financing "Ukrainian counterintelligence".

Mamulashvili was also one of those added to Slovakia's blacklist, banning him from entering the country.

Amid long-lasting mass protests against his government, Fico began talking about the preparation of a "Maidan" in the country, accusing Ukraine of being involved.

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LANSING, Mich.(WLNS)  A hospital in mid-Michigan made history with its one millionth COVID-19 test. University of Michigan Health-Sparrow celebrated an important medical moment within the community Friday afternoon.

John Baker, laboratory director at the hospital, says Sparrow was one of the first medical clinics in Michigan to offer COVID-19 testing to patients.

And at the peak, we were doing some days almost 5,000 tests a day, said Baker.

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He says the hospital does about 250 COVID-19 tests a day due to the high respiratory season.

Earlier in the pandemic, supplies and testing equipment were in very short supply, said Baker.

Baker says the one-millionth test is an achievement for the hospital when many people were suffering from the illness.

We could only do a certain number of tests a day, and we divided that capacity between ourselves, said Baker. Some for the state health department, and other hospitals in the area.

Viviana Saez, an Infectious Specialist at Sparrow says now there are about 10 COVID patients at the hospital.

A huge difference from the start of the pandemic.

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It was probably about tenfold, said Saez. We could have several full units full of just COVID-positive patients.

Saez says respiratory illnesses are high in Michigan now.

She urges Michiganders to extra precautions to keep themselves and others safe.

Well first wash your hands, said Saez. Cover your cough if youre having any respiratory symptoms, and if youre sick experiencing fevers and coughs, and cold symptoms. Stay home until youre better.

Saez says COVID-19 cases are decreasing within the state, while the flu is on the rise.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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More than 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured in just five days since fighting escalated in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between January 26-30, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters Friday.

The WHO (World Health Organization) and its partners conducted an assessment with the government between the 26th and yesterday and report that 700 people have been killed and 2,800 people injured, Dujarric said, noting that these totals are expected to rise.

Humanitarian organizations in Goma continue to assess the impact of the crisis including the widespread looting of warehouses and the offices of aid organizations, he added.

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Goma, the largest city in eastern DR Congos North Kivu province, fell under the control of the AFC/M23 rebel coalition on Monday, the rebels told CNN. This was the latest in a string of territorial acquisitions by the group in recent weeks. The Congolese government, which accuses Rwanda of backing M23, has not confirmed the rebels takeover in Goma but acknowledged the city was under siege.

On Wednesday DRC President Felix Tshisekedi vowed a vigorous and coordinated response against the rebel alliance that has besieged swathes of the nations mineral-rich east and forced hundreds of local troops to surrender.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told reporters Friday that the situation remains tense in Goma with occasional shooting but overall calm is gradually restored.

He also warned that the rebel groups are about 60 kilometers north of another major city, Bakavu, and seem to be moving quite fast.

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Experts have repeatedly warned that the chaos of the conflict would leave civilians in Goma with shortages of basic necessities and at the risk of the spread of disease.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found on Friday that access to safe drinking water in Goma has been cut off, forcing people to use untreated water from Lake Kivu with all the risk that entails, Dujarric said.

He added, Without urgent action OCHA cautions the risk of water born disease outbreaks will just continue to increase.

CNNs Nimi Princewill contributed to this reporting

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The City of Albuquerques top leader, Mayor Tim Keller, weighed in on the DWI dismissal scandal involving the citys police officers that federal investigators believe dates back more than two decades.

KRQE Investigative Reporter Ann Pierret asked Mayor Keller how a scheme like this could be prevented in the future.

Related Coverage:

In response, Mayor Keller acknowledged the scheme involving APD officers accepting bribes to make DWI cases disappear, and he said he has faith in the current leadership of the police department to fix the culture and restore public trust.

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It is literally unconscionable that anyone, let alone a police officer, could accept a bag of $5,000 and somehow think, one, that that was moral, or appropriate, or justified. Two, that they would get away with it. So, that is like unconscionable. I cant understand that. And I think thats why theres a lot of shock, even hearing just how brazen it was and then how long it lasted. -Mayor Tim Keller



It has been one year since we first learned of the FBIs investigation into what theyre now calling a DWI Enterprise. Mayor Keller said he and APD Chief Harold Medina told the feds they didnt need to use subpoenas, as they would fully cooperate with investigators.

The mayor said the two also looked into the top of the department to make sure no deputy chiefs were involved so they could help, making the mayor feel comfortable stepping back and receiving investigative updates every three weeks.

The allegations against APD officers had many people calling on Chief Medina to step down. Mayor Keller backed the chief and asked for patience as the investigation played out. Flash forward to today, and Mayor Keller credits the chief with helping the FBI root out any suspected players in the scheme.

It takes a lot, I think, to be the team that cleans it up and owns it. And thats what weve done. So I do feel optimistic going forward that this department is in a vastly different place on a number of fronts. And I have to believe that, you know, this would be caught much, much sooner if it were to happen again, Keller said.

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Mayor Keller doesnt believe it will happen again, pointing to APDs agreement with the District Attorneys Office to streamline missed court notifications and the creation of an independent internal affairs office. The mayor said he would like to see that structural change solidified in city law; that way, the extra layer of protection he believes it creates doesnt fall by the wayside under future administrations.

Federal officials are still making progress with the investigation, which FBI Albuquerque Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda says is actually probably only at a midpoint.

Last week, the case surrounding the so-called DWI Enterprise moved forward in federal court.

Paralegal Ricardo Rick Mendez pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, admitting he worked with officers mostly from APD to get DWI cases dismissed in exchange for cash.

Mendez also implicated law enforcement from the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office and New Mexico State Police.

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According to federal court documents, Mendez worked directly with law enforcement to funnel their drunk-driving defendants to his boss, who KRQE News 13 believes is Attorney Thomas Clear III.

Clear III, who has not been charged with a crime, was ordered by a federal judge to prove he played no part in getting DWI cases dismissed. He has thirty days to meet the judges request or he could be disbarred, suspended, or face other disciplinary action.

So far, no law enforcement members have been charged.





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(Corrects headline and story from Feb. 1 to say the U.S. will allow imports of Mexican cattle, not beef)

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -The United States will permit Mexican cattle imports to resume after signing memorandums to lift a temporary suspension, Mexico's agriculture chief wrote in a post on social media site X on Saturday.

Last November, a Mexican official notified the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that a positive detection of New World screwworm had been detected in Mexico, triggering the suspension in Mexican cattle exports to its northern neighbor.

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Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue said the USDA's animal and plant health inspection agency had signed the first memorandums to allow the suspension to be lifted, describing the move as an example of collaboration between the two governments.

He did not provide further details on when the cross-border trade would resume.

(Reporting by Adriana Barrera; Editing by Diane Craft and Nia Williams)
If anyone needs a little break, its fire fighters, police officers and other first responders battling the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.

So Universal Studios Hollywood is offering free theme park admission to qualifying first responders until April 10, and a 50 percent discount on up to three one-day general admission tickets for any guests.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

The selfless dedication and tireless resilience exhibited by the first responders in response to combatting the L.A. wildfires has been nothing short of extraordinary and we are very grateful to these unsung heroes for their courage during this difficult time, Scott Strobl, executive vp and general manager, Universal Studios Hollywood, said in a statement on Friday.

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When these first responders are ready for a much needed break, we look forward to welcoming them to our theme park. National Guard members, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and other first responders can secure the complimentary and discounted tickets in person at the Universal Studios theme parks First Responder Heroes Ticket ticket booth at the front gate entrance on the same day of a visit.

No online redemption is available and first responders will need to show a valid government-issued photo ID and a valid employee ID card. The free ticket offer is not available to retired and volunteer first responders.

The LA wildfires started in in Pacific Palisades, before spreading to parts of Malibu and Santa Monica, and then further afield to the Altadena-Pasadena area and elsewhere. The city-wide blazes have destroyed thousands of homes and buildings, requiring around-the-clock efforts by fire fighters, police officers and other first responders.

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Frederick Community College plans to permanently close its child care center in May due to financial constraints and reopen the building in the fall as a workforce development training center.

In a letter sent to parents on Thursday night, FCC President Annesa Payne Cheek said the Carl and Norma Miller Childrens Center will officially close on May 16 due to ongoing fiscal challenges in higher education and increasing demands in mission-critical areas.

Despite the significant value the Center has provided, the Center has faced ongoing financial losses in its operations, which have been subsidized for over 10 years, she wrote.

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... With the current financial environment, any operation that consistently sustains financial loss must be reevaluated, and this includes the Childrens Center.

The Childrens Centers total capacity is 83 children. Currently, 69 children are enrolled, according to a statement from FCC sent to The Frederick News-Post on Friday.

The centers parent patrons include 20 student-parents, 12 employee-parents and 18 parents who are part of the general community.

Cheek said the centers director and staff were told about the closure earlier Thursday evening before the letter to parents was sent. The center was closed Friday to give the staff time to process the announcement.

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In fall 2025, the center will be repurposed to house workforce training programs in healthcare fields that were offered at FCCs Monroe Center on Monroe Avenue.

She wrote that these programs will benefit from the updated space, and the relocation will allow better integration with FCCs health care facility in its Linganore Hall.

FCC intends to keep the Childrens Center open and operating up until May 16, but if we are unable to maintain full staffing, we may be forced to close classrooms earlier, Cheek wrote.

FUNDING AND GRANTS

The Carl and Norma Miller Childrens Center opened in 1994 and provides year-round services for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. In the summer, the center also cares for children ages 5 to 10 years old.

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Students, faculty, staff and non-students can send their children to the center.

FCC has earned several grants in recent years related to child care and helping student parents.

In 2020, the college was one of eight institutions to receive a grant and be chosen for a three-year project to identify the needs of single mother students and develop a plan to foster their college and professional success.

The college has also received funds from the U.S. Department of Educations Child Care Access Means Parents in School program.

It received a grant package of about $41,000 from the program in 2018, which went toward on-campus child care.

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FCC received a $116,000 grant package from the program in 2022 to support child care for FCC students over the next four years.

When the News-Post asked Cheek on Friday for more specifics on the centers financial losses over the last decade and why the decision to close was made now, Avis Boyd, Cheeks chief of staff, responded on her behalf through FCCs statement.

The Childrens Center has never operated at full capacity, and its revenues cant cover its expenses, the colleges statement said.

Childcare services are an auxiliary unit of community colleges, intended to be financially self-supporting, the statement said. For this reason, many colleges are unable to sustain such operations as a sole owner-operator.

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The statement said that from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2024, the Childrens Center had a net income loss of $1.3 million. Additionally, even with a $250,000 subsidy that Frederick County set aside for the center in its fiscal year 2023 budget, the net income loss is still over $1 million.

Boyd said the grant money FCC was awarded by the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program can be paid to other child care centers in the community that FCC serves.

Cathy Florimbio, the director of the Childrens Center, could not be reached for comment Friday.

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On Thursday night, Cheeks letter to parents was posted in Everything Frederick, a Facebook group that has more than 144,000 members.

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Parents who currently use the center, parents who previously used it and former staff members commented about how devastating the impending closure is and how valuable the Childrens Center is as a child care resource.

Several people said the Childrens Center was crucial to allowing them to attend college.

We live in a world where the daycare needs to be profitable to stay open, one commenter wrote Friday morning.

In 2024, Frederick Countys Division of Family Services commissioned a study on child care demand and availability in the area.

It found that the number of available licensed child care slots in the county isnt keeping up with the demand.

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If that trend continues, the shortage of care could reach crisis levels in the next 10 years, and some parts of the county are already at or approaching crisis levels.

Kelli Goetz, director of the countys Division of Family Services, said her division knows this will pose a challenge for some families considering the lack of adequate child care supply.

Since the child care demand and availability study was released, she said, the county has been working on initiatives recommended in the study.

One of those initiatives thats still in progress is a training project to increase the number of county-licensed family providers.

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Another initiative will focus on specialized outreach in multiple languages to spread awareness of child care resources at residents disposal.

As always, our work is primarily there to support families and to connect them to resources throughout the county, Goetz said. ... We will, as we always are, be available to families.

FCC FACULTY

Sue Johnson, a computer science professor at FCC and a former member of the Frederick County Board of Education, said she used the centers services more than a decade ago when her son was a toddler.

In an interview on Friday, she said she and her son, whos now a teenager, visited the Childrens Center on Thursday.

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Johnson said one of his former teachers, who last saw him when he was 4 years old, recognized him, her eyes lighting up as she gave him a hug.

Johnson said she couldnt believe they were at the center just hours before the staff was notified of the closure via email.

Its spineless, she said.

In addition to being upset with how FCC handled announcing the closure, Johnson is also concerned about the message this sends out to potential donors.

She said Carl and Norma Miller donated to FCC specifically for child care purposes, not workforce development. Other donors may not want to give money to the college if its going to use the facilities created using those funds for non-intended purposes.

Anne Hofmann, an English professor at FCC, doesnt have any children enrolled at the center, but she started a program called Parents Lead at the college for student-parents.

Her research focuses on that student population and the barriers they face, including child care.

Hofmann said there is research showing that people with access to affordable child care do better in college, complete their degrees and can better provide for their families.

She said she hadnt heard anything about the Childrens Center closing until yesterday, when a parent patron told her about the email they received with the news.

Hofmann said she understands the colleges reasoning to close the center because there isnt money to keep it running  but FCC should be looking at ways to invest in the center to keep it open.

She also wants to know what other data and information was used to make this decision, aside from financial data.

We need really good data on how many students does this impact, how many community members does this impact, and how could FCC potentially be supported by the larger community, maybe even private organizations? Hofmann said.

Theres a bigger conversation here about the infrastructure and the decision-making process that I think is where this will go if I had to guess.
The U.S. military has conducted coordinated airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trumps second term.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that the strikes by U.S. Africa Command were directed by Trump and coordinated with Somalias government.

An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that multiple operatives were killed. The Pentagon said is assesses no civilians were harmed in the strikes.

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Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.

The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said. The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!

Trump did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

U.S. military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the groups leadership that relocated to northern Somalia. That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to building their own small quadcopters.

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A U.S. military airstrike in Somalia last May targeted IS militants and killed three, according to U.S. Africa Command.

The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntlands Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.
CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  The United States is set to impose tariffs on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico on Saturday.

On Thursday, President Trump said he plans to follow through on his threat to impose 10% tariffs on good from China and 25 percent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.

Five men arrested in connection with drug trafficking for Lowell Asian Boyz gang

He said these tariffs will be imposed due to the influx of migrants at the southern border, the flow of fentanyl into the United States, and the trade deficit the U.S. has with its neighborsbecause the U.S. buys more goods and services from them than it sells to them.

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These tariffs could increase how much U.S. consumers and businesses pay for goods coming from Canada, Mexico, and China, including electronics, toys, produce, lumber, and cars. Tariffs are paid by companies importing goods into the U.S., similar to a tax.

While some businesses will look to source goods elsewhere, others will be forced to pay the fees. Companies will have to decide whether to pass these higher costs to consumers or absorb them, which would dent profits or require cuts to protect them.

Trump also said he would be putting tariffs on oil and gas imports in the next several weeks, as well as on computer chips, steel, and aluminum, but did not provide any details. The implications of these tariffs could be wide-reaching across the U.S. economy.

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WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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WASHINGTON  It was an astounding revelation, one that Donald Trumps White House was eager to share with the American public.

The Trump administration, eager to stop wasteful government spending, halted the distribution of $50 million in taxpayer dollars set aside to buy condoms to be sent to Gaza, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced at her first press briefing Tuesday.

The next day, Trump drew chuckles from the crowd gathered for a bill signing in the White House East Room when he repeated a variation of the same story, claiming his administration had identified and stopped $50 million being sent to Gaza to buy condoms for Hamas.

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The problem: Theres no evidence its true.

You are not finding any evidence of that because it simply cannot be true, said Matthew Kavanagh, director of Georgetown Universitys Center for Global Health Policy and Politics.

President Donald Trump

For years, the U.S. government has provided millions of dollars' worth of condoms and other contraceptives to foreign countries as a way to help prevent the spread of AIDS and HIV and to make sure family planning is available in developing nations.

The U.S. Agency for International Development, the government agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance, said in a report last April that it had spent $61 million in 2023 to provide condoms and other contraceptives to other countries.

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But just $8 million of that went for the purchase of condoms, the report said. And not a cent was used to send condoms to Gaza.

From 2016 to 2022, the agency spent $118 million on condoms for 60 countries  an average of about $17 million a year, according to a separate report released in 2023. None of those went to Gaza, either.

More: Trump floats plan to 'just clean out' Gaza, move Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan

Asked to back up its claim, the White House referred to a State Department statement that said the administration had stopped two $50 million buckets of aid headed to Gaza through the International Medical Corps, a nonprofit humanitarian assistance organization based in Los Angeles.

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The $100 million for these programs included contraceptives, the statement said. Condoms have traditionally always been used for family planning in developing countries by USAID.

The White House did not respond to an inquiry about how much of the $100 million it paused was to be used to purchase condoms.

The answer: None of it, according to the International Medical Corps.

The organization has received $68 million from USAID since 2023 to support its operations in Gaza, including two large field hospitals that provide medical care to roughly 33,000 civilians a month in a dangerous environment where the health care infrastructure has been decimated, said Todd Bernhardt, the groups spokesman.

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The corps provides lifesaving services such as surgical and post-operative care for trauma, emergency maternal and newborn care, neonatal intensive care and pediatrics, orthopedics, pulmonology and cardiology care, Bernhardt said.

No U.S. government funding was used to procure or distribute condoms, Bernhardt said.

Humanitarian groups defend the use of government funding to send condoms and other contraceptives to foreign countries, saying they are essential to stopping the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases and making sure people have access to family planning in countries where it otherwise may not be available.

Most of the condoms and contraceptives purchased with government money have gone to countries in Africa that are still dealing with an AIDS epidemic. Some of the contraceptives have been distributed through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a global health initiative started by President George W. Bush.

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Ensuring that people in Africa, but also in other low- and middle-income countries, have access to condoms is one of the most important parts of the AIDS response and one that the United States has been funding and should be funding, said Kavanagh, the Georgetown global health expert.

More: Judge temporarily blocks Trump policy that aimed at freezing federal grant funding

Family planning is also important to help women survive in countries where poverty and the maternal mortality rate are high or in places where quality health care is unavailable, said Beth Schlachter of MSI Reproductive Choices, which works to make sure contraception is accessible around the world.

If you are a woman living in Gaza over the last year, its not the ideal time to get pregnant, said Schlachter, a former population policy adviser for the State Department. Providing family planning or contraceptives is a routine part of humanitarian assistance because women bring their uteruses with them when they are in a time of crisis and they still need all the reproductive health care they would need at any other time in their life.

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Even so, humanitarian groups said the administrations claim that $50 million was about to be spent to send condoms to Gaza is absurd.

Condoms cost 4 cents (to make), so $50 million in condoms is over a billion condoms, Kavanagh said. Theres only a million adults in Gaza. I did a quick calculation, and I think on average that would be three condoms per day for every adult in Gaza. Thats not happening.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he halted $50 million condom shipment to Gaza. Did he?
(Bloomberg) -- The US Marshals Service will not meet a Friday deadline to tell an influential senator the exact number of Bitcoin assets it controls and how it plans to manage them, according to two people familiar with the matter.

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US Senator Cynthia Lummis, a Wyoming Republican who chairs the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, sent the agency a letter two weeks ago requesting information about how much of the cryptocurrency the Marshals Service currently controls, what it plans to do with its holdings and whether it has taken any steps to measure the effectiveness and timing of past Bitcoin sales.

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The Marshals Service did not respond to questions. A person familiar with the matter said the agency would brief Lummis and her staff in the weeks ahead and provide an inventory of the different tranches of Bitcoin it currently holds.

At issue are the digital assets seized by the US government during criminal inquiries. Just like cash, jewelry and real estate, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are regularly confiscated by investigators and later auctioned off to repay crime victims or to support other law enforcement efforts. As of September, the Marshals Service said it had about $7.6 billion in total assets under its control.

Lummis has asked the agency for details on how it planned to auction more than 69,000 Bitcoin amassed by Silk Road, a former online black market where users could spend digital currency to buy drugs, forged passports, hacking tutorials and other illicit services. Silk Roads operator, Ross Ulbricht, was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted on charges of drug dealing, participating in a criminal enterprise and conspiracy. President Donald Trump pardoned Ulbricht of those charges this month.

The US Department of Justice said users spent more than 9.5 million Bitcoin on transactions, and that Silk Road collected about 900,000 in commissions. When investigators shut down the site in 2013, they seized laptops and began recovering hundreds of thousands of coins belonging to Silk Road and Ulbricht himself. Ulbricht agreed to forfeit those assets in a court proceeding separate from his trial, and the Marshals Service has been auctioning them off in tranches. The presidents pardon does not affect the forfeiture case.

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About 140,000 Bitcoin connected to the Silk Road case were sold for roughly $330 apiece, the Justice Department announced in 2017. Today, those coins sell for more than $100,000 each. In Lummiss letter, the lawmaker said that if the government had held onto all of the Bitcoin assets it has seized and sold, they would currently be worth almost $19 billion  a staggering 98% loss in potential value, the letter says.

Trump announced last week his administrations intention to explore creating a national digital asset stockpile similar to US gold reserves. One way the new administration could build that stockpile would be by transferring in Bitcoin held by the Marshals Service. Lummis has proposed legislation that calls on the US Treasury Department to acquire 200,000 Bitcoin each year until the stockpile hits 1 million tokens  about 5% of the global supply.

Lummis announced Wednesday that her committee plans to hold public hearings on the proposed Bitcoin stockpile.

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US F-16s flew to Greenland for force posturing after Russian aircraft were detected in the Arctic.

The US and Greenland continue their standard agreement for presence in the Arctic region.

Tensions are high as President Trump continues pressing his desire to buy Greenland.

US F-16 fighter jets flew to Greenland earlier this week, highlighting the vast autonomous territory's long-standing role in supporting North American defense, even as the new administration complicates matters with new landgrab ambitions.

Right now is an unusually tense time between the US and Denmark, a longtime American ally, as President Donald Trump continues to push forward on ambitions to acquire Greenland. His newly confirmed secretary of state, Marco Rubio, says he's serious.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command confirmed Thursday that it monitored the activity of multiple Russian military aircraft in the Arctic earlier this week. The aircraft remained in international airspace and weren't seen as a threat, but as part of its defense mission, NORAD regularly scrambles patrol aircraft to monitor these situations.

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Two patrols  one from the Canadian NORAD region and the other from the Alaskan NORAD region  were dispatched to track the activity. The Canadian patrol consisted of two Canadian CF-18s and KC-135 refueling aircraft, while the Alaskan patrol included two American F-35s, one E-3, and two KC-135 refueling aircraft.

Several hours after those patrols, NORAD "sent two F-16s from Alaska to Greenland exercising its standard agreement with Greenland to forward posture NORAD presence in the activity." The command said that the dispatch was not in response to any current threat.

Aircraft with the bilateral NORAD command regularly deploy to Pituffik Space Base on the western tip of northern Greenland. NORAD Public Affairs said that these aircraft "support various long planned NORAD activities with our allies and partners, building on the longstanding defense cooperation between the US, Canada, and the Kingdom of Denmark."

Trump's desire to acquire Greenland have raised concerns with the Arctic island, Denmark, and European allies. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The routine activity highlights that Greenland isn't simply land; it is part of a strategic partnership.

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In recent months, President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in a US acquisition of Greenland, a self-ruling Danish territory. He has called the island, which is rich in natural resources, an "absolutely necessity" and has even suggested using force or coercion to bring it under US control.

Trump's comments on Greenland have been met with a wide range of responses and confusion, especially with Greenlanders and US partners in Europe, but on Thursday, the newly sworn-in US secretary of state, Rubio, said on The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM that Trump's desire to acquire the island is "not a joke."

He said "this is not about acquiring land for the purpose of acquiring land. This is in our national interest, and it needs to be solved."

Beyond its natural resources, Greenland is also primely located in an area of growing strategic competition: the Arctic. It could support the US force posture in the Arctic, making it easier to monitor and counter China and Russia's ambitions in the region. China is a critical factor in Trump's attitude on the Panama Canal, as well.

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In response to Rubio's remarks on Trump's ambitions, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said Friday, "I would be more surprised if he said it was a joke," per Danish public broadcaster TV2. "We have no interest in selling Greenland to the US, it will not happen."

Read the original article on Business Insider
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will "hopefully" start moving migrants to a detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within 30 days, The Washington Post reported on Friday, citing House border czar Tom Homan.

The facility was first announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

"Hopefully within 30 days well start moving people there," Homan told the newspaper.

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Homan said he planned to travel to the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay in the coming weeks to oversee the fast-tracked construction of the facility.

Although Trump said the facility would hold as many as 30,000 migrants, Homan said they would probably start with a small number, according to The Washington Post.

The U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay already houses a migrant facility - separate from the high-security U.S. prison for foreign terrorism suspects - that has been used on occasion for decades, including to hold Haitians and Cubans picked up at sea.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; editing by Diane Craft)
The United States is urging Ukraine to hold elections, possibly by the end of the year, particularly if a truce with Russia is reached in the coming months, according to President Donald Trump's top Ukraine official.

Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, told Reuters that presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended since the all-out war began, "need to be done." He argued that most democratic nations hold elections during wartime and that doing so would strengthen Ukraines democracy. "Thats the beauty of a solid democracy, you have more than one person potentially running," Kellogg said.

Trump and Kellogg have indicated they are working on a plan to broker a peace deal within the first months of the new administration, though details remain scarce. While the strategy is still being developed, two sources familiar with White House discussions and a former U.S. official briefed on the matter said Trump officials are considering pushing Ukraine to hold elections as part of an initial ceasefire with Russia.

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The administration is also debating whether to secure a temporary ceasefire before negotiating a more permanent resolution, with the election winner potentially overseeing future talks with Moscow.

The response from Kyiv to such a proposal remains uncertain, according to Reuters. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that elections could take place if fighting ends and security guarantees are in place to prevent renewed Russian aggression.

However, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian government and another official said that the Trump administration has not yet made a formal request for elections by years end. Ukrainian law currently prohibits elections under martial law, which has been in effect since February 2022.

Washington previously raised the issue of elections with Ukrainian officials in both 2023 and 2024 during Joe Bidens presidency, according to two former senior U.S. officials. U.S. diplomats emphasized the importance of elections for democratic legitimacy, but Ukrainian officials resisted, arguing that elections during wartime could create internal divisions and expose Ukraine to Russian disinformation campaigns.

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The Kremlin has questioned the absence of elections, with Russian President Vladimir Putin insisting that the Ukrainian leader lacks the legal authority to sign binding agreements. However, Putin has said Zelensky could still take part in negotiations if he first repeals a 2022 decree that bans talks with Russia while Putin remains in power.

The former Western official familiar with the U.S. proposal expressed concerns that lifting martial law for elections could destabilize Ukraine by allowing mobilized soldiers to leave the military, triggering financial instability, and prompting draft-age men to flee the country.

If Trump pressures Ukraine to hold elections, the former Western official warned, the U.S. could be aligning with Russian narratives. "Trump is reacting, in my view, to ... Russian feedback," the official said. Russia wants to see an end to Zelensky." Some former U.S. officials doubt that a peace deal will be reached in the coming months or that elections will take place in 2025, given the lack of consensus on how to start formal negotiations.

Read also: Trump claims he and Putin could take significant steps to end Russias war in Ukraine

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The Scott Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake City is pictured on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

An anti-gerrymandering lawsuit contending the Utah Legislature acted unconstitutionally when it repealed and replaced a 2018 ballot initiative creating an independent redistricting commission is back in court.

Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson heard more than three hours of oral arguments on Friday before taking the matter under advisement. Its not yet clear when shell issue a ruling  though she acknowledged that time is of the essence.

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Ill get a ruling out as quickly as possible, she said.

Fridays hearing was the latest development in a complex court case thats stretched on for more than two years over an issue that dates back even further. Its also a case that has the potential to force the Utah Legislature to redraw maps for its congressional political boundaries that it last set in 2021, as part of a process called redistricting that happens every 10 years.

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In 2018, the anti-gerrymandering group Better Boundaries successfully pursued a ballot initiative known as Proposition 4 to create an independent redistricting commission that would have drawn proposed boundaries for Utahs congressional, legislative, and state school board districts based on a set of standards that the Legislature would be required to consider. Voters narrowly approved that initiative, with 50.3% of the vote.

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However, in 2020, the Utah Legislature repealed and replaced Proposition 4 with SB200, a law that turned the independent redistricting commission into an advisory body that lawmakers could ultimately ignore. The next year, lawmakers did just that  ignored the independently-drawn maps and adopted their own, despite protests that the maps cracked Democratic strongholds in an otherwise staunchly conservative state.

In 2022, the nonpartisan groups League of Women Voters of Utah and Mormon Women for Ethical Government sued, alleging the Utah Legislature violated Utahns constitutional right to alter and reform their government when lawmakers repealed and replaced Proposition 4. They also allege the congressional map was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander that favored Republicans.

The case wound its way to the Utah Supreme Court, which on July 11 issued a groundbreaking ruling that prompted celebration from the plaintiffs and dismay from Utahs Republican legislative leaders.

That unanimous opinion reversed a previous decision issued by Gibson that dismissed the claim that the Legislature overstepped when it repealed and replaced Prop 4. The Utah Supreme Courts ruling made clear that lawmakers do not have unfettered power to repeal or change all types of ballot initiatives, and that if they make changes that impair a government reform initiative, they must show its narrowly tailored to advance a compelling government interest.

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That ruling sent the case back to Gibsons courtroom, where attorneys for both the plaintiffs and the Legislature repeatedly cited the Utah Supreme Courts ruling as they argued their case before a judge who must now untangle a complex web of legal questions before determining what to do next.

Aseem Mulji, an attorney for the Campaign Legal Center, which is also representing the plaintiffs in the case, argued there is no dispute that SB200 impaired Proposition 4. He also argued legislative attorneys have failed to show that their replacement of the ballot initiative was narrowly tailored enough to survive a constitutional challenge.

He argued that just because lawmakers disagreed with the criteria required in Proposition 4, that doesnt justify repealing and replacing the voter-approved law that harnessed the peoples constitutional right to alter and reform their government.

If they dont like it, thats not a good enough reason to impair a reform enacted by the people, he said.

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Tyler Green, an attorney representing the Utah Legislature, argued the Legislature passed SB200 to address concerns that enacting Proposition 4 would have violated the Utah Constitution, which states the Legislature shall divide the state into congressional, legislative and other districts.

Proposition 4s independent commission creates a constitutional conundrum, Green argued, because it would insert itself into the legislative process and force the Utah Legislature to act based on a new set of rules that strays from the Legislatures regular legislative process.

Thats the crux of the constitutional problem, he argued.

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Gibson, while questioning the attorneys during their arguments, said that seems to be a key issue that will likely determine whether the plaintiffs will succeed  whether that provision of the Utah Constitution grants the Legislature the sole authority over redistricting, or if it actually sets restraints or parameters the Legislature must adhere to when redistricting.

Now its up to the judge to decide. The anti-gerrymandering groups are asking her to stop enforcement of SB200 and invalidate the congressional maps ahead of the 2026 primary and general elections. If she sides with them, they argue that would essentially make Proposition 4 law of the land, and lawmakers would be forced to consider a set of maps created by the independent redistricting commission.

Our hope is the court will revive the parts of Proposition 4 that we say the Legislature unconstitutionally impaired and at the same time prevent the current congressional map, which divides Salt Lake County into four pieces, from having any further effect, Mark Gaber, an attorney with the Campaign Legal Center, told reporters after Fridays hearing.

He said they also hope in 2026 there will be a new map in place that follows the requirements that the people passed in 2018 that prohibits partisan gerrymandering, requires that communities be kept together  and gives real teeth to the reform effort that the people adopted.

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Time is of the essence, Gaber said, because if the judge rules in favor of the plaintiffs, new congressional maps would need to be drawn by November 2025 ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

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(WFRV)  A UTV went through the ice on a lake in Wisconsin on Friday, prompting officials to urge extra caution and to avoid the ice nearby.

According to the Adams County Sheriffs Office, the incident occurred on Friday at Petenwell Lake about half a mile from the Petenwell County Park boat landing.

Missing ice fishermans body recovered after joint efforts from Wisconsin and Illinois agencies

Fortunately, the UTV operators made it back to shore safely, however, the Adams County Sheriffs Office is urging the public to avoid the ice in the area.

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A drone flyover of the area also indicated several other concerning areas. No more details were provided.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Valentine's Day will be here before you know it.

The beginning of the holiday in the middle of February is shrouded in mystery, including who was Saint Valentine since Valentinus was a common name at the time.

Were there two Saint Valentines who were beheaded on Feb. 14? Were they the same person? And yes, the thought of someone literally losing their head isn't exactly what we mean in context with today's Valentine's Day.

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Combine that with the Christian church trying to, how shall we say, moderate the rather erotic activities of a Roman celebration that took place on Feb. 15, and you eventually have what we think of Valentine's Day today.

So let's take a look at the murky beginnings of Valentine's Day and how we got to the romantic holiday filled with flowers and candy we think of today.

When is Valentine's Day 2025?

Valentine's Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 14. In 2025, the day falls on a Friday.

How many days until Valentine's Day?

As of Saturday, Feb. 1, you have 13 days until Valentine's day arrives.

If you plan to celebrate with a special dinner at a favorite restaurant, make dinner reservations now.

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Ordering something online? Don't procrastinate. Now's the time to place your order.

Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day is celebrated in honor of St. Valentine, according to history.com.

"Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and  most importantly  romantic figure.

"By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France," history.com said.

Who is St. Valentine?

"The Catholic Church recognizes several saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred" around A.D. 270

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There's one who was a Roman priest who performed secret weddings, defying Emperor Claudius II who outlawed marriage for young men, saying single men made better soldiers.

Another Saint Valentine of Terni, also performed secret weddings and was beheaded on Feb. 14.

First use of the phrase 'From Your Valentine'

The Saint Valentine who performed secret weddings was said to have healed his captor's blind daughter, which lead to her entire household converting to Christianity.

Before he was tortured and decapitated on Feb. 14, he sent the girl a note signed "Your Valentine," according to history.com.

Not exactly what we think of today when looking through Valentine cards.

Valentine's Day may have been attempt to 'Christianize' Lupercalia

The Christian church may have been trying to Christianize the pagan celebration of Lupercalia.

"Celebrated at the ides of February, or Feb. 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus," according to history.com.

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The Roman festival involved two nearly naked young men slapping everyone around them with pieces of goat skin dipped in blood. Some young married women believed being hit with the skins promoted conception and easy childbirth.

We do not suggest resurrecting this practice to celebrate Valentine's Day 2025 with your loved one.

Pope declared Feb. 14 as Valentine's Day in 5th Century

Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentines Day in 496 AD. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love.

Enter poet Geoffrey Chaucer for a romantic slant to Valentine's Day

Valentines Day became associated with love in the late Middle Ages, due to English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, according to history.com.

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Chaucer's "Parlement of Foules"  "Parliament of Fowls"  in 1382 celebrated the engagement of the 15-year-old King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia via a poem, in which he wrote: "For this was on St. Valentines Day, when every bird (fowl) cometh to choose his mate," according to historic-uk.com.

William Shakespeare mentions Valentine's Day in Hamlet

"By 1601, St. Valentines Day appears to be an established part of English tradition, as William Shakespeare makes mention of it in Ophelias lament in Hamlet: To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine."

'Mother of the Valentine': Gifts, notes exchanged to celebrate Valentine's Day

"In 1847, Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts, first introduced Valentine's Day to the American public and the rest, as they say, is history," according to historic-uk.com.

Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America, according to history.com. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as scrap.

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By the middle of the 18th century, "it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes" to celebrate Valentine's Day, according to history.com.

By 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters.

How many Valentine's cards are sent every year?

According to Hallmark, an estimated 145 million Valentines Day cards are sent each year.

That makes the day second only to Christmas for the sending of the most holiday cards.

What other countries celebrate Valentine's Day?

In addition to the U.S. and United Kingdom, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, France, Australia, Denmark and Italy, according to Hallmark.com.

Valentine's Day trivia

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: When is Valentine's Day: History, St. Valentine, Lupercalia
(KRON)  The Vallejo City Council said it will hold a special community workshop to address concerns from residents about public safety in the wake of recent crimes in Vallejo.

San Carlos Airport reaches agreement to keep its air traffic controllers

The meeting is scheduled to take place on Feb. 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the Vallejo Room, located at 505 Santa Clara Street.

The forum will listen to community feedback, aim to find proactive solutions, and provide direction on next steps.

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The City Council and community have voiced their concerns over recent crimes in Vallejo, said Vallejo City Manager Andrew Murray. Our hearts go out to the innocent victims and their families. At the special meeting Tuesday, staff will work with the city council and community on finding solutions to combatting crime and provide information on youth programs and agencies that are collaborating to help build a safer Vallejo.

In recent weeks, Vallejo has been in local headlines for a series of incidents, involving a mass copper theft at a school where its electricity systems were severely damaged and cancelled classes, and news the California Highway Patrol would join Vallejo police to take on an uptick of sideshows and dangerous drivers. Last Thursday, a food truck owner was shot at point-blank range outside Omayh Food Mart and Liquor in Vallejo, leaving him hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Those interested in joining the workshop can find details here.

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President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela would take back all of the countrys migrants his administration wants to deport, an announcement that came on the heels of the release of six American hostages from the South American country late Friday night.

Trump celebrated the hostages return in a post to Truth Social, adding that the country had agreed to receive all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S.  and that Venezuela would supply the transportation.

The back-to-back announcements came in the wake of envoy for special missions Richard Grenells talks with Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Caracas Friday. Maduro claimed victory in an election last year that was widely viewed as fraudulent  including by the U.S., who under the Biden administration recognized opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the rightful winner  and was sworn into office last month.

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Trump has made immigration policy a cornerstone of his presidency, overseeing several deportation flights of migrants back to Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador and ordering the detention of up to 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay. Flights to the notorious detention center are set to start this weekend.

The Trump administration has also revoked Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, a deportation protection granted to Venezuelan citizens during the period of political upheaval in the country.

While it confers immigrants a protected status against deportation, TPS does not offer a pathway for permanent residency. Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants benefiting from TPS could face deportation once their status expires beginning in April.

Just last weekend, Trump used the threat of a sweeping 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Colombia to pressure the country into receiving deportation flights after it initially refused U.S. military aircraft full of detained migrants.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also set to visit Latin America this weekend, part of the Trump administrations efforts to get some of its southern neighbors to accept migrant flights from the U.S.
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Danish cargo ship Lars Maersk sailing across Gatun Lake, an artificial lake which makes up a large portion of the Panama Canal. | Credit: Arnulfo Franco / AFP / Getty Images

In his inaugural address last month, Donald Trump described the US decision to hand full control of the canal to Panama, in 1999, as "a foolish gift that should have never been made".

Trump also claimed that the Panamanian authorities overcharge the US ships for transit fees  and that "above all China is operating the Panama Canal". He added: "We didn't give it to China, we gave it to Panama and we are taking it back!" The president has often returned to this theme in recent months. Asked on 7 January whether he could assure the world he would not use military or other coercion to gain control of the Panama Canal or Greenland, Trump said: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But I can say this: we need them for economic security."

How did the US come to own the canal in the first place?

Because the US built it, between 1904 and 1914. Europeans had dreamed of building a waterway across the 51-mile isthmus between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans since the early 1500s, but the terrain and climate are challenging  mountains, thick jungle, swamps, torrential rains, hot sun, debilitating humidity and plentiful tropical diseases. Ferdinand de Lesseps, who developed the Suez Canal, led a French attempt to build a canal between 1881 and 1889; 11 miles were built before the project was defeated by engineering problems, a shockingly high mortality rate and bankruptcy.

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The US had a strong interest in establishing a route across Panama: ships from New York to San Francisco for instance, at that time, had to go via Cape Horn, which took months (though in the 1850s, a railway was built across the isthmus). The US secured the rights to build a canal  which, when completed, would cut the sea journey by half.

And how did it secure the rights?

Partly by gunboat diplomacy. The US government bought the French canal concession, but Panama was then a province of Colombia, and the US could not reach terms with its government. In 1903, the then-president, Theodore Roosevelt, supported an attempt by Panama to declare independence, and sent gunships to deter Colombia from intervening. Consequently, the new government granted the US open-ended use of the future canal, and sovereignty over a Canal Zone reaching five miles on either side  cutting a swathe through the middle of the new republic.

How was the canal built?

By the US army corps of engineers, using imported workers from the Caribbean. The engineers built six pairs of locks that raised ships from ocean level up 85ft to Gatun Lake  at the time the largest-ever man-made lake, created by damming the Chagres River with what was then the world's largest dam  and took them down again.

The canal is regarded as one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century. Most challenging of all was the Culebra Cut, an artificial valley carved through the continental divide. Some 400,000 pounds of dynamite per month were used to blast the rock, which was collected with steam shovels and taken to landfill.

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On 15 August 1914, the SS Ancon made the first official transit  travelling from ocean to ocean in less than ten hours. Native Panamanians were removed from the Canal Zone, which had been the most populous part of Panama, in part to make conditions more "hygienic", and it became effectively a US colony. This was a cause of lasting bitterness and protest.

When did Panama get it back?

Panama repeatedly tried to reclaim the canal and the land, particularly in the post-colonial era. The efforts culminated in the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977, under President Carter. The Canal Zone ceased to exist in 1979; after a period of joint control, Panama took over the canal in 1999. It is now operated by the government-owned Panama Canal Authority, which recently built a new set of bigger locks, allowing the size limit for ships passing through to be expanded from so-called Panamax size (maximum 294 metres long) to Neo-Panamax (366 metres).

Today, between 13,000 and 14,000 ships per year pass through it  about 5% of world shipping  mostly travelling between east Asia and the eastern US. The canal is central to Panamanian identity and its economy. In 2024, the waterway earned $3.5 billion in profits; nearly 25% of Panama's income comes from it, directly or indirectly.

Does China run the canal?

No. It is run by the Panama Canal Authority. But two of the five ports adjacent to the canal, Balboa and Cristobal, which sit on the Pacific and Atlantic sides respectively, have since 1996 been operated by a subsidiary of Hutchison Port Holdings, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate. Chinese companies, both private and state-owned, have also invested billions in Panama in recent years, as part of Xi Jinping's global Belt and Road Initiative.

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The US certainly has a big interest in the canal, strategically and economically: 40% of US container traffic passes through it, and US trade accounts for about three-quarters of all canal transits.

How has Panama reacted?

President Jose Raul Mulino said its dominion over the waterway is "nonnegotiable". "As president, I want to clearly state that every square metre of the Panama Canal and its adjoining zone is Panama's and will remain so," he said. China expressed its support for Panama's sovereignty. Russia warned the US against trying to exert control.

The US has invaded Panama before  to depose Manuel Noriega, in 1989. In theory, it could do so again. "All [Trump] needs is to land ten thousand troops and that's it," said Ovidio Diaz-Espino, a Panamanian commentator. "We don't have an army." However, Trump's threats to use military force are mostly seen as an attempt to assert US strategic influence, and to push for better terms. The Panamanian authorities ordered an immediate audit of Hutchison's port operations.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the Nicolas Maduro regime has agreed to take back undocumented Venezuelans immigrants that have come to the United States, including members of the notorious Tren de Aragua criminal gang.

The announcement comes after a meeting in Caracas between Maduro and Trump envoy Richard Grenell, after which the socialist regime released six American prisoners. It is not yet clear what if anything Maduro obtained in exchange of accepting future Venezuelan deportees  which could potentially add up to hundreds of thousands.

Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua, Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, adding that Caracas has agreed to supply the transportation back.

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The deal is viewed with suspicion by representatives of the Venezuelan community in South Florida.

Earlier this month, opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez  whom the United States and a growing number of countries view as Venezuelas legitimate leader  had asked then-President-elect Trump not to make concessions to Maduro in exchange of accepting Venezuelan deportees.

Getting the regime to accept them back, however, appears to have been on top of the presidents agenda concerning Venezuela, and Saturday morning Trump announced the news.

The Venezuelan regime has not independently announced a similar agreement.

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The comments come the day after Grenell met with Maduro to convey a simple message: Take back all of the Venezuelan criminals and gang members that have been exported to the United States, Trump officials told reporters in a call Friday. One of the officials denied that the meeting was part of quid pro quo negotiations with Caracas ahead Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarking on a diplomatic trip throughout Latin America beginning Saturday.

Trumps announcement also coincided with the renewal for six months of a license for U.S. oil company Chevron to continue its operations in Venezuela. Although the extension was set to automatically renew on Saturday, the fact that it was not halted was being interpreted by some Venezuelans circles as a sign that the Trump administration is willing to allow the regime to continue selling its oil in the United States. Initially granted by the Biden administration in November 2022, the license has become an important source of income for the Caracas regime. Chevron is producing about 200,000 barrels of oil in the South American country.

It is not known if Chevrons operations in Venezuela were at all discussed in the meeting between Grenelle and Maduro.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousand of Venezuelans were holding their breath as they waited to learn whether the Trump administration would renew extensions for rough half of the 505,000 recipients of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela. The federal program temporarily gives work authorization for people from countries in turmoil. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had until Saturday to renew or terminate the extensions.

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In addition, thousands of Venezuelans who arrived under a humanitarian parole program that began under the Biden administration could find themselves placed in expedited removal. Trump has ended the program and immigration authorities have expanded the pool of deportable immigrants to include beneficiaries of humanitarian parole.

Severe consequences

A prominent leader of South Floridas Venezuelan community, Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, warned that any agreement between Trump and Maduro will have severe consequences for the path to democracy in Venezuela, and for the future of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who, unfortunately, will be subject to deportation.

Ferro described the agreement as a form of trafficking Venezuelans. The vast majority entered the U.S. with a hearing and parole, she said. Only a few Venezuelans are involved in criminal activity or are linked to groups like Tren de Aragua, but they do not represent the majority.

Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus.

Ferro said she is losing hope for any restoration of democracy in Venezuela because there has been no mention of the Venezuelan opposition since negotiations began with Grenells trip to Caracas on Friday. Ferro said there has been no acknowledgment by the Trump administration of Edmundo Gonzalez  who is considered by most Western countries to have defeated Maduro in the July 2024 presidential election  or of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

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There hasnt been a single statement, post, or tweet from Trump or Grenell addressing the fraudulent elections, the election results, or the opposition leaders, Ferro said. Many Venezuelans were hopeful that once Trump was in office, he would take action to liberate Venezuela, but so far, it looks like hes turning a blind eye.

Grecia Pacheco, 27, who moved to the U.S from Venezuela in 2017 and lives in North Miami, said Saturday after the news broke that she believes the Trump administration is playing with the lives of fellow Venezuelans who have fled their country.

Pacheco, who was covered by the TPS protection in 2021, said Venezuelans are often unfairly portrayed as criminals, as if they are all associated with the Tren de Aragua gang  the very group many Venezuelans are trying to escape.

I dont even know one Tren de Aragua, and I dont ever want to meet them, she said.

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While Pacheco and many in the Venezuelan community have appreciated the U.S. governments criticism of Nicolas Maduro, she is disillusioned with Trumps announcement that the Maduro regime has agreed to take back undocumented Venezuelan immigrants.

Right now, it feels like they are playing with us and using us, she said. It feels like this new administration is shaking hands with a dictator.

Pacheco is a senior at Florida International University living in Miami-Dade, pursuing a degree in digital journalism. She receives no government assistance for her education and has had to take semesters off to work and save money.

Pacheco said she and her family would rather seek refuge in another country than return to Venezuela, especially given her outspoken criticism of the Venezuelan government through her work as a journalist.

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Its very sad that Ive been here for more than seven years, working so hard, studying to get my bachelors, and Im still being targeted, she said.

READ MORE: Trumps special envoy met Maduro ahead of Rubios first trip to Latin America

Prisoners released

On Friday night Grenell returned with six American citizens in tow on his plane who had been imprisoned in Venezuela. Trump wrote on Truth Social that it is so good to have the Venezuelan hostages back home.

Six Americans recently detained in Venezuela were released by President Nicolas Maduros government after a meeting with a senior Trump administration official. U.S. President Donald Trump and special envoy Richard Grenell announced their release on social media, with Grenell sharing a photo on X of himself and the freed men aboard an aircraft

There have been no repatriation flights to Venezuela for a year, according to independent analyst Tom Cartwright, who tracks Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations. The flights ceased after tensions escalated with the South American country when the Biden administration announced it would reinstate sanctions after Venezuela did not allow opposition candidates run in last years elections.

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Since Trump returned to the White House two weeks ago, his administration has announced sweeping measures aimed at overhauling the U.S. immigration system. That includes attempts to limit birthright citizenship, which a federal judge has initially blocked in court; the termination of a parole program that allowed over 500,000 Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Haitians, and Cubans to come to the United States; and a declaration of a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. During his campaign, Trump promised to conduct mass deportations of the millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.

We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back. Furthermore, record numbers of criminals are being removed from our Country, and the Border numbers are the strongest they have been since the First Term of the Trump Administration! Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.

However, immigration officials, advocates and attorneys have noted that the federal government does not currently have the staffing, resources or infrastructure to carry out a deportation operation of such a scale. Deportation agreements are also contingent on another country accepting back its nationals.

Given diplomatic relations and dangerous conditions in other countries, the United States has previously had issues sending deportation flights to certain place. That includes places that are large sources of migration to the United States, such as Cuba and Haiti.
Venezuela released six detained Americans on Friday as President Donald Trumps envoy for special missions ended a visit that included talks on U.S. efforts to repatriate large numbers of people who fled the South American country in recent years.

Trump announced the release in a post on his social network as the envoy, Richard Grenell, returned from talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who started a new term this month following an election last year that the U.S. and many others consider fraudulent.

Just been informed that we are bringing six hostages home from Venezuela, he said. Thank you to Ric Grenell and my entire staff. Great job!

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Grenell, who served as acting director of National Intelligence in the first Trump administration, posted a photo on social media of the six detained Americans on board his plane. They include David Estrella, who was arrested in December and accused of trying to overthrow Maduro, which he denies.

The visit was the Trump administrations first formal diplomatic foray to Latin America, coming before Secretary of State Marco Rubios trip to the region scheduled to start this weekend.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Friday that Grenell had two main objectives: securing the release of the detained Americans and ensuring the country accepts migrant repatriation flights.

The Trump administration has begun a sweeping effort to detain and remove tens of thousands of people in the U.S. without legal status, a group that includes many Venezuelans who have fled their country as the countrys economy deteriorated under Maduros authoritarian rule.

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The administration has added to the number facing deportation by recently revoking temporary legal status granted under former President Joe Biden to about 600,000 Venezuelans.

Eric Bazail-Eimil contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misspelled Richard Grenell's last name.
(Bloomberg) -- Venezuela is expected to permit the US to return deported migrants directly to the South American country after an adviser to President Donald Trump flew to Caracas for talks with the regime.

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In a meeting with Richard Grenell, Trumps envoy for special missions, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro agreed to allow some flights of migrants who are from his country, people familiar with the matter said. A ban against such flights has been in place for almost a year.

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Trump said on Saturday that Maduros administration agreed to receive all undocumented Venezuelan migrants from the US, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group. Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

If Maduro follows through, Trump would be able to claim a victory in his campaign to return undocumented migrants to their home countries.

An agreement with Venezuela would open a path for his administration to deport hundreds of thousands of people back to a country thats been a major source of migration to the US in recent years, because of its autocratic regime and dire economic struggles.

Earlier: Venezuela Releases Six US Prisoners After Trump Envoys Visit

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Still, a deal is likely to disappoint those who have advocated for a tougher stance against Maduro since strong evidence emerged that he stole the presidential election in July. Last month, Caracas-based human rights group Foro Penal counted 1,408 political prisoners in the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who begins a Latin American trip this weekend, has questioned whether Chevron Corp.s license to operate in Venezuela should continue to be renewed, and Trump had earlier referred to opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the rightful president-elect.

The Trump administration has been exploring various alternative destinations for Venezuelan deportees, including third countries that are willing to accept them. The US also plans to talk with the government of El Salvador about receiving and potentially jailing some deportees it accuses of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, which originated in Venezuela, Bloomberg reported this week.

While the plans for deportee flights werent made public Friday, Venezuelan and US officials confirmed that the Maduro regime had released six detained Americans following Grenells visit. Venezuela said the two sides talked about the imprisoned US citizens, sanctions and migration.

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Venezuelas Information Ministry didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday morning.

But in a late night address on state television, Maduro said his government had reached initial agreements with Grenell, during a frank and positive conversation. When they get fulfilled, the path for new agreements will open up, Maduro added.

(Updates with Trumps confirmation of deal in third paragraph and comment request in tenth paragraph.)

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(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelas government released six detained Americans after President Nicolas Maduro met an adviser for President Donald Trump in Caracas on Friday.

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We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens, Richard Grenell posted on X after he left with the US citizens. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him.

Grenell was sent to Caracas in a bid to get Venezuela to accept deportation flights from the US that carried gang members and to secure the release of the American prisoners.

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The meeting was the most significant encounter between the two hostile governments in years. Venezuela said the two sides talked about the imprisoned US citizens, sanctions and migration.

The trip set up a potential clash with Maduro, whose government has refused to accept deportation flights from the US for about a year. But he may also use the visit as an opportunity to push for easing US sanctions that have crippled his economy, including the oil sector.

The last US delegation to visit Caracas was in 2023, led by President Joe Bidens Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens. He secured a prisoner swap in which Venezuela freed 10 Americans and handed over a defense contractor. The US released a Maduro ally from a US prison.

Venezuelas Information Ministry didnt immediately reply to a request for comment on Fridays release.

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The majority of the Americans released Friday had been arrested after last years controversial presidential election and were accused by authorities of taking part in an anti-government conspiracy plot and an attempt to kill Maduro and other officials.

Last month, Caracas-based human rights group Foro Penal counted 1,408 political prisoners in the country. Prominent politicians like Freddy Superlano and Biagio Pilieri, as well as human rights activists Rocio San Miguel and Javier Tarazona, remain in prison.

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NEW YORK (PIX11)  They were given Temporary Protected Status Because their country is too unsafe to return. But now, thousands of Venezuelans will be open to potential deportation when their protections come to an end as soon as in two months.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristin Noem revoked the Biden administrations decision to extend TPS for this group of migrants through October 2026.

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On a rainy late Friday evening, Carmen, her husband, and her dog miel, walked out of the asylum seeker help center in Midtown, hoping for a miracle from God, she said in Spanish.

That miracle, staying in the United States following the end of her TPS. A program allowing a group of Venezuelans who came to this country in 2021 and before August 2023 with work permits and protection from deportation.

Nationwide, roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela have Temporary Protected status.

PIX11 News has learned from a worker close to the operation at this center that they have helped about 11,000 Venezuelans apply for TPS since 2023.

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It is inhuman to even consider sending them back home to that dictatorship, said Erick Ronso, who leads the NYC Venezuelan movement. He is worried that the future of many of his compatriots will be in limbo.

2023 is supposed to expire by April of this year, whereas the 2021 is supposed to expire by the end of the year. October, added Ronso.

Meanwhile, Trump diplomatic envoy Richard Grenell posted a picture on X following his meeting with Venezuelas President, Nicolas Maduro. With the caption, We are wheels up and headed back home with these six American citizens. They just spoke to Donald Trump and couldnt stop thanking him. In addition to returning from Venezuela with U.S. detainees, Grenell had another instruction from President Trump.

Richard Grenell has been instructed to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights of Tren de Aragua members of Venezuelan nationals who have broken our nations law will land in Venezuela will land in Venezuela, stated White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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And escaping Maduros dictatorship, Carmen said, is the reason she left Venezuela. A country she says she cant go back to.

Venezuelans in New York City are the largest immigrant group living in NYC migrant shelters.

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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN)  Vice President J.D. Vance will be joining Senator Bernie Moreno in East Palestine on Monday to commemorate two years since the train derailment.

I couldnt be prouder to visit East Palestine with Vice President Vance and I look forward to working hand-in-hand with the Trump administration to ensure the Ohio residents whose lives were upended two years ago will have the support they need, Moreno said in a statement.

Governor Mike DeWine will be there, along with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Senator Jon Husted.

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On Friday, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway spoke about the villages recent multi-million dollar settlement with Norfolk Southern and where he wants the money to go.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  Friday morning, 8th grade students in Vigo County got to take an interactive tour of Terre Haute South Vigo High School.

This gave them the chance to talk with teachers, staff and students about what their day-to-day lives could be like. Honey Creek Middle School student Eleanor Glassburn said she is looking forward to having more freedom.

I like that we get to choose rather or not we get to be in advanced classes or regular classes and when we want to take them rather than just getting them randomly assigned, said Glassburn.

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Student Raegan Bowman said that she is most excited about being able to focus on her future career.

Female veteran served the nation and so much more

I am excited for a more focused pathway to lead into my future career, said Bowman. Im not sure if I want to go into human or animal health, but hopefully I can do both in high school to try and figure it out.

These students also got the chance to learn about multiple clubs, sports, and other extracurricular activities. Glassburn said she is ready to start her new journey at a new school.

I know a lot of people in high school because of cross country and I trained with them, so it makes it a little better knowing that I can go to them, said Glassburn. It is just nice knowing that we are going to be a new school as a fresh start would be nice.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  In honor of Black History Month, the Vigo County History Center will have an exhibit about African American history in the area.

We look at this as an educational exhibit that can help teach about this sensitive topic that is something that is relative and still important in our communities today, said its curator Suzy Dunning.

Dunning said this years exhibit will display the history of African American stereotypes and characterizations, the impact that has had, and the efforts to combat it.

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It is something that has led to racism and there have been a lot of efforts to reject that stereotypical imagery in black communities throughout history, and we want to teach on that as well, said Dunning.

The history center will also host a program called Black History from A to Z: Local Stories Told Through Artifacts, which will be taught by local historian Dr. Crystal Reynolds along with a number of guest speakers. Reynolds said that this will contain one-of-a-kind artifacts that will open peoples eyes to the black history in this area.

Prairie Creek Park, once again, producing maple syrup

This program is going to expose people to some of the amazing objects and artifacts in the collection at the historical museum, said Reynolds. In particular, these objects deal with the African American experience. This museum houses amazing objects that tells the story of African Americans as well as great African American leaders.

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Reynolds said that she cant thank the history center enough for allowing this history to continue to be told.

This museum has been the keeper of these objects to preserve these amazing stories, amazing events, and amazing history, said Reynolds. We want everyone to come out and see this great history.

Part 1 of Black History from A to Z: Local Stories Told Through Artifacts will be held on February 15 at 2 p.m.

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Over and over at a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Democratic senators confronted Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about controversial comments they said he had made in the past. And over and over, President Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of health and human services either denied having said those things or said he wasnt sure he had said them.

So CNN reviewed his comments in context  listening to full recordings of his interviews and poring over one of his books. We found that Kennedy did make some of the comments he denied making or claimed not to remember whether he had made, though there was at least one case in which his Wednesday denial was accurate.

Here is a look at six of the exchanges Kennedy had with members of the Senate Finance Committee:

AIDS in Africa

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado asked Kennedy, Did you write in your book, and I (quote): Its undeniable that African AIDS is an entirely different disease from Western AIDS. Yes or no, Mr. Kennedy?

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Kennedy responded, Im not sure.

Facts First: Kennedy did write that, word for word, in a 2021 book.

The sentence cited by Bennet appeared in a Kennedy book called The Real Anthony Fauci. It was part of a conspiratorial section in which Kennedy baselessly insinuated that the number of people diagnosed with AIDS in Africa had been inaccurately inflated to enrich people whose organizations get money to help fight the disease on that continent.

The book makes clear that Kennedy wasnt claiming that the science of the disease itself is different among Africans than among Westerners. Rather, he was claiming, baselessly, that it is suspicious that the statistics on the demographics of people with AIDS in Africa  for example, the fact that a large percentage of Africans diagnosed with the disease are heterosexual women  are different from the statistics on the demographics of people with AIDS in Western countries.

Nazi death camps

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia said Kennedy had compared the work of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Nazi death camps.

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Kennedy said, Senator, I dont believe that I ever compared the CDC to Nazi death camps. I support the CDC. When Warnock asked him whether he is retracting his statement, Kennedy said, Im not retracting it; I never said it. Then, when Warnock read out a quote in which Kennedy used the words Nazi death camps, Kennedy said, I was not comparing the CDC to Nazi death camps; I was comparing the injury rate to our children to other atrocities. And I wouldnt compare, of course, the CDC to Nazi death camps.

Facts First: Kennedy did compare the CDC to Nazi death camps. He did so in 2013 while baselessly linking vaccines to autism in children.

At a 2013 conference for the parents of children with autism, an audience member asked Kennedy a question about the CDC and autism (some of the question is inaudible in a low-quality recording of the event). In his response, Kennedy told a story about the CDC supposedly turning down a past offer from the vaccine industry to remove harmful material from vaccines.

Kennedy said, I cant tell you why they did it, but that he has seen people get caught up in institutional vortexes in which they go to extremes and make decisions merely to protect themselves. He then said, To me, this is like Nazi death camps.

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He then asked, What happened to these kids? citing the prevalence of autism in boys. Moments later, he returned to his comparison between the Nazis and the CDCs supposed decisions on vaccines, saying, I cant tell you why somebody would do something like that. I cant tell you why ordinary Germans participated in the Holocaust.

Pesticides and transgender children

Bennet asked Kennedy, Did you say that exposure to pesticide causes children to become transgender?

Kennedy responded, No, I never said that.

Facts First: Kennedy has not explicitly declared that exposure to pesticides causes children to become transgender, but he has promoted that unfounded conspiracy theory using slightly different language. As CNNs KFILE reported in 2023, Kennedy has a history of touting the baseless idea that man-made chemicals in the environment, such as a herbicide called atrazine, could be making children transgender or gay.

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To cite just one example, Kennedy spoke in a 2023 interview about how atrazine can chemically castrate and forcibly feminize frogs, and he said, without providing any evidence, that if its doing that to frogs, theres a lot of other evidence that its doing it to human beings as well.

He also said in the interview: I think a lot of the problems we see in kids, and particularly boys, its probably underappreciated of that, how much of that, is coming from chemical exposures, including a lot of the sexual dysphoria that were seeing. Gender dysphoria (not sexual dysphoria), which is often experienced by transgender people, is the psychological distress some people feel when there is a difference between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity.

A spokesperson for Kennedys unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign told CNN in 2023: Mr. Kennedys remarks are being mischaracterized. He is not claiming that endocrine disruptors are the only or main cause of gender dysphoria. He is merely suggesting that, given copious research on the effects on other vertebrates, this possibility deserves further research.

Antidepressants and school shootings

Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said, In an interview in 2023 and again in 2024, you blamed school shootings on antidepressants. You said, and this is a quote, There is no time in American history or human history that kids were going to shoot schools and shooting their classmates. It really started happening coterminous with the introduction of these drugs, with Prozac and with other drugs. So do you believe, as youve said, that antidepressants cause school shootings? This is a  should be a simple question.

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Kennedy responded, I dont think anybody can answer that question; I didnt answer that question. I said it should be studied along with other potential culprits, mentioning social media.

Facts First: Kennedy has gone further than merely saying, It should be studied along with other potential culprits. Though he has indeed repeatedly called for more research into the possibility of a link between antidepressants and school shootings, including in the 2023 interview Smith was quoting here, he has also lent support to the unfounded notion that there is indeed a link.

For example, in a 2023 public conversation with tech billionaire Elon Musk, Kennedy made his usual call for additional research into the role of psychiatric drugs in these events  but then said moments later that there is tremendous circumstantial evidence that those, like SSRIs and benzos and other drugs, are doing this.

Americans who take mental health medications

Smith said to Kennedy, Youve described Americans who take mental health medications as addicts who need to be sent to wellness farms to recover. Is that what you believe?

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Kennedy responded, No, of course I didnt say that anybody should be compelled to do anything.

Smith said, No, but you said they should be sent.

Kennedy said, I said it should be available to them. I didnt say they should be sent.

Verdict: Kennedy was correct here. He didnt say Americans taking legal mental health medications should be sent to the wellness farms he had proposed creating.

Rather, in a 2024 interview, he suggested that such rural rehabilitation centers could be used to treat people convicted of drug crimes, then said that people seeking to get themselves off of legal medications, such as those used to treat depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), could voluntarily go to the centers if they want to.

The safety and effectiveness of vaccines

Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said that although Kennedy now denies he is anti-vaccine, Kennedy said on a 2023 podcast that no vaccine is safe and effective.

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Kennedy responded by asserting that Wydens claim has been repeatedly debunked.

Kennedy continued, That statement that I made on the Lex Fridman Podcast was a fragment of the statement. He asked me  and anybody who actually goes and looks at that podcast will see this  he asked me, Are there vaccines that are safe and effective? And I said to him, Some of the live virus vaccines are, and I said, There are no vaccines that are safe and effective, and I was gonna continue, For every person; every medicine has people who are sensitive to them, including vaccines. He interrupted me at that point.

Kennedy added: Ive corrected it many times, including on national TV.

Facts First: Its not true that the claim that Kennedy said no vaccine is safe and effective has been debunked. As Kennedy acknowledged even in this answer, he said in the 2023 interview with Fridman, Theres no vaccine that is, you know, safe and effective  a comment in line with years of other comments in which Kennedy expressed anti-vaccine sentiment. It is true he preceded those comments to Fridman by saying, I think some of the live virus vaccines are probably averting more problems than theyre causing.

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Its impossible to fact-check Kennedys Wednesday assertion that he would have made a more nuanced claim about vaccine safety and effectiveness had Fridman not interrupted him. However, a review of the video shows Kennedy had finished his sentence before Fridman interjected; Kennedy had continued with the words, In fact 

Also, Kennedys interview with Fridman proceeded for more than half an hour after this exchange; Kennedy never added the nuance he now says he wanted to. And in Kennedys comments to Fridman immediately after this exchange, he criticized the polio vaccine  making a baseless claim that he didnt know whether it caused more deaths than it averted.

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Honey Creek Middle School eighth graders Raegan Bowman and Eleanor Glassburn had the opportunity to visit their future high school Friday as they prepare for their freshman year at South Vigo.

In the auditorium, they listened to the choir, orchestra and band.

With smaller groups, they went to the auxiliary gym and heard from a student/teacher panel; they checked out the planetarium; met with counselors on scheduling options for next year; and they also learned about dual credit and Indiana College Core.

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Both Bowman and Glassburn liked being able to learn more about high school and classes that will be important for their career pathways. Bowman wants to go into animal health or human health, while Glassburn wants to be an orthodontist.

Bowman is excited about participating in high school volleyball and FFA, while Glassburn is looking forward to cross country, track and DECA.

Its going to be a big change.

I think its pretty cool, said Glassburn, who knows several students in high school she can turn to for advice.

As for Bowman, while its a little hard to move on, it is nice to have new opportunities and older kids to look up to now and guide you, instead of us being the older kids.

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Eighth graders across VCSC visited their respective high schools, including North and West Vigo, Friday.

They toured their future school, had opportunities to ask questions and looked at each schools offerings before selecting classes for next school year.

At South Vigo, We were really excited to have the eighth graders come for the first time in a really long time, said Samantha Henry, assistant principal of curriculum.

Shes been assistant principal for three years, and traditionally high school counselors will visit the middle schools and they talk about what high school is like.

Its so much better whenever they get to come here and see it and experience it, Henry said.

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The goal of the more interactive visits is to get them excited about high school and to get them to start thinking about what their schedule is going to look like, what their goals are in high school and beyond and kind of start making that plan for their future, Henry said.

While the state has approved changes for high school diplomas, Henry doesnt anticipate it will affect eighth graders as far as their schedules for next year. It will affect them more in subsequent years.

South Vigo junior Breena Ireland was among those on a student/teacher panel that provided information about academics and activities and answered student questions.

The goal of the visits is to give them a warm welcome to feel a little less scared when they come here to start their high school career, Ireland said.

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Ireland was in their shoes not too long ago and understands some of the questions they might have.

By touring the school, she hopes the eighth graders get a feel for the school and where everything is at first. Thats probably the scariest part, she said. They also can learn more about what activities or organizations they want to join.

Her advice to them? Get involved in something. That helps with making friends and it makes school more fun, Ireland said.

As one group toured the career/technical education area at South, teachers pumped up their programs.

Alexis Schulz, who teaches smart manufacturing and industrial automation, highlighted the hands on learning and income potential for certain programs right out of high school.

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Amber Geller, who teaches family and consumer sciences, talked about Souths culinary arts pathway, which offers dual credit classes through Ivy Tech.

She described a class that would be making home made pasta and alfredo sauce. There is lots of cool stuff going on in here, she said.

Michelle Jahn, who teaches in the education professions pathway, told students, If you are interested in working with children, you want to check the education professions. She said later, We change the future.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (DC News Now)  U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) was in Falls Church on Friday where he talked about concerns he has around Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) staffing.

After the crash involving the American Airliners jetliner and Army helicopter Wednesday, Warner said safety needs to be top-of-mind when deciding how to handle military and commercial traffic coming in and out of Reagan National Airport (DCA) in the future.

Heart-wrenching: Virginia political leaders react to deadly DC plane crash

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Warner said President Donald Trumps proposal to offer buyouts to all federal employees could leave air traffic controller positions across the country empty.

What happens if a few thousand air traffic controllers take that? he said. We wont have air traffic potentially. It takes 18 months to get an air traffic controller trained up.

Warner said he is waiting for the results from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation of Wednesdays crash. He hopes lessons can be taken from it to make air traffic safer.

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ATHENS Ala. (WHNT)  Nearly 100 volunteers gathered Friday morning at Athens State University to build 60 beds for children in need. Their original goal was 30 beds.

It just really shows the strength that Limestone County has to come together and do things for these children, said a volunteer from Mazda Toyota.

Madison County Sheriffs Office says bomb-making materials found at Madison Co. home after explosion

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The Limestone County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace was formed around a year ago and hosted its first bed-building event in October 2024. President Bill Dunnavant said that in the months since, he has received over 100 requests for beds.

Theres just a lot of people that are struggling, he said. Theres just a need out there, kids just dont have what they need.

He said not having a bed can affect a childs academic performance and mental health, but a good nights sleep makes all the difference.

It makes someone more able to think clearly and function clearly, he said. Our biggest proponents for Sleep in Heavenly Peace are teachers and they recognize that a lot of the time before anybody else does.

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Wood and other materials are paid for by local companies and private donors. Fridays build was sponsored by Mazda Toyota.

Dunnavant says Sleep in Heavenly Peace needs donations of clean, unused bed linens. Over the next few weekends, he said they will deliver the finished beds to people who requested them.

A bed application is available on their website.

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Jan. 31LAKE ANDES, S.D.  A Wagner juvenile, who pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in October from the 2023 stabbing death of a 16-year-old, was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with 30 years suspended.

The sentencing, held Friday at the Charles Mix County Courthouse, comes after Gabe Montgomery, 17, admitted to the crime, with more severe charges of first- and second-degree murder being dismissed in exchange for the guilty plea.

The incident took place on April 10, 2023, in Charles Mix County, where Montgomery and the 16-year-old, identified as "A.K." became involved in a physical altercation that escalated to Montgomery stabbing A.K. in the neck. The attack resulted in A.K.'s death.

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Although Montgomery was 15 at the time, he was 16 when he was charged. South Dakota law mandates that juveniles aged 16 or older, facing serious felony charges, be tried in adult court. Judge Pat Smith presided over the case and sentencing.

During the proceedings, A.K.'s mother, Annette Kezena, delivered a brief statement.

"All I have are his clothes. Why didn't you give him a fair fight?" she asked.

One of Montgomery's defense attorneys, George Johnson, focused on his client's acknowledgment of the crime and highlighted several contextual factors. Johnson pointed out that A.K.'s sister was present at the scene but did not intervene to stop the fight, despite being a corrections officer. The defense also referenced social media exchanges between Montgomery, A.K., and A.K.'s brother that contained threatening language, with Johnson arguing that Montgomery acted in self-defense.

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During the hearing, Montgomery addressed the court as well offering an apology for his actions.

"I am sorry. I didn't go there to fight. I didn't go there to kill," he said.

Assistant Attorney General Alexis Tracy, representing the state, recommended a sentence of 20 years in light of Montgomery's behavior during the altercation and while in Juvenile Detention Center (JDC). Tracy detailed incidents where Montgomery allegedly threw urine at staff and fashioned sharp objects to threaten staff. Tracy argued that Montgomery's conduct in detention, along with his apparent lack of genuine remorse for the death, warranted a long sentence.

"Prison is the best place for him," Tracy said.

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In his sentencing remarks, Judge Smith acknowledged that Montgomery had shown some remorse but emphasized that his actions went far beyond what could be considered necessary for self-defense.

"Both of you had egos that escalated things that day," Smith said, referring to both Montgomery and A.K. "What you did went far beyond what was necessary to defend yourself."

Judge Smith offered Montgomery a message of potential redemption.

"You are more than the worst you've ever done," Smith said. "I think you can do better. I think you can do good."

He also advised Montgomery to use his time in prison to better himself.

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"I see the person you are when you're with your family. I see how polite you've been in the interactions I've had with you. I see a completely different person than who you were that day," Smith said.

The judge further stated that no sentence could bring A.K. back, and a life sentence would not serve justice in this case. In addition to the prison sentence, Montgomery was also ordered to pay $7,387.34 in restitution. He was also given credit for the 670 days he has already served.

Judge Smith explained that due to a state statute, Montgomery and his counsel could request a sentence review within two years, based on his behavior and rehabilitation.

"I'll consider it. I promise you that," Smith said.
The talk around South Miami-Dade and Kendall neighborhoods has been about the long-gestating Briar Bay Publix across the street from The Falls shopping mall.

When is it ever going to be open? has morphed into I heard its opening in February! That was a recent conversation between a customer and a Publix clerk at the nearby Pinecrest stores customer service counter a few blocks away across U.S. 1.

We finally have an answer.

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The construction of the replacement store is just about done and the new prototype, two-story Publix is set to open on Feb. 27, said company spokesperson Lindsey Willis.

A map showing where the newly-built prototype Publix is to open on Feb. 27, 2025, in the Briar Bay shopping plaza near The Falls.

What will the new Briar Bay Publix feature?

Construction crews work on the storefront of a new build Publix set to replace an old store at the Briar Bay Shopping Plaza across the street from The Falls in South Miami-Dade on Nov. 1, 2024. The mall anchor store, which will be two stories and about 53,000 square feet, opens Feb. 27, 2025, at 13005 SW 89th Place.

The 53,287-square-foot Publix at 13005 SW 89th Pl. in the rehabbed Kendall-area shopping center, which still has an Outback steakhouse, will have a seating area on the second floor for customers to sit and munch on lunch, Willis said. There will also be a parking garage on the first floor. The main store will be on the second floor.

The new Briar Bay Publix, which overlooks the Macys on the west side of The Falls across the road, adds a liquor store on the ground level with the parking garage.

None of these features figured in the old Publix, which this modern version replaces.

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The strip mall where a Publix has sat since the mid-1970s has been a construction zone for nearly two years after the property, owned by the Lakeland supermarket chain, decided to rebuild the shopping plaza around the new two-story prototype grocery store.

READ MORE: A new two-story Publix will make over a faded Kendall mall. Heres a sneak preview

Construction crews work on the storefront of a new build Publix set to replace an old store at the Briar Bay Shopping Plaza across the street from The Falls in South Miami-Dade on Nov. 1, 2024. The mall anchor store, which will be two stories and about 53,000 square feet when it opens on Feb. 27, 2025, is at 13005 SW 89th Place.

That new Publix, oft-delayed since plans first came to light in 2020, had to wait until the old store was demolished. That process began when the old store was shuttered in 2022 and construction of the new one began in 2023.

Willis said more details on the Briar Bay store will be released closer to the opening date.

Publixs growing trend

The Publix storefront on a Sunday evening on Jan. 19, 2025, at Tradewinds Plaza, 101499 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo. This store was rebuilt and expanded to 64,000 square feet and opened in February 2024.

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The Briar Bay Publix is part of a trend toward bigger stores, like the rebuilt Key Largo store at the Tradewinds Plaza shopping complex on the Overseas Highway.

When Publix opened the rebuilt Florida Keys store in February 2024, it became one of the biggest in its roster of more than 1,300 supermarkets in eight southeastern states. The Key Largo Publix opened at 64,000 square feet, replacing a 48,000-square-foot-store that had opened a few doors down in 1989. A Burlingtons moved into the vacated Publix space.

Seating areas, such as the one in the Key Largo store, and stores that sell local draft beer flights and have burrito and nacho bars, are becoming more common.

The seating area inside the newly-built 64,000 square foot Key Largo Publix in Tradewinds Plaza off the Overseas Highway on a Sunday evening near closing time, Jan. 19, 2025.

On Dec. 12, Publix opened its long anticipated dockside Publix at 3100 S. Ocean Dr. in Hollywood. Customers can dock their boats on the Intracoastal, across A1A from the Atlantic Ocean, and stroll inside the 29,912-square-foot store to shop, Willis said in December.

KNOW MORE: Publix goes yacht rock with a new dockside store in South Florida. Can you shop by boat?

The new Hollywood Beach Publix will be a dockside location. Customers can dock their boats to walk inside the 29,912 square foot store. The grand opening is at 7 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at 3100 S. Ocean Dr. in Hollywood.

Hollywoods new store is the second South Florida Publix on a waterfront to give customers the sea to seafood department feeling. The River Landing Publix at 1420 NW North River Dr., on the Miami River, also has a dock.

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You just know that if that 1980s TV series Miami Vice was still in production directors would film scenes at these waterfront Publix locations showing fictional detectives Sonny and Tubbs pulling up in a cigarette boat to bust a shoplifter.

Publix also plans to open a new 48,387 square foot store with a liquor and pharmacy outlet at Sweetbay Town Center in Panama City on Feb. 26.

Sprouts across Florida

Sprouts Farmers Market plans to expand its number of stores in 2025, including at least seven new openings in Florida, according to the company.

Sprouts Farmers Market, the chain that puts its produce department as the star of the show, is also in expansion mode with a focus on Florida in 2025.

At least seven stores are in the planning stages for this year, according to the company.

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Bringing more than seven new stores to Florida this year is a strategic move that aligns perfectly with our growing demand for fresh, natural, and organic products in the region, David McGlinchey, chief strategy officer of Sprouts, said in a statement to the Miami Herald. Floridas residents commitment to healthy living makes it an ideal market for our expanded footprint. We are excited to serve new neighborhoods and continue our mission of providing high-quality products and varieties that support healthy lifestyles.

Sprouts has 51 markets in Florida, including one that opened in January 2024 as an anchor, alongside a Target, at Grove Central, a mixed-use complex by developers Terra Group and Grass River Properties at the northwest corner of U.S. 1 and Southwest 27th Avenue. That development is a featured component of the countys Coconut Grove Metrorail station and the Underline park.

The first of the new Florida Sprouts opened Friday, Jan. 31, in St. Johns, a Jacksonville suburb. Closer to South Florida, a new store in Boynton Beach is due April 4. A Coconut Creek store in Broward follows on April 25.

A Deerfield Beach Sprouts is expected in the spring at a date and location to be announced, the company said.

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Largo, in the Tampa Bay area, gets a new Sprouts on March 21. Melbourne will see a new one a week earlier, on March 14.

Sprouts will open additional stores in Palm Beach County, Orlando and St. Petersburg this year, too, according to the company.

Peek inside Apples new Miami store before it opens. Its different from the others
WALTERBORO, S.C. (WSAV)  A Walterboro man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for a 2022 murder on Friday.

Shannon Lamont Kinard, 41, of Crystal Lane was found guilty in the shooting death of Dexter Diondre Lynah Jr., 23.

Kinard opened fire in the Sure Shots pool hall and bar on July 30, 2022, hitting Lynah four times, the 14th Circuit Solicitors Office said.

The video shows an injured Lynah scrambling out of a backdoor with Kinard firing his gun and following Lynah to an outside courtyard, a spokesperson for the solicitors office said in a statement. Lynah, with a broken femur, stumbles and falls on the ground, raising his hand in total surrender. With a gun already drawn, Kinard stands over him and pulls the trigger, shooting him again.

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After the shooting, Kinard left the pool hall in a different vehicle. Authorities were able to find the gun used near a fence line by the pool hall with the help of a police K9, an official said.

Alongside the murder conviction, a Colleton County jury found Kinard guilty of using a vehicle without permission with the intent to deprive and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He received five years for the gun charge and three years for stealing the vehicle.

All sentences are to be served concurrently.

The defendant used deadly violence in a brazen manner with no regard to anyones safety and then stalked the victim like prey before shooting him in the back, Tameaka Legette of the 14th Circuit Solicitors Office, who prosecuted the case, said. A just and appropriate conviction and sentence were given today. Colleton County is safer with this person behind bars.

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Jan. 31WAPAKONETA  A 78-year-old Wapakoneta man was sentenced Friday to a minimum of eight years in prison for attempting to burn down an Auglaize County residence last fall and for making threatening statements toward the home's owners.

Defendant Gerald Fullenkamp was arrested for events that took place last October in Wapakoneta. According to court records, officers from the Wapakoneta Police Department were dispatched to 906 Aster Drive for a male threatening to burn down the house. Officers arrived on scene and met Fullenkamp at the front door. Officers said Fullenkamp was covered in blood and proceeded to lock the door before eventually being taken into custody.

The home was one Fullenkamp reportedly had shared with a female companion for several years. During Friday's sentencing hearing the woman's son, who owns the property, said his mother had to be removed from the home because she could no longer navigate stairs and needed to be placed in a nursing home or moved to the home of a family member.

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"We had discussed this with Gerald and asked him what his plans were. He said he had no plans," Dwayne Adams told the court. "We didn't want to be heartless so my wife and I delivered an eviction notice and gave him 30 days to move out."

Fullenkamp subsequently "made threats to the family" including a note which reportedly stated "I wish they were here to die with me" and attempted to set the home on fire, Auglaize County Common Pleas Court Judge Frederick Pepple said during Friday's hearing.

Defense attorney Nick Catania said that having the love of his life taken away after 24 years left his client "broken." The attorney said Fullenkamp has a history of "serious mental illness" with an underlying personality disorder. Catania asked that Fullenkamp receive help at a treatment facility and a prison sentence "on the low end" of the sentencing range.

"I think I need some help with my mind," Fullenkamp told the judge. "I'm not doing too well."

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Pepple sentenced Fullenkamp to a prison term of eight to 12 years for aggravated arson and an additional 12 months, to be served concurrently, for a fifth-degree felony count of cruelty to a companion animal.

"I do not send a 78-year-old man to prison lightly," Pepple said. "It's tragic we are here today, but we are here because of choices made by the defendant. I am convinced this person is a significant threat. There is no doubt that I will worry about the defendant's health when he is in prison, just as would worry about other people's health if he was not."

Fullenkamp was declared an arson offender and as such will be required to register with local authorities annually for the remainder of his life.

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LOS ANGELES (KTLA)  Southern California is set for a slightly warmer weekend ahead of a storm system that could shower the region with light rain, according to KTLA weather anchor Kaj Goldberg.

The Los Angeles area will see daytime highs in the low 70s in the San Fernando Valley and upper 60s in the San Gabriel Valley.

The warmer temperatures are due to an offshore flow that began today and will continue through the weekend.

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Its going to be a beautiful weekend here in Southern California, Goldberg said. We can expect dry conditions and above-normal temperatures.

There is an air quality alert in effect through Saturday night due to haze in the atmosphere. Residents are advised not to burn wood in fireplaces if they live below 3,000 feet.

The extended forecast includes a chance of light rainfall as we move towards the middle of next week.

We might see some light rain starting Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, Goldberg noted. This rain event doesnt look like it will bring much measurable precipitation, but its something to keep an eye on.

Satellite-radar composite of a storm system off the Pacific coast on Jan. 31, 2025. (KTLA)

The extended forecast also shows temperatures continuing to stay in the 60s for the next seven days, with a slight chance of light showers along the beaches and mountain communities remaining dry through Tuesday.

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The Pierce County Sheriffs Department is issuing a strong warning to street racers, after arresting four people over the weekend.

Stay out of Pierce County, the department wrote online. We will shut you down, arrest you, take your vehicle, take your phones and cameras, and book you for an extended vacation in the Pierce County Jail.

On Saturday, deputies say they received a series of calls from frustrated drivers and residents about a large group of racers who took over the intersection of Park Avenue South and 108th Street South.

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When deputies arrived, everyone scattered, but not before they were able to put stop sticks in front of the tires of one car.

Deputies say the culprits didnt get far  about only a few blocks.

Cameras and phones were all taken as evidence because deputies say they had video of the street racing event on them.

Two 18-year-old men and two 15-year-old boys were taken into custody.

Street Racer Shut Down Street Racer Shut Down We are all getting frustrated with the street racers and intersection takeovers, let's be honest, it's dangerous and illegal! Just last Saturday on January 26, residents and frustrated drivers reported a large group of street racers doing donuts and taking over the intersection at Park Ave S and 108th St S. When deputies arrived, cars and spectators were fleeing everywhere. Deputies spotted four male subjects jump into a vehicle and attempt to take off. Before they could take off, stop sticks were thrown in front of the tires. In an attempt to avoid the stop sticks, the vehicle backed into a citizens car before driving over the stop sticks. The suspect tires had been popped and it only made it a few blocks down the road before deputies attempted a second contact. Two 18-year-old males and two 15-year-old males were taken into custody. Cameras and video recorders were located in the vehicle. There was also evidence the suspects phones were used in filming the event. All phones and cameras were taken for evidence and the vehicle was impounded for a 72-hour hold. If this video did not explain it enough for all the street racers out there... stay out of Pierce County. We will shut you down, arrest you, take your vehicle, take your phones and cameras and book you for an extended vacation in the Pierce County Jail. Awesome job deputies. Posted by Pierce County Sheriff's Department on Friday, January 31, 2025




A Mexican-registered air ambulance crashed Friday evening near Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia.

The aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport when it went down.

What is an air ambulance?

Air ambulances are specially equipped planes or helicopters used for medical emergencies, critical patient transfers, and disaster evacuations.

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They are essentially flying ICUs, carrying life-support equipment and supplies while being staffed by trained medical teams.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance is Mexicos largest private air ambulance service, transporting patients throughout North America and beyond.

The crashed aircraft was an adapted Learjet 55, designed for high-speed, long-distance medical transport.

Typical flight crews include two pilots. If the jet is in use for medical transport, patients and family might be on board and the crew could also include paramedics or critical care nurses and a flight doctor.

According to publicly available flight tracking, the jet had flown earlier in the day from Florida to Philadelphia and left an airport in Northeast Philadelphia for Missouri when it suffered an apparent emergency. Witnesses reported an orange flash before impact.

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According to FlightAware, the Learjet had been extensively flown this week.

The jet made three trips Monday in Mexico and Arizona; three trips Tuesday starting in Santa Ana California, then Phoenix, Arizona, and then Mexico; Wednesday it made two flights in Mexico and New Mexico. Thursday the plane took off in Albuquerque New Mexico, arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, then traveled to Port-au-Prince Haiti, then returned to Miami, Florida.

This is not the first fatal accident involving Jet Rescue; five crew members died in a 2023 crash in Mexico.

The FAA and NTSB are expected to investigate the cause of Fridays crash.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Plane crashes in Northeast Philadelphia: what is an air ambulance?
Neighbors inside of a southwest Atlanta home were rescued early Friday morning after their home was on fire without them knowing.

Friday morning around 2 a.m., an Atlanta Police officer was driving by 768 Central Avenue when he saw a house burning.

The body camera footage shows the officer immediately jumping out of his cruiser and running up to the door of the home and began to shout and bang on the door to alert those inside.

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When the neighbor opened the door, she was shocked to learn the house was on fire. Officer Ash with the APD was able to get the neighbors out of the home, along with their cat as the fire began to take over the front porch.

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There was an additional cat believed to have been inside of the home. Officer Ash reentered the home to see if the cat remained, but as he did, he noticed the other cat run out of the house to safety.

No one was injured due to the fire, including the pets.

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The timely and selfless actions of Officer Ash not only saved lives but also highlighted the importance of community service and the dedication of our officers here at the Atlanta Police Department, the department wrote.

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WASHINGTON (WMBD)  The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a news conference Friday to share the latest on a deadly midair collision that occurred Wednesday night.

The crash involved a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 airplane and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter colliding near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

NTSB chair: Investigation into deadly mid-air collision will take some time

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The crash is believed to have led to the death of 67 people. According to rescue officials, 41 bodies have been recovered.

During a news conference on Thursday, NTSB officials said they expect to have a preliminary report within 30 days and a final report when the investigation is finished.

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NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Hundreds of people gathered in National City Friday afternoon to protest against President Donald Trumps mass deportation plans.

The protest at 1021 Highland Ave. began at 3:30 p.m., just a couple hours before a separate gathering in North Countys Vista Village that is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m.

Reports of the local events came after Trump declared Wednesday he would sign an executive order directing federal officials to open up a facility intended to hold tens of thousands of deported migrants.

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Trump said the U.S. will use a detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to hold the migrants who are in the country illegally, the Associated Press previously reported.

The Vista community expressed their outrage with chants, horns, and signs, demanding to see a sense of safety restored for the undocumented in San Diego County.

Children are scared to go to school every single day because theyre scared what if their parents are gone, a young protester said.

The fear hits young students especially hard.

If children get separated, they dont have anyone, another young protester said as he asked for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to stop separating families.

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Thats why a 17-year-old high schooler organized this protest in Vista in response to the uptick in mass deportations across the nation.

She didnt feel comfortable sharing her name publicly but said she knows the stress of potentially losing a loved one to deportation.

Having to go to school with that fear, its not something easy to do, she said.

She organized the protest with her fellow classmate, hoping to rehumanize her community.

We want people to see us as humans. Were not aliens. Were humans, she emphasized.

An estimated 1.8 million undocumented immigrants living in California could be impacted by the Trump administrations plan to close the border.

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Kids are scared to go to school or in general parents are scared they cant come back home to their kids, another student who organized the protest said.

So far, ICE has reported arrests in major cities like Philadelphia, Seattle, and even Sacramento in January.

This uncertainty is not doing anybody any good, Inna Kanevsky, a psychology professor at Mesa College, said.

Kanevsky says shes seen an increase in fear and stress in her students after the presidential election.

Of course its going to impact student academics, thats why we constantly tell them to talk to us, she said.

She advises students to focus on taking care of themselves by connecting with others in the community and speaking out at protests.

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Finding these direct ways that you can help through your local community, she said keeps her students present and prevents doom scrolling.

Hundreds of people did that Friday night, demanding change from the Trump administration.

I dont know why they want to call us criminals but not the president, one protester questioned.

Others attended the rally to show support for the undocumented community.

Kanevsky says some may feel the weight of fear as deportations increase, but she says students cant let the fear prevent them from showing up to their lives.

We also have to hope, she said.

Thats exactly what this community is doing.

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Another local protest against the mass deportations is expected to happen at the San Diego Convention Center on Feb. 2 at 9 a.m.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A wild video shows the moment a stolen SUV crashed outside a restaurant in the Southtowns. Its the latest in a dangerous trend of Kia and Hyundai vehicles being stolen in the area.

In the end, two suspects were arrested and Erie Countys Sheriff John Garcia is calling for change.

He came down pretty good, clipped another car and rolled it over and its amazing no one else got hurt, said Rick Flett, owner of Seneca Greenhouse across the street.

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This video shows two suspects crashing near a busy intersection in Elma during the evening commute Wednesday. The crash happened outside Altons Restaurant. A dark-colored SUV can be seen coming into the picture. It smashes right into a snow bank and then turns over.

It appears that the SUV catches on fire, and smoke starts to come from it. Then two suspects get out and run away.

I was in the greenhouse watering some plants and we heard this sound, Flett said. I thought it was ice sliding off the greenhouse. And I ran outside and then I saw the car flipped upside down and kind of some smoke coming out and then we just ran, called the police.

The Erie County Sheriffs Office eventually arrested the two suspects. Jay Garlock, 22, of Springville and a 17-year-old boy from Buffalo face charges. Theyre accused of stealing that Kia Sorrento SUV out of Springville. They were then chased by State Police and crashed into a Hamburg patrol car before wiping out in Elma.

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Garlock has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, attempted grand larceny and attempted unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

The other defendant was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, attempted grand larceny and attempted unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

This is just the latest in a dangerous trend of people stealing Kias and Hyundais. The Erie County Sheriff is calling on lawmakers to strengthen the penalties for property crime.

I want to thank our partnering law enforcement agencies for their assistance. This criminal

and reckless behavior across our region must end, said Sheriff John Garcia. This situation, and

many others like it, could have ended in tragedy. Thankfully, it did not. I ask our policymakers

to recognize the issue of property crime as one that needs to be addressed.

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Legal experts say these car theft cases usually dont result in long sentences.

New York State is definitely on the side of, lets release the person if they dont have any serious prior record, if this is not one of the enumerated offenses for which theyre serious enough that bail can be set, said criminal defense attorney Barry Covert.

Police said its possible both suspects may have attempted to steal another car in Springville on Wednesday.

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Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

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Bloody Run Creek in Clayton County, Iowa. (Photo courtesy of the Sierra Club of Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a final action on a water-use permit to a 10,000-head cattle operation in Clayton County, following a years-long legal battle with an area environmental group.

The group, Driftless Water Defenders, announced Thursday it would appeal the DNR decision to renew the permit.

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A group of citizens initially challenged a 2022 decision by the department to renew a water-use permit for the confined-animal feeding operation, which eventually led to a ruling from an administrative judge that the department should consider water quality, as well as quantity, in the situation.

Administrative Law Judge Toby Gordon remanded the permit and instructed the agency to consider factors beyond the quantity of water including the publics health, safety (and) interests in lands or waters in November 2024.

Much of Gordons decision, and the Driftless Water Defenders testimony, drew on the importance of protecting Bloody Run Creek, one of Iowas outstanding waters, and concerns around groundwater entering the porous bedrock of the driftless region of northeast Iowa.

On Jan. 9, Driftless Water Defenders submitted a complaint with DNR. Leaning on Gordons ruling, it urged the department to cancel Supreme Beefs water use permit. The complaint was signed by nearly 100 citizens.

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The group argues the large amounts of manure produced by the cattle operation will negatively impact the nearby creek and groundwater.

DNR notified Driftless Water Defenders attorney James Larew of its final agency action on the case Jan. 16. The memorandum, provided to Iowa Capital Dispatch by Larew, says DNR considered factors beyond the mere quality of water to show a beneficial use for the permits renewal.

In the document, DNR said water use at the facility would not adversely affect surrounding landowners, would not unreasonably impair the long term quantity or quality of water available, and that the water-use permit would be in the best interest of the people.

The DNR finds that providing water for livestock care serves the best interests and welfare of Iowans  In brief, agriculture is a pillar of Iowas economy, generating revenue, taxes and creating jobs, the memorandum read.

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DNR points to other laws protecting water, air and natural resources that Supreme Beef must comply with.

Permit no. 10172-R1 was not issued in a vacuum; instead, the program considered and gave deference to these other laws and programs, it said. The consumption of water by livestock will not threaten or harm the public or public interest.

A press release from Driftless Water Defenders said the DNR action and the groups citizen-supported complaint from earlier in the month opens the way for appeals to the decision.

The DNRs response evades the letter and spirit of Administrative Law Judge Toby Gordons determination, Larew said in a statement. The agency violated Iowa law when it renewed the water use permit to Supreme Beef. DNR has apparently learned nothing. As a result, and if uncorrected by the Iowa District Court on appeal, the integrity of one of Iowas finest water bodiesBloody Run Creekwill have been placed in great jeopardy.

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Around 90 users of Metas chat service WhatsApp are suspected to have been targets of a spyware campaign conducted by an Israeli spyware company called Paragon Solutions, a WhatsApp spokesperson told NBC News.

The spokesperson said that the attack targeted a number of users including journalists and members of civil society across over two dozen countries, particularly in Europe. They added that Paragon Solutions has used a vector, a method to illegally access a network, to target the users and that the vector involved using groups and sending a malicious PDF file. The spokesperson added that the company has successfully disrupted this exploitation vector.

WhatsApp has sent Paragon Solutions a cease-and-desist letter following the series of attempted attacks. The spokesperson said that those believed to be affected have been notified through WhatsApp chat and have been provided information on how to protect themselves from spyware. Paragon Solutions did not reply to an immediate request for comment.

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These attackers look for vulnerabilities in apps or the mobile phone operating system or try to trick users into clicking on malicious links or downloading malware  all to gain unauthorized access that can damage your phone, steal your information and put your privacy and security at risk, a WhatsApp help page on spyware reads.

Francesco Cancellato, the editor-in-chief of the Italian online newspaper Fanpage.it, published an article revealing that he was one of the journalists who was targeted by the attack. In the message that WhatsApp sent to Cancellato notifying him that he might have been affected, the chat service said that it had stopped the attack in December.

The spokesperson said that the companys security team and Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research lab based out of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, helped track the spyware campaign.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, told NBC News that a hack such as this one has the ability to turn a telephone into a spy in your pocket.

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When a phone is infected, the operator of that spyware can typically do anything that you as a user can do on the phone, Scott-Railton said. They can access your encrypted messages, your chats, look at your photographs, browse your messages, listen to your voice memos, look at your notes, read your contacts, get your passwords, and also do some number of things that you cant do, like silently activating the microphone to listen to a conversation you might be having in a room, or turning on the camera.

WhatsApp worked with Citizen Lab in 2019 when the chat service sued the Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group, accusing it of aiding government spies to hack the phones of over a thousand users, including journalists, diplomats, senior government officials and political dissidents. In December, a U.S. judge ruled in favor of WhatsApp. That same month, the Florida-based investment group AE Industrial Partners, a competitor to NSO Group, acquired Paragon Solutions. It is still believed that Paragon Solutions operates in Israel.

Natalia Krapiva, senior tech-legal counsel at the internet access nonprofit Access Now, says that the nonprofits research has found that these attacks on journalists and other civil society actors are becoming common.

Last time WhatsApp notified NSO victims in 2019, we have seen a flood of lawsuits, sanctions, and other consequences for this industry, Krapiva said. But we need more action by lawmakers and the tech sector to reign in the industry as it obviously cannot police itself.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

On any given night in Rio de Janeiro, walk a block inland from Ipanema Beach, along Rua Vinicius de Moraes, and the sound of waves will be replaced by the soft pulse of bossa nova. The genre  downbeat samba with a hint of jazz  was made famous here in the 1960s, when Ipanema was Rios newest, hottest district, home to bossa king Antonio Carlos Jobim. It can be heard floating across the street from the curved terrace of bar and restaurant Vinicius, where musicians seem to serenade Ipanema itself. As locals pass below  on their way back from the beach, off to drink or shop in this most chi-chi of Rio neighbourhoods  theyre as much a part of the performance as the diners themselves.

Rios South Zone does beaches very well, and Ipanemas sands  part of a two-mile arc that slowly unspools towards the twin peaks of the Dois Irmaos  are a huge part of the suburbs appeal. Ipanema means bad water in the language of the Indigenous Tupi people, who first populated Brazils southeast coast. As a place to go fishing, they considered it poor, but, as somewhere to bask in the sunshine, this mile-long stretch of ankle-deep sand was perfect. Still, Ipanema  perched between Copacabana and Leblon  has something more. Its a city break in itself, with cafes, markets and treasure-trove boutiques all within walking distance of sugary sands.

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The Ipanema-Leblon shoreline is topped and tailed by two natural promontories connected by a seaside boardwalk. At the western end is Mirante do Leblon  a rocky lookout perched above cornflower-blue waters. Here, kiosk bar Mirante Sonhador offers freshly tapped coconuts and views of the Christ the Redeemer statue. Otherwise, seek out Sel dIpanema Beach Club, a craft cocktail bar on the beach. At the shores eastern end lies Arpoador, which divides Ipanemas sands from Copacabana. Visitors flock to the peninsula for the sunsets  fireballs that dip between the Dois Irmaos to nightly applause. Visit in the day, and youll find several places to try surfing, including Arpex Surf School, which has English-speaking instructors.

Inland Ipanema is equally enticing, its streets shaded by bushy sea almond trees. The seven blocks that make up sun-dappled Rua Garcia dAvila are filled with upmarket boutiques and restaurants set in modernist buildings. Youll find Peruvian ceviche at La Carioca; fair-trade Bahian chocolate swirled with Amazonian cupuacu fruit at Dengo; and toiletries scented with turmeric, black tea and Brazil nut at Granado. Around the corner is Ipanemas main drag, Rua Visconte de Paraja, home to handbag designer Gilson Martins, whose recycled vinyl creations have been carried by the likes of Madonna and Michelle Obama.

Over at Ipanemas eastern end, life revolves around Praca General Osorio, a palm-fringed square with restaurants and bars. On Sundays, its filled with artisans selling handmade sandals and jewellery at the Feira Hippie (Hippie Market) founded in the 1960s when Ipanema attracted a bohemian crowd. Have lunch at Casa da Feijoada, a nearby restaurant devoted to Brazils national dish, feijoada.

At this point, the southernmost end of Copacabana beach is just six blocks away. Tropik Beach Club, a boardwalk bar with slamming caipirinhas and direct access to the sand, makes an excellent vantage point. Stretching out into the sea here is another rocky peninsula: Copacabana Fort. Although military-owned, its open to visitors, with shady benches overlooking Copas swathe of pale sand. Theres also a branch of famous Rio cafe Confeiteria Colombo. Take a waterfront table at Confeitaria Colombo Cafe do Forte and order the Bolo Colombo, an indulgent chocolate gateau with almonds and guava. From here, youll see Arpoador and the tree-lined path back to Ipanema.

Published in the Jan/Feb 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).



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NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  New Mexico Tech is accused of mismanaging millions of dollars and unjustly firing its former president in a new lawsuit. As with any president of a university, his job was, in essence, to be the CEO and to do whats best for the school, and that he did, said attorney Joleen Wells, who is representing Stephen Wells.

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Former New Mexico Tech president Stephen Wells served at the university from 2016 until 2023. Under Wellss leadership, he began looking into the universitys finances. He noticed that they were stored at a small local bank in Socorro. According to the suit, in the bank, the school had over $46 million but could only insured for up to $250,000. I mean, those are public funds, and they have to be protected for the use of the school and for the use of its students, said Youngers.

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When Wells brought this up to the board of regents, they frowned upon it, but let it be. However, according to the lawsuit, Wells was asked to resign from the university in 2023 without any justification He was asked to resign in 2023, approximately a month after the banks attorney became chair of the board of regents, and then obtained other new regents on the board, and then there were votes to force him out, Youngers said.

His attorney said the money that was stored in that bank wasnt even accruing interest thus causing the university to lose money that couldve been used for students or the university. I mean, those are public funds, and they have to be protected for the use of the school and for the use of its students, and they also should be growing, said Youngers.

Wellss attorney said they hope the lawsuit holds the university accountable and that higher education in New Mexico takes a closer look at their finances and business practices. Were a small state, and we have a lot of institutions of higher learning to try to provide education to all the citizens in the state. We dont have money to squander, said Youngers.

KRQE News 13 reached out to New Mexico Tech for comment. They said that [New Mexico Tech] does not comment on pending litigation.

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The White House faces a decision on how to move forward with director of national intelligence nominee Tulsi Gabbard  wait and see if any GOP senators publicly oppose her, or launch a pressure campaign like the one that helped Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth get confirmed.

A number of Republicans emerged from Gabbards confirmation hearing this week appearing concerned and unimpressed with her answers on Edward Snowden, government surveillance and her communication with foreign adversaries. But no GOP senator has said flat out they will oppose her nomination.

That has left the White House and GOP allies feeling like she can get through.

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Theres no need for a plan B because plan A is going to work, a Senate leadership aide told The Hill. No senators said theyre no or announced theyre opposing her. And those who have expressed further questions are getting answers.

Although Gabbard faces a tall task like Hegseth, the climb is very different for her. Most of Hegseths problems stemmed from personal issues, including allegations of sexual assault, that echoed what Justice Brett Kavanaugh faced in 2018.

Gabbards problems, by contrast, are almost exclusively policy-related. She was a Democrat for two decades and holds foreign policy views that differ from a number of Senate Republicans.

She also does not have a close relationship with conservative media like Hegseth, an ex-Fox News host, who received backup from MAGA forces during nomination struggles.

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Whether Trump allies would do something similar for Gabbard is not yet known.

Its unclear because it hasnt gotten to that level  I havent seen the same push. Its kind of been more scattered and not as concerted, a Senate GOP aide said, noting that the possibility is still there.

The threat remains that there will be a price to pay for opposing any of these guys, the aide continued. Its clear that theres going to be pushback from them if they go the wrong way, but Im not sure to what extent or whether its the same as Hegseth.

The Trump team has already pulled one nominee  the presidents first attorney general pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)  before he faced a committee vote because it was clear there were not enough Republican votes for him to be approved.

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A source close to the Trump team said Gabbard isnt at that point.

I think it was clear with Gaetz pretty quickly that he was going to lose. I dont know if its as clear about her, the source said. You want to wait and see. They are focused on getting your team in.

The source added, They bullied Hegseth in. That was like, Soprano-esque what they did for him. They held no punches.

Still, Republicans have been more open with their concerns about Gabbard following her committee hearing this week, where she appeared to do herself few favors.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle pressed Gabbard about her previous support for pardoning Snowden for revealing classified information relating to global government surveillance programs. She wouldnt say that Snowden is a traitor after being asked three times by GOP members, just that he broke the law.

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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told Fox on Thursday he is worried about Gabbards nomination after talking to his Republican colleagues.

Im worried that her nomination may be in jeopardy, Hawley said. And Im just worried about what that will mean.

Gabbard cant afford to lose any votes on the Intelligence Committee, which is divided between nine Republicans and eight Democrats.

Heading into Thursday, Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) were considered her main obstacles on the panel.

Collins indicated she was pleased with her answers, but she remains undecided. She previously aired concerns that Gabbard hadnt actually changed her position on Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows for the warrantless surveillance of foreign targets.

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Her biggest hurdle after the hearing might be Young, a former Marine intelligence officer, who was visibly frustrated by Gabbards unwillingness to label Snowden a traitor.

A second Senate GOP aide echoed Hawleys remark, telling The Hill that GOP members and staffers thought Gabbard did a poor job before the committee and made multiple unforced errors.

They thought she was overly combative with what were softball questions from Republicans, the aide said, pointing specifically to her telling Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) that she was offended by a question on whether Russia would receive a pass when making a policy recommendation. The exchange came only hours after 64 people on a flight emanating from Wichita died after it crashed into the Potomac River following a collision with a military helicopter.

The day after hes facing a tragedy in his own state  that shed snap at him for no reason was bizarre, the aide said. Shes a skilled communicator and people had a high expectation for what her performance would be. I dont think she met that bar.

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Senators not on the committee have also indicated publicly or privately their concerns with her nomination. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah), a more moderate member, said he has more questions than answers following the hearing.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has also made it clear to members he will oppose her nomination if she reaches the floor.

Senate procedure allows the full chamber to bypass the committee result and advance a nominee to the floor via a rarely used process where no recommendation is given. Normally, nominees are voted favorably or unfavorably, but this would allow Gabbard to reach the floor despite reservations from a senator  similar to how Mick Mulvaney moved to a floor vote to become director of the Office of Management and Budget in 2017.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said last week he does not see that being in the cards.

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Gabbard has struggled to woo senators since her first meetings on Capitol Hill in December, after which nearly a half-dozen sources told The Hill the sit-downs were not going well.

But, a source familiar with Trump world thinking said the White House is grinding it out and moving forward with Gabbards nomination, as well as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., for Health and Human Services secretary, and FBI director pick Kash Patel.

And, Gabbards team felt confident after her appearances on Capitol Hill this week.

Lt. Col. Gabbard was happy to answer questions from the Committee in both open- and closed-door sessions. Especially when able to focus on the threats we face as a nation and how as DNI she will keep the American people safe and restore trust in the [intelligence community], said Alexa Henning, a Gabbard spokesperson. We remain in lockstep with [Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton] and look forward to receiving questions from the Committee and to her vote next week.

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Some Republican senators were also less bleak about Gabbards prospects than Hawley.

Were in good shape, said Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), whos been among those working the phones for Gabbard, yet was not overly confident of where she stood prior to the hearing.

Mullin believes at this point, Gabbard could lose one in committee and head to a floor vote unrecommended, where he believes she would lose two at the moment. He declined to mention any names.

Im very bullish on [Kennedy], very bullish on [Kash Patel], and I feel really, really good where we are with Tulsi, he added.

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Although Selena Gomez has since deleted her tearful video in response to President Donald Trumps mass deportations, the White House isnt letting it go that easily.

After the 8x Golden Globe nominee cried that all my people are getting attacked, the children in the video, the Trump administration responded with a PSA of less-than-sympathetic mothers, equating undocumented immigrants to rapists and murderers.

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Seeing that video, its hard to believe that its actually genuine and real because shes an actress, says one mom of the clip showing Gomez reduced to tears.

Another mom asserts, You dont know who youre crying for. What about our children who were brutally murdered, and raped, and beat to death, and left on the floor by these illegal immigrants?

Following reports of ICE raids in major cities, Gomez expressed her distress over the situation on her Instagram Story. 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 tearfully said.

Kayla Hamilton, Jocelyn Nungaray, and Rachel Morin were murdered by illegal aliens.



Their courageous mothers had something to say to @SelenaGomez and those who oppose securing our borders. Watch  pic.twitter.com/KfsqQGwhqj  The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 31, 2025

After garnering backlash, Gomez said in a since-deleted post, Apparently its not ok to show empathy for people.

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Gomez is one of millions of concerned American citizens who believe the Trump administration is not handling the situation sensitively, breaking up families and traumatizing children in the process.

Last Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said it was ending a policy that restricted ICE agents from arresting undocumented people at houses of worship, schools and hospitals.

Criminals will no longer be able to hide in Americas schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense, the DHS said in a statement.

The deportation of immigrants looking for a better life in the U.S. hits home for Gomez as her grandmother was a Mexican migrant chasing the American Dream at one point.

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Gomez hasnt been shy about providing a platform for Latino voices and stories, producing the Vixs Spanish-language series Mi Vecino, El Cartel. She also starred in the Oscar-nominated film Emilia Perez in the role of Mexican-American character Jessi Del Monte.

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The White House is the latest to take aim at Selena Gomez for a video she posted of herself crying during recent immigration crackdowns.

A video shared by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt featured the mothers of two women and a 12-year-old girl who were allegedly killed by convicted undocumented migrants.

Tammy Nobles, the mother of Kathy Hamilton, who was killed and raped in a Maryland mobile home by El Salvadorian national Walter Javier Martinez, said to Gomez, "You don't know who you're crying for."

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"What about our children who were brutally murdered, and raped and beat to death and left on the floor by these illegal immigrants?" Nobles asked.

The video, shared on X by press secretary Karoline Leavitt and tagging Gomez, featured snapshots from the actress' video, in which she cried about feeling helpless amid the recent mass deportations initiated by President Donald Trump. The video was posted to her Instagram story Monday but was subsequently taken down following backlash.

"I'm so sorry, I wish I could do something, but I can't," Gomez, whose paternal grandparents emigrated from Mexico, said in the video. "I don't know what to do. I'll try everything, I promise."

Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, said she feels Gomez' video is "a ruse to deceive people and garner sympathy for lawlessness."

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Rachel Morin, a mother of five, was found dead on Maryland's Ma and Pa trail in 2023. Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, was arrested in connection with her murder. He allegedly came to the U.S. without permission after fleeing El Salvador, where authorities were seeking him in the death of a young woman there, according to a Maryland official.

Alexis Nungaray, whose 12-year-old daughter, Jocelyn Nungaray, was found dead last summer, said its hard to believe what Gomez said in her video "because she's an actress."

Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Pena, 26, were charged with capital murder of a child in connection with Nungaray's death. Both suspects had immigration violation holds from Immigration and Customs Enforcement on their court records.

The 12-year-old's murder was the subject of debate between Trump and former President Joe Biden last year, with Trump taking to Truth Social to blame the Biden administration's border policies for her death. The Biden campaign hit back, pointing to Trumps role in sinking a bipartisan border deal in Congress.

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Nungaray's mother said she appreciates the recent immigration policies Trump has implemented.

"It's only been two weeks, if that, since he's been in office and he's taking accountability, and he's making moves, and he's making things happen," Nungaray said in the White House video.

Nobles and Morin criticized what they said was a lack of concern for what happened to their daughters.

"They didn't cry for our daughters," Nobles said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
WASHINGTON (AP)  White House: Trump has signed order imposing tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, China; includes retaliation clause.
(CNN)  From fresh avocados to dairy products, Americans rely heavily on their neighbors for everyday grocery items.

The White House confirmed Monday that President Donald Trump will impose tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, two of Americas largest suppliers of agricultural products, on Tuesday. Trump had previously proposed tariffs on all goods for the two countries at 25%, but its unclear if the White House remains committed to that level. If tariffs hit agricultural goods, food prices could spike for the average shopper  a top concern for many American families.

The two countries supply a significant share of several key food categories. For example, Mexico is the largest supplier of fruit and vegetables to the US, while Canada leads in exports of grain, livestock and meats, poultry and more.

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Heres what the US depends on most from its closest neighbors and trading partners.

While the White House confirmed plans to impose new tariffs on Mexico and Canada, it remains unclear whether all products would be affected. The president has previously suggested that the tariffs might target specific industries, such as pharmaceuticals or steel.

Agricultural products from Mexico and Canada, in particular, could become more expensive for consumers, as grocery retailers operate on thinner profit margins than most industries. With little room to absorb higher tariff costs, the grocers may have to pass them on to shoppers.

Although the US typically exports more agricultural goods than it imports, the value of imports have increased faster than that of exports in the past decade, according to the Department of Agriculture. Additionally, climate change has increased US reliance on countries like Mexico, where growing conditions are more favorable.

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For decades, Mexico and Canada have been major players in feeding America. Together, the countries accounted for nearly $83 billion of the total $196 billion in agricultural goods the US imported between January and November of last year, according to USDA data. The European Union, Brazil and China are also key suppliers of agricultural imports.

Beyond food, Mexico and Canada are also among the USs largest trade partners overall. The US imported around $467 billion and $337 billion in goods from Mexico and Canada last year, respectively, through November, the most recent month of available data, according to federal trade data from the Commerce Department.

They rank in the top three countries for total goods the US imports. Some of the top goods the US relies on from them include vehicles and vehicle parts, oil and electronics.

CNNs Elisabeth Buchwald contributed to this report.

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Jan. 31TOWN OF OAKLAND  Wolves posed a verified threat to dogs at a town of Oakland residence Jan. 21, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Pet owners in the area are encouraged to monitor for wolf activity and be vigilant when pets are outside for extended periods, especially at night.

A resident who has an invisible fence to keep two dogs in the yard, reported wolf tracks very near the fence barrier, according to DNR Assistant Wolf Specialist Danielle Deming. An investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services verified they were wolf tracks. The investigator also observed concentrated deer activity in the area due to deer feeding by a neighbor, which may be drawing wolves into the area.

"There was no interaction with wolves and humans or dogs, and the wolves have not shown aggressive or unusual behavior," Deming said.

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The residents were advised to keep watch when letting pets outside and to report if the wolf behavior changes.

The DNR designates a 4-mile caution area surrounding sites with verified wolf threats or attacks in Wisconsin. The spot in Oakland where the threat occurred can be viewed using the DNR's online map, which can be reached through

the gray wolf depredation page.

Pets should always be monitored by owners in areas where they may encounter wildlife, Deming said.

"While wolves generally avoid humans, they may perceive a dog as a threat or potential rival. Unsupervised dogs that stray from their owner's homes or from their handlers into wolf territories can be at risk. Keeping your dog close ensures you're in control and can quickly move away from any potential encounter," she said.

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One hunting dog attack was verified in Douglas County in 2024  a 4-year-old Plott hound was killed by wolves on Sept. 27 in the town of Solon Springs, according to the DNR website. Twenty-two confirmed and seven probable livestock attacks were confirmed in Douglas County in 2024,

based on DNR reports.

While the majority were calves, other livestock killed included eight miniature horses, two horses and four chickens. In one incident, seven horses were injured.

Wisconsin had

98 verified wolf conflicts

last year, according to the DNR. That number included attacks or a threat to livestock, pets or people. That's up from 78 in 2023 and 59 in 2022, but less than 107 in 2021.

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More than a third of the state's verified wolf conflicts were reported in Douglas County. Two of the conflicts involved hunting dogs while 34 involved livestock.

A push to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list again is underway. Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado on Jan. 31 reintroduced legislation to delist wolves nationwide and hand authority to state lawmakers and state wildlife officials to control the population, according to a news release from Tiffany. Known as the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, the bill would also ensure the decision is not subject to judicial review.

The bill would require the secretary of the interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the Lower 48 states. A federal judge vacated the rule and restored protections in 2022.

"Scientific data, coupled with the rise in wolf attacks in Wisconsin, confirms that the gray wolf population has exceeded recovery goals," Tiffany said in a statement. "Yet, activist judges continue to disregard these facts, leaving livestock, pets, wildlife and communities vulnerable to further harm. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act will restore management to those who understand local needs best  state wildlife officials  and ensure that out-of-state judges can no longer dictate how Wisconsin manages its wolf population."

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A DNR news release encourages dog owners who live near wolves or near the edge of a wolf territory to avoid letting dogs out for long after dark. The release also suggests dog owners turn on bright lights and make noise after dark, and train dogs to avoid chasing or approaching wild animals and to return on command.

Deming also offered recommendations:

* Do not leave pets outside overnight unless they have a sturdy kennel.

* Avoid feeding deer near your home.

* Don't leave cat or dog food outside at night.

* Don't deposit table scraps or animal products near home sites.

* Keep pets on a leash or in visual/auditory range on walks and vocalize regularly including the use of whistles.

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* Don't allow dogs to roam at large.

* Avoid releasing dogs outside for bathroom breaks after dark except in areas with good lighting or that are fenced.

"If you do encounter a wolf while out with your dog, stay calm and keep your distance," Deming said. "Never slow your dog to approach a wolf, quickly ensure control of your dog and back away slowly without turning your back on it. Remember, wolves are generally shy, and if left alone, will typically retreat."

Anyone suspecting a wolf attack should call The United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services at 715-369-5221.
WILMINGTON ISLAND, Ga. (WSAV)  A Wilmington Island man was sentenced to 20 years for child molestation and other charges Friday morning.

Ross Dersch, 42, was found to be possessing more than 9,000 images of child pornography and faced charges of child molestation and aggravated sexual battery against a juvenile victim in 2020.

He plead guilty to child molestation, cruelty to children and sexual exploitation, the Chatham County District Attorneys Office said.

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He was sentenced to 20 years with three years to serve in Judge Lisa Goldwire Colberts court.

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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  We have made it to the end of the work week, and a weekend storm is expected to bring rain to the valleys and heavy snow to the mountains in the northern half of the state.

By Friday evening, clouds will have rolled in ahead of what is expected to be a wet weekend for the northern half of Utah, with weather and avalanche warnings for the mountains. The air quality in the valleys, which has been poor all week, should improve as an increased southwest flow erodes the inversion.

Cargo Cinema creates classic movie viewing experience in Springville

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Above 7,000 feet elevation, snow will be heavy, wet, and dense and likely to stack up quickly. Snow levels will rise through the weekend, which doesnt typically happen with Utah winter storms.

Due to the heavy snow conditions  which increase as you move further north the National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings and advisories for northern Utah mountains, such as the Wasatch Plateau/Book Cliffs which will likely get 6-12 inches of snow over the weekend.

The Wasatch Mountains are expected to be both the first and the last place to see snow. Theyre under a Winter Storm Warning from Friday evening through Monday evening. The Wasatch Mountains and Western Uintas could get one to two feet of snow, and the Bear River Range will be hit the hardest with up to four feet of snow possible.

The Utah Avalanche Center sent a press release Friday advising of an increase in avalanche danger to High over the weekend and into next week for much of northern Utah and southern Idaho.

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Because the new snow will overload weak faceted snow, avalanche activity is expected to be widespread, the center said.

The center advised anyone traveling in the mountains to bring avalanche rescue gear, avoid being near slopes steeper than 30 degrees, and to stay up to date on avalanche conditions using its website.

Skiers and snowboarders who enter the backcountry should never do so alone, the center said. It advised that only one person cross a slope at a time, with their companions watching from a safe location.

As for the Salt Lake Valley and valleys north of it, rain will likely be plentiful with the latest forecast models suggesting more than an inch of moisture.

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Regardless of soggy conditions, the entire state of Utah will likely see warmer temperatures with daytime highs climbing into the 50s in northern Utah and even flirting with 60 by the end of the weekend and into early next week. Early next week, daytime highs could reach the low 70s in St. George.

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The sandhill crane descending on the Wisconsin countryside is a beautiful thing.

Its gray wings are long and graceful, and it doesnt swoop  it floats in, like a cloud slipping from the sky. Its forehead is a proud red. It often travels in pairs, because it tends to prefer one mate for life. And it is prone to dance, bowing and leaping in a ritual that it has honed for eons as one of Earths oldest animals.

The problem is in between, it eats the hell out of your local farmers crops.

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Thats the rub that has made such a striking bird the subject of fierce political debate as Wisconsin considers a sandhill crane season this year. As a farm boy and a conservationist, Im here to tell you the reality: If we want to save the sandhill crane, its time to organize a responsible hunt. At the root of this argument is the idea that hunting is conservation  one I know not everyone who loves the sandhill crane supports. But for the sake of our gray feathered friend, I hope youll hear me out and reserve hate mail for the end.

Regulated hunting and conservation have protected endangered wildlife

Good hunters know that to continue to enjoy their way of life, a hunt must have boundaries so that our natural resources of woods, water, and game can persist. Its the reason our country did away with unregulated hunting in favor of seasons and bag limits. Its the reason hunters fund so much conservation, not only through government license fees, but also through voluntary organizations like Ducks Unlimited that have literally restored or conserved millions of acres of natural habitat, and raised billions of dollars. And its the path for transforming a once protected bird into a sustainable success story.

Opinion: Don't stuff sandhill crane hunt down throat of Wisconsin. It will only divide us.

Almost wiped out in the 1800s by unregulated hunting and habitat loss, the sandhill crane has since surged to more than 1 million, with experts of all stripes acknowledging stable populations in Wisconsin and numerous other states. Reported crop damage in Wisconsin, meanwhile, has reached more than $2 million annually, mainly corn and wheat.

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Now, the crane is at a crossroads. It can go the way of the sustainable success story, like the whitetail deer, the wild turkey and the duck, all persisting in Wisconsin as a beloved animal that nature-lovers and hunters alike are able to appreciate in abundance. Or, it can go the way of the invasive presence like the coyote in Wisconsin, the wild boar in many parts of the country, and other animals facing open season  without limits  to thin them out.

Comparing the sandhill crane to a mangy coyote is where some may get hot, if theyre not already, given the cranes history and beauty. Yes, there are reasons particular to coyote and boar that theyre capable of becoming so problematic. But lets not insult the clever coyote  also a sight to behold slipping from field to woods in the early morning  or the proud boar once held in high regard by western civilization.

Gray wolves show how attitudes about animal's can change

And weve seen how attitudes about animals can change.

Consider the gray wolf, once deeply endangered, now going off and on the endangered species list depending upon which political party is in power. The crane is headed toward similar division. The first time I saw a crane was as a kid in the 1990s, when my mom told me the story of their recovery as two cranes drifted across an evening field, then issued their softly purring trumpet of a call before taking flight. I remember her gasping at their beauty. Today I usually hear them referred to as those dang things, if profanity isnt involved, as they ravage farmers fields.

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A responsible hunt  with well-timed seasons to protect the hatching of new cranes, bag limits, and fees to fund game law enforcement and even more conservation  can prevent this. Keeping the crane in its hallowed, no-hunt status for too long simply leaves it vulnerable to future generations not giving a damn what happens to it.

This spring, North Americas sandhill cranes will begin their great journey north, from as far south as Mexico. Theyll rest on the Platte River in Nebraska near the sandhills that gave them their name, a sight National Geographic calls one of the greatest wildlife phenomena in North America. Then theyll stop off in the fertile fields of Wisconsin.

You can believe that nature is a delicate ecosystem, with a natural balance that we must protect to preserve such a sight. I certainly do. All Im saying is, mankind is a part of that balance.

Brian Reisinger is a writer who grew up on a family farm in Sauk County. He contributes columns and videos for the Ideas Lab at the Journal Sentinel, and is the author of Land Rich, Cash Poor: My Familys Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer. Reisinger works in public affairs consulting for Wisconsin-based Platform Communications. He splits his time between Sacramento, Calif.  Americas farm-to-fork capital, near his wifes family  and the family farm in Wisconsin. You can find him on X at @BrianJReisinger

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin sandhill crane hunt doesn't have to be divisive | Opinion
OXON HILL, Md.  Wisconsins Ben Wikler on Saturday fell short in his bid to chair the Democratic National Committee, losing to Ken Martin of Minnesota in the race to lead Democrats through President Donald Trumps second term in office.

Martin won the DNC chairmanship on the first ballot. Wikler placed second in the voting. Martin is now tasked with charting a new path forward for Democrats following their election losses in November.

We have one team, the Democratic Party, Martin, the 51-year-old chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said after the vote. "We have one fight. The fight is not in here. The fight is out there. The fight is for our values. The fight is for working people."

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The fight right now is against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country," Martin said. "That's the fight."

Wikler after the vote urged his supporters to join him in working with Martin "to ensure that the Democratic Party rises to this moment of crisis in our country." He said he was "grateful that our whole party has embraced the vision and the values that our campaign lifted up."

"Its time to fight for working people, across race and ethnicity, in every corner of the country; to build a permanent campaign that organizes and communicates year-round, in every place and on every platform," he said.

Wikler, 43, campaigned for national chair largely on his record leading the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. State Democrats won nine of the last 12 statewide races under Wiklers leadership, and he developed a reputation as a prolific fundraiser, outraising state Republicans by a factor of about 3-to-1 over the past five years.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin chair Ben Wikler makes remarks before Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on Friday September 20, 2024 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.

He garnered support during his campaign from top Democratic leaders in Washington like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. But he ultimately fell short of winning the majority of the 428 DNC members who voted Saturday.

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The Madison native will now turn his full attention to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, set for April 1, that will determine the ideological balance of the states high court. Liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford will face off against conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel.

The courts decisions on issues ranging from abortion to collective bargaining for public employees and Wisconsin's congressional maps likely hinge on the outcome of the election. The contest will also serve as the first major test of enthusiasm among Democratic and Republican voters in the new Trump era.

It remains unclear whether Wikler will seek reelection as Wisconsin Democrats chair when his term expires in June. An aide to Wikler told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Wikler will make his decision after the court race.

Several Wisconsin Democrats, including 3rd Congressional District chairman William Garcia and Democratic operative Joe Zepecki, have been mentioned as potential candidates to replace Wikler should he not seek reelection.

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Wikler in a statement Saturday referred to the court race as the next "critical fight ahead" and added: "Lets take a breath and get back to work."

Martin had long been seen as the frontrunner in the low-key DNC race. He entered the contest with strong support among voting members and had already been involved with the committee; he is one of the partys vice chairs.

The Minnesotan will now lead a party searching for stability after its election losses in November. Democrats lost control of the White House and Senate and failed to regain a majority in the House.

Ken Martin, DNC Chair Candidate, speaks at the "Win With Workers" Rally and Press Conference at the DNC Midwestern Candidate Forum on January 16, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan.

The party must also navigate Trumps second term in office, which has kicked off at hyper-speed. At a DNC forum Thursday night, none of the eight candidates for chair heading into Saturday said they thought Democrats were sufficiently responding to Trumps first weeks in office.

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When the Trump agenda fails Americans, which it most certainly will and already has, we have to be there with a legitimate alternative to this chaos, Martin told Democrats on Saturday.

Wiklers campaign picked up momentum toward the end of the race as it rolled out endorsements from top Democrats like Pelosi. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Wikler the night before the vote.

Still, there were few notable ideological differences between Wikler and Martin throughout the campaign as both men emphasized the importance of bolstering party infrastructure in all 50 states. They shied away from heated public attacks.

At the DNC forum earlier in the week, Wikler and Martin appeared to agree on many of the questions the candidates received. They both derided the prevalence of dark money in politics and said they opposed accepting money from corporations who did not align with the partys values. Though they both acknowledged the importance of fundraising in winning elections.

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Martin and Wikler also appeared to align on creating a communications war room to help Democrats better put out their messages amid Trumps return to the White House. Wikler has said Democrats cannot let Republicans define them, as they did this past cycle.

We will scale up what Bens doing in Wisconsin at the DNC, Martin said this week.

Wikler has been seen as a rising star in the party. He began his career in politics volunteering on Sen. Tammy Baldwins first congressional campaign and later directed MoveOn.orgs effort to stop Republicans from repealing the Affordable Care Act. In 2019, he became party leader in the country's most evenly divided battleground state.

On Saturday, Martin won the chairmanship on the first ballot. He received 246.5 votes of the 428 votes cast. Wikler placed second with about 134.5 votes.

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The voting took place at the DNCs winter meeting Saturday at National Harbor, a hotel and convention center just south of Washington, D.C.

Martin in his victory speech told Democrats he would "take the great ideas from all the candidates in this race" and "bring them into this great party." He said Democrats need to unite and go on offense against Trump.

"We're going to go out there and take this fight to Donald Trump and Republicans," Martin said. "And we're going to fight for working people again in this party."

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's Ben Wikler falls short in run to lead the DNC
CHICAGO  Authorities in Chicago are asking for help in the search for a woman who has been missing for several days and may be in need of medical attention.

Officers said 63-year-old Rena Smith was last seen on Monday, Jan, 27, but has not been contacted since.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

According to police, the missing woman was last seen in the vicinity of Stroger Hospital, in the 1900 block of West Ogden Avenue, on the Near West Side.

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Officers said Smith, who stands 5-foot-5 and weighs around 195 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes.

Authorities did not provide a description of what the missing woman was last seen wearing.

A photo provided by Chicago police shows Smith wearing a ppair of black plastic framed glasses, however, it is unclear if she had them on at the time of her disappearance.

Officers said Smith may be in need of medical assistance but did not provide details on why.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of 63-year-old Rena Smith is asked to contact the CPD Area One Detective Division at 312-747-8380 or dial 911.

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Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com. Tips can be filed anonymously.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A woman is afraid to return to work after she was robbed at gunpoint outside a Parkway Village business Thursday afternoon.

Tania Garcia said she was working alone inside Santes Services and Positive Staffing in the 4500 block of Winchester Road when she heard her car alarm go off. She said when she walked outside, she saw someone inside her vehicle.

4500 block of Winchester. WREG photo

Once I saw the man sitting inside my car, Im like, what are you doing? He said stay back, or Ill shoot you, said Garcia. Im like, oh my God. Everything happened so quickly as soon as he said that Id stayed back.

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She said the man, who had been pointing a gun at her, drove off in her 2022 Nissan Altima, and she ran back inside her office and called police.

Police arrived real quick, and they started looking for my car. Luckily, they found it on the same day, Garcia said.

About an hour later, police said they spotted the stolen Nissan 10 miles away, in the 400 block of Brightside in South Memphis, and Ladarrius Perry, 26, wiping down the cars door handle.

Ladarrius Perry (SCSO)

They said Perry tried to run from officers and dropped a bag containing a Glock and vehicle programmer.

Police said Perry denied stealing the car but stated the Nissan Altima had been key padded. Detectives said when they asked Perry how he got the vehicle, he said, I got the car.

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Garcia is relieved Perry was arrested but said the ordeal has shaken her sense of security. She said there have been other car thefts in the same lot, and things could have ended much differently.

That came to my mind that I was gonna get killed, said Garcia.

According to the Memphis Police Departments Cyberwatch website, over the last two months, at least 85 crimes were reported within a half mile of Santes Services, including 20 car thefts, nine robberies, eight burglaries, and 13 assaults.

4500 block of Winchester. WREG photo

I dont think Ill go back because, like I said, I worked there by myself. So, Im scared right now. You know its not a moment that I want to repeat, said Garcia.

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When Perry was arrested, two women and a man were also detained but have not been charged in the case.

One of the females told police Perry was her cousin and said he approached them asking for a change of clothes because he was running from police.

Perry is being charged with aggravated robbery and evading arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A Massachusetts woman who told police that she went to the U.S. Capitol to kill members of President Donald Trump's cabinet said she was influenced by Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, prosecutors said in a court filing.

Ryan Michael English, who goes by Riley English, was arrested Monday and remained in custody after her initial court appearance on Thursday. English didn't immediately challenge her pretrial detention, court records show.

English, 24, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, told police that she felt like she was on a mission and had been thinking about for this for a while because of Luigi Mangione, prosecutors said. Mangione pleaded not guilty in December to state murder and terror charges in a Manhattan court.

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I pushed that away because I was thinking like that is so stupid, that accomplishes nothing, that poor kid just threw his life away for like a minute of vengeance, English said, according to prosecutors.

English was arrested on weapons charges after she approached police at the Capitol and said she came there to kill billionaire investor Scott Bessent on the day that the Senate confirmed the South Carolina resident as Trump's treasury secretary, according to a Tuesday court filing.

Investigators said they found a folding knife, two homemade firebombs and a lighter in Englishs possession.

English also said she traveled from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., intending to kill other Republican political figures  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson  and to burn down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, according to police. English changed her target to Bessent after reading an internet post about his confirmation hearing, police said.

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English told officers that she was terminally ill and wanted to do something before I go, according to prosecutors.

The criminal conduct for which she is before the Court is not a momentary lapse in judgment; rather, it was a premeditated and calculated attempt to commit violence, they wrote.

Defense attorney Maria Jacob said English only went to the Capitol as a cry for help and didn't intend to harm anybody.

She was not aggressive when she approached the Capitol Police Officers. She never brandished any of the items as weapons and assisted police to retrieve the items on her person immediately, Jacob wrote.

___
GENEVA, Wis. (WFRV)  A Wisconsin woman was arrested on Thursday evening after reportedly stabbing a man in a domestic incident.

According to the Walsworth County Sheriffs Office and Geneva Police Department, officers and deputies from both departments responded to a residence in Geneva for a domestic incident around 5:13 p.m. on Thursday.

Sheriff: Man in Wisconsin nearly has thumb severed by suspect from Nicaragua, both in custody

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When Geneva officers arrived, they were advised that a woman had stabbed a man, who was then taken to a local hospital to be treated for severe injuries.

The Walworth County District Attorneys Office reviewed the investigation, as the woman was arrested for 1st Degree Reckless Endangerment, and identified as 59-year-old Roxanne Skinner of Lake Geneva.

No more details were provided.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
New York City  At times, Armia Khalil felt like he was whittling his life away after he immigrated to New York from Egypt in 2006 with nothing but $400 in his pocket and a suitcase of sculpting tools.

He had studied fine art in Egypt through the generosity of a cousin, and now he sought to make his dreams come true in New York City. But that didn't happen. Instead, he shared a bedroom with construction workers in New Jersey and struggled to find consistent work.

"I was so naive," Khalil told CBS News. "I didn't have any plan, just that one-way ticket and my dreams."

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His dreams of becoming a professional sculptor weren't working out, and he wanted to at least be around art even if he couldn't make a living off it. So, in 2012, Khalil received a job as a security guard at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he could at least be in the presence of masters.

"I was just trying to find any job to make a living because I was in debt," Khalil said. "I sent so many emails. I didn't have any security experience. But this is the Met. I was so happy."

Khalil finally had a stable job, but he admits that even standing in the museum, he would often long to be creating something.

"I cried within myself inside the gallery many times, wondering why it didn't work out for me," Khalil said.

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Then, a couple years ago, Khalil struck up a conversation with a visitor. At least, he thought he was a visitor. But in fact he was speaking to Akili Tommasino, curator for the Met's Department of Modern of Contemporary Art.

Khalil happened to mention to Tommasino that he was an Egyptian artist himself.

"When Armia mentioned that he was Egyptian, I asked him if I could see his work, and at that point, I revealed my identity," Tommasino said.

In 2018, Tommasino had launched a search for the very best examples of art inspired by ancient Egypt. He spent six years looking far and wide for new art. But it was with a Met security guard that he found a new piece.

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The only way Tommasino could explain it was as a "divinely ordained encounter."

Khalil's sculpture, carved out of a single piece of ash wood over the course of five months, is part of a major exhibit on display at the Met through Feb. 17 called "Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876."

Armia Khalil, left, a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, poses with a sculpture that he created. January 2025. / Credit: CBS News

He never imagined that, one day, his work would be here, too.

"It's unbelievable," Khalil said. "That was a real surreal moment for me."

Several people told Tommasino that they have visited the exhibit just to see Khalil's work. He is now a celebrity of sorts, the security guard who guards his own work  at least for the time being.

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"That is a risk," joked Tommasino when asked about losing Khalil as a security guard.

"I cried," Khalil said of the first time he saw his work in the exhibit. "Everything flashed in front of me. It was surreal. Keep dreaming. Keep hoping all the time."

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  School vouchers are now law in Tennessee and are supposed to open up more choices to parents, but the true impact remains to be seen.

Public and private school educators, as well as local leaders, have strong opinions on what that they say the vouchers will brings.



The $7,000 or so dollars going to parents to offset private tuition is a point of contention, especially since most private schools cost much more than that.

County Commissioner Charlie Caswell says he doesnt see how families in parts of the city with the most poverty will be able to pay the extra $10,000 or more that many private schools are going to require them to do.

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Public school leaders wonder if those dollars could have been used to shore up ongoing needs in struggling public schools.

Tennessee General Assembly approves school voucher expansion; bill heads to Gov. Lees desk

Theres a lot of ifs in this, but there are a lot of examples across the country that vouchers have not worked in other states. And I just wish we could learn from the mistakes of others in this, said Bo Griffin, director of Millington Municipal Schools. We can use those funds to get better teachers pay, get more teacher support by any kind of effort or programs that can help us our students to become the best they can be.



John Murphy, president of the Memphis Association of Independent Schools, which is made up of some 30 private independent institutions, says they support strong public schools and realize how much they are needed.

He admits independent schools are also concerned about what the state dollars will mean as far as stipulations on testing, and any religious focus. And then, being able to provide gap funding so parents can afford the tuition for all school years.

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One local teachers union says teachers in the classroom are also a worry, realizing the taxpayer dollars now funding vouchers couldve gone a long way in public classrooms.

We would love to have the same autonomy that a private school has, said Elizabeth Marable, president of the United Education Association. We would love to have 20- to $30,000 for each one of our children to support them. We would love to have class sizes of 12 to 15 instead of 30 to 35. It would be amazing what can happen in the public schools across the country if we had those type of resources.

Marable continued, Anytime you take public dollars from public schools, thats a decrease in funding, but those funds will have to be made up. Im deeply appreciative to those local Shelby County legislators that continue to extend their voice and their vote to support public schools.

Lawmakers like Tennessee state Rep. Jessie Chism of Memphis says he wanted something different from his colleagues in the legislature.

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It wont be school choice for the parent. Its school choice for the schools themselves, because if theres only a certain amount of seats available, theyre only going to pick the valedictorians and the athletes, Chism said. So that leaves our other students at our neighborhood schools at a disadvantage, because if you take away the highest achievement students that makes the median test score go down.

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But with vouchers now law, many are waiting to see how it all plays out.

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I think there was some discussion of a hold harmless provision, such that the school districts might not lose money in the first year or so, county Mayor Lee Harris said. But we know how it all turns out, because weve seen voucher programs around the country, and in those places, the voucher programs have resulted in a decrease in funding available for the public schools. And so we need our public tools to be healthy, and theyre in dire need of funding. And so, you know, were gonna have to watch and see.



Some are hoping the state law will allow Hope Scholarship dollars to be used to fill the gap between the $7,000 voucher and the actual price of private school tuition.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY)  A man has been charged after allegedly fleeing from law enforcement while high in Harrison County.

Troopers with the Bridgeport detachment of the West Virginia State Police tried to pull over a suspect vehicle in Harrison County on Wednesday, Jan. 29, but the vehicle rapidly accelerated away and a pursuit began, according to a criminal complaint.

Austin Pritt

Troopers followed the driver, later identified as 22-year-old Austin Pritt, on Pine Bluff Road where he drove in a reckless and careless manner, the complaint said. Pritt allegedly passed a vehicle near the intersection of Odells Knob Road and then lost traction on a turn, struck a guardrail and stopped, troopers said.

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After Pritt and a passenger were detained, troopers found a glass smoking device in the floorboard of the drivers seat, and the passenger said that she and Pritt had consumed methamphetamine earlier in the day, the complaint said.

Woman allegedly stabbed man to death in Hampshire County; remains recovered from burned house

Troopers said while they were transporting Pritt to United Hospital Center, he made the excited utterance, I wouldnt have done it if I wasnt high.'

Pritt has been charged with fleeing while driving under the influence and is being held in the North Central Regional Jail on a $45,000 bail for charges in both Harrison and Lewis counties.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
A doctor and writer has accused the Los Angeles Times of altering an opinion piece he wrote criticizing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to make it supportive of him.

Eric Reinhart says the paper gave his article a misleading headline and cut key lines, obscuring his attempt to convey that President Donald Trumps pick for health secretary is effectively a mass murderer in waiting.

The article was posted to X by the LA Times billionaire owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, with the headline Trumps healthcare disruption could pay offif he pushes real reform.

Trumps healthcare disruption could pay off  if he pushes real reform @latimes @RobertKennedyJr.He is our best chance of doing so https://t.co/PYKRJsSbfE  Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong (@DrPatSoonShiong) January 31, 2025

He is our best chance of doing so, Soon-Shiong opined in the body of the post. It was one of a string of posts in support of Kennedys confirmation by the Senate, which continues to hang in the balance.

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Reinhart soon shared his discontent with the final version of the article in response to the billionaires post.

I am the author of this OpEd, which was given a misleading title and from which key lines were cutlines that made very clear that RFK Jr. is dangerously ignorant, has absolutely no business near HHS, and is effectively a mass murderer in waiting, he wrote.

The headline Reinhart suggested when he submitted the piece was, RFK Jr.s Wrecking Ball Wont Fix Public Health.

Editors edit and control final

copy and hed; I get that. But editing out a very central and timely point in the minutes before sending to press while then also assigning a title and image that suggest an argument entirely opposite to the authors clear intent is bad.  Eric Reinhart (@_Eric_Reinhart) January 31, 2025

Reinhart told Politico that the last-minute changes to the pieceespecially the headline and photo, which he did not sign off onhappened in such a way that it distorts and changes the intended meaning of the piece.

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In a statement to Politico, the LA Times claimed that Reinhart had approved the changes to his piece.

Our editors in Opinion work with op-ed contributors to edit pieces for length, clarity, and accuracy, among other things, spokesperson Hillary Manning wrote. No op-ed pieces are published, as edited, without the permission of the author. That includes the op-ed written by Eric Reinhart.

Based on a draft version of the piece that Reinhart posted to X, the paper cut his original final paragraph, which compared RFK Jr. to Luigi Mangione, the man alleged to have assassinated a top health-care executive in December.

The difference between the men, Reinhart wrote, is that one operated outside the law to kill one person in defense of millions, whereas the othervia his egomaniacal disregard for scientific evidenceseeks to use law itself to inflict preventable death on those millions.

Shoon-Siong has a history of making pro-Trump editorial decisions. / Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

Reinhart told Politico he feels quite concerned that this was actually a deliberate manipulation intended to support Kennedy, especially because of the background of the owners politics and known record of interference and editorial processes of the newspaper.

In October, Soon-Shiong blocked the papers plan to endorse Kamala Harris, Trumps Democratic opponent. He also reportedly later asked its editorial board to take a break from writing about Trump.
Rhyma Castillo is a trending reporter for the Express-News and a member of its Digital Go Team. She can be reached at rhyma.castillo@express-news.net.

A native of San Antonio and a Texas A&M University graduate, she is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience. She has reported on politics, immigration, climate change, gun violence, and workers rights. Additionally, she excels in lifestyle and entertainment writing, covering music, television, video games, technology, and relationships.

In her free time, she enjoys painting, drawing, cooking, hiking, climbing, gardening, playing video games, cuddling with her cats, and making music with her band.
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - When Marco Rubio arrives in Latin America this weekend on his first foreign trip as Donald Trump's secretary of state, he'll find a region reeling from the new administration's shock-and-awe approach to diplomacy.

In the first days of Trump's second term, the new president has doubled down on his intention to reclaim the Panama Canal, angered Brazilians by returning migrants in shackles and briefly imposed crushing sanctions and tariffs on Colombia in a tussle over deportee flights.

Rubio's first stop will be Panama City as the Trump administration shifts back Washington's focus to Latin America, aiming to counter the already extensive Chinese influence in the region and stem migration.

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The first Latino secretary of state, Rubio has already indicated that the State Department will be instrumental in helping Trump achieve his policy to "curb mass migration" and the topic will be front and center as he continues on to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

The Trump administration has stepped up deportations, sending migrants in military aircraft to Latin American countries, including Guatemala. The flights sparked a brief spat with Colombia on Sunday after President Gustavo Petro refused to allow two military planes to land, before later agreeing to send Colombian planes to bring back deportees.

People who had an appointment scheduled for the visa process to the United States and were cancelled, wait outside the United States embassy for some rescheduling information, in Bogota, Colombia January 27, 2025.

Kevin Whitaker, a former U.S. ambassador to Colombia, said Trump's immediate imposition of tariffs as well as rarely used sanctions and visa restrictions against Colombia, a longstanding U.S. ally, in response signaled to countries in the region how seriously the Trump administration is taking migration.

"The message it sent is how willing the Trump administration is to use these tools," Whitaker, now at the Atlantic Council think tank, said in a call with reporters.

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Trump has indicated he wants to reassert U.S. dominance over the Western Hemisphere, saying Washington also needs to control Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark - an aspiration steadfastly rejected by Danish and Greenland officials - alongside his threats over the Panama Canal.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a fluent Spanish speaker, is a longtime hawk on Cuba and Venezuela policy.

During Trump's first term, he was a driving force behind a rollback of predecessor Barack Obama's historic rapprochement with Cuba and also played a major role in crafting a "maximum pressure" campaign against Venezuela, including sweeping sanctions on the OPEC nation's energy sector.

Demonstrators hold a sign depicting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, and US President Donald Trump as they take part in a protest against the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Panama City on January 30, 2025.

Migration focus

Immediately after taking office, Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, banned asylum for people fleeing conflict in their home countries and issued an order that attempts to block the children of some immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens.

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Rubio quickly took up the mantle.

"Our diplomatic relations with other countries, particularly in the Western Hemisphere, will prioritize securing Americas borders, stopping illegal and destabilizing migration, and negotiating the repatriation of illegal immigrants," Rubio said in a note setting out his priorities.

Rubio could use his trip to push so-called third country agreements, in which nations accept citizens of other countries deported by the United States, as well as smoothing the way for more deportation flights returning migrants to their own countries, experts said.

Cuba and Venezuela have frosty relations with the U.S. and have greatly limited the number of deportees they are willing to accept, so Trumps administration will likely need to find other countries to accept them  potentially including some of the countries on Rubios itinerary.

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"These are the places Trump probably thinks he can pressure into taking these deportees from other countries," said Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Tourists look at a cargo ship waiting to enter the Panama Canal in Panama City on January 25, 2025. Panama has complained to the United Nations over US President Donald Trump's "worrying" threat to seize the Panama Canal, even as it launched an audit of the Hong Kong-linked operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway. (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP via Getty Images)

China tension

Rubios talks with Panama will take place in the shadow of Trumps threats. The president during his inauguration vowed that the United States would take back the Panama Canal but has given no further details on when or how he intended to reclaim the canal - which is the sovereign territory of a close partner.

Trump has lashed out at the fees U.S. shipping pays to use the canal but seems most animated by the involvement of a Chinese company in its operations. The State Department's spokesperson said the trip would partly be about countering China in the region.

At his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this month, Rubio said it could be argued that the terms of the U.S. agreement with Panama that the canal cannot be turned over to a foreign power had been breached because of the involvement of Chinese companies.

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In reality, a foreign power today possesses through their companies, which we know are not independent, the ability to turn the canal into a choke point and a moment of conflict. And that is a direct threat to the national interest in security of the United States, Rubio said.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) react during a campaign event at Dorton Arena, in Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. November 4, 2024.

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U.S. senators on Tuesday joined in expressing alarm over China's role in the canal, including a Chinese company's work on a bridge across the canal, and said it poses risks to U.S. national security.

The Panamanian government has vehemently denied ceding operation of the strategic waterway to China and insists it administers the canal fairly to all shipping.

Isaac Kardon, senior fellow for China studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said he believed there was space for agreement -- something that would satisfy Trump as a win without being disruptive.

"I imagine Rubio is going to be much more nuanced and I think there's a little bit of a good cop, bad cop style of diplomacy underway," Kardon said.

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Critics have accused Trump of modern-day imperialism in his threats over the canal and Greenland, suggesting such rhetoric could encourage Russia on its war in Ukraine and give justification to China if it decides to invade self-ruled Taiwan.

China has in recent years gained economic and diplomatic influence in Central America, where countries including Panama have in recent years stopped recognizing the democratically governed island of Taiwan, falling in line with Beijings view that Taiwan is Chinas territory.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rubio to visit Panama in shadow of Trumps canal threats
Jan. 31MORGANTGOWN  In response to an executive order from West Virginia's new governor, Patrick Morrisey, WVU closed its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Implementation began on Thursday, WVU told The Dominion Post.

Word of the closure went out in a Thursday email to the campus community.

In place of the DEI Division, WVU said in the email, a new unit, the Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance, has been established with a redefined mission.

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"This unit will focus on ensuring the university adheres to federal and state guidance and fulfilling the needs of our campus community, including compliance with Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act which is its primary focus. This is not a rebranding, but a shift in focus that will align with the governor's directive."

WVU's action and Morrisey's order are also tied to a Jan. 20 Trump administration order ending federal DEI programs that said, in part, "The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear."

Morrisey issued his order on Jan. 14, the day after his inauguration. To eliminate DEI out of state government, as he summarized it.

The Dominion Post asked WVU how the transition would affect DEI Division employees, and if they would be transferred to the new division.

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WVU said, "A focused group of employees were housed in the former division to carry out assignments, including federal compliance of Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. That compliance work will remain as part of the new WVU Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance led by Vice President Meshea Poore. Duties and responsibilities of campus engagement in the new division is being determined."

Asked about any costs associated with the transition, WVU said, "Once our review of the executive orders is complete, we will have a better understanding of overall future needs, including budget."

In announcing the closure, WVU said in its email, "West Virginia University has been diligently reviewing Gov. Morrisey's Executive Order No. 3-25 while actively engaging with members of the campus community and key stakeholders and providing internal guidance and talking points to assist with initial questions or concerns. The university administration genuinely appreciates the patience being shown as this work continues."

Announcing the end of one division and creation of another as immediate steps, WVU said, "Once the university's review is complete, administrators will have a better understanding of the impact and will provide more specific, unit-level guidance at that time. The university is committed to keeping the WVU community informed throughout this process and will continue to provide regular communication and feedback as it works to ensure it is in compliance with any and all obligations."

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WVU described the DEI Division in this way: The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion provides university-wide education, support, accountability and leadership on issues relating to diversity to the campus and community. The Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion exists because WVU is always striving to create the safe, diverse, welcoming community we all deserve."

The division's website (still up as of Friday) includes links to the DEI classroom offer 30-90 minute sessions on such topics as advocacy, microaggressions and inclusive language, and youth protection ; a "Yappy Hour " to de-stress with a dog on campus ; a Kindness Campaign ; and a link to Project Implicit implicit bias tests.

Morrisey celebrated WVU's move on Friday, beginning, "Several weeks ago, I came to you during my inaugural address to talk about how we needed to eradicate the woke virus in our schools. We emphasized the importance of getting rid of DEI out of West Virginia state government."

This included any entity receiving state resources.

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"This is important for a lot of different reasons. I'm a believer, like many of you, that God looks at us, the rule of law looks at us, as equals. We have an equal protection clause. We care about the rule of law. We care about freedom. We don't want special preferences unlawfully benefitting one group over another  race, color, age, ethnicity. We have to make sure we're taking steps to treat everyone the same under the law."

Regarding WVU, he said, "This is a big win for the Mountain State. I want to applaud WVU for the actions that it's taken. This is really critical. I know there's always a lot of pressure to do the wrong thing  here is West Virginia, we're going to do the right thing and we're going to make sure that West Virginia always stands for freedom, the rule of law, and the American ideal."

The ACLU's West Virginia chapter is among the groups opposing Morrisey's order. ACLU-WV Legal Director Aubrey Sparks said, "This hastily written executive order represents a potential violation of educators' free speech rights enshrined in the Constitution and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Not only do we believe this order to be unconstitutional, we also can't overstate the degree to which it is meant to create a state government hostile to people from marginalized communities."
West Virginia University announced on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, that it is shutting down its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. (Lexi Browning | West Virginia Watch)

West Virginia University is shutting down its Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion following Gov. Patrick Morriseys ban on state funds for entities using the diversity initiatives.

The closure was announced Jan. 30 in a memo shared with faculty, staff and students.

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The university will open a new unit, the WVU Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance, with a redefined mission, according to the memo.

This unit will focus on ensuring the university adheres to federal and state guidance and fulfilling the needs of our campus community, including compliance with Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act which is its primary focus, university officials wrote in the memo. This is not a rebranding, but a shift in focus that will align with the governors directive.

Miranda Wright (Laney Eichelberger for West Virginia Watch)

Miranda Wright, a junior at WVU studying English education, said she was really appalled by the decision.

I know that DEI helps a lot with getting kids scholarships, grants, stuff that they need to even go to university. For some people, [the] university is their only way out, she said. I know its not the universitys fault, but its still very sad because there might be kids who cant get help that they need to be here.

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Wright added that it could affect the universitys student population diversity; international enrollment at WVU has dropped 60% since the 2017-18 academic year, according to the universitys student newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum.

WVU officials are continuing to review Morriseys DEI cessation order, which he announced on his second day in office. The order terminated DEI initiatives in state government or entities receiving state funding. It prompted the states higher education institutions to begin immediately reviewing diversity initiatives as state funding is critical to their operations.

On Friday, Morrisey said in an online video message that he applauded WVUs actions.

This is really critical. I know theres always a lot of pressure to do the wrong thing, he said. Here in West Virginia, were going to do the right thing, and were going to make sure that West Virginia always stands for freedom, the rule of law and the American ideal.

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DEI, which has become a target of conservatives, is part of the woke virus in the schools, Morrisey said.

The acronym represents diversity, equity and inclusion policies aimed at promoting equality in government and workplaces. Morrisey, a Republican, believes the policies can give special preferences unlawfully benefiting one group over another due to race, age, ethnicity and more.

We have to make sure that were taking steps to treat everyone the same under the law, Morrisey said.

Jesse Wozniak, an associate professor in WVUs Department of Sociology and Anthropology, said the hasty move by WVU leaders revealed a paper thin commitment to the concepts of diversity and inclusion.

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The decision by WVU administrators to immediately capitulate to the current moral panic surrounding DEI initiatives by preemptively shuttering their DEI office and strongly curtailing the mission of what is set to replace it is part and parcel of the damaging, cowardly leadership they have displayed on most matters, he said. Its a sad, but completely predictable outcome.

WVU officials said theyre also reviewing a subsequent federal order from President Donald Trump. The executive order could threaten federal funding for higher education institutions.

Once the universitys review is complete, administrators will have a better understanding of the impact and will provide more specific, unit-level guidance at that time, the university memo said.

WVU sophomore Nathan Lilly, who is studying computer science, said he felt like the university had little control over the situation due to possible funding loss.

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The university faced a $45 million budget deficit in 2023, prompting its Board of Governors to cut 27 academic majors and around 300 jobs.

They definitely still have the new organization that theyve just created that I think will still offer quite a bit of protections for students, just not as much, which sucks, Lilly said.

Marshall University is also reviewing its diversity initiatives and has removed DEI-related web pages as the universitys legal and government relations teams continue to review campus procedures to comply with applicable regulations.

Morrisey said that it was just the beginning of his administrations effort to root out DEI.

Thats going to happen more and more in the weeks and months ahead, the governor said.

Laney Eichelberger contributed to this story.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  In an email sent out to the West Virginia University community on Thursday, the school announced the closure of the schools Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to adhere to Governor Patrick Morriseys executive order.

12 News spoke with students at WVU on their reactions to the universitys move, some of whom didnt know anything about it, while others had mixed opinions.

My cousin was going to come here and he didnt because of the lack of diversity and that was a while ago, and I feel like its been getting better and building and I feel like that getting shut down is just going to the complete wrong way, WVU Freshman Lily Potter said.

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However, some WVU students believe DEI is not necessarily needed.

I think the DEI programs being shut down may allocate more funding to some of the programs that WVU has been cutting, WVU Senior Garrett Tonkin said. I think that DEI inherently bases things off race when race and sexuality and everything shouldnt matter. [] Everyone should be treated equally, no matter what, and obviously here at WVU we welcome people of all cultures.

WVU replacing DEI division with Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance

As of the most recent data from 2022, WVUs student population was composed of nearly 80% white students.

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I feel like students arent going to come here if they feel like theres a lack of diversity, added Potter.

12 News asked the university if there are any expected layoffs from the move and received the following response from Executive Director of Communications April Kaull.

A focused group of employees were housed in the former Division to carry out assignments, including federal compliance of Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act. That compliance work will remain as part of the new WVU Division of Campus Engagement and Compliance led by Vice President Meshea Poore. Duties and responsibilities of campus engagement in the new Division is being determined. Once our review of the Executive Orders is complete, we will have a better understanding of overall future needs.

Public universities are being closely watched on how they will remove their DEI programs. 12 News reached out to Fairmont State University on how it will plan to be in compliance with the executive orders, but that request for comment has not been returned as of this publication.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com.
Much of the civil rights movement is remembered through the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr. There were a number of people who also made valuable contributions but arent known as well.

Among them was Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker  hailed as one of the keenest minds of the nonviolent revolution by none less than King himself.

Walker worked closely with King and was the chief strategist for the 1963 Birmingham campaign, which turned out to be one the most influential moments for the civil rights struggle.

Before Birmingham

Born in 1929 in Brockton, Massachusetts, Walker attended Virginia Union University, where he earned a bachelors degree in chemistry and physics. He later went on to do graduate studies in theology at the university, setting him on his future path as a minister.

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He met King at an interseminary group in 1952, an organization that planned meetings between students of various seminaries. At the time, King was president of the student body of Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. They soon became personal friends.

This friendship lasted until Kings assassination in 1968. It would inform much of the crucial civil rights work that the two would do together.

While working as a minister at Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia in the 1950s, Walker began organizing large-scale civil rights protests. King assisted Walker in some of this work, including sending recorded remarks of support for a demonstration in Richmond in 1959 protesting Virginias decision to shut down schools rather than integrate them.

Walker was also involved in several civil rights groups, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was founded by King and other civil rights leaders. In 1960, Walker took charge as the first full-time executive director of the conference  a position from which he would oversee some of the most important moments of the civil rights movement, including one of the most significant campaigns  Project C, or Project Confrontation.

King with civil rights leaders, including Rev. Walker (on his left). AP Photo

Popularly known as the Birmingham campaign, Project Confrontation was a series of coordinated boycotts and demonstrations supporting the ongoing efforts against segregation in the city. Demonstrations included marches, sit-ins, and kneel-ins in white churches by black protesters.

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Wyatt Tee Walker recruits volunteers for Project Confrontation. Audio courtesy of the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection, Boatwright Library Rare Books and Special Collections, University of Richmond., Author provided1.32 MB (download)

Wyatt Tee Walker recruits volunteers for Project Confrontation at a Birmingham mass meeting on April 12, 1963. This audio was made available courtesy of the Dr. and Mrs. Wyatt Tee Walker Collection, Boatwright Library Rare Books and Special Collections, University of Richmond.

Walker and the Letter from Birmingham Jail

What Project Confrontation is perhaps best remembered for is the Letter from Birmingham Jail, an open letter authored by King while jailed in Birmingham due to his participation in the protests.

The letter was written in response to a public statement by a group of eight ministers criticizing the Birmingham campaign. These ministers believed that the direct action of boycotts and demonstrations were too disruptive to daily life and should be stopped in favor of peaceful negotiations.

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Handwritten on the few scraps of paper that King was allowed in his cell, the letter was smuggled out piecemeal by his lawyers.

In order for the letter to be published, it had to be typed, but first, it had to be read.

Walker claims in a 2016 oral history, conducted by the University of Richmond where I am the reference and processing archivist, that this role fell to him because he was the only one in Birmingham who could understand and translate Kings chicken-scratch writing.

Walker goes on to say that his secretary typed the letter while he read it aloud to her. When his secretary fell asleep working on the letter late at night, Walker finished the typing.

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Walker also claimed credit for the title, turning down the Friends Committees suggestion of Tears of Love.

Walker and Project C

Walkers role in Birmingham was not limited to guiding one of the most famous pieces of 20th-century writing to publication.

In fact, Project Confrontation was designed and organized by Walker.

Dr. King gave me the assignment to go to Birmingham and plan it out. And that ended up becoming Project C, Walker states in the same 2016 oral history.

Explaining his strategy, he says, I knew that two things would move Birmingham: Mess with the money and make it inconvenient for the white community. That was the way to make change come.

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The demonstrations were specifically timed to make it onto the evening news, creating national attention for what had been considered a regional concern. Walkers work included everything from high level strategy, such as the timing of demonstrations, to the detailed work of counting seats in restaurants and churches to coordinate the sit-ins and kneel-ins.

Birmingham 56 years later

Project C went on to be a major success for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The methods and strategies became a template for future campaigns.

As Walker states, the Birmingham campaign led to the 1964 Public Accommodations Act, which desegregated America.

Birmingham showed that nonviolent, direction action focused on disrupting the economy and doing things that were inconvenient for the white community could generate positive results.

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Wyatt Tee Walker had a key role to play in this change.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Taylor McNeilly, University of Richmond

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Taylor McNeilly does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Metro Detroit is punching back at winter weather with another packed weekend of great arts options in the region. Here are eight to catch between here and Monday:

An epic celebration of Black art

In a first-ever collaboration between two historic, local civil rights organizations, the Detroit Branch NAACP and the Dayton, Ohio Branch NAACP have partnered with Detroits Carr Center for Everyday People, a vibrant display of paintings, photographs, sculptures, and mixed media works that immortalize the ordinary moments of life. With contributions from celebrated artists such as Dean Mitchell, Ronald Jackson, Kevin Williams, Robert Peterson, Sabrina Nelson, Mario Moore, and Ernie Barnes, this exhibition highlights the extraordinary in the everyday. Part one of this show opens Friday, Jan. 31, with a reception from 5-8 p.m. and runs through April 11.

The Carr Center at the Park Shelton, 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit. thecarrcenter.org. Free to attend.

Jazz at Lincoln Center returns

Wynton Marsalis and the 15-piece Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) return to the University of Michigans Hill Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 1, for a celebration of the cool jazz and hard bop movements in American jazz history. JLCO saxophonist Sherman Irby is the co-music director of this program, which explores the shared themes of these two genres. The performance includes reinterpretations of iconic recordings by Miles Davis, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey, alongside newly commissioned works by Benny Green and Luther Allison.

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Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor. ums.org. Limited tickets remaining, starting at $46.

Honoring Detroits jazz legacy

Sunday at 4 p.m. at Ann Arbors Michigan Theater, UMS will host a screening of The Best of the Best: Jazz from Detroit, the first documentary film that explores the dynamic story of Detroits innovative and influential jazz musicians. Set within Detroits dramatic rise and fall as an industrial power and the struggles and triumphs of its African American community, the film features interviews with many great Detroit jazz musicians. Writer and producer (and former Free Press reporter) Mark Stryker will discuss the film in a Q&A after the screening.

Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. ums.org. Free; sign up at link.

Related: Documentary debuting at Freep Film Fest explores Detroit as powerhouse of musical culture

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More: 'More Than Motown' Black History Month lecture will explore Detroit's rich musical legacy

A thrilling dance program

Legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp celebrates her 60th anniversary with a Coast-to-Coast tour featuring her Olivier-nominated Diabelli, set to Beethovens masterpiece the Diabelli Variations. The first and only choreographer to take on the intensely demanding and demonically complex work, Tharp makes visible the elegant humor and depth of the composers layered genius. The program also features a new work, SLACKTIDE, in collaboration with composer Philip Glass, their first since 1986. A reimagining of Glasss Aguas de Amazonia score is augmented with new music and accompanied live by Chicago-based Third Coast Percussion, performed on a unique collection of custom-designed percussion instruments. They'll perform twice: Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit. detroitopera.org. Tickets start at $30.

'What if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today!'

While covering the annual Groundhog Day celebration in upstate New York, a jaded weatherman (Bill Murray at his finest) lives the same day over and over again in the life-affirming 1993 cult classic "Groundhog Day." The beloved film will be screened at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day itself!) at Detroit's Redford Theatre.

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Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser Rd., Detroit. redfordtheatre.com. Tickets $7 general admission, $5 for kids and seniors.

The Alain Locke Awards

Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Friends of African and African American Art will present the 32nd Annual Alain Locke International Award to artist and Michigan native Titus Kaphar for his work as an artist, sculptor, and filmmaker, creating socially and politically powerful works that reflect on the experiences of Black Americans and his own life story. The Alain Locke Recognition Award will be received by Detroit-based artist and former Free Press photographer Rashaun Rucker, renowned for his drawings, sculptures, printmaking, and installation art.

Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. dia.org. Free with registration; a reception will follow.

Related: Detroit Artists Market suffers severe flooding damage, seeks temporary home

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Popular now: Beloved Luther Vandross documentary finally at theaters, also airing on OWN in February

A spiritual journey

Detroits Wasserman Projects gallery will open its winter 2025 season on Saturday with a solo presentation of Gerhardt Knodels new and recent work in Imagined Futures, a colorful exhibition that invites us to drift into his immersive and magical world. Multiple dimensions of Knodel's four-year adventure through Sumatra inspire reflection on the potency of cultural inheritance as a resource for contemporary action. Saturdays opening will include a reception with the artist from 5-8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on view through April 26.

Wasserman Projects, 3434 Russell St. #502, Detroit. wassermanprojects.com. Free to attend.

Detroit artists recognized

Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the University of Michigans GallerDAAS hosts the opening reception for Devotion, a powerful exhibition of paintings by Jonathan Harris and murals by the School of Jon Onye Lockard. Harris (1988  ) and Lockard (1932  2015), both native Detroiters, span generations and time, but their art engages in similar topics of current events and the issues of the African Diaspora. Using vibrant colors and powerful themes, the two artists have attained reputations for their commanding styles of painting that reveal their incredible imaginations.

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GalleryDAAS, inside Haven Hall, 505 S. State St., Ann Arbor. Free to attend.

Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Wynton Marsalis, 'Groundhog Day' and more: Your weekend in metro Detroit
Ed Miliband may be agonising over the success of net zero but Xi Jinping has no such scruples.

In a bid to meet soaring electricity demand, the Chinese premier is overseeing plans to burn more coal than ever before  increasing the countrys annual usage by an extra 75m tonnes.

The planned increase in coal production will undoubtedly strengthen Chinas position as the worlds biggest source of greenhouse gases, with the country already emitting the equivalent of 15bn tonnes of carbon a year  almost a quarter of the worlds total.

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Britain, by contrast, is a climate minnow, emitting around 400m tonnes a year. This is down from 817m in 1990, with Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, attempting to drive this number as low as 155m by 2035.

According to a speech in the Commons last year, Miliband said his green energy ambitions demonstrate how the UK is back in the business of climate leadership  resetting at home and reconnecting abroad.

China, however, shows no signs of following the UK. Instead, Beijing has put its coal-burning blitz into overdrive, riding roughshod over a pledge in 2021 to strictly control its use of the dirtiest fossil fuel.

Commodity reporting agency Argus says that in 2024, Chinas coal consumption rose by about 6pc to a record 4.9bn tonnes, accounting for 56pc of the worlds global total.

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This meant China burnt more than 300m tonnes of extra coal in 2024, which is equivalent to an extra 800m tonnes of carbon.

That one-year increase is practically double the 400m tonnes of CO2 that Britain has stripped from its energy system since 1990, an achievement often hailed by Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Miliband.

Joseph Clarke, of Arguss Coal Daily International newsletter, says: China consumes, by a long way, the most coal in the global market and has been growing for most of the last 20 years.

The majority of this consumption is domestically produced coal, but this is still not enough to satiate Chinese demand.

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It means China is also the biggest importer of coal in the seaborne market, where it imported 359m tons of seaborne thermal coal in 2024, a record high for any country.

Chinas coal production and consumption are both set to increase in the coming years, raising concerns over the worlds ability to achieve net zero by 2050.

Last month, the China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association predicted that coal demand would consistently rise by 1-2pc a year for the foreseeable future.

That accounts for around 75m tonnes of coal per year  equating to an extra 150m tonnes of CO2.

It means the UKs plans to cut around 250m tonnes of emissions by 2035 will have been all for nothing when compared to Chinas coal expansion.

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Chinas top coal-producing region of Inner Mongolia produced 1.3bn tonnes in 2024, much of it from the Haerwusu open-pit coal mine, the worlds largest, owned by Shenhua Group.

Haerwusu is the worlds largest open pit coal mine

Inner Mongolia also has the worlds largest coal-fired power plant. The Tuoketuo Power Station at Hohhot has a capacity of 7 gigawatts (GW)  double that of the UKs Hinkley Point C nuclear plant under construction in Somerset.

The electricity generated is then carried largely through to Beijing where it powers an estimated 10m homes.

Lara Dong, a senior coal analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights, says Chinas coal consumption was expected to peak within a decade.

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Coal is the affordable energy source for China to support the economys growth and to fulfil energy supply security, she says. By 2050, we expect Chinas coal consumption to reduce by around three quarters from its current levels, driven by energy transition.

FutureCoal, the industrys global trade body, said Chinas reliance on coal meant it was also pioneering new technologies to cut emissions.

The Tuoketuo Power Station at Hohhot is the worlds largest coal-fired power station - China Dialogue

However, Michelle Manook, FutureCoals chief executive, conceded that Chinas coal emissions were unlikely to fall any time soon.

China generates 61pc of its electricity from coal, she says. Coal also remains critical as both an energy source and a material input for their steel, aluminium, and cement industries.

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In a bid to justify its coal usage, the Chinese government has long argued that its economy started from a much lower point than Western countries, stressing that its priority is to ensure energy supplies for its citizens.

It has also pointed to the growing expansion of renewables, with solar and wind capacity growing by 45.2pc and 18pc respectively last year.

A spokesman at the Chinese embassy in London said: The story of global energy transition should not be a China story. Rather, it should be a global story of solidarity and cooperation.

China will continue to uphold the vision of ecological civilisation, deepen international green cooperation, work with other countries to promote sustainable energy development, and make greater contributions to the global response to climate change.

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However, analysts at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) say this is little sign of a let-up in Chinas coal burning, as they highlight how the country is building new coal-fired power plants at pace.

In 2023 alone, the country commissioned new coal power stations with a total capacity of 114GW.

We expect coal consumption from Chinas power sector will continue to increase in coming years, said the analysts.

By comparison, the UKs total power generation capacity is about 75GW - if every source is running.

However, to understand why China is pumping out such a vast amount of greenhouse gas emissions, it is important to look closer to home.

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In the last two years alone, large parts of Britains heavy industry have been shuttered, including Scotlands Grangemouth refinery and steelworks owned by Tata,

While this has helped Britain slash its carbon emissions bill, it has also increased the UKs reliance on Chinese imports such as steel.

And while this demand keeps growing, so will the carbon emissions pouring out of Chinas chimneys.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
A Louisiana grand jury on Friday indicted a New York doctor for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a minor patient in the southern state, in what appears to be the first criminal case against an abortion provider since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter and her company Nightingale Medical have been charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, The Associated Press reported. The patients mother, who prosecutors say ordered the pills online for her daughter, has also been charged with the same felony crime, according to the AP.

Abortion is almost completely banned in Louisiana, with few exceptions. Abortion laws in the state are among the most restrictive in the country.

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Louisiana prosecutors said the charges are centered on coercion. District Attorney Tony Clayton, who brought the charges, said that the minor did not want the abortion, The New York Times reported. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also said the case has nothing to do with reproductive healthcare.

This is about coercion. This is about forcing somebody to have an abortion who didnt want one, she said.

But the crime of coerced abortion was not cited in the indictment, as the Louisiana Illuminator reported. Carpenter did not immediately respond to MSNBCs request for comment.

The indictment is also a test of New Yorks shield laws, which are intended to protect local physicians from criminal prosecution for providing abortion care to patients in states where it is banned. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the charges outrageous in a video statement on Friday and vowed to never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the state of Louisiana under any extradition request.

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Carpenter is the co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, an organization that advocates for telemedicine abortion across the country. The group said in a statement on Friday that abortion pills are an essential part of womens healthcare and criticized the Louisiana case as a state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care.

Carpenter is party to another interstate abortion case, as well. She is a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who in December sued her for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas resident via telemedicine.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
A New York doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury Friday for prescribing abortion medication via telehealth to a woman in the state.

Grand jurors in Baton Rouge indicted Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter, along with her company Nightingale Medical PC and a second person. Carpenter, a doctor and co-founder of the New York nonprofit the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT) was also sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton last year for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a young woman in the state.

Louisiana and Texas both have some of the strictest abortion laws in the country. Abortion is banned in Louisiana with exceptions for rape and incest, while Texas law bans almost all abortions unless a doctor determines the pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the mother or poses a risk of substantial impairment to a bodily function.

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Last year, Louisiana also reclassified the two drugs needed for a medication abortion mifepristone and misoprostol  as Schedule IV controlled substances.

It is illegal to send abortion pills into this State and its illegal to coerce another into having an abortion, said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in a post to the social platform X. I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law.

The case appears to be the first time criminal charges have been issued against a physician for prescribing and sending abortion medication to a person in a state where they do not practice.

It is also the first test of New Yorks shield law, which is meant to protect providers from out-of-state investigations and prosecutions for sending abortion pills to patients with strict restrictions on abortion.

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The New York Shield Law, passed with the help of ACT in 2023, and Shield Laws across the country enable licensed healthcare professionals to successfully deliver reproductive healthcare to patients in under resourced areas nationwide. ACT stands behind these laws, the ACT said.

Since Roe v Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights, the nonprofit added. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.

New York leadership appears prepared to fight against any extradition requests from Louisiana.

I will never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the state of Louisiana under any extradition requests, said New York Governor Kathy Hochul in a video message.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James called the criminalization of abortion care a direct and brazen attack on Americans bodily autonomy.

This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American, she said in a statement. We will not allow bad actors to undermine our providers ability to deliver critical care.

Medication abortions using the drug mifepristone were first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000 and accounted for 63 percent of all abortions in the United States in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The Associated Press contributed.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(The Hill)  A New York state doctor was indicted by a Louisiana grand jury Friday for prescribing abortion medication via telehealth to a woman in the state.

Grand jurors in Baton Rouge indicted Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter, along with her company Nightingale Medical, PC, and a second person. Carpenter, a doctor and co-founder of the New York nonprofit, The Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT), was also sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton last year for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a young woman in the state.

Louisiana and Texas both have some of the strictest abortion laws in the country. Abortion is completely banned in Louisiana with exceptions for rape and incest while Texas law bans almost all abortions unless a doctor determines the pregnancy poses a threat to the life of the mother or poses a risk of substantial impairment to a bodily function.

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Last year, Louisiana also re-classified the two drugs needed for a medication abortion mifepristone and misoprostol  as Schedule IV controlled substances.

It is illegal to send abortion pills into this State and its illegal to coerce another into having an abortion, said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in a post to the social media platform X. I have said it before and I will say it again: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law.

The case appears to be the first time criminal charges have been issued against a physician for prescribing and sending abortion medication to a person in a state where they do not practice.

It is also the first test of New Yorks shield law, which is meant to protect providers from out-of-state investigations and prosecutions for sending abortion pills to patients with strict restrictions on abortion.

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The New York Shield Law, passed with the help of ACT in 2023, and Shield Laws across the country enable licensed healthcare professionals to successfully deliver reproductive healthcare to patients in under resourced areas nationwide. ACT stands behind these laws, said The Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, a group Carpenter helped found.

Since Roe v Wade was overturned, weve witnessed a disturbing pattern of interference with womens rights, the nonprofit added. Its no secret the United States has a history of violence and harassment against abortion providers, and this state-sponsored effort to prosecute a doctor providing safe and effective care should alarm everyone.

New York state leadership appears prepared to fight against any extradition requests from Louisiana.

I will never, under any circumstances, turn this doctor over to the state of Louisiana under any extradition requests, said New York Governor Kathy Hochul in a video message.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James called the criminalization of abortion care a direct and brazen attack on Americans bodily autonomy.

This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American, she said in a statement. We will not allow bad actors to undermine our providers ability to deliver critical care.

Medication abortions using the drug mifepristone were first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000 and accounted for 63 percent of all abortions in the United States in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Youngstown Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta is celebrating Founders Day on February 8.

The luncheon will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Debartolo Stadium Club.

Stephanie Brown James, founder of the Collective Political Action Committee, will be the keynote speaker.

The committee focuses on African American under-representation in public office.

Shes helped get about 500 Black politicians elected since 2016, so were really looking forward to that, First Vice President of the Youngstown Alumnae Chapter Sherri Lovelace-Cameron said.

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We were founded in 1913, so we are now 112 years old, President of the Youngstown Alumnae Chapter Crystal Davis said. Im just excited to celebrate 112 years of service to our community.

Tickets are $40 and available through Saturday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  One local barber shop is getting ready to give back to the Youngstown community.

Ryans Chair on Glenwood Avenue has been around for about three decades.

With the help of community members, Ryans Chair is offering free haircuts on Monday to kick off Black History Month.

The organizer, Darrell Jones, says its important for kids to have a sense of community and it can start in places as simple as the barber shop.

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Its part of the neighborhood, to connect with the kids and the people in the neighborhood, and so this is really a great thing, and were just glad to do it and be a part of this, he said.

Haircuts will be first come, first served starting at 11 a.m.

Ryans Chair plans to give away 30 free haircuts Monday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
PLATTE CITY, Mo.  The fight continues in Platte County over the Childrens Services Fund, which is the quarter-cent sales tax meant to support youth mental health care.

Voters approved it during the November 5 election, but commissioners stopped it from taking effect in mid-December. Now, more than a month after that controversial vote, Commissioner Scott Fricker is standing by his decision to vote against authorizing the tax.

The [youth mental health] situation is improving, not getting worse, he said of a new 36-page report from the Platte County Health Department which came out January 8.

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Fugitive Serial Killer Kinnes cases closed, victims family reacts

The report is predominantly made up of graphics, some of which show self-harm data among Platte County youth (those under 19 years of age) as well as responses from student surveys conducted within six Missouri counties: Platte, Clay, Jackson, Lafayette, Boone, and St. Charles.

Students answered questions like, Did you seriously consider suicide? Did you plan or attempt a suicide? and Do you feel hopeless about the future?

Not only is Platte County doing better than the rest of the state, but the situation is also improving. Many of the metrics were compared against the other five counties that have children services fund taxes, said Fricker regarding data showing Platte County students seeming to fare better than their counterparts in the other five listed counties.

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However, the difference is not significant and still reveals a need for mental health services.

Overall, the improvement is so small, and if you show it in terms of percentage sometimes it has less of an impact than it does if you have real numbers, added Dennis Meier with Synergy Services, a mental health agency that may have benefited from the sales tax.

Meier helped get the initiative on the ballot.

He is not convinced by the report, saying that professionals who look at assessment reports on a regular basis would have questions about their intent or purpose. Not only that, but he believes the report is tailored to what commissioners want taxpayers to believe.

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I think the report kind of fits the ongoing narrative that the commission has separated itself from what the voters have approved.

Commissioner Fricker denies any communication with the Health Department about conducting the report. He explained that the department informed him they would put something together following the commissions December decision to not authorize the tax.

Its not my conclusion; its the health departments conclusion and they are completely unbiased.

Whats more, Fricker claims Platte County taxpayers already send nearly $3 million to the Clay, Platte, Ray Mental Health Board of Trustees each year but that the agency does not track where that money goes.

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He wants to get answers and has asked the agency to report to the Platte County Commission on a monthly and quarterly basis.

I have zero interest in supporting a tax for a crisis that doesnt exist.

Derrick Thomas son remembers father in new streetwear line

Even if the money is being properly dispensed among Platte, Clay and Ray counties, Meier added that $3 million doesnt go far if you divide that by the number of kids in Platte County, which he estimates is between 10,000 to 12,000.

Not only that, but he suggested that some Platte County families may go to other counties for treatment since some places have extensive waitlists.

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That makes it look as though we dont need to spend much money in Platte County because other counties are seeing our kids.

Previously, Meier and others have considered legal action against Platte County Commissioners but dont want this issue to get to that point, saying that it adds more discontent in the community. In light of the Health Departments report, Fricker doesnt think an agreement can be reached.

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A marker for the U.S.-Canadian border sits between Skagway, Alaska, and Stikine Region, British Columbia. (Photo by Philip Yabut/Getty Images)

Seven years ago, heavy tariffs levied by President Donald Trump against China triggered a trade war that crimped Alaskas seafood exports and left fishermen with less money for their catches.

On Saturday, a second round of Trump tariffs is scheduled to take effect, and the impact on Alaska is expected to be even bigger than it was in his first term.

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Trumps new 10% tariff on China, Alaskas biggest international trading partner, is accompanied by a 25% on imports from Canada, Alaskas fourth-largest trading partner, and a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico.

All three countries are expected to launch retaliatory tariffs on imports from the United States, making a variety of products more expensive here.

Alaskans should know that the Trump administrations tariffs on Canadian goods will make life more expensive for them, and will be damaging to businesses on both sides of the border, said a spokesperson for Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai on Friday.

These tariffs will make Canadian goods more expensive in Alaska, as higher costs paid by American importers will be passed on to American consumers, the spokesperson said, adding that the Yukon government is closely monitoring the situation.

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In 2023, Canada imported $596 million in products from Alaska  mostly unrefined minerals and ore concentrates, but also a substantial amount of seafood.

Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska sends almost 30% of its zinc to a smelter in British Columbia. In the Southeast Alaska town of Skagway, the Yukon government is planning to spend more than $45 million on a new terminal designed to export ore extracted from Yukon mines.

The price of gasoline, heating fuel and natural gas could also be affected by the tariffs. Alaskas Nikiski refinery occasionally imports Canadian oil for in-state use, and if Southcentral Alaska switches to imported natural gas, the nearest source is a terminal slated to open in British Columbia this summer.

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage and co-chair of the state Senates committee on world trade, said on Friday that she intends to introduce a resolution formally opposing the tariffs.

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The state of Alaskas international trade office, devoted to increasing Alaskas commerce with other nations, was unable to say what impacts Gov. Mike Dunleavys administration expects here.

China, Alaskas biggest international trading partner, imported $1.2 billion worth of Alaska goods in 2023, with almost half that total consisting of seafood.

No state exports more seafood internationally than Alaska does, and when a Dunleavy-commissioned committee met early this year to craft a plan to reverse the seafood industrys decline, stopping tariff increases was a major topic.

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Jeremy Woodrow, director of the state-run Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, said on Friday that if the tariffs encourage Americans to buy more Alaska seafood, then its possible that Alaska could avoid an economic hit.

The value of the U.S. dollar, the value of foreign currencies, plus normal supply and demand also matter in how much fish gets exported where, he said. Tariffs are only part of the equation.

Seven years ago, they were a conclusive part.

We lost China as a destination market because of those high tariffs, he said, adding that the trade that exists today tends to involve fish being exported to China for processing, then re-exported to another country for a final destination.

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This time around, he said, I think a lot of us are looking at Trumps tariffs, especially for Canada and China, as more of a bargaining chip, and that these arent a lasting tariff.

Trump has said he wants Canada to do more to interdict the flow of illegal drugs coming to the United States. If Trump thinks Canada has done enough, he could lift the tariffs.

In the meantime, Woodrow said, ASMI will be working to encourage Americans to buy more Alaska seafood and will continue to grow the market for Alaska seafood in places like South America, which is unaffected  so far  by Trumps tariff actions.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on the Russian attack on a nursing home in the city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, comparing it to Russia's actions in Chechnya and Syria, as well as in Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter)

This is how Russia wages warSudzha, Kursk region, Russian territory, a boarding school with civilians preparing to evacuate. A Russian aerial bomb. They destroyed the building even though dozens of civilians were there.



This is how Russia waged war against Chechnya decades ago. pic.twitter.com/MG4MVhcumS  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2025

Quote: "This is how Russia wages war  Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, Russian territory, a boarding school with civilians preparing to evacuate. A Russian aerial bomb. They destroyed the building even though dozens of civilians were there.

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This is how Russia waged war against Chechnya decades ago. They killed Syrians the same way. Russian bombs destroy Ukrainian homes the same way. And even against their own civilians, the Russian army uses similar tactics.

This is a state devoid of civility. And this is an evil that will not stop on its own. But if we act strongly and decisively, even Russia can be forced to stop. And this must be done to ensure the world is safe from Russian bombs."

Background:

Earlier, the press officer of the temporary military commandant's office on Ukraine-controlled territory of the Russian Federation, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, said that on 1 February, Russian troops struck a nursing home in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Sudzha, Kursk Oblast, resulting in 95 people being trapped under the rubble.

Later, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that during the Russian attack on the nursing home in Sudzha, dozens of local residents were there preparing to evacuate.

The General Staff also reported that the Russian attack on the nursing home in Sudzha had killed 4 people, 4 of whom were in serious condition.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that other countries' failure to comply with sanctions against Russia should be treated as participation in the war against Ukraine.

Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an evening address

Details: The President stressed that Russia alone would not have been able to inflict such damage on Ukraine by its attacks, which take place "literally every night".

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Quote from Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "Every Russian Shahed drone, every Russian missile  these are components made in other countries. One hundred and sixty-five strike units in one Russian night strike  all these Iskanders, Kalibr missiles and other means of killing  mean hundreds or even thousands of components from other countries. European countries, China, and even America.

Without such critical components, Russia will have no ability to destroy the lives of other nations. Therefore, it is critical that sanctions be truly strong and impossible to circumvent under any circumstances.

There must be no ways left to supply Russia with critical components for its defence industry. Any violation of sanctions must be considered complicity in the war, and those who help destroy lives must be held accountable."

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Today

Mostly clear. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 52F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Rain ending early. Breaks of sun and becoming windy in the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Mumbai: Aamir Khan recently graced the trailer launch event of Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi's "Thandel". During the event, Mr Perfectionist and ace South producer Allu Aravind dropped a massive hint about the much-discussed sequel, "Ghajini 2".

Addressing the media, Allu Aravind shared, "I should make 1000 crore film with you. Maybe 'Ghajini 2'. Reacting to this, Aamir Khan said, "A lot on the net has been going around Ghajini 2".

Reports have been doing rounds for some time now that Allu Aravind is planning to make the sequel in both Tamil and Hindi. If the reports are to be believed, Suriya will play the lead role in the Tamil version of "Ghajini 2", whereas Aamir Khan will be roped in for the Hindi rendition.

The 2008 action thriller "Ghajini" was made under the direction of A. R. Murugadoss. The project also marked the Bollywood debut of the filmmaker. Theatrically released on 25th December 2008, it became the highest-grossing Indian film of the year and the first Bollywood film to cross the 100 crore mark.

"Ghajini" talks about a rich business tycoon, Sanjay Singhania (Aamir Khan) who suffers from short-term memory loss due to being hit by a metal pole during an attempt to save his girlfriend Kalpana Shetty (Asin).

On another front, the Tamil version of "Thandel" trailer was unveiled by superstar Karthi, whereas Aamir Khan was the chief guest at the trailer launch event.

Take A Look At The Trailer:

Helmed by Chandoo Mondeti, the movie will be released in multiple languages on 7th February 2025. Produced by Bunny Vasu under the banner of Geetha Arts, the project has been presented by Allu Aravind. With Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi in lead roles, the film will also see

Prakash Belawadi, and Karunakaran in supporting roles.

"Thandel" talks about the horrific experiences of fishermen from Srikakulam, who found themselves accidentally drifting into Pakistani waters during a routine fishing trip.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech today announced a move to boost the insurance sector. The government has announced increasing the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in insurance from 74 per cent to 100 per cent, though this will come with certain restrictions.

In her Budget speech today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the FDI limit for the insurance sector will be raised from 74% to 100%. She stated, "The FDI limit for the insurance sector will be raised from 74 to 100 per cent. This enhanced limit will be available for those companies which invest the entire premium in India. The current guardrails and conditionalities associated with foreign investment will be reviewed and simplified."

This move follows proposals from the central government in November, which included raising the FDI limit for Indian insurance companies to 100 per cent and allowing insurers to engage in multiple types of insurance businesses and activities. The government had invited comments on the proposed amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999.

Insurance sector regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has committed to achieving "Insurance for All" by 2047. A significant portion of India's citizens and insurable assets remain uninsured, increasing the risks of high out-of-pocket expenses, placing a considerable burden on public finances. This raise in FDI is expected to support the cause.

The budget session of parliament that began on January 31 and, according to schedule, will end on April 4. The budget speech outlined the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements. With this Budget Presentation, Sitharaman has presented her eighth budget.

India's economy is projected to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in the next financial year 2025-26, said Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday. In another key guidance, the Economic Survey suggested that India needs to grow around 8 per cent for a decade or two to achieve its Viksit Bharat dreams, at a time when the country's growth showed weak progress in the first two quarters of the current financial year. (With ANI Inputs)
Budget 2025: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began her eighth consecutive Union Budget presentation in the Lok Sabha at 11 AM, aiming to balance middle-class tax relief with the countrys economic growth needs. She has also set a new record as the only finance minister to present the budget for eight consecutive years and the first to do so in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. Earlier in the day, Sitharaman met President Droupadi Murmu to seek approval for the Budget.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined the core priorities of Budget 2025. Lets take a quick look at the key takeaways for the financial year 2025-26.

Key Takeaways Of The Union Budget 2025

Kisan Credit Cards (KCC)

The scheme will continue to provide short-term loans to 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers. The loan limit under the modified interest subvention scheme will increase from 3,000 to 5,000, offering greater financial support for agriculture.

Boost To Tourism And Infrastructure

The government will promote medical tourism and "Heal in India" initiatives with private sector collaboration, including easier visa norms. The private sector will also get access to PM GatiShakti data and maps. Additionally, the top 22 tourist destinations will be developed in partnership with states to drive employment-led growth.

Expansion Of UDAN Scheme

The UDAN scheme has connected 88 airports and facilitated travel for 1.5 crore middle-class passengers. A modified UDAN will be launched to cover 120 new destinations, benefiting 4 crore additional passengers and enabling greenfield airports in Bihar.

Strengthening Healthcare

The government will add 10,000 new medical seats in colleges and hospitals this year, with a plan to increase 75,000 seats over the next five years to improve healthcare access.

Investment In People And Economy

Investment is a key focus, with the government prioritizing programs like Sashakt Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, which provide nutritional support to 8 crore children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the Northeast. The budget for these programs will be increased.

Rationalization of TDS

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the rationalization of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) by reducing the number of rates and thresholds for deduction. Additionally, the annual limit for TDS on rent has been raised from 2.40 lakh to 6 lakh, benefiting small taxpayers receiving lower rental payments.

Income Tax Exemption Limits Over the Years

The income tax exemption limit has progressively increased, providing substantial relief to taxpayers:

2005: 1 lakh

2012: 2 lakh

2014: 2.5 lakh

2019: 5 lakh

2023: 7 lakh

2025: 12 lakh

The latest increase to 12 lakh marks a significant tax relief for individuals.

Expansion of India Post Payments Bank & Insurance Sector Reforms

The government plans to deepen and expand the services of India Post Payments Bank in rural areas, increasing financial inclusion. Additionally, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector will be raised from 74% to 100%, promoting greater foreign investment in the industry.

Boost for Air Cargo & Horticultural Produce

The government will enhance infrastructure and warehousing facilities for air cargo, particularly for high-value perishable horticultural products, to support agricultural exports and supply chain efficiency.

Expansion Of Infrastructure Facilities In IIT Patna

In Budget 2025-26, FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced a National Institute of Food Technology in Bihar and the expansion of hostel and infrastructure facilities at IIT Patna.
Budget 2025: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the eight consecutive Budget of the NDA government, shared the blueprint of a Viksit Bharat and made key announcements, centering primarily on four key segments -women, youth, farmers and the poor.

The Finance Minister announced implementation of schemes to facilitate and scale up toy manufacturing, thus giving an impetus to the 'Make in India' campaign. She also announced the setting up of a toy manufacturing ecosystem and clusters for creating skilled labour. Moreover, PM Narendra Modi encouraged Indians especially start-ups to be "vocal for local toys", citing the nation's rich heritage and traditions that could drive innovations in the global toy industry.

FM Sitharaman highlighted that this is the budget to meet the aspirations of the GYAN (Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Nari shakti) the poor, farmers, women and the youth. Underlining the governments focus on empowering the marginalised, she announced a new scheme for 5 lakh women, SCs, STs, where first-time entrepreneurs will be given loans up to Rs 2 crore.

She announced social security for 1 crore gig workers and also informed that ID cards would be issued to gig workers to avail government services. For the agriculture sector, she announced measures, aimed at benefitting 1.75 crore farmers in the country

Motivated by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Centre in collaboration with state governments, will launch the Prime Minister Krishi Yojana to enhance agricultural development," said FM Sitharaman.

Besides a slew of announcements, the Finance Minister also disclosed transformative reforms across 6 domains, which will augment the countrys growth potential and global competitiveness. The domains include: Taxation, power sector, urban development, mining, financial sector and regulatory reforms.

The Budget Session of Parliament, which commenced on Friday, will be conducted in two phases. The first started on January 31 and will conclude on February 13, while the second phase will begin on March 10 and end on April 4.
Education is the cornerstone of any progressive society, fostering intellectual growth, economic development, and social harmony. As Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2025-26, the education sector, along with the jobs market, eagerly awaits crucial reforms going forward. Last year, the Government made a significant commitment by allocating Rs.1.12 lakh crore to the education sector, marking a 13% increase from the previous year, reinforcing its dedication to improving India's education landscape.

Presenting the Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman quoted the great Telugu poet and playwright Gurajada Appa Rao, saying, "Desamante Matti Kaadoi, DesamanteManushuloi", which translates to "A country is not just its soil, a country is its people." She further stated, "Education is the backbone of a Viksit Bharat, and we are committed to making it accessible and future-ready." The budget has allocated a record Rs. 1.2 lakh crore for education, focusing on digital infrastructure, skill development, and improving learning outcomes.

While budget announcements often sound familiar, this year's approach stands out in its drive for meaningful change. "Rather than just adding more institutions, there is a clear emphasis on quality over quantity. The expansion of Atal Tinkering Labs, for instance, is not just about increasing numbers but about embedding innovation-driven thinking among students. Similarly, the focus on AI and STEM education is not just about introducing subjects but about reshaping the curriculum to meet future industry demands," said Ganesh Kumar, GLS Corporate Advisors LLP.

Furthermore, while previous budgets prioritized infrastructure expansion, this budget highlights bridging the employability gap. The establishment of five National Centres for Skilling is aimed at preparing students not just with degrees but with industry-relevant, hands-on skills that can directly contribute to India's economic growth.

"Another game-changing move is the push for digital learning ecosystems. The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme is a groundbreaking step, ensuring that regional languages are not sidelined in India's education system, making digital learning inclusive for students across the country," said Sini Isaac of GLS Corporate Advisors LLP.

The previous budget placed substantial emphasis on enhancing higher education and skill development, with initiatives such as Skill India, which has reportedly trained more than 1.4 crore youth while upskilling and reskilling over 54 lakh others. This year, further emphasis has been laid on upgrading skill education across existing universities and institutions, ensuring a well-prepared workforce for evolving industries.

"A dedicated budget allocation to facilitate increased industry-academia partnerships is the need of the hour and the same reflects in the budget. This will encourage institutions to integrate action-based and experiential learning models, ultimately producing industry-ready graduates. Strengthening these collaborations will ensure that students are well acquainted with the challenges of the modern workforce by the time they complete their curriculum," said Kumar.

Moreover, the expansion of digital learning platforms and hybrid education models is crucial for providing flexibility to students and making education more accessible. The budget is expected to support substantial investments in higher education institutions, particularly in R&D. Allowing funding through foreign investments, foreign currency loans, and international donations could significantly bolster India's higher education sector.

It was rightly remarked, "We have smart students, but we need smarter policies!" This sentiment rings true as India grapples with modernizing its education system. As the famous American author Mark Twain humorously said, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." The challenge today is to ensure that education fosters true learning beyond rote memorization.

The Budget 2025 lays the foundation for a more inclusive and technology-driven education system, but its success hinges on stronger legislative measures, ensuring regulatory coherence, and leveraging technology responsibly. By bridging gaps in policy, governance, and funding, India can truly realize its vision of Viksit Bharat through education.
Budget 2025: The Narendra Modi government on Saturday complied with the Election Commission of India's directive not to announce any Delhi-specific schemes or sops in the Union Budget 2025-26 yet managed to give voters in the election-bound city a few reasons to cheer.

Apart from the tax exemption for the middle class, which will benefit Delhiites like all Indian citizens, many Central schemes may indirectly benefit city voters like slum dwellers and residents of unauthorised colonies that need an infrastructure boost.

In her eighth successive Budget speech on Saturday, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman announced several schemes for street vendors, gig workers, middle-class people who are paying EMIs for flats in stressed housing projects and the urban poor whose settlements need better infrastructure and governance.

PM SVANidhi scheme, which has benefitted more than 68 lakh street vendors by giving them respite from high-interest informal sector loans, will continue to benefit Delhi vendors, most of whom are from Purvanchal and live in slums or unauthorised colonies in the city.

According to the FM Sitharaman, a revamped version of the scheme - PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) - would offer enhanced loans from banks, UPI-linked credit cards and capacity-building support. For middle-class Delhiites, who are paying EMIs in housing projects that have run into trouble, the Budget announced a new fund to expedite the completion of stressed projects.

The FM said in her speech, "Under the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH), 50,000 dwelling units in stressed housing projects have been completed, and keys handed over to home-buyers. Another 40,000 units will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families who were paying EMIs on loans taken for apartments, while also paying rent for their current dwellings."

"Building on this success, SWAMIH Fund 2 will be established as a blended finance facility with contributions from the Government, banks and private investors. This fund of Rs 15,000 crore will aim for expeditious completion of another 1 lakh units," she said, an announcement that may bring relief to Delhiites looking to move into flats in the NCR region. As promised by PM Modi in his election rallies in Delhi, gig workers will get several benefits soon.

According to the FM Sitharaman's speech aimed at such workers across the country, "The government will arrange for their identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal. They will be provided healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This measure is likely to assist nearly 1 crore gig-workers." Election-bound Delhi's slum dwellers and residents from unauthorised colonies may also gain from the Budget provision for boosting infrastructure in cities.

The FM said, "The Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', Creative Redevelopment of Cities' and 'Water and Sanitation' announced in the July Budget. This fund would probably help fund projects like the Yamuna riverfront development, expanded tap water supply, sewer laying and pucca houses for slum dwellers in Delhi.
A delegation of Kashmiri Pandits, representing the JK Peace Forum, met with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in New Delhi for a pivotal discussion aimed at fostering greater cooperation and healing between the communities of Kashmir, as stated by the JK Peace Forum.

In a handout, the JK Peace Forum said, "The meeting, which lasted about one and a half hours, represents a crucial step toward addressing grievances and working towards a peaceful and inclusive future for Jammu and Kashmir."

During his opening remarks, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq emphasised the shared suffering of both Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits over the decades. He acknowledged the painful exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1989-90, a chapter that continues to affect both communities. Mirwaiz reaffirmed that the plight of Kashmiri Pandits is a humanitarian issue that must be addressed with care and urgency.

He said, Kashmir is incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits. The suffering of Kashmiri Pandits needs to be addressed earnestly, and this has been a point I have raised repeatedly in my discourses. He further emphasized, The younger generation must be made aware of Kashmirs composite culture," the handout reads.

In response, the Kashmiri Pandit delegation shared the deep hardships they have faced as a community. They expressed how they were hounded out for no fault of their own, suffering through scorching heat, snake bites, and the need to sell all their belongings to educate their children. They highlighted that despite being forced out of their homeland, they have always extended support to their Muslim brothers and sisters in times of distress, and vice versa.

They emphasised that religious leaders, particularly Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, hold the moral authority to lead this initiative due to their influence across the region. Furthermore, the delegation reminded Mirwaiz that, as the spiritual leader of Kashmir, he represents not just the Muslim community, but also all minorities. His leadership is crucial in restoring the regions peace and harmony.

The meeting culminated in an agreement to form an Inter-Community Committee under the leadership of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. This committee will represent all communities of Kashmir, with a focus on facilitating the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland and addressing the concerns of other minority communities. It will also promote economic development, trade, and employment generation, and preserve Kashmirs unique cultural heritage.

Additionally, the committee will explore initiatives such as government support for the rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, including the creation of inclusive designated colonies to aid their reintegration into society.

The Kashmiri Pandit delegation strongly encouraged Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to lead this initiative as a confidence-building measure, and he committed to taking proactive steps toward this goal. It was agreed that this collaborative effort would serve as a pathway to healing, unity, and a more prosperous future for Jammu and Kashmir.

The JK Peace Forum is an organization of Kashmiri Pandits dedicated to promoting peace, unity, and reconciliation among the diverse communities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kerala Lottery Results Saturday 01-02-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "KARUNYA KR-691" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya Kr-691, February 01, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Karunya KR-691" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Karunya KR-691 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KR-691 results today.

Kerala Lottery Result 01-02-2025 Feb: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-691 Draw

LUCKY NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKHS IS: KO 344245

LUCKY NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 5 LAKHS IS: KN 988546

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 Lakh ARE:

1) KN 890667

2) KO 791872

3) KP 992435

4) KR 810721

5) KS 556485

6) KT 609745

7) KU 865437

8) KV 795260

9) KW 539994

10) KX 506523

11) KY 319648

12) KZ 273068

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE:

KN 344245

KP 344245

KR 344245

KS 344245

KT 344245

KU 344245

KV 344245

KW 344245

KX 344245

KY 344245

KZ 344245

(For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below)

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 0164 0746 0892 1784 2358 2431 3204 3238 3677 4312 4824 5258 5307 6290 7191 7857 8686 9594

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 2,000 ARE: 2462 2977 3259 4601 5393 6170 6689 9300 9347 9994

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: 2462 2977 3148 3259 4601 4659 5393 6170 6626 6689 8437 9300 9347 9994

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0385 0392 0540 0750 0857 0913 0934 1227 1253 1325 1328 1336 1454 1498 1839 2042 2115 2203 2519 2579 2605 2732 2812 3004 3043 3165 3333 3492 3526 3597 3651 3999 4011 4077 4387 4519 4547 5011 5370 5378 5404 5517 5542 5861 5886 6034 6143 6269 6737 6836 6897 6898 7120 7141 7198 7219 7361 7421 7450 7457 7733 7735 8223 8364 8457 8470 8511 8578 8782 8834 8864 8873 9060 9072 9093 9116 9157 9366 9987 9992

LUCKY NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0040 0043 0065 0070 0209 0270 0336 0403 0432 0571 0714 0768 0820 0838 0930 1065 1077 1492 1671 1822 1845 1934 1963 2048 2113 2119 2302 2304 2362 2405 2416 2587 2681 2783 2793 2838 2935 2966 3066 3302 3449 3469 3556 3663 3867 4061 4073 4239 4251 4450 4828 5082 5236 5336 5405 5499 5571 5709 5718 5956 5969 5982 5988 6137 6180 6200 6336 6410 6433 6468 6590 6637 6714 6748 6811 6876 6910 6924 7009 7022 7135 7144 7301 7315 7395 7465 7540 7588 7593 7604 7638 7693 7743 7749 7763 7865 7963 8092 8132 8177 8366 8474 8583 8709 8714 8850 8978 8985 9001 9260 9312 9360 9373 9444 9540 9600 9607 9734 9767 9816 9893 9937 9978 9988

KERALA LOTTERY RESULT 01-02-2025 February TODAY: KARUNYA KR-691 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS

1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakhs

2nd Prize: Rs. 5 lakhs

3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh

4th Prize: Rs. 5,000

5th Prize: Rs. 2,000

6th Prize: Rs. 1,000

7th Prize: Rs. 500

8th Prize: Rs. 100

Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000

(NOTE: Lottery can be addictive and should be played responsibly. The data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or encouragement. Zee News does not promote the lottery in any way.)
New Delhi: The Railway Ministry has released an application called SuperApp, a one-stop solution offering multiple public-facing services, on Google Play Store for testing on Friday, an official said.

"Only 1,000 users can download it. We will assess the response and feedback. After that, it will be made available for 10,000 downloads for further suggestions and comments," a Board official said.

He added that the app provides easy access to services like reserved and unreserved ticket bookings, platform and parcel bookings, train inquiries, PNR inquiries, help through RailMadad and more.

"The core emphasis of the app is to enhance user experience through a seamless and clean user interface. It not only combines all services in one place but also integrates several services to provide users with a complete package of Indian Railway services," Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, said.

He added, "The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), on behalf of the Ministry of Railways, has released the SuperApp to the public for beta testing on 31-01-2025. Users can download the app from the Play Store/App Store, as shared by CRIS."
Shiv Sena functionary Ashok Dhodis body was recovered from an abandoned cars boot in Gujarat, eleven days after his abduction from Dahanu in Palghar district. His family alleges his younger brother planned the kidnapping and murder.

Police pulled out the car from a 45-foot-deep stone quarry in Bhilad after a four-hour search operation. Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil and local officers were present.

After Dhodi went on mission on January 20, his family registered a missing report, however, another case of abduction was registered when police recovered his slipper, spectacles and bloodstained documents on January 27. The investigation gained momentum when cops found CCTV footage from Wai Borigaon area of Dahanu and Talasari talukas, showing Ashok Dhodis red-coloured Brezza car headed towards Gujarat.

"Four persons were arrested in the case and have been remanded in seven-day custody by Dahanu court," Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said last week. During police interrogation, the accused confessed and revealed the bodys location. "They had planned the murder carefully, avoiding main roads to evade CCTV," said Patil.

Police confirmed Ashok was killed the same day he was kidnapped. His body was sent to JJ Hospital for a post-mortem.

The main accused, Ashoks brother Avinash Dhodi was detained a few days ago but escaped and now remains untraceable. Police said that he has a criminal record in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Police added that Ashok regularly opposed his brothers illegal activities, including liquor smuggling and illegal sand dumping. He had even filed complaints that led to heavy fines for Avinash. The brothers had a long history of disputes.

Dhodis wife and son blamed Avinash for the murder. His wife said police ignored earlier threats against Ashok. "My husband was threatened many times. There was even an attempt to kill him in a car accident. His brother is part of the liquor mafia," she said.
Imagine you book a cab and when you sit inside, you see free snacks and cold drinks accompanying you on your journey. Yes, it might seem unreal but it will turn true if you ever end up sitting with Delhi-based Uber driver Abdul Qadeer who has gone viral all over social media for offering facilities to his customers. Besides all this, he also gives free WiFi in his car as the icing on the cake.

In a post on the Reddit page r/delhi, a user named Fancy-Past-6831 shared an image from Abdul Qadeers cab. In the image, a variety of complimentary services he provides are visible.

Apart from snacks and cold drinks, he also provides his customers with medicines, tissues, sanitisers, an ashtray, shoe polish, perfumes, donation boxes for poor children, and many other things which are tough to find in anyone elses life.

The post went viral on social media with the caption, Found cab facilities better than flights. This isn't the first time Qadeer has made headlines. In June 2023, an X user had also shared a photo of his cab, praising his exceptional service.

Inside his cab, Qadeer carries two instruction boards for passengers. One, which features the Wi-Fi password and informs that all services are free. The other highlights respect for all religions. This cab driver is also famous for rarely cancelling rides since he started his business.
Delhi Assembly Polls: Parvesh Verma, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the New Delhi Assembly seat, has come down heavily on AAP national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's 'Mohalla Clinic scheme' dubbing it a "Halla Clinic" rather than a Mohalla Clinic. "The initiative, which was ostensibly launched to provide healthcare to the underprivileged, has become a tool to deceive the public under the guise of welfare," Parvesh Verma said.

In a letter to Kejriwal, the BJP leader raised several significant questions about the execution and transparency of the scheme. Verma sought "clarity on the funds" allocated to Mohalla Clinics. He questioned Kejriwal about the money spent and where it had gone. He also demanded a public disclosure of "irregularities or corruption" in the scheme. Verma also asked for a "comprehensive list of clinics that exist only on paper and the identities of the officials responsible for these false establishments".

Verma demanded detailed data regarding the number of patients treated at Mohalla Clinics and the total expenditure on their treatment. He also accused the government of hiding the authentic numbers. He also demanded a breakdown of the number of family members of Arvind Kejriwal, his ministers, and MLAs who have benefited from the scheme. He sought to know whether the clinics were being used for political advantage.

Verma asked why the government "failed" to deliver on its commitments and why no apology has been issued. He lambasted the AAP government and accused it of "turning a healthcare initiative meant for the poor into a political tool". He said that the Mohalla Clinics have become a platform for publicity and political gain, instead of providing real healthcare.

Verma asked the Delhi government to release all financial details and data related to the Mohalla Clinics. He said that the public deserves transparency and accountability. Delhi is set to go to polls on February 5 and counting of votes will take place on February 8. In the upcoming polls, the national capital is set to witness a three-cornered battle. AAP is seeking a third consecutive term in office while the BJP is attempting to regain power in the national capital for the first time since 1998.

(With agency Inputs)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025, the second full budget of Modi 3.0 on Saturday which led to significant announcements for Bihar, including the formation of a Makhana Board which not only economic impetus to Bihar but also carries a strong political message.

The announcement for the formation of the Makhana Board made ahead of the assembly election later this year targets the Mallah community of the state, which is also among the disadvantaged communities and has emerged in farming and harvesting makhana.



Bihar produces approximately 90 per cent of India's makhana, with cultivation primarily in the riverine belts of North Bihar, from Sitamarhi-Madhubani to Supaul-Kishanganj. The Mallah community represents nearly 2.6 per cent of the state's population and manages most of the farming and harvesting of Makhana. The formation of the Makhana board enhances the Makhana industry and could significantly boost their economic well-being.

The demand for makhana is rising internationally and Bihar is the largest producer of the seed in the country. It will not only give much-needed impetus to the makhana industry in Bihar but will also help its farmers who come from the impoverished community of fishermen. Since it is a labour-intensive industry, it will also create jobs for the community, JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha told The Indian Express.

In the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allied with the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), led by Mukesh Sahani, who hails from the Mallah community. However, VIP parted ways with the BJP and joined the hands of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) contesting three seats as part of the INDIA bloc of opposition parties in recent Lok Sabha elections.

The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of new greenfield airports, the expansion of Patna Airport and the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong boost to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.

She further highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar and said, "Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar."
Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, is a significant Hindu festival celebrated with great enthusiasm across India. It marks the arrival of spring and is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, learning, and arts. This festival holds special importance in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan, where devotees offer prayers and seek blessings for knowledge and creativity.

How to Write a Perfect Basant Panchami Essay in English

Writing an essay on Basant Panchami in English is simple if you follow a structured format. Below is a guide to help you draft the perfect essay that will impress your teachers and fetch you full marks.

1. Introduction

Basant Panchami is an important Hindu festival celebrated in India. It marks the arrival of the spring season and is particularly known for the worship of Goddess Saraswati. On this day, devotees seek her blessings for wisdom, knowledge, and artistic excellence.

2. Importance of Basant Panchami

This day holds great significance as it is associated with education and knowledge. Schools and colleges organize special Saraswati Puja ceremonies. People wear yellow clothes, as yellow symbolizes prosperity, wisdom, and energy. Kite flying is also a popular activity during this festival, adding to the excitement and joy.

3. Celebrations and Rituals

 Saraswati Puja is performed in homes and temples.

 Students place their books and musical instruments at the feet of Goddess Saraswati for blessings.

 Special sweets like kesar halwa and yellow rice are prepared.

 Kite flying events are organized in many states.

4. Conclusion

Basant Panchami is not just a festival; it represents dedication to education, music, and art. On this day, we should seek blessings from Goddess Saraswati and embrace knowledge and creativity in our lives.

Final Tips for Writing a Great Essay

 Use simple and effective language.

 Present the topic in a structured manner.

 Explain the historical and cultural significance of the festival.

 Adding personal experiences can make the essay more impactful.

By following this structure, you can easily write an essay that will earn you full marks.
New Delhi: In the Union Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama announced an increase in the loan limit under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, raising it from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. This move aims to provide farmers with greater access to financial support for their agricultural needs. As of March 2024, there were 7.75 crore active KCC accounts, with a total outstanding loan of Rs 9.81 lakh crore.

What is the KCC scheme program?

The KCC scheme is a program designed to offer farmers easy access to credit for their farming activities, including production costs, post-harvest expenses, and other essential needs.
KHAN YOUNIS (GAZA STRIP): Red Cross vehicles have arrived at a site in Gaza City where Hamas is set to release American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, 65, as part of the fourth round of hostage releases in its ceasefire deal with Israel. Two other hostages  Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54  were released earlier Saturday in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. In return for the three, Israel is to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

The truce, which began January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group. The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory. A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce's initial six weeks. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack or have died in captivity.

Two hostages arrived in Israel after Hamas handed them over to the Red Cross on Saturday as part of the fourth round of hostage releases during the Gaza ceasefire deal. Dozens of Palestinian prisoners are to be released from Israeli prisons in return. The truce, which began January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory. Both Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that sparked the war. The two initially headed to a reception point in a military base. Along the road, small groups of supporters waited for the convoys waving Israeli flags.

Hamas released them to the Red Cross in a ceremony in the city of Khan Younis where each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers. Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage in an orderly handover, a contrast to the chaotic crowds that surrounded hostages during a handover Thursday, angering Israel. Another hostage, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, is expected to be handed over in Gaza City to the north. Hundreds of fighters and onlookers gathered around a stage erected for the event, many carrying pictures of Hamas military leaders.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truce's initial six weeks. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack or have died in captivity.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory. The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.

In Israel, the release of Bibas has brought renewed attention to  and concern for  the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys  Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 9 months old at the time.

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name. Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Yarden Bibas is believed to have been held separately from his family. Photos taken during his abduction appeared to show him wounded. Like Bibas, Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Kalderon's family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

Ofer is coming home! they said, arms lifted to the sky. Ofer Kalderon's two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they weren't able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family. French President Emmanuel Macron said France shares in the relief and joy of Kalderon's return after 483 days of unimaginable hell, adding that France would continue doing all it can to secure the release of another French Israeli hostage still being held in Gaza.

Keith Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages. The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead. Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Netanyahu's coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefire's first phase. Hamas says it won't release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

In the October 7 attack that started the war, some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory air and ground war, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The Israeli military says it killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because its fighters operate in residential neighbourhoods.
TOKYO, Feb 01 (News On Japan) - Have you ever felt frustrated that your voice is not reflected in local government decisions? Bureaucratic processes often seem slow and inefficient. In Tokyo, a new initiative aims to change that with artificial intelligence.

AI engineer Takahiro Yasuno emerges from a dimly lit workspace.

"This is my workshop," Yasuno says, standing in a garage-style co-working space. "The idea here is that innovation happens in garages, so every room is designed to feel like one. It makes for a great secret base."

The office is filled not only with work computers but also Yasunos personal gaming equipment.

"One of my favorite features here is the adjustable color temperature of the lighting," he says.

 Do you prefer dim lighting?

"It helps me focus."

After studying AI at the University of Tokyo, Yasuno founded a startup. Today, he works as both an AI engineer and a science fiction writer.

"Everything I do is rooted in the same ideausing technology to envision the future," he explains.

Now, Yasuno has joined a project to shape Tokyos vision for the 2050s through AI.

In 2024, he ran for governor of Tokyo as a newcomer, securing over 150,000 votes.

So why is he now collaborating with Governor Yuriko Koike, once his election rival?

"I didnt become governor, but Im grateful to be realizing some of the ideas I wanted to implement," Yasuno says in December 2024.

AI and Governance: A New Alliance

His goal is to gather as many public opinions as possible, analyze them instantly, and integrate them into policymaking.

Traditionally, analyzing tens of thousands of citizen opinions could take months. With AI-powered "broad listening," the process now takes only a few hours.

Tokyos government is counting on Yasuno to streamline public engagement.

A week after launching a new feedback initiative, 2,000 opinions had been collected via social media.

"In this case, because were talking about a distant future, many of the comments have a positive and forward-looking tone," Yasuno said in a November 2024 meeting.

The AI groups similar opinions together and color-codes them automatically.

"This reveals a truly diverse range of perspectives," a Tokyo official says. "We as government employees couldnt analyze this volume of input so efficiently without AI."

To further expand outreach, officials also visited a zoo to gather direct feedback.

 What kind of Tokyo do you want for the future?

"I want it to be easier for children to live here," one resident says.

"I hope we get more aquariums and zoos," another suggests.

"Disaster preparedness is a big concern," a third adds.

In total, around 30,000 responses were collected. The more common a sentiment, the larger its color-coded group becomes.

These AI-processed insights are now feeding into Tokyos long-term vision.

One recurring theme stood out: childcare.

"We need a society where having children doesnt make life harder."

"A community where raising children is a shared responsibility."

Governor Koike acknowledges the findings:

"As part of our new strategy, we will prioritize childcare, youth support, tourism, and disaster preparedness," she says.

The Tokyo 2050 Long-Term Vision now includes these new policy pillars.

Beyond childcare, AI has helped uncover a variety of citizen concerns.

"This isnt just about majority rule," Yasuno says. "AI helps us recognize voices that deserve attention."

Yet, he emphasizes that AI alone cannot govern.

"AI cant make the final call," he says. "Something may be beneficial for one area but harmful for another. Expanding perspectives and making comprehensive decisionsthats the role of human politicians."

AI and Governance: A New Era?

Anchor Ayako Uemura notes that the time saved by AI could be redirected toward better communication between people.

Ultimately, how AI is used will shape the future of governance.

Source: TBS
KABUL: The Taliban are taking over the operations of Afghanistan's only luxury hotel in Kabul, more than a decade after they launched a deadly attack there that killed nine people. The Serena Hotel said Friday it was closing its operations in the Afghan capital on February 1, with the Hotel State Owned Corporation taking over. The corporation is overseen by the finance ministry.

The finance ministry wasn't immediately available for comment. Neither the Serena nor the government clarified the terms under which the hotel was changing hands. The Taliban first targeted the Serena in 2008 and again in 2014. Acting Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani acknowledged planning the 2008 attack, which killed eight, including US citizen Thor David Hesla.

A statement from the Serena, a brand owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, said it had trained thousands of Afghan nationals, hosted large numbers of foreign guests and delegations, and set high international benchmarks in hospitality standards. It asked people to direct their queries to the Hotel State Owned Corporation. Kabul no longer appears as a destination on the Serena website.

According to information on the finance ministry website, the corporation's mission is to revive and develop Afghanistan's hotel industry. It operates three other hotels in Afghanistan, two in Kabul and one in the eastern city of Nangarhar. Tourism official Mohammad Saeed told The Associated Press last year that he wanted Afghanistan to become a tourism powerhouse.

At that time, in a sign the country was preparing for more overseas visitors, the Serena reopened its women's spa and salon for foreign females after a monthslong closure, only to shut them again under pressure from authorities.

The Taliban have barred women from gyms, public spaces including parks, and education. Last year, they ordered the closure of beauty salons, allegedly because they offered services forbidden by Islam.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned of a "purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate" response if US President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian imports. Local media reported his remarks.

Trudeau spoke at the Council on Canada-US Relations meeting in Toronto. He said Canada is prepared for any scenario. "It's not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act," he said, as quoted by CBC News.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are in Washington. They are making a final diplomatic push to sway Republican lawmakers and Trump's team, the report stated.

Trump is set to announce tariffs against Canada on Saturday. Trudeau previously said Canada would retaliate with equal tariffs.

On Friday, Trump said Canadian oil would face lower tariffs of 10 per cent. These could take effect on February 18. He also announced plans to impose tariffs on the European Union, accusing the bloc of unfair trade practices.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt linked the Canada and Mexico duties to fentanyl distribution. "The illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country has killed tens of millions of Americans," she said.

Canada and Mexico are the top US trading partners. They accounted for a significant share of US imports last year.

(With IANS inputs)
TOKYO, Feb 01 (News On Japan) - A large crowd gathered in Tokyo's Akihabara district on January 30th, leading to chaos as customers rushed to secure a chance to buy a highly sought-after Nvidia graphics card.

Footage from the scene shows a dense crowd pressing forward. A staff member in a blue shirt urged the people to stay calm, saying, "Please dont push, take a step back." Despite the warnings, the crowd remained uncontrollable, with one person shouting, "Stop filming and get away, damn it!"

The commotion began just before 3 p.m. when a computer shop held a lottery registration for the sale of the latest Nvidia graphics card. The registration was conducted in front of a kindergarten, which quickly became overwhelmed by the influx of people.

Videos captured at the scene showed the sheer number of people blocking vehicle traffic. One individual was seen climbing over the kindergartens fence.

A man who filmed the event speculated, "He was probably being crushed and climbed up to escape, or he might have trespassed into the kindergarten to cut the line. The kindergarten staff were standing guard with pole weapons, seemingly prepared for trouble."

After the crowd dispersed, images from the scene showed a broken kindergarten sign lying on the sidewalk.

"It was terrifying," said another witness. "I arrived just five minutes before registration, and there were already 100 to 200 people lined up."

The frenzy was sparked by the release of Nvidias latest high-performance graphics card, a critical component for rendering visuals on PCs. Due to reports of limited initial production, the store announced it would sell just ten units, with a lottery open to the first 100 customers.

A man hoping to buy one of the graphics cards described it as "the most powerful GPU in the world," explaining that the top-tier model was priced at around 580,000 yen. "It's expected to go for around one million yen in the next sale," he added.

Following the chaos, the store issued an apology on social media.

Source: FNN
Hamas and Israel will carry out their fourth hostage-prisoner swap of the Gaza ceasefire on Saturday, with the militant group to free three Israeli captives in exchange for 90 inmates in Israeli jails.

Militants in Gaza began releasing hostages after the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire with Israel took effect on January 19. The hostages have been in captivity for nearly 15 months.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants have so far handed over 15 hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli campaign group, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, named the captives to be released on Saturday as Yarden Bibas, Keith Seigel, who also has US citizenship, and Ofer Kalderon, who also holds French nationality.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed it had received the names of the three captives to be released.

In exchange, Israel will free 90 prisoners, nine of whom are serving life sentences, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said.

During their October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which started the Gaza war, militants abducted Siegel from kibbutz Kfar Aza, and Kalderon and Bibas from kibbutz Nir Oz.

Militants took a total of 251 people hostage that day. Of those, 79 still remain in Gaza, including at least 34 the military says are dead.

Those seized include the wife and two children of Bibas, whom Hamas has already declared dead, although Israeli officials have yet to confirm that.

The two Bibas boys -- Kfir, the youngest hostage, who turned two in captivity earlier this month, and his four-year-old brother Ariel -- have become symbols of the suffering of the hostages held in Gaza.

The children were taken along with their mother, Shiri.

Hamas says the boys and their mother were killed in an Israeli air strike in November 2023.

The arrangements for hostage handovers in Gaza have sometimes been chaotic, particularly for the most recent handover in the southern city of Khan Yunis, which produced scenes that the Israeli prime minister condemned as "shocking".

Woman hostage Arbel Yehud was visibly distressed as masked gunman struggled to clear a path for her through crowds of spectators desperate to witness her handover, television images showed.

Israel briefly delayed Thursday's prisoner release in protest and the ICRC urged all parties to improve security.

"The security of these operations must be assured, and we urge for improvements in the future," ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric said.

Later on Thursday, Israeli authorities released 110 imates from Ofer prison, including high-profile former militant commander Zakaria Zubeidi, 49, who was given a hero's welcome in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Also freed was Hussein Nasser, who received little attention from the crowd but was at the centre of his daughters' world.

"Where's Dad?" Raghda Nasser asked tearfully as she moved through the crowd, an AFP correspondent reported.

Raghda, 21, hugged her father in the flesh for the first time Thursday night. Her mother was pregnant with her when he was jailed 22 years ago.

"I just visited him behind the glass in Israeli prisons. I cannot express my feelings," Raghda said.

The fragile ceasefire hinges on the release of a total of 33 hostages in exchange for around 1,900 people -- mostly Palestinians -- in Israeli jails.

The truce deal has allowed a surge of aid into Gaza, where the war has created a long-running humanitarian crisis.

Negotiations for a second phase of the deal are set to start on Monday, according to a timeline provided by an Israeli official. This phase would cover the release of the remaining captives.

During the current phase, more than 462,000 war-displaced Palestinians have returned to the north of Gaza since Israel restored access on Monday, according to UN figures. Many have gone back to homes that have been completely destroyed.
Mauritania may be on the verge of a major transformation from its largely agriculture-based economy to become Africas major energy hub thanks to gas gushing from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) development, a massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) field off its Atlantic coast.

Mauritania and its south-western neighbor Senegal have recently achieved a historic milestone when British energy giant BP began producing gas for the first time earlier from the GTA with the projected annual production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes. Developed by BP and US-based Kosmos Energy, alongside Mauritanias NOC Societe Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH) and Senegals national oil company (NOC) Petrosen, the GTA project is being hailed as ushering in a new era of gas-driven development and energy security in West Africa. In its statement, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) applauded the milestone achieved by the governments of Senegal and Mauritania [who] have worked tirelessly to make sure the GTA project can succeed. Both West African states have also dubbed the GTA a project of strategic national importance.

The Mauritanian governments strategy to lure deal-hungry investors to its oil and gas industry comes against the backdrop of the countrys unfolding green energy transformation. This shift is centered around green hydrogen, a clean fuel produced using renewable energy, whose production process is, however, energy-intensive, requiring substantial renewable power. Through key partnerships and bold projects, the Sahara Desert nation aims to tap into its vast solar and wind resources, as well as the potential given its proximity to southern shores of Europe. With a goal to import 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, the European Union is actively supporting Mauritanias green hydrogen push. With an estimated 400 GW of commercially viable renewable energy, Mauritanias resource potential reportedly exceeds the current total installed power capacity of Germany.
Frances Council of State, the highest administrative jurisdiction of the country, has rejected lately a lawsuit lodged by the Confederation Paysanne (farmers Union), with the support of Algeria and its Polisario puppet, in a bid to ban imports of produce from Moroccos southern provinces.

The decision of the French Council of State has dealt a hard blow to the enemies of Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Sahara. Irked by the competition of imports of Moroccan agricultural products, the Confederation Paysanne has tried to no avail to get a ban on Moroccan cherry tomatoes and Charentais melons from the Sahara region, claiming that labeling them as Moroccan products violates European Union (EU) regulations.

The move of the farmers Union comes after the politically-motivated ruling issued by the European Court of Justice scrapping EU fisheries & agricultural deals with Morocco because they included goods from the southern provinces: the Sahara.

But the French Council of State has ruled that the ban wanted by the Confederation Paysanne falls within the jurisdiction of European authorities, and that the ministers for the economy and agriculture had no legal authority to ban the import to France of cherry tomatoes and Charentais melons harvested in the Sahara.

On these grounds, the Conseil dEtat dismissed the Confederation Paysannes appeal, sending a strong message to Algeria and its Polisario puppet that France recognizes Moroccos sovereignty over its entire Sahara territory and that French supportive stand is irreversible, joining the position of its major Western allies: the United States, Spain, Germany, Netherlandsviewing Morocco as a key strategic partner.
Moroccos Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) has released a comprehensive report highlighting the physical, mental, and social impacts of excessive digital technology use among children. The report reveals concerning trends in digital consumption and recommends significant legislative reforms.

According to CESEs findings, as relayed by the news outlet Le360, approximately 90% of Moroccans use social media platforms, with an alarming 97% of children under 18 having access to these networks. The councils president, Ahmed Reda Chami, emphasizes the urgent need to align national legal frameworks with international standards protecting childrens digital rights.

A survey conducted by CESE reveals that 58% of participants believe social media negatively impacts children, while 69% express serious concerns about youth platform usage. More troublingly, 60% of respondents report awareness of at least one case of physical or psychological violence against children linked to digital environments.

The councils report identifies multiple health risks associated with excessive screen time, including behavioral addiction, violence, anxiety, isolation, self-harm, sleep disorders, depression, and suicide attempts. These risks are exacerbated by insufficient legal protections in the digital space.

In response, CESE recommends establishing a legal minimum age for social media access, currently proposed at 16 years old through legislation introduced by the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS).

Additional recommendations include implementing AI tools for proactive detection of inappropriate content; integrating digital education into early school curricula; launching family awareness campaigns about social media risks; developing clear protocols for reporting harmful content; and clarifying responsibilities of tech companies and telecom operators.

The council emphasizes that 88% of survey participants support incorporating digital education into school programs as a long-term preventive measure against social media risks.
The Yemeni government remains firmly committed to achieving peace in line with the agreed roadmap, brokered by Saudi Arabia and Oman, Yemeni Foreign Minister Shayea Mohsen Al-Zindani said Friday in Rabat.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita, following the 6th session of the Moroccan-Yemeni Joint Commission, Al-Zindani stressed that progress depends on the Houthi militias fulfilling their commitments to the mediators.

The roadmap, adopted two years ago, set the stage for resolving economic and humanitarian issues before advancing toward a political solution. However, Al-Zindani lamented that the Houthis have escalated their attacks that particularly endanger maritime navigation in the Red Sea, leading to a freeze in the roadmaps implementation due to violations of its provisions.

The Yemeni official highlighted ongoing efforts by the international community and regional actors to find a resolution, expressing hope that shifting regional dynamicsincluding Irans declining influence and the designation of the Houthis as a terrorist group by some nationscould pressure them into embracing a political solution and complying with international resolutions.

During the news conference, Bourita said that Morocco remains steadfast in its support for Yemens Presidential Leadership Council as the countrys legitimate authority.

Bourita emphasized that resolving the Yemeni crisis requires a comprehensive political solution that upholds the countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such a solution, he stressed, must be based on UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2216, the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative and its implementation mechanisms, and the outcomes of the Yemeni national dialogue.

Morocco rejects any foreign interference in Yemen, particularly Irans support for the Houthi militias, which, Bourita said, threatens Yemens sovereignty, stability, and national unity.

In this regard, he underlined that any resolution must respect the will of the Yemeni people and their legitimate authorities, urging regional and international actors to support Yemen rather than impose solutions from the outside.

Bourita also highlighted the humanitarian dimension of the crisis, stressing the commitment of King Mohammed VI to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people. He recalled in this vein Moroccos financial contribution to the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan for Yemen.

The minister called on the international community to assist Yemens legitimate government in meeting the needs of its people, reiterating Moroccos willingness to contribute to global humanitarian efforts in the country.

The Yemeni official on his part reaffirmed his countrys longstanding support for Moroccos territorial integrity and its unwavering stance on the Sahara issue. He also commended Moroccos efforts to achieve a realistic political solution for the regional dispute, based on consensus and in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and welcomed the growing international support for Moroccos autonomy plan as a reliable and serious solution to the long-standing regional dispute.

The 6th session of the Morocco-Yemen Joint Commission highlighted by the signing of several agreements and MoUs covering the mutual recognition of driving licenses, cooperation in the field of water resources, technical cooperation in road and port infrastructure, cooperation in meteorology and climatology, vocational training and education, as well as higher education and scientific research for the period 2025-2027.
The President of Moroccos National Council for Human Rights (CNDH), Amina Bouayach, called for greater commitment to protecting migrants rights in Africa.

Speaking in Rabat Friday at the opening of a working group meeting on migration within the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), Bouayach highlighted the urgency of migration situation on the African continent, urging a top-priority treatment, given the alarming migration figures and challenges.

According to the latest data, approximately 21 million Africans currently live in another African country, noted Bouayach, who chairs the NANHRI working group on migration.

Within this context, the CNDH head explained that North Africa stands as a key crossroads, and that over the years, the region has become a major departure point for thousands of migrants in sea journeys.

This journey certainly implies danger. The Mediterranean migration routes, particularly those in the western and central regions, are among the most hazardous in the world, she added, noting that between 2014 and 2022, over 20,000 lives were lost or went missing in these waters.

The causes of these movements are multiple and deeply interconnected, she continued, noting that beyond armed conflicts and political instabilities in some areas of the continent, the devastating effects of climate change, are also a driving force.

In East Africa for example, the extreme 2023 drought affected more than 27 million people, further exacerbating an already vulnerable situation, due to conflicts and regional instability, she stressed.

In this regard, the CNDH president emphasized the crucial role of national human rights institutions in documenting and denouncing violations, monitoring and reporting on the migration situation, influencing laws and policies, and engaging in dialogue with stakeholders at both national and international levels.

She also highlighted some actions undertaken by the working group since its meeting on October 30, 2023, during which ways for cooperation were explored to develop a joint NHRI pledge initiative for the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in December 2023.

As chair of the working group, the CNDH also received a draft collaboration roadmap from the United Nations Committee on Migrant Workers.

Also, in coordination with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the CNDH conducted a session for African NHRIs to explain the methodology for drafting and preparing such pledges, she added.

Through this initiative, the CNDH brought together all relevant stakeholders to share the challenges faced, exchange best practices, and make recommendations to support efforts, aimed at achieving Objective 8 of the Marrakech Compact, which is to save lives and establish coordinated international efforts for the management of missing migrants.
An economic delegation from the Republic of Liberia visited Dakhla on Friday to explore business opportunities in the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region and discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various sectors.

This visit is part of the Liberia Economic Promotion Week in Morocco, aimed at showcasing Liberias economic potential in various sectors and promoting the development of mutually beneficial business partnerships between Moroccan and Liberian operators.

In a statement to the press, Liberias Minister of Agriculture, Alexander Nuetah, stressed that this visit reflects the will of Liberia and Morocco to establish a strong economic partnership by exploring new ways of cooperation, particularly after the recent signing of several strategic agreements in Laayoune in various sectors between the two countries.

The Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region has enormous potential in the fields of fisheries and aquaculture, Nuetah noted, adding that Liberia possesses similar potential that deserves to be better exploited.

For his part, Liberias Deputy Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei, emphasized that the purpose of this visit is to explore ways to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields.

It is an opportunity to share ideas, lessons, and experiences in areas of common interest, including agriculture and renewable energy, Ibrahim Al-Bakri Nyei said.

The President of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Regional Council, El Khattat Yanja, highlighted that this visit is an opportunity to review the new development model for the Southern Provinces, launched in 2015 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

It is also a chance to present the major infrastructure projects in the region, including the Dakhla Atlantic Port, and explore the investment opportunities offered by the Republic of Liberia, he added.
A view of the wreckage from a small plane after it crashed near a shopping mall and residential area in northeast Philadelphia on Friday night. Photo: Thomas Hengge/Anadolu via Getty Images

On Friday night, northeast Philadelphia was rocked by the high-speed impact of a medevac jet that nose-dived into a busy avenue shortly after takeoff from North Philadelphia Airport. Having climbed to an altitude of 1,650 feet, the plane plummeted nearly vertically at more than 200 mph. Heavily loaded with fuel for a planned 1,000-mile flight to Springfield, Missouri, the plane exploded with the power of a cruise missile, incinerating cars and rattling neighborhood windows as it sent a fireball into the night sky. All six people aboard the plane were killed, as was at least one person on the ground, and at least 19 others were injured. It was the second horrific plane crash in the U.S. in as many days, following the collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.

Dashcam footage of the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crash in Philadephia tonight.



The Learjet appears to have impacted the ground at a nearly vertical angle. The last transponder signal, sent seconds before the crash, showed a descent rate of more than 11,000 feet per minute. pic.twitter.com/27hGq2xcny  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 1, 2025

At time of writing, details of the Philadelphia accident are scarce. The plane was a Mexican-registered Learjet 55, a plane last produced in the 1980s. It was operated by a company called Jet Rescue Air Ambulance and was reportedly returning a young patient and her mother to Mexico after the child received treatment for a life-threatening condition at Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia. In addition to the pilot and co-pilot, two medical personnel were also aboard the plane. In recent days, the plane had traveled frequently between Haiti, Mexico, and the United States. The company had suffered an earlier fatal crash in Morelos, Mexico, in 2023.

In the weeks ahead, accident investigators from the National Transport Safety Board will interview witnesses, collect and examine the wreckage, study maintenance records, and, if it is available, review data from the planes flight data recorder to understand what caused the crash and issue safety recommendations to prevent similar tragedies from recurring. As they assemble the evidence, investigators will be thinking about similar accidents that have happened in the past, looking for patterns to guide them in their search for the causal factors.

Here is a far-from-exhaustive list of some possibly relevant antecedents to Fridays crash regarding why aircraft can nose-dive.

1.

At the time of the crash, the weather in Philadelphia was overcast, with a cloud ceiling of 400 feet. That means that mere seconds after takeoff, the pilot flying the plane lost all visual reference to the ground, seeing out the window only shades of gray and black. Under so-called instrument conditions, the human brain is easily tricked into perceiving turns or acceleration as vertical motion and can easily become badly disoriented.

When Kobe Bryants pilot ascended into a layer of clouds while traversing a mountain pass in Los Angeles, the helicopter entered a bank that the pilot didnt perceive and was soon spiraling toward the ground.

A more insidious form of disorientation is caused by the somatogravic illusion, in which linear acceleration caused by an increase in engine thrust is perceived as a climb. In 2019, a Boeing 767 carrying cargo for the U.S. Postal Service was coming in to land at Houston amid stormy, cloudy weather and was maneuvering to avoid a patch of precipitation when it hit rough air. Perhaps trying to escape a sudden downdraft, the flight crew pushed the throttle to full, and then, possibly perceiving the resulting acceleration as a sharp climb, pushed the control yoke aggressively forward. The plane plummeted from 6,000 feet to impact with the ground in 18 seconds.

2.

In order to avoid disorientation, pilots are taught to ignore the sensations of their inner ear when flying in instrument conditions and instead focus exclusively on their navigational instruments, such as the traditional attitude indicator, which tells pilots at a glance whether they are climbing, diving, or turning. Modern aircraft also include a system called a flight director that superimposes an arrow on their primary flight display that tells them where they should steer in order to remain on course. The display is calculated using information from an ADIRU (air data inertial reference unit), a type of computer that integrates information from air sensors and accelerometers to figure out where the aircraft is located and how it is oriented. Because the system is of life-or-death importance, it is triply redundant, with a separate ADIRU for the pilot and the co-pilot as well as an extra backup. All the same, things can go wrong.

In 2016, a Swedish cargo jet was flying to Tromso, Norway, in the middle of the night when a faulty ADIRU led the planes flight computer to erroneously conclude that the plane was flying too nose-high. The flight director instructed the flight crew to push the nose down, which they did. The plane entered a negative G-dive that left the two pilots hanging in their seat straps and impacted the snowy tundra at 585 mph.

3.

A modern high-speed aircraft is a miracle of performance that results from large forces balanced with remarkable precision. This is achieved by means of complex machinery, of which the failure of any component can result in a sudden, irreversibly catastrophic disruption of that balance. A particularly critical component of this dynamic is the tail, particularly the horizontal stabilizer and elevator, which provide a counterforce to balance the weight of the aircraft and the lift of the wing. If a plane loses its tail, there is nothing to prevent the planes center of gravity from pulling the nose directly toward the earth.

In 1991, a Continental Express turboprop was flying from Laredo, Texas, to Houston when part of the left horizontal stabilizer came flying off. The plane, an Embraer 120 Brasilia, had had a history of mechanical issues and had been sent for unscheduled repair work 33 times prior to the accident. Just before the flight, maintenance workers had replaced de-icing boots on the horizontal stabilizer but had failed to replace all of the screws. When the part broke off, the plane entered a negative G-dive that partially tore off one of the wings, spilling fuel that then ignited in a fireball. All 14 aboard were killed. The slipshod maintenance procedures that led to the crash helped spur a significant change in FAA rules.

4.

Tightening operational procedures can help eliminate mechanical and control failures, but there is one component of the aviation system that is fundamentally prone to errors of a kind that are unpredictable and hence impossible to eliminate completely: the human mind.

Sometimes people snap, and sometimes they do that while at the controls of an airplane. In October 2023, an off-duty pilot named Joseph Emerson was deadheading on an Alaska Airlines flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco when he tried to crash the plane by reaching forward and pulling the levers that deploy the engines fire-suppression system. Wrestled into submission by the flight crew, Emerson later told police that hed been hallucinating and had told himself, This is real, I need to wake up. Though his attempt was foiled, others have not been. In 1997, the pilot of a 737 flying from Jakarta, Indonesia, got up from his seat and pulled the circuit breakers that powered the black boxes. Back at the controls, he put the aircraft into a vertical dive that took the plane from 35,000 feet to impact with Sumatras Musi River in less than a minute. Accident investigators later surmised that the plane had broken the sound barrier during its descent. All 104 people aboard the airliner were killed, and pieces of wreckage were found embedded as deep as 15 feet into the riverbed.

Hopefully in the coming weeks, investigators will be able to determine what caused Fridays medevac-jet crash in Philadelphia and with what they learn prevent a similar tragedy from ever happening again.

This post has been updated.
Andrew is gross.

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""Keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon"



under the jail!!

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And waiting for the next "Meghan Markle exhales carbon dioxide: how she's contributing to global warming" headline in 5, 4, 3...

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I wonder if OP added the Sussex comment just for wank.

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lool. Yes and No. It was in the original article, and I left it there because people dragged Meghan for being uncouth - working with Netflix, etc, but here's King Charles working with Amazon.

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It would be nice if those people were actually punished for that kind of shit and didn't live comfy lives in fancy palaces, but alas.

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Andrew lying??



Say it isn't so!!!



Other news for the royal news round up is that Beatrice had her daughter. I think maybe the baby came early because iirc, they'd previously said the baby was expected early spring? Anyway the baby's name is Athena Elizabeth Rose Mapelli Mozzzi which I think is actually quite pretty.



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Athena is a beautiful name

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It is!!!!!!!

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I love that name in English, my only issue is I dont like how it sounds in Spanish lol

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Being farther down the line you can name your kids whatever you want. :)

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now we have two royal adjacent athenas! i like this one better than the last multi name trend when we had a leonor, a leonore, and an eleonore like like a three year period lol

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Mozzzi, three zs? That's a lot.

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we'll play some more soon!!!





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I dont know how it is that the royals can do the most scandalous, dodgy things and yet its still boring gossip.



When do we finally get rid of these useless parasites?

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Is it true that Charles cut Andrew off?

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https://people.com/king-charles-cuts-off-prince-andrew-yearly-allowance-security-book-8738736



But they cannot get Andrew out of that house he lives in, not sure what it is called YepBut they cannot get Andrew out of that house he lives in, not sure what it is called

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Supposedly he is trying to drive Andrew out of his residence but Andrew already signed a 75 year lease when the Queen was still around and so hes refusing to budge

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Elizabeth was a menace to the end.

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guillotine

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Time for the night-night box

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God that is so disgusting.

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My kink is liars being caught. The moment when they realize they are NOT smarter than everyone?

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It's filthy, but I can't help it.

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Not me thinking Charlies already kicked the bucket

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I was right there with you

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Encouraging Workers to Embrace Ergonomic Work Strategies

Effective ergonomic training should focus on practical skill development to ensure workers adopt and apply ergonomic strategies.

Over years of working at the same job, workers develop strategies that help them to perform difficult tasks more easily. These ergonomic work strategies can be identified and documented. What is the best way to communicate and encourage less experienced workers to use these strategies?

A supervisor or experienced worker can work with a less experienced worker, showing them the strategy, supervising as the employee tries it out, and providing feedback to assure the employee that they got it right. This is training, but its pretty labor-intensive. To be fair, not all workers have the skills, patience or interest required to train new workers.

Ergonomists are often asked to provide training to workers. If the ergonomist is not intimately familiar with the jobs that the workers perform, then the training will be generic. Bend the knees to lift heavy loads. Bring the load as close to the body as possible before lifting it. The workers have to figure out how a tip applies in their workplace. Not surprisingly, theyve heard it all before and likely have never taken the time to apply the proposed tips.

More tragically, ergonomists might be promoting tips that make the job worse. If a worker tries to bend the knees to lift the leg of a patient who is lying on a bed, the forward distance between the spine and the load will increase, and that will increase the load on the back.

In this case bend the knees doesnt help at all. Most workers know this, intuitively, so they usually sit politely through the session, grateful for a few minutes away from their work routine. The training is reduced to another box checked off on the companys audit, without any real gain.

To really encourage workers to use appropriate ergonomic work strategies:

Make sure to identify the best ergo work strategies. Use adult learning principles to create the training.

There are mountains of research that help teachers plan and execute lesson plans, but when it comes to workplace training, suddenly everyone is just lecturers. A lecture transfers information, if the students are listening. But training is required to transfer skills. When it comes to ergonomic work strategies, the goal is to teach people how to do something, and this is the essence of skill.
Fighting desperately to cling on to coal mines that were once the lifeblood of its industrial east, Ukraine's soldiers conceded they were struggling against intensifying Russian attacks.

"There's only so much we can do. No matter what super warriors are fighting in our ranks, the Russians outnumber us. It hurts," said the chief sergeant of Ukraine's 59th brigade, deployed in the Donetsk region, who goes by the call sign "San Sanych".

Russia's army is around six kilometres (four miles) from the centre of Pokrovsk, a formerly thriving mining hub on top of Ukraine's largest coal reserves.

The capture of the city and surrounding mines -- some of which are even closer to Russian positions -- would be a painful blow to Ukraine's army, local communities and the national economy, compounding months of setbacks on the front.

Earlier this month, the area's main mine operator, Pokrovsk Coal, which employed 10,000 before the war, suspended operations.

It was Ukraine's last producer of coking coal, a key component in the production of steel.

Now some of its shuttered facilities in the village of Udachne are being used by San Sanych's brigade.

Hills of rock dump offer soldiers a vantage point over the surrounding terrain, while the caverns, shafts and basements provide underground safety.

But he was unsure how long they would have enough men or ammunition to hold on.

Life has long revolved around mining in Ukraine's eastern Donbas, the industrial heartland of the Soviet Union that Russia claimed in 2022 to have annexed from Kyiv.

With the closure of the Pokrovsk mines, many workers relocated, but others were left in limbo in mostly deserted villages just a few kilometres from the front lines.

Galyna Rodionova, a control panel operator in Udachne, had seen the shut-down coming as her drive to work became increasingly dangerous.

"We would see flashes here, flashes there, booms here and there," the 39-year-old said.

"We kept working hard but we looked at each other, said, 'this is probably our last day here' and laughed."

Management sent most workers home, including Rodionova, after the mine was damaged in December.

She started working at a friend's pet store in a nearby village -- but life away from the mine felt alien.

"We grew up in these mines, we worked there, spent half of our lives in these mines. Everyone here is like that, in every city," she said, recounting gatherings to celebrate holidays and Miner's Day on 31 August.

As a little girl, Rodionova had been brought to the mines by her mother, who had no one to watch her while she worked.

Rodionova was proud of her work, a difficult job she had held for the past 12 years.

"It was hard work, but I liked working. I don't know if there was ever a day when I didn't work. I can't live without work," she said.

"You knew that you had a home, that you were earning money and could afford stuff. Now you don't know... We live day by day in these scary times," she said.

"Everything was shattered."

Some 10,000 people still live in Pokrovsk and the surrounding villages, local officials said -- down from 82,000 before the war.

Yury, a mine worker employed by one of the few sites that remain open, is one of them.

"If they close the mine, the region will die," he said, taking a puff from his cigarette before getting on the shuttle bus for a night shift.

"It's unrealistic to find a job other than mining in this city," 45-year-old underground electrician Maksym said.

Stepping out of the bus bringing him back from work at dusk, Maksym said he felt relatively safe in the deep underground tunnels that offered protection from strikes.

The main risk, he explained, was from hits to the transformers powering the mines.

"No power means no ventilation, which means there's not enough air," he said.

When that happens, the miners rush to climb hundreds of metres up ladders in a race to the surface for oxygen.

Maksym, who like many comes from a mining family, said he would only leave if the mine closed.

"I understand that there's a war and that I need to run away. But the feeling that you were born here, that you have your own house and memories, that's a feeling that is hard to leave, no matter how bad things are" he said.

Moving would also mean not being able to visit the grave of his mother, who died seven years ago.

"That'll just rip my soul apart," he said.
Alongside nuclear power development, Kazakhstan is also launching a fracking project to extract shale oil, expecting to produce its first shale oil this year.

The government aims to create a "nuclear cluster" in the country, but public concerns remain about the potential involvement of Russia's Rosatom and safety standards.

Kazakhstan is accelerating its nuclear power program, with plans for at least two nuclear power plants to support economic growth and address energy shortages.

Following up on last years referendum that endorsed the pursuit of nuclear energy in Kazakhstan, the government is moving quickly to lay the groundwork for at least two reactors. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has expressed a desire to eventually construct a nuclear cluster in the country to power economic growth.

The government is working to finalize an agreement on the construction of an initial nuclear plant in the Almaty region in the near future, according to a report published by the Kazakh news outlet Vlast.kz, citing Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. Preliminary work is being performed to identify a second site for a nuclear plant, Bektenov added during a January 28 government session.

In a major policy speech on January 28, Tokayev indicated that Kazakhstans ability to sustain economic growth depends on the construction of even more plants.

Our strategic course on achieving carbon neutrality remains unchanged. However, its implementation should be approached more rationally. We need to effectively use our natural wealth and natural advantages, Tokayev stated, adding that at present the country is heavily dependent on coal-fired power plants.

Against the background of a growing energy deficit, the construction of the first nuclear power plant should be accelerated and, in general, the creation of a nuclear cluster in the country should be started. This is an important task to ensure the progress of our country, Tokayev stated.

A majority of Kazakhs approved a referendum question last autumn on the construction of a nuclear power plant. The question that remains open is who will build the plants envisioned by the government. There is widespread public concern that Russias nuclear agency, Rosatom, will get the construction contracts, despite worries about the Russian firms spotty record of adherence to safety standards.

Although Kazakhstan may be embracing nuclear energy, the country is not de-emphasizing natural resource extraction: Bektenov announced January 28 that the country will launch a fracking project to extract shale oil.

This year, the first Kazakh shale oil is expected to be produced. This will create additional incentives to attract investments to the oil and gas industry, Bektenov announced. Initial estimates peg the potential fracking production total at roughly 800 million tons in oil equivalent.

By Eurasianet.org

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Via Metal Miner

The import market is slow right now. We have seen a lot of pressure on imports, one trader said on January 24. They were referring to the anti-dumping investigation on HRC imports from Japan, Egypt, India and Vietnam, which the European Commission started in August. The move followed a request by the European Steel Association, also known as Eurofer, on behalf of its members.

The findings of that investigation are due by April and could see increased provisional duties on material from those countries as well as retroactive tariffs. Whatever the results, many traders seem on edge about what 2025 may bring for steel prices.

Anti-Dumping Measures Just One Factor to Consider

The general outlook for 2025 is also uncertain. This is mainly due to newly-inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trumps discussions about introducing various tariffs on imports into the United States. That said, it is important to note that Trump has yet to say anything about steel specifically.

Combined with anti-dumping measures, potential tariffs could hit the EU hard. As one trader put it when asked about imports of steel from the 27-member European Union, It depends on what Trump does. Under the first Trump administration, the United States implemented tariffs of 25% and 10%, respectively, on steel and aluminum imports from all countries.

The subsequent Biden administration abolished that policy in October 2021 in return for the EU abolishing their retaliatory tariffs.

As of January, the Enemy is Uncertainty

In a January 10 filing, Eurofer also asked the EC to slash quotas on flat carbon steel imports by up to 50% as part of a functional review. Reports stated that the goal was to create a balance between imports and domestically rolled steel. Eurofer reportedly claimed that tariffs on imports over stipulated quotas should rise to 34% from the current 25% tariff.

However, the trader warned that introducing increased tariffs or more quotas would create more uncertainty in the European steel market. Insecurity creates doubt, and doubt creates higher prices, they said. More quotas will make sure local prices go up as imports go down.

The trader also noted that the Eurozones overall economic outlook for 2025 remains difficult. This is likely to impact larger building projects as well as even consumer purchases.

They went on to warn that all of this could result in end users purchasing more downstream products from abroad, such as coated steels. Aside from construction applications, hot rolled coil notably serves as feedstock for the production of cold rolled coil as well as tubes and pipes.

By Christopher Rivituso

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Libyas energy sector has had a turbulent few years, owing to political unrest and a significant shift in foreign investment in its oil and gas sector. While its fossil fuel industry is struggling to rebound to its former glory, there is significant potential for the development of the North African countrys renewable energy sector. Its large desert terrain shows great potential for the development of solar and wind energy projects, and the government has shown greater commitment to decarbonization and a green transition in recent years, which higher levels of foreign investment could help Libya achieve.

Libya has long been known as a major oil and gas power, pumping almost 3.4 million bpd during its peak production period in the 1970s. However, its crude output has fallen significantly, to around 32 percent of its peak, placing it at around 18th in the world for production. The government now aims to produce 2 million bpd by 2030, after falling short of its ambitious target of 2.2 million bpd by 2023 largely due to several years of political unrest and poor governance.

Since the overthrow of Libyas leader Qaddafi in 2011, several groups have vied for political power. Now, the Government of National Stability (GNS), which is backed by Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates, holds sway over the eastern and southwestern regions, where most of Libyas oil fields are located, and the Government of National Unity (GNU), supported by Turkey, several Western powers, and endorsed by the UN, controls the capital of Tripoli. The GNS, has control of key terminals, such as Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, accounting for 42 percent of Libyas oil export capacity. Meanwhile, the GNU controls two export facilities, Zawiya and Mellitah, which contribute 28 percent of Libyas oil exports. Both powers have staged blockades or production shutdowns, which have hindered oil output and discouraged foreign powers from investing in the countrys fossil fuel industry.

Despite Libyas huge oil potential, the ongoing political conflict and the lack of interest from foreign investors have revealed the need to diversify the countrys energy mix. Oil continues to contribute around 98 percent of its government revenues and 60 percent of its GDP, showing that Libya has an overreliance on fossil fuels and could benefit from greater economic diversification. In addition, the development of a strong renewable energy sector could help the North African country to ensure its energy security in the future.

In 2013, the Libyan government announced its Renewable Energy Strategic 2013-2025 Plan, intending to achieve a 7 percent renewable energy contribution to the electric energy mix by 2020 and 10 percent by 2025. The plan focused on the development of the countrys wind and solar energy capacity. Around 88 percent of Libyas terrain is desert, with significant potential for the development of solar power projects.

At present, the construction firm PowerChina is working with the French utility EDF to develop a 1,500 MW solar plant in the east of the country. Meanwhile, Frances TotalEnergies is constructing a 500 MW solar plant in Al-Sadada. In addition, GECOL and AG Energy are building a 200 MW solar plant in Ghadames, and the Libyan General Electric Company (GECOL) is also working with Alpha Dubai Holding to develop two more solar plants, with a combined capacity of 2 GW.

In January, Libyas government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey for cooperation in the field of renewable energy. Abdusselam Elansari, the head of the Renewable Energy Authority of Libya, stated, We are cooperating with different Turkish companies in terms of electricity, power and renewable energy. Elansari added, We have started a capacity-building program to train our people with a Turkish company in the field of human resources, renewable energy, technical renewable energy, electricity connection, performance excellence and other sectors of cooperation

Meanwhile, Osama El Durrat, advisor to the Libyan Prime Minister for electricity and renewable energy affairs, said that Libya is assessing the possibility of connecting its power grid with neighboring countries. El Durrat stated, A committee is being formed to advance cross-border electricity interconnections. We have signed agreements with several southern European and Mediterranean countries. As for Turkey, we believe the connection could be facilitated through a neighboring country, enabling energy transfer between Libya and Turkey.

Libyas significant renewable energy potential could help garner more interest from international energy companies looking to invest in the region. In 2023, Italian firm Eni signed an MoU with Libya to identify opportunities to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and develop the countrys renewable energy capacity, to support the governments decarbonization and green transition targets. As the government shows greater interest in the development of a green energy sector, higher levels of foreign investment could help Libya accelerate the expansion of its renewable energy sector, contributing to economic diversification and long-term energy security.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
The proposal faces strong opposition from some EU members and US LNG exporters, who argue it would appease Russia and undermine Ukraine.

EU officials are considering resuming Russian gas imports as part of a potential Ukraine peace deal, aiming to stabilize energy markets and incentivize peace.

As fully expected, the EU is looking at options to restore Russian natural gas flowing into Europe (and even presumably via Ukraine), discussions which have of late taken on more urgency given Ukraine's front lines are collapsing and a deal to end the war is looking inevitable, but whether something takes shape sooner or later remains the big question.

EU officials are mulling resumption of purchases of Russian pipeline gas which could be part of any potential settlement to the war, Financial Times has reported, citing unnamed sources. The outlet stated that advocates of such a 'controversial' plan, which includes Hungarian and German leaders, state that this could be an underlying incentive to maintain peace - the stability of Europe's energy market.

"There is pressure from some big member states on energy prices and this is one way to bring those down, of course," one official told the FT. And separately a senior EU official acknowledged that "In the end, everybody wants lower energy costs."

But the mere suggestion of any such future large-scale return to natural gas in the EU is sure to trigger immense political backlash, which is more convenient for those currently benefiting from the current war time blockage in gas transfers and sanctions.

Pushback on the political front is going to be strong, and the argument will be made of 'appeasing Russia' and 'abandoning Ukraine' - and of allowing more revenue for Moscow's war machine. Per the FT:

Floating the resumption of pipeline sales from Russia has infuriated Brussels officials and diplomats from some eastern European countries, many of whom have spent the past three years working to reduce the amount of Russian energy being imported into the bloc. Its madness, said one of the officials. How stupid could we be to even think about that as an option?

...Or they could just be looking out for the interests and energy needs of their own respective populations.

As for who is benefitting most from the current state of things as some EU states scramble to make up for depleted supply:

The revival of the debate on gas sales has unsettled some US LNG exporters seeking to sign long-term supply deals with European companies. They fear that any restart of Ukrainian transit could make their products uncompetitive, according to two of the officials.

As we pointed out at the start of this month...

Slovakia and Hungary are among those who continue to rely most heavily on continued Russian gas purchases, and have been resistant to the bloc's efforts at imposing diversification. To review:

Russia halted pipeline gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine on Jan. 1 after Kyiv refused to renegotiate a transit agreement in response to Moscows full-scale invasion. Prior to the cutoff, the pipeline transported around 50% of Russias pipeline gas exports  mainly to Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and non-EU member Moldova.

Despite banning nearly all Russian pipeline gas and oil imports, the EU imported a record 17.8 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in 2024. The bloc has committed to phasing out Russian fossil fuel imports entirely by 2027.

While the EU banned Russian crude oil and coal following Moscows 2022 invasion of Ukraine, it has not yet imposed restrictions on Russian pipeline gas or LNG.

You will find more infographics at Statista

The biggest beneficiary of non-Russian LNG imports which have for the time being been fulling the supply gap, of course, the US which has seen its LNG exports to Europe soar since the Ukraine war and since either the US or Ukraine (or working in tandem) blew up the Nordstream pipeline, making (expensive) US sourced LNG one of the few realistic alternatives for Europe. In other words, Europe has gone from relying entirely on cheap Russian gas to relying entirely on expensive US LNG.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com
Tanko Yakasai, elder statesman and political adviser in the second Republic, says the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) might field Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo or Bola Tinubu, a national leader of APC, in 2023.

Speaking with The Interview, Yakasai said the region played a key role in the emergence of Buhari in 2019.

On the possibility of the APC fielding a presidential candidate from the south-east in 2013, Yakasai said the region will be sidelined for the south-west.

The current calculation is that the vice-president is from the Southwest. Clearly, there is an unwritten understanding that when Buhari finishes, the Vice President will likely be the next presidential candidate of the APC, he said.

The Vice President is a Yoruba man. Even if it is not Osinbajo, somebody from there, probably Tinubu, will likely emerge as the candidate of the party.

And with the performance of the party in the southeast, I dont see any possibility that the party will think of giving its candidacy to the southeast as against the support it earned from the southwest.

Apart from voting, dont forget that there were some material support which APC enjoyed from the Southwest.

Defending his choice of Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the elections, the elder statesman said he supported Atiku because of his experience in governance and business.

Yakasai was asked: You supported former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP at the just concluded election. Do you believe the eventual winner, Muhammadu Buhari, won fair and square?

He replied: No, I do not. Quite alright, I supported Atiku because I dont believe that Buhari has the capacity and the competence to handle the Nigerian problem.

On the issue of the leadership of the 9th senate, Yakasai said it would not favour theAll Progressives Congress (APC) to insist on Ahmed Lawan.

Lawan, senate majority leader, has been given the blessings of the APC to succeed Bukola Saraki as the leader of the red chamber.

Yakasai said he expected the ruling party to have learnt from its mistakes.

He argued that the lawmakers should be allowed to who will lead them, and not a person imposed on them.

Well, they have been touting this idea for a long time. Remember when the current Senate was convened after the 2015 election, they wanted Ahmad Lawan to be the Senate president, he said.

It was the rupture in the party that led a chunk of party senators to team up with PDP senators to get Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as president and deputy president of the Senate.

What I am surprised about, I thought what happened to them in the last dispensation would have been a lesson for them to allow legislators to decide who should be their leaders.

I worked with National Assembly for four years. I know the mindset of members of the National Assembly. They believe that they have their own mandate separate from the mandate of the President.

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The Chairman of the defunct Sosoliso Airline, Chief Victor Ikwuemesi, has died of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in London, United Kingdom.

Naija News reports that the family sources and associates confirmed the Sosoliso airline Chairman died on Monday, April 14 few days after he was diagnosed with coronavirus.

A source close to the family disclosed that Ikwuemesi was admitted into an unnamed London hospital after a brief illness.

It was learnt that the Sosoliso airline Chairman later tested positive for COVID-19 in the result that was released on Tuesday. He was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on oxygen since he arrived at the London hospital.

But, when the oxygen was removed for him to eat he couldnt breathe on his own.

So they put him on a ventilator and he died shortly after, the source disclosed.

The Sosoliso airline Chairman son and the Managing Director of the defunct airline, Oscar Ikwuemesi, is in the United States as there are no international commercial flights operating globally.

Meanwhile, Naija News reports that Sosoliso, which was based in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria, started operation in July 2000.

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House Bill 2200 will require the Oregon State Treasure to prioritize green projects and divest in investment and projects based on carbon emissions.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

House Bill (HB2200) will direct the state treasury to pursue investments not based on the projects performance or revenue but prioritize the amount of carbon emissions the projects and investments create and pursue green and net zero projects and investments. Right now some of Americas biggest investment firms (Blackrock, Vangaurd) and biggest banks (Citigroup, BofA and Morgan Stanley) are pulling out of net-zero and similar deals. The Wall Street Journal calls it the The Net-Zero Banking Retreat because firms are losing money on these narrow eco-pledges.

Should Oregon dive into a risky money-losing venture when the States Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) is over $20 billion in debt?

The House Bill (HB2200) summary reads, Directs the Oregon Investment Council and the State Treasurer to take certain actions to reduce the carbon intensity of state investments and address certain investment risks relating to climate change. Directs the State Treasurer to report on the carbon intensity of certain investments.

The bill is at the request of State Tresurer Tobias Reed.

 Was this helpful? If so, Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
Ukraine believes North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia's army on the Kursk front line have been "withdrawn" after suffering heavy losses, a military spokesman told AFP on Friday.

Western, South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence agencies say Pyongyang deployed more than 10,000 troops to support Russia's forces fighting in its western Kursk region, where Ukraine launched a shock cross-border offensive in August.

Kyiv captured dozens of border settlements in the operation -- the first time a foreign army had crossed into Russian territory since the Second World War -- in an embarrassing setback for the Kremlin.

The North Korean deployment -- never officially confirmed by Moscow or Pyongyang -- was supposed to reinforce Russia's army and help them expel Ukraine's troops.

But nearly six months on, Ukraine still holds on to swathes of Russian territory, something President Volodymyr Zelensky sees as a key bargaining chip in any future negotiations with Moscow.

"Over the past three weeks, we have not seen or detected any activity or military clashes with the North Koreans," Oleksandr Kindratenko, spokesman for the Special Operations Forces, told AFP.

"We believe that they have been withdrawn because of the heavy losses that were inflicted," he added.

Ukraine previously said it had captured or killed several North Korean soldiers deployed to the Kursk region.

Zelensky has published footage of interrogations with what he said were North Korean prisoners of war captured by his army on the Kursk front.

Ukrainian officials have said that wounded North Korean troops were blowing themselves up with grenades rather than being taken alive.

Asked earlier on Friday about reports the North Korean soldiers had been withdrawn, the Kremlin declined to comment.

"There are a lot of different arguments out there, both right and wrong," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"It's not worth commenting on every time," he added.

Kyiv and the West had decried their deployment as a major escalation in the three-year conflict.

Ukraine says around 2,000 Russian civilians live in areas under its occupation, mostly cut off from contact with relatives on the other side of the new front line.

Discontent has been growing in the Russian border region at the failure of the local authorities to secure their return to Moscow-controlled territory or provide updates on their status.

Despite Ukraine's hold on part of the Kursk region, Russia has been advancing elsewhere across the 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) front.

Moscow's army on Friday said it had captured another village, Novovasylivka, in eastern Ukraine, where its forces are advancing on a key logistics hub and a road that is crucial for military supplies.

Novovasylivka is close to the key hub of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region, and to the internal border with Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, which so far has been spared ground combat.

Russia in 2022 said it was annexing the Donetsk region -- despite not having it under full control -- but has not publicly made territorial claims on Dnipropetrovsk.
As 2024 came roaring to a close, Washington public employees achieved a historic milestone in the fight for financial freedom.

Thanks to the efforts of the Freedom Foundations Washington outreach team, more than 6,200 government workers broke free from union control  a 90 percent increase over the previous year.

This success highlights a growing movement of workers prioritizing their hard-earned dollars in the wake of a challenging economy.

Here are the highlights of this record-breaking year:

The Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) lost nearly 1,500 members, slashing more than $1.4 million in annual revenue. WFSEs desperate emails now routinely mention the Freedom Foundations nefarious efforts  advertising we welcome with open arms.

SEIU 1199NW, the largest healthcare worker union in the Pacific Northwest, saw an exodus of 1,200 members, with most opting out during the first three months of 2024. This wave followed a strategic email from Washingtons outreach team exposing SEIUs Bright Future vote campaign, which raised dues on many intentionally uninformed members.

In an unexpected twist, the powerful Washington Education Association (WEA)  known for its grip on teachers and their wallets  lost just under 1,000 members. Even one of Washingtons largest and most politically entrenched unions couldnt stop the momentum of 2024.

Nearly every government union in Washington shattered opt-out records, contributing to the 40,000 public workers across the U.S. who freed themselves from union control this year.

In tough economic times, public employees are reclaiming their paychecks and prioritizing savings over funding ineffective union representation.

This sentiment was echoed by a public-school employee in the Pasco area, who shared, Im spending way too much on union dues, all for a union that does absolutely nothing for us and uses it more like a popularity contest.

Her union, Public School Employees/SEIU 1948, felt the impact, shedding just under 700 members in 2024.

The powerful momentum is further explained by a worker represented by WFSE, who exclaimed, (The Freedom Foundation staffers) are the unsung heroes. Im free from the shackles of the union because of your efforts.

This heartfelt gratitude perfectly encapsulates the mission and impact of the Freedom Foundation.

The results speak for themselves  40,000 public employees broke free from union control in 2024 alone.

The fight for worker freedom is gaining unstoppable momentum, and unions should brace for an even bigger and bolder opt-out wave in 2025.


By Oregon State Senator Mike McLane,

My office has received an outpouring of feedback from constituents since wildfire risk assessments have been mailed to property owners by Oregon Department of Forestry.

The Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 762 in 2021, before I was elected to modernize and improve wildfire preparedness, followed by SB 80 in 2023 which refined and built upon the advancement of wildfire programs initiated under SB 762. The wildfire risk map was supposed to be a critical tool designed to enhance our preparedness and response to the increasing threat of wildfires. I recognize, however, that its implementation has raised significant concerns regarding its impact on property owners, including issues related to insurance, land use, and risk classification. The original wildfire risk map was withdrawn for revision following public feedback. Senator Lynn Findley, my predecessor, was a big voice for revision of the original map.

At this point, the best thing property owners can do is file an appeal here.

Senator Bonham and Senator Robinson have introduced SB 678 to repeal wildfire protection provisions adopted in SB 762.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

This image provided by NASA shows a top-down view of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism (TAGSAM) head with the lid removed, revealing the remainder of the asteroid sample inside. Credit: NASA via AP

Asteroid samples fetched by NASA hold not only the pristine building blocks for life but also the salty remains of an ancient water world, scientists reported Wednesday.

The findings provide the strongest evidence yet that asteroids may have planted the seeds of life on Earth and that these ingredients were mingling with water almost right from the start.

"That's the kind of environment that could have been essential to the steps that lead from elements to life," said the Smithsonian Institution's Tim McCoy, one of the lead study authors.

NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft returned 122 grams (4 ounces) of dust and pebbles from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, delivering the sample canister to the Utah desert in 2023 before swooping off after another space rock. It remains the biggest cosmic haul from beyond the moon. The two previous asteroid sample missions, by Japan, yielded considerably less material.

Small amounts of Bennu's precious black grainsleftovers from the solar system's formation 4.5 billion years agowere doled out to the two separate research teams whose studies appeared in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy. But it was more than enough to tease out the sodium-rich minerals and confirm the presence of amino acids, nitrogen in the form of ammonia and even parts of the genetic code.

In this photo provided by NASA, the sample return capsule from NASA's Osiris-Rex mission lies on the ground shortly after touching down in the desert, at the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: Keegan Barber/NASA via AP, file

Some if not all of the delicate salts found at Bennusimilar to what's in the dry lakebeds of California's Mojave Desert and Africa's Saharawould be stripped away if present in falling meteorites.

"This discovery was only possible by analyzing samples that were collected directly from the asteroid then carefully preserved back on Earth," the Institute of Science Tokyo's Yasuhito Sekine, who was not involved in the studies, said in an accompanying editorial.

Combining the ingredients of life with an environment of sodium-rich salt water, or brines, "that's really the pathway to life," said McCoy, the National Museum of Natural History's curator of meteorites. "These processes probably occurred much earlier and were much more widespread than we had thought before."

NASA's Daniel Glavin said one of the biggest surprises was the relatively high abundance of nitrogen, including ammonia. While all of the organic molecules found in the Bennu samples have been identified before in meteorites, Glavin said the ones from Bennu are valid"real extraterrestrial organic material formed in space and not a result of contamination from Earth."

Bennua rubble pile just one-third of a mile (one-half of a kilometer) acrosswas originally part of a much larger asteroid that got clobbered by other space rocks. The latest results suggest this parent body had an extensive underground network of lakes or even oceans, and that the water evaporated away, leaving behind the salty clues.

Recovery team members carry a capsule containing NASA's first asteroid samples to a temporary clean room at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah on Sept. 24, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool, file

Sixty labs around the world are analyzing bits of Bennu as part of initial studies, said the University of Arizona's Dante Lauretta, the mission's chief scientist who took part in both studies.

Most of the $1 billion mission's cache has been set aside for future analysis. Scientists stress more testing is needed to better understand the Bennu samples, as well as more asteroid and comet sample returns. China plans to launch an asteroid sample return mission this year.

Many are pushing for a mission to collect rocks and dirt from the potentially waterlogged dwarf planet Ceres in the main asteroid belt. Jupiter's moon Europa and Saturn's moon Enceladus also beckon as enticing water worlds. Meanwhile, NASA has core samples awaiting pickup at Mars, but their delivery is on hold while the space agency studies the quickest and cheapest way to get them here.

"Are we alone?" McCoy said. "That's one of the questions we're trying to answer."

More information: Daniel Glavin, Abundant ammonia and nitrogen-rich soluble organic matter in samples from asteroid (101955) Bennu, Nature Astronomy, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41550-024-02472-9. www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02472-9 An evaporite sequence from ancient brine recorded in Bennu samples, Nature, doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08495-6 Journal information: Nature , Nature Astronomy

 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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Schematic representation of in-phase and anti-phase mutual synchronization between SHNOs. Image credit: Akash Kumar.

Spin Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs) are nanoscale spintronic devices that convert direct current into high-frequency microwave signals through spin wave auto-oscillations. This is a type of nonlinear magnetization oscillations that are self-sustained without the need for a periodic external force.

Theoretical and simulation studies found that propagating spin-wave modes, in which spin waves move across materials instead of being confined to the auto-oscillation region, can promote the coupling between SHNOs.

This coupling may in turn be harnessed to adjust the timing of oscillations in these devices, which could be advantageous for the development of neuromorphic computing systems and other spintronic devices.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and Tohoku University in Japan, in a paper published in Nature Physics, have experimentally demonstrated such spin-wave mediated SHNO-to-SHNO coupling. Their study also shows how to achieve voltage control the timing and the phase of the coupling between the SHNOs.

"For the past two decades, our group (the Applied Spintronics Group at University of Gothenburg led by Prof. Johan Akerman) has been working on spintronic oscillators, their mutual synchronization, and applications in fields such as telecommunications, neuromorphic computing, and, most recently, Ising machines," Akash Kumar, first author of the paper, told Phys.org.

"The present study was inspired by the discovery of propagating spin waves in spin Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs)."

As part of earlier research, the team at the University of Gothenburg was able to realize propagating spin waves in SHNOs for the first time, using optimized thin-film samples of the material W/CoFeB/MgO.

This crucial achievement laid the foundation for their current study, which was aimed at dynamically controlling the mutual synchronization of SHNOs using the physics of spin waves, specifically by transferring phase information between the oscillators.

"Such control is essential for achieving long-range, one-to-one coupling between separated SHNO pairs, as well as in longer chains," said Kumar. "This breaks the barrier of nearest-neighbor-limited coupling seen in previously demonstrated systems."

To carry out their experiments, Kumar and his colleagues used devices with two SHNO that are easy to fabricate. Building on their previous studies, they were able to demonstrate a mutual synchronization between these devices, which was mediated by propagating spin waves.

In-phase and out-of-phase auto-oscillatory modes. Image credit: Victor H. Gonzalez, shared first author of the study.

"SHNOs are versatile oscillators that exhibit large frequency nonlinearity, can be fabricated at sizes as small as 10 nm and are capable of mutual synchronization in large one-dimensional chains and two-dimensional arrays," explained Kumar. "The spin waves in these devices enable the transmission of phase and amplitude information from one SHNO to another, which was absent in previous demonstrations."

The researchers created the SHNO devices they used in their experiments employing common nano-fabrication processes. To attain the desired mutual synchronization between the two devices, they carefully tuned the magnetic anisotropy and separation between them.

"We first observed the signature of phase-tuned mutual synchronization in electrical measurements, where we measured the power spectral density using high-frequency spectrum analyzers," said Kumar.

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"To confirm our findings, we then performed phase-resolved Brillouin light scattering (-BLS) microscopy measurements using our state-of-the-art facility, which allowed us to directly visualize the phase of each oscillator and validate our hypothesis," said Avinash Kumar Chaurasiya, a shared first-author of the study, and responsible for the microscopy measurements.

"To further validate their results and confirm the presence of phase-tuned mutual synchronization between the oscillators, I ran a series of micromagnetic simulations," said graduate student Victor Gonzalez, also shared first-author of the paper. These simulations confirmed the original hypothesis, highlighting the potential of their approach for controlling the coupling between SHNO devices.

"The transfer of phase information between SHNOs will be highly useful for a number of applications," said Kumar.

"With further scaling and voltage control, this coupling can enable SHNO devices to be utilized for Ising machines, which are combinatorial optimization hardware-based calculation accelerators. These machines have the potential to operate at room temperature and are truly nanoscopic in size, making them both practical and highly efficient."

This recent study by Kumar and his colleagues highlights the possibility of leveraging propagating spin waves to dynamically control the coupling between SHNOs. In the future, it could open new exciting possibilities for the development of various spintronic devices that could be better equipped to tackle real-world optimization and computational tasks.

"As part of our next studies, we plan to scale the system to incorporate a large number of SHNOs and using voltage gating to provide energy-efficient, on-demand local control of coupling," added Kumar. "These advancements will make these devices truly functional for real-world applications."

More information: Akash Kumar et al, Spin-wave-mediated mutual synchronization and phase tuning in spin Hall nano-oscillators, Nature Physics (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41567-024-02728-1. Journal information: Nature Physics

 2025 Science X Network
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Upper section of the 13th-century fresco showing the tent textile hanging around the walls of the apse, with eight-pointed star motifs and with pseudo-Arabic inscriptions above. Part of the later fresco, added in the 15th century, visible on the right. Credit: Federica Gigante

A 13th-century fresco rediscovered in Ferrara, Italy, provides unique evidence of medieval churches using Islamic tents to conceal their high altars. The 700-year-old fresco is thought to be the only surviving image of its kind, offering precious evidence of a little-known Christian practice.

The partially-visible fresco, identified by Cambridge University historian Dr. Federica Gigante, almost certainly depicts a real tent, now lost, which the artist may have seen in the same church. The brightly colored original tent, covered in jewels, could have been a diplomatic gift from a Muslim leader or a trophy seized from the battlefield.

Gigante's research, published today in The Burlington Magazine, also suggests that a high-profile figure such as Pope Innocent IVwho gifted several precious textiles to the Benedictine convent church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, where the fresco was paintedmay have given such a tent.

"At first, it seemed unbelievable and just too exciting that this could be an Islamic tent," said Dr. Gigante. "I quickly dismissed the idea and only went back to it years later with more experience and a braver attitude to research. We probably won't find another such surviving image. I haven't stopped looking but my guess is that it is fairly unique."

The fresco provides crucial evidence of a medieval church using Islamic tents in key Christian practices, including mass, the study suggests.

"Islamic textiles were associated with the Holy Land from where pilgrims and crusaders brought back the most precious such Islamic textiles," Gigante said. "They thought there existed artistic continuity from the time of Christ so their use in a Christian context was more than justified. Christians in medieval Europe admired Islamic art without fully realizing it."

Dr. Federica Gigante examining the fresco in the Church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, Italy. Credit: Federica Gigante

While it is well known that Islamic textiles were present in late medieval European churches, surviving fragments are usually found wrapped around relics or in the burials of important people. Depictions of Islamic textiles survive, in traces, on some church walls in Italy as well as in Italian paintings of the late medieval period. But images of Islamic tents from the Western Islamic world, such as Spain, are extremely rare and this might be the only detailed, full-size depiction to be identified.

The fresco was painted between the late 13th and early 14th centuries to represent a canopy placed over the high altar. The artist transformed the apse into a tent comprising a blue and golden drapery wrapped around the three walls and topped by a double-tier bejeweled conical canopy of the type found throughout the Islamic world.

"The artist put a lot of effort into making the textile appear life-like," Gigante said.

The background was a blue sky covered in stars and birds, giving the impression of a tent erected out in the open. In the early 15th century, the fresco was partly painted over with scenes from the lives of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. This later fresco has captured the attention of art historians who have overlooked the sections of older fresco. Gigante identified the depiction of Islamic textiles when she visited the church ten years ago but it took further research to prove that the fresco represents an Islamic tent.

Depiction of a real tent used as altar-curtains

Gigante argues that the fresco depicts an Islamic tent which actually existed and that at some point in the 13th century, may even have been physically present in the convent church, providing a direct reference point for the artist.

The right-hand wall of the apse in the Church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, Italy. Credit: Federica Gigante

It is already known that medieval churches used precious textile hangings to conceal the altar from view either permanently, during Mass or for specific liturgical periods. And when studying the fresco, Gigante noticed that it depicts the corner of a veil, painted as if drawn in front of the altar. Gigante, therefore, believes that the real tent was adapted to serve as a 'tetravela', altar-curtains.

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"If the real tent was only erected in the church on certain occasions, the fresco could have served as a visual reminder of its splendor when it was not in place," Gigante said. "The interplay between painted and actual textiles can be found throughout Europe and the Islamic world in the late medieval period."

Gigante's study notes that the walls of the apse are studded with nails and brackets, and that they could have served as structural supports for a hanging textile.

Gigante points to the fresco's 'extraordinarily precise details' as further evidence that it depicts a real tent. The fabric shown in the fresco features blue eight-pointed star motifs inscribed in roundels, the center of which was originally picked out in gold leaf, exactly like the golden fabrics used for such precious Islamic tents. A band with pseudo-Arabic inscriptions runs along the edge of both the top and bottom border. The textile also features white contours to emphasize contrasting colors reflecting a trend in 13th-century Andalusi silk design.

The structure, design and color scheme of the tent closely resemble the few surviving depictions of Andalusi tents, including in the 13th-century manuscript, the Cantigas de Santa Maria. They also match one of the few potential surviving Andalusi tent fragments, the 'Fermo chasuble', which is said to have belonged to St Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Gigante also compares the jewels depicted in the fresco with a rare surviving jeweled textile made by Arab craftsmen, the mantle of the Norman King Roger II of Sicily (10951154), which was embroidered with gold and applied with pearls, gemstones and cloisonne enamel.

Folds of textile with pseudo-Arabic inscriptions in the lower border of the fresco in the Church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, Italy. Credit: Federica Gigante

Spoils of war

In the 13th century, it was common for banners and other spoils of war to be displayed around church altars in Europe.

"Tents, especially Islamic royal tents were among the most prized gifts in diplomatic exchanges, the most prominent royal insignia on campsites and the most sought-after spoils on battlefields," Gigante said.

"Tents made their way into Europe as booty. During anti-Muslim expeditions, it was common to pay mercenaries in textiles and a tent was the ultimate prize. The fresco matches descriptions of royal Islamic tents which were seized during the wars of Christian expansion into al-Andalus in the 13th century."

Gift from a Pope?

From the 9th century, Popes often donated Tetravela (altar-curtains) to churches and papal records reveal that by 1255, Pope Innocent IV had sent 'draperies of the finest silk and gold fabrics' to the convent of S. Antonio in Polesine.

Dr. Federica Gigante in front of the fresco in the Church of S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara, Italy. Credit: Federica Gigante

"We can't be certain but it is possible that a person of high-profile such as Pope Innocent IV gifted the tent," Gigante says.

An Andalusi tent taken from the campsite of the Almohad caliph Muhammad al-Nasir was sent to Pope Innocent III after 1212 meaning that there was an Islamic tent in St Peter's Basilica at some point prior to the painting of the fresco.

Gigante suggests that the tent could also have been part of a diplomatic gift made to the powerful Este family which brokered alliances between the Guelfs and Ghibellins, factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor respectively. The convent was founded in 1249 by Beatrice II d'Este.

"Many people don't realize how extraordinarily advanced and admired Islamic culture was in the medieval period," Gigante said.

Last year, Dr. Gigante identified the Verona Astrolabe, an eleventh-century Islamic astrolabe bearing both Arabic and Hebrew inscriptions.

Federica Gigante is a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge's Faculty of History and the Hanna Kiel Fellow at I Tatti, the Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies.

More information: F. Gigante, 'An Islamic tent in S. Antonio in Polesine, Ferrara', The Burlington Magazine (2025)
Electricity transmission structures are visible at the CenterPoint Plt Substation Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Webster. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

CenterPoint Energy has agreed to a rate decrease in its closely-watched rate case after months of settlement negotiations with city coalitions and consumer groups, the Houston-area electric utility announced Wednesday afternoon.

The rate reduction amounts to approximately $0.82 per month for the average residential customer and approximately $1.28 per month for the average small business, according to CenterPoints announcement.

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The rate reduction amounts to $50 million less per year in revenue for CenterPoint, Jason Ryan, the companys vice president of regulatory affairs, said in an interview. CenterPoint had originally asked for a $60 million per year increase in revenue when it first filed its rate case in March, which wouldve increased electric rates for the average household by $1.25 per month.

Were pleased that were going to be able to reduce customer rates while at the same time keeping up with customer expectations around resiliency and keeping up with the growth in the area, Ryan said.

Linemen tend to fallen power lines in the East End neighborhood of Houston, days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

Post-Beryl backlash

A base rate case is a comprehensive account of a regulated utilitys spending that it must file with the Public Utility Commission of Texas every four years. If approved by the PUC, which could happen as early as the agencys Feb. 13 meeting, the reduced rates will be effective until 2029, Ryan said.

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The rate reduction agreement comes after CenterPoint has faced months of scrutiny over its response to Hurricane Beryl, when a record 2.2 million of its customers lost power, many for days. CenterPoint tried to withdraw its rate case after Beryl to focus on Gov. Greg Abbotts directive to immediately strengthen its grid in the hurricanes aftermath. The utility then decided to withdraw its withdrawal after pressure from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Mayor John Whitmire.

Coalitions representing Houston-area cities also pushed back against CenterPoints initial withdrawal of the rate case, arguing it would prevent them from seeking a rate decrease. City coalitions said that CenterPoint overcharged customers by $100 million based on test-year 2023 data, a claim that CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells has denied.

A compromise with CenterPoint

The settlement agreement filed with the PUC represents a compromise between CenterPoint and cities, CenterPoints Ryan said. In addition to the revenue reduction, CenterPoints rate of return on its capital investments  essentially profit  would increase to 9.65% from 9.4% if the agreement is approved.

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Prior to Wednesday, CenterPoints last settled rate case was in 2020. That agreement gave the utility a rate increase, but slashed its annual revenue increase from a requested $161 million to just $13 million. Days after the PUC approved the 2020 settlement agreement, CenterPoints CEO at the time was replaced.

Despite what happened in 2020, CenterPoints rate reduction agreement Wednesday is unlikely to result in the current CEO Wells departure, CenterPoint chief communications officer Keith Stephens said.

That was one point in time. I dont expect anything like that, Stephens said.

Rate relief proposals

Under the terms of Wednesdays rate reduction agreement, CenterPoint would absorb approximately $10 million in transmission costs that the companys shareholders would pay for instead of ratepayers, Ryan said.

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CenterPoint has announced other rate relief proposals under pressure from political leaders and regulators. In August, the utility offered to forgo approximately $110 million in anticipated profits. In December, CenterPoint said customers would no longer be charged for the companys lease of controversial generators if those units find a new home in San Antonio, an idea that is under review by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the states power grid operator.

The 15 large generators have been under renewed scrutiny since a July Houston Chronicle investigation revealed they've never been used, including during Beryl. The PUC is conducting an ongoing audit into CenterPoints generators, which it leased from a little-known company where the former CEO had a felony conviction, among other issues.

The combination of Wednesdays rate reduction agreement and other commitments, including CenterPoint absorbing some of its 2024 storm costs, roughly equal the same amount that has been billed to customers for the generators since 2021, according to CenterPoints Wednesday statement. Currently, the generators add approximately $2.39 per month to the average households electricity bill.

Pending, upcoming rate increases

Alfred Herrera, a lawyer representing the Texas Coast Utilities Coalition, an association for Houston-area cities, warned that the rate reduction laid out in Wednesday's settlement agreement may soon be canceled out as CenterPoint files other rate increase requests.

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It will be washed out very quickly, Herrera said. But for the moment, this settlement is a very good result.

CenterPoint has a pending application to increase rates for the average household by $1.83 per month. Houston City Council denied this expedited rate increase application, which CenterPoint is expected to appeal to the PUC.

POLITICAL PRESSURE: Dan Patrick calls for CenterPoint CEO to resign and for audit of company operations

The utility also filed a request in November to increase rates so it can recover approximately $502 million of its costs restoring power after the May derecho. CenterPoint is expected to seek another rate-hike request for its Beryl expenses, which its leaders have previously pegged at approximately $1 billion.
A utility line crew member works to replace an older wooden power pole with a modern metal pole along Westpark Drive near Loop 610 Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer A utility line crew maneuvers a cut segment of a wooden power pole as the older pole is removed and replaced with a modern metal pole along Westpark Drive near Loop 610 Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

CenterPoint Energy is seeking to invest $5.75 billion to strengthen its Houston-area power grid against extreme weather from 2026 to 2028, according to a Friday afternoon announcement.

An application for its resiliency plan was filed with state officials and represents the largest single grid resiliency investment in CenterPoints history, according to the companys statement. Its also the most expensive resiliency plan filed by a Texas electric utility thus far.

ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS: New CenterPoint infrastructure overhaul will move more lines underground and install 25K stronger poles

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If approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the proposed investments would improve the resiliency of CenterPoints system by 30%, Darin Carroll, the companys vice president of electric business, said in an interview.

That means more than 500,000 customers would avoid outages in the event of another storm like last years Hurricane Beryl, which knocked out power to a record 2.2 million of CenterPoints customers, according to the companys statement.

In other words, it could reduce how long it takes for CenterPoint crews to restore power to everyone after a Beryl-like storm by one-third, since thered be less damage to the stronger system, Carroll said.

Resiliency is about how quickly we're able to bounce back. It's not about saying that lights won't go out anymore. It's how quick are we able to get things back up and running, he said.

Accelerating resiliency

CenterPoints Friday filing represents a major acceleration of its work so far to harden its Houston-area power lines and poles after widespread criticism of its Beryl response. The company had originally filed a $2.7 billion resiliency plan last April, but withdrew that application to go on a listening tour across the region and incorporate feedback into its latest plan.

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Since Beryl, under pressure from political leaders, CenterPoint has already installed 10,600 stronger poles, cleared 3,400 miles of hazardous vegetation near power lines and buried 200 miles of power lines, according to the companys Friday statement. It aims to install 25,000 stronger poles by the 2025 hurricane season.

Fridays resiliency plan proposed installing, replacing or bracing an additional 130,000 poles so they're stronger and more storm-resilient, which represents approximately 10% of CenterPoint's 1.2 million poles, Carroll said. CenterPoint also wants to move more than 50% of its system underground, up from 46% currently, he said.

These improvements would avoid 1.3 billion minutes of power outages for CenterPoints customers from now into 2029, Carroll said.

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If approved, rate increases for CenterPoints newest resiliency plan would begin around mid-2027, Jason Ryan, executive vice president of regulatory services and government affairs, said in an interview.

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The charges would begin around $2 per month for the average residential customer, with another approximately $2 per month added on around mid-2028, Ryan said. By mid-2029, the resiliency plan charge would stabilize at $7.33 per month, he said.

Proposed improvements

In addition to stronger poles and more buried lines, CenterPoint plans to elevate 99% of its substations above the 500-year flood plain to prepare for worst-case scenario storms, Carroll said. Substations are sites that convert electricity into different voltages.

The utility also wants to fund the ability to trim 100% of the vegetation along its 11,700 miles of power lines every three years, rather than every five years as it does now. Trees falling on power lines was a major cause of the Beryl mass outages, CenterPoint executives said in the storms aftermath.

Other proposals in the $5.75 billion plan include installing approximately 900 self-healing devices that detect outages and reroute power to uncompromised circuits, as well as enhancing CenterPoints existing IT systems so they can handle higher traffic.

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A map showing the locations of CenterPoint's proposed resiliency plan improvements from 2026 to 2028. Courtesy of CenterPoint Energy

Most of the proposed improvements would be made in the northeast part of CenterPoints service territory, with many concentrated in Harris County, according to a map provided by the company. Those are the areas that are the most outage-prone according to CenterPoints modeling, Carroll said.

Also, many suburbs developed after Houston and thus have newer infrastructure and more buried lines, he said.

Bill impacts

Though the resiliency plan itself will add approximately $7.33 per month to the average households bill, the net cost is approximately $3 per month when factoring in other bill reductions, CenterPoints Ryan said.

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For one, the plan is estimated to save customers approximately $50 million per year in storm-related costs, which translates to $1.28 per month in savings for the average household, he said. The May derecho and Beryl could cost customers up to $1.7 billion, company executives have said.

CenterPoint also reached a settlement agreement to reduce its base rate by approximately $1 per month for the average household earlier this week. On Friday, it withdrew an application to increase monthly residential rates by $1.83, citing the need to adjust this request based on the settlement, which is still pending regulatory approval.

The company might also send its unused large generators to the San Antonio utility to support power shortages in the region, which means CenterPoint customers would no longer pay $2.39 per month for those assets. That proposal is also pending approval.
Nepals Gorkha Earthquake: Lessons Learned for the Future

April 25, 2015, was the day Nepal was hit by one of its worst earthquakes ever. The Gorkha Earthquake with 7.8 magnitude caused massive destruction and left deep wounds to the nation. It took nearly 9,000 lives and injured over 22,000 others.

Hundreds of thousands of homes were destroyed leaving millions of people homeless. This disaster showed us the need for better preparedness and coordination in disaster management.

Immediate Impact and Response

The earthquake hit the central part of Nepal, with its epicenter in Gorkha district, 181 km northwest of Kathmandu. The tremors were felt in India, Bangladesh, and China. The destruction was huge, 14 districts including Kathmandu Valley were severely affected. Thousands of buildings collapsed schools, hospitals, and cultural heritage sites. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, making the situation worse. On May 12, another aftershock of 7.3 magnitude hit, adding to the damage and loss of life.

Government and international organizations started search and rescue operations. Nepals security forces worked day and night to save lives, but they faced many challenges, lack of equipment, damaged roads, and poor communication. Foreign assistance poured in from all over the world, over 130 foreign medical teams arrived to support the relief work.

Health Sectors Response

Nepals health sector responded quickly too. Within hours of the disaster the Ministry of Health activated its Health Emergency Operations Center. Hub hospitals in Kathmandu and other regions were set up to receive the injured.

International medical teams along with local health workers provided critical care to the injured including surgeries and trauma services. Triage points were set up at airports to receive those who were being airlifted from remote areas.

Despite the chaos the health sector performed well. No major outbreaks of disease were reported due to good surveillance and early action. Vaccination campaigns against measles and cholera were launched in the affected areas. However, services were disrupted in some rural areas, especially for maternal and neonatal care.

Lessons Learned

The Gorkha earthquake taught us many lessons on disaster preparedness. One of the biggest challenges was the lack of coordination between government and international organizations. Help arrived fast but aid distribution was slow, and many remote areas were left without necessities for days. Poor road infrastructure and landslides made it difficult to reach these areas.

Another big issue was the lack of earthquake resistant buildings. Most of the buildings that collapsed were old and not built according to the standards. Many modern buildings also failed due to poor construction. Experts say we need to strictly enforce the building codes to prevent such destruction in future.

The earthquake additionally uncovered weaknesses in Nepals catastrophe management systems. While the on-the-spot response became commendable, the long-term recovery has been gradual. Many human beings suffering from the earthquake are nonetheless expecting permanent housing. The National Reconstruction Authority was hooked up to oversee the rebuilding technique, but progress has been hindered with the aid of forms and political instability.

Moving Forward

As Nepal looks to the future, it is miles clear that better preparedness is prime to minimizing the impact of future screw ups. Nepal is notably liable to earthquakes due to its place along the tectonic boundary among the Indian and Eurasian plates. Experts warn that some other predominant earthquake may want to strike at any time.

To cope with those risks, Nepal must cognizance on implementing constructing codes and selling earthquake-resistant creation practices. Public consciousness campaigns about catastrophe preparedness are also crucial, as is the need for proper making plans and coordination between diverse stakeholders, such as government companies, international companies, and nearby groups.

Despite the demanding situations, there is a wish. The resilience of the Nepali people has been awesome. Communities have come collectively to rebuild, and the government has made efforts to enhance disaster management structures. The training found out from the Gorkha earthquake can assist Nepal build a safer and greater prepared future.
Geneva: Expressing annoyance over the continued detention of over 40 journalists in Myanmar, the global media safety and rights body Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) urges the military regime in Naypietaw to release all media persons with no condition and delay. The PEC appreciated the Independent Press Council Myanmar (IPCM) for documenting the media casualty and detentions under the current junta that grabbed power on 1 February 2021 from the democratically elected NLD government led by Nobel peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

According to the IPCM, at least seven journalists were killed and 200 others arrested by the Min Aung Hlaing-led junta since the 2021 coup, where journalists are still under detention with 11 scribes to serve long-term prison terms. The forum admitted that there may be more journalists under detention, which has not come to the light. It added that the military dictators unjustly arrested media workers under the brutal laws like Unlawful Associations Act, Counter-Terrorism Law, Telecommunications Law, Explosive Substances Act, Natural Disaster Management Law, Immigration Act, etc.

"We condemn the Myanmar military authorities for persecuting the media persons with various inhuman laws. Many media outlets have been restricted in carrying out their normal activities. A large number of media workers have left the country to escape the military atrocities. The military regime must release all detainees including journalists and political prisoners as early as possible," said PEC president Blaise Lempen, adding that the military dictators should also offer due financial compensations to the bereaved families of seven victim scribes.

PEC's southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that since the Feb 21 coup the Land of Pagodas lost journalists namely Ko Myat Thu Tun (Democratic Voice of Burma), Htet Myat Thu (Voice of Thanbyuzayat), Win Htut Oo (DVB), Pu Tui Dim (Khonumthung Media Group), Sai Win Aung (Federal News Journal), Aye Kyaw and Ko Soe Naing (both freelancers) to military atrocities. Along with IPCM (which was established in Chiang Mai of Thailand in 2023), the PEC has also recorded their cases in its official website (www.pressemblem.ch).
Democrats suggestions that former inmates who do exceptionally well on probation should get a break on the time they are in the system died with Gov. Glenn Youngkins vetoes last year.

But now that two law-and-order Republicans, including a longtime Chesapeake jail deputy, are pushing the idea, advocates are hoping the governor will take a fresh look.

Andre Cooper, nearing the end of his 10 years on probation, says its the kind of break that could keep many former inmates he knows sticking to the tough path of finding a new life that does not involve crime.

He is hoping that this years bills, Senate Bill 936 and House Bill 2252, make it to Youngkins desk and win over the governor.

Last August, Youngkin issued an executive order detailing 23 specific steps state agencies were to take to help people on probation address the challenges that Cooper overcame: to nail down a job, housing, education and therapy to address underlying mental health and substance abuse issues.

For Cooper, probation got off to a rocky start after he finished serving a sentence for a 2007 carjacking, despite some luck that not every former inmate sees.

Hes finding a new life only after he took a hard look at himself while on probation. With that hard look, he says he dug deep to make changes.

I wanted to be better. I wanted to be different, he said.

So even after completing substance abuse and behavioral health programs that his probation officer ordered, he made the time and put in the effort to follow up with additional programs that all too many people cant make it through.

Hes doing well enough these days that his probation officer is asking for only a quarterly check-in. And while hes OK, he thinks others would be helped by getting an occasional attaboy.

Itd make a difference, he said.

Basically, measures introduced this year by state Sen. Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake, who worked 16 years as a deputy in that citys jail, and Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, like the same measures that state Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, and Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Albemarle, introduced last year, cut some of the time people stay on probation if they meet specific targets.

Weve got to get them to a place where they can be on their own ... where they can do better, so they dont think they need to do crimes, Craig said.

This is a public safety bill, she said. It will reduce recidivism.

Favola, whose bill last year passed the Senate unanimously and the House on a bipartisan vote of 56-40, said she believes theres a lot of support on both sides of the aisle for former inmates who are really trying to make new lives for themselves.

Theyre doing the things they need to do to be integrated back into society, and we should acknowledge that, she said.

Goals for working, housing

The bill says a judge can decrease defendants time on probation if they hit several specific goals for working, housing, education and programs on mental health and substance abuse.

They arent easy targets, Cooper says  although he got lucky with one the big ones: a job.

Not too long after he got out of prison, he landed a place as a dishwasher in Norfolk, at a restaurant where other former inmates worked at jobs that many employers dont mind trusting to a former inmate.

Since then, he has worked as a cook and in convenience stores, while going to school.

Still, like many, he made a misstep: a probation violation for having a gun when, as a person convicted of a felony, he was not allowed to.

That meant he had to serve some of the prison time that had been suspended by a judge in 2008. That violation cost him five years behind bars. His original sentence was 20 years but with 19 suspended so he had at that point spent only a year in prison.

Cooper got lucky, too, with a probation officer.

When he told his officer about a lapse using drugs, the officer decided not to revoke probation and send him back to prison but instead directed him to a substance abuse program.

For people on supervision, this bill ensures their efforts are recognized  whether theyre working 30 hours a week, pursuing education, or providing for their families, said Erin Haney, chief policy officer for REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit group that advocates for reform of probation and parole law.

She said that recognition can make the difference between hopelessness and hope, offering individuals a clear path to rebuild their lives and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

This legislation reflects whats possible when we focus on common ground, she said. Theres usually a focus on punishment, but part of accountability is accounting for progress.

If the governor signs the bills Cooper is hoping are enacted, holding down a job  30 hours a week or more  could reduce time on probation, if a judge agrees, by 30 days for every six-month period the former inmate hits that target.

Hitting the education goals  earning a high school diploma if the former inmate doesnt have one  carrying a 15-credit load at a college or university over six months or earning a college degree  or completing a mental health or substance abuse program could be a 60-day reduction of time on probation. Renting a place to live or making payments on a home for six months and maintaining health insurance for six months could mean 30 days off.

Probation can last for years. ... We want to help people who are trying to do better, Williams said.

Craig, thinking of the inmates she got to know in her years working at Chesapeake jail, and what she heard from some who had come back on new charges after release, said these targets can be tough to meet.

This isnt a free ride, she said.

Health insurance

Take the question of securing health insurance. Medicaid is suspended when people are incarcerated, and it can take months for the necessary paperwork to get through the system, a longstanding complaint of agencies trying to help former inmates return to their communities.

One of Youngkins executive order directives calls for a statewide coordinator to speed the process of enrolling for Medicaid and other social services benefits. Another focuses on speeding the process of securing IDs from the Department of Motor Vehicles, something any Virginian needs for banking, access to many buildings and other easy-to-overlook incidents of daily life.

Youngkins order called for closer cooperation between probation and prison officials with community services boards, the regional or local entities that provide mental health and substance abuse care. It also called for stepped-up efforts by the Department of Corrections, state workforce agencies, community colleges and the Department of Housing and Community Development to help inmates preparing to leave prison start on finding work, education and housing.

I think the bill is in line with the executive order, Craig said.

Last year, Youngkin vetoed the measure, saying it creates a risk of offenders losing valuable oversight and guidance from the probation system.

But for Callsen, the bill is aimed at former inmates who are taking to heart the guidance of probation officers and going beyond simply submitting themselves to the systems oversight.

We should incentivize it when they come out of prison and they get a job, get education and do all the things we want them to be doing, she said.
Cancun police arrest suspected triggerman in deadly parkade shooting

Cancun, Q.R.  Cancun police have arrested a man they say is one of the triggermen in the recent shooting in an underground parkade. According to police, initial investigations indicate that Marco Antonio N is one of the people who killed a man in a central shopping mall on January 25 of this year.

Police say Marco Antonion N was arrested in flagrante delicto by elements of the Investigative Police on Bahia Son Bartolome Street in Supermanzana 247, who was found with various plastic bags containing dried grass with the characteristics of marijuana.

Since his arrest for drug dealing, police say their investigation revealed him as one of several gunmen who shot at a private car 29 times, killing the driver. According to police, five people were involved in that shooting.
President Sheinbaum reverses Mexicos 2013 energy reform

Mexico City, Mexico  President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo signed a set of secondary laws of the constitutional reform on energy matters. The secondary laws reverse the modifications made in 2013 by former President Enrique Pena Nieto.

Sheinbaum says the reversal strengthens the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) as public companies of the State, which will allow them to be more efficient and transparent, governed by the principle of Republican Austerity.

It is, lets say, a reversal of Pena Nietos 2013 reform, the objective of which was to privatize. In fact, it is a reversal, even, of reforms to the secondary laws of 1992.

The public sense of CFE and Pemex is recovered as guarantors of the provision of energy for the people of Mexico and as guarantors of national sovereignty. A part of private production is maintained, but public companies are strengthened.

These laws are something very important, transcendent, historic, she explained.

Sheinbaum says the secondary laws will allow compliance with the Mexico Plan, since there will be greater availability of energy and clear mechanisms for public financing and the participation of private investment.

President Sheinbaum considers it a historic Investment Plan for the CFE with $23.4 billion USD to strengthen the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in Mexico.

These are the Law of the State Public Company, Petroleos Mexicanos, the Law of the State Public Company, Federal Electricity Commission, the Law of Planning and Energy Transition, the Law of the Electric Sector, the Law of the Hydrocarbon Sector and the Law of the National Energy Commission.

It is a very profound reform which we are very pleased with because we are giving viability to the country in the future, to the people of Mexico, and the guarantee of energy justice and at the same time, the guarantee that there is sufficient energy at affordable costs for the development of the country, she said.

According to Sheinbaum, as part of the reforms, in the case of CFE, there is already an estimated Investment Plan until 2030, which projects an estimated investment of $23.4 billion dollars of which $12.3 billion will be for the generation of 13,000 megawatts, $7.5 billion dollars for transmission and $3.6 billion dollars for distribution.

There will be enough electricity and the transmission of that electricity for the development of the country.

Energy Secretary Luz Elena Gonzalez Escobar said the package of secondary laws represents a decisive step in consolidating the countrys sovereignty and benefits the people of Mexico.

They are the missing foundation to guarantee a strong, reliable, sustainable energy sector, but with national sovereignty and social justice at its core, he added.

The reform allows Pemex and CFE to be reintegrated horizontally and vertically, ending the absurd strict legal separation imposed by the 2013 reform, which hindered their efficient operation for the benefit of all Mexicans, she said.

In addition, they are given a special regime for managing their budget, accounting, and debt with specific annual guidelines and goals.

The Electricity Sector Law, she explained, recognizes the essence of Pemex and CFE as guarantors of the continuity, accessibility, security, and reliability of the national electricity system and the provision of hydrocarbons and natural gas.

In the case of Pemex, preference is given to determine the areas of exploration and extraction as well as the possibility of deciding whether to associate with private parties in mixed contracts.

The Petroleum Law for Well-being is incorporated as a new tax regime. The national petrochemical industry is rescued, as is the production of free fertilizers and the traceability of hydrocarbons is improved, making the delivery of information from the entry of fuels to their distribution in gas stations mandatory.
China's exports to over 160 countries, regions achieve growth in 2024

Xinhua) 09:41, February 01, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's exports to over 160 countries and regions saw growth in 2024, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

The country's exports grew 7.1 percent year on year, reaching 25.45 trillion yuan (about 3.55 trillion U.S. dollars) last year, marking the eighth consecutive year of growth, according to the latest data released by the GAC.

Exports to Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia increased by 23.3 percent, 19.2 percent and 18.2 percent year on year, respectively. Exports to ASEAN countries and nations participating in the Belt and Road Initiative grew by 13.4 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, exports to traditional markets, such as the European Union and the United States, rose by 4.3 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively.

Lyu Daliang, a GAC official, said that despite growing uncertainties and challenges, China's exports -- characterized by a wide range of products -- are expected to remain resilient and dynamic, supported by both incremental and existing policies.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Users of Microsoft's MS365 suite of programs can expect subscription prices to rise at it rolls out its Copilot AI product. Michel Euler/AP The Windows version of MS 365 includes a separate Copilot app that includes templates and tasks for use with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other apps. The app is not available in the Mac version. screenshot When the Copilot AI feature is added to your subscription to Microsoft 365, this big-font prompt appears at the top of every blank document you open in Word. Seen here in the Mac version of Word. screenshot

Dana Stevens was livid.

As the movie critic for the venerable web magazine Slate and the author of a recent book about silent film icon Buster Keaton, Stevens virtually lives in Microsoft Word, the most-used word processor on the planet.

She opened it up on her Mac one day last month to find the words Select the icon or press  +\ to draft with Copilot emblazoned in a huge font across the top of the usually blank document. Artificial intelligence was ready to go to work for her, but Stevens wasnt having it.

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I suddenly noticed that Copilot had started appearing at the top of all my documents, she said in an interview. It's extremely annoying. Writers I know who usually dont talk about tech were complaining about it. I started to notice in my Bluesky feed that other film critics were saying, Why is this stupid Copilot prompt appearing and how do I get rid of it? I just want a blank piece of paper.

Stevens, who lives in Brooklyn but grew up in San Antonio, soon discovered that she was going to be paying more for Word as a part of her annual subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal, the productivity software suite originally known as Office  a lot more. Her annual cost had been $69.99, but at the next renewal, it will jump $30 to $99.99 because of the addition of the Copilot AI feature.

And most of those on the MS 365 Family plan will see its $99.99 price go up to $129.99. Those paying for either of those plans by the month will see the price go up by $3.

Copilot is Microsofts generative AI initiative, born of its partnership with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. It already is available as a chatbot and as a tool in its Microsoft Edge browser. In MS365, it is designed to help users do everything from draft/edit/summarize content in Word; to converting a set of notes into a PowerPoint presentation, complete with AI-generated graphics; to analyzing a complex spreadsheet or turn it into a series of easier-to-read charts and graphs.

In the Windows version of MS365, there is a separate Copilot app that includes templates for tasks for the suites programs. Its available in iOS and Android mobile apps, but for now its not found in the Mac version. You would think this app would be a natural place to put a one-click, No AI for me, thanks! button, but no.

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(And theres precedence for a button like that. Microsoft has a history of letting its productivity suite users easily revert to a previous style with a simple click when a new version is released. For example, currently theres a menu item in the Mac version of Outlook labeled Legacy Outlook that takes you back to the previous interface of that email app.)

Microsoft late last year began experimenting with how it would roll out, and charge for, Copilot in MS365 in six Asia-Pacific markets. There, it applied the price increase and turned on Copilot for its users. In January, the company did the same for all its MS365 Personal and Family plan customers, giving them Copilot whether they wanted it or not.

The price hike will be applied at the next renewal date, or the next monthly payment point, depending on the plan selected. You can roll back to a non-Copilot plan and revert to the previous price  but its not easy to find, and new customers for MS365 wont get the non-Copilot option.

That said, if you bought your plan through a third party, or got a company discount when you signed up, you may see different pricing. For example, one Family user I know went to change to a classic plan, but because of his discount, the Copilot version of the plan was $90.99, while classic was $99.99. In this instance, he stuck with the Copilot plan.

And yes, you can turn off Copilot  but for now just in Word, and even then it may not be easy to do. For example, some users  including me and Stevens  dont see the checkbox to disable Copilot in the preferences, requiring them to jump through hoops to make the option show up. There are similar issues in the Windows version, and Microsoft has posted a detailed support document on how to get it to appear and disable Copilot.

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Windows guru Ed Bott (who I interviewed in last weeks column about Windows 10 losing support later this year) put it best in a headline for a scathing report: The Microsoft 365 Copilot launch was a total disaster. Frankly, Id say thats an understatement.

To me, Copilot in MS365 feels like an unfinished product, and certainly not one that merits a nearly 43% price increase. Turning on artificial intelligence by default  a controversial feature that not everyone wants  is presumptuous at least and disruptive at worst. Thats particularly true when you cant universally turn it off.

Gareth Oystryk, senior director of marketing for MS365, told me that the Asia-Pacific tests showed most users were focused on Copilot in Word, which is why the company initially enabled the checkbox to turn it off there. The other apps  including Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote  will get it later this month, he said.

But why, I asked him, is the feature turned on by default, and the price increase required? Why not offer Copilot as an add-on, and only charge people who actually want it, making it opt-in rather than opt-out  particularly since Microsoft clearly has work to do to finish it?

I think we were generally quite excited to bring this this feature set to our subscribers, Oystryk said. We continue to deliver innovations all the time to our 84 million (MS365) subscribers. The focus was based on the feedback we received during our pilot and during our customer testing to bring them that value.

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For those customers on MS365 plans who would prefer not to pay more for something they wont use, heres how to revert to the non-Copilot plan and the non-Copilot price.

Sign in to your Microsoft account on the web, then click Subscriptions. There, you will see your MS365 account and what youre currently paying for it. Click on Manage, then click Cancel Subscription. To keep you around, Microsoft will offer other plans, including MS 365 Personal or Family with the word Classic added. Thats what you had before, sans Copilot.

Oystryk told me there are caveats. Switching to classic is only for current subscribers; newcomers to MS365 cant get the Copilot-free plans. And if there are any other non-Copilot updates or enhancements, classic subscribers wont have access to them.

And this is not a permanent solution. While Oystryk wouldnt say how long the classic plans will be around, it wont be forever. If you dont want Copilot, act sooner rather than later.

Stevens had already switched back to the classic plan  her subscription would be hit with the price hike in January 2026  when we spoke and I was able to walk her through turning off Copilot in Word. But before that, the always-present prompt to use Copilot felt intrusive.

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Tamales, chili and smoked boudin at Uncle Henry's Tamales, Beaumont J.C. Reid/Contributor Homemade beef link at Uncle Henry's Tamales, Beaumont J.C. Reid/Contributor Uncle Henry's Tamales, Beaumont J.C. Reid/Contributor

Like many food writers, I became interested in the subject because of where I grew up.

Except I often get puzzled looks when I tell people I was inspired by Beaumont, Texas.

For those who were raised in a small town, childhood memories are often confined to the borders of that world. You vaguely understood that there were other places  big places  somewhere else. Indeed, a trip to Houston to go to Astroworld or the Galleria was a big deal back in those days.

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Then you grow up and move away to some of those big places, and your small-town upbringing is put into perspective. What your town lacked in cosmopolitan flair, it compensated for with singular, deeply rooted food traditions  cuisines that could only exist in a place like Beaumont, for example.

One of those places is Uncle Henrys Tamales.

When I was a child, we ordered tamales from one of two places, both takeout joints. One was in a defunct Fotomat kiosk located in a Weingartens supermarket parking lot. It still had the Fotomat signage, so you had to be a Beaumonter to know this was one of the citys premier tamale distribution sites. It didnt have posted hours, so you just had to have a feel for when the Mexican-American woman would slide open the glass window to distribute her wares.

Uncle Henrys was the other place wed go for tamales. Located in the Pear Orchard neighborhood known for its many Black and Creole restaurants, it would later move to its current location off the Eastex Freeway across from Parkdale Mall.

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Now owned and run by Hal Guillory, the nephew of founder Henry Guillory, the menu here could only exist in Southeast Texas. There are the tamales, of course. But Uncle Henrys is perhaps best known for its hog cracklins  the deep-fried pig skin thats a staple of Cajun and Creole joints in Southwest Louisiana.

Then there are the Beaumont-style beef links made famous by Pear Orchard barbecue joints including Patillos, Gerards and Broussards. Uncle Henry's version has less fat than you find at other Beaumont joints, but no less flavor with a generous portion of garlic and chile powder mixed into ground beef, stuffed into casings, and cooked on a smoker.

Theres a link of rice-y boudain on the menu (spelled with an a that is unique to Beaumont) thats offered as a smoked version. A cup of Texas red-style chili is the ultimate condiment for a tray of Beaumont cuisine found at Uncle Henrys.

On a recent visit, I walked up to the order window, dodging the line of cars stretched out to East Lucas Drive, and ordered most of the menu. I unwrapped a steaming tamale, poured on some chili and took a bite that returned me to my youth.

Now, of course, I know that Uncle Henrys tamales are a unique version known as Mississippi Delta-style tamales, or Creole-style as they call them in Beaumont. These tamales differ from traditional Mexican-American tamales in that they use corn meal instead of masa for the dough. Its something you learn when you move away from a small town and start writing about food.

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Growing up in Beaumont, though, whether we got the tamales from the lady at the Fotomat or from Uncle Henrys, a tamale was just a tamale.
This is Checking Out, a column about how we shop, what we buy, and how it all makes us feel. Email tips and ideas to checking.out@slate.com.

The year was 1888. It was the height of the Gilded Age. George Eastman founded Kodak. Katzs Deli opened its doors. Robert Moses was born. And Americans could now buy chewing gum from a vending machine.

This history of the vending machine can be traced, in some form or another, to first-century Egypt, where, legend has it, the first vending machinetype contraption gave out holy water in exchange for a coin.

But it wasnt until the 19th century, in Britain, that more recognizable coin-operated forms of vending machines started cropping up to sell postcards, paper, and stamps. Other countries took note, and eventually the idea made its way across the ocean by the end of the 1800s.

In the U.S., after the machines repertoire expanded to include cigarettes, carbonated drinks, and other food, they also began to accept a different form of payment. Rather than slotting in coins, users could insert dollar bills, a move that would revolutionize the industry.

Fast-forward to today: Youre at the airport for an early-morning flight. You need something to eat, but the terminals Starbucks doesnt open until 8. Chances are, within walking distance, there will be something to satiate you for the time being, even if youre getting it from a machine.

Vending machines have become a staple in airports, hotels, factories, schools, bars, and museums. (Even at my recent visit to Auschwitz, there was a whole row of machines in the museums cafe.) While weve come to associate these appliances with a pretty generic assortment of productschips, Coke, the occasional stick of gumtheir edible offerings have expanded to salads, cheese, and even acai bowls. Beyond food, their options run the gamut of commercial goods: iPads, Plan B, Narcan, and actual bullets.

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They are no longer limited to snacks and sodas; now they serve as lifestyle hubs, writes Ethan Kohan, the CEO and founder of Pod Plug. His companys machinescustomized for nightlife venuessell items including tampons, condoms, vapes, and phone chargers. This innovation allows operators to target niche markets and achieve higher profit margins by selling in-demand items in the right locations, Kohan writes, noting that the average Pod Plug machine generates between $1,200 and $1,500 a month.

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Enter the vendpreneurs, people who buy machines in the hopes of earning passive income because they are so reliable. Some vending professionals, including Kohan, offer courses to help others to do the same (though he emphasizes that the venture isnt as passive as it seems). Profits vary, though: A 2020 analysis from Hustle that surveyed 23 vending machine owners with various-sized operations found that each machine made an average of only $309 a month.

Gone are the days when vending machines were simple coin-operated snack dispensers, writes Dave Berman, a co-founder of the U.K. vending-machine service company VendEase. Today they are smart, data-driven, and far more capable of maximizing revenue while improving the customer experience.

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Perhaps the biggest influence on vending machines has been how we pay for the products in them.

Going cashless now means that you can pay for an item with whatever you have in your pocket, says Michael L. Kasavana, a professor emeritus at Michigan State Universitys School of Hospitality Business. This reflects a larger trend toward more screen-based salesthough, luckily, vending machines wont ask you for a tip.

And although payment technology has improved the experience, the machines themselves have gotten upgrades that allow them to offer way more products. Most traditional vending machines could hold between 40 and 45 products, says Kasavana. But by compartmentalizing and integrating digital screens to show their inventoryrather than the rows of productsmachines can offer about twice as many items. This digitization has also helped keep some of the machines more expensive offerings safe. The digital screens hide products and allow them to be stored more securely within the machine itself.

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Another game changer for both the machine operator and customers? Being able to take stock of the device without actually visiting it.

The tech updates allow machines to report stock levels and maintenance issues in real time, writes Berman. This means we can proactively restock machines before they run out of popular items and address any technical issues before they disrupt sales. Not only does this keep customers happy, but it also significantly reduces operational inefficienciessomething that simply wasnt possible in the past.

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All told, its easier than ever to operate vending machines, even (or especially) if youre not a big company. This might explain why they pop up nearly everywhereand why people are hopping on the bandwagon to monetize them.

Related From Slate Why Is This Simple Wardrobe Staple in Decline? Read More

The model for profitability in the vending industry has changed because of the fact its become a lot more efficient of an operation. Even though you may still have a commission to pay for this location, it still is a better financial deal now than it was years ago, explains Kasavana. He has the numbers to prove it too. According to a report from the NAMA Foundation, the association representing the convenience services industry, while the total number of vending machines has gone down over the past five years, the sales per machine have increased substantially.

Most people call it unattended retail, he notes.

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It also exemplifies a larger societal shift toward contactless shopping experiences, a trend already evident in retail and poised to become even more widespread in the years to come. The NAMA report identifies a shift away from traditional vending machines and toward micromarkets: unstaffed retail spaces that also dominate airports, selling overpriced food and drinks.

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And its vending machines that have paved the way for these stores by charging a little bit more for your PopTarts and Oreosand banking on the fact that youll still buy the overpriced snacks because its the easiest option.

Vending is one of those industries that most people dont think much about, but once youre in it, you see the incredible potential for smart, technology-driven solutions that make everyday life easier, writes Berman.

The whole thing with vending is, its still a convenience, adds Kasavana. All the vending machines are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as long as theyre stocked.

And in some caseslike an early flightits the only option.
Emilia Perez is this years most divisive Oscar nomineefor more reasons than one. Culture critics and film lovers have spent the past month debating the films merits (or, depending on who you ask, lack thereof). But things really started to reach a boiling point this week when some rather distasteful old comments from both the films star, Karla Sofia Gascon, and writer-director Jacques Audiard resurfaced in a span of just a couple of days. The many threads of controversy have been hard to follow, requiring an interested reader to wade through old tweets both vetted and unverified, multiple public apologies, and even suspicions about whether or not the academys social media regulations had been violated. But dont worry, I trudged through Emilia Perezs muck so you dont have to. Read on for a breakdown of the wild controversy surrounding one of this awards seasons strongest contenders.

OK, Ive got my popcorn and Im ready for the drama. How did everything start?

While this train of escalating drama has taken off faster than the speed of light, it seems like the tides began to turn when Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gasconthe lead actress of Emilia Perez, who made history as the first openly transgender person to ever be nominated for an acting Oscarmade comments that some perceived as a slight toward fellow Best Actress nominee Fernanda Torres. Per a translation from Variety, in a Jan. 21 interview with a Brazilian news outlet, Gascon criticized the social media campaigns for films that diminish the work of other nominees in order to promote their own. Gascon then mentioned Torres, the Brazilian actress nominated for her work in the film Im Still Here, and the Im Still Here team, saying: I have never, at any point, said anything bad about Fernanda Torres or her movie. However, there are people working with Fernanda Torres tearing me and Emilia Perez down. That speaks more about their movie than mine.

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Some called into question whether Gascons comments violated the academys recently updated social media regulations by directly referencing Torres, who, it should be noted, has also been on both sides of public perception, getting praise for becoming the first Brazilian actress to win a Golden Globe for Im Still Here (Torres mother was the first-ever Brazilian Golden Globe nominee), but also receiving flak for a recently resurfaced 17-year-old sketchfor which the actress has since apologizedshowing Torres appearing in blackface. However, on Wednesday, in a statement given to Variety, Gascon explained that she wasnt criticizing Torres or those directly associated with hercalling the actress a wonderful allybut rather toxicity and violent hate speech on social media more generally. (For now, it seems Gascons original comments regarding Torres reportedly do not violate Oscar campaign rules.)

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Given how much Ive seen Gascons name in recent headlines, Im assuming theres more to this story?

Yes, and I will say that it gets decidedly worse from here. After the comments about Torres were put to bed on Wednesday, things ramped up the very next day when journalist Sarah Hagi alerted the world about Gascons history of uncouth tweets in a fairly lengthy X thread of screenshots. Many of the tweetsposted in Spanish, largely from 20202021 (though some are more recent)are too disparaging and offensive to reprint here, but they include sentiments that run the gamut from Islamophobic, xenophobic, and racist to antisemitic. In addition to the incredibly xenophobic and Islamophobic tweets curated by Hagi, another tweet making the rounds shows the actress chiding the 2021 Oscars: More and more the #Oscars are looking like a ceremony for independent and protest films, I didnt know if I was watching an Afro-Korean festival, a Black Lives Matter demonstration or the 8M. Apart from that, an ugly, ugly gala. Another, referenced in the same Variety report, shows Gascon disparaging George Floyd, referring to him as a drug addict swindler. And yet another, referenced in this piece from the New York Times, made racist comments about Chinese people in relation to COVID-19.

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Oh god. Did Gascon respond to these resurfaced tweets? Were they taken down?

Later that day, Gascon apologized in a short statement issued by Netflix. In the statement, via NBC, Gascon expressed: As someone in a marginalized community, I know this suffering all too well and I am deeply sorry to those I have caused pain. However, shortly after, the actress deleted her entire X account. In a much lengthier exclusive statement later provided to the Hollywood Reporter, Gascons tone had shifted. Per THR, the actress wrote: Im sorry, but I can no longer allow this campaign of hate and misinformation to affect me and my family, adding that she has been threatened with death, insulted, abused and harassed to the point of exhaustion. Gascon continues by stating that she has defended each and every one of the minorities in this world and supported any event against racism, freedom of religion or homophobia, calling her past opinions erroneous, and apologizing to anyone who has ever felt offended for them (or would), attributing them to her getting swept up in the toxicity of social media. (One of these days, weve got to have a mandatory, society-wide conversation about the right way to apologize.) Most perplexingly, Gascons statement ends by blaming some indiscriminate force for allegedly trying to tear her down or sink her, writing: I cannot be responding to every single thing you bring up to try to sink me. But if you want, you can continue attacking me as if I were responsible for hunger and wars in the world. Gascon asserts that it is clear that there is something very dark behind it. She finishes with the phrase NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO, which THR reports is a Japanese phrase related to Nichiren Buddhism.

 OK then! I hesitate to ask but: Is that all?

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Nope! While Gascons torrid 24 or so hours ends there (so far), Jacques Audiard, the Oscar nominated writer-director behind Emilia Perez, has also landed in the hot seat for some controversial comments he made about the Spanish language in recent months. During an August video interview with the French culture-focused media outlet Konbini, in which the French director was explaining why he wrote Emilia Perez in Spanish as opposed to English or French, called the languageas roughly translatedone of modest countries, developing countries, of poor people and migrants. The resurfaced clip has inspired the ire of online commentators and of actor John Leguizamo, who lambasted Audiard on Threads.

How are people reacting to this onslaught of discoveries?

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Despite the fact that this incredibly divisive movie was made and written by a white, cisgender French man, and filmed almost exclusively outside of Mexico, it has somehow become a major awards contender. It is an awards darling that won big at the Golden Globes and leads the pack of Oscar-nominated films with a total of 13 nominations. Naturally, people are finding these comments to be upsetting, enraging, and, if the movie were to rack up more trophies, even more disappointing. But theres also a streak of irony in the PR disaster that has unfolded; as many have observed, it seems fitting that a film criticized as racist, transphobic (or, at the very least, heavily outdated), and/or just plain ol bad would then go on to have so many not-dissimilar issues haunting its awards campaign.

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I know that Gascon, Audiard, and the movie are up for Best Actress, Director, and Picture (respectively) at this years upcoming Oscars. Does this controversy hurt the chances of them winning? What even were their chances in the first place?

While one would think that this stir is likely to squander some of the favor Emilia Perez has curried in the eyes of academy voters (who wont vote for the final winners until mid-February), it is entirely unclear if it will deter a win. After all, in 2019, the similarly polarizing Green Book won Best Picture, even after the films screenwriter Nick Vallelonga came under fire for a resurfaced tweet from 2015 in which he disparaged Muslims in a response to Donald Trump.

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Related From Slate The Troubling Story of Emilia Perez: From Transphobia to Oscar Hype Read More

But Gascon, at least, was already considered least-favored to win Best Actress (with Demi Moore being in the lead), according to the aggregator and awards-prediction site GoldDerby. For Best Director, Audiard trails in second place behind The Brutalist writer-director Brady Corbet, which is also true of the predicted standings for Best Picture. So, while some critics and Yahoos algorithm for predicting the Best Picture winner place Emilia Perez as the favorite to win the big award of the night, others are equally as convinced that, even before the controversy, the award was going to go to The Brutalist anyway. (However, The Brutalist doesnt come without its own controversy either, as the discovery that A.I. was used to perfect small portions of the actors Hungarian dialect ruffled the feathers of many cinephiles.)

In short, everything is still up in the air. Emilia Perezs chances could be slimmer because of all this, but it was hard to ascertain what the films chances of winning were to begin with. Then again, maybe it will become the next Green Book, which is just the most recent Crash, which is just another rehash of Shakespeare in Love winning over Saving Private Ryan. The academy voters may never learn, but I sincerely hope Gascon and Audiard do.
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Donald Trump has spent his first two weeks as president creating maximal chaos for vulnerable communities across the country. Some of his most venomous attacks have been directed at the dignity, health, and safety of transgender Americans, including service members and children. Although trans people account for less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, they were the subject of hateful rhetoric and scorn throughout Trumps campaign and have been the earliest targets in a project animated almost exclusively by fear and hatred.

On this weeks Slate Plus bonus episode of Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discuss the concerted attack on trans rights, the scope of legal protections, and what is at stake for the rest of us. A preview of their conversation, below, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Dahlia Lithwick: There has been really frightening news this week about a sequence of attacks on trans children, transgender service members, and the rights of all gender-nonconforming Americans who thought they were protected from blatant discrimination by the U.S. Supreme Court. You and I both know a lot of families who are frightened right now because of this relentless drumbeat of insults, threats, violence, dismissal, and erasure.

Mark Joseph Stern: Whats happening right now is the biggest, broadest, most vicious assault on transgender existence weve ever seen. It blows everything else out of the water. As I go through these orders, youll see that the scope of it is unfathomable. Trump has changed the federal definition of men and women to erase transgender and nonbinary people. Transgender and nonbinary people can no longer get accurate identity documents from the federal government, including passports and visas. He has mandated discrimination against transgender people who are held in federal prisons. He has cut off their access to gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy. He is forcibly detransitioning incarcerated trans people. He is ordering them to be housed with people of the opposite gender identity, which we know is a recipe for assault and sexual violence.

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Trump has banned transgender people from the military, including a potential mass discharge of the many thousands of trans people who are currently serving honorably. He has purported to defund all medical and research institutions that provide gender-affirming care to people under 19. That includes 18-year-olds who are legal adults. He has banned federal health insurance providers from covering gender-affirming care for people under 19. He has ordered K12 schools to discriminate against transgender students, and he has even attempted to bar transgender federal employees from using the bathroom at work that aligns with their gender identity. Its basically a bathroom ban throughout all federal buildingsissued at the same time as his return-to-office mandate. So transgender employees now have to go back into an office every day that does not allow them to use the bathroom of their choosing.

This is having devastating consequences already. A bunch of hospitals, including Childrens National, have just abruptly cut off care for transgender youth. They have denied hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and all kinds of treatment for kids who are already receiving it, because they are terrified they will lose millions and millions of dollars in federal funds. Its happening everywhere right now.

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A lot of these orders are not clearly legal. Some of them, I think, are clearly illegal. I dont believe that Trump has the power to withhold federal funding from institutions that refuse to discriminate against transgender people. I dont think he can force almost every K12 school in this country to discriminate against transgender students. But hes trying; hes claiming the power. And every day that goes by without a court order against him, people are acclimating themselves to the idea that he has these dictatorial powers to mandate nationwide transgender inequality. Im looking forward to the lawsuits. I think they will come fast and furious. Some already have. But in the meantime, its just a five-alarm fire for all trans people right now. My heart breaks for them.

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Lets talk about the trans ban in the military, in no small part because weve been down this road before. In his first term, Trump announced his ban by way of a tweet. But its different this time. Lets read from Trumps Jan. 27 executive order, which bans transgender military service once again: Adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individuals sex conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in ones personal life. 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. This is Pete Hegseth heading up the Pentagon. This goes beyond Trumps first-term ban on transgender service members. Its a whole new level of overt hatred for trans Americans.

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Rightthis is just sheer animus toward transgender people. And its worth recalling that the initial iteration of this ban, in Trumps first term, was dressed up in pretext. Last time, the administration argued that allowing trans people to serve was bad for unit cohesion, that it sowed discord among the troops, that it undermined military preparedness. They argued that the military wouldnt be sufficiently lethal and ready to fightthat it cost too much money, draining tax dollars to provide health care to trans people.

These were all brazen lies. But the Trump administration did try to act as if this was rooted in something other than hatred. Now the mask is off, and the administration is targeting transgender people in the most hateful way possible. I guess there might be a small silver lining hereas perverse as that is to saybecause the Supreme Court has held that a government action rooted in pure animus toward a particular group is unconstitutional. And that perfectly describes this order: It is nothing less than sheer animus. At the same time, the court that held that is very different from the Supreme Court of today, and I fear that five or six conservative justices will allow the president to just assert his Article 2 powers to override all existing civil-rights precedent.

Its a bleak moment, but this is not a foregone conclusion. I am glad to see the service members fighting as hard as they can through lawsuits already. They need to, at a minimum, force the justices to confront what Trump is doing and decide whether they really want to allow for the purge of thousands of service members just because the president hates them and wants them to suffer.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250201/ex-us-colonel-mounting-us-merc-deaths-signal-impending-collapse-of-ukraines-war-machine-1121524428.html

Ex-US Colonel: Mounting US Merc Deaths Signal Impending Collapse of Ukraine's War Machine

Ex-US Colonel: Mounting US Merc Deaths Signal Impending Collapse of Ukraine's War Machine

Sputnik International

Having lost tens of thousands of its best and most experienced troops in foolhardy attacks, Ukraine has become increasingly reliant on mercenaries to make up for this shortage in troops, Ret. Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen tells Sputnik.

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ukraine

donald trump

earl rasmussen

mercenaries

withdrawal

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Thus, an increase in casualties among these mercenaries is a natural occurrence that serves as an indication of a slow and actually increasing collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.Unlike its senile predecessor and his cohorts, the Trump administration seems to be gaining a sense of realism regarding the way the Ukrainian conflict is going, veteran international consultant Ret. Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen tells Sputnik.Western media narrative has now shifted from celebrating virtually everything Kiev does to a sobering assessment of the growing casualty and desertion rates in the Ukrainian military.This may be an attempt to shape the public opinion as the US could be mulling either abandoning the Ukraine completely or passing the burden of supporting Kiev to someone else.Maybe try to shut it down or perhaps just pass the Ukraine project over to Europe and say, you take care of it, it's your problem. So I think the US is trying to to extradite themselves out of the situation potentially.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250131/desertion-epidemic-ukrainian-soldiers-flee-as-army-collapses-on-the-battlefield--1121522239.html

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western mercenaries in ukraine, ukraine military collapsing, will us abandon ukraine
Shakari Briggs is a Quality of Life reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She focuses on issues in the rapidly growing suburbs and surrounding counties.

Before joining the Chronicle in November 2023, Shakari worked for Spectrum News as a digital journalist based in her hometown. She has experience in broadcast reporting and producing as a former multimedia journalist and associate producer. The Dallas native has also worked at small to medium-sized newspapers throughout her career.

Her reporting on the rise and fall of a shopping mall won an Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors Contest award. She also earned an Arkansas Press Association award for freelance reporting.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Safety-assured high-speed aerial robot. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

A team of engineers and roboticists at the University of Hong Kong have designed, built and tested an aerial robot capable of navigating unknown environments safely at high speeds while avoiding obstacles. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group describes how they overcame problems encountered by others attempting to build similar robots and how well their quadcopter robot, called SUPER, performed during testing.

Roboticists have been trying for several years to build a flying robot that could perform like birdsmoving safely at high speeds while adjusting to unknown conditions as they arise, such as encountering gusts of wind, power lines, tree limbs or other objects appearing suddenly in their path.

An overview of the proposed SUPER system. SUPER demonstrates its ability to safely navigate through unknown, cluttered environments at high speeds; avoid thin obstacles like power lines; and perform robustly in various scenarios, including object tracking and autonomous exploration. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

Most such flying robots have relied on various types of sensors and cameras that had to process massive amounts of video data, slowing the speeds at which they could operate. In this new effort, the researchers in Hong Kong say they have finally overcome these challenges.

The secret behind their success, the team claims, is their use of 3D light detection and ranging LiDAR, rather than traditional cameras and sensorstechnology that gives it real-time feedback for distances up to 70 meters in all directions.

Safe high-speed navigation in unknown environments. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

The LiDAR data, they note, is fed to an onboard computer that uses the information to provide a continuous two-trajectory strategy to plot the flight path of the robot in real time. The two trajectories offer the option of taking the safest route versus an exploratory routesoftware on the computer moves between the two trajectories to provide the optimal path.

Demonstration of thin object avoidance. (A) (i to iv) Four thin wires of varying diameters were used in the experiments. (B) (i toiv) Time-lapse images capturing the flights of DJI Mavic3. It successfully avoided the thin wire of 30-mm diameter but failed to avoid wires with smaller diameters. (C) (i to iv) The time-lapse images capturing the flights of SUPER. It successfully avoided all four types of thin wires. (D) The point cloud view of SUPER when facing a 2.5-mm thin wire. The wire was seen in the current scan measurements (white points) and more evident in the accumulated point cloud (colored points). Credit: The University of Hong Kong

Testing showed that SUPER could safely fly through an obstacle course at 20 meters per second. The research team also found that it could follow a target, such as a human being, as it made its way through a forest, successfully avoiding trees, branches and other obstacles it met. They also found that because it is based on LiDAR, it can operate in low-light conditions as well.

Applications of SUPER in Object Tracking, Autonomous Exploration, and Waypoint Navigation Missions. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

The research team suggests SUPER is a major step forward in autonomous aerial robot technologyone that could be used for search and rescue applications, though it appears its most logical applications would be law enforcement and military reconnaissance.

Demonstration of SUPERs ability to avoid thin obstacles. Credit: The University of Hong Kong



Navigation in cluttered environments. Credit: The University of Hong Kong

More information: Yunfan Ren et al, Safety-assured high-speed navigation for MAVs, Science Robotics (2025). DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.ado6187 Journal information: Science Robotics

 2025 Science X Network
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attended the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, who has been a critic of the Silicon Valley company.

Meta is considering whether to move its incorporation to Texas, a US state seen as amenable to companies run by big shareholders like Mark Zuckerberg, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The social media giant has been incorporated in Delaware since 2004, when the company was known as Facebook.

A shift to Texas by Meta would follow in the footsteps of Elon Musk, who switched incorporation of Tesla and some other companies he runs to the state after a Delaware judge voided his huge compensation package.

In a ruling, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick sided with a shareholder who claimed the Tesla CEO was overpaid, approving the annulment of Musk's 2018 compensation agreement worth as much as $55.8 billion.

Suits filed by shareholders are typically heard in courts where companies are incorporated, and Texas portrays itself as a friendly venue for companies run by shareholders with controlling interests.

Meta spokesperson Andy Stone told AFP he could not confirm the Journal report and that the company had no plans to move its headquarters from California's Silicon Valley.

Texas has a history of supporting conservative political candidates, Trump among them.

Trump has recently courted tech titans including Zuckerberg and X owner Musk, both of whom attended the president's inauguration in Washington.

Meta has pulled back on fact checking and diversity initiatives as Zuckerberg embraces Trump.

Zuckerberg has tweaked Meta's policies to lift restrictions on some content within the company's apps, which include Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp.

Meta would be "restoring free expression on our platforms," Zuckerberg, who reportedly dined with Trump at his Florida estate in November, said in announcing a recent rollback of fact-checking operations.

Meta this week said it agreed to pay Trump $25 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit he filed claiming he was wrongfully censored by Facebook and Instagram after the US Capitol riot.

 2025 AFP
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (LON:IHG  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as 107.35 ($133.04) and last traded at 106.80 ($132.36), with a volume of 172564 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at 105.85 ($131.18).

InterContinental Hotels Group Stock Up 0.3 %

The stock has a market cap of 17.15 billion, a PE ratio of 3,667.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.98. The business has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 9,841.09 and a 200 day moving average price of GBX 8,723.28.

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Our presenceIHG Hotels & Resorts is a global hospitality company,with 19 hotel brands, one of the industrys largestloyalty programmes, over 6,300 open hotels in morethan 100 countries, and a further 1,800 hotels in ourdevelopment pipeline.

Our ambition

To deliver industry-leading growth in our scale,

enterprise platform and performance, doing so

sustainably for all stakeholders, including our hotel

owners, guests and society as a whole.

Our strategy

To use our scale and expertise to create the

exceptional guest experiences and owner returns

needed to grow our brands in the industrys most

valuable markets and segments.

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Mongolia Growth Group Ltd. (CVE:YAK  Get Free Report)s share price hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as C$1.22 and last traded at C$1.22, with a volume of 500 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$1.23.

Mongolia Growth Group Trading Up 5.6 %

The company has a market capitalization of C$34.07 million, a PE ratio of 5.46 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04, a current ratio of 3.10 and a quick ratio of 0.24. The firms 50 day moving average is C$1.30 and its 200 day moving average is C$1.40.

About Mongolia Growth Group

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Mongolia Growth Group Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides property management, leasing, renovation, and development services in Mongolia. The company operates through three segments: Investment Property Operations, Corporate, and Subscription Products. Its investment portfolio consists of office, retail, land and redevelopment, and commercial and residential properties.

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Ontex Group NV (OTCMKTS:ONXXF  Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 13,800 shares, a decrease of 30.7% from the December 31st total of 19,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently  days.

Ontex Group Trading Up 2.7 %

OTCMKTS ONXXF traded up $0.23 during trading on Friday, reaching $8.68. 1,000 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 550. Ontex Group has a fifty-two week low of $8.04 and a fifty-two week high of $10.15. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $8.70 and its 200-day simple moving average is $9.21.

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Ontex Group NV develops, produces, and supplies personal hygiene products and solutions for baby, feminine, and adult care in Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, France, and internationally. It offers baby care products, such as baby diapers and pants, and wet wipes under the Cremer, Canbebe, Helen Harper, Little Big Change, Moltex, Pom Pom, Sapeka, and Monica brands; and feminine care products, including sanitary towels, panty liners, and tampons under the NAT, Sincere, and Silhouette brand names.

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Crews Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 988 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $88,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the stock. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in Consolidated Edison during the third quarter valued at about $776,000. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC lifted its position in shares of Consolidated Edison by 10,302.6% in the 3rd quarter. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC now owns 24,446 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,546,000 after acquiring an additional 24,211 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in Consolidated Edison by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,145,128 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $223,373,000 after purchasing an additional 82,985 shares during the period. Hennessy Advisors Inc. grew its position in Consolidated Edison by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc. now owns 143,136 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $12,772,000 after purchasing an additional 3,900 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Gateway Investment Advisers LLC raised its stake in Consolidated Edison by 102.7% during the 4th quarter. Gateway Investment Advisers LLC now owns 430,279 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $38,394,000 after purchasing an additional 217,981 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.29% of the companys stock.

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Consolidated Edison Stock Performance

ED opened at $93.90 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 1.01. The company has a market cap of $32.53 billion, a PE ratio of 17.68, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.38. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $92.58 and a 200-day moving average of $98.03. Consolidated Edison, Inc. has a 52-week low of $85.85 and a 52-week high of $107.75.

Consolidated Edison Increases Dividend

Consolidated Edison ( NYSE:ED Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.56 by $0.12. Consolidated Edison had a return on equity of 8.70% and a net margin of 12.27%. The firm had revenue of $4.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.02 billion. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Consolidated Edison, Inc. will post 5.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.62%. This is a boost from Consolidated Edisons previous quarterly dividend of $0.83. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 19th. Consolidated Edisons dividend payout ratio is 62.52%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages recently issued reports on ED. Evercore ISI downgraded Consolidated Edison from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 21st. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Consolidated Edison from $99.00 to $92.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a hold rating and a $108.00 target price for the company. Scotiabank raised shares of Consolidated Edison from a sector underperform rating to a sector perform rating and upped their price target for the stock from $90.00 to $100.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Consolidated Edison from $88.00 to $85.00 and set an underweight rating for the company in a research report on Friday, November 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $100.00.

Read Our Latest Analysis on ED

Consolidated Edison Company Profile

(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.

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Barrick Gold Co. (TSE:ABX  Get Free Report) (NYSE:ABX)s share price crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of C$25.20 and traded as low as C$23.41. Barrick Gold shares last traded at C$23.99, with a volume of 3,501,658 shares changing hands.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have commented on ABX. Cibc World Mkts cut Barrick Gold from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, November 25th. National Bankshares decreased their target price on Barrick Gold from C$26.00 to C$24.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. TD Securities reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a C$34.00 target price on shares of Barrick Gold in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of Barrick Gold to C$21.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, December 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their price objective on shares of Barrick Gold from C$37.00 to C$36.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$30.38.

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View Our Latest Research Report on ABX

Barrick Gold Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of C$41.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.48. The stocks fifty day moving average price is C$23.25 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$25.21. The company has a current ratio of 3.01, a quick ratio of 2.62 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.54.

Barrick Gold (TSE:ABX  Get Free Report) (NYSE:ABX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The basic materials company reported C$0.42 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of C$0.45 by C($0.03). Barrick Gold had a net margin of 12.78% and a return on equity of 7.20%. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.32 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Barrick Gold Co. will post 2.2422764 EPS for the current year.

Barrick Gold Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 29th were issued a dividend of $0.135 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 29th. This represents a $0.54 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.27%. Barrick Golds payout ratio is currently 45.38%.

Insider Transactions at Barrick Gold

In other Barrick Gold news, Director Dennis Mark Bristow bought 85,296 shares of Barrick Gold stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 21st. The stock was bought at an average price of C$25.03 per share, with a total value of C$2,135,291.53. Also, Senior Officer Poupak Bahamin sold 2,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$24.49, for a total transaction of C$61,215.00. Insiders own 0.60% of the companys stock.

About Barrick Gold

(Get Free Report)

Barrick Gold Corporation engages in the exploration, mine development, production, and sale of gold and copper properties in Canada and internationally. The company also explores and sells silver and energy materials. It has ownership interests in producing gold mines located in Argentina, Canada, Cote dIvoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Dominican Republic, Mali, Tanzania, and the United States.

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Shares of Citizens Financial Corp. (OTCMKTS:CIWV  Get Free Report) were up 1.8% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $28.50 and last traded at $28.00. Approximately 1,005 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 142% from the average daily volume of 415 shares. The stock had previously closed at $27.50.

Citizens Financial Stock Performance

The businesss fifty day moving average price is $25.50 and its 200 day moving average price is $22.57.

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Citizens Financial Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 29th. Shareholders of record on Saturday, January 18th were issued a dividend of $0.25 per share. This represents a $1.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.57%. This is an increase from Citizens Financials previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, January 17th. Citizens Financials payout ratio is presently 47.81%.

Citizens Financial Company Profile

Citizens Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Citizens Bank of West Virginia, Inc that engages in the provision of retail, secondary market, and commercial loan services to consumers and businesses in West Virginia. It provides various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit.

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Bee Cave Bob, the armadillo, emerges from his burrow at the West Pole in Bee Cave to declare an early Spring at the seventh annual Armadillo Day on Feb. 2, 2016. Bee Cave Bob, just like Punxsutawney Phil, has had mixed results with his forecasts. Jay Janner/Associated Press

The Fourth of July has fireworks, Halloween has candy and New Year's Day has its parties but no other U.S. holiday has what Groundhog Day has: animals making predictions on the weather based on criteria as simple as whether or not they've seen their shadow.

The biggest celebration of the holiday is in the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney, where a groundhog named Phil has been predicting whether there will be an early spring or six more weeks of winter since the 19th century. Punxsutawney Phil is a national animal celebrity, highlighted by his appearance in the classic movie "Groundhog Day" starring Bill Murray.

On Sunday, Punxsutawney saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

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LOOK AT THE DATA: How good is Punxsutawney Phil at predicting unpredictable Texas weather?

But Texans have found their own animal prognosticators in the form of an armadillo in Central Texas and an alligator in Beaumont.

They might not be groundhogs but they follow in the tradition of making predictions about whether or not people should expect an early spring.

Ralph Fisher holds Bee Cave Bob after the seven-year-old, nine-banded armadillo emerged to predict the weather during Armadillo Day at the West Pole in Bee Cave , Texas, Friday, Feb 2, 2022. Armadillo Day started in 2010 as Texas' answer to Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pa. Bee Cave Bob predicted an early spring. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) Jay Janner/Associated Press

Bee Cave Bob

For some in the Central Texas community of Bee Cave, Feb. 2 is known as Armadillo Day. Instead of looking to a groundhog to tell them what weather is coming next, locals gather at West Pole Ranch to watch Bee Cave Bob the armadillo tell them what to expect.

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At a chosen time, Bee Cave Bob will be placed down in a select part of the ranch. If he goes and hangs in a sunny area, that means an early spring. If he goes and hangs in the shade, that means a longer winter.

Bee Cave Bob tends to predict early springs. According to groundhog-day.com, Bee Cave Bob has predicted an early spring in 11 of the past 14 years. That includes the past two years.

Sunday's celebration starts at 1 p.m. and includes photo opportunities with Bee Cave Bob, according to Spectrum News.

Gator Country co-owner Arlie Hammonds works with Big Al during an afternoon show for a small crowd of spectators Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. Gator Country is an alligator and reptile rescue facility in Beaumont, Texas, that houses hundreds of alligators and works with local and state authorities to serve as a sanctuary for nuisance gators. Kim Brent/Beaumont Enterprise

Big Al

Big Al might not remember the first Groundhog Day but the 93-year-old alligator who lives at Gator Country in Beaumont is older than all but two prognosticators in groundhog-day.com's system: Punxsutawney Phil and Octoraro Orphie, a taxidermied groundhog.

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But Big Al hasn't been making predictions for anywhere near as long as Phil, Orphie and other animals. He's introduction to the Groundhog Day scene is a much more recent development, and his process differs from the others who base it on shadows.

Alligators don't eat in cold weather, Gator Country co-owner Gary Saurage told the Beaumont Enterprise last year, because they can't digest food when its cold. So on Feb. 2, Big Al gets tossed some food.

If he eats it, that means spring is coming. If he doesn't eat it, that means a longer winter is on the horizon.

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Hell tell us when its time to start eating, co-owner Arlie Hammonds told the Enterprise. He knows.
Concord Asset Management LLC VA increased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 10.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 4,799 shares of the investment management companys stock after purchasing an additional 455 shares during the period. Concord Asset Management LLC VAs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $2,748,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Procyon Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 5.5% during the 3rd quarter. Procyon Advisors LLC now owns 830 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $411,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Brookstone Capital Management boosted its holdings in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 19.9% during the 3rd quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 4,582 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $2,268,000 after buying an additional 761 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC grew its position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 8.1% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Street Advisors Inc. NC now owns 38,304 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $21,934,000 after buying an additional 2,863 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB increased its stake in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group by 30.3% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 213,605 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $122,453,000 after acquiring an additional 49,710 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Park Edge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group during the 4th quarter valued at $703,000. 71.21% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on GS shares. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $677.00 to $639.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Friday, January 3rd. Bank of America upped their price target on The Goldman Sachs Group from $563.00 to $575.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. JMP Securities upped their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $525.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $686.00 to $690.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $736.00 to $782.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $591.06.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Treasurer Carey Halio sold 3,640 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $636.74, for a total transaction of $2,317,733.60. Following the transaction, the treasurer now directly owns 4,552 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,898,440.48. This trade represents a 44.43 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CAO Sheara J. Fredman sold 2,974 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $594.51, for a total transaction of $1,768,072.74. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 8,489 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,046,795.39. This represents a 25.94 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 40,865 shares of company stock worth $25,286,862 over the last ninety days. 0.54% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

The Goldman Sachs Group Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of GS opened at $640.15 on Friday. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $375.20 and a fifty-two week high of $650.00. The business has a 50-day moving average of $595.32 and a 200 day moving average of $540.14. The firm has a market cap of $198.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.79, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.67.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 15th. The investment management company reported $11.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $8.21 by $3.74. The Goldman Sachs Group had a return on equity of 13.30% and a net margin of 11.32%. The firm had revenue of $13.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.36 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $5.48 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 22.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 47.1 EPS for the current year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th will be paid a dividend of $3.00 per share. This represents a $12.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.87%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 28th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is 29.59%.

About The Goldman Sachs Group

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements.

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Shares of Imperial Brands PLC (OTCMKTS:IMBBY  Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $33.66 and last traded at $33.55, with a volume of 70678 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $32.94.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Barclays raised Imperial Brands to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th.

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Imperial Brands Stock Up 0.4 %

Imperial Brands Cuts Dividend

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a current ratio of 0.72. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $32.48 and a 200 day simple moving average of $30.14.

The firm also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 21st will be paid a $0.6779 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 21st.

About Imperial Brands

(Get Free Report)

Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. It offers a range of cigarettes, tobacco accessories, vapour, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine. The company sells its products under various brands, including JPS, Davidoff, Gauloises, West, Winston, Kool, Lambert & Butler, Fortuna, Nobel, News, Backwoods, Champion, Golden Virginia, Rizla, Blu, Pulze, Skruf, and Zone X.

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KG&L Capital Management LLC lessened its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 63.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,044 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 17,290 shares during the period. KG&L Capital Management LLCs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $705,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Two Sigma Advisers LP raised its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 730.4% in the 3rd quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 5,954,600 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $336,375,000 after purchasing an additional 5,237,500 shares in the last quarter. Canoe Financial LP acquired a new stake in Wells Fargo & Company in the third quarter valued at $160,529,000. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec lifted its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 158.1% during the 3rd quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec now owns 2,709,659 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $153,069,000 after buying an additional 1,659,716 shares during the last quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP boosted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 410.8% during the 4th quarter. Artemis Investment Management LLP now owns 1,374,812 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $96,567,000 after acquiring an additional 1,105,679 shares in the last quarter. Finally, National Pension Service increased its holdings in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 15.2% in the 3rd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 6,789,371 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $383,532,000 after acquiring an additional 897,195 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.90% of the companys stock.

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Wells Fargo & Company Stock Down 0.0 %

Shares of NYSE:WFC opened at $78.81 on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company has a fifty-two week low of $47.45 and a fifty-two week high of $79.29. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $73.59 and its 200-day simple moving average is $64.72. The company has a market cap of $262.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.65, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 1.18.

Wells Fargo & Company Dividend Announcement

Wells Fargo & Company ( NYSE:WFC Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 15th. The financial services provider reported $1.43 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.09. Wells Fargo & Company had a return on equity of 12.38% and a net margin of 15.73%. The company had revenue of $20.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.58 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.86 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was down .5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.84 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Saturday, March 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, January 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio is presently 29.74%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on WFC. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $82.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $81.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 16th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $69.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, December 9th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $61.00 price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Monday, October 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $84.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, January 16th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $73.39.

Read Our Latest Research Report on WFC

Wells Fargo & Company Profile

(Free Report)

Wells Fargo & Co is a diversified and community-based financial services company, which engages in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking and Lending, Commercial Banking, Corporate and Investment Banking, and Wealth and Investment Management.

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Cibc World Market Inc. decreased its stake in NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE  Free Report) by 16.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 361,289 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 70,063 shares during the quarter. Cibc World Market Inc.s holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $25,901,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of NEE. Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its holdings in NextEra Energy by 20.9% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 8,833,725 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $634,703,000 after buying an additional 1,525,436 shares during the last quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd boosted its stake in shares of NextEra Energy by 2.2% in the third quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 1,216,077 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $102,495,000 after acquiring an additional 26,270 shares during the last quarter. Swiss National Bank increased its position in shares of NextEra Energy by 0.4% during the third quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 6,098,200 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $515,481,000 after purchasing an additional 21,400 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank raised its stake in NextEra Energy by 6.5% in the 4th quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 445,870 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $31,964,000 after purchasing an additional 27,340 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ST Germain D J Co. Inc. lifted its holdings in NextEra Energy by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 171,735 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $12,312,000 after purchasing an additional 9,425 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.72% of the companys stock.

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NextEra Energy Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE:NEE opened at $71.65 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $72.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $77.06. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12-month low of $53.95 and a 12-month high of $86.10. The company has a current ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The company has a market capitalization of $147.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.26, a PEG ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.58.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NextEra Energy ( NYSE:NEE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 24th. The utilities provider reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $0.53. NextEra Energy had a net margin of 28.06% and a return on equity of 11.85%. Sell-side analysts expect that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.68 EPS for the current year.

A number of brokerages have recently commented on NEE. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $93.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Evercore ISI decreased their target price on shares of NextEra Energy from $84.00 to $79.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on NextEra Energy from $99.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on NextEra Energy from $81.00 to $77.00 in a research report on Monday, January 27th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their target price on NextEra Energy from $92.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a report on Thursday, December 12th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $85.85.

Read Our Latest Research Report on NEE

Insider Buying and Selling at NextEra Energy

In other NextEra Energy news, EVP Nicole J. Daggs sold 4,007 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.57, for a total transaction of $302,808.99. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 15,792 shares in the company, valued at $1,193,401.44. This represents a 20.24 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. 0.18% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

NextEra Energy Profile

(Free Report)

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear,natural gas, and other clean energy. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.

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Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. decreased its stake in Parker-Hannifin Co. (NYSE:PH  Free Report) by 15.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,209 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 217 shares during the quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co.s holdings in Parker-Hannifin were worth $818,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. State Street Corp grew its position in Parker-Hannifin by 13.8% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 6,202,235 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $3,918,696,000 after acquiring an additional 753,143 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in Parker-Hannifin by 39.9% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,977,849 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,249,645,000 after purchasing an additional 564,365 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Parker-Hannifin by 64,081.5% during the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 381,880 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $241,279,000 after buying an additional 381,285 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Parker-Hannifin during the 3rd quarter worth about $226,570,000. Finally, Mizuho Securities USA LLC grew its position in Parker-Hannifin by 3,566.4% in the 3rd quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 363,302 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $229,541,000 after acquiring an additional 353,393 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.44% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Jennifer A. Parmentier sold 4,906 shares of Parker-Hannifin stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $704.69, for a total transaction of $3,457,209.14. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 33,607 shares in the company, valued at approximately $23,682,516.83. The trade was a 12.74 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, COO Andrew D. Ross sold 4,864 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $706.04, for a total value of $3,434,178.56. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 13,120 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,263,244.80. This trade represents a 27.05 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 12,200 shares of company stock worth $8,595,207. 0.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on PH shares. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $775.00 to $790.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday. Mizuho increased their price target on Parker-Hannifin from $665.00 to $715.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $788.00 to $842.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, December 19th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Parker-Hannifin from $765.00 to $810.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, December 6th. Finally, TD Cowen increased their price objective on Parker-Hannifin from $520.00 to $575.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $725.06.

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Parker-Hannifin Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:PH opened at $707.91 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $91.12 billion, a PE ratio of 31.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.73 and a beta of 1.45. Parker-Hannifin Co. has a 52-week low of $463.16 and a 52-week high of $718.44. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $666.84 and a 200-day simple moving average of $629.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.57, a current ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52.

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $6.53 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $6.23 by $0.30. Parker-Hannifin had a net margin of 14.47% and a return on equity of 27.95%. On average, equities research analysts expect that Parker-Hannifin Co. will post 26.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Parker-Hannifin Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 7th will be given a $1.63 dividend. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.92%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 7th. Parker-Hannifins dividend payout ratio is currently 29.45%.

About Parker-Hannifin

(Free Report)

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to ensure purity and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors used in fluid and gas handling; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PH? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Parker-Hannifin Co. (NYSE:PH  Free Report).

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Perigon Wealth Management LLC decreased its holdings in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY  Free Report) by 22.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 33,906 shares of the companys stock after selling 9,568 shares during the quarter. Perigon Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF were worth $678,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of PCY. Citigroup Inc. increased its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 3.2% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 387,186 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,324,000 after buying an additional 11,824 shares in the last quarter. Towercrest Capital Management lifted its stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 1.1% during the third quarter. Towercrest Capital Management now owns 258,312 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,554,000 after acquiring an additional 2,874 shares during the period. Flow Traders U.S. LLC grew its position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 455.8% during the 3rd quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC now owns 251,228 shares of the companys stock worth $5,401,000 after buying an additional 206,025 shares during the period. Raymond James & Associates boosted its position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 21.4% in the 3rd quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 240,142 shares of the companys stock worth $5,163,000 after purchasing an additional 42,334 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Alliance Wealth Management Group increased its stake in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 0.9% in the third quarter. Alliance Wealth Management Group now owns 234,251 shares of the companys stock valued at $5,036,000 after purchasing an additional 2,041 shares in the last quarter.

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Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Stock Performance

PCY opened at $20.11 on Friday. Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF has a 12 month low of $19.51 and a 12 month high of $21.69. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $20.26 and a 200 day simple moving average of $20.63.

Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Profile

The Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (PCY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-dollar-denominated sovereign debt in emerging markets with at least 3 years to maturity. PCY was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco.

Further Reading

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PCY? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY  Free Report).

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Walmart, W.W. Grainger, and Colgate-Palmolive are the three Ecommerce stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeats stock screener tool. Ecommerce stocks refer to publicly traded companies that primarily operate online retail platforms for selling goods and services to consumers. These stocks represent investment opportunities in companies that benefit from the growth of online shopping and digital transactions. Investors often consider factors such as market share, revenue growth, and competitive positioning when evaluating ecommerce stocks for potential investment. These companies had the highest dollar trading volume of any Ecommerce stocks within the last several days.

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Walmart (WMT)

Walmart Inc. engages in the operation of retail, wholesale, other units, and eCommerce worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam's Club. It operates supercenters, supermarkets, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, and discount stores under Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market brands; membership-only warehouse clubs; ecommerce websites, such as walmart.com.mx, walmart.ca, flipkart.com, PhonePe and other sites; and mobile commerce applications.

Shares of NYSE WMT traded down $0.72 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $97.93. The stock had a trading volume of 5,726,519 shares, compared to its average volume of 14,538,952. The firm has a market cap of $786.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.46 and a beta of 0.55. Walmart has a twelve month low of $55.04 and a twelve month high of $99.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.85. The companys 50 day moving average price is $92.91 and its 200 day moving average price is $82.90.

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W.W. Grainger (GWW)

W.W. Grainger, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.

Shares of NYSE GWW traded down $61.14 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $1,064.93. The stock had a trading volume of 518,798 shares, compared to its average volume of 289,560. The firm has a market cap of $51.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.86 and a beta of 1.18. W.W. Grainger has a twelve month low of $874.98 and a twelve month high of $1,227.66. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.68 and a current ratio of 2.59. The companys 50 day moving average price is $1,121.45 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,063.88.

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Colgate-Palmolive (CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments: Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. The Oral, Personal and Home Care segment offers toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bar and liquid hand soaps, shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin health products, dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, and other related items.

Shares of NYSE CL traded down $4.80 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $86.10. The stock had a trading volume of 5,824,956 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,096,266. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.46, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 1.04. Colgate-Palmolive has a twelve month low of $82.68 and a twelve month high of $109.30. The companys 50 day moving average price is $91.52 and its 200 day moving average price is $97.25. The firm has a market cap of $70.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.70 and a beta of 0.44.

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SCSK Co. (OTCMKTS:SCSKF  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in the month of January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 235,200 shares, a decrease of 19.8% from the December 31st total of 293,400 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently  days.

SCSK Price Performance

Shares of SCSKF remained flat at $19.03 during trading on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $21.57 and its 200 day simple moving average is $20.83. SCSK has a 1 year low of $19.03 and a 1 year high of $22.37.

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SCSK Company Profile

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Further Reading

SCSK Corporation provides information technology (IT) services in Japan and internationally. It operates through six segments: Industrial IT Business, Financial IT Business, IT Business Solutions, IT Platform Solutions, IT Management Service, and Others. The Industrial IT Business segment offers various IT solutions comprising core systems, manufacturing management systems, information management systems, supply chain management systems, customer relationship management systems, e-commerce systems, and other systems for manufacturing, communication, and energy industries.

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Ball (NYSE:BALL  Get Free Report) announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback plan on Wednesday, January 29th, RTT News reports. The company plans to buyback $4.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to buy up to 24.2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically a sign that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Ball Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of BALL stock opened at $55.64 on Friday. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $56.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $61.30. Ball has a 1-year low of $51.96 and a 1-year high of $71.32. The company has a market cap of $16.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.09 and a quick ratio of 0.82.

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Ball (NYSE:BALL  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 31st. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.87 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $3.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.13 billion. Ball had a return on equity of 17.46% and a net margin of 34.05%. The companys revenue was down .9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.83 earnings per share. On average, research analysts expect that Ball will post 3.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ball Dividend Announcement

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 17th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 3rd. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.44%. Balls payout ratio is 6.03%.

Several brokerages have recently commented on BALL. Wells Fargo & Company restated an underweight rating and set a $49.00 price target (down previously from $56.00) on shares of Ball in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. UBS Group upgraded shares of Ball from a sell rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the company from $62.00 to $58.00 in a report on Friday, January 10th. Truist Financial lowered their price target on shares of Ball from $78.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Monday, January 6th. Citigroup cut their price objective on shares of Ball from $69.00 to $59.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, January 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their target price on Ball from $78.00 to $75.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Monday, January 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $68.17.

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Ball Company Profile

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Ball Corporation supplies aluminum packaging products for the beverage, personal care, and household products industries in the United States, Brazil, and internationally. The company manufactures and sells aluminum beverage containers to fillers of carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, and other beverages.

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Wilmar International Limited (OTCMKTS:WLMIY  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in January. As of January 15th, there was short interest totalling 7,500 shares, a decline of 25.0% from the December 31st total of 10,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 97,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Wilmar International Price Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS WLMIY opened at $23.35 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 1.17 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The companys 50-day moving average price is $22.68 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.66. Wilmar International has a 52 week low of $21.40 and a 52 week high of $26.71.

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About Wilmar International

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Wilmar International Limited operates as an agribusiness company in Singapore, South East Asia, the People's Republic of China, India, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Food Products, Feed and Industrial Products, Plantation and Sugar Milling, and Others.

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Two cars seen at the Coffee and Cars event at POST Houston Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. John Lomax/Staff writer

The sounds of roaring engines and squealing tires echoed through downtown Saturday morning as thousands of car enthusiasts gathered at POST Houston for an open motor show hosted by Coffee and Cars.

Coffee and Cars brands itself as a down to earth, family-friendly car enthusiast group where people from all backgrounds can gather and share their love for cars of all makes and models. The group hosts monthly events, and Saturdays show offered the public a glimpse at the community that has formed around Coffee and Cars since it was founded more than 20 years ago.

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So early on it was mainly sort of an informal gathering of people with older, vintage cars, said Abe Levitz, who helps run the events alongside founder Jorge Verdejo. Naturally with those types of vehicles, you want to gather earlier in the day when the sun isnt as bad, so coffee shops were a common place to meet up.

According to Levitz, Coffee and Cars is the largest recurring and potentially longest-running automotive event in the U.S. Levitz attributed its success to the individuals who attend the events.

I think what sets us apart is really the people that attend it, Levitz said. The community that we've developed over all these years  there's nothing like them. They're very loyal, they're incredible and they're very respectful of what we do.

Car meets  often informal gatherings of enthusiasts who come together to show off their rides  can at times attract a rowdy crowd of adrenaline junkies itching for street races and burnouts, said Sahir Said, a realtor who brought his 2018 Mercedes-Benz GT-Class to the show.

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I tend to avoid the evening events, they can really get pretty rough sometimes, Said said. I always tell people to really make sure they know what kind of meet it's going to be before they go to one.

But Coffee and Cars, he said, has a much more polished, professional reputation. The events are an opportunity for gearheads like Said  who, in addition to being a realtor, also works for a luxury car storage company called Garages of America  to enjoy a shared sense of community and network with potential business connections.

It's kind of like a friend group, like an extended friend group, he said. This club is very active and they do a lot of things. In my opinion, it's a great way to do what you like, but then also get to meet people that like the same thing.

Coffee and Cars Saturday show attracted people from a range of professional backgrounds. A lawyer here, a police officer there  all excited and willing to talk to the various groups of wide-eyed teens who came out just to catch a glimpse of the rare and exotic vehicles on display.

Joey Rosado, the manager of a Midtown nightclub called Fast Ferrari thats set to open in March, came out in a bid to spread the word ahead of the clubs opening. It was his first time attending a Coffee and Cars event, and he said he was blown away by the turnout.

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We just wanted to blow up our social media so that way we can reach out to these individuals do an introduction of who we are, send them a nice introductory promo of what's upcoming, Rosado said. But we got a good turnout, man. We got a good following. We got our name out, and at least a little introduction of what we got going on.

Although there was no shortage of million-dollar supercars on display Saturday, Levitz said Coffee and Cars isnt just about the newest, most expensive models.

Between Ferraris and Aston Martins sat plucky little hatchbacks and older-model European sedans  some of which attracted larger crowds than their angular, supercharged counterparts. Thats not surprising to Levitz, who said people tend to be attracted by unique cars and not just whatever is the most expensive.

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There's a whole mix of everything. And I think that is also the secret  the community has such a variety of different things and we don't discriminate, he said. We welcome everybody that's respectful and that's gonna have a good time and share the fun.
(TBTCO) - Bieu lai suat tiet kiem cua cac ngan hang cap nhat moi nhat cho thay mat bang lai suat huy ong ang giam nhe sau chi ao cua Thu tuong Chinh phu ve viec duy tri lai suat cho vay thap nham ho tro tang truong kinh te. Trong dien bien giam, lai suat tien gui online o tat ca cac ngan hang hien nay van tiep tuc cao hon so voi tien gui tai quay tu 0,2% - 0,5%.
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough took matters into his own hands Friday after dozens of complaints about graffiti on the River Plantation Drive bridge. Montgomery County Judge's Office

Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough took matters into his own hands Friday after dozens of complaints about graffiti that insulted President Donald Trump on the River Plantation Drive bridge.

Keough said he reached out to the Texas Department of Transportation for help with removing the graffiti from the bridge at Interstate 45 and River Plantation Drive in Conroe.

Because of the expedited need to get this done and how busy TxDOT is with construction projects, I asked them to give me the materials, and I would get it done myself, Keough said in a post on Facebook. This morning, I stopped by the location and made quick work of covering up the graffiti.

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LIBRARY CHANGES: Montgomery County commissioners fire library director as public comment on book access continues

Keough said graffiti and vandalism wont be tolerated in Montgomery County.

If you are caught vandalizing public or private property, you will be arrested and prosecuted, Keough said. I want to thank the citizens who reached out to me and brought this to my attention so we could fix the issue.

Possible punishments for vandalism vary according to the severity, ranging from a Class C misdemeanor to a first-degree felony, according to state law.

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According to information from the city of Houston, based on figures from various cities across the country, graffiti cleanup costs taxpayers $1-3 per person. In smaller communities, the cost is less than $1 per person.
Newgen Software, a global leader in AI-enabled digital transformation solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Ajil Financial Services Company, a prominent financing company in Saudi Arabia.

As Ajils digital transformation partner, Newgen will provide its flagship Low-Code Platform and shariah-compliant financing solutions to streamline its offerings, including Murabaha and Ijarah to accelerate its underwriting processes, operational journeys and to improve customers experience and satisfaction.

This collaboration aligns with Ajils commitment to Vision 2030 and its goal of scaling and modernising its operations to meet evolving market demands while delivering superior customer experience.

Ajil is licensed by the Saudi Central Bank (Sama) and specialises in Shariah-compliant financing for SMEs across the Kingdom.

On the key partnership, CEO Matar Al Khateeb, said: "With the strategic focus on leveraging advanced technologies like Newgen software and data-driven insights, we are committed to streamlining our operations and offering innovative solutions that resonate with the evolving needs of our customers."

"This transformative approach will not only enable us to fortify our market reach but also bolster our presence through integrations with fintech channels, thereby deepening our engagement with existing customers and expanding our footprint in new markets," he stated.

"We are committed to Vision 2030 and strongly believe in the role of SMEs in the Kingdom's development. We are looking forward to continuing to enable SMEs to grow and contribute to the Kingdoms economy's growth," he added.

Commenting on the partnership, Vivek Bhatnagar, SVP-EMEA Sales, Newgen Software, said: "Our extensive expertise in deep process automation will modernise Ajil's operations, including loan origination and collection functions."

"We are committed to providing pathbreaking solutions to global customers, with our focus on creating digital-first banking journeys," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The ceasefire in the Middle East and Lunar New Year will see ocean container freight rates fall further in February - with carriers taking action to slow the market decline, according to Xeneta, the leading ocean and air freight intelligence platform.

The average spot rates from the Far East stand at $3,795 per FEU (40 feet container) into North Europe and $5,085 per FEU into the Mediterranean  down 22% and 13% respectively since January 1.

Early data suggests spot rates will fall further on 1 February, down 5-10% on both trades, it stated.

From the Far East to US East Coast, average spot rates decreased 7% during January to hit $6,417 per FEU. Into the US West Coast, spot rates are $5,021 per FEU, down 14% in the same period, said data from Xeneta.

Spot rates on both US-bound trades flattened in the second half of January following a sharp early month decline. Heading into February, spot rates could fall further, particularly into the US West Coast, while the US East Coast holds a little firmer.

Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst, said: "Ceasefire in the Middle East does not suddenly mean there is now safe passage through the Red Sea for all container ships - but it is enough to cause a change in market sentiment and this has a real impact on freight rates."

"We must factor Lunar New Year celebrations in the Far East, which traditionally sees a slowdown in containerized exports at this time of year, but there is little doubt the evolving situation in the Red Sea is contributing to falling freight rates," he added.

According to Xeneta, ocean container carriers are now taking action to slow the market decline through capacity management.

On the trade from the Far East to Mediterranean, blanked sailings will steadily increase to reach 38 900 TEU (20ft equivalent container) of shipping capacity in the week commencing 24 February. This is an increase of 318% from current levels.

From the Far East to North Europe, blanked sailings will reach 75 700 TEU of shipping capacity by 24 February  an increase of 449%, it stated.

Sand said: "Carriers will not sit on their hands while freight rates collapse. They will do everything they can to keep rates elevated and have got much smarter at capacity management in recent years."

Phase 1 of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas commenced on January 19 and is expected to last 42 days before entering Phase 2, which could see a permanent ceasefire agreed.

Sand said: "February may be crucial in understanding how ocean container freight rates will develop in 2025. The ceasefire in Middle East is set to enter Phase 2 and we will see exports increase from the Far East in the first half of the month following Lunar New Year."

"Despite the decline in January, we must remember that average spot rates are still massively elevated on the Far East fronthauls to Europe and US compared to pre-Red Sea crisis, so they potentially have a long way to fall," he noted.

"Carriers are going to find it extremely difficult to keep rates elevated, especially given the record number of ships entering service, so we could see markets collapse if there is a largescale return to the Red Sea," remarked Sand.

"The situation is far from certain and we know how suddenly and dramatically the outlook can change in ocean container shipping. There is a still a long way to go before a lasting peace deal is agreed in the Middle East and other geo-political factors, such as Trumps tariff proposals, could come into play and put upward pressure on freight rates," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Akurateco, a global payment software provider with a strong presence in the Mena region, has joined forces with DineroPay, a rising Payment Service Provider (PSP) in Saudi Arabia, to drive innovation in the rapidly evolving mobile payments sector.

This partnership has resulted in the successful deployment of advanced mobile wallet solutions, including Apple Pay, and Google Pay, tailored specifically to meet the needs of the Saudi Arabian market, said a statement from Akurateco.

The collaboration reflects the growing importance of mobile payments in the Middle East, a region swiftly transitioning toward digital-first financial solutions.

According to IMARC Group, Saudi Arabias mobile payment market reached $24.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% through 2033.

Akurateco and DineroPay are strategically positioned to capitalize on this growth by delivering secure, scalable, and regionally compliant payment innovations.

A key achievement of this partnership is the implementation of an on-premises payment infrastructure hosted on Oracle Cloud, ensuring full compliance with the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) requirements for data localization, said the company in its statement.

This robust setup not only supports regulatory adherence but also enables scalability and performance optimization for DineroPays expanding operations, it stated.

Central to the innovation is the use of network tokenization technology. By replacing sensitive card details with secure tokens, the solution minimizes fraud risks and enhances the overall security of mobile transactions.

With Akuratecos white-label gateway, DineroPay now supports multiple approaches to token decryption, offering businesses flexibility in optimizing payment flows and increasing approval rates, said the statement.

This partnership exemplifies how technology can drive digital transformation in a region poised for significant growth. By aligning their expertise, Akurateco and DineroPay are shaping the future of mobile payments in Mena, empowering businesses and consumers with cutting-edge solutions, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Pardo Yachts, the renowned Italian luxury yacht manufacturer, has officially entered the UAE and Gulf region through an exclusive partnership with Ocean 360, a leading provider of premium yacht services based in Dubai.

This strategic move underscores the importance of the Middle East market for Pardo Yachts international growth, said a statement from the Italian group.

The collaboration will be celebrated with Pardo Yachts debut appearance at the upcoming Dubai International Boat Show 2025, where the brand will present its flagship models, the Pardo 38 and Pardo 43.

Recognized globally for exceptional design, innovation, and craftsmanship, Pardo Yachts is expanding its presence into one of the worlds most affluent yachting markets.

The Gulf region, particularly the UAE, represents a significant opportunity for the brand to connect with discerning yacht owners who value luxury, performance, and bespoke design, it stated.

Marcello Veronesi, CEO of Cantiere del Pardo, highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating:The Middle East holds strategic importance for Pardo Yachts global expansion. Partnering with Ocean 360, a trusted and well-established name in the UAE, gives us confidence that this market will embrace the unparalleled quality and style that define our yachts.

Sebastian Dumitrescu, the CEO of Ocean 360, underscored this point: "We are honored to represent Pardo Yachts as their exclusive dealer in the UAE. Their innovative designs and exceptional craftsmanship align perfectly with our mission to deliver world-class yachting experiences. We are excited to present their stunning yachts to clients across the region."

Pardo Yachts first-ever participation in the Dubai International Boat Show, from February 19 to 23 2025, will mark a pivotal moment for the brand.

Ocean 360 will showcase two iconic models from Pardos walkaround range  the Pardo 38 and Pardo 43. Both yachts embody Italian excellence, combining sleek design, superior performance, and customisable luxury interiors tailored to meet the unique preferences of each owner, said Dumitrescu.

The Pardo 38 and Pardo 43 stand out for their perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality.

Designed to ensure maximum versatility, these models combine comfort and performance in every detail, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai carrier Emirates is celebrating the opening of its new lounge at Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport, Satellite 1 Terminal (SAT-1).

The newly relocated and refurbished lounge in the airport's latest terminal sets a new standard for premium travel, offering Emirates customers an enhanced ground experience that matches the sophistication of their journey.

With the $5 million refurbishment, the lounge now spans 1,454 sq m. With the capacity for 250 guests, it can comfortably accommodate all premium passengers travelling on two simultaneous A380 departures.

The expanded lounge in Bangkok now stands as the largest international lounge facility beyond the airlines home market, it stated.

Bangkok is also Emirates second largest destination with First and Business Class seat capacity, highlighting the routes popularity and strong demand for premium travel, it stated.

With this move, Emirates has become one of the first airlines to move to the SAT-1 Terminal, which offers modern and convenient facilities for customers flying on any one of the airlines six daily flights from Bangkok.

The airline currently operates 41 airport lounges worldwide, including seven at Dubai International Airport and 34 across its global network. The airline also offers eligible customers access to partner lounges in select destinations.

According to Emirates, the airline's First and Business Class passengers as well as Skywards members can look forward to pre-flight rest and relaxation with upscale furnishings in the signature Emirates style, elegant dining options and serene ambiance.

The lounge also offers a range of amenities, including shower spas, complimentary Wi-Fi as well a rich food and beverage selection that incorporates local and international dishes, as well as classic Thai desserts.

This year, Emirates will be celebrating 35 years of service to Thailand, and over the years the airline has doubled down on its commitment to growing tourism and business to the key Southeast Asia travel hub, said the statement.

The airline operates five daily flights between Dubai and Bangkok, using a mix of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, as well as double daily flights to Phuket and a daily non-stop service between Bangkok and Hong Kong, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
This map shows the total lightning density in the United States, according to lightning data compiled by Vaisala. Walker County, where the county seat is Huntsville, north of Houston, was the most lightning-prone U.S. county by density in 2024. Vaisala Xweather

The small East Texas town of Teague has been named the lightning capital of the United States after recording more than 1,900 lightning strikes per square mile in 2024, according to an annual report from environmental sensor manufacturer, Vaisala.

That means this town of less than 3,400 residents, about 50 miles east of Waco, had just over one lightning event per two people.

The report also found that Texas again in 2024 led the nation in total lightning strikes, despite there being 10% fewer lightning events compared to 2023. The states sheer size and distinct climates explain most of the impressive numbers.

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What made Teague a hot spot?

Teague earned the title of lightning capital of the U.S. simply because 2024 was stormy in Freestone and other counties in East Texas.

Nearby counties in Southeast Texas also experienced an increase in lightning. Walker County, where the county seat is Huntsville, north of Houston, recorded 825 lightning strikes per square mile, becoming the countrys most lightning-prone area by density of strikes in 2024. Neighboring San Jacinto County also had the highest number of ground flashes per square mile.

The title of lightning capital varies yearly.

The sky is illuminated by lightning during a storm on April 7, 2023, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

The last time a Texas town held the title was in 2021, when Flatonia, a town straddling Interstate 10 in Fayette County midway between Houston and San Antonio, saw more than 1,000 lightning strikes per square mile. Two Florida towns held the rank of lightning capital of the United States in 2022 and 2023.

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Count vs. density: Whats the difference?

Lightning data is compiled in two ways: by total strikes counted and by density per square mile.

Teague was named lightning capital of the U.S. in 2024 because it had the highest density of lightning strikes per square mile. While the 2024 lightning capital of the country is in Texas, our expansive state ranks fifth for lightning density. Florida, as is often the case with smaller states, snatched the top spot for lightning events per square mile, followed by Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

When looking at total lightning counts, the geographic size of Texas gives it a huge advantage. With more than 40 million lightning strikes in 2024, Texas sits comfortably at the top of the list for total lightning counts. More lightning sprawled across Texas skies in 2024 than in Florida, Oklahoma and Kansas combined.

How is lightning detected and calculated?

Vaisala relies on long-range network detection to accurately assess lightning data, for both in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.

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Lightning produces intense radio waves that propagate outward. These bursts of electromagnetic signals are detected by Vaisalas ground-based sensors, which are posted at many major airports, including Houstons Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports. From there, Vaisala calculates the lightnings location using arrival time and angle measurements taken at each sensor.

Lightning events in the U.S. can be detected with a median location accuracy of 275 feet. Vaisala also can detect lightning from more than 6,000 miles away, with an average locational accuracy of just one kilometer, or slightly more than half a mile.

The ability to detect long-range lightning resulted in Vaisala recording the northernmost lightning strike ever in August 2019, when lightning was detected a mere 32 miles from the North Pole, roughly the distance from Houston to Texas City.

A number of lightning strikes were recorded Saturday evening (Aug. 10th) within 300 miles of the North Pole. The lightning strikes occurred near 85N and 126E. This lightning was detected by Vaisala's GLD lightning detection network. #akwx pic.twitter.com/6jdxeMPBdH  NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) August 11, 2019

For their annual lightning report, Vaisala analyzes lightning data on a 2-square-kilometer grid, or a grid almost equal to 1.25 square miles.

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Lightning counts are then taken and calculated to provide the total density. The highest pixel on the nationwide grid is then correlated to the closest town, which is how Teague received the designation as being the lightning capital of the U.S.

Whats the climate connection?

Since 2014, scientists have seen a steady trend towards more Arctic lightning events. The ingredients needed for lightning production, like warm and unstable air, are coming together more frequently near and north of 80 and 85 degrees latitude, in places that historically have not dealt with lightning events.

As for year-to-year trends away from the Arctic, making a clear-cut connection to climate change is tricky. Other patterns, like El Nino or La Nina, are thought to be primary drivers behind spring and summer storms in lower latitudes.
Donate but dont dictate is a maxim for donors. We have seen such being done as the giver 
This grant will help the group raise public awareness of the importance of a strong teacher workforce and build public will to support and advocate for educators. New programs for the group over the next three years include the creation of a digital teacher platform for collaboration and a scholarship for high school seniors who plan to major in education.
Opponents of the Copper World mine are appealing a state air quality permit for the project, arguing the state should have required a stricter permit with more teeth.

In issuing the permit Jan. 2, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said its computer modeling found the mines emissions would not trigger violations of federal regulations protecting the surrounding air. Hudbay Minerals Inc., which would build Copper World, conducted an analysis to show the mine's emissions won't keep the area from meeting federal air quality standards, ADEQ said.

The permit is the last one needed from the state for construction of the $1.7 billion open-pit complex. The mine would be built in the Santa Rita Mountains, about 28 miles southeast of Tucson. The permit expires in five years although the company can renew it for longer periods.

In their appeal filed Thursday, opponents argued ADEQ inaccurately gave Copper World what's known as a Class II permit, It contains fewer restrictions and monitoring requirements and narrower enforcement capability than is warranted for a project of Copper World's scope, said the opponents.

The appeal was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and Farmers Investment Co., the Sahuarita-based pecan growing firm.

"In essence, Class I permits have more teeth," said Jeremy Nichols, a senior advocate for the Tucson-based biodiversity group.

ADEQ told the Star it doesnt provide specific comments on pending litigation. The appeal will be sent to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Unless the parties can resolve the issues in an informal settlement conference, that office will hold a hearing. Its final administration decision can be appealed to Superior Court.

Disputing opponents' assertion that a Class I permit has stricter standards, ADEQ said, "In most cases, a facility with a Class I permit will follow the same operating requirements as a smaller, similar facility that has lower potential emissions and a Class II permit.

"And, in some cases, including the Copper World Project air quality permit, Class II air quality permits contain stricter emissions limits and more rigorous monitoring, reporting, and testing requirements than a Class I air quality permit."

Hudbay told the Star it's currently reviewing the appeal and intends to intervene in the case.

"We are confident that the thorough review conducted by ADEQ and its decision to issue Copper World its air permit, will be upheld by the court," the company said in a statement.

The mine would operate on the Santa Ritas' west slope, extracting copper from six open pits, for up to 20 years. It has the potential to be operated for longer periods on the mountains' east slope if mining company Hudbay Minerals' Inc. can overcome legal objections that stopped mining from occurring on federal land there.

Hudbay has said the mine will create 400 permanent jobs and indirectly generate up to another 3,000 jobs. It has also projected the mine will generate more than $850 million in U.S. taxes, including approximately $170 million in taxes to the state of Arizona.

"Hudbay remains committed to advancing the Copper World project in a responsible and transparent manner. The project will deliver significant benefits to southern Arizona, including economic growth, job creation, and a reliable supply of domestically mined copper, which is critical to supporting Americas infrastructure and energy security," the company said.

But opponents said the permit fails to include advanced controls for particulate matter pollution, such as enclosing mining stockpiles and using state-of-the-art engineering to contain and control pollution from mining waste dumps, including a toxic slurry of tailings.

The air pollution permit will allow Hudbay to pile massive tailings dumps containing toxic chemicals like lead, cadmium and arsenic very near homes and schools in the Corona de Tucson community, said Rob Peters, executive director of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. Our frequent strong winds will blow this dust into the community. Gov. Hobbs should order the ADEQ to protect our health and stop greenlighting this dangerous project.

A difference between the two types of permits is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is required to evaluate a Class 1 permit before it's approved  but not with a Class II permit.

Nichols said that requirement has benefited opponents in their current legal case against ADEQ's approval of an air quality permit for the South32 Hermosa Mine near Patagonia. ADEQ issued a Class 1 permit for that mine in August 2024, and EPA didn't object although it did comment on the permit. But because it was a Class 1 permit, opponents could petition EPA to object and file suit if it doesn't, which they just did on January 21, Nichols said.

"I can't overstate how critical that EPA role is in the Class I permitting process. Having that layer of federal review is so important as too often states turn their backs on the strict requirements of the Clean Air Act," Nichols said.

Being able to petition EPA to object to an air permit provides "a critical avenue for the public to secure federal review and oversight," he added.

Nichols took strong exceptions to ADEQ's statements that Class I and Class II permits have little regulatory differences and that the Class II permit for Copper World and those in some other cases are stricter than a Class I permit.

"While a Class I permit may incorporate many terms and conditions that would also be a part of any Class II permit, fundamentally the permit would overall be stronger, more enforceable, and subject to more critical scrutiny," he said. "For ADEQ to assert that a Class I permit would somehow be less stringent than a Class II permit indicates a serious misunderstanding of their clean air laws and regulations and further underscores the need for groups to appeal here."

In issuing the Copper World permit, ADEQ sought to directly rebut the argument that a Class 1 permit was required for Copper World. Responding to public comments, the agency noted that first, Class 1 permits are required for any "major source" that emits 100 or more tons per year of any pollutant.

For air quality permits associated with mining, state and federal laws dont allow ADEQ to consider fugitive emissions, or those that cant reasonably be expected to pass through a chimney or vent, to make permit classification determinations, the department said.

The department said the total emissions that will come from particulate matter  by far the single biggest source of emissions from the mine  still won't exceed the minimum threshold of 100 tons per year for requiring a Class 1 permit.

In their appeal, opponents disagreed, citing an ADEQ table that showed the mine has the potential to emit 196 tons per year of general particulate matter. That's almost twice as many as the threshold for having a Class 1 permit. That the 100-ton-per-year standard is met "cannot genuinely be disputed," the appeal said.

Opponents also said the air permit ignored a major source of pollution from the mine that will occur outside its boundaries  trucks kicking up dust along a seven-mile stretch of the dirt Santa Rita Road that leads to the mine site.

Trucks delivering copper concentrate from the mine, and other vehicles carrying commuters to it, will travel a 7.7-mile stretch of that road, the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality has said.

Not only does the ADEQ permit fail to adequately control air pollution from the mine site, but it also ignores a huge amount of air pollution that will result from heavy trucks traveling across an unimproved dirt road that was never intended be used for industrial traffic, said Nan Stockholm Walden of FICO, in Friday's news release.

In response, Hudbay Minerals has said it acknowledges concerns about dust on that road and is willing to work with government agencies to try to mitigate it.

Hudbay is committed to reducing fugitive dust and working with the county on appropriate dust control measures, the company has said.

It's too early to provide "precise traffic estimates" for the mine project, the company said in response to a question from the Star about how many trucks will drive the road each day.

"Santa Rita Road is a public road. Dust on Santa Rita Road is a concern that Hudbay shares and is proactively taking steps to address. At this time, it is too early to provide precise traffic estimates for the Copper World project. Copper World will mitigate its dust impacts no later than commencement of production," the company said.
Opponents of the Copper World mine are appealing a state air quality permit for the project, arguing the state should have required a stricter permit with more teeth.

In issuing the permit Jan. 2, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said its computer modeling found the mines emissions would not trigger violations of federal regulations protecting the surrounding air. Hudbay Minerals Inc., which would build Copper World, conducted an analysis to show the mine's emissions won't keep the area from meeting federal air quality standards, ADEQ said.

The permit is the last one needed from the state for construction of the $1.7 billion open-pit complex. The mine would be built in the Santa Rita Mountains, about 28 miles southeast of Tucson. The permit expires in five years although the company can renew it for longer periods.

In their appeal filed Thursday, opponents argued ADEQ inaccurately gave Copper World what's known as a Class II permit, It contains fewer restrictions and monitoring requirements and narrower enforcement capability than is warranted for a project of Copper World's scope, said the opponents.

The appeal was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Save the Scenic Santa Ritas and Farmers Investment Co., the Sahuarita-based pecan growing firm.

"In essence, Class I permits have more teeth," said Jeremy Nichols, a senior advocate for the Tucson-based biodiversity group.

ADEQ told the Star it doesnt provide specific comments on pending litigation. The appeal will be sent to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Unless the parties can resolve the issues in an informal settlement conference, that office will hold a hearing. Its final administration decision can be appealed to Superior Court.

Disputing opponents' assertion that a Class I permit has stricter standards, ADEQ said, "In most cases, a facility with a Class I permit will follow the same operating requirements as a smaller, similar facility that has lower potential emissions and a Class II permit.

"And, in some cases, including the Copper World Project air quality permit, Class II air quality permits contain stricter emissions limits and more rigorous monitoring, reporting, and testing requirements than a Class I air quality permit."

Hudbay told the Star it's currently reviewing the appeal and intends to intervene in the case.

"We are confident that the thorough review conducted by ADEQ and its decision to issue Copper World its air permit, will be upheld by the court," the company said in a statement.

The mine would operate on the Santa Ritas' west slope, extracting copper from six open pits, for up to 20 years. It has the potential to be operated for longer periods on the mountains' east slope if mining company Hudbay Minerals' Inc. can overcome legal objections that stopped mining from occurring on federal land there.

Hudbay has said the mine will create 400 permanent jobs and indirectly generate up to another 3,000 jobs. It has also projected the mine will generate more than $850 million in U.S. taxes, including approximately $170 million in taxes to the state of Arizona.

"Hudbay remains committed to advancing the Copper World project in a responsible and transparent manner. The project will deliver significant benefits to southern Arizona, including economic growth, job creation, and a reliable supply of domestically mined copper, which is critical to supporting Americas infrastructure and energy security," the company said.

But opponents said the permit fails to include advanced controls for particulate matter pollution, such as enclosing mining stockpiles and using state-of-the-art engineering to contain and control pollution from mining waste dumps, including a toxic slurry of tailings.

The air pollution permit will allow Hudbay to pile massive tailings dumps containing toxic chemicals like lead, cadmium and arsenic very near homes and schools in the Corona de Tucson community, said Rob Peters, executive director of Save the Scenic Santa Ritas. Our frequent strong winds will blow this dust into the community. Gov. Hobbs should order the ADEQ to protect our health and stop greenlighting this dangerous project.

A difference between the two types of permits is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is required to evaluate a Class 1 permit before it's approved  but not with a Class II permit.

Nichols said that requirement has benefited opponents in their current legal case against ADEQ's approval of an air quality permit for the South32 Hermosa Mine near Patagonia. ADEQ issued a Class 1 permit for that mine in August 2024, and EPA didn't object although it did comment on the permit. But because it was a Class 1 permit, opponents could petition EPA to object and file suit if it doesn't, which they just did on January 21, Nichols said.

"I can't overstate how critical that EPA role is in the Class I permitting process. Having that layer of federal review is so important as too often states turn their backs on the strict requirements of the Clean Air Act," Nichols said.

Being able to petition EPA to object to an air permit provides "a critical avenue for the public to secure federal review and oversight," he added.

Nichols took strong exceptions to ADEQ's statements that Class I and Class II permits have little regulatory differences and that the Class II permit for Copper World and those in some other cases are stricter than a Class I permit.

"While a Class I permit may incorporate many terms and conditions that would also be a part of any Class II permit, fundamentally the permit would overall be stronger, more enforceable, and subject to more critical scrutiny," he said. "For ADEQ to assert that a Class I permit would somehow be less stringent than a Class II permit indicates a serious misunderstanding of their clean air laws and regulations and further underscores the need for groups to appeal here."

In issuing the Copper World permit, ADEQ sought to directly rebut the argument that a Class 1 permit was required for Copper World. Responding to public comments, the agency noted that first, Class 1 permits are required for any "major source" that emits 100 or more tons per year of any pollutant.

For air quality permits associated with mining, state and federal laws dont allow ADEQ to consider fugitive emissions, or those that cant reasonably be expected to pass through a chimney or vent, to make permit classification determinations, the department said.

The department said the total emissions that will come from particulate matter  by far the single biggest source of emissions from the mine  still won't exceed the minimum threshold of 100 tons per year for requiring a Class 1 permit.

In their appeal, opponents disagreed, citing an ADEQ table that showed the mine has the potential to emit 196 tons per year of general particulate matter. That's almost twice as many as the threshold for having a Class 1 permit. That the 100-ton-per-year standard is met "cannot genuinely be disputed," the appeal said.

Opponents also said the air permit ignored a major source of pollution from the mine that will occur outside its boundaries  trucks kicking up dust along a seven-mile stretch of the dirt Santa Rita Road that leads to the mine site.

Trucks delivering copper concentrate from the mine, and other vehicles carrying commuters to it, will travel a 7.7-mile stretch of that road, the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality has said.

Not only does the ADEQ permit fail to adequately control air pollution from the mine site, but it also ignores a huge amount of air pollution that will result from heavy trucks traveling across an unimproved dirt road that was never intended be used for industrial traffic, said Nan Stockholm Walden of FICO, in Friday's news release.

In response, Hudbay Minerals has said it acknowledges concerns about dust on that road and is willing to work with government agencies to try to mitigate it.

Hudbay is committed to reducing fugitive dust and working with the county on appropriate dust control measures, the company has said.

It's too early to provide "precise traffic estimates" for the mine project, the company said in response to a question from the Star about how many trucks will drive the road each day.
A Mariachi group at a 2024 competition Rhyma Castillo/Express-News file photo House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, adjourns the House during opening day of the 89th regular session at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Jan. 14, 2025. Juan Figueroa/TNS

Thumbs up: What happens when two high school Mariachi groups cross paths at a Whataburger? Puro Texas is what. Last Saturday, the mariachis from Sam Houston Math Science and Technology Center, a Northside high school, won a regional competition with perfect marks from three judges. On their way home, they stopped to eat, as is their tradition, at a Whataburger, but they weren't the only teenage musicians with the munchies. Klein Collins High School showed up a few minutes later. As soon as the hamburgers and fries were downed, out came the trumpets, violins, guitars and vihuelas. Not for some fearsome rematch but for a joint performance. The super-sized ensemble serenaded the Whataburger staff and patrons with the classic song La Negra. A video of the performance posted to TikTok garnered 2.2 million views. Sam Houston Senior Zayden Longoria told the Houston Landing that the thousands of supportive comments on the video were heartwarming to see. One TikTok-watching grandma named Stacy put her finger on why the pit-stop concert hit the spot: Im sitting here crying cause my kids/grandkids are Mexican! This world is so cruel right now for them its scary. This is beautiful to watch. Those young mariachis, who turned a humble fast food joint into a grand concert hall with their gritos and swelling melodies, were just what we needed. They reminded us of why were proud of all the diversity that makes Houston great.

Thumbs twiddled: Austin appears on its way to becoming a robotic wonderland, or dystopia. Tesla said Wednesday that it plans to launch its robotaxis (no steering wheel, accelerator or brakes) by June and begin pilot production of its humanoid robot, Optimus, this year as well. Of course, CEO Elon Musk, who splits his time between blowing up rockets over Texas and telling the White House to shut down half the government, has a way of overpromising on deadlines. Eventually, though, he pulls off technological wonders. Besides, hes got to keep up with Google. Their Waymo robotaxis could be delivering sloshed partiers to Congress Avenue and Sixth Street anytime now. Soon enough, though, locals will be crowded out by tourists paying to hear Musks robots playing Stevie Ray Vaughans greatest hits at the Continental Club and all the best sunbathing spots along Barton Springs will be taken by a topless edition of Optimus. Keep it weird, tech bros.

Thumbs down: Think were exaggerating? Austin only narrowly avoided a robotic takeover of the Texas House. Just ask Speaker Dustin Burrows. The Houston Chronicle reported this week that he was attacked on social media by an army of automated bots calling him a RINO, traitor and Democrat shill ahead of the vote in the race for speaker. The conservative Republicans chief rival was state Rep. David Cook, who had the support of hard-right Republicans. Who is behind the attempt to create a false appearance of grassroots anger? We dont know because of a loophole in Texas laws that allows outside actors to get away with these shenanigans as long as they didnt expressly advocate for Burrows defeat. We miss the good old days when you had to pay real humans to fake grassroots support.

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Thumbs down: At first, as the snowflakes wafted down on MLK Day, all was quiet. The next morning, Mayor John Whitmire was sharing photos of police and firefighters joyously pelting each other with snowballs. Apparently even criminals were busy making snowmen. Cops had enough spare time to let loose a bit. A couple of bystander videos showed them doing donuts with their cruisers in empty parking lots. Then came the online outrage. How dare the police break the rules the rest of us are meant to follow? Lighten up, we wrote last week. Cant a cop have some fun on a snow day? Now we have our answer. ABC13 reported Monday that the officers are facing discipline. Peeved by the blowback, the Houston Police Officers Union took to Facebook and called Hamon Brown, who posted one of the videos, a snitch. Then things went off the rails a bit according to Doug Griffith, the union president, and a video was posted of Brown recklessly ghost-riding, or sitting on the roof of his car while it was still moving. Fearing police retaliation, Brown got the help of Quanell X, the community activist and paid consultant. "Just leave me alone. I don't want no problems," Brown told ABC13. Alas, the bonhomie of the MLK Day snowfall has melted away. Olaf got to live forever in Frozen. If only our magic could go on too.
A medevac plane crashed soon after takeoff in Philadelphia on Friday with a child and five others on board, the air ambulance company that operated it said, adding that it had not confirmed any survivors.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, based in Mexico and licensed to operate in the U.S., said its aircraft crashed with four crew members, one pediatric medical patient and the patient's mother on board.

"At this time we cannot confirm any survivors," the company said in a statement.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro speaks to the press, as Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker listens, at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., January 31, 2025. Photo: Reuters

State and local officials said late on Friday they could not yet confirm how many people may have died on the ground after the plane slammed into a heavily populated portion of the city. Videos taken by witnesses of the crash clearly showed body parts strewn about the streets and inside nearby homes.

The Mexican government said all those on the plane were Mexican nationals, CNN reported.

The child was a girl on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN. Her mother was also aboard, he said.

"We are terribly shocked by this tragic turn of events," Gold said. "This was a very seasoned crew. We are a leading air ambulance company, we fly 600 to 700 times a year."

He said the company had invested heavily in maintaining its aircraft to the highest international standards and that the plane that crashed had been in excellent flying condition.

"We really don't know what happened," Gold said.

Emergency personnel work at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., January 31, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told a press conference at the crash scene that "we know there will be loss in this region."

"We want to offer our thoughts and our serious prayers for those that are grieving at this moment," Shapiro said.

President Donald Trump wrote on social media that it was "so sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job."

The crash follows this week's collision of an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopterover Washington, D.C., which killed 67 in the deadliest airplane crash in the U.S. since 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration said six people were on the Learjet 55 that crashed around 6:30 p.m. (0030 GMT) on Friday. Local media reported it was near the Roosevelt Mall in northeast Philadelphia and that there were multiple injuries on the ground.

Smoke rises as emergency personnel operate at the site of a plane crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., January 31, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Video aired on local TV stations showed the plane in a sharp dive before hitting the ground and exploding in a massive fireball.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker told a press conference at the scene that several houses and cars had been engulfed in flames. She said the situation is "all hands on deck, that's where we are right now."

Officials said it was not clear what led to the crash. The weather was cold and rainy and with low visibility when the plane went down.

The air ambulance had left Northeast Philadelphia Airport and was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, about 1,100 miles (1,800 km) to the southwest, the FAA said in a statement.

A large fire and several fire trucks were visible at the crash scene in images broadcast by the Philadelphia CBS affiliate. About two hours after the crash the fires were mostly out, according to TV images.

The Philadelphia police and fire departments did not respond to requests for comment.
Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Upon learning about the January 29 plane crash in Washington, D.C., which resulted in multiple fatalities, State President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Friday sent messages of condolence to U.S. President Donald Trump. On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also extended his condolences to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reported the Vietnam News Agency.

Society

-- The 60-kilometer Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh expressway project, which is set to link Ho Chi Minh City, neighboring Binh Duong Province and the Central Highlands region, will get off the ground on Saturday, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

-- Traffic police handled over 4,800 traffic violations, impounded more than 2,300 vehicles, revoked 283 drivers licenses, and deducted points from 808 licenses on Friday, or the third day of the Year of the Snake.

-- A bun rieu (vermicelli soup) eatery in Hanoi was temporarily shut down for charging a staggering VND1.2 million (US$47.8) for just three bowls of soup on the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, or Wednesday, an official from Bach Khoa Ward in Hai Ba Trung District said on Friday night.

Lifestyle

-- Nearly 87,360 international tourists have visited Ho Chi Minh City during the ongoing Lunar New Year holiday, a 16.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

-- Over 8,000 tourists, including international visitors, experienced island tours around Nha Trang City in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa on the third day of the Lunar New Year holiday.

World News

-- U.S. authorities restricted helicopter flights near Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday, after a midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter killed 67 people this week, according to Reuters.

-- A small plane carrying at least two people crashed in the vicinity of a shopping mall in Philadelphia, resulting in multiple casualties on the ground on Friday, Reuters reported, citing local media.

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Ho Chi Minh City has welcomed nearly 87,360 international visitors, marking a 16.5 percent year-on-year increase during the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.

The surge in international tourist arrivals also contributed to a significant rise in hotel occupancy rates, which soared by 44.4 percent year on year.

Revenue from the tourism sector was estimated to hit some VND7.69 trillion (US$306.6 million), up 17.4 percent year on year.

A representative from a local tour operator told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday that the nine-day break this year had made it convenient for tourists to participate in both short and long trips.

A new travel trend has emerged during this years holiday, with many visitors opting to travel by car to localities connected to Ho Chi Minh City via expressways.

Tourists are increasingly traveling in small groups, with families or friends, and have been opting for premium vacation tours, as well as free and easy tours, which include flights and high-end stays.

High-end leisure tourism products, combining wellness programs, fitness activities, and meditation, as well as traditional Tet tours are drawing the sheer number of travelers, said a representative from a local travel firm.

Since late 2024, tour operators have been offering various new tourism products at competitive prices, along with attractive discounts, while Vietnam is entering the holiday period for international tourists, resulting in the influx of foreigners during Tet, according to the municipal department.

High domestic airfares boost interest in overseas travel

Sky-high domestic airfares during the Lunar New Year holiday have led many travelers to turn to international destinations, where tour prices remain competitive, noted the municipal Department of Tourism.

Some countries such as Thailand and China have emerged as popular choices for those seeking more affordable travel options.

Traditional international destinations like Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Europe, and the United States continue to be favored by local travelers.

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Nha Trang, a popular beach city of Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam has been seeing a significant influx of tourists, with island and beach tours maintaining its strong appeal, during the ongoing Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet.

Over 8,000 tourists, including international visitors, experienced island tours around Nha Trang City on the third day of the Year of the Snake, said Tran Van Phu, head of the Nha Trang Tourist Pier management division under the Nha Trang Bay management department.

Up to 2,500 foreigners, including Chinese and South Korean travelers, were among nearly 4,500 visitors who went on island and beach tours in the city the day before.

The pier is expected to welcome over 40,000 tourists to Nha Trang Bay during Tet, Phu said.

Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam welcomes the sheer number of international travelers during Tet 2025. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

Tourists have been beguiled by tours to Hon Mun Island, Tranh Beach, and Hon Chong Bay, he noted.

Tran Minh Duc, director of Long Phu Tourist Joint Stock Company, highlighted the popularity of the Hoa Lan Island and Dao Khi (Monkey Island) tourist areas, which have attracted a large number of tourists, including domestic visitors and tourists from South Korea, China, and Kazakhstan over the past few days.

On the third day of Tet, these two tourist destinations welcomed some 2,500 travelers.

For Tet celebrations, the firm has decorated flower paths and set up several photo spots for guests to take pictures, while launching numerous activities such as bird shows, archery and goose racing to delight visitors, said Duc.

Cam Ranh International Airport was set to serve nearly 1,200 flights, including 800 international flights, between January 25 and February 2 (from the 26th day of the 12th lunar month of 2024 to the fifth day of Tet 2025).

More than 180,000 air passengers have been arriving in the province during the period, with the majority of international visitors coming from South Korea, China, and Russian-speaking countries.

Many hotels and resorts in the province have nearly reached full capacity during the Tet holiday.

In particular, hotels along Tran Phu Street in Nha Trang City and beachfront resorts have seen all of their rooms booked in advance.

A beach in Nha Trang City is crowded with tourists. Photo: Minh Chien / Tuoi Tre

Le Thuy Trang, a tourist from Nam Dinh Province, northern Vietnam, shared that she and her family often travel to beach cities such as Nha Trang or Quy Nhon in Binh Dinh Province, south-central Vietnam for the Tet holiday to relax.

When in Nha Trang, going to the beach is a must, she said.

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New Delhi: The air is thick with political tension in the bustling lanes of Delhis Okhla constituency as the assembly elections in the city draw near. A determined and vocal leader, Nooreen Fatima rallies the crowd with the chant, Bolega Okhla, Jeetega Insaf (Okhla will speak, justice will win).Fatima is campaigning for her husband, Shifa Ur Rehman, an outspoken anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) activist, who has been behind bars since April 2020. Accused of being involved in a conspiracy to incite riots in Northeast Delhi, he faces serious charges, but his supporters believe the allegations are baseless.

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Steadfast in her mission, Fatima tells the voters, We could not get justice in the courts, but we trust you to deliver it at the ballot box. Her voice reverberates through the streets and seemingly resonates with the people of Okhla who still seek justice for what they perceive as wrongful incarcerations.Talking to TwoCircles.net, Fatima explained why her husband decided to contest the elections despite his lack of political experience and imprisonment for five years. We are a part of this society. Politics is part of our life, she said. Although Shifa-ur-Rahman has no political background, he has always had an interest in politics. We are not gullible people. It is not that Shifa does not understand the political landscape. In the past, he was very much involved.

She continued, Owaisi Sahab took a risk by giving us a ticket, something no big party would do. They want big faces, not freshers. But Owaisi took that risk, and now people are learning about Shifa. This is a platform for us, and for that, we are grateful.

Often seen leading the charge, Fatima passionately addresses the core issues that have plagued the community. The education system in Okhla has failed us. The healthcare system is a mess. The government promises a lot but delivers little. People need better schools, better hospitals and better opportunities. We will fight for these rights.

She argues that the local governments neglect has only exacerbated the communitys problems, with basic infrastructure such as roads and drainage systems still in disrepair.

She has a conviction in fighting for her husband. We cannot just sit back and watch as our future is decided by others, she said. It is time for people to rise and take charge. Our fight is not just for Shifa; it is for all of us who have been wronged.

Rehmans candidacy, endorsed by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, has apparently stirred the community.

Once a stronghold for the Congress, the Okhla constituency has shifted to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in recent years, thanks to the partys emphasis on local issues like education and healthcare. Many now believe AAP is the best hope for keeping the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) from gaining ground in the area.

Reflecting on the bigger picture of the elections, Fatima emphasises the need for unity and focus. This is not just about our family, it is about the future of the community. We need leaders who will fight for justice, for education, for healthcare, for our rights, she says. I appeal to the people of Okhla to consider who is genuinely fighting for them and who is merely playing political games. We have had enough of broken promises. Now is the time for real change.

Always direct, Fatima also critiques the state of politics in the region. I want to appeal to the people to vote wisely. Take into consideration how the candidate addresses your issues. Making emotional speeches and issuing hollow statements will not resolve the various issues. They will be resolved if your issues are genuinely taken into account. Think about Shifas sacrifices, his nature, and the difficulties he has faced.

Meanwhile, in Mustafabad, another Muslim-majority constituency in North East Delhi, the mood is similarly charged. The area still feels the scars of the 2020 riots, where 53 lives were lost, 38 of them Muslims, and the subsequent arrests of students and activists.

Tahir Hussain, a former AAP councillor, remains behind bars. He is accused of murder and riot-incitement. His wife, Shama Anjum, has stepped up to carry his political torch, campaigning fiercely for his innocence. The allegations against him are baseless, she asserts, drawing from her personal pain and conviction. He is not a rioter. He is a victim.

Out on a six-day custody parole granted by the Supreme Court, Hussain is campaigning in his constituency, where he is contesting as an AIMIM candidate. I had announced six months ago that I will contest from Mustafabad. All the parties knew this they all announced their candidates just a few days ago. None of them reached out to me. The AAP and the Congress could have, but they were scared that the BJP will make this a poll issue, he tells TwoCircles.net.

Hussain expresses gratitude towards the AIMIM, saying, I am grateful to Owaisi that he gave me a chance. He is a seasoned politician Parties that I spent time with, I shared meals with and campaigned for, abandoned me. But an unknown person showed faith in me. He hugged me and fielded me on party symbol.

While Hussain faces political isolation from his former allies, his personal connections with Mustafabad are deep-rooted. I have grown up here, got married and had children in Mustafabad. I love my people and rule their hearts, he says. Despite the challenges, he remains confident in his campaign and asserts that he is banking on 30 years of hard work.

Further criticising the AAP, he says, For the last 10 years, Kejriwal has not even shown his face to us. The people will not fall for their trap this time. There is so much work to be done here.

As posters demanding justice for Hussain adorn the walls of Mustafabad, the political landscape becomes more complex. The AAP has fielded Adil Ahmad Khan, promising a more developed and educated constituency, but criticism lingers over the partys alleged failure to adequately address post-riot rehabilitation. Attempting a comeback with Ali Mehdi, another local leader, the Congress is challenging the AAPs grip on the area, while the BJPs candidate, Mohan Singh Bisht, aims to consolidate Hindu votes by focusing on justice for riot survivors within the Hindu community.

The AIMIMs decision to field Rehman and Hussain, both tied to the 2020 riots, has ignited intense emotional support among Muslim voters, but it also raises concerns about vote fragmentation.

The stakes have never been higher for Okhla, Mustafabad, and the broader political landscape in Delhi. The February 5 elections will not only be a contest of power but a struggle for justice, dignity and the future direction of the citys diverse communities.
HA NOI  Kazakhstan's national flag carrier Air Astana will operate flights from Almaty and Astana cities of the Central Asian nation to the resort city of Nha Trang in Viet Nam's south central province of Khanh Hoa from March.

According to the airline's press service, with the arrival of the spring-summer season, Air Astana will replace its Phu Quoc route with services to Nha Trang.

Flights from Almaty to Nha Trang will commence on March 30 and will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. From Astana, flights will begin on March 31 and will run on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the statement said.

Last year, Khanh Hoa welcomed over 10.6 million visitors, a 45.5 per cent increase compared to the number in 2023. Of these, international visitors hit over 4.5 million, marking an 89.3 per cent rise year-on-year. Total revenue from tourism was estimated at VN52.27 trillion (US$2.06 billion), up 53.9 per cent from the previous year.

The locality aims to serve 11.8 million holidaymakers this year, of them 5.2 million international, and earm VN60 trillion from the sector.  VNS
HA NOI  The Spring Calligraphy Festival 2025 is taking place at Ha Nois iconic Temple of Literature, showcasing 100 works of calligraphy.

Gathering at the festival are 47 calligraphers, all of whom are selected through a competitive process.

In addition to xin chu (requesting words), an activity during which visitors ask calligraphers to write requested words or phrases that convey auspicious meanings, three special exhibitions are also being held.

The calligraphy exhibition Thuc Hoc (Practical Learning) presents 100 works of calligraphy in Han (Chinese script), Nom (Vietnamese ideographic script) and quoc ngu (national romanised Vietnamese script), honouring the national tradition of valuing education and literacy.

The works are inspired by the legacies of notable figures such as Chu Van An, Nguyen Trai and Nguyen Du, evoking pride and encouraging the younger generation to contribute to their homeland.

Highlighted works are 18 columns of calligraphy surrounding the exhibition space, written in Chinese characters by 10 calligraphers in various styles. The content is an excerpt from the work Khuyen Hoc Van (Encouragement of Learning) by Emperor Le Thanh Tong (1442-1497), a major figure in the classical literature of Viet Nam.

Aside from his renowned contributions to governance and people's welfare, he played a significant role in advancing the country's educational culture during his reign, particularly in fostering a flourishing examination system.

A giant lotus flower, radiant with light and shimmering colours, made up of 200 works of quoc ngu calligraphy, is also a highlight of the calligraphy festival.

ang Thanh Nguyen uc Loi, a calligrapher from Bat Trang Village, said the Spring Calligraphy Festival enables calligraphers to connect and engage in conversations with those who love the art, hoping that the recipients understand the meaning of each word and phrase and the sentiments conveyed within them.

The photo exhibition Viet Nam Que Huong Toi (Viet Nam, My Homeland) features 50 outstanding photographic works selected from the Vietnam Heritage Photo Awards 2012-2018. These photos capture impressive moments and scenes of Viet Nams cultural heritage, nature and people.

The last exhibition, Ve Con Ran (Drawing the Snake), showcases 77 artworks by 75 Vietnamese and international artists, presenting diverse perspectives on the Lunar Year of the Snake in traditional and modern culture.

Within the inner courtyard, visitors can enjoy the exhibitions Dau Xua Van Hien 3: Thien Quang (Ancient Marks of Cultural Heritage 3: Heavenly Light) and Bia a Ke Chuyen 2 (Stone Tablets Tell Stories 2), which showcase the cultural and educational values of the Temple of Literature, a national special relic site.

Le Xuan Kieu, director of the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities at the Temple of Literature, said the Spring Calligraphy Festival is an interesting cultural rendezvous during Tet. The diverse exhibitions and experiential activities create a colourful space that connects people with the beautiful traditional values of the nation, he noted.

Luu Mai, a 65-year-old visitor from HCM City, said she was excited to participate in the activities.

The Spring Calligraphy Festival helps preserve and promote the tradition of writing in the age of digital technology.

I hope there will be more cultural events like this so that people from all over the country can have the opportunity to experience it, she said.

Aside from the exhibitions, the Spring Calligraphy Festival 2025 will feature many exciting cultural activities, such as a reading culture space, displays of traditional craft products, folk games and traditional art performances.

The event will run until February 9, welcoming visitors daily from 8am to 10pm.  VNS
JH-7 Fighter Bomber in Flight Training

China Military Online) 09:44, February 01, 2025

A JH-7 fighter bomber attached to a brigade with the air force under the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command taxies on the runway during a multi-subject flight training exercise on January 11, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhuo Lingpeng)

Two JH-7 fighter bombers attached to a brigade with the air force under the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command fly towards the designated airspace during a multi-subject flight training exercise on January 11, 2025. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhuo Lingpeng)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Google has launched its latest artificial intelligence model, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental, offering advanced capabilities for users who subscribe to its premium service. The technology giant's latest AI iteration is designed to handle complex tasks, though access is limited to those willing to pay for the top-tier subscription.

The announcement follows Google's December unveiling of Gemini 2.0, the next-generation multimodal AI model. The company aims to refine the chatbot experience with an emphasis on AI-driven agents designed to enhance performance.

Google Rolls Out Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental

Google revealed Tuesday that Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental is now available for testing. According to a report from 9to5Google, this model boasts enhanced capabilities in coding, mathematics, and other computational tasks. The company describes it as the "leading model" for executing complex assignments with greater precision.

The December teaser hinted at significant updates for Gemini AI in 2024. With this release, users can explore advanced coding challenges, generate programs from scratch, and develop sophisticated statistical models or quantum algorithms.

Despite its advancements, Google has cautioned users that the model remains experimental and may produce errors. Additionally, real-time information access is not yet available.

Exclusive Access for Gemini Advanced Subscribers

Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental is restricted to users subscribed to Gemini Advanced, the highest-tier plan priced at $19.99 per month. This subscription includes access to experimental AI models, 2TB of cloud storage through Google One, and integration with Google Workspace applications.

Google has also clarified that Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental differs from Gemini 2.0 Pro, with the former still undergoing testing and refinements.

Google's AI Roadmap

Google previously announced plans for substantial AI advancements in 2025 under "Project Astra," which aims to redefine AI-powered assistance. The company has pledged further improvements to its search engine, incorporating more generative AI features.

CEO Sundar Pichai has also hinted at upcoming AI-powered enhancements to Google Lens, expected to introduce video capabilities later this year.

With Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental now available for testing, Google continues to push forward in its AI innovation, setting the stage for further developments in the coming months.
HA NOI  Viet Nam's longest festival, the Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival, kicks off on the sixth day of the first lunar month (which falls on February 3 this year) and will continue to captivate visitors for three vibrant months, ending on May 1.

The My uc District in Ha Noi, home to the magnificent Huong Son Landscape Complex, also known as Huong Pagoda, has pulled out all the stops in preparation for the festival. With a slew of management innovations, they are ensuring this cultural and tourist haven is all set to shine.

The festivals organising committee has gone above and beyond, boosting promotion through mass media and sprucing up the surroundings. Additionally, a trail lined with panels, backdrops and vibrant flower pots along Provincial Road 419  the main route  and a vivid pedestrian path along Yen Stream, are all designed to create an enchanting atmosphere for festival-goers.

The integration of scenic entrance and boat tickets at the Huong Pagoda Festival 2025 is one of the significant upgrades designed to enhance visitor convenience, as noted by Deputy Chairman of the People's Committee of My uc District and Head of the festivals organising committee, ang Van Canh.

He said that the festival is prioritising top-notch service quality for its guests.

Nearly 4,000 boats, all uniformly painted according to regulations, are set to transport visitors. These boats are equipped with life jackets, trash bins, umbrellas, seating and complimentary drinking water.

Plus, each boatman will feature a QR code to streamline management by the organising board and to facilitate feedback on their service attitude. Boats will be available to transport festival-goers daily, from the early morning hours of 4.30am until 8pm.

This attention to detail ensures that visitors will have a smooth and enjoyable experience at the festival.

The organising committee is also stepping up efforts to improve the festival experience. They will enhance monitoring to address the sale of off-putting items and limit the use of noisy loudspeakers, while ensuring security and fire prevention measures are in place. Free public restrooms will be maintained, while waste collection and disposal will be efficiently managed.

To ensure visitor safety, first aid stations will be established in busy areas such as Huong Tich Cave, the cable car stations, and in front of the Thien Tru Pagoda. Ticket prices will be transparently posted and made available to all tourists.

Visitors are encouraged to maintain environmental cleanliness, behave politely and respectfully, avoid illegal activities while enjoying boat rides and refrain from littering.

By focusing on these measures, the festival aims to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors.

The Huong Pagoda Festival aims to continue affirming the value of traditional festival culture and promote the significance of the Special National Relic Site of the Huong Son Complex. Additionally, it creates a joyful and festive atmosphere for the people and visitors at the beginning of the new spring," emphasised Deputy Chairman Canh.

In addition to the main Buddhist ritual festivities, tourists can immerse themselves in various activities, such as captivating performances of traditional Vietnamese cultural arts, including puppetry by artisans from ai Nghia Town, the rhythmic allure of Muong ethnic gong performances in An Phu Commune and the soulful cheo (traditional opera) singing at local clubs.

The organising committee hopes that through the festival activities, they will contribute to raising awareness of future generations about the responsibility to participate in preserving and promoting cultural values closely linked to socio-economic development, while also affirming the cultural value of the Huong Pagoda Festival and the significance of the Huong Son scenic site  a Special National Relic  aligned with the potential and strengths for tourism development in My uc District.

The Huong Son Landscape Complex is a stunning array of Buddhist pagodas, caves and temples. Built in the late 17th century, this complex boasts numerous pagodas, temples and caves adorned with marvelous stalactites and stalagmites. A highlight is the Huong Tich Cave, which features a carved inscription by Lord Trinh Sam from 1770, praising it as the most beautiful cave in the country.

Visiting Huong Pagoda is more than just a sightseeing trip  it's a spiritual journey into a Buddhist land. Visitors can marvel at the exquisite pagodas, temples and caves and participate in ceremonies to seek blessings from Buddha. VNS
HA NOI  As the vibrant colours of the Lunar New Year (Tet) sweep across Viet Nam, the festive spirit is not confined to the Vietnamese alone.

Foreign entrepreneurs, tourists, and students are irresistibly drawn to this traditional holiday.

French national Didier B. Boissonnet, having celebrated Tet for the second time, was utterly charmed, describing the experience as "enchanting."

Viet Nam really rolls out the red carpet for visitors, especially during Tet festivities, Boissonnet shared from his recent adventure in Nha Trang where he enjoyed an electrifying performance by world-renowned DJ and music producer Alan Walker.

"It's clear Viet Nam is innovating, bringing a fresh, youthful vibe to its tourism scene".

The allure of Tet has also caught the attention of European travelers, with a considerable number from Poland showing keen interest.

Poland's cold winter makes Viet Nam's warm beaches, mouth-watering cuisine, and diverse cultural experiences particularly appealing. The period from October to March sees a surge in Polish visitors eager to escape the chill back home.

CEO of Vietluxtour Tran The Dung highlighted a noticeable shift in tourist preferences this year, saying that tourists are now looking for more than just package deals, they want bespoke experiences.

From custom Free & Easy (F&E) tours to a la carte options, there is a growing demand for luxury and relaxation among Vietnamese expatriates and international guests alike.

A representative from Sun Group observed a similar trend, with an increase in foreigners choosing to celebrate Tet in Viet Nam, particularly from the Republic of Korea, China, and Taiwan (China), where Tet resonates deeply.

Popular spots like a Nang and Phu Quoc are becoming go-to destinations for their ease of access and stunning landscapes, bolstered by new international flight routes.

From January 27 to February 2, Nguyen Hue Street in HCM City will be transformed into a floral wonderland, showcasing an array of blossoms and artistic installations, attracting millions eager to soak in the festive atmosphere.

In District 8, a floating flower market provides a slice of authentic Vietnamese culture, where vendors from the Mekong Delta, Central Viet Nam, and even the northwest gather to sell unique plants, flowers, and fruits.

In the southeastern province of Tay Ninh, the Spring Festival at Ba en Mountain promises a visual treat with over 115,000 tulips in bloom, drawing visitors to this serene location.

The capital city of Ha Noi keeps its doors open for cultural enthusiasts during Tet, with special exhibitions and historical sites.

Suburban areas like Me Linh host vibrant flower, while tours of renowned flower villages such as Hong Van in Thuong Tin District and Phu ong in Gia Lam District provide serene, picturesque landscapes. Visitors can also explore craft villages like Quang Phu Cau, known for incense-making in Ung Hoa District, and the famous Bat Trang pottery village.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  On the third day of Tet, Ha Noi enjoyed warm and sunny weather after several days of chilly winds. The pleasant conditions made it perfect for locals and tourists to visit popular attractions, public parks, and cultural sites to celebrate the festive season.

Here are some snapshots capturing the vibrant Tet celebrations on the third day.  VNS
Japan is ready to collaborate with Viet Nam on the potential studies and deployment of nuclear reactors, Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki tells the Vietnam News Agency in an exclusive interview at the outset of 2025.

What are your impressions of Viet Nam after nearly a year into your tenure? Could you share your thoughts on the advantages and challenges of working in our country?

Since assuming my post in Ha Noi last May, I have had the privilege of engaging with people from a variety of organisations, including the Party, the Government, the National Assembly, and also those of the business sector, educational institutions, and cultural organisations. I've traveled to some 20 cities and provinces across Viet Nam, from Lao Cai and Yen Bai in the North to Ca Mau in the South.

Upon arriving in Viet Nam, I was struck by the unique atmosphere and vibrant energy distinct from all other cities in Asia. This may be attributed to Viet Nams consistent development efforts since the country embarked on the oi Moi (renewal) process and her position as one of the top-performing economies within ASEAN in recent years. As a result, the Vietnamese people exude confidence in the nations future and your whole society is beamed with hope for brighter days ahead.

I believe Viet Nam is one of the ASEAN countries with the potential to achieve a per capita GDP exceeding US$10,000 in the near future.

As Viet Nam is entering a 'new era' under the leadership of Party General Secretary To Lam, I am optimistic that the 'new era' will be a great opportunity to develop and expand the Japan-Viet Nam partnership and that many specific activities will be organised accordingly across different sectors.

The HCM City Urban Railways No.1, a symbol of collaboration between Japan and Viet Nam, began operation in December last year. I am delighted that the local people have warmly welcomed the railway and already experienced the service it has to offer. In this 'new era,' Viet Nam has given top priority to completing strategic infrastructure projects, including transport, digital technology, and energy. Japan welcomes these efforts and will continue to cooperate with Viet Nam in related areas.

Additionally, in high-tech sectors such as semiconductors and emerging areas like digital transformation, green transition, and high-quality human resource training, the Japanese government and businesses will join hands to provide the necessary support for Viet Nam toward its goal of becoming a developed country by 2045 and achieving double-digit growth.

Japan also pays close attention to Viet Nams Party General Secretary To Lam's message on combating waste, improving economic efficiency, and streamlining government apparatus. I strongly hope that once the administrative procedures are simplified and clarified, the approval process becomes faster, the operation of businesses working in Viet Nam will be greatly facilitated. This will certainly improve the business climate for Japanese companies and help Viet Nam attract new investments from Japan.

Japanese companies are very interested in investing in Viet Nam. According to the latest survey by JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), Viet Nam is the most desired country for Japanese businesses to expand their investments within ASEAN. In another recent survey by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Viet Nam ranked second globally in the manufacturing sector and first in non-manufacturing sectors among countries with high business prospects. I firmly believe that the economic partnership between Japan and Viet Nam will continue to grow.

Japans Shinkansen bullet train system is renowned for its advanced technology and also a driver of Japanese economic growth and development. How could Viet Nam learn from Japans experience, given that Viet Nam has decided to develop its North-South high-speed train project in the coming time?

In 1964, Japan inaugurated the high-speed rail line Shinkansen, spanning approximately 500km and connecting the two major economic hubs of Tokyo and Osaka. During the rapid economic expansion of the 1960s, Japan launched several major infrastructure projects to fuel its growth, such as the opening of subway lines in Tokyo and Osaka, or the expressway connecting Tokyo and Osaka. Among these, the Shinkansen stood out as a public transportation system that brought about significant economic benefits such as shorter travel time for passengers and more commuters and tourists choosing to travel by rail. That had helped promote regional development and revitalise the Japanese economy as a whole.

The most remarkable feature of the Shinkansen system is its unparalleled frequency of operation, with up to 17 trips per hour, all while maintaining punctuality and very high safety standards. In terms of punctuality, despite the high frequency, the average delay time per train is only 1.6 minutes, including delays caused by natural disasters. In terms of safety, the Shinkansen operates on dedicated tracks without intersections, preventing accidental entry onto the tracks. With automatic train control systems in place, the Shinkansen has maintained the high safety record, with no fatal accidents reported in the six decades since its launch of operation.

Japans Shinkansen system has brought about significant benefits by integrating with surrounding residential areas, local train networks, and other transportation systems, enabling comprehensive development. I think it is one of the key reasons for its success. Thanks to this comprehensive development, the Shinkansen demonstrates clear advantages and delivers even greater effectiveness. I believe that infrastructure development projects, such as the building of the Shinkansen, have also propelled related workforce training and development.

In Japan, the introduction of the Shinkansen became a game changer for rapid economic growth. In Viet Nam, the North-South high-speed rail line is also expected to be a transformative catalyst to drive development further.

Viet Nam has decided to resume its first nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan Province in the coming time. As a global powerhouse in term of nuclear energy, how will Japan share its experience with Viet Nam and what are the potentials for bilateral cooperation in this field?

First of all, Japan welcomes Viet Nam's announcement to restart the nuclear power plant construction project.

With 60 years of experience in nuclear energy development and in the construction and operation of approximately 60 nuclear power plants, Japan is well-positioned to contribute to Viet Nams project.

In terms of specific areas of cooperation, Japan needs to consider viable initiatives based on Viet Nam's needs and project timelines, among other criteria. However, Japan is ready to collaborate with Viet Nam on feasibility studies focusing on the potential deployment of nuclear reactors utilising Japanese technology in the future.

Regarding the human resources training for civil nuclear energy in Viet Nam, we support partnerships between Vietnamese universities under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and related Japanese universities, companies, and organisations. Japan looks forward to continuing to assist Viet Nam in technical cooperation and workforce development, with key contributions from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and the International Nuclear Energy Development of Japan Co., Ltd (JINED).  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam and Malaysia have entered a new stage of development after the two sides upgraded their relationship to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in November 2024.

Malaysian Ambassador to Viet Nam Dato' Tan Yang Thai says he believes that 2025 will bring even greater opportunities for cooperation between the two countries in his recent interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

The year 2024 marks an important milestone in the relationship between Viet Nam and Malaysia, with the highlight being the elevation of their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, declared during the official visit to Malaysia by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam To Lam on November 21-23. What is your comment on this event when looking back at a year of relations between the two countries?

The elevation of the Malaysia-Viet Nam relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024 is indeed a defining moment, reflecting the robust and multifaceted cooperation between our two nations. This milestone signifies a shared commitment to strengthening our bilateral ties and addressing regional and global challenges together. It also underscores the strategic importance both Malaysia and Viet Nam place on each other as partners in ASEAN and the broader international community.

In recent years, high-level exchanges between the leaders of both countries have played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of our relationship. Notable visits include the official visit of Viet Nams General Secretary of the Communist Party To Lam to Malaysia in November 2024, during which the elevation to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was announced. This followed the successful visit of Malaysias Prime Minister to Viet Nam in 2023, where discussions on enhancing trade, investment, and regional cooperation took center stage. These reciprocal visits underscore the commitment of both nations' leadership to deepening ties and exploring new areas of collaboration.

In terms of trade, the economic partnership between Malaysia and Viet Nam continues to flourish. Malaysia is one of Viet Nams top ten trading partners, with bilateral trade almost reaching the value of US$18 billion.

Tourism also stands out as a vital pillar of our bilateral relations. In 2024, Malaysia welcomed over 300,000 Vietnamese tourists, while Viet Nam received nearly half a million Malaysian visitors, demonstrating the strong people-to-people connectivity between our nations. These numbers are facilitated by the fact that Malaysia and Viet Nam enjoy excellent air connectivity, with 164 direct flights operated by several airlines between major cities like Ha Noi, HCM City, and a Nang in Viet Nam, and Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Penang and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia.

Building on existing strong foundations, the elevation to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is an important development in bilateral relations between our two countries. It reinforces our mutual commitment to not only deepen bilateral cooperation but also to work together towards a peaceful, stable, and prosperous ASEAN region.

Malaysia has officially assumed the Chair of ASEAN on 1 January 2025. Could you please tell us what are priorities of Malaysia during the term and how will Malaysia coordinate with other member countries, including Viet Nam, to fulfil its role as ASEAN chair?

Malaysia assumed the Chairmanship of ASEAN on 1 January 2025, and our priorities during our Chairmanship will focus on advancing the core values of ASEAN, fostering regional stability, and promoting inclusive growth across all member states. Under the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability,' Malaysia will be emphasising the importance of equitable development and bolstering regional economic integration by enhancing trade and investment linkages. This includes strengthening regional value chains and regulatory cooperation, fostering digital transformation, and leveraging advancements in science, technology, and innovation.

Another key issue of focus will be on preserving, promoting and strengthening ASEAN centrality. Malaysia will focus on reasserting ASEANs role in driving the Asia-Pacific regions future with a focus on resilience, inclusivity and maintaining regional peace amid geopolitical uncertainties.

This year, as Malaysia helms ASEAN, the region will be commemorating the 10th anniversary of the ASEAN Community's establishment. As we commemorate this event, it will also be a priority for Malaysia for the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 to be adopted this year. This vision will set strategic priorities for the next two decades, aiming to enhance regional integration and resilience.

As ASEAN Chair, Malaysia is deeply committed to fostering a collaborative spirit among member states, ensuring that ASEAN continues to thrive as a resilient, united, and forward-looking community. We believe that by working together, ASEAN can effectively address challenges and seize opportunities to ensure peace, prosperity, and stability for the region and beyond.

To fulfil our role as Chair, Malaysia is committed to close coordination with all ASEAN member states, including Viet Nam, as a key partner. Our collaboration will build upon the long-standing and robust bilateral ties between Malaysia and Viet Nam, particularly in areas such as trade, security, and sustainable development.

Malaysias ASEAN chairmanship not only involves organising summits but also various activities aimed at engaging different societal sectors. A total of 357 activities are planned for 2025, including 14 summits with participation from leaders and representatives of member states and partners.

Malaysia looks forward to fostering a dynamic and forward-looking ASEAN in 2025, one that remains resilient, cohesive, and responsive to the aspirations of its peoples. Together, we can achieve these goals and reaffirm ASEAN's role as a driver of regional peace and prosperity.

On the occasion of New Year 2025 and Viet Nams traditional Tet, as the Head of the Malaysian Embassy in Viet Nam, do you have any message to send to the Vietnamese people?

On the joyous occasion of the New Year 2025 and the traditional Tet celebration, I would like to extend my warmest greetings and heartfelt wishes to the Government and people of Viet Nam on behalf of the Malaysian Embassy.

Tet is a time of renewal, gratitude, and togethernessa moment to reflect on the achievements of the past year and to look forward to new opportunities with hope and determination. I wish for your celebrations to be filled with joy, unity, and prosperity.

The year 2024 has been a remarkable chapter in the history of Malaysia-Viet Nam relations, culminating in the elevation of our partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This milestone reflects the strong bonds of friendship, mutual respect, and cooperation between our two nations. I am confident that 2025 will bring even greater opportunities for collaboration as we continue to work together for the shared prosperity and peace of our region.

As Malaysia assumes the Chair of ASEAN this year, we look forward to further deepening our partnership with Viet Nam in driving regional unity, stability, and resilience. Together, we will strengthen the ASEAN community and contribute to a brighter future for all.

To all Vietnamese families, I wish you a prosperous, healthy, and fulfilling Lunar New Year. May the spirit of Tet bring you happiness and success in all your endeavors. Chuc Mung Nam Moi!  VNS
HA NOI  Leaders of Viet Nam and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) exchanged congratulatory messages on January 31 to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam and State President Luong Cuong extended their greetings to General Secretary and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh exchanged messages with DPRK Premier Pak Thae Song, while National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man congratulated Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly Pak In Chol.

In their messages, the Vietnamese leaders underlined the deep-rooted friendship between Viet Nam and the DPRK, a bond personally forged by President Ho Chi Minh and President Kim Il Sung. This friendship has been nurtured through generations of leaders and citizens from both nations, growing stronger over the past 75 years.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people always value and wish to further deepen the practical cooperative relationship with the DPRK across various fields, in line with the aspirations of both countries citizens and international commitments, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, they said, believing that both sides will effectively coordinate to celebrate the Viet Nam-DPRK Friendship Year 2025 with impactful exchange and cooperation activities.

In response, the DPRK leaders stressed that designating 2025 as the Viet Nam-DPRK Friendship Year reflects the shared aspirations and strategic directions of both nations. They voiced strong optimism that the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the DPRK and Viet Nam will continue to flourish, further motivating and advancing the socialist cause in both countries.

Adding to the celebratory spirit, Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung exchanged congratulations with Kim Song Nam, alternate member of the Political Bureau and Director of the International Department of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee.

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son exchanged warm messages with Choe Son Hui, member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK.  VNA/VNS
NEW YORK  Ambassador ang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations (UN), held a working session with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on January 30 (the second day of the Lunar New Year) to discuss issues of mutual concern and cooperation between Viet Nam and the UN in 2025.

Guterres extended his best New Year wishes to Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and the Vietnamese people.

Reflecting on his official visit to Viet Nam in 2022, he expressed fond memories of the countrys beauty and hospitality, adding that he hopes to return soon.

He also congratulated Viet Nam on its remarkable socio-economic achievements over the past year, affirming that the UN considers Viet Nam a reliable partner and a responsible member with an increasingly important role and contributions to the international community.

Ambassador Giang, in turn, praised the UNs accomplishments under Guterres' leadership in the past year, especially its efforts to promote a ceasefire in the Middle East, accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and address new global challenges.

The ambassador affirmed Viet Nam's support for the Secretary-General's priorities across all pillars of the UN's 2025 agenda, stressing that Viet Nam always wishes and stays ready to contribute increasingly effectively and substantively to the UN's common efforts.

Giang conveyed the invitation from the Vietnamese Party and State to the UN Secretary-General to make an official visit to Viet Nam at the earliest opportunity.

The invitation is particularly significant as 2025 marks Viet Nams 80th year of independence and the UNs 80th anniversary. Against the backdrop of a world facing intertwined opportunities and challenges, both sides agreed to strengthen their partnership and work together to promote peace, security, sustainable development, and solutions to pressing global issues.

The UN Secretary-General accepted the invitation with pleasure, saying the visit will be arranged at an appropriate time.  VNS
HA NOI  Upon learning about the January 29 plane crash in Washington, D.C., which resulted in multiple fatalities, State President Luong Cuong and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on January 31 sent messages of condolence to US President Donald Trump.

The incident happened on Wednesday night as an American Airlines plane with 64 passengers on board collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and crashed into the Potomac River.

Officials said everyone on both aircraft perished, and the remains of 41 victims had been recovered so far.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son also extended his condolences to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.  VNS
HA NOI  The Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and the Communist Party of China Central Committee have sent their congratulatory messages to the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee on the CPVs 95th founding anniversary (February 3, 1930 - 2025).

President of the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and General Raul Castro Ruz, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un have extended congratulations to Party General Secretary To Lam.

The message from the LPRP Central Committee underlined that over the past 95 years, the CPV, founded and led by President Ho Chi Minh, with its sound, skillful and creative policies has led the Vietnamese people to many glorious victories in the struggle for national liberation and reunification of Viet Nam in 1975.

Particularly, after nearly-40-year implementation of the oi Moi (renewal) process, the Vietnamese people under the CPVs leadership have obtained remarkable and historically significant achievements across all fields, helping the nation maintain political stability, strengthen national defence and security, ensure social order and safety, record continuous economic growth, and improve people's living standards. At the same time, the role and position of the CPV and Viet Nam have become increasingly prominent in the region and the world.

"We firmly believe that by upholding its glorious revolutionary tradition and building upon these great and comprehensive achievements, the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam will continue to reap new and even greater successes in implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the CPV and preparing for the upcoming Party congresses at all levels, leading to the successful organisation of the 14th National Congress of the CPV,  the message read.

On the occasion, the LPRP would like to express their profound gratitude for the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam for their invaluable, effective, and timely support for the revolutionary cause of Laos in years. The Party, State, and people of Laos will continue to stand side by side with the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam to do their utmost to preserve and promote the rare and cherished relationship for the common interests of both nations, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

In its congratulatory message, the Communist Party of China Central Committee said that over the past 95 years, the CPV has led the Vietnamese people to successfully complete the cause of national liberation and unification, and obtain glorious and admirable achievements in the cause of building socialism and renewal.

Currently, under the leadership of the CPV Central Committee, headed by General Secretary To Lam, the Party and people of Viet Nam are making every effort to implement goals and tasks set by the 13th National Party Congress, continuously striving towards the centenary goals of the Partys and the nations founding, and towards successfully organising the 14th National Party Congress. "We believe that your objectives will certainly be accomplished," it wrote.

The Communist Party of China always attaches great importance to developing relations between the two Parties and the two countries, and is willing to work with CPV to implement common perceptions reached by the highest leaders of both Parties.

In his congratulatory letter, President of the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen hailed the achievements that the Party, State and people of Viet Nam have gained over the past time, and expressed his delight at the traditional friendship, solidarity and comprehensive cooperation in all areas between the two Parties, States and people under the motto of "good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation and long-term sustainability."

He said he firmly believes that under the sound leadership of the Party General Secretary, the CPV will earn more successes in implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and successfully organising the 14th National Party Congress in early 2026.

The congratulatory letters from First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and General Raul Castro Ruz highlighted that the revolutionary practice of the CPV, particularly the oi Moi (Renewal) policy implemented since 1986, has played a vital role in building socialism in Viet Nam and served as a shining example for the international communist movement.

They reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to deepening the friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the two nations, based on the legacy of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, and beloved President Ho Chi Minh.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un emphaised in his message of congratulations that the CPVs establishment helped the Vietnamese people gain victory in the fight for national independence and in the cause of socialism building.

"I'm delighted to see that under the leadership of the CPV, the Vietnamese people have made remarkable progress in developing a prosperous and strong nation."

He expressed his belief that the traditional friendship between the two Parties will continue to grow in the common struggle to safeguard and preserve the socialist cause.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam's tourism sector leadership has expressed optimism that digital transformation will bring new momentum, enabling the sector to achieve double-digit growth in the 'era of nation's rise.'

Today, travellers increasingly rely on digital platforms, websites and social media to explore destinations, book tours, hotels, flights, buses, trains and tickets to attractions. Digital technology has revolutionised tourism promotion, making it more creative, far-reaching and accessible to a broader audience.

Recognising the trend, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ho An Phong affirmed that digital transformation is the key to rapid and sustainable tourism development.

As tourists share their thoughts, reviews and content from their travels on online platforms, the tourism sector is now better equipped to more thoroughly understand customer needs and improve services to enhance satisfaction. From the perspective of tourism, digital transformation has yielded tangible results.

Acknowledging the importance of digitalisation, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has established a legal framework, approved and implemented initiatives such as a national tourism database and the application of Industry 4.0 technologies to develop smart tourism. These efforts aim to position tourism as a spearhead of the economic sector.

In 2024, the ministry focused on developing a synchronised smart tourism ecosystem to support State management, business operations and visitor experiences. This includes creating national standards for digital platforms in tourism management, metrics to evaluate smart destinations and conducting training for localities and businesses to accelerate digital transformation in tourism.

Director of the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism's Tourism Information Centre Hoang Quoc Hoa highlighted the creation of a smart tourism ecosystem. This system supports State management, facilitates business operations and enriches visitor experiences through unified digital integration.

Key initiatives include building a comprehensive tourism database encompassing travel agencies, accommodations, tour guides and destinations. A software system for reporting tourism statistics from central to local levels is also being implemented.

The national tourism application, 'Viet Nam Travel', integrates multiple services, providing features like travel information, digital maps, ticket bookings and hotel reservations.

This application significantly enhances tourist experiences while promoting Viet Nam's attractions.

Additionally, projects like the online exhibition Vibrant Vietnam on Google Arts & Culture showcase Viet Nam's culture, art and tourism on a global stage. Another initiative, 'Wonders of Vietnam', highlights 35 online exhibitions and over 1,300 images of iconic tourist spots, UNESCO-recognised heritages and local cuisine, further elevating Viet Nam's tourism profile.

Singaporean media have positively highlighted Viet Nam's progress in creating a conducive environment for digital ecosystems and technological advancements in tourism. With rich natural resources, cultural heritage and digital ecosystems, Viet Nam's tourism sector is poised to become a leading economic driver in 2025 and beyond.

In 2024, the tourism industry served approximately 110 million domestic travellers and welcomed 17.5 million international visitors, achieving a total revenue of VN840 trillion (US$33.17 billion), up 23.8 per cent compared to 2023.

By 2025, the goals include attracting 22-23 million international visitors, 120-130 million domestic travelers, generating VN980-1,050 trillion in revenue and creating 5.5 million jobs.

Viet Nam's tourism sector is confidently advancing into the digital era, aiming to soar to new heights and solidify its role as a key driver of the nations economic and cultural development.  VNS
Emerging South Korean actor Choo Young Woo faced heavy backlash after it was revealed that he was following KUBIN, a controversial YouTuber.

The revelation sparked debate among fans and netizens, leading to Choo's decision to unfollow the streamer.

Choo Young Woo is a rising star known for appearing in the television shows "The Tale of Lady Ok" and "The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call."

The actor's rising profile has put him under greater scrutiny, and his social media use has become an object of public curiosity in the Korean online community forum, theqoo.

With over 435,000 YouTube subscribers, KUBIN, a virtual jockey, has drawn criticism for using sensational thumbnails and captions to lure audiences.

Some of her headline-grabbing titles include lines like "Putting my 'nether regions' on the line as I say this" and "Do you want to have __EX with me?"

While she doesn't stream raunchy content or wear revealing clothes  KUBIN's clickbaiting style has earned her a few scowls.

After the discovery, critics slammed Choo on the internet, claiming he was setting a poor example for the community by whom he decided to follow on social media.

"Is he and Kim Sung Cheol like that?" one commenter suggested, linking to a similar battle involving another actor.

Others have called on Choo to exercise caution with his public social media relationships, given the risk to his image as a young star.

Here's what other Korean netizens are saying in theqoo:

Amidst the controversy, Choo was quick to act, immediately unfollowing KUBIN and addressing questions regarding his online presence.
BINH DUONG  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 1 (or the fourth day of the Lunar New Year) attended a groundbreaking ceremony of the HCM City  Thu Dau Mot  Chon Thanh Expressways section running through the southern province of Binh Duong.

The HCM City  Thu Dau Mot  Chon Thanh Expressways Binh Duong section is more than 52km long. It is designed with six lanes, enabling vehicles with maximum speed of 100km per hour.

This is the first expressway connecting HCM City with Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc provinces, and then with Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh expressway to link to the Central Highlands region, thus creating development momentum for the southeast region.

In the first phase 1, it will be built under the public  private partnership (PPP) form with an investment of more than VN8.88 trillion (US$356 million) in 36 months.

Highlighting the importance of the HCM City  Thu Dau Mot  Chon Thanh Expressway, the PM instructed HCM City to start construction of 3km section of the expressway and Binh Phuoc Province build 7km, that run through the two localities. Once these sections together with the section in Binh Duong Province are completed, the entire expressway will be smoothly connected to the traffic system, linking the Central Highlands and southeast regions and the whole country.

He asked the People's Committee of Binh Duong Province to direct the projects investors, supervisors and consultants, and contractors to uphold high sense of responsibility, ensuring that the project meets all deadlines, quality standards, safety, technique, and environmental requirements.

At the same time, they need to mobilise personnel and modern equipment to carry out the construction in accordance with technical requirements and legal regulations, while preventing corruption, waste, and negative practices.

The PM requested relevant central ministries, sectors and localities to closely follow the project, manage the quality and progress, remove difficulties and obstacles during the project implementation process. Besides, localities must actively accelerate site clearance and technical infrastructure relocation. In particular, special attention must be paid to resettlement, supporting affected people stabilise their production.

Also at the event, he praised Binh Duong Province for giving investment decisions to seven social housing projects with a total investment of nearly VN8.5 trillion, expected to provide 9,200 apartments for workers and low-incomers, and granting investment licences to eight foreign investment projects with a total investment of more than $1.2 billion on the occasion. He requested cities and provinces to learn from Binh Duong in developing social housing, and eliminating substandard houses in 2025.  VNS
BA RIA-VUNG TAU  A crewmember from the Philippines who was seriously ill on board the Hong Kong-flagged Deryoung Sunnysky ship in waters off the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau has been brought ashore for treatment by the Vietnamese coast guards.

The Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command based in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on Saturday (February 1) morning announced that it received a message from the Deryoung Sunnysky ship around 2:30am on February 1 saying that the ill crewmember, Rholand T. Boiser, had stomach pain, vomited blood, and relied on oxygen while the oxygen on the ship was running out.

The Deryoung Sunnyskys captain requested the urgent evacuation of the ill crewmember for medical treatment.

Upon receiving this information with a life-threatening emergency situation, and under the direction of the Viet Nam Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Region No. 3 Command sent its search-and-rescue ship 2011 carrying rescuers and doctors to the scene and collected the ill crewmember.

At around 3:15am on the same day, the ship 2011 found the Deryoung Sunnysky ship, and the doctors gave first aid treatment to the ill crewmember on board.

It successfully transported the victim to its port of Squadron 33 in the provinces Con ao Island, and then sent him to the medical centre of Con ao Island District for further treatment at around 4:45am on the same day.  VNS
KUALA LUMPUR  Malaysian Ministry of Communications has launched the Sebenarnya.my Chatbot, known as AIFA, aimed to combat fake news and enable users to check the authenticity of unverified news online.

In his speech at the launch, Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil said that AIFA will also play an important role in enhancing the functions of the Sebenarnya.my portal, with three main objectives: to help the public verify and obtain accurate information quickly and easily; to accelerate responses to false information online; and to strengthen the role of Sebenarnya.my in addressing the spread of fake news in Malaysia.

Artificial Intelligence Fact-check Assistant (AIFA), led by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), is a user-friendly platform accessible 24/7. It uses algorithms and machine learning to match information with trustworthy sources and quickly provide accurate and verified information to users. It is available in four languages - Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil - to ensure access for a diverse range of users.

MCMC had requested the removal of 1,575 pieces of fraudulent content so far this year (as of January 27) and of the total, 1,233 pieces were taken down by the relevant platforms after being verified as false.

Last year alone, the ministry requested the removal of 19,546 fraudulent content from various online platforms, and of that total, 17,245 pieces were removed by all platforms involved.  VNS
First Kursk Report then big report from MOD

Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (31 January 2025)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region.

During the offensive, the Sever Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on units of a tank brigade, a heavy-mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, a marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Gogolevka, Goncharovka, Guyevo, Zamostye, Kazachya Loknya, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Mirny, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Rubanshchina, Sverdlikovo, and Yuzhny. One AFU counter-attack was repelled.

Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, and Artillery strikes engaged AFU manpower and hardware close to Viktorovka, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Loknya, Makhovka, Melovoy, Oleshnya, Sudzha, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Zhuravka, and Yunakovka in Sumy region.

Within the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 270 troops, two tanks, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 28 motor vehicles, two mortars, an MLRS launcher, an electronic warfare station, an air defence radar, a counter-battery radar, a counterobstacle vehicle as well as four UAV control posts and two ammunition depots.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 56,410 troops, 327 tanks, 241 infantry fighting vehicles, 185 armoured personnel carriers, 1,660 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,735 motor vehicles, 396 artillery guns, 45 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 106 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, five air defence radars, 33 units of engineering and other materiel, including 15 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.

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Russian Defence Ministry reports on the progress of the special military operation (from 25 to 31 January 2025) From 25 to 31 January 2025, the Russian Armed Forces have carried out seven group strikes by high-precision weapons and strike drones, which have engaged critical energy facilities that support the work of the Ukrainian defence industry. In addition, the infrastructure of military airfields, assembly, storage, and launching sites of strike drones and uncrewed surface vehicles as well as temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian armed groups, were hit. Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces continued to eliminate AFU formations on the territory of Kursk region. The Russian Armed Forces liberated Nikolayevo-Daryino. Aviation and drone strikes and artillery fire hit manpower and hardware of a tank brigade, a heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades of the AFU, a marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades. In Kharkov direction, units of a motorised infantry brigade, an air assault brigade of the AFU, and a territorial defence brigade suffered losses. During the week in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces, the enemy suffered losses of up to 2,200 troops, nine tanks, 57 armoured fighting vehicles, including a U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. Moreover, Russian troops destroyed 144 motor vehicles, 22 field artillery guns, 13 electronic warfare stations, and nine field ammunition depots. The Zapad Group of Forces has liberated Dvurechnaya (Kharkov region). ? Strikes were delivered at manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, an air assault brigade, a mountain assault brigade, and an assault brigade of the AFU, a territorial defence brigade, and a national guard brigade. The enemy suffered losses of more than 2,425 troops, two tanks, and 22 armoured fighting vehicles, including nine U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. Russian units eliminated 53 motor vehicles, 39 field artillery guns, 16 of them manufactured by NATO countries, six electronic warfare stations, and 11 ammunition depots. The Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Strikes were delivered at units of three mechanised brigades, an assault brigade, and an airmobile brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and a national guard brigade. The AFU losses in this direction during the week amounted to up to 1,445 troops, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, including three M113 armoured personnel carriers, and four U.S.-made HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, including three Western-made artillery guns. Eleven field ammunition depots and three electronic warfare stations were eliminated. The Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing into the depths of the enemys defence and liberated Zelenoye, Novoyelizavetovka, and Novovasilyevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Russian units hit five mechanised brigades, an airmobile brigade, a motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, two national guard brigades, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the National Police of Ukraine. The AFU losses amounted to more than 4,000 troops, five tanks, 32 armoured fighting vehicles, including a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. Moreover, 48 motor vehicles, and 25 field artillery guns were destroyed. The Vostok Group of Forces liberated Velikaya Novoselka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) as a result of active operations. Russian units engaged three mechanised brigades, an air assault brigade of the AFU, a marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and a national guard brigade. The enemy lost more than 1,015 troops, four tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, 16 motor vehicles, and 31 field artillery guns, five of them made up of NATO countries. The Dnepr Group of Forces engaged manpower and hardware of a mechanised brigade, three coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a territorial defence brigade. The AFU lost over 315 troops and 24 motor vehicles were neutralised. Over the past week, air defence systems have shot down two French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 31 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 592 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles, 290 of them outside the special military operation zone. Over the past week, 43 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered on the line of contact. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 41,987 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,975 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,511 MLRS combat vehicles, 21,087 field artillery guns and mortars, and 31,060 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised. Tags: Special Military Operation

WtR
Care-experienced university staff member urges care leavers to Tick the Box when applying for university

One small box on a UCAS application form could make the world of difference to young people with care experience, according to a member of Wrexham Universitys Enterprise and Entrepreneurship team.

Mary Ainsworth, an Entrepreneurship Assistant at the University, is sharing her story to encourage and inspire prospective students to Tick the Box on their UCAS application to say they have spent time in care when they are applying for higher education.

Mary, who is a care leaver and Wrexham University graduate, says that people being given the chance to highlight their own care experience will give them the opportunity to gain access to crucial support as soon as they start university.

As a young person before I started studying at Wrexham, I was living in a hostel in Manchester for two years  and a month before my degree was due to start, I had to leave the hostel as my time there was up. If it wasnt for me making my personal circumstances known, I would have ended up homeless as I had nowhere to go, at that time, she said.

Thankfully, the University allowed me to move into halls a month early. But without that option, as hard as it is to say out loud, I dont know where Id have gone. Im just so glad that I plucked up the courage to ask for help and speak to student services about my background.

Mary is urging young people with care experience to not only Tick the Box but also ask for the help that they need

Asking for help can be incredibly daunting, particularly if you come from a home where there isnt much support but honestly, speaking from my own experience  once you pluck up that initial courage, doors start to open and there is support out there, she explained.

Many young people from care-experienced backgrounds also dont feel that further and higher education is within their grasp but it really is, care leavers should be able to aim high and fulfil their potential, thats why ticking the box is so important.

University for me was completely transformational  I would not be where I am today without Wrexham University and the incredible support I received while studying here.

Since graduating, I have gone onto work for the University as well as having posts in lecturing and supply teaching. I am also the founder of my own arts start-up. My own story is proof that being care-experienced doesnt hold you back  but you need to have that initial courage and ask for the help you need.

The Tick the Box campaign was founded by The Fostering Network. Mary said she was keen to highlight the campaign ahead of the UCAS equal consideration date for applications for most undergraduate courses, which is January 29.

Wrexham University have a dedicated support package for care-experienced students. Some of which includes:
Holyhead Port storm damage inquiry launched by Senedd

The Senedds Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into the recent storm damage that led to the closure of Holyhead Port, one of the UKs busiest ferry ports.

The investigation will assess the factors contributing to the damage, the communication with businesses and the public, the speed of the response, and the economic impact of the ports temporary closure.

Holyhead Port, operated by Stena Line, is the second busiest passenger port in the UK and a vital trade link between the UK and Ireland.

Its closure following Storm Darragh caused significant disruption to transport, businesses, and local communities.

Andrew RT Davies MS, Chair of the Committee, said: The impact of the Holyhead Port closure should not be underestimated as it is the UKs second largest passenger port and the consequences of its closure have greatly impacted the local economy, as well as the national economy. Our inquiry is asking for answers from those responsible for our critical infrastructure.

He added: Passengers, businesses and local communities have all been severely impacted during a very busy period and its important for us to make sure that we learn lessons for the future. When incidents like this happen its essential that communication with the public and businesses is clear, honest and timely.

The inquiry will also consider how authorities can improve resilience against future storms, with extreme weather events such as Storm Darragh becoming more frequent.

Storms such as Darragh are hitting the UK more and more often and so its important for us to be prepared and resilient and do all we can to reduce significant disruption, Mr Davies said.
North Wales MS meets with Wrexham businesses amid tourism tax concerns

A North Wales MS has met with Wrexham businesses to discuss concerns about plans to introduce a tourism tax for overnight visitors in Wales.

The Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill, put forward by the Welsh Government in November 2024, would give local authorities the option to introduce a small visitor levy in their area to re-invest in local tourism.

It is proposed that that a fee of 1.25 per night is introduced per person staying in commercially-let overnight visitor accommodation from 2027.

For those staying in hostels and on campsite pitches, a levy would be set at 75p per person, per night.

According to the Welsh Government a Tourism Tax would provide local communities the opportunity to generate additional revenues.

However Welsh Conservative MS for North Wales, Sam Rowlands, said he fears that the controversial tax will seriously impact businesses in North East Wales..

Mr Rowlands, Chairman of the Cross-Party Group on Tourism, who has argued against introducing the tourism tax , recently met with concerned business owners in Wrexham.

I have said time and time again that this is a ridiculous idea and that charging visitors more money will have a detrimental affect on tourism, he said.

I recently met with business owners in the Wrexham areas who are extremely concerned about the impact this proposed levy could have on their livelihoods.

They also shared their worries with Cllr Nigel Williams, Lead Member for Economy, Business and Tourism in Wrexham Council who attended the meeting.

Several concerns were raised including the worry that places in England, which realistically is only five miles away from the centre of Wrexham, could begin to undercut their prices and visitors would stay there rather than in North Wales.

Charging visitors extra could have a major impact on tourism for my region as people may well choose to just have days out rather than a night away which will seriously affect local businesses.

I know that not all councils are expected to introduce the levy so I would urge local authorities think about the consequences before giving it the go ahead.

Tourism is big business in North Wales, in particular, yet the Labour Welsh Government continue to hamper its growth with its crippling 182 day holiday let regulations and the soon to be introduced tourism tax.

It is about time we began to promote our country and supported the thousands of people who live and work in the tourism industry.

However the Welsh Government have argued that if all 22 local authorities chose to introduce a visitor levy, it could generate up to 33m a year.

Speaking in November Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: This Bill is rooted in the principle of fairness.

We know tourism makes an important contribution to the Welsh economy and to Welsh life. We want to ensure its long-term sustainability.

Thats why we believe it is fair visitors contribute towards local facilities, helping to fund infrastructure and services integral to their experience.

Visitor levies are common around the world, benefiting local communities, tourists and businesses  and we want the same for Wales.

Money raised through a levy would be retained by local authorities and re-invested back into their local areas to support local, sustainable tourism.

Its a small contribution that could make a big difference.

Local authorities will decide if they want to introduce a levy in their area, based on what is best for their communities.

It is estimated the earliest this could happen is 2027 after a local authority has consulted their community.
Update (1/31/2025, 7:55 p.m.):

Details have been released by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office about a scene that unfolded near Mustang Drive earlier today.

Washoe County Sheriff's Office deputies initially were called out to the Golden Eagle Regional Park to help the NV Dept. of Wildlife with a report of a wanted subject's car being located.

The car was identified as belonging to Monty Guthrie, who currently has an active warrant out of California out for his arrest.

Deputies attempted to approach the car multiple times, but eventually Guthrie drove away - leaving the park and heading deeper into BLM land in the direction of Mustang Road.

RAVEN and drones were used to track Guthrie's location, and SWAT was activated to take control of the scene. SWAT was able to make contact with the man and he was arrested.

Guthrie was taken to the Washoe County Detention Facility where he was booked for the warrant, and additionally obstruction, resisting and failure to yield.

Original Story (1/31/2025, 4:40 p.m.):

The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is involved in an active incident near Lockwood Hills.

People are asked to avoid the area of Mustang Drive and a quarry in the area per a Sheriff's Office spokesperson.

We are working on gathering additional details and will bring them to you as soon as we have them.
A waste employee had a very close call when an oxygen tank exploded inside a garbage truck after it was illegally placed in a trash can in Whitehall, Ohio, on January 29, the city said.

The City of Whitehall released footage showing the employee emptying some trash into the back of the truck before the sudden explosion.

Know the dangers! Hazardous and explosive materials can be found in everyday items, so be aware of proper handling and storage, the city said.
The famed quartet of diabetes and weight-loss drugs  Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro  are well-known for their ability to help people shed pounds, in some cases up to 20 percent of body weight. But accumulating research suggests these medications may help with a whole host of other health conditions.

Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes medication, was recently approved to reduce the risk of worsening kidney problems in people who have chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Zepbound, initially approved for weight loss, gained federal approval in December for the treatment of sleep apnea in adults with obesity. And Wegovy, also approved for weight loss, can be prescribed to reduce the risk of a heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular event in overweight adults with heart disease.

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And thats just a quick snapshot of possible health perks: A study published Jan. 20 in the journal Nature Medicine linked these medications  known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, or GLP-1s  to a lower risk of 42 health conditions, including dementia, clotting disorders and addiction.

The recent flood of findings related to the benefits of these drugs is not shocking, says Ian Neeland, M.D., a cardiologist with University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute and director of the Center for Integrated and Novel Approaches in Vascular-Metabolic Disease. Because all the conditions really stem from a central problem, which is excess dysfunctional adiposity, or changes in fat tissue that can trigger insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, kidney disease and other complications.

It makes a lot of sense that if you address the central problem that's going on, you'll be able to ameliorate and improve all the different manifestations, Neeland says.

Heres a look at some of the latest research on the benefits of GLP-1s, beyond weight loss.

Effects on the heart, brain, kidneys and more

Fewer cravings

Some people taking a GLP-1 say many of their cravings  whether for alcohol, shopping or sugar  have subsided.

I have had patients tell me, for example, I used to crave sweets all the time. Now I dont care. I dont need to eat a cookie every day being on these medications, says Chetna Bakshi, M.D., a bariatric surgeon at Northwell Health Syosset Hospital in New York.

Thats the biggest thing of how these medications work, adds Shauna Levy, M.D., an obesity medicine physician at the Tulane University Medical Center in New Orleans and the medical director of Tulanes Bariatric and Weight Loss Center. They quiet the noise in your brain.

The most recent study published in Nature Medicine found that GLP-1 use was associated with a reduced risk of several substance-related disorders, including alcohol-use disorders, cannabis-use disorders, stimulant-use disorders and opioid-use disorders. Study coauthor Ziyad Al-Aly, M.D., director of the Clinical Epidemiology Center at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and chief of the Research and Education Service at the VA St. Louis Health Care System, says additional research is underway to better understand how these medications could help treat addiction.


Quarterly Activities Report

Brisbane, Jan 31, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - State Gas Limited ( ASX:GAS ) ( STGSF:OTCMKTS ) releases an update for the quarter ending 31 December 2024 ("the Quarter"). Through the end of the quarter the Company successfully resolved an access dispute with the landowner associated with the Rolleston West Project. Whilst this impacted the HDNG production schedule, the Company is looking forward to the execution of planned exploration activities during the March Quarter.



Commenting on the quarter and the outlook for the Company, State Gas Managing Director, Doug McAlpine said:



"Notwithstanding the short-term challenges experienced in recent months, 2025 will be an important and productive year for the Company. We are working towards, in the short term, completion of a two well drilling program and demonstration of the substantial underlying value in the Rolleston West Project.



"We have, with our partners, continued discussions with other coal mines near Rolleston West regarding HDNG supply. Those discussions also include the broader application of the Company's HDNG technology to capture fugitive emissions associated with de-gassing coal mine development. We remain optimistic that the HDNG technology will create substantial opportunities for natural gas (an environmentally superior fuel source to diesel) to be used in a range of commercial applications which support lower carbon emissions. In addition to the environmental benefits which arise from capturing production testing gas, the HDNG production plant will allow State Gas to grow an organic revenue stream which will enable it to self-fund an increasing share of its ongoing exploration and development activities.



"Based on our ongoing exploration and development strategy for the underlying natural gas projects within ATP 2062 and PL231, we are well-positioned to support the growing energy demand on the East Coast of Australia. The outlook for energy markets in Australia remains positive, with a continuing recognition that natural gas will play a substantial role in the provision of base load power, along with diesel fuel displacement while battery technology continues to improve over the long term. The Company's exploration projects are located close to other successful gas projects and in proximity of existing major pipeline infrastructure.



"There are numerous risks which the Company continues to address, and if those can be successfully mitigated, there are a number of significant value drivers to be realised by the Company over the coming 12 months."



HDNG Sales



During the Quarter, the Company continued to operate its first-of-its-kind, High Density Natural Gas ("HDNG") production plant ("the Plant") as part of the continuing trial of dual fuel engine technology at a local coal mine ("the Trial"). The objective of the Trial is to demonstrate that large mine trucks can operate efficiently on a dual fuel engine with consistent operating performance and a significantly reduced CO2 emission profile.



Production testing gas from the Company's Rougemont 2/3 dual lateral well system ("Rougemont 2/3") within ATP 2062 was captured and processed, and in conjunction with virtual pipeline ("VP") trailer technology, was delivered to support the Trial, which occurs at a location remote from traditional gas infrastructure. HDNG supplied during the Quarter supported two dual fuel mine trucks as part of the Trial, and demonstrated the effectiveness of HDNG as a substitute fuel source, with both diesel substitution rates and truck performance within expected ranges.



Pleasingly, Plant performance during the quarter continued to improve, reflecting refined operating practices and more stable gas production from Rougemont 2/3 as a consequence of daily gas production. Notwithstanding the interruption to production arising from the access dispute which arose during the Quarter, State Gas is encouraged by performance of the Plant during the period and is working with its customer to recommence HDNG supply in late Q1 2025 as part of an expanded trial.



State Gas continues to work with its partners to optimise Plant performance and the volume of gas which can be produced and delivered using VP trailer technology. Based on the continued success of the Trial, planning is now underway to expand HDNG supply to six mine trucks. To enable more efficient unloading of HDNG from the VP Trailers and support use of HDNG by a larger number of mining trucks, the customer will need to invest in improvements to its existing on-site fuelling infrastructure. State Gas and its partners are working with the customer to assist in delivering these improvements and support further extension of the trial.



Access Challenges



During the quarter, State Gas resolved access issues at its Rolleston West Project which arose as part of a dispute under the Conduct and Compensation Agreement ("CCA") with the Landowner. Actions taken by the Landholder impacted our access to the property temporarily halting HDNG production and pushed back the Company's two well exploration program. On November 18, 2024, a settlement was reached between the parties which allowed site access to resume, while the consequential delays resulted in the exploration timetable approaching the December wet season. The Company took the conservative position of deferring the two well exploration program until early in calendar 2025 when favourable weather conditions would be more certain.



Exploration Activities



The Company remains focussed on converting a substantial portion of its contingent resources into 2P reserves, which will, in turn, support long term project investment in the Rolleston West Project. Of particular focus is gaining access to pipeline infrastructure which can connect the Rolleston West Project to the Gladstone to Wallumbilla pipeline network. As previously reported, two new exploration/appraisal wells will be funded from a $5.5 million exploration grant provided by the Queensland Government's Frontier Gas Exploration Program ("the Grant"). Anticipated successful drilling and production testing results from the two new wells will enable State Gas to seek accreditation for a maiden 2P reserve of 30-50PJs for the Rolleston West Project. Establishing an initial 2P reserve is a critical next step in demonstrating the commercial viability of a substantial gas project at Rougemont West and supporting an application for a petroleum lease over a substantial portion of ATP 2062.



The two new vertical wells are located close to Rougemont 2/3 in an area that has proven gas content and good permeability. State Gas' HDNG plant will enable it to immediately capture and commercialise production testing gas from these new wells, reducing the Company's fugitive emission profile while simultaneously enhancing its revenue generating capacity.



Financial Position



During the Quarter, the Company applied part of the funds from the Quarter 1 capital raise to meet costs associated with the completion and commissioning of the HDNG plant. A further 13,207,421 shares were issued to Directors in accordance with shareholder approval obtained in November 2024.



Given the unanticipated costs arising from the access dispute and the resulting impact of interruption to HDNG sales the Company is currently working on a range of strategies to mitigate these costs and losses including, inter alia, a negotiated outcome with the landowner and claims under the Company's insurance policies. While the Company is confident of a successful outcome in this regard, these processes will take time.



In the short term, a significant cash inflow is expected in late February 2025, under the continued program of grant funding arising from the Company's R & D expenditure incurred in developing the HDNG plant. In conjunction with the Frontier Gas Exploration Program funding for the two new wells, the Company is expected to have sufficient capital to support its current plans over the medium term.



Along with the upcoming drilling program, the Company is focused on recommencing HDNG supply and is evaluating a range of strategies to accelerate and expand its HDNG supply capabilities. A successful ramp-up in operating cashflow from HDNG sales directly reduces the Company's reliance on additional equity capital. The Company has conducted another review of its overhead costs and is operating on a cost structure necessary to support execution of the strategy discussed in this update.



*To view the Quarterly Report, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7DG96OB3





About State Gas Limited





State Gas Limited (ASX:GAS) (OTCMKTS:STGSF) is a Queensland-based gas exploration and development company with highly prospective gas exploration assets located in the southern Bowen Basin. State Gas Limited's mission is to support east coast energy markets through the efficient identification and development of new high quality gas assets.

It will do this by applying an agile, sustainable but low-cost development approach and opportunistically expanding its portfolio in areas that are well located to gas pipeline infrastructure.

State Gas is 100%-owner of the contiguous Reid's Dome (PL-231) and Rolleston-West (ATP 2062) gas projects, both of which contain CSG and conventional gas. The Projects, together some 1,595km2 , are located south of Rolleston, approximately 50 and 30 kilometres respectively from the Queensland Gas Pipeline and interconnected east coast gas network. State Gas intends to accelerate commercialisation of these assets through the application of an innovative virtual pipeline ("VP") solution which will see the Company transport compressed gas by truck to existing pipeline infrastructure or to an end user.

State Gas also holds a 35% interest in ATP 2068 and ATP 2069 in joint venture with Santos QNT Pty Ltd (65%). These two new areas lie adjacent to or in the near vicinity of State Gas and Santos' existing interests in the region, providing for the potential of an alignment in ownership interests across the region over time and enabling synergies in operations and development.

State Gas is also participating in a carbon capture and sequestration initiative with minerals explorer Rockminsolutions Pty Ltd in respect of EPM 27596 which is located on the western border of ATP 2062. This project is investigating the potential of the unique basalts located in the Buckland Basaltic Sequence (located in EPM 27596) to provide a variety of in-situ and ex-situ carbon capture applications.

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Quarterly Activities Report

Melbourne, Jan 31, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Lithium Universe Ltd ( ASX:LU7 ) ( KU00:FRA ) ( LUVSF:OTCMKTS ) recently announced the results of its Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Becancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery in Quebec, Canada. The PFS confirms the viability of a strong lithium conversion project, even within a below-average pricing environment. The Company plans to build a reliable, low-risk lithium conversion refinery with an annual capacity of up to 18,270 tonnes, utilizing proven expertise from the Jiangsu processing model.



The facility will produce environmentally friendly, battery-grade lithium carbonate. The Company aims to establish a Canadian-based lithium chemicals business, purchasing spodumene feedstock from both domestic suppliers and international markets, including Brazil and Africa and producing a battery grade lithium carbonate product. This aligns with the Company's broader vision of contributing to the North Atlantic lithium supply chain and closing the Lithium Conversion Gap.



The project's economics are highly favourable, even with conservative price assumptions. The refinery is economically viable with a pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of approximately US$779 million, using an 8% discount rate, and a pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of around 23.5%. The payback period is estimated at 3.5 years. The financial model is built on cautious price forecasts of US$1,170 per tonne for spodumene concentrate (SC6) and US$20,970 per tonne for battery-grade lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE).



LU7's directors believe they have a reasonable basis for using the assumed price in the study of US$20,970 per tonne for battery grade lithium carbonate. Key operational assumptions include 86% plant availability and 88% lithium recovery. At full production capacity, the project is expected to generate approximately US$383 million in annual revenue, with costs totalling around US$236 million, leading to an annual EBITDA of approximately US$147 million and a gross margin of in the region of 38%.



Post-tax, the NPV at an 8% discount rate is estimated at approximately US$501 million. The capital cost for the project is estimated at US$494 million, which includes a contingency of US$68 million. The capital cost estimate is based on advanced design specifications from the Jiangsu Lithium Refinery model, ensuring robust financial planning and projection. These factors highlight the project's strong financial viability, even under conservative pricing conditions.



*To view the full Quarterly Report, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/ZV892KA0





About Lithium Universe Ltd





Lithium Universe Ltd (ASX:LU7) (FRA:KU00) (OTCMKTS:LUVSF), headed by industry trail blazer, Iggy Tan, and the Lithium Universe team has a proven track record of fast-tracking lithium projects, demonstrated by the successful development of the Mt Cattlin spodumene project for Galaxy Resources Limited.

Instead of exploring for the sake of exploration, Lithium Universe's mission is to quickly obtain a resource and construct a spodumene-producing mine in Quebec, Canada. Unlike many other Lithium exploration companies, Lithium Universe possesses the essential expertise and skills to develop and construct profitable projects.

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Aanya Jain is the Co-founder of Run Frenzy, a production house and a creative agency that turns bold ideas into powerful stories. Founded by Jain and Meghna Sahgal, Run Frenzy thrives on innovation and imagination, redefining the way brands connect with their audiences. In just two years since its inception, Run Frenzy has worked with high-profile clients such as CRED, Disney+ Hotstar (projects like The Night Manager Season 1 & 2, Karmma Calling, Koffee with Karan Season 8), Love Child by Masaba, Book My Show (Prateek Kuhad Tour Launch Video), Call Me Bae, and many more.

In conversation with Adgully, Aanya Jain, Co-founder, Run Frenzy, shares how the name reflects their fast-paced, disruptive creative energy. She discusses balancing creativity with business, structuring her days for efficiency, and staying ahead in a dynamic industry. Inspired by mentors and industry icons, she emphasizes bold storytelling, strategic growth, and fostering client trust.

What inspired the name Run Frenzy? Could you share the story or meaning behind choosing this name for your creative agency?

Run Frenzy encapsulates our relentless energy and passion for creativity. It took us months to settle on the name because we wanted something that reflected both the dynamic, fast-paced nature of our industry and the creative chaos that drives innovation. Run symbolises momentum and constant motion, while Frenzy captures the disruption that fuels innovation (it also represents all the chaos that goes down on-set!). Together, it perfectly represents who we are as a brand: always on the move, always pushing boundaries.

How do you balance your diverse roles as both creative visionaries and business leaders while managing high-profile projects? What are the key challenges you face in juggling these responsibilities?

Balancing creative and business roles is a constant learning process. On one hand, at the core of our company is creative ideation and storytelling, and on the other, were managing budgets, teams, and timelines. The biggest challenge is ensuring one doesnt overshadow the other, creativity needs structure to thrive, and the business side needs innovation to grow. Weve learned to delegate effectively, trusting our team to execute while focusing on big-picture vision and strategic decisions. Its about embracing adaptability and constantly prioritising where were most needed.

What does a typical day at Run Frenzy look like for you? Could you walk us through the 5-7 key activities that are essential to your creative and operational processes?

No two days at Run Frenzy are ever the same, but this is the loose structure I follow, however there are always last minute things and fires to put out!

Night-before task planning: My day starts the evening prior, where I use Asana to map out tasks for the next day. This helps ensure clarity and focus for myself and the team.

Morning check-ins and client outreach: The day begins with client check-ins to maintain relationships and ensure alignment on projects. I also dedicate time to outreach for potential collaborations and client acquisition.

Deep work sessions: I allocate 23 hours to what I call deep work, where I dive into specific verticals for the day. Each day of the week is dedicated to a particular focusshort format, long format, or other upcoming verticals were currently developing (but not yet revealing!).

Production work: We consistently work on pre and post-production tasks for on-going projects. This includes 23 hours of pre-production for upcoming projects and 12 hours of post production for ongoing ones to ensure quality and alignment with our creative vision.

Creative brainstorming and strategy sessions: These sessions are a cornerstone of our process, where the team collaborates to ideate, strategise, and refine both client and personal content.

Learning and research: Our team places great importance on staying informed and inspired. This includes reading, taking courses, and exploring new tools or trends in the industry. We try to dedicate an hour every week to run through new learnings and content we've been watching!

Your journey to founding Run Frenzy is inspiring. What sparked your interest in this field, and how did you prepare for the creative agency space alongside other career pursuits?

My journey began as an assistant director, where I gained firsthand experience in filmmaking. While I loved the creative environment, I realised my true passion lay in blending creativity with business. And along the way, I was very fortunate to find a co-founder who aligned with this vision. This clarity drove us to build something that seamlessly merges both, the creative and the commercial  Run Frenzy.

While there are many production houses and content studios today, we saw a gap in the market. Some are heavily Indian and mass-focused, while others cater exclusively to a luxury-driven audience. We aim to strike that balance, staying rooted in Indias rich cultural nuances, especially those inherent to Bollywood, while elevating Indian creatives to a global stage. Our goal is to create work that bridges local authenticity with modern, global storytelling, making Indian talent and narratives resonate worldwide.

The journey has been a learning curve; balancing bold ideas with the practicalities of managing accounts, teams, and operations. This dual focus on creativity and precision has been integral to Run Frenzys growth and continues to shape our path forward.

Did you have any mentors or industry icons who guided your career journey, and how did their influence shape the way you approach your work at Run Frenzy?

Yes, Ive been deeply inspired by industry icons like Shonda Rhimes for her unmatched storytelling and Bozoma Saint John for her bold, boundary-pushing creativity. Their career trajectories highlighted the importance of authenticity, resilience, and innovation. I would consider my team from Bhool Bhulaiya 2 as my very first mentors in this industry and till today, they're the ones I reach out to first for any sort of guidance - it became a family of sorts.

Along the way though, weve sought guidance from peers, collaborators, and even clients whove challenged us to think differently and refine our craft. Their influence has shaped Run Frenzy into a brand that values relationships and bold, forward-thinking ideas.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance amidst demanding schedules? What are your go-to practices for managing stress and staying personally fulfilled?

Balancing work and life in this industry is tough, and the first year was especially challenging. There were points where it got really overwhelming, but over time, weve become much more intentional about setting boundaries and prioritizing balance. Personally, I find that physical activity helps a lot, its a great way to clear my mind and recharge. I also make it a point to plan my day the night before, which helps me stay organized and focused.

One non-negotiable for us is not working on Sundays (unless we have shoots planned, of course!). Weve realized the importance of taking that day to relax, recharge, and simply enjoy our 20s! Revisiting our vision and reflecting on how far weve come also keeps us motivated and grounded. Most importantly, Meghna and I lean on each other for support, sharing the highs and lows, which helps us stay energized and aligned.

Could you share some of the key milestones or achievements in your journey so far, and how have these shaped your vision for the future?

Some key milestones for us include completing our first high-profile campaign in our first year, which validated our creative approach and teamwork. Planning our expansion into new verticals that push the boundaries of storytelling has been another exciting development. Additionally, building strong relationships with clients who trust us enough to return repeatedly has been a major achievement that were very grateful for. These experiences have shaped our vision to focus on fostering trust, expanding our creative boundaries, and creating meaningful, impactful work as we grow.

How do you stay informed and updated in such a dynamic field? Are there specific resources, tools, or strategies that you and your team rely on to maintain Run Frenzys creative edge?

Staying updated is crucial in such a fast-changing industry. We make it a point to follow not just content and film publications but also those covering design, fashion, music, and other creative fields, because in todays world, creativity intersects across domains, and technology makes it easier to explore them all. Our team, mostly in our early 20s, is eager to stay ahead, so we actively participate in film and video workshops, conferences, and try out new software. Internally, we have regular discussions about trends and insights during team syncs. Tools like Slack, Asana, and AI platforms like MidJourney help us stay efficient.

Ultimately, keeping a pulse on audience preferences  whether through observing movie theater reactions, actively keeping track of platforms is our key strategy for staying relevant and impactful  anything and everything that gives us insights and sparks inspiration.

What drives your passion for leading a creative agency like Run Frenzy? How do you and your co-founders continue to grow and evolve in this space, ensuring that your work remains innovative and impactful for your clients?

Our passion lies in creating stories that break through the noise and leave a lasting impression, no matter the medium. Were a young, dynamic team with a strong risk-taking appetite, always ready to challenge conventions and bring fresh, disruptive ideas to life. What keeps us evolving is our curiosity and appetite for learning, from exploring new tools to collaborating on diverse projects. We stay relevant and innovative by embracing change, whether its through exploring new technology, working with new collaborators, or continuing to learn and adapt with each project. Innovation, for us, isnt just about tech; its about staying true to our vision while making bold moves that shape the future of storytelling.

Also Read: Ad lands young guns: Rahul Karthikeyan, CMO, InterviewBit and Scaler
At StreamNext 2025, hosted by Amazon MX Player, renowned analyst Benedict Evans took the stage to deliver a compelling keynote on the evolving landscape of television, e-commerce, advertising, and technology. Evans unpacked the seismic shifts disrupting traditional business models and reshaping industries worldwide.

Evans began by referencing a quote from the owner of Heinz, who once described himself as a terrified dinosaur navigating an increasingly complex and unpredictable market. Businesses that once thrived on scale, efficiency, and predictable supply chains now face unprecedented disruption. The conventional rules of retail, media, and advertising have been upended by a new era of infinite choice  where products, media, and commerce exist in limitless abundance.

E-commerce, a phenomenon discussed for over two decades, has now captured a quarter of retail spending in most global markets, with India surpassing the global average. The digital transformation has birthed new business models and market leaders. Evans cited Net-a-Porter as an extreme example, demonstrating how luxury fashion can be delivered straight to a customers door  even in the freezing temperatures of New York.

One of Evans most striking examples was the downfall of BlackBerry. Four years after the launch of the iPhone, BlackBerrys sales continued to grow  until they didnt. This delayed collapse, which he dubbed the Wile E. Coyote effect, is a cautionary tale for brands that fail to recognize the deep structural changes in their industry until it is too late.

Evans referenced Jim Barksdales famous assertion that there are only two ways to make money: bundling and unbundling. Traditional business models based on physical assets  retail stores, print magazines, broadcast television  are being dismantled. What once defined defensibility is now being replaced by new aggregators, disruptors, and digital-first competitors.

Today, every business decision is interconnected. Marketing budgets, once segmented into advertising, store expansions, logistics, and customer service, have become a single, fluid investment pool. Should a company spend more on advertising or reduce prices? Improve shipping speed or adjust its returns policy? These decisions are no longer separate but part of the same strategic equation. As Evans former boss Marc Andreessen famously put it, Software is eating the world.

The concept of television itself is undergoing a fundamental shift. Todays leading video platforms are spending as much on content as traditional media giants. Platforms like YouTube are rivaling major streaming services in viewership, with creators such as Mr Beast amassing audiences equivalent to mainstream television shows.

In India, this transformation is even more pronounced. While connected TV adoption is growing, smartphones remain the dominant screen for video consumption. This multi-platform reality renders traditional distribution models obsolete. Streaming services are adapting by producing localized content in multiple languages, reflecting Indias linguistic diversity.

One of the most profound shifts Evans highlighted is the impact of artificial intelligence on content production and localization. AI-powered translation and dubbing tools are enabling global content distribution at an unprecedented scale. Hollywood studios and streaming platforms are rapidly adopting AI-generated dubbing to make content more accessible across languages.

Beyond translation, AI is also revolutionizing video production. Several companies are developing AI-generated Hollywood-quality video, reducing production costs and accelerating creative workflows. While current AI models may still struggle with inconsistencies  such as changing object colours or unnatural movements  these errors are similar to the challenges faced in traditional film production. Over time, AI will refine these processes, making high-quality, AI-generated content mainstream.

Evans concluded by emphasizing that while technology continues to reshape industries, the core challenges for businesses remain unchanged. Consumers still ask two fundamental questions: How do I get this? and How do I know I want this? The answers to these questions, however, are evolving rapidly.

As AI, streaming, and e-commerce continue to converge, businesses must rethink their strategies to remain relevant. The ability to adapt, leverage technology, and embrace new distribution models will define the next generation of industry leaders.

Also Read: Benedict Cumberbatch talks about playing different versions of Doctor Strange
Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Exotel along with Grant Thornton Bharat released a new white paper entitled "AI-Driven Customer Experience: Balancing Personalization, Privacy, and Automation". This report delves into how the CXaaS- Customer Experience as a Service affects various sectors, chiefly e-commerce and BFSI.

E-commerce Growth in Tier II and III Cities

India's e-commerce market is rapidly growing at a CAGR of 30.11%. A significant contributor to this growth is the demand from Tier II and III cities, which account for 65% of the overall e-commerce expansion. As internet access improves in these regions, consumers are looking for better online experiences. The whitepaper highlights that 72% of Indian customers are willing to share their data with trusted brands, creating many opportunities for businesses to engage with their audience.

Indian E-commerce market set to reach $325 billion by 2030 with CAGR of 18.12%, driving need for advanced CX solutions due to rising digital transactions, changing customers preferences, and policy support from government on digitization.

The growth of the Indian retail and e-commerce industry is driving the rapid adoption of CXaaS platforms, enabling businesses to meet evolving consumer demands. This growth is supported by the rising penetration of internet services, with 936.16 million internet subscribers and 350 million online users actively participating in digital transactions. Additionally, the smartphone base is expected to reach 1.1 billion by 2025, further fuelling the digital commerce boom. The increasing volume of transactions has necessitated advanced CX solutions.

Globally, India is emerging as a major contributor to the digital economy, expected to hit $1 trillion by 2030. E-commerce platforms are also expanding into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, with these regions growing their market share from 34.2% in 2021 to 41.5% in 2022. This shift demands localized and scalable CXaaS solutions to cater to diverse consumer needs.

CXaaS Enhancing Fraud Detection and Conversion Rates

The report also states that CXaaS is giving positive impact by fraud detection within the BFSI sector improving 20% via AI-powered customer experience solutions. This advancement is starkly important for securing the financial services sector. In retail, integrated CX strategies have improved conversion rates by 40%. Plus, enhanced customer experiences have improved satisfaction scores in e-commerce by 18% while reducing cart abandonment by 12%.

The Role of AI and Consumer Expectations

With virtual agents managing 60% of customer interactions worldwide, they provide business operations 24/7 assistance while raking in cost efficiencies of 35%. Automation has clearly become critical, as 61% of consumers worldwide abandon brands after disappointing experiences. The whitepaper states that 70% of consumers expect transparency concerning how their data is used. There is an increasing demand for privacy-conserving AI technology to build trust with customers.

Way Forward for the Digital Economy of India

With a digital economy projected to grow beyond $1 trillion by 2030, CXaaS will be essential for enhancing business competitiveness. Technologies that represent the business's endeavor to grasp a digitally-savvy consumer base would henceforth provide these new growth opportunities across all tiers of cities. This whitepaper serves as a valuable resource for organizations that wish to adapt to changing customer experience and digital engagement, ultimately enhancing their operations and strengthening their customer relationships.

Also Read: Budget 2025: Key Expectations for India's Thriving Marketing & Ad Sector
This New Year, Quaker is embracing a fresh perspective on resolutions with the empowering message: #NewYearStartsToday. Quaker invites everyone to recognize that a fresh start can begin at any moment, encouraging individuals to take meaningful steps toward positive change* without being defined by a specific date.

Quakers philosophy is rooted in the idea that change is about integrating small, intentional steps into everyday life. Its not about waiting for the "right" moment, but about making choices that naturally fit into your routine, whenever you're ready. Quaker encourages people to embrace the journey of change* at their own pace, offering an approach to daily moments that is simple, flexible, and aligned with diverse lifestyles.

At Quaker, we believe that meaningful change is a personal journey that transcends time; its about making impactful choices when youre ready. Our campaign emphasizes that change doesnt have to start on January 1st; it can begin whenever you feel prepared. We want to inspire individuals to embrace their unique paths and recognize that every small step towards change is significant." - PepsiCo India Spokesperson

The campaign was kickstarted by the well-known personality Tejasswi Prakash, Aaliyah Kashyap, and Mahir Malhotra, and will be taken forward by advocates from a range of fields, including fitness, wellness, food, and more from the southern states of India.

Quaker is committed to being a supportive partner along the way. Whether you're seeking a quick snack or a nutritious meal, Quaker gives you the option to make small, impactful choices that support your journey. With Quaker by your side, meaningful progress is always within reach, fueled by options that are easy to enjoy.

*Reference to positive habits like not skipping breakfast.

Also Read: Quaker's heartfelt long-format ad film strikes a chord
The estate of Joseph Shuster, co-creator of Superman, has filed a copyright lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery, challenging the studios right to use the iconic superhero outside the United States. The legal dispute comes ahead of the much-anticipated release of Superman, a reboot of the DC Comics film franchise directed by James Gunn and set for a July premiere.

The lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court, argues that Shusters rights to the character reverted to his estate in 2017 under British copyright law, which grants creators estates control over intellectual property 25 years after their death. The estate claims Warner Bros. has failed to compensate for the use of Superman in countries governed by British copyright law, including the UK, Canada, and Australia.

This latest legal battle could pose complications for the international distribution of the upcoming Superman film and other projects featuring the character. Shuster and his co-creator, Jerome Siegel, initially sold their rights to the character to Detective Comicsnow DC Comics, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.in the 1930s. Over the years, multiple lawsuits have been filed by their estates seeking compensation for Supermans continued use.

A U.S. court previously ruled in 2013 that the creators heirs could not reclaim their rights under American copyright law. However, the new lawsuit takes a different legal approach by citing international copyright protections. The estate is seeking financial compensation and a court order restricting Warner Bros. from using the Superman character without proper licensing in applicable territories.

With Superman expected to be a major blockbuster, the lawsuit adds a fresh layer of uncertainty to the films global release strategy. Warner Bros. has responded by stating its intention to defend its rights vigorously, setting the stage for another legal battle over one of the worlds most recognizable superheroes.

Also Read: Warner Bros. to launch Superman Web3 movie experience
The Union Budget for 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has sparked widespread reactions from various sectors of the economy. As the government outlines its plans to propel India towards becoming a Viksit Bharat, the budget has been met with a mix of optimism, scrutiny, and anticipation. Key announcements focusing on sectors like MSMEs, education, tax reforms, and sustainability have drawn attention from businesses, industry experts, economists, and the general public. The budget's focus on boosting economic growth, fostering innovation, and empowering the middle class aims to strike a balance between long-term vision and immediate relief, igniting discussions on the governments strategy to navigate global challenges while fueling domestic prosperity. Heres a look at the various reactions and what the budget means for Indias future trajectory.

Mayuresh Raut, Managing Partner, Seafund said "The increase in credit guarantee for startups from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore is a much needed demand that has been finally accepted. This will not only enable startups to have access to debt capital it will also help them scale faster with less equity dilution. Hence, it will lead to a virtuous cycle of higher top line, less equity dilution, better valuation and better fundraise. As the budget commenced, the FM highlighted that they would like to see 70% women participation in economy building, thus, the addition to credit guarantee will ensure a timely boost as more women entrepreneurs is the need for our ecosystem.

With regards to the earlier 3 Centers of Excellence, this along with Krishi Dhan Dhanya program will bring the best of AI practices to the agri-tech startups ecosystem and breed further innovation. Our view is that this requires large patient capital, but aligns us with the renaissance and renewed interest in nuclear energy that is happening all over the world, led by the US. Definitely opens the sector to private investors. Push for data centres consuming huge powers will need nuclear power which will further fuel our AI aspirations"
The Unholy Nexus: Dhananjay Munde and Namdev Shastri MaharajWhen Spirituality Becomes a Shield for Political Machinations 2

In an era where power and influence dictate narratives, where truth is often blurred by political machinations and strategic alliances, the case of Dhananjay Munde stands as a glaring testament to the dangerous entanglement of spirituality and politics. The brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, should have been a matter of untainted justice. Instead, it has devolved into a spectacle of manipulation, with embattled Food and Civil Supply Minister and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde conveniently seeking absolution through the endorsement of Dr. Namdev Shastri Maharaj.

After 53 days of relentless scrutiny, Munde has found himself under an unexpected yet powerful protective umbrella. The endorsement came from Dr. Namdev Shastri Maharaj, a highly regarded spiritual figure within the Vanjari community, presiding over the Bhagwangad shrine in Beed. This public support, however, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with many questioning the intersection of religious authority and political expediency.

Munde, who had earlier attended a DPDC meeting alongside Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, took refuge at Bhagwangad overnight before securing a meeting with Shastri the following morning. This move, calculated or otherwise, set the stage for what many see as an orchestrated effort to cleanse Mundes public image through spiritual validation. In a subsequent press conference, Shastri asserted that Munde was being unfairly vilified and portrayed as a criminal, dismissing the allegations against him as a mere extension of a localized village dispute that had been blown out of proportion. He further condemned what he described as a prejudicial media trial, asserting that it was fomenting communal disharmony while diverting attention from real issues.

However, such sweeping justifications raise fundamental questions about the integrity of both the spiritual and political spheres. If Shastris claim holds weight, why has he not presented any substantive counterarguments to the allegations against Munde? How can a revered spiritual figure categorically dismiss charges that are still under investigation? The assertion that these allegations harm the Vanjari community as a whole appears to be an attempt to frame Mundes predicament as a community-wide persecution rather than an individuals accountability for potential wrongdoing. This tactic, far from being an act of moral fortitude, reeks of opportunistic deflection.

Notably, Shastris intervention has sparked political speculation, with some interpreting it as a veiled message to both the BJP and Ajit Pawars faction. The irony is striking, considering that the same Shastri had previously denied BJP leader Pankaja Munde, Dhananjays cousin, permission to hold a Dussehra rally at Bhagwangad on the grounds that religious sites should remain apolitical. His sudden deviation from this principle raises serious doubts about the sincerity of his spiritual leadership. Has Bhagwangad, a revered seat of faith, now become a transactional ground for political absolution?

Munde, visibly bolstered by this endorsement, wasted no time in leveraging it to his advantage. He expressed immense gratitude for the Bhagwangad shrines support, framing it as a source of newfound strength amidst his struggles. He then turned the tables on his critics, questioning whether media and political figures were more interested in targeting him than ensuring justice for Deshmukhs murder. This rhetorical maneuver, while politically shrewd, conveniently sidesteps the core issue: is Munde truly innocent, or is he merely seeking refuge under the umbrella of spiritual authority to deflect accountability?

Social activist Anjali Damania has been among the most vocal opponents of this spectacle, unequivocally condemning the use of Bhagwangad as a political sanctuary. She has vowed to meet Namdev Shastri with documented evidence supporting the allegations against Munde, further challenging the validity of Shastris defense. Her assertion that the real Munde is different from the persona he projects in such religious engagements underscores a broader problempublic figures using spiritual platforms to construct deceptive narratives that manipulate public sentiment.

To understand the weight of Shastris endorsement, one must examine his own trajectory. A preacher and kirtankar from the Varkari sect, he underwent rigorous training at the Warkari Shikshan Sanstha in Alandi before immersing himself in the most challenging realms of Sanskrit literature and jurisprudence under the tutelage of Shri 1008 Swami Kashikanandgiriji Maharaj. His scholarly credentials are formidable, boasting a Judicial degree from Varanasi Vidyapeeth, an MA in Marathi from Pune University, and a PhD from Marathwada University on the Creation of Warkari Saints. Following the demise of Bhim Singh Maharaj, he assumed the mantle of Bhagwangads leadership, dedicating himself to the study and dissemination of the Dnyaneshwari and Sanskrit scriptures.

Yet, despite this impressive academic and spiritual pedigree, troubling contradictions have begun to surface. While he continues to expand Bhagwangads influence through temple constructions and educational initiatives like Dnyaneshwari University, his personal choices betray an unsettling divergence from the ascetic ideals he preaches. His recent appearances in opulent attire and expensive footwear at the Mahakumbh have raised eyebrows, prompting uncomfortable questions about his detachment from material indulgences. If a spiritual leader seeks luxury while claiming to embody renunciation, is he not eroding the very principles he stands for?

Now, with his overt political involvement in Mundes case, the deeper concern emerges: is Shastri leveraging his religious statue for political relevance? When spiritual figures begin aligning themselves with questionable political leaders, they cease to be beacons of moral clarity and instead become enablers of corruption and deceit. His endorsement of Munde is not just a declaration of support; it is an implicit attempt to influence public perception and whitewash a politicians embattled image. But in doing so, he risks not just his own credibility but the sanctity of Bhagwangad itself.

If spirituality is to remain a guiding force for truth and justice, its custodians must remain steadfastly impartial. By stepping into the political arena, Shastri has compromised his spiritual authority, turning Bhagwangad into yet another chess piece in Maharashtras murky political landscape. When religious leaders begin to sanctify the morally ambiguous for personal or political motives, society is left grappling with a crisis of trust. The real question now is: will the people see through this charade, or will they allow faith to be hijacked by power?
Joann, the crafting and fabrics retailer, will close its Alabama distribution center if the company doesnt find a court-approved buyer soon.

Nearly 250 employees at its distribution center in Opelika are at risk of losing their jobs, the company said in a notice to the Alabama Department of Commerce this week.

While we remain hopeful this closure event will not occur, we are providing notice that if this action does occur, employee separations at or otherwise aligned to the Opelika DC are expected to commence on the 14-day period beginning on March 31, 2025, said Amanda Hayes, a spokesperson for Joann, in an email to AL.com.

In mid-January, the company filed its second bankruptcy within a year  filing for Ch. 11 bankruptcy in federal court in Delaware. Any sale of the company would have to be approved by a federal bankruptcy judge.

Should the Company fail to secure a buyer who intends to continue to actively operate JOANNs business (including potentially offering employment to some or all current Company employees), it is possible that the Company may have no choice but to immediately close its Opelika DC and conduct employee separations, Ann Aber, Joanns executive vice president of chief legal and human resources, wrote in a Jan. 24 letter to Alabama state and local officials.

The expected closure would bring Alabamas tally of employees impacted by mass layoffs already scheduled for 2025 to more than 1,100.

Joann opened its 700,000-square-foot distribution center in Opelika in 2006. The company expanded the $45 million center in 2021, investing nearly $8 million more into building onto its warehouse and adding 30 jobs.

Its unclear what the future of the site in Opelika will be, or what resources Joann will provide to the impacted employees.

John Sweatman, the director of Opelika Economic Development, told AL.com that its too soon to share details for next steps.

The closure announcement of Joanns Alabama center follows a recent financial spiral for the Ohio-based retailer, including a separate bankruptcy filing last March before the company went private. Joann, which was founded in 1943, sells yarn, crafting supplies, sewing machines, home decor and more.

When Joann filed for bankruptcy on Jan. 15, the company said stores would stay open and employees would continue to be paid.

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, interim CEO Michael Prendergast said in a Jan. 15 statement about the bankruptcy filing. We hope that this process enables us to find a path that would allow JOANN to continue operating as a going concern.

The company has at least three other distribution and fulfillment centers in Ohio and California, per its website. Without a buyer, Joann will have to close those sites as well, resulting in hundreds more layoffs, according to media reports.

Federal law requires those large employers to file a public WARN notice with the state 60 days in advance of mass layoffs or plant closures. Those WARN notices are published by the Alabama Department of Commerce.
A shooting at a north Alabama barbecue restaurant left a man dead early Saturday, according to officials.

Around 12:12 a.m., officers arrived to Nash BBQ on 12th Avenue Northwest in Decatur to investigate reports of a shooting.

According to a release from the department, a man suffering gunshot wounds was transported to the hospital where he later died.

This is believed to be an isolated incident, the release said. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

Anyone with information about what happened is asked to contact the Decatur Police Department at 256-341-4660 or their anonymous tip line at 256-341-4636.
A search is underway for a 27-year-old man who struck and critically injured a bystander while he was fleeing from a Montgomery County sheriffs deputy.

The incident happened about 4 p.m. Thursday. A deputy assigned to the Metro Area Crime Suppression Unit was patrolling and saw Gerald Jerome Johnson Jr. driving a black Camaro recklessly and running stop signs, according to the sheriffs office.

To protect the innocent from being harmed by this dangerous offender, the deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, said Wesley Richerson, the sherriffs assistant chief deputy.

The suspect accelerated at a high rate of speed, ultimately driving up and onto the sidewalk on Rosa Parks Avenue, striking an innocent pedestrian near West Patton.

The 58-year-old woman was critically injured and taken to Baptist South Medical Center.

Johnson ran from the scene.

Richerson described the crime as heinous and atrocious, noting that it happened in broad daylight in a neighborhood.

The suspect was armed with a stolen handgun that he discarded in the vehicle before fleeing on foot, Richerson said.

Johnson was also wanted out of Elmore County, and the Camaro he was driving was later reported stolen, according to the authorities.

Richerson said Johnson should be considered armed and dangerous.

He is facing new charges of first-degree assault, felony attempting to elude and receiving stolen property.

Richerson said more charges are expected.

We are fed up with these lawless criminals who destroy lives and create chaos in our community, Richerson said. An innocent woman who was simply walking on the sidewalk, is now fighting for her life.

The sheriffs office is working on the case with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, the Montgomery Police Department, and the MACS Task Force.

Richerson thanked the witnesses who called 911 to report the incident, and those who helped the injured woman on the scene.

We are a strong community, and we will continue to rid our streets of these dangerous criminals, Richerson said. We are also praying for the innocent victim who suffered tremendously, and who has a difficult road to recovery ahead.

Anyone with information on Johnsons whereabouts is asked to call 911, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office or ALEA.
Two people were killed overnight in separate Birmingham shootings that happened minutes apart but on different sides of the city.

The first shooting happened around midnight in the 1400 block of 57th Street in Ensley.

Birmingham police were dispatched to a shots fired call and arrived to find 22-year-old Xavier Colvert unresponsive inside his white pickup truck.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene.

Police marked at least a half dozen shell casings near the trucks passenger door.

The second deadly shooting happened at 12:21 a.m. in the 600 block of Eighth Terrace West.

Police said more than two dozen shots were fired in that incident, and the driver of a vehicle was shot.

The victim as been identified as 18-year-old Ronald Bennett Jr. Authorities said they believe he was a student at Huffman High School.

Two men were killed in separate shootings early Sunday in Birmingham. One of the shootings happened on 57th Street in Ensley, and the other in the 600 block of Eighth Terrace West.(Carol Robinson)

A passenger in the vehicle tried to take control of the car and ended up crashing into the shrubbery and front porch of a home.

Bennett was found on the ground outside of the vehicle. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Multiple friends and family members were at the scene as a tow truck pulled the vehicle from the yard of the residence.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Huffman High School community,' said Officer Truman Fitzgerald.

The homicides are Birminghams ninth and 10th so far in 2025. There were eight homicides in January  two more than in January 2024.

In all of Jefferson County this year, there have been 15 homicides, including the 10 in Birmingham.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

This story was updated to identify the victims.
Four teens were killed, and a fifth injured, in a single-vehicle crash Thursday in Dallas County.

The wreck happened just before 6:30 p.m. on U.S. 80, about 10 miles east of Selma.

Alabama State Trooper Cpl. Reginal King said an 18-year-old from Wetumpka was driving a 2006 Toyota Avalon that left the road and struck a tree.

The driver and three passengers were pronounced dead on the scene.

King identified two of the passengers killed as Isaiah D. McDade of Pike Road and Tyler O. Jones, of Montgomery. Both were 19.

The fourth fatality victim was a 17-year-old from Selma. Troopers do not release the names of victims under the age of 19.

The surviving passenger, 19-year-old Deneco D. Smith, also of Montgomery, was take to Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma and later transferred to UAB Hospital in Birmingham.

King said none of the five victims were using seatbelts at the time of the crash.

The investigation is ongoing. No additional details have been released.
Days after boosting its top wages to more than $30 an hour for most nonunion U.S. store employees, Costco Warehouse reached an agreement with its union workers, the Teamsters said Saturday.

The Teamsters contract expired at midnight, but hours later the union said on X that its negotiators reached a tentative deal with the company. Teamsters spokesman Matt McQuaid confirmed to The Washington Post that a deal has been negotiated, averting a strike. Details of the agreement, which will be presented to union members for a vote, were not immediately available.

Costco Teamsters represent 18,000 workers across six states - only about 8 percent of its workforce. But the rest of Costcos hourly employees got a raise this week.

Starting in March, workers at the top of the pay scale will receive a $1 per hour raise to $30.20, followed by additional $1 raises each year for two years. Employees on the low end of the scale will receive a 50-cent raise, making their hourly wage $20. Multiple Costco employees who spoke to The Post confirmed the memo, whose contents were first reported by Bloomberg News.

Teamsters members at 56 stores had voted earlier this month to authorize a strike if the parties could not agree on a deal. Costco has more than 600 locations.

Under the old contract, Costco Teamsters earn hourly wages of $17.50 to $32.65, depending on their job and experience. The union sought increased wages and benefits, including more seniority pay, sick time, paid family leave, bereavement policies and protections against surveillance.

Costco is known as one of the higher paying employers in retail. Walmart associates make on average $17.50 an hour. Amazon warehouse employees make on average a base wage of $22 an hour.

In an email to The Post on Friday, before the deal was reached, McQuaid called the nonunion raise fake generosity.

Dont forget Costco wouldnt even be entertaining this increase if not for the immense pressure the Teamsters are putting on them to respect their employees, he said. Despite this, Costco is still shorting their workers because nonunion workers lack the retirement security of a defined benefit pension plan and the job protections that come with a union contract.

Costco declined to comment Friday.

The Teamsters have pointed to Costcos ballooning profits as evidence that it can afford more for employees. Costcos net income was $7.4 billion in its most recent fiscal year, which ended in September. That is a 17 percent increase over the year before.

The Issaquah, Washington-based warehouse club has grown in popularity over the years, and is now the number three U.S. grocery retailer, as measured by sales.

Costco has also drawn attention lately for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives even as many other companies have pulled back. Shareholders sided with the companys board earlier this month to overwhelmingly reject a proposal to scale back the companys diversity programs.

Walmart also announced wage increases last week, but specifically for its market managers. They can now make as much as $620,000 annually, which includes bonuses and stock awards. Starting base pay for those managers is now $160,000, an increase of about 25 percent.
A Birmingham man has been charged with a felony under a new law passed following the Carlee Russell hoax kidnapping.

Hoover police, who investigated the Russell hoax and whose police chief worked with the Alabama legislature to craft enhanced penalties for false reporting to law enforcement alleging imminent danger, have charged 54-year-old Larry Scott Brown with the Class C felony.

About 8 p.m. on Jan. 16, a patrol officer in the area of Tattersall Boulevard was watching an unoccupied suspicious vehicle he believed to be involved in a retail theft from a nearby business, said Lt. Daniel Lowe.

At 8:16 p.m., Hoover 911 received a call of a robbery in progress at Walmart, which was a short distance away.

The caller told dispatchers a male was pointing a gun at a female.

Several officers launched a full emergency response but found no evidence of a robbery, domestic violence, or any other similar crime in progress at Walmart.

Lowe said no other calls were received by the 911 Center.

When the patrol officer returned to Tattersall Boulevard to resume his investigation into the suspicious vehicle, it was gone.

A subsequent investigation showed the 911 caller was the owner of the suspicious vehicle and that he was not at Walmart when the 911 call was made.

Police believe the 911 was a ruse to divert the officers attention and allow the caller to leave the area without being stopped.

The Shelby County District Attorneys Office issued the felony warrant against Brown, and he was taken into custody Friday.

He will be transferred to the Shelby County Jail with bond set at $5,000.

Under the old law, false reporting is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to a year in jail.

The law inspired by Russells case says that in cases where the false report alleges imminent danger to a person or the public, the crime is a felony, which can result in a prison sentence of 1 to 10 years.

The law also says a person convicted of making a false report that results in an emergency response or investigation of the commission of false reporting will be ordered to pay restitution for the expenses incurred by any local, state, or federal law enforcement or assisting governmental agency.

Russell seemingly vanished July 13, 2023, after calling 911, and a family member, to report seeing a child, about 3 or 4 years old only wearing a diaper, walking alone on I-459.

The family member reported hearing a scream, and then only interstate noise through the open cell phone line.

Russells disappearance sparked a massive search and widespread concern.

Two days later, Russell showed up alone at her parents Hoover home. She was taken to UAB Hospital for evaluation.

While in the hospital, Russell told Hoover police she escaped the clutches of a man and woman who abducted her.

Russell pleaded guilty last year to two misdemeanor charges, and escaped jail time. She was also ordered to pay $18,000 in restitution.

Police Chief Nick Derzis has been outspoken about what he said was a light sentence for Russell.
A Jefferson County jury is deliberating the fate of a 23-year-old man charged with capital murder in the killing of 8-year-old Royta Giles during a 2020 shootout inside the Riverchase Galleria.

Demetrius Jackson is one of three people who were charged with capital murder.

Montez Moses Miracle Coleman, 26, pleaded guilty in June to a reduced charge of reckless murder and three counts of second-degree assault for the wounding of Chateria Brant, Walter Hudson and 11-year-old Senia Escobar Farjado.

Coleman was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

King Gary Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to the same charges in October. Williams was sentenced to 25 years on the reckless murder conviction.

Prosecutors claim all three fired their guns that day and are responsible for Roytas death and the wounding of the others, regardless of whether their bullets struck anyone.

Everyone who shot was wrong. And everyone who is wrong is responsible, said Deputy District Attorney Julie McMakin.

On July 3, 2020, when Montez Coleman, King Williams and this defendant, Demetrius Jackson, decided to turn the Galleria mall into an urban battleground, they each made themselves responsible for injuries that occurred.

An 8-year-old little boy is dancing in the hall one minute and the next minute he was dead, McMakin. This defendant shot. This defendant was wrong. This defendant is responsible.

Jacksons lead attorney, Victor Revill, said his client was fired on first, and returned fire in self-defense. He said theres no evidence Jacksons bullets struck anyone.

Theres no one piece of evidence that this man did anything but defend himself, Revill said, which we all have the right to do.

This man, Revill said, was put in an impossible situation.

Thirteen shots fired

Jacksons trial began earlier this week before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Owens. Prosecutors sought the death penalty.

The defense did not put on any witnesses. Roytas mother, Jessica Layfield, testified Thursday, and later said she is thankful the ordeal is nearly at an end.

The jury began deliberating about noon on Friday. They deliberated until after 5 p.m. without reaching a verdict. Jurors will resume deliberations Monday morning.

Deputy District Attorneys McMakin, Shawn Allen, and Elise Driskell prosecuted. Jackson is represented by attorneys Revill, Hunter Horton and Tracy Edmond.

An 18-year-old is charged with capital murder in the Riverchase Galleria shooting that killed 8-year-old Royta Giles Jr. Other gunmen are sought and police are asking for the public's help. (Hoover Police)

Royta was killed when he, his mother, stepfather and younger sisters were waiting to go into the Childrens Place to buy new outfits for the Fourth of July.

Police said Coleman, Williams and Jackson exchanged gunfire and when the shooting stopped, Royta was motionless on the mall floor, surrounded by his family.

Royta had been shot in the head and would be pronounced dead within hours.

At the time of his death, Royta had just finished the second grade at Jonesboro Elementary School in Bessemer, where he was an honor roll student and adored by his teachers and school administrators.

He loved to play video games and aspired to be a musical artist.

Police said an ongoing feud between the young men came to a head when they encountered each other inside the mall that Friday.

Coleman, according to testimony, went to the mall that Friday to buy a new shirt for a party later that night.

He met up with two of his friends, including Birmingham rapper Yaven Big Yavo Mauldin.

Coleman, testimony indicated, was a sort of bodyguard, or muscle, for Mauldin. Mauldin was not charged with any crime.

Williams and Jackson, and a group of other men, were at the mall independently. That group was coming down the escalator when the two groups encountered each other.

Coleman, police previously said, was standing at a t-shirt kiosk when someone from the opposing group bumped into him. Williams and some others looked at them in an aggressive manner and raised their shirts to show they had guns in their waistbands.

That, Coleman said, is when he fired one shot and fled.

According to testimony, that one shot went above the heads of the other group and lodged in the wall above Starbucks, near the malls second story.

Coleman was quickly taken into custody outside the mall. His backpack had a hole from where his shot was fired through it.

Williams, also a rapper, previously told police that his group was coming down the escalator when he spotted Mauldin.

An 18-year-old is charged with capital murder in the Riverchase Galleria shooting that killed 8-year-old Royta Giles Jr. Other gunmen are sought and police are asking for the public's help. (Hoover Police)

The two, police said, had a previous dispute about a rap video or rap lyrics. Williams believed that a group called H2K, with which Mauldin is reportedly affiliated, had a bounty out on him.

Williams said he saw Coleman raise his weapon, so he returned fire. He said he shot three to four times and then ran out of the mall.

From the Galleria, Williams went to an apartment in Tarrant where he dismantled the gun and gave it to a female to get rid of, police said. That gun has never been recovered.

Thirteen bullets were fired that day.

Of the 12 rounds recovered at the mall, one was from Colemans assault-type pistol, five were from a .40-caliber pistol and six were from a .9mm handgun, according to testimony.

Though authorities said they werent able to recover any bullets from the victims, all of the innocent bystanders who were shot were standing behind Coleman and were in the path of the bullets fired by Jackson and Williams.

Self-defense or mutual combat?

Revill, in a passionate closing argument Friday morning, said Jackson should never have been charged.

There was a great tragedy, Revill said. We acknowledge it. We hate that happened.

We do not stand here and say to you no crime occurred, he said. A crime 100 percent occurred but the person who committed that crime was not Demetrius Jackson.

The person who did that crime was Montez Coleman, Revill said. But for Montez Colemans actions, we are never here.

Revill disputed prosecutors claims that everyone who shot was responsible.

When someone dies theres outrage, especially when its a child, he said. So, lets just get everybody, regardless of whether or not they were acting in self-defense.

Revill said video of the shooting showed Jackson was walking away from the confrontation.

You could see his knees buckle as soon as Montez Coleman shot that tank of a gun, he said.

Not one person said Demetrius Jackson said one word, he said. All these bullets are not created equal because if Montez dont shoot that tank of a gun, everyone walks away.

Allen, in his sometimes-tearful closing arguments, described what happened in the mall that day as mutual combat.

In that situation, Allen said, all parties are criminally liable in the death and injuries that occurred.

This isnt a case about rights, he said. This is about wrong.

An 18-year-old is charged with capital murder in the Riverchase Galleria shooting that killed 8-year-old Royta Giles Jr. Other gunmen are sought and police are asking for the public's help. (Hoover Police)

The self-defense law is not you just get to shoot somebody and think you were acting in self-defense. Thats not how it works, he said. There are rules.

To be justified in using deadly force, Allen said, you cant be the aggressor, and it cant be product of mutual combat.

Mutual combat can be something as simple as you start taking off your earrings, I start taking off my watch. You start rolling up your sleeves, I start pulling up my pants, Allen said.

Im sitting on G and waiting on O and all thats got to happen is you throw the first punch and were going.

We didnt say anything, but our body language is telling each other were getting ready to do, he said. Thats mutual combat.

In Alabama  in order to be justified in using deadly physical force, you have to be entirely free from fault, Allen said.

Youve got to have clean hands. You cant have done anything that contributed to the difficulty that you are now having to use deadly physical force.

What should have happened was de-escalation rather than escalation, he said.

The video showed Montez Coleman talking as he walked down the escalator.

He wasnt talking to himself, Allen said. He wasnt giving a monologue.

A witness testified, he said, that she heard multiple people arguing.

It was loud enough to bring her to the front of the store, Allen said. She heard somebody say, On blood, on blood.'

Jackson, he said, wasnt walking away. He was waiting, Allen said. They were waiting for what was about to happen.

This guy stood shoulder to shoulder with King Williams like they were on the infantry line, ride or die' he said. They were backing each other up. They were facing down Montez Coleman.

Immediately after Jackson fired six shots, Allen said, He gets the hell out of there.

Jackson ran through Von Maur and into the parking deck.

Screen shot of Royta's casket from live stream. Funeral for Royta Giles Jr. at the Bessemer Civic Center Saturday July 11, 2020. Royta was shot to death at the Riverchase Galleria on July 3rd. Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com

He could have found a police officer. He could have said, Thank God youre here, a guy with a backpack just tried to kill me and I had to shoot my gun and here it is. Thank you for being here. Thank you for saving my life.'

Thats not what happened, he said. He ran away.

Jackson was interviewed two days later and told police he wasnt at the Galleria when the shooting happened.

That is not something who thought they were justified would say, Allen said. Thats how you know he didnt believe he was justified because he lied about being there, and he got rid of his gun.

It doesnt matter who fired the first shot. It doesnt matter who fired the most shots, Allen said. Each of these guys were aiding abetting whether they were on the same side or not.

Defense attorneys, Allen said, spent all week telling jurors that Coleman was the bad guy, not Jackson.

We know Montez Coleman shot one time, and he didnt hit anybody. His bullet landed in the food court by Starbucks, Allen said. At the same time, theyre telling you (Jackson) cant be guilty because he didnt shoot anybody, theyre also telling you Montez Coleman is guilty, and he didnt shoot anybody.

What were telling you is everybody that shot is wrong, he said. Montez Coleman is a bad guy in this. Hes one of three actually.

This is not an and/or situation. This is an and/and situation, Allen said. Theyre all guilty.

Through your verdict youre going to tell this defendant this was not self-defense. You were not justified, you were wrong, and you are responsible, Allen said. Find him guilty of capital murder for the death of Royta Giles.
The Montgomery City Council on Friday night stopped short of approving a guarantee of a $20.5 million loan to save financially troubled Jackson Hospital & Clinic.

A resolution to approve the loan guarantee was on the council agenda.

But Councilman Andrew Szymanski proposed a substitute resolution calling for the city to negotiate on a plan to help the hospital while requiring the hospital to provide more financial statements and documents. The nine-member council unanimously approved Szymanskis resolution.

Szymanski said council members needed more written assurances that what they had been told during meetings was correct.

I think before the city signs onto something that potentially commits us to $20.5 million, we should make sure that those numbers and those statements are factual and they have been properly looked at and vetted, Szymanski said. And thats what this gives us the opportunity to do.

So it moves everything along on the condition that those documents are made available for the council and to our legal counsel.

Dozens of Jackson Hospital employees sat through the more than hour-long discussion at City Hall, some with signs reading Save Jackson Hospital and Save Our Jobs.

Several spoke to the council about the importance of Jackson Hospital for Montgomery and the surrounding area. It is one of three hospitals in the capital city. The other two are operated by Baptist Health - Baptist Medical Center East and Baptist Medical Center South.

Jackson Hospital, which opened in 1946, has about 2,100 employees and is licensed for 355 beds.

Last year, Jackson Hospital defaulted on about $60 million in bonds.

In November, the hospital announced changes in its leadership.

Allen Wilen, chief restructuring officer, said after Friday nights meeting that there was some confusion about the resolution the council approved and said he would seek clarification before commenting on it.

Before the council approved Szymanskis substitute resolution, Wilen urged the council to approve the loan guarantee, saying it would provide a bridge to keep the hospital open and that the financial risk to the city was minimal.

Most of of the council members said they understood the importance of the hospital to healthcare in the Montgomery area and the difficult circumstances faced by the employees and patients who would be directly affected if the hospital closed.

But they also expressed concerns that the $20.5 million loan guarantee would not be a long-term solution and said that Montgomery County, other local governments, and the state government should be part of a plan to save the hospital.

Were not saying, No, youre not getting it, Council President Cornelius C.C Calhoun said. Were buying time to do whats right.

Before the councils vote, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said he understood the importance of Jackson Hospital and concerns about job loss, but said the city had to consider the long-term outlook for the hospital and whether risking $20 million in taxpayer funds was good stewardship for the city as a whole.

A rushed decision in this situation, in my opinion, is a mistake, Reed said.

The hospital is preparing to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to the resolution approved Friday night. Szymanski said a key point is whether the city has a first-priority status as a creditor if the effort to reorganize the hospital fails.

They kept saying to us, the city is not putting in any cash, Szymanski said. And were not, up front. But if this all does not work itself out, then we are liable for that $20.5 million. And I want to be guaranteed that at the end of the day, if it comes to that, the first $20 million with either a sale or liquidation comes to the city of Montgomery to protect the taxpayers.
Birmingham City Schools Board of Education is moving to a new headquarters at 2101 6th Ave. North, a block from the current headquarters they sold in 2024.

The board bought the new building for $7 million after selling the old headquarters for about $5 million.

On Tuesday during a special called board meeting, the board voted to approve an additional $19 million to go toward getting the new office ready for move in. The relocation project is projected to be completed in May 2026 and will include refurnishing offices, building out an auditorium and upgrading the buildings electrical and technology.

I feel as though if we want to have a world class education system and provide a world class education to our children, leadership matters, Board President Jason Meadows told AL.com. At some point we will have to recruit new people, and if you want the best and brightest, then if they come and walk through your facilities, I think it shows who you are, and it speaks before you say a word.

The Birmingham Board of Education has been headquartered in its current building since the 1950s, during the time of Jim Crow. Board members say it is long due for a change.

Im excited about the relocation. I think that as the city of Birmingham is moving forward, I also think that our education department should move forward, District 2 Board Member Neonta Williams said. I think it supports the mental health and wellness of the employees that work in the district.

While board members said the relocation costs were a weighty decision, they believe the relocation will make their work more efficient.

I think its a game changer, because it gives it an opportunity for all of our departments to come in and collaborate. We dont have to have a duplication of services. We dont have to have three different buildings where were paying electricity, gas, water. We can have it all under one umbrella, Superintendent Mark Sullivan said.
The Birmingham metro area secured 17 new economic development projects in 2024, totaling $490 million and creating 1,000 new jobs.

Thats according to the report from the Birmingham Business Alliances annual Chairmans Meeting, held at The Fennec in downtown Birmingham.

The total jobs were the most for the region since 2022, said BBA Chairman Joe Hampton.

Among those projects are the new $335 million headquarters for Coca-Cola United in Birmingham and Brasfield & Gorries $18.9 million Birmingham office expansion.

Birmingham, my friends, is a place where all of us should invest, Hampton said.

BBA CEO Steve Ammons said the economic development entity, among other intitiatives, is focused on attraction and business retention and expansion. In 2024, its attraction team met with 67 different site selection consultants and traveled to more than 30 trade shows and conferences to tout the Birmingham area.

The BBAs existing industry team also met with 133 companies, a 40% increase over the previous year, he said. Ammons said the BBA hopes to double that next year.

We have to be stronger, we have to be more competitive, and we have to be better positioned for growth, Ammons said.

This year, Ammons said, the BBA will work to strengthen regional collaboration. That means making sure that Birmingham and the Birmingham region, grow stronger together.

The BBA is expected to announce next month its legislative agenda for 2025.

Strong economies are regional economies, he said. Success comes from working together, not isolation.
A 54-year-old Birmingham man was killed and a Trussville man was injured when the pickup truck they were in became airborne after leaving the highway early Friday morning in Marengo County, authorities said.

James W. Evans, 54, was driving the 2023 Ford F-150 around 3:30 a.m. Friday when the truck left the U.S. 80, went across a private drive and became airborne before landing, said Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Cpl. Reginal King.

Evans, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash about six miles west of Uniontown, was taken to Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis, where he died of his injuries.

A 46-year-old Trussville man who was a passenger in the pickup was taken to Whitfield Regional Hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.

Further information was unavailable as state troopers continued investigating the wreck.










English News China, Africa true friends on way to modernization

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Fevrier 2025



Regardless of the changing international situation, China and Africa will steadfastly advance cooperation to a higher level, deeper level, and broader scope, jointly promote modernization and build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

By He Yin, People's Daily This year marks the beginning of the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Recently, several African countries including Chad, Djibouti, Madagascar, and the Republic of the Congo signed economic and technical cooperation agreements with China.



The efficient and pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa in various fields has been further deepened, demonstrating the joint efforts of the two sides to move towards modernization together.



Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping, the FOCAC Beijing Summit was successfully held last year, after which bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China were elevated to the level of strategic relations and the overall characterization of China-Africa relations was elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.



Jointly advancing modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win, that puts the people first and features diversity and inclusiveness, and that is eco-friendly and underpinned by peace and security, China and Africa have strengthened strategic alignment in development and exchanged governance experiences. This has expanded shared values, paving the way for a broader horizon and injecting more momentum into the development of bilateral relations.



There is always vast space for African brothers in China's endeavor to expand high-standard opening up; and China will never be absent from Africa's pursuit of development and revitalization.

The ten partnership actions for modernization jointly promoted by China and Africa have set a roadmap for comprehensive deepening of cooperation. China is committed to providing Africa with a broader market, more practical technologies, and more stable investments for its modernization.



China has been granting zero-tariff treatment for all tariff product categories to all least developed countries that have diplomatic relations with China, which creates favorable conditions for high-quality African products to enter the Chinese market. China is also deepening vocational skills training and human resources cooperation with African countries to help the latter strengthen capacity building.



The cumulative installed capacity of photovoltaic power plants built by Chinese companies in collaboration with Africa has exceeded 1.5 GW, and the two sides will also construct an "African Solar Belt", truly embarking on the path of green and low-carbon development.



President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso recently stated that Xi's proposal of the ten partnership actions for modernization at the FOCAC Beijing Summit covers all areas of China-Africa cooperation and addresses the challenges facing Africa, which is in line with Africa's needs.



On the journey to modernization, the FOCAC has played a significant role in promoting Africa's development and improving the livelihoods of the people on the continent. Over the past 25 years since the establishment of the forum, China has helped Africa build 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports. Over the past three years alone, over 1 million jobs have been created in Africa. The livelihood projects implemented in Africa, such as those related to food security, water supply, and education, have benefited the people of many African countries.



Today, the forum has become a symbol of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, a banner of South-South cooperation, and a model for guiding international cooperation with Africa. The importance China attaches to Africa has attracted increased attention and support from the international community, further promoting Africa's development.



In the face of profound changes unseen in a century, the world increasingly needs strengthened cooperation between China and Africa. The development of China and Africa represents the rise of the Global South, embodying the strengthening of just forces.



Under the guidance of Pan-Africanism, African countries have accelerated the integration process of seeking strength through unity and pursuing development and revitalization, playing an increasingly important role in international affairs and contributing transformative power to global governance.



China will always be the most trustworthy friend of its African brothers and sisters, the most reliable partner in their pursuit of development and revitalization, and the strongest supporter of Africa on the international stage.



The tradition of making Africa the first overseas destination for China's foreign minister each new year is a hallmark of Chinese diplomacy, which has been upheld consistently for 35 years. It is a testament to the enduring friendship between China and Africa, and China's consistent friendly cooperation with Africa.



Strengthening solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa, and jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, aligns with historical justice and the trend of the times.



Regardless of the changing international situation, China and Africa will steadfastly advance cooperation to a higher level, deeper level, and broader scope, jointly promote modernization and build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Technological cooperation leads to closer China-Africa economic, trade ties China's economic resilience, vitality in four sets of data Virtual anchors and hosts on the rise Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)










English News World needs multilateralism

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 1 Fevrier 2025



China stands ready to work with all parties to revisit the original aspirations of the United Nations' founding, firmly uphold the United Nations' authority and stature, advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and solidify the foundations of world peace and development through multilateralism, so as to steer human progress toward a brighter future.

By He Yin, People's Daily The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, themed "Collaboration for the Intelligent Age," is held from 20th to 24th January in Davos, Switzerland, bringing together nearly 3,000 representatives from various regions and industries worldwide, who aim to carry forward the spirit of cooperation for sustainable and inclusive solutions.



The Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 was released prior to the meeting, which highlights the rising challenges against the stable global cooperation in the post-Cold War era. The Global Risks Report 2025 was also issued, stressing that multilateral solutions are the only way to address future global risks.



This indicates the World Economic Forum has placed multilateral cooperation in a more important position.



This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and of the founding of the United Nations, the most universal, representative, and authoritative intergovernmental organization.



However, rising unilateralism and protectionism, along with growing divisions and fragmentation, are reshaping geopolitical and economic landscapes, putting immense pressure on multilateralism. In the face of increasing instability and uncertainty, it is crucial for all parties to uphold and practice multilateralism, so as to tackle common challenges through effective global cooperation.



"The problems facing the world are intricate and complex. The way out of them is through upholding multilateralism and building a community with a shared future for mankind," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his special address at the World Economic Forum Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda in January 2021.



China advocates that all countries should jointly shape the future of the world, write international rules, manage global affairs and ensure that development outcomes are shared by all. It hopes that all parties can embrace the vision of a community with a shared future, safeguard and practice multilateralism, and promote world peace and development with the spirit of global solidarity.

World peace is contingent upon the preservation of multilateralism, a fundamental product of the evolution of the international system.



The harsh lessons of the two world wars have shown that zero-sum games and power politics lead to disaster, while multilateralism and the pursuit of fairness and justice pave the way for lasting peace.



The post-war international order, centered on the United Nations and rooted in multilateralism, has played a vital role in preventing the recurrence of wars and promoting the prosperity of nations.



To pursue multilateralism, countries must protect the United Nations-centered international system, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.



China remains a staunch defender of the United Nations' authority and stature, being recognized as a key pillar of multilateralism.



Global development relies on the support of multilateralism. Upholding and practicing multilateralism, and fostering win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all.



Countries taking the lead in economic development should give a hand to their partners who are yet to catch up, so as to transform global development disparities into shared prosperity.

The multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core, has significantly advanced global trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, driving world economic growth. Protectionism and unilateralism ultimately harm everyone involved.



The international community must strengthen multilateral cooperation and openness to mitigate the risks of trade fragmentation. China's commitment to expanding high-level opening up, building an open world economy, defending the multilateral trading system, and enhancing global trade and investment liberalization and facilitation has injected positive energy into global economic recovery.



United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently highlighted at the Handover Ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China that the successful adoption of the Pact for the Future at the United Nations Summit of the Future last year, largely due to the unwavering efforts of the Group of 77 and China, demonstrates that nations can unite to reshape a multilateral system that serves all.



China stands ready to work with all parties to revisit the original aspirations of the United Nations' founding, firmly uphold the United Nations' authority and stature, advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and solidify the foundations of world peace and development through multilateralism, so as to steer human progress toward a brighter future.



Dans la meme rubrique : < > Technological cooperation leads to closer China-Africa economic, trade ties China's economic resilience, vitality in four sets of data Virtual anchors and hosts on the rise Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena)
A cannibal who killed a homeless man and ate his eyes and brain was committed in 2013 to Connecticuts custody for a term of 60 years, then released from the secure facility where he had been housed on temporary leave to a group home in September 2023. A hearing scheduled for February 21 will determine whether he is essentially set free under conditional release. The victims family may object strenuously, but Connecticut law does not grant them anything more than a symbolic voice of protest.

As Americans witness a seemingly endless stream of news reports of horrendous crimes by gangs, illegal aliens, and subway thugs, the likely release of Tyree Lincoln Smith on conditions is just one more progressive imbalance among many. Connecticut residents and a group of GOP lawmakers concerned about public safety are understandably outraged.

At his trial, a video-recorded Smith admitted to killing 35-year-old Angel Gonzalez with a hatchet before removing his eyes and part of his brain, which he allegedly took to a nearby cemetery and ate, washing them down with a bottle of sake. Unsurprisingly, the cannibal who claimed that voices directed his actions was found guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The court ruled, It is overwhelmingly clear that his discharge from custody would constitute a danger to himself and others.

Connecticut is one of only three U.S. states that entrust the oversight of the confinement of severely mentally ill offenders to a psychiatric review board rather than corrections officials. The states Whiting Forensic Institute in Middletown, Connecticut became Smiths residence for merely 10 years of the 60-year sentence, and now he may be released with conditions.

In criminal legal theory, incarceration is based on four public policy goals: reform, deterrence, restitution, and public safety. For the mentally ill, these often competing goals are muddied by the obvious infirmities involved. Many believe that Connecticuts progressive laws have gone too far toward the reform side at the expense of deterrence, restitution, and especially public safety.

Tyree Smiths mental imbalance was involuntary: Connecticuts legal imbalance is deliberate. The laws entrusting violently insane offenders to the oversight of Connecticuts Psychiatric Security Review Board pre-date the social justice theories that have unleashed a national scourge of crime and violence through lax prosecutions, ending cash bail, reformative justice, defunding police, decriminalization, racialization, and other dubious (Marxist?) ideological whims. Such policies, like Connecticuts PSRB, display greater concern for the security of the offenders psyche than the physical security of the general public.

Connecticuts concerned citizenry has reason to beware. Infamously, 9-year-old Jessica Smart was stabbed nearly 40 times by Whiting Forensic escapee David Peterson in front of her mother. Released from Whiting on a day pass, Peterson bought a hunting knife at a local store before killing Jessica at a large Middletown street fair and sidewalk sale in 1989: I knew she was going to die, Cathy Short said, as she recalled holding her daughter in her arms during that moment.

Families of victims like Jessica are forever traumatized. When Connecticut releases the killers of their loved ones, who they thought were locked safely away, an entirely new trauma  by the law  is committed. Judges who believed they had protected society by long commitment sentences find later that their rulings were meaningless.

Whiting Forensic Hospital does not consider victims sentiments. Its Mission Statement declares:

Whiting Forensic Hospital provides high quality, comprehensive, and individualized treatment and evaluation services for patients with mental health conditions who are involved in the criminal justice system or are not yet ready to be safely treated in less restrictive settings. This is accomplished with full respect for the civil and human rights of each patient. Our goal is to assist individuals to manage their illnesses and achieve personal recovery goals through developing the skills necessary to live safely in the community.

The goal from day one at Whiting is not to protect the public or help offenders serve out their time with HBO and a ping-pong table: it is to transition them back into the public. One wonders who flew over Connecticuts cuckoos nest at the states legislative offices.

I have stood before Connecticuts Psychiatric Security Review Board a number of times as legal counsel for the Williamson family, whose beloved Heather Messenger was bludgeoned to death by her husband, David Messenger, in front of the couples five-year-old son. It was clear to all of us that we were regarded by the PSRB as a necessary ritual to be endured, not a voice to be weighed in determining whether Messenger (now free) was a threat to society or an affront to the historic goal of restitution.

Messengers case was particularly unjust: under Connecticut law at the time, he was permitted to inherit his wifes estate rather than the young boy, which included more than $400,000 recovered by Heathers attorneys in a settlement with their homeowners carrier for the killing of Heather. It took the family years to effect a change in Connecticut law, including my filing of a federal lawsuit and soliciting a Discovery ID dramatization of the horrible events, after which this slayers loophole was closed.

The Williamsons were able to prevent such travesties from being inflicted on other victims families by Connecticut inheritance statutes. Unfortunately, their battle did nothing to rebalance the commitments of the mentally ill so that public safety is paramount instead of developing the skills of the mentally ill to manage their illnesses and achieve personal recovery goals.

Compassion for the mentally ill is laudable, but not at the risky expense of public safety and victims psychological welfare. Victims of bludgeoning, cannibalism, and stabbing in Connecticut are not afforded costly high quality, comprehensive, and individualized treatment and evaluation services  not after the killing, and not after the release of the offender they thought was safely secured away.

The PSRB system inflicts PTSD on crime victims families. In 2013, Angel Gonzalezs family spokesperson, Talitha Frazier, testified, I dont care where he serves the rest of his life, as long as its behind locked doors. Ten years later, no one at the PSRB cares what she cared about: they are statutorily obliged to care for the mentally ill, not the mental infirmities seeded by the ongoing injustice this inflicts on victims families.

A 2022 Connecticut bill sought (unsuccessfully) to afford even more services for violent insane offenders through the PSRB to

incorporate[] spaces where the patients can engage in self-enrichment, creative activities, educational pursuits, vocational training and training in independent living skills to facilitate a safe transition to life in the community.

Four Republican Connecticut legislators have vocally objected to the release of Tyree Smith, calling his premature liberation mind-boggling in a joint statement that proclaimed, What about the victims of this grotesque, violent crime?

This sensible inquiry was matched this week with legislative action. A bill has been introduced restricting the frequency of release hearings, imposing more stringent conditions on the acquitted, and shifting the burden statutorily imposed on the PSRB back to common sense sanity to

require the Psychiatric Security Review Board to consider the protection of society its primary concern and the well-being of the acquittee its secondary concern when evaluating for discharge, conditional release or confinement

and

require said board to apply a burden of proof of clear and convincing evidence when evaluating a request for a placement order less restrictive than the existing order.

It is to be hoped this effort will be afforded grave consideration by the Connecticut Legislature. Sadly, past experience suggests that Connecticuts criminal as victim and victim as criminal progressivism will remain the PSRB status quo until another young child is stabbed in public by a deranged cannibal acquittee.

Attorney-farmer John Klar hosts the Small Farm Republic Substack and podcast from his Vermont farm. His recent book is Small Farm Republic: Why Conservatives Must Embrace Local Agriculture, Reject Climate Alarmism, and Lead an Environmental Revival.

Image via Public Domain Pictures.
Some are asking why senators and representative are requesting that President Trump award Maj. James Capers the Medal of Honor, as opposed to just having the award work its way through the normal bureaucratic process?



Because the process to address Maj. Capers receiving the Medal of Honor failed this Marine multiple times over due to unfortunate circumstances and individual obstructionists within the system.



This is not an attempt to circumvent the process. It is decisive action being taken to correct an injustice.



To begin with, in 1967, Maj. Gen. Bruno Hochmuth, CG, 3rd Marine Division, initially proposed that Capers receive the Medal of Honor after meeting with each of the Marines who served with Capers in combat at Phu Loc.



Each of Capers' Marines credited his actions, courage, and selfless leadership with the reason they were all alive. Each felt Capers was deserving of the Medal of Honor.



Hochmuth told Capers he would receive the Medal of Honor, while Capers was recovering from his wounds at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Unfortunately, Maj. Gen. Hochmuth died in a helicopter crash in the Republic of Vietnam before ensuring that Capers received the Medal of Honor.



Tragically, then-captain Ken Jordan, Capers officer in command who disliked Capers immensely, for whatever reason, and who was not in combat with Capers at Phu Loc, decided instead to award Capers the Bronze Star with combat "V." Compared to the Medal of Honor, our nations highest honor for military valor, the Bronze Star is our Armed Forces 4th-level award.

Of note, upon returning from Vietnam, Captain Jordan was stationed at the Marine Base, Quantico, VA, while then-lieutenant Capers was recovering from multiple shrapnel and gunshot wounds, for nearly a year. Despite having served as his OIC when Capers was wounded, and it being less than an hour drive away, Captain Jordan never once visited Lieutenant Capers.



Years later, in 2006, Maj. Gen. James Williams, while serving as acting commanding general, 2d Marine Division, directed an inquiry to determine what occurred at Phu Loc and whether Maj. Capers deserved the MoH.



Upon conclusion of the inquiry, Maj. Gen. Williams also felt Maj Capers deserved the MoH. However, at the time, like most Marines, he felt it best to use the process and to trust the system.

The Marine Corps convened an Awards Board in 2010. The board determined that Capers should have his Bronze Star with combat "V" elevated to the Silver Star Medal. When Gen. Williams requested the minutes of the awards board to understand the Board's decision, he found that the Board had not retained its minutes.



A MoH Awards Board is a statutory board. This means, legally, the minutes must be retained. Without those minutes providing transparency into the process, it is impossible to know why the board denied Capers the MoH.



In addition to no minutes, Williams found out that Ken Jordan, the officer who disliked Capers and had denied him the MoH had retired as a Colonel and was now working in USMC Manpower Management Branch, which oversees the Awards Section. Moreover, Colonel Lee Freund, USMC (ret.), the GS-18 head of the Awards Section was previously a subordinate who had served under Jordan and maintained a close relationship.



There is good reason to believe, and email evidence Major Capers received and Williams reviewed, that the former company commander and the head of the Awards Section colluded to ensure that Capers would not receive the MoH.



When Capers MoH recommendation was later elevated to the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, it was shot down based upon the fact that it was procedurally incorrect.



The MoH recommendation addressed many events during which Caper demonstrated extraordinary heroic actions while executing over 50 combat missions with 3rd Force Recon in Vietnam. The bureaucrats were quick to point out that, per the U.S. Code, Title 10, Section 7271, the MoH is awarded for an action against an enemy of the United States. The acts of gallantry or heroism must occur during a single engagement or closely related actions.



The MoH recommendation was redrafted, repackaged, and resubmitted correctly, focusing solely on one single engagement -- Maj. Capers actions at Phu Loc.



Secretary Del Toro again shot down the recommendation, this time stating that Capers' recommendation had already been reviewed and denied.



However, SecNavs initial denial was based upon a procedural error (multiple engagements as opposed to one engagement), it was not based upon an assessment of whether any of Capers' many heroic acts were not being worthy of the MoH.

Maj. Capers met with Congressman James Clyburn from South Carolina and other individuals with significant political influence. They all recognized Maj. Capers was deserving of the MoH and ensured Maj. Capers he would receive the award. However, in return, some implied that Maj. Capers to must help elevate a woke political narrative in return for receiving the MOH.



Despite waiting decades and having a strong desire to finally have his actions in Vietnam recognized, not just for himself but for those with whom he served, Maj. Capers refused to barter for an award which he, and others, rightfully believe should be predicated solely on his heroic actions in combat.



Congressmen Clyburn and others with political influence withdrew any support. Moreover, there is good reason to believe some may still be working behind the scenes to prevent Capers from receiving the MoH.



In August, 2020, Congressman Ralph Norman (R-SC) publicly honored Maj Capers lifetime accomplishments by making an entry in the Congressional Record." He then entered Capers MoH nomination into the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, along with a recommendation that the Secretary of the Navy name the next available naval vessel after Maj. Capers. The House of Representatives voted on and approved the bill with Maj. Capers MoH nomination included. However, the nomination and the ship naming were stripped out when it went to the Senate and never made it into the final NDAA.



Some may still feel Maj. Capers MoH nomination should again go through yet another lengthy bureaucratic procedural review, simply to "validate" the award. But if the process is not again polluted by individual obstructionists, motivated by personal, bureaucratic, political, or other issues, it would simply arrive at the same conclusion which has already been "validated" by two major generals, all of Capers' Marines who were with him at Phu Loc, and nearly every other person who has reviewed the witness statements:



Maj. James Capers deserves the Medal of Honor. His platoon sergeant, Sgt. Ron Yerman, USMC, even stated in 2006, "Maj. Capers doesn't deserve the Medal of Honor. He deserves two Medals of Honor." Yerman should know, he fought alongside Major Capers for 365 days straight.



Of significant concern is the fact that should the bureaucrats require that the nomination go through yet another bureaucratic process, simply for additional and unnecessary "validation," the delay could be the difference between Capers, who is now 87 years old and whose health is failing, receiving the MoH while he is still alive or posthumously.



Presently, six senators  Lindsey Graham, Ted Budd, Tom Tillis, Dan Sullivan, Tim Sheehy, and Tim Scott -- and dozens of congressmen want to see this injustice rectified and Capers awarded the MoH while he is still alive. They intend to recommend that President Trump award Maj. Capers the Medal of Honor as soon as possible.



God willing, we will make it happen.

Image: USMC
One of the perennial fictions from the far left is that the political spectrum ranges from liberals on one side to conservatives on the other. It is a case where leftists repeat a lie to make it the truth. Their big mistake is that it doesnt make any sense  a case where a mathematical discontinuity destroys the edifice. If there are just liberals on the one extreme, then how do they account for historical figures such as Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, and the original social justice warriors? No one can make the case that those mass-murdering tyrants were liberals literally. They certainly didnt advocate limited government and individual liberty, and they werent conservatives, so the model doesnt work that way.

Maybe this is just a question of framing, with an alternative that makes much more sense because its almost too obvious in the real world.

Think of the liberal-conservative paradigm as zooming in too close on only two people in a group photo. Zooming back out, you see the other people on each side and thus the entire group.

Gaslighting is designed to cast certain people as good and others as bad by incessant evidence-free accusations. Conservatives are in the moderate middle of the political spectrum. Its a center-right world, as evidenced by recent events. And though it may be controversial to say, liberals belong next to conservatives near that moderate middle. We dont agree on everything, but we all have certain fundamental beliefs in common, like human dignity, limited government, individual freedom, free markets, and the rule of law.

Like the founding fathers, many conservatives will say they are liberals in the classic sense. What is curious is that classic liberal hardly ever shows up in most dictionaries. Take a look at some of these examples of searches for the term. In many cases, classic liberal will default to just the word liberal.

Two data points also show exactly how the far left thinks of classical liberalism, as in these two video examples: The Rise of Classical Liberalism is a Scam and Classical Liberalism is Pretty F------ Conservative!

What is even more interesting, in a colloquial sense, is that when one searches for the term on sites such as the Urban Dictionary, with all manner of invective towards conservatives and libertarians, there is this interesting entry:

classical liberalism a political philosophy perpetuating free-market economics, minimalist government, strong private property rights, non-interventionism, government disinvolvement in social issues, separation of church and state, and open borders. the word "liberal" was originally associated with these beliefs, but liberals eventually started promoting large government, closed markets, redistribution of wealth, and high government involvement in social issues. today, liberal is associated with the latter qualities. the newer liberals are sometimes identified as neo-liberals. in modern day, a classical liberal tends to self-identify as a libertarian, and the term classical liberal is used much less than it was 100-200 years ago. some libertarian causes, like the Mises institute, still commonly use the term.

Recent events and the massive political realignment that has seemed to take place have shown that many people are shifting to the pro-freedom side of the political spectrum  toward the big tent in the moderate middle. Granted, some of them are simply doing this out of political expediency, and these sunshine patriots may soon show their true colors when the inevitable winter of discontent comes upon us. But the reality is that many have become aware of the sheer insanity of the far left, and now they know what happens when the inmates take control of the asylum.

The far left is still sinking fast, and were running out of popcorn. Polling shows they are in serious trouble. They try to console themselves that the margins werent that bad, but everyone has to remember that this is with their overwhelming advantage in total media domination, piles of campaign cash, and a celebrity culture all in for team commie  not to mention that they had the advantage of extra supporters they could rely on to vote early and vote often.

This is why you cant help that schadenfreude feeling when you come across a headline like this from the New York Times: Powerless, Democrats Debate Just How Deep in the Wilderness They Are.

We need deep changes and hard conversations, not nibbling around the margins, said Representative Pat Ryan, a Democrat who represents a swing district north of New York City and who outperformed the top of the ticket by one of the wider margins in the nation. At the core, the brand is weakened to the point that, without members running against it in tough districts, we cant get to a majority, which is structurally untenable. Democrats who share this bleaker outlook see statistical signs of the partys decline everywhere: Blue states are ceding population to red states. Voter registration figures are mostly headed in the wrong direction. More Americans are identifying with the G.O.P. than with Democrats. And Democrats lost ground last year among core constituencies including lower-income, Latino and younger voters as Mr. Trump swept every battleground state. [snip] But Mr. Galston said that focusing on the closeness of the popular vote masked unnerving movements beneath the surface, like Gallup data showing that more Americans have identified or leaned Republican than Democratic for three straight years. That had not been the case in a single year since 1991, when the G.O.P. had won the last three presidential elections.

Even worse for the far left, a Quinnipiac University national poll released on Wednesday showed that President Donald Trump started his second term with a higher job approval rating than at the beginning of his first term.

President Donald Trump is starting his second term in the White House with a job approval rating ten points higher than at the start of his first presidential term, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll of registered voters released today. Just over a week after being sworn into office, 46 percent of voters approve of the job Trump is doing, while 43 percent disapprove and 11 percent did not offer an opinion. In Quinnipiac University's January 26, 2017 national poll, 36 percent approved of the job he was doing, while 44 percent disapproved and 19 percent did not offer an opinion.

Anti-liberty leftists love to pretend that own half the political spectrum  that they are the moderates in the middle. But reality is showing they are dead wrong in that assumption. They arent liberal, and they certainly arent moderate. They occupy a far-left fringe, and thats where they belong  powerless, as admitted by the New York Times.

D Parker is an engineer, inventor, wordsmith, and student of history, former director of communications for a civil rights organization, and a long-time contributor to conservative websites. Find him on Substack.

Image: Chris Dodds via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
For conservatives, Joe Biden's presidency will be remembered as a period marked by sweeping executive overreach, encroaching on the rights of the other branches of government and eroding the liberties of the American people.

Among the most egregious examples during his final days in office was his push to revive the long-dead Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a glaring assault on constitutional  to borrow a word from his 2020 campaign  normalcy.



By attempting to impose the ERA as the 28th Amendment  despite its legal expiration over 40 years ago amidst insufficient state ratifications  Biden not only trampled on the rule of law but also showcased an authoritarian impulse that the framers of the Constitution would have recognized as raw tyranny.



The president has no constitutional authority to formally propose, veto, certify, ratify, or legitimize an amendment. None. Zero. Zilch. These powers are explicitly reserved for Congress, the states, and the people under Article V of the Constitution.

Make no mistake about it: the deliberate exclusion of the executive from the amendment process reflects the framers' deep distrust of concentrated power. In their eyes, executive action to declare an amendment to the Republics foundational document without lawful process would anger them to the core  exactly the unchecked authority they sought to prevent in the Constitution in the first place.



The ERA: A Dead Amendment



The history of the ERA makes Biden's actions all the more egregious. When passed in 1972, Congress gave the ERA a seven-year deadline for ratification, which was later extended to 1982. Only thirty-five states had affirmatively ratified the proposed amendment by the deadline expirationthree short of the required thirty-eight. Even so, some of these thirty-five states rescinded their approval before the expiry of the deadline, underscoring that even contemporaneous support had waned long before the timeline expired.



The legal reality is unambiguous: the ERA is dead. Full stop. Even so, a desperate band of merry ERA warriors have continued trying to convince states to ratify the null amendment and then sue it into our Constitution. This matter has been well-litigated, with a federal judge conclusively ruling that the time to ratify the proposed amendment had lapsed, a decision that was unanimously affirmed by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Notably, even the Biden Justice Department previously argued that there is no legal authority to certify an amendment after its deadline.



Deadlines are a constitutional safeguard to uphold Congress's intention to limit the ratification period, ensuring amendments reflect the people's will at a specific moment in history. The Supreme Court emphasized this principle in Dillon v. Gloss (1921), where Justice Van Devanter wrote that an amendment's ratification "must be sufficiently contemporaneous" to reflect the will of the people at "relatively the same period."



Amending the Constitution should not be subject to the temporal whims of distant generations, and Congress's authority to impose ratification deadlines safeguards that principle  except when Congress fails to provide a deadline.



Importantly, comparisons to the 27th Amendment  the "Madison Amendment"  are misguided. The 27th Amendment was never subject to a ratification deadline. It violated no time limitations on state ratifications since Congress compelled none. In contrast, the ERA was explicitly tied to a clear timeline for ratification, which expired decades ago.



Biden's Hypocrisy and Authoritarianism



Despite this legal clarity, Biden reversed course, casting his lot with a cabal of activists and lawmakers who never accepted their loss and pinned their hopes instead on untimely passage. These deadline deniers have demanded that the United States archivist certify the ERA as the 28th Amendment without any substantive support. Ever the self-appointed guardian of democracy, Biden capriciously upset the apple cart before riding into the sunset for some ice cream.



It was no coincidence that the Biden administration sought to bypass the courts entirely and take this action by an executive pronouncementthe former president did not issue an executive order on point  which sheds some light on how flimsy this move was. Amending the nation's Constitution is serious businessas it should be. The executive announcement  full of sound and jubilation but signifying nothing  was manifestly unserious and irresponsible.



Such a defiance of established constitutional norms on the way out the door only throws more shade on Biden's performance art. When the executive branch  charged with enforcing the law, as written, mind you  elects to reinterpret settled precedent through executive fiat, it veers dangerously close to authoritarianism.



Biden's gambit must be seen for what it was: a desperate, last-ditch attempt to shore up political support among progressives by gaslighting the country into believing the outgoing President resurrected a long-dead amendment that was now part of the Constitution. To those who questioned this fantasy, the Biden administration offered only pixie dust, wishcasting, and the audacity to pretend this pronouncement did not undermine the separation of powers.



Probably the only thing more disappointing than Biden's edict was the spontaneous reaction by the usual suspects in the gaslighting gaggle. When your view of constitutional interpretation is informed by the belief that the Constitution is a "living" document, even a dead amendment can be summoned back to life when it serves your agenda.



Upholding Constitutional Integrity



Biden's actions are a stark reminder of why the framers established clear, challenging, and deliberate processes for amending the Constitution  processes designed to prevent precisely this kind of high-handed overreach. This attempt to rig the Constitution relied on an extraordinary flouting of precedent, an intentional effort to bypass both the legislative and judicial branchesplus the respective states of the Union. It's a breathtaking approach to governance  and not in a good way  compounded by the incredulous complicity of his acolytes trumpeting the long-awaited news that though the ERA was dead, yet shall it live.



This stance is all the more audacious since the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a longtime ERA supporter, acknowledged that the amendment had expired and the only proper path forward would be to start over. She understood what the deadline deniers failed to grasp: deadlines  and constitutional norms  matter. Resorting to extraconstitutional means  an end-run around the law  is shameless.

Ignoring a deadline missed long ago to achieve a policy end undermines the rule of law and invites chaos. Constitutional legitimacy demands leaders who adhere to its precepts, even when inconvenient.



Our Constitution is the foundation of American governance  the blueprint for our Republic  painstakingly crafted by the framers to withstand both cunning manipulation and blatant attempts to bend it for political gamesmanship.



This shameful episode marks a fitting conclusion to Joseph Robinette Biden's political career  defined by brazenness, hypocrisy, and an utter disregard for constitutional legitimacy.



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: The Biden White House, via Rawpixel // public domain


The latestand perhaps most interestingleftist hysteria involves the Trump administrations orders that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) give the White House the ability to contact employees and that the Treasury Department start revealing its most closely kept payment secrets to the White House. These demands, which came from DOGE, have elicited leftist claims of a coup and demands for fighting in the streetdemands that come not only from the rank and file but from elected Democrat politicians.

DOGE isnt just a bunch of random people storming government offices with Elon Musk at their head. Instead, one of Trumps first executive orders was to establish the Department of Government efficiency to implement the Presidents DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal Technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity. Cleverly, its not a new agency; instead, its a reorganization of the existing United States Digital Service and reports directly to Trump. Moreover, its a temporary organization, meaning it has executive legitimacy without the need for legislation.

Image by Elon Musks Grok.

Last week, DOGE did two things while acting on the Presidents behalf. First, DOGE insisted that the OPM give it access to its list of employees with their contact information. This led to government employees having a complete mental breakdown.

Also last week, DOGE sought access to the payment system that Treasury officials use to disburse funds. In other words, the President, who is responsible for managing the Treasury Department, sent his agents to acquire information about how Treasury manages its responsibilities. This is useful information for the president, given that Treasurys payment system controls $6 trillion in disbursements.

The Washington Post implies that the temporary Treasury head, David Lebryk, quit because Elon Musk surrogates (i.e., members of the Presidents DOGE organization) wanted access to the payment systems pursuant to their mandate under the Executive Order:

Lebryk had a dispute with Musks surrogates over access to the payment system the U.S. government uses to disburse trillions of dollars every year, the people said. The exact nature of the disagreement was not immediately clear, they said. Officials affiliated with Musks Department of Government Efficiency have been asking since after the election for access to the system, the people said  requests that were reiterated more recently, including after Trumps inauguration. Tom Krause, a Silicon Valley executive who has now been detailed to Treasury, is among those involved, the people said. Krause did not respond to requests for comment.

Those of us who understand that it is the Presidents responsibility to manage the Treasury Department, rather than the departments right to manage itself, think that Trump and DOGE were acting appropriately and that something fishy is going on with Treasuryand, indeed, a recent tweet from Elon Musk confirms this.

Musks tweet came in response to a question from Robby Starbuck, which is why Treasury would be fighting to avoid the bosss audit. What Musk said was mind-boggling: Its because the Treasury has effectively been writing blank checks to anybody and everybody, including terrorists.

The @DOGE team discovered, among other things, that payment approval officers at Treasury were instructed always to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.



They literally never denied a payment in their entire career.



Not even once. https://t.co/kInoGWdw4C  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 1, 2025

This is something that ought to outrage every Americanand it did. Except that the Democrats werent outraged that agencies have been burning through American money, including funding fraud and terrorisms, or that these same agencies are trying to hide their sins. Nor are they angry that government agencies are refusing to give their boss access to their employee databases.

Instead, theyre angry that the head of the Executive branch is trying to root out abuses. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) tweeted her outrage at the President doing his job:

Elon Musk, the richest man on Earth, is rooting around in Social Security and Medicare payment systems.



Hes reaching his hands into our pockets and firing anyone who tries to stop him.



This reeks of corruption  it must stop. https://t.co/9P3FwBvFC9  Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) January 31, 2025

Elon Musk was also a target of the rank and file, all of whom see a coup. None, of course, can explain why its a coup when the president uses properly appointed agents to investigate secretive activities and information that the bureaucracy is hiding. They do not allege, because they cannot allege, that Musk is directing either power or money to himself. In fact, through his uncompensated labors at Trumps direction, he is returning money and information to the American people. (Language warning.)

Why THE FUCK is Elon Musk allowed to pillage all the inner workings of the United States government?



Someone get him the fuck out of there. Its an incredible conflict of interest, a national security issue, and an EMERGENCY.



This is a coup. https://t.co/uB5UU5iVHA  Liz Dente (@liz_dente) January 31, 2025

So I think a coup is underway by Elon Musk and no one seems to be talking about it. Hes been an absolutely out of control foaming at the mouth unhinged maniac the past week. pic.twitter.com/3u2y3oIAyg  Super Saiyan Left (@SuperSaiyanLeft) February 1, 2025

Not everyone is content with just whining on X about the fact that Trump is daring to manage the government. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the House minority leader, is calling for an insurrection to end Trumps constitutional authority over the bureaucracies:

Hakeem Jeffries stated he will not comply with President Trumps agenda 47.



We are going to fight it in the streets.



If anything comes of this, Jeffries should be arrested for incitement of an insurrection.



No more games with this word play.pic.twitter.com/L9sQ1iWcm0  Steve  (@SteveLovesAmmo) January 31, 2025

These are not idle words. Events in 2020 show us that Democrats take them to heart.

Trump is moving with incredible speed and efficiency to reestablish his constitutional control over the bureaucracies that the American people elected him to manage and bring to heel. Its to be hoped that he is fully aware that Democrats are working hard to militarize their base and, as Jeffries (illegally?) warned, fight it in the streets.
It was Ann Coulter that helped rehabilitate Senator Joseph McCarthy. Among others, she proved McCarthy was right: our government really was shot through with communist spies and sympathizing useful idiots. They were particularly thick and effective in the State Department. As Coulter so well explained, they were effective, then and now, because Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) have always been their protectors, sympathizers and fellow travelers.

Fast forward to 2023 and the October 7 massacre in Israel:

Graphic: X Screenshot

The Biden administrations former special envoy to Iran [Robert Malley], who was placed on leave earlier this year for allegedly mishandling classified material, should face extensive scrutiny for his permissive stance toward the Tehran regime after it aided Hamas and Hezbollah in carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel, critics said Monday.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) argued for extensive scrutiny, for Malley, who allegedly gave classified information to Iran.

These reports could not be more concerning, and they hint at what could be the worst State Department scandal since Alger Hiss, Issa added.

It will surprise no one to learn that if the Harris/Biden Maladministration investigated Malleys apparent betrayal of America, or in any way punished Malley, that information remains as secret as the information Malley is alleged to have given to the worlds primary terror state. That Bidens handlers would not want their support of Iran, Hamas and other terrorists exposed might explain their stealthing of Malley. Equally concerning was Malley was allowed access to classified materials even after he was suspended. We have no way of knowing if that access, or his security clearance, have been revoked. He may, for all we know, still be funneling secrets to Iran.

Hopefully, the Trump Administration will properly investigate Malley, but as with Joseph McCarthy, there is far more to do. The State Department has long been known as a nest of anti-American subversion. It appears, thanks to Bidens handlers, the Pentagon is also compromised:

Graphic: YouTube Screenshot

Ariane Tabatabai is now a deputy assistant secretary of defense within Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's office, where she will lead its force education and training division. Tabatabai, according to Politico, was offered the promotion last month. She previously served as chief of staff for the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict.

Tabatabais promotion came in October of 2024 after she was outed in 2023 as a member of the Iran Experts Initiative. Her expertise was apparently in fomenting pro-Iran propaganda and even potentially being involved in leaks of US intelligence on Israels plans for strikes on terrorists.

News of Tabatabai's affiliation with the Iran Experts Initiative sparked multiple congressional investigations, with Republicans raising concerns about Tabatabais ability to obtain a top-secret security clearance. The Pentagon and State Department, where Tabatabai formerly worked, have vocally defended her, saying there was nothing in her background that would have disqualified her from accessing classified information.

The Pentagon and State Department claimed Tabatabai had been vetted as part of her initial DOD employment, and refused to revoke her security clearance. What was left unsaid was what, if any, investigation was done to determine whether shed betrayed America since going to work for the DOD. Bidens handlers didnt think wed notice or they just didnt care. How could they possibly lose to Donald Trump? With the Biden imperative to defend its anti-Israel, anti-America and pro-Iran and Hamas policies, thats unsurprising, particularly if Tabatabai was serving as a useful information conduit to Iran from her Pentagon perch.

The only sane way to deal with people with security clearances under suspicion of betraying America is to immediately suspend them and revoke their clearances until a complete and competent investigation has been done. If theyre cleared, their clearances can be reinstated. If not, American security has been properly protected and at least their breach of national security has been contained.

It's always possible a competent FBI and/or CIA might leave a mole in place, the better to identify and roll up other enemy agents and American collaborators. They might even be used to feed actual misinformation to our enemies. However, whats the probability of that with Bidens handlers in charge? They weaponized the FBI, CIA, DOJ and the rest of the federal government against loyal Americans who dared question D/s/c policy. Would a government more concerned with parents expressing concern at school board meetings over the sexual and political indoctrination of their children or Catholics who appreciate the Latin Mass than Americans actual enemies do anything other than fully support Biden Administration anti-American policy?

Perhaps Tabatabai and Malley are loyal American servants, but what little has been reported in the press surely suggests substantial cause for concern that they are not.

Yet one more essential task of thousands for the new Trump Administration.

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.
In October of 2024, in Mexico sues American gunmakers, I wrote:

Did you know Mexico is suing American gun manufacturers? Mexico, the country laughing at Kamala Harris and Joe Biden for their immigration fecklessness? The failed state run by drug cartels making billions off child sex trafficking and drugs that are killing hundreds of thousands of Americans? The failed state making all of Americas problemsto be fair with the willing complicity of Harris/Bidens handlersworse? That Mexico? That Mexico. It's a ten billion-dollar suit, as if theyre not making enough already from their daily degradation of America and the billions in remittances sent to Mexico by millions upon millions of illegals.

I know what youre thinking:what the actual Hell?! Why would any American court even entertain such an absurd notion? Isnt this the sort of thing that should be resolved through diplomacy, treaties ratified by the Senate and all that sovereign nation stuff?

Graphic: Twitter Screenshot

The suit was brought, and allowed, under the Harris/Biden Maladministration. His handlers, through Biden, had been arguing for years for violation of the Protection of Lawful Commerce In Arms Act (PLCAA).

In 2005 the PLCAA was passed in a truly bipartisan act of Congress. Anti/liberty/gun cracktivists had hit on a death-by-a-thousand-cuts strategy of an avalanche of nuisance suits against gun makers for selling their lawful products, a clear violation of accepted tort standards. Even if the industry won every suit, the costs would bankrupt every gun maker. They found plenty of willing judges, and since guns were sold in every state, they could jurisdiction shop at will. Since, those trying to deprive Americans of their liberties have continued to find numerous judges and politicians willing to ignore the PLCAA.

This disdain for the law has given Mexico an opening to sue, claiming American gun makers are liable because they know at least some of their lawful products are used by cartels to commit crimes in Mexico. This in a country with draconian gun laws, no Second Amendment and only a single, government owned, gun store in Mexico City. Its an absurd argument, closed off by the PLCAA. Should that argument ever prevail, the floodgates of litigation would be opened against auto makers and any other industry whose lawful products could potentially harm others.

To add to the dangerous absurdity, 18 blue state attorneys general have filed an amicus brief in support of Mexico!

It is our duty to ensure that companies are held accountable when they violate the lawmanufacturers and distributors of firearms who threaten the safety of our communities are no exception, [California AG Rob] Bonta said in a press release detailing the action. PLCAA does not give gun manufacturers and distributors a free pass to create and distribute weapons they know are being trafficked and used to terrorize communities, in both Mexico and the United States. Meanwhile, sneaking into the country, dealing drugs and trafficking firearms and humans are all illegal and currently going largely unpunished by Bonta and many other Democratic attorneys general.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case, which suggests they recognize this as not only about guns, but about the ability of hostile nations to sue American companies who manufacture lawful, highly regulated, products. The AGs joining Bonta in trying to damage America to the benefit of the corrupt, anti-American Mexican government are:

*Delaware AG Kathy Jennings

*District of Columbia AG Brian Schwalb

*Hawaii AG Anne Lopez

*Illinois AG Kwame Raoul

*Maryland AG Anthony Brown

*Michigan AG Dana Nissel

*Minnesota AG Keith Ellison

*Nevada AG Aaron Ford

*New Jersey AG Matt Platkin

*New Mexico AG Raul Torrez

*New York AG Letitia James

*Oregon AG Dan Rayfield

*Pennsylvania AG Dave Sunday

*Rhode Island AG Peter Neronha

*Vermont AG Charity Clark

That many of these states are overtly hostile to the Second Amendment, and that they have ignored and subverted the Supreme Courts Heller, McDonald and Bruen decisions should be unsurprising and will surely be noted by the six members of the Court who generally render decisions based on the law rather than Democrat/socialist/communist (D/s/c) political preferences.

While the actions of these AGs likely dont precisely fit the text of the federal treason statute, its not a stretch to consider them treasonous and surely anti-American. Sadly, thats what weve come to expect of the representatives of blue states.

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.
On January 29, 2025, Caroline Kennedy read aloud a letter designed for immediate internet consumption.

She admits that she is trying to derail her cousins confirmation as the head of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Trump Administration.

Kennedy characterizes RFK Jr. as an evil person, the bad seed of the family, the black sheep. In support of her scathing memories, she declared, We grew up together.

This statement makes me wonder just how many times she and John-John were allowed to roam free at Hickory Hill with Ethels kids. Perhaps she and Bobby Jr. only saw each other at family weddings and funerals? After her mother married Aristotle Onassis, I cannot believe that she saw much of the young and wild RFK Jr. I also wonder how many high-level leftists and big pharma people with power begged her to write the nasty politically motivated letter to the world to kneecap her cousin as he interviews for the most important job of his life?

YouTube screen grab.

Caroline stated that the nations medical professionals deserve better than RFK Jr. and suggested that a more stable, moral, and ethical person run the HHS. Is attempting to sabotage someone moral or ethical? Ms. Kennedy went on to admonish Bobby for exploiting painful family tragedies for publicity when the only reason we know of her is because her father, a former U.S. President, was publicly murdered. Does she not exploit the Kennedy family tragedies as well with her well-timed public letter of wrath?

The New York Times also tried to kick RFK Jr. to the curb, albeit gently. On January 28, 2025, Ruth Graham wrote an article titled RFK Jr. Has an Excited Fan Club: Conservative Christian Moms. Graham wrote that this fan club of mothers believe[s] in home-schooling and distrust food and drug companies.

Whats so bad about that? (Read the ingredients when you buy food at the supermarket. When ingredients are words that are a foot long and that you cannot pronounce, then you know it is a chemical and not food.)

Graham also wrote that these Christian mothers question Big Ag and Big Pharma and traditional schooling. Ruth to Earth! Ruth to Earth! Public schools are no longer traditional and have not been for decades. (Big chemical Agriculture is no longer traditional, either.)

The cultural realignment is complete now that conservative women are the tree huggers - and support (and forgive) the former drug addict, RFK Jr.

Sunny graduated from The University of Wisconsin in 2007, magna cum laude. She was raised in a huge Catholic family on a dairy farm in SE Wisconsin and now works for a Fortune (Global) 500 company. She has won two writing awards for a humorous, creative non-fiction piece about growing up in a large family.


In England and Wales, Muhammad was the top choice for parents naming their baby boys in 2023, out of all possible choices.

According to the BBC in a report published last month:

Muhammad was the top choice for parents naming their baby boys in England and Wales in 2023, with more than 4,600 children registered with the name. It has been among the top 10 names for baby boys since 2016, but has now overtaken the previous favourite, Noah, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Moreover, there are several common spellings of the name, meaning that, in one form or another, it is even more widespread than the report, issued by the Office for National Statistics indicated.

Muhammad is now the most common name for baby boys in Germany, too. And it is in the top 10 for boys names in the (formerly) United States.

In the U.K., Muhammad has been among the top 10 names for baby boys since 2016, but as the BBC report noted, it has now overtaken Noah for the top spot according to the O.N.S..

Think about that. Think about the symbolism of Muhammad overtaking Noah. In the West.

For those of you who arent familiar with the Bible, Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on Earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.

Now God saw that the Earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt.

As punishment for disobeying Him, He would visit a great flood upon the earth and its inhabitants. God told Noah to build an ark. And so he did. He took his wife, three sons, and their wives with him. And, of course, the animals.

By contrast, Muhammad had several wives over time, one of whom was apparently six years old when betrothed, nine when the marriage was consummated.

Noah took a diversity of animals on the ark, hoping to see to the repopulating of the Earth.

Christianity urges its adherents to love one another, even ones enemies. Sharia law calls for devout Muslims to convert, enslave, or kill non-Muslims, i.e. infidels.

Once common Biblical names such as John, Abraham, Mary, and Esther are becoming ever scarcer in the West. They are being replaced by hip and non-binary names like Max, Bailey, Quinn, and Sage. And, of course, Muhammad.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with this trend, a name like Mohammed Muhammed Mohammad doesnt exactly shout diversity and inclusion. Neither does Sharia law.

Yet there is a burgeoning  and bizarre  partnership of sorts between hyper-secular progressives and radicalized Muslims, both of whom seem hell-bent on fundamentally transforming the U.S.  or destroying it outright. The combination of cultural degradation, Marxism, and Sharia law would be fatal to all Western nations if not aggressively opposed.

Ironically, if progressives and devout Muslims were successful in their power grab, they could not possibly co-exist, one would have to utterly defeat the other.

Better to go back to the Biblical roots of our founding. Better to be that shining city on a hill.

Image: Mohammed Tawsif Salam, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed


I last wrote about the FBI on January 19, 2025 in The FBI sweeps DEI under the rug. An excerpt:

It would seem since 2012, that was not the way things worked with the FBI, the agency that would have us believe it is the worlds premier law enforcement agency. As I noted in Taking the DEI out of the FBI on January 7, DEI, established in 2012 during Obamas term, has been rampant in that agency, forcing obviously incompetent, even dangerous, DEI hires on qualified and capable FBI field offices, people who cant be fired despite, among other failings, being functionally illiterate.

Graphic: X Screenshot

Kash Patel is poised to take the helm of the FBI, but even if he is not confirmed, Donald Trump is going to find a Director that will sweep out the trash and rebuild the agency, a reformation long overdue. If confirmation depended on Patels effortless manhandling of dimwitted, hysterical, screaming congressional Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs), hed be confirmed 100 to 0. Even without Patels confirmation, Trump is beginning the necessary process:

The senior officials [told to resign or be fired] are at the executive assistant director level or special agent in charge level and include those who oversee cyber, national security and criminal investigations, the sources told CNN. Some were notified while Kash Patel, President Donald Trumps pick to lead the agency, sat answering questions from senators for his confirmation hearing Thursday.

At The City Journal, former FBI Agent Pat McMonigle noted the Bureaus decline

As agents struggle, the publics trust has receded. Prior Directors choice to wade into the political fraystarting with the epic mismanagement of the Steele Dossier controversy, and continuing with the ongoing weaponization of the Bureauhas raised serious questions for many Americans about our commitment to a nonpartisan mission.

and offered informed advice to Patel on how to reform it.

Firing administrators whose actions are clearly irredeemable is a good and necessary beginning, but Patel is going to have to be careful not to throw out salvageable people.

Ive long hoped the majority of line agents are honest, ethical people striving to defend and protect America. The problem is when two show up on your doorstepthey usually travel in pairshow can you possibly know theyre ethical? Take their word for it? Experience teaches even the FBI Directors word is worthless. Given the last four years, Americans can reasonably believe if an FBI employees lips are moving, theyre lying.

Still, even some agents who worked on infamous, politically weaponized, cases probably did it because they have families to feed, mortgages and utilities to pay and pensions to earn. Its easy to say they should have refused, but experience also teaches whistleblowers and other ethical people dont do well under D/s/c control. Not every Agent is a D/s/c-DEI true believer, and at least some must be relieved and encouraged by the possibility of restored institutional integrity.

It will be important for competent investigators to interview every current FBI agent. Review their performance records. Determine if they are DEI hires. Find out if theyre functionally illiterate or otherwise incompetent. It will be relatively easy to fire those.

More demanding will be the interviews of people who violated the rights of Americans. Did they do it for the understandable reasons Ive suggested, or are they true believers, petty tyrants who like hurting the innocent, amoral thugs who wanted to be on what they thought was the winning side? If theyre the latter, they obviously cant be trusted.

But if theyre the former, give them the opportunity to make amends. Theyll have to demonstrate their willingness to tell everything they know about wrongdoing at every level. Honest people being forced to do what they knew was wrong would surely have kept evidence of illegal/unethical orders and actions, e-mails, letters, photos, videos, you name it, and theyll have to hand it all over. If theyll do that with complete honesty, they get to stay, but under close supervision for an appropriate period.

That process will benefit a restored FBI by keeping experienced and potentially honest people on the job. But the greatest benefit will be in discovering why the FBI became so corrupt, who corrupted it, and who deserves to face the prosecution they so cruelly forced on the innocent.

This must be done by scrupulously observing the law and professional practice. Every potential defendant must be afforded the full due process denied to so many Americans. And, of course, the same process must be applied to the DOJ, whose bureaucrats's names and actions are going to be revealed by FBI interviews anyway.

Moving FBI Headquarters to say, Rapid City, SD or Casper, WY might not be a bad idea either. I hear the FBI is planning to move out of the old building soon.

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.
Those of us who believe that the weaponization of the American government by the Biden/Harris regime was one of the most important issues of the 2024 election have been heartened to see that the issue has sustained its energy.

Nothing could be more important to the survival of the American republic than making sure that such weaponization is stopped once and for all.

Throughout history, authoritarian rulers have used the apparatus of the state to punish political opponents.

But the American experiment has not been entirely immune from this practice. For example, historians have lamented that in the post-Civil War era, the federal bureaucracy was used, beyond any norms of decency, to punish political enemies and reward allies. Yet such abuse in America was subject to ebb and flow, kept somewhat in check by resistance from the targeted party.

Much changed more recently. It has long been known that Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon used the IRS to harass political opponents. Yet Obama took the practice to unprecedented heights. Whereas Nixon's "enemies list" was comprised of a few dozen individuals, Obama deputized the IRS to attack some 200 to 400 conservative groups, whose total membership was some unknown thousands, and whose influence extended even further. Obama did so to improve his re-election chances in 2012.

When this abuse was exposed, Obama pretended to find it "outrageous," but when the imbroglio died down, he declared that there was not a "smidgen of corruption" in it.

What happened next was pivotal.

The Left's accomplices in the media and academia took as their marching orders: wipe the issue out of the political discourse. Emboldened, the Left saw how easily they could get away with even the most egregious forms of weaponizing government.

The Biden/Harris regime then further raised weaponization to levels never even approached in American history. Disclosures keep coming revealing just how wide and deep that weaponization occurred throughout the entire government. Many more revelations can be predicted.

Thank goodness the issue remains front and center. Even if some of the perpetrators are immunized by Biden pardons, there still needs to be a thorough investigation of this pattern of abuse. Only if the outrages are fully documented, piece by disgusting piece, can the American people be reassured that there is much less chance of this existential threat to our democracy recurring in the future.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
The recent midair collision near Reagan National Airport, claiming the lives of 67 souls, has brought to light a critical question: have we, in our pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), inadvertently sacrificed the very essence of competence and safety?

President Donald Trump's administration has been forthright in its critique, suggesting that the policies of diversity hiring might have played a role in this disaster. Diversity may be a good thing but we must understand where the line between inclusivity and safety has been drawn.

The American Eagle Flight 5342 , operated by seasoned professionals, met its fate not through some act of God or mechanical failure, but seemingly in an intersection of human error and policy misguidance. The narrative from the Trump administration isn't one of blame but of caution  a siren call to reevaluate how we prioritize in roles where human life hangs in the balance.

The Sacred Trust of Public Safety

Public service, particularly in sectors like aviation, is built on a sacred trust. This trust is predicated on the understanding that those who hold these positions are the best qualified, not by diversity metrics, but by competence. The Trump administration's executive order to end what they describe as "radical DEI programs" in federal hiring is a reaffirmation of this trust. Safety should transcend all other considerations, for when lives are at stake, the color of one's skin, gender, or background is irrelevant.

The Fallacy of Forced Diversity

The push for DEI, while noble in intent, has in practice led to what can only be described as a quota system in disguise. Where once merit was the sole arbiter, now there's a shadow of doubt cast over every hire, every promotion. This doubt isn't about the individuals themselves, many of whom are undoubtedly capable, but about the system that prioritizes diversity over aptitude.

The tragic crash we witnessed is not an anomaly; it's a symptom of a broader systemic issue where competence has been diluted in the name of inclusivity. When pilots, air traffic controllers, and other safety-critical personnel are selected with one eye on diversity quotas, we risk creating a culture where mediocrity is tolerated for the sake of representation.

The Trump Administration's Vision for Safety

President Trump's critique of past administrations' DEI practices isn't just political rhetoric; it's a call to action for a meritocracy where safety is non-negotiable. His administration's moves to refocus on competence aren't about regressing to a bygone era of exclusion but about progressing to a future where diversity is a byproduct of merit, not its substitute.

This vision aligns with the conservative belief in individual excellence, where one's ability to perform under pressure is the true measure of suitability for roles where lives are on the line. It's about fostering an environment where diversity naturally emerges as a reflection of talent and hard work, not as a forced metric.

A Call for Scrutiny

The NTSB's investigation into the crash must be thorough, unbiased, and focused on uncovering any systemic failures, including those potentially linked to hiring practices under DEI. But we must also be vigilant that this investigation isn't swayed by political winds, ensuring that the truth, whatever it may be, comes to light.

Could diversity have come at the expense of safety? In critical roles, it should be the paramount criterion.

The Conservative Path Forward

Conservatives have long championed the idea that public institutions should serve the public good foremost. The tragedy over D.C. should serve as a wake-up call to reassess how we define and implement diversity. It's time for a conservative renaissance in public policy, one where safety, competence, and merit are the stars by which we navigate, not just in aviation but across all public service sectors.

The Trump administration's stance on this issue isn't merely about policy; it's about philosophy. It's about returning to a time when the American public could trust that those who serve them are there because they are the best, not because they check a diversity box. This isn't about exclusion; it's about ensuring that when we board a plane, trust our lives to a controller, or rely on any public servant, we do so with the confidence that their presence there is due to their unparalleled ability to perform their duty.

Let this tragedy be the moment we recalibrate our approach to diversity. Let's honor those lost not by doubling down on flawed policies but by ensuring that their legacy leads to a safer, more competent America. The Trump administration has shown the courage to question the status quo on DEI; let's have the wisdom to listen, learn, and act. Only then can we truly say we've advanced not just in diversity but in the safety and welfare of every American.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
New York, US (PANA) - The head of UN Peace Operations has underscored the need for continued diplomatic efforts to end the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and avert the potential for wider conflict
DeepSeeks arrival has caused a huge stir in the artificial intelligence industry. Its AI models achieve comparable or superior performance to its competitors on multiple parameters. Whats most impressive is the companys claims about the low cost invested in the training process. However, some experts question DeepSeek AIs alleged low cost, with one even saying its likely a fictional story.

Analyst says DeepSeek AIs claimed low training cost is likely a fictional story

AI-focused Western companies typically spend hundreds of millions of dollars on AI training alone. Next-generation advanced models are estimated to require billions in expenses even. Yet somehow, DeepSeek AI managed to train its most advanced AI model, R1, using only $6 million, or so the company claims. Not only that, but they even developed it in just a couple of months.

DeepSeek claims it achieved the massive cost reduction by turning to older NVIDIA H800 chips instead of more modern hardware. The collaborative approach of the Chinese AI industry was also said to have helped. However, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives labeled DeepSeeks claims as likely a fictional story. For reference, OpenAIs GPT-4 model required about $100 million in AI training only.

Furthermore, OpenAI suspects that DeepSeek used a shortcut in the process of training its AI. The Chinese company could have integrated data from GPT models into its own using distillation. This would have helped them save a lot of resources, but OpenAIs terms of use prohibit it. OpenAI encourages third parties to build apps on its API, but not to mine its data to train other LLMs.

Other experts that question DeepSeeks alleged low cost

There are also questions related to the AI training hardware allegedly used by DeepSeek. Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang said that DeepSeek has about 50,000 NVIDIA H100s that they cant talk about, as US trade restrictions prohibit them from buying them. Elon Musk backed up this claim with a simple and straightforward Obviously on X/Twitter.

Obviously  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 27, 2025

Josh Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital and a major investor in OpenAI, also said that DeepSeek likely violated current US trade restrictions. Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus, is another prominent name who raises doubts about the alleged less than $6 million invested by the Chinese firm. Plus, a US official recently claimed that DeekSeek used stolen American technology.

Its noteworthy that DeepSeek has some serious financial muscle behind it. The company is backed by the Chinese High-Flyer fund which has a valuation of $8 billion. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman raised the possibility that DeepSeek AIs alleged low cost was a High-Flyer strategy to benefit from a crash in the shares of NVIDIA and others.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang reportedly doesnt trust Samsung HBM memory and engineers, stating that his company cant trust Samsung HBM products or do business with Samsung Electronics with regard to HBM memory. NVIDIA is one of the worlds leading companies, as is Samsung. Both for very different reasons. NVIDIA rose to fame thanks to its groundbreaking advancements in GPUs that targeted gaming PCs. More recently, NVIDIA has been making huge strides in AI computing by providing chips for other companies.

Samsung on the other hand, is well-known for a variety of products including TVs, storage, monitors, and audio, but mostly its mobile phones. It also makes memory for a wide array of different uses. Samsung HBM is one of those memory product lines. And it seems Huang doesnt trust these products. Perhaps mainly because of the way Samsung executives are swapped out so often.

NVIDIA CEO says Samsung HBM memory cant be trusted because senior executives change frequently

According to a report from Korean outlet Hankyung (via TweakTown), NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has stated in the past that NVIDIA is a customer of Samsung Electronics, not an employee. Stop calling and asking questions. I cant trust Samsung Electronics high-bandwidth memory (HBM) products and engineers. We cannot trust and do business with them because senior executives change frequently. This was reportedly said in front of Samsung executives.

Whats interesting is that this is in contrast to a very different stance Huang seemed to have about Samsung HBM just earlier this month. During CES, Huang said that there is no doubt about the success of Samsung Electronics HBM. Hankyung also states that Huang approved of Samsung HBM products in March of 2024 when Samsung debuted its HMB3E 12-speed product. With HBM3E approved for NVIDIAs AI chips.

NVIDIA may stick with SK Hynix and Micron for its new AI chips

However Huang feels about Samsung HBM, theres a possibility that NVIDIA could still go with Samsungs HBM3E for its AI chips. If Samsung is able to deliver. However, NVIDIA may choose to stick with SK Hynix and Micron. NVIDIA has reportedly advised Samsung that it needs to develop a completely new chip design for use within its AI chips. Specifically, its less powerful AI chips that can be marketed to the Chinese market.

According to Bloomberg, Samsung has now gained NVIDIAs approval with its latest design. So it seems NVIDIAs distrust for Samsung HBM may have been short-lived.
Last year, Samsung refreshed its line of TWS earbuds by launching the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Like the vast majority of similar products on the market, they use Bluetooth for audio transmission. However, a new patent from Samsung proposes replacing Bluetooth with UWB connectivity in wireless earbuds.

Bluetooth has long been the standard for wireless audio transmission. The initial limitations of the technology led to the development of improvements and new codecs specially designed to improve the music listening experience. Today, codecs such as aptX, LHDC, and LDAC enable wider bandwidth to transmit audio with higher quality. That said, Samsung seems to want to go one step further.

Samsung patent proposes replacing Bluetooth with UWB connectivity in earphones

The patent, spotted by 91mobiles, says that Bluetooth connectivity may still have some issues in transmitting the highest quality audio without any losses along the way. So, as an alternative solution, Samsung could use UWB technology. The South Korean giants earphone patent still incorporates the Bluetooth chip. However, it only uses Bluetooth to establish connectivity between the earphones and other devices. UWB would then be in charge of managing audio transmission.

If youre not aware, UWB transfer speeds (1 Gbps) are ridiculously faster than Bluetooths (up to 50 Mbps in version 5.0). This could eliminate any kind of limitation in terms of data transfer. UWB is also quite energy efficient, so there would be no additional battery consumption. Plus, UWB can perfectly coexist with other standards such as Bluetooth in the same product without causing interference.

Samsung may not release earphones with this feature

As of today, it is unknown if Samsung will actually release earphones with audio transmission via UWB. Many patents filed by big companies never make it to a commercial product. Anyway, the implementation of this technology in earphones does not seem crazy or too complex. If successfully implemented, this idea has the potential to revolutionize the TWS industry.

Galaxy Buds typically use proprietary codecs for audio transmission. That means youll only be able to listen to music in the highest possible quality on devices like the Galaxy S25 series. It is possible that potential Samsung UWB-powered earphones present similar limitations to other brands devices.
Aston Villas decision to sell Jhon Duran could have backfired immediately as Ollie Watkins suffered an apparent injury in a 2-0 defeat to Wolves.

Duran was sold to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr on Friday to leave Watkins, for whom Arsenal made a bid earlier in the week, as the only recognised striker at the club.

But he did not return after half-time at Molineux due to an apparent groin injury in a game which was settled by goals from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Matheus Cunha.

Villa are desperately trying to add players before Mondays transfer deadline, with a deal for Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford almost complete, and their need for reinforcements intensified on Saturday.

They endured another Champions League hangover as they failed to win for the seventh time after a midweek European adventure this season.

Wolves were excellent value for their victory, arresting a four-match losing streak, to move out of the relegation zone.

Unai Emery made four substitutions at half-time and saw Donyell Malan have a goal chalked out for offside, but his side were deservedly beaten.

Villa were back in action less than 72 hours after their breathless win over Celtic and the hangover hit them hard as they fell behind in the 12th minute.

The hosts battled hard to win the ball, allowing Pablo Sarabia to slide in Bellegarde, who fizzed in an effort which flew past Emiliano Martinez at the near post.

Villa had played twice since Wolves were last in action and it was obvious as Vitor Pereiras side outmuscled and outfought their visitors, playing with aggression.

And it was that intensity that fashioned a brilliant chance to go 2-0 up in the 36th minute.

Nelson Semedo won a 50-50 challenge with Morgan Rogers and, from a long ball over the top, Cunha fought off Boubacar Kamaras challenge and raced in on goal, only to be denied by Martinez.

There was still a golden chance to make it 2-0 as the rebound fell for Goncalo Guedes, but he dragged his shot wide.

Guedes missed another glaring chance just before the break as he was sent clear by Sarabia but again missed the target.

It really was not turning out to be Guedes day as he was denied again in first-half added time as Martinez made a big block.

Emery was not prepared to allow a repeat of a dismal first-half display and made a quadruple substitution at the break.

Watkins went off injured, but Andres Garcia, Lucas Digne and Jacob Ramsey were hooked.

It did not need much, but Villa improved immediately and had the ball in the back of the net in the 55th minute as Malen finish off a clever free-kick move, only for Rogers to be flagged offside.

The England international was not directly involved in the move, but he did needlessly interfere with Semedo and the call stood.

This was a different Villa side and they pinned Wolves back, with Youri Tielemans having a shot saved by Jose Sa before Leon Baileys goalbound shot was blocked by Emmanuel Agbadou.

Villa pushed for a leveller, with Malen twice being denied by Sa, first with an effort from distance and then after being played in by Tielemans.

But Cunha settled it at the death when he fired into the bottom corner after a breakaway goal as Wolves deservedly won.
Hes here! Hes here! Cast members at Disney Worlds Animal Kingdom were so excited to meet their newest resident  Basko. The tiger cub received a warm welcome when joining the rest of the crew at the Maharajah Jungle Trek exhibit recently. It doesnt hurt that the poor thing is as cute as a button. Everyone was happy to see Basko make his big debut.

Bask really was the star of the show in the video his caretakers shared. Who could blame them for being fangirls, the tiger cub really is such a sweetie!

Click here to watch the video.

The Disney Parks account themselves shared a clip of the cast members waiting patiently for the big moment. The moment that Basko would finally be available for public view! The group of women were gathered and ready right by the enclosure for when it happened. You could see that they were clearly so psyched!

Related: Tiger Cub Supervises Window Washing at Nashville Zoo and Its the Cutest

And there he is! The tiger cub finally walked into view, prompting the cast members to react like the proud mamas they were. What a big day for everyone!

It wasnt just the good people at Disney who were overwhelmed by Baskos cuteness. People in the comments section were completely charmed by the little guy. The crying, youre so real for that, wrote one person. The cast member emulating the paws just gets it, chimed in someone else. Let me book my flight right now to go see Bakso! exclaimed one person. While another commenter pointed out something else that really was so sweet: To make this even cuter Bakso is the Indonesian word for meatball. He's just a whittle meatball, they explained.

All About the Maharajah Jungle Trek

If youve never been to Disney World, today really might be the day to book your trip. There really is something for everyone there, including the animal lover in your house, who might love a trip to the Animal Kingdom park. While there they can explore Baskos new home, Maharajah Jungle Trek, which is home to so many cool animals they cant see anywhere else.

Asian tigers, like Basko, are the stars of the show at Maharajah Jungle Trek. But that doesnt mean you wont see some other animals that are really neat! Animals like Gibbons, Elds deer, Blackbucks, Komodo Dragons, Malayna Flying Foxes, and Water Buffalos. There are even over 50 avian species for the bird lover in your home!

The best part is that you can take them all in at your own pace and you traverse the very scenic exhibit. Its interesting for both kids and grown ups alike. Of course, youll probably get to see Basko while youre there. It should be really fun to see the little meatball in all his glory!

Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
A major IT glitch is still affecting Barclays more than 24 hours on from the banks initial outage, with some customers continuing to face issues receiving and making payments.

The bank has warned some people may see an outdated balance and payments made or received may not show.

Barclays has apologised to customers, saying they are facing ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers accounts.

We will ensure that no customer is left out of pocket, the bank said in a statement on Saturday.

The PA news agency understands the outage has been caused by a technical issue and is currently not believed to be related to a cyber attack.

We're sorry if you're having issues with some of our services at the moment. For updates, please visit https://t.co/MHJIAM4Glp pic.twitter.com/iG88jvaRoO  Barclays UK Help (@BarclaysUKHelp) January 31, 2025

The outage began on Friday, the same day as January payday for many British workers and the deadline for self-assessment tax returns.

According to outage tracker Down Detector, thousands of customers have claimed they are experiencing issues with mobile banking, online banking and paying bills on Saturday.

Barclays said that their ATMs remain unaffected and that customers can withdraw cash and use their cards to make payments.

In a statement, HMRC said it is working closely with Barclays to minimise any impact on those submitting their self-assessments and that HMRC services are working as normal.

Any issues related to the Barclays outage will not result in late HMRC payment penalties as these do not apply until March 1, an HMRC spokesperson added.

Among those affected by the outage was civil servant Paola Meru, 39, who said her family had been left homeless after the payment for their new house had not gone through.

Paola Mereu, 39, sold her family home and they were meant to complete their purchase of a new house on Friday (Paola Mereu/PA)

Mrs Meru sold her home in Uxbridge, where she lived with her husband and two daughters aged one and seven, and the family were supposed to move into their new house in West Sussex on Friday.

She told the PA news agency: We drove down to (West Sussex on Friday) and we had all our things in a moving van and were waiting outside and unfortunately, around one oclock, my solicitor calls and says Barclays is having some issues and we are unable to complete the sale.

So we sold our house  we had the money from that  but we were unable to complete the other part of the sale so we are essentially homeless.

We waited until five oclock, Barclays still didnt fix it, so we literally have no house and it is still not fixed.

It took us so long to get this dream house and yesterday was meant to be the happiest day of our lives and instead, we ended up homeless.

The Mereu family is now staying with a relative and the moving van with all of their belongings is on her driveway (Paola Mereu/PA)

Mrs Mereu said her family are currently staying with her mother in London with the moving van containing all their belongings parked on the driveway.

The family are currently in limbo about what to do next, she said.

I am not sure if we will incur extra costs from the people we are buying from because we did not fulfil our part of the contract as the money was meant to go through on Friday, she added.

Frustrated customers have been reaching out to Barclays support via social media.

For updates on all of our services, please visit https://t.co/IJz2aPmHtr pic.twitter.com/8ljQrzPLct  Barclays UK Help (@BarclaysUKHelp) February 1, 2025

Due to you Barclays Im left without money had a food shop due for delivery this morning that now will get cancelled, leave my four kids with no food its a joke as (it is) my money, one X user claimed.

Another added: Well Ive just had to put all my shopping back in Tesco never been so embarrassed in my life .. as cant access my own money.

On social media, Barclays has advised customers experiencing difficulties accessing their money to seek support from friends and family and to contact food banks.

In response to a user on X who said her whole household had no access to their money, as both her and her husband bank with Barclays, the banks UK help X account replied suggesting she contact loved ones who may be able to offer support and with links to a food bank website.

The bank has apologised for the outage (Matt Crossick/PA)

In a statement on Saturday evening, a spokesperson for the bank said: Were extremely sorry for the ongoing technical issues that are impacting our customers accounts and are working hard to fix the issue.

Some may continue to see an outdated balance, and payments made or received may not show. Customers should not try to make the payment again.

Customers can use their cards and withdraw cash, use our app and online banking, and as soon as these remaining issues are resolved, well let our customers know.

We will ensure that no impacted customer is left out of pocket.

We are keeping our call centres open for longer this weekend and we will be proactively contacting customers who may be vulnerable.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - As the humanitarian situation "rapidly deteriorates" in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with families fleeing conflict zones amid shortages, the UN Human Rights Office accuses the M23 of committing "summary executions" and the Congolese army of sexual violence, respectively
World champion Luke Littler made the perfect start to his Winmau World Masters campaign in Milton Keynes as he cruised to a 3-0 victory over Andy Baetens.

Littler needed just 11 minutes to overcome the Belgian.

Baetens kept pace with the teenager as they exchanged holds in the opening set, but Littler stepped up a gear and won five consecutive legs to advance to the second round with a 104 average.

LITTLER BREEZES PAST BAETENS!  That was EMPHATIC! Luke Littler averages over 104 to sweep aside Andy Baetens in straight sets and move through to a tie against James Wade!  https://t.co/MihfqStAVW #WWMasters pic.twitter.com/3aSP5FNKh9  PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2025

The 18-year-old now faces James Wade for a place in the quarter-finals and told the PDCs official website: My finishing was very good tonight and it needed to be, because Andy is a dangerous player.

I would love to win another major title, and obviously this would be a new major to add to the list, but its a very strong field, so Im just going to focus on tomorrow night.

Michael van Gerwen, beaten by Littler in the World Championship final, also dominated in a 3-1 win over Bradley Brooks.

Michael Van Gerwen celebrates winning (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Van Gerwen won seven out of nine legs to cap off his performance and said: I felt really comfortable tonight.

I could have easily averaged over 100, but you have to live with it and move on, and I have to make sure Im even sharper in the next round.

Van Gerwen meets Dimitri Van den Bergh in the last 16 after he won six consecutive legs to triumph against double world champion Gary Anderson.

CLAYTON CLINCHES VICTORY!  What. A. Match! Jonny Clayton wraps up a superb 3-1 victory over Martin Schindler, averaging 112.77 to defy a 105 average from the German!  https://t.co/MihfqStAVW #WWMasters pic.twitter.com/e2EWwmAlKb  PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) January 31, 2025

Jonny Clayton averaged 112.77 on his way to beating Germanys Martin Schindler.

Clayton landed five 180s and nailed 66 per cent of his double attempts in an impressive performance.

The world number seven said: Everything clicked tonight.

I had to produce my best against a player like Martin and thankfully I did, so Ive got a big smile on my face!

Nathan Aspinall felt he had regained his confidence (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Nathan Aspinall kicked off his clash against Andrew Gilding with a 161 finish and never took his foot off the pedal as he eased to a 3-0 win.

Aspinall, who averaged 103, said: The whole package was there tonight, and I have walked off stage probably the happiest and most confident Ive been in three years!

Cameron Menzies booked his place in the second round with a 3-1 win over Dave Chisnall, while Ryan Searle also ran out a 3-1 winner against Chris Dobey.

Wade was forced to work harder to advance after edging a five-set thriller 3-2 with Mike De Decker.
The family of murdered Belfast man John George will gather later on Saturday for his funeral.

Mr George, 37, a father-of-two, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing in December.

He was last in touch with his family on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland.

His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, travelled to Spain where they were involved in the search operation.

Mr Georges body was discovered on January 7.

The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.

His body was returned to Northern Ireland last month.

Billy, the father of John George, travelled to Spain to search for his son following his disappearance (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Georges remains will leave his mothers home in Belfast for his funeral at St Lukes Church before burial in Blaris Cemetery, Lisburn.

A funeral notice for Mr George said: John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him.

Mr Georges father Billy previously said his focus was on getting his sons body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.
Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of Belfast man John George, who was murdered in Spain.

The father-of-twos coffin was carried from the family home in the Lagmore area of west Belfast early on Saturday morning and taken onward for a service at nearby St Lukes Church in Twinbrook.

A crowd of mourners walked behind the cortege as it made its way along Lagmore Avenue as music played on a portable loudspeaker.

Mr Georges father Billy, his brother Darren and grandfather Joseph Hardy were among those who carried the coffin.

During the subsequent funeral service, parish priest at St Lukes Fr Brian McCann told mourners that their attendance was a source of great comfort for the family.

Billy, the father of John George, holds a photo of his son after returning to Belfast following the search (PA)

He praised the community for the practical, emotional and spiritual support they had offered to Mr Georges loved ones in the weeks since he went missing.

Maybe one resolution we can make as we gather here today is to continue to pray each day for Johns family, he said.

Mr George, 37, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing in December.

He was last in touch with his family on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland.

Mourners carried the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George ahead of his funeral at St Lukes Church (Liam McBurney/PA)

His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, travelled to Spain where they were involved in the search operation.

Throughout the search, his father said his focus was on getting his sons body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.

Mr Georges body was discovered on January 7. The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.

His body was returned to Northern Ireland last month.

John Georges father Billy (front left), brother Darren (far left) and grandfather Joseph Hardy (front right) carried his coffin (Liam McBurney/PA)

Members of the volunteer K9 canine search and rescue team who travelled to Spain to assist with efforts to find Mr George attended Saturdays funeral.

A funeral notice for Mr George ahead of the funeral paid tribute to the father of two.

John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him, it said.

After the service, Mr Georges remains were taken onward to Blaris Cemetery in Lisburn for burial.
Ireland increased pressure on England boss Steve Borthwick by launching their quest for an unprecedented third consecutive Guinness Six Nations title with a 27-22 bonus-point win in Dublin.

Tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne and Dan Sheehan helped the back-to-back champions come from behind in their first match under interim head coach Simon Easterby.

Borthwicks gamble to go with a fleet-footed back row was on course to pay off at the Aviva Stadium when his side led 10-5 at the end of a first half in which Marcus Smith was sin-binned.

But England were unable to substantially build on Cadan Murleys debut score and a penalty and conversion from Smith as their championship opener ended in defeat ahead of next weekends tricky clash at home to France.

A huge W to kick off our title defence! #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/Hdr1AHFpYK  Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 1, 2025

Fly-half rivals Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley kicked three and four points respectively for the hosts in front of onlooking regular head coach Andy Farrell before late tries from Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman made the final score more respectable from an English perspective.

England lost seven of 12 Tests during a disappointing 2024, albeit they ultimately denied Ireland successive championship Grand Slams courtesy of a last-gasp 23-22 Twickenham win in March.

Head coach Borthwick sprung a selection surprise on the back of an unsuccessful autumn by naming twin brothers Tom and Ben Curry either side of Ben Earl in a mobile back row, while lock Maro Itoje began his captaincy after taking over from Jamie George.

The visitors struck first amid a chaotic opening in which Ireland temporarily lost wing Mack Hansen to injury.

A fine break from Ollie Lawrence culminated in Henry Slades perfectly weighted grubber kick releasing Test newcomer Murley to cross in the left corner, with Smith nailing the tricky conversion.

Cadan Murleys try had put England in front (Evan Treacy/PA)

Ireland thought they had hit back in the 16th minute but Ronan Kellehers score, following sustained pressure, was disallowed due to Beirne holding on to Itoje at the ruck.

Englands line speed was causing plenty of problems, while their dogged defence frustrated a stuttering home side guilty of poor passing and frequent fumbles.

Visiting fly-half Smith was yellow carded for a cynical infringement in the 25th minute and, just before he returned, the high-tempo hosts finally broke through.

James Lowe wriggled clear of Alex Mitchell on the left wing and then teed up Gibson-Park to sidestep Freddie Steward and dive over.

Prendergast, who was preferred to Crowley from the start, squandered the straightforward conversion before a Smith penalty put England five points ahead at the end of a breathless opening period.

Bundee Aki was among the try scorers for Ireland (Evan Treacy/PA)

With Farrell watching from the stands in preparation for the British and Irish Lions summer tour of Australia, Ireland needed to turn territory into something more meaningful on the scoreboard.

The title holders eventually led for the first time in the 56th minute.

Aki bulldozed his way past Smith and then rolled Mitchell and Freeman to squeeze over on the left before Prendergast atoned for another failed conversion by landing a long-range penalty four minutes later.

Cheers from the capacity crowd greeted Farrells appearance on the big screens and they grew significantly louder as Ireland secured some breathing space.

Lowe was again the creator, bursting on to a Gibson-Park pass to tee up Beirne for an unchallenged charge for the try line, with replacement 10 Crowley adding the extras.

It was a successful start for Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby (Brian Lawless/PA)

Victory  and the bonus point  was wrapped up eight minutes from time.

Replacement hooker Sheehan marked his first international appearance since suffering a serious knee injury during last summers tour of South Africa by stretching for the line to cap a superb team move following another Lowe offload.

There was still time for Tom Curry to mark a historic day for his family by claiming a consolation score, prior to Freeman crossing and Smith converting at the death.

Yet, despite some early promise, underdogs England were second best against the pre-tournament favourites.
Aircraft wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor Bacon/US Coast Guard

The black box from the military helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC has been recovered, transport safety chiefs have said.

The flight recorder contains voice recordings of the helicopter pilots as well as data on the aircrafts altitude in the moments before the crash, which could provide crucial information for investigators.

Todd Inman, a spokesman for the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), told a press conference that the agency had a high level of confidence it would be able to extract data from the Sikorsky Black Hawks black box.

Mr Inman said: From a visual inspection, we saw no exterior damage that would indicate that it is compromised at this time, so we have a high level of confidence that we will be able to have a full extraction from that as well.

Of the two black boxes dredged up from American Airlines flight 5342, Mr Inman said one of them was in good condition but the other had suffered water damage.

Despite damage to the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), Mr Inman said it could be recovered through an extraction process. We have a very high level of confidence that we will have it, he said.

All three soldiers were killed in the crash above Ronald Reagan National Airport, as well as the 64 passengers and crew on board the jet.

12:22 AM GMT

This blog is now closed

Thank you for tuning in to our live blog of the Washington DC plane crash. Well be back tomorrow to bring you all the latest updates as the search continues.

12:19 AM GMT

Pictured: Investigators search for crash debris

Alexandria fire department officers scour the Potomac River for aircraft debris - Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

11:41 PM GMT

Transport safety chiefs warn against using online flight tracking data

Transport safety chiefs have warned against using online flight tracking data to determine the cause of the Washington DC air crash.

Todd Inman, a spokesman for the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), cautioned that off the shelf software programmes are not always as accurate as date retrieved from the aircrafts black boxes.

It comes after reports from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 suggested that the Black Hawk military helicopter had veered off course and was flying around 100 feet higher than it should have been, resulting in the collision that left 67 people dead.

Mr Inman said the agency had dredged up the flight recorders of both American Airlines flight 5342 and the helicopter from the bottom of the Potomac River and would scour their data to determine the causes of the crash.

10:51 PM GMT

Black box found in good condition, says transport safety chief

The two black boxes recovered from the passenger jet that crashed over the Potomac River are in good condition, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

Todd Inman, an agency spokesman, said that one of the boxes had been soaked in alcohol overnight and the agency had a high level of confidence that we will be able to get a full download.

He added that the jets second black box, known as the CVR, which records conversations between the pilots and air traffic control, was recovered with water damage, but that that the agency has a very high level of confidence of salvaging the data.

10:46 PM GMT

Passenger jet salvage operation is under way, say transport safety chiefs

Efforts to salvage the passenger jet from the bottom of the Potomac River are under way, the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

Todd Inman, an agency spokesman, said that navy crews are conducting salvages at this time.

He adding that barges are en route from Virginia and are expected to be on scene early tomorrow morning to carry out the main lifting of the planes fuselage.

Mr Inman continued that any victims recovered from the wreckage will be identified and returned to their families.

10:38 PM GMT

Transport safety chiefs press conference begins

A press conference with the National Transportation Safety board has got under way.

10:34 PM GMT

Pilots report nearly a dozen near misses over Washington DC in recent years

Nearly a dozen near misses between passenger jets and military helicopters have taken place over Washington DC in recent years, pilots reported.

Analysis of a federal database that records pilot concerns revealed scores of narrow escapes and warning about congested skies over the nations capital.

Pilots have repeatedly complained about military helicopters drawing to close, with one referring to Regan National Airport as probably the most dangerous in the nation.

In one incident last May, a helicopter passed just 300 feet below a commercial airliner, triggering a cockpit collision avoidance alert, according to an anonymous pilot report in the Aviation Safety Reporting System database.

I never saw it, the jetliner pilot wrote, adding that he never received a warning about the helicopter from air traffic controllers.

It comes after the Federal Aviation Administration paused almost all helicopter flights from operating near the airport, amid claims of high levels of air traffic congestion.

09:47 PM GMT

US army refuses to name female pilot killed in helicopter crash with passenger jet

The female pilot killed in the helicopter collision with a passenger jet in Washington DC will not be named, the US army said.

It made the highly unusual decision at the request of the family not to release the name of one of the three soldiers killed when a military Black Hawk collided with a passenger jet on Wednesday evening.

The Army identified two of the soldiers killed as Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin OHara and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, but did not provide details about the third, who was reported to be a female pilot with 500 hours of flying experience.

09:11 PM GMT

Trans pilot dispels rumours she died aboard military helicopter

A transgender military pilot has dispelled rumours she was aboard the black hawk helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC on Wednesday evening.

Following the tragic collision that claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, rumours swirled online that the military helicopter involved in the incident was piloted by a decorated transgender woman called Jo Ellis.

Ms Ellis, who served in Iraq and is a pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, has since taken to social media to debunk rumours that she had died, condemning the false claims as insulting to the families of those who lost their lives.

NEW: Trans helicopter pilot Jo Ellis responds after right-wing internet users started spreading a fake story that Ellis was flying the Black Hawk helicopter in the DC crash.



This morning, Ellis asked Facebook users to report any accounts spreading the false info.



"This is Jo pic.twitter.com/Zhue4mytjU  Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 31, 2025

In a video statement captioned proof of life, Ms Ellis said: I understand some people have associated me with...the crash in DC and that is false.

It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They dont deserve that. I dont deserve this.

The Army has so far identified two of the soldiers killed in the crash as Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin OHara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, but did not provide details about the third.

08:38 PM GMT

DC Airspace expected to reopen to helicopters within a week

Washington DC authorities have said they expect airspace over the nations capital to reopen for helicopters within a week.

The Federal Aviation Administration today barred most helicopters from using the low-to-the-ground routes that run close to commercial jets flight paths, as the investigation into the disaster continues.

Asked how long the embargo would continue for, Terry Liercke, the National airport manager, said: Thats a dynamic situationour expectation is a week. However well reassess on Monday and as recovery efforts go.

08:31 PM GMT

Authorities expect to recover all the bodies from fatal plane crash

US authorities have said they expect to recover all of the bodies from the plane crash over Washington DC that left 67 people dead.

Asked if more bodies will be found, John A. Donnelly, the DC fire chief, said there are a lot challenges but that his teams expects to recover all of the bodies.

Thats why our teams are still working - were going to have to work with salvage company to do some of that work, he said.

Washington DC Fire Chief John A. Donnelly attends a press conference - Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Mr Donnelly added that the fuselage of the plane would have to be lifted out of the water in order to find the remains of all those still missing.

The salvage crews have begun to arrive on the scene and theyre assessing the work, he said, adding that they are expected to begin no later than tomorrow afternoon.

07:20 PM GMT

41 bodies recovered from the Potomac River

41 bodies have now been recovered from the Potomac River, a spokesman for the Washington fire and emergency department said.

A law enforcement official said the recovered bodies have been transferred to the medical examiners office.

Wednesdays collision between a US Army helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington DC killed 67 people in total.

06:36 PM GMT

Watch: White House briefing - Do you pray that your pilot has a certain skin colour?

Journalists gathered at the White House for a press conference after Donald Trump attacked diversity hiring policies in the wake of Wednesdays deadly collision between a US Army helicopter and a passenger jet.

After taking queries from the floor, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, had her own question, albeit a rhetorical one, for the reporters.

When you are flying on an aeroplane with your loved ones ... do you pray that your plane lands safely and gets you to your destination or do you pray that the pilot has a certain skill colour?

06:30 PM GMT

Trump based claim helicopter flying too high on truth, White House says

Asked where Donald Trump learnt that the helicopter involved in the crash was flying too high, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the president had based his statement on truth.

It was relayed to him by the authorities that are overseeing the investigation into this horrific plane collision, she said.

He continues to be briefed by everybody across his cabinet, she added.

06:18 PM GMT

Pilots should be chosen based on merit and skills

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that Donald Trump wants to increase aviation safety standards and that pilots should be chosen for that position based on their merit and their skills.

The administration will continue to prioritise this, she added.

06:10 PM GMT

Trump swiftly signed FAA memorandum

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, is addressing media at a White House briefing.

She said that in the immediate aftermath of the crash, President Trump swiftly signed a memorandum directing an immediate assessment of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure the federal government is maintaining the highest personnel in policy aviation safety standards.

The memorandum instructs the FAA administrator and the transport secretary to immediately review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made during the prior four years.

05:14 PM GMT

Miss Kansas finalist among crash victims

A former Miss Kansas contestant was among 67 people who perished in Wednesdays crash between a military helicopter and a passenger plane in Washington DC. Kiah Duggins, described as a light in the fight for civil rights, was an established civil rights attorney preparing to become a law professor at Howard University.

You can read the full story here.

Kiah Duggins

04:47 PM GMT

Watch: New video shows DC plane crash in full

Credit: CNN

New footage has captured the moment a passenger plane and military helicopter collided above Washington D.C., as Donald Trump suggested the chopper was flying too high by a lot.

Two CCTV videos obtained by CNN show the Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight colliding in a fireball before both aircraft plunge into the icy Potomac River.

Military pilots had requested a predetermined flight path, referred to as Route 4, from air traffic control. This allows helicopters to fly at low altitude along the bank on the east side of the Potomac River.

But the helicopter flew higher and further away from the bank than it should have done, four officials told The New York Times.

The helicopter was supposed to be flying below 200 ft but had reportedly risen above 300 ft when it collided with the airliner.

04:37 PM GMT

Pictured: Rescue teams work at site of aircraft wreckage

Search and rescue teams work near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, Jan 31 - Jeenah Moon/REUTERS

04:02 PM GMT

Polish citizen amongst crash victims, foreign ministry says

The Polish foreign ministry has confirmed that a Polish citizen was amongst the victims of Wednesday nights deadly collision.

A spokesman said: Among the victims is Justyna Magdalena Beyer, nee Witkowska, she held a Polish passport issued in 1999.

03:36 PM GMT

Helicopter crew were training for emergency scenario, defence secretary says

The helicopter crew involved in Wednesday nights deadly crash were training to ensure the continuity of the US government in the event of a major crisis or emergency, the US defence secretary said.

Pete Hegseth said: Without getting anything into anything thats classified, there are many things that happen in and around the Capitol that ensure in a contingency, in an emergency, our government is able to continue to operate.

And what happened in this particular instance was one of those types of flights.

There are other aspects to what is done there and you need to train as you fight. You need to rehearse in ways that would reflect a real-world scenario, Mr Hegseth added.

Fox News reported that the helicopter was training to evacuate government VIPs during an emergency.

03:26 PM GMT

Pilot union urges against speculation over crash

A union representing US and Canadian pilots has urged people not to speculate on the causes of Wednesday nights deadly crash until the investigation is complete.

Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said: A lot of details and speculation will come out in response to this tragedy, but we must remember to let the investigation run its course.

Extra pressure will be on each of us as our passengers  and our fellow crewmembers  have this accident on their minds.

03:02 PM GMT

Night vision goggles could have contributed to crash, US defence secretary suggests

The US defence secretary has suggested that the helicopter crews use of night vision goggles could have contributed to the deadly collision between a US Army Black Hawk and a passenger jet.

Night vision goggles are known to restrict the wearers field of vision and ability to judge depth and distance. They can also be less effective in areas with lots of ambient light, such as in a brightly-lit city.

In this particular case, they were qualifying on a night flight which included night vision goggles  now we dont know is whether the goggles were engaged or up, Pete Hegseth told Fox News.

You have a lot of ambient light, a lot of things happening around Reagan [airport], there could be depth perception problems  again that is speculation, our investigation will tell us more.

We are looking at altitude... someone was at the wrong altitude. The investigation will help us understand that  was the Black Hawk too high? Was it on course? Right now we dont quite know, Mr Hegseth added.

The father of the pilot of the passenger plane that collided with the Black Hawk helicopter, who himself is a veteran army helicopter pilot, has expressed concerns about the use of night vision goggles in the airspace above the Potomac River (see our post at 10.16am).

02:48 PM GMT

Helicopters to be restricted from flying near Reagan National Airport

Most helicopters will be barred from flying parts of two routes near Washington Reagan National Airport after the deadly collision between a passenger jet and a US Army Black Hawk, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

Only police and medical helicopters will be allowed to fly in an area between the airport and two nearby bridges over the Potamac River, the FAA said.

02:40 PM GMT

Rescue divers to support transport safety board with investigation

Divers from Washington DCs Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department will support the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation into the crash and the salvaging of the downed aircraft from the Potomac River.

The department said: The investigation and recovery efforts remain active and our divers have searched all areas that are accessible.

Tomorrow, divers will work with NTSB to conduct additional searches to locate aircraft components, to support the investigation, and begin operations to salvage the aircraft.

Overnight, boats will remain on scene for security and surface searches from local, state, and federal regional partners.

01:59 PM GMT

Helicopter was flying too high, says Trump

The president has said the air crash investigation is not really too complicated, pointing to the helicopters altitude.

In a spot on his own social media platform, Trump Social, Donald Trump wrote: The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit.

Thats not really too complicated to understand, is it???.

The National Transportation Safety Board has said an investigation is currently under way with a preliminary report expected within the next 30 days.

01:31 PM GMT

Pictured: Investigators open black boxes

Investigators have started analysing the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, known as black boxes, recovered from the passenger plane.

The orange devices will be taken apart and studied at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) lab.

The recorders are housed within a stainless steel or titanium shell able to withstand a force equivalent to 3,400 times the force of gravity and fitted with a locator beacon.

Many historians attribute the invention of the black box to Australian scientist David Warren in the 1950s - NTSB

The disappearance in 2014 of Malaysian Airlines MH370 triggered debate about whether data should be streamed instead - NTSB

Lead investigator Brice Banning said on Thursday that the helicopter also contained some form of recording devices - NTSB

01:01 PM GMT

Helicopter deviated from approved route

The Black Hawk helicopter which collided with a passenger plane above Washington D.C. appears to have deviated from its approved route.

Military pilots had requested a predetermined flight path, referred to as Route 4, from air traffic control which allows helicopters to fly at low altitude along the bank on the east side of the Potomac River.

But the helicopter flew higher and further away from the bank than it should have done, four officials told The New York Times.

The helicopter was supposed to be flying below 200 ft but had reportedly risen above 300 ft when it collided with the commercial airliner.

12:38 PM GMT

FAA upped controller rest hours amid fatigue fears

The Federal Aviation Administration approved longer rest hours for air traffic controllers last year, amid reports of burnout and high stress among employees.

The FAA said controllers would receive 10 hours off duty between shifts and 12 hours off before and after midnight shifts, up from eight or nine-hour breaks.

The science is clear that controller fatigue is a public safety issue, and it must be addressed, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said at the time.

Mr Whitaker had commissioned an independent panel last year to assess controller fatigue, which in April called for mandatory rest periods after raising serious concerns.

The New York Times found that most air traffic control sites were understaffed in 2023, forcing many controllers to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

The tower at Reagan National Airport had 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, while the targets set by the FAA and controllers union called for 30, per the Times.

12:13 PM GMT

Pictured: Planes fly over the wreckage

An American Eagle flight takes off from Reagan National Airport near where emergency crews work in the Potomac River - Kayla Bartkowski/Getty

Workers search the wreckage in Potomac River, as flights resume - U.S. COAST GUARD

11:42 AM GMT

US flight safety chief resigned last week

Michael Whitaker, the US governments aviation chief, stood down earlier this month amid pressure from Elon Musk.

The Tesla billionaire tapped by Donald Trump to run the Department of Government Efficiency had publicly called on the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resign.

Mr Whitaker stepped away on 20 January, the day of Donald Trumps inauguration, after around 15 months in the job.

As a result, the FAA was leaderless when a passenger jet collided with a helicopter over Washington D.C.

Hours after the crash, Donald Trump signed an executive order installing Chris Rocheleau as acting administrator of FAA.

He needs to resign https://t.co/pG8htfTYHb  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 25, 2024

11:22 AM GMT

Watch: Traffic control radar shows moment aircraft collide

Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky has called for an overhaul of traffic control radar technology.

In a post on X, the Republican shared a video appearing to show the moment American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with the military helicopter (call sign PAT25).

I was shocked to learn this was the primary display that air traffic controllers used. It looks like the 1980s, the US representative said, adding: We need major updates, but the tech is frozen, ironically due to aversion to risk associated with changes.

Credit: X/@RepThomasMassie

10:54 AM GMT

Air traffic control commands were vague, says former Black Hawk pilot

Retired Lt. Col Darin Gaub, who flew Black Hawk helicopters, has raised concerns over the generic language used by air traffic control before the collision in Washington D.C..

Instead of providing a precise location and identification of the passenger aircraft, the controller alerted the military pilot to a CRJ - the type of plane - in the sky.

If all [the controllers] say is, Look at the aircraft. Do you see the aircraft to your front? [and the helicopter pilot responds,] Yep, I see it, and thats the end of the conversation - and youre in a dense environment where aircraft are flying all the time - that is not specific enough to ensure the safe operation of aircraft, Mr Gaub told the New York Post.

That may be something thats going to have to get looked at, because in my experience, those kinds of calls and warnings are made very specifically to clock direction, distance and altitudes and in route of travel, he added.

In footage of the collision taken from the Kennedy Center, a second passenger plane can be seen taking off around the same time as the DC-bound flight was attempting to land.

Credit: Earthcam

10:30 AM GMT

Listen: Air traffic control gasps as plane collides with helicopter

Audio from LiveATC.net captured the final communications between the three crew members of the helicopter - call sign PAT25 - and air traffic control.

PAT25, do you have a CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ, an air traffic controller said at 8.47 pm (1.47am GMT).

Seconds later, another aircraft called in to air traffic control, saying, Tower, did you see that? - apparently referring to the crash. An air traffic controller then redirected planes approaching runway 33 to go around.

Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three, a person can be heard saying in the audio from around the time of the crash.

Credit: LiveATC.net

10:16 AM GMT

Pilots father questions armys use of night-vision goggles

Timothy Lilley, whose son was piloting the passenger plane that collided with a helicopter in Washington D.C., has raised concerns over the militarys use of night-vision goggles in the airspace above the Potomac River.

This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life, Mr Lilley told Fox 5 Atlanta after finding out his 28-year-old Samuel was on board.

Mr Lilley, who happens to be a veteran army helicopter pilot, added: In the 90s, I used to fly in and out of the Pentagon regularly, and I can tell you if you are flying on the route over the Potomac and wearing night vision goggles, its going to be very hard to see that plane.

If youre not wearing the goggles, then you might have a chance.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the helicopter was flown by a fairly experienced crew of three soldiers who were wearing night-vision goggles on an annual training flight.

Samuel Lilley with his parents

10:01 AM GMT

Army helicopter was short-staffed, says former Black Hawk pilot

A former army pilot said that the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into a passenger jet over Washington DC was short-staffed.

Elizabeth McCormick, who has flown Black Hawk helicopters in the area where the crash took place, told CNN that, in her opinion, there should be a minimum of four crew members on board - one more than were on the flight.

Ms McCormick also questioned the use of night vision goggles that the troops are understood to have been wearing, saying: Its a very cluttered airspace in terms of the lighting its easy to get a little bit disorientated.

09:54 AM GMT

Mapped: Collision course

The Bombardier passenger plane operated by an American Airlines subsidiary was approaching Reagan National Airport from the south at around 9pm (2am GMT) after flying from Wichita, Kansas, when the collision happened.

US Army officials said the Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on a training flight had been approaching from the north.

09:42 AM GMT

40 bodies recovered

District of Columbia fire chief John Donnelly said 40 bodies had been recovered from the Pontomac River so far, with 27 people remaining unaccounted for.

Officials said 60 passengers and three crew members were on board the passenger plane, with another three soldiers in the helicopter.

The fire chief previously said around 300 emergency responders were combing the water for victims, with debris travelling as far as the Wilson Bridge.

09:36 AM GMT

Trump blames diversity hiring for Washington plane crash

Donald Trump has blamed a diversity hiring spree for causing the deadly crash between a military helicopter and a passenger plane in Washington DC.

The US president accused Joe Biden of reducing standards at Americas aviation agency to the lowest level while briefing the press on Wednesday evening.

Mr Trump vowed to restore faith in American air travel, revealing that employees with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities had been hired as air traffic controllers as part of a diversity and inclusion drive.

I put safety first, Mr Trump said, adding: Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobodys ever seen, because this was the lowest level, their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse.

09:32 AM GMT

Another flight aborted landing because of military helicopter

Another flight approaching at Reagan National Airport aborted its landing over helicopter traffic just 24 hours before the mid-air collision on Wednesday, according to a report.

Republic Airways Flight 4514, from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, had to make a second approach at Reagan International Airport after a helicopter appeared near its flight path, according to the Washington Post.

09:31 AM GMT

A pilots view on why helicopter did not avoid passenger jet in Washington crash

In order to enable safe flight, airspace is split into categories ranging from very tightly controlled areas around airports to other zones  mostly rural  where rules are much more relaxed.

The most stringently controlled zones are Class A airspace, such as the area around the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington.

Pilots must obtain clearance from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to enter and, except in an emergency situation, must follow ATC instructions  such as on heading, height or clearance to land  to the letter.

If reconstructions of the situation in Washington on Wednesday night and ATC instructions are correct, a passenger aircraft seems to have been given clearance to line up and land on runway 33 (the runway is laid out on heading 330 degrees, with the opposite direction being 150 degrees.)

Read the full story here.

09:30 AM GMT

Devastating: Footage shows what went wrong in Washington plane crash that left no survivors

At 8.45pm on Wednesday night (1.45am GMT, Thursday), American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was descending calmly into Washingtons Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The skies were clear, the wind moderate, and among the 60 passengers were several top junior US figure skaters, who had just taken part in a training camp on the ice rinks of the Midwest.

A web camera positioned above the John F Kennedy Center on the other side of the Potomac River captured grainy footage of the Bombardier CRJ-701s flashing wing lights as the plane came in to land.

But also visible in the footage are the beacon lights of another aircraft, a US army UH-60 Black Hawk, flying low on a training mission.

Read the full story here.

Credit: X/@nicksortor

09:29 AM GMT

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage. We will be bringing you all the latest updates from Washington D.C.
Lord Hermer has been appointed Attorney General - Eddie Mulholland

Sir Keir Starmer, we are told, once put his arm around Richard Hermer, a new barrister in Doughty Street chambers  and a friendship was born. Some thirty years later the Prime Minister appointed Hermer Attorney General.

The Prime Minister is under no illusions about how important the role of Attorney General is. After all, an Attorney General is the only Cabinet Minister who can say No, Prime Minister you cant do that and usually still retain his job. That is because the nations principal Law Officer has the full majesty of the law behind him. He can shield himself with the law, he can wear it like a protective armour, and pronounce that his own assessment of a legal conundrum is the Law.

But the problem is that law is not a mathematical equation or an exact science. There are multiple nuances, pros and cons, ifs and buts. It is as broad or as narrow as the lawyer you are asking chooses it to be. After all, thats why lawyers have different opinions on the same dispute.

Government ministers are now complaining to journalists that Lord Hermers legal guidance has led to a freeze on government. According to this ultra-cautious approach, the government should take no action and pass no legislation unless the lawyers say the legal risk of an adverse judgment in one of a myriad of courts is vanishingly low. But the problem is that lawyers rarely say that about anything  by nature lawyers tend to be rather risk averse.

It also means that Starmer and his team are running what I would call, in an invented word, a lexocracy. Its not the rule of law, its the rule of lawyers.

In this system it is not the people who get to decide what the law is  it is some faceless members of a tribunal with a law degree, sitting in a supra-national court somewhere overseas, who decide that the people are wrong and their will must be overruled. It is this attitude of course which led to Brexit, and which eventually will probably lead to the UK withdrawing from the ECHR.

Last week Lord Hermer told the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe that the government would never refuse to comply with ECHR judgments. But just about all of the 46 countries which accept the ECHR have at one point or another declined to accept that courts judgments; indeed there have been many thousands of such refusals over the past 30 years. It is extraordinary servility to say that henceforth the UK will agree to prostrate itself to whatever ruling the ECHR makes at any time in the future. Judges are not gods, and they get things wrong like every human being  thats why we have the Court of Appeal.

Starmer is starting to find that an Attorney General who proudly declares, as he did to one journalist last week, that he is not a politician is going to cause him some political problems. The role of Attorney General since the 13th century has developed because of the need to develop the law and politics in tandem. Indeed rulings about the Chagos Islands and the International Criminal Courts illegitimate posturing over Israel have already evidenced this.

If Labour politicians and left-wing legal activists do not want to see the UKs withdrawal from the ECHR and other international bodies, and do not want to see elected judges in England following the American model, they would be wise to consider themselves servants of the people, not their masters.
A group of spotters in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv waiting for Agam Berger to be released. Photograph: Quique Kierszenbaum/The Observer

Roni Eshel told her father many times that she could see Hamas militants training for an attack near the Nahal Oz base where she served in a surveillance unit. The scale of the preparations left her frightened for her life.

She detailed the activity in daily reports over the summer and early autumn of 2023, raising the alarm together with dozens of other young women spotters  charged with watching a tiny section of the border in intense detail  who were posted along Israels border with Gaza.

A cocktail of chauvinism, arrogance and complacency meant their warnings were ignored or dismissed by senior commanders for the region, most of them men.

The senior officers were convinced Gaza was locked down by Israels layers of hi-tech defences, but 19-year-old Eshel proved a more accurate observer of the strip than many of the countrys top generals.

She paid for their mistakes with her life, killed along with 14 other spotters when their base was overrun. A last recording captured her detailing with calm precision the movements of Hamas fighters as they breached the border just 500 metres away.

Seven spotters were taken to Gaza. Their families and hundreds of other women who served in the same role over decades sprang into action, campaigning to bring them back.

Yahel Oren, 31, was one of them. This week she stood in Tel Avivs Hostages Square wearing a T-shirt that said once a spotter, always a spotter, to watch the last of those women, Agam Berger, return to Israel under a ceasefire deal after 15 months in captivity.

One of the seven, Noa Marciano, was killed in Gaza. The remaining six have all returned  one rescued by the military in October 2023, and the other five released last month. Now the campaign group is shifting focus.

They want Israel, which has largely deferred an institutional reckoning with the security failures of 7 October, to have an official inquiry into why the spotters were so tragically ignored ahead of the attack, and abandoned to their fate that morning.

Unfortunately I just have my story, my timeline, Eyal Eshal, who often told his oldest daughter not to worry, because Hamas was no match for the IDF. All of us believed we had the strongest army, but it was a joke.

Roni herself mostly believed that, he said. Survivors said even when Hamas flooded over the border, the spotters were so sure they would be saved they agreed none of them would call their parents, to avoid worrying them.

That was despite months of watching Hamas preparation, and Israeli failures  broken cameras, predictable patrols, problems at the fence  with increasing apprehension.

Weeks before the attack, Roni told Eyal: Dad Im afraid, you must understand they know everything about us. The details she told him also went into reports, and he wants to know what happened to them.

For months before, none of the senior officers in the IDF listened to them, they didnt pay any attention to them, he said. I miss her a lot. I think over and over what could have happened if someone had listened to them, to all the beautiful girls.

The women who serve in the observation units are mostly young, in their late teens or very early 20s, often dubbed the girls by their families and in Israeli media. But their role is intense and demanding, mentally and emotionally.

For four hours you just look at the screen, you cant look to left or right, you report what you see. For four hours you are on call, available, then four hours looking at the screen again, said Oren.

They are unarmed, but are posted to the border for liaison with units patrolling on the ground. In Nahal Oz they kept different hours from the regular soldiers, and formed a tight unit, cooking together during shifts when the base kitchen was closed.

Our next steps will be demanding the truth about what happened at Nahal Oz. For the sake of future spotters, we have to get answers, Oren said.

Like many other Israeli women, she thinks the spotters died partly because of the sexism of a country which celebrates women soldiers but rarely promotes them to top command positions, and has never had a female minister of defence or internal security.

I think the entire hierarchy needs restructuring, they need more women in high command. Even in the spotters divisions, the commanders were all men.

Military chief Herzi Halevi has said he will step down in March, submitting a letter that laid out his terrible failure to protect Israel in 2023. But the government has batted away requests for a state commission of inquiry into the attacks.

Oren served in Nahal Oz around a decade before Eshel, but much of what she has learned about the events on and leading up to 7 October 2023 feels painfully familiar.

She served unarmed beside the Gaza border. She knew the shelter where the girls taken hostage were cornered by their captors; designed to protect them only from rockets, it didnt even have doors to lock. She knew the nearby war room where those on shift were killed. And she knew the sense of being ignored.

Oren also warned of suspicious activity before a breach of the border in 2014, when Hamas fighters burst out of a tunnel and targeted a pillbox, but she got no response. Five Israeli soldiers were killed in the attack. I dont know where our reports went. Probably nowhere, she said.

Spotters must be empowered to question anything about their security that doesnt seem right, even if commanders try to dismiss concerns, she said. And though proud of her own work at Nahal Oz, she admits that if she had a daughter, she would probably try to stop her taking on the role.

We felt a sense of security, which was false, she said. There is no trust now. I dont even know if my son will become a soldier.
Sir Keir Starmer is among Labour Party MPs who are members of the Fabian Society - Darren Staples/Bloomberg

Labour is facing a potential investigation over indirect funding from the EU while it was in opposition.

The Electoral Commission, which regulates party financing in the UK, has said it is looking into a donation to an affiliated Labour organisation as a potential regulatory concern.

It relates to a donation from the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), a branch of the Party of European Socialists, to the Labour-linked Fabian Society.

Last week, the EU sanctioned the FEPS for making the 30,000 donation in 2023, calling it indirect funding of the UK Labour Party.

On Monday, the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations, levied a 30,000 fine against the FEPS for the breach.

Now, the UK Electoral Commission has expressed potential regulatory concern about the incident, though an investigation has not been opened at this stage.

An Electoral Commission spokesman said: We are considering this information regarding the Fabian Society, as of potential regulatory concern in accordance with our Enforcement Policy.

Simply scandalous

On Saturday, Nigel Huddleston MP, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, said: Brexit was a liberating moment for this country, and to see Labour groups taking wads of cash from EU groups is simply scandalous.

The British public demanded we no longer kowtow to Brussels diktats, and will rightly be shocked.

If Labour are serious about Brexit, and are not planning to undo the progress made to further our countrys independence from Brussels, they must commit to taking no further funding from this group.

Nigel Huddleston MP, Tory party co-chairman, condemned the donation - Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

There are controls in law on donations to party members associations regarding their political activities for the party. These political activities include promoting or developing policies for adoption by the party.

Under Electoral Commission rules, donations over 500 to members associations must come from permissible sources.

The association must also report donations over the reporting threshold of 11,180 to the Commission.

The tens of thousands of euros given to the Fabian Society were used for a conference and book launch event that took place in January 2023. A number of Labour politicians were present at the event.

The Fabian Society is an affiliated Labour organisation and its membership is predominantly made up of Labour members.

The group boasts on its website that we are affiliated to the Labour Party and work very closely with Labour politicians and that every Labour prime minister has been a Fabian and today 100s of Labour politicians are members of the society, including Labour leader Keir Starmer MP.

The EUs watchdog said it had fined the FEPS because of indirect funding of the UK Labour Party and because of exceeding the task limitations set for European political foundations.

Political foundations with EU funding are prohibited from donating to any partys electioneering funds.

The FEPS has accepted the fine but argued that its actions were legitimate. A spokesman said: As a political foundation, FEPS cannot be expected to be non-political, and it is certainly within the remit of FEPSs mission to provide advice, guidance and input for social-democratic policymakers and organisations.

The Labour Party was approached for comment.
The Home Office is repealing rules introduced by the Tories that meant small boat arrivals could almost never become UK citizens - Anadolu

Labour is watering down border laws designed to block illegal migrants from obtaining citizenship and to force them to submit to scientific age checks.

The Home Office is repealing rules introduced by the Tories that meant that small boat arrivals could almost never become UK citizens.

It is also revoking legislation which gave ministers the power to treat asylum seekers who refused to undergo scientific age checks as adults.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the move was a total capitulation to people smugglers and would make the UK the soft touch of Europe.

Government sources argued the Tories had made such a mess of introducing the powers that they had never even been used since they were passed.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the move would make the UK the soft touch of Europe - Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing

Home Office ministers last week published a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill which they say will help tackle the small boats crisis.

The small print of the legislation reveals the Government will repeal swathes of a previous Tory law, the Illegal Migration Act, which was only voted through Parliament in 2023.

That act included a provision which meant that almost anyone who entered the country illegally was ineligible for settled status and ultimately citizenship.

It also featured another clause which stated that asylum seekers could be treated as over 18 if they refused to take a scientific age assessment.

Dangerous young men

Mr Philp told The Telegraph: It will lead to dangerous young men being placed with teenage girls and makes the UK the soft touch of Europe.

Starmer is a weak Prime Minister. He is weak on borders and is weak when it comes to protecting our borders, our children and our people.

I will fight tooth and nail against this craven capitulation to illegal immigrants and people smugglers when the Bill comes to Parliament.

Children are much more likely to be granted refugee status, and there are fears smugglers are actively advising migrants to claim they are minors.

In the first half of last year more than 1,300 illegal migrants were caught pretending to be minors after their cases were flagged by officials.

Official figures show that in the year up to last September three quarters of unaccompanied minors were granted asylum, compared with half of adults.

Those arrivals who are classified as under-18s are also given school places and housed by local councils rather than sent to migrant hotels.

Currently, small boat arrivals undergo an initial assessment by two Home Office staff who judge their physical appearance and demeanour.

To classify someone who is claiming to be a child as an adult it must very strongly suggest they are significantly over 18 years of age.

All other major European countries, including France and Germany, use medical tests to help determine the ages of younger asylum seekers.

They involve X-rays of hand and wrist bones and molar teeth, as well as MRI scans of knee bones and collar bones.

Powers to conduct such assessments in the UK were voted through in the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, but they are yet to be put into practice.

That legislation said that officials must treat a migrants refusal to submit to such tests as damaging to the credibility of their claim to be a child.

People arriving by small boat are assessed by Home Office staff who judge their physical appearance and demeanour - Gareth Fuller/PA

In the 2023 Illegal Migration Act, then Tory ministers gave themselves power to go further and say that in event of refusal they were to be treated as an adult.

Labour has said it will retain the weaker powers from 2022 and that it reserves the right to legislate to introduce stronger sanctions if necessary.

A government source dismissed criticisms that it was going soft on border controls, saying the Tories had failed to control illegal immigration.

Labour will continue to use age assessment and wont hesitate to go further in legislation if needed, they said.

The ban on citizenship had been criticised for leaving asylum seekers in limbo, meaning that their claims could not be considered.

Labour has vowed to clear the 177,000-strong backlog, which has led to 35,000 migrants being put up in hotels at a cost of 3 billion per year.

Suella Braverman, the former home secretary who introduced the Illegal Migration Act, accused Labour of decriminalising illegal migration.

She said the Border Security Bill removes all the security and provisions we had put into place to keep the UK safe and is a disgrace.

To put it bluntly, it is an insult to the British people. It shamefully opens up our borders and disgracefully allows illegal immigrants to become citizens, she said.

If you enter the UK illegally, you should be detained, deported, and banned from ever returning.

Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, said: Our asylum system is already as soft as a boiled maggot. Zero tolerance is required.

It is abundantly clear that thousands of males are fooling the incompetent Home Office through lies over their age, sexuality, religion and more.

It is a scam. The word of the migrant is often taken as the truth, with the benefit of the doubt regularly implemented as official policy.

Children are much more likely to be granted refugee status - Ben Stansall/AFP

Labour said its reforms would deter crossings by introducing significant new jail terms for migrants who delay being rescued until reaching UK waters.

The new Border Security Bill will introduce an offence of endangering life at sea, which will attract a maximum five-year jail term.

It is designed to deter those migrants who deliberately obstruct rescue efforts while they are in French waters so that they can reach the UK.

The legislation will also make it illegal to handle or supply small boat parts, engines, or life jackets for use in crossings, imposing 14-year prison terms.

A Home Office spokesman said: The new Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces workable measures to strengthen cross-system, operational efforts to tighten border security, enhance upstream work with international partners and help ensure a properly functioning, secure immigration system.

The Illegal Migration Act has largely not been commenced (including this measure on age assessments); nor will it be under this Governments policy which focuses on delivering long-term, credible policies that restore order to the asylum system.

We have robust processes in place to verify and assess an individuals age where there is doubt, including the National Age Assessment Board, and have maintained the provisions on scientific assessments from the Nationality & Borders Act 2022.
Labour MPs barely said a word

When Sir Keir Starmer hailed the sunlight of hope at his landslide election victory in July, he promised Britain an age of national renewal.

Some 220 newly-elected backbench Labour MPs flooded into Westminster, and Sir Keir proudly declared in his opening speech to the Commons that Parliament was more diverse than it had ever been.

But since loudly trumpeting in the new era of Labour, the partys newbie MPs have been decidedly quiet. In fact, some have barely spoken in the House of Commons at all since they were elected.

Telegraph analysis of parliamentary records has found 47 backbench MPs have spoken fewer than 10 times in the House of Commons since the general election last summer.

Of these, the overwhelming majority (40) are Labour MPs, with the newest Labour MPs making up two-thirds (28). Some have officially spoken on just three occasions since they were called to serve and others even less.

Broader analysis of spoken contributions to the Commons, Westminster Hall debates and the submission of written questions showed 220 Labour backbench MPs elected for the first time last year have made only 43 contributions to Parliament on average.

Records show the new Labour intake made an average of 27 spoken contributions in the House of Commons, six in Westminster Hall and 10 contributions through written questions.

In contrast, the intake of newly elected Tory backbenchers made 80 contributions across the combined three metrics, while new Liberal Democrat MPs made 62 contributions on average.

Juliet Campbell, the Labour MP for Broxtowe, was singled out as one of the worst offenders. Records show she has made three spoken contributions in the Commons since being elected in the constituency of Broxtowe in July. Ms Campbell said: An MPs role takes many forms and the parliamentary work I do is a matter of public record.

Other backbench Labour MPs who have made fewer than ten contributions across Westminster, including via written questions and debates include Alison Taylor, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, who has spoken just once since her election in July.

She said: As many will be aware the job of an MP is much more than simply speaking in Parliament. My priority is representing my constituents. I have been active since the election in listening to constituents, assisting with problems they encounter and acting on their behalf.

Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative MP for Huntingdon said: An MPs job is to represent their constituents in Parliament. With 400 MPs you would expect to see the Government benches always full, but they only ever are for PMQs.

Maureen Burke, MP for Glasgow North East, has spoken only four times since her election. Margaret Mullane, the MP for Dagenham and Rainham, and Tom Collins, the MP for Worcester, have each made a total of seven contributions.

Josh Dean the MP for Hertford and Stortford and Jade Botterill, the MP for Ossett and Denby Dale, have only spoken five times in the Commons since their election.

A small number of the new Labour MPs are silent for reasons out of their control: Kate Dearden has spoken only once in her maiden speech because she is a whip and therefore cannot speak in the House. Elsie Blundell, who has spoken only twice, has been on maternity leave.

The youngest members of the new Labour cohort are also quieter in the Commons than average, data show.

Analysis of the contributions of Labours Gen Z MPs born after 1997 shows five have made just 35 contributions each since last years election, including just 22 spoken contributions in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir Starmers newbie MPs have been decidedly quiet, some barely speaking in the House of Commons since they were elected - House of Commons/Getty Images

Josh Dean, born at the turn of the millennium, has made a total of just six interventions and one written statement.

Meanwhile, Sam Carling, the 22-year-old MP for North West Cambridgeshire and so-called Baby of the House, has made just nineteen interventions and fifteen written questions.

William Yarwood of the TaxPayers Alliance said: Being an MP isnt a taxpayer-funded free ride. Its about standing up for your constituents in Parliament and making their voices heard.

For those whose MP has gone missing in action, its time to speak up and demand better representation from them.

The Telegraph analysed all parliamentary sessions in the House of Commons and Westminster Hall since the election in July last year and Jan 28.

We also looked at every written question sent to ministers since the election.

All the MPs mentioned were approached for comment.
Feature: Chinese New Year celebrations bring festive joy to Japan's Yokohama

Xinhua) 10:03, February 01, 2025

TOKYO, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Amid the sounds of firecrackers and drums, a blue-and-white lion danced to the rhythm of the beat, gracefully moving its head to interact with the engaged audience in Japan's Yokohama Chinatown.

With a sharp clang of the gong, the lion suddenly leapt up and snatched a red envelope hanging from an archway, drawing an enthusiastic applause from the crowd.

The traditional "cai qing", which refers to the act during the lion dance where the lion picks or takes offerings that are hung in front of shops or at celebratory venues, is one of the most captivating performances during the Spring Festival celebrations in Yokohama.

"The lion dance is not just a performance, it is also a way to pray for peace and prosperity. Shop owners prepare red envelopes in advance, hoping for a visit from the lion, as it is believed to bring good fortune and a thriving business in the coming year," a lion dance team member told reporters on Wednesday.

The celebrations have drawn visitors from in and outside the city. Kurihara Moe, who traveled from Tokyo with friends, said, "It's so lively here, it feels just like being in China!"

Yokohama Chinatown's Spring Festival celebration has a history of nearly 40 years. Initially featuring dance performances on a special stage, it has since grown into one of the most representative Chinese New Year celebrations in Japan, thanks to the expansion of the local Chinese community and the increasing influence of Chinese culture.

This year marks the first Spring Festival since it was officially inscribed on UNESCO's list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, further amplifying the festive atmosphere.

The celebrations will continue until the Lantern Festival, featuring more than 50 event sites, making it the largest edition to date. Highlights include Peking opera, face-changing performances, parades, and fireworks displays.

Food is also an essential part of the festivities in Yokohama Chinatown. The streets were lined with restaurants offering a variety of Chinese cuisine, from Sichuan and Shandong to Huaiyang and Cantonese dishes. The aroma of steamed soup dumplings, crispy spring rolls, and grilled skewers fills the air, enticing visitors to indulge.

One particularly popular stall specializes in panda-shaped meat buns. A group of young Japanese women eagerly took photos of their freshly bought buns before taking a bite. "Pandas are such a symbol of China, and combining them with meat buns is so creative. They look so cute that we almost don't want to eat them!" they said.

Traditional customs such as lighting incense, offering paper money, and drawing fortune sticks have been brought to Japan by the local Chinese community.

Volunteers explained Chinese Lunar New Year traditions to tourists, with many Japanese and Western visitors joining in to experience the authentic "flavor of the New Year."

"I never expected to feel such a strong sense of home while celebrating abroad," said a Chinese visitor attending the festival with his family. "The crowd and the festivities all remind me of home."

Among the attendees was Nanpo Doichi, a Japanese enthusiast of Chinese culture, dressed in traditional Hanfu. He proudly shared his social media account, filled with posts about Yokohama Chinatown's customs and traditions.

"I want to introduce the food and lifestyle here to more people, so they can better understand Chinese culture," he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
New York, US (PANA) - The head of UN peacekeeping operations said on Friday he was concerned about the unprecedented presence since December of Israeli armed forces in the Golan buffer zone between Israel and Syria, which is supposed to remain demilitarized
Boris Johnson and Priti Patel

In a disastrous interview this week, an unrepentant Priti Patel sought to defend her record as Home Secretary under Boris Johnson  and by extension the near quadrupling of net migration to 906,000 under the system she herself put in place.

But the most egregious of the last governments many failings on migration is captured not by the appalling headline numbers, but by the utter madness that was bubbling beneath the surface.

Recently, when looking into health and care visas, I noticed that in the first six months of 2024 we issued 1,063 health and care visas to Zimbabwean workers. At the same time 10,670 Zimbabwean dependants came in via the same route  some alongside those workers, others presumably joining workers who arrived in 2021 to 2023. In any case, it was a frankly insane ratio that should have set alarm bells ringing.

The health and care visa itself began as a temporary measure, to ease the pressure on the NHS during the Covid pandemic. But as with so many aspects of our immigration system, what started out as a short-term fix ended up as a permanent fixture  a door jammed open to mass, low-wage migration (58 per cent of actual workers on the route are social carers, generally on rock-bottom salaries; just 5 per cent are doctors).

As highlighted in the Centre for Policy Studies report Taking Back Control last May, the justification for the health and care route was based on laughably bad modelling. The Department for Health and Social Care estimated that 6,000 migrants a year would make use of it. Other departments thought it could be as high as 40,000. In fact, in 2023 alone, 348,000 migrants received a health and care visa  58 times the DHSC projection.

Overall, 647,000 migrants received health and care visas from January 2021 to June 2024  270,000 workers and their 377,000 dependants. Thats 1.4 dependents per worker, which doesnt sound too bad on the face of it. Except that this could still  if Office for Budget Responsibility analysis of low-wage migration is correct  entail a life-time net fiscal cost running into the tens of billions of pounds.

The poorly regulated health and care visa has also been subject to awful abuse, adding all sorts of extra costs  not to mention human suffering. In 2022 there was a 606 per cent increase in the number of modern slavery cases in the care sector, with more than 700 potential victims. Last February, it was revealed that a single testing centre in Ibadan, Nigerias third largest city, had provided at least 719 people  1.7 per cent of all Nigerians then on the visa  with fraudulent qualifications. They ended up as NHS nurses and midwives.

The health and care route, like most other visa routes, also shows very different outcomes for different nationalities. For instance, Australian workers on the route only bring 0.39 dependants on average. And rather than being minimum-wage care workers, 37 per cent of those Australians are doctors, and another 42 per cent paramedics.

Returning to our Zimbabwe example, we have occupation data for 32,600 health and care workers who have arrived since January 2021. A handful will almost certainly be net fiscal contributors  nine were biochemists, 19 were midwives and 102 were doctors (though why we are taking clinicians from an NHS recruitment red list country where the infant mortality rate is 34 per 1,000 live births is another matter). But the vast majority, over 92 per cent, were social carers.

Had the Conservatives set out to design an immigration system to be as far as possible from the brightest and best of Patels description, they could hardly have come up anything better than the health and care visa  importing huge numbers of low-wage workers and their dependents while permitting alarming levels of fraud under the cuddly cloak of our NHS. And while the Tories might have paid the price at the ballot box last year, the country as a whole could be paying for the consequences for decades to come.
The remains of a home and a truck that were consumed by the Eaton fire in Altadena, California. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which killed at least 29 people and burned across about 60 sq miles (155 sq km) around Los Angeles, have been fully contained.

Californias department of forestry and fire protections announcement on Friday came more than three weeks after the two blazes battered this highly populated area of southern California, laying waste to entire neighborhoods  including Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Containment refers to how much of a perimeter has been established around a fire to prevent it from growing, according to NBC News.

The Palisades fire erupted on 7 January south of Malibu, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The blaze began as a brush fire and rapidly spread amid southern Californias arid conditions.

That night, the Eaton fire broke out in Los Angeles county. This blaze started in the Angeles national forests foothills, according to NBC News and, like the Palisades fire, was fueled by dry conditions.

Related: California officials investigate utilities company in search for cause of fires

The Palisades fire engulfed 23,448 acres (9,489 hectares) and the Eaton fire burned 14,021 (5,674), officials said, and both infernos were made more powerful by the strong Santa Ana winds. Early estimates put economic losses at more than $250bn.

Authorities are now probing the fires origins. With the Palisades fire, investigators are studying whether a small fire, which firefighters thought they had extinguished, was rekindled by hurricane-force winds across the area, the Los Angeles Times said.

Officials investigating the Eaton fire are examining whether utilities played a role. LA superior court judge Ashfaq G Chowdhury ordered Southern California Edison to preserve its equipment, data and evidence related to the Eaton blaze, according to the Times.

A handful of homeowners have sued Southern California Edison, claiming that its equipment sparked the fire. Authorities are focusing on the base of an electrical tower on an Eaton Canyon hill.

Area residents recorded photos and video of what could be the first flames from the Eaton fire, which appear to be at the bottom of an electrical transmission tower before it spread downhill toward houses, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Southern California Edison has been linked to multiple wildfires. Investigators determined that faulty equipment spurred 2017s Thomas fire and 2018s Woolsey fire, which killed three people and caused $6bn in damage.

Southern California Edison has said it will cooperate with authorities.

While this remains an ongoing investigation, were continuing our commitment to transparency and well continue to fully cooperate with the investigation, Kathleen Dunleavy, a Southern California Edison spokesperson, said.

California has previously seen wildfires sparked by other utility equipment. The Camp fire, which left 85 people dead and razed the town of Paradise, started when a century-old piece of power equipment malfunctioned and spewed sparks into brush.

The Pacific Gas and Electric utility company pleaded guilty to dozens of counts of involuntary manslaughter and settled with local municipalities for $560m and survivors of the Camp fire, and other fatal infernos, for $13.5bn. Pacific Gas and Electric equipment also caused the Zogg and Dixie wildfires in California.

 This article was amended on 2 February 2025 because an earlier version located the Pacific Palisades north of Malibu, rather than south.
Driving instructors criticised Lewisham council for creating high traffic neighbourhoods - ljubaphoto/iStockphoto

One of Londons biggest driving test centres has been forced to close because a low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) created inadequate road environments.

The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has shut the Hither Green Test Centre after examiners struggled to find routes that adequately tested learner drivers following widespread road closures.

Local driving instructors have criticised the Labour-run Lewisham Council for introducing LTNs that created high traffic neighbourhoods where learner drivers routinely became stuck in congestion on boundary roads.

The closure of the south London test centre comes at a time when learners are waiting up to six months to get an exam prompting the Government to introduce a recruitment drive for examiners to try to tackle the nightmare backlog.

In January, the DVSA sent a letter to instructors stating that the centre, which opened in 1973, was to close from Feb 1.

The letter, seen by the Telegraph, says: We have identified a number of issues affecting safety and quality of driving tests at Hither Green due to inadequate road environments, logistical constraints and repetitive routes.

The centre is right next to the controversial Lewisham and Lee Green LTN introduced in July 2020.

Clem Rose, who runs Quality Drive, stopped teaching in the area shortly after the LTN was introduced.

The LTN made lessons last twice as long because there was so much congestion and traffic shifted onto boundary roads, he said.

Its absurd. Its not a low traffic neighbourhood because it created a high traffic neighbourhood elsewhere.

He added how key manoeuvres that students had to learn  such as parallel parking  became difficult to teach due to the increased traffic.

It comes amid a nationwide backlog for driving tests that first began during the pandemic.

Hassan Forson, who runs Peckham-based Forson Driving School, said examiners struggled to work out which roads were open at what times making it difficult to plan test routes.

Some roads are closed to cars which means traffic is transferred to other routes increasing congestion, he said. You cant have students taking a test and simply being stuck in traffic.

The difficulty for examiners is knowing which roads they can go on at which time.

Instructors say the new LTN roads that have a 20mph limit are creating a lot of traffic and not challenging enough for learner drivers - Carl Court/Getty

After Lewisham became a borough-wide 20mph zone in 2016 examiners and instructors had to drive just over a mile to reach the south circular to get out of third gear, another instructor said.

One learner driver wrote on social media how his instructor told him the closure was because Lewisham [has been] making too many changes to the road layouts with LTNs and speed limits meaning they cant do their usual routes effectively within the test time.

A DVSA spokesman said: Driving test routes are constantly reviewed and updated to ensure that they fully test a candidates road knowledge and skills.

Due to a number of issues affecting the safety and quality of driving tests which are carried out in the area, we have decided to close Hither Green driving test centre and relocate tests to nearby sites. No tests will be lost.

As is longstanding policy, local authorities are best placed to decide what traffic management schemes work for residents, but they should always be developed through engagement with local communities. There are no plans to change this.

He added that where changes to road layout  such as traffic calming measures  impact DVSAs ability to conduct a meaningful test on an existing route, DVSA will review test routes and if necessary, explore a change of testing site location.

The DVSA said it responded to a council consultation about the proposed introduction of the LTN in 2021.

The council, however, said it cannot find any representations from the DVSA.

A Lewisham Council spokeswoman said: Lewisham is far from the only borough to have road closures, school streets and 20mph speed limits. To the best of our knowledge, weve not been contacted by the DVSA regarding the closure. Weve looked through the original consultation and cannot find any representations from the DVSA.

After the council introduced the LTN in July 2020 as part of the Governments response to the pandemic, it conducted a survey which found that out of 7,065 responses, 60 per cent opposed a revised LTN while only 40 per cent were in favour or neutral.

It had amended the scheme before making it permanent, with the then mayor claiming it was an attempt to help tackle a world facing a climate emergency.
A wheelchair user at home; less than 1% of newly approved homes in London met standard of being designed for wheelchair users. Photograph: baranozdemir/Getty Images

Just 3% of new homes granted planning approval in London last year are suitable for older or disabled people to live in, according to a new report on accessible housing in the capital.

The report by disabled peoples organisation Inclusion London also found that less than 1% of newly approved homes are designed so wheelchair users can live in them.

The low compliance rates are despite Mayor Sadiq Khan setting out that all new housing should meet one of these standards.

Inclusion Londons report, which will be published next week, sets out the housing difficulties faced by disabled people in the capital, and highlights the harm inaccessible housing causes to disabled peoples mental and physical health.

It is a scandal that compliance with accessibility targets in London is so low, said Tracey Lazard, CEO of Inclusion London. It is a clear indication that its not a priority at all levels to build the homes disabled people need.

She said the lack of accessible housing was due to poor monitoring, lack of resources, and the current system allowing developers to cut corners.

Our research reveals a shocking shortage of accessible homes across all tenures in London, but it is particularly acute in the social rented sector, she added.

Using figures from the Planning London Datahub, Inclusion London found just 3% of homes that secured planning approval in London in 2023/24 met the building regulation which ensures housing is suitable for occupation by older people, those with reduced mobility and some wheelchair users.

Related: I never feel safe: meet the people at the very sharpest end of the housing crisis - disabled millennials

Just 0.8% of newly approved homes in 2023/24 met the tougher standard of being designed for wheelchair users to live in.

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: It is the responsibility of local planning authorities to determine whether planning applications comply with the London Plan. We continue to work with local authorities to ensure more homes meet the needs of all Londoners.

A ministry for housing, communities and local government spokesperson said it would be setting out its policies on accessible new-build housing shortly.

Inclusion London also sent freedom of information requests to all London councils, which the Observer extended to the whole of England. Together, these show that 55,249 people are waiting for disabled-access socially rented homes, based on figures from around half the councils in England.

Steph, who lives in west London, has multiple chronic health conditions that that she calls dynamic disability because they fluctuate regularly. She first applied for accessible social housing when she was 18. After a while, the council offered her temporary accommodation in a supported housing unit designed for neurodivergent young people. She was the only resident with physical disabilities.

They were like, you just do it for two years, after two years you will definitely get moved into permanent, accessible housing, she told the Observer.

But her tiny flat was not wide enough for her mobility aids, and stopped her qualifying for an NHS electric wheelchair because she couldnt use it at home. Her bathroom wasnt step-free and was made from fibreglass, akin to an aeroplane toilet.

In order to have a shower you had to sit on the toilet, because they couldnt fit any seat. For 13 years it was like that. They couldnt put any grabrails because its fibreglass, she said.

On top of that, she wasnt allowed to make any adaptations because it was classed as temporary accommodation.

She said: Many disabled people live in temporary accommodation where adaptations arent permitted because its considered temporary, yet many of us stay there for years, making it far from temporary.

After 13 years in temporary housing  part of 16 years spent on the waiting list for permanent housing  she was finally able to move into accessible council housing last summer, a new-build development that won an award before it even opened. But more problems have arisen since. The eco-friendly heating system takes four hours to raise the temperature by one or two degrees. Temperature limits on the bathwater stop it getting hot enough, meaning her carers have to bring water from the kitchen. There is no wifi connection.

The only lift in her building breaks down repeatedly  most recently on New Years Eve, leaving her stranded for 10 days while the council failed to fix it or get her out. In that time the heating also broke down, while the main automatic street-level door stopped working. After she caught an infection and an ambulance came round, she was moved into a hotel, where she is now. The council has said she can return to the lengthy housing waiting list as they no longer think her flat is suitable.

Councils dont realise that disabled people communicate and have safe spaces to share our experiences. We uncover many ongoing issues  it is not a one-off. These failures happen repeatedly, and promises are constantly broken.
Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day 2024 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Photograph: Barry Reeger/AP

Pennsylvanias governor, Josh Shapiro, is claws out in a dispute with animal rights organization Peta over Groundhog Day, pushing back against activists who suggested that the world-famous marmot Punxsutawney Phil should be replaced with a cake.

Punxsutawney Phil headlines the yearly Groundhog Day festival in this small Pennsylvania town. The mythos surrounding this event maintains that this woodchuck can predict whether spring will start early, depending on whether he sees his shadow when exiting his nest.

Groundhog Day takes place on 2 February. Sundays event marks its 139th year.

A dispute between Shapiro and Peta started to unfold on 21 January when the organization sent a letter to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Clubs president, Tom Dunkel, with a controversial pitch.

Peta will deliver a delicious Weather Reveal vegan cake each Groundhog Day in perpetuity if Dunkel agrees to let Punxsutawney Phil and his family retire to a reputable sanctuary, a move that will earn the outfit kudos from wildlife fans, the group said in a press release.

In a fun play on viral gender reveal videos, Petas tasty treat would be cut to expose one of two colors: blue, signifying six more weeks of winter, or pink, indicating an early spring, the group explained in its pun-filled note. (Among Petas jeux de mots: This would allow you to still make tourism dough while showing Phil a slice of decency.)

Shapiro didnt bite. The Democrat said, Come and take it, in a 31 January tweet.

Peta responded to Shapiros taunt on Saturday, replying to his X post: Its wonderful that you support Phils rehabilitation and release to a sanctuary! How would you like us to arrange pick up for him?

Asked for comment on the ongoing dispute, Shapiros office said that he stood firm in support of Phil.

The governor is dead serious in his defense of this historic Pennsylvania tradition and remains committed to protecting Punxsutawney Phil and the inner circle, and the role they play in the Groundhog Day celebration, Manuel Bonder, Shapiros press secretary, told the Guardian.

The defense of Punxsutawney Phil made for strange bedfellows, WCHS noted.

I agree with Governor Shapiro on something, wrote Gabriella Hoffman, director of the Independent Womens Forum Center for Energy and Conservation. Peta is terrible.

Groundhog Day traces its root to pre-Christian holidays feting seasonal turning points, according to the Library of Congress. When western European groups such as the Celts were converted to Christianity, church officials could not get them to abandon these festivals.

The first of February, among the days feting seasonal turning points, broadened into 2 February, transitioning into Candlemas, according to the Library of Congress. An English folk song showed that Candlemas became associated with weather prediction, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

When this belief arrived in Germany, it came to include the hedgehog. In German lore, if the hedgehog saw his shadow on Candlemas Day there would be a Second Winter or six more weeks of bad weather. German immigrants to the US brought their traditions but had to adapt to the lack of hedgehogs, the club said.

They picked another hibernating mammal: the groundhog.

Groundhog Day now brings 20,000-30,000 tourists to the area each year, according to WTAE. Tourists dont seem to mind that Phils calls arent all that accurate, with scientists determining that a mere 35% of his predictions have been correct.
The conservative-leaning One America News will now have desk space at the Pentagon. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Trump administrations program to shake up media representation at official briefings and press calls in Washington is set to affect the Pentagon, with credentialed media being rotated out of assigned workspaces for media newcomers.

The conservative-leaning One America News Network will replace NBC News, Breitbart will be given space held by National Public Radio, the New York Post has been offered the New York Times workspace and HuffPost will replace Politico.

The changes will take place on 14 February in what the Pentagon calls a new annual media rotation program, according to an internal memo seen by CNN.

The moves are largely symbolic as outlets are not losing access to Pentagon briefings, but are in keeping with the Trump administrations plans to mix the access of traditional news outlets with a cohort of non-traditional news outlets, including podcasters, bloggers and TikTokers.

On Friday, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, threw the opening question to John Ashbrook, host of the Ruthless Podcast, which Leavitt described as one of the most influential podcasts in the US.

The press secretary said the White House had been flooded with more than 10,000 applications for the new new media seat in the cramped White House briefing room.

Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Ullyot said in a memo to the Pentagon press association that the switch-up at the defense departments headquarters would broaden access to the limited space of the Correspondents Corridor to outlets that have not previously enjoyed the privilege and journalistic value of working from physical office space in the Pentagon.

However, one of the newly favored outlets, HuffPost, formerly Huffington Post, doesnt have a Pentagon correspondent.

If the Trump administration and Secretary Hegseth are interested in more hard-hitting coverage of their stewardship of the defense department from HuffPost, we are ready to deliver, a spokesperson for the outlet told CNN.

A spokesperson for the New York Times said the move to expel the paper and other independent news outlets from the Pentagons press spaces was a concerning development.

The Department of Defense has the largest discretionary budget in the government, millions of Americans in uniform under its direction and control of a vast arsenal funded by taxpayers. The Times is committed to covering the Pentagon fully and fairly. Steps designed to impede access are clearly not in the public interest, the paper added in an email statement.

NBC News said it was disappointed by the decision to deny us access to a broadcasting booth at the Pentagon that weve used for many decades and said it would continue to report with the same integrity and rigor as it always had.

The partially publicly funded national radio outlet NPR told the Guardian in a statement that it would continue to report with vigor and integrity on the transformation this administration has promised to deliver and urged the Pentagon to expand the offices available to press within the building so that all outlets covering the Pentagon receive equal access.

Additionally, NPR noted that the decision interferes with the ability of millions of Americans to directly hear from Pentagon leadership, and with NPRs public interest mission to serve Americans who turn to our network of local public media stations in all 50 states.

Kevin Baron, a former vice-president of the Pentagon Press Association, called the changes the erasure of journalism at the Pentagon in a series of posts on X.

Baron said the existing outlets were being replaced with fake news partisans like Breitbart, OANN, and NY Post. And HuffPo (they still exist?) for fake balance. Trump/MAGAs fascist takeover of media coverage of the regime continues.
Emergency services survey the wreckage of the crash in Philadelphia - Anadolu

A six-year-old girl and her mother are among seven people dead after a medical jet plunged to the ground in northern Philadelphia and burst into flames.

Four crew members on board the Learjet 55, which crashed in a densely-populated area near a shopping centre minutes after taking off on Friday night, were also killed, along with one person in a car.

At least 19 people were injured and were being treated in hospital after the jet nose-dived into a busy road and sent a fireball into the sky. Authorities said that the number could rise.

The young girl on board the medical jet was recovering from life-saving treatment in the US and was on her way back home to Tijuana, Mexico, where the plane was due to land after stopping to refuel in Missouri.

She had been in recovery in the US for months after undergoing a major procedure in September, sponsored by a benefactor, at Shriners Childrens Hospital in Philadelphia.

A hospital spokesman said they were heartbroken to confirm that one of their patients was onboard on Friday.

All of those who died aboard the plane were Mexican nationals. None of the victims names have yet been released.

Footage of the incident shows the jet crashing around Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard in northeast Philadelphia, followed by a huge explosion.

One witness coming out of a nearby coffee shop claimed the plane was already on fire as it hurtled towards the ground and said that the sky turned red when it exploded.

He told The Telegraph that he had seen a man on fire walking around like he was in a daze before bystanders leapt in and tried to extinguish the flames.

It is unclear what caused the crash but Adam Thiel, the citys managing director, noted on Saturday that debris from the plane had been recovered from a remote area outside the immediate zone of impact, suggesting it may have malfunctioned during its brief flight.

However, he refused to confirm this explicitly when asked by reporters and said the investigation was ongoing.

Mr Thiel added that it would be days or more before the authorities would be able to confirm the final death toll from the disaster.

I want to be clear that we will find a cause for this tragedy, Cherelle Parker, the Philadelphia mayor, told a press conference on Saturday, saying investigators were poring over the crash site.

Investigators worked the scene as daylight broke over the city - Matt Rourke

Just feet away from where Ms Parker was speaking, oxygen canisters from the destroyed plane could be seen on the ground.

At a diner across the street, CCTV footage showed a man being hit in the head, apparently by a piece of debris from the crash, which took place roughly 300 yards away.

Residents have been urged to come forward if they know of any missing people who were in the area at the time that the plane crashed.

Five homes caught fire and the debris thrown from the shattered plane covered four to six blocks, authorities said. Some buildings have been left without power.

The Learjet was being operated by Jet Rescue Air. It marks the air ambulance companys second disaster in two years after one of its planes crash-landed at Cuernavaca Airport in Morelos, Mexico in 2023.

Shai Gold, a spokesman for Jet Rescue Air, described the Philadelphia crash as a terrible shock and said he knew some of the crew members personally.

We are in the process of notifying their families, he added.

ABC affiliate WPV

Ms Parker said that seven people had been killed in the tragedy and told reporters on Saturday: We mourn their loss and they are in our thoughts and in our prayers.

She added: Thus far our count is that there are 19 injured victims but this is not etched in stone. The investigation is ongoing.

Ms Parker thanked the White House for its assistance but avoided mentioning Donald Trump, with whom she has previously feuded, by name.

Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor, said he wanted to lift up state resources responding to the incident, having dispatched 50 members of the state police to help city officials.

The good people of northeast Philadelphia, as daybreak came, walked out from their homes and down from their stoops and saw carnage in their communities, he said.

They saw fuselage, they saw destruction, and saw things that nobody should ever have to experience in their neighbourhoods.

Meanwhile, the King said he was profoundly shocked and saddened by the Washington plane crash in a tribute to victims and emergency services.

The King thanked first responders who reacted so quickly to the mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight, on Wednesday night, which killed 67 people.

He said My family and I have been profoundly shocked and saddened by the dreadful news of the tragic air accident in Washington, DC, which has led to such a devastating loss of life.

Our hearts, and our special thoughts, are with the people of the United States and our deepest possible sympathy goes to the families and loved ones of all the victims.

I would also like to pay a particular tribute to the emergency responders who acted so quickly to this horrendous event.

It is still unclear what caused the crash, though Mr Trump has blamed the helicopter for flying too high, by a lot.

04:59 PM GMT

Live blog closed as press conference ends

The press conference has now ended. Among the main points were that 19 people were injured in the crash and one person died in their car.

Mayor Cherelle Parker, who gave the update, said that the plane was very early into its flight when it was apparent something had gone terribly wrong.

We will find a cause for this tragedy, she said.

Governor Josh Shapiro who spoke next said the city was working around the clock at the direction of a strong and steady mayor.

Asked by the White House Transport Secretary Sean Duffy if they needed additional resources, Mr Shapiro said, We do not

People saw carnage in their communities, saw fuselage, saw destruction.

Fire commissioner Adam Thiel said the number of casualties could change as his team carry out a deeper scan of what is a dense area.

This is a very large area with a lot of damage. We are still working in a number of different ways to assess that damage.

We have teams who are going literally house by house, and door to door so we can be sure that there is no hidden damage

It is entirely possible there will be changes to those casualty figure, he said.

He added that it will be days or more before the number is clear of the folks who perished in this tragedy.

Mayor Cherelle Parker says one other person died in their car died in the accident

04:46 PM GMT

Days or more before total number of deaths is clear

It will be days or more before the exact death toll can be determined, said Thiel.

04:45 PM GMT

Fire department doing grid search of dense area

Fire commissioner Adam Thiel said the area they are covering is very large and heavily damaged.

We are still working in a number of different ways to assess that damage.

He said rescue services are doing another grid search of four to six block area, a very dense area.

It is entirely possible that there will be changes to that casualy figures that you heard.

04:38 PM GMT

19 injured, one killed in addition to onboard fatalities

Philadelphias mayor says one person on the ground was killed and 19 were injured when an air ambulance crashed to the ground in a city neighborhood on Friday night.

Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed the casualties at a press conference Saturday. Six people on board a medical transport jet that crashed in Philadelphia were also killed. That is according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

04:37 PM GMT

Press conference underway

Mayor Cherelle Parker and Josh Shapiro have been giving an update on the crash in a press conference.

04:05 PM GMT

Red Cross has provided the following update following crash

The American Red Cross extends our deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by the tragic plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night. In partnership with the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management, Red Cross volunteers have opened a shelter at the Samuel Fels High School, 5500 Langdon Street, where four people spent Friday night.

We understand that people want to help and we appreciate that support. Right now, the Red Cross has what it needs to support the community. We ask the public not to bring material donations such as clothing or food to the shelter or Red Cross offices as we work with partners who are better equipped to handle such donations. The Red Cross is not accepting financial donations designated specifically for this event.

03:47 PM GMT

Mexican president confirms six dead in plane crash

Mexicos president said consular authorities are supporting the families of the six Mexicans who died in a plane crash on Saturday.

A child, her mother and four crew members were onboard the plane when it came down in a neighbourhood of Philadelphia.

Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said: I regret the death of six Mexicans in the plane crash in Philadelphia. The consular authorities are in permanent contact with the families. I have asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support them in whatever way is required. My solidarity with their loved ones and friends.

Debris litters the street after the plane crashed on Saturday - AP Photo/Matt Rourke

03:30 PM GMT

Many people injured in plane crash, says mayor

Many people have been injured in the plane crash in Philadelphia today, said the citys mayor, Cherelle Parker.

In an update on X, Ms Parker said people had lost their lives and that the damage from the crash was significant.

Video footage appeared to show the twin-engine plane descending at a sharp angle towards a residential area, sparking a huge fireball upon impact and showering wreckage over homes and vehicles.

Six Mexican nationals were onboard including a six-year-old child and her mother.

02:54 PM GMT

Watch: The moment the medical jet crashes in Philadelphia

This is the moment the jet crashed in Philadelphia en route to Missouri with a child and her mother on board.

RENATO SOUZA

02:40 PM GMT

Trump says his people are engaged following crash

President Donald Trump issued the following message in the wake of the plane crash in Philadelphia today:

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all.

02:17 PM GMT

Philadelphia crash second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue

The Philadelphia crash was the second fatal incident in 15 months for Jet Rescue. In 2023 five crewmembers were killed when their plane overran a runway in the central Mexican state of Morelos and crashed into a hillside.

Jet Rescue is based in Mexico and has operations both there and in the US.

01:51 PM GMT

Pictured: The immediate aftermath of the plane crash in Philadelphia

The plane had been on a medical transport mission - Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP
The crime scene at Normandale Park in Portland, Oregon, on 19 February 2022. Photograph: Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Reuters

The chief of police in Portland, Oregon, acknowledged this week that the force had misled the public about a deadly attack on traffic-safety volunteers before a Black Lives Matter protest in 2022, by wrongly telling the media that the gunman had been confronted by armed protesters.

In fact, as a visual investigation by the research group Forensic Architecture first published by the Guardian last year showed, the traffic-safety volunteers at the 19 February 2022 protest were unarmed, and trying to de-escalate the rightwing gunman when he opened fire.

The mass shooting, which claimed the lives of two people and left three others injured, was stopped by a volunteer armed guard for the protest who rushed to the scene, shot the gunman in the hip and disarmed him.

In a recorded video statement posted online Wednesday, Bob Day, the Portland police bureau chief, issued a public apology for the misinformation about the attack provided to the media by the police. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible pain and trauma this tragedy has caused, Day said. In addition, I want to recognize the role the Portland police bureau played in exacerbating that pain.

Following the shooting, PPB issued a news release calling the perpetrator of this violent act a homeowner, when in fact he was not, Day said. Additionally, the victims were mischaracterized as armed protesters when, in fact, they were unarmed traffic-safety volunteers.

Day acknowledged that, even after police detectives and prosecutors had viewed video of the assault, recorded on the helmet-camera of one victim, and used it in court against the attacker, 43-year-old Ben Smith, the false statement about a confrontation with armed protesters remained uncorrected on the police website. We did not clarify that this was an unprovoked attack on an innocent group, Day said. We understand the harm this error caused, and for that we are deeply sorry.

One gunshot victim, June Knightly, 60, died that night; a second, who used the nickname Deg, was left quadriplegic. In July 2024, Deg, 32, exercised her right to die by choosing to stop using the ventilator she needed to breathe.

Smith pleaded guilty in March 2023 to murder and attempted murder, and was sentenced to life in prison.

The shooting victims were part of a community of antifascist volunteers that formed spontaneously in 2020 to keep the racial justice protesters who filled Portlands streets day after day safe by redirecting traffic away from marchers, a role known as corking, providing them with emergency medical aid and using principles of de-escalation to talk down aggrieved bystanders.

As the Guardian reported last year, public records obtained by Forensic Architecture revealed that police officers responding to the mass shooting had been told that it was an anti-police protest. Officers then treated the gravely wounded survivors of the attack more like suspects than victims of a mass shooting.

The police chiefs effort to correct the record comes before the third anniversary of the attack, in response to pleas from the survivors, their families and community groups.

Related: A gunman killed and injured protesters at a BLM march. Why did police blame the victims?

In October, the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP), which is empowered by a court to monitor the PPB, screened the Forensic Architecture reconstruction of the attack. The committee met with Day recently and was about to issue a formal recommendation that he apologize when he did so.

The survivors of the attack also fault the mayor at the time, Ted Wheeler, for public comments he made before the shooting, in which he urged Portland residents to take their city back from the racial justice demonstrators, and suggested it was time to make it hurt them a little bit.

Before he left office at the end of December, Wheeler met with Degs mother, who urged him to issue a public apology for the way her daughters reputation, and that of her fellow victims, had been tarnished.

Instead, Wheeler sent her a private letter by email in which he wrote: Benjamin Smith perpetrated senseless and horrific violence that night at Normandale Park on people who had done nothing wrong. I also recognize that incredible harm was compounded by the early reporting from the Portland Police Bureau and the failure to unequivocally correct the record. Please accept my apology as Mayor and Police Commissioner.

Before he left office, Wheeler did agree that the city would work with survivors of the attack and people who live near the park to create a permanent memorial to the victims.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves was challenged by green groups that a third runway would benefit the UK economy. Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Reuters

Rachel Reeves was facing criticism on Saturday night as it was confirmed that a report she cited as evidence that a third runway at Heathrow would boost the UK economy was commissioned by the airport itself.

Related: Reevess Heathrow expansion plans leave Labours green agenda grounded

Experts and green groups also challenged Reevess view that advances in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) had been a gamechanger that would substantially limit the environmental damage of flying, saying the claims were overblown and did not stand up to scrutiny.

In a speech in Oxford heralding her commitment to leave no stone unturned in the search for economic growth, the chancellor said a new runway would create 100,000 new jobs and connect the UK to emerging markets all over the world, opening up new opportunities for growth.

She added: According to the most recent study from Frontier Economics, a third runway could increase potential GDP by 0.43% by 2050.

In addition, 60% of that boost would go to areas outside London and the south-east, she said.

The Frontier Economics consultancy has since confirmed to the Observer that it had been commissioned by Heathrow to write the report, which it insisted had been an entirely independent exercise. Heathrow confirmed it had asked Frontier Economics to do the work. It has published an executive summary online, not the entire report.

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) thinktank criticised the chancellor on Saturday night for the justifications she gave for backing a third runway, saying it also believed the methodology used had previously been judged unreliable by the Department for Transport.

Alex Chapman, senior economist at the NEF, said: It is very concerning that the chancellor appears to be basing her support for Heathrow expansion on a figure from a report commissioned by Heathrow airport.

Even more worrying is the fact that the methodology they have applied is one that the Department for Transport has previously decided is not fit for purpose, and that the report uses forecast data supplied by the airport itself.

Heathrow expansion represents a major threat to the UKs climate goals and flies in the face of scientific advice. To ensure that the claimed economic benefits are concrete, assessments should be carried out by independent government economists following best-practice methodology.

NEFs analysis has identified a wide range of weaknesses in the economic case, which have emerged since it was last fully appraised in 2015. Not least, the decline of business air travel, the surge in outbound leisure travel and the negative impacts on wider regions of the UK  all of which erode the potential growth benefit.

Analysis by climate crisis website Carbon Brief suggests that, using the governments own figures, SAF will barely cut emissions by 2040, and any reduction will be wiped out by rising flight numbers.

Separately, in 2023, the Royal Society found that to grow enough crops  biofuels  to make all UK aviation fuel sustainable would require about half of UK agricultural land.

A spokesperson at Frontier Economics defended its record as a well-regarded consultancy.

Frontier Economics is one of the most respected economic consultancies in Europe. We have worked for stakeholders across the aviation industry, including the UK government, the Civil Aviation Authority and airlines.

They, and Heathrow, value our analysis precisely because it is unbiased. In this particular case, our results broadly match those previously found by the independent Airports Commission and the Department for Transport. We recognise this is a complex issue; our report is clear about all aspects: the costs, the benefits, the overall impact and the uncertainties.

Aoife OLeary, chief executive of non-governmental organisation Opportunity Green, said increasing the number of flights in and out of the UK would not drive the economic growth Reeves was so desperate to deliver.

Related: What would Heathrow third runway mean for pollution, emissions and noise?

Business travel represents a dwindling share of flights, while foreign tourists coming into the UK and boosting our economy are outnumbered three to one by UK tourists leaving the UK to spend money abroad, taking net 41bn out of the economy. If the government wants growth, better options for investment include boosting connectivity outside London with improved domestic public transport. She also said that SAF was essentially a mirage.

She added: Yes, these fuels are biofuels made from crops, cooking oils and other sources of plant biomass. But producing them takes up huge amounts of land, endangering food security and biodiversity. Indeed, very little of these fuels even exist today and producing them at anything like the scale that will be needed to decarbonise aviation would be totally incompatible with any notions of sustainability.

The Treasury was approached for comment.
Russian submarines in the Syrian Mediterranean port of Tartus in 2019. The Syrian governments intentions are unclear in regard to Moscows forces that helped keep Assad in power for decades. Photograph: Maxime Popov/AFP/Getty Images

A fire onboard a Russian spy ship off the coast of Syria has underlined the poor state of the Russian navy as its toehold in the Mediterranean hangs in the balance, analysts and western security services say.

The 55-year-old Kildin got into trouble off the Syrian coast last Thursday, when flames and thick black smoke could be seen billowing from its funnel and it hoisted two black balls up its mast, signifying that the crew no longer had control of the vessel.

The ship notified a nearby Togolese-flagged cargo freighter, the Milla Moon, that it was unable to steer and warned it to stay at least 2km away. The Russian crew assembled on the Kildins aft deck and uncovered the lifeboats, but did not ask for help, and after five hours fighting the fire the Kildin restarted its engines and got under way again.

According to western security services, the ship was in the eastern Mediterranean to monitor events in Syria after the fall in December of the Moscow ally Bashar al-Assad, as the Russian navy began to move military equipment out of the part of the Tartus port it controls.

The western sources argued that the Kildin fire, after another blaze two months earlier on the Russian missile frigate the Admiral Gorshkov, revealed Russias maritime presence in the area to be in a state of disrepair and disarray. They said that, at the same time that the Kildin was in distress, two other Russian naval vessels, the landing ships Ivan Gren and the Aleksandr Otrakovsky were also adrift temporarily without control of navigation.

Michael Kofman, an expert on the Russian military at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said that mishaps on Russian naval vessels were nothing new, and not confined to the Mediterranean.

The Russian navy has historically struggled with maintenance and readiness issues. Fires are not uncommon. Operations are undoubtedly taking a toll on an ageing Russian fleet, which lacks sufficient maintenance and support facilities, Kofman said.

Those problems could become much more severe if the new rulers in Damascus, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), deprive Russia of the use of the Tartus base. So far, Moscow has kept a toehold in post-Assad Syria, at Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase, but the new governments longer-term intentions are unclear in regard to the forces that helped keep the Assad regime in power for decades.

Last week, the HTS cancelled a 2019 contract with a Russian company, ending its control of the Tartus commercial port, which Moscow had hoped would be a $500m hub for exporting Russian agricultural products to the wider Middle East. That was a bad omen for the naval base, said Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow on sea power at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) in London.

The cancellation of the commercial arrangement is the writing on the wall for the navy, given how hand-in-hand the commercial and the strategic positions were, Kaushal said.

The loss of Tartus would turn chronic problems in the Russian fleet into a crisis, he argued.

The Russian navy, post cold war, wasnt really built for endurance, Kaushal said. They built smaller vessels that they could build more rapidly, and packed them very heavily with missiles. That is very useful if youre defending your own coastal waters but [over longer distances] the smaller the vessel, the more acute the maintenance problems.

He added: This is, and always has been, an issue for the Russians, but the issue will become much more significant in light of the potential loss of Tartus.

Moscow is looking for alternatives in the Mediterranean, but all the options are problematic, according to a Rusi paper this month by Kaushal and Cmdr Edward Black, a former Royal Navy mine clearance diving officer now a visiting fellow at the institute.

Algeria is a longstanding Russian ally, but Moscows activities in Mali, where Wagner group mercenaries prop up a military junta, have driven a wedge between the two countries.

In Sudans civil war, Russia switched allegiances last year from the Rapid Support Forces to the Sudan Armed Forces, in a move most observers believe to be aimed at securing the use of Port Sudan on the Red Sea. However, access from there to the Mediterranean is dependent on use of the Suez canal, and negotiations with the Sudanese authorities have floundered.

A third option would be eastern Libya, where two ports, Tobruk and Benghazi, are under the sway of a Russian-backed general, Khalifa Haftar, and there are already an estimated 2,000 Russian mercenaries in the region.

A Russian base in Libya is the most likely alternative to Tartus, the Rusi study suggests, but it pointed out that it would make Russias ailing Mediterranean fleet a hostage to Haftar and his future choice of allies, and is therefore fraught with political risk for Moscow.
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People protest against the execution of Marion Bowman in Columbia, South Carolina on Friday. Photograph: Erik Verduzco/AP

South Carolina has executed Marion Bowman Jr, a 44-year-old man who has maintained his innocence and in his final days became outspoken about the brutal conditions on death row.

The state, which has aggressively revived capital punishment after a 13-year pause, killed Bowman by lethal injection on Friday evening. It was the first execution in the US of the new year.

Bowman and his attorneys had been fighting for the courts to intervene and revisit his conviction, citing ineffective trial counsel, claims of withheld evidence and concerns about the drawn-out method of killing.

But on Thursday, the US supreme court rejected his final appeal, as his family pleaded for his life to be spared.

Bowman is the third Black man to face execution in South Carolina in recent months, after the state was able to restock its supply of pentobarbital, a sedative. The cases have sparked protests over wrongful convictions, racial bias in capital punishment and the suffering caused by pentobarbital.

As the lethal injection process began, Bowman briefly looked at his lawyer in the room, then closed his eyes before his breaths became heavy, according to the Associated Press, which witnessed the execution. Roughly 20 minutes later, a medical professional listened to his chest and placed a hand on his neck, and Bowman was pronounced dead at 6.27pm local time.

Bowman, imprisoned for more than half his life, was convicted of the 2001 killing of Kandee Martin, a 21-year-old childhood friend. He has said he did not kill her and that he refused to accept a plea deal because of his innocence. His attorneys said the evidence used against him was not reliable: the primary witnesses implicating him were two men also charged in the crime who received reduced sentences, and a third man who had pending charges in a separate case, which were subsequently dropped.

His lawyers also argued that the state had withheld evidence casting doubt on the witnesses, including a memo outlining a claim that one of the witnesses had confessed to the shooting.

Bowmans legal team also argued in a recent petition that the lawyer who represented him at trial had been infected by his own racism, writing that the lawyer pressured him to plead guilty because he was Black and his victim was white.

Attorneys for the state responded that Bowman was rehashing arguments already litigated, and the South Carolina supreme court called his appeal meritless. The US supreme court rejected his petition relating to his trial counsels biases. His attorneys also unsuccessfully challenged the states use of pentobarbital, noting that an anesthesiologist who reviewed the autopsy of the last man executed by South Carolina said it appeared he consciously experienced feelings of drowning and that it took 23 minutes to kill him.

In his prepared last words, Bowman said: I did not kill Kandee Martin. Im innocent of the crimes Im here to die for  I know that Kandees family is in pain. They are justifiably angry. If my death brings them some relief and ability to focus on the good times and funny stories, then I guess it will have served a purpose. I hope they find peace.

He continued: Living behind these walls has taught me a lot about loss and grief. It is never easy, but I have learned to find comfort in sharing good memories and funny stories. My suffering will soon be at an end, but I know it is the beginning for others. Please keep your head up, remember I love you, and please share your memories of me.

On Wednesday, Lorraine Johnson, Bowmans aunt, had pleaded for his sentence to be commuted, noting he was close with his daughter and deserved to build a relationship with his newborn granddaughter.

Marion is someone who would do anything for someone else if he is able. He has been a kindhearted person ever since he was a child, she said in a statement.

In an unusual move, Bowman opted not to request clemency from the states governor, with his lawyer, Lindsey Vann, saying on Thursday that Bowman could not in good conscience ask for a supposed mercy that would require him to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he did not commit. The decision was a powerful refusal to legitimize an unjust process that has already stolen so much of his life, the lawyer said.

No South Carolina governor has granted clemency to a capital defendant in the modern death penalty era. South Carolinas governor has typically waited minutes before the execution to declare his decision, a tradition advocates have described as cruel.

On Friday night, Vann called the execution an irreversible and tragic miscarriage of justice in a statement, saying the judicial system was more interested in a conviction than the truth.

After his arrest at just 20 years old, Marion grew into a loving caretaker who blessed his family, friends, fellow inmates and legal team. We will continue to fight for other victims of this broken system, she said.

The ACLU of South Carolina filed a lawsuit this week challenging a 2023 state law that keeps secret the identities of its suppliers of pentobarbital, a measure that allowed authorities to revive executions. Defendants are forced to choose how they will die  either lethal injection, firing squad or electrocution.

Related: Life on South Carolina death row: months of barbaric isolation before execution

The execution comes as Donald Trump has pledged to vigorously pursue capital punishment at the federal level. Joe Biden commuted most federal defendants sentenced to death before stepping down, but his clemency action did not affect people on state death rows like Bowman.

In earlier conversations with his lawyer, which were relayed to the Guardian, Bowman spoke out about the inhumane treatment of people on death row placed on execution watch. In September, when the state said he was in line to be killed, he was moved to a solitary cell, with nearly 24/7 isolation, cut off from the men on death row who had become his family over decades. He could touch both walls at the same time, lost access to many of his possessions, and had to wear full-body shackles and be led around with a dog leash anytime he left his cell.

These people have helped me survive this  people who never wouldve gotten together on the outside, who are so different, but still have so much humanity in common, Bowman said of the others on death row, separated from him in his final months.

A prison spokesperson earlier declined to comment on the conditions.

Boyd Young, one of Bowmans lawyers and a close friend of 15 years, said on Thursday that Bowman had been spending his final days writing goodbye letters and preparing to donate his possessions to other men on death row, including a chess set. He got his last meal on Wednesday, including fried oysters, shrimp and chicken, juice, chocolate cake and banana pudding  foods he likely hadnt had for decades. He ate alone.

He also got an opportunity to hold his granddaughter for the first time.

Hes way more than a client. Hes a family member, Young said, noting that Bowman built relationships with his wife and children, exchanging drawings and letters over the years. Killing him in no way makes the world a better place.

In Bowmans final letter to Young, he said: I never wanted to be writing this to you. It crushes my heart to do so. Man I LOVE YOU Brother! [From] the moment I met you, you was in my corner  Thank you [for] bringing so many people in [to] meet me and eventually grow to love me too. Bowman expressed gratitude to Young for making him an uncle to his children and taking him on trips around the world through the photos and postcards his family sent.

Bowmans letter concluded: Im stopping now before everything in me breaks. I love you for life, brother!

Bowman also wrote poetry while incarcerated and released a final poem just before his death titled Last Breath or Sigh.

It said, in part:

Let there be no mistaking  Ive felt love with every breath Ive taken. I hope Ive given a good return on that investment. So, when Ive breathed my last gasp, The good Lord just took back what He gave me as breath.

In his final words before execution, Bowman thanked his family and supporters and said of the other men on death row: None of these guys that I have gotten to know and grown to love are the people that they were when they had their moment that cost them everything  We all pray for grace and forgiveness, but the outside world is stuck with images of monsters perpetrated by the state, while our real voices are silenced. We are not what the state labels us to be. We are kind, caring, loving people, and its a shame the world cant see that.
Serbias powerful populist leader Aleksandar Vucic was facing his biggest challenge yet as student-led demonstrations intensified at the weekend in what was being called the Balkan countrys greatest ever protest movement.

Three months to the day after a concrete canopy collapsed at the entrance of Novi Sads railway station, tens of thousands of protesters converged on the northern city, blockading its three bridges in commemoration of the 15 people killed in the accident. The tragedy has been blamed squarely on government ineptitude and graft.

What we are seeing are the greatest street protests in the history of Serbia, said Dejan Bagaric, a masters student speaking from the city. Theres never been anything like it, people are really animated because everybody has had enough of corruption and this government is very corrupt.

Related: We are done with corruption: how the students of Serbia rose up against the system

Saturdays outpouring of dissent  the culmination of sit-ins and protests that began in November  have focused on what demonstrators have described as the governments striking unwillingness to accept any accountability for the tragedy. Reconstruction of the station was carried out in collaboration with a Chinese state consortium, as part of a large infrastructure project that critics contend paid little, if any, attention to safety regulations.

There was no transparency, no public tenders for the contract and then when the accident happened, no desire for justice, said Cedomir Stojkovic, a leading human rights lawyer who filed a criminal complaint that eventually spurred prosecutors to launch an inquiry. Instead, the government did what it always does, it went ahead with a full-scale cover-up. Theres a lot of solidarity, a lot of empathy for the students, more and more people are coming out in support of them, professors, farmers, everyone.

By last week the anti-government rallies had spread to more than 100 provincial towns and villages nationwide.

The scale of the protests had, said Stojkovic, proved beyond any doubt that the demonstrations were not only fuelled by disgust over corruption, an ill that has come to be identified with everything that is wrong with the EU candidate nation, but were a way for citizens to vent their unhappiness with their nationalist presidents increasingly authoritarian rule.

For a generation raised on the internet, knowledge of the world beyond impoverished Serbia is readily available. Also unprecedented is the ability to rapidly arrange protests by circumventing state-controlled media  tens of thousands of striking students participated in a 24-hour blockade of a major intersection in Belgrade last week.

Vucic had faced similar protests last year following allegations of rigged elections, facilitated, opponents say, by a media landscape that remains one of the most censored in Europe. Unlike these demonstrations, however, it was opposition parties, themselves often discredited, who led the backlash.

People want the government and Vucic to finally go, said Stojkovic, who participated as a student in mass protests over 25 years ago against Slobodan Milosevic, the late Yugoslav strongman and former president of Serbia, whose policies triggered the regions descent into bloodthirsty genocide. The protests paved the way to Milosevic eventually being toppled in 2000.

These students were children when Vucic became president eight years ago and they want democracy. Its been building up  this is the moment just before the balloon is pricked by the needle. It has caught [the government] unaware.

On Friday, as hundreds of students reached Novi Sad on foot after a two-day, 80km trek from Belgrade, Vucic, addressing the protests, told the nation: Our country is under attack, from abroad and from inside, echoing earlier claims that the protesters were working for unspecified foreign powers to oust the government.

The ruling Serbian Progressive party has tried to defuse the situation by releasing classified documents about the railway stations collapse and has even gone so far as to say it will meet all the students demands. This week, in what was seen as a first victory, Vucics close ally, prime minister Milos Vucevic, resigned but few believe the protests are about to fizzle out.

With youth unemployment at record levels and graduates forced in ever growing numbers to move abroad in search of work, there is a growing sense among young Serbs that there is little to lose.

To defy government crackdowns, the students have deliberately avoided being associated with a leadership of any sort, ensuring that decisions are taken in concert in plenary sessions.

We are not choosing violence and for now the government is not choosing violence either, Bagaric said at the protests in Novi Sad.

As the protests swelled, Sran Milivojevic, who leads the opposition Democratic party, said it was clear Serbias young demonstrators were now dictating events.

Its irrelevant how the government reacts, he said as he drove along the car-choked highway linking Belgrade with Novi Sad. The students are dictating the tempo of the protests and they will continue to do so until Vucic falls.
Leila Davis, stage name Cutie Whippingham, is the founder of pole-dancing troupe Blackstage

A pole-dancing troupe that aims to boost the number of ethnic minority, trans and non-binary polers and decolonise the industry has benefited from close to 100,000 in taxpayer funding.

Blackstage Pole campaigns for more diversity and runs events for performers who are black people and people of colour of all bodies and abilities, especially those who are queer, trans, non-binary and/or sex workers.

It claims the pole-dancing industry is too white and non-sex worker allied and excludes trans, plus-size and LGBTQ+ dancers.

The not-for-profit organisation stages shows where performers can display their fierce precision, sultry allure, boundless sensuality and bold and shameless expression.

Since 2021, Blackstage Pole has been awarded a series of Arts Council England grants of around 90,000 through the National Lottery Project Grants programme.

The organisations grants come as organisations including the Bristol Old Vic theatre, Northern Ballet and Welsh National Opera have all criticised real-term cuts to arts funding.

Arts Council England has increasingly come under fire for the criteria it uses to distribute public funds. Critics claim that it has pursued inclusivity and sectional interests that alienate most of the public.

Ms Davis said that Arts Council England funding had enabled Blackstage to hold the UKs biggest pole-dancing event, attracting global recognition

Subsidised stripteases

Alexander Adams, artist and art historian, and David Lee, editor of The Jackdaw magazine, called for its abolition in 2022. They described its ethos as rotten with politicisation and disregard for taxpayers and said its funding prioritised creators and venues who were resentful of native British people, their history and their majority demographic status.

Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: Taxpayers expecting their money to support the arts probably didnt have subsidised stripteases in mind.

While historic theatres and ballet companies face cuts, hundreds of thousands of pounds have been splashed on decolonising pole dancing. The Arts Council England should be funding worthwhile art projects instead of niche activism.

Blackstage Poles annual professional pole-dancing show in central London in April features performers with names such as Big Yom$, Connor Lingus and Cutie Whippingham. Tickets are over 40 and include entry to the PxssyPalace afterparty from 11pm to 1am.

Performer AK Mistry dances in previous Blackstage show - Rich Sayles

The pole dancers are being paid 1,000, plus travel expenses and accommodation, for a two-to four-minute performance, according to the company.

In publicity material for the over 18s-only event, Blackstage Pole says: This years theme is Audacity, cementing the courage to audaciously show up as ourselves and present our own racialised heritage, in a world and industry that has long been pretending that pole dancers of colour, that are also LGBTQIA+, plus sizes, disabled, low income and/or sex workers, do not matter and do not exist.

Safer for marginalised groups

The company, founded in 2020 and registered in Herefordshire, operates a zero-tolerance policy for racism, transphobia, whorephobia, misogyny, ableism, classism, homophobia, biphobia, fatphobia, ageism, or other discriminatory behaviour.

Leila Davis, founder of Blackstage, said that Arts Council England funding had enabled it to stage the UKs biggest pole-dancing event, attracting global recognition.

The Arts Council England inclusivity and relevance principle says that it supports organisations that identify and remove biases and barriers in our organisational cultures and structures that reinforce inequality and block opportunity, and Blackstage does just that, she said.

Blackstage is owned and run by people who are queer, trans, intersex, black people, indigenous people and people of colour, disabled and low income, with lived experience of sex work. We give opportunities to those same communities, helping set a blueprint for how the pole industry and the wider arts sector should interact with pole dancers, especially those with intersecting identities, in a way that is equitable and compassionate.

Since launching Blackstages live shows in 2022 and creating anti-discrimination policies and resources, the pole industry has become safer and more inclusive for marginalised groups.

An Arts Council England spokesman said: As the development agency for arts and culture in England, we fund a wide range of art forms and creative works that cater to the interests of people all across the country, including opera and ballet, theatre, museums and dance.
Supporters of the jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson converged on London for the Unite the Kingdom march - Getty

Six people were arrested as thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters converged on central London on Saturday to demand his release from prison.

Hundreds of police officers kept them apart from anti-racism demonstrators as they marched towards Parliament Square.

Three arrests were made in Whitehall after Robinsons supporters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions.

A man was held when flares were set off in Piccadilly along the Stand Up To Racism march route, and there was another arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at. It is unclear which group the two who were detained belonged to.

A sixth person was arrested for breach of Public Order Act conditions.

Several marchers carried England and Union flags, with one person holding a T-shirt that read Thank you Elon Musk, in reference to the tech billionaire previously calling for the release of Robinson from his current prison sentence on the social media platform X.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after admitting to 10 breaches of a High Court injunction that barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

A masked protester shows his support for Robinson right by the Houses of Parliament - TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Protesters showed their support for Tommy Robinson, who was jailed for contempt of court in October - TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

As the march crossed Westminster Bridge, there were chants of Rule, Britannia!, and We want Starmer out as well as anti-Muslim slogans.

A Stop the Boats flag was being flown by one protester at the rally, with many wearing Mega (Make England Great Again) hats.

Some demonstrators wore Mega hats, standing for Make England Great Again, in a nod to Donald Trumps famous slogan - Benjamin Cremel/AFP

A far-Right protester wears a jumper questioning how genetically British several politicians of minority heritage are - Hollie Adams/Reuters

A man holds a placard reading UK stop the rape of white children during a far-Right protest in support of Tommy Robinson - Hollie Adams/Reuters

At the same time, Stand Up to Racism organised for thousands of counter-protesters to march towards the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall. Police then sealed off the rest of Whitehall to ensure the two protests remained separate.

The counter-protest has been backed by several trade unions, including Unison, the Public and Commercial Services Union, the RMT and the Fire Brigades Union.

A protester wears a t-shirt criticising two-tier policing, a term used to imply that some demonstrations are dealt with more harshly than others - Elliott Franks

A demonstrator dresses as a lion, which is seen by many as the national animal of England, while clad in a Union flag shirt - Benjamin Cremel/AFP

Stand Up To Racism said the estimated 5,000 people who marched in support of Robinson on Saturday was a fraction of the 25,000 who attended a similar protest last October.

Sabby Dhalu, Stand up to Racism Co-Convenor said: Today was a good day for anti-racists and a bad day for the far-Right. The majority of British people reject the politics of hate.

Weyman Bennett, a fellow co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far-Right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

Protesters carry a banner with several slogans, including Stop the isolation, Fight for Tommy and Free political prisoners - Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph

Louise Puddefoot, the Metropolitan Police commander in charge of the policing operation, said: We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.

We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.
Protesters make their view known outside Parliament as MPs voted down Theresa Mays Brexit deal in 2019 - Dan Kitwood/Getty

The broadcasting regulator is being taken to court over claims it failed to enforce impartiality rules on the BBCs biased coverage of Brexit.

News-Watch, the media monitoring group, has won permission to seek a judicial review of what it claims is Ofcoms refusal to investigate allegations of widespread pro-EU bias across its programming.

News-Watch will tell a hearing in the High Court on Feb 5 that Ofcom has refused to examine its complaints on the grounds that they were not about a single programme or connected series of broadcasts.

The campaign group, which carried out an in-depth analysis of the BBCs output on Brexit and the EU, has accused the broadcaster of glaring bias.

But it said Ofcoms rulings mean that viewers and listeners were limited to complaining only about an individual programme or editorially linked series.

News-Watch said this leaves no scope for complaints based on recurring themes and tendencies in a broadcasters output.

The court case comes after the fifth anniversary of Britain leaving the European Union on Jan 31 2020.

Heavily outnumbered

News-Watch said its analysis found BBC coverage continued to be heavily weighted towards the EU, even after the 2016 referendum on Britains membership.

Among its findings was that those enthusiastic about the prospects for post-Brexit Britain were heavily outnumbered in terms of speakers and contributors.

Of 73 outside contributors, 38 (52 per cent) were broadly pro-EU and anti-Brexit, 21 (29 per cent) were anti-EU/pro-Brexit and 14 (19 per cent) were neutral.

It also claimed that the BBCs bias against Brexit was compounded by the editorial decisions and opinions expressed by presenters and correspondents, which continued to highlight potential post-Brexit cliff edge problems without exploring its benefits.

David Keighley, one of News-Watchs founders, said: For years, we have published surveys showing deeply concerning pro-EU/anti-Brexit bias and the BBC has never considered one of our reports.

We appealed to Ofcom to force an end to this disturbing complacency but instead they have  in effect  sided with the BBC, meaning that although the BBC is breaking its charter requirement to be impartial, Ofcom is unconcerned.

He added: We applied for judicial review because Ofcoms stance in only allowing complaints based on single programme items or a linked series is an affront to common sense and means that there is no way that public service broadcasters and especially the BBC can be properly scrutinised and held to account for bias.

Breached own editorial guidelines

Analysing two months of coverage in July 2020, following Britains departure from the EU in January that year, it found that Radio 4s flagship Today programme had seven pro-EU speakers compared with two pro-Brexit, the World at One had a ratio of 5-1 and BBC News at One had 4-1.

News-Watch claimed this breached the BBCs own editorial guidelines, which require each programme to achieve balance over a period of time.

It says its analysis also showed that those offering positive opinions about the EU and against Brexit were given eight times the space on Today as those offering views to the contrary.

The monitoring group argues that Ofcoms interpretation that it can only consider complaints against a single programme or series would give the green flag for any TV or national radio provider to abandon the need for impartiality across their coverage of the news and any subjects of political controversy.

Mr Keighley said: The BBC complaints process is widely accepted as being useless because the corporation rejects the vast majority of complaints related to bias. Ofcom should be championing the concerns of audiences, thus forcing the BBC to be more accountable, but instead is complacent about its responsibilities.

News-Watch was given initial approval to proceed with its application for a judicial review.

An Ofcom spokesperson said: Ofcom stands by its decision and is defending this judicial review in court next week.

The BBC said it would not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
A smartphone displaying icons for gambling apps. Illustration: Jason Alden/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Gambling companies in Britain could be forced to overhaul their advertising practices after a betting firm was ruled to have unlawfully targeted a problem gambler who was bombarded with more than 1,300 marketing emails.

In a ruling at the high court, a judge found that Sky Betting & Gaming sent the man personalised marketing without proper consent after gathering hundreds of thousands of pieces of data about him and his gambling habits.

Related: I lost 10 years of my life: how UK betting giants unlawful marketing kept suicidal gambler hooked

Documents submitted in evidence and seen by the Observer reveal how the companys customer protection measures  supposed to cut off marketing to people considered high-risk  did not kick in even though he was spending all his wages. Instead, he was labelled a high-value customer who, when he stopped using the platform, the company was keen to win back.

A judge found that while he may not have opted out of marketing, the man was in the depths of a gambling problem and had not properly understood how his data would be used. Mrs Justice Collins Rice said his ability to give consent was impaired as he was not making decisions  on a fully autonomous basis at all and ruled that Sky Betting & Gamings use of his data was unlawful.

Campaigners said this weekend the ruling could have ramifications for the wider industry and called for an investigation into the potentially unlawful profiling and targeting of problem gamblers. The Gambling Commission has implemented a series of measures to ensure better safeguards for customers, but campaigners say the industry has repeatedly failed to identify gamblers who are at most risk of harm.

In England there are almost 1.6 million adults who gamble who may benefit from some type of treatment or support for harmful gambling, according to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

The OHID reported in 2023 that the annual number of excess suicide deaths in England associated with problem gambling or a gambling disorder was between 117 and 496.

Will Prochaska, leader of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads, said the ruling revealed the frightening level of tracking and targeting used by gambling firms and said that Sky Betting & Gamings practices were indicative of how the sector operates. Were very concerned because we know this is widespread, he said.

Charles Ritchie from the charity Gambling with Lives that supports families bereaved by gambling urged regulators to act. Operators are using data and algorithms to target people with more incentives to gamble when they should be using that data to meaningfully intervene, he said.

The case against Bonne Terre Ltd, trading as Sky Betting & Gaming, came after a man who lost 46,000 requested records of the data the company held on him. Through those documents and subsequent legal disclosures he discovered the company and its partners had collected hundreds of thousands of pieces of data that were used to profile and target him.

The data filled more than 2,400 spreadsheets and had been used to predict his behaviour and select him for targeted marketing campaigns. In 2017 and 2018 he was sent at least 1,389 marketing emails offering him free bets and special prizes and encouraging him to spend. He often deposited money as a direct result. He is now seeking compensation for financial losses and for the unlawful use of personal data. A further hearing is expected to decide how much he is entitled to. I lost 10 years of my life to gambling. I believe I  and a lot of others  should have been protected better, he said.

Flutter, which bought Sky Betting & Gaming in 2020, said that while it had made significant changes since the claimants experience in 2017-19, it fundamentally disagreed with the judgment and was considering an appeal. The Betting and Gaming Council, which represents gambling firms, declined to comment.

The case follows occasional interventions by the gambling and data regulators. The Information Commissioners Office reprimanded Sky Betting & Gaming last year for unlawfully processing peoples data through advertising cookies without their consent. In 2023, Paddy Power was fined 490,000 by the Gambling Commission for breaching social responsibility rules after sending a promotional push notification to customers who had signed up to exclude themselves from gambling.

But the claimant said he hoped the case would lead to a wider investigation into the gambling sector, which is heavily reliant on online tracking, profiling and marketing to push its products to customers.

Currently, many companies rely on consent as the basis for using similar practices to those detailed in the high court case. But the ruling raises the question of whether other companies that market to problem gamblers, who could be considered unable to freely consent due to the compulsive nature of their gambling, are also breaking the law.

The Gambling Commission said it expected all operators to be carefully considering the latest judgment along with the ICO ruling against Sky Betting & Gaming in September. Operators can only collect and use data to attract customers in ways that comply with data protection laws, with a focus on preventing gambling harm, a spokesperson said.

The Information Commissioners Office said: Uncontrolled tracking intrudes on the most private parts of our lives and can lead to harm. We continue to monitor this area and will not hesitate to intervene when necessary.
Protesters march under the motto Block Alice Weidel (co-leader of the far-right AfD party), during an AfD meeting near Frankfrurt on 1 February. Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images

Far-right parties could become the largest force on the right in Europe within a decade, experts have said, as mainstream conservative parties look to copy their hardline agendas, especially on immigration, in a vain effort to win back votes.

Germanys conservatives last week sparked fury when their leader, Friedrich Merz, the countrys likely next chancellor, broke a longstanding pledge by relying on far-right votes to adopt a non-binding motion urging a drastic immigration crackdown. The leader of Alternative fur Deutschland, Alice Weidel, hailed a historic day for Germany as the Bundestag, for the first time in its history, passed a vote with the backing of her party, which is second in the polls weeks before this months elections.

Amid a wave of protests, parliament later rejected a similar conservative-tabled draft law thanks partly to rebel members of Merzs own centre-right CDU/CSU alliance, with his predecessor as party leader, Angela Merkel, calling his move wrong.

In France, controversial remarks by the centrist prime minister, Francois Bayrou, about French people feeling submerged by immigration were hailed by the far-right National Rally as evidence that it had won the ideological battle.

And talks in Austria between the mainstream Austrian Peoples party (OVP) conservatives and the pro-Kremlin Freedom party (FPO), which wants to expel all asylum seekers, are progressing and look set to lead to the countrys first far-right-led government since the second world war.

For decades, mainstream European parties on the right and left united behind a barrier  the Brandmauer (firewall) in Germany, the cordon sanitaire in France  against accommodating far-right ideas or cooperating with far-right parties. More recently, however, centre-right parties in particular have increasingly adopted far-right policies and, in several countries, formed coalitions with far-right parties. Despite evidence showing this only boosts the radical right, the process is accelerating.

Were in a vicious cycle, said Tarik Abou-Chadi, an associate professor of European politics at the University of Oxford. It starts with the radical right being more successful, winning more seats, entering government in more countries.

When that happens, mainstream parties move right on immigration. Its strategic, to win back votes. So you have this accommodation. Except it doesnt work  it doesnt bring the votes back. But two things do happen that reinforce the trend.

So first, Abou-Chadi said, norms change. Accommodation normalises and legitimises far-right parties: voting for them is no longer a transgression. Second, opinion shifts: if mainstream parties say something is really important, people tend to believe it. And then mainstream parties see that shift in public opinion and think: We have to keep moving further to the right. And you end up broadening the coalition of people saying we have to do something about immigration.

However, political scientists say electoral and polling evidence from many countries strongly suggests that, for mainstream centre-right parties, the process of accommodation merely results in their being cannibalised by the far right.

Radical-right parties have already vanquished centre-right rivals in the Netherlands, where Geert Wilders Freedom party leads the government, and Italy, where Giorgia Melonis Brothers of Italy dominates the rightist bloc that won in 2022.

In Septembers elections in Austria, Herbert Kickls far-right FPO beat the conservative OVP to finish first, and in France, Marine Le Pens RN far outnumbers the mainstream Les Republicains and has grown into the largest single party in parliament.

Elsewhere, far-right parties are signed-up members of conservative-led coalitions in Finland and Croatia, lending parliamentary support to another in Sweden, and on track to win elections and lead a coalition later this year in the Czech Republic.

In the UK, several recent polls have shown Nigel Farages anti-immigration Reform party has leapfrogged the Conservative party, which in recent years has veered sharply right on immigration, passing a controversial bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Far-right parties advance in waves and we are certainly seeing an acceleration, said Sarah de Lange, a professor of political pluralism at the University of Amsterdam. In several countries they have become the biggest party, and in politics that matters.

And it was a mistaken assumption for parties such as Germanys CDU and the Netherlands Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) to think that going tough on immigration would win back votes. The radical right clearly has more credibility here, De Lange said. And mainstream centre-right parties have been in office across Europe over the past few years. Voters simply ask why, if immigration was so important, they did nothing about it.

Abou-Chadi said there was no question that far-right parties benefited electorally when mainstream parties collaborated with them. Weve seen it time and time again, he said. Even signalling a willingness to cooperate strengthens them.

As long as there is a cordon sanitaire, he said, voters who are not just sympathetic to a far-right agenda but want to see it put into practice are less likely to vote for far-right parties, because they know there is little chance of them entering government.

Once that firewall crumbles, however, the floodgates are opened. Nathalie Tocci, the director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, a thinktank in Rome, contends that mainstream parties willingness to work with the extremes is political suicide. When moderate parties rule out cooperation with the radical right citizens know  a vote for the far right is wasted, she said. But when they wink at the far right, that disincentive evaporates. And voters tend to prefer the original to the copy.

Europes centre-right parties could be subsumed by the far right within 10 to 15 years, Abou-Chadi predicted: Its already happened in some countries; in others its under way. We still talk about them as if theyre fringe. That has to change.

De Lange agreed. I think thats very probable, she said. Were seeing far-right parties scoring up to 30% now, mainstream parties share declining, and increasing fragmentation on the left. All that makes it look possible.
The biggest week for AI since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters

At 2.16pm California time last Sunday, the US billionaire tech investor Marc Andreessen called it. DeepSeek R1 is AIs Sputnik moment, he posted on X.

A Chinese startup, operating since 2023 and helmed by a millennial mathematician, had unveiled a new chatbot that seemed to equal the performance of Americas leading models at a fraction of the cost.

Never mind that its answers on everything from the status of Taiwan to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre were curbed by Chinese Communist party (CCP) censors. To Andreessen, a veteran of decades of technology booms and busts, it was like the Soviet Union getting the first satellite into orbit in 1957 and shocking America.

The next day, shares in several of the worlds biggest companies plunged  including the biggest fall in US market history for microchip maker Nvidia, which lost nearly $600bn. Investors believed DeepSeeks achievement meant China would no longer need so many American chips; that US supremacy in AI was under threat or already over; and that the Silicon Valley giants, who had only a week earlier announced a $500bn AI investment plan, were spending much more money than they needed. The Chinese AI lab said the training cost for one of its base models had been just $5.6m.

In the biggest week for AI since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, DeepSeeks app, with its jaunty blue whale logo, became the most downloaded free app on Apples app stores in the US and UK as people rushed to find out what it was about.

But was the worlds largest autocratic nation about to leapfrog the west in AI? What might it mean for control of a technology that many fear could be pressed into malicious use in cyber-attacks, the production of biological weapons and thought control? And given AI is widely considered to now be one of the main playing fields of geopolitical competition, where did this leave US hopes of maintaining supremacy by suppressing Chinas progress with export bans on microchips that are key to progress?

Tremors had been rumbling out of DeepSeeks laboratory in Hangzhou, outside Shanghai, for a while. Some experts had been quietly impressed by the developments overseen by DeepSeeks boss, Liang Wenfeng, a 40-year-old hedge fund entrepreneur. But it wasnt until last Wednesday that a proper earthquake hit. The firm published a 22-page paper unveiling the DeepSeek R1 model, boasting of powerful and intriguing reasoning behaviours and saying it is comparable to Open AIs 01 model, and even better in some areas.

Liang was said to be on holiday as his teams creation upended not just markets, but also the geopolitical calculus between the US and China

While Google, Meta and OpenAI typically swaddle their new releases in marketing hype, DeepSeeks matter-of-fact approach was clear from the soporific title of its announcement: Incentivizing Reasoning Capability in LLMs via Reinforcement Learning.

The model was free to use and it seemed pioneering in the way it was engineered to be more efficient than ChatGPT-o1, OpenAIs $20-a-month reasoning model. It used less computing power as it had been engineered only to activate the relevant part of the system to answer the query. Performance that cost other companies billions seemed to be available for millions.

In response, OpenAI announced the launch of a new reasoning model, o3-Mini, on Friday that will be made available to all users, including people on ChatGPTs free tier.

Liang was said to be on holiday for lunar new year as his teams creation upended not just markets, but also the geopolitical calculus between the US and China as they vie for supremacy in AI with all its economic, political and military potentials. Around the world, experts tried to make sense of how the Chinese had made necessity the mother of invention and found a way around a shortage of chips.

Jimmy Goodrich, an adviser on technology to the Rand Corporation, told Reuters: Its been long known that DeepSeek has a really good team, and if they had access to even more compute, God knows how capable they would be.

I confess I hadnt heard of them, said Michael Wooldridge, a professor of the foundations of AI at the University of Oxford. [They] appear to have built something which is as capable as a GPT class model, not necessarily better, with something like a hundredth of the resources.

By midweek, DeepSeek had disappeared from app stores in Italy after the data protection regulator demanded reassurances

He says the development pulls the rug out from under Nvidia, meaning a far greater number of developers can build AI models, making it a much more accessible technology.

Mike Gualtieri, a principal analyst at Forrester Research, says that accessibility will widen the number of startups that can create their own AI models. But also, the bigger US tech players, with their considerable data processing firepower, could accelerate their own development.

The companies that already have a lot of chips, or access to them  the OpenAIs and the Googles  once they apply these [DeepSeek] techniques, they can experiment more rapidly, he said.

In London, hopes and fears were in conflict. The technology secretary, Peter Kyle, said he would not download the Chinese app, surely aware that anything he typed in or uploaded would be stored in China and that all Chinese firms are obliged under the national intelligence law to support, assist and cooperate with intelligence efforts.

But, as a minister tasked with using AI to deliver economic growth, he was really excited by the breakthrough. It seemed to show that skills, rather than brute-force computing power funded by hundreds of billions of dollars, were more important than previously thought in making significant AI breakthroughs  good news for the research-heavy UK tech economy.

By midweek, DeepSeek had disappeared from app stores for Google and Apple devices in Italy after the data protection regulator demanded reassurances about what personal data is collected. The Dublin Data Protection Commission also demanded from DeepSeek explanations about its data processing conducted in relation to data subjects in Ireland.

When it ruminated on how in China, the primary threat is the state itself, the whole screed of thinking was deleted

In the US, where Donald Trump signed an executive order to solidify [the US] position as the leader in AI, the arrival of DeepSeek was like a needle scratching across a record. Trump called it a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win. Or as one X user parsed his message: Get back in the code mines.

It didnt take long for suspicions to take hold. David Sacks, the White House AI adviser, said: 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.

OpenAIs founder, Sam Altman, said he thought it was legit invigorating to have a new competitor. But then, a day later, his company said it was reviewing indications that DeepSeek may have inappropriately distilled our models.

It also became apparent that DeepSeek would censor itself in real time when its answers might be politically embarrassing or challenging for the CCP. In Brazil, one user showed how DeepSeek began thinking about a question about free speech in China by wondering whether to include issues like Beijings crackdown on protests in Hong Kong; the persecution of human rights lawyers; the censorship of discussions on Xianjiang re-education camps; and Chinas social credit system punishing dissenters.

Then, when it ruminated on how in China, the primary threat is the state itself which actively suppresses dissent, the whole screed of thinking was deleted and DeepSeek apologetically asked the user if he wouldnt mind talking about maths or logic problems instead.

Users could see what the chatbot really thought and the effect of the CCP on free speech; to see it all in action was unintentionally subversive.

It was another week in which the strange world of AI got stranger and the stakes rose higher.
Enid Blyton depicted the golliwog figure as a villain who steals a car in her book Here Comes Noddy Again - Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy Stock Photo

Young people do not recognise golliwogs as racist symbols and are more likely to associate their exaggerated features with cosmetic surgery, new research has claimed.

Dr Todd Gray claimed the controversial doll has lost its relevancy and potency among the younger generation because they have little cultural awareness of the Victorian minstrel attire it was based on.

The historians new book, Waterwogs and the Contested History of the Golliwog, suggests that the golliwog caricature, created in the late 1800s, was not initially recognised as being black and so there was no suggestion of racism.

Instead, he describes the fairyland character created by Florence Upton in 1895 as being oversized and ungainly, mostly with grey skin, unruly hair and exaggerated lips and eyes with no hands or feet, which adults found ugly but children adored.

It was only when commercial companies reproduced it as a doll based upon an American minstrel dandy and altered its personality, most notably by Enid Blyton who depicted him as a villain that the strong racial overtones emerged when it became black.

Blyton cast a golliwog as a villain who steals a car in her Here Comes Noddy Again book.

Blyton cast a golliwog as a villain who steals a car in her Here Comes Noddy Again book.

Dr Gray, an Honorary Research Fellow in Exeter Universitys Department of Archaeology and History, has also discovered an unknown Great War variant of the golliwog called the waterwog, which was created in 1914 in Exeter. The bath-time toy was made from loofah and dreamt up as part of a job-creation scheme for women during the Great War.

He has also unearthed a walliwog comical creature created in Wales in the same year and made from branches and roots of trees. No images of either characters have yet been discovered.

Dr Gray, who conducted research on how young people view the golliwog, said: For two generations the golliwog has been debated as a symbol of racism but in recent decades it has lost its relevancy and potency among the younger generation, who are more likely to associate his blabber lips with cosmetic enhancement rather than as a racist caricature and have little cultural awareness of the Victorian minstrel attire.

Meanwhile, the older generations continue to be divided  with the word and character variously triggering consternation, alarm or distress.

Much-loved toy

The 66-year-old academic, who was born in the United States but has lived in the UK since studying here for his undergraduate degree, believes British people were initially unaware of the racial connotations of the golliwog, only realising it was offensive from the 1950s when immigrants from the Commonwealth were invited here to work.

He said: Part of understanding this history is recognising that simultaneously the golliwog was a much-loved toy while also being a means of denigrating another part of society.

The golliwogs history challenges modern Britain to try to understand both perspectives. It allows us to see how the figure permeated society through the innocence of children and was accepted without any reservations until the 1950s Caribbean immigration.

That forced the country to re-evaluate the golliwog as it began to have a race consciousness. The figure provides us with valuable lessons on how Britain gradually has come to terms with multiculturalism.

From around 1910, Robertsons, the British brand of marmalades and fruit preserves, used a golliwog symbol after the son of the founder made a trip to the US and saw children playing with the black rag doll. The company retired the golly character in 2002 amid claims it was racist.

Dr Gray said: I believe that the history of British race awareness can be uniquely understood through the golliwog. This history is difficult for many for different reasons but it needs to be addressed for the same reasons that we do not shy away from studying the Holocaust, African slavery, the British Empire or any other testing history.
Acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley managed to touch the souls of people with just a few words, his funeral has heard.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins was among mourners who joined Longleys family at Saturdays service in All Souls Church in Belfast.

The renowned poet died in hospital at the age of 85 on January 22.

A representative of Taoiseach Micheal Martin also attended the funeral, as did SDLP leader and family friend Claire Hanna.

Longley won a number of awards, including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize. He was made a CBE in 2010 and was awarded the freedom of Belfast.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for the funeral of poet Michael Longley (Liam McBurney/PA)

Among his best-known work is the 1994 poem Ceasefire, inspired by the then-ceasefires in his native Northern Ireland and the search for peace and reconciliation.

Longley met Queen Camilla when she visited Hillsborough Castle in Co Down last year for a poetry event.

Reverend Chris Hudson from All Souls Church said Longley had managed to enter peoples consciousness.

Queen Camilla speaking with poet Michael Longley at Hillsborough Castle in 2024 (PA)

That is a noble place for the poet to be, he said.

The poet touches the soul of people. Preachers and politicians can make speeches or sermons that use thousands of words to touch our imagination, but the poet can manage with few yet go straight to the heart, such as Michael.

President Higgins led the tributes to Longley after his death was announced last month, saying he would be recognised as one of the greatest poets that Ireland has ever produced, and it has long been my belief that his work is of the level that would be befitting of a Nobel Prize for Literature.

Claire Hanna leader of the SDLP arrives at the funeral with her husband Donal Lyons (Liam McBurney/PA)

Roisin McDonough, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said Longley had been a towering figure of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: He was one of our truly great poets, one of the most respected and influential of his generation, his name spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, all of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

We have lost a guide, a friend, an inspiration, but his poetry will last  and it will be cherished by generations to come.

Longley is survived by his wife, Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.
Protesters will gather in support of Tommy Robinson in central London on Saturday, and a counter-demonstration will also take place, as the Metropolitan Police deploy more officers to keep the opposing groups apart.

A protest organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom, in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, will form in Sandell Street and Cornwall Road, off Waterloo Road, outside Waterloo Station, from midday.

Protesters will march to Whitehall via Westminster Bridge and assemble in Parliament Street, at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

ADMIN POST Tomorrow we will be holding our Stop The Isolation rally in London. We will be highlighting Tommy's political imprisonment, the fact that being in isolation is severely damaging his mental health, that others are imprisoned for merely posting opinions about the pic.twitter.com/EXFWeAHIJT  Tommy Robinson  (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 31, 2025

A protest organised by Stand Up To Racism will form in St Jamess Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, from 11.30am, and protesters will march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted, and officers will be deployed to keep the groups apart, the Met said.

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: We will proceed to Downing Street.

Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

Deliver our message to the establishment.

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said: We are well prepared for these protests, having been in discussions with both sets of organisers in recent weeks.

We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community, and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

There will be an increased police presence in central London tomorrow with two protests due to take place. We have imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption or disorder. More details can be found at the link below  https://t.co/KOs9suZsU3  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 31, 2025

Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.

Our assessment for tomorrows protest, based on the information available to us, is that an additional level of preparedness is required.

What our officers are wearing or the protective kit they are carrying doesnt change their role at these events.

They are there to ensure all involved can exercise their right to protest peacefully, without causing serious disruption to the life of the wider community and without risking the disorder that could take place if groups with opposing views come together.
The body of a second woman has been found during the search for two sisters who went missing in Aberdeen last month.

Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both aged 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street at Victoria Bridge over the River Dee in Aberdeen at about 2.12am on Tuesday January 7.

A womans body was recovered from the river near Queen Elizabeth Bridge just before 8am on Friday and while formal identification has yet to take place, the sisters family has been informed.

The body of a second woman was found in an area of the river near to the Victoria Bridge at around 9.05pm on Friday and recovered, Police Scotland said.

Searches were carried out in the River Dee (Michal Wachucik/PA)

The woman has yet to be identified but the Huszti family has been informed.

Police said inquires are ongoing to establish what happened but there are no apparent suspicious circumstances.

Superintendent David Howieson said: Our thoughts remain with the Huszti family and we are keeping them fully updated following these recoveries.

We know how much of an impact this has had in Aberdeen and much further afield, and I would like to thank everyone who has assisted with our investigation.

Several bouquets of flowers have been left near to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge.

One of the bodies was found near to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge in Aberdeen (Michal Wachucik/PA)

Scotlands First Minister John Swinney has expressed his condolences.

In a post on X, he said: Heartbreaking news from the City of Aberdeen this morning. My thoughts are with everyone affected by this very sad news.

The sisters, part of a set of triplets, disappeared after leaving their rented flat in Aberdeen in the early hours of January 7.

The siblings, who moved to Scotland from Hungary a decade ago, notified their landlord they would not be returning to their flat at around 2.12am on January 7, when they were filmed on CCTV walking near the River Dee.

They crossed Victoria Bridge and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee, heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.

Flowers have been left near to the Queen Elizabeth Bridge (Michal Wachucik/PA)

Their landlady reported her concerns to police and a major search was launched, amid fears for their safety in wintry weather conditions.

Police have been treating the investigation as a missing persons inquiry rather than a criminal probe, and as part of their investigation discovered the sisters had visited the bridge the day before they disappeared.

The sisters had not told relatives they were going to move out of their rented flat immediately.

Their brother Jozsef previously told the BBC: They wrote a message to their landlady that they wanted to immediately end their tenancy agreement. We didnt have any information about that.

So thats the strange thing, that the girls didnt tell us anything about that.

They never mentioned any such plan.
Six arrests made at Stop the Isolation and Stand Up To Racism rallies

Six people have been arrested following a march in support of Tommy Robinson and a separate counter-demonstration in central London.

The offences included an incident where a flare was set off, an arrest near Waterloo after an officer was spat at and three arrests in Whitehall after Stop the Isolation protesters entered the Stand Up To Racism rally area in breach of conditions, the Metropolitan Police said.

A further arrest was made by the force for a breach of Public Order Act conditions.

A protest organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom, in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had earlier seen thousands of people meet outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

Chants of We want our country back and We want Tommy out were sung as the demonstration set off, with protesters carrying flags bearing slogans including Free Tommy Robinson and Stop the Boats.

Some demonstrators were wearing MEGA  Make England Great Again hats and I am Tommy stickers with many people livestreaming the event on their phones.

ADMIN POST Tomorrow we will be holding our Stop The Isolation rally in London. We will be highlighting Tommy's political imprisonment, the fact that being in isolation is severely damaging his mental health, that others are imprisoned for merely posting opinions about the pic.twitter.com/EXFWeAHIJT  Tommy Robinson  (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 31, 2025

A counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism set off from St Jamess Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, on a march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

The counter-demonstration has been billed by organisers as marching together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we wont let the far right divide us.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall was restricted, and officers were being deployed to keep the groups apart, the Metropolitan police said.

 London: Thousands take to the streets to oppose Tommy Robinson, racist rioters and the rise of the global far right. #StandUpToRacism pic.twitter.com/of4DXPKKnP  Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) February 1, 2025

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests was encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: We will proceed to Downing Street.

Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

Deliver our message to the establishment.

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

There will be an increased police presence in central London tomorrow with two protests due to take place. We have imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption or disorder. More details can be found at the link below  https://t.co/KOs9suZsU3  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 31, 2025

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said the force was well prepared for both protests and had been in discussion with organisers.

She said: We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.
Thousands of protesters have gathered in central London with a march in support of Tommy Robinson and a separate counter-demonstration.

A protest organised under the name Stop the Isolation or Unite the Kingdom, in support of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, met outside Waterloo station before marching towards Westminster and assembling at the Parliament Square end of Whitehall.

ADMIN POST Tomorrow we will be holding our Stop The Isolation rally in London. We will be highlighting Tommy's political imprisonment, the fact that being in isolation is severely damaging his mental health, that others are imprisoned for merely posting opinions about the pic.twitter.com/EXFWeAHIJT  Tommy Robinson  (@TRobinsonNewEra) January 31, 2025

Chants of We want our country back and We want Tommy out were sung as the demonstration set off, with protesters carrying flags bearing slogans including Free Tommy Robinson and Stop the Boats.

Some demonstrators were wearing MEGA  Make England Great Again hats and I am Tommy stickers with many attendees livestreaming the event on their phones.

A counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism has set off from St Jamess Street, south of Piccadilly Circus, on their march to Whitehall via Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket before a rally at the Trafalgar Square end of Whitehall.

 London: Thousands take to the streets to oppose Tommy Robinson, racist rioters and the rise of the global far right. #StandUpToRacism pic.twitter.com/of4DXPKKnP  Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) February 1, 2025

The counter-demonstration has been billed by organisers as marching together against racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism and to say that we wont let the far right divide us.

Pedestrian access in the middle of Whitehall will be restricted, and officers will be deployed to keep the groups apart, the Metropolitan police said.

Anyone in the area not involved in the protests is encouraged to use other routes to go from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square, or vice versa, the force added.

Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after the Solicitor General took legal action against him for breaching a High Court injunction made in 2021.

He admitted 10 breaches of the order, which barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Organisers of the protest in support of Robinson posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: We will proceed to Downing Street.

Stand against the isolation of Tommy Robinson.

Deliver our message to the establishment.

Weyman Bennett, Stand Up To Racism co-convenor, said: We saw the power of mobilising against the far-right in response to last summers racist riots.

We must bring that anti-racist spirit onto the streets of London and reject the politics of hate.

There will be an increased police presence in central London tomorrow with two protests due to take place. We have imposed conditions under the Public Order Act to prevent serious disruption or disorder. More details can be found at the link below  https://t.co/KOs9suZsU3  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 31, 2025

Commander Louise Puddefoot, in charge of the policing operation, said the force was well prepared for both protests and had been in discussion with organisers.

She said: We have officers deployed in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the wider community and to give us the capability to intervene swiftly and decisively if incidents of crime or disorder occur.

Decisions on our policing style at protests, including the types of uniform worn by officers and the protective equipment available to them, are taken on a case-by-case basis. It allows us to be ready to respond quickly and decisively where we need to.
TV chef Rick Stein has said he feels a bit sorry for TV presenter Gregg Wallace after he stepped away from hosting MasterChef following a host of misconduct complaints.

The 78-year-old said he felt what happened to Wallace, who has stepped back from the hit BBC One cooking show as production company Banijay UK investigates claims of alleged misconduct, was unfortunate.

Stein added it would affect me terribly if he found himself in a similar situation, before clarifying he had not got any skeletons in a cupboard.

Gregg Wallace stepped down from Masterchef last year (Yui Mok/PA)

In an interview with The Telegraph, Stein said he knew Wallace, saying he is just a different personality to me.

He added: Its sort of unfortunate if you are that sort of person that you can come a bit unstuck.

I think partly he hadnt really taken on that you cant say certain things now. Its not so much that he was a nasty person.

Im lucky that Ive got sons who will instantly tell me, listen, you cant say this. And if you dont pick up on that, the fact that things change, well thats not very clever.

Sometimes you think, I cant believe this, and then you think well, thats the way it is. Theres no point in getting all stroppy about it.

I feel a bit sorry for him really. But I dont like sleaziness so Im not saying that (about all of Wallaces behaviour). But he just didnt realise that the wind had changed.

Wallaces lawyers previously told the BBC it is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.

Grace Dent will replace Gregg Wallace on the forthcoming series of MasterChef UK, presenting alongside John Torode (Ian West/PA)

The most recent series of MasterChef: The Professionals continued to air last year amid allegations against Wallace, but two MasterChef celebrity Christmas specials were pulled from the BBCs schedule in December 2024.

Food critic Grace Dent will judge the forthcoming 20th series of Celebrity MasterChef alongside John Torode.

BBC bosses previously said the corporation will not tolerate behaviour that falls below the standards we expect and will continue to champion a culture that is kind, inclusive and respectful.

A memo sent to staff by the BBC director-general, Tim Davie, and Charlotte Moore, chief content officer, said the corporation would be supporting MasterChef producer Banijay UK in its investigation.

Earlier this month, Banijay UK said in a statement: It is important to note that MasterChef welfare processes are regularly adapted and strengthened and there are clear protocols to support both crew and contributors.

These include multiple ways of reporting issues, including anonymously. HR contact details are promoted and contributors are assigned a point of contact on set available to discuss any issues or concerns.
Bettmann / Contributor / Getty Images

Perfume isnt cheap, whether were talking Baccarat or Chanel. Sometimes its the brands big name. Sometimes its the luxurious fragrances within the bottle. And sometimes its the bottle that holds the value. When it comes to vintage perfume bottles, there are some alarmingly high price tags tacked to them. Here are some of the most valuable ones we could find.

1. 1934 Obelisk Egyptian Revival Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $60,000

No, this perfume bottle wasnt among Cleopatras belongings, but it still went for a tomb-rattling $60,000 at auction. Intended for Christmastime roll-out in the U.S. in 1934, this particular perfume (along with the bottle) wound up being too expensive to mass produce, so it was put to the wayside  and eventual auction block  instead.

2. 1930 Art Deco Czech Josef Schmidt Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $18,000

Art Deco items are notoriously valuable. This perfume bottles cased amber crystal, white glass inclusions, and carved features only add to its allure and price tag.

3. 1946 Schiaparelli Salvador Dali Le Roy Soleil Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $10,000

This Baccarat-crafted crystal bottle, designed by Salvador Dali for Elsa Schiaparelli, is a tribute to Frances golden age and looks more like a sculpture than a perfume bottle. Nestled in an opulent clamshell box, it was gifted to royalty (both literal and in the fashion-world) and celebrated the Allied victory in Europe during World War II.

4. 1940s Marie Earle Ballerina Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $8,000

This perfume bottle from the 1940s was simple by nature, but its packaging was the real draw. With a ballet slipper stand and stunning gold accents, its all things opulent, feminine, and alluring, leading to its $8,000 price tag.

5. 1930s Curt Schlevogt Czechoslovakian Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $7,500

This Czechoslovakian crystal perfume bottle from Curt Schlevogts Ingrid collection is pure Art Deco seduction  a masterpiece in crimson and shadow. This bottle was a homage to the rich hues of ancient Pompeii and looks more like an artifact than a perfume bottle from the 30s.

6. 1920s Fulper Minyunet Mignonette Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $6,000

This porcelain perfume bottle from Fulper Pottery Works shape shifted into an Egyptian courtesan. Its a relic of the roaring 20s if weve ever seen one and proof that the most valuable vintage perfume bottles are the ones with unique, ornate features.

7. 1913 DOrsay Art Nouveau Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $5,000

Compared to some of the other vintage perfume bottles on this list, this Baccarat crystal example might appear a bit simple. But for 1913, it was plenty flashy: gray patina, delicate carvings, and an inscription!

8. 1929 Andre Jollivet Black Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $5,000

This little bottle is pure vintage drama. Made of sleek black glass with a textured finish, it has gilded, bearded faces on each side that look straight out of an Assyrian museum. And that stopper? Total Persian royalty vibes.

9. 1911 Rene Lalique for Coty Styx Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $4,750

This see-through perfume bottle rewinds back to 1911. It includes a carved stopper with four wasps and gray patina, adding to its vintage essence.

10. 1930s Vogel & Zappe Czech Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $4,500

This looks like a perfume bottle with a handle with extreme care label written all over it. One wrong move and the intricate glass is shattered on the floor, surrounded by jeweled gilt and shards of blue.

11. 1930s German-Saxony Lily of the Valley Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $4,250

While the base of this perfume bottle is just your average glass container, its the elaborate Lily of the Valley stopper that makes the bottle stand out as a valuable vintage piece.

12. 1944 Arden On Dit Perfume Bottle

Image courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Perfume Bottles Auction

Sold for: $4,250

This frosted glass figural bottle, complete with its original hangtag, rests on top of a revolving musical box designed for the 1944 holiday season. With graphics by Rene Bouche, its a limited-edition piece, which explains its high price tag.

The post 12 Vintage Perfume Bottles That Are Worth Thousands appeared first on Wealth Gang.
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD

EatingWell

People talk about their adoration for grocery store chains like Aldi and Trader Joe's, but you will need to rip my Costco card from my cold, dead hands. I adore Costco. I go there at least twice a month, if not every week. I stock my pantry with mostly Costco products. Peek into my fridge and youll find that most of my cheese was purchased there. If Im pressed for time, I rely on the frozen foods that are always staples on my Costco list to help me get dinner on the table fast.

A lot of the products I buy from Costco are its store-brand, Kirkland Signature, including olive oil, nuts, feta cheese, even my daughters favorite leggings. But there are plenty of Kirkland-brand items I push my shopping cart right past as I peruse the aisles.

On my last trip, I decided to give five new-to-me Kirkland Signature products a try. And four of them were so good, theyve gained permanent spots in my home.

Five-Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano

Eating Well/Costco

I have already waxed poetic about my love of the pumpkins and bats ravioli sold at Costco around Halloween, going so far to say that I was planning on stocking up to eat them well into the winter. But Ive found my new favorite filled pastaever. The Five-Cheese Tortelloni with Parmigiano Reggiano is cheesy, creamy and cooks up in minutes. Weve enjoyed it sauced (with Raos from Costco, of course) and in broth along with chopped veggies, and both were delicious meals. I've even started turning half of the package into tortelloni salad for our daughter's school lunch. Look for them in the refrigerated section.

Related: 10 Comforting Tortellini Dinner Recipes

Everything Bagel Seasoned Cod

Eating Well/Instagram

While I do typically buy frozen fish at Costco, I havent bought any of their seasoned or breaded fish before. And while I like everything bagel seasoning fine enough, I wasnt as into it as other people were a few years ago when the mix was at the peak of its popularity. Still, the Everything Bagel Seasoned Cod intrigued me. And after we had it once, I will always have it in my freezer until its no longer available. I cooked it in my toaster oven air fryer from frozen, and it came out crispy and delicious less than 15 minutes later. We ate it with roasted potatoes and a salad, but Im really looking forward to turning the fillets into fish sandwiches.

Related: This Brand Has the Best Everything Bagel Seasoningand No, It's Not Trader Joe's

Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks

Eating Well/Costco

Even though I have a kid, chicken nuggets were never a staple in our house (until recently, I'll get to that). Sure, wed order them sometimes if we were out to eat, but I didnt make them at home. Then a local fast-food restaurant opened up and served a salad with chicken nuggets on top, which prompted me to re-create the dish at home. And ever since, its been a dinner we make at least once a month. These Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Chunks from Costco will be my go-to for that dinner from now on. Theyre made from boneless, skinless chicken breast and cook up nice and crispy.

Supreme Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Eating Well/Costco

Im no stranger to cauliflower-crust pizza. My husband avoided gluten for several years, and Miltons Roasted Vegetable Cauliflower Crust pizza (which can also be found at Costco) was his favorite. So much so that we still buy it. I decided to give the Kirkland Signature Supreme Cauliflower Crust Pizza a try, and it was just as good. Its covered with a generous amount of veggies, including peppers, zucchini and mushrooms, plus sausage and pepperoni. It was very savory and the crust was sturdy like a regular pizza crust. I like to pair it with a simple salad or crudites and ranch. One-quarter of the pizza packs 900 milligrams of sodium, but we only eat this once or twice a month and keep the sodium of our other meals in check otherwise.

Related: Why Pizza Tastes Better at Restaurants, According to Chefs

The Bottom Line

Trying a new product from Costco can feel like a commitmentthey don't exactly sell products in small quantities! But it can be worth it, especially if you find something everyone in your household enjoys.

Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Tel Aviv  American-Israeli dual national Keith Siegel was among three hostages released by Hamas militants in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Saturday, more than 15 months after they were taken captive by the group during its Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack. Siegel was freed in Gaza City about two hours after Israelis Yarden Bibas and Ofer Calderon were released in the southern city of Khan Younis.

The Israeli military confirmed that all three hostages were in its care and back in Israel after first being handed over to Red Cross personnel in Gaza. Siegel appeared to have lost weight during his captivity, but he waved and smiled as Hamas militants prepared to hand him over to Red Cross staff. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said the three freed men would be reunited with family members and taken for medical checks and care at hospitals in Israel.

Both handovers were conducted quickly Saturday and without the chaos seen during the previous, third prisoner exchange, which angered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who delayed the corresponding Israeli release of Palestinian prisoners by several hours.

Israel was expected to free about 90 more Palestinians from its prisons on Saturday in exchange for the release of the three hostages, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement that took effect on January 19.

Keith Siegel is 1st American freed during new ceasefire

Originally from North Carolina, Siegel moved to Israel four decades ago. He was among seven American citizens taken as hostages into Gaza during Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 attack, which saw militants kill around 1,200 people in southern Israel and take 251 others captive.

Israel's military assault on Hamas in response has killed more than 47,400 people, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run Ministry of Health, left entire neighborhoods leveled and caused a humanitarian catastrophe by displacing virtually the entire enclave's population and destroying its infrastructure.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Saturday that Americans are celebrating the return of Siegel.

"President Trump and his administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages," she said.

It is believed that at least two of the six American hostages still held in Gaza are alive  Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35, who grew up in Bloomfield, Connecticut, and Edan Alexander, 19, from Tenafly, New Jersey. Four other Americans are believed to have been killed in captivity.

Siegel's wife Aviva was also taken hostage by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, but was released in an earlier hostage and prisoner swap in November 2023.

Speaking to CBS News about a year after her release, Aviva Siegel said there were moments as Hamas militants forced her and her husband through tunnels under the Gaza Strip that they felt "sure we were going to die."

Yarden Bibas, 35, is the husband of Shiri Bibas, who was taken from their kibbutz with her two young children Ariel and Kfir during the terrorist attack. Hamas claimed just weeks after the attack that Shiri and her two children were killed in an Israeli bombing in Gaza.

In a TV interview about a year later, then-Israeli government minister Benny Gantz indicated that officials knew what had happened to the Bibas family, but said he could not provide details. The fact that, under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas has released women and children before male hostages, suggested the rest of Yarden Bibas' family was indeed dead.

Ofer Kalderon, held hostage in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, is released by Hamas militants as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, in an image taken from video in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Feb. 1, 2025. / Credit: Reuters TV/REUTERS

Ofer Calderon, 54, was among five members of his family seized by Hamas militants from their kibbutz near the Gaza border on Oct. 7, 2023. His two children were released during the ceasefire in November of that year, but two of his cousins were killed.

Rafah crossing into Egypt reopened

A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began crossing through Gaza's Rafah crossing into Egypt for treatment on Saturday, the Associated Press reported. It marked the first opening of the border since Israel captured Gaza nearly nine months ago.

Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.

Workers of the United Nations are seen as officials carrying out final checks before the buses carrying patients and their companions depart from Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis to the Rafah border gate to cross into Egypt. / Credit: Hani Alshaer/Anadolu via Getty Images

Egyptian television showed a Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side, the AP reported. Gaza's Health Ministry said around 60 family members were accompanying the children.

Rafah is Gaza's only crossing that does not enter into Israel. It was closed by Israeli forces in early May after it was seized during an offensive on the southern city. Egypt shut down its side of the crossing in protest.

Patients from al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City react as they depart towards the Rafah crossing and through to Egypt to receive treatment abroad on February 1, 2025. / Credit: BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images

Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals in Gaza's Health Ministry, told the AP that more than 6,000 patients were ready to be evacuated abroad and more than 12,000 patients urgently needed treatment. He said the small numbers set to be evacuated will not cover the need, "and we hope the number will increase."

What has the ceasefire accomplished and what comes next?

Hamas is expected to free a total of 33 Israeli hostages during the first, six-week phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal, which took effect on January 19. After the release on Saturday, 18 have been freed so far. With each release of Israeli hostages, scores of Palestinians have been freed from Israeli prisons, with roughly 30 being set free for every hostage returned to Israel alive.

Phase one of the deal was to see all Israeli women, children and male hostages over the age of 50 released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, in addition to a dramatically increased flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the partial withdrawal of Israeli forces from some areas of the territory.

On the 16th day of the ceasefire, which would be Monday, negotiations to establish the steps for the second phase are meant to begin, according to a draft of the agreement shared with CBS News by a senior Hamas official.

There have been a few moments where it appeared the fragile agreement could fall apart, including when hostage Arbel Yehoud was not released as Israel said she should have been in one of the first exchanges. Quick negotiations led to a resolution of the dispute, and Yehoud was among those freed by militants in Gaza in the third exchange on Thursday.

"Any deal that takes two or three months to end a war is a bad deal, because it can go off the rails at any point, and at any point either one of the sides can accuse the other of breaching," Israeli analyst and former hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin told CBS News on Friday.

"We've already had mutual accusations of breach. Right now, both sides are interested in at least bringing this forward to the end of the 42 days" of phase one, Baskin said.

Baskin, who has extensive experience negotiating with Hamas, cautioned that "you couldn't have the two parties further apart" ahead of the expected negotiations over the second phase of the deal.

"What we hear from the Israeli side is that they will not end the war or withdraw from Gaza, and what we hear from Hamas is that there is no deal unless it ends the war and brings about an Israeli withdrawal," he said.

But Baskin added that the new Trump administration in the U.S. would likely play an integral role in determining how the negotiations actually go.

"I think it's all on the shoulders of Trump," Baskin told CBS News. "If Trump is determined that this will take place, Netanyahu cannot go against him. Netanyahu may try to create some kind of provocation, leading Hamas to breach the ceasefire, in which case Israel will say to the Americans, 'They breached it and now we have to go back to war.' If Trump says yes, then that's the end. If Trump says 'no, you can't go back to war,' then we will move into phase two."

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Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on the Philadelphia air ambulance crash for Saturday, Feb. 1. For the latest news, view our story for Sunday, Feb. 2.

PHILADELPHIA  A Medevac jet that plummeted from the sky and crashed in a fiery explosion into a busy neighborhood on Friday evening killed at least seven people, injured 19 others and has left a path of carnage.

As investigators combed the area for evidence on Saturday, residents were still reeling from the sight of the crash. People gathered in the Northeast Philadelphia neighborhood from dawn to mid-afternoon to see what remained of Friday's nightmare. They stood yards away from a debris field of broken plane pieces and singed cars to get a glimpse of the wreckage.

A huge crater was blown out of the city street where a Learjet 55 carrying six Mexican nationals nosedived into the ground at almost 300 mph, according to initial reports. There were two chunks of the planes charred fuselage in the street. Several cars caught in the blast during the evening rush rested at extreme angles  one was so thoroughly incinerated that only a blackened metal skeleton remained.

Many described the moment the plane hit as akin to a war zone. Andre Boldin said the jet sounded like a missile sputtering overhead. Nearby, Andre Gary said he believed the world was ending as he watched it fall like a meteor from the sky.

I couldnt sleep last night, said Bill Vitelli, whose windows rattled when the jet crashed. "Well know what happened, eventually, but why do these things happen? Maybe only God can explain it.

Destroyed cars line Cottman Avenue as authorities work at the scene of a Learjet crash in Northeast Philadelphia that occurred the evening before, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

Deaths and injuries reported

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker on Saturday morning confirmed that all six people on the plane died, along with one person who was in their car when the medical flight struck the ground, hurtling debris far and wide. She and other officials warned that the count of injured and dead could rise as recovery efforts continue.

She thanked first responders and said crews and investigators worked through the night and will continue to work to learn what happened.

"We will find a cause for this tragedy," she said.

The six people on board the jet were from Mexico, including a young girl  who had been treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, her mother, a medical crew, and the pilots, said Jet Rescue Air Ambulance Spokesperson Shai Gold.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the deaths and offered condolences to the families impacted in a Saturday morning post on X, formerly Twitter.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the jet departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and crashed around 6:30 p.m. Friday as it was headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri. The plane crashed near the Roosevelt Mall at Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, a busy hub with dozens of businesses and hundreds of homes.

The crash in Philadelphia comes in the wake of the midair collision in Washington D.C. that killed 67 people. The collision of an Army helicopter and American Airlines plane in the nation's capital was the deadliest U.S. passenger air crash in over two decades.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators are investigating the crash site, and the FAA said it will assist with the probe.

Search for missing cockpit recorder

It took "a slight right turn, followed by a slight left turn and then a steep descent," leading to its crash, NTSB investigator Ralph Hicks said in a press briefing Saturday.

"This was a high-impact crash and the plane is highly fragmented, NTSB chairman Jennifer Homendy said at the briefing.

As a result, there is a lot of debris, much of which investigators are looking to collect. The collection effort could take weeks, Homendy said.

While investigators have found the plane's two engines, they have yet to find the cockpit voice recorder. She urged anyone who found debris to email the NTSB (witness@ntsb.gov).

About the cockpit recorder, which may not be intact, Homendy said, "hopefully, once we can find it  we can take that back to our lab and evaluate it."

Finding the recorder is "critical, so we can hear what's happening in the cockpit," she said. "However, it doesn't mean that we can't continue our investigation and complete it (without the voice recorder). We can. It's just a piece of our investigation that gives us more information."

Politicians respond to the disaster

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro thanked federal officials for help investigating the crash and stressed a message of unity in the face of tragedy.

"This is not just a group of emergency response professionals working together at the state, local and federal level, this is neighbors working together to look out for one another," he said Saturday morning.

President Donald Trump on Friday night applauded first responders and offered his condolences to the victims in a Truth Social post.

"So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More innocent souls lost," Trump wrote. "Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow. God Bless you all."

Philadelphia air traffic control tried to reach doomed plane

Air traffic control communications reveal the moments when controllers tried to reach the doomed jet.

The Medevac pilot did not mention any issues over the radio, but the air traffic control tower caught on that something was wrong.

Medevac med service zero-five-six, northeast tower, are you on frequency? a controller asks almost four minutes after the jet's takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport in an audio file downloaded from liveatc.net.

Minutes later another voice came on: What's going on down there?"

"We have a lost aircraft," the operator responds.

Read more.

Crews inspect crash site

Adam Thiel, managing director of the City of Philadelphia, said crews are conducting house-to-house operations around the area of the crash to find any hidden damage. It could be days, he said, before the full extent of the tragedy is known.

He estimated the area of impact to be roughly four to six blocks wide. But debris also spread into areas farther away.

Philadelphia fire officials said five homes were set ablaze, but they had since been extinguished. Officials did not say how many cars were impacted.

What is a Medevac jet?

Short for medical evacuation, Medevac flights are undertaken by aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, including ventilators, defibrillators, and monitoring devices along with caregivers to provide inflight care for patients being transported to a medical facility, according to aviation news site Simple Flying.

Staffed by specially trained medical personnel, the aircraft are "essentially flying ambulances," according to Fly REVA, an international air ambulance provider with bases of operation in Arizona, Florida, New York and Puerto Rico.

Helicopters can be used as Medevac aircraft, but fixed-wing planes such as the Learjet are ideal for use because they can take off and land on shorter airfields. Large cargo doors allow for loading and unloading of a stretcher, the site says.

Law enforcement officials congregate at the scene of a Learjet crash in northeast Philadelphia that occurred the evening before, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

Medical crew on a Medevac can include intensive care physicians, flight doctors and flight nurses, notes Medical Air Service Worldwide, an air ambulance provider with offices in New York and London.

Equipment on an Medevac flight may include a satellite phone, an intensive care unit, respirator, defibrillator, blood gas analyzer and oxygen tanks, the company says.

Pilots may have additional medical training including infection control and patient loading and unloading, according to MedicTests, an evaluation site.

 Mike Snider

Child aboard plane was in Philadelphia for treatment

Jet Rescue was contracted to transport the child from Philadelphia to Tijuana, Mexico, Gold said. Gold confirmed a third-party charitable organization paid for the flight, but he couldnt divulge the name of the organization.

Our heart goes out to the families, Gold said. Its really an irreplaceable loss.

Shriner's Hospital Philadelphia said they had been treating the girl and celebrated her with a sendoff Friday before the flight, according to an interview a hospital representative gave to CBS3 in Philadelphia.

The company previously experienced a fatal crash in 2023 in Mexico where five crew members were lost, Gold said.

The LearJet 55 is one of the largest available and Jet Rescue is among the few air ambulance companies that use them because they are expensive, but an exceptionally reliable jet. Jet Rescue flies 600 to 700 flights a year around the world and that the number of trips the LearJet 55 took the five days before the crash is not unusual, Gold said.

He added that the company training for its crew exceeds the industry standard, the airplanes in its fleet are well-maintained and safety is taken extremely seriously, calling each flight a holy mission.

Every flight is like its the first flight we ever did, Gold said. IF a red light goes on in the cockpit, the plane is grounded no matter where it is.

Feb 1, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Authorities work at the scene of a Learjet crash in Northeast Philadelphia that occurred the evening before, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

'Help us, help us'

Philadelphia resident Michael Hitchner was sitting in a parked car when the plane crashed nearby. He said he used his shirt to try to stop the bleeding from a child's head who was injured from debris that fell through a car windshield.

"The parents were shouting, 'Help us, help us, help us!'" Hitchner said. He added that he and his wife saw other carnage as well. "My wife saw a disembodied foot. I saw a disembodied arm. I saw medical supplies scattered everywhere," Hitchner said.

"It was a very shocking and disturbing experience, seeing everything that happened. I got home. I threw up twice."

 Jim Walsh

What does the National Transportation Safety Board do?

The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating civil transportation accidents in the U.S. involving aircraft, railways, roads and on the water, according to the NTSB website.

The agency, headed by a five-member board, is currently investigating the midair collision of an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday.

How many planes have crashed in 2025?

So far in the U.S. there have been eight airplane crashes  including bird strikes and single craft accidents  based on information from the Aviation Safety Network.

Prior to the crash of a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday, there had been no fatalities in the U.S. this year.

That crash left 67 dead. With the fatalities in the Philadelphia crash, there's now been 74 air crash-related deaths in the U.S. in 2025.

'No donations' needed, mayor says

Mayor Parker urged those looking for ways to help victims of the tragedy to pray for the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She stressed that "no donations are needed at this time," during a press conference on Saturday.

She said officials were working on creating "formal, actionable ways" for people to assist with the tragedy.

Workers stand near the apparent impact site at the scene of a Learjet crash in Northeast Philadelphia that occurred the evening before.

Details about plane emerge

According to the online flight-tracking service Flight Aware, the red and white plane is a 43-year-old Learjet 55 registered to Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which has operations in Miami and Mexico.

In recent days, the plane had passed through airports in Mexico, Haiti, Florida and Arizona. On the company's website, the plane is featured in a video explaining how Jet Rescue can extract patients worldwide and is shown in the air as the video touts the company's "impeccable safety record."

USA TODAY has reached out to Jet Rescue for comment.

 Trevor Hughes

Contributing: Trevor Hughes and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY; Jim Walsh, USA TODAY Network; Bucks County Courier Times; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At least 7 dead, 19 injured after Philadelphia plane crash
Canvas divided into four quarters. In the top left and bottom right is a grainy image of a home in a tropical location. In the top right, a photo of Elmer Holmgren; in the bottom left, a photo of Sante Kimes and Kennet Kimes Senior. Superimposed across the canvas is the image of a home burning down. (Macy Sinreich / NBC News; Courtesy of Kent Walker Kimes and Ken Holmgren)

The phone call was chilling.

Ken Holmgren didnt talk to his father often, but during that February 1991 call, Elmer Holmgren told his son that if he didnt hear from him again in a few days, he should call an agent with the ATF, the federal agency now known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Panic struck, Ken Holmgren, 71, told Dateline. I really didnt know who he was working for.

Elmer Holmgren.

He said he knew that his father, a lawyer whod struggled to find work after the death of his employer in Florida, had moved to Las Vegas and was working for a wealthy couple, Kenneth and Sante Kimes.

But Ken Holmgren didnt know about Santes lengthy criminal history, mostly for theft-related charges, he said. Nor did he know that shed recently served three years in a federal prison for charges of indentured servitude. She and her husband  who took a plea agreement in the case  had been accused of abusing young undocumented women whom theyd recruited to work as housekeepers.

Holmgren never heard from his father again. But less than a decade later, Sante Kimes captured national attention with a pair of brutal and puzzling crimes that spanned thousands of miles. Sante Kimes and her younger son, Kenny Kimes Jr., were charged and convicted in separate trials in connection with two 1998 murder plots  the killing of a New York City socialite, Irene Silverman, and the fatal shooting of a Los Angeles businessman, David Kazdin.

During his trial for Kazdins killing, the son confessed to a third murder  the killing of a bank executive whod gone missing in the Bahamas in 1996 while investigating irregularities in the Kimes offshore bank accounts.

Now, decades later, the mystery of what happened to Elmer remains. As does his sons frustration that, in his view, authorities never seemed to have sought answers in the disappearance. Holmgren said that its even more maddening given that when he vanished, his father was cooperating with the ATF as a witness against Sante Kimes and her husband in a suspected arson at their Honolulu home  an arrangement that Holmgren said he later learned of from a special agent with the ATF.

If the ATF would have done their job, there would have been several more people that wouldnt have lost their lives, he said. Thats the way I look at it.

Kenneth Kimes Sr. and Sante Kimes.

A spokesperson for the ATF would not comment. The person Holmgren identified as the special agent who provided information about his fathers role in the fire and his apparent cooperation with the bureau retired from the ATF and did not return a message seeking comment.

In response to a public records request from Dateline for documents linked to the suspected arson in Honolulu  as well as another possible arson at a Las Vegas property that belonged to the Kimes  the bureaus parent agency, the Department of Justice, provided a management log last fall. The document said that all but one piece of evidence had been destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center, where federal offices were located.

In 2003, most of that remaining evidence was returned to representatives for Sante and Kenny Kimes Jr., according to the log. The bureau would only provide them with copies of a photo album whose ownership was unclear, the log states.

Sante Kimes died in 2014 at a New York prison at 79. Kenneth Kimes Sr. died in 1994. The couple was never charged with any crimes in connection with the suspected arson. A spokesperson for the ATF would not comment. Police reports obtained through a public records request from the Honolulu Police Department, which also investigated the fire and describe the blaze as a suspected arson, do not provide an explanation of the cases outcome.

Kenny Kimes Jr., 49, was a teenager at the time of the fire and is not suspected in Elmers disappearance. He is serving a sentence of life without parole at a California state prison.

Living the high life

The fire erupted around 1 a.m. on Sept. 16, 1990, in the Kimes beachfront home southeast of Honolulu. Video from the time showed the house fully engulfed in flames.

The Kimes' beachfront home in Honolulu burned in 1990.

It wasnt the only home that belonged to the Kimes. Kenneth Kimes Sr. had made his fortune in real estate, and the family had multiple properties in Hawaii, as well as in Las Vegas and an oceanfront estate in the Bahamas, said Kent Walker, Sante Kimes older son from a previous marriage.

Our lives were beyond the American dream, Walker told Dateline.

Honolulu fire investigators determined the blaze had multiple points of origin  the primary bedroom, dining room, living room  and described its cause as incendiary, indicating it was intentionally set, according to the Honolulu Police Departments case file on the fire.

A follow-up report included in the file, which was obtained through a public records request, described a recent legal dispute over the propertys sale: After a buyer in Colorado paid $1.7 million for it the prior year, the money was placed in escrow. But a person whose name is redacted in the document reneged on the deal giving various excuses for not selling, according to the report, which cited a representative for the buyer.

The property had a $900,000 lien on it, the representative said, and a trial over the dispute was scheduled for Jan. 21, 1991  four months after the house burned.

According to an incident report included in the records request, a person whose name is redacted in the document is described as having hired a suspect to burn her home. (The suspects name is also redacted.) The homeowner then filed an insurance claim seeking $1.4 million, the report states.

Vanished while in protective custody

A few months after the fire, Holmgren said, he got the first of two phone calls from his father. In the first conversation, Holmgren recalled, his father told him he was working for the Kimes and appeared reluctant to even be on the phone.

I gotta make this short, he recalled his father saying.

A few weeks later, in early February, Elmer called again and provided his son with the names of two ATF agents in Honolulu, said Ken Holmgren, who at the time was living in Florida and working as a contractor for a power company.

If Elmer didnt get back to him in three days, Ken Holmgren recalls him saying, his father instructed him to call the bureau.

It was very stressful, Ken Holmgren said.

A few days later, when Holmgren still hadnt heard from his father, he dialed one of the agents while at work and left a message.

Shortly after, Holmgren said, two carloads of ATF agents appeared at his job. The person who took the message had garbled it, he said, and believed that Holmgren was actually his father.

My boss was a little taken aback, but he was very understanding, Holmgren said.

Initially, he said, the ATF agent offered few details about his fathers link to the bureau. Elmer was supposed to have been in protective custody, he recalled the agent saying, but they lost track of him. (A spokesperson for the agency said the ATF places people in protective custody with the United States Marshals Service when there is a perceived or known threat to a persons safety.)

A couple months later, Holmgren said, the agent offered more details: His father had been involved in the suspected arson at the Kimes Honolulu property  a fact that Elmer revealed to a friend at a bar. That friend then shared that information with authorities, Holmgren said the agent told him.

Kimes' Honolulu house pre and post fire.

Holmgren wasnt sure when or how agents from the bureau first approached his father, nor did he know if he'd been promised anything in return for his cooperation.

But Elmer began working with the bureau to implicate Sante and Kenneth Kimes Sr. in the alleged crime, Ken recalled the agent saying. Two weeks before Elmer vanished, he met with two agents at his Las Vegas apartment, the agent said, according to Holmgren.

Sante Kimes and Kenneth Kimes Sr. walked in on him during that meeting, Holmgren said the agent told him. My father just told the Kimes that they were friends of his and they were just having a beer, talking. And the agents left and that was the last they saw of my dad.

What did Kimes son hear?

In the summer of 1992, roughly a year-and-a-half after Elmers second phone call to his son, Kent Walker, Santes older son, recalled witnessing an alcohol-fueled argument between his mother and stepfather at a home they owned in Las Vegas.

In an account Walker previously shared with Dateline and included in a book published in 2001, Son of a Grifter, he described Kenneth Kimes Sr. accusing his mom of fatally striking a man with a hammer in their car.

Sante Kimes, Ken Jr., and Ken Sr.

According to Walkers account, Sante responded that her husband was responsible for the death because hed held the man.

Each one blamed the other so completely that they didnt register my horror, Walker wrote.

Walker wrote in his book that he contacted local authorities the next morning, but his mother and stepfather hadnt disclosed the victims name and he said his efforts to alert police went nowhere. He didnt learn Elmers identity for another six years, Walker wrote, when he saw his disappearance mentioned in a news story about his mothers arrest in connection with Irene Silvermans killing.

Walker believed Elmer was probably the victim described in his parents argument, he wrote.

In a recent interview with Dateline, Walker said the ATF never interviewed him about the argument he witnessed. He remained frustrated, he said, because he believed authorities should have done more to solve Elmers disappearance. (An ATF spokesperson would not comment.)

Holmgren wasnt sure what to make of Walkers account, because as far as he knows, his fathers disappearance has never been thoroughly investigated and his body has never been found.

Still, he believes his father is long dead. He recalled a conversation with the ATF agent years after Elmers disappearance in which the agent said there was a slight chance his father was sitting on a beach in Costa Rica or Antigua.

But he doubted it, because the statute of limitations had run out, he recalled the agent saying about any possible crimes Elmer may have faced in the suspected arson in Honolulu. He had no reason not to come back.

In his final conversation with the agent, which Holmgren said was roughly a year before Sante Kimes was arrested in Irene Silvermans death, the agent repeatedly apologized for how the investigation had been handled, Holmgren recalled.

Im sorry, he recalled the agent saying. We dropped the ball.

To Holmgren, his father had been a good dad and a good man, and hed done many good things throughout his career.

He just got to a bad point in his life, he said. I think he just got caught up in a situation and he didnt know how to get out of it.
For every new rule, President Donald Trump plans to kill 10 old ones.

That's the thrust of the president's latest executive order, signed Friday, called "Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation." Trump, ever the businessman, has often complained that government regulations stifle economic development.

The new order requires federal agencies to repeal "at least 10 existing rules, regulations or guidance documents" for every new rule or regulation created.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2025.

"It is the policy of my administration to significantly reduce the private expenditures required to comply with federal regulations to secure America's economic prosperity and national security," the order states.

The order also requires agency heads ensure the cost of any new regulations in fiscal 2025 "shall be significantly less than zero."

It wasn't immediately clear how federal agencies would go about choosing which 10 regulations to eliminate, or how their wider cost will be determined.

Trump issued a similar executive order in 2017, requiring government agencies to eliminate two rules for every new one created. Former President Joe Biden revoked the order in 2021, on his first day in office.

The order directs the Office of Management and Budget director to set guidance.

The Senate Budget Committee voted on Thursday to advance Russell Vought, Trumps pick to lead OMB, for a floor vote. Committee Democrats boycotted the vote. Vought was an author of the controversial Project 2025 agenda for a Republican administration.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump tackles government regulation in dramatic new executive order
A data center used by the Trump Media & Technology Group is owned by an investment company belonging to the wealthy Bradley family from Missouri, according to SEC filings.

The Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) houses some of its servers in a data center in Omaha, Nebraska, owned by the family office of a longtime Midwestern media mogul.

The server company, 1623 Farnam Road, is fully owned by the BERKS Group, the private-investment company of the Bradley family, according to public documents sourced from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Nebraska Secretary of States office, and the Missouri Secretary of States office. The BERKS Group is an investment company, run essentially like a family office, which the Bradley family set up after they sold the majority of the assets from the News-Press & Gazette Company (NPG), the longtime media company that owns newspapers, televisions channels, and radio stations across the country.

The existence of the server might sound like an unsurprising technicality, given that TMTG is an online media company. But TMTG often keeps these relationships close to its chest. It has redacted mention of 1623 Farnam in the majority of its SEC filings. Fortune found mention of the 1623 Farnam facility in a footnote of a contract between TMTG and one of its vendors, WorldConnect Technologies. In that agreement, WorldConnect was due 2.5 million shares of TMTG stock at the opening of the first data center at 1623 Farnams data center in Omaha.

The relationship adds detail to the business partners and structure of TMTG, which comprises a major portion of President Donald Trumps personal net worth.

1623 Farnam declined to comment on the record for this story. TMTG did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trumps net worth is wrapped up in TMTG

Trump is TMTGs largest shareholder, controlling 53% of the company. Despite holding no formal role in TMTG, its success as a business is nonetheless directly linked to his own net worth. Based on TMTGs current stock price, Trumps roughly 114 million shares are worth about $3.6 billion. In December, Trump placed his shares in a revocable trust controlled by his son and current TMTG board member Donald Trump Jr.

While the president may have made the majority of his fortune as a real estate developer and TV personality, in reality he is now a technology mogul. In his past life, his business relationships may have been with companies that poured cement or fitted I-beams for skyscrapers. Now they are with technology vendors that develop the content delivery networks that power streaming content or with data center providers like 1623 Farnam.

These companies are not household names, nor do they provide services that ordinary consumers of social media apps or streaming services consider as they use them in their daily lives. Yet they are crucial to the operations of any tech company, including TMTG. Given Trumps financial stake in TMTG and his current role as President of the United States they present new possible conflicts of interest that are unique to the 21st century.

1623 Farnam provides TMTG access to the networking capabilities that allow it to connect to the internet. In the telecommunications industry companies such as 1623 Farnam are known as carrier hotels, which are physical locations that serve as meeting points for the many networks that make up the internet.

The internet is not a single network, said University of Massachusetts computer science professor Ramesh Sitamaran. It is a collection of a large number of independent networks. For [information] to be sent from one place on the internet to another, it has to go through a number of independent networks. So, you need places where networks can physically meet each other to exchange [information]. Carrier hotels facilitate that meeting.

Carrier hotels were early precursors to cloud computing, but still remain critical pieces of technology infrastructure that are crucial to how the internet operates. Because they connect many different networks in a single location they are often found in downtown areas of big cities, meaning that there are relatively few of them, which in turn has made them valuable investment opportunities.

One could argue this is as important as power, sewer and water, Brian Bradley, an owner in the BERKS Group and the current president of NPG, said in 2018 when it acquired 1623 Farnam.

A family affair

The Bradleys are a wealthy family from St. Joseph, Missouri, whose patriarch, Henry Bradley, made a fortune in the news business after buying up dozens of regional newspapers in the Midwest and later local television and radio stations under NPG. In 2011, the family sold the majority of its broadcast assets to SuddenLink Communications, a former subsidiary of Altice, for a reported $350 million.

Since then, the Bradleys have mostly focused on running their the BERKS Group, which invests in manufacturing, edtech, and technology infrastructure, according to its website. Six members of the Bradley family currently serve in the BERKS Groups leadership as both board members and executives, according to its website.

The BERKS Group bought 1623 Farnam in 2018 for an undisclosed price. At the time, the company was known as Nebraska Data Center. The BERKS Group pledged to invest $30 million over five years in 1623 Farnam when it purchased the company.

TMTG's uncancelable media network

As TMTG continues to build up its technology stack, it has developed commercial relationships with little-known business-to-business companies, such as 1623 Farnam. Despite being unfamiliar to most, these companies now play a significant role in the operations of TMTG.

For the better part of a year, TMTG has been engaged in a process to build its own proprietary technology infrastructure to power both its X-like Truth Social and a nascent video streaming platform Truth+. Earlier this week TMTG also announced it would develop a fintech platform called Truth.Fi. TMTG regularly touts this system in SEC filings as integral to its mission to become uncancelable by Big Tech. The data center at 1623 Farnam was the first location to house the network for TMTGs burgeoning tech holdings.

In November 2024, TMTG announced all of its data centers were fully operational. The contract with WorldConnect grants it further stock incentives for five total data centers. It was not clear where those additional data centers are located or whether they were all operational.

TMTG announced its first data center was online in August 2024, around the time it began rolling out its streaming service. Currently, TMTG has a standalone streaming platform called Truth+, which is available on iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire TV, as well as live content within its Truth Social app. These capabilities are housed on a proprietary content delivery network developed by Perception Group, which was introduced to TMTG by WorldConnect Technologies, according to previous reporting from Fortune, an obscure company with no website, run by associates of James E. Davison, a Louisiana businessman and major Republican donor.

Family political donations

The Bradley family also has a history of making personal donations to Republican candidates over the years, according to data from the Federal Election Commission and Open Secrets. From 2014 to 2024, the six family members employed at the BERKS Group gave at least $76,000 to various Republican candidates in total. None of the Bradley family members have donated directly to any of President Donald Trumps three presidential campaigns, according to the records reviewed by Fortune.

Two family members, Rall Bradley and Eric Bradley, also donate regularly to Democratic candidates, including in the most recent election cycle, according to data from Open Secrets. The family also donates to the political arm of the broadcast industrys D.C. lobbying group, the National Association of Broadcasters, which backs both Republican and Democratic candidates.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
California firefighters sift through debris of the damage caused by the Los Angeles wildfires. CalFire

(The Center Square)  Homeless encampments were behind three wildfires that rocked San Diego earlier this month, sparking concerns that homelessness is a significant factor in Southern Californias recent blazes. The Los Angeles Fire Department has reported that 54% of fires citywide that it responded to were caused by homeless individuals.

The San Diego Metro Arson Strike Team told NBC 7 that the Friars Fire in Mission Valley, the Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo, and the Gilman Fire in La Jolla all started in homeless encampments, damaging buildings, injuring firefighters and residents, and requiring evacuations.

These fires reflect fire trends throughout Southern California that link a significant portion of fires to homeless individuals.

In 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared that a major underpass fire that shut down the Interstate 10 freeway  one of the nations most important and well-traveled roadways, which stretches from California to Arizona  for days was determined to be the result of malice. While the cause of the fire was never released, the underpass in question is associated with homeless encampments.

City Journal has reported on how the Los Angeles Fire Department spent approximately $427 million of its $854 million total on homeless-related fires.

Congressman Kevin Kiley, whose district includes wildfire-prone sections of the Sierra Nevadas and unsuccessfully called for an audit of the states homelessness spending, wondered why cities are not using newly granted powers to remove and ban homeless encampments from high-risk areas.

This is absolutely unacceptable. Our victory at the Supreme Court last year enabled cities to clear homeless encampments, Kiley said Kiley X. Those that refuse to do so are willfully putting their residents at risk.

Last year, federal courts overturned an earlier ban on anti-camping ordinances, allowing cities to clear out homeless encampments. Enforcement action in San Francisco which, along with Gov. Gavin Newsom, supported overturning the ban, has resulted in a 60% decline in homeless tents since their peak in July 2023.
DURA, West Bank  Israeli soldiers burst into her bedroom in the middle of the night as she slept, arresting her at gunpoint as her younger sisters watched on. But after more than a year in prison, Jenin Amro told NBC News she still doesnt know why she was detained.

Like all of the 90 Palestinian women and children released in the first hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas in January, she was labeled as a terrorist by the Israel Prison Service. But Amro denies any militant ties, and Israeli authorities have not responded to multiple requests for specific details on why she was held for over a year.

How am I a terrorist? I was a university student who attended, studied and lived with my family, the 23-year-old told NBC News last month, two days after she was freed as part of the deal between Israel and Hamas and was allowed to return to her family home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

Sitting in a plastic chair outside her familys stone-built home surrounded by greenery and farm animals, Amro said she was in shock as she was taken to Damon Prison near the Israeli city of Haifa.

I was wondering what was happening and why this was happening to me, she said.

Nearby, her father, Mohammad Amro, 58, watched on with a look of concern for his eldest daughter while Amros younger sister Boshara, 21, stood beside him. Her mother, Hind Taleb Amro, 58, and other siblings were all close by.

Her uncle Raef Mohammed Amro, who said his journey from Jenin in the West Banks north to Dura to see her had taken 10 hours instead of two because of Israeli checkpoints, embraced her with a warm hug.

Jenin Amro, 23, at her familys home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

Describing the Damon Prison as unfit for human habitation, Amro said with a soft but determined voice that she and the other women suffered physical and verbal abuse from Israeli guards.

Some were beaten, she said, recalling one case where a woman who had difficulty walking was dragged on the floor and no one was allowed to help.

While she said she hadnt weighed herself since her release, it was clear she had lost weight during her time in detention. Meal sizes were small, she said, adding that the small amount of yogurt for breakfast and a plate of fries for lunch would be shared between groups of detainees.

She said all of the women she was detained with were Palestinian and that some had been arrested over social media posts, while others, like her, had not been charged.

The reality of her situation didnt fully register until the very last day, adding that she still struggled to understand whether she was able to to leave and return to my life.

The Israel Prison Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the conditions at the facility.

Asked why Amro was detained, the Israel Defense Forces referred NBC News to the Israel Security Agency, or Shin Bet. Shin Bet did not respond to multiple inquiries from NBC News and the Israel Prison Service did not respond to a request for comment.

Amros lawyer Ahmed Safia said that throughout her time behind bars, he had repeatedly asked Israeli authorities to explain why the young woman, who was studying agricultural engineering at Hebron University, had been detained, only to be told that the information was secret.

He said she was one of thousands of Palestinians held by Israel under a controversial practice known as administrative detention, which it uses to hold people without trial or other usual legal proceedings, based on alleged secret evidence it does not share with detainees, their families or legal representatives.

The practice has been criticized by rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that say it has been used to hold Palestinians without charge and due process. Israel has defended the practice as a necessary security measure.

Before some 580 Palestinian prisoners were released in the four exchanges for Israeli hostages during the current truce, Israel was holding 3,376 administrative detainees without trial, according to data from HaMoked, an Israeli human rights organization.

Israeli forces detain Palestinian men during a raid in the West Bank village of Dura on Oct. 31.

Meanwhile, inside Israel, ultranationalist lawmakers have criticized the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Among them is Itamar Ben-Gvir, who resigned from his post as national security minister in protest.

He has objected to the fact that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed and argued that it leaves open the possibility of Hamas staying in power in Gaza, where health officials say more than 47,000 people been killed in the Israeli military offensive since Oct. 7, 2023, though researchers estimate the death toll is likely significantly higher.

Israel began its campaign after Hamas multipronged attacks on the country in which roughly 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Despite the objections of Ben-Gvir and some of his fellow lawmakers, the first three Israeli hostages  Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, a dual British citizen  were freed last month in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, all of whom were women and children under the age of 19.

All of them, including Amro were described as terrorists by Israel, a fact that came as little surprise to Sarit Michaeli, international outreach director for Jerusalem-based human rights organization BTselem, who said Israel used it as a blanket term to describe the freed Palestinians.

In general, she said, many people detained by Israel havent been charged with any sort of violent offenses, and some have not been charged at all.

On Jan. 25, four female Israeli soldiers Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, Karina Ariev and Liri Albag were also released in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, some of whom were serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks.

But while the truce between Israel and Hamas has held for more than a week in Gaza, the Israeli military has ramped up military activity in the occupied West Bank, launching a major operation in the northern city of Jenin last week.

Jenin Amro hugs her uncle Raef Mohammed Amro outside her family home in Dura in the occupied West Bank.

The offensive began after President Donald Trump rescinded American sanctions on far-right Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of involvement in violence against Palestinians in the territory, in one of his first acts in office.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day War against its Arab neighbors, which saw the country seize the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan and the Gaza Strip from Egypt.

Since then, it has built and expanded Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Most countries deem them illegal under international law, a position disputed by Israel, which sees the territory as a security bulwark. In 2019, the first Trump administration abandoned the long-held U.S. position that the settlements are illegal before it was restored by his successor, Joe Biden.

Muted celebrations

Before she was released on Jan. 20, Amros family waited for hours in the cold at a rendezvous point for the freed prisoners.

Her younger sister Boshara said she couldnt describe the feeling of having her sister home. In a voice note before Amro was released, Boshara said she was like a mother to me, in her kindness and in everything she does.

Jenin Amro, 23, second from left, sits with her family at their home in Dura in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.

But throughout Amros detention, Boshara said she had no contact with her sister and was unable to visit her, adding that her family was disturbed by her siblings very bad mental state, especially the mental and physical stress she was subjected too.

In video shared with NBC News, Amros family and friends could be seen celebrating her return on Jan. 20. Wearing a flower crown, she could be seen being carried down the street on the shoulders of two men as she was greeted by a cheering crowd.

But Amro, her sister and their father said they received a visit from Israeli forces that day warning them not to celebrate again.

A spokesperson for the IDF denied its forces had specifically visited Amros family, but said they had been in the Dura area that day to disperse a march being held in support of Hamas.

As for Amro, she said she hoped to overcome the ordeal, finish her degree and eventually open a plant or flower shop, but she feared she would be detained again  a threat she said Israeli authorities made to her upon her release.

I am more determined, strong, she told NBC News in a message after her ordeal, adding that she planned to continue my life with passion.

Speaking outside her home last week, she said she wanted to share her story because she thought it was important for Palestinians to demand our rights and to shine a light on the injustice happening under Israeli detention.

Everything I have experienced in prison makes me feel that the world should know, she said.
(This story has been updated with new information and video.)

Air traffic control communications reveal the moments when controllers tried to reach a doomed Medevac jet in Philadelphia, which crashed Friday night, killing at least 7 people and injuring at least 19.

The cause for the crash is not yet known. The Learjet 55 departed Northeast Philadelphia Airport at about 6:30 p.m. ET bound for Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri, and the pilot did not mention any problems in recorded air traffic control communications.

But the air traffic control tower caught on that there was an issue, the recordings suggest. Medevac med service zero-five-six, northeast tower, are you on frequency? a controller asks almost four minutes after the jet's takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport in an audio file downloaded from liveatc.net.

Then, a request for response from the aircraft is repeated by the controller. About five minutes later, another voice comes on the radio asking, "What's going on down there?"

"We have a lost aircraft," the operator responds. "We're not exactly sure what happened, so we're trying to figure it out. For now, the field is going to be closed, so no inbounds or outbounds, probably," the operator responds.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators were arriving at the crash site, said the Federal Aviation Administration, which will assist with the probe.

Emergency services work on the scene of a plane crash on the 7200 block of Cottman in Northeast Philadelphia on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.

DC plane crash: Search for bodies continues; officials to remove aircraft from Potomac

Philadelphia plane crash victims

Aboard the plane was one pediatric patient, the child's mother and four crew members, Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said. All six were from Mexico and were reported dead, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Saturday morning on X.

The plane crashed near the Roosevelt Mall at Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard, a busy hub with dozens of businesses and hundreds of homes. The crash caused an explosion scatting debris, setting some homes and cars on fire and injuring some people on the ground, officials said.

Officials on Saturday morning confirmed an additional fatality: One person who was in their car when the medical flight crashed to the ground. At the time, they said 19 others have been injured but there could be others.

Philadelphia plane crash: Air traffic control recording hints at problem

The audio file on the air traffic broadcasting website includes more than 30 minutes of communications between the tower employees and crew on the plane. Air traffic controllers can be heard giving the plane approval to depart.

Tower employees give instructions to switch frequencies after the successful takeoff. A pilot acknowledges and switches radio frequencies.

Approximately a minute later, one controller makes another request for the plane to contact the tower, followed by about 30 seconds of silence. Within minutes, they realize there is an issue and shut down the airfield.

Where was the Medevac jet that crashed headed?

The aircraft with four crew members and two passengers  a young girl, who had been treated at Shriners Children's Philadelphia, and her mother  were headed to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri.

The child was on her way home with a final destination of Tijuana, Shai Gold, who works on corporate strategy with Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, told CNN on Friday.

Contributing: Minnah Arshad, Shane Brennan, Jo Ciavaglia and Karissa Waddick; and Reuters.

Follow Mike Snider on Threads, Bluesky and X: mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philadelphia plane crash: Philly ATC tried to reach doomed plane
South Carolina executed Marion Bowman Jr. by lethal injection on Friday in the first execution in the United States this year.

Bowman, who was pronounced dead at 6:27 p.m., was on Death Row for the 2001 murder of 21-year-old Kandee Martin, a young mother who was killed five days before her son's second birthday. Police found Martin's bullet-ridden body in the trunk of her own car, which had been set on fire.

Bowman described Martin as a longtime friend and sometimes sexual partner, and while he admitted to selling crack cocaine to her, he always maintained he was innocent of her murder.

I did not kill Kandee Martin. Im innocent of the crimes Im here to die for," Bowman said in his final words released through his legal team. Still, he said that Martin's family is in pain and "justifiably angry."

"If my death brings them some relief and ability to focus on the good times and funny stories, then I guess it will have served a purpose," he said. "I hope they find peace."

Martin's family, meanwhile, told USA TODAY ahead of the execution that they have been counting down the minutes until the execution and hoping it would bring them closure.

"He's had 24 years to find God and tie up his loose ends," Martin said. "We never got that opportunity. What was left of Kandee is in a coffin in the ground."

Marion Bowman's last words

Bowman used some of his last words to draw attention to the death penalty and how society views people on Death Row, saying they're "labeled as the worst of the worst."

"None of these guys that I have gotten to know and grown to love are the people that they were when they had their moment that cost them everything," he said. "If the world could see us in our day to day, they would have a different view of the death penalty. We all pray for grace and forgiveness, but the outside world is stuck with images of monsters perpetrated by the State, while our real voices are silenced."

He concluded by saying: "We are not what the State labels us to be. We are kind, caring, loving people, and its a shame the world cant see that.

Marion Bowman's last meal

Bowman's last meal was fried shrimp, fish, and oysters, chicken wings, chicken tenders, onion rings, banana pudding, German chocolate cake. He drank pineapple juice and cranberry juice.

What was Marion Bowman convicted of?

A jury convicted Bowman of murdering Martin, whom Bowman described as a longtime friend and sometimes sexual partner who bought crack cocaine from him. Prosecutors argued that Martin owed Bowman money for drugs and cited several witnesses who said they heard him swearing to kill the young woman.

On Feb. 17, 2001, police found Martin's body. She had been shot once in the chest and once in the head on a dark country road. Her killer put her body in the trunk of her car and lit the car on fire, court records show.

The day she was killed, Bowman  who was 20 years old  said that he sold Martin drugs several times throughout the day but that later on she was "buying on credit." He said the two had sex and that afterward he saw her drive off in her car with his cousin, also a dealer.

That cousin became the star witness in Bowman's murder trial as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors for a reduced sentence. Bowman argues that jurors never heard that his cousin had confessed to killing Martin to a cellmate and that prosecutors ignored evidence that pointed to his cousin's and another man's guilt.

"I have done some things in life I regret," Bowman wrote. "I regret the role I had in dealing to Kandee and know that her addiction probably led to her death. But I did not do this."

More:'I did not do it': South Carolina man set for execution argues innocence, racial bias

Who was Kandee Martin?

The daughter of a rebar contractor and a stay-at-home mom, Kandee grew up in the tiny town of Branchville in rural South Carolina, about halfway between Charleston and Columbia. The town had limited employment options and was so small, Martin recalls that her graduating high school had just 21 students.

Kandee wanted something more and talked often of making it to Charleston and starting a career.

"She was a small town girl whose dream was to get out of the small town and just make something of her life," Martin said.

Before Kandee could get out of Branchville, she got pregnant with a baby boy who was both unexpected and a welcome blessing. "She went from being just a young single girl to being someone's mom, and to her, that was the coolest thing ever," Martin said.

"When I close my I eyes, I can still hear those two giggling with each other," Martin said.

Kandee Martin (top center) is pictured with her future sister-in-law Lisa Martin (bottom) when they dressed as can-can dancers at the age of 15 and 12, respectively.

What execution method was used?

Bowman was killed by a lethal injection of pentobarbital.

Bowman's attorneys had been arguing that there was a "veil of secrecy" surrounding the drug, saying in court documents that the state has refused to turn over basic details, like the pentobarbital's expiration date and how it's stored. They also raised questions about the drug's purity and quality after a second dose was given to South Carolina inmate Richard Moore 11 minutes after his execution began in November.

In court filings, the state argued that Bowman could have chosen a firing squad or electric chair for his execution, but he opted to die by lethal injection for Martin's "gruesome murder."

Lindsey Vann, one of Bowman's attorneys, said he chose lethal injection despite the unanswered questions because the firing squad and electric chair are "barbaric and unconstitutional." If Bowman hadn't chosen from among the three, the default method would have been the electric chair.

A lethal injection bed inside an execution chamber is pictured at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee.

More about Marion Bowman

Bowman grew up in a rural area in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, about halfway between Charleston and Columbia.

He had an absent father and his mother became ill when Bowman was a teenager, making him the man of the house, Vann told USA TODAY. "He's just a really loyal person from his earliest years, and unfortunately, that got him into the drug trade in the area," she said.

"My family was poor, but we got by," Bowman recently wrote in his online testimonial. "I didnt finish high school. I worked at some manual labor jobs but could never make ends meet."

So, he turned to selling crack cocaine, at first to support his mother and sister, and eventually his wife and stepchildren, Vann said.

After he was imprisoned, Bowman's wife gave birth to the couple's baby daughter, who has since had a baby daughter of her own and made Bowman a grandfather. He also has three step-grandchildren he considers his own. Despite the circumstances, he says they're all close.

Vann said that Bowman matured while in prison, developed a deep faith in God and became a bit of a writer, penning poems including one titled ""While I Breathe I Hope," and a new one released Friday after his death called "Last Breath or Sigh." Among the lines in the new poem: "Let there be no mistaking  I've felt love with every breath I've taken ... Know that I'm in God's grasp, and it's in His bosom I'll rest in."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marion Bowman executed in South Carolina for young woman's 2001 murder
Its a good time to be a renter in Denver.

Throughout the city and its suburbs, rents are falling and newly constructed buildings are dangling an array of incentives for signing new leases: offers of six, eight, or even 10 weeks free are now common, brokers say, as are other perks like discounted parking and gift cards.

The relief comes after a construction boom added tens of thousands of new units to the metro area last year alone, largely in its urban core. Builders rushed to Denver to meet demand from a population boom before and during the pandemic and are now completing them as growth has slowed.

Everybody that wanted to move here because of remote work has moved here, said Brian Sanchez, chief executive officer of Denver Apartment Finders, a locator service. The demand is not keeping up with the supply.

Between 2010 and 2020, the Denver region grew by more than 16% to nearly 3 million people. Since 2020, its growth has slowed to about 1% annually.

Rents for apartments of up to two bedrooms in the Denver metro area dropped 5.9% last year, according to Realtor.com. Thats a faster decrease than several other onetime hotspots for pandemic-era migration and construction, like Austin and Nashville. There, rents fell 5% and 4.4%, respectively in 2024.

'Trying to keep people in buildings'

As rental competition heats up, even Denvers renewing renters are often able to lock in incentives like a month of free rent, once a rarity.

Broker Colin Stok said he recently showed a friend new apartment options, including one offering 10 weeks of free rent and free parking. When the friends current rental company found out he was looking, it agreed to match the incentives in exchange for a lease renewal.

Theyre trying to keep people in buildings, said Stok, the Denver team lead at real estate company Cross Street. If I was a renter right now, I would be out there.

Despite the incentives, the Denver area still isnt a cheap place to live. The median apartment rents for around $1,800 a month. But Sanchez, of Denver Apartment Finders, is encouraged by what hes seeing  between the falling rents and incentives, hes been able to help middle-income workers like teachers land units in new, amenity-filled buildings.

DiAnthony Sweet, 40, had plenty of apartments to choose from when he accepted an aerospace job in the city and began planning his relocation from the Tampa, Fla., area. Researching the area remotely before beginning his hunt, he ended up creating a spreadsheet of more than 20 possible options.

Seeing all the new construction and all of the new apartments, it was just so overwhelming, Sweet said.

Read more: Should you rent or buy a home? How to decide.

Construction site at 10th and Broadway in Denver on Sept. 19, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) (Hyoung Chang via Getty Images)

After arriving in Denver to search, he fell in love with the first apartment he saw, a one-bedroom in a new building in the trendy River North Arts District. He received 10 weeks of free rent on a 15-month lease, and as an added bonus, his building will allow him to upgrade to a larger unit when his wife and daughter join him at the end of the school year.

I had planned on seeing more, but the first one checked all the boxes, Sweet said. Hes looking forward to having a short commute to his office and exploring the areas lively music, restaurant, and arts scene.

Read more: How much should I save up for an apartment?

A different story for buyers

While renters have been scoring deals, prospective buyers in Denver havent enjoyed the same luck. Although inventory levels have improved, prices  especially for single-family homes  remain near all-time highs.

As of September, the median home in the region sold for nearly $500,000.

High mortgage rates, insurance costs, and election-related anxiety helped keep sales sluggish across the metro area in 2024, said Realtor Stacie Duffy, who works in the southern suburb of Greenwood Village. She thinks theres some pent-up demand that may help the market pick up this spring, but said many first-time homebuyers are still stretched by the prices.

The affordability is a big problem, Duffy said. Some places are easily 20% to 30% more to purchase than it would be to rent an equitable property. Thats a hard pill for people to swallow.

Have questions about buying, owning, or selling a house? Submit your question to Yahoo's panel of Realtors using this Google form.

Claire Boston is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance covering housing, mortgages, and home insurance.

Click here for real estate and housing market news, reports, and analysis to inform your investing decisions

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Aung San Suu Kyis son has made a direct plea to the military junta in Myanmar holding her in solitary confinement to release her on the fourth anniversary of her arrest.

The imprisonment of the democratically elected leader during the military coup on Feb 1, 2021, has been deeply painful but goes beyond a family story, Kim Aris said.

She is the last flame of hope for peace and democracy, he told The Independent. She must be freed. The flame must not be allowed to be snuffed out.

His call came as he handed a letter into the Myanmar embassy in London calling for her to be set free and after the release of Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Aung San Suu Kyis son has made a direct plea to the military junta to free his mother (AFP via Getty Images)

The film triggered calls from three former foreign secretaries, William Hague, Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw, for her to be freed following her arrest on trumped up charges after a coup nearly four years ago.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy made a major intervention on the anniversary of the military to demand that Ms Suu Kyi be released.

Mr Aris received no response when he knocked on the door of the embassy and so had to post his letter. A man arriving at the address only a few minutes later was swiftly allowed in.

For the military junta in Burma to hold a frail 79-year-old woman in solitary confinement in jail for daring to ask for her countrys freedom is not just wrong, as her son it is also deeply painful, he said.

I will never stop fighting for her to be released after her appalling treatment by a military regime who used trumped-up charges to deny her a second term in office and prevent her being free to fight democratic elections.

The government fear the will of the people. It is now four years since she was last jailed, following decades of loss of freedom. We will never stop fighting for Burma and her people.

The 79-year-old former Nobel Peace Prize has become a deeply divisive and controversial figure internationally after failing to speak out on her countrys extreme violence against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

Ms Suu Kyi raised her two children, Kim and his brother Alexander, in the UK after studying at Oxford and marrying a British academic Michael Aris.

She returned to Myanmar in 1988, initially to nurse her sick mother before becoming caught up in the pro-democracy movement in the country.

She spent nearly 15 of the 21 years between 1989 to 2010 under house arrest, when her fight for democracy became famous across the world.

In 2015 the junta allowed Ms Suu Kyi to become the de facto head of Myanmar following elections, but only if they controlled key ministries, including home affairs and defence, as well as the military budget.

Kim Aris posts his message to the Myanmar embassy on Friday (The Independent)

Four years later, in 2019, she became a global pariah in the eyes of the international community and many human rights organisations after she appeared at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to defend her countrys use of force against the Rohingya.

In 2021, she was imprisoned after the military seized power in a coup which plunged the country into conflict.

Speaking of his family history, Mr Aris talked of his grandfather, considered to be the founder of modern-day Myanmar.

He said: My grandfather was assassinated fighting for freedom. My father was not allowed to see my mother when he was dying from cancer. My brother and I have had long spells without seeing our mother. But this is beyond our family pain.

She is the last flame of hope for peace and democracy in Burma. She must be freed. The flame must not be allowed to be snuffed out.

His call has been supported by politicians and human rights campaigners.

After a screening of the film last week, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger said: I think the most difficult issue is for people to have mercy on fallen heroes. Because she was a hero for many of us, including me. But we must do everything we can to see her released.

And Helena Kennedy, one of Britains most distinguished lawyers, said: She may have made some miscalculations along the way but I do think that the world has to reflect again on what she was seeking to achieve. And I think she thought she was preventing the inevitable coup that did in fact take place.

Watch Independent TVs documentary Cancelled: The Rise and Fall of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Two photos showing a set of handcuffed hands and the Department of Justice seal.

A sicko from New Jersey allegedly took part in a neo-Nazi child-porn ring whose members groomed children online and extorted them to send self-produced, sexually-explicit videos, federal authorities said.

Colin John Thomas Walker, 23, of Bridgeton, about 50 miles west of Atlantic City, was a member of CVLT, an online cabal of like-minded creeps who worked as a team to entice and coerce children to self-produce child pornography on servers associated with and run by the group, investigators said.

Walker, who has been charged with engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, could face life in prison if convicted.

Some of the children were also coerced into calling themselves racial slurs. ronstik  stock.adobe.com

Walker  who used handles including CVLLEN, ghoblins, and WRATH  coerced his victims into engaging in increasingly demeaning acts online, including cutting and eating their own hair, drinking their urine, punching themselves, calling themselves racial slurs, and using razor blades to carve CVLT members names into their skin, according to court documents.

The self-made kiddie porn sometimes included use of pets or other children, or insertion of foreign objects like knives or cacti into their genitals.

They also sent their victims violent video footage of animals being tortured to death and women being raped, the indictment alleged.

During the grooming, the men used Nazi symbols and language and shared bondage, S&M and gore child pornography with their young victims.

In time, CVLT members tried convincing the children to commit suicide on livestream.

When victims hesitated, resisted, or threatened to tell parents or authorities, CVLT members would threaten to distribute already-obtained compromising photos and videos of the victims to their family and friends, the Department of Justice said in a statement.

For victims who stopped participating . . . CVLT would sometimes carry through on their threats.

Also arrested on the same charge were Clint Jordan Lopaka Nahooikaika Borge, 41, of Pahoa, Hawaii; French national Rohan Sandeep Rane, 28; and Kaleb Christopher Merritt, 24, of Spring, Texas.

CVLT was formed with the ultimate intention of creating an army of sadist followers, the feds said.

It was unclear how, where, and when the four defendants met. Two of the victims in the case lived in Southern California.

Colin John Thomas Walker, who is charged with engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, faces life in prison. REUTERS

Their crimes were carried out between 2019 and 2022, the indictment said.

CVLT was headed up by Rane, Walker, and Merritt. Walker could not immediately be reached for comment.

Rane was in a French prison following his 2022 arrest on unrelated child exploitation charges, the DOJ said. Merritt has been in a Virginia prison since 2021, after he was arrested for traveling to that state from Texas to rape a 12-year-old hed met online. Hes serving a 350-year sentence.
Liza and her husband, who are Russian immigrants, are expecting their first child in May.

Nivida, an immigrant from Honduras who is in her late 20s, expects to give birth to a boy in April. What would normally be a time of excitement for her growing family is instead shadowed by a deep fear that they will be torn apart.

President Donald Trumps executive order restricting birthright citizenship could mean their baby would be left without the same rights as their other child, who was born in Louisiana as an American citizen.

Nivida is from Honduras and her husband is from Mexico, they currently live in Louisiana. Her husband has an open application for a special visa for victims of a crime that could eventually lead to lawful permanent residency, a process that could take years, according to Nivida and court documents from the advocacy group representing her case. She had an initial asylum application in the immigration court that was recently dismissed, according to Nivida the court documents, but is still able to file another asylum case with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.





Nivida's U.S.-born first child touches her belly.

I dont want them to take away the citizenship of innocent babies born here, it shouldnt matter the status of their parents, their race, their color, they shouldnt be discriminated against, said Nivida in Spanish, who asked that her full name not be used out of fear of immigration reprisal and her safety. I believe violating the protection that the Constitution gives to a child born here is violating his or her rights as an individual.

Last week, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, the immigrant services organization CASA and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law filed a lawsuit on behalf of five pregnant women and ASAP and CASAs members against Trumps executive order limiting birthright citizenship, which he called Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

About two dozen states have also filed lawsuits against the Trump administration contesting the order, which experts say violates the 14th Amendment, which says, All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

Nivida, who is a member of ASAP, said she decided to speak out on behalf of the thousands of pregnant women and their babies who will be impacted by the order if its allowed to take effect in late February. She and others came to the United States seeking protection and stability but now find their unborn babies futures uncertain, according to the lawsuit.

Trumps executive order attempts to limit birthright citizenship to people who have at least one parent who is a United States citizen or permanent resident. It also states that those born to parents who are in the country legally, but temporarily, will no longer be automatically guaranteed citizenship, including high-skill work visas like the H1B and student visas like the F1. But legal experts say the true scope of the order is unclear and could lead some children to be temporarily stateless.

Meny, a pregnant asylum seeker from Honduras who is also a member of ASAP, said the order creates a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear and has taken an emotional toll on her family.

She and her partner both have open asylum cases claiming political persecution before USCIS, have been legally working in California and are very grateful to this country because really we have had so many great opportunities here, said Meny, who is in her mid-30s and asked that her full name not be used out of fear of immigration reprisal.

Meny is due in July.

The news is very shocking, we really hope it doesnt come to be, she said in Spanish. As moms, of course we want whats best for our children. Its a great concern.

Meny, who is due in July, said she feels desperate thinking of her babys future and the rights her child may not have as Trump enacts his anti-immigration agenda. Meny said that as an asylum seeker fleeing prosecution, returning to her home country is not an option.

Being immigrants doesnt mean were enemies of this country. The majority of us come here for reasons of survival, she said.

Liza and her husband, who are Russian immigrants, are expecting their first child in May. She heard from a friend that Trump was considering restricting birthright citizenship, but thought, no, it cant be true as she understood the right to be a part of the U.S. Constitution.

My husband and I were shocked that it actually happened, said Liza, who has asked that her full name not be used for fear of immigration reprisal, adding that the two couldnt wrap their minds around the fact that this is going to be reality.

Liza, one of the five women who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said her husband has an open asylum case because of persecution in Russia and she is currently on a student visa while getting her masters degree. Liza, who is in her late 20s, said she fears her baby will be left stateless if her child is denied birthright citizenship as they do not feel safe applying for Russian citizenship for their baby as asylum seekers fleeing Russia. As a former independent journalist in Russia, Liza and her family are fleeing persecution and said I dont really have an option to go back there. Even though there is a Russian Embassy in the United States, she said it is not safe for her and her husband to go there as asylum seekers.

She said her biggest fears are that she and her family may be arrested, deported, taken back to Russia, and the baby will be, will be separated from us.

Last week, a federal district court judge temporarily blocked Trumps executive order. In that case, Trumps Justice Department lawyers told the judge that the birthright citizenship order was an integral part of Trumps efforts to address this nations broken immigration system and the ongoing crisis at the southern border.

Nivida, Meny and Liza all said they were shocked when Trump issued the order as it shook their belief in the Constitution and the rule of law in the United States.

Liza said she was still hopeful in the court system of the United States as those courts are not like courts in Russia who do whatever they are told to do.

When Nivida first heard Trumps promise to end birthright citizenship on the campaign trail, she said she was not yet alarmed because of the faith she had in Americas democracy and the rule of law.

These were things I really admired. Now, I have a lot of doubts, she said.
Marcus Rutledge

In the summer of 2024, Josh Mankiewicz covered the disappearance of 23-year-old Tennessee State University student Marcus Rutledge from Nashville, Tennessee, in June 1998 as part of season 3 of Datelines Missing in America podcast.

Mankiewicz spoke to Detective Matthew Filter, a cold case detective for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and posed the question: Do you think this case will be solved someday?

The cold case detectives answer was simple: He hopes so.

I would certainly like to get the family some answers, even if I cant bring anybody to justice, even just to give them some answers about what happened, Det. Filter said on the podcast.

And now, in February 2025  after more than 25 years  they have some answers.

Marcus Rutledge

Its a process that has taken some time, but in 2023, the Metro Nashville PD submitted forensic evidence to Othram Labs to help identify a John Doe.

A skull had been found on December 8, 2010, by a hunter in the woods about 30 yards off Pecan Valley Rd. near Hwy 12 in Nashville. According to the Metro Nashville PD cold case website, The area was searched but no other skeletal remains were located. The cause of death for the John Doe -- who became known as the Pecan Valley John Doe -- was undetermined.

According to local NBC affiliate WSMV, the Medical Examiners office was able to extract DNA from the skull and submit it to CODIS. But after 13 years with no answers and few leads to go on, investigators turned to Othram. According to their website, Othram scientists then used Forensic Grade Genome Sequencing to build a comprehensive DNA profile, enabling Othrams in-house forensic genetic genealogy team to perform a genealogical search and develop new leads about the mans identity.

With these new leads, investigators launched a follow-up investigation and found possible relatives. Then, authorities received a separate lead that ultimately led to the identification of the Pecan Valley John Doe. They learned the remains belonged to Marcus Rutledge, the 23-year-old Tennessee State University student who had been missing since 1998.

According to the Metro Nashville PD media release, Foul play is suspected in Rutledges disappearance.

And while Marcuss family now has some answers as to where he is  they still dont know what happened to him and why. David Rutledge, Marcuss father, sent a statement to Dateline, Our family would like to express our deepest appreciation to those who have been so helpful to us in trying to find Marcus. He said they are grateful to the news media and podcasts, as well as the Nashville Police Cold Case division.

Your efforts have brought us another step closer to closure, he wrote. Marcus, we will forever cherish the memories.

The MNPD has stated that the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about Marcuss case is asked to call the Metro Nashville Police Department Cold Case Unit at 615-862-7329.

If you have a story to share with Dateline, please submit it here.

EDITORS NOTE: This article has been updated with comment from Marcuss family.
WASHINGTON  Rep. Bennie Thompson, who led a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, said there's been an "uptick" in threating calls against members of Congress since President Donald Trump pardoned more than 1,500 people charged with attacking the U.S. Capitol four years ago.

I think members of Congress are less safe because of the pardons that Donald Trump made," Thompson, who led a House select committee that investigated the riot, told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview.

"He can have his opinion and the pardoning power is there, but these people either pled guilty or were found guilty. And what people saw with their own eyes on Jan. 6, 2021 really happened.

Trump issued the pardons on his first day in office, calling those imprisoned, even those charged with violent crimes, "hostages."

One was shot and killed a few days after his release, when state police in Indiana said he resisted arrest during a traffic stop, and another was still being held on gun charges in Florida.

Thompson of Mississippi was in the Capitol four years ago when the attackers broke through barriers, forced their way in and tried to enter the House chamber.

It was unnerving, Thompson told USA TODAY later that day. Up until that point, most of us believed it was one of the more secure buildings anywhere in the world. Not just in Washington, not in the United States, but in the world.

Oct 13, 2022; Washington, DC, USA; Chairman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) during the public hearing. The committee to investigate the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol resumes public hearings at the US Capitol on Oct. 13, 2022 in Washington DC.. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Thompson, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Committee, had also served as its chairman for years. Earlier this month, then President Joe Biden awarded Thompson the Presidential Citizens Medal, the country's second highest civilian award, for his work on the Jan. 6 committee.

Biden also issued preemptive pardons for Thompson and other committee members, including former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, the vice chair, to protect against any retaliation from Trump. Trump had said members of the now defunct committee should go to jail.

Thompson recently spoke to USA TODAY about the implications of Trumps pardons. The interview has been shortened for clarity and brevity.

A new administration

Question: You didnt attend Trumps inauguration, which also fell on the holiday honoring Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Was that in protest much like in 2016 when you didnt attend Trumps first swearing-in?

Answer: I thought about it (attending), but then I looked at January, and obviously Martin Luther King, Jr. means a lot more to me than going to a presidential inauguration. I met him personally when I was a student at Tougaloo (College) and, unfortunately, I represented Tougaloo at his funeral. So there's some real significance to that day for me.

Q: What do you think about the pardons?

A: I'm more concerned about those violent folks who broke into the Capitol, desecrated the Capitol, threatened staff, threatened members of Congress and assaulted the law enforcement people who were there, solely doing their job in defending the Capitol.

So to let those type of folk back out on the streets and somehow make them out to be heroes is absolutely disingenuous to who we are, not just as a country, but for a party that's historically been pro law enforcement or Back the Blue. It shows the hypocrisy of what they do.

Q: When you said think members of Congress are less safe. Are you talking particularly about Democrats or all members?

A: When somebody  like they did on Jan. 6  breaks into the Capitol, you have Democrats and Republicans in there so we all were at risk  If they feel that I can do this and Donald Trump is going to pardon me because he's done it one time that puts members of Congress, the public and the people who work on Capitol Hill at risk.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi, said it's important to remember the critical work of "Freedom Summer.'' He talked to USA Today about the 60th anniversary of the project at the U.S. Capitol June 26, 2024.

More violence to come?

Q: We talked by phone on Jan. 6, 2021 about the uncertainty of what was happening, about the fear. Does this trigger anything for you personally?

A: The threat continues to be real  Now that Donald Trump is president again, the kind of talk he's talking right now is that kind of talk that led to what happened on Jan. 6, 2021.

Q: Are you saying you're worried that could lead to more of the same?

A: You heard the president say he wanted to be a dictator for a day. But you also heard him talk about retribution on the people that he didn't like. Part of the retribution comes in the fact that you release people who are felons, who have a violent history, who attack law enforcement and that becomes part of the problem. You created that same kind of climate.

Q: You said people he didn't like. I'm guessing you're on that list.

A: He said he wanted Bennie Thompson, (former Congresswoman) Liz Cheney and others to go to jail. But he also said, Dr. (Anthony) Fauci, Gen. (Mark) Milley (former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). You can't in a democratic society and you are supposed to be a leader, you can't talk that way. That's not who we are. The kind of conversation that I'm hearing from the White House at this point is not healthy for a safe democratic society.

Accepting Biden's pardon

Q: President Trump has brought up your name, Cheney's and others, but why did you decide to accept Biden's preemptive pardon and some of your colleagues didn't?

A: I'm a Black man from Mississippi. I understand when people threaten you, you take them seriously. I understand when somebody says they want to do harm to you, want to send you to jail, you take it for what it's worth. Thats how I looked at it. I think there are some protections around speech and debate as a member of Congress. The resolution spoke for itself and so we did our job and I'm fine with that.

As I said in my opening statement on that committee, I'm from a part of the country where the Ku Klux Klan was part of the suppression of Black voters and progress. And it's in that spirit that I understand that had it not been for the federal government a lot of what people who look like Bennie Thompson enjoy would not have happened.

Q: It seemed like an extraordinary move to do that joint statement with Cheney. Did you feel compelled to it?

A: This wasn't about Democrat or Republican. This a statement of principle by people who love this great country of ours.

Looking to the future

Q: You talk about Trump going after you and others, but are you worried about him going after witnesses and other folks who may not have the protections of Congress?

A: It's not just witnesses, I think everybody is at risk. He's president of the United States, and for him to start the first three years getting even with people and doing all that is not good. You won (the election) accept it and move on. But he can't let it go. He cannot let it go. And were a better country than that. Normally, we settle our differences at the ballot box.

Q: What do you tell constituents, whether on MLK Day or any other time when you go back to Mississippi, what do you tell them about how to prepare for the next four years?

A: The beauty of this country is there are a lot of us who still believe in its greatness. We always look forward, we don't look back. A lot of us would have wanted a different outcome in the last election, but it didn't happen. We didn't break into the United States Capitol. We didn't assault the police. We go back to our respective districts and communities and talk about the future. And if you want to change things, you become a registered voter, you organize, and long term, youll have your opportunity with another election. I mean that that's the American way.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rep. Thompson led the Jan. 6 committee. Now he fears more violence.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives in Panama on Saturday for his first trip as the United States top diplomat that will test if his diplomacy can build on President Donald Trumps bellicose and transactional approach to American First foreign policy, particularly on migration.

Rubios choice to visit Central America  Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic  is intentional and meant to drive forward the Trump agenda by paying closer attention to our own neighborhood.

Migration will be a key focus throughout Rubios trip, set against the backdrop of the dramatic confrontation between Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro last Sunday.

Discussion about the Panama Canal  which Trump has repeatedly said should be back under US control  is also a priority while the top US diplomat is in Panama City.

Rubio is also expected to emphasize efforts to counter China in the region. However, aid officials and some US officials say this effort  and priorities like countering illegal migration and drug trafficking  have been undermined by his sweeping foreign assistance freeze.

On migration, Trump officials have been mapping out a Latin America strategy, keenly aware that the region is integral to their aggressive deportation agenda. For years, the US has been sending back migrants from Central American countries. However, the Covid-19 pandemic in part spurred record migration across the Western Hemisphere, meaning that more people were journeying to the United States southern border from multiple countries.

The less-than-day-long public showdown between the Trump and Petro has been a key talking point among Trump officials and offers a window into how the administration plans to approach its dealings with regional allies.

We need to work with countries of origin to halt and deter further migrant flows, and to accept the return of their citizens present in the U.S. illegally, Rubio wrote in the Wall Street Journal Friday.

Some countries are cooperating with us enthusiasticallyothers, less so. The former will be rewarded, he said. For the latter, Mr. Trump has already shown that he is more than willing to use Americas considerable leverage to protect our interests. Just ask Colombias President Gustavo Petro.

Still, how the administration plans to specifically work with its partners in the Western Hemisphere is still unclear.

One test will be how the Trump administration leverages its close relationship with El Salvador. US officials are in talks with the country to strike an asylum agreement that would allow the US to send asylum seekers who are not Salvadoran to El Salvador to seek protections.

The matter is expected to be discussed during Rubios meetings with El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele and other officials.

During the first Trump Administration, El Salvador was one of three countries that had a Safe Third Agreement with the United States, which will also be a topic of discussion, Trump special envoy for Latin America Mauricio Claver-Carone told reporters Friday.

The US and El Salvador also expected to discuss the possibility of deporting suspected members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which originated in Venezuela, to El Salvador, where Bukeles vast and violent crackdown on gangs has earned admiration from the Trump administration.

Those extraordinary measures, which are frankly the envy of a lot of countries throughout the Western Hemisphere, has really made him one of the most consequential leaders not only on security but a great ally on migration, Claver-Carone said.

Were looking to do a new agreement that might include the members of the Tren de Aragua, who will want to go back to Venezuela rather than having to share the prison with the Salvadorean gangs like MS-13. Its part of what we want to discuss and how President Bukele can help us, Claver-Carone said.

In Costa Rica too, Rubio will seek to expand repatriation efforts.

One of the subjects of discussion will be a repatriation program with Costa Rica to help with not only those that are coming up from South America but those that are coming from throughout the world, extra-continentals that are coming through and how they can help repatriate in that manner, Claver-Carone said.

Panama is also critical to efforts to reducing migrant traffic. The country is home to the Darien Gap, a treacherous jungle connecting South and Central America. Crossings there have served as a barometer of how many migrants may be journeying to the US southern border. The number of people trekking through the passage has plummeted.

Migrants are being checked upon their arrival at the Reception Center for Migrant Care in Lajas Blancas, in the jungle province of Darien, Panama, on June 28, 2024. - Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images/File

The number of migrants who have crossed Panama in the first 23 days of January 2025 has decreased by 93% compared to the same period in the previous year, according to the National Migration Service of Panama.

The US and Panama struck an agreement last year under former President Joe Biden to address the flow of migrants coming through the Darien Gap that included equipment, transportation, and logistic support. The passage, which remains a priority for the Trump administration, is expected to come up in meetings between Rubio and Panamanian officials, including President Jose Raul Mulino.

We have a very successful repatriation program with Panama that frankly should be expanded, and obviously thatll be a focus on the conversation, Claver-Carone said Friday.

The issue of the Panama Canal is a priority to be discussed, he said. Rubio will tour the canal and visit with the Panama Canal administrator.

Trumps repeated, publicly stated desire for the US to retake control of the key waterway has already caused a diplomatic stir, with Mulino repeatedly stating that that Panamas sovereignty over the canal is not up for debate.

There is no discussion on this issue. The soul of a country is not up for discussion, Mulino emphasized on Thursday, just days ahead of his scheduled meeting with Rubio.

Officials, including Rubio, have argued it is a matter of national security and deterring Beijing because Panama Ports  part of a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings  operates terminals on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal.

Its a technicality, but in reality, if China wanted to obstruct traffic in the Panama Canal, they could, Rubio said in an interview with Megyn Kelly Thursday.

We cannot allow any foreign power  particularly China  to hold that kind of potential control over it that they do. That just cant continue, he said.

The issue of countering China is expected to come up across his regional visits. Trade between China and Latin American countries has ballooned from $10 billion in 2000 to $450 billion in 2022, according to the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

We look forward to expanding with Guatemala the discussions on how to continue to support us on migration, and obviously countering Chinese influence throughout the region, Claver-Carone said. Guatemala has maintained diplomatic ties with Taiwan even as other countries like El Salvador have not.

Humanitarian officials and some US officials argue that the US is ceding influence to China in South and Central America because of Trumps policies like the foreign aid freeze, which they say creates a vacuum that Beijing will be happy to fill.

There are scores of programs in the region caught up in the sudden and sweeping pause on foreign assistance. Those programs include efforts to counter narcotics, something that is said to be a priority when Rubio visits the Dominican Republic.

CNN has asked the State Department if any waivers have been issued for programs in the region ahead of Rubios visit.

CNN Angelica Franganillo Diaz, Stefano Pozzebon and Patrick Oppmann contributed reporting.

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composite image: left a screenshot of the alleged abuse; right the accused abuser in court; inset: sign for the center

An immigrant school aide caught on tape grabbing and dragging an autistic Queens student by his testicles has pleaded guilty to a felony and faces possible deportation.

Garnet Collins, 51, tortured the teen at the Anderson Center for Autism in upstate Staatsburg, about 10 miles north of Poughkeepsie, where NYC and state taxpayers paid his tuition, room and board.

It was one of the worst cases of abuse of a disabled youth at a New York institution in years. The Anderson Center collects millions of dollars in state and city funds to educate students with severe autism.

-After pleading guilty to felony endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, Collins was led out in handcuffs. Aristide Economopoulos

Garnet Collins, an aide at the Anderson Center for Autism, grabbed a Queens student by the genitals and dragged him to his room. A co-worker recorded the abuse. Obtained by The New York Post

My son is going to have PTSD for years, the teens outraged father told The Post. Hes suffering. He remembers. He calls out, Garnet, no, no no!'

The whistleblower who recorded the abuse testified that similar assaults occurred frequently in the residential center, but that supervisors turned a blind eye, said the dad. He has called on authorities to investigate possible criminal negligence, and state lawmakers to mandate surveillance cameras in public areas of such facilities.

In a Dutchess County criminal courtroom Wednesday, Collins first told Judge Edward McLoughlin, I hold him by his waist, your honor.

The judge stopped him: My understanding is that in an attempt to control this person with this condition, you grabbed him by his genitals and you hurt him. Is that fair?

The NYC Department of Education paid the Queens students tuition at the state-funded Anderson Center for Autism in upstate Staatsburg. Aristide Economopoulos

Yes, your honor, Collins admitted. He pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent person.

In a video recorded by a fellow aide, Collins is seen gripping the youths crotch and yelling, Go to your room! while the youth screams in pain, crying, I want to call Mommy!

Collins, at left with his attorney, faces one to three years in prison, and possible deportation as a non-citizen. Aristide Economopoulos

Collins also admitted hitting another autistic student in the head with a laptop, bruising him. That charge was dropped as part of his plea deal.

The whistleblower who recorded both incidents and alerted the teens parents was fired.

As Collins sobbed in court, muttering Jesus, Jesus, the judge told him, I cant imagine how upset and hurt and distraught the families of your victims were when they found out what happened to their loved one. I understand its a bad day for you. It might be a lifelong issue for them.

Collins said he is not a citizen but a permanent resident. However, his guilty plea may result in deportation, and he could be paroled to immigration officials at any time after starting his prison term, the judge said.

Collins, jailed after the hearing, faces one to three years behind bars.

The sentence is much too lenient, said Ilann Maazel, the dads lawyer. Its part of a pattern of law enforcement not taking seriously the abuse and neglect of disabled people.
By Jonathan Landay, Steve Holland and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration is moving to strip a slimmed-down U.S. Agency for International Development of its independence and put it under State Department control, two sources familiar with the discussions said on Friday, in what would be a significant overhaul of how Washington allocates U.S. foreign aid.

The National Security Council hosted discussions this week on the topic, a person familiar with the matter said. A U.S. official confirmed there have been discussions about such a move but said no final decisions had been made.

The administration last week froze U.S. foreign aid, saying it is conducting a review to ensure the tens of billions of dollars worth of such assistance worldwide is aligned with President Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy and not a waste of taxpayer money.

One source said the White House was exploring legal authorities that Trump could use to issue an executive order to end USAID's independence and that he could sign such a directive as soon as Friday night or Saturday.

"Watch USAID tonight," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a post on X on Friday evening.

It was unclear if Trump has the legal authority to bypass Congress and order USAID's merger into the State Department.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, citing a "rumor" that Trump planned to dissolve USAID as an independent agency, said in an X post that such a move would be "illegal and against our national interests."

Photographs of USAID offices reviewed by Reuters showed that the plaques embossed with the agency's official seal had been removed, a sign that the merger into the State Department was in the works.

USAID and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The State Department referred questions to USAID.

The source said that officials from the newly established Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk were also involved in the deliberations and frequented USAID headquarters in downtown Washington this week.

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has issued a raft of executive orders that fulfill a campaign vow to remake a federal bureaucracy that he accuses of opposing him during his first term.

If USAID were put under the State Department, it would likely have dramatic consequences for global life-saving aid from the world's largest single donor. One source with knowledge of USAID's workings said the move would be a big departure in particular for the agency's humanitarian operations.

USAID has in the past been able to assist countries with which the United States has no diplomatic relations, including Iran. That has sometimes helped build bridges, the source said, adding that this benefit could be lost if its operations were purely tied to political objectives.

The potential move was first reported by Politico.

If the move were to proceed, it would eliminate the Cabinet post for the USAID administrator created by former President Joe Biden. Trump has yet to name a USAID administrator, a move that added to concerns that he might be considering taking away its autonomy.

FREEZE ON FOREIGN AID

Trump's freeze on most U.S. foreign aid has already upended the development sector, both at home and overseas, forcing hundreds of layoffs and putting thousands of other jobs at risk. Field hospitals in Thai refugee camps, landmine clearance in war zones, and drugs to treat millions suffering from diseases such as HIV are among the programs facing the chop.

In fiscal year 2023, the United States disbursed $72 billion of assistance worldwide on everything from women's health in conflict zones to access to clean water, HIV/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. It provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024.

Following Trump's executive order last week, the State Department issued worldwide stop-work directives, effectively freezing all foreign aid with the exception of emergency food assistance in a move that experts warned risked killing people.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued earlier this week an additional waiver for "life-saving humanitarian assistance" while Washington undertakes the 90-day review Trump initiated just hours after he came into office on Jan. 20.

Current and former USAID officials told Reuters this week that a purge of senior USAID staff appeared designed to silence any dissent.

A former senior USAID official said bringing the agency under the State Department would be a "seismic shift."

"This moves the United States government to a place where the humanitarian voice will not be in high-level policy discussions," the official said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay, Steve Holland and Daphne Psaledakis; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle and David BrunnstromEditing by Humeyra Pamuk, Cynthia Osterman, Rosalba O'Brien and Himani Sarkar)
By Jasper Ward

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Venezuela has agreed to receive all Venezuelan illegal migrants captured in the United States and provide for their transportation back.

"Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the U.S., including gang members of Tren de Aragua," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

He said Venezuela agreed to supply transportation for them.

The Venezuelan government did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Republican president's announcement came the day after U.S. envoy Richard Grenell met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the South American country on Friday and brought six U.S. citizens back with him.

The Trump administration said the top goals for Grenell's trip were to secure the release of detained Americans and deporting Venezuelans back to their home country.

The White House said the high-level visit does not mean the United States recognizes Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate leader. The two countries have a fraught recent history marked by broken relations, sanctions and accusations of coup-plotting.

Grenell said there were no financial or other concessions promised to Maduro.

"The only award for Maduro was my physical presence, the first senior U.S. official to visit the country in years, he was quoted as saying in the Wall Street Journal. "It was a big gift to him to have a visit by an envoy of President Trump.

Maduro struck a conciliatory note after the meeting, saying he and Trump "have made a first step. Hopefully it can continue."

Trump praised the agreement as the latest victory in his drive to get Latin and Central American countries to take in illegal migrants.

"We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all countries, and all countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back," said Trump.

Last Sunday, the United States and Colombia pulled back from the brink of a trade war after the White House said the South American nation had agreed to accept military aircraft carrying deported migrants.

Mexico refused to accept a U.S. military deportation flight days after Trump took office, but said it has received non-Mexican migrants from the United States in the past week. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Central American nations could also reach similar agreements with the U.S. to accept deportees from other countries.

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump issued an array of executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration, including actions aimed at deporting record numbers of migrants in the U.S. without legal status.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago in Caracas; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Diane Craft and Nick Zieminski)
By Portia Crowe, Divya Rajagopal and David Lewis

(Reuters) - Two former company executives with inside knowledge of Barrick Gold's operations in West Africa are helping to drive Mali's demands for a payment of around $200 million from the Canadian miner, according to people familiar with the talks.

Mamou Toure and Samba Toure, key members of the government's negotiating team, both used to work in Mali for Randgold, a mining company that is now part of Barrick.

Mali's military-led government, which in December seized three metric tons of gold from Barrick worth about $245 million, has given the miner until Saturday at midnight to respond to its demands.

It wants Barrick to pay 125 billion CFA francs ($199 million) in back taxes, according to a source familiar with the situation.

If a deal is finalised, Mali would return the seized gold and release four Barrick executives detained since late November, the source said.

Barrick has publicly rejected the charges against its employees, without specifying what they are. According to a court document reviewed by Reuters, they include money laundering and financing of terrorism.

Barrick did not answer questions about the status of the talks and Mali's mines ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

The dispute has ramifications for global miners and other foreign investors who poured billions of dollars into West Africa and are now forced to play by a new set of rules as the military governments of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso seek a bigger share of mining revenues.

"The standoff with Barrick is a snapshot of just how far military-led governments in the Sahel are willing to go to compel foreign operators to comply with new regulations that align with their pursuit of resource nationalism," said Beverly Ochieng, senior analyst for Francophone Africa at Control Risks.

Reuters spoke to more than 20 people - including mining executives, consultants, diplomats and people with direct knowledge of the talks - to form a picture of the negotiations. The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The two Toures are among a small group of key players on the Malian side, which also includes junta leader Assimi Goita and Minister of Finance and Economy Alousseini Sanou, according to nine people familiar with the matter.

The men, while they share a surname, are not related. Samba Toure, the older by decades, was the more senior of the two at Randgold, where he was West Africa operations director. Mamou was underground manager for the Loulo mine.

But it is Mamou who is now the more influential negotiator for Mali, due in part to his close relationship to the powerful finance minister Sanou, the sources said.

It was Mamou's consultancy Iventus that won the contract to audit foreign mining companies in Mali, which led to a new mining code in 2023 and renegotiations of the miners' contracts. Samba now works for him at the consultancy.

"It's Mamou who is currently the boss," said one person who formerly worked with them both, adding that Samba's experience and technical knowledge was nevertheless crucial in decision-making. "The decisions come much more from Samba than from Mamou."

In response to Reuters' detailed questions, Mamou said that for decades gold production had not benefitted the people of Mali as it should have. Mali is Africa's second-largest gold producer.

"It is only natural that the state ask for a rectification," he told Reuters. "The state has made a great effort to reach an agreement, which is why all the other companies have reached an agreement with the state."

Samba Toure did not respond to a request for comment.

ACRIMONIOUS TALKS

While other Western miners - including Canada's B2Gold, Allied Gold and Australia's Resolute - have struck deals with Mali in recent months, Barrick's negotiations have dragged on acrimoniously.

The military governments in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are using legal disputes, arrests and nationalisations, as well as threats to deepen their ties with Russia, to assert greater control over their gold and uranium wealth.

But Ochieng of Control Risks said that did not mean Western operators were unwelcome. "Several Western mining companies have been allowed to expand operations and take on new assets provided they comply with the latest regulations and taxation demands," she said.

After seizing power in 2020, Mali's junta pledged to scrutinise its mining sector so the state would benefit more from gold prices running at all-time highs.

Some companies, like B2Gold, reached an agreement swiftly. Others, like Australia's Resolute, whose CEO was detained while in Mali for talks, took longer.

B2Gold told Reuters it was proceeding with planned investments this year at its Fekola gold complex after reaching the deal. Resolute on Thursday told an investor call that it hoped its deal paved the way for better collaboration with Mali's government as it develops the Syama mine.

Relations with Barrick, however, deteriorated last year. After authorities arrested four Malians working for Barrick in September, the company paid 50 billion CFA francs ($80 million) and they were released. But Mali, which is seeking a total of around $350 million, demanded further payments.

Mali represents 14% of Barrick's gold output and the company generated $949 million in revenue from its operations there in the first nine months last year.

In early November, Bristow told Reuters the company had offered Mali 55% of the economic benefits from its Loulo-Gounkoto mine complex - similar to an agreement the miner struck with Tanzania about five years ago.

But when Barrick did not pay a second tranche, Mali accused the company of breaking its commitments and demanded the remaining sum be paid at once rather than in tranches. It began blocking Barrick's exports in early November.

Discounting VAT credits, Mali says Barrick has 125 billion CFA francs left to pay.

When no payment came, four employees were detained again in late November and Mali issued an arrest warrant for Barrick CEO Mark Bristow on Dec. 5.

Nevertheless, contacts continued behind the scenes. One source who spoke to Barrick senior management told Reuters on Dec. 6 that Barrick was close to paying a second tranche of 50 billion CFA. But no payment was made and the conversations stalled. Formal talks resumed on Tuesday.

Freddie Brooks, metals & mining analyst at BMI, a FitchSolutions company, said that under Bristow's leadership Barrick had probably the highest tolerance for operational risk of any major miner.

"If they can't negotiate a compromise with Mali's military junta, it won't be for lack of trying," he said.

CLASHES WITH BRISTOW

Samba Toure quit Randgold around nine years ago after a quarrel in an online meeting with Bristow, who was CEO of that company at the time, according to someone who has worked with both Toures.

The rift deepened after Samba handed in his resignation and was not allowed to dispose of his vested Randgold share options, domiciled in London.

Mamou Toure had already left Randgold in 2015, following a dispute with Bristow over the use of foreign contractors, one of the sources said.

Barrick did not respond to a request for comment on the circumstances of the Toures' departures.

When the government announced its plans to audit the mines, Mamou won the consultancy contract with his firm Iventus Mining. It was Samba Toure who directed the audits, two sources said.

After Mali created a state-owned mining company, SOREM, in 2022, Samba was named chairman of the board, with Mamou appointed as a director.

The influence of the Toures is not unchallenged, however. Last summer, junta leader Goita grew frustrated with the negotiations and brought in the director of state security, Modibo Kone, one of the five colonels-turned-generals who lead the junta, one source said. A second source confirmed Kone's involvement in the talks.

On at least one occasion, the finance minister has also taken over negotiations and instructed Mamou to stand down after he went too far in his demands, according to one source familiar with the talks.

Five sources said that the mines minister, a technocrat with no ties to the military, has been sidelined. However, Mamou denied that, noting the ministry has two representatives on the negotiating commission. The commission takes its orders from the mines ministry as well as the finance ministry, he said.

Mali's finance ministry and presidency did not respond to requests for comment. It was not possible to reach the state security service.

SPECIAL FORCES RAID

With exports banned and Barrick's mines producing up to half a ton of gold weekly, stockpiles were rising in its secure "gold room" at the Loulo-Gounkoto mine complex.

As of Dec. 27, Barrick held just over 3 tons in its vaults, according to a Jan. 2 court order seen by Reuters, which authorised its seizure.

At mid-morning on Jan. 11, a helicopter landed at the mine complex's landing strip unannounced. Four special forces soldiers, a customs agent, two officers of the state mining directorate, and other plainclothes officials disembarked and presented paperwork to Barrick staff authorising them to seize the gold, one of the sources said.

"They shipped a first quantity and came back in the evening for a second shipment," the source said, adding that it was all over by 7:00 pm.

For now, the gold seized from Barrick's mines is sitting in the vaults of the state-owned Banque Malienne de Solidarite in Bamako. The bank declined to comment.

Barrick, which confirmed the seizure of the gold, says it has suspended operations at Loulo-Gounkoto.

The Jan. 2 order said the seizure was a preventative measure as part of the charges of money laundering and other unspecified financial crimes that have been levelled at Bristow and other Barrick employees under Mali's laws.

Barrick is resisting the government's demand to migrate to the new 2023 mining code largely because of increased taxes under the code, two sources said.

Pending next year is the renewal of Barrick's mining permit. The government has signalled it could refuse it.

One source, who has consulted for the Malian government, said the government was seeking leverage for that negotiation, while the company wanted to clinch a long-term renewal under favourable terms.

"I think they don't trust each other, but no one has an interest in a break-up," the person said.

Some investors, however, are anticipating a tough road ahead for Barrick in Mali, including the possibility the company could lose its assets.

"The market has already factored in all the risks on Barrick shares, and the possibility that not much of production is going to come from Mali anytime soon," said Martin Pradier, materials analyst at Toronto-based Veritas Investment Research Corporation, which covers Barrick.

($1 = 626.7500 CFA francs)

(Additional reporting by Tiemoko Diallo and Fadimata Kontao in Bamako; Writing by David Lewis and Portia Crowe; Editing by Silvia Aloisi, Veronica Brown and Daniel Flynn)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Peter Stumpp, The Werewolf or the Cannibal Etching

Monsters may not be real, but the evil deeds that inspire their legends can be just as horrifying as the myths themselves.

Stories about werewolves took hold in the mid-1400s, according to History.com, but the origins of the idea date back as far as 2100 B.C. Early civilizations used tales of humans transforming into beasts to explain crimes so horrific that they seemed beyond human capability.

One of the most famous figures in history to carry such a reputation was a 16th-century German farmer named Peter Stumpp, who was accused of killing and consuming more than a dozen victims  some children, some unborn and some even related to him. Fear and legend took over Stumpps alleged crimes and ultimately led to his public execution, though his guilt remains debated today. In the centuries to come, his story has inspired artwork  such as the woodcut print of "The Werewolf or The Cannibal" in possession of the Museum of Metropolitan Art, and George Bores' 1590 chapbook, "The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peeter," which began circulating around Europe a year after Stumpp's 1589 execution.

With the case becoming popular fodder for folklore and true crime podcasts in recent years, PEOPLE is taking a look back at the case that left a lasting mark on history and legend.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York "The Werewolf or the Cannibal"

History of Werewolf Allegations in Europe

Akin to the infamous witch trials that swept through Europe and later the United States, a number of European countries dealt with a wave of werewolf accusations, trials and execution cases throughout the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. According to History.com, this brutal and often fatal phenomenon was inspired by superstition, religion and the hunt for scapegoats during political and social clashes during challenging times in the continents history.

History.com notes that many of the accused were beggars, hermits, or recent emigres to the area, and those who confessed to being werewolves often did so only after being tortured. The accusations are best estimated to have started around 1428 in Valais, in southern Switzerland, before sweeping throughout Europe  primarily in Germany and later England.

Stumpps case is of the most infamous in history, for the heinousness of his alleged crimes and the brutality of the punishment hed later face after a quarter-century of rumors.

Convicted of 16 'Monstrous' Killings

Stumpp was a farmer who lived in Bedbur, Germany during the late 1500s, according to the British Library, which has one of the 16th Century pamphlets that were handed out about his alleged crimes and werewolf allegations throughout Germany and England.

Stumpp was accused of killing 16 people, including thirteen children, three women, two men and his own son, according to the University of Saskatchewan. Two of the three women Stumpp allegedly killed were pregnant, according to Nathan Baillies examination of the case for the universitys undergraduate research journal in 2024. The pamphlet handed out about his crimes at the time also accused Stumpp of incest, claiming he had a longtime romantic relationship with his daughter.

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According to Baillies research, Stumpp was accused not only of murder, but also of multiple rapes and killings of livestock. In many of the alleged incidents, Stumpp had eaten some of his human victims.

After 25 years of his alleged reign of terror, Stumpp was captured by a group of hunters and taken into custody.

Stumpp later admitted to making a pact with the Devil in return for a belt which gave him the power to transform into a wolf at will  but he made the admission only after he was extensively tortured, according to the British Library. He was convicted of the 16 killings, including murdering and eating the brains of his own son, according to the library. English author George Bores wrote his 1590 chapbook that Stumpps alleged killing and cannibalization of his own son was the most monstrous act that ever man heard of, for never was known a wretch from nature so far degenerate, according to the University of Michigan.

Executed on Halloween Night

After Stumpp's confession, he was executed on Halloween night, Oct. 31, 1589.

Taken to Cologne for his execution, according to the University of Melbourne, Stumpp was put to death via the breaking wheel, a manner of execution in which the convicted was bound to a wagon wheel while their skin is ripped off by hot pincers. The university also notes that Stumpps arms and legs were broken with the blunt side of an ax before his left hand was cut off.

Stumpps mistress and their daughter were also executed and their bodies were burnt alongside his, according to the Melbourne university. Bores wrote in his 1590 chapbook a year later that Stumpps head was also severed from his body and placed upon a stake, providing a gruesome warning to the community.

Read the original article on People
Fever is one common symptom of flu in children. Catherine McQueen via Getty Images

Multiple school districts in Texas announced that they would be temporarily closing their doors this week amid a surge in illness. But this time it isnt only the threat of COVID-19 thats sending students and staff members home.

Flu cases in the area have risen dramatically in recent weeks, as have cases of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

The Godley Independent School District in Godley, Texas, reported that its attendance was down to between 70% and 80% districtwide. A representative told a local news outlet that there were 650 students out due to flu alone Tuesday, with more leaving throughout the day. A number of staff members, too, were sick.

Impacted schools said that they will use the temporary shutdown to sanitize buildings and buses to prevent further spread of illness.

On the national level, the flu is also surging. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the rate of positive flu tests rose during the week ending Saturday, Jan. 25. There have been 47 pediatric deaths from the flu reported this season, and the CDC estimates a total of 11,000 deaths from at least 20 million flu cases so far.

What are the symptoms of flu in children?

Dr. Janine Zee-Cheng, a pediatrician practicing in Indiana, said that they are currently seeing a lot of flu cases in which patients usually present with a fever.

Other symptoms of flu in children, according to the CDC, include:

Feeling feverish/chills.

Cough.

Sore throat.

A runny or stuffy nose.

Muscle or body aches.

Headaches.

Fatigue.

Vomiting and diarrhea (more commonly seen in children than adults).

If your child is a young infant, you should consult with your pediatrician regarding any fever or other signs of illness. Older children do not necessarily need to go in to see a doctor right away.

There are now combination COVID-19/flu rapid tests available over the counter, so you can even test your child for flu at home, if youd like.

You will need to take a child of any age to see a medical provider if they are having any trouble breathing or staying hydrated. If you are concerned, talk with your childs pediatrician about how frequently they are drinking and urinating so that the doctor can advise you. A child who is not eating, Zee-Cheng said, is less concerning than one who is not taking in fluids.

There are drugs like Tamiflu that can shorten the duration of illness, but they can also cause side effects like vomiting and diarrhea. Zee-Cheng said they usually dont prescribe Tamiflu unless a patient is so sick that they may need to be hospitalized. To be effective, the medication should also be administered within 48 hours of the first symptoms appearing, and many patients have already passed this mark by the time they test positive for flu.

If a child has a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above for five or more days, Zee-Cheng said, it makes sense to take them to see a doctor, who will likely examine them for signs of pneumonia or ear infection.

The pediatrician noted, however, that the fevers have definitely been lasting for a long time during this flu season, and fever doesnt always mean a child should be rushed to the doctor. Demeanor is also an important indicator. A child who is really out of it or not responding should see a physician, Zee-Cheng said, regardless of the number on the thermometer, whereas a child with a high fever who is playing normally probably doesnt need to be seen.

Getting the flu shot is the best protection against the illness. FatCamera via Getty Images

How can we prevent illness?

Luckily, we have a powerful tool in preventing serious illness and deaths caused by influenza: the flu vaccine. If you havent gotten yourself or your children vaccinated yet this year, its not too late.

The CDC estimates that 44.1% of children ages 6 months to 17 years have been vaccinated this flu season. During the 2023-2024 flu season, an estimated 48.8% of children received flu vaccines. In 2022-2023, that figure was 51.3%.

The percentage of children receiving the flu vaccine has dipped steadily every year since the COVID-19 pandemic, falling from a rate of 62.4% in May of 2020.

One possible explanation for this is an increase in vaccine hesitancy following the pandemic. An Annenberg Public Policy Center survey found that the percentage of people who believe that vaccines approved for use in the U.S. are safe dropped from 77% in 2021 to 71% in 2023.

There is also evidence suggesting that when people are wary of one vaccine, they are more likely to doubt others. One study found that parents who had not received COVID-19 vaccinations were less likely to have their children vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella. Parents who identified as Republican were also less likely to have their children vaccinated for MMR.

When it comes to the flu vaccine, some people hesitate to get the shot because they hear that it is not a good match for the flu virus most in circulation now, although Zee-Cheng didnt put too much stock in this claim, noting that it is made every year. The CDC says that effectiveness estimates based on real-world vaccine performance for this seasons shot wont be available until February, months after the vaccine became available.

The CDC also explains that the flu shot protects against three different influenza viruses, and that multiple viruses circulate during flu season. Though the shots effectiveness does vary from one year to the next, people who are vaccinated tend to get less severe illness than those who are not. On average, the CDC states, a flu shot reduces the risk of getting sick by 40% and the risk of hospitalization by 60%. For all of these reasons, the CDC continues to recommend a flu vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and up. (Zee-Cheng noted that babies usually receive two doses, administered four weeks apart.)

Finally, because doctors offices often ask families to reschedule flu vaccinations if a child has a fever, some parents put off getting their child vaccinated until they have no signs of illness. But during cold and flu season, its not uncommon for kids to have a runny nose or cough for weeks on end.

Symptoms of mild illness shouldnt prevent you from getting your child vaccinated. Its safe for your child to receive vaccinations if they have a cold, ear infection, cough, runny nose, low-grade fever or diarrhea. They can receive vaccines while they are taking antibiotics. A vaccines effectiveness will not be impacted by your childs illness, and the shot wont make their illness worse.

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Marysville, CA (95901)

Today

Overcast with rain showers at times. Low near 45F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Overcast with rain showers at times. Low near 45F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Best known for kung fu, the monks are the custodians of Zen Buddhism in China. The meeting with the pontiff comes a few days after their temple in Henan held a world conference on meditation and its contribution to peace and the development of relations between peoples.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  This morning Pope Francis received in audience in the Vatican a delegation of monks from Shaolin Temple, a key place in the history of Buddhism in China.

Some pictures released by the VaticanNews website show the pontiff in his study together with the men religious from the Chinese province of Henan.

The meeting took place a few days after the Future World Chan Forum (19-22 January) at Shaolin Temple, which brought together spiritual leaders and thinkers from all over the world to reflect together on how to promote meditation for individual well-being and the harmonious development of global relations between peoples.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam Ahmed Al-Tayeb was present at the event in China, speaking about the contribution offered by the Declaration on Human Fraternity that he and Pope Francis signed in 2019.

Known in the West above all for the invention of the kung fu martial art (which monks still practise), Shaolin Monastery is the custodian of the tradition of Zen Buddhism in China.

The temple stands on the slopes of Mount Song, one of the five sacred mountains in China. It dates from the 5th century AD when an Indian monk, Bada, the 28th successor of a line of religious leaders that followed the Buddha, arrived in China and began to spread Buddhist teachings.

Temple construction began in AD 495 on the order of Emperor Wei Xiaowendi. In Shaolin the sacred Indian texts were translated into Chinese, shaping what are known as the precepts of Zen Buddhism.

In recent years the Shaolin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, has been criticised over its tourist notoriety and its connection to kung fu.

In response to the criticism, the monks insist that martial arts are only one aspect of the monasterys culture and spirituality. They also note that they have more than 200 centres all over the world linked to their experience, with more than 100 million visitors.

A new, three-storey museum is being built in Shaolin, set to open this year.

The first floor will tell the story of the monk Bada and Zen Buddhism, while the second floor will provide a comprehensive overview of Shaolin history and culture through historical documents, objects, and digital installations. The top floor will feature an extensive collection of Shaolin's artistic and cultural treasures, including inscriptions, sculptures, murals, paintings, and calligraphic works.


FM Sitharaman Presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of initiatives for the poor and marginalised sections including the gig workers. Her blueprint for Viksit Bharat includes a social security plan for gig workers and a major thrust on addressing the educational gaps in government-run schools.



She announced that broadband connectivity will be provided in all government secondary schools, a move that will bring the students at par with their private counterparts and also open new vistas of opportunities for them.



"50,000 Atal tinkering labs will be set up in schools to foster curiosity and scientific temper. Broadband connectivity to be provided to all government secondary schools," she said.



We propose to implement the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak scheme, to help students understand subjects in their language, she added.



The Finance Minister also spoke about the expansion capacity of higher education institutions.



"Additional infrastructure will be created in 5 IITs created after 2014 for 6,500 students," Sitharaman announced.



She also announced a social security scheme for the gig workers.



The Finance Minister said that the gig workers of online platforms will be provided with ID cards on the e-Shram portal and will be extended healthcare benefits under the PM Jan Arogya Yojana. This is expected to help about 1 crore gig workers.



The PM SVANidhi scheme, benefiting the street vendors, will also be revamped with enhanced loans from banks and UPI-linked credit cards with Rs 30,000 limit.



Earlier, the Finance Minister reiterated the government's thrust on meeting and realising the aspirations of the GYAN (Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Nari shakti) poor, farmers, women, and youth.




Today's headlines: After the fourth prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, the father of the Israeli woman freed two days ago in a chaotic handover among a crowd of armed men urges Israels PM to go through with the agreement. Thaksin Shinawatra is allowed to travel abroad despite being a convicted felon. In the Philippines, 1,500 public schools lack electricity. Archaeological find shows iron was already smelted in Tamil Nadu 5,300 years ago.

CHINA  UNITED STATES

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters last night that US President Donald Trump is imposing a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from China, along with 25 per cent on goods from Mexico and Canada. On China, she justified the measure with the illegal fentanyl that they have sourced and allowed to distribute into our country, which has killed tens of millions of Americans. Leavitt added that details will be released during the day.

GAZA  ISRAEL

This morning Hamas released three Israeli hostages  Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas (the father of two infants kidnapped on 7 October, who are feared dead along with their mother) in Khan Younis, and Keith Siegel in Gaza City  in the fourth prisoner exchange under the ceasefire agreement. Israel is expected to release 183 Palestinian detainees today. Meanwhile, the father of Arbel Yehoud, the Israeli who was freed on Thursday and forced to pass among the militiamen in images that have outraged the world, appealed to Prime Minister Netanyahu, asking him to go through with the agreement and end the war.

THAILAND

A Thai court has granted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra permission to leave the country. The 75-year-old billionaire, father of current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was sentenced to eight years for fraud and abuse of power. He returned to Thailand two years ago after 15 years of exile, and was pardoned by the king six months later. In December, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had appointed Thaksin as his adviser for the rotating presidency of ASEAN, the regional bloc of Southeast Asia.

PHILIPPINES

A report by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) reveals that about 1,500 public schools in the Philippines do not have access to electricity, while another 1,000 do not have toilets. These schools are part of 9,000 establishments classified as last-mile schools, i.e. located in remote or conflict-affected areas. About 1.6 million students are enrolled in these schools. Half of the schools are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

INDIA

Tamil Nadu is one of the first places in the world to develop iron technology as early as 5,300 years ago, this according to findings from archaeological research in Adichanallur and Sivakalai, Thoothukudi district, which show that iron smelting in the region was already happening between 3,345 BC and 2,600 BC, much earlier than previously thought.

RUSSIA

Exiled Russian politician Ilya Yashin announced that all opposition groups will take part in a protest rally on 1 March in Berlin centred on the themes Russia against Putin and No to war. The march will start from Potsdam Platz, proceed in front of the Russian embassy on Unter den Linden, until it reaches the Brandenburg Gate. Vladimir Kara-Murza and Julia Navalnaya will be among those leading the procession. The march is also taking place in memory of Ms Navalnayas husband, Alexei Navalny, who died in a penal colony on 16 February last year.

TURKEY  AZERBAIJIAN  UZBEKISTAN

The 2nd trilateral meeting between the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economy and Transport of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Uzbekistan was held in Ankara, chaired by Turkish Minister Hakan Fidan. It ended with the signing of a declaration in favour of a common action plan to boost trade relations, infrastructure development, and investments between the three countries in the Turanian area.
1 February 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ali Asadov, met with Abdul Alim Khan, Federal Minister for Privatization, Investment, and Communications of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on January 31, Azernews reports, citing the Cabinet of Ministers.

According to information both sides expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of Azerbaijan-Pakistan friendly and fraternal relations across various sectors.

It was noted that interstate relations have entered a qualitatively new phase following the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Pakistan last year.

The two leaders discussed prospects for the development of strategic partnership relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in areas such as the economy, trade, investments, and other matters of mutual interest.
1 February 2025 11:11 (UTC+04:00)

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UN, Tofig Musayev, met with members and students of the Azerbaijani-American Youth Federation to celebrate Youth Day on February 2, Azernews reports.

The meeting took place at the UN headquarters in New York, where more than 30 Azerbaijani students studying in the city were in attendance.

Musayev discussed Azerbaijan's history of becoming a full member of the UN, noting that on March 2, 1992, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Azerbaijans membership. He highlighted that the national flag of Azerbaijan was raised at the UN headquarters in New York, and the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan began its operations on May 6.

The diplomat emphasized Azerbaijan's efforts to raise awareness of Armenias military aggression and occupation policy on the UN platform, as well as the countrys pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He also shared information about the UN Security Council's resolutions on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

Musayev provided the youth with details about Azerbaijans cooperation with various UN programs, the countrys contributions to the UN, and ongoing efforts to strengthen this partnership.

The meeting concluded with Musayev answering the students questions. The young participants shared their ideas and suggestions, and a brief tour of the UN headquarters was organized for the students.
1 February 2025 18:47 (UTC+04:00)

The European Union has announced plans to impose sanctions on 50 types of Russian products, according to the EU's Special Representative for Sanctions, David O'Sullivan.

Azernews reports, citing the foreign media that during his visit to Astana, O'Sullivan discussed the potential inclusion of various products under 50 trade codes in the next package of sanctions against Russia.

He confirmed that the 16th package of sanctions would bring additional trade restrictions targeting these 50 products.

O'Sullivan also emphasized that the EU may suspend trade cooperation with companies attempting to circumvent the sanctions against Russia.
1 February 2025 22:17 (UTC+04:00)

The U.S. administration is considering the dismissal of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) employees who were involved in the investigation of President Donald Trump prior to his election, Azernews reports citing local media.

According to the information hundreds of FBI employees may be affected. This primarily involves agents who worked with special investigator Jack Smith, who investigated the 2021 Capitol riot and the issue of Trumps possession of classified documents.

FBI headquarters in Washington has reportedly been instructed to submit documents related to these two investigations.

Experts from the Trump administration are expected to analyze the documents to identify the agents involved.
1 February 2025 23:30 (UTC+04:00)

The establishment of the European Union (EU) defense funds will be a long-term process that requires significant effort from member state leaders.

Azernews reports that Andrius Kubilius, former Prime Minister of Lithuania and European Commissioner for Defense and Space, discussed this challenge with local media.

"The European Commission is focused on creating financial instruments like defense funds. While the need is clear, there is a lengthy process ahead to reach an agreement on these funds, how they will operate, and the rules governing their distribution to member states," Kubilius stated.

He criticized Lithuania for initially announcing a substantial increase in defense spending, only to seek funding sources later, suggesting that this burden should fall on Brussels. "Lithuanian ministers are suggesting they will search for funds in EU resources that dont yet exist," Kubilius remarked.

Following Lithuania's State Defense Councils announcement in January to increase military spending to 5-6% of GDP by 2026 (up from 3.03% in the 2025 budget), Defense Minister Dovile Sakalene stressed the need to push the EU for financial support in defense.


Two Israeli hostages released after 484 days by Hamas Israel on Saturday announced the release of two hostages -- Ofer Calderon and Yardan Bibas -- by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after 484 days of abduction. 54-year-old Israeli-French citizen Calderon and 35-year-old Israeli civilian Bibas were handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross, which transferred them to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip.



The military also mentioned that another abductee, 65-year-old Israeli-American citizen Keith Siegel, scheduled to be released, will also be handed over to the Red Cross at another location.



"Returning citizens Ofer Calderon and Yardan Bibas, accompanied by IDF and Shin Bet forces, recently crossed the border into the territory of the State of Israel and are now on their way to the initial absorption point in the Gaza Strip," the IDF said in a post on X.



"Two returning abductees are currently being escorted by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet security force on their way to Israel, where they will undergo an initial medical evaluation," the forces said in another post.



"IDF commanders and soldiers salute and hug the returnees on their way to Israel. The IDF spokesman asks the public to show responsibility and sensitivity and respect the privacy of the returnees. IDF prepared to absorb another abductee in the near future," the forces added.



After being transferred to the Israeli military, the three hostages are scheduled to go to the IDF's Reim base near the Gaza border, where they will meet with family members before being flown by helicopters to hospitals in central Israel.



Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement welcoming home the three Israelis who were released on Thursday from captivity in Gaza -- Agam Berger, Arbel Yehud and Gadi Moses.



Netanyahu also criticised how Hamas handled their release.



"Agam, Arbel, Gadi -- welcome home," he said.



"The entire State of Israel embraces you, as do my wife Sara and I."



"This release was achieved, first of all, thanks to our heroic soldiers, and it was also achieved thanks to the steadfast and determined stand that we took during the negotiations," Netanyahu added.




Metal Mystery Pops Up on Oregon Coast at Lincoln City's D River

Published 01/31/25 at 6:26 a.m.

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff





(Lincoln City, Oregon)  Not too long ago, a bit of a metal mystery popped at an extremely popular Lincoln City. Weird, iron pointy things jutting up from the sand, maybe a foot high, with parts of the metal bent over, warped or even with holes in them: they're a head-scratcher. (Photo Jaimie Bourbon)

All gathered together in one cluster on the north side of the D River, they almost resemble the famed ghost forest stumps of Neskowin and Newport's Moolack Beach. Except these are clearly manmade. So maybe part of a shipwreck? After all, Coos Bay's Sujameco pops out of the sand only periodically when sand levels get extremely low. And they look a bit like the famed south Oregon coast remnant.

Whatever they were, they don't appear very often. Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff have been around these beaches and documented objects going back almost 30 years, and we've never seen them.

Jaimie Bourbon took many shots of them earlier this month, providing a good glimpse into what is possibly a rare sight.



Photo Jaimie Bourbon

One thing is clear: they anchored something here. The explanation from Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is that they may have been part of a bridge that was in this spot once or what is known as a bulkhead  a barrier to keep logs out.



1967



Indeed, a bulkhead seems the most likely explanation, certainly according to historical photographs provided by OPRD, documentation from North Lincoln County Historical Museum (NLCHM) and from old newspaper clippings. In the 1967 shot here from OPRD archives, you can see the bulkhead and its pilings at about the spot Bourbon found these curiosities.



1978

There are several shots of this from OPRD taken in the '60s. In the next shot dated 1978, the ocean took out the bulkhead by this time and it's gone.

That actually follows a pattern in Oregon coast history: there is another old bulkhead remnant at Rockaway Beach that only pops up every few years when sand levels get exceptionally low. That one was made of wood, however.

Bulkheads like this were common along some ocean shore communities around the world in the early 20th century. They're not really used much anymore.



Photo NLCHM



See the lighthouse? Lincoln City Had a Lighthouse. Sort of: Trippy Oregon Coast History

The metal oddities at Lincoln City lead you down another path in its history as well. There could've been a previous set of bulkheads to keep out logs just a bit inland  but it's a bit more likely they're the same set. If you look at this old photograph of the D River area you can see there used to a bridge that lined up almost to about where the seawall is today. This was back when the area was a separate little town called Delake (they all merged into Lincoln City in '64). Lincoln City Formed from Six Small Towns: Intricate History



Photo NLCHM

According to Anne Hall, director of the history museum awhile back, in her document Delake Lincoln City's Playground she shows off this photo and and talks about how Delake's bridge was taken out on October 18, 1941. Driftwood log jams had long been a problem up the D River, it turns out.

In October 1941, the Central Oregon Coast was hammered by waves that rolled over sea walls and completely washed out the 185 foot D River Bridge, and causing thousands of dollars of damage along the Oregon coastline, she wrote.



Photo Jaimie Bourbon

It's well documented in The Oregonian archives, she notes, how all the sand from that event changed the path of the D River so much it essentially disappeared. It slowly reappeared over time.

Within a week of that bridge washing out a new one was constructed a bit farther back, and that was eventually replaced by the permanent one. Highway 101 was diverted into a curve to accommodate that bridge, which is why you see it veer inland now just before and after the D River access.

In the end, the bulkhead never completely held Mother Nature back. She still tossed logs and other stuff beyond them and eventually washed these pilings away as well. In this undated photo from OPRD, somewhere between '67 and '78, you can see just part of them remaining.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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Belgium has become the latest European county to form a government led by a populist nationalist anti-immigration party of the right. After eight months of coalition talks since the parliamentary election, a new government has been formed led by the populist nationalist anti-immigration New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party. The new prime minister will be Bart de Wever, former mayor of Antwerp. De Wever announced the new coalition formatiion in a press conference with Belgium's King Phillipe.

Since the EU headquarters is in Belgium's capital of Brussels, it is ironic that the Belgian national government will now be led by a Eurosceptic party.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/europe-moves-right-even-belgium-now-has-right/

Meanwhile, in Austria coalition talks continue to hammer out a new government between the populist nationalist anti-immigration Freedom Party and the traditional conservative Austrian Peoples Party. The parties have already announced agreement on taking hard line immigration policies and to focus the spending cuts needed to balance the budget on cutting climate subsidies for things like electric cars and solar panels. The Freedom Party finished first in the election and the Peoples Party second. The Freedom Party's leader is expected to be the new chancellor (prime minister).
Choosing just one book that has had a profound effect on me is near to impossible, but if I must, then its got to be Michael McLavertys Call my Brother Back. Beginning in 1918, the book details Northern Ireland in the period leading up to partition with the story centring around 13-year-old Colm MacNeill, whose idyllic life on Rathlin Island is destroyed when his father suddenly dies. The family is forced to leave Rathlin to make a life for themselves in Belfast, where they experience a new kind of living. Sectarian violence erupts in Belfast and Colms brother becomes involved with the IRA with terrible consequences. The sensuous language describing Rathlin and the exploration of the insidious nature of political violence have both had a lasting impact on me.
The Education Minister is under pressure to explain why his department allocated 710k to a school in Derry without a formal application being made.

MLAs from both the Alliance Party and Sinn Fein have submitted urgent oral questions in the Assembly seeking clarity on which funding stream was used for the significant award to Lisneal College.
The funeral of John George (left), pictured with his brother Darren, will take place in Belfast on Saturday (Family handout/PA)

The family of murdered Belfast man John George will gather later on Saturday for his funeral.

Mr George, 37, a father-of-two, also known as John Hardy, had been on holiday in Alicante when he was reported missing in December.

He was last in touch with his family on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight home to Northern Ireland.

His parents Billy and Sharon, brother Darren, and sisters Courtney and Caitlin, along with up to 50 friends and wider family from Northern Ireland, travelled to Spain where they were involved in the search operation.

Mr Georges body was discovered on January 7.

The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.

His body was returned to Northern Ireland last month.

Billy, the father of John George, travelled to Spain to search for his son following his disappearance (Brian Lawless/PA)

Mr Georges remains will leave his mothers home in Belfast for his funeral at St Lukes Church before burial in Blaris Cemetery, Lisburn.

A funeral notice for Mr George said: John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him.

Mr Georges father Billy previously said his focus was on getting his sons body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.
Claire Hanna, leader of the SDLP, with with her husband Donal Lyons.: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Commandant Claire Mortimer Aide De Camp representing the Taoiseach at the funeral of acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Marie Devlin (right) the widow Seamus Heaney of arrives for the funeral of Michael Longley. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Reverend Chris Hudson greets Lord Lieutenant Dame Fionnuala Mary Jay-O'Boyle as she arrives for the funeral. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Lady Sylvia Hermon at the funeral of Michael Longley. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Author Glenn Patterson (right) arrives for the funeral of Michael Longley. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Irish President Michael D Higgins walks with Rev Alister Bell as he arrives for the funeral. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The order of service for the funeral of acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for the funeral of acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley at All Souls Church in Belfast. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Irish President Michael D Higgins at the funeral of the poet, Michael Longley. Photo: Stephen Davison

Edna Longley, the wife of the poet Michael Longley, leaves All Souls Church. Photo: Stephen Davison

The family of the poet Michael Longley leave All Souls Church, Elmwood Avenue following his funeral in Belfast today. Photo: Stephen Davison

The coffin of the poet Michael Longley leaves All Souls Church. Mr Longley's wife Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah led the mourners. Photo: Stephen Davison/Pacemaker

The son of acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley said his family have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of love following his passing.

He made an emotional address at Mr Longleys funeral in the city today.

Mr Longley died in hospital at the age of 85 on January 22.

Irish President Michael D Higgins arrives for the funeral of acclaimed Belfast poet Michael Longley at All Souls Church in Belfast. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

His funeral took place this afternoon in All Souls Church followed by a private committal at Roselawn Crematorium.

Irish President Michael D Higgins was among a series of well-known faces at the service, as was Marie Devlin, the widow of the late Nobel Prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney.

Lady Mary Peters (right). Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Also present were Olympic hero Lady Mary Peters, author Glenn Patterson, SDLP leader Claire Hanna and former unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon.

A representative of Taoiseach Micheal Martin attended the funeral

Addressing mourners, Rev Chris Hudson said that Mr Longley's memory and poetry will forever remain a blessing.

Rev Hudson said Mr Longley had managed to enter people's consciousness.

"That is a noble place for the poet to be," he said.

"The poet touches the soul of people. Preachers and politicians can make speeches or sermons that use thousands of words to touch our imagination, but the poet can manage with few yet go straight to the heart, such as Michael."

Family members gave reflections and readings.

Mr Longleys son Daniel said his father would have loved the fuss made of him in his passing and that the outpouring of love for him had been overwhelming.

Mr Longley won a series of awards throughout his life including the TS Eliot Prize, the Feltrinelli International Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize.

He was made a CBE in 2010 as well as being awarded the freedom of Belfast.

A funeral notice for Mr Longley stated: "Michael will be remembered widely for his warmth, humour, friendship, intellect and his many contributions to the arts on the island of Ireland, in the UK, and across the world.

"In particular, his wonderful poems will remain with us always, providing comfort and a continuing close connection to him.

"His words will live on forever."

Roisin McDonough, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said Longley had been a "towering figure" of Northern Ireland arts for 60 years.

She added: "He was one of our truly great poets, one of the most respected and influential of his generation, his name spoken alongside Heaney, Carson and Mahon, all of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

"We have lost a guide, a friend, an inspiration, but his poetry will last - and it will be cherished by generations to come."

Mr Longley is survived by his wife, Edna, and children Rebecca, Daniel and Sarah.
Billy (father, front left), Darren (brother, far left) and grandfather Joseph Hardy (front right) carry the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George. Photo: Liam McBurney

Family members walk beside the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George.

Billy (father, front left), Darren (brother, second left) and grandfather Joseph Hardy (front right) carry the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George. Photo: Liam McBurney

Caitlin and Courtney, the sisters of murdered Belfast man John George, carry his coffin following his funeral at St Luke's Church. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The father of John George kisses his son's coffin following his funeral at St Luke's Church before burial in Blaris Cemetery. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

The grieving father of a Belfast man murdered in Spain kissed his coffin as he carried his son on his final journey today.

Large crowds gathered in west Belfast to pay their respects at the funeral of John George.

The 37-year-old disappeared in December in the Alicante area. His remains were found last month.

Mourners carry the coffin of murdered Belfast man John George. Photo: Liam McBurney

Family and friends were among the mourners as his funeral took place this morning.

There were emotional scenes as the cortege left Mr Georges family home in Lagmore for the short service at St Luke's Church in Twinbrook.

Mr George's father Billy, his brother Darren and grandfather Joseph Hardy were among those who carried the coffin.

A crowd of mourners walked behind the cortege as it made its way along Lagmore Avenue as music played on a portable loudspeaker.

Some carried framed photographs of Mr George.

Fr Brian McCann told those gathered that their presence at the funeral was a source of comfort and consolation to Mr Georges family.

John George

He said the family were grateful for all the messages they have received, praising the communitys "practical, emotional and spiritual support.

What we are doing here today really is part of a great wave of reflection that has taken place over these last six weeks, the priest said.

He added: Maybe one resolution that we all can make as we gather here today is to continue to pray each day for Johns family.

Family members, including Billy (centre) the father of murdered Belfast man John George. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

After the service, which also comprised Bible readings and prayers, the cortege moved on to Blaris Cemetery, Lisburn, where Mr George will be buried.

A funeral notice described him as a loving son, devoted father and beloved brother.

It added: "John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him."

The father of John George kisses his son's coffin following his funeral at St Luke's Church before burial in Blaris Cemetery. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Homecoming for family of Belfast man John George found dead in Spain

Billy George previously said his focus was on getting his son's body home so the family could give him a Christian burial.

He said he wanted his son back home in Belfast, where he belongs.

John George, a father of two, had last spoken to his father on December 14 and was reported missing four days later after he failed to board his flight back to Northern Ireland.

His family travelled to Spain to search for him.

Members of the volunteer K9 canine search and rescue team who travelled to Spain to assist with efforts to find Mr George attended today's funeral.

Mr George's body was discovered on January 7.

The family said the results of a post-mortem examination from the Spanish authorities revealed he was stabbed and shot.
Gardai are investigating the cause of a fire at a Cork apartment (Niall Carson/PA)

Gardai are investigating the cause of a fire at a Cork apartment where a man was found dead.

The man, aged in his 60s, was found dead inside the property on Togher Road on Friday evening after firefighters brought the blaze under control.

Investigating gardai said on Saturday they were continuing work to determine the cause of the fire, which was reported to the emergency services around 6.50pm.

They said the results of a planned post-mortem on the man would assist in guiding the course of the investigation.

The building remained cordoned off on Saturday to facilitate a technical examination of the scene.
A range of topics spanning the BBC, Brexit and beyond feature on the front pages of Saturdays newspapers.

The BBC ignored union warnings and was aware of complaints against Wynne Evans before he was cast in Strictly Come Dancing, reports the Daily Mirror.

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Brexits fifth birthday leads the Daily Express with Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch using the milestone to accuse the Government of betraying Britons who voted to leave.

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As Mrs Badencoch pledges to stay true to the will of the people, the i weekend concentrates on the results of a pill indicating the majority of voter would opt back into the EU if given the chance.

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The Times runs with a health story, writing that people on long-term sick leave may be forced to return to work or have their welfare benefits slashed.

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The FT Weekend focuses on pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca as the biotech company ditches its plans for a 450 million facility in Liverpool after funding cuts.

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The Daily Mail says the embattled Duke of York is facing a fresh scandal surrounding his links with paedophile financier Jefferey Epstein.

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The Sun reports that the Duke of York pub in Central London has decided to distance itself from the royal and has dumped his portrait from outside the watering hole.

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The Guardian gives its front page over to an account of a reporters return home to Gaza after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel allowed people to head home after more than a year.

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The Daily Telegraph looks abroad for its front, with a piece on the US decision to absolutely impose tariffs and sweeping taxes on goods from China and several other nations.

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Lastly, the Daily Star writes that US President Donald Trump has triggered a modern-day gold rush in the UK,with American investors rushing to scoop up British bullion.
Hamas has handed over the American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel to the Red Cross  the third hostage to be released on Saturday as part of a ceasefire deal with Israel.

Mr Siegel, 65, walked onto a stage set up by the sea in Gaza City before militants handed him over to waiting Red Cross officials.

Earlier, the militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in similar scenes in the town of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Israeli Ofer Kalderon was freed in Khan Younis, southern Gaza (AP)

All three had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 2023 that sparked the war.

The truce, which began on January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truces initial six weeks.

Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7 2023 (AP)

Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas initial attack or have died in captivity.

French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Mr Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Mr Macron posted on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

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It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.

Mr Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

Meanwhile, the release of Mr Bibas has brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

The releases sparked relief and joy in Israel (AP)

A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two red-headed boys  Ariel, four, and Kfir, just nine months old at the time.

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli air strike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Like Bibas, Mr Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, Mr Kalderons family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.

Mr Bibas was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis (AP)

Ofer Kalderons two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they were not able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

The ceasefire is holding after two weeks (AP)

More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Benjamin Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Hamas says it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli Ofer Kalderon has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7, 2023 (AP)

Two hostages have arrived in Israel after Hamas handed them over to the Red Cross in southern Gaza.

Palestinian authorities say Israel has agreed to release dozens of prisoners in the fourth round of exchanges during the Gaza ceasefire deal.

The militants released Yarden Bibas, 35, and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon, 54, to the Red Cross in Khan Younis after each climbed on a stage and waved to onlookers. Both had been abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7 2023 that sparked the war.

Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, was also released in Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP)

Armed Hamas militants formed a line leading to the stage after chaotic crowds surrounded hostages during a handover on Thursday, angering Israel.

Another hostage, American-Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, was also set to be released on Saturday and was expected to be handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City to the north.

Red Cross vehicles have arrived at a site in Gaza City where Hamas is set to release Mr Siegel.

Originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Mr Siegel was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

The truce, which began January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

Activists sit on a road with white umbrellas during a protest calling for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip, in front of the US Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv on Friday (Oded Balilty/AP)

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truces initial six weeks. Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas October 7 2023 attack or have died in captivity.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing. It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May.

A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of 33 hostages and nearly 2,000 prisoners, the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

The imminent release of Mr Bibas has brought renewed attention to  and concern for  the fate of his wife Shiri and their two young sons. All four were captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two redheaded boys  Ariel, four, and Kfir, nine months old at the time.

This undated photo provided by Hostages Family Forum shows Yarden Bibas, who was abducted and brought to Gaza on October 7 2023 (Hostages Family Forum/AP)

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7 and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Yarden Bibas is believed to have been held separately from his family. Photos taken during his abduction appeared to show him wounded.

Mr Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz. His two children and ex-wife, Hadas, were also taken, but they were freed during the 2023 ceasefire.

Mr Siegel, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free her husband and other hostages.

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for releasing the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire.
The Pentagon is readying orders for the deployment of at least 1,000 additional active-duty troops to bolster President Donald Trumps expanding crackdown on immigration, US officials said on Friday.

They said roughly 500 more soldiers  largely a headquarters unit from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in New York  will be sent to the southwest border.

About 500 Marines will go to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where some of the detained migrants will be held.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because announcements have not been made, said there have been ongoing discussions about the deployments and the numbers could increase if additional details are worked out.

President Donald Trump listens as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House (Alex Brandon/AP)

The Pentagon has been scrambling to put in motion Mr Trumps executive orders signed shortly after he took office on January 20.

The first group of 1,600 active duty troops were deployed to the border last week.

The deployments reflect Mr Trumps determination to expand the militarys role in his campaign to shut down the border and send detained migrants back to their home countries.

Troops going to the border are expected to help put in place concertina wire barriers and provide needed transportation, intelligence and other support to the Border Patrol. Troops going to Guantanamo could help prepare the facility for an influx of migrants and do other support duties.

Speaking in a television interview on Fox and Friends on Friday, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believes the US can get thousands of individuals in tents, secured in places at Guantanamo Bay.

But he also said there is the possibility that hardened criminals or violent gang members could also be housed there. As a result, he said the Defence Department is preparing detention facilities at Guantanamo that are basically supermax prisons to be used to hold them temporarily.

Officials have been saying all week that there are likely to be additional troop deployments to help secure the southern border  potentially rolling out rapidly in the coming days. The eventual total deployed could be as many as 10,000.

Before Mr Trump returned to the White House, there were already about 2,500 Guard and Reserve forces consistently deployed to the border. Officials noted that given the length of the nearly 2,000-mile border with Mexico, it will take additional forces to help put large rolls of concertina wire barriers in place and provide support to the Border Patrol.

President Donald Trump departs the White House on Friday (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The roughly 1,100 Army soldiers and 500 Marines ordered to deploy to the border last week have all arrived in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, and many have already begun work.

Separately, the US military is providing military aircraft for Department of Homeland Security deportation flights for more than 5,000 detained migrants. At least some of those are expected to go to the detention centre at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay.

On Wednesday, the president said his administration planned to send the worst criminal aliens to Guantanamo. He ordered the Pentagon to prepare to hold up to 30,000 migrants. He said some of the migrants cannot be trusted to stay in their home countries once they are sent back.

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, Mr Trump said.

This is not the first time migrants have been held at Guantanamo. US authorities have detained migrants intercepted at sea at a facility known as the Migrant Operations Centre, including people from Haiti and Cuba.
Vacaville police said they arrested an 18-year-old man after he led police on a high-speed chase before crashing his car. Rafe Swan/Getty Images

Authorities in Solano County arrested a man after he allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend, fled from police and then crashed his car.

Jonathan Vancuren, 18, of Vacaville was arrested Wednesday and booked into Solano County jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance for sale, resisting arrest, reckless driving and brandishing a firearm, according to police. His vehicle was also impounded for 30 days, police said.

The saga began just before noon on Wednesday, when a concerned parent in Vacaville told police dispatchers that Vancuren had pointed a gun at their daughter before fleeing in his car. An officer responded to Vancurens residence shortly after the call, just in time to witness the man hurriedly rushing to leave, police said. The officer coordinated with two other officers who then positioned themselves nearby as Vancuren left his residence, after which he sped recklessly through residential neighborhoods, blew through stop signs and drove on the wrong side of the road, police said.

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Vancuren lost control of the car near Eldridge Avenue and crashed. After Vancuren refused to comply with police commands and continued reaching back inside his damaged car, officers fired a less-lethal bean bag round to take him into custody, police said.
A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children are travelling to Egypt for treatment through Gazas Rafah crossing  the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago.

The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas agreed to earlier this month.

Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female hostages in Gaza.

Egyptian television showed an Palestinian Red Cross ambulance pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children were brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.

At least 50 children were taken through the crossing (AP)

Zaher al-Wahidi, an official with Gazas Health Ministry, said 37 of the children had crossed into Egypt by Saturday evening.

The ministry said around 60 family members were accompanying the children.

The children are the first in what are meant to be regular evacuations of Palestinians through the crossing for treatment abroad.

We urge for medical evacuations to be expedited through all possible routes. Thousands of lives depend on it, World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on social media.

Over the past 15 months, Israels campaign against Hamas in retaliation for the militants attack on southern Israel in October 2023 has decimated Gazas health sector, leaving most of its hospitals out of operation.

Care for the population has been crippled, even as tens of thousands of Palestinians were injured by Israels bombardment and ground offensives.

Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals in Gazas health ministry, said more than 6,000 patients were ready to be evacuated abroad, and more than 12,000 patients were in urgent need of treatment.

He said the small numbers set to be evacuated will not cover the need, and we hope the number will increase.

Rafah is Gazas only crossing that does not enter into Israel. Israeli forces closed the Rafah crossing in early May after seizing it during an offensive on the southern city. Egypt shut down its side of the passage in protest.

It is the first time the crossing has been opened in months (AP)

Even before the Gaza war began, the Rafah crossing represented a crucial escape valve from the territory.

An Israeli-Egyptian blockade aimed at containing Hamas has crippled health facilities and infrastructure in Gaza for the past 15 years. Palestinians routinely applied for permission to travel outside the territory for lifesaving treatments not available in Gaza, including chemotherapy.

It took some diplomatic gymnastics to reopen the crossing and overcome security disputes between Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian officials.

Hamas had overseen the border since 2007, when it took control of Gaza from its rival, the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority, after winning parliamentary elections in 2006.

The children are either sick or wounded (AP)

Management of the crossing is a sensitive issue. Israel accused Hamas of using its control of the border to smuggle weapons  a claim Egypt has denied. Israel has also refused to allow the Palestinian Authority to officially take over management of the crossing.

Instead, the crossing will be staffed by Palestinians from Gaza who previously served as border officers with the Palestinian Authority, but they will not be allowed to wear official PA insignia, a European diplomat said.

Israel has screened the officers to ensure they have no affiliation with Hamas, the European diplomat added.

European Union monitors will also be present, as they were before 2007.

Negotiations on the second phase of the deal  which calls for a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the release of any remaining hostages  are supposed to begin on Monday. Israel has resisted the notion that the PA would control post-war Gaza.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, right, shaking hands with President Donald Trumps special envoy Richard Grenell at the presidential palace in Caracas (Venezuelan Presidential Press Office/AP)

Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met with a Trump administration official on Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions Richard Grenell announced the release of the six men on social media.

Mr Grenells visit came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped Mr Trump would continue the maximum pressure campaign he pursued against Mr Maduro during his first term.

According to the White House, the trip was focused on Mr Trumps efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

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We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens, Mr Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him.

The meeting in Venezuelas capital took place less than a month after Mr Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last years election.

The US government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognise Maduros claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Mr Grenell and Mr Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the US government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Grenell being filmed meeting with Mr Maduro gave legitimacy to a government that the White House does not officially recognise.

No. We want to do something with Venezuela. Ive been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro, Mr Trump responded. Theyve treated us not so good, but theyve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly.

Mr Maduro, appearing on state television after Mr Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded initial agreements but did not provide any details.

This photo released by Venezuelas presidential press office shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, centre, with Richard Grenell, President Donald Trumps special envoy, left, at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas (Venezuelas presidential press office/AP)

I have seen three US presidents pass before me, he said. This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuelas sovereignty, for Venezuelas democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.

Some Republicans criticised the visit.

This is terrible timing, said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimise his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president.

If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president couldve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.

The dispute over the election results sparked nationwide protests. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

Among those detained are as many as 10 Americans who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Mr Maduros government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.

A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-year-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the US. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Mr Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday that Mr Trump had instructed Mr Grenell to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organisation, land in Venezuela. She said the president ordered Mr Grenell to ensure that all US detainees in Venezuela are returned home.
A Dublin man who was too drunk to get on a flight at Belfast City Airport has narrowly avoided jail for criminal damage and disorderly behaviour.

Garreth John Colley was arrested on Friday after he began shouting and swearing when he was refused permission to board the aircraft after consuming a bottle of vodka he bought in duty free.
What is gamers rage in children and what can parents do to deal with it?
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Jewish author David Klinghoffer has long been a thought-provoking voice on Beliefnet, commenting on issues ranging from Jewish holidays to politics to Mel Gibson's "Passion." His new book, "Why the Jews Rejected Jesus," traces the history of the debate between Christians and Jews over Jesus, from the first century to modern days. Beliefnet editors Rebecca Phillips and Laura Sheahen, approaching the book from a Jewish perspective and a Christian perspective, respectively, joined Klinghoffer for a conversation about the meaning of Isaiah 53, would-be messiahs in ancient Palestine, why Christian evangelism is healthy for Jews, and contemporary Jewish-Christian relations.The reality is that Judaism doesn't regard Jesus as particularly important. He's not a big subject. I wrote this book mainly for non-Jews, because to them the Jewish view of Jesus is a much bigger deal.[Jewish radio personality] Michael Medved has made the point that this is the one thing that all Jews have in common--that we don't accept Jesus as our savior. That's the one and only thing on which all Jews agree. For many Jews, tragically, that's where their Judaism ends. For them, Judaism means we don't believe in Jesus. That's really a sad, impoverished version of Judaism.

RP: What Medved said has a lot of implications about the current state of Judaism itself within a larger Christian world. Jews often feel threatened by Jesus. Why is that?

Well, there's obviously history, 2,000 years of friction. In my book, I also deal with the historical backdrop. In the first century, there was a perception of Christian Jews as essentially deserters. When Jerusalem was under siege by Roman forces, the Jews looked around and discovered that the Christian Jews had fled across the Jordan to safe ground.



LS: If you talked to a contemporary rabbi about Jesus, would he or she consider Jesus a renegade rabbi who was a traitor to his religion, or a good person whose followers went astray and became traitors?

There's a huge diversity of opinion. You have someone like Rabbi Irving Greenberg, an Orthodox rabbi who is quite liberal and provocative, who regards Jesus as having been a failed messiah. You also have [Talmudic scholar] Jacob Emden, who died in 1776. He was traditionally Orthodox--in no way a modernizer--and regarded Jesus as a hero who brought religious civilization to the gentile world. He writes amazingly positively of Jesus.



In a lot of ways, the [contemporary] rabbinate has not really caught up to Emden. Most people don't know about his view of Jesus.



LS: Is Jesus ever mentioned in Hebrew school or in other Jewish contexts?

There's a lot of Jewish ignorance about Christianity, a lot of fear and mistrust--not so much about Jesus the person but about Christianity as a historical phenomenon. Unfortunately, in every area of Jewish life, you'll find people who have an irrational fear of Christianity. The more serious the Christianity is--for example, evangelical Christianity--the more of a bogeyman it becomes in the mind of some Jews.



RP: I often find it hard to explain to serious Christians exactly how Jews regard Jesus. I remember a conversation I had with a woman on the subway who invited me to a Bible study class. When I explained that I was Jewish and didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah, she exclaimed, "But he was such a great guy!" For a lot of Jews, that's the hardest thing to explain--why we can believe he was a good person, but not the Messiah. Are there a few talking points for Jews you can give us?

There's a lot of misunderstanding among Christians about how a Jew is "saved." Even using that word, you're already using Christian vocabulary. Christians, especially evangelicals, regard Judaism as a system where you purchase salvation with acts, good deeds, sacrifices. That's such a misunderstanding of Judaism.

Jews were assured that we had been "saved"--to use Christian language--at Mount Sinai [where the Jews received the Torah]. The 613 mitzvot--commandments--are our response to being saved. They're the grammar in which we conduct our relationship with God. The relationship has already been given to us as an unmerited gift at Mount Sinai. Just as there's a grammar of your relationship with your parents, your friends, your spouse. It's the same with God and the Jews and the Torah.



When Christians say, "You're receiving the gift of Jesus' sacrifice," it's like they're offering us a gift that we already had, in return for giving up something--namely, our relationship with God expressed through the Torah, through the commandments--that's the essence of what we've been for 3,300 years.



For a non-Jew, the offer of Christianity is wonderful. For a Jew, the offer of Christianity is getting something you already had, and giving up something of eternal, immeasurable worth--namely a unique relationship with God.

LS: In your book, you talk about meeting a window washer in Seattle who is sincerely puzzled that Jews don't accept Jesus. Many Christians feel there's this overwhelming stack of evidence--usually connections made between the New Testament and the Hebrew scriptures--"proving" that Jesus is the promised Messiah. What should both Christians and Jews know when a Christian says, "clearly Isaiah shows that Jesus is the one"?

One thing to know is that for every Christian claim about, for example, Isaiah 53 [which describes a "suffering servant" who is persecuted to redeem the sins of his people], there's a Jewish response.

You can make an intelligent case from Isaiah 53 on behalf of Jesus. You can construe the Hebrew prophets as if they pointed forward to Jesus. But you can construe them to mean lots of different things. Shabbatai Zevi, the false messiah of the 17th century--his followers used those very same texts, including Isaiah 53, to prove that Shabbatai Zevi had to undergo suffering as the Messiah. You can use these texts to prove virtually anything.

LS: And your book says first-century Palestine was full of would-be Messiahs--a lot of people going around [like Jesus] with healing powers and other things.

Right. For Jews to give up the unique relationship with God that we have on the basis of a plausible, but by no means the only plausible, interpretation of scripture, is asking a lot.



There are one or two verses in the Hebrew Bible that some Christians will point to as showing that the laws were going to be transcended or discarded. But if you look at the context, those verses, to my mind, don't indicate that.



But even if you thought the Christian interpretation was plausible, it's only a couple of verses. To base a decision to give up Torah on a couple of ambiguous verses in Jeremiah is not, to me, a serious response for a Jew. For a Christian, who defines his spirituality through the lens of the New Testament, it's different. The Christian prioritizes the new over the old.

LS: What do Jews believe the Messiah will be like, and how does Jesus differ from this?

The Messiah will change the world. There won't be any question about whether he's come.

LS: It will be completely obvious?

Yes. There's no indication that it will be a test if someone accepts him. In my book, I make the analogy of seeing a woman who's clearly pregnant, and then later her stomach is flat. There's no need to ask, "Did you have the baby?"



The trite response is, "Jesus didn't bring world peace." That's just the beginning. Ezekiel describes the third temple being built in the time of the Messiah--things anyone with eyes can verify.



Some Christians will say, it's a two-part process.



LS: Or they'll say it's metaphorical.

Well, if it's metaphorical, then everything's up for grabs. They'll be inconsistent about what's literal and what's metaphorical; Jews have a tradition that tells us what to understand literally and what figuratively.

LS: So the Christian interpretation of the rebuilt temple being Jesus' resurrection--that kind of symbolic, metaphorical reading--just doesn't work in terms of Jewish beliefs about the Messiah? You're saying the actual temple will be there. It will be an actual stone building?

There's no question. In the last chapter of Ezekiel, he describes a temple in great detail, down to exact measurements. The measurements are all wrong if it's supposed to be the First or Second Temple. So either he's describing something that's never going to happen or something that will happen.

Christians and Jews who take prophecy seriously can't understand his very architectural description as a metaphor. It clearly hasn't happened yet.

There are a handful of references to Jesus in the pre-censored text of the Talmud. I struggled with whether to bring this up in my book, because some of them are off-color and offensive, certainly to Christians.The Talmud described his being punished after death--in a way that is clearly meant to be a metaphor. The story is a vision of villains suffering in hell, and one is of Jesus in hell [for 70 years]. It's clearly a metaphor, because Jews don't believe people suffer in hell longer than a year.Up to a year, if you've committed evils and haven't repented. In Jewish terms, it's not possible for Jesus to have been in hell 70 years after he died. It's clearly meant as a metaphor.

Nevertheless, I struggled with whether to bring things like that up at all. Why hurt the feelings of Christians? In many ways, it's the most religious Christians who are our very best friends--because they are friends of Israel and are on our side morally. But I ultimately decided that you can't write an honest history of the Jewish-Christian debate about Jesus without bringing up some disturbing things. The truth is, anti-Semites are already aware of this.



LS: What do Jews wish Christians understood about their feelings about Jesus?

I'd like them to understand that there is a serious and pretty massive response to Jewish arguments on behalf of Jesus. The story I tell in the book about being evangelized--that happens not infrequently. My friend Michael Medved, who speaks to a lot of Christian groups, tells me he gets asked about five times a week by Christians, in effect, "You seem like such a wonderful person, why don't you accept Jesus?"

It's not out of ignorance or impiety or not caring that Jews remain Jews. It's because we take the Hebrew Bible seriously. Christians, especially evangelicals--who also take the Hebrew Bible very seriously--should be able to understand that.

In a sense, I welcome Christian evangelism, because I think it's a very healthy challenge and prod to Jews. In my own case, my whole journey to Orthodox Judaism started because I got into an argument with a Jew for Jesus in 1982 on the UCLA campus. He argued with me about Isaiah 53 and showed me I didn't know anything about my inherited religion. I was disturbed by that, and it made we want to go out and learn more about the religion I'd been raised in.For a lot of Jews it's the same. We sort of blithely go along and say, "To be a Jew means we don't believe in Jesus," which is nonsense. Christians, when they evangelize us in their sweet, respectful way-which is always the case in my experience-are challenging us to learn more about our own religion.I'm friendly with the guys at Jews for Judaism. They do a great job. I don't mean this in an insulting way to Christians, but when your body gets an infection it produces antibodies, and the antibodies are good to have around. Jews for Judaism wouldn't exist if it were not for Jews for Jesus. Jews for Jesus doesn't have a lot of success attracting actual Jews. A lot of the people who attend Messianic synagogue are not Jewish by birth.There are definitely Jews who, while driving around a non-Jewish neighborhood and seeing a depiction of the Nativity on someone's lawn, would think "Oh, it's evangelism." It's a minority of Jews, but there are some Jews who have a very thin skin about any hint of any religion whatsoever. Not that they would take offense at a crucifix in someone's home, but they might feel "they might try to evangelize me." There's a weird fear, as if Jews haven't learned how to say "no thank you." I don't understand the fear, but it's definitely there.

LS: For many Christians, the Hebrew scriptural links are prioritized, as you said, according to how well they mesh with the story of Jesus. The interpretations are so ingrained. It's a big conundrum--how to gently explain to Christians that the evidence linking the Old Testament and New Testament isn't quite as self-evident as most Christians believe.

The only point where I disagree is "gently." My preference is for vigorous civilized debate in these issues.



LS: What about on a more personal level--when you're in someone's living room?

Yeah, for sure. We live in a really special time when Jews and Christians for the first time can discuss these questions in a spirit of friendship and love, not in a spirit of being threatened or angry. We should take that opportunity and not pretend it's still the Middle Ages when a Jew could get killed for saying the wrong thing.
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MT. TABOR  A building collapse last summer in Mt. Tabor and its aftermath set off a chain of events pitting town officials, neighbors, and residents at odds, with frustration on all sides. It is a story repeated in small towns throughout Vermont, struggling to find a balance between property rights, public safety, zoning concerns, and the rural quality of life that Vermont is known for.

In this second part of a series, the issues are discussed surrounding the collapse while some specific questions are asked of state and local officials on what can be done to help communities cope. Also highlighted are other small towns struggling with similar issues.

The ongoing case in Mt. Tabor, along a quiet dirt road, has pitted a couple, Jason Hoffman and Virginia Rogers, against their neighbors, some of whom consider the situation a serious health issue. There have allegedly been threatening behaviors and intimidation from the couple in response to all the attention theyve received along Brooklyn Road.

It came to a head last summer when Game Warden Timothy Carey was called to 403 Brooklyn Road in Mt. Tabor after a reported partial collapse of 403 Brooklyn Road, trapping one resident along with several dogs.

Rutland Assistant Fire Marshall Nick Abatiell inspected the property and deemed it unsafe for people or animals due to structural damage after the collapse. Carey contacted the Rutland Humane Society to arrange to rescue the animals inside. Upwards of 35 dogs were loose and in danger. Nearly all the dogs, living among hazards including lack of sanitation and an infestation of rats, were eventually rescued and brought to shelters for medical care.

In January, Rutland County States Attorney Ian Sullivan brought animal cruelty charges against resident Jason Hoffman, who pleaded not guilty to all 10 counts.

Neighbors, including Susan and Haley Ross, a mother and daughter who live directly across from the collapsed building, said they have been dealing for several months with what they consider serious health and safety issues for her family and other neighbors.

The Ross Family left a busy life in New York last spring to move to Mount Tabor in pursuit of their dream of living in rural Vermont. However, mother and daughter both say their dreams of that new life quickly changed .

The duo claims that when they officially closed on their dream home, they were both aware of the trash across the street, but not of the continuing health issues that soon followed.

This nightmare has become a constant source of dread, turning what was once a peaceful community into a battleground of tension and fear, Ross said.

There were reports to the town of dozens of rats coming from the property and breaching adjoining homes . There were also reports of Hoffman and his wife, Virginia Rogers, allegedly dumping raw human waste and other garbage in the back of the property near a natural creek where children fish. When community members like Ross complained to town officials, thats, according to Ross, when the threats began.

Neighbors, including the towns Select Board, eventually contacted authorities like the Vermont State Police and the Vermont Department of Health about the threatening behavior. Adam Silverman, Media Spokesman for the VSP, said that an investigation is underway to determine whether any of those comments constitute a crime.

Their relentless threats, both subtle and overt, are aimed at unsettling our lives, Ross claims.

The partially collapsed home is now considered condemned. Hoffman, living in an old RV just feet from the collapsed property, without running water or sanitary facilities, said that the stress of the situation had forced his wife to stay in a hotel because of health concerns. He claims he cant do anything until the property comes out of probate. The plan then is to dismantle the structure and sell the property.

That, according to many people spoken to, could take years. Meanwhile, the situation will continue for neighbors, the town, and the property owners.

Such property and zoning issues are difficult to navigate for many small, rural towns in Vermont. These issues include the grandfathered property rights of owners, many of whom might have been there for decades without any significant zoning regulation. Furthermore, it can also take many town officials out of their comfort zone in pursuing a solution.

Many of these properties and their owners face financial challenges. Some are elderly. Some run long-standing businesses that pre-date many of their neighbors. Many can also struggle with a lack of resources like access to mental health or other resources. These individuals are sometimes pitted against homeowners, including many new arrivals, and struggling towns trying to maintain order, safety, property values, and their residents health and well-being.

There are no easy answers.

Vermont News & Media reached out to several state and local administrations for comment on whats happening and any possible solutions going forward, including the controversial issue of zoning regulations. Many, including Governor Scotts office, Rutland States Attorney Ian Sullivans office, and Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark, either did not return requests for comment or said via email that they had no comment. Several zoning officers from adjoining communities refused comment as well.

The Vermont Department of Health, one of the organizations that responded, sent an email from Bob Manfredi, one of the Public Health Inspectors in the Rutland Service District.

My understanding of the situation is that the Town Health Officer in the area did reach out to the Health Department for guidance over the last few months regarding the property where this unfortunate incident has now occurred," Manfredi said. "Ultimately, it is up to the Town Selectboard to determine whether or not a matter of this kind rises to the level of a risk to public health and then to empower the Town Health Officer and/or the Health Department to mount a response of some kind, Manfredi said. There is not a specific intervention that the Health Department could have made in this case without the town requesting one via a health order that determined a significant risk to public health was present.

Vermont News & Media tried several times to reach Mt. Tabors Town Health Officer to confirm whether the Select Board had concluded that the collapsed residence was indeed a serious risk to the community's health and whether they had reached out to the VDH for assistance. Those efforts at contact were not answered.

We have had nearly zero help from anyone in the state, Ross told Vermont News & Media in frustration the last time they were interviewed. At this point, we dont know what else we can do.

Devon Neary, Executive Director of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, stated that Tensions with local zoning, or the lack thereof, is nothing new for Vermont. Adopting zoning bylaws offers Vermont towns significant benefits by enabling better control over land use decisions, particularly in mixed-use and residential areas, fostering balanced development while preserving community character.

Neary noted that the zoning challenges are not endemic to small towns like Mt. Tabor, however. In the region surrounding Rutland County, of which Mt. Tabor is a part, he said eight out of 27 towns have opted not to adopt zoning for various reasons. They range in size from Rutland Town, with approximately 3,924 residents, to the regions smallest community, Mt. Tabor, which has just over 200 residents.

Towns like Mt. Tabor, the smallest community in the Rutland Region, face considerable challenges in adopting zoning bylaws due to a lack of an active planning commission or an approved town planessential prerequisites for zoning adoption, he explained. Planning provides the foundational vision and priorities for land use, which zoning implements.

Even if Mt. Tabor did manage to adopt zoning bylaws, Neary explained that the town would also need to appoint (and likely pay) a part-time zoning administrator.

In a town like Mt. Tabor, that can and often does seem like a stretch.

Municipal capacity remains a significant hurdle for small, rural communities, Neary said. Mt. Tabor is also the only community in the Rutland Region without a Town Plan. With just two part-time staff and a three-member select board, Mt. Tabor exemplifies the difficulties many towns in the region face in terms of volunteer recruitment, political appointments, and administration, he continued, adding that navigating zoning is just one of many challenges faced by such small, rural towns.

The issues in Mt. Tabor also reflect broader rural struggles, including income inequities, aging housing stock, and access to critical services like mental health treatment. It can also include issues such as freedom from regulation and deep-seated feelings on what a property owner can and cant do on their own property. These issues have been exasperated by the influx of new urban and suburban homeowners from outside the communities that might be used to more regulations.

Several other small towns in and around Bennington County have struggled with these types of issues in slightly different forms, including Pawlet and Londonderry.

The saga of Daniel Banyai and his now shuttered firearms training facility, Slate Ridge, in many ways, encompassed the same issues of zoning, private property rights, and distressed neighbors facing Mt. Tabor and other small communities.

In 2020, Daniel Banyai purchased a multi-acre piece of property off a rural dirt road in West Pawlet to turn it into a firearms training facility where groups of individuals would come and train. Neighbors, some of whom had lived on rural Briar Hill Road for decades, strongly objected due to noise, traffic, and safety concerns. Hard feelings on both sides soon followed, including threats, intimidation, and a drawn-out, years-long legal case that is just now resolved. Using its zoning restrictions, the town finally concluded the case by a court-ordered dismantling of the facility, levying fines, and eventually forcing eviction proceedings, which led to a bankruptcy case and substantial cost for taxpayers.

In nearby Londonderry, a recent attempt to revise the zoning bylaws resulted in hours of public comments, countless debates on the towns Facebook forum, and, ultimately, the resignation of all Londonderrys Planning Commission members. Now, the newly appointed Planning Commission members continue to work through the bylaws section-by-section to achieve a version thats more palatable to residents.

Historically, residents in these rural communities have fought even the smallest zoning restrictions in opposition to over-regulation, government interference, and perceived violation of private property rights. Those regulations and any perceived risks involved for established homeowners might serve as a roadmap for a small town to achieve a compromised, reasonable solution in many of these incidents. Without zoning in Mt. Tabor, it is impossible to predict what might have eventually happened and how long a solution would have taken.
Chinese commercial reusable rocket firms target new heights in new year

Xinhua) 10:11, February 01, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Building on the remarkable progress achieved in recent years, China's commercial reusable rocket developers are poised to reach new heights over the next 12 months.

Guowang and Spacesail, two of China's major low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet constellations, will have tens of thousands of satellites in orbit in the future, creating a robust market foundation for the country's commercial launches.

Vast market demand will serve as a powerful driving force, propelling continuous innovation and breakthroughs in reusable rocket technology, while accelerating the widespread application of new technologies, materials, processes and testing methods, said Meng Xianbo, chief strategy officer of Galactic Energy, a Beijing-based rocket developer.

Galactic Energy is currently working on two types of reusable rockets. The PALLAS-1 is a two-stage reusable rocket fueled by liquid oxygen and kerosene. Weighing around 290 tonnes at launch, it can carry up to 8 tonnes to LEO. This rocket is set to make its debut flight in the first half of 2025, kicking off commercial operations with two planned missions this year.

Based on the PALLAS-1 design, the PALLAS-2 rocket features a boosted LEO payload capacity of 30 tonnes and is expected to wrap up assembly and testing in the course of 2025.

LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket, meanwhile, completed a 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing recovery test in September 2024. This mission used a single-stage rocket with liquid oxygen and methane engines, marking the first time a Chinese rocket had completed vertical takeoff and landing recovery.

The company revealed that the Zhuque-3 rocket is slated for its inaugural launch in 2025 -- with three missions planned for the year.

"These launches will deliver a combined payload capacity of around 60 tonnes, and we are targeting the successful recovery of the rocket's first stage within these three missions," said Zhang Changwu, CEO of LandSpace.

The commercial reusable rocket SQX-2Y, developed by i-Space, completed a vertical take-off and landing flight test on Nov. 2, 2023. Subsequently, it conducted its second flight test mission on Dec. 10, 2023.

The company said valuable data and experience gained from these two SQX-2Y flight tests will contribute to key technological innovations for its medium-to-large reusable liquid oxygen-methane launch vehicle, named SQX-3.

According to the company, the SQX-3 launch vehicle is scheduled to perform its first orbital launch and recovery test mission in December 2025.

Following the recovery of its first stage, it will undergo maintenance and inspection before being equipped with a new second stage. The rocket is then planned to conduct its first reuse flight test mission in June 2026, said Ji Haibo, deputy general manager of the company.

The maritime recovery platform for the SQX-3 rocket's maiden flight mission commenced construction in November 2024, Ji added.

Another rocket startup, Deep Blue Aerospace, announced last year that it plans to carry out commercial suborbital flights in 2027, using the company's reusable rocket Nebula-1.

The oxygen/kerosene-fueled Nebula-1, the company's first reusable launch vehicle, completed 10 of the 11 key verification tasks during its first high-altitude vertical recovery flight test on Sept. 22, 2024.

The Nebula-1 rocket will conduct extensive high-altitude recovery tests in 2025 and 2026. These tests aim to verify the feasibility and stability of the technology, while also accumulating critical data for ultimate orbit entry and recovery, according to the company.

Huo Liang, founder and chairman of this company, said advancements in rocket reusability will drive down space travel costs -- making it accessible to the general public rather than remaining a niche luxury.

"We look forward to sending more people to space, inspiring broader interest in cosmic exploration, and expanding humanity's understanding of the universe," Huo added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla demanded answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth regarding a Trump administration order to release water from two California dams. Justin Sullivan/TNS

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla on Friday wrote to newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to demand answers regarding a Trump administration order to release water from two dams in the Central Valley  a move the California senator said could endanger local communities.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers increased water releases from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Lake Success in Tulare County on Friday, sending water toward farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley, news site SJV Water reported Thursday.

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I write regarding the troubling unscheduled release of water from two dams in Californias Central Valley by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following President Trumps Executive Order falsely linking statewide water policies to the wildfires in Los Angeles, said Padilla in his letter to Hegseth. As Im sure the Administration is aware, the rivers into which this water was released do not actually flow into Los Angeles.

He continued, unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms. Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream.

Padilla continued to ask Hegseth who directed the water release, how and when public safety personnel were notified of the release, and what impact the water release will have on Tulare communities. Padilla also asked the administration how it planned to transport the water, if it indeed was for the wildfires.

The two biggest fires in the Los Angeles area, the Eaton and Palisades fires, were both 100% contained as of Friday, according to Cal Fire.

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PITTSFIELD  Prosecutors have dropped all charges against a Pittsfield man accused of brandishing a handgun at juveniles at Clapp Park last April.

John Canino, 24, had his charges dismissed after some witnesses decided they did not wish to testify and prosecutors lost touch with others, according to a court filing by Assistant District Attorney Alexander Cerbo.

Without the testimony of either the victim or witnesses, the Commonwealth is unable to meet its burden at trial, the prosecutor wrote in a motion Tuesday to drop the case. Caninos defense lawyer, Alex R. Shmulsky, said Thursday that Canino maintained his innocence throughout.

Canino was arrested April 22 after several minors reported to police that a man had pulled a gun out at them while at Clapp Park, according to court filings. Canino later told police he went to the park to pick up his cousin following a disagreement among the juveniles there.

Police spoke with Canino, who disclosed that he was carrying a loaded Sig Sauer P365. Shmulsky said Canino, who has no criminal record, legally possessed the weapon. Canino told police the juveniles shot a gel blaster toy gun at him.

He denied displaying his weapon. Shmulsky said he believed the juveniles knew Canino carried a firearm and falsely accused him of pulling it on them.

Canino had pleaded not guilty in Central Berkshire District Court to charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. Before prosecutors dropped the case, he had been released with GPS monitoring and other conditions.
LENOX  With nearly four weeks on the job, new Town Manager Jay Green is candid yet confident that he can handle some unexpected challenges.

During a wide-ranging Town Hall conversation last week, the former Adams town administrator pointed out that hes navigating the learning curve aided by a great staff, and dealing with two high-profile retirements unrelated to his arrival.

Top of mind: The departure of Fire Chief Christopher OBrien as of June 30, announced last summer, and the Dec. 5 retirement date for Police Chief Stephen OBrien.

Green stated that both chiefs are highly respected and popular  two great guys  and hell be focusing on the upcoming searches to fill both critical positions.

At the same time, with budget season well under way, theres a likely gut punch for local taxpayers  significantly higher bills for 2025-26 driven by a double-digit increase in Berkshire Health Group insurance costs for town and school employees.

On Monday, the municipal insurance purchase group approved a 16 percent increase for fiscal 2026, which begins July 1. Thats on top of the 8 percent increase for the current year. Berkshire Health serves 25 towns as well as six regional school districts.

An updated budget forecast for the Lenox public school district presented to the School Committee last week has a total appropriations request of just over $18 million, up 9.1 percent from the current year. School spending remains just over half of total town spending.

Green said hes working closely with schools Superintendent William Collins and Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations Melissa Falkowski to locate any possible efficiencies. But since at least 80 percent of the school budget is driven by personnel costs mostly governed by union contracts, theres only limited potential for savings.

Lenox is in no different position than any other community in dealing with school costs, Green said, adding that the town is justifiably proud of its public schools. But theres no doubt that statewide, education is expensive; a huge investment and a primary driver of the tax rate, he added.

Green acknowledged that the towns residential taxpayers may see a 5 to 10 percent hike in their bills. That would follow the current years 5.6 percent increase for the average-priced single-family home valued at $637,000, yielding a typical $5,768 tax annual tax bill.

On the bright side, pending approval by state lawmakers, Lenox is among the smaller rural towns countywide and across the state state benefiting from Gov. Maura Healeys proposed increase in the distribution formula for funding road and bridge projects, driven by local road mileage.

Green was among 16 members on the governors advisory board reviewing the states Chapter 90 program. Lenox would see $445,000 from Boston, a 62 percent increase from $275,000. It was rewarding to be on the advisory group and see the governors office take that advice, he said.

As part of the search to hire new police and fire chiefs, Green expects to request a Town Hall study to make sure current employees doing similar work are paid a similar salary, and also to confirm that Lenox is competitive in salary and benefits for new hires.

Were already short-staffed in Berkshire County for people who want to work in municipal government, he noted. We want to be able to recruit and retain.

Green already has filled a key position: Eammon Coughlin, who had been his community development director in Adams, is completing training to succeed Gwen Miller, the current land use director in Lenox. Miller, who held the position for 10 years  and is married to Coughlin  is leaving soon.

Ive been settling in and getting the lay of the land, so to speak, Coughlin said. The role is similar to his post in Adams, but Lenox has a higher number of permit applications for development projects.

Its great to be working with Jay again, Coughlin acknowledged, adding that he aims to dig deeper into land use law and permitting in order to be a better planner.

Asked if hes eyeing any other Adams employees, Green demurred, pointing out that the town he administered for six years has good staff, but so do other communities.

Hes enrolled in a class at the Massachusetts Municipal Associations Suffolk University certificate program in public management and leadership. Its a chance to network with prospective candidates for openings in Lenox.

Itll definitely be a challenge to recruit, Green conceded, making it all the more important to take a close look at the towns compensation practices.

He continues to check in regularly with his mentor, former Lenox Town Manager Christopher Ketchen, who departed last June 30 for a major state revenue department position.

Among Greens other priorities:

 Keeping a close watch on the new $20 million-plus public safety complex set for September completion, the pending $45 million wastewater treatment plant update required by federal mandates, a roof replacement and new fire suppression system for the historic town library, and a potential new high school science education wing.

 Improving Town Hall communications and work flows, aided by technology.

 Filling three open positions for a childrens librarian, a youth program director at the community center and a laborer at the DPW.

Everyones doing a great job, but Im looking at where can we create some efficiencies, Green said, while enhancing services to town residents.
A resident is visited by a family member at the Ararat Nursing Facility in Los Angeles, Calif. "More than 1.1 million senior citizens are currently in nursing homes," writes Eagle columnist Dalton Delan. "For some, it is the right choice; for many more, it is the only one. An orphan among developed nations, America is Scrooge-like for home care.
BOSTON  Starting Sunday, accessory dwelling units will be allowed by right in single-family zoning districts across most of Massachusetts, under a law Gov. Maura Healey signed in August.

The law stipulated that the policy would go into effect 180 days after it was signed, which was on Aug. 6, to allow the small, independent living spaces to be built on the same property as a primary residence by right regardless of local single-family zoning ordinances. The Healey administration estimates the law could lead to between 8,000 and 10,000 ADUs over five years.

The law applies to 350 municipalities in Massachusetts. Boston is exempt, and is pursuing its own city-specific ADU policy.

ADUs must have a separate entrance from the main house to qualify under the law, and must be no larger than half the gross floor area of the principal residence, or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller. They can be internal  like converting a basement into an apartment  attached to a house by adding a new addition, or completely detached but on the same property.

The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities spent the last six months drafting more specific regulations to accompany the law, to allow cities and towns to "impose reasonable restrictions and requirements."

Those newly-drafted regulations allow municipalities more control over site plan review; short-term rentals; and regulations concerning septic systems, how far back the buildings can be from the road, as well as the bulk and height of structures.

Control over short-term rental policies was especially important for towns on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, an official from EOHLC said during a background briefing Thursday. The tourism economy in the region has already turned a lot of the Cape and islands' housing into seasonal rentals, and pushed full-time residents out.

By allowing towns to restrict ADUs from being used mainly as short-term vacation rentals, the EOHLC official said the Cape and islands can focus on creating year-round housing opportunities for residents who actually live in their towns.

The regulations also explicitly outline some restrictions that municipalities cannot put in place.

For example, cities and towns cannot require that the owner of the primary property be familially related to the occupant of the ADU.

ADUs have sometimes colloquially been called "granny flats," where aging parents of middle-aged adults could live in their senior years. Alternatively, ADUs have also been used for adult children who may want to move out of their parents' house but cannot afford to live on their own or need to stay close to home.

The Healey administration has said ADUs can help address the state's housing crisis. If aging adults move out of their single-family home, it frees up that house for another family to move into.

However, housing advocates, lawmakers and administration officials have also talked about ADUs being an alternative housing option outside of just familial ties.

They have said they can create another option for renters, and an opportunity for homeowners to earn rental income which can offset maintenance and repair costs, without necessarily needing a preexisting relationship with the ADU's occupant.

The administration's regulations also seek to encourage more housing near public transit.

They say municipalities cannot require that ADUs have a parking spot if they are located within half a mile from a commuter rail station, subway station, bus station or all-season ferry terminal. They can't require more than one parking spot for ADUs outside of that half-mile radius.
How India is Pulling In European Life Sciences Sector

January 31, 2025 | Friday | Features | By Shivani Thakar

When the world was struggling with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, the partnership between Indian and European organizations proved to be a historic accomplishment in the field of global life sciences. It was able to deliver more than two billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which was developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, both from the United Kingdom, and manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) in India, to more than 170 countries starting in November 2020, marking a significant milestone in the global pandemic response. India's economical production in the biopharma industry allowed it to reach this significant milestone. India's advantages, including cost-effective manufacturing, a skilled workforce, and a growing but robust research ecosystem, are making it an attractive destination for outsourcing and joint ventures. These collaborations have led to the development of innovative healthcare solutions and have expanded market access for both Indian and European firms. The India-Europe collaboration in life sciences has evolved into a dynamic partnership fostering innovation, investment, and shared expertise. While significant strides have been made in contract research, vaccine production, and biosimilars, there remains potential for greater collaboration in new drug discovery sciences. As European companies expand their R&D and manufacturing presence in India, the mutual focus on academic research and healthcare resilience positions this partnership as a global leader in life sciences innovation.

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The total global pharma market in calendar year 2023 was $1508 billion and is expected to touch $1544 billion in 2024 registering a growth of 2.4 per cent. North America, the leading region with an expected share of $511.79 billion in 2024 is likely to see an increase of 3.73 per cent over previous years share of $493.38 billion. Asia Pacific is the leading region in terms of percentage growth of 3.86 per cent in 2024 over the previous years growth rate of 3.14 per cent with a share of $467.04 billion in 2024 as against $449.69 billion in 2023 and $436 billion in 2022. The European region which recorded a growth rate of 4.95 per cent in 2023 with a share of $410.71 billion in 2023 will witness a flat growth in 2024 as its share will be around $410.71 billion, according to the IQVIA report.

The global generic market that holds 32.65 per cent of the total pharma market as per Fitch Solutions has touched $492.78 billion in 2023. India is predominantly a generic player. Major generic producers in the world besides India, include China producing $100-110 billion, USA producing roughly $ 65-70 billion, Germany producing $ 20-22 billion, Russia producing $14-15 billion. Indias generic share in the global generic market is $ 44.78 billion ($21.53 billion exports + $23.25 billion domestic) working out to a percentage share of 9.2 per cent. Indias exports of pharmaceuticals during April 2023 till March 2024 has been to the tune of $27.84 billion with a growth of almost 9.66 per cent.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico region continues to be the topmost region as an exporting partner for India with share of $9,569.52 million in financial year 2023-24 registering growth of 14.64 per cent over previous years share of $8,347.24 million. Exports to the region of Europe has grown by 11 per cent and is accountable for more than 20 per cent of Indias exports. Europe has a strong and robust pharma industry and in fact, it is the very crucible from which the global modern pharma industry has evolved. Considering this growth, 2371 pharma companies have received Certification of Suitability (CEP) from European regulatory authorities (as of April 2024) and 1943 pharma companies have got accreditation from UK MHRA (The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) and Market authorisations.

This progress has been witnessed due the strong relations between India and European Union (EU) that has a cooperation agreement with India dating from 1994, which allows the setting up of specialised subgroups, including on pharmaceuticals. In 2005, the EU and India adopted a joint action plan for the India-EU strategic partnership, endorsing the establishment of a working group on pharmaceuticals. This working group started its activities in July 2006, with annual meetings ever since.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) supports India in applying international standards, particularly for good manufacturing practice (GMP) and clinical trial activities, and facilitates capacity building and regulatory contacts. Due to these activities, among the top 10 Indian pharmaceutical export destinations five are from the European region namely UK (second), Netherland (fourth), France (fifth), Belgium (seventh) and Germany (eighth).

Taking the advantage of these agreements at the government levels, the European companies have been investing in R&D and manufacturing facilities, as well as opening Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India. Through these approaches, leading European pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies are actively expanding their footprint in India. Their strategies include fostering research and development (R&D), investing in Contract Research Organisations (CROs) and Contract Development Manufacturing Organisations (CDMOs), and establishing partnerships to enhance large-scale production capabilities. These collaborations focus on areas like healthcare innovation, digital health, biotechnology, vaccine production, biosimilars, and biologics manufacturing, essential for global healthcare resilience.

Many European companies have not only been sourcing products from Indian manufacturers for years, but have been now setting up their own production facilities in India. As many pharma companies turn to more collaborative business models, India having strong IT talent and skill sets in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cloud computing, IoT, big data, analytics and many new areas is likely to play an increasingly important partnering role.

In July 2024, Sanofi, a French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company announced a 400 million ($437 million) investment in its GCC in Hyderabad, while Denmark's Novo Nordisk, in October 2024, partnered with AI startups and expanded its leadership team, planning an increase in its workforce by 2025 to handle vast clinical trial datasets. UK-based AstraZeneca is investing Rs 250 crore to expand its GCC in India, underscoring its commitment to leveraging India's talent pool and enhancing its global operations.

It may be noted that Sandoz, a Swiss company that focuses on generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars and now the generics arm of Novartis, has two manufacturing plants and a research centre for developing formulations and processes, based in Thane. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company has facilities based in Mumbai and Nashik. The GSK operates in India through its subsidiary, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd, offering a range of prescription medicines and vaccines across various therapeutic areas. GSK has a longstanding presence in India, contributing to the healthcare sector through its products and initiatives. Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical firm has entered into promotion, marketing, and distribution partnerships with Indian companies Cipla and Entero. These collaborations aim to improve access to Roche's oncology, rheumatology, immunology, and nephrology medicines in India. Mid-tier global pharma companies are present as well  Lonza, and Ethypharm all have manufacturing or research facilities in India.

Healthcare Innovation and Digital Health

The rapidly expanding technological infrastructure in India is creating a strong base for enabling global pharma companies to enhance their operations, drive innovation, and achieve cost efficiencies, earning India a significant competitive advantage. The country's robust IT infrastructure supports various aspects of operations, including R&D, data management, and digital health initiatives. For instance, Swiss giant Roche is harnessing Indias robust technology ecosystem to forge ahead in the digital landscape, crafting innovative solutions that resonate on a global scale. Roche has been actively collaborating with India's life sciences industry to enhance healthcare access and innovation.

Roche has expanded its digital pathology open environment through strategic collaborations aimed at supporting pathologists and scientists in cancer research and diagnosis by leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies. Roche initiated its first Digital Center of Excellence in India, in Pune early 2024 - a co-location for Roche Information Solutions, Roche Diagnostics Solutions R&D, and Roche Informatics teams encompassing a diverse team of professionals from data engineers and software engineers to architects and user-experience professionals working to build cutting edge products in digital healthcare. Roche Information Solutions India evolved from Roches 2017 acquisition of Viewics, a startup with its engineering centre in Pune. To cite a similar example, AstraZenecas Global Innovation & Technology Centre (GITC) in Chennai drives the company's digital journey and technology innovation, housing over 50 per cent of its global IT staff. GITC offers services in software engineering, cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, cloud, hyper-automation, AI/ML, extended reality, and IoT. To this end, in July 2024, AstraZeneca India Private Limited (AZIPL), the GCC of AstraZeneca, announced an investment of Rs 250 crore ($30 million) to expand its GITC, which includes close to 1,300 roles focused on driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and streamlining operations across the company globally.

In July 2024, the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), the technology business incubator of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK), entered into an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim India, a leading global pharmaceutical company, to foster a partnership for fostering healthcare innovations. Boehringer Ingelheims grant supports Manastik Technologies, an SIIC-incubated startup focused on developing India's inaugural tele-neurorehabilitation app for multidisciplinary dementia care and diagnosis, focussing on the unmet need for comprehensive mental health strategies to address the growing burden of dementia and other mental health disorders in India. Using DADT (Dementia Application and Diagnosis & Tracking) technology, Manastik caters to the dementia ecosystem by providing those in need with personalised help curated by experienced doctors and neurohealthcare professionals. Boehringer has pledged a grant to Manastik to validate their app, raise awareness, and conduct dementia screening campaigns nationwide in India. Boehringer Ingelheim India has also signed an MoU with RED.Health ambulance services, the emergency care expert, to strengthen emergency pre-hospital stroke care services in India. This collaboration aims to advance emergency healthcare and support timely, life-saving medical interventions, advancing stroke care and adding value to the Stroke Care Eco-system in the country.

Bengaluru-based Ayush Hospital Soukya is set to embark on its first global expansion since its inception in 2002. Addressing the growing global demand for integrative medicine, Soukya will establish its first international unit in Portugal with an investment of Rs 220 crore. The state-of-the-art residential medical institute, expected to be operational by late 2027, will offer its unique treatment approach combining traditional, time-tested natural systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga, Naturopathy, and other complementary therapies for treating various chronic and lifestyle conditions.

Biotechnology

When we look at the biotechnology space, Merck Life Science in India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GeNext Genomics, an emerging biotech company. This collaboration creates a unique competitive edge by combining local expertise with global biomanufacturing capabilities. By partnering with Merck for their world-class expertise in biomanufacturing, Genext Genomics can now offer comprehensive solutions that support the growth of Indias biotech ecosystem. Bengaluru-based SKAN Research Trust (SKAN), promoted by Indian entrepreneur Ashok Soota, has announced a joint research project with the UK-based Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Newcastle, to study early somatic mutations in blood stem cells that researchers believe drive several cancerous and non-cancerous conditions. SKAN Research Trust, and UK-based Quadram Institute Bioscience have announced a collaborative initiative to apply the cutting-edge TraDIS-Xpress platform to study the action of traditional medical compounds on bacteria, thereby aiding in the reformulation and development of novel antibacterial regimens. TraDIS-Xpress is Quadrams proprietary genetic sequencing platform that is at the forefront of efforts to uncover new antimicrobial agents and develop better prebiotics and probiotics for health promotion.

On the other hand, in an innovative initiative aimed at propelling healthcare innovation forward, the Technology Development Board (TDB) from Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India has granted Rs 75 lakh to Peptris Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and the Foundation for Neglected Disease Research (FNDR), Bengaluru in March 2024 for a project "ANAGRANINF - Development of a Novel Class of Antibiotics Against Gram-Negative Bacterial-Infections." The project is a joint effort between Indian and Spanish companies, with ABAC Therapeutics Sl serving as the Spanish Project Lead.

Miltenyi Biotec, a global biotechnology company headquartered in Germany announced a few strategic collaboration/partnership plans aligning with the Indian industry last year. The German company partnered with the Faridabad-based Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) in July 2024. This collaboration aims to enhance research and development in cell and gene therapy, focusing on cancer and sickle cell disease. The partnership encompasses capacity building, technology transfer, training programmes, and joint research initiatives to translate scientific advancements into medical therapies. Earlier in 2024, Miltenyi Biotec also signed an MoU with BIRAC, a public sector enterprise under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This agreement is designed to facilitate the development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies and other CGT services in India.

The collaboration focuses on making advanced therapies more accessible and affordable by promoting local development and manufacturing, aligning with India's 'Made in India' initiative in the CGT sector. These strategic initiatives underscore Miltenyi Biotec's interests in advancing biomedical research and therapy in India through collaboration with local institutions and investment in state-of-the-art facilities. The company plans to catalyze the development of CAR T-cell therapies, with the prospect of implementing centralised and point-of-care CAR T-cell treatments across Indian hospitals. This initiative aligns with Miltenyi Biotec's goal to bring new therapies to patients with high unmet medical needs. These strategic initiatives underscore Miltenyi Biotec's dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration within India's life sciences sector, aiming to enhance healthcare outcomes through advanced cell and gene therapies.

In October 2024, the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) from Denmark has signed a partnership with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), under the aegis of the India AMR Innovation Hub (IAIH), to address the growing threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across the One Health spectrum. As part of this partnership, ICARS will provide funding support over the next five years, along with technical expertise and a network for implementation research in collaboration with C-CAMP, aligning with Indias National Action Plan on AMR (NAP 2.0). Additionally, ICARS and C-CAMP will work together to mobilise further funding to expand their efforts and create a wider impact. This collaboration can be deemed as a cluster-to-cluster collaboration, between the two independent research and knowledge centres.

CROs and CDMOs

Besides biotechnology, we witnessed partnerships between India and the EU in CRO and CDMO sectors during last year. Akums Group, a Delhi-based CDMO, has announced a strategic long-term agreement with a globally renowned pharmaceutical company to manufacture and supply pharmaceutical formulations in the European market. Under this collaboration, Akums Group will produce and supply multiple SKUs of oral liquid formulations, which the partner company will market across various European countries.

Veeda Lifesciences (earlier called Veeda Clinical Research), an Ahmedabad-based full-service CRO, has acquired Heads, a privately held European CRO, which specialises in conducting clinical trials in oncology. The acquisition provides Heads with a strong operational platform and an opportunity to expand its expertise and capabilities to the Indian and South-East Asian markets. India's diverse demographic profile provides a unique opportunity to conduct clinical trials, especially in therapeutic areas including oncology, diabetes, hypertension, infectious diseases, and special diseases. With this acquisition, Veedas global pharmaceutical and biotech clients can now leverage the unique and unparalleled suite of early to late-phase CRO services across Europe, the US, and Asia Pacific. Piramal Pharma Solutions, the CDMO business under Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL), with operations in North America, Europe and Asia announced the opening of an expanded ADC manufacturing facility in Scotland; The commissioning of the facility represents the culmination of a 45 million investment.

Mumbai-based Blockchain-As-A-Service company Qila.io has partnered with global clinical research centre Mascot Spincontrol to bring about transparency in clinical research through blockchain. The collaboration aims to ensure that clinical trial data is secure, transparent, and tamper-proof so that the integrity of research outcomes is maintained. Mumbai-based Mascot Spincontrol is a clinical research centre formed through a joint venture between Mascot Universal and Spincontrol France. The European Company KrKA and Laurus Labs announced a joint investment of Rs 2000 crore in Genome Valley, a high-technology business district located in Hyderabad, for the establishment of finished pharmaceutical products and biopharmaceutical manufacturing in the cluster.

Roche has partnered with Cipla to promote, market, and distribute its oncology and rheumatology/immunology drugs in India. This collaboration aims to improve access to treatments for complex diseases. In collaboration with Entero, Roche focuses on the nephrology segment, ensuring wider availability of its nephrology drugs across the Indian market.

Vaccines

The collaboration is not restricted to CRO and CDMO sectors, but externed to vaccine areas as well. France-based Valneva SE, a specialty vaccine company, and Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) announced an exclusive license agreement for Valnevas single-shot chikungunya vaccine that enables the supply of the vaccine in Asia. The companies will work urgently to bring the vaccine to the Indian market, and certain other Asian countries, subject to local regulatory approvals. Under the agreement, the companies will conduct a technology transfer of the current drug product manufacturing process.

Besides, SII is joining a growing Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) network of vaccine producers in the Global South to support more rapid, agile, and equitable responses to future public health disease outbreaks. The addition of SII to the Norway-based CEPI manufacturing network will be a significant boost to vaccine production efforts in Global South regions and will mean the world is better prepared to achieve the 100 Days Mission to develop new vaccines against known or novel infectious diseases within three months of a pandemic threat being recognised.

Indias global pharma leader Dr. Reddys Laboratories has entered into an exclusive partnership with Sanofi Healthcare India to promote and distribute their vaccine brands across private markets in India. Under the arrangement, Dr. Reddys will have exclusive rights to promote and distribute Sanofis well-established and trusted paediatric and adult vaccine brands Hexaxim, Pentaxim, Tetraxim, Menactra, FluQuadri, Adacel, and Avaxim 80U.

Academic research-driven collaborations

The collaboration and partnerships are not restricted to firms but extended to research and academic institutions as well. Horizon Europe, the European Union's flagship research and innovation program for the period 2021-2027, designed to address global challenges and enhance Europe's competitiveness, has established several partnerships with Indian academic and research institutions to promote collaboration in life sciences. Joint projects are aimed to focus on developing rapid vaccine manufacturing pipelines, addressing AMR, and enhancing preparedness for future pandemics. The primary goals of Horizon Europe in the context of EU-India collaboration in life sciences include advancing healthcare research, enhancing researcher mobility and co-funding, and promoting joint research initiatives to tackle global health challenges, including disease prevention, diagnostics, and treatment.

Facilitating the exchange of researchers and innovators between the EU and India to foster knowledge sharing and capacity building is an important factor of the Horizon Europe initiative. For example, Indian researchers are eligible for Marie Skodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) fellowships, which support mobility and training for researchers at all career stages. This facilitates Indian researchers' participation in European research projects and vice versa. Indian institutions like Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), DBT, and DST are participating in a co-funding mechanism to fund and develop joint research projects and healthcare innovation.

In August 2024, the CSIR in India and the European Union launched a co-funding initiative under the MSCA Staff Exchanges, part of the EUs Horizon Europe programme. This scheme enables CSIR institutes to engage in joint research projects with European partners, facilitating the secondment of scientific and technical staff to European research organisations for knowledge-sharing and collaborative activities. The funding, available from 2025 to 2027, aims to promote balanced researcher mobility and foster long-term collaborations between India and Europe.

Initiated and funded by the French government, the 'Franco-Indian Campus in the Field of Life Sciences for Health' project brings together over 60 French and Indian universities, research institutions, labs, hospitals, startups, and corporates to jointly develop and deliver higher education and research programmes in life sciences for health. The campus aims to become a hub for cutting-edge research, development, and innovation across the 'One Health' paradigm, addressing global health challenges through a multidisciplinary approach. The initiative saw collaborations/partnerships in the past year including several notable Indian educational research institutes like IIT-Delhi, IISER, Asoka University, VIT Vellore, JIPMER Pondicherry, CIMAP Lucknow, NCBS, and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. And, in a nutshell, these Indo-French collaborative initiatives based in the past one to two years, and continuing into the upcoming year aim to address societal needs and tackle global health challenges by advancing the training of individuals and fostering innovation -

Establish a multidisciplinary Franco-Indian virtual campus to address evolving societal needs by integrating research in fundamental biology with engineering, chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, bioinformatics, and social sciences. Tackle global health challenges, such as infectious diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancers, through complex, multidisciplinary approaches encompassing genomics, neurosciences, ecology, and social sciences. Foster innovation via the ILIADE platform, which focuses on analyzing the pharmaceutical properties of plants using advanced techniques like artificial intelligence and offers specialized academic programs in medicinal plants and AI applications for health data. Advance research and training in molecular biology and therapeutic innovation by leveraging cutting-edge tools in bioinformatics and artificial intelligence.

On similar lines, in November 2024, University College London (UCL) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, launched a new phase of their strategic partnership to expand innovative work in healthcare. The collaboration focuses on co-creating significant new research capabilities in areas such as digital health, quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and medicine. The partnership includes plans for collaborative PhDs, faculty exchanges, and research fellowships, aiming to train future physicians and advance healthcare solutions.

A partnership between the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) and Indias DBT offers Indian researchers access to EMBO funding schemes, enhancing opportunities for the Indian scientific community. EMBO and DBT are conducting a nationwide dissemination exercise to raise awareness about these schemes. The CSIR has multiple exchange agreements with DAAD, Germany, enabling annual scientist visits and fostering collaboration.

India has bilateral Science & Technology (S&T) cooperation agreements with 83 countries, actively collaborating with 44 nations, including the EU, France, Germany, and the UK. Three bi-national S&T Centers operate under intergovernmental agreements with France, Germany, and the USA. The Indo-French Centre for Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR/CEFIPRA) facilitates integrative collaborations across Indian science ministries, and the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) focuses on advanced industrial research partnerships and developing joint knowledge pools to address global challenges. India is engaging in numerous bilateral agreements to promote biomedical research, with partnerships including the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

No Turning Back

India has signed many agreements with countries of the European Union on a bilateral basis and in consortium. India has been working on a Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Norway & Liechtenstein. India- EFTA signed a TEPA in March last year. TEPA will give impetus to Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat by encouraging domestic manufacturing in the pharmaceutical sectors, among others.

Complementing the above scenario, it is worth mentioning that India's advantages, including cost-effective manufacturing, a skilled workforce, and a growing but robust research ecosystem, are making it an attractive destination for outsourcing and joint ventures. These collaborations have led to the development of innovative healthcare solutions and have expanded market access for both Indian and European firms.

The collaboration between India and Europe in the life sciences sector has emerged as a cornerstone for global healthcare innovation, offering significant advancements in therapeutics, vaccines, and biologics. Over recent years, this partnership has expanded across academic research, contract research and manufacturing, and healthcare resilience efforts, fostering mutual growth and international progress. India and Europe have established robust collaborations in the life sciences sector through academic research partnerships as well. These collaborations encompass joint research initiatives, funding schemes, and institutional partnerships aimed at advancing scientific knowledge and addressing global health challenges.

The India-Europe collaboration in life sciences has evolved into a dynamic partnership fostering innovation, investment, and shared expertise. While significant strides have been made in contract research, vaccine production, and biosimilars, there remains potential for greater collaboration in new drug discovery sciences. As European companies expand their R&D and manufacturing presence in India, the mutual focus on academic research and healthcare resilience positions this partnership as a global leader in life sciences innovation.

Shivani Thakar

shivani.thakar@biospectrumindia.com
When can India become a global gateway for the medtech industry?

January 31, 2025 | Friday | Features | By Vrushti Kothari

Over 70 per cent of innovations by Indian medical technology startups are powered by digital integration, driven by a convergence of factors accelerating the industry's growth, according to a recent report by EY. Additionally, government initiatives are playing a pivotal role in positioning India as a global medtech hub. And the growing US FDA approvals is providing the required recognition to Indian medical technologies. Would these developments eventually lead to import independence for the Indian medtech sector?

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The Indian medtech market, valued at $12 billion in 2023-24, is projected to reach $50 billion by 2030, with India's global market share set to grow from 1.65 per cent to 10-12 per cent over the next 25 years. Further, Indian medtech exports reached $3.8 billion in 2023-24, with the US as the primary market. Although India is still import dependent in the medtech sector, the growing number of startups in this space are moving the tailwinds in a global direction.

Over the past few years, medtech startups have emerged as trailblazers, using innovation to bridge gaps, solve pressing challenges, and unlocking new possibilities in healthcare. This growth is particularly crucial in India, where healthcare challenges include vast geographical disparities, increasing disease burdens, and affordability constraints.

For example, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven diagnostic solutions are helping healthcare providers detect diseases at earlier stages, while wearable devices are empowering individuals to monitor their health in real time. As a result, Indian medtech startups are actively integrating digital solutions such as AI, IoT, and cloud computing to democratise healthcare with portable devices, remote monitoring and screening tools.

Taking a few examples, BrainSight AI, a Bengaluru-based deep-tech neuroscience startup, is revolutionising the diagnosis and treatment of complex brain disorders through its technology platform, VoxelBox. Likewise, another Bengaluru-based startup 4baseCare is using advanced genomics and digital health technology to offer cutting-edge precision oncology solutions.

The developer of the countrys first indigenous surgical robotic technology, Gurugram-based startup SS Innovations, the visionary force behind Made-in-India SSI Mantra Surgical Robotic System, has recently achieved a historic feat in Indian medical science by becoming the first and only company in India to receive Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) approval for Telesurgery and Teleproctoring, signifying a monumental leap in surgical robotics.

Medprime Technologies, a Thane-based medical device company focused on developing cutting-edge healthcare solutions in diagnostics, has announced the launch of Micalys, first-of-its-kind innovative AI-integrated digital microscopy platform that is set to revolutionise digital pathology in India.

As of 2024, the number of medtech startups has surpassed 10,000, with an impressive annual growth rate of over 15-20 per cent. This expansion is a testament to the sector's ability to address critical healthcare challenges through innovative solutions, including AI, IoT, and nanotechnology integration. Government programmes such as Startup India and Make in India have been instrumental in fostering this growth, encouraging entrepreneurs to focus on affordable, high-quality medical devices, said Dr Vishal Gandhi, Chief Executive Officer, BioRx Venture Advisors.

The Health Ministry, in early November last year, announced the launch of a scheme to strengthen the medical device industry. With an outlay of Rs 500 crore, this scheme is a comprehensive one which targets critical areas of the medical device industry, covering manufacturing of key components and accessories, skill development, support for clinical studies, development of common infrastructure and industry promotion.

At present, this scheme is providing regulatory support for 6 technology-based startups funded by Pfizer INDovation Programme. These include- Aarca Research (diagnosing Peripheral Artery Disease), Babycue (POC device for childhood diarrhoea), Biolockey Healthworks (at-home test for cervical cancer), Brela Innovations (breast pads for women for early detection of breast cancer), RNT Health Insights (AI-assisted early gastric cancer detection software) and Utopic Tech (POC test for kidney health).

"The government has approved these startups for assistance under the research linked incentive scheme, and also approved their products for support for pre-clinical and clinical studies. We hope to see these innovations entering the market in the next 2-3 years", said Dr Arunish Chawla, the then Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India while announcing the assistance.

Out of these startups, Chandigarh-based startup RNT Health Insights is gaining global attention as it received second US FDA breakthrough device designation for oesophageal cancer detection tool in January this year. The startup has previously received US FDA breakthrough device designation for its early gastric cancer detection tool.

Touching global heights

Besides RNT Health Insights, there are numerous medtech startups in India that are developing technology integrated products and launching them in the global market. Mumbai-based Qure.ai is transforming radiology with AI-powered medical imaging, providing faster and more accurate diagnoses. Recently it has achieved a major milestone with the 510(k) US FDA clearance for its latest AI-powered chest CT solution  qCT LN Quant. Designed to assist radiologists and pulmonologists, this advanced solution analyses lung nodules on non-contrast chest CT scans and tracks volumetric growth for precise progression monitoring. In addition, the startup has also received breakthrough device designation from the US FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) for its AI-powered Tuberculosis (TB) solution, qSpot-TB.

Citing another example, Pune-based startup DeepTek's US FDA-approved platform, Augmento Enterprise, has been chosen as the national radiology AI platform, contributing to improved productivity and quality of care across public hospitals in Singapore.

Then there is SigTuple, a Bengaluru-based medtech startup that develops Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered digital microscopy solutions. The startups path-breaking device AI100 with Shonit (Peripheral blood smear application) has received US FDA 510(k) clearance. This is the first integrated hardware and AI medical device, and the first product in AI assisted digital microscopy from India to obtain the coveted clearance and one of the handful of companies in the world to obtain it.

While the innovation level is touching the sky for our medtech entrepreneurs, these global approvals are making it easier for the products to reach different parts of the world. Simply because developing products as per globally accepted standards ensures smooth export and helps overcome technical or qualitative differences across regions and countries.

In this context, Gaurav Agarwal, Managing Director, Innvolution Healthcare is of the opinion, Any startup with an eye on the future must have global regulatory approvals in its design phase. Today over a dozen Indian medtech companies have strong international presence. I believe in the next 20 years India will corner a large chunk of medtech exports as well. With a favourable investment, regulatory and policy environment, there is an unprecedented surge in medtech startups in the country.

Sharing her perspective, Gauri Navalkar Godse, Director and CEO- India, UE LifeSciences said, Indian medtech startups aren't waiting for global nods before making waves. They're leveraging India's unique strengths i.e. a massive, diverse population of over 1.4 billion, a burgeoning digital landscape with over 900 million internet users expected by 2025, and supportive government initiatives like Startup India and Make in India, to build innovative solutions first for the Indian market. This approach allows them to rapidly iterate, gather crucial real-world data from this vast user base, and scale quickly, all while directly addressing pressing local healthcare needs.

One of the very earlier players in the medtech startup space, UE LifeSciences received US FDA approval many years ago to launch iBreastExam - a handheld, mobile connected and completely wireless device which can detect tumour tissues as small as 3-5 mm while emitting no harmful radiation. For 2025, UE LifeSciences is poised to launch not one, but two groundbreaking solutions. In the first half of the year, the company is unveiling a novel triple cancer screening solution, offering early detection capabilities, and by year's end, the company will empower individuals with an at-home breast cancer screening solution.

Currently, Bengaluru-based startup Niramai has partnered with Goa-based company MolBio Diagnostics to accelerate the adoption of Niramai's AI-based non-invasive breast cancer screening solution in developing countries around the world.

Niramai is the first Indian company to get an US FDA clearance for a medical device used for womens health. We have also received European CE approval for our Thermalytix Solution. While it is a great learning experience to go through the very rigorous US regulatory process, we have also observed that globally approved products get easily accepted in India. This strengthens the trust factor for an Indian innovation, which can otherwise take time to establish its presence in the market, said Dr Geetha Manjunath, CEO and Founder of Niramai.

Dr Geetha further adds, As Indias healthcare ecosystem embraces digital transformation, startups are pioneering groundbreaking solutions. But there are challenges that persist for medtech startups in India, especially in terms of funding, investments and getting good collaborative opportunities with bigger medtech players.

Still a lot more to be done

Both established entities and burgeoning startups in the Indian medtech sector are introducing innovative products that cater to local demands while aligning with international advancements. Moving forward, a great strategy would be needed for the established players to collaborate with the startups for expediting the path from ideation to market introduction.

There is a need to connect hospitals, medtech companies, and startups, supporting critical stages such as multi-centric trials, regulatory compliance, securing scale-up funding, and facilitating product launches. For instance, KIIT TBI envisions establishing a Technology Development & Deployment Hub for molecular diagnostics, encompassing translational research, product development, validation, regulatory compliance, and skill development. A significant milestone is the creation of the Centre of Innovation in Molecular Diagnostics, a convergence platform for academia, startups, and industries. This centre, supported by Thermo Fisher Scientific, offers industry-aligned training to biotech scholars while driving product innovation in molecular diagnostics, said Dr Mrutyunjay Suar, Chief Executive Officer, KIIT-Technology Business Incubator (TBI).

Reflecting upon the current funding and investment opportunities in store for the medtech startups, Dr Vishal Gandhi adds, The funding landscape for medtech startups in India has transformed significantly. Between January and November 2024 alone, venture capital investments across sectors reached $16.77 billion, with medtech being a key beneficiary. This represents a 14.1 per cent increase in value and a 21.8 per cent rise in deal count compared to the same period in 2023. He also mentions that over the past five years, investments in medtech startups have surged, with significant interest in diagnostics, AI-driven healthcare solutions, and telemedicine platforms.

Another important factor that is ensuring success of many medtech innovations in India lately is the presence of cross-functional leadership teams, where one founder can focus on the science and technology, while the other can take the commercialisation aspect forward.

As the sector matures, the focus will likely expand to include more advanced technologies, global collaborations, and regulatory harmonisation to unlock its full potential. India's journey to becoming a global healthcare hub is well underway, and the medtech startup ecosystem stands at the forefront of this evolution.

Vrushti Kothari

(vrushti.kothari@mmactiv.com)
Union Budget 2025 lays emphasis on cancer care, medical education & innovation

February 01, 2025 | Saturday | News

Centre of Excellence in AI for Education, Expansion of medical education, and much more

image credit- PIB

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26 in Parliament today, 1 February 2025. Laying emphasis on improving cancer care and treatment for millions in the country, the government has decided to set up Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals in the next 3 years, with 200 centres coming up in 2025-26.

"Organisations must now implement specialised staffing models, establish robust supply chain networks for cancer medications, and create integrated patient care pathways that connect primary care with specialised oncology services for successful implementation", said Joy Chakraborty, COO, P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai.

Professor Sarang Deo, Deputy Dean, Faculty & Research and Executive Director, Max Institute of Healthcare Management, ISB said, "A bigger need is to scale up cancer screening and diagnosis, the lack of which is resulting in patients being diagnosed at late stages with poor predicted outcome."

As relief on import of Drugs/Medicines, 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines for treating cancer, rare diseases and chronic diseases have been fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD). Further, 37 medicines along with 13 new drugs and medicines under Patient Assistance Programmes have been exempted from Basic Customs Duty (BCD), if supplied free to patients.

"The establishment of 200 cancer daycare centres in district hospitals represents a proactive move towards decentralising cancer treatment, making care more accessible. These centres will not only enhance accessibility but also improve outcomes by enabling timely interventions while customs duty exemptions on cancer drugs and 36 life-saving medicines will make critical treatments more affordable", said Dr Azad Moopen, Founder & Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare.

Also, broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the Bharatnet project.

"We are especially excited to see the push for digital health infrastructure, like broadband connectivity for primary health centres under BharatNet. This will open doors for telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics, and more efficient patient careexactly the kind of innovation India needs to make quality healthcare available to all", said Ayush Jain, Founder & CEO of Mindbowser Inc.

Education & Innovation

Highlighting new initiatives in the education sector, the government has stated that 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals next year, adding upto 75000 seats in the next 5 years.

"Rs 99,858.56 crore has been allotted to Health Ministry, which is a 2% increase since the previous year and will focus on improving maternal and child healthcare under India's National Health Mission. The budget will also be used for improving healthcare infrastructure. The 2% increase is reflective of the Indian Governments rising focus on Indian health. However, it may not be sufficient to increase medical seats for 10000 students by next year or to increase cancer daycare centers in district hospitals in the next 3 years, considering there will be continued focus on maintaining existing healthcare programmes", said Vandana Iyer, Research Director, TechVision, Frost & Sullivan.

"The inclusion of 10,000 new seats in medical education this year, as well as 1.1 lakh UG and PG seats over the next ten years, is a positive step forward", said Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynaecologist, Obstetrician and IVF Expert, Nurture IVF Clinic, New Delhi.

"The governments focus on increasing PG and UG in medical colleges, will improve the patient to HCP ratio and thereby the access and quality to care. These efforts are highly appreciated and we look forward to continued collaboration with the government to enhance healthcare access for all", said Shweta Rai, Managing Director for India and Country Division Head for South Asia, Bayers Pharmaceuticals.

"Every additional seat also translates to the addition of four beds to the medical college and hospital. In five years, this initiative would add 300,000 more beds, nearly one-third of the current capacity in the public sector. The government may consider expanding existing medical colleges wherever possible to optimise expenditure", said Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Partner Strategy & Transactions, Govt Advisory Services, EY.

Sharing his concern over this development, Prof Dr Raj Nagarkar, MD & Chief of Surgical Oncology & Robotic Services, HCG Manavata Cancer Centre said, "The proposal to increase medical seats to 10,000 per year and 75,000 over five years, raises concerns. Expanding medical education must be accompanied by adequate infrastructure, trained faculty and a strong focus on maintaining the quality of education. Simply increasing numbers without addressing these factors could dilute the training and preparedness of future doctors."

Further, a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for education will be set up with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore. Additional infrastructure will be created in 5 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), started after 2014, to facilitate education for 6,500 more students.

"By fostering advanced research, AI-enabled learning tools, and industry-academia partnerships, we are equipping the next generation with the skills needed to drive transformative change. This as a pivotal moment as we close the AI talent gap, ensuring that India is not just a consumer of AI but a creator of cutting-edge solutions", pointed out Mahesh Makhija, Technology Consulting Leader, EY India.

Also, 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools in the next 5 years, to encourage innovation. The Union Finance Minister has announced to set up five National Centres of Excellence for skilling with global expertise and partnerships to equip youth with the skills required for Make for India, Make for the World manufacturing. The partnerships will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skills certification framework, and periodic reviews.

"The governments initiatives, including the establishment of five major skill development centers, would help meet the target of 300,000 healthcare workers India aims to export annually", said Pavan Choudary, Chairman, Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI).

While presenting the Budget, Nirmala Sitharaman announced to allocate Rs 20,000 crore to implement private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation.

In the next five years, under the PM Research Fellowship scheme, provision of ten thousand fellowships for technological research in IITs and IISc with enhanced financial support is also proposed in the Budget.

A National Manufacturing Mission to cover small, medium and large industries for furthering Make in India was also announced by the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26. This will provide policy support, execution roadmaps, governance and monitoring framework for central ministries and states.

"There has been an Increased Allocation for the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in this years Budget to support Biomanufacturing, Biotech research, Entrepreneurship, innovation, skill development etc. DBT is perfectly positioned to contribute to the National Manufacturing mission for the development of biobased chemicals, enzymes, climate resilient crops, clean energy and various other sectors. DBT is also energising Center-State Partnerships in the Biomanufacturing sector to elevate the Indian Bioeconomy to new heights", highlighted Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, DBT.

"Given the evolving geopolitical and geo-economic landscape and the intensifying competition for investments, it remains to be seen whether the Budget has done enough to strengthen our competitiveness, incentivise investments in high-tech sectors, and align with global best practices to position India as a preferred destination for capital and innovation", said Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon.

"In a major boost to private sector R&D, a Rs 20,000 crore has been allocated for Research Development & Innovation in the budget. Finance Minister in her budget speech of July 2024 had announced setting up Rs 1 lakh Crore R&D fund. The allocation this year will kick start the fund and will be a major boost to support R&D in private sector in deep tech and sunrise sectors. This will be a major step towards creating strategic autonomy in some key technology sectors. We are happy that DST will be the Nodal ministry driving this fund", said Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST).

"The National Manufacturing Mission is set to strengthen Indias production capabilities, while the Centres of Excellence for skilling aim to cultivate a future-ready workforce. Moreover the investments in AI-driven education have the potential to accelerate healthcare innovation", said Nikhil Chopra, CEO & Whole Time Director, JB Pharma.

"The government's commitment to advancing healthcare and building an integrated ecosystem for biotechnology is further reflected in the increased budget allocation for the Department of Biotechnology, rising from Rs 2,460.13 crore in 2024 to Rs 3,446.64 crore in 2025, an almost 40% increase. The budget also reflects a forward-looking investment strategy with 20,000 crore allocated for private-sector research, which should be strongly leveraged by the Pharma and biopharma sector to enable drug discovery and localised manufacturing", mentioned Ankush Kapoor, CEO and Founder of PharmNXT Biotech.

"We had hoped for a stronger push towards pharmaceutical R&D. Increasing allocation beyond the current 1% of GDP, raising the weighted tax deduction for R&D expenditure from 100% to 200%, and swiftly rolling out the Research Linked Incentive scheme remain critical to fostering drug innovation. We urge the government to consider these priorities to further bolster research in Indias pharma industry and healthcare ecosystem", said Saransh Chaudhary, President, Global Critical Care, Venus Remedies.

Adding on, a national framework is to be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities.

"The emphasis on fostering Global Capability Centers (GCCs) reinforces Indias role as a strategic hub for high-value innovation, R&D, and digital transformation. However, while these are positive steps, the budget leaves room for more robust healthcare reforms. Given the evolving healthcare needs of the country, greater investments and policy interventions are expected to ensure accessibility and innovation in medical technology", said Dhaval Radia, Chief Financial Officer (India), ZEISS Group.

Medical Tourism

Union Budget 2025-26 has identified tourism as a sector for employment-led growth. Nirmala Sitharaman said that medical tourism and Heal in India will be promoted in partnership with the private sector along with capacity building and easier visa norms.

"The Heal in India initiative remains at the heart of Indias ambition to become a global hub for medical tourism. By fostering public-private collaboration, this initiative aims to enhance healthcare infrastructure, streamline patient care processes, and position India as a destination for world-class medical treatments at competitive costs", said Dr Manisha Bobade, CEO, K J Somaiya Hospital & Research Centre.

"The governments focus on medical tourism and 'heal in India' initiative, with relaxed visa norms and private sector collaboration, will strengthen Indias position as a global healthcare destination. To capitalize on this, investment in infrastructure, quality care, and seamless patient experiences must be prioritized, ensuring India remains competitive in the international healthcare market", said Behram Khodaiji, CEO, Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune.

"The Union Budget 2025 aims at capturing a fair share of the international medical tourism market while addressing the challenges of healthcare delivery and medical education. Strengthenin Medical Value Travel is important with the increasing competition from countries like Turkiye, Thailand & Malaysis who all are vying to increase their share from the same pie", said Dr SC Nagendra Swamy, President , Ramaiah Memorial Hospital.

"By strengthening the Heal in India and Heal by India initiatives, the government is fostering an ecosystem where Indian healthcare can meet global demand while ensuring quality care at home. With these strategic initiatives , India is not just preparing for the healthcare challenges of today but laying the foundation for a resilient, future-ready health economy", said Sindoori Reddy, Director - Strategy, Apollo Hospitals.

"India needs to become the worlds medical tourism capital for forex inflows, increased employment opportunities, increasing local bio-medical equipment manufacturing, etc. The budget has now made the heal in India programme more friendly by making it easier for VISAs, and allocating funds from the Rs 20,000 croresof the PM Gati Shakti Project where the private sector will also be involved", said Dr Rajeev Boudhankar, Medical director, Holy Family Hospital, Bandra, Mumbai.

Industry expects more

While the Union Budget 2025  26 continues to build upon Indias growth story within the healthcare sector, there are a few areas lying untouched where the industry seeks the government's attention.

For instance, Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD), on behalf of the medical devices industry, expressed disappointment over the fact that there is no mention of any investment promotion measures for the imports dependent sector in the main speech and had hoped that there will be some measures to boost the sector in the fine print.

He said, The Industry is disappointed that expectations of the Medical Devices sector and many of which had been supported by Dept of Pharmaceutical too as an investment enabler under the National Medical Device 2023 policy finds no mention in the speech. We were hoping to see the finance minister speak about Medical Devices as make in India enabler and address the 70% import dependence due to inadequate tariff protection with duties at zero to 7.5% in most cases and an ever-rising imports bill that is expected to cross Rs 75000 crore this year."

"The budget lays a strong foundation, critical areas like GST rationalisation in healthcare require urgent attention. Increasing the tax exemption for preventive health check-ups, extending benefits to multiple family members, and integrating outpatient diagnostics into insurance packages will significantly enhance affordability and encourage proactive health management. We look forward to continued dialogue and effective implementation to build a more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready healthcare system.- Ameera Shah, Promoter and Executive Chairperson, Metropolis Healthcare.

"We feel that the government should consider making some announcements for duty exemption on sight saving equipment and specialty eye care infrastructure as it can benefit an even larger population", said Dr Aditya Kelkar, Director, NIO Super Specialty Hospital.

"While this budget is a commendable step forward, particularly in addressing the needs of cancer patients, we urge a similar focus on kidney-related diseases in future healthcare policies", said Prabhat Shrivastava- Promoter, Founder & CEO, VitusCare.

"With 1 in 9 Indians at risk of cancer and most cases detected late, the budget should have prioritised prevention and early detection. A dedicated investment in vaccinations, awareness campaigns, and advanced screening technologies is essential to reducing cancers multi-level impact on individuals, families, and the economy", said Rakesh Menon, Founder & CEO, Previu Health.

Jatin Mahajan, Secretary, Association of Diagnostics Manufacturers of India (ADMI) said, "Many aspects have not been touched on in the budget, and thus leave a lot of unfulfilled expectations such as the establishment of a separate regulatory body for medical devices distinct from pharmaceuticals. GST rates remain unchanged. We were looking forward to some aspect of rationalisation. Dedicated technology transfer grants for MedTech innovation are expected; and fast-track approval for new diagnostic technologies is the nedd of the hour."

"No mention of extending the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme to Contract Research and Manufacturing Services or simplifying regulatory processes like Advance Pricing Agreements (APA) leaves scope for further policy refinements", said Nikkhil K Masurkar, CEO, Entod Pharmaceuticals.

"In the coming years, we expect government to focus more on primary healthcare and improved diagnostics to curb the burden of rising Non Communicable Diseases", said Aditya Kandoi, CEO and Founder of Redcliffe Labs.

"While the governments efforts to expand healthcare access are commendable, we hope that future budgets will also prioritise reproductive health, ensuring that every family has the opportunity to grow and thrive", said Dr Sheetal Jindal, Senior Consultant and Medical Director; Director at Medical Genetics Programme, Jindal IVF Chandigarh.

"As we look ahead, further targeted initiatives such as the integration of mental health into primary healthcare, insurance coverage for mental health, and investments in early intervention programmes for neurodevelopmental disorders must remain priorities to truly revolutionise the mental health framework, said Tarun Gupta, Co-Founder at Lissun.
This home in Chester Heights, Pa., was the scene of the New Years Eve 2022 killing of Richard and Rita Zajko, Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Around the time a Pennsylvania couple was shot dead in their home on New Years Eve of 2022  an attack now linked to a series of killings and a fringe group in the Bay Area  a neighbors doorbell camera captured a shout.

At 11:31 p.m., investigators said, a higher-pitched voice shouted what sounded like Mom! and then exclaimed less than 30 seconds later, Oh, my God! Oh, God, God!

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Yet it was not until Jan. 2, 2023, that the victims bodies were found and the crime reported.

The recording was among the evidence cited by authorities investigating the murders of Richard and Rita Zajko to obtain a warrant to search the Vermont home of Michelle Jamie Zajko, the daughter of the couple who has been named a person of interest in the case, according to newly released court records. She had turned 30 on that New Years Eve.

The records provide the clearest picture yet of a case that detectives have linked to four other violent deaths, including the recent slaying of a Vallejo landlord and a recent Vermont shootout that left a U.S. Border Patrol agent dead.

All six deaths have ties to a group of well-educated, devoutly vegan computer scientists who several years ago splintered away from the Berkeley circles of an intellectual movement and subculture known as rationalism, which is concerned among other things with the perils of artificial intelligence.

Michelle Zajko is associated with the breakaway group, which gathered around an eccentric computer programmer, Jack Ziz LaSota, who alleged that leaders of prominent rationalist organizations in Berkeley had lost their way.

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Michelle Zajko has not been arrested or charged in the killings of her parents, but law enforcement bulletins have warned officers to consider her armed and dangerous.

She also purchased guns that police found at the scene of the Jan. 20 Vermont shootout, police said, and has been in frequent contact with an unnamed person of interest in the Jan. 17 Vallejo homicide.

Pennsylvania police found the Zajkos bodies on Jan. 2, 2023, inside their stately two-story home in Chester Heights, Pa. Officers arrived to perform a welfare check after a caller said the couple did not show up to care for Rita Zajkos mother for two days.

The caller had last seen the couple at 8 p.m. on New Years Eve, wrote Vermont State Police Sgt. David Robillard in the affidavit supporting the search warrant.

Police soon learned that on that same day, Rita Zajko texted her daughter using the encrypted app Signal. The text was about savings bonds for which it is believed the daughter was the intended recipient, Robillard wrote. Michelle Zajko did not respond.

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Investigators also discovered the Ring doorbell camera footage, captured by the neighbor across the street.

The video, starting at 11:29 p.m., showed that an unknown vehicle pulled into the Zajkos curved driveway, adjacent to the front door, and turned off its headlights. A minute later, the higher-pitched shouts could be heard from the surveillance feed, the affidavit states.

Twenty-four seconds elapsed between the person shouting, Mom! and exclaiming Oh, my God! Oh, God, God! Robillard wrote.

Michelle Jamie Zajko is a person of interest in the 2022 double slaying of her parents, Richard, 72, and Rita Zajko, 69. Law enforcement photo

After the shouts, Robillard said that movement can be seen at the front door, which appeared to open and then shut, indicating the subjects entered the house. An upstairs light inside the house turned on and, about nine minutes later, two subjects could be seen exiting the front door, he wrote. The pair entered the car and pulled out of the driveway.

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On Jan. 4, 2023, autopsies determined the mother, who was 69, had one gunshot wound to the back of her head. Her husband, 71, had a wound to his right hand and one to his right temple. A jacketed hollow point-type bullet was recovered from his skull and seized as evidence, police said.

State troopers traveled northeast the following day to interview Michelle Zajko at her home in Orleans, Vt. The daughter lived with a roommate, identified as Daniel Blank.

Michelle Zajko told the troopers she had an alibi: She had been at home with her roommate from Dec. 29, 2022, to Jan. 1, 2023. She told the troopers she had not been to Pennsylvania since the onset of COVID and had not spoken to her parents since January 2022, Robillard wrote.

She did not acknowledge receiving the Signal message about savings bonds from her mothers phone days earlier until after an investigator asked her about it, the sergeant wrote. Zajko said she owned a 2013 Subaru Outback, and she allowed Robillard to handle a gun she owned, a Smith & Wesson pistol that fired 9mm rounds.

Police would come to believe that the handgun could have been the one used in the slayings, but they did not have a warrant during that initial interview and did not seize the firearm.

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A ballistic lab analyzed the bullet extracted from the fathers head and determined Zajkos handgun was one firearm manufacturer type capable of producing the markings on the projectile, Robillard wrote.

The daughter had purchased the handgun almost 11 months before her parents deaths at a Vermont sporting goods store. She also purchased bullets from that store that were of the same manufacturer and type as that of the spent casings that were recovered next to her parents bodies.

On Jan. 12, 2023, a judge granted a search warrant for investigators to search Zajkos home in Vermont. Detectives seized three 9mm cartridges, according to the records, but could not find the gun, which would have allowed for ballistic tests to see if it was the murder weapon.

That same day, Pennsylvania state troopers armed with another search warrant went looking for the gun in a hotel near the Philadelphia airport where Zajko was staying.

Police detained Zajko, records show, then learned that Blank, her Vermont roommate, was staying at the same hotel in another room. When police searched the room, they found both Blank and LaSota.

Jack Ziz LaSota in a mug shot taken after a Sonoma County protest. LaSota has been linked to the January killings of a Vallejo landlord, a Vermont shootout that left a U.S. Border Patrol agent dead, and the 2022 slaying of a Pennsylvania couple. Sonoma County Sheriffs Office

While Blank cooperated with authorities, LaSota allegedly lay on the ground motionless. She was arrested and charged with misdemeanor counts of obstruction and disorderly conduct, but later made bail and stopped showing up to court.

Blank was reported missing to Pennsylvania state police on April 12, 2023, records show.

No arrests have been made in the Chester Heights killings.

Today, the whereabouts of Zajko, LaSota and Blank are unknown.
The ecosystem of Gujarat is ready to promote deep tech areas of biotech product development

January 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Ankit Kankar

Gujarat has more than 200 biotechnology companies and a thriving startup ecosystem that includes prominent R&D and educational institutes. Gujarat's biotech sector generates more than Rs 12000 crore revenue and serves as an established biomanufacturing hub. Playing a key role in this direction is the Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission (GSBTM) which has completed 20 years. The Government of Gujarat (GoG) had established GSBTM in April 2004 under the Department of Science and Technology to facilitate the development of the biotech sector. In conversation with BioSpectrum, Manish Gurwani, Mission Director, Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission elaborates on how GSBTMs latest biotechnology policy is transforming the sector in Gujarat.

How does the GSBTM plan to leverage infrastructure and incentives under the current policy to position the state as a globally competitive biotechnology hub?

Known for its entrepreneurship spirit, Gujarat has continued to be one of the preferred investment destinations for Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), Good Governance Index (GGI), Energy & Climate Index, Startup & LEADS ranking. The state contributes 40 per cent to Indias total cargo throughput with ~8.2 per cent in Indias GDP (as on FY2022-23 on current price). The state accounts for $12 billion (2023) with 8 per cent share of Bio-economy, way above ~4 per cent state-wise average contribution of Bio-economy, amongst top 5 states of India in terms of Bio-economy contributors. This is the result of its top-class trunk and core infrastructure coupled with a safe and sound social environment in attracting top entrepreneurs from various parts of the country and abroad.

Gujarat showed great foresight, by setting up a dedicated mission office two decades ago, the Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission (GSBTM) followed by eco-system strengthening initiatives like Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC), Gujarat Biotechnology University (GBU)  Asias first ever dedicated biotechnology university and one of the top 5 public incubators Savli Technology and Business Incubator (STBI) with dedicated biotechnology parks for greenfield and brownfield spaces. These initiatives indicate Gujarats readiness to attract top biotech players in one of the thriving biotech ecosystems. GSBTM not only operates different schemes for facilitation of biotechnology, but is also the single window clearance office for all purposes, bringing in ease of doing business.

An additional advantage to the biotechnology business in the state is the Biotechnology Policy 2022-27. The policy offers substantial incentives such as 25 per cent capital assistance with a ceiling of Rs 200 crore for mega projects, operational assistance for research initiatives, and employment generation schemes like Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Rojgar Sahay.

Could you elaborate on specific initiatives like the Gujarat Genomics Initiative or the Marine Bioresource Centre, and how they are progressing?

The Department of Science and Technology, in 2017, created GBRC by merging several initiatives including Gujarat Genomics Initiative, Marine Bioresource Centre etc. GBRC is established with a vision to undertake cutting edge translational research in the diverse areas of biotechnology including healthcare, agriculture, marine and industrial biotechnology. Today GBRC is undertaking several international, national and state funded research projects with more than Rs 100 crore outlay. The GBRC team was part of the highly competitive Global Challenge Research Fund programme of UK Research and Innovation, One Health Poultry Hub. Some of the National flagship research programmes of GBRC include, Genome India Initiative, Genomic Selection Network for Dairy Cattle and Buffalo Breeds in Gujarat, Network Programme on Antimicrobial Resistance, Superbugs and One Health etc. During COVID-19, GBRC team contributed in genome sequencing of SARS-COV-2, establishing waste water epidemiology, understanding host pathogen interaction, identifying the virus from non-human hosts resulting in efficient pandemic management in the state. Recently, the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India has sanctioned a large consortium project under Deep Ocean Mission where GBRC is in lead role, extending the works of Marine Bioresource Centre. GBRC also acts as a shared laboratory facility by extending its existing infrastructure to relevant stakeholders through an online booking system.

The Biotech Policy (2022-2027) aims to attract Rs 20,000 crore in investments and create 1.2 lakh jobs by 2027. What strategies are being implemented to meet these ambitious goals, and what progress has been made so far?

The policy is loud on the strategy, where it has spelled out the Mega Projects, Ecosystem Strengthening and Special Projects. These categories of projects would see a capital support of up to Rs 200 crore and an Operational Expenditure support of up to Rs 125 crore. The interest subsidy on Term Loan @7 per cent on borrowings up to Rs 100 crore and @3 per cent on borrowings above Rs 100 crore, is a strong contribution of the state government to get the economy rolling for the biotech space, eyeing the target investment of Rs 20,000 crore. The past edition of the policy incentives has seen approximately 16 times the investment by the private sector, on the government contribution. GSBTM having dedicated arms for facilitating entrepreneurship and HRD development coupled with handholding support for BT unit establishments showcases the great support system for incoming investments. This feat gives the state government confidence that the goals set in the new policy are attainable.

In July 2023 and December 2023, GoG has inked MoUs worth ~Rs 9000 crore with an expected employment generation of 3000, in the biotech sector. More than 20 companies have committed this investment and will be contributing to the sectors and products, most important for the state.

Employment Generation Incentive, i.e. Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Rojgar Sahay, is a new element added to this edition of the policy, which focuses on engaging local manpower, with a one time incentive of Rs 50,000 per male and Rs 60,000 per female CTC, to the companies establishing base or expanding in the state. The EPF Assistance of the policy also is providing a generous support of 100 per cent EPF support for female employees and 75 per cent EPF for male employees.

Mega projects are a highlight of the policy. Could you share insights into any ongoing or upcoming mega biotech projects in Gujarat, and their expected contribution to the state's bioeconomy?

Mega biotech projects in Gujarat are pivotal for driving the states bioeconomy. Some very thoughtful initiatives have come up in this section of applications. These involve rDNA vaccines, RNA interference vaccines, Fermentation based APIs and rDNA therapeutic enzymes. Not only the size of these operations, but, the technological leap that these projects could bring to the sector in the state, would be enormous, setting new trends in biotechnology. These projects are expected to generate significant revenue by operating in volumes, create high-value jobs, and establish Gujarat as a global biotech leader. Their multiplier effect on ancillary industries will further boost the states economic and innovation landscape.

How do you envision the biotech landscape evolving in Gujarat, particularly in emerging sectors like synthetic biology, gene therapy, and bioinformatics?

The ecosystem of Gujarat to promote these deep tech areas of biotech product development is ready. The Biotech Park in Vadodara, Savli Technology and Business Incubator and the upcoming infrastructure project to support the sector are all set to support research and developmental activities in these areas. GBRC has developed a comprehensive facility in the bioinformatics space, which serves an end-to-end solution in bioinformatics research. The centre is also the central data repository for One Health Programme and AMR Network Project of the state. The state has also expanded the super-computing abilities by installing 16 super computers in different institutes of the state. These super-computers are spread across the state and contribute to research and capacity building.

The private sector in the biotech space is investing heavily in the areas of synthetic biology and gene therapy, and have already initiated product development which is focused on customised therapeutics. As it is known that these products require a delivery partner to reach the product to the end user, the private sector is playing a pivotal role in doing the same.

The state is ready to embrace these new era technologies, and place Gujarat on the world map with its products. Gujarat is well-positioned to be at the forefront of these transformative sectors.

With the introduction of the Gujarat Biotech Start-Up Venture Fund (GBSVF), what impact do you foresee on biotech startups in Gujarat, especially in terms of funding and scaling up?

The Gujarat Biotech Start-Up Venture Fund is a game-changer for biotech startups and clearly declares the proactive risk taking appetite of the state government. Unhesitant, the state government has contributed approximately 9 per cent to the corpus of the Rs 150 crore fund. The fund is still building up, and is in its investment phase. It provides equity-based financing to early-stage startups and MSMEs, addressing critical funding gaps. By fostering innovation and reducing financial barriers, GBSVF enables startups to develop, validate, and commercialise their technologies.

The fund is supporting startups in upcoming technology areas, making the biotech ecosystem more vibrant and setting up a new league of deep tech startups in the state.

How does the state ensure alignment of its biotech initiatives with national programmes like Atal Jai Anusandhan Biotech UNaTI Mission and global trends in biotechnology innovation?

Atal Jai Anusandhan Biotech UNaTI Mission was launched in 2019, for 5 years, which was focused on delivering technologies that are important for the country, like safe child birth, affordable vaccines, nutrition for all, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Clean Energy. GSBTM with its three pillars of execution, namely, research and development supporting 100+ projects, human resource development, skilling 2000 students annually and business development, is working towards these goals. The network project on AMR is a key catalyst in surveying, identifying and providing control strategies to stop spread of AMR in the environment. The programme aims at continuous surveillance and communicating the same to relevant stakeholders, for better results.

The Biotechnology Policy has identified Biofuels as a special project, providing a special package of grants to propel the sector. The recognition of this technology as an important contributor to Clean Energy, and government initiative to encourage entrepreneurship in this area, falls in congruence with UNaTI mandate. The strength of vaccines to make a society disease free, thus reducing the economic burden of diseases in a society is well understood by the state. State grown Zydus Lifesciences was the first to launch ZyCoV-D, which was a children-safe Corona vaccine to be developed in India.

Ankit Kankar

ankit.kankar@mmactiv.com
Lack of population-specific genomic data is a significant challenge in the field of precision oncology

January 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Vrushti Kothari

Expanding its R&D capabilities to further enhance cancer detection and treatment efficacy, aligning with global efforts to revolutionise oncology care with the world observing World Cancer Day on February 4, Bengaluru-based startup 4baseCare has recently received a significant boost with Infosys investing Rs 8.3 crore to acquire a minority stake in the company. In conjunction with this, BioSpectrum took the opportunity to speak with Hitesh Goswami, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder, 4baseCare regarding their future plans and advancements in precision oncology.

With Infosys investing in 4baseCare, how do you plan to leverage this partnership to scale your operations, enhance technological capabilities, and drive growth?

At 4baseCare, we drive innovation through two core solutions: Genomics and Digital Health. Our Genomics solutions focus on leveraging advanced genomic testing to identify actionable insights for personalised cancer care, while our Digital Health solutions encompass a comprehensive ecosystem designed to support patients and clinicians alike.

This includes everything from a patient-centric app that provides guidance throughout the cancer journey, to sophisticated tools that generate insights for predictive modeling, enabling personalised treatment strategies.

Collaborating with Infosys, a global leader in IT and digital transformation, we are enhancing the digital backbone of 4baseCare. Their expertise enables us to build a data-driven decision platform and develop pioneering solutions like the Clinico-Genomic Digital Twin (CG Twin)a revolutionary model that integrates clinical and genomic data to create predictive insights for tailored cancer care. Together, we are bridging the gap between data, technology, and precision oncology to empower patients and healthcare providers with innovative, impactful solutions.

Besides this recent partnership, what were some of the other major developments at 4baseCare in 2024?

The year 2024 has been a year of tremendous growth and significant milestones. We raised $6 million in Series A funding led by Yali Capital, which enabled us to set up a genomics lab at Dubai Science Park in partnership with Innovate Life Sciences. We are also preparing to launch labs in the Philippines and Nepal.

We welcomed two industry leaders to our advisory board this year. Francis deSouza, former CEO of Illumina, and Lip-Bu Tan, Chairman of Walden International, to our advisory board. Their expertise in genomics and technology will play a critical role in our mission to make genomics accessible to all.

Looking ahead to 2025, what are your key goals and initiatives, particularly in terms of expansion, partnerships, and impact on the precision oncology sector, in India and Asia?

Collaborating with hospitals, research institutions, and pharmaceutical companies in Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Philippines remains central to our growth strategy. We aim to strengthen partnerships both in India and globally to bring advanced precision oncology solutions to patients.

In the next 1-2 years, we plan to launch educational initiatives such as workshops, webinars, and training programmes to support oncologists and clinicians in adopting genomic testing for cancer care. We also intend to expand our laboratory infrastructure, enhance bioinformatics platforms, and build a multidisciplinary team of experts in genomics, oncology, and data science. This will enable us to handle larger data and sample volumes while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and quality.

With Series A funding from Yali Capital and Infosys Innovation Fund and the guidance of our esteemed advisors, we are well-positioned to expand our reach, drive innovation, and make precision oncology accessible to more cancer patients.

Are you planning to launch new products/technologies in India or globally in 2025 or beyond? Please share details.

Cancer is not a single disease- it is a collection of many diseases, each with its own unique complexities. Understanding cancer biology requires addressing the heterogeneity that makes it so intricate and challenging to treat.

At 4baseCare, we believe that a comprehensive and holistic approach is essential to truly unravel the molecular pathways of cancer. This means going beyond traditional core biopsies (solid biopsy) to include insights from cellular evolution by profiling circulating tumor DNA -ctDNA (liquid biopsy).

This innovative approach allows us to capture the dynamic nature of cancer, identifying genomic signatures that evolve over time and enabling precision care at every stage of the disease.

We recently launched our solution SoLiQour cutting-edge liquid biopsy technology that integrates genomic insights from both tissue and circulating tumour DNA, paving the way for more informed, personalised treatment strategies. With SoLiQ, we are redefining how cancer is understood and managed, ensuring no aspect of its complexity is overlooked.

What are the current challenges facing the precision oncology market in India & neighbouring areas, and how are you addressing those?

A significant challenge is the lack of population-specific genomic data. Much of the existing research and strategies are based on Western populations, which often fail to address the unique genomic diversity of Indian patients. Precision oncology in India is progressing but still lags behind Western nations.

Cancer is fundamentally a genomic disease making it essential to understand its molecular details to improve treatments and achieve better patient outcomes. Precision oncology, which integrates genomic biomarkers into the treatment paradigm, has rapidly emerged as a cornerstone of contemporary cancer care. However, the major challenge to Precision Oncology is that it is mostly based on genomics research and data on Caucasian population which puts our and other non-caucasian populations at a disadvantage. 4baseCares vision is to bridge this data gap and push towards more evidence and data backed treatment for cancer patients.

What are your views on the growth of genomics startups in India? What does the future look like?

Precision Oncology has seen steady adoption over the last decade and it is pretty clear that it is set to become a core part of cancer care in India over the next decade. Costs will decrease and more hospitals will adopt it. This change will be primarily driven by startups.

There will be easier access to targeted therapies and immunotherapies as more pharmaceutical companies enter the Indian market with cost-effective options. And with early detection becoming more common, well be able to identify high-risk individuals before cancer develops, shifting from treatment to prevention.

Technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and big data integration will enhance genetic profiling, allowing oncologists to make faster and more precise decisions. With increased attention to clinical trials, India has the potential to emerge as a hub for precision oncology research.

Vrushti Kothari

(vrushti.kothari@mmactiv.com)
How AI Innovations at GCCs Solidifying Indias Position in Global Life Sciences Industry

January 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Dr Purav Gandhi, CEO and Founder, Healthark Insights

India's life sciences sector is undergoing a major transformation, led by the expansion of Global Capability Centres (GCCs). These centres, which serve as strategic hubs for multinational companies in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and healthcare, are strengthening India's role in the global life sciences landscape. Currently, there are over 95 life sciences GCCs in India, employing approximately 280,000 professionals. By 2030, this number is projected to reach 160 GCCs and around 420,000 employees. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are central to this transformation, driving innovation across drug discovery and clinical research. India's life sciences GCCs have evolved from operational support centres to world-class R&D engines, leveraging Indias robust talent pool, advanced technology adoption, and cost advantages. These GCCs are driving the future of AI-powered drug discovery and clinical research. Lets explore further.

The Indian government has launched several initiatives to support the expansion of GCCs in the life sciences sector. Programmes like the "Make in India" initiative encourage foreign investment in pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D. The National Health Policy aims to boost healthcare solutions, with a focus on local innovation, driving life sciences companies to establish R&D-focused GCCs.

In AI, the $1.25 billion IndiaAI Mission strengthens the countrys AI ecosystem, helping GCCs adopt AI for faster drug development and efficient clinical trials. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission connects 500 million people to digital healthcare services, enhancing Indias healthcare system. Additionally, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Biotechnology Parks provide critical infrastructure and tax incentives, facilitating the growth of life sciences GCCs aligning with Indias broader vision to lead in pharmaceutical R&D innovation.

State-Level Leadership: Karnataka and Telangana

Among Indian states, Karnataka and Telangana stand out as key locations for the development of life sciences GCCs. Both states have created strong ecosystems that attract global investment and skilled professionals, enhancing the growth of the sector.

Karnataka, particularly the city of Bengaluru, accounts for nearly 32 per cent of all life sciences GCCs in India. Karnatakas GCC Policy 2024-29 is a cornerstone of its strategy to attract and expand GCCs. The policy offers a variety of incentives and provisions like targeted financial incentives such as rent coverage, tax breaks and reimbursements. The state's vision is to double the number of GCC from 500 to 1000 by 2029. Bengaluru has become a favoured destination for companies setting up GCCs due to its vast talent pool in AI, data analytics, and bioinformatics. The state government has also established Centers of Excellence for research and development, offering crucial support for startups and larger firms alike.

Telangana, with Hyderabad as its epicentre, has made significant strides in establishing itself as a global hub for life sciences. Genome Valley, located in Hyderabad, is India's largest biotech and pharmaceutical cluster, home to over 200 companies involved in R&D. In 2024 alone, Telangana attracted more than $850 million in investment to bolster its life sciences capabilities.

A major recent development in Telangana is the creation of the Life Sciences GCC Consortium, which has been in the spotlight. This consortium brings together the Hyderabad-based life sciences GCCs. Its primary aim is to boost collaboration, share knowledge, and address challenges in drug development and digital transformation. The consortium is expected to strengthen Telanganas reputation as a leader in life sciences by facilitating partnerships between GCCs, academic institutions, and the government.

Telangana is home to leading R&D centres like Novartis Biome, Hyderabad's first innovation hub, which focuses on integrating AI into pharmaceutical research. It collaborates with startups, researchers, and academic institutions to drive advancements in drug discovery and clinical trials. Similarly, Bristol Myers Squibb has invested $100 million to establish a GCC in Hyderabad, employing 1,500 professionals and utilising AI to accelerate drug discovery.

Driving AI Adoption

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a vital role in streamlining operations in life sciences GCCs, particularly in drug discovery, clinical trials, and supply chain management. With the average cost of bringing a new drug to market exceeding $2 billion and development timelines stretching to 10-12 years, AI is addressing these challenges by reducing costs and accelerating the process. AI-driven solutions can cut drug development costs by up to 70 per cent and shorten timelines by 40 per cent, making it indispensable for the future of pharmaceutical research.

For instance, AI has made a significant impact on protein modelling, where tools like AlphaFold can model proteins in hours instead of months. This allows companies like GSK and Sanofi to speed up R&D by 30-40 per cent, enabling faster identification of drug targets. Indian GCCs are increasingly adopting these AI technologies to improve early-stage drug discovery and contribute to global pharma innovation.

In the realm of clinical trials, AI-powered platforms optimise trial protocols, improve patient recruitment, and predict trial outcomes with greater accuracy. Pfizer, for example, has used AI to streamline clinical trial design, reducing costs and improving timelines. Indian GCCs play a critical role in these efforts, using AI-driven platforms to manage clinical trials more efficiently.

AI is also helping GCCs with regulatory compliance, where automation has reduced the time required for submissions by 30 per cent while increasing accuracy. Indian GCCs have implemented AI tools that make the regulatory process faster and more reliable, keeping up with global standards.

Implementing AI at scale requires overcoming challenges like data fragmentation and aligning strategies with parent organisations. GCCs are excelling by overcoming data fragmentation through structured management frameworks, leveraging Indias AI expertise, and aligning with global compliance standards. By utilising effective data aggregation, cleansing, and integration methods, these centres enable seamless AI deployment and innovation.

Future Prospects and AI Integration

The future of life sciences GCCs in India looks promising, particularly with the growing integration of AI technologies. At its peak, AI is expected to save the global pharmaceutical industry around $26 billion annually, revolutionising how drugs are developed, trials are conducted, and patient care is managed. As more pharmaceutical companies recognise Indias strengths, the number of GCCs is expected to increase, with these centres becoming key players in advancing AI-driven healthcare innovation.

Indias deep talent pool, including 3.3 million software engineers and 446,000 AI/ML specialists, is a major asset that positions the country as a leader in AI-driven life sciences R&D. With scalable infrastructure, lower operating costs, and strong government backing through programmes like the IndiaAI Mission, India is poised to continue its rise as a global hub for life sciences.

As regulatory frameworks evolve to support AI technologies, Indias position in the global life sciences industry is expected to strengthen further. Collaboration between government initiatives and private sector innovation will be crucial to maintaining this momentum. Life sciences GCCs will continue to lead in addressing global healthcare challenges, using AI to deliver faster, more effective solutions.

Dr Purav Gandhi, CEO and Founder, Healthark Insights
A lion at Kerouac Alley at Grant Avenue in San Francisco for the Chinese New Year celebration. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle Taiwan flags are seen at Waverly Place in San Franciscos Chinatown. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle Vesuvio Cafe at Kerouac Alley in San Francisco. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle

The January spell of weeks when winter felt like summer is over. Rain is in the air and the skies have turned gray. Gray news all around San Francisco, too: The California Historical Society is history, dissolved after 154 years. Books, Inc., the oldest bookseller in the West, is in financial trouble. Empty stores. You know the story.

The western new year  2025  has been a bust so far. Maybe its time to think of a newer new year. So I took a trip to Chinatown to see whats new. And to North Beach to see whats old. A good way to start the Lunar New Year. This is the year of the serpent, by tradition a time of wisdom and adaptability. We could use both.

The beginning of the trip was unpromising, up Kearny from Market, up Sutter Street, right on Stockton Street past blocks of For Lease signs, then through the noisy Stockton Tunnel.

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Stockton Street was a bit quiet for a holiday period, but it turned out I had missed the new year rush. So I headed down the side streets into the Chinatown alleys  Ross Alley and Waverly Place  decorated with lanterns and flags, the pavement thick with bits of red paper from firecracker new year celebrations.

Firecrackers go off on Grant Avenue in San Francisco to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle

The Chinatown alleys, usually packed with life and locked doorways, always seem mysterious to western eyes. At this time of the year they also seem to have a new-year vitality as if this old part of the city was starting again.

There was a big celebration on the first day of the new year at Portsmouth Square, with Daniel Lurie, the citys new mayor, on hand.

I went to a smaller event at the northerly part of Grant Avenue, where Chinatown runs into North Beach.

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There were a couple of hundred people here, jammed together on Grant, listening to speeches in English and Cantonese. The sound system was not up to the job but the message was clear: good wishes for a happy and prosperous new year. Tell your friends to come by. We could use the business.

The speeches ended in the roar of a thousand firecrackers and enough white smoke to deter whatever evil spirits might be around.

A street band performs on Grant Avenue at Columbus Avenue, where Chinatown meets the North Beach in San Francisco. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle

There were two Chinese lions dancing and a third lion standing by at the entrance to Kerouac Alley. The street is only 60 feet long  one end in Chinatown, the other in Italian-flavored North Beach, two worlds of San Francisco.

At the front side we faced the western world, at the back we faced the eastern world, Lawrence Ferlinghetti said of the City Lights bookstore at the North Beach end of the alley.

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Just beyond is a three-way intersection where Grant, Columbus Avenue and Broadway all run together.

On the North Beach side a dozen Chinese street musicians were playing, the eastern music drifting over the sounds of the city: traffic, buses, sirens. Just opposite was a neon sign celebrating the raucous days when this corner was ground zero for topless dancing.

It was a new year in Chinatown, but an older time was still the order of the day in North Beach and the two worlds are close together so I headed up a block or two to Green Street for a winters day drink at Gino and Carlo and lunch at Sotto Mare, in the heart of North Beach.

Sotto Mare means under the sea in Italian and I enjoy the sand dabs there. They are small fish with both eyes on the left side of their heads, a San Francisco kind of fish.

Lanterns adorn Ross Alley in Chinatown, San Francisco. Carl Nolte/The Chronicle

I like to sit at the counter and watch the cooks at work, dicing and slicing, big flames coming up from the gas stoves. The orders are written on paper and come to the cooks zipping on a long wire. Very low tech, very old San Francisco.

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I had a glass of wine while waiting for lunch and got to thinking: Change is in the air for the new year. A band of rain, even a storm, is in the forecast. And after that, in the second week of February, all the street trees will start to bloom.
Patsy Palmer has paid tribute to EastEnders co-star Natalie Cassidy after the actress announced she would be leaving the BBC soap after more than 30 years.

Palmer, 52, who plays Bianca Jackson, the on-screen half-sister of Cassidys character Sonia Fowler, said she was proud of the actresss work, business ventures and family.

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Cassidy, 41, said she was extremely sad but very excited when she announced her departure last week.

In an Instagram post, Palmer said of her co-star: I have seen her grow into the most fantastic woman over the years, and so, so brilliantly funny, and now shes making sure I am safe and comfy when I am here, so far away from my family in LA.

She often gives me a lift nowadays from work to stay with her, making me dinner, or to the hotel, and I am truly grateful to call her my sister on-screen and off-screen.

In the post, she spoke about their shared beginnings at the Anna Scher Theatre School in London, describing Cassidy in her youth as an old head in the cutest shoulders.

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Palmer said she was her biggest protector when Cassidy was young, recounting how they would travel together in their early days on EastEnders, where they would sing and laugh and learn lines.

She added: I was determined to make Natalie know that she could do it and she has again and again.

Patsy Palmer with Natalie Cassidy and Tracy Shaw in 2001. Photo: PA.

Cassidy replied to the post, saying: Thank you so much @patsypalmerofficial this is just beautiful. I love you.

Palmer added: I love you beautiful.

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Cassidys character is pregnant with Reiss Colwells (Jonny Freeman) baby in the series, unaware that he killed his ex-wife Debbie (Jenny Meier), a crime for which Sonia was charged before a video emerged of Bianca confessing to the crime.

Sonia, known for her poor trumpet playing as a child, had key storylines including being bullied after falling in with the wrong crowd at school, and her teenage pregnancy with Martin Fowler, who she went on to marry.

Cassidy made her first appearance in the soap in December 1993. She left in 2007 before coming back to Walford between 2010 and 2011, with another return in 2014.
Hamas has released three hostages in the southern Gaza Strip as part of its ceasefire deal with Israel.

Militants handed Yarden Bibas and French-Israeli Ofer Kalderon to Red Cross officials in the southern city of Khan Younis, while American-Israeli hostage Keith Siegel, looking pale and thin, was released to the Red Cross later on Saturday morning in Gaza City to the north.

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In exchange, Israel has begun releasing a group of Palestinian prisoners.

A bus departed from Ofer Military Prison with some 32 prisoners for the West Bank. About 150 other prisoners are either being sent to Gaza or deported.

According to Palestinian authorities, a total of 183 Palestinian prisoners are to be released, including dozens serving lengthy sentences or life sentences, and 111 people from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7 2023 and held without trial.



Keith Siegel was handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza City (AP)

All three of the Israeli hostages were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war on October 7 2023.

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Israel confirmed that all three men had crossed the border and would head to hospital from an initial reception point at a military base.

Both events were quick and orderly, in contrast to chaotic scenes that had unfolded during an earlier hostage release on Thursday, when armed militants appeared to struggle to hold back a crowd mobbing the hostages.

The family of Mr Bibas said there are no words to describe the relief of holding Yarden in our hands, embracing him, and hearing his voice, after his release from captivity.





Mr Bibas, 35, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 2023. His wife, Shiri, and their two young boys, Ariel and Kfir, were also taken that day and are still captive in Gaza. It is unknown if they are still alive.

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Yarden has returned home, but the home remains incomplete, the family wrote.

Yarden is a father who left his safe room to protect his family, bravely survived captivity, and returned to an unbearable reality.

The family said it continues with hope and made a plea to the public to keep pressing for the release of all remaining hostages.



Palestinian prisoners were released from an Israeli prison in exchange (AP)

In both of Saturdays releases, masked and armed militants stood in lines as the hostages walked onto a stage and waved before being led off and handed over to the Red Cross.

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In Tel Avivs Hostages Square, thousands of people gathered to watch the releases being transmitted live on a large screen, waving signs and cheering.

The truce, which began on January 19, is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and the Hamas militant group.



The three men have now crossed the border back to Israel (AP)

The fragile deal has held for nearly two weeks, halting the fighting and allowing for increased aid to flow into the tiny coastal territory.

A total of 33 Israeli hostages are expected to be freed in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners during the truces initial six weeks.

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Israeli Yarden Bibas, 34, has been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since October 7 2023 (AP)

Israel says it has received information from Hamas that eight of those hostages were either killed in Hamas initial attack or have died in captivity.

French President Emmanuel Macron has hailed the release of French-Israeli citizen Mr Kalderon, while noting that another French citizen remains a hostage.



Ofer Kalderon landed at Sheba medical Centre in Ramat Gan (AP)

Ofer Kalderon is free! We share the immense relief and joy of his family after 483 days of unimaginable hell, Mr Macron posted on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and his family. France is doing everything in its power to secure his immediate release.

Also on Saturday, wounded Palestinians are expected to be allowed to leave Gaza for Egypt through the Rafah crossing.





Ofer Kalderon est libre ! Nous partageons le soulagement et la joie immenses de ses proches apres 483 jours dun enfer inimaginable.



Nous pensons a Ohad Yahalomi, toujours aux mains du Hamas, et a sa famille. La France met tout en uvre pour parvenir a sa liberation sans delai.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 1, 2025

It had been the only exit point for Palestinians during the war before Israel closed it in May. A European Union civilian mission was deployed on Friday to prepare for the reopening of the crossing.

The reopening would mark another key step in the first phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza and an increase in humanitarian aid to the devastated territory.

The Health Ministry said 50 sick and wounded children are scheduled to be evacuated through the Rafah crossing along with 61 companions.



Friends of Ofer Kalderon celebrated his release (AP)

Mr Siegel, 65, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, along with his wife, Aviva Siegel. She was released during the 2023 ceasefire and has waged a high-profile campaign to free Keith and other hostages.

Mr Siegel had an emotional reunion with his family members following his release.

In footage released by Israels government press office, Mr Siegels daughters greeted him at hospital, where doctors are monitoring his condition, with a song and hugged him tightly. He told them they were champions.

The White House issued a statement saying: Today, Americans celebrate the return of American-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel and two Israelis who were held captive by Hamas terrorists since October 7 2023. President Trump and his administration have worked diligently to secure their release and are committed to freeing all remaining hostages.

Meanwhile, the release of Mr Bibas has brought renewed attention to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and their two young sons.

A video of their abduction by armed men showed Shiri swaddling in a blanket her two red-headed boys  Ariel, four, and Kfir, just nine months old at the time.



The Palestinians were released under the terms of the ceasefire agreement (AP)

Kfir was the youngest of about 250 people taken captive on October 7, and his plight quickly came to represent the helplessness and anger the hostage-taking stirred in Israel, where the Bibas family has become a household name.

Hamas has said Shiri and her sons were killed in an Israeli air strike. Israel has not confirmed that, but a military spokesman recently acknowledged serious concern about their fates.

Like Mr Bibas, Mr Kalderon was also captured from Kibbutz Nir Oz.

In Kfar Saba, north of Tel Aviv, 54-year-old Mr Kalderons family hugged and cheered as they saw the images of him climbing onto the stage in Khan Younis and being transferred to the Red Cross.



Mr Bibas was handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis (AP)

Ofer Kalderons two children, Erez and Sahar, were abducted alongside him and released during a ceasefire in November 2023. Family members said they were not able to recover from their ordeal until their father returned.

We are sorry it took so long, Ofer, said Eyal Kalderon. We will soon be a whole family again. We hope other families will soon feel like this, until the last family.

The dozens of Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel on Saturday include people serving lengthy and life sentences.



The ceasefire is holding after two weeks (AP)

More than 100 hostages were released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023. About 80 more hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third of them believed dead. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the 33 to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire are dead.

Israel and Hamas are set next week to begin negotiating a second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the release of the remaining hostages and extending the truce indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the latest ceasefire. A key far-right partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition is calling for the war to resume after the ceasefires first phase.

Hamas says it will not release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu will fly to Washington on Sunday for a visit in which he will meet Donald Trump, his office said on Saturday.

Mr Trump invited Mr Netanyahu to the White House last week, making the Israeli leader the first foreign head of state to meet him in his second term.

Mr Netanyahus visit comes as the US is putting pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue a ceasefire that has paused a devastating 15-month war in Gaza. Talks about the ceasefires more difficult second phase, which aims to end the war, begin on Monday.

The Washington meeting is 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, and to defend Israels conduct of the war.

Mr Netanyahus office said he spoke on Saturday evening to Mr Trumps special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. They agreed that negotiations on the Gaza ceasefires second phase will begin at their meeting Monday in Washington.

He and Mr Witkoff will discuss Israels positions and Mr Witkoff later in the week will speak to the other mediators, Qatar and Egypt.

Later on Saturday Mr Netanyahu named a new military chief of staff to take up the role once the current head general resigns in March.

Mr Netanyahus office said Major General Eyal Zamir would replace Lt Gen Herzi Halevi. Lt Gen Halevi said last month he was resigning over Hamass 2023 attack, the worst security disaster in Israels history.

Following Mr Netanyahus announcement, Lt Gen Halevi released a statement congratulating Gen Zamir, the director general of Israels defence ministry, and pledging a smooth transition of command.
A delegation of senior Thai officials including the foreign minister and army chief of staff on Saturday visited the five Thai nationals who were released from Hamas captivity earlier this week.

Surasak Rumnao, 32, Watchara Sriaoun, 33, Sathian Suwannakham, 35, Pongsak Thaenna, 36, and Bannawat Saethao, 27, were released on Thursday, along with three Israeli hostages, as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

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During the visit, the five men also spoke by video conference to Thailands Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said in a post on X after visiting the Shamir Medical Centre in central Israel, where the Thais were recovering, that Thai and Israeli officials were co-ordinating their return home soon.

The head of the hospital, Dr Osnat Levzion-Korach, said that all five men were in stable, good condition and were beginning to open up and talk.
The Trump administration has fired a group of prosecutors involved in criminal cases relating to the January 6 2021 storming of the US Capitol building in Washington.

They have also demanded the names of FBI agents involved in those same probes so they can possibly be ousted.

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Acting deputy attorney general Emil Bove ordered the firings of the January 6 prosecutors, days after President Donald Trumps sweeping clemency action benefiting the more than 1,500 people charged in the US Capitol attack, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press.

According to a person familiar with the matter, about two dozen employees at the US attorneys office in Washington were fired. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel matters.





A separate memo by Mr Bove identified more than a half-dozen FBI senior executives who were ordered to resign or be fired by Monday and also asked for the names and records related to all agents who worked on investigations into the US Capitol riot  a list the bureaus acting director said could number in the thousands.

Mr Bove, who defended Mr Trump in his criminal cases before joining the administration, said Justice Department officials would then carry out a review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.

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As weve said since the moment we agreed to take on these roles, we are going to follow the law, follow FBI policy, and do whats in the best interest of the workforce and the American people  always, acting FBI director Brian Driscoll wrote in a letter to the workforce.

The prosecutors who were fired in the Washington DC US attorneys office had been hired for temporary assignments to support the January 6 cases but were moved into permanent roles after Mr Trumps presidential win in November, according to the memo obtained by the AP.

Mr Bove, the acting deputy attorney general, said he would not tolerate subversive personnel actions by the previous administration.

Any mass firings at the FBI would be a major blow to the historic independence from the White House of the nations premier federal law enforcement agency and would reflect Mr Trumps persistent resolve to bend the law enforcement and intelligence community to his will.

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It would be part of a startling pattern of retribution waged on federal government employees, following the forced removal of a group of senior FBI executives earlier this week as well as a mass firing by the Justice Department of prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smiths team who investigated Mr Trump.

The FBI Agents Association said any mass firings would be outrageous actions by acting officials are fundamentally at odds with the law enforcement objectives outlined by President Trump and his support for FBI Agents.

Dismissing potentially hundreds of Agents would severely weaken the Bureaus ability to protect the country from national security and criminal threats and will ultimately risk setting up the Bureau and its new leadership for failure, the association said in a statement.



Kash Patel, President Donald Trumps choice to be director of the FBI, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing (Ben Curtis/AP)

It was not immediately clear what recourse any fired agent might take, but the bureau has a well-defined process for terminations and any abrupt action that bypasses the protocol could presumably open the door to a legal challenge.

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When pressed during his confirmation hearing on Thursday, Mr Trumps pick for FBI director Kash Patel said he was not aware of any plans to terminate or otherwise punish FBI employees who were involved in the Trump investigations. Mr Patel said if he was confirmed he would follow the FBIs internal review processes for taking action against employees.

Before he was nominated for the directors position, Mr Patel had remarked on at least one podcast appearance about the existence of what he called anti-Trump conspirators in the government and news media.

Mr Trump has for years expressed fury at the FBI and Justice Department over investigations that shadowed his presidency, including an inquiry into ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign, and continued over the last four years. He fired one FBI director, James Comey, amid the Russia investigation and then replaced his second, Christopher Wray, just weeks after winning the election this past November.

Asked at the White House on Friday if he had anything to do with the scrutiny of the agents, he said: No, but we have some very bad people over there. It was weaponised at a level that nobodys never seen before. They came after a lot of people  like me  but they came after a lot of people.

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If they fired some people over there, thats a good thing, because they were very bad.

The FBI and Mr Smiths team investigated Mr Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both of those cases resulted in indictments that were withdrawn after Mr Trumps November presidential win because of long-standing Justice Department policy prohibiting the federal prosecution of a sitting president.

The Justice Department also charged more than 1,500 Trump supporters in connection with the Capitol riot, although on his first day in office the president granted clemency to all of them  including the ones convicted of violent crimes  through pardons, sentence commutations and dismissals of indictments.

Spokespeople for the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment.
US President Donald Trump said his administration has already had very serious discussions with Russia about its war in Ukraine and that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin could soon take significant action towards ending the grinding conflict.

We will be speaking, and I think will perhaps do something thatll be significant, Mr Trump said in an exchange with reporters in the Oval Office.

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We want to end that war. That war would have not started if I was president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Mikhail Tereshchenko, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Mr Trump did not say who from his administration has been in contact with the Russians but insisted the two sides were already talking.

Asked if he has already spoken directly with Mr Putin, Mr Trump was coy, saying: I dont want to say that.

Mr Trump has said repeatedly he would not have allowed the conflict to start if he had been in office, even though he was president as fighting grew in eastern Ukraine between Kyivs forces and separatists backed by Moscow, ahead of Mr Putin sending in tens of thousands of troops in 2022.

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Mr Trump since returning to office has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he should have made a deal with Mr Putin to avoid the conflict.

In a recent interview with Russian state television, Mr Putin praised Mr Trump as a clever and pragmatic man who is focused on US interests.

We always had a business-like, pragmatic but also trusting relationship with the current US president, Mr Putin said.

I couldnt disagree with him that if he had been president, if they hadnt stolen victory from him in 2020, the crisis that emerged in Ukraine in 2022 could have been avoided.

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Mr Trump in his 2024 campaign vowed to bring a quick end to the war, and repeatedly criticised President Joe Bidens administration for spending billions in US taxpayer money on military and economic aide for Kyiv to help it fight back against Russia.

Mr Trumps relationship with Mr Putin has been scrutinised since his 2016 campaign for president, when he called on Russia to find and make public missing emails deleted by Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

Mr Trump publicly sided with Mr Putin over US intelligence officials on whether Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to help him, and Mr Trump has praised the Russian leader and even called him pretty smart for invading Ukraine.
The US military has conducted co-ordinated airstrikes against so-called Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trumps second term.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Saturday that the strikes by US Africa Command were directed by Mr Trump and co-ordinated with Somalias government.

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An initial assessment by the Pentagon indicated that multiple operatives were killed. The Pentagon said is assesses that no civilians were harmed in the strikes.





Mr Trump, in a post on social media, said a senior IS planner and recruits were targeted in the operation.

The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians. Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldnt act quickly enough to get the job done. I did! Trump said.

The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!

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Mr Trump did not identify the IS planner or say whether that person was killed in the strike. White House officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The office of Somalias president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, said the operation reinforces the strong security partnership between the two countries in combatting extremist threats.

In a post on X, it said Somalia remains resolute in working with its allies to eliminate international terrorism and ensure regional stability.

US military officials have warned that IS cells have received increasing direction from the groups leadership that relocated to northern Somalia.

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That has included how to kidnap Westerners for ransom, how to learn better military tactics, how to hide from drones and how to build their own small quadcopters.



US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth (Alex Brandon/AP)

A US military airstrike in Somalia last May targeted IS militants and killed three, according to US Africa Command.

The IS affiliate in Somalia emerged in 2015 as a breakaway faction from al-Shabab, al Qaidas East African link, and is most active in Puntland, particularly in the Galgala Mountains, where it has established hideouts and training camps and is led by Abdulkadir Mumin.

While its influence is relatively limited compared with Al-Shabaab, IS in Somalia has been involved in attacks in southern and central Somalia.

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The group funds its activities through extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxation, particularly in some coastal areas where it has attempted to control local businesses.

Despite facing counterterrorism pressure from Somali security forces, US airstrikes and al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to operate in remote and urban areas, seeking to expand its influence through recruitment and propaganda.

The number of IS militants in the country is estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntlands Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.

The Pentagons counterterrorism strategy in Africa has been strained as two key partners, Chad and Niger, ousted US forces last year and took over key bases that the US military had used to train and conduct missions against terrorist groups across the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert.

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Saturdays operation followed military airstrikes on January 30 in northwest Syria, killing a senior operative in Hurras al-Din, an al Qaeda affiliate, US Central Command said.
Pittsburg police found a 31-year-old man in a vehicle with a gunshot wound at the intersection of Century and North Park boulevards on Wednesday. Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

An Antioch man died after a shooting in Pittsburg Wednesday night, police said.

Just after 9 p.m., Pittsburg police responded to the intersection of Century and North Park boulevards after a citizen told fire personnel a shooting had happened nearby, officials from the Pittsburg Police Department said. At the scene, police found a 31-year-old man in a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound.

The man was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said. His identity was being withheld pending notification of his next of kin.

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Six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela were freed by the government of President Nicolas Maduro after he met with a Trump administration official on Friday.

US President Donald Trump and his envoy for special missions Richard Grenell announced the release of the six men on social media.

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Mr Grenells visit came as a shock to many Venezuelans who hoped Mr Trump would continue the maximum pressure campaign he pursued against Mr Maduro during his first term.

According to the White House, the trip was focused on Mr Trumps efforts to deport Venezuelans back to their home country, which does not accept them, and on the release of the detained Americans.

We are wheels up and headed home with these 6 American citizens, Mr Grenell posted on X along with a photo showing him and the men aboard an aircraft. They just spoke to @realDonaldTrump and they couldnt stop thanking him.

The meeting in Venezuelas capital took place less than a month after Mr Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term despite credible evidence that he lost last years election.

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The US government, along with several other Western nations, does not recognise Maduros claim to victory and instead points to tally sheets collected by the opposition coalition showing that its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won by a more than a two-to-one margin.

Venezuelan state television aired footage of Mr Grenell and Mr Maduro speaking in the Miraflores Palace and said the meeting had been requested by the US government.

Signing an executive order in the Oval Office on Friday, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Grenell being filmed meeting with Mr Maduro gave legitimacy to a government that the White House does not officially recognise.

No. We want to do something with Venezuela. Ive been a very big opponent of Venezuela and Maduro, Mr Trump responded. Theyve treated us not so good, but theyve treated, more importantly, the Venezuelan people, very badly.

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Mr Maduro, appearing on state television after Mr Grenell had left Venezuela, said the visit yielded initial agreements but did not provide any details.



This photo released by Venezuelas presidential press office shows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, centre, with Richard Grenell, President Donald Trumps special envoy, left, at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas (Venezuelas presidential press office/AP)

I have seen three US presidents pass before me, he said. This is the fourth term, and our message has been one: We want to build relationships of respect for Venezuelas sovereignty, for Venezuelas democratic life, for international law and for our Latin American region.

Some Republicans criticised the visit.

This is terrible timing, said Elliott Abrams, who served as special envoy to Venezuela and Iran during the first Trump administration. A meeting with Maduro will be used by him to legitimise his rule and show that the Americans recognize him as president.

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If the purpose is to deliver a tough message about migration issues, the president couldve done that himself. There was no need to send someone to Caracas.

The dispute over the election results sparked nationwide protests. More than 2,200 people were arrested during and after the demonstrations.

Among those detained are as many as 10 Americans who the government has linked to alleged plots to destabilize the country. Neither the White House nor Mr Maduros government immediately released the names of the six who were freed Friday.

A nonprofit group that had advocated for the release of a detainee said David Estrella, a 62-year-old who was last heard from in September, was among those on their way back to the US. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello had accused Mr Estrella of being part of an alleged plot to assassinate Maduro.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Friday that Mr Trump had instructed Mr Grenell to identify a place and ensure that repatriation flights carrying Venezuelans, including members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organisation, land in Venezuela. She said the president ordered Mr Grenell to ensure that all US detainees in Venezuela are returned home.
Box Hill became the centre of Australias political universe on Saturday, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton converged on Lunar New Year celebrations in Melbournes east.

The pairs visit to the suburb for the festivities came after diversity became a major talking point on Friday when Dutton announced that cultural diversity staffers would be in the firing line of a Coalition government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was flanked by dancing lions and a nipping snake as he joined the Lunar New Year festival and parade in Box Hill. Credit: Justin McManus

Box Hill is in the seat of Menzies, where Chinese Australians represent a significant proportion of voters.

On Saturday, Albanese and Dutton shook hands before the Lunar New Year parade, with the prime minister ribbing that Dutton needed a hat, mate to protect him from the intense Melbourne sun.
Elena Kadvany has been a reporter on the Chronicles Food & Wine team since 2021. She covers the ins and outs of the Bay Area food industry, from breaking news about the latest restaurant openings to investigative stories into wage theft and workers rights. In 2024, her food writing portfolio won second place in the Society for Features Journalism Excellence-in-Features awards. Previously, she covered restaurants and education for the Palo Alto Weekly; her work has also been published in Bon Appetit and the Guardian, and her reporting has been recognized by the California News Publishers Association.

She can be reached at Elena.Kadvany@sfchronicle.com.
Visitors reach to touch a passing dancing lion for good luck during a parade along Grant Avenue on the first day of the Lunar New Year celebration in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco on Wednesday. Banquets, which had been quiet for several seasons, have returned in force this year, neighborhood advocates say. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle A 100-foot long firecracker is ignited during a Lunar New Year celebration in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco. The neighborhood has been busy, local proprietors say, in a hopeful sign for business. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle Attendees rush to receive red envelopes during a Lunar New Year celebration in San Franciscos Chinatown. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Leon Zhou, co-owner of dim sum restaurant Lai Hong Lounge, was delighted to see the streets and restaurants of San Franciscos Chinatown packed on Wednesday, when Lunar New Year festivities began. Inside his familys restaurant and banquet hall, large circular tables were filled with customers sipping soups and eating rice noodle rolls.

The amount of people out was insane, he said.

After several fallow years following the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhou and others in the nations oldest Chinatown hope that both 2025 and the Year of the Snake are a time of resurgence.

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Banquets, they say, are back.

Feasts at banquet halls for major events like Lunar New Year have historically held a unifying role in the neighborhood, bringing together residents and numerous civic associations and family organizations. Revelers eat through a procession of dishes  soups, rice, noodles, barbecued meats and fresh seafood  meant to invite good fortune for the year.

It can be like going to church, said Ding Lee, a former president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association.

But the banquet landscape has radically changed.

Customers dine at the Imperial Palace in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco on Wednesday. While all but one of the areas large banquet halls has closed in recent years, smaller banquet hall spaces have been busy after several quiet seasons. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

All but one of the neighborhoods five major banquet halls  spaces with seating for as many as 1,000 diners  has closed. The Empress of China is now the upscale restaurant Empress by Boon; the Four Seas is now home to Michelin-starred Mister Jius; Gold Mountain is now the restaurant and marketplace China Live; and New Asia has operated as a grocery store since the pandemic, though an affordable housing development plan calls to resurrect it.

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Now, only Far East Cafe, which was in danger of closing just a few years ago, remains. Today, in part due to diminished competition, the 680-seat venue appears to be thriving: San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie notably celebrated his inauguration with a major banquet at Far East Cafe in January. Neighborhood advocates say its booked solid. A representative for Far East Cafe could not be reached.

The overflowing demand has benefits for other, smaller banquet halls, like Lai Hong Lounge and Imperial Palace, as well as neighborhood restaurants with larger seating capacity. At the restaurant 606, which a second-generation team took over from the New Sun Hong Kong restaurant in February 2024, inquiries about the restaurants private banquet space are more frequent. Our customers want to come in and connect again, said owner Eugene Lau.

Other large-scale restaurants on the Peninsula and in the East Bay have also filled the void left by Chinatowns banquet halls of yesteryear. But operators like Lau and Zhou, of Lai Hong Lounge, welcome the opportunity to host smaller festivities at their respective restaurants so neighbors can stay local. People in Chinatown have lost a lot of places where they can really express their culture, Zhou said.

Far East Cafe, the last of the large banquet halls still operating in San Franciscos Chinatown, has already been busy this year. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

Higher demand for banquets and restaurant service has a direct impact on the neighborhood. Its its own little ecosystem, said Rosa Chen of the Chinatown Community Development Center. Chinatowns grocery stores generally see half of their revenue from restaurants, for instance, and banquets often feature decorative items such as flowers, printed menus and performers from the neighborhood as well.

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This impact, however, is hard to measure, said Malcolm Yeung of the Chinatown Community Development Center. Thats due in part to the prevalence of cash in immigrant communities, making sales tax data less useful.

However, the typical banquet season remains big. Pre-pandemic, a small business could capture roughly 30% of its yearly revenue during the four- to six-week period after Lunar New Year, Yeung estimated. This year, that yearly share could be higher as lunch crowds and tourists still havent fully returned to the city.

If folks are thinking of opening their wallets in Chinatown, this is the time to do it, Yeung said.

The Year of the Snake, Yeung went on, is said to be both fortuitous and an opportunity for renewal. Symbolically, its a chance for the neighborhood and San Francisco to shed the malaise of the past few years.

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AFRIQUE :: France Carries Out Hidden Mobilization in Africa

Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, France has reportedly launched a covert recruitment campaign in African countries to send new recruits to the conflict zone. This move comes in response to domestic challenges faced by the French government amidst growing resistance from its citizens.

French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly spoken about the possibility of sending Western soldiers to Ukraine. However, according to surveys, the majority of French citizens have reacted negatively to such plans. Data indicates that 68% of the French population opposes the involvement of French military personnel in the Ukrainian conflict. As a result, Macron has shifted the focus of the mobilization campaign to the African continent.

Recent reports reveal that France, through recruitment firms, has started recruiting volunteers in Cameroon for deployment to Ukraine. These recruits reportedly undergo minimal training before being sent to the conflict zone. The covert nature of this recruitment raises concerns about the transparency of such operations and potential human rights violations.

This is not the first time France has resorted to such actions in Africa. In the spring of 2022, recruitment attempts were reported in Senegal, and in 2024, similar campaigns were noted in Cote dIvoire. These initiatives were met with sharp criticism from both the governments of these countries and local populations.

Many experts draw parallels with events from World War II, when France heavily relied on African soldiers for its war efforts. Back then, African soldiers fought in European battles, often becoming victims of the colonial powers policies. Today, these recruitment attempts are perceived as a repetition of this unjust practice, exploiting Africans for European interests.

Ukraine, supported by France, has also reportedly engaged in similar campaigns, recruiting African nationals to fight against Russia. Such actions are widely condemned as the exploitation of the continent for Western geopolitical goals.

Attempts at mobilization in Africa have sparked outrage among local populations and elites. Protests against such policies could further strain Frances relations with African countries, where anti-French sentiment is already on the rise.

Moreover, using Africans in the war in Ukraine risks exacerbating regional tensions and undermining Frances position, as it continues to exert influence in the internal affairs of African nations.

The recent reports of recruitment efforts in Cameroon to send fighters to the conflict in Ukraine raise significant concerns. This French move not only reflects domestic mobilization challenges but also heightens anxiety about its foreign policy methods.
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State Senate Insurance Committee chair Susan Rubios possible connection to a bribery case could hamper efforts to reform Californias insurance market. Salgu Wissmath/The Chronicle 2023

Californias insurance market was already fragile before wildfires devastated the Los Angeles area, stoking fears that the FAIR Plan, the states privately run insurer of last resort, could run out of funds to pay claims. Amid the uncertainty, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is racing to finalize the last details of his sweeping plan to lure insurers back to California.

Its a pivotal moment  one that could impact almost every aspect of California life for decades, from homelessness to our response to climate change. The last thing we need is a cloud of ethical suspicion hanging over a key arbiter of the states insurance policies.

And yet thats exactly the situation were in.

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Heres whats going on:

In December, federal prosecutors unsealed plea documents from 2023 that revealed the former city manager of Commerce and former city attorney of Baldwin Park  both in Los Angeles County  had pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges for corrupt cannabis permitting schemes.

One of the alleged schemes laid out in the documents involves an unnamed individual, Person 20, who prosecutors say in or around 2017 or 2018 attempted to solicit $200,000 in bribes from a company seeking a marijuana permit in Baldwin Park and demanded the city attorney funnel $30,000 through straw donors into Person 20s 2018 campaign account for state office.

Its a serious allegation. The only person who appears to fit Person 20s description is Democratic state Sen. Susan Rubio, who at the time was a member of the Baldwin Park City Council, the Los Angeles Times first reported.

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What does this have to do with insurance?

Well, since 2019, Rubio has led the Senate Insurance Committee, giving her significant sway over which insurance-related bills advance through the legislative process.

Rubio has not been identified by prosecutors as Person 20, named in the investigation or charged with any crime. Her office told me she was unavailable for an interview and is focused on responding to the Southern California fires.

However, her spokesperson told the Los Angeles Times she has no reason to believe that she would be included in any criminal allegations and that federal prosecutors told Rubio she wasnt a target of the investigation. Her spokesperson also noted that she voted against the approval of a cannabis permit. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the case.

Given the delicate state of Californias insurance market, however, even a shadow of suspicion about Rubios potential involvement could hamper officials ability to build trust as they pursue politically thorny solutions that will almost certainly result in Californians paying far more for insurance.

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The Legislatures floundering response to the potential scandal hasnt exactly fostered trust, either.

On Jan. 3, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, announced his committee appointments for the legislative year  but pointedly left vacant the chairmanship of the insurance committee. When I asked about the vacancy at the time, his office said in a statement: We have requested and are awaiting additional information from the U.S. Attorneys Office before finalizing any decisions.

But last week, McGuire  whos considering a 2026 bid for insurance commissioner  abruptly reversed course and reappointed Rubio to lead the insurance committee, even though he said no additional information was available.

I have confidence in her experience and her ability to lead the committee while the state faces unprecedented challenges with the insurance market, McGuire said in a statement.

Rubio is arguably the most qualified senator to lead the committee, legislative expert and law professor Chris Micheli told me, citing her years of experience delving into insurance policy. Thats especially valuable given that almost half of the members in the Senate were newly elected in 2024.

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But the uncertainty swirling around her potential role in an alleged corruption scheme is already threatening to disrupt the Legislatures response to the insurance crisis.

In December, Assembly Member Bill Essayli, R-Corona (Riverside County), requested the Senate Committee on Legislative Ethics open an investigation into the case  a call echoed this month by a larger group of Republican lawmakers.

Committee Chief Counsel Erin V. Peth told me it doesnt have jurisdiction to review the case, pointing to longstanding Senate rules that say complaints must be filed within 18 months of the alleged violations or, if the activity was unknown, within three years. This timeframe also applies to investigations the committee initiates itself, Peth said.

Essayli disagreed, arguing that the rules could be changed or suspended in extraordinary situations.

Nevertheless, the traditional role of the ethics committee is to investigate alleged misconduct that took place when a state lawmaker is in office  not before they came to Sacramento or after they leave, Micheli told me.

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That framework makes sense. But it also means that unresolved ethical questions are likely to continue hanging over Rubios head  potentially jeopardizing otherwise good policy.

Indeed, critics of Laras strategy to stabilize the insurance industry are already using the alleged Rubio scandal to cast doubt on the plans integrity.

Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, told the Los Angeles Times that Rubio has let Lara do whatever he wants to do and accused the insurance committee of being owned by the insurance industry.

Consumer Watchdogs criticisms arent always earnest; Court previously suggested to me, absurdly, that Lara should leverage the insurance crisis to play chicken with the industry.

But Rubios potential involvement in the alleged scandal could revive past concerns about the campaign contributions shes received from insurance interests. She also accepted donations from insurance lobbyists when she unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2024; state lawmakers are otherwise banned from taking lobbyist contributions.

Laras past ethical lapses, including repeatedly reneging on promises to forego insurer campaign contributions, also risked sowing distrust in his reforms to stabilize the industry. And that would have been costly: The reforms are a key reason why some insurers plan to begin writing new policies in California.

About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

The long list of recent scandals ensnaring California officials  including the criminal indictment of former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao on federal bribery charges in January  threatens to imperil not only the states response to its most challenging problems but also its desire to serve as a moral counterweight to the Trump administration.
Italy. Cuba. The Galapagos Islands. Exploring Bluegrass Music Roots in Scotland and Ireland. Candy Making. Southern Rock (and Roll). How to Build a Ukulele.

If you have been checking McCallie's Instagram and Facebook pages in recent weeks, you have no doubt seen the hundreds of pictures posted by students and faculty regarding their Tornado Term (T-Term) experiences this year.

"Being in a foreign country was such an eye-opening experience for me," wrote senior Joe Chambers in an email about his trip to the Galapagos Islands. "I had never been somewhere without English as the first language, so it was very interesting trying to navigate Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands without being able to easily talk to people. The overall cultural difference and different way of life was probably the biggest surprise for me. But everyone was so friendly and happy to see us."

Junior Dominic Victor went to Italy for his T-Term. "I had never been off the continent before," he said. "The language there, I understood absolutely nothing. My father is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. The trip made me understand the difficulties immigrants go through in this country, having to learn a new language, and how people react to immigrants. That part of it is tough."

These are the comments Dean of Faculty and Curriculum Sumner McCallie hopes to hear when the students return from T-Term, especially the numerous students who traveled abroad this year.

"A parent approached me recently to share how much his son had enjoyed getting off campus and bringing the learning he had done in his science classes into the field," said McCallie. "That is the goal: To offer real-world experiences where the students can see direct relevance of the classroom material and skills they have been studying."

Chambers echoed that goal, writing: "The three teachers that went on the trip  Caleb Bagby, Ashley Posey, and Nelson Eiselstein  made it 1,000 percent better. Having knowledgeable teachers with me throughout the trip helped me to learn so much about animal behaviors and patterns in nature. I also really appreciated that I could learn more about them outside the classroom. The teachers were certainly one of the biggest factors that made the trip so amazing."

It is amazing how T-Term has changed since its inception in February 2017. There were 35 offerings in the first year, almost all confined to in-town opportunities. There were no international trips. This year saw 40 offerings, five international trips  Cuba, El Salvador, the Galapagos Islands, Italy, and Ireland/Scotland  and several seniors pursuing internships locally

"Each year, the courses get more and more experimental, and more avenues are found to get our boys off campus and into our larger community," said McCallie. "Teachers have embraced the more active learning experience, and the students respond enthusiastically. There is something to grab the interest of every student, from building ukuleles to hiking local mountains, helping our Food Bank feed the hungry, to studying Southern Rock."

To make sure every student gets a chance to choose the T-Term experience of their dreams, McCallie has also worked hard to provide significant financial aid to those who might otherwise not be able to go due to costs. Under the current plan, students are to receive the same percentage of financial aid for the T-Term trips abroad as they receive for tuition.

"I am excited to continue to see our international financial aid budget expand to allow for further travel," said McCallie. "I want to continue to ensure we offer a range of courses from academic study to physical skills growth to service programs. We have a remarkable range of student interests, and Tornado Term needs to keep finding ways to allow students to pursue those passions."

Planning these experiences begins each winter almost as soon as T-Term closes in mid-January.

"We get feedback on student experiences in the weeks following Tornado Term that starts with faculty considering ways to tweak and improve the courses for the following year," explained McCallie. "Some faculty are now in their seventh iteration of the course they initially offered. They have fine-tuned already impressive courses to highlight experiential learning and interact more with experts in the field. Others have shifted the course topics as they have heard back from students. International trips are proposed and planned by April of the year prior. Each year, on the first day of school in August, we start to prepare that year's list of offerings."

Even with all that planning, there can be fine-tuning on the fly. A trip to New Orleans to visit a business where Mardi Gras floats are produced required a bit of reshuffling in the wake of the terrorist attack in the French Quarter on New Year's Eve. It was worked out that the school was sure all were safe, but then the January snowstorm forced an early return to campus. That same snowstorm further north had forced a boarding student not to be able to return to campus in time to catch the bus to the Big Easy.

"So we had to alter our travel plans to pick him up at the New Orleans airport," said Dean of Student Life Ricky Thomas, who was on that trip. "There are things that come up that you cannot control. You have to be able to adjust, and we did."

By the 2025-26 school year, there will surely be adjustments to T-Term offerings. Building ukuleles will be there. So, too, the popular Math and Science of Gambling. But there will also be new offerings and more financial aid for foreign travel if McCallie gets his wish.

Chambers's take on this year's trip to the Galapagos Islands and Victor's journey to Naples, Italy, is noteworthy as that takes place.

Even in Italy, or perhaps because he was in Italy, when Victor was asked what was the best thing he ate, he beamed, "The pizza was out of this world."

Food was also high on Chambers's list of highlightsalmost all of the food.

"The food was a great way to experience the Galapagos culture," he wrote. "It was cool to see foods considered exotic in the United States were eaten with most meals. Passion fruit, yucca, papaya, plantains, and tree tomatoes were just a few. I also learned that everything tastes better after you have been snorkeling."

As for that one food he probably will not sample again, "The only meal I would consider questionable would be the time we tried guinea pig... I am glad I tried it, but I will not have that again."

The experience he would love to have again is returning to La Playa Mar, a beach on San Cristobal island known for its extremely friendly sea lions. "I got to snorkel while the sea lions played around me," Chambers wrote, "which was amazing but scary at times!"

When McCallie discusses what he hopes the students most take from their T-Terms, he quickly says, "An educational experience that could last a lifetime."

To that end, Chambers's trip to the Galapagos would qualify. Referring to his previous T-Terms of baking bread, the science of gambling, and community service, he wrote, "The international T-Term easily overshadows those three; it is not even close. I have thought about my experience every day since I returned (to campus). Going to the Galapagos Islands will stick with me forever."


Dr. Bill Estes, dean of Lee Universitys Helen DeVos College of Education, has been named the recipient of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations Hero of Hope Award. The award recognizes a volunteer without a direct personal connection to cystic fibrosis who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to raising awareness and funds to support the foundations mission to cure CF.

"I am both surprised and deeply humbled by this award, said Dr. Estes. There are so many people in this community that have partnered with us for over 20 years who are the real heroes in the advancements made toward curing cystic fibrosis. It has been a team effort from the start; an effort that has amazed all of us at the advancements and gains in fighting this disease."

Dr. Estes recognition comes as part of the foundations Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party, which took place earlier this month in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The annual party provides mission updates, care center updates, and awards for the volunteers that help make the foundations efforts possible. Jolly Johnson, senior development director of the CFF, congratulated Estes for his unwavering dedication over more than two decades.

We are grateful to have the support of such a deserving, long-time volunteer leader, Bill Estes, said Ms. Johnson. After news of a close friend's child being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, Bill began supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, ultimately helping bring Great Strides to Lee University. He has served as the lead for the 65 Roses 5K in support of Cleveland's Great Strides for 22 years. While Bill may not have a genetic connection to cystic fibrosis, curing CF is clearly one of his personal missions. We are truly grateful for Bill's incredible contributions and are proud to recognize him as our newest Hero of Hope.

The Hero of Hope Award highlights Dr. Estes role in advancing the Foundations vision of a future free from cystic fibrosis. Over the past 30 years, the life expectancy of children with CF has doubled, thanks to breakthroughs in research, drug development, and care initiatives supported by dedicated volunteers like Dr. Estes.

In addition to his service with CFF, Dr. Estes is a respected leader in education and public service. In addition to being dean, he is a distinguished professor of education at Lee and previously served as chair of the universitys Department of Health Exercise Science and Secondary Education from 2004 to 2013. Locally, Dr. Estes is a member of Clevelands City Council and serves on the Cleveland City Planning Commission. He is also a committee member of the Greenway Advisory Board. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his Master of Science in Education from the University of Central Arkansas, and his Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Its mission is to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with CF the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, partnering with the CF community, and advancing high-quality, specialized care.

For more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its work, visit www.cff.org.
As The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence, East Hamilton gets closer to opening, three central members of the communitys management team have been announced  the executive director, community relations director and Lantern program director.Lindsey Hughes has been named the ED, with Missy Dane as CRD and Claudia Zendejas as LPD. The memory care community, located at 1775 Generations Way, is a few short months away from opening its doors. It is Part II of the Morning Pointe of East Hamilton Senior Living campus.Ms.Hughes, who will oversee operations as the executive director, has worked in healthcare for 13 years and in senior living for the past six years. She earned her degree in allied health from Chattanooga State Community College. She currently resides in McDonald. I believe in creating meaningful and purposeful days for residents, said Ms. Hughes. Their life experiences, careers, relationships and hobbies are what propelled the success of the world we live in today. I believe in honoring their legacies and creating an environment where they are able to reminisce about the things in their lives that have had so much meaning to them. And I am excited to build a team of healthcare professionals here at The Lantern who are invigorated by the opportunity to serve our residents.One of these professionals is Ms. Dane, community relations director. Her role involves helping residents and their families with the transition into the memory care community. Ms. Dane has a bachelors degree in psychology, which she says gives her insight into how to support people with cognitive challenges. She also brings experience in marketing and healthcare and currently resides in the East Brainerd area. Im drawn to working with the memory care population because I have a deep respect for the challenges these individuals and their families face, said Ms. Dane. Im passionate about providing compassionate care and creating meaningful moments for residents.Ms. Zendejas, Lantern program director, will transfer naturally to the new community, officials said. She has served as LPD at Morning Pointe of East Hamiltons Lantern wing, overseeing a program of purposeful activities, volunteers and more. She has 15 years of experience in senior activities and is also a certified nursing assistant and is a certified dementia practitioner. She has a bachelors degree in business administration. Serving the memory population is where I find purpose and fulfillment, Ms. Zendejas said. Im deeply committed to the wellbeing of our seniors, and I am excited to contribute to the growth and development of such a special, brand-new community.The Lantern is continuing to hire other members of its leadership team, and it has begun hiring for other roles as well, including caregivers. Current openings are listed at morningpointe.com/careers. Staff will be trained in Alzheimers and dementia care with ongoing training and learning.The sales trailer is open on-site, and the community is taking reservations for apartments. It will be starting tours soon.The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence, East Hamilton, features 60 apartments with two distinct neighborhoods. These are Lamplight, a large area for residents with early-stage Alzheimers and dementia who are more active, and Lantern, a more intimate and quiet space designed for more advanced stages.The thoughtfully designed single-level community will offer several floor plan options, including studios and companion two-bedroom apartments. Residents will benefit from Morning Pointes signature approach to memory care, which combines personalized care with innovative therapies, including:- Best Friends Approach and Teepa Snows Positive Approach to Care;- Meaningful Day purposeful programming;- Music and art therapy; and- Cuddle therapy.The communitys services will involve licensed, clinical or care staff available 24 hours a day; on-site physical, occupational and speech therapies; and Morning Pointes Farm to Table program, which provides seasonal, locally sourced meals.Upon completion of Phase II, the original Morning Pointe of East Hamilton building will transition to assisted living-only, while The Lantern will serve as the dedicated memory care center on the campus, providing an expanded model of care.The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence, East Hamilton, will mark the organizations 42nd community across Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Indiana.
Antonella Delgado helps hold a transgender pride flag at the beginning of the Trans March in June at Dolores Park in San Francisco. On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive banning transgender personnel from serving in the U.S. armed services. Camille Cohen/Special to the Chronicle 2024

Its 2025, Donald Trump is back in office and this countrys trans people find themselves looking down the barrel of yet another trans military ban. I remember the last time Trump tried to ban us from the armed forces, I stayed up 56 hours straight interviewing as many transgender active duty service members, veterans, activists and lawyers as I could.

Back then, I and those service members I spoke with, were all full of resolve and were ready for a fight. Trump had been in office for just a few years and was wildly unpopular. It felt like we could still use the court system to combat his most harmful policies.

This time around, it feels different. Gone are the days when an international protest killed North Carolinas bathroom bill in 2016. Gone too are the New York Times op-eds protesting Trumps anti-trans agenda or the  and I cant believe Im writing this  JK Rowling tweets defending trans military members under Trump.

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This executive order, like the first Trump terms ban, will face an immediate court challenge. Last time, the ban never got to the point of implementation and was held up in a years-long court battle that eventually reached the Supreme Court. Just before Trump left office, the high court declined to hear a case, which left in place a lower court ruling that would have allowed the ban. President Joe Biden rescinded the ban when he took office in 2017.

I dont want to speculate on what this next round of legal battles will look like, but the endpoint remains the same  at the overwhelmingly conservative Supreme Court. That is probably not going to result in good news for those trans service members who have faithfully served their country for years.

This time around there is a lot less opposition than in 2018. Everything transgender-related is now considered an honest political debate. We didnt get to this place in the political discourse by accident.



Weve endured six years of near-constant transphobic propaganda, first around athletes and lately about gender-affirming care for trans youth (which was banned in a separate executive order). The Overton Window, defined as the limits of acceptable political debate on a given issue, has lurched far to the right thanks to all of that propaganda. Now, the once unthinkable trans military ban, the first open segregation of the military since before President Harry Truman allowed Black troops to serve in 1948, is well within the range of acceptable politics.

Last time around, Trumps White House made the argument that trans people and their health care were too much of an inconvenience to accommodate within the military. They made outlandish claims about the recovery times and the medication needs of people going through gender transitions. They lost the political argument.

This week, however, the White House shifted tone and strategies. Gone was the emphasis on recovery times following gender-related surgeries. In its place was this claim:

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Adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individuals sex conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in ones personal life. 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.

This passage positions trans people as dishonorable and undisciplined liars by definition simply because they do not conform to the gender expectations of the most dishonorable, undisciplined draft dodger who has ever been commander-in-chief.

This is not a practical argument, but a moral one, and it has consequences well beyond the battlefield or the walls of the Pentagon. If a trans soldier who has faithfully served their country for 20 years can be banished and tarred as dishonorable and untrustworthy, what about a trans teacher, police officer or even a U.S. representative?

This is not just an argument to segregate the armed forces, its an argument to banish trans people from positions of importance throughout the country.

About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies

The ban is serious on its own, but coupled with Trumps other obsessive anti-trans executive orders this week, its clear that trans people in the U.S. are facing ominous days. It will take time to implement these policies and clear legal hurdles, but at least we know the stakes of the fight.



Its laid out in front of us  trans people just want to live and exist, go to work and serve their country in peace, without the government sticking their grubby little noses in our pants. Republicans want us gone from society completely, and they will continue this pursuit zealously until they feel like theyve won.

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A report from the Tennessee District Attorneys Conference says there were 2,719 cases in the state of illegal immigrants committing crimes in the period September-December 2024. There were 22 of the 95 counties who did not submit data.

The Laken Riley Act that was signed into law this week mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.

Hamilton County was sixth in the state in the number of illegal immigrants committing crimes with 114.

Others were Davidson 796, Knox 242, Sumner 212, Rutherford 189 and Maury 153.

Of the 2,719 individuals, there were 3,854 total charges. Of these, 447 were violent offenses.

There were 11 homicides (including first-degree murder, second-degree murder and vehicular homicide). There were three first-degree murder charges, one second-degree murder and seven vehicular homicide.

DUI cases numbered 654, followed by driving without a license 549 and traffic offenses 533. There were 154 domestic assault cases.

The charges include three rape of a child, six aggravated rape, two continuous sexual abuse of a child, two aggravated child abuse under age eight, three aggravated kidnapping, one especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, nine statutory rape, two aggravated sexual battery of a minor, aggravated sexual battery, six aggravated robbery, one carjacking, 27 aggravated domestic assault, 80 aggravated assault, 21 child abuse and neglect, among other charges.

The cases included 892 from Mexico, 564 from Guatemala, 332 from Honduras, 130 from Venezuela, 182 country not reported, 86 El Salvador, 37 Cuba, 37 Nicaragua, 25 Jamaica and 16 Romania.
Two youths charged in a case in which a 17-year-old was gunned down in Alton Park have been given prison sentences.

They entered guilty pleas in the July 24, 2023, slaying of K'Angelo Kai/Bolo Alford.

The shooter, Robert Blocker Jr., was 15 at the time. He got a 23-year sentence for second-degree murder.

The driver, Mafia M. Marshall, who was 20, got 10 years for facilitation of first-degree murder.

Police were dispatched at 10:52 p.m. to 3700 Highland Ave. on a report of a person shot. When officers arrived, they located the victim suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He was unresponsive. He was taken by EMS to Erlanger Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

They said several witnesses gave specific information about the vehicle. A matching vehicle was observed on surveillance video driving past the victim at 10:50 p.m.

The vehicle was seen on video arriving and driving around the victim's location on Highland Avenue as if "casing" the area. The vehicle then returned and drove up to the victim's location.

Surveillance video showed the victim approach the vehicle just prior to shots being fired. Video also showed a passenger window go down just prior to the shots being fired.

Police said, "During this time there were a large number of innocent bystanders, including children, in close proximity to the victim."

One of those present picked Marshall from a photo lineup as the driver of the vehicle.

Investigators said from the video they were able to identify the youth who fired the shots.

Police said, "Based on surveillance footage and numerous witness statements, suspects intentionally targeted and carried out the shooting of K'Angelo Alford."

Police said neither Marshall or the 15-year-old could lawfully possess a firearm in the state of Tennessee.

Both were initially charged with first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and reckless endangerment.

Born on Dec. 28, 2005, in Chattanooga, the victim was a student at The Howard School and a member of the Westside Missionary Baptist Church.

His family said, "Kai's infectious happiness and unwavering love for life left an indelible mark on all who knew him. He possessed an extraordinary knack for finding joy in every situation, and his laughter was a beacon of light that brightened the lives of those around him. His positive and vibrant spirit was a source of inspiration and comfort to family and friends alike.



"A deeply cherished bond existed between Kai and his siblings, who were not just family, but his closest confidants and companions. The moments they shared together are a testament to the deep love and connection they held, creating memories that will forever be etched in their hearts.



"Kai's presence was a gift to all, and his absence will be keenly felt."



His survivors included five brothers and six sisters.
I encourage every American, and especially those on fixed incomes, to watch your financial situation very diligently and make preparations for that situation to erode significantly during the next year or two. While careful management of one's finances is always wise, I think it will be critical in the near future due to the following:

1. 2025 is the year for the reassessment process of property in Hamilton County. This fact was confirmed to me in early January by a Hamilton County commissioner. These reassessments will likely show dramatic increases in property values. While on the surface, this increase seems to be beneficial to the property owner, the reality is that the result will be higher property taxes. While the certified tax rate law limits the amount of new revenue that a county can generate from reassessments, there is great likelihood that counties and local municipalities will increase their tax rates as soon as possible after the certified tax rate law limits expire. There may also be ways to skirt around this limitation. If so, you can depend on the municipalities to find them.

2. The state of Tennessee passed a new act authorizing vouchers for private schools to be paid from taxpayer funds with apparently very high income limits, and, if I understand the act, no income limits on some vouchers. These weak limits on eligibility will enable wealthy politicians to send their children to private schools on public money. These vouchers will very likely encourage many people to leave public schools which will then affect funding for those public schools. Expect a sales tax increase (if not an income tax in Tennessee) to pay for these vouchers and other poorly considered state spending.

3. The Musk/Trump/Vance axis of power has recently begun to enact tariffs on goods from some countries. Several sources have indicated that these tariffs will result in quick increases in the prices of some consumer goods, most of which will be borne by the middle-income taxpayer. For example, Goldman-Sachs, the investment firm, has predicted that tariffs will result in "increased prices" and the Peterson Institute for International Economics has stated that it believes that "collateral damage" to the economy will result from these ill-conceived tariffs. Expect to pay higher prices and receive less in return in the very near future.

4. The ill-conceived Project 2025 proposes to increase the Social Security eligibility age from 67 to 69, which will likely result in a reduction of benefits to recipients and certainly will require people to work longer to receive benefits. The Republican Study Committee released its 2025 budget proposal last March; that proposal included cuts to Social Security. Although Trump has stated during his campaign that he would "protect" Social Security, his record of lying undermines that idea. I suspect that Social Security recipients will see our benefits decline in the next two to four years. Trump also rescinded one provision of Medicare that placed a cap on some Medicare prescriptions.

The policy of politicians at every level and of every party, seems to be that the American taxpayer (particularly the middle class taxpayer) is a fat cash cow to be milked dry at every opportunity, to use a bovine metaphor. Thus, it is becoming more and more imperative that every taxpayer protect his or her financial position carefully. I plan to return to the workforce soon, although I, at age 73, should not have to do that in one of the wealthiest countries on earth. I am not dependent on Social Security; however, I have to protect my financial well-being from those who would endanger it and earning more money is one way to do that.

The Book of Proverbs, chapter 22, verse 3 reads, "The prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences." From my perspective, a huge danger comes in the form of greedy, unscrupulous politicians and we need to be prepared for them.

Tim McDonald




George Hall was a native of Stoneham, Massachusetts. He dropped out of high school to assist his father on their family farm. He joined the Massachusetts National Guard before he was 18 and was discharged in 1940 when he enlisted in the Army. While training at Fort Hamilton in New York, he met and married his wife, Elizabeth.





In September 1943, he was deployed with the 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division, to fight in the Italian campaign. His first combat encounter was crossing the Volturno River in October, followed by fierce fighting in the town of Cassino in January 1944.In March, his unit landed in Anzio, where he battled enemy forces for two months.





On May 23, the 34th began its offensive, moving toward Rome. On that day, his Company B troops were pinned down in an open area by machine gunners and snipers.





Hall was near the front line of his platoon and crawled about 60 meters along a trench until he was close enough to one machine-gun position to destroy it with hand grenades. He threw four grenades into that nest, killing two Germans and taking four others prisoner. He made them crawl back to his unit lines, where they surrendered.





Having succeeded in neutralizing the first machine-gun position, he then worked his way toward the second nest, where he and the Germans exchanged grenades. Each time he raised up enough to throw a grenade, the gunners would fire at him and toss back more grenades, but they soon realized this lone American was determined and relentless. After killing one of the Germans, the other five surrendered, and Hall again pushed them back to the U.S. line.





Then, he was determined to take out a third machine-gun nest about 100 meters away from his position on the line. As he worked his way toward that position, they fired on him with fury. When he was closing in, the Germans then fired artillery on his position, and one shell ripped apart Halls right leg and severely injured his left foot.





Hall recalled: As soon as I saw what had happened to my leg, I knew I couldnt go forward anymore. I turned around and started to crawl back. It was about 75 yards to our men.





However, his injuries prevented him from making much progress: Every time I tried to drag my leg, the pain was so great I had to give up. I yelled for a medic, but there was so much noise nobody could hear me. I lay there and rested awhile to gather my wits. I was still under fire, and I knew I would have to do something.  So, I pulled my sheath knife out and cut through the two tendons that were holding my leg on.





To survive, he had to sever his leg from his body. At that point, he said, I was able to crawl, and he finally reached the American line, where medics applied a tourniquet and pain sedatives. As he was taken to the rear, soldiers in his platoon heard Hall complaining about not completing his mission to take out that third gunner position. Inspired by his indomitable spirit, they rallied and moved forward to take out that position, which they did.





Hall was taken to a European medical facility to treat his severe wounds and, in July 1944, was shipped back to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.





After six months of recovery, Hall joined his wife and two children again. In April 1945, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by Army MG Sherman Miles at a ceremony held on the Boston Common.





His citation concludes: S/Sgt. Halls fearlessness, his determined fighting spirit, and his prodigious combat skill exemplify the heroic tradition of the American infantryman.





George and Elizabeth settled in Boston, where he was appointed as a Veterans Administration representative. In February 1946, George Hall died of complications from his injuries two years earlier. He was 26. VFW Post 620 in Stoneham was founded in his name.





SSG George J. Hall: Your example of valor  a humble American Patriot defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty and in disregard for the peril to your own life  is eternal.





"Greater love has no one than this, to lay down ones life for his friends." (John 15:13)





Live your life worthy of his sacrifice.





Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis

Pro Deo et Libertate -- 1776





Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform  Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen -- standing in harms way in defense of American Liberty, and for Veterans, First Responders, and their families.




Beginning Saturday, President Donald Trump will implement a new 25% tariff on goods imported to the United States from Canada and Mexicotwo of Tennessees largest foreign trading partners. Below are links to some useful trade fact sheets from the embassies of both countries to quantify the consequences of Trumps Trade War 2.0.

Mexican Embassy 2024 trade fact sheet on Mexicos Trade with Tennessee

Tennessee businesses import $14 billion of goods from Mexico annually

The top imports to Tennessee are: motor vehicles & motor vehicle parts, and communications equipment

Trumps 25% tariff on imports will add $3.5 billion to the total cost Tennesseans pay for these goods

to the total cost Tennesseans pay for these goods Mexico is Tennessees 2 nd largest trade partner

largest trade partner Trade with Mexico supports over 99,000 jobs in Tennessee

Tennessee businesses export $6.1 billion in goods to Mexico annually

Canadian Embassy 2024 trade fact sheet on Tennessee & Canada: An integrated economy

Tennessee businesses import $6.8 billion of goods from Canada annually

The top imports to Tennessee are: Pharmaceutical products, aluminum, plastics, motor vehicle parts, and lumber

Trumps 25% tariff on imports will add $1.7 billion to the total cost Tennesseans pay for these goods

to the total cost Tennesseans pay for these goods Canada is the #1 export market for Tennessee businesses

Tennessee businesses export $8.8 billion in goods to Canada annuall

* * *

Im amazed by Tennessee Senate Democrat Caucus Secretarys claim that tariffs on Canada and Mexico will cost Tennesseans $5.2 billion annually, not $5.3 nor $5.1, but $5.2 billion. Does anyone recall the same concern when inflation hit 9.1 percent and interest rates topped 5 percent. How much has four years of Joe Biden and Democrats cost Tennesseans?

I dont recall any posts by Mr. Puttbrese, or Democrats for that matter, raising concerns over the cost for the thousands of illegal aliens released into this country. WTVC posted a report by Tennessees AG revealing from DUI to homicide, there were 3,854 charges placed against illegal aliens, some multiple charges. As I understand the report, thats over just the last three months (WTVC 1/31/25).

How much is that costing Tennesseans over the last 48 months due to the Democrats border disaster. Note that number included 447 violent crimes and 11 homicides. How do you measure that compared to securing the borders?

Isnt it wonderful Democrats are now concerned over costs to working families. Thank you, Donald Trump.

Ralph Miller



* * *

When will Democrats learn that President Trump plays four dimensional chess and is always two or three steps ahead of them? The main difference most elected officials and Mr. Trump is that they talk about our problems, while Mr. Trump is working effectively to solve our problems. They are about process and Mr. Trump is about results.

The abominable Chuck Schumer was seen today grandstanding for the camera holding a can of Corona beer and an avocado and trying to say how tariffs were going to make your Super Bowl party more expensive, meanwhile Donald Trump was securing a deal with President Sheinbaum of Mexico to put Mexican troops on the border in exchange for a tariff moratorium. Not surprisingly, Mr. Schumer was silent when inflation was soaring under Joe Biden.

Maybe, politicians like Schumer and Mr. Puttbrese, should stop their knee-jerk reactions to President Trump and sit quietly on the sidelines while he takes care of business.

James Nelson
The 25th annual Great Strides Walk and 23rd annual 65 Roses 5k at Great Strides, which raises funds and awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, will be held at Lee University on Saturday, March 29.

Cleveland community leader Jarrett Millsaps will serve a second year as community chair for Great Strides 2025.

The role that community plays in disease awareness and prevention is unquestionable, and it is an honor to join with Lee University and the Great Strides team to raise money for such an important cause! said Mr. Millsaps. Cystic fibrosis impacts so many in our regionthose we work, worship, and serve with on a daily basis. We are grateful to those who have joined us over the last 25 yearsour runners, our sponsors, and most importantly, our families. They inspire us to not only live better, but to be better.

The Great Strides event consistently rallies hundreds of community participants and Lee University students to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Great Strides is the CF Foundations largest national fundraising event, which supports their mission to cure cystic fibrosis, a progressive genetic disease that affects the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Every year thousands of people unite at nearly 300 walks across the country to support their goal of ending this disease. Last year, the Cleveland event drew over 700 total walkers, runners, and volunteers, and has reached over $1.3 million raised for CF research since the local events founding in 2001.

Thanks to the generous support of our community, Lee University, and the dedicated work of the CF Foundation, the fight to cure this rare and progressive disease is stronger than ever, said Vanessa Hammond, event co-chair and mother to a son with CF. We are excited to celebrate a milestone 25th anniversary of Great Strides and grateful to all who participate. CF families feel the impact every day.

The route for the 2025 Cleveland Great Strides Walk and 65 Roses 5K run (3.1 miles), directed by Dr. Bill Estes in partnership with Terra Running Company, will begin and end on the Lee campus and travel throughout Clevelands historic downtown area. The walk and road race will begin at 9 a.m., and a 1K Fun Run (0.6 miles) will take place at 9:30 a.m. and will begin and end in front of the Paul Conn Student Union.

We at the Tennessee Chapter of the CF Foundation are always excited to be back at Lee University, recognized within the organization as one of the nation's most engaged and active communities, said Jolly Johnson, senior development director at the Tennessee Chapter Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Since Lee University has been supporting the CF Foundation through Great Strides and the 65 Roses 5k, life expectancy of someone born with CF has doubled. While these are extraordinary results, there is still no cure for cystic fibrosis. Our goal is a cure for 100 percent of people living with CF, and we will get there with the continued support of Lee University and the Cleveland/Bradley County community.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit donor-supported organization dedicated to attacking cystic fibrosis from every angle. Its focus is to support the development of new drugs to fight the disease, improve the quality of life for those with CF, and ultimately find a cure. Research is happening daily to find a cure and develop drugs available to those living with CF.

For more information about the Cleveland Great Strides or 65 Roses 5K, visit https://www.leeuniversity.edu/cf.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Ms. Hammond at vhammond@leeuniversity.edu.

For more information about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, https://www.cff.org/.
Purdue Pharma and owners to pay $7.4 billion in settlement of lawsuits over the toll of OxyContin
On January 26, 2025, IMB missionary Daren Davis and IMB executive vice president Todd Lafferty unveiled a dedication stone at the Lead Global Training Center located in Nairobi, Kenya. | Photo Credit: International Mission Board

The International Mission Board (IMB) recently launched the Lead Global Training Center in Nairobi to equip Africans for effective outreach to the African continent. The IMB is a Baptist Christian missionary society affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

On January 26, IMB missionaries and senior leaders from the Richmond, Virginia, offices gathered to pray for African churches to send native missionaries and to celebrate the work being accomplished across the continent, according to Baptist Press.

Chad Pumpelly, who serves with the IMB and directs the Lead Global Training Center, shared his vision for the facility, stating, I want to look around the room one day and see African missionaries being sent out.

His wife, Miriam, added, Our hope is for African believers to own their part in the Great Commission and for us to equip those who are already called, so they can use their skills for Gods glory throughout the world.

The dedication featured remarks from local IMB missionaries and Todd Lafferty, with Daren Davis celebrating the occasion alongside Lafferty through a ribbon-cutting and the unveiling of a dedication stone.

The Lead Global facility aims to empower churches to engage effectively with unreached people groups. IMB missionaries are committed to helping African Baptist churches reach a point where they can independently send and support missionaries.

Pasifique, a believer from Burundi, completed training in the components of the missionary task and evangelized in a challenging area, resulting in 16 new baptized believers. Now, he aspires to become a trainer himself to equip churches in Burundi and other French-speaking countries in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting.

The IMB, which was formerly known as the Foreign Mission Board, originally purchased the Lead Global property in 1980, and since 2019, the site has been utilized for mission training.

By the year 2050, it is projected that 38 percent of the worlds professing Christians will be from Sub-Saharan Africa, and participants in the Lead Global program aim to collaborate with IMB globalization partners to identify mission fields in need of African workers.

The Lead Global team is also training African missionaries to join IMB teams worldwide as Global Missionary Partners and is currently seeking four additional trainers and an operations manager to support their efforts.
Photo Credit: Pexels/ Pavel Danilyuk

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at combating what he referred to as radical indoctrination in public schools, part of an initiative to promote patriotic education.

In the executive order issued on Wednesday, Trump asserted that public schools in the United States were indoctrinating children with radical, anti-American ideologies while deliberately blocking parental oversight.

The order states, Imprinting anti-American, subversive, harmful, and false ideologies on our Nations children not only violates longstanding anti-discrimination civil rights law in many cases but usurps basic parental authority. To address this issue, the Trump administration plans to cut federal funding for any K-12 schools supporting indoctrination, which includes gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.

The executive order reestablishes the 1776 Commission, an entity created by Trump during his first term to provide a pro-American interpretation of U.S. history for educational implementation. President Joe Biden dissolved the commission shortly after taking office in 2021.

The order continues, The Department of Education shall provide funding and administrative support for the 1776 Commission, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, adding that the commission will terminate two years from the order's date unless extended by the President.

In 2021, just before its dissolution, the commission released a report denouncing the distorted histories propagated by progressive intellectuals since the 1960s. The report conveyed, This new education replaced humane and liberal education in many places, and alienated Americans from their own nature, their own identities, and their own place and time.

The report further argued that it cuts students off from understanding that which came before them, and criticized how educational practices forced students to conform to current theories about history.

The commission's report claimed, While this country has its imperfections, just like any other country, in the annals of history the United States has achieved the greatest degree of personal freedom, security, and prosperity for the greatest proportion of its own people and for others around the world.

However, the report faced criticism from the American Historical Association (AHA) and other organizations. The report actually consists of two main themes. One is an homage to the Founding Fathers, a simplistic interpretation that relies on falsehoods, inaccuracies, omissions, and misleading statements, stated the AHA at the time.

The other is a screed against a half-century of historical scholarship, presented largely as a series of caricatures, using single examples (most notably the 1619 Project) to represent broader historiographical trends.
Home News Ancient Aramaic inscription finally deciphered reveals Jewish name in the heartland of Judea

An inscribed piece of pottery found in an ancient Jewish stronghold in the Jordan Valley has finally been deciphered.

The 2,000-year-old shard was first discovered by archaeologists in the 1980s but has only now been analyzed by experts from Bar Ilan University, thanks to new imaging technology developed by Jerusalems Azrieli College of Engineering, according to YNet News.

The advanced imaging method combines hyperspectral photography, artificial intelligence, and image fusion to recover faded texts previously invisible to the naked eye. Using this technology, the Aramaic lettering on the ostracon was found to spell out a Jewish name, Eleazar Bar Ger and says that he was from Beit Akiman.

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The name Eleazar means My God has helped and Bar Ger, presuming that is the complete text, indicates that he was the son of a convert to Judaism. The letters could also represent the beginning of a family name such as Gerim or Geris which are names found in ancient texts from the same era.

The second part of the text is presumably the name of a place, Beit Akiman, but its actual location remains a mystery.

The ostracon was found at the Alexandrium Fortress on Mount Sartaba. The fortress is located in the Jordan Valley, which lies about 50 km (30 miles) north of Jericho and close to the border with Jordan.

A large columned structure dating from the Hasmonean and Herodian periods was discovered at the location with an advanced water supply system and Roman siege works.

The site was originally excavated by late Hebrew University archaeologists, professor Yoram Tsafrir and Yitzhak Magen, who found the shard, along with several other ostraca inscribed in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. These fragments are now being studied by professor Esther Eshel from Bar-Ilan University and professor Haggai Misgav from the Hebrew University.

Ostraca with Jewish names and parallels to rebel-linked texts at Masada support the possibility of insurgent activity here during the Great Jewish Revolt, said Dvir Raviv, who is now heading up excavations at the site.

He said the inscriptions shed light on the sites history as a royal fortress for the Hasmoneans and Herod.

The Sartaba stronghold is mentioned in Jewish literature from the Second Temple period and was named Alexandrium after Hasmonean King Alexander Jannaeus. It was a burial place for Hasmonean royalty.

Itay Granak, Heritage Ministry director-general, is reported in YNet as saying, This finding reaffirms the Jewish peoples unbroken bond with Israel. He added, Eleazars name, etched on a shard at a key Hasmonean site, joins a chain of evidence attesting to continuous Jewish presence across the land  from the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem.

Benny Har-Even, head of the Archaeology Staff Officer Corps, said, Resuming work at Sartaba-Alexandrium after 40 years is a historic moment. This inscriptions decipherment highlights the sites immense potential. We anticipate further discoveries illuminating the Hasmonean-Herodian fortress and ancient Jewish settlement in the region.

This article was originally published at All Israel News
People look on at a full pool of water behind Schafer Dam in Tulare County in March 2023. Water releases from both the Schafer and Terminus dams jumped Friday after a directive from President Donald Trump, federal records show. TNS/Getty Images 2023

President Donald Trump claimed victory Friday in his push to free up more water for California farms and firefighters after a large and sudden release of water at two reservoirs in the San Joaquin Valley.

The water releases, however, did not appear to live up to the presidents claims, which were made on social media, and the water releases were seen by some as outright dangerous.

Tulare County farmers were startled by the amount of water that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced it would discharge this past week from Success Lake and Lake Kaweah in Tulare County. The quantity threatened to flood areas downstream and wasnt needed for crops during the rainy season. At the urging of locals, the Army Corps ultimately backed off on what was sent.

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Also, despite Trumps assertions, the reservoir water wasnt likely to find its way to firefighters in the Los Angeles area, where deadly fires have obliterated entire neighborhoods. Such a delivery, while technically possible, would be a long, inefficient haul and require pumps that arent in place.

The unclear benefit of the recent releases has sparked confusion in both agricultural and political worlds, where water has been a subject of timeless debate. The feud has only escalated with the inauguration of Trump, who has been openly critical of Californias water policies in recent weeks. A coherent explanation of the water releases remains elusive.

We were asking, Why is this happening? said Tom Barcellos, president of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, which gets water from the Tule River downstream of Success Lake. Its never been done like this before. It doesnt make sense.

President Donald Trump has claimed victory in his push to free up more water for California farms, but the water releases did not live up to his billing. Evan Vucci/Associated Press

The strange situation began unfolding Thursday when local water officials said they were notified by the Army Corps that the agency would be releasing the maximum amount of water that it could from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Success Lake.

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While water releases are standard before storms like this weekends, to free up space in reservoirs to capture additional water, local officials said these releases were different. Local officials said they werent given adequate time to prepare, with notice coming just two hours before the releases were scheduled, and the amount of water planned for discharge could have submerged farmland as well as homeless encampments in the floodplain.

Everyone was scrambling, Barcellos said. It was bedlam trying to figure out what are we doing.

The Lower Tule River Irrigation District and other water agencies in the region, with the help of the areas political leaders, eventually persuaded the Army Corps to send less water from the reservoirs.

The releases were first reported Thursday by the news site SJV Water.

Army Corps officials, in response to questions from the Chronicle, said the releases were made because of an executive order by the president last week calling for increases in California water supplies.

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Gene Pawlik, a spokesperson for the agency, specified that the water would help ensure California has water available to respond to the wildfires.

Army Corps officials did not detail how the water would be transported to the Los Angeles area for firefighting or address local concerns about sending too much water downstream.

Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in California. Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago  There would have been no fire! pic.twitter.com/Oaz92ZeiTh  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2025

The president appeared to characterize the releases as a win in his effort to increase state water deliveries. He made comments Friday, accompanied by a photograph of an unspecified waterway, on the social media sites Truth Social and X.

Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in California, the posts read. Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory! I only wish they listened to me six years ago  There would have been no fire!

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Further confounding things, a lack of water deliveries to Southern California has not been an issue for firefighters battling the Los Angeles-area firestorm.

Among those baffled by the series of events this week in the San Joaquin Valley was Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif.

Unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms, Padilla said in a statement. Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream.

The senator sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding an explanation. He was yet to hear back.

Barcellos, with the local irrigation district, wasnt sure what to make of everything either. But he speculated that the decision to release so much water could have been made, not by federal officials supportive of Trumps pro-water agenda, but someone on the inside seeking to undermine it.

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Theyre saying, Oh, you want a water release, youll get a release, here you go, he said. Theyre creating havoc.
Home News Israel celebrates release of 3 hostages, but fate of Bibas children remains unclear Israel releases 183 prisoners and approves limited opening of Rafah crossing

Israeli hostages Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas were released after 484 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza on Saturday morning, per the terms of the ceasefire between the terror group and Israel.

Calderon, 54, and Bibas, 35, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southern town of Khan Younis Saturday morning, while Siegel, 65, was released several hours later in the port of Gaza City.

Ofer, Gadi, Keith  it is so good to see you home! Together with all citizens of Israel, and together with many around the world, my wife and I were so moved to see you with us, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated after their release.

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After Israel sharply protested the terrorists previous hostage release ceremonies, which got out of control and seriously endangered the Israeli hostages on Thursday, the terrorists apparently sharpened security measures.

Saturdays release procedures went more smoothly and without disturbances by the relatively small crowds of onlookers.

Netanyahu noted in his statement that after the scenes that we all saw the day before yesterday, we demanded a safe exit for our hostages in the coming releases. As you saw today, this steadfast stand proved itself. The message was delivered, received and carried out. Israel expects that all of the coming phases also be carried out safely.

However, Hamas again set up stages with messages and pictures meant to provoke Israel and to celebrate its dead commanders.

On Friday, the terror group for the first time confirmed that several of its top leaders, including Mohammed Deif, his deputy Marwan and several others were indeed killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the war.

After receiving gift bags and release documents, Bibas and Calderon were handed over to the Red Cross who took them to the IDF base in the Netzarim Corridor.

The IDF then announced Bibas and Calderon were in its hands, and after a short drive, they returned to Israel over a year after being taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023.

Yarden Bibas, who was released without Hamas releasing any new information about the condition of his wife, Shiri, and their children, Kfir and Ariel, was received by his parents and sister at the border. He was taken to a hospital shortly after.

Dual Israeli-French citizen Ofer Calderon was immediately taken by helicopter to meet his family in a hospital in central Israel, the IDF stated.

He was reunited with his children, two of whom had been taken captive with him and were released in the first hostage deal in November 2023.

We share the immense relief and joy of his loved ones after 483 days of unimaginable hell, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X.

Our thoughts are with Ohad Yahalomi, still in the hands of Hamas, and with his family. France is doing everything it can to secure his release without delay, Macron added.

A short while later, dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Keith Siegel was paraded on a stage in Gaza City, looking noticeably frail, and requiring some help walking up and down the stairs of the stage.

He received two "gift bags," one of which was meant for his wife, Aviva, who had been kidnapped with him and was released during the first hostage deal, Israeli media reported.

He was then handed over to the Red Cross, which took him to the same IDF post. At the border, he was reunited with his wife, Aviva ,and his son, Shai, who he had believed to have been killed during the Hamas invasion.

After being transported to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Siegel met his daughters, Elan, Gal and Shir, and his brother Lee. Siegel is the first American hostage who was released by Hamas since November 2023. Six Americans are still being held in Gaza, of whom two are believed to be alive.

"In the last two weeks, we have succeeded in releasing 13 of our hostages, and five Thai nationals who were also held by Hamas, Netanyahu said.

At this time our thoughts are all with Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and all of our hostages, the living and the deceased, who have yet to return home. We will continue to take determined action to bring them back home, and achieve all of our objectives for the war, the prime minister added.

Following Saturdays releases, 79 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, of whom 20 are set to be released under the current phase of the ceasefire.

Among the rest, 24 are estimated to be alive, while 35 have been declared dead.

According to Army Radio, the 20 set to be released in the coming weeks include seven adults older than 50, 10 whom are categorized as sick or wounded, and the three members of the Bibas family, about whose condition no official information is known at the moment.

They also include two hostages from before the war: Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.

The 24 living hostages, who are not planned to be released in the current phase, include four IDF soldiers; seven civilians kidnapped from villages in the Gaza envelope; 11 who were kidnapped at the Nova party; and two foreign workers, one from Thailand and one from Nepal.

In exchange for the hostage release, Israel set free 183 Palestinian prisoners, of whom 32 were released in Judea and Samaria.

Today, we can assess that Hamas wanted its terrorists back as soon as possible, because the vast majority of them (150 out of 183) were released to the Gaza Strip, and therefore it made sure to release the hostages quickly in order to precede the celebrations of the release of the Gazan terrorists, commented Doron Kadosh, Army Radios military correspondent.

In addition, Israel approved the limited reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt today, following the release of all living civilian hostages that was completed earlier.

This article was originally published at All Israel News
Home News Kenya sees rise in femicide; 75% of women, girls killed by men known to them

2024 saw a marked increase in women being murdered in Kenya despite a heightened awareness of the crisis and government measures to curb what the World Health Organization terms as femicide. This is according to a report published by Kenyan media and research organizations, African Uncensored and OdipoDev, that recorded at least 170 women killed last year: one woman every other day.

The study, which recorded the murder cases from media reports and court cases, showed that husbands of the victims were responsible for nearly half of the cases. In total, people known to the victims, including husbands, ex-husbands, boyfriends or family members, were responsible for 75 percent of the murders.

Public protests and increased media coverage of the alarming number of women being killed by their intimate partners in 2023 prompted the government to respond by setting up a special police unit to investigate gender-based violence. There was also an increase in the number of convictions relating to femicide in 2024.

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The high level of public outcry around femicide seems to have spurred the justice system to action. Convictions have increased by 118 percent in 2024 from the previous year, the highest level it has been since 2018, noted the report. The average sentence was 20 years up until 2023. The number increased to 23 years in 2024.

Additionally, the cabinet approved the formation of a Presidential Working Group on Femicide in December 2024, which will engage religious leaders, parents, schools and security agencies to identify gaps in law, enforcement and social values that contribute to this crisis. This is in line with the governments commitment to ending gender-based violence by 2026 as part of its pledge in the Generation Equalitys Action Coalition.

However, delays within the judicial system meant the victims' families had to wait for an average of four years to get a verdict in 2024 compared to 3.6 years between 2016 and 2023.

Human rights organizations have argued that Kenyas existing laws and policies are sufficient to significantly reduce gender-based violence (GBV) but execution remains the weakest link in the battle to preserve lives especially in home settings where most of the murders are recorded.

According to U.N. Womens Kenya Representative, Anna Mutavati, violence against women and girls remains shockingly rampant despite the laws, policies and commitments. Femicide is the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence. Prevention is our best option against GBV in general but against femicide in particular, said Mutavati.

Others, such as the Rev. Lydia Mwaniki, who leads the gender, women and youth division of the All Africa Conference, believes religious leaders shouldn't remain silent in the face of the femicide crisis.

Actually, religion itself in many instances, has been labeled as the problem, but we have to speak out. We are part of the solution and we want to change the narrative, because many times we are quiet [] but now we have come out to say no [to GBV], said Mwaniki during an interfaith roundtable to discuss practical ways religious organizations can counter femicide.

In addition to providing protection, safe houses and counseling for the victims of gender-based violence, the report adds that more needs to be done to support the psycho-social and economic well-being of young men aged 18-35, who are the most common suspects in femicide cases.

Christian Daily International previously reported about a similar study that highlighted the devastating toll of women killed by their partners or family members in Kenya. Experts note that femicide is often fueled by gender stereotypes, harmful social norms and an unequal balance of power between men and women. The vast majority of the murders reportedly result from family quarrels, with femicide often preceded by domestic violence

Irene Kibagendi, the executive director of the AEA Womens Commission, commented at the time that violence against women is turning homes, traditionally places of refuge, into unsafe spaces for women.

The finality of this cruel and intentional act that many women and girls are experiencing is robbery to one's life, taking into account the inhumane process that causes trauma, fear, agony, psychological and physical isolation for hours or days before they are finally killed. This is quite disheartening, said Kibagendi.

She urgently called for the governments intervention, highlighting the apparent inadequacy of previous efforts to protect women.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
Home News No survivors' in deadly Northeast Philadelphia plane crash

All six people on board a medical transport jet that crashed into homes in a Philadelphia neighborhood Friday night are dead. One person who was in a car at the time of the crash has also died, and at least 19 others were injured and transported to area hospitals.

A Learjet 55 carrying a medical team and a pediatric patient crashed moments after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on Friday, erupting in flames near Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, NBC Philadelphia reported.

Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the flights operator, stated: There were four (4) crew members and two (2) passengers (pediatric patient and her mother) on board. There were no survivors. No names are being released at this time until family members have been notified.

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Officials have not released the names of those on board either but said all six were from Mexico.

The crash happened about 30 seconds after departure, around 6 p.m. Eastern time. It was expected to head from Philadelphia to Springfield-Branson National Airport in Missouri before continuing to Tijuana, Mexico.

Nearby homes caught fire, and multiple videos showed a fireball followed by heavy smoke.

Eyewitnesses described hearing an explosion and seeing debris.

More innocent souls lost, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. Our people are totally engaged. First Responders are already being given credit for doing a great job. More to follow.

Mayor Cherelle Parker urged people to avoid the area, while local authorities closed part of Cottman Avenue and opened a shelter at Samuel Fels High School on Langdon Street for those displaced.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the National Transportation Safety Board would lead the investigation. An NTSB investigator arrived Saturday to begin examining the site.

The Jet Rescue Air Ambulance family extends its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy to the family of the patient, families of our team members, and anyone who was hurt on the ground, said the operator in the statement. Jet Rescue Air Ambulance extends sincere thanks to the many first responders, as well as the city, county and state leadership who mobilized emergency resources to the crash site. Thank you Philadelphia and Pennsylvania for a remarkable response.

The operator experienced a fatal incident in 2023, when one of its planes overran a runway in Morelos, Mexico, causing five deaths.

Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport remain open, according to a spokesperson.

The Philadelphia crash occurred shortly after a separate fatal aviation event near Washington, D.C., involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter. Trump addressed that previous collision on social media, mourning those who perished and commending first responders.

Air ambulance trips can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000, depending on factors such as patient condition, according to The Associated Press.
Home News Street preacher to appeal court ruling upholding arrest over 'hate Islam, Jesus is love' sign

A Christian street preacher who was arrested for protesting Islam after 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 purportedly 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.

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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 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" toward Sleeper after officers failed to take action against pro-Palestine protesters calling for jihad against Israel during recent protests.

Sleeper said the way he was treated was "completely wrong," adding that he plans to appeal.

"The police have never apologized 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 police action against 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. He meant it  everything about his character and experience says as much. He is a dedicated and effective evangelist who understands that Islam gets in the way of people finding God and experiencing eternal life.

How can you be free to criticise Islam in public if the words you mean and explicitly say are ignored in the courts?

This article was originally published at Christian Today
Home News Attacking the Dream: 7 major race massacres in US history

Black History Month is an annual observance in the United States that is centered on celebrating the history, heritage, cultural influence and social contributions of African Americans.

It is also a time to remember the generations-long struggle for racial equality in the country, which saw its highs and lows throughout the history of the independent republic.

Some of the worst lows in the cause of equality among the races occurred from the end of the American Civil War to the years before the modern Civil Rights Movement was launched.

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This time period saw quite a bit of violent white supremacy, as mobs that were sometimes aided by local authorities wreaked havoc on black communities.

Here are seven major race massacres that took place in the United States.
Home News Josh Hawley invites whistleblower Dr. Eithan Haim as guest for Trump's address to Congress

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has invited the recently exonerated Dr. Eithan Haim to attend President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in March as a guest of honor.

Haim, 34, told The Christian Post he received the invitation earlier this week after Hawley spoke to him on the phone Sunday.

The invite, which Hawley's office confirmed to CP, came days after a federal judge dismissed the case against the whistleblowing Texas surgeon, whose situation prompted Hawley to personally intervene with the Trump administration on his behalf last Friday.

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Haim said he "100 percent" plans to attend the president's speech in the U.S. Capitol on March 4, and that he feels vindicated after nearly two years of draining battles against a gender ideology he believes is beginning to crumble.

The whole thing was crazy to begin with, Haim told CP of the case against him. It should have never even been brought.

Haim said he had no regrets, despite having potentially faced a decade in prison and up to $250,000 in fines for leaking documents to journalist Christopher F. Rufo in 2023. The documents showed Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) was continuing to perform so-called "gender-affirming services" on minors despite telling the public it had paused such procedures, according to City Journal.

Not for a minute has the thought even entered my mind of anything resembling the sensation or emotion of regret, Haim said, adding that such an attitude also seems to prevail in other individuals who were unfairly prosecuted under the Biden administration.

I think you see that in a lot of the people who have been persecuted by the Biden regime," he said. "You have people who did the right thing or were falsely persecuted, but they have this spirit about them that is kind of surprising, given everything they've been through. And I think that spirit comes from the knowledge of unjust persecution."

"In my situation, I know I did the right thing," he continued. "There's no question about that. They were mutilating and sterilizing children, and not only that, but they were lying about it. So, as a doctor, my responsibility is to do something about that, and I did."

Within 24 hours of Rufo's story breaking in May 2023, the Texas state Legislature passed SB-14, which rendered such procedures for minors illegal in the state effective Sept. 1 of that year.

The internal documents Haim leaked had redacted personally identifiable patient information, but the U.S. Department of Justice slapped him with four felony counts last June after he "obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Children's Hospital's electronic system without authorization," according to a DOJ press release.

A month after Haims leak and before he had gone public with his identity, two agents with Biden's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General showed up on his porch in Houston on June 23, the day of his residency graduation.

He told CP he believes the federal government knew of his identity immediately after he leaked the TCH documents, but laid in wait to humiliate him and ruin one of the most important days of his life.

They could have come any day because they knew who I was immediately, but they chose that day specifically, he said.

Haim eventually went public with his identity and made the rounds with major conservative media figures, but the case continued to hover over him and he faced a trial on Feb. 10 until Hawley entreated Trump's DOJ to intervene last week.

Days before, Eithan and his wife Andrea  who serves as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas  went viral on X for their lengthy statements accusing the DOJ of defying Trump's executive order ending the political weaponization of the federal government.

Haim told CP that others were involved in his case being thrown out, but credited Hawley with playing a major role. "It was the culmination of a lot of moving parts, but a big part of that was Josh Hawley, that's for sure," he said.

Less than two hours after Hawley tweeted about discussing his case with the Trump administration last Friday, the case had been dismissed.

Following my call this morning, I am delighted to report the Trump DOJ is now moving to DISMISS this illegitimate prosecution https://t.co/snSrOJIZfr  Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 24, 2025

Haim, who told CP previously that he has sensed God's providence throughout his ordeal, said he hopes he has contributed to a domino effect that will topple radical gender ideology.

He noted Trumps recent executive order this week titled "Protecting Children From Chemical And Surgical Castration," which Haim thinks "is one of the dominoes."

Along with directing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to "take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children," Trump's order also mandates the agency to "issue new guidance protecting whistleblowers" who report the performance of gender transition procedures on minors.

None of this was ever based on anything good or anything real, Haim said of such procedures. And now that more people are accepting that fact, this is going to become criminalized in the way it always should have been criminalized, both for adults and children.

Hawley urged Congress on Friday to pass legislation he introduced Wednesday that would "give the child victims of transgender surgeries and treatments the right to sue those doctors and pharma companies who profited off them."

Despite what he has been through, Haim remains humble, describing Hawleys invitation as a huge, huge honor that I am not worthy of.

Because it's a big deal, you know? he said when asked why he feels unworthy to attend. And for me, I feel like I'm just a regular dude.

????CASE AGAINST DR. EITHAN HAIM DISMISSED!

When this case started a year and a half ago, Texas Children's Hospital was mutilating and sterilizing young children while hiding it from the public.



Literally hundreds of people knew it was happening. Some even thought it was wrong, pic.twitter.com/rpDZXb0MP5  Andrea Haim (@AndreaCohenHaim) January 24, 2025

Haim noted the importance of standing up for future generations has become "very real" to him since recently having his first child, a baby girl.

"The only future they have is the future we fight for, and if we're not willing to fight for it now, then when are we going to do it?"

Haim's legal defense fund on GiveSendGo has raised more than $1.3 million as of Friday, though he noted he still faces more than $1 million in legal fees.
Home News Virginia school district reinstates teacher fired over private Christian views on gender

A Virginia school district has reinstated a substitute teacher after initially removing her upon discovering her Christian views on gender ideology.

The teacher, identified by The Daily Signal as Lindsay Rich, was restored this week after an intervention by the Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit Christian legal group.

School officials escorted the teacher from an assignment in September 2024 only two hours after she arrived, and the school board met in a closed session that day to take her off the list, the Liberty Counsel said.

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The substitute teacher said her religious views informed her belief that God created humans as male and female, and opposed male students being allowed to enter facilities reserved for female students.

I was absolutely shocked when the school board violated its own policy by taking action in closed session to strike my name from the personnel list before coming out in open session to vote, the Signal quoted her as saying.

Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the district asserting that the First Amendment, Title VII and Virginia law protect teachers who speak on public matters in a personal capacity.

 As interpreted by the Supreme Court of Virginia,  [the teacher] has the right in her capacity as a citizen to freely speak and write regarding her religious views and political views as they are informed by her faith  and neither she nor any other teacher of [the school district] may be penalized for speech expressed in a private capacity  whether that speech takes place pre-employment, or during employment but in a private capacity, read the letter.

The group also cited the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Virginia Values Act, arguing it is unlawful for employers to take adverse action against individuals because of their religious expression.

Following the demand letter, the school district reinstated the teacher's name on the substitute teachers list. She was the only substitute in that district to lose a job opportunity over statements made outside the classroom.

Liberty Counsel founder and Chairman Mat Staver said: The First Amendment guarantees a teachers right to speak according to his or her religious beliefs and political values. The school district corrected a potentially costly mistake. Teachers have a right to express their conscience and religious beliefs in their private capacity without fear of retribution from their employer.

The teachers removal led local officials and community members to ask for more transparency in the districts hiring process.

Jason Ballard, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, wrote on Facebook, "It is my understanding that MCPS is currently in need of substitute teachers, and it is truly disheartening to hear that a member of our community was turned away from a position of need due to an apparent difference of opinion with Democrats on the school board."

He also asked if the political views of applicants factor into hiring decisions, adding, Our community deserves to know the truth.
Home Opinion 10 reasons why the Pentecostal Church is growing in the US

In a time when many Christian denominations in the United States are experiencing rapid decline, Pentecostal and charismatic churches are defying the trend and continuing to grow. Denominations such as the Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist Convention, Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have seen a significant drop in membership, while Pentecostal movements remain vibrant and expanding. This begs the question: Why is the Pentecostal church growing while others are struggling? Here are ten reasons that explain this unique phenomenon.

1. Young people desire an experience, not just a doctrine

One of the key reasons for the growth of Pentecostalism is its appeal to young people who are seeking more than intellectual knowledge or traditional doctrine. Many Millennials and Gen Z Christians are drawn to worship environments where they can experience the presence of God in a personal, tangible way. This focus on the experiential aspects of faith  whether through dynamic worship, prophecy, or healing  resonates with younger generations who crave authenticity and a direct connection with the divine.

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2. Embracing the power of the Spirit for witness

Pentecostal churches take the mandate of Acts 1:8 seriously: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses. The emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit is a key factor in their growth. Pentecostals believe that the empowerment of the Spirit is essential not just for personal transformation but for being effective witnesses of the Gospel.

3. Belief in supernatural intervention

The Pentecostal belief in supernatural intervention sets it apart from more traditional Christian denominations that tend to downplay or rationalize miracles. Pentecostals hold firm to the belief that God still moves supernaturally in todays world, performing healings, deliverances, and other miraculous acts. People in Pentecostal congregations frequently testify to personal encounters with the supernatural, from healing to prophetic words. This kind of faith in Gods immediate and active power brings hope to those who are searching for answers beyond the natural realm.

4. Intense corporate prayer strategies for breakthrough

Corporate prayer is a major component of Pentecostal worship, and it is often carried out with intensity and urgency. Pentecostal churches are known for their extended times of prayer, often crying out to God for breakthroughs in individual lives, communities, and even nations. This prayer-driven culture is appealing to people who want to see real change and are willing to participate in fervent intercession to make it happen.

5. Spirit-empowered people overcome the flesh

Another reason for the growth of Pentecostalism is its emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit to help believers overcome their sinful nature, or the flesh. Many people are drawn to Pentecostal churches because they are seeking deliverance from addictions, sinful habits, and personal struggles. In Pentecostal teaching, the Holy Spirit plays a vital role in giving believers the strength to resist temptation and walk in holiness. This practical focus on personal transformation resonates with individuals who are tired of battling the same issues year after year and are seeking freedom that goes beyond willpower and human effort.

6. Equipped to cast out demons and break oppression

Many Pentecostal churches are also well-known for their ministry of deliverance. They take seriously the biblical mandate to cast out demons and break spiritual oppression. In a time when many people are struggling with depression, anxiety, and spiritual heaviness, Pentecostals offer a message of hope and freedom through the authority of Christ. This kind of ministry is often lacking in more traditional denominations, which may shy away from discussions about spiritual warfare. By addressing the reality of the demonic and the power of Christ to deliver, Pentecostal churches are providing a vital service to those seeking liberation from spiritual oppression.

7. Powerful experiential worship

Worship in Pentecostal churches is more than just a ritual; it is an experience that engages the heart, mind, body, and spirit. The music is often passionate, and worship services frequently include spontaneous expressions of praise, prophetic songs, and moments of deep encounter with God. This kind of worship is attractive to people who want to feel connected to God on a personal level. The dynamic and interactive nature of Pentecostal worship allows congregants to engage with God in a way that goes beyond passive observation, making them feel like active participants in the spiritual realm.

8. Historical engagement with the urban poor

Historically, Pentecostalism has been closely associated with outreach to the urban poor. From its beginnings at the Azusa Street Revival in 1906, Pentecostalism has drawn people from all walks of life, including many from marginalized and impoverished communities. Pentecostal churches often emphasize practical ministry to the poor through food banks, shelters, or addiction recovery programs. This hands-on approach to social justice and mercy ministry makes Pentecostalism particularly attractive to people who are looking for a faith that engages with the real needs of society.

9. Unity across ethnic and socioeconomic lines

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Pentecostal movement is its history of uniting people from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Azusa Street Revival, which is widely considered the birth of modern Pentecostalism, was a diverse gathering of black, white, Hispanic, and Asian believers. This multi-ethnic foundation has continued to influence Pentecostal churches today, which are often known for their racial and cultural diversity. In a world that is increasingly polarized, Pentecostalism offers a model of unity that transcends race and class, making it appealing to people from various walks of life.

10. A commitment to the supernatural truth of the Bible

Pentecostals are often distinguished by their commitment to the full truth of the Bible, including its supernatural elements. While some denominations may seek to explain away or demystify biblical accounts of miracles, Pentecostals embrace them wholeheartedly. They believe that the God of the Bible is the same today as He was in the times of the apostles and that the miracles, signs, and wonders described in Scripture are still possible  and even expected  today. This unwavering belief in the Bible as the living, active Word of God is compelling to people who want a faith that is rooted in both ancient truth and modern experience.

Conclusion

While many traditional denominations are struggling to maintain their numbers, the Pentecostal and charismatic churches in the United States are experiencing continued growth. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including a focus on personal experience, the power of the Holy Spirit, and a commitment to supernatural truth. Pentecostal churches offer people not just a set of doctrines, but a vibrant, Spirit-filled faith that empowers them to live transformed lives and see the Kingdom of God manifested in their midst. As long as Pentecostal churches continue to emphasize these core values, they will likely remain a powerful force for spiritual renewal and growth in the coming years.
Home Opinion DC plane crash: Is there any recourse in this broken world?

The unquenchable fires in Los Angeles, heartbreaking school shootings  and now, yet another tragedy has struck. All 67 lives were lost onboard the American Airlines plane that collided with an Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport, right outside of Washington, D.C.

In times like these, as we struggle with pain and grief, we inevitably ask: Why? Why did this happen? And how can we even begin to move forward?

Like the nation and the world, our hearts are heavy. It seems as though every week brings new devastation, each tragedy piling onto the last before weve even had time to process our emotions. Its almost as if weve become numb to the relentless cycle of suffering. The problem of evil is a perennial one  why do bad things happen, and is there any solace, any recourse, in a broken and hurting world?

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The good news is that, despite the tragedies, there is hope. That hope is found in the love of a merciful God  a God who loves this world so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to restore what is broken.

The Bible tells us that Jesus had compassion on the multitudes because they were like sheep without a shepherd. In Hebrews 4, we are reminded that Jesus is our advocate before Almighty God, not as a distant, unfeeling deity, but as one who understands.

He has felt our pain, our grief, our rejection, our unanswered questions. He knows the weight of human suffering because He bore it Himself.

At times like this, we must consider the importance of allowing Christs love and forgiveness into our lives. As a minister, I am often called to hospitals to pray with those at the edge of eternity. It is a 911 moment  a time of urgency when spiritual questions become paramount.

For the 67 souls lost in the air over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, it is now beyond 911. The Bible tells us that death is final, but for those of us still here, the promise remains: Jesus is as close as a prayer.

This is not just a comforting sentiment; it is a profound truth. Romans 10:13 offers a powerful assurance: Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Not long ago, my wife and I were visited by a neighbor, an elderly Asian woman who had just lost her husband. She knew I was a minister, but she was unfamiliar with Christianity.

Through tears, she asked, What happens after death? Where is my husband? Is there an afterlife? She had lived more than eight decades yet had never heard of the wonderful promises of Gods love and the assurance we have in Christ.

In the wake of this recent tragedy, we extend that same message of hope to all who are grieving: God is near to the brokenhearted. He does not leave us in our sorrow. Jesus is as close as a prayer, offering healing and sanctuary in the face of suffering.

As believers, we cling to the promise that Jesus conquered death. In John 6:40, He assures us, Whoever sees the Son and believes in Him will have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this hope in Isaiah 25:8: He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.

To the families and friends who have lost loved ones, we extend our deepest condolences. We grieve with you, but we also proclaim the enduring truth that God is our source of healing and comfort.

May we face each new day with faith, strengthened by the knowledge that we are never alone. Even in the darkest of times, hope remains.
China's urban rail transit trips up 9.5 pct in 2024

Xinhua) 10:15, February 01, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The number of passenger trips operated by China's urban rail transit networks in 2024 grew by around 2.8 billion, or 9.5 percent from a year earlier, official data showed.

A total of 32.24 billion passenger trips were handled by the network last year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

By Dec. 31, 2024, the total operating length of 325 urban rail transit lines across 54 Chinese cities reached 10,945.6 kilometers.

Last year, China added 748 kilometers of new rail lines, with 18 new urban rail transit lines becoming operational.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Sheng Chuyi)
Sobhuza Williams, an electrician who lives in Oakland, owes $38,000 in unpaid parking tickets to San Francisco from last year, because though he sold the car to an acquaintance in 2023, the buyer never completed the paperwork, so the tickets went to Williams. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

According to San Francisco, Sobhuza Williams was one of last years biggest parking scofflaws.

More than 150 times in 2024, the citys parking control officers cited his 2008 BMW X3 for any multitude of infractions.

For violating street cleaning rules. For parking on the sidewalk. For lacking plates.

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Theres just one problem: Williams doesnt own the car.

Williams said he sold his BMW in 2023 for $1,000. But what should have been a simple sale to a man he knew turned into a still unfolding fiasco, he said. Now, Williams owes more than $38,000 in city parking tickets, along with other fines in Berkeley and Oakland, as well as unpaid bridge tolls. And he has been unable to extricate himself from his predicament.

I was getting all types of tickets, he said.

Sobhuza Williams shows a photo of himself standing next to the BMW he sold to an acquaintance in 2023. The new owner accumulated $38,000 in parking tickets that Williams is being held liable for due to the buyer not signing paperwork. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

With $38,350 in outstanding fines, the X3 was one of the cars with the highest amount of unpaid fines in San Francisco last year. The Chronicle attempted to reach several vehicle owners in the top 10. Many were difficult to track down.

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When the Chronicle reached Williams, a surprising story emerged, a cautionary tale about how a supposedly simple transaction between acquaintances can go horribly awry. Williams admitted he could have taken steps to better protect himself, but he also said the California Department of Motor Vehicle failed to process a form he filed.

Williams, a 42-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who lives in Oakland and works as an electrician for UC Berkeley, bought the car in 2020.

He loved the cars rosy brown-orange dash and leather seats.

But the car soon developed electrical problems. Williams decided to sell.

In late 2023, he was hanging out with a club promoter who he often saw at after-hours parties in San Francisco and Oakland.

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The man said he was looking to buy a car. Williams mentioned his BMW. It was parked outside of his home and needed work to get it driveable again.

Williams said the man, who did not respond to calls and messages for this story, agreed to take it off his hands. They continued discussing the sale via text.

Ill literally Apple Pay $1015, the man wrote in a text in October 2023 that Williams shared with the Chronicle.

Bring me cash and u can also take the keys, Williams replied. He trusted the buyer  hed even featured him on his podcast, Everyday Celebrity. They met at a bar in San Francisco, Williams said, where the man paid him, and he handed over the keys. Williams asked him to wait to take the car until theyd signed paperwork necessary to transfer the title and make the sale official.

Sobhuza Williams received $38,000 in parking tickets for a car he sold in 2023 to an acquaintance because the new owner never registered the vehicle. He trusted the buyer, but now regrets his choice. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

The car sat in front of his house for weeks, and then he got a text message from the man while he was at work: a photo of the car getting towed away.

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Why did you take the car? he recalled thinking. But he didnt worry too much. He assumed they would sort out the paperwork soon enough.

In late December, however, parking tickets started showing up in his mailbox. At that point, Williams said he paid the tickets and traveled to a DMV office to fill out a release of liability form, a step required by the state for a transfer of ownership.

But the tickets kept coming. He sent the new owner a message asking him what was up, and whether hed ever finished taking care of the paperwork.

You need to fill out an APPLICATION FOR TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP with the dmv asap so it can be in your name, he said.

Ill go there, the man replied.

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Six weeks later, still receiving tickets, Williams tried again.

Did you transfer that car in your name yet? he messaged. The man didnt respond.

Text exchanges from late March show Williams increasing frustration after receiving a summons to go to court over the escalating violations. After one confrontation, the man backtracked hurriedly, promising to take care of the payments.

I didnt know you could get summoned, he wrote. I cant ride around in something stolen.

When Williams went to the DMV again, he said employees there couldnt find any record of his first visit.

He filled out a second release of liability form, receiving a stamped copy in June.

Boom, he thought. That removes me.

It didnt work. By the end of December, Williams owed more than $38,000 in fines.

DMV spokesperson Ronald Ongtoaboc declined to comment on the details of Williams case but in a Jan. 24 email said that officials would reach out to him to help resolve the situation. Nearly a week later, Williams said he had yet to hear from DMV officials.

When vehicle sellers file out a release of liability with the DMV, responsibility for any parking or traffic violations and civil litigation related to the vehicle shifts to the new owner from the date of sale or transfer, he said, in an emailed statement. Sellers are advised to confirm the buyers identification to ensure the accuracy of the ownership details provided.

He went on to explain that a vehicle record is not permanently transferred out of the sellers name until the DMV receives a completed application for transfer of ownership and payment of appropriate fees from the buyer.

The seller should ensure the buyer completes the transfer of ownership to ensure the sellers name is removed from the vehicle record, he said.

But the title transfer process has bedeviled other California residents. The Chronicle reported last year on a woman who suffered through a more-than-yearlong quagmire in which her bank froze her account and the DMV sent her a barrage of invoices she tried to pay multiple times.

Despite Williams efforts, he is still running into roadblocks. When asked about the situation, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which enforces parking regulations in the city, said state DMV records do not show that he has filed a release of liability.

Until DMV records the transfer, they will continue to receive citation notices as the registered owner, spokesperson Erica Kato said, referring additional questions to the DMV.

Williams, meanwhile, said he wonders why the DMV failed to process his release of liability multiple times.

The fact I had to do this twice is ridiculous, he said.

Recently, he received a notice in the mail that the car had been impounded, he said. The letter said he could come pick it up or it would be sold on Feb. 5.

In retrospect, he acknowledges he should have been more careful when selling the car and wishes he hadnt sold it to this person.
Home Opinion How Trumps policy agenda could benefit biblically responsible investors

As faith-based investors, we seek to align our portfolios with biblical principles, investing in companies that honor God and uphold values such as human dignity, family, and stewardship. President Trumps 2025 term has brought renewed focus on policies that resonate deeply with these principles, creating an environment that supports Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI).

To be clear, political agendas and biblical principles are not the same thing, and the Bible and even Christendom itself transcends any political figure, institution, or earthly power. But there is no question that these separate spheres of influence sometimes overlap and certainly influence one another. From standing against unfair Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mandates to reaffirming a two-gender recognition policy and advancing America First initiatives, President Trumps policy actions provide a unique opportunity for BRI to thrive.



Challenging DEI and restoring merit-based systems

One of the hallmarks of Trumps 2025 agenda is his administrations pushback against DEI mandates. These programs, often criticized for fostering division and leftist ideological conformity, have placed unnecessary burdens on businesses by prioritizing quotas over merit. By reducing federal pressure on corporations to adopt DEI frameworks, the administration has encouraged a return to merit-based practices that reward competence and integrity.

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For biblically responsible investors, this shift is significant. Companies that operate on biblical principles value individuals based on their God-given talents and character, not arbitrary classifications. Removing DEI mandates enables businesses to focus on excellence and fairness, creating a more equitable environment for workers and encouraging long-term shareholder value. This policy ensures that companies operating with biblical integrity can compete with fewer ideological constraints, helping to foster environments that prioritize human dignity and respect.

We have already seen numerous major corporations remove DEI from their business and return to a merit-based system, and our expectation is that this pressure from the Office of the President will result in many more companies following suit, possibly opening more large businesses for investment in faith-based portfolios.



Federal recognition of two genders: Upholding biblical truth

In a bold move, the Trump administration has reinstated policies recognizing only two genders at the federal level, aligning with the biblical understanding of male and female as articulated in Genesis 1:27. This decision has far-reaching implications for businesses, education, and healthcare, ensuring that policies and practices respect biological realities rather than ideological trends.

For biblically responsible investing practitioners, this alignment with biblical truth provides clarity and consistency. Businesses no longer face pressure to adopt costly and divisive gender policies, allowing them to focus on their core missions. Moreover, faith-based organizations can operate without fear of legal repercussions for adhering to their beliefs about gender. This policy creates a stable environment for companies committed to honoring Gods design, reinforcing the principles that underpin our biblical approach to investing.

America First policies: Economic growth and corporate accountability

President Trumps renewed America First agenda emphasizes economic independence, domestic manufacturing, and the protection of American workers. Policies such as renegotiating trade agreements, incentivizing domestic production, and reducing reliance on foreign adversaries have bolstered the U.S. economy and could serve to strengthen businesses aligned with biblical values, such as fair labor practices and religious freedom, rather than enriching those under the control of China and other regimes hostile to biblical values and people of faith.

The Bible is not America First, and we all do well to remember that the Stars and Stripes are not coequal with the Cross. However, this focus on American industry stands to benefit faith-based investors in several ways. First, it supports companies that prioritize ethical supply chains, reducing exposure to human rights abuses often associated with foreign labor markets. Second, it creates opportunities for businesses that uphold fair labor practices and environmental stewardship to thrive in a competitive domestic market. By fostering economic growth rooted in integrity and accountability, America First policies enhance the appeal of investments aligned with biblical principles. This does not mean that America First is biblical; it is simply that in the ways described above, America First policies can benefit the kind of businesses that are prominent in many faith-based investing portfolios and, therefore, serve to advantage the faith-based investors who own them.

Additionally, an America First economic plan is particularly beneficial to smaller and medium-sized American businesses that may not have the capital and size to compete against global players and their unfair competitive advantages of lax labor regulations, Chinese government sponsorship, and other factors. These small and midcap businesses tend to be overweighted in faith-based portfolios. To the degree that Trumps policy agenda benefits these stalwart American businesses, faith-based investors should see an outsized benefit relative to more secular-globalist approaches.



Supporting faith-based organizations and religious freedom

The 2025 Trump administration has continued to champion religious liberty, ensuring that faith-based organizations like ours can operate without antagonistic government interference. New leadership at federal agencies, policies protecting the rights of religious institutions to act in accordance with their beliefs, and other reforms create a legal environment where Christian businesses can flourish.

This commitment to religious freedom is vital for biblically responsible investing. Faith-based organizations rely on a supportive legal framework to fulfill their missions. By removing regulatory barriers and protecting religious expression, the administration has empowered organizations like ours to expand our impact, offering investors meaningful opportunities to support businesses that honor God and contribute to society.

A renewed focus on ethical business practices

Under President Trumps leadership, there has been an increased emphasis on holding corporations accountable for their practices. Policies aimed at combating human trafficking, forced labor, and unethical supply chains have been strengthened, aligning with biblical mandates to uphold justice and protect the vulnerable.

For biblically responsible investors, these efforts enhance confidence in companies committed to ethical operations. By prioritizing transparency and accountability, the administration has created a marketplace that rewards businesses operating with integrity. This focus aligns with the goals of faith-based investors seeking to honor God through their financial decisions.

Challenges and opportunities ahead

While the 2025 Trump administrations policies have provided a strong foundation for biblically responsible investing, challenges remain. Cultural resistance to biblical values persists, and the corporate landscape continues to reflect competing ideologies. However, the progress being made under these policies underscores the potential for government leadership to create an environment where faith-based investing can flourish.

As biblically responsible investing practitioners, our task is to build on this momentum by identifying and supporting companies that reflect Gods truth. By staying vigilant and committed to our principles, we can continue to drive meaningful impact in both the marketplace and the Kingdom of God.

Conclusion

President Trumps 2025 agenda has provided a rare and compelling alignment with the principles of biblically responsible investing. From challenging DEI mandates and reaffirming biblical truth about gender to advancing America First policies and protecting religious freedom, these initiatives have created an environment where faith-based investors have a great opportunity to thrive.

At Inspire Investing, we remain committed to honoring God through our financial decisions. By investing in companies that align with biblical principles, we not only seek to achieve strong returns but also contribute to a world that reflects Gods design. As we navigate this new chapter, let us remain steadfast in our commitment to integrity, stewardship, and faith, trusting in Gods guidance for the future.
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Christians and politicians have been in uproar after US Vice-President JD Vance advocated for a hierarchy of 'loving your neighbour' that prioritises family and nation.

A debate has raged on social media about Vance's belief that prioritising those closer to us is a "Christian concept". Even UK politicians like Rory Stewart have waded in, prompting a quip from the VP that he has an average IQ.

The clip of Vance's interview with Fox News was shared on social media and has so far received 125,000 'likes': "There is an old school  and I think it's a very Christian concept - you love your family and then you love your neighbour, and then you love your community, and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then after that, you can focus and prioritise the rest of the world," the VP said.

"A lot of the far left has completely inverted that. They seem to hate their own country, and care more about people outside their own borders. That is no way to run a society."

There has been a heated debate on X about the comments from a series of high-profile Christians, Catholics and politicians on both sides of the political divide.

Rory Stewart, the liberal former Conservative MP, wrote in response: "A bizarre take on John 15:12-13 - less Christian and more pagan tribal. We should start worrying when politicians become theologians, assume to speak for Jesus, and tell us in which order to love."

However, Stewart is incorrect that Vance's words derive from that chapter of John, as the VP pointed out in a reply: "Just google 'ordo amoris' (which means 'order of loves' in Latin).

Doing so reveals that Vance's statement was based on teaching from church fathers through the ages, such as St Augustine in City of God. St Thomas Aquinas expanded the idea. Philosopher David McPherson shared a passage from Aquinas saying "we ought to be most beneficent towards those who are most closely connected to us".

Such teaching is given more weight in Catholic circles, and many commentators pointed out that it is related to the Catholic Social Teaching principle of "subsidiarity", although there were Catholics, evangelicals, and others on both sides of the heated social media debate.

McPherson elaborated: "Glad to see people debating the 'order of love.'" His more balanced comment on Aquinas was that it "acknowledges special obligations to family and fellow citizens, while also acknowledging Good Samaritan cases, but without resolving our political questions."

Vance continued in his riposte to Stewart: "Aside from that, the idea that there isn't a hierarchy of obligations violates basic common sense. Does Rory really think his moral duties to his own children are the same as his duties to a stranger who lives thousands of miles away? Does anyone?"

Left-wing critics

Vance's comments were met with derision from left-leaning Christians on X. Apologist Randal Rauser wrote: "JD Vance is brazenly teaching a false gospel. The Christian concept is Love God and neighbour where 'neighbour' is the tax collector, leper, woman of Cana, anyone you are least likely to want to love. MAGA is an anti-christ gospel."

Meanwhile, the Baptist News wrote that Vance is "getting schooled by theologians over his inverted theology". The news outlet cited the pro-LGBT priest James Martin, theologian Joash Thomas, and pastor Zack Lambert as criticising Vance's comments as un-Christian. Many cited the parable of the Good Samaritan, which has a clear message from Jesus that we must care for someone from a different community.

Conservative defenders

To say Vance was "schooled" seems an exaggeration however, because prestigious Christians with more conservative values were quick to defend Vance and criticise Stewart, citing Bible verses and historic teaching themselves.

Political philosopher John Milbank wrote: "I'm afraid that JD Vance totally trounces Rory Stewart here," while Catholic philosophy academic Edward Feser wrote: "The Vice President has St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and indeed the entire mainstream Christian and natural law traditions on his side. His critics have, on their side, woolly liberal bromides and foot-stomping." He added in a further post that the belief we have the same duties to all people on the planet is a consequence of "radical individualism".

Staunch evangelicals also supported Vance. "Except he's right," writes Jamie Bambrick, editor of Clear Truth Media, in response to Stewart. "It's called the ordo amoris and it's a well-known concept, taught in the Bible, where you are to care for your own family before other families, the household of God before the wider world, and yes, your own nation before others."

Along with other Christians, Bambrick cited several Bible verses to support Vance's point, including: 1 Timothy 5:8: "But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." And also Galatians 6:10: "So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."

Other passages raised in support of Vance were Mark 7:11-13 where Jesus clearly teaches against neglecting parents in need.

Other religions were brought up in the debate. Khaled Hassan said: "If you truly knew anything about most cultures in the world, you'd know that the same concept exists in Islam, Judaism, and pretty much every other culture/faith group... you're arguing against one of the most sensible concepts known to man!"

The fact that there can be such very different interpretations of the core teachings of Christianity must confuse many. Perhaps it is a sign that politics is the main lens by which many people interpret scripture, which should give believers of all political persuasions pause for thought.

Vance gave a cutting final response to Stewart on Thursday: "I've said before and I'll say it again: the problem with Rory and people like him is that he has an IQ of 110 and thinks he has an IQ of 130. This false arrogance drives so much elite failure over the last 40 years."

Heather Tomlinson is a freelance Christian writer. Find more of her work at https://heathertomlinson.substack.com or via X (twitter) @heathertomli
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Over 10,000 people have signed a petition calling upon the government to review the 'pills-by-post' scheme that allows women to carry out abortions at home without the in-person oversight of a medical practitioner.

The scheme was given the green light at the beginning of the Covid lockdowns and was encouraged by abortion providers.

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) started the petition calling for a review and has raised serious concerns about the system, including clear cases of abuse.

SPUC said there is "abundant evidence" that in many cases the pills-by-post scheme is being used to carry out home abortions past the legal limit of 24 weeks.

The organisation noted that 6 per cent of 'DIY abortions' cause issues which require surgical intervention, and that there have been reports of people using the pills-by-post scheme in order to terminate the pregnancy of a woman without her knowledge.

"If this system continues, women will continue to face unnecessary emotional trauma, medical complications, and coercion. Continuing without safeguards will normalise unsafe practices, devalue life, and perpetuate harm," the petition states.

"That is why we are calling on the Health Secretary to commission an urgent review into this failed policy. Any impartial review of the evidence would show that this policy is dangerous for women and poses unacceptable risks.

"DIY abortion removes vital protections, letting abusers coerce women into unwanted abortions."

Last December, Stuart Worby was sentenced to a year in prison after he crushed an abortion drug into the drink of his girlfriend without her knowledge. She was 15 weeks' pregnant at the time and tragically the baby died.

In another case, Georgina Day was handed a suspended sentence after she lied to a British Pregnancy Advisory Service agent to obtain abortion pills for her boyfriend, who wished to trick his other girlfriend, who was pregnant, into taking them.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service is the leading abortion provider in the country.
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Donald Trump is already a hero to many pro-life Americans for the appointment of Supreme Court judges in his first term, that would go on to overturn Roe vs Wade, the 1973 judgement that declared abortion to be a nationwide constitutional right in the US.

At the annual "March for Life" held in Washington last week, tens of thousands gathered to show their support for pro-life policies. Rather than resting on their laurels however, pro-life leaders are looking to encourage Trump and his new administration to take further action to end the practice of abortion.

Trump, while doing more for the pro-life cause than any president for at least 50 years, has been ambivalent about his own views on abortion, saying he believes it should be a matter for the states to decide, angering both those who want nationwide abortion access and those who want a nationwide ban.

While Trump may have ruled out a federal ban on abortion, pro-life activists hope the returning president will take other steps to reduce abortion, namely defunding Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood conducts more than 300,000 abortions every year, more than any other provider in the US.

Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America (SFLA), told The Christian Post, "The number one job right now should be defunding and devouring Planned Parenthood. So we are going to have to convince President Trump to join us on that."

Hawkins praised Trump for pardoning a number of pro-life activists who were jailed for attempting to physically block people from going to abortion clinics.

Hawkins, 39, is a good example of the increasingly pro-life stance taken by Millennials and Generation Z.

A poll commissioned by Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement and YouGov found that 67% of registered voters in the US support limits on abortion, with only 9% supporting no limits at all on abortion.

Around 60% also said that human rights begin in the womb, with a quarter saying human rights began after birth.
President Donald Trump was admonished by Bishop Budde during the National Prayer Service a day after his second inauguration. (Photo: Fox 5)

Donald Trump's second inauguration has unsurprisingly led to a hive of activity and controversy. We've had controversial pardons, controversial arm gestures, and we've even had a controversial sermon delivered by the Episcopal Bishop, Mariann Budde.

During her sermon, Budde specifically addressed the new president, and asked him to "have mercy" on immigrants and on the LGBT community who were "scared" of his new administration. The sermon was criticised by right-wingers for being unduly political, but praised by left-wingers for bravery.

On the other side of the political coin, Calvin Robinson had his license to operate as a priest in the Anglican Catholic Church revoked after he copied Elon Musk's supposed "Nazi salute" gesture while giving a speech to pro-lifers.

A duty to speak the truth

Is it wise or, indeed, biblical for church leaders to take political stances? It's possible to find examples from the Old Testament, especially of prophets, giving the word of God directly to kings and those in authority.

By contrast, Jesus himself showed remarkably little interest in politics, ("My kingdom is not of this world") but was very interested in bringing healing and salvation to the everyman.

So which model should the modern church man or woman follow?

Was Bishop Budde acting as an Old Testament prophet when she asked President Trump to embody the Christian virtue of mercy? Was Calvin Robinson? Is John MacArthur acting as a prophet when he writes open letters castigating California Governor Gavin Newsom?

Perhaps.

A divided church

The difference between then and now is that, for better or worse, we are living in democratic societies. In the Old Testament, arguably the only person a prophet needed to convince to bring about social or religious change was the king.

Nowadays the 'king' is a kind of avatar for the will of up to half the population. Attacking 'him' is attacking 'them'. To make matters worse, in our increasingly divided societies, the 'other guy' is the embodiment of evil (and so are their supporters).

What this effectively means is that should a priest get party political they will immediately alienate half of their congregation.

The church is meant to be "one body" in Christ. It should not be the case that we have Democrat or Republican churches, or Labour or Tory churches.

There is no doubt that church leaders must feel under pressure at times to comment on pressing political issues. In some senses they are in a no-win situation. Comment and you're interfering in political matters 'not of your concern'; don't comment and you're not being 'relevant'.

Perhaps the wisest course is to stick to preaching the message of the Gospel and let the congregation draw their own conclusions. There is no harm in conceding that big political issues exist for Christians to grapple with, but trying to discern and then preach God's views on Brexit, the tax rate and international affairs might be an overly ambitious endeavour.
(Photo: Getty/iStock)

After a week of evidence, the worst fears about the so-called 'assisted dying' bill have been realised.

The 'scrutiny' of the Bill that could introduce assisted suicide to the UK has been highly controversial in its first week of meeting, with experts publicly describing the process as biased, unbalanced, and even a 'shambles'.

This week was the first formal meeting of the committee tasked with preparing legislation that will allow doctors to kill patients if they say they want to end their life prematurely and have a terminal diagnosis. It listened to experts from across the world.

However a number of key witnesses on the potential harms of the Bill were excluded, and supporters of the legislation even tried to make the committee private so that the public could not hear what was said. When UK health professionals and experts raised concerns about the legislation and the way in which it has been introduced, they were interrupted and shut down. At the same time, the Bill's cheerleader, Kim Leadbeater MP, invited a number of extreme pro-euthanasia witnesses who urged the committee to go further than the current plans and make it easier for patients to be killed.

The committee, whose members are disproportionately in favour of the Bill, initially voted to exclude evidence from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and disability rights groups  until they were forced to give in due to significant pressure.

"Yesterday undermined the idea that a Parliamentary committee is an impartial process operating above the messy realities of politics," wrote journalist Dan Hitchens after the first day of evidence. "To all appearances, Kim Leadbeater is playing to win."

James Cleverly MP agreed: "This is not reassuring me that getting good legislation is the priority for the proponents of the bill," he said. "I've seen this before. People become so focused on getting the win, they lose sight of the importance of getting a balance of views."

Shocked experts

Many expressed serious concerns about why the committee did not want initially to hear important experts on the vital issues of coercion and capacity  an important issue if people are not to be pressured into euthanasia. Professor Professor Katherine Sleeman, a specialist in palliative care who is also a witness for the Committee, had said she was "stunned that the committee for a Bill that quite literally rewrites the Suicide Act of 1961 voted against inviting the Royal College of Psychiatrists to give oral evidence".

"What a shambles!" wrote Nikki da Costa on X, who is a former director of legislative affairs in government and has been following the process closely. She has raised a number of key concerns, including that the Bill's supporters are bypassing normal parliamentary procedure and will only evaluate how assisted suicide will harm the vulnerable after the committee finishes. "Undermines line-by-line scrutiny," she wrote. "It would have helped identify issues and amendments. Now MPs can cherry-pick what evidence counts."

Biased process

Danny Kruger MP, a key critic of the Bill, raised concerns about the people called to give evidence and the way in which Leadbeater has controlled the process. Kruger described the list of 60 witnesses as "unbalanced" and in favour of euthanasia. "Thirty-eight of them, as far as we can tell, are in favour of this Bill or in favour of the principle of assisted dying, versus only 20 who are opposed," said the MP, the charity Right to Life reported. "There's an inherent imbalance."

A number of those watching closely described the process as biased. "Watching day 3 of the assisted suicide Bill committee hearing from witnesses," wrote commentator Fleur Elizabeth on X. "They have now had 6 witnesses from Australia, all in favour of assisted suicide. This is not proper scrutiny. This is unbelievable bias."

Cambridge assistant professor of law Philip Murray agreed: "Refusal to consider Canadian evidence. Refusal to hear from a range of AS-sceptical academics, lawyers, doctors and practitioners. There's an astonishing confirmation bias baked into the committee."

Experts were also dismissed when they gave evidence that demonstrated the problems and dangers of assisted suicide. Professor of psychiatry Allan House said after giving evidence: "Frustrating format and sense of minds made up. But interesting to be told by Kim Leadbeater that I don't understand suicide in life limiting illness."

For such a difficult subject with such potential dangers, the reduced scrutiny of a private members' Bill has been described as inadequate "because we haven't had a consultation, and the process of deliberation wasn't transparent, as it never can be with a private members' bill..." pointed out Baroness Kishwer Falkner, but was interrupted by Leadbeater.

The pro-euthanasia MP also interrupted Dr Sarah Cox, head of the Association for Palliative Medicine, when she raised concerns about how the debate regarding this Bill has raised unnecessary fears about death: "The stories that have been told have suggested to many members of the public that death is inevitably ugly, horrific and dramatic. Actually,

that has made many people fearful, and they have been emailing me and saying, 'I am now afraid of dying, and I wasn't before.' They may then choose assisted dying before they need to because they have had a fear instilled in them that death is inevitably horrible and dramatic."

The reality is that most people's fears about death are not realised when they are cared for at the end of their lives by hospices, experts in pain relief, and pastoral support.

Inexperienced MPs

Despite the many strong arguments made against assisted suicide in principle, and particularly the quality of this particular Bill, MPs voted in favour at its second reading by 330 votes to 275 in November. Yet this was executed by many new MPs with little parliamentary experience. Despite their immaturity in Parliament, they felt confident enough to vote 63% in favour, while more experienced MPs voted 54% against.

It was also notable that the MPs who voted in favour represented more affluent constituencies. The committee includes Stephen Kinnock, Health Minister, and Sarah Sackman, Justice Minister, who both voted for the Bill. New parliamentarian Jake Richards MP is also a Labour member of the committee who supports the Bill, yet he spent the first day of evidence on his phone tweeting. Several other members of the committee who voted for it are also new to Parliament, such as Tom Gordon MP and Lewis Atkinson MP.

Here are just a small selection of the serious problems with the Bill that experts raised in the committee this week:

Consultant psychiatrist Prof Gareth Owen raised a number of concerns, not least that the public is confused by the term 'assisted dying' that is used by euthanasia campaigners, and think that it refers to palliative care rather than causing death. Also that the courts and those implementing relevant legislation such as the Mental Capacity Act have no experience in dealing with those choosing to end their lives, which will be "uncharted territory".

Dr Rachel Clark said the "elephant in the room" is that NHS assessments of 'mental capacity'  whether someone is capable of making an informed decision about their health, which would be a vital factor in deciding if someone can choose suicide  are not done well in practice.

Australian doctor, Dr Chloe Furst, who assists suicide herself, admits there are cases of people vomiting after ingesting assisted suicide drugs, that it can take many hours to die, and that doctors do not stay with the patient.

Fazilet Hadi of Disability Rights UK gave a moving word of warning: "Parliamentarians, I know you want to look at the problems of individuals. But also, you have a responsibility to think about the society we want to create. I and other disabled people feel that we've already got an uphill struggle convincing people that our lives are of equal value, and that this Bill actually hinders us in that aspiration and ambition rather than helping us."

Dr Jamilla Hussain said the Bill serves a very small number of people yet will put a much larger group at risk: "The very existence of this Bill, it puts everyone who needs end of life care, it opens up a Pandora's Box of risk." She said that people from ethnic minorities believe they will be disproportionately affected.

Dr Sarah Cox, president of the Association of Palliative Care, sharply contradicted claims from the Bill's supporters that introducing euthanasia has led to improved end of life care in the countries it has been introduced. Instead, she said, it actually harmed the development of palliative care. About 80% of the Association's members are opposed to legalising assisted suicide, and only 5% are in favour.

Dr Cox also warned about the difficulty of discovering if someone is being pressured to end their lives, by relatives who want their money, for example. "You can't always identify coercion," she said. "After the event, there's nobody to tell us about coercion, so it's very difficult to monitor."

Giving a terminal diagnosis and knowing when someone will die is "not an exact science" the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Chris Whitty, warned. There is a "spread of uncertainty around it". Therefore although the Bill's supporters say it is just for those near the end of their lives, it is impossible to ensure this is the case.

Royal College of Psychiatrists expert Dr Annabel Price told the committee that depression is common at the end of life, yet if it is treated well then the desire for suicide often changes.

Prof Laura Hoyano said that there are technical problems with how the Bill defines the role of the High Court. "There are a number of unusual functions being attributed to the Court."

According to the Institute for Government, the earliest possible date for report stage is Friday 25 April, so it is unlikely the committee will complete before then.

After such an extraordinary litany of serious concerns about the so-called "Assisted Dying" Bill, many commentators have been left astonished that it is being pushed through in this way, and are deeply concerned that its supporters are naive, ideologically committed, and ill-informed. "All the people I know who support assisted suicide are happy and educated," said Lord Daniel Moylan on X. "Nobody would even think of coercing them into anything. And they seem to think they are typical. That's their blindness to the real world."

Heather Tomlinson is a freelance Christian writer. Find more of her work at https://heathertomlinson.substack.com/ or via X (twitter) @heathertomli
(Photo: Getty/iStock)

A new Vatican missive approved by Pope Francis has warned of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI), while also stressing that, ultimately, it is human intelligence that will guide the morality of its use.

The result of a collaboration between the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Dicastery for Culture and Education, and drawing on a number of recent addresses by the pontiff, Antiqua et Nova: Note on the relationship between artificial intelligence and human intelligence exhorts "those entrusted with transmitting the faith" as well as "those who share the conviction that scientific and technological advances should be directed toward serving the human person and the common good" to remain aware of the distinction between human intelligence and AI.

Calling AI a "part of the collaboration of man and woman with God", the missive quotes Pope Francis in warning that "the very use of the word 'intelligence' in connection to AI 'can prove misleading'".

"In light of this, AI should not be seen as an artificial form of human intelligence, but as a product of it," the document states.

It then talks of the vast potential AI has for assisting human endeavours, but also warns of its potential for harm in the absence of moral guidance.

"As in all areas where humans are called to make decisions, the shadow of evil also looms here," it said.

"The moral evaluation of this technology will need to take into account how it is directed and used."

Pope Francis has been one of the most high-profile subjects of the use of AI to generate deepfake images, with images of him in a bomber jacket and resembling a rapper or locked in an embrace with US celebrity Madonna going viral and generating headlines around the world. This has left him uniquely suited to speak on the threat of fake news.

"AI-generated fake media can gradually undermine the foundations of society," the statement reads.

"This issue requires careful regulation, as misinformationespecially through AI-controlled or influenced mediacan spread unintentionally, fuelling political polarization and social unrest."

It goes on to warn of the potential to sow confusion and misdirection in other areas, saying that "using AI to deceive in other contextssuch as education or in human relationships, including the sphere of sexualityis also to be considered immoral and requires careful oversight".

Unsurprisingly, it saves some of its strongest language for the use of AI in war, calling tools that utilise AI in "identifying and striking targets without direct human intervention" a "cause for grave ethical concern".

It also references calls from Pope Francis for their use to be banned, saying that they pose an "existential risk" to humanity itself.

"This danger demands serious attention," the document says, "reflecting the long-standing concern about technologies that grant war 'an uncontrollable destructive power over great numbers of innocent civilians,' without even sparing children."

Pope Francis has spoken out strongly on the topic of AI in recent times, sending a statement to the 2025 World Economic Forum, held at Davos-Klosters last month, that was read out to delegates by Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Vatican official.

"This technology is designed to learn and make certain choices autonomously, adapting to new situations and providing answers not foreseen by its programmers, thus raising fundamental questions about ethical responsibility, human safety, and the broader implications of these developments for society," his statement read.

Pope Francis said governments and businesses must exercise "due diligence and vigilance" in navigating the new technology's complexities, as the world faced a "growing crisis of truth in the public forum" with AI's output often being almost indistinguishable from that of humans.

"Unlike many other human inventions, AI is trained on the results of human creativity, which enables it to generate new artefacts with a skill level and speed that often rival or surpasses human capabilities, raising critical concerns about its impact on humanity's role in the world," the Pope said.
The race to implement artificial intelligence solutions across the enterprise is in full swing. Most are using AI to drive down bottom-line costs by doing things quicker or more frequently than they did before. The potential for time and cost savings are immense, but almost no one defines what they are going to do with the time that they save.

At the same time, while increased efficiency can help reduce bottom-line costs today, businesses will need to transform to stay competitive in an AI-driven future. But how do you transform without increasing bottom line costs? With the right mindset shift and strategy, we can capitalize on the gains AI is offering today to help drive transformation.

AI is freeing up time and increasing pressure for business transformation. In doing so, it is both the problem and the solution. AI capabilities today can help free up employees so they can focus on business transformation without increasing bottom-line costs. Instead of just cutting costs today, lets invest the savings into making our businesses competitive for the future.
A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office A dog named Moscow was rescued Saturday after falling 200 feet down Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe, officials said. Provided by El Dorado Sheriff's Office

A dog is recovering after it fell 200 feet down a waterfall near Lake Tahoe last week, authorities said.

At around 10:22 a.m. Saturday, the El Dorado County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call from a hiker, who said his dog Moscow had slid down Cascade Falls, a popular hiking trail near Emerald Bay, the sheriffs office said.

Local officials and a search and rescue team responded to the scene, trekking in from an access road and using a drone to locate the animal, said Michele Gigante, a volunteer with the El Dorado Search and Rescue Tahoe Team. Moscow, a brown and black mixed-breed dog, seemed to have lost his footing on the icy trail and tumbled down the 200-foot drop, she said.

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Members of the rescue team navigated to the base of the falls, where a good Samaritan who had been ice climbing was tending to the injured dog, the sheriffs office said. A volunteer extracted Moscow from an area with ice overhead and animal control professionals wrapped him in an insulated foam pad, Gigante said.

Because Moscow was having trouble moving, the rescue team clipped him into a harness on a backpack made for transporting animals before hiking out and reuniting him with his owner, the sheriffs office said. About two hours elapsed between the hikers 911 call and the rescue, Gigante said.

Moscow was transported to an emergency veterinarian and was doing well as of Thursday, the sheriffs office said. Though he sustained fractures and was hospitalized overnight, he is expected to make a full recovery, Gigante said.

Im telling you, that dog is a tough dog, that he survived that fall, Gigante said.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently implementing a project Public Finance for Development Project that requires the services of a National Consultant to conduct Spending Reviews and develop the Spending Review Methodology



The Project Public Finance for Development in Moldova is seeking to contract a national consultant to be part of a team together with a group of 2 International Consultants (Team Leader and Senior Consultant) to conduct Spending Reviews and develop the Spending Review Methodology.

The objective of the assignment is to contribute to developing analytical capacities of the Ministry of Finance and Line Ministries of the Republic of Moldova for carrying out the spending reviews based on the methodologies piloted in 2018  2024, and further adjusting the methodology with the general goal of its institutionalization.

Deadline for submission of proposals: 17 February 2025, 16:30 (GMT+2).

For details regarding the competition and submission requirements, please visit the page: https://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_negotiation.cfm?nego_id=29963

Alte articole de la acest autor:
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  The Alaska Gold Rush town of Nome faced a bleak winter. It was hundreds of miles from anywhere, cut off by the frozen sea and unrelenting blizzards, and under siege from a contagious disease known as the strangling angel for the way it suffocated children.

Now, 100 years later, Nome is remembering its saviors  the sled dogs and mushers who raced for more than five days through hypothermia, frostbite, gale-force winds and blinding whiteouts to deliver life-saving serum and free the community from the grip of diphtheria.

Among the events celebrating the centennial of the 1925 Great Race of Mercy are lectures, a dog-food drive and a reenactment of the final leg of the relay, all organized by the Nome Kennel Club.

Remembering the mushers and dogs for heroic effort

Theres a lot of fluff around celebrations like this, but we wanted to remember the mushers and their dogs who have been at the center of this heroic effort and ... spotlight mushing as a still-viable thing for the state of Alaska, said Diana Haecker, a kennel club board member and co-owner of Alaskas oldest newspaper, the Nome Nugget.

People just dropped whatever they were doing, she said. These mushers got their teams ready and went, even though it was really cold and challenging conditions on the trail.

Other communities are also marking the anniversary  including the village of Nenana, where the relay began, and Cleveland, Ohio, where the serum runs most famous participant, a husky mix named Balto, is stuffed and displayed at a museum.

Jonathan Hayes, a Maine resident who has been working to preserve the genetic line of sled dogs driven on the run by famed musher Leonhard Seppala, is recreating the trip. Hayes left Nenana on Monday with 16 Seppala Siberian sled dogs, registered descendants of Seppalas team.

The historic trek to neutralize the diphtheria epidemic in Nome

Diphtheria is an airborne disease that causes a thick, suffocating film to develop at the back of the throat; it was once a leading cause of death for children. The antitoxin used to treat it was developed in 1890, and a vaccine in 1923; it is now exceedingly rare in the U.S.

Nome, western Alaskas largest community, had about 1,400 residents a century ago. Its most recent supply ship had arrived the previous fall, before the Bering Sea froze, without any doses of the antitoxin. Those the local doctor, Curtis Welch, had were outdated, but he wasnt worried. He hadnt seen a case of diphtheria in the 18 years he had practiced in the area.

Within months, that changed. In a telegram, Welch pleaded with the U.S. Public Health Service to send serum: An epidemic of diphtheria is almost inevitable here.

The first death was a 3-year-old boy on Jan. 20, 1925, followed the next day by a 7-year-old girl. By the end of the month, there were more than 20 confirmed cases. The city was placed under quarantine.

West Coast hospitals had antitoxin doses, but it would take time to get them to Seattle and then onto a ship for Seward, an ice-free port south of Anchorage. In the meantime, enough for 30 people was found at an Anchorage hospital.

It still had to get to Nome. Airplanes with open-air cockpits were ruled out as unsuited for the weather. There were no roads or trains that reached Nome.

Instead, officials shipped the serum by rail to Nenana in interior Alaska, some 675 miles (1,086 kilometers) from Nome via the frozen Yukon River and mail trails.

Thanks to Alaskas new telegraph lines and the spread of radio, the nation followed along, captivated, as 20 mushers  many of them Alaska Natives  with more than 150 dogs relayed the serum to Nome. They battled deep snow, whiteouts so severe they couldnt see the dogs in front of them, and life-threatening temperatures that plunged at times to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 51 degrees Celsius).

The antitoxin was transported in glass vials covered with padded quilts. Not a single vial broke.

Seppala, a Norwegian settler, left from Nome to meet the supply near the halfway point and begin the journey back. His team, led by his dog Togo, traveled more than 250 miles (320 kilometers) of the relay, including a treacherous stretch across frozen Norton Sound.

After about 5 1/2 days, the serum reached its destination on Feb. 2, 1925. A banner front-page headline in the San Francisco Chronicle proclaimed: Dogs victors over blizzard in battle to succor stricken Nome.

The official record listed five deaths and 29 illnesses. Its likely the toll was higher; Alaska Natives were not accurately tracked.

Balto gains fame as unlikely dog to bring serum to Nome

Seppala and Togo missed the limelight that went to his assistant, Gunnar Kaasen, who drove the dog team led by Balto into Nome. Balto was another of Seppalas dogs, but was used to only haul freight after he was deemed too slow to be on a competitive team.

Balto was immortalized in movies and with statues in New Yorks Central Park and one in Anchorage intended as a tribute to all sled dogs. He received a bone-shaped key to the city of Los Angeles, where legendary movie actress Mary Pickford placed a wreath around his neck.

But he and several team members were eventually sold and kept in squalid conditions at a dime museum in Los Angeles. After learning of their plight, an Ohio businessman spearheaded an effort to raise money to bring them to Cleveland. After dying in 1933, Balto was mounted and placed on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Iditarod pays homage to the serum run

Today, the most famous mushing event in the world is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which is not based on the serum run but on the Iditarod Trail, a supply route from Seward to Nome. Iditarod organizers are nevertheless marking the serum runs centennial, with a series of articles on its website and by selling replicas of the medallions each serum run musher received a century ago, race spokesperson Shannon Noonan said in an email. This years Iditarod starts March 1.

The Serum Run demonstrated the critical role sled dogs played in the survival and communication of remote Alaskan communities, while the Iditarod has evolved into a celebration of that tradition and Alaskas pioneering spirit, Noonan said.
Our newsroom normally enters a new year with significant investigative and enterprise projects on the calendar, but when Donald Trump won the November election, we opted to keep our reporters free of such assignments.

Trump, after all, campaigned on a plan to remake America at many levels. We decided that fully exploring how each of Trumps initiatives might impact Ohio and Northeast Ohio would be the most valuable journalism we could provide to the community, at least as 2025 dawned.

The strategy already has proven out, less than two weeks into the new administration. Trump blazed into office with a flurry of executive orders and policies that could have huge ramifications on the way of life here, and our reporters already are sprinting to keep up.

The best example I can offer from Trumps opening weeks was the release of a two-page memo late Tuesday announcing a temporary halt on federal payments except to individuals, such as people receiving Social Security disbursements. The order potentially affected billions of dollars for Ohio agencies, companies, governments, colleges and others, as well as uncountable jobs.

By 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, we had a plan that ultimately involved 10 reporters and six editors, examining every aspect of the order we could handle. By days end we published five stories to lay out how the order might play out in our region and state.

Not every newsroom can do this. We can because of the support we receive from people who subscribe to The Plain Dealer or cleveland.com. Our newsroom is thriving because people see value in what we do and support it, resulting in our ability to perform as we did Wednesday.

I should point out that I am talking about news stories. This was not opinion content, passing judgment on what Trump did. It was a set of stories dispassionately explaining what it all might mean. You will find people complaining about Trumps process in the stories. You will find people supporting the presidents effort to control spending. You wont find bias from our reporters.

As most know, within 24 hours the issue was dead, at least for a while. A judge blocked the order from taking effect, and the Trump administration then withdrew it. Our readers, however, understand what it could have meant.

The episode was a terrific lesson about how what happens in Washington D.C. makes a big difference at the local level.

Here are the stories our team produced.

Sabrina Eaton wrote the overarching story, with assists from Julie Washington, Kaitlin Durbin, Rich Exner, Megan Sims, Anna Staver and Jeremy Pelzer. It contained the news, the current status and comments from a wide array of people and agencies that could have been crippled, at least temporarily, and were confused by the lack of detail offered by the Trump administration. Were talking about people in education and healthcare and such vital agencies at the sewer district, our public housing agency and our regional planning agency.

Anna and Jeremy wrote a story about how the order might or might not impact Ohios budget, which gets roughly a third of its money from the federal government. Gov. Mike DeWine is days from introducing the next two-year budget, so this is timely.

Sean McDonnell published a piece about the threat to many millions of dollars that have been awarded to Cleveland for its lakefront development and explained why that project would be imperiled by the loss of the money.

Pete Krouse wrote about a bunch of green energy projects in Northeast Ohio that benefit from federal dollars, including groundbreaking efforts by the port to significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Pete showed how the spending halt could harm that progress.

Adam Ferrise wrote a story about federal grants for law enforcement agencies, including equipment and targeted efforts for specific crimes. While crime overall has been dropping for decades, weve had upsurges in violence crimes by youths who have easy access to guns. Efforts to curb the violence would be jeopardized by a loss of the money.

We also talked about each of these aspects in an extended conversation on our Today in Ohio podcast discussion and analysis of the news, adding even more perspective.

All that for one 2-page order that was quickly rescinded, but thats what we think our best role is to start 2025.

Trump is unlike previous presidents in that he is moving to radically alter government. His actions are not surprising, in that he campaigned on them, but how his actions transform life on the local level will be surprising. Our province is state and local news, so we will continue to keep our team at the ready to blanket cover ramifications of this presidents decisions.

Separately, following up on a column from two weeks ago about the new platform for the digital replica on The Plain Dealer: We expect as early as this week to have the headings back in place, allowing you to click a button and instantly be transported to the Sports, Forum, Diversions or other sections. And we will, eventually, restore the ability to download a .pdf of the entire newspaper. Other improvements you requested also are in the works.

Im at cquinn@cleveland.com

Thanks for reading
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Gov. Mike DeWine is set to unveil his new state budget plan Monday, kicking off months of negotiations on what state taxing and spending will look like for the next two years.

DeWine and other state officials have warned that state finances will be much tighter than they have been in the past few years, when the state was awash in money thanks to billions in federal COVID-19 relief funding and better-than-expected tax revenues.

I dont think theres going be huge surprises in there, the governor told reporters last month when asked about his budget plan.

At the same time, though, next Mondays budget rollout will be DeWines last as governor. As the 78-year-old Republican prepares to retire from public life in 2027 after nearly five decades in elected office, this years budget will be a prime opportunity for DeWine to burnish his legacy.

In addition to appropriating tens of billions of dollars to run state government, state budget plans usually include a wide variety of new initiatives and policy reforms. For example, the states last budget bill, passed in 2023, included language to dramatically expand Ohios school voucher program, slash business and income taxes, and strip away most of the State Board of Educations power.

DeWine and his office have been characteristically tight-lipped about exactly what will be in this years budget proposal, which will be significantly modified by state lawmakers in the coming months before they send it back to the governor to sign by July 1.

However, DeWine and other state officials have offered some indications about what he will include in his budget plan. State lawmakers have also discussed what they might subsequently toss in.

Heres more on what to watch for as the state enters budget season.

Browns stadium funding

The Cleveland Browns have been priming the pump for months to get state aid for a domed stadium in Brook Park near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

Will DeWines proposed budget deliver $600 million in support Jimmy and Dee Haslam are pursuing from the state? And if he doesnt, will state lawmakers add it themselves?

The Browns have been seeking the money not through direct state subsidies  an idea that state lawmakers have spoken out against  but rather by using tax revenue generated from the new stadium and the proposed $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding it. A former state senator from Northeast Ohio last year told The Statehouse News Bureau that the Browns had asked for the state to issue bonds.

Some experts have questioned whether the stadium and surrounding development can generate revenue fast enough to pay off the bonds.

Under the Browns proposal, team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam would cover half of the stadiums anticipated cost of $2.4 billion, and state and local governments would split the remaining $1.2 billion. Local government funding is anything but assured so far, as county officials have vowed not to approve any public money that helps move the Browns from their current lakefront home in downtown Cleveland.

There have also been calls to provide state money to help renovate Paycor Stadium, home to the Cincinnati Bengals, though it remains to be seen whether DeWines budget proposal will offer any such funding.

K-12 education

The most-talked-about education funding issue is the future of the Fair School Funding Plan. When it was conceived, the plan was designed to inject $2 billion into funding Ohio schools, phased in over six years.

The phase-in plan began in 2022. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2020, funding to school districts  which does not include money to charter schools or private school vouchers was almost $6.9 billion, said Howard Fleeter, an economist who specializes in public finance and consults with the Ohio Education Policy Institute, which researches tax policy for school districts and statewide education organizations. That was down slightly because of lower state revenue during the pandemic.

DeWine and state lawmakers funded the phasing-in for the first four years of the bipartisan plan, which school districts say is necessary because Ohios education system is over reliant on property taxes and unfair because it created rich and poor districts.

The question is whether the final two years will get funded, as its original legislative backers envisioned. Former state Reps. Bob Cupp and John Patterson, the lawmakers who designed the plan, are no longer in the legislature.

DeWine hasnt said whether he will incorporate the last two years of the funding plan, which a bipartisan group began working on in 2017, into his budget proposal. However, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican, said earlier this month that maintaining the funding for the plan is unsustainable and that it was a fantasy for lawmakers four years ago to bind future legislatures to it.

Part of the whole Cupp-Patterson thing is theyre not spending the money according to the Cupp-Patterson plan, Huffman said. Theres no requirement that they spend it according to plan and many of them are not.

School vouchers

Its also unclear whether DeWine will seek to increase money for taxpayer-funded scholarships for private school students, a controversial topic in Ohio.

READ MORE: Final price tag: Ohios private school vouchers come in just under $1B after legislative expansion

In the last two-year budget, Republican lawmakers made every Ohio family eligible for voucher money, though wealthier families only get a portion of what poorer families receive. The full voucher amount is $6,167 for grades K-8 and $8,407 for grades 9-12 per child each year.

The eligibility expansion caused state spending on vouchers to explode from $595 million in the 2022-2023 school year to $970.7 million last school year. Costs are expected to continue to climb toward $1 billion.

READ MORE: Fleeing troubled public schools? Ohio voucher data shows many families already enrolled in private schools

Taxes

In the past few state budgets, Ohio Republicans have significantly reduced state taxes  including slashing and streamlining the states income tax, as well as scaling back the commercial activity tax.

Now, some GOP lawmakers are seeking more tax changes  including a Senate proposal to move the states income tax system as it exists now (two tax brackets, with a maximum tax rate of 3.5%) to a flat, single-bracket income tax rate of 2.75%.

Some Republican legislators have called for the state income tax to be eliminated completely, though both DeWine and Senate President Rob McColley expressed hesitation to do that, at least in the near future.

Property tax relief has also become a big issue around Capitol Square, thanks to a jump in taxable home values in many areas of Ohio (and the nation).

Ohio lawmakers have so far been unable to agree on how to address homeowners concerns about their rising property tax bills, though a variety of proposals have come forward.

Other tax changes recently put forward include raising the states tax on recreational marijuana from 10% to 15%.

When tax proposals have moved forward in the past, its usually been by amending them into the state budget. However, DeWine hasnt publicly signaled whether his initial budget plan will include any such language.

Addiction treatment/recovery

The opioid epidemic hit Ohio hard. In 2016, more Ohioans died from heroin and synthetic opioid overdoses than anywhere else in the country, according to data from the National Institute of Health.

And Ohio has had some of the highest fatal overdose rates in the nation since then.

DeWine was Ohios attorney general in 2016, and he launched a program called Recovery Ohio. It began as a plan to expand addiction treatment, give more money to police, and establish specialty drug courts.

Over the last three budget cycles, Recovery Ohio grew in both funding and scope. It now includes an advisory council for his administration and a workplace program to help employees get treatment and reintegrate them once theyve recovered.

Expect the governor and state lawmakers to end up preserving, if not increasing, state funding to Recovery Ohio in their final budget agreement.

Mental health

In his 2022 state of the state address, DeWine called for Ohio to lead the world in behavioral health research, community care and workforce development.

But getting there  especially when it comes to community care facilities hasnt been easy.

More than 90% percent of patients in Ohios regional psychiatric hospitals are there because of a court order  leaving many lower income Ohioans outside of the criminal justice system without beds.

Federal COVID dollars helped the state place patients in private facilities during the pandemic, but those dollars  like the rest of Ohios recovery funding  are gone.

In May, DeWine cut the ribbon for the new Central Ohio Behavioral Healthcare in Columbus. A seventh state hospital is planned near Dayton.

The governor told reporters in December that he plans to do more for people in crisis, calling it a priority for the upcoming budget.

Child care

The business community and early childhood advocates will be watching for child care proposals.

A new public poll found Ohio voters in both political parties, as well as independents, overwhelmingly want more public support for child care, such as expanding publicly funded daycare and offering state-level tax child care credits.

READ MORE: Poll shows bipartisan consensus on child care in Ohio as lawmakers consider funding changes

The child-care access issue has become a workforce concern. That poll, produced for Groundwork Ohio, showed the lack of affordable, high-quality child care keeps many people out of the workforce, or limits the hours they can work. Some of Ohios most powerful business lobbies -- the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Business Roundtable -- have been beating the drum for legislative solutions to child care problems, saying they are critical to attracting workers to the state.

DeWine, during remarks made at a child care summit Thursday in Dayton, said to expect child care spending proposals in his budget proposal, though he didnt share many specifics.

Jeremy Pelzer, Anna Staver and Laura Hancock cover state politics and policy for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
A person with a rainbow umbrella waits for a bus on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley on Saturday during the Bay Areas first storm of the year. The Bay Area should be thoroughly drenched this week from a series of storms, forecasters say. Estefany Gonzalez / Special to the Chronicle Rain falls Saturday on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley during the Bay Areas first storm of the year. Estefany Gonzalez / Special to the Chronicle People line up in the rain outside Heytea, a popular tea shop on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, on Saturday. Estefany Gonzalez / Special to the Chronicle A bicyclist in rain gear coasts through Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Berkeley on Saturday. Estefany Gonzalez / Special to the Chronicle Rain falls on a visitor to Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach Park in Alameda on Saturday. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The fourth-driest January on record in San Francisco ended with cold, drizzling rain and forecasts that gray stormy weather will continue off and on through much of this week, according to the National Weather Service.

Live updates: Track weather forecast and live impacts as atmospheric river storm hits California

The Bay Area should be thoroughly drenched by the end of this week from a series of storms rolling into the region, but no major flooding is expected, weather service meteorologist Joe Merchant said. Even so, the rain was expected to swell waterways and create dicey driving conditions in low-lying areas.

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Pay attention to road closures, and give yourself extra time for traveling, especially the morning commute, Merchant said.

The storm packed a wallop in the central Sierra with intense rain, snow and wind, and those conditions prompted the U.S. Forest Service to issue an avalanche warning for the Tahoe region. Authorities urged people to avoid areas without avalanche mitigation programs, such as some ski resorts and highways, because widespread, large, dangerous avalanches were very likely on Saturday.

Rain falls on Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach Park in Alameda on Saturday. Rain is expected to swell waterways and create dicey driving conditions in low-lying areas this week. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The San Francisco rain totals come from gauges at the San Francisco Airport, where rainfall has been recorded since July 1945.

This year, 0.24 of an inch was recorded in January, compared with 5.04 inches during January 2024. The greatest rainfall was recorded in 1993, when gauges measured 11.26 inches during January. The driest year on record was 2015 when no rain fell, followed by 0.01 of an inch in 2014 and 0.2 of an inch in 2013.
Elon Musk arrives for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Aides to Elon Musk charged with running the U.S. government human resources agency have locked career civil servants out of computer systems that contain the personal data of millions of federal employees, according to two agency officials.

Since taking office 11 days ago, President Donald Trump has embarked on a massive government makeover, firing and sidelining hundreds of civil servants in his first steps toward downsizing the bureaucracy and installing more loyalists.

Musk, the billionaire Tesla and X owner tasked by Trump to slash the size of the 2.2 million-strong civilian government workforce, has moved swiftly to install allies at the agency known as the Office of Personnel Management.

The two officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said some senior career employees at OPM have had their access revoked to some of the department's data systems.

The systems include a vast database called Enterprise Human Resources Integration, which contains dates of birth, Social Security numbers, appraisals, home addresses, pay grades and length of service of government workers, the officials said.

"We have no visibility into what they are doing with the computer and data systems," one of the officials said. "That is creating great concern. There is no oversight. It creates real cybersecurity and hacking implications."

Officials affected by the move can still log on and access functions such as email but can no longer see the massive datasets that cover every facet of the federal workforce.

Musk, OPM, representatives of the new team, and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

OPM has sent out memos that eschew the normal dry wording of government missives as it encourages civil servants to consider buyout offers to quit and take a vacation to a "dream destination."

Don Moynihan, a professor at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, said the actions inside OPM raised concerns about congressional oversight at the agency and how Trump and Musk view the federal bureaucracy.

"This makes it much harder for anyone outside Musk's inner circle at OPM to know what's going on," Moynihan said.
First responders work the scene after what witnesses say was a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Matt Rourke | AP

Leerjet's flight path

National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said at a Saturday evening news conference that the crash is being classified as an accident. Ralph Hicks, senior air safety investigator for the NTSB and the investigator in charge of the investigation, described the flight's path Saturday evening. Hicks said the Learjet 55 departed from Florida around 12 p.m. and arrived at Northeast Philadelphia Airport around 2:15 p.m. It waited on the ground for a few hours before departing at about 6:06 p.m., he said. After takeoff, the jet climbed to about 1,500 feet, Hicks said. It made a slight right turn, a slight left turn, and then a "steep descent" to where it eventually crashed. Homendy said the track of the flight does not suggest anything right now and that the NTSB will continue to evaluate all available information. She said nothing was communicated from the flight deck to the air traffic control tower before the plane crashed. The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X that all the travelers were Mexican nationals. The Consulate of Mexico said officials have contacted the families of all six people.

First responders work the scene after a small plane crashed in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Matt Rourke | AP

"The necessary consular assistance is being provided and working with the authorities to clarify what has happened," the consulate said in a translated post on Facebook. A spokesperson for the air ambulance company told NBC Philadelphia that the patient was from Mexico and had come to the U.S. for "life-saving treatment" and was returning home. The ultimate destination was Tijuana International Airport, where a ground ambulance would take the child home, the spokesperson said.

NTSB searching for debris, black box

Officials said the area of impact "is roughly four to six blocks" and that debris was found in remote areas. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Homendy said the NTSB is currently focused on collecting perishable evidence, including debris from the scene and anything else they might need to investigate. The agency is also still searching for the plane's cockpit voice recorder, or black box, which is a crucial piece of the investigation.

First responders work the scene after what witnesses say was a plane crash in Philadelphia, Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. Matt Rourke | AP
Federal Bureau of Investigation seal is seen on J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington D.C., United States of America on July 12th, 2024.

Trump administration officials have forced out all six of the FBI's most senior executives and multiple heads of FBI field offices across the country, current and former FBI officials told NBC News.

They included the high-profile leader of the Washington, D.C., field office, which was involved in the prosecutions of President Donald Trump, and federal prosecutors who investigated Jan. 6 rioters. A congressional aide said the number of prosecutors impacted is roughly two dozen.

A letter sent to the fired prosecutors said their removal was based on their role in the Jan. 6 prosecutions. It cited an executive order Trump recently signed that called the Jan. 6 prosecutions "a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years."

In a separate memo to the FBI workforce sent out Friday night, the bureau's acting director, Brian J. Driscoll, Jr., informed employees that acting Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, had asked for a list of all FBI employees who worked on January 6 cases for "a review process to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary."

"We understand that this request encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts," Driscoll wrote. "I am one of those employees."

It was not immediately clear why the FBI and DOJ officials had been ousted. The FBI and DOJ declined to comment.

The removals came a day after Trump's nominee for FBI director, Kash Patel, testified under oath in his Senate confirmation hearing that, "all FBI employees will be protected against political retribution."

Asked by a reporter about the removals on Friday afternoon, Trump said he was not aware of them.

"No, but we have some very bad people over there. It was weaponized at a level that nobody has ever seen before," Trump said. "They came after a lot of people like me, but they came after a lot of people. No, I wasn't involved in that. I'll have to see what is exactly going on after this is finished."

Trump added, though, that he felt some FBI officials needed to be removed.

"If they fired some people over there, that's a good thing, because they were very bad. They were very corrupt people, very corrupt, and they hurt our country very badly with the weaponization," he said. "They used the Justice Department to go after their political opponent, which in itself is illegal, and obviously it didn't work."

David Sundberg, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington field office, was notified Thursday that he was going to lose his job and is preparing to leave the bureau, according to two senior law enforcement sources.

Special agents from the FBI's Washington field office were heavily involved in former special counsel Jack Smith's investigations of Trump, as well as the sprawling investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Six top leaders in the the FBI's headquarters in Washington were also forced out, the sources said. They included Robert Wells, who oversaw the national security branch; Ryan Young, of the intelligence branch; Robert Nordwall, of criminal and cyber response; Arlene Gaylord, of information technology; Jackie Maguire, of science and technology; and J. William Rivers, of human resources.

All but Gaylord are eligible for retirement with a full pension, and many decided to retire, the current and former officials said. They did so even though legal experts say they could have fought their terminations under the civil service regulations that govern nonpolitical appointees. All spent decades working their way up the bureau ranks.

Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge in Miami, was also ousted, current and former officials said.

Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI's Las Vegas field office, told staffers in a note obtained by NBC News that he had been removed by officials in the FBI headquarters in Washington.

"I was informed by FBIHQ today that the executive leadership at the Department of Justice plans to dismiss me from the rolls of the FBI, along with several other FBI executives, as soon as Monday Morning," Evans wrote. "I was given no rationale for this decision, which, as you might imagine, has come as a shock."

Before he was sent to Las Vegas, Evans worked closely at headquarters with Christopher Wray, the FBI director Trump hired in 2017 and forced out this month.
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Dado Ruvic | Reuters

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said in a statement Saturday that it expects U.S. companies to comply with U.S. export controls and local laws, following questions over the chips used by China's DeepSeek to produce its AI model. Markets were rocked this week after DeepSeek claimed its large language model outperforms OpenAI's but cost a fraction of the price to train. However, questions were soon raised over the provenance of the semiconductors used to build DeepSeek's R1 reasoning model given U.S. restrictions on exporting advanced AI chips in China.

Bloomberg on Friday reported that U.S. officials were investigating whether DeepSeek had bought advanced semiconductors from chipmaker Nvidia via third parties in Singapore. A Nvidia spokesperson told CNBC Monday that the chips used by DeepSeek were fully export-compliant. DeepSeek was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. "We expect US companies, like Nvidia, to comply with US export controls and our domestic legislation. Our customs and law enforcement agencies will continue to work closely with their US counterparts," MTI said in its statement. "We have always upheld the rule of law, and acted decisively and firmly against individuals and companies that flout the rules."
U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., Jan. 31, 2025.

U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing ahead with long-threatened import tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China.

On Saturday, Trump signed an order imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% duty on China. Energy resources from Canada will be hit with a lower 10% tariff to "minimize any disruptive effects we might have on gasoline and home heating oil prices," according to a senior administration official.

Together, the U.S. does about $1.6 trillion in annual business with the three countries. Trump is seeking to use the tariffs as both bargaining chips and methods to effect foreign policy changes, specifically the immigration and drug trade issues.

In a message posted on X, Trump cited powers he has under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The president said he enacted the levies "because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl."

"We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all," he added.

The tariffs on Canadian goods are expected to take effect on or after 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday. There is no official word on when the tariffs would be lifted. A senior administration official said Saturday, "There's going to be a wide range of metrics" to consider.

Also, under the new order, the tariffs would escalate if the countries retaliate in any way against the U.S.

In a CNBC interview Friday, Peter Navarro, Trump's senior advisor for trade and manufacturing, stressed the dual importance of protecting the economy as well as public safety.

"We've got the Super Bowl coming up, and eerily, the amount of people that fit in the [New Orleans] Superdome are almost exactly equal to the number of people dying every year here in America from fentanyl, and that comes from China and Mexico," Navarro told CNBC in an interview Friday. "This is why we have these kind of discussions."

Tariffs are duties imposed on foreign goods that are paid by U.S. importers. Economists broadly oppose tariffs, arguing that they result in higher prices for domestic consumers.

But Trump has long promoted tariffs as a way to negotiate better deals with U.S. trading partners, protect domestic industries from foreign competition and gain revenue.
It was a busy week of trades for the Club amid a volatile period for the stock market. Tech stocks experienced a deep sell-off Monday on the emergence of DeepSeek , a Chinese startup with an AI model that it claims is cheaper and more efficient than current models. It called into question whether artificial intelligence chip demand might need to be scaled back. That crushed Nvidia on Monday and the stock ended the week down more than 15%. After watching Nvidia all week, Jim Cramer on Thursday told Club members that he would trim the position if not restricted. "While believing Nvidia should still be 'owned, not traded' that does not give us license to turn a blind eye to a change in the facts. We can own Nvidia, of that there is no question," Jim wrote. "But to own this amount of Nvidia, to me, is to ignore the possibility that tech customers will pause or bargain with Nvidia for better pricing or seek out less powerful chips from Advanced Micro Devices ." On their post-earnings conference calls this past week, Meta Platforms and Microsoft did not adjust their capital expenditure spending plans as a result of DeepSeek. That was a bit of relief. But, as Jim pointed out on Friday, Alphabet and Amazon report earnings next week  so, we don't know the bigger, near-term capex impact until we hear from them. Here's a cheat sheet of this week's trades for Jim's Charitable Trust , the portfolio used for the CNBC Investing Club. The market was overbought for most of the week, which figured into the sales we made. Friday's selling moved it out of overbought status. On Tuesday, we did buy some shares of Eaton, which were caught up in the DeepSeek mess. Eaton is a U.S. industrial company that makes the kinds of electrical components and power management systems needed to run data centers properly. Eaton reported earnings Friday and said its data center business remains robust. Tuesday, Jan. 28 Bought 25 shares of Eaton Trust owns 300 shares of ETN Portfolio weighting: 2.68%, as of Friday Rating: 1 Price target: $375 ETN 1Y mountain Eaton 1 year Trade Alert excerpt: "Although we understand there's plenty of uncertainty about DeepSeek and acknowledge the risks, we think this nearly 20% pullback over two days reflects a lot of downsides. While it's likely AI costs will come down in the future, we don't expect the pace of new data center builds to slow in the immediate term. Outside of data centers, it's always good to remember that Eaton is at the heart of so many other megatrends like electrification, the energy transition, digitization, infrastructure spending, reindustrialization, and green regulations." Sold 10 shares of CrowdStrike Trust owns 245 shares of CRWD Portfolio weighting: 2.67%, as of Friday Rating: 2 Price target: $400 CRWD 1Y mountain CrowdStrike 1 year Trade Alert excerpt : "We remain long-term believers in cybersecurity, which is why we own two, CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks in the portfolio. But with Crowdstrike shares up about 20% over the past 11 trading sessions, we would feel like pigs if we didn't take profits on this big win. We're downgrading the stock to our 2 rating and realizing a great 30% gain on stock purchased in October 2024." Sold 50 shares of Danaher Trust owns 525 shares of DHR Portfolio weighting: 3.2%, as of Friday Rating: 2 Price target: $270 DHR 1Y mountain Danaher 1 year Trade Alert excerpt : Since late October, we've added to Danaher on five occasions  starting around $255 a share, all the way down to $230 in November and then, most recently, at around $240 just two weeks ago . The result is that we're now carrying too much stock, and shares have climbed nearly 9% over the past month. We'll still own plenty of stock into earnings in case Danaher offers an upbeat view of the bioprocessing market, but this sale will provide us some protection should management give a more cautiously optimistic guide. Monday, Jan. 27 Sold 75 shares of GE Healthcare Trust owns 900 shares of GEHC Portfolio weighting: 2.18%, as of Friday Rating: 2 Price target: $95 GEHC 1Y mountain GE Healthcare 1 year Trade Alert excerpt : "We're taking advantage of the market's rotation into health-care stocks by locking in profits in GE Healthcare. Following an up-and-down 2024, GE Healthcare shares have gotten off to a strong 2025. ... With the stock trading near $90 on Monday, [however], we don't think the risk/reward is as good as our low $80 upgrade. Therefore we are taking off some stock and moving our rating to a 2, meaning we would look to buy more shares on a pullback." (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on January 28, 2025 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images News | Getty Images
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January 31, 2025: For over seventy years Russia and Israel have been on good terms. Russia was one of the first countries to recognize Israeli statehood in 1948. That all changed in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine and found itself mired in a long war it seemed incapable of winning. Desperate for allies, Russia turned to Iran, which had been recently humiliated by Israeli airstrikes and was seeking allies for its counterattack on Israel.

Meanwhile Israel was briefly distracted by problems with Hamas militants in Gaza. Hamas had to be eliminated for Israel to have any peace. Hamas was dedicated to the destruction of Israel, and enthusiastically advocates killing Jews whenever, and wherever they can. But this brought up another issue, that of finally settling the Palestinian question. Part of the solution was agreeing on what the borders for the new Palestinian state should be. Palestinians wanted the original 1967 borders, while the Israelis want to make some modifications, like keeping control of Jerusalem. It got worse, with Palestinians insisting that those who fled Israel in 1948, and their descendants, be allowed to return.

Israel decided that there was another solution; the no-state solution. Instead of continuing the arguments over the 1967 borders, why not go back to the 1967 politics. In short, convince Jordan to take back the West Bank. Jordan ruled the West Bank until 1967, and claimed it as lost territory for two decades. Then in 1988 Jordan ceded control to the Palestinians. Trying to convince Egypt to take control of the Gaza Strip was difficult, even though Gaza had been part of Egypt for most of the last few thousand years.

Israel and Jordan worked out a deal, perhaps with some international organizations, for running Jerusalem. Israel tried to get Arab states to stop treating all the Palestinians like refugees and absorb them as Israel did for all the Jews driven out of Arab countries after the 1948 Arab Israeli war.

Egypt might seem an unlikely host for 1.5 million Arab refugees in Gaza. But Egypt is well aware of the fact that Gaza is becoming a refuge for Islamic terrorists who direct their attacks at Egypt, as well as Israel. If Egypt wants to deal with that problem, the best way is to make all those refugees Egyptian citizens, and subject them to Egyptian law and counter-terrorism efforts, if need be.

And let us not forget how the problem started. The Arabs that left what-is-now-Israel in 1948 were convinced by the Arab countries to remain refugees for 60 years, on the promise that the Arab world would crush the new state of Israel. That didn't happen and isn't likely to ever happen. The Arab world has been getting more and more impatient with the Palestinians, and their inability to get along with each other, rule themselves or work out a deal with Israel. Then it was proposed that since the two-state solution wasn't going to work, give the Arab refugees a place to call home. At this point the Palestinian refugees were the children and grandchildren of the original refugees. It was suggested that they settle down where they were in the West Bank. That seemed reasonable because the alternative is more head-butting by the Palestinian Arab radicals and misery for the refugees who, if they were treated like the 1948 Jewish refugees, would be a lot better off today.

In other words, get over past defeats and move on. But the chance of this solution getting accepted was low. The Arab world has been in the habit, for centuries, of adopting failed solutions and sticking with them no matter what. This has resulted in poor economic, educational and political performance despite all the oil wealth, literacy, economic growth and all manner of performance indicators are among the lowest on the planet. We are dealing with a self-destructive culture that likes to blame others for their problems, problems they could easily solve themselves. Throughout the 1970s and 80s communist Russia supported the Palestinians.

By the time the Soviet Union collapsed, the new Russian government decided to restore good relations with Israel, the only Middle Eastern state that was stable, prosperous and militarily invincible. That fell apart in the 21st century when Russia became allies with Israels arch enemy Iran. That did not work out because in 2024 an unexpected change of government in Syria sent the Assad clan, the rulers of Syria for half a century, off to exile in Russia. At the same time Israel destroyed most of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, eliminating many members including most senior leaders.

This left Hamas as the last obstacle to peace in the region. Going into 2025, Israeli forces are still battling Hamas remnants in Gaza because the Israeli government doesnt want to pay the political cost of occupying Gaza and its very anti-Israel population until the Palestinians finally decide to be good. This may be the end of Hamas because they have no allies. Iran and Russia both have few resources to provide more than minimal support for anyone in the Middle East.
January 31, 2025: The current Sudanese civil war, which began in 2023, is nearly two years old and the government forces are winning. For example the city of Wad Madani, 140 kilometers south of the capital Khartoum, was recently recaptured by government forces. The RSF/Rapid Support Forces rebels had the city for a year. The war has featured atrocities by both sides and the government and RSF leaders have been sanctioned by international aid organizations.

Since October 2023 there has been fighting between the Sudanese government and major portions of the country that violently disagree with government policies. The SNC/Sovereign National Council was created by civilian and military groups to negotiate a peace deal. That effort has ended as a stalemate in the effort to restore democracy. The coup was supposed to be a temporary condition to speed things up. That backfired as a lot of the pro-reform civilians declared the military government another effort to restore dictatorship. Thats how Omar al Bashir, the dictator from 1989-to-2019, got his start. What form post-Bashir Sudan will take is still unknown. The situation in South Sudan, one of the results of Bashirs misrule, is more settled.

Before the April 2023 outbreak of fighting between the RSF and the army, Sudan was planning a long period of peace, reconciliation, reform and rebuilding. By late 2024 the death toll, including civilians, is approaching 70,000. Many more people have been driven from their homes and lost their jobs. This has turned into an economic disaster and food shortages are growing. Foreign aid is often stolen by gangsters, the RSF or soldiers. Instability and violence are becoming Sudans normal state of affairs.

The two Sudans had become quieter since 2019 when the long-lasting Bashir dictatorship was removed by determined popular resistance. South Sudan ended its post-independence civil war when everyone realized that they were destroying what they were allegedly fighting over and maybe a shouting-match was preferable to a death match. That brought peace to both Sudans for the first time since the 1989 coup where then general Bashir took power and led Sudan on a downward trajectory.

The peace did not last and the fighting between government forces and those of the RSF that has been around since 1988, when they appeared as the Janjaweed Arab Sudanese militia in the west Sudan region of Darfur. Before 1988 the Janjaweed were involved with violence going on in neighboring Chad and Libya, but after 1988 the Janjaweed concentrated its activities in Darfur. In 2013 the Janjaweed rebranded themselves as the RSF and evolved into paid Sudanese government enforcers in Darfur.

In 2023 the Sudan government suggested that the RSF become part of the Sudanese Army. RSF refused and in April 2023 the fighting between government forces and the RSF began. At this point the RSF was powerful enough to take on the army. Currently that struggle continues. Between then and now there were some other interesting developments. For example the slavery problem continues in Sudan and sometimes gets into the news. This happened a lot in Sudan since the 1990s as the government encouraged Arabized tribes to raid non-Moslem black African tribes and take slaves. In northern Mali retreating al Qaeda men sometimes took newly enslaved blacks with them. This tolerance of slaving is one of the many reasons Sudan is one of the five most corrupt nations in the world. These five outlaw states are, according to the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index North Korea, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and Somalia. Sudan is considered a bit less corrupt than South Sudan and ranks 162 out of 180 nations. South Sudan ranks closer to the bottom at 177th place.

Sudan has been behaving enough in other ways that in October 2020 it was removed from the U.S.s State Sponsor of Terrorism/SST list. Sudan agreed to pay compensation to American victims of terror attacks, with the attack on the 2000 USS Cole in Yemen and the 1998 attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania the most important. Sudan was on the SST list for 27 years. Sudans 2020 transitional government agreed to peaceful relations with Israel. That eventually happened and since late 202, Israeli governments and security forces have cooperated with their Sudanese equivalents. Recognizing Israel was a divisive issue in Sudan. Even some pro-democracy groups opposed it. As for the SST, escaping the list means Sudan now had better access to international financial and investment organizations. It will also make it much easier and legal for Sudanese to import western technology like computers, smart phones and software. Sudan now had easier access to foreign aid of all types, including life-saving medical. The aid was a major consideration, for Sudans governments were always facing an extended economic crisis and shortages of food and medical supplies.
Eighty percent of global trade moves via ships in a vast network of seagoing trade routes. Chima and the United States account for 43 percent of that trade, with China accounting for 17 percent and the Americans the rest. Anything that threatens this trade is a major problem and both America and China deal with the problem in their own ways. While the United States and its Western allies use warships and airstrikes against those who try to disrupt maritime trade, China prefers to bribe those who are attacking shipping to not attack Chinese ships.

When this Chinese immunity is noticed, China dismisses the accusations and claims its ship captains are simply more capable at avoiding attacks. This is obviously not the case and there the dispute ends in a muddle of mutual accusations. The current attacks are not destructive or widespread enough to do any serious damage to world trade. Currently Iran-backed Yemen Houthi rebels are firing Iran supplied rockets and missiles at ships passing the Yemen coast headed for the Suez Canal. Many if not most of the ships that normally use the Suez Canal now prefer to take the long way around to reach the Mediterranean Sea. This can cost over a million dollars per ship while adding several weeks to the trip. This did not turn out to be as much of a disaster as expected. There was a surplus of cargo and tanker ships and the additional time needed by existing ships to reach their destination made it practical to put those surplus ships to work to ensure that all cargoes reached their destinations without incurring excessive additional insurance and operating costs.

Other potential choke points include the Strait of Malacca, the Taiwan Straits, Strait of Gibraltar, Bass Strait, Strait of Hormuz, Singapore Strait, Bering Strait, Lombok Strait, Bab-El-Mandeb Strait, and Bosporus Strait.

While the Red Sea crisis was dealt with, a more ominous threat to global shipping is war between nations' submarines. For submarines to be involved with would mean a non-nuclear world war. Anti-submarine escorts are not available in large numbers and shipping companies, like their counterparts early during both world wars, would downplay the value of convoys and insist that they could avoid the submarines using new technology and tactics. When that doesnt work the convoys are used and Anti-Submarine Warfare or ASW are allowed to evolve and come effective enough to reduce losses to a sustainable level.

Protecting sea transportation is a vital task for shipping companies and most of the world's nations that depend on this trade. Shipping companies complain that not enough work is being done by navies to protect shipping in wartime. How accurate that is will only be revealed if there is another submarine offensive against maritime trade.
More than five years on, Prince Andrew's disastrous BBC Newsnight interview continues to reverberate.

Newly emerged emails show the Duke of York was still on friendly terms with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein two months after he claimed he had cut him off.

In front of the TV cameras in 2019 the duke said he ceased contact with Epstein in December 2010.

Now it is clear the pair were talking over email after that date  until at least late February 2011  with the duke even telling the convicted paedophile: 'Keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon.'

It is only the latest imbroglio to centre on the duke, who has repeatedly dragged the Royal Family's reputation through the mire over lurid allegations about his personal life.

He has made a multi-million-pound out-of-court payment to a woman who claims Epstein directed her to have sex with the royal when she was 17.

He denies any illegality and has not been convicted of any offence.

Newly emerged emails show the Duke of York was still on friendly terms with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein two months after he claimed he had cut him off

Arrogant and irredeemably avaricious, Andrew has been unwilling to explain how he can afford the upkeep of Royal Lodge at Windsor; and he had a suspected Chinese spy as a 'close confidant'.

This latest in a seemingly endless series of conundrums about his conduct further underlines how the prince is a dangerous liability to the monarchy.

Travesty of justice

The decision to ban the naming of the judge who granted custody of Sara Sharif to her father before he murdered her throws up ever more troubling questions.

Yes, this controversial ruling was later overturned by the Court of Appeal.

But why did such an affront to open justice happen in the first place?

We now learn that the judge whose identity was kept secret from the public was Alison Raeside, who sits on the board of HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

As Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has pointed out, there needs to be proper scrutiny of whether her position of influence had any bearing on this improper gagging order.

And the judiciary needs to properly investigate the whole affair in order to ensure this travesty is never repeated.

A law unto himself

Sir Keir Starmer's decision to appoint his old pal Lord Hermer as Attorney General is looking less sustainable by the day.

Labour ministers have begun privately briefing against the KC, and have even described him as an 'activist'.

It is becoming clear, then, that Lord Hermer is regarded by his own colleagues as a constant block on Labour's much-vaunted 'plan for change'.

Our lawyerly PM  a former human rights barrister  reveres international law and built a solid career at the Bar deploying it against the government of the day.

Lord Hermer is regarded by his own colleagues as a constant block on Labour's much-vaunted 'plan for change'

Our lawyerly PM  a former human rights barrister  reveres international law and built a solid career at the Bar deploying it against the government of the day

His Attorney General is cut from the same cloth.

But even though now in government, Lord Hermer has repeatedly refused to clarify the full nature of his role representing ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

There are outstanding questions about potential conflicts of interest, after the barrister advocated for jihadi bride Shamima Begum and set out to prove the SAS were guilty of a 'war crime' in Afghanistan.

If Sir Keir is telling the truth about his ambition to improve Britain's lot, he should despatch Lord Hermer back to the Bar forthwith.
It was five years ago this week that the first folk on British soil  two Chinese nationals staying in a York hotel, as it happens  tested positive for coronavirus.

Nobody at the time understood the immense import of these test results nor foresaw the huge death toll and disruption to daily lives that lurked just round the corner.

Half a decade on and most of us have managed to put the pandemic out of our minds  a nightmare too horrendous to dwell on, sometimes even wondering aloud if it ever actually happened, so unprecedented, strange and traumatic were its consequences.

The worst is long over, with coronavirus now just one of many marginal medical threats to our health and wellbeing.

Yet the pandemic is in so many bad ways still with us, its legacy still casting a dark, malevolent shadow over the country from which we cannot easily escape.

It has shredded the nation's finances, which struggle to recover. Crippled the NHS, which visibly fails to cope as never before with the demands being placed on it. Fuelled an epidemic of mental health issues with no easy resolution. And scarred a generation of youngsters who are now at risk of being hobbled for the rest of their lives.

Above all, it has come close to destroying the nation's work ethic. Too many got too used to being paid to do nothing (or very little) during the lockdowns. As a result we've become, at best, a safe, comfortable haven for the workshy and, at worst, a soft touch for skivers.

The statistics illustrating our post-pandemic aversion to work are staggering. More than 3.2 million adults of working age now claim incapacity and disability benefits, up a million (more than 39 per cent) from pre-pandemic 2019, and predicted by official forecasts to hit four million before the decade is out. Almost 3,000 people a day are signed off work and approved for sickness benefits.

An ICU team battle to save a Covid patient in 2020. The pandemic is in so many bad ways still with us, its legacy still casting a dark, malevolent shadow over the country from which we cannot easily escape

True, the unemployment rate, at 4.4 per cent, remains relatively low. But unemployment figures tell you little about Britain's labour market because they do not include those of working age who've simply stopped looking for work, many concluding they're better off if they can be designated 'unwell' than working.

Almost six million adults of working age now exist on out-of-work benefits. In our biggest provincial cities  Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool  one in five are on benefits (over twice the national average).

In places like Blackpool it's one in four. Around 70 per cent of sickness benefits claims cite 'mental and behavioural disorders', a category which was rising before the pandemic but which has been given rocket boosters since the lockdowns. The claims are hard to disprove so most are accepted.

The young, whose development was often stunted by the pandemic, are in the vanguard of the workshy  and of mental health issues.

A 30-year-old today is twice as likely to claim disability benefits as their equivalent 20 years ago. A recent study found that more than 60,000 16 to 24 year olds moved straight from studying to long-term sickness benefits, a 50 per cent rise on pre-pandemic times. The fear is that those who acquire the knack of living on benefits when young will spend the rest of their lives on them.

The financial upshot of all this is that the state has lost control of welfare spending. The bill for sickness benefits is now more than 80 billion a year and rising fast. Official forecasts put it at 100 billion a year before the decade is out. We already spend more on sickness benefits alone than defence and policing combined. The pandemic continues to extort a heavy cost on the public purse.

Indeed, our national finances have yet to recover from it. In the financial year before the pandemic struck (2019-20) our budget deficit was only 2.7 per cent of GDP.

In the two years that followed it hit 15 per cent of GDP, a peacetime record, as the Government borrowed over 300 billion in each year to pay for pandemic response policies like the furlough and extra cash for the NHS  and to make up for lost tax revenues as the economy plummeted into recession.

No sooner had Boris Johnson won a convincing majority in the December 2019 general election and finally got Brexit over the line in early 2020 than his government was knocked sideways by the pandemic, writes Andrew Neil

The return to fiscal normality has been slow and we're far from there yet. In the current financial year we're still running a budget deficit of almost 5 per cent and, as yet, there is no prospect of getting it back to pre-pandemic levels. Naturally, with all this extra borrowing the national debt has ballooned.

It stood at 1.8 trillion on the eve of the pandemic, just over 80 per cent of GDP. It is currently 2.8 trillion, almost 100 per cent of GDP. So the pandemic is largely responsible for adding a trillion pounds to our national debt, placing our national finances in a straitjacket from which we're struggling to escape.

At a time when many global lenders have concluded they have more than enough government debt on their books, Britain has pretty much reached the limit of its borrowing powers, unless it's prepared to pay a lot more to borrow more.

But it already costs us over 100 billion a year to service our existing debt. If there was a Department of Government Debt, only the Health Department would be spending more.

Not that all the extra cash which flooded into the NHS during and after the pandemic has made much difference. The country might have recovered (medically) from the pandemic but the NHS has not.

On the eve of Covid the annual NHS England budget was 137 billion. In the current financial year it is more than 180 billion, rising to 192 billion in the new 2025-26 financial year, which starts in April. Yet by almost every yardstick its performance is worse than before the pandemic.

In the year before, around 4 million were on the waiting list for some procedure or other. There are now 6.5 million waiting for 7.5 million treatments (some patients require more than one operation). Those waiting for more than 18 weeks for surgery have gone from under 50 per cent in 2020 to almost 60 per cent now.

Waiting times at A&E have worsened (there's now a one in four chance you'll be there for more than four hours before being seen and you could be waiting at least 12 hours from decision to admit to actually getting a hospital bed).

So have ambulance call-out response times, which are now the worst on record, partly because the pandemic spike in call-outs has not fallen back. 'Just call an ambulance' has become the default for too many who need medical care but not necessarily an ambulance.

It's not just the NHS. The pandemic has taken its toll across the public sector, with overall productivity down a staggering 8.5 per cent (according to official figures) on pre-pandemic levels.

So we spend more for increasingly inefficient public services, not helped by the widespread desire of public sector workers to continue to work from home, at their own pace and in their own time, as they did during the pandemic.

Ministers, in this Government and the last, are too weak to do anything about it, in the face of union intransigence. The political toll of the pandemic has been toughest on the Tories. No sooner had Boris Johnson won a convincing majority in the December 2019 general election and finally got Brexit over the line in early 2020 than his government was knocked sideways by the pandemic.

Covid has crippled the NHS, which visibly fails to cope as never before with the demands being placed on it

It was quickly clear that the Johnson government did not have the bandwidth  in terms of ability, competence or clear purpose  to cope with both Brexit and a global pandemic. A consensus developed that it was making a hash of both of them.

The inability to capitalise on Brexit opportunities, whatever they were, was compounded by the fact that the Brexiteers, from Johnson down, had no blueprint for what Brexit Britain should become.

They had never really expected to win the referendum and had no roadmap of what to do if they did. As the Government struggled to get on top of the pandemic, anything that might have given Brexit purpose languished in the pending tray.

Perhaps this was understandable. The Government was grappling with a once in a century pandemic threat. But even when Covid retreated it was still at a loss to give Brexit meaning, reeling instead from tales of Downing Street parties during lockdown, which eventually brought Johnson down.

In many ways the pandemic broke the Tory party. It denuded its signature policy, Brexit, of purpose. It exhausted ministers and apparatchiks, who began to squabble among themselves, rather than re-chart the way forward, post-pandemic. It began to change chancellors more times than a runway model changes clothes. It had three prime ministers in almost as many months.

Far from acting like the natural party of government, which is how the Tories see themselves, it looked like the clowns had taken charge of the circus. There is a direct line from the pandemic through its difficult aftermath to Labour's landslide majority last July.

Now it is Labour that must deal with the ongoing fallout from the pandemic. Welfare reform. NHS reform. Controlling the public finances. Tackling public sector productivity. Charting a credible course for Brexit Britain that is more than merely falling back into the European Union's regulatory ambit. All are needed more than ever because of what happened during the pandemic.

All are more difficult to do because the pandemic made them so much worse. Labour talks the talk on most of these challenges. Whether it has the guts to force through the radical policies required to make a difference is another matter. The early signs are not encouraging.

Neither Tory nor Labour politicians talk much about the post-pandemic problems which now afflict us. Perhaps it is too painful for the Tories to draw lessons from a time when they got so much wrong. Labour clearly prefers just to blame all that is bad on the Tories, a position that is not just superficial but increasingly threadbare the longer they are in power.

The pandemic has left deep scars on our society and economy. Politicians need to cut the tedious party argy-bargy point-scoring and get serious about them. The fallout from the pandemic is still with us and likely will be for the rest of the decade and beyond.

Babies born during lockdown exhibit stunted development from a lack of social interaction. One Birmingham primary school reports that 50 per cent starting out in primary school are still wearing nappies. Teachers everywhere report that many of the toddlers under their care are not toilet trained. Persistent school absence among older pupils has doubled from 11 per cent of class on average to 20 per cent now.

Parents working from home are too often content to tolerate their kids staying at home too, especially on Fridays. The disruption to education and the social isolation of lockdown has produced a generation of teenagers uncommonly depressed, lonely, bored and stressed. This is a powder keg ready to explode in the years to come.

The surge in those preferring to live on benefits rather than work, to which too many of today's teenagers will likely succumb, is also peculiarly British. We are the only country in the G7 club of major market economies to have an employment rate (those in work as share of the total labour force) below where it was before the pandemic.

Nor are welfare rolls or costs shooting up in these other economies to anything like the extent they are in Britain.

The pandemic culled the Tories. But Labour now stands in the dark shadow of the virus, and if it cannot bring some light to bear on our post-pandemic ailments then the retribution of the voters will be just as merciless as it was for the Tories.

There can be no progress until Labour honestly recognises that what is holding back growth and prosperity is not its inheritance from the previous government or Brexit or whatever other Aunt Sally it likes to invent.

We are struggling because of systemic and fundamental wounds inflicted on us by the pandemic, some new, some exacerbating what was already going wrong before it struck.

Only with that recognition will Labour have a chance of putting matters right. Given how lacklustre the Starmer-Reeves regime has proved to be so far, the omens are hardly bright.
Facing potential defeat in the landmark vote on her assisted dying Bill, which would herald the biggest social change in Britain for decades, the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater made a heartfelt pledge.

Addressing the packed Commons chamber after an emotionally charged five-hour debate, Leadbeater appealed to MPs wavering over whether to give terminally ill adults with six months to live the right to end their suffering.

'It is not a vote for assisted suicide,' declared Leadbeater, the younger sister of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, whose old constituency of Batley and Spen she now represents. Promising complete transparency in the 'Committee' stage of the legislation, Leadbeater added: 'It is a vote to subject the Bill to line-by-line scrutiny.'

The assurance won over the doubters and the Bill cleared its first and most important parliamentary hurdle. So it was last week that a group of MPs began their analysis of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which sets out a legal and medical framework for when assisted dying may be exercised. The legislation also spells out the mechanics of how life would be extinguished.

There could hardly be a more profound moral issue, or a heavier responsibility on MPs, many of whom are guided by religion, ethics or the experience of seeing a loved one's agonising death.

First comes the question of who sits on the Commons Committee charged with scrutinising the Bill. As is her right, Leadbeater has chosen which MPs will be involved  and has duly ensured that 14 of the 23, a clear majority, were on her side and backed her in November's vote.

Making up around 60 per cent of the Committee, this majority is bigger than the 55 per cent of MPs who voted (by 330 votes to 275) for the Bill in November's Second Reading.

But what has startled even those who support a change in the law is the decision of this carefully chosen pro-assisted suicide majority to hold some of their deliberations in private.

Labour MP Kim Leadbeater appealed to MPs wavering over whether to give terminally ill adults with six months to live the right to end their suffering

Traditionally, a Bill Committee sits behind closed doors for a few minutes at the beginning of a session to discuss questioning.

But last Tuesday the members met in private for more than an hour, so shielding their discussions from the public scrutiny Leadbeater had promised. We will never know what was said. No record was kept. Journalists and the public were asked to leave. Even Hansard, which has been recording the proceedings of Parliament since 1909, was shut out. As were the cameras.

Viewers of the Parliament channel were greeted with a message: 'Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is currently in private.'

Leadbeater maintains this confidentiality was required to protect the 'privacy' of witnesses who might otherwise have been subjected to online abuse.

But there was more to it than that. When government legislation goes into the Committee stage, both sides  for and against  have the right to select their expert witnesses.

Not so for Private Members' Bills. Once again Leadbeater made the choice and a breakdown of her line-up shows an estimated 38 witnesses in favour, and 20 against, assisted suicide.

Evidence from other countries shows how quickly the boundaries of a law intended to apply only to the terminally ill can creep outwards

Leadbeater hasn't even been subtle in her choice. Eight of the witnesses come from other countries  and they all support a change in the law.

So, there is no space for Theo Boer, a member of the Health Council of The Netherlands who was once pro-euthanasia but now thinks his country made a terrible mistake.

Assisted suicide was introduced in Holland in 2002 for patients whose suffering was deemed by doctors to be 'unbearable with no prospect of improvement'.

Over the first five years annual deaths averaged around 1,900. By 2023, as the definition of 'unbearable' grew ever looser, it had risen to 9,068  more than five per cent of all deaths. These ranged from young people suffering from depression and autism to the elderly who felt they were a burden on their family.

Last November, a new Bill was drafted in Holland to give over-75s the option of medical euthanasia if they simply felt they had 'completed life'.

Evidence from other countries shows how quickly the boundaries of a law intended to apply only to the terminally ill can creep outwards.

Canada introduced assisted dying in 2016 for adults with a terminal illness. In 2021, it was extended to people with no terminal illness and the disabled.

In March 2027, anyone with a serious mental health problem will also be eligible.

About one in 20, or 15,300 Canadian deaths were medically assisted in 2023. It is a worrying precedent, yet none of the witnesses called by Leadbeater's committee comes from Canada.

Nine judges and senior lawyers have been invited to address the Committee but, of these, six are supporters of assisted suicide and at least two of the remainder seem to be neutral.

If Leadbeater succeeds, she will have persuaded Parliament to pass a momentous law allowing the state to sanction killing the sick. And she will have done so behind a troubling cloak of secrecy, writes Andrew Pierce

The Bill dictates that if two doctors and a High Court judge agree, the terminally ill patient would be given 'an approved substance' with which to end their life. So, when it comes to the Committee deliberations, the voices and opinions of judges will be crucial.

The Committee has heard from Sir Nicholas Mostyn, the retired High Court judge who backs a change in the law.

But what of Sir James Munby, who was President of the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales for five years until 2018?

When the MPs first voted in favour of the Bill in November, he described it as a 'profoundly unsatisfactory scheme'.

He said: 'All in all, in relation to the involvement of the judges in the process, the Leadbeater Bill falls lamentably short of providing adequate safeguards.'

Surprise, surprise, he is not being called as a witness.

When former High Court judge Lord Sumption appeared before the Committee, he criticised the plan to involve the High Court saying, 'it is not entirely clear what the judge is supposed to do'.

In the past week, the Labour MP Naz Shah, an outspoken opponent of the change, made an eminently sensible proposal: that the Royal College of Psychiatrists should give evidence over the vexed issue of whether a terminally ill person really did have the mental capacity to make a decision to die or was, to the contrary, being coerced.

Leadbeater's committee of MPs voted down this suggestion by 14 votes to eight. Only after a major row ensued online was there a change of heart.

There are other concerns for those opposing a change in the law. The MPs on the Committee against the Bill have no secretariat to support them with research.

By contrast the pro-Bill MPs can draw on the support of well-funded campaign group Dignity in Dying. Some reports suggest the group is spending around 1.5 million a year to secure the success of the legislation.

Before the assisted dying Bill, Leadbeater was best known as the sister of Jo Cox, who was murdered by white supremacist Thomas Mair in 2016.

Cox, a married mother of two, was stabbed and shot outside her constituency office. Leadbeater, 48, was thrust into the political spotlight when Cox's successor as an MP, Tracy Brabin, resigned to fight a mayoral election. She was selected by the local Labour Party and won the by-election in 2021 by just 323 votes.

Her Bill's supporters say it champions basic humanity and freedom of choice.

Leadbeater herself says: 'We should all have the right to a good life and, where possible, a good death.'

Anyone who has seen loved ones suffer pain towards the end of their days will understand the sentiment behind her words and there is no doubting her sincerity.

However, there are many MPs who feel betrayed by Leadbeater's tactics.

Andrew Rosindell, the Tory MP for Romford, said: 'I believed Kim Leadbeater when she assured us that sunlight would win the day and there was to be full public scrutiny of the Bill. I now know that wasn't true.'

Fellow Tory Saqib Bhatti said: 'Plenty of MPs relied on those promises and lent their votes accordingly.'

Nick Timothy, who used to be Theresa May's chief of staff in Downing Street, said: 'Then, as now, the reaction to dissenting voices and constructive criticism has been to crush it, by abusing procedure, and stacking the Committee and witness lists.

'We know enough from this process already that it lacks the legitimacy promised when the Commons voted in November.'

How many other MPs share those concerns?

We won't know until the final vote, possibly as soon as April, after the Committee stage.

If the Bill falls, Leadbeater's strategy might turn out to have been, at the least, overconfident.

If it succeeds, she will have persuaded Parliament to pass a momentous law allowing the state to sanction killing the sick. And she will have done so behind a troubling cloak of secrecy.
After Princess Beatrice released the first and only 'official' picture of her 'tiny and absolutely perfect' baby Athena Elizabeth Rose, I thought how sweet.

But then I thought how peculiar. Given the baby's so perfect, why has Mum ensured the infant's face is completely obscured?

Why such secrecy over a lovely little newborn who, frankly, looks pretty much like any other? How absurd to try to hide Athena's identity when no one would recognise her again even after just five minutes.

Is Bea trying to milk her royal cachet, saying my baby's far too important for you plebs to know what she looks like? What an insult to our intelligence!

It was announced that Athena's second name, Elizabeth, was after the late Queen. It's said her third name, Rose, is in honour of Princess Margaret whose second name it was. How grand is that?

Trouble is this whole approach plays into a deeply unattractive sense of entitlement and privilege  of us and them. Unsurprisingly it was Meghan who broke with the tradition of royal mothers parading their new babies.

Remember the official picture of her holding newborn Archie with the late Queen and Prince Philip, his face entirely obscured by a blanket?

The late Queen showed us her babies, so did Diana and Kate. And we all loved seeing them.

Pictured: Princess Beatrice's baby Athena Elizabeth Rose who was born this week

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi pictured together at the Cheltenham Festival in March last year

If it's safe enough for real working royals like them, surely it's fine for the also-rans like Beatrice to follow suit.

By pretentiously disguising the little one in the way she did, Beatrice undermines that unspoken contract between the Royal Family and the people.

And leaves us feeling who the hell does she think she is?

Frock star Renee

A nice touch that, for the premiere of the new Bridget Jones movie, Renee Zellweger, 55, wore a vintage couture gown she first donned in 2000.

She looked no older than when the first movie came out the following year.

Renee Zellweger attends the 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' World Premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on January 29

Meanwhile her co-star Hugh Grant looks every inch of his 64 years, still handsome despite the wrinkles.

If Renee let her hair go grey, got a bit flabby and sacked her Mr Tweakments, she'd never work in Hollywood again.

Sussexes sent up!

Meghan and Harry were mocked as Netflix launched its 2025 season.

Her new series With Love, Meghan was eclipsed by Victoria Beckham and Barack Obama documentaries.

Comedian John Mulaney said of his own show: 'This is a really fun experiment. Not since Harry and Meghan has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.'

Some comfort for the Sussexes that they weren't there to witness the ridicule. Maybe they weren't invited!

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a scene from her series 'With Love, Meghan'

David, 49, still has Becks appeal

Women can only dream of coming across David Beckham, 49, spread-legged and lounging in a chair while advertising skin-tight undies for Boss with his perfect six-pack.

He had the perfect tackle on the pitch and the new ad shows Goldenballs has still got it. Pass the smelling salts!

David Beckham, 49, is seen spread-legged and lounging in a chair while advertising skin-tight undies for Boss with his perfect six-pack

Following his revolting sexual comment about 'spit-roasting' Strictly presenter Janette Manrara, Wynne Evans has been removed from the live tour, stood down from his BBC radio show  and his Go Compare contract is being reviewed.

Friends say he 'is in a bad place and fears his entire career is over'. Yes it was offensive but should he be cancelled having made a full apology? He's hardly Harvey Weinstein.

Wynne Evans is seen taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour

The 'yes, yes, yes!' fake orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally has been remade by Meg Ryan, 63, and Billy Crystal, 76, for an ad.

This time Megs, aka Sally, is orgasmic after adding Hellmann's mayonnaise to a sandwich. Sad really, that a squirt of mayo is the most fun a woman in her 60s can look forward to

A top prison officer says Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana  now beginning his 52-year sentence  will have a target on his back for life and other prisoners will try to kill him for fun. Jolly good. May he never rest in peace.

Former Royal Ballet School dancer Ellen Elphick reaches a financial settlement with the organisation, which neither apologised nor accepted liability, after she claimed she was 'body-shamed' between 2009 and 2012 for having thighs and buttocks that were 'too big'.

It caused her anorexia and lifelong psychological damage, she said. Must have been awful for her but surely part of the job description for a ballerina is that they have to be slim and a certain body shape. Who'd pay to go and watch Duck Lake?

Westminster wars

- No need for me to opine on how woeful Rachel Reeves' economic growth-speech was  I'll leave that to the Leftie Guardian. It said, 'In Labour's hands, big ideas always end up looking small...' and 'instead of marching boldly forward, Labour lurches from defensive crouch to arm-waving frenzy and back again'.

- Elsewhere a headline read 'The One With Rachel Boring for Britain has her losing friends and enemies alike'. It was followed by 'A speech lasting 48 minutes felt like an act of cruelty'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves during a business meeting with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and top executives from some of Britain's major businesses in central London

- Then an article declared the speech was 'without imagination, compassion or moral purpose'. See? I couldn't have put it better myself!

If it's a worthy cause you want to put a few quid behind, look no further than Jacob Fallows, three and with cerebral palsy.

He's running 500m of his school playground every day on his walker to raise money to help other children with disabilities who go to Vranch House and Bow Bears pre-school in Devon.

If all of us sent just the cost of a takeaway pizza to this brave little lad's charity...

Jacob Fallows, who has cerebral palsy, is running 500m of his school playground everyday

With hits such as As Tears Go By and It's All Over, Baby Blue, Marianne Faithfull, the Sixties pop icon and former girlfriend of Mick Jagger, has died aged 78. Expect a surge in sales of Mars bars sales in tribute.

Marianne Faithfull, the Sixties pop icon and former girlfriend of Mick Jagger, died aged 78

Who's the real mug Emma

Dopey mug maker Emma Rothwell was the first to be fired from The Apprentice, defiantly claiming after her humiliating exit that with her product design degree she'll make a success of her customised mug-selling business.

'In a few years the headlines will be, 'I was voted off first but I'm making millions', ' she cried. Emma Bridgewater must be quaking in her boots.
It had become a crowded and competitive field. But last week, Suella Braverman boldly reached for gold, and snatched the award for most deranged, sycophantic, cringe-making, self-abasing attempt to ingratiate herself with Donald Trump.

Now that President Trump is back in the White House, the United States is once again the shining city upon a hill to which the UK, and, indeed, the world, will once again look for leadership, courage and for freedom, the former Tory Home Secretary gushed, while addressing the neo-conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington DC.

By contrast, in Britain, she chided, jewels of liberty, aspiration and prosperity lie buried under the weight of socialism.

Indeed, things here were so nightmarish that it was now necessary to consider whether the UK was a mere 20 years from becoming a Muslim fundamentalist state, ruled by Sharia law, with its nuclear weapons trained on the US, and a government run by mad Mullahs intent on ensuring it will be the UK, not China or Russia, that will emerge as the greatest strategic threat to the US.

In reality, the latest official census shows Muslims constitute 6.5 per cent of the UK population, a growth rate of just 1.6 per cent over the decade.

But in fairness to Braverman, there is at least some ideological consistency in her manic MAGA genuflection. As a stalwart of the hard Tory Right, she is now rumoured to be preparing the ground for a defection to Nigel Farages Reform.

Similar consistency cannot, sadly, be credited to Britains new ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson.

In recent years, the architect of New Labour has been characteristically caustic about Trump and his populist political project. Our man in Washington variously dubbed him a racist, a white nationalist, a bully and reckless and a danger to the world.

Donald Trumps first term in the White House unleashed the phenomenon known as Trump Derangement Syndrome

Or he did until last Wednesday, when Mandelson dramatically embarked on what in diplomatic circles is known as a desperate and degrading reverse ferret.

I consider my remarks about President Trump as ill-judged and wrong, he grovelled to Fox News. I think that times and attitudes toward the President have changed since then.

They most certainly have.

Suddenly Americas Grand Wizard of anti-woke was being lauded for his dynamism, energy and extraordinary second mandate.

I think that he has won fresh respect, Labours Dark Lord cooed. He certainly has from me.

Donald Trumps first term in the White House unleashed the phenomenon known as Trump Derangement Syndrome. Symptoms typically involved wailing, a gnashing of teeth, and a general inability to understand why Hillary Clinton had been rejected by the ungrateful working stiffs of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

But as his second term begins, those from across the political spectrum have become infected with a new, equally virulent virus  Trump Debasement Syndrome.

We have had the spectacle of Liz Truss  despite the brevity of her No 10 tenure, still and forever a former British Prime Minister  changing her Twitter profile to show her sporting a Make America Great Again cap, while declaring a golden age for America. The era of decline is ending. Now we need to bring this spirit to Britain. The West must be saved and this is the start.

Both Suella Braverman, left, and Liz Truss have sought to ingratiate themselves with Donald Trump's administration

For his part, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, whose early efforts at global diplomacy involved branding the most powerful man in the world deluded, dishonest, xenophobic, narcissistic and a neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath, has now apparently come round to the view Trump is funny, friendly and warm and in possession of incredible grace.

Obviously theres an element of realpolitik beneath all this forelock-rending. Though in the case of the Tory politicians, its more to do with a self-interested attempt to align themselves with the Trump/Musk social media army than any promotion of British national interests.

But there is a difference between diplomatic pragmatism and obsequious fawning. And that line has now been well and truly crossed.

Yes, the Special Relationship is important strategically. And yes, Trump is a president who requires a unique form of ambassadorial man-management.

But Britain was supposed to be different now. On the fifth anniversary of Brexit, we are meant to be a people back in control. A nation standing tall and proud on the global stage  beholden to, and belittled by, no one.

Yet were currently being treated to the spectacle of our politicians  of all persuasions  bowing, stooping and scraping at the throne of King Donald.

It wasnt so long ago we were derided as Americas poodle. Today, our leaders seem intent on relegating us to being Americas dog-walker, primping and coddling the pet and scrabbling about cleaning up its mess.

And we all know where this unquestioning obeisance to good old Uncle Sam can lead. What happened the last time we had a Prime Minister prepared to pay any price  even the blood price  to ingratiate himself with Washington.

Is that what we can expect again? Are our politicians seriously going to align themselves with Trumps efforts to bully Denmark  a Nato ally  into relinquishing her sovereign territory of Greenland?

Will we offer to join him in some adventurism along the Panama Canal? Or against the drug cartels of Mexico?

And even if we do, just how impressed do we think The Master Of The Deal will actually be? Yes, Trump is a narcissist who likes to surround himself with sycophants. But eventually he always tires of, then dispenses with, them.

Who does Donald Trump really respect? Its men  and even the occasional woman  who display some grit and strength. Not people who kowtow. Or preen. Or sully themselves. But those with the courage to take a stand, rather than bend a knee.

And what has been fascinating to see is how utterly unsuccessful the fawning and flattery have been for those displaying the most chronic vestiges of Trump Debasement Syndrome. Braverman. Lammy. Truss. Mandelson.

Their prized invitation to Trumps inauguration ceremony somehow managed to get lost in the post. Even Nigel Farage  his favourite court jester  had to watch from afar.

Indeed, the only British politician who did make it inside was Boris Johnson. Someone who Trump reportedly sees as a bit of a fellow maverick and disruptor. And who has managed to deliver the occasional paeans of praise, without descending into tortuous toadyism.

Perhaps Suella Braverman should take note. The shining city on the hill is currently full. And no amount of grovelling will see it opening its gates to her.
David Dimbleby stiffened in his chair in the BBC studio and announced: 'The British people have spoken: we're out.'

It was the early hours of Friday, June 24, 2016, and Britain was waking up to what some saw as a terrifying new future.

When financial markets opened a few hours later, the FTSE 100 plunged 12.5 per cent in minutes and then-Conservative MP Anna Soubry proclaimed to the world: 'We have made a very, very, very bad mistake.'

Thus began a narrative that Britain had self-harmed, dooming itself to an impoverished, isolated future while the rest of Europe forged ahead to prosperity without us.

The belief that the EU represents the epitome of human civilisation, and that Britain divorced from it in a moment of petulance, has become embedded in the ideas of diehard Remainers.

They wear a pair of differentiated spectacles: one side has a rose-tinted lens with which they gaze longingly across the Channel, while the other has a blackened, blinkered lens through which they view their own country.

The fantasy remains among Remainers that post-Brexit Britain has been reduced to a crashing and burning satellite of a wealthy and successful EU. The fact that the whole of Europe has been underperforming is lost on those who continue to claim that there has been a calamitous collapse in the UK economy caused by Brexit.

Britain's sluggishness is not the result of leaving the EU. Instead, it reflects what has been happening across Europe for decades. In 1960, Western Europe accounted for 26.8 per cent of global GDP; by 2018 it had fallen to only 14.7 per cent, overtaken by South and Southeast Asia. That's the reality of the world we now live in.

A stony-faced David Dimbleby announces the projected result of the referendum in the early hours of June 24, 2016

Pro-Brexit supporters gather in Parliament Square, London, on the night of the referendum

Not that this means all is well with the UK economy, far from it. In 2023, seven years on from the Brexit vote and three years on from Brexit itself, Britain's economic growth was pretty stagnant, having struggled to recover from the Covid pandemic.

But was it worse than other European countries? The answer is no. Take the International Monetary Fund which in 2023 predicted that of all the world's economies just one would be plunged into recession that year  the UK.

But when the actual figures emerged, it wasn't Britain that came out as the laggard, it was Germany whose economy had slumped.

Overall, Brexit might be said to be a score draw  albeit a low-scoring one between two minor league sides, from which everyone wanders home with a sense of disappointment.

Five years on from Brexit, it is hard to see what the fuss was all about. It has not been a disaster, yet, at the same time, it is hard to see what Britain has really achieved. We continue to dream up new economy-crushing regulations in a number of areas. We continue to have a labour market and corporate laws that are inflexible compared with the US. We surely can  and must  do better.

I should lay my cards on the table now and admit that I was one of the 48 per cent who voted Remain in the 2016 referendum. While I was attracted to the idea of Britain trying to escape Europe's low trajectory of growth and become a more dynamic economy  a Singapore on Thames, as it was often called - I could see that Brexit would be very disruptive, especially with the many families - including my own - who have established bonds across Europe.

I also feared a British withdrawal would break up the EU, with serious repercussions for Eastern Europe, perhaps culminating in some countries being drawn into Vladimir Putin's sphere of influence. In the end I fell for the 'better the devil I know' argument.

But I accepted the result - unlike the elderly dog-walker I met on the morning of the result, who told me ominously, 'It'll be war now.' It didn't have to go quite so badly, I said in response.

I even started to look forward to Britain forging its own path. At no point did I feel inclined to see Brussels as a paradigm of liberal virtue, as so many Remainers laughably did.

Eight years on, it is hard for anyone to argue convincingly that Brexit has been the disaster which was widely predicted. Even the Guardian newspaper admits 'Britain's economic performance since 2016 has been mediocre but not the full-on horror show that was prophesied by the Remain camp'.

But it is hard to argue, either, that Britain has really seized the opportunities it presented. We have simply become a different breed of European social democracy and trotted alongside the EU.

Europe as a whole - Britain included - has lost its self-appointed place as the world's keeper of civilisation, along with its reputation as the slightly less wealthy but more cultured and self-restrained twin of the United States of America.

Europe's economies are stagnating, its quality of life fading, and the reputation for freedom and democracy it has tried to establish since 1945 is rapidly becoming lost.

Boris Johnson proved a far more interventionist prime minister than his history suggested, no thanks to the Covid pandemic, Ross Clark argues

Fellow Brexiteer Michael Gove failed to capitalise on being freed from the constraints of the EU, Clark suggests

Take away the noise of Brexit and you can see that Britain and the EU are both locked in the same cycle of decline. They are like a bickering couple, each moaning about the other's inadequacies while failing to see they are themselves very little different. Both have lost their spirit of innovation, their momentum, all the qualities which once made other parts of the world emulate us.

The fact we need to face is that Europe is becoming a backwater. For innovation and scientific advancement, look to the US. For economic dynamism, look to the US or to Southeast Asia. For the highest education standards and the best healthcare, look to Southeast Asia, or to Australia. But to what would you look to Europe these days?

The freest societies on earth? Depends on your concept of freedom. Culture? Rather less than we used to. On the contrary, Europe has become a macrocosm of Athens: a place of history, but where the glories of the past tower over the tawdry reality of the present. An agreeable holiday? That is the problem. We idolise Europe because of holiday syndrome.

We think the Italians all live in villas in sumptuous countryside because that is where we stayed on holiday  we don't see the pokey high-rise flats in crumbling concrete suburbs, which are home to far more Italians. We think the French all eat well because we found a lovely restaurant in the Dordogne; we don't see the fast-food outlets they increasingly use.

We think it's always sunny in Benidorm because that's how it was in August; we don't see the lashing wind and rain at other times of year. We think Bulgaria is deliciously cheap because our spending money went a long way; without stopping to think how the locals get by on much lower incomes.

In Greece, we read novels, guidebooks or even Homer; we don't read the local paper to hear of the road accidents. In Germany, we see beer and bratwurst, not idle factories. We might take a peek at the ordered seediness put on for the tourists in Amsterdam, but we don't see the misery and crime which go with drug addiction and prostitution.

That is holiday syndrome - obliviousness to what is really going on beneath our noses, and a lack of curiosity to find out. We don't want to because we have gone away on a holiday from reality. Then we come home and the multiple problems of our own country reassert themselves in our consciousness.

That is why some think Britain is wrecked, a miserable and impoverished isle which, in a fit of madness, chose to cast itself away from civilisation.

However, it isn't true. There is much wrong with Britain. But whatever you think is bad this side of the Channel, you can almost always find worse on the other side. The more you look at the rest of Europe through the same lens as you view Britain, the more you start to challenge the notion that Britain is some embittered divorcee reduced to living in a tawdry bedsit after marching out of the family home in a fit of pique.

The challenge now is to derive some advantage from Brexit - and this will not be achieved by emulating the EU and by turning Britain into its endlessly orbiting satellite. It will require Britain to achieve escape velocity, to break away from its regulatory pull. But, so far, we have made little effort to do so.

Even some of those who, during the Brexit referendum campaign, seemed to be advocating the model of Britain as 'Singapore-on-Thames' seemed reluctant to bring a less regulatory climate about when they found themselves in political office following Brexit.

Boris Johnson proved a far more interventionist prime minister than his history suggested, quickly resorting to big government during Covid and expanding the state markedly.

Michael Gove also proved to be no deregulator. Not only was he one of the chief advocates for vaccine passports, he also introduced new planning requirements and extra taxation for holiday lets in an unashamed effort to reduce their number, despite their being a vital part of the tourist industry.

When even the avowed advocates of a low tax, low regulation post-Brexit Britain turn out to not really believe in it, what hope is there for achieving that vision?

Nevertheless, at some point, a UK government is going to have to make a priority of economic growth  and to begin by asking: what is it that helped faster-growing economies such as the US outstrip Europe in recent decades?

If Britain wants to grow like America, it is going to have to free up its labour market and sweep away the more restrictive labour laws which were imposed on it during its membership of the EU.

What the US also does brilliantly is, rather than showering public money on companies, it creates the conditions in which start-up companies can raise capital, find premises, hire and fire staff without having regulators breathing down their necks.

US employment law is far less geared towards protecting particular jobs and far more towards incentivising businesses to create jobs. Easy to hire and easy to fire, if you like.

Most start-ups will fail - and there is no point in propping them up - but that doesn't matter if just a handful of companies manage to clamber out of the economic primordial soup and prosper.

The culture of US business accepts and celebrates the 'creative destruction' - which allows good ideas to feast on the entrails of the bad.

The European approach - to try to preserve every last factory for fear of what will happen to the workers if it closes - is a recipe for misallocation of resources.

We will get a lot further if we change the relationship between government and business, stop the former trying to decide which are the promising ideas, to be showered with public money and ministerial lobbying, and instead limit government's role to creating the right environment in which ideas can battle it out between themselves.

Britain is not without good ideas but we have to find some way of encouraging entrepreneurs to grow their companies rather than selling out at the earliest opportunity. Again and again, companies that show promise of becoming engines of growth choose to sell out to foreign competitors before they have had chance to reach anything like the size of America's tech giants.

It doesn't help either that would-be tech giants struggle to raise capital in Britain. The City of London is one of the world's great financial centres, and yet it does not seem to be serving UK industry well.

Then there is the matter of energy prices. You can't really expect European industries to prosper when they are paying four times as much for their gas and electricity than their US competitors. And neither can you blame that huge differential entirely on Vladimir Putin.

For years, while Europe has been setting unrealistic net zero targets, the US has put energy security and affordability before all else.

While European countries all but banned fracking, the US embraced it, with the result that the US is now the world's largest producer of oil and gas.

Yet we continue to run towards a cliff edge created by unrealistic targets. While Europe deprives itself of affordable, reliable energy, the US and China are using their far cheaper energy to help collar the market in green technologies.

The emphasis is on giving green technologies the space and time to prove themselves, in the hope that they will naturally displace their dirtier forebears without having to curtail lifestyles and compromise economic growth.

The problem of carbon emissions will be solved when technologies emerge that are not only cleaner but genuinely cheaper, too. They will then sell themselves; they will not have to be forced on an unwilling population.

What this post-Brexit Britain has the chance to do is to combine the energy, individualism and love of freedom of America with the discipline and sense of purpose of Singapore. I am not sure how much of this is saleable to a UK public at the moment, given the misplaced admiration for the European Union and the attraction that the comfort blanket of protectionism and closed borders still holds for many Brexit voters.

But I am sure that such a hypothetical country would be a winner. And of one other thing I am certain too: the upheaval of Brexit will have been in vain if we don't at least try to do something different to the rest of sclerotic Europe.

Adapted from Far from Eutopia by Ross Clark (Abacus, 22).  Ross Clark 2025. To order a copy for 19.80 (offer valid to 15/02/25; UK P&P free on orders over 25) go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
A week ago I was in Ukraine, observing a programme of work to help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. One ex-soldier explained to me that whenever he closes his eyes  which struck me as hauntingly dark and unmoving  he sees the faces of his fallen comrades.

His tormented mind is one of thousands among the country's citizen army that bear the mental as well as physical scars of this brutal war.

The programme is run by HopeFull, a British charity that has been making trips to Ukraine since the conflict began. It specialises in pizza trucks  driving them as close as they dare to the front lines to lift the spirits of residents, many of whom are eking out an existence in cold buildings, miles from their now destroyed homes.

Dressed in kilts woven with the blue and yellow of Ukraine, the volunteers bring a smile to young children  and even the most cynical heart could not fail to be moved by the sight of their eyes widening in amazement as they are handed a hot pizza in a box as the snow falls.

HopeFull had invited me and two parliamentary colleagues  Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran and Labour MP Tim Roca  to witness the important work they do. We travelled extensively, coming to within a mile from the Russian border in Kharkiv.

Yet, despite the bleakness of what I saw, it was what I was told in Kyiv that rang louder alarm bells.

There, I attended a meeting of key figures from President Volodymyr Zelensky's office, politicians and members of the military, where an intelligence officer divulged to me the starkest assessment of the war I've heard yet.

This was no peripheral figure either, for so important is he to Ukraine's war effort that Vladimir Putin's agents have made several attempts on his life.

If Russia won, President Zelensky would have to negotiate a ruinous peace, cleaving his country in two, and would likely be forced into exile so the Kremlin could install a puppet government in Kyiv

It's easy to imagine Putin's forces ploughing across the fields of eastern and central Ukraine unopposed with Kyiv in their crosshairs

China's President Xi Jinping has staked huge political capital on his country's 'no limits friendship' with Russia

Iain Duncan Smith travelled to Ukraine to observe a programme of work to help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder

Getting straight to the point, he said: 'Ukraine is losing the war. For all the Russian losses [estimated at 1,500 soldiers a day], Ukraine is losing ground daily.'

I asked how long the country could hold on for and he replied: 'At worst, six months.'

Six months? I had heard predictions of a year or a year and a half, but by his assessment, as schoolchildren in the UK are breaking up for the summer holidays in July, Russian tanks will be smashing through Ukrainian defensive lines.

And what then? The intelligence officer wouldn't speculate but it's easy to imagine Putin's forces ploughing across the fields of eastern and central Ukraine unopposed with Kyiv in their crosshairs. Zelensky would have to negotiate a ruinous peace, cleaving his country in two, and would likely be forced into exile so the Kremlin could install a puppet government in Kyiv.

Victorious military parades would trundle through Red Square while the citizens of Ukraine face a bleak future under the jackboot of their murderous neighbour.

It's a nightmarish scenario for the West, given the vast sums spent supporting Ukraine.

But the stark truth is, we haven't spent enough.

The intelligence officer explained that his pessimistic prediction is based on his country's dwindling stocks of munitions, particularly shells for the 155mm field gun, which can hit targets 15 miles away.

Soldiers from 68th brigade of Ukrainian army attend military training in Donbas Region

Recruits of the 'Alcatraz' assault battalion composed of ex-prisoners prepare for medical and trench training in Donetsk Oblast

Ukrainian soldier tests a fiber-optic-controlled drone designed for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, near Kyiv

Civilians participate in trench warfare training during a 'Test Week' organized by the 3rd Assault Brigade in Kyiv

Ukrainian rescuers working at the site of a rocket strike on a residential building in Poltava

Ukrainian Emergency Service, firefighters put out fire in an apartment building in Poltava

Ukraine simply cannot compete. For every round that they fire, Russia fires at least four back.

While visiting an assault brigade, I could see how short of the required equipment they were.

As an ex-soldier who left the Army some 40 years ago, I was astonished to spot a 1970s British Army Ferret armoured scout car.

So desperate have the brigade become that they are tracking down and buying old ex-military equipment, modifying it and sending it into battle. Echoing in my mind was Winston Churchill's moving demand to US President Franklin Roosevelt: 'Give us the tools and we will finish the job.'

Now it is Ukraine begging us for tools.

I watched as soldiers whose chance of seeing their families again was depressingly small nonetheless ready what little equipment they had.

These once-ordinary men and women, who are fighting to keep this nascent democracy alive, are like you and I, but I wonder if people realise that their fight is ours?

Certainly in Washington, many believe it isn't. In December 2023, a handful of Conservative colleagues and I met with Republican Congressmen and women who were blocking a bill to give vital military support to Ukraine.

irefighters are at work to put out a fire that broke out in a heavily damaged residential building following a missile strike in Poltava on February 1

Rescuers carry the body of a person found under debris in Poltava on February 1

The missile strike on Saturday hit a residential block and left the apartment building destroyed

Rubble lies in a yard of a residential house heavily damaged by Russian drone in Kharkiv

A body found under debris, lies covered in front of an apartment building hit by a dron strike in Sumy, Ukraine

Onlookers gather in front of a damaged hotel following a Russian missile attack in Odesa

I was struck by how many asserted that this wasn't America's war, that their critical interests lay elsewhere in Israel and Taiwan. What they couldn't see was that the fate of Taiwan is tied to that of Ukraine.

If the West allows Kyiv to fall to the Kremlin, China will conclude that our appetite to defend democracy is small, that if we don't have the stomach to stand by our cousins on the continent, why would we come to the aid of the Taiwanese on the other side of the world? Ukraine is the shop window for Western resolve.

China's President Xi Jinping has staked huge political capital on his country's 'no limits friendship' with Russia.

He also brokered the alliance between Putin and Kim Jong Un, which has seen the latter send some 11,000 North Korean soldiers to the 'meat grinder' of the Ukrainian front line.

A victory for Russia would vindicate Xi's choice of friends and embolden his ambition for Taiwan.

This island democracy of 23 million people is claimed as Chinese by Xi, much like Ukraine is by Putin. But an invasion of Taiwan will be far costlier to the global economy than that of the Donbas has been. Some estimates have it as high as $10 trillion  not least because the island is the world's largest microchip producer, but also because the supply of Chinese-made goods that is the lifeblood of Western commerce will dwindle substantially.

It is foolish to think that what we do  or don't do  in Ukraine will not influence what happens in Taiwan. The West has learned to its great pain how not to deal with dictators  a brutal lesson of the past that our leaders today seem to be forgetting.

We thought we'd sated Hitler's territorial ambitions in Europe by offering him the German-speaking parts of Czechoslovakia, but all we did was increase his appetite for more. This will happen with Putin. If the West capitulates over Ukraine, he will simply look for what's next on the menu, as Xi will too.

Whether we like it or not, the road to Taiwan now runs right through Ukraine.
Customers of a beloved luxury tearoom which was famed for its stunning ivy-laden exterior are in uproar after the entire vine was pruned.

The Grade II-listed Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, beside Pont Fawr in Llanrwst, North Wales is famed for its striking Virginia creeper ivy, which frequently attracts photographers and tourists keen to take a picture-perfect photo in front of it.

The building is known for its vibrant transition from green leaves in spring and summer to a rich crimson red in the autumn months.

However, the creeper has undergone a significant trim; leaving a significantly less vibrant building in its place.

National Trust Cymru, which oversees the external walls and roof of the historic building, found that the plant needed cutting back after an inspection revealed minor damage to some slates, which are held in place by wooden pegs.

The tearoom's last trim occurred over two decades ago and since then, a thick layer of ivy had built up on the roof, putting undue strain on the delicate slabs.

Additionally, nettles and invasive species like Himalayan balsam had started to take over the roof.

The ivy was drastically cut back this week, a move that, despite prior warnings, has shocked some locals who said the establishment looked 'awful'.

The Grade II-listed Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, beside Pont Fawr in Llanrwst, North Wales, is famous for its striking Virginia creeper ivy and frequently attracts photographers and Instagrammers

It appears the creeper has undergone a significant trim and now a rather stale looking grey building stands in its place, blending into the colourless cloudy skies

The before and after pictures have circulated on Facebook, with residents sharing their thoughts on the drastic change.

One wrote: 'Looks awful, the Virginia creeper has been there for all of my lifetime. I guess it will grow back and the building needs protecting. It's not as nice as it used to be. I have been going for 50 years!!!'

Another penned: 'Just doesn't look the same,' while a third said: 'It looks awful now.'

A fourth commented: 'It seems a shame but is best for the conservation of the building's integrity.'

Billed as a '15th century luxury tearoom,' Tu Hwnt i'r Bont serves up traditional high tea, homemade cakes and award-wining ice-cream.

And it's clear the Virginia creeper ivy is a core feature of the property, as snaps of the building in its former glory are seen splashed all over the website.

The tearoom is also a popular tourist destination for content creators.

Many travel vloggers visited the place when it still had its ivy, calling the tearoom 'beautiful' and 'magical,' with one even stating that it was one of her 'favourite cottages to visit'.

Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, which translates to Beyond the Bridge, was built as a residential dwelling in 1480.

It's clear the Virginia creeper ivy is a core feature of the property, as snaps of the building in its former glory is seen splashed all over the website

Although locals were informed the ivy would be cut back, it has shocked some who said the establishment looked 'awful

Local residents have been commenting on the change on Facebook, saying the building looked 'awful'

National Trust Cymru, which oversees the external walls and roof of the historic building, found that the plant needed cutting back after an inspection revealed minor damage to some slates

Nettles and invasive species like Himalayan balsam had started to take over the roof

Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, which translates to Beyond the Bridge, was built as a residential dwelling in 1480

The dwelling is known for its vibrant transition from green leaves in spring and summer to a rich crimson red in the autumn months

The tearoom is also a popular tourist destination for content creators, who will no doubt be disappointed to book a table expecting one thing and getting another

Over the centuries Tu Hwnt ir Bont has fallen into disrepair several times and has been rebuilt and restored through the generosity of the townsfolk

The tearoom is also a popular tourist destination for content creators, who would come to look at the ivy which is now gone

Over the past couple of centuries, it has relied on locals to be rebuilt and restored before responsibility was passed over to the National Trust, which have leased the building for more than 50 years.

Over the centuries Tu Hwnt ir Bont has fallen into disrepair several times and has been rebuilt and restored through the generosity of the townsfolk.

It was then acquired by the National Trust who have since leased the building for over 50 years.

Their website states: 'Tu Hwnt Ir Bont is itself, in this idyllic setting, an obvious "must see" tourist attraction; offering as it does, a truly authentic and hugely enjoyable taste of North Wales and its culture.'

Although there is a sense of disappointment at the loss of the creeper, some locals understand the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the property.

Local resident Grant Russell told North Wales Live: 'It will be strange for a bit getting used to it. I imagine the creeper will be let to regrow in time. It certainly is a very photographed view in autumn.'

Above: The inside of the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont traditional tearoom. The building has been there since the 15th century

Billed as a '15th century luxury tearoom,' Tu Hwnt i'r Bont serves up traditional high tea, homemade cakes and award-wining ice-cream

Luke Galan stated: 'As pretty as it was it was doing no good for that roof.'

Sal Watkinson said: 'Saw the creeper being removed earlier today! Sure looks different now!'

Sylvia Jones added: 'It doesn't look the same now, without the legendary Virginia creeper, not so photogenic now, but it does ruin the brickwork! '

Trystan Edwards, the General Manager for National Trust Cymru - Eryr said: 'We recognise that the Virginia creeper is an iconic feature of Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, especially when its leaves turn a vibrant red in autumn.

'However, the conservation work, which is cyclical and must be done periodically, is essential to ensure the integrity of the roof and to carry out any necessary repairs to safeguard this listed building.'

Tu Hwnt i'r Bont was contacted for comment.
The Iranian IRGC/Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps evolved during the early 1980s in the wake of the 1979 revolution that replaced a corrupt monarch with a corrupt religious dictatorship. The religious leaders noted that the monarchy lacked a sufficiently strong Palace Guard to prevent a successful rebellion. That observation led to the creation of the IRGC, a Palace Guard with nearly 200,000 well trained and equipped soldiers and a half million Basj militia stationed in most provinces. Some 20,000 IRGC personnel operate the IRGC navy, which monitors the loyalty of the regular navy.

The IRGC proved its worth during the eight year war with Iraq. This began in 1980 when Iraq sought to grab some Iranian oil fields on the border while the Iranian civil war was still underway. The IRGC quickly ended the Iranian Civil war and turned their attention to the Iraqi invaders. The war continued until 1988, when both sides realized that over half a million Iranians and Iraqis had been killed and no one was winning.

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was able to avoid defeat because Arab oil states sent Iraq billions of dollars in economic and military aid. Neighboring Kuwait provided over $10 billion in loans and after the war unwisely asked for a plan to repay the debt. Iraq had oil income and could afford to repay the debt, but instead invaded Kuwait in 1990, instigating a war with Saudi Arabia, the United States and other NATO nations. The war was over in about a hundred days with Iraq defeated and Saddam on the run. He was eventually caught and executed. The Western forces occupied Iraq until 2011 so they could deal with Saddams backup plan that consisted of using Islamic Terrorists against the Western invaders. This ultimately failed and Saddam was killed along the way.

Iran observed all this mayhem and eventually sought to take advantage of Iraqi chaos and weakness. During the 1980s Iran spent nearly $20 billion to establish and maintain a presence in Syria and Lebanon. The IRGC Quds force handled most of the subversion and organized pro-Iran militias in Syria. That process was still going on in early 2024. In the last few months of 2024 all that was lost, along with billions of dollars worth of weapons factories and air defense systems. Now all that is gone and Iran has nothing to show for it. In early December Abu Mohammed al-Golani led a force of several thousand armed men and quickly conquered most of Syria in a few days; all but Kurdish-held areas which insist only on some degree of to-be-negotiated local autonomy. Bashar al-Assad, the former ruler of Syria escaped with his family to Russia where he was granted asylum. Its winter in Moscow and, while the reception was warm, the Assad family found itself trapped in the land of snow, ice and a heavily sanctioned economy.

The Assads went to Russia because they ignored what was going in in their northwestern Idlib province. There Islamic terrorist group HTS had quietly evolved into an army of disciplined soldiers under the command of former Islamic terrorist Abu Muhammad Al-Golani. Most of Syrias surviving Islamic terrorists, anti-Assad rebels and their families had held out in Idlib for almost ten years. Efforts by the Turks, who had to feed millions of Syrian refugees in Turkey, to get HTS, the dominant Islamic terrorist coalition in the province, to cooperate with the Turks failed. Turkey finally proposed instead that HTS work with Turkey-backed Syrian militias to overthrow the Assad regime so Turkey could move the millions of Syrian refugees back to Syria. Turkey offered HTS sanctuary in Turkish-controlled areas and let a few HTS members into Turkey. Reaching an agreement with HTS on the details proved difficult, but the reality was the HTS and Turkey had quietly worked out an arrangement that enabled HTS to assemble thousands of soldiers who were Islamic terrorists that agreed to follow HTS leader Golani in a successful lightning campaign to conquer Syria.

That ended 15-20 years of Iranian efforts to make Syria a base for Iranian attacks on Israel. This is one of many catastrophic strategic defeats for Irans mullah regime in the past few months. The most recent is that corruption and mismanagement of its economy have produced a shortage of oil and natural gas for domestic use. Irans president made a televised speech in December 2024 informing the Iranian people of this and announced his decision to divert the currently available stocks of fuel from the economy and jobs to heat housing so that millions of Iranians wont freeze to death in the dark this winter.

Something else Iran has to rebuild is belief among all Iranians that the current leaders will be able to end the poverty that has been growing over the last decade with a third of Iranians impoverished and a few percent without housing or enough food to survive.

Many Iranian leaders believe that an uprising is possible if the religious dictatorship does nothing or tries to suppress the continuing protests against poverty and violent suppression of protests. That kind of suppression is increasingly less effective and members of the religious establishment and some IRGC leaders openly express concern that a more serious uprising is possible and whoever wins, Iran loses. So far, a majority of the senior clerics in the Guardians Council oppose any concessions to those demanding economic reforms and an end of lifestyle rules that punish women who do not cover their hair with a scarf.

IRGC leaders are less eager to oppose any concessions. Many IRGC leaders are closer to the protests and have a better sense of how angry Iranians are and how far most Iranians are willing to go. The IRGC is not large enough to take on most Iranians and many individual IRGC men are not willing to slaughter a lot of fellow Iranians to keep corrupt religious and IRGC leaders in power. The continued economic sanctions make life difficult for more Iranians who are unemployed and cannot afford the higher food prices. Iranian leaders have to decide whether they want to still live in a fantasy world of rapidly rebuilding and repairing all the damage the country has suffered lately. God will provide, but not in terms of infrastructure restoration and restocking the military rocket and missile arsenal.
It was Valentine's Day when my world turned upside down. I was on a half-term break in Suffolk with my children. We were pottering around Framlingham with my parents when my phone rang, showing a withheld number.

I had waited more than two weeks for this call and suddenly I felt sick to my stomach.

Walking out of earshot, I picked up. The woman on the other end of the line introduced herself as Rose, a nurse from London's Royal Free Hospital. She had the results of my MRI scan. I needed to come into the hospital, urgently.

This was not the news I was hoping for: willing myself to stay calm, I asked her to take me through the results. I found a bench and searched my handbag for a pen and paper.

Rose said she was sorry, but I had cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a rare and aggressive type of liver cancer, also known as bile duct cancer. I shakily scribbled the alien word down so I could Google it.

'I advise you, don't read up on the internet,' said Rose. 'If you do, it's important you understand that from what we have seen, the tumour is operable. We can get it out. I know it's hard, but try to stay calm.'

I took down the details of an appointment with my surgeon Dr Dora Pissanou next day and hung up.

I looked across at my children  Matilda, then 11, and George, 6,  who were eating cinnamon buns in the sunshine and laughing with my parents. Little did they know their worlds were also about to be turned upside down too.

Royal commentator Katie Nicholl found out she had cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a rare and aggressive type of liver cancer, also known as bile duct cancer

I was overwhelmed with adrenaline and shock. How could I have a rare liver cancer when I felt normal? What would I tell the children? I called Mum on her mobile and asked to speak to her alone.

Fourteen years earlier, she had had breast cancer. Now, sitting beside me, she grasped my hand and held back tears. 'It's going to be OK,' she said. 'I'll take the kids, you go back to London.' I'll never forget the sadness and fear in her eyes. It was like looking in a mirror.

Despite Rose's advice, I went online as soon as I got home and was shocked all over again. Cholangiocarcinoma is rare. There is no cure  except for surgery  and very little is known about this type of cancer, except that the prognosis is usually poor.

The five-year survival rate for cholangiocarcinoma that hasn't moved beyond the bile ducts is between 18 and 23 per cent. It drops to 2-3 per cent for cancer that has spread.

Having such a rare and aggressive liver cancer  with an abysmal survival rate  was unbelievable. I was 46, fit and healthy. I exercise regularly and drink very little.

I had, however, had intermittent heart palpitations and what felt like severe indigestion on and off for several months, but had put this down to stress.

The previous 12 months had been particularly busy: I had written two books, co-hosted a podcast for Vanity Fair magazine, and covered the death and state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II in my role as a royal commentator for numerous networks including the BBC, NBC in America and CBC in Canada.

I also had a home to run and two children to care for. I had blamed fatigue, or the perimenopause, for my racing heart. Not for a moment did I suspect a tumour the size of my palm was obstructing my liver.

Katie presenting on TV at the King's Coronation - while on chemotherapy

Katie and her children, Matilda and George. She made the decision not to tell her children she had cancer and instead told them she needed to go to hospital for an operation on her liver

I went to see my GP just before Christmas 2022 after a friend urged me to go for check-up. The doctor thought I was on the brink of burnout and suggested I took a break from work.

He ran blood tests (all the tumour marker readings were in normal range) and agreed to send me to a cardiologist to rule out any underlying heart issues.

After an ECG and CT scan of my heart, I was signed off by the cardiologist with a clean bill of health but a stark warning. 'Miss Nicholl,' he said; 'Please remember stress is a killer.'

Before I left his office, I asked the consultant if he would refer me for one final scan. My father had suffered an aortic aneurism, a potentially fatal and hereditary condition, and my siblings and I had been advised we should be scanned as a precaution.

The consultant agreed  a decision that saved my life. During the routine ultrasound of my abdomen, a suspicious lesion on my liver was detected.

When I met Dr Pissanou  who I would come to know as Dora  she said there was no time to waste as bile duct cancer spreads quickly. Potentially curative surgery is only offered to patients with early stage, localised cancer where there is a good chance of cutting out the tumour.

I had an intrahepatic CCA (within the liver) and would also require the removal of some lymph nodes and my gall bladder.

Dora looked me in the eye and told me this was going to be a fight, but that I was strong and fit and I could get through it. Having successfully had five rounds of IVF to have my children, I was determined to see them grow up.

Although scared, I felt a connection with Dora and believed she could do what needed to be done. I also had faith in myself. Being fit and healthy would stand me in good stead. The liver is the only organ that can regenerate, so a full recovery was possible.

Dora was able to operate the following week. I cancelled all work commitments. I decided not to tell the children I had cancer and just told Matilda and George I needed to go to hospital for an operation on my liver. They were worried, but I said I would be OK.

I wrote letters for them to keep under their pillows to read while I was away. I told them how much I loved them, that they were the best children in the world and that 'Dora the Explorer' as they had nicknamed her (after the TV character), would be getting the 'green rabbits' out of my liver.

I have a deep sense of appreciation for the simple things and I am so grateful for the support and love of family and friends, Katie says

The week before my procedure was fraught. I had endless to-do lists and after-school club pick-up rotas stuck to the fridge  I wanted to keep the children's routine as normal as possible. I batch cooked meals and froze them, sent the last, hurried chapter of my book to my editor in New York and packed my hospital bag.

I hugged the children extra tight every night and went into their bedrooms to watch them sleeping. I would kiss their hot little heads and promise I would always be there for them. Leaving for the hospital at dawn on February 24, 2023, I was shaking with nerves.

What was meant to be a six-hour surgery turned out to be an 11-hour procedure. When I came around in ICU, Dora was standing over me in her blood-stained scrubs, beaming. 'I got the beast out,' she told me, her eyes flashing. 'You are going to be my champion, Katie. Now rest.'

I drifted in and out of consciousness for the next two days, vaguely aware of my family at the end of my hospital bed or holding my hand.

I spent 12 days in hospital because a leak in my bile duct meant a second surgery. Being wheeled into the theatre again was my lowest moment. I was weak, in a huge amount of pain and cried as I struggled to get onto the table.

But the insertion of a stent into my bile duct was a success and from then, my recovery was remarkable. I began with circuits of the ward, then the hospital steps, progressing to gentle walks on London's Hampstead Heath with my father.

Video-calling my children before school and when they came home kept me going. I missed them terribly, but only allowed them to visit when all my tubes were out, and I looked like 'Mummy' again (albeit a stone and a half lighter).

I was not able to eat for days after surgery. Added to the stress, the weight had dropped off and I looked tired and gaunt. My mother, who was looking after the children, sent my father to the hospital each day with home-made chicken broth.

When I went home Mum moved in to help. I was not strong enough to climb the stairs and was not allowed to drive or lift anything heavy, like shopping bags or a laundry basket.

It was three weeks before I got the results of a biopsy, but thankfully, it showed clear margins where the tumour had been and the lymph nodes were disease free.

It was the best news I could possibly hope for  putting me in group that has the better survival rate and I burst into tears of relief.

There was still a six-month course of preventative chemotherapy to face, which I began in April. Under the care of oncologist Dr Daniel Krell at the London Oncology Centre, I was prescribed capecitabine, to reduce the risk of recurrence.

I was worried about losing my hair (as my mother had) and suffering from fatigue and nausea, but I tolerated chemotherapy quite well.

I did, though, suffer palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia  extreme pain to my hands and feet which felt sunburnt and made my skin shed. Walking was painful and my hands were so red raw I couldn't wash up or open the fridge door.

Matilda and George would take it in turns to give me foot massages and we spent evenings cuddled up on the sofa watching Modern Family and laughing  definitely the best therapy for me.

I was determined to get into nature as often as possible, knowing it was vital to my healing and recovery. Each day I walked in the woods by my house where I used to run 5km a day.

I tried to take a rest while the children were at school, went to bed early and nourished myself with green smoothies and more of my mother's home-made chicken soup. Every day I got stronger, physically and mentally.

I was wanted to return to work briefly that May to cover the Coronation of King Charles III. I have covered royal weddings, births, and funerals but never a Coronation. It was an important moment, one which would form the epilogue to my latest book, The New Royals.

Dora said that seeing me back on TV while going through treatment made her very proud  and standing outside Westminster Abbey, broadcasting on the historic event to millions of people in America was one of my proudest moments, too.

I did take time off afterwards, though, so I could heal properly and come to terms with my diagnosis.

I went for counselling and worked with various healers including wellness guru Katie Brindle, who treated me holistically alongside the Western medicine.

I have always used alternative treatments like homeopathy, reflexology and acupuncture, which I knew would help at a time when my mind could be overcome with fear and my body needed extra support.

Katie's work, which includes body tapping and Qigong (a Chinese practice involving movement and breath work), resonated with me. regular acupuncture sessions helped alleviate some of the side effects of the chemo. I also meditated daily and kept a journal to help me process everything.

My oncologist was open to me using homeopathy but only after completing chemotherapy. I also visited the Sun Kyeong centre in central London for regular energy sessions. These involve using light, touch and sound to release tension and restore the circulation of Qi (energy) in the body.

During my woodland walks, I meditated and visualised my liver now cancer free  regrowing. My last scan showed that my liver has grown to 85 percent of its original size. Miraculous.

I wrote to my GP to thank him for referring me for the crucial ultrasound scan. He said he had never before come across a cholangiocarcinoma and would pin my note up in the staff room to remind colleagues that there should be greater awareness of this rare disease, that is on the rise in younger people.

CCA accounts for fewer than one percent of all cancers  but I have now met many fellow sufferers through AMMF (The Alan Morement Memorial Fund), the UK's only cholangiocarcinoma charity.

The past two years have been quite the journey. Echoing the neat scar that runs the length of my torso, my life has been divided into two  before and after cancer. I am still coming to terms with being in remission, but in many ways my life is richer.

I have a deep sense of appreciation for the simple things and I am so grateful for the support and love of family and friends.

I now prioritise my health. I make time to be in nature, to meditate, to enjoy sunshine on my face or coffee with a friend. The school run is never a chore as I know how lucky I am to see my children growing up.

I remain cancer free, but have MRI and CT scans every three months. Later this year these will drop to six months, then yearly.

I know I must reach the all-important five-year milestone, and will never be as carefree again  which does make me sad. But I remind myself I am one of the lucky ones. My cancer could so easily have been missed.

See the website of AMMF  The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity for more information: ammf.org.uk. Katie is fundraising for Maggie's Centres at justgiving.com/page/katie-nicholl-1
Men are being shamed online for attending expensive boutique fitness classes as female content creators call them out for grunting, slurping, and breathing heavily.

On TikTok, women have been speaking out about not wanting men to frequent their intimate, expensive workout classes and some men have been taking to social media to ask if they'd feel uncomfortable joining a hot yoga or Pilates sculpting class.

It's become a hot topic, as women say they don't want to workout in a small studio with a strange man, while others say they'd like to bring their significant other or believe fitness should be accessible to everyone.

A TikTok creator named Alexandra, who's based in Miami, Florida, explained exactly why she doesn't approve of men joining her group fitness classes.

After taking a hot yoga class with multiple men, she said there was one who was doing push-ups before class, grunting, heavily breathing, and slurping his water, which disrupted her quiet, zen experience.

'Why must you take up more space than you naturally do? Why can't you be seen and not heard?' Alexandra asked, adding, 'It's annoying and we all secretly hate you.'

Her commenters agreed, complaining 'they grunt the entire class' and are always 'making more noise than EVERYONE else.'

Alexandra isn't the only creator who feels this way - one content creator named rilezzz shared a video where she said, 'Not to be dramatic or anything, but if a man is in my Pilates class, my day is automatically ruined. It's over, cancelled!'

Men are being shamed online for attending expensive boutique fitness classes as female content creators call them out for grunting, slurping, and breathing heavily (stock image)

Some men have been taking to social media to ask if they'd feel uncomfortable during group fitness classes (stock image)

Some women completely agreed that men shouldn't even think about walking in the door, while others called the belief offensive.

'I'm an instructor and Pilates isn't for the girls only! This is so sexist,' one appalled teacher replied.

The creator explained, 'I feel so much more comfortable when it's just women sorry it's the truth.'

'Wait me as the teacher secretly agreeing,' another Pilates pro weighed in.

'Agreed. There's a guy who goes to my pure barre sometimes and I'm like GTFOOOO read the room!!!!!' a commenter chimed in.

Many women said they liked bringing their boyfriends or husbands to class with them, with one joking, 'I love to bring my man's to Pilates to humble him.'

There were also male commenters who had been debating taking workout classes until they found the video.

One 'felt it would be a great glute workout since I never do 'em myself,' but after reading the comments said 'guess not now.'

Solidcore is a hit with celebrities including Sydney Sweeney, who told WSJ. Magazine, 'It's a full-body high-intensity workout but on a reformer, and it's been killing my ass. I love it'

Some women completely agreed that men shouldn't even think about walking in the door, while others called the belief sexist

Men flocked to Reddit to see if they'd be welcome in boutique workout classes or feel deeply uncomfortable.

'I wanted to try out solidcore and was curious if guys attend the classes. I would feel a little weird if I would be the only guy in class,' one gentleman asked about the wildly popular megaformer Pilates chain.

Solidcore is a hit with celebrities including Sydney Sweeney, who told WSJ. Magazine, 'It's a full-body high-intensity workout but on a reformer, and it's been killing my ass. I love it.'

'There are some people online with the "Pilates princess" rhetoric but [solidcore] is an incredible workout and for everyone,' one commenter replied, referencing the Gen Z aesthetic that embraces matching Alo sets and takes inspiration from balletcore.

However, they did warn 'There is a high chance of you being the only guy, depending on where you are located.'

One commenter approved, as long as the man in question behaved himself.

'Guys attend. Just exercise self awareness so you aren't annoying, in other words, No grunting or being audibly vocal in your fatigue.
A Hard Rock Cafe customer has claimed a server made fun of him for having celiac disease after he refused to pay for a meal containing gluten.

TikTok user @youngparislive captured part of his uncomfortable interaction with the staff at the Hollywood, Florida location, sharing it with his followers.

'Sever made fun of me for having 'fake' celiac disease,' he wrote on the video.

'I'll end up in the hospital if I eat bread,' he added.

In the clip, the server and the man could be seen arguing, with the server making a comment on the TikTok user's decision to order a beer and eat fries.

However, he insists he didn't order the fries, which leads to a heated conversation between the woman and the customer.

'Are you celiac?' the TikTok user asks the server.

'I'm not,' the server responds, as she's clearing the space.

TikTok user @youngparislive captured part his uncomfortable interaction with the staff at the Hollywood, Florida location, sharing it with his followers

The irate man replied: 'Okay, cool, I'm celiac, and you just threw a jab at me.'

The conversation grows steadily more tense, with the server telling the customer she finds it 'funny' he would still eat fries, which are cooked in the same fryer as products containing gluten.

'I don't eat fries, I didn't ask for the fries, moron,' he replies scathingly.

The server then called her manager over the help sort out the uncomfortable situation.

In the comments, the man said the he received a refund and a food comp for the trouble caused.

He also noted that there are different degrees of severity, and he can tolerate some beers.

Some comments noted that while fries are technically gluten-free, because they're potato, in fast food restaurants they are often prepared in situations where cross contamination can occur.

In the caption, he wrote: 'Celiac disease sucks but so do people who don't take it seriously.'

In the clip, the server and the man are arguing, with the server making a comment on the TikTok user's decision to order a beer and eat fries (stock image)

As per the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people, hindering the ingestion of gluten which leads to damage in the small intestine.

It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide, but only about 30 percent are properly diagnosed.

Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start consuming gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the Hard Rock Cafe for comment.
Lily Collins is the latest celebrity to announce she has welcomed a child with a surrogate, joining a long list of stars who have opted to grow their families via gestational carrier.

The actress, 35, announced the arrival of her daughter Tove Jane McDowell on Friday, revealing that the couple had used a surrogate - who Lily declared her 'endless gratitude' to.

Lily and her husband Charlie McDowell managed to keep their surrogacy plans entirely under the radar until Tove was born earlier this week in Northern California.

Lily is the daughter of Genesis frontman and pop-rock icon Phil Collins and his ex-wife Jill Tavelman, while Charlie is the son of actors Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen, who divorced in 1990, and stepson of Mary's current husband, Ted Danson.

The actress joins a substantial number of celebrity mothers who have welcomed a child this way, including Paris Hilton, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson, Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma, and Elon Musk and Grimes.

Though we don't know the finer details of Lily's surrogacy arrangement, they have - in the past - come at a very steep price.

Welcoming a child via surrogacy can cost hundreds of thousands for the average person, and celebrities likely have to fork out even more thanks to the 'special arrangements' that are needed to ensure their privacy.

Stars will often go to great lengths to keep the details of their surrogacy hidden from the public, enlisting iron-clad NDAs and watertight arrangements that keep their carriers sworn to secrecy.

Collins shares the baby girl, named Tove Jane McDowell, with her husband, filmmaker Charlie McDowell; pictured together in February 2024 in London

The actress, 35, announced the arrival of her daughter Tove Jane McDowell on Friday, revealing that the couple had used a surrogate - who Lily declared her 'endless gratitude' to

On the other hand, expecting a celebrity baby certainly comes with its perks - and the surrogates are often treated to lavish gifts and glamorous accommodations from the stars, with some even providing them with their own private chefs, nutritionists, and personal trainers.

Gina-Marie Madow, ESQ Director of Legal Services at ConceiveAbilities, previously told DailyMail.com that celebrities using surrogacy and sharing their stories had helped 'normalise it' and 'inspire more women' to get involved in the process.

As Lily joins a long list of mothers who have grown their families via surrogate, FEMAIL has lifted a lid on what it's really like to be a celebrity carrier.

The cost of surrogacy: Celebrities pay hundreds of thousands of dollars, but the carrier only makes a small percentage of that

It was reported in 2017 that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West paid their surrogate 36,000 ($45,000) when she welcomed their daughter, Chicago

In 2017, when news hit the web that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were using a surrogate to welcome another child, TMZ reported that the former couple had paid the woman carrying their daughter 36,000 ($45,000).

And while some felt it was a low number, considering the pair are worth millions of dollars, Stephanie Caballero, founder of Surrogacy Law Center in California, told The Cut at the time that 36,000 ($45,000) was a 'standard' profit for an 'experienced surrogate' - insisting that women carrying celebrity babies aren't allowed to be paid any more than surrogates for average people.

Breaking down the average cost of surrogacy Egg donation: 16,000 - 24,000 Embryo creation: 24,000 - 30,000 Agency fee: 16,000 - 40,000 Legal fee: 5,000 - 12,000 Carrier compensation: 24,000 - 48,000 Insurance: 9,000 - 24,000 Average total: 80,000 - 160,000 Source: US News Advertisement

'You don't get more to carry a celebritys child,' she said.

'That is actually the going rate.

'She may be a second-time surrogate, usually a first-time surrogate [gets] about 24,000 to 28,000 ($30,000 to $35,000).'

Extraordinary Conceptions also reported that the amount that the carrier is going to be paid is set long before they are matched with parents, and that 'paying a gestational carrier more money could also be viewed as coercion.'

Stephanie also pointed out that offering surrogates extra money to carry famous children can attract the wrong type of people, and that it's safer to keep all prices the same - celebrity or not.

'Here's the thing, if you pay a surrogate, lets say, whos giving birth for Kim and Kanye, 80,000 ($100,000), anybody would raise their hand and say, "Sure, six figures? Ill carry your baby,"' she explained.

'You don't want somebody to come forward like that. You want a woman who has raised her hand and said, "This is something that I want to do. I have uneventful pregnancies, I love being pregnant. I want to help somebody and give them a baby."'

One surrogacy website stated that its 'benefit packages are the same for all surrogates, regardless of who the intended parents are' and that the 'compensation depends on the surrogate mother's level of experience.'

Experts claimed that $45,000 was a 'standard' profit for a surrogate and that women carrying celebrity babies aren't allowed to be paid any more than other surrogates (stock image)

The total cost for surrogacy for the average person ranges between 80,000 to 160,000 ($100,000 to $200,000), depending on a series of factors

And while the actual carrier doesn't have a higher income, Stephanie noted that stars using surrogacy do usually have to pay more to agencies due to the 'special attention' they will receive.

Agencies will take extra measures to help ensure the stars' privacy and make them feel comfortable every step of the way, which means they can ask for a higher rate.

According to US News, the total cost for surrogacy for the average person ranges between 80,000 to 160,000 ($100,000 to $200,000), depending on a series of factors.

This includes egg or sperm donation if needed, embryo creation, the agency fee, insurance, and the carrier's compensation.

In addition, most agencies don't provide legal services, so parents might have to pay for an outside lawyer to create necessary documents regarding the pregnancy and adoption once the baby is born. Parents also have to cover any complications that arise during the pregnancy.

Gina-Marie, from ConceiveAbilities, told DailyMail.com that the company charges 132,000 ($164,000) for a base package that includes 'recruiting, screening and matching you with a healthy and qualified surrogate, obtaining insurance coverage for your surrogate, coordinating the legal and escrow work, a generous base compensation for your surrogate, and additional compensation for potential additional medical procedures, medication cycles, travel and expert surrogacy journey management.'

TMZ reported that Kim and Kanye paid a total of 91,000 ($113,850) to welcome their daughter, Chicago, via surrogate in 2018.

The perks of carrying a celebrity's baby: While they may not make extra money, carriers get treated like royalty during the pregnancies

While carriers don't earn extra money, they do often get a lot of perks. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra are seen with their daughter whom they welcomed via surrogacy

While women who are carrying celebrity babies don't earn extra money, Stephanie told The Cut that they do often get a lot of perks.

She said that parents want their surrogate to be as comfortable as possible, so celebrities working with surrogacy will provide their carriers with a range of VIP amenities like a private chef, personal trainer, and even spa days.

'If [Kim's surrogate] wants pregnancy massages, she gets that,' she said. 'Shell probably have, knowing Kim, whos very healthy with her body right now, shell probably have a nutritionist, she may have food service, all organic food.

'She may even have a chef. She may have a personal trainer come to her house. So she may have all those other perks.'

Stars provide their carriers with a range of VIP amenities like a private chef, personal trainer, and even spa days. Naomi Campbell is seen with her daughter, who she had via surrogate

In addition, Teo Martinez, the CEO of Growing Generations, noted that stars sometimes ask their carriers to relocate so that they could be closer to them, and that they'll compensate them for having to travel.

'Some intended parents, celebrities, or other VIPs, will want the surrogate to deliver in [a specific hospital],' he revealed.

'Let's say the surrogate lives in Texas. So, they may say, "Listen, will you be willing to relocate in the last six to eight weeks of the pregnancy? Well pay for your travel here, your housing expenses, if you need to bring your family, we'll do that, pay for all that and then a bonus on top of that."'

Gina-Marie explained to DailyMail.com that it was not uncommon for celebrity parents to give their carriers gifts or do something 'extra special for them after the birth to 'show their appreciation.'

The iron-clad NDAs: Stars have to go through extra measures to ensure their privacy when working with a surrogate

Celebrities also go through extreme measures to keep the details of their surrogacy private. Rebel Wilson is seen with her daughter, who was welcomed via surrogate

Page Six reported that celebrities will go through extreme measures to keep their identities secret from their own carriers at first, to ensure that the surrogate doesn't have any ulterior motives or isn't taking advantage of some of the perks they may receive.

'They keep their information limited in the early stages of the process because they've been through so much heartache trying to get pregnant on their own,' Jane Groenendaal, surrogacy director for New Beginnings Surrogacy Services, told the outlet.

'They can't imagine that surrogacy is going to work for them, so they don't want to get close and attached to their surrogate if she's not going to get pregnant.

'Communication definitely starts off slow in the beginning until theres a confirmed pregnancy.'

Some carriers are asked to sign NDAs - a contract that makes it so they can't legally tell anyone about it - while others are offered extra income to ensure their secrecy (stock image)

Once the pregnancy is confirmed, some carriers are asked to sign NDAs - a contract that makes it so they can't legally tell anyone about it - while others are offered extra income to ensure their secrecy - but Teo told The Cut said most 'understand the gravity of the situation' without any extra measures.

'They understand that privacy is key,' he said.

Jane added to Page Six that a typical HIPAA form is required for all surrogacies, which adds a layer or protection from the start.

'When the surrogates match with their intended parents, [the surrogate] cant post things on social media without the intended parents permission [due to HIPAA],' she said.

'Many times its important to them that they dont put up pictures of either party unless they have their consent.'

Gina-Marie told DailyMail.com that all surrogates and parents using its services sign an NDA during the process, whether they're famous or not.

'For a celebrity journey, we would advise additional protections through non-disclosure and agreements to ensure both parties privacy is protected,' she added.

Celebrities who used surrogacy to expand their families: Paris joins a long list of stars who are turning to the process to welcome babies

Anderson Cooper welcomed his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, in 2020 and 2022 with the help of a surrogate. He is seen with Sebastian

Paris joined a long list of stars who are turning to surrogacy to expand their families. Journalist Anderson Cooper welcomed his two sons, Wyatt and Sebastian, in 2020 and 2022 with the help of a surrogate.

'As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I'm grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son's birth,' he wrote in an emotional post following Wyatt's birth.

'Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him.

'It is an extraordinary blessing - what she, and all surrogates give to families who can't have children.

'My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our lives.'

Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wayne, welcomed their daughter, Kaavia James, via surrogate in 2018

Other stars to use surrogacy includes Andy Cohen (left), Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Amber Heard (right), and Tyra Banks

Kim and Kanye used surrogacy to welcome two of their four kids - Chicago in 2018 and Psalm in 2019.

The reality star had previously suffered from a condition known as placenta accreta during her first two pregnancies, which occurs when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall and can cause severe blood loss after delivery.

'We are incredibly grateful to our surrogate who made our dreams come true with the greatest gift one could give and to our wonderful doctors and nurses for their special care,' she said in a statement after Chicago's birth.
Princess Beatrice 'may have reached out to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle' after the birth of her second daughter Athena last month, an expert has claimed.

Beatrice and her sister Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, are thought to have remained close to Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, since they departed royal life in 2020.

It was recently reported by the New York Post that Beatrice is the only royal able to 'initiate peace' between Harry and his brother Prince William after a years-long feud.

A former Buckingham Palace staff member claimed that Beatrice has 'spoken to the two brothers to try to improve the situation'.

It is perhaps no surprise, therefore, that royal experts believe she may have extended an olive branch to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan after the birth of her daughter Athena.

Jennie Bond, the former BBC royal correspondent, said Beatrice may have 'pinged a picture of two [of Athena] to Harry and Meghan' after the birth.

She told The Mirror: 'I don't think it will hasten a visit by them to the UK, but perhaps if charity work or business brings Harry this way he'll be keen to meet his new cousin.

Princess Beatrice has given birth to her second 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

Princess Beatrice gave birth to a daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, last month

'This was lovely news. After the brutality of last year for so many of the royal family, 2025 is looking altogether brighter. It must have been rather alarming to have such a premature and tiny baby. I think the hospital has to be commended for keeping the birth completely confidential for a week.'

The King's niece, 36, welcomed her second daughter with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi last week.

Athena Elizabeth Rose becomes 11th in line to the throne, pushing her aunt Princess Eugenie down to 12th place.

She is the third child in the Mapelli Mozzi brood alongside Beatrice's three-year-old daughter Sienna, and Wolfie, eight, from Edo's first marriage to Dara Huang. Princess Beatrice often describes Wolfie as her 'bonus' child.

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.

It was recently reported by the New York Post that Beatrice is the only royal able to 'initiate peace' between Harry and his brother Prince William after a years-long feud

'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.'

Jennie Bond, the former BBC royal correspondent, said Beatrice may have 'pinged a picture of two [of Athena] to Harry and Meghan' after the birth

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.

Jennie Bond thinks the birth of Athena may have been particularly welcome news to Prince Andrew.

She said: 'I I think family has become ever more important for the beleaguered Prince Andrew, and perhaps one of his main roles in life these days is to be a doting grandad.'
An Iowa family is blaming doctors for the death of their father after they say his medical team failed to give him life-saving antibiotics.

Steve Schwarz, 67, underwent spinal surgery in March 2020 to treat back pain, but two months later, he returned to the hospital with red swollen skin.

Doctors diagnosed him with MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, a serious bacterial infection resistant to many antibiotics that infects about 80,000 Americans a year.

They prescribed him the powerful antibiotic doxycycline, which is used to kill the bacteria, and discharged him to an inpatient care home with instructions for him to keep receiving doses - typically given via injection - for two to three months.

But, the lawsuit claims, his doctor at the home, Dr Michelle Sprengelmeyer at Cedar Manor in Iowa, did not follow the instructions and discontinued his medication  allowing Mr Schwarz's infection to spread and he to rapidly deteriorate.

When he was rushed back to the hospital three weeks later, doctors were shocked by how his infection had progressed. They contacted the care home and realized he had not received his medication.

He was moved to hospice care at the hospital, and died four days later on June 22, 2020.

His case was revealed late last year after his daughter, Heather Barrett, sued the doctors over his treatment. While it was not ruled that Mr Schwarz's death was directly caused by not getting doxycycline, a jury awarded her $1.65million in damages because her father did not receive the care he needed

Pictured above is Steve Schwarz, 67, with his daughter Heather Barrett. The former welder died after doctors discontinued antibiotics for his serious bacterial infection

He is pictured above again with his daughter. His family has won $1.65million in damages over the death following a lawsuit

MRSA is a serious bacterial infection that plagues many hospitals because of the heavy use of antibiotics and vulnerable patients there.

It kills about 11,000 Americans every year, or just over one in eight who are infected.

But the infection can be cleared with careful monitoring and the use of powerful antibiotics.

Studies suggest about 80 percent of patients treated for MRSA after spinal surgery survive.

Symptoms often start as a swollen, red and painful wound that is warm and painful to the touch and is accompanied by a fever.

Mr Schwarz's daughter described her father as 'thriving' when he first arrived at the care home and expected him to be home within two weeks. But instead, his condition began to decline rapidly.

His daughter Ms Barrett described her father as 'thriving' and someone who would regularly ride ATVs and take cross country road trips

Mr Schwarz contracted the bacteria after he was admitted to the hospital for spinal surgery

Ms Barrett told local media outlet KWWL.com: 'When he was finally transferred [to the hospital], the infectious disease experts at the University of Iowa Hospitals were shocked that they had discontinued his antibiotic and that no one had followed up on his MRSA diagnosis.

'We didn't learn about it until that moment and literally I think it was an hour or two later... my dad was placed on hospice care.'

She added in a release: 'Its difficult to reason that a common infection took [my dad] down. He rode ATVs, hopped in his car for cross-country road trips to surprise us [in California].

'He was a strong, active man who was just starting to enjoy his retirement.

'We thought he was getting the care he needed after surgery. It didnt make sense that he wasnt improving.

'It was too late when we discovered the infection wasnt being treated with antibiotics. It was awful, my dad deserved better care.'

Mr Schwarz is much missed by his family and friends

His daughter's lawyer, Anthony Bribriesco from Bribriesco Law Firm, said: 'We are pleased that the jury held Dr Sprengelmeyer accountable.

'In preparing for this case, we learned that the overall success rate for treatment of spinal infection involving hardware with suppressive antibiotics is nearly 80 percent.

'A simple, well-known treatment of antibiotics would have save Steve's life.'

Over time, if MRSA is not treated, the bacteria can spread to the bloodstream and reach vital organs like the heart, where it can cause endocarditis  when the heart's lining and valves become inflamed.

It can also trigger sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the immune system over-reacts to an infection and causes organs to shut down.

DailyMail.com reached out to Dr Sprengelmeyer and Cedar Manor for comment ahead of publication, but did not receive a response.
When Mateo Ramirez's doctor gave him antibiotics to treat his mild stomach bug, he had no idea the lifechanging effects it would have.

The New Englander was left paralyzed and partially blind by a drug millions of Americans are prescribed without being told about its extreme side effects.

Mr Ramirez was prescribed ciprofloxacin, or 'cipro', for a suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) linked to a food poisoning bug he caught in Panama in 2017.

His infection quickly cleared, but by the second week on the medication it felt like a 'bomb had gone off' inside his body: bumps erupted all over his arms and he was blighted by extreme pain that ran from his shoulders down to his feet.

As it got worse, he partially loss function in his legs, leaving him needing a wheelchair. He also suffered partial vision loss, making him legally blind.

He is one of the tens of thousands of Americans left with life-changing injuries that results in damage to nerves and tendons after taking a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which includes cipro.

Patients call it being 'floxed'.

Yet despite patients going public with similar experiences, physicians are still prescribing the drug to at least 2million people every year.

Mateo Ramirez is pictured above a week before taking the antibiotic (left) and following taking the drug in 2019, shown needing to use a wheelchair and leg braces

Looking back, Mr Ramirez told DailyMail.com he was prescribed the drug for a suspected UTI, but lab tests never proved he had an infection.

He said his medical notes indicate the UTI was 'suspected', meaning doctors thought he had the infection but could not confirm it.

Mr Ramirez told this website: 'I was basically disabled for nothing. I didn't have a urinary tract infection at all.'

For some sufferers, the reactions of being 'floxed' are immediate  occurring within days of a first dose  but for others, like Mr Ramirez, it may take a week or two to experience a reaction.

Cipro is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat a wide range of illnesses, including UTIs, chest infections and conjunctivitis.

Common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, discomfort in the eyes and a bad taste in the mouth  although these normally subside after a few days to weeks.

In some cases, the FDA says patients taking the drug have suffered from 'disabling and potentially permanent side effects' of the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and central nervous system.

The FDA approved ciprofloxacin in October 1987 for treating bacterial infections, but in 2016 said the drug should only be used for cases of acute sinusitis, bronchitis and uncomplicated urinary tract infections because in other cases 'the risk of serious side effects generally outweighs the benefits.'

Since 2008, the FDA has added three black box warning labels - the agency's most severe warning - to the drug's prescription label after it received 60,000 reports of patients suffering harm while on the medication.

Mr Ramirez is raising awareness about the risks posed by ciprofloxacin. He is pictured above with Talia Smith, who also suffered from a severe reaction to the antibiotic

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Cipro is not the only antibiotic to treat a UTI. Others include trimethoprim, sold under the brand name Primsol, and doxycycline, known as Vibramycin or Periostat.

Mr Ramirez initially suffered from tendinitis, inflammation of the fibrous cords that attach muscles to bones, causing the bumps in his skin.

Soon after he started to experience pain that felt like being under a 'burning machine' in his legs and arms. At one point, it was so bad he couldn't use his right arm.

Over the next few weeks, he began to struggle to use his legs or stand-up  leaving him needing braces and a wheelchair.

Ramirez, who had just graduated from college at the top of his class, said his debilitating condition led to him having to claim disability benefits in order to care for himself.

He tried to work after losing the use of his legs as an advisor for other disabled people, but after exceeding his income allowance by $80, he said he was ordered to pay back all the benefits he had received  about $21,000.

He also caught Covid in 2020, saying it caused a serious infection that left him fearing he would lose his life. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and was out of work for four months.

Also during 2020, he lost his home and was forced to move into supported living. He doesn't expect to ever be able to move out.

Mr Ramirez has tried to sue the hospital that prescribed him the antibiotics.

Mateo regularly posts pictures of himself smiling on social media, although he does not expect to recover to the point where he was before taking the antibiotic

A law firm took up the case but, after Covid hit, they dropped it  citing the outpouring of public support for healthcare staff, Mr Ramirez told this website.

He is now past the three-year deadline his state imposes for claims to be brought against complications from medical care.

Today, Mr Ramirez says he still needs a wheelchair because he struggles to use his legs and cannot see anything in the center or corner areas of his vision.

He works at a home helping other disabled people, but the number of hours he can work are still limited in order for him to keep qualifying for disability benefits. He still needs to pay back the $21,000.

Ciprofloxacin is suspected to have such a severe impact on patients because it may damage the mitochondria, or energy factories in cells, reducing energy available to cells in the body to keep everything functioning correctly.

As well as concerns over the side effects, some doctors no longer prescribe ciprofloxacin because the medication can be ineffective, with some studies now suggesting about one in five bacterial infections are resistant to the drug.
A New York doctor was indicted by a grand jury in Louisiana on criminal abortion charges for allegedly prescribing an abortion-inducing drug to a teen in the state, which has one of the country's strictest abortion bans.

Ten jurors in the District Court for the Parish of West Baton Rouge unanimously voted to charge Margaret Carpenter and her practice, Nightingale Medical located in New Paltz, New York, with a felony. If convicted, Carpenter could face up to 15 years in prison and up to $200,000 in fines.

The Louisiana teenagers mother was also charged.

It is illegal to send abortion pills into this state and it's illegal to coerce another into having an abortion, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.

She added: We will hold individuals accountable for breaking the law.

Abortions are banned in Louisiana, including in cases of rape and incest, but except when the mothers life is at risk.

In New York, though, abortion is legal up to and including 24 weeks of pregnancy. After 24 weeks, you can still get an abortion if your health or pregnancy is at risk.

The criminal case out of Louisiana, the first of its kind, mounts the first major challenge to the Comstock Act, which restricts the mailing of abortion pills, and challenges whether it can be applied to a situation where a doctor in one state prescribes mifepristone to a patient in another state.

It also marks the first test of New Yorks shield law, which guarantees that healthcare providers in New York cannot face prosecution or lawsuits for offering abortion services, even if the patient is from a state with stricter abortion laws.

Ten jurors in the West Baton Rouge District Court unanimously voted to charge Margaret Carpenter and her practice, Nightingale Medical in New Paltz, New York, with a felony. If convicted, Carpenter faces up to 15 years in prison and $200,000 in fines

Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy. About 24 hours later, the patient takes misoprostol, a drug that causes the uterus to cramp, contract, and expel pregnancy tissue

Gov Kathy Hochul has already stated that New York will not agree to the West Baton Rouge District Attorney's extradition demands.

In a statement on the indictment, Gov Hochul said: A doctor is being prosecuted for providing basic health care to her patient. We always knew that overturning Roe v. Wade wasn't the end of the road for anti-abortion politicians.

It's more critical than ever for states to step up and protect reproductive freedom  and I'll never back down from this fight.

New York state Attorney General Letitia James added: This cowardly attempt out of Louisiana to weaponize the law against out-of-state providers is unjust and un-American.

We will not allow bad actors to undermine our providers ability to deliver critical care. Medication abortion is safe, effective, and necessary, and New York will ensure that it remains available to all Americans who need it

New York is one of 22 states and the District of Columbia with similar laws protecting doctors against out-of-state investigations on the books.

Dr Carpenter is also a co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, which supports nationwide access to abortion through telemedicine.

The Coalition said: The case out of Louisiana against a licensed New York doctor is the latest in a series of threats that jeopardizes women's access to reproductive healthcare throughout this country.

Dr Carpenter, far left, is also a co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, which supports nationwide access to abortion through telemedicine

Accessing medication abortion through the mail became legal under the Biden administration.

But several states with restrictive abortion laws have passed legislation aimed at preventing the shipment of medication abortion pills, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Idaho, South Carolina, and North Dakota.

Medication abortion accounts for more than half of abortions in the US. It has drawn increasing attention since the Supreme Court's 2022 decision that eliminated the federal guarantee to an abortion and returned policymaking power to the states.

This is not Dr Carpenters first legal attack lobbed by a state with harsh abortion restrictions.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Dr Carpenter last year over claims that she violated Texas's abortion law and occupational licensing regulations by practicing medicine in the state without being licensed there.

He is requesting an injunction to prevent her from continuing to break Texas's abortion ban and seeking at least $100,000 in civil penalties for each previous violation.

A medication abortion consists of two pills - mifepristone and misoprostol.

Mifepristone is taken first and works by dilating the cervix and blocking the effects of the hormone progesterone, which is needed to sustain a pregnancy.

The above map shows abortion bans by state, including Louisiana  where abortion is banned completely except in the event that the mother's life is at risk

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About 24 hours later, the patient takes misoprostol, a drug used to treat stomach ulcers that causes the uterus to cramp and contract, causing bleeding and expelling of the pregnancy tissue.

Mifepristone has been in anti-abortion rights advocates cross-hairs for years. They have said the medication is more dangerous than scientists have found that it is, exaggerating risks of heavy bleeding, infection, or complications necessitating a hospital visit.

But the argument that mifepristone is not safe is not aligned with the opinions of obstetricians and gynecologists, as well as the wider scientific community.

A 2012 meta-analysis of 87 clinical trials published in journal Contraception affirmed that medication abortion is generally safe, with serious complications such as severe vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain, or infection requiring hospitalization occurring in less than 0.3 percent of patients.

Studies show mifepristone is safer and sends fewer people to the emergency department than Tylenol and Viagra.
It turns out a sleek white wool skirt, for some bizarre reason, is annoyingly difficult to find. (I finally picked up the one Im wearing here in Paris boutique Icicle.) My purchase couldnt have come at a better time as this is a big year for the humble skirt and, despite being predominantly a trouser person, Im excited because theres a design or two out there for everyone. Here are the key skirt trends to know

Blazer and jumper, Massimo Dutti, skirt, Icicle, sunglasses, Loewe, bag and boots, Khaite

Lace details Step back into the 1990s with a skirt thats big on a lace finish. Whether you opt for a cotton, velvet or silk variation, this feminine style is just what Gwyneth Paltrow used to favour back in that decade and feels like having carte blanche to wear lingerie to the office. Contrast it with a structured blazer and pointed mules or layer with a wool knit. Im loving Frames velvet and lace midi.

Step back into the 1990s with a skirt thats big on a lace finish. Whether you opt for a cotton, velvet or silk variation, this feminine style is just what Gwyneth Paltrow used to favour back in that decade and feels like having carte blanche to wear lingerie to the office. Contrast it with a structured blazer and pointed mules or layer with a wool knit. Im loving Frames velvet and lace midi. Pleats Preppy pleated midi skirts or shorter kilt designs are back  think geography teacher meets Ralph Lauren. Team with chunky loafers or knee-high boots now and, come summer, opt for minimalist sandals. Style with an oversized knit, shirt or long jacket cinched at the waist. Check out Arkets wool-blend pleated designs.

Preppy pleated midi skirts or shorter kilt designs are back  think geography teacher meets Ralph Lauren. Team with chunky loafers or knee-high boots now and, come summer, opt for minimalist sandals. Style with an oversized knit, shirt or long jacket cinched at the waist. Check out Arkets wool-blend pleated designs. Luxe leather Youre most likely to have this one in your wardrobe already and, whether its a maxi, midi or mini, the leather skirt is at the forefront of fashion this year. I like to wear mine with cropped wool jackets or cardigans for daytime and, for evenings, with a silk top and heels.

Youre most likely to have this one in your wardrobe already and, whether its a maxi, midi or mini, the leather skirt is at the forefront of fashion this year. I like to wear mine with cropped wool jackets or cardigans for daytime and, for evenings, with a silk top and heels. Pencil power The timeless classic has had a makeover this year, featuring metal adornments, floral applique details and cuts created from double layers of silk organza. Cefinn and St Agni have some tempting pieces.

Other trends include mocha mousse  Pantones colour of the year. This warm coffee-brown goes with everything, from spring pastels to winter creams  and, of course, the new white skirt Im wearing.

Sheer pieces have been few and far between of late, but naked dressing is back, especially for spring/summer, when the weather is more forgiving  think wisps of tulle and organza fabric on dresses, tops and skirts.

@thestylistandthewardrobe

@youmagazine

Trench, 275, sezane.com

RETURN OF THE MAC

Trench weather is just around the corner. Get ahead of the style pack in this khaki one which boasts a cute check lining.

Bag charm, 40, cos.com

CHARMED, I'M SURE

Adding trinkets to your bags is still a thing. Cos has launched a collection in leather with designs to represent harmony, togetherness, fortune and good luck.

SPOTTED

Cameron Diaz, 52, looking terrific in this vintage Saint Laurent black-trimmed jacket and leather trousers. After a ten-year break she has returned to the screen in new Netflix thriller Back in Action, as Emily, a married former CIA operative.
This week we head down under for sumptuous Aussie sips of great quality and value. Once wary of Australian Shiraz for its ripe, heavy style, Ive discovered modern examples  such as my two picks here  that harmonise bold fruit with freshness. But Aussie reds arent just about Shiraz  a bountiful old vine Grenache and a sleek Cab-Merlot blend showcase the variety and charm of reds from this leading wine country.

South by South West Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot Margaret River 2022 (13.%), 14.95, thewine society.com.

Classic grapes crafted in a contemporary style, minus the dominance of oak, bring out blackcurrant and raspberry notes. Delicious.

Thistledown Summer Road Old Vine Grenache Riverland 2023 (14%), 9.49, Waitrose.

This old vine Grenache is a berry-laden sip full of warm spice, balancing generosity with freshness  a bargain thats ideal for cosy nights of hearty winter food.

Little Giant Barossa Shiraz 2022 (14.5%), 12, Sainsburys.

Move over chicken wine (AKA La Vieille Ferme)  2025 is year of the wombat wine, a velvety red with all the comforting warmth our furry friend embodies.

Extra Special Great Western Shiraz (14.5%), 9.50, Asda.

From Victorias cool climate, this award-winner marries bramble, mocha and a pepperiness with intensity and finesse, making it a stellar partner for a perfectly charred steak.
MBASHENI  His Majesty King Sobhuza II is often quoted as once having said, ne sidzakwa ubosilalela, meaning, one should listen, even when the person speaking is a drunkard.

Members of the now famous Cabula Church have clung to this advise, almost as the cornerstone of their existence that, despite alcohol associated with uncontrollable gab, the followers hold the view that they are more likely to speak truthfully after drinking.

Last Saturday, the countrys tradition of hosting the annual time of prayer in the form of a National Prayer took place. The event was held at the Mandvulo Grand Hall, at Lozitha Palace. Many preachers would be honoured to participate and preach at the national prayer normally attended by Their Majesties.

However, only a few get selected for this much sought-after pulpit. This year, during the national prayer, only four pastors had the opportunity to preach, namely, Reverends Grace Masilela, Sipho Tembe, Ianon Mnisi and Shotgun Simelane. The prayer was graced by Their Majesties and also in attendance, was the former president of South Africa (SA) Jacob Zuma, who is also the leader of the Mkhonto We Sizwe Party (MKP).

A preacher popular in his own right, Gamane Dlamini, known for his unusual alcohol imbibing congregation known as Cabula Church also wishes that he could one day have the opportunity to preach at the church. While many pastors prepare for sermons with fasting and deep prayer, Dlamini prefers a different approachone that includes a sip of beer or buganu.

The leader of the unconventional Cabula Church has openly expressed his desire to preach at the prestigious National Prayer, a sacred event attended by Their Majesties. However, though just many other preachers, he would jump at the opportunity to preach at the National Prayer, he only has one concern  that he may not be taken seriously by the public. He said the reason is because people usually do not take someone who has consumed alcohol seriously.

Welcomes

Dlamini, known for his belief that faith and fermentation go hand-in-hand, insists that his church welcomes allespecially those who find their spiritual awakening at the bottom of a bottle. He preaches under a tree in Mbasheni, where his congregation enjoys both the gospel and a well-poured drink.

I would be honoured to preach before Their Majesties, Dlamini declared, his voice brimming with conviction - and possibly a bit of buganu enthusiasm. I love my King, my Queen Mother and all emaSwati. When he was asked what he would have loved to preach about had he been given the opportunity to do so, Dlamini said he would have loved to preach about peace.

Unlike other churches that frown upon alcohol consumption, Cabula Church embraces it as part of worship. Dlamini believes that his divine calling is to spread the Word in places most preachers would not dare enterbars, taverns and other watering holes. However, he believes that instead of bringing the people to his church and stop them from drinking, they should continue doing so while learning about the goodness of the Lord.

Outdoors

Why should people only hear the gospel in church buildings? he asked. Jesus himself preached outdoors, under trees and to people from all walks of life. If Jesus was here today, he would surely walk into a bar and call out to his lost sheep! It is this philosophy that has shaped his ministry. According to Dlamini, Cabula Church members do not merely consume alcoholthey sanctify it. We drink as we pray, he explained.

We give thanks for all the good things in life. Even in the Bible, wine was present in celebrations and sacred ceremonies. Why should we act as if it is evil? Dlamini said alcohol is a product produced naturally through fermentation.

Pastor Dlamini, despite his passion, is not oblivious to the scepticism his church faces. He admitted that should he ever be given a chance to speak at the National Prayer, many attendees might not take his sermon seriously.

Meanwhile, Bishop Samson Hlatjwako, when asked about the criteria used said there is a specific unit that is responsible for that. He referred questions to the Ministry of Home Affairs, adding that for such events, they are usually responsible.

I dont think if a person were to approach them, they would turn him or her away, he said. Hlatjwako also said in his view, it is normal for people to want to preach in the presence of Their Majesties. He said it is normal for any person to desire to be seen in the presence of the King.
Outline Many of us associate headphones with being harmful to hearing as they can blast music into the eardrums at high volume; indeed, a study published in the British Medical Journal found 24 per cent of people aged from 12 to 34 listen to music at an unsafe level.

Decline The world is getting noisier: the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) says repeated exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can cause damage, but travelling on the tube (80-100dB), going to a club or gig (100-110dB) also take their toll. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that by 2050 one in four people (2.5 billion worldwide) will have some degree of hearing loss.

Disincline While modern hearing aids have come a long way from the clunky devices of yesteryear, people still feel self-conscious about them. Of the eight million people who could benefit from hearing aids in the UK, only about two million use them (although you can get nifty models for free on the NHS). Millennials, says Samantha Lear, senior audiology policy adviser at the National Deaf Childrens Society, might be more willing to use hearing aids if they looked like AirPods.

Helpline Tech manufacturers have devised new features to improve the hearing of millions. Late last year Apple released a software update for its 229 AirPods Pro 2 that includes a hearing test, based on WHO recommendations, capable of detecting level of loss from no impairment to profound. They can also filter out loud noise such as traffic and have a clinical-grade hearing-aid function effective for mild to moderate loss (available in the UK imminently  see Buy line, below).

First in line Wearing your AirPods Pro 2, access the hearing test function on your iPhone via settings. Simply sit in a quiet room and tap a big blue circle on your screen every time you hear a sound. It takes about five minutes. Your phone then drops into your health app a comprehensive audiogram: a graph showing frequencies you can and cant hear. It works a treat. This reporter wanted to know if his cloth ears need a trip to the audiologist; his little to no hearing loss report was reassuring.

Drop a line Data from the test can now be applied to your AirPods, which then adjust and correct the sound theyre picking up. The conversation boost function amplifies sounds in front of you while reducing background noise (perfect for noisy cafes), while live listen  ideal for meetings in large rooms  uses your iOS device as a microphone and sends the sound to your AirPods.

Red line In the UK, bureaucracy has held back the hearing-aid capability of AirPods. Until last month, you had to visit an audiologist to get a hearing aid. Dr Sumbul Desai, vice president of health at Apple, said, Its frustrating. Were approved from a regulatory standpoint, but theres no way to distribute hearing aids over the counter in the UK without a prescription.

Buy line All that changed on 16 January, when the government gave the green light for tech companies to go directly to the consumer. Britain can be a powerhouse for medical technology, said health and social care secretary Wes Streeting. But only if we rip out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation. Apple expects to switch on full functions for Brits in the coming weeks.

Bottom line Other devices also pack a punch. Jabras behind-the-ear Enhance Select 300 eliminates feedback at even the highest volumes; Starkey Genesis AI aids use artificial intelligence to mimic the brains cerebral cortex in order to fill in the gaps in impaired hearing. The battery life of AirPods (up to six hours) cant yet contend with such hearing aids, which can keep going for days without being recharged.

Down the line Anything that makes wearing hearing aids more mainstream is a big deal. About 21 million are sold wordwide every year, compared with 75 million AirPods. If you zoom out into the future, and you look back, and you ask the question, What was Apples greatest contribution to mankind?, it will be about health, CEO Tim Cook said in 2019. You wouldnt bet against him being right.
If theres one brand whose website I find myself lusting over more than any other, its Sezane. The French brand, started by Morgane Sezalory, sells not just a range of clothes and accessories, but a whole aesthetic. And yes, I may be a slightly frazzled mum of two living in London, but that doesnt mean Im not drawn to the nonchalant, incredibly chic Parisian style Sezane is peddling.

From wide-leg trousers to crisp Breton tops, via ridiculously covetable handbags and slouchy knitwear in a dreamy range of colours, this fashion brand is lusted over by many of the You magazine team. And were not the only ones  whenever Sezane launches a collaboration, the pieces tend to sell-out quickly. Plus, you should see the online stampede caused when they launch their Archives sale collections.

The latest range that has garnered attention is Sezanes collaboration with Spanish designer Lucia Vergara, which fuses that signature Parisian style with the vibrant colours and prints of Spain.

Vergara is the designer behind Apres Ski, a Barcelona-based accessories and objects studio. According to Sezane, this exclusive collection draws inspiration from timeless vintage aesthetics and artisanal savoir-faire  which in reality means lots of lovely embroidered separates, plus some fabulous accessories to boot.

Some of our favourite pieces include the eye-catching Carminda blouse, which combines corporate checks with romantic embroidery to striking effect. Shirting is a strong point of the collection in general, with plenty of blouses to bring spring-ready style into winter wardrobes.

The Liah jacket is another standout piece, with a cropped, quilted design festooned in orange and red flowers. I predict a speedy sell-out for that one.

The range also includes homeware and kids clothing, and there are some rather nice scrunchies (a phrase I never thought Id hear myself say in 2025).

The collection goes on sale on the morning of February 2nd, when you can shop it at sezane.com. It will also be available in the brands two London stores, in Westbourne Grove and Marylebone.
CBS's 60 Minutes has been ordered to hand over the transcript of an interview with Kamala Harris before the election as Donald Trump sues the network for $10 billion.

CBS News, which is owned by Paramount, confirmed they will hand over the 'full, unedited transcript and camera feeds' of Harris' October interview to the Federal Communications Commission.

A complaint, filed by the Center for American Rights in mid-October accusing 60 Minutes of selectively editing the interview, was initially dismissed on January 16, four days before Trump's second inauguration.

However, Trump's newly appointed FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, reopened the case immediately after taking up the position.

Trump sued CBS News in October in a Texas federal court, allegedly the network purposely edited the interview to put him at a disadvantage in the November 6th presidential election.

The 47th president took particular offense to lengthy Harris' response to a question regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East.

In a preview that aired on Margaret Brennan's Face the Nation, the candidate was seen giving a so-called 'word salad' answer that appeared to be far different to the one which made it to air.

The network defended its action, saying Harris - who is known to give long-winded responses - gave a lengthy answer that had to be cut due to the show's one-hour time constraint. But the preview and the interview were the 'same question, same answer,' just a different portion of it

CBS News has been forced to hand over allegedly edited 60 Minutes footage of Kamala Harris amidst President Donald Trump's $10billion lawsuit. The news network announced on Friday that it would 'comply with the inquiry as we are legally compelled to do'

The network defended its action, saying Harris's long-winded response needed to be cut due to the show's one-hour time constraint.

This is not an unusual editing technique in TV news and CBS News maintains it is 'not doctored.'

CBS News further denied the claims in his $10billion suit, saying that the clip showed the 'same question, same answer' in both the Face the Nation snippet and the 60 Minutes segment.

It was 'a different portion of the response,' 60 Minutes said at the time.

'When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete, or movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate, and on point,' it said.

FCC Commissioner, Anna Gomez, who is a Democrat, criticized her own agency for refiling the inquiry, saying it was 'clear' that Trump was attacking coverage that didn't shine a good light on him.

'This is a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable,' she told The New York Times.

'It is designed to instill fear in broadcast stations and influence a network's editorial decisions.'

The two-term president took particular offense to lengthy Harris' response to a question regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Middle East., saying CBS News 'doctored' the footage to make him look bad

The complaint - filed by the Center for American Rights in October - was originally dismissed on January 16 - four days before Trump's second inauguration. However, Trump's newly appointed FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, reopened the case after the Republican took office

FCC Commissioner, Anna Gomez criticized the agency, saying it was 'clear' that Trump was attacking coverage that didn't do well for him. 'This is a retaliatory move by the government against broadcasters whose content or coverage is perceived to be unfavorable,' she said

Experts agreed, telling The Times that it was Trump's way of trying to punish a news outlet, and it's not the first time the Republican has attacked the media.

However, Shari Redstone, a Paramount shareholder is reportedly keen to settle the lawsuit, sources told The Times.

The network's journalists, however, wish to go to trial, with sources telling The Times they believe this is an easy win.

During the campaign trail, CBS News also offered Trump a sit-down interview, but the 78-year-old refused, objecting to the network's plan to fact-check him.
Here is something remarkable. This week, for the first time, I received a personal letter from the BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust in which I have held shares for several years.

It invited me to the quoted firm's annual general meeting (AGM) in the City on February 5, promised a presentation on the progress of the fund, a question-and-answer session with managers and a light buffet lunch.

If by any chance I couldn't make it, there would be a webinar alternative and a QR code if more information was required.

This is all very exciting. As a believer in the sector, I could look forward in my dotage to spending my time  using my Freedom Pass before Rachel Reeves cancels it, along with the winter fuel allowance  to cruise AGMs, enjoy becoming better informed on the world of technology and scoff the free lunches.

What, then, has brought about this new enlightenment to the cosy quoted investment trust sector? It is, after all, vital to the London stock market and boasts 335 firms controlling 269billion of assets. Values range from the mighty 11billion Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (which I hold) to minnows such as the 92m Henderson Opportunities Trust.

The sudden resort to transparency by the trusts and the heightened attention to the voting rights of shareholders, long ignored by investment platforms, mainly can be credited to serial US activist Boaz Weinstein and his Saba fund. Research by broker Peel Hunt shows that over the last 12 to 18 months, Saba has built stakes in no fewer than 24 UK investment trusts, including Impax Environmental Markets, in which I have a small stake, as a gesture towards green credentials.

Making a move: Saba has built stakes in no fewer than 24 UK investment trusts

In his first wave of assaults on the sector, Weinstein has targeted seven trusts. Herald, with a high-performing and exuberant tech portfolio, already has seen off Saba's effort to seize control through the backdoor. No one is dismissing the idea that he may yet seek entry through the front door by tender offer to investors for the shares he doesn't own.

The coming week will see Saba set about taking sneaky control of four more trusts. The campaign starts on Monday with the 766m Baillie Gifford US Growth. Saba has built a 9.5 per cent holding in actual shares but has a total holding of 29.3 per cent if derivatives are considered.

On paper, at least, holdings by institutions RBC Brewin Dolphin with 9.5 per cent, a second RBC fund, Evelyn Partners, and Quilter Cheviot should enable US Growth to see off the marauder. It is in a good position because it offers a route for retail investors to Elon Musk's Space X, valued at $350billion, and other US private firms. But small investors will need to play their part in repelling Weinstein.

Also on Monday, the future of Keystone Positive Change, which invests in climate and healthcare, will be at stake. It is going to be a tough fight with Saba owning 28.05 per cent of the equity and just under 30 per cent (effective control) with derivatives. Rathbones owns 10.78 per cent but after that institutional holdings are relatively diffuse. Private investors are going to be vital. Other general meetings will come fast and furious as the week progresses. Another Baillie Gifford managed fund, Edinburgh Worldwide, with a market value of 734.9m, will bring up the rear on Valentine's Day.

Under the leadership of serial chairman Jonathan Simpson-Dent, it has been among the most aggressive in seeking to defeat Saba, with a powerful 32-Page defence document which disputes the credentials of Saba nominees to its board. It finds that Saba's proposed directors 'cannot be considered independent'. Simpson-Dent fears Saba will sell-off Edinburgh Worldwide's valuable quoted holdings and fill up the hole with his own financial assets.

Simpson-Dent and colleagues felt the need to go to war because the guardrails around the sector are so weak.

It took the industry body, the Association of Investment Companies, far too long to recognise the existential threat.

The regulator, the FCA, has totally failed in its consumer duty to look after the interest of private investors.

If private investors fail to vote in sufficient numbers, it will become open season on all investment trusts with Saba joined by other get-rich-quick players on both sides of the Atlantic.
This week's $1trillion technology stock rout may now seem an overreaction. But although the mood has calmed, investors are questioning their previous assumptions about the best ways to back the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

A fortnight ago, holding stakes in the Magnificent Seven of tech  Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla  seemed to be the only way to back this seismic change.

But the conviction that the hegemony of these companies was unassailable has been shaken by the emergence of DeepSeek.

This 'open-source'  free  Chinese generative AI system was created by founder Liang Wenfeng for a mere 4.8m, or so it is claimed, with limited reliance on Nvidia's microchips.

DeepSeek may have its shortcomings, but it aspires to rival the ChatGPT system from Microsoft-backed Open AI.

The latest version of Chat GPT is said to have cost nearly 63m, although a great deal more has been spent on this venture.

Debut: DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng created the AI with less than 5m

The unnerving suggestion that splashing out on huge amounts of Nvidia's wares was not necessarily vital caused the giant's market capitalisation to shed about 474bn. The shares tumbled by 17 per cent.

Also hit were a broad range of US and European stocks seen as the beneficiaries of unbridled expenditure on every aspect of AI, including the Dutch semiconductor maker ASML, Dell Technologies, which makes servers, and Siemens  the energy production equipment supplier.

DeepSeek is said to require only 5 to 12 per cent of the energy required by state-of-the-art systems.

This sell-off caused Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of the influential Black Swan  a treatise on unpredictable occurrences  to predict further turmoil.

However, the investment bank UBS told its clients this week: 'AI is here to stay, and if anything, DeepSeek reinforces that.'

Stephen Yiu, manager of the Blue Whale fund, commented: 'Some investors have taken fright this week. I am instead energised by the latest development. It won't be the last.'

But although the panic has lessened amid the realisation that there will be a clientele for budget-conscious and more lavish AI systems, the DeepSeek revelation is a signal to reassess the contents of your portfolio.

This is not the moment to shun Big Tech stocks. But it may be appropriate to consider spreading your cash differently and readying yourself for more volatility.

PREPARE FOR MORE CHANGE

Mark Hawtin, of Liontrust Global, argues that this is a moment of 'disruption and innovation'. David Coombs, of Rathbones, expounds the same theory, saying that access to AI will be 'democratised', with all kinds of companies able to embed the technology into their operations for less outlay, customising the technology as they wish. This implementation will also be more sustainable since less energy is involved. Hawtin cites the Jevons Paradox, cited by the 19th century economist Williams Jevons who observed that as steam engines became more efficient, coal consumption grew rather than diminished.

Hawtin says: 'As AI gets more efficient and accessible, we could likely see it sky-rocket and turn into a commodity.'

Satya Nadella, Microsoft's chief executive, is of the same view. Well, at least, that's what he told his 3.3m followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Unveiling the company's first quarter results, Nadella said: 'Open AI has a lot more coming soon, so stay tuned.'

Nadella may also be comforted by the view that while some users will opt for inexpensive DeepSeek, others will fear the possible close links between this venture and the Chinese state.

Against this background, Chat GPT will be viewed as reassuringly expensive at an edgy geopolitical time.

SPREAD YOUR RISK INTO SOFTWARE

If AI becomes more accessible and affordable, this should mean more clamour for the services of software groups. Coombs cites Adobe, which writes programmes for art, advertising and design businesses. Its shares stand at $443, but brokers' analysts have set an average target of $573.

Even before DeepSeek burst on to the public consciousness, Marc Benioff, boss of Salesforce  which specialises in customer relationship management software  said: 'You're just seeing the very beginning of what will be one of the biggest investment levels in the history of the world.'

Brokers seem to share Benioff's optimism since they have set an average target price for the Salesforce shares of $395, against the current $342.

Dominik Asam, chief financial officer at Sap, the German software colossus, contends that DeepSeek could prove a boon.

The shares have advanced by 40 per cent over the past six months to 267, but this week UBS set a new target of 300.

BUT DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON BIG TECH

The share prices of the members of the Magnificent Seven  whose fortunes are most entangled with AI  recovered following Monday's sell-off.

Professional and private investors seized the chance to add to their Nvidia holdings, noting that the pullback merely returned the shares to their October 2024 level. Following some reflection, the arrival of DeepSeek was perceived to be propitious for Nvidia since, as Coombs puts it, the Silicon Valley titan seems set to gain a lot more customers, although it may sell far fewer chips to each one. Nvidia shares remain 91 per cent up over 12 months and 24,940 per cent higher than a decade ago.

Yiu believes that Alphabet, owner of Google; Instagram and Whatsapp group Meta; and Microsoft will not scale back their AI ambitions because they are engaged in an arms race 'in which if you aren't moving forwards, you're moving backwards'.

Alphabet shares stand at $200, 31 per cent higher than a year ago. Analysts rate the stock a buy, with some having raised their target prices for the stock in the wake of the DeepSeek news which can be seen as a vote of confidence in Alphabet's AI tool, Gemini. The average target price is $215.

Shares in Meta have leapt by 70 per cent over the past 12 months, but also continue to be seen as a 'buy'. In the past few days, analysts have been setting higher target prices for the shares. KeyBanc's target is now $750.

Microsoft is considered another 'buy'. The average target price for the shares is $508.

But the excitement over AI, progress towards to this level may be slowed by the current, less-than-exciting performance of Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing division.

Christophe Fouquet, boss of ASML, also believes that lower costs for the creation of AI will mean more demand for the machinery and products involved in the process.

Analysts' belief in ASML is also unshaken, the shares remain a 'buy' with a target price of 839, against the current 706.

If dependence on AI surges, as forecast, this will mean yet more calls for data centres whose equipment must be maintained at constant temperatures.

This involves the cooling systems of companies such as Vertiv, whose shares slumped by 26 per cent to $109 in Monday's selling frenzy. This could be a bargain punt on the next chapter in the AI revolution, but only for those with steely nerves.

Analysts rate Vertiv a 'buy' with an average target price of $143. I wanted to ask DeepSeek for its assessment, but the app proved impossible to download, reminding us that these are early days in this revolution.

DeepSeek ought to be an alert to check whether what you regard as broadly based global funds is made mostly of Alphabet, Amazon and the rest.

Exposure to these American all-stars is an essential part of a portfolio, but only a part.
ITV is reportedly in talks with the Abu Dhabi fund that bid for The Telegraph about merging its studio business with the maker of The Traitors.

A deal would create one of the largest film powerhouses in Europe, worth around 3billion.

Production company All3Media was sold to Redbird IMI for 1.15billion last February, after ITV's talks to scoop it up fell through.

Redbird IMI was blocked from taking over The Telegraph last year and is trying to sell the outlet to recoup the 500m it paid the Barclay brothers in a debt deal.

Hits: All3Media makes shows including Call The Midwife, Gogglebox, Midsomer Murders and BBC One's The Traitors, presented by Claudia Winkleman (pictured)

All3Media makes shows including Call The Midwife, Gogglebox, Midsomer Murders and BBC One hit The Traitors, presented by Claudia Winkleman.

In July 2023 ITV boss Carolyn McCall said that purchasing the production firm would be 'bang on strategy'.
When Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg announced he was cutting political fact checking for Facebook users last month, he sported a $900,000 (725,000) watch.

Enthusiasts will know his Swiss-made Greubel Forsey is one of only two or three the watchmaker produces annually with each taking 6,000 hours to make. Exquisite craftsmanship and rarity are what make brands such as this highly collectable and lucrative investments.

Before investing in watches  and you can start with a few thousand pounds  first study the market with websites such as WatchCharts. It analyses millions of up-to-date sales prices and scans the internet for what buyers are paying.

Using computer-generated analytic tools, it lists the performance of specific brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe, as well as creating indexes that plot the market.

Tap in details of a watch and you can plot values through prices fetched day by day for free for up to a year. Access to unlimited market prices for two years is $19.99 a month (16) and access for data going back 15 years or more is $99.99 (80).

WatchCharts' Overall Market Index plots the sales of 300 of the world's most desirable watches from the top ten luxury brands. Prices peaked in April 2022 just after the pandemic and the index has climbed 24 per cent in the past five years.

Enthusiast: Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg wears a 725,000 Greubel Forsey watch

Vintage watch specialist Tom Bolt, trading as the 'watch guru' on Instagram, believes the recent 'mini-crash' means now is an ideal time to invest.

He says: 'It's a natural realignment in prices following a rise in the pandemic and opens up an opportunity for investors.'

It's worth noting HM Revenue & Customs considers watches a 'wasting asset' which means you do not have to pay capital gains tax on them.

The tax is paid on the sale of other valuables and assets at the rate of 10 per cent for a basic-rate taxpayer and 24 per cent for a higher-rate taxpayer above a 3,000 annual allowance.

Charles Tian, founder of WatchCharts, believes that now we no longer need a watch to tell the time, they are regarded as items of jewellery.

He says: 'Smartphones have replaced the wristwatch in recent years which has created a need for watch manufacturers to reinvent themselves as a luxury brand.'

It has also fuelled demand for vintage timepieces.

Bolt says: 'If investors want a shrewd purchase they are better off with a vintage watch as they are in limited supply as no one makes them anymore.

'They also tend to hold their value better because newer models are often just a regurgitation of earlier original designs.'

You can also enter the watch investment market via stocks and shares. Among the companies to consider is the FTSE 250-listed Watches of Switzerland.

It's the biggest retailer in Britain of luxury watches  dealing in new and second-hand. It currently has a share price of 5.25  having risen 42 per cent from 3.70 a year ago.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at wealth manager Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'If you do not have the time or money, investing in companies such as Watches of Switzerland enables you to spread the risk among a variety of watch brands.'

Rolex is the biggest name in the investment market. Others include Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Breitling, Breguet, A. Lange & Sohn and Greubel Forsey.

Bolt, who is also founder of the addiction charity Steps 2 Recovery, says: 'One reason Rolex is such a sought-after brand is the craftsmanship that goes into their watches, which offers incredible value for money. And scarcity is what makes them rise in price.'

He hands me a 1953 Rolex Moonphase Oyster watch, which slim and unassuming though it is, has a price tag of 1.5 million. Bolt tells me it is an extremely rare variation, 'of which only ten are believed to still exist in such original condition. I purchased this watch for 15,000 almost 30 years ago'.

Watches with an original dial will fetch a huge premium, he tells me. An early 1930s Rolex Oyster Bubble Back can be picked up for as little as 1,500 if it has a replacement dial and offers incredible value compared to the more than 10,000 you can pay if it has the original.

The 1926 Rolex Oyster was the first patented waterproof watch and was worn by the first British woman to swim the English Channel, Mercedes Gleitze. It kept perfect time in a 1927 crossing and advertisers said it was 'the wonder watch that defies the elements'.

Bolt says Rolex 'are geniuses at what they do but their biggest innovations took place about a century ago. Their belief is if it isn't broken, don't fix it. Instead, they decided to focus on the fine art of marketing.'

One of the top Rolex models for investors is the Submariner, which has fallen by an average of 6 per cent in value over the past year. This is line with a slow realignment of prices following a boom when collectors were snapping up the watch during the pandemic.

Over five years it is up in value by 13 per cent. Launched in 1953 as the first diving watch water-resistant to 100 metres, (330ft) it was only when actor Sean Connery wore it in the 1962 James Bond film, Dr No that it became a must-have accessory.

Early examples sell for up to 30,000. But you can also pick up a later 2000s model that looks similar in shape and design for 10,000 as a potential investment. The

latest Submariner Date model retails at 9,100 on the official Rolex website.

Bolt then shows me a 1979 Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch with a wafer-thin 18 carat gold case which sells for 90,000. Originally it cost less than 4,000.

The best mechanical watches, as created by watchmakers such as Patek Philippe, have seen values in the second-hand market rise by an average of 18 per cent over the past year.

This makes them among the best recent performers, according to figures compiled by WatchCharts.

A 2008 Patek Philippe Gondolo is up 10 per cent in value in a year to 16,000, while a Patek Philippe Complications from 2020 has risen 14 per cent to 50,000.

Tian says: 'Among the most successful brands to appeal as both a great watch and as jewellery in recent years is Cartier. Recent highly collectable women's Cartier watches include Tank, Baignoire and Ballon Bleu. The trick is to discover the next great fashionable watch.'

A 1998 Cartier Tank has risen around 25 per cent in value in the past year, selling for more than 3,000. A 2016 Cartier Ballon Bleu is up 12 per cent in price to 3,350 over the year.

Just like a classic car, a collectable watch needs to be well-maintained to keep its value. Budget 300 every five years to have a watch professionally serviced by an authorised repairer.

Nathan Boot, of the watch department at Fellows Auctioneers in Birmingham, says: 'Much of the watchmaker's skill lies hidden under the bonnet.

'For this reason it is vital to trade with a reputable dealer or auction house, who are experts at validating authenticity.

'This enables you to avoid buying one of the many so-called 'franken-watch' fakes on the market made up of non-original parts.' To find a reputable dealer contact the watch's manufacturer for details of authorised dealers in your area.

Boot says: 'When a watch is taken for a service or repair there can be an impulse to restore it and make the timepiece look new by replacing original parts.

'But for vintage watches, clean and original examples are increasingly rare  and valuable.'

Scratches on a face can lower values by 5 per cent but some marks can be polished out. Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal faces found on many collectable watches are harder to damage.

Provenance, along with the original box, paperwork and service receipts, can add 20 per cent to the total value, says Bolt.

Investors should note that watches must be itemised on your home and contents insurance policy with their current worth.

Matthew Harwood, of comparison website Confused.com, says: 'If your watch is worth more than 1,000 you must list it as a high-value item.

'Almost 200,000 residential burglaries were reported to the police in England and Wales for the year up to March 2023  with watches a key target for thieves.

'Make sure your watch is covered away from home, and if not change the policy.'

Additional cover away from home might add about 50 a year to an insurance policy.

It is also recommended to keep a watch in a hidden safe bolted to solid wall. Contact your insurer for requirements  as it might help keep down premiums.

If you have up to 100,000 in valuables the safe needs an industry rating for insurance purposes of 'Eurograde 1'.

As a final treat, Bolt brings out a 600,000 Greubel Forsey 'Invention Piece 1'  the brand favoured by Zuckerberg  removing it from a portable case the size of a small suitcase that alone sells for 15,000.

He says: 'Can you tell me what time it is?' I see an exquisitely designed watch packed full of dials and arrows whirling around  but no hour or any minute hands. So, no. It maybe the Facebook/Meta founder's favourite watchmaker but it does not help me tell the time.
An elderly millionairess was conned out of her fortune and abandoned to die penniless and alone by her 'despicable' caretakers, a heartbreaking lawsuit alleges.

Former National Security Agency staffer Geraldine Clark should have been sitting on a lucrative blue-chip stock portfolio worth $9million when she died in March 2023, aged 91.

Instead, the ailing retiree had less than $200 to her name after she was callously dumped in the emergency room three months earlier in a 'horrid and despicable illustration of elder abuse'.

The complaint, obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, claims San Francisco stalwart Geraldine was betrayed by her trusted, longtime caretakers who exploited her dementia to forge checks and drain her funds.

'Older adults are targets for financial exploitation due to their income and accumulated life-long savings and thus, fraud targeting their savings has proliferated over the last decade,' wrote lawyers for Heather Yarbrough, a trustee appointed posthumously to locate Geraldine's missing fortune.

'Unfortunately, Geraldine was the victim of such abuse, Geraldine's caregivers stole millions of dollars by selling off her investment portfolio, leaving her destitute.'

Keen investor Geraldine had prepped meticulously for her old age by amassing stock in major firms including Apple, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson, according to the 21-page complaint filed in California Superior Court.

The nest egg would ensure the childless divorcee could spend her senior years in 'physical and financial comfort' and stay in the Financial District apartment where she lived frugally for more than 35 years.

Geraldine Clark's caretakers are accused of draining her multimillion-dollar investment account for years up until her death in March 2023. Three of the four caretakers Lilia Galdo, Marina Suriao, and Milagros Alinas (circled from left to right) with Geraldine and her family

Her fourth caretaker, Elsie Curameng is accused of writing inflated checks and swindling a total of $5million in assets from the elderly woman

In 2010 Geraldine hired caregivers Elsie Eclevia Curameng, Milagros Alinas, and Lilia Galdo, paying them $15-per-hour to help with everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, and eating.

A fourth caregiver, Marina Suriao, was added to the staff and the team provided round the clock care to both Geraldine and her longtime boyfriend William Clement, who was in his 90s and lived in the same building.

The arrangement took a sinister turn in 2015, the suit claims, when Geraldine started taking increasing doses of Vicodin, a brand name of Hydrocodone, an opioid mixed with acetaminophen, for pain management.

'Studies have shown that Hydrocodone is especially harmful for elderly people with dementia and causes worsening confusion and sedation,' the suit says.

'Elsie thereafter sought regular renewals of Geraldine's Vicodin prescription for up to 150 pills per month for a sustained period.

'According to medical records, around this time Geraldine was also diagnosed with dementia, a fact the caretaker defendants hid from Geraldine's extended family.'

By 2016 Geraldine was well into her 80s, immobile, and suffering from cognitive decline.

The income generated from a 'G70' trust brokerage account she had opened about a decade earlier, should have been more than enough to meet the costs of 24-hour care.

In a complaint filed against the four caretakers earlier this month, Geraldine's appointed trustee Heather Yarbrough claims the woman's trust brokerage account, valued at $5million, had been completely drained to less than $200 by 2022

One of her caregivers, Elsie Curameng is accused of writing 'inflated' checks to her fellow co-workers, turning $900 payments for vacation or overtime into $2,900 or $4,900 with the stroke of a pen

Geraldine was diagnosed with dementia around 2016 which her caretakers allegedly hid from her extended family

Monthly dividends were paid into The Geraldine Clark Living Trust, a Wells Fargo bank account where the money could be legitimately accessed by her care team.

'Sadly, Geraldine's trust (and her extended family's trust) in the caretaker defendants proved to be a tragic mistake that robbed her of her financial assets, home, comfort, and dignity, in her final years,' the suit claims.

'As Geraldine's physical health and competency began to decline, the caretaker defendants began stealing from Geraldine in obscene amounts by liquidating her G70 Account and directing ACH (bank to bank) transfers to the WF (Wells Fargo) account in addition to, and in amounts much greater than, the monthly dividend transfers by ACH that Geraldine had instructed years prior.'

Once the money reached Wells Fargo, Curameng allegedly wrote 'inflated' checks to co-workers, turning $900 payments for vacation or overtime into $2,900 or $4,900 with the stroke of a pen.

When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, she's said to have coerced an increasingly isolated Geraldine into signing blank checks which she wrote out to herself in 'staggering' amounts of up to $78,000 per month.

'Thereafter, the abuse accelerated and the asset and cash drain from the G70 account rapidly increased each year,' the suit adds.

'In 2019, nearly $1,300,000 was liquidated and withdrawn; in 2020 more than $1,300,000 was liquidated and withdrawn; and in 2021 more than $1,500,000 was liquidated and withdrawn.

'By 2022, the G70 Account that had an asset value of over $5million throughout 2016 and 2017 had been completely drained to less than $200'.

Geraldine, seen here in her youth, had invested meticulously so the childless divorcee could spend her senior years in San Francisco in 'physical and financial comfort,' according to the complaint filed in California Superior Court

Geraldine spent her 90th birthday in 2022 with a nephew and his family. For several yeaars she had been immobile, and suffering from cognitive decline

Heather Yarbrough, the trustee appointed to oversee Geraldine's finances, claims the four women stole their patient's assets before dumping her at a hospital

Curameng is said to have personally pocketed $1.75million from the scam as she and her alleged accomplices isolated Geraldine and blocked her from speaking to relatives in Southern California and France over the phone.

With the portfolio 'liquidated' and their employer's net worth reduced to virtually zero, the suit says the defendants did the unthinkable.

'After they stole substantially all of Geraldine's assets saved throughout her life in preparation for paying expenses into old age including home care and rent for the apartment that had been her home for decades, the caretaker defendants dumped Geraldine at a hospital emergency room, in November 2022,' it says.

'Without meaningful money left and without the means to live her remaining days in the comfort of her own home, Geraldine was then transferred to a government facility, where she spent her remaining weeks.'

Yarbrough, who was appointed trustee of The Geraldine Clark Living Trust to investigate the dead woman's missing finances, is seeking damages in excess of $27million for assorted claims including fraud, elder abuse and theft.

DailyMail.com understands that the alleged wrongdoing was reported to both the San Francisco Police Department and the FBI. To date nobody has been arrested or prosecuted.

Yarbrough's attorney Paul Levin of Mark Migdal & Hayden told DailyMail.com: 'Geraldine's case is an abhorrent example of how an elderly person's trust can be so shockingly abused.

'As the criminal justice system has utterly failed to redress the crimes committed, my client is dedicated to condemning these actions in the strongest terms and will use every legal tool in our arsenal to rectify these outrageous acts of exploitation and punish the wrongdoers.

'Our goal is not only justice for Gerry and her family but to hopefully protect others from similar fates in the future.'

Suriao told DailyMail.com she didnt know about the suit and therefore couldnt say anything. None of her fellow defendants could be reached for comment.
A heartbroken mother whose son was abused to death by her best friend said that the now-convicted felon texted her just before she was taken to jail with an absurd request.

Two-year-old Kristian Harris of Mississippi, tragically died on September 15 2022, after he was brutally tortured by Makallie Durham, 25.

Makallie, of Iuka, pleaded guilty to capital murder and several counts of child abuse last month. She will now spend the rest of her life behind bars for her heinous actions.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com this week, Kristian's mother, Justin Hurd, 23, revealed that after Alcorn County deputy sheriffs responded to the call on September 13, 2022, Makallie frantically texted her that police were taking her to jail.

Justin described her shock over her former friend's plea for help after she was arrested for abusing her son and her 11-month-old daughter at the time.

'And I said, "Your a** should go [to jail]! Because why my babies got bruises all over them? You better hope they take you before I get there",' Justin recalled telling Durham.

Authorities were called to Makllie's boyfriend's home that dreadful day after he dialed 911 to report that Kristian was unconscious.

At the time, both Kristian and his little sister K'Helani were in Makallie's care and had been for days, Justin said. The mother later told DailyMail.com that she was working during that time.

Two-year-old Kristian Harris of Mississippi, tragically died on September 15, 2022 after he was brutally tortured by Makallie Elizabeth Durham, 25. (Pictured: Kristian and his mother, Justin Hurd)

Makallie, of Iuka, pleaded guilty to capital murder and several counts of child abuse in December. When she was arrested, Justin said that her ex-best friend texted her saying she was being taken to jail

She said that Makallie's boyfriend - a trucker who was not home at the time - had called the police after the babysitter called him about what happened.

Justin and her mother, Christina Hurd, 48, were soon informed that Kristian was being rushed to the hospital.

When she was told that her child was unconscious, Justin said she was worried and frantic and hospital staff were making it hard for her to get to her child.

So, they were trying to keep me calm, calm enough to get to my kid, and then they would tell me the full details, Justin said, adding that her mother - Kristian's grandmother - wasnt even allowed to see him.

When she was finally able to walk into the hospital room, Justin said she immediately knew something was wrong.

So, when I got to my son [at the hospital], it was like 12:02 when I walked into that room. And I just started praying because I knew my baby was dead,' she said, holding back tears.

While her son was fighting for his life, Justin soon realized that her daughter was nowhere to be found.

When she asked officers where her daughter was, they responded completely oblivious that another child was in Makallie's care at the time.

Kristian was rushed to the hospital on September 13, 2022, after he fell unconscious. He died two days later

Kristian's mother and grandmother described him as a 'phenomenal two-year-old'

And Im like yeah - the whole time, my baby was in the room sleeping. Bruises all over her face, all over her abdomen and chest,' she recalled.

Christina then went to get K'Helani, whom she knew was also severely abused the moment she saw her.

And I was like, "mama, let me see" and she was like, "You really dont need to see. You need to get here",' Justin said.

'And when I seen it, I was like "what the f***".'

Although cops and prosecutors told Justin that her children were first abused on the ninth, she said the timeline still does not 'add up.'

Makallie was accused of hitting Kristian 'in the face or head' on three separate occasions - September 9, 12 and 13, 2022, according to an indictment reviewed by Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.

She was also accused of striking K'Helani 'in the face or head' three days in a row - from September 11 to 13.

'She [Makallie] had them for a full week. Seven days. Day-for-day,' she explained, adding that the babysitter's boyfriend handed over home surveillance footage to police, which aided in determining when the abuse began.

Justin said she found out she was pregnant with her third child just days after burying Kristian. (Pictured: Kristian's grave)

She said it was not unusual for Makallie to spend time with her children, as she would often come to pick them and insist that she keep them longer. (Pictured: Kristian and his mother)

During that week, Justin said she found out that Makallie and her children not only spent time at her boyfriend's home, but also visited the babysitter's mother and father's homes.

Because of this, Justin said she doesn't know what truly occurred outside of Makallie's partner's home.

She said it was not unusual for Makallie to spend time with her children, as she would often come to pick them up and insist that she keep them longer.

'My kids called her TiTi. That was her aunt from another mother, literally, Justin said.

The mother said that her children never came home with marks or bruises on them before and they both willingly went with Makallie when she came to pick them up.

Like, you couldnt pay me at the time to believe she was just capable of thinking or doing anything of that nature, Justin added.

Justin even told Makallie that she could drop off her children at their grandmother's just up the block that week, but she refused.

And she was like, You know I love your kids. I would never let anything happen to your kids, Justin recalled.

'Yeah, I mean, I lost my kid. That doesn't go by lightly. I wanted them to kill her [Makallie],' Justin said, explaining that her family wanted her disgraced friend to get the death penalty, but it would have taken too long. (Pictured: Kristian)

And from that moment forward, I believe thats when it started. When she made that statement.

Even though Makallie has been convicted of murdering her child and abusing her daughter, Justin said justice will never truly be served because she will never be able to see her son again.

'Yeah, I mean, I lost my kid. That doesn't go by lightly. I wanted them to kill her [Makallie],' Justin said, explaining that her family wanted her disgraced friend to get the death penalty, but it would have taken too long.

'Yeah, it would've taken 20 years they said. Literally. If we would've tried her for the death penalty,' Christina added.

If she ever got a chance to speak with Makallie one-on-one, Justin said she wouldn't.

Yes, Ive matured in so many ways, but when it comes to that aspect, I wouldnt be mature enough to just sit there, she said. Id probably try to kill her.

I mean, you killed my baby. You tried to kill my other one. You took a lot from me.'

The mother said that her children never came home with marks or bruises on them before and they both willingly went with Makallie (pictured) when she came to pick them up

Justin said that soon after news broke about her son's death, she was viciously attacked by trolls online who blamed her for his passing.

I mean, apparently I paid that girl to hurt my kids, Justin said.

Y'all acting like the girl had already murdered somebody before I gave her my kids, Justin added.

Now, a little more than two years after losing her son, described as a 'phenomenal two-year-old,' Justin has welcomed two more children into her life - a one-year-old daughter and six-month-old son.

She told DailyMail.com that she found out she was pregnant with her third child just days after burying Kristian.

Justin said that her now three-year-old daughter K'Helani remembers her late brother 'to a certain extent.'

'He was just such a loving, loving kid towards her. He was the best big brother,' she said of Kristian.
A mother who allowed her cannabis-obsessed boyfriend to beat her daughter so badly that she was left disabled after suffering severe brain damage has been jailed for eight years.

Amy Skelton, 28, left her two-year-old child alone with her partner Steven Silkstone in her home for just 26 minutes on August 10, 2017.

Silkstone, formerly of East Herringthorpe, Rotherham, caused 'devastating injuries' to the child and is believed to have used a blunt object to carry out the assault whilst Skelton was at the supermarket.

Skelton returned home and instead of seeking urgent medical help, left the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to deteriorate overnight.

She then left her daughter alone with heavy cannabis user Silkstone twice more over the next 19 hours while she visited a tattoo parlour, had a night out and spent time in a McDonald's.

Her child was left with multiple brain injuries and bruising to the scalp on both sides of the face, upper chest, and both thighs, with the pattern of the bruising to the right thigh considered to be a human bite mark - which was delivered by Skelton.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the toddler, referred to as A in court, had been 'the most beautiful' and happy girl who loved to play and dance before Silkstone came into the Skelton's life in April or May of 2017, when they were both 20.

Silkstone, who was sentenced to 20 years behind bars, is believed to have inflicted three earlier serious injuries on the girl between June 1 and July 7 the same year - shortly after getting together with Skelton.

Amy Skelton (pictured) left her two-year-old child alone with her partner Steven Silkstone in her home for just 26 minutes on August 10, 2017

Following the attacks, the child was discovered to have multicompartmental, intracranial subdural haemorrhages, spinal subdural haemorrhages, progressive hypoxic-ischaemic brain damage, bilateral and multiple retinal haemorrhages.

As well as this, she was left with spastic quadriplegia, a severe form of cerebral palsy that affects all four limbs, meaning she cannot walk, sit or stand independently, and has to be hoisted for all activities.

A contempt of court hearing was held today after the victim's first name was published on social media, but has since been removed.

Judge Barry Cotter clarified during the hearing what his order restricted following submissions from MailOnline and confirmed Skelton can be named as the victim's mother.

After Skelton was sentenced, her grandmother Rosemary recalled how the granddaughter only showed emotion when the police took her phone off her'.

Mrs Bowman said: 'It has taken seven years to get to this stage. She was just a tiny, tiny baby when they did what they did to her.

'By rights she should be dead and she has five top specialists and even they and the judge said by the grace of God they are not standing there on murder charges.

Silkstone, formerly of East Herringthorpe, Rotherham, caused 'devastating injuries' to the child and is believed to have used a blunt object to carry out the assault

'With the very last injury, we thought they had sent for the ambulance, but they left that baby lying all night suffering before they called for them the next day.

'The ambulance men went in and took one look at her and blue lighted her and took her away to hospital, but the only time Amy showed any emotion was when the police took her phone off her. She was never a caring, loving mum in that respect.

'She would get a bit short with her, and I said you need a bit of patience, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would come to this. She even bit her own child so badly.'

And John Bowman, Skeltons uncle, told the Mail the family had disowned her since the horrific injuries came to light.

Within just over a month of Skelton meeting Silkstone, close relatives feared for the child's safety.

During a family event on June 2, a relative noticed her right ear was bent forward, due to swelling.

Judge Barry Cotter said as he sentenced the pair: 'Even when advised to you delayed taking A to hospital.

'Your explanation for the injuries was that she had fallen out of her bed onto some toys. However as indicated in the expert evidence it was not a plausible explanation for the injuries.'

Dr Nader Khandanpour told the court she must have suffered two or three blows on that occasion, for the level of injury.

Skelton was given advice about head injuries including about watching out for a fit, by the hospital, but Judge Cotter said she would later ignore this.

On June 9 she was seen by relatives with a 'hideous black eye' and her 'accomplished liar' mother admitted to some that she was '50/50' in the belief that Silkstone was assaulting her daughter.

Yet, she continued to live with him and lied to the girl's father, referred to as BB in court, that their daughter had received the black eye from falling downstairs.

Speaking after the sentencing, BB said his daughter's injuries led social services to believe he was a suspect in the abuse.

He said: 'The worst thing is that Rotherham Social Services were made aware of the three previous injuries she received, but they kept giving her back to her mother.

Silkstone, who was sentenced to 20 years behind bars, is believed to have inflicted three earlier serious injuries on the girl between June 1 and July 7 the same year.

'A week before the worst injury I showed the social worker a picture of her with a serious injury and black eye, but they didn't take it seriously. The social worker was off at the time it happened.

'Social services even had me as a suspect for the first four months even though the police never did.'

When a relative called NHS 111 about the injury, Judge Cotter said Skelton was 'not frank with the doctor' and would not allow them to see the girl to inspect the extent of the injury.

Less than a month later, on July 7, the girl suffered further injuries, including a large left-sided swelling over the left side of the face, a bruise to left ear which was not consistent with a fall and other bruises.

Skelton again told lies that she had fallen downstairs while she was in the bathroom, the court heard.

Grandmother Rosemary told the court that by July she was scared to go back to her home and was 'shutting down' while her hair began to fall out.

Judge Cotter added: 'She was suffering at your hands and in your care. I am satisfied that given the first occasion was inflicted injury that as regards the second and third incidents you [the mother] either assaulted A or were fully aware of the risk that she would be further seriously assaulted. You lied about all of these incidents to the Doctors and your family.

'As for you Silkstone it is in my judgment probable that you were responsible for all or some of the injuries on these earlier occasions; but that it is probable is not enough. Determining what exactly happened is complicated by the fact that [her mother] also was to assault A by biting her, so was capable of inexplicably directly inflicting injury upon her own daughter. She is also an accomplished liar.'

Relatives said before Silkstone's arrival that the girl was 'into everything' with 'boundless energy' and 'would light up any room. But, after the relationship started family members noticed a change in her.

On Thursday, August 10 2017, she spent a happy day with her father and grandmother, but became withdrawn as the time came for her to go back to her mother's, where she returned at 4.30pm.

The court heard that Silkstone had been consuming cannabis when he was left alone with the girl as the mother went to a supermarket at 8.15pm.

Judge Cotter said: 'Between 8.15pm and 8.41pm, in circumstances only you know, Silkstone you assaulted A with intent to cause her really serious harm. I have no doubt that she was shaken and also suffered an impact to the head.

'As a matter of common sense the forces involved in the violence were considerable. The experts said the effect of the brain damage caused by the assault was quickly apparent as A fitted.'

Skeleton called her own mother but ignored her advice to seek urgent medical attention.

Instead, she went out to a tattoo parlour with a friend. The business owner Christopher Swift told the court Silkstone phoned her to say the child was not breathing properly, but she was not 'terribly concerned' and was more interested in going out that night.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that the girl had been 'the most beautiful' and happy girl who loved to play and dance before Silkstone came into the mother's life in 2017

Skeleton returned home between 1.30am and 2am and found her child still vomiting but, still, no medial help was sought overnight.

She left Silkstone alone with the child again when she went to a McDonald's the next day. The pair did not call for medical help until 3.51pm on August 11.

Judge Cotter said: 'As time progressed the intracranial pressure increased and it will have been obvious that A was becoming increasingly unwell; she was drowsy and vomiting and you left it until she was just about to die.

'Even then Silkstone you did not call an ambulance but called [her mother] instead. She was in McDonald's, indicating her level of concern for her daughter.

'When the paramedics arrived you were not truthful talking of spontaneous, random bruises and [made] no mention of the fit the previous evening and saying A had a spontaneous random collapse and became unresponsive.

'The medical attention given from the point that paramedics attended through to lifesaving complex operation at Sheffield Children's hospital to relieve the intracranial pressure and fit a titanium plate was exemplary. It saved A's life; it prevented you Silkstone facing a murder conviction with a mandatory life sentence.'

After a police investigation, Silkstone was charged with GBH with intent and child cruelty while Skeleton was charged with causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, assault for the bite and cruelty to a child.

They denied the offences and were convicted after a trial that was seriously delayed, due to resources and complexities.

Both defendants were on bail throughout the lengthy investigation, but were remanded in custody after being found guilty on November 26 before sentence on December 20.

A CPS spokesperson said of the delay: 'The case rested on a range of medical experts, given the case in question related to allegations of infliction of injuries to a child. None of the medical experts who had been instructed in the separate Family Court, were available for the criminal investigation.

'This meant other experts had to be identified, instructed, and their expert reports considered. This was accepted by the Judge in his sentencing remarks, who emphasises this in paragraph 77 of the judgement. The judge additionally recognising the complexity of the allegation.'

Both were on bail throughout the investigation and subsequent criminal proceedings until their convictions. Following conviction on 26 November both were remanded in custody until the sentence hearing on 20 December.

Judge Cotter said: 'You have both been convicted of serious offences arising out of the devastating injures suffered by A during the evening of 10th August 2017 in her own home and subsequent failure to gain any medical assistance period after the assault up to the point that the 999-call was made at 3.51pm the following day.

'Dr Khandanpour said that the most likely mechanism of trauma explaining such a combination of injuries was severe "to and fro" shaking although shaken baby injuries usually occur in children younger than two years old.

The court heard that after the last attack, the two-year-old was discovered to have multicompartmental, intracranial subdural haemorrhages, and spinal subdural haemorrhages

'There has also been most probably trauma from a blunt object to the left side of the skull. The severity of the cerebral damage was within the spectrum of most severe type of head injuries and the assault caused brain damage which has left A very severely disabled.

'She has been robbed of the life she should have enjoyed. The effects are permanent and devastating.'

Now approaching 10, the girl has lived with devoted foster carers for the last seven years and requires adult support for all daily, living, activities.

She has been left with severe visual problems and severe learning difficulties, with very limited language and words. She can manage a three word sentence. She also communicates by smiling, crying and gesturing.

Feeding difficulties mean the child is prone to choking, lung infection and malnutrition. She is fed in part through a tube, suffers seizures and has developed hip dislocation due to the stiffness of her lower limbs.

She will need life long care and has the support of nine specialist services.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Cotter said jobless Silkstone's central interest in life was smoking cannabis.

He said: 'You admitted to six spliffs a day; probably an underestimate. You had gone out (for) some cannabis before you assaulted A and returned under the influence.

'I make it clear that I am sure that you can remember far more than you have said to the police and in this court and cannabis has not robbed you of your memory completely; rather it is a convenient excuse for not giving an explanation

'You knew that a number of people believed that you were assaulting A and on July 19 posted on Facebook "playground stuff people need to; grow the f** up". These concerns did not cause you to alter your behaviour.

'You could not even bring yourself to stay at the hospital when you must have realised that A was fighting for her life. You went home and as you stated then smoked cannabis.'

To the mother, he added: 'It is clear that your relationship with Silkstone became far more important that ensuring A's health and welfare.

'You ignored the warnings from a wide range of people; friends and from both sides of your family that A was at risk from Steven Silkstone.'

He said she broke off contact with her own father and threatened the girl's father that he could no longer see her.

He added: 'At some stage you inexplicably assaulted A yourself by biting her on the left thigh. After the assault when you returned home you knew that A had fitted and was potentially seriously ill.

The mother received eight years in prison for causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm

'You lied to your mother; ignoring her obviously sensible advice. You both knew that she had unexplained bruising and it was obvious that medical investigation was necessary as she had been fitting and vomiting. You also lied in calculating fashion to your mother about A being fine on the morning of 11th; you knew that was not the case.

'You have exhibited indifference to A's health and welfare and prioritised your happiness. You decided to go to the tattoo parlour although you knew she was ill. It was not even for your own tattoo; and this shows how low down on your list of priorities A was.

'You decided to go to McDonalds when you knew she was ill. Even then what Silkstone wanted to eat was more important than the welfare of your child.

'Whilst she was being treated in the resuscitation room you were more interested in spending time with Steven Silkstone before he got his taxi. You only showed any real emotion when your phone was seized on arrest. It was a telling indication of your priorities.

'As I have set out, the effects have been truly devastating. There will not be many cases with more serious injury and the effects suffered for virtually the whole of a life. She came very close to death and has lost much semblance of a normal life.'

He sentenced Silkstone to 15 years for GBH with intent and five years, to run concurrently, for child cruelty.

The mother got eight years for causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm, with concurrent sentences of 14 days for the assault and five years for child cruelty.

Detective Sergeant Peter Hodgson, the officer in charge of this case, said: 'This is one of the most upsetting cases I have come across in my 34 years of policing. We worked extremely hard to bring the defendants before the court, with our investigation comprising of 85 statements in total.

'This included six medical experts who gave evidence during the eight-week trial. I'd like to extend my heartfelt thanks to those closest to the young victim who stood up in court to offer evidence and support our case. I hope the sentences handed to the defendants will go some way to providing a sense of justice.'

A Rotherham Social Services spokesperson said: 'We are deeply saddened by the harm caused to this child in 2017, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this case. Safeguarding children is the responsibility of everyone, and it remains our highest priority as a Council.

'Rotherham Council is fully committed to protecting and supporting children and young people across the borough. We continue to work closely with our partners and communities to strengthen safeguarding systems and provide the support needed to protect every child in Rotherham.

'We do not comment on the details of individual cases'.
MBABANE  There was a time when children feigned illness to skip a test. Now, they are avoiding school altogether to escape bullying.

Some parents mistakenly believe their child is just pretending when, in reality, they are dodging emotional torment. With anxiety, depression and academic issues accumulating, experts warn that school avoidance is about survival, not laziness.

Bullying in schools is reportedly reaching pandemic proportions. Sidumo Lukhele, Health Promotions Officer within the Health Promotions Unit of the Ministry of Health, asserts that bullying is not merely an unpleasant childhood ordeal, but has severe and lasting consequences for the mental and physical well-being of pupils. Bullying is a major public health issue. It affects both the victim and the perpetrator, with consequences that can endure into adulthood, Lukhele noted.

Lukhele described bullying as an unwanted aggressive behaviour marked by a real or perceived power imbalance. The effects of bullying extend beyond immediate distress. It can lead to long-term psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he explained.

Adding more context, Lukhele stated that research shows bullying often targets historically marginalised groups, such as children from low-income backgrounds, those with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community. These pupils are particularly vulnerable as they are already grappling with societal challenges. When bullying is combined with these, school becomes unbearable for them, Lukhele said. The rise in school absenteeism among bullied pupils is not due to laziness.

Terrifying

For many of these children, the idea of going to school is terrifying. They are not skipping school out of laziness; they are avoiding a place where they feel unsafe, Lukhele elaborated. He further highlighted that bullying severely affects academic performance, causing victims to struggle with concentration, retention and motivation. The stress from bullying triggers the bodys fight-or-flight response, making it difficult for the brain to focus on learning. Over time, this leads to poor academic performance and even school dropouts, Lukhele added.

A 2023 study by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on bullying and absenteeism in African schools found that pupils who frequently experience bullying are 2.5 times more likely to skip school. The study also highlighted that bullied pupils often struggle with peer relationships, exacerbating feelings of loneliness and isolation. Bullyings repercussions extend beyond immediate distress, causing lasting psychological effects into adulthood. Lukhele outlined mental health consequences, including low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

Disorders

Many bullied children develop anxiety disorders, leading to panic attacks and chronic stress. Some even suffer from PTSD, especially if the bullying is prolonged or aggressive, Lukhele stated. Another concern is the link between bullying and self-harm. Studies show pupils who endure severe bullying are at higher risk of self-destructive behaviour, including cutting and, in extreme cases, suicidal ideation. There have been cases where victims develop severe depression, and unfortunately, some take their own lives, Lukhele said.

Besides psychological damage, bullying has significant physical effects. Stress from bullying can result in headaches, stomach aches and weakened immune systems, Lukhele mentioned. Victims often endure sleep disturbances, suffering from insomnia due to heightened anxiety, which hampers daytime functioning. Lack of sleep leads to fatigue and concentration difficulties, worsening academic struggles, Lukhele explained.

In extreme cases, bullying results in physical injuries, with some pupils suffering bruises, cuts or broken bones from violence. When bullying escalates to physical assault, it should be treated as a criminal matter, not merely a school issue, Lukhele emphasised.Bullying affects victims and creates a toxic environment for everyone in the school. When bullying is prevalent, it fosters a culture of fear and intimidation. Even pupils not directly involved may feel anxious and unsafe, Lukhele noted.

This environment negatively impacts teachers as well. Studies indicate that in schools with rampant bullying, educators experience heightened stress levels, affecting their teaching effectiveness. Teachers often feel powerless to intervene, especially if they lack proper training on handling bullying incidents, Lukhele added. Addressing bullying requires a comprehensive approach involving pupils, teachers, parents and policymakers. Lukhele stressed that intervention must be proactive, not reactive.

We need to focus on prevention strategies, such as implementing anti-bullying policies, providing mental health support and fostering an inclusive school culture, he said. One effective strategy is introducing peer support programmes. Schools implementing mentorship schemes, where older pupils support younger or vulnerable pupils, see significant declines in bullying incidents. When students support each other, it fosters a culture of kindness and respect, discouraging bullying behaviour, Lukhele explained.

Parents also play a crucial role in combating bullying. Open communication between parents and children is vital. Many victims suffer in silence, fearing their concerns will not be taken seriously, Lukhele said. He encouraged parents to watch for warning signs like sudden mood changes, reluctance to attend school, unexplained injuries or a drop in academic performance. Lukhele also stressed the importance of mental health resources in schools.

Access

We need more school counsellors to provide psychological support. Having access to professional help can significantly aid a child in coping with bullying, he advised. Globally, countries have implemented measures to control and prevent bullying in schools, recognising its detrimental impact on pupils well-being and academic performance. In nations like Finland and Sweden, anti-bullying programmes such as KiVa focus on early intervention, peer support and teacher training to curb bullying.

Japan enforces a zero-tolerance policy with an emphasis on respect and collective responsibility in schools. In the United States, laws mandate schools to implement anti-bullying policies, supported by counselling services and awareness campaigns. These strategies, combined with strict disciplinary actions and mental health support, contribute to creating safer learning environments for pupils.

Note: A response from the Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) was unavailable at the time of compiling this article.
The brutal truth of life on the streets of a crime-ridden city was revealed as locals told of a grim reality where drug dealers run amok and police pass 'every minute'.

The true extent of crime in the city of Bradford emerged as officials estimated organised crime and serious violence costs the West Yorkshire region 406million a year.

The huge figure was predicted to be the economic impact of crime in the city - which was named this year's UK City of Culture.

When MailOnline visited Bradford, locals told of their fear while small businesses revealed how unrelenting crime levels were forcing them to the brink.

Garth Durkin, who has run Aloha Sunbeds on Grattan Road for nearly 10 years, told how his client list had plunged by a third with customers too scared of being accosted by beggars, drug addicts and prostitutes.

Mr Durkin, 65, said: 'People have just had enough.

'Business owners who were trying their best have just had enough. People are closing up because drugs and violence are rife.

'The footfall has fallen through the floor because people are too fearful of being accosted or propositioned.

Bradford - the 'crime capital' of the UK. Locals told of how police can be seen passing 'every minute' in the crime-ridden district

Bradford was named the UK City of Culture this year

Images show how rundown and crime-ridden the streets of Bradford have become

'The drug dealers are brazen as hell. The addicts queue up outside the solicitors waiting for their gear.

'I'll open the doors and we'll have customers coming in and they'll get yelled at for money. They get particularly nasty if you've not got change.

'I've complained profusely about it but nothing is ever done.

'At four o'clock when it's dark and I'm on my own at work, I'm jittery as hell.

'I've got cameras everywhere. I've got to put a light on to make sure that I know who's coming in and who's coming out.'

Mr Durkin, who is looking to move his business, told how a neighbouring shop has changed hands three times in two years after being constantly targeted by thieves.

He said the 406million figure seemed to be an 'underestimate'.

He said: 'I'd say that figure was too low. The drug problem in Bradford is rife and everything flows from that.

Garth Durkin, who has run Aloha Sunbeds on Grattan Road for nearly 10 years, told how his client list had plunged by a third with customers too scared of being accosted by beggars, drug addicts and prostitutes

Piles of litter and disposed alcohol bottles could be spotted around the city

Mr Durkin, who is looking to move his business, told of how a neighbouring shop has changed hands three times in two years after being constantly targeted by thieves

'I've lived in Bradford my whole life yet when I'm on holiday I never tell anyone I'm from Bradford. Never.

'How sad is that? When my son came out of university, the first thing he said to me was: 'Dad, I'm leaving.'

'I spoke to him this morning. He said 'how's Bradford?' I said 'what do you think?'

'He said 'the same s***hole'. That sums it up.

'You can't go out without fearing trouble. People think "there's a chance that I might get caught up in something now."

It comes among calls for increased policing in Bradford during the night by business groups, according to the Telegraph and Argus.

Tiffin Venue Management, which owns several pubs in the city, have called for West Yorkshire Police to increase patrolling during Friday and Saturday nights, as they stress it is 'important the city is safe'.

Yet, despite clear fears for safety among both residents and businesses, it is understood Bradford may be awarded Purple Flag status soon - a flag which recognises a region's commitment to creating a safe night-time destination.

In Bradford's deprived Manningham suburb, locals told MailOnline how the area was blighted by drug dealing, gang violence and prostitution.

Its poverty-stricken streets are where Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe prowled for victims more than four decades ago, and also wicked Stephen Griffiths, nicknamed the Crossbow Cannibal.

He murdered at least three sex workers between 2009 and 2010, and claimed to have butchered and eaten their body parts.

The area is in a state of disrepair, with fences trampled over, and streets filled with litter

Fahed Al-Husseini, who witnessed the killing of Kulsuma Akter, 27, while pushing her baby, spoke of crime in the area

Police were a regular sight, patrolling the city by car

More recently, it was where mum Kulsuma Akter, 27, was stabbed to death while pushing her baby.

The killing - allegedly by her husband Habibur Masum, 26 - was witnessed by shopkeeper Fahed Al-Husseini, 34.

He told Mail Online: 'I heard her screaming. You never forget something like that.'

While Mr Al-Husseini said extreme violence was uncommon, he told how shoplifting was a major problem for corner shop businesses like his.

He said: 'Every shop has a problem but the off-licenses have it worst.

'There are a lot of homeless people and problems with drugs.

'There used to be problems with gang violence but we don't see that so much now.

'Every minute you see a police car go past. Yet when I go to other cities I don't see as many police.'

Along the road, a small grassy area was swamped with empty beer cars, vape pens, and takeaway boxes. Among the detritus was a used condom and soiled nappy.

Yards away, outside the Westgate bar, Bradfordian Mick Waterworth told how a prostitute had recently tried to solicit a friend aged 75 - and began rooting through his belongings when he rebuffed her advances.

Bradfordian Mick Waterworth told how a prostitute had recently tried to solicit a friend aged 75 - and began rooting through his belongings when he rebuffed her advances

The city is rife with both serious violence and organised crime as well as more petty offences such as shoplifting

The area is also full of run-down buildings and flats, with windows boarded up with cardboard

A report by Bradford Council showed that serious violence and organised crime was costing the city 406million a year

Mr Waterworth, 68, said: 'It was just terrible - he's a 75-year-old man.

'She came up and saw him in the doorway so he put his bags down, offered him her services and when he refused, she started rifling through his stuff.

'Every time I go out for a cigarette I get pestered by people trying to sell me stuff they've stolen from the shops. Razors, deodorants, meat - whatever they can get their hands on.

'The next time you see them they're walking down the street with a can in their hand.'

Mr Waterworth added: 'Crime has got worse. A lot of it is petty crime like shoplifting.

'I wouldn't say there are no-go zones but you've got to know where you are and keep your wits about you.

'The police are never here when you want them. You only see them when Bradford City are playing at home.'

In 2022, Bradford was dubbed the 'most dangerous' city in the Europe, according to an analysis of crime rates across the continent's most populated conurbations.

While the statistics were rebuffed by police as not credible, officers are clamping down on serious organised crime.

Figures reveal that in the year to January 2025, there were 610 arrests, 298 stop searches, 381 out of court disposals, 717 charges, 2,172 vehicle seizures, 1,689 'intelligence submissions' and 21 cannabis farms uncovered.

Another corner of Bradford that was sprayed with graffiti and littered with used cups and cans

People standing outside a former amusement arcade. There are plans to make it into a community centre

Many of the streets are run-down, with signs of vandalism as they are boarded up with makeshift materials

Officials have identified protecting women and girls as a key priority.

Women told Mail Online that they felt 'too scared' to go out at night in the city.

Pub worker Aimee Florence, 28, told how she witnessed a man chased by a gang and stabbed to death in an early hours attack.

She said: 'A lot of people are too scared to stay out too late in case they accidentally get caught up in something.

'Violent crime is happening too often and it's gone on too long. It needs to stop.

'I've been brought up around here. A lot of the older people tell me how vibrant Bradford used to be and now look at it.'

Another, who asked not to be named, reminisced about the city's thriving nightlife in the 1980s, before adding: 'Now you can't go out because you don't feel safe'.

Aimee Florence told how she witnessed a man chased by a gang and stabbed to death in an early hours attack

She says that people avoid going out in late hours of the night fearing that it is unsafe

A number of run-down shops with shutters covered in graffiti

Doorman Bob Mansfield, 56, said he refuses to allow his adult daughters, aged 21 and 27, into the city centre at night.

He said: 'The area around the bus station is a no-go area after 6pm. My 21-year-old daughter was nearly assaulted there last week because she wouldn't give a beggar 1.

'There's security staff but we need the police to come out and patrol it.

'There are youths running amok on bikes, brazen drug dealing and beggars hassling people.

'The police know about it but they don't seem to be doing anything about it.

'They probably don't have the resources but crime and anti-social behaviour is just getting worse and worse.

'I've told my daughters they can't go into Bradford at night. If they want a drink, they can have one at home, because I know they will be safe at home.'

Doorman Bob Mansfield, 56, said he refuses to allow his adult daughters, aged 21 and 27, into the city centre at night

The city is understood to be one of the worst in the UK for its levels of crime

Fly-tipping is also a big issue in the town, with beds, sofas and other disused furniture thrown along the streets

Bram Khan, owner of BK Hardware in Bradford's indoor market, said shoplifting had got worse over his 20 years in situ.

He said: 'It's just part and parcel of running a business in this day and age.

'Before the Wilkos store closed, you'd see them just running out of the doors with stuff.

'The security staff couldn't catch them because it was too dangerous to run across the road.'

Bradford City Council said in a report: 'Violence continues to have a huge impact on victims both physically and mentally and also adversely affects perpetrators too. It is often a symptom of other, deeper-rooted, issues.

'Beyond the person, the economic costs are also significant, with the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership estimating the costs to be 406million a year in Bradford.'

MailOnline approached West Yorkshire Police for comment.
A pregnant woman is furious after she was given an eviction notice the same month her baby is due to make more space for homeless people.

Christina plans to appeal the Section 21 notice that would force her out of her Lambeth home of three years by March.

Dozens of other residents of the Central Hill Estates in Crystal Palace have been asked to leave as the council say they are trying to accommodate people in temporary accommodation.

Some families with children have been given extensions, but Christina said she was denied this option.

She told MailOnline: I asked several times myself for an extension because I'm pregnant, explaining that my move out date is in March, and I'm going to give birth in March as well'.

It's just not the right time for me to leave, I don't want to have to carry all my things and move my stuff.

I'm really hoping that when the time comes in March where Im about to give birth and if Ive not been able to find something that they will let me stay.

I need more time, Im looking at the moment but theres just nothing.

Lambeth Council have said they are taking back 163 homes from private tenants to house homeless people

Some of the homes on the estate have been privately leased by Homes for Lambeth (HfL), a management company that is owned by Lambeth council

It's just so annoying because you made yourself a home and youre expecting the baby, you want to make it all nice and everything and now Im not sure I can do that.

Lambeth Council have announced they are taking back 163 homes in a targeted approach to make the best use of existing properties and deliver as much affordable housing as possible for those with the most urgent needs.

They added that they 'are supporting this resident to address her housing needs and will continue to do so'.

'Those with priority needs are getting extra support.'

Christina has been given until March 8, International Womens Day, to find somewhere else to live.

The council is evicting a pregnant woman on International Women's Day.

It's not even funny.

Some of the homes on the estate, including Christinas, have been privately leased by Homes for Lambeth (HfL), a management company that is owned by Lambeth council.

One resident has sued Lambeth council for illegally renting these homes in the private sector, saying that since Lambeth Council is HfLs sole shareholder, they are the claimants landlord

Lambeth has nearly 5,000 homeless households in their borough in often poor quality temporary housing

HfL was set up eight years ago as part of Lambeths regeneration programme.

The council received a critical independent review in 2022 on their affordable housing situation, which recommended HfL be shut down.

The Kerslake review, chaired by Lord Bob Kerslake, added that delivery on rebuilding on some Lambeth estates, including Central Hill, was too slow and that resident engagement needs to be fundamentally reset to support people living on those estates.

These properties are now being taken back under direct control of the council.

As well as the stressful timing of the eviction, Christina is distraught that she has to leave the friendly area she was hoping to raise her child to make space for homeless people.

There's a community of people who live here, it's so unfair to just throw us all out in numbers.

She wanted to be granted the same extension as the families with children receive, which would let her move out in August once her baby is five months old.

I just want to bide my time a little bit because I didn't really want to move for this moment of time.

It would be difficult to carry a lot of stuff, I find it hard already to just clean the house, I get so exhausted.

Up and down the estate, empty houses have already been boarded up with metal, waiting for the councils next steps about who can live there.

Dozens of houses have been standing empty for months but the council said they are 'being prepared for letting

According to Lambeth council, nine houses are already being re-let to homeless families

Some tenants have said that the empty houses have been causing problems to adjoining properties like mould and leakage

One resident asked why are you letting them sit empty?'

The council say there are around 60 homes that have been returned to the council and are being prepared for letting, with nine already being re-let to homeless families.

Several tenants complained of mould issues in their homes and the council being slow to repair damages or leaks in neighbouring properties that would affect theirs.

Some are skeptical about the councils intentions to house homeless people, feeling jaded by their own encounters.

I'm not sure about when the council say they want to evict people because they want to house the homeless, when at the same time there's lots of boarded up properties where they could host them now.

Why are you letting them sit empty?

Christina said: I have a feeling they just want to get everyone out and then demolish the estate and then rebuild something bigger.

There seems to be a hidden agenda.

They say we want to help the homeless but I believe they would only do that once they have demolished the estate.

Its lots of space, right? And the houses arent very high so it's probably not very economical for them.

I would even believe they would sell it to foreign investors, who knows, because the Council already created Homes for Lambeth and then rented out to private renters.

So theyve done all this already to make money because now they are making triple the amount of rent that they would get if these houses were actually used for social housing.

Jules Zakolska lives on another estate in Clapham that is leased by the same scheme.

She moved into Fenwick estate in April 2022 and told their landlord that we wanted to stay for a long time.

We werent told anything about it being a short term solution, we weren't told that the landlord was actually Lambeth council.

The 27-year-old said that her and her partner were ironically one of the lucky ones to be given a Section 21 because she said this lets her be eligible for housing services to prevent homelessness.

Most of the other tenants got a threatening email which said there was no option to have a rolling contract, which is against the law.

We think this was an attempt to make them feel like there was no other option but to move out and take advantage of us.

It was a lot to take in, we just want to stay here.

Jules Zakolska said that Lambeth's decision to take back the HfL properties will 'make most tenants homeless' and force them 'to use the councils urgent housing needs'

Ms Zakolska was given an extension until April but she said there is literally nowhere for us to move to, no alternative accommodation.

The council has this incorrect idea that as private tenants we can move elsewhere and it's simple but we are already on the cheapest housing in the borough.

This move will make most tenants homeless and will have to use the councils urgent housing needs.

Its a futile exercise because the net amount of homeless people in the borough will stay the same.

The council are only doing this to just say that they've housed homeless people.

Some tenants have already moved out of the area and even the country because they cant afford to stay here

One woman was pregnant and had to go to hospital because she was worried about signs of miscarriage from the stress of the eviction.

People love their homes here, they don't want to leave.

Its an irrational decision, we shouldn't have to fight so hard to stay.

Ms Zakolska said that the council's first 'threatening' email was 'an attempt to make tenants feel like there was no other option but to move out'

Another family accused the council of foul-play after letting them sign a year-long lease only to receive notice of eviction a week later.

They already knew that they were going to do this, the mother said.

All the houses around us have been empty since we moved in last February.

They are one of the families who have been allowed to stay until August so that their children can finish the school year.

The resident said she has bad anxiety and agoraphobia and had only just got used to living in our house.

This stress of finding somewhere to move has really taken its toll.

We cant afford anywhere else, weve really struggled.

It's terrible.

We'd love to stay in the area but honestly, because this is supposed to be affordable housing, everything else is five or six hundred pounds more expensive a month.'

She has two kids at two very different ages, my son who is a teenager and my girl whos a toddler, so it's not like we can put them in the same room, wed need three rooms.

Leaving Central Hill Estates means one mother would be without her support network and family living nearby in Crystal Palace

Their extended family also lives in the neighbourhood and moving away would mean leaving their support system as well as the little bits of childcare that help.

She is dreading having to start the hunt for a new home after the difficulty of finding this one.

It took us months to find this place, we were being turned down constantly.

We had people tell us they dont want to take families on.

And needing a guarantor, there are so many requirements.

Not everyone knows someone that owns a home and earns, it's getting rarer and rarer nowadays.

Another resident has sued the council for illegally renting these homes in the private sector.

The claimant said in their high court case that since Lambeth Council is HfLs sole shareholder, they are the claimants landlord, not HfL Living who work as a subsidiary landlord.

If this were found to be the case, this would breach the 2011 Localism Act.

The tenant also believed that Lambeth council had breached the 1985 Housing Act by refusing to recognise them as a secure tenant and instead treating them as an assured shorthold tenant.

More than 450 homes make up Central Hill Estates although many have been sitting empty for months

The residents lawyer, Alexandra Goldenberg, said: Lambeth's decision to rent these properties on the private market is unlawful and has created a devastating impact on hundreds of residents across the borough who have been evicted or are facing eviction.

The solicitor from the Public Interest Law Centre added: This is yet another chapter in a troubling history of estate regeneration schemes that have disregarded the rights of residents and communities.

It is time for Lambeth to take responsibility and do the right thing, starting with an immediate halt to all evictions.

Lambeth Council said they were aware of the application and reject the claims made in the application and have highlighted why in writing to the applicant.

They said that the tenant was rented out by HfL Living, a private provider which is not the council, through a letting agent at market rent and without any needs assessment, which would be the case for any social housing.

Central Hill was subject to an options appraisal and as such there are no current plans to regenerate the estate.

The council said they had decided to to take over HFL properties and intend to use these properties to house families in most desperate need.

Lambeth has nearly 5,000 homeless households in their borough in often poor quality temporary housing.

By the end of 2024, Lambeth spent 250,000 a night on temporary accommodation.

There are a further 40,000 people on Lambeths housing waiting list.

Cllr Danny Adilypour said that tenants facing eviction will be provided with assistance by the council to support them in moving to a new home

Councillor Danny Adilypour said Lambeth are committed to doing all we can to tackle the housing crisis.

The Deputy Leader of Lambeth Labour added that bringing these privately rented homes back into use as council accommodation will deliver much-needed homes as quickly as possible for our most vulnerable residents in Lambeth.

The council recognises the upheaval this will cause for the current private sector tenants and will be provided with assistance by the council to support them in moving to a new home.

Lambeth said they had identified 381 void properties which are being repaired, of which 133 are ready to be re-let to residents.

An FOI released last April said that there were 726 vacant homes that the council were in the possession of.
As Groundhog Day looms, Punxsutawney Phil prepares for his annual prognostication, but he's not the only furry forecaster vying for weather wisdom.

Phil, the reigning king of groundhogdom, will emerge from his burrow on Sunday, February 2, to deliver his 139th verdict.

This time-honored tradition, a relic of German heritage, has evolved into a spectacle, attracting thousands to Phil's home in Gobbler's Knob, Pennsylvania, and millions more glued to their screens.

The annual event is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil's handlers reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow - ushering in six more weeks of winter weather - or has not, presaging early spring-like weather.

Phil, however, faces a formidable challenge from a host of competitors, each eager to steal his thunder with their own unique brand of spectacle.

This year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has ranked the accuracy of Phil and 18 of his critter rivals based on strict criteria - they must have been prognosticating for at least 20 years and they must be active prognosticators as of February 2, 2024.

Out of 19 groundhogs and Phil was ranked 17th with a 35 percent prediction success.

So who else is he up against?

As Groundhog Day looms, Punxsutawney Phil (pictured) prepares for his annual prognostication, but he's not the only furry forecaster vying for weather wisdom

Staten Island Chuck (pictured) boasts an 85 percent accuracy rate, leaving Phil in the dust with his 35 percent percent

Staten Island Chuck

Staten Island Chuck, Phil's fiercest rival, casts a long shadow over Punxsutawney. This New York-based prognosticator boasts an 85 percent accuracy rate, leaving Phil in the dust with his 35 percent percent, according to NOAA.

Chuck's reign of meteorological supremacy is no fluke. Following his predictions, the diligent staff at the Staten Island Zoo meticulously monitor the weather for two months, counting every glorious day above 40 degrees to ensure Chuck's predictions are accurate.

General Beauregard Lee has an accuracy rate of 80 percent

General Beauregard Lee

General Beauregard Lee, Georgia's esteemed weather prognosticator, carries a hefty historical legacy.

Named after Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard, 'Beau' took over the role from his predecessor in 1991.

According to NOAA, General Beauregard Lee has an accuracy rate of 80 percent.

The Dauset Trails Nature Center, however, claims Beau's accuracy is even higher -reportedly in the 90 percent range.

Beau's previous home at Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary in Gwinnett County closed in 2017, but he's been thriving in his new digs ever since.

Residing in the aptly named Weathering Heights, a charming Antebellum-style mansion at Dauset Trails Nature Center, Beau enjoys the finer things in life, particularly the culinary delights of Waffle House, where hash browns are his preferred delicacy.

Gertie, the esteemed meteorologist of Wildlife Prairie State Park, Illinois, has an accuracy rate of 65 percent

Gertie the Groundhog

Gertie, the esteemed meteorologist of Wildlife Prairie State Park, Illinois, has been charming the state since 1993.

From her cozy chalet, this furry forecaster predicts the arrival of spring, her pronouncements accompanied by the stirring strains of 'Wake-Up Gertie,' the original hit song penned by local bard Barry Cloyd.

Gertie is a true celebrity, inspiring a children's book that chronicles her valiant quest to become the undisputed champion of groundhog prognostication.

While her accuracy rate may hover around 65 percent according to NOAA, Gertie's unwavering dedication to her craft and undeniable charisma have cemented her place as an Illinois icon.

Jimmy, who is Phil's biggest rival, boasts an accuracy rate of 60 percent

Jimmy the Groundhog

For over 75 years, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, has proudly claimed its title as the 'World Headquarters of the Groundhog' with its groundhog Jimmy, sparking headlines, chuckles, and rivalries from Congress to Pennsylvania coalfields.

Jimmy, who is Phil's biggest rival, boasts an accuracy rate of 60 percent, according to NOAA.

The tradition began in 1948 when an artist linked Sun Prairie to Groundhog Day for a whimsical postcard series. Postmaster Margaret McGonigle seized the idea, founding the Sun Prairie Groundhog Club- a society of February-born 'groundhogs' and 'woodchucks'.

The 4-H-led festivities grew with live groundhogs, potent 'Moose Milk,' and antics like stuffed groundhog weddings and even a lunar 'mission'.

The Punxsutawney groundhogs have met Sun Prairie's claims with a mix of good-natured ribbing and playful jabs.

Their annual shadow-spotting contest has become a delightful spectacle of friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) competition, with both sides vying for bragging rights and a place in American folklore.

Woodstock Willie (pictured) boasts a 60 percent success rate for his weather predictions

Woodstock Willie

Phil Connors would likely shudder at the thought, but next on the list of weather-predicting prognosticators is Woodstock Willie.

Residing in the very town that taught us the existential dread of temporal loops, this groundhog boasts a 60 percent success rate according to NOAA - a bit like flipping a coin, but with more fur.

Willie, whose given name is the decidedly less punny Wendy, was originally enlisted to inject a dose of absurdity into the bleak midwinter.

As Woodstock Groundhog Days chairman Rick Bellairs eloquently put it to CBS News, 'It's just something silly to do in the middle of winter. Christmas and the holidays are behind us, and spring is yet to come.'

Not to mention, Willie is a trailblazer for groundhog prognosticators as she is the only female groundhog in the competition - a true pioneer for women's rights.

Buckeye Chuck (pictured) boasts an accuracy rate of 55 percent

Buckeye Chuck

In the Buckeye State, all eyes will be on Buckeye Chuck as he takes center stage at the Marion County Fairgrounds. This Ohioan icon, whose stage name belies his true identity as Murray, will deliver his weather prognostication to a cheering crowd of hundreds.

And he boasts an impressive accuracy rate of 55 percent, according to NOAA.

Chuck's rise to fame began humbly. A radio host, Charlie Evers, discovered this charismatic groundhog near the station and, with the help of local schoolchildren, bestowed upon him the fitting moniker 'Buckeye Chuck.'

In 1979, Ohio officially recognized his prophetic powers, cementing his place in state legislation.

Today, Murray resides at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, a testament to his unique charm. While his comfort around humans precludes a return to the wild, he embraces his celebrity status.

Daily, he willingly enters his travel carrier, a testament to his professionalism and dedication to the craft of weather forecasting.

'It's all up to Murray whether or not he participates,' Jim Nemet, the museum's director of wildlife, told Cleveland 13 News. 'If we open the door and he sees 300 people and decides not to come out, we won't force him.'

Nemet also added that Buckeye Chuck receives positive reinforcement throughout this high-stakes process.

Celebrities. They're just like us.

Filbert the Beaver he has yet to be right about any of his predictions

Honorable Mention: Filbert the Beaver

Phil's next rival might not be in the same league - or even the same genus - but he's not one to burn bridges. Quite the opposite - he builds them.

Enter Filbert the beaver, born at the zoo in 2011, and his lodge-mate Maple. Together, they've amassed thousands of fans on the zoo's social media, where their relentless wood-gathering skills have earned them the cheeky title of 'branch managers'.

Stumptown Fil, the Oregon Zoo's resident beaver, eschews the traditional shadow-gazing method in favor of a more scholarly approach to weather forecasting. This unconventional prognosticator selects between two scrolls to determine the fate of spring.

Filbert assumed the mantle of weather predictor in 2020. While he has yet to be right about any of his predictions, his undeniable charm more than makes up for it, according to That Oregon Life.

Filbert is also an experienced research assistant: In 2015, he helped Oregon State University with its Beaver Genome Project.

Oregon's beaver population, once decimated by the fur trade, has made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts. Once hunted to near-extinction in the 19th century, these industrious engineers are now thriving, thanks to re-establishment programs and habitat restoration initiatives.

Metro, the regional government, has played a crucial role, restoring over 90 miles of waterways, ensuring healthy ecosystems for beavers and other wildlife.

So, the next time you encounter a beaver, remember to give a dam about the importance of conservation.

Fun Facts

Groundhogs, the eastern relatives of marmots, are masters of energy conservation. During their long winter hibernation, these furry forecasters lower their body temperature to near-freezing levels and slow their heart rate to an incredible three beats per minute.

To survive the cold months, groundhogs rely on fat reserves they carefully stockpile during summer and fall, often doubling their body weight in preparation.

In Minnesota, groundhogs- often called woodchucks - stay in their burrows until late March or early April. Once they emerge, they feast on insects, plants, fruits, vegetables, and the occasional bird egg. Expert diggers, they can excavate a 5-foot tunnel in a single day. Their intricate burrows include separate chambers for hibernation, raising young, and even a bathroom. After mating in early spring, females give birth to four to six pups in May.

When venturing above ground with their kits - or 'chucklings' - mother groundhogs emit a sharp whistle to warn of danger, earning them the nickname 'whistlepig'.

While theres no scientific proof that a groundhogs shadow can predict the weather on Groundhog Day, these charming creatures provide a welcome dose of humor and fun as we await the arrival of spring.
Most of us have heard of the Bermuda Triangle in the North Atlantic Ocean where ships, planes, and people are said to have mysteriously disappeared.

But less familiar is a similar phenomenon in Nevada.

The Nevada Triangle is a 25,000-square-mile area in a triangular boundary between Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, and Fresno in California.

Experts claim that in the last 50 years, about 2,000 planes have vanished in the triangle, many forever lost in the remote, mountainous and often inaccessible landscape.

While often the highly-trained aviators have been found, others have not.

While the reasons behind why remain a mystery, Marty Bevill, the president and owner of Fresno Flight Training in Madera, believes the Sierra Nevada Mountain terrain plays a major role.

'When you take airplanes in higher elevation airports, you lose power in the thinner air, you lose wing lift because of the thinner air, you lose acceleration capability. You lose a lot of things in higher elevation,' Bevill told FOX26.

Two notable disappearances, decades apart from each other, are particularly puzzling to aviation experts.

The Nevada Triangle spans from Las Vegas , Fresno, California and Reno. The 25,000 square-mile region has claimed a slew of planes and human lives

In 1943 a B-24 bomber plane flew into the sky near the triangle but never made it back. It was later found in 1960 following another deadly crash (Pictured: A park service worker pulls a part of the water)

In 1943, a B-24 bomber flew into the sky above the triangle but never made it back.

The 'Lucky Lee' left for the flight on December 5th, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Willis Turvey and co-piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Robert M. Hester.

The aircraft also carried four other crew members, 2nd Lieutenant William Thomas Cronin, 2nd Lieutenant Ellis H. Fish, Sergeant Robert Bursey and Sergeant Howard A. Wandtke.

Cronin was the navigator, Fish was the bombardier, Bursey, the engineer, and Wadntke was the radio operator.

The crew set out on a routine night training session which would take them on a short 111 mile flight between Hammer Field in Fresno, to Bakersfield, Tucson, Arizona and back.

But on the first leg of the flight the World War Two bomber vanished, sparking a rescue mission involving nine other B-24 bomber aircrafts.

But the morning after the the rescue mission began, one of the planes involved in the search also vanished. The B-24 was piloted by Squadron Commander Captain William Darden and had a crew of seven onboard.

When the plane encountered troubles, the co-pilot and radio operator chose to jump towards what appeared to be a snow and ice covering the clearing below.

The other six remained on board.

The plane took flight on December 5th of that year, piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Willis Turvey and co-piloted by 2nd Lieutenant Robert M. Hester. (Pictured: The crew of the B-24, the Lucky Lee)

The plane and the crew weren't found until 1955 when the aircraft were found at the bottom of Huntington Lake reservoir when it was drained to repair a dam.

An investigation later revealed that the plane likely lost control in high winds.

The two crew who managed to parachute from the plane said the pilot had been wrong about the frozen lake.

Darden died along with 2nd Lt. Samuel J. Schlosser, Sgt. Erwin Mayo, S/Sgt. Franklin C. Nyswonger, Sgt. Richard L. Spangle and Sgt. Donald C. Vande Plasch.

The two who survived, George Barulic and 2nd Lt. Marion C. Settle described in chilling detail what happened to the California Landmark Foundation in 2008.

'When I jumped out, I hit the back underneath the plane,' Barulic, then 86 said.

'I pulled the rip cord, and I couldn't have been more than a few hundred feet from the ground.'

The exterior of a nose panel that was recovered from the second B-24 Bomber plane crash in 1943

U.S. Navy crew members try to salvage parts of the plane that was found at the bottom of f Huntington Lake reservoir

Pictured: Huntington Lake reservoir today

He landed at the edge of the water and soon found Settle. Both were left with no injuries despite the plane plummeting into the lake.

'I looked out, and I could see an oxygen tank floating,' Barulic recalled.

The plane was eventually found 190 feet below the water with the remaining five crew members still in their stations.

Although attempts were made to retrieve the plane from the water, not all of it could be saved.

A few engines and other tiny parts were pulled out.

'I think it should be left alone,' Barulic said of the plane.

The remains that were recovered have since been buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Despite the second plane being discovered, the Lucky Lee's location has remained a mystery.

The pilot's father Robert Hester started his own private search to try and find it. The grieving father eventually died of a heart attack in 1959 without finding the aircraft.

Steve Fossett lost his life in a tragic plane crash after setting off September 3, 2007, in his single-engine two-seater aircraft

In a bittersweet twist of fate, the original B-24 was found just a year later in 1960 about 100 miles from Darden's plane crash location.

In another shocking plane crash that's suspected of occurring in the Nevada Triangle, famed aviator Steve Fossett lost his life.

Fossett, the first person to fly alone in a nonstop trip around the world in a hot air balloon, suddenly disappeared after taking off from Flying M Ranch airfield in Lyon County on September 3, 2007.

A search-and-rescue mission was launched six hours later after nobody heard from him after departing in his single-engine two-seater plane.

After about a month of trying to locate the Tennessee-born entrepreneur, he was declared dead.

Despite not finding him, search crews did locate several other crashed planes in the area, multiple outlets reported.

A year after concluding that Fossett died, a major clue arose as a hiker discovered his ID card scattered in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California - approximately 65 miles from his take-off site.

Fossett, the first person to fly alone in a nonstop trip around the world in a hot air balloon, was initially declared dead, but in 2008, his wrecked plane and some of his bones were found about miles from his take-off site. (Pictured: Fossett in January 2006)

A year after concluding that Fossett died, a major clue arose as a hiker discovered his ID card (pictured) scattered in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California

Pictured: The Sierra Nevada Mountains in California

Part of his plane and some of his remains were found weeks later. By November 3, those bones were confirmed to have belonged to Fossett.

Officials think that the rest of his remains might have been dragged away by wild animals in the area.

He died on impact from the crash, according to former Madera County Sheriff John Anderson.

With all of the tragedies surrounding the Nevada Triangle, it has not yet been definitively determined how or why planes lose control in the area.

While Bevill has predicted that around 2,000 planes went missing in the triangle, Paul Hamilton, a pilot based in Carson City, and Dan Bubb, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) believe that number is likely inaccurate.

'Two thousand crashes seems awfully high to me; that's a hard number to know,' Bubb told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
EXCLUSIVE

A couple who held off a group of teenagers from viciously bashing a defenceless young boy say their selfless act of bravery was to set an example for their children.

Simon Horrocks and his partner Renee Nowytarger rushed into the fray to rescue the boy, who was being brutally set upon by a mob of about 30 youths near Manly Wharf on Sydney's northern beaches on Sunday, January 6 just after 9pm.

After managing to scatter the attackers who were stomping on the boy's head in the middle of an intersection, Mr Horrocks and Ms Nowytarger rushed the victim into a Fratelli Fresh restaurant and blocked the doors as staff whisked him out the back to safety.

Mr Horrocks, a 58-year-old local father-of-one, was punched multiple times in the face and hit in the shoulder by a bottle after he managed to fetch the boy out from the scrum of assailants.

His partner, who is a multiple Walkley Award winning press photographer, escaped physical injury but was spat on numerous times as she shielded the boy.

The couple saw the teens descend on him as they walked home after enjoying a birthday celebration meal for Ms Nowytarger at Manly's Sake restaurant.

Mr Horrocks, who is a sales manager for a Silicon Valley start-up, told Daily Mail Australia that it was his partner who charged in to help without a moment's hesitation.

'I didn't really have any choice, it was Renee who showed the heroic instinct,' he said.

Simon Horrocks and Renee Nowytarger rushed without hesitation into the fray to rescue a boy being beaten by a rampaging mob of youths in Manly

However, he said the pair have seen 'three or four' similar situations around Manly where teens have been chasing and fighting each other and on a previous occasion Mr Horrocks said he stepped in to help a youth who was knocked to the ground.

The couple had talked about what they would do when seeing someone attacked and both agreed they wanted to set an example for their children, who they hoped would also be one day brave enough to help someone in need.

'I don't think anyone knows what they will do in a fraught situation but I think we would all like to think we would be the ones to step in and out especially if someone is put at serious risk,' Mr Horrocks said.

As the pair held off the mob outside the restaurant, with the doors being barricaded by patrons inside which including interim Nine CEO Matt Stanton, Mr Horrocks said they took radically different approaches.

He tried to reason with the mob, telling them the police would arrive soon and their intended victim was beyond their reach.

'While I am at one door trying to calm them down, she is at the other door stepping forward getting right in their faces and stabbing the palm of her hand right in front of their faces and shouting "Back off!",' Mr Horrocks said.

The teenage boy was viciously boy was rescued from a brutal assaulted near the Many Wharf in Sydney's north

'She's been in some pretty interesting situations - coups, bombings, war zones, all the rest of it - and has trained with special forces on evacuation techniques and hostage taking and that sort of stuff.

'When we walked home later I said, "Are you sure that was the right thing to do? I was trying to calm things down, you were almost trying to wind them up!" and she said, "it's my training".

'It worked for her.'

After the teens dispersed, police found a knife lying at the scene, which Mr Horrocks said surprised him.

However, despite learning he was in a more risky situation than it may have appeared, Mr Horrocks, originally from Manchester in the UK, said he was unflustered.

He said the reason he migrated to Australia almost 13 years ago was because of the level of violence in London.

'I came to Australia shortly before my daughter, Amelie, was born because we were living in central London,' he said.

Matt Stanton (pictured left in the striped t-shirt) was one of two men who held the door against the rampaging mob trying to hunt down their victim.

'There's a lot of knife crime in London. There's a story every week about a kid being killed. We decided we didn't Amelie want to grow up with with that around her.

'I certainly am aware of the danger (in Manly) but it's clear to me it's not at a level that I used to live with in London. I suppose that knives are generally used for show around kids.

'I wouldn't say I am blase about it but I am also not terrified by having knives around.'

Mr Horrocks said he wanted to stress the positives of living where he does.

'I want for people to know that this kind of thing can happen in Manly but it is not rife,' he said.

'The northern beaches, Manly, has not changed overnight into some kind of centre of knife crime.

'We've not suddenly become a dangerous place to live.'

He said as a result of the widely publicised incident '...the community really came together'.

'That has very positive impact with the policing locally with the taskforce that has been set up and the engagement with a local MP,' he said.

'We were aware detectives are working very hard on it. They told us they would make two or three arrests before the weekend and they were as good as their word.

'The charges are riot and affray which are much more serious than public disorder.

Mr Horrocks (pictured) said when his partner rushed in to help the boy he was 'left with no choice' but to go in as well

Simon Horrocks, (pictured with his daughter Amelie) said he moved to Australia almost 13 years ago to escape the epidemic of knife crime in the UK

'It has had an immediate impact on the safety of the local population.

'It made things safer for the Australia Day weekend. In Manly the police presence was significantly increased.'

Following the establishment of Strike Force Crookhaven, police made three arrests in connection with the January 6 incident.

There is no suggestion that any of those persons are guilty of the incidents described on the night in question.

Emilio Martinez, 18 of Bonnyrigg Heights in Sydney's south-west, appeared at Manly Local Court on Wednesday morning charged with affray and riot.

After pleading not guilty, Martinez has been released on conditional bail with his next court appearance scheduled for March.

His bail conditions include not entering the Northern Beaches LGA unless to attend court and 'be of good behaviour and follow all reasonable requests of his parents'.

Royce Jensen, 20 of Wyong on the NSW Central Coast, was also arrested and has pleaded guilty to common assault but not guilty to riot charges.

He remains in custody with his next court appearance scheduled for February.

A boy, aged 15, faces two counts of common assault, riot and affray over the January 6 incident.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear before a childrens court in February.
A father who has spent most of his life with just one arm is facing having his legs amputated after contracting a severe bacterial disease while holidaying abroad with his family.

Jeff Zvonova, 44, spent a week in Pomorie, Bulgaria, last summer with his wife Jelena and youngest son Andrew as they looked to take a break from working in their Bradford cafe.

But immediately after returning home, Jelena, 41, and Andrew, 11, started showing symptoms of a flu-like illness which was followed by Jeff - whose feelings of exhaustion kept him bed-bound for days.

The family soon discovered that what 'should have been a beautiful family holiday' quickly became 'an unthinkable nightmare' as Mr Zvonova was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, sending him into an eight-day coma.

Six months on, Mr Zvonova is set to have both of his legs amputated, leaving him with only his left arm - where three of his fingers are already severely damaged - due to a cell injury resulting in the mass death of body tissue.

The father-of-two, who lost his right arm in a childhood accident, has been unable to shower for six months despite Bradford Council 'promising' they would renovate the family bathroom to make it more accessible.

Causing yet further distress, Mr Zvonova has also been prescribed antidepressants by his local GP as a way to battle the intense pain despite there being little evidence to support their use.

Mrs Zvonova said the previous 'pillar of the family' has descended into a man 'struggling to find a reason to keep going' and recalled how the disease ravaged her husband last June.

Jeff Zvonova, 44, (above) is facing having his two legs amputated, leaving him with just one arm after losing his right arm due to a childhood accident

Jelena Zvonova, 41, (above, left) has told MailOnline of the 'unthinkable nightmare' since her husband contracted Legionnaires' disease

The couple, who married in 2004, are seen enjoying their holiday in Bulgaria before flying home where their lives would be flipped upside-down

'He was managing with it initially and was still able to work and help around at home, but his body temperature was sitting around 37 to 38 degrees,' she told MailOnline.

'In the beginning it was me who had felt really tired for two days. I couldn't go to work because of how poorly I felt but the situation quickly changed.

'He woke up one morning and felt completely shattered, it was really bad.

'The doctor prescribed him some antibiotics which he did take for three days, but he wasn't getting better.

'I had been at work and called him on my lunch and realised he couldn't even speak to me.

'Of course he said he still felt fine but I knew he wasn't, so I called an ambulance for him'.

When the emergency services met Mr Zvonova at his home in Bradford, they quickly realised his oxygen levels were dangerously low and rushed him to Bradford Royal Infirmary's Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Despite best efforts to stabilise the 44-year-old, he lost consciousness and fell into a coma where he remained for eight-days before eventually pulling through.

Mr Zvonova is pictured in Bradford Royal Infirmary on an oxygen mask after the ambulance realised he had dangerously low levels

What is Legionnaires' disease? Legionnaires' disease is a lung infection caused by inhaling droplets of infected water from things like air conditioning or hot tubs Legionella is typically found in places like hotels, hospitals or offices where the bacteria is in the water supply You can contract Legionnaires' disease from things like: Air conditioning systems

Humidifiers

Spa pools and hot tubs

Taps and showers that are not used often You cannot usually get it from: Drinking water that contains the bacteria

Other people with the infection

Ponds, lakes and rivers Source: NHS Advertisement

Mrs Zvonova told of her 'relief' at the news as doctors had been preparing her for life without her husband, but there was further 'devastating news' awaiting them yet.

The infection had caused necrosis - a severe cell injury which occurs when a lack of blood flows to tissue within the body - and has left doctors with 'no choice but to amputate'.

Mr Zvonova will discover his fate in the first few weeks of February when he has a vascular meeting to decide what happens next, but after six months of being unable to do so much as shower, he and his family want to move past this traumatic time.

'My two sons have stepped up in ways that no kids should have to over the last six months', Mrs Zvonova said.

'Even my 11-year-old boy is coming home from school at 3pm when I'm still working and taking care of his Dad, walking the dogs and making food.

'My husband hasn't been able to shower for half a year. We are washing him on the bed.

'Bradford Council promised our house would be improved so he can shower, but there's been nothing.

'All they have told us is to take him to the local swimming pool, pay five pounds and wash him in the disabled shower.

'It's only in the last two weeks that they've started giving us a carer who comes every morning to make him breakfast and wash him on the bed and I had to scream for that.

'Do they want me to quit my job? One of my kids is working and the other is at school. I need to find a way to pay the bills and feed my family.'

The 41-year-old mother said she has even had to battle with the local GP who prescribed her husband Duloxetine to fight the pain, a drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety.

Mr Zvonova's wife says he was prescribed Duloxetine (pictured), a drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety

The 44-year-old father has been unable to shower for six months, with his family washing him while he lies on the bed

'At first we didn't read what they were, we had just been thinking they were for pain.

'But Jeff said he felt something wasn't right and when we Googled it we found that they were antidepressants.

'I get to the situation where I need to go there and show them the pictures of his legs, but they're all in his file. They can open the file and see how bad they are.

'They probably can't imagine how painful this is for him, having two completely dead legs and they prescribe antidepressants. It has been a total nightmare.'

The family currently have a case open with a solicitor to find the root cause of what caused Mr Zvonova's necrosis while in care at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Zvonova said she 'doesn't want to blame anyone' because they saved her husband's life, but wants to gain closure on the situation.

Mrs Zvonova is desperate to find out what caused her husband's necrosis while he was in Bradford Royal Infirmary

The couple met in 2000 and have lived in Bradford since 2009

'It's not about the money', she said.

'They saved my husband's life so I don't want to blame anyone.

'I was there visiting my husband every day while he was in hospital, I know how hard they work.

'But I want to find out what happened, nobody can explain it.'

The family had been staying at the Festa Via Pontica Resort, who told Mrs Zvonova they have no Legionella present in their premises.

They also informed the 41-year-old that they had the relevant health certificates and test once per year for the bacteria within their water.

The Zvonova family have a GoFundMe active with a target of 10,000 to assist their 'desperate' cause.
A photographer credited with taking an iconic image of the Vietnam War claims he will sue the filmmakers who say he basked in the glory of another man's work for decades, DailyMail.com can reveal.

LA-based photographer Nick Ut has long been praised for capturing the picture of a naked girl fleeing a napalm attack in South Vietnam as a staffer for The Associated Press in 1972.

But a new documentary called 'The Stringer,' which premiered on Saturday, claims that Ut has lived a lie all these years as the 'napalm girl' photo was really taken by Nguyen Thanh Nghe, an NBC News driver.

Now, Ut's lawyer, Jim Hornstein, says these dueling claims will be tested in court, as he will in the coming weeks file a defamation lawsuit against The VII Foundation and others involved in the movie.

Hornstein says the film's claims are 'absolute bunk' and based on a '50-year vendetta' of an AP photo editor in Saigon who was jealous of Ut, and the glittering career he has had once the war ended.

The lawyer shared with DailyMail.com documents from the case file, including a letter from Kim Phuc, the girl in the photo, now a 61-year-old living in Canada, who says she has 'no doubt' that Ut took the photo.

He also shared a letter from a 1989 edition of the Los Angeles Times, in which an NBC News director who witnessed the horrors at the town of Trang Bang praised Ut for his work, but made no reference to Nghe.

'A defamation action will soon be filed against the filmmakers to correct this outrageous decision by VII Foundation' to release the movie, Hornstein told DailyMail.com.

After 50 years of silence, a freelance photographer from Vietnam has claimed he took the iconic 'Napalm Girl' image (above) showing a naked child fleeing from a bomb in 1972

Titled The Terror of War, it became one of the most haunting images of the 20th century. Nick Ut (pictured), now 73, was 21 when he took the photo, which won a Pulitzer Prize

The 'napalm girl' photo was taken on 8 June 1972. It shows Kim Phuc as a naked nine-year-old girl and several other burned and crying children fleeing a napalm attack on their village of Trang Bang.

Officially titled The Terror of War, it became one of the most haunting images of the 20th century.

A billion people are estimated to have seen the photo within 24 hours of its publication, with billions more viewing it since.

It was so influential in hammering home the horrors of the Vietnam War that President Richard Nixon even questioned if it had been doctored.

The AP and Ut have long maintained that Ut, then aged 21, took the photo, which won him a Pulitzer Prize, photojournalist fame and a distinguished career until his retirement from the AP in 2017.

More than half a century later, The Stringer flips the script on this, claiming that the image was actually taken by Nghe, who was in Trang Bang that day as a driver for an NBC News crew.

Nghe says he captured the image of Phuc running down the street with arms outstretched and sold it to the AP for $20, and that they gave him a print of the photo that his wife later destroyed.

Investigations into his claim by teams for The Stringer were led by husband-and-wife team Gary Knight and founder of the VII Foundation, and producer Fiona Turner.

It was directed by Vietnamese-American filmmaker Bao Nguyen.

The movie sent shockwaves through the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, where it premiered on Saturday.

A key source in the film is Carl Robinson, a former AP photo editor in Saigon, who was overruled in his judgment not to use the picture by Horst Faas, AP's Saigon chief of photos, it is claimed.

Pictured: Vietnam war survivor Kim Phuc, left, and AP photographer Nick Ut, greet each other before a talk in 2007

Nguyen Thanh Nghe has said the monochrome photograph, which has long been credited to AP staffer photographer Nick Ut, was actually taken by him. (Pictured: Director Bao Nguyen and Nguyen Than Nghe)

AP bosses have said there is 'no reason to conclude that anyone other than the long-credited photographer, Ut, made the picture'. (Pictured: Ut (center) flanked by the girl pictured, Kim Phuc, on his left)

The letters page from a 1989 edition of the LA Times is set to feature in the upcoming lawsuit

Robinson says in the film that Faas instructed him to 'make it staff' and credit Ut for the photo.

Both Faas and Yuichi 'Jackson' Ishizaki, who developed the film, are dead.

Robinson was dismissed by the AP in 1978. The 81-year-old says he 'didn't want to die before this story came out.'

The Stringer gives several theories about why Nghe did not get credit for what was allegedly his photograph.

One is that it was common practice at the time to credit staff over local stringers.

Another is that Fass felt loyalty to Ut, whose brother, also a photographer, died on a job in a war zone.

Faas also wrote a memo hinting that it was commonplace not to credit the local Vietnamese stringers because of their 'weird' names.

Researchers enlisted a French forensics team, INDEX, to help determine the likelihood of whether Ut had been in a position to take the photo.

They concluded that it was highly unlikely that Ut could have been at the scene, given the other shots he captured that day.

The AP conducted its own investigation into the controversy and concluded it had 'no reason to believe anyone other than Ut took the photo.'

Pictured: Phan Thi Kim Phuc, left, is visited by AP photographer Nick Ut in 1973

Pictured: Phan Thi Kim Phuc stands with photographer Nick Ut, at an exhibition in New York in 2001

Gary Knight attends the 'The Stringer' premiere during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

The agency urged the documentary makers to release their contributors from non-disclosure agreements for the film, including Nghe.

Hornstein shared with DailyMail.com documents that support Ut's assertion that he took the photo.

They include a statement from Kim Phuc, the girl from the photo.

She has 'only flitting' memories of the fateful day, but family members have since told her that Ut took the photo and then helped her to hospital.

'I have no doubt in my mind and heart that it was Nick who ran towards me to capture the famous photo,' she writes, calling the film an 'outrageous and false attack' on the photographer.

Ut's case also features a letter written by NBC News director Arthur Lord to the LA Times in October 1989, 13 years before his death.

Lord describes being an eyewitness to the children streaming out of the bombed-out village.

He wrote that only Ut and NBC News cameraman Le Phuc Dinh captured the harrowing scene.

AP was the only outlet to publish an image of the children, amid concerns over the nudity and graphic content, and 'Nick Ut won a well-deserved Pulitzer Prize' for his work, wrote Lord.

According to Hornstein, this letter discredits Nghe's account, as Lord would have known if his own driver had also taken photos of the screaming kids.

Eyewitnesses to the event 'uniformly credit Nick Ut, not just for his skill in capturing the photo, but also for his bravery and his humanity that day in putting down his camera and taking the injured children to the closest hospital,' says the lawyer.

He slammed the filmmakers for amplifying Robinson's claims, who he says harbors a '50-year-vendetta' against AP and Ut.

DailyMail.com reached out to Knight and his VII Foundation for comment.

The Stringer does not yet have distribution plans.
Zombie-like fentanyl users still stumble through its needle-strewn parks, but, apparently, this woe-begotten suburb of Philadelphia is getting better.

At least, that's the message from Mayor Cherelle Parker, who opened a 'wellness court' last month to get more addicts off the blighted streets of Kensington.

Campaigners criticize her tribunal, saying it fast-tracks users into rehab without tackling the poverty and mental health issues that underpin their problems.

But Parker is a tough-on-crime Democrat who defies her party's progressives, earning her the moniker 'Trumpesque' during her election campaign in 2023.

And the mood has changed since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, giving officials in blue cities cover to get tougher on drugs, gangs, and homelessness.

For long-suffering residents of northeast Philadelphia, change could not come fast enough.

Dianne Hoffmann, executive director of Mother of Mercy House, peers through her office window onto East Allegheny Avenue and counts a dozen addicts on the chilly corner outside.

'We are on the front lines here,' Hoffmann told DailyMail.com.

Pictured this week, Kensington Avenue in northeast Philadelphia is still gripped by a crisis of homelessness, drug addiction and mental health problems

But thing were certainly worse a year ago, when Mayor Cherelle Parker came into office on a promise of restoring public safety (photo above taken in December 2023)

'Our new mayor came in last year really wanting to help, which is phenomenal, and she's doing the best she can.'

Her Catholic charity doles out food to the hungry and homeless, but there's been no let up in demand.

Some days, a surge in policing appears to have made the streets safer, she adds.

But not today.

'It's an overwhelming problem. [Parker] has a lot in front of her,' she said.

Hoffman's run-down area of open-air drug markets became a portrait of America at its darkest.

It's thoroughfare, Kensington Avenue, was dubbed the 'street of lost souls and forgotten dreams', such was the scale of desperation and human wreckage on display.

Drug addicts and prostitutes were seen slipping needles into their necks while sheltered under elevated train tracks.

Large groups took over the sidewalks, turning them into homeless encampments where people lived in their own filth.

Emaciated homeless people were passed out in the street next to empty bottles and plastic bags.

The sidewalks were more reminiscent of a scene from the Walking Dead than a bustling metro.

It was a 'ground zero' for the region's opioid crisis, a pocket of post-apocalyptic carnage nestled between more affluent and cozy areas nearby.

Mayor Cherelle Parker has been called 'Trumpian' after defying progressives with her law-and-order policies

Though it's better than before, Kensington Avenue (seen above Tuesday) remains a pitiful portrait of America at its darkest .

Mayor Parker hired 75 more cops for Kensington upon taking office in last January 2024. Police are seen on the streets this week

The chaos was fueled by the rise of the drug Xylazine, or 'tranq' - a lethal sedative used to boost the effects of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine.

Things got so bad that foreign governments used footage of Kensington's wretches in ad campaigns to scare their own young people off drugs.

Casey O'Donnell, the boss of Impact Services, a local non-profit, said it had become an 'international embarrassment'.

Residents said they'd been abandoned by the city.

Some confronted junkies on their doorsteps, asking, and even begging them to move, so kids could play outside safely.

'There are great families that live behind the doors, but most of them aren't wealthy enough to leave,' said Hoffmann.

'It's such an amazing cluster of everything that's wrong.'

Against this miserable backdrop, Parker easily beat her Democratic opponents in a May 2023 primary, by pledging to hire more cops and restore order.

A Philadelphia Inquirer columnist called her 'Trumpesque' for her uncompromising approach.

After taking office last January, she hired 75 police officers for the streets of Kensington, where she quashed homeless encampments, and increased narcotics arrests.

Then in November, voters again vented their frustration about social problems, immigration, and the economy by electing Trump.

The Republican flipped Pennsylvania, and made gains in liberal-leaning Philadelphia.

Kensington's homeless are often addicted to opioids and shoot up anything they can get their hands on. Pictured: McPherson Square on Kensington Avenue this week

Parker in January launched a 'wellness court' system operating out of a police station

Critics say that Kensington's problems have just been moved out to nearby backstreets. Kensington Avenue seen on Tuesday

He even picked up five wards in the city, including the 45th, which abuts Kensington.

Parker says she's willing to work with Trump and has even offered to have a sit-down with him.

The day after he was sworn in for a second term, Parker signed an executive order to open a weekly 'neighborhood wellness court' in Kensington.

She called it an unprecedented step 'to restore community and a quality of life' in a neglected area overrun by open-air drug trading.

Philadelphia residents must stop 'closing our eyes real tight, trying to wish what we are seeing in front of our very eyes away,' she added.

Cops now sweep through Kensington each Wednesday.

They have new powers to pick up those committing summary offenses - including disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and criminal trespass - as well as more serious offenses, such as drug possession.

Under the scheme, they can then be fast-tracked through the wellness court to have warrant issues cleared and diverted into a treatment program instead of spending days or weeks in jail.

It's too early to say whether the pilot initiative is working.

According to reports, it's only led to three arrests so far, of which two people took the treatment option.

But opponents to the scheme were fighting it even before the first cases were heard.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says it singles out people in Kensington for a different type of justice than is dispensed even a mile down the road.

Those picked up by police are fast-tracked into treatment programs, often without getting a chance to discuss their options properly with a lawyer.

ACLU staff attorney Solomon Furious Worlds says the system encourages cops to pull out their handcuffs.

'Instead of the strong norm being to not arrest, the strong norm is to arrest,' he told Kensington Voice.

A year into Parker's leadership, and there are signs of progress.

A homeless addict on the left lurches into the so-called 'fentanyl fold'

Those detained in the new wellness court system get a visit to hospital where their needle wounds are cleaned up

'No one out there is happy. They're very sick,' says Dianne Hoffmann, Executive Director of Mother of Mercy House in Kensington

DailyMail.com this week saw more cops on the streets, road crews clearing up needle-strewn grassy areas, and metal barricades along sidewalks that were once homeless encampments.

And yet, in doorways, parks and outside derelict buildings, drug users are still seen, often doubled over - a pitiful stance known as the 'fentanyl fold'.

An Inquirer investigation in December revealed that shootings dropped to a decade low in 2024, with just 58 incidents, compared to 210 in 2022.

But that was part of a broader decline in gun violence.

The quality of life crimes and nuisances that plagued Kensington did not appear to be getting any better.

Though Kensington Avenue and other nearby hotspots had improved, the homelessness and drugs likely just moved on to less visible areas nearby.

For Hoffmann, there are no quick fixes for Kensington, where decades of neglect, failed policing, and political missteps brought the neighborhood to a breaking point.

Extra cops and wellness courts help around the edges, but 30-day rehab programs struggle to turn around homeless addicts, she said.

It takes a lot longer to fix someone with mental health problems who's cut off from their family and can't hold down a job.

'No one out there is happy. They're very sick, and most of them are sad,' Hoffmann said.

'You can't just arrest them and say: 'Do better.' The wraparound care they need is a long, and very expensive process.'
A job seeker and self-proclaimed 'urban shaman' is suing a convenience store chain for $50,000 after they rescinded a desperately-needed job offer.

Christopher La Caze, who uses 'we/us' pronouns on his LinkedIn profile, has launched a lawsuit against retail giant Jacksons Food Stores.

La Caze took legal action against the company after they allegedly withdrew a job offer the massive tattoo he now has inked across his face.

The Celtic knot tattoo spans both cheeks and the bridge of the nose and is also proudly displayed on his LinkedIn profile.

In court documents filed in Multnomah County and obtained by Oregon Live, La Caze claims the tattoo is a representation of animism, an ancient belief system that teaches all things - including plants, animals and even rocks - possess a spirit or soul.

The employment dispute erupted after La Caze interviewed for a cashier position at one of the chain's numerous locations in Multnomah County, Oregon.

According to the lawsuit, what should have been the start to a career quickly took a turn when a hiring manager's initial job offer was withdrawn.

Christopher La Caze, a self-proclaimed 'urban shaman' with massive face tattoo is suing a convenience store chain for $50,000 after they rescinded his desperately-needed job offer, claiming they discriminated against his religious beliefs

La Caze previously worked in Growhouse Operations for Belladonna Growhouse

Court papers revealed the manager insisted La Caze would need to file for a religious exemption due to the prominent facial tattoo.

But La Caze claimed they later backtracked completely, claiming the bold creative choice made employment at the store impossible.

When pressed about the religious exemption application, La Caze alleged a company employee 'would not talk about it' before abruptly ending the call.

Shane Wright, speaking on behalf of Jacksons Food Stores, declined to address La Caze's specific allegations, due to ongoing litigation.

But he was quick to defend the company's inclusive stance.

'However, we are proud of the fact that our company is steadfast in its commitment to offering accommodations to anyone with religious beliefs,' Wright wrote in an email to Oregon Live.

The Idaho-based retail giant, which operates more than 300 stores across the western United States including 33 in the Portland area, maintains a policy requiring employees with face or head tattoos to cover them while working.

The company says this can be achieved through makeup, face masks or 'another accessory.'

In court documents filed in Multnomah County obtained by Oregon Live, La Caze claims the tattoos are a representation of animism - an ancient belief system that teaches all things, including plants, animals and even rocks, possess a spirit or soul

Pictured: La Caze before he received his facial tattoo

Wright emphasized that the chain currently employs several workers with facial tattoos across multiple states.

He claimed that they're willing to work with staff when it's too difficult to cover the tattoo entirely.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month by La Caze's Portland-based attorney Marc Schworm, seeks damages for both lost wages and emotional distress.

La Caze's job background in the cannabis industry, which includes a position in Growhouse Operations at Belladonna Growhouse, is seemingly described in his LinkedIn bio as a journey from 'closets with a couple plants to warehouses with thousands.

His profile highlights his transformation from plant cultivator to spiritual guide.

Decades of construction, which helped with buildouts. Grown in it all.... Literally,' he wrote in his bio.

Became passionate for the extraction process and the purity that should be standard. I was making it and I was smoking it, driving me to be as efficient as possible without sacrificing ANY purity.

I later discovered the healing properties of psychedelic plants and the power they give to save ourselves from ourselves. I am currently answering the strangest calling I have ever been drawn to - acting as Shaman and urban healer to my community.

The Idaho-based retail giant, which operates more than 300 stores across the western United States including 33 in the Portland area, maintains a policy requiring employees with face or head tattoos to cover them while working

La Caze's job background in the cannabis industry, which includes a position in Growhouse Operations at Belladonna Growhouse, is seemingly described in his LinkedIn bio as a journey from 'closets with a couple plants to warehouses with thousands.

I look forward to meeting you and enriching your perception of existence!

In 2016, researchers found that having tattoos can actually increase a candidates chance at employment.

The study claimed body art could help to convey an organizations image, especially for those geared toward younger customers.
Rebecca Burke, 28, was on a 'once in a lifetime' solo travelling trip across the US and Canada when it turned into a nightmare after she was handcuffed while trying to cross the Canadian border on February 26. The Brit has already spent two weeks behind bars at a detention centre in Tacoma, Washington, after Trump's war on criminal immigrants, who he claims include 'rapists and murderers'. Now her parents (top right) fear she could spend up to a month in the detention centre, described as 'cold' and 'close to capacity', despite her desperation to leave the US and come home to the UK. Despite her case reportedly moving up the priority list at the centre, Ms Burke has been told it could still be at least ten days until it is dealt with.